davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
MAY BE A SUICIDE
William r. Mesmer, a Printer, Drops
Out of Sight Saturday
Night.
IS LAST SEEN ON THE BRIDGE
In Fear of LOSS of His MInd-COmes
Here Last Week From BurIIng-
ton With Family.

In the fear that his reason was de-
serting him, William r. Mesmer, a
Burlington, Iowa, printer, who came
TO Rock Island last week with his wife
and two children, is believed to have
destroyed himself.
He was last seen at II o'clock Sat
urday night on the Rock Island bridge.
His wife has appealed TO the police TO
search for him.
Mesmer, for II years was employed
on the Burlington Hawk-Eye. He
holds membership in Typographical
Union No. IS and of Modern Woodmen
Camp No. IS of that city.
His health has been poorly and on
the advice of his physician he left Bur
lington in the hope that a change Of
surroundings might prove beneficial
Turns His Wife Back.
Mesmer and his family had arranged
to spend the summer with Mrs. Mes
mer's mother, Mrs. Sophie Eklund,
who conducts a boarding house at 222G
Fourth avenue. They arrived at Mrs.
Eklund's last week. Saturday evening
at $3.50 Mesmer left the house, stating
that he was going to the barber shop
of William FurlOng, two blocks west
of Mrs. Eklund's home, to get shaved.
Mrs. Mesmer walked a block with
her husband. feeling that it would be
better for him to have company in
strange city, but he protested that he
was able to care for himself, and on
his urgent request the wife returned
to the house.
That was the last seen of Mesmer
by any member of his family He had
only 80 cents with him. Whether he
visited the barber shop could not be
ascertained by Mrs. Mesmer.
Religion and Medicine.
Mesmer's mind has been affected
slightly for some time. His dementia
when first noticeable was of a relig-
ious turn. More recently it centered
on medicine. He is of the impression
that the medicine that the physicians
have been administering to him is I'M
dcrmininG his reason. He is of a
highly nervous temperament. and one
Of his peculiarities that will distin
guish him from others is a continuous
of his forehead with his hand.
When not at this he is either picking
his teeth or pairing his finger nails.
MesmCr, when lie left Saturday
night, wore a brown striped suit, with
blue bingham shirt His hat was a
derby. He has two gold front teeth.
His height is ) feet 4 inches and his
weight 145 pounds.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
PERSONAL POINTS.

Misses Florence and Lily Lee are
in Ottumwa, Iowa.
George and Clyde Porter, of Blue
Island, are in the city.
George F. Foster, of Chillicothe, Mo,
is visiting in Rock Island.
Misses Minnie and Daisy Harris, of
Des Moines, are visiting friends in
this city.
DR.. and Mrs. T. J. Kill, of Des
Moines, are visiting Mr.. and Mrs. F.
E. Lamphere.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Coulter. of Ced-
ar Rapids. are the guests of Rock
Island relatives.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Pearce, of Fort
Madison, Iowa, are the guests of rela-
tives in Rock Island.
Mr. and Mrs f. r. Maloney have
gone to St. Louis to make a two
weeks visit at the exposition.
Miss Catharine E. Winters leaves
this evening for St. Louis, where she
will spend two weeks at the eXposi-
ton.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cortes Maxwell, of
KeokUk. are guests at the home of DR..
J. r. HOllOwbush, on Twcnty-third
street.
Mrs. William Mcmillan. of Albuqucr-
que. n. NJ. is the guest of her par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Walter Karr, of
this city.
DR.. ID. r. Halves and family of Mon
mouth, are spending the Fourth with
the doctors parents, AIr. and Mrs. +.
B. Halves.
Clyde Ellerman. of Decatur, who has
been spending few days with Rock
Island friends, departed last evening
for his home.
Miss Mary Williams, who has been
attending the Chicago Musical college
for the past year, has returned to her
home in Rock Island.
Mrs. A. c. Ramsay and daughter
Frances, accompanied by Mrs. DR..
Block. of DIN, Iowa, left today for
Lake Minnetonka to spend two
months.
Mr. and Mrs. f. d Mitchell and
daughter, Miss Clara, arrived in Rock
Island last evening from their home
IN Champaign, Ill, to make three
weeks visit with relatives in the tri
cities.
Miss Mary Lilly, of Aurora, is the
guest of her sister. Mrs. Z. T. Dolly.
in the Sala flats. She will remain
in the city a week. after which she
goes for a visit at the st. Louis expo
sition.
Ill MnII ,,
and party reached home Saturday af-
ter a trip to St. Louis aboard the
steamer Ianthe and houseboat Ram
bier. One week was spent at the fair.
Besides Mr.. and Mrs. McHugh, those
in the party were Mr.. and Mrs. G. p.
Rim. of Chicago; Mr.. and Mrs. War
rem H. Reck, of this city, and DR.. H. NJ.
Hayes, of Peoria.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
NEAR TO TRAGEDY
Gus Hach Fires at Crowd of Children
Having Celebration Near His
Home.
BULLET FOUND ON A PORCH
Claimed Young Folks Annoyed Him,
But He Intended Them No
Harm-Is Arrested.

