davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
THE BANK ROBBERY.

It was the invariable custom of the
night Waterman of the Merchants and
Mechanics Bank at Clio to throw open
the front doors and raise the curtains at
n o'clock each morning. By that time
all the stores were open and the streets
full Of people. From u o'clock to S he
swept and busted, and the bells had
scarcely struck the latter hour when the
bank officials began to arrive Then
the Waterman went home, the doors were
closed, and at nine o'clock the bank was
ready fer business.
One September morning the cashier,
teller, and two of the clerks arrived to
find the heavy front doors still closed.
Peter, the Waterman, had been in service
nine years, and this was the first time he
had oversight his hour. The grocer on
one side and the shoe man on the other
had pounded on the bank doors at a
quarter to eight, and not receiving any
response, were certain that something out
Of the way had occurred. There were
nine Of us who entered the bank as the
cashier unlocked the doors. The curtains
had not yet been raised when we knew
that robbery and murder had taken place
When we got the full light we saw Peter
lying on his back on the floor outside of
the railing. He was fully dressed, and
had been struck on the back of the head /;
and the blow had crushed in the skull.
The body was cold, showing that death
had occurred some hours before.
Further investigation proved that the
door Of the vault had been drilled aud
blown open, and that the bank had been
robbed of every dollar Of its cash on hand.
Taking the loss OF bonds, stocks and
cash, the aggregate was about $50, 900,
about half Of which fell upon the bank.
Burglar tools, fuse, flask of powder and
other articles were lying about, and on a
desk we found the loaded club which had
dealt Peter his death blow. when we
came to investigate as to how the robbers
had effected an entrance everybody was
at sea. They could only have come and
gone by the front door. None Of the
windows had been raised, the back door
was heavily barred, and the door leading
TO the cellar had not been tempered
with.
Peter had no key to the lock Of the
front door. He could open it from the
inside, but not from the other. The
caskier and bookkeeper, both old and
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
Mysterious Deaths at Sea.

- great deal has been done, said an
old sailor the other day, "to improve the
lot of the men before the mast since first
went to sea as a cabin boy, and when
ever "A complaint is properly lodged
against u cruel officer I must say it is
fairly Investigated. Yet, for all that,
there are plenty Of murders committed
to-day on the high seas that have never
been investigated, because % complaint
is made. Every day one og two vessels
come into this port with a shorter crew
than they started out With and their
Captains reports of seaman fell over
board and was lost, or cabin boy killed
by falling spar, or 'coal-passer died from
heart trouble and was buried at sea, are
accepted as perfectly satisfactory. No
investigation is made into the death, IN
less some one lodges a formal complaint.
It's an easy matter for one man who has
q grudge against his mate to shove the
other overheard If they are both up in
the rigging IN dark and stormy night.
The unseen cutting of a rope is often
enough to do it. 1t Is easy TO drop a
block or a marline-spike on the head of
man below that viii knock him dazed
into the water to drown, or down to the
deck TO smash his skull Heart trouble
covers a great deal of insufficient nourish-
ment, lack of medicine and overwork.
This is not the way things are done on
land You have your Coroners here to
investigate sudden deaths, why should
they not look into deaths at sea? Many
poor towards would tell the truth against
their officers, if they were thus forced
to do so, who would not dare to come
forward and lodge a complaint they might
be unable fully to prove
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
PITH AND POINT.


