davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
deadlock on Organization.

Salem, Ore, Jan. Reorganization Of
the state legislature is deadlocked owing
to the inability of the supporters of DR.
William KuykendaH of Lane and F. v
Carter of Jackson, both Republicans to
agree upon a candidate for the presidency
Of the senate Firty-f1ve ballots have
been taken without result.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
Temperatures in Large cities.

Chicago, Jan. 10.-7 a. m. temper
atures: New York, 81; Boston and
Philadelphia, "a: Washington. 80;
Chicago, below: Minneapolis, 16
below; Cincinnati. 4 ST. Louis. 10
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10

New York, Jan. 10--Kingdon Gould has
returned to Columbia and resumed his
regular class work undisturbed The
sophomores suspended for hazinR him al
50 returned to their work and to all OUT
ward Appearances the Incident D closed.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
Fmporia butcher Found near

Emporia, Kas., Jan. 10.-John
Wind, a butcher, was found dead in
his shop today. It is believed he was
killed last night by burglars.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
WeatIer Indications.

Chicago, Jan. 10.-Forecast for Kan
sas: Snow tonight and Wednesday;
warmer tonight; brisk easterly winds
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
SOLD SILVER FOR LEAD.
Mystery Surrounding Robbery of a
Car Is Cleared Up.

East st. Louis, Ill, Jan. 10.-In the |
arrest and confession of William Bur-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10

''The careful man." remarked the
Wise Guy, makes his money last.''
Yes; but he must make it first muE-
INJURED the Simple Mug.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
KANSAS LEGISLATURE IS In SESSION.

W.R. Stubs IL Elected Speaker
Without Opposition.
Judge AnseI Il. Clark Gets the
Second Position.
F. w. KNAPP is CLERK
Chosen on First Ballot Over
ID. Y. Wilson.
Dan Dyer, Of Smith, Is the
Sergeant-at-Arms.
MR.. STUBBS' SPEECH.
Pledges Himself to Garry Out
Reforms.
Urges That fractional Lines Be
Forgotten.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
GRACE.

night. | have talked more about crime
in the last hour probably than l have at
any time in the last ten years Rut
there is certain fascination about Tho
subject and one story has a habit of
leading up to another
MY conclusions are that the banks
and financial institutions are bette- nro-
tected from forgery today than they
have been probably at any time since
their institution. The safeguards against
this class of crime are quite as IN
ingenious as the methods adopted nv
the forgers themselves. The most noted
forgers are well known and carefulIv
watched, and those who attempt {, do il
on a petty scale are III most instances
unsuccessful.
"Of course, every now and then clumsy
attempts are made to pass forged
checks; but it frequently happens that
this is done by an employe, a nephew
or some one related to the firm who ha 8
a knowledge of the banking business or
access to blank checks. The oldtime
professional seems to be becoming rarer
every day."
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
The Bidwell Gang.

'In reference to the Bidwell gang of
International forgers. who swindled the
Bank of England out Of nearly SO. 900. 900,
they were not identified to the financial
institutions, as we in this day In our
city would require, or else no such
swindle as that could have occurred.
I'm England. when they do arrest
notable criminals, they are sentenced,
as in this case, to Imprisonment for life,
although by good behavior they man
aged to secure release after serving
nineteen years.
What / wish to say is that no such
forgeries as the Bidwell gang committed
could be carried on in this city, because.
If they. for instance. came into Drexels
and wished to open an account by max
ing a deposit of, say. $4,000, their money
would be refused, unless they could be
properly identified, which would be i'm
possible for them to do, to the satis-
faction of this firm. And SO, should
they wish to take out a letter of credit,
Identification would be required in all
banking houses now"
Can you tell of some case of at
tempted forgery in which you figured?'
he was asked.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
A Tragic End.

