davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-04

W. g. Skinner Is one Of the best known
men in Wakefield, Mass. He is war
veteran and every body's friend. He says:
81 had rheumatism and was in poor
health long time. Indications pointed
towards the accumulation Of impurities
in the blood and germs of disease Twas
constipeted and had no appetite. I evil
IDENTIFY needed good blood purifier and
made q change all through my system,
gave me an appetite and worked effec-
lively on my blood. am now perfectly
well, my blood has been put in good
order. thanks to Hoods" w. G. SKINNER.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-04
FAIR AND WARMER.

Boston, June 3.-For Boston and
vicinity: Tuesday, generally fair; rising
temperature; easterly to southerly winds.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-04
Hoods SarsapariIla
Is the Only
True Blood Purifier
Prominently in the Public Eye Today.

Hoods Pills easy in eject. Is cents
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
Fatal Curse
On the TiChbOrnes

1t is said that it was fatal curse made
house of Tichborne.
When the Lady Mabelle Tichborne, wife
of the Sir Roger who fourished in the
reign of Henry H., was lying on her
death ped, she besought her husband to
grant her the means of leaving behind
her charitable boquest in the form of an
annual dole of Dread. To gra tify her
within he accordingly promised her the
produce of as much land in the vicinity
of the park as she could walk over while
Il certain brand was burning; for, as she
had been bedridden for many years, he
supposed that she would be able to go
round only small portion of the prop
erty But when the venerable dame was
carried cut upon the ground she seemed
to regain her strength. and. greatly to the
surprise OF her husband, crawlcd round
several rich and goodly acres. which to
this day retain the name OF The
Craws. On being reconveyed to her
chamber Lady Mabelle summoned her
family to her bedside and predicted its
prosperity SO long as the annual dole was
observed, but she left her solemn curse
on any of her descendants who should
discontinue it, prophesying that when
such should happen the old house would
fall, and the family name ''hecome ex-
tinct from failure. of male Is ssu',. And
she further added Il a. tins would be fore
told by generation OF seven sons being
followed Immediately after by genera
ton of seven daug lte;s and no son.
Ine custom .. the annual doles was
observed TO. 800 80 RS IN every 18th OF
March, untll--o, ing to TIE COM la nts OF
the magistrates .un. Ioral gentry that
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
The TerrOrs
OF a Vacant House

party were seated OH the sidewalk in
front of the Commercial hotel Yesterday
swapping stories both real and imagin-
AIRY. The subject drifted around to ghost
stories, more or less truthful and uncan-
ny enough to send the cold shivers chas-
iEg mp the spinal column of a timid per
son.
Mike Rice happened to be one of the
party. He paid close attention to the
weird tales OF the unknown world, and at
the conclusion of the last story braced
himself up, and with u serious look on
his face which gave it the stamp of truth.
recounted story in which he was a prin-
cipal actor, the authenticity of which has
been vouched for by parties now llvln- IN
this town. In Florence, Pinal county. there
is an old building known as Lou Bailey's
saloon. which in the days OF border ruff
fianism was the scene of numerous MUIR
ders. AS civilization advanced the night
ly pop of the pistol ceased and desperadoes
sought countries more congenial to their
lawlesS pursuits. 1t was then that it became
noised abroad that the old saloon was
haunted, and the credulous Stunned the
place, especially so the Nj xicans, for they
are very superstitious race, and for love
would inhabit the house even for soil
tary night: so the house was given up to
the nocturnal prowllngs of the mystic
spirits of departed l.ortals.
A few years ago Mike Rice made his
entree into Florence, and casting his
eye around for a hab. tatIon settled on the
haunted house, and in company with ex.
Sheriff Pete Gabriel. took possession.
When it became known that the place
was at last to become inhabited by tenn.
poral beings. number of well-meaning
people made haste to warn the new occu.
pants OF the house of the reputation it
bore. But they were notof super
stitious turn of mind. and having their
curiosity aroused, they made up their
minds that they would controvert the
right of possession with any spooks who
would undertake to dispute their priority
of right to the occupancy.
Mike and his compun OIL took formal
possession of the premises. and the first
night they slept Che sleep which comes
with the vigor OF healthy manhood and
clear conscience. For several nights it was
the same. and in the morning they would
waken and find no apparent sign OF the
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28

