davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
MANY SCHOOLBOY GAMBLERS


all has yet sent after his money.
My interference doesn't stop with takin g
the money though, for / always try to
point out some reasons why a boy should
let gambling in any form alone.
Sometimes the games i try to break up
are played with buttons-picture buttons
or any old buttons-or with ciga rette pict-
ures the sort which when certa In number
are collected may be redeemed at the
cigarette sellers for a trashy prize.
what do do with a boy who is reported
to me for gambling? l send for his mother
or father and ask her or him to help me
break up the habit. Sometimes that does
some good, oftener the parents show little
thing more, / find. is needed to break up
this gambling habit than appealing to
parents.
"One way to stop crime Is to make it i'm
possible. In Queen Elizabeth's time it
was impossible for merchantmen to cross
the seas in safety unless heavily armed
Withdraw our navy, and how long would
1t be before sea pirates would be as thick
and thicker than they ever were?
Il should like to see an organized system
which would deal with the child gambler
very differently from the way he is now
a system which will take hold of and stop
the evil"
Have you any plan to propose'' the
principal was asked.
Yes. i believe That II every boy IOund
gambling on the sidewalk or elsewhere
was arrested and his parents fined a small
sum the evil would soon be wiped out
Touch the majority Of the parents in tene-
ment districts in their pocket and you will
make an impression on them at once.
1t will do no good whatever to arrest
boys for gambling, take them to court and
parole them on promise Of good behavior;
in fact, it will only do harm. The CO.
operation Of parents or guardians in cases
OF this kind Is most necessary, and il it
can't be got in any other way, fine them,
There would have to be special detectives,
in plain clothes / suppose, to wage war
against sidewalk gambling, and a good
many Of them at that, but the end ! am
sure would justify the expense, As 1t is,
things would be different, but in some
neighborhoods where games Of craps are
going on in every block, Sundays as well
as Saturdays, policemen stroll along, often
without paying the least attention to them.
"On one occasion when 1 stopped to
expostulate with some boys, two of whom
were telegraph boys, because they
were pitching pennies, policeman walked
up and gruff1y advised me to move along
1.-The boys are not on your premises. he
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23

to pass on to the next ordeal. We had
previously passed tho ship's doctors and
carried with us their certificates Of vaccina-
ton, so VIC were mercifully spared the en-
barrassment OF having partially to undress
and show the vaccination marks on our
arms.
passing from the medical examination
we were ranged In long rows and slowly
passed along for inquisition. While we
stood waiting our turn, weighted down with
valises and handbags. much indignation
was expressed by two men who stood near
me.
Each Of these men held citizens papers
in his hands, and one affirmed that he had
seen Grand Army man detained as an
immigrant. An official standing near them
sneeringly informed them that men who had
never before seen America had come wear
ing Grand Army uniforms. The citizens
papers were thrust under his eyes and he
was asked II he could read. He admitted
that the papers were genuine, said 1t was
no fault OF his that citizens were brought
to the immigrant station, but that when
they were brought there he must deal
with them as immigrants.
when we reached the desk at the end Of
the line we were subjected to an inquisition
more worthy Of some Old World empire
OF long ago THAI OF our modern republic
1t was not sufficient to give name, age,
place OF birth, occupation, destination
town, street, number-name and address,
friends or relations we were going to,
fathers birth place, &o., but we were
required to tell how much money we had
about us and to produce our pocketbooks
and display their contents.
"Iheard one woman severely reprimanded
because her pooketbook was not in her hand
when she reached the desk The fact that
she carried a heavy valise in one hand and
handbag In the other was not taken into
consideration, although her pocketbook
was sticking conspicuously out Of a coat
pocket to be produced as quickly as she
could drop her valise.
"The inquisition over, We were hustled
down another long fight Of stairs and
compelled to buy tickets to take US to our
several destinations on a special immigrant
train. Then we were crowded into the
baggage room to search for our, trunks
which were weighed. and charge made for
excess baggage.
Our luggage disposed Of, we were penned
into cagelike waiting rooms to await the
steamer which was to take us to another
immigrant station. Cage is the only word
that fittingly describes these waiting rooms.
with their stamped metal sides. Here the
puzzled immigrant sits and wonders II he
has indeed reached the land of liberty.
THE other immigrant station was reached
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
and Blame Parents For Its Existence

