davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22

Seven years ago the American ma
tional bank at Lima, O., was robbed Of
$1S,232, the money having been taken
from the vaults sometime between Sat-
urday night and Monday morning, but
just when and by whom was unknown
until the last few weeks. Now, Elijah
Bowsher, the trusted: janitOr Of the
bank at the time of the robbery, and
Thomas X. Wilkins, an insurance
agent at Lima, are behind prison walls
in the penitentiary at Columbus, O.,
serving out sentences of seven and Ave
years respectively, for the crime, the
former as principal and the latter as
accessory, both convicted on pleas Of
guilty in open court and sentenced
without a trial.
The story of the robbery and the
final detection of the guilty reads like
fiction. 1t is more interesting, because
true, than any of the novels ever writ
ten by "Old Sleuth," the famous detec-
tive author. ~" -
Discovery Of Robbery.
The fact that the bank had evidently
been robbed was first made known to
the cashier, Gus Kalb, by Janit0r Bow
sher on the morning of Monday, De-
cember rs, 1898, then a holiday be-
cause Christmas of that year fell on
Sunday. He went to the home of the
cashier and informed him that he had
found the door Of the bank vault open.
An investigation followed :, and the
robbery was discovered. The only sus-
picious fact, however, when Cashier
Kalb entered the bank that forenoon,
was that the outer vault door was
open. The inner door was bolted Sc
curely, the time lock apparently not
having been tempered with and the
mechanism Of all the combination
locks working properly How had the
robbers secured an entrance? This
was a mystery that it has taken seven
years to unravel. T.. 49, = .
Cashier Kalb, with the vice presi.
dent of the bank, N. l.. Michael, had
locked the vault doors and the safes
the Saturday night before the discov.
cry of the robbery, setting the time
lock to run down on Monday noon, ap.
parently defying an entrance until
then. j.
When the cashier pulled the outer
vault door open on that fateful Mon.
day morning nothing within indicated
that the other locks had been manipu
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
Modern Animals.

cit is a great mistake to conclude
that it is a law of nature that recent
snimals are all small and Insignificant
as compared with their representatives
il, the past says scientist. THAT II
SIMPLY not true. Recent horses are big
ger than extinctones, and much bigger
than the three-toed and four-toed an
cestors Of horses. Recent elephants
are as big as any that have existed.
and much bigger than their early ele-
.rhantine ancestors. There never has
been any creature Of any kind-nam-
nal. reptile, bird or fish-in any geo.
logical period we know Of so big as
some Of the existing whales = S.= f.
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
THE
GRAF ] = II T''E E !.
~ ,> t:
FRANCIS LYNDn
CHAPTER XV.-CoNrINur IN
soepsa1sAs, issh ~ TIE Bssss,assssls

Enough to know that it is . big
thing; the biggest since the Pennsyl-
ania discoveries, according TO all &C
counts." " - II s#> a.. d.
"And the people Of the state are en-
thusiastic about it, thinking that now
the long tyranny of tho oil monopoly
viii be broken?"
THAT Is the way most Of the news
papers talk. and there seems to be
some little ground for it. granting the
powers Of the new law"
She laid the tips of her fingers on his
arm and knotted the thread OF sug-
sestion In a single sentence.
I'm the present state Of affairs
with the present party as yet on trial,
and the pubic mind ready to take
fire at the merest hint of a foreign
capitalistic monopoly in the state-tell
me what would happen to the man
who would let the Universal Oil COM
pany into the Belmount field in de-
fiance Of the new trust and corporation
law?'
by Jove!" Kent exclaimed, sitting
UP as If the shapely hand had given
him buffet. "It would ruin him po-
litically, world without end! Tell me;
is Bucks going to do that?"
She laughed softly.
THAT is for you to find out, Mr..
David Kent; not by hearsay, but in
good, solid terms of fact that will ap-
peal to level-headed, conservative
newspaper editor like-well, like Mn
Hildreth, of the Argus, let us say. Are
you big enough to do 1t?''
Il am desperate enough to try was
the slow-spoken answer.
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22

and Romans. It is rather strange that
this once best known legume should
now be SO little known in this coun-
try. 1t is, however, largely cultivated
in Asia, and in India 5000. 900 acres Of
land are devoted to its culture. There
this pea is q staple article Of horse
feed. The yield OF peas there is put
at about ten bushels per acre, though
Is high as Is bushels are grown under
exceptional circumstances, says the
Farmers Review. It has been grown
sxperimentally by the United States
department OF agriculture and by sew.
eral stations Of the Rocky mountain
states. Whether it is more valuable
than other legumes in any location n
not yet apparent
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
VARIOUS HINTS.

