davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
AN OLD STORY.
Revived by n Letter from Il Brave Soldier
in the Philippines.

in the Philippines.
Johnny Wickham has been in the
thick of the fighting that has fallen tC
the share of the First Montana infantry
in the Philippines, but it is doubtful if
all the time he has been lodging
Mauser bullets from the insurgent lines
he has been any nearer to death than
he was II day III Billings about six
years ago.
Wickham was a cowboy in the en-
ploy of Otto Franc in Wyoming in
1898. This was the year following the
r~ustler war, when so many men OH
both sides of the controversy met with
violent deaths. Two men who had
been arrested for horsestealing were
murdered while being conveyed by the
constable to Buffalo, Wyo., for trial.
Wickham was suspected of participate
ing in the crime, and, as the local gov
eminent of the county had fallen into
the hands of those who were opposed tc
the drastic measures adopted by the
cattle owners, a reward was offered for
his capture, and it was feared by his
friends that he would never have a
chance for a trial.
Wickham fled from Wyoming and
was captured by the sheriff of Fergus
county and brought to Billings to be
delivered to the officer from Wyoming,
who came with a ,requisition from the
governor of that state. He expressed
his Willingness to stand trial, but
feared that he never would reach Buff
talo should he be sent across country in
charge of John Dee, the officer who
bore the governors 1equisition. A
writ OF habeas corpus was issued and
the matter came before Judge Milburn,
who exacted from Dee a promise that
he would take the prisoner around by
Butte and Rawlins by rail.
Dee got his prisoner securely
shackled and handcuffed into a car
riage, accompanied by another man,
and at once started. contrary to his
promise, for Kennedy's ferry and across
country. As soon as his breach of faith
was observed Mr.. Goddard, who was
attorney for Wickham and had taken
the %precaution to have all the necessary
papers prepared, Immediately applied
to the judge for another writ of habeas
corpus. Then the sheriff, j. M. RAM
sey. armed with the writ and followed
by a number of citizens, rode rapidly
after the carriage. overhauled it before
it reached the ferry and brought back
the prisoner. Then the judge rescinded
the order and the governor of Wyoming
was notified that if a proper officer
were sent within two weeks his requi-
sition would be honored.
There was a mutual exchange of COM
pliments between the two governors,
and a suspension of diplomatic rela-
tions between the two states. but Wick
ham was never sent for again, and was
quietly set at liberty. He went away
for a few months, when he returned to
his fathers ranch in Jefferson county
and remained there until the outbreak
OF the war, when he enlisted in the
First Montana infantry.
1t is asserted by those who profess to
know that had Johnny Dee aver got
him as far as the border of Wyoming
he would have been hung to the first
convenient tree. And that is why the
first paragraph of this story is written.
A letter recently received from Wick
ham revived the story. 60
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
A Remembrance.

"Have you anything besides this
photograph by which l can identify
him?' asked the detective.
eyes, have. replied the hard fea-
tured matron. whose husband had de-
serted her. And. going to her bureau
drawer. she took out a bunch of ginger
colored hair. tied with a ribbon. Him
and me had some words one day." she
said. land l pulled all this out of his
head. Chicago Tribune.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
1T WAS AN ACCIDENT.
Mrs. Charles Seaman Says Her Husband
Did Not Kill Himself.

