July 25, 1997

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — KEEP THE PARADE MARCHING ON: When it comes to the basics of Newtown’s popular Labor Day Parade, it all seems to boil down to dollars and strength. Without question there are many people from both town and afar who line the streets to watch this event thinking that it is the picture of volunteerism at work. Well, in part, they are right, and that is where the strength comes in. … Countless hours of work go into this event by local volunteers and it is really a year-long effort to coordinate all of the details. …while the strength to put on the parade can be mustered when needed, often the dollar side of the coin is hard to come by. Those colorful bands do not come here for the fun of it, nor do they come to make money by performing. They do, however, charge for an appearance in order to cover some of their own expenses such as travel, insurance and equipment upkeep … Additional dollars are spent on insurance, trophies, and incidentals, along with a hold-over fund which is used to launch the fund drive mailing for the next year. … So Newtown, let’s keep the parade marching on. It is too good to stop, or even falter, and help is needed right now. Donations of any size are welcome … You will be especially glad you [donated] on September 1.

* * * * *

Thirty bishops, monsignors, priests, and deacons joined parishioners at St Rose Church Monday morning to celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial for the Right Rev Monsignor Walter R. Conroy, former pastor of the parish. Msgr Conroy spent his entire active priesthood of 42 years in St Rose parish. When he retired in 1970 he moved to the Queen of Clergy Residence in Stamford, the home for retired clergy of the diocese, where he died on July 17 at the age of 96.

* * * * *

Former Newtown resident Richard Crafts, 59, the perpetrator of the notorious and bizarre “wood chipper murder” in 1986, has returned to Newtown, but this time as an inmate at Garner Correctional Institution, the state’s high security prison on Nunnawauk Road. William Flower, a spokesman for the state Department of Correction, confirmed this week that Mr Crafts has been transferred to Garner from MacDougall Correction Institution in Suffield. Mr Crafts is serving a 50-year prison sentence for murdering his wife. His prison time started running on January 13, 1987, after he was charged with murder. Police believe Mr Crafts murdered his wife, Helle, in November 1986 and then disposed of her corpse along the banks of Lake Zoar after fragmenting it with a wood chipper. Mrs Crafts, 39, a Pan Am flight attendant, was last seen alive on November 18, 1986. She wasn’t reported missing until December 1. More than a month later state police arrested Mr Crafts.

* * * * *

Jared Tendler of Newtown might have been the No. 5 golfer on the Skidmore College Division III team, but last week he was the best golfer in Danbury. Tendler, a 1996 graduate of Newtown High School, shot a two-day, course record total of 1-over-par at Richter Park to capture the annual Danbury Amateur Golf Tournament championship.

July 28, 1972

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — IN THE NEWS AGAIN: A meeting of the Connecticut Thoroughbred Owners Association and the State Gaming Commission, held Tuesday evening at the Yankee Drover Inn, discussed off-track betting, its regulation, and a race track for thoroughbreds in Connecticut. While not so intended, the meeting has brought again to public mind the efforts being made to establish a race track in various locations around the state. Among possible sites being explored by various groups, Stratford and Southington have been prominently mentioned. Newtown is another possible site, options having been taken on several pieces of property in the Botsford sections. … At Tuesday’s meeting First Selectman Frank DeLucia said that he is not in favor of a race track in town. He believes that whatever gain the town might receive in taxes, would be offset by the expenses of such necessary services as expanded police and fire protection, water supply, sewage system, road construction and traffic control. We go one step further to point out that a race track would tend to destroy the character of the town — both in the crowd which would descend upon us, and impairment of the way of life which has attracted so many people to come here to live and call it home.

* * * * *

John Nevius Dodd of Hawleyville died Sunday morning, July 22, the day after his 100th birthday, at the Avery Nursing Home on Farmington Avenue, Hartford. He and Mrs Dodd had been living at the home for some time. Mr Dodd was born in Hangchow, China, in July 1897, the son of a Presbyterian minister. He later vividly recalled his trip across the Pacific to the United States in 1878 on a wind-jammer.

