davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
Thirty-FOur Years in Jail.

An official record, recently published
of the leading incidents in the nefariou
career of one Mr.. Anthony Matek, an
Austrian thief Of considerable renown
in the Cisleithan provinces of the Dual
Realm, is not uninstructive. This per-
severing, but unfortunate, pilferer, has
just attained the ripe age of sixty-eight,
thirty-four years and eight months Of
his existence having been spent in one
or another Imperial Jail, while the mo,
notony of solitary confinement has been
relieved at different times by his receiv-
ing sixteen thousand six hundred stripes
with rods and three hundred and sew
enty blows with sticks. These latter
castigations were impaired to him dur
ing his term of army service. Military
regulations opposed themselves, it
seems, in violent and arbitrary man.
ner 10 his confirmed habit of seeking
unconsidered trif1es in his comrades
pockets; and vengeful martinets, deal
to his plea that " congenial eccentricity
covers a multitude of sins," decreed no
fewer than six several times that he
should "run the gauntlet" The fact
that he has survived those terrible or
deals bears convincing testimony to the
vigor of his constitution. The value of
the articles stolen by him is appraised
in the official register of his adventures
and mishaps as not amounting in all to
three hundred forins, or less than thirty
pounds. His last sentence but one
eight years imprisonment with hard
labor, which he had worked out" only
few weeks ago-was incurred for the
annexation of the Austrian equivalent
10
he free than he publicly relieved lady
of her purse, containing two and eight
pence. For this imprudent feat he has
just been condemned to another six
years of penal servitude, making up
total tale of forty years and eight
months laborious seclusion for the &C
quisition of an amount representing an
income, for that period, of about fifteen
shillings per annum! The strictest
honesty could hardly have paid him
worse.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
Value of Som.

There are hundreds of families vino
are ignorant of the nutritious value of
soup, and of the ease and cheapness
with which it may be prepared.
1t can be made of almost anything,
and pot of water placed on the stove
may be the recipient of divers odds and
ends of meat and vegetables to excellent
advantage. After these have been
boiled a few hours, there will be found
in the pot very good soup, wholesome,
nourishing, appetizing, and its cost will
be nominal.
If the experiment were tried, many
families would be surprised an pleased
at the result. They would have much
better dinner for almost nothing than
they have hitherto had any idea Of, and
once accustomed to soup, they could not
be persuaded to relinquish it. A simple
soup benefits at once health, appetite
and the purse.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
Collecting a Debt.

The St. Louis Globe Democrat relates
the following incident: There is a
strange story in possession of the police.
A certain man in the southern part of
the city owed bill to tailor. 1t was
not for clothes. The debtor was walk
ing past the tailor's shop, wearing a
handsome new suit of clothes, purchased
at an up town establishment. A week
or SO ago. desiring to patronize the
tailor to whom he owed money, he
ordered suit of clothes from him. The
tailor was at the door of his shop and
he hailed the other, telling him that his
clothes were done. The debtor fell int ,
the trap. When he came in he was in
vited to room up stairs, whore the
tailor and his clerk, by threats and bull
dozing, forced the luckless debtor to
give up the suit of clothes he had on,
in satisfaction of the old debt. The
tailor considerably furnished the man
with an old pair OF pants and soldier =
blouse worth one dollar, in which to
return home. F
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
HERRMANN'S FRANKS.


