davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

I'VE all feel very sad this evening,
in spite of the music of a Russian mill
itary band playing the best music l
have heard since coming to China.
They belong to the 1000 Russians
leaving for Picking tomorrow. Our
nearest neighbor is the richest Rus
sian in Tien Tsin, so for the past two
days he has had the officers with him
day and night, and in spite Of war they
manage to keep up gay time. The
band has been playing there. Band
music always did hurt me. When a
child cried without knowing why.
Some of the music the band plays
gives me the old thrill They have
some grand hymns, quite Russian, I
think they must be, for never heard
them anywhere before.
I'VE have just heard that 1t is only
by the most persistent efforts on the
part of a few Chinese officials who are
friendly to foreigners that the lives of
the foreigners have been spared so
long, and theyo fear they cannot avert
1t much longer. Those who know say
there never has been such a bad lot of
men at the head of affairs. Ii Hung
Chang has gone south. Some say he
was sent there to get him out of the
way in view of bringing about the
present state of affairs. The air is
full of rumors. Everyone is restless
and asking for the latest news.
Friday morning, 6 o'clock.-I don't
always get up quite as early as this,
but we heard that all the mission
churches in Tien Tsin (the Chinese
city, two mile from here, were burn
ed last night. They have been closed
ever since the trouble began and
turned over to the Chinese officials.
The Chinese official seal had been put
on the doors to show that they were
under Chinese protection. 1t points to
a bad state of things, and proves how
powerless they are to protect anything.
A mob made one of the official SER
wants of the viceroy get out of his
chair and walk, while the mob. jeered
him because he had been carrying
messages to foreigners. More than a
week ago a guard went from here to
meet and aid some Belgian refugees
trying to reach Tien Tsin At several
villages they were given tea and
things to eat. The Boxers burned ey-
- SAAS sAAAA htAAO0 OfOl udll, HOludu
and child they found because they
aided foreigners. All Chinese, from
the highest to the lowest, think the
Boxer spirit that can't be killed. If
hit with bullet, they just cough and
spit it out. One man, graduate of
Yale, even believed it till the soldiers
killed some of them. That's the rea-
son 1t is SO hard for the Chinese off,
Gals to put them down. The soldiers
Will not fight them. They do not have
guns; use sword and spikes, and for
mask of the order wear red lash and
turban, and small cash box with a
paper charm is worn around the neck,
During fight, when they advance,
theyrun afew steps and fall down This
they repeat over and over to convey
the idea that they have been shot, but
can get up and run, Just the same.
The mail must go now, so must
close and send, as we cannot be GER
tain about getting mail OUT"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31
DIRECT FROM CHINA
Letters From Wife of U. S. Consul
at Tien Tsin.
RELATED TO BIRMINGHAM MAN
View of the Situation Before ihe Out
break-Account Is Valuable Because
4 Written by Woman Who Would
I Have No Interest in Coloring 1t.

]. S. Ragsdale, of Birmingham, Van
Buren, county, is brother of J. w.
Ragsdale, United States consul at Tien
Tsin, China, and the following letters
from the consul's wife give the situa-
ton as it existed at. the time they were
written. This information is valuable
because it is first hand and is not col
ored as correspondents cables are
likely to be.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31
LIKE MANY OTHERS
Clara Kopp Wrote for Mrs. Pinkham's Al
vice and Tells what it did for Her,

DEAR Mrs. PINKHAM II have seen
SO many letters from ladies who were
cured by Lydia e. Pinkham's remedies
that thought would ask your advice
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31
Suicide of a Farmers Wife.

Clinton, July 27.-Saturday night,
when Mr.. Volpel, who lives few
miles from Baldwin, Jackson county
returned home, he found his two little
children alone in the, dark crying,
He supposed their mother was not far
away and gave the children attention.
He put away lis team, MIXED the
COWS, and when his wife did not re.
turn, began to hunt for her. Later she
was found hanging in the barn loft
Life was extinct and the indications
were she had been dead several hours.
No reason is assigned for her suicide.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

A bridge is agitated for across the
Wapsie south of Wyoming.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31
Crushed His Arm.

