The morning news., 1894-07-20
WOMEN DISGUISED AS MEN.
Some Romantic Stories Recalled by a
British War once Rumor.
Henry Labouchere in London Truth.

Henry Labouchere in London Truth.
The recent attempt made by the naval
officials to hush up what would have fur
nished material for q scandal of unusual
dimensions, has apparently been success
full The real state of affairs was known
only 10 a few. This was that in more
than one vessel Of war, females, dressed
in male attire had been acting as officers
private servants. Rumor even went so
far as to say that some of these girls were
highly connected. The affair revives the
recollection Of many cases of women in
breeches.
1t is said that $50 women disguised as
men were discovered in the United States
Army of the Potomac in 1866
The list of strange impOstures would of
Itself I'LL pages; the narrative of their con-
ception aud fulfllment would occupy sew
eral volumes. Some of them have been
quite purposeless, some have been daring
and well effected but the shrewdest and
most daring Of all have been criminal in
design and too often successful.
The late Col Burnaby told of the dis
covery Of a woman who served as a sol
der In the ranks of the army of Don Car
los in 1874. She wore the uniform and
lived and fought Just as the other sol
diers; but a priest in whose parish she
had lived identified her. Don Carlos re-
moved her to the nurses quarters. but
she begged 10 be sent back TO the ranks.
He laughed. Not to the regiment Of
men; but when l form battalion of wo-
men you shall be colonel"
In Australia not so many years ago
there was woman who Travelled under
the alias of Edward de Lacy Evans. For
years she was a miner at Bendigo. She
is stated to have been married as a man
three times. Her true sex was discov-
erred har ion fuf I[oy l1,r ffs
asylum. She eventually recovered her
reason and returned to the outer world.
The career of Mary Ann Talbot con-
tains still further flavor of romance.
She was the reputed daughter of the
Earl of Talbot, and at IA years she fell
into the hands of a certain Capt. Bowen
of the royal navy The captain, being
ordered to St. Domingo, took her with
him, disguised as a page boy. When
Capt. Bowen was killed in action Mary
Ann changed her flag and entered the
French navy. She then entered the
American merchant marine. Shequickly
of course still in male disguise-became
favorite with the captain of the vessel,
and he took her home with him. His
niece fell IN love with the pretty
sailor boy, as she considered him,
and proposed marriage herself The
proposal Mary Ann deemed it prudent to
accept, and it was arranged that the
marriage should be celebrated on the
sailors return from his next voyage. II
hardly necessary to say that this gay de-
ceiver had no intention whatever of GO
ing back. Landing in England, Mary
Ann was arrested as a deserter from the
British navy, and, TO escape further SER
vice, she confessed her sex The story
of her adventures Immediately spread
abroad and created considerable sensa-
tion at the time. The then Duke of
York procured for her pension, and she
received numerous and handsome pres
ents from him and from others.
1t is strikingly noticeable that many of
these Anazons were fatally attractive to
their own sex As we have seen, Mary
Ann Talbot unwittingly captivated the
heart of the American captains niece,
while Edward De Lacy Evans" who
married three wives, must also have been
a very pretty fellow.