davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

upon some ordinary topics of the day
His face was pale and his eyes red,
hut his voice was firm and he stood as
solidly as rock while he proclaimed
his innocence and professed forgive
ness of those who, he said, had hound
ed him to death. There was not a
hitch or an accident to mar the plan
of Warden Hale in carrying out the
sentence of the law. The moose was
adjusted, the trap sprung, the stout
rope held, and Durrant's dead body
dangled at the end. His neck was
broken by the fall of five feet, and Is
minutes later the murderer's body was
cut down and placed in d coffin. In
spite of the events of his last night
when Durrant was beseiged by news
paper reporters and when talked to by
his parents until 1870 p. M, he rest
ed easily during the night, and shortly
after o'clock Friday woke and babe
the guards good morning. Warden
Hale had provided new suit of dark
material in honor of the occasion and
these clothes Durrant quickly donned.
He noticed the absence of a collar and
neck tie, however, and knowing full
well the reason for the emission, he
asked for them, explaining that turn
down collar would Lot interfere with
the moose Then he sat down to a
most excellent breakfast and ate
heartily. During the early morning
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
ROCKEFELLER MOVED.
His Daily Health Lift Exercise An
noyed a Clerk.

A newly engaged clerk in the en-
ploy of the Standard Oil company was
sent to work in a room that contained
a health lift. Every morning at about
10 o'clock, when this clerk was partic-
ularly busy with fingers, a small,
black-must ached man, quiet and diff
dent in manner, entered, said Good
morning." walked on tiptoe to the cor
ner and exercised for a quarter of an
hour. 1t became bore to the clerk,
who a. last, one day, remarked, with
considerable heat, to the stranger:
How do you expect me to do my
work properly while you are fooling
with that blasted machine? I'm get
ting tired of it. Why don't you put it
where it won't worry a person to
death?"
A porter took it away within an
hour. A few days later the clerk was
sent for by Mr.. Flagler, whom he
found in earnest conversation with the
small, black-mustached man. The
latter smiled at seeing him, gave
F'lagler some instructions and left the
room.
will you tell me who that gentle
nan is?' the young man asked, a light
beginning to break upon him
THAT was Mr.. Rockefeller" was the
reply.
1t was the clerks first acquaintance
with the head of the great corporation
by which he was employed
State Journal
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

and believe the contempt we feel and
he stigma which attaches to the man
OF many engagements and to the girl
who has broken off one after another
are the involuntary outcome of a
knowledge of character. We know
from experience that people of that
kind, with no proper sense of response
bility, are mere froth on the surface
of society, undesirable as acquaint-
ances and not worth considering as
citizens. But if engagements were to
be irrevocable, the chances are misery
in marriage would be double what they
are now, and, unhappily, they are only
too numerous as it is. Of course. no
honorable person will enter into an
engagement without the honest inten-
ton Of fulfilling it, and, therefore.
when such people become engaged and
afterward break it off, it is pretty GER
tain to be for good and sufficient rea-
sen. Engagements are like marriage
in this, that once people stand in that
relation to each other they have a GER
tain license allowed them which gives
thin opportunities of becoming more
intimately acquainted than was pos
sIble before, and of obtaining a better
knowledge of each others characters.
tempers, tastes and habits than they
could have done in ordinary social in
tercOurse. -
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

at Long Island City to the charge of
being an accomplice in the murder Of
William Guldensuppe and was SEN
fenced to twenty-one years in the
penitentiary.
Mark Hanna was beaten in the or
ganization of the Ohio legislature In
the house the Kurtz-democratic slate
went through by vote of Sc to SO. In
the senate a republican senator I'M
friendly organized the body. Hanna's
defeat for the senatorship is probable.
The anti-Hanna republican and
democratic members of the Ohio leg
islature decided to support Mayor
McKasson, of Cleveland, for the short
senatorial term and Governor Bushnell
publicly announced his candidacy for
senatorship.
Mayor Van Wyck of New York in
his message fulfilled a prediction that
his administration is opposed to the
new rapid-transit project. He asserted
that construction could not be per-
mitted, as it's cost would lift the
city debt above the constitutional
limit.
Counterfeit s10O silver certificates
have been discovered so nearly per-
feet that Secretary Gage will call in
the whole issue-$26, 900, 0O0-of that
denomination. One of the spurious
notes was found in the days cash
receipts at the United States treasury
in Washington.
The decision of the arbitrator, the
Argentine minister at Madrid, in the
case of Oberlander and Messenger,
denying them damages in their claim
against Mckee, is said at the state
department to be without parallel in
the history of arbitrations, and may
prevent the submission of other claims
to arbitration.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

