17 Mar 1888 - Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey)
Maggie Hopkins Wanted in Philadelphia For Arson
The scantly clad, apparently demented woman who, with a bare-foot boy, was picked up on Federal street early yesterday morning by Policeman Meyers, and was taken to the Homoeopathic Hospital, was recognized this afternoon by Detective Geyer, of Philadelphia, as Mrs. Maggie Hopkins, alias Mrs. Smart. The detective has a warrant for her arrest for arson. She is charged with setting fire, on Wednesday, to the house No. 2840 Kensington avenue, which she rented. The flames destroyed that and the two adjoining houses.
Mrs. Hopkins, alias Smart, had $600 insurance in the Queen Company on her personal property, although she had but $27 worth of goods in the house.
The Philadelphia fire marshal instituted an investigation but before he could get sufficient evidence to warrant the arrest of the woman she disappeared early yesterday morning, and the officers searched for her in vain until they learned through the newspapers that she had been picked up over here.
The woman told conflicting tales at the hospital. She is quite ill and is thought to be suffering from peritonitis, the result of a criminal operation. Dr. Mosslander pronounced her too ill to be moved for a day or two and the detective lodged a detainer against her, and had her placed under police surveillance.