Evening journal., 1918-09-28
gem film FLAM"
LEADS TO POST
William Fitzsimmons Gets
len Lashes for Larceny
by Trick
W. E. HANCE, VICTIM,
RECEIVERS $3.50

William Fitzsimmons. who says he
Is "a sideshow talker," who also says
ne Is nfty-nine, although the State says
ne Is only flfty-three, short. chunky
ana baldheaded, was convicted yester-
DAY afternoon before Judge Helsel, in
General Sessions Room No. 2, on the
charge Of larceny b ytrick, the inward
ness Of which was getting $3.50 from
Wallace Z. Hance, architect, by selling
him three real diamonds for that sum
and then switching" three bits of
glass for them.
And for this Job Fltzsimmons was
sentenced 90 do two years in the work
house, to be whipped with ten Iashes
Today, TO pay the costs Of the case
which are not small-and to make full
restitution, which means $500 more, be-
sause $3.50 already has been paid as res
htutlon. This comes 10 an end a very
remarkable case, for such IL has been
from start TO finish. Fitzsimmons gave
The authorities a decided run for their
money and immediate and wholesale
light whenever they moved in his d.
rectioD. He fought strenuously the ef-
forts Of AttOrney-General Reinhardt to
get him back into Delaware from PENN
sylvania, resisting in the courts there
with a squad OF lawyers and finally
giving Mr.. Reinhardt some anxious mo-
ments during the past two or three
days as to whether he could be gotten
into court this term
And TO cap the whole situation the
case continued its sensational career
Yesterday after a jury had been drawn
TO try Fitzsimmons, the jury twiddling
their fingers in the box while confer
ences went on in Judge Heisel's cham !
bers regarding an unexpected develop
ment in the matter, which resulted in |
exceedingly interesting testimony being
brought out when the case finally went /
to trial.
The case was 10 have been heard ear
lier in the week, but James Salisbury,
Fiizsimmons' counsel, reported that his J
client was sick at his home in Phila-
delphia, and the matter went along un-
til yesterday morning, when Fitzslm-
mons was due TO put I'm appearance.
But at the opening OF court he had not
shown himself, and Mr.. Salisbury could
not say that he would be present. Mr..
Reinhardt opposed any continuance and
insisted that the defendant must be
made 10 come into court at Orce. But
ing the mans bail bond he came into
court and the case was ordered 10 trial
at once.
While a jury was being drawn in
Room No. 4, Deputy Attorney General
Green went over into Room No. 2 with
Architect Hance and Mrs. Hance, the
states two chief witnesses, to talk 20
them about the case. Then Just about
as the jury was filing in from Room
No. 1 to seat itself in Room 3, Mr..
Green had a hurried talk with Mr..
Rsinhardt and Mr.. Reinhardt came into ,
Room 2 stating that developments had
arisen which made a conference neces-
sary with Judge Heisel. Then followed I
a series Of conferences in chambers in !
which the Staie's counsel, Judge Hell I
sci, Mr.. Rance, Attorney Robert II. !
Richards and others took part. Finally I
all the cOnferees came into court and d
The trial was begun. (
Mr.. llance testified as 10 his dealing a
With FitZsimmOns and another man :
back in May last, the substance Of his
story being that he was shown some s
diamonds the two men wanted TO sell, r
hat he had had a sample examined n
md found satisfactory, that he had en- q
-atIu " Uuf klAtt oAullts AuI r1Hf lltdl IS
he three stones had been placed before n
him, that they had been wrapped up II
or seemingly wrapped up and handed 81
o him, and that afterward he found he
lad gotten three bits of glass instead G
II real diamonds. Mrs. Hance's testi- n
nony was chiefly with reference 20 q
eeing the men. There was some cross s,
by Mr. Salisbury and then Sc
lr. Hance was recalled by the State cl
nd asked II he had been paid any res "a
ittuion money after the transaction. III
ie said that he had-S225 paid to him
y his counsel, Robert II. Richards. fe
Then Mr.. Richards was called He til
estined that he had paid S225 10 Mr.. Fl
lance, the purpose being TO restore TO
money wrOngfully taken from him in G,
he diamond deal The money was part az
( check for $3.50 given him by Cor sis
elius Mundy about September g. Then
fr. Mundy was called. He told the ha
curt and jury that he had been asked w
y a man named Dolan 10 attend TO bail WI
nd counsel for Fitzsimmons. A man