New Britain herald., 1927-12-05
MRS, L|LL|ENDAHL RELATES
 HOW NEGROES CLIMBED INTO
 CAR AND SHOT HER HUSBAND
MONTHS IN
 JAIL FOR THIEVES Three Shoplifters From Local
 Store Convicted ONE TRIES TO TAKE BLAME

VlNA 1lluU " 1nAu UunWl Judge Roche Declines To Belieys
 That One Alone Was Guilty ant
 Imposes Heavy Penalty on Eacl
 of Trio.
 James Decearse, aged 26, of 26, Capen street. Hartford, made an in effectual effort in police court to- day to stand the entire responsibil ity for the theft of three dresse. valued at S10 each, from the Da vidson & Leventhal store on Mair street Saturday afternoon, but Judg, Henry F. Roche. after denying tn. motion of Attorney s. Gerard Casal. defense counsel, for the discharge o Decearse's two companions, made z finding of guilty and sentenced eacl of the trio to jail for three months Bonds for appeal were fixed at $50G in each case. It was doubtful tha, the bonds could be raised this after noon.
 Other Two Convicted
 Edward Littleficld, aged 27, Of 3S Capitol avenue, Hartford, and James Tyler, aged 26, of IS Dennison street, Hartford. who denied that they had been aware that Decearse had stolen the dresses prior to the arrest of the trio on Main street by Detective Sergeant W. F. McCue, took the witness stand and sub stantiated Decearses story, but Judge Roche, without commenting on the evidence, held them guilty as charged. Prosecuting Attorney J. Woods had asked for a jail sentence of at least thirty days and a sub- stantial money penalty In each case, calling the men "crooks" and accus- ing them of being in an organized campaign of thievery.
 Are Identified
 After court, Sergeant McCue an- nounced that a representative of cutchins. Inc. Of Waterbury had identified DecearSe and Littletield yesterday as having been in the hat store of that name last Tuesday, and the hats they were wearing at the time of their arrest here were iden- titted as the pair that were missing from the store the same day. A Naugatuck merchant was here yes- terday but could not identify any of the trio. the sergeant said. On the witness stand, each Of the trio de- nied having been in Waterbury or Naugatuck of late. Their connection with the Waterbury theft was in by Sergeant P. A. McAvay, who observed their hats, and Cap- tain 'keegan of the Waterbury de- tectiye bureau communicated with Mir. Cutchins and learned that the stolen headgoar bore the numbers of the hats Decearse and Littlefield the Waterbury police will arrest them at the end of their Jail term. or imm ediately, in the event that they are released on bonds for an appeal.
 Buyer Makes Complaint
 Sergeant McCue testified that Ed ward l.. Lyons. buyer and manager of the Davidson & Leyenthal store, called at police headquarters about ? p. m. Saturday and notified him that three men had been in the store and had aroused the suspicious of Mrs. Claire Lynch, a saleswoman. The sergeant and Mir. Lyons went to Main street and near the Mohican Market they saw the three men. Fol- lowing them to the corner of Con- mercial street, the sergeant asked them to go to police headquarters and they demanded to know the reason for the request. The ser gcant had no trouble with them, and after lodging them at the sta- ton, he went to Court street, where q taXlcab was parked. in charge of Basil T. Anzovic of Hartford. The sergeant had the driver bring the taXicab to the police station and in the rear seat, hidden from view by a blanket, were found three dresses.
 Finally Make Admission
 Decearse, Tyler and Littlefieid said they had come to New Britain by trolley, and Littlefield said his name was Lundberg, but when con- fronted by the taXicaA driver and acquainted with the fact that he had told of being hired for the trip, they admitted having engaged him. The faXlcab driver was reluctant to tell the police anything, on the ground that he was not 'squealer." He admitted, however, that Deccarsc paid him s5 and promised him more money if he waited for the trio and took them back 10 Hartford. Ac- to the police. the taXicab is he one in which the two Chinese " ho were convicted of murdering a in Manchester and executed recently were riding in New Haven when apprehended, and he same driver was at the wheel mt he time.
 Stole For Young Woman
 Decearse admitted that he stole he dresses and intended to give them to young woman, Sergeant McCue testified. His companions denied complicity in the theft but admitted that they were in the store shortly before they were arrested.