former queen of criminals, who announces that she will devote the rest of her life and her fortune of $500,000 to saving first offenders.

sophie lyons has turned reformer.

with the mellowing influence of years, she is now 66, the erstwhile queen of women criminals has decided that crime does not pay and intends to devote her fortune and remaining days to saving others from paths that have been hers.

her new resolution, she says, probably will alienate her husband, "billy" burke, who recently completed a prison term in stockholm, sweden. "i want to accomplish his reformation more than i do any other person's, no matter what the cost," she declared. "he is weak and easily tempted, and his criminal operations were not induced by necessity, as were mine. if my plans will help to make him a good man i shall feel they are not in vain."

in her modest little home mrs. lyons-burke, who for 40 years was known intimately to the police of two continents and whose acquaintance with the interior of jails and prisons is world-wide, outlined to a representative her plans for the redemption of criminals.

"i haven't a great many years to live and i am worth half a million dollars," mrs. burke said. "i want to make amends as far as possible for what i have done in the past. i have lived a straight life for 25 years, and have accumulated much property by legitimate means. but there is something i crave more than money. do you know what that is? it is the respect of good people. maybe i can get some of this by showing that i am not all bad and that i am sincere in my effort to help others."

great tears coursed down mrs. burke's face as she told of recent efforts to obtain the good-will and friendship of persons whose respectability is unquestioned. one of these[pg 265] is a pastor of a detroit church, who, she said, had urged her to talk to his congregation on the futility of a life of crime. she declined, feeling that she had no right to intrude herself among church people.

in her scheme for the saving of criminals, mrs. burke said that she intends to pay particular attention to first offenders and will exert every effort to prevail upon them to return to a life of respectability. "you know how hard it is for a man or woman to secure permanent work after leaving prison? i am going to help some of these. they will find a friend in sophie lyons."

mrs. burke said that she was considering an offer from a vaudeville booking concern to give 20-minute talks from the stage. "do you think this would be a good idea?" she inquired eagerly. "i have had the same proposition from a lyceum lecture bureau, but i believe i can better reach those i want to reach in the theaters. if i decide to go on the stage every cent of the money i get will go to carry out my plans for reformation and to charity."

that she has an ambition to accomplish much good and to die poor, was mrs. burke's declaration. "my children are grown and self-supporting, and all my money and real estate will go to save criminals and to other charities," she said. the society for the prevention of cruelty to children was mentioned by mrs. burke as being one of her favorite charities. "i am doing something for this organization right along," she said, "and i expect to leave it a substantial bequest."