The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-01-23
cred into the plant along with car penters who were making repairs.
 Trapped Officials

Trapped Officials
 After ascending three flights of stairs, the robbers, all armed with revolvers, trapped acting paymaster, Paul c. Weden of (186 Eliot avenue)
 Quincy and an accountant, Fran cis D. Hyde, who is Brocton city councilman, as they were prepar- ing the payroll for distribution among the company's 1,500 employees.
 The robbers seized the payroll at gunpoint and before fleeing they bound and gagged Weden and Hyde with scarfs which apparently had been brought for this purpose. Although flimsy, the bonds were sufficient to render the pair help less until the bandits had escaped. Also before fleeing the robbers rip- ped telephone from the wall.
 Woman Was Outside.
 That the bandit trio had 8 woman accomplice was disclosed by several witnesses, including J. R. Sammors. company auditor He had parked his car in the company garage and was about to enter the plant when tn, three men and the woman emer- ged and clammered into their black sedan.
 Since the woman was not with the men when they engineered the hold up, it was assumed that she had been stationed in the ground floor hallway as lookout. Some witnesses said she was at the wheel as the getaway car sped in 8 southerly direction toward Columbus avenue. Because the subsequent gun battle occurred on Huntington avenue, 1t was believed the fugitives abruptly changed direction to befuddle pursu- ing police. That they also may have changed number plates was indicated since one set of numbers were re- ported on the car at the robbery scene, and another at the scene Of the gun battle.
 Delivered In Armored Truck
 The payroll had been delivered to the wholesale drug plan in an armored truck of the U. s. Truck ing company shortly before the raid from the National Shawmut bank. It was to have been distributed among several hundred employees of the company. =.
 Louis K. Liggett, former republi- can committeeman, is president of United Drug which serves among others, the large Liggett chain Of druggists.
 Today's expertly executed raid on the plant of the United Drug com- pany, recalled extraordinary ,re- cautions taken by Boston police O. last Friday against just such TO- berries.
 At that time the department of justice advised police it had infor- nation that New York gangsters were Boston bound, ostensibly to engineer a series of payroll hodl- ups.
 Heavily armed guards were quick ly assigned to several banks ano large business and industrial estap- lishments. but nothing happened.
 Paymaster Reports
 Paul G. Weden, acting paymas- ter for the United Drug company has given the United Press the foi- lowing account of the holdup in which he was robbed of an $l8,00C payroll today. q had just started to make up the payroll with Francis Hyde when heard the gate open
 I thought 1t was some other em- ployes from the auditing depart ment, but when I looked up l saw three men with guns.
 The youngest of the three, who appeared to be the leader, said; "Now take 1t easy boys. Just keer quiet. Don't put your hands on tne cash. Everything will be all right"
 I moved back away from the desk on which the money lay and so dio MT. Hyde. We both had our hands up.
 scooped Money In Sack
 One of the men had Q meal sack and began scooping the money which was all in small bills, into It A second fellow covered Hyde anc myself. The third bandit came first to me and then to MT. Hyde anc tied, our hands with cord, aftel which he also gagged us witr scarfs.
 Then he told us to lie flat on tht floor. I was very nervous and ex- cited because the man kho was GOV, ering US with hin gun was pale ant jittery and looked Q narcotic addict I was afraid the gun might 60 of at any time.
 One of the three said to MT. Hyde