davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
Brutal Work to Earn Funeral Expenses.

CHICAGO, Juno 13.-"I must win this
fight" said Tom Hinch, when he appeared
at the Park Theatre last evening. "My
father died at the county hospital this after
noon, and if am defeated wont have any
money to bury him." The audience ap-
plauded vigorously. Hinch's opponent was
Charles Whisner, brakeman. The fight
was intended to be to finish. Ten rounds
were fought and the fight was given to
Hinch. But few effective blows were de-
livered. Hinch escaped unmarked, but
Whisner's shoulders were covered with
abrasions of the skin. owing to the poor con-
dition of the flesh. Hinch's friends account
for his poor fighting by the feelings Of grief
over his fathers death.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

SIGNATURE OF THE CRoss.-An exchange
gives the reason why the mark which per-
sons who are unable to write ale required
to make instead Of their signatures is in the
form of cross. This practice having for
merly been followed by kings and mobiles,
is constantly referred to ~ an instance of
the deplorable ignorance of ancient times.
This signature is not, however, invariably Il
proof of such ignorance. Anciently The
use of the mark was not confined to litter
ate persons, for among the Saxons the mark
Of the cross is an attestation of the good
faith of the person signing. 1t was required
to be attached to the signature of those who
could write, as we'll as to stand in the place
of the signature of those who could not. In
those times if man could write or read his
knowledge was considered proof presump-
tive that he was in holy orders. The clerl-
Gus or clerk was synonymous with penman !;
and The laity, or people who were clerks
did not feel any urgent necessity for the use
Of letters The ancient use Of the cross was
therefore universal alike by those who could
and those who could not write. 1t was, in
deed, the symbol of an oath, from it's sacred
association, as we'll as the mark generally
adopted Hence the origin of the express
sion, God save the mark" as form Of
ejaculation approaching the character of an
oath
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
aS(ss;s *s5
ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCHES.
Brakemen's Strike.

NEWARK, Ohio, June 13.--The brakemen
of the Baltimore and Ohio r. r. are out on
general strike. The trouble is not on &C.
count of wages, but simply the result OF
reduction of forces on freight trains. The
general reduction was made last night by
removing the front brakeman otfevery train
drawn by mogul engines. Efforts were
made to send out trains with two brakemen.
The brakemen claim that the State law re-
quires one man for every ten cars. Mogul
engines usually draw thirty cars. When
they saw two men would be required to
manage train refusal was made to go out
and the trains wero kept at standstill. An
attempt by officials to send out a train re.
suited in the brakemen congregating, pull
ing the pins, cutting the train in 10 or II
parts, and threading injuries to persons
One official drew revolver and threatened
to shoot, and for time it looked as though
riot was imminent. Two leaders of the
strike were arrested and placed in prison,
but were soon released by advice ofthe COM
pany's attorney, for fear that their coniine-
ment would lead to greater excitement and
further trouble Conductors refused to go
ont without their regular crews and thus
another obstacle was met, and a number of
regular trains held Late in the night a
small train was sent out. There are about
800 brakemen here and all are determined.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
Confession of q Wife Murderer.

VINCENNEs, Ind, June 13.-Fred. Grote-
guth, who killed his wife on June 4th, has
made 81 complete confession Of his crime to
the coroner. He says he is nearly 66 years
DID, that his wife had been quarrelling with
him for years, and he had told her he would
kill her if she did not quit. On the day of
the murder, when he came home 10 dinner,
he found her knitting and she began TO
quarrel with him about his letting pigs into
the yard He caught her by the throat,
and, during the struggle, they both fell out
of the kitchen together. His wife did not
get up after she fell. He went and got q
razor, and when no put it to his wife's
throat she put her hand on his and the
razor cut her throat. He thinks he pushed
the razor hard enough without her help to
cut her throat. He then cut his own throat
several times. He says they may cut his
head Off if they wish to.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

