davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
SNAKES LONG FAST.
vepomous Indian Cobra Hasn't Eaten
Anything for 80 Months.

All bona-nde fasting records have
been broken by La rosca. the great
Indian cobra at the Zoo. This snake
has been under close scientific observa-
ton for % months past, during all OF
which time the reptile has not tasted
a morscl of food. Bactcriologists from
several medical colleges and others
representing pharmaceutical concerns
have been endeavoring to secure speci-
mems of the big snakes venom. which
brings instant and horrible death to
all forms of animal life. but la Tosca,
in her voluntary fast of - months,
has never once opened her mouth wide
enough to enable these scientists to
secure the eno by any of the ordi-
nary methods Of snake handling. The
venom-fang is "A long, sharp conical
tooth of the upper Jaw, by means Oh
which the poisonous fluid is injected
into the punctured wound. This fang
is attached to the maxillary bone. ana
may be thrown forward or laid Hat by
a peculiar mechanism by which the
bones of the upper jaw change their
relative position. This tooth or fane
Is folded upon itself for the convey
ance of the venom, and Is also con
nected with the duct Of the receptacle
which contains the poisonous huid
The mechanism of the bones Is sucl
that the opening of the snakes moutl
widely causes the erection OF th'
venom fang, and when the mouth Il
closed upon the object bitten the sam
movement injects the venom. an
death ensues forthwith. Some OF tn
bacteriologists seem to think that tn
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
through a hail of bullets, three OF venom might have some curative PR

through a hail of bullets. three OF
which took effect. wounding him NOR
tally. B~loodhounds were placed on the
trail of the assassin, and in a day or
so Bud Clendennin, a man who but a
short time before had recovered from
an illness through which the kind
hearted doctor had treated him free of
charge, was captured. He was tried,
convicted at Charleston and given a
life sentence in the penitentiary. where
he subsequently died, protesting his
innocence to the last. The fact that
II was on the eve of an election, and
that for some of the jurymen 10 vote
pose of the case that night, saved
Clendennin from the sallows, as ii
of the jury were for hanging, the
other was not, and, declaring his in
tention of holding the fort, the rest
gave in, so that they might vote. In
the same year. and but a few months
later, the body of DR.. j. G. Aultz, a
well-known surgeon, was ound a life
less mass under the fatal bridge, I'm
known parties attempted to blow up
the bridge with dynamite during a
strike in 1894. but owing to the fact
that they were not familiar with the
explosive the force of the explosion
was u~nconfned, and though the bridge
was somewhat weakened, comparative
" little damage was done. During all
the time that the Lewis gang of rob-
bers and murderers existed this was
their rendezvous. and every move
which they made was planned under
the shadow of the old bridge. Here
il was that John Cochran, miner, was
coaxed one night in March and muir
dered, robbed and then his ~lifeless
body cast into the inky waters of the
creek, and washed out into the bosom
of the Kanawha river. Viers, who led
the white element of this gang, made
an effort to throw the responsibility
for this murder upon an innocent man
named Lewis, who was IN enemy, but
on the scaffold his nerve failed him
and he confessed that his former state
ments were false, and that Lewis haC
nothing to do with the murder.
Back in 1880 the first lynching thai
ever took place in that section occur
red within a few hundred yards of thi'
bridge. Mart Lee, who had ASSAULTED
a white lady, was turned owe to thu
sheriff of Fayette county by the sheriff
of Kanawha on this bridge, which wa
then the dividing line between tw'
counties. In . short time a mob owe
powered the sheriff, and, taking Lee
swung him over the river from tn
first available tree.
Many people have fallen betwee.
the tracks of this bridge, and sustaine
serious Injuries. The last Of these wa
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

