davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call., 1891-08-30
WILLIAM TELL.
Anniversary Of The Foundation Of The City Of
Berle.

Switzerland has been lately celebrating In
the canton Of Schwytz the sixth centenary
OF Its independence as a nation, and on the
18th of August the city OF Berne celebrated
the seven-hundredth anniversary of the
foundation of the town. This is an an
tiquity which reaches beyond the legendary
epoch. for Berne was founded in 1191, and
the famous hunter of Uri is said to have
tourished in 1907, and to have been men,
Der of the League of tie Three Cantons-
Uri Schwytz and Unterwaden-which
finally drove the Austrians from the Alps.
But the Tell legend, like so many of the
Old and new historic tales. is now gen.
orally abandoned. 1t was observed that the
old Swiss chroniclers did not mention the
story, and its first full statement did not oc-
cur until the middle of the sixteenth CEN
tury. This covered it with certain sus-
picion, which has gradually developed with
the demonstration that the Tell tale" is
one OF the legends common to the Aryan
people, and is found in its chief elements
in the Persian, Icelandic, Danish and En-
glish poetry. tradition, saga and ballad.
1t is none the less an inspiring and SYM
bolic tale of heroism. and the same tendency
OF history to legend is curiously illustrated
In this country by the story of the mysteri-
GUS whlte-hared warrior who suddenly ap-
peared in Hadley during an Indian attack
upon the village in King Philips war, and
led the villagers to victory. Mr.. George
Sheldon Of Deerfeld, Mass, in a paper pub
lished few years since. traced the story to
foot-note in Hutchinson's history refer
ring to legend in Governor Leverett's FAM
lily. But. examining dates, he discredits
the story. Yet the figure of the regicide can
not be dislodged from the popular imagina-
ton, nor Hadley divested of the charm of
the tradition. William Tell and the regi-
eide are as immortal as the heroes of
Homer.-Harper's Weekly.
The morning call., 1891-08-30

versation and is highly popular. Her excel
lent taste in dress reserves the subdued
though excellent costume that characterizes
the lady"
A few months after they left the White
House Mr.. Polk died in June, 1S49, and the
widow continued to reside at their recently
purchased house in Nashville, which is now
known as the "Polk Place"
Here she lived in solitary state for many
years, finally adopting niece as companion
in the big home. Gradually Withdrawing
herself from society and finding her eonsola-
ton in the Presbyterian faith, she lived
calmly and quietly in her own quaint and
saddened way, and though she was bonored
by nearly every official or social organiza-
she did not allow herself to be drawn from
her solitude. The civil war aroused her to
warm espousal of the Confederate cause,
and though that war swept away much Of
her property, she still retained enough to
serve her wants, and, with her pension as
the widow of President, to maintain her
large home establishment.
The POLK Plrce" property was be-
queathed by Mr.. Polk to the State, which
holds it in trust for the use and benefit of
the next OF kin, who has TO keep it in repair
and pay such taxes as may accrue upon it.
She was buried from the old home stead on
Sunday last, on which occasion the large
house, the approaches and lawns, were
filled by the multitude assembled to do rev.
erence to the honOred dead.
The morning call., 1891-08-30
Mrs James K. Polk.

to their Tennessee home when the House
was not in session. OF her influence over
Mr.. Folks life at this time too much cannot
be said. A handsome, cultivated, winning
woman, she became general favorite in
Washington society, and gathered around
her men and women whose fame and station
made them desirable as friends and useful
as helps TO her husbands growth in politi-
cal importance;
1t is not saying too much to infer that her
qniet womanly influence and her deep faith
in her husbands excellencies of character
made him hosts of friends and helped him
on considerably in that movement which, in
1914, eliminated in his becoming President
of the United States, and in her gracing the
position of mistress of the White House, a
change in life in which she maintained a
dignity and deeorum which was more open
to comment for its simple calmness than
blamable for OstentatiOn or display.
or Mrs. Polk's appearance at this time an
English lady visitor to the White House
furnishes the following picture: Mrs.
Polk Is very handsome woman. Her hair
IS very black and her dark eyes and COM
plexion remind me of the Spanish donnas.
She is well read. has much talent for con-
The morning call., 1891-08-30

