davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
Driven From Her Victim by a
Plucky Woman With a
Pitchfork.
CROWDS OF EXCITED PEOPLE.
Three Wagon Loads of Policemen
Gould Do Nothing but Clear
the Streets.

CHICAGO, ILL, March 25.-W. n. Har-
ris' big elephant Gypsy became unmanage-
able at its winter quarters on the West
side this afternoon, and before she could
be got under control killed her keeper,
tore down a frame building and created
general excitement which drew thousands
Of people to the scene.
Harris circus is quartered at the corner
of Robey and Jackson streets in a six
story brick building, and Gipsy occupies
the greater part of the first floor. Her
regular keeper is Bernard Shea, but Shea
is at present engaged at a muslc-hall in
Omaha and the animal was temporarily in
charge of Frank Scott, a lion-tamer. This
afternoon Scott, against orders, took
Gipsy out for a ride in the alley. Gypsy
did not seem inclined to stop at the bound
ary of the alley and Scott gave her jab
with an iron hook. The beast became en-
ragged, and throwing her keeper from her
head proceeded to pound him with her
trunk and succeeded in killing him.
Mrs. Harris came to the rescue with a
pitchfork. She was knocked down. but
pluckily recommended the battle, and the
beast ran toward the end of the alley.
Here was standing large crowd, and
many were the bruises received in the
scattering which took place when the
elephant started out of the alley. Gipsy
did not go far ont, but went back for Scott,
who, in the meantime, had heen moved
into wooden building just opposite the
elephants quarters. The animal knocked
in the whole side of the building in her
efforts to get at the man again.
During this time Harris had sent for
fifty loaves of bread. The elephant
quieted down somewhat while she
was eating, and and after she had
finished, walked into the barn and
the heavy doors were shut. The door
had no sooner been closed than the ele-
phant shattered it and ran out again. By
this time every street in the vicinity was
crowded with excited people. Three
wagonloads of police came to the rescue
but did nothing further than to keep back
the crowd. The elephant had her own
way for about four hours, when she went
to her stall and allowed Claude Orton, a
horse trainer, to chain her. Harris has
owned the animal for five years and has
had DO trouble with her before.
Frank Scott's right name is unknown.
Although he has been with Harris circus
for six years no one knows anything of
him except that he went under an assumed
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
.SC0T|A'S FATAL QUARREL
The Killing of Hugh Hadden to
Be Investigated by the
Authorities.
Not Satisfied With the Verdict of
the Coroner's Jury Acquitting
His Slayer.

EUREKA, CAL, March 25.-W. S.
Wright, who killed Hugh Hadden at Sco
tia few weeks ago by hitting him on the
head with ratchet from carbresk,
is not going to escape accounting for his
deed as easily as was at first supposed.
Many people have not been satisfied with
the verdict of the Coroner's jury, which
acquitted Wright on the ground of self
defense. To-day warrant was sworn
out, and District Attorney Burnell left
this afternoon for Scotia to investigate the
affair
Hadden did not die Immediately from
the effects of the blov he received, and
during the time of unconsciousness no
particulars of the homicide could be OBJ
tanned. The authorities of the company
for which both men worked acknowledged
that they knew something of the affair,
but absolutely refused to talk about 1t.
W. S. Kapple was the only witness to the
affray, and he saw it from distance.
Wright CLAIMS that the trouble COM
menced in the oil-house near the mill,
when he asked Hadden to assist him in
raising tank of oil onto a low platform.
Hadden refused to help Wright, and in
going out the door applied vile epithet.
Wright objected and Hadden returned and
which Hadden struck Wright on the
shoulder with an oil-can. Then, picking
up peavy Ga heavy. wooden bar having
a cant-hook attachment near one end with
an iron pike inserted), he made for Wright,
threatening to kill him. Wright lodged
the blow. and catching Hadden by the
throat made him desist.
Three times. says Wright. Hadden at
tempted his life with the peavy. The last
time he was threatened by Wright with a
grade-bar. Hadden left, but came back
again threatening to kill Wright the first
chance he got. Wright had a ratchet
wheel from a car-brake in his hand and
when Hadden came at him let it fly, hit
ting Hadden on the head, fracturing the
skull. Hedden relapsed into unconscious
ness and never regained his reason.
Hadden was comparative stranger at
Scotia, having been there but month.
He was apparently about 4S years OF age,
was Master Mason of Mount Moriah
Lodge, of Shelton, Wash, and a member
of the Vancouver Council of the Canadian
Protective Association.
Wright is the electrician at the Pacific
Lumber Company's mills at Scotia, and is
well known in this county. He has al
ways borne good reputation.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
CHICO AS|AT|CS
EAT TOADS7OOLS,
Five Are Dead and the
Grave Yawns for
Others.
SOLD BY A PEDDLER.
Butte County Chinatown Being
Depopulated by Bogus
Mushrooms.
PHYSICIANS GIVEN NO REST.
Lack of Botanical knowledge Results
in a Wholesale Killing of
Foreigners.
PHYSICIANS GIVEN NO REST.