Clinton, July 27.-James Myens, a
young Hollender % years of age, who
resides in East Clinton and is employ
ed as wiper at the Northwestern
round house, was the victim of an
accident yesterday whereby he lost
an arm. Myens was in the pit at work
when the hostler backed another en-
CINE up the track. Myens' arm was
over the rail, and was crushed before
he realized what had happened. Myens
is the sole support of widowed moth
er and three sisters.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

Glidden has q case Of smallpox.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

81 think it is my duty to write q
letter to you in regard to what Lydia
E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound did
for me. wrote you some time ago,
describing my symptoms and asking
your advice, which you very kindly
gave. am now healthy and cannot
begin to praise your remedy enough.
/ would say to all suffering women,
Take Mrs. Pinkham's advice, for a ws,-
man best understands a woman's suf-
ferings, and Mrs. Pinkham, from her
vast experience in treating female ills,
can give you advice that you can get
from no other source. ~ CLARA KoPP.
Rockport, Ind. April 10, 1899.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

Another letter direct from Tien Tsin,
brought over by the Coptic, is from
Mrs. J. w. Ragsdale to Santa Rosa
friends. 1t is dated June IA, and
gives thrilling account of the perils
which beset the American colony and
foreigners in general.
AS this is one of the first letters
coming from the scene of strife and
bloodshed, and gives accurate details,
it will be read with deep interest by
our readers:
Such an unsettled state of affairs
on every hand, work of any kind is
quite out of the question. 1t is war in
earnest now. BY the time this reaches
you, presume this will all be settled
but how? We are so anxious for the
people at Peking we hardly give our
selves thought. Three hundred for
eigners with three hundred guard of
foreign troops against 100000 Chinese
soldiers as well armed and drilled as
the foreigners are. Before aid can
reach them they must pass these
troops and two walls fifty feet high
and thirty feet thick. The gates are
ten feet wide and well guarded. How
is it to be Sone? The Chinese have
foreign guns mounted on the wall and
trained on the legations. The fear is
that when our troops reach there and
trouble begins at the outside wall the
Chinese will try to kill every foreigner
that is inside. The railroad has been
badly damaged, bridges burned etc
So all this week they have been trying
to put it in shape, and are only half
way, the other forty miles they will
march, starting this evening, and the
remainder of the road is so badly dam
aged it would take long time to fix
1T, and such anxious letters coming
from Picking, they must press on. If
the railroad was finished the troops
could be rushed up. Not less than TO-
900 should try to force an entrance,
and there are less than 1900 on the
road. They have eleven field guns
but the Chinese have them also. There
is fort just east of Tien Tsin on the
other bank of the river. The fort has
three cannon trained on the settle
ment. For three weeks we have had
a house full. Admiral Kempff of the
Newark and Captain McCalla have had
their headquarters here. Just now
the admiral is on the ship, and the
captain is at the head not only of the
Americans on the way up to Picking,
but of all the forces. He is particu-
larly fine specimen of the finest nation
on the earth. If any one can take the
troops there, he is the man. His wife
and family are in California, and Adj
miral Kempff claims California, as his
wife was a San Francisco woman. We
have just heard that the line (railway)
is being destroyed between here and
the troops. 1t looks as if it might be
true. An engine was sent out, and
the crew reported that bridge was
on fire. This is very bad, as it is the
line just repaired, and no supplies can
be sent to the front and it will make
it harder to get reinforce%ents to
them.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31
OWN BANK STOCK
Ottumwa People Who Are Inter-
ested in National Banks.
is MADE MATTER OF RECORD
Law Requires That National Banks
and Building & Loan Associations
Furnish List to Assessor-List on
January I, 1900, Is Given.

