POSED AS A MAN.
N.Z. WOMAN'S TWENTYYEAR MASQUERADE. DEATH-BED DISCLOSURE. (V KITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY KLSCTMC TELEGRAPH—COPYRIGHT.) NEW YORK, May 5. A message from Oakland, California, says that, confessing on her death-bed, Deresley Morton, a New Zealander, who was known as Peter Stratford, announced: "I am not a man, I am a woman." She disclosed that she had masqueraded as a man for 20 years. Stratford, who in life was a nonentity except to a small group of religious mystics, in death will attract worldwide attsntion. She was buried in a pauper's grave at San Lorenzo Cemetery, before two spectators, neither of whom were mourners. Morton came to New York manv years ago from New Zealand, and quickly became known for her literary ability. She then disappeared, and not until three days ago was found again. She died in hospital from tuberculosis. In the name of Stratford she had married, and had carried on correspondence with numerous other women. Her "widow" is Mrs Elizabeth Rowland, of Kansas City. She deserted her so-called husband five months ago, when she learned of the hoax. Letters to and from women were found among Morton's effects. In all these letters is evidence of a mystic Mohammedan belief from the Orient known as Sufism.—United Service.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19612, 7 May 1929, Page 11
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209POSED AS A MAN. Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19612, 7 May 1929, Page 11
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