St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-01
INFANT CRIMINALS.
Little Children Who Are Experts
as BURGLARS.


Sarah Mann, aged ten years, is rosy
checked burglar, thief and forger, whose
large, dark eyes and heavy black han
made her curiosity to visitors at the
| Hackensack Jail, says the New York
Sun. Many persons have gone to the
| prison during the last week to see this
| infant criminal.
AS related briefly in the Sun Of Feb.
Is, Sarah and her supposed cousin Ar
thur were arrested at New Milford, on
the New Jersey IL New York railroad,
for stealing from the stations at New
Milford, River Edge, Etna and OraGell.
Subsequent investigations by Detective
ID. A. Bloomer tend to prove beyond a
doubt that she has displayed wisdom
beyond her years, aud simply remarka-
BILE nerve.
Detective Bloomer and Superinten-
dent Drake, of the railroad, at first
doubted the child's story when she said
that she gained access to the ticket office
in the River Edge station by pushing
back the dead-latch bolt with poker.
but when they took Sarah to the station
she reformed the feat in less than half
minute. For the sake of econ
omy in fuel an iron barred opening is
Office and the waiting room. Through
this opening the heat passes. and by
taking the poker from the waiting room
stove Sarah was able to effect an en-
trance and gain access to the money
drawer.
This she admits having done fire.
quently, watching for opportunities
when Agent William Blauyelt was alb
sent. She generally took only small
amounts in change; but,tw days before
apprehension, while the agent was at
HOldrum's store, about 100 yards away.
she secured So, and escaped undetected.
The smaller sums had caused the agent
to imagine that he was careless in max
ing change, but when the greater
amount disappeared he notified Detect
i've BlOOmer.
After her arrest Sarah admitted that
she and Arthur had broken into the
other stations and occasionally had
time. At Oradell the door was forced
and one of the ticket Office windows
broken, but here, as Sarah naively
put it, they "had a lot of trouble
and didn't git nothing" Many
recent thefts in the villages named
are credited now to Sarah and Ar
thur. The girl is modest and shy in
prison, and was with difficulty persuaded
to stand for her picture. But she is an
exceedingly bright and quick-witted
child, and has shown great frankneSs
and simplicity IN detailing her crimes.
Besides her record of breaking,
entering and stealing, Sarah has
also short history as forger, although
her ignorance of the use of letters cause
her to commit this crime by proxy. She
used for the purpose an order upon
William VeldrOn, owner OF the mill at
Orandell, for $3.50 due her Estepfather,
Spencer Mann, who had failed to draw
all his earnings before they were due.
Sarah induced a pupil in the public
school to write the order, and then she
treated to candy with part of the pro-
boy appears to have played the second
part, acting as Waterman, while the girl
did the planning and execution.
These two infant criminals lived in
1.-THE Beehive" large frame building
near the east bank of the Hackensack
river and east of the Hackensack Water
company's large pumping station. The
building was originally the mansion
of the Arcularius family, and
old people recall that it was once
painted red. 1t now belongs to an in
surance company, is IN tumble-doWn
coDdition. and is looked upon by resi-
dents in surrounding villages as a nest
of criminals, although Detective
Bloomer says that nothing has ever
been proved against the inmates.
Sheriff Haring has the two children
confined in the female ward of the
Hackensack Jail, where there are no
other prisoners. AT night he locks
them in separate cells, which is very
distasteful to Sarah, who chafes under
confinement. On two occasions she has
attempted to prevent the locking of the
cell door, once by filling the bolt slot
with pieces of cigar box, and once
by sticking bits of the same material in
the lock.
Detective Bloomer has been gathering
evidence against the children for several
days, and he will make application to
Judge Van Talen to have them sent to
the state reform school at Jamesburg.