davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
A Horrible Tragedy in North Carolina,
Charlotte Obserrer SAYS !:

Charlotte Observer says:
News was received in this city yester.
day afternoon of q strange and fatal
poisoning affair that occurred near Beaver
Dam, in Union county, last Sunday
morning, resulting in the death of Mr.
j: O. March, q young lawyer, and the
almostS fatal asickness of three of his
friends. The party were poisoned by
eating eggs that were impregnated with
strychnine. 1t sappears that Oh last
Sunday morning Mr.. Marsh accompanied
by Miss Mamie. Peterson, of Morganton,
and Messrs. James Boylin and Reese
Blair, of Monroe, went out to Mfr.
Marsh's new home, short distance'from
Beaver Dam, to spend the day. Mr..
Marsh had recently completed new
residence. and was just furnishing it for
occupancy by himself and wife. The
party arrived at the house in due tina
and breakfast being prepared for them,
they proceeded to dispatch it. Fried
eggs constituted one Of the dishes and of
this Mr.. Marsh and his friends partook
quiet freely. Shortly after eating they
were all taken violently sick, and it was
evident that something was wrong. The
whole party were put to bed, and medical
assistance was at once summoned. DR..
Ashcrat auon arrived, and on making
himself acquainted with the eymptoms.
saw at once that it was O case of poison-
ing. He set about Immediately doing
what he could for the relief of the un.
fortunate victims, and soon had the sat.
isfaction of seeing Miss Peterson and
Messrs. Boylin aud Blair showing signs
Of improvement. Mr. Iisrsh, however.
failed 10 rally despite ali efforts, aud .
little before noon he expired.
An investigation was made into the
cause of the poisoning, and it was found
that the eggs eaten by the party contain
ed quantity of strychuine. The eggs
were purchased at Austins store Ia
Beaver Dam. Mr.. Austin bought them
from countryman, but beyond this
nothing 10 known that will throw LIGHT
upon the affair. There are no suspicions
Of foul play, as it is generally Thought to
be the result of carelessness on the part
OF the countryman, who it 10 supposed
had poisoned lot of eggs with the in
tention Of catching q thief, or an eea
sucking dog. In collectinga a basket ff Of
eggs to take to the store, he had through
ignorance. accident or carelessness mixed
the, poisoned eggs with the others aud
sold them 10 Mr: Austin in turn, being
ignorant Of their fatal contents and never
dreaming. of anything being wrong with
them, sold them to Mr.. Marsh and hence
the tragedy. The matter is to undergo
full and searching investigation.
The victim Of this deplorablo affair
was young lawyer Of talents and had q
bright future before him. Ho was
married about four months ago to Miss
Gillespie, of Morganton, whom he leaves
crushed and overwhelmed With grief at
his sad ending. The community is stir
red to It's heart with sympathy for the
family of the deceased. Dir. Marsh was
to have moved into his new home to-day,
and for some time past had been busily
engaged in arranging it for occupancy.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
JEWELS OF THE LOST CAUSE.
The Hidden Treasure Hox or tho Confed
eracy Accidentally Found In Georgia.

