Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-09-26
STOP TIE BREED.
A Virginia Family With . Remarkable
NJ

A Virginia Family With . Remark.bl
Characteristic.
Rebecca Payne, of Winchester, Pa
startled that quiet community som
months ago by suddenly appearing il
male habitiments, and, with q doctor
cert fcate of her right to wear mascu
line attire, applied to the county cour
for marriage license in the name Q
Lawrence r. Payne. The license wa
granted, and in short order Lawrence
late Rebecca-was duly married to
Miss Hilton, for come time previousl
his assistant on his farm and at tn
store.
These are familiar facts, for the stor,
of the remarkable sexual transformation
was published all over the country q
the time. It is recalled now by tn
discovery that a sister of Lawrenc
Payne has recently developed simila
personal peculiarities.
The Paynes are said to be an old Vir.
GINA family, but the Republican CORE
spondent is advised that the statement
that have made among the foremos
families of the better class is mistake
They are we'll known in their OWL
neighborhood as plain, bardworkint
people. They have had little means
hut have never ranked as among the f
F. V. set.
TIE FAMILY TREE.
Uid Jane Payne, who lives on farm
in Berkeley county, West Virginia, where
she has lived for sixty years, is the old
est member of the family living, being
IS years old. Joseph Payne, a son OF
hers, who died in 1863, settled at point
about half way between Martinsburg
and Winchester, Va, and it is in bis
family the two remarkable transforms
lions have occurred.
He had several daughters, and Sarah.
the Oldest, married Hugh M. Merritt, q
well-to- do farmer of Bellaire, O., some
seventeen or eighteen years ago. Twelve
years ago Sarah Merritt died, leaving
three children, the youngest being an
infant but or weeks old. This child
was given to the aunts in Virginia to
raise. They were all aunts then, hut
since they have turned out to be uncles
Is well as aunts.
Farmer Merritt has concluded it is un-
wise to leave his little girl Bessie in such
peculiar custody. They refuse to return
Bessie, and this has brought about q
bill of equity to determine whether the
father shall have the child. She is liv-
ing at the same house which had in it
none but aunts short time ago. There
were Amt Bessie, Aunt Mary, Aunt Re-
becca, and Aunt Leila, but Aunt Mary
married Jacob L. Swimby a few years
ago and went to an adjoining farm to
live, Aunt Rebecca
PUT ON TROUSERS
and became Uncle Lawrence, and lately
Mr.. Merritt seems to have learned that
Aunt Leila, the youngest, ought to drop
her petticoats also.
In his suit for possession he does not
lay so much stress upon his parental
rights as he does upon the unfitness of
his sister-in-law.
The whole matter is summed up in
the following extract from old Mrs.
Payne's testimony:
@. Did Leila Payne ever make any
admission to you concerning her sex? If
30 when and where and in what man.
ner?
A. She told me she was a male. She
told me so last October during her moth
e1's sickness. That was the last time l
wa5 in her house.
Q. Does Leila Payne dress and COM
port herself as woman? and is she
30 regarded by the community at large?
A. She dresses as q woman. As for
the rest don't know, but I suppose she
has been regarded as woman.
@. Are you related to Leila Payne?
A. I'm her grandmother.
Q. Does Bessie Merit sleep in the
same bed with Leila Payne?
A. don't know whether she sleeps
with her now or not, but she did five
years ago.
Mr.. Merits lawyers say they will pro-
luce in evidence a statement based on
IN examination signed by DR.. Mcclure,
he same physician on whose certificate
Lawrence Payne-pro-
cured q marriage license last year, that
Miss Leila is more man than woman.
In the popular mind Mis- Bessie: next to
he eldest in age, is accused of
THE ZANE HEREsY
u Miss Leila, but up to the present
line there III no testimony OF like
and she does not strike q
casual observer with an impression of
Ter guilt.
Lawrence, who was Rebecca, besides
icing q farmer, runs a grocery store
allied the Rest, probably because it is q
place between Winchester and |
being about half way be.
ween the towns. But business is hard |
y as good at the store as it used to be. |
as husband, is not as much in |
avor with "the boys" of the county as
the village maiden, used to be.
For years it has been believed and
by many of the neighbors that
sebecca was entitled by natural endow-
nent and business tact as they say ito
rear the breeches." Rebecca herself
bought so, and blamed the family for
aving kept her in petticoats so long.
the Transformation created
great sensation. It stirred the coun-
~ to the utmost
TURMOIL OF AsroNIsHMENr
nd excitement.
The girls with whom Rebecca associ-
ted and their immediate friends were