Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-06
FUN POSING AS boy
Pretty Sixteen Year-0Id Girl
Tries the Experiment.
MASQUERADES IN THIS CITY
Came Here From West Philadelphia
More Than Week Ago.
INDUCES IN FILTRATION
Says She Easily Hoodwinked Num-
Der Of Nice Girls-Father
Takes Her Home.
INDUCES IN FILTRATION

Attired in natty brown suit, with
the trousers carefully creased and so cut
at the bottom as to reveal faultless
ankles peeping from new oxford ties. six
teen-year-old Esther Watson. who unac-
countably disappeared from her home,
1881 Warrington avenue. West; Philadel-
phia, Pa, masqueraded as a young man
about town for a week in Washington
without any one suspecting her sex until
yesterday.
After she had tearfully admitted her
identity to a Washington detective and
had been compelled to resume girlish
garments, which she had discarded be-
cause. she declared. she had wanted to
see how much fun boy could have,
she openly boosted she had flirted with
other girls at the capital, had taken
them to dances, and had called upon
them at their homes without their being
able to penetrate her mask.
81 was careful not to meet many men, -
Miss Watson said. Il was afraid they
would discover me.
lone or two I met in the lobby of the
hotel at which / was stopping and one
have never taken a drink in my life
land I declined as gracefully as I could.
Several offered me cigarettes. but I man.
aged to inform them that never smoked
without causing them to suspect me in
the least
Daughter Of Telephone Official.
Miss Watson is daughter of Sylvester
Watson, who holds an executive position
with the Bell Telephone Company. She
has a twin brother, Robert Watson. 1t
is believed that 1t was Roberts clothing
; which she used in her escapade.
Following the girls disappearance her
mother became so worried that she be-
came Ill and is reported to be in serl-
Washington as soon as he learned his
daughter had been found and took her
home.
Miss Watson had lot of fun posing as
) but now am worried about what
papa will say she added. following her
interview with the detective. and she
wept quite girlishly.
It was through suspicious Of clerk at
a hotel where she had been staying that
her identity finally was revealed. He
called in detective as Miss Watson was
lettering in the hotel lobby:
i 'If that's a boy" remarked the clerk,
indicating the dapper young person loung-
Is certainly the prettiest one have ever
seen"
The detective approached the young
masquerader and asked her how long she
/ was going to remain in Washington.
! Papa Was So Strict.
81 don't know" she replied. with a
show of bravado; 81 haven't much money
left
/ The detective asked some pointed ques-
tions which finally brought a. culver to
the girls lips and tears to her eyes.
81 guess I might as we'll Tess up, >" she
finally said. breaking down.
ooh, don't arrest me, she pleaded
Papa was strict with me. That is why
I ran away"
Mr. Watson, as the schoolgirl called
herself, arrived in Washington a week
ago. CARRIED in a stylish brown suit,
soft hat and new oxfords. she registered
youthful brayado She had $50 and In
tended to be free from the hampering eff
fects and need Of protection that are
| usually associated with skirts.
The young girl told the officers she had
laid her plans carefully. According to her
girlish idea, parental domination. had
become too strict, SO she determined she
would show her schoolmates how to take
| fling in boys clothes.
| Before leaving home she bobbed off her
hair with scissors, obtained her boys out
fit and started out bravely. SLOUGH hat
OF she VENT to
barber shop and had regular" hair
cut. Then she took the train for Wash
| ingtOn.
Meets Nice Girls.
II met a lot Of nice girls and took
them to Dances she said, land they
never knew 1 was girl. I had a lot of
fun
When her yalise was examined at po-
lice headquarters a dress and other
feminine trappings were found and she
donned these in the matrons room. Aft
erward she was taken to the house of
detention and was held there, pending the
arrival of her father.
Il simply wanted to be boy said
Miss Watson. at was the greatest ex-
perience' of my life.
stopped and talked to several on the
street and made dates to take them to
dances. They went with me and We had
some fine dances"
ment Tuesday. They flirted with me and
finally I began to talk with them.
asked them how they would like to 60
up to the Capitol.
self to several representatives as Mr.
| Watson of Philadelphia Nobody seemed
to know that I was a girl.
Il simply wanted to have some fun.
l
great fun being a boy. 1t gives you
greater freedom"
Absence Reported to Police.
Mr.. Watson reported his daughter
disappearance to the police of West Phil
| adelphia week ago.
Esther had very little money! said
the father. land cannot understand
how she could have remained away from
home so long without having to write
home for funds.
"She was chided for remaining away
from school and on the day before she
disappeared she told her mother that
she would rather earn her own living
than go to school"
Mr.. Watson reached the city early last
night and met his daughter. There was
| weeping and some wailing.
The father asked for an explanation of
her conduct. Esther was not in condi-
ton to go into details with him regard
: ing her trip. The father said she could
make her explanations when she reached
home. They left for Philadelphia last
night.
nnV r. .AnAMC0N MAN -