davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29

wide model that IT earned the s9br1.
quet OF the walnut shell This boas
was designed Tor heavy carrying capa-
city IN high sea and was expected 20
be especially useful when the party
reached the Arctic.
IL was Frankln,s plan TO Penetrate
t same country tnaJs ne naa travs1seo
the preceding year, then to descend the
Mackenzie to the Arctic ocean and pro-
coed westward to.a meeting with two
ships OF the Engllsh navy which were
70 start out several months arterWaTd,
mus giving MN Time Ior ms part OF me
journey ,Deemlng tnag unnecessary
nardsnlp nad Deen engaAed Dy enges-
ing the northern land oy way OF Hud-
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29

policemen and detectives who arrested
him scores Of times on petty charges.
Kelley worked only one graft but he
worked that one well and was able to
make comfortable living. He usually
lived in one Of the Bridge square lodg-
ing houses and had an excellent oppor-
tunity to pick up acquaintance with
strangers who came to see the sights.
In the course Of his talk he never hest
tated to tell the nature Of his employ
ment;; he made his living, he would
piles For gold and silver trinkets. He
professed to find small va1uables enough
to bring in few dollars every day and
never forgot to tell the story Of his
finding a diamond necklace that kept
him without working for two years. : -
"Only today he would say, IT
found little gold ring Ing; that h i; will bring
partnership would be- struck up and
on the following morning Kelley and
his new partner would start out for
their days work. Ashheaps and bar
rels without number, would be probed
and stirred; diligently, but without sue
cess. Suddenly Kelley would turn to
his partner with = beaming face and
say. .aseel I told 1yo,H, sol Here is
There, half buried In the ashes
would be- beautiful gold necklace or
chain. The partner would claim half
and Kelley would admit the claim. For
q long time the old man would tell Of
the value Of the newly discovered prize.
It was worth at least $40, but he was
going to keep his half until he could
get his price for it.. The new partner,
Of course, wanted to realize on the find
as soon as possible. and would soon Of
fer Kelley SIS. for his share. Kelley al
ways accepted a fairly good offer in
order to get the "sucker' off his
hands. Kelley had hts $5 and the part.
ner chair Of kind that can be pur:
chased from certain manufacturers fol
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29

when put to the test. Friends Of the
old sleuth still say that II he was in
trouble q strange cur would fight for
him.
Burke knew these dogs by name and
knew their pedigrees. He had seen the
dogs in possession Of grafters of his
acquaintance. 49,:
Burke, like many other easy going
men, had the political bunch, and this
was his chance to get into office.
nMake me deputy dogcatcher,D he
said, "and every dog now being held
for ransom will be returned
It was agreed. Burke was given the
office. Five days later the bullpen in
police court was filed with men charged
with stealing dogs, and tho evidence
against them was astonishing. Their
Southeast Minneapolis, had been raided
In the night while the gang was steal
Ing moro hostages, and Burke walked
Into Central station followed by q pack
81 yelping dogs that whined piteously
when their owners eamezt TO take them
from their rescuer. & e 3. 7ses
From that time until Ills death Burke
was known IN the twin cities as the
dog detective" and his pockets were
well filed by wealthy dog fanoiers who
had occasion to call for his services.
LIS UIduCu o. bWAuuAluK tWdb IoV4Vo0
y at his death and Is in fourishing con-
dition. A hundred dogs a month are
stolen and returned by men who need
the money, but there is no Burke and
they are having things much their own
way. $50
These are only few Of tho schemes
employed by professional idlers in max
Ing. q living and there Is no limit to
their resources: Every man in the
Most Of them try to conflne their opera
tions to the petty deals 50 in case they
are caught they will get workhouse In
stead Of penitentiary sentences.
The old and tried swindling games
20 often pictured In the funny pictures
: have been passed up by the western
crooks and lige Legitimate business men
they try to get new and catchy ideas.
Such deals as selling green goods and
gold bricks are not in general vogue
now, but within the last year a we'll
known Minneapolis capitalist was
swindled out Of $4,000 in fake lot
and was told to add $4,000 to the
right. He put his roll in a tin box
beside q roll Of like value placed there
by tho swindlers The box supposed to
contain $4,000 was then. wrapped up
and handed to him. He undid the pack.
age In his room 10 find rock. carefully
wrapped up in piece Of paper on
which WIS long note joshing him fol-
his foolishness.
Nearly every ruralite and man Of
business, however, is acquainted with
such schemes and now the big mitt'
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29

