davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
CROOKED WHISKY.
william Mckee. of the ~. Louis Globe
ny M ,ernt. Com, teecsl.


The most notable trial 80 far in con
nection with the whisky ring closed
last week. in st. Louis, the jury bring
ing in verdict of guilty in the case of
VIM. Mckee. senior proprietor of the st.
Louis Globc-Democrat. A different vcr-
dict was anticipated not only in st.
Louis, but everywhere else, on account
of the contradictory testimony of wit
nesses for the prosecution; but it seems
the jury, after making full allowance for
this. still considered the evidence of
guilt strong enough to Justify them in
arriving at the decision they did, which,
it was ascertained in court, was a unani-
nous one. And then, too, the charge Of
the Judges squinted just n trifle in the
interest of the defendant, making the sit
uation apparently favorable for acquit-
tai, or at least a hung jury. Conviction
in this case will strike terror into the
hearts of the culprits yet 10 be tried
Mcguire and Babcock. Apparently
nothing can save them. A brief history
of the Mckee trial will be of at least
passing interest.
A Jury was found without delay, and
the prosecution opened with speech by
Col Der, the district attorney. The
evidence already given in other cases
showing the existence of the conspiracy
and the universal belief that Mckee was
party to it. was then repeated, with
some few facts tending to prove his ac
tive participation. The testimony o.
Fitzroy, one of the disbursing agents o.
the ring, that he paid money to Mckee
and was warned byhim 20 remember that
"this was sacred thing" was followed
by that of Engelike, n rectifier, who
swore that he once approached Mckee il
behalf ol certain parties who demanded
to he allowed TO run fraudulently with
out paying tax; that Mckee promised
that he would sec the arrangement
carried out, and that it was done and the
parties did run fraudulently. McGIue
ut another time the disburser, testified
that before he had given evidence TO thu
grand jury Mckee came to him, ant
wanted such testimony given as to SAVE
him, but that he said he should tell TIN
truth-ihat he had divided the profit
into five parts, and given two to JohI
Ieayenworth to be delivered to McKe
for himself and Ford, the collector. A
this point desperate effort was made b.
the defense to shut out all evidence as t
admissions made by the conspirator
tending to show Mr.. Mckee's participa
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
The Creeping Of Rails.

The creeping of railroad rails has
attracted some attention of late, and
while we do not attempt to explain il,
we offer point on the fact that, on lines
running north and south, the western
rail crecps" faster than the eastern
rail-that is, this strange movement of
the rail toward the south is more marked
in one rail than in the other on the same
track. Furthermore, it has been noticed
that on such a line the eastern rail wears
out the fastest. Both of these points, we
think, can he explained from the motion
OF the earth rs IT turns from the west to-
ward the east. Everything that has free
motion is dragged after the whirling
globe; every wind that blows and every
tide that moves feels the influence, and
our train going north or south is pulled
over toward the east, and naturally
presses the eastern rail most heavily.
The western rail, being relieved of its
share of weight, "creeps' more freely
and quickly. 1t is also noticed that the
wheels that run on the eastern rail wear
out the first, and we can but think thi.
earth motion is the true cause. The
practical side OF this is that the eastern
rail and wheels should he stronger.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

toni in the conspiracy. The elsborately pre-.
pared argument showed that the defense
had regarded this as absolutely necessa-
ry. The prosecution, also, was evident
ly prepared To meet the objection. After
prolonged argument, the objection was
overruled by Judge Dillon, and the evil
dencc on the part of the prosecution was
completed on Wednesday. The repeated
assertions Of Icavcnworth that he had
paid money 10 Mckee, numerous conver-
sations had by conspirators with him, in
which he spoke as If with a full knowl-
edge and direct interest in the conspira-
cy, and the declaration Of one witness
that money was paid 10 Mckee In his
presence, formed together very strong
case II is noted as somewhat strange
Everest, the witness who was brought
back frem Europe. The natural infer
ence is that he knew nothing which
would strengthen the case against Mckee,
however important his evidence may be
in other cases.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
uow English Druggists Make Money.