There are lots of them," was the
reply. Zone case comes to mind where
party Of these forgers went abroad
and created an international sensation.
The chief of them was a Philadelphian,
who met with very tragic end The
chief of the gang was George Wilkes.
who after being highly successful in the
United States, decided about 1886 to
flood Europe with forged and counter
felt paper. He had on his staff Pete
Burns, the Philadelphian already men
toned, Shell Hamilton, Andy Roberts
and Valentine Gleason. Each one of
this party was a specialist One of them
was a chemist. Wilkes himself furnish
ed the brains and headworK. He was
middle-aged, medius-sized man. wore
white mustache. dresseu IN the best
Of taste, and was polished and en-
tertaining in the highest degree, and a
man of the most perfect seIf-possession
In order to distract suspicion. tbev
Travelled as a party of American tourists.
and in this way managed to have n
very entertaining time before they be-
gan operations. Wilkes was nothing if
not audacious; and one of the first
things he did after reaching the other
E9iOC was ~ SGll dL ocOlldHu lara ana
present himelf to the official in charge.
He said he was an American tourist
and writer who was interested especi-
ally in the method of treating crimi-
nails in the Old World. He had a most
entertaining conversation with the su-
perintendent of detectives at the famous
police headquarters. during the course
of which the two men exchanged a mass
of interesting stories of criminals and
criminal Investigations.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
FORGED His Own Pardon.

1t was at this stage of the game that
Col Buchanan Cross summoned his art
to his rescue. He forged the governor s
signature to his pardon. 1t was sent
out to n trusted confederate who was
at large, and the document came back
by mail in the regular way and Colonel
Cross was released. He was a typical
forge-. He was more than this. He was
an artist. Detectives acquainted with
the case would say long afterward
There has been nothing like it since
the time of Colonel Cross
Next to Cross perhaps the most in
teresting character that L can recall at
the present time, is Jack Canter. Jack
Canter was a man who could have given
Jim the Penman cards and spades and
then beaten him at his own game
Imagine, II you can, a man discovering
an invisible ink that after a lapse of
time would disappear from the fnce of
a check, leaving it blank, and an acid
that at a certain time would destroy
the check. That was the accomplishment
that made Jack Canter famous. He
worked for a long time in the East and
abroad and gave the Pinkertons many
a chase. but he ended his career as a
forger by serving term in the Eastern
pcnitentiary in Philadelphia 1t is inter-
esting to note that when his term of i'm
prisonment expired some of Pinker-
tons men took charge of him and help
ed to have him placed in an old mans
home in the suburbs of Philadelphia. So
far as / know, he lived and died in that
institution. Truly a peaceable and tram
quill end to a life of crime and excite
nonf -
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Billions of Plays in Mind.

Imagine being pltted against mind
that can visualize the positions of thir-
ty-two pieces of ivory on as many
squares, and every possible variation
therefrom. and. building one picture up
on another, can foretell not only the
end of the game, but the exact number
o. moves required to bring 1t about. and,
as Marshall did In London, proceed to
accomplish 1t in spite of ali an ordinary
player and his pieces can do to pre-
vent. Just what this means may be
realized in view of the computation that
there are 31S, ,979, $4,000 ways OF playing
the first four moves on each side of the
board, Yet during the Cambridge
Springs tournament Pillsbury took a
hand in q game of whist. and at the
same time played two games of chess
and two games of checkers without
looking at any one of the four boards.
Mr. Pillsbury sat at the whist table.
with his back to the chess and checker
boards. and the moves of the players
thereon were called out TO him. and
without interrupting the whist game q
moment he would call back the name
OF his own piece which he wished
moved in reply, specifying on which OF
the sixty-four squares it. was to be
placed In this way he won the chess
and checker games and helped to win
the game of whist.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
PLAYS Without Hesitation.

Pillsbury performed blindfolded plays
seemingly with comparative ease. He
has played against as many as twenty
two different boards at one and the
same time, without seeing single
board, and has won large majority OF
the games. Seated with his back TO
the other players and constantly smok-
ing a big cigar he was apparently able
Ia visualize and to remember twenty
two different pictures, in each of which
tbirtv-two chessmen are being changed
obout ir an infinite variety of combina-
tions.
Ar each of those boards sat an expert
chess player with every faculty concen-
trated on his own game. caring nothing
for his neighbors' difficulties bent only
on bathing the memory of the man at
the end of the room, whose mind recurs
tn his particular game only once in
every twenty-five times. There was sell
dom any hesitation on Mr.. P!llsbury's
part in recalling the picture presented
on any given board The referee called
the number of the board and the move
made by the player thereon, and in
stantly the reply came back from the
master with a request for the move on
the next board Before Pillsbury's time
the record for blindfold play was sixteen
eanes. PLAYED In two days by Zukertort.
In Chicago In 1900 Pilisbury played six
teen simultaneous blindfolded games in
four hours and fifty-five minutes, WIN
ming twelve, drawing three. and losing
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Fooled Scotland Yard Chief.