haleful gleam Of that white eye that stuck
Out. read the papers with breathless in
terest, and the story of his crimes and the
accounts OF different victims, with all their
terrible details, are fresh in my mind to-day,
and though l have now reached years of
maturity and am no coward, so vivid was
that youthful impression that l am not
ashamed to confess that were | to learn to-
Gay that Jesse POmeroy was at large /
should undoubtedly experience some return
to that early terror"
PomerOy's case is certainly a peculiar one.
ana one which has engaged the attention of
those interested in criminal manifestations
TO greater degree than almost any other
case known in modern times. The lad came
OF respectable enough family and is de
scrlOed by his early playmates as having
Deen quiet, unassuming boy. never caring
10 Join much in their bOYish sports but not
apparently, OF a cruel nature, at least in his
early boyhood. 1t was with approaching
maturity that this fiendish phase of his
character seems to have made Its appear
ance, and to what to attribute it is prob
lem that has puzzled the psychologists. Un-
questlonably lie is not insane. Nor does he
seem lacking in Intelligence. During the
years OF his imprisonment 1t is said that be
has manifested quite a studiOus tendency,
has rea1 widely and perfected himself In
several languages.
1t has been stated, with what truth we
cannot Judge, that IN answer to the ques-
tons OF Il leading physiologist anxious to
determining, If possible, what mysterious pre-
natal Influences might have been instru-
mental in producing the horrible warping
OF the boys nature, tile mother said,
that the cruelty of her husband toward
herself had SO aroused her rage and
hatred that for several months be-
fore the child's birth there had been many
times when it was only by exerting every
effort at self-control that sho restrained
bSerelf from, killing him as he
slept. However that may be, the
boy developed as he grew characteristics
that are truly designated as fiendish. A
schoolmate's recent testimony is that as a
boy he was great reader of the Yellow
covered literature Of the day; that Simon
Girty was his hero, and that he would always
rather sit under tree on the playground
than to join in the games Of the other boys.
Presently began that tme of terror that all
residents OF Massachusetts who are old
enough to recall it must still recall with
horror All Boston was, according to a
recent article in an Eastern exchange, in a
turmoil OF excitement over the outrages per-
petrated by some unknown person upon
little boys of from TO years of age.
One week the news would come that A
little boy was found tied to telegraph pole
The morning call., 1891-08-30

older than Jesse, and just as quiet and
gentieinanly. Jesse never quarreied with
OF raised his voice to any one. His man.
ners were perfect But he had hard time
of it in. the Westboro Reform School, The
boys there-the majo tv of them-were in
for playing truant and being unmanageably
wild. Jesse was treated as a common pick
pocket would be by burglars. There are
social grades even in boys prisons, and
scavengers cannot mingle with aristocrats.
SO every time boy got chance Jesse was
whipped. His story had got over the
school. But his mother bent all her ener-
giss toward his release with the result that
jesse was liberated to read novels behind
his brothers newS-St nd, for he was summed
by the boys in the fields.
In the following summer Mrs. Curran,
l think her name was, sent her little or
8 wear old girl out for some thread The
little sirl-Katie-neyer came back. She
disappeared like Whit of cigar smoke in a
frantic with grief. Every body became a
detective. The months rolled away and
summer came. One rainy day little deaf
mute pulled at policeman's coat. and by
signs indicated that he wished the police
man to go along with him, which he did.
They went out of the highways and by
ways until they came to the Dorchester
marshes, and soon they came to murdered
and mutilated little Horace MILAN. living iu
the mud and grass. They carried the body
to the statiOn-house, and then had plaster OF
paris casts taken of the footprints in the
mud near where the boys body was found.
Then they went to Mrs. POmeroy 4ouse.
Jesse was in bed.
His shoes exactly fitted the casts. He was
arrested. While he was in Jail his mother
moved away from the old home on Broad
way. Then the house was torn down to
make room for better one. While the
workmen were digging in the cellar they
unearthed the little corpse OF Katie Curran.
Then Jesse confessed that he had murdered
her and little MILAN.
She had come into the store for the thread
her mother had sent her for Jesse was
alone in the store. He told her to 90 back
and get 1t. In the mean time he had turned
the key in the front door, leading to the
street, returned, followed the little girl, and,
The morning call., 1891-08-30

