davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
Haif-life Sentence Illegal.

What is considered an unique case in the
history of American Jurisprudence has come
up at Sioux Falls, 5. D., the question being.
Can "A man be imprisoned for one-balf of
his life?" Two years ago John Leford. of
Deadwood, WAS sentenced to tho peniten-
tiary for fifteen years for attempting to rob
the Homestake treasure coach. The stat
utes of Dakota at that time provided that
where an unsuccessful attempt was made Ia
commit highway robbery the penalty should
be one-half of the greatest penalty for n
successful commission OF the Crime. Tn
s~everest penalty for highway robbery il i'm
prisonment for life. The court in Lefora,s
case thought fifteen years would be half OF
his life, and an argument was heard
before Judge Aitkons for the releage OF La.
ford from the penitentiary upon the ground,
that a penalty of one-haif of a mans liz
WAS 80 vague and indefinite that he should
not be deprived OF his liberty. The judg,
John Leford received his freedom.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
DOWN GRADE TO DEATH.

The Frightful Ride of Il Lot of Miners
Down in Tennessee.
One of the most shocking accidents in
the mining history of the state occurred re-
Gently at White Hall, in Marion county,
Tenn. The coal mine is situated on a shelf
of the mountains, and about 700 feet up.
The men live in the village, and go to their
work up the tramway drawn by a cable. As
one of the trains was nearing the top the
cable parted with u snap, and the cars
started on a race down the mountain.
Those of the men who we're standing up
jumped out and escaped with slight inju-
ries, but thirteen of the miners who were
sitting down in the cars, or were too timid
to jump, were carried down with the
cars. The wheels flashed fire as they
seemed to fly down the steep grade.
The white-faced men in them,
paralyzed by fear, stared stoioally at the
dump over which they new they must 60.
As the cars approached the dump the speed
was something awful, and when reached
they shot over as if fired from a mo
When help reached the wreck William
Hoch and Ed Falk were dead. William
Martin and Joseph Davis was so badly hurt
that they died soon after. Nine others
we're shockingly mangled and torn n sew
eral of them may die while at the best two
or three will be life cripples. There is no
ex lanation for the breaking of the cable,
as it was almost new and the load it was
carrying was much less thar the average
one. 1t has been said the rope was tam
pered with, but that is not probable.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
A Nice Quiet Time.

eyes, said the night clerk of the Golden
Examiner. you see some mighty queer
kind of people in this business, for a fact
Don't say?" we replied with interest, in
asmuch as even the "reminiscences of a night
clerk as a mitigation of boredom of a tenn
porary s%ojourn in Sacramento was "better
thar nothing" as the Baptist old lady said
| when the pastor informed her hat the
Methodists would all be sent to Hades fol
1000 years, anyway.
"When people go off travelling they act
differently from what they do at home
continued the N. c., thoughtfully. 'Yor
don't notice it SO much in daytime. You've
got to be on the night watch to see guesti
get off the reservation and have ghos
Dances"
"Do, eh?'
chats what. F'rinstance, there was ,
tall, thin, kinder sad looking chap put W
here about three weeks ago who was a hiel
roller from way back. The verv first nigh
he got out on the Bad Lands and cam
back shouting glory. 1t took two porter
and all the bell boys to get him upstairs t.
bed. The next morning he went to
chicken fight and licked a couple OF hack
men on the way home. lie was prett,
warm people. | tell you"
Rather"
1.-The next day-it was one &. NH
came in loaded as usual. There was a the
atrical troupe in town, and two of the act
resses were about retiring as he passed up
stairs, %whooping like a lot of Sioux chasin
a suffers wagon. He raped on the act
resses' door. and as they wouldn't open il
of course, he blew cigarette smoke through
the keyhole and yelled 'Fire!" .
Made a panic, didn't he?" 4
CHATS no word for it. Looked like a
sheet and pileow-case party in an insan
asylum. We read the riot act then, but h
put up a warm talk with the proprietor an
} squared it somehow. He was a velve
talker as sure as you're born. The nigh
after that he coaxed me into a dice gam
and skinned a hundred and sixty outer m
quicker'n a wink
made his expenses, eh?"
} EXACTLY; we'll, the next morning he cam
down with his head swelled n his pri
packed. He said he hated to leave us, n
he'd had such a quiet, pleasant, genial 80,
of time, but duty called him and he mus
away. So l made out his bill
{, Made it pretty large, too, didn't You?
, Bout the usual-but wait. handle
him his account, and what do you think b
said!''
: Cant imagine"
!: "Why. he said Great Scott. don't yo
2 make a reduction to clergymeu?'n
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

