davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The record-union., 1898-07-20
DON'T BELIEVE HIM INSANE.
LETTER FROM A BROTHER OF
AN ASYLUM PATIENT.
Feels Insulted by a Demand for
Money for His Brothers
Maintenance.

Some time ago Public Administrator
Gunter of Contra Costa County was
committed to the Napa State Hospital
for the Insane The State Lunacy
Commission, desiring his father to put
up for his support, forwarded to him
a bill of costs and requested him to
settle.
AS a result of that demand the fol-
lowing letter from Gunter's brother,
making serious and direct charges
against certain public officials in Con-
ira Costa County, is now on file in
the office of the commission:
John F. Carrere, Secretary State
Commission in Lunacy-Dear Sir:
Francis w. Gunter was committed at
the request of Charles Chapman, Con-
stable at Clayton. My father earnest
ly protested and pleaded before the
Judge and Commissioners against his
commitment If he is an incumbrance
on the State, we would, II allowed to
do so, remove him tomorrow.
There was unreasonable haste dis
played in condemning my brother to
an insane asylum, and on the checker
board of politics, he being Public Ad-
ministrator (DemocraD the opportunity
was too great to miss, this being cleo
that had he been allowed to be brought
home the night of his supposed in
sanity, there would have been no ne
cessity for confning him in a State
hospital.
Il protest against the seeming
hatred as displayed in this case, and
1 certainly did not expect insult to
be added to injury. l hope and pray, If
it behooves the Almighty God to render
to whomsoever having taken part in
this deplorable undertaking will never
be afflicted, and, above all things, treat
ed as my brother has been in this
case.
Under the circumstances, kindly in
form me by what reason, when we
earnestly believe we have been un-
justly treated in this matter, how my
father is indebted to the State, as is
written in the bill of costs, obviously
by an official of Contra Costa County.
Do not for a moment suppose this is
an endeavor to escape payment OF those
bills. When one thinks of the mean
ness displayed BY the Sheriff Of Contra
Costa in threatening TO manacle my
father in his pleadings for son, the
idea is unbearable. Yours very truly,
JOSEPH GUNTER,
Clayton, Contra Costa County
Secretary Carrere replied to the
charge that if a statement of the al
legged facts We're presented to the board
proper cognizance would be taken Of
them, but added that the commitment,
as returned by the County Commis-
sioners, showed everything to be reg
ular, and that the man was evidently
insane.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
WESTLAKE ACQUITTED.
Justice Davis Thinks He Did the
Best He Could.

A few days ago Mark Westlake was
arrested on a charge of petty embezzle-
ment preferred by Thomas Coulter. It
was alleged that Westlake collected
So for the complainant which he ap-
propriated to his own use.
Subsequently Westlake's wife swore
outIa complaint charging him with fail
ing to provide for his two little chill
dren, aged twenty months and six
eeks, respectively.
The latter case was tried in the City
Justices Court yesterday morning, and
resulted in Westlake's acquittal. The
evidence showed that at the time Of his
arrest he was at the home of his mother
at French Gulch, Shasta County, hav-
ing gone there for the purpose of leav-
ing his two little boys, aged 4 and
years, in her care.
While it was shown that he had con-
tributed nothing toward the support of
his wife and two young children for
some time past, Justice Davis was of
the opinion that he had done the best
he could under the circumstances, and
accordingly ordered his discharge. The
embezzlement case will be tried before
Justice Of the Peace Henry.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
ROAD RUNS.
They Are About to Be Inaugurated
by the G. @. w.

The Capital City Wheelmen have re-
solved to have some pleasant friendly
sprinting tests on their own account,
and within club lines. They will give
series Of short road runs on the
Riverside road, to which all club mem
bers are to be admitted, and the first
will take place in the coolest hours of
next Sunday, probably along toward
evening. The plan is to run over the
stretch between the old toll gate and
Oak Hall, about three and a half miles.
more or less. Some twenty entries
have already been made.
The idea is TO develop swift road
men for short distances. and to have
some pleasant sport out Of it. The
Race Meet Committee will assemble
this evening and arrange the details,
The record-union., 1898-07-20
CLIMATE AND CROPS.
Warm Weather, but Grapes Are
Doing Well

