davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
PENNILESS NOW,
THE USUAL FATE OF THE
DANGEROUS WOMAN.
The Countess of -Bettencourt, Once the
Most Prominent Figure in Philadel-
phia, Has Disappeared-Her Trunk Elm
Hoo" for Storage Charges.

A decade ago Anita De Bettencourt-
McMurrow, better known as the Coun-
tess De Bettencourt, was one of the
most prominent figures in Philadel-
phia, while her reputation extended
throughout the continent Of America,
both north and south. Many Philadel-
phians plainly remember the meteoric
career OF this woman, and a number
OF prominent business men there have
cause to regret ever forming an &C
Quaintance with her. At that time she
spent money with a lavish hand; today
she Is penniless and unable to pay a
paltry storage debt for portraits Of
rare beauty and a black chest, which
will be disposed of at public auction
unless the charges are paid.
Anita De Bettencourt has entirely
disappeared from public. Even her
then intimate friends profess to know
nothing about her present where
abouts. Ten years ago she was a friend
OF President Cleveland, General Sheri-
dan and many notables in public life.
and counted her friends by the hun
dred. All this has disappeared with
the woman, and 1t is doubtful if she
has a single friend to help her out of
her difficulties. The honored guests
who were entertained under her roof
know her no more. The ~palatial resi-
dence which was the talk Of the city
has given place to a tumble-down,
poorly furnished miserable looking
two-story house in the northeastern
part Of the Pennsylvania city.
Her fictitious claim against the gov
eminent of Spain drew to her side
many Of the leading business men OF
Philadelphia and New York, who pour
ed into her Golfers millions of dollars
upon the promise that they would be
richly rewarded when the countess
was restored to her rights. AS a bait
to catch the unwary she wove an at
tractive, fairylike story, claiming that
the Spanish government owed her $780,
100000 for the destruction of her es-
tate in Cuba. She had victims by the
score, who contributed various sums
from $1,000 to 5000, 900. The heaviest
loser in these transactions was Elmer
M. Billings, secretary of the Mercan-
tile Safe Deposit company of New
York, who became enamored Of the
countess and lost 5000, 900. Through
her stories w. G. Toplis, a druggist,
and Patrick F. Brennan were induced
to invest $4,000 and $4,000 in the
Spanish" claim.
There are stories of a butcher who
lost 100000, a doctor who gave up
S125,000, a real estate dealer who was
$4,000 poorer after his experience with
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
THE COUNTESS.


the countess, and a list, in fact, that
would be startling If they could all
be called to mind. One peculiar fact
about the affair was that it was doubt
full II a crime was ever committed,
for these people all put up their O N
expecting to get two or three times the
amount of the original back again.
Spanish gold had a wonderfully at
tractive influence upon the minds Of
the quaker city business men, who
readily produced, after hearing the
countess's story of fabulous wealth
coming to her in Spain of bonds val
ued at $4,000. 900 pieces of Spanish
gold that were hers, but which some
one else was holding away from her.
To further her plans she resorted to
extreme measures, and SO worked upon
the credulity Of Mr.. Barca, the then
Spanish minister to this country, that
he allowed himself to lend his assist
ance to the adventures. When he
discovered his error and realized the
position he had placed himself in he
committed suicide rather than give
al SARl1hdtlOh III HIS lOlly W lie Dan
ish government. Several prominent
Philadelphia lawyers lent not only
legal, but financial, assistance to the
countess, but none of them will now
admit his connection and refuses to
be interested in any way with her
present doings.
Gnonteh nnfJ onnAoraS - $500
potent charm than the countess per-
sonality. With the exception of Ell
mer Billings, a New York dupe, none
Of the Philadelphia victims appeared
to be smitten with her charms. She
appeared to experience no difficulty
whatever in securing all the money
she needed in furtherance of her plans.
She conducted her household In a
manner BETTING her supposed rank.
Her domestics included ten female
servants, five men servants and two
priests, who lived at her house. Her
dainty feet never touched the side
walk, for a coach and pair awaited
her bidding If she desired to travel
n block. She lived In superb style.
servants galore. and a home furnished
with the most lavish magniflcence.
This was about 1876. Today she is
poor and needy, and her so years is
telling On her vivacious personality.
The sumptuousness Of her surround
ings gave abundant color to the fairy
like tales she told her victims.
Her story, as related by one af her
dupes, was that she was the heir to
the Bettencourts, one of the weaithiest
and Oldest families In Spain, who had
emisrated to Cuba In the early part Of
the present century and owned vast
estates. which were confscated By the
govstument Of Cuba during the rsvo-
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

