davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

bandit of the coast Many a time he had Joined with strangers on the cars and the Oakland ferry boats in discussing the possibility of Black Barts capture.
 Black Bart was convicted, and because of his confession and apparent determi- nation to lead a new life he was sentenced to San Quentin prison for only eight years. He was a model prisoner and he earned all the communications of his sem tence for good conduct. He was liberat- ed in July, 1890. For few years he lived
 in Sacramento, waiting, he said, until he got some money from Eastern relatives. when he meant to go to Seattle and earn an honest living, He then disappeared.
 Why, there isn't a shadow of a doubt that Black Bart Is highwayman again. said Sheriff John w. Hunter, who was a principle in the robbers arrest in 1884
 He Is an accomplished stage robber. and pursued the business so long and successfully we have no reason to be- lieve that he would be willing to earn his living by actual honest work. The recent numerous one-man stage robberies oe- curing in this State bear so many char acteristics of Barts artistic handiwork that we are fully convinced that he has resumed his former mining operations and is again prospecting for bullion in express company treasure boxes He Is too subtle and keen to risk suspicion by selecting any small town as a place of residence, for the reason that his fre- quent absences would be noted and dis eussed, and he naturally would desire to avoid. particulars in regard to his trips. his mine, etc. For this reason we be- lieve that he has selected some such city outside of California as Denver, Kansas City, Omaha, Salt Lake, or even Chicago or St. Louis, and without creating sur prise or suspicion makes these periodical trips for the purpose of cleaning up his mine and replenishing his exchequer, and then returns to lead the same apparently innocent, blameless life which he pur- sued in San Francisco under the name of Charles D. Bolton for over ten years. while police and peace officers chased over mountains and through canons to get clews to his identity ..4~e5
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

hills and through the lonely gulches from a gold mining camp in the Sierras to Marysville, Cal. was held up bS mask ed. lone highwayman, whom the driver and all the passengers recognized by his manners and speech as none other than Black Bart. The veteran highwayman had reduced his mode of robbery to a science. and when he had quickly har- vested a crop Of geld watches. purses. and bits of 5swelry, he shouted to the driver to go ahead.
 When the coach had rumbled out of sight on the way down the mountain side Black Bart turned his attention to split ting open the wooden box containing the Wells-Fargo Express company's treas ure Something must have disturbed the highwayman while he was gathering up the money from the treasure box, for when the stage coach passengers had armed themselves at the next station and hurried back to the scene, later that same day, they found among the debris of papers, empty purses, and wrappings of parcels a linen euff. The robber had evidently dropped it in hurried flight to his refuge.
 The cuff was turned over to the express company detectives. They found. after weeks of inquiry, that the indelible laun- dry marks on the cuff were those of a Chinese laundry on Bush street in San Francisco When the detectives had learned from the Chinese laundrymen that the marks on the cuff indicated that it belonged to one Charles E. Bolton. a regular patron of the laundry, they set about to hunt up Mir. Bolton. It came out that Charles E. Bolton. who owned the cuff, was quiet. unobtrusives spare man of about 50 years. He lived in a modest and quiet boarding house, where sedate, old-fashioned business men had rooms. and every one there was his friend. When a detective went to live in the same boarding house he found that MT. Bolton was a studious man, lived a correct life, was a reader of new books dabbled in poetry. and every few weeks went away to visit one of the sey- eral little mines about California in which
 he had investments. Bolton was an ex-
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