Isan Francisco Chronie1e.l
Hermann, the magician, visited the
San Francisco Stock Board yesterday,
and had, as one delighted bear declared,
great joy with the gang" IMAM
nounced, he walked into the center
ring and commenced operations by TAX
ing from Mr.. Budd's breast and skirt
pockets a most astounding number of
cards, among which the needful ace
was observed to be suspiciously plenti-
full. The first movement of Hermann
attracted everybody's attention, Baron
Wilkie appearing particularly delighted
at Mr.. Budd's discontinue. At this, Herr
mann turned upon Mr.. Wilkie, and TAX
ing him by the nose, caused q perfect
stream of cards, principally jacks, to
flow thereerom. Everybody inside the
ring now gathered around Hermann,
and the caller, seeing that his frantic
wells of Belcher!' were unob=erved,
Joined the crowd on the floor. As the
caller approached, Hermann extended
his hand and proceeded to pull from
his (the calier's) coat sleeve pair Of
stockings, each about four feet long.
Some one at this moment tipped Herr
mann's hat off The magician caught
it, and took from it a twenty dollar
roll The fun became general and up
roarious now. Herrmann's hands were
gliding like lightning in all directions
He extracted cigarettes and cigars from
brokers' ears and noses; mixed their
handkerchiefs up beyond recovery !;
took rag babies and stumps of cigars
out of the younger members pockets,
and from the older and more sedate
members took chewing gum, stick
candy, and dime novels. Mr.. Schmie
dell, the most dignifed broker on the
floor, approached Hermann, who ex.
tended his hand with four-bit piece in
1t. The broker tried to snatch it, when
the magician tipped it into the air, and
it landed in his hand twenty-dollar
piece. Mr. Schmiedell said, Gracious
me! that's easier than commissions in a
big market" Some impa atient dealers
in the lobbies who could not see all the
fun, began to cry out, 40, hire hall p
"Why don't you pay dollar and see
him f'' eco ON with the call" etc.
Hermann went up TO one of the dis
contented on the ontside of the rail,
and, taking the man'shat of, dug up
out of it a double handful of coin, re-
marking, "Vot you want to deal in
stogs for? OATS de way to make
money" The amazed "chipper re-
tired in disgust. But there was no
stopping the fun. Hermann ran his
hands through Scott's curly hair and
extracted a bunch of cigars. He
abashed Dan Yost by taking from his
scarf half dozen scarf-pins belonging
to other brokers. The caller, tired
with laughing, sat down in the chair,
and Immediately got up-it was only a
| bent pin, but the broker thought it
was shock of electricity. Several
brokers took advantage of the opportu
nifty to air their amateur abilities as
magicians, and chairs began to tip anc
dance, hats flew off, handkerchiefs ane
pocket-books parted company with theil
owners, and a general and delightful
confusion reigned until Hermann
| bowed himself out.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
Not a Panorama.


An old man with satchel and cane
yesterday stood in front of the Detroit
Opera House for long half-hour, sur
veying the building with curious eye,
and he finally entered, walked up to the
box. offices and aske fR@
T" What's the regular price to so in?"
"WelI, about SIX shillings answered
Shaw.
Jpn give you ten centsw
The treasurer hesitated for a while,
but finally took the money and told him
to go up, The old man went up stairs
to find everything dark and deserted.
He took seat fixed his gaze on the drup-
curtain, and didn't get tired out for
about half an hour. Then he walked
down stairs with slow and dignihed
step, put his head into the box-oflice and
said:
If you call tbat panoramathen you
don't know what a panorama il, and If
folks come along and pay six shiilings
to see 1t, there's heap of fools Ia this
country! Good 9ayp
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
A Serious Mistake.
(Stockton Journal


A lady living in the southern part of
the city was sitting up about II O'Clock
a few evenings ago, waiting for her
husband to come home. The lamp was
in her bedroom and she was in the
parlor. Hearing noise outside of the
door-yard fence, as if msn who was
drunk was trying to find the gate, she
went out, and sure enough man was
there. She helped him into the parlor,
as she had been used to doing, and
placed him carefully on the lounge.
After hard struggle she got his coat
and vest of, and then came to his feet.
She pulled ut least five n inutes at his
boots, Gas she thought they were), to
get them of, but they would not come.
At length she felt up about the ankles
and found that the man had shoes on
something that her husband never wore.
Striking a light she discovered that she
had tramp On the lounge who was
drunk through and through. What
followed can easily be imagined.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

