davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
MARRIAGE LAW IS
ATTACKED IN IOWA
Nebraska Restrictions to Be
Tested at Council
Bluffs,
A NOVEL SUIT is STARTED
Norman Marries Within Time Limit
of Six Months--R. A. Ball of On
aha Begins Action for Another Man
Marrying "His Wife,

Council Bluffs. Dec. 3.-For the first
lime in Iowa jurisprudence the ques-
ion has been raised here Of the va.
iidity Of marriage performed in
iowa where one of the parties had
gnored the statutory provisions con-
nected with a decree of divorce OBJ
;ained in Nebraska, which prohibited
either party from remarrying within
six months after the divorce is
granted. The case is a criminal
prosecution against M. A. sweeney,
lnder the Iowa statutes, for know
lngly marrying the wife Of another"
n which r. A Ball is the complaining
witness. Mrs. Ball secured divorce
from her husband in Omaha and in
less than three months from the time
the decree was granted, after pro-
ceedings had been instituted by r. A.
Ball to have the divorce annulled.
Mrs Ball and Sweeney came across to
Council Bluffs and were married.
The supreme court of Nebraska, in
passing upon the prohibitive clause,
has held that, Notwithstanding the
decree, 1t is plainly the condition that
the former relation continues until
the legal impeachment is removed.
Otherwise" the decision recites, "if
woman is permitted to remarry and
a reversal of the decree should occur
within the legal period Of appeal the
anomalous position would be present
ed of woman with two legal hus.
bands, and Dolygamy sanctioned by
law"
1t is the contention of the prosecu-
ton in this case that the law of
state where decree OF divorce is
granted, fixes the status of the parties
not only in that state but in every
state where they may go, and that
divorced person, until that position
becomes unalterably fixed, Is to be
considered and dealt with as though
that decree had never been granted.
On account of the lack of restric-
tons in the Iowa marriage laws,
many Nebraska people come into
Council Bluffs to get married, while
incapacitated under the Nebraska
divorce laws. The temper of Ball
and Sweeney In the present suit in
dicates that the question will event
ually go to the Iowa supreme court
for adjudication as to the validity
If the marriage of NJ A. Sweeney to
Mrs. Ball, which will, incidentally,
have very material bearing
IN a large number Of other mar
ciages performed in Council Bluffs
where the same general conditions
applied.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
WRAGG BUYS NURSERIES.
Big Nursery Stock OF pes Moines
Changes Hands.

Des Moines, Dec. IN. J. Wragg
has purchased the Midland Nursery
company's property at Twenty-eighth
and Grand Avenue. He has taken
over the nursery stock and all of the
property of the company. Manager
Chaplin of this nursery died a few
weeks ago and in settling the estate
the property Of the nursery company
was put up for bids by the court. Mr..
Wragg has received notice that his
bid has been accepted. This will be
consolidated with his M. J. Wragg
Nursery company and will furnish adj
ditional equipment In the work of
landscape gardening in which Mr..
Wragg also is extensively inter ested
as an expert.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

A certain Irishwoman, on her death
bed, called her husband to her side,
patrick" she said, "Pve last re-
quist to make of ye." Il couldn't ray
fuse We anything, Ma-y, darlint," re
sponded the sorrowing husband. pat
rick" said Mary, solennly, II want
We sh'ud lave mother r lie in the CO..
rige beside ye to me flneril." It's
too much we're askin Of me Mary!
cried Pat, springing to his feet in des
peration. Mary, however, was deter.
mined on this point, and Pat finally
yielded to her last rayquist." I'm
lave her ride be me SIDE" he prom
ised, weeping bitterly, but mark ye,
Mary, darlint, twill shpoil the day
fur me entoirely, that 1t Will"
The champion chicken pickers of
the West are Sam Martin and Jim Mil
ler, employees in a cold storage plant
at Solomon, Kan. In nine and a half
consecutive hours Jim. Miller recently
rough picked 725 chickens and Sam
Martin 7G0,
At family reunion nc&r Williams
port, Pa, to celebrate the ninetietf
birthday of John Hauke, farmer. he
danced with his great-grandcnild
He is the father of twelve, the grand.
father of forty-six, and great-grand'
father of thirty-nine, all of whom ex
cept seven are still living.
| Singing insects of several species
are found in Japan. The most prizee
Of these tiny musicians is a black
beetle named "susumushi," which
means insect bell" The sound that II
emits resembles that of little silver
bell of the sweetest and most deli
cate tone.
A scientist, after careful investiga
ton, declares that diet of carrots
ameliorates harshness of character
and reduces nervous irritability; peas
create joyousness, turnips have de
pressing influence. and lettuce acts as
sndative upon the human frame, ow
Ing to the opium 1t contains.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
FIRE INSURANCE
COMPANIES LOSE

