February 24, 1938

Local Police Commended, Capture Two Bandits
Trapped in United Optical Plant, Widely Sought Pair Arrested

Arrests of two men, claimed by police of New England to be a real important capture, was effected spectacularly Thursday night by Webster Police, headed by Patrolman Armand Tourangeau, at the United Optical Company plant on Maynard Avenue.

Leaving behind them loot which consisted of gold temples and other accessories in the manufacture of eye glasses, one man made an ineffecutal attempt to escape, and was captured outside a window, and the other was taken at gun-point cowering under a table in the plant.

The importance of the capture was quickly revealed by the seizure of one of the most complete sets of burglar tools ever seen in this part of New England, found in a car alleged to have been used by the bandits, and later when it was learned that the named given by the pair were "phoneys", their identities were revealed as Raymond Patriarca, 29, of Worcester, Providence and many other addresses, and Benjamin F. Tilley, 27, of West Roxbury.

They gave their names as John Roma if Worcester and William Ryan of Albany, N.Y., when they were booked at the Webster police station, but their real idenities became known on Friday. The arrival of State Detective Edward J. McCarthy, Detective Sergt. P. Frank Carroll and Det. Lieut. John T. Fitzgerald resulted in an immediate identification of Patriarca.

Tilley's identification came later, but the disclosure proved that the Webster police had nabbed a very much wanted man, a Boston ex-convict with a long police record.

Patriarca was also identified by the Webster police, as one of the three defendants in the armed robbery of $10,000 consigned to the First National Bank, from the steps of the Webster post office, in 1932. In this holdup he was linked with Tony Santello and Louis B. Melinkoff, all of Worcester. All were found not guilty after a lengthy hearing, witnesses failing to identify them, and alibis being provided for all three.

Both men were arraigned Friday morning at a special session of First District Court, and pleaded "not guilty" to three counts, carrying a revolver, breaking and entering, an possession of burglar tools. Judge Louis O. Rieutord, after the pair had asked for a continuance, held each in $50,000 bonds. On a charge of carrying a revolver, bonds of $20,000 were imposed, $20,000 for breaking and entering and $5,000 possession of burglar tools.

At the conclusion of the hearing, which was continued to Thursday, March 3, the two men were brought to Worcester jail, and were looked over by three men victimized in a holdup on Thursday evening in Worcester, but they failed to identify them.

A dog owned by Nicholas F. Braniff, Maynard Avenue, whose home is next to the plant of the United Optical, was the primary cause of the capture of the two bandits Thursday night, regarded by police as one of the most oustanding arrests made in many months in New England. Had the dog remained quiet, it is probable that the robbery of $4000 worth of gold from the offices of the plant might have been carried out and the police faced with a mystery that would have defied their efforts to solve.

But the dog barked, and indicated by his actions that somebody was about the vicinity other than those who had legitimate business. So convinced did Mr. Braniff become that something was wrong, that he left his home and located Officer Armand Tournageau, who patrols that district during the present month.

The result was a display of courage on the part of this officer and others that has won praise from residents thruout the towns and the capture of two much-wanted men, believed implicated in a score or more burglaries thruout Massachusetts in the past few months.

The patrolman was informed shortly after 9 o'clock by Mr. Braniff, who said he was sure an attempt was being made to break into the plant of the optical company, The officer then circled around down thru the St. Louis schoolyard and stole quietly up to the building from the rear. An inspection of the building disclosed an open window near the boiler house.

He crept up to the window, stuck his head inside and listened. He plainly heard the sound of movements over head, and knew that there were burglars in the plant. He also realized that guarding the window might give the men inside a chance to escape by some other exit, and he stole away quietly, going to the home of Mr. Braniff, instructing Mrs. Braniff to call the police headquarters and have them send help.

Back to the open window Officer Tourangeau went on guard, awaiting the reinforcements. Their arrival by automobile, on the Maynard avenue side, was followed by the shaking of the front door by the police. It was the signal for a scramble on the part of the men inside, and as they ran down the stairs, past the window, Officer Tournageau ordered them to come out, or he would shoot. With the exit cut off, the men, who were only shadows in the darkness, attempted to get out by another window, and Officer Tourangeau fired a shot that drove them away.

With the officers hammering on the front door, Officer Tourangeau returned to the open window, and as he stood a few feet away, a dark form emerged thru the opening. As he struck the ground the officer yelled "Put your hands in the air." Getting no response, he fired a shot at the man and immediately the other yelled "Don't shoot. I'll give up." With his flashlight on the man, he saw him elevate his hands above his head. The officer grabbed him, went rapidly over his clothing, and then marched him up the hill beside the plant, where he turned over to officers who had arrived in response to the telephone call.

This man, who later gave the name of Ryan and who proved to be Benjamin F. Tilley, was placed in one of the cars under guard and Tournageau returned to the open window, convinced that there was at least one other man inside. This time he was accompanied by Officer Edward Wagner and after yelling inside once more to "Come out, or we'll go in and drag you out," the officers listened for a moment and got no answer.

