davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
Traits of the Gorilla
African Natives Convinced Animal Possesses the
Soul of Man.

Gorilla hunting is distinct sensa-
ton even for the veteran hunter. This
animal, which has become somewhat
confused with fable and fiction, is a
reality. and decidedly unpleasant
one to engage. The West Africans
are mortally afraid of it, believing
that the brute contains the spirit of
man. They attribute to it all sorts
OF ferocities, like the carrying off of
human being, who is permitted to
return after being deprived of toe and
finger nails.
Skilled hunters have never observed
any of these doings, but they testify
to the brute's strength and ferocity.
According to French sportsman a
full-grown gorilla can bite through a
tree six inches thick in order to Sc
cure the sap, and twist a gun barrel
with the swollen punches of muscles
that serve for arms. His roar is ter
rifying and can be heard for dis
lance of three miles.
Il shall never forget how the first
one impressed me" says the French
man, for l had bad attack of the
shakes. The woods had been filled
some time with barking roar, but
saw nothing until my guide clucked
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

One great secret Of Napoleon's pow
er was his ability to sleep. If he had
but an hour for sleep he slept an hour,
even though the fate of an army or
of an empire hung in the balance
while he slept. Gen. Grant was an
other great example of this ability
to lay aside work at quitting time.
Even in the Wilderness campaign,
when the responsibility of the move
ments of the nations armies, stretched
out in battle line a thousand miles
long lay on his shoulder; when his
goodnight commands involved all
night marching and fighting of his
army of the Potomac, and his waking
orders might mean victory or defear,
the killing or the saving of thousand
men-under it all he lay down and
dropped to sound sleep as quickly as
you or when we read ourselves sleepy
over an old story book. Grant had
what great writer has called a
"frictionless mind" He saved for
the wear of work what others throw
away on the tear of worry.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

country was burnt up. the stock was
dying, all the plantations were char
red, the country people were focking
into the towns and famine was fear
ed. The steamer was loaded with
food of all sorts and was sent back
to Martinique at p. m. The captain
Of the vessel reported that some thir>
ty persons left ST. Pierre by the 6
o'clock boat Thursday morning for
Fort de France and consequently were
saved.
All attempts to get to st. Pierre
are barred by fire. The closest OBJ.
servation possible showed houses
still blazing and streets strewn with
charred bodies. 1t is certain that
the whole town and neighboring coun-
try for miles is utterly destroyed and
it is feared here that few, ii any, Of
the Inhabitants escaped.
The volcano of the Island of st. Vim
cent has burst out in sympathetic
eruption. A steamer which returned
from there last night reports that
the northern third of the island was
in flames and cut off from assistance
by a continuous stream of burning
lava, ashes falling in heavy showers,
as far as one hundred and fifty miles
away. Kingston, the capital of St.
Vincent, is safe, but the people here
are very anxious as to the fate of
the rest of that island
Dominica and st. Lucia have very
active geysers, but they show no de-
parture from normal conditions.
Paris, May 10.-The commander of
the French cruiser Suchet has tele
graphed to the minister of Marine,
M. De Lehessan, from Fort de France,
Island of Martinique, under date OF
Thursday, May 9Th, at 10 p. NJ. az
follows: Have just returned from
st. Pierre, which has been completely
destroyed by an i1amense mass of fire.,
which fell on the town at about 8
o'clock in the morning. The entire
popu alton (about $4,000 souls) is sup
posed to have persisted. have
brought back the few Survivors, about
30. All the shipping in the harbor
has been destroyed by fire. The erup-
ton continues"
Washington, May 1o.-The following
state department
Point a Pitre, May 9.-Secretary Of
state, Washington: At Z o'clock a, m.
on the 9Th inst. a storm of steam,
mud and fire enveloped the city and
community. Not more than twenty
persons escaped with their lives.
Eighteen vessels were burned and
sunk with all on board, including four
American vessels and steamer from
Quebec named Roraima. The United
States consul and family are
among the victims. A war vessel has
come to Guadalupe for provisions
and will leave at 5 o'clock tomorrow.
(Signed) "Ayme. CONSUL"
The state department has been re-
ceiving dispatches from commercial
houses in New York asking that a
warship be sent at once to Martinique
to afford relief. The matter is under
consideration.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
TRICKS OF BEGGARs
Men and Women Who Find Imporing Charity Easier Than
Working.


