davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1901-04-17
influence Of vhisksy and almost

learned who tho dead man was,
There was = strangely mysterious
bit OF conduct just here, for thsre
was no occasion to suppress the
name. In the morbidly curious
crowd which gathered around the
street entrance to the flats was a
little boy, who like the others was
inquiring into tho identity of the
man Tho child was not aware
that his own father was lying dead
thsrs-and this was half an hour
sfter the shot had bsen fired.
Maj Evsns was hysterical when
arrested. Friends and reporter.
have called on him at the RicbIsnd
county Jail, but hs refuses to he
interviewed.
Tho dead man once stood very
high in railroa circles. He is q
native Of Ireland and 56 years of
age. He was living at Macon
Ga, when the civil war came on
and volunteered in the Confeder-
ate service. He served galIantIy y
and WAS wo landed severely In the
leg, rendering him a cripple for
life and neeessltating the use of y
cane.
VERDICT OF THE CoRoNER'a JURY.
Columbia, April 14-"Ws be-
lievs that the said J j Griffin came
to his death from = gunshot
wound inflicted at the bands of B
B Evans" This is the verdict of
the coronsr's jury in the homicide
which yesterday excited and mys
titled all Columbia
The court house was crowded
this morning at 10 o'clock whom
w s Green, the coroner, began
the inquest. No homicide, in
Columbia has excited 80 much in.
tsrsst for many years The vsr-
diet of the jury is generally ac-
c'ptsd as the most plausible solu
tion of the matter. Maj Evans
was so irrational Saturday and his
story so at variance with appear
ancss that no one seems to believe
that Capt Griffin took his own
life.
Ex-Governor John Gary Evans
Of Spartanbnrg, and Ca pt N Goo.
Evans, of Edge6eld, brothers of
the imprisoned man, spent the
day here and conferred with their
brother. They would make no
statement, but said that they had
employed counsel for Maj Evans,
and through their attorneys a
would be made in due
time.
Tho evidence which had the
greatest influence upon tho iury
was that of DR.. RID. Earle, who
was called IN by the corenor.
He testified to tho fact that the
basin contained bloody water and
that thsrs was bloody towel on
the rack-evidence that Mai.
Evans washed his hands This il
not necessarily incriminating as
Evans admits dragging Griffin
from the floor to tho bed) The
most damaging evidence was to
the effect that the shot was fired
from a distance eff five feet or
more. Upon this evidence the
verdict was rendered. d.. Earle
also testified that the ball entered
above the lett nipple and ranged
toward the spinal column, showing
that it would have been an ark-
ward matter for Griffin to have
fired tho. shot.
There is a general impression
that Evans is mentally derangsd,
and that he has been acting stran.
The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1901-04-17
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, =, = I
T. 4 4 SHOCKS COLUMBIA.
Capt. !. ]. eriala oi'thtnof.
folk & Western Killed.
Maj. b. B. Evans 10 in Jail Charged
with the Murder Tho Shoot
ing Done II the Lattor's Bed.
room With His Pistol-Ths
Case Mysterious.
Special to Charlotte Observer.

