davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23
FISHING FOR SUCKERS.
How the United States Mails Are Used BY
swIndlers to Catch the Unwary.

SWAmuAoEH Co NAGcm gn9 unWAFys
WASHINGTON, April 16.-The frauds
attempted by the use of the mails are
almost innumerable. They consist of
schemes concocted to humbug the un-
suspecting public, and it seems the
greater the fraud the greater the re-
turns to the swindler. Nearly all of
these schemes make use of advertise
ments published in newspapers and of
circulars distributed through the mails.
Without these means the public could
not be reached, and for this reason a
law has been enacted prohibiting the
use of the mails for fraudulent pur-
poses; but it is to be borne in mind that
unless complaints are made to the post
Office department these frauds cannot
be detected and no investigation can be
had.
To give few instances of these
frauds: A few years ago an advertise
ment appeared in the papers stating
that for the sum of 81 recipe would be
given for the permanent cure of stam-
mering. When the dollar was sent the
recipe was returned, which simply read:
'Keep your mouth shut" Another in
| stance of this kind was where an adver-
tisement recited that for SOC recipe
would be given for catching all the fish
in any given body of water. When the
SOC was sent recipe would be returned
telling the victim ''To dip out all the
water and then pick up the fish,"
Another form of fraud is perpetrated
by means of advertisements so worded
as to mislead the public. Persons
answering them think That for % cents
| they are to have watch or some other
| valuable article, when in fact they mere
ly get some illustrated catalogue. An
extensive fraud has recently been
carried on by certain persons claiming
to be commission merchants or produce
dealers, who send out their circulars
and price-lists, offering prices higher
than the market, when in fact they have
no commission house, and probably
only desk room in a shop or saloon, an6
the goods shipped to them are received
and sold at any price ebtainable, no re
turns whatever being made.
Some time since there appeared a very
| glowing advertisement of a book, ex
clusively for young unmarried people
both gentlemen and ladies, the price o:
which was S.. For the IS very cheaI
edition of the Bible was sent. A fine
time-keeper, with a cut of, would be ad
vertised for 81. The sender would ex
pect watch in return, but he would
get sun-diaL. Great frauds have beer
carried on by the proposed publication
of handsome illustrated books, for whicl
photographs of prominent men were so
licited. 1t was added that to have tn,
necessary copper plates engraved woult
cost $16.75. A surprisingly large mum
ber responded with photographs ant
money, but of course no books wer
published.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

A Nephew of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee Swallows
Three Ounces of Laudanum at st. Louis.
ST. LOUIS, April 16.-Harry Lee, son
of prominent banker at Wheeling, W..
Va, and a nephew of Gen. Fitzhugh
Lee, of Virginia, attempted suicide
last evening at Hotel Barnum,
swallowing three ounces of laud-
anum. He is expected to die.
He is graduate of two Kelley
cure Institutes Blair, Neb., and Leav-
enworth, Kan.-and has often been
heard to say that he would give much if
he had never tried the cure. He is %
years old and has been hard drinker,
and for that reason sought the cure,
His reasons for attempting suicide are
not known, though letters left by him
are in the hands of friends who refuse
to diyulpe their contents,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23
THE RHODE ISLAND CONTEST
The Little State Is Bravely working Out
Her Salvation.


The Little State Is Bravely working Out
Her Salvation.
Tho emancipation of Rhode Island
from aristocratic and plutocratic rule
has been but partially effected. There
is chance this year to complete the
regeneration, and the democrats of
that state mean to improve the oppor-
tunity.
The odds against which they are
fighting do not discourage them. They
have met republican money and repub-
lican tricks before and overcome them,
The exposure by the World of the fact
that the republican nomination for
governor was sold for fifteen thousand
dollars, and that the bleeding of other
candidates has raised the corruption
fund from this source alone to sixty
eight thousand dollars, which will be
increased to any needed amount by
the beneficiaries of protection, shows
the sort of campaign which the demo.
Gratis have to meet.
The time has goy-e by, however
when money can prevail over men in
Rhode Island. The removal of the
property qualification was great gain
The secret ballot was another. If the
democrats continue and complete the
campaign in the spirit in which they arr
now working they will establish frml,
their supremacy in the state And the
eminent national democrats who have
volunteered to help them will have tn,
satisfaction of contributing to this re
suit and of securing the electoral vot,
for democratic president.
The first gun of the campaign viii
he heard throughout the uniop.-N. Y
World. "
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

