davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
MRS. sOPERs CAREER.
Taken Captive by the Indians-Murder er
of Her BetrOthed by RedskIns-Mar-
riage and Subsequent EIOpement.

Taken Captive by the Indians-Murder
of Her BetrOthed by RedskIns-Mar-
risge and Subsequent EIopement.
The elopement of Mrs. Laura Soper, OF
Beatrice, Neb., with James Vance, a
butcher, says the st. Louis Globe Demo-
crdt, brings to mind an interesting bit OF
frontier history. Mrs. SOper's maiden
name was Laura Roper, she being the
daughter of Hon. Joseph Z. Roper, OF
Gage county. In 1862 Laura was a beau
tiful girl of Is, and was engaged to a
young train-bOss named Kelly. At that
time there were no settlements west OF
the Big Sandy, in Thayer county, except
at the military posts and ranches along
Uncle Sam's highway. These ranches
usually consisted of rude log house, sur
rounded with stockade, and were from
40 to 80 miles apart. Kelly started an
establishment of this kind at Oak Grove,
on the Little Blue, in what is now Muck
oils county. On the day of the fearful In
dian massacre, in August, 1864, Laura
was going from Spring ranch to Oak
Grove by stage. The Indians on that day
made general attack on the whites all
along the Travelled road, from Julesburg
clear east to the Big Sandy, nearly 200
miles, bands OF saVages springing on the
little settlements simultaneously. The
stage in which Laura was riding was rid
died with bullets, and the driver and other
passengers killed, the girl being carried
of prisoner. She was taken to Oak
Grove, where the Indians decOyed her
lover into conversation with the chiefs,
and then killed him before her eyes.
From Kelly's ranch the red fiends went to
the home of the Ubanks family, where
they shot ten people, sparing only young
girl about Laura's size and age. Miss
Roper's friends, with the aid of the mill
tary, made long search for the captives,
but nothing could be heard of them, eX-
cept when rowing scout or trapper would
occasionally come in and report having
seen two white women held by the Utes.
Two years after the massacre the girls
were found living with the Indians on the
Arkansas river, in southern Colorado,
and in March, 1866, they were secured by
the United States troops. They had been
brutally outraged by the Indians, and suf-
tered every indignity that could be i'm
agined. Miss Ubanks was a gibbering
idiot, and her condition excited the SOL
diers so that, despite the fact that they
were treating with the Indians under a
flag of truce, they hunted out the devil
that had driven the girl crazy and killed
him on the spot. Laura Roper was sent
to her home at Beatrice. After she had
fully recovered from the effects of the
cruel treatment by the Indians Laura
married Eli SOper, a resident of Gage
county, who knew her history. They
lived together until last week, when, af-
ter seveteen years of peace and happi-
ness, during which five children were
born to her, Laura skipped out with bold,
bad butcher.
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
"A WANDERING JEW.
Little Jacob sOIomOn's Story of Hi,

Little Jacob SOlOmOn's Story of His
Flight from Russian Persecution.
When r. Solomon, an Erie cIothier. saws
an Erie Pa special, opened his store the
other morning he found lying upon the
step little boy sound asleep. The little
fellow related his story, which reads like
a chapter from the Arabian Nights, and
substantiated it by producing documents
which proved its truth. He said his name
was Jacob Solomon, that his father was a
rich Jewish trader in Weirne, Lower Rus
sia. When the cruel persecution of his
race was begun two years ago his father
was obliged to leave his home, take such
valuables as could be secreted, and, with
his wife and baby, fled for their lives. So
great was his haste that he did not have
time to send to neighboring village for
his son Jacob, who was attending school
there. Upon reaching America Jacobs
father settled with a colony of MennOn-
ties in Erie, Col.
When the natives of Jacobs town found
that he had been left behind, they lost no
time in Fastening his departure. Although
but II years of age. the little fellow began
his long journey towards his fathers
house in the wilds of Colorado. In an ex-
ceedingly pathetic manner the child told
OF his perilOus travel across Russia.
where he was careful to avoid the towns,
for fear of the mobs, who, hating his peo-
pie, would have killed him, and of his
fears of wild animals. He journeyed from
his native town to Paris afOOt, and work.
ed his way over the ocean on steamship,
and, upon arriving in New York, was be-
set by sharpers, who tried to fleece him of
his little boarded wealth. By mistake he
journeyed to this place, instead of is Erie,
Colorado.
Arriving here late in the night, he
strolled down State street, looking for a
shelter. Seeing a name over a store which
looked like his own, he thought it must
be the house of his father, and, tired, hum
cry and moneyless, the little stranger sat
down on the store steps, and, overcome by
fatigue, fell asleep. Singular to relate,
the proprietor of the store was a distant
relative. The child was fed, clothed and
furnished with funds to go to his Colorado
home,
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
SOTTH CAROLINA.

