davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
A Quiet California Hanging.

A quiet California hanging is thus re-
corded in a dispatch from Visalia A
young man named Townsend, a sheep
herder, disappeared some ten days ago
and nothing was learned Of him until
Tuesday last, when an Indian rode into
Plano with Ills saddle, which circum-
stance aroused the suspicion of parties
who recognized the saddle, and the In
dian was arrested. On Wednesday he
confessed that he had murdered Towns
end. He said that he met him in the
mountains, twenty-five miles from Pla-
no, near where the Maher boys were
murdered eighteen months ago, and
supposing he had money shot him, in
tending to rob him afterward. The In
dian offered to pilot the authorities to
where the body was left, and was &C
companied to the spot by the coroner
and large crowd of citizens, who, after
recovering the body which was badly
decomposed, hanged the Indian to the
nearest tree. There was no excitement
nor any arrest.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
California Commerce with the Sand
witch Islands.

The San Francisco Commercial Herald
calls attention to the very heavy line
of exports going forward of late to the
Sandwich Islands, consisting OF assorted
goods, wears, merchandise, and ma
chinery. The editor says: "Conserva-
tive merchants of long standing in the
trade inform us that they do not under
stand it, and that there must ere long
be reaction that the traffic is being
overdone, and that the limited popuia
latlon Of the Islands cannot possibly
consume all the goods now going on in
that direction. Our total exports to the
Islands for the past six months aggre
gated upwards of $930,OOO, very con-
siderable increase over any previous
like period. OF course, we know that
much of this machinery, etc., is for new
mills, iron pipe, ETC., for irrigatlng
works, etc., looking forward to a very
large increase in the production of
sugar, rice, and coffee at the Islands
within the next two Or three years.
Last week we called attention to the
large increase of sugar and rice imports
from the Sandwich Islands during the
past six months, as compared with the
same period of last year and previous
ly. Thus far the Hawaiian Reciprocity
treaty seems to be working for the
good of the Islands as we'll as for the
people of this coast. 1t certainly gives
us cheap sugar and rice"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
FROM SHEBOYGAN TO TAMPICO.
UnfavOrable Result Of an Experiment
in Inland Navigation

! DuOuQue dCralQ
Capt. j. K. Doak arrived in the city
yesterday, upon an jmprovised hatboat
loaded with perambulators and baby
wagons The captain informed Her.
aid reporter that short time ago he left
Sheboygan, Wis. on lake Michigan, with
the schooner John F. Prince, and q
cargo of goods manufactured in that
city, bound for Tampico, Mexico. The
vessel was built in Ohio, is strong
craft, ninety feet in length, twenty-one
feet beam and five feet hold, draws three
feet of water, and full schooner rugged.
It belongs TO Mr. G. Raab, wealthy YES
sel-owner of Sheboygan, who conceived
the idea of trying the experiment Of
making direct water connection between
Shebovgan and the commercial cities Of
Mexico. Capt. J. r. Doak, having had
considerable experience on the great
American lakes, aud also on the sea,
was placed in command Of the schoon-
er, and when he left Sheboygan for his
destination, large number OF the cit
liens bid him godspeed and success.
Seven trusty seamen accompanied him.
He set sail one bright morning in
July, and favorable winds soon took him
to Green bay. He entered the bay, pass
ed through Lake Butte des Mortes and
the beautiful and historic Winebago to
the Wolf river at Oshkosh, up the Wolf
and Fox rivers to the Wisconsin. Down
the Wisconsin via the canal, and down
to sand-bar where the vessel was
stranded, and now lies deep in the sand,
waiting for rise Of water to float her
off into the Mississippi.
After every effort was exhausted to
clear the vessel from the sand-bar, Capt.
Doak concluded to build a lighter in
the shape of a fat-boat, and relieve the
schooner of a portion of her cargo. For
this purposehe dismantled the schooner
using her masts and rigging toward
forming the fat-boat or lighter.
The captain states that it has cost
him or the owner of the vessel, over
81, 200 SO far, and no returns: but he is
determined to go through to Tampico,
in order to prove to the world that di-
rect communication can be effected by
water via Green Bay and the Wisconsin
river, and to demonstrate to the wise
committee on commerce in congress,
that the millions of dollars appropriated
to the Wisconsin improvement COM
pany, has not gone the way of all such
appropriations-into the pockets of the
leeches who speculate upon the money
and credulity Of the people.
After remaining here few days the
captain will leave for St. Louis.
The stranded schooner draws but two
and one-half feet of water in her pres
ent condition.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
That Checker-BOard.
Detroit Free Press.

