Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-31
/ DOUBLE CHARACTER.

Hearts ia Lore With Aaother-
Minneapolis was yesterday aroused over {
sensation that satisted the appetite of the mos
inveterate novel reader and a development
that to people in general seemed more like d
misty dream than reality. A frail woman
but nineteen yeers of age, hiss lived in this city
since the first of last MsY, dressed in male at
tire, and passed in ell respects n man. Not
| only this, but she has succeeded by her assump-
ton of the manners Characteristic of man,
and disposition TO- TO play y,,.,I the
part OF young gentleman nan
hearts of two esteemed young ladies, one of
| them q teacher in tie public schools of this
city. She has successfully passed as a man;
she has made people believe she was an Egg
lish heir; she has lived in ease gentleman
of the first rank; she has studied medi cine as
any other student, and she has done as much
counting as two young men ordinarily do.
1 The history of this Individual, as a man. as
far as it IL known, is about as follows: Accord
ing to his story he came from England in 1876
| He WAS the son of millionaire, and his name
was Leon A. Belmont. He intended, on at
tanning his ajority, to return to his country
| and take possession of his great estate. He
travelled over different parts of the country
| and finally found his way into the Black Hills
| from Kansas. Here he became acquainted
with Miss Grace Watts, of this city.
1t seems Mrs. Watts husband was in the
Black Hills. and a year ago last spring she and
| her daughter Grace went to live with him ST
| Lead City d. T. Here she first saw Belmont
| Leon A. Belmont, as he called himself, he be-
| ing introduced by her husband. The young
man seemed sickly and without friends, and
| her mothers heart was Immediately attracted
| to him. He had come from Kansas, there. he
said, in company with q Mr.. Taylor with
whom he Was living in tent. He seemed to
have plenty of money, and owned q fine team
| of horses. After better acquaintance he came
| to board with them and engaged himself to her
daughter.
| Even at that time his appearance had
| aroused the suspicious of the low circle that
| frequent such mining towns. bat these sus-
picions were repealed by Mr.. Watts, who,
| while he felt an instructive dislike for his
prospective son-in-law, still defended Kim
on his daughters account. Last May Mrs.
| Watts returned to this city. her daughter
having returned some months before and &C.
cepted position in the schools. Belmont
came with her, and on the way down was the
subject OF remarks from some sporting men
on the train, who insinuated IN an audible
| tone thai the man was woman. aIrs. Watts
appealed to Mr.. Frank Plummer. who also
was on the train and with whom she was ac-
quainted, and Mr.. Plumber chiYalrously in
| terfered and stopped tho annoyance. Ar
irving in this city, Belmont assumed the
old position as an inmate Of Mrs. Watts fami-
lily.
After the arrival of Mrs. Watts and house
keeping had been commenced, Miss Sarah
Bracket, teacher in the Jefferson school,
was taken as boarGer. It seems that Miss
Bracket knew the Watts family long ere
their removal to this city, and keralded their
coming several months before that important
event occurred. she also told how Miss Watts
| was engaged to a sen nephew of August
Belmont, the New York millionaire, aud that
they were 20 be married and go to Europe, and
that she Miss Brackett) was To be an adopted
sister and live in wealth.
Matters went on smoothly for some time
The courtship between Mr.. Belmont and Miss
Watts was of the most pronounced character
and the wedding day was looked upon as near
at hand In June, however, the news was her
aided that certain Mr.. Belmont, living on
Second avenue south and Sixth street had
been robbed mysteriously of $500. Chief
Munger and Detective Hoy visited the place
and found young man who claimed to have
been robbed. Miss Bracket, the school teach
er, had also lost a sum of money. Belmont
| hsd bought team of horses at Smith Bros,
| driven down to his boarding house to get the
| money and found it gone The young man
| requested to have the matter suppressed,
| with ether curious circumstances aroused the
| officers suspicious. The officers concluded
| from the appearance of the socalled young man
| that he was really woman in disguise, and &C.
|
| of Miss Brackets money. The imputatiOn
was resented by all the ladies, and the officers
| were berated soundly for entertaining the sus-
| picions. They were satisfied, however that
| there had been no robbery except of Miss
| Bracket and their suspicious were of too I'M
| substantial character UPON which to base
| arrest. The young man protested that he
| straight" said he was engaged to Miss Watts,
| and that he had taken Miss Bracket for his
| sister" Altogether he seemed one of the fam
| lily. and the officers concluding he was an i'm
poster, and had romanced regarding the
ious robberies- They let the house. amid the
abuse of the ladies' with a determination to
| keep an eye on the So realized young man.
| But by and by Icons passion for Miss Watts
| cooled and was transferred to Miss Bracket,
the school teacher. This move, of course,
| aroused the jealousy Of Miss Watts and the
| two Young ladies actually had war of words
| over their rival claims.
| Finally Leon turned up as medical student
| in the Office of DR.. Goodrich, where he man.
aged to maintsin his disguise. Yesterday how
| ever, Miss Bracket sent for Chief Munger tolo
| her suspicious tha1 Leon was a woman that
| she had loaned Leon $50, ADD that she wanted
him arrested. This was accomp iished last
| evening much TO
THE SURPRISE OF LEON,
| and DIR. Putnam made a brief examination
that placed at rest all doubts as 10 the sex of
Leon. The prisoner cast into Jail and yes
terday morning was brought before Judge
| Cooley.
At 9 o clock the news had spread fsr and wide.
and the court house crowded to it's utmost
! capacity to see this distinguished individual
| She came in shortly after 10. She removed her
| felt hat and ran her hands through her curly
hair as though she were as high toned as any
| other society gentleman. She was dressed in a
dark business suit, heavy overcoat, aud boots,
with SLOUGH hat just removed from
HER BLONDE CURLY HEAs,
on which the hair waved very prettily ard was
nicely parted on one side. A face rather small
and pinched looking, large, calm blue eyes, full,
we'll moulded throat, small hands and small
feet, shoulders and hips broad and really prom
inent. The masculine makeup was perfect,
even 10 the gold button and necktie. Seated
| in the count room the woman evinced not a
| particle of diAtress fear, aud unless
| informed to the contrary, q person qould
naturally have taken her for a disinterested
spectator. After considerable fussing and
running to and fro Cal. Benton. acting for his
brother as city attorney, concluded to prefer a
charge under the ordinance of assuming i'm
proper attire, and arecord was made Of it.
Clerk Dunn then called Mary Belmont but
| the woman moved not an inch, her proper name
bad SD long been buried that she had doubtless
forgotten it, and hence made no response.
MARY Belmont" again called the clerk, and
| this tina hfckoDn6 Tn ha vr.,rop ,nJ che ~