davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20

With a chug the lever went back and
Simmons shut her down. Back over
the coal he too scrambled and with the
head brakeman twisted the head end
brakes for dear life.
Despite the heavy grade the long
train began to respond at once and a
hundred yards west of the bridge over
the ravine two or three miles west of
Lucas the train came to full stop
What in thund-"
Engineer Simmons never finished
the sentence.
Around the curve a quarter of mile
distant and rushing toward them down
grade a big mogul engine came into
sight. Behind it came long string
of box cars.
Brakes, brakes" shrieked the whis-
tie of the big mogul. Black smoke
belched out of the stack and clouds Of
steam enveloped her sides as she felt
herself reversed and struggled to get
a footing in her back peddaing.
Up on top of the local the terrified
group of trainmen stood riveted to
their tracks as they watched the strug-
giles of the big monster trying to stop.
Despite every effort to hold back itself
and it's train the big engine was being
pushed down upon them at an awful
rate.
But human muscle piled with frantic
energy upon the brakes of the rushing
train and the grinding of the big en-
CINE wheels as they whirled backwards
over the sand covered rails won out
at last and with steam whistling out of
her cylinders and enveloping her sides
the big engine stood painting within
a stones throw of Simmons pilot,
"The old mans all right" said the
first brakeman. He's saved the whole
bunch of us, there's no joke about it,
reverently added the second.
Put, her here, Buff old man. how
d'you know that train was coming at
us?"
Just saw her smoke with this eagle
eye If mine and got her located"
They were congratulations all the
way around. The mogul and her train
backed up into Lucas and the local fol
lowed in. When the trains were safe
at the station all hands got together
and decided to keep the matter quiet.
What do you think about it, Buff"
M3ke d cledH DTeHSC OIL 1J--reDOrt
it at once. Old j. B. will know all
about it in thirty minutes, anyway.
What's the use trying to keep it
quiet?"
]. B. referred to was j. B. Maxon, of
Ottumwa. He was for many years
superintendent of the middle division
of the Burlington in Iowa. j. H. Nc
Partland, now assistant superintend-
ent Of motive power for the Burlington
lines. was then assistant to Mr.. Maxon
In that little conference eleven
stood for keeping the whole matter
quiet and not reporting it.
Burlington gave in.
Now it happened that bunch of
Telegraph repair men had been on the
train pulled by the mogul Passenger
No. B came along while the two trains
were at the station and the telegraph
men boarded the smoking car. Their
only topic of conversation was the mar.
row escape from terrible disaster
through which they had just passed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20

The thing was talked over and over,
Up two seats in front, two pairs Of
ears were wide open and every word
was being drunk in. Finally the own
er Of one Of these pairs of ears got
up and came back and casually began
to question the men. He enquired
infinitely into every particular and
then apparently satisfying his curios-
ity, went back and sat down by his
companion. They fell into deep con
versation.
No reports of the narrow escape
were sent in and apparently no knowl,
edge of the matter had come to the
ears of the officials. All hands around
were congratulating them selves.
"Will Conductor H. V. Burlington
kindly call at the superintendent of,
fee" The note was brief and it was
several days after the occurrence out
by Lucas. Something else, certainly
Burlington appeared.
Rather a narrow escape you had
Where, when?" hesitatingly.
ooh that little matter you didn't re
port down by Lucas the other day.
What do you know about that?"
ooh, I'm the one to ask questions
but just to set your mind at rest Nc
Partland and were on No. 8 that day
We got the whole thing from the tele
graph men. think your failure to re
port that matter is worth about fifteen
days. We will send for you at the
end of that time"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
TO HASTEN DE AT Il.
CHAPLAIN A. H. JEssUP, OF FIT
MADISON, OPPOSES YEAR DE-
LAY AFTER SENTENCE.
Convict Should Not Be Compelled to
Face GalIows for Year-EntireIy De.
feats Object of Delay and Makes
Victim SuIIen and Morose.

