davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
The mines and the Demons.

Mountain. demons are widely distribut-
ed throughout the world, as far as China
and Japan. Miners used once to dread
meeting them IN the bowels of the earth,
for in such case It was believed that
the face of the behoider was liable to be
twisted round so as to look behind him
all the rest Of his life. Robert Burton,
however, in discussing subterranean dew
lis, says that :'the metal men in many
places account It good luck, sign of
treasure and rich ore, when they see
them.
These imps are, of course, the lineal
descendants of the dwarfs of Teutonic
mythology. bnt northern Europe has no
monopoly in such supernatural dwellers
underground. though their characteris-
tics vary with their localities. Geryase
of Tilbury, an old chronicler Of the
twelfth century, tells Of a dark, unfath-
omable lake on the almost inaccessible
summit Of Mount Canigou, in the east
ern Pyrenees, where the demons have a
dwelling that is like a palace for size,
but to most people both the palace and
the demons themselves are invisible. II
any one drops stone or other solid sub
stance into the lake, tempest immedi-
ately breaks out, as though the demons
were enraged at the insult.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

tain-it never came from Africa. 1t may
be merely the common giant water bug,
which is known to scientists as Benacus
griseus.
This bug lives in the water in the
daytime and only comes out at night.
The electric light has a strong attrac-.
ton for it, and from the numbers which
are found around the arc lamps it has
received the name of electric light bug.
This bug lives mainly on small fish, and
it never attacks mammals except for the
purpose of self defense. Neither IS It
classed among poisonous insects, though
If it be molested it is likely to resent the
insult By sting from its proboscis.
There are two species of this insect, one
of which is known as Belostoma amer
icana and the other as Benacus griseus.
The only difference between the two is
that IN the former the femora on the
foreleg are grooyed and in the latter they
are not"
1t was pointed out to Mr.. Beuten-
mueller that the Jersey folk professed
to have seen millions Of strangling bugs
at one time. and he at once replied, with
a laugh. that in that case the insects
could not have been giant water bugs,
as the latter never fly in large numbers,
and indeed, are unable to fy any great
distance whatever.
The giant water bug Is BY no means
rare but he may not have paid visit
to Cofunsous for some time, and there
fore If he and few dozen Of his rela-
tiYes did visit that peaceful hamlet, it
is very probable that they caused SEN
sation and that some timorous souls saw
in them new and dangerous insect.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
WILLIAM GOAT AT MANILA.

ey kept the goat under his special protec-
tion. One day there came the memora-
Bile encounter with the Spanish in Manila
bay. The sailors spent hours in the early
morning nlaking ready the guns and in
screwing mp their own courage. Not one
Of them flinehed, yet there was no excess
of confidence William Goat, however,
was a veteran Of the sea- lie theugat
the situation was one to be faced calmly
So he WENT about from one gun to another
and then among the men with an unruf-
fed stateiiness that did much to put the
brave men in buoxapt good humor before
the firing began. The result opened their
ewes TO the value Of William Goat. They
told the commodore about it afterward,
and he laughed. "0f course, he said.
syqilliam Is my mascot.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
TON GOAB0U1'S GIFT.
A Man With Occult Powers Over
Chickens and Dogs.
NEVER OPERATES IN PUBLIC.

vicious Animals Tanned Undet Mys-
ferious Inf1uence-ChicIxens Newer
squayk When He Takes Them
From the Roosf.
A man with mysterious occult power
over chickens and dogs makes business
OF supplying valuable dogs and game
chickens to large clientele in st. Louis,
says The Post Dispatch. He fills a
large demand and has practically mex
haustihle supply. Every dog and chicken
between the river Des Peres, the Chain
of Rocks, the Skinker road and the Mis-
sissippi river is at his disposal, and if
this supply proves inadequate he can
draw on the towns in the county and
across the river.
All you have to do is to choose your
dog. You may see your choice out walk
ing with his owner or in some ones back
yard and may admire his clean cut limbs,
his square muzzle, his fine brush or bis
ugly disposition.
Then You give your order. You say
Tom, there's dog in the back yard al
No. Vandeventer place that admire
greatly and desire to possess
Whats IN it r. the answer will come.
Just that way.
Yon state your price anything from q
bottle Of whisky to $50, according to how
much you want the dog, and il every.
thing Is satisfactory the dog will be il
your back yard next morning early
Once, in a saloon on Compton avenue
Conrad Rose, butcher at 5000 La Sale
street, was telling group Of bis friends
about the ~icious bulldog he had just ac-
quired T.lt animal was kept in q stable
In the rear Of his home
mo man alive, except one, can &C
within the circle Of his chain without
leaving behind mouthful of clothing
and calf, said Rose. Il have to throw
his meat to him from distance. | my
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

