AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE ‘OF THE EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF JAMES ALLEN, FEMALE HUSBAND, WHO WAS MARRIED FOR THE SPACE OF TWENTY-ONE YEARS, WITHOUT HER REAL SEX BEING DISCOVERED, EVEN BY HER WEDDED ASSOCIATE : CONTAINING, ALSO, THE PARTICULARS OF HER SINGULAR DEATH: AND THE - “POST MORTEM” EXAMINATION oF THE BODY; WITH A VARIETY OF OTHER INTERESTING AND EXCLUSIVE FACTS. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Shakspeare. Loudon: PUBLISHED BY I. 8. THOMAS, NO. 2, YORK-STREET, COVENT-GARDEN. 1829. ear fin kag) a3 Fe | AAT Ae (ROA. ge, wo va Y¥ r , % R TRO aie WR 27 7H HE 4PAISO4im iin wats | - te, 8 eta oe tall ee bd _ MO aT Le ae ed Ped rt havnt Oo to Fravwae : # uy! a were - F ‘ * tes PIAL Piast tons =—- Printed by W. Reynolds, a “T ie 2, Denmark-Court, Strand. lt fe ‘toa: Vi ns COPD A ya ’ Wo ‘ A TO THE READER. Ir is perhaps necessary, and but fair, to inform you, that this Narrative is written by those who merely profess to give a plain, unvarnished, but faithful his- tory of a most extraordinary Character; and to do that in a manner as free from any improper allusion as the subject will possibly admit of. If, in this humble at- tempt, they can so far succeed as to convey the facts of this singular case in somewhat of an intelligible shape, all they dare to hope for will be accomplished. way seit OF =-xial sue ew) raweooe ‘i clidibas: oda ‘a0 uw nisin 4 ~2hud o—— fad besten ak “a tails bine of Bao ‘staqyad Sapa eit ee? aie raging que mort - e Fi ai A pichtiay aioe PP Se od an based 7 oa ea igus az lo taba ai wee bsidietiiaiin's od Siw wt ail vt suey ash eae bree a ieee Be ore te Portrate of ABIGAIL ALLEN Wife cothe pretented James All en, she resided with her Associate for more thant Years, tgnorant of her real Sex! and what is more astonishe ng, kept the secret of her cnguries ~nvioladle Co Che Cast proving, znconcestrdady, chat a Woman canheep a Secrec. Pub. by T.S Thomas Portract of THE FEMALE HUSBAND! “ 4 who,under the assumed name of JamesAllen’was married for whe resided and earned 27 Years without once desclostng her sex — htlled, FanV ISIE. her living asa Sawyer at Redriffe , where she was Dtreet Covent Garden w Pe https ‘/larchive.org/details/authenticnarrati 185 i 7 Ney oh doh NARRATIVE, &e. THE discovery of so strange a circumstance as_ that of a female, under the semblance of aman, having: married another female, with whom she subsequently resided for the period of twenty-one years, has. very naturally excited an unusual ferment in the gossip- ing world ; and what is equally as natural, given rise to numberless conjectures, surmises, and doubts. With a view to allay such feelings, to correct the manifold misrepresentations on this most extraordinary subject, and to gratify public curiosity as far as possibly can be done by a plain, correct and authentie narrative, is the object of this publication. It is a generally received axiom that a woman cannot keep a secret; but this, like many other popular say- ing’s, is manifestly wrong in principle and fact, as the sequel of this narrative will, we presume, satisfactorily prove; and proud indeed shall we feel, if we can by any means be the humble instruments of rescuing from Such slander, however insignificant, the fairest and most interesting portion of the creation, who are too fre- quently and wantonly aspersed by beings not possess- ing a tithe of their natural virtues. Females are proverbially termed the weaker vessels; and the charge 6 ef weakness is not only aimed at their bodily strength, but is also levelled at the mind; it is also well known that the ladies are charged with possessing unbounded curiosity : if ancient and modern history did not furnish us with innumerable instances to the contrary, the his- tory of JAMEs ALLEN would beat least one contradiction to the favourite but erroneous opinions continually promulgated. As we have to treat of this singular personage during the period she assumed the character and habits of a man, we shall of course treat of her in that character, and apply the masculine term through- out this memoir, which we deem necessary, not only to render the story as intelligible as possible, but to avoid confounding the two associates together in the detail, Abigail Naylor is the daughter of Mr. Naylor, many years resident in the Borough Mint, where he now carries on the business of a bedstead-maker. Having Jost her mother in the early part of her life, she left home to seek:a livelihood by servitude ; being a girl cheerful in disposition, industrious, and of cleanly habits, she was recommended to the establishment of Mr. Ward, a gentleman of property, residing at No. 6, Camberwell Terrace, Camberwell, where she filled for a considerable time the situation of housemaid. In this gentleman’s house she first met with the heroine of this narrative, under the assumed name of James Allen, then acting as groom to Mr. Ward, who had hired him from the service, and upon the recommendation, of a Mr. Munroe, with whom James had also lived in a similar capacity : he was at this time in his 18th year, and in manners, features and person, remarkably prepossess- ing; his features were small, but clear and ruddy; he was above the middle size, straight, and well proportion- ed; his manners were of that generally obliging kind as to win alike the regard. of his superiors and equals ; his habits were strictly moral; and his person so 7 smart and clean, that he became noted in Camberwell. and the neighbouring hamlets as Mr. Ward’s smart groom. While filling the situation in the house-. hold of Mr. Ward, he displayed great skill both as a groom and a farrier: in the latter capacity, by the administering of certain medicines, which James always prized as being exclusively in his own possession, he was enabled to turn out his mas- ter’s horses with a skin so sleek as to procure not only the decided approbation of his employer, but also to excite in a great degree the enmity of the neighbour- ing grooms. Where James attained this excellent. knowledge of the treatment and use of the horse, must," we fear, for ever remain a secret; for his wife, from whom the greater part of this narrative has been de- rived, cannot give any account of an hour of his life previous to their meeting in Mr.Ward’s service, except that she had reason to believe that he had lived with one - or two other gentlemen in the capacity of groom. Nor has she ever known, during the 21 years she lived with him, that any relation was in existence, except that he had frequently told her he had a grandmother possessed of property, who resided in the Leith Walk, Edin- burgh. No letter, nor any other document or matter whatever, to corroborate this, was ever seen by Mrs. Allen, nor any circumstance ever occurred which could confirm this ex parte statement ; so that where James originally came from, of what family he belonged to, or what relatives, if any, are in existence, there is no clue, nor is it likely there ever will be---though it is not mpossible, that owing to the publicity his existence has now received, a discovery may yet be made. The dress which James wore in Mr. Ward’s service was a drab coat and waistcoat, with a narrow neat silver lace on the collar, a prim hat with cockade, buck-skin breeches, and top boots. Being so handsome and clean —" os 3 a a his person, it is no wonder that the maid servants of Mr. Ward’s family, at least, should be at pull-cap as to who should win his smiles---the handsome groom of ‘Camberwell. Such was indeed the case: the greatest jealousy existed among the “« Ladies below stairs,” and as circumstances favoured, first one and then the other received the encouraging smiles of the obliging James Allen. The most conspicuous competitor with James’s future companion was the cook of the family ; she ma- nifested the most extravagant fondness for Allen, and so firmly was her affection fixed upon him, that after the marriage had actually taken place, she followed the envied couple to their first lodgings in Gray’s-inn- lane, where she vented her reproaches and disappoint- ment in language both loud and keen. The decided preference, however, bestowed on Abigail Naylor, could not fail to raise a host of bickeringss against her ; therefore, after James and Abigail had agreed to join their fate for better or for worse, it was thought advis- able for both to change their situations; accordingly Abigail having heard of a situation suitable to her views, at Margate, set out for that place, and engaged with a family of respectability in her former capacity of housemaid. James also left Mr. Ward, and engaged with a gentleman of the name of Lonsdale, while in this service he regularly corresponded with his destined part- ner at Margate. It is to be lamented that not a yestige of that correspondence exists, the whole having been unfortunately destroyed by Mrs. Allen; for the style, the language, the propositions of one so singularly” circumstanced would have been interesting in the ex- treme, writing, as he must have done, in an ingeniously concealed manner, a task of no little embarrassment to one so young. It has been stated, through the medium of the daily papers, that James Allen had been in the - service of Mr. Alderman Atkins, as groom, but-at what~ oe al + ™ “? 