The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-01-08
''MISSOURI CHARLIE"
is HELD FOR TRIAL
Yeggman Wanted by Federal Authority Robbery of Vr
ginia Postoffice-"West Philadelphia Johnnie Tells
of His Career Expert With Soup and
Soap--Pal of "Porand Ned" and
Others High in Profession.
Wednesdays State)


Charles O'Day, alias Charles Cross,
alias Charles Blackburn, alias "Mis-
souri, Charlie" was held yesterday for
ern district of Virginia at Richmond
on the charge of having broken into
and entered the postoffice at Gordons-
vile, Va, on March %, 1904. The
chief witness for the United States at
the preliminary hearing before Com
missioner Sloan at noon was John F..
Mccarthy, alias "West Philadelphia
Johnnie" once a yeggman, but now a
lecturer, using a moving picture film,
Sentenced for Life" as his text.
O'Day was parolled from the State
penitentiary, where he was serving a
Is year term for robbing bank at
cath Springs and was turned over to
the United States authorities. After
his preliminary hearing yesterday
obey will be held in Columbia until
jurisdiction of the UnitedStates court
of eastern Virginia.
The appearance of John f. Nc
Carthy, who confessed in 1905 to H.
T.Gregory, United States postoffice in
spector, witness at O'Day's prelimi-
nary examination yesterday, was a
distinct surprise. Mccarthy is a man
hated by yeggman. He presented yes
terday very diaper figure well dress
ed in suit of recent cut, neat tan
shoes, white socks and an immaculate
collar, all of which were in distinct
contrast to O'Day's clothes He wore
wrinkled serge suit, a soft collared
shirt, fiat prison shoes and cheap cot
ton socks of the 10 cent variety.
O'Day, too, is heavy with prison fat
and prison pallor covers his face.
Mccarthy has an outdoor complexion
and has preserved his figure.
There was a touch of the theatrical
in the way in which Mccarthy told
how he and O'Day and "Irish jimmy
robbed the postoffice at Goldonsville.
He used good English, his correctness
in enunciation and pronounciation
proving that he was we'll educated or
that at some time in his life he had
associated for long time with peo-
pie who were. O'Day had nothing to
say at the preliminary, except few
Aispered conferences with his attor-
ney.
Through counsel O'Day pleaded not
guilty to the Indictment charging him
with robbing the postoffice at Cor
louisville, Va, on March %, 1904.
The United States put up John F.
Mccarthy, alias "West Philadelphia
Johnny" as its first witness. Nc
Carthy said he had known O'Day
for II or II years, meeting him in
Norfolk at Jim Delays place, a ia
nous hangout for yeggs. Mccarthy
testified that he had not seen O'Day
since 1905 until yesterday.
After he met O'Day in Norfolk in
the spring of 1904. Mccarthy said
Irish Jimmy, O'Day and himself CO.
operated in robberies at Louisa and
Gordonsville, Va. At Gordonsvile
or $4O0. Also money out of a regis
tered letter. There was no safe in
the office. They took no stamps, al
though there were So or So worth of
them
Mccarthy told the United States
commissioner that he "found the Cor
louisville job"and forcibly entered the
postoilice himself, while O'Day wach-
ed outside.
The witness said that he appeared
before the grand jury in the United
States court at Norfolk in 1905 and
testified about the Gordonsville rob-
berry. The jury handed down bill of
indictment against O'Day.
Counsel for O'Day examined Nc
Carthy, asking him about his record
as yeggman. Mccarthy answered the
questions without reserve, although he
told of his fall from grace in New
York in 1913 with visible emotion.
"My 'monakeT was West Phila
johnny said Mccarthy, in deserib-
ing his life as a yeggman. 81 was
convicted in Raleigh and served iI the
pen there until 1900. After ! got
out | started travelling the same road
as before, was caught by officers ard
convicted again. They sent me back
| to Raleigh, but | escaped from the
pen in 1902 and went to Vermont y
Mccarthy said that when he first
met O'Day at jim Delays place in
Norfolk in 1904 O'Day was known as
Charlie Cross. AS far as the witness
knew, O'Day's or Cross criminal rec
ord then was not extensive. O'Day
was slim and we'll built and much un-
| der his present weight.
Mccarthy said that he Nd made a
confession to Mr.. Gregory IN the Ver-
mont prison. After his release he
held various positions of trust for a
number of years with express COM
panies and other concerns.
Detectives, the Pinkertons and
others caused me to lose or forced
me to give up position after position" ="
declared Mccarthy" ."For some months
| was confidential man for the super
intendent of the Adams Express COM