Evening journal., 1913-11-11

Z
asrssted in the city of Philadelphia, he
deliberately murdered the officer at
tempting to make the arrest He was
oonyicted and sentenced 70 serve a long
sefmii in the penitentiary in that state.
About the goth day of August, 1912, he
with one Taylor made his escape from
prison He was by that time consid-
efed to he confirmed criminal and Of
q most dangerous type Owing to his
residence and criminal record in this city
be was personally known py several
members Of the police department. in
cluding Chief Black, Captain Evans,
Screeants Lyons. kelleher, Wardle and
Tucker, and Officers Davidson, Crozier,
Mcfillon and others. short time
after Virgins escaped from the peniten-
fiary two. or more circulars showing his
picture and giving a description Of him
were sent to the chief Of police in this
city. II seems clear from the testimony
that one of these pictures was exhibited
and the description read the men in
line promptly after its. receipt; there is
evidence to the effect tina. another OF
these pictures was put up in the patrol
mems iosfng room, and this was prob
ably done although, il done. il does
net seem TO have been Of any useful
ness. I'VE shall toucli upon this later.l
The officer. were at this time given the
necessary instructions to apprehend Wig
gins If possible.
History Of the Case.
Nothing Of moment seems to have
thereafter occurred until the morning
Of September 10 when the car barn
, as robbed and within one, on two
.dags thereafter Mr. COuncill, the
clerk Of the traction company from
whom the money was taken. went to
The Rogucs' Gallery in Philadelphia
and by photograph Identified Virgins
as the person who had robbed him.
The day on which this identification
W as made a photograph was again eX-
hibited 20 the men in line and they
we're then advised that on reliable in
formation Wiggins was believed to be
the robber Another photograph Of
Virgins was obtained about this time
be having posed for it on Arch street
IN Philadelphia. after his escape from
the penitentiary AT the time this
photograph was obtained, about Sep
.tember H. or 10. Il was learned from
Taylor who escaped with Virgins,
that Virgins had wanted Taylor TO
come TO Wilmington to do a job here,
as he put H. and suggested that they
come 10 a house at Fourth and Shipley
streets. Virgins also having told Tay-
l0r that he had put up there before
when he was wanted on minor Of
ftnses. and that they could stay In
there in the day time and have their
L. inf NtTtf
was communicated by Chief Black to
Captain Evans on September 13 with
the request to make inquiries at the
house or have house watched, there
being a lack Of certainty In the evil
dence as to the exact order. In obed-
Hence 10 this order Captain Evans or
dered Oficer Davidson Of the first dis
trict 10 request the persons living In
the Baxter house TO make invcstiga-
tion and 10 notify the police n young
man Of that description went there
10 get room Oficer Davidson (page
l172 Of Recordl made inquiries at the
lodging house and was informed that
~they had NOT serve ed any meals TO any
body-in that house for over five years
'aAd nobody OF thar description ever
Sent there and they could not remem-
tfRr anybody Of that description ever
Stopping there This Information was
reported TO Captain Evans Captain
EBans states at page ~ Of the Rec
ord that be then told Ohicer David
etn 10 tell the persons living In the
house II anything happened at all or
hNybody Of that description came there /
"a let either the officer on the district /
know or notify the police station. !
There is an unfortunate conflict OF /
t&.imonv on this point Oficers Dav- |
i&on and Crozier state that the in /
ffmation from Taylor about the /
Etlrth and Shipley streets house was
received prior to the car barn robbery.
fHecord pages III and 206) Chief
Black Record pages II and l2l and
Sergeant Wardle Record page 1l5l
~ the time as Saturday September
i3 Miss Healing page l64l fixes the
fpe as September 20 and SAYS the
o#cer who interviewed her was neith-
~ Oficer Davidson or Crozier. al
trclgh both officers testified they in
feiFieTed q woman in that house and
tfis testimony o. Miss Healing (paEe
- az 10 what was said harmonizes
y - the testimony % Omcers David
foE and crozier or this point and
+th the report 70 Captain Evans n
~ Miss Healing was informed by the
cltcers on the first trip 70 the house
that they were looking for Virgins
but II the time Of the first trip was
after the receipt OF the photograph
taken IN the Arch street studio u
seems 70 US that II would have beer
wise 10 have exhibited such photo
Hraph TO the Misses Healing and 4
the time was prior 10 the receipt o
such photograph then it seems TO ui
that il would have been wise TO havl
exhibited 10 the Misses Healing thl
ciTrnlar containing Virgins photo
graph Viewed in the light Of sub
sequent events II appears that thil
precaution might have greatly aided
the capture and relieved the entire
force from much criticism No rule
on such matters can. however. bs
formulated by the commissioners fol
the procedure In each instance mus
be governed BY the surrounding cir.
cumstances and left 70 the wisdom o.
The officer in charge
"The next information which sub.
aeQuently proved Of material import.
geant Kelleher on September 9th
that a strange man was stopping al
the Baxter house (Rec. page 149l
and -'e think II proper TO add e
this point that It appears from the
testimony that mistake was made
N not giving to the sergeant on thai
district all Information that had beer
received from Taylor. Would II no