PLUTARCH ON PETRoLEUM.-There is in
"Plutarch's Lives" in the life ofAlexander,
an interesting notice of the petroleum of
Media; l have not found any mention of
this passage in "Plutarch" either in ency-
clopndia or chemical dictionary / tram
scribe the passage from the translation of
John and William Langhorne 18th edition,
London, 1867" and in the district of
Ecbatapa he (Alexander) was particularly
struck with a gulph of fire, which streamed
continually as from an inexhaustible source.
He admired also flood of naptha, not far
from the gulph, which flowed in such abun.
dance that it formed a lake. The naptha
in many respects resembles the bitumen, but
il is much more inhammable. Before any
fire touches it, it catches light from a
flame at some distance, and often kin.
dies all the intermediate air. The Bar
harians, TO show the King its force. and
the subtlety of its nature. scattered some
drops of it in the street which led 10 his
lodgings; and, standing al one end, they
applied their torches to some Of the first
drops, for it was night. The flame conmu
nicated itself swifter than thought, and the
street WAS instantaneously all in blaze."-
". Fl. Deering in Nature.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
FOREIGN NEWS.

The cholera is spreading in Spain, and
appears TO have secured firm foothold in
Madrid
Immense as is The value of the forei gn
trade of Great Britain, it falls short of that
Of the conl trade Of that country.
The publication rthe Queens new book,
"Thc Life and Letters of the Duke Of AL
bany," has been postponed until the au-
tumn.
The India Museum, an annex to the great
building for the exhibition of inventions in
London, has been burned, with all its valu-
able contents.
An earthquake has occurred in the east
ern Caucasus The town of Sikuch was
completely swallowed, and the township
suffered damage to tho extent Of several
million roubes.
The large dredge which was accidentally
sunk in the middle Of the Suez Canal, and
which it has been found impossible TO raise,
will be removed by dynamite. Tho sunken
dredec has put II stop practically to the
navigation OF the canal, hence the necessity
of its destruction.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

SLOW CONVERSION OF TIE JEws.-Thc CONFER
sion of the Jews to Christianity certainly doe.
not appear to be progressing by leaps aud bounds
At the annual meeting of tho society which mn.
dcrtakcs this somewhat Improbable work II wa
stated in the report that the net result Of tn"
special services for Jews held during the rcceH.
East London mission was that three member o'
the Hebrew community had expressed desire I"
become Christians, ''if they could induce their
wives to follow their example,! During the "n-
tire year twelve Jews had been baptised in Lon
don. AS the income of the society is no less than
G35,OO year, cannot help thinking that the
money might have been spent to somcwha. er't'.
er advantage in other ways. There are for ~
stance, many thousands of so called Christians
who are in more pressing need of enlightenment
than the Jews, and who. should fancy might be
converted to religion of some sort or another 81
much cheaper ratc.-L0nd0n Truth.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
A Postmaster Resigns.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 13.-Postmaste or
Slingerland, of Slingerlands. New York, has
rendered his resignation to the Postmaster
General in the following language:
Entertaining, as do, tho conviction that to
the victors belong the spoils,' and admitting that
l am an offensive Ii. e. republican, partisan, 1
hereby resign the position of postmaster, to take
effect when my successor is appointed and qualities.
Permit me to add that while would not, as
partisan presume to make any recommendation
whatever as to who such successor should be, yet
as a citizen beg leave to say that Mr.. -- is 3
defensive g. c. dcmocrstic) partisan, and his ap-
pointment as postmaster would please all the
patrons of Uncle Samuel in this vicinity, whether
they are offensive republican defensive dem
ncrats"
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

Among our Indians the most highly priced
article Of adorament is eagle feathers. They
not only use them for making head-dresses
and ornamenting their blankets, but use
them as money in the purchase of water,
tobacco and other necessarie5 of Indian life.
Among the Blackfeet the mode of catching
them is interesting After holding an eagle
dance the braves" repair to,the mountains,
where each digs pit and covers it lightly
with reeds and grass. A piece OF tough
buffalo meat done up in wolf skin is laid
on the pit After the sun is risen the eagle
swoops down, alighting upon the wolf
skin, which he begins to tear. The Indian,
who is concealed in the pitt reaches out
stealthily, seizes the bird by its legs and
drags it into the pit, where he brushes its
breast with his knees. The return of sue
cessful party is the occasion of great re-
joicing, and the plumage of our bird of lib
erty graces the top-knot of greasy Indian
buck. ITO what base uses, etc."
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
Railroad Train Wrecked by Cyclone.


