davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
A MIsFIT ASSIGNMENT
{ Washington Post.)

A well known chief engineer of the
navy. who doesn't have to take any
dust from Gen Shafter in the matter of
MISUNDERSTANDING the scales, as he
does, at trifie more than 300 pounds
was recently ordered TO take charge of
the mechanical department of one of
the smaller gunboats on the Pacific sta
ton. The engineer didn't particularly
like the assignment, but it didn't worry
him to the point of suicide. He simply
sat down and made a sketch of the eX-
ceedingly narrow doors that lead into
the engine rooms of the gunboat to
which he was ordered marking the di-
mansions of the doors in figures on the
sketch. Below his drawing of one of the
engine room doors this jolly chief en-
gineer made neat sketch of himself,
full figure, not eXaggerating his Fal-
staffian paunch a trife. He attached
his own dimensions in feet and inches,
circumferentially, to this sketch of
himself. Then he put the sketches In
an envelope and respectfully submit
ted them to the bureau of navigation.
1t was a sort of document that occas-
ionally makes a hit. The inference to
be drawn from the sketches was so OBJ
vious-the impossibility of the chief en-
gineer's passage through the engine
room doors of the ship to which he was
ordered was so apparent-that the as
signment was recalled, and the laconiC
chief engineer is liable to get a flagship
when the next batch of steam engin-
eering assignments is made.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
BRAVE BOY
Several
Lives.
WASHINGTON FIRE
Damaged Residence Of the
CHILEAN Minister.

Washington, Dec. 25.-Fire which
broke out shortly after o'clock to-day
partly destroyed the house occupied by
Senior Carlos Moria VIcuna, the Gillian
minister, at the corner of Connecticut
avenue and N street. The roof and top
story We're destroyed and the furniture
OF the whole house ruined by the smoke
and water entailing a loss of $4,000,
The minister and mis- family escaped
owing to the energy and GOODNESS of the
70 year son Carlos, bur the flames made
such Roadway that the inmates were
unable to secure clothing and were
compelled to hurry out in their night
robes All took refuge for a time in the
British embassy, Just across the street,
where they We're cared for by Lady
Pauncefote and her daughters.
Two maid servants were overcome
with fright and had to be taken from
the house. The governess, Signorina
Manfred, received a bad fall in climb
ing up stairs in an attempt to secure
clothing for Senior Nicuna. The fire
was caused by an over heated tiue.
1t was discovered by the son Carlos,
who slept on the third floor, through
whose fundamentally his three sisters,
occupying rooms on the same floor, the
maids who slept UP stairs, and the
father and mother who slept on the
second floor, We're awakened and ap-
prised of their danger. The house was
formerly occupied by Senior Mendonca,
the Brazilian minister.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
MEN DIN ED
Soldiers in
Havana
ENJOY CHRISTMAS
Unknown Man Killed in
Drunken Carousal.

Havana, Dec. rs, s p. m.-The United
States troops have begun this evening
a regular patrol of the city of Havana,
in order to guard against possible dis
orders. The day, however, passed in
comparative quietude. The bando is
sued on Friday by Capt. Gen. Jiminez
Castellanos, prohibiting crowds from
assembling in the streets, has been gen
orally observed.
Last night there was some disturb
ance. said to have been caused by Id
uor, in Montserrat place. A shot was
fired about midnight from a roof at a
group of people below, and many shots
were returned at the figures vaguely
seen on the roof. An unidentified man
was Killed and three were wounded in
other ARRAYS.
Christmas at Camp Quomados was as
lively as the troops could make it with
slender materials. Turkeys at seven
dollars apiece were scarce, and every
body said that, with the heat at sum-
mer temperature and the hedge rows
brilliant with flowers, the day did not
seem much like Christmas
All the company messes of the Forty
ninth Iowa, the First North Carolina,
the Fourth Virginia, the Second Hi
nois and the One-siXty-first Indiana
regiments. had extra spreads out of
company funds, with gifts from we'll
to-do members. The army ration was
supplemented by fruit, canned goods,
sweet potatoes and sometimes chicken.
The Sixth Missouri regiment, the last
to arrive, had no chance to prepare an
extra dinner; 50 the men dined on fresh
beef. rice ana beans. One battalion
S reached camp yesterday, the other TWO
marching today a distance of eight
miles, over d dusty road.
All the regimental bands played, and
the men We're granted leave within a
mile radius of the camp. Co. F of the
One-siXty-tirst Indiana regiment had a
cactus tree, with present for every
body stuck on the points, as, for in
stance bareback, beans, salt pork and
candles. The officers of the One hun
dred and sixty-frst Indiana INDUCED
after dinner in songs and speechmaking
with several solo dances.
At El Neda 40, the Eighth and
Tenth regular infantry regiments dined
well at the expense of the company
funds.
Mai Gen. Lee and his staff partook
of a modest dinner. Gen. Lee had a
number of live turkeys available, but,
as the birds are very lean, he decided
to keep them, on the chance of i'm
provement, for the New Years feast af-
ter the flag raising. Gen. Lee spent
most of the day on horseback, studying
the best route for the New Years day
paraGe.
The streets are too narrow to allow
the troops to march past the palace,
so that the route will probably be
through the prado and Central Park to
Cerro, the Havana suburb. Gen. Lee
expects to have eleven thousand men,
including the Cubans, in the military
procession. Maj. Gen. Butler will go
to Matanzas and Cienfuegos tomorrow
night, on official business. The Amer
lean troops are about to take possession
of San Ambrosias hospital
c. S. Beaver, the United States pos
tai agent in Havana, has complained
to the postmaster general of the irreg-
ularity in the arrival of the mails from
the United States.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
RED TAPE IN GERMANY
nerom the london Glohe.l

