Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-01
BRANDED CRIMINALS.
on "oman's Back Identified
Her as an AdYenfuress

q al
Her as an Adventuress
From the New York World,
The arrest in this city a fau, dave no..
VI d young woman whose back bore the
marks of the three-lashed Spanish whin
and whose left ear had been "shorte,a,i,
by the eXecutioner's knife, bears evidence
to the fact that barbarous Treatment of
CRIMINALS is still practiced in the South
American as well as in some turoncan
countries.
Louise Johnson, alias Little Lon ="
whom the police call the cleverest conf
dence woman in the country was arrested
recently on the charge of shoplifting. The
police seldom have difficulty in apprehend-
ing her, for the missing ear is a tell-tale
mark
IN THIS respect the womans case is SINH
lar TO those of score of other crooks who
have felt foreign prison tortures and have
been released. marked for life.
Inc case of the Johnson woman is re-
garded by Capt. McClusky, chief of detec-
tlves, as probably one of the most remark
able IN ITS extreme cruelty that has ever
come under his observation
The wife of big Tom Rieelow the
English bank robber, young educated and
peautlful, she was arrested in Brazil less
IMAM hVe years ago, charged with robbing
spanish countess of several thousand
typical South American trial, was sem
fenced to receive forty lashes on the bare
back and to have her left ear cut off
forty lashes usually means death to
woman, but this did not alone satisfy Bra
lillian justice That the woman survived
her punishment is remarkable but as a
criminal she is no longer success, for
thoueh she wears her hair plastered down
over the spot where the knife passed she
cannot hide the Disagreement.
some months ago a well-dressed Italian
was arrested 10y detectives, who regarded
his actions in the banking district as slis-
p1clouS He was questioned at police head
quarters, but protested his innocence of
criminal intent. He was about to be re-
leased when one of the detectives observed
an ugly scar on the mans forehead. On
examination it proved to be a brand the
letter IT" Questioned, the man confessed
that he had been released from a Seryian
prison, where he had been branded as
thief. Several instances are on record at
headquarters where prisoners have been
proved international criminals by the
marks of the knout and whip upon their
bodies.
A remarkable case was that of Aban Sas-
sen, Bulgarian, recently captured in
Boston. SaSsen had committed some no.
Eucal offense in his own country, and the
law demanded that his nose be slit. Sas-
sen was wanted in several cities, among
them Chicago, on charges of sWindlinfy
ana, though skilled surgeon had long he
fore sewed up the disfigured nose, the scar
from the tip to the forehead was too plain-
ly visible to be overlooked
At the barge office are stationed govern
nnent detectives whose duty it is to prevent
foreign criminals from entering the coun-
try. Here the fndelible marks of the iron
and whip often make detection certain
Frequently these poor unfortunates beg
Tor admission, saying that marked for
ever they cannot live longer among their
own people. and they have come to Ameri-
ca to hide among strangers Many were
convicted OF political offenses and these
are generally admitted
Yes" we frequently come across poor
Fellow who has been compelled to carry
the marks of cruel punishment to his
grave, said Capt. McClusky "A marked
criminal, like dead Indian, is almost GER
tain to be good crook, for he has but
small chance of getting away"