davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
MORTGAGE SW|NDLE
Woman Required to Pay
Forty Per Cent. on
Fifteen Dollar Loan.

Mrs. William Purvis, of No. 351 Seventh
street, wisely sought counsel from the
Organized Aid Association this morning
in her financial entanglements. 1t was
not, strictly speaking, a case for the
Organized Aid. and yet that association
has managed to adjust matters according
to law.
Mrs. William Purvis it seems, about
year ago, was ''hard up as she express
ed it. She needed money at once, and
somebody told her of the Jersey City
Mortgage Loan Company where they took
chattel mortgages. Thither she went,
mortgaged her furniture and received a
loan of SIS, minus the fee of s1.50 for
drawing up the papers, according to her
story. This with the interest was to be
paid back within five months at $3.50 per
month The loan as Mrs. Purvis could re-
member was made on September 20, 1900
In January she paid back 81 and later
made two other payments of $3.50 each,
making sl4 in ALL
Yesterday an agent from the Jersey City
Mortgage Loan Company called upon Mrs
Purvis, telling her she was still in the
company's debt 81, six dollars interest and
one dollar on the principal. Mrs. Purvis
protested and the agent told her he would
be obliged to take away her furniture.
She called at the compahys office this
morning. She could not pay, she said, as
she had not the money. She was given
a card and told to go to the Security Loan
and Interest Company, situated at No 13S
Newark avenue, where she might borrow
ten dollars on her furniture.
'sThen,'' said the man, according to Mrs.
Purvis, 'you can pay me the seven and
still have three left for yourself
+ But Mrs Purvis did not care to get
into any more finacial entanglements.
She would go to the Organized, Aid
rooms, she said.
"Oh, I wouldn't go there said the
agent.
But there she went and told her story
to Mrs. Badgley Counselor Robert
Flemming happened to be in the rooms
at the time and he took the case in hand
at once. He went straight to the com
pany's office at No. 96 Montgomery street,
and returned shortly with receipt for
s.. 80 covering all demands. This sum
included the dollar still standing on the
principal. interest at the legal rate, six
per cent. and $3.50 for drawing up the
papers at the time of the loan, which the
company claimed Mrs Purvis had not
paid This last Mr.. Flemming paid under
protest, as Mrs. Purvis claimed that she
had received but $3.50 at the time the
loan was made the company having de-
Quoted sl.5o, the fee for drawing up the
papers.
Mrs. Purvis went home happy. She
knew there was something wrong, but
did not realize she was being charged
forty instead of six per cent. interest.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30

drop out of the State Committee, as ne
County Committee, and the same report
has it that Barker Gummere is likely to
take his place. as he did in the Mercer
organization.
The present Executive Committee IS
composed of Mr.. Murphy, Mr.. Stokes, Mr..
Riker, Senator John Kean, Major E. J.
Anderson Mr.. Bettle Colonel Samuel D.
Dickinson, c. E. Breckenridge, Mr.. Baird,
Mr.. Pitney, r. B. Reading and Robert
Williams.
Though the 1923 delegates who will make
up the next convention will be only seven
in excess of the 1898 total, Essex county
alone has gained fourteen votes on the
basis of representation 1t will have 161
delegates, as against the 147 who repre-
sented the county when Voorhees, was
nominated. The Democratic stronghold,
Hudson, has also gained in Republican
votes, as shown by its Ill delegates, as
against 195 In 1888. Bergen has gained
five, Union four, Morris three and At
lantic, Cape May, Ocean and Somerset
one or two each. Camden is the greatest
loser, its allotment having been reduced
from eixty-seven to flfty-fye. Mercer
also loses five and Burlington, Gloucester,
Hunterdon, Mddlesex, Passaic. Salem
each. Cumberland's twenty seven and
Monmouth's forty-one are the only fig
ures that remained unchanged
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
Cats as Government Officials.