CHICO, CAL, March 25.-That deadly
species of mushroom, the toadstool, has
been the means of partly depopulating the
Asiatic element in Chico's Chinatown. As
a result of partaking of the fungus two
Japanese and three Chinese died to-day.
and there are quite a number who will
probably die before morning.
A Chinaman went to sla1ghter-house
near town last Sunday and gathered a lot
of toadstools, which he supposed were
mushrooms. He peddled them out among
his countrymen and some Japanese, and
many partook of the luxury. On Monday
physicians were called to prescribe for
poisoning, and the doctors have been busy
night and day ever since. About dozen
Japanese and Chinese were stricken down,
and early this morning the first Chinaman
died, followed later by Chinese woman, a
Japanese man and woman. and another
Chinaman late this afternoon, making five
in all. The Chinese woman was not under
a doctors care, and an inquest and autopsy
was held by the Deputy Coroner late this
afternoon. The verdict was that death
resulted from accidental poisoning. Sew
eral other Chinese are lying at deaths
door, and their demise is expected at any
time. A few have sufficiently recovered
to be out of danger.
The present warm weather has brought
out mushrooms and toadstools in profu-
sion, and it takes connoisseur to tell them
apart, the appearance OF the plants being
very similar
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
SUICIDE At Los ANGELES,
Repeated Attempts of an Aged
Man to End His Life by
Drowning.
Second Plunge Into the Waters Of a
Pond Accomplishes His
Desire.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, March 25.-A
most peculiar suicide occurred. this morn
ing just outside the city limits on First
street. AT this point there is good-sized
pond. On the First-street side there is a
the declevity being almost sheer. About
month ago William Mertens, a man
about 70 years OF age, was sent to Los
Angeles by his relatives in Yutan, Nebr..
for his health. 1t appears that the old
gentleman was somewhat demented, and
it was believed that the climate of this
section would tend to cure him in body
and mind. He was stopping with a
wealthy ranc her named Herman Newman,
who resides at Prospect Park.
A few days ago, while passing by this
pond, Mertens sprang from the wagon and
attempted to throw himself into.its waters,
but was prevented by the prompt action of
Newman. This morning Newman was
gain driving into the city with Mertens
When opposite the pond Mertens told
Newman that he had dropped his spec
tacies and asked permission to get out and
get them. As Mertens had appeared to be
in buoyant spirits for number of days and
was apparently in improved health New
man did not suspect his motive.
Mertens got out of the wagon and re-
traced his way about fifty feet looking
along the road as though hunting for his
spectacles, but in reality searching for q
point on the bank of the pond beyond
which he believed the water was deep.
When he had come to that place he started
to go down the bank.
Newman, becoming apprehensive, had
also jumped out of the wagon and got
within two feet of Mertens, when the old
man sprang headlong down the bank into
the water. Newman grasped Mertens by
the coat, but in some way Mertens re-
leased himself from the garment, leaving
it in Newman's hands. All attempts at
rescue were in vain. The man at once dis
appeared and did not rise again. The
body was recovered half hour later.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26

