IT has been universally agreed that criminal women are the worst of all criminals. “A woman is rarely wicked,” runs the Italian adage, “but when she is so, she is worse than a man.” We must leave psychologists to explain a fact which is well known to all who have dealings with the criminal classes. No doubt, as a rule, women have a weaker moral sense; they come more under the influence of feeling, and when once they stray from the right path they wander far, and recovery is extremely difficult. Many succumb altogether, and are merged in the general ruck of commonplace, habitual criminals. Now and again a woman rises into the first rank of offenders, and some female criminals may be counted amongst the most remarkable of all depredators. One of these appeared in Texas not many years ago, and, as a female outlaw, the head and chief controlling spirit of a great gang, she long spread terror through that State.
BELL STAR
was the daughter of a guerilla soldier, who had fought on the side of the South, and she was nursed among scenes of bloodshed. When little more than a child she learnt to handle the lasso, revolver, carbine, and bowie knife with extraordinary skill. As she grew up
she developed great strength, and became a fearless horsewoman, riding wild, untamed brutes that no one else would mount. It is told of her that she rode twice and won races at a country meeting, dressed once as a man and once as a woman, having changed her attire so rapidly that the trick was never discovered. She was barely eighteen when she was chosen to lead the band, which she ruled with great firmness and courage, dominating her associates by her superior intelligence, her audacity, and her personal charm. Her exploits were of the most daring description; she led organised attacks on populous cities, entering them fearlessly, both before and after the event, disguised in male attire. On one occasion she sat at the table d’hôte beside the judge of the district, and heard him boast that he knew Bell Star by sight, and would arrest her wherever he met her. Next day, having mounted her horse at the door of the hotel—still in man’s clothes—she summoned the judge to come out, told him who she was, slashed him across the face with her riding-whip, and galloped away. Bell Star’s band was constantly pursued by Government troops; many pitched battles were fought between them, in one of which this masculine heroine was slain.
Another woman of the same class was of French extraction, and known in the Western States under the sobriquet of “Zelie.” She also commanded a band of outlaws, and was ever foremost in acts of daring brigandage, fighting, revolver in hand, always in the first rank. She was a woman of great intellectual gifts and many accomplishments, spoke three languages fluently, and was of very attractive appearance. She is said to have died of hysteria in a French lunatic asylum.
Many other instances of this latter-day development of the criminal woman may be quoted. There was at Lyons an American adventuress and wholesale thief who, having enriched herself by robbery in the United States, crossed to Europe and continued her depredations until arrested in Paris. La Comtesse Sandor, as she was called, was another of this type, who went about Europe disguised as a man, and as such gained the affections of the daughter of a wealthy Austrian, whom she actually married. Theodosia W., again, made a large fortune in St. Petersburg as a receiver of stolen goods, and managed her felonious business with remarkable astuteness.
“MOTHER M——.”
Another notorious female receiver was “Mother M——,” of New York, who, with her husband, kept a haberdashery shop in that city towards the end of the ’seventies. They were Jews, and keen traders. Their shop was a perfectly respectable establishment on the surface. The proper assortment of goods was on hand to supply the needs of regular customers. “Mother M——” served in the shop herself, assisted by her two daughters, and did so good a business that they might have honestly acquired a competence. But she was in a hurry to grow rich and had no conscientious scruples. She soon opened relations with thieves of all descriptions, and was prepared to buy all kinds of stolen goods. Her dealings were said to be enormous; they extended throughout the United States and beyond—to Canada, Mexico, even to Europe.
As time went on she developed into the champion and banker of her criminal customers. Under cover of her shop she ran a “bureau for the prevention of detection,” and was always ready to bribe police officers who were corruptible, or throw them off the scent, and for due consideration she would arrange for the defence of accused persons. It was said that she had secured in advance the services of celebrated criminal lawyers of New York by paying them a retaining fee of 5,000 dollars a year. When any of her clients were laid by the heels, she acted as their banker, providing funds if required, and helping to support their wives and families while they were in custody. She was extremely cautious in her methods. No one was admitted to the office behind the shop, where the real business was done, without introduction and voucher. “Mother M——” allowed none of the “swag” to come to the shop. The bulk of the proceeds of any robbery was first stored, and the receiver invited to send an agent to examine and report upon it. Having estimated its value, she then proceeded to haggle over the price, which eventually she paid in cash, taking over the whole of the property and accepting all the risks of its disposal. As a general rule, she secreted it or shipped it off, and generally succeeded in escaping detection. Once or twice, however, she came to grief. The proceeds of a great silk robbery were found in her possession, but on arrest and trial she was acquitted. At last, in 1884, New York became too hot to hold her, and she crossed the frontier into Canada, and she is said to be still there, living a quiet, respectable life. If report is to be trusted, she regrets New York and the large circle of friends and acquaintances she had gathered round her. In the days of her great activity she kept open house for thieves of both sexes, gave handsome entertainments, employed a good cook, and had a full cellar of choice wines. She enjoyed an excellent reputation also as a liberal supporter of the Synagogue and Jewish charities, and was generally esteemed.