Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-29
Homer Virgins Kills Self After
Sensational Pistol Battle
With Police.
ESCAPED CONVICT'S LOOT
is FOUND IN WILMINGTON
All But $613 Of 1,838 Recovered.
Mother, Brother and Three
Others Arrested.

WILMINGTON. Del. September 20
The police today arrested Mrs. L. NJ
Virgins McDermott, mother of Homer
Virgins the escaped convict who
KILLED himself early today after a
sensational pistol battle with the po-
lice at lodging house in this city.
Virgins brother Harvey and two
other men who lived at the McDer-
tody. All are charged with aiding
and abetting a robbery and with re-
ceiving stolen goods
These arrests were made after the
police had recovered SLIPS of the
$1,839 stolen from the car barn office
Of local trolley company September g.
Part of the money was found in Wig
gins clothing after he had committed
suicide and the remainder was recov-
cred from q tin can that had been
buried in a chicken coop at the home
of the convict's mother.
Robbery Occurred After Escape.
The car barn robbery occurred shortly
after Virgins escaped from the state
penitentiary in Philadelphia, where he
was serving long sentence for having
killed a policeman.
At the request of the Wilmington au-
thorities the Philadelphia police today de-
tanned a young woman with whom Wig
gins had corresponded. No charge was
preferred against her. Letters found
after Virgins killed himself led to her
detention.
The condition of Sewell d. Scott. the
policeman who was shot through the
breast by Virgins in the battle to cap
t,,ro hi 70
may recover.
Keeps Officers at Bay.
Realizing that further resistance was
useless after he had exhausted his sup
ply Of ammunition in a battle with hall
a score Of policemen who had surround
| ed him in a lodging house here early this
morning. Homer Cleveland Virgins sent
| the one remaining bullet in his revolver
through his brain. dying almost instantly
Virgins was located shortly before mid
night last night by Policeman Davidson
who had gone to the lodging house ant
attempted to enter Virgins room, which
he found barricaded. Other pohcemei
were summoned and as they arrived wig
| gins began firing from his window.
Policemen stationed themselves on ad
joining roofs and in doorways and trolley
cars were held up while volley after vol
| ley OF shots was fired at the convict, whe
| seemed to be conserving his ammunition
! and only fired when one Of the attacking
party came within his view.
Sends Note to His Mother.
After an hours fusillade the repor
OF muffied shot came from Virgins
| room and then the firing ceased. The
patrolmen. believing one of their bull
lets had found it's mark, entered the
house and broke in the convicts door
They found him lying dead. attired onl,
in his trousers and underclothes. Close
by his side was a note. evidently writ
ten during a lull in the fusillade, ant
addressed to his mother, who lives tr
this city. 1t read:
Dear Mother: Do not worry abou
me. I am better off dead. l will have
no more miseTy & Am am gsrne going TO- to com m.
alive. Goodbye. loving son. Homer"
When searched at the police station
$54O was found on Virgins body. 4
false beard and wig also were found
in his room.
Was Under Twenty-Year Sentence.
PHILADELPHIA. September 2s-Wig-
gins, who was eighteen years old, was
serving a twentyyear sentence for muir
der, when, in company with Charles Tay-
lor. a counterfeiter and burglar with 9
long criminal record. he escaped from the
| Eastern penitentiary early In the morn
| ing of August 20. The men scaled thu
walls of the penitentiary by means of 9
ladder they had constructed in their cell
| Taylor was captured in this city abou
two weeks later and sent back to prison
to serve his uncompleted term and al
added sentence for jail-breaking. Th'
police were unable to obtain any clue a:
| to Virgins whereabouts.
The crime for which Virgins was serv
ing a sentence at the time of his escape
from the penitentiary was the killing o.
Policeman Thomas Dowling. whom h'
shot and killed in a pawnshop In this city
June 26 1912.