davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
A HERMIT FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS.
Barbetta Oefhein, of Belevile, Ill, Never Left Her HOMEWORK
an Old Quilt For a Dress and Rags for Shoes-Was 81 Years Old.

For eighteen years Baroetta Oeff1ein, of
Belleville, ILL.,. did not leave the place she
called nome. When she finally went away
a few days ago 1t was in an ambulance.
She was taken to St. Elizabeth's hospital.
and died there.
She was seldom seen until within the last
two years. The house was surrounded by a
high board fence. which prevented pedes-
TRANS seeing into the garden. If seen at all
she was always bending over with her face
turned away from the street and the con-
cealment of her features was made COM
plete by a Tapping old sunbonnet.
h locked a wild woman Her hair
escaped in tangles from under the bonnet.
She wore a single garment. fashioned OUT
Of an old quilt or gunny sacking. The mar
row. scant skirt stopped just below her
knees. She never wore shoes. In the sum-
mer her legs and feet were bare. In the
inter they were wrapped with rags.
She never spoke to anybody. II accosted
she affected not to hear. If anybody en-
tered the yard through the side door in the
high fence, which was the only way Of get
ting In. she took refuge in the house. No
BODY in the neighborhood ever heard her
voice.
1t is not known what caused her to be-
come a hermit. 1t is supposed that she
was misery and eccentric.
Lorenzo Oeflein. the woman's husband.
was almost as much a hermit as his wife.
Sometimes for weeks he would not pass
through the garden gate. When he did go
out it was to obtain necessary provisions.
and he returned as quickly as possible.
They owned the house where they lived.
In the summer the yard was planted with
potatoes. their principal article Of diet. The
man was formerly a corporation employe.
The couple are said to have had several
thousand dollars, on deposit in a bank.
The woman was born in Bavaria Def
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

snaps at every one but his master. but q
noble and affectionate beast. who liked to
be on good terms with every body.
When the detectives searched tho dist
ant parts of the earth for Foster they
searched also for the dog. At last the
news was flashed across the Atlantic that
q man who was spending money like water
and who had for a companion a young and
beautiful woman. But the mans descrip-
uon aia NOT ANY WIN bor .aas OF 70 fos.1 Is ~.
man was really Foster. One day he met
the animal on the street. 1t looked exact
ly like the a~bsconder's dumb friend. He
upon him and caressed him. That inno-
cent caress cost Foster his arrest. He had
carefully disguised himself. shaved his
head and taken to a wig. He would never
havc been recognized had not the dog I'M
consciously given away his secret.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
BATTLE WITH A BALD EAGLE.
Though Wounded the Bird of Free
dom Seriously Injured the
Farmer Who Shot Him.

At McGarvey's Lake, near Lincoln, Neb.,
John Comstock. a farmer, shot a noble
specimen Of the bald eagle. He broke the
eagles wing, but when he attempted to
into his flesh through the coat sleeve.
Comstock struggled to free himself from
the bird, which cut and scratched his skin
He finally succeeded in drawing his pock-
etknife, and stabbed 1t until. weak from
loss of blood. it released its hold and fell.
secure the services of a surgeon to
dress his wounds, the muscles of one arm
being badly torn.
long and black and sharp. indicating that
the eagle was old. The wings from tip to
tip measure eight feet four inches.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