was thus intervening between Hudson
bay and Point Barrow stretch or
terra incognita several thousand miles
in extent.
@Franklin's idea was to spend his first
winter in camp northwest Of the Great
Slave lake. He was then to push on
re.d the ba aS 9vfs s small eat
From the mouth Of the Mackenzie river
as q base he was to send expeditions
eastward and westward, mapping the
entire coast from Hudson bay to the
northermost point Of Alaska.
The first expedition Of Franklin g
came from England to Hudson bay and
debarked at Moose Factory, proceeding
overland as planned to Great Slave lake:
But the expedition was ill-starred and
from the first met with most distressing
disasters. In the first place the coop
GRAFTON promised by the Hudson Bay
company to be given thru it's factors
in the wilderness was withheld by these
agents, who disliked to see their pro.
ductive fur country invaded by large
band Of white men. Reaching Great
Slave lake Franklin established camp
with poor equipment and inadequate
commissary. Arctic exploration at that
time was an unknown art which the
party. was obliged to learn at heroic
sacrifice. After much hardship and
suffering the camp was finally estab.
lished and the expedition overland to
the Mackenzie river was started out
Owing to ali inaccurate survey, how
ever, the explorers mistook the Copper
lowed il TO the Arctic, coming out upor
the coast at a point 700 miles east Of
where they had intended. Perceivine
their mistake too late and having ex
pended the major part Of their supple.
and their strength in the reconnais
sance, they were obliged to retrace Their
steps to the main camp under the most
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29
500, 600, 900 for Fertilizers

There are In Germany ten expert
ment stations for agriculture, besides
about twenty smaller establishments.
which have the character Of labora-
tories for the analysis Of soils, prod
ucts and fertilizing materials. and give
and exact information as to the special
needs Of their land and the most eff
fective and economical means of meet
ing them. The cultivated area Of the
empire is approximately 100000
acres, on which there iss spent each
year about $50 200, 900 for artificial fer
HnzsrA
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29

other times he will borrow q few doi-1
lars to pay his expressman and will give
his new landlady several ttfoney' rings
as security. The old man is q smooth
tale of the death of his wife and this
story Is corroborated by band Of
black crepe on his hat.
j. +
Especially will old residents remem-
Der the "reign Of terror in the dog
world and how a veritable Sherlock
Holmes In. the! person of Burke, the
dog detective,' arose to save the COM
munity.
A gang Of well-known petty grafters
organized about twenty years ago for
the purpose Of holding valuable dogs
Grove was exercised In causing valu-
liable bird hounds and pets to disappear,
to be secreted so cleverly as to battle
the police. When dog once disap-
peared the owner Immediately adver-
tised reward for it's return. A few
days later an innocent looking young
man would call at the owners house
with the dog and claim tho reward. A
dozen dogs were stolen every Day and
enough the animal would not be re-
turned. The police know the game that
was being worked, but they wore pow
erless Suspected members Of the gang
were taken to police headquarters and
put thru the sweating process, but they
! affirmed that they had found the dogs
on the street, and nothing could Be
done. The gang was getting rich and
seldom day passed on which some man
Of means was not victim.
! At this time the police appealed to
cold Burke, = the friend of every dog.
Burke didn't like to work any better
than the rest Of them, but he was hon
est and enjoyed the confidence Of the
police, which is rare thing. Burke
always said that he knew every dog in
Minneapolis, and he always made good
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29
Search for the Northwest Passage Appears to Be Ended