When once the death sentence is
imposed the sentence should be car
RED Cut within at least thirty days."
is the idea of Chaplain A. H. Jessup,
of the FIT. Madison penitentiary. He re-
CARDS 1t as a bad mistake to allow
the convict to face the gallows for
a year or more and so told the board
OF control in an address before 1t and
the state institution superintendent
Wednesday in Des Moines.
"The theory of the years delay be-
fore execution of capital punishment
is that the convicted person shall
have that period in which to repent
his sins, and make peace with his
creator said Chaplain Jessup.
The theory is erroneous" he con-
tinued, in substance. 81 believe that a
great majority of those who are sem
fenced to die on the gallows might re-
pent of their sins were the time limit
thirty days instead of $685. But when
the time is made year, after the
first realization that they confront the
gibbet has subsidized, their thought and
time are spent not in remorse and
repentance, but in reflection upon the
lest opportunities Of escape and the
formation of a lively sense of martyr
dom. They grow hard and violent, oft
en-, and the postponement of the exc
cution has been positively harmful
rather than helpful.
So, say, that If the death sentence
is preserved and capital punishment
continues to remain method of ex-
tinguishment of criminals, we owe it
to them and to society to make it's ex-
ecution swift and imperative"
1t is rather DR.. Jessup's theory that
persons who are incapable of reforma-
ton should be isolated absolutely, in
veritable Gehenna that the breed
may die out eventually.
Reformatory Laws.
| Judge Robinson of the board of con-
troll reviewed the recent leg
islation of many states, in his address
to the conference, and which legisla,
ton continues to flow strongly in pre-
ventive and reformatory channels.
"The use of political influence is
one Of the greatest obstacles to the
satisfactory administration of the In
determinate sentence and parole
laws" said Judge Robinson, after re-
viewing the efforts of many states to
acquire high ground in the passage OF
this kind of measures. Any influence,
indeed he continued, except that
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
GOT + FIFTEEN D AVS.
H. v. BURLINGTON WAS AN OLD
TIME CONDUCTOR ON BUR.
LINGToN.
Got An Eagle Eye on Suspicious Col
unnn OF smoke-RightIy Guessed Its
Location and Saved a Terrible
Wreck--Not Case Of "WheeIs."

'sWheels!"
The first brakeman tapped signih-
cantly at his forehead He glanced
cautiously at the conductor then wink
cd slyly and knowingly at his mate.
Again the conductor repeated his I'M
needed order, Better get out on top
and set a few. boys"
Such an order, especially from Buff
fington, was unheard of. On the HON e
trip and not due in Ottumwa till late
at the best. then to be asked to get
out and set brakes on a down grade
where the local freight was always ex-
pected to make up several minutes lost
ume! Surely the old man had 'em.
The boys sat still.
Burlington, H. V. Burlington, who
lives now at 1890 Railroad street, 1t
was, and the time was away back in
the spring of 1873 still gazed in a riv,
eted manner out of the dingy caboose
window as the train swept around the
down grade curves. Ahead eight miles
away lay Lucas and occasionally a
fairly clear view of the intervening
distance made it almost possible to
see the little station,
You got to do it, boys. If you don't
we're going to hit a fellow down
there
do you mean it, Buff? Do you want
'em set?"
Them's the orders"
The boys piled out the window of
the caboose.
The old mans got 'em."
Lost his nerve, sure's the world"
said the second.
Queer notion, but he's running the
train. Now hear Simmons cuss when
we bring him down."
The two husky brakemen set to with
a will and in few minutes Engineer
Simmons began to wonder what was
wrong.
Say, fireman, did you see any sig
nails over on your side? I've been cram
ing my neck off here and l can't see
a sign. It's funny this darn train
drags so down this grade"
Simmons waited minute and the
drag increased. "I'll jest let her out
bit more" he said, and suiting the
action to the word he threw her wide
open.
The drag increased and still no sig
nails could be seen.
Jest climb up on that coal and take
a look back"
The fireman scrambled up.
Good G., they're a grinding them
brakes down jest as fast as they can"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20