at work strengthening the track and lay
ing more rails. Last night the supply of
spikes ran short and in consequence the
track was in a weak condition until rem
edied to-day. No time is being lost in
completing the road and the great block
ade of material which resulted from the
injunction suit is broken and the cars as
they arrive in Mill Valley are being un-
loaded with all possible haste. A third
rail is being laid so as to allow the cars OF
the North Pacific Coast road to travel as
far as.the power-hou
Judge Angellotti's decision dissolving
the Injunction has not, as expected, de-
cided the point which was considered most
importanl-who owns the Mill Valley
roads? This point is still in question and
may shortly be tested.
The secretary of the Tamalpais Land
and Water Company asserts that he will
tear up any water pipe that any property
owner attempts to lay across one of the
roads The company he represents claims
to own all rights to the roads. Whether
the company has this power or not may
shortly be determined. as it is said an at
tempt to lay pipes will be made by certain
individuals to test the point.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
FOR STANFORD'S MUSEUM
Three Hundred Varieties of
Fish Received From
Jamaica.
Several Species Heretofore Unknown
to Science-Work on the
Junior Annual.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CAL,
March 25.-An interesting collection of
fishes has been received by the geological
department. of the university. 1t COM
prises about 300 different varieties and is
the work of Mr.. Roberts, a missionary in
Jamaica. Several species are entirely new
to science, and will be named after the
discoverer.
Some of the fish areI very interesting.
One resembles toad in appearance, an
other has bristles like porcupine and is
called the porcupine-ish. The parrot-fis fish
is bright green in color, while the angel
fish is light yellow with large fins. The
ugliest specimens belong to the branch of
scorpionide or scorpion-fsh DR.. Gilbert's
specimens have not been opened yet, as
there is not enough alcohol at hand to
preserve them. The work of classification
will soon begin.
The last work on the Junior Annual is
being done by Editor E. NJ. Hume '97 and
his able corps of assistants. The book
goes to press in few days and will appear
the latter part of April. The present in
dications are that this years annual will
far surpass that of any previous class, both
in literary and artistic merit. 1t will con-
tain poems by Edward Maslin Hume,
OIdflcS ~ IlclO anu MISS w luIllTcQ
Harper, and will be illustrated by such
artists as R. K. Culver Merle Johnson,
Miss Morton and Miss Hyde. Stories,
sketches. verses, photographs, humorous
scenes of college life, pictures of mem bers
of the faculty and the usual interesting
"grinds" will make UP the volume.
Baseball practice continues daily under
the coaching of Captain McLaine. The
usual method of batting flies and ground
ers tn the me- n is emDoyed Practice Games
are played every few days, and the men
also practice batting the curves of Captain
McLaine. The makeup of the Varsity in
field is practically decided as follows: Nc
Laine (captain). pitcher; Jeffs, catcher;
Young, first base; Harris, second base;
Sharp, third base; Taylor. shortstop. The
competition for the outheld is very active,
the principal candidates being Thompson,
Wight, Stansberry. Strohn. James and
Freeman. Wight and Sharp are tempo
rarily laid up, but will be prepared for work
in few dayS.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
PEACE At MILL VALLEY
Excitement Has Subsided After
the Furor Of Tuesday
Night.
The First Engine Run Over the Dis.
puted Avenues and 10 the
Power.House.

MILL VALLEY, CAL, March 25.-The
wild excitement of last night has subslded
and at noon to-day the first engine was
run over the track Of the Mill Valley and
Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railroad as far
as the site of the proposed power-house on
the Cushing property. There was no
demonstration when the engine steamed
across the avenue where for week work
had been delayed on account of Maurice
Windmiller's injunction. Acrowd assem-
bled, but none of the cheering that marked
the event of the first fatcar being pushed
over the disputed avenues last night
greeted the engine, as with steam escaping
from every valve it made Its way over
Blythedaie avenue. through the McInnes
property and over Corte Madero avenue to
the Cushing property.
ALL through the day the men have been
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26

suit was ne.gner HclSAt rates tn6u Gn1S
country could stand. If the same rates
prevailed here, he said. not an orange or
a pound of fruit or grain could be shipped
from California TO the Missouri River at a
profit. Under the German system of rail-
road management the great prolific West
would still be desert waste.
You can say,' said Mr.. Depew. in con-
cluding this subject, 'that we are not look
ing for an opportunity to buy the Central
Pacific. All we want at present is the
most efficient line to California, via the
Union and Central Pacific under private
management.
Changing the subject to politics, the
after-dinner orator began by saying:
mckinley certainly shows the greatest
strength in the race for the Republican
nomination. He will undoubtedly go into
the convention with the most votes. but
not majority on first ballot. mind you.
Nor is he liable to get majority on any
immediate subsequent ballot, for there
are other formidable candidates, not the
least of whom is our own respected Cover
nor Morton. There is great probability
that there will be long-drawn- out contest
in the ST. Louis convention, and that Nc
Kinley, the prime favorite, will have to
give way to a compromise candidate.
Now, the strongest man for safe com pro-
mise is the one who can carry the most
important doubtful State. Can any one
doubt that that State is New York and
that Morton is the man to carry it? He is
a man without animosities and who will
be acceptable to all factions. Mckinley is
friendly to Morton, and SO are all the
leading aspirants, nearly every one of
whom will throw his strength to Morton
when his own chances become hopeless.
Thus. in my opinion, Governor Morton s
ultimate nomination is almost an assured
fact"
But in the event of Mortons s failure to
seize the prize, whom do you consider the
most probable nomineeT
There is no other, according to my
thinking, for we New Workers do not con-
cede that our man can possibly meet with
defeat"
This ended the interview. as Mr.. Van
derbilt, who during the entire stay of half
an hour, did not once show his face out
side his private car. wasimpatient to be off
for Santa Monica. But Mr.. Depew, before
swinging himself aboard the train, cracked
one more little joke at the expense of
Grover Cleveland.
s'Just to show you how some men will
go wrong," said the prince of storv-telers,
"and refuse TO embark on the tide of for
tune when it is at its flood, | will relate a
little incident about the present occupant
of the White House. Had Grover Cleve-
land embraced the opportunity which l
once offered him, he might to-day be one
of our party, riding bout the country in a
private car and enjoying himself, instead
of being a public servant, the drudge of
the White House, hated and execrated by
a large proportion of his fellow-ctizens.
Why, l once offered to make him the head
of the law department of the New York
Central, but he chose instead to have him
self elected Governor of New York and
afterward President of the United States.
This only shows how men of brains even
will make mistakes"
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
HER sEVENrH YICTIM.
The Vicious Brute Is the Old pre- IS
aud Has Bad Record.


