The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-11
SOPHIE LYO Ms 7 D
GIVE HOME FOR
INFIRM COPS
Insists She Likes the Police, Despite
Occasional Arrest, and That Will
Is To Provide That Best House
Be Given Them.
Happy Once More Now That Tinker
Burke, Lost st. Bernard, Has
Been Found.

Sophie Lyons confided to The Times
Friday morning that she is going to
specify in her will that the Detroit
police department shall have the best
house in her extensive list OF property
as a home for the aged and infirm po-
lice officers of the city. She insisted
that the statement was genuine; that
there wasn't a semblance of sarcasm
about 1t.
why shouldn't l leave the police
department one of my houses for a
homer" she spiritedly queried. Il
can't take my property with me, and
bave houses and land to the value OF
100000. The police need a home for
the aged and infirm officers, just as
much as soldiers do. l like the police
department, in spite OF what people
may think. | did lot to get the pen.
sion which the Detroit policemen are
now enjoying. / went to Lansing with
the late Col John Atkinson and aided
him In his efforts to have the pension
established That is something not
generally known.
The police officers are really the
best friends I've got. What would
happen to all my property If | didn't
have the police to watch 1t? | tell you,
we have much to thank the police Off
GERS for People come to me and com
plain that the police are bounding
them. | tell them that they bother
me, too, once In a while, but that they
shouldn't let a little thing like that
worry them. Why, when / went to
Philadelphia TO see my husband, Billy
Burke, the police arrested me. They
had no reason to arrest me, but they
said was the wife of Billy and had
to be arrested, anyway. | told them
that | supposed I should have to be
arrested once in a while, else l would
lose my reputation.
by the way, got rude shock the
other day. | went to one or my ten
ants to collect my rent. He said, i
rented this house from Mr.. Burke;
don't know you; there might be a
thousand Sophie Lyons In Michigan,
for all | know Think of IL, a thou
sand Sophie Lyons In Michigan. Why
the ideal | was positive that every
one knew / was the only Sophie Lyons
in the state. ell, got the rent just
the same; / had my marriage certifi-
cate with me and said TO that man,
Look here, sir; here's my proof that
am the wife of Mr.. Burke and am EN-
titled to that rent That was enough.
The tenant surrenderC 3.
But, say, I've got most painful
duty to perform this morning. have
to evict a tenant, not because he
simply won't pay his rent. Why,
bless my soul. I'd let him stay all win
ter without paying cent of rent, II
that were the only trouble. There are
other reasons why this tenant must be
turned out dislike to evict a person,
and | certainly would never do 1t for
rent alone. You know money is not
everything. Why. therell be plenty OF
money and houses after We are mold
ing in the sweet, cool earth. So
what's the use OF worshiping gold?"
All this talk which Sophie turned
loose was foreign to the point at is
sue, the real reason for the scribe's
visit to her home at No AZ Twenty
third-st. Sophie had written to The
Times, asking for help to find her
lost dog, Tinker Burke" large,
brown st. Bernard, six years old. He
was named Tinker" after one of the
late King Edwards prize dogs. Sophie
was Just coming out of the house
when the reporter arrived, on her
way down to the county building,
where her eviction proceedings were
to be taken up. While walking along
the street, and on the car Sophie
talked entertainingly on Tinker" and
other topics.
Tinker came home" she said, lin
response to the Offering of reward.
He was away several days, but the
party who found him apparently took
good care of him. The dog evidently
didn't worry very much. He's a grand
dog and I'm glad to have hi magain.
You know, he can understand three
languages, German, French and
English. We speak to him in the
three tongues. oh, he's a bright, in
telligent dog, all right"
Sophie next commented on the
action of Judge Connolly in deciding
that Wolf Wiechers was entitled to
the return of his bail bond of $4,000,
which his sister furnished for him.
Sophie thought the court took the
only course in compliance with the
statutes and constitution.
Asked what she thought Of the
Crippen case, she said:
81 can't say that Crippen is guilty,
but | do not think that thai woman,
his wife, would absent herself for the
express purpose of sending him to
the gallows. think she Is dead, all
right But let me tell you something;
| was sure they would never convict
that Miss Leneve. The English auth
critics have a warm spot In their
hearts for women who come before
the courts. The authorities especially
admire a woman who keeps her
mouth shut and stands by a man.
Who wouldn't admire that7 II may
be said that the English authorities
didn't show much sympathy toward
Mrs. Maybrick That is true, but II
was because she was a foreigner. all
American. II is to the women of
English birth that the authorities are
lenient."
Sophie was plainly dressed, and a
stranger wouldnot hav suspected
that she was worth 100000. Beneath
her plain jacket. however. there was
some real wealth. She wore a pearl
~