davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

books designed to protect the public
against itself is not enforced.
Register Sale of Poison
'"The legislature some years ago
passed law which requires druggists
to keep a register of sales of a num-
Der of specified poisons, carbolic acid
among them. The enactment declares
that the druggist shall learn what the
poison is to be used for, and after sell
ing 1t shall enter upon record the
name of the person who has made the
purchase. The law does not say what
shall be the punishment for failure to
comply with it's provisions. 1t merely
specifies that the person who shall
neglect to meet with its requirements
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.'
On account Of its vagueness it has be-
come practically a dead letter, and,
even if it were strictly observed, would
have no effect on the number of sui
cides. After the poison is sold the
purchaser is at liberty to do with it
what he desires, and the fact that his
name is registered on the druggists
book will not deter him from swallow
ing the fatal potion.
Something should certainly be
done to put check on the careless
sale of carbolic acid and other poisons.
1t will be as easy to suppress the sui
eide evil as the Fourth of July evil,
which was SO successfully dealt with
in ST Paul this year, if the proper au-
thorities, vested with \ sufficient au-
thority from the legislature, would
undertake a crusade.
1.-THE way to begin would be mani
testify to place effective restrictions on
the sale of poisons. The coroner's
jurisdiction does not commence until
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17
SHE BORE FIFTEEN
PAIR OF TWINS

DENVER, Col, July leone OF
the most remarkable patients at the
county hospital, to my mind" said
DR.. Charles Swindt, of the county hos
pital has just died. She was Mrs.
Mary Gillispie, woman of eighty-six
years. During her lifetime she was
the mother of thirty children, and.
what was strangest of all, they con-
sisted of fifteen pairs of twins.
Mrs. Gillispie came to the hospital in
1901. She had come to the United
she was born. In 1896 she came to
Colorado for her health, as she was
suffering from tuberculosis, not seri-
ously, but enough to bring her to this
state from Massachusetts, where she
had made her home since coming over
from England. 1 imagine that her life
had not been happy one, though all
through her stay here she steadily re-
fused to tell anything of her past his
tory, save the part I have just related.
when she came TO US at eighty-two
years of age practically all signs or
tuberculosis had disappeared. and the
woman was suffering from nothing
save old age and general decrepit con-
dition: In this condition she might
have lived on, had she not, about three
days before her death, fallen and
broken her thigh bone. The utmost
that medical skill could do for her was
done. but all to no avail. Her system
was too feeble to stand the shock
Prom the number of her thirty
children we have only succeeded in To-
eating one, Mrs. Ella Hildebfand, OF
Sioux City. Iowa, who, upon hearing
of her mothers death, wrote us and
offered to pay her funeral expensea
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

