Evening star., 1924-08-24
KID MCCOY ONCE
|. IN JAIL IN BELGIUM
4.
--
Fighter, Accused of Stealing
+ Jewels, Saved by New
T York Detective.
Special Dispa tch to The Star.

Special Dispa tch to The Star
NEW YORK, August 2S.-WheD
Norman Selby, better known as Kid
Mccoy. came back to the front pages
: OF the newspapers recently. much. was
, published about his many bouts in
: the roped arena and in the golden
circle of matrimony.
! Mention also was made of an occa-
sion in 1912 when the Kid found him
self hard pressed by the police OF
Britain and continental Europe; when
for weeks he stormed about a little
. London jail cell furiously declaring
he had not stolen the jewels of
princess of Thurn and TaXiS.
That was indeed one of the most
trying times in the boxers lurid ca
reer: but, strangely, the full details
of his arrest and vindication do not
appear to have been published here
at any time. A man who knows those
"details is Barney Flood, detective SER
:geant of the New York police depart
ment.
Got Mccoy Out of Trouble.
1t was Detective Flood who got
Mccoy out of his trouble on that oc-
casion, and who gathered the facts
from officials of Scotland Yard, from
!, a high official of the French detective
force. and from the Kid himself.
-: The Kids fistic star was sinking
, and he had settled down to running
gymnasium in London. where he
taught the British sporting youth
some of the tricks of the manly art:
but there were still some who would
drag him back into the ring.
.. . From OStend came word that no.
: tel man would put UP a large purse
for bout between the Kid and
promising French youth named
;Georges Carpenter. and the Kid
hn Ht1a n
what looked like easy money.
Short on Cash.
II was not long before the Kid
:swaggered down the gang plank from
, one of the channel boats and called
. on the Ostend hotel man. But much
Ito his chagrin, he found the man was
.long on promises, but short on cash.
.Without further ado, the Kid cut the
conference short.
! On the way back. however. the
boxer tarried on the terrace of the
Palace Hotel. There he was hailed
: by some folk he had met at the races
lin England. and he sat at a table
! with them and helped break bottle
! or two of champaign. Then he took
! his departure.
: A few minutes later the Princess
rushed into her room in the hotel
! shrieking she had been robbed. There
: " d. IIutu tAtlltlllenI. ana IHe nOlel
manager stepped over to a French
police official who happened to be
visiting the place.
/: Why should they do such things
/. in my hotelc" so5bed the manager.
/: /: The French official was not deeply
interested. because it was out of his
Jurisdiction, but he remarked: How
.Can you expect anything else? Look
!. at those people you have patronizing
your place He pointed to the party
sTith whom Mccoy had been drinking
:, The French official explained that
sone of the men in that party was
"Squeaker Kemp" notorious British
confidence man. The other man and
: the two members were members of
kemp's band. The hotel man rushed
with this information to the Belgian
police. and hemp'S party soon were
In the tolls of the law
. They were searched, but in vain.
Then one Of the women. to. whom
the police had been giving liquor.
remarked: I'm glad Kid Mccoy got
away before this happened"
:: Arrest of Mccoy.
The Belgian police imagined they
saw a great light. They sent word to
England to arrest the boxer on his
Jewels. To the intense rage of the
Kid this was done, and although
spothing was found on him he was
I thrown into prison to await the
:pleasure of the Belgian authorities.
Ii Meets Nicky Arnstein.
4 II, When the Kid recovered his euui-
I Hbrlum sufficiently to take note. of his
hew surroundings he discovered the
Nfil opposite was occupied by dapper,
Sr1ooth-spoken New Yorker. They
I fpon became friends, and the New
\ aYnla h
Nicky Arnstein and had been arrested
sfor being connected with a wiretapping
gang in the United States, although
she really had never done anything
swrong in his life.
: 1t was after the Kid had been rag
sing at his cell bar several weeks that
detective Flood dropped in to tell
sNicky he would soon take him back
ITO New York. The boxer greeted the
New York officer with almost fearful
sioy. ,
Listen" the Kid said, they got me
wrong. I'm as innocent as a new
:born babe. Get me out of here"
: Detective Flood had heard such
.statements before, but he assured the
: Kid he would talk to the British au-
.thorities about the matter. That eve
sning he was dining with an official of
Scotland Yard and the French police
:ofhcial who had been on the terrace
sof the Palace Hotel at Ostend on the
day of the Kids visit
: The New York officer told of en-
countering the Kid and of what the
sboxer had said. The French officer
broke into laugh.
Maid Stole the Gems.
: Why" said the Frenchman, ARE
they keeping him in Jail yet? 1t is
impossible. They found out long
Z ago who stole those jewels. 1t was
: a maid, and she stole them for"
> The Frenchman whispered the
name of one known to continental
sSeciety.
. Yes" said the Frenchman, 'his
g gambling debts were heavy and he
shad to pay them. He knew where the
{ 1princess kept her jewels and he knew
what they were worth. He got the
girl to go in and get them and bring
them to his room. No, he will
not be prosecuted.'
! The officer from Scotland Yard de-
.clared he would see that the Kids
srelease was expedited.
The Kid had had enough of Britain
and Europe, and he returned to the
smake arrangements. He came on the
sboat with Detective Flood and Nicky
aArnstein. The Scotland Yard Off
scial, who had business in the United
Estates, travelled with them
This quartet occupied a suite to-
sgether and kept from the other
stravelers the possibly distressing
knowledge that Nicky was returning
sas a prisoner. They had a delight
sful voyage and several passengers
aremarked that this was as pleasant