Gus that the government called in the is
sue and the bills that were afterward sent
were the product Of the notorious briggs
and Guyon gang, of Dayton. Q.
1.-THE authorities out here" the attorney
continued, finally fixed upon George Man
ming as the man who was floating them.
Manning was almost without n peer in this
business; in fact a government officer told
me tia, t there S, never Mas SIn a e shrsT Gsare ean q
Neal was then United States district attor-
ney. and, being a young attorney and Oft
en- in his office. I found out there what I
know of the case
The Case Of George Manning.
Although they had Manning good and
tight in jail they couldn't make out a case
against him on account of the absence
Of the principal witness. The prosecution
had asked for postponement after post
pcnement until finally one April day the
Judge of the court said that the case must
come to trial the next July. Neal had the
family of the witness located in st. Jo-
eeph: the mother was keeping a boarding
house and she had four beautiful daugh-
tiers But they were as sharp as any de-
tective that had ever been sent TO find out
the whereabouts of the husband and IA
Their. And the good woman after turning
several of them out Of her house gave mp
keeping boarders and went to live in a
Neal" he said, "at last in desperation
wrote the department at Washington set
ting forth the facts of the case and plead
WI lot l. td.dblS lal " NUM- NAiS AAaNh
wsrted witness. Burns was sent In re-
spcnse with instructions to find the man
at every hazard. 1t was then the general
opinion at ST. Joseph that this witness
had gone TO California-he was seen to buy
q ticket for San Francisco. Burns In
etrLctions were Of such a character that
It looked to him either TO find the man or
give up detecting all together.
Burns First Move.
"when Burns landed in st. Joseph the
Hrst thing that he did was to find out the
home of the wanted witness family and
the next was to look for a job as n cutter
at one of the best shops in the town. He
came near getting the job. too. and would
If his price had not been too high. You
may call the wanted witness Jim Jehr-
son-the family is a well known one. the
girls are now all married and 1t Is no
use to give his right name. Now. to Burna
everything depended upon getting into the
house. On a card he wrote a note OF In.
PRODUCTION and presented himself to Mrs
johnson as an applicant for a room She
had only one room and that was taken
by a friend of the family. She, however
show ed 1t to Burns and he declared tina,
ehe was not getting half 1t was
worth: he would himself pay twice wha,
she was receiving.
He Becomes q ROOmer.
II n his baggage sent to the house
Mrs. johnson came to his room and asked
FOR his name. You hav II on that not
OF introduction was the reply. On, how
awkward of me. / forgot to give 1t tc
ycu. Here IL Is 'This is not to me- sale
Mrs. johnson, it's to the woman across
the street and I don't know that nam'
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
LITTLE MAN TO WE'D.
w. White, Finds a Mnte-He Is
Little Taller Than Thumb.

Tom Thumbs coachman is going to be
married. The mite who drove the carriage
for the famous dwarf has selected his bride.
and Wednesday evening Rev. DIR. Thomas
of the Olivet Baptist church, Chicago, will
unite in marriage George William White
and Miss Sophia Anderson. The groom Is
four feet six inches tail and Is IS years of
age. The bride is an average sized woman,
and her future husband describes her as
the ''best-looking colored girl in Chicago
When Tom Thumb was at tine height OF
his fame his managers secured White to
drive the little carriage. The Georgia col.
Tom or his wife. After a time George came
to Chicago and was employed by c.. L.
Wuioubhy as footman. This position he
occupied for some time and then came to
the Leland as messenger and confidential
George saws he has been single long
enough and he can see no reason why any
man who makes money cannot find 4 wo-
nan who wants him. Even if he is small
he says he is good looking. dresses well
and makes money.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
KILLED FOR The LOVE OF IT.
JOSEPH yACHER, wANDERER, CON-
MITTED MANY MURDERS.
Twenty Persons Who Are Supposed
to Have Net Death at His Hands
He Appeared to Make No
Effort Mt COncealment.

Joseph Vacher. travelling musician. IS
under arrest in France charged with muir
der. He admits that he killed twenty per-
sons. He appears TO have committed the
crimes simply for the pleasure that he
foundi in so doing.
Vacher took his arrest cody. When
questioned in regard to his many crimes.
he refused to utter u word except on TWO
conditions. One was that the full story OF
his crimes and a statement Of him ;elf
should be published in the leading French
papers. and the other was that he should
be tried separately for each crime in tho
district where the crime was committed
The insolence of the fellow during his ex-
animation was amazing. Il am an anar-
chist." he said. 'and / am opposed TO So
ciety no matter what the form of govern
ment may be-" He was confined for some
time IT. the insane asylums at Dole and
Saint Robert, and he says that the barha-
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
at his watch. don't you know just at this
hou your daughter Mary is being mar

at his watch. don't you know just at this
hour your daughter Mary is being mar
ried?'
"tSay, HE'LL exclaimed the thoroughly
astonished man, you are Brownie. My
family has been writing for weeks about
what a nice young man they had as a
roomer in you. 1t was all Brown"
"Rrcwn."
well. Burns brought his prisoner back
to st. Joseph. 1t was a stormy meeting
between the detective and the Johnson
eS came eI to t the opinion hItep thai 1natf he had done me
only his duty and had don't 1t. too, in such
a graceful and gentlemanly manner that
they all forgave him and 1 have heard
Burns say that he has to-day no better
friends than the Johnsons."
The remainder of the story is well known.
Burns had his witness at the trial and old
George Manning was sent to Jefferson City
prison for four years. He was pardoned
after he had served part of his sentence
and died at Hammond. Ind. near Chicago.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

