Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-21
A CHILD CRIMINAL.
The History Of Annie Hoffman, the San
Francisco Fire-Bug-The Phe-
nOmenai Wickedness
or a FOurteen-Year.0ld Girl-Her Win
dOw.Breaking and House.
Burning Freaks.

San Francisco Chronicle: Infant prodigies
are one of the product Of the age. UnfoT-
tunately, however, these unnatural develop
ments az often bring out the criminal as the
~virtuous tendencies Of youthful natures, and
sometimes there comes to the surface a
child criminal as fully developed as if it had
spent years 10 jsils and prisons and had
graduated there with all the experience such
institutions can bestow. Aonie Hoffman, the
little girl who SET FIRE ten times to the house
Of Mr.. Il. Schroeder, at the corner OF Cali
iorDia and Pierce streets, on the 4 h aud 9TH
Of July, is one of the latter class. Some in
quiries were made into her past history yes-
ierday, and the results show her TO be a
criminal prodigy indeed. Although she
claims to be but twelve years of sge, she is
fully fourteen, having been confirmed last
year by Pastor Buehler, Of the German
Lutheran church. Her father was formerly
employed 10 the Mission Wooden Mills. By
an accident he lost an arm, making it neces-
sary that little Annie should be placed out
at service. 1t 30 happened that Hugo Brown,
OF 1725 Eddy street, whose vile has been
bedridden for " years, wanted a little girl
10 keep his wife company while he was alb
sent from home, and Annie vas placed in
their care. Cdriously enough, the girl, a
short time before being sent to the Brown
family, became subject TO fits, which con-
linued after she entered upon her new dulies.
When seized she would utter the most pierre
ing shriekp, writhe in apparent agony on the
floor, roll her eyes and foam at the mouth.
Instead of sending her home, Mrs. Brown
submitted her case 10 the late DIR. 1ngsrsou,
who was attending nPnn hurseff. de found
-,hc ease q
MOST FULFILLING ONE
and finally came to the conclusion that the
girl was shamming. The Browns refused to
believe him, though thereafter the 6is did
not make their appearance. In their stead
came a new trouble. On a certain morning
Mrs. Brown, from her bedroom, SUDDEN NY
heard the girl emit the most unearthly
shrieks. At the same time pieces OF coal
came crashing through the dining-room and
kitchen windows, and before the bedridden
lady could summon help every pane OF
glass 10 the rear of the house had been bro-
ken, Annie charged that the French GER
want girl of a neighboriDg family had bro
ken the windows because che hated her, and
wanted to drive her way from the Brow
family, but the French girl pro ,ested her in
nocence 30 earnestly that Brown was unable
to believe her guilty. The broken panes
were replaced without the mystery having
been cleared up. Within a few dsys they
were all broken again under precisely the
same circumstances. Annie again charged
The French girl with being the guilty one,
and once more the Brown family was in
danger of becoming involved in q serious
row with their ~neighbord. From that day
forward there was not a whole pane OF glass
in the rear OF the house. AS soon ss re-
placed pieces of coal, thrown by an unseen
hand, came flying into the rooms from every
direction, and every evening when Brown
came home he found all the windows broken
and his wife lyiug PROSTATE in the
AGoNIEs OF TERROR UPON HER sIcK-BED.
The girl protested with all the vigor and
earnestness of childhood that the French
girl in the Dext house was the culPrit, al
though the latter generally was able TO prove
an abb. Being unable to keep glass in the
window frames, Brown as finally compelled
to board them up. As may we'll be imag
iued, the invalid lady was fast ~succumbins
under this state of affairs. Her husband was
afraid of leaving the house; the neighbors
all symsathized with the family Everybody
in the whole block was watching for the mis-
creants, but no one ever succeeded in sur
prisipg them at their misdeeds. Meanwhile
Aunie claimed the attention of her mistress,
also, by means of other escapades. Ga one
occasion she suddenly burst out into one of
hCA A3bAAaai bhIAGho nix III u k4tCnCA
and entered the-bSdreem of Mira Rrnxn 9
lev moments later with clothes az wet as il
she had Just been ished out OF the bay
| Again she alleged that the French girl had
thro1n water over her, though inquiries
| showed that the latter had been other Hist
engaged at the moment. Another time heI
| sbrieks were heard in the garden. They
| continued until come neighbors made theil
appearance, who found the girl unframed
but two little lap-dogs which Mrs. Brown
kept for the purpose of amusing herself dur
ing the long and weary hours of her sicknss
were discovered with their backs broken
This time the girl said that four meu hsc
climbed over the fence and given her ant
the dogs a beating.
HER TRUE CHARACTER,
however, was not discovered until long after
ward. 1t being inconvenient to live with th,
windows boarded up, some of the panes wer,
replaced, but within a few days they wer,
again smashed iu with pieces of coal Jude
precisely the came circumstances Once NOR,
they were mended and then the lady in tn,
next house, in whose employ the French cir
is, resolved to watch Annie. Ga the sam
evening" she saw her walk 10 the coal bin
take out several pieces and throw then de
Eiberately through the glass. Mrs. Brow
was at once informed of the discovery, bu
the little mink had so we'll disguised he
character that the lady's story was doubted
Annie, however, had heard that she lad beef
charged with breaking the windows, an,
while the two women were still discussinj
the subject, she managed TO make her wa,
into the pantry Of the other house, where sh
broke every dish on which che could lay he
hsnds. There being now no longer an,
doubt that she was the real culprit, he
mother was sent for. The girl admiaet
her guilt, and in explanation of her extraor
binary conduct said that she did not lik
bsipg out at service and wanted Il
be home with her parents. She had reason
ed that if she could make the Browns believ,
that she was the object OF prosecutions at tn
hands of the neighbors, they would dispens
With her services She was sent home, wher,
her father administered exemplary punish
ment, but apparently without ~effectiHg a last
ing reform. Her next place of service wa
with Mrs. Schroeder, where her origina
manner of celebrating the Fourth of July
kept the Fire Department in as great a stat,
OF excitement as her window-breaking prac
tices did the Brown family. Judge Lawle
is puzzled to know what disposition TO max