National banks and building and
loan associations are required to give
the assessor list of the persons hold
ing stock in the bank Or association,
the number of shares each hold and
the total value of it. The following
tables will show who owns the stock
in the three national banks in this
city, together with the value of the
stock:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

Total 49,. 1900 $3.50, OOO.O 90
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31
The Letters.

LlhSly " bSs
The Letters.
Following are Mrs. Ragsdale's let
ters:
Mrs. T. A. Proctor received the fol-
lowing letter from Mrs. ]. w. Rags
dale:
Tien Tsin. Saturday, June FL was
just about to say that l had received
a letter from you a short time ago,
when looked up your letter and found
it dated January %. Time flies here
! as well as in California. Days slip by
and nothing done, except, perhaps a
Z resolution for the future. From the
papers you probably think we are in a
state of terror That we are in dan
ger there can be no doubt. So far, I
have not lost a wink of sleep, but
many others have, and the arrival of
the American guard from the Newark
makes us feel bit easier. Fifty have
gone to Picking, and we have about
sixty here, and this evening Mr.. Rags
dale has a guard here at the consul
ate. Things are looking not at all well
and the air is full of troubled rumors.
We have had very exciting week.
Admiral Kempff and Captain McCalla
of the Newark have had their head
quarters in our drawing room. and it
has been a constant coming and going,
of receiving and sending orders. We
have had dispatches for breakfast,
lunch and dinner. have quite enjoy
ed it, seeing so many Americans. (Af-
ter they are long in China they are not
of the same genuine flavor.) 1t makes
me very happy, and Mr.. Ragsdale is
beaming all the time. The best of ev-
erything in the house is none too good.
When the guard went up to Picking
on Thursday evening they left here at
4 p. m. and reached the legation about
8, and at half past 9 baggage and all
was safe inside-a very quick trip, in
deed-the men carrying 60 pounds of
baggage each and marching five miles
from the station to Picking with dust
q foot deep and 80 in the shade.
The English, French, Russian, Jap.
anese and Italian went on the same
train. but a lot of them stopped at the
station allAnight and went in the next
day. The English minister, hearing
the Americans had arrived, sent to the
legation to find ont what became.of his
guard. They got in Cat least, a part
of them) one hour and half after.
This guard had been sent after three
days delay, the combined foreign min.
listers trying to get permission all this
time from the Chinese to let them in.
Friday being a great festival day of
the Chinese, the danger to the foreign.
ers would be much greater AS the
Chinese have 100000 soldiers around
Picking, there was little use in sending
a few hundred foreign soldiers against
them. So they had to stop until the
Chinese consented to let them come in
All this has made very anxious times
as the Chinese soldier is very unre.
liable chap, not inclined to protect for.
eigners, and the great fear was that
they might murder all the foreigners
The soldiers are most to be dreaded
very poorly paid and fed, so plumber is
his chief delight. With our Pekine
friends safe, we breathe more easily
The rumors are thick about the burn,
ing and looting of Tien Tsin. They
have in the past month managed in
some way to have six very large fires
This week one of the banks has been
set on fire twice the last time burning
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-31

A man looks at his trembling hands
and says: 81 feel bit shaky this morn
ing, and shall need bracer.0 His real
need is not nerve stimulant, but nerve
strength. DR.. Pierce's Golden Medical
Discovery gives strength to the nervous
system. 1t does not brace up, but builds
up. 1t is entirely free from alcohol and
from opium, cocaine, and other narcotics
usually found in so-called nerve medi-
cines.
Accept no substitute for e Golden Med
ical Discovery" 1t cures.
David Duggins, Esq, of Jones, Ohio Co., XIV,
writes: "When | began taking DR.. Pierce's
Golden Medical Discovery think I had nervous
or general debility of three years duration. /
took three bottles of the Discovery During
the time was taking it my sleep became more
refreshing and gained fifteen pounds weight,
and also gained strength every day."
Free. DR.. Pierce's Medical Adviser is
sent free on receipt of stamps to pay cost
of mailing only. Send FL one cent
stamps for book bound in paper, or Al
stamps for cloth binding. Address Dr..
r. v. Pierce, Buffalo, N. Y.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24
Charles Henry Dietrich.