sisred to it at ALL Neither did Burns:
and by talking all the time when he called
FIRST he had not given the woman an OPP
portunity to read tit was his plan that
she should not see the note of introduction
until he was safe in the house. oh, well:
I am here and shall stay quietly replied
EUrns. So under the name of w. T: Brown
a handsome fellow and It was not long
before he had ingratiated himself into the
good graces of the family. He took the
10 dances and parties. Not a word did
he ever mention about the absent head of
the household; but he managed to collect
ms ali the relatives. Weeks had passed,
TIE day Of the trial was drawing near and
still. he had found nothing regarding Mr..
giant gentleman and Mrs. and the Misses
Johnson were congratulating themselves
upon having him in the house.
Tracing Of n Letter.
"one night Brown saw Mrs. johnson
writing a letter; he felt that it was the
ons which he wished to see. He found it
after the family had gone to bed con- n
it back just where he had found it. The
next morning when he started out with
ca!leI: back. She has the letter. said Mr..
Brown to himself: I shall go with her.
She was shrewd enough not to herself mail
lllc lclltE, pul d slSiS stht ~ ouS ~
q porter. Brown had It lifted from the
post box and found tina. I: was addressed
to Morning Star. Mo. From what he had
sent to one of them there. A detective
who was sent to Morning Star saw
the letter mailed a second timeIand to
aud he reached PAM just in time to again
to a farmer; the n rema!led again to ~, a
mr. N q gtar 0f the town Now RrnWn HAD
only one clue In the letter and that was
a reference to Charlie Among the list
Of relatives that he had heard mentioned
O.. and he made up his mind that this
man and the Charlie Of the letter were the
same.
Burns Arrives at Columbus, O.
"He hurried then on to Columbus. ard
having been born and raised there. he had
Chine eH nin shop: II He 'G found out un0G hat he ne h had aa a
man living with him by tho name of jim
Smith, and that he. too. received his mail
away he saw a tall man coming down the
street. In an instant he recognized him as
the mar he wanted-he identified him from
family. whom his mother said Cooked just
like his dead pa
HELLO. Jim" was the detectives saluta-
ton. Jim looked astonished.
ming the detective continued, to help nx
up that affair Of his and yours
"The man dropped into the trap and told
al! he knew. But about the time that he
had finished his story he looked down sus-
p.ciously and said. what are you. any.
how?'
"I am a detective sent to arrest you
''OIG Jim almost tainted.
We'll, you nave me dead to rights
there is nothing more TO be done
Say, how did you come to arrest mo.
oh. 1 live here in this town.
"I thought so: you could never have
traced me by my letters
Certainly not. when they were sent BY
then to Ohio was the reply.
We'll. you have got me, sure blurtet
out johnson.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
THIS N FROM KANSAS.
A Story That the Denver Republican
Credits to . Sallna
Man.

your gale Of wind this morning" said
H. c. Holcomb. Of Salina, Kas.. reminds
me of an effort now being made by a genius
Of our town to utilize the gentle zephyrs
which change the face of Western Kansas
about once every five years. Your breeze
this morning was what the sailors call a
'cats-paw' beside some Of our breezes. I
have seen it blow at the rate Of 100 miles
an hour for a week. and with cur level
reads It Is not unusual for a man travelling
with the win to hoist a small sail to
help the horses along and keep the wind
out Of the wagon. A man named Simmons
has for some years adapted a light wagon
for travelling with wind power alone. His
sal, is set in such a manner with a shift
ing weight to maintain the center OF grar-
ity. that he can travel along with the wind
in almost any direction except dead ahead
and I have seen him travel in a reasonably
small circle. He Is now trying to get farm
ers interested in a scheme to lay light rails
in the roads and have wagons of peculiar
construction to utilize the wind. with elec-
tricity to supplant the wind when neces-
Sary."
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
MONTANA WOMAN sUFFRAGlsTs
Have Decided TO FofA
selves Into q Permanent re-
litical Party.

