Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1899-05-04
THAT MARY SHANE.
Says She Was Bridgeton Girl, and Her
Father and Mother Died Here
Last Year.

anu Dltu mere
Last Year.
Mention was made in Saturdays Pro
NEER of girl who was arrested in st.
Louis, Mo-, in male attire, and who gave
her name as Mary Shane, residence,
Bridgeton, n. j. No one hereabouts
seemed to know Mary Shane, and never
heard of such person in this city
There are, however, people here who be.
lieve her to be Emily Shull, of Newport.
The st. Louis Post, of last Thursday,
published the following:
Mary Shane, Is years old, was arrested
in wineroom at Fifteenth and Pine
streets Wednesday night, by Patrolman
becoming male attire.
For six months she has roamed the
country, visiting all important cities be-
tween the Atlantic Ocean and the Father
OF Waters, and working at various things
from office boy to laborer in glassworks.
And this, too, in male attire, a garb she
had not donned until six months ago,
Though the persons she worked for and
with, never once suspected her sex, as
soon as st. Louis policeman saw her he
penetrated her excellent disguise and
took her to the Four Courts and gave her
into the keeping of Matron Knitting,
where she will remain until sent to 1.-THE
police court.
In the six months Mary has worn boys
clothes she has become accustomed to
them and she has lost that awkardness
and self-consciousness that femininity
evinces when it adopts masculine garb.
Mary's figure is plump and there are
curves that most boys do not possess.
Her face is pretty and with her hair cut
short, as it is, she looks almost as much
like boy as she does like girl.
Though for six months she has been
quite out of her sphere, she is rather
gentle in her speech and talks a good
deal like good-natured boy, who had
never had any trouble. A broad smile is
ever on her face, as she smooths her
closely cropped black hair that refuses to
be quite as she would have it. Her big.
blue eyes are innocent and tell one that
her strange tale is true. Mary's clothes
are OF the made-to-order kind. They
came from Alton and cost S6. They are
gray and brown striped. The colored
shirt. without collar or tie, that she has
worn since Sunday, shows that it should
be in the laundry rathe. than on her back.
Her small and shapely feet are encased
in neat pair of boys shoes and they are
nicely kept. All the time she was talk
ing to the reporter she stood leaning
against chair and answered all questions
willing enough.
Put in chronological order, the story as
she told it is as follows:
Il am Is years old and was born in
Bridgeton, N. J. lived there until six
months ago, when I started out to see the
world My father, John Shane, was a
glassblower, but he lost his health more
than year ago and was out of work a
long time. Early last winter spinal
meningitis struck Bridgeton and it car
ried away both my father and nv
mother. l had no brothers nor sisters
nor no one else near to me, so I con-
cluded 10 strike out for myself.
II had never done any work and had
always gone to school. I read great
many novels and one of them made big
hit with me. In this story the heroine
dressed in boys clothes and made a tour
of the world. She had good time, made
a barrel of money and was none the
worse for her experience. lust thought
l would try that plan myself.
II couldn't do anything as a girl, so /
concluded to become boy. I went over
to Philadelphia. had $40 in my pocket
when started. I went to barber shop
and had my hair cut like boys. Then
l went to clothing store and bought
suit of boys clothes. The trousers were
knee trousers and the outfit cost me 81.
tried to part my hair on the side, but it
wouldn't stay, so let it go in the middle.
II then went over to Millville, N. j.,
where got job as office boy in a real
estate office. I got 50 a week there and
only stayed two weeks, when 1 went to
Brooklyn. l stayed there awhile and
then went back to Philadelphia. From
there went to Baltimore. At Washing
ton saw President Mckinley and all the
big men. Then concluded to come to
come to st. Louis.
got as far as Alton, and as my knee
trousers suit was about worn out, con-
cluded was big enough to wear mems
clothes. paid Sc for suit. 1 got job
in the Illinois Glass Factory, closing
molds. 1 got IS cents day for this. The
work was hard, but stuck to it for six
weeks. 1 went to Belleville few days
ago, and Sunday 1 came to st. Louis.
was in wine room when the policeman
arrested me, but was not doing any,
thing. l don't drink and don't smoke
cigarettes.
II associated with boys and men
mostly, but none of them ever suspected
that l was girl. was working here for
a photographer, soliciting orders.
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