The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-02-07
A STRANGE STORY.
The Wonderful Transformation Of a
Woman.
A SOcisty Belle Becomes q Business Man.-Aitsr
Liriug for Two Years as a Wife. lie is
Narried to Pretty Girl.


tbo c;vjl ,ror ,ho,a loca,ad in tha',ou,r n
Rroodbeod Wis n Dr Rnrnbam wbo
came from 81 Jawrence county n v.
Mr. B,pnba,n was at this time the happv
father of two children. He was a well.
to-do phvsician and the fac, of his being
n phvscian may lend some IN place the
blame Of an unfortunate circumstance in
the life of his daughter upon him. Ellen
was a remarkable little child. a dark
brunette and sort of tom-boy creature.
axtraordinarilv briybt and possessing No
culiar charms for hcr comnanions. Al an
early ace she deyeloped special adapta-
bility for music. and was plaeed as soon
as her 10 would permit In n seminary Mt
Broadbead her father and friends taking
great interest in her success. She soon
became n leodcr among her woman friends
and an accumulated musician. freouent-
Iv giving concerts At Broadbead and sur-
sonnd;ng nIaces She was pattod and
coaxed bv her acouaintances and friends
possessino many admirers and not a few
suitors.
While beautiful Ellen was at her social
zenith L. W. Powell, editor and proprie-
tor of the local paper in Broadhead, be-
came her envied and accepted lover. The
cburtship that followed was happy and
Joyous, and after some time they were
married. They lived together for two
years, to all appearances happily. At
this time the war was In progress and
Mrs. Powell took trip to Washington,
intending to visit some friends then liv-
ing at the capital. Mr.. Powell disap-
peared, and it is supposed he enlisted in
the Federal army. Mrs. Powell while in
Washington moved considerably in socie-
ty, and attracted much attention for her
social gifts and the strange undetermina-
Bile masculine impression which she gave
to those who met her. This seemed de-
veloping in her at this time, Her voice
became more voluminous and slight
downy moustache was perceptible on her
upper lip.
The attention of the United States Sc
cret Service WAS finally contered on her,
and she was spotted as a supposed Con-
federate spy, masauerading as a woman.
Nothing was done, however, further than
to keep her under strict surveillance.
After remaining in Washington for sew
eral months she started to return to Broad
head. but was oyertaken at Chicago and
arrested by government detectives,
charged with being in the employ of the
Confederacy MS n spy. This was n cir
cumstance which to her future life meant
more than the discovery of his strange
compound by DR.. Jekyll meant to that
unfortunate being in the role Of Mr..
Hyde. A complication Of affairs was
brought about by this arrest which re-
suited in necessity for the examination
Of the prisoner, Mrs. Powell, to ascertain
heNsex.
The examination was made by DR..
Brainard, professor Of anatomy in Rush
Medical College at Chicago, the best
anatomist at that time in that CITY. The
examination resulted. more particu,arlv
from tbe circumstance surrounding The
nrisonor IN a most astound;no isuue
Having lived two wears os tbe wife ~
Powell, the physician informed her that
she was not n woman but a man. and Tint
a surgical operation was necessary. The