Mrs. Charles Seaman Says Her Husband
Did Not Kill Himself.
The following letter from Mrs. Car
RE Seaman to Mr.. and Mrs. BerJ
Shorey of Merrill is self-explanatory
Mrs. Seaman's husband, Charles Sea
man, was found dead a few weeks age
near his ranch and it was stated that he
had met death at his own hand. Mrs.
Seaman states different. Her husband
is we'll remembered here, having form.
erly worked on David traits ranch Oh
the Musselshell.
"Radersbutg, Mont, April 2, 1899.
MIR. and Mrs. Bert Shorey, Merrill,
Monthly Dear Friends: I have gone
through with a keen sorrow in the last
two weeks. I don't seem to be the
same being I was before this terrible
blow fell upon me. Your kind letter
came, dear Mr.. Shorey, and I have
only to confirm what you read in the
papers about poor Charley's death.
Only they claim it was intentional, and
the contrary of this report is all I have
to console me. I do not believe it was
suicide, as is SO horribly mentioned in
the newspapers. No one saw it done.
Why could it not have been an acct
dent, as the other? The weapon was
one of the most dangerous kind. He
had his arms full of robes. He was
found right in front of the door of the
bunk house, OF the ground. His face
was not powder burned. The door sill
was fully two feet or more from the
ground without a step, which would
bring the knob Of the door nearly even
with a mans head. He might have
gone into the cabin to get the revolver,
and, in closing the door with it in his
hand, he might have pressed the trig-
ger, which would have fired it off. as
it was what is called a 'self-action.'
But people are eager to make it out a
suicide.
Poor Charley had nothing to worry
him except a project of getting a coun-
ty road through the ranch, and this
the county commissioners had prom
ised him they would not allow. Our
domestic life was supreme in its happi-
ness. He loved his little girl very
tenderly. His business was very
straight and the sheep had wintered
with but little loss.
"Oh, Mr.. Shorey, do not believe it
was suicide, for it was not. I am fully
convinced of that. It was true Charley
had hurt his head, but I never for one
instant knew him to be affected men,
tally by it, and it was away last Sep
TENDER when he was thrown out of a
wagon. he was not even stunned.
with our friends-and Charley had
numbers of them down there-won't
you please dispell the idea of suicide in
their minds. I cling to this convic.
ton, as I believe I would go crazy if I
thought it was anything but an acct
dent.
Your kindness in Offering aid I ap-
preciate and will avail myself of it if I
may need you. I have a kind, suli-
citous family to rest my sorrow with.
with kindest wishes to- you, all and
God bless you, I am, your sincere
friend, Carrie A. Seaman
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
COUNTY BRIDGE DAMAGED,
The One Across the Yellowstone Will
Necessitate Some Repairs

Necessltate Some Repairs.
The county commissioners, who have
been in session this week, went down
to the river Wednesday afternoon and
inspected the county bridge. which had
been damaged by the floating ice.
They found that, although the bridge
and piers were intact, the cribhing
which surrounds the piers had been
badly damaged. The county surveyor
was instructed to draw plans for its
repair and the county clerk was ordered
to ask for bids at once for doing the
work. The extent of the damage is
abont 81, 900.
Reports reach the commissioners of a
number of bridges throughout the couu-
ty being washed out.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14

should be marked ION snthe financial
barometer public confidence Still,
while I rejoiced at that evidence Of
prosperity. it did not give me the salts
faction I experienced when I saw the
price of labor advance. 1t is the pros
perity of the masses which means good
times.D
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14

That plants when injured suffer from
fever is a new discovery by a British
botanist. Plants suffer in a similar
manner to animals under like condi-
tions. The rate of respiration increases
and the temperature rises, reaching a
maximum within "a hours.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14

Some Of the machines for making
matches which are used in these days
make 900 revolutions in a minute and
turn out about 3, 500, 600 matches daily.
or about 900. 900, 900 annually.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14

The vine attains a great age. contin-
uing fruitful for at least 400 years. It
is supposed to be equal to the oak as re-
CARDS longevity
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
Nothing: Liberal About 1t,

Wilkins-I understand you are Civ
ing your son a liberal education.
Hobbs-LiberalY Not a bit of it.
They don't give any tu,ng away at the
college where he is. I have to pay for
every plaguy thing he gets.-Boston
Transcript.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
THE BILLINGS GAZETTE: FRIDAY, APRIL IA, 1899

tiful illustrations, aud will be a COM
plete and succinct history of the part
played by the Asiatic squadron in the
war between the United States and
Spain"
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-14
They All Knew.

Teacher-Now. boys, who was Co.
lumbus?
No answer.
Teacher lpromptingly)-The man
that
Glass (readily)-Broke the bank at
Monte Carlo-London Judy.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
Miller SWindIed Several LeaV-
enWorth Women.
His "Get Rich Quick" Scheme
Fascinated Them.
A SYNDICATE
One Victim Sent Over $500 to
the Brooklyn Fake.
Several Left Dividends For
Weeks Awaiting Increase.

