A bird-cage maker in New York, 1826
When two bird-cage makers were arrested for abusing their apprentices, one was discovered to be biologically female—perhaps for economic reasons, perhaps because it was the individual’s true identity. Unfortunately, no more information about the case is available. Who was the bird-cage maker? Was bird-cage manufacturing so lucrative that one would normally hire two apprentices? Were both arrestees charged equally? And what became of them?
“Police Office.” American [New York, New York] 2 June 1826; p. 2.
…
Two apprentices came before the magistracy to complain of ill-treatment from their masters, bird-cage makers. In the testimony of one of the boys, he stated his belief that one of the persons to whom they were indented, was, although wearing male attire, and passing for a man—a female. The complaint of ill-treatment was sufficient to cause a warrant to issue, and the observations of the officers so far corroborated the statement of the boy, that the disguised woman was lodged in the female department of Bridewell, and her partner in that of the other sex.
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