Washington, Nov. 2S.--In an inn
portant opinion handed down by the
United States Supreme court vestar.
day, Judge Smith Mcpherson was
fatty reversed in the case OF perv,
F. Carroll, auditor, vs.. the Greenwich
Fire Insurance company of New York
and other fire insurance companies
Justice Holmes delivered the opjn.
ion Of the court and upheld the con.
stitutionality Of the Blanchard law
OF 1896 prohibiting fire Insurance.
companies in Iowa from entering in
to combinations or agreements as to
rates, commissions, etc.
The decision is a victory for Attor
ney General Mullan, who, with Col.
Charles A. Clark Of Cedar Rapids,
recently argued the censtitutionality
OF the law before the supreme court.
The case has attracted much notice
in the east, because of the large mum.
Der Of forengn fire insurance compan.
les doing business in Iowa that were
interested.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
NJ WILLIAMS
HAS CONFESSED

independence, Dec. 2.-Crushed
under the burden of the shocking
crime to which he has confessed, that
of the brutal murder of his wife and
FIVE children, but still insisting that
they are better off dead than alive,
William McWilliams sits bowed and
spiritless in his cell in independence
Jail. He has no desire to fight for
liberty or to seek TO evade in any
way the consequences Of his act
When brought before the court he
manifested the utmost indifference.
McWilliams' confession is the bald
avowal Of the revolving details of his
crime. 1t was made public for the
first time yesterday. When given out
by the guilty man in his cell two
days ago, 1t was hurried to the grand
jury room and there carefully guard.
ed until after McWilliams made his
first appearance in court.
Something OF the motive which
prompted the tragedy Is revealed ny
conversations which McWillians has
carried en- with those who have visit
ed him.
He says that for the past two years
his home has been unbearable. He
states that his wife was jealous OF
him, asked for more money than he
was able to supply and goaded him
continually with nagging tone
"Once in a WHILE" he said, u
gave them what was coming" but
these periodical outbursts of anger
only served to intensity the situation
His wife once told him, he said, that
she wished that he was In an asylum
In addition his oldest boy was dissat.
isfied at home and was talking of leav
ing. His father knew that he could
not get along without his help, and
his position seemed even more des'
perate.
He had thought, he said, Of leaving
home altogether. but he could not
bear the thought of leaving the
children with their mother.
The confession is as follows:
81, William McWilliams, of my own
free will and accord, do make this, my
confession of the crime committed by.
me at my home on Wednesday, Nov.
%, 1905, at o'clock p. m.
II went into the house and my wife
and baby were alone. She was cook
ing the evening meal. struck her
with the hammer and laid her one
side. / then struck the baby and put
her oine side. I called Cora in the
house and struck her as she came in
the door, and laid her one side.
called the boys in. The oldest one
came first and I repeated the opera
ton. Then the next Oldest boy came
in and served him the same. Then
the smallest boy, and he received the
same treatment.
Before any Of the boys came In,
Cora recovered from the blow and.
grabbed the knife and fought me. A
minute afterward used the butcher
knife and went round and stabbed
them all. then washed myself and
changed my clothes and rode down
town to my fathers.
Subscribed and sworn to before G
r. Swan, coroner for Buchanan coun
ty. William McWilliams."
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
STORY PostotfIee is Robbed

Story City, Dec. 1.-The postoffice
here was entered by burglars Wednes
day morning and robbed of $3.50 in
stamps and $3.50 in cash. The mea,
market Of Alsager Brothers was also
broken into, the safe rifled and $50 in
cash stolen. There is no clue to the
robbers except that the Iowa General
handcar has disappeared, the wires
on that line have been cut, and 1t is
probable the robbers went in an east
erly direction with their booty.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
COSTLY FIRE AT ABEL.
sour Leading Business Firms Are
Burned Out.