Leavenworth, Dec. 18.-The "get-rich-
quick scheme of the Brooklyn man
named Miller, who operated so exten-
sively throughout the country, was very
well patrOnized by a number of well
known ladies of Leavenworth-
AS much as $500 was said to have
been sent to New York by one woman
of this city. in return for which she
received nothing back.
1t was some six months ago that the
first of MilIer's circulars were received
in Leavenworth. Only a, few of them
came at first and they found little favor.
A few responded, and one woman, who
invested $40 just for fun,'' was agree
ably surprised to received at the end Of
the week 81 bill on her investment
She told her friends. More circulars
came. The secret was quietly whisper
ed between bosom friends tete-a-tete
at 1uncheOns, teas, card parties or re-
ceptions. Some of the more timid, not
trusting themselves, entrusted their
funds to a friend. who sent the money,
and then she sighed and waited anx-
iOUsly the result. To some of them the
dividends were really paid. others,
more bold and cOvetOuS of more gain
drew nothing, but left their money on
deposit, secure in the belief that at the
end of every week their capital had in
creased One-tenth and at the end OF ten
weeks they had doubled, and more, the
original amount deposited.
A South LeaVenWOrth woman invest
ed freely in the scheme and lost several
hundred dollars. She withdrew some of
her earnings" before the crash came
Another lady, residing in the north
ern part of the city, was not so FORUM
ate She invested her money and kept
adding to it, not even drawing out the
weekly dividends. but allowing them to
become part of the principal and com
K.
for the amount which the firm would
receive was limited and there was a
rush to get in.
During the past week several money
orders have been repaid at the Leaven-
worth postoffice, the Brooklyn office
having caught on to N1ilIer's game.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
SlO,O00,OOO LOANED.
The Clearing House Committee
Lends Bulls a Helping Hand.

New York, Dec. 18.-As a result Of a
meeting of the clearing house commit
tee this afternoon $4,000, 900 has been
loaned on the stock exchange.
The bears made seemingly reckless
incursions into prices and dislodged a
perfect avalanche of stocks, prices
dropping a point or more between sales
The market fell into utter demoraliza-
ton which continued until after 2:03
O'Clock when the bears began covering,
bidding for stocks in the same reckless
way in which they had sold and bring
ing prices back a point or upwards at
a jump.
At the extreme low level Tobacco
showed a loss of 211A, Metropolitan
2014 Tennessee Coal 16, Peoples Gas 13,
Continental Tobacco 101h, Brooklyn
Transit and Federal Steel 1212 each,
Manhattan and Anaconda, st. Paul,
Burlington, B. & O., pfd., Southern Pa
cific General Electric, Northwest and
New York Central 53s to Z. The rush
of bears to cover carried the prices of
stocks which have suffered more Sc
verely up again from o to 10 points. The
excitement was extreme and continued
with furious activity up to the close Of
the market.
Ten minutes before the close money
was loaned at 125 per cent.
AS a result of this action by the
clearing house bank, call money drop
ped to per cent a few minutes before
the close of the stock exchange.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
Kansas Territorial Scrip Which Has
Never Been Redeemed.

State Treasurer Grimes received to-
day an inquiry concerning territorial
scrip which is a relic of the very early
days in Kansas. The inquiry comes
from Boston and the amount involved
is 49, 500.
The scrip was issued in June and
July, 1859, and was presented for pay
ment soon thereafter. The scrip was en-
dOrsed by H. L. Stickler, auditor, and
Robert Mitchell, treasurer.
The signatures of these officials were
attached October 15 1859, at LecOmpton,
then the capital of the state.
The present holder of the scrip will
probably continue to act in such ca
pacfty, because there are no funds to
pay this issue of territorial obligations.
During the past few years number
of obligations incurred on account Of
the war, raids and other emergencies
connected with the first development
of the state have made their appear
ance, but the legislature has always de-
clined to make an appropriation for
their payment. However, Mr.. Grimes
has notified the holders of the scrip
about which he today received inquiry
to present it to the legislature for pay
ment.
THE legislature aIone,7 said Mr.
Grimes, has control of this matter"
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
LAMP EXPLODED.
Mrs. James A. Dunn Is Severely
Burned as a Result.

Mrs. James A. Dunn, living at sos
Tyler street, was horribly burned about
the face, neck. arms and chest by the
explosion of a lamp Saturday. Her in
juries are serious and extremely pain
full, but the attending physician does
not believe they will prove fatal.
The explosion occurred in the dining
room of her home, and resulted from an
attempt on the part of Mrs. Dunn to
blow out the lamp. The burner was
defective in such a way that the fame
was blown into the bowl of oil, and in
a moment the lamp was a wreck and
Mrs. Dunn's clothing above her waist
on fire. At first she tried to beat out
the flames with her hands, but finding
this impossible and almost crazed with
pain she screamed for help and ran
through the kitchen into the back yard
A man working at the Bradley resi-
dence next door saw her as she came
from the house with her clothing on
fire and hurried to her rescue. He sue
ceeded in getting her into the house
just as her daughter and a IOdger, at
tracted by her screams reached the
kitchen. A blanket was procured and
rapped about Mrs. Dunn, and in a
few moments the flames were extin-
guished. BY this time however, practi-
cal1y all the clothing on the upper part
of her body had been consumed, and
her flesh was horribly burned.
The burning oil set fire to the carpet
and draperies in the dining room. and
while the rescue of Mrs. Dunn was be-
ing accomplished the flames there
gained considerable headWay, but the
fire was soon exunguiShed.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY.
clever Scheme of Two Grocery Clerks
to Defraud their Employer.

