davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Scalp Hunting.

We can imagine no situation in life
so utterly devoid of all charms Or sat
isfaction as that of place-holder I'M
der the republican national admins
tration in Texas. From the loftiest
position on the bench of a federal
court down to the petty post Office or
deputy marshal, there are back-bitings,
bItJernesses, heart-aches, pains, ankle
ties and cares altogether disproportion-
ed to either the honor or the pay attach
ed. If ever eternal vigilance was the
price of liberty, so it is the price
of safety in the federal service.
This is a great hardship to the
public service and is at the same
time destruction to that efficiency SO
desirable. A Dallas postmaster is
compelled to spend so much of his
time in Washington to fend off the
blows aimed at him in the dark, that
his usefulness as an officer Is very
seriously interfered with, if it is not
absolutely destroyed. Poor Stilwell
Russell, if he had been less at Wash
ington and more with his deputies,
would not now be pining in prison
because of their shortcomings as well
as his own. AS soon as the ink is Dirt
upon the endorsements of an as
pirant and before it is well dried on
his commission the effort ut
emoval is commenced. Poor old
Norton, Arch. Cochran, Purnell, all
all know that the prices paid for the
precarious pickings at the federal crib
door were and are too much. The
game isn't worth the candle. They
ought to be glad to see democratic
federal administration, if for no
higher or better reason than that OF
knowing that their foes are in a fair
way of tasting the woes of which
they have had a monopoly for the
last quarter of century.
1t does not speak well for ou1
American manhood that these bad
tactics exist, that they are SC
broadly, So universally adopted
Apparently the best good OF
the service is the last thing
consulted. In this way the civil ser
vice reformers need reformation
themselves very sadly. This policy
of eternal accusation, distrust and
dishonesty is most admirably calcu-
lated to produce the very result it is
intended to guard against. It is I'M
manly and demoralizing to the last
degree, and it ought to be stamped
out. Due care of the public interests
can be exercised without all this scan
dial, this eternal washing of dirty linen
in the eyes of the public to the dis
gust of all the decent instincts of the
people.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Gordon's Companion,

From The Philadelphia Record
The way in which Gen. Gordon
chose his companion for the expedi-
tion to Kartoum is characteristic.
When he came before the cabinet and
announced that he was ready to start
at once he was naturally asked whom
he would like to have as companion.
Gordon paused moment in reflection,
and then said: There is man whom
1 have met a few times at the club l
don't know his name but he is the
man should like to talz5'with me- If
you will wait little Twill go and
see if he can come" Thereupon Cor
don left his ministerial audience and
drove to the club, found his man in
the smoking room, explained the case
obtained his consent, and was back in
Downing street under the half hour
The man who Gordon with instinct.
i've insight had chosen was Colone
Stewart, who probably knows more
of the East than any other officer il
British army.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
The Cupan Insurrection.

From the Mobile Daily Register.
Aguero was in Mobile fifteen or
twenty days ago. Speaking of his
proposed descent upon Cuba, he said
he had been to New Orleans, where
he met with little encouragement. He
met with less here and so returned to
Key West. He said he intended to
enter Cuba from the southwest, and
to wage an irregular warfare, burn
ing plantations and making things hot
for the government until he had gath
cred large enough force to take the
field.
This is about all there is Of truth
in the many rumors now afioat
Among the reports was one to the eff
feet that the Cubans had designs upon
the revenue steamer Crawford, which
was advertised for sale here on this
date. The revenue marine officials all
say they know nothing of filibusters al
or near Mobile. The sale of the Craw.
ford took place at noon. There was
| no bidding worthy of notice. A mer
| chant here bid $3.50 for the vessel
but the bid will be rejected as too
small, the upset price being $4,000
Some old-faShioned carbines and cut
lasses, and dozen or more muZZle
loading pistols were sold as Junk fol
Sc. 1t is apparent that the Cuban
would have been foolish to have at
tempted the purchase of the Crawford
as she needs a new boiler, and besides
she could not get out of this well
watched harbor without detection.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
The Crime Problem.

