Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-11

Office under the style Oh Mrs. Mary Is.
Wolcott Us. Karnes & Ess, F. A. Sims,
Carl Spengler, Edward Athey, and
others, to enjoin the sale Of certain
real estate. The transactions which
gave rise to the suit are in brief as fol-
lows: About one year ago Sims was
the proprietor of saloon at that
time located at SO Main street. The
building has since been torn down and
a new one erected, which is at present
occupied as a clearinghouse. Athey,
who, it was afterward discovered, was a
warm friend of Frank Gray alias Mrs.
Wolcott, negotiated for the purchase Of
the saloon, and finally bought it, pay
ing part of the money down and giving
notes on a tract of land located near
the city for the balance. This land
was in the name of Mrs. Mary
b. Wolcott, and Athey gave it as
security on a power of attor-
ney, which gave him authority to
transact her business. After the trans
action had been cOnsummated Athey
represented that Mrs. Wolcott owed
Frank Gray some money and suggested
that the saloon be turned over to him
to secure him for what was due from
Mrs. Wolcott; in other words, as it
afterward TRANSFERRED, that the saloon
be turned over to Frank Gray to secure
him for money due him from himself.
Other complications followed, which
finally resulted in a suit instituted by
Mrs. Wolcott, whom the petition stated
was a nonresident, to have the transfer
set aside on the ground that she had
never given Athey power of attorney.
She accordingly asked to have the sale
cancelled and the lands revested in her.
ADUAL LIFE.
The suit resulted in the disclosure Of
the fact that that Mrs. Mary b. VOL
colt, Of Columbus, o., and Frank
Gray, of Kansas City, were one and
the same person. The attorneys for the
defence set to work to find out who
Mrs. Wolcott was. 1t took them over
a year to do it, but they finally sue
ceeded. A day or two ago Frank Gray
was taxed with being none other than
Mrs. Wolcott. She denied it at first,
but finally gave way and acknowledged
everything. She said that for fifteen
years she had been leading dual exist
ence. Part of the time she was Frank
Gray and again she was Mrs. Wolcott.
As Frank Gray she appeared as a
natty, prosperous business man. Her
hair was cropped close to her head, and
by constant shaving she had succeeded
in raising slight moustache on her up
per lip. BY continued practice she had
trained her voice till it had not SEM
blance Of feminine softneSs. Indeed,
so perfect was her disguise that one of
the men who made the discovery was
under the impression that it was Frank
Gray who had been masquerading as
Mrs. Mary B. Wolcott, and not
Mrs. Mary b. Wolcott who
had passed as Frank Gray. As
Frank Gray she appeared before the
attorneys for the defence and gave
her deposition. Her own counsel ques-
toned her in regard TO Mrs. Wolcott
and had no suspicion that Mrs. WolcOtt
was sitting before him. While in this
city she frequently made visits to Co
lumbus, Ohio. There she wore wig
and passed as Mrs. Wolcott. As Mrs.
Wolcott she went to St. Louis and &C
knowledged a deed. Then she came
back to Kansas City and Frank Gray
was again seen on the streets. When
her identity was discovered she said
that she had adopted male attire in
order to enable her to protect herself
and make money. As woman she
would be imposed upon and require
protection as a man she would not be
molested and could take care Of herself.
HER MARRIAGE IN COLUMBUS.
She was married in Columbus, Ohio,
and had one daughter. At the death
Of her husband, who, it is said, left her
unproyided for, she assumed male attire
and has worn it ever since, a period Of
fifteen years. She is now nearly fifty
years Of age. Her daughter married a
young man in this city, and it was
through family quarrel that her
identity was discovered. 1t is claimed
by the defence in the lawsuit, which
resulted in disclosing the fact that
Frank Gray and Mrs. Wolcott
were one and the same person,
that she and Athey, the man
who bought the saloon under power
of attorney given by her, were on very
intimate terms, and that they were mu-
tually interested in the saloon transac-
ton.
While in this city Mrs. Wolcott, I'M
der the name Of Frank Gray, boarded
at us Central street. No one in the
house had the slightest suspicion that
she was woman. After she quit the
saloon business she ran a grocery-store
at Seventh and Wyandotte streets. If
any one asked who kept the store the
reply would be, Frank Gray" When
she acknowledged her identity, the ques-
ton was asked:
Did you not ever go round and
drink with mem"
"0h, yes" she replied; but
never drank any beer or whiskey. |
usually took little wine."
The fact that she was never discoy-
cred showed how perfectly she assumed
the character and denortnent of the
male sex. Hundreds Of men in this
city have drunk over the bar with Frank
Gray and never imagined that their COM
psnion was woman, and dozens Of
women have nodded affably to him
when he raised his hat to them on the
street and never dreamed that they were
wasting their smiles on a member of
their own sex.