davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
FIFTY YEARS IN PRISON.
After faif Century Behind Bars John
Mount Reformed and Was Respected.


Old john Mount. who was one of
the most net,.d criminals the world
ever knew. died mt the home of Ills
niece here recently at the advanced
age of SO years. His life was n check
cred one. From ii noted aud reckless
counterfeiter burglar and thief. he be-
came IN the last few years of his life
I'm upright, straightforward, and hon
est old hau. with tile entire confidence
OF ali who knew him personally.
The old man said that he could with
certainty count up fifty years and six
months that lie Ind actually served In
the prisons of Missouri. Illinois. Michi-
gan. lndlnna. Ohio, and Kentucky for
counterfeiting and other crimes, and
was not sure that some time had not
escaped his memory. A few wears
ago John Mount was known as one of
the most expert engrayers of the
United States Treasury notes In the
country. His skill for wears baffied
the Treasury experts and bankers and
many OF the notes made by him turned
up years after as spurious after having
passed through the banks of the coun-
Try time aud time again undetected.
He followed counterfeiLing for Years.
aud II was claimed by him that several
well-known men in the States named
actually grew rich from the result of
his iabors Ia engraving counterfeit
plates. He not only followed counter
ieitiug OF the paper currency of the
country. but gold and silver counter
feitiug as we'll, In fact, all his early
counterfeiting was in the making Of
spurious coins. which was done before
the late war. He served in all twenty
eight years for this character of VIOLA
tions of the laws of his country.
Ia. -, t...l. a Il.
ltSent above the average with much
dash and vignr. and in his Younger
days as handsome us he was smart.
He was never a cruel man. but, on the
other hand. WAS tender-henrted and
generous to all but his outspoken foes.
He never Killed man in his life out
right but many of his pursuers before
the war carried scars Inflicted by him
to their graves. Ia the latter years of
his life nothing So delighted him as to
gather around him Gu the sidewalk. in
the shade of some friendly tree. n num-
ber of small children aud tell them in
nocent tales. In the presence of ladies
or children he never spoke of his GRIM
inal career. All his references to his
bandit life seemed 10 he directed to the
one object of having the world bettered
by knowing the final miseries Of the
man who would live such life
His last term In State prison was in
Kentucky. at Frankfort. where he was
sent about twenty years ago for live
years for horse stealing. Siuee the ex-
piration of this term lie has lived In
this city the life of an upright honor
able man.-LontSpiiie Commercial
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
A Man with a Suspicion.

II was n general Southern store. run
BY wki.e man, but very mean.
small store an5f stock. and the owner
was an ornery-looking specimen of
humanity | had gone in to get out
of the rain and found him all alone.
After some conversation he turned to
me with:
Stranger, do yon drink whiskyp"
No, sir"
Thought you didn't. Do you know
whisky when you see it2'
Yes
"Reckoned so. Can you tell good
article from bad one2'
Il think so.n
Gould you tell common good stuff
from .pizen?T
II believe | cnuld.''
We'll, now. | want YOU to do me
turn. | bought barrel of Old Ken
tucky' last fall. Purity fair demand fur
whisky among the niggers around yer,
and of co'se / watered it-made about
TO- barrels out of one"
That's regular in this county"
''Of co'se it is. but the whisky got
low. the roads was bad. and filled up
the bar'l. dropped in some acid and
other stuff. and kept on selling; got
some left yet. Niggars kind o. hem-
med and hawed and gulped over it.
aud the demand kind o. fell off little.
but there's little suthin' doin' all the
time"
..welIPn
well, there's bin n heap o. sickness
among the niggers since l begun to put
out that whisky. and six or seven have
turned up their toes fur good. Eve
been sort o wonderin' whether it was
the whisky or this climate. and l wish
vOu'd take n min and uiva ma your
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
TWO MEN AND A HAT.
The Big One Had No Intention OF Fo
getting tho Laws Of Honor.