on the Old Colony or Boston, Hartford and
Erie road horribly mutilated, with his back
in ribbons and caked with salt The ne xt
week or month another little boy Gt was
never boy of Jesse's size or age or any,
where near it would be found in Chelsea, or
East Boston. or Jamaica Plains. or Dor
chester, mutilated and cut in the same way.
Sometimes boy was found tied to tree,
sometimes in an old barn, but oftener to a
telegraph pole on some railroad Fathers
began TO tell their boys to be careful "of a
man with red hair and beard" as the Goth
was described by his victims, and mothers
were anxious If their boys were out OF their
sight for half day.
The story Of the man with red hair and
beard, originating from some now forgotten
circumstance, soon died out, as the testi-
mony of the little victims began 10 agree
positively upon the tormentor being half
grown boy, with white eye that stuck
out" AT last, says one who talks freely
Of those times, the schoolmate before re-
ferred to, one fine day came into the
school-room in which Jesse had a seat and
desk the head master. Mr.. Barnes. thin K
an officer and one Of the unknown's victims
The little fellow had been found, / think,
In Chelsea, hung up and cut up. When he
recovered he said it wasn't man with red
whiskers and hair who had treated him so,
but boy who looked to be four or five
years older than himself. In fact, "like a
scho0l-boy," he said. So they took this poor
Httle mutllated CHAP around TO all the schools
In Boston, L believe, until they came to, |
think, the Bigelow School.
do you see him here?" said the master
to the little victim.
'N-no," hesitatingly replied the little fel-
low. Then, sharply, from the lady teacher:
"PomerUy, why don't you hold up your
head?"
Slowly Jesse raised his head and the boy
screamed:
"Thats himl that's himl I'd know him
by his eyeP'
And so Jesse was arrested, tried, found
guilty and sentenced to the Westboro Re-
form School. If Jesse had been Ill that day
ill enough to have kept himself in the
house-he might be rivaling Jack the Rip
per now.
Jesse had bad eye Not In wicked
sense. but we boys used to say that Jesse
had lace curtain over his eye. IL was a
white eye; his other one was mild, /
think, blue one. / always felt sorry for
him on account OF the sad, sort of appeal
ing, doglike look in those eyes of his, AS
remember him. he had light brown hair,
and was always neatly dressed.
His mother was little bit of woman. as
slight as sapling. AS I remember her.
she always impressed me as being a lady.
She had a dressmakiDg-s store on Broadway.
South Boston. Her workshop was In the
rear, while the front of the store was de-
voted to sort OF newsstand, run by
Jesse's brother, who was bigger and
The morning call., 1891-08-30
SHE PROPOSED.
How the Fair Sex of Argonia, Kans.,
Runs Things.

How the Fair Sex of Argonia, Kans
Runs Things.
This city has just had the experience Of
one OF the most unique weddings that any
place can boast of, states an Argonia spe-
cial to the Fort Worth Gazette. Argonia is
under woman rule. The town officers are
all women. and in fact when it comes to
official business the men are not in it. This
peculiar and to certain extent abnormal
condition of affairs has given to the ladies
an independence of thought and action
that Is far in advance of the ordi.
nary women of the country. Not
only. do the married ladies enjoy greater
freedom and broader views, but the girls
and young ladies take on freer thought.
There has been growing independence
among the young ladies, and at a small
evening party some weeks ago the matter of
equal rights was discussed by the young of
Dotn sexes. The young men took the
ground that while the ladies could vote and
hold oflce there were some instances in
when they had to acknowledge the su-
premacy OF man, tho matter of courtship
and marriage being specially referred to.
lhls at hrst was poser for the ladies, but
MISS Ella Smith said she thought she had
as much right to go c0urting as a man had,
ana II she wanted to marry man she
would ask him. The matter was looked
upon as Joke, but few days afterward
the young lady made good her assertion by
calling upon Walter 1iffin. and after brief
conversation proposed marriage. As she
was one OF the most desirable young ladies
OF the town she was eagerly accepted by
the fortunate young man and the wedding
came OF few evenings since. The cere-
mony was performed by Mrs James Glib
son, who is Justice of the Peace of the town.
Ihe wedding was a joyous affair, and it is
SAID the innovation will spread,
The morning call., 1891-08-30

