Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-04-04

~ I s G Z - z. a ~ z.
From the Baltimore Gazette Of March "a.


GEORGE WILSON. -THE FEMALE
HoRsE THIEF. The female in mems
clothing, who was taken up in this CT
ty, for horse stealing, few weeks "a
90, was sentenced 10 two years i'm.
priSonment in our Penitentiary, where
she IS now enduring the penalty of the
crime. The only name that she will
give is George Wilson.
This female is certainly very ex-
!raordinary individual, and her person.
al adventures, if she could be induced
TO relate them, would doubtless form a
volume of uncommon interest. But
she IS silent in almost every particular
In relation 10 herself. A few things
mentioned 10 her fellow prisoners, have
been repeated, and they only create u
desire TO know more of her character
and history. At very early age,
say thirteen or fourteen, she assumed
male attire, which she has worn with
but one or two brief intermlssions tor
nine or ten years, undiscovered. She
entered very young as sailor before
the must, and has crossed the ocean in
that capacity eight or nine times. For
stealing, she was some time since con.
fined in the New York state prison for
two years fifteen months Of which
time was passed in solitary conhne-
ment, While there, she steadily reiu.
sed to work, and every effort Of pun
lshment or persuasion, failed TO have
the least effect upon her. The solita-
ry confinement was resorted to for the
purpose of breaking her determined
spirit, but it was in VAN. Lashings
on the bare back, a regimen OF bread
and water for weeks at time, and va
rious other punishments were resorted
TO but she remained unmoveable IN her
determination not to work, and was
only relieved, at times, from this Sc
we're treatment, by direction of the
physician, who frequently found ma.
ture yielding to severity, until the
term of her Imprisonment expired.
In our State prison she is equally in
corrgible. No punishment which has
yet been inflicted, or kind persuasion
that has been offered, can move her
from her fixed resolution not to work
while imprisoned. Under the severest
punishment, she shows not the slight
est sign OF anger or emotion and will
strip to receive the lash with as much
apparent unconcern as though she were
going to bed-nor does she crnge un.
der the stroke. Her determined per-
severance is a source of much pain to
the keeper, who cannot allow OF any
characterization and has therefore 10
infiict such punishments as the regu.
lations of the institution demand in ca
ses where prisoners refuse to work.
In stature she is somewhere about
five feet eight inches, and as muscular
as a pugiist. Her face looks like the
face of a man. 1t does not show any
thing like n wicked spirit, but is set
tied, stern, and thoughtiul-never re-
Iaxing into u smile. She of course
knows nothing Of women's work She
can handle n needle with no further
dexterity than will enable her TO sew
"A button on her pantaloons. she open
y avows her determination to steal
whenever she cannot find suitable en-
pIoyment in which to obtain living.
A year or two since, she was IN Batl.
more, and being closely pursued by
the minions of the law, changed her
clothing for female attire, and remain
ed 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 nought 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
intimated her intention Of having her
life written out and published when she
returns to her native country.