davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
The Banditti IN Minnesota.

THE st. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press
alaG Tribune of the 9th contains an
account of the recent attempted bank
robbery at Mortified, as given by Mr..
Wilcox, one of the clerks in the bank.
Mr.. Wilcox says:
Mr.. Haywood occupied the cashiers s
seat at the desk which you see at the
end of the counter. Mr.. Bunker and
myself occupied seats at the desk, Mr..
Bunker being nearest the opening at
the corner. The first thing we knew
three men were upon OF over the coun-
ter, with revolvers presented at our
heads, one of them eXclaiming:
Throw up your hands, for we intend
to rob the bank, and if you halloo we
will blow your brains out and we
could not do otherwise than comply.
They then asked which was the
cashier, to which Mr.. Haywood re-
piled: "He is not in." They then
sprang over the counter, and demand
ed the safe to be opened. Addressing
each in turn, they said: "You are the
CASHIER which each denied. Seeing
Ueywood seated at the cashiers desk,
one of the ruffians went up to him with
his long narrow-barreled pistol, and
said, with an oath: "You are the
cashier; now open the safe.' Mr..
Heywood said: cit is time-lock, and
cannot be opened now." One of the
men then went into the vault, the door
being open, also the outer door of the
safe. Haywood at once sprang for
ward and closed the door of the vault,
shutting the robber in, when another
of the men seized Haywood by the
collar and dragged him away from the
door, and released the incarcerated rob-
ber.
The man who came out of the vault
"a slim, dark-complexioned man,
with black mustache, then called to
the other to seize the silver which was
lying loose (about $15) and put it in
the sack. They did not do this, but
seized about twelve dollars in scrip
and put it into a two-bushel -four sack
which they had with them. The dark
complexioned man who appeared to be
the leader, then again attacked Hey
wood, insisting upon his opening the
safe, threatening to cut his throat if
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
FanaticiSm and Crime.

THE subjoined are the sickening de-
tails of one of the strangest and most
extraordinary tragedies ever enacted
in the history of the world. Before
referring to the murder, a few curious
facts by way of introduction are neces-
sary. About two and a half miles
south of Searcy, the seat of White
County, is wild looking place known
as Gum Spring the residents of which
are known as Cobbites, owing to the
fact that an old man who claims to be
Christ rules with an iron hand. His
crazy followers claim to identify him
bv certain marks in the palms of his
hands, and he has during the past year
made great many believe in his
doctrine. The principal rendezvous of
the Cobbites is an old log hut, in Gum
Spring, which is on the main road
leading from Searcy to Little Rock.
During the last few days the atten-
ton of passers-by mas been attracted
by strange noises, and, this fact being
conveyed to the citizens of Searcy, they
determined to investigate the matter.
On Tuesday last Mr.. c. ID. Hum
phreys, of Searcy, and Mr.. Blake,
from Ell Paso, in this county, deter
mined to visit Gum Spring and see
what was going on. The strange
noises were heard as they reached the
locality. On driving past the hut they
were accosted by Mr.. Dover, who
claimed to be one of Gods people. Mr..
Humphreys proposed that they should
turn back and see what was wanted.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
fashion Notes.

HORSEBACK riding is fashionable
among the ladies at Newport.
Worth is making blouse waists in
wool goods for fall wear.
The habit pOIOnalSe rtScnDleS Ill cuI
a gentleman's coat.
Fashion for pointed toes, even in
fancy shoes, is on the wane.
Navy blue and cardinal red, the pop
ular combination for the coming
season.
The mixture of thread and silk is
popular both i'll stockings and cos,
tunes.
Creole stripes, just now in vogue, are
narrow lines of silk on either a linen
or batiste ground.
Mittens, or mitai1leS, as they are
CALLED in France, where they are
largely worn, are made to reach the
elbow. and are composed sometimes OF
black or white network, sometimes OF
Swedish kid, with buttons like gloves,
and again of ecru linen embroidered
with cOlors.
Kid and buckskin cuirasses, which
closely fit the figure, showing it Off tC
advantage, are in preparation for fall
The black kid ones are usually plain
while the colored ones are embrOid
cred in dead and bright silver and IL
gold.
White batiste is rarely seen, the col
ored having the preference.
Pockets form one of the important
trimmings of dress.
India cashmere is worn more thar
ever at the present time.
The newest collars are called blbS.
Braids promise to be the accepted
trimming for winter.
Wide braids in one or more rows
will be more popular than marrow
ones.
The narrow s0utache braid is not
discarded; when used it is put on il
many lines together.
Fringe is the choice for edging gar
ments trimmed with braid.
Canvas braids have wool ground il
basket or canvas pattern, combined
with flowers or other figures by ma
chine.
New fringes are elaborate and wide
Ink shades will predominate il
gloves for fall and winter, to mattel
dark costumes.
Old-fashioned medium and neutra
tints of gray and brown are also large
ly imported in gloves.
Long-wristed gloves of three anC
four buttons for general wear.
Full dress requires gloves with from
four buttons up to ten and twelve =
". Y. World.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
An Accommodating Man.

