davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

ment authorities did not believe so either,
and Mr.. Spofford was permitted to make
good the shortage and continued in office.
Now it appears that most, if not all Of the
deficiency, was due to the fact that he laid
away and forgot to cash a large number of
money orders, which came to him in the
regular course of business, and which have
recently been discovered. OF course this
argues loose business methods, but Mr..
Spofford never professed to be a business
man. AS photographer and librarian he
has not his equal in the United States, but
like many other bookmen, he is weak in
business matters, He is now in his seventy
third year, and it is matter of congratu-
lation that SO old and faithful a public
servant has lived to see the matter salts
factorily explained. AS he had paid the
amount of the apparent shortage, the sum
realized by the money orders will be re-
funded to him.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

spection is good trump card in the grain
game. MIR. Letter drew it. Fly poking
tell the best from the bobtail as we'll as the
Oldest OF them, and he is seeing to it that
the rules for grading are held straight to
the point. The grain department thinks he
knows what he Is talking about, and rules
as he thinks. He started in the deal to
win. He has done so well that the father
is now with him. and the Letter fortune is
back of the king in the wheat pit. He is
determined to earn handsome pay for the
risk There are old ones on the other side
who are regretting that they did not see
that chin.
Mr.. Letter. personally. is one of the most
popular men in town. He has more friends
than anybody. The friendship runs from
the top to the bottom of men as the people
in his circle are accustomed to rate men
He is a favorite no less among men OF the
clubs than among the men VINO stanu
around the corner store and know him only
by sight and pretense of knowing. lie is
big, athletic, a bachelor and lives like a
lord. he never was accused of bumptious-
ness or arrogance and his charities are so
genuine that they are rarely mentioned in
public, An instance: He practically sup
ports the Waits Mission. Society runs after
him and unless he feels like society he runs
away from it. Sometimes he buys rare
books. He reads as much as a busy man
like him can find time in which to read.
There are horses and dogS-aS many as he
wants in the barnard speaking about
horses. he was the money head of the horse
show and his ideas of what are right have
kept the State Board of Agriculture held up
by the heels for weeks. 1t is a safe wager
that the board will settle as he wants it
to, or not at all. The board has noticed
that chin.
1t is possible to see him swinging down
LaSalle street in the direction of the Board
of Trade about noon each day. 1t will ex-
plain a good many reasons who those who
know him best are sure he is going TO walk
out with bags of gold in this wheat excite
ment to stop as he plunges through the
crowd and have good look at that chin.
1t is longApointed-a chin that stands for
determination,
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
FAVORS THE WHIPPING. PUsT.
Washington Chief of Police Advises lt
for n Glass of Offenders.

Major w. G. Moore chief of the District
police department. in his annual report 10
the commissioners, comes very near recon-
mending the establishment of the whipping
post He saws that by far the most re-
voting police interference is that or lnde-
cent assault" He reports fifteen convlc-
tons in the last year by the Ponce Court
for that offense and adds: "If there Is one
feature of the conditions which prevail tnat
suggests the application OF the wnlpptsn ns.
the crime it is this. Incarceration or a. me
is wholly inadequate punishment for this
and kindred crimes
If the chief had any reason to believe
that Congress would authorize the use or
the lash for Furnishing any class Oh crlm-
inals, we suspect that he would nave urged
rather than mildly suggested 1t. Inc penal
ties imposed on these classes of criminals
are as he says wholly Inadequate: The
Post has no doubt that justice and expe-
diency demand the inf1ictiOn OF corporal
punishment not only in the cases mentioned
by Colonel Moore, but for wife-beatng and
brutal treatment Of children. There are
men in this and almost any other city VINO
commit one or more of these offenses time
after time having no dread of the work
house or jail. They have no shame or self
respect and there is no avenue to their
feelings except through their hides. Instead
of shutting them up and feeding them at
the cost of the people, the authorities should
be clothed with power TO hog snem ana nnt e e
a. sham, but a good prescription well laid
on Many of the most advanced penalo-
gists and some of the best-known leaders
in the work of humane societies are con,
WINGED that the whipping post Is merciful
dispensation, because they believe that 1t
would prevent cruelties to the weak and de-
fenseiess and rnininoize those vile crimes
to which Chief Moore refers. For the pres
ent however. it would be vain to urge that
reform in this city; but, unless there is q
change in the habits of the vile and cruel,
the time IS not far distant when sentiment
will give place to practical sense. and the
whipping post will be installed in all the
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
A word for thc Church.
New York Evening Sun.


