Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-03
WHFFI me- W VA THURSDAY MORNING. MAY 8. 1883.
pLuckY MRS. francis.
A Scene That was Both humorous ana
Brave.

Brave.
PHILADELPHIA, May IA funny story of
a woman's pluck was told in Judge Alli-
sons Court of the Quarter Sessions yester-
day in connection with Che prosecution Of
John Smith, who pleaded guilty to having
entered the dwelling OF George Francis in
the night time, with infect to steal.
Smith was about six feet tall, robust and
of apparently
Great Muscular Development.
Testimony was taken to enable the Court
to determine what degree OF punishment
should be imposed. -------..-.-.-
The chief witness was Francis wife, Q
bu1om middle aged Irish woman. Francis
is O German. ain the middle OF the
night" she said, "when I was IN dhrame,
/ seemed to hear 8 great noise. But 1
didn't mind it, for Irthought it was me
husband movin' his feet A little while
afther that one of my FIVE little childer
Started Upin Bed
and I awakened. 'Phwat's thatT says L.
'Nothin', mommie,' ssysshe, but she was
timblin1s locke leaf and seemed atraid 70
wasn't pleasant, / assure you. l looked
over at my husband. He was sound asleep.
His Feet were Perfectly
still and knew that they had not made
the noise.
"My little gurril was still sitting up and
trimblin' and starin' hard at somethln' In
the dark. followed the coorse OF her eyes
and heaven bethune us an evil what d you
think / saw?"
"What?" asked Assistant District Attor-
ney Kinsey, with evident interest.
s.That Big Man In the Dock.
lust creepin' under my bed. Did holler? ?
Oh, no. | quietly took hold o the blanket,
never sayin' a word and my husband still
snorin', and I waited, scarcely breathin' ,
till the man got near enough to me, when
l whipped the blanket over his head and
held him there as noice as you place. An
ha. my ely, says
IHaye You Now In n Net"
Wild that he set up such a squirmin' and
strugglin' thought he would escape me;
He's a good six feet, as you can see; and
broad accordin,' an ne was like whale In
a herring net. But l held him in the
blanket with his head to the floor till my
husband, awakened oy the noise and the
schreamin' of my childer, jumped out OF
bed TO help me. / gave my husband the
blanket thin, and snatchil'
Up MY Youngest Baby,
eight months old, I ran to the window and
cried for help. The man and my husband
had it together. the man managed TO get
his head out O. the blanket and boltes for
the dure and nay husband after him: Ihe
thief slipped on the second or third step
and tumbled all the way to the bottom. l
saw an officer on the street. / called out to
him and he came in and arrested the thief:
A lot OF my buttons and spools OF thread
and other little things were found
In the Mans Pockets
and pair of my husbands pantal oons
were found at his feet. That's all, but |
don't want to do any more robber catchin'
while live, assure you"
Mrs. Francis story was corroBorated by
her husband and police officer.
Smith, who had all the while maintained
a stony stare, declared that he could not
speak:: English. Although he had entered
Plea OF Guilty,
he said through an interpreter that he was
a marine" and had got into Mr., Francis
house py mistake and had lain down to
sleep. He had entered, he said, Through
a window" He had pulled Mr.. Francis
trousers down with him from nail in the
wall, he declared, when he tumbled down
stairs. He could not account for the but
tons aid other things in his pocket, except
upon the theory that they had got there by
"a mistake" When the Judge told him
that bis explanation was too lame to be
accepted he broke into English that was
perhaps better than the interpreters. He
was sent 10 the Eastern Penitentiary for
two years.