The following personal sketch Of
Charles II. Dietrich, the republican
nominee for governor, was written by
Adam Breede, editor of the Hastings
Tribune, and published in his paper:
"Mr. G. II. Dietrich, the republican
candidate for governor is a self.made
man, one of those typicali Americans
who have fought their way single
handed from obscure poverty to compe.
tencc and positions of honor and trust.
"His parents were both natives Of
Germany. His father was a shoemaker
who had worked up q good business in
the town in " hich he lived, but on ac-
count Of his radical ~espousal of the
u OF the patriots of 1913 he was
forced to flee from his native land in
disguise. His wife, with seven small
children, followed him u year later, but
the father had landed in Quebec and the
mother in Now Orleans. They were
very poor and the story Of their long
search for each other is as pathetic rs
the similar history Of the exiled Acadian
peasants.
after a year of struggle they finally
met at st. Louis and together worked
their way to Chicago. Here the father
found intermittent work at his trade
and the mother took III washing, all the
water and wood used being carried from
the lake n half a mile away.
I'm 1853, during a driving snow storm
which piled the snow drifts upon the
floor of their wretched home, Charles
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

All is not harmony, peace and good
will in Nebraska fusion politics and it
appears as though the forces of reform
were becoming more widely separated
with each succeeding day. The O'Neill
Independent (populist) asks, "Will
Neville endanger the success Of the pop
ulist ticket in this district again by
Fremont Herald (democrat) answers,
"Will he? He has already pocketed the
salary earned by Greene and due to his
widow, Like most of his kind, that's
all he wants the Office for"
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

The statement was made that when
Henry NJ. Teller and other republicans
walked out of the republican national
convention because free silver was not
made an issue that he and his followers
were true republicans and were stand.
ing by principal more than party. Now
that Mr.. Teller has been hoodwinked by
democracy and the issue is being
dropped he returns to the fold believing,
with grounds for his belief, that any
true reform in the interests of the people
comes through the republican party,
after all, and with him come thousands
of republicans who were likewise fooled
by democrats in search of office.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

1t looks us though those corporation
ridden republicans in congress would
pass n substantial antitrust law before
congress adjourns and thus take all the
wind out of the fusionist sails concern
ing this evil. The thing for the fusion
lists to do will be to get into line behind
the corporations rs they have in Ne
braska. From their i%nsinuations con,
corning Mark Hanna and the benefits
corporations have been to the repub-
lican campaign fund they could have
several barrels to roll into the present
campaign should they do this.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

The reform state officials are again
OF record for reforming" the railroads
which they evidently believe in killing
off by kindness. Judge Harrington Of
O'Neill, who is also something of u re.
former, wrote to the board having the
tax business in hand and stated that the
railroads under reform" government
were paying taxes on about $4,000, 900
less than they did under the ''horrible'
republican regime. The board OF as
SCISSORS ignored the advice and have
again paid for their passes with the peo.
ple's money.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

According to fusion logic the republi.
can party is not responsible for the
prosperity prevailing, but its RESPONSE
bility for the trusts is unquestioned it
is not responsible for the increase in
money circulation and the cash on
hand in the treasury and the pockets of
the people, but is responsible for failures
and bursted banks; it is not responsible
when wages are raised, but is TO blame
for the strikes and when wages
are reduced it is not responsible for the
life, happiness and liberty of citizens of
the country, but should be censured for
the condition of the Filipinos and the
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

THE News has several times suggested
the ACCESSIBILITY of either celebrating the
Fourth of July or holding a street fair
his fall and it is pleased to note that its
contemporary is in sympathy with a
celebration of some character, even
though, resorting to its usual tactics, it
would be pleased to i~nsinuate that a
celebration of the Fourth would be an
affair in which only people of the calibre
of Childs could participate with enthus-
iasm, THE News will guarantee that
there are II or two republicans left
with a spark of patriotism in their
breasts which might be famed into
enthusiasm.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

