Date: Fri 20-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Laslo-Briscoe-Zimmermann

Full Text:

FROM THE CASE FILE OF DETECTIVE LASLO BRISCOE: Installment 11

By Andrea Zimmermann

Crime roared into Newtown as the calendar flipped to 1920. The new era was

marked by an attempted murder of a well-loved citizen, the fatal shooting of a

New York journalist near the flagpole, and a visit from two big time thugs who

had just escaped from Sing Sing. Swirling about resident's minds were not only

these gruesome local events, but the controversial social issues of

Prohibition and Woman's Suffrage. As a student of human nature, Private

Investigator Laslo Briscoe took it all in, detailing the town's crimes and

social changes in his case files.

And so a new decade of crime begins.

No. 828 --

The Case of the

Headstrong Victim

It takes but one greedy individual to strike a blow that fells a pillar of the

community, and by pillar, I refer to both an individual and the stout ideal

that supports the grand notion of "community." By example, last year when

suffragettes met in town and were able to raise more than $2,000 in

subscriptions from their membership in one evening, Levi Morris steadfastly

worked toward a similar sum for weeks on end, as he carried out a canvass for

our men at war. So it stands, the recent assault on Morris was an assault on

all the decent people who comprise our community.

Although known that brutality distinguishes not between class, age or gender,

it is yet disturbing to discover someone in town -- someone familiar -- would

attempt to take the life of Levi Morris. Three whacks to the head with a board

would have finished a lesser man, but Morris' quick response, thick skull and

felt hat preserved him.

The murderous assault took place just outside the garage next to his house. He

had left the store of Morris & Shepard about 10 minutes to 9 o'clock, entered

his automobile and drove to his residence opposite the South Middle school

house. Once the vehicle was in the garage, he switched off its light, left the

garage, and snapped the padlock. At that instant, he heard a slight noise

behind him and, turning quick as a flash, received a powerful blow to the

forehead which knocked him to the ground. But Morris quickly got up and

screamed loudly. The devilishly depraved assailant made his attack with a

board two more times on our fine citizen, who rose up again after each.

Having heard the screams of her husband, Mrs Morris switched on the outside

electric lights and the brute took to his heels. Mr Morris then stumbled onto

his piazza blood dripping from his wounds. Earle Smith, sitting on the porch

of his father's home, with his aunts, the Misses Scudder, heard Morris scream

and hastened across the street. Upon seeing Morris' condition, he immediately

went to find Dr Kingman.

Clues in this case are scant. But here you have it:

On the east side of the garage is a pile of sand or gravel where can be

plainly seen the footprints of the assailant, made as he waited for his victim

to appear.

As it was dark, Mr Morris could not distinguish the identity of the brute, but

thinks the man had no vest on and wore a white shirt.

Robbery is likely the motive, because none other exists; Morris is a generous

man known for his liberality and, as such, he is without enemy.

The villain must be someone familiar with Morris's schedule, so we cannot lay

blame outside our borders.

Although Mr Morris is naturally suffering from weakness and nervous shock

caused by the loss of blood, he is coming fine. I passed his house yesterday

to find him sitting out on his piazza enjoying a fragrant cigar. His success

at warding off the brutal attack seems to have popularized the wearing of felt

hats in town.

No. 829 --

The Case of the Bad Query

About the time Morris was finally assigned to his bed that fateful evening, a

motor truck was directed into the yard of the Newtown Inn. The driver went

inside and made inquiries for a mechanic to repair some trouble that had

developed. Alas, the fellow had the misfortune to query a patron who is the

federal enforcement man in this section. Our alert federal man poked his nose

about and discovered the truck contained more than 200 cases of whiskey.

As a result, the driver and his companion -- both New Jersey men -- enjoyed an

evening in Newtown's palatial lock-up, before appearing before US Commissioner

William H. Cable in Danbury. Unable to be in two places at once, the federal

man assigned a watchman to guard the whiskey. Overnight 11 cases of the liquor

disappeared without explanation by the guard, only to be found after a search

behind the barn of Miss Hawley and the barns in the rear of Mr Brinton's

residence. But it is certain the federal man kept a close eye when the cases

were removed to Danbury, where they have been stored in the cellar of the post

office there.

No. 836 --

The Case of the

Killer in a Cadillac

What Sing Sing lost, Newtown gained, if only for a few hours last Sunday when

two escaped prisoners created an unpleasant sensation in town.

The fugitives are George J. Stiver, the 20-year-old murderer of Bicycle

Policeman Samuel T. Cunningham of the W 177th St Station, Brooklyn; and Martin

Bassett, who was arrested in Brooklyn for the theft of a motorcar. Time in a

cell apparently had not diminished Bassett's skills for the two arrived in

Newtown in a stolen Cadillac.

It was early in the morning when their car stalled on the hill near Fred

Lake's. Two Derby boys, whose Ford car had also stalled on the hill, helped

the strangers out of their trouble -- an act they would soon regret. When the

men in the Ford asked the fugitives for gas, the criminals responded that they

were short, too, but would return with gas. And so they did.

The Sing Sing men awoke Mr Smith and offered such a plausible story that Mr

Smith dressed and went out and gave them 15 gallons of gas and two quarts of

oil. By way of thanks, one of the devils poked a gun in Mr Smith's face and

took all the money he had in his hand, about $10. The bandits went back to

Lake Hill. After handing a bucket of gas to a Derby fellow, they put a pistol

to his head and took away from the pair $45, their overcoats, undercoats, and

hats.

The villains directed their Cadillac car towards Danbury. Mr Smith, suspecting

they might come back, went out to the road and when they came along, ordered

them to halt, but being uncertain as to their identity, let them proceed.

Meanwhile, Mrs Smith had telephoned the Danbury police, Sheriff Beers, Patrick

Gannon and Constable Carlson, who got out on the roads ready to give the

bandits a warm reception.

The Danbury police were evidently too slow in getting in motion. Stivers and

his pal probably came on to Beaver Brook and then went north to New Milford,

where they were seen by the night watchman having an argument as to which road

to take. Had the Danbury night force gotten real busy they might have earned

real glory.