Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-04
ROBBED BY A CHILD.
Over $4,000 Systematically Stolen by
Little Maggie Burk,
WHO TORE $40 BILLSUP WHENMAD.
A Remar kable Story of Juvenile Thief
and Her Purchases.
A DETECTIVES ELECTRIC BELL DEVICE

Maggie Burk, 1o-year-olQ girl, was 1aSt
night held in 81, 900 bail for court, by AL
derman Cassidy, on charge of larceny.
The amount she is accused of stealing is be-
tween s., 600 and 81, 700. Last fall John E.
Windle, proprietor of the Windle House at
No. S07 Beaver avenue, Allegheny, began
missing small sums of money. From $40 to
$40 disappeared frem the house at various
times in mysterious manner. The climax
was reached when, on November 2. 81 800
was taken at one time. The money was
taken from Mrs. Windle's room, and there
was no clew as to how it disappeared.
Mr.. Windle was unable to find any trace
of the money, and finally placed the case In
the hands of Detective Perkins. The result
was that several days ago an information
was lodged against Maggie Burk, the 49,
year-old daughter of Michael Burk, an en-
ploye in the locomotive works.
The child was arrested and held in bail
for hearing last evening. At the appoint
ed time the witnesses and principals were
present, but it was decided to waive hear
ing and give bail for court. The bail was
given, in the sum of $1,000, by Mr.. Burk,
the father of the child.
THEY KEPT IT QUIET.
All the parties connected with the case
were extremely reticent and refused to give
any information. 1t was intimated that
there is long story connected with the
matter; but no one would talk about it or
say anything concerning how the money
came to be stolen. It was hinted, however,
that there were others connected with the
case, and more arrests would follow. No
other informations have as yet been made.
The manner in which the child was cap
tured for the thefts was through con-
trivance of Detective Perkins. After he
had been put to work on the case an electric
bell was placed on the drawer of the bureau
in which the money was kept. Perkins
then stationed himself to listen for the
signal when the drawer would be opened.
A few days ago when he was in the bar
rushing up stairs, found the little girl. She
was standing in front of the bureau, and
when questioned handed over So, which had
evidently been taken from the drawer. She
was at once placed in custody.
The child was play mate of the children
of Windle md had the free run of the house.
None of the money stolen before was re-
covered, and the chill denied all knowledge
of it.
AN OFFICERS STORY OF IT.
All the population along Beaver avenue
was excited last night on account of this ar
rest of Maggie Burk. Detective Perkins,
when called upon and asked to give DIS
PATCH reporter some OF the details of the
case, refused to say anything, for pro-
fessional reasons; but, from an officer,
great number of the facts were obtained,
nevertheless, as follows:
Little Maggie is bright girl, and as
sharp as steel trap; but the way she has
been parading among her schoolfellows and
the children on the street proved her to be
little bit too careless to escape suspicion.
There are 80 witnesses In the case, who will
testify to the manner in which the child has
been displaying her wealth. Storekeepers
tell OF the way in which she came to them
with S. bills, $40 bills, $40 bills, and even
$50 bills, asking for change or buying candy
and similar knicknacks.
"At her home she gave parties, and the
guests were treated in right royal stvIe.
Cakes and sweetmeats of ali kinds were |
never too dear or delicate for her purse. |
Sometimes she would take a number of her |
friends to the theater and pay the expenses
for all of them. She bought aprons and |
other presents for her favorites, and the |
children at school were astonished at the |
amount of money the little girl had.
SHE TORE UP TEN.
"Once, when Maggie had been naughty |
child, the teacher at the school put her on |
the platform. In doing so she took hold of |
H. Il - fr,A Aha
was pulled out.
"This display of money seemed so re-
to the children at school that
some of them went to her mother and told |
her of the fact:
"'You mean to insinuate that Maggie
stole any money?' she asked. IF any one
iares to do such thing will have you all
arrested
''The thefts are all very remarkable, and
it throws great credit upon the girls sharp
ness that she has not been caught long before
this. The saloon keeper has an idea that
be must have lost over $1,000. He lost
B, 500 about the first of November and
little Maggie is also suspected of having
stolen that amount. But previous to that
small children's savings bank was found in
he back yard of the Windel's residence.
Maggie came in one dav and said: Your
,avings bank lies out therep She never
picked it up and brought it in, and nothing
vas thought of it. But Sam Kewsen, q
torekeeper on Beaver avenue, says that
Maggie's mother came to him soon after the
oss of this box and
PAID HIM A BILL
# 81. 80 all in silver 5-cent pieces. The fact
hat the savings bank of Windel contained
.lmost exclusively Scent pieces, led again
o the suspicion of Maggie.
1.-The peculiar part of the business is that
he parents seem to have been entirely in
he dark of their daughters doings, because
me would suppose that they had interfered.
haggie's father owns a small piece of
property in the lower part of Allegheny,
'ut he has not done much work during the
asst year.
"When the girl was caught she admitted
hat she had intended to steal the So, be-
ause, as she said, her parents were SO badly
n want that she thought the money would
e great help to them. She also admitted
hat she had taken money on previous oc-
asions, and paid bills with it at several
torres.
"Once Maggie treated lot of her play
,ates to soda water, and when the girls
sked her where she got the money, she
aid: 'Oh, that is all right; have boxes of
ollar bills at home. %
The investigation in the case is still going
n, and several more arrests will be made in
ne case.