A family now living at Helena, Mont,
possesses bones SO brittle that they are
broken by the most trivial accidents.
H.A. Nelson, at one time chief law
clerk of the general land Office at Wash
ington, D. c., is the father of the family
Harold, his thirteen-year-old son, had
his arm broken in two places recently
by falling off sled, and this is but the
latest of number of such casualties
that have befallen him. He broke his
right forearm in two places by falling
on sidewalk in Washington, and pre-
vious to that broke his right leg while
driving in New Orleans, and also his
shoulder-blade. Mr.. Nelson's first boy,
who died at the age of five, had six Of
his bones broken. His next child.
Argyle, had four bones broken, and
Harold has scored six breaks.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April 16.-In-
quiries were received in this city last
night regarding the whereabouts of
Frank P. Clarke, superintendent OF the
Keeley institute at Excelsior Springs
and formerly a well known news
paper writer of this city. Clarke
left the springs for this city last
Tuesday afternoon and said he would
return to that place Wednesday. He
had in his possession little more than
$500 belonging to the institute. Coupled
with the inquiries from the springs last
night were expressions of fear that
Clarke might have met with foul play,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

THE wind woult have to be very
strong indeed if it were to perceptibly
accelerate the speed of fast train, for
even in the most violent gales it does
not blow at so great rate as fifty or
sixty miles an hour, except in brief
gusts. If it did, scarcely any buildings
could Withstand its force. 1t stands, of
course, to reason that for train to be
helped by the wind to any material ex-
tent it would be necessary for the wind
to proceed at a greater rate than the
train
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

The family Bible of George Washing
toms mother, now owned by Mrs Lewis
Washington, of Charleston, w. Va, has
been loaned for exhibition at Mount
Vernon. 1t has cover of homespun
cloth, put on by it's original owner. The
book is wonderfully preserved for it's
age, and all of its pages are still intact,
except the first five or six, that were
torn out and placed in the cornerstone
of the Mary Washington monument at
Fredericksburg, Va.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23
-The MorId,s Fair in Iitirntion.

CHICAGO, April 16.-The Lindgren-
Mahon Chemical Fire Engine Co. has
entered suit in the circuit court to re-
cover 100000 damages from the
worlds Columbian exposition, the
Fire Distinguishing Manufacturing
Co. and d. H. Burnham for
alleged conspiracy. Burnham is
the chief of the construction depart
ment of the worlds fair. Plaintiff had
contract to furnish all the fire extin-
gushing engines used at the fair, 1900
in number, but it is charged that the
defendants made an arrangement by
which the Fire ExtinguiaIing Co. got
the contract at 0 higher price,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

DALLAS, Tex, April 16.-The state
convention of the Young Mems Christian
association assembled in the Dallas Y.
NJ. C. A. rooms with full attendance
of delegates and secretaries from all
over the state, as well as guests from
other states, some as, far away as New
York Citv
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

CINCINNATI, April 16.-The health de.
partment was advised to watch train
load of immigrants which arrived from
the east this morning. Two officers
were at the depot and found a young
man scarcely able to walk whom they
took in charge and conveyed to the
company's hospital, where his disease
was prom smallpox. He was
taken to the pest house. The remain
ing immigrants, eighty-four in number,
left on the immigrant car for Chicago.
The smallpox patient is from Genoa,
Italy.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

GEN. O. o. HOWARD is preparing to
write a life of President Zachary Tay-
lor and has been at work for nearly a
year gathering material therefor. Re-
Gently he was in Louisville, where he
went to consult Gen. Thomas Taylor re-
garding the disputed date of "Old Rough
and Ready's" marriage. He found the
court record fixing the date of the cere-
mony June 10, 1910, and found also the
log house on the bank of Harrod's
creek, where the ceremony was per-
formed
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

Mr.. GEORGE w. CABLE, the American
author, was at one time a book-keeper
in a counting housein New Orleans. He
had to work from early morning till late
at night for miserably Inadequate
wage. While he was there Scribner's
accepted his first story of Creole life.
His opportunities for writing were very
few, and it was eight years from the
time that Mr.. Cable first wrote for
Scribner's before he began his first
serial. He is in very different circum-
stances now.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

OLIVE SCHBEINER lives an almost iso-
lated life in an African farm village,
where she has few companions and few
of the comforts of life. But she likes
the solitude, and there is no evidence
that her new fame is going to wean her
from her old life.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

