davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10
By No Means an Anna
teur in the Matter of
Crop Raising.
Takes a Personal Inter-
est in the Management
of Farm.
Doesn't Look on Farm.
ing as a Fad, But as a
Practical Problem.

to pass some sort telepathic communities
ton between them. for the Senator looks
at his visitor and says:
You VIII pardon me a moment, won't
your"
The interviewer says he will. and then
the dictator Of Maryland politics disap-
pears into the house. He is gone per-
haps for five minutes, and when he re-
turns one can imagine-and probably
imagine correctly-that AT St Louis an
important deal has been carried through
TO a successful contamination.
A wonderful man-this quiet ard re-
poseful Senator from the State OF Mary.
land In the midst Of the stress and
turmoil of arduous political combat, he
retires TO this country home of his and
TO look at him no one would be able TO
tell that anything, that interested him
particularly. was happening.
What was going on in that seething
brain OF his no one could tell. The i'm
passive countenance gave no indication.
and certainly Senator German would
not permit his tongue to disclose Dis
app intment may have racked and tor
tured him, but If It did there was no.
body to know he kept the secret 20
himself It is very possible he held it IN
his heart to be the mex. nominee Of the
Democratic party for the Presidency; II
is not unlikely that he resented the de-
sertion of the men who should have
been his steadfast and untiring friends;
deep in his heart there was sense OF
personal disappointment. possibly. that
he had not been able TO hold their ale
glance But there was no indication OF
any of these in the demeanor Of Farmer
German.
you want to keep an eye on the
wheat in that ten-acre field" he would
say TO one Of his men; apparently the
St. Louis convention was as far from
his thoughts as it was from his person
That is the gentleman from Laurel.
Just as he knows the game Cf politics
and knows it from beginning to end
so he knows the business Of farming.
Save that his house IS handsOmer and
more comfortable and his acres broader.
his place does not differ from those Of
hundreds OF Maryland farmers.
There he takes his ease. II he regrets
the fact that the political lightning has
failed this year to strike that neighboE-
hood, nobody knows it but himself.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10

thoroughly happy and thoroughly at
home. The love of political power and
preferment> has not forsaken him, but
at the same time the quiet retirement
that Laurel bestows is much TO his taste
AS Farmer German he plays a con-
genial and enjoyable and thoroughly APP
propriate role.
Memories of Contests.
The house at Laurel spreads over wide
expanse of ground, and the stables and
outbuildings render the general appear
ance of the property still more imposing.
The house itself is a beautiful and com.
Portable Structure, with wide halls pierre
ing it and great, high ceilinged rooms
adding to its attractions. The Senator
den wears on its walls many mementos
OF the arduous political struggles of the
past quarter century.
It Is something OF a surprise TO move
out of the sylvan and quiet beauty OF
the neighbOrhood into this atmosphere
of political rest-for however much
Farmer German may look after his
crops, he meyer fails TO look after his
political fences. He Is quiet and reticent
about ii, as he is about everything
but those who know the man say that
he is thoroughly IN touch with the whole
political situation. He may net seem 10
pay much attention to the wire that
keeps up its constant tap-tap in an ad-
joining room, but it is an iron-rlveted
certainty that if anything important
should take place he would know about
It and be in a position TO take prompt
action.
AS the interviewer sits on the broad
verandas of the German place a servant
comes out and looks interrogatively at
the Senator. The Senator looks inter
negatively at the servant. There seems
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10
HALF-ToLD TALES.

