davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The record-union., 1897-07-19

NEW YORK, July 19.-After eluding
the notice of the metropolitan force for
more than six years, Ellen Peck, the
confidence woman, now nearly 20 years
of age, is wanted again. Her victims
this time are several residents OF
Brooklyn, whom she is charged with
swindling out of sums aggregating
$1,000 More specifically, she is
wanted for defrauding the late DR..
Christopher Lott of $4,000, an amount
which represented nearly all Of his saw
ings, and the loss of which is believed
by his friends to have contributed
largely TO his death, which occurred on
May 10th.
For this Ellen Peck, under the name
of Mary Hansen, has been indicted for
felony by the Grand jury of Kings
County. Her alleged daughter and
son-in-law, William Simpson have, in
the same connection, been indicted for
completely, arrested and released on
bond Mrs. Peck has not been found.
Mrs Hansen became acquainted with
DR. Lott in 1894, while he was profes-
sfonally attending the Simpsons, with
whom she resided. She soon ingratiat
6u H6ISGlL IllO tllG SOOQ VIII anu SOli-
fidence of the doctor and his wife. She
represented herself to be the widow of
Admiral Johann Carl Hansen of the
Danish navy. According to Mrs. Han
sen, his fortune, amounting to many
millions, had been placed in the keep
ing of the United States Government,
certain conditions making it unpleas-
ant for the owner of this vast fortune
to retain the money in Denmark. Mrs.
Hansen made it appear to the doctor
that certain difficulties had arisen
which prevented the withdrawal of the
money from the United States Treas
ury, and by talking glibly of visits to
Washington and to interviews with
Secretary Carlisle and Deputy Assist
ant Treasurer Jordan, she enlisted the
doctors sympathy, so that one day she
asked for a temporary loan of $500 and
it was readily granted.
She also secured a loan of $500 from
Mrs. Mary Shea, trained nurse, who
had been recommended to the family
by DIR. Lott. Mrs. Hansen continued
to borrow various sums from DR.. Lott,
giving her personal note in return. DR..
Lott finally became suspicious, and he
thought the security given was in
sufficient, Notwithstanding the fact
that that Mr.. Simpson, who claimed to
be a relative of the famous pawnbrok-
er, had indorsed several notes. When
Mrs. Hansen had secured nearly S10,-
600, DR.. Lott made an urgent demand
for a settlement, but before he could
take any legal action in the matter he
became i'll and died
The matter was brought to the at
tention of the District Attorney, and
the indictments followed but the whole
case has been kept quiet until to-day,
when a public statement was issued.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
A CURIOUS SCENE.
Passengers Smash Gates and Han
die Police Quite Roughly.

GREENOCK, July 1S.-A curious
scene occurred to-day at Duneen, a
watering place seven miles from this
city. Great excitement has prevailed
there for several weeks because the
authorities of the borough refused to
allow passengers to land there on Sun
day.
To-day a pleasure steamer arrived
and found the pier closed and a guard
of police stationed at the gates. The
whole town turned out to watch the
proceedings, it having been announced
that landing would be effected des-
pite the prohibition of the authorities
The passengers landed, headed by a
popular Scotch agitator named Hunter,
amid the cheers of the populace. Hun
ter demanded that the gates be opened
and, in compliance with the demand
being refused by the police, the pas
sengers made a crush, and ultimately
smashed the gates and entered the
town The police We're roughly handled
by the steamers passengers.
Thousands of the populace danced
with delight over the outcome of the
conflict and ran to Hunter to shake his
The record-union., 1897-07-19
IMPOSING CEREMONIES.
Anniversary of the Death of Presi-
dent Juarez in Mexico.

CITY OF MEXICO, July 1S.-The
anniversary of the death of President
Juarez took place to-day with impos-
ing ceremonies, participated in by
President Diaz and his Cabinet and
many civil bodies. The Masonic order
was especially conspicuous all the
prominent Masons attending. The
tomb was fairly covered with splendid
tributes. Minister Mariscal of the
Foreign Relations Department pro-
nounced an eloquent Grafton. Flags
were at half-mast all over the city.
News from crops all over the coun-
try indicate year of great abundance,
and bankers predict good business dur
ing the coming autumn and winter.
The Spanish colony affects to believe
that the alliance between Japan and
Spain will hold the United States in
check as regards Hawaii.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
A WOMAN'S HATPIN.
Edward Donahue Stabbed Through
the Lung With It.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1S.-Edward
Donahue, a bookkeeper, lies at his
home in a critical condition from a
wound in the breast inflicted by a wo-
mans hatpin. He is in great pain,
but unless hemorrhage or blood poison
ing occurs he will recover. This is
the third case that has come TO the
attention of the police within a short
time in which a hatpin has been WELD
ed by a woman as a weapon of as
sault The first offender was given
six months in the County Jail. The
trial of the aac0nd is pending, and the
third assailant is not known because
Donahue persistently refuses to disclose
her identity. He insists she was a
stranger whom ne met in a saloon. The
pin penetrated his right lung.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
HAILsTORM DEsTRoYERs.
Grape Growers in Switzerland Dis
cover a New Trick.