There is good reason to believe that Black Bart. the boldest and most notori- ous highwayman ever known in Call fornias Is operating again. The five rob berries Of stage and coach on lonely mountain roads in Northern California and Southern Arizona during the last year have abundant earmarhs of the fa- nous lone highwayman of the Sierras. More than this. two of the passengers in the heid-up stages knew something of Black Bart when he held central Cali fornia in terror twenty years ago, and, from his speech and figure, are sure that their robber was Black Bart More over. no one out here seems to know what has become of the bandit since he served his time in the San Quentin prison and disappeared a few days after he walked out of the gates a free man. Former United States Marshal George E. Gard of Los Angeles has been at work upon evidence leading to the identity of the lone man who held up the San Mar gareta stage and got some $3500 in gold bullion from the express messengers box besides lot of coin. watches and valuable jewelry from the terrified pas sengers and the former marshal is con fident the robber was Black Bart.
 The trial of Black Bart for highway robbery In Visalia, Cal. in May, 1884 re- vealed q mass of information about this unusual bandit. For seventeen years highway robberies by Black Bart had taken place at intervals and in least ex- pected localities, all the way from Port land, Ore to Yuma, Ariz. His name was a household word. The San Francisco newspapers occasionally printed verse or two of doggerel sent to them in the mail by Black Bart. Sometimes three stages a month were robbed by him, and several times in a dozen years the arch highwayman was wounded by extra nervy express messengers and stage driv- CTS, who fired upon the robber instead of supinely obeying his orders to toss him the express money box, or letting him lelsurely rob the passengers.
 His arrest came about in this way In March, 1884, the stage coach that trav-
 eled the rough road over the desolate
The age-herald., 1902-01-19
NEW YORK TO SAN FRANCISCO WITHOUT STOP

saddle car temporarily rests between it's great flights from one stopping place to another, are higher than any other point. They gradually slope down in either di- rection until the saddle car rests entirely on top of the express.
 The rails running along the roof of the train are about two inches higher on the rear coach than on the locomotive.
 When the express passes under the sad dle car the broad-faced wheels on the cross pieces engage the roof rails. The saddle car begins to move forward, and by the time 1t settles with applied brakes on the rear coach of the express it has attained the latter's momentum The saddle car has been lifted off the auxiliary track rails and is carried along in this way until the next station is ap- preached, where the raised parts of the auxiliary rails are sufficiently elevated to engage the lower wheels of the saddle car again and thereby lift the entire car from the passenger train
 After dropping one saddle car the train runs on to the station and picks up an- other The operation is repeated at each station, one saddle car being left and another being taken up.
 By this arrangement the train may move without stop through the length of the road. The saddle cars, of course,
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

I took great delight in accompanying our rural postmaster on his daily trip to the railroad crossing. five miles distant from Ethe postoffice. There we would carefully hook the mail bag on the projecting arm of post standing alongside the track and wait for the express to gather 1t into . the postal car as it whizzed past.
 Presently far down the track would be heard the sf1riil toot of the locomotive whistle. the steady changing bell the rumble of wheels growing louder and louder and suddenly increasing to a roar as the train swept swiftly by.
 As the mail car passed the post from which our mail bag hung another pro jecting arm from the mail car caught the bag and seooped it into the car Everybody, of course. knows how it is done The device was so perfect and so simple that 1t gave me an idea from which the saddle car was gradually evolved
 Why shouldn't passengers be picked up by express trains, I asked, if mail bags could. There were several excellent reasons why they shouldn't until a more gentle and refined method of scooping them aboard could be devised.
 At first I was inclined to dismiss the scheme as impractieable. Then I thought of moving platforms. to travel along the track parallel to the express. and for a
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