aud Has Bad Record.
OMAHA, NEBR.. March %. = Bernard
Shea, the former keeper of Gypsy, the ele-
phant who created so much trouble in
Chicago to-day, was seen tonight and will
take the first train for Chicago in the
morning to assume his old position. In an
interview he stated that Gipsy is only
another name for Empress. the original
old Empress. the first elephant imported
into this country, and that the killing of
her late keeper Scott makes the seventh
victim OF her vicious character. The first
was Harry Cooley in 1870 at Forepaugh's
winter quarters. Then George West had
the life crushed out of him in 1874, travel
ing on the road with Robinson's show.
Jimmy the Bum was the next man, at
New iberia, La, 1882, followed by William
Devoe with O'Brien's show at Poughkeep-
sic, n. Y. in 1886. Patsy Hulligan was
the sixth victim, and he had his arm torn
out in Cincinnati in 1894 and he died two
days afterward.
Shea has been Gipsy's keeper off and on
for the past ten years and says he has
never had any trouble with her.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
DECEIVED BY A
PORTLAND MAN,
Mrs. Lille Strauss Causes
a Sensation on a
Steamer.
TEARS OVER A MESSAGE.
Receives a Dispatch Announcing
the Suicide of Fred
Andrews.
HAD BEEN SENT BY HIMSELF.
The Love-Sick Young Man Sought to
Touch the Heart of His
Idol.
HAD BEEN SENT BY HIMSELF.

PORTLAND, Or, March 25.-Mrs. Lille
Strauss, tie wife of doc" Adolph Strauss,
and woman we'll connected in San Fran
cisco, some months ago separated from
her husband here for alleged infidelity on
his part, and returned to the coast me-
tropolis. Recently she came back for the
purpose ofeffecting arrangements of some
unknown purpose with her husband, but
when he heard of her coming he hurriedly
left for the bay, ACCOMPANIED, it is said,
by young woman, Zella Rummel of Al
hina. The following telegram from As
toria this afternoon would indicate that
Mrs. Strauss made the best of the situation
while here;
''When the steamer Queen arrived down
from Portland yesterday morning on her
way to San Francisco, messenger-boy
was waiting here with telegram for
Mrs. Strauss, one of the passengers. When
she opened the telegram and had read it
she burst into tears, crying out:
"'Fred had killed himself, and it is all my
fault
''She fell over on the floor of the cabin
cabin in faint. Some OF the lady passen-
gers revived her, and with tears running
down her cheeks she told her story of do
mestic woes. She said she had been en-
gagged to be married to Fred V. III. An
drews, one of the most popular young men
in Portland, but they had quarreled and
she had broken off the engagement and
had told him she would go to her former
home in San Francisco. He saw her off
on the steamer and tried to persuade her
to remain and marry him. He threatened
to shoot himself if she did not. She was
disconsolate in her grief, and, leaving her
trunks on the steamer, she came ashore
with the intention of going back to Port
land to attend his funeral.
"As the telegram did not say that the
shooting had resulted fatally she wired the
lady whose. name was signed to the tele-
gram asking if Fred would live. A reply
soon came. saying that she had seen Fred
this morning, and that she thought he
would. Other kilograms passed and 1t was
found that the man had not shot himself,
but that it was all joke-a very cruel one.
though-and that he had sent the original
telegram himself. She will return to
Portland, while her trunks are on the
Queen, en- route to San Francisco.
''The lady is Mrs. DR.. Strauss of San
Francisco, whose recent troubles with her
husband and her leaving him are well
known on the coast, owing to t cir being
aired in the papers. She has been in Port
land about month and there she met
Andrews. They Immediately became at
tached to one another and were constantly
together"
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
SACRAMENTO AFFRAT.

