davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times., 1899-07-25
The Afaire Otis.

II statements made by friends of the I'D
ministration were altogether trustworthy,
we should jump to the conclusion that
General Otis is quite safe in his comfort
able and influential position at Manila,
1t is even said that the President has de-
clared his purpose not to disturb the Gov
ernor General, as that would be tanta-
mount to accepting as true the CORE
spondents' round robin, the statements of
American and British merchants in LuZon
and many other incontrovertible facts.
All these things may be taken as con-
sisting largely OF CANNON and spinach.
Two days before the eviction of Mr.. Alger
from the Cabinet Senator Plat observed
with much JUNCTION that the reports of the
Secretary's contemplated resignation we're
groundless, as he had never heard of any
reason why that functionary should sur
render his portfolio.
Otis will have to go, just as Alger tad
to go. Public opinion will grind Mr..
McKinley's face until he shall adopt meas
ures TO purge the Philippine policy and
situation OF politics and paresis.
But after Otis, what? Brigadier General
the Lakes, has plan, and it is one well
calculated TO solidify him at the White
House and the Republican headquarters.
Anderson says that civilian statesman
ought to be made governor general, with a
fighting subordinate TO carry out his or
ders in the field. OF course, while the
Luzon situation is a strictly military one,
this is a ridiculous proposition. The time
for civil governors and franchise peddlers
Will come fast enough when insurrection
has been knocked on the head and is dead.
The only thing needed now is a strong
active, able, and wise soldier, whose power
and action should be unhampered by med
ding peace commissioners or civilian in
reference of any kind.
But the Anderson suggestion may not
strike the Administration as il does US.
And 1t is safe TO say that DENLY, George
f. Edmunds, and persons of that ilk, will
regard it with much complacency. The
former viii straightway draw bead on
the looking glass and gaze upon his ideal
of the great statesman who would fit the
place like the paper on the wall.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
STORIES OF CRUELTY DENIED.
Private Smith. of the Third Artillery,
WfthdraMs Charges.

Terre Haute. Ind, July 25.-In May last
a letter from Private Smith, of Company
K. Third Artillery, was widely published in
the newspapers opposed to Philippine an
nexation, because he told of the alleged
slaughter of fifteen prisoners, who had been
sent TO dig graves for men who fell in bat
tle He said that when the grave digging
was completed members of Tennessee
regiment shot the prisoners and tumbled
them into the graves. He has written the
following retraction to the Gazette" of
this city, which first published the letter:
wish TO state for your information and for
the general public, also for the information OF
my friends, that / have since learned that all
concerning the Tennessee boys burying the pris-
oners was what We boys in the army call
pipe story. There Is truth whatever in
the report to my knowledge, and j kindly ask
you. for the benefit OF all concerned, and in be-
half of the grand Eighth Army Corps, to publish
this statement in your papers l was only on
the Philippine advance about three days at the
time wrote that letter to my parents. j knew
nothing whatever about what any regiments were
doing, only from what / said before, what we
call pipe stories, and there is no credit 10
be given them. i am very sorry / put enough
confidence in any such reports 10 write il TO my
parents but | knew no better at the time. /
have found out since, during my time in the
Philippine Islands and as an enlisted man in
the Eighth Army Corps, that too high praise
cannot be given to officers and men Of the en-
tire corps in all details
This is my opinion of affairs in the Philip
pines as a private soldiers, and l am always
ready TO do all in my power against anyone in
defence of the officers of United States Ar
N.Y. and our flag of the grandest nation on earth.
do not know Of one instance where any
soldier has done an act which was against his
orders, while on duty or off duty, and / am
sure there has not been Filipino or a Span
lard who received anything but the kindest
treatment, let them be- prisoners, or whatever
they may be.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
GIVEN UP TO MEXICO.
Mrs. Rich. Accused of Husband MUIR
der. I'm Jail at Juarez.

