New Britain herald., 1917-01-25
STATE POLICE GET
 REPORT OF HoLD.UP
Capt. Hurley Making 'lnyestiga-
 tion of Reported Robbery
MRS. BUYS LOSES APPEAL
Farrell to Be Questioned by Officers If He Can Be Located-Jury De- cides Day Was Capable of Making Will-Selectman on Committee.


 With Captain Robert N. Hurley of the state police department working on the case. the investigation of the alleged hold-up which is said to have occurred in the driveway near the Hotel Clarendon Tuesday night when, Joseph Farrell claims to have been assaulted and robbed by two Plain vile young men, proceeded with more vigor today and it was expected here that the suspects and their alleged victim would be examined before night, arrests resulting if Farrels original complaint can be substan- tiated.
 terday by the local authorities and it could not be definitely learned whether his alleged assailants had separated him from his money or whether his claims regarding being robbed of several hundred dollars was but dream. Farrell was badly in toxicated at the time the alleged l assault took place, accounting in measure for failure of people with whom he talked about the affair pay ing but little attention to his story. The townspeople are wrought up l considerably over the affair and de- termined to see that 1t has a full in- 1 vestigation they 'aused complaint 1 to be made to Chief Egan of the state police department. He assigned Cap tain Hurley to search for the facts l and the latter was at work on tho 1 case today.
 Hints of 1axity on the part of the local authorities have been made by citizens who have taken an interest in the investigation. They argue that had the authorities shown a disposi- tion to investigate at the time the re- I port of the holdup was made, the truth 1 of Frrells story would easily have 1 been learned.
 ! Captain Hurley expects to locate 1 Farrell and if the latter sticks to his l original story the young men who 1t is alleged participated in the holdup
 will be brought into court. There were reports in circulation to the eff feet that eye-witnesses of the incident 1 have declared that Farrell's assailants were frightened away before they had an opportunity to search him careful l ly. and If they secured any money at all, the amount would not exceed the few dollars which their victim had In his pocket, his "roll" having been hid 1 den in his underclothing.
 George Gagnor and a young negro 1 named Cambridge, famiiarly known as Spot" are reported to have been 1 Farrells assailants. Gagnor left town 1 a short time after the alleged assault, 1 although his friends claim that he had previously arranged to go to Avon, where he has been employed recently. and that the fight or rob- bery had nothing to do with his de- l parture.
 l Nothing that has occurred here in l a long time has caused a near sensa- l ton to compare with that attending the alleged robbery.
 l First Selectman Johnson denied this morning that the state police were 1 called into the case at his solicitation
 He made several inquiries regarding
 the report of the robbery, but could 1 get little Information other than that
 contained in the many conflicting
 stories circulated in connection with it. Postmaster P. J. Prior was indig-
 nant today over what he considered 1 the failure of the authorities to take l the proper action. and he declared ! that the case will be run down no matter what course the local police
 elect to follow.
 l Former Resident Dead. 1 Word has been received here of the l death of Mrs Jane A. Roden, former resident of this place, which occurred Tuesday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. George E. ' Cooley of Hartford. Mrs. Roden had l been living with her daughter for some time. She was S4 years of age and was born in Pennington. Besides