the chair before Waters remarked:
Il have n treatment that will make
you sick" AT the same time slipping
a pair of handouts from his pocket
and placing them on Truths wrists.
As he was being escorted to the jail
by the chief and deputy, Truth re-
marked that IL was rather hard on him
to be arrested when his labors were
just beginning to yield fruit. During
the first year or so after he COM
menced the healing business he spent
about all his income In advertising.
and his business had just reached a
point where he was receiving an en-
ormous mount Of money with COM
paratively small expenditure.
Truth operated the healing business
both by personal treatment and mail.
1t was the custom Of Mrs. Truth TO
open the mail and extract the 50 which
was demanded In absent treatment.
Then the letters were sent out to the
mailing department and were answer
ed by the girls. As soon as the letter
was received from a sick person. pro-
vided the IS was inclosed. the follow
ing typewritten letter was senti
Dear Frlend-Yours OF even date.
with Enclosure OF s. for one months
absent treatment. at hand. Thank
ing YOU very kindly for same, | will
do my utmost to heal you by divine
power. and trust you will do your part
in bringing about the desired resulta
Please observe carefully the incloses
special directions, as they form a very
important part In restoring you 10
permanent health and strength. wear
the handkerchief upon your chest next
to the flesh. Send a clean handker-
chief to be prepared after the inclosed
IL soiled. Please write about once In
two weeks how your case Is progress
ing. as | like to keep in touch with my
patients. Wishing you well, believe
me. yours for health and Happiness.
FRANCIS TRUTH.
dictated by Francis Truth
There were other forms OF letters
which were sent to patients. after one
two or three months treatment. Truth
also edited ana p"UDllSncu d "o"'"''
paper called the Divine Healer. lie
gave instructions personally n ny
mail to persons who wished to learn
the art Of divine healing. Fol- a course
under his personal supervision, CON
slsting OF thirty private lessons at the
Truth institute OF divine healing. ne
charged 800. payable in advance upon
entering the institute. The mai
course. including - lessons. he ave
for SIS n week. To aid him In adver'
Using the concern. Truth had nun
=, dreds Of testimonials purporting to d.
. from various parts OF the unitec
States. These letters were puoiishe'
y, broadcast. and thousands OF easy VIC
tins were led, by reading OF thos'
=, marvellous cures. to answer the adver
y, tisements and drop their coin. l
a is needless to say that most or tines
testimonials were fakes and withou
a. foundation.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

the heart of little Frances with de-
light. 1t was during these early strug-
giles that she conceived the plan OF
sending a story to the magazines. Her
sisters sold grapes for the postage
which carried her first effort to the
publisher. From that time onward
Mr. Burnett's ascent to fame and
was easy as the proverbial des-
CO.. 20 Avernus.
Her first story was published In 1861,
and the products of her pen have been
in big demand since that time. The
creator of Fauntleroy was celebrated
as a clever story writer and omance
at twenty-four, and ii was at that age
in 1873. that she married DR.. Burnett
Almost since that time Mrs. Burnett
has lived in Washington. That Lass
o Lowrie's, one of her most widely
read stories. was written and publish
ed in 1877. From this success dated
her career as a book writer.
Mrs. Burnett first met Townsend In
a professional capacity. Since then
they have been almost inseparable. lie
was the cause of her divorce from her
h~usband-an act that ~alienated many
of her friends.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
DIVINE HEALER FAKE
NlPPEp IN THE BUD BY BOSTON
POLICE.
francis Truth. the seif-styied Divine
Healer, Operated by Mail All Through
the Uuitod states ON u Remarkable
Large Scale.