"The detective finally found himself
talking on the subject of forgery, which
his caller had introduced in the most
casual manner. Becoming animated
and confidential, the Scotland Yard man
said:
I'VE have just received a cablegram
from New York. telling us to look out
for gang of forgers on their way here,
and descibing them. We are after them
now
You don't tell me- said Wilkes,
well, from what / have heard about
your method of doing business on this
side of the water, these forgers will do
well if they give you wide berth
''The famous forger concluded his con-
versation by pressing the superintendent
to dine with him the next day; and part
ed with the utmost cordiality That
night the gang left for Paris. deciding
to abandon London for the time being.
They Travelled through France. Italy and
Russia, and for the next few months
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Deserted the Woman.

"Soon after that they began their
great project Of flooding the financial
world with spurious Bank of England
notes. When they had realized nearly
$1,000 009 in this manner. Engles took
fright and disappeared with his share
OF the plumber. Mcdonald and Bidwell
tried to continue the business; but they
we're discovered through a forged note
which had not been dated. One OF the
Bidwells fed to Scotland and the other
was CAPTURED in Cuba.
Mcdonald, while in London, had be-
come infatuated with a woman, with
whom, he resided at ST. Johns Wood.
Kensington. London. In order to get
clear of her he purchased a passage
ticket from Liverpool TO New York,
telling the woman he would join her
just before the steamer sailed. Instead
OF that, he took a train from London
to F'olkstone. went from there 10
France, ard took passage at Havre for
New York.
''The woman. however, betrayed him
to the police. and cablegram sent to
the United States gave the clue which
caused his arrest Oh board the vessel
while it was in the lower bay of New
YORK II lneTe lSlt Sulhclrlil ihdtSIldi
In this one episode OF criminal career
Upon which to base romance, / don't
know where it is to be found.
did you ever hear of Col. Buchanan
Cross? Probably not; but he hourished
about a quarter of century ago and
did things that caused the detectives of
his day and generation to rub their eyes
and wonder where they were at He
had been arrested, convicted and i'm
prisoned for forgery and was serving his
sentence in Sing Sing. An attempt had
been made to obtain a pardon for Col
onel Cross, and the matter had figured
more or less prominently in the news
papers His offense was so serious that
there was no reasonable prospect of a
pardon. Yet he managed to present his
case in very plausible manner.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09

group boards l, 4. and 10 together.
Boards 2, 5, and II would comprise the
second group. Thus he would need but
three styles of openings on the twelve
boards. II the standard or what are
considered the best replies were made
to these openings, he could make coun-
ter replies that would carry him several
moves into each game
After that he would probably begin to
subdivide his groups, or if player tried
a special variation. he would individual
lie that board and place 1t in a class by
Itself. Thus, eccentrici.y of play at any
board presented no terrors for the blind
folded master. Rather did he welcome
it, since II gives that particular board d
character of its own, causing it TO stand
out in his memory. After a while each
OF the boards took on a character of its
own, and then he was compelled to de-
pend upon memory pure and simple. but
that was so marvellous that it seldom
failed him. AS an instance of its far
reaching power, if any portion of a pack
Of cards was called off to him he can
successfully call the names of the re-
naming cards.
When the secret OF the chess pfayine
etoNSiAe1t HIGH QSIeGTeQ the
sef experienced chess players OF Cincinnati
at an exposition a few years ago. it
was found that Pilisbury. the chess
champion. was for long time the
brains of the gaudy Turk
. Marvellous stories have been related of
inner wheels which moved the Turk and
learned dissertations on how the wheels
were operated have been delivered by
expert chess players. The real solution
Of the mystery lay all the while with
expert Pfllsbury. The interior of the
little Turk IS empty. Before he re-
ceiged visitors daily Pilisoury snuggled
himself up within the body of the
''automaton through a carefully con-
cealed door in the box on which it rest
cd. Through the hollow arms OF the
figure Pillsbury inserted his own arms,
and as there Is a concealed opening il
the chest OF the Turk, he could look
out through It. note the moves of an
i pponent, and then play the game to win
With his wonderful skill.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Betrayed His Friends.