Mrs. NJ. NJ. Mcknight. of Kingstree, who is
over 50 years old, fell down the other day and
broke her collar bone.
Elijah WhitlOek, cOlored, has fed to Georgia
from Abbeville county to evade arrest for
crlmlnally assaultlng cOlOred girl.
Gin houses innumerable have been burned
during TINS month. The loss must aggregate
SlOO,OOO- The insurance is very small.
The Town Council of AbbevilIe are vigor-
ously enforcing the laws against vagrancy,
and made-a raid the other day on the negroes
who hang around the streets and manage to
live without work.
james Howard, cOlOred. while hunting in
the Pipe Greek section Of Hampton county on
Nov. Is, accidentally shot and killed himself.
The mule he was riding stumbled and fell.
and hence the accident.
The negroes attempted a riot at Johnson
Vile. Williamsburg county. and were loud in
their threats and free in the display of fire.
arms, but firm an prompt action on the part
of the white people quieted everything.
W. B. Byers, prominent and highly es-
teemed young gentleman of Blacks. York
county, was accidentally shot IN the abdomen
on sunday morning last by Oscar GunthrOp a
youth who was carelessly handling loaded
pistol. He died on Tuesday.
On Nov. Is John EbOn and John Polite, col
ored. got into an affray near Gillisonville,
Hampton county, when the latter was killed
from pistol shot from the hands of the for
mer. At the inquest, held by Trial Justice L.
: Tutan, u was proved that the killing was
done IN self-defense. EbOn is at large.
Horny Progress: While the negroes were
passing the residence Of Elder W. 5. McCas-
Kill dnring Tuesday night, Nov. II, brickbats,
shingles and other missiles were hurled
at his dwelling. MIR. McCaskill was away in
attendance upon the WaccamaW Baptist As
sociation, and no one was at home save Mrs.
McCaskill and her children, who were very
much frightened at the outrageous assault
made upon them"
On Sunday nIeht, Nov. Is, two colOred men
attacked near the Methodist church grave
ord wi
plOyed as guard at the factory. Stokes was
going to the factory at the time, and it is sup
posed that these men were two of a gang who
wished to steal cotton or commit some depre-
datiOn at the factory. They made the attack
with knives, but Stokes jumped back and pull
ling out his pistol, firei at them, when they
ran OF. One knife struck him, going through
his OvercOat, coat and shirt, but not injuring
his body.
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
ILLINOIS SENATORSHIP.
FRAUDS ON THE PART OF THE
REPUBLICANS MADE PLAIN.

A Republican Judge of Election Makes
Affidavit That a Previous One Was
Procured from Him by False Pretenses
While Sick and Under the Influence of
ChlOraI.
CHICAGO, Nov. 23.-A largely attended
mass meeting was held at the North Side
Turner Hall last night to consider the
Leman-Brand matter in the Sixth Sena-
torial district. Affidavits made bv the
supervisors and one of the judges of the
election were read, setting forth that Le-
man received 420 votes in the second
precinct of the Eighteenth ward. Affida-
Wits were procured from one-half that
number of voters stating that they had
voted for Leman. A committee of TWENTY
five was appointed to wait on Brand and
request him not to take his seat and
countenance fraud and to take measures
to prosecute the alleged perpetrators of
the fraud.
A JUDGE EXPOSES TRICKERY.
Simon Strausser, the Republican Judge
of the election in the disputed precinct of
the Eighteenth ward, who last night
made affidavit that the figures in the poll
book had been changed since his sigma
ture was affixed, tonight makes another
affidavit showing that that of last
night was procured from him by
false pretenses, that he thought it was
transcript of his testimony before the
grand jury, that he was sick and under
the influence of chlOral, that he does not
know how many votes were cast for Le-
man or Brand. and that he saw no evil
dence of fraud.
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
HANGED BY A SINGLE HAIR.
Explanation of the Execution of Waste.
Iarrs Irrr In 0nlIfn-nSo