be much happier than in 'these barracks"
as they call the home that has sheltered
them so long.
Evidently, these deprivations from which
the disabled soldiers now suffer are only
preparatory to the abolition of a home
speaking of which Montesquion said, "Were
l prince, to me it would be greater glory
to found this institution than to win three
battles"
Little by little for the past fifteen years
has Government made inroads on traditions
that date from 1910. A mass. celebrated
every Sunday at noon, with an accompani-
ment of military music, was suppressed
eight years ago. The half hour spent in
this chapel, in the midst of 400 flags,
trophies of all nations, was dear to these
old men, but evidently their happiness in
terfered with the ideas of Senators and
Deputies. and the mass is now a dream of
the past
The detail, the arrangement of the Eotel
des lnvalldes Is well-known. But what
would Paris do without one-legged and one
armed invalids, seated In the streets, in the
the institution. number of celebrated war
riors. among them Chabot, who. at the
siege of Laghonat, carried his wounded
Captain away from tho enemy, and at the
same time lost his own shoulder. Martins,
the trumpeter of MacMahon. at the siege of
the Malakuff, received ball that fractured
his upper jaw-bone. The left side of his face
is divided in two by the wound, but the
poor soldier considers himself compensated
with the decoration Of the Legion OF Honor.
Georges Francois lost both legs by the ex-
plosion of shell at the battle of Regonville.
10 save his life he had the wonderful cour-
age to dig a hole in the sand and there bury
the stumps OF his legs, thus stopping the
hemorrhage.
remember some years ago, at my
first visit to the Invalides, l was very
anxious TO see the veterans Of Napoleon's
campaigns; now they are all dead, but they
never seemed to comprehend the prestige
that was theirs because they had been COM
panions OF Napoleon. They had learned
but little, and remembered less. When
asked them about Egypt. about the
Arabs, their only reply was:
They are like every body else."
And the sands, the burning sands9"
Just like ours.'
And the pyramids?"
Just like the pyramids in Pare Monceau,
Paris"
"What were the Arabian costumes9"
what costumes ?'f
| "How were they dressed?"
Like u.s."
There was one who had the medal of
st. Helena, but he was so deaf it was i'm
| possible to make him understand. At last
| he heard the word Napoleon"
| "My Emperor
"Tell me about Waterloo
| "The Emperor wore a casquette my Cap
The morning call., 1891-08-30

as she started back he sprang upon her,
pushed her down the cellar stairs, mutila-
ted. then killed her. He then dug grave
in the cellar, buried her. came upstairs,
washed MS hands and face, unlocked the
front door, had his dinner and went to bed
He was the only one in the world who knew
of that little corpse in his mothers cellar.
Wei. lie was tried and convicted. A
petition mile long, signed by thousands of
mothers, was sent into Governor Rice,
was too young to be hanged, being about
16 years Of age, l think, at the time So he
was sentenced to life Imprisonment and
solitary confinement.
Tha terror described by the San Francis
can quoted Is generally felt for Pomeroy.
One OF the wardens of Charlestown Prison,
an old soldier and brave man, says the
only man he was ever afraid of is this one:
that he never came into Pomeroy's presence
without an Involuntary inclination of his
hani toward his pistol-pocket. PomerOy's
sentence of solitary confinement for life
debars him from all association with other
prisoners In the institution. but, as be-
lore intimated. lie has made, alone,
several desperate attempts to effect
his escape. He will probably make
others as the years advance, for since his
commitment, fifteen or sixteen years ago. he
has become strong animal, determined
orutp, and his prevailing mania is to regain
his liberty. So fearful have been his crimes.
however, that there is probably not a
prisoner in the whole place so abandoned
as to ever assist him in an effort to escape.
II is related of him that since he has been
IN prison he one day obtained possession of
one OF the numerous pets that prisoners at
Charestown are allowed to keep and de-
lherately, with apparent delight, t0re the
creature to pieces.
Should he ever succeed in making his
escape CONSERVATION would reign through
out Massachusetts, and it Is proba BILE that
ere he was recaptured the fearful crimes of
Jack the Ripper would pale before the
fearful atrocities whereby Pomeroy would
seek to revenge himself upon society,
The morning call., 1891-08-30
A WHITE EYE
THAT STUCK OUT"
The Defect by Which Jesse P0mGr0y'S
Victims Identified Him.
The Impression Made by the Young Brute's
Career on Youthful Mind-His Efforts
to Break From Charlsstown Prison.

