davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
THIRTY.FIVE KILLED,
Scores Wounded and Over a Thousand
Homeless.
The Terrible Effects of the Tornado That
Visited Mt. Vernon, Ill

MOUNT VERNON, Ill, Feb. Gothic cy-
noon at five o'clock destroyed nearly three
hundred residences and places Of business
and unhouscd from 1900 to l,j0O people. In
the fall of the walls many persons were
buried under the debris, and thirty five
were killed, while twice as many more
were injured, eight or ten so seriously that
their recovery is dcspaircd Of The massive
court house which occupies the public
square in the center of the city was literally
torn to pieces, the walls being twisted and
crushed. The tower was lifted and
dropped TO the westward, and demolished
the handsome pillars that supported IL
entrance. J. W. Wallace, agent Of 90
Southern Express at Shclbyvlle, Tenn,
saw the storm from train window and
described it thus II beheld q fearful
black cloud coming from the northwest
1t was in the shape of a large inverted
cone, and it could be plainly seen TO be re.
volving around an imaginary axis, and at
the same time to be bouncing up and down
through the air, with wonderful and
frightened speed. 1t grew denscr, and the
blackness assumed fierceness that was
appalling. The wind in our Immediate
vicinity was now blowing with an amos.
Incredible velocity, as the cloud was ap-
preaching, causing the standing coaches
TO rock and sway on their trucks like era
die. Men and women on the streets were
blown to the ground. In moment the
whirling cloud arrived at the town and it
could be seen dipping down here and there
and tearing OFF house-roofs, and then ris.
ing higher into the air again like a sway.
ing balloon, it would float along with
lishtnng-like rapidty, but soon
sWoop down again upon tho de
fGnseless little town in another spot, rails
ing the houses and trees, licking the sides
oil buildings and tearing great holes in
them and leaving devastion along every
part Of its course. As the cloud would d D
down and rise again ii would carry trees
upward into the air and throw them to the
ground with mighty force hundred yards
away. Parts of house roofs, trees, boards,
bricks, with IL kinds of debris, were fly
ing through the air at fearful rate
Una N'o pIicu III lucOHBIuOUS HcapS
along the track of the clsud. The
passengers on our train were fright
cned, nnd vcri'aple panic ensued. Wo-
men screamed from fright and rushed into
the arms of their husbands and escorts
for protection. The cloud dipped down on
the north side OF the train and demo-.
lshed house, but just before it arrived
at our position it arose aud p ssed over
us with magical swiilncsS, and dropped
down on the earth to the south of the
train, Whcrc it completely destroyed an
other building and passod on through the
town in It's work Of destruction Thus,
you can see that our train had miraculous
eSrnnn.O
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
HE HIT IT.
How Gas Well Crank Is Getting Wealth
and Fame.

BRADFORD, Pa, Feb. 2l.-Chet Boogher,
character well known in the gas and oil
region as tGas Well Crank' Boogher, has
long declared that he could locate gas ter.
ritory simply by walking over the ground.
If gas existed there it would instantly
make its presence known to him, he said,
by affecting him with a strange tickling
and choking sensation in his throat.
For years he has tried TO impress nat
ural gas operators with the Importance
of this gift of his, but only succeeded in
gaining the reputation of being harmless
but annoying crank. A few weeks ago he
turned up in the Ohio gas and oil fields,
and, it seems, induced some parties to be-
lieve that gas could be found on tract
near Delphos tract generally regarded
as entirely b .rren of both oil and gas.
Boogher declared that it was all he could
do to walk over the tract in question, be-
cause of the officiating influences the gas
under the ground had on him. He took tho
parties to the place and walked with them
over the tract. He was to all appearances
nearly choked to death while crossing
the land. The parties resolved to spend
some moaey in testing the territory, en-
tirely on the strength of his choking. A
well was drilled, Last Wednesday it
struck IA vein of gas. The well was torpc-
doei and responded with flow of more
than 100000 feet of gas day Booshor
is now the lion of that region, and is over
whelmcd with orders for his services in
'rhoking" gas territory. His gift for To-
eating gas by suffocation Bids fair to be
worth more to him than a big gas well it.
sell would be.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
AERIAL NAVIGATION.
DIR. Do Baussets Theories on the Eve Of
Being Tested.


