New Britain herald., 1918-09-21
SAY HIRED GUNMEN HELD UP GAMBLERS
Theory Of Revenge Advanced in
 Connection With Robbery
AUTHORITIES AT ODDS

Prosecutor Gibney Says Crime Was
 Committed in NIcriden and Chief
 Bowen Calls It Berlin OTcnse-
 One Present Lost S6OO.
 The visit of the highWaymen to the so-caIled Silver Lake club, resulting in cleanup of $1,50 in cash and about $1,000 worth of jewelry, is be- heved to have been at the instigat ton of poor loser, who lost money in the gambling games played there The members of the club are almost unanimous on the point. They be- heVe that the disgruntled loser came to the conclusion that he would "get square" and hired the gunmon to make the visit.
 There arc some, however. who be- lieve that the gunmen are profession als who are visiting the gaming places exclusively. They do not hes tate at any risk, having an advan- tage with their pairs of guns.
 A few weeks ago there was a visit of like sort on a club in New York city. Three men dropped in and their procedure was practically iden- tical with the action, of the visitors to the Silver Lake club. The New York gamesters recovered more quickly than the Silver Lake club members and rushing out complained to the police. The New York police man receiving the complaint also used his head, rounding up the party and marching them to the police station. 'Why don't you go after the thievcs?" walled one of the men un- der arrest. The policeman replied: I've got you fellows and there's lit tie chance of getting them. Come on.' They went.
 At Providence another such iob was equally successful. In each case the gunmen made a comfortable haul.
 The man with the big bank roll who was upstairs while those below were contributing to the robbers is offering himself congratulations. It turns out that he was the president and manager of the club and his presence in the upstairs room was purely accidental. One of the pa irons, having lost his roll settled himself on the couch in the library The president was annoyed for two reasons. If he played the house per centage would be larger and the presidtnt preferred to be in the gen. eral room so as to watch the pro- ceedings Finding his comfortable couch occupied he made a sarcastic remark to the individual and went aloft.
 Some of the club members were big fellows and had they dared they could easily have "mopped up" the robbers. Two of the biggest men in the party lost the heaviest. In the shimmering light one of them passed $500 into the hat and then nearly tainted. The other tried to save his gold watch But he didn't. Then $95 more was forthcoming.
 Prosecutor William H. Gibney of Berlin said this afternoon that no him and he denied that he discussed the incident with the Meriden police. Its question if the place where this thing occurred was in the town of Berlin" he said. He entertains the theory that the job was the result of an effort of a poor loser to 'get square"
 A Meriden morning paper yester- day carried story to the effect that a man and woman of that city, whose names the police declined to divulge, complained that they had been held up on the North Colony road, which is also the Berlin turnpike. The po- lice investigated and found an Oak land 7-passenger touring car on the body of which was New Hampshire license, No. 22,084 In the car was found a registration card issued to Albert F. McReel, Exeter, N. H.
 Chief Bowen of the Meriden police department said this afternoon that the Meriden police department was interested in the case only insofar as it is always ready to cooperate in the punishment of crime. The place where the hold-up took place IS in the town of Berlin, Chief Bowen said. He also added that no com plaint had been made to the depart ment One man who had lost money in the hold-up had talked with po- lice officers. Chief Bowen said that there were not many Meriden men in the party Most of them were from New Britain, he claimed.