The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16
JIM LANES WOM4N sPY.
she Bore q CsmmIssion from Lincoln-she IL
Living In Ohio.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
AsHTABULA, Jan. SIN one OF the apartments
at the National Woman's Relief Corps Home, in
Madison. o.. lies Elizabeth w. Stiles. aged 80
years, who recently submitted to a very severe
surgical operation, from which the attending
physicians gave no hope that shc would re.
cover, yet there is every indication that tho
wonderful powers of endurance which have
served her we'll in former years will bring the
old lady through her present hardship.
When 81 years old the young woman went to
Chicago. and earned her own living until 1916.
when she married Jacob Stiles. and thirtcen
years subsequent they took up their residence
IN shaTneetown Kan: where they made for
Here Mrs. Stiles realized her first sorrow by
the death OF her husband, who was shot down at
guerrillas who had dragged hin, from his bed to
murder him before her eyes because he had
This TOOK place after midnisht. The rebels
ZANE "a" e. dressed res SaI IN the 6;rs blue ga hv Of q Union f%os soldiers.
ccived by the color Of the uniforms, she very
Stiles to get up and go out Of the house. AS the
mans body sank to the ground with many bull
volver at Mrs. Stiles. who stood horror.stricken
on the porch. AS he was about to shoot Guam
trelll stopped him with a threat to shoot him
II he molestcd the woman. Mrs. Stiles was
allowed to retnter her house and for that time
was not further molcsted. but thereafter she
from those opposed to the cause of the North
that she finally decided that longer residence
worth with her adopted children under escort
of a band Of soldiers.
The cause OF this unusual persecution was that
IL was known that Mrs. Stiles had done some
detective work for Uncle SAM" but how ex-
tensive her work IN that line had been was not
was greatly increased by tho murder of her
husband. and she vowed to devote her life to
T rsSftiGes for h%aY YIN o been Of on ib se I-niop Little Little s Sxc
had become somewhat known by army leaders
who had learned that the woman was a trusty
She had been at the fort but n short time when
she received 9 letter from Gen; Lane, asking her
signed by Abraham Lincoln.
Senator Marvin Of Missouri. and n company of
sb9Et ssDentiy or fss ot asn1ts were " 115 5rsNR rsF sfiI for an an
companied them. Upon presenting, herself to
Gen. Lane she, was informed that her future
the proposition gladly. Before engaging at her
new duties she returned to Leavenworth for her
t the tedicus S iomqn sne c eT1m Snsk several go M asn moggtbs'
time; she placed I'VE children in school In
vice, and was on almost constant duty there
after, until the close Of the rebellion, during
which time she did good work In nineteen differ.
ent States and Canada. the daughter. Clara &C.
companying her on most OF her expeditions.
nearly MiS; al Sii Of the M" noI RsfSGG eneFals so cl ihnt tim %'s as
her service brought her under their direction.
She treasures. among her keepsakes n letter OF
recommendation written and signed by Abra-
ham Lincoln.
The brave woman faced death many times.
and her GOODNESS on such occasions, and tact
and ability for meeting necessary requirements
on all occasions. proved the secret OF her sue
She likes TO tell how she hoodwinked" n rebel
General on one occasion when she was arrested
and charged with being II spy. 1t was al. Jeffer;
shc was escorted 10 Gen. Prico for examination.
to whom she confessed to being a spy. but SO well
posted was she on, the general state OF affairs
that she succeeded in making tho General be-
lieye that she was a rebel spy, and she not only
went free, out was given a better horse and fire.
One dark night. when Mrs. Stiles and her
daughter were out on n long ride on tho Kansas
Missouri border, the daughter fell asleep on her
horse mot an uncommon occurrenceL and didn't
know when a sentry grasped tho bride OF her
girl was awakened by, a pistol shot. and her
mother was soon beside her. but there was "a
The Old lady rrelates With pride how she once
directed the. capture OF n cannon, with only her
husband and daughters to assist her, and secured
for unsuccessfully.
An Illustration of the unjust persecution
residence in shawneotown Is shown in the event
OF q holiday when she was teaching school. To.
get ge.h nIor With a 10 1es sfne the IN an sR,I SSd,Gin a nfcr district rh5
around the liberty polo in the village green.
then Vent to The woods. not far out,
where they were scarcely settled for
the days sport when a man rode
up, handed Mrs. Stiles q note and departed
without a word. Tho note informed her that II
she allowed her scholars to repeat tho liberty
pole parade with the Union flag she might ex-
nature OF tho clement In which she lived.
In the Incidents of her travels IL not infre-
qusntiIy became necessary, for her 70 dress the
wounds of some unIucky "bluecoat," And even
amp!ntations of u minor nature have fallen to
her lOt In caReR of emerUDncy. The WOmnn'R
mind Is not at all dimmed by her fourscore
years and her recollection OF names and dates Is
something remarkable.
After the close OF the war she took up her resi-
denco In Venango county, Pa, where she con-
tinued TO make her home until within the past
two years. when she entered the w. II. g. Home.
Mrs. Stiles was never wounded and could
never DO induced TO ask for q pension until a
few weeks ago, when she made application to
the Government for redress for the amount of
her loss when she was obliged to sacrifice every.
thing she possessed In ShaWneet0wn.