9 period is uncertain ; he must, however, have been very r young, because he had but just turned his 17th year when he left Mr. Munroe’s service ‘to engage in that of Mr. Ward’s.—And here it is a subject worthy of reflection, as to the motives which could have influ- eneed one so young to have come to so singular and strange a determination as that of concealing her own sex by assuming that of the male ; since the difficulties attending such a step, must at all times and in every _ respect, have been infinitely more so to one rendered inadequate to the performance of its numerous and exelusive labours by nature and custom. The first design of such a measure must have been the produc- tion of a mind naturally romantic; but to put into exe- eution such an idea, strongly argues a deeply-rooted reason,—w hat that was, must in all probability for ever remain a secret. Abigail Naylor had not been at Margate more than six months when she received a most pressing letter from James, desiring her to come to London, and seal by marriage the vows of eternal love which had been so long and so reciprocally pledged to each other. Accordingly, having obtained permission from her mis- tress to visit London on particular business for a period of three days, she arrived on the 12th December, [80T. » James met her by appoimtment, and from him she learned that the bunns had been duly proclaimed in the parish church of St. Giles, Camberwell, and that he had arranged that the marriage ceremony should take place on the following day, well knowing that her stay from her situation would necessarily be prescribed. « The evening preceding their marriage was passed in discoursing on their futare plans of living, and providing for each other. What James’s feelings were upon the eve ofso solemn and important a ceremony, knowing the great deception he was . ' . lo aad . about to practise upon a young and confiding girl, none. a can tell; but his surviving associate states, that she conceived herself, on the day preceding that which was to seal her fate for ever, the happiest of women— being about to unite her destiny to one so young, so handsome, so corresponding in age with herself, and whose habits of industry were so eminently calculated to ensure her permanent happiness and respectability in society. On the following morning they started for church, accompanied by one or two private friends, and the marriage was duly performed. Certainly to a reflecting mind nothing can be more revolting than the idea of one fellow-creature, at the altar of a church, and in the presence of his Creator, pledging himself to another in a fictitious character, and particularly during that solemn injunction which requires them to declare, before the knot is indissolubly tied, that if either know of any lawful impediment to the marriage, that they then and there fully make known the same, as they shall answer the contrary upon the great day of judg- ment. What must have been the frame of mind of James Allen at that moment, when commiting so irreparable a fraud, under such solemn circumstances, is, upon reflection, a matter of astonishment andregret. Strong indeed must have been that mind, and the motives with which it must have been actuated, to have induced ay rational being to have risked a measure at once so un- natural and so unwarrantable, with every possible chance against its success. Braving all this, however, he did so risk it: how well he supported the deception the reader will learn in the sequel. After the ceremony was performed the new mar- “ried couple, as is usual, partook of a wedding dinner, together with a select number of their friends. The evening was spent with the greatest hilarity, by all _except the bridegroom, who appeared far from en- 1] ‘joying in the same degree the pleasures of the re- ‘past. It did not, however, call forth any particular observation, some attributing it to one cause, some to ‘another ; but the real foundation of it was never glanced at by any. The party separated at an early hour ex- pressing their best wishes fer the prosperity of the young couple. James and his deluded bride left Camberwell immediately, for town, it having been previously ar- ‘ranged that they should spend the short time that Abi- gail could remain in town ata mutual friend’s, in Gray’s Inn Lane. To that friend they repaired, when they had the mortification to learn, that a sudden occasion had put it out of that friend’s power to accommodate them with a sleeping-room; and, in consequence of this unforeseen accident, a lodging was procured for them at the public house known by the sign of the Bull, in Gray’s Inn Lane. We would willingly pass over many particulars connected with this night, from an anxious desire we feel to avoid every thing that can possibly give offence to the most fasti- dious mind. Still, as this first night of their married life has very much to do with that explanation which the public are so desirous to obtain, and as we feel ourselves bound to give as faithful a relation as we ean of the subject, we have no alternative than to give the facts as they are delivered to us. Shortly after they had retired to bed, James com- plained of being very unwell, alleging that he had taken something in the course of the day which had disagreed with him: he arose frequently during the night, and groaned and sighed much; so that his wife had not the most remote idea but that his illness was positively real. On the following night he still re- mained indisposed; the third day and night found him no better; and to this cause, and no other Mrs. A. now solemnly avers she imputed the total ab- 12 a * gence of any advances towards her. But, asa very singular coincidence, the bride was also suddenly and particularly indisposed on the eyening of her matriage, which indisposition lasted the whole of the time she remained in London ; so that, instead of feel- ing. any regret at her husband’s supposed illness, she was secretly glad of that or any other cause that could — relieve her from the embarrassment that must otherwise _have ensued, The reader will therefore perceive — that in the outset of this ill-starred union there was a most extraordinary coincidence of circumstances in favour of the wicked and unpardonable part which James Allen was at this time but too successfully act- - mg. On the morning of the 17th of December, Mrs, Allen, after exchanging vows of eternal love with her new lord and masier, left town for her situation at Margate, where she was to remain, as had been pre- viously agreed upon, till he had obtained some furni- ture, &c. to enable them to begin life in a respectable and comfortable manner. Soon after his wife’s depar- ture, James hired himself as groom to a gentleman of fortune, named Lonsdale, then, residing at the Maze, Blackheath, where his clean personal appearance, oblig- ing disposition, and extraordinary skiil, in horses, pro- cured him the confidence and respect of his employer. Before his wife's departure it was arranged that he should write. often to form her how he was going: en, and of the prospect there was of their coming together. A month, a solitary month of hopes and Pies was, how- ever, suffered to go over before the anxious bride receiy- eda letter from him. What must therefore have been her feelings upon receiving one, informing her that she must not on any aceount leave her situation, as it was his intention in a very short time to go to the East Indies, and npon his arrival there he would write % This intelligence, so unjust and cruel in its intentions, 13 Abigail received in a state of mind bordering on dis~ traction. She was married to a person under cireum- stances of the most singular nature; and when she was expecting, most naturally and justly,the society and attentions to which every married woman aspires, her hopes and her prospects were suddenly blasted by the receipt of a letter equally cruel and inexplicable. To add to her sorrow and perplexity, she was wholly at a loss where to write to, James having kept his address at this time a secret, for obvious reasons. Inquiry after inquiry was instituted, through