The Washington times., 1935-10-18
M'KEEVER GIRL
OFT ANDAGAIN
HEADLINED

to Have Aided in Escape. '"Trt-
State Killer Admits Weiss Muir
der In Philadelphia" Marie
McKeever Linked to Crime. -.
''Mais. 4 Aides, Captured in Gun
Raids" "Legenza and Marie
McKeever Among Gang Members
Caught in Roundup"
Such are the newspaper head
lines which from time to time
have related the exploits Of the
TrfState gang and the activities
of its leaders, Robert Mais and
Walter Legenza, who early this
year were executed il the electric
chair in Richmond.
Girl Again Headlined
Cropping up in virtually every
story is the name of Marie Nc
Keever. tall, hard-eyed brunette
sweetheart of the now dead MaiS.
Today she is linked by police,
though not directly-rather as
one who knows what happened
at the tragic mistaken identity"
murder last year Of Allen B. VII.
son, newspaper route carrier, who
was fatally shot by gang war bull
lets in front of the home in Ia
koma Park Of Edward Mickey"
Mcdonald, for whom the bullets
were meant.
Her intimate knowledge Of the
activities of the tri-state gang is
expected by police to play an i'm
portant part in aiding the prosecu-
ton of the caSe-almost like a
recital from ghost Of the re-
lentless band Of bandits.
She has been under police OBJ
seryation almost ceaselesSly since
she was first identified with the
gang, yet has been convicted only
once.
Born in Philadelphia, accord.
ing to police, the 34-year-old dead
gangster's sweetheart, first ap-
pears on police records in Decem-
ber, 1926, when arrested in Phlla-
delphia for receiving stolen goods.
She was released on $1,000 bail.
however, and the case was dis
missed.
Her One Conviction
Her next run-in with the law.
police records show, resulted in
the only conviction against her.
She was found guilty in a Phila-
delphia court in June, 1928, of be-
ing an inmate of disorderly
house. The sentence was suS-
pended, and she was placed on
probation for two years.
Police first connect her with
Mais when he was shot in Balt1-
more. June 4. 1884, in a gun bat
tie with police who had sur
rounded cottage they knew him
to be in. Another member Of the
Tri-State gang was captured in
the battle. Police were after them
for their connection in holding up
a Federal Reserve truck in Rich
mond, numbering the driver.
The McKeever woman was held
for questioning when police found
her in the cottage, but was re-
leased after being questioned.
Next Arrest Here
Only q few days later, on June
9, Washington police arrested her
for investigation in connection
with previous activities Of the Trt-
State gang, but were unable to
pin anything on her. She was re-
leased and left the city immedt-
ately.
Subsequently, Mais was con-
victed in Richmond of the Federal
Reserve truck hold-up and murder
and was placed in jail to await |
execution. This was in August,
1894.
Richmond police on September
q noticed the McKeever woman
in Richmond, and apparently fear
ing q plot for his escape, held her
for a time as "a person not Of
good fame" but finally released
her, ordering her to leave the city.
Before another month had
elapsed, MaiS and Legenza shot
their way out of the prison in a
daring escape. Marie McKeever
was Immediately sought as having
aided in the escape. It was suS-
pected she had participated in
supplying the pair with pistols.
Police also held a theory that
she met them as soon as they |
made good their getaway and fur
nished them with wigs and other
paraphernalia.
Richmond issued a wanted"
notice for her for aiding the two
gangSterS in their break.
It was in mid-January, 1885,
that MaiS and Legenza finally
were captured il New York by
Department Of Justice agents.
Unwittingly the McKe ever
woman aided in the apprehension
of Legen1a.
The agents would not disclose |
how they knew the whereabouts |
of the two gsngsterS, but they |
walked in and arrested Mais while |
he was asleep in an apartment.
They Termed that Legenza was
in q hospital in New York re-
cuperating from wounds he had
received in a gun fight with po-
lice in Philadelphia shortly before,
and arrested him there and the
McKeever woman also when she
came to visit him at the hospital.
At that time she was grilled as
to her knowledge of the Tri-State
gang kidnap of Williams Weiss,
millionaire Philadelphia racketeer,