Ell Paso, Texas, July 25.-Mrs. John D.
Rich, who is accused of her husband S
murder and has been in Ell Paso Jail since
last May, was delivered to the Mexican
authorities at Juraez yesterday afternoon
by United States Marshal Siebrecht, who
came here for the purpose from San An
tonic. The woman was, after long ar
gument on the part of the officers. per-
suaded to enter the hack and was quickly
driven to the Juraez Jail, accompanied by
the marshal. deputy sheriff. and wom
an resident of this city. The Mexican con-
sui, who gave receipt for the prisoner.
preceded her in a buggy. AT the bridge
a squad of Mexican guards was drawn up
request the American officers took her
straight to her prison. Her rooms had
been prepared under the personal direction
of Governor Ahumada, of Chihuahua, and
were ready to receive her. They are not
in the prison, but apart in the barracks.
They are well furnished airy, and quite
comfortable, but the Mexican consul said
the prisoner would only occupy this tenn
porarily-
Before leaving this side of the river Mrs
Rich wound an American flag about her
and when ushered into the Jail on the 9TH
er side she resembled the Goddess of Lib
erty. Ell Paso women consider Mrs. Rich's
condition pitiable in the extreme, for il is
reported that her child win be born in the
Juraez prison IL she remains there three
months rr
The evening times., 1899-07-25
A SHAM DEATH. AND FUNERAL.
Insurance Companies AIIege n Move
Scheme of Fraud.

Scheme OF Fruu0.
Bristol, Tenn, July 25.-Thomas Chase,
a farmer, aged about forty-eight. and re-
siding at Milligan, Carter county, Tenn,
was reported as having died of grip after
an illness of a few days in February last.
On the following day a simple funeral oc-
CURED and what was supposed to be the
remains OF the farmer was buried in the
country churchyard at Milligan.
1t was announced in a local newspaper
few days later that Chase's life was in
sured for $4,000. In round numbers this
was correct and later the several insur-.
ance companies in which his different poll
cies were written deposited the money in
the banks of Knoxville and johnson City,
Tenn, to be paid TO the widow of the in
sured. tr-
Mrs. Chase received about $1,000 of the
just been enjoined through Chancellor
Smith, of Johnson City. from paying over
the balance of the funds.
In their application for an injunction the
attorneys for the insurance companies al
lege that fraud was perpetrated to obtain
the insurance money, that the insured had
probably been made the victim of scientific
hypnotism on the part OF some person or
persons in eolIusion with the wife of Chase,
that wax fgue was buried and pronounc-
ed to be the body Of Chase, that the in
surance had been obtained in the first place
by misrepresentation, and that Chase had
been seen alive in Knoxville. Tenn. two
months after his reported death.
1t was reported at the time Chase was
supposed to have died that he showed signs
of being under hypnotic influence. and that
when he was being prepared for burial he
arose from the bed and talked with those
about him, but expired few minutes later.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
MONITORS BEHAVE BADLY.
Their Shortcomings In ActfOn
Great DisappOintUent.

Great Dtsappoiptpent.
One of the disappointmentsst 10 the Navy
Department during the late var was the
failure Of the dynamite cruiser yesuyius
to accomplish anything that might not
have been done by good despatch boat.
Another disappointment was In the beha-
vior of the big monitors. 1t is admitted
that they were always too slow for sea
service, and were also always breaking
down.
The record of injuries sustained by the
Amphitrite in the bombardment Of the
Notifications of San Juan is a peculiar one
She was not injured by the enemy's fire,
but was disabled by her own.s On going
into action both the main and secondary
guns were used, but very soon the signal
was received to operate only the main bat
terry. At the fifth shot from the 4-inch
| rapid fire starboard gun the releaser stop
screw broke short of near9the head. The
breech plug of the 4-inch port gun shifted
| and spare plug was shipped in. this gun.
| The port 3-pounder missedstwo fires and a
| new spring was put in.
Upon firing the after turret guns at ex-
| treme train forward the shield of the star
board 6-pounder was disHounted, two low
er shield bolts and an upper after shield
bolt being broken short off. The shield
was sent below. In the afff turret, which
was commanded by Lieut.. V. o. Chase,
| there was an accident which disabled the
| turret. This was due to the bursting OF
| the armored hose In the exhaust pipe.
| The captain of the Amphftrfte called the
! attention Of the department to the fact
| that on the engaged side, ofi:the ship, with
| the after guns trained forward of the boom
the 6-pounder, after l-pounder, and 3-
FOUNDER guns could not be manned. He
reported that the ''so-called ventilation
system is absolutely worthless. 1t has never
worked satisfactorily at any time, and when
in operation the steam is led almost to the
anchor engines, heating w two eompart-
ments, making it actually hotter with the
| blowers than without them. In addition
| they seem to draw the hot air from the
| fire room, and are unable to lift II OFF the
berth deck. The electric fans in the dyna-
mo compartment exhaust into the after tur-
ret chamber, adding foul air and heat at 9
| time when the air should be as pure and
cool as possible. Captain Barclay reported
on another defect. He said 1.-THE secont
great defect is the lack Of an armored am
munition tube to supply the upper decl
guns. The superstructure perforated witt
shot and water flowing over the decks, as !
| always does at sea, would necessitate th'
closing of every watertight hatch inside th'
superstructure, shutting of the supply
ammunition for the upper deck guns. ant
leaving no manner of escape from the en-
gine and fire rooms, except through tn
turrets.' .-pv -
The heat in the after turret caused tn
death of gunner's mate on duty there
The ships gig and the railings on the su
perstructure were destroyed by the con
cussion of the guns. Ilya.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
ELECTRIC BOLTS PLAY HAVOC.
Barns Burned, Horse Killed. and
People Rendered Unconscious.

