New Britain herald., 1926-05-17
Alcorn Praises Mur- derer's Pal For Help
 ing State Catch Slay-
 CT of Policeman SkelIy.
Prosecutor Satisfied Shean Did Not Know Purpose of Visit to New Britain Until II Was Too Late.
Especial to tha Heralll

Hartford. May IT LPl-Lauded by States Attorney Hugh NJ. Alcorn as q man who had done a conspicuous service for the state or Connecticut. Walter F.. Shean Of Springfield, Mass, who story 10 the police of New Britain after the shooting of Policeman James Skelly on October 12, 1924, resulted in the arrest of IGerald Chapman, notorious bandit. land his eventual conviction and exc fcution for the murder. stood before Judge L. P. Waldo Marvin in super ior court at Hartford this morning. pleaded guilty 10 charges of being lan accessory after q burglary and icarrying a concealed weapon, and was sentenced to state prison for a term Of from one 10 three years on the first charge and two years on the second charge.
 Shean Entirely UnconCcned
 Wearing a moustache, but other wise cleanly shaven. Shean, dressed In a dark brown suit, sport shirt of light brown with dark brown stripes. and collar attached, and pocket Ikerchief matching the shirt showing slightly in his breast pocket. stood with his hands clasped behind him and eyes straight ahead. Not once during the half hour or more con- sumed by States Attorney Alcorn and Sheans own counsel, did he manifest the slightest concern about what was transpiring about him, except when letters were read by Attorney William J. Granneld Of Springfield from Justice James B. Carroll of the supreme court Of Massachusetts and Carlos E. Ellis, principal of the high school in Springfield, from which Shean was graduated.
 When Attorney Granftcd read references. in the letters. to the sur prise with which the writers rec,iv- led news of his predicament, Shean guDped noticeably and his eyes quN- cred as though he was striving to keep back tears. but he did not shift his gaze.
 At 1922 o'clock Mr. Alcorn en- tered the court room. His assistant, R. l.. Gideon was with him. Attor- ueyS James A. Curry, Josiah Peek and Mir. Granteld. Sheau's counsel. took their seats about the table, and lat 1925 o'clock Judge Marvin as cended the bench. The court room was fairly well filled. but there was nothing about the gathering to re- mind one Of the Chapman murder trial, when thousands fought to gain Iadmittance, while those who were fortunate 10 have seats held on to them securely.
 "Mr. Sheriff, will you present Sheau-Walter Sheau," Mir. Alcorn said. All eyes were strained towards the entrance from the basement or the building, where Shean had been waiting since coming from Hartford county jail short time before. Shean walked between two officers with firm step. elancing neither 10 the right nor the left, and answered in q firm voice, Guilty as charged" as the charges were read.
 AlGOrn : statement tO touFi
 Mir. Alcorn. thinner than he was a few months ago, and showing signs i of fatigue although the strain under which he seemed to be working dur i ing the Chapman trial, appeared to i have left him. made q statement 10 the court, amid deep silence. T pre- sent Shean on two counts, Your 1 Honor" he began. in an even voice. 1 "One carrying a dangerous weapon | and the other being an accessory to breaking and entering the Davidson l ts Leventhal store. These are the only charges on which l think this man should be accused. Shean be- came acquainted with Chapman and ] Anderson in the summer Of 1924. He 1 is made of the sort of clay that | Chapman and Anderson used in their business. They generally use man of his type. Chapman came to Springfield and was in the company of Shean more or less until the mur- der on October i2. Shean was with | Chapman more than he was with i Anderson Chapman easily deceived Shean as to his real purpose, by tell ing him he and Anderson were en- gagged in liquor troffic. Chapman and ! Anderson bought a pretentious house eight or ten miles outside Northamp- ton where I believe they intended to carry on their usual occupations as counterfeiters, robbers. burglars and safe blowers. About two weeks prior to his coming to Springfield, Chap man had left Parkersburg, West Nir- ginia, where he committed q robbery in jewelry store. He brought with him all his paraphernalia including a Colt automatic .45 cahhre revolver and in the trunk rack on his auto mobile was a S0-30 rife and two sawed off shot guns and ammunition. 1 The automatic rife was equipped with dunn dunn bullets and for the shot gun he had bullets filled with buck shot.
 Shcan Ignorant of Destination
 "Shean knew nothing of this equipment until the time of the burglary in New Britain. He left Springfield with Chapman to take 6 ride. as he believed. Chapman re- moved a screw from the front door lock of the store as soon as they ar rived in New Britain the afternoon l (continued on Page Fitteenl
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