The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-15
MONTANA'S TERROR.
A Female Highway Robber
Joins the Salvation
Army.
TALKS AND ACTS LIKE A MAN.
She Used to Hold Up People to Rob
Them-Now She Seeks Them
Out to Reform Them.
TALKS AND ACTS LIKE A MAN.

"Jesus has saved me and will save
every one of you fellows if you will
only come to Him. Ihave been about
as tough as they make 'em, but, glory
to God, / am all right now"
This was part of a speech made by
a female member of the Salvation
Army a few evenings ago while a re-
porter was passing. She was a hand
some woman, about twenty years of
age, and when she had concluded her
address to the crowd, a song was
started, and her voice, sweet and
clear, rang out above all others. 1t
was plain to be seen that she was no
ordinary Salvation Army woman.
| She assumed an air that is seldom
seen about those who yell and almost
exhaust themselves with tambourines,
drums, etc., in street parades and
barrack meetings. Her companions
had a good deal of respect for her.
She seemed to be the principal person
in the outdoor meetings, although she
was simply q private in the ranks.
There's the Montana Terror, ="
said an interested bystander.
"Who is she?" was the inquiry
made.
Follow her up to the barracks and
She will tell you the story of her life.
Her career has been a most remark
able one. | have heard it, but would
rather let her tell it to you"
KNOWN AS SISTER BERTHE"
Shortly after the order ''break
ranks" had been given at headquar-
ters a visit vas paid to the Montana
Terror" Inquiry brought about the
fact that she a known in the army
as Sister Bertie.p She tripped
lightly into the consultation room
when her name was called. Seeing a
stranger there, she hesitated, and here
was an opportunity to study a charac-
ter that is without parallel in north
west criminal history. She did not
wear the regulation uniform, and one
to see her on the street would not sus-
pect her of being a member OF the
Salvation Army. A little straw hat
was tipped over on the side of her
head, and placing both hands upon
her hips, she struck an attitude. She
looked f~iercely at her visitor, her
bright eyes shining and her pretty
complexion aglow.
do you want to see me?" she
asked, exhibiting a pearly set of
teeth. But then you are a newspa-
per man, [ know, and want to get my
past history. Well, I'll give you a
dead pointer. You don't get it from
me. I've got too much newspaper
%notoriety already. Now l have been
r1 ~ 0-1 7 l@-1% 4-ro - --
past life"
Sister BERTHE had an air of determi-
nation about her. 1t was evident
that she would quickly fight If occa-
sion required. Her walk was that of
a man; in fact her every appearance
was Of a masculine nature. Not coarse
or loud, but she, when in male attire,
with her short cropped hair, would
easily be taken for a young man.
STORY OF HELEN FORSLUND.
Sister Bertie's true name is Helen
Forslund. She was born in Norway.
While quite young her parents re
moved with the family to this
country. They finally settled on a
ranch near Spokane Falls, Wash,
and Helen became quite a ia,
vorite in the neighborhood.
But she always manifested
a dislike for her girl friends
company. and PERSISTED in associating
with the boys. In fact she was re-
garded as a "tomboyn and there were
but few about who could climb a tree,
ride an unruly horse o. play marbles
better than she.
One day Helen went into the room of
one of her brothers, and finding a suit
OF clothes there, concluded to try them
on. A glance into the mirror salts
fed her that she made a better look
ing boy than she vas a girl. Notwith-
standing the protests of her parents
she insisted on wearing her brothers
clothes. and finally got SO used to
them that she refused to wear other
than male attire. 1t did not take her
long to lose her girlish ways, and
when she ran away from home and
applied for a place as herder on a big
cattle ranch, she was taken to be a
young boy and given a job. There
was not a cowboy in the en-
pioy OF the cattle1nen who could
excel Helen, who nov assumed the
name of Charles Miller, in riding
oucking horses or throwing the lasso.
She became quite popular on the
ranch, but her sex was never sus-
pected. She drank, smoked, chewed,
swore and was an expert at cards,
playing all games and betting 10 the
limit. She had the reputation of
being one of the best poker players in
that section of the country.
SHE WENT ON THE ROAD.
While on the ranch she became ac-
quainted with a ma named Leo
Harold. An intimacy followed, re-
sulting in Harrold's discovering that
the popular Charlie Miller was a
woman. The wages of cowboys were
small and Harold and Helen decided
to branch out in some more lucrative
business. The matter of robbery was
brought up and both took the road.
After securing some little money.
Harold deserted his companion and
went to California. A few months
ago, while attempting to rob the
Office of a steamboat company at Rio
Vista, he was detected by a night
Waterman, whom he shot and killed.
he Is now serving a life sentence in
San Quentin.
Helen's ~experiece SO far was but a
stimulus. She became virtually in
fatuated with highway robbery. The
excitement and danger attending was
q pleasure to her, and when she was