feated in the house. The agitation OF
the subject bore fruit, however, in
joint resolution No. g. which authorize
ed the appointment of q committee to
investigate the workings of the inder
terminate sentence and the Dlmira re-
formatory systems in the states where
they are now in force and report to
the next general assembly the infor-
nation and recommendations 1t may
deem advisable to submit. A commit
tee was appointed under this resolu-
ton, and friends of penal reform are
hopeful of a comprehensive and valu,
able report which will lead to the de
sired legislation by the next general
assembly.
Chapter 1888 Of the acts of the TWEEN
ty-ninth general assembly,. which is de-
signed to regulate associations and
corporations which receive, care for
or place friendless children, is an i'm
portant step in the right direction,
but defective in not including individ-
ual persons engaged In the same bust
ness. measure to cure that defect
passed both branches of the last gem
i eral assembly, but was lost in conse-
quence of the failure of one body to
CouCuI III d ~ SiI dluSluuleHL fNau6
by the other. This failure was due to
lack of time rather than hostility to
the measure.
County JaiIs DepIorabIe.
There is urgent need for state In
spection Of county and town prisons,
as there is good reason to believe that
many of them are in deplorable con.
dition.
On the whole, however, the situa.
ton in Iowa is not encouraging Earn
est men and women are already enlist.
ed in the work of reforming our penal
system, others are becoming intet EST.
ed, and with earnest and continuous
effort we shall soon have penal sys,
tenn planned on a scientific basis de
signed to protect the young from bad
associations and lead them into the
ways of right living, to rescue offend
ers who may be saved to good citizen
| ship to minimize the evil of unjust
sentences, to prevent the failure OF
justice through craftsmanship, ground
less system or other improper influ
ences and to give greater security tc
the public by making the conviction
for crime more certain, by reforming
those not beyond reformatory inhu
ence, and by keeping in custody those
who, If at large would be menace to
society.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
Feet Swollen to Immense Size,

4 had kidney trouble SO bad" writes
j. J. Cox of Valley View, KY, chat
could not work, my feet were swollen
to immense size and was confined to
my bed and physicians were unable
to give me any relief. MY doctor f.
nally prescribed Foley's Kidney Cure
which made well man of me-"
Avoid serious results of lSidne, or
bladder disorder by taking Foley's
Kidney Cure. Sold by w. D. Elliott.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20

based on the welfare of the community
and Of the prisoners is Objectionable.
To prevent. the exercise of such influ-
enee several states have prohibited the
consideration of any application for
the release of the prisoner except his
own"
For instance, in Ohio, Colorado, Min
nesota, New York and Utah the laws
provide that no petition or other form
of application for the release of any
prisoner shall be entertained by the
managers of prison, and no attorney
or outside persons of any kind shall be
allowed to appear before the board Of
managers as applicants for the parole
of a prisoner, but these requirements
shall not prevent the board of man
ayers from making such inquiry as
they may deem desirable. Thus the
proceeding for pardon must be ini-
tiated by the pardon boards or prison
managers, and not by the convicted
person or his friends
Judge Robinson said that he was en-
couraged by the outlook for an awals-
ening which will lead 10 long needed
advance In penal and reformatory leg
islation in Iowa. He referred to the
juvenile court law, ragretting that it
had been made partially unsuccessful
by the omission Of essential parts of it,
an omission due to the fear Of incur
ring expenses, and made an argument
in favor of the indeterminate sentence,
pointing out the success which had at
tended its operation in this state in the
industrial schools.
Attempts to Benefit.
He recalled some of the attempts
made to extend the reformatory and
indeterminate sentence features of the
law to the younger conyicts in the pris-
ons. and said:
1.-THE twenty eighth general assem-
bly, enacted law which in terms es-
tablished reformatory for young wo-
men in the penitentiary at Anamosa.
The law was imperfect in not provid-
ing sufficient means for opening the
reformatory and unfortunate in not
permitting the commitment of girls of
the age of l6 or more, 1t was merely
an attempt to make additional proyi
sion for the worst of the classes of
girls now committed to the Industrial
school at Mltchelvllle.
Not at Anamosa.
The location In one of the buildings
within the walls of the penitentiary
is to be deplored, On the whole the
general assembly has acted wisely in
refusing to make sufficient appropria
ton for the opening of this institution
under the existing law. Attempts
have been made In each Of the last
three general assemblies to establish
a reformatory for young men between
the ages of Is and 80, and for young
women, but thus far without success
except the imperative act for a re
formatory for girls already mentioned
The senate of the Twenty-ninth gen
eral assembly passed a very satisfac
tory measure, but 1t was reconsidered
and so amended rs to prevent any
hope OF coed results from It and was
then killed. 4he senate Of the thir
tieth general assembly passed . bill
which recognized the principle Of the
indetsrminate sentence but it was &c
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
BABY IN A LIME BOX.
Iowa City Four Year Old Viii Lose Its
Sight From, Accident,

