New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-07-06
CAUGHT stealing
SCRAP At FACTORY
Earl Spencer Trapped by En-
ployer and Is Arrested
BUSY CHAMBER SESSION
Important Matters Acted Upon
Two Motorists in Court-i.ocai
Man Third in Rcgatta-S;anlcy
Has Restaurant position-Hrieis.

Trapped and caugn, red handed
the Peck Spring Co, where he was
employed, Earl Spencer of Pierce
street WAS arrested late last hight
by Constable Ernest ". Farrar. Be-
coming aware that lhvtts OF this
scrap were being made, the com
pany has been on the watch for
some time. and last night Lester
Peck, u company official, and Con-
stable Earrar hid on the shop
grounds III anticipation of visit by
the thief.
About 1l:@o o'clock an automobile
drove into the factory yard and
stopped. The driver ;lighted and
went over to the shipping room
platform, from under which he be-
gan to pull out scrap which appar-
! emily. he had previously concealed
there during working hours Mr..
Peck and Constable Farrar then
stepped out of their hiding place,
and the officer arrested Spencer and
lodged him in the town lookup.
Just how much the company has
lost through theft of this scrap is
unknown to company officials, but
! 1t Is thought that tho lvprtdations
/ have been going on for about year
and Spencer is said to have admitted
/ TO the thief OF five lots. He has been
employed at the factory for about a
year and has been in charge OF the
handling of the scrap.
The scrap is the strips of brass
/ from which various small pieces
have been punched out. The re-
naming portions of the strips are
sold and bring good price by the
pound.
Constable George Schubert was
engaged today in attempting to To-
cate the ''fencc' through whom
Spencer disposed of the scrap.
Would Curb Celebration
The manner lin which Plainville
celebrates the Fourth of July was
severely condemned last night at the
meeting of the Chamber OF Com
merce, and a committee of five was
, appointed to determine what steps
could be taken to allay in the future
the acts OF vandalism which occur
annually. While the observance
this year Was somewhat mild as
compared with those of previous
years, two store windows and 80
windows in the Old l'lalnvillc Mfg.
Go. factory were broken and much
other property damaged. The COM
nlittee consists of Henry $. WASH
burn, Frederick l. Benzon, First
Selectman James Simpson, Second
Selectman William Downham and
Third Selectman Winfield LOOMS.
Chairman !. j. Birnbaum OF the !
merchants committee again urged !
that something be done to curb |
vendors who travel about with !,
wagons or on foot and sell wares at .
house doors and factory gates. He !
suggested that the town license |
them in order TO ensure that 10 |
frauds would be perpetrate1 and to |
protect the local merchants. MIR. I
Birnbaun cited an instance which |
occurred recently, when Il man took I
Il station outside a factory gate dur
ing the noon hour and sold for 81 !
Il piece large quantity of bureau
scarfs which could have been pur-
chased i'll any local dry goods store
for half that sum. Mr. Birnbaum
and First Selectman Simpson were
appointed q committee to look into
the feasibility OF the formers sug-
gestion.
Progress With Sidewalks
L. l.. Benzon. chairman OF the
sewers and sidewalks committee,
reported that his committee had srv-
cral stretches Of sidewalks in mind
for the present year. The town APP
propriation. used TO pay for one