South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-24
CLEVER CRIMINAL
KILLS SELF AFTER
NUMBERING FRIEND
Amazing Story of Woman
Shoplifter's Career is Con-
structed From Records.

CHICAGO May 23.-Mlsty police
records were brought to light today
and an amazing story of the career
Of Mrs. Emma Weir, the million
dollar litter" was constructed. Mrs.
Weir and her inseparable compan-
ion, Mrs Hickey Gunther, were
found dead in the Weir home yester-
day.
Mrs. Weir. according to the po-
lice, was known as Big Emma" and
for years was the directing head Of
one Of the most notorious bands Of
shoplifters in Chicago. More than
a dozen years ago it was estimated
that the plumber taken by the band
had aggregated more than $500. 900.
So daring and clever were Big
/ Emma's" methods. police say. that
apprehension of her or her associ-
ates was extremely difficult.
The police believe that Big
/ Emma's' career came to an end by
suicide that followed murder. The
/ body Of Mrs. Gunther was bruised
/ and bore evidence Of violence.
A matronly woman OF IS, feeble
! and kindly spoken, Big Emma was
I YET the llNEllEHi. most dSluL0 SHOP
4 litter in the business"
Her record dates back TO 1878.
She was known then as Emma Ret
tig, and was picked up in Chi
cago on a charge of shopnfting.
From that date until Ave years
( ago she was a familiar figure n
criminal courts and jails.
Served Only Is Months.
Arrested scores Of times, she was
clever enough. however. to escape
punishment Altogether she served
only IS months in prison and paid
only $40 in fines
Though she was profligate in her
( generosity TO her relatives. il is said
they refused TO help her when Ill
health forced her to retire"
Foul play IS believed by the police
10 have brought about her death. In
an adjoining room Of the attic.
which was filled with gas. was found
the body OF Mrs. Hickey Gunther,
also SIS. According 20 neighbors. the
two old women had lived in the
place since big Emma" slipped out
OF police scrutiny into oblivion sew
eral years ago.
The start of big Emma's' long
police career was in April 1875
when she was a mere girl. The spe-
cific charge was the stealing OF q
bolt Of silk from a State st store. but
police said at the time that they be-
lieved she had been '1n the game
for some time. She was credited
with being the craftiest. the mos;
daring and most successful Of fe-
male shopufters in the country.
1S-Year-Old German Girl
The Weir gang was under hel
control and It Is generally believed
acted in accordance with her IN.
structions in the numerous forays 4
made upon the stocks OF the bis
downtown stores.
Lieut.. Andy Rohan at the time Of
her conviction IN 1898 placed the
amount Of goods stolen by the gans
al fully 100000. The history o.
crime has many instances OF woner
who were the leaders OF bands whit
we're exceptionally daring and skill
full and these women held their 20
sitions OF heads OF these band
simply because they were NOR
f tAEulL ana more udl 4lE l4ldu any y
he other members.
SO II was in the case OF Emm'
Weir. who as the 1S-year-old Ger
man girl OF the West side began hei
career which has just had the las
chapter written.
Emma Weir had for her relative
Bertha Kleinschmidt. who was said
70 have been her aunt. and thi
woman Is charged with havinl
taught the young girl the tricks tina
afterward made her the most "a
nous 81 7plifter OF the country
Bertha kleinschmidt died in III
penitentiary at Joliet ard the othei
members o. tie gang are scatteret
among the % lai institutions OF hal
. a dozen differens states Emma Wet
was herself sent 20 Joliet IN Apri,
1898. but was paroled IN Octobe-
| 1901. IN less than six months sh
was arrested in Chicago on the
charge OF plying her old trade.
Dr. Hubert Miller physician and
surgeon. has opened an Office a. 10