St. Landry democrat., 1893-09-23
SOMEWHAT STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Facts and Thrilling Adven-
lures Which Show That Truth is
Strauner Than Fiction

Queer Facts and Thrilling Adven
lures Which Show That Truth is
Stranger Than Fiction.
MISS NELLIE HoLGATE, clerk at Seat
tie, Washington, had an extraordinary
adventure recently, according to her own
account. A month ago she went Out
alone in boat for TOW on Lake Wash
ington, and the next morning the boat
was found empty, her hat and cloak were
found in the water, and it was supposed
that she was drowned. AS she had d
large Insurance on her life, there was a
suspicion that she was not dead, aud the
search for her body was prosecuted for a
long time. A few days ago she returned
to Seattle, and said that while she was
rowing, man anl woman, who were on
the shore of the lake, called her. Sup
posing that they were acquaintaaces,
she rowed ashore, when the man pulled
her boat upon the bank and demanded
her money and her watch. He then
forced her to get into a wagon with him
and the woman, and threatening her with
death if she called the attention of any,
body they might chance to meet They
travelled by ut-of-the-way roads until
they reached ranch near Poca-
tello, Idaho, where they went to a
house to escape a storm which was rag
ing. In the morning the people of the
ranch told her that her companions had
gone off without her, whereupon she told
her story, and they kindly assisted her to
return home.
For many years Heidelburg University
has had the honor of owning the largest
barrel, or ''tun," as they call it, in the
world. They have had the honor, al
though it does not really belong to them,
for Arizona has barrel that makes theirs
fade into insignitcance. The one at
Heidelberg will not hold liquid, neither
will the one in Arizona. In this they
are the same, but are different in many
other ways. Arizona's blrrel is the work
of nature, aud it is on peak of noun
tain, about five miles from Aguas CaIien-
tas, which is in the Catalina Mountains,
about sixteen miles from railroad. The
barrel is one of those peculiar rock for
nations, and is about 200 feet high, and
the top of it is at least 1000 feet above
the valley. 1t can be seen for miles be-
fore the traveller gets to it, and its ap-
pearance is most deceiving- 1t requires
no effort of the Imagination to see the
large utensil of Bacchus perched on its
peak with q glass uader faucet as if
ready to be filled. A large fissure in a
certain spot forms bungholc. 1t does
not look like barrel unless. seen
from the plain; gu all other sides it is
simply rugged rock. 1t is soft gran
lite formation of volcanic origin, aud is
crumbling to pieces all the time. It is
SO soft that half u dozen men with picks
could knock it to pieces in a few days.
The strangest case on record in the
history of criminal law in Texas has just
come to light. Ga December 10, 1892,
Peter Meggs was convicted at Anderson,
Grimes County, on purely circumstan-
tial evidence, Of the murder of Michael
Ferry and sentenced to life term in
the State Penitentiary at Huntsville.
Two or three months after his arrival
there Ferry bobbed up in Western Texas
where he was arrested for committing
felony, tried an convicted AID sentenced
to short term in the same penitentiary
where his supposed slayer was confined
The men recognized each other inme-
diately, but Ferry, being legally dead.
cannot testify il behalf of Mcggs, and
the latter, being convict, cannot tes- |
THY in his own behalf. The matter has
been brought to the notice of a firm of
Galveston lawyers, one of whom is Con
gresham Gresham, and they will summon
six citizens Of Hempstead where Ferry
is well known, to proceed to the peui-
Tertiary t. identify him. This being
done, steps will be taken TO secure par
don for him from Governor Hogg in |
order that he may testify in behalf of
Meggs, and thus secure the latter's re-
lease
A SOUTH AFRICAN paper says that
man name1 Gleeson. who was sergeant !
in the British army IN India during the
mutiny, and who died last December
told his son-in law, Mr.. Hughes, of Pre-
toria, Transvaal, that during the Indian
war he, with two others, murdered the
King of Dude and stole the crown jew
els, which he buried near the spot where
the crime was committed The two
other hooters were killed during the war.
The day after the looting the Thirty
second regiment was ordered away, and
The town was handed back to the enemy,
10 that there was no time to secure the
ewels. Since Gleeson's death Hughes
las been communicating with the Indian
government through the editor of an
indian journal, and as all the facts and
descriptions coincide, Hughes leaves
hortly for India to show the spot where
he treasure is buried near the battle
ield. One diamond in the crown is sup
,osed to be the Yellowstone to the fa-
nous Koh-i-noor, now in, the possession
II Queen Victoria, by whom it was sur
endercd by 'The Lion of the Pun
aub."
RATHER novel sight was seen on the
treets OF Baltimore, Md, the other day.
The trolley on one of the large electric
ars on Lexington street became en-
angled with the wire, and the entire
rolley apparatus was torn off the top of
he car. The accident happened at I
ime when travel over the road was I'M ,
sually heavy, aud it was necessary to {
revent blocka e. Lineman William c
colt was equal to the occasion. He t
REQUIRED piece of insulated wire, and
fter stripping each end Of the insulating s
Material, connected one end through the a
ar roof, and standing OF the top of the a
ar held the other end against the trolley I
ire. A connection being thus made,
be car was run over the elevated struc-
are to the car barn at Walbrook without
ccident to Mr.. Scott or delay to the
Their cars. Mr.. Soott's position was a q
ovel one and startled persons, who are 8
uused to electricity, as he stood on top s