West Virginia will be represented, it
Is expected that the largest delegation
ever attending a convention of this
order will be present, and great
preparations have been made for their
reception. The object of the United
Mine Workers of America, which
was formed in 1890, is to unite miners
and mine laborers of this country in
to one organization, and by SO doing
better the conditions Of the men who
york under the ground. At no time
in it's history has it been stronger
than at the present, the last sus-
pension being a success when thous-
ands of men received an advance in
wages, and it has been the means of
Strengthening the association to such
an extent that during the past three
months it has trebled it's membership.
The president Of the United Mine
Workers is M. d. Ratchford, a
brainy, alert and faithful man, who
is thoroughly conyersant with the
leeds of the large body Of toilers
who he so ably represents. The ma
tional secretary and treasurer is w.
G. Pearce of Columbus.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

hours Durrant did not have much to
say beyond expressing desire that no
newspaper men should be allowed to
see him. This request was complied
with.
Consistent to the last, Durrant
died protesting religion, but he died
in conformity with the Catholic
church instead of with the Baptist
faith in which he was reared. Rev.
RAIDER, a protestant minister, had ar
ranged to ascend the scaffold with
Durrant but the minister would not
say that he thought Durrant was in
nocent and the condemned man de-
clined to accept his services unless
RAIDER professed belief of his limo
cence. Then it was that once an ar
dent Baptist, he turned to the Catho-
lie church for consolation and called
upon Father Lagan, the priest who
had frequently visited him in prison,
to attend him. Father Pagan re-
sponded promptly and performed the
last solemn rites OF the church. Dur
ICuI Ituud1utu III ClOioc
with the priest and seemed to be
deeply interested in the impressive
ceremony. AS the hour Of the exc
cution approached, the prisoner be-
came somewhat restless. His father
and mother were admitted to bid him
a last farewell. The elder Durrant
grasped his son by the hand and the
young man then turned to the COM
fort OF his mother, who cried hyster-
ically. Durrart ENLARGED her saying:
''The hour is come for us to part"
The grief stricken mother was then led
to a private room where she remained
until after the execution. The father,
however, went to the execution room
and supported by two friends saw
his son meet his death. Warden Hale
did not attempt to hurry matters, but
allowed all possible time for the SUI
preme court at Washington to take
some action Finally when word was
flashed across the continent that the
supreme court had declined to inter-
fere the warden ordered the program
OF the day to be carried out At 1924
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
WINDOW GLASS ROW.
There May Be General Lockout In
stead of General Resumption.

Pittsburg, Jan. 8.-Instead OF a
general resumption of work at the
window glass factories of the country
today, there may be general lockout
on account Of the difficulty at the Phil
lips Glass Company's factory over the
reinstatement Of one of the workmen
named Altman. President Burns says
that he will obey the instructions of
the board to insist upon Ahlman's re-
instatement even if it results in WHIP
ing the window glass workers associ-
alton off the face of the earth. Sew
eral members of the American Glass
admit that they have decided
to stand by the Phillips company to
make no glass until the trouble is set
tied.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

The story of Durrant's crime is a
familiar one. 1t was April 3, 1895, that
Blanche Lamont, popular member of
the Sunday school of Emanuel Bap-
fist church, who resided alone with
her aunt, suddenly disappeared She
was quiet girl, about 20 years of age
and devoted to her church work. Fri
Gay evening, April II, Minnie Will
liams, another pretty and prominent
day school, left her home in Alameda
at Ills o'clock to attend meeting of
young people at DR.. Vogel's. The
next day a party of people who en-
tered the library of Emanuel church
found the dead body of Minnie Will
liams there, almost destitute of
clothing. The body had been hacked
and slashed with brutal ferocity, and
to cap the horror part of her skirt had
been thrust into her mouth as a gag,
and then driven down her delicate
throat with sharp pointed stick. The
next day, Sunday, the police in their
search through the church finally
reached the belfry, where they were
brought face to face with the body of
missing Blanche Lamont. 1t was en-
tirely nude and the remains of the
oEce beautiful girl were verging on
gled, and the marks of murderous fin
gers shone red against the marble of
her skin. Bits of clothing were found
stuck in chinks here AID there all over
the belfry. Theodore Durrant had
been known to have been friendly with
the two girls and Blanche was said to
have been last seen in his company,
so the police promptly arrested him.
AS librarian of the church and an Of
f1cer of the Sunday school he had
always displayed zeal in the cause
of Christianity that won for him en-
comiums and q reputation that set at
scOrn the commission of any crime or
misdemeanOr. Through all the weary
months that he lay in Jail awaiting his
trial Durrant maintained his armor of
icy reserve. He appeared rather in
different than otherwise and displayed
little comprehension of his terrible
situation. Indeed, it was only very
recently, when the tide set rather
against him, that this young man of
blood and iron permitted his splendid
nerve to be shaken ever so slightly.
Although there were two murders it
was determined that for the murder of
Blanche Lamont he should be tried first,
probably as presenting a better chance
of conviction. An attempt was made
Indirectly to place the crime on the
shoulders Of Rev. George J. Gibson,
pastor of the church, but this failed.
Durrant was about % years old. At
the time of his arrest he had been
studying medicine for a year. His
full name was William Henry Theo-
dore Durrant.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