While Americans have been telling
how to stop tornadoes and storms of all
descriptions a Swiss farmer has quietly
stepped in and given practical illus
tration of how it can be done. How
he accomplished this feat is described
by United States Consul Gernain, who
writes the Department from Zurich,
Switzerland, giving the particulars,
which will be OF interest to any one
who has anything to do with the in
dustry which the Swiss farmer repre-
SentS.
The man whose common sense taught
him the way out of serious difficulty is
Albert Stiger, Burgomaster of Wind
isch- Freistritz. He owns extensive
vineyards, situated on the southern
slopes of the Bacher Mountains, To-
cality often visited by destructive hail
storms. Mr.. Stiger has met with
many difficulties in attempting to grow
grapes, and he is thoroughly up to date.
In fact, some of his best vines are from
American cuttings.
One enemy with which he has had to
contend in the past has treated him
most unkindly-hail. He saw that
something must be done to protect his
vineyard, and as an experiment ne
stretched wire netting above five acres
of his choicest vines. This was very
expensive method of protection; in
fact, too much so for general applica-
tion. That is why the present method
Mr.. Stiger is observing was introduced
He has adopted what he calls the
shooting, or explosive, system, and it
scatters the clouds and drives away
approaching hail or heavy rain storms.
On six of the most prominent sum-
mits surrounding the locality in which
his vineyards are located he has erect
ed six stations. These command a
territory Of about two miles in extent.
They are constructed of wood, and each
shelters ten heavy mortars, the individ-
ual amount of powder required to dis
charge them being four and one-quar-
ter ounces. There is a cabin in the
vicinity of each station which is used
to store the powder in. When a storm
is sighted the volunteer corps which
mans the mOrtars is promptly signaled.
The members of this corps are owners
of small vineyards within the two
miles of territory referred to. They
have been trained upon receiving no
tice of an approaching storm to
promptly proceed to the station and to
make ready to discharge the mortars.
When all is in readiness-each NOR
tar only awaiting the touch of fire to
poWder-the corps watches for the sig
nal from the main station. Presently
the signal comes and the discharge of
the mortars begins. This is continued
until the clouds have scattered and the
storm has blown over. In every in-
stance where the method has been ap-
piled the storm clouds have been scat
tered.
The citizens of Windisch- -Freistritz
have anxiously watched these expert
ments, and great has been their de-
light at the success thereof. Time
and again have threatening black
clouds made their appearance over the
SUBMITS of the Bacher Mountains At
a given signal all the mOrtars have
been fired and the continuous detona-
tions in few moments caused a sud
den reaction in the movements of the
clouds The cloud wall opened up
funnel like; the mouth of the funnel be-
The record-union., 1897-07-19
PITCHERS AND CATCHERS.
What the California Clubs Were
Doing at Ball Yesterday.

SANTA ROSA, July 1S.-The Reli-
ance baseball team of Oakland de-
feated Keegan Brothers team of Santa
Rosa here this afternoon. Score-11 to
13.
FRESNO, July 19-The Republicans
made it sixteen straight to-day by de-
feating the C. J. Heesmans of Oakland
in a score of 13 to 3. Balz only al
lowed the visitors to get two hits, while
Sanford was touched up for II. Score:
Republicans Is, hits II, errors q;
Heesmans 3, hits 2 errors II.
SAN BERNARDINO, July 1S.-Riv-
erside defeated San Diego this after
noon at a game of baseball by score
of IA to g.
LOS ANGELES, July 1S.-The base
ball game at Athletic Park to-day be-
tween the Bakersfield and Los Angeles
resulted in victory for the home team.
Score: Los Angeles 8, Bakersfield 3.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 1S-In the
Examiner" tournament baseball to-
day at Central Park between the Ala
media Alerts and the Union Iron Works
the latter won by a score of to >.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
ON EASTERN DIAMONDS.
Chicago Beats Baltimore and Gin
cinnati Beats Washington.