the medium of her friends in London, but no James was to be heard of. In this hopeless state of suspense this hapless bride and no bride was kept week after week ; and month succeeded month, without her knowing whether he had put his resolution into effect or not; and nottill the latter part of July following were any tidings to be had of her supposed husband; the impression being of course on her mind that he had actually sailed for the East Indies; and that, for reasons which she had no means of divin- ing, he had adopted that measure to rid himself of the contract, which she imagined he now repented of. From the apparently heartless manner in whick James Allen treated his wife, there can, we imagine, be little doubt, that he either did repent of his marriage, or that conscience, that unnerring monitor of the heart, reproached him with the gross injustice of his eonduct. The deed which probably his mmd had long been me- ditating upon, having been really done, he had not the courage to meet the victim of his perfidy. The fear of discovery, and the resentment of a virtuous and deeply-injured woman, were doubtless all painted to his burdened mind in colours the most gloomy, and to delay the probable consequences of their meeting again, or to escape them altogether was most likely seriously meditated by him at the time he communi- 14 eated his intention of leaving his native country. These — fears, however, if ever entertained, were gradually al~ layed in the course of time, and the various plans he had in contemplation in consequence abandoned ; for, in the month of July, when his wife had finally aban- doned all hopes of seeing or hearing from him again; she was agreeably surprised at the receipt of a letter, and. still more so at its contents. The letter was signed by her “loving husband, till death,” entreating her to give — immediate warning to her employer, soliciting her for- giveness for past neglect, and begging of her to come to London at the expiration of her month, when she would find a home comfortably prepared for her, and hoping that all past uneasiness which he had ocea+ sioned her would be amply compensated by his future affection and attention to her interests. This was in- deed a welcome letter to the desponding bride. Her James's request respecting giving warning was immediately complied with; the suspicions that his previous conduct had engendered in her breast, gave: way to the more noble sentiments of affection and con-: fidence ; for the reasons before assigned, of course not. the slightest suspicion of the real situation of her hus- band entered her mind; nor was there any other impe- diment to the unqualified hope she entertained that she was now about to join a man every way calculated to ensure her domestic happiness. Very different, we presume, must have been the feelings and sentiments of James Allen: he was about to dare the diseovery of the fraud he had the unparalleled hardihood tv commit upon one to whom he must be conscious no adequate: reparation could ever be made. ; Here again we are tempted to inquire, what must have been the predominant motive for his actions? what led him in the first instanee, so apparently unin- cumbered in body.and mind, to conceal his sex ; andy ~ 15 what is far worse, to link to his mysterious conduct another whom we presume could not have been inte- rested, direetly or indirectly, in the original cause which eould have given rise to conduct so inexplicable? Was it an uneconquerable affection for Abigail Allen, al- though of the same sex, and done to prevent a separa- tion of their fortunes ? or was it an act of revenge either to her or to any one likely to win her hand ?---No one ean tell. She herself declares most solemnly that she has not the most remote idea of the original cause or motive by which this mysterious being was actuated. It was on the 12th of August, 1808, when Mrs. Allen came from Margate to London to join her fate, “ for better or worse,” with her future partner. She found him---but how ?---not the smart and dapper groom she expected to have seen, but degenerated into a labourer to a noted cow-keeper of that day, named Ford, in the neighbourhood of Bermondsey, where James was em- ployed in all the miscellaneous drudgery connected with that occupation. What could have wrought this strange alteration in his mode of procuring a living is not known; that it was not a matter of choice is pretty certain; for, antecedent to his marriage, it was very generally remarked that he had a predilec- tion for that smart appearance which so pre-eminently distinguished him from his compeers in servitude. The only feasible reason which strikes us is, that knowing the difficulty of supporting a wife and enjoy- ing her society, while he remained in service, deter- mined him in the resolution of seeking weekly em- ployment, which would give the immediate means of providing and supporting an exclusive home ; accord- ingly he lived with Mr. Ford, in the menial capacity of cow-keeper, ostler, and general labourer.. James was not considered a strong young man; but what was wanting in this respect was sufficiently made up In ac- 16 tivity and a devotion to the will of his employer, and the duties of his situation. He had contrived to fur- nish some apartments, against the arrival of his wife, in a tolerably decent manner, in the house of a trades- man, situate in Swan Lane, Rotherhithe. To this do- micile Abigail accompanied him with a heart filled with affection towards the person she considered as sole lord of all that could make life valuable to her. But alas, soon was she miserably awakened to the deception practised upon her unsuspecting confidence: she arose from her bed on the following morning as unsullied a virgin as on the hour she first laid down onit. The remarkable aversion to coming in contact with her. which he evinced during the night, but too far con- vinced her she had made an unhappy choice, The ma- nifest embarrassment of her husband on the following, day, his half smothered sighs, his face, which betokened sorrow rather than cheerfulness, produced in her mind a compassion for him, which subdued all feelings of resentment for the injury Which he too manifestly had inflicted upon her. Night after night but confirmed the revolting truth that she was condemned to the un- natural state of wedded widowhood. The probable conduct of the majority of her sex under such cireum- stances was not, however, adopted by her. It is certain she must haye felt the blow that crushed her future hope of happiness as much as any of her sex could; but how to act, or what measures to adopt, under such trying and humiliating circumstances, cost her many an hour of broken rest. She felt her wrong's,—she but too keenly felt her degradation,—her inevitable injuries; but. ashamed even to her own father to confess her situation, much less expose her husband’s conduct to a slandering world, she passed over her misfortunes in sorrowing silence, and never, till a very late period of his life, as she now solemnly states, did she ever utter a syllable. 17 -of reproach to the author of her sufferings, and then only in answer to a charge which he brought against her fidelity towards him. There are many concurrent circumstances through- out the history of this extraordinary person to show that she must have possessed a prodigious strength of mind, whether we notice her first adoption of the male character; the perseverance with which she conducted her courtship, the marriage, the first association after marriage, but more particularly the final trial, when the period of their house-keeping commenced, proclaims a mental firmness only to be put in comparison with that acquired bodily strength that distinguished her so much in the loag career of labour which fate assigned to her in the peculiar line of life she then thought pro- pet to adopt,---a strong contradiction to the popularly received slander, that a woman is mentally the “‘ weaker vessel.” If women are, in some respects, the weaker vessel, full well we know, that in the nobler sentiments of the soul, they are by far the strongest. We allude to that affection which is shown-through life for the choice of their heart, and the offspring of their love ; theirunshaken constancy amidst the trials of life, which, like gold passing through the ordeal of fire, comes out the more pure and valuable. If we find exceptions and instances to the contrary, it may inyariably, we have no doubt, be traced to the lures and follies of the age, the introduction to which, nine times out of ten, are attributable to the arts and industrious wiles of our own sex; they are too often entrapped by the worthless objects of their ardent