Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-06
DYING IN WANT AND FRIENDLESs.
Fannie Desmond, Who Braved Death
Female Detective.

-
a Female Detective.
CHICAGO, March 6.-Deserted by her
husband. penniless and friendless. Mrs G.
w. Lee, whose marvellous rifle shooting won
the plaudits of worlds fair visitors at Buffa-
10 Bills show last summer, now lies at the
point of death in the county hospital-de-
dependent on Chicago's charity
Only twenty-three years old, Mrs Lee has
seen more sides of life than fall to the lot
of most of her sex, Until last summer Mrs
Lee was Miss Fannie Desmond. Her broth
er is VIM. Desmond the chief of the ST.
Louis city detective bureau. Chief Des-
mond's fame has spread beyond the borders
of his native city through his successful
fighting in breaking up a dangerous gang
of Chinese highbinders whose despera tie
deeds terrorized for time the entire city
His sister Fannie was his greatest aid in
his struggle with these highbinders She it
was on whom the chief relied more than on
his oldest and best tried detectives The
young girl donned the tattered shirt and
ragged trousers of a bootblack, and in this
disguise mingled freely with the highbind-
ers. For several months she boldly risked
dangers. but her Chinese consorts never
once discovered her sex.
one night Chief Desmond was informed
that his enemies were plotting a conspiracy
of more than ordinary danger. The chief
knew that it would be useless to ask any of
his detectives to ferret out the plot. They
would be found out at once, and discovery
meant instant death. AS the last resort he
appealed to his sister. She did not hesitate
a moment She fear1essly allowed herself
to be lowered through dirty coal hole at
the rear of a weli-known joss and gambling
house in the heart of Chinatown" Care
fully she crawled over the coal and through
several dark and loathsome passageways
until only a thin and loosely built wooden
partition separated her from the conspira-
tors. The girl knew the Chinese language
thoroughly, and drank in all the details of
the murderouS plot which the Chinese des-
peradOeS We're discussing
win the evidence secured at this secret
council of the highbinders Fannie Desmond
became the chief witness in the prosecution
of these Occidental cutthroats. When the
trial made public these brave deeds Miss
Desmond became famous throughout Mis-
souri, as the ''bootblack detective
Last summer Miss Desmond, who is a
splendid shot with pistol and rifle alike,
Joined Buffalo Bills Wild West. She achiev-
ed great popularity by the wonderful skin
with which she broke glass balls while
shooting over her head by the aid of a mir
ror or while riding at full speed on a half
tanned pony. 1t was during this engage
ment that she met G. w. Lee, the man who
has now deserted her They became ac-
quainted, fell in love and after few weeks
courtship were married
The honeymoon lasted until a month ago.
Then the poor woman was taken sick with
infammatory rheumatism. Last week her
husband deserted her. Her condition rap
notified the police and the wasted body of
the abandoned wife was carried away to
the county hospital. At the hospital it was
sail that while her condition Is proba bly,
hopeless, her death is not expected for sew
eral days.