davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
TRAGIC Scene INBUTTEC COURT.
PRISONER A. j. BECkMAN PLUNG-
ED KNIFE IN HIS THROAT.
He Was on Trial for the Murder Of
Helen Kelly-When His Attorney
Addressed Jury, the Prisoner Arose
and Shouted, Then Cut His Throat
A General Fight Resulted.

Butte, Mont, Feb. l4.-Ine most
dramatic spectacle ever witnessed in
a courtroom in the history of Mon
tana was presented in the district
court, when Albert ]. Backman, on
trial for his life for the murder of
Helen Kelly, a II year old girl, on
October Is, deliberately arose from
mis- chair beside his attorneys and
plunged knife into his throat.
Attorney Maurice English was ad-
dressing the jury and closed an ap-
peal to their sympathy with the state
ment: And you are going to take
that poor mans life" when Beckman
jumped to his feet with an open peck
ct knife in his hand and shouted:
mo, by God; I'll do it myself. am
going to Helen"
Drove the Knife Into His Throat.
With this statement he drove the
knife to the hilt into the left side of
his throat, and was in the act OF re-
peating the deed when grappled with
by Deputy Sheriff Pelletier and Bailiff
Frank Burke. The wounded man raw
ed and struggled with the officers like
maniac and shouted for Helen"
Immediately after the deed Judge
McClernan ordered court adjourned
and the jury filed out Of the box. Beck
man, bleeding profusely and still strug-
Cling with his captors, continued to
rave and stagger about the courtroom,
while the blood spurted in every di-
rection, causing the place to take on
the appearance Of a shambles. The
carpet was spattered with blood, while
at the end of the table, where the pris-
oner sat when he plunged the knife
into his throat. a large pool of blood
marked the spot.
Whole Court in an Uproar.
In the struggle between the deputies
and their prisoner they covered near
ly every part of the courtroom, their
progress being marked by a trail of
blood. The courtroom was in an up
roar Immediately after the desperate
act, and many rushed to the street.
Miss Mary Kelly, sister of the MUIR
dered girl, was sitting in the court
room and was with difficulty escorted
TO the judges chambers.
Wound Not a Dangerous One.
Immediately after the tragedy, DR..
Murray was summoned. and after a
hurried examination, pronounced the
wound in Beckman's neck as not be-
ing dangerous, although serious.
The injured man was taken to hos
pital for medical treatment. Just
where Beckman secured the pearl han
died pocket knife with which he did
the cutting Is mystery.
Beckman killed Helen Kelly, his
sweetheart, in a local lodging house
three months ago because she had jilt-
ed him. He was thought to be insane.
Believing there were extenuating cir
cumstances in the murder, the officials
had offered to allow Backman to plead
guilty to second degree murder. This
he refused to do, saying he wished to
die and would plead guilty to nothing
but the first degree
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19

st. Petersburg. Admiral Ro-
jesvenski, chief of the general staff of
the navy, leaves here for the far east
February 16.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
Japs Capture Six Ships.

Nagasaki, Feb. 16.-Six Norwegian
steamers chartered by a Russian ma
val contractor have been captured.
1t is rumored that 1900 japanese sol.
diers have been killed. presumably by
the sinking Of transport.
Disturbances are reported procee |.
ing in Seoul.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
Chinese Regulars Active.

Tientsin, Saturday, Feb. 16.-Ten
thousand Chinese regulars have been
ordered to leave Pao Ting Flu for SER
vice on the Chi Li-Manchurian border.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
Korea Sides With Japan.

Toxic. Friday, Feb. 16.-The Jap
anese minister to Seoul was given an
audience by the emperor Of Korea.
Convinced that Japan will he victori-
Gus, the emperor suddenly has become
pro-Japanese and ranged himself def
nitely on the side of Japan.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
SUMMARY OF WAR TOPICS
JAPANESE HAVE MUCH THE BEST
OF BATTLES THUS FAR.

Russia's Navy Chief Goes to Seat Of
War-UncIe Sans NeutraIity-Japs
Say Report of Torpedos Sinking
Telegraph Wires Cut-British Send
Troops to Canada.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19

ton in time to interfere with the Jan
anese naval and military movements
1t is safe to assume that under these
circumstances there will be no concen-
tration Of Russian naval power suf-
ficient to dispute Japanese control OF
the sea. 1t is obvious that no great
military expedition over the sea can be
successfully executed by Russia as
long as her enemy holds command Of
the waters.
On the other hand. the splendid cell
Gritty and admirable judgment Of the
Japanese have crippled Russia to such
an extent that she will find it impos-
sible to prevent the landing Of pow
erful hostile enemy. 1t is believed the
conditions Of the land fighting to come
will approximate very closely those
that prevailed in South Africa.
1t Is my firm conviction that Russia
will sustain a defeat on land quite as
serious as that we have been led t.
believe she has suffered on the sea.
The Japanese army is undoubtedly
better organized than the Russian ar
my, and under the conditions that will
prevail in the approaching campaign,
mobility Is likely to be determining
factor. War Is always so uncertain
that one hesitates to predict, but at
the present moment it seems that ev-
erything favors the eventual triumph
Of the Japanese.
The British joyful.
London.-The end OF the first week
of the Russo-Japanese war brings in
tense satisfaction in Great Britain and
the extent of the popular jubilation
finds no adequate expression in the
London press, which is careful not to
offend Russia.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19

Pekin, Feb. 16.-An imperial edict
declares that the court has no inten-
ton of leaving the capital.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
Millionaire Hayward is Dead.