Fort Smith, Jan. "a terrible
death was melted out to two Indians
by mob in the Oklahoma border
Friday night, the victims being J.
Marcus McGeisey and Palmer Simp-
son, two Seminole Indians. They
were charged with murder, their vic
tim being Mrs. James Simmons,
farmers wife living in Oklahoma.
The crime was most revolving one
and the criminals were punished in a
most revolving manner. Mrs. Sim
mons was outraged and murdered
and her body horribly mutilated. The
death of Mrs. Simmons so enraged
the neighborhood that nearly the en-
tire populace turned out to hunt
down and punish the guilty parties.
At Maud, a small town near the Sem
mole nation, McGeisey and Simp-
son were arrested. After securing
their prisoners the mob set fire to the
house where the murderers were
caught as we'll as the barn and did
lot leave until they saw both reduced
to ashes. The prisoners were then
carried back across the line into Okla
homa territory and near the scene Of
their crime they were burned at the
stake. The Indians met their doom
with the usual stoicism of their race.
After life was extinct the mob allowed
the fires to die down and then quietly
dispersed. No secret was made of
the fate of the Indians, and Saturday
the charred bones burned beyond rec
ognition were found lying in the ashes
Of their funeral pyre. Everybody in
the vicinity seems to know that the
Indians were executed for the murder
of Mrs. Simmons, but everybody ap-
pears to be entirely ignorant of the
individuals who composed the mob
Great uneasiness exists along the
Oklahoma border and the impression
prevails that much more bloodshed
will follow the work of the mob.
This is the third instance of mob vio-
lence reported in the Indian territory
in the last % years.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
0URRANT DIES GAME
NOTED CRIMINAL PAYS PENALTY
OF HIS MURDERS.
PROTESTS HE'S INNOCENT
Just Before He Dies He Espouses the
Roman Catholic Religion-His
Father Witnesses Execution While
Mother Waits in an Adjoining
Room-Wishes Observed.

San Quentin, Cal, Jan. S.-When
William Henry Theodore Durrant
died On the gallows at 1887 O'Clock
Friday morning for the murder of
Blanche Lamont he gave such an ex-
hibition Of GOODNESS and nerve as has
seldom been seen under similar circum-
stances. Hopeful almost to the very
last minute that something would in
tervene to save him, he walked to the
scaffold and made speech protesting
his innocence as calmly and with as
distinct enunciation as if he had been
addressing an assemblage of friends
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
FINE COLLECTION OF JEWELS.

The sultan Of Turkey Is said to
possess one of the finest collections of
jewels in the world. They are kept
in the Seraglio at Constantinople in
one particular room. A striking
feature of this treasure-house is the
many gilded bird cages which, studded
with jewels, hang from the frescoed
ceiling. And odd as it may seem a
jeweled clock lies face downward in
each cage. The finest and rarest gems
in the sultan's collection are woven
into embroider ed texts from the Koran
on deep red velvet, whilst the neck
laces, too, are particularly fine. One
of them, of most exquisite workman
ship, and containing diamonds of the
first water, was once worn by royal
lady when she was attending court
reception in Constantinople. 1t was
presented to her with the most elabor-
ate pOmp and ceremony, but it was
only loan, as she had to return the
magnificent gift later.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
BREAKING ENGAGEMENTS.
Certainty of Future Unhappiness the
Only Excuse.

Sarah Grand says: ut does not seem
to me that there can be any doubt that
it is justifable to break off engage
ments, not only under special circum-
stances which threaten to bring un-
happiness on pair should they marry.
At the same time I do not think that
an engagement should be broken off
for any but the most serious reason; ;
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