There Is no subject or object of
legislation or of public policy what
ever which is of more pressing and
immediate Importance than this one
of crime. 1t needs not that we recur
to the existence, the almost universal
prevalence of murder. We instance
that crime because it is the only one
in the category but what is severely,
promptly and adequately punished in
this country. The best brain of Texas
is laboring upon this question-va inly
seeking a solution. At the regular
session of the legislature of 1888 a
provision, or rather series of provi-
sions like the Following, were en-
bodied il a law which passed the
senate, but was crowded out of the
house by reason of the usual crush at
the close of the session:
!. Allow no bail for willful homi-
eide, or for murder committed under
other circumstances than purely in
self-defense.
2. Strike out the provision which
disqualifies a juror on account of
having heard or read testimony in re-
gard to any case, and require jurors
to try every case according the law
and the evidence produced upon the
trial.
8. Allow the state an equal number
of challenges with the defense in all
criminal trials.
4. Nine jurors from a jury of
twelve and Ioar from a PANEL of six
should be allowed to find verdict,
and their verdict should be binding no
matter what might he the views of
the remain ng jurors.
5. Motions for continuances in all
criminal cases should be lett entirely
at the discretion of the presiding
judge.
6. Supreme court judges should
have salary of $1,000, and dis trlct
judges a salary of $500.
z. District attorneys should possess
the same qualifications and have a
salary equal to that of the district
judge, and both district judges and
attorneys should be elected for att nm
of not less than eight years.
8. Abolish the practice of taking
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Impure Life.

From the Gainesville Weekly Sun.
In TIE STATESMAN of last SatJlr
day is an article under the heading OF
"Impure Life" which we transfer tC
our columns. 1t deserves a careful
perusal, and we should be glad if the
views therein presented would make
a deep and permanent impression upon
the public mind. The crime referred to
is the most atrocious and cowardly in
the category; atrocious because OF the
terrible retribution awaiting the weak
er party, and cowardly because nc
punishment, physical or moral, is
melted out to the guilty wretch. So
ciety and the law both need reforma-
Jion on this point. We endorse every
word of THE STATEsMAN's article.
Would that newspapers spoke out
oftener on this subject.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
KINGIN ALLBUTACRowN.
Story of the Handsome Young Man VIII
Hopes in Time tn RuIa NTaxioo

Story of the Handsome Young Man Who
Hopes in Time to Rule Mexico.
From the Baltimore Daily Herald
one OF the interesting features of
diplomatic society at Washington, says
a special telegram, is the presence of
the pretender to the Mexican throne.
This is Prince Iturbide, the son of the
late Emperor Iturbide. Prince Itur-
blde resides in Georgetown with his
mother, who is eX-Queen of Mexico.
She is native American, and in her
youth was one of the bellies of George
town. Prince Iturbide has never
married. He has remained at his
mothers side, and together they have
watched and waited for the time to
come when the prince may be called
the Mexican throne. The princes de-
votion to his mother is very touching.
He is tall and handsome, has dark
complexion, large black eyes and
prominent nose. He would be picked
out in a crowd as a distinguished
man. Many young ladies have at
tempted to capture the heart of the
! prince, but without success. Iturbide
IS king. in everything except a
| throne. Mrs. 1turbide is in comforta-
BILE circumstances. She and her son,
the prince, have claim that is now
pending before congress for 10000
acres of land in the west. The bill is
before the house judiciary committee
and has prospect Of being favorably
reported upon. The claim originates
with the late Emperor, and is fol
lands said to have been purchased by
him, but afterwards confscated by
the United States government. II
the bill is allowed the prince will have
something more than a name to fur.
ther his profession to the Mexican
throne.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

