The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-03
AROUND THE CORRIDORS.


"The interesting interview with Judge Rucker
recently published In THE CALL gives certain
facts relative 10 the sailing OF claims In The
Cripple Creek district years ago TO which am
able to give you some additional information,
so far, at least as one OF the men who did the
work is concerned" said j. W. Drake OF Gin
cnnati yesterday. "a short time ago there
died in Cincinnati noted character named
John II. sweeney. and he was one Of the prin-
eipal movers in the last successful attempt TO
salt claims in the district mentioned. II was
along IN the 70's that Sweeney first appeared
in Pueblo, Col. By that time be had become
general dealer in gold bricks He not only
manufactured the article but was equally as
expert in all the roles required In lis disposal
10 unsuspecting victims. Ia his operations III
the Cripple Creek district Sweeney bad two con-
federates, and, although he remained In the
background, he was The principal operator.
They succeeded ia selling the sailed mines
for large sum, which was paid over TO S~een-
ey's confederales, who Immediately disappeared
with all the money and before making set
tlement with Sweeney. He went to Washing
ton and secured Federal commission through
certain influential friends which would allow
him 10 pursue bis former partners to any part
OF the country. and Immediately entered upon
a chase which lasted for two years. He finally
trailed the pair 10 seaport town OF Texas only
TO learn that they had purchased schooner
and sailed for the West Indies. He bought
vessel and starred after them, and one day In
the Gulf of Mexico the wreck of a vessel was
sighted. There was enough left TO show that
1t was the schooner which had borne away the
fugtives, aud Sweeney returned TO Pueblo,
where he remained awhile and then began TO
drift about the country. He gained strong
hold in Pueblo when he first went there by as
sisIiug the authorities In suppressIug gang Of
desperadoes who were terrorlZng the town.
He killed two or three OF hem and drove away
those who refused TO become peaceful. For
his services he was given state commission
and afterward became conspicuous as an Of
fcer of the law"
A. NJ. Stokes OF Creston. Iowa, was at the
Occidental yesterday. He Is prominent bust
ness man of that city, and yesterday gave a
| CALL reporter some interesting fac concern
ing the prohibition agitation 10 that State, and
bill now awaiting the Governors signature
| introduced by legislator named Martin and
| bearing his name. "For nearly year we have
! had In operation in my town system similar
| to the one proposed by the Martin bill. aud it
has been remarkably successful" said Mr.
| Stokes "The Mayor has Issued licenses TO
houses OF public entertainment the license
! fee being S75 per month. Although there has
|
| saloon keeper from the penalties Of the pro-
! perfect immunity from prosecution ever since
| the Mayor began levylng the license. A very
| considerable proportion OF the business men OF
Creston approve of the Mayors course, and the
| handsome revenue from this license system has
had wonderfully inylgorating effect upon the
| debllitated city treasury. 1t is also noteworthy
that the past year has been one OF the most
orderly in the history of the town. and there
have been fewer arrests for drunkenness and
disordery conduct than ever before 10 its his.
tory. Whatever may be the view of the
Mayors conduct In ignoring the prohibitory
law. the fact remains that his administration
| has been a successful one so far as good order
| is concerned. The Martin bill provides for a
license, and the failure-the dismal faure-of
| prohibition having been demonstrated to the
satisfaction of large majority OF our citizens,
the taxpayers will gladly welcome the new
law"
california is undoubtedly wonderful
State" said DR.. T. o. Batch of Indianapolis
| Yesterday, land her resources are phenomenal,
but am afraid you are little hasty ia a re-
cent claim that you possess the largest baby in
weight at birth, seventeen pounds being the
! record. know of case In my State which
beats the California inf Mt by pound and a
half. In October. 1892, Mrs. Moses Banner
who lives near IrvlDgton, Ind, gave birth to a
child which weighed eighteen and a half pounds
The father OF the child weighed 1t and reported
weight of twenty pounds. but desiring
| TO be careful aud intending to give the medical
society the benefit OF his observations. friend
of mine. who was in attendance, weighed the
infant bimself with reliable scales ana In
the presence of neighbors and the exact weight
was that given. Tie mother OF he child Is a
| Iarr IDr qsn
200 pounds. while the father Is twenty-five
pounds lighter. They have had several chill
dren and the last one has always been heavier
than The preceding one. The one spoken o.
was dead at birth, and is believed 10 be the
largest ever born-at least the medical stats
tics fall to tell US OF larger"
"The temperance of the top season, which
the youngsters enjoy so much, may leud inter
est 10 the statement that nearly all OF these toys
are made In Pennsylvania" said E. w. Hell
mich OF Bradford, that State, yesterday. III
one town there Is factory which employs Owe
200 hands. The tops are made of lockwood
maple and lignum vitae, and taking all kinds
together larger humber OF maple are sole
than OF either OF the other woods lockwood
coming next and lignum vitae third, but IN th,
aggregate sales of each kind the lockwood top
are firs the maple next and the lignum vita
last. Not many OF the latter are sold on &C
count of their cost, and those which do find
market are disposed of chiefly IN the South anC
In the Northwest. 1t may also be OF interest t
state that most of the iron pegs used In tops al,
made in Newark, N. j."
1.-THE Oldest locomotive fireman in Americ;
died recently In my town." said Thomas Muscl
OF Clinton, Canada. yesterday. "His name wa
Joseph W. Whitehead. and his age at The TIM
OF his death was 80 years. He took part In th
construction OF the Canadian and Pacific Rail
road, and commenced his career as railroad
empioye at the age OF 10 years. when be was
stoker on the tranway which was constructed
from Darlington to STOCKTON. England, dis
lance OF twenty-five miles. George Stephenson
became interested in the road and talked III,
owners into the Idea of trying steam instead o