How beggars are made" might be
made the subject of a singularly inter-
esting article. And it would refer not
to the unkind cuts of fortune, but to
the appliances whereby certain deft
and none too scrupulous manufacture
Ell equips men and women who, for
purposes of their own, wish to be con-
sidered lame, halt or blind.
That it is easier to be crippled than
to work is the maximum upon which
this particular trade is established
I'm what is called street sham
fakir,'" said one of these dealers in
DISCUSSES recently. 81 fake up most of
the sham disabled mill operatives,
crippled sailors, ETC., and charge 'em
small fee.
If it's woman with a tale that
her husband beats her, l paint her a
black eye and put her arm in a sling,
Say it's man on blind lay; we'll, 1
paint some scars on his face to initiate
the marks of lead explosion and give
him a green eye-shade and blind
card.
"If mans really manned it makes
1t easier. Suppose he's been run over
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

softly and pointed to tree, alongside
which stood an immense male goril-
la. There he remained but twelve
yards away boldly facing us with his
huge chest, muscular arms, fercely-
glaring deep-gray eyes and hellish
expression, until moved.
"At that he dropped to all fours and
came six yards nearer, sitting up to
beat his breasts with his huge fists
defance-so that it sounded like an
immense drum. His roar was most
singular, beginning With a kind Of
bark and deepening into a bass roll
that literally resembled thunder.
'The short hair on his forehead
was twitching, his powerful fangs
showed unpleasantly, and, feeling he
was about to attack, and incidentally
being scared green, 1 shot him
through the heart. With groan
something human and yet british, he
fell on his face and died quickly.
He measured 5 feet 9 inches in
length, his chest was 81 inches, and
his arms spread 9 feet. was glad to
have the specimen, but somehow after
that never cared to kill gorilla un-
less he actually menaced me-
Ainslee's
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
General Lees Thoughts.

'Uncle Tom," the old negro of Lex
ington, Va, who saw a great deal of
Gen. Lee during the civil war, having
been employed as cook at headquar-
tiers, confessed that only once had he
heard anything disrespectful said
about the idol of the south. In relat-
ing the incident, he said:
Zone night, about de middle OBJ de
war, seed a curi'us man go inter de
gin'Ps tent. He cum out, en- whin he
got up to whar wuz he wuz ripkin
en- erroarin' en- ersnorten'. .Whut's
de trubble?' I SEE ter i'm. .Trubble %
SEE he. I jes got order ter ride forty
miles ter-night wild er messidge. en-
here tits er-snowin' en- er-blowin' en-
er-sleetin' lax all persessed. I'm
darned eff know what Gin'l Lees err
thinkin' about Well sir, jes looked
at i'm fer a minute en- then seq ter
i'm: Fer Gowd. doan reckin yer does
know what Ginl Lees er-thinkin.
erbout. Man, sir, eff one er Gin'l Lees
thots werz ter get inter your haid.
'twould bus 1t open.'"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
ELkINS is AT WORK.

AS Delighted as Child Over Thirty
Cents Which He Earned Recently.
Mount Vernon, May S.-Inquiry OF
Professor Harlan of this city as to
the manner in which young Wesley
Elkins has been conducting himself
since he ieft the penitentiary at Ana
mosa ELECTS the most favorable state
ments. Professor Harlan stated to q
reporter that Eelkins' department Is
verything that could be desired. The
young man is at work doing chores
about the home of Professor Harlan,
the latter having seen fit to give him
enough work to keep the boy from
ceiling that he was a parasite.
Professor Harlan stated that one
day recently young Ell1ins went to
the home Of another professor, where
he did an odd job at gardening, for
which he received the sum of thirty
cents. When the boy returned home
to Professor Harlan's he exhibited the
thirty cents in much the same manner
that child earning its first real mon
ey might do. This is the first money
that Elkins has earned since he left
the penitentia-y, though he pays fol
his board by making himself useful.
Asked as to what his future course
toward the boy would be, Professor
Harlan stated that he had not yet
fully determined. He desires to dis.
cuss the matter with his friends be,
fore anything definite is determined
upon. He is studying the boy daily
and constantly finds new and inter.
esting developments in his character
He believes the boy is going to win
out in his hard battle with the world,
and says he can find absolutely no
fault with any Of his actions thus far.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
IOWA BANKS PROSPEROUS.

