The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-01
BELIEVE THEY we're DUPRD
Local Police Officials to Abandon
the Mccormick Clue.

Doubts as to the Commences of the
snip OF Paper Dropped by One of
the Gypsy Giris-DetectIve O'COn-
nell to Return 10 New York
The Washington police officials are be-
ginning TO believe that they have been
misled in regard TO the alleged clue in the
Willie Mccormick kidnapping case which
caused the arrest of the two gypsy girls.
They are about to abandon the case In
this connection it Is said that Detective
O'Connell who came here from New York
to Investigate the matter viii finish his
work in this city this evening or tomor-
row and will probably return to New
York.
From the beginning the police officials
Of the Washington department have
doubted the genuineness of the slip of pa
per which has created such a sensation,
because it was supposed 10 have been in
the possession of the Mccormick boy
when he left home. Every incident IN
connection with this slip Of paper was in
vestigated with the utmost care and
thoroughness. The result of these inyes-
legations convinced the local officials
more than ever that they have been i'm
posed upon and that they have probably
been made the victims Of New York SEN
saticnaI journals
One Of the most prominent Of the Wash
ington police officials, and one who is in
a position to know practically everything
that the police have discovered bearing
upon the mystery, stated this morning
that either information was being with
held from them or tbE-e was nothing to
the clue. He stated that 1t was his Opin-
ion that some reporter connected with one
Of the New York yellow journals was re-
spOnsible for the finding Of the slip of
paper. He called attention to the manner
in which reporters have sw .r1ned about
the house Of the parents of the missing
boy at High Bridge. n Y-,-ever since the
night of his disappearance, March q,
What would have been easier. or what
would be more in keeping with the meth
eds pursued by some Of the yellow jour
nails. than for one Of the reporters to have
picked up the slip Of paper in qcestion?"
asked the police official This slip only
contained the name Gertrude on one side
and portion of an arithmerfcaI example
on the other. Once in the possession Of an
INSCRIPTIONS newsEathereT what would be
easier than for the supposed clue to be
placed where 1t vas found, possibly
through the Washington correspondent OF
the paper. Once in the possession Of the
gypsies, with the suggestion that il might
be Of value to them the rest Of the pro
ceeding explains itself The well-known
inclination Of members Of such a tribe TO
pick up everything Of any possible value,
and to keep 1t until they ascertained
whether It was worth their trouble would
have resulted IN their doing exactly as
was done in The case Of the girls
in, no concluded 81 am of the
opinion that the entire thing Is fake
from beginning 10 end.
another feature Of the case that has &C
casioEed suspicion IN the minds OF the
local people is the attitude assumed by the
New York detective Office.
The gypsy girls, Hannah and Lizzie Mi
chel, were arrested Friday morning and
that night Detective O-ConneI arrived
here and closely questioned the girls
through an Interpreter Practically no IN
formation Of Importance was secured from
them, although they seemed willing 10 an
sWer every question put to them and talk
cd freely They were held at the House
OF Detention over night, but there being
no evidence against them they were re-
leased Saturday morning and returned to
the camp with their mother NOtwith-
standing this fact as late as Sunday night
Detective o Council was quoted as saying
the girls were still prisoners at the House
OF Detention The same misleading infor-
nation was given out in New York city
by Captain Titus, the Chief Of the De
tective Bureau, the same evening, after a
talk over the long distance telephone with
Detective O'Connel- Whether the New
York detectives were giving out incorrect
information for a purpose, or whether
Detective O'Connei was, for any reason
misleading his chief, seems to be an open
question
Detective OCOnncu appears to have
been most energetic in following every
clue many Jf which the IOCa! men who
We're assigned to assist him did not deem
worthy Of attention. but it is reported
that he has given UP hope Of accomplish
ing ANYTHING here