JUST before noon yesterday some
carpenters who were repairing build
ing on Jefferson avenue called upon a
pedestrian to help hoist long pole,
which was to form scaffold support.
When it was up he was asked to steady
the pole, and unknown to him it was
made fast at the top with rope. The
carpenters went out on the other side
of the building, going to dinner, and
said nothing to the accommodating
man in front. He thought they were
a good while getting ready, but he
kept his brace against the pole for 8
long half hour, fearing each moment
that it would overpower him and fall
across the street. At length a boy
came along, saw how things were, and
cried out:
"You can't steal that pole unless
you unite the rope at the top"
The accommodating man stepped
back, realized his position, and the
way he kicked a bunch of shingles
to pieces forced the boy to exclaim:
"Well, now, I've seen good many
men get mad, but l never saw mad
mans teeth hang out as his do, -
Detroit Free Press.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
LATER.

ST. LOUIS, Sept 2.
A Coroner's inquest was held on the
body of Humphreys. The jury de-
clared the principals to the crime were
Lemuel b. Dover, James NJ. Dover,
Thos. Gainey, John Nelson and Eliza
beth Nelson. The verdict also made
Clementine Dover, JnO. Dover and
Lee Dover accessories. The two Cob
bites who were killed were Lemuel b.
Dover and Thos. Gainey, his sOn-in-
law. Mrs. Nancy Gainey and two
girls were released, the testimony not
going to inculpate them further than
that they were present after the ar
rest and while being taken to Searcy
they kept up their unearthly howls,
not ceasing until long after they were
committed to jail. Quite number of
converts who had espoused the beastly
doctrine of Cobb, but who were not at
the meeting that day, have left the
country, fearful of the excited popu-
lace, who threaten all Cobbites with
determination. Those who are in jail
have grown quiet, but refuse to talk
and will tell nothing of their religion
and its rites. They are all gaunt, half
starved, crazed creatures. 1t is said
they had scarcely tasted food for days
before the terrible scenes of Tuesday
night, being engaged in preparing
themselves for the end of the world.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
Horrible Turkish Atrocities at
Batak.

THE special correspondent Of the
London Daily Neaos gives the follow
ing account of the horrible atrocities
of the Turks at Batak, in Bulgaria:
"As we approached, our attention
was directed to some dogs on slope
overlooking the town. We turned
aside from the road and, passing over
the debris of two or three walls and
through several gardens, urged our
horses up the ascent toward the dogs.
They barked at us in an angry manner
and then ran off into the adjoining
fields. I observed nothing peculiar as
we mounted, until my horse stumbled,
when, looking down, perceived he
had stepped on a human skull, partly
hid among the grass. 1t was quite dry
and hard, and might, to all appear
ances, have been there for two or three
years, SO well had the dogs done their
work. A few steps further there was
another, and beside it part of a skel-
eton, likewise white and dry. As we
ascended, bones, skeletons and skulls
became more frequent, but here they
had not been picked so clean, for there
were fragments of half-dry, half-putrid
flesh still clinging to them.
"At last we came to a kind of little
plateau or shelf ON the hillside, where
the ground was nearly level, with the
exception of little indentation where
the head of hollow broke through.
We rode toward this with the inten-
ton of crossing it, but all suddenly
drew rein with an exclamation of hor-
ror, for right before us, almost beneath
our horses feet, was sight that made
us shudder. 1t was a heap OF skulls,
intermingled with bones from all parts
of the human body, skeletons nearly
entire rotting, clothing, human han
and putrid flesh lying there in one fou
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
Fun in the POStOf1icc.