STRANGLING
BUGS
STARTLE JERSEY
A New Insect More Dangerous
Than the kissing Bug and
More Plentiful Than
the Mosquito.

People In the vicinity Of Columbus, N.
I, report a plague ofsuneanny creatures
which they call strangling bugs, because
they show a tendency to strike victims
exclusively on the neck.
In appearance they are described as
being about two inches over all, schoon-
er rigged, black and with corresponding
beam Bugs Of similar appearance
are said to have been seen near Philadel-
phia and to have caused no small dis
sturbance by their unwarranted attacks
upon inoffensive persons. From other
parts rumors are constantly coming Of
strange winged insects, so that altogeth-
er the bug is beginning to occupy a very
important place in ephemefal literature.
How long he will retain this place is
doubtful II he keeps on kissing and
strangling, no one will dare to oust him
from the coveted position. First. how
ever, he will have to prove that he, and
not something else, is really responsible
for all the kisses and stranglings which
are attributed to him. And, if natural
lists are to be believed, he will find this a
very hard task
Hear, for example, what Mr.. William
Beutennueller, curator Of the depart
mont of entomology in the Museum Of
Natural History, says on the subject:
''INe naturalists do not know Of any
such insects as the kissing bug or the
strangling bub. An ordinary wood bug
may have given rise to all this talk about
kissing bugs, but am satisfied that most
Of the bites were inflicted by mosquitoes
or other common insects. As for the
strangling bug, there is one thing cer-
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

bilt at the Lower Sancon postof6ce and
the large mail he constantly receives at
the Wassergass for a long time failed to
interest his Pennsylvania Dutch neigh
bors, who are usually reserved and unfn-
qaisitiye and accustomed to minding
their own business. It was only when
they heard the stories Of the money that
comes to him mysteriously and Of the
loans he has made at good interest that
their attention was especially attracted
10 him and his manner OF living. 1t is not
80 much that John Vanderbilt is a Van
derhilt Of the Eanderbilts that interests
them as that he has money and has the
Vanderbilt faculty of making money
make money even In his secluded sItu-
alton.
John Vanderbilt leads very simple
life in his hermitage on the Hexenkopf.
His furniture is of the most primitive
kind. His bed is a wooden couch covered
with straw For his fire he gathers
fagots in the woods near by He makes
his own bread and lives principally upon
cruel of the manufacture of which he
alone has the secret His home, which
is one story stone cottage, so overrun
with vines and shrubbery as to be al
most hidden from view, is in marked con-
trast with the palaces Of the other Van
derbilts.
Hearing Of the hermit yanderbilts hut
hidden among the brush on the rocky
mountain side, correspondent Of The
Times determined to pay him visit. He
drove from the lower Sancon valley to
within a quarter of mile of the her
mit's cottage and then made his way on
foot to the cabin.
A long, loud rap at the door brought
response, and aSman past 80 years and at
least six feet in height, broad shouldered,
well proporlioned and of magnificent
physique. made his appearance. His
beard was full, brown ia color, slightly
streaked with gray; his eyes were keen,
bright and questioning; his forehead was
high and broad and his countenance
open, frank and intelligent. He was
neatly dressed and seemed to have just
completed his toilet His hair and beard
were nicely brushed. His demeanor and
conversation We're those Of man aeerls-
toned to mix with the world.
He answered his visitors salutation
courteously and talked at length ia re-
gard to the direction and roads to reach
South Bethlehem. He was so easy in
his manner and appeared SO ready to an
swer questideis that the correspondent
thought he might venture upon what he
knew was forbidden ground. The first
hint at the hermif's lonely life wrought a
magical, change in his conduct 1t was
net a very broad hint. the inquiry being
In regard to the immediate locality in
which the hermit made his home rather
than to the hermit himself. Instead Of
answering the question as he had an
swered those that went before it. the
recluse gave his questioner searching
look, and, turning upon his heel, he re-
entered the hut without 4 word.
The resemblance between John Van
derbilt and the old commodore is strik-
ing. 1t Is this striking family likeness
as well as the identity Of name that has
impressed the hernift's neiglbors with
the belief that the reclnse is a near rela-
tive Of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.
iYFiIliam Kaufman, the only man with
7llon tac .hetnait has eyer confersed at
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

