The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-12-28
.Sergt. Thomas CrOnan
Passing of Popular Police OHRcial Stirs Memory of East Ender, Who Re calls Many Old Timers of City's Finest Hundreds of Visit
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SCESC8MSD W1O Q4CO ABSS WC<Ap was well known, out this way by reason of the many tours of duty he did out here in the days when patrOlrmen were few, : and when posts of duty carried patrol for q much longer dist ance than Is the custom today.
 When Tom Cronall joined the police force the city had about B regular policemen, in- cluding the officers. George M. Egan was the chief of police, the great Major Ramon was the captain of police, the state- ly Tom DOdds was the lieute- nant of police, and the ser- geants were three in number. Big Jack Pagan, Barney Cahey, and Frank L. Blakely.
 The patrolmen included the well read Miles McNiff, the moustached Jim Healey, Little Tom O'Hearn, the rosy checked John Sullivan, the alert Mau- rice NOonan, Big Mike Sulli- van, Jack Byrnes, who would tender any one of his various uniforms, to a supernumerary assigned to duty, Martin F. Moore, the well groomed John ny BrickeL Finton Tehan, Ches- ter Allen, famous in police af- fairs, Melton T. Smith, sOme- what ungainly in his stride, Jack Claffey, Joe Mccarthy, the chested George Bailey, the good looking Pat Hayes, John Brear- ton, rosy checked and good looking, the friendly Pat Phel- an of Hamilton avenue, Jack Kenmaugh Billy Goggins, the jokester, Pete Myers, stubby, but . corking copper, Bill Cas- sin, Jimmy Halpin, the much respected Maurice Healey, the quiet Michael I. Sullivan, al- ways alluded to in separations of the other Sullivans, as "Young Mike," and Tom him. self. The doormen were "Cud- dy' German, and Tim Hickey.
 We had in those days hours of duty running from 8 a. m. to 2 p. m., for the day squad, and 2 ?. m. to 4 am. for the night squad. Two or three others were assigned to g patrol which carried them between the hours of 3 p. m. and l a. m. And two beats that everybody tried to "duck" were the ten p. m. to ta 2 3. m. These were on Bank Street, both sides, from the cen- ter to Grand St. and So. Main St. from the center around to Grand street.
 The patrolmen of that time, however, had to take his turn on every beat. Changes took place monthly. The Bank st. and So. Main St. beats were not reached again for some time after it had been patrolled. The beats or posts of duty were made out by Chief Egan, and posted in time for the change to take place.
 Two sergeantS covered the pa- trolmen at night. There were no trolley survey for the roundsmen then. The sergeant had to meet the patrolmen, un- known to him, as he patrOlled . his post. There were no meet ings at an allotted time. If . sergeant didn't find you, he kept patrolling the beat until he did.
 Where were your" asked Chief Egan, of q patrolman Sergeant Blakesly had difficulty in finding.
 "Patrolling my beat, sir" promptly responded the officer. You told us to do this, and pay no attention to meeting the roundsmen at stated time."
 You're all right, young man." answered the we'll trained Egan. "Do that always, and no one can find fault with you." Once, early in the morning, Jack Byrnes was walking home out here, when he saw . uni- formed man standing just above Welton street. Byrnes had just finished his tour of duty, while the beat out here carried serv- fee until s .. m.
 Without looking up, Byrnes shouted that he had just left 'the big fellow" sitting down in front of Fogg's grocery in the North End.
 'Yes. you did" answered the good natured Sergeant Pagan as he stepped forward for Byrnes to look at. Byrnes had mistaken the uniform for that of a patrolman.
 Sergeant Blakely, it was aI- ways claimed, walked the streets more than any other officer or patr0lman. He was never seen in uniform on a trolley car. He was strict, but fair. old time poe licenen said. Sergt. Pagan, and Sergt. Cahey were held in high esteem by all the men; so were the other officers. Major Ban non was always recognized as the hands0imest policeman i'm uniform. And Tom Dodds, and his we'll trimmed gostee was not far behind.
 Tom Cronan, because of his patrol service, was advanced to . sergeancy when the proper time arrived. He was not active as . roundsman, in fact he was assigned to the railroad station, where he met numerous travel- CTS, as we'll as many of his own tewnspeople. Railroad men low ed him, as did old friends and acQuaintances. He was quiet i'm his ways, was afraid of nothing, and made a good policeman.
 Old days and old times in the old police headquarters in Har- risOn avenue must have been revived by many of the city's cider residents when they heard of Toms death.
 TAR BOILS OVER