New Britain herald., 1928-01-16
NERVY HOLDUP MAN IS NAVY DESER7ER Man Who Took PoliCeman's
 Pistol Admits Real Identity
 MICHAEL KAPLAN, H0LY0KE
Prisoner Tells CaptOfs He Drove Stolen Auto About State and Out w1tted Policemen By Using Cam ouflaged Commercial Markers,

Chilled at Hartford police head this forenoon by Detective Sergeant George C. Ellinger and Off, ticer William s. Strolls Of the local police department, young man who gave his name as John D. Davies when arrested yesterday aft ernoon at the home of young wom- an friend at 103 Hamilton street, Hartford, admitted that his correct name is Michael Kaplan and that he deserted from the United States navy at Norfolk, Va, on December 4. 1927. He admitted, the police say, that he stole Cadillac coupe in Hartford on January 6, near the Heublein hotel, Hartford, and that he held up Officer Eugene Kieffer of the local police department on East street, between Allen and Wells streets, about 2 o'clock Satur- day morning. When arrested, kap- Ian had Officer Kieffer's pistol in his belt.
 The local police were disinclined to believe kaplan's story which they listened to last evening:Sespecially his denial that he had been in the navy, because there was a sai!I''s blouse in the stolen car and the name "M. Kaplan" was stenciled in a sailors watch cap which was also in the car. This forenoon. they told kaplan they had certain isforma- been truthful last evening. and they advised him to make clean breast of his escapades. In the presence of a Hartford detective. he admit ted that his name was Kaplan and his home was 20 Lyman street. Holyoke. Mass. He enlisted in the navy at Springfield, Mass, he said. and had served slightly more than one year when he deserted.
 In many details his story last evening and that he told today are alike, and the police said they are satisfied that he told the truth about the theft of the car. the hold up of the policeman. and the gum play at a Meriden filling station last Thursday night He does not ap- pear to be inherently bad, accord ing to the police.
 Outwits Watching Police
 In his statement to Sergeant FL finger and Officer Strolls, Kaplan said he stole the car. which Is regi- stered in the name of Grace L. Long. 32 Lorraine street Hartford, and drove it about the state after hav- ing removed the markers and re- placed them with a set taken off truck in New Haven. He claims to have believed the truck was useless and therefore decided to steal the markers and re-paint them to give them the appearance of pleasure car markers. While the police about the state were looking for Cadil- lac coupe with certain numbers, the car was passing through various cities every day. with the other num- Der plates protecting the driver from arrest.
 One night, short time after the theft of the car. kaplan called on a Fremont street woman and asked to rent space in her garage directly opposite West street. He told her he needed the shelter for the car and had dickered with the owner of another garage before calling on her. After a discussion. she agreed to rental of s4 month and he put his car in the garage at once but did not make payment. accord ing to her story to the police to- day. She had no reason to suspect that the car was stolen, she said.
 The police this forenoon found in the garage the trousers of the sailor blouse which was found in the car Saturday and there was also sweat shirt and a cheap cape of the sort commonly used for keeping the heat in radiators of cars. Empty bottles with traces of coffee, and paper bags in which there had been food were also found in the garage indicating that Kaplan had his meals there. He told the police he slept in the car in the garage a few nights.
 Tells of Holding Up KiefSer
 Getting down to the hold-up of Officer kieffer. Kaplan told his in- quisitors that when the car ran out of gasoline on East street. he left it at the roadside and walked to AL len street, thence to Stanley street, and while passing automobile deadened the noise of breaking glass. he smashed 8 window in the gasoline station next to Officer Charles McCarthy's home. 1908 Stanley street. and gained entrance in search of the keys to the gasoline pumps. He intended to draw of enough gasoline to fill his empty tank. but despite thorough search he was unable to find the keys. He admitted that he took a can of au. tomobile polish but nothing else.
 Walking back to the abandoned car. he went into yard a short dis tance from the corner of Allen and East streets. SO that he might have a clear view of the surrounding landscape, and on seeing nobody