Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-23
DR.. MARY WALKER
DIES AT AGE OF 81
Leader in Dress Reform, Suffra-
gist and Surgeon, Once
Held Here as Spy.
REGARDED RICHMOND HIGHLY
In Recent Years She Expressed
Appreciation of Treatment
as Confederate Prisoner.

Eeon. sunrag!st leader in, woman's
dress reform and one of tho most
70 Richmond during rho War Betwecn
We ;;,iatcs died yesterday a: her home
she Was ciehty-seyen years old She
Was the possesaor OF a medal of honor
awarded By Congress for her service
Womasn allowed 10 appear in male at
IRE re- by y, ) special p, &c; Of Congress.
mona during IN" war. nhcn. in 1852
from vi" ns,. o on as prisoner OF war
attached TO tho Tifty-firs, ohio in.
fantry. While General Joseph L.
i tohin;ston.s fo.ces %e7c operating near
,ihcs AMI those OF the Federal army
Heins in nla'e attire and admitting
suspected she was a Spy.
subsequently she was brouch; hero
Under, guard and placed in Caste
thunder. where tho tonsctIc-acy's own
prisoners were kent. consideration for
her sex being responsible 70. the au
elegant Libby.
CONTESDED MALE ATTIRE
ONLY SENSIBLE CLOTHES
Her arrival here was big story 70
the old Richmond Dispatch. whose re.
p,or.csS found much copy in tho fact
however. enc. never ceased to DEM
contendinE that her attire was that
wear. Shc and the reporters had con-
R. a,;;, from the olq :iles Alvays she she
and seemed 10 enjoy the conirovers%. '
Three years ago much or this con.
;roEeFsE was reproduced in News OF
pitsy e sn.,; AGO" in The T!mesDis-
COP. Shc Immediately ord ,-ed several
other cop!es AND wrote lengthy lei
'cE. In watch she Expressed her high
= -
Ipon tho pleasure she derived from
her imprisonment; hero.
While a prisoner OF the Confedcracy.
u: walker proved that she vas not
20 be released. however. eXcep, through
TIC regular channels OF exchange. Tn.
Ieder,i ARM seemed more anxious for
IL prison for several months until Con-
fedcratc' officers determined that she
aheald be liberated without exchange.
So much sagainat sShe. will, Dr
"alker was .takAn- u1des Gag OF truce
10 the Fedora! lines, aud given her
Dr. Walker had a picturesque ca
!cer. -Four years were apcnt Mo on TIC
hatt!ehelds OF TIC War Between the
States. The remainder of her active
i:fc Vas s1cut in lighting 70. feminine
dress reform and ron,ana right TO po-
Niical suffrage. Ia which no, cnents
she wa u pioneer. Sac frequently
10 N5NG HScD lac II . st hrlGTl-
gan woman TO s.ten'pt To clst - sal
LOT in a legal n,ection. lex livelihood
Saa earned during ali.thcsa Gears by
her private modest practice and by
writing.
Ry special authorization from thu
Federal Congress, D.. Walker adopted
male attire during thc War Between
the states and for Tho half century
since she had continued 20 wear 1t in
ciril l'fc---tlle Oily women - the conn
try who ever had her rights in this
re.,G,s; rfessiiSea by '9S nat fea
coat, trousers and high silk hat and
carried cane.
Born in osweso. y. Y, in 1892, Miss
The degree OF n. y, Al thn aso OF
twcntythrcs. Beginning practice i'm
mediatcly. she snon adopted masculine
clothes. Her war career BEGAN 8; the
her services, entering the Union Army
As an assistant surgeon with the rank
of frs, lieutenant. She dressed like
nor brother. officers. having gold
stripe running down tho trouscr legs.
wearing felt hat with gold cord. and
an officers ovcreoat. Her packet was
the neck.
NEVER MARRIED
When had on my overcoat," Or.
Walker declared II looked every inch
the 1r man as and am sure acted it,
proudest possession was the bronze
medal she wore on the bosom of her
frock coat. On the back was engraved
this legend: Presented by tho Con-
ETcsS of the Cni;ed States TO Mary L..
Walker. a. 4. Surgeon, L. S. Army"
She became celebrated in the United
States and England a n lecturer dur
ing the half century following the
Civil war.
DO ever have unl5ind tninsa said
TO me-" she once said. cchoins an in
torv;cwcr's question. Yes, Of course,
When any ono does say anything un-
pleasant usually have something TO
say in return which makes as quits
~ tell you. trousers arc Il great
thing"
occasionally, policeman failing to
recognize tho little. Gray-haired wom-
an. placed her under ARREST, arrest; This re
;hc documents which gave her the
right to wear masculine attire, she
was released. Her only remark re-
Sardins the guardian OF the law was:
lies al old idiot"
Although "A pioneer in the woman
out OF sympathy with the methods Of
some OF her sistcr-workcrs.
Women will get suffrage just as
soon as they stop making fools OF
themselves" she declared recently with
considerable viGor. They've got to
stop talking so much and do some
work. These everlasting amendments
will never get them their rights. They
want 10 state what they want an!
stick TO H."
International Control Of
4 - 1