rbs state convention OF Woman Sunlra.
Rists have adopted q resolution deciarins
nnI;f,cai narty with q complete organiza:
p BON and = state central Committee; and
While the party viii be q party without
votes. to make It as foI sTaS ne Axe I p part
IN nomination and election Of candi-
dates to the legislature and to secure men
who wiz support the saSm,ssio nro1 Of an
Sor snnaI au6raee, Mrs. Ella Knowles Has
Iau Who was once Populist nominee for
ATTORNEY general and subsequently, assist
ant attorney general Of the state: naVaSs
nbatrman Of the central committee. which
consists o. several members from each
county in the state. The party adop,ed 2
sbort platform declaring the sole desire
Of its members to obtain equal Suffrage
for both sexes.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

Emanuel Schwab, 101 years of age. en-
Joys the distinction Of being the Oldest
voter in New York. 1t is in point of age.
not in the number Of years he has voted,
that he is New York's Oldest voter. yet
there are comparatively few men who have
voted oftener than he in the city.
Ever since the formation of the Repub-
lcan party Mr.. Schwab has been a stanch
Republican and has voted the straight
tickle in both national and municipal cleo
tons until the last.
Seth Low was the magnet that drew
him away from the regular organization
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

cerned, but it didn't end it for Julia. On
,he car. going home. a young man admired
her pretty face and stared hard at her
a a glance zee Of Il di ns but she went into an
Next night Max called. He noticed his
at her to see If she were sick. Two min
utes later julia was in a trance and Max
hours "s she c sgaei6 out of ao fhe tran At.ef bu IpI II
was succeeded by a violent fit of Mysteries.
and there have been many attacks since.
ton redoubled. The area OF anaesthesIa
gradually spread until 1t involved even her
lips. eyes and tongue. Max was unremit-
have kissed a statue. for Julia could feel
nothing.
Surprised the Doctors.
clinic at the New York hospital, which is
Nammack.. The doctors assistant saw her
succeeded. much to his surprise. in sending
chief and said:
you can hypnotic by just looking at her"
While he listened to Julia's account of the
case DR.. Nammack carefully refrained from
ished her story he looked at her and OBJ
tanned the same result as his assistant; Be
mack Examined the girl more carefully, and
subsequently presented her before the
Academy Of Medicine as the most complete
case of hysterical anaesthesia on record.
DR.. Nammack said yesterday:
II annot find in any book to which I
nave access any case exactly resembling
this. In nearly every hysterical patient
there is more or less surface insensibility,
but this Is complete at every point. In
sensibility of this kind is fairly common
in this case the anaesthesla prevails when
the girl is wide awake and performing her
usual avocations. There is little doubt that
the wound on her hand. Charcot, the
French physician. describes cases some
hysterie, but as far as 1 know this is the
first case OF the kind in this country"
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
TRY THE BULLDOG U R
Chicago Judge Advises q Woman to
Set the Canine On Her Dis
agreeable Husband

Judge Baker. Of the circuit court. Chicago.
has again proved himself a jurist of Solo
monte originality. Mrs. Mary Hoffman ap-
pealed to him for legal protection against
her husband. claiming that he was persist
emily mean" to her.
Instead of awarding her the processes OF
the court. Judge Baker advised her to buy
q bulldog Of the most pronounced sintrap
jaw breed and to sick 1t on her husband
whenever he developed any Of his charac-
teristic traits. Mrs. Hoffman is on the
lookout for the most savage brindle that
money or advertisement can secure.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