Ask the rats what they arc doing
Just now! :, .,s..s.i *s=sss5$. .z ss
Mark the grain bags and label the.
seed packages.
Be very careful about damp poultry
houses or roup will be the result
Lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard and
onions can be Gown In early Octoher IN.
open ground and with q little proteo.
ton will live over and come out IN the
spring away ahead OF spring-sown=
seed. Try 1t. S..z zs5=.5:
Hang on old bran sack on . nail II
IN out-of- the-way place IN tho harm
and put into It all the stray hits 20.
cloth, straps and scraps Of III sorts.
The rag man viii 30 glad TO gst stAat
sack whom & Is full and my 20.
enough 10 get III tho crrIyconho ~,
.llpakes ron Win NEED.
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
awake nights to devise rev ways :
emnlnvimr II VII .< S

awake nights to devise rev ways 81
employing II. ... *=..=
And for the abutments of the arch
OF proof the money-spending sumced.
BY dint Of a warm and somewhat
costly wire investigation Of Rumford's
;antecedents, Kent succeeded In placing
the Belmount promoter unquestionably
az one Of the trusted lieutenants Of
the Universal; and the leaky clerk in
the secretary Of states Office gave the
text Of tho application for the straw
company charter, showing that the
powers asked for were as despotic as
the great monopoly could desire.
But for the keystone Of the arch,
the criminal implication Of the plot
tiers themselves. he was indebted to a
at Of ill-considered anger and to 4
chapter Of accidents. -. -
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
CHAPTER XVII.
THE CONSPIRATORS.

It was chiefly due to Portals urgings
that Kent took Ormsby into his con-
fldence when the campaign was fair
ly opened. She put it automatically
on the ground of charity to an exiled
millionaire, temporarily out of a job:
but her real reason went deeper.
From its inception as q one-man fight
against political chicanery in high
places, the criticism of Bucks formula
was beginning to shape itself in q re-
adjustment of party lines in the field
Of state politics; and Miss Van Brock,
whose designs upon Kent's future ran
far in advance Of her admissions to
him, was anxiously casting about for
managerial promoter.
A little practice-play in municipal
politics made the need apparent. It
came In the midst of things, basfn4
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22

wealth. Possibly, long before his sem
tence expires he will make restitution
to the bank of the money taken.
= What money Wilkins received long
since disappeared as a result of his
Gissipated habits He will come out of
Prison, in five years, poor man.
FRANK DILDINE.
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
Frozen Deen.

The soil Of Siberia at the close Of
the summer is found still frozen for &c
inches beneath the surface, and the
dead that have lain In their comns
for $50 years have been taken up un.
changed In the least. 81
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
THE CHICK PEA.
A Legume Of Ancient Origin Which
Has Been Grown Experiment.
ally in This Country.

This is known also as Gram and
idaho pea. It did not, however, origi-
nate in Idaho, but in the east, prob.
ably in Asia Minor. It was the first
leguminous crop to be cultivated and
vas wel1-known to the ancient Greeks
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
: na1inR IN f0Prnatinn

NewmanI met your wife to-day fot.
the first time, and, for one thiag, j
found she was outspo ton.
5 III Iisnpec You 81. s,irp MI h
whom --Pbtlade lphia Pre-
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
HiaEayoritA.

Fir. /. Insurance Magnete-What Il
Jour fayorite theatrical production S.?
Second Insurance MAgnat Other
People Money 3, 81 Baltimore AmeE~
lean.
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
MYSTERIOUS BANK
ROBBERY SOLVED
Perpetrators Of Daring Crime
Now Serving Terms Behind
Prison Bars.
WOMAN CAUSES ARREST OF The GUILTY Men

Divorced and Neglected Wife Of Accessory ia
Decd Unearths Evidence Which Leads to
Their Punishment-How National In
stitution at Lima. O., Was Plum
r~@~ II dered of Over $4,000 Seven
49, Years Ago-Officers Long
~ D.. Suspected Of TAX
-. 81. = <~ ing Money. "@@<* 49,
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22
CHAPTER XVI.