TULoN, April 16.-Queen Victoria, ac-
companied by Princess Beatrice, was re-
ceived at the railway station by the
project, mayor and municipal council
and by a large crowd of citizens, by
whom she was accorded an enthusiastic
welcome. The day was observed as a
holiday. After drive of an hour and
half the party returned to Costa Belle.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

The longest cataleptic sleep known
to medical science has been attracting
attention in Germany. The latest re-
port states that the mana miner of
Silesia-had been unconscious for four
and half months, with no unnatural
appearances except absolute rigidity of
the limbs. During this time the pa
TENTS hair has grown, but his beard
has remained stationary. Food is given
H., 4,,1,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

WHAT does it matter if we lose a few
minutes in a whole day? Answer:
Time table days in a year, S13; work.
ing hours in a day, s.. Five minutes
lost each day is in a year 8 days, 2
hours, 5 minutes; 10 minutes is days,
4 hours, 10 minutes; 20 is IS days and 20
minutes; 80 minutes is IS days, hours,
80 minutes; go minutes is 30 days,
hour
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

HULDA FREDERICKs, young German
woman, has been engaged by the Pail
Mall Gazette to make tour of the
United States for the purpose of writing
up the social institutions of the coun-
try, especially their effect on woman's
condition
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

IN 1867 Falcon island, which, by the
way, still continues to grow, was then
one and four-tenths of mile long and
one hundred and sixty-five feet above
the water in the highest place. In 1890
it was nearly two miles long and mile
wide and has two active volcanoes.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

THElargest brain ever weighed by the
scientists was that of Turgeneff, the
novelist Previously, it has been stated,
the largest brain was that of criminal
not particularly skilled in anything but
crime,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

THERE is dentist in Rome named Fra
Orsenieo, who has been known to ex-
tract 400 teeth a day without the use OF
forceps. He makes use of his thumb
and forefnger in drawing molars. lie
Is q monk, and naturally has most Of
tbc clerical patronage IN Rome
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

The region about the Dead sea is one
of the hottest places on the globe, and
the sea is said to lose 100000 tons of
water day by evaporation. And yet
1t never goes dry.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

Cars, rats and mice cannot exist in
Leadville, Col, the atmosphere there
being so rarefied as to prove fatal to
them.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

A CUBIC foot of newly fallen snow
weighs So pounds, and has twelve
times the bulk of an equal weight of
water.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

THE people of Paris have consumed
within the year 21,201 horses, 229 dom
keys and 40 mules, the meat weighing,
according to the returns, 4,615 tons.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April 16.-Min-
lister Albert G. Porter has re-
ceived telegram from Secretary Of
State Blaine instructing him to return
to Rome. Minister Porter will leave
for Washington Saturday or Sunday.
He expressed much satisfaction at the
settlement of the differences between
this government and Italy.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

APRoPos of the after-the-funeralf feast,
it was Tom Moore who said that in
grief he always found eating won
drous relief.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23

The United States has requested the
extradition of John 0. Davis, recently
arrested in London. Davis was con-
victed and sentenced in Michigan Tor
burglary, but escaped from the peuitan.
tiayy sad fed to England
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-04-23
CURRENT COMMENT.

On an average there are 1O6 boys
born to every 100 girls; but more boys
die in infancy than girls.
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
Indian Buried Alive. =

A report from Ardmor, Indian Terri.
:ory, states that two drunken Light.
horsemen, recently deputized from the
Army post at Wowoko, Seminole Ma.
ton, to execute by shooting an Indian
convicted of a capital crime, only
wounded their victim. Then, as United
States Commissioner Rennie has since
learned, they buried the distressed con.
Eict while he was yet alive. The Door
fellow Valniy protested against the rouyh
'ottin into which two negroes were
to thrust him. Bnt the writi,.
.ng body was put in the box and an
Effort made to nail the lid. but the vic.
sim pushed and kicked against il so that
the task was only accomplished by two
Of the men sitting on the lid while the
other drove the nails with the utmost
The interment was tLen
made.
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
NATIONAL CAPITAL AFFAIRS.
Late News at the Seat of Government.
The Week in Conpress.