Conflicting accounts of a Quarrel Which
Ended in a StabbinG.
SACRAMENTO, CAL, March 25.-Dur-
ing an alteration at Eighth and K streets
about 10 O'Clock this evening Charles P.
Lynch was stabbed in the right breast in
the vicinity of the heart by R. ]. Hanlon.
The weapon used was a shoemaker's knife
with blade five inches long, fitted into a
rude wooden handle. Hanlon does not
deny the cutting, but claims that he acted
III self-defense when set upon by gang.
The wounded man tells an entirely differ
ent story, and claims that the cutting was
entirely unprovoked. Had the blade of
the weapon not struck rib Lynch would
have been instantly killed.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
SANTA cRUz PIoNEkB GONE.
UYidh Slack, an Ar9onamt Of 1858,
Stricken by Death

Stricken by Death
SANTA CRUZ, CAL, March 25.-Uriah
Slack, father of Judge Charles w. Slack of
Department of the Superior Court at San
Francisco, died at his home in this city
this morning of complications arising
from la grippe, by which he was attacked a
year ago. Judge Slack was called to the
invald's bedside last Sunday, but was
Obliged to return to San Francisco. where
he remained until apprised to-day of his
fathers death. He came down on the
evening train. He will remain here to at
tend the funeral tomorrow and return
again to San Francisco on Friday.
Uriah Slack was rs years old, a native of
Pennsylvania and had crossed the divide
with his wife in 1853 They resided in
Northern apd Central California and in
Nevada untsl 1869, when they removed to
San Luis 0bispo County, remaining there
till about five years ago. Since then their
home has been in Santa Cruz. Mrs. Slack
survives her husband. The funeral will
occur from the Congregational Church to-
morrow afternoon.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
4 San Miguel Tragedy.

SANLUIs OBISPO, CAL, March 26.-
Coroner Nichols returned to-day from San
Miguel. whittier he went 10 hold an in
Quest over the body of man found in the
hills near San Miguel on Tuesday. The
head had become disconnected from the
body and was found thirty feet away. a
bullet hole in the right side of the skull
and the following sentences scrawled upon
the edge of a newspaper, give evidence of
suicide: sDied July 20. 1885, 6 P. NJ. Self
destruction. impossible to make living
under present Government management.
S. M. ",
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26

Molida had been kept in the Los Angeles
County Jail since his arrest and there
made complete confession of the crime
IN which he, with three other reservation
Indians, named Gauvish. Rodriguez and
Truiillo. took part.
Molldo to-day created sensation by
pleading guilty. He is emphatic in his
statements that Gauvish, Rodriguez and
Trujilla were participants in the murder
and expresses willingness TO so testify in
the trial of the three men, which is to be
held here on April 8.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
Through Service for Artxoma.

PHGNIX, ARIz., March Pa deal has
been consummated by which the telegraph
line belonging to the Santa Fe, Prescott
and Phoenix Railroad Company between
Phoenix and Ash Fork passes into the
hands of the Postal Telegraph Company.
This change is of great Importance to the
business men of Phoenix, as it will give
them the advantage of through rates and
will save the tariff heretofore charged for
the short line. 1t is probable that the
Western Union will now run an extra
wire in from Maricopa, and thus give
Phoenix the advantages of second
through line.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-26
ORLAND,s NEW INDUSTRY.
Wheat Fields to Gire Way to the Orchard
and Vineyard.

and Vineyard.
CHICO, CAL, March 25.-The people OF
Orland and vicinity have awakened to the
fact that wheat raising in their neighbor-
hood is becoming back number, ano that
the soil is peculiarly adapted to the rails
ing of fruits, especially citrus. On Mon-
day evening company to be known as
the Glenn County Citrus Association with
a capital of $4,000 was organized and
within a few days the articles of incorpora-
ton will be filed and the association will
be ready to do general business in the
raising, packing, buying, selling and ship
ping of all kinds of fruits.