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13 x 8" to 14 x 8", unpaginated (44 pages including plat map and cover for the warranty deed), tied at the top with green ribbon with attached medal of St. Philomene, the patron saint of infants, babies and youths. Comes with original W.C. Roney & Company mailing envelope, oblong 15 x 10", and a cream stamp with red cross "Blood Of Jesus, Save Me". Tears, soiling and creasing. Sophie Levy Harris Burke, born in Lauben, Germany (or NYC 1848) to a family of criminals whose education was found on the streets. She was a pickpocket, shoplifter (as early as age 3), bank robber, blackmailer and participant in schemes. Once, as a child, she refused to shoplift and her father took a hot poker to her, increasing her motivation to stay in a life of crime. In 1859, she was arrested for the first time and sent to Sing Sing Prison (first of many visits, even escaping once). Realizing she needed more than a street education she hired tutors which helped to pass her off as a member of the upper class when she traveled to England in search of more victims. Over time, she married three times (all criminals) and had several children. By the 1890s this career criminal became weary of her lifestyle and became determined to change, retiring completely by the early 1900s. She became America's first society columnist (a topic she was well versed in), writing for The New York World. Investing heavily in real estate- especially in Detroit- Sophie became legitimately wealthy. She was able to buy land from the George B. Porter Farm in what is now Southwest Detroit and build a house. Her third and final husband, Billy Burke, accompanied her to Detroit but he was unable to give up his life of crime. The local police would make him leave and he would sneak back, this went on until he died in Detroit's Grace Hospital in 1919 from various health issues. She lived until 1924 when she was murdered in her house by three crooks whom she was trying to help live a better life; they either thought she had valuables hidden in the house or she had ratted them out to police. Her very lengthy will is found at the back of the documents. Behests include money to the pastor of St. Anne's Church for his kindness to her husband; a Steinway piano for the new Detroit House of Corrections; yearly subscriptions for the Saturday Evening Post for various state prisons. Also in the will was the Sophie Lyons Memorial Trust. The trust was created to provide a home for young children regardless of color, religion or nationality and who has one or both parents in jail and to have outings four times a year at Detroit's Belle Isle. What looked like would be a lifetime of crime evolved into extending a helping hand to those whose lives were still mired in crime. Her property is now owned by the Detroit International Bridge Company on which sits the Ambassador Bridge. WITH A TRANSCRIPT OF HER LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.
Seller Inventory # 22-7984
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