Evening star., 1937-11-14
UNUSUAL CITIZENS
Various Capital Residents Attracted Coun-
trywide Acknowledged
Rights Figures.

being called. first severed the head
of the animal from its body and
then proceeded to release the poor
woman's tongue from the death grip
of the animal. After q long and
tedious operation, the head was finally
removed by cutting 1t, into small
pieces-the tongue having greatly
swollen during the meantime, and
thus preventing more speedy op-
Grafton. However, suffice to say, that
when the woman became thoroughly
sober, she swore she would never
again kiss turtle or partake Of rum,
and it is said she kept both promises
faithfully.
A MOTHER woman who had her
way of doing things was DR.. Mary
Walker, known to all of Washing
toms old-timers for, although a woman
of but slight build. yet her costume
made her conspicuous figure in this
city, and wherever she went. Back
in President Arthur's administration
the doctor attended that Presidents
first New Year reception, and the
press described her mannish attire,
saying:
"She wore black broadcloth frock-
coat and pantaloons, and carried a
high black silk hat in her left hand,
while in her right she fourished a
slender cane" An Irish girl, whom
the writer happened to know, when
she was about IA years of age, was
thrown in contact with DR.. Walker.
Several others were present at the
same time. but the doctor was doing
all the talking and was asking many
questions of this particular young
miss, to which she invariably answered
Yes, sir" After she had answered
thus half-dozen or more times, the
doctor became exasperated. and said:
"Cawn't you see I'm lady?" And
the young girl. to be consistent, re-
piled, Yes, sir" And it was always
afterward Yes, sir" for she seemed
to be unable to realize that it could
be possible for any one but man to
wear pantaloons.
DR.. Mary Walker was a regular M.
D., and practiced her profession before
and after coming to Washington. Dur
ing the Civil War she rendered valua-
bic assistance to wounded soldiers, and
later, when she took to the lecture
platform, even extended her tours to
Europe. Unfortunately for her, how
ever, no one seems even to have taken
her seriously, and if she ever accom-
plished any good in her dress reform
crusade, it never was noticeable.
One of her pet platform remarks
was: Long dresses are killing women"
But things have changed considerably
since then.
The doctors masculine costume fire.
quently got her into trouble and
upon one occasion she created some
what of sensation at the Capitol by
Furnishing colored man who had
taken liberties with her hat, and pro-
ceeded forthwith to knock him out
according to Marquis of Queensberry
rules. A report of the affair printed
at the time gives the causes and ef-
fects of the slugging:
DIR. Walker wears a silk hat of the
style irreverently denominated plug
This morning she appeared in one Of
the corridors on the lower floor of the
House wing, and going to the inclosure
occupied by Mr.. Ingram. janitor of
the House. obtained permission to de-
posit her tile on the wood box while she
went into the room Of the Committee
of Claims. Before leaving the hat she
borrowed rubber and erased from it's
interior some scurrilous inscription
which she said some puppy had writ
ten in it the last time she laid the
hat down.
After the doctor had disappeared
into the committee room some wag
bribed colored employe of the House
with quarter to put the hat on his
head, go into the committee room
and offer it to the doctor. The colored
man placed the doctors hat jauntily
on his head and, stepping into the
committee room, bowed to the doctor,
and was about to offer her the hat