ÒSmall in stature, almost frail, very gentle and beloved by her children and grandchildren.Ó ÒOne of the most expert sneak thieves in the country.Ó ÒA female fiend.Ó How could these phrases all apply to the same woman? Prompted by the discovery of an 1889 newspaper article, I uncovered an astonishing past previously unknown to CatherineÕs family.