The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-12-19
Three City Youths Held For Robbery
 Trio F0ils When
 Trying 10 Hold Up
 John F. Dunn

Held in bonds of eiO,0O0 each on charges of robbery with violence, three Waterbury youths awaited . City Court hearing Saturday in con- nection with afi attempted holdup and beating of an East Main Street clothing store owner shortly before 6 P. M. yesterday.
 Arraigned before Judge Charles E. sumfna in City Court today were Harold Ayotte, 20, of 236 Cherry Street; Walter emoiley, ie, Of ee Benefit Street, and Rudolph Vilhotti, l7, of IS Madison Street.
 Ayotte, an ex-Navy man and the member of the trio who "cased" the East Main Street store two days be- fore the attempted robbery, waS ar- rested inside the establishment of John P. Dunn ct 146 East Main Street.
 The arrest came as Dunn, bleed. ing from two gaaf1es on the head made by the butt of c gun, grappied with his assaalaSt.
 Smolley, also ai1 ex.Navy man and driver of the get-away car, was ap. prehended Q few minutes before midnight at flie home. vilhotti, who iS on probation from Superior Court on car theft charge and who struck Dunn on the head with the gun, was taken Into custody at his home soon after 3 4. M.
 Inspector Joseph R. Bendler, head of the Detective Bureau, drew this verbal picture of the affair:
 Shortly before 6 P. N. Ayotte and Vilhotti Strolled into the store. Ay- otte, ti1larTned, sidied to one side while Vilhoth drew a .32-caliber re- volver from his coat and told Dunn: This Is e holdup"
 Meanwhile, as the drama progress cd in the store, Smolley sat behind the wheel of his mothers car parked behind the State Theater with the motor running.
 As Smolley waited in the car for his companions, Dunn sought aid by grabbing telephone. As he took the receiver in his hand, Vilhotti step. ped up and crashed the butt of the gun down on Dunn's forehead twice. Dunn, dazed, reeling and bloody, struck at Vilhotti with the telephone receiver and chased him as far as the door.
 At the door. vilhotti broke away while Ayotte struggled with Dunn. Rushing past the struggling pair, Mrs. Dunn and her two children who had been in rear room of the store, fled screaming into the street. Hearing the three scream ing, Patrolman George Flavin, on traffic duty in front of the theater, raced into the store with drawn re- volver.
 Inside, Officer Flavin subdued Ayotte who by this time was cover ed with blood from Dunn's wounds. Dunn was then taken to St. Mary's Hospital where Dr. Robert Audet treated his injuries.
 Meanwhile, Vilhotti, fleeing to- wards the waiting car, was almost captured by passerby who halted his flight nAomentarily. Vilhotti, however, managed to ,make his flight good and was later taken in- to custody by It. John Calvin, Sgt. Paul Moynihan and Detective James Stack. The same three of- ficers made the arrest of the other youth.
 Police immediately sent out a general nine-state alarm for the missing two of the trio. and the aid of County Inspector Thomas F. Laden of the States Attorney Of- flee was enlisted.
 During the struggle in the store, Inspector Bender said, the gun broke and fell to the floor. The barrel and five bullets rolled across the room, he said.
 Smolley and Ayotte were arrested two weeks ago in Southington on charges of breaking and entering and destroying private property after they entered a cottage there and burned furniture to keep warm.