Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-03
girls ACCUSE MAN |
|! OF MANY THEFTS.
Prisoner Acts as His Own
Lawyer, but Fails to
Shake Stories
CAUGHT BY STENOGRAPHER

John J. Baldwin, an alleged sneak
thief captured by a stenographcr, aitcr
q chase down five flights Of stairs, was
held in $500 bail for the Grand Jury
this morning by Magistrate Carson.
Three stenographers besides his cap
Tor, Miss Ada Liggett, 541s Cathariue
street, employed in the Land Title
Building, testified. Several others were
IN the court ready to testify il called.
Miss Liggett testified that Baldwin
and another man had entered her Office
July %. After asking a few questions
they departed. she said. immediately
she missed her pocketbook and gave
chase. After running after the two
men to the foot Of the stairs, she
grabbed Baldwin and held him until n
patrolman arrived.
Baldwin acted as his own attorney
and adopted defiant manner through.
out the hearing. lie cross examined
Miss Liggett in the approved legal
manner.
Acts As Own Attorney
"Look at me-" he said. ''Will you
swear | am the man you chased and
caught and that am the man who was
previously III your "ih|c'
"Yes."
"How can you telli'
"By your face and appearance. :.
81 guess you have the wrong man.
To the Magistrate. Call the next wit
ness
Each of the succeeding witnesses was
examined in the same pompous fashion
and each positively identified him.
Miss Mabel Dezler, 51%I Spruce
street, employed in the United States
Life Insurance Co. Office in the Drexel
building, said that about two weeks
ago Baldwin, with another man. came
into her office. departed shortly, ana
that she lost a pOCkCtboOk with 50 ana
some keersakes.
Theodore Schneider. Jr.. real estate,
Bulletin Building, testified that Bald
win and another man were in his ofhce
and asked to arrange second mortgage
on some property in New Jersey. After
they left Schneider missed a Swiss
watch worth 5000, which had been on
his desk.
Miss Jessie NJ. Allen. 1902 Spruce
street. who works in dental labratory
In the Perry Building. said Baldwin
and another man entered her office and
decamped in the same fashion with a
satchel belonging to patient.
Mathew Brussillo, 30 North Icw-
dali street, testlhed he had overheard
Baldwin and another man talking on
the floor below him. by listening down
the elevator shaft in the Colonial Build
ing. He said that he heard Baldwin
say: I'VE can't do anything now
Wife Hears Husband Accused
A week later n hosiery concern on the
floor where Baldwin had been talking
was robbed of S1100 worth of silk
stockings.
Miss Madeline Crilly, 408S Whining
ton avenue, told similar story of
loss in the Office of a glass concern
where she works in the Lafayette
Building.
Baldwin's wife, Catherine, who ex-
poets to be a mother soon, was in the
room during the hearing and sat on
the same bench with the witnesses
against her husband. She talked with
them constantly. When the Magistrate
announced that Baldwin was held she
became hysterical and was ordered
from the room.
At the close of the testimony Bald
win was asked IL he had anything more
20 say. Still assuming his intensely
legal manner he replied:
iii say IL in court. l see that r.
prima facie case has been made out"
Asked II Baldwin had been a lawyer
the police said that TO the best of their
knowledge he had never worked at all.