Columbia, ,. C,,, April ID
Maj. Barnard Bee Evans was ar
rested here this afternoon on the
charge Of having ki!!sd Capt. j J
Griffin, soliciting agent Of the
Norfolk & Ws.tsra Railroad.
There was more interest excited
by the tragedy than by any other
occurrence here in months.
1t 10 not vet known whether
the affair WAS murder, suicide or
accidental homicide. 1t happened
in Maj Evans rooms in th.
Greenfield building at 8 O'Clock,
while the other occupants of tho
hats were At dinner. The first
that was known of the affair was
whom Maj. Evans rushed into the
grocery store of H Muller & Sons,
under his apartments, and tsls-
phoned to DR.. Taylor that a maa
had bssn hurt in Evans room.
Failing to get DR.. Taylor, Evans
'phonsd to DR.. r N Gibbss, who
quickly responded and went up to
the loom
DR.. Glbbss found Captain Crit
TN living in = dying condition and
spsechlsss on Major Evans bed.
A A callbrs Go ts' revolver bul-
lot had entered just above the left
nipple. Whom DR.. Glbbss an.
nounced that Griffin was dying,
he declares that Evans, who had
been drinking heavily, became
wildly excited and exclaimed that
DR.. Gibbss lied, that DR.. Gibbs
and not hs himself had killed
Griffin. The physician under pre-.
text of replacing broken instru-
ment managed to get out of the
room, although Evans declared
that hs should not d. 80. DIR.
Gihbss summoned the police, and
they were refused admittance un-
til Judge Eraest Gary, a cousin
OF Evans, arrived and demanded
adlnittsnce and submission to the
officers. Evans struck Judee
Gary and was taken to the county
Jail in a state of hvstsria, having
declared that Griffin had taken his
own life.
Judge Gary wired for OK Gov
srnor Evans to C, mo at once.
There were no eye. witnesses,
but the whole affair is very ugly
in its surroundings. When The
Observer correspondent arrived,
he found the body lying on the
bed. The wound was Just above
the loft nipple and death resulted
IN 30 minutes, although the strick
on man was said to be spsschlcss
from the monen. he was hurt.
On the left side of his face were
four large bruises which showed
plainly when the after effects of
death set in. On the cheek bone,
IN the hollow OF the cheek and on
the jawbone we're several bruises.
which might have been received
as he fell. The bridge of the nose
showed confusion and there was
bruise on the right side of the
face. The dead mans hat, a der
by, was dente d in in several places. |
His cans-which he always car.
rled-was on the opposite side of
the room and was blood clottea.
The foot of the bed showed where
the blood had drippsd when tn.
wounded man fell or leaned against
1T. Blood on the floor indicated
that the shot had take,. effect whom
Capt Griffin was standing midway
between the bed and the bursau.
On the table was a small Ice
water pitcher-capacity over a
quart-which was half full of corn
The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1901-04-17
DT. IL DttcOhn's Ant.. Diurtec
800
300

May be worth to you more than 500
NJ you hav" child who SOILS bedding
from 1ncontenence OF water during
sleep. Cures old and young alike. l.
irrests the trouble at once 81, Sold
by JF Macsey d co, Druggist, Lan>
csster, = c.. ~. - -. i. -,
The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1901-04-17
DELEGATES TO BETHEL PREsBYs,t
Terry AND VaERE THEY ARE STOPPING,

Where Assigned.
Mrs. n R ncoardell.
NJ Riddle.
JT lGresn.
r Z Allison.
JIM Rlddts.
H G. McIiwain.
Ernest Moors.
JP Huatsr.
TX cunningham
JN crockett.
Mrs. W " rerry.
JIM Perry.
WI cunningham.
JIM Perry.
w B knight.
TC Green.
Mrs N r McCardell.
R T Bsatv.
Rev. G fraser.
JN crockett.
JIM Heath.
JF Hunter.
VIC Beat,
W ] cunninghs m.
IF Hunter.
L G Payssur.
J T hacksy.
Leroy springs.
Leroy springs.
Miss A witherspoon.
T g Green.
r B'Allison.
L T Baker.
B F KILLER.
BJ wlthsrspoon.
j p Hunter
w B knight.
Dr.. ] F HACKEY.
Paul Moore.
Hon. TT strait.
J T GREEN.
W hcD. brown. (Hotsl)
Ernest Moore
DR.. J H withsrspoon
Mrs. w " Perry.
HOn. T J strait.
Ernest Moore.
] n steadman
LsRoy springs.
l.. T. Baker.
WIN GansOn
JF Nisbst
Dr J F Macksy.
M Heath
H G McIiwain.
JH withsrspoon.
Miss Annie wltharspoon
Paul Moore
Rev J N stsadman
Leroy springs
L G Payseur
, Leroy springs
Ernest Moore
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
the FARM BOY.

che following are extracts from a
prize essay written by Charley Hayne,
of johnson, Neb, a 13-year-old boy,
for farmers institute. The subject
of the essay is ''The Boy on the Farm"
We quote only q few paragraphs from
the remarkably good composition:
Z Though he should do his share Of
the work, the boy on the farm ought
to be given some time Of his own.
He ought to have plenty of good books
and games. If allowed to finish at a
common country school he will have a
fair education. The boy should have
room and a place for his things.
He ought to have a pig or a calf. He
might do as boy in Kansas did. The
farmer gave the boy a small potato
and told him he could have the land
to raise the increase thereof until the
boy became of age. At the end of the
fourth year the boy had four hundred
bushels Of potatoes and the man want
ed to be released from his bargain.
Another man in Kansas gave one of
his children two old hens, and said
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
SOME TRAINED CATS.