POSTOFFICE clerks meet some queer
customers, and the following story is
well worth printing.
Watt of it? An individual stepped
up to the general delivery widow Of
the Boston postohice one day, and i'll u
somewhat subdued voice asked:
"Any letters for me-
"What name, sir?" asked the clerk
in attendance.
WWhhfSt n5Re 55fRss9 fsSeaPGEd fFS e5aPGEdefhhHss fhs clerk
in a still louder voice.
"Watt, sir
"What name?" shouted the clerk
still louder, growing red in the face in
his effort.
"Watt, sir, is my name" now
shouted the applicant in return.
YES" responded the man of letters,
putting in all the power of lungs he
possessed, and shouting like a new
adjutant at the head of a raw regi-
mcnt, What is your name, sir?"
eyes, | know it is screamed the
other, red and excited. DO you
mean to keep me yelling all day in this
manner? Give me my LETTERS
BY this time two clerks inside the
widow had come to the rescue of their
comrade, and small crowd had gath
cred around the excited letter-seeker,
who was shaking his fist and denOunc-
ing the postoflice department for
placing a deaf man at the delivery
window.
"What do you mean by calling me
deaf?' said the clerk, who overheard
the remark.
"Whv. you are deaf, amt you?'
asked his customer.
"Not bit of it," said the clerk,
"but you are, amt yOu?"
"No, sir. I can hear whisper a
mile off.
"Then why did you keep saying
"What?' when | asked your name.
because Watt is my name-James
Watt"
"Oh. I thought you said what all
the time" said the clerk.
$50 did. WATT"
At this the fellow-clerks suggested
that they had better give old Watts
his name his letters; which was done,
and the crowd, including several dis
appointed individuals who were in an
ticipation of fight, instead of a laugh,
dispersed.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14

he did not, and actually drawing big
knife across his throat. The heroic
and faithful teller, however, was not
to be deferred from his duty, and
would rather sacrifice his life than be-
tray his trust. Some few moments
it seemed ages to the bewildered and
terror-stricken lookers-on-weres spent
in Heywood's struggling to break from
the murderous villain and gain his
liberty. At length he broke away, and,
regaining his feet, ran toward the
door, crying murder.'
The man at once struck him with a
pistol and knocked him down, and
dragging him to the safe door COM
manded him to open it. But the in
trepid clerk stolidly refused, when the
villain shot at him but did not hit him.
Evidently the shot was intended to in
timidate rather than injure, but the
scoundrel had reckoned without his
! host, for the effect was lost upon Hey
wood. But upon discharge of the pis-
tol Bunker made start for the back
door and ran for dear life, one of the
robbers pursuing and firing, the shot
taking effect in the shoulder. Bunker,
however, reached the street water
street, and ran to DR.. COOmbs' office.
During the whole of this time four
or five men were riding up and down
the street, shooting in every direction
and keeping up an incessant fusilade.
One of the men outside came riding up
furiously and called for the men to
leave the bank. "The game is up"
he said, land we are beaten"
Almost Immediately they took the
alarm, and somehow jumped over the
counter, making their exit. The small
man was last to go. He mounted a
desk at the front, and, as he turned to
go, fired and shot at Haywood, which
| do not think is the one that took eff
feet. Haywood lodged behind his
desk, or sank into his chair IIey-
woods desk stands at right angles to
the bank desk, and he sat sideways to
the opening at the front, with his back
next to the walD, and as the rob-
Der made over the desk railing he
turned, and, placing his revolver to
Heywood's head, fired, shooting him
dead.
He staggered forward and fell be-
hind the counter. The robbers made
out of the door. | do not remember
much more that followed.
Wilcox was not sure whether the
ruffian struck Haywood when the lat
ter staggered to the cashiers chair,
and he did not stop to see if he was
dead when he fell. He said the reason
he did not try to get out or help Hey
wood was that one of the men stood
over him with a pistol in his hand.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
ABROAD.