Gus Hoch, residing at OIL Twenty
second street, annoyed at a celebra-
ton that the young folks were having
in his neighborhood. this morning fir
ed his revolver with the intention, it
is claimed, of manning one of the
boys.
The bullet just grazed the group of
young folks and struck a pillar on the
porch of F. Borgolte a glancing blow
The bullet was found on the porch and
was turned over TO the police depart
ment. Hoch was arrested and fined
So on a charge of disOrderly conduct.
He refused to settle and was locked
up.
His revolver was conf seated by the
police. Hoch lives alone at the num-
Der given above. He denied that he
tried to shoot the children, merely
wishing TO brighten them, as they had
been bothering him.
Others Wind Up I'm Police Court.
Others who were before Magistrate
G.. A. Johnson today were: jeanette
Bolton, drunkenness, So; Alva Jensen
and Al Malm, SO each for disturbing
OAiC pCeiNC, SilC1iISo anu DuiI JOlluSOL,
disturbing the peace, discharged; AL
eXander Bush (colored). assault and
battery on f. w. Goulder. So.
Saturday evening Mary Smith was
fined $40 and Florence Hall and Al
Berry 50 each on a charge OF disturb
ing the peace. G. A. Olson was as
sessed $50 for disorderly conduct, and
Abe Olson So for drunkenness.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
The Real Weakness of Russia.

In consequence of the frequent and
terrible famines throughout Russia
during last years the poor people suf-
fered terribly from insufficiency of
food. Then the secret of Russia's
weakness is found in its Inflated pop
ulatiOn. Good food is essential 10
health and strength. and even in our
own country there are thousands of
persons starving themselves because
they are afraid to eat,-afraid of the
pain and distress that always follows.
If these persons would only take Hos
letters Stomach Bitters they would
soon notice great Improvement. II
is the best medicine in the world for
4 weak stomach and cures dyspepsia,
indigestion. constipation. heartburn,
belching. cramps, diarrhOea, insomnia
and liver troubles. We hope every
sick man and woman will try it at
once and see for themselves.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
Brutality Tortured.

a case came to light that for per
sistent and unmerciful torture has
perhaps never been equaled. Joe Col
obick, of Colusa, Cal, writes: For IS
years / endured insufferable pain from
rheumatism and nothing relieved me,
though | tried everything known.
came across Electric Bitters. and il s
the greatest medicine on earth for
that trouble. 4 few bottles of it com
pletely relieved and cured me" Just
as good for liver and kidney troubles
and general debility. Only 80 cents.
Satisfaction guaranteed by Hartz &
UIlemeyer, druggists.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
Real Estate Transfers.

July Peter Etzel to William
Rorison. lot IS, block ?. Black Hawk
Fourth add, Rock Island, 81.
Hattie Smith to !. II. Efflandt, VIZ
lot 4. block 2, AIday's Second add,
Moline, $40.
Peter B. Forwinkle, ct al, to J.
Henry Efandt, VIZ lot 4, block 2,
AIday's Second add, Moline, $1,000.
William Jackson and George NJ.
Babcock to Alrik Johnson, lot u,
block 4, Wheelock Fifteenth street
add, Moline, $3.50.
Mathilde Milde to A. w. Milde, lot
l. block .. Pitts, Gilbert & Pitts Sec
ond add, Moline, $4,000.
P. w. Waltz to August Mey, Wa
lot II, and e14 lot u, block 3, Sinnet's
add. Rock Island, $1,000.
William Jackson and G. VI. Bah
cock to Gust Anderson. lot 3, block l.
Wheelock Fifteenth street add, Mo
line, $3.50.
Lorena Smith to 3. r. TOwndrOw, $
40 feet of 50 feet of n 200 feet of s
800 feet outlot ., Paramount add, Mo
line. $1,000.
William Brooks, ct al, to Sarah J.
Nelson, lot 2, block ., Brooks Grove
add, Rock Island, $3.50.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
COURT HOUSE RECORD.
The Probate Record.

