New Britain herald., 1926-05-20
Fred W. Puckett Will Collect S3,OOO Offer ed By State and Part of $500 Given By New Britain Herald.
Judge Marvin Files De- cision, Explaining That Police With Advance Tips Should Not Be h. cIuded in Award.

Hartford, May % LP> - Captain Fred W. Puckett. a detective of Muncie. Ind, is to have the s3.ooo reward offered by the state Of Con- necticut for the capture of Gerald Chapman, who was executed April 6 for the murder of Policeman James Skelly at New Britain, &C., cording 10 a decision filed by Judge l.. F. Waldo Marvin in the superior court today.
 Captain Puckett, who is now head of a private detective agency in Muncie, has been in Hartford for several days and will collect the reward and one half of the $500 reward offered by the New Britain Herald. Captain Puckett has a letter from that newspaper saying 1t would follow the decision of the court as to the reward. Clerk Lucius r. Fuller of the su- nerior court after receiving Judge Maryin's decision today. gave Cap tain Puckctt an order on the state treasurer for the money
 Herald Splits Reward.
 The Herald today makes the fol- lowing statement: It appears that Mir Puckett is entitled to at least part of the award. However, he acted upon information furnished by the local police, and, having col lected $$,000 from the state, he un- doubtodly will be satisfied with one half of the Herald's $500, the other half 10 go to Chief Hart and Detec- tive Sergeant McCue. Therefore, the Herald finds it best to split the award evenly.
 In regard to the letter which MT. Puckett says he has and which he claims states that the Herald will be governed by the action Of the court in disposing of the states s. GOO. The Herald does not feel itself bound to follow the courts action. There are two sentences in our copy of the letter sent to Postoffice h. spector Kelly who claimed the re- ward for Mir. PuCkett which bear upon the award. They read as fol- lows: "Inasmuch as the state offered q reward also, we shall probably be guided more or less by the states action in giving the money" "I hope your man is convicted and that Captain Puckett will be the re- Cipient of our money. It is certain ly worth 1t to us to have the crim- i,11 F11 v rI rfr inally promised for information re- sulting in the arrest aud conviction" of the guilty person.
 Disposition of the S250 reward given by the Herald to Chief Hart and Sergeant McCue will rest with the police board. Under the char ter rewards given to members of the police department are turned into the police pension fund unless. in the opinion of the police board. the policemen are themselves entitled 10 retain all or part Of them.
 There were two claimants for the reward - Captain Puckett. who arrested Chapman at Muncie. Jan nary IS, 1925, and Chief William C. Hart of the New Britain police force, who was on the case from tho date of the murder Of Skelly, October 12. 1924. In giving the re- ward to Captain Puckett and com mending him for his courage and sagacity Judge Marvin points out that Puckett was not under the same obligation Of duty to capture as the New Britain po- lice were to apprehend the murder CT of their comrade.
 Explains Governors Intention
 Tt seems to the court clearly to have been outside of the governors intention that the reward should be shared by police officers who had already acquired certain in formation in the performance Of their duty and who thereafter did nothing further 10 make such in- formation available and effective except in conjunction with Oficer Hickey and others connected with the states attorneys office in Hartford"
 Fuckett. Judge Marvin observes. was in another state and not under the same obligations to apprehend a person wanted for a crime in Connecticut. He laid his plans carefully and after several months they resulted positively and def- nitely In the apprehension Of the real criminal While Puckett had opportunity to ambush Chapman or take him unawares he took the chance of personal encounter in order to arrest him alive.