The evening times., 1900-01-22
A PREcoCIoUS GIRL THIEF.
4 Child Eight Years Old Astounds
Connecticut Detectives.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. Jan. 22.-Nhtle
looking for some stolen silk Terrence T.
Smith, a detective, Saturday, stumbled
upon the most remarkable case of childish
degeneracy ever unearthed in New Haven.
Smith had been instructed to look for
some silk that had been stolen from The
shop of Mrs. Frank Codianna. a dressmak-
er, at Minor Street. She intimated that
she suspected a neighbor, Mrs. Joseph
Powell, Lafayette Street. Smith went 20
Mrs. Powells house and questioned her
She declared that she knew nothing about
the stolen silk. The detectives eye. how
ever, happened TO fall upon fine piece OF
woolen goods, which to him seemed out OF
place in the house of Mrs. Powell.
Where did you get that" be enQuired.
Oh said Mrs. Powell. my little girl
found that and brought it in"
Then. said the detective. Il will arrest
your daughter.
He then told Mrs. Powell's eight-year-
old daughter that she must 60 with him.
The girl put on a brazen face and said:
Il can ;ell you where the silk is. and if
you will come along | will show il to you.
She led the detective into a bedroom. ard
pointed to the bed IT'S there. she said
Getting patrol wagon the policeman
took Mrs. Powell and her family Of
four children to the police station There
Annie, eight years old, and the eldest OF
the children. confessed that she had en-
tered Mrs. Codiannas shop twice. AT night
time, through window, and carried away
large pieces of richly colored silk. valued
at 81 and s. per yard She intimated that
her mother had compelled her to steal The
silk.
Detective Smith, after hearing this con-
fession, ordered the arrest of Joseph
Powell, the father, who is employed in a
paper box factory.
The home of the Powells was then
searched, and startling batch of plumber
was discovered. In two rooms. each of
which is about 10 by IA feet square the
detectives found over 81 800 worth OF
stolen goods. Among the lot are ten gold
and silver watches, two dozen gold watch
chains, three or four dozen gold rings.
fourteen clocks of all sizes. all sorts of
trinkets in jewelry, penknifes and pocket
books, all kinds of women's wearing
apparel from silk underclothing to hats
and shoes, women's bonnets, shawls, ex-
pensive silk capes, all kinds of mems
clothing, two dozen pairs of fine trousers,
oyercoats and coats and waistcoats, mems
shoes. underclothing. carpenters saws.
planes and files, and all the innumerable
things that department stores SELL
Representatives of a half dozen of the
biggest stores Of New Haven spent most
of the day identifying goods. One store
alone identified over $4O0 worth Of the
plunder. The most remarkable thing
about this heap of plunder was the way it
was crammed into the two small rooms in
which the Powells live.
All Of the women's clothes were in three
trunks. The watches and all the jewelry,
silks and the mems clothing were stored
in a false mattress on the bed on which
the family slept. This mattress was a
veritable curiosity box. From it Detective
Smith pulled whole bucketful of jewelry.
enough silk and wooden goods to fill sew
eral trunks dozens Of pairs of shoes and
pieces of wearing apparel. Beneath the bed
Mrs. Powell had stored all the things that
had been worn or soiled. Under the car
pets more plunder was found There was
not crevice in the floor that did not con-
tain piece of jewelry or a pocketknife
Smith has been working on the Powell
family all day, and has found them unique
as criminals. From the father, who is
about forty years old. he has been unable
TO get word The mother protests her
innocence. declares that she bought all the
goods, and abuses the detective whenever
he tries to get her to confess Annie was
as much of a puzzle until late yesterday
afternoon, Detective Smith tried scheme
to get the child to tell him what he be-
lieyed she knew