PITTsBURGn, Pa, Feb. 10 DR. Arthur
De Bausset, of Chicago, president of the
Transcontinental Aerial Navigation Com
rany, is in the city pacing contract for
steel 10 be used in the mammoth air-ships
which he proposes to build. Each of these
ships will be GH feet long and l44 feet in
diameter They will be cone-shaped, and
steel balloon. The vessels will cost
sl5O,0O0, and IT is the intention tobuild sew
eral of them. DR.. De Bausset is the in-
ventor Of the aeroplane, as he calls it. He
says 1t is no longer an experiment, but a
fact, and that. during the present year he
will start on voyage Of discovery to the
North Pole and Arctic regions Gan bal.
looms constructed heretofore said he,
shave been of silk, or some fabric used as
Substitute therefor, and inflated with
hydrogen gas or common illuminating
ga'. Instead. Of gas shall
simply use nothing but vacuum,
which is lighter even than pure hydrogen.
II hydrogen is only onc-fouith the weight
of air, and ccal gas only one-half, why use
S''S' "hS"i ~ PuHPlHB bul tuc ar,
vacuum will be produced! Then there
will be no weight to carry except the YES
sci and its attachments. 1t is the atnos-
pheric pressure which | have to coE-
tend with principally in using this
vacuum. Nature abhors vacuum,
and If an inventor were to pump all
the air out of silk balloon he would
have left on his hands nothing but rag
as fiat as pancake. To provide against
the danger of atmospheric pressure shall
build my air ship of steel plates, so thin
as to weigh less in the aggregate than the
air displaced, and yet strong enough 10
withstand the pressure from without
The inventor stated further that he could
easily develop aspeed of l2Jmiles per hour.
If the first voyage is successful he will
ask Congress to pass a bill adopting his
ships along the coast for defense and life
saving purposes.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
Maxwell in Luck.

WAsnISGToS, Feb. 21.-In the United
States Supreme Court to-day tho Chief
Justice gave notice that mandates to en-,
force the decisions of the court would is.
sue in all cases decided previously to Jan
uary except those in which petitions for
rchearing are pending, and those docketed
and dismissed under the snlh rule. In
view of the fact that n petition for re
hearing has been forwarded Out not yet
reroivodD in the Maxwcll-Prollcr murder
case tho issuance of tho mand ite in that
case is postponed, The effect Of this will be
toput off forthe present the execution of the
sentence ofdeath pronounced upon Brooks,
alias Maxwell, by the State court.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
"A LITTLE NONSENSE"

Tutor How is moisture furnished
70 heated air in the furnace?n Student
-'I suppose, OF course, by means of
the hampers. ..-.
In the Alps, -Guidc-"lf the ladies
will only stop talking, your honor may
hear the roaring of the waterfall across
the valley. Fiiegende Biae'ter.
-"Arc YOU pretty well acquainted
with your mother-tongue, my boy"
asked the teacher of the new scholar.
"Yes, sir, answered the boy, promptly.
Mother is jawing at ME from morning
till night
He (after having slipped the en-
gagement ring on her finger) -"And
are you pleased with it. darling?' She
-"Delighted, George! 1t is so different
from any thing of the sort I've ever
had before. ' 1eras Su,ings.
How many of you are there?"
asked = voice from an upper window,
of party OF "waits." -Four" was
the reply. divide that among you,"
said II voice. as a bucket of water fell,
like the gentle dew from heaven" on
those beueath, Cairo Messenger.
One day Ernest had been seriously
lecsurcd by his mother. and finally sent
to the yardao find Il switch with which
he was to. be punished. He returned
very soon and said; couldn't find
any switch, mamma but here $ stone
you can throw at me. -Haper's
Magazine.
Hawkins --"Now, my man, rs
you've had your breakfast, don't you
think you should saw some of that
wood for me?' Tramp-"Are you
crazy, sir? | don't belong to the Wood
Sawyers' Union. and surely you don't
want to be boycotted for employinga
'scabr Life.
The rooster would be a much more
popular bird if he could only be in-
duced to feel that there is no real, vital
necessity for his reporting his where
abouts between midnight and three II.
m. We know that he is at home, in the
bosom of his family, So are we, but
we don't get mp in the night to brag
about t.-Puck.
--Seedy indivilual-"Can | get
position MS canvasscr for that new book
you intend putting out on subscrip-
ton" Publisher--"Do you know any
thing about the bookP" s L--"Yes,
I'm the author; and | thought II |
could get position as canvasser,nI
might lm able Ia make little muncy
| out Of the book. "--Lis
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25