One of the most gigantic frauds of
recent years received its death blow
the other day in Boston when Francis
Truth, the sclf-styled divine healer, was
placed under arrest. Truth occupied
luxurious apartments in Boston, and
on q large scale throughout the United
States. The great bulk of the corre-
%spondence taken In possession by the
police after Truths arrest was found
to be from such distant parts ~ Texas,
California, Washington and Florida.
although operations were being con-
Quoted by him In practically every
state in the Union. When the bust
ness was taken In hand by the police
IL Is estimated that the healer" was
u week. In his Office he employed 30
girls to answer to his advertisements.
and Il took the girls all their time
writing at q very rapid rate from s
in the morning until & at night. Ad-
v%ertisements were placed In the lead
ing papers all through the United
States and in the Boston Sunday pa
pcrs half-pagc advertisements were
taken. The result of this extensive
advertising was that Mr.. Truths mail
became larger than that received by
any firm In Boston. The postal au-
thoritics were induced by this fact and
the character Of the advertisements in
the newspapers to look into the mat
ter. Postofice Inspector Evans. as
sisted by Inspector Swift, made an In
vestlgation and their suspicious were
at once aroused. About the same time
Chief Watts of the Boston Criminal
Investigation Bureau thought that Mr.,
Truths career had reached Il crisis,and
he also Investigated the scheme.
He arranged matters SO that a young
man of his acquaintance was employ
ed by Truth AS door tender. This younl
man kept a close watch over all tina
was going on and promptly reported
all that he learned to the chief. TIT
climax was reached when the postoiiic'
anspector's department heard from
Washington officials that IA fraud or
der would be granted for the suspen
sion OF Mr.. Truths mail. a warran
was then secured for the mans arres
on the charge OF "devising a schem
and a%rtitice with intent Of using tn
United States mail for the purpose q
d~efrauding the public"
An arresting party composed of Chic
Watts. Deputy Marshal Waters an
P~ostofice Inspectors Evans. Swift an
Letherman, congregated at the ReveI
house, directly opposite to Truths e
adjustment, at a time when he Wi
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
II Made Him Insane.

Bleached hair of the young and pref
ty wife OF Andrew Maxwell, a farmer
living near Newkirk, o. T., has driven
her husband insane. Mrs
hair was jet black. but she recently
had 1t turned yellow by a hair dress
er. When the young husband came
home and found his wife with diff
ferent colored hair he fretted over It
until he lost his mind. Mrs. Maxwell
has already paid twice the sum she
spent in having her hair dyed to get
it black again, but to no avail. 1t Is
now a pale green.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
MRS. I. H. BURNETT
WHOSE RECENT MARRIAGE is
A SURPRISE.
IL Also Proved q Source of Regret to
Several Admirers story of Her
strur gle for a Position Among Great
Authors.

The recent marriage of Mrs, Frances
Hodgson Burnett to stephen Town
send, the English physician-actor, has
created much interest. and not a little
surprise in this country. When she
left Washington a few years ago she
positively declared that she did not
have the slightest intention of marry
ing again, and yet she married almost
Immediately after reaching Genoa,
Italy. where Mr.. Townsend was stay
ing.
Mrs. Burnett's life has not been all
roses. Her literary successes, great
as they were in every respect, did not
bring her JOY. She Is said Ia have
spent few happy days since she played
with her sisters under the blue skies
and in the sweet-smelling woods OF
sunny Tennessee. Mrs. Burnett Is
now ffty-one years old. and she has
been a bread-winner ever since she
was fifteen. She was born in Man
chester, England, and came to Ameri-
ca with her mother and sisters in 1865.
The family was so poor that the little
which she could earn as a country
school teacher was most welcome.
The change from the tall factory
chimney scenes of Manchester to the
open, new country of Tennessee, filled
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Eight skeletons Unesrthed.

Eight skeletons, believed to be
those of traders murdered many years
ago., were unearthed by laborers build
ing a switch near Guthrie, Ky. A
close examination of the skeletons dis.
closed a murder. The skeletons arc
the remains OF men who had been
buried at least twenty years. In the
spring of 1852 eight traders left Nash
Vile for st. Louis with a large herd OF
cattle. They disposed OF the stock.
and a few days later started upon
their return home. Nothing more was
ever heard of them, although theY
were traced to a section where the
skeletons were found.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