a prominent theatrical critic OF London
makes the following remarkable statement
on very OLD subject, the relation of the
stage to the church, and of both to society:
81 have over and over again pointed out
that whilst the theater has done hardly
anything to adapt itself to modern demands
the church has been waking up in all direc-
lions to it's opportunities. / believe that
many of the Dlaygoers who are sufnciently
conscious of the social Importance of art
never dream Of going to church and have
no idea that they would find anything there
but boredom. hypocrisy and superstition.
Let me beg them 10 try the experiment.
Let them spend a fortnight in going to tho
best London churches and fortnight in
going to the best London theaterS If they
find one-tenth as much boredom. hypocrisy.
superstition. humbug, snobbery, stupidity,
vulgarity. foul air, bad music. draughts.
late hours, stuffy smells and unhappy and
disagreeable people in the auditorium not
to mention, professional Incompetence on
the part of the performers, in the churches
as they will in the theaters / will eat this
number of the Saturday Review unbut
tered" Perhaps this is only another way
of saying that the church is filling a larger
place in the social structure. while the thea
ter is falling behind through its failure to
keep up with social requirements.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

on his head he broke his neck in two
places. he was as lifccss as an iron doS
when found in The morning. lie was unin-
sured, for the reason that they refuse IN
the United States 10 insure CRATES on seq
voyage. The cargo was insured only against
marine risks. The amount of insurance was
100000. Johanna had been seized with sea-
sickness soon after the ship sailed. johann
IA keeper Is not sure whether she is go
rllla, chimpanZee or a kul2 Iamba. AT
any rate, she stood four feet nine inches.
and is just as much at home in trousers as
IN bloomerS. She eats with a knife and
fork during exhibition hours, and is will
ing TO give ten pounds TO anything in fight
10 finish jungle rules Eagle. the great
trick horse, died on the voyage. He was
as a three year-old. Ills latest late accomplish-
ment was dancing the coochee- coochee.
rms probably accounts for his uDtimely
death at thirty-siX- Everybody will be glad
10 near that Sunset Willie is in magnih-
cent health. He is so called from the in
toxicated appearance of his nose. 1t is OF
many hues though he is called blue-nosed
mandril he Is, In spite of his nose, a tee
totaler. Fritz, the largest elephant in the
world, is very fit He weighs $50 pounds,
or twelve pounds more than Jumbo weighed.
lie is thirty years of age, and is still grow
ing. Besides about four hundred horses and
nineteen elephants. there were thirty cages
of savage beasts on board. These were be-
tween decks, and, when stumbling between
the closely packed cages, II was as good
a tonic to be asked TO be careful of that
tiger" The health of the animals had been
wonderfully good and the condition of the
ship was admirable. There could have been
no lack of provisions on board, for after a
voyage OF twelve days the chief steward
was able to provide really admirable
lunch yesterday afternoon for nearly one
hundred visitors. The lunch dissipated the
log and was at least mild factor in con-
Vinclng every one that tho opening OF Bar
mum ~ Bailey's show at Olympia on boxing
day would be an event of the season.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
, OPPOSED TO PENSIONS.