Explanation of the Execution of Waste
lewsky in California
An explanation of the hanging of the
murderer Wasielewsky, at San Jose, by
means of a single hair, says the San
Francisco Bulletin, is as follows: The
gallOws trap on which the condemned
stood had double doors, swinging from the
centre to both sides. These doors, con-
stituting the trap, were held in position
so as to form part of the platform of the
gallOws by spring bolt. This bolt was
sprung, thus opening the man-weighted
trap, by the falling of a 14-pound weight.
This weight was suspended by a small
cord, which came up to the rail on the
gallows, back of the condemned. The
cord, instead of being at once and simply
fastened, was wound around a 'sbarrel. !"
This ''barrer' was lying in a horizontal
position, parallel with the rail, and held a
few inches above it by upright supports
at either end. The cord holding the
weight was wound around the barrel un-
til the resisting power of the friction al
most held the weight. This s'almOst''
was arrived at by previous experiments.
until it was reduced to such a fine point
that the additional strength Of a single
hair was enough to suspend the weight;
or, more properly, prevent the cord from
slipping. One end of the hair was fast
ened to the cord and the other end to a
screw driven in the barrel. When the
hair was cut the cord slipped around the
barrel, the 14-pound weight dropped 10
feet, springing the trap-b0lt, and Waste
lewsky shot through the opening.
1t is said that Judge Belden, who tried
Waslelewsky, suggested this peculiar
scheme of retributive justice, but the de-
tails were worked out by Sheriff Bran
ham. The hair which was used came
from lock of the murdered woman's
hair
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
LABOR'S WAGES.
General Reduction Among the GIs
Makers in Pittshur1

PITTsBURG, Nov. % Notification of a
reduction in wages recently given to the
glass workers employed in Mckee Bros,
factory seems to have been but the first
Indication of movement among the flint
glass manufacturers for general reduc-
tiOn. Saturday the workers in all the flint
glass factories on the south side were in
formed that their wages would be reduced
10 per cent, to take effect Monday. AS
yet the workers have not conferred
together, but general meeting to discuss
the matter will shortly be held, when it is
cepted.
The workmen employed in the melting
department of Park Bros.' steel works,
were also notified of a reduction in
wages of 90 cents per ton, to take effect
Monday. A similar reduction will also
be made in the hammer department in
lew days. The men say that they realize
the dullness OF trade, and that they will
accept the cut without murmur.
PREMATURE ANNOUNCEMENT.
FALL RIVER, MASS, Nov. 23.-The pub
llshed report of the probability of cut of
10 per cent. in the wages of operatives be-
lore Jan. 1 is pronounced by manufac-
turers to be premature. 1t rests solely
upon the statement of the oVerseer in one
mill, and is not vouched for by any of the
manufacturers, meaning those who con-
troll the fixing of tho operatives wages.
As matter of fact, the print cloth
market is in better condition, and the
outlook is more promising, than for
several months past. 1t is the general
feeling that the depression in the cloth
market has reached its lowest, and that
the present improvement will be perma-
nent.
MILLS ON REDUCED TIME.
LEWISTON, ME-, Nov. 23.-Hill Il An
derscrOggin Mills shut down Iastnight for
a week. The Continental mill Will run
only the first three days of next week.
The Lewiston corporation will run on
two-thirds time for the present. FarwelPs
mills, at Lisbon, announce a to 10 per
cent. reduction, beginning next week.
SHIPBUILDERS IDLE.
LONDON, Nov. % The distress among
the English ship building wOrkingmen is
increasing. At the ship yards on the
rivers Tyne, Clyde and Mersey there is
scarcely One-fourth of the possible work
ing force and power now in effective Op-
Grafton.
GIVEN A WEEKS NOTICE.
SCRANTON, PA, Nov. 23.-The employees
OF DicksOn's Manufacturing Company
were notified that their wages would be
resuced IL per cent. after Dec. 1.
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
HOW TO CURE CHOLERA.
DIR. Scale Gives Some Useful Hints
His Colleagues and the Public.