Several years ago letter containing
a large sum of money disappeared from
the New York postoffice," writes Hugh
Netherton, in 1.-THE Ladies' Home Jour-
nal'' in telling of "Cats that Draw
Salaries'' "a month after the disappear
ance desk in one of the rooms was
moved, and on the floor was found a nest
of young rats resting on bed OF
mascerated greenbacks-all that was left
of the missing letter. Uncle Sam at last
decided to employ a cat to protect the
New York postoffice from rats and mice.
The first appointee in the United States
Rat and Mouse Catching Service was a
large, gray tabby. She secured the place
through the recommendation of her
owner, who certified that she was not
only a good mouser, but also a friend Of
the ration-qualities which she at
once exemplifed by her work.
with New York as an example. other
postoffices asked for cats, and today
nearly every large office in the United
States has its official mouser or rat-killer,
who receives from nine to twelve dollars
a year. This income is expended under
the supervision of the postmasters for
the purchase of food. Milk is the chief
item, for the cats are supposed to provide
themselves with meat
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30

recreation ground be granted, but with
out avail. have been told that you have
received more than your share of improve
ments. / agree that you have not been
neglected. Still $1,000 is not a large SUM
to expend in giving the children OF TINS
popuious section such place to play IN.
cat the present time this site is put
pasture for cows and worn out horses
have sympathy for animals, but ! have
more sympathy for children. These walls
are tumbling down and depreciating the
value of property in this section. 1t is an
injustice to the property owners. | have
done what 1 could. 1t remains for you to
demand from your officials either to give
you the use of the grounds to be fixed up
at YOUR own expense or to compel the
Street and Water Board to c-ose up the
place entirely. if they cannot properly
Improve it. until such time as it may be-
come necessary to use it in reservoir pur-
poses. or sell it in lots to those who Will
improve it to the end that the nuisance
may be wiped out"
DR.. Hendricks. in the course of short
but eloquent address. declared that there
could be no mental education without
physical development. He said people
should have parks, and if they didn't II
was their own fault, and that it was time
that the present site at least should be
improved.
After the speechmaling the children
spread over the grounds. Many OF the
boys Immediately sought the lake 1or II
swim. In the afternoon there was an eX-
citing swimming contest. But the biggest
crowd surged in the direction of the con-
tests for prizes. They formed long lanes
for the one hundred yards dashes, 22o
yards dashes and the three-legged races.
There were races for girls and races Tor
boys
Some of the girls proved themselves
great sprinters and some were urged on
by their mothers. They were as much IL
earnest as professionals, for they were
contesting for prizes such as handsome
dolls, school outfits, etc. Nearly dozen
couples of boys entered the three legged
races. One hundred prizes were dis
tributed
A number of baseballs were thrown up
high in the air and scrambled for by the
boys. 1t was great sport to see them pile
on each other in pyramids, and great
wonder some of them were not hurt. In
the whole afternoon there were but three
or four minor accidents, and DR.. Frieie
and his staff of half a dozen assistants.
who had a tent on the ground, had but
little to do James Harmon was kept busy
distributing prizes.
Street and Water Commissioner Heintze
appeared upon the scene shortly after
three O'Clock He said such a scene should
convince anyone of the necessity of
chil1ren's playground in that section.
Other prominent men on the ground We're
Surrogate James T. Lillis, Carl Schumaii,
the prospective Democratic nominee for
Assembly; ex-Police Commissioner O'Don-
nell, Edward Groeschel, Alderman White,
Gilbert Robinson, Alderman Cookson, Po-
lice Justice Hoos, ex-Freeholder William
Pairson, George Bremner, ex-Justice of
the Peace William O'Connell.
The Rev E. A. Meury was also on hand
swapping scenes with a camera.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
HOBOKEN SCARED.
Building Inspector Begins
a Tour Of Shaky
Houses.
BRICK EXTENSION CONDEMNED
Collapse of Bernitt's Hall
Makes City Wonder
How Much Is Safe.