EeItfnS thc tNNs OF
A large man. with n silk hat, after a
desperate rush. by which he nearly
threw several women under the wheels
of the train, secured one of the choice
corner seats in Bridge car this morn
ing, SAYS the N. Y. San. A smaller
man. with his hand wrapped in n silk
handkerchief. who had stood aside in
order that all of the women near him
might enter the car first, saw the per-
formanee. and his eye giittered. As
he entered the door he stuck out his
elbow in such way that. apparently
by accident. he knocked off the glossy
head-coyering of the large man and
sent it rolling among the feet of the
passengers. The large man glared at
the offender, and then said in an awful
tone:
Pick up that hati'
Pick it up yourself" replied the
small man.
'Will you pick up that hat, " demand
ed the large man glaring in really
frightful manner at the other. who.
howeser, did not seem to quail to any
appreciable extent.
No" replied the small man. while.
the glitter in his eye became more in-
tense and mocking smile wreathed
his firmly set lips.
The large man got up aud walked
toward the small man as If he were
about to devour him nt mouthful,
but when he saw that the small man
stood his ground he changed his mind
and picked up his hat. In the mean
time fat German woman had taken
his seat and every body in the immedi-
ate neigiiberhood was smiling broadly.
The large mau became very angry. in
deed The veins in his forehead
swelled out in IA truly frightful way
and he trembled with rage.
III you weren't so blamed small
he said to the small man. I'D break
every bone in YOUR bodvr'
Don't let my size hinder you" re-
piled the small man. Size doesn't al
ways count, you know
But Your hand is injured. and l
never fight man when he can't hit
back" replied the larger man elanc-
ing out OF the window to see how near
the train was to the New York end
''oh, answered the small man,
that's only a little burn and won't
prevent me from using my fist. Don't
let anything like that stop you if you re
spelling for fight"
No, sir. " said the large man. AL
though the injury may be slight l am
not supposed to know but that your
hand is useless, and the laws of honor
is disabled. Strong as my resentment
may be | can never forget the laws of
houor-neyer, siri''
Then the small man smiled, and
everybody smiled too. and the large
man looked out of the glass door until
the train stopped and he got a chance
to lose himself in the crowd.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
The Tomb of a Seminole Princess,

During his recent visit to Florida
Magistrate South came across the tom b
of an Indian princess. auil took pho
tograph of her Royal Highness's re-
mains. The tomb on beautiful
hillock of palmetto trees on the Kissi-
NEE prairie, 150 miles south of the
town of Kissimee. Fla. and was built
of cypress legs. 1t was 9 feet square
and feet high. with cross on the
top. The remains of this Seminole
princess had long since been reduced
to skeleton. but around her was the
furniture of her wigwani, while from
her bony neck hung II string of beads,
a cameo ring was on her finger. and
silver watch of ancient make at her
side.
After taking the photograph the
tomb was closed by replacing the logs.
Notwithstanding the fact that this no.
BILE squaw has lain there for many
years. no one. even in that wild coun-
try, has ever yet carried off the orua-
ments and relies in which She was
originally buried.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03

The picket was generally inflicted on
cavalry and artillery men and was a
singularly brutal bit of torture. A
long post, near which stood stool,
was driven into the ground. The de-
linquent was ordered to mount the
stool; his right hand was fastened to
hook in the post by moose drawn up
as high as it could be stretched. round
his wrist. A stump. The height of the
stool. with its end cut TO a round and
blunt point. was also driven into the
earth close 10 the post. Then the stool
was taken away antl the sufferer had
nothing to rest his bare feet upon but
the stump, (which. though it did not
usually break the skin" SAYS Capt.
Grose, put him in great torture, his
only means of relief being by resting
his weight on his wrist. the pain of
which soon became intolerable." One
can very well believe him. especially
when he makes the addition that a
man was not infrequently left to stand
in this position for half an hour-al-
though the orthodox period of endur-
ance was fifteen minutes. = London
Graphic.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
Can Parrots Associate ideas?

