davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
They Make an Appeal to Governor Budd'S
 Glenn ency.
He Is Asked to Reprieve Dur rant as a Witness in the
 Libel Suit.
TESTING THE DEATH-TRAP
Experiments of the Executioner in 8 Neighboring Cell Unnerve the
 Condemned Man.

Nothing is more certain than the ex- ecution of Durrant Friday, unless Governor Budd grants a reprieve. Such is the consensus of opinion among lawyers; such is the belief of the Durrants themselves.
 The threatened sensational coup of the defense yesterday failed to put in an appearance. Nor did Durrant's at torneys fulfill the expectation that they would apply to Judge de Haven of the United States District Court for a writ of habeas corpus.
 Before the prospect of a reprimand from the court they gracefully and quietly withdrew. As this is the first occasion on which they have recoiled from their well advertised plan of procedure 1t was regarded as proof that they had exhausted their skein of technical threads, likewise the pa tience of the bench.
 The attorneys consulted in the fore noon; they consulted again in the afternoon. MT. Boardman was absent from these meetings and was reported to have left the city Saturday. No one knew where he had gone. Some one skilled in telepathy finally communed with him on his way to Washington, whither it was affirmed he had hurried to ask the Federal Court for a writ of habeas corpus. It transpired late in the night that he was still in the city and had no imme- diate intention of leaving it.
 The fruition of the last ditch con- ferences, in which MT. Boardman did not participate, came toward the close of the afternoon, when the other at torneys representing Durrant and a bewildering museum of legal quib- blings discovered the whereabouts of Governor Budd, who is confined with rheumatism at the home of his niece, 1910 Post street. With the Governor was lodged the pleader of Durrant's S last hope, and, by the way, it proved a revelation of ingenuity and persist ence on the part of his counsel.
 The substance of the petition was that the Governor should reprieve the condemned man, so that he might be enabled 10 appear as a witness on behelf of his mother in the $50,000 Smyth. It was contended that his testimony was not only essential but vital to the cause of the plaintiff in the libel action, and therefore the Governor should stay the execution until the civil suit could be disposed or The governor agreed to read care fully the documents in the case, but beyond that assurance vouchsafed no intimation of clemency.
 Here the question as to whether Durrant will hang according to law next Friday or secure a further exten- sion Of life rests In the horizon of the courts and the possibilities of le- gal procedure he has no hope.
 It is pretty well understood that the securing of a writ of error from the Federal Supreme Court would not necessarily procure a stay of execu- tion. This device has been tried un- successfully in other instances. The court, while it would not issue the supersedeas, could not set day for
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04

telephone message asking why I was bothering about the license taxes, as they had been regularly paid. I tele- phoned back that if that was the case I wanted to see the last receipt. Then came the answer that the receipt could not be found. I knew that there was no receipt in existence, for the books in the office showed that no license tax had been collected in years. I then wrote that unless the delinquent li- cense taxes were paid within forty eight hours l would commence suit to recover the amount due. I was aston ished when I received the reply. The agent answered that the non-payment of the license tax had been an over sight and that the larger portion of the delinquent tax was barred by the statute of limitations. He was willing to pay a merchandise tax of $195 for the last two years, however, that be- ing the amount he figured due on the sales for that period. Accompanying the letter were sworn statements showing that there had been a great falling off in the business of the firm from the time when $41 a quarter was paid as a merchandise license tax Acting under the advice of City and County Attorney Creswell I accepted the amount rendered, reserving, how ever, the right to sue for the balance due the city. To say that 1 was sur prised when large firm like Stude- baker Bros. would plead the statute of limitations is putting it mild
 From the cases cited,' concluded Bonnet, you can readily see. the diff ficulty experienced in collecting any thing from Eastern firms, agents or drummers. There is an ordinance pro- viding for the collection of licenses from drummers, but in the face of the higher court decisions I am advised that it is unconstitutional. I am heart fly in accord with any movement on the part of the merchants to compel the Eastern. agents and drummers to pay fair and equitable license, and if the merchants want to test the law I am willing to make an arrest for that purpose"
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04