The collapse of Bernitt's Hall in Ho-
boken, yesterday which resulted in the
death of George Koerner and the serious
injury of Mrs. Bernitt, the proprietress.
has inspired the authorities to keep a
sharp lookout for future accidents of the
kind. Building Inspector Fred Steigleiter
promptly condemned the three-story brick
extension to the hall left standing on
First street and workmen braced it up
with five stalwart timbers.
The storekeepers in the basement were
warned to keep away. The stores were
all locked this morning, the owners APP
parently caring more about their lives
than about their property. A rope was
stretched along First street this morning
and a policeman was ON duty to keep
pedestrians away from the spot. The
walls of the brick extension on First
street are only eight inches thick, the
same as the old hall.
1t was learned at St. Mary's Hospital
this morning that Mrs Bernitt was re-
covering rapidly from her injuries. re-
porter 70 'sThe News interviewed her
but she was so weak that she could speak
only at intervals. Her story of the acci-
dent was exactly as 'The News stated
ySStSIQdy. y sic lOS5l III bSStuSS ola tiC
furniture in the building, about $500
worth of diamonds. She had on a pair
of diamond earrings when she was rescued
but all her rings and pins were in the
building when it collapsed. A diamond
pin and two diamond rings were recovered
from the ruins by the police.
Two bank books belonging to Kerner
showing small deposits in the Peoples
Trust and Safe Deposit Company and the
New Jersey Trust Company were also
found by the police, together with an in
surance policy on Koerner's life for s96,
issued by the Prudential Insurance Com
pany.
The paraphernalia of the various lodges
and labor organizations that met in the
old hall is being dug out of the ruins. It
will be kept by the police until it can be
returned to the proper owners.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
FAGAN MEANS FIGHT
Library Employees Must Get
Paid or No One Else Will

The strained relations between Mayor
Fagan and the Hoboken Common Coun-
Gil are likely to lead to more tying up of
the city's payrolls before very long. Ever
since the wrangle over the seating of sew
eral members of the Board of the Free
Public Library some time ago the Coun-
Gil has refused to pass the Library pay
roll.
Last night, in order that the eleven en-
ployes in the Library might get their sal
ary for August, the Mayor endorsed
note on the Second National Bank for
s5S1 The Mayor says he will continue to
endorse notes until the matter is settled
through the courts. Furthermore, he de-
clares that he will defuse to sign any SAL
ary warrants from the City Clerks down
with the exception of those of the police,
fire and school departments until the Lii
brary difficulty is settled. He claims that
the Library employees are as much en-
titled to their wages as any other city
employees.
There will be some tall kicking if the
Mayor carries out his threat.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
BDOU PLAYS
Col. Holmes Has All the
Old Favorites En-
gagged.

The Bijou Theatre opened the season
last night with 1.-The Man Who Dared, .
a melodrama in five acts, by Howard
Hail. the star of the company. An ex-
cellent supporting company is associated
with Mr.. Hall and the piece is strong and
well constructed. The house was crowd
ed to the doors and long before the cur
tain went up the standing room sign was
out The company was accorded hearty
and satisfactory reception and all went
along smoothly The piece had but one
fault. 1t was too long. The curtain did
not drop until Has o'clock. This feature,
however, has been remedied today. The
company has had special rehearsal this
afternoon and the piece has been trim
med.
1t was the original intention to open the
house last Saturday evening, but the tor
nado made it impossible Since then a
small army of men has been constantly
employed repairing the damage.
The house presents a most attractive
appearance Though it is practically a
new building the whole interior has been
remodelled, repainted, newly papered and
in fact entirely renovated. New carpets
are on the floor and new furniture fills
The; fDOAeS d1lu lHe llOOiS. ~ new Stage
has been placed where the ruins of the
old marked the path of the tornado.
Much new scenery has been painted and
placed in position.
A new curtain has been put in. The
subject is the Hunt Meet" 1t is copied
from masterpiece.
Though a new brick wall ds in course
of construction in the rear the work on
the stage is not interfered with in the
least as a temporary wall of sheet iron
has been placed inside the line of the
new wall. Thus the actors are unham-
pered and the masons are free to go
ahead with their work without any inter-
ruption and without interrupting.
Colonel Holmes is again managing the
house. He is the proprietor. He has
mapped out season that should be a
greater success than the past He has
booked many standard plays and well
known stars.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
JOSEPH JORDAN DEAD
Popular Young Man a Victim to
Consumption.

Joseph Jordan, one of the best known
young men in the lower section Of this
city died this moring in st. Francis Hos
pital after a lingering illness. He was
twenty-eight years old and he had lived
in Jersey City all his life.
His health began to break up several
months ago when he was taken i'll with
typhoid fever. He recovered from the
fever, but it left his constitution so bad
iy shattered that consumption followed.
Five weeks ago he was removed to st.
Francis Hospital weber he remained un-
til his death at 4:55 o'clock this morn
ing,
Mr.. Jordan was popular with all who
knew him He was for several years in
the employ of Messrs. Basford & Glenn
in Exchange place. About three months
ago in partnership with William Foster
he opened the new Hotel Metropole at
No. 9 Exchange place. Besides father
he leaves three brothers, George Ralph
and Jim.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
SAFETY COMMITTEE
School No. 2 Will Be Exam
ined by Architects and
Building Inspector.

