Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-10-12


worked with gang of men laying
railroad ties. 1t was the old story
her sex was suspected, and she
again pulled up stakes and hired
out to Tom Johnson, in Savannah,
splitting wood. This was late in
the fall of 1870. She swung an
axe all the following winter. For
four months, until the spring of
the present year, she escaped de-
lection. Then Tom Johnson's
wife began to be inquisitive, and
William made up her bundles a.
gain, aud went back to Rochester,
where she remained but a short
time. She next started for Syra-
cuse, where she worked in one of
the salt works. From Syracuse
she went to Troy, and thence to
Mount Vernon, where she arrived
In April. There she went to work
for William Thompson hauling
wood. The other hands suspect
ed her, and she soon went to work
for Samuel Johnson. The same
fate followed her, and she engaged
herself to William Brewer, a gar
dener, for whom she worked some
time, digging potatoes, picking Gu
cumbers for picnles, and getting
along finely until the wife of her
employer suspected that the young
cucumber picker was not quite SO
much of boy as was indicated
by the clothes he wore. William
was off early in September for
Syracuse, where she slept in the
station house while waiting for
work, finally engaging as a driver
on the canal. Thence she went
to Troy, and on Friday night she
arrived at the pier, foot of West
Twenty.second street. /
Late on Saturday night the ca
nal boat captains wife had the
usual suspicion, which eliminated
in handing the young driver over
to the police. William was taken
to the Twentieth street police sta !
tion early on Sunday morning,
where she was received by Capt.
Killalea, who after listening to
portions of her remarkable story
sent her below, and saw her pro-
vided with comfortable blankets.
Yesterday morning the Captain
laid the case before Inspector
Walling. Clothing more suitable
to her sex than that which she
wore at the time of her arrest, is
preparing, and she was yesterday
forwarded to her home in the
Prairie State. /
A Sun reporter, who visited the
police station on Sunday night,
was invited by Capt. Killalea to
call upon the remarkable girl. !
Passing down stairs TO the cell
corridor, the Captain ratified at a
door, threw back the lock, and
called: /
"William2"
"Halloa," responded a voice,
which was slightly sleepy, but
pleasant withal and William
threw off the blankets, arose from i
his bed, stepped out into the cor
ridor, and seated himself in a chair
provided by the Captain. Will I
lam, or Irene rather, is a pretty
girl, of about the medium height,
and we'll formed Her brown
hair is cropped, and curls loosely
about her head. Her dark eyes
are pleasant woman's eyes. She
has even, white teeth, and her
cheeks are brown with constant
exposure, as, also, her small hands.
She wore dark brown pantaloons,
q colored flannel overshirt,. and
black and red checked undersbirt
showed its edge above the outer
garment. She impresses one on
sight as amodest girl. and this inn
preston is confirmed by her pleas
ant conversation. She told the
not to write to her folks
for she did not want to 60 back &
'fShe couldn't have Stiger anyhow. :
Her contact with the world has,
not given her very favorable views
of mankind, and she is in no haste
to be married. She said that she
didn't want her folks to know,
''because, you know, in the coun-
try things spread and are talked
about SO much, and everybody
within miles of Peoria would talk
about it" After some further con-
versation, Irene went inside her
cell, threw herself on her bed; call
ed back to the Captain and the
pleasant, good night,
and went to sleep.
Yesterday Justice Shandley
committed the girl TO the care of
the Commissioners Of Public Char
tiles and Correction. a,sifi