Abel, Nov. 30.-Fire of an un-
Known origin, which was discovered
It an early hour yesterday morning,
'esulted in a loss of about $4,000,
destroying four brick buildings and
much of their contents. II. V. Rick
,rson's clothing store, Heston's drug
store, Riggs dry goods store and the
store of the Abel Furniture Co., were
he heavy losers. Des Moines sent
fire chief, some men and a chem
cal engine.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07
EalIs Twentv Feet and Is Dead.

Iowa City, Dec. 2.-Edward Murray,
house mover. fell twenty feet from
he top of house yesterday morning
and died shortly afterward. The
breaking of a guy rope caused the
accident. Three other men fell with
him but were not hurt. He is sur
yived by wife and child.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Miss De Forest Anderson, the
noted futist, rigidly adheres to vow
never to kiss anybody-man, woman
or child-because of the injury the
practice of kissing "inflicts upon the
sensitive muscles of the mouth"
Think of sacrificing all that for a
flute!
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

A New Jersey man who advertised
for wife got thousands of answers
from applicants all over the country,
and then married somebody else.
What charming honeymoon he and
his wife will have reading all those
letters!
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The revival of the story that the
king of Spain Is going to marry Prin'
cess Ena of Battenberg, naturally re-
wives the suggestion that perhaps he
picked her out by saying: "Ena, me.
ga, mona, mi"
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

In a New York theater the other
night, woman in the balcony, in the
excitement of the scene in "Oliver
Twist" where Bill strikes Nancy,
called out in distinct tones: Now
stop that!"--a notable compliment to
the realism of the play.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

With Prince Louis, the horse show
and the insurance investigation all 60
ing on at once New York had a siren.
nous time of It 1t will take society
quite a while to recover from tho
strain.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Brother Rockefeller's income this
year will total about $4O,000,0O0. He
must be able to afford to buy new
nat and pair of new shoes the same
week. How absurd it is to say he is
not q happy man!
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The way in which Boston preach
err characterized the trouble of the
times: "That centralized fury Of
money madness that drives every
trace of public spirit from the soul"
He very nearly got onto the idea.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Small diamonds are in fashion this
season. Hubby hasn't much money
left after laying in his supply Of
black diamonds.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Mrs. Aston invited only seventy
nine guests TO the dinner which she
gave in honor of Prince Louis. New
York's 400" must during the past
few years have been making rapid
Roadway In the race suicide business.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

AS viewed by Mrs. Astor's social
set the last census returns giving New
York a population of 100000 are mis-
leading. The town has a population
of 70 persons and 3.999,921 nobodies
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Secretary Kennedy OF the state
board of health has flied his biennial
report with the governor, urging re
codification OF the law relating TO
vital statistics. This law has many
serious defects. Though the figures
covering the year they have been
gathering are not yet fully compiled,
1t is apparent that they viii be faulty.
AS a chief recommendation Secretary
Kennedy urges that compensation be
allowed clerks of cities OF 10000 per
sons or over at 10 cents for every
complete certificate of birth or death
sent to the state registrar. There
should also be an annual appropriaties
Of $4,000, or SO much thereof as nee
essary, says DR.. Kennedy, To- provide
adequate oce help, postage, printing
and othsr incidental Office require
ments. He urges that the minimum
penalty for refusal or neglect to osm
ply with the provisions of the law
should be $40 for each failure TO sc
report, to be recovered in q suit con
iucted by the county attorney upog
complaint of a local registrar or b,
he state registrar. Secretary Ken
ledy would also have all the work
md the responsibility rest upon tbs
secretary of state or secretary of the
state board of health, preferably up
IN the latter, who should be styled
state registrar OF vital statistics. He
would make the clerks of cities ant
Incorporated towns as wen as town
ship clerks local registrars, thus re
ieving health officers of such dgties
and have the township clerks appoin
rs subreglstrars one person In eact
incorporated and unincorporated towr
their respective townships.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Life Is like a game of football
says an enthusiastic Y. NJ. G. A
worker. Yea, verify. Most of us are
at the bottom of the scrimmage and
few make a touchdown.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