other OF which it must 0 be disposed
Of. First, by putting a stop without
further debate to the depredations Of
individual foreigners upon the breeding
seals. Second, by conceding to these
foreigners the right to destroy the fish
cry, and withdrawing further remon-
STRANGE. Third, by continuing the dis
cussion with Great Britain Of the alb
stract questions supposed to be involved,
until the determination Of the seal Is
completed, and the subject OF the dis
pute thereby exhausted, for which we
shall not have long to wait. Ii the last
curse IL taken, the credit OF it will be
due less to the administration charged
with the conduct of our foreign rela-
tions than to the public sentiment
which it represents, and by which u
must be guided"
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
TALKS ONLY TO HIS BROTHERS.
A Man Whose Tongue II Tied Even In Hia
FT Wtfc's Presence.

NErEE W thG > 49, AHMN9vMMg d.
4 man who has converted with only Two
persons in his life lives in Danbury, Conn.
| He ia John Pratt. an industrious and we'll
TODD farmer, who, in spite Of his remarka-
ble atliction, has kept himself in obscnrity
for many years, and in the sixty odd years
az his life has spoken TO no n except his
two brothers. He has gone to Jail In prof
erence to speaking a single word, and he
would not, could not utter a word IN the
presence of a stranger or even his own wife
to save his life. Yet he has a voice as
strong and vocal faculties az perfect az any
mans. Some strange power binds his
tongue in another's presence, an influence
which is said to be due to his mothers an
tipathy to her father-in-law At the time
Pratt was born.
A few days before Pratt's birth his
mother auarreled with the elder Pratt, n
then she vowed never to speak to him again.
The child was Thought to be dumb, for all
through his childhood he never spoke q
word. and until he grew to be a youth his
tongue was tied. Then n day he spoke to
his brothers, but try as he would No could
make no sound in the presence OF others.
To one brother, William. he took a particu-
lar fancy, and he would converse with him
freely, and at the approach OF any one but
the other brother he would stop instantly,
and nothing could induce MIN 20 commune.
Even his wife has never heard his
voice, nor did his first wife, who died
twenty years ago. The courtship was car
ried on through the brother.
Pratt was working in the fields one day
when a half dozen sturdy young farmers
approached him with a determination to
force him to talk. Pratt threw down his
hoe and in five minutes they retired, as
badly whipped a lot of young men as ever
we're seen. Pratt has always retained his
remarkable strength. Once he was ar
rested for SOME trivial offence and the
Justice before whom he WAS brought
threatened him with a term in Jail If he did
not reply to his questions. Pratt remained
silent and received a term Of thirty days
Imprisonment. He was subsequently re-
leased before his time expired.
Years ago Pratt caught a man manner
TAYLOR hiding behind a fence trying to head
him talk. He promptly dragged him out
into the road and gave him a sound thrash
ing.
Pratt was arrested in Danbury the other
morning for emptying a charge of buckshot
into a farmer named Morrow, and though
the shooting is believed to be accidental, he
can give no account of it to the court, n
refuses to answer questions even through
his brother in the presence Of a court OIL
cial.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

BRADsrREEV's, a very careful and non
partisan trade journal, thus comments
on the record Of the tifty-first congress;
Early in the career of the last congress 1t
became evident that whatever else 1t might
do, it would make a record for Extravaganza
in the matter of appropriations. Its early
promise has been borne out by its perform
ances. 1t appropriated a total for both SEES
sions of about $1,000, 100000, and II IS now
often spoken of by critics as the billion
congress. OF course. it is to be expected
that the appropriations would show an IN
crease from year to year, and even con-
siderable increase at certain periods are
to be looked for, but it is certain that many
of the appropriations made by the nifty
first congress we're uncalled for and OK
travagant.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
PEOPLE OF NOTE.