July .2-Estate of Joseph H. Mont
gOmery. Proof of notice of petition
for probate of will made. Dispositions
of Andrew Montgomery and Andrew
Olson two of the subscribing wit
nesses to will taken in open court in
proof of execution thereof filed and
approved and will admitted to pro-
bate.
Estate of Henry w. Deal. Proof OF
death filed. Will presented for pro
bate Petition for probate of will
filed Hearing on petition for probate
set for July %, 1904. at 10 o'clock
a. IN.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
LOSES TWO FINGERS IN A
MACHINE AT THE ARSENAL

Saturday afternoon while work on
a machine used to shape gun stocks,
Thomas Quinn. an employe in the
small arms plant at Rock Island ar
senal. got his left hand caught and
before he had time to extricate it the
thumb and fore finger were severed by
he saw of the machine. Quinn's in
iuries were dressed at the sanitartum.
after which he was removed to his
home. 2i04 Eighth-and-a-half avenue.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
The pill that will. will fill the bill,

" ILIIVIIN a . IT.
To cleanse the liver. without a culver,
Take one AT night.
OeWitt's Little Early Risers are small.
Easy to take. easy and gentle in eff
feet. yet they are SO certain in results
hat no one who uses them is disap-
pointed. For quick relief from bill
BUSINESS. sick headache. torpid liver.
iaundice dizziness and all troubles
arising from an inactive. sluggish liv-
er. Early Risers are unequaled. Sold
by all druggists.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04

brings bright eyes. red lips. lovely
color HOLSTERS Rocky Mountain
Tea makes people happy. 50 cents.
tea or tablets. T. II. Thomas phaT-
macy.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-04
OBITUARY RECORD

Mrs. Cecilia Hagman, Wife of
Charles \. Hagman, died at $50 We'd
nesday morning at her home in Gable
She was IS years of age, was born in
Sweden, and came to America in 1873.
She was married in 1898 to Charles
\. Iagman. The cause of death was
peritonitiS and liver trouble. Funeral
services were held at the bereaved
home at 1:30 Friday afternoon and at
the Congregational church. Rev. Il.
\. Conrad of Swedona delivered the
sermon. Burial was made in the
Sherrard cemetery. Deceased leaves
her husband and four-year-Old daugh-
ter, a sister in Chicago. a brother III
West Virginia and her aged mother,
two brothers and a sister in Sweden.
George Beselin, son of Mr. and Mrs.
J. II. Beselin, S45 Seventeenth street,
died last evening at 6 o'clock, aged
25 years, two months and Is days. Be
sides his parents, the deceased is sur
vived by three sisters and one brother.
The funeral will be held tomorrow af
tcrnoon at O'Clock from Christian
Memorial church, the pastor, Rev. O.
w. Lawrence, conducting the services.
Burial will be in ChippiannOck GENE
tpry
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
French POliteness.

During the past summer which spent among
exclusively French people in hotel at Saint
GERMAN, 1 estimated that 1 lost quite twenty
four hours out of each week saying Good morn
ing and Good evening" to the men, women
little children and dogs about me- If you en-
counter the same person twenty-five times in
the day you must each time smile raptur-
ously, pause, at least shake hands, if you do
not kiss, tremendously inquire how he or she
is going" and tremendously bid him her
Eau revoir' at parting
Not only every man and women expects this.
but all the little children toddle up to you.
shake hands, and exact the same amount Of
ceremony. Then every well-regulated French
family has dog who more than likely occupies
a chair and eats off a plate besides you at the
table. that it is considered churlish If you
do not also stop and tell the dog bon jour- a
dozen times a day, pausing to take the paw
which he is prettily taught to extend to you.
When the washerwoman brings home your
linen there are at least five minutes spent in
tremendously greeting and parting from her.
In the operation of receiving and paying for
linen you exchange "Mercis'' and "Pardons''
not fewer than ten times. Any other serving
person or tradesman who comes to do business
with you throughout the day you similarly re-
ceive with Bon jour, monsieur" and "Au re-
voir" and you thank him and beg his pardon
often you possibly get the words into
the length of his stay-Harper's Bazaar.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
The Case of Mrs. Maybrick.