TIE suit of property owners against
the New York Elevated Railroad has
begun in the Superior Court. Roger
A. Pryor and Gen. Butler represent che
plaintiffs. The latter's argument was
a mixture of law and sentiment. He
drew, for the benefit of the jury, q
thrilling picture of the impossibility of
opening a window during sickness, and
the possibility of patients dying dur
ing the passage oil train. "Drop by
drop we pour out the last potion that
may rescue the loved one, and while
we are doing so the thunder of the train
breaks on the over-wrought nerves, the
rushing pest has past and lett us the
clay" Considering that train passes
every five minutes, the chances of q
sick mans dying while one of them
goes by, are, Of course, pretty numerous
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

Since then neighbors have been diligent in the
cause of charity, but still he refuses to eat. He
is able to talk and converses freely. The
country doctors are somewhat excited over the
case, and are at loss to know the swhys and
wherefores."
A HORRIBLE story of wickedness comes from
Canal Dover, o. 1t has been discovered that q
couple who have been living there for the past
ten years as husband and wife are none other
than full brother and sister. Three children
have been born to them, but they have all been
so horribly deformed that no outsider has ever
been permitted to see them. The last child
was perfect except the bones, which were want
ing. In their stead was a pulpy gristle. As
soon as the child was born the father, il is
said, opened vein in its body and allowed it
to bleed to death. The people are highly in
dignant, and tar and feathers are frequently
talked of.
IT is reported from Little Traverse, Mich ;,
that FIVE persons, two men, a woman {wife of
one of the men, and two children, started from
Beaver Island in q sailboat fer Little Traverse.
The boat getting between two floating masses
of ice, was badly crushed. The occupants
were forced to embark on the ice. The party
became separated, one man reaching the
village of Cross Lake Friday night, badly
frozen and nearly famished. The rest of the
party, the man and wife and two children,
have not since been heard from. The missin g
parties are Charles Odell, his wife and two
children. The rescued man is C. w. Rouse.
The coal-miners employed in the mines on
the different railroads up the Monongahela
River are still on a strike for higher wages.
Matters remained in statu quo, both sides being
| firm in their views until Friday afternoon,
| when break occurred among the operators
| along the entire line of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, and five firms agreed to pay the in
crease demanded and signed the articles agree
| ing to do so. The operators on the line of the
Pan Handle Railroad report that the strike
continues unchanged, and that they are as
firmly as ever resolved not to pay the increase
or sign the scale.
The news from Maine is not of very pacific
character. The Fusion Legislature in joint
session elected Jos. L. Smith Governor, and
| in the afternoon of the same day he was in
augurated. An Executive Council was
also chosen. In the evening the Judges
of the Supreme Court rendered their de-
cision, relative to the questions propounded by
the Republicans, favorable to the latter. The
Fusionists appear much depressed in conse-
quence of this decision, some announcing theil
intention to yield, while others favor
resistance to the courts and talk about
impeaching the Judges. Governor Smith has
issued an order revoking General Chamber.
lain's commission as commander of the militis
|
Chamberlain has not yet reco snized the newly.
| elected Governor, in his official capacity, but
according to the latest dispatch, will return his
L af
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

The carbon horseshoes, the main fea-
ture of Edison's new electric light, have
proved failure. The lamps have gone
out, and their further manufacture, for
the present, is suspended. Mr.. Edison
and his assistants think they can over
come the difficulties they have discov-
cred in time to introduce the light into
practical use in New York City before
next winter. The world will wish them
success but for the present gas and
petroleum will be found very useful for
illuminating purposes.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
Teaching a Ballet Dancer.
From the London Truth.J

To learn how to dance on the stage
requires considerable time. A girl is
first taught to turnher feet out by stand
ing with the toes of each foot to the
heel of the other. The next thing is to
give her ga point" Thio is done by
seating her on a form with one leg
strapped to it at the knee joint, while a
person presses the toes down 80 as to'arch
the instep. Then she is told to hold on
to bar, and to throw each leg success
sively high as possible without bending
the knee. This exercise loosens the
joints and renders them supple. After
tally work of this kind during some
months and sometimes years, this girl
is taught steps and learns to walk upon
her tr es.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