no news of the daring adventures
reached the outside world, and when
rumors did come to the ears Of the
traders along the coast they only con-
frmed the fears of Mr.. Chambers
friends. 1t was reported in London
that the expedition had stranded at
Daitcho. The Geographical Society Of
London confirmed the report. Grave
fears were entertained that Mr.. Chan
Ter would never reach the coast. But
in February of the following year, aft
er sustaining many hardships and be-
ing deserted by many Of his followers,
the explorer succeeded in reaching the
coast.
The expedition was not without re-
suits. Much valuable information was
added to the sum of knowledge of the
interior of Africa. Mr.. Chanler had
discovered and mapped a region. hith-
erto unknown, equal in area to that of
Portugal. Mr.. Chanler was made a
fellow of the Royal Geographical So
ciety of England and a member of the
Imperial and Royal Institute of Vienna.
as a 6COsulliOu VI Ills services to
science and geography. Returning to
America he wrote an exceedingly in
teresting account Of his adventures
in a book, which he entitled
Through Jungle and Desert"
This was no small achievement for a
young man Just out Of college, but Mr..
Chanler did not rest on his laurels.
About two years ago he Joined Tam
many Hall as a Bryan Democrat. He
invaded politics with the same vigor
which had characterized his movement
upon Africa and with about parallel
results. His friends and his family
now believed him lost indeed. but he
o % emerged from the struggle with
new trophies in the shape of offices
and political preferment. His family
and his friends became reconciled to
this newest departure of a young mar
who need never have distressed him
self with anything more important
shan the fit Of his coat or the color
Of his tie. Then the war with Spain
became the vital issue of the hour, and
Mr. Chanler, like the leaders Of his
,arty, rose to the opportunity as q
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

He has aroused the railroad world of
America and the financial worlds of
America and Europe, for he has done
all this in less than six years, and
his ambition is to push his lines north,
east and west. He is less than 40
years of age, the keenest of financiers,
the boldest of projectors. He has rails
ed over $50, 0O0. 900 in the face Of pam
les and every opposition imaginable,
and spent 1t in his own enterprises,
and he is said to be by NO means rich.
He was called a dreamer up to a year
or two ago; today he Is admitted to be
a towering figure, whose plans aim at
the diversion of the products Of the
West toward new outlets to Europe,
and the wrestling of vast traffic from
railroad lines which regard 1t as theirs
by right. This is Arthur E. Stillwell,
president of the Kansas City, Pittsburg
and Gulf railroad, and about fifty of it's
allied enterprises.
How has a man designated as i'm
practicable a few brief years ago made
so immense a leap?
Railroad people, while freely admit
ting he is a factor that must be reckon
ed with, say they don't know and
let it go at that. Some of Stillwell's
friends say they don't know, either.
Others say by having propositions to
offer that talked for themselves. Still
we'll himself says by striking the word
cant" out of his vocabulary. What
ever be the explanation, the career of
a man who at n end of a decade
regarded as light is running around
enduring snubs, Sights and worse, try
ing to insure peoples lives. and at the
other welding all the power of a rail-
road magnate, increasing In impor-
lance daily. must be interesting, and
Stillwell is.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
The Ministry of Quiet Lives.