San Francisco, Feb. 16.-Alonzo
Hayward, the millionaire mining man,
is dead. He was stricken with paraly-
sis several weeks ago.
The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-19
Russia In a Bad Plight.

(By Admiral Sir John Colomb.)
London.-Russia' navy now may be
said to be in a state of complete par
aIysis. The vessels the car COM
mands, scattered as they are. between
Port Arthur. the Baltic and Vladivos-
took, can not possibly effect a June
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
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Queer Divorce Cases.

C ONE days ago woman in Paris sued
 for divorce and when the case came oup for trial she appeared dn court with
 her husband and her only child boy about eleven years old. The judge at sight of the child tried his best to reconcile the parents. but, though he urged them to be- come friends and the little boy implored them not to separate. they remained call lous. and finally the kindly judge was about to give up in despair when sud denly the boy drew little knife from his pocket and plunged 1t into his breast.
 Though fortunately the blade was blunt, a few drops of blood appeared at once on his schoolboy's jacket, and at the sight his mother uttered a terrible cry and, bursting into tears as she threw her arms around him, exclaimed:-"Oh, don't die, Albert, my darlingl Yes. yes, I'll forgive your father and we'll all go home now and be happy"
 When the boys jacket was removed it was found that he had only wounded him self slightly, and with smiles on their faces the reconciled parents left the court room.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Novel Scruhbing Brush.

" MAN in the neighborhood. of Tacoma has patented revolving scrubbing [ Nbrush. It has not only the advantage
 of covering a great deal of floor space but the action of the bristles on the floor Is rotary as well as back and forth. An other feature to It's advantage is that 1t does not make 1t necessary for the house wife to get down on her knees to work it. It Is especially designed for the large office buildings. where the extreme floor space makes the old fashioned method out of the question.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

-FTER working diligently for eleven Nyears Morris Rubens. an expert cab Hinetmaker. of Patchogue. L.. l., has at
 last completed unique dresser, pade of 1s,S75 pieces of wood. It Is a beautiful work of art, standing four and ne-half feet high, and is composed of the following woods:-South American mahogany wnlte holly. ebony, rosewood, tulip. East Indian mahogany, black walnut, maple, ash ana oak.
 It is put together in nineteen separate
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

Now 1t turns out that the statuette Is merely specimen of the early work of a living sculptor, MT. Richard Garbe. which was altered and adapted by some unknown person without the sculptor's knowledge. It will readily be seen that George III. could not have presented 1t to Nelson, and the various experts who some time ago were so confident that 1t formerly be- longed to the famous Admiral are now sat- isfled that grievous hoax has been played on them.
 In the will of J. Macdonald, mer- chant of Carrlckmacross, county Monag- han, who died worth SS4,615, appears the following strange provision:-"Having al- ready fortuned my only daughter. Mary Elizabeth, will that she be entitled to the further sum of one shilling"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
%>A%%>>< Famous Nelson Hoax.

| N the accompanying picture is shown a silver statuette which is now causing a good deal of talk in England.
 It was supposed to have been pre- scented to Nelson by George III, for which reason 1t was acquired by the Royal United Institution at cost of $2,500. and was placed among its valued treasures. To this fund many we'll known English men subscribed, and the fact that the sta tuette had obtained a new home in a museum which Is adorned with many other relics of famous seamen was chron- icled far and wide by the newspapers.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Sixteenth Century Knocker.

NOOR knockers are coming into fash \ ion again as a protest against the un- L romantic electric bell. and though
 dwellers in modern apartments will be unaffected by this renascence, folk who occupy dwellings in the suburbs may well come back again this olden days symbol. A recent exhibition in London created a lively interest. and though we Americans Incline most to the Colonial knocker, this will in no way diminish appreciation for the fine French specimen here shown. It is
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Valuable Postal Card.