Des Moines, May 8.-The most re.
markable bank statement in the his
tory of Iowa has just been issued by
lie state auditor. 1t shows such an
increase in cash and number of de-
posits as to indicate that the day of
supreme prosperity in the state has
just been reached. The total assets
of the 293 savings and the 225 state
banks at the close OF business April
S show an increase over those at the
time the last quarterly bank statement
was issued, on December 10th last.
in the sum Of $14,42O,8O114, the best
showing of the kind ever made in
the state. During the same time the
bills receivable of the banks have in.
creased in the sum of $11, O95, 161 80.
Cash and cash items have increased
in the sum of 42,8S3.O4, and credits
subject to sight drafts, have increased
s2,5S6,953.22.
At the same time there has been a
decrease Of s118,84SSO in the over.
drafts, and a decrease of $85,341.82
in real and personal property. There
has been an increase of 1891, 900 in
and an increase in deposits of $13r
Hoo,foO.A1. NC s.1uOuhL uuC UduhS anu
others shows an increase of $154 $685.
08. There is an increase of surplus
of s309, 306.79, making an increase in
the total amount Of liabilities $14,420,-
8O714.
The apple has proven the most sue.
cessful of the fruits wholly unknown
in japan until introduced from abroad.
and has become a chief product in
some districts in the northern islands.
The apples are Of fine appearance
and excellent flavor, and the trees
yield a profit very encouraging to the
cultivator, so that the area Of their
production is being increased.
A company has been organized Ia
Michigan to produce sugar from corn.
A curious custom prevails in Servia.
In some Of the cottages doll will be
seen displayed at a window. It con.
veys the information that marriage.
able daughter dwells inside.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

Here is sample of the other ex-
IRENE. Said Minneapolis lawyer to
me: when began the practice Of
law l always lost two nights before
had case in court, tossing about and
combating every thinkable standpoint
OF my opponent. And l lost as much
sleep afterward upbraiding myself for
not having thought of certain points
at certain pat occasions in the prog
ress of the case" OF what value were
these night thoughts to this young at
torney? About as much value as
night sweats to consumptive! I
venture to say that all the business
planning a man does in life while
lying on his back at night isn't worth
an hours good thinking on his feet
on one June morning. AS compared
with the sleep it displaces, such night
thinking isn't worth forty winks after
dinner. Burning the candle at both
ends sometimes makes a fine bonfire.
But it always makes bad grease spot
of a good candle.-The Commercial
West.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

London, May IF. Bret Harte, the
American author, died here Monday
night. He was born at Albany, N. Y,
August 25, 1889. Mr.. Harte died sud.
denly at the Red House, Carmerley,
near Aldershot, from hemorrhage,
caused by an affection of the throat.
Mr.. Harte had been living quietly in
England for years. Most of his time
was spent in the country and when in
London he was almost equally seclud.
ed, having few visitors to his rooms
at Lancaster Gate, and only going to
the houses of limited number Of
very intimate friends.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
A COMBINATION
IS SAID TO EXIST
Bill Prepared by Attorney
General Knox Against
Beef Trust Is Filled.
WHAT THE TRUST WILL DO
II Demurrer. Claiming That Shipments
Between Employer and Agent Are Not
Interstate Commerce Is Overruled, tho
Charges Will BE Denied.

