The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-11

THE HUSBAND OF THE. MAN MIDWIFE OF GEN
ERAL cUsTER's OLD COMMAND" COMMITS
SUICIDE.
From the Bismarck ID. IT, Tribune.l
Corporal Noonan. OF the Seventh cavalry, whose
"wife" died some weeks ago, committed suicide il
one of the stables Of the lower garrison on Saturday
II was reported days ago that he had deserted
but no one this side of the river had seen him. II
appears that the man had kept himself out OF
the way as well he could for several days. His
comrades had given him sort of cold shake since
the of the regiment from the chase after the
Sioux. and this and the shame that fell him in
the discovery Of his wife's sex undermined his
desire for existence. and he crawed away lonely and
forsaken and blew out the life that promised him
nothing but nfanly and disgrace. The suicide was
committed with pistol and Noonan shot him
self through the heart. The affair created in.
tense excitement ut the post as did the announce
ment of the death of Mrs. Noonan but there was .
sigh Of relief the corporate lips OF the Seventh
cavalry when its members heard that Noonan by his
own hand had srelieved the regiment Of the odum
which the mans presence cast upon them. De NOR
tuis nil bOnum. But there much in Noonans
career that made his life oppressive only those
around him but to himself. that the hunt must be
thorough to find something that will not reflect on
his memory. On Thursday afternoon q reporter for
the 1ibup interviewed Noonan upon the unfortunate
relations between himself and the man who repre-
sented himself Noonan's wife.
..Whcn married her, sir, said Noonan earnestlv
Il believed her to be y woman, and never knew to
the contrary until heard of the post mortem"
"You were a husband to her. were you not Y'' asked
the reporter "a husband with all that the name i'm
plies z?
Il was, help me God, but the later revelations
mystify me- Ican't understand it. She told me once
that she was about to make me happy by presenting
me with child We talked it over, and both of us
wished it might be girl. Suddenly she appraised me
OF the fact that she was mistaken and we both
mourned the misfortune. During all our married
experience longed for children. but there seemed
t. be something 1 could not understand that pre-
he
Are you prepared to say. Noonan. that during
your marital experience you never dreamed Of what
the medical officers discovered r.
II mean just that. dare not say that the medical
officers wrong. but know that am right, and
nSs my an tss MONA There y
stand. She had acted as midwife and doctress here
post. She trusted and respected by large
number of people. and ! can only think that she
must have done something terribly wrong which de-
Handed disguise of the sex by the diagnosing
physicians.
but her wrong must have been to one Of her sup
posed sex and can't understand how the alteration
could benefit her..
terrible about this thing. Where it will end
don't know. am but sergeant while those in con-
troll of this thing stand far above in rank They
pronounce her man. woman. God devil, they see
ht but am doomed to the infamy and can find no
relief. AS Almighty God is my judge my wife was q
woman, and care nothing for post norton examine
tons to the contrary. Why tell you. sir, she at one
time had an abortion procured upon her. In her
early life she in the habit of carrying heavy bur-
dens. The effect OF this to relax her muscles
that she could not carry child. Three four hard
scknesses resulted. and my eclf party to one
abortion to her the pain of another After that
may well tell you the whole story-she told me
OF the coming footsteps patterng the clouds but
it resulted in nothing but pain and sickness"
sergeant, are you lying to me, telling me the
truths
The truth. so help me God. / will swear before
my Maker that she was woman. But I cant tell
what could have induced this concealment Of her
can't understand how she to die There is
something beyond my wifes grave that must be set
tied at time. and there will be time when the
mystery will be cleared up. 1t may not be in your
lifetime. mine. but tell you. sir. the woman has
been strangely wrongcd. and were in position to
clear the thing up would defy the world and prove
that she a woman" Such earnestness in facing
the charms of the grave Is entitled to weight While
Noonan spoke the shadow Of death was in his eyes.
There something which awed the reporter.
Noonan III dead. IL u liar he is damned. II he has
told the truth there Is fearful aome