davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-02-13
HIS BLUFF DID NOT WORK.
Went Up Against the Real Thing and Was Not
Given a Chance to Use the Murderous
Weapon. He Carries as Pocket
Companion.

There are all sorts OF reform Dut bue
kind Ernest B. Morris represents has
received a solar. plexus blow. So has
Morris. For several months he has
posed rs Que OF the leaders OF what he
and his clan term reform. Howls loud
and long have gone up from him from
time to time. Good people have been
attacked by him in the most vicious
manner and he has painted their
characters black. Only when engaged
in this nefarious work seemed he to be
satisfied with himself. 1t was the
height Of his ambition to create strife
and keep the community in an uproar.
He wore sanctified look and appear
ed courageous. He succeeded in de-
lnding some people, who regarded him
honest In his utterances and inten-
tions. They did not know and were
not told Of his utter insincerity but
his own actions have finally found him
out and reveal to the public his man
ner OF life. IL Is nothing OF which he
may be proud and those who. were led
a. believe that he was doing the re-
form cause good may well congratu-
late themselves that he has revealed
himself and his ways.
The cry Of politics. can not be set up
In his defense this time. The alleged
court house ring to which he at
tributes everything is not implicated
In his disgraceful episode. There is
nothing he can use to screen himself
from the calcium light Of publicity
and conceal himself from the condem-
nation Of those whose cause he has SO
brazenly brought INTO disrepnte, If he
is 70 be regarded the great leader OF
reform. The tub must stand on It's
own bottom this time, He has been
looking for trouble some time and he
,,yt IL, In fast, in d.,deie doses.
A saloon was the scene and Satur-
day night the time OF the downfall of
his pugiiissic career. With a big gun
or an old army pistol. we might say,
he has made public exhibitions of him
scr and, when he is displeased, he al
ways shows signs OF resertine 10 that
weapon. IL is a notorious fact that
he has carried concealed weapons for
months Notwithstanding the fact that
no one ever intended 70 do him the
slightest harm. A guilty conscience
needs no accuser and that is doubtless
why he carried the gun. He knew
that he had made unwarranted at
taciSs on good men and naturally ex-
pected to be called to account. To
buli-dose those he attacked he let it
be known that he carried gun and
boosted about it. This alleged reform
editor who has pretended 10 be the
enemy OF the saloons and gambling
houses both OF which he freQuentcd by
night looked once TOO often for trouble
and he got enough to satisfy him for
while.
About 8 o'clock Saturday afternoon
he caused row in bowling alley.
Roy Wilson OF the contracting and de-
signing iirm, Gates $ Wilson, was in
the alley playing ten pins with friends.
Lee Lang. OF bridgeport, had also
ssen playing there that afternoon.
Eins's game was temporarily suspend
"a and Wilson went over TO use that
3,ley. thinking that It was not In use.
acg told him that the alley was his.
Nnson began 70 apologize and acted
The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-02-13
Had Appendicitis

John Murray. of West Union. was
brought to the Ressler hospital last
week TO undergo an operation for
appendicitis The operation was per-
formed Monday. and the patient is on
tho road 70 speedy recovery.
The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-02-13
Child Died at Northview

The four-month-old child of Mr.. and
Mrs c. II. Kidd died at its home IN
Northview. The burial occurred Sum
day afternoon in the 1. o. o. F. ceme-
tery.
The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-02-13