to receive n wagon load of mail from
the postofice. When the huge bags
of mail were being carried in at the
front door Deputy Marshal Waters and
Inspector Evans went across to the
Truth place and entered. The In
spector was troubled with rheumatism
and the deputy had to assist him as he
hobbled up the stairs with a pair OF
crutches. When they were ushered In
to Truths private Office Mr.. Evans
said:
Il have heard a good deal about you,
doctor, and | think that you might help
me-
Then followed a colloquy about the
price and Mr.. Truth said: Il receive 81
a visit, but II the treatment Is given
by letter | charge S. a month"
"You want personal treatment,
| don't you, Uncle George" asked Wat
ers.
"Oh ,yes, | want personal treatment
was the reply OF Mr.. Evans.
1T is a good deal better for you Ia
have letter treatment, but II you pre-
fer it, you can have personal treat
ment," replied Mr.. Truth. And so, as
Mr.. Evans insisted on it, and as he
laid down the required 81, the treat
ment'' was given,
Truth commenced by rubbing the
legs OF Inspector Evans, and he sue
ceeded in causing quite a glow.
After the treatment was all over;
and Truth had specified a time fol
Mr.. Evans to return and pay another
81 for being cured OF his infirmity, the
deputy marshal said to Truth: Now
let me try the same treatment OIL
you"
ooh, am not sick, and do not neeC
It," replied Truth.
but Just let me try it, and see how
I do It," said Waters.
perhaps you car do It as well as
can" said Truth, but | do not neeC
it, and so there is no use in tryinl
IT,"
"sit down in that chair, and let m
try IT," commanded Waters, and as h
spoke he pushed Truth into a chair
Truth had hardly become seated II
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
BOOTBLACk TO SENATOR.

Timothy DRY Dollar Sullivan Is a
unioue figure in New York politics
who has been brought into pubic no
tice lately by his antagonism to the
movement against gambling and other
forms of vice In the metropolis. 1t ID
but natural that Sullivan should not
be in sympathy with such a campaign.
He was born and has thrived In the
atmosphere of which District Attorney
Gardiner Is trying to rid New FORK
and he sees no harm in II.
Sullivan began life as a bootbiack'
Now he Is a leader in the state senate.
He was born In New York thirty-seven
years ago and his boyhood was spent
around the Five Points, where he
blacked shoes and sold papers and was
a leader of the gamins. AS soon as ne
could vote the politicians took him up
and at twenty-three he was able TO de
mand a nomination for the assembly.
He has been In Office ever since, never
tasting defeat. Since 1892 he has peen
in the senate. He has maintained MS
influence by befriending such OF hls
constituents as ran afoul or the law
by organizing relief movements foi
the poor, and by giving DRY Dollar
| Sullivan picnics and balls to which the
voters of his district are invited. lie
has a host of relatives, all OF whon
live in his district and every n Of
whom receives aid from the senator
when he moved into the upper house
of the legislature he had his nephew
Timothy p. Sullivan, better known al
Boston Tim" elected TO the assembly
Although he is looked up to as a yer!
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
Deadly Foud Ended by Tragic Death OF
y Principal

The shooting through the heart OF
James Hile by Joseph holland created
considerable excitement In the oil CEN
ter of st. Marys. w. Va. holland is
the representing attorney OF Pleas
ants county. Last January Hile had
him arrested for intimacy with his
(Hile's) wife, and also instituted a
$40, 900 damage suit. The case was
tried in February with the result that
holland was acquitted. Hile recently
Dragged that either he or holland must
die. He then got a gun and started
after holland, who escaped into his
own house. The men met again and
holland once more retreated to his W
home. The latter went into a room
and locked the door. When Hile
tried to break 1t down holland fired
through the door, shooting lille
through the heart, killing him instant
ly. holland surrendered to the author
tiles.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Moiineux Plays Checkers.

Roland b. MolineuX is the champion
checker player in the dead house
at Sing Sing prison. The players new
er meet, but by a system of numerals,
which they shout across the corridors
they manage to keep tab and get over
the board in reasonably fast time. Mo-
lineux has a new checkerboard and a
series OF games between he and DR..
Kennedy, the murderer of Dolly Rey-
nolds, resulted in a victory for the
former.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Sudan Baby.

In the Church of All Saints in Cairo
took place lately IN interesting cere-
mOny, where an infant memorial OF the
overthrow OF khalifadom In Africa was
christened in the presence of a large
gathering of English people and under
the auspices of Queen Victoria, The
small heroine Of the gathering was the
daughter of Col. Sir Reginald Wingate
(pasha, sirdar of the Egyptian army
and governor Of the Sudan and OF
Lady Wingate. The queen, represented
by the Hon. Mrs. Talbot, was the prin-
cipal godmother. The child was
born the day after Sir Reginald
Wingate's victory over the khalifa at
ON D%ebrikat, where the dervishes were
routed and the khalifa killed. Her
majesty presented a diamond pendant
to her godchild, who also received a
handsome cup from Lord Cromer, a
golden cross from the bishop OF Jeru-
salem, who performed the ceremony,
and a diamond cross from Sir II. Slatin.
The child was christened Victoria Alex
andrina Catherine.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Founded a Town, Though blind.

