Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-01
WOMAN AT PRAYER ROBBED
Worshiper in Gesu Church Victim of
Pious Thief, According to
Police

Piety was used as a cloak by Mrs. Mary
Connors, of 18th and Cabot streets, the
police say. and she was arrested today
on a charge of stealing money from Mrs.
Mary Foley while the latter was wor-
Shipping in the Church of the Gesu, 18th
and Stiles streets.
Mrs. Foley was kneeling in prayer, and
left her handbag in the pew nearby. TAX
ing advantage of her devotion, 1t is said,
Mrs. Connors picked up the bag. and
after taking out a sum of money, quickly
left the church. Mrs. Margaret Fitz-
patrick, who was in another pew, wit
messed the theft and followed Mrs. Con-
nors to the street. She complained to a
special policeman, and the Connors
woman was taken to the 28th and oxford
streets police station.
Magistrate Morris denounced the woman
and said that she was the most despic-
able thief brought before him in long
time. She was held in $500 bail for a
further hearing.
Numerous complaints have been made
by women who have been robbed in
churches in the northwestern part of the
city in the course of the last few weeks.
Lurid melodramatic motion pictures IL
!ustrating the latest successful methods
of burglary are believed by the police
to have been responsible for an alleged
robbery of the home of Mrs. Tillie Cohen,
206 Pine street, by two children, Sam
Trotinsky Z years old, of POS Pine street,
and Sophie Lavinsky, 10 years old, of
2l0 Pine street. The children will be
given a hearing today. According to Mrs.
Cohen, the children entered her home dur
ing her absence yesterday by climbing
over the rear roof. Sllverware and 81 in
cash were taken. The children were sent
TO the House of Detention after an in
vestigation convinced the police that they
were implicated in the alleged robbery.
They seemed delighted with their arrest.
but refused to admit they took anything
from the house.
Thieves entered the house OF 8. Stock
ton Zelley, of 6623 McColum street, and
ransacked II last night. They forced
their way In by breaking a panel in a
door in the rear of the house. Mr.. Zelley,
who is the proprietor of a gents fur
nishing store on 11th street below Chest
nut is at the seashore with his family.
Because so many of the Germantown
residents are out of the city thieves have
found the field a fertile one, and the po-
lice have been powerless TO check their
raids.
Two automobiles were wrecked and the
occupants of one had a narrow escape
from death in collision early today at
10th and Diamond streets. A large tour
ing car driven by Alfred H. Muller. of
723 North 18th street. containing his wife.
Ethel, and S-year-old son. Clifford. was
struck as IL crossed 10th street by a
smaller car driven by Frank French, of
1895 Fitzwater street. rhe smaller car
turned turtle, pinning French and Harry
Carson. of 2122 South Sd street. a passen-
ger, beneath the machine. French received
a broken collar bone and Carson severe
lacerations. The heavier machine did not
upset, but the occupants were thrown to
the street Mrs. Muller was the only pas
senEer injured. The injured were taken
70 81 Josephs Hospital. French and Car
son were later placed under arrest and
will be arraigned today.