pert whist player, and evidently he had travelled far and wide In his early life. His hobby was water colors, and he spent whole days in painting bucolic scenes alone in his rooms. Then when he had dined in style along with the other bach elors in the boarding house he went alone to the theater where he took the least conspicuous seat. He never got mail and never sent letters but he devoured the daily newspapers at times.
 During Black Bart's trial 1t came out that he was born in Hannibal, Mo-, that he was educated for the law, and had spent one year at Oberlin College, O., where he was expelled for gambling. He changed his name, went to Chicago and enlisted in a Wisconsin regiment in the civil war Next he went to the mines in Nevada, and drifted to California, where he made a tentative attempt at highway robbery by holding up the paymaster Of a mine in Plumas County. The job was so easily done and he got about $500 so quickly that he gave his whole time and study thereafter to planning highway robberies that would pay well and not be hazardous He confesses that he had gone as deliberately and studiously about his career in highway robbery as one goes about the practice of profession
 He had adopted several names.
 For seventeen years ne had kept nal1 the sheriffs and eonstables, a lot of de tectives, and all the United States mar shals in California ceaselessly. watchful for a fresh deed by Black Bart. He had many time walked down to a local bank carrying snug fortune in his grip-sack- the proceeds of a recent affair out on
 '.the road"--passed hundreds of San Francisco people, while they were ex- citedly discussing Black Bart's latest l holdup. He told how he had often met ! face to face in the parks and on the streets of San Francisco men whom he
 recognized as having been in stage
 coaches that he had gone through short l ly before. Once he rode from Sacramento | to Oakland and sat reading his book di- rectly behind sheriff and several expert
 criminal catchers who were at that time working on a clew to catch the arch
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

come in filled with passengers, but em- pity trains from the yards beyond the Harlem, and not only must full trains be sent out, but empty cars to the yards They follow one another with scarce two minutes headway.
 The Grand Central authorities propose to improve the construction of the tup- nel and have placed one hundred arc lights in it to dispel the gloom But will these much needed changes make the tunnel safe.
 Years ago Park Avenue was not built up, today it is street of residences. The railroad has injured property. At one time the road sent its cars down town almost to Chambers street, or the site of the present city hall The city's growth com pelled the Harlem road to abandon it's line from Twenty-sixth street, south A few years later it erected the Grand Gen. tral depot, and abandoned its track south of Forty-second street.
 William H. Vanderbilt favored grand terminal on the north side of the Harlem river at Mott Haven. Had he lived, he would, doubtless have erected a great un- ion depot, and concentrated the lines there. The passengers could have reach ed the Grand Central by trains run by electricity. This however, might have lost to the Harlem an annual payment of $4O0,000, which is the price the New Hav- en road pays for entrance to New York, over the Harlem railroad
 Had the Harlem railroad people desir- ed they could have obtained a franchise to construct and operate an elevated railroad through Fourth avenue and Elm street to Chambers street. It would have enjoyed an enormous traffic in local trade. As 1t is today, that portion of the city above Forty-second street is great ly inconvenienced by the trains carry ing passengers five miles past their des- tination. Citizens have protested and se- cured the stopping of New York Central and Hudson trains also of Harlem trains at One Hundred and Twenty-fifth street. but the New Haven trains run without stopping to the depot. This. Is because the Harlem railroad authorities hold the New Haven to its contract.
 The main fact to be determined at this time is: Should passenger trains. be al- lowed to run to Forty-second street?
 In~political circles the new administra-
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

waits hopeful of again becoming of the regular" organization. John c. Sheehan it's leader, said yesterday:
 ..In the right hands Tammany is a grand democratic organization. If it ban ishes Croker and others from power we are ready to go back and work with it for democratic success in city, state and na- ton. If 1t doesn't we will continue to fight" A8 El
 I find some of the most active men in organizing companies and promoting new industries are newspaper men and thea trical men. Of course the history of Hen- ry Willard is well remembered, but not that of Charles E. Locke, who, only a few years ago was identified with thea trical interests from ocean to ocean. He a few years ago presented to Mrs. Mo Kinley book of newspaper clippings of her husband which greatly pleased her. The late Presidents friendship for MT. Locke was deep and sincere and help full. He is now about forty-flve years of age and has become prominent in manu- featuring circles for his recent organiza-
The age-herald., 1902-01-19
TENDING AMONG THE CHINESE

ing was wrong and the half of them abandoned the practice. In Szechuan Province, in the cities of Peng-chou and Peng-chi-hien. Hung-ya and Sa-chang, there are wise men who have changed this fashion of small feet.
 This Chinese authority then goes on to detail the laws for the punishment of crimes against the person and the in jury of the limbs in quarrels, and says:
 But there is no law against foot bind ing, the laws are too merciful for that When in fight or quarrel persons limbs are injured there is an appointed punishment, but people have their young daughters feet broken on purpose, not needing their cries of pain. And yet parents are said to love their daught CTS! For what crime are these tender children punished? Their parents cannot say. It makes the daughters cry day and night aching with pain. It Is a hundred times as bad punishment as the robbers get.
The age-herald., 1902-01-19
New York Letter
BY JOHN MARTIAL.

