The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-10-05
The Story Of a Woman's Career.
Forty Years. Service as an Officer in the
British AYnv.

rVTty xedrs Serr'ce as an Oficer in th<
| British Army.
| An English paper says: "An incident Is
Just now being discussed in military cir
cles SO extraordinary that We're not its
truth vouched for by official authority. the
narration would Tcertsiniy be deemed abso.
lutely Incredible. Our officers suuartered
at the Cape between fifteen and twenty
years ago may remember a certain Doctor
Barry attached to the medical staff there.
and enjoying reputation for considerabl
skiil In his profession, especially for firm
ness, decision, and rapidity in difficult op-
erations. This gentleman had entered the
army in 1913, had passed, of course. tbro'
the! grades Of assistant surgeon and sur.
geon in various regiments, and had served
as such in various parts of the globe. His
professional requirements bad procured
Tor hin, his promotion to the staff at the
Cape. He was clever and agreeable, save
for the drawback of a most qlarrelsome
temper and an inordinate addiction to ar
gument, which perpetually brought the
former peculiarity into play. He was ex-
cesslveiv plain, Of feeble proportions, and
iabored under the imperfection of ludic-
rously squeaking voice. Any natural
chatting with regard to these, however.
especially reused his ire. but was atleneth
discontinued on his s'ealling out a perse-
verir,g offender and shooting him through
the lungs. ,t"7s 's 's'' '% ~
medical inspector, and was rrHnSTprrvrr To
Malta. There he was equally distinguish
ed by his skill and by his pugnacious pro-
pensities, the latter becoming so inconve-
niently developed upon the slightest diff
erence of opinion with him. that no notice
was allowed to he taken Of his fits of tenn
per. He.p proceeded from, Malta to Corfu.
where he was quartered for many years,
still conspicuous for the same pecnliaritles.
When our Government ceded the lonian
Islands to Greece, and our troops of course
Quilted the territory, DIR. Barry elected to
leave the army and take mp his residence
ior the rest of his DAYS at Corfu. He there
died about a month ago, and upon his
death was discovered to be a woman!-
Very probably this discovery was ELECTED
during the preparations for interment, but
there seems 70 be an idea prevalent that
either verbally during the last illness, or
bv some writing perused Immediately after
his tfor we must stiIlsuse the ''masculine")
death. he had begged to be buried without
post anortem examination Of any sort.
'.This most likely, only aroused the GU
riosity of the twonurses swhoattended him,
/ for il was to them. itappears, thatthe dis
closure Of this mystery is owing; 8Cnder
the circumstances, the fact was deemed so
important that medical testimony was
called in tereportupon and record its truth.
By this investigation not only was the as
sertion placed doubt but it was equally
beyond doubt brought to light that the
individual in question had at some time OF
another been mother! This. is all that il
as vet known of this extraordinary story
The motives that occasioned and the time
when commenced this singular deception
are both shrouded in mystery. But thu!
it stands, an indubitahle fact. that wo
man was for forty years an officer in th
British service, had fought one duel. ant
had sought many more, had pursued le
gitimate medical education, had receives
q diploma, and had acquired almost a ce
lebrity for skill as surgical operators"