At the close of the civil war Gen.
A. X. Johnson of the Confederate
army, was left without money, with a
wife and family to support and. worst
of all, stone blind, his sight having
been entirely destroyed by a shell dur
ing one of the last battles Of the war.
He removed to Texas and pluckily set
about building up a fortune. In the
days before the war he had been a sur
veyor. and he was thoroughly familiar
with the topography of the state. Con-
sequently his services soon became
valuable in locating and setting up
land claims. Twelve years ago he
succeeded in interesting northern
capital in his scheme for founding a
town at Marble Falls. Texas. A city
OF 10000 people sprang up there al
most over night. Then Gen. Johnson
built a big cotton and a shoe factory,
and finally he succeeded in ~persuading
n of the Texas railroads to build a
branch line to his town. Still the
prosperity of Marble Falls is growing
and still It's blind founder is its most
honored citizen.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

venom might have some curative prop.
critics that would make II a valuable
adjunct to the materia medica, an0
for that reason they are making re-
newed efforts to get some of the pois'
on. La Tosca sleeps most OF the
time, and pays no attention to any'
thing that Is transporting about her
She was brought here from Bornec
about two years ago, and, after eating
the three snakes that made the voyage
with her, refused all descriptions OF
food, and seems to get along very wei.
without it. This variety of reptiles
never eats anything but snakes. They
have been known to kill bears and
horses, and are feared by all the ma
tives of Borneo, Java and the smaller
islands of the East Indies, where they
are found. La Tosca Is the only speci
men of her kind in America. and, un
less she can be induced to eat, must
sooner or later, die. She measures 1
feet in Observation-Disclosures Record
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Confessed and Was Lypched.

Charles HUMPHREYS. who entered tae
room of Miss Mccoy, daughter Of a
wealthy farmer neal Phoenix City,
Ala, was lynched by a party Of man.
The young woman recognized Hum.
phries, and a mob Immediately start
ed in pursuit. They came upon the
negro about ten miles from Phoenix
City. He confessed and was then
strung up.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

only a few months ago, when nm In
sane soldier from the PHILIPPINES in
charge of two guards, en- route to one
of the eastern army infrmaries Mt
night. and while the train was passing
over the bridge. leaped out, and was
Immediately followed by n of the
guards. who was permanently injured.
The insane man was never found.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Indians Charged with Murder.

The steamer Clutch, which has arriv-
ed at Vancouver, b. c., from Skagway,
brought news OF the arrest of nine In
dams, the perpetrators of a murder
there last October. The victims were
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Worthing, who
were shot down over their fire at
night. The bodies were hidden in .
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
killed Husband, shot Herself.

Early the other morning Mrs. Leon
ard Wagner killed her husband and
then shot herself at their home near
Sandusky, o. The cause of the crime
is believed to have been jealousy.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

generous man by his retainers, his
enmity, once earned, attends his VIC
tim TO the grave. His followers boast
that he endorsed Byrnes and drove
McCullagh out, They viii give you the
names of half a dozen police captains
who have suffered various forms OF
degradation because, as his henchmeh
say, they have interfered with Sulll-
vans interests, political or financial
In his district they look up to
Sullivan as a feudal lord, and believe
that neither money nor the law can
defeat him.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
Transyaai Horse sickness.

Horse sickness has broken out
earlier than usual in South Africa. As
a rule it comes in February. The
Beers being entirely a mounted force
the trouble will affect them more thar
it will the English armies.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
A Query.

Edith-He says II | don't marry hin
he-he doesn't know what he'll do!
Ethel-Ah! has the poor fellow nc
rade?-Puck.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27
An Improvement.

Dobbs-"I suppose you are a self
made mani" Bobbs-"No; II ! were
| should have built my stomach 10
correspond with my appetite. '-Balti-
more American.
The Red Cloud chief., 1900-04-27

Seattle's death rate last year was
eight per 1000,