nine tunes you will escape terrible
lrouples- You have sisters and BROTH
ersEyes! Did l not tell you,' strium-
phantly.
rms lncontrovertible proof of her di.
vlnlng powers apparently overpowered
the gypsy queen for a few seconds. At
any rate Tor that length of time she
scanned the horizon in silence, but
presently she condescended to con-
tinue
Soon you will cross big piece of
water and there you will meet tall man
with black eyes and
But what was to be the outcome of
the meeting the Rightful Heir hadn {
chance to tell, for a piercing scream
from one of the smaller tents interrupt
ed her and without ceremony she
dropped the hand she was holding and
hurrled over to the tent from which the
scream had come
Children in Summer Garb
She thrust back one of the flaps and
revealed squirming mass of children.
Two were clad merely in necklaces and
none of the others had on more than a
single garment The eldest was not
more than three and the youngest baby
was very tiny, indeed. The tent in
Whlch they We're huddled was even
drtier than the royal pavilion, and the
papies themselves were not clean, al
though all of them were fat.
One of the babies had evidently polk
ed his fist into another's eye, for the
brown optic of one youngster was very
much Unnamed and he was not crying,
but shrleking at the top of his voice.
The RIghtful Heir boxed the ears of all
1mpartlally and then picked the Shrek
Ing infant up in her arms and carried
MIN over to the royal tent into which
she thrust him.
Her preoccupation permitted a sur
vey of the gypsy quarters. In an open
space IN the center of a group of tents
was the remains Of campfire and over
this was suspended from a cross piece
supported by two stakes a big black
Kettle. The bedding was piled up in
the open tents which, except for soap
boxes and some dishes, were destitute
OF anything that remotely resembled
furniture. Everything was unspeak-
ably dirty
bad weather for baby! Can't stay
outdoor" The Rightful Heir had sue
ceeded in quieting the Crown Prince
and had resumed her position in the
doorway of the tent. mo good life for
baby she remarked with sudden visit
fulness as her great eyes took in the
sordid surroundings
Forgets Tall, BIack-Eyed Man
But presently she remembered that
she had been telling a fortune" and
she extended her brown hand and re-
sumed her representations. The dis
turbance, however, had Interrupted the
train of her thoughts and she appar-
emily forgot that there was tall man
with black eyes waiting at the other
side of the big stretch of water.
''Your fate is to care for the SICK"
she remarked absentmindedly, her
thoughts evidently on the still wailing
youngster. 'You will marry short,
blonde doctor and be very happy. Is
there any questions you would like to
ask, yes?"
A request for another look at her
baby pleased her and she answered that
she would Fix up him. She disap-
peared in the tent and when she came
to the entrance again a red flannel
wrapper had been added to the neck
lace and the Crown Prince looked much
more comfortable and much happier.
very good baby" remarked the
young mother with pride, rolling him
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

the count should invigoEate the pock-
etbooks of his own flesh and blood
before Strengthening the feebled knees
of strangers. In other words, they
protested that charity should begin at
home" while the city of Rouen and
the Samsons as strongly protested 1t
should go abroad. But, as the mouse
said when he attacked a piece of Linn
burger cheese, victory is not always
when they attacked the will. During
the legal proceedings one of the jury
men, a photographer remarked that
the problem was more difficult than
that to be solved by one of his pro-
fession when posing an ugly person for
a beautiful photograph. This was less
amusing, perhaps, than the remark Of
one of the witnesses of the prosecu-
ton, who, when questioned as to the
veracity of a certain witness of the de-
PENDANT, answered, well, we were in
school together and he always cried
when the teacher made him say two
and two made four" But the courts
finally decided in favor of the cousins,
and Immediately all the Brobdingna-
gians dwarfed themselves into Lillipu-
tians. Young Amazons suddenly be-
came too feeble to cope with dirty
dishes; empty stovewood boxes failed
to rouse the dormant energies Of the
self created SamSonS, and the strong
est woman in the world was quite
willing that some one else's chest should
sustain the weight of 20O-pound men.
The whole city and country seemed to
awake out of its dream of strength
and found itself unable to come out Of
its chamber and rejoice "as a strong
man to run race The very law
condemned man to normal stature
and a limited strength.
And until another Count Pierrecourt
comes, with no cousins, men will not
grow like unto Goliaths.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

tabulated record of his cases, DR..
Miller has established a practice which
if followed will be of great conven-
fence in the future.
These records show that since Jan.
1, 1901, when DR.. Miller took charge
of the coroner's Office, there have been
100 suicides, the last one to occur be-
ing yesterday. OF that number fifty
nine are credited to carbolic acid.
During last year, which was remarka-
bic for the number OF self-inflicted
deaths, twenty-o one cases of carbolic
acid poisoning are recorded against a
total of thirtynine suicides. During
1902 the number of carbolic acid cases
was II, against a total of 81 suicides,
while in 1901 carbolic acid claimed 1S
out of 33 suicides. This year only half
elapsed, already has record of twen-
ty-two suicides, of which half were
caused by carbolic acid.
Probably few. people realize what a
serious aspect the carbolic acid habit
is assuming" commented the coroner.
eff an equal number of deaths was
caused by any other agency general
alarm would be sounded but some
how, no matter how many lives are
lost through suicide, no attention is
attracted. The people who die by
carbolic acid are as valuable to the
community as those who are victims
of the white plague, for instance, but
no action is taken by the public au-
thorities to check the evil. No one
has suggested that a society for the
prevention of suicide shall he organ
lied, and even the law on the statute
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17
cARB0Lc ACID THE FAvoRTE POISON OF THE DEsPoMDEMT

