Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-25
ICON" GIRL is ARRESTED.
Lillian Roskosz, Aged IA, Betrays Self
to Police.

Chicago. April 24.-The confidence
girl of Chicago has been caught. Her
nerve deserted her for moment be-
fore suspicion had been directed
toward her, ana her flight betrayed her
to the police.
AS Detectives Sullivan and Larson
We're walking in North avenue they
met two schoolgirls at Noble street.
One of the girls gave a gasp at sight
| of the policemen and turned and ran.
The detectives, who had been told to
he on the watch for the young woman
who had been reported as swindling
so many women through the aid of
children, pursued. ...
After chase of two blocks the girl
was overtaken, and then the police
men stopped in amaZement. Their
prisoner was neatly dressed child,
apparently II years of age. Her dark
brown hair was brushed back and tied
in orderly braids. But her eyes-they
were so furtive and so abnormally
Keen that the policemen took the child
to the Rawson street station.
There she gave ner name as Lillian
RoskosZ, 10 Cornelia street. She said
she was IA years of age, and she denied
and stOutly, too-the charges OF
swindlins that We're made against her.
Occasionally the tears would fill her
eyes, and then, as a pertinent question
was put, signs of weakness would
vanish and she would look up with an
expression Of great shrewdness and
self-poSSesSiOn.
Evidence of her alleged guilt was
brought before her by several girls
who had been made her accomplicec,
and gradually she broke down. Her
companion, from whom she ran ut
sight of the policeman, was declared to
be prospective victim. Four other
girls assured the police that Lillian
was the person who had used them to
get money.
Finally she concluded to make a.
clean breast of the whole matter. She
explained her methods to Captain Bar
cal of the West Chicago avenue sta
ton, where she. was taken later. -
"SOmetimes," she is declared to have
said, II would know the girls name
before I went UP and spoke to her
More often I would ask her name. II
always chose a little girl. and when
she had told me her name l. would say
that was my name, too, and I was a
relative.
Then I would say that her moth
err wanted her to go to her aunt and
borrow some money to pay a bill with.
Sometimes the girl would ask what
aunt was meant. and / would have to
say I didn't know. Then, generally,
the girl would ask if it was Aunt Jane
or Aunt Mary or give some name and
I would say that was right.
"None of them ever seemed to be
afraid of me- the child said. Some
times l would say a new doll was wait
ing at her mothers house."
The money obtained by the girls
would be brought to Lillian, who. the
police say, would pocket it and disap-
pear. The confidence" worker said
she was scared twice, but she ran
away before too much questioning.
A partial list of the girls from whom
Lillian is said to have obtained money
is as follows:
Carpenter, Sarah 500 Hoyne avenue,
s..
Clarke. Ruth. 1886 Washington boule-
ward, s..
Coffee. Iva. 466 North avenue. 81.
lOcket and chain.
D;,mabrauski. Mary, 163 West Black
hawk street. s..
HOn. Laura, 1914 Humboldt boulevard,
81.
Rajewski, Frances, 237 Huron street,
s..
Rapr3rort. Lima, 81 Potomac avenue,
s..