New Britain herald., 1917-08-24
THIEVES MAKE TWO
 MIDNIGHT VISITS
Loot Conforti'S Cash Drawer and Dine at CahilPS
AGED RESIDENT DIES

i About $35 Stolen From Louis Con- l forti's Store-Propcrty Damage at Cahtn's-Mrs. Blakeslee, Aged sS, Dies at Sons Home.
 Burglars, evidently of the anna teur or sneak-thief-h hobo variety. wis., 1 1ted Plainville last night and succeed ed in effecting an entrance to at least two business houses and then made good their escape after having caused considerable property damage and footed the cash drawer in one store of about s35 in change. The au- thorlt1es were early notified of the visit and have been furnished with a description of two strangers who were seen lettering about the town yester- day afternoon and last night and who are suspected of the robbery.
 1n both instances the burglaries took place almost within stones throw of each other and, according to all indications, within a half hour of each other, thus convincing the police that the same parties commit ted both crimes. Apparently the fruit and confectionery store owned
 
 was the first place entered and al- though the robbery was not discov- cred until the proprietor opened his store for business this morning 1t is thought that the burglary occurred between 12 and 1920 o'clock this morning. This is the second time since opening the business that Mr. Conforti has been the victim of burg 1ars His place was robbed four years ago, total of $125 being stolen At that time MT. Conforti aided by the state police and a private detec- tive, succeeded in tracing the two culprits to New Haven where they were apprehended. Since that time MT. Conforti has double barred his back door but evidently that did not deter last nights visitors. The burg lars removed pane of glass from the outside door and then reached in and unlocked the blind door on the inside and proceeded to force an en- trance. Because of the large auan- tity of stock piled against the door 1t was impossible for them to open 1t wide and the thieves had to squeeze in through small aperture MT. Conforti this morning was un- able to state just how much of his
 
 stolen, but he was of the opinion that the loss would not be very great. He did state, however, that before closing his store at a late hour last night he removed all paper currency as we'll as all quarters and half dol lars, leaving about $35 in nickles, dimes and pennies in the cash drawer This morning, however, the cash drawer had been entirely emptied and a diligent search showed but one lone copper which the robbers in their haste had dropped on the floor and had, with unprofesslonal neglect of detail, departed without recovering.
 This morning when appraised of the robbery the gate tender at the rail- road crossing remarked that shortly after midnight he heard a ferocious dog, kept in the rear of Simpsons store. barking loudly but did not at the time attach any particular sig nif1cance to the fact. Also, the pro- prietor of the small laundry adjacent to Conforti's store recalled this morn ing that he had heard what appeared to have been footsteps in the store next door. This took place between midnight and 1920 a. n., it is said, giving strength to the supposition that oAAo AoDOSAy COoh pldC0 dL CQ1S tune. l
 The other place entered was the storehouse of the Cah1ll Company. Entrance, as in the other case. was effected through the rear of the building but so far as Manager Skelly was able to learn no money l was taken. Considerable property 1 was damaged, however and indtca- ttons were that the thieves were very hungry tnasmuch as they broke open l ten Or dozen cases of foodstuffs and l consumed considerable sardines, dried | beef and other eatables. Among the | cases of foodstuffs broken open was one, strangely enough, consigned to 1 Louis Confortt. Leo Prior, who lives not far from this storehouse on an- l other street, was awakned about 1 1 o'clock this morning by a hammering 1 sound but paid no attention This | morning 1t appeared that the sounds | heard by MT. Prior was the thieves 1 breaking into the wholesale house. The authorities have been fur 1 nished with several clues as to the possible identity of the thieves and one of them leads them to look with | suspicion for two strange men, both | hatless who were seen lettering about the town last night.
 Aged Resident Passes Away.
 Mrs. Cordelia Blakeslee, aged S3 | years, died yesterday at her home on l Church street after an illness which | extended back over a period of many 1 years during which time she had been l an invalid. Mrs. Blakeslee was we'll | and favorably known throughout this | community for her many kindly quail ties. She had resided in Plainville l practically all of her life and was a | m em Der of the Congregational church. l One son, W. J. Blakeslee of West Main l street, survives her.
 The funeral services will be held from 1 16re okoeIoo,e To +o