Iowa City, Sept. II. - Elmer Ander-
son four year old. plunged headlong
into a box of Stacked lime and was
terribly burned about the head neck
and arms. The physicians believe the
child will become totally blind.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
FAREWELL.To MCCORMICK.
coe College President VIII Leave fol
the East Soon,

Cedar Rapids, Sept. 17.-The open
ing services of Coe college for the
year We're also in honor Of the depart
ure OF President S. B. Mccormick for
the scene Of his eastern work. Presi.
dent Mccormick has been at the head
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
Cures Chronic Throat Trouble.

Foleys Honey and Tar is peculiarly
adapted for chronic throat troubles
and will positively cure bronchitis,
hoarseness and all bronchial diseases.
Contains no opiates and will not con
stipte. Refuse substitutes. Sold by
w. D Elliott.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20
oRAToRY BY RECORDS.
Buchanan County VIII Hear SpeIIbind-
ers' Addresses by Gramapinones.

Buchanan County VIII Hear SpeIIbind-
ers' Addresses by Gramaphones.
Des Moines, Sept II. - The gram
aphone will be enlisted for this cam
paign. Manager McNeeley of the
speakers bureau of the republican
state headquarters has information
from Chairman Cbappelle of Buchanan
county at Independence that he has de.
cided to make use Of the gramaphone
or similar instrument for the political
meetings of that section.
The machines will he used, first to
record the speeches of the prominent
men who appear at independence, per.
haps elsewhere, also, and the records
will be used at political meetings held
throughout that section.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-20

of the local school for seven years
during which time the school has
made giant strides towards better con-
ditiols.
The city, board of trustees, faculty
and students were represented In the
speeches of the morning. Dean S. w.
Stookey will be the acting president
for the time being, no successor hay
ing been chosen for the position.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-19
japanese Leaving Sunqiin.

SEOUL, Korea. April 18.-Fur-
Their reports received here from Sung
jim declare that thirty-three Rus
sian soldiers are within thirty miles Of
that place and that the Japanese consul
and residents left there on a steamship
for Gensan yesterday. Sungjin is
small port on the east coast of Korea,
about $50 miles northeast of Gensan
and about the same distance southwest
of the mouth of the Tumen river,
which marks the northeastern bOun-
dairy between Korea and Manchuria.
1t has been learned here that thirty
three Cossacks occupied Sungjin on
the night of April 16. The Japanese
refugees who fed from there arrived
at Gensan this morning. The rumors
that 5000 Russian troops are following
this advance of thirty-three men con-
tinue and it is declared that they in
tend to divert the Japanese from the
Yalu river. These statements, however,
are discredited because it would be
quite possible for the Japanese to effect
landing near Sungjin and cut off
these troops. Two English mission
aries reside at Sungjin, but it is not
known whether or not they have left
there. They are not believed to be in
danger
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-19

his trousers pocket and after a few min
utes' delay he went back to the woman.
telling her that the money was down
They watched the race together and
coming into the stretch the bookmaker' s
horse was three lengths front. The slick
fellow, his heart in his mouth, and be-
heving that he had been double crossed.
yelled like an Indian. 1t was not until the
last jump that the bookmaker's horse was
beaten by a whiSker
1t was a splendid tip, Walter. said
the woman, smiling. Never mind, you
did no harm.
: But I was sure it would win was
the reply And. oh, how l rooted. I'm
shaking like eaf and am going down
stairs for a bracer
''WhereupOn he hurried off to a corner
of the betting ring and looked the 500
plunkers over with an air that denoted
intense satisfaction.
That was the beginning of his run of
good luck, for he'll come North with a
bank roll of at least $4,000, if I'm not
mistaken. And the good. kind-hearted
woman was never wise to the game he
played
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-19

