The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-07-21
LETTER FROM GOTHAM
A WOMAN WITH 4 PRETTY FACE.
The Asory OF Her Life graphically
IoId-uer SECOND Term I'm Prison
The Oners or Marriage which
ahe Received.
Especial Correspondence Of the Times

dress and the cvershadowing hood that
almost hid the face. and wonderful
face il was for one 10 meet in a prison
Ruddy-cheeked aud blue-syed, with
profile that might have made a model =
fortune; hair that crept out In stray
rebelious, curling locks OF auburn
from beneath the cap. and which she
tucked into place in girlish way win
"A shapely hand which would have been
pretty but for the cheap rings on her
fingers. Even the prison dress htted
gracefully, and an she came through the
hall / observed that che dad not Walk
with the painful shamble common 10
criminals. The long. 1.-the body moved
with an easy dignity, and there was
a playful sc0rn about the lips that be-
spoke the possession Of spirit and pas
sion.
This anomalous twenty year-oid DIT
Of femininity. who has often turned
men = heads IN more senses than one
was Helen Edgorly. dl,Gs Ella larrabee'
the Queen Of the Cracksmen. " and the
only female burglar in America. FROM
her own lips l gathered the romantic
story OF her life and the cause that led
her to adopt the profession OF house
breaker.
Seating herself by my side. she pulled
OF her hood and began her recital IN a
voice that at first showed a trace OF
nervousness. But reserve was brushed
aside when she told, exultantly. OF her
more remarkable exploits. Coming
from the lips of young and beautiful
girl. it was tale almost passing Deiisl
and which would hardly be credited,
were It not. IN some partc AT least
borne out by the official records OF her
daring crimes.
Il well remember my fret job. l
was only fourteen when began steal
ing from houses. | had no fear, Out
lots Of caution. and / was clever at
making guess. which has helped me
out Of many hole. ! had the house
In my eye before got the chance to
work it. One night / was ready. /
watched that house for hours. I'LL al
the lights were out. Then / watched
the policeman on foot, but soon made
up nv mind l had nothing TO fear
from that direction. Ny story OF ex-
plsnation was already on the tip Of my
tongue. 20 tell should | be caught
they would believe it from young
Girl like me. Silently | crept to the
basement. and with table knife slip
ned the window catch. Another mo-
mcnt and was inside. Not sound ]
heard. so crept upstairs TO the second
floor. first taking the precautiOn 10 IN
lock the basement door for exit after
the work was done. Upstairs | search
I'd and searched; it seemed like hours.
At last | found what l wanted.
crept downstairs. oh, so softly my
heart beating with excitement, and yet
not afraid. / reached the basement
shut the door quickly, and an instant
later was out on the street. There was
no policeman in sight.
Il was a burglar
"The dream of years had been accom-
plished. stood there with the plumber
I'M nv hands. and all the exploits OF
which | bad heard SO often seemed T.
vanish by comparison with mine. Yet
| had encountered no danger. had
not been molested. Was this because
was a woman l mad a pretty face
that was To be my fortune, then. even
as burglar, and | resolved TO make II
worth the lhNlub.
ION my next job | was elegantly
fixed. Ii was several months after
ward. had a tool made for openin.
basement windows, and | TOOK good
deal of pride in the fact that my IN
strument could spring the so-called
burglar proof catches as easily as the
old fashioned catches. Ii was my Ow
invention, and practiced with 1t on the
windows OF our house till l was sure OIL
it being perfect.
" 1t was simple thing, made on
hardened steel. with wedge-like point
to work in between the sashes and force
the catch. could even lock the sash
again with il. | selected a house In a
quiet neighborhood, and had not long
To wait. The tool worked like a charm.
Stepping in at the basement window,
opened the front basement door az De-
fore. Then up stairs | went A door
that | pushed Op~Red creaked little.
| entered after listening for sound
and hearing nothing. There was a
CLEAN of moonlight coming through
the shutter of the front window. and II
fell Oh something upon char that
made me start. IL was the shining
barrel Of pistol Well. you may
imagine my whole object was now to
vet that pistol. | crept up to the char
and stood beside bed where a man lay
asleep. took the weapon and slipped
ont OF the room To the bathroom, where
I left it. Then | went back again and
got what wanted. II hardly paid Tor
the trouble. but l had scored another
point. and. as on my first ven
lure. came of safely. l was never
suspected Of either of these robberles.
II was now no fool in homework.
Nv third venture was a lucky and yet
an unluckv one. entered lady t
room while she was asleep and got
some iewelry and money. Success had
made me careless | wore the Jewelry
when | went to Coney Island, some
time later. and | was arrested there
with il on me. OF course l protested
chat cot it from somebody else, but
the police. although they were mysti-
fed about me, principally on account OF
INV youth | suppose, would not let
re 90.
The biggest haul ] ever made was
from stingy, rich old fellow who
could well SlOiu II. plpcu vi 'hV
house for weeks before l finally went
IN. got $500 in cold cash, done mp in
a handkerchief, aud came away with
out looking for more, and without
oven disturbing his dreams. We lived
in clover for while, tell YOU There
was lots of drink all round and pleasur-
ing. aud had several new dresses out
OF il.
Il suppose have gone into forty
houses. altogether, and was never once
caught al II when | worked alone
There is no particular hour for work Of
this sort: just take the Lour that suits
me best. after having studied the house
and the folks in il.
Il never carrieda lanternor anything
OF that sort-no woman ever would. /
think. carry matches though. My
little picklatch is the only tool l ever
used. have entered houses several
times and come away again withs
out touching anything. The PEG
ple were 50 poor l had not
the heart to rob them. would
shut the windows so quietly and step
so softly they never would be disturbed.
Burglars don't have much TO fear
\ a