Date: Fri 23-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Laslo-crime-history

Full Text:

FROM THE CASE FILES OF PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR LASLO BRISCOE: Part VIII

BY ANDREA ZIMMERMANN

Criminal activity paused in Newtown for more than two seasons following the

gruesome murder of the German cobbler. The teachers' desks at Newtown High

School were ransacked, but nothing was taken; more of a practical joke, this

was the extent of disturbance in town.

Of course, this didn't sit well with private investigator Laslo Briscoe, who

found he had far too much time on his hands with which to refine his chess

game. But in April of 1915, a copycat murder was attempted on another shop

owner and Laslo Briscoe was delighted to find things heating up in Newtown.

No. 691 -- The Case Of The

Club Wielding Villian

As despicable as thieves and bank robbers might be, there exists a class of

criminal who has no rival -- that is, the man who would surprise and brutally

hammer another without provocation. And Newtown is no stranger to the actions

of such a disturbed figure. The town's recent, unpleasant notoriety sprang

into the public prints thereby affixing itself permanently in our history.

Not many boldly carry a large stick about town, so it is dubious that anyone

other than George Ballinger -- seen carrying such a weapon the evening of the

crime -- could have been the one to beat Ezra J. Hall about the head so

severely. Examination of the wounds left me doubtless the assailant had murder

in mind.

Hall had watered the horses in the barn, put out the lantern, and set it on

the floor of his plumbing and stove shop before locking the business. With a

flashlight in hand, he turned to notice two men nearby. He shone the electric

light on them, but they quickly bent over and turned their heads away. Hall

continued on his way and just several paces from the store he was struck from

behind with a club and knocked down. Immediately he got up, but was struck

down again, and then rapped about the head. "Murder!" he cried at the top of

his voice. It was then his assailants wrested the light from his hands and

disappeared into the night. Although he never saw their faces, he saw that one

wore a shirt colored brick-red. He called for help for all he was worth, but

no one seemed to hear.

With a broken jaw bone protruding through the flesh, the balance of his face

battered, and otherwise used up, Hall crawled along the post office stoop and

went against the rail on the bridge in Sandy Hook. He entered the drug store

and collapsed into a crumpled heap. Corbett rushed to his aid, asking him what

happened.

Although Hall had not seen those who so fiercely attacked him, he told Corbett

to send the sheriff to Mile Hill to Joseph Webber's house. There, Sheriff

Blackman arrested the hired men John Thome and George Ballinger, the latter of

whom reaped the charge of assault with intent to kill.

Ballinger had been in Hall's employ until recently and left under unpleasant

circumstances. Thome was in Webber's employ for a year and a half. Six weeks

before the assault, Thome was heard to have said about Hall, "I'll fix him

yet! I have something to fix him." At the trial, in broken English, Thome

denied planning to harm Hall; he said his vexation was on account of their

having met at a certain house in Sandy Hook in which a door was locked on him.

Mrs Webber took the stand to prove his alibi, relating he was at her house at

8:30 -- a time before the assault occurred.

The tragedy has been the one theme of conversation on the streets of Newtown

and in public places. It is one of the most brutal and revolting assaults ever

committed within our borders, second only, perhaps, to the Cobbler murder of

late last year.

No. 725 -- The Case of the

Gentleman Farmer Gone Mad

Newtown residents have had their fill of heinious crimes involving their

neighbors and shopkeepers. So it was with relief we were able to capture and

return to Trumbull a man who loosed his shotgun at his homestead, successful

in his attempt to kill his wife.

Jason S. Haines, a wealthy Trumbull farmer, was hanging about the store of

R.H. Beers & Co. Although he was travelling under a fake name, his true

identity was suspected by Assistant Town Clerk Edward S. Pitzschler.

Pitzschler engaged him in conversation and pretended to be seeking a farm to

purchase. Haines gave his true name and invited our hero to have a look at his

property. Pitzschler rang up Bridgeport headquarters, and notified the

Trumbull authorities. When Blakeman arrested him in town, he had a dozen

loaded shells for a shotgun in his pocket.

Haines, about 48 years old, claimed he had been about the area for days, two

of which he had passed in Newtown. He admitted to killing his wife and spoke

in a rambling sort of way and acted like a man getting over a drunken spree.

Dr Gale was called to administer some quieting medicine and we soon rid

ourselves of this deranged killer. Four children survive. To protect the

estate, valued at $60-75,000, the Trumbull selectman made application for the

appointment of a trustee.

No. 733 -- The Case Of

The Boxing Chef

The three who accosted William E. Schafer, 22, near the depot had not

bargained for the just rewards they collected in the form of bruises and

blackened eyes. Schafer had been called by one, a Stepney man, to assist him

in his search for a ring lost about the tracks. Two other men joined the first

and began a fight they will long remember.

Schafer was beaten down, but rose and went at them. A chef at the Newtown Inn,

Schafer is better known in sporting circles as "Battling Elwell," a light

heavyweight boxer who has never been beaten. In his 52 battles he has had only

one draw. He succeeded in giving his assailants a severe beating, but from

exhaustion sat down on the tracks half-dazed.

He would have been crushed by the federal express, which was closing in on

him, if it were not for the quick action of his young friend, John Vincent

Carey. Carey, 14, had left the company of the boxer when they reached Sandy

Hook; instead of returning home, Carey followed his friend and found him

sitting on the track after blows had been exchanged. He had no time to wait,

and as he pulled his husky friend from the tracks, the express shot by within

three feet of them.

Although Carey refused a reward, Schafer knew his friend desired a bicycle and

so bought him a beautiful wheel. He is now training his life-saving friend for

the fistic game.