NAs the dream Of arctic explorers
ri the past week seem to indicate
Ill that it has, been, and that Com
AA mander Olaf Amundsen, In his
staunch little sloop, the Gjoa, has
really traversed the famous North
west passage. Amundsen is Nor
wegian and has been in the Arc
tic many months, seeking q way from
the Atlantic to the Pacific along the
northern coast of North America.
For a. hundred years the Northwest
passage has been the object Of the most
interested speculation and daring ex-
ploration. Long ago it came to be- real
lied that even if found, this passage
would be useless on account Of the huge
icefoes which never left the channel
the same for two consecutive months:
Nevertheless, the fact that here was
an unsolved problem has fred the ven
turesome spirit Of scores Of hardy mar.
liners, and the Northwest passage has
probably been sought by as many north
quest Of the North Pole.
Strange as it may seem, Minnesota
was at one time traversed by the most
famous explorer who ever looked for the
Northwest Passage: This was none
other than Captain John Franklin,
later, Sir John Franklin sacrificed
his life to the mystery Of the Arc
tic. AS q young man, Franklin had
displayed intrepid daring and spirit Of
command to such an extent that In 1919
he was prevailed upon to take charge
OF an expedition in search Of the North
west Passage, then believed to be q
feasible route Of trade At this time the
northern coast Of America had been
mapped from the north coast of Labra-
dor only as far west as the western
capes Of Hudson bay. The surveys
which had proceeded eastward from the
northern coast Of Alaska had progressed
but little beyond Point Barrow. There
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29


the naval vessels. It still served to es-
tablish Franklin in permanent posi-
tlon emong Arctic explorers. He had
the wisdom to include in his party ar
tisans who could construct permanent
camps and perform all work necessary
for keeping the equipment Of the expe-
jition in excellent order. The knowl-
edge gained thru the expedition Of the
previous year elso enabled him to ar
range his comm'ssary in such way
that there WAS no suffering on account
Of food and in the main the expedition
proceeded as planned. The voyage
down the Mackenzie river was made ex-
actlv as projected and no difficulty was
experienced in voyaging westward to a
point far beyond where he had ex-
pected 20 meet the ships; however, the
expedition turned back, Masmuch as
the vessels ha ] not appeared. But care.
full observations had been kept and
when the Franklin expedition met the
don It was discovered that the two
plrties had been within sixty miles Of
each other.
Following this expedition came Frank
lin q marriage and his long service as
governor Of Tasmania, from which re-
treat he was summoned in 1845 to take
charge Of that fatal expedition to the
arctic in the Erebus and Terror. The
fate Of these vessels, while never clearly
established. was the first great tragedy
Of the arctic and the search for the
lost vessels impelled scores Of daring
mariners to seek the arctic. Thus, Sir
John Franklin. tho dead, WIS still re-
sensible for the greatest period Of arctic
exploration which the world has ever
known. Despite the careful surveys
and the far sailing Of the searchers,
however, the Northwest passage still re-
NAMED an unconquerable problem, and
it Is only within the week that credible
dispatches indicate that the long
plished BY . fearless Norwegisn.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29

