Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-19
A WOMAN OF MYSTERY.
Arrested in Hartford for Wearing
 Mems Clothes.


 About the most curious of the many curious propositions which have come before the police of this city, says the Courant, confronted them yesterday morning, when woman was arrested dressed in mems clothing. The outfit she carried and certain statements which she made the police doubt wheth- CT she is professional tramp or is de mented.
 The train which arrived in this city from the west on the Highland division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad had the woman as passenger. The train stopped at Clay toms, this side of New Britain, and the woman boarded it there. She wore coat~and trousers and had a peaked cap with ear laps, and the ear laps were pulled down to hide a luxurlant growth of hair. She carried several bundles and an umbrella and on board ing the train she took seat in the smoking car. From her appearance It was evident to everyone that she was a woman in mems clothing. She told the conductor that she wanted to go to Manchester, but for some reason sne only paid her fare to this city and she received a rebate check from the con ductor. Deputy Sheriff Thomas F.. Egan was on the train. He was not1- fed of the curious passenger and ne went to the smoking car and asked her why she was masquerading in men clothing. The reply he received was: T am minding my own business, and you mind yours." MT Egan could get no explanation from tne woman ana when the train reached tais city Police man Tucker was notified. When he placed her under arrest she attempted to stab him with the umbrella. She would make no explanation to the po- liceman and when she was taken 10 the police station and placed in the custody of Matron Hubbard, she showed fight and oDJected to being put in cell, but she was finally locked up. The woman would make no statement about herself and her replies to ques- tiOns were, "I have a right to dress Tn mems clothes if I want to. If you want to know anything about me, you find out"
 A Courant reporter saw her in the cell yesterday morning. She is Of me dium height, of slender figure, of fair complexion and appears to be about 30 years old. She uses but little slang and from her conversation 1t is evident that most of her life has been spent in some rural section. Her hands and face are weather beaten, as if sue had been much exposed to the weather. The opinion was expressed to her that her home was in the country and she asked: fWM&t makes you think sop Be cause your hands are rough and look as if you had been doing work which exposed them to the weather, and if you were a city girl your hands would be more smooth" My hands are rough because I never wear gloves and if a city girl went without gloves her hands would be as rough as mine. guess you can't tell whether I'm 8 city girl or a country girl"
 ''What made you put on mems clothes?"
 "Because wanted to-"
 'You haven't done anything to make you want to conceal your identity, have you?" a4s
 F "No; never did anything wrong in my life but once and that was when a man wanted to beat me. out of 20 cents. He took 20 cents from me and wouldn't t give it back. He kept a store and l saw some eggs and took halfa dozen of eggs to get even with him. He was looking at me when took them and he didn't say anything. When do anything I do it when people are look ing at me. don't do things in se- cret.''
 "Have you ever been in any institu- ton or insane asylumw
 ''No, haven't; but that is what you are trying to do with me now. That's what you have got me here for. You want to put me in the insane asylum, because when I was coming up from the depot with the policeman two doc tors followed us One said, She's crazy The other said, Yes, she is. We'll send her to the insane asylum. Yes, we'll put her there Think I'm crazy? There are more crazy than 1 am.'
 'Say," she added, q would like to know what they have got me here for. I have right to wear mems clothes if I want to. I know what the law Is and there is no law against it. I had two girl friends once who wanted to get their pictures taken in mems clothes They dressed in mems clothes and went from the country to the city. One of them ssot' her hat on the back of her head and the other 1sot' her hat on the side of her head. and they had their pictures taken that way. Every body knew about it, but there was nothing done against them. because there was no law against it."
 q think I have seen you before" ssYou never saw me. I don't know you.'
 "Did you stay in Clayton's last night?'
 "It's none of your business"
 "You took the train at Clayton's this morningY
 | 'sYou know that because of the check you found there which was given me by the conductor. Nothing very smart 1 about your finding that out when YOU