* * * * *

A meeting of the Borough of Newtown convened July 24 in Edmond Town Hall for the purpose of approving the budget of $23,589 and the mill rate of .89. There was some discussion, initiated by Tax Collector Margaret Knauer, about the procedure for collecting small tax bills. Burgess Joseph Hellauer then moved that the budget be accepted, which was seconded by Burgess Donald Leavitt. The motion passed. Burgess James Gies next moved for adoption of the mill rate, which was again seconded by Mr Leavitt, and which passed without dissent. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned after having been in session for about 15 minutes. After adjournment, Marilyn Alexander was sworn in as Borough Treasurer, filling the vacancy left by Margaret Bennett, who moved out of the Borough.

July 25, 1947

In the presence of their many friends, Rev C.W. Williams of Ansonia, assisted by Rev O.M. Kelley of New York City, on Saturday afternoon last, joined in marriage Miss Ruth V. Jernigan of Newtown and Daniel P. Mitchell of Philadelphia, Pa., at the bride’s home in Trez-An-Air Farms, Newtown. Following the ceremony a buffet luncheon was served. The out-of-town guests were Rev and Mrs O.M. Kelley, Mr and Mrs Cleo Miller, Mrs Alice Thompson of New York City; Miss Dorothy Simpson, Archie Speller, William Beasley of Philadelphia; Miss Anna L. Jones of High Point, N.C.; Mrs Golden Frinks of Edenton, N.C.; Edward C. Holly and Mr and Mrs Jasper Edwards and son of New Haven. Mr and Mrs Mitchell will make their home at Trez-An-Air Farms.

* * * * *

Mr and Mrs Edward L. Beardsley of Newtown announce the marriage of their daughter, Margaret Rose (Peggy) Beardsley, to Thomas Costello of Ansonia, son of James Costello of New York and grandson of Mr and Mrs Phillip Natowich of Ansonia. The marriage took place in Elkton, Maryland, on Saturday, July 19. The Rev Charles J. Conway, pastor, officiated.

* * * * *

The condition of Bobby Lockwood, 12, son of Mr and Mrs Earl Lockwood of Glen Road, Sandy Hook, injured last Saturday when he slipped from the cab roof of a dump truck, delivering gravel in a private drive in the Taunton district, and fell under one of its wheels, was reported as improved but still critical Wednesday morning. The accident is said to have happened after young Lockwood and two companions, Donald Ingram, 12, and Francis Carroll, 14, had ridden to the truck’s destination in the Taunton district on a load of gravel. It is stated that unknown to the driver, Bobby had climbed to the roof of the cab to watch the dumping operation and that in the final shaking he was dislodged and fell beneath the wheel as the truck proceeded slowly up the drive. The Newtown ambulance was summoned and the boy was taken to Danbury hospital by A. Fenn Dickinson. The accident was investigated by detective sergeant Robert J. Murphy. Bobby’s parents have been frequent visitors at Danbury hospital, where he was removed. On Monday evening hospital authorities granted special permission for the first visitors other than the immediate family to Chief Hiram Hanlon and Wilton Lackaye of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company, who presented him with a new fireman’s badge, making him official mascot of the company.

July 21, 1922

THE HOTELS — ARRIVALS AT THE PARKER HOUSE: Mr and Mrs F.J. Weeks, Scranton, Pa.; Master Gray Weeks; Richard Oknes, Ansonia, Conn.; E.K. Beaton, Bridgeport; J.H. Bennit, Hackensack, N.J.; Mrs Edwin H. Peterson, Brooklyn; Mrs Ernest I. Morgan, Worcester, Mass.; Mary Kelly, Stepney; Mrs C. Thuemmel; Joseph E. Durgee, Beacon, N.Y.; P.J. Tripp, Shelton.

* * * * *

Ezra J. Hall, who has been employed by the Singer Manufacturing Co., at Bridgeport, for five years, has resigned his position and established in the plumbing and tinning business again in Sandy Hook, in the basement of the Betts residence, where Dr Betts formerly had his store. For over 35 years Mr Hall carried on the plumbing and heating business in Sandy Hook.