ATLANTA, GA, December 29.-Wilkes
County, this State, is In great excitement
over the discovery Of large quantity ol
Confederate treasure, about whi> sc
much has been said and written. During
storm this week small oak tree was
blown down niue miles from Washington
John Frank, while riding by, saw some.
thing Ginning, aud examined the roots
of tho tree. He found almost peck OF
gold, and q large quantity of Jewels and
precious stones. Among the latter were
diamonds, rubies and pearls and many
pieces of exquisite workmanship, the
value Of which has been placed by sever.
al counoisseurs at $4,000.
The belief expressed by all who have
seen the treasure 10 that it is part Of that
lost By the Confederate Cabinet during
its fight through this section. The road
upon which the treasure was found Ia The
same over which the Confederates re.
treated. 1t 10 supposed that the person
who secured this part of the treasure,
being unable to carry it off in safety, hid
it and either died q natural death or was
killed coon after, and consequently tho
treasure was never unearthed.
The great quantity Of jewelry and
prsciouo stones suggest that they must be
the contents Of the mysterious jewelry
box intEueted to Mrs. Moss, and taken
from her shortly atterward by stranger
while. retreating through the country.
President Davis and his Cabinet, together
with other distinguished Confedsratas.
stopped at the residenca of Mra. Moaa, an
aged widow, where it il believed the last
counsel Of the Confederacy was held.
When the meeting was about over,
General John O. Breckenridge called in
Mrs. Noes, and, handing her bog OF
quaint device, told her It was of great
value, containing rare jevelry which had
been pawned by ladies Of the Confederacy
for the benefit of the cause, and desired
her to secrete it until some one with
proper authority should come to claim
When the party resumed it's retreat
Mru. Moss examined the contents of the
box, and was dazzled by the brilliance
which met her gaze For several weeks
che kept her trrst q profound secret, and
garded 1t from hu1dreds of men who were
searching tho country for remnants OF
the robbed treasure train. Ono night O
horeemsh rode up to her residence.
Alighting, he called Mrs Moss aside, aud
in whispered words, told her he was the
accredited agent of the persona who had
loft the jewelry box in her possession,
and that he hca been instructed to cali
for it. Completely deceived by the
mans assurance and appearance Of hon.
| esty, she placed the box in his hands, to
see him disappear in the darkness, and to
realize the next day that she had been
cruelty imposed upon. She died q month
later. The fact that the jewels just found
correspond 30 we'll with the contents OF
the mysterious box, lends color to the
superstition that they are the same.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
How MGny Murderers Escape.

It appears that from 1860 to 1929
hundred and seventy persons were tried
In Massachusetts for murder In the first
degree. OF this number only twenty.
nine were convicted and only sixteen
paid the extreme ponalty the law. Of
those convicted ono committed suicide
and twelve got their sentences commut-
Cd. Here, then, curing period c: little
moro than twenty years were hundred
and seventy murders in ono Stato and
only sixteen executions.
In Connecticut during o period Of
thirty years, from 1850 to 1880, ninety
seven persons were tried for murder in
the frat degree. Of these only thirteen
were convicted of that crime and not
moro than seven were hanged.
The statistics for other States would
doubtless show similar results. In Now
York city there were o hundred and
eighty.five homicides during the four
years ending with 1877. There was an
average Of nearly one homicide o week.
During the came period there were four
executions, or just one q year. The
number of persons tried for murder in
the first degree in the city is about
twenty-five every year, the number
hanged does not exceed on the average
one or two year.
These figures are full or significance.
They show that either through the fault
of the law itself or its administration by
juries the statute imposing the death
penalty for murder, is In tho vast msjori-
ty of cases dead letter. They further
show that while murder is "a common
crime the murderer In Q great many in
stances succeeds in escaping punishment
entirely.--N. Y. Herald. &
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
FOur Blind Brothers.

The four blind musical brothers of
Uniontown reads more like the caption
to tale in the Arabian Nights" than n
simple statement Of facts. 4 family of
this singular description have, however,
been living in suburb Of Washington.
Uniontown is q little settlement that has
grown up across the East branch of the
Potomac, within easy reach of the navy
yard. 1t is sleepy, tumble down vii
lage, whose chief claim to aristocracy is
the nomenclature of the streets, which
bear the name of every President to
Buchanan. Its chief citizen is, perhaps,
Frederick Douglass, who owns fine
country place near the rivers bank.
Some years ago family moved into
this village from Baltimore of the com.
mon name of Smith, but Of very extra
ordinary family make up, There were
Or had been twc!ss OF fifteen children,
every one Of whom. in regular process.
sion, had boon born blind. OF this nu.
merous and singular progeny all who
we're born with sight died but one, q girl,
and at present only FIVE children arc left,
this girl aud four blind brothers, named
James, Ignatius, George and Alfred.
They are oil smart and happy, all are
masters of some trade, and all arc must.
csl.
When in frolicsome mood each in
turn will play on the family fiddle while
the others d.nce. One of the brothers
is quite ar accomplished musician, and
supports himself by giving lessons on the
piano. The others play merely for re-
creation. Two are broom makers by
trade, and make broom which is
famous through the neighborhood for its
excellence. The remaining brother is a
cabinet maker, with special knack at
coffins;
The oldest Of the brothers has high
reputation in Uniontown. Not only does
he make the best broom in all the region
and make the violin sing, but he is en-.
dowed with wonderfully acute sense of
touch. 1t is said, for instance, that he
can tell five from ten dollar bill by
feeling the two notes.
One of the two brothers is married aud
has large family. The sister is the wife
of an elderly carpenter. They all live
together with their widowed mother aud
seem to be an affectionnte and happy
household. Recently they have moved
from the settlement some FIVE miles into
the country, but they frequent the village
still TO sell their brooms or provide cof.
fin Washington Special
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
The DeadIlCSt Drug.