tCAy OVaA oGOdStJ eA0r40 oAAS sAAss@sS~.
1t was finally referred to the manager
of the bowling alley, who decided the
alley belonged to Lang ana both were
satisfied and the matter ended so far
as they were concerned, but in little
while Morris, who was there began to
swear around and make insulting
remarks. He bGasted that he was
going 10 take care of his friend Lang.
He kept the swearing up until he drew
Wilson into controversy. There was
quarrel and Morris made threats to
do Wilson bodily harm. Wilson In
formed him that he and Lang had set
tied the affair satisfactorily but that
did not appease tn. great poser Of re-
form, which is supposed TO have peace
and quiet for its foundation. He had
blood in his eye and was looking for
trouble. An apology was demanded
bat Morris Strengthened up and said
he would not even apologize.to Jesus
Christ. Wilson concluded NOT tohave
trouble there and let the matter pass.
Later, It is stated, Morris sent word
to the proprietor that he was coming
with others to clean out the place and
make rough house. About O'Clock
he showed up. Lang and one or two
others put in their appearance In the
saloon.
1t seems that after Wilson left the
bowling alley Morris ascertained who
he was and sighting the business card
of Wilson's firm hanging behind the
wire, snatched it down with a venge-
ance. Before Wilson returned in the
evening some one told him about
Morris tearing the card down and ais
told him who Morris Is
In the saloon Wilson went to cashier
and paid sa5 check. Morris eyed
him yicio,,siy while he was ,lcing this.
Then Wilson asked him 10 replace the
business card, He began 70 stammer
around and TO deny that he had torn
It down. One word brought on another
and Morris in that blnfing fashion
known only 20 himself began TO reach
for his ever ready gun, as II 70 shoot
Wilson. No sooner did he attempt
this than Wilson paralyzed him. He
landed him good one ami followed it
with many more In quick succession.
The brave reformer was up against
the real thing. He found himself
fioored before he realized where he
was. Some one pulled Wilson of but
the crowd composed OF a hundred PEG.
pie or more cried, ..let them fight /; he
has been wanting trouble, nov let him
have it." The management OF the
place being friends OF both parties
and not wishing his place to be brought
into unenviable rcpute tried to restore
peace but there seemed to be nothing
to do but let them light it out. Finally
one OF Wilson's friends told him he
had given Morris enough and he quit
pounding him around. The scene was
CHASTITY one. Morris face was beaten
into an nnrecoenizaSie mass. His
head was cut in several places. There
was long cash over one Of his eyes
which were badly bunged up. His
nose was turned up toward his eyes.
as II broken. TherewAs blood ali over
him. He was exhausted when Wilson
quit and perfectly helpless. He was
given a glass Of whiskey 10 restore,
him and then the manaecment d the
7se > ssf 5. s.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29
A CORNER In ANCESTORS
THE CHILD FAMILY.
By ELEANOR LEXINGTON.

of over 200 towns with sufixes indi-
eating their environments, for exam
pie, Childewolde and Childthorpe.
One Lenurie Child of Doomsday
Book according to tradition, was Earl
of Coventry, the husband Of the IA
nous Lady Godiva.
In Sponsors "Fairie Queen" we read
of Clyde Tristan; in king Lear"
of Chylde Rowland. Then there is
Byron's "Childe Harold"
Childe is considered the correct
spelling, and preferable to Child or
Childs. The percentage of families
of this name retaining the original
final sc" is larger in England than in
America, while those adding a final
50 is much less.
Several instances are recorded in the
early history of England where the
name took the French form, L'Enfant.
Mention is made of an Alice lie Childe,
great granddaughter Of John Len
FAINT. The pretty names Hilda and
Hulda are derived from Hid or Hildr.
The variations of the name Child,
besides Childe and Childs, are Chyld,
Clyde, lie Clyde, lie Child,
L Enfant and Infans.
A very grand man was Sir Josiah
Child, a member of the famous East
India Company. Macaulay devotes
MANY pages to him in his History
of England" describing his great
wealth, superior talents and great
force of character He distributed this
wealth with a judicious prodigality."
Charles II. accepted a present of TO-
900 guineas from him, and his brother,
the Duke of York, like sum. All who
could help or hurt at court, ministers
and mistresses, were kept in good hui
NOR by presents of shawls and silks,
birds nests and altar of roses, purses
of diamonds and bags of guineas."
To him, more than any other man,
was due the establishment of the
sovereignty of England in the East
Indies.
Sir Josiah's third wife, who survived
him, was allied to so many of the
great and noble that eleven dukes and
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

