The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-27
she CLORIES IN CRIME.
Pretty Sophie Lyons, The Queen Of
Female Thieves.
Warned Out OF St. Louis-The Woman
Would Rather Steal Than Be Honest
She Comes From E BED Family. ana Is
wealthy.

St LOUIS. Mo- Jan. m-Scpl1s Lyons
the queen Of American criminals" was
arrested = week ago in this CITY az the
Planter house. but b, game thar was a.
once bold and adroit. she ESCAPED punish
ment. and has disappeared again. This
very extraordinary criminal has operated
IN nearly every part OF the civilized
world. and she has been az one time and
another in every big PRISON of Europe ana
America. The qusen" IS known 10 the
police of very capital of Europe. and
the fact that she IS az large IS a source
of constant disturbance to the criminal
officials Of this country
Sophie Lyons is criminal by hered.t It's.
Tracing her ancestry back for two or more
generations. she finds leading thieves and
criminals on both sides fin whose deeds
OF daring she takes as much pride as
might any aristocratic dame IN the chival-
ric achievements Of her ancestors. She
boasts that her grandfather. who had
lived in London, was "a cracksman 10
whom Scotland Yard took of its cap
For years she glor.ed in the audacious
robberies of her husband. Ned Lyons,
who stole millions from the bank vaults
of this country and furnished her with
wealth to supply the requirements Of
taste that was at once cultivated and
extravagant. But when gunshot wounds
and sickness impaired his usefulness in
crookdom she left him for a. burglar who
gave promise of even more brilliant
achievements.
~
night to leave the city. and was assessed
$500 for appearing here.
Judge Morrison had Sophie before him.
She took both the, fine and the hours with
her wonted equinimity. and smilingly
promised not to forget to absent herself
from this inhospitable community within
the time prescribed by his honor whom
she thanked effusively for his gentle con-
sideraton.
When brought into court there was pres
ent representative of the Merrod-Jaccard
Jewelry Company. from whose store the
diamonds were stolen. This gentleman iden
titled her as the woman to whom the
diamonds had been shown. Thereupon
Sophie Lyons stepped up to her accuser
and, lifting the veil which she always
wears, said:
Take a good look at my face. young
man, and be sure you are right before
you accuse me wrongfully."
The clerk trembled, but looked again,
and said: Yes, you are the woman !
saw in the store on Christmas eve"
Thereupon Sophies eyes flashed and,
turning on her heel, she said: Get away
from me! l don't want you near me at
all! Do not speak to me-"
To the chief of police she emphatically
denied that she had been in ST. Louis on
the day in question.
Sophie Lyons" said she. lis hard
ened criminal, and too smart TO be caught
like this. Had ! any connection whatever
with the theft ] would not turn up again
here in ST. Louis to be caught. Moreover
had l come here TO 90 Anything crooked.
is it plausible that ] would go to one of
the largest hotels In the city. where 1
certainly would be recognized2 1 have not
been in st. Louis for years until two days
ago."
So successful were her denials that the
criminal authorities, although convinced
of her guilt, released her upon her prom
Use to leave town forthwith. officers con-
Quoted her to the train.
When Sophie Lyons was arrested the
police found her surrounded by many
evidences Of luxury. She is conversant
with the classics of English literature,
and the masterpieces of French fiction
are to her familiar. She speaks four Ian
guages fuently. To a reporter who saw
her in the lookup, she talked easily of
@~tAAANa
of acquaintance she claimed with Victor
Hugo, George Sands and Guy de Maupas-
SAINT. She spoke of the new things in art
and music, and was frank in discussing
some of the phases Of her criminal ca
reer.
They say I worked the nobility Of
Paris for 100000, said this remarkable
woman, but what does that amount TO,
pray? The expensive family I've got
and my own expenses would eat that up
rapidly. They say I'm immensely wealthy
now. but I'm not. Probably I'm indie
pendent-in fact, know I am"
In 1856 Ned Lyons. the noted bank
thief and burglar. who had returned from
a tour of the country to New York met
Sophie Levy. She was a slender. bright
eyed slip Of girl, chaperoned in the cir
cles in which she moved by the notorious
Nine. Mandelbaum. the very queen of
fences" Her mother Ann Levy. was at
that time serving a four years sentence
in Sing Sing (the last of severaD for shop
lifting All of her associates recalled with
admiration the experiences as a house
breaker Of her father. Sam Levy
Ned Lyons had but to meet this proud
patrician TO fall a victim to her charms.
and they were married.
Lyons helped to rob the Ocean bank. Of
New ork city. He was a member Of the
notorious gang of which Jimmy Hope
was the chief. After the Ocean bank rob
berry Lyons retired TO his Long Island
home, and was living quietly vet luxu-
riously upon his share of the robbery The
boy George was born at this time Mrs
Lyons seem to fret under the success Of
her husband.
In vain did the devoted husband urge
that he was not only able but willing TO
steal enough for two. Her professional
pride was aroused. and she continued her
depredations with eyer-increasing bold
ness. The outcome was inevitable When
her baby was six months old she was
caught redhanded in the theft Of a lot
OF lace in the store of Koch & Co
BY the lavish use Of money Lyons kept
his wife out of state prison, and she was
sentenced to six months on the island
Early in 1870, while she was still prs-
oner, Lyons. in connection with Jimmy
Hope George Bliss and Ira Kinsland,
took a trip to Waterford. y. Y. and
cracking the bank with neatness and
dispatch, got away with $4,000 Lyons
Kinsland and Bliss were captured and
sent to Sing Sing for seven years each
Hope was taken in Wyoming county and
sent to Auburn. from which stronghold
he promptly ESCAPED" In those days
only criminals Of the high standing of