There are multitudes of lowly lives
which are little known in the world,
whose work no pen records, but whose
influence will be seen in the end, to
reach the farthest shores. They make
no noise; but it needs NO noise to make
a re really helpful. How quietly the
suhbeams, for instance, fall upon the
fields! and yet what life and inspira.
ton they shed aroundl How ~noiseless-
ly the flowers Dfoom! and yet what rich
blessings Of sweetness do they emit
How quietly, too, the angels wosf.
moving with noiseless tread through
Nsss homes and yer performing their
N-lSless ministries for us! Who hears
them? and yet they are, If we could
but recognize them, moving along our
path, and they bring to us rich joys oil
comfort, suggestion, guidance and
strength every day. How quietly the
Infinite Himself works! We zeal moi
His movements, and yet He is ever
ministering to us in a thousand ways,
and bringing to us the rarest and best
gifts of His love. This is not senti-
ment; 1t is fact. When on this earth
in the flesh, He sought not, but rather
Stunned. publicity and notoriety. He
did not strive or cry; He made little
ado; but went about His work quietly.
His wondrous power was life-power,
which He shed forth If silent influence
among the people, and that power Ia
beating today in almost every land, In
millions of hearts and throughout the
whole Of the spiritual world. And in
some degree, more or less, many of our
Lords earthly followers have caught
His beautiful spirit, and work so quietly
that we scarcely recognize them as be-
ing among the great army of workers.
They do no marvellous things, but their
lives are full Of use, full of blessing.
There Is a quiet and unconscious
sphere or influence ever emanating
from them that falls like a benediction
on every life that comes under their
control, for 1t is not only u elaborate
ly wrought deeds that leave results be-
hind. Much Of the be work we do Ia
done quite Observation-Disclosures
from a memorial sermon by Rev. w. T.
Lardge in Morning Light.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
Russian Courtship.

One Of the national eccentricities in
the Ukraim Russia Is that the maiden
Is the one that does all the counting.
When she falls In love with a man
she goes to his house and tells him
the state Of her feelings. If he re-
ci~procates all is we'll. and q formal
marriage is duly arranged. If,however,
he is unwilling, she remains there,
hoping to coax him into a better mind.
The poor fellow cannot treat her with
the least discourtesy or urn her out,
for her friends would be sure to
avenge the insult. His best chance,
therefore, If he is really determined
that he will not marry her, is to leave
his home and stay away as long as
she is in it. This is certainly a pecul-
lar way of turning a man out OF house
and home.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

William Aston Chanler, the newly
elected member Of congress from the
Fourteenth district of New York, is
one of the most interesting men whom
the recent elections have brought con-
spicuously before the people Of the
country. Although Mr.. Chanler is
only 81 years of age he is already we'll
known as an explorer, as a soldier
and as a politician. His father was
the late ]. w. Chanler, three times
elected to congress by the votes Of
the citizens of New York. John Jacob
Aston was his neutrality-suspicious.,
and he therefore belongs to one of the
most aristocratic and socially impor-
tant families in America.
Young Chanler graduated from Har-
ward in 1887, receiving from the uni
versity the honorary degree Of A. M.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
LIFE-SAvER ASKS SIC, 900.

Capt. Thomas ]. Reilly, formerly
professional life-saver at Balmer's
bathing pavilion, Coney Island, has
now gone to court to demand $40, 900
damages from a young woman because
he did lot find her body under the sad
sea waves last summer. Capt. Reilly
was in charge of the life guards at
Banners pavilion when Miss Louise
King and her maid engaged compart-
ments, and Miss King disappeared and
the maid wept and said she had been
drowned. He searched the beach for
two weeks in vain and in his COM
plant alleges he suffered great mental
strain and was discharged because he
could not find Miss Kings body.
As that healthy and much alive
young was in Philadelphia
after leaving the bathing pavilion and
corresponding with the nan of her
choice, Reilly was not to blame, Meth
er was the young woman. Girls in love
have done stranger things than leave
their clothes in a bathing compart-
ment, don others and go and get mar
ried to the only man on earth. In
this case the only man was s. Lloyd
Chamberlain, and after a brief stay
with friends in Philadelphia Miss King
became Mrs. Chamberlain and her
family forgave her for the scare she
had given them. But the professional
l~ife-saver's feelings are too tender and
his pride too great to be trifed with by
a mere girl in love with somebody
else. 1t was worth $40, 900 to his pride
to be searching for a pretty young
woman in the fiotsam and jetsam
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
PriokIY LettncA.

