davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
A FISH STORY.
WhOpping Big Narrative Comes
From Chicago, Concerning
q Knowing Carp.

Herman Milling, the well known fish
erman of Rogers Park, gave a dinner
last night to his friends in honor of the
return of giant German carp taken
to Milwaukee several months ago and
released as an experiment, says the
Chicago Chronicle. The carp was
caught few years ago and raised in
tank until 1t reached the twelve
pound size. Last August 1t was sug-
gested that the fish be tagged and
taken to Milwaukee to test the state
ment that fish will return to an old
haunt. In the large tank the carp had
been well fed and attended to for nearly
ten years.
On August s the carp was taken to
Milwaukee and n tag fastened to its
tail. With due ceremony 1t was drop
ped from the Christopher Columbus
and the test commenced. Yesterday
hunters shooting from the pier at the
foot of Devon avenue attracted the po-
lice and after the offenders had fled a
fish was noticed swimming on the top
of the water. 1t swan clear on the
rocks and when picked up by Fisher
man Milling he was astonished to dis
cover that it was his old friend the
German carp, like the "cat" Of ballad
fame, come back.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
SAW A SPOOK.
Wisconsin Man Celebrated Gold.
en- Wedding and Was
Visited BY a Spirit.

An unusual golden wedding anniver-
sary was held here today, writes the
Whitewater. Wis, reporter for a Chi
cago newspaper. Fifty years ago Mr..
and Mrs. Morris Pratt were married.
For the last few years the couple were
desirous of celebrating their golden
wedding anniversary and made plans
for the observance Of that event. About
a year ago Mrs. Pratt died. Just before
death she promised her husband that
she would be with him on their golden
wedding day. The Pratts were leaders
of the Spiritualistis in the state. Today
Mr.. Pratt invited twenty friends to his
house and read to them communica-
tion from his dead wife, which he said
came to him today. She said she was
present in spirit to receive the con-
gratulations of her friends on her fif-
tieth wedding anniversary. A feast
was spread and the wedding celebra-
tion was held Just as though the dead
woman was present.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
WHAT PRORITETH
A Man If He Saveth a Whole
Bakery But LOseth His
Own Hat2

Alliance, Nov. 23.-John H. Price, the
well known. pencil pusher heroically
saved a large bread basket from ut
ter destruction yesterday. A street car
was coming along Main street at a
lively speed when the wind storm car
ried one of w. A. Smiths bread baskets
directly in front of the car. Price, with
his usual keen observation saw what
the result would be, so ran from the
sidewalk and with one mighty tug,
pulled the basket from the track.
AS a reward for this effort, Prices
hat was blown off in the mud, his UNI
brella was turned inside out and ne
got nicely drenched by the rain.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27

! must tell you what happened just be-
fore and soon after his death. On the
night that he died, he being away from
home, I was awakened by a few loud
iaps on the head of my bed and upon
my opening my eyes 1 discovered that
IL was quite light in the room, so much
SO that ! saw the furniture in the room
and Immediately at the foot Of my bed
distinctly saw my beloved wife who
motioned to me and then began to move
backward in the direction of the win
dow. In an instant she vanished from
sight leaving me and the room In utter
darkness. I then awakened my son
who was sleeping with me and told him
what had happened and that we would
soon hear some bad news. To all of
which he gave little credence, more, he
said I must have been dreaming and
that I should go to sleep. The next
morning a friend OF ours brought me
a telegram the contents of which told
of the death of my son Charlie.
MY next strange experience occurred
on the evening of the day that the re-
mains of poor Charlie were placed in
their last resting place. That evening
as / was returning home from up town
and when within about fifty yards OF
home I heard voice say, hello father.
/ then looked In the direction from
which the voice came and whom did 1
see but my son Charlie and on the i'm
pulse started over to him but before
reaching him he vanished" Are you
sure 1t was he who called to you? ut
certainly was Charlie or his ghost. 1t
was his voice and characteristic of him.
The experiences ] have just related
are very strange indeed to me and are
hard for me to explain, and, In fact, i
seldom relate them to anyone. So many
people, you know. have never exper-
fenced them and If told by one who has
had similar experiences he or she Is
called crazy or drifting in that direc-
tion.
If this gentleman and his mother did
not see the ghost astral or material
lied form) of departed loved one, what
was 1t that they did zee? Will some
wiseacre please explain? That clairvoy-
ance is an absolute fact none but the
ignorant or bigoted will deny at this
progressive age. Facts are what the
people want and must have. Sincerely
yours, e. r. KIDD.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
CONNECTING LINK.
r. -. ...a... ',g'
Corps Of Surveyors at Work on
New Railroad From Pitts
burg to Canton.

