Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-08-11
WHAT THE BELLE" TELLS.

spy, appeared at the Courthouse Hall,
last Tuesday night. Having been
favored with complimentary tickets,
we awaited ourselves of seeing this re-
markable woman and hearing from
her own lips an account ofsorne other
daring deeds and narrow escapes dur
ing the rebellion. This lady was
born near Martinsburg, w. Va, in
1874, and of course was quite young
when the war broke out, but from the
first skirmish near Darkesville. she
took an active part-gathering and
furnishing news to the Confederates.
She does not now look to be over 80, is
of medium statue, would weigh
about lao, has piercing eyes, attrac-
tive manners, and is generally voted
handsome. She was neatly attired
in handsome suit of gray cloth
and wore broad brimmed felt hat,
which rested upon a mountain of
f'riZZes. Her discourse was exciting,
pathetic, humorous. While in this
valley, with headquarters at Front
Royal, she made frequent visits to
Winchester. Here lat the Taylor
Hotel we believe) she was married to
a gallant Confederate officer, who, ten
minutes later, fastened to join his
command and fell in battle shortly
afterwards, never having met again.
On one occasion, when fairly loaded
with missives from the women of
this city and important papers from
Mr.. Phil. Williams, she asked for a
pass to Front Royal, which was final
ly secured when she procured and
presented the officer with a huge
bouquet. This, she remarked, show
ed men to be as susceptible of fiattery
as the women. She had not gone far,
however, when she was suspicioned,
brought back and asked to disgorge
When she had relieved her pockets,
sleeves, neck, etc., of the less impor-
tant articles, she was permitted to go
without searching, and furnished the
enemy with valuable information.
On account of her age, sex, and fasci-
mating ways, she always received ten
der treatment when falling into the
hands of the Federals. And on two
occasions when sentenced to be shot
SO prevailed with tender-hearted Abe
Lincoln that he spared her life, but
on the second occasion he only gave
her hours to leave the country. She
didn't stay long in Canada, however,
until she came back and joined the
Confederates. She reveres Abraham
Lincoln's name. One day young
Federal soldier came along and stop
ped for refreshments. She always
made it rule to be very agreeable to
young officers, even making love to
the impreSSionable ones when neceS.
sary, for, as she said, "when man
is in love he tells everything he
knows" The result was, she soon
learned he was en- route to Washing
ton with important messages for Sec'y
Stanton, from whom he was to get
and return papers of equal impor-
lance. Now was her opportunity.
Prevailing on the messenger to tarry
and rest himself, she got him into a
slumber that lasted until she had got
ten into his clothes, procured his doc
uments, went to Washington as the
man herself, delivered the documents
and received Others from Stanton, re-
turned, left the soldiers clothes, and
was on her way to Confederate head
quarters to deliver the message in.
tended only for Union officers. When
the young man reused himself, pro-
ceeded unconscious of the trick that
Belle Boyd had played on him and
presented to Stanton what he SuppOs-
ed to be the original roll given him,
he was doubtless surprised to find il
to contain nothing but blank papers.
She served over six weeks in soil
tary confinement behind prison bars
on one occasion, and when finally per-
mitted to talk, the guards became
subjects of pity. Just imagine a
woman's tongue, after being silent six
weeks and half, let loose all in one
night!' She nearly talked them to
death. In 1864 she was to receive
$4,000 from jeff Davis to go on an inn
portant mission to England. Every
thing in readiness, she boarded a boat
at Charleston and got fairly out to
sea one dark night, but next day they
were run down by U. S. vessel and
had to surrender. When she discov-
cred her captor to be a handsome
young naval officer, she thought to
herself, this is my chance Finding
him pliable, she made herself very
agreeable, gained his affections and
won his heart. He asked her 10 be his
wife and she consented on conditions.
She wanted him to save her money,
give her his signal book, join the Con-
federacy, and let the captain of her
vessel proceed to Europe, and he
yielded. This was a big surrender to
loves resistless power. "This wasn't
asking much of one man, was t."
quoth she.- Manchester Leader.