Up to three evenings ago such thing
as a checker-board was never known in
Mr.. Grattan's house. He and his aged
partner have managed to pass the long
evenings very pleasantly, and he sup.
posed they were happy enough until a
friend from the east paid them a flying
visit, and asserted over and over again
that the game of checkers was not only
all the rage there, but that it served to
quicken the perceptive faculties, en-
large the mind, and render the brain
more active. After giving the subject
due thought, Mr.. Grattan walked down
town and purchased CT ecker-board,
and when evening came he surprised
his good wife by bringing it in from the
wood-shed and saying:
swell, Martha, We'll have game or
two before we 90 over to the social. l
expect to beat you all to flinders, but
you won't care"
"Of course not; and if beat you,
why you won't care" she replied.
They sat down, and ne claimed the
first move. She at once objected, but
when he began to grow red in the face
she yielded and he led off. At the
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
A STEAM CATAMARAN.
A New Vessel Now Building at POugh-
keepsie Which is expected to Surprise
the Public or its Owner.
Poughkeepsie Telegram.


A steam catamaran is building here,
the model being entirely different from
anything ever before designed. 1t is
the result of the theories of Mr.. Will
lam J.. Merritt, the owner, and the prac-
tical experience of George T. Polk, the
builder. In some respects it is similar
to an ordinary catamaran, the hull be-
ing in effect to an ordinary hull split in
two, the halves being placed about fif-
teen feet apart, and the boarded perpen-
dicular sides being exactly parallel to
each other. These two halfhulls are
joined together by heavy beams. The
width of the deck is thirty feet and the
length seventy. The hulls of Mr.. Mer-
ritt's catamaran will be 81 feet on the
keel, with only feet beams and five
feet depth, so that while the deck is
almost half as wide as it is long, the
hulls are very long and narrow, and will
displace little water and offer no more
resistance than single narrow hull. In
each hull will be placed a twenty-five
horsepower engine operating two
wheels, so that the vessel will have four
wheels, two between and two outside
the hulls. The wheels themselves are
of peculiar construction, being eight feet
in diameter and Of the kind known as
the ''feathering." The paddles are not
fixed, but are movable, and by a
simple latching and unlatching process
are held at right angles to the water
while plunging into it, and while COM
ing out are edgewise. Thus all the
power is directly applied to forward
propulsions: and none whatever is
wasted in lifting or depressing the YES
sci. Other feathering wheels have been
contrived, but none have yet proved of
practical utility. The arrangement
here used is the invention of Mr.. Merritt
himself, and it's simplicity is expected
to insure success. The VESSEL will be
launched in day or two. The name
has not yet been determined upon, but
if she shows an astonishing speed the
marine wonder will be dubbed the
Surprise. 1t has been thought she
may make thirty miles an hour.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13

treatment to let him go. The extractor
in wooden mill is machine used to
extract the moisture out of the cloth,
the process being effected by putting
the cloth into a basket that revolvcs
swiftly inside massive framework of
iron. So the trap was fix ed into the
basket and the belt run On. Round
and round went the basket, lurching
heavily from side to side, but gradually
growing steadier as the revolution be-
came swifter. Steadily the speed went
up; 100, 200, 800, and 400 times
minute. The eye could just see a
dark spot in the basket, then there was
a sudden jar, and cry was heard that
the trap would fly out. On sudden
impulse, the belt was flung off, the
brake put on, and the machine stopped.
Was "graybeard" dead? Not q bit.
He was streaking it fore and aft the
trap, his lively eyes as bright as ever.
Once more he took his place in the
basket. 1t was to be a ride to death
this time-a fast train that would
whirl him around al the rate of mile
and a quarter every sixty seconds.
The cold General seemed to have an
impression that affairs were nearing
climax, for a despairing squeal was
heard as the basket again started up.
One minute, two minutes, three min
utes. and the basket was whirling
around fully 700 times to the minute.
A steady hum, instead of the surging,
indicated the high speed. Then the
belt was thrown off and the brake
applied. When the machine stopped
the "Old General" was no more; but
his was painless death, without the
agony and distress usually dealt out to
Vermin.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13

