Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 363, 10 March 1907 — Page 9

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WOMAN

Sir -HUGH O. PENTECOST

Cfgngui, isoo, y TXfffrKif H. iicKet. f- tt OU gotta help me fly the coop, Liz somehow." Vk "What you done, Peter

j i Quae mm. ST 11 "Why, Spotsy?" , r "Yep. "How?" -Knifed him." "When?" i "Jist now. I jist got away. I got on dat he was

round at Con's; and I goes in and tells him dat I d come for him, and he pulls a gun and gits me In me

- left arm, here, and while he's still Bhootin' I closes in on him and leta him have it about four times in de tack while I hugs him. He's done for, all right, I guess: and when de crowd in de Joint gits around him. Con lets me out de back door and I gits away." "Are you much hurt, Petey?" "Naw, dat don't amount to nothln', but I gotta git away; de cops'll drop on me here sure. Dat's dem now, you kin bet." There were footsteps on the bare stairway outside the door. "So long, Liz," exclaimed Pete as he climbed down the fire-escape just as two Central Office men were knocking on the door. Li narleye.d with the officers long enough to allow Pete to disappear before she opened the door. Tbetwo officers plunged Into the little bedroom off the room In which Liz was, into the kitchen, and then to the window, and looked down the fire-escape, but about the squalid premises there were no signs of Pete, except a few articles of clothing hanging on sails in the bedroom. Mopping their foreheads, the detective-sergeants sat down, one in a rocking-chair, the other on a lounge beside Liz, whd had quietly seated herself during the hurried search of the premises. Besides these articles of furniture there were in the room a bureau, another chair, a small table, on which was a fancy cover soiled with stains of beer and two trunk. The worn carpet had evidently been cut and fitted to other rooms. Indicating its purchase from a secondhand shop or an auction room. Decorating the walls were a few cheap pictures, among them a representation of a saint and-a framed photograph of Pete. As Pete's picture In several poses was in the collection of art treasures at Police Headquarters, it waa not particularly Indiscreet to have it exposed to view In Liz's fist as one of her patron saints. When tho officer sat do.vn beside her she went to the bureau and powdered her face. This feminine observance over; she lighted a cigarette, came back to her seat on. tho sofa, and said: "What do you flatties want here, anyhow?" The officer Inside her, whose name waa Fogarty, answered: "You're ehuckin a stiff bluff, Liz. but It won't go. We trailed Pete here, all right, and if you know what's good for you you'll put us on to him, for we'll pit him, and you might as well have the credit of it. He's no good, and if you don't turn him up he'll kill ow some day. We've got him right this time, and it's the chair for his'n, and a good thing for you :wben he's done... I told you. the last time when he nearly done you that he'd do you yet, and he will, as sure as Christmas." "Well, that's my. business." said Liz. calmly, shooting from her throat a column of smoke. "I don't know whore he Is. I ain't seen him for two days, and If I had you wouldn't sit nothin out o me. What do you take me for, anyhow?" "We take you for a mighty fly gal," said Officer Flynn, gently swaying in the rocking chair, "but you ain't foolln us any. Look at that fresh blood on the table cover. He ain't been out of this room ten minutes. I guess Spotsy plugged him, all right, and I Kuess he went down the fire-escape about as we came In. That's all right. We'll git him just the same, unless he's smarter'n I think he is. So long. Liz," he continued, as he and his aide partner arose to go. "'We d6nt need no help from you. All the same, the next time we git you we won't forgit that you would not give us none." "Much difference it would make to me ir you git me, whether I did or didn't," exclaimed Liz. with a fcard laugh. "I ain't knowed you all these years not to know you. If you ever git m right I'll git all that's comln to me, just the same." The officers laughed jovially, and as they left the room Fogarty said: "You're all right, Lizzie, at that; game as they make 'em, and you got nothln comln' from me unless I do git you right, and even then you'll get a good run for your money."