u will wager $1,000 tha: i: was no!
prussic acid" said medical man who
had read al. article about the death of O
cat from prussic acid mentioned in the
!irst edition of the Press.
What is prussic acid worth ?" was
asked Of the chemist at Strong, Cobb &
Co.'S. wholesale drug store.
"We never sell it," was the response
"It is not an article of commerce.
Scheuer, the Swedish chemist, who dis
covered chlorine, Scheuer's green, &C.,
was found dead in his laboratory, about
which there fingered peculiar. pungcnt
smell. When one has eaten fresh
peach and cracked the pit he will get a
faint odor that resembles prussic acid
although the smell of this acid is slightly
swceter. 1t can also be found in bitter
almonds."
Some housewives in preserving peach
es add a few pits 10 the confection by
way of improving the flavor. 1t may
sound extravagant, but it is nevertheless
n fact that the improvement of the con-
diment is due partly to prussic acid. 1t
lie in such minute quantities, however,
that it is not injurious to health. Indeed,
what is commonly called prussic acid is
given as medicine. 1t is really hydro.
cyanc acid, two parts of the acid to
ninety eight parts of water. S. NJ.
Strong relates that when his father was
very sick with pneumonia the doctors
prescribed three drops of hydrocyanic
acid. The sick man was himself an
excellent doctor, and he advised that the
dose be increased to six drops. The
attending physicians did not dare do it.
The sick man died, and his friends enter.
tained lingering belief that he would
have pulled through had the doctors
followed his advice"
Prussic acid is the most deadly Of all
poisons, and the fumes would instantly
kill the person who inhaled it, 1t is not
known what the symptoms attending the
death are, for the victim dies too sudden
ly to manifest any. There appears to be
sort Of suffocation and general par
slysis. Hydrocyanic acid is sometimes
taken internally with suicidal intent and
death is almost instantaneous, the blood
taking up the acid wonderfully quick.
1t is -olorless as water. A tragic story of
strange duel between medical man
and his rival in beautiful New Orleans
woman's affections, many years ago, is
told. The medical man, who had the
right to choose the weapons, selected the
deadly poison before mentioned. Two
pills were made, one harmless, the other
containing the poison to kill dozen
men. The duellsts threw dice for the
first choice of the pills. The medical
man, pale but firm, swallowed one and
bis rival the other. For moment each
stood and glared at the other. Then the
medical man saw his rival make q move,
as if to place his hand on his heart,
while look of horror came over his face.
The doctor turned away, uuable to wit
ness the terrible sight. Almost before
he could turn on his heel his rival drop
ped dead Cleveland Press Interview.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10

and ran like an electric shock TO nv
brain. That was but momentary, but it
was terrible. When the Indian tore my
scalp from my head it seemed as if it
must have been connected with cords to
every part of my body. The pain that
followed the cutting around the scalp
had been frightful, but it was ecstacy
compared with the torture that followed
the tearing Of it from my head. Streaks
Of pain shot in every nerve. My knees
were drawn up almost to my chin, and
my fingers closed conYulsively together
in the snow, and that was ell / remem-
bered When | came to was it tent.
The cavalry had come up in the mean /.
time, and the Indians were routed.
Only few escaped, but Black Kettle
was among them. A comrade told me
that he had shot and killed the Indian
who scalped me, but the scalp was not
recovered at any rate. /, with the rest
of the wounded, was sent to the nearest
agency. and lay helpless and suffering
untold misery for weeks, and when re-.
covered | concluded that l had seen
enough Of Indian fighting, and asked for
my discharge. The nature of my wounds
were such that received my discharge
ut once. General Custer jocul arly re.
marked to me aftcrward that l made q
mistake in leaving the service. Think"
said he, "how surprised aud disgusted
some red devil of an Indian might be if
you should stay with us and ha,pen to
fall in his hands when he went 70 raise
your hair to Gnd that some one has been
there before him."
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
LOSING A PRISONER.
Row mo Guard Escaped Censure.

