New Britain herald., 1917-03-06
GIRL IN PLAID COAT
 SOUGHT BY POLICE
She May Be Able to Clear Up
 Murder Mystery

Identification of the small-built wo- man in long black and check coat with large squares, who was seen on Market street in Hartford early Thursday night and is believed IO have been passenger in the "Vene- tion Special later in the evening, having been reported as entering the automobile at Main and State streets, will. the authorities believe, furnish invaluable clues in solving the mys- tery of Charles A. Taft's tragic end at a lonely spot on Kensington avenue. Although chauffeurs report they have seen her previously on streets of Hart lords old tenderloin, they claim to ee unaware of her identity. 1t is the be- lief that she is not a resident of Hart ford but of one of the nearby cities or towns. It is suspected that she may have important information relative night of the tragedy.
 From Hartford, it is reported that Detective Sergeant John M. Henry. in charge of that end of the investiga- tion. knows the identity of the couple suspected of renting the death car Thursday night but whether they were passengers at the time of the shoot ing has not been ascertaincd. It has been learned that the two hired the car the previous night in East Hart- ford and made return engagement for a trip the next night. According to Stanley Slater, another chauffeur. intimate friend of Taft, the latter said that the couple hailed him as he was driving his car on the Connecticut boulevard across the river. He is said to have received $S for driving them around for about an hour and half. Taft thought that there was some thing queer" about the incident and his passengers and is reported as hav- ing rema rked that 1t was 'easy neoney'' According to the belief of Sergeant Henry, the couple did not the next night but this detail has not been determined. The woman is said to be. patron of Hartford cabaret shows.
 The mysterious woman noted board ing Taft's car Thursday. night. clad in the noticeable plaid cloak with large squares in the design, is described as attractive appearing, small in build and not a regular patron of haunts of underworld inhabitants.
 May Have Fled on Train.
 Likelihood thht the slayer of Taft and the compalNon made their escape by way of Berlin and the New Hav- en- road has been subjected to the closest of inquiry by local authorities. There was a New York train that left at 1O:54, due at Meriden at 11:14 and a northbound train that left at 11:19. due in Hartford at 11:33. According to the authorities. the Berlin station master noted no suspicious persons boarding these trains that night but, because of being comparatively little in that neighborhood, would have been unable to distin- guish between regular patrons of the
 How Taft happened to be on Kens- ington avenue remains a mystery. People in this city, Berlin and Kens- ington know of no roadhouse between this city and Meriden. It is thought that his passengers may have wanted to go to Meriden and he took the 'back road" upon their request. The distance is about the same as by the more frequently travelled thorough fare.
 Until the authorities are able to trace ownership of the revolver, from i, whonf it was purchased and by whom, 1t is of but little use in solving the mystery. It is not believed that 1t was bought in this city or Hartford. Deal- CTS in firearms have twenty-four hours leeway in reporting sales to the Records of the past year have been carefully gone through without the finding of anything that would give a clue as to the history or the revolver. This lends support to the theory that it was purchased Tn some distant city by person who carefully planned getting Taft out of the way.
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