The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12

The recent case of Alice Mitchell and
Freda Ward has been regarded as a per
version Of sex that is wholly without
parallel. yet such perversions-often the
result of dress and education in child
hood rather than any innate tendency
are in reality quite common, and many
noteworthy instances of them, both
among men and women, may be readily
recalled, says Pearson's Weekly.
| One Of the most remarkable is that Of
an Austrian countess named Sarota Way,
who for some time past has been the
reigning sensation of Vienna.
For years past she was palmed off as
a boy upon her father. because her
mother feared to disappoint him by the
| confession that their only child was a
| girl, and that therefore the title and es-
tates must pass to a distant branch of
! the family
Throughout her childhood she was
! dressed in every detail precisely like a
| boy, and thus attired associated only
with boy companions. participating with
them in all the most active and most
/ daring sports and pastimes of boyhood.
|
unsexed by her dress and mode of life.
When more than twenty years Of age
| she electrified Vienna by wearing male
apparel, drinking deeply, betting heav-
lily. talking like the army in Flanders,
and fighting duels with the utmost reck-
| lessness.
| During my sojourn in the Austrian
| capital in the latter part of 1890 she actu-
ally married very wealthy and beauti-
| full young orphan girl named Merle En-
| glehardt, who, though aware Of her sex,
seems to have felt for her the same in
fatuation that the late Freda Ward felt
! for Alice Mitchell.
They lived together until SarOta had
| squandered the greater portion of her
| 'wife's" property, when her relatives in
| terfered and caused an investigation TO
be made OF Sarota's mental condition by
| medical experts, the result being that
she was morally irresponsible, and was
placed in an insane asylum.
OF all recorded instances where man
has transformed himself into a woman,
the most remarkable is that Of Omar
Kingsley, a famous circus rider, who
died in India a few years ago.
This mans whole life was a romance
| far surprising in improbability and thrill
ing interest any novel ever penned by
any master of fiction. He was born in
| New Orleans Of Creole parents and at
| the age Of about eight years was appren-
ticed to 5. Q. Stokes a we'll known cir
| Gus manager of that day, there being
| then no law against the employment Of
| young children in hazardous perform
ances.
What this boys real name was no one
| but Stokes ever knew. and he never
| divulged the secret. 1t was the boys
| singular girl-like beauty that suggested
| to Stokes the idea of Transforming him
| into girl. He accordingly dressed him
| from head to foot in feminine attire,
| and from that time until he had passed
his twenty-first birthday he never again
wore a single article Of mans attire.
| Stokes bestowed upon him the fanciful
| appellation Of ELLA Zoyara," and under
that nams he soon became one of the
| most famous and daring circus riders
| that the sawdust area has ever known.
Another of Stokes apprentices was
beautiful little girl of about the same
! age as Ella Zoyara," and these two
| children reSembled each other so closely
| that any one would take them for twin
sisters, especially as Stokes always had
| dressed them exactly alike. For years
| they were the most constant and inSep-
| girl reached womanhood Stokes made her
| his second wife.
ELLA Zoyara" was about seventeen
| years of age when 1 first saw her, or
| rather him. He was then a picture of
ravishing loveliness. His features were
| singularly delicate and of the most per-
| feet regularity, while his complexion was
| of the most brunette type.
| His cheeks, upon which not even the
| faintest trace Of a beard ever made it.
/ caIf nj ole Ntrirh rio ID
! red flush that, in contrast with the olive
hue Of his skin, made a glorious bit of
color, and his hair, black and glossy as
| the ravens wing, hung in luxuriant
curls to his waist
| l never suspected for a moment-nor
did any member Of Stokes company
| then playing abroad-that ELLA Zoyara"
was anything but genuine girl, nor
did any Of US. during the three months
that 1 Travelled with the company In En-
| gland and on the continent.
| Wherever he appeared, Ella Zoyara"
created an immense sensation among
the susceptible men who fiocked to his
performance. and from such admirers
he was constantly in receipt of presents
that royalty itself would not have dis
dained to accept. Among these offer
ings was a diamond ring of great value,
which had been given him by duke.
Among those who worshiped at the
shrine Of this temple OF supposed female
the highest rank and immense wealth
1t was while playing in Berlin that,
through the the prosecutions Of this no.
bleman, ELIAS" real sex was discov-
cred, and to escape the vengeance of
his powerful admirer Ella was
obliged to take French leave Of Berlin.
His long kept secret being thus dis
covered, Ella" never again attempted
to deceive any one as to his sex, though
he continued to appear professionally as
nj of Ia
Zoyara" for long time afterward
| He subsequently abandoned skirts and
| rode as a man under the name of Omar
| Kingsley yet long masquerade seems to
| have changed his whole nature from a
masculine to feminine one. He was as
emotional and capricious any woman
and had the temper of a virago.
Stokes used to buy him long kid
gloves, which covered his arms-as
shapely and white as those of any
woman-to the elbow. and ELLA" was
absurdly particular that they should fit
him TO a nicely. II, after trying on a
| pair, he found the slightest wrinkle in
them he would stamp his foot and tear
them off with one violent gesture and
fling them from him in a frenzy of
rage.
Even after coming out as a male rider
under the name of Oscar Kingsley he
would attire himself in a lady's dressing
gown when at home and devote his leis-
ure to embroidery or some other variety
| of feminine fancy work. in every branch
Of which he was an adept
Soon after his discovery OF his secret