The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-03
most remarkable instances. on rec

most remarkable instances, on record of
successful DISCUSSES of. sex.
The Chevalier happened to be man,
but that fact did not stand in his way
when an important question of diplomacy
came up. The Chevalier was attached
to the court of Louis XIV, of France
The king wanted a diplomatic agent to
send to the court of the empress OF Rus
STA. Neutrality-suspicious. the king
knew no woman sufficiently gifted-the
agent must be woman
The Chevalier came to the rescue and
with marvellous facility transformed him
self into one of the most charming ladies'
either court had ever seen. The mission
was successfully accomplished, for the
astutest of the Russians could not pens
trate this remarkable disguise.
Catherine Coombs of London. is one of
the few among these phenomenal women
who is still alive.
She is now siXty-five years old and is
a resident of the West Ham poor house,
London. For forty-three years she was
known as Charles Wilson, and practiced
the trade of mural PAINTING and decor az
ing.
Nor would her altogether blameless
masquerade ever have been discovered
probably had not Charles Wilson, been
injured by a fall and obliged to go to an
institution because no longer able to
support herself.
Hazleton, Pa, still boasts of a former
citizen, whose real name was Mrs. Pie
tro Loganani, but who long worked in
the coal mines in masculine guise.
New York alone has furnished many
such instances. Many people remember,
for instance, Bessie Finegold, who of a
sudden began to assume male attire, took
a wife and was thenceforward known
under the name of Max.
One further disguised woman has sue
cessfully carried out her scheme among
the Pennsylvania miners.
Her name was Mrs. Julia Forest She
was distinguished from many other sub
jects of these interesting experiments in
being of good BIRTH the daughter Of an
Episcopalian clergyman, well educated,
attractive in person and manners. At
sixteen Julia eloped with a miner, who
afterward became injured and was una
BILE to work.
Shortly 1t was known In the mine that
John Forest cousin of Julia, had taken
her husbands place in the mines. For a
long time she had practiced this innocent
deception and earned the money to sup
port her sick husband and her children
For twenty years Mrs. Jane Westover
was the town barber of Marlborough,
Conn. The best class of citizens would
be shaved by no one else than this gen
tie expert with the razor, who hao come
sers and derby hat, and vino never
changed her style of dress.
One curious characteristic of women
who array themselves as men is that
they almost invariably have the gift of
making other women fall in love with
them This was the case with Tony
Leesa, who succeeded in arousing the In
terest of almost every young woman en-
ployed in the big hat factory of John T.
Waring, in Yonkers.
But the inevitable befell Tony. He-or
she, If you will, fell in love. And while
the factory girls were still excitedly
wondering which Of them he preferred
announcement came of Tony's marriage
and assumption of her proper sex
For twenty years Private Jorgensen,
late of the Victorian rifles, led a most
extraordinary career. Though in reality
woman, her sex was never suspected
So anxious was she to maintain her as
sumed character that she frequently
made love to girls, whom she promised
to marry, but whom in each case she
sooner or later deserted
The muster rolls of the armies of the
Rebellion show a number of cases Of SOL
diers who were discovered to be women
Doubtless there We're many suspected In
Fox'S 'Regimental Losses" the following
instances are given.
Forty-sixth Pennsylvania, Company D,
Charles D. Fuller detected as being
female; discharged.
One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Penn
sylvania, Company F, Sergeant Frank
Mayne," deserted Aug. "a, 1862; subse-
quently killed in battle in another regi-
ment and discovered to be a woman; real
name Frances Day.
Second Michigan. Company F, Frank
lin Thompson; deserted Charges of de-
sertion removed by house committee on
military affairs, Washington, February,
1887, the soldier having had a good rec
ord and fought well in several battles,
but proved to be a woman; real name,
Miss Seelye.
Twenty-eighth North Carolina &C. s.
Al, Company F, Mrs. L. M Blaylock,"