The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-07-21
A WAYWAR. GIRL.
A New York Mics Dons Boys Clothes and
Runs Away.


Runs Away.
Lily Thompson Brown, alias Harry
O'Brien, is now in the Tombs awaiting
trial on the two separate charges of wearing
boys clothing in public places and stealing
a silver watch from newsboy, This clear
ly has the appearance of being a case otto
tai depravity. Lily, who is about fifteen
years OF age, ran away from comfortable
home between three and four months ago
disguised herself as boy and Deliberately
consorted with newsboys and bootblacks,
eating and sleeping with them, and giving
herself up to the careless enjoyment
of such pleasures as an idle life
afforded, She claims that none of her male
companions knew that she was q girl, but
circumstances and the testimony OF some of
the boys indicate the contrary. Lily has
tsld contradictory stories since her arrest,
but her father, J0hr II. Brown, her step.
mother. and her brother each tell straight
forward, and apparently honest, story OF
her misdongs. Mr.. Brown is a respecta-
BILE, honest looking German, aged about so
wears, He has lived in this country nearly
all of his life, and is employed as cutter in
Devlin & Co. s clothing house. He lives at
No. 100 Canal street, TO which place he
moved from One Hundred and Fourth
street day before yesterday. "We are all
mortified at the girls bad conduct" Mr..
Brown said last evening to u Times reporter.
81 tried to keep her in the right path, but
she seemed bound to 20 wrong" With
considerable show OF feeling the father told
the story of his youngest daughters way
wardnes. lie said that she was always full
of fun and mischief, but he never heard any.
H.. lao, b.,n turl
when he sent her to school on .Broome
street. The teachers there wrote
him several notes telling him they could
do nothing with her. Alter while a sit
uation was secured for her in the printing
establishment of j. j. Little, in Astor
place, her relatives hoping that with plenty
of work to do she would quiet down and
behave herself. She did no better at work
than at school, however, and, as her inilu-
ence was bad on the other girls, she was
discharged. Her father asked that she
should be given another trial, and she was
taken back, but only remained short
time. She said nothing at home when she
was discharged the second time, but for
weeks deceived her family by pretending to
go TO work every morning She even
brought home her weeks salary at the cud
Of the first week. Finally her coming home
at irregular hours nights led to the dis
coyery of her deception. 1t was then that
her father deemed it his duty to punish
her, for he thought that she had stolen the
money obtained du'ing the period that she
was out of employment, not dreaming of
her getting it by still more dishonorable
means. He whipped her soundly and
told his wife not to let her 60 out of tie
hols'. For few days she was kept
at home, but one afternoon she was sent
on an errand and did not come back. Her
brother searched for her, and at the end of
three weeks found her in boys clothes play
ing in Chatham square. She was taken to
the house of her married sister, Mrs. Lyd- |
dy, on Clinton street, and there provided |
with her own clothing. Her father was at |
first disposed to send her to some reforma-
tory institution, but upon her promising |
him, as well as other members of the fami- |
ly, that she would behave herself in the fu- |
ture, he relented
81 told her." said the griei-stricken father
last evening, that | would forget aud for |
give all of the past if she would do better.
She said she would, but in less than two |
weeks she ran away from her sister, and | |
have not seen her since. That was nearly |
four months ago"
Haven't You seen her since she was ar |
rested?" mo, and don't want to see her |
until her trial comes on. Then shall 20 |
into court and ask that she be sent to some |
public institution. But am afraid that it |
is too late for her to REFORM"
. Neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Brown conld give |
any reason for the girls desiring to wear |
boys clothes, unless it was that she was
always fond of playing with the boys. All |
of the members of the family deny that she |
was abused at home, and Mrs. Brown, who |
is tidy woman with not unkind face, said |
that Lily's father was altogether too good
to her. why" said She "the girl |
had nothing to do here except to
help me wash the supper dishes"
The superintendent of tho Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Childrea
raid yesterday that he was convinced that |
the girl was totally depraved, and that she
had brought disgrace on very respectable |
family. lie had no doubt he said, as to
her immoral practices while living among
the street gamins, He did not see that |
there was anything further for the society
to do in the case. Lily was born In Brook |
lyn, and was II years old on the 10Th of last |
February New York Times.