DIR. Scale Gives Some Useful Hints to
His Colleagues and the Public.
DR.. Charles A. Scale, says the New
York Herald, delivered a lecture on
cholera before the County Medical Asso-
citation Monday evening. A large num-
Der of physicians was present. DR.. Det-
mold was in the chair. The lecturer be-
gan by tracing the course of the present
epidemic as far as Paris, and then, after
pointing out that the United States and
Great Britain were as yet free from the
disease, proceeded to describe the previ-
GUS causes of cholera in this country in
order that proper precautiOn may be
taken to avoid it during the coming
season. The visitation in 1865 aud 1866
was, according to the lecturer, largely
due to the imperfect state of our sanitary
regulations, and to the freedom with
which the large number of emigrants
f1Ocking to this country, were allowed to
dlsperse without any care having been
taken to see that they and their clothing
were properly disinfected. As an exam
pie of the salutary effect of disinfectiOn
he mentioned the case of the Harvest
Queen, vessel which piled between this
port and Liverpool in 1866. The vessel
was about to start from Liverpool in that
year. Cholera broke out, the patients
were put on shore, the vessel was thor
oughly disinfected, and of 836 passengers
not one took the disease.
CONTAMINATED CLOTHING.
AS an example of the disastrous effects
of touching contaminated clothing, he
cited the case of Peter Grove, the driver
of Tenth avenue street car. Peter, it
seems, was tired one afternoon, and sat
down on package of clothes which three
German emigrants had placed on his car.
A few hours after he felt sick and began
to YOmit. At nightfall he was stricken
down with Asiatic cholera. His parents,
his progeny and his spouse contracted the
disease, and some of them died of
it. Several other cases in point
were given at great length, together with
the remedies used for their cure. In
conclusion the lecturer maintained that
foul air, detective sewerage, atmospheric
changes, bad ventilation, personal un-
cleanliness, and, not unfrequently, in
tense fear, were the predisposing causes
of cholera, and should be carefully
guarded against. He further said that no
city in the world was so well able to avoid
cholera as New York, and that, provided
proper but not too long a quarantine
was enforced, there was no reason why
people should become panic stricken and
flee to other cities and villages, which
were likely to be far more dangerous than
New York
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
TAXATION'S REDUCTION.
AN EFFORT TO BE MADE TO RE
PEAL TOBACCO TAXES.

Whisky Also to be Put Forward for
Favored LegisIatiOn-TheR Republicans
at the Bottom of the Movement. and
No Danger That the Democrats VIII
Follow Their Lead.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-There is every
reason to believe that in his coming mes
sage President Arthur will repeat the
recommendation he made two years ago
in favor Of the repeal of all taxes on
manufactured tobacco, cigars, cigarettes
and snuff. Secretary McCulloch has fire.
quently declared himself to be in favor of
wiping out all these tobacco taxes. and it
is confidently expected here that he will
join the President in urging Congress to
take this step. The total receipts from
snuff and cigarettes amounted
to little over 100000 during
the fiscal year 1884. The movement in
Congress last session in favor of repealing
the tobacco taxes was very formidable.
Two or three attempts were made in the
House toward the end of the session to
take up what is known as the fruit
! brandy bill, the object being to attach
thereto an amendment wlping out tobacco
taxes. The repealers were surprisingly
strong in numbers, and the support which
they will receive from the President and
Secretary of the Treasury this winter will
doubtless greatly encourage them. There
Is an impression in the Treasury Depart
ment that Secretary McCuIloch will
recommend a reduction of the whisky
tax to 90 or 90 cents a gallon.
FOUR DISTINCT MOVEMENTS.
The prospect is that four movements
against the surplus revenue will be made
this winter. One is in the shape of PEN
sion bill, which passed the Senate last
session and is now on the Speakers table.
This bill, if passed by the House, would
absorb about $25,000,000 annually. An
other is the Blair educational bill, which
was passed by the Senate last winter and
is now In the House. This would swallow
an average of SlO,OO0,000 year for eight
years. A third is the tobacco tax repeal
proposition, which proposes to wipe out
over S26 6,OOO,O 900, and fourth is the pro-
posed Spanish treaty, which will be pre-
sented to the Senate for ratification
If ratified by the Senate and
carried into operation by act of Congress
this treaty would do away with over $780,
OO0,0 0O0 of revenue. All of these move
ments will have numerous supporters,
and there are in prospect several sharp
parliamentary battles. The interesting
question is, "Will the surplus revenue be
reduced by a reduction of taxation or by
an increase of eXpeDdituresTr 1t is re-
garded as we'll nigh certain that a majori-
ty of the revenue refOrmers in both
branches of Congress will prefer to main
tain the statutes rather than consent to a
repeal of The tobacco taxes. They are op-
posed to getting rid of these taxes in ad-
dutipS
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
GOING DOWN TO WASHINGTON
Apartments Engaged at the Arlington
for the President Elect.