Gen. Sherman's papers are to be put in
order and published in biographical form.
Mr.. Bellamy expresses the opinion that if
congressman did not have telegraphic frank
hooks the postal telegraph bill would not
have been killed.
Sir Arthur Sullivan is credited with say
ing in reply to an ignorant, but pretentious
woman, who asked him if Bach were COM
posing ANYTHING nowadays: mo, madam,
he is decomposing."
Ex-Empress Carlotta of Mexico is so far
recovered from her mental trouble that she
is able to take interest in the management
of her home near Lacken and the control
of the beautiful estate in which it is placed.
Ex-senator Spooner of Wisconsin said
to a reporters: 81 am a candidate for no
public Office. l propose to go to Wisconsin
and make my home there. | have business
interests there, and | want to die there. ]
want nothing within the gift of the presi-
dent
Mrs. Leland Stanford is so rich that she
does not hesitate to wear dresses that are out
of fashion by several years. Nevertheless she
is always handsomely attired and has mag
nificent Jewels. She entertains n good dea
and is open handed in her assistance t,
women who have been less fortunate in lif,
than herself.
Lincoln once told the following to Sena
tor Cole: Senator" said he, you ma,
have noticed my lantern jaws. Well, il
order to shave my cheeks properly tn,
barber has to put his thumb into my moutl
to force out my cheek sufficiently to Civ,
the razor q chance. Well, one day before
was SO big a man rs | am now'--thisw with
sad smile-"the barber out west who wa
shaving me cut through the cheek an,
slashed his thumb. With no apology 70
my suffering he withdrew the bleedln,
member from my mouts and said angrily
bod ding your lantern jaws; you've mad
me cut my thumb"
In an interview, printed in the New Yor
Tribune, we learn that the country is in
debted to an accident for ono of its grea
editors-Mr. Henry Watterson. His must
cal capabilities as a lad had turned his fac
toward Apallo. He played in concerts wit
Adelina Patti when she was II years oil
and he IL. His career was changed by hit
ting his thumb against n black key Will
practicing on the piano. A felon came o
!, the thumb, the hand was paralyzed and th
first joint of the thumb lost. Thereafter b
took to singing ink around instead of me
ody. 1t was u happy accident.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

EVERY nottingham in the city is VI
tally interested in seeing improvements
undertaken that will give employment
to labor. Under our present charter
thcre is no provision by which street
improvements can be made, but the
new charter provides for such work
under the direction of the board OF
public works and affairs and the city
council, the expense to be assessed
against abutting property. This means
the paving of Main street and impor-
tant business thoroughfares, work for
hundreds of laborers, more money and
more life in the town.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
THINGS TO CONSIDER.

If the new charter is beaten it Will be
two years before another can be sub
mitted to the legislature.
It will be practically three years be-
fore the beneficial effects OF another new
charter can be felt.
1t will be three years OF the old regime
in city affairs; three years of an uncer-
tain board of aldermen; sthree years OF
handicapped mayors.
It will be three years OF skating ON
thin financial ice, with momentary dan
ger Of breaking through; three years OF
illegal warrant peddling, unless the
courts are invoked to stop their issue;
in thai event it will be three years OF
municipal bankruptcy and disgrace.
1t will be three years of absolute sus-
pension of all public work; three years
of mud roads; three years of bad side
walks: three years in u down-at-the-heel
condition.
This is no over statement of the evils
that threaten us if something is not
done to place tie affairs of this city on
a business basis. Warrant scalplng has
about reached its limit. If the people
do not call a halt to such tinanclerlng
the courts are bound to do it, and that
speedily. s
Voters of Helena, make no mistake in
this matter! Consider we'll what you
are doing.
To stand still. as the mossbacks want
us to do, is bad enough. But there is
no such thing as standing still, for men
or municipalities. Progression or ret
repression is the law of life.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

THE sea of mud around the Northern
Pacific station could be navigated IN a
steamboat. 1t is a pleasing prospect to
meet the eye of the tourist and pros
pector on a first visit to Helena. 1t
gives a good impression OF the enter
PRISE of a people who are content to live
under an old, outgrown charter, under
which no street improvements can be
made. The citizens of the Sixth ward
should give a solid majority for the new
charter, progress and pavements.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
BELGIAN TARIFF.