affections, who as frequently are the first to consign them to general censure. James did not long continue in the situation he held with Mr. Ford, before he fell into the company of some men belonging to a ship-yard at Dockhead, who ad- vised him to leave the wlehy drudgery of the cow-yard, 18 and endeavour to procure a situation with a ship- wright, who generally gave better wages than he could ever hope to receive where he then was ; for, if no income of regular weekly wages were allowed, there were several perquisites, such as the sale of chips, old junk, &c. which would enable him to procure many comforts that he could not hope for as he was then situated. James caught at their suggestion ; and accordingly left Mr. Ford, and hired himself as a PrtcH BOILER, with a celebrated shipwright then residing at Rotherhithe, named Peter Mistieres ; having previously taken fresh lodgings at No. 52, Albion Street, Rother- hithe. ‘Fhis was a new scene to James; a variety of labour of'a novel and irksome kind was here nmposed upon him; it was necessarily a part of his duty to elimb up the ship’s sides, as also the rigging of a first-rate Indiaman ; to manage boats, and carry heavy loads ; all which, however, he performed with the most asto- nishing alacrity, so as to escape every suspicion, or the slightest observation of his mates m the yard, and most decidedly to the perfect satisfaction of his employer,— a further proof of what a stupendous mind our heroine must have been endowed with, which this short memoir will, in its progress, very amply illustrate. There can be no doubt that when she first adopted the resolution of abandoning her female charaeter, it was sealed with a solemn vow, to preserve unchanged the charaeter she assumed; and that it was se preserved, under circum- stances the most astonishing, and amid vicissitudes the most trying, to the last moment of her earthly ex- istence, Is certain. ’ James laboured under these toils with unceasing assiduity for the period of two years and a half, when he left Peter Mistieres, much to his master’s regret, for it was universally allowed, that a better or more efficient hand never worked in the yard; and whatren- 19 dered his services the more valuable was, that he differed so much from the rest of the workmen with regard to tippling, James having always resisted, with the most de-, termined resolution, all attempts to induce him to drink ardent spirits, a custom but too generally introduced into all places of labour ; and this resolution he per - severed in with astonishing firmness to the latest hour of life, with a view, we have no hesitation in believ- ing, of shielding himself from the possibility of the danger of a discovery, wisely considering, that to in- dulge in that most baneful of human vices, must render his security at all times a circumstance extremely doubtful. Durmg the time that James worked in the dock-yard, he was paid 18s. per week; but, as much ship -building was going on at that time at Dockhead, great opportunities were afforded to men that were industriously inclined, to make money by working in the over hours. This, to one of James’s assiduous and sober habits, was a golden opportunity that he did not fail to take advantage of, so that we find his earnings at intervals, during this period of two years and a half, were no less than eight pounds a month, including the perquisites in junk, &. Wehave not been able to learn the true cause of James’s leaving the service of Peter Mistieres, but it is probable that it was with a view of getting permanent employ in a government establishment to enable him to make a certain provision for old age ; for the next situation he held was in the. service of the Board of Ordnance as a labourer, at the - reduced salary of 14s. per week, which, however, not answering his expectations, he remained there but six months, when he left it for the more lucrative one at the well-known vitriol-works of Messrs. Dummello, in the Commercial-road. His wages were there increased to 21s. per week, for services which were more than erdinarily laborio:s, and, as may be supposed, very. re injurious to the constitution. But the abstemious habits’ for which he was celebrated among his fellow labour~ ers, and prized by his employers, conquered all the ill effects that so much affected thosé that were less cautious. James was af this time healthy and vigor- ous, and continual labour increased his bodily strength* With such acquirements, added to a mind at all times disposed to industry, it is no wonder that here also, as at Peter Mistieres, he beeame the fatourite hand of the establishment, and exceedingly valued by the proprie- tors and foreman of the works. Nothing particular marks his history during the time he worked at Messrs. Dummello’s, where he continued two years and a half, when, through the following cause, he determined upon leaving them: James's voice, like his features, were strictly feminine; addedto which, the total absence of those distinguish- ing marks of manhood, the whiskers and beard, ex- cited in the minds of the workmen a suspicion that he laboured under some defect of nature, and, in short, that he was of that rare and peculiar class: of human beings who have no positive claim to either sex, This suspicion was not a little increased by the aver- sion he ever shewed to join either in their cups, their rude sports, or in that empty and lewd conversation so generally prevalent among the lower class of work- men—this modesty being a trait peculiar to his cha- racter through life. A conspiracy was therefore formed among his shopmates, but chiefly confined to the ap- prentices, against the unoffending James, and upon his return one day from dinner, ke was seized by a party of them, and vielently thrown to the ground, when they proceeded to take the most unwarrantable liberties with his person: he fought them with deter- mined courage, till, being nearly overpowered, he screamed for assistance, which was immediately ren- 21 dered by the presence of the superiors of the establish- ment. The outrage was soon put an end to, andthe par- ties most active were threatened with being discharged. Every reparation was made to James for the insult of- fered him, which appeared to his employers to satisfy him for the present; but the blow was struck in his mind, and he secretly determined not to remain in a situation where not only suspicion existed, but where he was condemned to associate with a class of men that had the temerity to attempt to place their suspi- cion beyond a doubt. He hinted to his wife that he had been ill treated, without explaining to what extent ; and expressed a wish, if it could be possibly managed, to avoid the necessity of entering service again, sug- gesting at the same time, that if money could be raised, a country public-house might be taken, which would answer their purpose well; to this proposition his wife cheerfully assented; and having converted every thing they could spare into cash, she applied to her own friends, and finally raised sufficient to take a public house which was at that time advertised to be let, known as the sign of the “ Sun,” in the town of Baldock, in Hertfordshire. We are thus particular in detailing the account of the means by which these adventurers obtained possession of the public house at Baldock, because, since the death of James Allen, it has, amongst other ridiculous and unfounded reports, been circulated, that he obtained possession of it, or at Jeast the means of taking it, through the commission of a foul deed, and which they as malevolently aud igno- rantly assert was the true cause of his disguise. The reader will at once perceive the injustice of such a ru- mour, by a mature perusal of this narrative, every particular of which can be corroborated by evidence of the: most unquestionable nature. For the first twelvemonth after their commencing 22 business in this new occupation, every thing seemed to augur well. The industrious habits of both, and the cheerful disposition of James, very materially contri- buted to the promised success. Here, also, his econo- mical habits were called with advantage into exercise. Another year passed away to their credit and adyanta ge; but, alas! before the expiration of a further six months, their prospects were suddenly blasted, through a 54] misfortune, which neither could have anticipated. It appears they settled with their brewer by periodical payments, as is the general custom of the trade ; to provide for which, and the claims ef the landlord and tax-collector, occupied the unceasing efforts of this in- dustrious couple; and neither creditor had reason to complain of the irregularity of James Allen’s payments. They had