--F
\ MAN who recently returned from
IN the New Orleans traces 1. was
speaking the other evening of the
vicfssitudes of the men and women, par
ticularly the latter who follow the horses
all the year round as means of liVeli-
hood.
IF you have visited Sheepshead Bay.
Morris Park, Gravesend or any of the
New York tracks in summer" said he,
land you should visit New Orleans or
San Francisco in the winter you would see
many familiar faces. In the crowd which
daily gathers in an attempt to beat the
game you would be surprised to see the
same old regulars men and women. who
have been patrons of the. local tracks for
years
Zone day at Jamaica last fall I saw a
quiet neatly dressed woman in the grand
stand who was betting heavily on each
race She had hard luck in the first three
events but she picked Silver Dream to
win the fourth and bet $500 on the f1lly
at II to 5.
when Silver Dream came home on the
bit the woman never turned hair. Her
commissioner brought back 81 1000, and
she gave him $50 for his trouble. Then
she bet 81 900 on a horse in the last race
and lost the bet by a nose, e-, $3.50
/ "She seemed so completely out of place
L
came Interested After the races she went
into a parlor car and looked over a news
paper containing the next days entries.
1--WE struck up q conversation and she
told me that she had become a slave to the
horse racing game, that she was a widow.
and that at her husbands death she had
inherited a large fortune.
with plenty of time on her hands she
had been induced to go to the races one
day and the excitement eof it all had
proved so fascinating that she could not
get over it. She was drawn to the track
after that as by some magnetic power and
in the course of time she was heavy
loser
''In spite of the warning of friends she
kept at it until the day we talked to-
gether she declared that she had only a
few thousands left. 1 did not wholly be-
lieve her story and when we parted at
Long Island City 1 was inclined to laugh
to myself.
''At New Orleans about a month ago 1
was walking through the grand stand.
when suddenly this same woman con-
fronted me. She did not 9recognize me
and / had a chance to took her over care
fully w9s1h
She seemed to have aged ten years.
Her clothes were still neat, but her hair
was prematurely gray and the lines on
her face denoted worry and care.
"She was lingering dope book and
counting over few crumpled bills which
a commissioner had just handed to her.
AS l spoke to her she looked up in amaze
ment. Then she was clearly embarrassed,
the color mounting to her cheeks.
8 You see 1 cannot keep away she re-
marked with faint smile. could not
remain in New York. 1 wish l had
I've had a terrible run of luck ever
since l came here. Did come alone?
Why. of course Who would harm me?
From the very first it seemed as IL
fate was against me. I could not cash a
bet and soon all of my money was gone.
Then my jewelry went, but the ill luck
continued
. viii it never change? All l want to
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-19
She WouIdn,t snIit a Pair

Because she had not time to return
tor a glove she had dropped, and know
Ing it would be as useless to the person
at whose feet it had fallen as its mate
would be to her. a woman tossed the
glove she held in. her hand after the
one that was lost. The incident hap
pened on the stairway to an elevated
station.
The woman. richly dressed, was hur-
rylng up the stairs, as if late in keen
ing an engagement, and was putting
on a new pair of gloves that were in
keeping with the rest Of her attire.
One was partly on her hand when the
other slipped from her grasp, struck
the rail and dropped to the street. AS
It fell it hit the arm of a plainly dressed
girl standing below. The woman paused
for the part of moment, looked after
the fallen glove and met the glance of
the startled girl. Then, without stop
ping in her ascent, she stripped from
her hand the glove. which she had
been putting on and, tossed 1t after it's
fellow. -.-
Smiling at the girl, she anticipated
the thanks she knew would be coming
to her, and called out pleasantly:
You are welcome"
Before the girl had recovered from
her surprise the woman was out of
sight, but the new pair of gloves re-
manned.