The financial question occupied much
Of the attention of the Senate during the
week. Senator Sherman spoke at length
In opposition to free silver He ap-
proved the proposed silver conference,
and advocated a new ratio between
gold and silver. He was replied to at
length by Senator Foster. The debate
was finally adjourned to June ID -
The Senate joint resolution authorizing
and directing the President to proclaim
It holiday commemOrating the 400th an
nlversary of the discovery of America,
on October 12, 1892, was taken from the
calendar and passed. The diplomatic
and consular appropriation bill was taken
up in the Senate. As it came from the
House the bill carried all appropriation
OF 81 ,467 ,248 and this amount has been
increased 1921 800 by the committee.
making a total of $1,710, ,045-being
$33, 12O more than the appropriation for
the current year, and $42S ,421 less than
the estimate The Senate appropria-
tlons committee completed the annual
pension appropriation bill. The bill car
ries total appropriation of $146, $50, 900,
being about $1,000 less than the esti-
mates, and little over $11 100000 more
than the House bill. The increase is for
army and navy pensions and rent
The resolution reported from the finance
committee for committee of five sena-
tors to inquire whether the law relative
10 national banks furnishes sufficient
protection to depositOrs and other credit
ors and to investigate recent failures and
other violations of law or irregularities
was agreed to, and MeSsrs. Chandler,
Higgins, Petfer. Harris and Mcpherson
were appointed The House had the |
rostoffice appropriation bill under con-
Nlderatlon during the week. The amend |
ment increasing the appropriation for
the extension Of the free delivery system,
which W as well debated for the past two
days, was defeated. The amount for the
Star route service wasiucreased by $780,
)OO.-Representative Hall, of Mime
sofa, introduced bill, placing coal.
and shale, upon the free list.
--On Monday motion was made in
he House by Mr.. Catchings to suspend
he rules and put the river and harbor
'tll in conference, which was adopted
Lfter some debate e-Representativ
of Tennessee, introduced on
donday bill to repeal the law imposing
tax of 10 per cent on the circulation of
IL banks other than national banks
lie anti-option bill and the bills admit.
ing New Mexico and Arizona into the
JniOn were passed in the House.
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
GENERAL MARKET REPORT.
The Weeks Quotations From TIA,
Trade CeMfera.

Trade Centers.
NEW RK.-GRAIN-Wheat, No. 2 red.
97lfc. 99c. rye. Soc. a s3I6c.; corn, No 9.
SIC. a SIC: OATS No. 2. 3516c. a S594c.: PROvIs.
IONs-Lard. prime, $3.50 a $50 tallow,
SIC; butter, creamery State and Pennsyl.
vania, 2lc.; cheese, full cream. l04c.; skins,
choice, SIC. HAY AND STRAw-NO. timothy
per 100 pounds 95c.; clover. Sc: straw, No. ]
rye. 85c.; oat, SOC. Dressed beef, 6l4c. u Sc.
CHICAGO. GO.-GRAIN-Wholesale prices
Wheat. spring, &c.; corn, 1886; oats. &c {;
rye. 76c. PROvIsIONs-Mess pork. per BIB.
9.621S lard. S6.15; hogs common. 81. 40;
prime, 81. 65 sheep, $3.50; lambs IS. 80: steers
s4.65.
BALTIMORE. - GRAIN Southern wheat.
9Sc.; corn. yellow. 50c.; white. JO16c oats,
No. 2 white 3S16c.; rye, No. 2, Csc. PRO.
vIsIONs-Butter, creamery, 2lc.; tubs, ISc,;
eggs. l4c.; cotton, 74c.
red, 9715c; corn, No. 2, 5116c.; oats, No
white. 311sc.; butter, State creamery. prints,
Ac.; eggs. l416c.
The delegates from South Carolina tO
the Democratic National Convention viii
favor Hill.
There is new example of wild West.
ern brigandage. Six masked men held
up the Sante Fe express in the Chero-
kee Strip. They compelled messenger
to break open the safe, and having Sc
cured the contents escaped. They 90.
$4,000 of Uncle Sans money, on its
way to pay Indians.
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
A HIGH-BINDER WAR.
several Cinnamon Killed In O Lively
gagement In Sacramento.

