The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
SHE TELLS HER STORY.
Love for the Sea and Desire for
Male Attire Prompt Her
Action.
RAN AWAY FROM HER HUSBAND
Sailors Confederate a Portion of the
Female Sailors Strange
Narrative.

SEATTLE, WASH, March 9.-Puget Sound
can boast not only of many excellent
sailor boys, but of one sailor girl, and she
is not content with sailing on mere mer-
chant ship, but served seven weeks on the
United States ship Monterey, and she also
claims she has been on other ships, but it
is believed she is afflicted with vivid i'm
agination. She says she was on the Mon
terey in the disguise of a sailor boy, and
her story is borne out by the stories of sew
eral sailors.
The girl who has this unique career bore
several names and has had many vicissi-
tudes,, though still young. The first name
she bore after coming into the world at st.
Cloud, Mimi, about fifteen years ago, was
Ida May Townsend. Her father died when
she was but years old, and she was adopt
ed by couples named Blunt, whose name
she took. Six years ago the Blunt family
moved to Whatcom, and last May the girl,
still child in years, married brick-ma-
son named f. J. Love.
But she had always q passion for the sea
and for assuming male attire, and could
not settle down to the prosaic bliss of mar
ried life. Thus it was that last August she
deserted her husband for the free life of the
sea, and donning the clothes of an appren-
tice went on board the Monterey, only
three officers and three or four seamen, it
is alleged, knowing her secret. The girl
was located at Leavenworth few days ago
and she talked freely. She claims to have
been on the Mohican and the Independ-
ence, but as to this her story is not given
much credence because it cannot be veri-
fed. She says she endeavored to ship on
the Monterey last August, but was not
successful. A few days later she went to
Port Angeles, whittier the Monterey had
sailed, and again applied to the ship with
better success.
Concerning her experience at Port An
geles, she said
81 presented myself to the officer of the
deck, who was different fellow than l
had seen before. When I told him that I
wanted to ship he asked me what kind of a
boy I would make. I told him / was
daisy That settled it and taking me be-
low he told the man on watch to call Gala
han. In few moments Callahan reported.
Callahan, you have an extra uniform;
bring it up, demanded the officer Gala
han soon returned with the suit. The
officer told me 70 try it on and showed me
little room where l could change. You
ought to have seen him when came out
He said, Why, you make fine boy. Go
to the surgeon and be examined. | re-
ceived an examination and was given nv
| rating. [ was assigned to duty as the
plumbers apprentice. We went to Port
land and from there to San Francisco"
William Fiske, sailor on the Mohican,
says that "Billy" Root, the plumber on
the Monterey, told him at Port Angeles a
few weeks ago that the girl had been on
the ship. Fiske says: "Root told me he
was finally afraid the girl would be found
out and he put her on shore. Root said
that during the seven weeks she was on
board she answered at rollcall to the name
| of Daniel McArdle. That's the name Root
| told me she went under Root told me to
hunt the girl up when | came to Seattle
and did so. found her here. Schofield,
an apprentice also met her, fell in love
with her, broke his liberty and is now in
the ships Jail You can't believe half
the girl says, though
Although it is claimed that the girl is
| only 16 years old, she looks to be about 18
and claims to be "a She is of slight build.
weighing about 125 pounds, and is as well
thA@oAeU % any dtllIetic young IeIloW her
face is study. She has very boyish ap-
pearance and her features are sharply out
lined and would attract attention any
where. While not handsome, she is not
bad looking, although her coal-black hair,
which is cut short, and her piercing black
eyes and high cheekbones suggest strain
of Cherokee blood. Her short upper lip
which she is in the habit of puckering up
when she smiles, displays a fine set of
teeth. Her hands are large and calloused,
indicating familiarity with tarred rope and
sails. She wears No. 5 mans shoe and
is somewhat proud of the distinction.