West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-02-14


thn's deportation forever beyond the
confines OF Illinois is somcthlng dill.
cult of estimate, but It b. certain that
In various asylums aud prisons there
are attendants on sulnrles who would
make personal contributions 20 help
swell the possible fund
Yet "Falntlng Berthn" Lobecke is
one of the pretticst, blondcst, most
delicate handed little bits of well de
veloped fcmlninity that ever mnde n
marked success in decclvmg people OF
| both sexes ana all conditions In public.
afterward deCcIving onicinls of iails,
asylums and pcnitontiaries untll bars
and gates and frowning walls were az
cobwebs before her.
Bertha gets her name from her nbll-
ity 10 throw fit' at any moment
She fnints fin the arms of a man or
woman wearing Jewory or carryin Ing
money and in the confusion biting the
stone from pin ana swallowing IL or
with small, supplc hand taking purse
from pocket or a watch from its fob
perhaps with innocent eyes aud dim
pied face assisting tho loser in the
search for the missing valuable.
Asylum For the Fccblc Minded
Glenwood, In. Discharged.
Insane asylum. Glcnwood. la. Dis
charged
Insane asylum, Nevada. Mo. Dl-
charged after several escapes
81. Bernnrd's asylum, Council Buns.
In. Discharged
Indeterminnte sentence at Joliet pen
itenuary.
Knnkakoc Gll) Asylum For the In
sane. Escaped twice.
Rankakee Qll) Asylum For the In
sano. Returned TO Joliet pcnltontlary.
Elgin OllJ Asylum For tho Insane.
Escaped twice.
Present address. Asylum For the I'm.
durable Insane, South Bartonville. III.
Gates OF steel never have held her in
jail or asylum. In the mighticr pcui.
tcntlarics she has made herself such am
uncontrolled fury by night sleeping
calmly all day long and resting for tho
next seancc that pouitcntiary gates
have opened FOR her in the hope of hav-
Ing her maintained ne nn asylum ward.
after which "FaintinR Bertha" has 80.
cured keys 10 asylum doors and gone
police record which for years has
shown her 10 be one OF ihs most re
mnrkable pickpockcts diamond snatch
crs and shOplfters Of her time
Her latcst escape was from the asy-
lum NJ Elgin on tho night of Dec 25.
Christmas cvc she tainted On the arms
Of nu attendant. and ln the scurryine
which followed she secured the keys
10 thc gates. ON tho night of Christmas
she went ont OF the ElQiu asylum. board.
cd % car for Aurora ana from Aurorn
bought n railroad ticket for Peoria
ON the way 10 Peorin She relieved
the conductor Of $50 ln biUs. acrretlng
them in her hat In Peoria within for.
iy eight hours she had stolen n thou.
sand dollars worth or goods from
stores. registered at three hotels under
assumed names and was lu n chair car
With ticket for Omaha whom the
Peoria police had followed her casv
tracks through the city Perhaps the
broadcst, most easIly identified track
was that which she Icft ln barber
shop iu thc National hotel where size
| appeared FOR an cgg shampoo Two
eggs Ind been broken lnto bor shiny
I hair when Bcrthn promptly tainted and
/ rolled out of the chair As count of
shop equipment showed nothing MISS
| Ing an hour later fho barber shop WAS
I ot q loss 90 account for Dior mnt
/ ur George s. Zorcr. superintendent
/ OF the asylum at South Ear'ouv.lio.
/ where Bertha is now. promises that II
/ so, ffInts there She VIII get % bucket
/ OF cold water iu The f8co