The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-09
STAGE TO WORKHOUSE
MISS LILLIAN M. KNOTT SERVING
FORTY DAYS IN THE MINNIE
APOLIS INSTITUTION
ACCUSED OF PETTY LARCENY

Convicted on CircumstantiaI Evil
dence, but StOutIy Denies That
She Is a Thief-Was at One Time
Leading Soprano in the Duff
Opera Company and Later Was
With COrinne.
The woman's ward at the Minneapolis
workhouse this week has rather an I'M
usual prisoner in the person of Lillian M
Knott Mrs. Joseph Barnett), at che time
Camille D'Arville's understudy in Made
line or the Magic Kiss" and who later
sang leading roles with Corinne and the
Duff Opera companies. She was sent to
the workhouse the other day to serve
fnriy-day sentence upon complaint of
Minnie Steele, colored woman, who was
also sent up for sixty days the same day
on an old commitment, and who claimed
that Lillian had stolen her jacket.
Miss Knott's parents reside at Terre
Haute, Ind, where her father is manager
of the Wabash Iron works. At the Mil
vaukee ticket office ticket home awaits
her, which was forwarded to her by her
father and which arrived the day she was
though on the verge of collapse following
recent attack of typhoid fever, she
worked at the wash tub with the other
female prisoners at the workhouse.
Miss Knott states that she was born in
Marietta, O., and loved singing from the
time she was a child in short dresses.
She obtained the best vocal instruction
to be had and for six years was a student
at the Cincinnati Musical college, receiv-
ing her final instruction in a Boston vocal
school, and making her stage debut with
the Duff Opera company. After that she
was understudy for DArville for two
years, and then was with Corinne's COM
pany.
After that she went out as leading
lady with Joe FIynn's "McGinty the
Sport" and married Joseph Barnett
musical director of the company. Subse-
quently she sang in Twin City variety
theaters to secure money enough to take
her home Her husband deserted her.
and later she was attacked with typhoid
fever and after her recovery and another
attempt to earn living she wrote to her
father who promptly forwarded her
money and a ticket home, which she can
not get until the terrible forty days are
up.
Miss Knott denies that she stole Minnie
Steele's cloak. She says she had scarcely
clothing enough to keep her warm, and
was walking along the avenue from the
Milwaukee depot, when she met colored
man whom she had known as an attache
of a theater. He invited her to come to
his house to get warm. She told the
colored woman her story, and when she
started for the ticket Office again to see
If a reply had been received from her
father, one of the colored women offered
her the use of the jacket, which she glad
ly accepted. Then she was arrested on
the street for stealing the cloak.
There are several musicians and sing
ers, now residing in Minneapolis and ST.
Paul, who knew Miss Knott and sang
with her in the various companies with
which she was connected. They were I'M
aware of her predicament and are now
seeking to have her released from the
workhouse and sent homo to her father.
All say she vas a singer OF merit and had
a brilliant future. Judge Holt, who SEN
fenced her to the workhouse, Will be
asked to assist in securing her release.
A dispatch from Terre Haute, Ind, last
night says: Miss Lillian Knott the op-
cratic singer, who was arrested in Min
neapolts and sent to the workhouse on
the charge of larceny was born and
brought up in this city. She was educat-
ed here, and was a graduate Of the Gin
| cinnati Conservatory of Music Miss
Knott, before going on the stage, sang in
several Of the prominent church choirs,
| took part in many charitable entertain
ments, and moved in the best society,"
| Her father resides here, and is connected
| with the Wabash Iron and Steel company,
| and her mother, who was separated from
her husband about three years ago, re-
| sides in an Ohio town. and has been sup
| ported by her daughter. Miss Knott has
| always been a favorite in society here,
and was leader in the musical circles of
| the city"