SHARPENING THE SWORD.
In the beginning OF the new cam
paign Of investigation David Kent
wisely discounted the help Of paid pro-
fessional spies-or rather he deferred
it to a later stage-by taking counsel
with Jeffrey Hildreth, night editor of
the Argus. Here, if anywhere, practi-
cal help was to be had; and the tender
Of it was cheerfully hearty and enthu-
siastic.
Most assuredly you may depend
on the Argus, horse, foot and artil-
lery," said the editor, when Kent had
guardedly outlined some portion Of his
plan. Eve are on your side of the
fence. and have been ever since Bucks
was sprung as candidate on the con-
vention. But you've no case OF
course, It's an open secret that the
Universal people are trying to break
through the fence Of the new law and
establish themselves in the Belmount
field without losing their identity or
any Of their monopolistic privileges.
And 1t is equally matter of course
to some Of US that the Bucks ring will
sell the state out il the price Is right.
But to implicate Bucks and the capitol
gang In printable shape Is quite AZ
other matter"
II know" Kent admitted. But 1t
isn't impossible; it has got to be p0ssi-
BILE"
The night editor sat back in his chair
and chewed his cigar refectively. Sud-
denly he asked:
whats your object, Kent? It isn't
purely pro bono publico, take it?''
Kent could no longer say truthfully
that 1t was, and he did not lie about
it. 49, .,>.. 49,,
mo, it's purely personal, guess.
need to get grip on Bucks and I
mean to do it,
Hildreth laughed.
"And, having got 1t. you'll telephone
me to let up-as you did in the House
Bill Twenty-Five fasco. Where do we
come in?"
mo; you shall como In on the ground
floor this time: though may ask you
to hold your hand until I have used
my leverage. And IL you'll 60 into it
to stay, you sha'n't be alone. Giving
the Argus precedence in any item of
news, I'll engage to have every other
opposition editor in the state ready
to back you" -r. 90.
Glad! you're growing, Kent. Do
you mean to down the Bucks crowd
ded-defnitely?" demanded the editor,
who stammered little under excitable
provocation. Bigger men than you
have tried it-and failed.'
But no one of them with half my
obstinacy, Hildreth. It can be done,
and am going to do it,
.Arhe sercstary Of states Office is the
place you want to watch" said Hill
dreth. New oil companies are incor-
p0rating every day. Pretty soon one
Of these will swallow up all the others:
that one will be the Universal under
another name. and in its application
for charter you'll find askings big
enough to cover all the rights and
privileges of the original monopoly
THAT is q good idea," said Kent
who already had a clerk in the secre.
tary Of states Office in his pay.
And on that road he had Travelled
I far, thanks to keen wit. to Portia
Van Brooks incessant promptings
and to the help of the leaky clerk in
Hendricks office; 50 far, indeed, tina.
he had found the stool pigeon OIL
company, TO which Hildreth's h.>t had
pointed-a company composed, with q
Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22

Guilty Men Slant to Jail.
On the following day he appeared in
court, pleaded guilty and received his.
sentence. Wilkins held ont for. = few
days longer ana then confessed rs hav-
inux received 5part Sof tho stolen money.
The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16

Margaret, replied her aunt. But
about Bertram Wingate, l do not think
you are acting right. He seems to care
sincerely"
"Oh, not really, I think" said Mar
garet, lightly. He just thinks it looks
we'll to be a good deal at our house.
You know he believes that things like
that help him in his profession. He
lives at the West for the sound OF it.
Has a little bit of a room at the very
top, the boys say. And they say his
office boy takes his breakfast TO lie of
fee from Russel's. He calls it his sec
ond breakfast and says he acquired
the habit when studying in France
but the boys think"
Margaret" exclaimed Miss Red
mond, sharply.
L didn't mean to gossip, really,
Aunt Madge," said Margaret hastily.
4 don't care what he does, although it
seems foolish for a bright man to try
to keep up with things he can't afford.
Men wouldn't think any the less of him
for sticking to his work now. and when
he has succeeded he can put on all the
frills he likes. There, | must be going
now. You have made me feel quite un-
comfortable about that invitation to
the New Years dinner, though truly it
The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16

Bertram Wingate closed his desk
with a weary sigh as the bell in the
courthouse tower struck five. The
plans for the Bettler hospital were not
going very we'll. There are times
when even a rising young architect"
ceases to feel the stimulus Of his up
ward movement Wingate paused
moment before the window to look out
upon the swirling snow which was fast
converting NicoIlet avenue into a white
desert.
Wonder if I can have a carriage to
20 to Minnie Norton's tea?" he thought
i've had TO buy my dinner at the club
three nights this week. Every one re-
covering from Christmas, l suppose,
and too tired to entertain. Club dues
on New Years with the usual tips and
presents. No. the Eighth avenue will
have to DO me"
He hurried to the hotel, and after a
brief toilet boarded a car for Park ave-
nue. The rooms were crowded when
he arrived at the Norton home The
heavy odor Of roses, the suspicion Of
charcoal from the samovar, and, above
all. the animated chatter from the
guests made his head ache, 50 he was
very grateful when Bessie Shaw mo-
toned him into a deep window seat
The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16
CHRISTMAS OF PURlTANS.
After Time of Queen Bess Birthday
of Christ Was Made Occasion
for Mad Revelry.