of a man who, in either case, was born
in Italy before the middle of the last
century; that the man himself should
never have mentioned his marriage to
his nearest friends and should have died
without establishing the legitimacy of
his child or making any disposition of
his property; that the child should have
spent eight years in proving her legiti-
macy and twenty in recovering her in
heritance; that she should then have
lived to the age Of SO, and, in her turn,
left her dearlybought property to be
fought over by rival-kinsmen, all in
contestably related either to her father
or to a namesake born in the same
neighborhood-th is series of facts
which beggars fiction in its antecedent
improbability.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
SOmnambuliStic Scare,
Little Rock (Ark.) Gazette

A strange story comes from st. Fran
els County. In the st. Francis river
bottoms there lives a man named Geo.
III. Toban. With him live a wife and a
thirteen year old son. This family has
resided in . quiet way, so far as any
one knows, until recently, when the
the family's every day life. One morn
ing, just after the yellow fever excite
ment began to spread all over the
country, Mr.. Toban, upon opening his
door, found card lying on the door
step. On the card was written the
words, yellow fever" Very little at
tention was paid to the matter, but
when again and again similar cards
were found, Mr. Toban became con-
cerned, and not being as clear of super
stitlOn as festival is of conscience, re-
garded the cards as ominOus, and as
warning of an approach of the terrible
disease. Every night he would read
gloomy reports from Memphis, and
every morning found the card "Yellow
fever" Finally he determined to watch
and satisfy himself, and On the doorstep
he remained all night. No one APP
peared, but, by the streaks of daylight,
he saw card ly ing on the step beside
him. Catching it up and examining it,
he saw the words "Yellow fever" written
in exactly the same hand that had
marked the cards before. Then there
was indeed anxiety in the family. The
fever reports grew gloomier, and the
family settled into the belief that Provi-
dence, by handwriting on cards, had
advised flight. The husband did not
know what to do, the wife was fright
ened into o terror that trembled at
every sound as though yellow fever
walked with noisy footsteps, and the
son was almost dumb and som etimes
deaf with fright. 1t was at last decided
that vacation Of the place would be
necessary. But a change came, and
the mystery, like mist, cleared up. On
the night before the proposed departure,
the husband, unable to sleep, sat on the
bedside almost terrified and weak with
dread. Suddenly the door of the room
opened and his son, in might ATTIRE"
stood in the room. The father, infu-
enced by a sudden feeling, did not
speak. The boy advanced to the mar
tlepiece, took down a pencil, went to
"the little table," took out a card, leaned
over, wrote something on it, and then,
advancing to the door, slipped it under.
The father watched breathlessly, and,
when the boy started to leave the room,
the man caught him. The boy strug-
gled, gasped and awoke. He did not
know, nor could he understand, why he
stood there grasped by his father. The
wife sprang out of bed. A few words
explained all, and, when the door was
opened, there was the card bearing the
words "Yellow fever" The young man
in his early youth had exhibited signs
of somnambulism, and reading every
day the yellow fever reports to the
family no doubt influenced his action.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
Butter, Cheese and Eggs Abroad.

Colonel r. M. Littler, who has spent
some time abroad as the representative
of the National Butter, Cheese and Egg
Association, visited the Produce Ex-
change yesterday, having returned from
Europe in the steamship City of Berlin
on Saturday. He said he was highly
gratifed with the results of his trip.
The only thing he complains of is the
weather in England. He spent eighty
days in that country, and rain fell on
seventy-eight days out of the eighty
1t is expected that he will meet the rep
resentatives of the butter, egg and
cheese trade soon, to give them sketch
of what he has done, seen and heard
abroad.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
Paris Letter.