by some Of the best known soldiers and
statesmen in the Union. 1t fought with
distinction in the Mexican aad civil
wars and was in the hottest Of the fight
ing in Cuba It's commander, SO well
known and popular in this part Of the
country, Colonel Harry Egbert, was
killed while leading charge in the
Philippines.
Captain Byrne married, number of
years ago, Miss Bertha Barnitz, daughter
of Colonel Albert Barnitz Of Cleveland.
Captain Bgrne spent some time last sum
mer, on his return from Cuba, while he
was recovering from Cuban fever, at
Colonel Barnitz's summer home. He
comes from old army stock. His father
was an army surgeon, and his grandpa
ther was at one time chief of engineers.
Captain Byrne's wife and two little boys
are at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

] ROUNDING
UP FILIPINO
ROBBERS.



The story Of Captain Bernard A. Byrnc
and the fighting Sixth is one Of the most
thrilling chapters in the Philippine war
According to official reports from Manila,
Captain Byrne and 20 men surprised a
force of 450 Babylones, mostly robbers,
Of whom lis by actual count were killed
and many more were. wounded. The
American loss was one man killed and
one wounded The fighting was mostly
at close quarters with bayonets and club
bed guns. A large quantity of supplies
and arms was captured
Captain Bernard A. Eyrne was born
in Kentucky and appointed second lieu
tenant in the Sixth infantry from civil
life from the District of Columbia in 1875
and is now the senior captain Of that reg
iment.
War officials are clated over the re-
markable character of the battle and par
ticlllariy gratifed with the slight loss
with which it was effected
Captain Byrne and his brother. Cap
tain Charles Byrne, have been in the
Sixth infantry for years and are well
known in Cincinnati and Kentucky. Both
are intrepid fighters and are noted for
their courage Captain Charles Byrne
led Company r Of the Sixth up San Juan
hill id the face Of an awful FIRE.
The Sixth has become famous as a
regiment of fighters. 1t was organized
a century ago and has been commanded
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

length and who lives only short dis
tance from his unobtrusive retreat, is
confident of the close kinship between
the Hexenkopf recluse and the Wander
bilts, who are housed in the most pala-
tial homes in America Some Of Mr.
Kauffman's neighbors go even further
and assert that John Vanderbilt is linz
cal descendant of the old commodore.
Commodore Vanderbi1t's descendants
in the male line are well known The
commodore had four sons, Of. whora the
late William Fl. Vanderbilt was the old
est. The other sons were Cornelius j. q
spendthrift widower; Francis, who was
always an invalid and died unmarried at
the age of 40 years, and George, grad
uate of West Point, who served with
credit in the war for the Union. The
only grandsons were the sons Of William
H. Vanderbilt Cornelius, William K,
George W. and Frederick w That he
had no descendants named John Wander
bilt Is certain The family, however, is
an old one, and it would be easy enough
perhaps by a little genealogical research
to establish the kinship in one OF the coli
lateral lines Among these John Is a
family name The original progenitor of
the family in this country was John Van
derbilt, and the late Judge John Wander
bilt was prominent citizen Of Long Is
land at the time OF his death.
There is also the family Of Jacob "a.
Vanderbilt. brother of the old commo-
dore. jacob Vanderbilt was not as rich
as 'Corneel" but he was rich enough,
and he had many of the traits of his
brother Of many millions, including the
commodore's taste for fast horses. The
only person who can establish the exact
kinship OF John Vanderbilt and the other
vanderbilts IS the hermit himself, and he
declines to enlighten his neighbors on the
subject.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

