The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-08
BELLE BovD-s STRANGE LIFE
A "Reminiscences of the Famous Con-
federate SPY.

4 ~~-~~~~~N~NN
nation, Indian territory, some time since
recalls to the minds of every souUhsrner the
daring deeds and thrilling incidents which
made the woman renowned.
Daniel B. Kahnwsiler, late of kahnweller
Bros, cotton merchants of Whining
ton, N. C., spent yesterday in Savannah,
| guest Of the Screven house, and he related
many incidents occurring In Wilmington
where Belle Boyd made her headquarters
for a considerable time. Mr.. Kahnweiler
was personally acquainted with the famous
/ woman. She was born in Martinsburg,
w. Va, in 1916, and lived there until 1861.
Her father was a merchant, her mother
a handsome woman of good family.
The girls associations were excellent.
| She was not a pretty woman, but she at
tracted by her dashing and fearless manner.
| She was highly educated and was the most
| graceful horseback rider in all OF North
Carolina. She was very fond of riding. Her
| horse loved her and she hao compete mas
terry over him. She rode in mems clothes
as often as she did in her Own dress.
As Martinsburg. Va, the place o. her
| birth, was most of the time within the union
lines Belle Boyd's secret service proved In
valuable to the southern commanders. Her
nrst work as spy was during visit TO the
| neighboring town Of Winchester after war
was declared. The dashing horsewoman
ened her ''beloved SOUTH" as she Familiarity
called it, and she CALAMITY rode
| by night to Stonewall Jackson's head
quarters and told him what she knew. From
| that time she was attached to Jackson's
brigade. She rode across the battlefield of
Front Royal and carried jackson dispatches
which sent him in pursuit of Banks. She
had already become the pet and pride of the
southern army.
One time when the late jefferson Davis
wanted some worthy person to carry some
important document to Great Britain, the
young woman applied at the confederate
Presidents headquarters and volunteered
her services. 1t is said that the President
hesitated, doubling the ability of the young
girl, until she produced letters of recon-
mendation from Stonewall jackson. Presi-
dent Davis then armed her with the docu-
ment, ito deliver at all hazards"
The young woman went to Wilmington
to start on the voyage. The steamer Grey
hound was to leave in a few days for
Nassau, and she secured passage in it. The
steamer carried no passengers, but the SPY
succeeded in getting aboard and went out
to sea with the crew, leaving Wilmington
harbor on the night of May 8, 1864 The
vessel ran smoothly, with good winds and
weather, until late the following day, when
an accident happened to the engine. The
vessel sprang a leak and began to FILL
The captain ordered the freight upon deck
to be heaved overheard. IL consisted Of
thirty bags Of gold and l 200 bales of cotton
belonging to Kahnweiler Bros, consigned
to Nassau firm. When the money was
| brought on deck everybody filled his pockets
full and the balance was thrown into the
sea. Before the vessel was emptied of its
freight the federal steamer Massachusetts
| run the Greyhound down, and took the cot
ton and imprisoned the crew
The young spy sobbed bitterly when
| she found that her plans had been
foiled. She begged to be released and
permitted to jump into the sea. Her hopes
of carrying out the instructions of the
president of the confederacy were para
mount to her existence, and when the one
was hopelessly spoiled she wanted to blot
out the other. Her captor, Lieut. =. W.
Harding, held her prisoner, as he did the
rest OF those on the Greyhound, and bring
ing them to Boston, sold the cotton at 81 so
a pound, and imprisoned the people.
| President Lincoln ordered all of the pris-
oners eourtmartialed and shot, but after
ward, through the influence of Lieut..
| Harding, committed the punishment of
Belle Boyd to Punishment. She soon after
crossed to London aud created a great
sensation when she married her captor,
Lieut. Harding, who followed her over.
They were married Aug. 25, 1854. The
lieutenant lived only a few months.
and after brief experience on the stage in
England Belle Boyd returned to America
on the steamship Africa, and, the war over,
she settled in private life. She told the
| story of the capture of the GREYHOUND.
which was to the effect that the engineer
and crew found out that the fat bags con;
tanned gold, and they broke the Greyhound's
| engine in order to seize the gold, but the
gold never did them any good. They were
taken prisoners, and all of it which they had
hidden in their pockets and on their persons
was taken from them by the federals. The
owner of the Greyhound was Charles Joyce
of England.
Mr.. Kahnweiler said that Belle Bovd's
one ambition, after her severe blow of being
taken by the enemy in the capture of the
| Greyhound, was to go on the STAGE She
did so, but her success did not afford enough
encouragement for her to continue an ac-
tress, and she gave it up. After her first
husbands death she married a Philadel-
phian, and for long time lived in the
| Quaker City. Later she went to Texas.
where she again married. She lived for a
short time in Detroit, when her third hus-
band died. She then married successfully
| Cole Younger. Sam Starr and Jim Starr.
the latter two of whom are cousins and
full blood Choctaw Indians
Belle Boyd had two children. The eldest.
beautiful daughter, with much of her
mothers disposition, and more beautiful.
attracted attention throughout the entire
western country. Her name is Pearl
Younger.
Several years ago Belle Boyd shot at and
wounded man whom she charged with
| improper relations with her daughter.
Belle was with her husband, Sam Starr, on
| their return from Fl Smith, Ark, wnen an
enemy named West killed her husband,
| shooting him from the roadside. Soon af-
terward Belle married Jim Starr, q cousin
of her former husband. Starr was in Fl
Scott when he heard that Belle had been
shot from the roadside and killed, and he
got quart of whisizey and left, swearing
that he would kill his wife's slayer
The report of the killing turned out to be
| groundless, however, and the confederate
| spy was unframed when her Indian husband
| reached home. Another woman of q daring
character named Belle was killed in the
neighborhood, and the two names were con-
| founded.
| A gentleman who returned to Savannah
from the territory not long ago said that
| Belle Boyd still lives. She has reformed
considerably, and is now motherly woman
with silver hair, peaceable and good.
Simmons Liver Regulator is a most Excel
lent appetizing tonic. samI. S. Pentz, Chap.
to Bishop of North Carollna.-Adu
Cornwell & Chapman have the famous
| ROvntou Furnace Haafaro aud Daooo.