New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-06-10
BURGLARS Caught
In TREET0P HUT
Police Puzzled BY Mysterious
Voices But Get Their Prey
MODERN TARZANS BAGGED
Two Boys, Missing From Home For
Several Days, Found Domiciled in
Leafy Haunt High Up In Willow
Brook Park Woods.

Brook Park Woods.
Perched in an improvised hut atop
a high hemlock tree near the So
called gypsy trail in the wooded Sec
ton south of Willow Brook park,
Edmund Ference, aged II, of 223
Glen street, and 15-year-old COM
panion. who have been away from
their homes for the past several
days and nights while living after
the fashion Of tree jewellers, were
taken into police custody late yes
terday afternoon on the charge OF
burglary. this bringing to an end a
hunt that started early this week
when the police received informa-
ton that the young suspects were
camping out in the woods beyond
the Shuttle Meadow club. In police
court chambers this morning. Judge
Hungerford committed the younger
boy to the State School for Boys at
Meriden and suspended execution
OF the commitment. In police court,
Ference was sentenced to Cheshire
reformatory.
For the past few days. Sergeants
O'Mara and McAvay have made trips
to the camp but failed to find the
youths. The tent, which they ad-
mitted having stolen from Peter
Mack of Pond street. was well
equipped with cooking utensils. an
alarm clock to arouse them early in
the morning that they might do
their fishing in nearby pond be-
fore daybreak. bread, pressed ham.
coffee, milk and all the ether ne
cessities for a comfortable stay. The
first day the police inspected the
camp. tinfoil off candy bars was
strewn about the ground. indicating
that sweets were on the menu.
Hear Mysterious Voices
firing of being successfully elud-
ed. sergeants O'Mara and McAvay
obtained information that the youths
were frequenting the woods beyond
Willow Brook park. and it was
planned to surprise them yesterday.
Arriving at the gypsy trail, the po-
licemen heard voices but could see
nobody on account OF the thick
brush. Listening attentively. they
decided to charge pit from which
it was thought the voices were
emanating, but as Sergeant McAvay
ran from one side and Sergeant
O'Mara beat the brush from the
other. they were startled to find that
they not only failed to raise their
quarry, but the sound OF the voices
died away and the woods were as
still as death.
Certainly the ground did not
open up and swallow them" Ser
geant O'Mara deduced. mo. but
where are they?" Sergeant McAvay
asked. They did not know, as they
stood there debating their dilemma,
that in the perch high up in the
tree short distance from them,
were crouched the young burglars
who had sighted Sergeant McAvay
as he started around the pit prior
to launching the charge. Every
inch of the ground about the pit was
searched but no trace Of anything
was found, and then, Just as the de-
tectives were about to abandon the
hunt. Sergeant O'Mara noticed a
short stick leaning against a hem
lock tree.
Improyised Ladder Is Clue
Although never an enthusiastic
lover of the great outdoors except
as represented by the athletic field.
the sergeant realized that the stick
did not grow against the tree. Some
one must have put 1t there, and on
looking more closely, he saw that
the bark of the lower trunk had
been scraped as If by the shoes of
climbers. Stepping back that he
might obtain better view of the
tree top, he saw the hut, securely
fastened to the topmost limbs, and
the mystery Of the voices was
solved.
Within few minutes of the
finding Of the stick, the policemen
had the youths on the ground and
short time later, recovery was
made Of the stolen goods that had
not been consumed. Several hid
ing places were pointed out to the
policeman by the youths, one of
them being covered by stones which
had been carried, apparently with
great effort, for considerable dis
lance before they were placed in
position to hide the loot The hut
contained some stolen articles, also.
According to Sergeant McAvay's
testimony in court, the boys admit
ted the theft OF the tent, the burg
larry at Fred Zelent's store at 221
Glen street on June 6, the burglary
at Morris Silver's soda water estab-
lishment at 16S Greenwood street
on May IS, and the burglary at the
Willow Brook Park tool house early
this week. Ference cut the glass in
Zelcnt's store, which is next to his
home. and carried off the loot. The
door at Silver's place was forced and
soda water taken, while overalls
and other articles of wearing
apparel, basketballs and like equip
ment valued at approximately $25
were taken from the tool house. The
pair also took truck out Of the
tool house and drove it around the
park for no particular reason other
than deviltry, according to their
statement to the police.
Fish and Roam Woods
Every morning during their
period Of freedom from restraint
they fished when they pleased and
roamed the woods. they told the
police. Their time was their own and
they did with 1t what they pleased.
realizing, of course, that 1t was only
a matter Of time before they would
be apprehended. They spent some