we din it into your ears long enough,
you will insensibly be affected by it,
and we will win in the end. How
wretchedI How infinitely basel Ap-
proach man with such tale of SIAN
der, cowardly abuse and villification,
and you will pay him the poor COM
pliment of supposing that it
will give him pleasure-that he
will predicate his beliefs upon a
SANDER which is no more apparent
than is its weakly, malevolent
design. This bad habit, these
frightfully mean and wicked NOR
ais are by no means confined
to the newspapers. Physicians, ilaw-
yers, merchants, mechanics, farmers,
and last, but by no means least, poll
ticians more or less pursue it, and
govern themselves by it. 1t is the
weapon of the pigmy. 1t is unmanly
and mean beyond expression. 1t is
unworthy even the savages. Lone
Wolf, Spotted Tail, or Tiger Tail
would scorn its use, and yet we have
the kid-gloved ruffian, the curled, per-
fumed savage who infests society, and
the drawing-rooms of the rich, who
sits in the front peWs of the churches,
and who even kneels at the communion
table, whose daily business is the
cowardly assassination of the reputa-
ton of a man who has no evil pur-
pose in his heart, who is only, it may
be, rendering faithful service to his
employer, and for whose superiority
God himself only is responsible. We
have too much of this thing these
days. 1t is rule which has too wide
an application, and it might be abro.
gated with the utmost propriety. We
would subscribe to such abrogation.
All that decent men can do in such
Juncture is to remain silent, to exhibit
forbearance, patience and forgiveness
A gentleman dare not stain hi
hand in an act of just re
sentiment, and he will no
descend to the impurity o
the weapons used. The ute
want of manhood represented by sucl
policy. The utter and arrant coward
ice, the ruthless hate which scorche
and withers all the manlier, softer an
more human feelings, and which de
stroys the self-respect of the "thiDg
using the means, is SO pre-
found, so lost in the unfathom
!; able littleness and meanness O
he dwarfed nature that eterna
silence always swallows up the slande
and its eowardlY protector, and the
are lost as is the waste from the frictio
of the meaner and baser passions of
human nature, none too good at bes
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Now the things which are seeming

Now the things which are seeming
ly quiet and rippleless in politics are
about to bloom out in a new and in
teresting shape. There will be dozen
or two announcements for first and
second places on the state ticket with
in few weeks at most. The office
holding willingness has become a
mania here of late. Time was once
when men found something else tc
amuse themselves with. They don't
do it now.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

From the Louisville Courier-Journal DEM.
And now let the battle go on. Let
democrats define themselves copiously
and clearly. Let no man be afraid to
speak and speak freely. The star-eyed
goddess of reform, with crest erect and
arms uplifted, holds the lance of truth
over the baffled and covering form of
the painted harlot of protection, and
it is only a question of time when she
will be driven from the temple into
eternal darkness.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
AARON BURR's PISTOLS.
Weapons With B1ood-Stained Record
Owned in This C;fv

