The Washington times., 1919-10-11
Girl, Is, Bares Story
OF Life With Gunmen;
2 Men Killed for Her

NEW YORK. Oct. II-Thelm'
Bowie, hfteen, for whom two meI
have shot and killed, another sent .
Sing Sing. and a fourth arres lSe
charged with homicide. yesterday tolo
the story Of the remarkable IKE sns
has led in the two years she mas Deen
associated with gunner and gang
sters.
At thirteen she was kidnapped for
q Eunman who was fascinated oy hsI eI
beauty. But instead Of returning 20
her home when this man was sent 10
Sing Sing for violating the Mann act
she elected to remain in the lie ne
had taught her. She used hair
dozen aliases, and. although known
20 the police, was never caught uhlll
wednesday Then she admlIteo sne
was IN the automobile in Wnicn o
ssph Merritto was shot ana kllleo
hear North Bergen, n. j. last SUNDAY
Eutieed By WOmsn-
when TbeIma's father and mother
separated a number Of years e8o the
little girl was sent TO live Win her
grandmother, Mrs. A Bowie OF IFen-
ton. Two years ago this tall the
child was sent on an errano ~ tFen-
4on while standing in q street cor
viar q daEhfIy-dressed woman asked
her 10 take q ride In an automobile.
T7siu woman was working for a gun
man known as Peter CavaccanO.
a general alarm was sent out for the
r1isVinr girl. She had beeeu druggd
and taken TO an East Side den.
Six weeks later Cavaccano was tried
and convicted Of violating the Mann
act and sent 70 Sing Sing. Theima
tok the name Of Dorothy Pierson,
and sometimes used the name Of Car
mine clover.
when Thelma told her story yester-
dav she was fashionably dressed, and
did not seem to realize the serious
ness Of the tale she related
known As Dorothy
After Cavaccano went TO Sing Sing
she took up with Joe Mongo, known
To the police as a gunman. About
this time Joseph Merritto saw Dor
Bfhv.n as she was then known, and
Eeclded he must win her. A few
weeks later the body Of Mongo was
Eound in Washington square.
Thelma then took up with Merritto'
hut about six months ago decided to
return home and see her mother and
yTlndmother. At that time she said
She uveds IN, East Seventeenth street,
supplied with money. She wOs I'll and
under fhe care Of the Trenton board
~ health.
After a few nights at home she
lisGppeared, and her grandmother
Twore out a warrant charging her
with the theft OF SEQ.
/ Yesterday she said she had returned
% Uerritto. and &c was assumed that
De was not far away when she was
arrested in New York August %, 1918,
Eor carrying a revolver. She admit
bed that she often carried the arms
Eor gunner.
she was arrested by Detective
kelly OF the Mercer street station.
She said she knew she was being
Followed and thought by this to throw
Kelly on her track. However, Kelly
placed her under arrest when she
came frDm the house. and she was
later released under $500 bail for
violating the Sullivan law. When her
case was called she was missing.
Transferred Affections.
IakIhF up the story at this point
yesterdEy, the girl said she grew tired
OF Merfftto and transferred her az
fectious 10 Anthony PrivinEine, thirty,
alec q gunman. She and Anthony
went q 8 New Jersey roadhouse for
D few cags vacation
She said yesterday that Merritto
trailed them TO the roadhouse. She
and Anthony saw Nerritto waiting
outside for them last Sunday after
noon. they waited until after dark,
then called a taxi As the taxi left
The roadhouse Merritto jumped in the
car. she said ne drew a revolver and
struck her on the chin with the butt
OF the gun before PEivinZino shot
him IN the head.
The wounded man was carried to a