Two women- both of whom put aside their feminine physical appearance to don the clothing of power - mens, and both of whom have come to make history by doing so. One heard the calling of the Lord, and the other answered to the screams of her own inner poverty.
Joan of Arc, on this day in 1431, was burned at the stake for heresy. The daughter of a tenant farmer, she heard a calling when she was just a young girl of 16. That calling came to her through the voices of three saints, St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret. They told her she must capture the French throne.
Her fight led her through many victories however just one year prior to her being burned at the stake she was captured and sold to England - she was tried and convicted for heresy - How dare she take direct orders from the Lord, rather than the Church - Perpetual imprisonment was her sentence - While imprisoned she was ordered to put on womens clothing, which she did first obey-but just a few days later authorities found her donning the clothing of power once again - Her explanation for doing so was not what the Church wanted to hear- she had once again listened to instructions from a higher power and through the voices of the saints who spoke to her. She was now a repeat offender, something that could not be allowed, so on May 30 she was tied to a stake in the Place du Vieux- Marche and burned before a crowd.
Her stubbornness and dedication to stay true to her calling may have ended her life, but changed a world and she became a heroine and a saint. May 30th is recognized as her Feast Day in the Catholic Religion.
Four hundred and sixty eight years later to be exact - another women, Pearl Hart, made history when she decided to forgo the standard frock for women and donned some mens clothing - however, unlike Joan of Arc, her calling was not divine intervention it served another purpose - greeds calling after a life of poverty.
Pearl, who was born in Petersborough,Ontario, grew up in poverty. What would become her destiny...well.. some may say it was survival, and others may claim that the bad boy she was with, Joe Boot (yes, really) guided her down a wrong path -
On this day in 1899 the down and out couple decided to hold up an Arizona stagecoach. A crime that was carried out with Pearl wearing mens clothing. A crime that netted them $421 in cash from the three passengers.
Despite the horror their victims must have encountered, Pearl obviously was not a ruthless criminal as rather than leaving each passenger with nothing that a nightmare, she gave back $1 to each of them so they could eat at the next stop.
Before Pearl landed Boot she had been married to an abusive husband - she was only 16 when she said "I do" - the same age Joan of Arc heard the calling from saintly whispers. Pearl eventually left that marriage to end up with a dance hall musician, Dan Bandman (yeah, really..you can't make this up!) - Bandman moved Pearl to Phoenix, Arizona and then took off to fight in the Spanish American War. After he left Pearl relocated herself to Globe, Arizona. Globe is wear Pearl found Boot.
After the May 30 stagecoach hold up, the couple did what most criminals do, the fled - but, being amateurs it wasn't long before the Sheriff caught up with them. Jailed in Tuscon Pearl used her feminine charms on a couple of guards and convinced them to help her flee. She didn't get far even though she did make it over the border to New Mexico - there, however, she was recognized and once again arrested and extradited back to Arizona.
Back in Arizona she was convicted and sentenced to five years, Boot however was to serve 30. Boot ended up learning something while imprisoned, as after a few years he was able to escape while working the fields and was never heard of again.
Pearl, well, while she didn't serve her full term there's an interesting reason for it - it appears she found herself in the "family way" one year after being sentenced to prison. Yikes!!! Governor Alexander Brodie didn't want to deal with the scandal, so rather than face the music of having her becoming pregnant and giving birth to a child while imprisoned, he pardoned her.
The years that follow for Pearl are not well documented and more a matter of rumor and speculation. Some say she went into show business and billing herself as the Arizona Bandit. Others claimed she found herself a rancher to marry and had a quiet life. But one thing is sure, for her - like Joan of Arc - wearing the pants made them women to be dealt with and a spot in history.
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