New York's 400 has been reduced TO
70, leaving 321 persons whose sole
claim to social fame is that they are
In the has been class.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Hetty Green says if people talked
less there would be fewer fools on
record. But what is a man to do
when he is called before an investi.
eating committee?
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Another American countess has OBJ
tanned a divorce from a count who
failed to support her. So runs the
world away. What good does 1t do
to preach?
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

1t isn't the opportunities you miss
that work you harm half so much as
it is the opportunities the other fel
low grasps ahead of you.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The frank admission comes from
Springfield, Ohio, that a child has
written comic opera. We have sus.
pected for some time that something
Of this sort was going on.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The powers are going to give the
sultan another naval demonstration.
When the sultan gets bored he has a
sure relief for ennui. The powers
are always willing to oblige.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The divinity that doth. hedge king
didn't keep King Edward from the
pain and inconvenience Of sprain-
ed ankle.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

1T was wonderful" said Prince
Louis Of the New York horse show.
Such beautiful women and such
magnificent gowns!" The prince evil
IDENTIFY knew where to look
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Son, ambition never yet took the
place of industry. Ambition Is merely
the spyglass that let's you see the
point to which you must climb.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Japanese counterfeiters in Hawaii
are turning out American money, and
there is reason to suspect the copy Is
more artistic than the original.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

A judge has decided that man
who has got drunk every Sunday for
years is not an habitual drunkard.
Just sot in his ways, that's all.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The announcement of copper lined
train shed reminds one of the man
with a copper lined stomach. Both
are supposed to resist corrosives.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Lovely millinery CONNECTIONS" are
advertised for only s2S. We don't
choose any. Plain hats are good en-
ough.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Mrs. Taggart has been interviewed
again. oh, drop the Taggart business.
There has been too much of it already.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Japan's "Protectorate" over Korea
will be exercised firmly, but with the
utmost politeness.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

The announcement that the Chinese
emperor intends to travel should be
coupled with eff ma Is agreeable"
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

London would appreciate it II some
one would furnish job to its army
of unemployed workmen.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07

Science has discovered several new
kinds of mosquitoes but no need for
them.
The San Francisco call., 1905-08-15
THE ORIGIN OF BARBARIsM.

THE people who their learning Chicago University
favored with theories ideas oven
untmey, and odd counsel all subjects
other college the country Mr. Rockefeller
sity, endowed institution in which originality sought
all hazards The students have been lectued
with maid going further than Solomon in his wisdom
said that could be traced nor oretod
They have also listened learned dscourses making money
which the rich of to-day kened Shakespeare
and order OF their genius only he hunted into dramatic
while they expend their genius in getting millions
Now professor who tells the man
barbarian proportion the hand that in
his rearing and training. Given whose infant and
first steps watched and guarded by woman
schooling and first lessons conduct by
and you have barbarian from the cradle grave according
this learned authority AS token of good faith he
self in evidence but point the grew twaddetired and
left in the dark to whether he reared by
and therefore barbarian, by and therefore
trained him should be ashamed of the job His
be aimed We suspect that he
reared by fed pickles. given gnaw and he is
il
The San Francisco call., 1905-08-15
Il WOULDN'T SWAP MINE FOR BOTH OF EN-
SET HIM AG'IN.