Snowman in England has trained
number of cats to perform some
rather remarkable tricks. One of them
climbs rope to the roof of the build
ing in which the show is given and
there takes hold of the handle of q
parachute, by which it descends to the
ground. Another bit of training is
even more wonderful. The average
cat, you know, can find no daintier
morsel than a mouse or a canary bird.
and when it sees one it pounces on it
as eagerly as the tiger of the jungle
on its prey. But this Snowman has
a cat that steps carefully and gingerly
over long line of mice and canaries,
walking as If it were terribly afraid of
hurting some of them. The Snowman
says that he has trained all sorts of
animals-bears, lions, leopards and
tigers-but the cat is the most difficult
to handle. 1t is not that it lacks in
telligence, for it has plenty of that:
but that it is unwilling to allow any
one to make it do what it does not
wish to do. He says it is impossible
to depend on it; that it will perform
when it happens to be in the humor
to do so, but if it be not in the humor
nothing will make it obedient. He
has thirty cats in his Circus" but
he takes sixty around with him, the
extra thirty being "understudies, 9
which take the place of those that re-
fuse to perform. 1t took him four
years to train some of his cats He
says that kindness is absolutely neces-
sary. If you strike cat once she
will never perform again. The cat
that walks over the line of mice and
birds was brought up with them from
kittenhood, and thus made familia'
with them.-Philadelp Times.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
MY DOG RoMBsHE11

Bombshell had his own bed in nv
apartments, but he preferred mine, and
would get on it whenever he could. |
had tried, of course. to break him of
the habit, but had not succeeded One
day he came in wet and muddy, and
curled up on my white counterpart.
You may imagine the result. AS much
as hated to do so, I was compelled
to give him "a thrashing. I never
caught him on my bed again, but
don't mean that he never got up there
any more. He would do so every
chance he got, but no matter how
quietly I came in, always found him
on the floor. The rumpled condition
of the bed, however, always told on
him. One evening after going out, /
peeped through the Stats of the shutter
to see what he would do. For a mo.
ment he did not move from the floor
where had left him; then be raised
his head and looked at the door. Fin
ally he got up, stretched himself,
walked to the bed, and cautiously put
his fore paws on it, as if about to
Jump up. While he was in this posi-
ton thought must have struck him,
something like this: Suppose my mas
ter hasn't gone! He will catch me, and
then shall get licking. I'll go and
make certain that he is not coming
back" That must have been what he
thought, for he took his paws off the
bed. walked over to the door, and
with his ear close to the crack, list
ened for a little while. Then, appar-
emily being satisfied that had really
gone. he walked quickly over to the
bed, jumped on it and curled himmself
up for nap. 1t was all so clever in
the beast that I hadn't the heart to
disturb him, so went off leaving him
at peace Philadelphia Times.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
GAD-sHiP sERVICE.
a Peculiar Rite Performed In \ cnu,c

Peculiar Rite Performed In n Church
in England.
An estate in the parish of Broush-
ton was held subject to the perform
ance, on Palm Sunday in every wear
Of the ceremony of cracking a whip,
which was regularly performed in the
following way: The whip was taken,
every Palm Sunday by a man from
Broughton to the church at Castor
(Lincolnshire), and he, while the min
lister was reading the first lesson.
cracked it three times in the church
porch, then folded it neatly up. and
retired to a seat. At the commence
ment of the second lesson he approach
ed the minister, and kneelins onposite
to him waved the whip thrice over his
head. 1t had leathern purse tied at
the end Of it, which ought to have
contained thirty pieces of silver, said
to represent the price of blood.'' Four
pieces Of wych-elm, of different
lengths, We're affixed to the stock, de-
noting the different Gospels of the
evangelists. The three cracks were
typical Of ST. Peters denial, and the
waving of it over the minister's head
an Intended homage to the Trinity.
The whip was not an ordinary one,
but OF rude workmanship, ana made
in peculiar manner for the occasion.
The handle was ash, bound with white
leather to within S1a inches of the
butt, and the whip, which tapered OF
somewhat obtusely at the lower end,
was 8 feet s inches long The last
was Of white leather. probably cow
hide, and was feet 9 inches long, the
upper part for 20 inches not being
braided.-Notes and Queries.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
Tale of Geese and Death.