Weapons With Blood-Stained Record
Owned in This City.
From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat
Perhaps the most famous and fatal
firearms on the continent are the du-
cling pistols of Aaron Burr. They
are the property of Innis Hopkins, of
this city, having been left him by his
father, Col. Brent Hopkins, who died
at Henderson, KY, on the 7th of
March last. One of these pistols fired
the ball that killed Alexander Hamil-
ton at Weehawken. 1t is identified
by long, deep notch indented on the
handle. The pistols were made by
III. w. Mortimore, of London, Eng
land, gunmaker to his majesty, and
were imported by Burr at the close of
the revolutionary war. The barrels
are thirteen inches long and carry an
ounce ball. They are flint-locks, the pans
for the printing are lined with gold.
and the touchholes are pushed with
the same metal. They are hair-trig-
gers, and shoot with great force and
accuracy. The locks are pieces of
very superior mechanism. The pair
came into the possession of Col. Brent
Hopkins through his uncle Capt.
Samuel Goode Hopkins, of the AID
regiment of United States dragons,
who purchased them from Burr in
Washington City in the winter of 1913
or 1914, paying $500 In gold for them.
The weapons have surely a blood
stained history. They have been used
with fatal effect in eleven duels.
Pettis, of Virginia, killed Biddle on
Bloody Island, near st. Louis, with
them; Edward Towns, of Virginia,
killed a Frenchman near New Or
leans; Capt. Sam Goode Hopkins
killed Spanish consul near New
Madrid. Mo-; Hugh Brent killed a man
from Georgia on Diamond Island. be-
low Henderson, KY, and they were
used several times in Virginia, twice
in South Carolina, and more than once
in Kentucky, with deadly effect.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE country will take another
whack at bankrupt law. An equit-
able enactment of this sort will be
felt as a great relief by many honest,
but unfortunate men. The synopsis
published by The STATESMAN of the
bill which passed the senate on Mon
day seems the ground work of law
which will cover the case pretty com.
pletely.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE Gazette ought to reflect that a
jack-knife would be a whaling big
price for some birthrights, and vast
as is Fort Worth and her interests,
yet the second place on the
state ticket, and in the state
government is something, too. Peter
Smith may have sized up his owaa ca
pacity exactly and the mayora1ity may
be enough for him. If so, we've no
objection to his remaining in it until
the COWS come home, but this little
belittling of Barney Gibbs heritage.
is bad medicine for the place where
the Gazette will lay down in the full
ness of its time.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

NOTICE the papers which have al
ways been considered straight demo
cratic, no doubt as to their adhesion to
the principles of the party, those that
never went off into independentism,
but which always stood by the nom1-
nees of the party. Every one of them
stands by the two. thirds rule. BY
their works We shall know them"
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

PERHAPS, when the News wakes up
to the fact that there are other news
papers in Texas, she will endeavor to
cultivate better understanding with
them. Her only superiority now lies
in her larger cash balance,
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE most wretchedly squeIched pa
triot in Texas is certain militia Off
Ger of high rank. Talk about the inf
mite fiatness of pancake That idea
is mere bungler compared to the
stern and awful reality.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE Hon. John II. Reagan tied up
with Ben Butler in a team-presiden-
tial would be queer affair indeed
1t would be an affair well worth step.
ping round the corner to see. But
there are not many men now on
earth who will live to see the shock.
ing suggestion take form and shape
1t is monstrous,
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE Gazette's cartoon was a horri-
BILE affair, and it will catch merry
blazes from the excellent little papers
it grouped IN the background. How
eyer, The STATESMAN has only one
thing TO complain of-puttiug the San
Antonio Express before any other pa
per Of any character, whatever, was
pure, unadulterated id meanness. 1t
was by the Rood, and there
was no earthly provocation for it that
we could see, as the e. and s. have
been living together for the space of
several days with the most cheering
amibility.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

WILLIS ADAMS is among the break
ers, but it is not thought that he is in
much danger. The result of the ha-
beas corpus trial will be looked for
with interest.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

TIE equality of the Post with tn
the News was never so apparent as on
Sunday. 1t was certainly not judge
NAUTICAL that the form of the latter
was changed without showing up a
better paper than the despised sand
lapper of the bayon.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Hancock.

1t is noticed that some of the news
papers in the district have conceived
the impression that the Hon. John
Hancock viii not be candidate for
denomination to congress. Now this
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Goes Wrong with Him.

From the Palestine WeeIy News.
What a desperately labored attempt
the telegraph compiler of the Austin
STATESMAN makes to be witty and
poetic. 1t would be funny if it Yves
not nauSeating,
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

IF the Gazette doesn't make a
stronger fight for free grass than it is
doing against the two thirds rule, free
grass will have to go, nor will it have
time to stand upon the order of its
going either.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE Fort Worth Gazette is getting
very restless, and it mixes things up
amazingly. In a leader it deprecates
the bringing out of Sui. Ross, says
positively that he won't run, but in
divers and sundry paragraphs it isn't
so very sure. Some of these we tran
scribe for the benefit of the readers of
The STATESMAN. The fact is, the
Gazette is not altogether easy in its
mind, nor will it be until 1t has done
vast deal of explaining and denial
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Finds Fault.