MARY had a little lamb
This poem has been pensioned:
But whether Mary's lamb grew up
No poet ever mentioned
Jack and Gin went up the hip
Z A great event in hist'ry;
But whether Jacks poor crown got well
Has always been a nystry.
''Hark, bark. The dogs do bark
Another old tradition;
But whether they have ceased to bark
Is all a superstition.
But this. perhaps. is why these rhymes
Have lived and been blessing;
They stirred our youthful wonder up.
And then they kept US guessing.
-Lurana W. Sheldon
mony could be understood by the spec
tators, without the intermedium or an
Interpreter. Then, too. the prisoner
himself was placed on the stand. and
gave his own story with all the earnest
ness of a jealous husband. He was not
vehement; he was merely earnest AS
he stood in the witness box during his
long examination. he was quite com
posed. Most of the time he had his arms
folded across his chest. sometimes his
hands held behind his back He was
closely Intercepted by the chief justice.
and replied with great freedom. Before
he left the box, he said, impressiveiy.
with unified hand: I'm this dock l
swear before God that my wife is guilty
Of being untrue to me-"
The prisoners counsel in addressing
he Of
" contend that the prisoner was in
sane, but that his mind was "tempor-
ariIy dlsordered," and that If there was
one thing more than another which dis
ordered a mans mind IL was jealousy.
The Closing Scenes.
Counsel for the crown replied in very
few words. That there was little need
for argument was evident from the
Judges charge. His lordship said, brief
". that from the evidence 1t was APP
parent that the prisoner had killed the
deceased, and that he saw no option for
the Jury but to return a verdict of muir
der The twelve grim men in the jury
box whispered together a few minutes.
and then, without leaving their seats.
announced through tse foreman the YER
dict-"willful murder"
The chief justice arose and put on the
black cap. At this the face of the priso-
ner slightly changed color. despite the
wonderful composure. Tapped on the
shoulder by the police constable behind
him, he rose and faced the Judge. With
great solemnity his lordship said; 1T is
now my duty TO pass sentence Of death
according TO the law of the country
which is. that you be taken back 10 the
prison whence you came. and thence to
the place Of execution. and that you
there be hanged by the neck until you
are dead, dead, dead. and that your
body be afterward buried within the
precincts of the prison. and may the
Lord have mercy on your soul"
For a moment there was a deep hush
In the courtroom, which was broken by
Kirwan, the prisoner; he had recovered
his composure. and was standing with
folded arms at the bar of the court
Turning as he was Sed away by the
sturdy constables. who drew up in a
ring around him. he shouted to some one
In the courtroom: so long, Sarahi
Good-by!' And he disappeared through
the trap door in the courtroom floor, TO
be executed in a fortnight.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10
Vivid Account of Two
Cases Disposed of
In Liverpool.
An American Compares
Them With Practice
of This Country.

VT THAT was the case which these
Nv officials Of British justice
were gathered to try? asks
Jerome Hart. in a vivid re.
port for the -Argonaut" OF a murder
trial IN Liverpool.
Who came TO plead at this bar, lined
with bewigged barristers, guarded with
sturdy constabIes. before a bench blaz-
ing With that scarlet and gold which the
English love so well?
There he sat in the prisoners dock
just before the judge, a Bridsh-loOking,
black-haired, low-broWed fellow, with
narrow almond eyes. To my surprise
1 saw that he had Chinese features. He
was, IN fact, Chinaman-one Pong
Lun, charged with The willful murder OF
a fellow Chinese, Go Hing. The muir
der had taken place in a sailors board
ing house. and the witnesses were of
the most motley description-Chin
Lascars and Malays from the many
islands Of the Malayan archipelago. But
the first witness was destined 10 sur
prise Us more than any of these.
The Crown Barristers.
There are two barristers prosecuting
for the crown; two were appointed by
the court to defend the accused; a third
held a watching brief on behalf Of the
widow. The jury sat upon hard wooden
benches. AL of the witnesses stood all
OF the time while testifying- So with
the counsel One 5arrister must for
haIf an hour been on his feet in silence
while the chief justice was personally
questioning the prisoner.
The wigs worn by the bar in England
give an odd Hogarthian look 10 their
faces. So with the quaint costumes OF
the officials in this Lancashire Assize-
the scene was much more spectacular
than in the London courts. As looked
around the courtroom 1t almost seemed
as II we were gazing at some old seven
teenth century print For that matter,
! suppose that the scene was exactly
the same az it was two centuries ago.
The opening statement told OF the
crime. into which 7 Will not enter fur
Their than TO say that IL was a quarrel
over a gambling debt. As soon as the
brief statement had been made, the Wit
nesses were called The first to appear
indeed surprised US. She was Martha
Alvina Go Hing, the widow. OF the muir
dered man. She was young, white, an
English woman. quite good looking. and
very well dressed. She answered a few
routine questions as 10 her husband 5
age and occupation, and stepped down.
After her came a string OF Chinese
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10

