Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-26
SUSPECTS
FAIL IN DASH
FOR FREEDOM
Locked Up After Bat
tie with Sheriffs in
Portland Jail
Both Heavily Armed-Held on
Charge Carrying Concealed
Weapons-To Probe Owner
ship of Auto They Were At
tempting to Sell at Portland
Garage

Portland, Sept. 24-A desperate
attempt to escape from deputy
sheriffs at the Cumberland county
Jail by Jack Fay. so, of Winthrop,
this State, last night featured the ar
rest of of Fay and his. companion,
John Navin, Sc of New York, who
are suspected by the officers of hav-
ing stolen a Cadillac touring car
which they were attempting to dis
pose of at the garage of Allan Smith,
Forest avenue, when the arrest was
madeS Tate in the afternoon Both
Navin and Fay were heavily armed,
although they made no resistance
until the officers started to search
them upon arrival at the Jail.
A search Of Navin had disclosed a
fully loaded automatic and as the
officers turned their attention to Fay
he made break for the door Of the
detention room. Deputy Sheriff
Henry l.. Hunt grappled with Fay
and with the assistance of Turnkey
William n. Smith and Assistant
Turnkey George Bryant threw him
to the floor. Tucked in the waist
band of Fay's trousers was found
twin gun to that carried by Navin,
also fully loaded. The men were
locked up on the charge of carry
ing concealed weapons and will be
held pending an investigation Of
their automobile activities.
In the arrest of Navin and Fay
the officials of the sheriff's depart
ment believe they have uncovered
another episode of the attempted dis
posal of stolen Massachusetts and
New York cars in Maine and some
sensational disclosures are promised
within a few days.
1t was shortly after yesterday
afternoon that Deputy Sheriffs Char
les w. Gerow and Henry L. Hunt
received information that two men
were attempting to dispose of q
Cadillac touring car at the Smith
garage in a manner that aroused the
suspicion of the informer. Hurry
ing to the garage they found Navin.
the alleged owner of the machine
and Fay endeavoring to make q
trade with Mr.. Smith to dispose of
their machine for 81 400 or trade it
for another car with a cash bonus of
S4O0
AN examination of the car showed
mat the nickel parts of the head
lShts and hub caps had been paint
cd black, that an obvious attemnt
mad been made to alter the engine
number and that the initials which
had originally been painted on tbe
sloes or the car had been partially
erased and painted over. A can of
black paint and a brush were found
IN the machine.
NaVln, who claimed the ownership
or the Cadillac, claimed to have mr.
chased the car in New York on JuIv
4" from man named Williams and
produced three copies of bill Of
sale for the machine, the price car
rled out being $500 Navin told the
oHlcers that he had been driving
ABOUT IN the car and that he came
70 Maine few weeks ago, going TO
winthrop, where he met Fav. On
Sept. ID. he went to Augusta and
registered his car. securing license
plates numbered 65,241.
Leaving Deputy Gerow's machine
at the gnrage~the two officers took
NaVin and Fay to the county build-
ing IN the Cadillac. Navin. who had
previously denied having a drivers
Incense producing a New York IL
cense on the trip to the CITY. After
questioning the two men at tho
sherih's Office Deputies Gerow and
Hupt took Navin and Fav to the
county Jail, first manacling them as
precautionary measure.
Upon arrival at the Jail the two
men were questioned further and
searched Navin offered no obiac-
tlon to the searching process al
though the automatic was found IN
MS coat pocket, but when the Off
GERS turned their attention to Fav he
put up husky argument before he
ing subdued. Although well dressed
ooth men were without funds.