davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1896-04-12
HOW HE HELPED HIMSELF.

Help yourself, help yourself, little boy, do;
Don't wait upon others to wait upon you."
Grandma was holding her afternoon cha.
Knitting and rocking away as she sat;
Look at the birds. how they build their own
nests
Watch the brown bees always toiling their
best:
Put your own hands to the pillow If you'd thrive;
Don't waste your moments in Wishing but
strive"
Up in her face looked a mischievous elf
Don't forget. darling" said she. "help your
eelf"
Afternoon shadows grew drowsy and dsep
Grandma was TRANQUILITY folded in sleep;
Nothing was heard but tho old farmhouse
clock.
Plodding along With its warning tic-tock;
Out from She pantry there came loud crash:
Pussy jumped out from the hearth in FASH
Back to her chair came this practical boy
Stepped TO the ears In jam. custard and Joy.
Frightened. he cried: "Please. I've upset the
shelf;
Grandma. minded, I did help myself"
The herald., 1896-04-12
LET SILENCE FALL.

LIE. silence fell across the past:
It's htful moods of storm ana rain.
It's weary hours of jealous pain.
Let never heart or speech recall;
II memory needs must break the spell,
Remember that loved you well.
And DER the rest-let silence fall.
Let silence fall between our lives,
The one sunlit with youthful dreams
Flushed with the futures hopeful CLEANS.
AND neid in proud ambitions thrail:
The other, worn with anxious tears
Aud tired grown with gathering years:
Between them now-let silence fall.
And let us part. as those who loys
Are Iarted by the hand of death,
And one stands hushed, with reverent breath
Gazing on funeral bier and pail;
Eut ere We cicse tho coffin lid,
Let bite: memories all oe hid,
And Ger the grave-let silence fall.
james Clarence Harvey.
The herald., 1896-04-12
PILGRIMAGE.

count not lie by length Of years
A harping drone Of weary notes
But by this rosary OF tears
And glowing hours and greater thov shts.
And crystal truths In silence sought
Sy alchemy Of common things.
And In this rosary in%rought.
Which at my pilgrim girdle swings
BY every gentle al. that blows
With music fran some tende. string,
As pioneering Fancy goes
Through lonely lands adventuring
For these the highest God l praise.
As living hours and unalloyed,
Content that al! my other days
May pass to times abysnal void.
Thomas Kydd.
The herald., 1896-04-12
ABOUT PEOPLE.

The best paid official in the British service
is the Lord Lleutenan: OF ireland. who re-
ccives sloo, 600 year.
The most costly horse barn in the world Is
at Syracuse. n. Y. 1t was built by D. IL.
Grouse and cost 500, COO
II is said that, in early life. Du Mauriere
sreatest ambition was 20 become q water
coior painter. He did not then expect that
his pencil would make him more famous than
either. sA
a decorative reproduction OF theAIdsath-
mask Of General Grant which was takenktWen-
~ minutes after his DEATH has Just bee1stdint-
" designed by Karl Gerhardt, WHO tooSElfzsSrd
Waiter Sanford. an artist Of Hartford. .SEohn!
number Of replicas Of it will bcxtaken
tor various G.. A. r. posts.
The herald., 1896-04-12

The pyramid limp" it has come to be
called is that state OF body which falls upon
one for ;wo, or three days after making the
pulled and pushed at the time that little or no
incorv veniense is felt. There is no sign. of sore
pess OF Joint or muscle until after ono has
slept and then the trouble ,begirs ,toS bre&:itnS
second day q: that man s6b woman is worse
than the f-st: the climax isiTaached asa thesead
ci the second or beginninEfof The, third sday
ana from tina. time tho naiHSBegns slowly to
recuyer.-Catrv Le-ter.
The herald., 1896-04-12
at IS MY DARLrNG's FACE"
And II Is F-Ickcd With Needles Righ,
Over the Lovers Heart.