German did not look the part of Gin
cinnatus.
II am more interested in the output
Of my farm" said Senator German.
than anything that may come off at St.
Louis. If you are here to interview
me about politics. you ought to know
that I will have nothing to say. Crops,
though, are fine. We could not ask bet
ter weather, ard I expect the harvest
this year will be great
He Enjoys the Life.
While Congress is in session at Wash
ington Senator German is always at his
post of duty. one of the most constant
and devoted in his attention OF all the
members of the upper house. No session
OF the Senate t&kes place without him
no party. measure that needs his support
or opposition measure that suggests his
resistance fails TO find him at the helm.
Of the Democratic machine One would
think he enjoys the game of politics,
and 1t is probable that he does. but it is
very certain he enjoys much more the
life Of the country gentleman that he
lives at Laurel.
As soon as the sessions of Congress
have reached an end the German man
sion IN washington is closed. and the
Iares and Penates OF the household are
removed to Laurel That is the real
German home, and the Senator never
feels so much at ease as when he Is di-
recting matters on the German estate.
with his family aboIt him and his
friends paying occasional visits, Sena-
tor German revives the old life Of the
agricultural South
1t takes a good deal of nerve to await
the advent OF the Presidential lightning
and make no sign OF either anxiety or
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10

indecision. Yet this is just what Senator
German manages to accomplish. To
have looked at him no one would think
that he was being considered by the
representatives Of the great party for
which he has done such arduous se-vice
as its leader in the fight for the Presi-
dency.
Unworried by Politics.
Each day the Senator went quietly
about his business. There was work 90
do on tho farm and he did ;t-without
excitement and without any indication
Of unrest. There was a telegraph wire
into the house and over il convention
news found its way into the Laurel
mansion, but none of II seemed par
ticuIaI5y to disturb the Senator Occa-
sionally he would stroll into the room
and be told what was happening
that was all. No unseemly curiosity
marred the Grecian contour Of his face;
he smiled with as gay an abandon as If
the fate of a half acre Of wheat and
not Presidential nomination were IN
the balance.
Around Laurel they do not seem TO as
sociate German the man with German
the politician. The neighbors seem to
have only a vague understanding Of the
position the Senator plays in American
politics. They like him too much TO care
whether he receives political preferment
OF not. and are quite content to have
him remain what be is-a simple Ameri-
can citizen. with lots Of good friends and
an infaIIible recipe foI making life en-
joyabie.
And the idea appeals to Senator Cor
irs: his heart IN public. but II is not diff
ficult TO perceive that at Laurel he is
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10

trial for some months. Even IL the YER
dict went against him. he could then APP
peal it TO the highest court in the coun-
try, your lordship. and If his client still
stood in danger OF hanging, he might
plead twice IN jeopardy or something
of that kind. 1 am not a lawyer, your
lordship, but as a plain American citizen
I feel it my duty to protest against the
headlong haste with which this case is
being railroaded through
Here sat down.
But no-to be quite frank, didn'
sit down. for did not get up. mere
ly wanted to get up and say these
things. But when gazed at the hole
in the floor out Of which prisoners were
brought, and back into which hole they
were taken again, RETAINED. But it
would have been great opportunity to
enlighten that medieval court, and 20
show them how we conduct criminal
trials in America
Trial Goes Brisl1ly.
The proceedings continued with alb
solutely no delay. Witness after wit
ness took the stand. was Intercepted
briefly. cross-examined more briefly. or
not cross-examined at all. Counsel for
the defense and prosecution spoke
briefly. The prisoners counsel pleaded
for a verdict of manslaughter, on the
ground that accused was under the In
fiuence of drink The Judge In his
charge said tersely that drunkenness
was no defense. The jury, without
leaving their seats, returned a verdict
of murder, and the man was sentenced
to be hanged. While the judge was de-
liVering sentence the white widow Of
the murdered Mongonlian broke forth
into wild, hysteric wailing, and was re-
moved from the room. AS the echo
Of her screams resounded through the
'rotunda the judge said. briefly: Call the
next case"
The crowded courtroom had been slow
ly becoming more crowded. until now II
was damned. The reason was soon APP
parent. The next case was also muir
der case but in this the parties con-
cerned were all whites. The murderer
was a seaman. and his victim was a
seaman's wife. Around the vast docks
Of Liverpool there are gathered 10000
seamen, Of every race, age, and color.
So 10 this courtroom gathering there
was a distinctly maritime tinge. Bronzed
and weather-beaten faces met the eye
at every hand.
The case was that OF William Kirwan
able seaman, indicted Tor the willful
murder of Mary Pike. his wife's sister,
and wife OF John Pike, also able sea-
man. From the opening statement ii
was developed that Kirwan was Jealous
of his wife, and made her so unhappy
that she spent much Of her time at the
house of her sister, Mrs. Pike. He &C
cused her of going there TO meet lover,
which she denied. One day he followed
her there, taxed her with iniidelity, be-
gan firing at her and her sister with
a revolver, wounded his wife, and killed
her sister
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10
MYSTICAL CITY OF ISLES
THE ENTERTAINING VENICE