ST. LouTs, Feb. ia special dispatch
says that a mob attacked the Galveston
and Kansas City northbound pas.
Senger ira soon after it left
Fort Worth, Texas, throwing stones through
the windows and injuring several pas
scngers, seriously wounding d. A. Baker,
Of New York. 1t is believed tEe intention
wns to induce the guard to come out Of the
car, kill them, and then rob the train.
Such an attempt was in vain, as 'hc train
did not stop.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
RICH NlEPTOMANIACS.
Persons Who. II They Were Nobodies,
Would lie sent to Jail.

hbuiu Dt StHt 10 Jatis
Every once in a while we hear OF
klcptomaniacs, and pity them or de-
ride them according to their circum-
STANCES. If the victim is poor we de-
ride the idea Of kleptomania and charge
the weakness to common thievery, but
if the victim is rich we are more charit-
able and ready to conccde that there
may be something more in kleptomania
than polite excuse for inordinate
knavery. A story is told of the late
John ID. Dryden, father of the brilliant
and genial Nat c. Dryden, of Troy,
known to all Missourians, that goes
far to illustrate the character of the
kloptomania. Judge Dryden and two
Of his friends were talking one day and
relating incidents growing out of strong
human impulses. One of the men said
that the great struggle of his life was
to, keep sober; that he loved whisky
better than any thing else in the world,
and that it required all the strength Of
will he hal to resist it. The second
man said that his weakness was a love
of spoech-making; thathc would rather
make speech than do any thing else
in the world and that he never saw II
crowd togctt er that the impulse to elc-
vatc his voice and make a speech did
not attack him, Judge Dryden said
that the struggle of his life was to be
honest; that he never saw any thing
that he took a fancy to that the inn
pulse to .ake il did not come upon him
strong He said that if he did not
bring an iron will to resist his
inclnations he would be one Of
the greatest rogues in Missouri.
This, coming from a man who
was a model Of integrity and fair
ness during long active life, is II pow
crful illustration. Some things 90 to
show how much will power has to do
in directing the lives of people, and
how easy it is for people not able to
N'llNcllli dtc llicil Will W ldll NlttlIflS "
their passions. The present Earl of
Derby. an ox-British Cabinet officer,
and one Of the richest men in England.
is IA confirmed klcptomaniac. The
Earl's particular weakness is fer old
silver, and the greater its antiquity and
beauty the more certain it is to find its
way into his pocket. There is a story
TO the effect that once when he was
llneeling at the communion table. only
the ready hand of the rector saved the
quaint old wine cup from sliding up
the Earl's sleeve. 1t is the duty of his
valet to examine his masters clothes
every morning when he has dned ont
the night before. Whatever is found is
taken to the Countess, n beautiful and
good woman, who returns it to the
| owner with Il pretty note of apology
The Earl is quite aware of his unfor-
tunatc weakness, and is said to have
struggled against it in vain. No fear
of detection and exposure makes heavy
his light fingers, and it is said he will
not trust himself to go alone to pub
lie sale where silver is displayed. How
many people with the noble Earl :
weakness are TO be found in everyday
life9 Suppose the head of the powerful
Stanley family were poor and untitled,
would the pleading Of klcptomania
keep him out of the penitentiary?-S.
LOaiS G'obc- Democrat.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
Sheridan Not n Candidate.

WASHINGTON, Feb, l9.-Thc Washington
agent of the Associated Press sought an
interview with General Sheridan this
evening for tho purpose of asccrtaining
whether he would consent to make an
authoritative statement in regard to hi
alleged Presidential candidacy The Gem
eral said that there was nothing that
would induce him. TO leave the profess OF
in which he now is, that he is not candi-
date and that he woud not accept if nom.
mated.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
Retirement OF In, Boy Pianist.

NEW, York Feb. q. Josef Holman, til
marvellous hoy pianist, will not play any
more in public this season, and probabl
not for many seasons TO come. His ncrv
Gus system is on the verge Of breaking
down from the excitement Of so many
concerts following so closely on eachoth
er. 1t was after the concert at the Metro
poltan opera'house on Saturday night
that his father Casimot Holman, came tt
the conclusion that the time had arrive.
when the performances must be abruptly
tonned
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25

New York, Feb. 2).-On Staten Island
exists rather than lives an old man named
Paul Reed, who, according to his wifo and
medical attendants, has been in boi for
nine months, and during that time has par
taken of no solids, and only milk at inter-
walls. He sleeps almost continuously, the
breaks being when he is aroused to take
his liquid nourlshmcnt. On being aroused
he Invariably asks, SIS my faco clean Z"
and without waiting for an answer adds
'lt IS nice day" He i; little more than
skeleton, and his skin is like parchment
year ago he was a big man, standing six
feet three inches and weighing 2iO pounds.
The nature of his malady is unknown.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
BEATING ROTHSCHllD.
a Porcelain Service for which Its Owner
Paid Good Price.