Only trace of rain was reported dur
ing the week. The weather has been
favorable for ripening fruits. Apricot
drying is nearly completed. A sand
storm on the 18th caused some damage
to ripe fruit in Fresno County. High
winds have hurt hay in some localities,
and the yield is lighter than was ex
pected. Alfalfa shows the effect of
Light rainfall.
Grain harvesting continues with va
rying results, the effects of the norther
earlier in the season being now appar-
ent. Some localities with windbrakes
will have a larger yield on this account.
A large amount of grain was shelled
out, and is now on the ground.
Grapes promise to make a very large
and fine crop. There is little injury
yet reported from sunburn. Grasshop-
pers and vinehoppers are reported in
some sections.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
WATER rs WATER.
Contest Over That Flowing in the
American River.

For two days Judge Hughes has been
engaged in hearing the case Of the Sac
ramento Electric, Gas and Railway
Company against the North Fork Ditch
Company, in which the plaintiff seeks
to restrain the defendant from using
an excessive quantity Of water from the
North Fork of the American River
1t seems that away back in 1854 the
North Fork Ditch Company obtained
the right to take a certain quantity
OF water from that stream, which is
brought down through Placer County
in a large ditch and sold for mining,
agricultural and other purposes. One
branch of the ditch extends down to
the vicinity of Orangevale, in Sacra-
mento County, and supplies the water
with which that place and the Fair
Oaks Colony lands are irrigated.
Some years ago the company-as it
claims-cleaned out it's ditch or canal,
removing only debris that had ac-
cumulated therein. But the Sacra-
mento Electric, Gas and Railway peo-
pie allege that the ditch company did
more than merely clean out the sur
plus slickens-they claim that the ditch
was enlarged beyond its original di-
mensions, and that the company has
been using about 1000 inches more
than it is entitled to.
The old records relating to the orig
inal franchise Of the ditch company
have been destroyed, and proof Of the
facts are being made as nearly as pos
sible, by the testimony of pioneer resi-
dents of Placer County, many Of whom
are in attendance.
The case is a very important one, as
it involves the use of a large portion
of the water now being supplied to
colonies in this county for irrigation
purposes l.. L. Hatfield is attorney
for the plaintiff, and Catlin, Shnn &
Catlin for the defendant The case
will probably occupy most of the week.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Weather Reports.

The Weather Bureau report shows
the highest and lowest temperatures
yesterday to have been 81 and 81 de-
grees, with gentle southerly winds and
clear weather prevailing.
The barometrical readings at a. m.
and 8 p. m. yesterday were 1915 and
2967 inches, respectively.
The highest and lowest temperatures
one year ago yesterday We're SO and 6S
degrees, and one year ago to-day 80
and 55 degrees.
The average temperature was "A, and
the normal 72, showing yesterday to
have been 2 degrees warmer than usual
for the 10Th day Of July.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
PERSONAL MENTION.

Mrs. c. S. Haswell is visiting at the
residence of her son, 2402 1 street.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed F. Dalton and chill
dren, Mrs. Hattie Quandt and daughter
Edith, and Mrs. Maude Tucker have
gone to Lake Tahoe to spend the sum-
mer months.
Mrs. George Grunenwald and daugh-
ter, accompanied by Miss Amelia Gold
berg and Mrs. Smaelzle, have gone to
Pacific Grove to spend the summer.
Mrs j. H. Whited has gone to Shasta
Springs for an indefinite period.
Mrs. H. Mette and granddaughter,
Genevieve Steincamp, have gone to
Towle Station for the summer.
Miss Laura Gaschlin has returned
from a seven weeks visit to San Fran
cisco.
City Trustee J. H. Dolan and wife
have gone to Castle Crag and Shasta
to spend a month.
Miss Carol Grouse has been caroling
to the bIackbirds and picking black
berries for a week past on her ranch,
twenty miles from this city. She re-
turned to town last evening, and is at
the State House Hotel.
Miss Clara Euer, who had been visit
ing the Misses Mette, has returned to
her home at Towle's Station.
Miss Maud Sinclair and Miss Eta
Clark have just returned from a two
weeks camping trip at Cisco, Placer
County. They report having had a
delightful time The snow on the
ground and cold nights are quite in
contrast with the conditions in the val
ley.
District Attorney Ryan has returned
from Marysville.
w. M. Cutter, the Yuba Assembly
man, was in the city yesterday, as also
was Sheriff Donahue of that county.
Mr.. and Mrs. F. H. Kennedy Of Stock
ton are stopping at the Golden Eagle.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Presidential Appointments.

