Evening journal., 1913-10-08
COURT HEARS
AFTERMATH OF
/ WICCINS LOOT
Mother and Sister Of Bandit
Held on Charge Of ReCeiv-
= Ing Stolen Money
POLICE SAY WOMEN
AIDED IN RECOVERY

Mrs. Lillian McDermott and her
daughterl Mrs. Mary e. Colt. mother
and sister of Homer c. Virgins, the
dead bandit, were before City Court
this morning, charged with receiving
money that had been stolen from the
car barn Office of the Wilmington City
Railway Company by Virgins. Aaron
Finger represented Mrs. McDermott
and Walter j. Willis appeared for
Mrs. Colt.
Morris Councill, cashier for the
trolley company, was the first witness
called by the State. He testified that
on the early morning of September
10 six bags Of money. aggregating
81 500 was taken from the car barn
IF the Wilmington and Philadelphia
FRACTION Company. Councill said he
was held up at the point of a revolver
oy the bandit, who carried off the
money.
Witness said he visited the police
station on the morning of September
20 and identified four bags of money
rs being part of what had been taken
from the company's office. The
bags bore the stamp of the Whining
lDu Trust cuSh hh AN AcN
deposited the trolley company's
money in. The box containing the
lour bags was brought from the bank
Of the Security Trust and Safe De-
posit Company.
In cross-examination by Mr.. Willis,
Councill said he had used the bags
frequently. The four bags contained
s657 in coins wrapped in papers Tor
-. (nrfn-
ell said he had no private mark on
the bags or on the money. Councili
said he had not seen the money in the
bags and therefore could not tell
whether il was the money that had
been stolen from the trolley company.
Upon being recalled, Councill was
asked If he had a special way of put
ting up the nickels I'm packages of 81
and stamped with rubber stamp OF
the Wilmington and Philadelphia
Traction Company. He said he had,
aud he then identified each package
wrapped as that OF the Wilmington
and philadelphia Traction Company.
"Mr. Council" asked Mr., Lynn, you
saw the man who robbed the carbarn,
did YOU notY"
yes, sir, qgite plainly"
"Have you seen him sinceT
"Yes, sir
"Wheref"
"At the police garage"
"Did you learn who he wasi"
"Yes, sir,"
'sNever mind" objected Mr. Willis,
counsel for Mrs, Colt.
after the robbery did you 60 any
where with Chief Blsckl"
"Yes. sir. ! went to the detective bu-
reau in Philadelphia, where they gave
me a description of man and showed
me a photograph. / identified 1t as the
man who robbed the car company
office"
In cross examination, Mr., Willis got
the witness TO admit that he could not
tell what was wrapped in money pack
ages
that he knew a man named Homer q
Virgins, and pointed out Mrs, McDer,
mott as the mother CT Virgins. ana
Mrs. Colt as his sister, Lyons told OF
the finding Of the bags OF money III the
hen house at the Virgins home on Sep
tember 90
that what she knew was what she had
heard. "What she heard" she said, Twas
LYONS added I'VE went out there
and | got a shovel and began to dig
where the earth sounded hollow, and
uncovered that can, took of the cover
and pulled out these bags, and Captain
Evans took charge of them.
Officer John +. Ward said he saw
Mrs. NIcDermott at her home on sep
tember Q with Mrs. Colt. Ward SAID
Mrs. McDermott at first denied any
knowledge of the stolen car company $
money and later admitted that she mad
heard il was in the chicken house IN the
vard She also said the money was
thrown over the fence.
Officer John Purcell said Mrs McDer-
mott had given him $40, which she ssid
the officer would find under the carpet
in the house. Purcell said he recovered
the money and turned It over to Chief
Black
Acting upon additional information
from Mrs. McDermott." the OFFICER
said the bags of money we're found IN
the hen house"
Chief of Police George Black told Of
the bags of money that we're turned
over to him. Il brought them to the
police station. and summoned the
representatives of the traction COM
psny. at which time the money was
counted.
Chief black said that later Mrs. Nc
Dermott told him the money was
found in space between hen house
and a closet
Witness said that Mrs. McDermoti
said she did not bury the money, bul
was present when her daughter, Mrs
Colt buried it,"
Sergeant David Wardell testified
that Mrs. Colt admitted that she haC
buried the money at her mothers re
quest. and was so badly frightened
that she did not know what TO do witt
H.
Sergeant Wardell said that Mrs
Colt frankly and without threats, oil
Inducements, made the statements e
him
Police Captain Evans testified tha
he went to the house OF Mrs. McDe
mott and getting the woman mp on
Of bed, asked for the money Homei
had left there
She declared there was no money
there and she did not know where
any was. | hogan tearing out bureau
drawers. telling her that knew that
the money had been there. She asked
me not to tear up the buregu drawers
told Officer Purcell to take her out
as | did not want her there. Purcell
took her out and later Purcell came
hack and cot the Sfo nofo which ehf