Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-10-20
The Story Gf u W0man's Career.

An English paper says: :" An Incl
dent is just now being discussed in
military circles SO extraordinary that
We're not its truth vouched for by Of
fetal authority, the narration would
certainly be deemed absolutely incred-
ible. Our officers quartered ut the Cape
between fifteen and twenty years ago,
may remember certain Dir. Berry,
attached to the medical staff there, en-
joying the reputation for considerable
skill i'll his profession, especially for
firmness, decision, and rapidity in diff
cult operations. This gentleman had
entered the army in 1913, had passed,
of course, through the grades of assist
ant surgeon and surgeon in various
parts of the globe. His professional
requirements had procured for him his
promotion to the staff at the Cape. He
was clever and agreeable, save for the
drawback ofa most quarrclsome tenn
per, and an inordinate addiction to ar
gument, which perpetually brought the
former peculiarly into play. He was
excessively plain, of feeble proportions,
and laborcd under the imperfection OF
q ludicrously squenking voice. ANY
natural chailing with regard to these,
however, especially aroused his ire, but
was at length discontinued on his 'call-
ing out perscvcring offender and
shooting him through the lungs.
About 1910 he became promoted to
medical Inspector, and was transferred
to Malta. There he was equally dis
tinguished by his skill and by his pug
nacious propensities, the latter be-
coming so inconvenicntly developed
upon the slightest difference of opinion
with him, that at last no notice was al
lowed to be taken of his fits of temper
He proceeded from Malta to Corfu,
where he was quartered for many years,
still conspicuous for the same peculiar
ties. When our government ceded the
lonian Islands to Greece, and our
troops, of course, quilted the territory,
Dr.. Barry elected to leave the army aid
take up his residence for the rest Of his
days at Corfu. He died about month
ago, and upon his death was discovered
to be woman Very probably this
discovery was ELECTED during the nat
| ural preparations for interment, but
there seems to be an idea prevalent that
either verbally, during the last illness,
or by some writing, peruscd immcdi-
ately after his (for we must still use the
masculine W death, he had begged to
be buried without post mortem exam
ination of any sort.
This, most likely, only aroused the
curiosity of the two nurses who attend
ed him, for it was to them, it appears,
that the disclosure is owing. Under
the circumstances, the fact was deemed
so important that medical testimony
was called in to report upon and re-
cord its truth. BY this Investigation
not only was the assertion placed be-
yond Il doubt, but it was equally be-
yond doubt brought to light that the
individual in question had at some
time or another been a mother! This
is all rs yet known of this extraordina-
ry story. The motives that occasioncd
and the time when commenced this
singular deception are both shrouded
by mystery. But thus 1t stands an in
dubitable fact that u woman was for
forty years an officer i'm the British SER
vice, had fought one duel, and had
sought many more, had received reg
ular diploma, and had acquired almost
a celebrity for skill as surgical opera
tor.