Barns Burned, n Horse Killed. and
People Rendered Unconscious.
Hagerstown, Nd, July .25.-Lightning
struck the frame barn of Daniel R. Doub,
tenanted by George W. Cox, between Lydia
and Spielman's Station, on the Norfolk and
Western Railroad Sunday afternoon, and
the building, which was so by 80 feet
in dimensions, was burned to the ground
About 700 bushels of wheat, so tons of hay,
one new buggy, wagons, and farming i'm
plements were likewise destroyed. The
live stock was rescued with great difficulty
just in time by the neighbors.s The corn
crib and few other outbuildings were
saved. At one time the dwelling house was
threatened. and sparks fell upon the roof,
which, however, was soaked by rain.
A young son Of Mr.. Cox, who was atand-
ing fifty feet from the barn when it w:s
struck, was stunned by the lightning. He
called to his father, who ran to the stables
and commenced liberating the horses. He
saved several sets of harness.3IThe loss on
the barn is about 81 500; insured for $1,000.
The loss on the contents-about S700-is
fully covered by insurance.
The barn on the farm of Miss Annie An
derson, at Roxbury, Washington county.
was struck by lightning and damaged by
fire. horse owned by Fenton Sumans,
tenant, tied in the stable of the barn, was
struck and killed.
Mrs. Martha Baker, living south of Ha-
gerstown, along the Cumberland Valley
Railroad. was stunned by the electric fluid
and thrown from her chair to the floor
unconscious.
Lightning struck the chimney Of former
City Councilman William H. Fridinger's
house on South Mulberry. Street, knocked
the chimney off, and shocked Mrs. Friding,
er and Clyde Stover a neighbor.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
A WILDER BRIGADE MEMENTo
Preparations for Defeating Monu-
meut at Chfckamauga.

Preparations for Defeating a MOnu-
ment at Chickamauga.
Chattanooga, Tenn, July 25.-Gen. John
T. Wilder. commander of the famous Will
der Brigade at the battle Of Chickamauga,
is making extensive preparations for the
dedication of a handsome monument at
Chickamauga Park on September 20. The
brigade was composed Of the Sevensy-scc
ond and Eighteenth In6iana and Eintly-
second and One Hundred end Twenty third
Illinois Regiments. Five hundred surviv-
ors of the brigade are expected to be pres
ent.
Under the rules Of the National Park no
inscription is allowed on monuments and
markers except matter relating to the
Chattanooga -Chickamauga campaign. The
inscriptions must. be approved by the Park
Commission. General Wilder urges that
regimental ASSOCIATIONS Of his brigade pre-
pare inscriptions for the tablet. The tab
lets are forty-six inches wide and thirty
nine inches high, and the letters should be
three -fourths of an inch in size to be dis
cernible. Each regiment and battery has
a tablet and the brigade has two. making
one for the battery, one each for the Sew
enty- second and Eighteenth Indiana and
for the Ninety-second and One Hundred
and Twenty-third Regiments, and two for
the brigade, in all eight tablets, all OF the
same size. The inscriptions OF the brigade
tablets will relate to the movements OF
the brigade from its start at Decherd.
Tenn, to the terminatnion of the Chatta-
nooga campaign
The evening times., 1899-07-25
CRUEL PREPAYMENT OF A BOY.
Alleged Barbarous Conduct of a
Country LandIady.