On one occasion John worked: one Of
looked on and had no authority to- act.
Moberg stood in front Of an employ
ment office on Bridge square, and was
telling Of his experiences as a. travelling
salesman. Someone in the crowd refused
to swallow the yarn and told hims 80.
81 IL tell you what I2l;.S do,.With:
you,' he said as he proceeded to fill an
street. "I'u wrap this box Of snow in
a paper and bet any Of you $40 that I
can sell it for S. in less than five min
"IHl take that responded several
men in the crowd. Moberg covered the
bets and began to tackle pedestrians
who were passing.
"It's worth it and If you don't think
+ + + -.
Most Of the passersby~ would refuse
even to stop, but soon q well,dressed
young fellow stopped and listened
quietly to the description Of the beau
tiful prize tho box contained. The
newcomer ended the deal by agreeing
to buy it and at this juncture the bet
ts1s forget ht tba sense S saa sod ss
nothing but snow.
'trhens nie 1t be- s 8 Diamond On E ths
snow for ali You know. For my part
Pm willing to take the chanee.',''.5a
He paid the So and walked up street
while Moberg pocketed the money be
had won on the bet and walked, in the
opposite direction.
An hour later the mysterious young
purchaser, who was the same "steerero
that helped sell the farm, would meet
Moberg and get his share Of the pro-
ceeds. -
On other occasions Moberg would
bet someone in the crowd that the
man across the street waiting for a
car came. The money would be put up
and just as the car would come in
sight the man would apparently slip
on the ice-covered sidewalk and drop
the grip. ....] ..-..,. 49,
Dayby day Moberg became moro dar-
ing and ingenious and his pupils in the
world Of swindlers were many. Ho
even tried to sell two farms on the
same day in order to live more COM
fortably while on an out-of- town visit.
The police activity, however, increased
that farm near Anoka TOO too late to % catch
his train and the police caught him
dence is at Saltwater and 1t will be four
years before he will have another
chance at easy money. =
His partner, who now calls himself
Anderson, took UP Moberg's business
but the police feared he might over
work himself doing two men g work,
SO last week he was sent to Camden
place to spend ninety days with the sn-
perintendent Of the workhouse.
-. ~~ i. + + =.
=. Moberg, like others of the brother
hood, had once been honest, but was
trimmed neatly on his first arrival In
the city. The man who was RESPONSE
BILE. for Moberg's fall was known In
p p0d be sT %a Ms kad pe aVsa 64 M
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10

quence in Ireland some two or three
centuries back, though never, it is
safe to assert, of anything like the
consequence of their descendant in
New York a decade or so back. Mrs.
Croker uses a crest on her stationery
and as Mrs. Croker she is entitled
to it. Croker never bothers his head
about either crest or ancestry.
The first gang" he ever joined was
the Fourth Avenue Tunnel Gang. OF
course he ruled il. He was its hard
est fighting member. Ten years ago
when his face was smooth-shaven
those who are wise in physiognomy
and prize-fghting used 20 say he
would have made the greatest pugilist
this country ever produced. Probably
he would, for he possesses enormous
physical strength; his muscles are
like steel. His frame is broad and
powerful. He is not very tall-about
five feet eight inches-and weighs
about rs pounds.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10
EVERYTHING wITTE.

Let me show you some White SOU
venir postals.''' said the tall floor walker
IL the big store
Really. 1 never send souvenir pos
tells" replied the man who had Just
come in
Then try a WHITE cigar?"
Il don't smoke
We'll, up in the bottle goods depart
ment we have some WHITE Cocktails
already put up"
Don't drink"
Then try the 'Witte' collar Just on
the market"
Plenty OF collars home"
why not buy a Mite shirt or a
'Witte' hat? They just arrived today"
The stranger looked astoaished
Great Scott he exclaimed. lis there
anything else 'Witte' In this Store2
''Oh, yes" replied the floor walker.
upstairs you Will ind some comic pa
rers with White jokes. Do you see the
point?"
But the stranger was gone.-Giobe.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10

hand to have had his eighteen-year-
old daughter marry in a conventional
way q man whom the family knew
and approved.
Ever since his departure Croker
has been New York's bogy. Even
as Europe nearly hundred years ago
was continually terrorstricken by ru-
mors that Napoleon had escaped from
his exile, and was once more at the
head of his old forces. so New York
has been repeatedly scared by rumors
of Cookers intended return. America
does not want him though he is one
of the most remarkable men America
has produced. AS students of crimi-
crooks. His talents. used in other
directions, honestly, would have made
him famous instead of notorious >"
Which is probably quite true-they
might have made him famous. but
would they have made him wealthy?
Croker, who, according TO Hugh
, Grants testimony, was "a very poor
man." when his daughter Flossie was
baby-and she was born in 1881
was when he first went to England In
1894 already rated as several times a
millionaire. Possibly. he, like the
lesser crook. is ready to retort there
is more money and easier money in
crookedness than in straightness.
Cookers career seems TO have been
not very long in the making. 1t con-
sists chiefly Of a series of 'investi-
cations" 1t was during the first of
these, that of the Fassett committee
in 1890, that both Hugh Grant. whom
Croker had aided to become sheriff.
and Croker himself told OF a gift of
$4,000 which Grant made shortly
after his election to 'Flossie." then
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10
Richard Croker as 1amnany
knewmm.

