Evening journal., 1919-02-11
CHARGE CONSPIRACY
IN EGG SALE
American Express Co. En-
ployees Sold to Commits
sion Men, Witnesses Say
FOUR MEN ARE
HELD IN BAIL

When Clarence Neeley and Charles H.
CORY, charged with receiving stolen
goods and Howard Quinn and Lloyd
Purnell, Negroes, charged with larceny
were arraigned before Deputy Judge
Finger 10 Municipal Court this morn
ing, an additional charge Of conspiracy
to defraud the American Railways Ex-
press Company was lodged against them
by Assistant City Solicitor Malloy, un-
I der instructions of the attorney gen.
erals office. Each man was held in
$500 bail for court on the conspiracy
charge while the other charges were
dismissed.
A nolle prosequi was entered in the
cases of George Brittingham and George
Z. Curtis. Negroes, who were charged
with larceny In connection with the
same cases
The men are alleged 10 have been i'm
plicated in large thefts Of eggs from
the American Railways Express Com
pany.
James Salisbury was counsel for
CORY and Neeley; J. Frank Ball, for
Purnell; and Edwin r. Cochran, Jr.,
and William Melvin, OF Pocomoke City,
appeared for Quinn, Brittingham and
Curtis.
Earl n. Neal. a special investigator
for the express company, testified that
he worked among the men at the ex-
press company's ONCE for three weeks
before the men were arrested. during
which time he learned. he said. Of
80 ha n
eggs being shipped through the COM
pany. Neeley and CORY were employed
as agents at The ofllce, he said, and the
Negroes were messengers whose duties
were 10 follow up the goods from GER
tain nearby cities TO this city.
On the night Of January %, Quinn
asked CORY for a loan Of 81 and the
latter passed him $40 This was the
system Of the alleged conspirators to
pay for stolen eggs. the witness testi-
ned, AZ that time CORY asked Purnell
'why he didn't bring him any more
eggs" He said that he knew Of Neeley
having employed a former driver OF the
company to deliver alleged stolen eggs
to a local commission merchant.
John Shaw was the next witness. He
testified that up until the time the
took over the Adams Ex-
press Company he had bought eggs for
purnell at p cents a dozen. When the
company was taken over by the gov
ernment, shaw said, he feared 10 buy
any more Of the supposedly stolen
eggs. He testified that he has sold
crates Of eggs for both CORY and
Nelson J. Miles testified to delivering
crates Of eggs to local commission
merchants for Neeley.
Lola Wolf, q Negress, said that she
wrote a note for Purnell to Neeley ask
ing him for $40 and for advice as to
when to send certain crates Of eggs.
He sent her 90 deliver the note to
Neeley, but the latter was not at the
once at the time.
J. H.. Marvel. a commission merchant,
testified TO buying eggs from Neeley.
N. NJ. Wilson, another commission
merchant, also testified to buying crates
Of eggs from Neeley. He handled eggs
and poultry, amounting to $500, for
Neeley on commission. The last goods
he handled for him was Christmas Day,
he said.
Samuel Ironhill. claim agent FOR the
said that he had between 200
and 800 claims 10 pay between July 1.
1918. and January IS, 1919. for goods
falling 10 reach their destination. The
claims amounted to about $1,000.
Detective Riley said that CORY, after
his arrest said he had brough eggs OF
Quinn. which the Negro denied.
Neeley and CORY. he said. told that
they had had similar transactions with
purnell. which was denied by the latter.