Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-25
A CROOK OF THE BLOOD.
Sophia Lyons Was Crime Expert by
Heredity and Liued up to
Family's Reputation.

stewards store, convicted ana sen
fenced to five years in Sing Sing Oc'
tober 8, 1871.
Ned Lyons's friends were alert in
the meanwhile. On December 4, 1872
Ned dressed In suit Of citizens
clothes that had been smuggled in to
him through the gate. He hid In the
bottom Of wagon and rode out to
liberty, and, as he hoped, to Sophie
His partners, Bliss and Kinsland, had
previously. with the timely aid OF pals
made a safe getaway.
Now a free man, Ned Lyons set out
20 see what could be done for his ver-
satile helpmeet, Sophie. On December
19, 1872, Lyons and another man drove
up in a sleigh while rather healthy
blizzard was in force a3d approached
the female entrance to the prison, at
that time located on the hill.
The companion rang the bell. i have
q basket Of fruit for sick prisoner
he called out. H
The door was opened and Sophie Ly-
ons sprang past the guard, followed by
the merciful fruit man, jumped into
the sleigh and was driven Off to safe
ty. Lyons and his wife reached Cana
da and remained quiet for while, but
they never broke training completely.
An opportunity presented itself to
their restless spirits to rob pawnbro-
ker Of jewelry valued at $46,000. With
this booty they returned to New York
and took up their old residence on
Long Island.
It was "in again." "cut again" for
several years, but once Sophie was re-
leased before her husband. She re-
turned to New York and fell In with a
crook named Hamilton Brock, known
as Handbook"
When Lyons was discharged later,
he got a gun before he did shave and
started on hunt for Handbook.
Handbook saw him first, and before
Lyons could draw his weapon and de-
fend the sanctity Of his home he fell
with a shattered jaw and bullet In
his body. His recovery was a miracle,
but Sophie was the only name he men,
toned in delirium. A year later he
went to South Windham, Ct, to rob
the store of j. B. Johnson. Handbook,
who didn't feel sure os his life while
Ned Lyons was cunning for him,
heard OF the proposed Connecticut job
and betrayed him to the South Wind
ham officers.
Lyons had just broken a shutter and
was climbing into the window OF the
store when he was fired on, both be-
hind and before. One ball from rifle
passed through his left lung and body.
The other, a pistol ball, entered his
back to a depth of nine inches.
It was while lying unconscious in q
hospital at Hartford. supposedly dy-
ing Of his wounds, that the first pho
tograph of Ned Lyons was obtained.
When he recovered he was sent for
a short term to the Connecticut state
prison, and when he get out he went
directly to a small town near SPRING
field, Mass, where he robbed a drug
store and postofice, was captured
sentenced to three years In Massachu-
setts and came out physical wreck,
his ability as a burglar gone.
Ned Lyons realized then how he
stood with Sophie. He was finished.
She deserted him for Handbook and
set out to find new adventures.
In this undertaking she was not at
all disappointed. Her career became
livelier than ever, and she came into
q startling experience ut Grand Rap
ids, where she undertook to enforce
certain demands by sitting daily on the
horse block Of the residence OF veal
thy lawyer, who was not q ready re-
Spouse to a blackmailing scheme that
she had put into circulation. On the
third day the lawyer, who didn't like
her looks, anyway. turned a hose on
her. She was indignant, but not dis
heartened, and diverted herself by
mixing up with various sensational
episodes, but was finally caught steal
ing diamonds in a Detroit tewelry shop
and sent to the Ann Arbor house OF
correction for three years.
Her spirit thrived in no mean way.
When she left Ann Arbor she doubled
up with Jem Brady and assisted In a
clever bank sneak at Peoria. A mer-
chant had turned to a desk to recount
the cashier. A handsomely dressed
woman passed him and dropped her
handkerchief.
The merchant stopped to pick 1t up
He returned 1t politely. Then he turn
ed to the desk.
His money was gone. Brady had It.
Brady got two years. Sophie went
free, as there was no evidence she
couldn't explain away.
Now in her history 1t Is 1888. and
America seemed small and cramped to
her. Exit Sophie.
Enters into Paris Madame De Var
ney, wealthy American widow, on
sightseeing and pleasure bent.
What costumes, what jewels, what
modest grief and womanly bearing!
One day madame wss driving. She
left her carriage and mingled with the
crowd about the Arc de Triomphe.
A watchful gendarme could have
sworn he saw her hand in the pocket
of a portly citizen. Certain 1t Is the
citizen missed his purse and sounded
an alarm.
Nothing Of an discriminating nature
was found on Madame De Varney. She
denounced her arrest as an outrage
and aroused the sympathy Of members
Of the American colony.
The Paris edition Of New York
newspaper wrote columns about the
stupidity of the Paris police. United
STATES Minister Mclean was induced
to interfere on behalf OF the fair Amer
lean.
On a trial madame was discharged
and the American colony was exultant
The newspaper printed a double-lead.
ed editorial Of the great injustice done
an American gentlewoman by the
overzealous police.
This was Sophie Lyons-New Yorl
Telegraph.