some very disagreeable revelations n
TO the manner in which physicians pre-
scriptions are made up are contained In
n report by Mr.. Allen, the borough
ANALYST, at Sheffield, giving the result of
an experiment lately tried with the view
of testing the accuracy and honesty OF
druggists. Various prescriptions, each
including full dose of some costly
remedy capable Of ready and accurate
estimation in mixture, were presented
to certain druggists. A series of three
samples in which 100 grains of iodide Of
potassium were prescribed were found on
analyis to contain 122, 100 and rs grains
respectively. of three samples which
should have contained l6 grains OF sui
phate of quinine, one contained only "a
grains. Another sample, which should
have contained 40 grains Of sulPhatc OF
ouinine, had but 30 grains. OF twelve
samples Of gIycerine only five were pure
and of the standard strength. Three
samples of citric acid were found to con-
tain a minute trace Of lead. In short,
the result of the experiment was such a.
to give just ground for apprehension
that druggists are not more troubled
with consciences than grocers, and that
the effect of the poisons retailed by the
latter is often enhanced instead OF re-
moved by the adulterated antidotes dis
pensed by the former.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
Happy Accidents.

A Limerick tobacconist, looking dole
fully at his poor neighbors grouping
among the smouldering ruins of his
burnedout shop, noticed that some of
them, after trying the contents of GER
tain canisters, carefully loaded their
waistcoat pockets from them. He fol-
lowed suit, and found that the snuff had
come out of the fiery ordeal very much
improved in pungency and aroma. Like
a wise man, he said nothing, but took
another place, set up lot of ovens, and
before long Black Yard Snuff other wise
"Irish Blackguard"--was all the rage
with lovers of nasal Utilization, and in a
few years Lundyfoot was rich man,
owing to the accident he thought had
rnined him.
A would-be alchemist, seeking TO dis
cover what mixtures of earths made the
strongest crucibles, found that one day
he had made porcelain. Instead Of
transmitting metals, as he had fondly
hoped to do, Bottger transmitted him
self: "as if he had been touched with a
conjuror's wand, he was on sudden
transformed from an alchemist into a
potter"
Brighton stationer took fancy for
dressing his window with piles Of writing
paper, rising gradually from the largest
TO the smallest size in use, and to finish
his pyramids off nicely, he cut cards To
bring them to a point. Taking these
cards for diminutive note-paper, lady
customers were continually wanting some
of "that dear little paper" and the sta
toner found it advantageous 10 cut some
paper to the desired pattern. But then
there was no space for addressing the
notelets when they were folded and
after much cogitation, he invented the
envelope, which he cut with the aid o
metal plates made for the purpose. The
sale increased 50 rapidly that he was un
able TO produce his envelopes fast enough
SO he commissioned dozen houses :,
make them for him, and thus set goiny
an important branch of the manufactur
ing stationery trade.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
Condition OF the American Iron Trade

Statistics of the pig iron trade for 1876
have been completed, and show produc-
ton of 620,747 tons less than the year
preceding, and reduction OF stock on
hand amounting TO l00,42i tons less
than at the close OF the year before.
some new furnaces were blown in, but,
rs a whole, almost a hundred fewer furn-
anccs were in blast, which of course &C.
counts for the reduced production.
Nevertheless, the sales were still dullcr
than the year before, as is clear from the
fact that the amount of stock on hand
was so little reduced by all that reduc-
ton of current products F; and prices kept
going down, down, down, despite the
giving up of many furnaces. II is csti
mated that at the end or 1874 the quantity
of pig iron in stock was 100000 tons
and now il has fallen TO 100000 tons
The consumption last year is estimated
at 3, ,2SS, 500 tons, against 1854, ,539 tons
the year before, 3,0l2, 1913 tons the year
before that. and 2,S49, ,0iS the year before
that. The Iron and Steel Bulletin, pre-
senting and reviewing these figures, lugu.
briously says that when il is considered
that half of the furnaces were out OF
blast in 1875, that prices were so low that
much iron was sold AT less than its cost
that the consumption of pig-iron was
less than il had been in any one of the
three preceding years; that almost ! ,000,-
900 tons Of pig.iron were carried over
into 1876 and that many failures oc-
Cured among furnace owners in 1875
the year that has just closed may bt
classed among the most disastrous year
that the pig-iron trade of this country
has ever known. What is more, the
same authority sees little light ahead.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
The "Firc-Queen" Exposed.

