Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-23
HER BITTER ROMANCE
Sad Life Story of a Poor Nor
Wegian Girl.
MASQUERADED AS A MAN
Mystery of Sammy Williams
Solved by Death.
DESERTED BY HER LOVER
Woman Died in Montana After a
Long and Tragic Career-Drama
Of the West.
DESERTED BY HER LOVER
Special Dispatch TO The Star.


CHICAGO, December Ga story Of
disappointed love. broken heart and a
biighted life, an existence Of over half
century in a false guise constitutes the
history Of the mysterious Sammy
Williams. who dropped dead of apopleNy
at Manhattan, Mont, recently. and who,
although presumed to be a man during
the eighteen years of his residence at
that place, was found after death to be
woman masquerading as a man.
1t is a touching story, the first act
OF which was staged in Norway. the sec
ond act in -Allamakee county, Iowa: the
third act in Eau Claire, and the final act
of the heart tragedy has just taken place
in Montana.
Miss 1ngeborge Nekan was born in
Norway some eighty years ago, it is
claimed; some say later. Before she
came to America with her parents she
was courted by d young Norwegian,
Sven Noren. and the two became en-
gased. Then the Wekan family came to
America and settled in Allamakee coun-
ty, Iowa, where some members Of the
family still reside, and 1ngeborge came
with them.
Suddenly Disappeared.
And Sven Norem came also. Not long
after his arrival in America Sven Norem
became cold and distant TO Ingeborge,
and finally Tilted her for some reason
not known, and she was broken-heart-
ed. In fact, she was so heart-broken
that she could not endure it to stay with
her folks and among her acquaintance.
and she suddenly disappeared. and al
though she was sought high and low, she
was not found.
About this same time, somewhere
around 1853 Or 1860, there appeared in
Eau Clare a short. rather thick-set
young man with coal black hair and
smooth face, which was never shaved
His voice was rather soft and piping,
but he was strong as an On and mixed
freely with the woodsmen there. and it
was not long before he went to the woods
as cook. He was such good cook
that as long as he was there lie could
get 300 and more per month, and he
amasscd considerable money, which he
invested in real estate, etc.
Suspected He Was Woman.
He made Eau Claire his home till the
late seventies Or early eighties, and In
the later years there were rumors float
Ing about that BILLY Williams, which
was the name he gave or Billy Cooks,
as he was generally called, was not what
he represented himself to be; in fact.
that he was a woman in disguise; but
they were only rumors.
Nobody knew, but somehow or other the
report was started, but Billy still con-
tlnued cooking in the woods, going out
with the boys. spending money lavishly
for liquor, but never drinking more than
he could comfortably carry: going out
with the girls and having a great old
time. Although retiring, he was always
good-natured and never begrudged spend
ing cent.
And he had many very lovable traits.
and many poor and needy person in Eau
Claire remembers to this day his kindly
offices in time of need. It was a favorite
custom with Williams to casually visit
the homes of the needy. and when he
departed leave five, ten and even fifteen
dollars without making known his name.
He often donated big sums to charity but
with the request that his name be with
held Many such instances of his liber-
atty are now recalled by the old-timers in
this city.
Forced to Keep Moving.
But there moved to this city some years
after family from Allamakee county,
Iowa. neighbors Of the Wekan family,
and they were acquainted with the facts
leading up to the disappearance Of Inge-
borge Wekan, and after seeing and hear
ing of Billy Williams they became con-
one and the same person, and the Wekan
family was soon notified, and a brother
of Ingeborge was soon here to persuade
BILLY" to return home.
After selling his property holdings here
to friend for the sum of one dollar, the
latter converting the property into money,
which was turned over to Billy who
did not want to risk transacting business
under an assumed name, he left for ST.
Paul, and since that time has never set
his foot in Eau Claire.
Revelation in Death.
For several years he cooked on the Dial.
rymple farms in North Dakota, still mas
querading successfully as man, and
eighteen years ago went to Manhattan.
Mont. where he lived till his sudden
death few days ago, when, few hours
before he was going to sign a deed to his
property holdings there. which he was
about to sell. he dropped dead. And then
came the revelation that Williams was
woman
And such is the sad life story Of lnge-
borse Wekan. for Billy Williams and
Sammy" Williams and Ingeborge Wekan
are one and the same person. 1t is stated
here that her sweetheart, who Tilted her.
Sven Norem, is still living in Allamakee
county, Iowa.