and then the most I can do is to im- pose a merchandise license tax on them. AS an instance of how the law works, will cite the case of a firm in the Phelan building that represents an Eastern hat manufacturing concern. The firm carries quite an extensive line of samples and I learned that when one of it's customers ran short of a particular style of hat and wanted to immeditely replenish his stock, he bought the samples I immediately compelled the firm to pay a mer chandise license. Such cases as these are rare, for the Eastern agent or drummer is generally too cautious to get caught selling any of the samples l cite this case just to show how the law is evaded."
 Some years ago." resumed Bonnet, 'the merchants of California were in strumental in having law passed by the State of Nevada, imposing a license tax on drummers from sister States. The law was tested with the result that the Supreme Court of Ne vada decided that while a license tax might be imposed on local drummerS, 1t was unconstitutional under the United States Supreme Court decision so far as the commercial travellers from other States were concerned.
 'The interstate commerce law seems tor Ste1HQ III lIc way Ol lUe HeSu6Q Legislation" resumed Collector Bon- net. When I took charge of the office I went after the railroad ticket agents to compel them to pay merchandise license in proportion to the business they transacted. I found that could collect license for tickets sold for points within the State, but could not collect. on tickets sold for points out side of California, as that would be in Violation of the interstate commerce act That is but another instance of the inequality and unfairness of the law"
 Do the large Eastern firms carry ing heavy stocks pay their licenses ?" was asked
 They do not" replied Bonnet "The majority of them only pay when com pelled to do so. There is Studebaker Bros. manufacturing company, a branch of. a Chicago firm, with large offices and salesrooms at the south west corner of Market and Tenth streets. This company, although con- ducting an extensive business, has not paid any license tax for five or six years. In looking over the books of the License Office recently I discov- cred that the firm had until several years ago paid merchandise license tax of S41 a quarter. 1 found that the firm was delinquent over $500 and l made a demand for the back license tax. A few hours later received a
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04

nervousness as the hour of execution approaches. To-day the condemned man had little taste for reading. He paced the narrow confines of the death chamber almost from the moment he rose from his cot early in the morning until late at night. His appetite has left him, and the food carried him by his guards is taken away almost un- touched. Several times he took up his Bible, but he put it away after list leSSly turning over its leaves for a few minutes.
 Durrant had reason to be nervous. In the room next to where he lay, waiting to be led up the fatal thirteen steps to the death trap, the gallows on which he will die was being tested The sound of the trap as it fell could be heard in the death chamber, and the doomed man realized that all was be- ing put in readiness to carry out the order of the court. Durrant nodded to his guards when he heard the sound and told them he was ready for the ordeal. He then counted up the hours he had remaining to live and said with a smile, 'In ninety-two hours I will have solved the great problem
 Soon after the Captain of the Yard, Edgar, visited the condemned mur- derer and chatted with him for about an hour. Durrant talked of the days of his childhood, and told a few remi- niscences of the happy times he had spent in Toronto, where he was born For some time after the captains visit he was more cheerful, but toward night, he again became restless, and frequently held his hands over his ears as if to shut out the sounds made by the executioner in testing the fatal trap.
 Cell No. g. which Durrant occupied when he was numbered among the convicted men in murderers' row, is as the doomed man left it when he was taken up along the stairway to the death chaimber. Not paper has been touched, and only the books the mur- derer asked to have with him until the final hour were removed. The prison officials said they left it that way for Durrant's reception should he be brought back to it as the result of another stay of execution A special lock was put on the cell door and the warden holds the only key which will give access to the thick walled stone cell.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04

hearing that would fall within the brief period Durrant has to live under the sentence. That it is the purpose of Durrant's attorneys eventually to go before the Supreme Court on a writ of error seems obvious. MT. Deuprey did not say so much yesterday, but he and his confreres have precedent for such action, and it may be in- ferred from what he mysteriously threatens that it is the intention to continue Durrant's defense after he has paid the penalty of his crimes.
 While MT. Deuprey endeavored to inn part the impression that his client would be rescued from the gallows at the eleventh hour, he was at a loss to suggest any legal process by which such intervention could be accom- plished. His unvarying response to every leading question as to how and when the all-important steps were to find that every time we tell what we are going to do we find ourselves baked. l can't say; we are still in con- sultation and have not decided on our course"
 This was prior to the assault on the Governor, whose whereabouts was then unknown.
 The determination that no autopsy should be permitted provoked consider able comment of a nature scarcely necessary to quote, and will prove a disappointment to the scientists inter- ested in medical Jurisprudence.
 The decision of Warden Hale that Mrs. Durrant should not be allowed to witness the execution of her son was received more favora.bly. She will be granted a last interview with him be- fore he is led to the death chamber. Unless this parting scene unnerves him Durrant will occupy his last moments on earth with an address to the wit nesses of his expiation.
 According to the preparation he has made. he will reaffirm his innocence to the last and pray to God that the mur- derer of Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams may be discovered. He Is los ing the stoic composure which marked his demeanor throughout, though he struggles to maintain it.
 Durrants father will attend the exc cution. He is greatly exercised lest the camera preserve the closing scenes of the execution, and he declares that he will smash every one he can find in the execution chamber. It is thought that professional photographers will be ex- cluded.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04