1 appreciate the deep interest manifested by
Americans generally IN the subject of Mrs. May
bricks release from prison. 1t may not be
improper to observe in this connection that,
measured by the usual standards, Mrs May
brick is not American. She born in
the United States, 1t is true, but her mother
is the wife of a French baron living at Rouen.
and she herself married Englshman. for
whose murder she tried and convicted.
simply to say that If an English girl
should marry an American, and come to the
United States to live, she would thereafter be
regarded as an American woman. 1t seems
probable that Mrs. Maybrick will get her lib
erty next July. she originally sentenced to
capital punishment which was subsequently
commuted to Imprisonment for life, and it would
to be in line with practice and precedent
that good behavior fixes definite limit to the
term of imprisonment at twenty years. Upon
this basis, with a credit of five years for good
behavior, Mrs. Maybrick, after fifteen years' i'm
prisonment, would receive her liberty in July
II. Clay Evans IN New York Tribune.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
To Compel Men to Vote.

That great army of New Workers who do not
find time, have inclination TO go to the
polls on election days is viewing with some trepi-
dation bill just introduced in the Legislature
10 compel every enfranchised citizen Of New
York State to vote on election day, under penal
ty of a fine. The bill provides for election
agent, to be appointed by the Governor in each
district, who in turn shall appoint many
deputies 5 b. fit, and this election agent
Is authorized 10 take action against the citizens
who fail to vote. The penalty for failure is
placed at not less than s. nor more than SO for
the first offense. and is fixed in ascending
scale for subsequent failures. The election agent
is to derive his compensation from fees.-New
York Letter.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
A NEW EMPIRE BUILDER.

This is age of territorial expansion and
empire building. The world has hardly
ceased wondering at Cecil Rhodess COM
prehensive scheme in South Africa, which
he did not live to see practically realized
war, when 1t is advised of new plan of
empire building in northern Africa under
the leadership of a Frenchman, Mons
jacques Lebaudy by name. NJ. Lebaudy
is a native of France, the son of very
wealthy parents, and possessed of a large
amount of enterprise, energy and ambition.
An extensive traveller and somewhat of an
adventurer. he nevertheless has stable
qualities and an ambition to do something
on a large scale. He has reached the
point of styling himself Jacques 1, Emperor
of Sahara.
Sahara is vast region in northern Africa
extending from the Atlantic coast on the
west to the valley of the Nile on the east,
embracing a country about 5000 miles from
east to west, with an average breadth of
900 miles and with an area of nearly 5000 900
square miles. In the old Biographies it was
gion embracing Kansas, Colorado and sew
eral other States was styled the Great
American Desert. Modern geographers
know better. Sahara contains some extern
sive deserts and large patches of arid land
which would require artificial irrigation
to make them productive, but ii also con-
tains a great deal of fine pasture and till
able soil. That Sahara is almost unpopulated
at present does not prove that il will re-
main so. A generation that has seen the
Great American Desert develop several
prosperous States and frozen Alaska NOV
ing steadily towards statehood should not
be incredulous of anything in that line.
Colonizing nations are looking to Africa
as an outlet for their overlooking popula-
ton, and empire builders find it an inviting
field for the exploitation of great plans.
Great Britain. Germany and France are all
operating there on these lines. and the end
Of the century will doubtless find darkest
Africa converted into a prosperous and
progressive white mans country Even now
| it is an inviting field for enterprising young
men who have the stuff in them to make
successful pioneers.
1t is not known how much territory EN-
peror Jacques 1 controls. but he evidently
| proposes to hold what he has. A dispatch
from London says he has decided to draw
the officers and noncommissioned officer:
for two battalions of native troops from
Great Britain and the United States anC
that President Roosevelt will be asked L
recommend a certain number from the ole
Rough Riders regiment for appointment
in the Saharan army. Emperor Jacques
also proposes TO organize a Sahara con
stabulary or rural police. TO be composed
wholly OF American negroes who will b.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
Wisdom of the butcher.