and a long time elapsed before was
relieved.
There is a popular belief that car
bolic acid is necessarily fatal. While
it is true that death results in nearly
every case, it is nevertheless an estab-
lished fact that if the proper antidote
is applied in time a recovery may be
effected, though complications are very
apt to develop several days after the
poison has been taken.
Whisky an Antidote
''Whisky or a strong alcoholic solu-
ton is the best antidote for carbolic
acid, and if that fact were generally
known, it is likely that many suicides
would be spared. Alcohol absolutely
neutralizes carbolic acid, and this is so
well recognized that in Germany physi-
clans use both liquids for antiseptic
washes. The hands are first dipped in
carbolic acid and are then Immediately
transferred to alcohol with the result
that germs of all kinds are killed, while
the hands are not injured. The effec-
tiveness of the alcohol depends upon
it's being applied before the corrosive
properties of the acid have had time to
act.
"a recent case which occurred in
st. Paul, demonstrates the effective .
ness OF WHISKY as an dhtluole IoI car
bolic acid. A man who sought to end
his life poured two ounces of the poi
son into a glass of whisky and drained
the dose. He stretched himself Out,
anticipating the severest pains and was
Surprised after several minutes to FIND
that he had only slight burning sem
sation in his stomach. He gave up the
idea of suicide, and after the pain had
ceased concluded to remain on earth
and fight life's battles until Death
should take him with his own hand"
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

could to regain for his native region
what it had lost in the way of physical
manhood.
Despite last century's gain in sani-
tary science, the count seemed not to
have forgotten the old women of long
ago who usually reared ten to fifteen
children, from whom all kinds of all
ments, whether toe itch or hydrophobia,
were fought off by herbs which hung in
bags on the kitchen walls. And doubt
less the count remembered, too, that
these same good mothers lived to be
agile, cheerful and sane old bodies OF
ninety, and their children so tough
that nothing could kill them; While the
present day mother is disabled, "shelv-
ed from work at forty" and, instead of
leading healthy, rosy checked human
beings of hersown blood by the hand
out into life to increase the thrift, &C
tivity and population of her country,
usually grasps a chain to the end OF
which is a dog. He, perhaps, too,
thought of the deteriorating effects or
the, French wineshop, or cafe, which
exists in the cities of Normandy and
Northern France every twenty-five
yards, and has virtually replaced the
club and entered greatly into poi1t1cs.
For candidate, a good stomach is
better than a good platform" recently
ehioiheu an euiineAl I e iieiii - !,
whatever were the reasons that
prompted the peculiar legacy, and
however misguided the count might be
judged in the attempt to gain his de-
sire, it cannot be denied that the hrst
effect seemed good Immediately fol-
lowing the announcement of the pro-
visions of the will giants began to APP
pear everywhere. Rouen and all the
surrounding country seemed to DE
teeming with them Where they had
been before, and how they had sue
ceeded so well in keeping themselves
hid, no one seemed to know, but with
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

in a few weeks the greater part of
Normandy seemed to be teeming with
them. Girls budding into young wom-
anhood, too delicate to wash the dishes,
suddenly became Amazons, and Sam
son himself would have been proud of
the strength of men who had before
been too puny to bring in stovewood.
One strong man, when told of the pleas
ure it was to the count to give the
money, exclaimed, "Why didn't he give
a billion and enjoy himself thorough
ly?'
1.-The Strongest Woman in the
World'' was the notice over one of the
tents at recent Rouen fair, and be-
low the notice was large picture OF
a woman who while standing held
upon her abnormally developed chest
man weighing 200 pounds. If one
entered they saw a good-siZed woman
with mighty effort holding boy on
a board fitted around her neck and
shoulders. a feat that required little If
any strength above the ordinary. The
prospect of $4,000, however, is calcu-
lated to make the majority of persons
feel stronger than they really are, and
so the poor woman should be passed
uncenSured, as should all the other
newly gowned giants who looked upon
Pierrecourt as the greatest and wisest
of men.
But, while the city of Rouen, with
all of it's gourd vine growth of mod
ern Goliaths, was pleased with the
prospect of fame and fortune, there
dropped a fly into this ointment so
eficacious for developing health and
strength. Some cousins of the count,
who looked upon his strange legacy
much after the manner that the rela-
tiyes of Mulligan's mother looked upon
her dying plea that the ELS she owed
Donovan should be paid, pronounced
| him "ravin' and entered suit for the
money. According to their argument
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