Chicago, May 12.-With the full ap.
prevail of Attorney General P. G..
Knox, representing the national gov
eminent, District Attorney S. G..
Bethea filed with the clerk of the fed.
eral court here a bill for an injunc-
ton, sweeping in character, designed
to destroy the alleged giant conspira-
cy to Illegally control the meat trade
of the United States. The original of
the bill was recorded the moment filed
and was at once placed in the official
files of the court clerks office. At the
same time District A..orney Bethea
served notice that at 2 p. M. May 20,
he will appear before Federal Judge
Grosscup and ask for temporary
injunction against the packers and
their representatives, under the Sher-
man national antitrust law. When
the case shall come up for hearing
May 20, District Attorney Bethea will
be present in person to present the
his argument in support. of tempo
rary Injunction. He will be assisted
by Attorneys G. B. Morrison and Oil
yer Pagin, from his office, and prob
ably by Special Counsel w. A. Day.
What the defendants will do, now
that the government has begun the
long-talked-of proceedings, was fore
casted by one of their Representatives.
They will not make fight on May 20,
according to this authority. They
will submit to an entry of an order
enjoining them from the acts COM
planned of in the bill and will promise
to refrain from further alleged vio-
/ lation of the law until the time of
the next hearing. That will possibly
be about June 20. Before the later
date they will have flleo demurrer,
in which the insufficiency of the gov
ernment's petition will be alleged.
This demurrer, it is said, will raise
an important point under the inter-
state commerce regulations, probably
to the extent that the shipping of
meats to ones own agent in another
state under a certain agreement is not
interstate commerce. In the event
that the demurrer shall be overrul-
ed, the packers will still have the
privilege of filing an answer which
will necessitate further hearing on
the merits of the governments char
ges. If, on the other hand, the demur-
rer shall be sustained, the federal at
torney can file an amended bill.
The petition charges conspiracy, I'M
lawful combinations, blacklisting, IL
legal carriage charges, an illegal cred
it agreement, creating false market
prices, Illegally depressing the mar
ket and accepting railway rebates.
All of the principal packing COM
panies organized under the laws Of
New Jersey, Michigan, New York, and
Illinois are made parties to the de-
Tense and all are residents of Illinois
save Mr.. Sulzberger and Mr.. Moves
of New York and Mr.. E. G. Swift of
Boston.
The government recites that their
plants and yards are at Chicago,
Omaha, Sioux City, ST. Joseph, Kan
sas City, East st. Louis, Cudahy, Wis,
and Hammond, Ind.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

and had his leg cut off. paint q
picture of burning house and him
jumping out of a top window with a
child in his arms, and yarn under it:
Kind friends, l lost my leg through
rescuing my employers child That's
sure take of FLYER day.
Il make all these rigs myself" he
said, land hire 'em out. 1t pays, but
nave to keep dark, for the police are
very down on my sort. This hollow
wooden cap with an iron hook fits
over your hand, and here's club-foot
boot, and yonder pair for both feet.
A queer business? You'd say so if
you knew the jobs Pm asked to do
sometimes. Only yesterday woman
wanted vitriol scars on her face, and
actually wanted me to use real vitiol.
Didn't know what she was asking?
Oh, yes. Why, bless you, some beg
CARS maui themselves horribly to ex-
cite sympathy. In fact, they'd do any
thing rather than work"-New York
World.
Probably love makes the world go
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
is HARD TO READ HANDWRITING
Typewriter Threatens to Make Penman-
shin a Lost Art

Typewriter Threatens to Make Penman-
ship Lost Art.
With the almost universal use of the
typewriter in correspondence, billing,
mercantile papers and in authors
manuscripts, has come about the in
ability of men to read ordinary hand
writing.
The use of the typewriter may have
had something to do with making
handwriting more extraordinary than
it ever was, but in the days when a
certain school Of almost illegible hand
writing was so affected by lawyers,
physicians, clergymen, journalists and
literary men, it is doubtful if the mere
lack of practice in present day penmen
causes them to turn out manuscript
to compare with that of years ago.
Whatever is the matter" says an
observer in big publishing house, ut
is true that young men and women of
to-day have almost lost the art of
reading matter written by pen or pen
ell. They come to me by the dozens
every day, asking that help them out
in deciphering letters or manuscript.
In such cases know that the manu-
scripts are not as bad as those of
forty years ago, and this for several
reasons:
1--WE have better paper nowadays;
we have better pens, better pencils and
it no longer is fashionable for any
body using pen to affect an untidy
letter. Some of this angular penman-
ship affected by young women is hard
to read when it comes to proper names,
but otherwise find the pen written
ttter to-day remarkably easy to read.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
COAL MINERS STRIKE.
ANTHRACITE DISTRICT IN THE
THRoEs OF A STRIKE.
Tie-Up is Complete and the Order to
Suspend Operations Has Been
Generally Obeved.