The corn crops of the West, for 1879
is almost fabulous, as the acreage for
Kansas. Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota,
Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin is
$4,000, 900, which, based on the estimate
yield of 40 bushels per acre, will give
920, 1000, 900 bushels. The crop aggre-
gated last year in these States 700, 0O0,-
900 bushels, thus making the increase
for the year not less than zoo, 0,0C0, 900
bushels, the amount equaling nearly
the entire surplus wheat crop OF the
United States.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

A CABLE dispatch from Rome to the
New York Freeman's Jomn nal states that
on the 10Th inst. His Holiness, Pope
Leo XIII, approved the appointment of
Rt. Rev. DIR. Elder, heretofore Bishop of
Natchez, to be coadjutor, with the right
of succession, to the Archbishop of Gin
cinnati, aud to be administrator of the
Archdiocese.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

$50 YOU want to marry my daughter,
do your" said the father to twenty
two years growth of trembling man.
hood.
eyes, sir. like her, and-and-"
"How can you support her? What
salary do you getF'
40, my salary's small, but I'd come
nd-and-live-with
Come and live with me, ehG" And
something as hard as an Egyptian pyra-
mid struck the young man amidships,
and gathering himself up. he concluded
to board with his mother few weeks
longer.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

The Denver (Col.) Herald says that
the mines of Colorado last year yielded
s25, 1886, ,481, and that the estimate for
1873, adopted by the Mint authorities
in Washington, placed the States geld
and silver product for that year at
$8,751, ,344, to which Superintendent
Herman Silver, of the Denver Mint,
added $500, 900 as the value of ship
ments sent East through private sources,
thus placing the highest reliable esti.
mate of that years product at $9, ,251 ,3444.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

AN exchange tells the following story,
which is-the latter part of it, of course
pretty hard to believe: The young
ladies of Chattanooga, Tenn, organized
leap year party, hired hall, ordered
a supper, and went around in carriages
to hunt up the young men to compel
them to come in. Everything was
lovely until they went to settle the
bills, when they learned that the young
men had already paid them. The young
ladies say now that it was real mean I"
in the boys, and declare that they will
never give another leap year party.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.


communication from the Secretary of War
was laid before the Senate asking for an ap-
of SIT ,404t, the construction of
officers quarters ut Omaha. The Committee
bill for the the increase of the pension of
the totally disabled soldiers and sailors.
Bills were introduced as follows: To authorize
the Secretary of the Interior to allot lands in
seyeralty to the Indians; instructing the Com
mittee on Territories to inquire as to the
expediency and propriety of establishing a
territorial Government for Alaska. bill was
passed for the relief of the sufferers by the loss
OF the Government steamer J. DON Cameron.
A bill was introduced relative to refunding
part of the national debt at rate Of interest
less than four per cent Bills touching upon
the following subjects were introduced: To pre-
serve the secrecy of kilograms; to establish an
additieAal land district in Kansas to increase
the Sc, 500 appropriation to ST 500 for arrang-
ineeonfederate archives; The bill to extend
the jurisdiction of the United States Supreme
Court was reported adversely upon by the Com
mite on Judiciary.
Mr.. Davis, of Illinois, the Vice President,
Messrs. Beck, Williams, Allison, Kirkwood,
Baldwin, Ferry, Davis, Pendleton and others
presented petitions of women asking for the re-
moval of their political disabilities and for a
constitutional amendment giving women a citi-
zen's right to vote. A petition favoring
tender quality of Treasury notes was presented.
Several petitions were also presented asking for
a commission of inquiry into the alcoholic
liquor traffic. The bill to increase the pen
sions of totally disabled soldiers and sailors
was taken up and passed. 1t increases the
pensions of such persons from $50 to $72 per
month.
A petition was presented asking for con-
stitutional amendment giving women the right
of suffrage. The Committee Finance re-
ported back the joint resolution for the with
drawal of the compulsory legal tender power of
United States Treasury notes, and the matter
was placed on the calendar for the present.
This resolution is Mr.. Bayard's, and states
that "the tt easury notes shall be receivable
for all dues to the United States on duties on
imports and shall not be otherwise legal ten
der" Luke Pryor the appointed Senator from
Alabama took the modified oath. The bill
to relieve the United States Treasurer from
the amounts now charged against him and
deposited with the several States was taken
up, and strenuously opposed by Mr.. Thur
man, of Ohio, who said the money belonged
to the United States and should be paid ac-
cording to the original understanding ...... Mr.
Morrill, (Rep. of Vt.) made a speech against
refunding the public debt at rate of interest
less than per cent? The bill to establish
a new land district in Dakota was passed.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