Philadelphia Record.
when l see men or women looking for
nothing but fat on a fowl" said
Twelfth-street market man, Il don't envy
them their dinner. There is a layer OF
fat underneath the skin when poultry II
unduly fattened, and i'm the cooking this
overheated fat saturates the meat, and
delicate stomachs are given a hard tussle.
This is why lots Of people can't eat
ducks and geese at all. These over-fat-
tened fowls are I'm reality more expensive
and less easily digested, there being much
less lean meat in proportion 10 the fat.
Most of MY customers are now willing TO
pay what a good turkey Is worth, UNDER
standing the difference. What rs the diff
ference2 Why, there a few rules that
must be observed. For at least six days
before killing. barnyard fowls must be
cooped, not huddled. but given good. clean
space and we'll fed on corn for at least five
days. Then for twenty-fOur hours before
killing they should be fed on skinned
milk or soft-boiled rice. The night before
the killing the turkeys must be given pen-
ty Of water, but no food. which leaves the
crop empty. the intestines clean, the dark
meat quite light. and gives a flavor as Diff
ferent as possible from the offensive flavor
that IS likely TO impregnate the common
fowl killed in the common way. The flesh
Of all animals is favored by their fool.
This accounts for the delicious flavor Of
the canyasback and redhead ducks. Both
eat Of the wild celery at the waters edge,
the former taking the roots. the latter The
tops"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
His Finish.

ST have discovered the source of lfel''
The new professor, who had only been drawing
a salary for three days in the great university,
hourished in his hand quart bottle of proto-
plasm as he spoke. standing upon the threshold
Of the presidents office.
That gentlemtn frowned.
1T that's the best you can do" he observed,
"I'm afraid you'll lose your job
but, my dear SIR" demonstrated the pro-
fessor, Ifs it nothing to discover the source OF
life?''
And the president smiled satirically he re-
piled:
Absolutely nothing, sir. in these days. Why
only this week the source Of life has been dis
covered four times. without attracting absolutely
any attention at all from the papers. Young
man, unless you can discover something new and
startling enough to advertise this college in the
proper manner, I warn you that your days are
numbered. Life.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
One Yell of "Fire!- Saved Him.

one Of my constituents showed, the other
day, what it is TO have presenfe OF mind said
George ID. McCreary. who rep sesents the Sixth
congressional district of Pennsylvania "A part
or my district is the Twenty-second ward Of
Philadelphia, better known to fame as German
town. The man l speak of was returning home
in the dark and trod loose board that COW
cred an empty well in his yard Down he went
and, as the well about ten feet deep. he
could not climb out. He did not relish the idea
of staying there all night, so. after a moment s
thought ne began TO shout 'Firer at the top Of
his voice. Windows thrown open and some
one ran to the alarm box and sent in the alarm.
When the firemen arrived they found sign
of fire. but they still heard the frantic cries. At
last stalwart fireman found the man in the
well and. lowering a fire hook, dragged him out.
What do you mean by shouting "Fire!?"
demanded the fireman. in an angry voice.
" on said my friend. it is all right now,
for am rescued. But who would have paid any
attention to me if I had shouted ''Well!" all
night long? New York Times.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21
Neckties and Poker.

One of the successful merchants in New York
to-day is an Austro- German, who in 1887 under
took to open trade on big scale with Japan.
He had saved in the course OF twelve years II, 900
marks and with that sum chartered a small
schooner and filled her with neckties of German
manufacture for the Japanese market. He was
seven months in reaching japanese ports, but
was well repaid for his trouble and ingenuity.
for his ties went like fury at big prices. He
made about 600 per cent. on his goods. And
that set you up in business in New York; 1
said, interrogatively. He looked bored. In
business in New York? That money? Never!
l met a party Of United States navy officers at
Yokohama and played poker. At midnight 1
had only enough money to take Hong
Kong New York Press.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21

Mexico knows good citizens when she
sees them. and she is determined to have
the proposed Boer colony established in the
State of Chihuahua. The government has
advanced $4,000 out of the national treas
ury, with which to make part payment
on an immense tract, and will allow the
Beers twenty-five years in which to repay
the loan. Several banks in the City of
Mexico have also advanced large sums.
The Beers will not be obliged to pay taxes,
and will be exempted from military service.
Mexico wants these sturdy farmers, and
will probably get them.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-21

The movement to enlist the interest Of
manufacturers in providing employment for
boys paroed from the Reform School is a
most commendable one. Society pays too
little attention to the duty of giving help
ing hand to discharged convicts, many of
whom would reform if they had little en-
enlargement. The case with boys is still
stronger. Most of them go wrong through
idleness. and the first step towards perma-
nently reforming them should be steady en-
ployment and the formation of habits of in
dustry. There is fine field here for prac-
teal philanthropy.