The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-26
THE MCCORMICK KIDNAPPING.
Two Gypsy Girls Arrested Here To-
day on Suspicion.

Hannah and Lizzie Michel gypsies. aged
sixteen and fourteen years, respectively,
were placed under arrest here this after
noon on suspicion Of having been implicat-
hin the kidnapping of willie Mccormick
who was stolen from his home at High
bridge. y. Y. Oh March q last. The girls
are sisters. and are members of a band
Of gypsies eucamped about a mile beyond
the south end Of Long Bridge. They were
taken in custody by Detes tives Parham
and Weedon and turned ever TO the ma
tron of til House Of Detention.
Captain Titus the head Of the New
York detective office. was Immediately
wired of the arrests and the father of the
missing boy is expec.ed to arrive here
this evening.
The arrests were brought about by the
vanity of the girls. who dressed in the
picturesque garb of their tribe are ex-
ceedingiy pretty. About 9 week ago the
two girls visited the Photographic studio
Of N Ketz Kemethy u09 Pennsylvania
Avenue northwest, to have their pictures
taken On leaving the place one of them
dropped a piece of paper on which was
written the name Willie Mccormick"
The photographer having read of the alb
duction of the boy, had his suspicious
aroused and took the paper to Police
Headquarters
Inspector Boardman forwarded the
paper to the New York detective Office
and it was shown % the parents BY them
it was Immediately identified as a slip
that the boy had in his possession at the
time of his disappearance.
When the local detectices were advised
of this fact Detectives Parham and We
don were detailed on the clse. They vis-
tied the gypsy camp this morning and the
girls in the company with half dozen of
the men Of the tribe were brought 10 this
city and taken to Police Headquarters.
The gypsies were closely questioned re-
garding the kidnapping. The girls speak
but little English and most of the CONVEX
sation was carried on through their uncle
who was with them.
After communicating with the New
York police and ascertafning that d de-
tective and possibly the father of the boy
would reach here this evening, 1t was de-
teTmined to hold the girls, and they were
placed under arrest as suspects.
Mrs PenniflI, one of the matrons at
the House of Detention. was sent fer and
the girls were placed in her care and
taken to that institution in cab
When seen at the camp this afternoon
t4iG ll-bAAAGA Va LllG EiAlS Voc tAll tILtls
anxious as to their welfare
What you done my two little giris?-'
she asked eagerly of a reporter who
brought her the first news of the arrest
When told that her daughters were in
safe hands and that they would be well
cared for, the old gypsy seemed much re-
Iieved. Upon being informed that her
children were suspected of the crime of
kidnapping, she laughed. and pointing 10
the many little tots playing around her
tents asked what she would want with
any more
She said she and her band had never
been TO New York, and IN this she was
substantiated by the other members of
the band.
When the detectives were leaving the
camp this morning with the girls one OF
them understood the mother to make a
threat that If they were pressed in the
matter it might result in the little
boys death. This was artorward found
to be a mistake as the unman did not
understand the purpose. OF sne detectives
in taking the girls away, 5-id threatened
that if any harm came TO her girls
the throat of the man who injured them
would be cut.