New Britain herald., 1918-12-02
SAFE CRACKERS GET
$1,000 IN CURRENCY
Robbers Boldly Enter Neri'S
Store; Blow Open Safe and Flee
POLICE ARE MYSTLFIED
Explosion Sets Fire to Building and
Onyly Heroic Action of Young Girl
Funeral for Miss Brock


Funeral for Miss Brock.
daring robbery took place in the
business center of PlainNille early
this morning. when the safe in Nerl
Brothers confectionery store on East
Main street was blown open and
a bout 81 900 in cash taken The burg
larry was the most daring of its kind
ever attempted in this town for the
men who did il were not careful Of
their movem ents. Despite this fact
they made a complete getaway and
left no trace whatever. Late last
night two a.utomohilists stopped at the
Neri store and asked for some water
which was given them by the proprie-
tor Joseph Neri, one of the owners
was at the store last night and left it
at 1880. The night light was burn
lag and it shines directly on the safe.
AT o'clock this morning the Brun-
nell family who live in the tenement
directly above the store, was awaken
ed by a comm otion downstairs Sew
eral Of the family paid little attention
to the matter, but Elzina Brunnell,
knowing that it was not the habit of
the Nerl brothers to return to the
store at such an early hour, remained
awake. There were at least thre men
and they remained in the store from
3 until 3:45 when the safe was
blown. About 3:45 a. m. one of them
was heard to ask another, who was
probably doing guard duty. us every
thing all right?' The faint reply,
YES" was heard and then all was
quiet. A moment later the block
was shaken by a terrible explosion
The men then took their booty and
ran.
Miss Brunnen, fearing that the
block would be destroyed, quickly
dressed and ran downstairs. The
burglars had also set the place on
fire and Drawing the smoke, the girl
RAJ to the telephone and gave fire
alarm to the night telephone opera
tor. That deed probably saved the
entire business district of the town
for not a foot away from the place
the girl stood to telephone and right
near the steadily gaining fire, the
firemen found a stick of dyaam
The fire was quickly extinguished by
the local departm ent.
The owners of the store were called
and they arrived by auto in q short
time. hurried look at the safe
showed that everything was gone. La
ter, however, near the safe four Lib
ETY. bonds and several large checks
and a one dollar bill were found In
order to gain entrance to the store
the burglars broke into Farrar's
blacksmith shop in the rear of the
building aud stole the necessary tools.
They then returned and forced the
front door of the store
The matter is all he more myster-
ious because the safe has never been
left with so large an amount of mon
ely before
Constable Philip Marine was on
duty as usual last night and left the
beat to go to his home at $50 a. M
an hour and a half later than he is
supposed to work. Up to that time
| there were 40 suspicious characters
| seen lettering about the center and
! the store door was locked when he
left the center. The robbers are
known to have had an automobile
which they left on Whiting street
| While they were busy cracking the
| safe. 1t is thought that there were
| nVe men In the party. One 4 chauf-
| feur, one a guard for the front of the
| store one for the rear and the other
| two the experts. That the men were
| professionals is the opinion of every
| one who saw the safe this morning
| There were two small holes drilled
| in the door and each penetrated the
! thick layers of cement which rein
| forced the door
Captain Robert Hurley of the state
: police arrived today and took charge
/ of the case.
Military Funeral.
Plainville's fourth military funeral
was held this morning when the
! funeral of Miss Monica Brock was
held. Miss Brock died Friday at ST
Elizabeth's hospital III Washington,
D. E.
The funeral was held from the
! nome OF her parents on South Wash
1ngton street at o'clock and from
the Church Of Our Lady Of Mercy at
$50. A solemn requiem high mass
/ was celebrated by Rev. w. J. Green.
Rev. F. F. Mccarthy was deacon and
Rev w. f. Latin was sub-deacon.
| Special military music was rendered