the spirits to come, Mrs. Herbne talked
of the weather, of her baby boy, who was
pushing his little toes against the table,
and then of the celebrated people who
had sat at the same little table.
II have had some very sweet and touch
ing talks for Mrs. Hendricks with her
husband" said the medium. 1.-The
messages were not very long at first, but
as time went on the conversations were
more extended and always very salts
factory to her.
The general purport of them was love
and consolation. such comforting words
as a husband would say TO a wife in life
No. do not remember that much was
ever said about politics. | remember in
one message Mr.. Hendricks wrote that he
did not care to talk about political matters
that where he was politics did not give
him concern, and that he preferred to
ak with her on topics concerning their
hap piness on earth and the joys to come
Wnen they should be united in the spirit
land.
Minister Gray, who was minister
to Mexico when he died, came to me, ="
she said.
mo, he did not care to converse with
the spirits OF any political friends, but
with the spirits of two sons who hau been
dead many years.
Mrs. Mckee, the daughter of ex-Presi-
dent Harrison. came t. me after her
mothers death. and | secured some very
touching messages for her. | understand
that the ex-president was also arranging
to have "a sitting, but he never came, and
[ guess he was afraid to come.
James Whitcomb Riley. the poet, has
had sitting, and you know he is some
thing of a medium himself. Lieutenant
Governor Nye and his wife have both
been here, nor are they skeptics.
While this conversation was going on
there was sound of scratching on the
slate. as if visible or invisible hand were
writing a message. Mr. Herbine drew the
closed slate from under the ts BILE.
Alas, the writing was scanty enough.
There was short message: II am here
and am glad to be with you.
The name signed was one that had been
written on the slip.
Mrs. Herbine insisted that the spirits
were slow to respond at the first sitting,
and after a few more short sentences of no
special import a message appeared on the
slate saying: mo more today This was
signed by the control"
Many of the faithful in indianapolis de-
clare that the successful business ventures
made by Mrs. Hendricks since her hus-
bands death have been due to his
They claim that she has increased her
fortune only through the advices and
prophetic instruction which could only
come from an all-seeng soul in the spirit
land.
Whatever may be the belief, it is fact
that Mrs. Hendricks has IN ten years
doubled the property left her by her hus-
band and meantime she has dispensed in
charity or in aid of relatives nearly So.
900. Not only has she attended to her
own charities but she has carried on her
roll Of pensioners all the needy relatives
and impoverished political friends that
her husband was in the habit of aiding
ct the time of his death. Vice President
Hendricks was in his life charitable al
most to a fault.
When the vice president died he was
director in the Hecla Silver Mining Com
pany. Mrs. Hendricks promptly took his
elected every year.
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28

