Connecticut western news., 1921-09-01
RUNNING BATTLE ON
 STREETS OF NORFOLK
Officers Fred Preston and Thomas Leahy Engage
 Desperadoes

 state officers on motorcycles and five men suspected of being automobile thieves took place at a. m. Monday . in the streets of Norfolk. Two men were arrested, three others took to the woods and two machines were left in the hands of the officers. The two prisoners are Manual Tato of 57 Bishop street, Waterbury, and Louis Taylor of Main street, Bridge port.
 Fred l.. Preston of Canaan and Thomas Leahy of Norfolk were the officers engaged in the revolver bat tie. They were out on an East Ca naan case---in quest of rum run ners" it is said---and happened to oVertake an automobile which was towing another. There were three men in the leading car, Buick with Connecticut license plates, and two Massachusetts license plates. The officers ordered them to stop but in stead of stopping, the driver in- creased his speed. Officer Preston immediately opened fire with his automatic, endeavoring to puncture one of the tires. The shots were re- turned by the occupants of the Buick. One of the officers bullets pierced the back of the Buick and others battered against the rims. The tow rope broke and the Buick forged ahead with the officers close behind.
 At the "stone chimney" on Tor rington road, near the Drakeville district, the Buick was ditched, two wheels having collapsed.
 Officer Leahy had gone back to Norfolk to capture the two men who were in the Hudson, and Officer Preston, who had exhausted his supply of ammunition, hesitated to attack the three gunmen single handed and unarmed. He stopped at the Leffingwell home nearby and telephoned to Chief William Nevin of the Torrington police force for assistance. Chief Nevin speededE Eo Drakeville in answer to the call but when he got there the three gun men had disappeared.
 The state policemen were of the opnion that the gunmen were rum runners" but no liquor were found ir either car. It would have been possible, howewss,~&ez~4he- three men in the Buick to unload their car while Officer Preston was in the Leffing- we'll house telephoning for help. Officer Preston and Chief Nevin made a thorough search within a 1F n4 the car but were unable to find any liquor. The fugitives were tracked for short distance and then the trail was lost.
 Before taking to their heels they stripped the license plates from the car.
 Officer Leahy in the meantime had succeeded in capturing the two men who were in the Hudson. The pain claimed that they did not know the men who were towing them and de clined to give the police any infor- nation.
 A dispatch from Waterbury was to the effect that Tato is 21 years old and has long and varied police record in tht city. He first attracted attention at the age of and has been arraigned on charges o1 robbery, theft, incorrigibility anc truancy and for other offenses. II Taylor's possession were registration papers indicating that he is the own CT of one of the cars. Efforts were being made to trace the owner o: nth -rrh ohI1 setts authorities.
 The Waterbury dispatch state that the Brass City police believ' they know the identity of the thre' men who escaped and are hopeful O. effecting their arrest there.
 Taylor claims that the driver O. the Hudson sent for him to tow tn, car and that he changed seats witt the Hudson driver, the latter taking the wheel of the Buick. The Buick hood cover was found in the Hudson
 Taylor and Tato were arraigne, Tuesday night before Justice H Cook in Norfolk. They were charge, with stealing an automobile coupe with the possession of counterfeit number plates, with failing to sto at the command of an officer an with shooting at the officer The, waived a hearing and were boun over to the September term of tn superior court in Litchfield. The were placed under bonds of 5000 and, being unable to obtain bal were taken to the Litchfield count jail. The lawyer is Clayton Klei of Waterbury.