ACCORDING to a ConstantinOplc dispatch
of the 9th, Turkey, through her ambassa.
dors at the several European courts, had
declared her unwillingness to consent to
an armistice with Servia, although she
would treat for peace.
A BELGRADE dispatch of the 7th says
the Scrvian army, dispirited by the late
defeat at Alexinatz, had degenerated into
a mere mob. The Turks had burned forty
eight villages near AleXinatz.
ABDUL HAND, the new Turkish Sultan,
was, on the 7th, formally invested with the
sword of Osman.
A PARIS telegram of the 7th says disas-
ter had recently befallen the Egyptian
army in Abyssinia. Fifteen hundred
troops with their commander, Rahibe
Pasha, had been slaughtered, and the
Abyssinians had captured the town OF
Massacroa. A large number of troops had
been sent to the scene of the trouble.
THE Captain and crew of the steamer
Arbitrator which left New Orleans, Aug.
12, reached Dublin on the oth, and re-
ported that the vessel struck an iceberg
on the 23d ult., and foundered in twenty
minutes. Vessel and cargo valued at
$350,000
A CETT1NGE dispatch of the 9th says a
Turkish column was lately repulsed by
the Montenegrins. The Turks lost 500
men killed, and over 1000 were driven
over huge precipice and drowned in the
river flowing at its base.
THE intelligence of the capture at Vigo,
Spain, of VIM. NJ. Tweed and his Secre-
tary was confirmed by dispatches of the
10th. He had been removed to Corunna,
and would be sent to Havana on the 2lst.
The Spanish Government had agreed, as
matter of international comfy, to surren-
lender him to the United States.
ACCORDING to a Constantinople telegram
of the 9th, the Porte had refused to sus-
pend hostilities save on conditions which
include the dismantling of two fortresses,
the limitation of the Servian army to 20,-
900, and the re-investure of Prince Milan
as Turkish vassal.
Late Panama kilograms report de-
structiye fire. at Curacoa,s causing the
destruction of property valued at 5O0,OOo
soles. Disturbances existed in Colombia
and the whole country had been declared
in state of siege. The disruption OF the
States was feared.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14

Telegraph wires and insulators
are now prepared in England with
more care, it is claimed, than in any
other country, not excepting even the
United States. 1t would appear that
"best" wire is not considered by the
English manufacturers good enough
for telegraph purposes-so that, IN
testing the strength Of the article, the
scale begins with "best, best and
goes on to include the two still higher
qualities of "best, best, best" and
"extra best, best" of soft iron wire.
AS to insulators, the material from
which most of those now employed on
the various English lines are manu-
featured is brown earthenware. Ii
does not insulate so highly as porce'
lain, nor can it be so perfectly glazed
but it is produced with greater uni
formity of quality, its manufacture
can be more thoroughly relied on, anc
it is less costly than porcelain, ebonite
OF glass.-N. Y. Sau1.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14