Fer several weeks after Polly be-
came member of my family serious
nppreheRsions as 10 her conversational
abilities were entertained. writes Alex.
f. Sweet. in the N Y Herald, for she
was as silent as Gen. Moltke himself.
when we were startled by her singing
in clear. ringing voice:
20. you girls. you giddy you girlsi''
Polly had not resided on the Bowery
without paving attention to her sur
roundings. 1t seems that this was the
first line of popular refrain. The
proximity of concert hall to the bird
explains how the parrot had come to
acquire the words and music.
Perhaps the most convincing proof
that parrots have the ability to asso-
ciate ideas is to be found in Polly's use
of the word .'good-byei'' When any
member of the family puts on coat
or hat Polly will invariably exclaim
.Good-byel' She infers the person is
actually going out. because she has
heard the expression used when a hat
or wrap was put on. Even the use of
the words going OUT in conversation
impels the parrot TO say '.good-byefh
When n person enters the room Polly
calls out ''HelIor' having heard the
word frequently used under similar
circumstances Very rarely is '.hellor'
improperly substituted for good-byei"
This certainly shows II correct associa-
tion of ideas, and is not what is geuer-
ally understood us parrot talk
Among the truits of parrots may be
mentioned professional jealousy"
Thinking l might have twice as much
amusement if | had two parrots. i pro-
cured second one. No two rival
opera singers could have shown more
animosity toward each other. Poll
refused to converse as long as the
other parrot was in the house. and /
had to get rid of the other one, after
which the gratitied bird resumed her
former loquacity.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03

The biggest of all really powerful
flying birds are, l believe, the wander
ing albatross and the South American
condor-for the roc ] reject outright
as worthy only of the most restricted
Arabian and nocturnal ornithology,
SAYS writer in the CoruhtH. Seen on
the wing, or even with the wings ex-
panded merely, both these great ex-
isting birds nave a most majestic and
colossal appearance. But feathers in
such cases are very deceptive; they
make fine birds out of very small
bodies. For example our well-known
little English swift which looks so i'm
posing in flight as it passes overhead
with pinions poised, is hardly rs big
when plucked as a mans top thumb
joint, and weighs only half an ounce.
So, too, the albatross. though its ex-
panse of wing is said to exceed that of
any other known bird. amounting
sometimes to nearly ten feet from tip
to tip, does not average in weight
more than fifteen pounds. which is
just exactly the poulterer's statement
for my last family Christmas turkey.
As for the condor. while he spans from
wing to wing some eight feet. his
length from beak to tail is only three
and a half. and l doubt if he would
pluck into anything corresponding to
his magnificent outer .show-though 1
am bound to admit that have never
personally tried the unpleasant expert
ment.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
why. do not know, what is the

Why. do not know, what is the
matter2N
You have turned green that Is all. .
1t was true. Beea Killians face. neck
and hands had turned to bright pea.
green shade.
You have wagered your life and lost
1t, Lon Oroin cried Hila. with a giggle.
Look ut Miss Killianr'
II have. il belongs TO you, y replied
Louis. still eager to conciliate her, and
lot understanding the meaning of all
this.
Il know what the matter isr ex-
claimed Beea Killian, beginning to
laugh heartily as she looked at her pea
green hands. ,Hila Fontauelle. you
have been putting something into my
bottle of beautitier--that turns green in
this atmosphere of salts aud steam-foT
joke. | know
What IL didpn retorted Hila.
Young ladies' should not paint,n
Perhaps not. retuned Miss Killian,
still pleasantly; ''but my skin burns so
easily that | always put on something
when going IN the open air.
s0pen confession Is good for the
soul'e quoted Hila. but false in one
thing, false in another. you know"
Let us hope not,n laughed Miss
Killian, extending her hand for the
piece of soap Louis Orc had been fish
ing out of his knapsaek.
Meanwhile his face was study.
After that Miss Fontanelle felt her
self the victor, and behaved according
ly.
The wonders at and near the gate of
the mountains were many. but Beea
killian did not remain long at her nm
ele's summer house to enjoy them.
Shortly after her departure Louis Orc
was summoned to West Point. aud was
obliged to bid Miss Fontanelle good by
for short time.
She returned home to San Francisco.
expecting Mr.. Oro to follow her as soon
as he lett West Point.
Judge, then, of her surprise when,
two days later. her mother handed her
some wedding cards.
''Beatriee Killian's and Louis Oro'si"
she said.-Satnrtidy Night.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
"The Wen OF Frozen Air.-

Near Dayton, Ore. there is well
locally known as the "well of frozen
air." In drilling the well u stratum of
frozen clay and gravel was encountered
at depth of fifty-tive feet. After
passing through five feet of this num-
erous cavities were encountered from
which cold air came in gusts. The
escape of tine air from the well can be
heard roaring for nearly 200 yards.
the air which comes from these sub
terranean depths is so frigid that it is
not possible for any one to hold his
hand over the opening for more than
two minutes without having it frozen.
A bucket of water set over the opening
will freeze through and through with
in a few hours. 1t is needless to add
that work was abandoned on the we'll
when the cavities of frozen air. were
tapped. .n-St. Louis Republic.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
Killed by Snakes and Wild Beasts.