One Of our worst weeds Is Prickiy
Lettuce, an illustration Of which we
publish on this page. On the Pacific
Coast the plant is known quite wide
ly as Chinese Lettuce, under the mis-
apprehension that it came from China.
1t is In reality a native of Europe. 1t
Is not known at what date it was
brought to America, as it probably OBJ
tanned a foothold here long before it
was noticed by officials competent to
determine its character. 1t seems to
have been first observed in Massachu-
sets in 1868. Thence it made its way
quickly westward, being able to spread
rapidly on account of having an awned
seed that can travel long distances be-
fore the wind. 1t is now spread all
over the country. When 1t gets into
the grain fields it sometimes entirely
smothers the grain.
This plant grows from one to six
feet high, branches literally, as shown
in the cut. The flowers are yellow.
The plant has a milky juice and by
some has been mistaken for a milk
weed" Its production OF seed is very
prolific, a single plant having been
known to produce over 5000 seeds. The
eradication is very difficult, on account
Of some characteristics of the plant. It
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
MARRIED BY PHONOGRAPH,
Scheme Hit Upon by Couple Who Didn't

Scheme Hit Upon by Couple Who Didn't
Want to Walt Years for Clergyman.
Marriage by photograph was the new
scheme hit upon by a would-be benedict
in Barclay, northern Manitoba, a place
visited by a clergyman only once in
every four years. The bride was will
ing, the groom was waiting, and every
thing was in readiness for the happy
event; but the clergyman had paid his
periodical visit only six months be-
fore, and three years and a half must
elapse before he would visit the ham
let again. Then the clever bridegroom
raked his brains and decided on a
course Of action. He had heard Of the
wonders of the photograph, and rode
to Winnipeg to secure one Taking 1t
to the nearest justice of the peace he
induced him to speak the marriage SER
vice into the monographs receiver,
and fastened home with his precious
burden. In a short time invitations
were out for the wedding of John Bar
clay, Jr. (the town was named after
his father), with Miss Lillian Armitage,
the lady of his choice. Before long in
vitations were out for the wedding of
a second couple, Miss Edna Claverton
and Harry Pringle, who had decided
to be married at the same time. At
the appointed time the first couple
stood before the photograph, which
put the usual questions and received
the usual answers. Then Miss Claver-
ton and Mr.. Pringle stood up and went
through the same ordeal. At the con-
clusion of this first double wedding by
photograph the event was ~celehrated
with feasting worthy Of the event.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
WILLIAM ASTOR CHAMBER.

When he came of g he undertook
a hunting trip to Africa, where he
remained for nearly a year. In Sep
TENDER, 1892, he Joined Chevalier Won
Hohnel, a lieutenant in the Austrian
navy, and together they set out with
their caravan from Zanzibar to pene-
trate into the interior of Africa. It
was the intention Of the young ex-
plorers to reach Mount Kenia, near
Daitcho, which lies a few miles south
OF the equator in a region almost I'M
known to white men. For a long time
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
w II EAT
w n L.
VIII AT

."Nothing but wheat; what you might
call a sea of wheat" is what was said
by a lecturer speaking of Western Can
ada. For particulars as to routes,
railway fares. etc., apply to Su-
perintendent Of immigration, Depart
ment Interior, Ottawa, Canada, or to
G. J. Broughton, 1928 Monadnock
Block, Chicago, Ill.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

Is SO deeply rooted that on fair soil II
is almost impossible to pull it up To
cut it off with a moving machine or
even with a scythe is impractical, az
the stump sends out new shoots that
soon flower and bear seeds. Where
land Is badly infested it may be used
for hoed crops or often for pastur-
age, especially of sheep. The plants
must not in any case be allowed to go
to seed.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

luton of 1865 and 1865, to which the
countess had convinced the then gov
eminent of Cuba that she was entitled
to 1872. 0O0, 900. which would soon be
restored to her.
She played her part to perfection,
and to convince her dupes of the legiti-
macy Of her claim obtained an inter-
view with King Alfonso in Spain, and
so fascinated that monarch that he
promised to investigate her claim per-
sonally. Shortly after her return from
her visit to the Spanish monarch she
secured a victim named Patrick j.
Brennan, a Philadelphia business man.
After advancing several thousand dol
lars Brennan was politely asked for
another advance. He demurred and
requested some evidence of the truth
fulness of her story. In company with
MI. Group, her man of affairs, he visit
ed Washington and saw the Spanish
minister, Mr.. Barca, and his secretary
of legation, Jose Fillipe Sagrario, at
the legation. A conversation took place
between Mr.. Group and the Spanish
officials lasting over one hour, which
was carried on in Spanish and not I'M
derstood by Mr.. Brennan. Finally the
countess legal adviser said to the
Spanish minister: will you assure
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

Eleanor, when we are married, will.
you love me enough to cook for me"
eyes, dear Henry; but you will havs
to hire somebody else to do my cook
inR'oDetroit Free Press
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
Benefits of Spraying.


