In the Boston Newsletter for 1718, an unknown person wrote about a “strange affair” that had taken place in the city. The writer claimed that a woman had been seen walking the streets naked and that her skin “looked like raw beef.
” The writer also claimed that the woman was “mad and wanton,” and that no one knew who she was or where she came from.
Although the identity of the author of the newsletter is unknown, it is likely that it was written by Samuel Adams, since he often published anonymous pieces in the newsletter. Adams may have been trying to drum up public interest in the strange affair, or he may have been warning people about the dangers of wild women wandering the streets of Boston.
Regardless of its authorship, the newsletter’s story left many Boston residents wondering what could have caused such a bizarre occurrence. It’s possible that Adams was simply taking advantage of popular fear at the time to create attention for his cause – namely, creating a sense of community among Boston’s residents.
In any case, this mysterious article remains one of Adams’ most famous contributions to Boston history.