The talk about pensions in the House by
strike thousands of wornout men and
women who worthily receive quarterly
allowance as being so amusing as it was tc
three-fourths of the Democrats of that
body. The alternative of the poorhouse to
frugal poverty is not amusing to those who
may have it before them. Nevertheless, the
remarks of Mr.. Allen should not be lost
upon pensioners and their friends since,
beneath his levity, Mr.. Allen displayed a
bitter hostility to the pension system which
is entertained throughout the South, judg-
ing from the Southern press. If any pen
sion system for the Union soldier depended
upon the votes of Southern Democratic rep
resentatives, it would aid very few of the
most deserving. Nevertheless, this same
funny Mr. Allen has voted for a vastly
more liberal pension system for Mexican
veterans and their heirs than has yet been
extended to the men who fought for the
Union.
No doubt there are abuses under the pen
sion system. The doing out of $40. O0O, COO a
year to nearly million people will always
involve some abuse. Investigation has
shown that there is less under the pension
laws than could reasonably be expected.
Whatever abuses exist are the result of
perjury and lax decisions. What is now
needed is timely legislation to prevent the
extension of pensions to persons who will
have years to live after the last veteran is
dead and gone. The refusal of Congress
to consider bills for special pensions except
in rare cases will strengthen the system
The Journal would impress upon pension
ers the fact that the controlling element of
the Democratic party in Congress is hostile
to pensions. Their votes show this. Every
Democratic speaker of the House since
Randall has been an opponent of liberal
pension system. Not half a dozen Southern
Democrats in Congress would vote for such
q system. Left to a caucus vote of the
Democrats in Congress there would be few
pensions for Union soldiers, because the
South always has a large majority of the
Democrats in both branches. 1t would be
we'll for the thoughtful pensioners to think
of the speech of Mr.. Allen and the hostility
of his friends to pensions
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
George w. Vanderbilt.

New York Special.
George w. Vanderbilt, who has Just made
a little provision for his heirs by insur!ng
his life for 81, 600 600. need not resort to that
experiment except for amusement, for Mr..
Vanderbilt is worth 500, 000 Altogether
he is Il peculiar fellow. He is passionately
fond Of collecting curious things. such as
old rare books. odd coins. Egyptian beetles,
ancient Hindu weapons and old hookahs.
He spends only $4,000 a year on himself and
about $200O III charities, on other people
who have no money at all. once Mr.. VAN
derbilt thought he would ike to see life
from the reporters point of view and
rented himself 10 q newspaper M q very
moderate salary He retired from journal
ism not because he did not like his new
duties. but because intense application TO
hard work wore down his health. and he
felt that he would not be doing justice TO
himself ii he persisted in an occupation that
was injuring him without the necessity OF
doing so. Mr.. Vanderbilt recently made a
tour of the world and brought back with
him tremendous collection OF curios.
which he added to his already valuable
store. He is most studious, kind, simple
man. and his whole life has been marked
by an extreme devotion 70 his mother His
wealth has spoiled him In no way. and he
Is popular among young men who arc not
ricn IN the worldly wealth.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
A MODEL "LE.mAL cHAMBER.v
Outgrowth of the Disposition to De
MercifuI to BEASTS
Boston Transcript.


