Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-18

horse and wagon for the laundry couple
OF weeks before he went into that bust
ness This was taken as evidence that
he knew the days of MCNichol's leather
business were numbered. and il also
showed he had money at a time when
Yesterday that he and Keller had each
put 500 capital into their laundry enter
prise
An important link in the evidence is
the suitcase which Mrs, Michael jennings
gave Keller fun of clothing to he given
TO McNichol in New York. when Keller
said his former business associate was
living there after his disappearance. As
McNiChol did not get the suitcase. it
had to he disposed Of and Keller's for
mcr places of residence were searched
again today for this suitcase.
The wife of the prisoner declared again
today that she and keller's attorney,
Clarence Il. Sterncr, would prove at the
proper time that McNichol got this suit
case and the money given to Keller by
McNiChOl's motheT-in-aw to be forwarded
to him. McNichol is alive today, she
maintains, ana IS living in the West
McNICHOLS CAREER.
McNichol was graduate Of Notre
Dame ana was known as a clever ath-
lete. He inherited $4,000, mostly in real
estate from ms BIdIultlHtIt lJiIlltl -hN-
Nichol, a partner of Patrick and James
McNichol. These three were brothers and
founders of the contracting business to
which state Senator James r. McNiChol
succeeded. James MCNiChOl was the
father OF the Senator, a cousin of the
murdered mans father.
The latter's name was Edward Nc
Nichol and he was for years a tpstaf
in the Court of Common Pleas. lie and
UFifp died within months
each other in 1903 Their younger son,
John, died soon after, leaving Daniel j,
McNiChol the only heir. His murder
wipes out this branch of the family.
The properties Daniel inherited were mt
2043 Catharine street and 1882 South Front
street and he also received a third in
terest in DWELLINGS at 25O9 Thompson
street, 1922 Kimball street and 2l5 Sigel
street. lie hOated a loan of 5000 ON the
first two properties from the Real Estate
Trust c. upany on December Is, 1918, and
the mortgage was fore2losed i'm December,
1871, because of non-payment of principal
and interest. The mortgage was payable
on the instalment plan.
An important witness in the case is w.
Horace Hepburn, Jr, He is the attorney
for Mrs. Jennings, whose husband. the
late Michael Jennings, was a coal dealer
and he is also attorney for the young
widow of the murdered man, Mrs. Marie
Jennings McNichol.
He was interested in locating McNichol
after his disappearance in order TO obtain
his signature TO property deeds Affecting
the widow and interviewed Keller several
times in the 20 months the man had been
missing. but could get no help from him
in his search.
lie said today that McNichol and John
A Wade, associated with the young man
in his leather business, visited his office
in February. 1914 one month before Nc
Nichol disappeared. They were accom-
panied by Keller. McNichol wanted 10
place a second mortgage on the Front
street and Catharine street properties.
Mr. Hepburn found that 5000 had been
sunk In the leather business, advanced
by McNichol and Wade. and that the
company faced bankruptcy. He there
fore refused TO assist in getting more
money on the mortgages.
The lawyer said Keller showed dissatis-
faction with the refusal and said more
capital had TO be put into the business.
The properties In which McNichol had a
third interest were sold at a Sherin's
sale on July /. 1914. Mrs. Wade had pro-
duced a judgment note against the miss
ing man. The proceeds Of the sale were
created into am estate for the widow.
We was in great need Of money, as she