told me.
IF they only would take the trouble, l
firmly believe that the policemen OF the
city alone could make it almost impossible
for boys to gamble in the Streets o..
When the woman principal of anothe
crowded East Side school was approached
on the same subject, she exclaimed with
interest:
why, not an hour ago, at the opening
exercises, gave a short talk on the, evils
Of gambling, for /, too, have found out
that gambling among small boys is tremen-
Marbles a gambling gamer OH, no!
1t takes some skill to play marbles. for there
The game is not one Of chance, like pitching
dice, pennies or buttons.
But the most serious feature Of the gam
bling habit is this In order TO indulge in 1t
boys are, apt to take to stealing. They
want real money to play with and they
don't stand on the means to get it.
THE worst of it is l don't know OF any
good plan for suppressing the vice. If
parents would only help us we could do
more; but most Of them down here are in
different. In fact, believe some OF them
are rather proud il their boys make money
off anybody without working for it.
-We have enough laws, heaven knows.'
exclaimed the prime of West Side
public school, situated not far from terri
tory where street urchins would gamble
loose.
what We need is not more laws for the
child, but enforcement Of the laws we al
ready have.
aThere is law prohibiting children
under a certain age and who do not have
license from selling newspapers and an
other which prohibits the sale OF cigar
cites to small boys, and vet both are CON
stantlv violated. 1t is the same with the
gambling law.
aIt is no new thing for children to gam
BILE. The propensity dates back almost to
the Garden Of Eden, but undoubtedly it
is much more vigorous in large cities than
elsewhere, and more vigorous now than 1t
ever was before 1t il in line with the
American craving for excitement, think
Teachers and principals teach against
gambling and do all they can to keep. gam
Bling out Of the schools, but they can't bar
its influence. 1t il not bit easier to suggest
a recipe TO wipe out Sidewalk gambling
than It ia to suggest plan which will slut
up ali the gambling houses in New York
and keep them shut. believe, though, that
II the fathers and mothers Of New York
rot together in conference on the subject
thew might hit on a solution of the prob
lem.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
LAST EXECUTION OF A CREEK
INDIAN BY HIS FRIEND

MUsKodEE, I. T., Oct. 22,-Within the
stone fence enclosing the old Creek council
house at Okmulgee, l. T., stand several
trees under which a number of Indians
have been whipped or put to death under
sentence OF the Indian Courts. The last
execution In the Creek Nation occurred
in the council house yard nine years ago
and the tree, tall sycamore, standing
within a few feet Of the wall, Is pointed out
to visitors as the one to which the prisoner
was tied while a captain of the light horse
guard put him to death with rife ball.
The prisoner was Timothy Jack. and he
was sentenced by the Creek court at Ok
mulgee for stabbing another Indian to
death at a dance. He was sentenced to Re
executed and according to the old Creek
custom, was allowed to name the person
who should fire the fatal bullet into his
body.
Duke Berryhill, for many years captain
of the light horse guard of the Creek nation,
was selected by Jack as his executioner. 1t
was common practice among India n
criminals about to be put to dea tn to choose
one of their best friends to do the work
Jack had at one time been an officer in the
light horse guard under Berryhill and
entertained high regard for the captain
Berryhill performed his task well. although
it was painful one for him.
Capt. Berryhill, who il now clerking in
a store within view of the scene of the exc
cution, pointed out the tree to visitor the
other day.
IF YOU go over there and examine that
syc& more in the corner Of the yard he
said, avou can still see the hole in the trunk
where the bullet entered, although it is al
most closed by the new fibre Of the tree
we strapped the prisoner to the tree
in standing position with his breast ex-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23