Not much. He always had a way of
getting out of tight corner. With q
smoothness inherent in him, he ne
gotiated for his own release by Offering
q clean exposure of the methods of the
gang of forgers, and at the sacrifice of
Burns, bis helper. The proposition was
accepted. Wilkes went free. Poor
Burns, deserted by his chief, decided
that he would rather spend his time in
the grave than in a damp Italian prison
dungeon, and he choked himself to death
by stuffing the leaves of a prayer book
down his throat
DO you recall the Bidwell brothers ?"
II 90. l have often talked with George
Bidwell. and truth compels me to say
that he was one of the most polished
gentlemen | have ever met. He was
Shakespearean scholar. and had the
honor-probably it is doubtful one-of
standing at the head OF the forgers' pro-
fession.
'1t was in 1871 that the two Bidwelis.
George Engles and George Mcdonald
went to England and began operations
in Liverpool, where they netted about
$4,000. From thence they proceeded to
London and opened a brokerage house
for discounting and shaving commercial
paper. 1t went under the iirm name of
Warner & Co. Mcdonald, who had orr
ganized the firm, opened an account
with the reading London bank. and
acted So fairly and did such a large
volume of business that his firm COM
pletely gained the confidence of the
banks officers. After that it was not
a very difficult thing to have the bank
discount the paper Of Warner & CO.,
which came to them through some Of
the leading merchants of the great Eng
lish city.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
How the Strain Tells.

The emoluments Of the game are not
s., great that ease OF living is always
to be enjoyed. even by a champion, and
this fact, with the inevitable mental
strain. has been productive Of number
of sad endings TO the lives Of masters
of days gone by.
Morphy early went insane, although
his financial circumstances were. easy.
Kieseritzky and Neun.ann both died in
an ASYLUM. Goring committed suicide
and Buckle tried TO. Wisker died a
drunkard Zukertort latteriy became
almost imbecile in conversation Stem
itz broke down in 1897, and his death
followed soon after. Thousands OF de-
votees play chess by correspondence,
and there is a game now going On De-
tween a man in Canton, Ohio, and an
..tber in Warsaw, Russia, that 1t VIII
take several years to complete, eacn
move being sent by postal card from one
player TO the other.
Cable matches are of frequent occur
renee and many persons will remember
he International game that took place
some years ago between team made
nm of members OF Congress and one
composed of members of the house OF
commons. During that contest one
move was cabled across the Auanuc
and a reply received in forty seconds.
And now that wireless telegraphy has
become a feature of ocean crossing there
are few days when some big liner is not
exchanging a series of moves with
slster ship. So that it is to be doubted
If the sad fate of some Of the mas
ters has oeen any detriment to the game
of intellect.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Harry Nelson Pillsbury,
the Chess Champion,
Breaks Down.
In Fit of Insanity He
Attempts to End His
Own Life.
Holds Many Records for
Marvellous Feats of
Memory.

TX 7HEN Harry Nelson Pillsbury,
NM the American champion chess
+ v v player, one time champion
of the world and probably
the most marvellous trick chess player
that ever lived. tried to commit suicide
in Philadelphia during a fit of insanity
a few days ago, he only fulfilled the
tate which has been that of nearly all
OF the great masters of the game. The
tremendous mental strain which they
undergo in the great tournaments, aid
ed and abetted by. excessive use of
stimufants to keep them keyed to the
proper pitch, is too much for the human
brain, no matter how abnormally brill
liant.
For two or three years Harry Pills
bury had been in Ill health. In the in
ternational tournament of 1904, won by
Frank Marshall. of Brooklyn, he finish
ed third. During the past winter he
had been unable to play chess. Years
OF excessive smoking had shattered his
nervous system, and made it impossible
for him to participate in chess tourna-
ments- Unable to follow his profession,
he was in much reduced circumstances.
He and his wife, formerly a Miss Bush,
OF Brooklyn, had to move into rooms on
the fourth floor of a boarding house.
A little over week aga his condition
was so bad that he wos sent to the
Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia.
He was operated upon, and two days
later his mind failed him utterly. and
ne attempted to take his life by jumping
from the fourth story window.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Hu7k z. KoH -L1lef QfLtkctlncs In
HlhdSlaha Ud0krIsayorH"'1mth