good red-tape story cores froin
GleiWtZ, in upper Silesia. A Youngsters
kite got caught on the electric wire of a.
fire alarm. A policeman noticed the acct
made a written report which, after hav-
ing cen perused by the polkeikommis-
sar, was forwarded successfully 10 the
polizet-inspektor, magistrate, and the
Feuerloschgeratko The last =
named authority engaged an engineer %
to remove the kite, and recommended the
magistrate to reward the jealous police
man with a premium of 25 pfennings. The
engineer next handed in = written commu-
nication to the effect that the offending
treasury handed to the policeman the sum
of % pfennings (2fd), and received in re-
turn a duly signed acknowledges
The master of the school which the un-
sklful kite-fyer attended IA days had
been spent in tracing him-received in
against flying kites against electric wires
The master reported that the scholars
were warned accordingly. The feuerlos-
hgeratkommission sent a deputation to
the local school board to ask that all
school inspectors in the district should
be instructed to see that all the children
in all the local schools received q similar
warning The headmasters of all schools
were next provided with written instruc-
tons as to the way in which the warning
should be made. Circulars were distrib-
uted among the school children, The
school inspector was informed of thu
steps that had been taken He informed
the school board, and the school board
the burgermeister. Finally, the written
documents relating to the affair were col.
lected. and, after being furnished with .
formidable register number, were pigaon~
holed. Four months passed from the loss
of the ohild's kite to the final cessa ton
Of written documents concerning It.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
At
Guantanamo.
SAYS COLONEL RAY,
Reiterates Charges Against
Colonel Yaleiente.

Santiago de cuba, Dec. 25.--Lieut
Col Ray, who had reported to Gen.
Wood, military governor of the depart
ment, that Col Francisco Valiente,
chief Of gendarmerie had been arming
the insurgents and that several bands
of robbers were operating in the neigh
borhood of Guantanamo, arrived here
today. He repeats his charges against
Col. Vallente, declaring that they are
well founded. He admits that Col
Valiente was the first Cuban officer
who nominally disarmed his men,
merely requesting permission to guard
the arms with a squad of his own
troops.
This request was granted by Maj
Harris, representing Lieut.. Col. Ray
at Sagua de Tanamo, Maj. Harris even
promising to supply rations to the
guard According to Col. Ray. Vail
ente, before starting for Santiago,
turned over to several Cuban captains
the 600 rifles that were stacked by his
men when they We're disarmed. This
fact was only recently reported to Col.
Ray
The latter on arriving here saw Col.
Valiente and repeated his accuse
tions. Valiente declared that he had
not armed the Cubans, but had merely
given the rifles into the charge of the
various officers.
Col. Ray claims that this explains
the existence of the troublesome
bands of robbers who have infested
the district around Guantanamo. In
one case a Cuban major went so far as
to order the proprietors of a sugar es-
tate not to grind Col Ray sent a
company of United States troops tc
guard the estate, whereupOn the Gu
ban major took to the woods with q
| band of men who have been ever
since robbing and pillaging estates
near by.
AS a result of this condition Of things
Col. Rays entire regiment, with the
exception Of two companies, is now
| scattered about the country guarding
private property. Col. Ray says he
has the names of several prominent
Cubans who have censured Valiente
for turning over his arms. Valiente re-
piled that he had the arms under
guard and would keep them safe until
| it was seen what the United States
would do.
Moreover, Col. Ray insists that the
Cuban police who were sent by Col
Valiente to capture the chief bandit
were worthless and proved dishonest,
as they allowed the robber to sleep
undisturbed in the next house to the
one where they were.
Tomorrow Col. Ray will return to
Guantanamo. He intends to mount
some of his own men ard to capture
the robber chief Meanwhile, except
on guarded estates, work in his dis
tr1ct is practically at standstill
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
PRESIDENTS CHRISTMAS.
Mr. Mckinley Attended Divine Worship
and Entertained Ca lers.

