Eliza Bennett the "fair Thief" (1817)

From the Albany Argus, of August 22.A Fair Thief.—A person was brought before the police yesterday, on a charge of larceny, whose case has excited considerable interest. The prisoner has been for some time a hack driver between this city and Lansingburgh. A brother hackman lodging in the room with the prisoner, missed a small sum of money, and as no one else slept in the room, he charged the theft upon his room mate, and arraigned the supposed culprit before the police. On examining the prisoner for the stolen money, the reader may conceive the astonishment of the court, when they discovered the prisoner to be a female, in the habiliments of a man! From a letter found upon her, addressed to her mother in Vermont, it appears that she has travelled 1200 miles in this disguise, and proposed soon to return to the paternal roof with the fruits of her industry. Her name is Eliza Bennett, and, we lament to add, that the proofs were string against her as to justify her commitment for trial.Long-Island Star [Brooklyn, NY]. August 27, 1817: 2 col 5.Allegany Freeman [Cumberland, MD]. September 13, 1817: 1 col 4.Canton Repository [OH]. September 18, 1817: 2 col 3.Weekly Visiter [Kennebunk, ME]. August 30, 1817: 3 cols 3-4.

A fair Thief.A person was lately brought before the police of Albany, on a charge of larceny, who had been for some time past a hack driver between that city and Lansingburgh. A brother hackman, sleeping in the same room with the prisoner had lost some money and on searching it was discovered that the supposed criminal was a woman in man's apparel! From a letter found upon her, addressed to her mother in Vermont, it appears that she has travelled 12,00 miles in this disguise. Her name is Eliza Bennett. She was committed for trial.Vermont Intelligencer [Bellows Falls, VT]. September 8, 1817: 3 col 3.