The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-12
HER PAST SnROUDED IN MYSTERY
a Criminal
Passes ugh Butte-Expert Cards.
nd Loss everalFo

A woman with past that is shrouded
in mystery as dark and impenetrable as
that which envelopes the sphinx that
stand in silent grandeur on the banks Of
the river Nile passed through Butte
yesterday on her way to San Francisco
where she will make her future home.
At the depot when the Northern Pa
cific train went through was a man who
was at one time resident of Superior
Wis, and it was he who recognized the
woman. He had seen her many times
back in Wisconsin, and is sure he is not
mistaken in the person. From some Of
the other people on the train it was
learned the woman had declared her in
tention of living in Frisco.
ION the old military wagon road,
about five miles east of Superior. in the
midst of a dense pine forest and hidden
from view of travellers by cluster
of towering, sentinel-lilSe frs, stands Il
quaint, old log cabin, which has been for
IL years the home of this woman. said
the former resident of superior, while
telling a friend of the traveller
Her real name is unknown. and.
strange to say, never has been known
during her IL years of residence in that
section Of the country.
Years ago she was known all over
the head Of the lake region as Fannie
Croacher, the homesteader She went
there with a man named Croacher from
Pennsylvania, and resided with him for
a few months at the old Superior house.
"She was supposed to be the old gen.
tleman's daughter but after his deser-
ton of her, she denied all relationship
to him and took up her residence upon
a homestead tract of land.
always after that she objected to any
mention of the name Croacher. and re-
quested that acquaintance call her just
plain Fannie.
"Gradually time relieved her of the
hated appellation and substituted a
name that better suited her fancy and
condition.
Fannie Queer is the name under
which she now lives, but occasionally an
old acquaintance excited her ire by po-
iitely saluting Miss Croacher.'
Expert With Cards.
'Fannie Queer is one of the shrewdest
card players that ever sat at the round
table. She has fought many desper-
ate battle Of chance with men in all
Stations of life.
"She has won and lost a dozen for
tunes, but cool head and good judg-
ment together with boldness marveled
at by the card sharks with whom she
had come in contact, invariably pre-
vailed over encouragement.
"Her course deviated from that of the
professional gambler, and today she is
a rich woman.
"She Is about IS years of age, but re-
tains the beauty for which she was noted
10 years ago.
Though associated with all classes OF
people, principally of the masculine gen.
der, during her long residence In the
wilderness, and experiencing many OIL
the ups and downs and hardships anc
inconvenience usually attendant upor
a backwoods life, Miss Queer is not only
a model Of modesty. but is recognized a
the head OF the lake as the possessor Of
thoroughbred manners and as an intelli
gent, thorough lady, with, perhaps, the
one failing-that from which she has de-
rived the little fortune, which Is sup
posed to be stored away where the ey'
Of man can never gaze upon 1t excep
by her own will.
'tShe is a brunette, always neatly, bu
not gaudily. dressed, and the long blacl
tresses that trail from a knot on tn
back of her well-formed head. is the onl!
feature not modern about her makeup
How She Came Gambler.
"When she located upon the Homestead
claim her object in so doing was to &C
uuire the timber standing thereon, which