The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-27
MAY FIND THE KIDNAPPERS
An Alleged Clue to the Where
abouts of Willie Mccormick.
Two Gypsies Under Arrest-New
York Detectives Participate in the
Investigations - Tire Police silent
ms to the Result of the Enquiry.

Investigations - Tire Police silent
Ms to the Result of the Enquiry.
A slip of paper is the slender clue by
which detectives hope to trace Willie Nc
Cormick, eleven years of age, who was
kidnapped while near his home at High
Bridge, n. Y, on the night of March y
last. Detectives O'Connell and Armstrong,
of New York City, came here last night,
and together with Detectives Parham and
Weldon, of the local force had talk
with Hannah and Lizzie Michel, aged
sixteen and fourteen years, gypsy maid
ems, who were arrested on suspicion of
being concerned in the kidnapping, early
| yesterday morning, at the camp, near
jackson City, Va. The girls are still held
in custody, and efforts by the New York
detectives are. tending toward having
them removed to that city, where investi-
cation of the kidnapping has heretofore
tbeen conducted. They deny all knowledge
of the Mccormick youth or his where
abouts.
The detectives think the Michel girls
know something about the missing boy,
and NJ. Kets Kemethy, photographer,
at 1lG9 Pennsylvania Avenue northwest.
has started this phase Of the search He
sent 20 New York City just one week ago
| a slip of paper bearing the name, Ger
trude," who, according to statement of
| Kemethy, and the belief of the police,
is no other than a fourteen-year-old sis
ter of the missing boy. This paper was
| written in the handwriting of the Nc
Cormick girl, members of the family say,
and after being positively identified by
the girl herself, was sent back to Wash
ington and turned over to Inspector
| Boardman, at headquarters
| On receipt of the paper. local detectives
visited Mr.. Kemethy, and learned from
him that he had received it from two
| gypsy girls, whose description was OBJ
tanned. The camp of the gypsies was Wis
tied yesterday morning by Detectives Par
ham, Weldon, Muller, Baur, Peck, and
Trumbo, and the Michel girls were ar
rested and brought to this city. The pris-
| oners at first denied knowledge of the
paper or that they had visited the Ke-
i1ethy establishment at all. Word was
sent to New York for detectives from that
city. At the House of Detention, Hannah
Michel admitted during the afternoon
| she had seen Mr.. Kemethy, and had left
the slip of paper at his establishment 4
| She said, moreover, that she had found
the paper in some rubbish at the horse
bazaar, on Louisiana Avenue, near Tenth
Street northwest
methy, Hannah Michel visited his photo
graph gallery Friday of last week She
wanted ner photograph taken. and Of
fered to tell the fortune of Kemethy
in payment. Kemethy refused 20 do
this, but the girl talked for some time
in the establishment, and the paper was
in the possession of Kemethy when she
departed. 1t is said that Kemethy told
the detectives that he was given the slip
of paper by the girl; while, on the other
hand, Kemethy said to a reporter last
night that he found the paper lying on
table in his gallery after the gil had
departed. However this may be- 1t is
known that kemethy saw the name !
Gertrude written in pencil across the
paper, and in some manner surmised that
the name was that of the young sister of
the missing Willie Mccormick. Ke-
methy explains this by saying that he
had gust read in a New York paper of
the disappearance of young Mccormick,
and the name Gertrude sister of the |
youth, was so impressed on his memory
that he almost ipvoluntarily connected
the name with that written on the paper
left by the gypsy girl at his gallery. He
then sent the paper by mail to the father |
of the missing boy.
After the arrival of the New York de- !
tectives last night they were taken up to
and Lizzie Michel are held. Detective |
Parham met them at the depot and Po-
llceman j. G. Berman. of the First pre- |
cinct station, accompanied tie marty to |
act as interpreter The party found John |
Michel and Thomas Michel, father and
uncle of the prisoners, already at the |
House of Detention. Through Policeman |
Berman the detectives made known the |
object of their visit. Each of the prison |
ers was closely questioned through the !
medium of the interpreter. They told the |
M hli arrfE In a a..rgag
years and half ago; of their wanderings |
with their tribe, slowly southwark, and |
their final arrival in this vicinity.
The girls were gayly attired and wore |
silver medals and bracelets. To Police |
man Berman, Hannah Michel said she |
had come into the city number of times, |
both alone and with others of her tribe. |
She engaged in telling fortunes, she said. |
The girl said that she first landed in Can /!
ada with her parents and the members |
OF her band; that they visited Portland, !
Me-. Brooklyn, n. Y, New York City, /.
Philadelphia. and finally arrived opposite |
Washington about two months ago. orig |
inally, she said, her tribe came from Sa- |
Half a dozen reporters waited two hours /
through the examination of the girls, the |
result of which was withheld. Detectives |
O'Connell and Armstrong, of New York, |
shrugged their shoulders when asked for |
| a statement about the interview and the |
kidnapping case. Each said he had moth !
ing to say to the press. Detective Par |
ham, of the local force, told of the talk |
with the girls, but said he must consult |
with Inspector Boardman before detailing |
the story of the examination and its re- |
suit From other sources. however, much !
was learned of the statements of the |
prisoners.
There are seventy-three men, women, |
and children III the camp across the river. |
All of them are Russian gypsies. When a |
reporter called at the camp the women |
were anxious to tell his fortune that |
| they wanted to talk about nothing else. |
But when the mother of the girls got an |
| idea of the object of the visit 1t was diff |
| ferent. She anXious.y enquired about her |
| daughters. She finally understood why |
the arrests were made, and she then de |
clared she had never been in New York |
| Her daughters, she also stated. had never |
been there, and it was therefore out of |
the question for them to have stolen the |
boy. She also reminded the reporter that |
she had plenty of children of her own, |
and pointed to a number Of little ones of |
| all sizes and ages.
Mrs. Michel was seated In a tent almost |
on the bare ground, and was sewing, |
when visited by the reporter. In front |
| of her was q pile of ashes, Indicating |
there had been fire In the tent earlier |
| In the day. There We're no evidences of |
| cleanliness about the place, and the |
woman was particular to give the in |
formation that her girls lived under bet /
, ter conditions. Their tent was comfort |
ably fitted and she said their honor |
should not be questioned.
Az hnratpfpra tttthIishaI no MOI rprp1fcL /