Over the Lovers Heart.
The enamored swain who protests that
he will wear the image OF the adored lady
mex: to his heart is usually considered to
speak language of poetry direct from the
boards Of the transporting theater. We
learn. however. from an interview with an
"up-to-date ts.ooer." published in the
Echo" that this is net always SO, and that
a considerable business is done in imprint
ing-in two colors-the counterfeit pre-
sentiment" OF the chosen fair one as near to
the heart OF her lover as is coneistent with
his personal satesy. The practice is a ro-
mantle one. but It has it's disadvantages.
The face Of the lady may fade from an IT,
constant suitor's mind, but it can never fade
from his skin. Nevertheless, the portrait
Of his discarded fair one, indeiibls though
it be. is surely not incapable os alteration.
The features misht, perhaps. with little
ingenuity, be adapted" and the face of the
old love be brought by some artist CT the
needles to "son ething distinctly resem-
bling" that of the new one who has come
to. reign in her stead.
The herald., 1896-04-12
soro neop,s are dissatisfied with th

Soro people are dlssatiSfied with the present
time-reckoning system. ard are endeavoring
not only to smash the sixty minute hour and
substitute cne o. 100 minutes, but aiso to
chsnga the civil day into one OF forty-eight
hours Professor Blatner Of Berlin. Sir Thom-
as Long, England, and Professor Bailey OF
Boston are now working. like beavers with
.hcaa ends in view,
The herald., 1896-04-12

all over, and had eaten my supper, he sat
in front of the fire and gased into the
dancing flames. Then he looked sad, then
sadder. and finally two big tears rolled
down his cheeks as he softly said Mill
brr-r-lck.' I wonder why?-Washington
Post
The herald., 1896-04-12

White and black ostrich feather boas are
in high favor among living pictures In boxes
at the opera. II Is tradition that they at
least keep the, throat neck and shoulders
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25
ENTHUSIASM NOT THERE
Democratic Ratification Meeting In
Hayes Valley That Fell Flat While
the Band Played On.

A meeting of the Democrats of the Fifth
Congressional District was held last night
at Mowry's Hall TO ratify the nomination
of Bryan and Sewall. A bonfire was
lighted at the corner of Hayes and La
guna streets. and brass band dispensed
long list of tunes on the corner until 80.
At that hour it was found expedient to
call the meeting to order, but the hall was
not over half full.
James G. Nealon presided and spoke
concerning capital. corporate power,
monopolies wealth and bankers, and was
followed by Patrick Spelling, who talked
OF slavery, the money power and "asso-
ciated yillainies.''
Frank j. Murasky assured his hearers
that a battle is now on between the labor
and capital of the country. Colonel
O'Byrne and others also spoke, mention
ing favorably the candidacy of Joseph P.
Kelly for Congress Tne meeting was not
large, and the enthusiasm was decidedly
at low ebb whenever the financial ques-
ton was mentioned, that issue, as pre-
sented, eleciting little applause.
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

and three e-uuarters of an inch above it,
passed through the cerebr1m and emerged
an inch and half behind the left ear.
The most thorough examination failed to
reveal powder marks or burns anywhere.
"If the pistol had been held close to the
temple" said DR.. Farrell, "there would
have been no marks on the skin, though
there would have been on the brain, and
ii it had been held six, twelve or eighteen
inches from the temple there would surely
have been powder-marks there"
With a view of testing the burning
power Of the powder In the cartridges that
were in Stetson's revolver, the Coroner and
DIR. Barrett last night made a number of
experiments by firing at human hair and
pieces OF tissue paper at points from six
10 eighteen inches from the objects aimed
at. In no instance was the hair scorched
or the paper powder-burned, though clean
cut powder marks were visible in the paper
at each distance.
This caused the experimenters to con-
clnde that the powder in Stetson's car
tr;dces was smckeless and that the alb
sence Of powder burns was thus accounted
for. but for that fact there would be much
ground for doubling whether the shot was
self-infiicted, accidentally or otherwise.
The dead man had hundreds OF friends
in the City. He was educated here and
was well-known society aud club man,
"a wears of age. When barely of age he
went to work for HoIbrook. Merrill G.
Stetson as clerk, under the instruction OF
Grove Ayers. He remained with the firm
until two years ago, when he became
manager of the Yosemite Valley Railway
Company.
In this capacity be made friends every
where and business men recognized him
as aman OF sound Judgment. He was a
leading member Of the Pacific Union
Club, the Olympic Club. the Pacific Yacht
Club and other like organizations, in all OF
which he was highly respected. He ap-
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