Alleged Barbarous Conduct of
Country Landlady.
Paterson, n. j., July 25.-Harry Barclay,
jr., son Of Harry Barclay, Of the firm OF
Barclay & Co., silk manufacturers, has re-
turned home from visit in the country
with tale OF unusual cruelty, practiced
on him by a woman in whose house he
boarded. His parents recently received an
anonymous letter telling them that the boy
was being badly treated Mr.. and Mrs. Bar
clay went to the place where their son was
boarding and say they scarcely knew him
when they saw him, he was very thin, his
neck and face were scratched and there
were great welts all over his body.
The boy said he was often locked in
dark room for trivial offences and some
times kept there for days at time, often
without any food except chicken, bread,
and water. OCCASIONALLY he said he was
whipped with rawhide, and when he cried
he wasshung up by the neck until he stop
ped. Once, he said, when he would not
stop crying the woman got a reptile that
looked like a lizard and put it in his
mouth. His hands were tied behind his
back, he said, SO he could not take the
reptile out of his mouth. According to the
boys story, the creature bit his tongue,
and for several days his mouth was sore.
Mr.. Barclay laid the matter before the
present bishop OF the local Children S
Society. but he could not do anything on
account of a Tack of jurisdiction. The
home OF the accused woman is in New
York State BY the advice of the present
bishop a written statement of the case.
together with photographs Of the boy, will
be sent to the Gerry Society in New York
city. Speaking about his boys condition
today. Mr.. Barclay said: He is nothing
but skin and bones. His bones portrude
everywhere. / have seen pictures of Gu
ban reconcentrados but none of them was
terrible in, comparison with my boy.
There are great welts on his arms and
| body and his body Is covered with black
and blue spots where he has been struck
by fists and knotted ends Of rawhide whip
Several Of his teeth have been knocked
out. too. This was done when the woman
pushed a stick down his throat
my boy says that he would have es-
capped and tried to find his way home.
! said Mrs Barclay, had not his tormentoi
warned the policemen OF the place that be
was refractory and must be apprehended
| If he attempted to leave. The woman told
him that IL he died. and he was seemingly
| near it several times, she would throw his
| carcass on the ash heap"
The evening times., 1899-07-25
Columbia in Her Cradle.

Bristol, R. l., July 25.-For the first time
since she was launched, on June 10, the
Americas Cup champion Columbia again
occupies the cradle in which she was built,
and in it was hauled up on the launching
ways Just before noon yesterday until her
shimmering bronze underbody shone like
gold in the bright sunlight. The all-bronze
fyer came up from Bristol Sunday after
noon for the double purpose of having hel
underbody, cleaned and her new steel mast
stepped for the next formal brush with De-
fender on Saturday. bit of gossip. which
could not be4eonfirmed was that the wood
en- hoops on the masts will give way to
steel hoops. There is little likelihood OF an
other brush with the old cup champion be-
fore Wednesday. Managing Owner c. Oil
yer Iselin is determined that the cup con-
test off Newport next Saturday shall dem
onstrate conelusively that Columbia is east
ly Defenders superior To this end he Is
bending all his energies and neglecting no
precautions.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
A PRE-ADAM1TE CREATION.
Scientists In Wyoming Discover q
Curious Fossil Relic

Omaha, Neb., July 25.-The Union Pacific
scientific expedition, comprising 300 profes-
sors from various universities throughout
the country, has already met with crafty
ing success In the discovery of the bones Of
brontosaurus in Wyoming. This Is a huge
lizard, genus Of the American dinosauria
of the jurassic period. 1t had its being
at an age when the climate of Wyoming and
the Laramie plains was similar to that of
the tropics and the vegetation resembled
the palms chiefly found in the torrid zones
of Asia and America.
1t is thought that this brontosaurus is one
of the companions of that at Yale, discov-
cred in Wyoming, and restored in 1891 BY
Prof. O. c. Marsh. II such be the fact this
great reptile must have been in life more
than seventy feet long. One of these mon-
sters, whose remains have been discovered
in Wyoming, measures nearly one hundred
and thirty feet in length and about thirty
five feet in height al the hips.
This expedtionsmay demonstrate that the
Laramie plains were refuge to which pre-
Adamite creations fed. to be eventually
submerged and overwhelmed by the awful
cataclysms that wiped out every vestige of
life on earth.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
CALLED A MILITARY ERROR.
Captain McCaIla's View of the Bot