Washington, Dec. 25.-Christmas was
| observed very quietly in Washington
The weather was cool and bracing. In
the presidential circle the day was a
very quiet one. The president and Mrs.
| McKinly hav syral finds from -. ~;
| Mckinley have several friends from
| Ohio stopping at the White House, and
with them and half dozen others
formerly living in their native state,
the Christmas dinner was enjoyed.
During the evening Secretary and
| Mrs. Gage and Postmaster General and
Mrs Emory Smith called and spent
some time socially at the executive
mansion. The president and Mrs. Nc
Kinley took advantage of the fine
weather and went out for a drive dur
| ing the afternoon.
The president, accompanied by James
Barber Mrs. McKinleys nephew, at
! tended divine services at the Metrop
| ontan Church at IL o'clock and listened
to sermon by Rev. DR.. Bristol, who,
| in the course of his talk, said: This
nation has presented to an oppressed
people the unspeakable gift of free
| DOM yes, and to the world it has given
| a longer liberty. Gods Christmas gift
| of freedom has come to the suffering
and wronged through. the agency OF a
nation that was obedient to the heav-
emily call and had caught the spirit OF
| liberty and helpfulness sent forth from
angelic lips" Good will toward men.
1t was not hate or i'll will toward any
nation that caused this country to un
| sheath the sword of war. 1t was good
will toward the suffering and the OPP
pressed that inspired us to battle and
victory
Good will has been established in
our own land, from north to south and
from east to west. The angels of our
better nature have been reconciling
enemies, obliterating the wounds and
scars of war and strife and making the
stars of the old flag Of freedom shine
with new lustre, while every stripe has
been cleansed from every stain. North
and south together sing at this Christ
mas time as they have not sung since
we were a nation, a blessed song of
| peace and good will"
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
AT A sTANDsTILL.
sagasta's illness Side Tracks Liberal Party
Reorganization.

London, Dec. 25-The Madrid cores
pondent of the Standard says: "Senor
sagasta's Illness has brought to a
standstill the political crisis of the ne
gotiations for the reorganization of the
liberal party. Many liberals are OPP
posed to General Weyler's becoming
minister of war, because they fear he
will aspire to succeed Sagasta as leader
of the party
Eel Liberal publishes an interview
with Weyler, in the course of which he
is represented as declining to give any
information regarding the crisis, but as
insisting upon the necessity for a
strong government. such a govern
ment could not, he SAID, be drawn from
the party led by Senoc SilVela. Gener-
al Weyler limited that the country
would run great risks unless power
were placed in the hands of Sagasta-
Weyler coalition government"
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
STILL IN JAIL.

Concord, N H., Dec. 25.-Daniel E.
Stackpole, who claims Lowell as res
idence and who was arrested yesterday
charged with the murder of Mrs. Lura
M. Moses. at North Pembroke, on Dec.
9. is still confined in the Merrimac coun-
ty jail and no date has been set for
his preliminary hearing, He protests
his innocence. The government can
prove that he was in this vicinity on
the day before and the day after the
murder, but no one has yet been found
who saw him on Dec, 8, the day in ques-
ton. He knew Mrs. Moses, and one
point in his favor is the fact that be-
fore her death she stated that her as
sailant was stranger.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
THE ENGLISH MARKET.