visitation OF an ethereal spirit while they
slept
One day Gabriel was called away and
Rice spent the night alone; but he went
to bed with no misgivings that anything
out of the ordinary was to occur. About
midnight when nothing but the snoring
of the lone occupant of the house could
be heard. he was rudely awakened by
having the sheets pulled from under him.
He jumped out of bed and made a hasty
examination OF the room. but nothing
was to be seen. 50 Mike returned to bed
thinking some of the boys were playing
trick on him. lie was barely in dream
land VI he found himself on the floor
with the cot on top Of him.
lie hastily eXtricated himself and still
convinced that he was the victim of some
Joke examined the premises again with
futile results. Now thoroughly mystitied
as well as being in an angry frame of
mind, he took his shotgun to bed with
him and lay awake for the appearace of
his annoyer. He was not long in sus-
pense. for bis cot was lifted at the head
and lie was left standing on his feet. Hast
lily gathering his wits about him he
whirled around End disc IN Il the shadowy
outlines of q tail, rawbuned individual
with red wh1skers. lie fired a shot at tile
apparition and when the smoke cleared
away found that he had done no further
damage than to fill the wall with shot.
Not willing to believe that he was deal
ing with genuine spook he again sought
his cot and had hardly done so when he
beheld the apparition again standing at
the head OF the cot grinding what APP
peared to be coffee m ii over his head.
Now thoroughly convinced that the APP
partition was not of flesh and blood, he
gave an Apache yell, and jun ing out of
bed he put on what articles of wearing
apparel were handy and rushed over
to the hotel. where he told this story to
Charley Starr the clerk, and was given
bed tor the balance of the night.
The next night Gabriel returned and
not seeing his companion, went to bed.
and during the night Rice, who was
sleeping along with the others in corral
near the haunted house. were awakened
by a loud commotion. and they deserted
a figure in rather unconventional UNI
attire rushing toward them, which proved
to be Gabriel in an advanced state of
alarm.
Rice asked what allied him, but the
only answer vouchsafed was shut up. "
and no amount of persuasion could ever
induce Gabriel to tell his experience OF
that night-for he probably feared ridi-
Guile preferred to remain silent.-Ari-
iona Gazette.
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
She Builds
To Save Her Life

Six miles southeast of San Jose Oh tue
Saratoga road ON farm of 100 acres,
largely set out in fruit, stands the palatial
residence of Mrs. Winchester, the widow
OF the inventor of the world-famed Win
chester rife. Ten years ago the hand
some residence was apparently ready tor
occupancy. but Improvements and adj
ditions are constantly being MADE, for the
reason, it is said. that the owner of the
house believes that when it is entirely
completed she will die. This superstiti IN
has resulted in the construction of a mass
OF dumes, turrets, Cupolas and towers,
covering territory enough for II castle.
Although no part of the structure is over
two stories high, the house is large enough
to shelter an army.
The house stands in the midst of large
and extremely beautiful lawn. Foun-
.tains throw their spray over figures that
seem almost human. Beautiful flowers
grow everywhere roses, lilies. trees,
vines, pampas grass. rare plants of every
description dot the soft grass and help to
make a magnificent setting for the build
ings. which look like nothing else so much
as an old German castle with its sur
rounding strongholds. There are many
buildings besides the house and they, too,
show the effects of the owners odd be-
lief. summer houses and Conservatives
are made with the most picturesque of
pinnacles and there are many unexpected
inches, where groups of statuary are
hidden. Il en- the barns and granaries
are built in LIS and rs, which suggest
that they were made in parts and are
ready at any time to have the work con-
tinued.
AS fast as new rooms are finIshed-and
they are all made with the very latest
and most modern accessories-they are
furnished with the utmost elegance and
closed, to be used hardly at all. Mrs.
Winchester and her niece live alone in
the great residence, and its doors are
closed to all but favored few. The tap,
tap. tap of the carpenters hammer never
disturbs them in their cozy and luxur-
ious quarters. which are as far removed
from the sound as if it were somebody
elses house that was being built.
In appearance Mrs. Winchester is
scarcely beyond the prime of life. She
is shrewd business woman, and So
cially very exclusive. Whether she has
discovered the secret of eternal youth and
will live as long as building material,
saws and hammers last. or is doomed to
a disappointment as great as Ponce de
Leon in his search for the fountain of
life is question for time to solve
San Jose News.
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
GRUESOME
TALES OF WRAITHS, CHARTS
AND HORRORS
Haunted Houses ans
CHASTITY Deeds-Mystees of the and the Unknown
WorId--Things to Make Creep
and Drive Away Sleep