bodies of those who vanished suddenly
and without explanation for the good
Of the state" is TO go back into the
ages when life was all romance and
mystery. Il seems almost as If the same
scenes might be repeated here tomor-
row: and. indeed. they might, save that
the day of such summary methods has
passed.
In the wall of the great council cham
Der in the Doge's palace yawns the fatal
lions head. into whose open mouth
were thrust the denunciations Of eth
zens suspected OF treason or treas9nable
views-those who were later 10 cross
the Bridge of Signs and languish in the
darkened dungeons. And there are the
very cushions upon which the council
ors sat to pass sentence. In no other
city, not even in Rome. are the relics OF
past ages so faithfully preserved. and
certainly in no other is the atmosphere
OF the past so nearly present.
Piazza San Marco
The artistic attractions OF Venice. as
indeed the greater part OF its life and
activities. center chiefly about the Pr
azza San Marco. The square Itself IS
never lacking in interest, for II, as sell
dom happers. few persons are about
there are always hundreds Of pigeons
waiting 10 flock around the visitor who
purchases two soldi worth OF corn
They alight on his hands, his arms. his
head. wherever they can gain a foot
hold, and scramble IN huttering con-
fusion for the yellow kernels. me
pigeons of the Piazza San Marco are
famous the world over. and they nooly
maintain their reputation as entertain
ers for the slight consideration or as
much grain as their plump crops VIII
hold.
ST. Marks itself is truly Venetian IN
that il IS not TO be compared with any
other cathedral Less stately than the
famous edifces of Rome. Florence. and
Milan, it is more beautiful in its own
fashion than any Of these Byzantine
I'm stvle. II is a reminder that here is
the ancient threshold OF the eastern
world. the gateway OF the Orient In
deed. IL is the truest memorial 10 the
former dominion OF Venice throughout
the Eastern Mediterranean. for il in
closes treasures from Constantinopie'
Egypt, and, in fact. from every part
of the Levant.
Italian Masterpieces.
Outside OF Rome there is nowhere
else so magnificent a collection OF Ital-
ian masterpieces Of art as in the an
cient City of the Isles The Doge's
Palace alone Is a perfect treasurs
house. with acres OF frescoes and nu-
raj decorations undimmed by the pass
age Of centuries More than fifty Of
Titian's ca=vases are in the different
galleries. AID the other names famous
in the story Of Isalian art are generally
represented.
The more human elements OF Venetian
life one feels as pOTeTless TO describe
as its great monuments. The Venetians
are a musical. dancing. iaughter-loving
people, although their greatest glories
have departed. Gayety and pathos are
always close neighbors among them, but
these are elements that are not easily
transcribed 20 print.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10
WHERE JUSTICES SWIFT:
AN ENGLISH MURDER TRIAL