WASHINGTON, July 19.-The Pres
ident to-day made the following ap-
pointments:
Robert A. Friedrich Of California to
be- United States Attorney for the Dis
trict of Alaska.
Tsin Ching Chung, interpreter to the
United States Consulate at Canton,
China.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Burglary Last Night.

The residence Of a family named
Pritchard, at 613 H street. was entered
by a burglar last night during their
absence Mr.. Pritchard was the first
to enter the house, and as he did so
the burglar escaped through a window.
All that was missed from the house
was a quantity of sugar, but the burg
lar had upset a lamp on bed and
spoiled the bedding with the OIL
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Hotel Arrivals.

Arrivals at the Golden Eagle Hotel
yesterday: II. r. Wood, Ben S. Wood,
Philadelphia; r. H. Beamer, Wood
land; A. Strauss, San Francisco; S. s.
Bittan, Jr., Newark; Theo. M. Allies,
New York; G.. L. McCandless, Sacra-
mento F. H Kennedy and wife, Stock
ton; ]. NJ Cremin, San Francisco
Cali; r. j. LARS, Hawthorne; H. H.
Taylor, San Mateo; J. T. Burke, San
Rafael; r. Platt, E. J. Isham, E. Kelly,
San Francisco
The record-union., 1898-07-20
GONE TO THE FRONT.
Ray Trask on His Way to Manila
With the Re1ulars

Among those who left on the steamer
Peru on the fourth Manila expedition
was Ray Trask of the Fourth United
States Cavalry. a young man who was
born and reared on the Sacramento
River near Courtland, and the only one
in that vicinity to take up arms for
his country.
His friends may well be proud of him,
for since his enlistment he has been
The record-union., 1898-07-20
SIX OF A KIND.
They Were Gathered in at Grace
Cooks Bagnio.

Ben Soto reported at the police sta
ton last night that three men at
tempted to rob him on Front street,
between and p, but that he escaped
after a struggle with them. He said
the gang had returned to Grace Cook s
free -and-easy "growler joint" in that
neighborhood.
Captain Ash and Officers Douglas,
Hayes and Bagley went down there
and bagged the entire outfit, consisting
of Frank Williams, Henry Walker,
James Brady, Nellie Wales, Lena Will
son and--last but not least - Grace
Cook herself They We're all locked
up.
Soto identified the three men as the
parties who had tried to rob him, and
if his story holds good they may all
be sent to Warden Aull's summer re-
sort near Folsom.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Painful Accident.

While engaged in coupling cars at
Rocklin yesterday morning Brakeman
j. n. La Shells had the middle finger
Of his right hand severely crushed. He
was treated at the Railroad Hospital
in this city
The record-union., 1898-07-20
EvERYBODY's COLUMN.

Under this heading the "Record-Union"
will publish short letters from CORE
spondents on topics of interest to the
general public. The matter in these COM
munications will be understood to repre-
sent only the views of the writer's. All
communications n ust be accompanied by
the name of the writer, not for publica-
ton unless so desired but as a guarantee
Of good faith.-Eds.
The record-union., 1898-07-20

commended by his superiors for at
tention to duty and exemplary con-
duct.
1t was his good fortune to enlist in
the Fourth Cavalry, United States reg
ulars, which consists Of some Of the
finest young men on the fcoast and
is considered one of the best equipped
companies that has left San Fran
cisco.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Accepted the Position.

CHICAGO, July 19.-Professor E.
Benjamin Andrews, President Of Brown
University, in a telegram to-day to
President Harris of the Board of Edu-
cation, formally accepted the position
Of Superintendent of Chicago's public
Schools.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Sixth Ward Republicans.

The citizens of the Sixth Ward are
invited to attend a meeting of the Re-
publican Club Of that ward, to be held
this evening in the clubs headquarters
at Ninth and NJ streets. Now is the
time to organize for campaign work.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Died in Stockton.

