New-York tribune., 1920-02-16
State Police
Trooper Kills
Two Burglars
Major McMurtry Stays
Thieves i'm Summer
Home of N. Y. Woman:
Receives Wound i'm Arm
Battles in Dark as
Flashlight Fails
Officers Aid Shot i'm law
and Shoulder Injury Is
Reported To Be Serious

hepOrteu 10 De SERIOUS
Major Alden L. McMurtry, of the
Connecticut State Police, shot and
killed two burglars early yesterday
during battle in the dark in the
Sound Beach, Conn.,, home Of Mrs.
Eliza G. Morris, of New York. Major
MeMurtry, who is a son of Mrs.
George G. McMurtry, of 812 Fifth
Avenue, New York, was wounded in
the arm. Addison Bacon, who was
with McMurtry, has bullets in his
left jaw and shoulder.
The Morris home had been closed
for the winter. Mrs. c. W. Dreyer,
WHO lives next door, her attention
drawn by the sound of crashing
glass, observed a fashlight being
moved about on the lower floor. She
telephoned to the Greenwich police,
who notified Bacon, driver Of the
Sound Beach fire truck. McMurtry
happened to be in the fire house at
the time, and he and Bacon sped by
automobile to the Morris mansion at
Rocky Point. McMurtry had a re-
volver and a black ack, but Bacon
was unarmed.
Find Burglars i'm Cellar
The two entered by the window
the burglars had smashed and made
a careful inspection of the first, Sec
cnd and third floors without coming
upon the intruders. Descending to
the cellar, they saw two figures sill
houetted in the pitchy darkness
against window.
McMurtry's demand for surrender
was answered with a vo'ley of pistol
shots. One of the bullets struck Bacon
and he went down. McMurtry flashed
his electric torch just in time to see
the door of a closet being pulled to-.
AS he approached it he heard the click
OF an automatic within. ,
Drawing his own gun McMurtry
Jerked the door open, flashed his light
and fred at the same moment, as did
the man covering in the closet. The
major then crashed his club down upon
the head Of the burglar, who, still un-
subdued, was proceeding to reload his
revolver when McMurtry fired again,
killing him.
One Of the desperadoes out Of the
way, McMurtry set out to find his con-
federate. His torch disclosed his
quarry peering from behind a chimney.
He caught only a feeting glimpse of
his man, however, for the battery of
his Aashlight had become exhausted.
McMurtry rushed in the direction of
the chimney and luckily succeeded I'M
graphing with his antagonist.
Dies Hour and Half Later
They rolled about the floor. neither
able to see che other. McMurtry man.
aged to grasp the burglars right arm
and prevent him from shooting while
he belabored him with his blackjack
The burglar got hold of some heavy
instrument on the floor and struck Nc
Murtry in the stomach with it, nearly
knocking him out.
The major kept on, nevertheless, and
was finally able to bring his body into
position where he could fire. He
sent FIVE bullets into the struggling
bandit, who then cried quits. Not until
McMdrtry had carried his captive and
helped Bacon to the floor above did he
observe the blood flowing from his own
arm. The second burglar died an hour
and half later. He was identified as
Giovanni Norcca, thirty years old. His
companion was Anthony Forlenzo
twenty-five.
Both had been living at 16 Hazel
Street, Stamford, where the police dis
covered several trunks filled with loot
from houses recently robbed in this
vicinity.
Major McMurtry and Bacon were
condition is serious.
Served on General Staff
Major McMurtry served throughout
the war on the United States Army
General Staff. Since his discharge a
year ago he has been serving as a
special state policeman without pay
and as town constable. He is an in
ventor of automobile parts and con-
ducts an automobile headlight business
with an office in Greenwich, where he
resides.
Major McMurtry is brother Of Cap
tain George G. McMurtry jr., of 812
Fifth Avenue, who was awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor for con-
s.picuous gallantry at Charlevoix. Cap
tain McMurtry was in command Of q
company of the famous "Lost Bat
talon"
Bacon, a we'll to-do farmer, has been
q volunteer fireman and constable at
sound Beach for several years.
MRS. Morris, who owns the house in
which the shooting occurred, resides in
n new York at Ssventy-second Street and
6ssadwan