30 YEARS’ DECEPTION.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 January 1919, Page 2

30 YEARS’ DECEPTION.

EDUCATED AJHEN WHO POSED J AS A MAN. The removal to Leeds Infirmary of an individual who had for thirty years been known as Ferdinand Hanson resulted in the discovery that “he ” was a woman, with a somewhat remarkable history. Seventy-three yqars of age, she claims to be a Dane, but was born at Hamburg’. She is well educated, '*4 speaks seven languages. and hjad travelled extensively. During fhe past seven years she has lived with. Mrs. Carrie Green, Lilac-grove. Skin-ner-lane, Leeds, who was thoroughly convinced that her lodger was a widower wealthy relatives in Hamburg. The pose of being a man was supported by the lodger being ia heavy smoker who went so far as to smoke a clay pipe in bed icvery night. Hanson apparently had lived for many years in New York declaring that “his” wife, a milliner, died there. On coming to this country Hanson had secured work as a photographer at Eee3s and elsewhere. After the outbreak of war the ‘authorities came to the conclusion Hanson was a German but on Mrs Green promising to “look after the old man.” they did not insist on internment. It is also stated that Hanson was for twenty years an interpreter on a White Star liner. To the infirmary authorica she gives her name as Dora or Doris Hanson.

THE EMPEROR A POOR MAN. * The Budapest newspaper “Hirlap” prints a report to the effect that on the first day of the revolution in Austria the Austro-Hungarian grand master of the court asked for and secured a million and a-half francs for each of eight archducal families because “they might have- to go abroad.” Ex-Emper-or Charles and Archduke Joseph, the newspaper adds, refused to subscribe to the fund. Concerning the attacks on Charles made by the Socialist newspapers. to the effect that the then emperor robbed the government, drawing a million and a half crowns yearly as commander in chief and also back pay, the correspondent is authorised to say that the emperor always had been a poor man and that ho also is poor at present; that even his wife, who comes from the notably poor house of Parma in Italy, is richer than he.