THE great activity throughout the
South in railroad matters creates
market which has never before existed,
and together with a great increase in
manufactures bids fair to place the
South at an early day in fair position
to compete with the most aourishing
portions of the West or East.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

THUS doth a contemporary warble on
the conditions over the waters: There
seems to be grain enough "in sight" in
the United States to feed large part of
the hungry people of Europe; yet
there is suffering in Ireland-people
starving, and the British Government
has money enough to fight barbarians.
There is screw loose in that British
Government.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

Miss HELEN J. WARD is the beauti-
fui and accomplished young lady of
Boston who shot and killed her mother
In bed. Mrs Ward was also bewitch-
ingly beautiful woman. II was first
reported that the cause leading to the
commission Of the crime was jealousy.
Miss Ward, however, has testified that
abe shot her mother during q nervous
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

NEW prosecutions of the Jews are to
be apprehended in Russia. Russian
official correspondents are openly incit-
ing them by insinuating that the Jews
are mediators between Internationalists
abroad and the Nihilists in Russi :, as
well as being concerned in circulating
forged Russian bank notes, made in
London by Internationalists expressly
for Nihilist purposes.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

The Gear of Russia receives $8, $780,
600 per year, or $25,0O per day; the
Sultan of Turkey $6,OOO,oO0 per year,
or $18, per day; Emperor Frances
Joseph of Austria, $4.0.O, 900, or $l0,-
900 per day; King William of Prussia,
$3 900 900 per year, and the King of
Italy, ~, zoo, 900 Fer year.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

AMONG the famous banquets given in
this country, that for which Cincinnati
is making preparations to extend to
Southern merchants will undoubtedly
stand at the head. The number of
guests present will more than exceed
twice the number ever before entertained
at a banquet on American soil.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

SrATIsrIcs show that nearly go, ,000,-
600 worth of property was destroyed by
fire in this country during 1879. Kero-
sene was the cause of large portion of
this appalling destruction.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

M. BERTILLoN, the French savant,
says that the number of suicides in
France is at the rate of 62S per million
for widowers, 273 for bachelors, and 240
for married men, and that ofenses against
the person are so per cent, and against
property As per cent. less on the part of
married than unmarried men.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

1T Is trite story, yet somehow it
never loses its freshness, that when
bank fails in China, the heads of the
Trustees are thrown into a corner with
the other assets. China is a barbarian
land, but no native bank has been known
to fail there for about forty y-nine thous-
and years.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

In suit of Peter McLaren, lumber
merchant of Carlton Place, against the
Canada Central Railway, the jury
award 800, 900 damages for lumber de-
stroyed by fire caused by spark from
the locomotive.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

JOHN BRIGHT made an eloquent
speech at Rochdale to English working
men on the subject of their emigration
to America, q few weeks ago, and it is
reported now that they are coming over
here in swarms.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

AS an intimation of the magnitude of
the snow-storms in Colorado the present
winter, Western contemporary re-
marks that Zone of them covered a
house with so much snow that the men
inside were ten hours digging their way
nt.t -
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

The cost of Irish emigration, inste ad
of being borne by the British Govern
ment, is really drawn from the Irish
laborers in America, who, in twenty
years, remitted to Ireland s65, ,0O0, 900 in
aid of relatives in poverty desiring to
emigrate to the United States.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-22

A THOROUGH inve stigation shows
that the amount OF the defalcation Of
Cashier Rhorer. of the Louisville Saw
ings Bank, is s1Oo. 600, just equal to the
capital stock of the bank. Although
seventy years old, he could not resist
speculation.