The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-11-20
DOMINIC THE PANTALOONs.
A Girl Who Would Rather Be Man Than
Marry Her Cousin.
From the Chicago Times NOV. +
IN Cof,,,.Io- o,-a,,i,,o- Loot n oraY,Xl

A
Marry Her Cousin.
From the Chicago Times, Nov. 4.
On Saturday evening last gentle
man and lady took room at the United
States Hotel, near the Rock Island De-
pot, and were registered as '' Manley
willis and lady, Auburn, New York. -
They attracted no particular attention,
although it was apparent that Mr.. VIII
lis was at least 10 years younger than
his wife. A few remarks of a sympa-
thizing kind were passed, but no suspi-
cion that the pair were not perfectly
'' straight - ever entered the minds of
the bOarders until yesterday morning,
when Lieutenant Hayes and Officer
Burton went up to their room and
placed them under arrest. Upon being
confronted by the officers, g Mr." Man
ley Willis acknowledged that he -
was masquerading in male attire when
petticoats and bustles were " his " prop
er dress. In other words F' he " con-
fessed that's he - was a woman. The
female gentleman was taken over to the
Harrison Street Station, as was also the
other party, who was really and tru-
" - woman, and both were locked up.
A rather amusing episode occurred when
the lady who was doing the male part
was being locked up.
Shortly after the incarceration of the
parties a Times reporter interviewed
them. He found the younger one in one
of the witness cells. She was tall, good
looking, and well formed, and was
dressed in dark suit of clothes. She
had nicely polished boots, and wore a
heavy watch-chain. A soft, dark-col-
ored felt hat, tipped rakishly over her
left ear, completed the outfit. She de-
ported herself good deal like a man,
and while talking with the reporter kept
jingling some keys and money in an out
side coat pocket.
Her story, if given in detail and
touched up here and there, would make
the fortune of some cheap-nOvel pub
Usher. She said, in the first place, that
her name was Ellen Duglee. She came
from Harrisburg, Pa, where her father
kept a store. Some six years ago her
father died, leaving her $4,000, and APP
pointing her uncle as guardian. This
uncle she could not agree with because
he desired her to marry her cousin.
Therefore, in order to escape this, she
assumed a male attire and began to
travel about looking for work. She took
an agency for several small household
articles and managed to earn enough to
keep her alive. Part of the time she as
sumed her own dress and then sold cor
sets. She had clerked it in Utica and
Albany, n. Y. Two years ago she re-
turned to her old home, but her uncle
again urged her marriage with her
cousin. She again refused and went
away. At Utica she met man named
Tripp, to whom she was married. The
match proving unhappy, they separated,
| and she went to Aurelius, n. Y, where
she met the party with her, Mrs. Eliza
| White. They were on the way to San
| Francisco when arrested. She says she
| did not register herself as Mr.. Manley
| Willis and lady, but that some one else
must have done it.
The other woman told a somewhat
different story. She was from San
Francisco, and had gone East to visit
| her folks at Aurelius. Here she me-
| EIlen-whOse first name is Florence
who asked her if she might return witt
! her to San Francisco, because she wished
to escape her husband. Miss Duglee
she said, had only worn mems clOthe:
for a short time, having put them OF
that she might better attend to the bag
| gage and like duties.
| In the trunks of the women were
found miscellaneous collection of arti
cles, among which were diary, mar
riage certificate, with the name o
Florence E. BOhall upon it, and mum
berless letters. Mrs. Tripp denied al
knowledge of the marriage certificate
and said that there were number O.
things in her trunk which she was tax
ing to a friend at Davenport, Iowa. II
the possession of the lady was found {
| small-sized 22-caliber revolver, which
she said she slipped into her pistol
pocket because there was no room for i
in her sachel. She had two tickets fCl
Omaha in her pocket-bOok.
Among the letters found in her trunl
was one in which occurred the sentence
- am glad you are out of prison again.
When asked as to the meaning of thi
she said it referred to her escape from
the prosecutions of her uncle. The lat
ter winds up by stating that "yOu
daughter and son join in with me il
sending their love to you" Mrs. TripI
is apparently not over 20 years of age
Such remark to one of youthfulness
then, is peculiar to say the least. Th
letter is dated at Aurelius, n. Y, Oct
IA, 1879, and commences Dear Flo.
1t is subscribed % Your true friend, Lib.
The difference in the statements and tn
strangeness of the surrounding circum
stances indicate something beyond wha
is already known.
Mrs. Tripp will be brought befOr
Justibe Wallace this morning, and wi
be charged with wearing male attire an
carrying concealed weapons. The LAT
ter charge will probably be dismissed