The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-22
a BURGLARS CONFESSION.
Nila Laraoee Tells the Story OF Her
Life.
Copyright 1887


Copyright 1897
NEW YORK, July Colt was a prettv
nsure tnat came forward to where sat in
one ONCE Of the Kings county prison. il
spite Oh the hideous striped dress aud the
ofef-suAdowlng hood that almost HID the
race and wonderful face it was for one
10 10 meet IN prison. Ruddy-cheeked and
oluS-eyeu' with profile that might have
inaue nodei's fortune; hair that crept cut
IN stray, reoelllous, curling locks of auburn
iIoih eneal h the CAP, and which she tucked
INTO place IN girlish way with a shapely
mana which would have been pretty but
lor the cheap rings on her fingers. Even
JUG prison dress fitted gracefully and as she
came through the hall l observed that she
dld not walk with the painful shamble
common to criminals. The long, 1.-THE body
inoFe1 with an easy dignity, aud there was
playful scorn about the lips that bespoke
Ihe Possession of spirit and passion
ms anomalous 20-year-old bit of femiH-
Ihl.y, VINO has often turned mems heads in
more senses than one, was Helen Edgarly.
dLlds EI3 Larabee, tn" Queen of the Cracks
men ana the only female burglar in Amer
lea. From her own lips gathered the
romantic story of her life, and the cause
mat led her to adopt the profession of
housebreaker.
seating herself by my side, she pu led off
her hood and began her recital in a voice
mat at first showed a trace of nervousness.
DuI reserve was brushed aside when she
t0id exultautly of her more remarkable ex-
PLOTS. & ming from the lips Of a Young
and beautiful girl, it was a tale almost
passing belief and which would hardly
De credited, were it not in some D lrts at
least b1rne ont by the official rec Jrds of
her daring crimes
have no recollection of my parents"
she began. ''When mere child | was in
the Keeping of man VINO was not nv
Iatner and whose name l took, passing as
ms daugh er. That is the name by which
nave been known to the police.
Il well remember my first Job. Twas
only IA when began stealing from houses.
mad no fear but lots of caution, and was
clever at making guess which has helped
me out OF many hole. ! had the house in
my eye for weeks before got the caance to
work IT. One night l was ready. l
watched that house for hours, till all the
nights were out. Then l watched the DO
Aceman on post, but soon made I'D my
nina That l had nothing to fear from that
direction. My story of explanation was
all ready on the tip of my tongue, to tell
should l be caught; they would believe it
from young girl like me. Silently | creot
TO the basement and with table knife
sllnred @ vi dow catch Another mo
ment and was inside. Not a sound heard.
SO l crepU upstairs to the second floor, first
taking the precaution to unlock the base
ment door for exit after work was done.
OpS.dlrs l searched and searched; it seemed
like hours. At last found what wanted.
with money and jewelry l crept down
stairs, Oh, so softly! my heart beating with
exclteme t and yet not afraid. | reached
the basement, shut the door quietly and an
instant later was out in the street. There
was no policeman in sight.
Il was burglarl
The dream of years had been accom-
pllshed. L stood there with the plumber in
my hands and all the exploits of which
had heard so often seemed to vanish by
comparison with mine. Yet | had en-
countered no danger. / had not eve been
molested Was this because | was woman ?
had pretty face that was to be my for
tune then, even as bu glar, aad resolved
to make it worth the having.
The money AID jeweTy? Oh, it went
Ike all the other swag | got my hands on.
all my plumber has been blown in as
quickly as it came. We had merry time
While IL lasted; drinking and carousing,
ana taxing our pleasure in our own way
never learned to drink heavily, but any
one Of our friends could have all the liquor
wanted while the money held out. The
silver and other jewelry went the same way i;
1t was sold and the money wasted
"On my nexI job was elegantly fixed.
1t was several months afterward. | had a
tool made for opening / asement windows
and l took a good deal of pride in the fact
that my instrument could spring the So
called Durglar-proof catches as easily as the
old-fashioned catches. 1t was my own in
vention and | practiced with it on the
windows OF our own house till was sure of
its being perfect.
ut was simple thing, made of hardened
steel with wedge-like point to work in
between the saShes and force the catch. I
could even lock the sash again with it.
selected house in quiet neignborhood
and had not long to wait. The tool worked
like charm. Stepping in at the basement
"ludoW, L opened UIe front base nenG door
as before. Then up stairs l went. door
that L pushed open creaked little | en-
tered, after listening for sound and hear
ing nothing. There was CLEAN of moon
light coming through the shutter of the
front window, and it fell on something 10.
on chair that made me start 1t was the
shining barrel of pistol Well you may
Imagine my whole object was now to get
that pistol. | crept no to the chair and
stood beside bed where a man lay asleep.
took the weapon and slipped out of the
room TO Une bathroom where LETT 1t. Then
went back again aud got what I wanted.
1t hardly paid for the trouble but l had
scored another point and, as on my first
venture, l came off safely. I was never
suspected of either of these robberies
Il was now 10 fool III 'housework.' Nv
third venture was lucky and yet an un-
lucky one. l entered lady's room while
she was asleep and got some jewelry and
money. Success had made me careless. |
wore the jewelry when l went to Coney
Island, some time later and was arrested
there with it on me. Of course 1 protested
that l got it from somebody else, tut the
police, although they were mystlfied about
me, principally on account of my YOUTH I
suppose, would not let me go. There was
ring which they were resolved to get back
for the lady at all hazards, 50 they brou hit
me to the house where lived and began to
search. My trunk was brought down stairs
and was in dilemma, knowing that the
ring was hidden there.
Now said one of the detectives, you
had better give up that ring, and it'll be
lighter for you
II protested, while | was turning my