CHICAGO, July 1S.-The Colts took
the last game of the series by better
hitting, Hoffer's wildness and Balti-
mores only error, a wild throw by
Clark. Griffith pitched a steady game,
but was off in fielding, muffing a thrown
ball and making a low throw that netted
three bases. Connor's batting was
feature. Attendance 1880. Score
Chicago g. hits 10, errors 3; Baltimore 3.
hits Z, errors l. Batteries-Grifffth and
Donohue; Hoffer and Clark. Umpire
Mcdonald
CLEVELAND, July 1S.-Dark clouds
and thunder which threatened rain
throughout the afternoon kept the at
tendance down to 5000 PowelTs great
pitching won easily for Cleveland while
the brilliant fielding of both sides was
another feature. Score-Cleveland s,
hits 10, errors O; Brooklyn 2, hits 5, err
rors o. Batteries-Powell and thinner;
Dunn and Grim. Umpires-Sheridan
and Emslie.
LOUISVILLE, July 1S-The Browns
played good ball to-day and were in the
lead until the eighth, when the Colonies
found Donahue's delivery for five hits
and as many runs, all of which were
earned. Hallman had an argument with
the umpire inthe fifth inning and was
put out of the game by that official At
tendance 4, 100. Score-LouisviIIe 10
hits II, errors 0; st. Louis Z, hits 13, err
rors /. Batteries-Cunningh and
Wilson; Donahue and Murphy Um-
pire-Hurst.
CINCINNATI, July 1S.-It took ten
innings to decide the game between the
Senators and Reds to-day, which was
one of the most exciting seen here this
season. It was a pitchers battle
throughout. In the tenth inning Umpire
O'Day ordered Captain Brown off the
field for questioning a decision at first
base. Attendance 5000 Score-Cin-
cinnati 4, hits 13, errors O; Washington
3, hits 6, errors /. Batteries-Rreiten-
stein and Peitz; Mercer and Farrell
Umpire-O'Day.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
COLONEL CRooKER's ESTATE.
1t Is Estimated That 1t Will
Amount to SlO,0OO,OOO.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1S.-The
Chronicle" says:
The estate of Colonel Crocker is estl-
mated at $4,000, 600, and consists in the
main of a one-fourth interest in the es-
tate of his father, Charles Crocker,
which was incorporated, and said to De
worth $4,000. 600. The property Of the
Crocker Company consists in the main
of railroad stocks and bonds and other
securities, but also includes valuable
real estate holdings in the business and
other parts of the city, among them
being the following:
Crocker building, at the junction OF
Market, Montgomery and Post streets,
valued at 81 ,250,0 900.
Golden Gate block, 129 to III Post
street, valued at 100000.
Property on the north side Of Post
street, between Kearny street and
Grant avenue, 100 feet front by 13I feet
deep. occupied by Wilson's restaurant
and the Butterick Pattern Company.
valued at S15o,0o0.
Revere block, 523 Market street,
valued at 100000
Dividend block, northwest corner Pine
and Leidesdorff streets, a ffve-suoFy
office building, valued at 100000.
Belden block. southwest corner Mont
gomery and Bush streets, valued at
S175, ,000
Cosmopolitan block, a 50-vara with
store building. southwest corner of San
some and Bush, valued at 100000
The Charles Croelker mansion on Cali
fornia street, the value of which it is
difficult TO estimate.
H s. Crocker building, 21l-215 Bush
street. valued at 100000.
The Crocker Company also owns a
large amount of ranch property on
both sides of San Mateo County line.
These ranches comprise about 4,50O
acres and include the Daily, Guada-
loupe and other dairies and the Vista
cion ranch of $500 acres. These ranch
properties, together with several small
er outside holdings, are valued at ST.
600 900.
The incorporated estate has many
large holdings of ranch and town
properties in Fresno Merced and other
counties of the State.
Among personal holding Of Colonel
Crocker were his city residence, corner
Pine and Leavenworth streets, and Up
lands, his recently purchased country
seat in San Mateo County.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
ASSESSING FRANCHISES.
vaIIeio's City Council Puts on the
Screws Quite Heavily.

VALLEJO, July 1S.-The City Coun-
Gil, sitting as a Board of Equalization,
has discovered that many valuable
franchises and steamboat property
were not on the assessment roll OF the
city of Vallejo, and at meeting OF
the full board last night the Assessor
was instructed to place the same on
the roll with their valuation He was
also instructed to assess doubly those
franchises and steamboats, which were
unassessed last year. These franchises
are principally owned by three men,
James McCudden, r. ]. r. Adm and
G. W. Wilson, and include the Vallejo
ferry franchise, the Georgia-street and
Pennsylvania street franchises, which
WELD a revenue hunning into the tens
of thousands of dollars annually. The
assessment of these franchises will IN
The record-union., 1897-07-19
crease the assessment roll at least 5o,-

crease the assessment roll at least 50,-
000
James McCudden, one Of the fran
chise owners, is also City Trustee and
a member Of the Board of Equalization.
He declined to participate in the pro-
ceedings and left the meeting-room.
Among other property not found on
the assessment roll was Piper, Alden
Company's steamer Grace Barton, Cap
tain Hatch's steamer Monticello and
the Vallejo Ferry Company's steamer
Lizzie. The board will meet tomorrow
TO receive the report of Assessor Cham
berlain on the value of these fran
chises
The record-union., 1897-07-19
A Caution to Bicyclists.