More and more after the time OF
Queen Bess was Christmas made an oc-
casion for mad revelry instead Of joy
Gus Christian celebration.
Finally that part Of the English peo-
pie called the Puritans. who had become
disguised with the growing fOOlishness
of the Christmas celebration. got parlia-
ment to prohibit Christmas festivities
Of any sort And for ten years the only
way Christmas was celebrated was by
fast. Even for merely decorating their
church with eveTgreens yhe trustees of
St. Margaret's (Westmi lster) church,
in London. were placed under arrest.
The Puritans went entirely too far,
YOU see. in their sternness, and, natur-
ally, the people rebelled. So they be-
gan celebrating Christina as secretly at
home with all sorts of festivities. And,
because they did it secretly, they felt as
if they were very sinful. When the
church refused to use hes pleasant nests
Satan stole them anc made them
snares." So people said at that time; or,
as other people put it: Father Christ
mas was let in at the ba:k door"
A little later, when the Puritans lost
their political power in England and
had to seek a refuge elsewhere, many Of
them. as you know, came to America.
Bringing with them, as they did, their
stern prejudice against festivals. they
completely ignored Christmas for 4
long. long time.
Their children and great-grandchil-
dren, however, did not inherit their
prejudice so strongly, and then, too, they
were Influenced by the Dutch colonists
in New Amsterdam (now New York;,
who always kept very merry, but per-
fectIy respectable. Christmas.
So. at last, Puritan New England
came around and permitted Christ
mas to be celebrated once again in all
her homes with moderate festivities
and rejoicing after attendance at the
place where God is preached
The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16

was only out of charity. | half eX-
pected Mr. Wingate would be here to
accept in person, he so dotes on going
to teas in business hours, but perhaps
the fates will be kind and he'll refuse.
Good-by. I must run on. Don't forget
your promise about the reception"
AS Miss Redmond and Margaret Lit
tie moved away Bessie Shaw returned,
and it was some time before Wingate
could excuse himself from the discus
sion of cotilion favors and escape into
the cold twilight.
Although he had quite convinced
himself that he cared for Margaret,
rather than John LittIe's heiress, Win
gate found his Indignation at her mis-
apprehension of his motives quite swal-
lowed up in the misery of realization
that he was being laughed at for the
very pretensions which he had fat
tered himself were assuring his sue
cess. He turned away from the hand
some house on Park avenue and walked
briskly toward the outskirts of the
city. There was some satisfaction in
crunching the snow under his feet and
in feeling the sting of the splitting
sleet which cut his cheeks, where the
red of angry humiliation burned
through the tan so carefully acquired
on the Minnetonka links. For six
years he had struggled for a position
in society He had dropped old friends
and cultivated men in whom he felt
inf no hnnn nd
boy for the matrons and cavalier for
the buds; he had Joined more clubs
than he could afford and had pinched
In many ways to make up for the ex-
penditures. He had told countless
stories of his life at Harvard, but never
spoke of his family in Dakota. He had
often referred to incidents of his trip
abroad, without limiting that he had
been tutor to rich youth; he had told
dreamy tales of a winter in Mexico,
carefully concealing the fact that he
had been assistant to an invalid archi-
tect. He had talked wittily of plays
and operas. gathering his ideas from
the daily papers rather than from OBJ
seryation. Indeed, he had done every
thing in his power to seem a man of
the world and fayorite in society.
And now-when he had thought his
position assured-Nhen he had
dreamed of spending John Little's mil
lions with perfect taste and passing his
days in an atmosphere of wealth and
leisure with the grace OF one ito the
manner born,' he found that he did
not ''seem to belong anywhere" and
was to be given a New Years dinner
out of charity. while little Charlie Lef-
f1ngwell, who never managed to get be-
yond his freshman year at Yale, whose
only accomplishment was driving an
automobile and whose one aim in life
The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16