back in the bed, crept down the lad
der took off the coat and buried IT,
and made tracks for the next county.
But he came back in a few days when
he heard that you was arrested for the
murder, and he's been layin' around
here ever since, a Twin on the old
Squires money. Last week he fell in
with gang of tramps what was COM
in down below the trestle, an fust
thing he know'd he came down with
the smallpox. There wouldn't no
body go near him, but old Nanny
Cynth, and the Lord only knows why
she did. Since Miss Dorothy got into
this trouble, that old niger has been
nosin' around every hole and corner
tryin' to find out somethin' about the
murder. She took the gypsy Teller to
her cabin, an 1 reckon she nussed him
as well he deserved; but he soon got
to where he saw that he was a goin'
to peg out; so this nlornin' old Cynthy
come in town a wantin' a doctor and
notary. l smelled a rat as soon as
l heard the fust word, an me an q
half dozen more went out there and
hung around as close as we dared, un-
til the doctor and the notary--it was
Jim Maskin who had had the smallpox
and wa ant afeard-come out and tole
us. He'll be dead by sundown-that' s
no matter-but there's fifty people out
there now a waitin' to go bail for YOU
and a wonderin' why I'm so burned
long ibringin' you out. reckon we
have the pardon all regular as soon as
we can get the facts before the Gov
ernor. Come on you two," and he half
dragged them out to where half the
county were lined up in an excited
mob. At the sight of the tall, well-set
figure, and the slight dropping one at
his side, a mighty cheer rent the air.
A sea of faces surged forward, and a
hundred hands shot out to grasp and
welcome John Derwent back to his
own.
Out into the free sunlight, and back
to the stately old home where the tall
oaks kept watch and ward over the
rolling reaches of blue grass, Dorothy
Holmes came back; and late that even
ing, in the prim old parlor, Dorothy
Holmes and John Derwent were mar
ried.
The old Squire's room had been closed
ever since the body Of its owner had
been carried out of 1t, and for time
they shrank from even the thought of
entering 1T: but one day the question
of the mysterious hiding place that
the gypsy had sought in vain occurred
to both, and they searched every inch
of the walls and wainscot. Just behind
the head of the bed, Dorothy noticed a
small bright spot in the dull wood, a
nail head, that on pressure revealed
the fatal hiding place that had tempted
the gypsy to murder. Behind a sliding
panel of the wainscot lay the darlings
of the old Squire's heart, for whom he
had given his life-shining eagles and
half eagles, rustling bonds and stock
certificates, the accumula tion of life
time.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

duchesses used to ask her blessing,
and fifty great families went into
mourning at her death.
Sir Josiah owned Wanstead House.
where sixty years before the Earl of
Leicester had entertained Queen
Elizabeth.
Sir Francis Child. a cousin of Jo-
slab, was the owner of the famous
tavern called the "Old Devil" where
Ben Jonson wrote Drink to me only
with thine eyes"
1t must also be noted that Sir Fran
els initiated the system of modern
banking, and the first promissory note
payable to bearer given in England
was issued by him.
At one time he was Lord Mayor of
London.
The largest private fortune in Eng
land during the eighteenth century
was that Of Robert Child, brother of
Sir Francis. He married Sarah IodrelI
of Ankerwicke Priory-the priory in
which King John sought refuge the
night before he was compelled to sign
Magma Charta.
A thrilling romance was that of
Sarah Anne Child, daughter of Rob-
ert. She eloped with John Fame, tenth
Earl of WestmoreFand, causing a
great sensation. Her father started in
mad pursuit, and pressed the lovers
so closely that the noble Earl was
obliged to stand up in his carriage
and shoot the leading horse Of the
pusuers." The irate parents carriage,
therefore, tapsized, the lovers reached
Gretna Green and were safely mar
ried by the blacksmith before the
father arrived" He never forgave his
daughter.
The immigrant was Ephraim Child.
He was born in England in 1903, and
came to America with his wife in 1880,
settling IN Watertown, Mass. Ephraim
Child was prominent in colonial affairs,
and the personal friend of Gov. John
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

her story True, she would have the
beecheS.' But what could the ennntv
rooms, the smiling acres of wheat and
corn prlng to the heart of whose altar
the ashes of youth and love lay in per
petual sacrifice. At last she fell into a.
troupIea sleep, broken by dreams that
were hlled with a yelled horror.
She awoke to find the sun shining
IN her face, and the stir of the kitchen
ana yard came up through the omen
WINDOWS. She realized that here was
another day to live through. At the
ooor of the old Squires room she
paused, nerving herself to bear the
sInalI torrent Of fault-finding and fret
1uIness that was her daily need.
Inc window was wide open. and a.
HOOD of sunlight poured across some
thlng That lay half in, half out of the
PED. Dorothys wild Shrek went peal
ing through the quiet house, Squire
David Holmes would never complain
OF aught again. A bloody razor Law
upon the floor, and two gashes across
the skinny throat told the tale. The
room had been fairly torn upside
down, as if an insane rage had pos
sessed the murderer. A ladder against
the window showed how the room had
been entered.
All that dreary day the people came
ana went. Farmers for twenty miles
around, men who had feared the old
Squire and hated him as well, came
TO look upon him dead, and at the
small, slight figure that sat by the side
or the dead man, immOVable through
out the long hours.
The coroner and his jury took their
places, and Dorothy listened dumblv
to the array of evidence, that even the
lew short hours had brought forth.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29
AT THE PASTURE BARS
"H'EH BY CURRAN RICHARD GREENLEY
Copyright, 1903 by Curran Richard crean1ev
"Then this is the end? ?"
l~r9TE

