New Britain herald., 1917-03-03

Britain. yet think of the terrible howl that arises from thousand house. holds and offices if the faithful post man is an hour late in leaving that creditors account or the patent medi- cine advertisement at the door. But judging from certain newspa per re-i ports from Hartford, where usually everything is proverbially tho most wonderful in the state, a citysAof su- perlatives, the postal system issnot as efficient as it is here.
 Many believe as does the board of public works that the establishment of an S-hour working day for city em- ployes would be bad precident. There is no denying that labor is scarce and this being so every hour that the men work means so much more accomplished, and without any additional hardship on the workers. It would not be a good policy in this manufacturing city for the adminis- tratton to adopt q scale of working hours contrary to those set down by factories and contractors.
 Exaggerated reports in, other papers, from Maine to California, re- garding the destruction of the city, by "plotters'' or fire bugs" and the "gory murder" on "heavily tra- versed highway" is bringing New Britain before the country in most unsavory light. Advertising pays, but not this kind.
 March has come upon us in the guisc of the proverbial lamb. We had best be prepared for leontine capers before the first of April
 The brutal and cold-blooded mur- der which was perpetrated in this city on Thursday evening is the first real atrocity. planned and executed by dastardly assassin. since the me. morable Zebris- Gilmanaitis murder which occurred in the Church street parish house on the night of Febru- ary 8. 1914. over two years ago, Since that time there has been one murder, but in that instance the fatal shot was fired in the heat of passion by a drunken and zealous husband. It will be remembered that in the Zebris- -Gilmanaitis murder there waS a dearth of tangible clues at first and
 
 murderers were discovered and then new path of blood in Wilmington, Del.
 New Britain has had its full share of murders i'm the past. but available records show that but two were not positively solved. and one which was not solved to the conviction of every one.
 In 1868 . man named Foley was stabbed to death at the corner of Myrtle and High streets as he mingled in a crowd watching . political pa- rade. One man was suspected, but he disappeared from town the follow ing day and was never again located. The assassin was never arrested. The other mysterious murder was that of Eugene J. Bosworth, found murdered, his head battered in. in a room in Wards block at noon on August 2, 1904. Several years later a man named Andrews was reported as hay ing died in California after confessing to the 'Bosworth murder. There was never any proof. however. that he was the guilty man.
 The Tracy murder in Stanley Quar- w ond unsolved mystery.
 Of other murders there have been many. During the Civil war days a government agent named Caldwell was alleged to have been murdered by Charles Gilbert between where woodland and Dwight streets are now located. Gilbert served a. life sem tence at wethersfield for this crime. having died a fewe years sago. main taining his innocence to the end. On August IT. 1908. one Frank Shurt- life killed Mrs. Frederick Scofield and then committed suicide. There were also the Kibbe murder and the Nolan murder that attracted much attention at the time. More recent ly there have occurred the Louis Sax on murder, the principal having been hanged at Wethersfield: the Ruff1no murder. in which an abused wife shot and killed her husband; and the mur- der of Julius Gresha on Booth street. His assassin is now serving a term in prison.
 Since City Clerk A. l.. Thompson's name was left off the justice Of peace list and a proposed charter amend ment to give him ministerial powers was defeated the genial colonel has been unable to perform marriage cer- emonies. In past years the city clerks collected many fees for this service and when the right to do this was taken away many thought 1t unfair, while others thought the official is al- ready earning enough from the party that elects him and approved the plan to shear him of the Justice of the peace power. That throughout the state there seems to be some feeling that the city or town clerk should not have the power to marry couples is evidenced by a bill now pending be- fore the legislature which forpids these officials from uniting people In marriage. The reason given is that .- oASo;o1 xs,ho makes ont tho license