Pete Connors was the leader of as desperate a gang sf robbers as ever infested the West Side of Manhattan Island, notwithstanding which prominence he had never but once seen the inside of Sing Sing. This check in his career had, occurred ubeat' four years previously.eifd was the'dlrect cause of his stabbing Spotsy Williams, who waa one of the five ruffians thatomposed..Pete,a gang. . Strictly speaking, there were

six, Lizzie Sullivan ' being not the least important member.-She bore no personal relation to anyone but Pete, whose devoted slate she was, making no desnauds on him in return for her servitude, except that

In The Complete Story "The Peter Woman," from the pen of Hugh O. Pentecost, the reader is taken to the under world of crime where the ethics that prevail are based solely on the. crude, primal instincts of the man and woman uncoated by the-veneer of what is called "higher culture. Mr. Pentecost as preacher, as lawyer, as journalist and as sociologist has had unequalled opportunity to study humanity in all its phases and now, as author, he gives us a remarkably strong, striking story based on that study. In selecting an artist to illustrate "The Peter Woman," the 4 fortunate choice of A. Methfessel was made. Mr. Methfessel, as a newspaper artist, ha3 made earnest and profitable study of this same under world in which Mr; Pentecost has delved for. sociological and literary material He knows the slums and their denizens and his pencil is unrivalled in its power of presenting them as they arc

they believed 6he was "playing In her usual luck," for notwithstanding that she had been arrested many times, she always managed to "beat the case." Spotsy, however, the witness positively identified as one of the men he had seen in the saloon just before he became unconscious. He remembered him by

Mag Maloney had been threatened by Lizzie more than once recently about her apparently growing predilection for Pete's society. The last time she had had occasion to reprimand Mag was when she went into the back room of a saloon and found Mag and Pete drinking mixed ale. In high, firm tones, and with

YOU , YOU OUGHT TO BE KILLED!" CRIED FOGARTY.

the wine mark on the left side of his face, which gave Spotsy his soubriques. By diligent Inquiry the police were able to prove that the other members of the gang were in the saloon at the time the witness w'as robbed, and Spotsy was put through "the, third degree," with the result that he made a full confetaion, implicating his pals. With Spotsy as a State's witness and the corroborating evidence obtained by the police, the entire gang were convicted, by a compromise , verdict, of grand larceny In the second degree.? ;

Four of the gang. Including Pete, were sent to State's

le abstain from attentions, even the . slightest, to Sin"" of '.. ;?JZ-J?M h&WjS 9 . . IZZi . V .1 .

rt toward thn oime o ruueute, ujuioj' na uikuiicu uuun t bus- . neui iu lue cumr iur n.

much picturesque profanity, "she had told Mag that If she caught her fooling around Pete again Bhe would break her face. ; "Oh, I guess Mag's all right," said Liz, with a mean ing smile. "She ain't worrying me any. Mag don't want to stand before the Great White before she's got to, and she know's she'll have to if she fools with me" "Well," replied Fogarty, "she's fooling with you all right. Only the night before Pete done up Spotsy he was with her. I seen 'em myself." "If I thought you was givin' it to me straight," ex-

I'd kill Mag Maloney, If I

other women. Any tendency on his part toward the

eociety ofi&nother woman she would not brook, and throughout the" social "circle In which, she moved it rwas welijfmdfi'rstood that any lady ho made adv&nc-, s to her., Pete would Vgit her heart cut out."' 'And ihere wasaiot a man or woman who frequented the lack-rooms of West Side saloondom who, for a moment doubted that, if provoked thereto, Liz would perform the indicated act of vivisection. About four years prior to the stabbing of Spotsy the gang, including Liz, were rounded up for robbing a drunken man in the back room of a Tenth Avenue ealoon. The victim of this crime was discovered by the police at an early hour in the morning In an unconscious condition on the sidewalk, about a block from the saloon in question. After being taken to a etation-house and sleeping off his apparent intoxication, he told the captain that he had been robbed. He remembered wandering into a saloon and drinking with some woman who had come to the table where ihe was sitting. At that time he had a watch and chain end some money, exactly how much he could not say, ' end after having one or two drinks with the woman, Ihe recalled nothing till he awoke in the station-house, lie w-as taken to the saloon near where he was found, which he identified by the model of a ship under a srlass ease that had Impressed Itself on his memory, from the coincidence that the name on the bow of the ' model, "Sallie Owen, was the. same as that of his married sister. Being a homeless sailor, he was sent to the House of Detention to Insure his appearance as a witness, and the members of the Pete Conners gang were arrested on general principles, the case being stamped with the hall-mark -of their work. The sailor was brought to the station-house and the rang lined up for identification. He failed to identify , Liz. Not. being able to prove that she was in the caloon that night, the officers who made the arrest recommended her discharge, although they told 'her

