The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-10-20
wOMAN's ROMANTIC CAREER.
The Story Of the Life of BeIie Boyd,
1Ee Confedetae Spy.


! CHICAGO. Oct "a woman who can
relate a remarkable life history appeared
before the Chicago public yesterday as
| complainant in a libel suit against the
Tribune. On Sept. 80 that paper pub
lished dispatch from St. Louis stating
that Belle Boyd, the ex-Confederate spy,
had put up at Hursts Hoted, but had
gone from there to the st. James, leav-
ing her trunk ut the former place. The
article did not state that she had eluded
board bill, but left that to be inferred,
and facetiiously described the contents
of the trunk, which was opened by the
people at the Hurst House. The men,
ton of pair of old corsets, slipper,
plug of tobacco and ''God Bless Our
Home" motto as the only contents of the
trunk incensed the lady, and she sued
for $5, 900 damages.
Belle Boyd, or Mrs Hammond-for
that is the name under which she brings
suit-was seen this morning at the
Revere House by n reporter. She is a wO-
m3n of tall and graceful form and
face in which still fingers much of the
beauty which it possessed when its own
er became famous during the war.
II am opposed" che said, ''to newspa-
pers publishing my private affairs with
the object of making ridiculous. Not only
has that story, which was entirely false,
wounded my pride. but it has done me
great injury here and elsewhere. If |
Al, - 1,
tears,) lit is not My fault. 1t was a
matter between the hotel people and my
self"
OF her career. which made the name
of Belle Boyd famous the world over,
she said:
"When the war began / was n girl of
fifteen, just out of school and enthusias-
tic in love for my COnntry-the south.
What | did for the cause was not done
i'll the consciousness that | was a spy. L
only wanted to help my people. | was
exchanged for Union colonel, and
when l got back to the southern army l
received an enthusiastic reception. In
1861 was sent TO England with dis
patches from the confederate Govern
ment, and ran the blockade in the steam
or Greyhound. | was captured at sea,
with my dispatches, the Greyhound hav- |
ing been run by the Connecticut, under |
command of Lieut.. Harding.
THE lieutenant fell in love with me
and permitted the captain of the Grey !
hound to escape. L was brought to |
Washington again n prisoner, but was |
banished . Canada, to be shot the next |
time l was caught. Lieut.. Harding was |
courtmartialed and dismissed from the |
service. He went to England, and the /
same summer GS6t) we We're married in |
London. l received the most distin-
guished attention there"
After l was left widow i'll England | ,
went on the stage. In 1867 | made my |
first appearance on the stage in America /
W it'll Ben de Bar. and after that starred !
two seasons. Then l married Col. HAM
mond, at New Orleans, and lived quietly |
in Texas until little over year ago. |
Col. Hammond is now afflicted with !
softening of the brain, and | am COM |
PEELED to support myself and three chill /
dren. ! intend to return to the stage /
and make a name for myself yet"
Miss Boyd has an engagement with |
Professor" company to play Miss Ell /
';ott, and is waiting to Join the compa- /
ny.