The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-29
Miss Arnold Formerly Lived Here and Was Telephone Operator = Ran Away from Home in Hartford and Charged Things in Local Stores.
Name Linked with that of Prominent Business Man Here-Very Cool Under Arrest and Not at All Afraid When Arraigned in Court.

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 in Court.
 Entering a plea of not guilty of be- ing incorrigible. yet declining to vol unteer any statement in refutation of the testimony of her father, Grace Arnold, the pretty. stylishly gowned adventuress arrested for defrauding the D. M. Read Co.,, was sentenced today to the Home of the Good Shep- herd, at Hartford. until she attains 21 years of age. This institution was designated in the continent, by Judge Wilder at the request of the father, made to. Assistant Prosecutor Redden. Tho commitment was advised by the authorities after an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the girls leaving home.
 An irrepressible desire for the conn panionship of people older than her, self and love for stylish clothes. led to trouble with her parents that caus- ed the girl to quit her home, 69 Elm Street. Hartford Coming to Bridge port On Dec. 2, she won the respect of the people with whom she boarded at 617 FAirdeld avenue. by her re- 89Fv0 0UQ T0LluSulSuA 01 IuduucIs When it Was said that the girl was not morer than n, they were aston. isaed. for they believed that she was at least 2l. eNI, That her father had removed from Bridgepoft to Hartford. to remove her from what he considered the bad in fluence of an older associate, said to be prominent fn the business world here. was disclosed when he told of changing his residence from Bridge rort to Hartford, year ago. on the witness stand in the city court to- day Grace sat directly before her parent. listened with her pretty fea- lures immobile. save for an occa- sional mosstening of her lips, the only indication of nervousness she betray- ed during the trial.
 The witnesses in the city court to- day were her father, Captain of De- tectives Arnold and Police Matron Jack. The father with faltering voice told of the girls waywardness. "Shs not get fine clothes and money beyond my ability to give her. left Bridge port thinking in new surroundings she would give up her desire for old CT company. and would follow the wishes of her mother and myself. She was the only child at home. She was always home after dark. But she was not content. and on Dec. 2 without word she disappeared. I learned she had taken . weeks collection of the magazine for which she was working. amounting to 315.50 and this I made rood sooner than have any scandal. when there was talk of asking the police to and the girl"
 The father knew not where the girl had gone until late yesterday he learned that she was in Bridgeport. under arrest. He talked by telephone with Supt. Birmingham and this morning appeared at police head quarters to talk with Assistant Prose cutor Redden. The D. M. Read O.. having no wish to press its charge against the girl, another one, that of s.being incorrigible and In manifest danger of falling into a life of vice." was lodged against her.
 Court officer F'innegan was appoint ed the girls guardian and through him she pleaded not guilty. She heard her fathers story, that of Captain Arnold who reviewed the facts lead ing to her arrest. and told of her ad- missions that she had defrauded the store because she wanted fine clothes and had no other way of getting them and that of Mrs. Jack who told of taking the laudanum bottle from her.
 Her guardian instructed her that she was at liberty to make any state ynent she desired. T don't care to make any statement" said she. Judge Wilder asked her father If he prefer red the Home of the Good Shepherd to any other institution. The parent replied in the affirmative. and her commitment followed. Her father says he thinks the girl is wrong in stat ing she is 1T. He believes she is only 16.
 When the family lived here, first in Dewey street, later In Poplar street, rf Tn K Banks and recognizing her in the store of the D. M. Read Co. purchased goods. she ventured to buy goods in the woman's name. Her success at the first venture was so easy that she repeated the purchase until she had bought dozens of different articles, most of which were for her personal use. Grace was employed in the tele- phone office when in this city, and an exchange operator.
 That the laudanum taken from her was not purchased with the idea of suicide uppermost in her mind is like ly. for 1t became known today that after her arrival here, Grace had sev- aral teeth treated. on credit, with a local dentist, and she purchased the 1audanum to apply to the teeth. Mrs Jack the matron. testified today that the girl conf1ded to her when the laudanum was taken from her that she had not the courage to end her life.
 It was also learned today that Grace was not afraid to face the conse- ruences of her conduct. The authori- ties. moved to sympathy by her pret- t- face, allowed her to return home, after arrest, Tuesday night. and re- main at her boarding house over n seht. She returned voluntarily yes terday. Last night she had for her roommate, a neglected girl of 13 who appeared so dirty that the girl, rather than share the cot provided in the ,natron's room of detention, sat in an arm chojr all night.