Intense--A circus.
Merely a matter of opinion-The
Judges decision.
There are timid tourists who will not
80 up the Nile, fearing a cataract in the
eye.
Mrs. Jason-"You think you know it
all, don't your Mr.. Jason-'I know
heap more than did before was married,
I am sorry TO say. n-TSTTe HdUte Gazette.
In summer hours her hand he sought
When they together played at tennis;
The winter TO the maiden brought
A richer beau, whom soon she caught
And now the first ones name is Dennis.
Il beg your pardon, madam. but you
are sitting on my silk hat, - exlaimed q
gentleman. ooh, pray excuse me; ]
thought it was my husbands. n-CAam-
5ers's Journal.
''Fond of beasts?" asked Mr.. Turn1p-
tops of Miss Belinda. Dear me-" re
piled the lady. "If that's intended for
declaration, you must really speak to my
mamma Boston Gazette.
Boastful Dude-'I am glad you ad-
mire my scarf pin. The stone has a his
tory. 1t was intimately associated with
an ancient Hindoo family" Cynical
Friend examining the stone critically
Gone of the windows of its palace, sup
posel'-Jelcelers' WeeklY.
Husband-"What does the newspaper
say about the big fire of last night''
Wife Creading the morning paper)-"lt
says the boiler burst, and then the scene
that followed baiiled description. H
rs that all2" W.-"No; two columns
of description follow that. "-Blade.
Manager-shy dear Miss Flashlight,
it will never do at all for you to wear
that diamond necklace in the role of a
beggar girl" Miss Flashlight Cthe star
-"Wen, if that's the case the piece will
have to be changed. Why didn't you
tell me of this before I had gone to the
trouble of studying the part."-7eTre
Haute Express.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
WOMAN'S WORLD.
PLEASANT LITERATURE FOR
FEMININE READERS.



A quaint old fashion has been recently
revived in the wearing of small side
combs. Many of these are costly trifes,
sold by jewellers for sums ranging all the
way from S. to $50 apiece. They are
fragile bits of tortoise-shell, with gold
tops, IN variety of designs, the more
expensive ones being set with pearls,
diamonds, or other stones. Holding back
stray side locks, they have the merit of
being useful as well as ornamental, so no
lady with a full purse need want a reason
for buying.
Hghback-combs are also in favor.
Some have square gold tops finished in
scroll or beading. Others are arched
In various designs, sometimes entirely of
gold, but often deliberately set with gems.
Latticed patterns with a small diamond
set in each intersection are shown. Held
up to the light, these tops show rich
colors, like stained glass, resembling in
miniature some Gothic cathedral window.
Othercombs sre set with miIk-white pearls
or sparkle with a row OF larger brilliants.
For those who prefer them are shown
an equal variety of costly hair-pins. Some
of these have perforated tops into which
any handsome brooch may be fastened.
Others may be detached from their tops
by loosening a small screw, when the up
per part can be used as a breastpin.
Daisies and pansies with diamond dew
drops in their hearts, or the favorite clus-
tar Of sweet-peas, may be used for orna-
mentation. Like the others, they may
reach extravagsnt values, but they are
also temptingly beautiful.
All these finest goods are of French
manufacture. 1t is said that they could
not be reproduced in this country,
especially the enamels, which are works
of art Chicago Ne1os.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
Brine Her Elixir of Life.

Julia Ann Houghtaling lives in coal
shed at Stanfordville, n. Y, alone, and
without the bare necessaries of life,
though past ninety years of age, sternly
resenting all proffered assistance and tax
ing a daily bath in brine, which she be-
lever to be the elixir of eternal life.
She is the descendant of a family
whose personal oddities have become
Legendary. The first to gain E place in
local chronicles was Moses Talmadge,
who conceived the strange notion that
there was no good reason for death. As
a preventive of dissolution he instituted
a system of brine bathing, which his de
scendants have reigiously preserved. He
married twice, and one son became a
justice of the peace, in which capacity he
distinguished himself by continually
quoting Solomon and announcing himself
as inspired from heaven to administer
Justice to mankind The people had an
abiding belief in the fanatic, but their
superstition received a shock when both
Moses Talmadge and his son passed into
the world beyond notwithstanding the
boosted potency Of brine baths.
Julia Ann Houghtaling, the subject of
this sketch, is the great-granddaughter of
Moses Talmadge and the only survivor
of her eccentric family. She inherits all
the peculiar notions of her ancestors, and
appears to have evolutionized into more
advanced forms of belief, having adopted
the theory that the land belongs to every
body, and therefore the payment of rent
is an obsolete custom to be frowned out
of fashion. There is hardly a rentable
house in the village of Stanfordville that
she has not been evicted from. A year
ago she was evicted from house owned
or controlled by man named Rogers.
Her worldly goods were placed by the
roadside, where they have since been ex-
posed to rain and blizzard, and have
crumbled and settled into a shapeles.
mass. Penniless and homeless she made
her way to a coal shed, where she took
up her quarters unlimited, and where ]
found her sitting by a small stove anc
reading an old newspaper. She Is tall
and very thin, with silvery white hair
and deep set blue eyes sparkling with
vitality. She greeted me kindly, and
upon solicitation explained in detail the
virtues of brine baths, whose efficacy to
preserve life she attributes solely to the
preventative qualities of salt. Before !
left she pressed me to come and see her
again at the expiration of fifty years,
saying that then l would not doubt that
she possessed the true and only 'elixir of
life. "-N5lo York Herald.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