Apartments Engaged at the Arlington
for the President Elect.
President-elect Cleveland and his imme-
diate party, says a Washington special.
have engaged quarters at the Arlington
from the last part of February until
March 4. The quarters assigned to him
are the same that have been occupied by
Dom Pedro, the Emperor of Brazil; Don
Carlos and the Grand Duke Alexis. MIR,
ROessle, the proprietor of the Arlington.
who has just returned from Albany. where
he went to make arrangements for the
reception of the President-eIect. saws
that he found Mr.. Cleveland in the
most tranquil mind about his future work
here. He questioned Mr.. RoessIe about
current affairs in Washington, and gave
him to understand that he should come
on here to stay about Feb. % next.
Another gentleman, who has had a re-
cent interview with Mr.. Cleveland, said
tonight:
THE small fry in the government SER
vice need not worry about their places !:
Mr.. Cleveland will not be in any hurry
about changes. He is a very conserva-
tive man, not given to any rash iudg-
ments. He Will overhaul the denarf-
ments as a matter of course. He will
place Democrats in the leading RESPONSE
bic positions, but he has no sympathy
with the old spoils system, and in that
will give the Republicans a good ex-
ample. The panic among the govern
ment employees here is beginning to sub
side -
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
SOME DISTINGUISHED CONVICTs
How Some Sequestered Financiers of
New Jersey Spend Their Time.

New Jersey Spend Their Time.
Keeper Laverty, of the State prison, says
a Trenton N. j.. special of Nov. II to
the Philadelphia Times, finds himself un-
able to obey the law that provides that
each prisoner shall be kept alone in a cell
and not permitted to talk to another prIs-
Oner. There are So prisoners now con-
fined in the prison and only $40 cells. The
keeper said to-day that he called the
Legislatures attention to the matter, but
no provision had been made. He trusted
the next Legislature would appropriate
money for new wing, as the present
lack of room impaired the discipline. A
glance was had at the large number of
distinguished inmates to-day and their
occupations were learned.
Levi ID. Jarrard, the defaUlting County
Collector of Middlesex, is the occupant of
cell in the gallery of the south hall. He
is not at work, but spends his time in
reading. James A. Hedden, the embeZZl-
ing cashier of the First National Bank
of Newark, is now employed as assistant
in the store room. Baldwin, the Sunday
school teacher and wrecker of the Me
chanics' Bank Of Newark, is working,
realizing fifty cents per day for the State,
as clerk for j. TObin & CO., contractors.
Garrett 5. BOyce, of the Jersey City Saw
ings Bank, is at present on duty in the
dispensary, under Hospital Steward
Riley. Fred Palmer, of Newark, is earn
ing fifty cents per day as bookkeeper for
Downs & Fish, the laundrymen. Henry
NJ. Marchbank is a nurse in the hospital
and makes a good one, it is said.
DIR. Rufus Peacock, OF Jersey City, is
confined in a cell in the south hall /;
Edward Shaw, the Jersey City Cashier,
keeps books for Mcknight, the shoe con-
tractor; John Beach assists in distribut-
ing books from the prison library; G.
Daily, the defaulting Collector OF Wood
bridge, occupies a cell in the south hall (;
John ID. Harrington, otherwise known in
Jersey City as "the Count" DR.. Peacock IS
acc0mplice, occupies the important posi-
tiOn of tending the back gate of the pri-
son, while John j. Berry, the Hackensack
| hank defanlter is librarian
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-24
AN EXPLOSION OF ROCKETS.
Three Persons Killed and Several Seri.
nmsIY Inimrad in PennsuINania

ohsAJ lNaDlas
NEWCASTLE, PA, Nov. 23.-During a
Democratic jollification lastt night an ex-
plOsiOn of rockets occurred, which re-
suited fatally to three persons and seri-
Ously injured a number of others. When
the explosion occurred rockets shot in
every direction, and the widest excite :
ment prevailed. Douglass McIlvenny
was struck in the chin by a
rocket, and, when picked up, the stick
was found prOtrudrng from the back
of his neck. Jos. Moody, aged u, was
struck in the chest and fatally injured.
Daniel Gunley, aged 13, was struck on
the right thigh. The rocket entered his
right hip, and he was also injured in
ternally. Louis Block, Charles Shaffer
and William Warren were all badly, but
not fatally, injured, and several others
were bruised and trampled upon in the
panic following the explosion,