The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-08-03
Mvsterv Solved


prison, and disposition of her case is
fair defendant is Mrs. Katie O'Neill, who
was prominent In the limelight of publ
city week ago.
On Wednesday afternoon Katie was ar
rested at the home of her brother, John
Mcbride, at HammontoH. When she ran
out of rear door in an effort to escape,
she was thwarted In her purpose by Chief
of Police j. W. Myers, who received in
structions from County Detective Ellis II.
Parker, of Mount Holly, to arrest the wo-
man. She was brought here by Sheriff
Worrell and Parker.
On Thursday morning Katie entered
court, waived indictment and trial by
jury, and pleaded guilty to an indictment
charging her with the theft OF $50 from
G.. Howard Curtis, by whom the prisoner
was employed as domestic. This crime
was committed on April % last, since
which time Katie has been fugitive from
| Justice.
The woman is of slender build with a
clean cut figure. She entered court heav-
lily yelled and took little interest in the pro-
ceedings, keeping her eyes fixed on the
floor. She trembled perceptibly and &C.
casionally was compelled to wipe away
| tear.
"How many times have you been COM
mitted to prison p Judge Homer asked
with some sharpness.
Three, she replied.
Referring to previous action which he
had taken, Judge Horner said: Perhaps
l made a mistake when l suspended SEN
tence on you before. do not like to send
young woman of your age to state
prison, although your record Is bad one.
| Even now you are wanted by the police
of New York for larceny, and you will be
taken there when the authorities here are
Through with you You got the commun-
| ity excited by your actions at Burlington.
The matter of your sentence will be defer
red and you may now be taken back to
jail"
As there will be no special sessions of
court during August, the case will probably
not be taken up again until September.
Since her return to jail Katie has become
quite penitent.
By the records as presented by William
A. Slaughter, probation officer of the
county, it was shown that on March z,
1907, Katie was paroled after pleading
guilty to the larceny of some clothing.
| It Is also noted on the record that In 1905
she left her husband, James O'Neil, of
Philadelphia, who is said to have some
reputation as prize fighter. The maiden
name of the girl was Mcbride, and at
one time she resided In Mount Holly.
s.Mr. and Mrs. wilkins. of New York,
registered at the Metropolitan Inn, Bur-
lington, on Wednesday, July 81. Subse-
auent events proved the man to be a
broker, Theodore ]. SYmes, Of No. 10 W.
10th street, New York city. Katie is
the MRS. Wilkins" and she boarded at
| No. 226 east 102d street, New York.
| While there, 1t Is alleged, she stole two
suit cases filed with clothing from anothe
boarder named Sarah Burke. A Mrs.
Golf boarded at the same place, and in
care of the latter Katie's letters were adj
dressed. Some of these letters and the
suit cases and clothing were recovered at
the Burlington hotel, from which place
Symes deserted his affinity early the fol-
lowing Thursday morning. In her lonely
and distressed condition Katie hired a
team from Horizons livery stable After
driving around the country she tied the
horse to a telephone pole on Water street,
Mount Holly, leaving the animal in front
of the house of George Cronk.
the theory prevailed that perhaps the un-
known occupant of the carriage had been
murdered or committed suicide as the
result of love affair, and on this line a
thorough investigation was made
The woman travelled under the alias of
Ella NJ Wilson, and when it was found
that she came from New York, Detective
Parker communicated with Henry Ber-
benicle, New York detective. who stated
that the woman was wanted for stealing
the very goods which Parker had seen in
a room at the Metropolitan Inn. A photo
graph was taken from one of the suit
cases. 1t represented group of picnick-
ers at Silver Lake, L. l., who enjoyed an
outing at that place last year. In the
photo the picture of Katie was recognized
as Miss Mcbride, the person Parker was
after for the Curtis robbery. Knowing
that Katie was In this section, Parker no.
| tilted resorts at Trenton and Camden, and
also asked the police of Hammonton to
arrest her If she appeared at her brothers
home.
| When seen at the Jail Katie denied that
Symes was the man who stopped at the
| Blu arlington hotel with her. She cannot
recall his name, and did not know him
before he picked her up in New York,
| Just previous TO leaving for Philadelphia.
Katie has previously served time in the
Camden and Burlington county jails.
| Sarah Burke, of New York city, visited
the Burlington County Jail Saturday after
noon In company with Detective Henry
Berbenicle When Katie was brought from
a cell she was recognized by Miss Burke,
who also identified and secured the
suit cases and clothing which Katie had
stolen from her. On her feet Katie wore
pair of shoes belonging to Miss Burke.
When ordered to remove them Katie faint
ed and fell to the concrete floor of the cor
ridor. She was removed to couch and
restoratives applied. If leniency is shown
to Katie, she is likely to divulge some
| facts which may lead to the arrest of
person living 10 Mount Holly.
Mrs. O'Neill told the court she was
married in 1906 but she had evidently
forgotten the date, as John D. Clevenger,
who was justice of the peace for many
years, has e record of the ceremony. He
married Miss Mcbride on the seventh day
of October, 1908, to James F. O'Neill, of
Philadelphia The woman lived with her
mother ON Arnold avenue. She was
eighteen years of age when married, the
groom being but nineteen, but the consent
Of the parents was given for the ceremony
to be performed.