Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-11-14
ANNAPOLIS G|RLAT REST
Miss Jessie Habersham The
"Gippsy Queen" Passes
Away In Cincinnati
MARRIED A WANOERER
Once Society Girl AbandOns Con-
ventiOnaI Life For That OF NOmad

The news of the death of Mrs.
George Michele, formerly Miss Jessie
Key Habersham, of this city and
Baltimore was received here yeSter-
day with much sorrow.
The young girl, who eloped with
the chief of tribe of gypsies. four
years ago, died Saturday in Seton
Hospital, in Cincinnati, following an
operation. In her early girlhood she
lived for some years in Annapolis
with her grandmother, and received
part of her education in Annapolis
under private tutors, after which she
went TO boarding school.
Her father, Mr.. r. w. Habersham,
a canned goods broker, with offices
at All Marine Bank Building, Balti-
more, left yesterday to bring home the
body of his daughter and her little
child, which is one month old, to Bal
timore. The revelation last April of
the romance surrounding the life of
the former Miss Hsbersham. whose
identity as the wife of Gorgas Michele
the leader of a band of gypsies then
located near st. Louis, excited much
interest in Baltimore and Annapolis,
where she spent the greater part
of her childhood.
Four years ago Miss Habersham
disappeared and for two years her
father knew nothing of her where
abouts. AT last letter came from
her telling that she had joined a
gypsy tribe, married the chief, had
become its queen and was happy
and contented in the life of the
wandering fortune-tellers, who knew
no homes but the wagon on the
trail and no "shams of society,""
After her mother died Miss Haber-
sham, then a child, was sent to a
private school at Saratoga Springs,
N. Y. While there some gypsies
camped near by and she visited their
tents often with other girls. She
told her companions of her strange
infatuation with the free and easy
life Of the wanderers.
At the age of fourteen years she
was sent to Mount st. Agnes College,
where she sought every opportunity
to study Romany ways and manners.
She confded her enthusiasm and
ambitions to her father, who did
everything possible to discourage her
inclinations. Having inherited a
poets appreciation of the beautiful
from her father, the Gypsy Queen"
wrote much verse. In an interview
after her identity was established she
declared the freedom of the woods,
the fields and the easy life of the
gypsies appealed strongly to her
and she had no regrets for her
action. She declared "Kirg John"
loved her with rare devotion, which
feeling was reciprocated by her.
Miss Habersham often told her
friends that society stihed her with
its conventions and shallowness. The
veneer of manners and the thinness
of friendship she scoded at. Her
childhood friends say her declarations
of disregard for society and its GUS
toms were characteristic of her as a
child. On her fathers side Miss
Habersham was the great-great-
grand daughter of Francis Scott Key,
author of 1.-The Star-Spangled Ban
ner, and on both sides she was related
to some prominent families in Mary
land.
She wrote to her father that her
husband is related to some of the
noble families of Servia and Rou-
mania. His mother and father, who
were with the tribe, are well educated
and were kind and interesting com
panions. After the announcement of
her marriage Mr.. Habersham said she
had carved out her own career and
he did not feel that he should inter
fere with her as long as she was
happy.