pended sentence, and promptly became a "stool pi

geon,", thereby losing all his former proud position in the aristocracy of crime, and sinking into disgrace among the fraternity of crooks. Pete Conners was one of the few criminals who do not talk too much, and so he said nothing that could afterward be used against him, but he quietly made tip his mind that when his time was up he would kill Spotsy at any cost, but with' safety to himself, if possible; and he kept his resolution, for Spotsy died of his wounds. The assurance' of the detectives that they would catch Pete without the assistance of Liz was not justified by the event. Many days slipped by with Pete still hiding. . . ' He was neatly tucked away among friends In Tenth Avenue, and while Liz knew where he was, she was too shrewd to visit him, though she sorely longed to nurse that wounded arm; and though her house was "covered" in front and rear all the time, and she, herself, "tailed" every time she went abroad, nothing had come of this vigilance. About ten days after their visit, on the heels of Pete, to Liz's flat, Fogarty and Flynn stepped up to her on the street. Fogarty said: "Hello. Liz, 'we're just lookln' for good company for dinner. Will you dine with us?" "Sure. Mike," was the answer, "t don't often git an Invite to dine in such distinguished company," and into,the next fairly good restaurant she went with the officers of the law, who,being "plain clothes men,"" attracted no attention. Miss Lizzie Sullivan waa not bad looking. She was twenty-seven years of age, with good features and a becoming way of wearing her clothing. The officers were not ashamed of their company. "Say. Liz," said Fogarty. after considerable. desultory chat "how'a Mag Maloney? Seen her lately?"

"Turn him up, Liz," begged Flynn, "and we won't

forget you.' . - "I think I see myself," sneered Lizzie. "What do you take me for? Why don't you git him yourself, if you want him? I guess you don't know nothin' about a woman when she loves a man." "Love a stifT like that! Why, Liz, he's a drunken bum. He'd a-been away a dozen times if it hadn't been for you." And Fogarty added: "What's the matter with Abey Sarasson? He's dead gone on you, and a better man for you." "I ain't got no kick coming against Abey; he's all right in his way, but Pete suits me." "Then you won't turn him up?" asked Fogarty. "Not on your life." ;. "All right." replied Fogarty, "let It go at that." All three went out of the restaurant, the girl going one way, the detectives another, but not so far as to lose sight of her. ' Lizzie walked a blecfc. casting an eye furtively behind her, and when she thought she was not followed, she boarded a crosstown car and rode to Third Avenue, where she took the elevated train going uptown. At the next station Fogarty and Flynn boarded the same train, but their own mothers would not have recognized them. At One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street Lizzie took a crossown surface car going west, and the detectives took a cab. At Eight Avenue Lizzie boarded a downtown elevated train, which Fogarty and Flynn caught at the next station. At Fiftyninth Street, within a block of where they had dined, Lizzie descended from the train and went into a hotel and upstairs. She emerged from the hotel on the Columbus Avenue side and walked down the avenue two blocks, always with a furtive eye behind her, and then went rapidly west through a side street to Tenth Avenue and directly to the place where Pete was. When she saw Pete she went straight to the matter in her mind, and said:

EEK

The

Gfresii

"Pete, on the level now. was Mag Maloney with you the night before Spotsy plugged you?" "Aw. what's bitin you?" growled Pete, scornfully. "Who's been throwin' it into you?" "Fogarty says be seen you and her " . . : "Fogarty be blowede! Don't you know That guy by this time? I know what he's been dom'! He's been tryin' to git you to turn me up" At this Instant Fogarty and Flynn walked In, and Pete exclaimed: "And you've done it!" Pete struck Liz in the face with his fist, and she fell in a heap in a corner of the room. Fogarty and Flynn sprang upon Pete and laid his scalp open with the butt end of a revolver. You , you ought to be ldlled!" cried Fogarty. "Lizzie's on the leve! with you. She had at right to turn you up, but she wouldn't, and didn't. 6he led us a chase, but we've got you all right." ' Lizzie washed the blood off Pete's head as well as she could, bound up his wound, and went with the officers and Pete to the station-house, but Pete would not speak to her nor notice her. After Pete was locked np she hid her bruised face with her veil and went home. Now followed the long weeks of Pete's detention. Under the rules of the prison, Lizzie was not allowed to see him. but she was at the Tombs every day, send ing in a letter, money and food cooked by her own hands. Pete took the money, ate the food and read the letters, but never answered them. In one of her letters Lizzie assured him that at the proper time he should have the best counsel that money could employ. She did not know where the money was to be had, but she felt confident of getting it. Bet with all her skill and industry, she found it difficult to make both ends meet and save enough money to hire the famous lawyer she intended for Pete, and she would probably have had to be contest with cheaper counsel If it had not been for Abey Sarasson. of whose claims to her favor Fogarty had spoken to Liz. Abey was an Eighth Avenne bookmaker and sir- -around sport, who was very fond of Lis. Ha cordially hated Pete as a man out of his elass and much below him in the social scale, but' mainly because Lis lovetf him and would not throw him over for a man as muela his superior as he, Abey. knew himself to be. One evening, when Pete had been In the Tombs for more than a month, Lissle wandered Into the back: room of the saloon over which Abey conducted his poolroom. Abey happened to be sitting at one of the tables meditating over a Scotch highball, and Unto went over to him and sat down. "Hello, Lissle, my dear; Tere you been for deee twt days back? I ain't seen you. Vot you going to haf T All the while he was shaking her two hands "Gimme a horse's neck, Abey; I'm thirsty," said Liz, listlessly.