fHHN.
self can't 60 near him. The man who
sold him to me is the only man who can"
Tom Goabout was sitting in a corner Of
the room half asleep. When the conver
sation turned to dogs, he pricked up his
ears.
mo one can't go near him. eh2'' he
asked. what win you give me il /
bring him to you herea"
"You want to die q sudden death, ]
guess answered the butcher.
GIVE me dollar?" persisted Goabout.
If you pay your own doctor bill, said
the butcher.
Tom left the saloon. In ten minutes he
returned. The dog. without collar or
chain, was following at Goabout's heels.
There's your dog" said Goabout.
Where's the dollarT
The dog insisted on staying with Go
about, and Goabout had to be induced,
with an additional consideration, to lead
the dog back and to chain him up again.
The police don't humor Goabout m the
exercise of his gifts. They have never de
tected him In the act of filing orders, but
they have come upon him soon after,
while the goods were in his possession.
He 1IOSi Iete1l tdSS to1 Ills A1llu MIS- 9ll
June 20, this year. A Seventh district
patrolman found Goabout walking along
at Manchester and Lefingwell avenues
with a chip basket in each hand. In the
baskets were ten spring chickens and
two hens They were dead, and their
necks had been wrung. The police held
Tom for two days while they tried to
find the owners of the chickens, but they
could not, and when the contents. ct the
basket began to get sour they released
Goabout. Goahout took his arrest philo-
sophically. He did not threaten the police
with suit for false arrest or anything
Of the kind
ssGoabout has been under arrest in St.
Louis probably three dozen times" says
Officer Sullivan Of the Seventh, who, all
his comrades declare, has taken Goahout
into custody oftener than any other Off
Ger in st. Louis. He doesn't take dog
or a chicken unless he has a regular order
Tor It He will often supply lawn parties
and merrymakers among the colored folks
in his neighborhood with chickens. How
he succeeds ii gathering ID the feathered
brood I have no idea. He won't tell. One
thing IS certain, no chicken ever betrayed
Goabout while he was operating. When
he goes after chickens, they never
squawk. TAey all appear TO sit quiet un-
til he twists their necks. and they never
make sound.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
A Treasure Island.

Among the small islands which came
into the possession of the United States
with Porto Rico is the barren peak Of
rocks which the Spaniards called la
Mona.' On this island tradition says
the old buccaneers deposited great treas
nres. In 1880 an American company
was formed to seek the hidden riches.
No jewels were found, however. though
the deposits of guano made the venture
financial sfJeee.se
The wonders OF Chemistry.
sBlufger ii getting rich, they tell me. e
eyes, he's running big toilet article
factory in connection with his garbage
creinatory - Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
PONlATO OWSKPS PL lGH +.
A Prince Who Was shut Out Of q
PuI1man Car.

Prince Who Was shut Out of =
Pullman Car.
Prince Poniatowski had to sit up all
night in an ordinary coach Of the Los
Angeles express while travelling from
Bakersfield to San Francisco. Reared in
the lap Of luxury, the nobleman realized
that 1t is bad enough to be q passenger in
the best cars, but to be forced into a
common day coach for a whole night
made him beiligerent. yindictive and out
OF sorts with everything and everybody.
The prince preferred charges against
Conductor w. Williams Of the Pullman
Car company because Of his night of dis
comfort
Poniatowski was in Bakersfield on
business, says the San Francisco Exami-
ner. He desired to come home the same
night on the express train which passes
Bakersfield about midnight In the after
noon he wired to Los Angeles for a
drawing ROOM All the Pullman berths
and drawing rooms had been reserved,
and an answer was sent to that effect.
Poniatowski did not get the reply
When the train reached Bakersfield, he
made dash for the nearest Pullman
Conductor Williams, who was in charge.
SlN0D6a Hill 1&C A@AA0A 4-<CtA Nea~ R1t&i,N
that there was no room in any of the
Pullman cars for him.
"But don't you know who | amp al
most hissed the prince, as his anger got
the better OF his Judgment. 4 am Prince
Poniatowski. You don't expect me to sit
up ali night with lot of Cinnamon in
day coach, do you?''
"You may be Prince Poniatowski, !"
cooIly reioined Williams, without obei-
sance. sg'll take your word for that, But
you'll have to ride with the Cinnamon,
as you express it. or else walk. There is
no room in any Of the Pullmans That's
all have to say
AS the train started to move the
prince ran for the day coach 1t, too, was
crowded, He found a seat with China
men In front of him and two Mongolians
back of him. Poniatowsk was furious,
but he very sensibly held his tongue all
night. 1t is now so sore that he either
viii not or cannot talk about the episode.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
DEWEYS MASCOT.
An Anxious Watcher For the Fight
ing Adn.iralss Return.