The Board of Education held meeting
yesterday afternoon, the first since it
adjourned for the summer. The following
resolution offered by Director John f.
Ward, committee for No. School, was
unanimously passed:
whereas, 1t has been suggested that
No. School building is unsafe and un-
fit for the reception of pupils;
Resolved, That Mr. William H. Rob
ertson be requested to meet with the
Building Inspector of Jersey City and
the Supervising Architect of this
Board as a committee to examine that
building and make report to the
committee Ill charge OF said school
before September 9, OF its condition,
with their opinion as to its safety and
fitness for the reception of pupils.
In offering the resolution Mr.. Ward
said that when the cyclone was in prog
ress In this city on Saturday last por-
ton of the roof of st. Mary's Church was
blown over onto the roof of No School,
crashing through it and making a large
hIe. Tne greater part of the ceiling Of
the top floor was knocked down and the
walls cracked. The storm evidently hal
IFS effect on No. School also.
After the storm a rigid inspection of the
building was made and it was discovered
that large piece of the ceiling of the
first floor was knocked out. The building
evidently settled, 100, because it was, and
is now, impossible to move the rolling
doors.
The Clerk of the Board was directed to
advertise for proposals for books, sta
tionery, fuel and supplies and also for fur
niture for No. 9 School.
Superintendent Snyder notified the Board
that as a result of examination the fol-
lowing teachers were awarded vice prin-
cipals certificates:-Miss Augusta L..
Clark, Evelyn T.. Hardy, Nellie F. Hills
and Eva Rappleye. He also notified the
Board that kindergarten certificates were
awarded to Matte Matthias and Thekla
Birnbaurn.
Architect to the Board of Education
John T. Rowland, Jr., reported that work
on the new schools, Nos. 2S and 29, was
progressing. He said the stone for the
foundation for No. 2S School was on the
ground and would be laid within few
DAYS. AS to No. 20 Mr.. Rowland said he
had heard that the work which was to
have been started yesterday would be
begun this morning; that he would go up
there today to see whats doin'." MIR.
Rowland also said that the work of re-
pairing the roof of No. 19 School was
almost finished and would i'll all proba-
bility be ready by September 8, when all
the schools would be open.
Clerk NJ. f. Kalaher, of the Board Of
Finance, notified the Board that the
Financiers had agreed to appropriate the
SIS, 600 necessary for the erection of new
School No. 49,
The next meeting will be held on Sep
a. Vacf -<7ox ys<s cot
ing terminated the summer afternoon ses-
sions of the Board.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
Jersey City, N. J., Aug. 29. 1901.


Jersey City, N. J., Aug. 20, 1901.
ers of Jersey City, in meeting assem-
bled, do hereby appoint James w.
Donelan, Jr. our attorney to institute
all proceedings against any and all
butchers who keep their places OF
business open after 10 A. M. on Sunday
mornings. We also instruct our said
counsel, James w. Donelan, Jr., to
prosecute to the full extent of the law
any and all persons who violate the
act concerning business on Sundays.
COMMITTEE.
There were about one hundred ana
seventy members of the association pres
ent. Ellsworth Purcell and George Ken
nedy were appointed committee to wait
upon Chief of Police Murphy to secure
his cooperation They waited upon the
Chief this morning. The Chief told them
that there was no. positive law on the
subject, but there was an unwntten law
In force in the city compelling newsboys
bootblacks, etc, to stop business at noon
on Sundays. Barbers are allowed to keep
open until one o'clock. He said he could
see no reason why the butchers could not
be compelled too close up their stores at
ten O'Clock on Sundays. He said he would
notify ALL through the department, next
Sunday to close at ten O'Clock on the fol-
lowing Sunday, and those who did not
obey the order at that time would be put
under arrest.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30

DIED.