SIOUX CITY, Iowa, June ia wrecking
train has just left for the scene ofthe wreck
on the Sioux Falls line of the Chicago, Mil
waukee and ST. Paul road. The accident
occurred near McCook, a small station across
the line in Dakota, about seven miles north
west of here. There were two passenger
coaches, Il baggage and mail car. The
train was going at nearly full speed when
struck by the cyclone. Every car was
blown from the track and the engine parti
ally so. There were between 80 and 10 pas
sengers in the cars and most of them mirac-
ulously escaped with slight injuries. i. M.
Scott express messenger, was badly hurt
and is supposed to be internally injured.
An old couple, whose names were not learn
ed, were also quite severely injured but it is
thought not fatally. Nearly every passen-
ger on the train suffered from scratches,
bruises or coDtusions, but save those above
mentioned no one was badly hurt. The
storm was very severe and telegraph wires
are Frustrated in all directions. Along the
Pacific line miles Of wires are lying on the
ground. So far as learned there was no sc.
rious damage to crops or buildings, no
hail accompanying the storm. The wreck
ing train will be late in arriving rs the track
at the scene of The wreck is considerably
torn up, but the above report of the acct.
dent is substantially correct being cleaned
from passengers and railroad men who have
reached the city by private conveyances.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
AN EDINBURGH medical journal calls ut

AN EDINBURGH medical journal calls at.
tenton to the large number of telegraph
operators who become insane, and attrib-
utes the disease in the brain to the effort to
read by sound for long periods. Proof
readers, letter sorters in postoffices, and
the signallers Of trains are all frequent VIC
Tins to the insanity produced by the monot-
onous, constant use of one function Of the
brain. Actors of single part come under
the same category. One low comedian who
had played the same part over 300 Nights
successfully, was struck while on the stage
by sudden imbeclity and was led off, an
idiot. The larger proportion of insane
women in our asylums are the wives of poor
farmers, whose steady labor has no relief by
amusement or reading.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

AUTHORITIES ON PRoNUNcIATIoN.-I
have had recently a long correspondence
with military men as to the pronunciation
of certain army words like aide-de-camp and
rcveile There is great difference in the
schools as to how these words should bepro-
nounced Some of the purest insist that we
should say "adekong" and "revaya."
wrote to Grant, Sherman and Sheridan as
to army usage on these points. They all
agree that in this case we should say aide
de-camp and revalee. They also agree that
in England as we'll as in France it is usage
to say adecong. In the United States the
army and West Point constitute the author
ty on pronunciation.
Speaking of authority" said q theatrical
manager, Matthew Arnold, when he was
here, was asked one evening, What is your
authority for pronunciation in England? p
and he answered, London The questioner
repeated that he meant what dictionary,
what work Oh pronunciation was authority.
TO this Arnold answered, None What
is your authority, then, on pronunciation q
the questioner persisted. London said
Arnold; and no then explained that the
best usage in England was law, and that
London made the law for pronunciation of
all words, because it was the literary. the
political and the business centre of Eng.
land. y Chicago Inter- ocean
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
County Clerk and ex oflicio Clerk of Board
J1mm1Es.- These formidable applianrcsarc mad"

JIMMIEs- These formidable appianrcsarc made.
it appears, in regular gradations of size the th,
largest being known as the Lord Mayor the
Alderman" and the Common Councilman.
The Lord Mayor is 4 feet 3 inches in length. M"
is only used on great occasions, say the breaking
open of strong room or very heavy safe.
The Alderman is 3 feet 3 inches III length III"
Common Councilman about inches shorter. and
as BELTS its lower dignity, not quite 50 stout.
Whatever may be said as to the projected reform
of the city of London our readers will agree with
us that the sooner this corporation is abolished
the better. Passing downward from the Common
Councilman, we come ultimately to the pocket
immy-James the less, III more respectful Ian'
guage-which is about ~ inches in length The
Black Museum specimen is of finely tempered
steel, and hinged so rs to fold in half, - which
condition curate might carry it in his breast
pocket without exciting suspicion. The larger
sizes divide into two or three lengths, which are
screwed together when required for actual n'r.
Some are solid, some OF tubular steel, the latter
construction giving increased lightness without
any sacrifice Of strength. Each end terminates III
n chsel point, the one straight the other slight!
bent.-ChamJcrs' Journal
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
NEWS OF THE DAY.

