The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-01

! 1t has just been discovered that an employe of
| the West Division Street Railway Company, q
| protege of Superintendent Lake, through whose
! benefcence the person was taken from the barns
and given an opportunity to learn the painters
| trade In the shops, is nosa young man, but of
! the opposite sex, and, though none of those di
rectly interested We're available last night, yet
| those who profess to know the circumstances
| have told the following
Silvia Hammond is the daughter of William
| ii. Hammond, a wealthy farmer living near
| Springfield, O.. She is said to have been rather
hoidenish and her inclinations of masculine
| tendency She had her pony phaeton and be-
came an expert horsewoman, but other accom-
| plishments were wanting. 1t is averred that
she had strong inclination to cheap literature,
and the indulgence of this taste may have in
| f1uenced her subsequent vagary. Three years
ago she was thirteen years DID, The story goes
that about that time she had a quarrel
with her mother one day; she drove to Spring
field in her phaeton, and with money which her
father supplied literally, purchased suit of
boys clothing, which she took home and secreted
in her room A few days later the opportunity
which she desired presented itself. She left
home and came to Chicago, where for three days
she masqueraded a boy. Her desire was
simply to see phases of life in large city that
are generally excluded from circumspect fe-
males. After satisfying her curiosity she set out
for home, but as she neared Springfield she
cluded not to return to her parents. but to see
the world in her guise
Accordingly, she left the train at Marion, o.,
and went to "a hotel where contractor on the
Chicago e Atlantic railroad was stopping. The
two became acquainted, and Sidney Hammond
for the unSexed ruralist styled herself applied
for and obtained situation from the contractor
Sidney was put in gravel pit with pencil and
book, his duties being to keep account Of the car
loads of gravel taken from the pit. In about FIVE
mont his this position gave out and then Sidney
went to Clinton, where he went to work on a
dairy farm. He was set to work milking for a
time, but the dairyman becoming interested in
him he was promoted to driving wagon.
One of the dairymans daughters also became
interested In the new hand, and affairs became
so complicated that Sidney was obliged to leave
this place to avoid exposure. He had attended
church and Sunday school regularly, so that when
he arrived in Chicago he had letters of recon-
mendaton from the pastor of the church he at
tended, and the credentials were presented at the
Young Mems Christian Association. He OBJ
tanned employment at the West Division street
railway barns, and was used to lead horses to
and from the barn to cars. He came under the
notice of Superintendent Lake. and it is said
that kindly feeling was engendered in the heart
of Mr.. Lake because of dead son of his who,
if he had lived, would have been about the age
of the barn-boy.
Mr. Lake took the boy to Franklin, the fore
man of the paintshops, and told him to give him
a chance to learn the trade. 1t was here that
suspicious were first aroused as to the boys sex.
He was often seen crying, and other little Incl
dents attracted attention and excited comment
had received letters from the dairymans daugh
ter, and to end the matter he wrote her that he
was married. About this time he changed his
boarding house from No. 1890 West Madison
street to the Western avenue House, leaving
instructions at the former place that if any mail
came for him to send it to his new boarding
house.
The dairyman's daughter, having received the
letter telling her of his marriage, wrote letter
to No. 900 West Madison street, addressed to
Mrs. Sidney Hammond The people at the
house did not send the letter to Hammonds
boarding house, but gave it to Franklin and
asked him to hand it to Hammond at the shop
The boy heard that his foreman had letter for
him and asked for it, Franklin said that he had
a letter for Mrs Hammond, and showing Sidney
the envelope asked if it was for him.
The boys confusion was so apparent
when he said mo" that the foreman be-
came the more convinced that something
was wrong One day, about week ago, Ham
mond reported that $40 had be stolen from his
room, and complained to the police. The officers,
while prosecuting their investigation, learned
the real sex of Hammond. The letter from
Clinton was opened and found to be pathetic
congratulation and hope that Mr.. and Mrs. Ham
mond would be happy Hammond was taken in
charge by the police and her parents will be com
municated with She is of heavy stature, dark
featured and decidedly plain, her whole appear
ance being more in accordance with her adopted
sex than her natural one. She has, however, at
all times, been correct in her morals.