.HE French post card issued in honor
 of the Tsar's visit to Paris has had
 a most rapid advance in value-in
 fact. the most rapid of any arti- cle in philately. Those which happened to pass through the post on the day of His Majesty's arrival and are therefore cancelled with the stamp of that date are now sold at fifty cents.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Taxes the Bachelors.

c NICE January, 1898, law for the tax
 Nation of bachelors has been in force NJin the Argentine Republic. A monthly
 assessment must be paid by every unmarried man between the age of twenty and twenty-eight years. The payment of course. ceases on the day of marriage This law. except for the wealthy, amounts to compulsory marriage act. The sec ond paragraph in this law has to do with breach of promise cases. Any person who withdraws from a given engagement to marry is fined the sum of 300 piastrea.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Dog Escaped the Rapids.

T-HE owner of this bulldog wanted to
 get rid of 1t and dropped 1t off the old
 railway suspension bridge at Niagara.
 The dog plunged nearly two hundred feet into the seething current, right at the entrance to the Whirlpool Rapids, but in- stead of being swept to death in the vor- tex of the world famed whirlpool landed on Taylor's Island, a small rocky ledge at
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

stone steps. Along this street or alley way the houses are separated by only a few feet, rising to height which would attract attention even in New York.
 France has kept 10000 tons of coal stored in Toulon since 1893. to be ready in case war should break out.
 Courtship of Twenty-Seven Minutes. <1IsS VIRGINIA PRovENCHER, tWdaughter of a French missionary and Ian Indian squaw. and Otto Mil,
 hairdresser, were married in the West not long ago. They had known each other exactly twenty-seven minutes. It happened in this way:-The young woman had gone to Brooklyn in search of work, and, as she was walking along the street. she took shelter in a doorway from sud den shower. Mir. NH was so captivated with her appearance that he made her an offer of marriage on the spot, and they hastened to the nearest church and were married. This Is certainly the briefest courtship on record.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

the base of the clifr on the New York side of the rapids.
 It remained there some weeks and be- came an attraction not only for the towns people. but for passengers on the great trunk lines that crossed the Niagara bridge. Editorials on how to rescue the dog appeared in thousands of papers of America and Europe. and one man went so far as to get out an injunction against q man who was trying to effect a rescue.
 Such were the conditions when James Francis Brown. a well known artist, of New York city. who then lived at Niagara. descended the high cliff at the risk of his life and effected rescue by placing the dog in a bag and having 1t pulled to the top of the high bank. For his bravery MT. Brown was given a gold medal
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Animal Stowaways.

lN VARIOUS animals, birds, reptiles and " insects have strange ways of changing
 V their native haunts for homes in a
 strange country, often travelling long distances undiscovered. Not long ago a ship which had sailed from Cape Town and had covered more than a thousand miles was found to have harbored a swarm of bees. They came from the ven- tilators and settled on deck. The sailors contrived to make a rough hive, in which the bees lived in comfort till the vessel passed within nine miles of the Cape Verde Islands. How the bees became aware of the proximity of land is a mystery, but they left abruptly. making ''bee line" for the islands.
 In the Geological Gardens in London Is fine specimen of cobra which a sailor brought there in rice sack. He had found 1t among the lumber which the vessel to which he belonged had brought from India. Tarantulas and other deadly spiders have often been found in packages of fruit.
 A creature which Is deadly bugbear to the agricultural interests in Africa and North America is the flying fox, sort of large, fruit eating bat which exists in countless numbers in It's native country, Australia. It Is frequently found in pack ages of fruit trees shipped from Australia, where it will lie dormant for many weeks A very careful watch is kept to prevent this pest from gaining a foothold in a new country, where 1t would do endless dani- age.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Killed by Etiquette.

YIN infant daughter of the Duke of { Chandos was baptized during the reign
 Nof George III, and the King and
 Queen ''stood" as godfather and god- mother to the little one. It was a grand ceremony, the Archbishop of Canterbury oinciating, many members of the peerage witnessing the event. Of course the in- fant was weighted down with clothes of the richest material, decorated with price, less lace and embroidery.
 The baby, overwhelmed by its fine cloth ing, lay in a dead faint, but the mother did not think 1t best to interrupt A cere- mony in which the King and Queen were taking part by so unimportant an occur renee. When the Archbishop handed the child back to It's mother he remarked that it was the quictest child he had ever held. The victim of ceremony was then dying, and lived only few unconscious hours.
 A-%%A4SN@
 An English auctioneer was compelled to sell the furniture of his own household in lieu of a debt.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Begpars on Wheels.

