No. 288
Crime, Eccentricity, and the Sporting Life in 19th Century America.
January 04, 2016

Pugilistic Females.

Two Lebanon, Pa., girls live the same young man and biff each other on the street.
January 4, 2016
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The Terrific Leap at Niblo’s Garden, From an Aerial Apparatus. | Heroism of a Society Belle.

Pugilistic Females.

Pugilistic Females

Two Lebanon, Pa., girls love the same young man and biff each other on the street. 

Two young girls named Maggie Behny and Ella Book, employed in the Industrial Works on North Eighth Street, Lebanon, Pa., have for a long time had a difference of opinion about a young man’s love, and therefore declared war against each other. One Monday noon recently they ran against each other at the Philadelphia and Reading depot, and as each had sworn to have revenge, the set about in a true Sulivanistic manner. They both toed the mark and shot out their right and left dukes in such a way that the crowd that had gathered yelled with delight as the encouraged the female pugilists. When the biffers had fought their way to the Cornwell and Lebanon shirt factory, Officer McCord sailed in sight and the crowd dispersed, while the girls disappeared through the portcullis of the factory.


Reprinted from National Police Gazette, October 5, 1889.