New Britain herald., 1917-03-02
AUTO DRIVER FOUND SLAIN
 WITH BULLET IN HIS HEAD
Charles A. Taft of Hartford Murdered While in Machine at Lonely Spot on KensingtOn' Avenue Crime Believed to Have Been Committed Last Night Robbery Motive

running on Arch street last night
 failed to remember having had any
 strangers or suspicious appearing pas-
 sengers board their cars at the terrn-
 mus or lower part of the street. I1sSs
 this search, police officials received
 invaluable assistance from Suptas
 Frank l.. Beardsley of the Connecti-ss
 cut company and his inspectors.
 The crew of Piainville car ressss
 ported that between ( and oscloGk
 last night an excited man of abosh
 thirty years, smelling strongly nASS
 liquor and surgical antiseptics wtt1K2S
 a bandaged hand boarded tEeir carf
 at Plainville,. appeared very nervouS
 and inquired about the quickest wa12s of getting to New Haven. He left thAA car when it arrived in this city and { hurried in the direction of the rail- < road station. M Ass Ssas Car Ready to Start. M Clues are conflicting relative to thSS; status of the car at the time of thAHI
 accident. It was found that the gas,as spark and other mechanism were iirS positions indicating that 1t was ruri- ming and the engine became suddenly stalled, possibly when Taft's lhelesAgs hands lost control of the steerinN wheel, dropped to his side and ai lowed the car to swerve into fItqas ditch. But in the front seat ad djoi1S-ss ing that of the driver was found 2x can of tobacco and pipe while 2 par1 tially-smoked cigar was found on tf1aa floor. This, the authorities believesga may mean that Taft brought sonp1% one from Hartford to this lonely lo-sN
 cality and was waiting for them M
 when the bullet was fired bys some one who crept up behind him. opened z the side door and sent the bullet x crashing into his brain. Tkere werSAs no signs of a struggle although tho $ flooring of the front part of the cars was covered with blood that poured from the gaping wounc in Taft's's head, sS ta asl g5 !sssS ss ssIs " Immediately upon receiving word z of the discovery, Sergeant Keil5',SS 1 rushed Policemen Matthias Rival and Y
 Thomas c. polan to the scene in the ] patrol, in addition to snotifying DSs 1 EtcocK After visWipE the body. Dys a I Eicock atrthof1xe0 removal K to r ESGl.ssss neyss fllorgue sChief Of Policcn i liam J. Rawlings, Detective Sey1 @ | Samuel Bamforth and DetecttyS M i Richardson were on the sce1le 0as X 1 Photographs were taken of In and position of the body. hetcro a ,noyal. They area for use lates. aSEs8 Authorities in Hartford were coflk1a municated with early and fnrnfshsl@ \ with information relative to the bo1f M Information .,as givc., taat lstierAJE found in the automobile and s,ntslte4S of the victin. bore th'. s'nns4 N. " Charles \. Taft, in care of Asltwe.ssa garage. 4 req3est was mace N tisaSTE9sai relatives be notified and asl attentxsyS3 r |. eIHnS St ss~.a@
 pencd to h. in tkis city last ,nsz sfs &
 his passengers and other detntls HcqneSss nectcd with him and his busiise&s. ~ N
 seea, By Brother Last NjEiit. 8isia ass
 Albert Taft informed the nutisoys
 ities that lie last saw his qhtothSTAs
 about o'clock last night sitting t x
 tho seat of his car at Goodwin's coraS aS
 ner in Hartford, apparently w1ltis{W W for passengers. He passed near htnx N
 but did not speak. ss R4h NJ
 4 theory considered possible by.
 local authorities. but in which iittte
 credence is placed, is that rafC1H tragic end is, in some way. aonaccth N with the activities of the "f1rebucas&3 who have been operating extenStv@3 in this city and Hartford. It has b<i S, the opinion of the local police stk S<S4 those responsible for the fires hxv2a been travelling between this city aaf{M i Hartford by automobile and thQ
 who have cars for hire, and conmer- cial chauffeurs, have been intar- H3 viewed in an attempt to suhstauti iaxe3A this theory. 1t Is thought pos1i11S] that Taft had unknowingly been ug(
 as chauffeur for the gang, becanSo3 acquainted with their identity and wd& put out of the way" because pursultH had become dangerous to their fre9T " dom. This theory has been l1earas4 widely circulated on the streets today s but the authorities place little credenpS S in 1t, although. admitting that they have it under consideration. ss
 No Clue i'm Letters.
 According to the authorities Ictteps and other belongings found on tls scene were of the ordinary type and nothing that would throw light on Taft's presence in this city, last night or of enemies that he na4 have had. The theory considered,idis3 s3 the authorities, to be the most logic3E5 is that the victims habit of carryifi$A much money about him was knoNtsf he was secured to take a passengS&Sla la or party, to this city and shot for. tl1G sole purpose of robbery.
 The deceased was twice marri03E Besides his second wife. he Is surviyS5f by lis mother, who lives on Bias1
 street. East HAxtford; sister. Man4
 D., who Is half owner of the Conn6
 ticut Glass company on Temple stre6
 in Hartford; three brothers. Harry t William D., and Albert !. Taft NEa Hartford and one daughter. J0aephiiaS Taft. Although Taft was proprietQx of an independent taxi-cab service, theA car of death was registered in tllaf