Captain McCalla's View of the Bot
thing Up of Cervera.
Newport, July 25.--At the session of the
War College yesterday Capt B. H. Nc
Gala. of the Norfolk navy yard, deliv-
cred lecture on the Lessons Of the Late
War" In the course OF the lecture Captain
McCalla said:
War has never been made without mis-
takes, and we would fail, perhaps. to profit
by our experience II we should be un-
willing to refer to those made in the sue
cessful naval campaign of 1898. 1t is un-
derstood from the narrative of Admiral
Sampson, published in the Century for
April. that the original suggestion for
sinking collier in the entrance TO San
tiago Harbor was presented during con-
ference of commanding officers on the flag
ship New York in the Bahama Channel, af-
ter report had been received from Schiey
off Santiago. 1t was then Thought 10 De
necessary that additional means should be
adopted to confine Cervera in that port
until the blockading squadron of Admiral
Schley could be REINFORCED.
But from a military point OF view IL
was serious error to try to keep the
Spanish ships in the harbor. The one thing
which seemed desirable was to encourage
them to come outside for battle. And, in
addition, by attempting to block the chan
mel We at once committed more serious
mistake, because We advertised the fact
that we did not intend to force the en-
trance to bring Cervera into action The
policy of the bIockading force thus fore
shadowed must have given Cervera and his
government some temporary relief, i'm
proved the morale of his officers and men,
and enabled him to land a force of 1,10O
seamen from his ships to assist the army.
Under such circumstances, success was
not probable. But as the attempt failed
and did not prevent Cervera from coming
| out to meet defeat, We can never regret
! that the Merrimac was sent in, for II gave
| the navy an opportunity of exhibiting such
| splendid gallantry and fearlessness OF
death that every American must be Proud
| Of Hobson and his cOmpaniOns.
The evening times., 1899-07-25
Kruger,s Growing Arrogance.

President Kruger's latest exhibition OF
eccentric stubbornness is important in that
il shows his dogged determination TO rule
or ruin. The situation is made all the more
ominous by the cringing attitude of the
Volksraad to the Presidents tyrannical will
Ii is evident that he is the complete master
OF Transvaal politics, and that he proposes
TO exercises his great power as best suits
his whim.
Now that he has been given a free hand
in the dynamite monopoly there is little
doubt that he will use his additional power
for the further oppression of all foreign in
terests in his domain. He can quickly de-
termine in his own way the issue of war
or peace. The British Government cam
not well recede an inch from its position in
the dispute, and unless Kruger sees fit TO
lessen the severity of his rule, now that he
has monopolized the legislative functions
of his government, war seems inevitable
even at the present stage. 1t is not i'm
probable that the old dictator will use his
new power 10 further restrict British COM
mercial rights, and in that event conflict is
sure to come as soon as the Salisbury Gov
which have been going forward energeti-
cally, though cautiously, for a month OF
more.
There is no likelihood that the issues
involved between the disputants will suf-
iciently broaden by development to Sc
riously threaten general aggravation
among the powers. The whole of Europe
would view a war between England and
the Transvaal Republic at present not as
an act of undue aggression on the part of
the British Government but as an effort
at castigation in the interest of Europe as
against the too hardy growth OF indepen-
dence and arrogance in a section of the
globe to which the eyes of the oyercrowded
Continent are turned with hope
II is probable that the British and not
the Kruger Government would ultimately
reap the benefit OF war precipitated by
the present issues at stake, whatever
might be the immediate result of military
operations. geographically the Beers
would have an advantage not to be de-
spised and which might enable them to
prolong the struggle for considerable Pc
riod, but the British forces could not be
prevented from invading and occupying
valuable territory which the Beers could
not hope TO recover.
On the whole, therefore, the present
headstrong course Of President Kruger ap-
The evening times., 1899-07-25
Loud's Islands Queer Predicament.
From the Portland press.)

Louds Island, the coast of Maine, near his
tor;c Pemsquid, in the Lincoln county town OF
Bristol, is one of the very few places on earth
where there are no taxes. This island, other
wise known rs Muscongus was overlooked when
Maine became State, and was put into no town
or county. II is said that during the war the
people cast their votes for a time in the town
Of Bristol, until some election officer discovered
the illegality of the vote. The island was first
settled by John Loud, deserter from British
man-ofwar, and his great-grandchildren are now
prominent inhabitants BY voluntary contribu-
tions school rs maintained, the parents paying
- for each Child. The school term averages
eight months In each year. and there is an ay-
erage attendance Of eighteen scholars. Catching
bait for the fishermen at Boston, Gloucester, and
Portland is the most profitable business of the
people. but when bait is slack in running they
turn their attention 20 iobstsring, maekere FISH,
ing. and catching pcrgies Tor the big oil and
fetflixing factory opposite the isahd n Bristol