New Britain herald., 1927-03-19
WILL WARREN'S DEN
 HAUNT OF MYSTERY

Pennington Puritans Chase
 White 0utCaSt Into Mountain
 Connecticut is rich in lore au
 traditions and many ara tha roman
 ,ic tales told of towns and cite
 which have grown from the rusti
 communities Of pre- e-reEolutiouar
 days into the slZable mctropoli c
 today. To the casual visitors, Ney
 Britain, the Hardware City of th,
 world, presents To view no single oh
 iect which, on the surface wou!,
 lend q romantic impression or carr!
 aA air Of mystery.
 Yet. to residents of this city
 whose years are many, there ar.
 many legends which to them are
 lillad with romance. One such is the
 tale woven around the spot in the
 Pinnacle Mountains between New
 Britain and F'armirgton. known as
 VIII Warrer's $ den. A few years ago.
 his was the mecca for Sunday
 hiking" parties, inc objective of
 frampers, picknickers and nature
 lovers, and although the place no
 longer holds the attraction Of
 former years. there is still interest
 m the tale which led to making the place famous.
 The cave which bears the name of Will Warren's den is situated on
 "ha' is known 10 most of the old settlers in these parts as Rattle snake Hill'' so-calIod because Of the great numbers Of the species of reptile which inhablt the rocky fer races there. It is nothing more than small aperture in the side of the hill hardly large enough 10 allow full l-groWn person to pass in. Yet around 1t is conterod one of he most gripping tales Of carly life in Connecticut.
 Will Warren q "~uuaW Man.
 Despite the fact that there are many who believe, because of the lapse of years since he spent what must have been at its best, q drab life as an outcast. that Warren vas q mythical parsonage, q figure Of fancy invented by some loquacious story-talIar of ancient years, history shows that Will Warren really lived and spent q great part of his life as a hermit or "squaW man with an Indian wife on "Rat'lesnakc HIP with the den which bears is name, for q home.
 Stanley's History of the First C Church of New Britain makes refer | nee 70 one ot th" members of 'he 1 by saving tEat she wes | known to have been a sister to "N'lli | , cave or 'RattlesnaFe Hill" IL | states that he was the son of Ahra- | ham Warren and EXperieIce Staph- | ms Warren. loth of Wcthcrsfield. Beyond this, nothing is known ot him. Records stamp him as 2 strangc man. thought 10 he slightly | :emented, who withdrew from the world, an outcast, aad hid himself n the trse-clad and snake infested silas Of Pinnacle Mountain.
 He was lazy and shiftless of 5o"crful frame with massive ace, covered With 8 matted, black ,.ard while his head was crowned .iih a shock of unkempt. jet-black air.
 In the days before the Revolu- ionary War. the advent of a ranger into a community, was the ubicct of conjecture and curiosity or the simple folk of the country ide. Without introduction, Will Warren one day appeared in Farm Agton. He spoke 10 no one, asked 0 questions and volunteered no il- about himself.
 He Was suspicious Character"
 In those days. q famly-tree was
 necessary passport into society nd because he was known only as Will Warren" the figure in this ,i.h suspicion and every movement Q made was religiously reported 10 le authorities. | Pennington was Puritanical in { lose days and everyone was ye- f alred 10 attend services, under {, ain Of arrest and trial. Will War s n ignored edicts and laws in this Il .spect and shocked the community, I tbbath after Sabbath. by never z ltting in an appearance at the W lurch services. Stunned by his white brothers, he q ,turally sought company elsawhor" q ld he Was soon the close friend of II c Indians who still roamel 'he Y, oodlands in that vicinity
 The elders met 10 discuss this D range man but could find DO cause g r aprreh"niing him. However. V ben if was reported on good au- h oritv hat ho had been seen epond- II z Gods Day" fishing with his ', dian friends in th" I'armiugton n. Yer, the council decided to take C mediate steps 10 force linn to cor n a' his ways e Laehtd for Fishing on sunday sI In solemn couclaNe assembled. in 2 church elders and town authOri- ii, g decided that just punishment . this most hoinoue of crimes. pl .eli b" Il session at the whipping so .t. Accordingly, Warren was ta zed, charged with th" crime of of assJng the Lords Jay in sinful Of asurc." and was sentenced 10 sUf- ST {. "A roodjy nGmtrr of l0shes $. re applied 10 his back" wNjla the <, ire ass,ubjgr of yiiiHE, rs sasely ln. gg"l their heaIs in satisfaction. ca ''oiaIliy, Warren tor" the sting rr th- thongs as :hry cut into his e.. ?, flesh, but long before the last rn ip had oraokcd and hjs hands 70 1 been Iooerd from the cords that pr iu! him 10 the posi- be had ro IHsl bis revenge. lio sunk Ell " ruto the woods without 2 tmrr. glI