peal to us. and after much entreaty and
expostulation on our part, and many in
functions to return on the part OF the inter-
prefer, we-free American cltizens-were
allowed as a very great favor, to leave
the place for short while 80 that we might
purchase a meal at a nearby restaurant
We were not permitted to take our baggage
along, lest we might be tempted to escape.
when we returned and questioned the
interpreter we learned that the immigrant
train would not leave New York before
midnight. We looked round with some
thing akin to dismay upon the rough
looking crowd Of foreigners who thronged
the waiting room, and We did not relish the
thought of having to spend the night and
the next day in such uncongenial company.
All the eloquence Of which we were
capable was brought to bear upon the
interpreter, and at length he consented to
take us to the railway station. explain our
case, and see if, by paying extra on our
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
THE PARKS CONVALESCENT pr
WARD AND ITS VISITORS

Il call this part Of the park the GONZALES
cent ward" said park policeman who
takes an interest in his surroundings.
He waved his hand as he spoke at the
little lake and more particularly at the walk
which meanders along it's border from
Fifth avenue and Fifty-ninth street to
the entrance at Sixth avenue. The walk
is particularly pleasant one.
1t is down in hollow beneath the park
walls. In summer il affords plenty OF shade
in the fell and winter the chilly breezes
seem to pass overhead, leaving il COM
paratively warm while the picture made
by the pretty bit Of water with its bold green
shores is sunny and delightful.
Invalids of all sorts frequent 1t in prefer
ence to any other part OF the park. 1t
is attractive in itself, and it Is only few
steps from the crosstown cars.
Every day in the year they may be seen
there--sometimes dozen or twenty OF
them within quarter Of a mile or 80. Oddly
enough, they are nearly all men, and fully
a third OF them have sisters or wives taking
care Of them.
Pathetic as the picture is which they
make when they are thus attended 1t has
it's genial side. The spectacle OF some
poor lonely fellow fighting q; a desperate ape
a common one, and there is nothing sadder
to be seen.
There are men with consumption and
other wasting diseases, men parnlyzed and
men whose bandaged heads or limbs show
that they are recovering from grievous
injuries. Sometimes a man hardly able to
drag his feet will come leaning. on the arm
of his wife Sometimes the wife will carry
a pillow for his head or shawl to throw
about him. ..
MARY one Of them pulls through,
said the policeman, .and it's the air that
does It. OF course you'll see some that
has death writ on their faces from the first
Il remember a young chap used to come
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23

around couple OF years ago with little
bit OF wife that most ought to have
been al school! I heard tell he was fiddler
or something like that. knew he was
was bright and cheerful and never thought
he was going-and that girl couldn't have
believed 1t no more than himself, or she
never could have been so bright.
Shed talk to him all day and wrap his
shawls and muffiers around him and feed
him milk every hour and amuse him by
giv1n' peanuts to the squirrels. They used
to come here in the dead o. winter and
watch the skaters all day.
They'd sit down there by the landing.
never seemed to mind it, but she'd turn
blue, and yet she used to pretend to like it.
They gave up comm in the spring
never heard what the reason was; but, Lord
bless you, l knew.
When I'd see them coming on one Of Their,
tough days, / used to wish we had a big
glass house here like what I've read about
in the papers-I think they call it sun
parlor or sun bath or something: but l
don't know-a big house where all the
sick ones could come and get the air and
see nature like without bein' frozen.
When I see them there, lookin' so weak
and weary like, wonder why they have
to sit up straight on the hard seats Now
II was the Park Commissioner. I'd have
sort o cots for the. sick in the shady spots
IN summer ana the sheltered places III
winter, 30 that they could lie down and
enjoy rest as well as the air.
Yes, and / think it's tough that they
can't spend the whole day here, because
they can't 60 all day without meal and
many a one OF them can't afford the carfare
twice over. just think If there was solHe
way for them to get a snack around noon
time, bowl OF hot soup or the like, they
could stay here all the day and get twice
the good they do now. when some o them
can only spend the morning and some
o them the evening in the air.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23