Officers Wagner and Tourangeau entered the building by opening a door with drawn guns and started a seach. As they were walking along thru the darkened plant, Officer Wagner turned his flashlight under a bench as saw a crouching figure. "Come out, and with your hands up," he ordered, and the man obeyed. this was the man who gave the name of "Roma," and was later indentified as Raymond Patriarca.

With both men placed in automobiles and taken to the police station, Officers Tourangeau, Wagner, Nadeau and others returned to the scene. On the ground below the window and near the chimney of the boiler room, they picked up a loaded revolver. Extending their search inside, they found another, close to the spot where Patriarca was hiding under the bench.

The story of the capture of the two bandits as given above is related by Officer Tourangeau, and the capture of one as told by this officer is disputed by sub-patrolman Healy, who delcares that he captured Tilley, as the man started running frm the window thru which he jumped from the plant.

Healy claimed that the man came on a run and was stopped abruptly when he "stuck him up" wih his revolver and ordered the man to hold up his hands. The latter did so, he says, and it was Healy who marched him up the hill, and brought him, to an automobile, turning him over to Officer Biadasz and Officer Cournoyer.

The officer says that he did not see Officer Tourangeau anywhere near the scene at that time, and declares that he has several witnesses to bear out the truth of his statement. Other officers who responded to the call the and who went to the scene from the police station, included John McCausland, Stanley Biadasz, Richard Healy, Peter Jarosz, Philip Cournoyer, with William Dick, Jr., as driver of the car.

Pair Are Held In $50,000 for Grand Jury
Dentini, Third Man Tried Today
Held in $2000, Identified by Webster Alley Owner


Benjamin Tilley of Boston and Raymond Patriarca of Worcester were each held in $50,000 bonds for their appearance before the Grand Jury at Worcester, following a hearing in District Court this morning.

Bonds of $20,000 for breaking and enetering the United Optical Company, $25,000 for possessions of burglar tooks and $5,000 for carrying a revolver were imposed.

Nicholas J. Dentini of Springfield, charged with conspiracy and with breaking and entering was held in his own recognizance for the grand jury, in $100 bond on each charge.

This man, arrested in Springfield Saturday, put up a vigorous defence, with his wife, employer and others as witnesses, and himself declaring that he was never in Webster in his life. Against this was the positive identification by Victor J. Billings that he was in Webster that night, in a group of which Patriarca was identified as a member.

Following the hearing, the wife of Dentini wept and clung to her husband in the corridor of the court room, previous to the pair leaving Webster by automobile for their home.

The hearing today was confined to the evidence against Raymond Patriarca and Benjamin Tilley on the charge of carrying a revolver. Atty. Nunziato Fusaro, who appeared for the pair, waiving the hearing onthe charge of breaking and entering and possession of burglar tools.

The highlight of the proceedings was the positive identification of Nicholas J. Dentini, arrested in Springlfield Saturday, as being present in the Billings bowling alleys on the night of Feb. 17 between 8 and 8:30 p.m. Raymond Patriarca, was also identified by Victor J. Billings, proprietor, as being present at the time, both being among a group of "four or five men."

The arrest of Dentini, claimed to have been acquaintances of Tilley and Patriarca in Springfield, occurred Saturday, and another man, arrested at the same time, was released Saturday forenoon in Southbridge, after arraignment in that town. No evidence was produced to link the fourth man with the break.

Dentini, however, was picked out in a lineup by Billings on that date, and held on his identification.

The evidence presented today in court was confined to the revolvers, one found outside the United Optical Company and the other inside the building, both near the spots where Tilley and Patriarca were arrested on the night of the break.

The government case was in charge of Assistant District Attorney Andre Gelinas, with Atty. Fusaro representing the pair arrested on the spot and Atty. Arthur Giustini, Springfield, appearing for Dentini.

In a preliminary presentation of what the government will attempt to prove, Atty. Gelinas described the events of the night of Fen. 17, telling of the dog that was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas F. Braniff, who live next to the optical factory, and who growled during the night at about 8 o'clock, Mrs. Braniff was so disturbed by the dog's actions that she told her husband to notify the police and he did so on his way to work, telling Officer Armand Tourangeau of the incident and his belief that there were prowlers about the optical plant.

The visit of Officer Tourangeau, his discovery of an open window, and his visit to the home of Mrs. Braniff, with his request that additional police be sent to the scene was then described, together with the arrest of Tilley who jumped out of a window and was ordered by Officer Tourangeau to halt, and who fired a shot at the man. Following the arrest of Tilley, Officers Tourangeau and Wagner went into the building and found Patriarca hiding under a bench, the discovery being made by Officer Wagner.

The door of the stock room and office was forced, he said, and the place ransacked, two bags being found on the floor, partly filled with gold and sterling silver accessories, with the nickel accessories being left behind.

