The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-04-03
STRANGE AND
STARTLING STORIES,
AN tNUStNL COINCIDENCE,

TWO Women Who Had Passed
as Married Men in New York
and Virginia..
One OF the strungcst condolences in
human life took place last week when
the newspapers announced the dis
covcry of the fact that person sup
posed TO be Il married man in New
Icrk proved to be IL w0 nan when dead
ana at the same time just such u re-
vclation was made about Il woman i'm
Virginia.
~ person who was known in Canaan
daigua, N. Y, for five years as William
Z. Howard died suddenly, and an au-
topsy showed that the supposed man
was woman. Howard, who was
employed as farm hand, went to
CanadalSua five years ago with Il wo-
man, who was known as Mrs. Howard
Two children were born to The sup
posed wife.
The dead woman worked for farm
ers in the neighbOrhood, and those
most Intimately acquainted with the
family never had the slightest suspicion
that she was not a man. The cause
OF the woman's death is a mystery. On
Wednesday night she took TWO tablets
for throat affection, and was dead in
ten minutes. The medicine was sen
| from Wellsvillc, n. Y, where relatives
reside. The authorities arc completely
mysN!icd as to al! matters touching
| upon The wOman's life. They do moi
| know her right name. Two men.
claiming to be alf-brothcrs, attended
the funeral, but refused to divulgc any
information. An inquest was To be
held, and some light may be throw
upon The strange case.
The little manufacturing town OF
! Ettricl, across the river from Pet crs
ulg. Va, was the scene of the Other
, strange ana mysterious occurrence
where George Green, a citizen know
to every man, woman and child in Tho
vicinity rs a man. turned out to be q
woman. He was scvcnty.two years
old, and for forty-onc years had been
known to The world as The husband OF
Mary Green, and he had mingled with
men, consumed il mans daily ration OF
tobacco, and worn boots, trousers, sus
pcndcrs, and all the apparel of a man
The woman who was deceived mtt
marrying another woman, believing
her to be Iuan, sacrificed the bes
years of her life rather than divulu
! the secret which the object Of her af
rccIions begged her to keep unknow
30 The world.
twas Il pathetic scene to see The dc
voLcd woman weeping by The form {
her loved one who in life was know
as her husband, George Green. 70
thirty. five years Mrs. Green has carrie,
even by intimatiOn made known th
fact that one whom she married for
| man was woman. And this secrc
would have been buried with the form
had not strangers been called to perform
the last Offices for the dead. Mrs
Green deeply dGplorcs the fact tha
her sorrow has been exploited bcf0r,
the public.
When asked why she did not prepare
the body for burial, she said she strug
| glcd with herself for n time, but coul,
not gather courage to prepare The bod
of one she loved so dearly. and tina
after the men had offered their service
she accepted them and turned The bod
over to be attended by them.
"Aftcr a courtship, extending owe
a few MONTHS" she said, Gcorg
Green and |, then Mrs. Mary Fiddle
were married in Erie, Pa, thirLy-hv
years ago, the ceremony being pc
formed according to the Catholic faitl
A few days after the marriage, Gree
told me he was not man and in
plOrCd me not to dlvulgc the fact, 1T
live with him and lot each be help {
.hc other. When the secret was +,
vcalcd to ne ] was almost 0ycrcon
with astonishmcnt, but promised Gree
that his request w0lll be granted ar
since That time we ave lived togcth
!, as brother and sister"
Mrs. Green wept bitterly when 81
e reflected that the world now know
the secret she had so long guardc
+, "lt has been the sacrifice Of my life
/ she said, "but ! believe am happi
o now for the sacrifice" She speaks
a her companions memory as tender
8 as only a woman can speak Of a low
y one. Standing by the bier, she plac
D her hand upon Green's brow and sa
"l am not afraid to put my hand
t him. He was the n0blcst soul u
g ever lived. lie has worked II;
o through his life, and has been all ] |
- to cheer me. No man can say he c,
70 wrongcd him. lie was Christ
Or and | believe he is now with Chris
% Here the woman broke down.
c., could speak no further, and turl
n | away, weeping as il her heart wo