Among the various admirable pro-
ductions of taste which the guests Of
Baron Rothschild never fail to admire
is magnificent service of porcelain,
of singular beauty, elegance of shape
and finish and remarkable for the
artistic richness of its paintings But
the way in which the Baron became
possessed of it is worth relating.
One day an old man, careworn,
wrinklcd feeble and apparently tottcr-
ing on the verge of the grave, pre-
scntcd himself before NJ. de Roths-
child, soliciting the honor of an inter-
view with the famous banker The
aged visitor took from his bag Il rich
and beautiful plate, so splendidly
wrought that the Baron admired it eX-
ceedingly and became greatly delighted
with it.
Sir" said the patriarch, will You
buy this of me? | have whole set,
and it has struck me that Il service SO
beautiful can not find more fitting
place than in the mansion of the prince
of iinancicrs."
at is indeed very fine" said the
Baron. "Elow much do you want for
the scrvice?"
Look you, sir" said the old man.
81 am bowed down with many years
and have not long TO live. l am poor,
and wish to end my days in compara-
tive comfort viii you in exchange
for this valuable porcelain give me an
income for life of one hundred francs n
month";" .rf ..I.-..... a..... .
The Baron looked at the poor man.
examined the plate again, and said:
"Well. be it 50; here is the first pay
mcnt, Send me the service, and give
me your name"
The splendid set of porcelain was
delivered the same day TO the Baron
and month aftcrward, while he was
seated in his counting house, man
entered and asked for the second pay
mcnt OF the promised income. But
the man was young, scarcely thirty
! years of age, of II vigorous constitu-
ton and great muscular development,
looked rs if he would live for II hun
drcd years. e.---
But you are not the man." ex-
claimed the astonshed banker.
Excuse me, Baron" said he, II am
indeed the man."
.'But you appeared at least eighty
years DID," said the Baron.
al have wonderfully recovered" OBJ
served the man, "thanks to your gen.
erosity." .- ......
The Baron laughed heartily, and
gave orders for the payment of the
money, exclaiming: 'A5.. .
"Ah, you are an excellent comedian
and have taken me in thoroughly"
Il am probably the first who ha:
done so." replied the jew, politely
bowing to the millionaire. Lontio,
Standard.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
A CYCLONE,
Two-Thrds OF Mt. Vernon, H., Wrecked
and Many Persons Killed and Wounded.

and Many Persons Killed and Wounded.
MT. VERNON, Ill, Feb. 19.-At about five
o'clock this afternoon tornado struck
this town and left it in ruins, killed fifteen
to twenty people, and it is feared many
more than are now known to have been
killed will be found among tho ruins of
the buildings. Fire immed atcly broke out
all over the city amid the ruins, spread
ing rapidly owing to the damage done 10
the engines by the wind The storm
passed from the southwest, and had IA
rotary motion. 1t swept down with fear.
lul fury, striking just south of the City
Fall, then carried away the third aad
fourth stories of the Mt Vernon IN H.
From there il swept on in path five hun
dred yards wide. The Methodist church
fell just few minutes before $50 people
had left the Sunday school room. The Com
mercial Hotel lost its third story. Next the
wind struck the county courthouse and
rendered it heap OF ruins. Byrare luak
however, the county records were saved
The public square is in the center of the
town, the courthouse is in the center of
the square, the school building is in the
northeast corner of the city, and all
the dwellings in that portion of the
city are destroyed, and the ruins
of some are still burning. In all five
hundred buildings are destroyed and
many others injured. The dead AFRO now
being gathered at the supreme court
house, which has been converted into n
hospital for the dead and wounded. This
building is also damage |, but not seriously
Tho latest reports show twenty-ninc dead
and about one hundred injured, some OF
whom will die before morning.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
BY TIE CARLOAD.
Wholesale Robbery on the East Tennes-
see, Virginia and Georgia Railroad,
and No Arrests Madc.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Feb. 11.-One of the
boldest robberlcs that have tecn commit
ted in this section for several months oc
CURED on the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia road to-day. Early this morning
through freight train left this city for Chat
tanooga. When near London, whole car
was cmpticd of its contents, consisting Of
boots, shoes, dry goods, etc, amounting
to nearly 5000. The goods were scattered
along the road for several miles. When
the thieves had thrown off all they wanted,
at the point of pistols, the train men were
frightened and the robbers escaped. Some
OF tie goods have been recovered, out no
arrests have been male.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25


