An Extraordinary Woman.

Evening Star, Issue 7750, 23 October 1888, Page 3

An Extraordinary Woman.

Charles Miller, the woman who was sent from Sioux City, la., to the penitentiary in men’s clothes, certainly did dress in male garb during the five years of her residence in that city, and during that time maintained the deception as to her sex under the most extraordinary circumatarices. The ‘ Chicago Tribune ’ says there is a mystery as to her origin and the woman who passed as the wife, and their which it is impossible to solve. They appeared here five years ago, and at various times claimed to have lived in Colorado and to have come direct from Denver. There was no suspicion that Millet Was not e. man and the husband of the woman with' whom she lived. Miller at first supported his supposed wife by working at odd jobs about town. He, to adhere to the deception so long maintained, never worked long in one .place, but was regarded as steady, sober, 1 and industrious. It was noticed he never' 1 was profane, nor even adicted to any of the minor male vices. About two years ago Miller and his wife went to work for a farmer about four miles in the country, the wife doing housework while Miller ploughed in the field, worked in harvest, attended stock, and, in short, did a man’s work in summer, and in winter he worked all the time with men and passed as a man among them ; but a year ago Miller and his wife returned to the city, and‘he worked" for six months in a barber’s shop. Soon after their return to the city a Swede girl employed at the gaol gave birth to an illegitimate child, and Miller 1 and his wife adopted it as their own, the papers of adoption being in dne legal form. It is now clearly established that during the entire period of their residence

there Miller and his wife were carrying on numerous robberies. The proceeds of several robberies have within a few days been traced to them at South Sioux City. It turns out that they have received at their house a large amount of dry goods which was stolen from a store in this city. This was eight months ago. Several houses where Miller worked for short times were robbed shortly after ho quitted work there, but be was not suspected at the time. Possibly the deception as to sex has some relation to these plundering exploits. It was March 26 last that Charles Miller hired a horse and single buggy at a livery stable, and in company with the woman who passed in this community as his wife and the adopted baby, started on a trip that, according to promises, should have ended in a return the same day. The day passed, and another, and then officers were put on the track, but so fast and furious Lad the pair driven, zig-zagging over the country in a seemingly aimless way, that in spite of mail and telegraph and sheriff’s officers they were not apprehended until April 1, when a deputy-sheriff of the Sac county captured them at Odobolt with the team. Miller was alone brought back and confined here until his conviction, a period of nearly three months. The gaol was crowded with prisoners, and he was, of course, kept with the male prisoners. At night he occupied a cell and a bed with a man by the name of Depuy, who never had the faintest suspicion of the sex of companion. The following is the description of Charles Miller, as it appears on the gaol register: “German, about thirty years old, height sft sin, weighs 125 pounds ; light complexion, smooth face, of feminine voice ; speaks broken English.” The woman who passed as his wife frequently visited hnn m gaol, and accompanied during the trial. She strikingly resembles Miller in personal appearance, but is considerably taller • The hair of both is almost red, and the features of both are almost identical. The alleged wife is much the more energetic and determined character. The officers believe that she was the moving spirit in their enterprises, and they claim to have reason to believe that Miller and his alleged wife are in reality sisters. Since Miller’s conviction the wife has been working as a domestic in the family of a live-stock commission merchant. Two weeks ago, however, she left that place, taking with her the adopted child, and saying that she was going into the country to serve in the family of a farmer. The officers have been looking for her since then, but no trace can be found. She is wanted to answer several charges, one of which is the forgery of a cheque which it can now be proved that Miller passed.