Thomas b. Love, of Hill County, Tex,
WAS Confederate Soldier under Brig.
Gen. Lyons, and while the command
was on the march in Western Kentucky,
in the Winter Of 1865, Federal, who
turned out to be notorious spy aud
bushwhacker, was captured. After the
command went into camp for the night
the prisoner wac sentenced TO die next
morning. Love came on guard at 8
o'clock, and the rest Of the story il given
in his own words:
by this time all were sound asleep, 40
the men were thoroughly worn out. The
prisoner and sat on opposite sides of
the fire. An hour passed and not word
was spoken between us. He seemed all
the while thinking of the morrow, know
ing full well that II he ever uaw the sun
rise prisoner il would be mis- last day
on earth. l was only II years old and a
little reckless, but strict to obey ordeYs.
had no pity for him, and perhaps he
realized this and was silent The pris.
oner sat beside o post or stump, some.
times leaning against it, and the distance
between us was not oyor eight feet.
About 9 o'clock comrade, who had
been out foraging, returned and empiied
q bag Of applea just behind me.
turned partly around to pick up ono
and as turned back did not look di.
rect!y at the prisoner, for I was certain
he was all right, having heard no sound
to arouse my suspicious to the contrary.
As my eide was to him when / picked
up the apples, he must have stolen away
AZ noiseess!y az q shadow. 90 soon as ho
caught my eyes of of him. ! can now
imagine that no went on O 2:40 gait.
went on eating my applea, certain that
the post he was sitting by was the prio.
oper himself and all right.
| suppose fiftcen minutes had passed
whilst eating apples. About this time
our captain had occasion to got up. He
noticed that the prisoner was not there
and asked me where he was. I almost
jumped out of my boots-mute with as.
tonishment-when l realized what had
happened, aud my tongue almost became
paralyzed. The captain motioned me to
be still. ! finally asked him what on
earth ! would do, knowing full we'll what
q stern general we had whom duty called
for it, notwithstanding he carried great
big heart and mono of uo but would have
died for him in moment The captain
was satisfied that had not purposely let
the prisoner escape, 80 he told me to take
out q pair of my piotols and 60 up Q
creek that run through the lot aud away
from the house, and fire as fast as
could, yelling halt haiti haiti You
may believe l obeyed ordera promptly
that time. The prisoner had been gone,
l auppose, at least twenty minutes. The
firing raised Old Harry all were up and
in arms in All instant, thinking the Fed
erals were in camp. The general came
out half dressed, and when I came back
he asked me if l thought hit him. I
told him / was almost sure I had filed
him with pistol shots, and while he looked
bit doubtful I escaped censure.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
Advice to n Young Man.

You will perceive, my boy, that every
time man undertakes to manufacture a
little Bible on his own account, he makes
notifying failure Of it. He is caught
at it, and in one-tenth of the time it took
him to conceive his fraud, ia as many
hours as it took him months to prepare
it, he is exposed, and his handmade
addition to the Bible is swept away in
the other rubbish of other counterfeit
ers. You see, my son, the Bible dosen't
need any Of these nineteenth
century proofs Of its truth; it needs
the word Of no man to establish its gen.
uineness it has stood by itself, "an
anvil that has worn out many hammers"
through century, after century, unchang-
ed and Interchangeable. Every time q
man manufactures new verse or new
chapter we know it ia not genuine,
we detect the counterfeit. The Bible
has no need of the supporting prop of q
fraudulent ark or leather Deuteronomy.
There was complete Bible centuries
before Shapiro happened, and there will
be the same Bible ages after Shapiro and
his puten. Deuteronomy have together
crumbled into indistinguishable dust
The Bible doesn't need our help, our
testimony, our Endorsement. And il
there had never been discovered in oil
the world bit of parchment, piece of
broken pottery or a scratched stone, the
Bible would be just IS strong ss it is to.
day, and men would bolieve just ss firmly
| and trustfuIly in its truth. Don't you
worry, my, boy, because shapira's ancient
manuscript was written with London ink.
| and don't fret because the ark in the gla.
cier turns out TO be put together with
Pittsburgh nails. That all the frauds on
the Bible and its history arc so quickly
and easily detected should only convince
you how impossible it is to counterfeit
the work Of God. Wait until some man
fools US with an artificial moon; aud
until some philosopher stores away the
sunlight in parlor lamps, before you be.
lieve that man can successfully initiate
what man never understandable.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
Beast Tanning.