Secretary Bayard is back in Washington
from his Western trip.
3. X. Bruce will return IL his old Missis-
sppi home and take up permanent quarters
there.
The Union Hotel aud other buildings at
Woodsboro', Frederick county, Md, were
burned yesterday; loss about 10000.
Senator Logan was given serenade last
night by the colored people of the District.
About thousand people were present, and
q speech was MADE by Gen. Logan, in which
he eulogized the colored race.
The State Department was notified yes
terday of the release of Mr.. Charles Van
Bokkelen citizen of the United States,
and an TX consul Of Hayti in New York,
from tho San Domingo prison, in which he
has been confined for about eighteen months
for debt, in defiance of international treaty
obligations.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
VIRGINIA NEWS.

A movement is on foot 10 establish IL line
of steamers between Norfolk and Rio.
The contest for the postmastership of
Danville, between Messrs. Burr and McDear-
man, is to be settled by primary election
next Thursday.
Geo. White, of Lexington, has been APP
pointed clerk of the railway mail service
between Baltimore and Bristol, vice G. M.
Zerkle, removed.
Mr.. Anthony Dibrell, of Leesburg, kill
ed, on Thursday evening last, on the banks
of The Potomac river, gray eagle, measur-
ing seven feet from tip to tip of ts wings
Col ]. Catlett Gibson. recently appointed
L. s. District Attorney for the Eastern Dis
tri"l of Virginia, yesterday qualified before
Judge Robert w. Hughes, and will sn once
enter upon the discharge of the duties OF his
Office
Samuel l.. Graham, who has been APP
pointed u. :. marshal for the western dis
trict of Virginia, was formerly clerk of the
Circuit Court of TaZewell county, and is at
present resident of Buchanan county. He
was one Of the delegates from Virginia to
the Charleston convention of 1860.
Mr.. Charles V. Meredith, who was select
ed 10 conduct the prosecution Of Thomas j.
Cluverius, for the murder Of Fannie Lillian
Madison, has written Il letter to the Rich
mond City Council, in which he says that
under no circumstances will he accept any
compensation for the services he rendered.
Last week boy living with his uncle,
Jack Huffman, mountaineer OF Highland
county, died. it was alleged, from the effects
of fall. The body was exhumed and fatal
knife wounds were found on it. HUFFMAN
disIiked the boy. Several years ago little
girl mysteriously disappeared from the same
house.
Otis Fl. Russell, formerly collector OF
United States internal revenue for the Rich
lrond district, and at present collector OF
customs for the port of Richmond, has been
rendered position under the new collector
but has not yet decided whether he will &C
cept the position or not. 1t is rumored that
the headquarters OF the collector will be re-
moved from Petersburg to Richmond.
Yesterday, for the first time, Gen William
Terry, Superintendent of the Penitentiary,
who has been suffering from an attack OF
paralysis, was informed of the death Of his
son Hairston, lynched by mob for the
murder of young Jeter at Liberty. He bore
the sad intelligence as calmly as anyone un.
der the circumstances could do. During his
attack his mind has been always clear. For
the past few days he has been walking
about.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
Man and Wife Killed by q Mob

OsGooD, Ohio, June 13.-Turner Graham
and his wife, colored, were killed by mob
armed with shot, guns, after midnight OF
Thursday. Graham was barber, and both
he and his wife were addicted to drink and
were quarrelsome, although harmless to
others. They had been away during the
early part of the night, and when they re-.
turned the mob riddled them with shot.
The coroner began an inquest yesterday.
No arrests have yet been made.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