"Then this is the end?"
The girls eyes dropped beneath the
stern gaze that dwelt hungrily on the
small sweet face, as the color died
from cheek and lips. but the curving
lips set firmly, as she answered, Eyes.
this is the end. Grandfather will never
forget that quarrel with your father.
It is useless to plead with him, as he
regards my love for you and the bare
mention of our marriage as the deep
est ingratitude to him. 1 cannot leave
him, old and alone"
John Derwent leaned across the
bars and taking the wistful face be-
tween his strong brown hands, held
it there long moment, as he said,
And my claim on you-how about
that? We have argued this case in
all it's bearings, and we are still at the
same old parting of the ways. Is it
fair that the within of an old man, too
old to remember his own youth and
love, should stand between us? A
man should not waste all his life on
a forlorn hope, and 1 am wasting
mine. There is a call for all strong
American men at the front, and if you
deny me now, for the sake of that old
man who has never been anything else
but a tyT+ant to you, l am off for the
front tonight. Is it go or stay?''
Dorothy Holmes shivered a little as
her eyes were lifted to meet the earn
est gray ones of John Derwent. Then
with a mighty effort, sitting the sobs
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

that would come, the girl answered
Go" She stood, with strained eyes,
half doubling their witness, as the
stalwart figure swung away across the
fields, and was lost in the gathering
shadows. Dorothy fell face down
amid the tangled grasses, fighting out
her misery; but through it all the con-
seriousness of the old man waiting
alone in the twilight drew her home.
He met her at the door with queru-
lous reproaches for her long absence.
You have been meeting that John
Derwent; don't you dare lie to me.
girl, you have?"
Dorothy stood still and faced him,
Yes, grandfather, 1 have sent him
away, perhaps to his death, down
there in Cuba" She fed up the stairs,
needless of the storm of words that
the old Squire shouted after her.
The old man complained monoton-
ously as Dorothy went silently
through the round of evening duties
with feversh haste, longing for the
moment when she could be alone to
face the future that remained to her.
She knew it so well. Did not the
lives of scores of women that she had
known all her life foreshadowed her
own doom. She would wait and wait
through the dreary years, and after a
while she would be "Old Miss Doro-
thy" and people would whisper OF
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

Nancy Aliens whisper was possessed
OF carrying power. They do say as
how the window was kept locked and
somebody on the inside must have
opened it. Sindy was a tellin' how she
sassed the old Squire last ev'nin'. Eff
John Derwent cut that old mans
throat she want far away when he
was doing it,
The room was a whirling mist as she
staggered out from among the accusing
faces, up to her little white-draped
room, and double locked the door,
Just at sunset, twenty-four hours
from the time she had hidden John
Derwent goodbye, there came a thun-
dering knock at her door. She opened
it to find big Jim Evans, the sheriff,
standing there with a paper in his
hand. He looked at the white face,
drawn and strange, and a wave of pity
choked the words upon his lips. He
had known her all her life, his chill
dren had played with her. Laying his
rough hand gently upon her shoulder
he said slowly, apologetically, Miss
Dorothy Holmes, 1 arrest you in the
name of the commonwealth as access
sorry to the murder of your grand
father, Squire David Holmes"
No answer but the flare of wide
frightened eyes into his, and then a
huddled heap of black at his feet. The
big sheriff caught her in his arms, and
strobe down the stairs. Here, you,
Mandy Sindy! God help her: even the
niggers are against her" From that
moment stalwart Jim Evans guarded
his prisoner with a fathers care.
All too soon Dorothy struggled back
to the shame that awaited her; the
nightmare of her dreams, the terrible
days in the county Jail where, in spite
of Jim Evans watchful care, she dwin-
died to a mere shadow of the girl who
had waited at the pasture bars
The trial was short, a fiery chrism
of shame that the girl endured with
out a murmur, with only the knowl
edge of her innocence, and the fact
that not ten PAGES away sat John Der
went, undergoing the same. in even
greater danger than herself. Her only
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

