Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1887 — A Woman with a History. [ARTICLE]

A Woman with a History.

A daughter was born to Squire George t arks, of Siloam Village, h.adison County, N. Y., o> March f, lt-4 ’. She was named Esther Adelia. In her 16th year she began to make a noise in the world. While all the rest of the family were away from home one d y their farm-house was burned to the ground. J sther was found prone on the ground, bound hand and foot, and with a gag in her mouth. She told a story that led to the arrest of two young men. One of them died before the stain on his reputation had been cleared away. Not long after this Esther woke up the quiet community by trying to blow her brains out with a rifle. The furrow that the ball plowed remains to this day. A month or so alter th s she had a fine t me in Utica for a few weeks. Then she was arrested for masquerading in men’s clothes, bhe was sent to the hospital, where she made a rope of the sheets and escaped. She later made her way to the Oneida Community. This escapade ended in her being sent to the Utica Insane Asylum, where she was locked up for several years. Within a few months after her release she was married to a man named Bennett. Bennett was found one morning at the foot of the stairs with a broken neck. Esther was arres ed, but no one had seen Bennett fall, and she was discharged. After this she went io Oswego and set up in business as a clairvoyant. Then she practiced the manly art of balloon-fly-ing.— Neiv York World. A Baltimore Police Officer,- 30 years on the force, Mr. Henry H. Durkee, says: “I suffered with poison oak for more than ayeir. I t ied St. Jacobs Oil; after the second application all the sores dried up, and I win cured. I think it invaluable.”