Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-11
The Touch Of Nature
That Makes the World Akin
Strangely Illustrated.
MOTHER LOVE IN A BAD WOMAN.

Sophie Lyons. Thief and Disreputable,
sketched with Her ChiIdren-A World
Wide Bad Eminence Stil Leaves Her
the Affection Of Her Little Ones. Whom
She Hopes to Make Honest and Vir-
tuous-Her Experience Abroad.
DETROIT, Mich, April lO-Sophie Lyons,
the notorious thief, who is feared t.y many
prominent citizens of Detroit and the state,
has returned from a two years sojourn in
Europe. She is the daughter of a notOri-
GUS shoplfter named Elkins Elkin's fam
ily consisted OF Elkins, his wife, one son and
two daughters, all of whom were in differ
ent prisons at one time for various offenses
Sophie, 10y far the most interesting criminal
OF the family, was in prison for picking
pockets i'll the spring of 1859, when she was
about II years old. Sophie, who then was
known AS Sophie Levy, was arrested in this
city with Kate German, alias "Red Kate,
for pocket-p picking. As child thief Sophie
was perfect wonder She was frequently
arrested, but her victims failed to pros
ecute the child on account of her
tender years She has been in prison
in about every country in Europe, and is
one of the most notorious criminals ever
known aud one of the worst women Two
husbands that she took unto herself were
both thieves Her son died in state prison
and her legitimate husband is now in prison
In this country. She is clever woman, very
lady-lake of dark complexion, and has
slightly Hebraic features
rap at the door of her cottage on TWEEN
ty-third street was answered by bright lit
tie girl in a red dress and wearing a spring
hat decorated with fresh cut flowers want
to see mamma Come in, please" and the
visitor was she wn into a cozy stting-room.
The famous Sophie looked in the hest of
health as if she had really enjoyed her
thrilling exper ence with the Paris detectives.
She sail:
Delighted to see you, though. didn't
expect callers 70 soon. l ran over from Paris
10 see my children, who have been separated
from me for two years, and TO give my little
girl a kiss on her iith birthday, which wa
yesterday. Came over Oh the Umbria and
landed IN New Ork SUNDAY night. and didn't
have sven the pleasure of looking upon any OF
those astute New York detectives who made
me out such Il dangerous person to the Paris
police
Here the most accomplished female crook
IN the world turned aside to give some orders
to servant, which she did III the most cor
itct L f1tF CDHN6kndIlDn DdS
always been one of her greatest charms in
Turing her noneyed admirers, and it is now
tinged with a still more alluring French &C
cent
I've had some experience in my two years.
tour. Been in Jail, of course. I've remarka-
BILE faculty for getting there every time go
abroad I've an even more remarkable fac
ulty OF getting out every time. After, all
there is no place like home, not even the Jail
t..k. oixr
countries on bO-h sides of the Atlantic. The
prisons OF Paris are bad, but didn't object TO
go to a single one because l wanted to see
what they looked like. I've made the tour Of
Europe eight times. and haven't missed see
ing the inside of Il prison once. I've been In
every country in Europe this time except Tur-
key. l spent Sc Teral weeks in Vienna about
the time OF the archduke's death. Witnessed
the grand pagea Mt at the funerals of the two
German emperOrs; was present at u number of
grand fetes in Madrid, and saw everything
going on in Paris that was worth seeing. !
met Gen. Bouls niger and listened to his ad-
dresses in several cities of rance. / first saw
him at the Holel Normandie, where l live
when in Paris.
Just here Mrs. Lyons two beautiful chill
dren appeared--a boy and girl-and after
caressiug them she said:
I've had thirteen children. and these and
one more, who as entered convent, are all
luuI are ltIl I'd lnt- AN going TO take Inem
to France and send them to the best French
schools. ! will send Victor to the Corneille at
Petit College de Joyeuse, in Paris. 1t is a
branch of a LARGER college at ROusn. l want
Lottie to go there to complete her education
so that she will De able to grace the walks of
life from which her mother is excluded.
Let me introduce you to my LOttie.n Then
she put an arm around the neck of the little
girl in the rel dress and the lowered hat
"She is the best little girl in the world, and
she is as good her mother is bad; amt you,
Lottief'
She fondly returned the caresses and said
with childish Innocence: "Oh, no, mamma,
you amt bad, as people say you are
know you can't be- You're too good for
that" Then hsr boy, one year older than
the little girl, joined in the caresses. The
woman for whom prison bars have no ter
ror, showed an affection for her children
that was really touching. "One word about
the fashions for this season in Paris" said
she. "Flowers are all the rage for dscora-
tions, and gay ribbons and feathers are no
where seen in The dress of the leaders of
fashion. A remarkably pretty costume for
promenading is black lace dress worn over
old gold silk Flowers have taken the place
of ribbons for -ess trimmings"
Murdered by His Wife.