Kansas City, Kan, Dec. 19.-City De-
tectives Walsh and Bradbury, of the
police force, Saturday unearthed a very
clever robbery which has been practiced
on the West End Grocery company for
the past two months. AS a result of the
discovery James A Adams, the conf
Dental clerk of the company and JOS
eph Bishop, a driver for the Standard
Oil company, are both occupying cells
in the city hOldover.
For the last few weeks the proprietOrs
of the store noticed that the receipts
for coal oil and gasoline were not Suf-
ficient to meet the bills paid for the oil
at wholesale rates. The firm was buy
ing from 100 to $50 gallons of oil daily,
and the cashbOOk seldom showed the
sale of more than SeVenty-fiVe gallons
per day. The matter was reported to
the police, and Detectives Walsh and
Bradbury were detailed on the case
Saturday the two officers stationed
themselves across the alley from the
oil tank and watched Bishop deliver the
oil The firm ordered 100 gallons.
Adams, the clerk, kept tab on the driv-
er, for the firm, as had been his custom
Of doing Bishop delivered eighty gal
Ions of oil and then took in an order,
with Adams o. K, for 100 gallons. Be
fore the cashier paid the bill the two
detectives. who had watched the trans
action confronted Adams and Bishop.
They were taken completely by sur
prise. It was Adams duty to watch the
measuring of the oil and then o. K the
bill for the same which the driver
would collect before leaving the store
In this manner the firm was robbed of
from ten to thirty gallons of oil daily.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
CASUALTY LIST.
Brought Up to Date by General
Otis.

Washington, Dec. 18.-Genera1 Otis
latest casualty list is as follows:
Drowned in Rio Grande, near Cabana-
tuan, November z. Twenty y-secOnd in
fantry, c. J. Marks F; at Tayaug, De
cember Sth, Twenty infantry,
John H. Johnstone, corporal H. Dysen-
terry, November %, Thirty-fourth in
fantry, Frank Wells, A; December 9,
Eleventh cavalry, John Delaney, ser
geant, E; 18th, Fourth infantry, David
E. Buckingham. I. Typhoid fever, 27th,
Twenty second infantry, Charles Balm
water, c; December Sth, Twelfth infan-
try, Dean S. Shearer. E. Gunshot
wounds in action, December 10, Thirty
third infantry, Gilbert Baron, G.; 18TH
Thirty sixth infantry, Hardy T. Law
renee; by comrade, December g. Third
cavalry, Charles Rist. F; suicide, De-
cember Is, Thirty-sixth infantry, Mark
A. HALLS, corporal, f; meningitis, De
cember 10, Thirty ty-seventh infantry,
Lewis L. OstwOod, G; varioIa, Decem-
ber 10, Third cavalry, VIM. c. McFar-
land. K; tuberculosis, December 5,
Thirty-fifth infantry, Homer Paup. A,
18th, Twenty second infantry, Arthur
Hollenbeck, E; cOlitis. December 9TH,
Eighteenth infantry, Thomas Smith. K !;
septicemia, December 18TH Ninth infan-
try, Henry WOlper, sergeant, band.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
BOsTON's FAILURE.
A Conference of Capitalists Devising
Means to Prevent a Panic