CTS he was in position to get a large trade. RemonStrance was made by resident wholesalers to the Eastern manufacturers, but the latter replied
 If you cannot sell our goods, we must get some one else to sell them"
 It is the sentiment of the mercantile community that the Assessor and Li- cense Tax Collector should find some way within the law to make these de- inquent brokers contribute something to the support of the city government. The Call will ascertain and publish the names of these brokers and agents who are daily soliciting and receiv- ing orders and at the same time re- sorting to tricks and devices to escape the Assessor and Tax Collector.
 License Collector Bonnet does not hesitate to say that the merchants of this city have been long suffering from the present unjust and unequal li- cense tax laws.
 Tt Is a shame" said he yesterday, that our merchants should be compelled to pay license for conducting their bus 1nesses in addition to paying for store rent and for hire, and then allow East ern agents who have their offices in their hats, or in a small office at the most, underselling and undermining them. There seems to be no protec- tion, under the existing laws, for the local merchants. The Eastern drum mers come here, sell their goods and skip off without contributing a cent of revenue to, the city,"
 Is there no law to compel drum mers from other States to pay a license tax before doing business?' was asked. l If there is I am not aware of it, replied Collector Bonnet. ''I have care fully studied the matter since I as- stunned the office of license collector 9 he added, "and in addition I have had the advice of City and County Attor- ney Creswell. He is also of the opin- ion that there is no way of reaching these Eastern drummers and agents under the decision of the UnitedsStates Supreme Court in the case of Rob- bins vs. the Selby Taxing District. It was there held that the imposition of a license tax on drummers from sister States soliciting the sale of goods by sample was unconstitutional. The court held that when the goods came into the State they could then be taxed the same as other property. Who. then, pays the tax? The local merchant and buyer, not the Eastern agent or drum mer.
 "The Eastern agent is hard bird to catch" added the License Collector. '.The agent claims that the stock he carries consists of samples, and under the decision I quoted no license tax can be imposed. Once in a great while ] catch one of them mapping, however.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
Privileged to Sell Goods in Competition With Our
 Wholesale Merchants.
License Collector Bonnet Stands Ready to Proceed in Law
 Against Delinquents.
A FAIR DEAL DESIRED.
Resident Traders Owning Large Stocks Merchandise Entitled to Some
 Consideration.

Wholesale merchants of San Fran cisco who carry large stocks of mer- chandise, pay taxes on real estate and personal property, give employment to many permanent residents and also pay a license for the privilege of transacting business in this city have a just grievance against many agents of Eastern manufacturing firms. San Francisco is to-day overstocked with Eastern curbstone brokers-menw whose offices are in their hats. They contri-
 bute nothing to speak of to the sup port of the municipal government A few of the most prominent pay the small license of the manufacturer s
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
CREMATION REFUSED.
Arrangements Being Made for
 the Burial of Durrant's Body.

A report was current to the effect that arrangements had been made with the authorities of the Odd Fellows cemetery to have the body of Theodore Durrant inferred there. In speaking of the matter one of the officials said:
 There have been no arrangements made to have the body of the now famous criminal of the belfry inferred in this cemetery, nor do the family own plat here. But the fact of the matter is this: Durrant's father did desire to have the body cremated at our crema- tory, but remembering the notoriety gained by interring the body of Golden son here, I thought it best to consult with our chief officers, and I found my self under the unpleasant difficulty of informing the elder Durrant that we could make no such disposal of his sons remains should the full decree of the courts be carried out"
 It was later learned that the firm of Porter & White has a contract for the disposal of the remains of him who has been termed the criminal of the cen- tury." In speaking of the matter, an official said: T am not at liberty to state what arrangements, If any, are being made for the disposal of the body of Durrant; but this much know: When the date for the execution was form erly set we had a contract to bury the body in the family plat; in some ceme- tery, but what cemetery do not know; but l think you will be safe in saying that it is Cypress Lawn Cemetery.
 So far as I know, the remains will not be cremated, but will be buried. I know that an attempt was made to make arrangements to have the re- mains cremated at one of the local crematories, but l am under the inn pression that the authorities of the cemetery positively refused to make any such agreement"
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
Vents It's Park Site

The city and county of Santa Cruz has applied for partial letters of distribution ln the estate of Jose Vicente de Lavega. This action is taken on the part of the applicant in order to gain possession of a tract of land known as the De Lavega Heights, which was bequeathed to the city and county for a park site
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
THE EASTERN AGENT A HARD BIRD.