THOMAS WALTnAM found Jim Blakcney
in his bedroom with his wife, near 81
Louis. Blakcney in trying TO escape sho
Waltham and one of his children. The in
jured husband shot and killed Blakeney
and fell morta!ly wounded.
A Swiss and Italian syndicate has beer
formed which will advance the Italian
Government $1,000, ,00J francs to enable il
to complete the Smplon railway tunne
and tho railway lines which will connec
herewith.
Rev. S. Ii. CATE, of Chattanooga, Tenn.
committed suicide by drinking poisoned
whisky.
MORE than Sl,00o00J is what the Reading
strike has cost miners, railroadcrs, iror
workers and proprietors.
DANIEL O'DAY and his son, who wer,
sent to the Albany penitcntiary year age
from Chattanooga for five years for
counterfeiting, have been released.
W. H. DURHAM, wealthy banker OF
Charlottesville, Ind, has been assessed
$500 for failing to list S13) 0)1 worth OF
property for taxation. lie will now be
compelled to pay the back taxes and pom
alties for several years
WM. MoRRIs, n young man, was fatally
shot while struggling for the possession
OF arevolvcr. The accident occurred neal
Delhi, o., and is the result of boys play.
JouN and Henry Smith were killed al
Bcntonville,. Ark, by an Indian whom they
attempted to arrest. The Indian then es
caped.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
Fidelity Rank Matters.

CINCINNATI, Feb. 19-Thc application Of
Ben Hopkins, of the Fidelity Bank, for Il
new trial has been overruled by Judge
Sage, aud the prisoner must now be sen.
fenced. Mr.. Hopkins says he will never
leave the Jail alive. There will bo no moro
prosecutions against Fidelity Bank offend.
ers. The indictment against Eugene Zim.
norman has been nollioi, and Miss josie
Holmes will be released,
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25

II chnplain of the House at Wash
syas absent the other day on ac-
illness. When the Speaker call
|e House to order the members rose
|ual to await the prayer. The clerk
IN to read the journal, but u good
y members stood for some time in
fentsattitude, not noticing that the
stoned prayer was not being Of
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25

LIMA, o., Feb. n-This afternoon, Il
forty horse power boiler on the Watt farm
pumping station of the Stan lard Oil Com
pany exploded with terrific force, shatter-
ing the building and seriously injurinS
three men, David Gleason, Daniel Collins
and Patrick McCrary The latter was
buried under a mass of brick, mortar
and lumber, and is probably fatally in
jured. Thomas Langham was also badly
injured The cause of the explosion is un,
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
IhrN IInCI Ihn SInuns

PoRT JARVIS \. Y, Feb. 20.-During the
absence of DR., d. d, Wickham and family,
thieves took possession Of their residence,
taking the valuable contents away little
at tim. until there was nothing left but
the stoves. Through the express COM
pany the goods were located in BROOKLYN
and recovered. A kog of powd'r was
found ia the house, showing that it was
the thieves intention to blow it up to re.
move all traces of the robbery.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25

CINCINNATI, Feb. 81 The District Attor-
ney in the United States Court moved a
uollc of the Indictment against j. w. vii.
shire, charged with violating the Tn tied
States banking law, in connection with +.
l.. Harper, of the Fidelity National Bank,
on the ground Of inability to prove the
charge. The court allowed the motion,
and Mr.. Wiltshire and his bondsmen are
released
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-25
A SECOND STRIKE
Threatened by EeadIng Miners as All Have
Not Been Given Work

louisville, Pa, Feb 91.-Reports from
all parts Of the Schuylkiil region indicate
that thcre are fewer mon working at tho
mines today than yesterday ia conse
quence of new troubles arising because of
the Reading Company's peremptory re-
fusal to take back all the old men, as was
understood by the Corbin lewis settle
ment. A second minors strike may occur,
unless all tho men arc given work. The
Congressional Investigating Committee
went to Shenandoah this morning to in
vesligate at once into his new trouble,
serious consequences.