The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-04
TWELVE YEARS IN MEMS CLOTH
ING.
4 Convict in the Erie Penitentiary
Discovered TO be q Woman.
Buffalo Expires

Discovered 10 be a woman.
Buffalo Express.
On the 23d Of October, 1877, William
Freeman was sentenced to the Erie
County PenitentIary for enc year and
six months, having pleaded guilty to a
charge Of burglary and larceny Free
man was duly received into the Peniten-
tary, was put TO work in the shop at
polishing buckles, and continued quietly
and with uniform good behavior to pur-
sue the dreary routine OF prison life IN
ill Yesterday morning, when a surprising
discovery was made. 1t became known
to the prison authorities, and later to po-
lice officials and few others, that the
supposed William Freeman was q wo-
man. Ii seems that some friends in
Allegheny county had applied TO Gov
error Robinson for pardon for the sup
posed William Freeman. In such cases
it is usual for the Governor or his author
lied agent to write TO the keeper of the
prison in which the person for whom the
pardon is asked Is contised, for a state
ment of the condition Of the prisoner
health, To ascertain the physical con-
dition of the convict medical examine
ton was requisite. DR.. 7. Sonnick, the
physician to the Penitentiary, was &C
cordiDgly requested to investigate the
case; and at 9 o'clock yesterday morning
proceeded to perform that duty. 1t was
not very long before he hurried to dep
Misrepresentation Wander, with the
startling information, that's woman.
The prisoner who for the last six months
hsd toiled IN the shops with as hard a
lot of men as could easily be got TO.
gethcr, Was indeed woman, and the as
constituent of the keepers was increased
by the statement that she had worn the
clothes first of boy, then off man, from
the time she was eleven years old.
As soon as the startling discovery OF
her sex was made, Mary Ann Schater,
As she confessed her true name to be, was
removed TO another and secluded part of
the prison, provided with the costume
prescribed tor female State prisoners,
and by Superintendent Bakers orders
was made AS comfortable as the rules
would permit She had utterly broken
down, and begged the Superintendent
to keep her there for life rather than to
allow her secret and her name to DO pub
lished.
Mary is twenty-three years of age,
about five feet seven or eight inches IN
height; with dark hair and dark eyes, but
pale complexion, and weighs probably
40 pounds Her wrists and ankles are
small, but her hands and feet, from the
toughest kind Of labor, are large and
cosrse, and her waist has never known
the grip Of corset. AS William
Freeman, she was as good looking
as the average man; as Mary
Scbafsr she is not homely woman
Her story, told with an abundance Of
tears and with much apparent feeling
was to this effect: She was born In New
York City, or on shipboard. Her early
home was in Allegheny County, with
her mother and 3 step. father whom she
left when she was eleven and half
wears of age. To make living was At
best hard task for enc OF her age, and
believing that as 8 boy she could do best
and earn most, she dressed herself IN
boys clothes and hired out to do farm
work. This she has done all her life
sincc-ploughing, cbopping wood, tax
ing care OF horses, and al. the rough
work of farmland although al the
time in the vicinity OF her home, she
AYERS that not soul except her mother
until yesterday knew her or knew the
secret so carefully preserved. The crime
for yrhich she was spntenCed she claims
she did not commit. She had rented a
farm about five miles from her family 8
home, which is ut Wellsville, and hired
voman TO act as housekeeper. This
woman's nephew committed burglary
bv which he secured 8 qusntity OF dry
goods. which he concealed in her barn.
The property was found snd she was one
of the number arrested. Being COM
mltted to iail sire was employed by the
Sheriff TO take care of his horses, and TAX
ing advantage Of the opportunity for
liberty whch this service offered, she
escaped and fed to Canada. In some
manner she was induced to return. The
man who committed the crime Unrest
ened her life if she betrayed his guilt, aid
she says, under intimidation she made
the plea OF guilty.
So long has this young woman followed
the wsys OF q man tha: TO see her IN
feminine ralment would be amusing If
the spectacle did not excite pity. The
simplest bit OF woman's work she does
with all the swkwardness rough man
would show.