The most recent of Jesse Pomeroy's fire.
quent desperate attempts to escare from
Charlestown Prison has once more called pub
lie attention to this most remarkable figure
in the criminal history Of this country.
Said young San Franciscan the sother
day: II do not suppose 1 shall ever get TO
the point where l can think of that man
without shiver passing through me. l was
very young at the time his atrocious crimes
were committed. l was just beginning to
read the newspapers. and the story of this
boys awful deeds made terrible impress
sion on me. / remember the peculiar defect
that finally led to his detection was always
mentioned by such of his little victims as
were able to speak when found, and they
usually used thu same descriptive phrase
all they seemed able to recall Of their tiend-
ish torturer's appearance being the fact
that he had "a white eye that
stuck out l used to cover my head
with the bedclothes at night, and shiver
and shake till the cold sweat would stand
out upon me from sheer fright as my i'm
agination presented vividly before me the
The morning call., 1891-08-30
FrightfuI Loss OF Life [

or the many disasters with which mankind has
been visited, one OF the worst is that class of all
ments which originating simply with inactivity OF
the kidneys and bladder, such frightfu loss
OF ife Under this appalling category come Brights
disease, diabetes, gravel ordinary nephItis and
tarrh OF the bladder No class of organic maladies,
against which medical skill is pitted, often baf
hes the expert practitioner ana sets his skill at
naught Easy is IT, however, to arrest these dreful
all ments the The dluretic action OF Hos
letters Stomach Btters is Just sufficient to the
bladder and kidneys at work, preserve or rescue
them from fatal Inactivity wit hout exciting them
The unmedicated stimulants OF commerce excite
without either STRENGTHENING or regulating. Hos
letters Stomach Bitters does both 1t is unfalIne
for malaria, dyspepsia, debility, rheumatism liver
complaint and constipation. "a
The morning call., 1891-08-30
THE ENDING OF
A QUIET LIFE.
The Widow Of James Knox Polk Passes
to the Rest Beyond
A Fair, .Unassuming Country Maiden Who
Became the Wife Of the Eleventh
President Of the United States.

Mrs. Sarah Polk, widow of James K.
Polk. died August 18th, at her home in
Knoxville. Tenn. Mrs. Polk, had she lived
until September 4th, would have been SS
years of age. The cause of her death was
simply exhaustion from old age Her i'll
ness was very brief and she passed away
surrounded by loving friends and relatives.
Sarah Childress-Polk, says the Phila-
delphia Times. was the daughter of Captain
Joel Chldress. farmer of Murfreesboro,
Tenn, and was born September 4, 1903.
Placed in fair financial circumstances and
proudly fond of his children Captain Chill
The morning call., 1891-08-30
A Terrible Series of Fatalities.

The body of Jacob Christiner, a saloon
keeper living in the suburbs, was found ter
ribly mangled on the railroad near Adamston
this morning. 1t is supposed that he had
been walking on the track during the night
and had been struck by a freight train. This
is the fifth railroad accident in this vicinity
within the past ten days. A strange series
Of fatalities has followed the Christiner
family for several years. They have lost
two sets of twins at birth; one son fell
from the cars and lost an arm; another was
killed with an air-gun by playmate about
two months ago and recently daughter was
burned to death. th.-Clarksburg (W. Va.) Corr.
Baltimore Herald
The morning call., 1891-08-30

tain died there. Perhaps you knew him
Captain Chauveau?"
No"
His son was cut in two by a cannon ball.
him?"
And 50 on; never a remark of interest,
never "reminiscences of value.
Dear Invalids! Bravely did you fight;
but you were stupid as your swords were
sharp.
BARONESS AL1HEA SALVADOR
The morning call., 1891-08-30
ACORNS.

Original contributions and solutions are re.
quested from all the readers. Contributions
must be written in Ink, on one side of the paper
and separate from communications. The name
ana address must accompany them as a Iuaran-
Tee OF good faith. Address Puzzle Editor DAILY
MORNING CALL, sos Clay street, San Fran
cisco, Cal
The morning call., 1891-08-30
A Novel Bath-Tub.

Some gentleman who is fond of water
and exercise at the sane time has solved
the problem by the invention Of rocking
tuD maue on the plan shown in the ac-
companying picture. The sides are of wood.
Dut one is made transparent in tie drawing
to show the position Of the bather,