The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-13 00:00:00

A FEMALE HUSBAND.

In the Manchester Times of Saturday last is a paragraph
to the following effect
"UNFOUNDED Raroar.-A silly report has been industriously
propagated this week, to the effect, that a respectcble female
in this town has been married for about seventeen years to a
person who, within the last few days, is discovered to be a
woman. As it was not impossible for such a circumstance to
have occurred, although very improbable, we had curiosity
enough to make inquiries on the subject, and found that the
alleged remarkable discovery' was a gross fibricaticn "
We, too, have had curiosity enough to make inquiries on the
subject, and find that the " unfounded report" of the "re-
markable discovery" which, though " not impossible," is
" very improbable," is really, in the main, true. All the cir-
cumstances communicated' o us relative to this singular case,
we do not feel justified in publishing ; but we may mention a
few of the principal facts connected with what is hero known
of the history of this Chevalier D'Eon in humble life, of
course suppressing the names of the parties. A few
days ago, a respectable female waited upon an attorney
in this town, and asked his advice in a case of a very
peculiar nature. It seems that her husband, a master
bricklayer, who had been in the habit of trusting her impli-
citly in his business, even leaving to her management the
bookkeeping requisite in his trade, had of late, for some cause
or other, refused to allow her the usual weekly sum for house-
keeping. Having also, in other respects, treated her as she
conceived in an unkind manner, she came to take advice as
to how she should proceed, under the circumstances, against
her husband, whom, to the no small astonishment of the pro-
fessional gentleman she was then consulting, she declared to
be not a man, but a woman. The Attorney thought it his
duty, under such singular circumstances, to bring the matter
under the notice of Mr. Foster, the Magistrate, who directed
that Mr. Thomas should take the case under his management,
and bring the parties for private examination before him (Mr.
Foster), at the police-office. Mr. Thomas took the neces-
sary steps ; and, on Thursday last, the parties were brought
before Mr. Foster, in the Deputy-constable's room at the
police-office, when the truth of the wife's averment to the
attorney was corroborated in the most distinct and unqua-
lified manner by Mr. Oilier, surgeon to the police, who
gave a certificate declaring that the individual in ques-
tion was a woman. The woman-husband, we believe, did
to make the least attempt to deny her sex, but contented her-
self with stating, that her wife had been only led to make this
exposure, because she had withheld from her the weekly al-
lowance of money for house-keeping expenses. The wife
replied, that this was not the only cause she had of com-
plaint against her spouse; for that she (the husband) was oc-
casionally intoxicated, and that, when in that state, the hus-
band treated her very ill. The wife has also stated, that she
accidentally made the discovery of the sex of her husband as
much as two or three years back ; but that she had kept the
secret till the present time. From what could be gleaned
of the history of this female husband, it would seem, that
she had assumed the garb and character of a boy at an
early age, and that in that character she was apprenticed,
at the age of 16 or 17, to a master builder, in one of the large
towns of Yorkshire. Being of good exterior, with prepossessing
appearance and manners, and of features rather handsome, the
supposed young man attracted the attention of many females
in the same condition of life ; and, amongst others, was the
one who afterwards became the wife. The attentions of the
young bricklayer were acceptable and accepted; and the union
took place shortly after the expiration of the apprenticeship.
Soon afterwards this couple came to Manchester, we arc told,
about the year 1829, where the husband commenced the busi-
ness of a builder, and, by considerable skill, ability, and atten-
tion to trade, was tolerably successful. Amongst other
branches of the business, this builder became remarkable, in-
deed almost to celebrity, for skill and success in the erection
of flues, ovens, &c. ; and, we believe, is at this moment in very
good business, employing several hands, and giving very gene-
ral satisfaction to those for whom any work has been exe-
cuted. The wife had the entire management of the books
and accounts in the business ; and, as far as we have heard,
there was not the slightest imputation on her charac-
ter. It is somewhat remarkable, that this is not the
first case of this nature which has been brought under the no-
tice of Mr. Thomas. In January, 1829, a labourer in the
service of Mr. Crisp, ship-builder, at Dockhead, London,
while assisting in sawing a log of fir, was struck by the severed
puarryt of
whileth e log
being
with
conveyed
y e forced tuo ns
t.the
Thomas'shead,
(in.jn
it
jstripping the body to prepare it for interment, was disco.
vered that the deceased, who was about 38 years of age, was a
woman. She had been known for about twenty-two years to
have filled various situations as groom, shipvvright'slabourer,
and other subordinate occupations in dock-yards, vitriol works,
&e. and had been twenty-one years married; and his wife de-
clared in the most solemn manner, on the inquest, and before
the police magistrates at Bow-street, that during the whole of
that period, she had been in utter ignorance of the real sex of
her supposed husband.—Manchester Guardian.

