New Britain herald., 1930-04-05
Eels and Creek Tides Factors
 In Odd Murder
Brick-Yard Murder

When Dave Jones, truck driver for the Home Construction company, reached the Watson brick yards about noon, he found the owner Jonas Watson, dead on tho dirt floor of the mixing building.
 Joe saw that the man had been shot and promptly called the au- thorities. Within ten minutes an officer and the coroner, who was also doctor, arrived,
 Hillyard. a detective, arrived a few moments later.
 He hasn't been dead more than 3, couple hours Coroner Glidden declared.
 Young Jones was questioned by the detective.
 The brick yard was on Tide water Creek. A small, strong land ing, or dock, was in front of the buildings and the deep channel of the creek was on that side, so that small craft, even at low tide, could get in thero at the dock.
 On the opposite side wcro ex- tensive mud flats, slightly under water at high tide, and quite out of water at low tide. A man Bristow had a shop across the creek where he built dorics and such small boats, for fishermen and duck hunters.
 !, Detective Hillyard and Dave Jones walked down to the dock and looked about, No sign of any craft up or down the creek.
 The tide was just going out again. It had been high tide an hour pre- viously.
 Now and then they could see Bris- tow in his shows across the mud flats moving about
 Officer Mason had known Watson fairly well. and he knew something of conditions down there, as his home was near the bridge, a mile below.
 The old man was peaceful enough" Officer Mason said, "ex- cept when some of these boys used his landing, tied up their craft and left them half the day. This made trouble when a barge or any craft came up 10 dock for a load Of brick
 Who did he have trouble with ?'' the detective asked.
 Mostly the Phelps boys-he had a lot of trouble with them. They'd tic up the Daisy and leave her there half a day sometimes. The old man often had to get help 10 move her and finally he got sore and cut her loose. She drifted about half a mile up with the tide and stuck in a mud bank. I understand the Phelps boys threatened to beat up the old man. He got some sort of action-prosc- cuted the boys for trespass or some thing, I didn't pay much attention to it. They tried to fight it, said the brick yard was q public landing place."
 Detective Hillyard listened care fully.
 Well go and sec the Phelps boys" he said,
 The officer and the detective droyc down, across the bridge and out tc the old place along the salt meadow road where the Phelps brothers lived.
 Been over 10 the brick yard today?" Hillyard asked Tom Phelps
 Yep: we was over round six this mornin', got some eel pots set above the dock" Phelps told them,
 How long were you over there :?
 Twenty minutes, half an hour got couple cells" and he showed the dressed cells soaking in water.
 You mean you were over a couple hours ago, come across with the truth. now" Hillyard said sharply.
 Nope, you're wrong" he insisted
 Ask Pete Bristow, he seen us when we come back an tied up al his planks,' the younger brother said.
 They all went over 10 sec Bristow the boat builder.
 He verified their statement. HC said that it was around six tha morning, he had just got to his shop He saw the boys tic up, saw the two ,. eels and talked with the boys.
 He said he had heard no shot al any time that day and that tn Phelps boys had not been back unti the officer brought them just then.
 HilIyard made an arrest.
 Whom did he arrest