Katie Malcomson: Arson 2nd Degree

Katie Malcomson (maiden name currently unknown) was born about 1870 in New Jersey perhaps. She had an addiction to betting on the horses at the track and couldn't make her house payments. So what does one do when they have empty rooms in a boarding house and not able to make the payments??? Let's see what her solution was.

Inmate #17425 San Quentin Prison

Rec: 28 Aug 1897

From San Francisco

Term: 5 years

Discharged: 28 March 1901 

The 1900 census has her in San Quentin I did not find any other records for her. She was 29 and a widow already.

Few more longer article below.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30089411/katie_malcomson/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30096274/katie_malcomson/                                                                                https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30099498/kate_malcomson/


I found a maybe 1910 census for a Katherine B Malcomson widowed with a daughter.

Name: Katherine B Malcomson
Age in 1910: 40
Birth Year: abt 1870
Birthplace: Maine
Home in 1910: Somerville Ward 6, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Street: Burnside Avenue
House Number: 36
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital status: Widowed
Father's Birthplace: Maine
Mother's Birthplace: Maine
Native Tongue: English
Home Owned or Rented: Own
Home Free or Mortgaged: Mortgaged
Farm or House: House
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Number of Children Born: 1
Number of Children Living: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Katherine B Malcomson 40

Margaret F Malcomson 12

I would love to know about her, when did her husband die??? Before living in California or after??? Newspaper has no mention of a child so i am not sure if she had any, most likely not especially if she was gambling on the ponies. 

Here are some horse race photos from San Francisco during Katie era.

She most likely wore an outfit like this.

Might be another reason for not paying her bills.