New York. January 1.-The indigna- York Central tunnel has outlived the nine days of wonderrnent A new and vigorous administration of municipal af- fairs has jumped in to wieid the broom consecrated to the work of brushing away all the evils that menace the city, and, at the present moment it is devoting It's energy in making safe the hideous hole in Park Avenue from Fifty-sixth street to Ninety-sixth street. But what will come of ite It Is safe to say-nothing.
 When the crash comes. whether it be on rail or sea, thousands tremble with fear. They read the appalling narrative of lives lost The details are sickening. Men shudder at the relation of the scene; it becomes so vivid They hear in fancy the moans of the maimed. the shrieks of the scalded toasted roasted. passengers. Wo- men for days after bid their husbands sons. brothers. farewell in the morning with sad misgivings and then-after a few days all goes on as before. The ur- ger. demands of today shut out the pain flu! remembrances of yesterday and the grave apprehensions of tomorrow.
 When indignation is at its height the public turns stern faced from the wreck and cries: Who is to blame? A rigid sense of Justice cries out: Let us fix the responsibility and furnish the perpetra- tors of this outrage. It seeks revenge and victim.
 I do not hesitate to say that there is where the ertor creeps in The public is diverted from the main facts-the facts of the most vital consequences In seek i'm x-iatirsa farCofs ha conditions the conditions that still menace the pub lie.
 The prosecution of an engineer and the directors of a company are merely incl dental. They determine legally a respen- sibility that is not questioned and only
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

tion Is coming in for torrent of crtti- Scism. The appointments being made give great dissatisfaction to the grafters who hoisted the banner of reform confidently, believing that the busting of the ins would create vacancies to be filed by the outs. The distribution of patronage has been a source of discontent, especially among the bolting Democrats. The sev- eral organizations of the Fusion move ment are at logger heaus, and 1t is safe to say that there will be no new party.
 The reorganization of Tammany Hall has begun. Reading the handwriting on the wall Richard Croker shrewdly took the first step. He stepped down and with him went Carroll and Whalen and up came Lewis Nixon. MT. Croker names Nixon He wins by three votes. What is the meaning. of this? It means Croker taking the enemy unaware won by three votes. @
 l have stated in this letter that Croker trembled at the mayoralty convention for fear the Carroll, Sullivan, Devery clique would nominate candidate not named by him. I have said that when he return from Europe he found a hostile clique of which Carroll was the head and Sul- livan the brains. He did intend to over throw Devery. His action was stayed by learning that almost eighteen leaders, some of the most powerful were behind Sullivan. They stood for Devery.
 Had the Tammany ticket won I have no doubt that Croker would have been sent way back to sit down; but it lost. This disconcerted the leaders. It was bet ter politics for Croker. to lose the cleo ton than to have won. He now retires and leaves Nixon in control. 4sft
 Lewis Nixon represents Croker. Will he when the lean years have passed do as John Sheehan did. step down for Crok- CT? Is he merely keeping the seat warm? ?
 But the young blood invited to flow in the veins of the old organization may still possess the nerves of Democrats. They may have something to say con- cerning the leadership of Tammany. If so they will exercise their right at the polls in September. They must be repre- sented by leaders and in executive ses- sion these leaders may arise and over throw Croker's representative, Why should MT. Croker name his successor?
 The Greater New York Democracy
The age-herald., 1902-01-19
Not a Victim, as a Scapegoat,
 But a New Entrance to City.