Falmali, the celebrated tanner of wild
beasts, declares that there is no empiri.
cal receipt for beast.taming, and that the
great secret is, fear nothing. No doubt,
1t Ia to great extent q matter of nervous
organization but the animals are prob
ably also subdued by deprivation of
sleep, no food, and by the administration
of lowering drugs. And herein, in our
opinion, constitutes the difference be-
tTeen the sportsman who boldly Esska
his carnivorous opponent in its native
haunts, and him who seeks to further
subjugate an already half-brokeu.in ami
NAL. 1t seems that the hyepa is the
least intelligent and most irreclaimable
of all the carnivora; the leopard, the
most affectionate and tractable; while
the Cape lion is in this respect superior
to his congenor of the Sahara and Eene.
gal. Individuals of the same species,
however, chow great differences in dispo.
sition. The lion 10 most easily tanned
between three, and four years old, while
bis character 10, 30 to speak, in process OF
development. The young lion retains
his infantine sportiveness, enjoying o
game eE Eo!! on The aoor uR to six years
old, but after that age becomes serious
and saturine. ::
Care as to ventilation and cleanliness
is much required for the health of the
animals. which are mose liable to enffer
!!o::: :;ss: iiiaH from cold. Tho lion 70.
fuses mutton, goats hesh, cat and dog,
prefers veal and beef, but will accept
sowl, rabbit and horse. The tiger, wolf
and byens are less fastidious, and the
latter prefers its meat "high;" black
bears eat bread, meat and fruit, and can
fast for week without Inconvenience.
All the great carnivors have passion
for milk. ..H. s.f ts e., ,aIgll
Though the wild animals will breed
pretty freely in captivity, Falmali's OK.
perience was that the young are never
vigorous or healthy; and Of eighty lion
vhelps born In his menagerie, we ere
surprised to learn that one survived its
third or fourth year. In most of the
feline tribe, the maternal instinct requires
10 be abSibted by curious precaution--
the total exclusion of light from the
mother and cubs during the first nine OF
ten, days Of their exietence otherwise
these fletce matrons would reverse the
order Of nature, by devouring instead Of
nourisbing their young. Ia, ...
According 70 tho authority quoted, an
adult tiger Ia the most expensive Of the
catnivora, costing six thousand francs
but as much or more may be given for d
chimpanzee. The lion costs an equsl
sum; but the lioness may be had from,
twelve hundred to fifteen hundred fraI O
The price Of jaguars varies from one te
two thousand francs; that Of Java pan;
thers, from two thousand to three thou
sand and Of Iynxes, from six to eighl
hundred; while leopards are sold 70,
twelve hundred francs per pair. Wolves
may be had at q much cheaper rate; ant
hyenas from sixty to one hundred francs
but In Africa the latter may &c parehsses
as low as q franc.-C Chambers Journal,
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
Scheming 10 Evade Giving Christmas
Presents.

A boy of twelve stood leaning against
day, hat pulled down, feot creased,
and his right hand going up occasionally
to wipe his nose, when along came another
anatomy about his size and asked:
"Sick?"
"No."
Any the family dead 2"
"No, I've just been licked"
'Who dun it?"
"Dad."
"Did your ma ask him to- 2"
"Yes. She told him had been aching
for 1t more than MONTH"
"Say," aaid the new arrival, "you are
in luck. I am trying my beat to get dad
to whale me. I'd give fifty cents If he
tanned me this noon and 1t was ell
through hurting"
"Why7"
Why Haven't got So saved up to
buy pap and marin Chriatmas presents.
and If l can get them to whale me be-;
fore Christmas won't spend every cent
of that money on myselff How much
you got?"
1.-TWO dollars."
"Bullyl You are all right You've
Dih iiCkou, duu lucy Hon o4peCt oveu
stick Of gum from their pounded son.
I'll 60 home and slam the baby around
and steal sugar and kick the cat and sass
mother, and If can get wolloped 20:
night I'll meet yon here tomorrow, and
we'll pool In and buy more pistols and
scalping knives and rock. candy and nuta
and raisins tbsn you ever saw before
Zip! peel me down, dear father hang
my hide on the fence, mother darling.
Detroit Post. = 81,