occupied this public house about eighteen months, and had contrived, independent of paying for the articles of housekeeping as they were procured, to lay by between sixty and seventy pounds, which money they kept in a drawer in their bed-room. During a tem- porary absence, their room was broken open by thieves, and the whole of their savings, besides various articles of plate, &c. were carried off. This was indeed a se- vere blow to both of them; their hopes, their future comfort, their highly ase prospects, which pre- vious to this were of the most flattering kind, were thus suddenly destroyed for ever by the ruthless work of rob- bers. The state of their feelings at the discovery of their misfortune can be better imagined than described. The brewer and landlord hearing of their loss, became anxious for their money—there was none; and the only alternative was to make the best arrangement with both of them that they could, and to sacrifice such of their household property and the materials neces- sary to keep on the business, together with a transfer of the fixtures of the house, totheir claimants, and so 23 leave it altogether. We are no advocates for the too often repeated executions that take place in this coun- try for comparatively triflmg offences ; still, with the cruel robbery of James before our eyes, we cannot help thinking, that the wretch who could plan.and exe- eute so daring an outrage upon this poor, inoffensive, and hard-striving couple, at that period, deserved the punishment of death nearly as much as a murderer, and certainly more than the forger upan a wealthy in- dividual; for “you may as well take my life, as the means by whieh I live.” The credit which Mr. and Mrs. Allen maintained while resident at Baldock was particularly shewn at their departure; every one sympathized with their luckless fate. But they were obligated to leave Bal- doek, having been stripped of all means of support. To London, therefore, James turned his eyes again, and not, we are assured, without an aching heart; the recollection of the treatment he had endured, the con- tinual suspicions that existed among his former fellow- Jabourers, owing to his truly feminine voice and fea- tures, and the constant dread of discovery, could not fail to impress his mind with the most serious appre- hensions. However, necessity left him no alternative: they, therefore, shortly afterwards arrived in Londen again, and took lodgings in Adam Street, Rotherhithe, where he had not been long before he engaged himself with Mr. Trotter, ship-builder, in whose service he filled a similar situation to the one he held with Peter Mis- tieres. But here a terrible alteration was manifest in the temper of James ; he betrayed an unusual nervous- ness, and he became suddenly inaccessible, and gene- rally soured in his manners. It was at this time that his wife first perceived the symptoms of a ehange m his treatment of her,—from the most. friendly, cor- fiding:, and affectionate terms, lie was altered to an ill- 24 “natured and suspicious being. The consequences, as our readers must be aware, from a combination of the ‘auses before-mentioned, and their effects, became more perceptible during the first month after his return to London. Very shortly afterwards he adopted a step that, if it proves any thing, {would prove that his mind became overburdened with the peculiarity of its embar- -Tassments, as appears by the following aceount, fur- nished by Mrs. Allen:—While they were residing in Adam Street, she had occasion one fine day to go to Greenwich on some business, to which James did not in the least object; on the contrary he walked part of the way with her, and at parting he kissed her, and enjoined her not to stop late before she returned. She made all the haste home she could; but what was her con- sternation, at finding, on her return, the house shut up, the doors locked, and the window-shutters fastened. Not knowing to what cause to attribute this most sin- ‘gular affair, she hastened to Mr. Trotter’s yard, and there made the most diligent inquiries, but received no further information than that James had left there a considerable time. Her apprehensions for his safety now became excited to the utmost; there was no other mode of ascertaining whether he had committed any personal rash act than to enter the room by foree; ac- cordingly a ladder was procured, and an old and mutual friend, a Mrs. Pittman ascended to the bed-room win- dow,and having entered, made the most diligent search over the premises; but no James was to be found. She soon discovered the most palpable proof of his - having gone away, and taken every valuable of a port- able nature with him. The door being opened, Mrs. Allen entered her house, not as she left it in the morn- ing, with every thing comfortable, and sufficient fi ‘the wants of a labouring couple, but deprived of niall of the essentials of domestic comfort ; and the being: 25 who had pledged himself to support her in sickness and in health so long as she lived, gone she knew not whither, and in a manner so sudden and unaccountable, as to defy all calculation as to cause or motive. That night till a late hour, aided by one or two of her hum- ble neighbours, was spent in vain and fruitless inquiries respecting him; no one being able to furnish them with the slightest clue; James, of course, not having trusted any one with a knowledge of the step which he had the most weighty reasons for concealing from the partner of his fortunes. Finding all search in vain, she retired, not to rest, but to pass the remainder of a mise- rable night in the most heart-rending anxiety and reflection upon her peculiarly destitute state. It happened in the early days of Abigail, that, before she entered service, she had learned the rudiments of straw-bonnet-making ; therefore, in the absence of all other means of prov ide the necessaries of life, she applied for employment in that line, and fortunately succeeded, and so well as, (using a familiar phrase, ) “to keep the wolf from the door.’ Week after week passed away, but no tidings of her unfeeling partner could be obtained; till one day, in the fifteenth week of his absence, Abigail was at work, as usual, when a figure glided by the window where she was sitting. _ Her friend, Mrs. Pittman, who was at this time sitting with her, suddenly exclaimed, ‘““Oh! my God, Mrs. Allen, here’s your husband!” She arose in the great- est state of agitation, and exclaimed, “ If it is he, and he dares to approach me, I will kill him for his cruelty and baseness.” James now stood within the threshold of the door, intimating his wish to shake hands with her and be friends again. ‘‘ Allen,” she cried, «‘ do not come near me, or I shall do you some harm ;” at the same time pointing a large pair of scissors which she held in-her hand ee him. At this particular 26 juneture occurred the most decided proof of James's real character, and which must have gone far to have excited suspicions of a more than ordinary nature. Overcome by a variety of conflicting feelings, as his wife approached him he made an effort to disarm her ; put, in the act, he fainted away, and fell senseless at her feet. The fright occasioned by this disaster to Abigail overcame all other feelings, and, assisted by her friend, James was carried into the back-yard, to have the ad- vantage of the air. Her friend having applied vinegar and other stimulants te his temples, by degrees reco- vered him from the death-like state he was reduced to. Mrs. Pittman having had occasion to undo his neck= cloth, observed what. was to her an unusual appearance in the bust of a man; and, in a subsequent conversation with Mrs. Allen, remarked, “ what a beautiful bosom your husband has.” She, howeyer, did not think much about it, having long considered her husband of the doubtful class before alluded to, and supposing a fulk breast to be one of the characteristics of such a being. James, however, having brought some money with him, was able not onl; to restore the situation of his home, but also to induce a return of the confidence of his partner. . He continued out of work for some time, when he got a situation with a Mr. Nash, an eminent, barge- builder at Lambeth. With this gentleman James's employment was quite miscellaneous; for, independent of the work of the yard, he was very generally em-~ ployed. in the house and stable, either to brush shoes, clean knives, trim the horses, or wait at table, at which James was considered quite an adept. In this situa~ tion he gained the complete confidence and esteem of his employers, so much so as to receive various sub-~ stantial marks of their favour, in clothes, money, &€0j and upon one oe¢asion, a cricket match being