A tale of geese and death is told by
Nature Notes: Mr.. Francis Stanier, q
Peplow Hall, near Market Drayton,
was millionaire and a well-known
philanthropist. He had some favorite
American and Japanese geese, which
he fed with his own hands. and which
were kept on pool near the Hall. He
died about fortnight ago, and
strange to relate. during the last hours
of his illness, these birds. numbering
over hundred. flew around his bed
room window. beating their wings
against the glass. uttering weird,
screening noise. In almost the last
moments Of the squirrels life the whole
flock Of birds disappeared, and not one
of them has been seen since"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05

he would feed the increase for rour
years. Two years have passed ana
the boy has two hundred chickens and
sixty-four dollars in the bank. The
man says he is afraid that in two
more years the boy viii. own the place.
and charge him rent for living there.
Give the boy a share of the garden
truck. If he has a colt or a calf he
is more apt to care for it and the rest
of them better. You. could let him
have pair of skates, a gun, and may
be watch, without missing the cost
very much. If he wants to use ham
mer, saw or ak, let him use them, but
teach him to put them in their places
when he gets through with them.
What advantage has farm boy?
Perhaps you say he has none; but does
the city boy have all the sunshine or
exercise he needs? The city boy does
not come in contact with nature as
much as does the country boy. Com
pare the farm boy Of today with one
of fifty years ago. Then he didn't get
much schooling, generally went bare
Aoot. anu even when SNOW was on the
ground he had to put on pair of old
shoes that his brother wore the win
ter before.
IA boy should be thankful that he
doesn't have to shuck corn bare
handed and always take down row,
or bind wheat by hand. Who invented
tho machines for labor saving that are
on the up to date farm; did the city
boy invent these? The common coun-
try boy knows enough to make his
head save his heels.
What more can a farm boy want?
He has good reading matter, good
schools. good exercise, and a good
living"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
Supply of Horses


S. A. French, Franklin County, Ia:
Most of the stations used here are
either Norman or Clyde. The mares
are mostly grades or some
mixed breed. Probably fifty per cent
of the farmers raise horses and they
find the drafts the most profitable. A
few raise carriage horses, but they are
not as salable as the heavier horses.
The supply of colts is about what 1t
was before horses got so cheap. The
present supply of marketable horses is
considerably short of former years; for
when the prices of horses fell so low.
fewer colts were raised for two or
three years and that has shortened the
present supply. Except few cases OF
distemper, no disease prevails and the
condition Of horses is good.
John w. Brucker, Calumet County,
Wis: About one-fourth of our farmers
raise colts, but not every year; perhaps
one-half Of that quarter raise colts
every other year; still we have more 3
year-old colts than we had in 1894.
We also have some three year-olds-
possibly half as many as our stock OF
two-year-olds. They are mostly road
sters weighing about LOO pounds on
the average. Draft horses are most in
demand and we have now some heavy
Percherons and Clydes. The supply Of
horses that are ready for market is
not as large as in previous years,
though there are always some horses
for sale. Horses are generally healthy
and in good condition.
j. E. Gray, Louisa County, Iowa:
Relative to the supply of horses in our
neighborhood, would say almost every
farmer raises colts Of some kind,
mostly draft colts, say about three
fourths of them. There are also some
roadsters and a small number Of coach
horses. Horses of marketable condi-
ton are scarce and command good
prices-$15O to 5000 head at home.
A light attack of distemper and pink
eye is affecting the horses on some
farms; otherwise condition of horses
Is good.-Farmers' Review.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
Roosevelt Takes All to Lunch.

When luncheon time comes the
president glances around his office at
the White House and says, well, let's
all go and have some luncheon" and
marches in at the head of the COM
pany that happens to be with him,
whether it is one man or dozen. He
has had somebody at dinner and
usually three or four every night since
he has been at the White House. The
number he has had at luncheon will
average three day, and there have
been dozen guests at breakfast at
various times
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
wsstern Grazing Land Probls.sa

