Girl Battles With 2 Meanest Thieves

1920

Child, 12, Knocked Down in Fight to Save Pennies

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- This is the story of a little girl's brave fight against the two meanest burglars in New York.

Margaret Hagney, 12 years old, was asleep in her home when she was awakened by a noise in an adjoining room. Her parents being absent, she called, "Who's there?" and, receiving no answer, turned on a light to discover two men rattling her bank, containing 75 pennies. The men sprang for the doorway, with the girl giving chase, screaming at the top of her voice.

She caught the man with the bank, meantime fighting off his companion, who was endeavoring to stifle her screams, and finally was knocked unconscious with a blow on the forehead with her own bank.

The men escaped, taking the bank with them, and neighbors a few moments later broke in the house and found Margaret insensible on the floor.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 3.