An exciting scene took place at Spis-
itualist mass meeting held at Rockford,
Ill. The vocal speaking and character
reading by +. V. Wilson, of Chicago,
had concluded, and the grand fire test by
the Chicago Fire Queen, Mrs. Suydam,
had commenced. Having bathed herself
in fire while under spirit influence she
sat down amid the applause of the i'm
monse audience that crowded every por-
tion Of the hall. Dr. j. Philips, of Bel
videre, then arose and said he would re-
peat the test without any influence what
soever. This the doctor did amid the
cheers of the skeptics and the hisses OF
the Spiritualists. Then Mr.. James Chal-
mers, of Rockford, arose and did likewise
DIR. Dunn, of that city, who claims to be
Spiritualist of the better sort offered
ten dollars to the Fire Queen if she would
hold her thumb in the fame OF a lamp
for forty seconds. A number of Others
made the same offer, but the abashed
Fire Queen" would not accept. Then
ensued a metaphorical Donnybrook, such
rs is rarely witnessed in public hall,
and in which large number took part,
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
The San Francisco Suicide.

The dcfalcation and suicide of II. G..
Kibbe, secretary of the Belchcr mining
company, has caused great excitement
in San Francisco. He had been missing
for several days, and the fact that his
accounts were in an unsatisfactory con-
dition had become noised abroad, when
the lady at whose house he had lodgings
was tempted by curiosity to enter his
room and see whether he had not left
something valuable behind him. She
found his door locked, but effccting an
entrance from an adjoining room she was
Mortified to find his lifeless body on the
bed. his face covered with blood, and a
small Derringer pistol lying near him. II
was subsequently ascertained that over
100000 of the assessment money of the
New York mine and $4,000 Of the as
sessmcnt money of the Jackson mine had
been appropriated by him from time to
time. With the money thus obtained
he had engaged in speculations that had
failed. On piece Of paper was written !:
"Sword of Damocles over my head.
plodded along blindly and desperately.
Not one to tell me by this or that. Not
friend to help me. | must carry my
load as long as could, and then go
under. talked with big men that knew
of a "bonanza" in this or that; none
helped me with advice"
Mr.. Kibbe was native of Connecticut
and was forty-nine years old. He was
genial and pleasant in his manners, and
was very popular. His wife and eldest
daughter are at present in Paris.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

FIVE legitimists, thirty-fve Oileanists or con.
stitutionalists, and about one hundred re.
publicans have been elected TO the senate
The most important features of the elections
are the triumphs of the moderate republicans
in Paris, and the defeat of the Bonapartists
election in the department of the Seine ct
Qise.
A report presenting the results of the
| investigation into the Bremerhaven steam
ship explosion has been publishe l by Bremen
| authorities. According to his own deposition
his name was VIM. King Thomson. He was
born in Brooklyn in 1880. His parents, who
emigrated from Hamburg to America, are
now living in Virginia, Thomson wae ."h-n
prisoner wien running the blockade during
the late war in the United States. lie es-
capped and fled south, where he passed under
the name of Thomas lie mentioned Mid.
lers Skidmore, of New York. as an accom-
plice, but made no reference to the other
accomplices. His wife supposed his name
was Alexander. He had tattooed his arm.
There is no evidence he entered into rela-
tions with underwriters, or plotted against
the safety of vessels previous to 1875. Nor
is there any evidence Except the insurance
Of three thousand marks on the barrel which
exploded) that he insured any goods to be
shipped by the Mosel or Deutschland. OBJ
servations made by Thomson point to the
conclusion that he intended to hand a small
box to the officers of the Mosel declaring il
contained ereenbacks, and that he intended
to have the box insured in June, 1875. Thom-
son insured the goods on the steamer Rhen
for 5000 through the Barings, of London.
His wife's evidence shows that previous to
his departure in November, 1873, Thomson
anxiously awaited for letter from England,
which he concealed when it arrived.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
EANT.