A corps of eighty surveyors are at
work on the connecting link of the B.
g. o. line between this city and Pitts
burg. This cross country line will be SO
miles in length and will be the connect
ing link between the main line Of the
b. g. o. at Pittsburg and the C. T. &
V. railway in this city, making a new
trunk line to Chicago.
That the B. & o. company Is pushing
the project is proven by checks issued
from the main offices at Baltimore,
and paid to workingmen. The checks
are cashed by an East Liverpool bank.
So long as the weather, permits the
work will be pushed along expeditiously.
Reliable information obtained from
eastern parties, Friday, Is to the effect
that the b. q o. has secured an option
on the property ofSJames Mackall, Just
below Georgetown, Pa, at which place
the abutments for the projected bridge
across the Ohio river, at that point.
will be constructed. The right Of way is
now being secured in the Mill Creek
valley, southeast of Hookstown, be.
tween that place and Georgetown.
A News-Democrat reporter called at
the Office Of Captain Harry Frease. who
has surveying work In charge on this
line. but was unable to find him. Major
Charles r. Miller. who Is general coun-
sci for the company that owns the con-
Meeting link, refused to deny or affirm
the report
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
A FEDORA HAT.
1t Plays an Important Part In
The Trial of Edmund
Eptley At Akron.

[News-Democrat Leased Wire Service. ]
Akron, Nov. 23.-Edward Eptley is
having his second trial for dynamiting
the city building on the night of the
riot. The case has been on all week
and the outcome hinges on a derby hat.
The state, in making it's case, claimed
that the man who dynamited the city
building, wore a Fedora hat. The de-
fense claims that Eptley, on the night
of the riot, wore a brown stiff hat. If
the defense can prove its claim, Eptley
undoubtedly will be acquitted.
City Clerk Charles H. Isbell and
Miss Hattie NJ. Diehm surprised their
friends, last night, by taking the 4
o'clock c. A. & c. train for Columbus,
where they were married in the even
ing, at the home of relatives of the
bride. Both are well known and popu-
lar young people.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
Rural Delivery.

Mansfield News: The new rural man
delivery route north of Mansfield, known
as route No. !, Richland county, is such
O. success that a number Of farmers
living south of Mansfield are discussing
the feasibility Of a rural mail delivery
route in that direction. Route No. 1
going north over the Main street road,
and returning via the Spring Mill road
route, is rs miles long in a well settled
district, passing eight school houses.
1t Is claimed that a similar route could
be secured II the proper effort was made
by persons living In Washington and
Monroe townships. by making a route
southeast, possibly via Washington VIII
lage, thence southeast on one of the
roads in Monroe township In the direc-
tion of and to within one and a half
miles of Newville; thence west to o
point one and a half miles north of Bel
vile; thence north to Mansfield, maxi
ing route Of about "a miles through,
a good and thickiy populated farming
district. Eria =.
Free rural mail deliveries are grow
ing in public favor wherever they have
been adopted and Richland county has
a perfect right to ask for and receive
Its fair benefit OF this system of a free
rural daily mail by carrier.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
California Fruit.

California fruit win soon be coming
east, and all roads that handle this
class of business are making extensive
preparations to carry heavy shipments
The yield this year has been prolific
and the demand for transportation to
eastern markets will be something
enormous. The Fort Wayne company
expects to run special fruit trains
from Chicago to Pittsburg on passenger
train schedules. Cars will be provided
with stoves to keep the contents OF the
cars from freezing.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27

coming congress will, at an early period
I'M its session, enact legislation which
viii enable the department to replace
thep resent volunteer force by a per-
manent force of soldiers. In that case
such of the men in the ranks as care
to continue in the service will be re-
enlisted as regulars, and any vacancies
that may exist through the muster out
of the volunteers will be supplied by
original enlistments in the United
States. 1t is believed that these en-
listments can be made in time to re-
place all the retired Philippine volun-
teers before the first of the next fiscal
year without causing any hiatus.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
FARMERS SUICIDE
After Quarreling With Sweet
heart He. Shot Him J., .,
!sAl'A sell. abi NJ