Presently he caught his breath and
his sight cleared. The lioness stood
with one paw on his thigh. Instead Of
seizing his throat, she screamed an ex-
ulting signal TO her mate, and watched
Letters, who was bounding frantically
about her, menacing assaults upon her
f1anks.
The dog soon ran in valiantly and
nipped her tail She turned head,
snarling This gave Ben chance. He
sly1y drew his revolver. At the click
Of its hammer the lioness started, but
too late. He shot her through the head
and was trying to rise when the lion
leaped from above at the dog, only to
receive a ball in his chest as he
alighted.
In scrambling out of the way, and
firing again, Ben became conscious OF
frightful pain in his right leg. He
could not get upon his feet, so he
crawIed to the lioness and sat upon her
20 examine his hurts. The small bone
was broken between knee and ankle.
His clothing was torn, and there were
long, raw scratches upon his left shoul-
der and arm He sat a few moments,
thinking.
Here's fix" he said to himself. Il
shan't be able to walk in a fortnight
maybe a month-and the mail due
through day after tomorrow. No help
nearer than two days journey. What
ought a fellow to do? First. got to fix
this leg myself. Next. get up that deer
for provision. Lucky there's lots OF
wood ready. Guess l can stick it out
here till l can travel, if they don't miss
the mail and send a scout to look for
it. Here you. Letters, quit worrying
the lions earl"
Ben crawled to the nearest bushes
and cut half a dozen stout splints.
With these and his handkerchief he
bound up his leg, first carefully put
ting the bone in place. Then he
crawled to the camp, cut long string
from the sledge there, and wound his
bound-up leg securely. Also he washed
his scratches and anointed them with
fat melted over his fire. With the aX
he cut two cTotched poles for crutches,
The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16

was to increase his already large for
tune, was to share the Little millions.
and "the boys" would no doubt laugh
behind his back because he, Bertram
Wingate, had angled for them il vain.
The whole shallow mockery. which
lay bare to others, for the first time
seemed thoroughly contemplate TO
him. Angry tears smarted in his eyes
and his hands were clenched in his
pockets with fierce determination to
win an enviable position without the
help of society; to live life too busy
for the tolerant patronage of women
or the amused contempt of men.
He had walked for nearly an hour
before he became conscious that his
feet were numb with cold and his face
no longer felt the sting of the sleet.
Pausing irresolutely to get his bearings
before seeking the nearest car line, he
stood for a moment in shaft Of light
from the window Of pretty cottage.
A young girl, turning briskly to
enter the house, exclaimed: so you
have really come to see us at last. This
mother said she would write and tell
you we were here, but we thought she
had forgotten. Mabel is teaching, I'm
going to the conservatory, Bob's in
business college and fathers got q
good job buying wheat for the Consol-
idated. Why haven't you been to see
us before?"
Wingate murmured something about
being very busy, as he meekly followed
the girl into the house.
Il suppose you're always busy com
mented the girl kindly. Out this way
on some building l guess? l hope you
haven't been to dinner.
Mother, here's Bertram Wingate.
He was out this way and has looked us
up" she said, ushering Wingate into
the CHEEKY sitting room.
He was thankful for the easily as
sumed explanations and glad to follow
the girl into the cosy room. Mrs. Whit
comb greeted him heartily and the
whole family gathered about him,
pressing him to stay and asking news
of his people. There was an air OF
pleasant affection and Difference for
his accomplishments which was soOth-
ing to his wounded vanity.
When he took his departure, Mrs.
Whitcomb said, kindly, Cant YOU
spend New Years with us. Bertrand p
1T would be real charity on your
part if l may" said Wingate, flushing
warmly at the thought of the other
charity dinner he had expected to eat.
It's nice of you to speak that way
Bertram." said Mrs. Whitcomb, strok-
ing his sleeve, but you know the pleas
ure will be ours in having a friend
from the old Dakota home to share the
day with US
The New Years dinner was by no
means the last which Bertram Win
gate ate in the little cottage.
In the spring Molly, the irrepressi-
ble wrote to her Dakota conidante,
Mabel and Bertram Wingate are
going together a good deal He isn't a
bit stuck up as some of the Dakota
people used to say he was. Father says
he has drawn the plans for nearly all
the big buildings to be put up this
summer. If he's going to be my bro
ther-in-Iaw. | hope he'll plan cute
little house for Mabel. I think mother
knows all about it, but she won't tell"
Washington Home Magazine.