DRTSCOTI-On Wednesday, Aug. 29, 1891,
John J. Driscoll, beloved son of Corr
nelius Driscoll and the late Mary
Driscoll.
Relatives and friends are invited to at
tend the funeral from No. $40 Johnston
avenue. on Saturday morning, Aug; ~,
r. C. Church, where mass will be offered
for the happy repose Of his soul
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
BOY LIFE SAVER
especial to .rne Jersey city News.''l

Especial to ssThe Jersey City News."1
ATLANTIC CITY, Aug, 80, l9ol-Will-
lam J. Mead, sixteen years old, of No. 2,511
Bancroft street, Philadelphia, saved lit
tie child from drowning In the surf here.
and is the hero of the beach today. He
heard the mother cry for help and saw
the little one being carried out by the
undertow. He sprank in, bringing the
child to shore, but was so exhausted that
he tainted as he reached the mother with
the little one.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
WEATHER INDICATIONS

NEW YORK, Aug. so, 1901.-Foreeast for
the thirty-six hours ending at eight P. M
Saturday Generally fair tonight and to-
morrow; west winds.
Hartnett's Thermometrieal Report
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
BUTCHERS MUST CLOSE
Meat Can't Be Bought
After Ten O'Clock
Sundays.

The Benchmen and Retail Butchers of
Jersey City held meeting at Pythagoras
Hall last evening and adopted the follow
ing resolution
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30

Pavonia Brand Of Fine Early juno Canned
Peas for sale ~ nearly al good grocery
srores. and wholesale Il the p. y. cleary 60. =
Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-10-12
CRIMINAL NEWS.

Mrs. A. ]. Whitwer of Dayton, O., is
under arrest on the suspicion of hav.
ing committed IA murders.
In a bloody fight at the Union Bap,
list church at Big Springs, 10 miles
from Tazewell, Tenn, Sunday, four
I men were killed, two mortally wound
ed and three wounded less seriously.
Jumbo Fields, aged 16, and Clarence
Garrett, aged Is, both colored, were
lynched at Shelbyville, KY, for the al
legged murder of Will G. Hart, a
printer, who was stoned to death on
the night of Saturday, Sept. 81.
James Edward Brady, the man who
committed an unusually brutal assault
upon 5-year-old Ida Pugsley in Helena
Tuesday, was taken from the Jail by
a mob about 1880 Wednesday morning
and hanged to a telegraph pole in the
Haymarket square, about three blocks
from the Jail.
Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-10-12
FOREIGN NEWS.
= 49, .sn,.-l
- = - -
~ 49,

The commercial treaty between
Guatemala and Germany has~been re-
nounced by Guatemala and will cease
to be in effect June %, 1903.
The parliamentary general elections
we're held in Portugal Sunday. 1t is
believed that they have resulted in a
large majority for the present govern
ment.
1t is estimated that "a were killed
and hundreds injured during the Hun
garian election riots. In various places
voters were coeroed by threats of
death and torture.
The Australian house of representa-
tives adopted clause of the immigra-
ton bill prohibiting the entry into the
commonwealth of ony one under con-
tract to do manual labor.
The Macedonian revolutionary COM
mittee held a meeting Sunday in So
fla, Bulgaria, to protest against the
persecution of the Bulgarians in the
district of Kastoria. Twenty thousand
persons were present.
An Austrian anarchist named CLAW
enovich was arrested at Rome Sunday.
while lettering about the Vatican. 1t
is reported that he was aiming to
murder the pope and Cardinal Ram
polla. He carried a razor.
Mexico is in danger OF a wheat and
corn famine. President Diaz has is
sued a decree suspending import du-
ties and all other taxes on corn from
Oct. l to Dec. 81. The duty on wheat
has been reduced to cent Mexican
Ger k;Io.
Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-10-12
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.

The public debt was decreased $4,-
825,401 in September.
Senator Platt of New York dined
with the president Sunday.
Plans have been completed for the
opening of Fort Hall Qda.) Indian res
ervation.
President Roosevelt has appointed
Ex-Governor Thomas Goode Jones to
be federal Judge of the Northern dis
trict of Alabama.
Propositions for devising plans to
aid in the prevention of floods in the
Red River valley are again being con-
sidered by the war department.
Pesident Roosevelt has invited a
number of Republican leaders in con-
gFess to come to Washington for con-
ference with him before he prepares
his message.
Orders have been received at Mare
Island maynard to rush the repairs on
the naval transport Solace, as she
must be ready for service by Oct. Is.
1t is stated that the vessel is needed
to take force of marines to Panama.