SOPHIE LEVY

Alias: LYONS

Specialties: BLACKMAILER, PICKPOCKET

No: 128 Last Displayed: 2/3/2017

Description:

Thirty-six years old in 1886. Jew. Born in United States. Married. Medium build. Height, 5 feet 2 inches. Weight, 115 pounds. Brown hair, gray eyes, light complexion. Has four children, two boys (thieves) and two girls, who were brought up in a convent in Canada, and are an exception to the rest of the family.

Record:

SOPHIE LYONS, or LEVY, is a notorious shoplifter, pickpocket and blackmailer. She has appeared before the public of late years as an adventuress, and has blackmailed scores of business men throughout the country. She is the wife of Edward Lyons, better known as Ned Lyons, the bank burglar (see No. 70), and is well known all over the United States. Sophie was arrested in New York City, and sentenced to five years in State prison, on October 9, 1871, for grand larceny. She escaped from Sing Sing prison, with the assistance of her husband and others, on December 19, 1872. She was re-arrested at the Suffolk County, Long Island, N. Y., fair, with her husband, caught in the act of picking pockets, and returned to Sing Sing on October 26, 1876. After serving out her time she went to Boston, Mass., where she made her debut as a blackmailer, accompanied by Kate Leary, alias "Red Kate," wife of the notorious Red Leary. She went to one of the principal hotels, where she attracted the notice of a wealthy merchant, and lured him to her room. She secured his clothing and threatened him with exposure if he did not comply with her demands. He surrendered, filled out a check for $10,000, which was handed to her confederate, Kate, who went straightway to the bank. It happened that his account fell short of the amount required, and Kate being questioned, grew alarmed and made known the whereabouts of the merchant, when a policeman being sent to the hotel, the plot was exposed. Sophie and Kate were arrested, but their intended victim refused to appear against them, and they were discharged. His money was saved, but his character was ruined, and the result was the breaking up of a happy home. She continued blackmailing people until February 6, 1883, when she was convicted at Ann Harbor, Mich., and sentenced to three years in the Detroit House of Correction for larceny, in connection with one of her schemes. Some months before that she made a daily practice of sitting on a horse-block in front of the residence of one of her Grand Rapids, Mich., victims, who was a very prominent man. He got rid of Mrs. Lyons by turning the hose on her, and pounding an unfortunate theatrical agent who espoused her quarrel. Sophie Levy was arrested again in New York City on June 2, 1886, charged by Koch & Sons, dry-goods dealers on Sixth Avenue, with the larceny of a piece of silk. She gave the name of Kate Wilson, and her identity was not established until the day of her trial (June 10, 1886), when she was convicted, and sentenced to six months in the penitentiary on Blackwell's Island. Of late she has become addicted to the opium habit. Sophie Elkins, an old-time shoplifter, is Sophie Levy's mother. She was sentenced to four years in State prison, in New York City on November 22, 1876, by Recorder Hackett, under the name of Julia Keller, for shoplifting. Sophie Levy's picture is a good one. It was taken in 1886.