New Britain herald., 1917-12-06
new TOWN HALL
MAY Be ERECTED
Impossible to Rebuild on Ruins
Of Old Structure
FIRE STATION SUGGESTED

ing New Jail-Two Plainville Men
Arraigned in Superior Court Yes
terday-one Is Sentenced.
No inkling of what will be done
toward construction Of a new build
ing or the rebuilding on the ruins of
the old town hall which was Quilted
by fire yesterday, could be cleaned
from the first selectman or other
officers of the town this morning. 1t
seemed to be the consensus today that
1t would be impracticable, and impos-
sible to rebuild on the ruins of the
old structure and that a more up-to-
date and modern building should be
erected to house the town officers
1t Is also expected that whether the
old town hall is rebuilt or a new
structure erected it will not be used
as a fire station, library, Jail. a place
for the town officers, a public dance
hall. a place for the military COM
panies to drill and subjected to gen.
eral utility uses.
For the past few years the public
library has been located in the town
hall. Some one jocularly remarked
this morning that the town hall was
the last place in the world where a
person would go to look for a public
library. There Is fund being slow
1y raised for the erection of a pub
lie reading place which will provide
modern conveniences. Donations to
this fund are not being received at
any rapid rate and the construction
of public library from this fund
seems at present to be something to
look Forward to.
The individuality of having the
fire apparatus in the basement of the
town hall was plainly visible yester-
day. A new and separate building to
serve as a fire station has been sug-
gested and it is thought the public
at large would welcome the sight Of
something better than the town hall
basement to serve as a Jail.
Except for the presence Of a squad
of Home Guardsmen there was little
activity at the town hall this morn
ing. Certain members of the military
unit kept a strict vigil last night.
This morning at the suggestion OF
First Selectman Johnson they were
directing their efforts towards the re-
moval of the selectmen's safe from
the building.
Gets Jail Sentence.
Record Of the forfeiture of the
bond in the case of George Matthews.
colored, entered on Tuesday, was
erased yesterday in the Superior court
when Matthews appeared and pleaded
! guilty to a complaint which charged
with obtaining $63.43 from the New
York, New Haven and Hartford Rail-
road company under false pretenses.
Matthews was bound over to the De-
cember term Of the Superior cour1
from the local court under bonds Of
$1,000.
For several years Matthews was
employed as timekeeper of a commits
sary department conducted at the
Plainville transfer station and al
though he was charged with obtaining
only $63.43 the states attorney said
that he had defrauded the New IIa-
ven'' road out Of more than $4,000.
Officials of the railroad had conf
dence in Matthews. When Charles S.
Mellen was president of the road,
Matthews went with Mellen in the
latter's private corps.
The charge Of obtaining money
from the payroll was the only charge
/ brought against Matthews yesterday
and he was sentenced to three months
; in Jail.
| Frank Cafferty, pleading guilty to
| the charge of being a common drunk
ard. was also arraigned in the Su-
! perior court yesterday. Owing to the
| fact that he has been on his good
behavior for the past several months
and that Plainville is now listed In
the prohibition column the sentence
! of six months at the state farm was
suspended. Execution of the penalty
will not be enforced as long as CAT
! ferty discontinues his flirtations with
! John Barleycorn.
| Edward Chester, for several weeks
a transient at one of the local hotels
/ pleaded to charge Of statutory
burglary at the house of Clara w.
Morse in Bristol. Chesters suave
manner was pre-eminent in court yes
terday and he appeared to be we'll
| versed along medical lines. He was
given a sentence Of six months in Jail
1t is said that Chester was dope
peddler and also victim OF the drug
habit. E.@
To Drill Tonight.
Despite the fact that former drill
quarters are unusable owing to the
burning of the Town hall Top Sergeant
Kent of the Ambulance company stat
ed this morning that the weekly drill
would be held this evening. Members
of the organization will assemble on
Pierce street.
The filters belonging to the company
were saved from destruction yesterday
mainly through the efforts of Percy
Miller, one Of the members of the
medical unit.
If the drill is held outdoors men,
! bers of the medical unit will for the
first time be given a chance to wear
their, new overcoats during drill
Taking Out Insurance.
A number of local young men who
| have entered various branches of the