Western Grazing Land Probls1a
The matter Of grazing stock on gov
eminent forest reserves has for some
time been the cause of considerable
friction between stock growers and
government officials. Until within the
past two years the Department Of In
terror has prohibited the grazing OF
herds, especially sheep, upon these res
ervations, but upon representations
made by the officials of the National
Live Stock Association this order was
modified SO as to permit grazing, un-
der certain restrictions. Clifford Pin
chot, forester for the government, has
submitted to the Association his ideas,
subject to notifications. They are as
follows: The Government through its
forest officers, after consultation with
the representatives of the various in
terests involved, to decide on the
number of head to be grazed in each
forest reserve, or each subdivision of
reserve, and to establish the boun-
dar1es between cattle range and sheep
range. 2. The local associations to as
sign ranges to owners within the limits
thus laid down, subject to official ap-
prevail. 3. Both owners and local as
sociations to be held responsible for
the observance Of the terms of per-
mits and the prevention of fire and
overgrazing. 4. Each sheep owner to
have the exclusive right to his range,
and the same to apply within reason
able limits to groups of cattle owners.
.. Permits to run for five years. 6.
Residents to have precedence in all
cases over tramp owners and owners
from other states. z. Local questions
to be decided on local grounds and on
their own merits in each separate case
8. Since the forest reserves are usually
summer ranges. provision to be made
for necessary routes of transit 8. The
policy of the Government to be based
on regulation rather chan prohibition,
except in special cases, it being UNDER
stood that the avoidance of overgraz-
Ing is equally in the interest of all
parties.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
coRNwALL1s. KNEE BUCKLES.


lutionary war. 1t was fought between
the British and Americans more than
q hundred years ago. will tell you
a true story of a little girl who lived
at that time.
Her name was Anne Randolph, and
she lived on a farm not far from Phil
adelphia. Her father and her two
brothers had joined the American
army, SO Anne and her mother were
left alone to take care of the farm.
Two years before this time Anne's
father had given her a beautiful calf
as pet The two had become great
friends. The young COW knew her lit
tie mistress and always came to be
stroked when Anne went into the
field.
At one time during the war the Eng
lish army was in Philadelphia.
One day the soldiers came to the
farm of Mr.. Randolph and seized
Anne's pet cow. They tied a rope to
her horns and drove her away Anne
begged for her pet and was in great
grief. but her words had no effect.
1t did not take long for Anne to
think what to do. She ran to the sta
BILE and saddled her pony and then
rode at full speed to see Lord Corn
wallis, the general of the English
army. It was brave thing for lit
tie girl IL years Of age to do.
"a soldier with his gun was march
Ing back and forth in front Of the
place where the general was.
What do you want?" he asked
Anne, as she galloped up.
Il wish to see Lord Corvallis" she
said.
What is your business with him?"
asked the soldier.
II must see him; let me pass" re-
piled the girl.
The soldier let her pass, thinking no
doubt she had some very important
news to tell.
Lord CORVALLIS and some of . his
friends were at dinner when little
Anne rushed into the room.
what do you want. my child?" said
the general
WuAI 1ly WV, OIL. IOul oOlulciS
have taken her away and l have come
to get her.
"And who are you, my little girl?"
said the general kindly.
II am Anne Randolph, and I live
three miles from here with my mother.
Have you. seen my COW, sir? Oh, sir,'
she continued, 81 raised my COW my
self. She has always been mine. She
can't belong to you. must have her.
would never steal your COW, sir, .
she said proudly.
The general rose. Come here, my
child. promise you that your COW
shall be safe in your barn tomorrow;
and here, take these" he said, unfas-
tening pair of silver knee buckles.
Keep them to remember me by, and
If the soldiers trouble you again come
to me at once"
The general kept mis- promise, and
the next morning Annes COW was once
more safely housed in her own snug
stable.
i The buckles were kept, and are kept
to this very day. One of Anne's grand
children has them.-Child's World.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
Russia In Asio.

Russia's Asiatic possessions are three
times as large as the British, but have
only 25,0OO,000 people as compared with
2s7 100000 under British rule.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05

The Sultan of Turkey is extremely
fond Of his children, for whom he has
a tiny theater wherein they play small
parts for his Majestys delectation.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05

WHERE We sPANKWEED GROWS.
There's a corner in our garden, but my
nurse won't tell me where,
That little boys must never see, but
always must beware.
And In that corner, all the year. in
rows, and rows and rows,
dreadful little flower called the
Spankweed
Grows!
My nurse says that if boy who doesn't
wash his face,
Or pulls his little sisters hair, should
ever find that place,
The spankweed just would jump al
him and dust his little clothes.
Oh. it's never safe for fellers where the
Spankweed
some day I'll get the sickle from our
hired man, and then
IL go and find that spankweed place
It's somewhere in the glen,
And when get a-swingin' it and put
tin In my blows,
! bet therell be excitement where the
Spankweed
Grows!
Paul West. in Life.