On the 18th inst Morris Morse died
at the Stockton Asylum for the In
sane. He was committed to the asy-
lum April %, 1878, from Sacramento.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Traders Are Not Merchants.

WASHINGTON, July 19-The Attor-
ney General has rendered an opinion
in which he holds that Chinese trad
ers," or merchants assistants, are not
merchants within the meaning Of the
Chinese Exclusion Act.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Tea Drinking.

In the writing Of the early poets both
tea and coffee are frequently mention
ed. Pope in the seventeenth century
describes lady temporarily sojourning
in the country as doomed.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Land Patents Exempt.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Scott
has informed the Surveyor General that
patents or other conveyances for land
officially conveyed by the State are
not subject to taxation.
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Officers Installed.

The newly elected officers Of Rebekah
Degree Lodge No. 232 have been install
led. After the ceremony a banquet
served to make the evening pass pleas
antIy
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Fruit Shipments.

Yesterday there We're sent East fif-
teen cars of fruit-cherries u, peaches
"a, plums pa, pears 11a. On the same
date last year fifteen cars were sent
ont
The record-union., 1898-07-20
NO CURE-No PAY.

That Il the way all druggists sell 0ROvED
TASTELESS CHILL TONIC for Mslaria. 0niils
and Fever. It Is simply Iron and Ouinine In .
tasteless form. Children love It. Adults prefer it
to bitter nauseating Tonics- Price. SOC
The record-union., 1898-07-20
AUCTIONS.
AUCTION SALE

BY ORDER OF T. B. ADAMS, AS
sienae. | will sell the stock of Beesley &
Sons. at sig and SIS ] street. on THURS
DAY, July 21st, at 10 o'clock a. m, com~
nrising a full line of groceries, provisions,
counters, scales. show cases, trucks and
utensils; also, five horses, three wagonsi
harness, ETC., etc. Terms cash.
The record-union., 1898-07-20

Vim Mariani (Mariani Wine)
tones up the stomach, gives
healthy, vigorous action to body
and brain. Enriches the blood,
steadies the nerves and energies
the whole system
From the Virginia Medical Journal:
The Vim Mariani, used as a
general tonic, has gained for itself
universal esteem. 1t is more tonic
than iron or quinine, and does not
produce constipation. We have
used Vim Mariani in practice, and
have found it to equal the claims
made for it"
The record-union., 1898-07-20
Mills COLLEGE and Seminary.

GRANTS DIPLOMAS AND CONFERS
degrees. Seminary course accredited to
University Rare opportunities offered in
music. One hours ride from San Fran
cisco. Write for catalogue to MRS c. T.
MILLS President Mills College Postof-
fee, Alameda County, Cal. Thirty-second
year. Fall term opens August 8, 1898.
iy14-3w4p
The record-union., 1898-07-20

MRS. WINSLOW'S SOOTHING SYRUP
has been used for over fifty years by mill
ions Of mothers for their children while
teething with perfect success. 1t soothes
the child, softens the gums, allays pain,
cures wind collie, regulates the bowels. and
Is the best remedy for diarrhea, whether
arising from teething or other causes For
sale by druggists In every part Of the
world Be sure and ask for Mrs. Wins
lows Soothing Syrup. Twenty-five cents
q bottle. 0WE
The record-union., 1898-07-20
SPECIAL NOTICES.

BAKER q HAMILTON, wholesale hard
ware, bicycles, carts. buggies, carriages,
phaetons. Balm farm and header wagons.
Send for catalogue.
The record-union., 1898-07-20

Try McMorrys Blend Coffee. Soc. =
Evening star., 1898-09-10
BABYLON's ENDLESS CHAIN.
Letter No. 9S Rescued and the End
Now in Sight.