Il was a week before anything further
was said. I had saved my good time
and was almost ready to go. -Four days
before was granted my liberty Hatch
handed me a piece of paper on which he
had written about dozen figures and as
many letters of the alphabet, and said:
at is to my mother. She will under
stand it. If you can get this out with
YOU and mail 1t to the address on the
back, enclosing your own address, you
will receive at least $1,000 within week.
That shoe man is my pard. If he is
working the Governor it is to beat me.
III take the chances of trusting you. We
were in a big diamond robbery in Lon
don last year, and the swag is secured in
New York. If this gets to the old woman
she will put it in a safe place"
''But the address is Chicago" l said,
as l got a look at it.
"That's all right; she'll understand"
he said.
1 had a sore finger, and carried the
note out hidden in the rag wrapped
around the digit. Invent straight to Clio,
put the paper in the hands of the bank
officers and detectives, and after working
over the cipher for three days we were no
wiser than at first The address was:
ssAlrs. Ann Walsh, Chicago, H." and
on the second day after our arrival in
Chicago a woman dressed in mourning
called at the ladies window and inquired
for the name. We followed her to a sa-
loon and restaurant on State street and
discovered that she kept house up stairs,
while her son, young man of about
twenty-five, ran the business below.
The place was looked upon by the Chicago
police as suspicious, and with their aid
search warrant was procured and search
made. In tin box in an old trunk IN
the garrett we found the securities stolen
from the bank at Clio. Jordan Hatch's
right name was Billy Walsh, and the
woman was his mother and the young
man his brother. Both claimed entire
ignorance Of the securities, proving that
Billy had the run Of the house when
home and that he had every opportunity
to bring home and conceal stuff. 1t was
not until after their acquittal that we
found the key to the cipher. The note
then read:
''Put the swag into safe place at
once. Don't reply to this. "
Hatch had promised me a thousand
dollars, but he did not mean should get
it. Mother and son both knew he was
in prison, but were afraid to visit him for
fear of being suspected of having the Sc
curities.
Upon leaving the prison the men were
tried for murder and robbery. They ad-
mitted the robbery, but denied the muir
der. They explained that they knocked
on the bank doors, and told Peter that
his wife was dying. In his confusion he
opened the door and both pushed in, and
as he staggered back he fell and hit his
head on the tile floor 1t had been SO
long sincr the murder and their lawyer
made such plausible theory that they
were acquitted of murder though doubt
less guilty, and sent for fifteen years
apiece on the other charge.-Ne'o York
Sun.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
A SMART "cow-wo,lAN."


So much has been written recently
about the exploits of Belle Starr and
other daring women on the Western
ranches that it Is only fair to say a word
about the most famous ''cow-womann of
Texas. She IS Mrs. Mary c. Evans, the
sister Of Buck Taylor. known through
Buffalo Bills Wild West Show as the
king of the Cowboys" She made her
appearance at Willow City, Texas, twenty
four years ago, when that place was a
frontier town. At that time the Indians
were making raids every month, killing
and scalping the early settlers and driving
off their stock. The Taylor children,
Mary, Bax and Buck, lost their parents at
an early age, and Mary was raised by her
aunt, Mrs. Ives. Injured to the hardships
of frontier life she soon learned to take
care Of herself, and at the age of fifteen
was able to ride the worst bronco, or
rope the most refractory old COW in the
county.
At the age of sixteen Miss Mary married
T. A. Evans, and moved on to the ranch
VI W lL4ldlAl DlltllOls bli NLdD ADll4t NItth.
She took charge of eighty cows, milking
thirty-fye daily and doing her house
work at the same time She often had to
climb the fence to save herself from the
horns Of some wild COW, but she always
managed finally to get her rope upon the
animal and bring her to terms. Buck
Taylor, King of the Cowboys, has nothing
to boast Of above his sister as an expert
with the rope She never ropes on
horseback, although she is fine rider.
She is the eldest of the three Taylor chill
dren. is thirty-tive years old and scarcely
looks thirty, although the mother of nine
children. If the horses are out Of the
way she thinks nothing of walking five
miles TO Willow City for any supplies she
may need She can throw the tie mark
and brand 4 yearling without help, and
iAot - a. - : H. -t,si-, Itav cs
time to her husband to look after the
farm. The Evans ranch and farm is
about five miles from Willow City, and
a hearty welcome always awaits stranger
there.-NeD York Sun.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