If it we're not pitiful, it would be
amusing to contemplate the dolorous
tenacity with which the republican
press continues to grind out the same
old exploded Misrepresentation on the
tariff question. 1t would almost seem
as if they cherished the hope that their
eternal iteration would confound the
truth itself and bring to naught the
campaign of education which reached
it's legitimate result in the election re-
turns of last fall. The leaders are no
better than the rank and file. MIR.
Chauncey Depew Is authority for the
statement that Belgium is fast aban-
doning her low tariff position n join
ing the array Of protectionlst countries
in Europe. Where does Mr.. DepeW get
his information? In a recent debate IN
the Belgian chamber special attention
was drawn to the tendency of the latest
French legislation in favor OF higher
protective duties, and a fear was ex-
pressed that the result might prove dis
astrous to Belgian with
France. Reinsurance was Immediately
forthcoming. A leading member rose in
his place and warmly advocated a fur
Their decrease in the duties on raw ma
terial and on all imports that had a COM
mercial bearing on Belgian exports. He
expressed the utmost confidence that
such a movement in the line of lower
tariff would severely handicap the
French manufacturers, already over
weighted with heavy imposts Oh raw
material. Belgium, he maintained,
would experience no difficulty in GUST
ing France from such a material proper
tion of her South American trade as
would more than compensate her rival
for the restriction of commercial inter
course with France itself. The manu-
featuring interest would be benefited al
along the line, general prosperity would
ensue and al increased tax on luXurie,
would put a treasury deficit beyond thu
reach of possibility.
The feeling of agreement which tn
argument worked is sufficiently striking
but still more significant was the att
tude of the minister of finance on tn
question under discussion. 1t is tru
that his official position forbade hi
committing his colleagues to the exac
line of policy marked out by the cham
pion of low tariff rates, but he clearl
indicated that the commercial policy {
the country was destined to move o
the lines of commercial raadom I'll
pointed out that the returns from tn
free trade countries OF Europe, Eng
land, Switzerland, Belgium and iii
Netherlands, were far more satisfactor
than those from the highly protecte
states. Not only IA the condition {
labor better, but the least industrial {
these four countries, he proved by stf
t~istics, was doing a volume of trade, i
proportion to its population, more tina
twice that of the United States {
France, and almost -four times that {
Austria. To prick every one of thes
republican bubbles would be a mo,
than herculean task, but Mr.. Depew
position of authority rendered attentic
to this special creation of airy fan,
somewhat necessary. The confirmf
after-dinner orator cannot be above
to sacrifice accuracy to effect, ev,
though he be as distinguished as N
DepeW,
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

The Hon. e. j. Phelps, late United
States minister to the court of st.
James, will contribute to Harper's Mag
azine for April an article on the "Bering
Sea Controversy" After a clear and
concise statement of the points at issue
between this country and Great Britain
he concludes by saying: "There are
three methods by which the Boring SCI
question can be settled, and by one Oh
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
having another experience that is still more

having another experience that is still more
remarkable, says the Atchison Globe.
Wherever he goes of late he hears a soft
football keeping step beside him. Every
step he takes, wherever he goes, he hears
that mysterious step joining in with his
own. In crossing in the snow the other
morning, side by side with his W foot
mans feet. He is sure that the ghost Of his
wife is shadowine him, and that for some
reason it distrusts him. He is feeling very
much worried about it.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

The gentlemen composing the society
of the Malta who are still alive will be
pleased to learn that Mr.. Russell Har-
rison's newspaper regards the taking of
of their fellow assassins as a bloody
southern outrage. The transition from
the organship of the Louisiana lottery
to that of the Malta IS natural and easy.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
Backing Up the Scripture in II Bar Room