The most recent official report upon
the subject of mortality from snakes
and wild beasts in India contains the
grave information that in spite of the
large and increasing sums spent in re-
wards for the animals killed fatalities
increase ut an alarming rate. There
is reason. in fact. to believe that the
offer of these rewards has in some
cases stimulated the breeding of snakes.
Taken us whole, therefore. this re-
port would seem TO Indicate that the
reward system has failed to accomplish
its purpose. 1t is now suggested that
the cover round about the villages,
which affords lodging for snakes, should
be destroyed, and district officers are to
be instructed TO see that this is done.
In the year 1888 2S. 900 persons. as well
as 10000 cattle. met their death through
snakes and wild beasts of various kinds
in India Chambers journal.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
THE SUMNER GIRL.
abe Ia En- Routa and WIN Reach Fere In
Duo Season.


She's coming with the flowers that VIII bloom
for MS once more,
She's coming with the brrexes Tint will blow
along the shore
The sun viii KISS her ringiets and will tinRe
her checks with brown.
White he who loves her madly Rrapples fate
and tolls In town;
And Cupid, with tile arrows that he's given
her to twirl,
WIN guard anew the footsteps of the sprightly
summer girl.
When robin redhrcast hops around while yet
Ills early dawn.
And tennis players dot the green of grassy
feld aud lAwn,
Well see her iressrd In percnlc. with n walk
ing stick in hand
And in her hrother's nccktie Will she stroll
along The sand;
And whore the crowd Is thickost In the sum-
mer-Eotel whrl
VIII bloom once more the beauty OF the
charming summer girl
with glossy collar shining in the light OF sum-
nler Gays
with vest, and sash. and blazer, we viii learn
anew her ways;
Young Eunid will Instruct us how TO piercs
the thin disguise
OF masculine attire that hides the maiden
heart we prize;
And. when once more we claim her as the
summers priceless pearl,
Well hail the smiling features of the Jolly
summer girl.
-Tom Mason In Clcnk Review.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
HANDLING "L.ivss WIRES.
Few warnings Given by an Expe-
risnced Electrician.

I
The following advice from an ex-
perienced electrician with regard to
''live" wires is worth remembering,
says the Philadelphia Press:
Never touch nm electric wire that
has fallen down across your way while
standing on the ground. as your body
will become IL conductor for the cleo
tria fluid to the earth. unless you have
rubber boots upon your feet. Line
men are sometimes seen pulling these
lines about. but they have insulated
rubber boots upon their feet. or gloves
OF like material upon their hands. and
some people. snpposing these cover
ings to be only used for protection
against the wet weather have foolishly
grnsped the wires and received severe
shocks In consequence. Don't employ
II carpenter or ordinary laborer nor do
you yourself attempt to iix any cleo
tric apparatus of any power about your
properly, whether the current is turned
ON or not.
Electric wires should be handled one
at a time. If it is necessary to take
hold of two wires at the same time.
don't do it. In handling or drawing
any wire lying over any of the ordin-
ary street wires. especially such as
convey currents for electric lighting.
uSt u iistnd ituC iot pun pDsc VI
grasp the wire with insulated pincers.
An ordinary wire clothesline may be-
come the conductor of a deadly cur
rent. In "a dynamo room touch not.
taste not handle not. The most in
offensive looking dishpan may strike
you like ii mailed hand. Nothing is
safe to you here unless you know
everything. Let workingmen remem-
bcr that when company has strung
wires on the crossbars of poles so
closely together that man can not
move easily between them it is better
for him to come down and resign.
What protiteth it TO man that he has
a situation if his wife be a widow?
Never close circuit without giving
notice to all concerned. A telegraph
notice received in the back of the neck
generally arrives too late to do any
good. On no condition let two wires
touch your body at the same time.
Don't think that any wire is not dam
gerous. There is difference between
a gun with cap on it and one without
that can be detected with the naked
eve. but loaded wire-who knoweth
il? Trimmers employed to attend
lights in crowded public thoroughfares
should be sure that the current is
turned off before they touch the lamp.
as the step'adtlers are often very high.
and the public objects to being hit on
the head by gyrating. guaranteed
lamp trimmer.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
MADE THE SALE wHlls ASLEEP.
A Strange Story Told by "a Drummer I'm
the Jeweiry Trade.