Hamilton, Nov. 23.-Samuel I. Van
Ausdall, AZ years old, and unmarried, a
prominent Butler county farmer, COM
mitted suicide yesterday. He is said
to have quarrelled with his sweethear,
last Thursday night, and this morning
after his sister who lived with him near
Millville, had gone into the village he
wrote this note and left It on a table:
'You will find me in the granary. Nc
hard feelings. Good bye"
In the granary Van Ausdalrs body
was found. He had spread buggy
curtain for a bed, and relled-up a blan-
ket for pillow. Lying down, he shot
himself through the head with a o.
caliber revolver.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
A GHOST STORY.
Canton Man Tells of a Materiali
zation That Was Related TO,
Him by a Friend. =

Editor Democrat: While en-
gagged In conversation a few evenings
ago with an elderly gentleman who has
resided in Canton many years, and
whose name. he does not care TO have
divulgedj at present, He related What he
termed some very strange experiences,
the first of which occurred back in the
fifties Said he: I'm the year 1S49 my
brother William, getting the gold fever,
left Canton in company with a few
friends for the gold fields Of California,
going overland in a wagon since rail-
road facilities were not as good then as
they are today. Days, weeks and
months rolled by and not a line did we
receive from him, and his failure to
write caused my parents no little anx-
iety and uneasiness. However, one af-
ternoon while my mother was sitting in
her sewing room she heard several
raps on her chair and when she looked
up she distinctly saw Brother William,
or rather, his ghost right IN front of
her, and was told by him, the ghost,
that he had been killed by the Indians.
! will here state that mother possessed
in those days what is now known as
clairvoyance, and it was through that
gift, no doubt that she saw many things
we did not and could. not see. Soon
after seeing this vision or whatever you
may term II, my mother revealed to us
what she had seen and heard but we
could not believe IL to be true, think
ing perhaps she might be mistaken,
but our disbursements to the con-
trary were Of no avail. Mother re-
peatedly told us that she had seen
brother William on that day and as
plainly as she had ever seen him in her
life. As a proof that her judgment was
correct and her vision only too true,
we, about six weeks thereafter, re-
ceived a letter from friend who went
with him and in which he said their
party was attacked by q band Of In
dams and In the melee brother William
was killed. In addition to this expe-
rience have few OF my personal ex-
periences to reate II you care to listen
to them" To his proposition / readily
assented since had become very much
interested in what he had already re-
lated. my beloved wife, as you are
aware, died quite a while ago and since
her death she has come to me many a
time, frequently in my own home, and
occasionally has made her presence
known when I was away from Canton
and invariably she was clothed In a
lovely white robe and sincerely be-
lieve she is my guardian angel II there
is such q thing, and / believe there is.'
To that assertion assured him that
guardian angels did exist, were a fact,
and that no doubt his wife was o guar
dian angel to him since she took az
much interest In his happiness and well
fare now AZ she ever took while living
with him IN the flesh. Mot long since,
said he, ~ ypu are aware. Charlie, poor
boy had ~ 20. (Tho Charlie Yo<erreC
= = q son q this eentlempn,l l(e9
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
JUDGE RICKS. ss NJ
4. NEEDS HELP.
Petition Circulating Among
Members of Stark County Bar.
THEY WANT AN ASSISTANT
Appointed, Through an Act Of Congress, to
Relieve Him of Some of the Hard Work
Attached to His Omce-Too Much
Business For One Man.

