Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-28
THE IRON.JAMED WOMAN.


serious Illness of the Muscular
Prodigy la Tennessee-someth int
OF Her history.
From the Fayetteville lTsnn) Express, 10th.
About the only attache OF the Inter
national circus whose performance
sustained the promise OF the posters wal
the woman with the iron jaws, Hei
feats were really wonderful, and the i'm
mense strength evidently lodged in the
laws and in the muscles Of the neck ex
cited general astonishment. There IL
nothing in her general appearance IA
indicate the concentration OF unusual
physical power about her mouth, face OF
neck. She is q little above medium
hight. rather stout, but symmetrlcally
proportioned, somewhat masculine, per
haps. in form and feature, with pleas
ant, amiable face, rather broad at the
lower part and mouth too large to be
called either pretty or feminine. Upon the
whole, she might be called, without Dor
dering upon aattery a very iine looking
and handsome woman. But few OF
the audience that saw her in the ring,
glittering with tinseled ornaments, and
smiling with we'll simulated delight, inn
agined that she was taxing her physical
powers dreadfully, and subjecting SEN
sitive nervous organization to acute tor
ture for their amusement Such, how
ever. was the case, and few hours after
ward the poor creature, who appeared so
radiant under the canvas, and performed
superhuman feats Of strength with APP
parent ease, was lying in room at the
hotel, shorn Of her borrowed splendor,
convulsed by continuous nervous shocks
and quivering with intense pain. Alter
having gone through with her part OF
the afternoon performance she retired,
utterly Frustrated. to private marquee,
and while removing her costume the cen
ter pole of the tent was blown down by
the high wind, striking her on the spine
as it fell, and inflicting severe injuries.
This accident, together with the effects
of her terrible exertions in the ring,
threw her into violent commissions.
Saturday night she was unable to per
form. and Sunday morning when the
circus left she was still so i'll that she
had to remain behind. She received the
best medical attention in this place, and
her peculiar condition aroused the sim
cere sympathies of her physicians. The
real history Of this singular prodigy, is
simple enough when contrasted with her
ford biography as il appears on the IL
Illuminated posters Of the circus. She is
now only eighteen years old, although |
she would easily pass for a woman OF
twice that age. Left an orphan when a |
wee little child, poverty forced her to &C.
cept employment on farm, where she |
the work of common la
borer until she became twelve years OF
age. when she married a man by the |
name Of Leslie, gymnast, now attached |
to the International circus. She then
entered upon her professional career,
and has pursued it without intermission
ever since. That her present yoca-
ton, subjecting her as it does to I'M
natural and cruel exertion, will speedily |
kill her, is fact she seems fully &C
ouainted with. Hence she manifests
great desire to abandon her present oc-
and eater into some quieter
sphere better suited to her sex aud con-
iition, where she will not be required to
yield up her life in daily installments for
the momentary qualification of curious
crowds. During her illness, the individ-
nal whom she calls her husband never
Dnee visited her. He was in easy reach,
and she requested his presence several
times; but he displayed no interest in
her whatever Sunday morning this
yymnast with the iron heart packed up
his traps and left his afflicted spouse with
he iron jaws, without bothering himself
about any formalities in the way Of
eave-taking.