The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-06
COUNTERFEITER JAILED IN BROOKLYN
THE CONNECTICUT
 COLONY CHARTER
History of the Document Subject to Paper By
 Albert C. Bates
H0W IT WAS SAVED

H0W IT WAS SAVED
 The Hartford Times carries the following interesting article on the much discussed charter of the Colony of Connecticut:
 The famous charter of the colony of Connecticut, which was hidden in the old Charter Oak that formerly stood on the site now marked by granite monument at the intersection of Charter Oak avenue and Charter Oak place, now reposes in the library of the Con- necticut Historical society, and not. as heretofore been supposed, in the state library, Albert c. Bates. librarian of the society, asserted this week.
 MT Bates presented paper dealing with the history of the document at a meeting in the so- ciety's quarters at the Wadsworth atheneum, in which he further claimed that the preponderance of evidenceNis that the charter was stolen and secreted nearly 25O years ago, not from the old San ford inn on Main street, now marked with a tablet in the Travel CTS Insurance company building, but from the old Town house, which stood on the south side of Sheldon street, between Governor and South Prospect streets.
 Evidence revealed for the first time in MT Bates paper, he said. also points to the near certainty that Sir Edmund Andros did not take over the government of Con- necticut on October 31, 1887, the date in the official record of the colony still preserved in the state archives, but on the following day, November 1.
 Controversy Expected.
 These three new developments in the history surrounding the secret ing of the charter which was ob- tained for the colony from King Charles II, by Governor John winthrop, when Andros came down from Boston to take over it's government under authority of King James II, Charless success sor, are expected to arouse sub stantial controversy among histor- fans hereabouts. The hiding of the charter Is one of the best Known pieces of Connecticut history, and for many years there has been no question that the document in Me morial hall, part of the state li- brary and supreme court building, was the one which Captain Joseph Wadsworth seized and secreted in the famous oak tree to prevent its falling into Andros' hands.
 Tn commemorating the event the Travellers Insurance company some years ago erected a large granite tablet in the southwest corner of it's building on Main stret. where once stood the old Sanford tavern, supposedly the place where Wads- worth and his fellow conspirators, by suddenly extinguishing the candles in the room where Andros was meeting with the governor and officials of the colony, got away with and placed the document be- yond reach of the kings emissary. Thirty Years in Search
 MT Bates claims are the result, he stated, of some thirty years of research. The paper was started that long ago, and then held up by lack of proof of one important point-that of the two copies of the Connecticut charter originally made out when it was granted by King Charles, one remaining in England for many years afterward. This, he claims, is finally shown virtually beyond doubt through let ters from the colony to it's agent in London.
 Research has shown, he said, that the granting of the charter and the fees paid for the purpose are still recorded in the archives in London. The document was issued in duplicate, each copy being as authentic as the other. However. some words at the end of one, and the omission of one word in the text of the same copy. serve to identify it from the other.
 Mir Bates showed that the copy having the words at the end was the one sent to this country by Governor Winthrop, shortly after he had obtained 1t from the king. The other, he showed, remained in England more than twenty-five years, so that the copy in the pos session of the historical society, which is badly mutilated, was the only one in the country at the time Andros came here to obtain it. The words at the end were "per fine five pounds" which was the fee recorded for placing the great seal of England upon it.
 Concerning the time and place of the seizing of the charter by Wads- worth, MT Bates stated that until recent years no claim that Sanford inn, formerly known as Adams tavern, was the place, had ever been made, and showed that the furnishings in the court and jury chambers in that tavern would not have seated half the members of the general court. He brought out that Andros left records designat- ing the public court house" as the place of the meeting, and said that mi all probability the inn would not have been so characterized, despite the fact that it served as official quarters for certain govern mental functions.
 Meeting in Town House
 The meeting presided over by Andros on November 2, the day after he took over the government of the colony, was, MT Bates de- cIared, held in the Town house on what is now Sheldon street, and there seems every reason for be- lieving that the meeting of the pre- vious day had also been held at the same place."
 The document which is in pos- session of the Historical society was formerly in the possession of the Wyllys family of Hartford. three of whom held the office of secretary of the state from 1712 to 1910. It was mutilated, according to legend, when a woman engaged in making a hat used pieces of the parchment for stiffening years ago. The charter in the state library, according to MT Bates, Is the one which remained in England and