fix the relation more closely and speci- ficary for the purpose of punishment. @
 In 1891 a coroners jury and a grand jury had occasion to deal with another tunnel disaster and public sentiment was kept at high. tension by the trial of di- rector. He escaped That the company was found to maintain a death hole was proven but eleven years later it has been demonstrated that the conditions that menace human life have not been lessen ed. but. on the contrary increased. The accident of a fortnight ago has proven beyond all doubt that the hole in the ground between Fifthy-sixth and Ninety sixth streets is death trap. The entire question is :''Can 1t be made safe?''
 The city council and state of New York is pre-eminently responsible. It Is incum- bent upon municipal county and state authorities to safeguarI the travelling public. No railroad corporation should be permitted to maintain road. or oper- ate under conditions dangerous to life or limb. Supreme authority is vested in the state. It absolutely controls all con- ditions- and it may exercise it's author ity to remedy all menacing conditions. That the tunnel has been unsafe for years is matter of record, and that it has been complained of by the grand jury of the county and opposed by the board of health. are also in the records. But what action, if any, has been taken by the board of railroad commissioners?
 Any person, who travels daily or for that matter at intervals through the tun- nel knows full we'll that the traffic over these tracks has multiplied within the past twenty years. It has been found ne- cessary to increase the accommodation for passengers by enlarging the depot, A-.S S..I
 increase tlic track facilities. The four tracks from the Harlem river are as a funnel collecting the train service of three roads. the New York Central and Hudson. the Harlem and the New York and New Haven. Not only must trains
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

piled at from to 8 years of age. The practice is not confined to the rich. Poor women are just as rigorous deyotees of this fashion. The general process con- sists of two stages. A piece of strong cotton cloth, about two yards long and three inches wide, Is first bound around the foot, t,leaving the great toe free, and doubling the others under the sole so that the toes of the right foot peep out under the left or inner side of the foot, and the same method is reversed for the left Tbis reduces the width.
 Each succeeding day the pandages are frightened both morning and night. Some times the long bones of the foot are re- fractory and spring back into place when the bandages are removed. There Is only one remedy for this, to strike them with the heavy wooden mallet used in washing clothes. This is possibly mer- cy in disguise. . For many months after the binding is commenced the little girl
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

The Chinese are abandoning foot bind ing. It is a fashion that Is going out like waist binding among the caucasians. Al the world and it's people are slaves to fashion.
 The stories told about foot binding in China are often untrue. It was simply a fashion. It gained a foothold in the reign of the Emperor Sung. Attempts have been made to uproot it from tims to time, just as your doctors have preached against waist facing. which is greater menace to the human, race than foot binding.
 The Emperor shun Chih. who reigned from 1644 to 1862 issued an edict against this fashion positively prohibiting it, but it had been a practice of Chinese women since the year of your calendar, 970 under
The age-herald., 1902-01-19

by it's own momentum to the next sta ton, where we alight,
 Meanwhile the express now miles ahead. had picked up another saddle car at the station and had whisked 1t away to the next stopping place. And that performance will be kept up from end to end of run. s 65# 5 #f#
 The chief object of the saddle car is to furnish a medium by which passengers may enter a train without interrupting its movements.
 The railroad cars employed will be or the usual construction, but each will be provided on it's roof with two rails, with projecting ends grooved laterally so that the continuity of the track formed along the roof of the cars will not be broken on curve. si 4F
 These roof rails serve the purpose of receiving and supporting the saddle in transit saasEs
 Alongside of the rails upon which the passenger train runs are arranged two rails which receive lower fianged wheels on the saddle car. These auxiliary track rails do not extend continuously through out the entire length of the railroad track, but are laid only for a certain dis tance above and below each station at which it is desired to pick up or deposit passengers. Exactly opposite the sta tion the auxiliary rails, on which the