posed. Then we pinned a round piece Of
paper over his heart to serve as tar
get, and fred at that.
II regretted the necessity OF executing
have scarcely forgiven me if had allowed
any other person to fire the shot.
Shooting was the legal form Of execu-
ton among the Creeks. Hanging was con-
sidered disgraceful, but to be shot was
more like the death Of a solder, hence
more honorable. 1t was the usual custom
to allow the prisoner to select two men to
execute him. The executioners preferred
this as there was always a doubt as TO
who was responsible for the fatal shot.
There is an old Indian burying ground
within the limits Of Okmulgee which has
been the scene Of several Indian e,xecu-
tions. When such place was chosen
the prisoner was tied to tree near the
open grave which had been prepared to
receive his body. The Indian seldom If
ever showed signs Of fear on the eve of his
execution, as even in the last moments of
his life he did not wish to seem coward
to his fellows.
There are several trees in the council
house yard which were used for whipping
posts Almost all crimes except murder
were punished with whipping, from fifty
to one hundred lashes being laid upon the
bare back Of the offender
A rope was tied about his wrists and
the loose end swung over a limb Of the
tree. His hands were drawn above his
head, and the lashes were administered
without regard to the prisoners feelings.
The Creeks discouraged professional
criminals BY executing a prisoner after it
had been found necessary to whip him
and 1t is said there was less crime in the
Creek Nation when the old Indian laws
were in effect than at present under the
the regime OF the United States courts.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
AN AMERICAN
j WOMAN
AT
= ELLIS ISLAND

Here 10 an American wonlan's story OF
her experiences in passing through the
ordeal OF an examination at the immigra-
ton station at Ellis Island In conse-
quence OF what she suffered, she believes
that the immigration laws should be
amended, at least 80 as to discriminate
between the educated, salf-supporting
American citizen obliged to cross the At
lantic on third class ticket and the ignor-
ant foreign peasant landing here for the
6rst time.
when the huge Atlantic liner which had
conveyed us homeward, after three
months vacation, reached her pier at Ho-
boken," she says, we were refused per-
mission to go on shore and return to our
homes for no other reason than that. owing
to the abnormally increased transatlantic
traffic, consequent upon phenomenally
low ties, we were unable to procure saloon
tickets and were obliged to travel third
class.
"The fact that the ocean trip-which is
usually enjoyable-had been extremely
tlncomfortab able and unpleasant made us
all the more anxious to leave the ship and
return to the comforts Of our homes. But
our pleadings and our indignant protests
that we were American citizens and not
immigrants awaited us nothing.
"A few lucky individuals, who were
fortunate enough to have citizens papers
with them, were allowed their freedom.
These lucky few were in most cases natu-
rallied citizens who had travelled third
class before and knew what to expect II
unprovided with naturalization papers
when returning 10 the States after visiting
their European homes.
MANY persons claiming themselves to
be native born Americans were among
those detained as immigrants. very many
were citizens who had spent the best years
of their lives in America, and, sad to relate,
I was informed that a Grand Army man
was denied admission to the land for which
he had fought until he, too, had been e1-
amined at Ellis Island!
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23