"a friend tells me that she carried her
pet dog who Il say who advisedly, not
which, was to be put to death on account
of an injury. to the Merciful Norris Ref
uge lethal chamber in Philadelphia" Thus
writes friend of the Transcript eager to
see similar institution in Boston. with
my friends dog, which had to be put to
death, We're two or three others who were
to meet the same fate. They We're sent into
small room together, so there was no
moment of fear She listened at the door
while the charcoal gas was turned on for
less than minute, and she did not hear
one sound, not even whimper, and when
the door was opened she found all the little
dogs lying in the positions of natural sleep.
as If in the sunshine wish we might have
such lethal chamber here. L know dogs
are terrified by the chlorOform, and as /
held my little dog lin my arms while he
was choroformed TO prevent his suffering,
Know there was moment of terror and
refuge thus describes his work: This So
Getty is supported by voluntary contribu-
a and have one man assistant
cover all Of the city. ] attend to all police
and postal calls, and the refuge is open to
anyone who may bring an animal at any
the police notify me and l send for it at
any time. Our means of disposing of ami
mails Is this; Ne have prick chamber in
with charcoal gas from a small stove
After lighting the fire, when the charcoal
coal on, which produces carbonic oxide gas,
which will kill in thirty seconds. The ami
mails being put in the chamber the gas is
turned on and in half minute all is over
The gas is LED through thirty feet of stove
pipe, which enters at the top of the cham
Der. The chamber has two doors on the
sides, for removing animals and two doors
on top to put them in. 1t has a strong
wire partition in the center making two
compartments, one for dogs and one for
cats. We also have a place to keep cats
for persons who wish TO board them; we
charge so cents per week, and during the
summer we have had more than one hum
bred cats boarding at our place. They
have bread and milk morning and evening,
and meat, raw and cooked, at midday. Fish
once a week. Our cat yard and rooms are
fioored with concrete, which makes it. easy
to keep clean. The deaths from sickness
are about per cent during the summer"
The mercifulness of mankind to beasts
of humane sentiment. Every step which
can be taken in these directions is good for
the people who interest themselves in these
matters as well as for the animals whose
SufferingS are minimiZed
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

There are about one hundred letter car
riers in this city. Under the present sys-
TEN they hold on from year to year and be-
come thoroughly acquainted with their
routes and duties. Suppose the civil-service
law We're repealed and there should be "a
clean sweep every four years. What
fine thing that would be for our local serv-
ice! There are about 1900 letter carriers in
the United States. appointed and promoted
on the merit system. and there re nearly
1000 railway postal clerks, appointed and
promoted on the same system, all familiar
with their duties. faithful in the discharge
Of them. and continued from one admins
tration to another The mass of people, the
general public, does not care whether these
government employees are Republicans or
Democrats. The people want good service.
and they know that experience and training
are essential features OF good service.
Sweeping changes in these branches of the
postal service every four years would not
DO tolerated.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

which appear to be logically sound. decides
that an appeal does not lie to that court
from an introductory decision OF the Cir
cult Court. 1t only lies from 2 anal de-
cision. AS Judge Showalter's order for
temporary injunction was not final, the APP
peal was not correct practice and the Court
of Appeals declines to take jurisdiction.
The case will now recur on the question of
making the Injunction permanent, and, as
the decision on this point will be final, an
appeal will lie to the Supreme Court. The
main question as to the constitutionality of
the law is not affected, even incidentally,
by the present decision.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

Washington Post


The story of the girl who expended $40 of
her hard-earned money for plume where
with to adorn a 25-cent hat is recalled by
the bequest of a st. Louis man of $4,000 to
Brown University, in Providence, r. l., for
the erection of a stone entrance to the col
lege campus The incident also recalls the
touching narrative of & tender parent in
Minnesota who in winter time paid S. for an
ornamental piece of jewelry for his bare
footed boy, because the youngster said, Il
can get along without boots, but I'm suf-
fering just awful for bosom PIN This
ST Louis capitalist must have had the idea
that the ornamental was better than the
useful for an institution of learning. Brown
University Is an old, poor, and at the same
time eminently respectable institution OF
learning. 1t needs money, as do most of our
colleges. 1t was established and has re-
manned under the auspices of the Baptists,
but it is open TO all corners on equal terms.
Although the gentleman who is supposed to
be the richest man in the United States is
a Baptist, he has given ten or a dozen mill
lions to the Chicago University and nothing
to Brown. That, of course. is his own af-
fair, and we mention ii only to illustrate the
unwisuom of giving $4,000 for IA pile OF
stones to q college that is cramped for
means to carry or its educational work. If
others had provided funds for absolute
necessities, this bequeSt would not have
seemed incongruous.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

The first bill reported from committee
in this Congress is one to prevent designing
young women from marrying decrepit old
soldiers that they may draw pensions all
their lives. 1t declares that no widow can
have pension who marries after its pas
sage. 1t is recommended by the commission
err Of pensions, which is good basis for its
passage. The fact that there are only three
survivors of the war of 1872, while the wild
ows of such soldiers are three thousand,
enforces the necessity of such legislation.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