Fatal curses are implicitly believed in
by a great many people, who attribute
the misfortune and downfall of certain
English houses to these imprecations. A
popular form of curse is that house
may be entirely ext.nguished for want of
a male heir. A catastrophe of this kind
was that connected with the McAllister
family of Scotch notoriety. The story
goes that many generations back one of
her chiefs. McAllister Indre an intrepid
warrior who feared neither God or man,
in skrmish with a neighboring clan
captured a widows two sons and n u
most heartless manner caused them to be
hanged on gibbet erected aim ost before
her very door. 1t was in vain that with
we'll nigh heartbroken tears she denouced
his iniQuitous act. for he and his COM
rades only laughed and scoffed and even
threatened to burn her cottage to the
ground But as the crimson and setting
rays of u summer sun fell on the lifcless
boIle of her two sons her eyes met those
of him who had so basely and cruelty
wronged her, and after once more stig
matizing his barbarity. with deep
measured voice she pronounced these
ominous words. embodying curse which
McAllister lndre little anticipated would
so surely come TO pass: Il suffer now,
SAID the Srle1-StrlcKen woman, 'DuJ you
shall suffer always. You have made me
childless. but yoL and yours shall be
heirless forever. Never shall there be Il
son to the house of McAllister."
These words were treated with con-
tempt by McAllister Indre. who Knocked
and laughed at the malicious prattle of a
woman's tongue. But time proved only
too truly how pelsistently the curse'of the
bereaved woman chung to. the race OF her
oppressors and, as Sir Bernard Burke
remarks. it was in the reign of Queen
Anne that the hopes OF the house OF Nc
Alister "hourished for the last time;
they were blighted forever
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28

binary doctrine upon any of them. His
two daughters, his wife and the others
were given free scope to believe or disbe-
lieye. and after mature deliberation ac-
cepted the latter. OF course the influence
of daily association with the wonderful
magnetism and vast mentality of Colonel
Ingersoll had much to do with the adop-
ton of his views. but so far as he posi-
bly, could he remained passive and al
lowed them to find their own religious
refuge.
More than once Ingersoll has said that
there was no sacrifice within the scope of
legitimate possibility he would not I'M
dergo. could ne believe what the Bible
teaches. 1t would give him greater joy
to accept it's promises than the indulgence
of any known pleasure. 1t is right at
this point that the abnormal develop
ment of the savage thirst for positlvism
in the mans mental structure intervenes
and raises the barriers.
Colonel Ingersoll is an early riser for
New Yorker, and is generally up at I
O'Clock He shaves himself and takes a
cold bath with the regularity of clock
work. AT breakfast the whole family sit
down at the table. The hour is 8 clock.
There is no end to the conversation at
that family board. All of them are read
ers and thinkers. The colonel eneers into
all of the family talks, whether they be
about politics. music. the stage, some
new actor.a recent book, a question in
finance or law. or the doings of his baby
grandchildren.
morning meal. ana the next thirty min
lltes the jloi ell ends in looking Owe
his home mail ~ CHANGING over the pa.
pers. He is an astonishingly rapid read
II, and grasps the news events, OF the
world with speed only equalled by
Depew.
At o'clock the &C l,nel walks to the
Thirty-third street station of the Sixth
avenue 81 road. and in the twenty
minutes ride to Rector street finishes the
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
The Mystery
OF Haunted Rooms

In Dr. T. f. T. Drives new book thers
is very terrible story of mysterious
room that matches the horrors of Blue
Beard. The hero CD of this tale was
called Bloody Baker, and he well de-
served the name:
After spending some years abroad in
consequence of duel, he returned to his
old home at Cranbrook, in Kent. He
only brought vi it'll him a foreign servant,
and these two lived alone. Very soon
strange stories began to be whispered
of unearthly shrieks having been fire. Iuent-
ly heard at nightfall to issue from his
house and of persons who were missed
and never heard of again. But it never
occurred to anyone to connect incidents of
this kind with Sir Richard Baker,
until one day he formed an apparent at
tachment to young lady in the neigh
borhood, who always wore "a great num-
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
COLONEL ROBERT G. INGERSOLL
By David Ferguson