rous conduct Of the officials there has en-
Uttered him against society. 10 become
his great ambition. and he un~blushingly adj
mitted that the reason why he killed SO
many young girls was because ne decics9
insults OF older women, not one OF whom
would suffer him near her, on account OF
his unsightly. presence and fithy haolts;
never su1ered." he EXCLAIMED. Tor. while
throstled them with hand n 1 sw1tuy
Vacher was no fool. He never attacked
a man. who was able to defend himself:
and care care to make good his escape. More
that is, he never looked for victims ana
only murdered those who happened u os
in his way.
Very Vain Man..
No vainer man than he ever lived. Here
Is a statement by him.. which the autnori-
ties. at his request. nave p1ono z"
ut will be the worse for you II you hold
those crimes with which you have charged
me. / committed them In q momene "
rage. 1 was bitten by a mad dog w9sm
tenth wear upward / could not control my
passions. Terrible hts Of anger useo 70
come on me. and often u hmp 5 Wila beast.
INSH U lAC oAS
NV parents must have suffered mucn our
ing these years, for they never heard tr9n
me- all the time / was wandering tnIo1sn
France like q mailman, my sole guloe oe-
ing the sun. Let those who wouio weep
for me weep for them" mi.
man. who actually marched IN oioo1:
never left q trace in traversing a wnols
region Of France. Yet he told the 1uoge
az instruction he never took the trouble 70
hide. After zach of his crimes ne wsne
right along his way. never LEAVING INC
| going from town to town and from oepal.-
ment to department, Staying as ne VEN,
! and even sometimes giving false iniorma-
ton to the police.
Hi. Victims Shepherds.
His victims almost invariably were
shenherds or shepherdesses. Not con-
tent with simply killing. them. ne muai,
Iafed their uuiyering bodies IN u n,oas
friehtfuI manner. literally disemooweihs
them Att, NOV He
.ttacked the wife Of a shepherd who Vas
caring for her husbands hooks. Sne
rasistsd stoutIy and cried for help. Hel
hushand heard her and. running 70 nea
assistance was soon engaged n a ne ran
! tight with yacher.. Other snepner noyersd
and taken before the police. ~
The police Immediately decided tnat rhs
prisoner was the wandering aSSaSsin w
had committed SO many hofriole
so kinsmen of other victims were seot zoe
to Identify him.. In almost svery sasc .n1y
recognized Vacher as the tramp Mus,-
shortly before each murder a(heir rase oa
seeing Vacher knew no bour.us. ana LII
n not been for the police theyswooio law
taken summary venGeancA
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

Slatin Pasha. who recently made a treaty
between the Mahdi and the Egyptian gov
eminent, has had a very eventful career.
though he is only 40. According to the
New York World. he is an Austrian. who
served in the Austrian army until he was
% and became an officer in the crown
princes regiment. In 1881, with the consent
of his emperor. he accepted a position under
the khedive. He soon found promotion and
was sent upon important missions. in which
he invariably succeeded. Finally he was
made governor of the province Of Darfour.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
INNocENTLY CAUSED ARREST.
1t Was Wtllim Fosters Dog That Gave
the TIP to the De-
the New York World.

From tho New York World.
Under the seas. from Neuilly. France.
Genes a quaint little story anent the cap-
ture of William r. Foster, the abscond-
ing attorney for the big produce exchange
GratUity furd. He was betrayed by :is
best friend-a friend who would have Civ
en- his life to save HMM short, his Jog.
1t was a bit of vanity on Fosters PART.
when he sailed away with a slender girl
anG $4,000 which had been gathered to-
gethei for the widows and orphans of dead
members of the exchange. to take with him
a splendid dog which had long been his
companion. 1t was not a fierce, unfriendly
cur, one Of the kind which snarlS and
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

From the Detroit Free Press.
What is that pasted in your hat. Tff1ng-
tcn?"
THAT? Why, that's q list of definitions
Of the French words found on restaurant
bills Of fare" IS.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
Cupid EconomizinE.

From the Detroit Free Press.
Jack and Julia are surely engaged"
What makes you think So?"
II brings her chrysanthemums now fr
stead Of roses: a chrysanthemum, yo
knew. viii last a whole week"
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14
Indian Summer.

Indian summer. as We hear.
Is the hazy, lazy time o year.
EweIl in that climate all the time.
Detroit Free Press.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

He-"The worst of cycling is that II
brings one In contact with all kinds of peo-
pie" She thinking Of het bruises)-"it
certainly does. Especially the first week or
so."-Tid-Bits.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

1.-THE horse has another point Of supe:
ricrity over the wheel" What Is it,
when a horse Is getting ready to shy at
anything you can tell 1t by his eara"-Chi-
cage Record.
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

In the year 17s1. when Lord CORVALLIS
began in Joy and ended in disaster his
Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-14

TO the independents. and he cast his vote
for the entire Citizens Union ticket with
the exception of the president Of the coun-
Gil.
Mr.. Schwab is n wonderfully we'll pre-
served man. II one did not know his age
lie would think him to be not mora than
Is. He Is a small man. being little more
thai five feet tall. He betrays the weight
OF years only in the bending of his Shout
ders and in his thin. silky white hair.
Age has clouded his memory but little,
and no has a remarkably nimble wit for a
person of l1 years.
Yes ! guess I am the oldest voter In
New York. said Mr.. Sckwab, and / ex-
pect to be for a number of elections to
coma. I am l01. but I feel rs young as