A man claiming to be Il minister Of the
gospel arrived in GAINESVILLE, Texas, II day
and announced that he would preach in the
district court room at night. At six o'clock
in the evening the preacher was in a saloon
on the north side of the square. Some man
insulted him by taking issue on some scrip.
turai point and a fight resulted. Several
blows were passed and the preacher was
winning when officers arrived and led him
to the city lookup. He paid a fine of 49,. 10
IN the police court, cancelled his announce
ments and left.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

The fact that so able and thorough a
lawyer as General Clay
berg, after careful scrutiny, holds the
new charter to be constitutional, should
set at rest further controversy On that
subject, 0...
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

THE advertising columns OF THE In
DEPENDENT are attracting a good deal
of attention in Butte. Every depart
ment of the paper is readable. Now is
the time to subscribe.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
HELENA, MoNT., MARCH 10. 1891.

eR-Montanians abroad will always find THE
p.1Iy INDEPENDENT on file at their favorite
hotels: Fifth Avenue and metropolitan, New
York; West, Minneapolis; Baldwin and Palace,
San Francisco; McDermott, Butte; Leland Hotel
Hnrinqfield, Ill.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19

A CHARTER election, a school bond
bond election, a school trustees election,
a municipal election, all IN a fortnight
vet they call this an off year!
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
His Invisible Com pnpion.

The Atchison man who had tho strapoe
experience with his deceased wife's empty
chair, which rocked in Il strange manner il
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
THE INDEPENDENT

Remittances at the risk Of subscriber nh'ess
m,ae nv reniatered letter, check. or postal or ex-
press order, payable to The Independent fub-
ishing Company. -
eE-Persons desiring the INDEPENDENT serssu
II their homes or place Of business can orusr y
postal card or through telephone No. lV1 rie~s'
report cases Of irregular delivery prornp1ls.
Advertisements, to insure prompt anset'on'
shculdb be handed in before 8 p. N.
Rejected communications not retnrhSpie "h-
Yostare In enclosed.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

BY NAIL.
Daily Including Sunday per year........Slo w
Daily Including Sunday six months...... . W
Daily Including Sunday three months.... gu
r;s ra.a,rd;rc SUNDAY per wear. .,...... 9 90
Daily Excluding Sunday per month";. 20
Sunday only in advance per year..-"".. ~
Weekly lin advance onlyl per year."... SW
Daily by carrier, per week, seven issuesln 20
Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-12-11
What IL Meant.

The late Earl of Wicklow before he
succeeded his cousin to the title and
family estates, had a somewhat frugal
mind says the Illustrated American.
Soon after his accession to the proper
ty, he called upon his steward for the
household accounts and carefully scru-
tinized each item. Now it is the Gus
tom in most great establishments IN
London for one Of the upper servants
generally the steward. to supply the
others with beer. charging the amount
to the head of the house. while those
who do not drink are allowed what Is
known as "beer money" in addition
to their wages. Among other expense
items, Lord Wicklow discovered dish
ing up beer" and later on, turning
down beer" It was not In the least
difficult for him to guess that "dishing-
up" implied the liquid drunk by the
cooks. and the kitchen and scullery
maids when serving dinner. but he
was at at loss to understand what
the turning down" process might
mean. In response to his interroga-
tions the steward gravely replied:
''It's the beer my lord, wot the 'ouse-
maids ave when they go hupstairs to
turn down the sheets at night"
Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-12-11

The coverings of the Egyptian num-
mics testify that the linen mentioned
by the most ancient writers was the
product OF the flax plant. The seeds
furnish linseed oil; ami OF the residue
after this is expressed is made the
'oil cake" which is so extensively used
Tor feeding and fattening hogs and cat
tie. The oil cake has a wonderfully
healing and soothing effect in cases OF
diseases of the lungs and intestines OF
domestic animals and is pronounced by
those who have used it. us a specific
for the prevention and cure of hog
cholera. From Egyptian mummies to
hog cholera covers period OF about
four thousand years. We live in an
age Of steam, electricity and wonder.
The only plant that could furnish a
suitable covering for dead Egyptian
King, now produces "Oil Cake, which
fat tens our cattle ana furnishes a spe-
citic for hog cholera.