From the Galveston Evening Print.
The Galveston News finds fault
with THE AUSTIN STATESMAN and
San Antonio Express, and the Bren-
ham Daily Banner chips in and finds
fault with the News for finding fault
with the other papers, And SO it
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

Tom CROOKS has a most uncom-
Portable way of sandwiehing his liver
locals in between his editorial para
graphs. II Is ugly in Tom, and looks
bad in the paper.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

From the Gainesville Register.
The AUSTIN STATESMAN, under It's
new management, shines and sparkles,
with its journalistic bon mots, it's par
agraphs and editorials being filled
with point, pith and logic.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE great News looks good deal
like a country maiden who has been
suddenly jammed into a satin dress
with train. 1t handles itself so very
aNkwardly. Will it ewes become used
to it? Oh will it ever.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

MIR. PAYNE would probably be
gratifed should an oak limb snatch his
son up as Absalom of old was stitched.
A stiff in the Payne family now, if it
happened to be Oliver, would not rem
der the new senator entirely incon-
solah1a
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Not MAKING Confectionerv.

From the Gatesville Weekly Advance.
We are not in the taffy manufac-
turing business, but as recognition
of genuine, solid merit will say that
THE AUSTIN STATESMAN is one of the
best dailies in the state. 1t is ably
edited and teens all over with the
cream of the news.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE Bolton Journal is an astonish-
ingly perfect journal geographically,
except in the arrangement of its adj
vertisements. Correct that. neighbor
and be perfect.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

MARION MARTIN is the broken
sunbeam of Texas politics. "laiven
melody, sweet bells tangled, ravish-
ell rose-buds and all that sort of
thing, and a single Galveston News
interview wrought all this ruin.
Young man, go thou and do likewise,
that thy political days may not be
long in the land. the lord, thy Ire
land leaseth unto you, at an eight
Tent minimum.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

IN an article just one column long
the Dallas Herald tells us that misery
has company. Therel That question
is settled. One of the Herald's col
umn leaders will settle anything, as
near as we can come at it.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE atmosphere of Washington is
full of heavy rumors as to the repub
lican candidates. Now, If Arthur
concluded to withdraw the fun would
commence in earnest,
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Gay Young Yves wins Mary's Heprt

From the Chicago news.
The latest rumor from across the
water is to the effect that Miss Mary
Anderson, the accomplished Kentucky
actress, has rejected the matrimonial
offer of Westminster Abbey, a broth
er of Henry Abbey, the theatrical
manager.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE day was little coolish or so
but the patriotic observance Of it was
a warm surging, beerish tide of molten
feeling with but the slightest crust of
propriety spread over it.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

BILL STERRETT's visit here was
not to present an Elliott petition to
his excellency anent that commission
ership, all rumors to the contrary not
withstandinp
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE Kerens Light is the newest,
Let the Light shine, and may its
little ray never be diminished by ad-
versity or choked out of existence by
the sheriff. or ANYBODY else.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
what the Pretty Girls viii Wear

From the New YORK Evening Post.
The old-fashioned gypsy bonnets,
with lace pleatings inside the brim,
and laden outside with wreaths and
sprays of rare French flowers, will be
the head covering par excellence for
the pretty young girls this spring.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

Bro. CRANFILL of the GatesvilIe
Advance is an ardent prohibitionist
and that is the worst thing we see in
his political platform.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
Lively and Spicy.

From the Kerens Weekly Light
The Austin STATESMAN is now one
of the ablest edited, livliest and Spiel
est daily papers in the state.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

THE only advantage we can see in
the News's change of form is, the
old, t1resome and heathenish "fold !"
has been gotten ridden of.