Evening journal., 1890-02-27

FEMALE DETECTIVES IN THE NC
COMB DIVORCE CASE.

Leaves Sensational Develop
ments.
A crowd Of Quaker City reporters de.
scended in this metropolis yesterday.
having been informed by PHILADELPHIA
detective agency which wanted some
gratuitous advertising, that new and
| juicy denoument in the much Rewritten
aud well-aired McCombs divorce case
would reward their visit.
| The Wilmington reporters have known
all along that small army of key hole
detective WAS working In the interests OF
each party to the case, but hey ond the
bare announcement OF that fact no q fort
was made to secure the noisome details OF
how these hired shadows were haunting
the steps Of an unfortunate wife and
endeavoring to levy blackmail on an nm.
happy husband
The result Of the visit Of the reporter
for the Philadelphia Record Is given
below. Most Of the story ia a thrice told
tale.
Another chapter was added TO the Nc
Combs divorce case TO day, which Is more
sensational In its bearings than any pre-
vious developments in this famous pro.
ceeding. It was the sudden departure
/ from this city for Baltimore on the 10
p. m. train on the Philadelphia, viii
mington and Baltimore railroad OF Mrs
Cora Fhurnaer, who is also known as
Cora Brown, and who is suspected OF
having been detective for James G. Me.
Comb, working against Mrs Mary + Nc
Comb, the respondent in the divorce APP
plication. Circumstantial evidence indi-
Gates that Mrs, Tnurnaer was implicated
in still more serious detective work.
Seven weeks ago Mrs. Thurnaer ar
rived in the city, and registered at the
Central Hotel. She STAYED at this hos
telry for few days, and then engaged
board at the residence No 1927 Market
street, which Is directly opposite Mrs.
McCombs house, No. 1926 king street
Subsequently she ingratiated herself into
the goodwill Of dressmaker named Mrs
Valentine, and by this person was finally
introduced TO Mrs McComb. She pre-
tended to sympathize with the wife Of
| Millionaire James McComb Ia her marital
troubles, and so effectively worked the
, ruse that Mrs. McComb allowed .he
woman 10 board with her.
| Mrs. Thurnaer passed Off as an actress.
and In very short time was on intimate
terms with Mrs. McCombs household,
and strictly regarded as one of the
| family. Suspicious actions on the part
Of the alleged friend finally put Mrs
McComb and her household ON their
| guard, and on last Friday Mira Thurnael
was ordered to leave the house. Shs
then took up her abode at her former
home, No. 1927 Market street, where shs
remained until her departure this after
noon.
| r.. ~, ,,..4 ,.oa1 A.. nx.tt.. MI -
New York, who has been working In the
interest Of Mrs. McComb, has been tbs
most intimate companion of Mrs Thur
naer. She had been with the latter
night and day, has learned all OF her
plans, as regards the opposite side Of the
divorce case, and has become the posses
sor Of enough knowledge TO warrant her
and the friends OF Mrs McComb In sus-
pecting other detective schemes. 1t ii
believed by many that plan TO haras
Mrs MbComb and make her constantly
fear that something dreadful will happei
to her Is on foot.
The identity OF Mrs. Neal becam
known to the visitor last night, whei
they attended a theatrical performance
here, after which Mrs McCombs' detec-
tives appraised Mrs ThurnRr that tn
game was up and Mrs Neal and her fe
male companion permanently separated
Mrs Neal did her work we'll, and demon
strated that she is an exceedingly clever
! detective. Although Mrs. Thurnaer lef
for Baltimore this afternoon, Il is pre-
sumed she will soon return here
Detectives James Il Randall and w
! Horace Mann OF Philadelphia, are also as
socated in the case in Mrs. McCombs in
tersst
Two days before Mrs. Thurnaer wa
9 ordered from the home Of Mrs McComb
somebody gave to the latter. as also t
Mrs. Mary Cakes, the housekeeper; Ada
child Of Mrs. Cakes, and the house dog
: Dash, a quantity Of candy. which is al
legged 20 have tasted perceptibly Of some
= thing nauseating. The candy was eaten
by all, and the family and house dog be
I came sick, presumably from the effects
Several vomited, and il looked as theugl
/, poison bad been administered. This ha
not been proved, for the reason that,
: doctor not being called in at the time, n
! chemical analysts has been made.
In connection with this, Mrs Thurnae
: Is said to have made suggestive state
I ments to Mrs. McCombs housekeeper r.
: garding the shooting of February
when two shots were fred at Mrs Nc
1. Comb at her house, and, although nc
Z hitting her, one passed within a hair
: space of her head Mrs. Thurnaer sal
! that Mrs McComb least suspected tn
J person who fred the shots. and this
! regarded as extremely significant, as
also the fact that two bullets from a bo
Of cartridges which she had cannot
accounted for. She carried a revolver O.
the street. and is also said TO have az
J. peared in male attire
All OF those circumstances 60 to sho'
3 that a scheme, without admitting Mrs
! McComb on the ground floor Thereof
must have been coneocted but the ex
Z tremely clever work Of Mrs. Neal In out
!. whiting q rival detective has, beyond an
reasonable doubt, frustrated all sue
n plans.
Mrs Thurnaer is said to have been ser
I, here to work for Millionaire McComb b
Edward Hall, Of 1882 Arch street. Phil
= delphia, who was recently implicated
the Hooper case. and who is now inca
4 cersted in Moyamensing prison. Hall
known to have visited Wilmington Z
a January 90 last, and on the following ds
y he was followed to Baltimore, where |
= was met by two well-known men fro
this city. Since Hall has been imprisone
the woman has regularly kept him post,
by mail of the way things went. She
receiving for her efforts, it is said, IS
s day and all expenses
Mrs. Cora Thurnaer lives at No. 2
!, South Twelfth street, Philadelphia 81
u is from Lewisburg, Pa. claims to be
years Of age and Is twin sister of Il