abeat 2 to take place, at which Mr. Nash was engaged, James accompanied them, and was attired in a fashionable dress of Mr. Nash, junior; but so altered and handsome was his appearance, by this unexpected metamorphose, that when he came home to his wife she scarcely re- cognized him ; and so lost was she to account for this strange alteration, that she could not help enquiring, with considerable anxiety, how he could have obtained elothes of so gay and expensive a description. Tt would appear that the attentive and sober habits of Allen got circulation among the craft ; for, kind as the Messrs. Nash were to him, he left them before he had been with them two years, being seduced by the offer of three shillings a week increase of wages ; his earnings at Mr. Nash’s were only eighteen shillings a week. This superior offer was made on behalf of Messrs. Closs and Kauf, shipwrights at Dockhead ; and here he remained for the period of seven years. Nothing is particularly recorded excepting a fit of illness which came on him suddenly, and continued four months, the greater part of ince time he was confined to his bed. James had previously, and up to the time of his death, belonged to that long-established and excellent benefit society held in Barbican, called “ The Associated Brethren,” consisting of upwards of 2000 members, the benefits of which he experienced during his long and severe illness; his allowance being 12s. per week during his illness. As is usual under such cireum- ‘stances, the Stewards and the Doctor attached to the society attended him weekly ; added to which he also received the professional advice and assistance of Dr. Gaskill and Dr. Ford, both gentlemen of considerable professional eminence ; anat as a procf of the success with which he was enabled to keep his very important secret to himself during the very long attendance of 28 those gentlemen, nota breath of suspicion relative to his real sex ever escaped either of them. During his illness his mind was evidently aifected with the great: est uneasiness, and which,.in fact; was always the case whenever he was indisposed, which may be very natu- rally attributed to his fear that the consequences of such a situation might lead toa discovery of the fraud he was carrying on. During the period he was with Messrs. Closs and Kauf, the advantages of superior wages and perquisites soon augmented his domestic comforts, and consequently restored the wonted placi- dity of his temper. James Allen was an habitual smoker of tobaeco when at his own fire-side, and while at labour he chewed it. These habits conferred on his features a coarse and anti-feminine tinge ; yet his general abstinence, parti= cularly from ardent spirits, enabled him to preserve a countenance ruddy and healthful, which never deserted him to the last hour of his existence. Another trait in James’s character was the aversion which he frequently expressed of seeing females carry loads; he would, upon seeing women on such occasions, express him- self in angry terms upon the unnatural imposition, and frequently take the burden upon himself. It is above stated that James’s treatment of his wife had been kinder during his services with Messrs. Closs and Kauf; but there were temporary exceptions, and those were whenever his wife, by any act or expres- sion, made the slightest allusion to the peculiarity under which he laboured. So wary was he upon this subject, that no opportunity ever occurred that could surprise him into any act? or word that would impugn his vigilance. Talking on subjects which implied the most remote allusion to his situation was his abhor- rence ; and he seldom failed to testify his anger in the raost decided manner upon the slightest offence being an offered him. Out of his weekly earnings James regu+ larly allowed 12s. per week to his wife for housekeep- ing’; so that if we consider his wages at 18s. per week, the remaining 6s. would go but a little way towards rent, wearing-apparel, &c. (expenses that he always provided for) ; the remainder must have been doubtless made up by perquisites, gifts, and by his over time. To the accomplishment of this object, of course, his ab- stemious habits must have greatly contributed; as also the striking difference in his personal appearance to that of the class of men he ranked with, who too gene- rally give loose to habits of drinking, and so apportion that part of their earnings in excesses, to the total de- privation of their domestic comforts and respecta- bility. Much curiosity and doubt having been expressed respecting the concealment of his person for so long a period as 21 years from the partner of his bed, it is our wish to give the most explicit reason that can be assigned for this strange and marvellous circum- stance. In the first place, we beg to remind our readers of the great reasons why James had at all times en- deavoured to keep, what was to him the grand secret, inviolable ;—hence that aversion to come in personal contact with his partner, which was evinced from the first hour of their association, to the last day of his life ; and as a convincing proof of his anxiety in this respect, either sleeping or waking it was the reigning care of his mind ; for his wife affirms most seriously, that if by accident she approached him when he was to all ap- pearance asleep, he was immediately aroused, and placed himself in an attitude of security; and she deemed herself fortunate if she escaped his marked anger. Again: many inquiries are made how it was -she did not show the very natural resentment. of her sex, and insist upon a fair explanation of his situation ? “30 to which we answer, his superior size and strength -was at all times sufficient te keep herin awe; and upon her shewing any thing like a. spirit of insubordi- nation, he became violent, and did not hesitate to strike -her, particularly towards the close of his life, Another effectual bar te the possibility of accident, cireum- stances ever favouring his disposition, to “ make as- surance doubly sure,” was the manner jin which he was swathed with belts of flannel, drawers, under-waistcoats, &c., under the specious pretence, that flannel was es- _sential to secure him from the effects of cold, being, as -his wife well knew, in the constant habit of going up to his waist in water, by night and day. But the cireum- stance which was doubtless James Allen’s best secu- rity in that respect was the settled opinion which his wife arrived at upon the subject of his supposed infir- mities ; and, as she solemnty declares, neyer haying, at -any period of her life, for a moment supposed that he was positively and perfectly of her own sex. So that our readers will perceive, that, in the outset of their association, shame and a sense of delicacy, not alto- gether without a feeling of commiseration, barred her utterance; the friendly and affectionate manner in which he demeaned himself towards her fora series of years, his solicitude to provide for her, by working late and early, and his general kindness, as evinced in a thou- sand ways, won upon her gratitude, and to such an ex- tent, that she made a yow to heaven, that come what might, she would never disclose her situation to the last hour of her life ; and this she affirms she never would haye done, had not the melancholy accident which hurried him out of the world disclosed the secret for her. _ The fixed delusion under sabiels Abigail Naylor la- _boured, must account for the non-diseovery of the se- cret in other matters connected with the bed-chamber, St. which has been remarked on as matter of the greatest wonder,—how it was possible. for it to remain se for so long a period ; and which, as she states the fact, we must receive as the best and only reason that can be given. ; We have already alluded to the depression of spirits under which James oceasionally laboured ; but this was more frequently the case during the close of his life; and sometimes, when seated in quiet con- versation with his wife,he would say, with a deep sigh, “Oh, my wench, I wish-I were dead, so that 1 could not leave you behind me: I wish, if it were possible, we may die together!” These and similar wishes he would frequently express, and afterwards sit for alength of time on a Sunday in absent, and to all appearance, melancholy thought. To these foreboding we may, in all probability, trace the changed and soured dispo- sition of his latter years, and which nothing called forth so much, as we have before stated, as an allusion, to his situation, or the loss of money; a remarkable in- stance of which is given by Mrs.Allen, in her description of James’s losing two five pound notes, which cost him, as she asserts, many a sleepless night, and troubled