Boston, Mass, Dec. 1S.-The Post win
say tomorrow:
'-As d result of a conference of Boston
and New York financial men which at
2 o'clock Sunday morning had been in
almost uninterrupted session for more
than "A hours. it is probable that there
viii be a special meeting of the stock
exchange at 9 o'clock this morning to
consider drastic measures Cf the pres
ent financial situation
At this conference it was practically
decided that il no action was taken
support would at least be given to good
stocks in order to prevent what might
be termed a gamblers panic.
There is one stock in particular a.
Boston stock which has sold far ab owe
par. which went little below it Sa-lur-
day. and large blocks of which are ex-
pected to be thrown on the market by
men who think they must have the
money TO protect them in other lines.
Thrown upon a. market in which there
ere no buyers, there is no tellin e how
lar the downward rush would carry the
prices
"A measure which was being .eonsid-
cred at the conference. was uni Ted aC-
tIon by the stock exchange in the re-
such action, or any radical step, viii
depend To q great extent upon tie Lon
don market this morning. II that should
DE Very bad, some drastic measures are
almost certain to be adopted TO bolster
up the situation here.
1t was reported last niGht that ne
Eotatlons We're in progress for the alb
SorpI1on OF large blocks of United
states mining for cash by New York
interests. A conference with that OBJ
1ect in view was in progress at late
nour last evening. 1t came down mere
ly TO question Of price As is we'll ap-
preciated on the street. such a pur-
chase at this time would be a great re-
lief to the situation"
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
what Calderhead Wants

LF'rom the Washington POst1
1.-THE house has made much progress IN
settling public questions since I was last
in congress-" declared Judge William A.
Calderhead of MarysviIle, Kan, yester-
day. Judge CaIderhead is an Ohioan BY
birth His. tall. slender figure has grown
more gray since he served In the Fifty
fourth congress. He was defeated by
Populist in 1896. I'VE have advanced 70 a
point where we can pass gold-stahdard
bill. The next step viii be toward some
reform in banking laws"
Are you seeking a place again on the
banking and currency cOmnittee2" Judge
CaIderhead was asked. He was mem
Der of that committee four years ago
Il have asked for such a committee as
slgnment." replied the Judge in his quiet
unassuning manner THE Kansas dele
cation have given me their Endorsement.
but 1 do not know what the speaker viii
think about it.
I believe the. senate bill is preferable
to the house bill" added the Judge II
may try to express my views on the
measure in the house tomorrow"
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
"PIE" JORDANAGAIN.
Steals Wagon Load of Coal and Is
Arrested.

sam Hayden, cOlored, was arrested
this morning for stealing coal. His wife
is in jail and he is now under the same
roof with her.
Two cOIored men with a coal wagon
drove up to a car and loaded the wagon.
The coal in the car belonged to c. G.
Nicholson and the wagon was a
strange one. one of the employees of
the yard followed the wagon and called
Officer Hendricks. The wagon turned
in an alley and the officer turned in
behind it. TIE man who was driving
handed the reins to the man with him
and escaped. officer Hendricks arrested
the driver, Sam Hayden. and took him
with the team and wagon to the police
station. Hayden had a bottle of alcO-
hol in his pocket and was very certain
he had been tricked as he claimed to
Know nothing about the wagon. Later
colored man came and claimed the
wagon He said he hired it to a man to
use for an hour. He took his wagon
and team home The notorious Pie"
Jordan, who was lately released from
jail because he had the Cuban chicken
poX,', was arrested for stealing the coal.
Hayden said he was the guilty party
who eSca ped.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
a Beautiful Store.

G. H Morrison has perhaps as fine
line of jewelry and silverware as can
be found in the city. The store at sos
Kansas avenue is filled with Christmas
novelties and twelve clerks are busy
waiting on the trade Dainty watches
of UNIQUE pattern with standard works
make a charming present for a lady
Handsome rings in stock Many novel
designs in siIverware for table and
sideboard Diamonds, shirt studs, or
cuff buttons make pleasing presents for
gentleman friends. The prices are not
extravagant As opticians, this firm is
not sIlrpa ssed in Topeka. and a complete
stock Of goods along this line is han
died A speciality is made of repairing
and cleaning watches For years this
firm has been dealing in Topeka. until
they have become recognized by the
public as the leaders in conservative
prices of high standard goods in their
especial line They take a pleasure in
showing their wares. Call and examine
their handsome Christmas selections.
No better bargains can be had in To-
peka-
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
ooNvIcTs IN A soHoo1HoUsE
Two of the Escaped Prisoners Cap
tured at Springdale, Kan.

and J. Z. Watson, two OF three con-
victs who escaped from the federal PEN
itentiary hospital, Wednesday night,
were captured near Springdale Satur-
day. They went into a school house and
built fire to keep warm when a far
mer discovered them and notified his
neighbors. The school house was sur
rounded and the convicts surrendered
when a couple of guns were stuck in
the windows. They were nearly starv-
ed.
The other one still at large lives in
Doniphan county, and his comrades say
he started for his old home.