Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-30
GIRLS STOLEN SILVER
FINANCES DOPE PARTY
Craving for Drug Nerved
"Fiends" to Steal Hope Nc
Michael Treasure Chest
PROPERTY WORTH $4,000

How tho craving of two dope flends" for
their favorlte drug. cocaine, caused them
to commit n daring daylight robbery was
revealed today, when Charles H. Fox and
John Comdiuo were arraigned before Mag
lstrate Meceary on the accusation OF steal
Ing $4,000 worth OF silverware belonging 10
Miss Hope McMchae of 400 South Fif-
teenth street.
Fox and Comdlco were held In $500 bail
each for further hearing next wednes-
day, and Joseph Felnberg. jeweler of 1I7
South Fifty-fifth street who In said to have
purchased portion of tho sllverwRre for
S25, was held In like sum on the charge
Of receiving stolen goods.
Abstinence from cocaine, enforced by lacl,
of funds to purchase the drug, nerYed Fox
and Comdlco to steal the silVerware. accord
ing to the testimony Of detectives. After
the robbery 1t is alleged that the two bought
large quantities of cocaine and engaged in
a drug debauch that lasted for many days
TIP" GIVEN BY "F1END".
The box of silver was stolen from a
wagon of the Union Transfer Company at
Seventh and Chestnut streets on tho after
noon of November go The day following
the robbery n dope nend" strolled into the
Fifteenth and Locust streets police station
and told weird story about gang OF
Cookers" being on cocaine debauch from
the proceeds of big sllverware robbery.
Eight policemen were dispatched to the
Tenderloin, but they obtained no trace of
the silverware
Meantime Detectives Ayers and Walters
had been working on the case. AS they
were walking In the vicinity of Ninth and
quarry streets they saw a cocaine "nend"
crouched In corner heating some cocaine
In a silver spoon over the flame of candle
me spoon In tho quivcring hand of the
dope" fiend answered to the description
Of the McNIohael silver. After the man
had taken his coke" he staggered into n
house at 620 Wood street. The detectives
followed.
$1,000 TAPESTRY FOUND
In room on the second floor tho de-
tectiVes found Fox and Comco stupehed In
bed over one of the windows was sus-
pended what tho police say was one of
MISS McMichael's tapestries valued at
$1,000, The 'dopers" had hung II there so
that the glare of tho morning light would
not disturb their unnatural slumber. The
room was filthy and disorderly, and re-
vealed evidence of n prolonged narcotic
debauch. The detectives examined the
room while the two ''fiends" slumbered In
a secret rece4s back OF the fireplace they
discovered many pieces Of silver which bore
the initials of the McMchael family.
While they were at work. Fox awakened
and saw the detectives. With muttered
oath he drew out long knife from under
his pillow and stumbling out of bed, made
Il feeble lunge at Walters. He was so
weakened by narcotics. however, that he
was quickly subdued and handcuffed
CONFESSION REPORTED
The detectives testified that Fox and Com
dlco confessed to stealing the slverware
and told how they had sold portion OF It
TO Feinberg Fox said he and ComdIco
had seen tho driver of the Union Transfer
wagon bring the box from the Fidelity
Trust Company, Third and Chestnut
streets, and place it in the wagon.
Lets get that box" Fox is alleged TO
have said TO ComdIco. They waited until
the driver left the wagon to make another
call, and then they leaped to the seat
drove the wagon TO Seventh and Sansom
streets, transferred the box to another
wagon and drove the silver into tho Ten
deron
Feinberg testified he thought that the
silverware was plated when he first pur-
chased It.
II became alarmed" he said. when
later / discovered that II was solid. The
initials on the stuff got me worried too l
was wondering how l could report the case
to the police without getting in bad myself
when l was arrested"
Miss McMichael Is in Washington, but
her former guardian, Mrs Virginia Louise
Deokert, widow OF Henry Deckert, identified
the silverware The hearings were post
poned until next Wednesday 10 give Miss
McMiohael an opportunity to testify against
Fox and ComdicO.