New Britain herald., 1926-02-26
Mews
THIEF ESCAPES BY
 DASH INTO SWAMP
OIGcer Callen Returns Stolen
 Car to Cheshire
RED CROSS TOTAL LOW

HILL VllupD lVlhu uU "
 Subscriptions Less Than Last Year
 -Plainvillo 4. C. Plans Many
 Events - Early Trolley Moved
 Ahcad--East End of Town hun.
 datcd-Plain,illc Briefs.
 A hardy automobile thief saved
 himself from capture carly this
 morning only by his lack of fcar of the water and his willingness to venture into the unchartcd fathoms of melted snow along the Now Brit ain road, Pursued by Motorcycle Officer Fred Callen, the thief aban- doned the stolen ear in which he Was riding and took to tho swamps near Tator's garage. making good
 his escape by wading through the miniature sea which inundatcs tho woods in that section.
 Officer Callcn was returning from Southington shortly after midnight when his machine was passed by an- other going at a high rato of speed. His curiosity attracted to the fleet car, Calcn followed it all he way mo the center of plainvillc. The unknown motoriSt attempted to turn into East street. but he was going so fast and the road was so cncrusted with ice that he could not negotiate the turn, the car skIdding into the ditch.
 Callen drew alongside and asked if anything were the trouble, but the other man kept absolute silence, He looked the machine ovcr then was able 10 back it out and start off toward New Britain. Again .Cullcn followed, his suspicious grow ing, and suddenly, in front of Ia tors garage, saw an abandoned auto in the middle of the road di- rcctly in front of him. He WAs barely ablo to avoid hittiug il hy turning out. as the road at this poin is very bad and there ir just about room for one car to puss.
 Tho officer stopped, came back, and investigated, The thief had stopped sQuarcly in mid-road, left the motor running, put out the lights, and disappeared. A quick examination showed that he had made off into the woods, where the ground was covered with ice and with several inches of water on the level. The officer attempted 10 fol- low. but found no trace of the thief, who had made good escape through this icy swamp.
 Callcn communicated with tho motor vehicle department and learned that the car was owned ny Irving Clark of Cheshire. He then called Clark on the wire and asked if he knew where his car was. Clark responded confidently that it was in tho garage, 10 which the officer replied, "Oh, it is"' On discovering the absence of the auto, the man was gratiticd 10 learn that it had been recovered, but he did not ask 10 have it returned unil he found ont how much it would cost, The car was then taken back to Cheshire,
 IA r,;1 46,g1,r tk0t l76 did not obtain very good look ;t the thief but Chat the man Wa, wraring light gray ovcrcoat and a cap.
 East End Inundated
 With the snow problem just dis posed of, tho town is now confront .l with that of the spring floods, and tho streets arc as impossible today as they were at the height of the blizzards. The melted snow has formed torrents which raCo along .hc streets and highways and force motorists 10 drive slowly while Un- iorncath the water is an icy founda. ion which makes travel of any sort dangerous The fields in the lower parts of the town. if there may ht said 10 be any lower parts in a own so level as Plainvillc, are Nir- ually lakes, this being the case cs- oocially in the eastern section. An attempt was made today 10 miu- gate the effects of the thaw in that part of tho town by clearing the but the work made little because of tho stubborn re- ,istanCo of the icy foundation.
 Sewer Would Be Needed
 After surveying the great lakes way down east this morning and ,tarting work 10 drain off as much | water as possible, First SoIcCtman | William J. Johnson stated that he | sewer would he necessary | Il that section before the proposed l low high school could be built. | The eastern end of the town floods | III too readily. and he said it would 1 10 expecting too much 10 ask school | 'hildrcn to venture through so | much water in attending school. A owor to remove the surface water ! would be needed, he went on. but !, his would be a difficult proposi-