peared to be hopeful at all times. and his
friends will not believe he ended his life.
At the office of the Yosemite Valley
Railway Company none of Mr.. Stetson's
former associates would believe he had
killed himself Intentionally. Theodore
Reichert of the company said:
"Mr. Stetson was about the office all day
yesterday, attending to business as usual.
He made several appointments to meet
people in the future and acted as if he had
10 intention OF ending his life"
The theory of accident gains corrobora-
tion from the fact that Stetson removed
the cartridges from his revolver at the
Orpheum to calm Miss Heads nervous
ness. It is not thought probable that he
! would purposely have left 8 cartridge iE
one chamber of the weapon, and that he
thought the revolver was without load
when he pulled the trigger that cost him
his life.
DR.. ]. F. Morse, the physician of Albert
Stetson, did not reach the room at 235 Post
street until the young man had breathed
his last. In an interview last evening DR..
Morse said he had been treating Mr.. Stet-
son for a disease of the liver. 1t was
| fact, he said. that this ailment, commonly
known as hardening of the liver, frequent
ly produced in the sufferer profound spells
Of melancholia.
DR.. Morse was of the opinion that the
patient in fit of gloom and despondency,
in which his mind was temporarily un-
balanced, committed the rash act. This
theory is confirmed in degree by the cir
cumstances that the young man went
home TO the family residence on Van Ness
| dau off ~t n
unusual for him. His sister, Mrs. Chaun-
cey Wlnslow, happened to come over from
San Rafael, and seeing her brother there,
remarked that it was unusual for him to
be home at that hour.
He replied that he was sick. She asked
some questions concerning the sickness.
and he replied that it was some old trou-
bile with his liver. She insisted that he
should see the family physician without
delay.
The members of the Stetson family who
were summe1ing at San Rafael came to
the family residence in the City yesterday.
J. B. Stetson. the father, was in the region
of Lake Tahoe yesterday morning. He
was advised by telegraph of the sudden
death of his son, and will arrive in San
Francisco to-day.
L. Sisenvine, who keeps the Palace Hotel
cigar.stand, recalls the incident that
Albert Stetson called at his place at II
o'clock Thursday night and chatted
pleasantly for few minutes. Mr.. Stetson
> was not then under the influence o.
liquor, and did not seem to be disturbed
by any trouble.
A friend who was quite we'll acquainted
with Albert Stetson does not accept the
. theory of suicide as correct. He incines
strongly to the belief that Mr.. Stetson wa:
!, playing with what he supposed to be al
j unloaded revolver, in which single cart
r ridge remained.
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

of L didn't know it was loaded He fan
cied that all the cartridges were out of the
cylinder, and placed the pistol to his head
to create playful scene. 1 am fully con-
vinced, from my knowledge of the man,
that he never committed suicide. Yes.
some years ago he accidentally shot him
self in the foot. He took out his revolver
from his hip pocket while taking out his
keys. The weapon dropped on the door
step of his home, and was accidentally
discharged The bullet hit his foot, and
he was laid up for some time"
The theory of some of stetson's friends
is that he did not intend to commit sui
eide; that, while drinking, he thought he
had removed all the cartridges from his
revolver, and that the shot, if fired by
him, was joke, to frighten Miss Head.
For many years. Albert Stetson had been
prominent in the social and business life
of San Francisco. The scion OF wealthy
and respected family, leader in business
affairs and q man of happy disposition,
few, if any who knew him we'll will for a
moment listen to the theory that he left
the world of his own will.
One Of the mysteries of the case is the
total lack of powder-burns on the temple
| or through the brain substance.
The bullet entered the right temple
according to DIR. Barretts autopsy, an
inch and half in front of the right eal
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25
Suit Against the City.

D. 5. Weaver has petitioned the Superior /
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

friend" said Miss Head, "and there saw
Al Stetson, Charley Hug and Fred Sam
uels. They had gone to the theater to-
gether and sat near US. / greeted them
and said: al, you do not look WELL and
he replied that he had been drinking and
felt depressed. Later he showed re-
volver in his hip pocket and 1 said, Give
it to me, Al, for it is dangerous thing for
you TO have here and he replied, 'I'll not
give it 10 you, but you may take it, and
reached back and took il out of his hip
pocket. It was not long until he left us,
saying he felt so miserable that he in
tended to take coupe and drive around
town. In about an hour waiter brought
the party a round of drinks, saying, These
are with Mr.. Stetson's compliments but
we did not see him in the seat he had
occupied. He came back pretty soon,
however, and / then said TO the others,
See what / have been keeping while he
was away and | exhibited his revolver.
"Al then said: IF it worries you I'll
unload it, He then took out four loads
and gave me the cartridges, placing the
revolver in his pocket. Shortly after this
we dined and Al wanted to go home, say
ing he would ring for coupe and 1 could
go as far as my home. We went to Mr..
Webstsr's rooms on Post street to ring for
a coupe and Al wanted to go in, saying:
I've always heard Fred had fine rooms
here
81 allowed him to look through, some
what against my best judgment, while I
rang for coupe; but AL fingered, and
finally l said, We'll, this is not the way
home
He then stood up deliberately, stretched
TO full length, and, pulling out his reyol-
yer, which l supposed was empty, SAID.
This is the way I'll go home,' and fell
dead before me. l did not know what to
do, in what direction to look, and /
scarcely knew what had happened until
saw blood on my hand.
II went over to the washstand and
washed off the blood, thought a moment
in the presence OF the dead, then went
downstairs and told Joseph Quay what
had happened; but he did not come up
stairs. saying. You had better call his
most intimate FRIEND 1 then got in a
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