The decision of the United States Court
Of Appeals Diminishing the city's appeal
from Judge Showalters temporary restrain
ing order In the Scent fare case is on a
point of practice and procedure merely. 1t
does not touch the merits of the case nor
throw any light on its final disposition. The
appeal seems to have been sort OF tenta-
tive proceeding without any assurance or
much expectation that It would yield def
mite results. AS matter Of fact, it has
not. The Court OF Appeals. for reasons
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

Advices from Cuba indicate that battle
is impending which may be decisive of the
war. The insurgents have concentrated in
considerable force, and we'll armed, about
iards are moving to attack them. In a field
engagement of that kind the Spaniards will
doubtless have the advantage OF numbers.
and if properly handled they may deliver
the insurgents a crushing blow. On the
other hand, if the insurgents should be vic
torlous the capture of Havana would be apt
to follow.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

to a chopping machine and cut into pieces
an inch in length. Then they are exposed
TO an air blast, which blows aside the leaves
and light trash, while the pieces of stalks
are carried through a pipe to a hopper
This drops them into a mill, which cracks
the husks, releasing the pith. The resulting
product is exposed to another air blast.
which blows the pith one way and the
shells of the stalks another. The pith is
separated into two grades, coarse and fine,
by yet another air blast. The coarse pith--
q white spongy pulp-fs the sort uses- for
ship-padding, and, before the final pressing
of it into blocks, 1t is subjected to chem
ical treatment TO render it fireproof and de-
cav proof.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

There were hints in some of the Popo-
cratic campaign literature that the Repub-
lican party was the one that catered to
Great Britain. Yet Bryan and the English
press criticise the Presidents message with
equal severity-and, it might be said, if
one didn't care how hard he was on the
British press, equal intelligence.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

Senator Gallinger, of New Hampshire, is
veteran who served on the pension COM
mittee in the House when a member of
that body and on similar committee since
he has been in the Senate, consequently his
opinion on special pension bills is of value.
His criticism of such Legislation. or attempt
ed legislation, should silence the advocates
of such heterogeneous upon the general pen
sion laws
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

When it was announced about year ago
that Mr.. A. r. Spofford, librarian of Con-
gress, was short in his accounts to a large
amount, the Journal expressed its belief
that whatever the accounts might show
been guilty of any dishonesty. He had been
librarian for thirty years, and OF the thou
sands of persons who had known him in
that capacity not one believed that he had
done any intentional wrong. The govern
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

Deputy Prosecutor Walker deserves credit
for bringing a test case against the pro-
prietor of a slot machine under the law
against rafting. The whole nasty brood of
slot machines should be cleaned out, and if
it cannot be done under existing laws there
should be ne7y legislation.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

1t is fortunate for Representative Allen,
of Mississippi, that the press reports al
ways preface his speeches with the state
ment that he is the 'humorist of the
House." His humor is of a very dreary
kind-the Mississippi variety
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

The performance of the German govern
ment with Haiti involves no violation of
the Monroe doctrine. since nothing but an
indemnity was demanded. The only dis
agreeable feature about the demand is that
1t is not probable it would have been made
Of q fulI-groWn nation
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

The Dingley tariff was framed for rev.
enue and protection. 1t is completely sue
cessful in the latter respect, and those
who are in the best position to know say it
will soon be equally so in producing rev.
onue
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11

The low rate of wages paid in Southern
cotton mills, with no limit as to hours of
labor, is one of the causes of the talked-of
reduction Of wages in New England mills.
1t will be some time before Southern legis-
latures will limit the hours which women
and children may be employed in factories
in that section
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
Descriptive.

This girl that Freddy is about to mar
ry?"
well, she is one of those girls whose
picture would look perfectly in place in one
of those department store Ascent plaster of
paris frames"