-
POOR-LAW AGITATORS.—A few perhaps of Our
readers, who note the senseless clamour got up on the subject
of the amended law for the relief of the poor,
may recollect
that a set of self-sufficient zanies assembled in the vestry of
St. Luke's, Chelsea, about a fortnight since, and then and
there passed certain resolutions having for their object to
glorify themselves and to cast odium on Lord Brougham's
Bill. A Committee was accordingly appointed, and the Re-
port has just been made, negativing the assertions of film.,
pretended friends of the poor, and distinctly contradicting the
false and silly statement which the aforesaid simpletons
fathered, loudly protesting that the inmates of the workhouse
were neglected, and much worse off now under the New Poor_
law than they were formerly 1 The Report of the Committee,
which affords evidence—no less incontrovertible than gratify-
ing—of the beneficial working, in the Union, of the Poor-law
Amendment Act, will, it is hoped, banish much of that pre-
judice against its operation, which in many places is fostered
for purposes which are either simply ridiculous or really dis-
honest. It is truly remarkable to observe the effect in a parish
which a pompous parochial busy-body will often produce with
no higher or better motive than a love of notoriety. The
Poor-law agitators of St. Luke's have however received a
check, and we would advise the parishioners for the future to
be on their guard against the vulgar charmers and dealers in
false pretences. The Chelsea cheats, as well as those of
other localities, should be scouted by every honest man and
real friend of the poor.
SPRING-HEELED JACK.—On the Ist instant a
gross attack was made on the wife of one of the preventive
men at Southend, on her return along the cliffs from the cha-
pel to the station-house. It appears the assailant was dressed
in the attire of a gentleman, and having concealed himself
under a cliff, caught the woman suddenly by the heel, threw
her down, tore her clothes, and after behaving with the
greatest insolence, stuffed grass in her mouth, to prevent her
calling for aid to her companions, from whom she had parted
a few minutes before. Fortunately, however, they heard the
noise, and returned to her assistance, ashen the ruffian ran off,
thus escaping the chastisement he richly deserved, and which,
says our correspondent, would have effectually deterred him
from again personating " Spring-heeled Jack" for the remain-
der of his natural life. The woman was seriously injured by
the fright, but is recovering.
uwtyh,oahyaosung man named
Eyres, a very
On Monday morning last, as William
plied at Water-
Imeritoriouso
rand a industriousw
asysa toenr mh
iasnd,
William Carroline observed a brown paper parcel, left by the
tide, lying on the sand near the second arch of Waterloo-
bridge, on the Surrey side. He immediately called out Eyres,
saying, " There is a prize for us." They went to pick it up,
and Eyres cut the string, when to their surprise they found a
full-grown healthy child, about one month old, wrapped up
in a piece of flannel, a brick tied round the neck, no doubt for
the purpose of sinking the body. The poor little infant's
throat was cut, and Ow body dreadfully mutilated. They im-
mediately went to Mr. Brown, the sexton of Waterloo Church,
Waterloo-road, and procured a shell, and William Eyres car-
ried the body to and left it at Brown's house, and his opinion
is it could not have been many hours in the water. Surely
the inhuman mother will be found out, there being not a doubt
but the infant was murdered.

ROBBERY.—On Tuesday night, between the hours
of eleven and half-past twelve, the house of Mr. Westlake,
tailor, 36, Blackfriars-road, was entered by thieves, and
robbed of property to the amount of 1601. Mr. W. had left
home at eleven o'clock, and on his return found the door of
the shop ajar, his shop in disorder, and property to the above
amount, consisting of broad cloth, &c., and ready-made
clothes, missing. The thieves must have been disturbed in
their operations, as they left some of their apparatus behind
them and decamped, fortunately without the cash-box, which
was in a rather exposed situation. Mr. W. has offered a re-
ward, of 801. for the *diction of the culprits.