Patrick Donahue, bookseller and pub
Usher of the Boston Pilot, has suspended
Liabilities, 100000; assets, S2i5,Ooo
Winslow, the Boston forger, was an
army chaplain in the war, and afterwards
dealt in boots and shoes at Sedalia, No,
where he sometimes occupied the pulpit.
The New York Commercial Advertiser
mentions formidable movement" of the
French people Of New York and Montreal to
Brazil. The people propose to settle in the
country adjacent to the headwaters of the
Amazon river, whore the Emperor Dom
Pedro has offered thirty-brec acres of land
to each actual settler, together with stock
and houses, rent free, until they can support
themselves.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
A NASHVILLE ROMANCE. That wa

A NASHVILLE ROMANCE. That was
n sad story sent out from Nashville the
other day. A small boy named Alfred
Reddick, only fifteen years of age, formed
liaison some months ago with the wife
of David Rees. On Friday last the esti-
mablc lady informed the young man
that he would have TO discontinue his
visits. This broke the young mans
tender heart. He prayed that his too,
too solid flesh would melt, thaw and re-
solve itself into dew. The uses Of this
life appeared to him weary, fiat, stale
and Improbable. He called at the
home of Lis charmcr. She was inexor-
able. lie stepped into the husbands
apartment, drew a pistol and blew out
his itty, ootsy, tcotsy brains. The dis
patch says that Reddick WAS passion.
atcly enainored of Mrs. Rees, and would
have done anything at her command:
The coroner's jury found a verdict Of
suicide, and charged the woman with
being the cause Of the deed. II Is said
that Mrs. Recs has daughters old
enough to have been Reddick's mother.
Alas, for poor humanity
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
FOREIGN.

Indications of spcedy.ncruption OF
Mount Vesuvius are steadily increasing.
Many Spanish families are fleeing TO
France. The Carlists continue to shell San
Sebastian.
The French senate will include twen-
tv.two radicals, sixteen irreconcilable Bona
partists, seventy Fusionists, Legitimists and
Orleanists, e., Ministerialists, and fourteen
Ultra Legiiimists. This estimate includes
life senators already elected.
The London Times correspondent esti
mates that thirty.fve Bonapartists, thirty
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

As to the destiny of the English Ian
guage, the myriads who speak it in Eu.
rope, America, Asia, Africa and Ocean
lea are fully aware of its capacity to be-
come the universal linguistic medium,
which may be realized by looking at the
map of North America, where the Eng
lish idiom has, within twenty-five years,
spread from the Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico to the Pacific and Behring's s
straits, and displaced the Spanish, Indian
and Russian dialects. Cuba, San Do
mingo, Mexico, Central America, the
Sandwich and Navigators' islands, are
feeling its influence and desire its sway !;
exclusive China and Japan seem to lean
more and more toward America and the
English language across the Pacific Thus
the tide of empire is not only westward,
but also eastward. II meets and mingles
in America.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

YES, women are unreasonable, and
you may have remarked that when one
sits down in a new silk dress on a chair
where neighbor's child has carelessly
deposited two cents worth of taiiy, she
viii go on about il just as bad as if il
were two dollars worth.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

PROF. Swing preached sermon to
young men in Chicago last Sunday
morning, and gave his theory of life
thus; 60 Throw down the god money
from its pedestal, trample that scnseless
idol under foot, set up all the higher
ideals, neat home, vines of ones own
planting, few books full of the in
splration of genius, few friends worthy
OF being loved and able to love in return,
hundred pleasures that bring no pcst-
icnce, devotion to the right that will
never swerve a simple religion empty of
all blgotry, full of faith and love, and to
such philosophy earth will give up
what joy il knows"
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

How much do you ask for that there
velvet by the yard ?'' said Mrs. Rural at
Stewards yesterday. THAT, madame" "
said the clerk, holding it up, ''is nine
dollars-formerly sold at fourteen" !"
Thought So" said Mrs. Rural; nov
where's them eighteen cent calicoes l
seed advertised In ther papers?"
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

TEACHER" What is the definition Of
Irritation ?" Intelligent young pupil
!" Il il attention without Intention"
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

ACCORDING TO the "Almanach de
Golha" the subjects of Queen Victoria,
exclusive of those in the British islands,
number 203, 100000. OF these there are
upward of 100000 in America, nearly
2'5oo,ooo in Australia, etc, nearly g.
ooo,ooo in Africa, about 10000 in Eu-
rope and in Asia nearly l93, 3,000,0 600.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

PROF. HAECKEL, writing of German
war civilization, says: The stronger,
healthier, and more spirited youth is,
the greater is his prospect Of being killed
ny needle guns, cannons and other simi-
lar instruments of civilization. The
more ,useless, weaker or infrmer the
youth is, the greater is his prospect of
escaping the recruiting officer and found
ing family.'
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12
TIMELY TOPICS.

