Addie, Cleveland cigar girl, 1865

“A Young Man Detected in Female Guise—He had Successfully Appeared as a Woman for Fourteen Years—Jeff Davis Outdone.” Cleveland Herald [Cleveland, Ohio]; reprinted in Pittsburgh Daily Commercial [Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania] 27 June 1865; p. 1.

About two months ago, a young girl of pleasing looks and address came here from New York city. At first she did duty as a hotel waiter, and afterwards, through some means or other, got a situation at the Varieties, where she presided over the cigar stand. There her good looks and winning ways obtained her numerous customers, and she drove a brisk business. In many cases her fascinated patrons refused to take any change, and thus “Miss Addie”—for that was her name—throve apace in her own right, and managed to pick up any amount of pin money. Addie’s admirers, from the first, were numerous, but eventually they began to beseige her in droves, so that often the cigar stand would draw better than the stage itself. She was an accomplished coquette, and thus had a smile for each and every one of the crazy crew at her feet. Her smiles were by no means cofined to the young, for gray hairs were found worshiping at her shrine as often as the fair locks of youth. Among those who wooed her were old bachelors and Young America, and men of family, and widowers, and brainless fops, and boys whose chins had not even made the acquaintance of down. And the attentions to which she was treated were by no means confined to the wordy class. No, indeed; substantials in abundance fell to her lot, Old Mr. So-and-So gave her a new dress, and “old bach,” So-and-So presented her with several dozen pairs of pocket-handkerchiefs, and Fast Mr. So-and-So sent her two pairs of silk gaiters, and several pairs of Alexander’s best, while Master So-and-So gave her an order for a new bonnet. Then, too, scarcely a day passed that she was not taken out to ride behind a pair of fast nags, with all the usual accessories of ice-cream, strawberries and cream, Roman punch, &c.

Thus things went on—from the time of her appearance at the Varieties—in this roseate way until a few days ago, when the astounding discovery was made that “Miss Addie” was a man! Of course the manager and her crowd of admirers were both astounded, and inclined to doubt their senses; but in spite of all it turned out that she was not a woman, but that he was a man.

The young man stated that for fourteen years he had worn the garb of a woman, in which guise his fair and pleasing looks had materiality assisted him. In fact he looks as much like a woman when in male attire as when dressed in bonnet and gown. In New York he played the part of a “pretty waiter girl” at a Broadway Varieties, remaining there till waiter girls were “crushed,” when he came hither.

Since the discovery of his ruse he has gone upon the stage, and appears each evening at the Varieties, in “part first.”

“Truth is stranger than fiction.”

“City and Suburbs: A Pretty Waiter Girl in Trouble.” New York Dispatch [New York, New York] 9 April 1865; p. 2.

The habitues of the concert saloon No. 654 Broadway, cannot have failed to notice a pretty appearing girl, about 18 years of age, who passed under the name of Jennie Lamont. Her features were soft and pleasing, while a mild blue eye beamed pleasantly on all with whom she came in contact. A profusion of light auburn hair fell in graceful ringlets down the back of her neck and her form was such as poets often described and sculptors produced from cold inanimate marble. This, however, was a living, breathing reality. Of course, a being of this description had crowds of admirers, and invitations to supper, rides in Central Park and on the Bloomingdale Road, were so plentiful that they became an annoyance. Jewelry, too, was bestowed by lavish hands and still no one could say that he had effected a conquest, and many were the opinions expressed how a female, alone and unprotected, in such a place, and exposed to temptation should be enabled to preserve her virtue. These surmises came to a sudden ending, however, on Friday night, and in a peculiar manner. Strange as it may appear, the young lady was arrested on a charge of masquerading. The hard-hearted officer who made the arrest was bold enough to declare that she was wearing wrong apparel—that in fact this person was a he. A medical examination proved this to be the case most incontestably. Strange as it may appear, he had associated with females for many months, and his sex not suspected. His features are very feminine, his hair flows in natural ringlets down his neck, and those added to the charms of full dress, in the mysteries of which he is an adept, enabled him to carry out the deception. Yesterday he was taken before Justice Dodge of the Jefferson Market Police Court, when he stated that his real name was James Day, that he was aged 18 years, and a native of Canada, where he has several brothers and sisters. After an incarceration of some hours, the Justice concluded to allow him to go on his own recognizance, warning him, however, not to be caught in the same fix again. It is stated that several months since, while wearing the apparel of his own sex, he was arrested on suspicion of being a female. Of course those gentlemen who were so attentive to the supposed “pretty waiter girl” are laughed at by their friends, who consider it an excellent joke.