A novel suit has been begun in the Chsuncey
Court in Louisville KY by the filing Of petition
by Matte Palmer against VIM. E. Montgomery,
asking that an alleged marriage between them be
declared void, and that Montgomery be cnioined
from making any claim to her children. The
petition says the plaintiff was married to
Montgomery in 1877, believing him to be white
man. She claims now that he has negro blood in
his veins, and prays that the marriage be declared
null. Montgomery is musician and travelling
lecturer for museums and looks like Circassan
Miss Palmer is the daughter ola grocery man, and
is quite pretty.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

An English workingman, Just past the
middle age, found that his pipe, which for
many years had been great comfort to
him, was beginning to affect his nerves.
Before giving it up, however, lie deter
mined to find out if there was no way by
which he might continue to smoke without
feeling its effects to au injurious extent. He
accordingly wrote to medical Journal, and
was recommended to fill the bowl Of
the pipe one. third full of table salt, and
press the tobacco hard down upon it, as in
ordinary smoking. The result was very
satisfactory. During the process of smoking
the salt solidi(es, while remaining porous,
and when the hardened lump is removed at
the end of the days smoking, it is found to
have absorbed so much of the oil of tobacco
as to be deeply colored. The salt should be
renewed daily.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

THE NEW administration has wisely de-
cided to>save the large appropriation made
by the last Congress to subsidize ocean
steamers. 1t does so upon the ground that
the bill making that appropriation needs
amendments in order that the money may
be expended. The right thinking men of
the country are glad that some means. 5 5s .
been discovered for saving this money not
so much for the money itself as for the rea.
son that all sorts of subsidies are in direct
opposition to the spirit of free and equal in
situations.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

she RUINED HIMSELF fully and forever
By the way he rebuked mother for her
child's crying" said country pastor, in
telling OF the complete failure of promi
nent minister who had come to help him in
protracted meeting. One ought never to
show the least worry, even though dozen
babies may be crying. If the preacher is
,calm and serene and shows that be is not
un9S;sd he can hold the attention of the
oonnrs. lion; but 10 turn upon the poor dis
t ts NJ, ether with savage thrust is a
crin se" which ,c2untry people will be slow to
foraive "n' In I present state of affairs in
~ tI.s.se. II sue must often take their
ch obi u 9th them or remain at home
Richmond, "a, Religious
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
The archaeological societies of Vienna have

put their brains to work on a curious whim,
that Of raising the Persian fleet lost in the
narrow Strait of Salamis $50 years before
the Christian era, 1854 years ago. The
Vienuese evidently have confidence in the
preserving qualities of the briny deep. On
the sublime faith of the idea of Columbus
discovering America, why should not the
same faith lead to the resurrection of a
broad trireme of Egina, or a bronzed beaked
galley of Greece, or one of the hugely high
sterned lofty decked Persian ships. whose
size and number threw them into confusion
before The desperate valor Of the dauntless
Greeks P PHILADELPHIA Times.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

In HIS SPEECH to the colored people who
serenaded him in Washington last night
Senator Logan said: Whatever | have
been able to do to elevate the colored race
and give them the rights of every citizen,
has always been done" And yet the Sena-
tor is on record, when member of the U.
s. House OF Representatives, as saying, that
though a citizen of 81 free State, he not only
supported the fugitive slave law, but was
proud to call himselfn slave catcher. But
the whole history of Mr.. Logan proves that
he will say anything that suits his purpose
for the time being.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13
Another Famine in Southwest Virginia

LYNcHBURG, Va, June 13.-Great dis.
tress for food threatens the people of tina
border counties in southwest Virginia. Corn
the supply of which is their main suppor,
is almost exhausted and is selling at - mar
bushel, and the wheat crop, now nearly
ready for harvest, is so meagre that il vii,
afford but little relief These are the conn.
ties that suffered heavily from drought and
scourge last year.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-13

ONE Mr.. FISHER has just resigned post
mastership in the Indian Territory because
he is an Indian, as the Attorney General
has decided that an Indian can not hold a
federal Office But another Mr.. Fisher, q
negro from Albemarle county, Virginia, has
Just been appointed to federal office in
Washington. This shows that under a
nominally free and equal government q
black man, who was once slave, and whose
ancestors were imported from the African
iungles, is entitled to more rights and priv.
lepes than red man who has always been
free, and whose progenitors were not only
natives of, but owned this entire country.
What a humbug is civil equality under this
government