S 70 
 
  a the of the merchants of San Francisco
 
  Collector n
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
William Lee Convicted.

William J. Lee was yesterday convicted by a jury in Judge Dunne's court of as- saulting Harry Golden with intent to commit robbery. The prisoner will be sentenced Saturday.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
HE COUNTS THE HOURS.
Durrant Is Unnerved by the Breaking of the Death
 Trap.

SAN QUENTIN PRISON, Jan. B. Durrant is beginning to show signs of
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04

For throat, lung troubles, Lows Hore- hound Cough Syrup; 10c 417 Sansome st.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
FOR LADIES ONLY!

Many sales are going on after the 1st of January, but nothing can be compared with the bargains offered
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-22
CECIL'S DOG TAX.
The Commissioners Seeking a More
Efficient Collection.

A question that is now being considered
by the board of county commissioners of
Cecil county is a plan by which dog tax
can be collected Of late years the COM
missoners have heen unable to collect the
tax, notwithstanding every effort has been
made by the treasurer to do 80. Persons
having dogs when paying taxes on real
estate and personal property ere asked the
question il they have any dog or dors and
il the person replied in the negative, the
treasurer, of course, cannot chalge tnam
with the tax, which is placed at 81 head.
| The tax, when collected, is applied to the
payment of sheep fund thai is, all aaeep
killed by dogs are paid for from this fund,
and the balance, after the treasurer is al
lowed 10 per cent. for collection, goes to
the board Of school commissioners OF Cecil
county When the late benjamin Crdw-
ford was treasurer, abou. four yrals ago,
over 81, 800 was paid in for dog tax The
amount paid in yearly has since been gIAd-
ually decreasing, until the past year but
S2iO was collected. 1t is varinusy csti-
mated that there are from 5000 to 5000
dogs in the county, more than three-Eourths
of which are worthless, and upon which no
tax is paid. The commissioners al. s..lt
crusade against them next year, however,
and in each election district will be placed
an assessor, who will assess each d1c nd
collect taxes, and in the event OF nou-pny-
mint the animal will be killed. !.eZsla-
ton ON this question is badly needed in
this county. The amount collected FOR dog
tax in 1893 was Ss73; in 1894, $743; 1895,
$695; 1886, sos: 1897, S24O
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-22

can't ever wear any other ring. He-he-
went off to seek his fortune" with another
repressed sob, land he was lost at sea.
tried to forget him, but I cannot. l can't
keep my promise to you, Squire Renfrew
IL couldn't feel like she did to Aud
Robin Grey should hate you'll
should''- And here she broke down COM
pletely.
He took the ring she offered and paused
for moment. A look of unutterable pain
and regret came into his eyes.
49," he said slowly, "you have come
to tell me this, and to ask for your free
dom? And you really think, too, you have
seen Jamies ghaist %
"Yes. And l shall never return to
grandmother again. l dare not. So am
going away"
"Bessie, my darling" cried a voice, as
his strong arm clasped her. The next
moment she was on the breast Of her lover,
who had come back alive and safe.
few days after there was q happy mar
riage at the kirk, Squire Renfrew himself
giving away the bride, our Bonnie Bessie
New York News
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-22

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still he i'll the perfect enjoyment Of vigor-
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which will bring her back to health and
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This truly wonderful medicine has cured
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raagements, weaknesses, Irregularities and
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to women.
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-22
To Publishers and Booksellers.

Proposals are solicited for the supply OF
books and stationery for the pubic schools, of
Cecil county, for the term beginning jan
1893 and ending July 81, 1899. Proposals to be
opened Tuesday, Dec, lith at ] 30 p. m, ONCE
GEORGE BIDDLE,
Secretary
nnY13-2t
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-22

State OF Maryand, County, OF CcclI, IS:
l, Chas. b. Finley, cashier of the above
named bank do soemnly swear that the above
statement is true to the best of my knowledge
and belief. CHAS. B. FINLEY, Cashier.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th
day of December. 1897.
GRAYSON l.. BENNETT Notary Public.
CorrCct-Attcst:
REUBEN HAlNES,
ii. II. BRADY,
r. G. LEWIS,
marco Directors
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-22

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