"Here, Mike, bring Llssie a hone's neek mid

gif your seven hundred and fifty to some good lawrtf and let him take care of Pete de best he can. and you come alt me and pe a lady. Ain't you tired of dot bum vay to lif ? Pete's got to go away anyhow. You done enough for him. Vot he care for you? Fogarty tell me he goes mlt Mag Maloney. and I seen him mit Mag myself more dan vonce. Dot's straight goods, Llsaie. Fogarty says you're a fool to hang to dot lobster, and sure you are, Llsaie." "Abey, you ain't kiddin' me. are you?" Liz asked seriously. "Did you ever see Pete with Mag Maloney for a fact? "Sure I did. Llssie. Everybody knows It but yoo." "That's all right, Abey. I thought Fogarty was conning me, but if you say it. it's so, for jou wouldn't lie to me. HI take ear o Mag, all right, Abey. She won't go with him no more." "But vot's de ut Llssie? Tou needn't bodder mlt her.- Cut her out. and cut him out, too, and come mit me. I vant to marry you. Llssie. and I'll treat you right. I vant you to be happy, Llssie. I den't rant to see you go to de chair for a woman like Mac Maloney; and anyhow, if you go on de vay you are goin,' It's Auburn for yours some day for a good long term. ' "f know it all, Abey. Nobody escapes forever, but I got to go oa Just as I'm goin' as long as Pete's above ground. It's my fate, I guess: it's the way God made me." Abey looked at Liz for a long time and appexeajajf

CFOTOn satfifleS hlaself there eras me ehaeerCL TCSa' he said:

"Lissle, I think you're a foeL bos, I let yem, aa4 4

yms you w v nappy, asa u vzzai GSSZ

IN HIGH, FIRM TONES, AND WITH MUCH PICTURESQUE PROFANITY, 6 HO HAD TOLD MAG SHE WOULD BREAK HER FACE.

whole lemon peel in nt," he shouted to the barkeeper. "How you git along, Llssie? You got a big bank roll for dot lobster yet. eh? You got dot big lawyer yet, eh?" "No, Abey. I ain't got the money yet for the right man. I gave Mart a hundred to look after Petey for awhile, but the big money don't oome easy; it's toe dangerous." Mart was a well-known lawyer of the criminal courts, and a good man to look after the minor details of the case, pending the trial. "How much money you got, Lissle?" said Abey. "Well, It takes some to live, you know, and some for Pete; he can't eat that prison food, and he's got to git shaved and smoke; it all takes money. And I got to keep the cops staked, and the keepers on Pete's tier got to have something so he can git out of his cell and walk about extra. Oh, there's plenty of ways to git rid of your dough, and so I ain't got much; only about seven hundred and a half." "How much does de big lawyer rant?" Abey inquired. "Two thousand." "TouTi never git nt, Lissle; youTi git plaehed first." "It looks that way," said Lizzie. 1 feel pretty bad. Abey. I'm afraid I got to git a ehesp lawyer for Petey." "Look here, Lissle, vy don't yon drop It? Go and

den it's Pete for your.! . 4 tell yoo vet III do. C4l to me your sefen hundred an fifty, and well go Serwm to your big lawyer, and 111 hire him for Pete." "Git out. you're kiddin'!" exclaimed Llssie. tat tks) color came into her face and she smiled brightly. "Not on your life," asserted Abey; "ife a cur thing." "Do yon mean ft?" asked Lizzie, leaning over tks table. "Sure. She went around to Abey's side of the table, pulled his head back and kissed him on the mouth. Then, with tears la her eyes, the said: "Abey, you're a good fellow."

White

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By Owem Kildsr&