injured but survived. Thus persisted
Cookers eldest son, and favorite. the
pride vi his fathers heart
When the old man-and up to that
time no one would have dreamed of
calling Richard Croker an old man
came home for that funeral, his
friends were shocked at the havoc
grief had worked in him. There were
lines of sorrow on that stern face
which had never been there before.
The sturdy pugilistic erectness of his
figure was gone. He was no longer
the naughty defiant Croker they had
known.
He fingered little longer in New
York than he had said he would, and
1t was whispered that now that he
was here he would stay. The forces
or reform were panicstricken. His
friends hoped that the boys death
had brought the parents together, for
his estTangement from his wife was
! doubtless Fate's entering wedge in
the case of Croker. But he slipped
away suddenly. early in March, back
TO his English home at Vantage.
And the first thing he did on his ar
rival was to give away all his auto
mobiles He was a recent victim of
the automobile fever, but he vowed
after Franks death he would never
ride another. And in the seclusion
OF Moat House he hid himself with
! his grief.
About two months after his return
from the funeral OF his first born. a
second son, Herbert, died-a death
not merely shocking, but from all
accounts more or less disgraceful. He
died on train, leaving Kansas City.
of opium poisoning, as the result Of
a debauch which had ended the night
before in a low hop joint" TO which
a negro porter had guided him.
! Croker did not come home for this
funeral The keenness of his suffer
ing under this second blow of fate
was evident TO all who came in con-
| tact With him. He became more gray.
/ more wan. more bent. and his hair
grew whittier.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10
The Famous Croker Eyes.

He possesses, too, enormous men
tai strength His jaws and mouth
are heavy, with firmness and bulldog
strength in them His face is sphynx-
like. One sees in it only the eyes,
penetrating as searchlights, and cold
as death, and the mouth and chin
which the close cropped. gray
streaked beard cannot hide. And he
knows how TO ,tress-no man better
or more quietly. He wears the best
and least obtrusive of clothing, fash
ionably cut. He ties his own ties.
He wears no diamonds or unneces-
sary jewelry He is well groomed
and thoroughly correct. In fact there
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10
Became Suddenly Wealthy.

Before the Mazet committee in 1900
Croker testified that he was working
for my own pocket; my own pocket
all the time" And his labors seem
to have been successful. By. 1894 he
had driven the wolf pretty we'll away
from the door Two years after
Grants gift, for instance, he was
able to buy the Belle Meade Farm
for $3.50, 900; and had paid 10000 for
the horse Longstreet, $4,000 for
Yorkville Belle, and $40, 900 for Dob
bins, his favorite; $4,000 for Red
Banner, $4,000 for a half interest in
Demuth, and 10000 for Fairy, in all
sos, 900
Then came a new home in East
Seventy-fourth street, worth 100000,
a carriage with the Croker crest, an
estate at Richfeld Springs, London
establishment, an English country
estate, and a stable.
Meanwhile he had been investigat-
ed by the LeXow committee, and
while he got off without punishment,
he received as the result of the feel
ing which that committee stirred VI
the most serious setback of his ca
reer in the election of William l.
Strong as mayor OF New York, and
the defeat of his chosen candidate.
Croker comes of good stock. His
ancestors were persons OF conse-
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10
The Last Bitter Blow.

And now little F1ossie." whom he
had treasured as the core of his heart,
and shielded from every least wan
dering breeze of publicity, has made
a runaway match. Her portrait has
been In all the papers. and with it
much gossip, some OF it merely idle,
much of 1t malicious. as to her af-
fairs present, past, and future. No
one knows very much about the mar
riage, but it is freely said that Mrs.
Croker disapproved. 1t is said that
Flossie sought her father alone, and
there is no authentic report of how
he took it" But one does not have
to have been one of Cookers init
mates TO know that he never washes
family linen in public, nor yet to guess
that he would have given his right