The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-05-03


About twenty-five years ago he was brought
prominently under the notice of the public
by the consequence of an eccentric excursion
which he had taken into the domains ofmat-
rimony. Harry Stokes, wanting compan-
ion in life executed matrimonial contre-
temps. True to his role as a man--for he
had reached the age when the average OF
bricksetters are fathers as well as jourreymen
he cast about and fixed his choice upon a
plump little widow, who kept beer-house
E Cupid's alley, off Deansgate Manchester.
He had been accustomed to take his pot of
beer and smoke his short pipe under Betsy's
root, ard had at last taken decided fancy
to Betsy herself He was good looking
young man, was Harry Stokes, for, although
still understood and innocent of whiskers, a
face as smooth as a woman's, he was stoutly
built, had a capacious depth Of chest, and a
pair of hips which was an unusual profit to
his tailor. Betsy then looked with favor on
Harry's suit, for he had the reputation of
being good steady workman, and was do
ing rretty well as bricksetter 1t was re-
solved that the twain should become one
flesh; and so to the church they hied. Har-
ry discharged the duties of bridegroom at
church to perfection; but when the widow
got him home there was q terrible row.
The night was spent in downright quarrel
and fight and the lamentable result was a
summons taken out by Betsy against her
husband for an assault, for which he was con-
demned to the New Bailey for one or two
months. During the hearing of the case,
Betsy, with great vehemence, declared that
her husband was not man, and that she
therefore would not live with him. She Gre
ated great amusement and gossip at the time
and formed the subject of popular ballads,
which were sung and hawked about the
streets Of Manchester. ''IIarry" Stokes, on
issuing from the New Bailey, was consider
ably prosecuted by those little gamins who
know so well how to torment celebrities,
while he was also the object of much curious
speculation among his brethren of the trow-
el. He, however, maintained a discreet 81
lence as 10 his sex, threw out hints that the
woman he married was mad, and as the most
effective proof that she was malevolent iih-
eler he soon afterward married another wild
ow rejoicing in the name of Francis Collins,
who was some fifteen or twenty years his
senior, and who had grown up son and
daughter living with her. His connection
with this woman, with whom he lived until
he committed suicide, is the most mysteri-
Gus phase of this mysterious history. She
declares with solemn earnestness that she
did not know, unit, informed the other day
that the person with whom she had been
living for the last twenty-five years, sleeping
was a woman, and her own children looked
upon Stokes as their Stepfather. She asserts
that she took Stokes into her house in the
first instance ont of pity, to shield him from
the prosecution to which he was subjected
It may be that although out of sense Of
shame the old woman thus attempts to con-
ceal her knowledge of Stoless sex, she did
in reality know from the first that the per.
son was woman, and that she was in all
probability induced by Stokes to consent to
the union'in order that the appearance of
married life might dispel the rumors aAoat
and enable him to "liye in peace and qui-
et.'
Whether or not that was the intention, the
acquaintance brought about the result; for
although there were surmises that "Harry"
Stokes was woman, and he was constantly
the object of curious .lances, he escaped the
open moleStation to which he had been pre-
viously subjected. Harry and Fanny took
a beer house in Corporation street, Stafford,
where they lived for two years, when they
Gifted to Quay street, near Deansgate,
turning private house into q beer house.
At this house they staid eleven years, during
which time they held second beer house in
Camp street, off Deansgate, which they called
"The Pilgrims Rest, and was supcrintended
by Mrs Stokes son. To this house they
themselves finally removed, and kept it on
for six years when they carried their furni-
ture to No. IL Richmond street, between
st. Stephen street and Brous shton road, Sal
ford, where they still lived together as a man
and wife, though the neighbors had their
whisperings together-the staple of their
conversation being the peculiar figure
of Harry Stokes, and speculations there
abouts.
They were living in Richmond street ND to
the time of the tragedy which has revived
the whole history of this singular person.
Harry Stokes appeared latterly to be falling
into decayed circumstances, and the fear of
poverty is believed to have induced him to
commit suicide On Friday evening the de-
ceased went to the Swan public house, Pen
dleton, and, after drinking four glasses Of
ale, he left for the purpose of proceeding, as
he stated, to Throstle Nest In the morn
ing hat was found on the top Of the water
in the sluce of the river lrwell, Mode
Wheel, and on examination the body of a
man was found standing upright in the wa
ter. At the inquest before Mr.. Coroner Rut-
teer. on Saturday, the body was Unidentified
as that Of "Harry" Stokes, the well known
master bricksetter of Salford, and would
,rohohix h,ya hnnp bur;ad in lie olotbac 4, :
it was, and the secret Of the poor, courageos,