ray of comfort was the steady glance
Of the gray eyes across the space that
divided them. Public opinion was
strong against them, and though their
lawyers made a strong fight, the evil
dence of little Tim, who came out
stronger than ever under the lime
light of notoriety, borne out by the
bloody coat, and various other trivial
ties, welded a chain of circumstances
that sufficed for the jury. In vain
Derwent strove to explain his alb
sence from home that night, and re-
peated word for word, the conversa-
ton at the pasture bars between him
self and Dorothy. In vain he told
how, angry and maddened with disap-
pointment, he had hurriedly packed a
small grip, and while the family were
at supper, had dropped out of the
window Of his room, leaving it open,
and struck out across the county to
the junction, and there caught the
Cannon Ball for Louisville to enlist
with the legion that had been ordered
to Porto Rico No one had seen him
enter the house, no one had seen him
leave. The empty bed, and the fact
that he was intercepted 200 miles from
home and the scene of the crime, were
all damaging links that each effort to
explain, seemed to forge the tighter.
The jury were out a bare thirty min
utes, when they filed in again. The
hush that comes before a storm held
the courtroom as the foreman an
nounced, I'VE find the defendants
guilty of murder in the second degree
but owing to the fact that the evil
dence is mainly circumstantial, would
recommend them to the mercy of the
court
The Judge cleared his throat. In
spite of the evidence, there was some
thing in the two faces before him, that
plead with a louder voice than all the
prosecuting attorneys arguments. He
sentenced Derwent to state prison for
life, and to Dorothy, the lighter SEN
tence of twenty years.
There was no motion for a new trial
Public opinion was too strong, and
their lawyers felt that the best had
been done for their clients. Derwent
appealed to the judge to grant him
one last interview with Dorothy be-
fore they were separated for life; and
while the matter hung, big Jim Ev-
ans took it into his own hands. For a
brief hour they were left together,
while the guards paced the corridor
outside.
Dumb and helpless, they sat with
clasped hands so many things crowd
ing for utterance, and over it, like a
pail. the consciousness that this was
their last meeting on earth. Derwent
drew the sunny head down against his
shoulder, and held her close, hush
ing the pitiful, remorseful words that
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

The razor was a common black-han-
died one that bore no distinguishing
marks; but the coat that had been
found buried under the stable door,
bloody and torn in the death strug-
gle was one that she knew, that
others knew for the property of John
Derwent. Point upon point the
threads were woven together. Little
Tim Robbins testified to having been
hidden in the fence corner the even
ing before and overheard the con-
versation that had taken place be-
tween herself and Derwent. Between
the numerous questions, Tins imagi-
nation and his sense of Importance in
being thus prominently connected
with the old Squire's murder the
version that he swore to as the solemn
truth was startlingly different from
the fact. One point weighed heavily
that Derwent had referred to the old
man as the one thing that stood be-
tween them and their happiness. The
deduction was all too sure. There
was nothing missing from the room;
therefore the murderer must have
personal motive.
No one spoke to her as the day wore
on, through all her numbed conscious
ness pierced a truth-her name had not
been mentioned, but just as surely, they
were connecting her with the bastard
ly crime. Only "a whisper; but Miss
The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

The name Child is derived from
Morse mythology. In it's original form,
it was Hildr, or Hid, meaning holt
ness and power, and was the name of
a deity.
1t also became a Valkyrian term for
maiden, and was much used in the
nomenclature of the Morse sagas. The
descent of the name can be traced
from mythical to historical times in
that beautiful epic, the "Niebelungen
Lied"
After the Love breathing Kreim-
hild-Kreim, hild--has supplanted the
"Flower maiden Brynhild," and immo-
lated her entire family, she is herself
taken off by Hildebrand (war sword).
Childe was an ancient title for
king.
A son Of Brynhilde assumed the
Burgundian throne in 466 A. D., under
the title of Childeric. His ponderous
sword, taken from his tomb few
years ago. can now be seen in the
Louvre.
Childeric, who was converted from
heathenism by his wife Clothilde, was
called by the Pope the first Christian
king.
Many of the kings of France pre-
fixed Childe to their names from the
fifth to the tenth centuries, after
which the title descended to the eld-
est son.
The Goths carried the name to
Spain. The great Visigothic King
Pelaya, called his son Hildefans,
Eager in War" but Southern tongues
refused to pronounce the harsh as
pirate, and softened 1t into Alfonso,
a title since borne by many Spanish
kings.
So popular was the term "hild" that
in Doomsdav Book we find the names