A petition Is being circulated among
Canton attorneys. 1t aims to relieve
the congestion of business in the United
States district court of the northern
district Of Ohio. The petition prays con-
gress to pass a bill authorizing the
appointment of an additional Judge, with
the provision that no successor shall be
appointed to succeed the present in
cumbent, Judge J. A. Kicks.
This is made necessary by the physl-
cal condition of Judge Kicks. 1t is inn
possible for him to attend to the i'm
mense volume of business that accu-
mulates. For years past, other district
and circuit judges have been called into
this district to help out with the work,
Circuit Judge William II. Day Is now
and has been for two weeks sitting as
district Judge at Cleveland, when his
presence is needd in circuit court at
Cincinnati. The district is composed of
40 counties, including a number Of large
cities-Cleveland, Toledo, Akron,
Youngstown, Canton, etc.--and has q
population exceeding two millions. The
shipping and railroad interests increase
the business Of the courts, and in spite
Of the fact that outside judicial help
has been secured, there are now $50
cases pending in this court.
The petition is being signed by men,
bers of the Stark county bar, though
there are some who hesitate about sign
Ing 1t. Should congress pass the bill
authorizing the appointment of an ad-
ditional Judge, the appointment would
be made by President Mckinley. Dis
trict judges are appointed for life, or
during good behavior. Upon the death
or retirement of Judge Kicks, no sue
cessor would be appointed under the
provisions Of the proposed bill, and
from that time on there would be but
one judge in the district.
This would make nice appointment
for someone, and attorneys are figuring
who would get the place in the event
of the bill passing. Judge T. 7. Nc
Carly of the common pleas court la
being mentioned by number of at
torneys as an available man. His term
as common pleas Judge expires in the
spring Of 1902. There will likely be can
didates for the appointment from other
counties and probably others in Stark
county will be urged for the place be.
fore the appointment is made.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
THIS LOOKS LIKE
A CONFESSION
"WOuldn't Blame Mr.. Sells If
He Shot Me-"
A STARTLING STATEMENT
Made by Mrs. Sells to Her Housekeeper
Eliza TestiHed to Many Other Things
at the Celebrated Divorce
Trlal

Columbus, Nov. 23.-T would not
blame Mr.. Sells IL he took a revolver
and shot me- -
This is the practical confession of
guilt which Eliza Donahue, house,
keeper, testified that Mary Sells made
to her. at the time of the separation of
Mr.. Sells from his wife. Eliza testified
to many other things, and while she
was on the stand 1t was plain that
Eliza and Mrs. Sells have frank aver
sion for each other. Possibly state
ments in Mrs. Sells's answer to her
husbands petition have something to
do with Eliza's dislike of her former
mistress.
In this answer Mrs. Sells asserted
that on July 20, 1898, Peter Sells took
Eliza with him to Chicago, the house
keeper travelling as Mrs Sells and be-
ing registered as Peter Sells's wife at
the Leland hotel; also that on August
rs she went to Chicago and brought
Eliza home. Eliza is 81 years Old fairly
good looking, and wears hair on the
border between yellow and red. She
was a chambermaid at the Park hotel
when the Sellses stayed there. and for
four years was housekeeper at
THE SELLS RESIDENCE.
She told a good deal concerning the
calls of Lyons and some little about
Bott, whom, by the way, she did not
know, confrmatory of previous evi-
dence.
once at the Park she saw Lyons come
out of the Sells apartments at 1880 D.
m, and hardly a minute later, Mrs.
Sells, attired in a night gown, opened
the door to take pitcher of water from
a bell boy. The only time Lyons made
one of his surreptitious entrances by
the side door while Mr.. Sells was at
home was one evening when Mr.. Sells
and his daughter were sitting upon the
front porch. Someone spoke to him and
he left the way he had come.
Many times soon after Lyons had
come in secretly Mrs. Sells had come to
the kitchen wearing her night dress
Mrs. Sells usually told Eliza she was
tired, and would retire. Later the
housekeeper would see Lyons leaving,
and afterwards Mrs. Sells would come
down to the kitchen, still attired in her
night dress, and tell Eliza she had Just
had her first sleep and was
.. FEELING NERVOUS.
She would ask II Eliza had been walk
ing about the house.
Though the housekeeper never had
seen anybody about the house smoking
cigarettes she often found cigarette
stumps in the crate in Mrs. Sells room.
Mrs. Sells made the two silk night shirts
for Lyons which she had Eliza put in
the laundry. Harry brought many
packages to the house, and when clean.
ing the closet in her mistress room dur
ing her absence the housekeeper found
a large number of bottles of wine,
whisky, and gin. One time Mrs. Sells
asked her If she knew Bott, and when
she replied she did not, said You
shonld know him. He is a swell
dresser"
At the time Mrs. Sells is alleged to
have confessed to her housekeeper,
Eliza added that after she had seen her
lawyer she talked differently, saying
Mr.. Sells ought to be shot, and told
her that Peter had induced her to sign
away s16o,ooo she held In trust. +
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
Fined For Giggling.

