The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-04
NEWTOWN YOUTH, HELD IN BOSTON,
 HAS BIG RECORD
Bridgeport Police Say F1eec. ing Churchmen is Bren-
 nan s Long Suit.

With a criminal record covering three sheets of paper and well known to the local police in years gone by Thomas Brennan, aged 36,f of New town, is held by the police in Boston charged with grand larceny. The po- lice authorities of the Massach usetts metropolis have asked the local police to forward Tommy's police record.
 Brennan was arrested in Boston un- der. the alias of Harold B. Curtis and he is alleged to have committed lar eceny in an Episcopal church in Bos- ton
 He formerly went under the alias of Tommy Haw1ey," the latter name derived from Hawleyyille, where Brennan resided at one time. He was arrested in this city by Detective Edward O. Cronan in 1902 and charg- ed with theft He was given nine months in jail for this offense.
 Again in 1904 he was sent to WethersheId for from one to. two years for robbing a boarding house in Broad street He was charged with statutory burglary. He was brought back to this city in Septem- Der and an additional charge of breaking and eItefing a rooning g house in South avenue was made. For this offense another sentence of one year in the states prison was impos- ed upon Tommy. In 1911 he was again sentenced to Wethersfield for from one to two years on a, charge of statutory burga1ry.
 Brennan reported to have been ac- customed to fleece cIurchgoers and at one time he made a big haul while prominent member of church in Meriden. Brennan was a, trustee of the church and he was very popular with the congregation.
 One day Tommy appeared down cast and he told the pastor that his uncle, who was worth millions had just died. Tommy said he had to make all funeral arrangements. He said he had to pay the cost of the funeral but that after the will of his uncle had passed the probate court he would be a rich man. Brennan even went so far as to go to Springfield, where he hired an undertaken to handle the funeral of his unc1e. Naturally Tommy needed some money to pay the funeral expenses
 until such time as he could receive his share of the vast estate He had gained the confidence of the pastor of the. church and it is said that the telergymans+ aided by a few wealthy parishioners collected more than
 $500, which they loaned to Tommy to pay the funeral expenses. Bren- nan vowed that he would pay the cost of erecting a new church when he came. into his fortune.
 The following day the undertaken from Springfield came to Meriden in quest of Brennan and Tommy was gone. Several others were in search of him the following day but none learned of his whereabouts until he was arrested in this city for the third time on a charge of larceny. This time he was given three years in the penitentiary.
 At another time Brennan returned to this city with big 'Toll' he had made in some other city. He visited the home of his former boarding mis- tress, whom he owed $25 for room rent. He engaged room. He did not remain that night Instead he went to Waterbury with brand new suit of a fellow roomer. He pawn ed the suit of clothes in Waterbury. In one of the pockets of the coat was $35. He sold the suit for $4. A week later he was appfehended by Detective Cronan and he confess ed. Brennan went to Waterbury with Cronan and pointed out the fence" " The pawnbFoker admitted buying the suit from Brennan but said he had sold it for sS. He was then asked about the missing s35 and when the pawnbroker heard this he said to his wife: "OhI Oh! $35i And to think I sold it for $S.'' Apparently he had l failed to search the pockets of the clothing. For this theft Brennan was