A NOTED AMERICAN FEMALE SPY. A

Waikato Times, Volume 2620, Issue XXXII, 27 April 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A NOTED AMERICAN FEMALE SPY. A

A TKLKORAM to the San Francisco Chronicle, dated from the Indian territory, Feb. 0, reports:—Belle Starr, the female terror of the Territory, but better known as Belle Boyd, tho Confederate spy, was killed last Sunday evening, at "6 o'clock, at Taylor's farm, seven miles north-east of Brook. Having eaten supper with an Indian, she left on horseback and alone for her home, a mile and a-half distant. She was Dever again seen alive. The South Canadian river was to havo been crossed by her, and the ferryman at the rivor was waiting for hor. Just at twilight a riderless horso came dashing down toward the river, and tho ferryman knew the horse was the property of tho notorious Belle Starr. Thinking she had been thrown he retraced the horse's track for half a mile, where he found her dead body in the mud. A load of buckshot had been emptied into her breast, while a load of fine shot had struck her in the head. She evidently had been assassinated, for her pistol had not been drawn from its belt. She would have done dangerous work had she been boldly faced. She loft a daring daughter, 19 years old, a half-breed by her full-blooded Indian husband. A telegram from Eufaula oonfirms the despatch that Belle Boyd was shot by unknown parties, who fired npon her from ambush. Her husband, James Starr, who was summoned by telegraph from this city, announced before leaTini; ho would kill the man who *hot hia wife, no matter who ho was. Notwithstanding the criminal notoriety of the woman she left many friends, who hare determined to avenge hor death. Belle Boyd was born in Martinsburg, now in West Virginia, in 1846, and lived there until 1861. Her father was a merchant and hor mother a handsome woman of good family. Tho girl's association and education were excellent. During her visit to the neighbouring town nf Winchester Blie had been declared a dashing young horsewoman. She heard of the Federal movements which threatened her "beloved South." Sho galloped by night to Stonewall Jackson and told him what she knew. From that time she was " attached " to Stonewall's brigade with more or loss regularity. Sho soon became known as " Belle Boyd, the famous rebel spy." On a particularly daring expedition she was captured and sent to Washington. Here she became quite as much of a favourite with some of the young Federal officers and with some Congressmen as she had already been with the soldiers and public men of the south. She hesitated at nothing to make a stroke for the Confederacy. After remaining some time in the old Capitol prison, in charge of William P. Wood, she was exchanged for the celebrated Colonel Michael Corcoran, of the Irish brigade, who had been a Confederate prisoner since the first battle of Bull Run After Gettysburg she was taken prisoner, court-martialled, and ordered to be shot, but sentence was commuted to banishment from the south. Soon afterwards Jefferson Davis sent her with important despatches to Great Britain. She sailed from Wilmington, N. 0., May 8, 1864. The vessel was captured, and the adventuress taken to Boston, courtmartialled, and a second time ordered to be shot. President Lincoln commuted her punishment to banishment. Soon afterwards she crossed the ocean, and created a great sensation when, on August 2oth, 1861, she married her captor, Lieutenant S. W. Harding, in Loudon. Her husband lived only a few months, and the young widow made her dtbut on the stage iu England. The war over, she returned to private life. Subsequent to her second husband's death, ahout seven years ago, she started out as a lecturer, as a means of maintaining her three children, two of whom are in a convent. Soon afterwards she married her third husband, Mr High, and made Detroit her home. On his death she married Colonel Hammond in ISBO, who wa9 then acting as travelling salesman. She then lived in Philadelphia. At that time the eldest of her girls was about 13. Subsequently she went to live in Texas, where she married successively Colonel Younger, Sain Starr and Jim Starr. Several years ago she shot at and wounded a man there whom she charged with improper relations with her daughter. In 1867 she made her first appearance on the American stage with Ben de Bar. After that she starred two seasons, but without much success. She abandoned the stage for alccture bureau, but reappeared ou the boards four or five years ago as Daisy Brown iu "The Professor." For some years she has lived in the Choctaw nation, and has ligured in the Uuited States court here oil several occassions, and was oncc taken to the penitentiary for selling whisky in the Choctaw nation. Dressed iu men's clothes, riding in a good saddle, armed with a brace of formidable pistols, she lias raided, caroused, and participated in every form of outlawry prevalent in the nation. She rode at a pace and with a grace that knew no equal, shot with great skill, and with it all she was a well educated and accomplished woman.