Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-04
A WAY TO GET HATS
And Other Finery, That Lands a Tall
Young Woman in the Lookup.
JUST OUT OF THE WORKHOUSE,
Annie Conaway Makes Desperate Attempt
to Get Back Again.
SOME SLICK SCHEMES SHE WORKS

Detective John Glenn was sauntering
across the Sixth street bridge yesterday af-
ternoon, when he observed tall young
woman with very handsome hat coming
toward him. He suddenly remembered the
tall young woman, and, after another look
at the hat, politely requested the wearer to
accompany him to tine Allegheny Central
station, to which urbsDe invitation she
yielded fearful assent.
The tall young woman was Annie Con-
away. alias Mcdonald, one of the slickest
crooks in the shoplifting line in either city,
and the headgear was, three weeks since. the
property of Mrs. Moose, fashionable milli-
ner of Federal street. The Conaway young
woman went into Mrs. Moose's shop and
represented that Mrs. Mcdonald, of West
ern avenue, had requested her to bring home
q hat for approval. Mrs. Moose was de-
ceived by the easy assurance of Annie and
intrusted an S8 80 spring hat to her. The
hat must have met with approval for il was
not returned. Mrs. Moose sent a bill to
MRS. Mcdonald, but the messenger failed
to find any such person. Then Mrs. Moose
placed the case in Detective Glenn's hands
and gave descriptions of the girl and the
stolen property. The arrest followed.
THE GIRL coNFEssEs.
Mrs. Moose was summoned and identified
the hat, but said that its wearer had substi-
tuted white flowers for purple, and had
otherwise tried to conceal the theft by
juggling with the art implied In the original
article. The girl then admitted the theft,
and was held for trial. Then Detective
Glenn remembered that Jeweler Chessman,
of Federal street, was mourning the loss Of
a pair of eyeglasses which had been taken
by an elongated damsel for inspection by
Mrs. Ross" of Lincoln avenue. Annie
was also taxed with this peculation, and
finally confessed. She was well-dressed,
and wore protusion OF jewelry, which is
supposed to have been drawn from con6ding
tradesmen.
Annie Conaway belongs to a decent, hard
working family. but has not been home for
three weeks. Her career has been very
checkered. She has only been out OF the
workhouse four months, where she served
two terms one of six months and the other
of eight months. The sentences were for
stealing watches.
FoNDNEss FOR JEwELRY.
The woman went into the Smithtield street
store of Henry Terheyden and talked him
out of a gold watch, which she Immediately
pawned at Wylie avenue "spouter's." "
The next day she secured handsome gold
watch from the Pennsylvania avenue jewel
er Vilsach. She said she wanted to show it
to neIghbor, but, as she was wearing the
watch when arrested, it is fair to presume
that the neighbor was mythical person.
There was lively trial at court, and the
mother of the prisoner tainted and caused
sensation. Both jewelers. were unable to
explain just how an absolute stranger mad
so secured their confidence as to get a Valu-
able watch, but concurred in the belief that
it was her lingual ability that enabled her
to cheek it through. A dozen other charges
could have been sustained by as many trades
men at the time of her trial.
Chief Murphy has had very many COM
plants from tradesmen who have been finn
fammed by tall young women. and he
thinks Annie is an exceedingly dangerous
sneak thief and conidencer.