Scranton, May 13.-President Nit
chell of the United Nine Workers
stated that the tie-up in the three an
thracite districts is complete. APP
proximately 100000 men and boys are
idle, of which number only one-half
are in the Lackawanna and Wyoming
district. In every instance, Mr.. Mitch.
ell said, the order to suspend opera
lions had been obeyed. About 10000
mine workers are out in the Lehigh
district and $4,000 in the Schuylkill
field
An official of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna & Western Railway company
said that the corporation had no in
tention of resorting to a lockout
Continuing, he said: I'VE do not
intend to irritate the men and the
other companies are of the same mind.
Nothing will be done until after We'd
nesday."
I'VE appreciate the fact that John
Mitchell does not want a strike.
Neither do the companies, despite
what has been said to the contrary.
While we do not want fight we will
give the men all the fight they desire
it they decide there is to be one.'
From the same official source comes
the announcement that the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western company has
stopped selling coal. Not carload
has been shipped since Saturday
morning. Any order must now be
approved by the head of the coal de-
partment, before being filed
The other companies have taken
similar action and it is believed that
a coal famine will speedily result if
the suspension is made permanent on
Wednesday.
The gift of CAB might be considered
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

"Why can't the young folks read it?
Simply because they are spoiled by
typewriter letters and manuscript. I
don't know if penmanship is to become
lost art, but the reading of it seems
to be promising of such a fate"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

We are made for co-operation-like
feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the
rows of the upper and neither teeth
George Eliot
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

Those we call the ancients were In
reality quite new.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15

Probably love makes the world go
round because it is SO cranky.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-15
Bret Harte is Dead.

The gift of CAB might be considered
free Sneech
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-21
AMERICAN TROOPS IN CUBA
NOT TO BE WITHDRAWN.
the Reciprocal Treaty With Ia
Country-Neu Draft OF Treaty.
~REPUHrIc srEcIAI-

| REPJHiIC SIEcIAi-
washington. oct. 9-Cuba's FIRST Con-
Eress will adjourn Tomorrow uisht without
the reciprocal treaty with the United
! s-a;es. which grew out OF tho nslare OF
the Ufi,ei states Congress 20 keep rhe
administrations pledges for the industrial
relief of the island.
The draft OF the treaty which has been
negotiated between Secretary Hay and : n
au1r oueslda. cuban Minister here. is now
in. the hands az Pre- ilcnt Palma. He has
called into consultation the best Informed
men Of the Cuban Government as Well las
those Interested directly iu the resources ot
that countrv. and has asked their opinion
OF the agreement.
lIr. oucsada believes he VIII sona re-
cclve hn1I instructions Tor the conclusion
u the treaty and will be able To sigh IL
for Cuba within the next month or six
weeks. hefors the American Congress as
scmbles. II the convention is concluded then
PIcsiien; Palma viii probably call an ex-
ira session Of the Cuban Congress some
time iu November or Dec mber.
There is no inclination on the part Of this
Government TO withdraw the eight COM
pauies Of soldiers nov IN Cuba respite the
Request Il TIE Cuban Government. Secre-
tsry Hay. Secretary Root and others SC
s3les the President who have considered
the matter fail To see that the presence OF
this meager force e~ndauEers Cuban insutu-
lions The matter l. not being hard pressed
Minister Qucsada has not made any repre-
sensations 10 the United States. All ;hat
has been officially heard here in regard 70
ii has come through Mln.stcr Squlers in
Hayaua.