Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-12
ONE TASTE OF LASH
WAS , ENOUGH FOR
NOTED P|CKPOCKET
Mccaffrey, Lifelong. Criminal,
Never Returned After Being
Whipped at Dover.
DREADED THE INFLICTl0M

| Special Correspondence of Every Evening
Dover, Feb. 1.-THE arrest in Phin-
delphia, several days ago, of James Nc
Caffrey, aged SO years. having long
string of aliases and, according to tho
police, one Of the most efficient pick
! pockets in the country, and the enumer-
alton of his many experiences in the
different States, recalles the interesting
episode of his exploit in this State. 1t
| was on the occasion of the voting for
I United States Senator at the session of
the Legislature in 1901, that McCnffrey.
alias James +. Hughes, which name he
gave when arrested. made his first es-
say in Delaware.
1t had been an exciting day I'm Dover
incident to the voting for United States
Senator, i'm which j. Edward Addlcks
was the prominent figure. After the
voting In the House Of Representatives.
i'm Joint session, the Senators had re-
turned 10 their chamber. with the lobby
paClsd TO the door listening 20 "a dis
cussion on an important measure, when
the theft of familya heirloom. tis-
moud valued at $500 from the shirt
front OF DIR. Robert Y. Watson n prom
inent resident of Milford stiil living I'm
that town. was made known Dr Wat
! son was standing I'm the doorway of the
lobby OF the Senate. watching the pro-
Cccdings. when he felt n slight pull al
guard around his neck on which his
glasses were attached. Looking down
he saw tho end of his diamond, which
was on spiral gold screw In his shirt
/ front. in the hand Of the man after
wards recognized as Hughes" DR.
Watson seized tho man by the shoulder
and called out that he had been rob
bed Tho man Hughes quick as
fash. threw his arm under him (sup-
poSedly passing the jewel 20 a pal
md when hailed before the har Of the
Senate and the sheriff Of Kent County
notified. no trace trace Of the diamond
could be found notwithstanding Hughes
was quickly taken 10 the faiI nearby
stripped and searched He protested
his innocence but was held for court
Shortly after his imprisonment a
photograph of HughcR or NcCa frey
was received from the ros-ues' gallery
and he afterwards admitted to the war
den Of Kent county jail. John Ward
who was "A former Philadelphia police
man and who recalled having arrested
him. that he was McCaTrev.
Tho case attracted unusual interest
A4iEit bfittb many reports mat he would
never stand trial. or. II convicted and
sentenced to he. would never hc whip-
ped, the impression being that he would
either escape from jail or commit
suicide. However. neither happened.
and Hughes lived 10 stand trial NJ the
April term of tho Kent county court,
IN 1901. on an Indictment for larceny.
Herbert II. Ward was attornev-gcn-
cral at the time. and the late Chief
Justice Charles r. Lore was the pre-
siding judge. McCofrey was represent
cd by keuney and Magee then partners
in law in Dover. A jury was drawn on
April Is. and after remaining out all
night. returned the next morning unable
10 agree. The Jury was discharged
and new one empaneied. and the next
day the second trial begun. resulting IN
a conviction. the jury remaining out
a short time.
on April % McCafrey. stfli under
the name OF Hughes. was sentenced by
Chief Justice Lore. who said: James
T. Hughes. we intend to make Della
ware an uncomfortable place for such
people as YOU" Hughes was sentenced
20 pay restitution 70 Or Watson Of
$500, the full value Of the diamond. on
Saturday May I. 1901. between the
hours Of 10 a. N. and p. sn.. ne be