The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-23
A MAN OF THE WORLD
LOUISE MATsON HAS WORN MALE
ATTIRE FOR TwENTY-sIx YEARS.
Arrested in San francisco Attempts
ing to Cash "a Check-English Wom-
an with 81 Strange History.

"a a aoo IN - oot
in a stylish suit of gray checked tweed.
stepped into one of the smaller banks and
presented a check for payment. 1t was
payable to Louise Matson." The cashier
was mildly astonished and, scenting a
thief, called in a policeman. The stranger
had indorsed on the back of the check the
name of Louise Matson' in a bold how-
ing hand. He was promptly arrested Tor
forgery. In custody the stranger confessed
that she was a woman masquerad1ng In
mems clothes. She added coolly that this
was the first time she had been compelled
to reveal her IDENTITY to strangers in TWEEN
ty-six years. The woman was promptly re-
leased. and a few days after told me the
eventful story of her life.
When I called upon her at the hotel where
she was stopping she was dressed in an
ordinary suit of easy fitting tweed. a frock
coat, waistcoat and trousers of convention
al cut. She wore a white ~four-in-hand tie,
and her stiff sandy hair was brushed up
pompadour. Stout, plain, with an honest
face, she looked like nothing so much as
a solid old English squire. She Is about
forty. She has travelled all over the world,
been engaged in various kinds of business.
made money, spent it, and happened in
Frisco rather short Hence the presenta-
ton of a check and the revelation of her
identity. Her full name is Louise Blaxton
Matson, and on the hotel register ii appears
plain IL. B. Matson."
..They had me well cornered," she said,
with a laugh. referring to her arrest, so
promptly dropped. What about my life!
Nothing much. I was born in one of the
English shires. had a number of govern
esses who couldn't control me. and finally
a tutor. / used to run away from him,
play hockey we used to call It; and go
- L.-ls 1fs- lknd TINT
very much better.
II was eighteen when. pop! it came into
my head hat would don n this style n,a OF
culine that it seemed the only natural thing
to do. and my looks were likewise masculine
to cali me Happy Jack when 1 was a girl.
and / concluded one day to take up the Idea
in real earnest; era Simply ! a cnos Som ons roi Il afa
forded. l never did 1t as a pose or any
thing like that.
BECAME A GLOBE TROTTER.
81 had an income from property left in
trust for me-that fatal check was from this
source-and so 1 was free to travel and
amuse myself for several years at a time.
This accounts for my tanned and rugged
appearance. l never had a headache in all
my life, and as for my nerves. well, / don't
belong to the Alonzo and Melissa type.
my greatest weakness was always a
liking to spend money. So l went up to
London to try my hand at it. / stocked
UP my wardrobe and began life. / have
always worn conventional male clothing,
and always keep in the prevailing style.
drew attention to any oddities OF my inquire;
From London 1 went to Paris and travelled
| Rome. Monaco, etc. AT Monte Carlo ]
used to gamble every night, and won a
age. | met a good many Americans the e,
and took a liking to them. They nor any
one else with whom l came in contact ever
suspected me of being a woman, and, ,"
fact. l got SO used to it that | never thous
about the matter myself. mixed freel
with people, and often acted as escort fer
ladies. / am very fond of music, and that
was why / liked the foreign cities better
than England. The opera went to very
often. and, with a crush hat under my arm,
1, too, occasionally went out between the
| acts for a Glove l enjoyed my privileges
MY trips were taken for the purpose of
observing men and things, and as i con-
Quoted myself aa,s as any f Bidn.t the s sip,s irI !
but one always knows how to get rid of
| them. and they generally regarded. me in
I a fatherly light. was not troubled to de-
| ceive anybody, for no one ever asked me
if | was a woman. and / didn't go about
volunteering information on the subject.
II spent several years in India, then back
to England. Then an irresistible desire
have as much money as / wanted to spend,
and so / went into business out there
the land ana mousse dBeuCy UuSiHeSS-WHdL
| YOU call real estate here. did well and
made money, and got the reputation of
being a good business man. For amuse-
ment | hunted kangaroos. That's great
sport.
! w Of fishing and hunting. l came to this
country about two years ago, and one sea
son I ran a hotel at Ben Lemond- / mind
ed my sS own ab alral MAKING nna aco1 Min masafaiiy !
said no one had ever suspicioned that /
was a woman. I'll have to take that back.
1 a .o- 49, Ars M nf nntrraA
Americans always get there'-the English
man, never. He. was a baggage porter:
gave IhTi such a round of strong language
that he was soon convinced that there was
nothing unusual about me.
CAN SWEAR A BIT.
OILY yes, l have To confess that 1 do swear
+! occasionally. 1 couldn't help it. living
around among men. And i am awfully
! quick tempered. In fact. if l had not been
| so self-reliant and had a good deal of will
power, / dare say. under the circumstances.
/ could never have carried out my adj
ventures and rowing life. Not that there
have been any dangers or adventure. 1
never go armed. | shake dice once in a
| while, just to stand in with the boys. and
| take a glass of beer or whisky occasional
", just as your San Francisco women do.
But | am not fond of d roistering Hfe.'
.Mr. Matson' rose, walked over to the
| table, took a couple of little Havanas out of
! the drawer, ana, onerihg me one III the
other herself.
yes, l smoke MIR. Matson' said. but
| always cigars, never cigarettes. | don't
| care anything about betting on the races.
I much prefer a quiet read with some of
my favorite authors.
Was I ever bothered any? Very rarely.
Once ! had a set to- As | said, / am
| quick tempered, and j can't take a nasty
| word. So / hit a. man who said something
to me that was insulting. He knocked me
out, and he knocked me down. Perhaps
it was a good lesson for me- MIR. Mat
SON. added, with a twinkle in her eye.
Regarding my arrest. / can't say that /
blame the bank officials. The check was
"a good sized one, and, presenting ii as /
did, of course il looked very queer To see
me take money that was 10 be paid to
Louise Matson, when / was dressed as a
man. You may guess that they were
astonished when told them who and what
| was. 1t was the hardest thing i ever
did. though"
"Mr. Matson.'' since the revelation of her
identity, has been flooded with offers OF
sdime museum managers, and she added,
laughing: IF I ever go broke I'll know
what can do. | won't have to starve.'
This remarkable woman is well built,
weighs about one hundred and sixty-fve
pounds. and neither in her walk or bearing
would reveal her sex. She has a forid
smooth face, is quiet, and even rather retir-
ing in her manner, and. save for her one
eccentricity, hetrays no out-of-the-way char
acteristics. She is a shrcwd observer. talks
easily and well, is well educated. has a
voice that is rather high for q mar and