which led up from Smelling avenue.
"Him"-was a, tall man of fifty per-
haps, with the head of Hebrew
prophet, who was evidently returning
from a trip to town. His curling hair
and beard were as black as night and
his great, mournful eyes were almost
the same hue. But he was less in
clined to talk than the Rightful Heir.
I'VE are Serbs, yes; we come from
San Louis fair he said, but about the
claims of the young woman in the red
Mother Hubbard to the gypsy throne
he was reluctant to speak.
Il cannot tell, it will take plenta'
money" he said vaguely. But" more
energetically, "she is gypsy queen. She
has it all on her neck"
His admission appeared to awaken
the dormant pride of this queen of few
clothes. She stood once more haught-
lily erect and fumbled with a cord that
was fastened under the necklace of
copper coins at her throat. Presently
she displayed what looked to be a
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

the largest of group, was pitched
just east of Smelling avenue and this
claimant of a throne interrupted her
conversation every two or three min
4 utes in order that she might give all
her attention to watching the interur-
ban cars that went whizzing by
"They bring plenta business" she
said by way of excuse or apology.
The royal robe was a red and black
Mother Hubbard wrapper, but the robe
had seen much service and all of the
red did not show. Neither did all of the
green of the apron which was tied about
her waist. But the necklace of copper
coins which ornamented her swarthy
but well shaped neck was beautifully
polished and the coins which dangled
from her little ears shone in the sun.
The Rightful Heirs figure in no way
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

What is more natural than to sup
pose that persons driven to desperation
by some overwhelming loss or disap-
pointment, or disguised with them
selves on account of failure or physical
suffering rendering life unbearable,
should seek some more powerful tor
ment to engulf that with which they
have been afflicted?
"This accounts for some cases of
carbolic acid poisoning, while others
result from the mere circumstance that
carbolic acid is the poison that can be
most easily procured. If poison could
not be obtained at the critical mo-
ment, reason and the. hopeful aspira-
lions inherent in every one would re-
assert themselves and the respondent
ones life would be saved.
Acid Tortures Victims
"That carbolic acid causes one OF
the worst of deaths is we'll known. Be-
fore it accomplishes it's deadly purpose
in paralyZing the heart it inf1icts I'M
told tortures upon it's victims. No per-
son but one who has had the misfor-
tune of getting carbolic acid into his
mouth and throat can realize the SEN
sation 1t produces. / can testify to
that myself, for once when l had &C.
casion to use an antiseptic wash in my
mouth, I took by mistake bottle of
carbolic acid and made a comparatively
weak solution.
Before 1 discovered my error I had
the preparation in my mouth. Though
1 Immediately elected it the burns il
produced caused me great suffering.
The first feeling was similar to that
induced by the application of anything
extremely cold upon a delicate spot.
1T was soon succeeded by a terrible
burning sensation, when the skin was
removed by the corrosive action of the
acid. The pain was nearly unbearable
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17
66NhHHAT makes the carbolic acid
M route so popular? Well. that

66NhHHAT makes the carbolic acid
w route so popular? Well, that
is a question that has oc-
CURED to me, and one to which have
given considerable thought" said DR..
Arthur w. Miller, coroner of Ramsey
county. After investigating suicide
cases for three years and a half have
come to the conclusion that carbolic
acid is the cause of such large pro-
portion of self-inficted deaths be-
cause it is so easy to obtain.
+ "Carbolic acid is SO common a poi
son and is SO generally used that the
limitations imposed by law upon it's
sale are rarely observed, and anyone
can secure it without the least diff
Guilty." continued DR.. Miller. 1T is
this familiarity with the deadly acid.
1t seems to me, that has caused it to
become formidable agent of death.
Certainly there is nothing pleasant
about the manner in which 1t sips the
vital spark from the human body, for
the agonies 1T inf1icts are probably the
most acute that can be endured by a
human being
Record of Suicides
DR.. Miller then referred to his rec
ords, which contain an account of the
coroner's cases during the three years
and half he has been in Office. BY
means of tables which DIR. Miller has
prepared glance is all that is neces-
sary to learn the number and cause of
the sudden deaths that have occurred
in st. Paul during recent years. While
the coroner is not required to keep a
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