The romantic vicissitudes of the early
life of the Countess Solange de Kramer
have once more become the talk of the
Paris salons, and they are, indeed, so
extraordinary that, used as materials
for novel, they would spoil the book
by their lack of verisimilitude. One
night, in 1901, little girl about 1 year
Old was deposited in the drawer of the
Founding Hospital at Bre5t. She was
dressed with much finely, and note
attached to her skirts, told that her
name was Solange, and that she would
be reclaimed by her father. The claim
was never made, however, and in due
time the child was transferred to the
Orphan Asylum, to be educated there.
AS she grew up, she developed most
extraordinary beauty, but her intellect
appeared to be very weak, and she suf-
fered from frequent nervous fits. When
she was II years old she was sent out
into the streets to sell flowers, and her
beauty and modesty attracted many
peoples good will, but she grew weaker
and weaker, and at last she died. Ac-
cording to French custom, she was
buried In an open casket, and, as it was
winter and the soil was frozen. she was
laid into the grave, only covered with a
thin layer of sand. During the night
she awoke, and, pushing the sand away,
she crept out from this grave. Not
exactly understanding what had taken
place, she was not so very much
frightened, bat, in crossing the glacls
between the cemetery and the fortifca-
tons. she was suddenly stopped by the
outcry, "Qui vive." and, as she did not
answer, the sentinel fired, and she fell
to the ground. Brought into the guard
house, her wound was found to be very
slight, and she soon recovered; but her
singular history and also her great
beauty had made so deep an impression
on young lieutenant of the garrison
(Kramer) that he determined TO be her
protector, and sent her to one Of the
most fashionable educational establish
ments in Paris. During the next few
years Kramer was much tossed about
by the war, but when in 1918 he re-
turned to Paris, he found Solange a
full grown woman, not only beautiful,
but accomplished and spirited, with no
more trace of intellectual weakness or
nervous fits. He married her, and for
several years the couple lived happily
in Paris. Meanwhile, Investigations
were made concerning the girl left, in
1901, in the Founding Hospital at
Brest, and DIS these Investigations were
made by the Swedish ambassador, and
in a somewhat official manner, they at
tracted some.attention. Capt. Kramer
heard about the affair, and sent a note
to the ambassador, and, a month later
on the ambassador came in state to
bring Mime. Kramer a formal acknowl-
edgment from her father, the former
Gen. Bernadotte, the present King
Charles XIV, of Sweden. Capt. Kra-
mer and bis wife went Immediately to
Stockholm ;Ithey were ennobIed, ETC., and
their son has just now been appointed
attache to the Swedish legation in
Paris.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
Marriage Licenses Not to be Publ shed

Judge Wright, of the county court,
has made an order forbidding County
Clerk Reynolds from granting persons
access to his marriage-license book
from curiosity Or for the purpose OF
copying the names for publica ton, on
the ground that such is against public
policy, the license being only prelim-
mary step toward marriage, the record
of which is not complete until the mar
rage ceremony is legally performed
and the license is placed on record in
the county recorders office. The copy
ing of marriage licenses for publication
was never permitted by any former
county clerk, and the privilege granted
by County Clerk Reynolds has been
source Of much annoyance to interested
persons.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
Cruel Device.

Virginia (Nev) Chronicle A new
device for the bedevilment of lovers
was opperated successfully by heart
less young man on the local train yes
terday. A couple sat in the seat before
him. The lady was young and modest
and the swain wore very large cuffs.
One arm was thrown carelessly along
the back of the seat and upon this the
evil-mimded person behind was rubbing
some phosphorus. The affectionate
performances OF that cuff, when the
train was rushing through the kindly
darkness of the tunnels, were beheld by
all the unfeeling and snickering occu-
pants of the car, whose cruel enjoyment
was not little increased by the de-
mure and unconcerned appearance of
the lovers each time the train bounded
again into light.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
Experiment With a Rat.

correspondence Of the Hartford Times.
A keen eyed and graybeard rat in a
Rockville wooden mill had for long
time evaded every device to entrap
him, but an expert took the case in
hand, and succeeded at last in beguil-
ing him into the trap. When the
spring announced that the "Old Gen
erar was caught the boys crowded
around and peered curiously in at the
blight eyes and nervous movements of
the old fellow, who was "streaking it"
inside. 1t was decided to put him in
the extractor and if he survived that
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
MAJOR LAWRENCE WILLIAMS,
The Story of How He Came to be
ChaShiered.
New York Times.

