Houghton's Rare Book Thief Gets Sentence

Harold E. Perry, 45, former employee of the Massachusetts Archives Division, yesterday pleaded guilty in East Cambridge District Court to the theft of a rare book, Jonathan Swift's "Cadenus and Vanessa," from Houghton Library.

Judge Arthur P. Stone '93 gave the culprit a one-year suspended sentence and put him on probation on the condition that he help recover other books he was accused of taking. As yet, Perry has only returned the cover of the book, Keyes D. Metcalf, Director of Libraries, said last night.