Putnam patriot., 1928-04-12
BANDITS KILL STATE OFFICER
IRVING n. NELSON AT POMFRET


yards Of the scene Of the murder,
heard the shots and looked from the
store and saw Nelson turn into the
yard and collapse. Byrnes ran to where
the officer fell and found Nelson dou-
bled up holding onto his stomach and
grooming. Byrnes ran to the home Of
( Or. ;. Il. Overlook, which was not Tar
away. and told the doctor what had
happened. The doctor made ready to
depart for the scene, but in the mean
time Nelson was picked up, placed IN
an automobile and rushed 70 the doc
tors home, where he was placed on a
couch. The physician felt Of Nelson
pulse and pronounced the officer dead.
An autopsy performed the follow
ing morning by DR.. Overlook, medical
examiner Of Pomfret, and DIR. F. i.
Morrell. medical examiner of Putnam.
at an undertaker's rooms in Putnam,
disclosed that three bullets had found
their mark. One bullet was imbedded
in the right knee joint; another had
hit the officer in the right side and
glanced off: the third punctured the
right lung. crossed to the left lung
and fractured rib.
Police Notified
In the meantime Mrs. Byrnes, who
was in the store with her husband,
called the Putnam police and informed
them of the murder. Sergeant George
Lizard took the call at the booth near
the Citizens National Bank. As he
stepped from the booth and walked to
the corner he spotted the numherplate
Of the bandit car. The car was in
+ procession with other cars ahead and
behind It, but had just passed the cor
ner when the officer came to the scene.
+ The sergeant commandeered the first
available automobile, that of Jack
+ Peters. and gave chase. AT the fork
+ in the highway az Mechanics street the
officer took the road TO Providence.
The bandit car was out Of sight and II
was believed that IL would head for
Providence. After a long journey the
car came back to Putnam and the SER
geant made his report.
Captain Jarvis left his home near
the north end of School street. With
him were his wife and the wife Of Ser
geant Lizard. Just below Mechanics
street they passed car travelling at
the rate Of more than sixty miles an
hour. The captain told those with him
to get the number Of the car, but the
ladies were unable 10 do so. Al this
time Captain Jarvis knew nothing OF
the murder. The car turned north on
Mechanics street.
After driving Mrs. Jarvis and her
friend to the church the captain went
10 the police station. Here for the
first time he learned Of the death Of
Officer Nelson, his friend Of several
years.
The captain summoned all Of his
available men and all roads were
watched and guarded He took his
own car and drove through the sur
rounding highways well into the night,
covering some 200 miles before leaving
the pursuit.
Operators Cooperate
Telephone lines were kept busy and
the captain is generous in his praise
of the way the calls were handled at
the local telephone exchange, all less
important calls being delayed when
the police officers wanted the wire. The
captain was able 20 give the important
information that the bandit car had
gone north toward Webster instead OF
east toward Providence.
II is believed that the gunner kept
their northerly direction to Webster.
woman in Thompson has told OF a
ear with three men in It stopping 10
ask the way TO the Massachusetts
town.
Passing through Webster the ban
dts abandoned their automobile. IL
h believed that they escaped into
nearby woods, although there are stor-
ies ~ their having been seen boarding
a srain a bus and taxi. taxicab
driver of Webster has come forward
With n story that he took the three
bardits IA Worcester. The police are
not giving iull credit 70 many OF the
stories they have heard. ~
While many officers were OUT an %
Friday night and all day saturday no
trace Of the murderers was found, ~
was estimated that as many as ioV
tate policemen were participating IN
the search Saturday.
Farmer Shot
Saturday morning Joseph Grubin-
.ti AZ a Polish farmer Of Dudley,
was shot and seriously wounded oy a
tate trooper. He was taken TO nos
nital in Worcester and placed on the
danger list. Grubinski and his broth
or had spent the night in a barn: They
emerged from the barn at daylight and
were ordered to halt by State Police
man Lloyd +. Eukers Of the Hartford
barracks. Instead of obeying the ofii-
GERS command Joseph started TO run:
One shot from the officers gun dropped
him. -.
Every available officer Of the state
nolice was sent 10 Dudley. Miles upon
miles OF wooded area were secured
Two airpIanes flew low over the terri
tory. Automobiles on all highways
were held up and inspected by the ON
Gals. Trains were watched. AFTER
continuous duty for approximately
fortv-five hours. most Of the state po-
licemen were ordered to return to
their barracks Sunday evening. Those
in charge Of the search had come 70
the conclusion that II the bandits had
ESCAPED into the thick woods they had
somehow passed through the GORDON OF
officers and escaped 70 Worcester.
Tributes To Dead Officer
Many tributes have been paid the
dead officer. State Commissioner Rob
ert T. Hurley lauds Nelson as an EN-
Gent. brave officer. always faithful 70
duty. People Of Windham county
liked the clean-cut young officer, and
rnanv were ACQUAINTED with him. His