Patriarca, he said, claimed they did not have a car, but later admitted that they did, but would not say where it had been parked. The car was found later with burglar tools in a large bag. A hat was found in the car. Tillet was hatless when arrested, and the next morning asked for his hat, and the hat found in the car was handed to him, he admitted that it was his property.

On the charge of conspiracy against Patriarca and Tilley, Atty. Gelinas said the government had no evidence to produce and this charge was dismissed against the pair.

The cases then heard were that of carrying a revolver against Tilley and Patriarca, of conspiracy and breaking and entering against Dentini.

Atty. Gelinas went over the entire ground of the case as the government hopes to present, and stressed the fact that one revolver, a nickel-plated gun, was found within a foot of the spot where Tilley landed when he came out of the window, and the other within eight feet of the spot where Patriarca was hiding under a bench in the plant.

Officer Armand Tourangeau was the first witness and said that he had been a member of the Webster Police Department approximately 12 1/2 years. Between 9:25 and 9:30 he went to the United Optical plant on Maynard Avenue and going around to the rear, saw a window raised.

His testimony was that after asking Mrs. Braniff to telephone for aid, he returned and saw Tilley in a niche near the chimney. He ordered him to put up his hands and he fired a shot at him, then Tilley came forward with his hands raised.

Photographs were shown and identified, one of the north side of the plant, another of the south side, and two interior views, one showing the location where Patriarca was arrested and the other a view of the office with the bags partly filled with loot.

He identified the nickel-plated revolver as the gun found by Officer Nadeau outside the building near where Tilley was standing, and the other gun found by Officer McCausland, as that near where Patriarca was hiding.

Officer Delphis Nadeau testified to finding the nickel-plated gun in the niche near the chimney, the gun was dry and fully loaded. He testified that he saw a bullet hole near the spot, at a point near where it would appear that Tilley had been standing.

Officer John McCausland said that he had been a sub-patrolman for ten months. He went to the optical company plant about midnight and found the gun on a machine called a press. A distance of about 10 feet from the spot under the bench where Patriarca was found. He said he wrapped the gun in a handkerchief and turned it over to Officer Tourangeau.

Edmund J. McCarthy, an executive of the United Optical Company, said he left the plant on that afternoon at 6 o'clock. He said that he had never seen either of the guns before, and that he owned one himself, but he disclaimed any knowledge of the tow guns presented in court.

William R. Groggin, also an executive, said he owned no gun, and never saw the two guns shown.

Louis Haggerty, 10 Robinson street, said he was a fireman and a handy man about the plant, and on the night of the robbery, he made his customary circuit of the plant at 5:05, seeing that all windows on the ground floor were closed and locked.

Victor J. Billings said he operated a bowling alley at 2 Mechanic street, and on the night of Feb. 17, four or five men came into his alleys and asked if there was any alley available for bowling. He replied that there was not. He identified Patriarca as the man who asked about bowling.

He also said that one of the group did not come all the way into the alley, but stood at the entrance of the alleys. He identified Dentini as the man he saw standing at the foot of the stairs just before the entrance to the alleys proper.

The stay of the men was not more than five minutes, and he said that Dentini was wearing a blue overcoat, no hat. He was the tallest of the group, Billings said.

Atty, Giustina cross-examined Billings as to the light in the place and the distance from where he stood from the man he identified as Dentini. Billings said that the distance was about 12 feet. There was no light at the counter where Billings was standing.

He called upon a man who was sitting among the spectators in the courtroom and asked Billings if he was sure that he was not the man that he saw on that night. The man bore a resemblance to Dentini. Billings declared that he was not the man.

He never saw him before that night he said, and has seen him once since, when he identified him as a man he picked from a lineup in Southbridge.

Joseph J. Urbanowski, Maynard avenue, said that he found an overcoat in the yard back of his home and brought it to the United Optical office. The overcoat, exhibited in court, also a screw driver, was identified by Urbanowski. He said that the rear of his home, where the overcoat was found, has many burdock bushes.

Articles found in the pockets of the overcoat were identified by Edmund J. McCarthy, and included a pencil flashlight, sticks of chewing gum, a package of cigarets, and a small tube of "pomade".

Sub-Patrolman Stanley Biadasz said that he went to the scene in the car with Cournoyer, and that as he got out of the car he slipped and fell on the icy ground. Assisted to his feet, he heard shots, and saw one man running, and also another who appeared to be carrying a small flashlight.

The case of Dentini occupied a major portion of the time and at 1 o'clock was concluded, Judge Rieutord holding the man in $1000 on each of two charges, conspiracy and breaking and entering.

In his own defense, Dentini declared that he never left the home in Springfield that night, after returning from work as driver of a coal truck. His wife, mother and employer also testified, the latter stating that he worked that day and also the next day.

The overcoat which he tried on in the courtroom was no fit for the man who is over six feet tall. Billings, recalled to the stand, again insisted that he was not mistaken and Dentini was the man he saw in the bowling alley that night.

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