Justice of the Peace Martin, of the
Martinsburg, w. Va, court has decided
that giggling in church must cease
within his balliwick. This decision di-
rectly affects Mamie and Jennie Smell
ter and Mamie Volgamont, ranging In
age from IS to Il years, and James
Tobin and William smeltzer, Of about
the same age. The disturbance took
place in the Lutheran church about
five miles from Martinsburg, and, ac-
cording to the testimony of the pastor
and large number OF his members,
was the elimination of series OF gig
Cling exhibitions extending over a
period Of several months.
AS the young men were evidently en-
ticed into giggling by the girls the
justice dismissed them. The youns
women were severely 7eprimanded and
permitted 70 90 upon the payment n
sosts " ne pyossc,lfion4
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27
.SPOOK HAUNTS
A COTTON MILL.
SuperstitiOus VermOnters See
Strange Things at Night.
INDUSTRIOUS
GHOST
Works at q weaving Machine Through the
Dark Hours Railroad Engineer's
Strange Experience-Head-
light Goes Out.

Special to Democrat.
Burlington, VT, Nov. 23-The SUPER
stitious people are in a stew over the
nightly appearance of a ghost at the
Queen City cotton mill Just one. year
ago a woman, in the employ of the
mill, was run over and killed by train
at a crossing near her home at Lake
side park. There was no trouble until
few nights ago when the night watch
man of the mill told of seeing strange
sights and hearing queer noises during
the small hours of the night. He is n
sober man Of middle age and in perfect
health, so it was hard to find excuse
for not believing his story. He says
that about midnight he heard noise
coming from remote corner of the
mill. This noise sounded like the run
ming of weaving looms He was not
frightened nor superstitious, so he went
to the source of the noise. There ne
found six looms running at full speed
without any apparent motive power,
and cloth was being woven without any
guidance. Later on, in the night, he saw
a white figure walking back and forth
in the working room. The aparition
would disappear as oon as he attempted
to approach 1t. He reported the matter
to the mill authorities, but was ridi-
culed. Satisfied that he really had
seen something he got some men TO
stay with him the next night. They
also saw the same spectacle and are
now firm believers in spooks. This
happened some days ago and every
night visitors to the mill have been
treated to the same sight. 1t is claimed
that fitting lights are seen about the
big room and that big webs of cloth are
strewn about the floor, being taken from
large piles where they were placed dur
ing the day.
Nor does this end the strange doings
of this spook. The young woman was
killed by the Rutland railroad engine
which at night is attached to the train
leaving the city at 1906, and is run
by the same engineer who was aboard
the engine when the girl was killed.
The electric headlight of this engine is
controlled by storage batteries directly
behind 1t. Each night as the train
nears the spot where the accident hap
pened, white figure is seen to walk
across the track in the same direction
thot thN u thG oSSiuSht uIu.
When the train strikes the spot the
headlight goes out and does not light
again until the spot is passed. The
engineer on the sleeper is not a super
stitious man, and he is at a loss to
know what these happenings mean.
He did not know of the supposed ap-
pearance Of the ghost in the mill when
he first witnessed the specter on the
track.
The mill is visited nightly by a num-
ber Of people who all come away saying
that they saw the spook. There seems
to be no reasonable explanation for
the mystery and, for the present at
least. the superstitious people of the
vicinity have the floor. The mill au-
thorities deny all knowledge OF the
ghost, but the stories of those who have
seen the thing make the evidence over
whelmingly against the mill managers.
JOSEPH C. KING.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-27

man stealing $4,000 from the. counting
room Of the treasury and caused his
arrest and the return of the money.
.,,a5 SKETCH OF HER LIFE. a.,f.a
Sophia Holmes was born in George
town, Va, and was married to Melchor
Holmes, whose freedom she purchased
with her own earnings. He lost his life
in the civil war.
Sophia Holmes was over 70 years Of
age, how much she herself was unable
to tell for as much as she was asso-
ciated with figures she had no memory
for dates.
EDITH A. NOBLE.