1t has been fairly tested that this weight
of wool can furnish in fine yarn eighty
four thousand yards, lacking but eighty
yards to complete for5y-eight miles. This
at the time-more than one hundred
years ago-was regarded as a triumph of
skill, and it was said by more than a score
of mistresses in the art of spinning that
the worthy dame of East Dereham, Nor
folk, could not be beat. This was con-
sidered SO great curiosity that the Royal
Society of England did not hesitate to
make honorable record of it
Since then, however, another lady ''has
spun a pound of combed wool into
thread OF one hundred and sixty-eight
thousand yards; and more than this was
her success Of producing a thread two
hundred and three thousand yards long
from she same weight of cotton. Her
ball unrolled would measure one hundred
and fifteen miles. If this ball Of COTTON
thread had been woven it would have
made twenty yards of muslin one yard IN
width" !
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

The fancy for decorative picture frame.
continues.
Spray brooches and floral brooches art
as fashionable as ever.
In silverware for the table forms re-
main for the most part low and fiaring
A popular style in silver tableware IS a
combination OF the bright finish Win
chased work
Plush Is shown in all the new shades 10
make up in association with new spring
dress fabrics.
Embroideries as well as other oFna ma,
ments are much mingled with goid anu
other metals.
From four to six inches Is suitable
width for skirt hens that have Insertions
or tucks above them
The ferruIe at the top of the new para
soils is very long and pointed IN Parasols
that have cane handles
The close Princesse dress will contest
favor with the Directoire redingote for
street wear this season.
Parasols of faille, in green or gray
shades, are made to match many Of the
new spring dress fabrics
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

The condition Of the 1900 prisoners in
Sing Sing On. " Prison, suffering en-
forced idleness, becomes more and more
serious and pitiable. "Insanity," in the
opinion Of the New York Post, "must Of
necessity increase Walking is the sole
diversion-walkng in file in horrible
monotony. At the present rate in the
development Of insane cases there viii be
seventeen or eighteen cases this year
There are 800 men each night troubled
with insomnia.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

Stanley IS, Of course, wei understood
to be the agent Of England in Africa, and
certainly England, the New York Com
zereial Adbertiser believes, could not have
q more capable and energetic man to look
after its affairs in quarter of the globe
toward the partition Of which among
themselves various European powers are
now rtrainiug every energy, each in its
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

The American Consul at Acapulco as
serts that one Of the reasons why the
United States fails to successfully com
pete with Germany and England for
the trade Of Mexico is because our
manufacturers and merchants insist upon
endeavoring to sell by circular instead of
by sample, and also because we disregard
the conservatism.of Mexican buyers, VINO,
once accustomed 10 buying things made
in certain way, cannot be induced to
change to another article, no mstter how
superior it may be In other words, his
advice is to consult the prejudices of the
Mexicans and not attempt to impose
american tastes and ideas upon a people
zsssptant 70 accept them.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
An Island That Floats.

{, of the most picturesque and re-
Unable bodies of water in the world is
Henry's Lake in Idaho. 1t is situated on
the dome of the continent in depression
in the Rocky Mountains called Targee's
Pass. 1t has an area of forty square
miles, and all around it rise snow-capped
peaks, some of them being the highest Of
the continents backbone In the lake is
a floating island about 800 feet in diane
ter. 1t has for its basis mat Of roots so
dense that it supports large trees and
heavy growth of underbrush- These roots
are covered with several feet Of rich SOIL
The surface is solid enough to support the
weight of a horse anywhere and there are
places where house could be built Inc
wind blows the island about the lake ana
it seldom remains twenty-iour hours III
the same place.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

The late Aaron White, by whose viii
each county in Connecticut receives $1,000
for law library purposes, was known
widely for his copper coin mania, whic
was first revealed when two men were
sent to prison for stealing 500 from his
hoard, but there was great establishment
after his death when his administrator
shipped from the village station five tons
Of copper coins.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
The Seal Fisheries.