he was receiving the change, he said
to the merchant:
" VIII you please just keep that and
give me check for it instead? / want
20 send it to my sister out West, and
don't care to trust the money in an
envelope
THE proprietor eheerfully complied
with this request, giving him a check
for S. on the Philadelphia National
Bank
Kline was now ready for business.
He knew the merchants bank had the
serial number of his check and his sig
nature It was not very difficult to OBJ
tain blank check on the bank, and by
means of tracing paper the signature
OF the merchant was retraced on the
blank check and filed up, the body
making the amount Of s175. Kline quick
ly called at the bank and handed the
check into the paying teller, with the
request that he give 1t to him in fives
and tens
1 happened to be standing there at
the time. Kline was apparently un-
aware of the invariable rule in this CITY
that anyone presenting a check, un-
known to the bank officials. must be
identified by some responsible person
who knows them. While ne was debat-
ing this point with the paying teller, l
concluded that he was one of the gang
from the West we had been waiting for
so long. He left the window, with the
statement that he would go and have
some one identify him; but he never did.
1 arrested him few minutes after that,
and he was tried and served a term in
the Eastern Penitentiary"
Do you know of any forgers who have
attained an international reputation? ?r'
the chief was asked.
The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Why | An Beautiful
Gondon Punch.)
with Acknowledgements TO various
\

ladies' papers.)
My Dear Maude: Ever so many
thanks for YOUR sweet little note. You
begin by saying how you envy me my
beauty of face and my svelte figure, and
then beg me to give you some asivice. as
you are on the eve OF coming out and
feel that you are not half so pretty as I.
Candidly, dear, you are not. l viii be
perfectly frank with you, dear Maude.
Yor are at present what we call gaucfe.
your hair Is coarse and has a Jumped"
look. the prevailing hue of your face is
a flushed purplish red, you are freckled,
and lastly. you transgress the prevail
ing fashion in having two chins. There,
now VIC know exactly how we stand!
But do not despair, dear Maude. I. too,
was orce as you arc. but I transformed
myself and l transform you.
Now. attend carefully.
Every morning / rise at $50. By this
means l am always able to be down in
time for luncheon at 2. at once remove
my face mask, sleeping gloves. chin
strap, etc, etc, and then begin my sim
pie little round OF pleasant exercise.
First of all, my chin must be prevented
from having d partner! Standing on my
toes and balancing myself by holding on
to the chest of drawers / force my chin
as far upward and outward as 1t will
go. and In this position twist my head
round and round with slow, steady
movements for one hour by the clock
In order to lend a little extra interest
TO This exercise L playfully pretend each
time my head comes to the front that
am greeting one of my friends. Thus:
Coed morning, duchess" 1 exclaim
gracefully inclining my neck, and Good
evening, Lord Dumaresque," with a
somewhat distant smile, and so on. 1t
Is with a pleasant feeling of swanlike
fatigue Of l may so term iD that ] next
turn to the care OF my complexion
My face goes through twenty-four diff
fercnt processes. the more important of
which l will describe. First, it is stea M
ed for one hour and a quarter. | hold 1t
over n boiling kettle in which /
have previously placed two lemons. a
pinch Of alum and a pomegranate On
b.. dear. three volumes of the Ency-
cIopaedia Britannica strapped on the
back will prevent the shoulders from
becoming rounded whilst in the stoop-
ing position necessitated by this exer-
cise.9
Now / weigh out pound and a half
of cold cream, and for two hours rub
this into my face with a delicate circu-
lar motion of the finger tips until not a
bit Is left. l omit seventeen processes
here and pass to the twentieth This is
tapping" For forty-five minutes I tap
out various tunes ali over my face with
the backs of two dessert spoons: this
exercises the muscles and promotes the
flow of blood, Then come the milk bath.
the warm bran bath. the cold oatmeal
bath, the astringent, electric and
morning dew" sprays; and there is nv
face with all the appearance of a deli
cately tinted roseleaf. The whole thing
is most refreshing.
Meanwhile my maid has been brush
ing my hair in the next room; she now
brings 1t in beautifully CLOSED, and nv
coiffure is soon completed
Such, dear Maude. is an all too brief
account of the simple methods to which
owe my complexion.
Yours, with best wishes, GRACE.