Ihey did so, and were invited into the
nut, Dover asserting that God was in
there. Humphreys remarked, as he
got out OF the buggy, that if God was
III there he wanted to see him, As
soon as they stepped from the
vehicle, Humphreys was seized by
four melr and Blake by four women.
Ihe latter succeeded in breaking away.
but the former was unable to do so.
Blake ran about 100 wards. and. on
looking back, saw the men cutting his
companion to pieces with long knives.
lie at once started for town, but the
buggy was upset and demolished. He
then mounted his horse, rode to Searcy
at breakneck speed, and reported the
terrible occurrence to the citizens, 4
force was at once raised, and proceeded
to the rescue. On arriving at the
spring a fearful sight met their
gaze. The Cobbites had decapi-
tated Humphreys and stuck his
head on paling. y boy who was
riding by was compelled to get
| off his horse and bow to the head
| three times. He was also made to pray.
and then told to hurry away, or the
bowels of the earth would open and
| swallow him. When the posse arrived,
Mr.. L. c. Black, the leader, shouted
to Dover to come forward. The latter
wanted to talk the matter over. He
picked up Humphreys head at inter
walls, caught it by the hair with both
hands, shook it back and forth, and
then replaced it on the fence, ordering
the crowd, with a menacing gesture,
to go away. The Cobbites then COM
menced to jabber in their own pecu-
liar way at a furious rate. Mr. Black
did everything in his power to calm
them, without avail. Dover and his
crowd then started toward Black with
no good intent, and his posse fired,
killing two men and wOunding one.
The remainder. four men, four wOm-
Ell and two babies were arrested
and taken to Jail. While in custo-
dy they talked about their Jesus, mean-
ing Cobb, asserting that he could
turn the gates of hell at will, and
would come and rescue them. This
was about six p. m, and the town was
wild with excitement. 1t was feared
that the prisoners would be lynched.
Scouts We're sent out to the vicinity of
the log hut, and a guard placed over
the dead bodies there. Another posse,
about two miles the other side of Gum
Spring, captured wagon load of
CobbiteS, two men, two women and
three children. They were on their
way to church when taken, and knew
nothing of the murder. They were
brought to Searcy and lodged in a no.
tel, with a guard over them. On
Wednesday morning preliminary eX-
animation was held; they were all re-
leased and returned to Gum Spring
They talked necessarily about their re-
ligion, and gesticulated constantly
Kensett (Ark) Cor. st. Louis Globe
Democrat, Sept. 2.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
\ Boy Who Has Enough of
Dime-NOyel HerOiSm.

\ TELEGRAM was received by Mar
Shal Snowden last evening from Mr..
Durkin, of New York city, telling him
to arrest his runaway son Thomas,
who had telegraphed home for money.
Policeman Rymm found the boy sit
ting i'll the Western Union Office, cry
ing. He was there awaiting an an
swer to his dispatch.
1t seems that the boy, who is a
bright youth, had, according to his
own story, been accustomed to read
dime novels and sensational stories
during his leisure time in his father
store. and becoming fascinated with
the thrilling adventures therein graph
iCally depicted, he determined to start
out in the world in quest of fortune
and adventure. He left home with
forty-tWO dollars in money, a portion
of which he paid out for railroad fare,
and the remainder was stolen from
him on the cars i'll Iowa. On his ar
rival in Omaha he found himself dead
broke Thus far he had had adven-
lures enough to suit him, and becOm-
:.,>. ,------:----r tl--~e ..yV,t'eI "a Pu.
rience of these things is not as pleas
ant us it is to read about them III print,
he concluded to return home. He
therefore paWned his revolver, with
which he had armed himself, for
two dollars and half. and used the
money to telegraph home. His father
has been telegraphed to, and money
will probably be forthcoming to send
the boy home again. This is but one
instance out of tens of thousands
where boys have been led aStray by the
perusal of such abOminable trash as
dime novels and weekly illustrated
papers. Parents cannot be too careful
to keep such mental poison from thei-
children, and the publishers who issue
it ought to be indicted. 1t is as dan
gerOuS as the obscene literature which
is prohibited by law.-OmGhd Bee.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-09-14
Strange Epitaphs at Martha's
Vineyard.

A CORRESPONDENT of the st. Louis
Republican at Martha's Vineyard has
been visiting the old graveyard at Ed
gartown. and collected while there a
number of epitaphs on the half-sunken
head-stOnes of century ago. From
a very considerable list these few are
selected:
Here lies Margaret Stevens wife,
We lived six months in broil and strife;
Death came at last and set her free,
And | was glad, and so was she.
Ringe, wrangle,
Two young men
A fishing went
Rngle wrangle,
HOnus Hole,
Cedar Pole,
Stringe strange.
John and Lydia Claghorn
That lovely Pair
Whale Killed Him
Her body lies here
Their souls we hope
With Christ may reign
So our great loss
Is their great Gain.
In the village cemetery stone ovel
child of four years bore the follow.
ing:
She tasted of lifc's bitter cup,
Refused to drink the potion up,
But turned her little head aside,
Disguised with the taste. and died
A stone, under the date of 1915, has
this tender tribute:
Here lies in silent dust
The partner Of my joys,
his spirit with the just
In more sublime employs.
Snatched from his friends and mate
In middle age Of life
Hath left three children dear
Kind parents and wife.