IN the Transvaal may now be seen many beggars who disdain to walk ana travei over the country on excellent bicycles.
 Belgian writing from the Transvaal to A friend In Brussels says:-
 "A certain proof that we are civilized here is the fact that our beggars ride on often see them alight rom their wheels, which are of high grade, and ask persons for aims in the coolest possibie manner. The other day strong, healthy, good looking young woman about twenty years of age got off her bicycle as l was passing by and asked me TOT some mnney. telling me that her parents were ,,arv moor and had fourteen children whom they found it very difficult to sup port"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
EXECUTION BY THE SWORD IN IAPAN

THE official method of execution in
 Japan has many obvious advantages
 | The accompanying photograph shows
 the group of officers who )fficiate tt such functions. Such executions, what .ver else may be said of them. are painless,
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

THE old saying that a thing is worth
 its weight in gold Is of course obsolete.
 Here Is a novelty in jewelry, for in-
 stance, which would be a great bargain It one hundred times its weight in the pur- est gold. The stone is a rose tinted opal. 1t is somewhat smaller than a hens egg, while considerably larger than a pigeon s egg. The opal is held in a gold claw com pletely encrusted with emeralds and dta- monds. There are more than five hundred diamonds alone used in the setting. The jewel Is valued at s10O,000
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

AAISS SUSAN HORSEBACK. the " Isecond daughter Of Sir Michael Hicks Bleach. former Chancellor of the Ex-
 chequer Is the most minted beauty in all the world. She 1t Is who posed for the Britannia shown on Great Britaina new coinage of the shilling. She has commanding figure and a face that denotes high ideals and strength of purpose. Tn comparing the old and the new coinage t will at once be noticed that the new Britannia Is standing, whereas on the old she was sitting down, This, say English men who love symbols, is an indication of Great Brftain's attitude in the competition of worlds Powers-'.squareiy on her feet. .
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

The Japanese sword Is usually yielded with both hands. The cutting plays a much larger part in their sword play than the thrust and point. They also fence with two swords at once, the long. two handed weapon being held in the right
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Bratmin Priest and Gifts.

THE Brahmin priests have a method
 peculiarly their own for taking up col ' lection at religious services. The ac-
 companying photograph shows one of the highest class after one of these col
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Origin of "Rlackguard." "

N R1GINALLY the term 'blackguard''
 was not an uncomplimentary word. OA large number of dirty and tattered
 boys used to attend the Horse Guards parade in St. James Park. London, to black the boots of the soldiers or to do any other dirty work. They were nick named ''The Black Guard"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
SAMPLE OF DICKENS "CoPY.

THE original manuscript of Charles
 Dickens "Barnaby Rudge" Is still
 preserved in the British Museum In
 London. The first page of this Ia nous copy" is reproduced herewith. The opening lines are interesting for many reasons. It will be noticed that Dickens made many changes as he went along correcting words or even phrases on the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

THIS is a fine picture of dive by a
 native of Fatehpur Slkri. India, who is
 ' shooting downward from the top of a
 fifty foot tower to the tank below. The camera was snapped just at the mo- ment he took off and the body has not yet curved into the head-on position in which we are accustomed to see a diver for the Idea, but when this dusky fellow
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

THE dusky man in the picture who Is
 the object of attention is a dancer.
 ! His "act' would attract small atben-
 ton in a big American city, unless perchance he did a "cakewalk." But in Cairo and other North African cities these wandering performers are quite popular While making his steps the dancer sings a song telling some story of battle or prow- ass and suiting his movements to the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

same page. The pages show that he used considerable ink and, plotted frequently. The handwriting itself is full of meaning to one at all observant fin such matters.
 John T. stetson, director of pomoiogy at the Worlds Fair, says that apples are a cure for bad habits.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

TPICTUREsQUE figure is Rangiuia. the Maori chieftain, who, now that { Nprimitive battle in the bush is thing
 of the past chooses to make his con quest by means of melody. He has chosen England for his first field and, being a handsome, fine physical specimen of youth, with a musical voice and large, dark poetic eyes. the result is easy to guess. He is also an educated and progress sive Antipodean. He was born In Gis- borne, New Zealand, in 1876. and has been educated and trained according to British customs. During the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to New Zealand Rangiuia led the great war dance per- formed before their Royal Highnesses
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

| factor at the close of a pamphlet con
 taining an account of his career.
 'I have played in ninety-eight cities, !" he says, Ion S,s6 evenings in 371 plays and In 455 different roles. On the stage have been married 1.721 times and have died 1.12O times have been stabbed to death sixty-one times, killed by a gun or pistol fifty-one times, drowned twenty-two times. poisoned 166 times, clubbed to death eighty six times, ruptured a blood vessel ls2 times, beheaded thirty-one times, assassi- mated 10e times and hanged thirty-three times. Finally have committed suicide a4 times and have died a natural death hfty-five times.''
 AA A-1-&-~%%
 A strike of cigarmakers In Venice threat ems to develop into a general strike in this trade throughout Italy.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19

struck the water his arms were extended. the palms of his hands together. his head well between his arms. He went into the water like an arrow. but was soon bobbing on the surface. ~
 A bill is to be introduced into the Senate offering the sum of s150.000 to any one who weather.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
Dresser of Many Woods.

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The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-19
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His Remarkable Career.

ERE are some amusing statistics Fl which are given by a veteran German factor at the close of pamphlet con