The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-10
Man Charged in Superior Court With
Grand Larceny, Switches
Name In Elk
pIanation
ARRESTED WHEN DRUNK
Today Says Name In Watch, Identi-
fled by Local Man, 40 atol-
en- Property, 10 His
Own.

w. V. Moran, or Frank O'Nefl, as
he now claims is his name, being
held in ths city jail waiting arraign.
ment in the superior court on Q
charge OF grand larceny fled against
him today by Chief Kenney. is now
telling the police unique story
which he expects to cl ear him OF the
charge.
Moran, or O'Neil, was arrested near
midnight last night by Office1' LaFeber
when found on the levee in an intoxi-
Gated condition. When taken to the
city Jail he gave the name of w. V.
Moran. Among his possessions taken
from him was gold watch.
Watch Stolen Yesterday.
Earlier in the evening yesterday
the tn eft of gold watch taken from
Edward O'Neil Of this city, while in,
toxicated, was reported to the police.
The police were informed that in the
back of the case was engraved, the
words, From Mother to e. O'Nedl. :
Arrests OF several suspicious charac.
tiers was made during the evening in
the hope of securing thu watch. It
was not, however, until one of the
officers at the police station examined
the watch taken from Moran that the
discovery was made that the watch
found on Moran was the same, ac
cording to descriptions given, as that
taken from O'Neil, the watch having
the same words engraved in the back
being OF the same movement, and
answering the description Of o'NeiPs
watch in every way. In the inscrip
ton in the back of the watch, how
ever, the initial "E' appears at first
glance to be "F." A close examina
tion will show the mistake.
Tells New Story.
This morning Chief Kenney ques
toned Moran as to where he secured
the watch taken from him when
placed in Jail. Moran said the watch
had been given to him by his mother
dsscribed tho inscription on the back
and accurately described the watch
in all ways except that he said the
name on the back was 'F. O'Neil. =
When asked about the name being
different from the one he had given
when arrested, he said that he had
given a name other than his own
while under the influence Of liquor
but that his real name was Frank
O,Neil. Moran, or O'Neil. claims to
have come from New Hampshire.
Police Slightly skeptleai.
The police say that Moran's story is
4 little different from any they hava
heard before. It's good story, they
say, in every respect but one. That
being in that he gives the nams OF
Frank O'Neil," evidently being under
the impression that the name in the
back Of the watch is "F. DWELL" In
stead Of "E. O'Neil," the former ap
pearing to be correct on casual OBJ
servation.
Moran (or O'NeiD probably will be
arraigned in the superior court late
this afternoon or tomorrow morning
The real Edward O'Neil identifies the
watch as his own.
crawfish Guilty Of Larceny.
Police this afternoon were looking
in the cemetery for crawfish against
whom it Is believed 1t may be neces
sary to file an information charging
larceny. Bert Phillips, street car
conductor, this afternoon filed an In
formation against Harry Holdorf
charging him with larceny Of three
half dollars from his coat pocket.
Holdorff, whom it seems had picked
up a crawfish while at the cemetery
placed it in the conductors coat
pocket while riding down town on
the car, according to the story told
After riding for short willis
he concluded to take the
crawfsh out OF the conductors
pocket and did so. placing 1t in his
own pocket. The crawfish held In
its claws three half dollars when
Holdorff took 1t out.
Before being locked up at the po
lice station, Holdorff was examined
by Chief Kenney. When asked where
the crawfish was, Holdorn said he
left It at the cemetery. He then ad
mitted placing it in the conductors
pocket and also said he took it out.
Chief Ksnney then asked Holdorff
whether 1t was he or the crawfish
took the money, and Holdorff answer
ed, I'm IL know" The Judge
~ IY0JInrA tho
crawfish to settle on the question OF
who was guilty.