The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-07
BITTEN BY A"WITCH"
Maohinist Wallace Caught the Old
Woman Robbing Him.
She Fought Like q Tisress with
Him and a Policeman.
Superstitious Victims Never Dared
Prosecute Her.

Policeman Edward Heating, OF the
East Twenty-second street station, pro-
ducel n gray-haired and ehaboiiy
dressed woman at the Yorkvllle Police
Court this morning, who has the repu-
tatlon OF helms witch. She says she
Is Mrs. Lizzie Fitzgerald. a widow. forty
eight years old, ana lives at 2@ East
Eleventh street.
According to the policeman the woman
is feared by people living on the east
side. She robs them and escapes prose-
cutlon through their fear Of her curse.
Two months ago she was caught in
the rooms OF Mrs. Mccarthy, In East
sixteenth street. by Policeman Conroy.
At tho police station she turned upon
tho woman whom she had attempted to
rob. and who had followed to make a
complaint, and made her quake With
fear by uttering the threat, odd Lizzie
will send curse home to you for this"
Mrs. Mccarthy at once promised not
to press the charge and ran out OF the
station-house. Lizzie was detained for
the night. but had to be discharged the
following morning In court. as no one
appeared to prosecute her.
At o'clock last evening Michael Wal
lace. seventy-nvs years old, = retired
machinist, living on the second floor Of
an apartment house at $50 East Twenty
first street, heard some one rummaGing
In the adjoining room at the time. He
Is a slender. nervous and weak old man,
but does not know what fear IL.
the bedroom, he behe.d the alleged witch
in the act OF secretins one Of his coats
and pair OF trousers underneath her
skirt. LiIzie on catching sight of the
threatening to bring a curse 70. him
and his family. The old man did not
believe In her curses. and sprang to-
w.-is her shouting for helm.
of her than she landed a blow on his
left eye. and before he could recover
himself sht seized his right hand be-
tween her teeth and bit him severely.
neighbors hocking into the room. The
wenlan then released her hold.
and K Ss a4r..s rTysa Ell. .h ns
ordered the old man to go to the
station-house to make complaint.
Some OF the supsrstitious neighbors
telling him that he would be accursed.
Wallace told them he was not afraid OF
her curses, but that he feared her hands
ana teeth.
He went to the East Twenty-second
street police station, where he lodged
his complaint of larceny against Lizzie.
As this precinct Is without n matron.
Lizzie had to be transferred to the East
Thirty-fifth street strtion. While the
Sergeant was taking her pedigree Liz
zies temper began TO rise. When Keat-
ing told her to come with him to the
other station-house she swore that he
would not get her there alive.
She then spranE nj Keating and tried
TO claw his face with her nails. Another
policeman was summoned and II required
the united strength OF the two officer:
10 get the woman to the East Thirty
hfth street station. She had to be car
ried there In a hand cart. One office,
had 10 hold her down. while the Other
wheeled her along. followed by an Inn
menso crowd OF men, women and chill.
dren.
This morning she agreed TO 20 alcn Q
pea ceahiy. ard was taken to the Court.
House In u horse car. Wallace went to
court. but he was not very nuch inclined
To make u complaint. lie did so, how.
ever, AT the demand OF Justice McMahon,
who then held the woman for trial IN the
Court Of Special Sessions. The Judge
after the case was closed told Wallace
that he had heard or the influence the
prisoner had over people she had vic
tImized, and said X must stop.