The following was a favorite story Of
my grandmother's
She said that when she was young her
home was on a large plantation-it was
slavery times then-three miles from the
old town of Cahaba, Alabama. and that
a short distance from there, down on
what was then called Black Creek, there
lived a worthy old couple generally
known as Aunt Pattie and Uncle Sam.
One day the old woman was sent for
to sit up with an i'll child.
On her return next morning she could
find no trace of her husband, and when
she blew the old horn in vain-a sum-
mons to which he always promptly re-
sponded-she Immediately decided that he
had been drowned in the creek, and so
gave the alarm.
Being Sunday. the men were all at
home so she soon had quite a crowd
around her, ali excited over the news and
eager to assist in the quest. fastening
down to the creek, accompanied by Aunt
Pattie, who insisted on going, they went
to work.
The search went on for some time, the
old woman, standing with arms a-kimko,
watching proceedings with great inter-
est.
At last they found the poor old man,
and, drawing him out of the water, the
men were horrified to see the body COW
cred with cells.
Aunt Pattie, with an exclamation Of
astonishment, strode forward, and, wav-
ing the men off, went vigorously to
work 10 dislodge the Shiny little fish.
carefully depositing each one in a rusty
tin bucket
Finally, when the last one was removed
and the men again advanced to her as
sistance, she arose and cried OUT
stop. boys, stop! Let's set him
ag'in. .'-Lippincott's.
The San Francisco call., 1905-08-15
GOOD MAMMA AND HER BAD BOY.


Owes" said the Good Mamma to the
Afternoon Caller, Il had to shut
Willie up for a time He is form
ing a bad habit of deceiving me, and
this afternoon / actually caught him
in al shudder to say it. but it really
was a-lie. So 1 shut him up both as
a punishment and in order to gite him
an opportunity to think of his sim
so shocking" murmured the After
noon Caller, but / should not worry
about it if I were in your place. Most
children go through such a stage at
some period in their youthful careers.
but they get over it. 1 suppose it is
merely an expression of original sim
"Oh. you dear thing. you are so COM
fortingl But / might have known it.
You always are so sweet and sympa-
thetic. What, must you really go? I
am so sorry. l do hope you will come
again very soon. 1t seems so long be-
tween your precious calls Well good
by dear. Be sure that you do not stay
away so long the next time
THERE" said the Good Mamma to
herself after the Afternoon Caller had
departed that odious creature has
gone, and J shall not be afflicted by her
again for some time TO come. Now /
guess 1 may as well let Willie out I
think ne must realize by this time what
a naughty thing he did
So Willie was released from durance
vile.
Puzzle (not of the prize VARIETY
Why do so many children seem to take
so naturally to prevarication?
The San Francisco call., 1905-08-15
OCCIDENTAL
ACCIDENTALS
ALFALFA PHILOSOPHY.
By A. ]. Waterhouse.

ALFALFA PHILOSOPHY.
" HEY'S some fellers that blow
good deal bout their sympathetic
i nachers, an I've motto that they
do have good deal of sympathy-nost-
ly fer themselves.
1 knew a man that was a Soshulist TILL
he wus left bout million dollars-altei
that ne wasn't.
Don't expect too much of your chill
dren. The rooster that can rise you
straight up in bed with his crow outside
the winder at $3.50 a. m. could only let Out
a souawk when he frs commenced Ter
practice on his harp.
Hi Hanks wus- the town loafef uI nc
axdently loafed onter goid Mlne oHe
day-after, that he was our WeIl-Aho"n'
enrorprisin, esteemed an prominent clu-
zen, Mr.. Hiram Hanks. Boggvines con
sid'ble like other places-conslo pc
Ambitions a queer critter. \ hen =
instance. is more er less sausned W en-
she digs up a worm-an' some men might
learn something frum hens-they reeS
might
HAVE noticed this thing in my time
my boy,
And it is a hint that l drop
The dregs always sink to the bottom my
boy.
The foam always floats on the top;
And If you would get the best OF the grass
To this brief opinion l come:
Just drink from the middle, ana let 'ie
rest pass
Avoid both the dregs and the scum
s.IOU really are in love with that
charming Miss de Smyth~
II certain am"
"And YOU feel that you cannot win
her?''
Il greatly fear that 1 cannot
Won should press your attentions upon
her. and you must make it point TO see
more of her..
Impossible"
"Why impossible?"
81 already have been with her both at
the seashore and in ballroom.