The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-27
Starts 10 Whip Her Bride and
the Police Are Called.
POSED IS A MAN SIX YEARS
Member Of q Good Family In Nerth Care
llua, Who VIII Welcome Her
Return

Baltimore, June N.-"Herman q.
Wood" who has been passing for q man
in this city for six years. and who on
Rauck. of No. 7ls Eutaw place, Is a
woman. She Is under arrest on the
charge OF obtaining 500 under false pre-
lenses from her wife. but was really
arrested because the unhappy bride was
afraid OF her The charge probably will
be dropped and the woman sent back 10
her relatives In North Carolina.
The fact that the bridegroom" was
woman was not known. at least TO the
police, until last evening. when the bride
called on the Rev. Anthony Bilkovsky.
who had officiated at the marriage cere-
mony. and told him. She also said that
her husband" had attempted TO whip
her and that she had fed in terror from
their home.
QUESTIONED BY THE POLICE.
Mr.. Bilkovsky called Police Captain
McGee and the two went to the Rsuck
household, where the BRIDEGROOM" was
confronted by Capt. MCGEE. He asked
the question point blank as 10 whether
she was woman or a man. AZ first
Mr." Wood vehemently denied that he
was a woman. but after much question
ing finally broke down and admitted the
fact. AS she made the admission Mrs.
Rauck became hysterical and this seem
ed to greatly affect the woman who had
deceived her.
Wood" said that she was a native OF
North Carolina and was 22 years OF age;
that at the age OF l6 years she had been
engaged TO be married, but that her
fiance deserted her. She said she had a
child five years OF age In the care OF her
mother In North Carolina, Her right
name she said, Is Lota A. Sawyer, and
her fathers name was Edward Sawyer.
The shame. she said. prostrated the
members OF her family.
She then resolved to leave home, and
did so. going TO Norfolk, where sne
stayed for two weeks. wearing woman's
clothing part OF the time and also mans
apparel. From there she came to Baiti-
more, where she has been about SIX
years She had boarded with Mrs. Rauck
for about nine months.
WHY SHE MARRIED
She said that she married Mrs. Rauck
because she could not have got out OF IL
without breaking her word. which she
dreaded to do. AS she told her story. the
grief OF Mrs. Rauck became greater
until she almost broke down. This af-
fected Wood" greatly. and she tried 10
go TO her. but was restrained by Capt.
MCGEE. When the latter told her he
would have to take her to the station
house she begged him TO spare her the
disgrace and finally rising. took pen
knife from her pocket, as though with
the intention of inJuring herself
This was Immediately wrested from
her by Capt. McGee and Sergt. Glynn.
As she was being led out OF the house
she and Mrs. Rauck bade each other an
affectionate farewell.
The woman is fairly good looking.
weighs about 10 pounds and is well
formed. She has dark hair and a smooth
skin. She wore n neat-lookins suit. a
small black tie, a neat-htting pair of
patent leather shoes and a straw hat.
She said in answer to questions. that
II did not take her long TO become ac-
customed 10 wearing the male apparel.
Mrs Rauck said that Wood could
smoke and swear. Wood" said that II
made her sick to smoke. and that she
did not do II much.