Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-10
NUMBERING AN rysocESE
Kate and Josephine Mahoney, Two Sis
tiers, Charged With "a Grave Crime.

Kate and Josephine Mahoney, Two Sis
tiers, Charged With "A Grave Crime.
Kate Mahoney, aged 10 years, and
Josephine Mahoney, aged IS years, two
sisters living with their father at Ninth
and Rose streets, were arrested and
locked up Friday by Detectives McVey
and Witsil, charged with the murder Of
an infant, of which Kate Mahoney is
the mother. The crime was perpetrated
on March 2Sth last, when Kate Mahoney
ordered her younger sister to take the
newborn child and throw it into the
stream at the foot bridge, near the Jessup
y Moore paper mills The girl did her
sisters bidding, put the innocent babe
in a basket while 1t yet lived,
and carried it off 10 the spot
where its body was thrown into
the stream and drowned. The child
never dreamed of the awful crime she
had consummated and returned home
with the empty basket as light-hearted
as though she had done nothing unusual
that day. Not word was said of the
drowning of the child, and it is proba-
Bile that the deed would never have been
known had not the suspicious of the
midwife, Emma Wyatt, who attended
Kate MahoneY during her illness, be-
come aroused, which induced her to
notify the authorities. She knew that
the child was alive and well when she
last saw it, and how it could disappear
without any one knowing its wherea-
bouts could not be conceived by her.
Consequently the woman notified
State Detectives McVey and Witsil of
her apprehensions, and Thursday the
detectives, upon receiving this informa-
ton, began work Immediately upon the
case. They succeeded in arresting the
mother of the child ut Persons morocco
mandatory, where she had been work.
ing for some time. Her sister, Josephine,
was arrested at her fathers house Just
as she was preparing to take her parents
dinner TO him at Bancrofts' Banks. The
younger sister was overcome when taken
into custody and confessed all to
the detectives. She says she did
not realize the enormity of the
crime, and when told of the charge
against her she wept bitterly. She had
taken the child to the bank of the creek,
not knowing that she was doing wrong,
and cast it overheard. She then re-
turned to her home, and nothing was
said Of the occurrence from that day to
this. That was on March 2Sth Her
sister recovered from her illness and left
home to go out to service again, but
subsequently, found employment in
Persons morocco works.
Detectives McVey and Witsil were
closetei with Encouragement Biggs,
who came up from Middletown Friday
morning, and Mr.. Biggs stated that the
charge Of murder would undoubtedly be
preferred against persons connected
with the child's death. The mother of
the child is an unusually pretty girl and
OF attractive appearance. Her sister is
very small for her age. Both are locked
up at the police station.
Kate Mahoney and her younger sister,
Josephine Mahoney, the two girls charged
with numbering the infant child of the
former on March 2Sth last by throwing its
body into the Brandywine we're brought
into the municipal court on Saturday,
when at the request of Deputy Attorney
General Davis they were held without bail
for further hearing.
Emma Wyas, the midwife who
furnished the detectives with clue to the
tragedy, was placed under $500 bail for her
appearance as a witness in the case.
When Kate Mahoney, mother Of the al
legged murdered child, was placed in the
dock she became historical and created
scene in the court room. She afterwards
tainted anu was carried from the court
room by Officer Hahn.
Ella Mahoney, the third sister who is
also charged with completely in the crime,
was arrested in Philadelphia Friday by
Chlei Woods orders and held to await the
action of the authorities here.