several Cinnamon Killed In O Lively En-.
gagement In Sacramento.
The city of San Francisco has had n
sensatlon in a riot among Cinnamon
which broke out in the Chinese quarters
not fifty yards from the main business
part of the city. There have been several
outbreaks recently, but they resulted
only in the occasional wounding of some
Chlnamen. The present riot was a more
serious affair. There was a perfect
tusllade in the street in front of the
headquarters of two high binder socie-
ties. Shots were exchanged across the
street In rapid succession and the Air
was full of flying bullets. An electric
car, filled with passengers, happeLed to
be on the track between the contendino
parties and storm of bullets whistlad
through the car about the heads of the
passengers, who clambered out as rapidlv
as possible. The conductor and gripman
put on the breaks and abandoned their
posts in haste.
When the battle was over two China
men were found dead and another ~ 40
shot through the thigh. A number of
others were wounded and probably sew.
eral more were killed, but have beer
concealed by their friends. One party
did its shooting from a balcony. One
man, peaceable Chinese cigarmaker
who has wife and two children. wos
shot and killed while in his own place Of |
business.
The police have arrested seven China.
men, all of whom were armed with large |
pistols, several of which had recentIv
been discharged.
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
Notes,

Lieutenant. Governor Pendleton has
heen elected in Texas to succeed Mills in
Congress.
The Government has issued an order
that all letter boxes throughout the EN-.
tire country be painted red.
The concerts of the Marine Band have
been discontinued at the White House.
owing to Mrs. Harrison's nervous weak.
ness
The Collector of Customs at San Fran.
cisco reports the seizure of large guam
tity Of smuggled opium imported from
China on the steamship Pueblo.
The public debt statement shows that
the interest and non-interest bearing
debt decreased $3.50, ,149. so during the
month of May. Total cash In the Treas,
ury is $795, 300, 595.O6.
Kate Pike, who achieved some noto.
rtety by attempting suicide in New York,
vas warmly welcomed by her fellow
clerks on her return to her desk in the
Treasury Department at Washington.
The oldest employe of the Naval De-
partment at Washington is w. P. Nor
gan, who has been in the Government
service for nearly half a century. He
was appointed in 1643, and is now in the
Bureau of Navigation.
At least eight European governments
have accepted the Presidents invitation
to participate in monetary conference,
and there is no longer any doubt of such
n d. 4 n
nicate Will. Congress on the subject in
few days.
The Agricultural Appropriation bill
contains section providing that the
monthly crop report issued on the 10th
of each month shall be confined to a
statement of the percentage totals by
states and full total, without comment |
OF argument.
Commissioner Raum was before tho |
Sab Committee of Deficiencies, and ex.
planned the necessity existing for spe.
cial appropriation Of $7,6OO,000 on &C.
count Of pensions. He desired the money
appropriated to be available June 10. to
meet the June payments. This def.
cheney, If allowed, will make the total
pensions payments for the year nearly
BIAS, ,00O, 900.
Much alarm exists over the condition
Of Mrs. Harrison, who has been growing
weaker for some time. At the White
House it Is asserted that no immediate
ianger is feared, but there is no doubt
hat the weakness which continues to
mark Mrs. Harrison's condition is the
ource Of great apprehension. The in
entlon is to remove her to some spot
where she may be able to convalesce.
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
CAPITAL SAVINGS RANK
OF WASHINGTON, DC.
804 + st, n. W.

oO4 + st. n. W.
Receives deposits, loans money
tiahsaets a general banking busi.
Less. Location central and con.
Venlent. 2 street cars and herdic
run III front of our door-9hst
cars run a few rods cast of our
building, :7th street and 11.h ST.
cars only two block away.
Dr. Z. B. Purvis, L. G. Bailey
OFFICERS: 4
President, JrO. r Lynd
vice Pres, Joseph W. cox
Cashier, Douglass b. McCmy
Treasurer, L.C. Bailey
Secretary, He. Baker
DIRECTORS.
Jno. K. Lyhch, l.. G. Bailey,
Joseph W. Cole, w. Mckinley
John A. Pierre, j. A. Lewis
W. Z. Matthews, J.R. Wilder
W. s. Montgomery,
J. L. Bradford, James Sforum,
W. D. Lotion, j. A. johnson.
a' W. Iancll, Ii. Z. Baker,
The Washington bee., 1892-06-11
Political Crisis in Italy.

The Marquis di Rudini and all the
members of the Italian cabinet have ten
iered their designations to the King, Ow-
ing to a vote of want of confidence by
the Chamber of Deputies. The chamber
refused to accept the governments pol
icy of heavy reduction in military and
naval expenditures. It is admitted that
the Italian government is on the verge
of bankruptcy.