Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-26
TRYING A COIN CLIPPER.
An Interesting Demonstration Before
q Baltimore Jury.

An Interesting Demonstration Before
q Baltimore Jury.
A practical illustration of how gold coins
are lightened by the process known as cut
ting was given in the United States district
court at Baltimore yesterday. James l..
Wilcox and wife were on trial for cutting
coin. The work was done by Edward Quig-
ley, a machinist, with the lathe and tools
captured in the room OF the man and wo-
man charged with cutting gold coin. Mr..
Quigley placed SO gold piece on the lathe.
shaved OF the milled edge and then remilled
the coin SO that the difference in its weight
could only be detected by the scales.
The accused gave their names as Joseph
Foster and Eta Foster when they Were ar
rested. 1t was admitted In court that they
are James L. Wilcox and wife.
Wilcox Is about thirty five years old. and
the secret service officials have been search
ing for him for several months. 1t is
charged that he is connected with a gang
which has made between $4,000 and $4,000
by cutting gold coin in Chicago and other
western cities.
Mrs. Wilcox. who is of small stature and
Of prepossessing appearance. was neatly
dressed In a black silk waist and blue skirt.
with black gloves and brown hat The only
article of jewelry she wore was a small
breastpin.
Thomas @. Hayes, counsel for the accused.
told the jury that no defense would be made
for wilcox and that the sole question to be
considered was whether Mrs. Wilcox was an
accomplish In the offense. The woman, Mr..
Hayes claimed. was under the control OF her
husband and what she did was at his bid
ding.
There are six indictments against Wilcox
and three against his wife All the cases
| were consolidated and witnesses were exam
performed by the woman.
The government concluded its testimony
showing that Wilcox and his wife arrived in
A Ia
gagged Epom. saying they did not care to
| stop at hotel because Of the expense
| wilcox went to the National Mechanics
Bank the day following his arrival In Bal.i-
and $40 gold pieces. About half-past
O'Clock the same day Detective Reilly was
| informed that a man and woman were ex.
SGna,n .sg goio coin for notes at stores on
| stance as suspicious. the detective started
out to investigate. He found wilcox in q
saloon on Baltimore street, where he had
passed $40 gold piece. The detective fol.
lowed Wilcox out Of the saloon and accosted
him In the street Wilcox admitted that he
| had exchanged gold for notes, but as he
| could give no satisfactory explanation OF
| why he did SO he was taken to detective
headquarters at the city hall. While be-
ing questioned there Wilcox tainted.
One $40 gold piece S491 In notes and a boz
/ OF gold filings were found on him. He told
| where he had engaged lodging on Court.
| land street and on going there the officers
found a lathe. bellows. files. hammers and
| other tools. Mrs. Wilcox was out at ths
time but she was taken into custody when
| she came into the house. about quarter of l.
at night Several hundred dollars in notes
| were found on her.
search for the gold coins that had been
exchanged for notes was made the following
| day by Detectives Freeburger and Reilly.
| They got ten SO pieces from Mabley q
| carew. eight from Hamilton Easter & Sons.
two from Lilly & Rogers and one from
David Bendann. one so piece that had been
| exchanged at the New York Clothing House
| and then passed at Sadtler's jewelry store.
| one so gold piece that had been exchanged
at Joseph Cranes shoe store and one that
| had been exchanged at McDonald's jewelry
store.
Mrs. Wilcox Is charged with exchanging
| the coins at Mabley Carew's Hamilton
Easter Sons and David Bendann's.
Cabell Whitehead. assayer in the bureau