Any form of exercise or sport which
makes serious demands on the atten-
ton, ON quickness of eye or hand and on
endurance ought to be taken up by peo-
pie who have reached middle life and
are engaged in sedentary occupation
only with great circumspection The
lesson has been learned by Alpine climb
ers through many bitter experiences. 1t
is pretty generally held by them says
the British Medical Journal" that most
of the fatal accidents in mountain
climbing occur through the failure at
the critical moment of some man who
has taken to mountaineering too late in
life, and who is. perhaps, also out of
condition. An old dog cannot be taught
tricks, according to the proverb, and
though it is disagreeabIe to have to real
ize that we have passed the age when
we can excel in a new pastime requiring
special skill to avoid accident and
youthful adaptability and elasticity to
avoid overstrain, it is the part of wis
dom to accept the inevitable There is
no reason why middle-aged men, and
even those who have passed middle age,
should not take to cycling, but it should
be with a frank recognition of the limi-
tations which age imposes. Great
speed, long distances and hill climbing
PUT strain upon the constitution and
will find out the weak places-the parts
of the system which are aging faster
perhaps than the rest-the heart, it may
be. or the vessels of the brain. So, also,
in regard to riding a bicycle in crowded
thoroughfares, the strain on the atten-
tion is considerable, the risk not small
if a man has lost the quickness of youth.
O'Doolan-If yez found a million dol
lars, wud yez give it back?
O'HoOlan-Oi wud, if the owner wuz
a poor man.-Up-to-Date.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
FOUND MINING BETTER.
An Annapolis Cadet Who Disap-
peaFed Turns Up in Alaska.

PORTLAND (Or.), July 1S. = Russell
Montgomery, a United States naval ca
det, who disappeared from Annapolis
over a year ago, has been heard from
In Alaska He writes to his father
j. 3. Montgomery, a well-known capi-
talist of this city, that he has taken d
claim in the famous Clondye District
and is now working it successfully.
Young Montgomery failed in his eK-
aminatiOns at Annapolis, which fact so
Inundated him that he left Annapolis
without leaving any word behind him,
and although his father has used every
effort to find his son, nothing had
been heard of him until the letter from
Alaska was received
The record-union., 1897-07-19

the latter went to the house. There
he was assaulted by Graves and Ryan,
who felled him to the floor. They took
his diamond pin, gold watch and chain,
diamond stud $145 in money and his
note book. After this they sought to
pour acid into his mouth but he swal-
lowed none of it. Suddenly he sprang
to the window, crying Police"
The police came at once, and Graves
and Ryan were arrested. All the stolen
property was recovered On the pris-
oners We're found a solder bar two feet
long and two loaded revofvers- Clark
was unable to appear against the men
when they were arraigned in the Police
Court
The record-union., 1897-07-19
DROWNED IN THE BAY.
The Sloop Comfort Capsizes and
One of Her Company Was Lost

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1S.-Allen
Attridge, a driver employed by the
Harbor Commissioners, was drowned
in the bay this afternoon by the cap
sizing of the sloop Comfort.
With FIVE companions, Attridge start
ed on a short cruise this morning, and,
returning, was trying to make a land
ing at FiSherman's wharf, when
squau overturned the sloop, which sank
Immediately. All the men who had
been in the sloop swan for the wharf,
but Attridge, after keeping afloat for
five minutes, sank. The other five were
picked up by fishermen.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
CLoNDYKE GOLD FIELDS.
The Excitement at Juneau Is Said
to be Intense.