NEW YORK April % Special Cor
respondence. IA massively built man.
wearing a black frock suit of no particular
style, with ruddy. wholesome face,
clean shaver, and with strength marked
in every line, gray hair at the sides and
bald at the top. clear gray eyes. with
positive sticking out from every inch of
his six feet of manhood, and you have
terse picture of Robert Green 1ngersoll
as he Is today in the sixty second year of
his life.
Positive is the one word that tells the
story of the man. Anything encum bered
with the shadow of doubt finds a friend
in him. Everything which is incontro-
beneath it in Ingersoll. Positive he is in
all things. He calls himself Positivist,
and the members of his family call them
selves Postvists. The word agnostic is
distasteiu to him and to all OF them.
But this story has not much to do with
what Ingersoll is, or is not. for the world
at large is pretty well informed on that
subject. 1t will only show what that UNI
ique figure of the closing century does IN
an average day, how he spends his time,
what his amusements are, and, in brief,
what he does from the time of rising in
the morning until bedtime at night.
lngersoll's home is at No. 400 Fifth
avenue,a fine, massive stone man
sion near Thirty seventh street, "a residence
section rapidly being dissipated by the
cncroach,nents of commerce. To under
stand the home life Of the man it will be
necessary-to say something about his
family. First there is Mrs. Ingersoll and
two daughters Eva and Maud. The elder
daughter is now Mrs. Ralston Brown, and
she has two children. Mrs. Ingersol's
mother is member of the family. as is
also her sister, Mrs. Farrell. Mr.. and Miss
Farrell This makes a family of eleven,
and, excepting the two little children
who are not yet oil enough to solve the
problems, they are followers Of the In
gcrsoll antireligious idea.
Right here it SHOULD be said that Colo
mel Ingersol has not forced his extraor-
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28

her Of iawels II had q ften dressed her
to call and SEQ his house. and happening
to be near she determined to surprise
him with visit. Her companion trieo
to dissuade her from doing so. put she
would not be turned from her purpose.
They knocked at the door, but receiv
ing no answer determined TO enter. At
the head of the staircase hung parrot.
which, on their passing, cried out:
''Peapot, pretty lady. be not too bold
Or your red blood Will soon run cold. "
And the blood of the adventurous
woman did run clod when on opening
one of the room doors she found it nearly
full of bodies of murdered persons, chiefly
women. And when, on looking out OF
the window they saw Bloody Baker"
and his servant bringing in the boy of
lady, paralyzed with fear, they concealed
themselves in the recess under the stair
case and. as the murderers with their
CHASTITY load passed by, the hand of the
murdered lady hung in the baluster of
the stairs. which, on Baker chopping it
off with an oath. fell into the lap of o G
OF the concealed ladies. nrhey quickly
made their escapade with the dead hand.
ON one of the fingers of which was ring
Reaching home. they told the story. and
in proof of it displayed the ring. Fami-
lies in the neIghborhood who had lost
friends or relatives mysteriOusly were told
of this bloody chamber of horrors, and it
was arranged to ask Baker to party, APP
paIently in friendly manner, but to
have a constable concealed ready to take
him into custody. He accepted the invi-
ton and then the lady pretending it was
a dream told him a IL she had seen.
g Fair lady said he. dreams are
nothine they are but fables.
" y hey may be fables. she replied. but
is this fable?' And she produced the
hand ana ring, upon which the con-
stables appeared on the scene and took
Baker into custody. The tradition adds
that he was found guilty and was burned.
Notwithstanding that Queen Mary trii
to save him on account of his holding tie
Roman Catholic reiiulon -
The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28

TaEa5ods. sypsies and ij oilers os DC
scription swarmed into the neighbor-
hood under the pretense of receiving the
dole-it was discontinued in the wear
1896 Strangely enough, Sir Henry Itch
borne, the baronet OF that day. had issue
seven sons, and his eldest son. who sue
ceeded him. had seven daughters and no
son. The prophesy was apparently COM
pleted by the change of name of tn. pos
SCISSORS OF the estate to Doughty. in the
person of Sir Edward Doughty, who had
assumed the name under the will of a
relative from whom he Inherited certain
property. Finally, it may be added. the
claimant" appeared and instituted one of
the most costly lawsuits ever tried, in
which the Tichborne state was put to an
expense of close upon fi0O, 600.