The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-03-27
Arthur Houle Escapes from
Policeman John 0.
Tucker
RE-CAPTURED AT HIS :.
HOME IN HINSDALE
Brought Back Here and Put
Under Bonds of SITS
for Hearing

Two men running dB IOp SDtta uVNh
the Main street hill in the middle of the
street. the one in the rear brandishing an
automatic pistol and firing two shots
with the weapon. threw the Saturday
night crowd of shoppers and theatre goers
and bystanders in the southern part of
the business district into a fever of ex-
citement and started a train of comment
that has not yet subsided. They added
another link to chain of events not yet
completed at the anvil of time, but which
is due to be heightened at the flaming
forge of the municipal court tomorrow
forenoon.
The man in the lead, spurred on by the
ever decreasing distance between him and
the bridge crossing the Connecticut river
into New Hampshire, was Arthur Honle
of Hinsdale, y. H., about % years of age
and without regular occupation, and his
pursuer was Special Policeman John o.
Tucker The spectators were largely per-
sons who had just emerged from the
Latchis theatre, after the first perform
ance, who received thrill much more
sensational than any that was afforded
them on the ''silver screen"
Houle had come here earlier in the
evening, had met a Brattleboro girl and
had taken her TO a dance in Red Mems
udll. dis I0eTe was not quite
to the liking of some, and the special
officer concluded that the thing to do
was to place him in "durance vile" by
virtue of a warrant issued several months
ago by Col Z. W. Gibson, acting as
town grand juror. and which was in
the possession of Sheriff Frank L. Well
man.
The warrant charged Houle with intoxi-
cation and was issued by the town
grand juror because of Houle's condi-
tiOn at a dance in Festival hall and his
subsequent actions on Main street. With
this in his possession Officer Tucker
tapped Houle on the shoulder and told
him he was under arrest and must come
along
Houle and the girl accompanied the
officer down the Stairways and started
toward Crosby block on the opposite side
of Main street. 1t was Houles supposi-
ton that he was going to Col Gibson's
office, but as he stepped up on the side
walk at the Vermont National bank cor
ner it became apparent to him that he
was headed for the village bastife. Then
change came over him. The distance to
New Hampshire was not great and once
within her borders he would be safe. he
thought. Besides, there was the girl and
a little show of daring before her eyes
would not be bad idea.
Acting upon the impulse. Houle whirled
and started down the hill as though he
officer started in hot pursuit and yelled to
him to stop. Down past the Flat street
junction they sped. passing two officers
before the latter were aware of what was
taking place. Officer Tucker was making
no perceptible gain in the sprint and
when he reached MILESTONE bridge at the
foot of the hill Houle was about to turn
down Bridge street to the Connecticut
river bridge.
At this point the officer let go a bullet
from his automatic. 1t had no result, and
as the pair sped toward the bridge an
other bullet was popped into the atmos-
phere, but Houle didn't stop The dis
tance was now so short between the fugi-
tive and the bridge that the officer gave
up the chase. He says he fired both bull
cts in the direction of MILESTONE brook,
his purpose being to frighten Houle to
halt.
Attracted by the unusual occurrence.
several hundred persons ran into the
street and followed to Milestone bridge.
each eager to know what the fuss was
all about. They piled the officer with
questions, and had he undertaken to give
them history of the case he wouldn't
have been through yet.
On his way back from the bridge
Tucker met Chief-Of-Police George vii
son, who advised that the chase be kept
up, assuring the other that as Houlc
was under arrest and had escaped from
the officer the latter could take him any
where. Securing a car at the Mosher
garage Tucker and Harold Smith started
post haste for Hinsdale, thinking to over
take the fleeing resident of that town.
Soon afterwards Sheriff Wellman, who
had been engaged elsewhere, appeared on
the scene and learned that Tucker had
gone into New Hampshire intent on
bringing back his man. Fearing that
trouble would result if the two men got
IN sight of each other and not being sure
of what the situation was, Sheriff Well
man obtained a car at NJ NJ. fuckers
and he and the owner took up the
trail.
The Brattleboro contingent stopped at
ne garage near Mortified street. at the
oot OF the Brattleboro street hill. and
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