Readers of the Farmers Review
have frequently had their attention
called to the necessity and advantage
of spraying, but we doubt IL a great
many appreciate it fully. Only those
that have continuously sprayed car
comprehend the possibilities of the
process. During the season just past
h. M. Dunlap, a hortiCulturist we'll
known to many of our readers, made
some comparative tests on spraying
pears. The variety sprayed was the
Keller. The work was done in such a
manner that a part of the trees left n
sprayed were a very effective check"
on the whole process. The results
showed most c~onclusively the good re-
suits obtained by the process. The
pears on the unsprayed trees were very
scabby and some of them poorly or lr-
regularly developed. The pears ON the
sprayed trees were well-formed, we'll
developed and free from scab. Both
kinds were exhibited as an object les
son at the last meeting of the Central
Illinois Horticultural society. The
foliage of the trees also showed the
effects of spraying. On the unsprayed
trees the leaves fell early, and on the
sprayed trees held on till the fruit had
received the full benefit Of their func-
tons. This is one of the best results
of spraying. AS the fruit buds are
formed a year previous to their fruit
age, anything that hurts the foliage
n year will hurt the fruit the next
year, as the fruit buds will be either
poorly developed OF not developed at
all. Every man that has even a small
orchard should have a spraying outfit.
Raspberries.-Rows should be al
least seven feet apart and plants three
feet apart in the row. Having fitted
the ground as for strawberries, pillow a
furrow about five inches deep for black
caps, set the plants fiat in the furroW
with roots spread out in every direc-
ton, taking the greatest care to get
fresh earth in contact with all the
roots and cover Immediately. Cultivs-
ton should be thorough and frequent
until the last berries are all picked.
when the old wood should be cut out.
It Is the greatest blunder to stop Gull
tivating in the driest part of the sea-
son, when the bushes are bringing
their great loads of fruit to perfection.
The feet Of the pickers tramp the
ground down hard and capillary action
brings the water to the surface. whore
1t is carried off by wind and sun very
rapidly. Let the cultivator go through
them after every picking.-R. M. Kel-
logg.
Utilizing Bog Lands.1Covering bogs
with a layer of sand or gravel 4 to 6
inches thick has been successfully prac-
ticed in Ireland and European coun-
tries, but 1t is doubtful whether this
method is generally applicable In the
United States. Oats, potatoes and
buckwheat have been found to thrive
better than wheat or clover on recently
reclaimed boys. The grasses generally
have been successfully grown on such
soils, and, as, already stated, they seem
to be well adapted to celery and onions
and are extensively used for the growth
OF these crops. In Europe sugar beets
are grown with good results on such
soils.-Bulletin rs, Department of Agri-
culture.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

If time is money, the only wonder is that
the husbands of half the shoppers in the
land are not on the verge of bankruptcy
about this time.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

Mike-Did yez know Tim Dowdy in Dub
linz Pat-Faith OF did; he's me brother.
in-law. Mikel think you resimble him.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

A Cincinnati barber explained to his
inquisitive son that a hostile Indian is
n who has some good, arabic land.
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11
No Joke.

No Joke.
Bobby-"Popper, what is a hostile
Indian?" Mr.. Ferry-"One with some
good, arabic land"
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

tdleS.
Little is known of the true history
of this woman. Her birthplace is said
to have been Barcelona and her early
life Is yelled in mystery. Forty years
ago she arrived in Philadelphia penni-
less and ignorant of the English lam
guage. She had two children and was
known as Mrs. Folsom. To exc out a
livelihood she worked as a dishwasher
in a clearinghouse on Race street, be-
low Second. There she met John Nc
Murrow. an industrious sailmaker. who
boarded at the house. When her
daughter died, McMurrow paid the fu-
neral expenses, and over the little ones
grave they became engaged. Soon at
terwsrd she married her first benefac-
The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-11

Don't marry a stout girl-there is too
much waist about her.