Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-20
REAL CRIME DAY
IN C|TY'S COURT
Pistol "Toter," Alleged Poor-box
Robbcr and Other Accused Evil
doers Face Judge Churchman.

Today's session of City Court might be
dubbed "Real Crime Day." by reason of
the nature of the cases that confronted
Judge Churchrnan when the docket was
placed before him. Breaking and entering
larceny and pistol ''toting' were the chief
offences.
The most important case was that of
Russell Squires, who faced court on two
charges of robbing poor-boxes In Catholic
churches, ono of breaking and entering and
fourth of not keeping up payments on
non-support order. Squires was in court
yesterday on a charge of robbing poor
box at the Church of the Sacred Heart
but was let go because the pastor of the
church did not wish to prosecute.
Today things were different. Arraigned
on q charge of stealing 50 from poor-box
at st. Elizabeths S church the prisoner said
he would waive hearing but-the court
decided to hear some of the evidence,
Father William Temple, the pastor of the
church, said that around Christmas not
only poor-box had been rIfied, but that n
brass box with money III IT III one OF the
shrincs had been taken away. He had no
evidence TO offer as to who did 1T.
UNDER l,600 BAIL.
Detective Riley said that the prisoner
had admitted taking the brass box, which
had contained 80 and throwing 1t away
empty in West End Park, even taking the
detective to the spot, although the box
was not found. The other poor-box case
was at st. Paul's Church. The brea king
and entering was that of the American
Grocery Store, at Ninth and Madison
streets, and hearing was waived IN them,
bail being fixed in a total of 81 600 IN the
three cases.
In the rion-support case Agent Stout
testified that the prisoner owed SSi IN
arrearages The order was made for the
support of wife and child, tho latter OF
whom is now dead, but there Is another
child only few DAYS old. Mr.. Stout said
SuIires had said that he bad been working
at Pusey's and the Harlan works, but that
on stIgation it was found that eleven
davs constituted all the work that he did
Judge Churchman imposed sentence of a
wear in the workhouSc on this count and
ordered that fifty cents q day of Squire .
earnings be utilized for the support OF the
wife and child.
PISTOL "roTER PUNISHED.
Alvin Ffield, arraigned on a charge of
CARRYING revolver, pleaded guilty
Fitield at Eighth and Market streets last
night while trying TO exchange the weapon
for an automatic II WAS not loaded but he
had ammunition in his pockets FIheld,
when asked bv the court what he was
CARRYING revolver for, hesItated and then
replied that he had intended to do some
"trapshooting" with it, whereupon there
was general smile lie WAS fined 800 and
b.. stxy.. af ~
in the workhouse.
The case of James Jenkins, white man
accused of stealing two chickens, revealed
a bit of humor The testimony showed that
that he had taken chicken from the store
Of Simon Tuck, Fifth and King streets
and sold il TO a colored man named
William Floyd. who lives only.:a few doors
away from II ck's. Then he went back to
get another and was watched doing the
Job by Sergeant King. The two chickens
were in court, occasionally enlIvenlng
things by clucking. Jenkins was held III
$500 bail for the upper court.
WANTED TO PROVE ALIBi
When James A. Thomas. colorcd, was
arraigned. charged with breaking and
entering at the Diamond lee and Coal Go.
Thomas and Dock streets, he
asked the court for Il continuance SO that
le might get witnesses, his wife and
10 prove an alIbl- He
declared that he had not been out of the
lo,lse at nights for four weeks, or ever
ince III birth of child. The case was
ontin ucd, bail in So 900 being fixed.
Flor nee Harmon. colored, was held IN
800 bail for the upper court charged with
he larceny Of So, the property Of her ROOM
nate, Cora Chapman. Hayes Smith.
,olored. Was held in $500 bail, charged with
he larceny OF 40 pounds Of beans from
samuel T. Hill
Charles Evans, colored. faced court on |
wo larceny charges. the theft OF gold |
watch from the store Of David Lerz and |
he theft of clothing and other goods from |
he store of Samuel Markowitz. In each |
ase it WAS shown that Evans asked to see !
he articles as possible purchaser and
hen ran out with them. He was held In |
600 bail
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