Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1893-12-09
PAULINE FRYER GONE
Death of an Arizona Woman OF
Romantic Career.
An Actress-Her Startling Toast
A Spy-Her Great Services-A
Hother-Her Utter Bereave-
ment-An Old Woman
Her End.

Pauline Cushman-Fryer, one OF the
most noted women of Arizona, for years
at Casa Grande, where she was well
known and highly respected, is dead.
She died in San Francisco, "childless
and grayhaired" the San Francisco Call
says.
She has lived in San Francisco for
| the past three years.
This handsome, daring woman, who
during the war filled the country with
her fame, but died in obscurity, was
born in 1888. Her life was romance.
She was the daughter OF Spanish
refugee, who became a tradesmsn in
New Orleans, where Pauline was born,
| and afterward an Indian trader at Grand
Rapids, Mich. AS she grew TO woman
hood the charms CT her person and the
| impressiveness of her manners drew her
irresisibly to the stage.
Early in June of 1868 while playing
in Woods theater, Louisville, KY, she
received many attentions from paroled
Confederate officer who were then at
Kentucky's chief city. With desire of
making a parade of secession sentiment
one of the officers proposed to her to
| offer in the midst of one of her parts a
| toast to jeff Davis and tue eout bern
Confederacy. She promised to but was
| loyal to the union, and in the meantime
| decided to enter its secret service as
a spy.
Miss Cushman took the formal and
solemn oath administered before enter
| ing that hazardous branch of the service,
and the following night on the stage at
| Woods theater, while the eyes of a
large audience were fixed upon her in
supper scene, she proposed this as
founding toast:
Here's to JEFF Davis and the south
ern Confederacy; may the south always
no intain Der honor and her rightsr'
This sentiment fell on the audience
| Ike a bombshell. She was dismissed
from the company for it.
Then followed services in information
of the enemy's Notifications and move
ments that were of untold value to the
union. She WIS captured twice, but
scaped. The Second time she feigned in
| tense sickness, and her execution was
postponed. Before It came off Gen. Bragg,
her custodian, was forced to evacuate
| duO BIG CSOdpCo.
| Soon after the close of the war Miss
| Cushman married Charles G. Dickinson,
musician, whom she met in the army.
They settled in Michigan. Seven
childrsn were born to them Four died
in one day OF diphtheris, and some years
later the remaining three died within
two days of the same dread disease
Dickinson died about fifteen years age
and his widow married Jerry Fryer
sheriff Of Pinal county. A few years
ago they separated, but were not
divorced. Mrs. Fryer came to San
Francisco about three years ago and
has lived there since, though she was
absent twice on visits to Arizona and
| Texas.
There were several poems in
manuscript which had been in;
tended by her to be sent to news.
papers. The following, entitled "Deatt
at Daybresk," was intended for the
Yuma Sentinel. Although not original
with her, it probably expressed heI
mood at the time she transcribed it:
| shall go out when the light comes in.
There lies my cast-off form and face.
1 shall pass dawn on her way to earth
AS seek for path through space.
| shall go out when the light comes in.
| Would I might take one ray with mel
4 1t is blacklist between the worlds,
And how is a soul TO see?