Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-27
SENTIMENTAL CHICAGO.
Theresa sfurla TO go ON the Con.
cert Stage.


chicsgo Paper.
There are four or five eminently
respectable ladies of Chicago who
feel quite as bad over tho conviction
Of Theresa Sturla and her sentence to
one years. confinement in the peniten.
tiary as does the fair prisoner herself.
They became interested in her on
learning the facts in regard to her
unhappy lite, and this feeling has
grown on acquaintance to one Of real
affection. They found her gentle and
impulsive, and possessed Of an incli
nation toward good. By steadiast
friendship, kind treatment and prom.
ises OF assistance, they won her conf
dence, aud by degrees her warmest
lO7e. She has great natural musical
talent, both vocal and instrumental.
and 1t was through the girls pride in
her attainments, as much as any
thing else. perhaps, that the
ladies obtained their influence over
her. They held out the splendors Of
a successful musical career to her as
an inducement to abandon the life she
has led, and promised that ifshe would
devote herself to the cultivation Of her
talent they would assist her financially
and socially Her acceptance Of the
offer was an eager one, and during the
trying times Of the last few weeks she
has been buoyed up BY the hope of
better days and better things. True to
their promise, one or more of the
ladies interested in the girl have been
with her every day in court and cheer
fully submitted to several severe ora
torical rskings from the States Attor
uey, Whether all this sympathy will
prove to have been misdirected re.
mains to be seen, but net one Of the
missionaries will admit that she has a
doubt Of Theresa Sturla's complete
reformation.
Mr.. A. s. Trude, her attorney, who
has labOred for her most industriously
without hope of reward and who shed
genuine tears when she was repeating
the story OF her wrongs In court, is
also enthusiastic in his predictions
concerning her future. He pronounces
her one OF the most gifted musicians
that he has ever met, and says that to-
day she could captivate the public on
the concert stage. She is in very
delicate health the result,it is claimed,
Of a kick 10 the side administered BY
Charles Stiles, tho man whom she
killed. 10 conversation with many
prominent ladies and gentlement who
called on her, she spoke of her pros
pective Imprisonment cheerfully, and
was inclined to think that sho might
be the better for it. To all she
stated uneq1iyocally that as coon as
she was liberated she intended to 20
to the home Of Mrs. w. 2. Black, oil
this city, aud prepare for musical
career. Mrs. Black, who is the wife
OF a well known lawyer Of Chicago, is
celebrated foT her philanthropy, and
her husband has long been an effective
worker in the Young Mems Christian
Association.
1t is thought that the verdict of the
Jury will be permitted to stand. The
defense has no money to pursue the
matter further and the motion for a
new trial will probably be overruled
Theresa, too, Is said to regard:a years
imprisonment with less concern than
another long and troublesome trial.
This being the case, as it now stands,
tue girl will probably be injured
within the walls OF Joliet penitentiary
before many days, aud the public will
hear no more of her, until some years
hence, in some new musical prodigy,
it may rcccgnize an artist whose past
is as sad as her future may be bright.