London, Dec notwithstanding
the holidays, the tone of the market is
good and prices are generally better,
despite realizations, and the money
squeeze that comes with the end of the
year.
In railway securities Americans have
been for several days the most active
feature, showing considerable i'm
provement, with prices continuing
strong Baltimore and Ohio shares
have risen ~ points; Central Pacific
4; Union Pacific 31s; Denver & Rio
Grande s; and most of the other Ameri-
cans from H to IA Money was in good
demand yesterday at 81 to 4 per cent
until Tuesday, and at 3h per cent on
three months bills
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
MANS INNATE COURTESY.
It Sometimes Needs an Archduke to
Bring 1t Out.
(From The London News.

81
An amusing incident, analogous to
one recently reported In connection
with the Duke of Norfolk, has occurred
at Trieste. A peasant presented a
parcel for dispatch 10 an official in the
central post Office of that town, and
was roughly told that it could not be
received, as it was improperly done up.
The peasant inquired how it ought to
be done up, and the Official sharply re-
piled that it was not his business to
tell him. Here a gentleman interviewed
on the peasants behalf, but was told
by the official that if he had any fault
to find he had better complain to the
superintendent. The gentleman did 50,
but was told that postal officials could
not be expected to teach the public.
and that if he was not satisfied he had
better complain to the director.
The gentleman hereupon pulled out a
card, and said. Il have no time to go
to the director; I request you to go to
him yourself and tell him that l order
him to come here instantly and himself
instruct this man how he must make
up his parcel The superintendent
looked at the card, and trembled when
he read the name Of the Archduke
Louis Salvador. The director lost no
time in coming. He stormed at the SUI
perintendent, who in turn Stormed at
the official and al three nearly fell
over each other in their zeal to show
the peasant how to do up his parcel. A
more carefully made up package prob
ably never passed through the Austria
post office.
The incident, however, has excited a
grave question. All the newspapers
approve Of the archduke's intervention,
but some pertinently ask whether he
had any right to order" the director
to do anything. The champions of the
constitution are exercised, but after all
the important thing is that the peasant
got his parcel off.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
CARRIED A BIG POLICY.

Boston. Dec. 25.-Otis Shepard, senior
partner of the lumber firm of Shepard
& Morse. whose great property in Bur-
lington VT. was wiped out by fire Sat
urday, said in reference to the rebuild
ing of the plant, that the matter had
not yet been decided, because there
were many things to be considered
With reference to the loss and insur-
ance. Mr.. Shepard said that the firm
carried a policy of $4,000 on the prop
erty. The loss will, however be con-
siderably more than the insurance.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
ANOTHER SUIT BROUGHT,
Portland Man Alleges Various Things
Against the Steamboat Company

Portland. Me, Dec. 25.-Edward L.
Baker, through his attorney Hon. w.
H. Looney, has brought suit against
the Portland Steamship Company on
account of the death of his wife. Mrs
Beulah M. Baker, who was on board
the Portland when she went down
The suit is for $4,000.
The writ is quite long and, after re-
citing the facts in relation to the loss
of the Portland, charges the company
with carelessness in allowing the Port
land to sail from Boston in the face of
the storm, when they knew the storm
was threatening. in not providing a
boat suitable for the exigencies of the
service and in allowing the steamer
Portland to go to sea improperly Off
cered, manned and equipped. This
suit is returnabe at the April term of
the supreme court.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
BAD TRAIN WRECK.
Several Persons Injured at Lexington
XIV.

Lexington, Ky, Dec. PA serious
train wreck occurred in the suburbs Of
the city near Peppers distillery at
o'clock this afternoon A Louisville
and Nashville yard engine and Chesa-
peake and Ohio engine No. 9, pulling
an extra freight train, collided, and as
result nine men are badly injured,
two probably fatally, and both engines
| demolished. The yard engine was back
ing down and the freight train was
coming from Louisville. The engineer
of the former heard the latter, which
was around sharp curve, whistle and
started for a switch as the only way of
avoiding a collision. He was unable
to make the switch, and the two en-
gines collided. The Louisville and
Nashville engine was completely demol-
ished, ana the wreck was carried 800
feet down the track. The Chesapeake
ard Ohio engine was run back through
the tender. and the whole Of the front
beaten in.
| All the Louisville and Nashville en-
ployees jumped and all were injured,
two probably fatally. The Chesapeake
and Ohio men remained at their posts
and were not seriously hurt. Yard
| Clerk Hornbrooke and Foreman Nor
rissey on the Louisville and Nashville
engine, will almost certainly die. The
! injured:
| Lester y. Hornbrooke Louisville and
Nashville yard clerk, arm broken, skull
! fractured, probably die; r. Q. Vaughn,
fireman. leg broken; Al. Clark, switch
man, right arm broken and right shout
der fractured, head badly bruised; Will
liam Morrissey, foreman, internal in
iuries, probably fatal; James Douglass,
Louisville and Nashville, foreman,
scalp wound in back OF head right leg
| broken. body badly bruised; Fec Humid,
Louisville and Nashville engineer, bad
ly bruised and left shoulder smashed;
John Collins switchman, badly
| bruised.
Conductor Meadows and Fireman
John Jones of the Chesapeake. both es-
capped serious injury, but were badly
bruised.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
THE CELTIC SAFE.

