The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-15
WOMAN "RAFFLES"
ONCE A COWBOY
Mrs. Jean Thurnherr, Who Led
Adventurous Life, Is Held
for Trial
Damaging Testimony Against
Girl Who Broke BrOnCOs in
Mexico When Is

BERKELEY. June IA tale of ad-
venture found only in the dime move
was uncovered by the police today in
connection with the life of Mrs. Jean
Thurnherr, the 10 year old matron of
this city, whose exploits as a woman
Rahies led her into the tolls of the
police As a result of the preliminary
examination this afternoon she was
bound over 10 the superior court to an
swer for her crime Of burglarizing the
home of Mrs. P. W. Girvin, 1907 Henry
street, bonds being fixed in the sum
Of $4,000. The court proceedings occu-
pied the entire afternoon, and most
damaging evidence was introduced by
Mrs Maud Girvin, who proved her
ownership TO the silverware and linens
found by the police in the home of Mrs.
Thurnherr.
The court proceedings was the cul-
mination of life of adventure which
began five years ago when Mrs. ThurR-
herr. known as Bessie Barclay, the
adopted daughter of Judge Barclay, ran
away from home on the discovery that
he was not her father, and, dressed as
elevator man. errand boy, sailor and
other occupations.
A PATHETIC CHORD
She strikes a pathetic chord when in
her diary she tells of her leaving home
on the discovery that Judge and Mrs.
Barclay were no Their parents. We'll
something in me broke right then. 1
guess il was the tie which binds the
girl TO her home. I heard all out of
doors calling me and I wanted to run
away from ONE, from the foster
parents who had been so good to me,
from the friends and acquaintance
who had all along known that I was
not Judge Barclays real daughter. /
wanted 10 go out into the world and
stand on my own two feet"
The girl. but Is years of age. made
preparations for leaving her home for
the life Of adventure she was TO lead
for the next year until her arrest in
San Francisco and her home going on
the death Of her foster mother
That she was suited for wild life
she states: But had never been as
other girls. I loved the games of boys
and not the pastimes Of the girls I
hated girls clothing with all its fuss
and muss. When I was little thing
mama used to let me romp in boys
overalls and I cried every time she put
me into a dress"
Having learned as a girl to ride on
the Spanish ranches outside of Los
Angeles. Bessie Barclay determined to
break horses for a livelihood To this
end she applied to Senior Sanchez. a
rich Spanish rancher. who heard the
diminutfve girl ask for work break
ing horses" with the greatest glee.
LAUGH AT THE "MUCHACHO,
Her account Of it is interesting:
You should have heard him laugh.
His fat sides shook like a jelly FISH.
He called the other men TO show them
the "gringo muchacho" who wanted 10
break horses One COW puncher. who
was an American. too, put his hand
kindly on my shoulder and said: The
kids got the right stuff in him or I'll
eat my sombrero.'
Try the muchacho on DuIcie. >
grinned Senior Sanchez DuIcfe was q
bad tempered little bronco that a
Naquero had christened in a sarcastic
moment
They took me to the corral. and as
] began TO uncoil the rope one of the
COW punchers said: Eel muchacho
knows the beezness. 1 caught Dulcie
At the hrst cast and in an instant had
the rope around the snubbing post.
Bueno, bueno, shouted the men,
and with that cry ringing in my ears
/ bhndfolded Dulcie, got the saddle on
her and Jumped into it. She cavorted
and bucked all over the corral. but I
stayed with her until she wore herself
out and the men were cheering all
right for the muchacho horse breaker. /"
The girl COW puncher only stayed a
short time in each place and then
moved on for new adventures and new
settlements Her story of her adven-
lures through Mexico and Arizona
would I'LL a book. On one ranch in
Arizona she was shot by a Mexfcan
who attempted to kill her partner.
'Pokerchip Charley with whom she
was riding the range
WOUNDED BY SHOT
The fellow was after Pokerchip.
but missed him and hit me. giving me
q flesh wound in the arm" wrote the
girl. i was afraid they'd find out ]
was girl IL l laid sick very long. but
the wound soon healed and 1 took to
rowing again"
In fit Of dependency she left the
cattle country and came north to
Santa Fe, where she was detained by
the police on the advices of Judge
Barclay. who wished her to return
home There she heard Of the death Of
Mrs. Barclay, her foster mother. and
made the following note in her diary:
Il cannot write of the sorrow her
death caused me. I suppose that the
shock Of this sort Of thing was neces-
sary TO show me that / have duties as
a daughter-though only the adopted
daughter Of motherless household.
II only the law would let me fulfill
those duties instead or trying to curb
my venturesome spirit in a reform
school. But there's no use in pretend
ing otherwise-it's a boys life and a
boys opportunities and above all the
wide. free life of the mountain range
that appeals most to me-"