DR.. Farrell says that the pistol, a Smith
& Wesson, contained only one cartridge,
and that one passed through Stetson's s
head. It was placed so close to the
temple, just back of the right eye, that the
face was not powder burned. The bullet
passed through both walls of the skull
and spattered out the brains with the
blood. Subsequently the Coroner found
the bullet on the carpet. The pistol lay
on the floor at the feet of the PROSTATE
man.
"Mr Wheeler and Mr.. Hug arrived be-
fore Mr.. Stetson expired" said DR.. Far
rell. ''Mr. Hug was there quite time be-
fore the patient ceased breathing. Drs.
Terrill and Morse were telephoned for"
AZ saw" resumed DR.. Farrell. ''that
Miss Head was very much agitated, and
fearing that she would become hysterical,
gave her something to quiet her nerves
and produce sleep. On my advice she
went to her room on the floor below and
slept until this morning after daylight.
Then reused her and advised her to go
to her own home. to avoid the excitement
of seeing many people and talking of the
tragedy.
Miss Head had not been living in the
house regularly for some months. You
may recoliect that her diamonds were
stolen by Chinaman some two months
ago. She had charge of Fred Webster's
apartments. This suite embraces all the
upper or fifth floor of the house and con-
sists of a kitchen, dining groom, bathroom
bedroom and two sitting-rooms. One of
the sitting-rooms has facing on Stockton
street.
1.-The other rooms face on Post street, or
front north. The room in which the trag-
edy occurred was the bedroom, although
it had not been used as O sleeping apart
ment for several months. The bed con-
tanned only mattress. In the southeast
corner of the room is marble washstand,
with faucets for running water. The bed
is in the southwest corner. The mirror-a
large one--is in the northeast corner, or
angle of the walls. In front OF the mirror
Mr.. Stetson stood when he placed the re-
voiver to his right temple"
DIR. Farrell says that Mr.. Hug and others
came with Mr.. Stetson and Miss Head to
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25
NUEvo PoTRERo CLUB.
Removal OF the Pesthouse and Pro-
tection From Fire Are
IJrPed,

An interesting meeting of the Nuevo
Potrero improvement Club was held last
evening. A. A. Schumann was chairman
and James Smith secretary.
81. Antonson reported for the committee
on extending the Howard line into
the district, thnti had received a favorable
report from the railroad company. The
terminus of the road is now Potrero avenue,
and the residents of Nuevo Potrero dis
trict desire the road extended to Rhode
Islano street, distance of about FIVE
blocks.
Chairman Schumann reported for the
executive committee that q meeting had
been held Thursday evening and 1t had
been decided TO petition the Board of Su-
pervisors to provide an engine and hose
wagon for the district.
II. Antonson spoke feeingly OF the dis
graceful quarters in which the lepers are
at present housed. "Why do they not
commence their charity at home?' he
asked. "Why do they send 10 Sandwich
Islands for remedies anu leave their pa
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