In spite of the notoriety given the
English American syndicate shows as a
grand and complete aggregation of
swindlers ar confidence men it con-
tinues to haul in suckers by the tub full
at each stop and every exchange where
they show contains accounts of their ex-
ploits with the pockets of the gullible.
1t isSapparent that therel are a large
number of people who do not read. For
if they did they would be fully apprised
of the Vaccinations CT the great syndic-
ate's leading attraction-the s~hell.game.
The fool killer should not be discouraged
there is plenty of material for him to
work on,
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

business. In early days when customs
were decidedly primitive in Hastings,
Mr.. Dietrich worked in his store all day
and in the evening took a wheelbarrow
and delivered his goods. From that
time till now he has always stood in the
front ranks of those who tried to build
up their town and the state he was in
strumental in organizing the German
National bank of Hastings, of which he
is president. He has given u%nsparingly
both Of time and money towards all
business enterprises which lie deemed to
be for the benefit of his town. Church
and charitable organizations have al.
ways found him a liberal contributor,
but the recipients of his private bounty
are without number.
But while MI. Dietrich is generous
he is also just, two qualities that, un.
fortunately, do not always go together.
"In 1887 Mrs. Dietrich died, leaving
her husband with one child six years old
who has since developed into maiden.
hood and is the idol of her. father's heart.
She has received her education, first in
the public schools, then in converts,
two years each in America, France and
Germany. She is now q student at
Bryan Mawr college near Philadelphia.
"Mr. Dietrich has never sought any
political preferment whatever. This is
indeed a a of the Office seeking the
a He is an ideal candidate, a clean
man in every sense of the word, an en-.
thusiastic republican, q man of broad,
liberal, practical ideas. He will give us
n good, clean, business.like administra'
tion.n
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

The drama Kentucky politics. is be-
ing successfully reproduced ut the
Beatrice institute for the feeble minded
and the performances are being greeted
by increased interest OF the part of a
state full of auditors. In the last act
thus far presented DR.. Lang is repre-
sented as barricaded against the feared
assault of Governor Poynter aud his
cohorts, while the buildings and grounds
are being patrolled by an armed force.
In an interior room two maidens who
were discharged, but refused to go, are
held prisoners while the Romeos on the
outside hoist provisions through the
windows. When the reform" officials
become imbued with the rue spirit of
reform they create peculiar and unique
spectacles.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

Editor Ohilds does not show the symp.
'Jons Of bravery that must have charac.
teri2ed the fathers of this country who
fought for its liberty and thereby made
the Fourth of July possible as a nations
birthday. Nearly everytime the afore-
said editor is shot at he lodges behind
Che corpse of one of the poor soldier lads
who surrendered his life for his country
in the Philippines, A person with a
particle of patriotism and humanity
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

The surplus at the end of the present
fiscal year is estimated to be about $S2,.
10000. That Of the past year was
$40, 600, 900. The gold reserve is near a
quarter Of n billion. Bonds are being
paid off as rapidly as they mature, and
they are even bought up. The chang Q
from the democratic state of affairs four
years ago, when $253, OOO, 900 in bonds
were issued to pay ordinary expenses
and to keep the'gold reserves above the
danger line, and where there was a de-
fciency in revenues each month, is
people had time to stop and think it
over. Seward Reporter.
The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-24

The secretary has called in another
batch of government bonds which he
wishes to pay off and stop the interest,
the batch being worth $50, OOO, 900.
Thus do republican prosperity and bust
ness methods continue to make them.
selves of benefit to the country aud the
people, aud the said bonds are to be paid
with money worth 100 cents on the dol
lar. If you want these things changed
you are hereby warned not TO vote for
Mckinley.