In the notice Of the death Of Major
Lawrence Williams, at Easthampton,
Mass, on the the 21st inst, one Of our
city contemporaries stated that he was
a graduate of West Point, and "spent q
portion of his life in the regular army"
Major Williams was long a polished,
brilliant, and brave officer, but was
cashiered early in the war for Gisloyalty
to tie flag. The story of his digrace is
among the most singular of the many
remarkable ones that the rebellion has
produced. Major Williams was on the
staff of Major General George B. Nc
Clellan. One day several prominent
officers from a distance were dined by
the commanding general, and during
the closing hour of the meal brass
band, belonging to one Of the volunteer
regiments: marched up to the head
quarters to serenade 'sLittle Mac" and
his guests. Those bandmen hailed
from rural locality, where people gen
orally knew more about agricultural
implements than saxhorns or other
musical instruments. However, by
strict attention to practice, lasting as a
rule from reveille to taps, the band had
succeeded in getting tolerable control
over two tunes, enc Of which was the
''Star Soangled Banner" and to use an
old expression ''the other wasn't" The
band began to play. Their repertoire
was limited. but not so the tune at their
disposal. Over and over again they
played these Two tunes, but with a de-
cided "hankering" in favor Of the "Star
1od Rornor - rNbou Mo voI II
often that finally Major Williams
peSulantly exclaimed, damn the
Star Spangled Banner!'" The
words were speedily reported
by some eavesdropper to Sec
rotary Stanton at Washington. 1t
so happened that onl y few days be-
fore the Majors brother was hanged as
a spy by General Rosecrans in Tennes-
see. At the beginning of the war this
brother was an officer in Lieutenant
General SCOTS staff. He used to COIN
municate important military secrets to
relative of his, the daughter of dis
tinguished rebel general, and finally he
deserted from Washington over to the
enemy. In the course of time Captain
Williams and one other officer entered
Rosecrans' lines. They boldly assumed
the role Of officers of the staff, and Or
dered the troops of certain brigade,
then on outpost duty, to parade for in
spection. Fortunately, they were sus-
pected; they were arrested and sent to
headquarters. Their trial followed, and
they quickly paid the penalty of their
ofense. It is said that Secretary Stan.
ton always believed that his brothers
fate disturbed Major Williams loyalty,
and that the Objectionable words were
spoken deliberately and from the bot
tom of his heart. But the Majors
brother soldiers, in and out of service,
believed nothing of the kind. and al
ways looked upon him as the unfortu-
nate victim of circumstances. Major
Williams tried frequently to have his
case inquired into by the government,
but always without success.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13
A Compromise.
Detroit Free Press.

A citizen driving in on the Holden
road the other day met lad about II
years old on the highway some six or
seven miles from the city. The boy
had a. shotgun as long as himself, but
no game, and the citizen enquired:
''Out tor hunt?"
II was out for hunt" was thc reply.
"And you haven't killed anything ?"
"Well, no."
And you don't expect to?"
"Not unless I kin git within striking
distance. You see, two of us came out
together. After we got out here [
wanted to hunt for lions, and the other
boy wanted to shoot ostriches, and so
we divided up. He took the powder
and shot and l took the gun. Pm over
here looking for turnips, and he's over
in that field watching hoiler log for
bears. It's such hot weather | guess
we won't have much luck, anyhow"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-13

IF the world possessed more such
young ladies as the one described IN
Georgia paper, there would be fewer
unhappy marriages. Ayoung man and
woman were to be married; the guests
had assembled, and all were waiting for
the bridegroom. At late hour he
came, much intoxicated, and, though
the bride was in bridal array, she de-
clared with firm resolution, 'I'll never,
never marry you'll" In spite Of all
pleadings. she kept her word, and is
making what was to be her bridal tour
atone. Who can tell the years of mis-
cry and degradation saved her by such
course?