Dam bad weather, yes?" Pressed
to be more explicit in regard to the
matter of her inheritance, she resumed
what was apparently a congenial topic.
Me, am the gypsy queen, but never
have I been the queen because one bad
Serb steal the throne. / myself am
Serb, seventh daughter of seventh
daughter for hunderd years" She lift
ed and let fall her calico colored arms
to indicate a proud descent. 'Tn Serb
my people rule, but here we are moth
in. Bad Serb" passionately, have
plenta dolla' and the throne. He steal
it from me. Now he says for five, six
hunderd dolla' he sell to me. We" pa
thetically, must work to earn dolla'."
She thrust her coarse black hair back
with a Marie Louise air and glared
haughtily into space. But business
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

to explain why it was, if she could
prove her right to reign, she was not
permitted to occupy the throne
wicked Serb ask much money for
crown. We must raise five, six hun
derd dolla' before the snow comes. We
meet in Sh'cawgo and fix him. was all
the information they would vouchsafe.
st. Paulites who during the next
three months receive visits from gypsy
women who ask permission to tell for
tunes or from gypsy men who beg to
be allowed to mend copper dishes, may
rest assured that when they grant those
requests they are aiding a struggle to
regain a throne. 1t must be acknowl-
edged however, that the nearest neigh
bors of the gypsies who are camped
out near Smelling avenue do not speak
in fattering terms of these wandering
Serbs. At the corner of Smelling and
University avenues is a small general
store where the gypsies do all their
trading.
Queen, indeed" contemptuously
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17


but unquestionably the suicide habit
could be curbed. The proportion of
suicides through other means than
poison is comparatively small, how
ever, and the moral effect of a well
directed crusade against the carbolic
acid habit, for instance, would have
the effect of making even hanging and
shooting extremely unpopular.
Suicide a Disease
Suicide, when properly considered,
is the result of a species of disease; 1t
is like a noxious weed which has been
allowed to grow almost unhindered in
the garden of society. 1t is a disease
which assails every one at times.
There probably never was a man or
woman who at times has not been eX-
posed to it's deadly contagion. Re-
ligious conviction and fear Of con-
demnation is the safeguard of some,
dread of physical pain that of many,
while courage is the protection of 9TH
ers when assailed by Suicide armed
with disappointment, failure, or suffer
ing.
Suicide is a companion of Despair,
and it is no wonder that so many vic :
tins are claimed every year by this
dangerous couple. Yet they are allow =
ed to stalk through the land reaping
their harvest of thousands upon thou
sands of men and women who might
have been saved if the means of carry
ing out insane impulses were withheld.
1T is a mistake to suppose that peo-
pie seeking suicide and being denied
the use of poison would resort to more
violent means of ending their lives.
There is a subtle psychological reason
why poison is SO acceptable to persons
in acute mental distress. The very
torture caused by carbolic acid is in
many cases what is wanted by those
who use it.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

II am the queen, 1 have second
sight, what you CALI she began
grandiloquently, and then she stopped
short, and when she spoke again her
voice was sharp.
No Prophecy Without a Dollar
You have not give me dolla'," she
said. Il no tell fortune without dol
la"
The brown hand having been cross
ed with dollar; the Rightful Heir re-
sumed her contemplation of the hori-
zon, perhaps to prevent herself from
being prejudiced by anything she saw
in the hand which she grasped
you have beautiful disposition and
will live long, eighty. ninety years.
she began, encouragingly. you have
emmy, tall, black woman, who seeks
your death, bewar-re of her! You
going to be very rich and travel and