Among those who are waiting for the
arrival Of Admiral Dewey is William
Goat, the stoical mascot Of Manila bay.
William is now on the Cruiser Detroit in
Brooklyn. His reputation was made in
faroff. Manila bay, and his home is on the
beautiful flagship Olympia
What's the good OF goat on board?h
remarked somebody when William was
first taken OIL as a passenger of the Olym-
pia wait and see, said Commodore
Dewey, who knew William Of old. So
nobody interfered with Williams privi-
leges, which were many. He did not
abuse any Of them and after being toler-
ated for some time was then regarded
with positive affection. All the time Dew
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
.es Not Good.

In some rural districts Of England there
are held annually hiring fairs, where farm
ers and others attend TO engage servants.
At one held in Gl@sIcestcrshire last aa-
tumn farmer opened negotiations with
a lad who seemed suitable for his pur-
pose. Various questions having been ask
cd and answered, the farmer inquired at
last:
Hast got character from thy last
placer
NO. replied the boy, but my old gaf-
fer be about somewhere, and / can get
he 20 write one"
Every well, I" was the reply, thee get
1t and meet here again at 4 o'clock.
The time came; so did the farmer and
the boy
Hast got thy character was the
query. The answer came short and sharp:
No. but | ha' got thine, and bean't
a-coming ."-L london Answers.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
TILIPINo TgoTTING BULL.

ting bulls The other day the battery
was yoked up and was three miles away
in 25 minutes. The men are proud Of
their bull teams and carefully groom
them. The other day I saw one of the
men mounted on a bull, artillery saddle,
herding the bunch. One tried to break
the herd, and the mounted bull jumped
bitches, outran the other and III all things
conported himself as well as any herd
pony could do''
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
Thc yvoniiars ID Cken.isary.


A sharks egg IL one Of the oldest -look-
fng things Imaginable. IT is unprovided
with shell: but the contents are projected
bv thick leathery covering, almost as
elastic as india rubber. The average size
is two inches by two and three-due'f
inches, and tho color is almost pure
black.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
New Alpine Horror.

A frightful accident recently occurred
at Meran, In the Austrian TyroI, the
health resort where the Grown Prince
Alfred of Saxe-Coburg, grandson of
Queen Victoria, met his death last spring.
A party Of tourists was going up the side
of the Schneeberg when the cable by
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

Surgeon General Sternberg is in re-
ceipt Of an interesting letter from his
brother, Major Theodor Sternberg, pay
master and treasurer at lloilo. Major
Sternberg says: The horsing of this bait
terry with native bulls is the most pictur-
esque thing in the army These are trot-
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

which the car is moved broke while the
car was near the summit The car, which
was filed with passengers, was precipi-
tated distance of 5000 feet and was
dashed to pieces in the valley below. One
of the passengers, Professor August Her
bert, the vioEn yirtuoso. was Instantly
killed. George Won Ompsteda, popular
German novel writer. was so badly in
jured that he cannot recover. There were
IL passengers in the car. OF these five
are fatally injured. while the others are
suffering from broken limbs and bruises
and from prostrations by shock. The
Schnceberg is one Of the highest noun
tains in the Austrian Alps. At its foot,
by the rivers Passer and Adige, is the
town Of Meran, celebrated health re-
sort. contaiiafsr eco inhabitants.
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05
sMoTtE RING CRIMINALS J.


In striving to discover an improved
nethod of executing criminals Japan has
decided upon smothering The Japanese
consider 1t even far better than the most
modern mode, that Of electricity, mas
much as it does not harm the appearance
Of the body In the least whereas electric
ity, when not applied to exactly the
proper degree, scorches, burns and
shriyels the skin Of the victim.
The death or vacuum chair, as 1t
ls to be known, is to be an alright cell
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

The famous bin ring ii Madrid stands
a mile or 50 outside the city + WIS
bulk III 1874, at cost Il IS said, of $ie0, ,0t0'
The Jersey City news., 1899-08-05

The growth Of girls In greatest In Their
fifteenth year; Of boys IN their seven
teeuth.