him. so much by day, as nearly to oceasion illmess.. A, loss to that amount would, to any labourer, be a severe. trial; but, to one ofJames’s sober, calculating habits, it proved a bitter punishment. His temper, while. Ia- bouring under the effects of this loss, was dreadfully. irritable and morose; and, as may be supposed, his wife had no enviable time of it. : At the expiration of seven years James left the ser- vice of Messrs. Closs and Kauf, through illness, and. took another situation, which proved to be his last, with Mr. Crisp, a ship-builder, at Deckhead. In this situa- tion his wages were 18s. per week, independent of gifts, perquisites, &c ; his employnient being quite. mis- 32 cellaneous, pattaking of household service, attending the ship-yard, pitch-boiling, cloth-pitehing, &c.; in which capacity he served, and not as has been errone- ously supposed, as a sawyer, although he happenedtobe_ engaged in that employment when he met his death; for, till the period of the accident, it is a singular fact, James had never been similarly engaged, and it is very probable that, to his want of practice in the management of the large saw, the accident is to be at- tributed. That James was considered here as a very well-disposed person, and a most valuable servant, is most certain; and Mr. and Mrs. Crisp very frequently shewed their sense of his conduct by various acts of kindness towards him ; and now that he is no more, speak of him as a trust-worthy servant in every respect, —sentiments that do infinite honour to them. Thesin- gularity of his disposition, however, in this situation, was such, that he would frequently complain of his wife’s conduct to the servants of Mr. Crisp, and would represent her as a careless, profligate woman, and even go so far as to leave little deposits of cash in their hands, under the pretence that he had a dissipated wife, who used him very ill, and alleging in donse- quence that his money was not secure at home. A short period since, with similar stories, he so worked upon the sympathies of his mistress, by this tale of mis- representation, that she was induced to let him have a pair of new stockings, &e., James having purposely put on the worst he could procure, for the double pur- pose of strengthening his tale, and exciting the com- miseration of Mrs. Crisp. This lady, feeling compas- sion for his hard usage, made it her business to call on Mrs. Allen, to remonstrate with her upon the ill-treat- ment of her husband, when she was greatly surprised to find the whole account quite false. She was shewn his drawers, in which she found an ample change of 33 Jinen, and having quite sufficient for one so situated i in life, and more than the majority of persons in their humble situation could boast of. What could be the motives of this extraordinary being to induce this con- duct, it is difficult to say; but there can be but little doubt that his natural cupidity, and a wish to shield himself from suspicion, to have been some of the -rea- sons by which he was actuated. Perhaps there neyer existed a being in whose composition a greater diversity of character was shewn; ; for, amid the most ill-natured and bitter reflections that he would indulge in relative to his wife’s conduct to one party, he would, in a con- versation with another immediately afterwards, pro- claim her as the best and most valuable of helpmates = this we have been told by two immediate friends to whom these curious bursts of affection were occasionally made. James, as before related, was naturally of a pe- nurious turn, notwithstanding. he would make his wife dress better than their circumstances. would warrant, and if she appeared to be at all regardless of her person, she would immediately insist upon her mending her attire, and wouldf requently dictate to her the exact arrangement of her dress, showing always. the ¢ greatest anxietyfor her to appear smart. A further proof of his eccentri- city occurred some few years ago: he insisted upon her attiring herself i in the best manner possible, ; and accompanying him to have her likeness taken by an artist in Holborn; she did so, and he made an actual offer to the portrait painter of £3, to take her likeness and mount it in a gold locket, to enable him, as he ex- pressed himself, to wear it next his bosom. Mrs. Allen, however, resisted, and the portrait was not done. We are now arriving at that portion of our memoir that must describe his melancholy exit from life. James was miscellaneously employed, and his natural dispo- sition to oblige, rendered i still more 80, and Analy 34 ied to the fatal consequences which closed his singu- lar career. His peculiar strength and activity fre- quently called him into jobs not at all within the he of his prescrihed duty ; as an instance of which, he would frequently go up to his waist in water, to carry men of much heavier bulk than himself to and from a ship’s side; and this he never failed to do by day or night, in winter or insummer. James's hour of retiring to rest was usually very early, sometimes at five or six o'clock in the afternoon, because his rising early was necessarily regulated by the tide, a material part of his duties being (while engaged in the dock- yards) to wash away the mud from the “ ship’s way,” on the strand, in order to enable the caulkers and shipwrights to work upon the vessels’ sides ; and it is supposed that upon these occasions, being generally alope, he destroyed all proof of his feminine cha- raeter, by consigning it to the deep. . It was on the 12th of this present month (January,) James, as a temporary act of kindness to the regular sawyer, descended into the sawpit to assist in severing a log of fir then nearly completed ; which, having divided, through some mismanagement, it rolled off the sup- ‘ports, and fell into the pit ;—there was no escaping ; he was struck on “the head, the side of which was bulged in; he uttered a faint cry, feebly raising his hand, but it was his last struggle. No sooner did the accident occur, than the immediate assistance of a medical gentleman of the name of Paul was rendered, but, alas! of no avail. The greatest consternation was of course excited in the yard, and through the whole neighbourhood. The sorrowing cry of “ poor James,” was heard from every mouth, and the regret of his master and mistress was as sincere as it was creditable to their character. He was placed, immediately after the aceident, upon a shutter, and borne to the Hospital 33 of St. Thomas, by the direction of Mr. Paul; on the way, however, as the melancholy procession passed through Cruiofix Lane, a deep and heart-rending sigh announced that the singular subject of this memoir had ceased to exist. The fatal news was quickly carried to - his wife, who left her home in the most frantic manner, and hurried forward, in order, as she has since told us, to prevent his being taken to the hospital; being actuated, as she says, by a desire to prevent any public exposure of his person, believing, as she did then, and all through life, the deceased to have been an “ Her- maphrodite,” and feeling an anxiety to prevent the scandal inevitable upon such a discovery. Upon the arrival of the body at the hospital, imme- diate attention was shewn to the case by a gentleman. named Martin, a dresser under the tuition of Mr.Green, who soon discovered that life had completely fled, and all human assistance was too late. Mrs. Allen’s grief was, we firmly believe, sincere, and little short of that ofa bereaved wife mourning her husband’s fate, under far different circumstances This may possibly call forth a smile of doubt from many, but we would ask such persons, is there no such thing in this world, bad as it is, as acquired, but sincere, friendship ; of this kind was that of Mrs Allen’s for the deceased partner of her fate; and we contend, at the risk of every opinion, that while it is perfectly possible for one like this unfortunate woman, who had sustained the most irreparable injury, and had smothered in her breast every feeling of resentment for upwards of twenty-one years, to have felt the most genuine friendship, not to say affection, for the author of her wrongs,—that her conduct throughout, at least, as far as it has reached our ears, does infinite credit to her, and certainly entitles her to the sympathy of all well-disposed people. The body was consigned to the dead-room, 36 where’ it was-stripped by the feriale friends of Mrs. Allen, and'at this juncture was the astounding discovery of the sex of this extraordinary person first made. They, (the females above alluded to) hastened to” Mrs. Allen, and informed-her of the strange circumstance ; and she néw in the most solemn manner that a human being’ can