o'clock Durrant accompanied nv
Father Lagan appeared at the door
OF the execution room. He was fol-
lowed by his father, friend, Warden
Hale and the guards. The father and
friend walked around to the gallows
front while Durrant and keepers
climbed the gallows' platform. In
stantly On arriving at the gallows
his legs and arms were pinioned and
the rope placed upon his neck. The
hangman was about to adjust the
black cap when Durrant announced
that he desired to speak Permission
vas given and the doomed murderer
spoke as follows:
I desire to say that, although 1 am
an innocent man, innocent of every
crime that has been charged against
me- bear no animosity towards those
that have prosecuted me, not even the
press of San Francisco, which has
bounded me to the grave. If any E.an
thinks | am going to spring a sensa-
toni am not, except it is a sensa-
brought to the grave by my perse-
cutors. But l forgive them all. They
will get their justice from the Great
God who is master of us all and there
| also expect to get justice, that is, the
justice of an innocent man. Whether
or not the perpetrators Of the crime of
which l am charged are discovered, it
will make no difference to me now, but
I say this day will be a shame to the
great state Of California. / forgive
everybody who has prosecuted me,
whose hands have been stained with
blood, and l go to meet my God with
forgiveness for all men,"
After the execution, Durrant. ST..
went Immediately to his wife who was
waiting in one of the guard rooms,
and together they accompanied the
body of their son to San Francisco.
The prison officials were all enthusi-
astic in their praise of Durrant's
nerve. 1t had been feared by them
that in spite of his apparent bravado
the condemned man would break down
at the last moment and make a scene.
He proudly declined all offers of slim
ulants to enable him to make a bold
showing on the scaffold. Durrant's
most urgent request to Warden Hale
was that no autopsy be held. The
prisoners medical training seemed to
have imbued him with a horror Of
surgical treatment of corpses and he
vowed no knife should ever touch his
flesh. He also requested that the rope
with which he was hanged be burned.
Both his wishes were observed by the
warden.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

Washington, JAN 6.-The first thing
the senate did upon reconve.ing after
the holiday recess was to plunge into
a lively debate on the civil service
system. Mr.. Teller (silver rep, COLI
said the law was a wise measure Mr.
Cullom (rep., Ill.) thought it should
be modified. In response to senate
resolution adopted several weeks a.
requesting information as to the appli-
cation and operation of the law ID. ~
various departments, answers were
received from the cabinet members
and laid before the senate The con-
census of opinion of these heads of
departments was that some modifica-
ton Of the law should be made.
Washington, Jan. 6-The civil SER
vice debate has begun in the house
based on the item in the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bill for the maintenance of the COM
mission. 1t promises to continue at
least a week. But it is generally ad-
mitted on both sides that the appropri-
alton in the bill will stand, as the anti
civil service reformers do not seriously
contemplate an attempt to strike it out
The debate was general, but the speech
that made the hit was by Mr.. Landis
(rep., Ind who urged material modi-
fications in the law.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.

Washington, Jan. 6.-Among the
measures passed by the senate was one
providing for a congress of represen-
tatives of the Indian tribes of the
United States to be held in Omaha dur
ing the progress of the international
exposition this year. The bill to pro-
tect the name and insignia of the Red
Cross society was also passed.
Washington, Jan. 6.-The friends
and enemies of the civil service law
exchanged broadsides in the house.
The heaviest guns on each side were
brought into action. Mr.. Grosvenor
rep, o. against and Mr.. Johnson
rep, Ind, )against, each made ex-
haustive speeches and kept their
respective sides in constant
Mr.. Lloyd also spoke in opposition to
the law.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

Fire broke out Thursday in the mess
room in the state prison at Sing Sing,
N. Y. Instead of taking advantage OF
the incident to make an attempt
escape, the prisoners went to work
and extinguished the flames
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

EX-Police Inspector Alexander
Williams, who grew fat in the New
York "tenderloin," wants Tammany to
place him on the new police board
The other day he delivered eulogy on
the night stick, saying among other
things that "the end of long locust
contains more law than the supreme
court"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

Lake City, Fla, has set out to
make the dancer pay the fiddler in a
novel way. The town has appointed
a single night Waterman and decreed
that he shall be paid at the rate OF
50. so for each arrest made, the prison
er to furnish the money.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

James G. Blain, Jr., is once more
a newspaper man, having just been
enrolled on the staff of the New York
Tribune. 1t Is said that Editor White
law Reid has issued orders that
Jimmy" &c treated kindly.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
BURN THEM AT STAKE
ENRAGED FARMERS CREMATE
INDIAN MURDERERS.
AWFUL PENALTY METED OUT

Victims Murder a Woman and Are
Hunted Down and Terribly Mutt
lated by Enraged Neighbors-
Fear Is Felt That More Trouble
May Result.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

Columbus, O.. Jan. S.-Arrange-
ments are perfected for the approach
ing national convention Of the United
Mine Workers Of America, which will
be held here next Tuesday. AS Penn
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13

Spaniards attempt to kill or capture
Cen. Aranguren by a trick.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
MINE WORKERS CONVENTION.

Largest Delegation of Order Ever AS
sembled Will Meet in Columbus