"A policeman came on board later. This
lady stated her case to him and was in
formed that her detention was illegal.
She was subsequently allowed to go to the
saloon dining room, make an affidavit and
60 ashore.
Another lady was sent to Ellis Island
although she had spent fourteen years
In the States and carried with her diploma
from a leading American college and sew
eral testimonials from institutions Of learn
ing In America in which she had taught
This fact Is certainly not very fattering
tribute to our educational institutions or a
compliment to our teachers.
'On the morning following our arrival
we were all put ashore to open our luggage
for customs inspectors. This inspection
over, We were herded like cattle upon small
steamers, and 80 closely packed together
that we had hardly standing room. Then
we were taken to Ellis Island. VAST to mock
us, we wondered and to provoke sarcasm
and cynicism that our overorowded immi-
grant boat carried us CLOSE by the Statue
Of Liberty-that sacred emblem about
which we had unwittingly boosted, only a
week or two before, while doubling English
men and unbelieving Germans shrugged
smiled indulgently at our enthusiasm
ELLIS Island was reached at HAS A. NJ,
and we were compelled to wait, standing
on the crowded deck, for an hour and twenty
minutes before we were permitted to land.
Then we were herded to the immigration
Offices, carrying all our small pieces OF
baggage with us as we were not allowed
to leave anything but our trunks behind.
MANY things are needed for an eight or
nine days voyage, consequently our valises
and hand bags were heavy. No porters
were available, and several women had much
difficulty in dragging their heavy belong
ings with them, but they were not permitted
to rest by the way. If they Jagged behind
they were roughly shouted at and told to
keep up with the others.
"A long fight Of stairs had to be climbed
and our heavy baggage dragged up.
cruel fight Of stairs it proved to many
poor woman, baggage laden and exhausted
from prolonged standing, crowding and
jostling. One slight woman nearly collapsed
before the head Of these st airs was gained,
and was sharply scolded for carrying more
than her strength permitted.
AT the head of the stairs we were met
by officials who hurried us along passage,
at the further end Of which we were inter
cepted by an important official-presumably
a doctor-who. without any preliminary or
warning Of any sort, seized each one by the
chin, dragged his mouth open. st AIRED down
his throat and then seized him by the eye
lids, examined his eyes and suffered him
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23

at 4 p M. Here we we're treated as IRE
sponsible beings and kept under the strict
surveillance OF an interpreter, who was
obliged to act very much as the keeper OF
a ward In an insane asylum. This surveil-
lance no doubt is necessary and humane
when imposed upon non-English speaking
immigrants and persons unable to take
care of themselves, but when it is forced
upon self-reliant. capable citizens it is
not only unnecessary, but Calling in the
extreme.
This waiting room, or prison, was also
gained by ascending long fight Of stairs.
BY this time we were feeling faint from
want of food-our Q o'clock breakfast on
the ship was not very substantial affair
and great many trying hours had elapsed
since it was partaken Of
1.-THE crackers, spruce beer, hard bis
cults and other uninviting articles OF diet
offered for sale at the small lunch counter
in the immigrant waiting room did not ap-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
She Pleads for
Better Treat
ment for
American
Citizens

What does an examination at Ellis
Island mean2 I shall endeavor to de-
scribe the ordeal as we went through 1t.
My doing 30 may lead other citizens to
take due precautions when they take a
trip abroad, and to see to 1t that they are
provided with citizens papers lest, through
any untoward circumstance. they should
be obliged to return homo travelling third
class.
when you 60 to Europe you will prob
ably boast that no absurd class distinctions
exist in our grand republic; but when you
land In New York, month or two later,
as third class passenger, you will emphati-
cally retract that rash statement. You
will call to mind the fact that the third class
passenger lands In Great Britain with as
little trouble as does the saloon passenger,
and before your ordeal is over at Ellis
Island you will begin to have strange
misgivings regarding the real existence
OF certain fundamental principles found
in our Declaration Of Independence. the
infallibility Of which you had never before
doubted.
If you are a man and have taken your
citizens papers with you. you may bless
your lucky stars and escape much delay
and annoyance. II you are a woman
God help youl-our Constitution ranks
you with aliens. minors and lunatics, and
you have therefore no citizens papers Of
your own.
IF you are fortunate enough to have a
father or a husband living, his papers may
rescue you. But your father may be dead,
you may not have husband and your
brothers papers are Of no use to you
Il saw widow refused permission to
land, although she carried with her a certif-
cate Of her birth in Pennsylvania and her
marriage lines proving she had been married
in America. She had spent all her life in
the States with the exception of six weeks
spent in England, and yet she was accounted
an immigrant because she was obliged to
travel third class and carried no citizens
papers.