PORT TOWNSEND (Wash-), July Is.
The excursion steamer Queen arrived
at 6 o'clock this evening from Alaska
with 10 passengers, principally tour
lists. The officers of the Que. 1 state
that the excitement at Juneau over the
rich finds of gold in the Clondyke coun-
try is intense Merchants and trades
men in both Juneau and Sitka are clos
ing their stores and shops and hasten
ing to the new FL Dorado. Fifty bust
ness men left Juneau for Dawson City
ON the C1ondyke on July Sth- Many
men are leaving Juneau for the gold
fields without provisions or means TO
buy them.
Reports from the various salmon fish
cries in Alaska are that hsh are very
scarce.
The record-union., 1897-07-19

gan to rise in the form of consecutive
rings, expanding gradually until all Of
the clouds scattered and entirely dis
appeared. There was no hail or even
a sudden downpour Of rain.
Six times has the experiment been
tried and six times has it been success
full. Consul Germain says that it is
attracting the widest attention in Eu-
rope, and that the French Govern
ment, he hears, is likely to take up the
matter in the interests of the grape
growers of France, where hail is by no
means unknown. The trial in the
United States of experiments by Gen
eral Dyrenforth has produced some re-
suit along a similar line of procedure,
but he has met with nothing like the
uniform success which has greeted this
Swiss man of brain.
AS a matter of fact, our own Gov
ernment which has been fathering va
rious experiments in the anti-storm di-
rection, regards the report of Consul
Germain as confirming the belief that
the explosive principle may be devel-
oped until an association Of farmers
where rain, hurricane or tornado is apt
to prove an unpleasant visitor may
prevent any calls of that nature by
utilizing mortars, these latter to be
furnished by the Government at a low
price. 1t is probable that the next
session of Congress viii be asked to
make an appropriation for experiments
along the explosive line. If the plans
now developing are carried out it is
likely that next year will see some
marvellous feats in the storm preven-
tive line.
This same treatment of clouds. to
produce rain, was accomplished at the
CrotOn Aqueduct in the year 1890 or
1891 =NnW York Herald
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Called an Official Insult.

NEW YORK, July 1S.-The Central
Labor Union. after a wrangle at their
meeting. adopted the following resolu
ton:
Resolved, That the appointment of 7.
V. Powderly as Commissioner of I'M
migration is the greatest official insult
ever offered by the Federal Government
to organized labor.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Horse Thief Arrested.

MODESTO, July 1S.-Since June 1st
II head of horses and mules have been
stolen from the vicinity of Newman, in
this county, and the officers have been on
the lookout for the thief since that time.
Sheriff Purvis and Deputy Waterhouse
James Phillips, a former
farmland in the vicinity, and arrested
him near Copperopolis. lodging him in
Jail to-day. All of the stolen stock have
been located. Phillips acknowledges his
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Reconstructed Their Action.

HUNTINGTON CIV. Va.), July 1S.-
The miners at Thacker, Logan and
Dingess, who yesterday afternoon de-
cided to strike, held a mass meeting
this afternoon and reconSidered their
action. They will return TO work as
usual Monday. The Elkhorn miners,
who yesterday decided to strike, will
also follow their example.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Customs Business Statement.

TACOMA, July 1S.-The statement of
the custom business of the Puget Sound
Collection District for the fiscal year,
ending June 80, 1897, shows 2,290 en-
frances, tonnage 1,14S.0S1. and 2,307
clearances, tonnage /, t56,633 imports,
81, ,O64, ,934 as compared with S5,4S3,-
S46 for 1896; exports, $11, ,S5S062, com
pared with S6.954, ,707 for 1896. The
total receipts of the district were S2ff2,-
52S. Tacomas portion of the imports
was SO per cent; exports, 40 per cent.
There are twelve ports of entry in the
district.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
The Mint Temporarily Closed.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1S.-The
Mint in this city is temporarily closed
for the usual annual cleanup, and for
the counting of the coin on hand pre-
paratory to the turning over of the in
stitution to the new superintendent.
Therefore, it is announced that no de-
posits of gold of other bullion will be
received until August 1st.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Died Suddenly Yesterday.

VACAVILLE, July 1S.-George n.
Plat, well known citizen of Vacaville,
died suddenly at his home early this
morning. He was a soldier in the war
of the rebellion and Postmaster under
Harrison. He had been a local Repub-
lican leader during the past twenty
years and held the office of Justice of the
Peace since 1894.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Drowned in Russian River.

SANTA ROSA, July 1S.-Lloyd Ashby,
aged 13 years, the son of a prominent
citizen of this community was drowned
in the Russian River mead Winsor to-
day The boy was spending his holi-
days in the country and while bathing
vas stricken with cramps. His body
was recovered tonight.
The record-union., 1897-07-19
Grand Encampment Election.

PHOENIX (Ariz.), July 1S.-The first
Grand Encampment, l. o. o. F., of
Arizona concluded its session last night
The following officers We're elected:
Grand Patriarch, Nj. N Ford of Phoe-
nix; Grand H. P, J. n. Jones of Bis
bee; Grand Scribe, George A. Mintz of
Phoenix; Grand Treasurer, D. L. Muir
ray of Phoenix.