The endless chain started by Miss Ma
talie Schenck of Babylon, Long Island, is
not yet ended. but the letters can now be
carried in box, instead of barrel, and
letters marked 100" may be received be-
fore many weeks have passed. No. 9S is
often received now, but with it comes No.
SO, showing that in some places the chain
has coiled its length more slowly than in
others. Letters have come from every part
of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Eu-
rope and Asa. Miss Schenck was seized
with desire to help the soldiers. and wrote
letters to four friends, requesting them to
write four more. and when the hundredth
letter was reached, to return it her and
break the chain.
The mail outgrew the house accommoda-
tions and large carriage house was fitted
up with a long, fine table chairs and big
packing boxes, and the business began in
good earnest Harper & Brothers sent a
young woman to get the addresses which
came with any letter. She worked for
weeks and collected hundreds of thou,
of addresses. Then other firms took the
care of the chain, sending a representative
who opened letters from morning until
night. 1t soon became a thoroughly sys
tematized business. The barrels of morning
mail We're brought in about 10 O'Clock, and
the letters were at once sorted over by the
young woman in charge and her assistants,
to see if other mail had been dropped in
people We're often found. as it was impossi-
bic for the post Office officials to daily col
lect thousands of letters for one person
without other letters slipping in.
AS the letters were sorted they were
placed in piles. face downward, ready for
the openers who were armed with the long
and slender blades of the steel letter open
erS. Boxes stood near to receive money
and stamps. One-third of the amount re-
ceived daily. amounting to hundreds of
dollars was received in stamps There was
a box full of dimes and bills of all denom-
nations, from 81 to $40. The dimes, - and
50-cent pieces, we're sent in every imagin-
able way, in silk, velvet, wool and cotton
with greatest care, wrapped in many pieces
of paper, inCaSed in wax, soap, bread and
wadding. One JO-cent piece was imbedded
in wedding cake.
All the letters that contained large bills
or checks had mourning envelopes, telling
sad stories of sorrowing hearts that had re-
sponded quickly to the call for help for the
soldiers who were comrades of some dear
lost one. Many large amounts We're re-
ceived in checks and bills. the largest check
being 81 1000. over $4,000 was collected,
and hundreds of soldiers were benefited and
helped by this wonderful endless chain.
The spelling of Miss Schencks name oc-
caSioned much amusement, and constant
deciphering On the part of post office Off
cias. Passing through so many trials of
chrography, it appears written Sohenka,
Sewana, Sonk, SAINT and various other mis-
nomers.
Evening star., 1898-09-10
CONSERVATIVE CHINA.
Her People Have Always Stood Faith
full to Their Traditions


The Chinese as a race are the most con-
servative people on the globe as their his
tory proves. They argue that their ways
of life are the best possible ways. seeing
that their chief concern lies in securing the
happiness of the Individual on earth and
the welfare of the state. War is held in
abhorrence by them. and they are more
truly Christians in this respect, practical
ly and not theoretically, than the Chris
tians themselves. The Chinaman is a man
of no ideals; that which he is taught to
believe is right he practices, and remains
faithful to 1t.
We can see that people of other nations
when they enter a foreign country gradu-
ally aSsimilate their life, type. creed and
language to those peculiar to that country,
and proportionally so to the length of their
stay. On the other hand, once a Chinaman,
always a Chinaman.
In the course of their long history they
have often lost their independence, but
never yet have they proved faithless to
their national traditions China stands eS-
sentfally the same at the present as she
was in the past, but where are those TWEEN
ty invading nations who conquered China
one after the other? They have, themselves
unstable, become merged into the lmmuta-
he Chinese 1t is a triumph of paSsiViIy
over activity. Rome could not resist the
Eordes of Alaric, because time had proved
that the foundations of their empire were
bGllt on the sands. The empire of China
is built on the rock, and has wcathared as
many storms as the present Eddystone
light house. Barba~ic hordes have rushed
oNer her-barbarians. too, such Rome
never Saw-but nevertheless China stands
today, and where are they? The social
bacteria, which find and have found ample
scope for developing their evil work on less
healthy bodies, can find no hold on China.
The country thrives, and its people multi
ply in an extraordinary degree. They are
overf1owing into all contiguous countries,
and II is not too much to say, in spite of
all our native prejudice, that they are bene-
fitting those countries indirectly by SO de-
ing. Who can foretell which countries
they will inhabit by sheer passive insist
ercy in, say, 100 or 300 years? And moth
ing will be able to stop them. For in
spite of the spasmodic activity OF Eurasia,
in spite of her navias, armies prohibitions
and general fuss and bother, China stands,
ard will stand. History prophesies So, for
from the past We may judge the future.