Lima, Peru, via Galveston, Texas,
Dec. 25.-The United States refrigerator
supply ship Celtic, of Commodore Bar
ker's squadron. which with the battle
ships Oregon and Iowa. the collier
Scindia, and the dstilling ship Iris. left
Tompknsville, Staten Island, on Oct. II.
arrived this morning at Callao, the port
of Lima
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
DON CARLOS SPEAKS.

Denies Current Reports and viii Fulfill
His Role.
London, Dec. 26.-The Venice cores
pendent of the Times says: Don Car
los, who is in perfect health, desires me
to deny absolutely the report that he
contemplates Indicating. On the con-
trary, he says ne is more resolved than
ever to fulfill his role to the end. He
authorizes me to assert that he has
asked no audience of the pope, and has
requested nothing else of his holiness"
Rome, Dec. 25.-The Agenzna TIA
liano asserts that a German syndicate
has promised Don Carlos loan Of
30 900, 900 francs, in three instruments
the first when he has 10000 men under
arms, the second when he has captured
Bilbao, the capital of the province of
Biscayo, and the third two months
after operations are commenced.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
BANK OF SPAIN.

London, Dec 26-The Bank of Spain
has ceased to make advances upon
Philippine and Cuban bonds, and has
asked a supplemental guarantee for
previous advances, owing to the de-
cline in the value of the bonds The gov
eminent has arranged with Madrid
and Barcelona bankers to advance the
amount needed for the service of these
bonds in January.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
AT CAMP FORsE.

Huntsville, Ala. Deo. 25.-Christmas
was observed at Camp Forse and by a
general order Issued Saturday Only those
duties necessary to the public service
were performed. The First United
States infantry has b9en ordered to
move to Savannah. First battalion
leaves tomorrow for Port Tampa and
the second battalion goes to Charleston
Tuesday. The third battalion will go
to Port Tampa on January 4. Second
battalion Second Engineers has been
ordered to Havana. Lieut.. e. T. Burks,
of the 18th infantry, mas been announc-
ed as provost marshal at Huntsville.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
AUNITED COUNTRY.
Earnest Words of a Tennessee Preacher
For Eternal Peace

Nashville, Tenn, Dec. 25,-Rev. DR..
]. I. Vance of the First Presbyterian
Church, in his sermon today urged the
wiping out of the terms north" and
south" as applied to the church, and
said: Il wonder if the time is not at
hand for the effacemeat of geographi-
cal marks from the name of our be-
loved Presbyterian church in America
She should be the first to put into
practice the gospel she proclaims.
And yet, it must be admitted that
while Mason and Dixon's line has dis
appeared from the geography Of citi-
zenship. it survives in the geography of
the church. l speak today for a Pres
byterianism that shall no more be
marked north" or south" but whose
territorial boundaries shall be co-ter-
minus with the uttermost limits of the
republic"
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
eMPERoR's GENEROSITY.
Talked With Soldiers and Workmen and
Gave Them Presents.

Berlin, Dec. 25.--Emperor William
and the members of the imperial
family followed their Christmas OBJ
servances today Last evening the
emperor, while taking his solitary
walk in the neighborhood of the San
Souci palace, at Potsdam, entered
freely into conversation with the SOL
diers and workmen giving them
Christmas presents.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
MASSACHUSETTS MAN SHOT.

Atlanta, Ga, Dec. 25.--A dispatch to
the Constitution from Griffin, Ga, says:
"Charles Currick, a brick mason whose
home is in Massachusetts, was shot this
morning and seriously but not fatally
injured by william Goens of this place
while engaged in a fight over a game of
cards. Goens is in Jail.