The recent heavy capture OF seals of
Newfoundland will not, despite reports to
the contrary, make sealskin sacks any the
less expensive next season. 1t is indeed
difficult to disassoc ate the seal from the
sack constructed from his outer covering,
but only seals from certain localities may
be used for this purpose, and seals caught
off Newfoundland are not of that kind.
1t IS the Alaskan seal and the japanese
seal whose fur is available for feminine
wrap.
Yet the catch is one of moment For
there are most important uses to which
these seals are to be put Though the
Arctic seal, as these are called, is covered
with hair, long and coarse, and thick and
bristly, vet scraping this off the skin it
self becomes valuable for tanning purposes
For that it goes principally to Great
49,. Here it is Used for the most part
manufacture OF pocket books and
shoes.
below the skin lies layer Of fat
as the pelt. This might almost be
the seal itself, for all that lies be-
fphis is a thin membrane and then
FINALS bone and framework and di-
apparatus. These form but a
Bart of him. An excellent quality
1t is known as seal oil IS extracted
lhe pelt, and the tallow-like sub
= that remains has a value com
tally.
Sse Arctic seals whelp in the north
latter part of February and drift
IN the ice in the early spring. As
melts in more temperate regions
flung seals drop off into the water,
se then sufficiently grown to take
themselves 1t is the object of
llers to capture the little animals
as ''white coats while still on the
= ice. This is on their first trip.
on the larger animals, up to the $50
Is male, known rs the hooded seal,
united. The ''white coats, not over
feet long and of forty to fifty pounds
hit, make little resistance, and are
killed by blow over the head.
seal fishery will be most profitable
ar Ouc u tlle Vessels just re-
to port has a cargo of %, 900 seals.
rarket value of these is something
apiece. Allowing for the running
eses of the vessel, the proportional
gof the catch to the vessels officers
few, yet the profit to the owners
e an exceedingly neat one.-Ne1O
Mall and Express.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

The Rev. T. Dewitt Talmadge has
simple and easy pian for converting the
world TO Christianity. j Is for each
Christian TO secure one COZ Fert and each
one Of the converted to do the same. He
calculates that If this Is done every year
Tor a decade the /, 400, 600, Coo people of
the earth could be brought into the
Christian fold and that the close Of this
century viii witness the dawn OF the
millennium.
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

The newspapers Of Porto Principe and
sancti spiritus, the principal cattle
breeding sections Of Cuba, urge the cattle
men 70 devise some plan by which the
surplus Of their herds may be exported.
especially to the United States, where, 1t
IS said, they would ind renunerative
markets
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

American cotton oil Is becoming val
liable and acceptable substitute for dearer
products in the markets Of the world
Prejudice against it, states the Chicago
SIN, Is being steadily overcome. The
factories under way are being hurried
along. Demand IS increasing. Stocks
are small As q substitute for lard it
promises to become a valuable article of
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

Guest-''Don't put on any of your top
lofty airs with me, sir, or I shall be
obliged to take you down peg. You
don't know who l am, do your
Clerk-''No, sir, and 1 don't care a
continental rap who you are"
MY name is Jackson. I'm the dia-
mond expert"
Clerk (who wears a brilliant imitation)
-"Ah, yes, 1 beg your pardon, Mr..
jackson. Certainly. We can move you
down to the parlor floor and give you an
elegant front room. Don't say anything
about this spark of mine, viii youl"-
Chicago Herald
The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05

statistician MulhaIl calculates that the
next census will show in the United
States a population Of $4,000, 900, an
energy of 100, 600, 600, 900 of foot-tons
per day, and SIC, 600, 600, 900 of accumu-
lated wealth. No people in all history
have ever made like showing.