coupe and went to Charley Hugs house.
lie came down with me and we got DR..
Farrell but the man was dead.
This is all know about it. think he
was temporarily insane, for he would
never, never have killed himself in my
presence and left me in all this trouble
He had nothing against me, did not love
me, was not mad or Jealous and had no
worries by reason of me. Wewere simply
good friends, and he was always a gentle
man with me. The rumor that Mr.. Web
ster requested him to look after me while
he was absent in Europe is false. 1 am
old enough 70 look after myself. Some of
my friends and myself once dined with
al, and Fred found it out and did not
care. There was no case of rivalry or
jealousy, and how hate this publicity on
account of my family. As for NJ yseif, l
do not care"
Miss Heads connection with the case
may be better understood when it is stated
that she and her mother have charge OF
Mr.. Webster's apartments during his ao-
sence in Europe, and that Miss Head and
Mr.. Webster have been close friends for
years. The young lady at one time had
suite of rooms in the same building, on
the floor beneath Webster's apartments.
DR.. P. j. H, Farrell and Charles Hug
were the first persons on the scene afterStet-
sons death. Their stories throw further
light on the case.
I DR.. P. J. H. Fa rrell, who was called to
room 8, en- the fifth floor of the building,
235 Post street, at /: so A. NJ, to attend Mr..
Stetson, made a statement to THE GALL
yesterday. He said:
s'I was in bed when Miss Head reused
me with the summons to attend man
who had shot himself in Fred Webster s
apartments on the top floor. l found the
man, Albert Stetson, lying prone on the
floor. The blood in his throat and nostrils
obstructed his breathing. and so turned
him over with his face downward and
: placed my finger in his throat TO clear
away the blood. He was breathing heavily,
but the clearing away of the blood afforded
some relief"
WAS he conscious?" the reporter asked.
mo, be was not conscious" replied DR..
Farrell, ''and he did not regain conscious
ness. He expired at 2:55 o'clock. had
Miss Head summon friends Of Mr.. Stet-
son. From Charles Hug, who was sum
moned, ascertained that DR.. Morse was
the Stetson family physician, and
thought it best to send for him. also
sent for Dr. Terrill. Mr.. Stetson expired
before the physicians arrived. William
Wheeler, cousin of Mr.. Stetson, was also
called
what statement did Miss Head make
of the tragedy ?" was asked.
"She said that she and Mr.. Stetson had
stopped at the rooms-Mr. Webster!
apartments-on their return from thu
Orpheum. AT the Orpheum Stetson dis
played revolver, but she obtained
from him the cartridges which were takei
from the cylinder. Four cartridges wer
found in the pocket of her coat. Accord
ing to her story Stetson laid off his over
coat and placed it on the table in room
3-the bedroom. He also put his hat ol
the table. She stepped into an adjoining
i room for an instant and then heard
, pistol-shot. She saw S,etson falling iron
f an upright position in front OF larg
mirror. Then she came down and calle'
= to me that q man had shot himself"
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25
Tragic Ending of a Popular
Mans Life at the Close of
a Busy Day.
AMY HEAD THE SOLE WITNESS
The Young Lady Tels How Her Es.
cort Killed Himself in Fred
Webster'S Rooms.

Albert /. Stetson, manager of the Yo-
semitic Valley Railroad Company, promi-
nent as the son of Millionaire James B.
Stetson, the president of the North Pacific
Coast Railroad Company, died in the
apartments of Frederick Webster, 295 Post
street, about 3 o'clock yesterday morning,
Death was caused by bullet wound in
the right temple, probably fired by de-
ceased in fit of mental alteration due to
much suffering from a painful and de-
pressing disease of the liver. The only
other theory is that he was murdered, or
that he pulled the trigger, not knowing
the revolver was loaded.
The only known witness to the tragedy
is Miss Amy Head of 1926 California street,
who was with Stetson when the fatal shot
was fired. She tells a straightforward
story, to the effect that Stetson deliber-
ately fired the shot that killed him, an
nouncing, ''This is the way I'll go home. "
Many Of the minor parts of her story,
regarding the way she spent the early
hours of the night with Stetson and others,
are corroborated in degree by Charles
Hug and others, who saw Stetson and
Miss Head at the 0rpheum.
Miss Heads story is to the effect that
she and Stetson went to Webster's apart
ments TO ring for a coupe to take them
home, and that Stetson suddenly drew his
revolver which, she thought, contained nc
loads, and killed himself. Aside from hel
story everything connected with the
tragedy is coniectural.
When seen at her mothers home yester
day afternoon Miss Head, though much
1apracSoA he nIrblicitx- Of a fair
frankly gave the following description o
the tragedy:
~ went to the orpheum with lady
The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

tients to suffer from the inclemency of the
weather in G house unfit for kennel?'
James Guthrie and James Smith spoke
in the same strain.
L. J. Dwyer moved that it be the sense of
the club that the Board of Health be noti-
fed that the Pesthouse should be removed,
and the Board OF Health should keep il s
word and see that it is removed. The
motion carried unanimously.
motion prevailed 10 have the club
petition the Board ofSupervisors to appor-
ton fund for the erection and mainte-
nance OF primary school in the district.
The following Eamed were elected Off
GERS for the ensuing term: President, John
Bardeelin; first vice president. John Kerr;
second vice president, Charles Jurman !;
secretary, a. A. Schumann; financial sec
retary and treasurer, George Guthrie !;
sergeant-at William Siebsrt.