* * * * *

A pretty but quiet wedding occurred at the Congregational church on Saturday at 3 p.m., when Miss Edna Pearl Canfield, daughter of Miss Jennie Glover Canfield, became the bride of Clarke Skidmore Walker. The bride was attired in a dress of blue canton crepe with henna faced panels, with hat to match. She carried a shower bouquet of white brides roses. The bride’s traveling dress was of dark blue tricotine. Refreshments were served to the immediate families and the bride and groom left shortly for an auto tour of the northern states. They will be at home to their friends after August 1, at their new house on Sugar Street.

* * * * *

A reunion of some of the pupils of the old Newtown Academy, when Rev J.P. Hoyt was principal, was held in East Village, Monroe, at the summer home of Miss Adella F. Botsford of Washington, D.C., July 19. Attendees traveled from St Petersburg, Fla.; Bellingham, Wash.; Bradentown, Fla.; Ansonia, Stamford, and New Haven. Letters of regret were received from Boston, Mass.; Waterbury; New York; Bridgewater, Newtown, Bridgeport, Bethel, and Willimantic. Personal recollections and reminiscences were given by many of those present. A bountiful picnic lunch was served.

* * * * *

Having consulted, in a spirit of due solemnity, the signs of the Zodiac, F.A. North, the popular Center street merchant, Daniel Light, his capable assistant and Master of Eureka Lodge, F.&A.M., Frank Noxon, meat cutter for Mr Dean and Uncle Joe set out for an afternoon’s fishing Wednesday, on the Housatonic. In order to take home their large catch of fish, they took along North’s large Rec truck. The following radio dispatches were received at The Bee office, Wednesday afternoon at 3. F.A. North catches a three pound bass; 3.15 Daniel Light brings in a pumpkin seed; 3.20 p.m., Uncle Joe catches a two pound eel; 3.35 p.m., Mr Noxon catches a very small eel; 3.50 p.m., Mr North hooks on to a four pound bass but loses it. 4.00 p.m., having become weary the party return to the bank of the river, where they partake of the following luncheon: Muskmelon, kippered herring, stuffed olives, sliced dried beef, crackers and cheese. 4.45 the party again return to their boats and begin to fish. Our radio outfit now going out of commission, no further results could be obtained from the river. Final results will be tabulated in next week’s Bee.

July 30, 1897

NEW BOOKS ADDED TO THE NEWTOWN LIBRARY [selected]: A Golden Autumn, Mrs Alexander; When the Century was New, Charles Conrad Abbott; Miss Ludington’s Sister, Edward Bellamy; Love in Old Clothes, H.C. Bunner; Miss Archer Archer, Clara Louise Burnham; Soldiers of Fortune, Richard Harding Davis; The Honorable Peter Stirling, Paul Leicester Ford; A Ward of the Golden Gate, Bret Harte; A Genuine Girl, Jeanie Gould Lincoln; A Gentleman Vagabond, F. Hopkinson Smith; A Daughter of the Tenements, Edward W. Townsend; Chap-Book Stories, Mrs Waugh; Some Heretics of Yesterday, S.E. Herrick; Is Police Society Polite, Julia Ward Howe; The Destiny of Man, John Fiske; The Idea of God, John Fiske; Farthest North, 2 vols, Dr Fridtjof Nansen; Ballades and Verses Vain, Andrew Laug.

* * * * *

Zerah Britton of Taunton district was thrown from a mowing machine while working on Codfish hill, and was quite seriously injured. Dr Richardson has been attending him.

* * * * *

Seldom has a more fashionable audience graced the Town hall than that of last Friday evening, when a very enjoyable entertainment and hop were given by the boarders at Dick’s hotel. The artists were Herbert Flansburg (the Prisoner of Zenda Co., season ‘96), David Miles (Stuart Robson’s Co.), Miss Anita Hendrie (The American Girl Co., season ‘96), and J. Frederick White (baritone soloist, Church of the Messiah, Brooklyn, N.Y.). The pianist and accompanist was Prof Charles R. Muller of New York. They are all artists of merit and the audience was highly delighted with the program given. Following a number of performances, a dance order of 10 numbers followed and there were many handsome costumes on the floor. The party broke up about 3 o’clock.

* * * * *

Miss Bessie Glover of Hanover district has returned from Bell Island, where she made a pleasant sojourn with Miss Jessie Smith of Bethel.

* * * * *

Rudy Freeman has moved his family from Shelton to the Arthur Beardsley place in Zoar.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.