, 1889-02-14
ONCE WIFE, NOW HUSBAND.


ONCE WIFE, NOW HUSBAND.
The Remarkable Career Of . Californian.
A Waterloo. Iowa, correspondent relates
the following az true story:
Just before the civil war there located In
the town of Brodhead, Wisconsin. q DR..
Burnham, who came from st. Lawrence
county, New York. Mr.. Burnham was at
this time the happy father of two children.
He was well-to do man, being druggist
IA we'll as practicing physician, and the
fact OF his being physician may lead
some to place the blame Of an unfortunate
circumstance in the life OF his daughter
upon him. Ellen was remarkable child,
dark little brunette. and sort of tom
boy creature, extraordinarily bright, and
possessing peculiar charms for her COM
papions. At an early age she, developed
special adaptability for music and was
placed as soon as her age would permit in
seminary at Brodhead, her father and
friends taking great interest In her sue
cess. She soon became leader among
her women friends and an accomplished
musician, frequently giving concerts and
musical entertainments at Brodhead aud
surrounding places. She was petted and
coaxed by her acquaintances and friends.
possessing many admirers and not few
suitors.
While beautiful Ellen was at her social
zenith L. w. Powell, editor and pro-
prietor of the local paper in Brodhead,
became her envied and accepted lover.
and joyo and after some time they were
married. They lived together for two
years to all appearances happily. A. this
time the war was in progress and Mrs.
Powell took trip to Washington. in
tending to visit some friends then living
at the capital. While in Washington she
moved considerably In society, and at.
tracted much attention for her social gifts
and the strange understandable masculine
impression which she gave to those who
met her. This seemed developing in her
voluminous and a slight downy mustache
was perceptibe on her upper lip.
The attention of the United States secret
service was finally centered on her, and
she was spotted as q supposed Confederate
spy, masquerading as woman. Nothing
was done, however, further than to keep
her under strict surveillance. After re-
remaining in Washington for several
months she started to return to Brodhead,
but was overtaken at Chicago and arrested
by government detectives, charged with
being in the employ Of the Confederacy as
spy. This was circumstance which to
her future lifsmeant more than the dis
covery OF his strange compound by DR..
Jekyl meant to that unfortunate being in
the role ot Mr.. Hyde. A complication of
affairs WAS brought about by this arrest
wh lch resulted In necessity for the ex-
animation of the prisoner, Mrs. Powell to
ascertain her sex.
The examination was made by DR..
Brainard, professor of anatomy in Rush
Medical College at Chicago, the best anat-
omist at that time in that city. The ex-
animation resulted, more particularly from
the circumstances surrounding the prison.
er, in a most astounding Issue. Having
lived two years AS the wife OF Powell. the
physician informed her that she was not
woman out u man. The prosecution was
dropped by the secret service and MRS.
Powell" assuming male attire, as made
necessary by the law, proceeded to Brod-
head with q broken heart and crushed
spirits.
No divorce was necessary as the devel-
opmeDt of the above facts made her mar
rage with Powell ipso facto void. MRS.
Powell" now became Mr.. M. Q. Burnham
and entered upon the duties OF man. He
engaged in business, was successful, made
comfortable fortune. developed q mus
tache. and later developed q full beard.
and again began to figure In society, this
gan to give his attention to Gertrude
Evarts, living at Brodhead, Wis. who
was acquainted with the early history of
the man, and who in fact had been in
Burnham's female life girl friend and
chum at the seminary They were mar.
ried and removed to Waterloo. Iowa, " here
Burnham entered upon An active career,
erecting an opera-house In this city,
establishing o drug store and tax
ing part In all public move
ments. He soon became q highly
respected and estimable citizen. He at
one time was superintendent of the Con-
greRational sunday school here and very
much liked. He was also . very promi-
nent music teacher at the same period,
and On far a. his outward life AID appear
ance we're concerned Burnham was the
type of perfect manhood. He left here
several years ago and went to California,
where be is now living on account of the
health of mis- wife.
A full account of Powell's after career IL
not available. Suffice it to say tnat the
one tune successful journalist and the hus.
band of the beautiful Ellen Burnham w IA