Edward Burke of Pawtucket took in his niece Catherine “Katie” Burke when she was eight years old. Edward, who was employed as a mill operator, and his wife lived in a home on Brewster Street and provided Katie with everything a child could possibly need. All agreed that the couple cared for Katie as if she was their own child.

During the summer of 1897, just after Katie had turned 15, she began to feel an urge to spread her wings. Katie had never been required to work but now was eager to engage herself in some sort of adult obligation. She expressed interest in gaining employment at a local mill. Her aunt and uncle were not supportive of the idea. Afraid of all she might be exposed to out in the world, Edward bought her a piano in the hope that music would keep her content to stay at home. It didn’t work.

In January 1898, Katie began venturing out and discovered comedies and melodramas, the excitement of the stage and the camaraderie of thespians. She began hanging around the area opera houses, preferring to spend her time with performers.

Actors Harry La Lamar and Robert Mantell would be in town, along with French dancer Mademoiselle Zola that winter. There would be dancing and singing and Western dramas played out with guns and horses. Between Keith’s Opera House, Lothrop’s Opera House, Bates and Providence, there was more than enough scenery, costumes and reverberant orchestra music to keep a young girl in awe for hours. The thrill of opening performances and full houses soon became an obsession. Ordered to stay away from such places and their actors – who were regarded by society as social outcasts with low morals – Katie ran away from home.

Police located the teenager on Februsry 27 on Exchange Street in Providence. She was transported to the station and word was sent to her aunt who retrieved her. Katie responded sarcastically that if she was made to go home, she would simply run away again, and she promised that the next time she would not be found. Her aunt relented and left her there, returning only to bring her a clean change of clothes.

Katie spent the night at the police station. In the morning, she was arraigned on the charge of being a vagrant. She pleaded not guilty. When her aunt was asked her opinion concerning reform, she stated that she had lost all control over the dreamy teen and felt that Oaklawn School for Girls might be the best place for her. The female reform school in Cranston and was the fate of hundreds of girls deemed to be delinquent by doctors, parents or judges. Katie was determined to be guilty of the charges against her and was sentenced to remain at the school until May of 1900.