New Britain herald., 1921-09-27
COT7ERS WIFE TO SEEK DIVORCE;
 DECLARES HUSBAND IS CROOK AND
 HIS OLD PALS SUPPORT HER CLAIM


 spark plugs for my automobile for nothing. I said, Do you see that gate young man, get to the outside as quick as you can and don't come back" Tales of Family Rows. Stories of the Cotter family's trou- blesome married life are told by Mrs J. Mckenzie, a we'll to do colored woman who resided across the street on Poplar street from the home for merly occupied by CoIter and his wife She said that Cotter so abused his wife that one time she was requested to telephone the police. According to Mrs. Mckenzie, Cotter never worked and repeatedly abused his wife. 'When he had trouble with his wife," she said, he always came back with money. It was mystery to the neigh bors how he got his money"
 Woodside Social Club.
 When Cotter first went to Bridge port, he became acquainted with a group of young men who form the Woodside Social club.
 Statements made by members of this club and his actions with the mem bers of the club are very damaging, if true, and may account for numbes of mysterious petty crimes which have occurred in New Britain recently.
 Voight resided with his folks at 19 Tunxis Hill Road and it was here he first began to be suspicious of Cotter, who boarded there. One time, 1t IS said. Voight missed q shirt and later he saw Cotter wearing it. Collars from his bureau and small change from his trousers pockets were traced to Cot ter, but no open accusation was made.
 Then one day a 3s calibre blue steel, break down hammerless revolver own ed by Weights brother disappeared.
 Cotter As a Gvnman.
 One evening shortly afterwards, Walter Thornfeldt, another member of the club. was held up at the point of a revolver by Cotter, who relieved Thornfeldt of 35 cents, ordering him to Keep quiet or I'll fix you" as he took the money. Cotter's gun was later identified at Weights.
 Lots of times" said Voight, "Cotter boasted of holding up peo- pie in White House in New Britain. lie used to say he would get the for eigners when they came around on pay day. He also said be had stolen things in a jewelry store in New Brit ain and was implicated in setting a New Britain garage on fire.
 one night at a dance hall he told us he hit a cop on the heads in an argument so hard the cop went to the hospital. He said the police were after him for that.
 'He pointed out a covered truck md said he knew the truck driver we'll. He said the truck came through Bridgeport and that the fellow was running whiskey.
 Crooked" In Crap Game.
 He won about s35 one night in a crap game with the gang on the bridge and got caught playing crook sl. He got a slam on the jaw by Bailey for this. as
 He used to boast that he. was called The Rat in New Britain.
 Ask anybody in New Britain" he said, they'll tell you who The Rat is"
 He said he had to go to New there in the daytime the police would arrest him. He rode to New Britain on trucks, always getting there at night.
 He boasted frequently about hit ting the cop on the head and send ing him to the hospital. He used to say. Well l got to go to New Britain tomorrow and get some more money He always came back flashing bills with a s10 wrapper.
 He said the police were after him for the affair he had with the cop at the New Britain dance hall and that he had been advised to stay away until it was all blown over. He said he had a pull with the police and stood in good with them but they were after him for hitting the cop.
 According to statements made by Voight, Cotter's favorite theme of discussion was boasting of being a stick up man."
 It was either the second or the ninth of September when Cotter had his final break with his wife and left for good. He removed his clothing to the home of Mrs. Bridget Norton of 1903 State street, where he en- gagged rooms and remained until he was arrested. The arrest by the Bridgeport detective department was made in The Connecticut Lunch, Greek restaurant in the same build ing as the lodging house conducted by Mrs. Norton. He never had any wis., itors in his room here, and seldom was seen there. He never was known m ~ fr