THE MAN-WOMAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2152, 20 July 1920, Page 3

THE MAN-WOMAN.

REMARKABLE CAREER

“MARRIED” TO ANOTHER WOMAN IN AUSTRALIA. RESIDENCE IN NEW ZEALAND. Sydney, July 10. The detectives are still fot-ussing their attention upon what they have come to term “the man-woman case.” The publication in The Daily Telegraph of a photograph showing Fallon! and Detective-Sergeant Robson leaving the Central Police Court led to an interesting development. Fallen! lived and worked at Double Bay for some time, and residents of that district, on seeing the photograph in The Daily Telegraph,” at once recognised her. Several people were questioned, and admitted that it had been known for a considerable period that Falleni, dressed as a man, was actually a woman. An elderly Italian woman resided with her husband in a cottage in Pelham Street, Double Bay. 'They had known Falleni in New Zealand. Fallen! and her daughter lived on the premises, where a laundry business was conducted. Falleni had been seen in woman’s attire in the early stages of lier work there, but later the residents saw her driving a laundry cart while dressed as a man. The daughter was called “Eenie” —short for Josephine—and was in the habit of addressing her mother as “mother,” even when she was dressed as a man. The husband of the elderly woman went to Italy, and subsequently his wife died in the cottage in Pelham Street, where Falleni, it is alleged, was known under the name of Crawford. Falleni and her daughter, certain residents of Double Bay stole, worked in a meat factory at Riverstone. On one occasion Falleni’s lingers were caught in a machine. An employee called out to Josephine, “Come quickly,’your father has his lingers caught!” The daughter, referring to the accident subsequently, slated to friends that she was afraid that her mother’ would be recognised as a woman at the hospital should she lie taken there. Her mother, howevor. bandaged her lingers herself. FALLEN?,S HISTORY. The history of Eugene Falleni, the man-woman, is now almost completely known to the police. Tracing her from Italy, where she was horn and married, they know of her arrival in New Zealand with her husband. There a daughter Avas born of the marriage. About 22 .years ago (lie man-Avoraan and her daughter came to Australia. It is here that the husband fades out of the picture. ’Whether lie died previously, or since, or is still alive in New Zealand or elscAvhcro, is a link in Hie chain Avhich lias yet to be fitted in. The detectives uoav know most of Falleni’s movements after she pul on male attire. They say that she'' began Avorking in hotels and boardinghouses as a general hand. About eight years ago she Avent to Avork for Dr. Clarke, at Wahroonga. Annie Birkelt was also employed there. Birkett Avas a avliloav Avith one child, a young boy.

The police story goes on to say that the widow and the man-woman wh oiii (he widow thought: to he a man, became ait ached to one another. The "widow left her employment and bought a small business at Balmain. The mau-wonmn followed, and shortly afterwards they were married. The Balmain business was carried on for about eight or nine months.

The business was sold out, and Annie Birkett went into service with a doctor at Kogarah, The man-woman then .seein,ed‘employment as a man at the National meat works, in Drummoyne, as a general hand. The pair changed their place of residence to The Avenue, Drummoyne. Ealleni worked successively at Perdrian’s, the Whlie Bay meat works, and Crawford’s Hotel, until about Eight Hour Dav, 1917. WHAT THE POLICE WANT.

The police are particularly anxious to obtain information regarding one important" phase of the story. They want to know and to get into tone!) with any person who saw the dead woman and the accused either at North Sydney or at Drummoyne, or in the vicinity of either place, on September 29th, 1917, or any approximate dates. The dead woman, Annie Birkett, whose 'maiden name was Bell, was horn at 1 Newcastle in 187(1. She married Harry Birkett at St. John’s Church, Darlinglmrst, in 1994. He died shortly afterwards, leaving one child, tin 1 boy who is now practical - lv the chief witness for the Crown.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr James Mitchell, has made application to the Minister for Justice for permission to exhume the body of Annie Birkett.