“New York Correspondence: Is It a Boy or a Girl?” Chicago Tribune [Chicago, Illinois] 14 April 1865; p. 3.

An interesting little affair has just been winded by the police, who, it seems, are always bringing out such cases, and mixing in, as some will say, where they have no right to intrude. For some months past a portion of the frequenters of a Broadway concert saloon have been praising the modest demeanor and exemplary habits of a pretty waiter girl of the establishment by the name of Jenny Lamont. She was handsome, had a profusion of light auburn hair which fell in natural ringlets down her graceful neck. Her features were soft and pleasing, and her mild blue eye was the perfection of the heart’s dream. She was invited to supper by the gentlemen who frequented the place, had suppers at Central Taylors, and plenty of rich presents of jewelry and fine things for her toilet table. Many were the young bucks with more money than brains who were smitten with the fair Jenny. And the other young ladies of the establishment were fast becoming jealous of her attractions, when an incident occurred which surprised every one, and none more than the aforesaid young ladies. A hard-hearted police officer came into the place last Friday night, and insisted upon arresting Jenny and taking her to the tombs. [sic] The officer insisted the girl was no girl—in fact, a masculine man. Yesterday the young lady was brought up before the Jefferson Market Police Justice Dodge, and certain physicians testified to her masculinity, and Mr. James Day was sent to jail. But after a short confinement he was released, with a warning not to do so any more. Strange as it may appear, this young man, who is eighteen years of age, and a Canadian by birth, has associated with females for many months, and escaped detection. He is an adept in female dress, and is very effeminate in stature and shape, which helped him greatly in the deception. It is stated that some months since the same young man was arrested and charged with being a woman in man’s attire. Of course the gentleman [sic] who had lavished so many attentions upon Mr. Day, do not boast of it now.

“A ‘Pretty Waiter Girl’ Who is Not a Female.” New York Semi-Weekly Express [New York, New York] 11 April 1865; p. 3.

Officer Barbalet, of the 15th Precinct, last night arrested James Day, a young Canadian, for wearing the habiliments of the other sex. For some months past the prisoner has been employed in the capacity of a waiter at various saloons on Broadway, passing for a female, so artfully was he disguised. He is rather good looking, and it is stated has engrossed the attention of many of the habitues of those places. At the time of his arrest he was engaged at No. 654 Broadway. Justice Dodge committed him for trial in default of $1,000 bail.

“City and Suburbs: Row in a Concert Saloon.” New York Dispatch [New York, New York] 9 April 1865; p. 2.

Three roving sports, named James Robertson, James Shay and John Seymour, were charged with assaulting Frank Slavin, proprietor of the concert saloon and house of prostitution corner of Prince street and Broadway, between one and two in the morning. In the eyes of the complainant the assault was greatly aggravated by the fact that the accused were patrons of the Smithsonian. In his eyes to belong to a pretty waiter concert saloon was aristocratic compared with the Smithsonian, which was the resort of thieves, showing the philosophical truth that no matter h[o]w low we may be in morals ourselves, we can always see others beneath us in the social scale. From the evidence in the case it appears that a drunken free fight occurred, in which the pretty waiter girls made pretty good use of chairs and tumblers in the melee. When the fight commenced complainent attempted to quell the affray, when in the vernacular of the fancy he was “double banked” and floored. The Smithsonians got off with a very light fine.