MINNESOTA is to have state inebriate
asylum, for which the liquor sellers will
nave to pay, as the supreme court has
sustained the constitutionality of the
law imposing tax for this purpose.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

A WESTERN man says that figures
won't lie unless they happen to be on a
gas meter.
The Osceola times., 1876-02-12

a NEW York letter TO the Philadel.
phia Ledger says: "The proftablencss
of the gas business was further illustra-
ted by an auction sale of securities this
afternoon; for instance, 100 shares Man
haitian company's stock, par value 800,
sold at 1903 and 1905; SO shares New
York gas light company, $3.50 and 1881;
60 shares Brooklyn gas-light $50 par
value, 1916, and 80 on"
The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-23

The DEVIL KICKED Our OF CoURT.
Belief in the personality of Satan has
now been judicially declared not to be
an essential part of the creed Of the
Church Of England. Such is the effect
Of the decision delivered the other day
in the case Of Jenkins against Cook, by
thehighest courtof the United Kingdom.
Cook is clergyman, who had denied TO
jenkins, one Of his parishioners, the
sacrament Of the Holy supper because
he denied the existence Of personal
devil. Jenkins thereupon sued Cook in
the Arches court, and though beaten
there, finally obtained decree against
his pastor, requiring him to admit him
to the communion table. II was decided
in England, some time ago, that il was
not necessary for orthodox churcbmap.
ship to believe in the eternal punishment
of sinners and it was proposed 70 in
scribe on the tombstone Of the Judge who
The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-23
- DRrMalINa 80.

Boston merchants, says the ST, Louis
Republican, are greatly dissatisfied with
the present style Of doing business they
declare they cannot live under il, and
that, il adhered to, it must lead to the
bankruptcy, in the end, of all jobbing
and wholesale merchants. The evils Of
the present system are high rents, drum
mers and small profits. Twenty years
ago jObbing house paid in rent $1,000
to $5,000-the latter being considered a
very high figure; of the goods sold 70
per cent. were foreign, on which there
was good profit, and all the sales we're
made in The house, where the piOprietOrs
met their customers and kept up a
knowledge Of their circumstances. All
this is now changed the rents of the.
granite, marble and freestone buildings
that the iobber is expected to occupy
vary from $4,000 to $4,000; just as
many statesmen in the house as formerly,
and corps of active drummers are to be
maintained in the field at a cost of sal
aries and So day for travelling expenses
besides. Nor does the trouble end here
drumming sharpens the competition and
reduces the profits, and it also increases
the hazards of business--for the drum
mer, ambitious to make as many and as
large sales as possible, invariably makes
the most favorable representations of his
customers, and thus involves his en-
plOyer in unsupported trouble. To all
this may be added the fact that the mer-
chant has nearly lost control of his bus
iness; he rarely sees his customers or
they him; the business is really in the
hands of his drummers, who use his
money to build up a valuable acquain-
lance which they carry with them to a
rival house when they leave. Merchants
DO not reflect, or if they do they cannot |
help it, that the very acquaintance
which is the drummer's capital, is ac-
Iuired at their expense. Twenty years
lgo business was straightforward, the ex-
nenses light and the profits good but
under the new system competition is so
great that goods in some departments of
rade are sold at as low a profit as % to 3
Der cent. The only chance of success is
n selling a very large amount-and
lere again comes in a fierce struggle that
,ften brings one firm after another to
he ground. 1t is said that the numer-
Jus failures at the east and the great
lumber of unoccupied houses on bust
less streets in Boston and New York are
lue in no small measure to these evils.
The question of greatest concern with
he eastern wholesalers at present is how
0 become independent of their drum
ners and resume control of their own
,usinpsg
The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-23

in our idea, but followed with eulogies OF
the White Star line, that, he assured us,
sailed the safest boats OH the ocean. lie
said the Cunarders had only luck, and
one Of these days a dreadful disaster
would awaken the travelling public to
the truth Of this fact.
It is when crime gets out Of its we'll
known grooves that werecognize its mag
nitude. The great captains whose wars
of ambition have filed desolated house
holds with mourning die in peace, to
have monuments erected to their memo
ries