and Lascar sailors. All OF them testi-
fed through an interpreter. Each was
permitted 10 take the oath according to
his own ritual. The interpreter, q No
hammedan, put his hat on when he
swore. This nearly caused a red-faced
constable near US to have stroke of
apoplexy; probably he never before had
seen hat worn in the high court of
Assize. Other witnesses were given
croekery plates. which they dashed to
pieces on the floor with an invocation of
similar disaster to themselves in case
they lied.
An 0dious Comparison.
The proceedings ran counter to what
I expected from my slight experience
Of American courts. The counsel were
altogether too brief in their interroga-
tories. Furthermore, the judge did not
hesitate to take a hand when he thought
some matter of evidence was not being
made clear TO the jury. Everything was
for the jury. We. the spectators, seemed
TO be ignored-the gallery had no rights
When plan of the scene of the muir
der was introduced. it was not on a
large blackboard on the courtroom wall
It was on moderate-sized rolls of paper,
which were passed up to judge and jury,
We. the spectators, saw nothing Of it at
all
When counsel for the defense had re-
linquished a witness, and counsel for
the prosecution had put a few ques-
tions. I could contain myself no longer.
arose.
If the court please" said L your
honor-I mean your Iordship-"
Here the chief justice turned and
stared at me. and so did all those seated,
both at the bench and bar. But 1 con-
tinued.
Explains the Code.
Pardon me-" said I. "for interrupting
the courts proceedings, but am an
American citizen. and / cannot refrain
from pointing out some slight defects IN
your criminal procedure as compared
with our own. This gentleman. your
or'-Chere l pointed to a lean bar
rister with long and flexible nose)-
has put questions to the witness 10
which this gentieman"-(and here 1
pointed 10 a short and Dubious barrister
with a bottle noso)-"shouId have OBJ
Jected on the ground that the questions
were not relevant. Then, II your lord
ship overruled his objection, he should
have made an exception. If, however.
your lordship did not so override, this
other gentleman might then have taken
issue on the point, and argued the mat
ter until some time this afternoon. when
court could have adjourned.
After IL was settled tomorrow. this
gentleman could have objected on the
further ground that speaking of the
witness act as a murder was calcu-
lated TO degrade him. This. too could
have been argued for another Gay. Then
prisoners counsel could have had an en-
gagement to try another case at John O.
Greats. or Lands End, and your honor
would be forced to postpone this trial.
Could Work Delay.
Thus by skillful delays the prisoner 3
counsel could carry over the whole mat
ter until the next term Of the high
court. and thereby prolong his client s
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-10
His Pleasant Country
Place in the Pretty
Maryland Town.
There He Leads the
Quiet Life of a Coun-
try Gentleman.
Undisturbed by the Cares
and Responsibilities
of Politics.
RTHUR PUE GoRMAN: Page in
n the National House Of Repre-
a sentatives.

1 \ sentatives.
Arthur Pue German: A rising light
in the political economy of MY Mary
land
Arthur Pue German: A Senator from
Maryland in the Congress of the United
States.
Arthur Pue German: Citizen-farmer at
Laurel-and proud Of the designation.
Ask anyone who lives within a dozen
miles Of the Senators home at Laurel
and he will be quite willing to confess
that the Senator is a good farmer. The
politics of the man will make no diff
ference; indeed. the more rabid Republi-
can he may be the more enthusiastic he
is in singing Germans praises.
I'm the most bigoted Republican that
ever came down the pike" said Abner
Moore. who lives along the road that
leads to the Senator's residence. but
Mr.. German has no better friend than
!. Ike everything about him but his
politics. and ] don't think we shall ever
be able 10 get together on that line"
''On the level. Mr.. Moore. does Sena-
tor German know anything about farm
ing?"
We'll he's a pretty good farmer, -
left it all TO other people. but I have
come TO see that he looks after his own
crops and looks after them well When
the harvest season comes around he is
always on the ground, and ne manages
TO do just as well with his wheat and
oats as anybody else. You cant make
anybody who knows believe that Cor
man is an amateur"
German Knows the Game.
That is the opinion of Senator German
that is held by all OF his neighbors. As
matter OF fact. they don't think OF
him as the Senator. but as the farmer.
and they praise him in terms OF their
own business vocabulary. They like the
man-and they don't care who knows II.
One has to be on the alert 10 look af-
ter hundred acres of wheat. but so
small a matter does not bother Senator
German. He is OF hand from the time
the whistle blows in the morning until
the minute when his hands knock or in
the evening. and he knows what is hap
pening every moment Of the time.