assert a truth, avers, and will willingly make oath, — at‘any time, that she was, till this period, in intite igno- rance of the fact of James Allen being actually a woman. On the next day an inquest was held'on the body, when the Coroner atid Jury expressed their astonish- ment at so extraordinary a circumstance as two females living together as man and wife for a period of twenty- one years ; it certainly appearing quite unprecedented and’ mysterious. After soine discussion, however, a verdict of “ accidental death,” was returned. Previous: to the Inquest, Mr. Paul very properly expressed’ d desire to open the body, to ascertain if any circumstance existed that could assist’ in’ eluci- dating’ this very extraordinary affair; and we are in- debited to that gentleman’s polite and: prompt conde= scension for the cothinuication of the following parti- ctilars of the “ post mortem” examination of the de- ceased. The first view of the body excited very’ general-‘admiration as to the symmetrical proportions® of the entire subject. As fine a formed woman’ was presented to their eyes as ever was looked upon. The skin, having been swathed’ with bandages! anid’ other thick coverings, was’ of the purest white ins tersected’ with veins of fine blue. The ariis; leg's; hips, &e. exhibiting the truest female proportions. As a striking contrast to the general beauty of the per- son, was remarked, the colour of theface and'roughiiess’ of the hands, occasioned by the deceaséd’s anti-feri- nine habits. The breasts, which were moderately full, were foreed by the compression of the bandages} 3T 3 under the arm-pits. The features’ having lost~ in death all the ruddy appearance of health, left only the yellow tinge acquired by continual exposure to all weathers and the rough pursuits of the deceased when living’, which was not a little heighteried by the habit of chewing tobacco, while the hands were hard’ and shri- velled. The internal parts of the body exhibited the’ most sound appearance, and every promise of long life; had nature run out its fair course this might very justly have been expected, from the abstemious life of the de- ceased, particularly her total aversion to that vital curse to humanity, spirituous liquors, which has sown more‘ domestic misery in society than ever was produced by the plague, and hurried more toa premature grave than’ ever was slain by the enemies of our country. As the chief object of this examination was to ob- serve whether there existed any impediment to the’ functions of nature, the most minute attention was paid’ to the organs of generation, which was found to be en= tire and perfect, with the exception of the absence of certain symbols of purity, on which some of the genitle= men present declared their perféct conviction that she had been ill-treated at an early period of life. Should these gentlemen be correct in their judgment on this momentous particular, it perhaps furnishes the most feasible cause of the origin of the whole mystery. But Mr. Paul, whose experience and skill is unquestion- able, expresses a doubt upon the positiveness of this proof, as innumerable instances are known of its non- existence in infants ; so that all the information which the operation afforded, was the proof of the deceased being a perfect female, and the parts of generation being complete. Should any one be sceptical on this point, we beg to refer them to the official record of the examination in the journals of St. Thomas’s Hospital, where it was performed. 38 The funeral took place in the cemetry of St. John’s new burial ground, Dockhead, and was conducted with the greatest decency, but for the brutal and inhuman at- tacks upon the widow, by a set of ignorant beings of the very lowest class, who chose to form their own uncha- ritable opinions of the affair, and act accordingly; the presence of the proper officers, however, kept them in awe; and Mrs. Allen. escaped, but not without haying’ menaces of the most daring nature thrown out by the rabble who followed her back. The magistrate of Union Hall, (Mr. Chambers) hearing, however, of the matter, sent immediately and offered her the protection of the police, should she have occasion for it.. This being made known, all further molestation was diseon- bigted: . ’ _ The deceased, as before mentioned, belonged to a benefit, society ; it was that noble institution, ‘“, Th Associated Brethren,” and it is in justice due to its members and officers to state, that they never objected to pay the funeral allowance, as was falsely reported ; on the contrary, Mrs. Allen was immediately paid the full sum, and she was also treated by them, and the pro- prietor of the house in which the society is held, with the utmost humanity and attention ; doing this greatly to be pitied woman strict justice, and themselyes eyer- lasting credit. We have now traced this singular Se ae nit the earliest period we have been able to learn any partieu- lar, till after the death of the deceased, for the purpose of handing down a record of the existence of,so extra~, ordinary a mortal as James Allen; in the course of which, our wish has been to be as explicit as possible, strengthening the account throughout by references, names, and dates, connected with this singular relation. That he assumed the male character, and was married under it, so far back as December, 1807, is clear hy the 39 Register of marriages of St. Giles, Camberwell, the certificate of which the following is a verbatim copy: « St. Giles, Camberwell, Surrey. James Allen, Batchelor, of this Parish, and Abigail Naylor, Spinster, were married in this church by Banns, the 13th day of December, 1807, as appears by the Register belonging to the Parish of Camberwell, from whence the above is extracted, by me, JOHN GLENDALL. 13th Dee. 1807.” e. That she uniformly preserved the male character we also refer to an inspection of the books of the various establishments she was employed in during the last twenty years. As regards the most general; and cer- tainly most excusable, disbelief that may be entertained of the possibility of a woman living as wife’with an in- dividual for twenty-one years without ascertaining her associate’s sax; all we can dois to state our entire be- lief of the truth of Mrs. Allen’s solemn affirmation of the fact, particularly so, from the readiness she evinced to swear to the truth of her statement, before a magis- trate ; and which she would have done had she been permitted by the magistrates of the Police Office, Bow Street. The worthy magistrate, Mr. Minshull, however, was of opinion that the affidavit was of so extraordinary and delicate a nature, that it would be better avoided altogether. The woman’s readiness to undergo that so- lemn test, at anytime, leaves her averment unimpeached. We have now treated upon every feature of this case, . . So far as we are enabled from the information we have been able to obtain. The deceased James Allen stood about five feet six inches and a half in height, slender, but well made ; his dress, when cleaned, was that of a British sailor, blue jacket and white trowsers.* * Cozrect Portraits of both. in colours, are ‘to be obtained at the office of the Publisher of this work, price 1s. ee Pres ota praper'to publish “ Further: Partiet - Female Husband,” the greater part of whie 40 _ Of the culpability ,of James Allen’s conduet in the outset of his married career there cannot be two | opinions. The seeret motives of the heart which in- duced so unnatural a resolve is now laid open before e the tribunal of his Creator ; but since it was the e rs: Re “of a hnman being, and perhaps a deeply injured _ subject to all the frailties of humanity, as fellow-mor- « tals, we are bound’ to Hilikice the merits ag ains the. ; faults ; and throw the palt of charity over her rema and Bi sti eats ‘* No farther seek her merits to disclose, — te ; Or draw her frailties.from-theirdread abode”? THe END. Sue oA Morin eat of the 3d ily rect. In that article Mrs. Allen is said to} have - name of Smith. ‘Her shtlend name was Naylor ‘(vide the 3 marriage certificate), which, however, she does not ~ adopt, but retains that of Allen. It alsoassertsroundly, . .. that the deceased had given birth to a child, now living, \ and. upwards‘ of twenty years of age. We have the evi- Me: _ dence of Dr. Paul, the eminent surgeon, who has as= - sured us most positively, that not ‘the slightest proof — _ existed upon the post mortem a the: jody, -. to induce.a belief that the deceased had . ; - on the contrary, the surgeons present werent bat that was not the case. 4 ry ay r ae ; ie ie r ome = ew iy : ig - > o Be a ne : ’ © ¥ P . ae é ij : Sa ‘Oe ess ae Ss Printed by W. Reynolds, 9, Denmark-court, Strand)” “tig a