The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1838-04-14

7helFemale Horse 7Hisf--Thc Bald-
more Gazette gives the following account
oi the female horse thief recently appre-
hended in that city, and sentenced few
days since TO two years Imprisonment in
the Penitentiary. The only name the Am
azon will acknowledge is George Wilson,
and her fierce and untractable spirit will
probably set at nought all efforts to render
hersubmissiye to the discipline oflhe prison.:
This iemale'is certainly very extrsor-
dinary individual, and her personal adven-
lures, If she could be induced to relate them,
would doubtless form volume Of uncom-
mon interests. Butshe is silent in almost
every particular in relation to herself. A
few things mentioned to her fellow prison
ers haze been repeated, srId they only Gre
ate desire to know more of her character
and history. At a very early age, say thir-
teen or fourteen, she assumed male attire,
which she has wotn with but one or two
brief intermissions, for nine or ten years,
undiscovered. She entered very young as
a sailor before the mast, and has crossed
the ocean in that capacity eight or nine
times. For stealing, she was some time
since confined in the New York state pri-
son for two years-ffteen months of which
time were passed in solitary confinement.
While there, she steadily refused to work,
and every effort Of punishment or persua-
sion failed to have the least effect upon her.
The solitary confinement was resorted to
for the purpose Of breaking her determined
spirit, but it was in vain. Lashings on the
bare back, a regimen of bread and water
ior weeks at a time, and various other pun
ishments were resorted to, but she remained
unmoveable in her determination not to
work, and was only relieved at times from
this severe treatment by direction Of the
physician, who frequently found nature
yielding to severity, until the term of her
imprisonment expired.
In our state prison, she is equally incor-
rglble. No punishment which has yet
been inflicted, or kind persuasion that has
been offered, can move her from her fixed
resolution not to work when imprisoned.
Under the severest punishment, she shows
not the slightest sign Of anger or emotion;
and will strip to receive the lash with as
much unconcern as though she were going
to bed--nor does she cringe under the stroke.
Her determined perseverance, is source of
much pain to the keeper, who cannot allow
OF any insubordination, and has therefore to
lntilct such pnnishments as the regulations
of the institution demand in cases where
prisoners to refuse to work.
In stature she is somewhere about five
feet eight inches, and as muscular as pu-
gilist. Her face looks like the face of man.
II does not show any thing like wicked
spirit; but is settled, stern, and thoughtful
never relaxing into smile. She, of course,
knows nothing Of woman's work. She can
handle a needle with no further dexterity
than will enable her to sew button on her
pantaloons. She openly avows her deter
mlnation to steal whenever she cannot find
suitable employment in which to obtain a
living. A year or two since she was in
Baltimore, and being closely pursued by
the minions of the law, changed her cloth
ing for female attire, and remained for a few
days on the Point, until she could safely
venture out again.
Take her all in all, she is a singular and
hardened creature, utterly setting at nonght
all the regulations of law, and following the
bent of her warped disposition, regardless
OF the smiles or frowns of the whole world
She is an English woman by birth and has
intlmaled her intention of having her life
written out and published when she returns
10 her native country.