The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-18
.O'CONNELL WAS HIS OWN ASSAILANT
 Shortage of Coal Now Ap- parent In Strat- ford.
Especial to The Times.)

Stratford, Feb. 18-The reported robbery of Herbert O'Connell, which was reported to have taken place on Monday evening as he was about to enter the rear door at his home on Selleck place, has been cleared up by the local police and from evidence in the hands of the police, O'ConneN was his own assailant. Chief Will liam B. Nichols while Investigating the case yesterday called the Bridge port Screw Co.,, where OConneN worked, and where it was found that he had not been working since Satur-
 day. on which day he drew his weeks pay, not waiting for the regu- lar pay day, which was Monday. Chief Nichols also learned that
 O'Connen had been spending much
 of his time since leaving the factory
 on Saturday at the Musicians club
 on State street. With this informa-
 tion about O'Connelrs actions which
 were not reported to the police at
 the time the robbery was reported,
 Chief Nichols immediately sent out
 and got O'Connell, bringing him to
 his office yesterday morning where
 the chief propounded several ques-
 tions which answers were not in ac-
 cord with the statements made Mon
 day evening, although O'Connell stuck to his original story that he was rob- bed by two men of his weeks pay, Evidently the names of his wife and his mother-in-Iaw held horrors for O'Connen because when he stuck to the story that he was robbed, Chief Nichols threatened to take him home and tell his wife and mother-in-law that he had not worked since Satur- day. This threat, however, was not
 carried out as O'Conne11 broke down 1 and owned up to the truth in the case ! when he told the chief that he had 1 lost his money at the Musicians club l on State street and that he was 1 afraid to go home and tell the truth 1 about 1t, 50 he hit himself over the 1 head, causing two large Jumps the l size of an egg and tore his clothing : to make it appear that he had been
 in a tussle with the ho1dup men. 1 A shortage of coal is already ap- ! parent in Stratford and at the pres l ent time the firm of B. w. Hall & | Go. have sold out their entire supply 1 of nut coal, and 1t is not expected l that any more coal of this size vii be delivered to the local concern un- til the ice in the river is broken uE
 so that boats can navigate in its
 waters MT. Hall has plenty o1
 
 has plenty of the nut size ordered but it cannot be delivered owing to the thickness of the ice which Is re- ported to be from Is to Is inche!
 thick.
 A hot1y contested game of basket
 ball can be expected this evening when the teams representing the loca post of the American Legion and tht Rosenbaum school will play in the
 Futile auditorium. The game will be gin at o'clock and will be followed by dancing. Miss Beatrice Olsen, the local Rec Cross visiting nurse, is i'll with thu grip.
 Officer Peterson resumed his dutie 3 in the Hollister Heights section las s evening.
 A regular communication of St Johns lodge, No. 8, A. F. & A. M 5 was held in their hall in the towl building last evening.
 Mrs. William Clfhborn, who ha been i'll for the past few days wit < the grip, Is able to be out again. s A regular semi-monthly meeting 0 S the board of se1ectrnen will be held i i their office tomorrow evening. S Charles AbercromGbte, who has bee % confined to h1S nome on EaSC BTOaQ q way for the past few days, is able | a be about again and it is expected tha 9 he will be able to attend to bushes s In a few days.
 q Chester Dunlap of Stamford was S recent visitor with relatives in town M Mrs. Hazel Frederickson of Bridge # port and Mrs. Chester Buntin of Fail s3 field were entertained by Mrs. A. l Iz Hotchlziss at her home on North Pe A rade yesterday.
 M Services at Christ church were hel S today as follows: 10 a. m., praye # and penitential office; 4:30 p. n-, chi s dren's service. This evening at "A A evensong and Miserere services wi ss be held.
 N FOR SAIE-7 room, 1-family hous @ lot 1O0x100; price, S4.8oO. App M Peter Gleason, Stratford, Conn. E CORTEz c. ROCKWELL, plumbi, E and heating; jobbing specialt E Corner Main and Hillside avenu E Stratford. blot E MRS. PEPYS.
 E NoE it was not an easy thing E be Mrs. Pepys. the wife of Samu Pepys G633-1703), the )celebrat