The following interesting story is
told by an old travelling salesman who
formerly represented one of the large
iewelry houses in London. England.
His experience is one which, to say the
least. is unusual. says the yecelers'
Weekly. and will be fully appreciated
by the representatives of American
houses who have never enjoyed the
good fortune of a similar occurrence.
.In the spring of 1876 | carried
line of goods which was unusually pop
ular with the trade" said the drum
mer. land when | reached Edinburgh,
Scotland, found it impossible to visit
my customers as promptly rs | de-
sired By the middle of the afternoon
several jewellers called on me and
urged me to come to their places dur
ing the day. By o'clock / was thor
oughly weary. and was coHgratuiatiug
myself that l would be able TO retire
early and secure good nights rest.
when customer whom | had over
looked gently touched me on the
shoulder and reminded me that | had
neglected to visit him. He stated that
he desired to make Il heavy purchase
and | made an appointment with him
at my hotel for 6:3o.
II Immediately repaired to my room,
and. settling myself in a large easy
chair. fell asleep. | WAS awakened by
light pressure on my arm. TO my
surprise the room was brilliantly
lighted and my customer was sitting
by my side. Ny sample case was
open and its contents were spread on
the table near me. | confess | was a
little startled and was sleepily won
dering whether | had been robbed dur
ing my nap. when my fears were
allayed by my companion. who said:
IL came Mt the appointed hour and
found You asleep. Not desiring to dis
turb you | have examined your sam
piles and written out my order in your
book Dazed by the statement took
my watch from my pocket and discov-
cred that it was 1880 O'Clock. ] had
been asleep nearly five hours. 1t was
the easiest sale ever made
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03


A seedy old man with a bundle of
dilapidated umbrellas under bis arm
called at house on Cass avenue. says
the Detroit Free Press. The lady of
the house herself answered the bell
'.Any umbrellas. par'sols. or canes
to mend?' he inquired.
.sHmfn said the woman. eyeing him
suspiciously. chow do know you'd
ever bring them back? There's no
fun in letting $40 silk umbrella go
off with a stranger"
The old man rummaged in his pock-
cts and found the card of prominent
bank official with a recommendation
on the back.
''Hmm said the woman as she read
it the second time. Il don't know
him. Like enough he's in with you.
1t amt safe to trust any one these
times.''
Then he told her where he lived,
street and number.
t.Hm!'' she said slowly. Il don't
own an umbrella and never did. for ]
know enough to come in when it rains.
but l hate to see folks imposed on.
and
SO do /. num-" retorted the UNI
brella man as he backed away and left
her talking to herself
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
Mark of a Gentleman.

the course of his stndie~ tor his book
on buccaneeriug, >, nd that Davy
Crockett once visited Nav York and
Boston aud much was nade oi him.
In his diary of that time Crockett says
he was entertained 1y Philip Hone of
this city, who was ihe finest gentleman
he ever met The way that Crockett
came to discover this fact was that
when Home asked him to drink he
handed Crockett a decanter of whisky
and 4 glass and then went and looked
ouf Of the window so is not to see how
much the great frontiersman took
n I. Sun.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03

on the day OF the massacre Of the Ital.
ians. Ex-Governor Warmoth, so Con-
gressman Boatner says, took the Iowa
left the vicinity of the Clay statue OBJ.
serving: ssYeu sec. Senator, that
New Orleans il II peaceful, orderly and
law-abiding city. Our COMMITTEES Of
iifty Is now on its way to the prison to
execute ten or twelve murderous Grim
nails. When it finishes there 1t may
execute tea or fifteen morei But MS
you see there is no disorder, no excite.
ment.n
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-07-03
The Great Crevasses of Mount st
Elias

Crossing the great snow field form
ing the floor of the amphitheater were
hundreds of yawning chasms, many of
them twenty to forty feet in breadth
and half a mile in length. These we
had TO cross by narrow snow bridges
or follow for long distances before be-
ing able to pass aronnd their ends. A
view into the blue depths of one of
these great crerasses is a sight never