New Britain herald., 1927-07-08
GUNMAN ARRESTED
ON nurses STORY
Girl Tells Local Man Of Boston
Bil!ie'S" Whereabouts
He INFORMS DETECTIVES
Thief Accused OF Looting Homes of
Wealthy Men Said To Have Brag-
ged of His Success, Revealing Self
As Criminal.

A young woman acquaintance OF
James Monahan. known as Boston
Billie" notorious two gun man, and
local man whose name the police
are Withholding, may share in the
rewards offered for Monahan's ap-
prehension, because the former, who
is at present at Sound View, gave
the local man the first intimation he
had of the identity of the gunman.
The young woman. said to be
nurse who was formerly at New
Britain General hospital was very
friendly with Monahan and his pal,
Arthur Barry. and last winter was
in their company very frequently in
New York. The local man, who is
said to have become acquainted with
the young woman when she was
practicing her profession in this
city, came into possession of much
information concerning Mona han
through conversations with her, and
the detectives who effected Mona
hans capture yesterday after shoot
ing him. were able to make their
coup because of the accuracy of the
story given them by the local man
and the detectives of the New Brit
ain police department.
Often Visits Sound View
According to information CLEANED
today. the young woman told Mona
han last winter that she would be
at her Sisters cottage on Hartford
avenue. Sound View. this summer.
He went to Florida and communi-
Gated with her, arranging to meet
her in New London three weeks ago.
Soon after his arrival he purchased
an automobile and registered it in
the name of James Francis Thayer.
who, it was learned, was one of
Monahan's robbery victims. He was
very attentive to the young woman.
it is said, and visited at her sisters
cottage practically every day.
When Barry's photograph ap-
peared in the newspapers recently
to illustrate the stories of his e5
years prison sentence. the young
woman is said to have called it to
Monahan's attention with the re-
mark that it was the photograph
of the latter's companion in New
York last winter. Monahan. it Is
said. admitted that Barry was hts
pal and in boastful manner told
the young woman of the numerous
escapades they had figured in.
The local man. learning from the
young woman that Monahan had
Dragged Of his success in eluding
the authorities, told the local po-
lice and asked that they look over
their circulars in an effort to de-
termine whether or not photo
graphs of Boston Billie corre-
sponded with Monahan. The local
police had no circulars bearing on
the case, but a few days later.
when the detectives who made the
capture yesterday came to the po-
lice station seeking information as
to Monahan's brother. who lives
here, the local informant was sent
for and he repeated the story he
had told originally.
Going to Sound View. the detec-
tives hid in a garage at the corner
of Hartford avenue and the main
road from New London and waited
for Monahan's car. 1t happened
however. that Monahan spent Wei
nesday night at the Hotel Lafayette.
New London. and did not return 10
Sound View. so the detectives had
their wait for nothing. They de-
cided to wait one day longer and
their vigil was rewarded yesterday
forenoon when Monahan. driving
his red car. passed. The young wom-
an was In the cottage when Mona
han entered. and a few moments
later the detectives arrived. Mona
han saw them through the window
and realizing that he was cornered.
ran upstairs and attempted to es-
cape through a rear door, only to
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