davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
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McManes, president of the institution.
Then he went into the bathroom of his
house, on West Spruce street, and put
bullet into his brain.
Nipple always sought, in the employ
ment of clerks. to bring in young men
who were members and regular COM
municants In some church. He did not
differentiate as to denomination. In
addition to refusing to have as clerks
any users of tobacco or liquor he was
opposed to any of his employees reading
Sunday newspapers or visiting race
tracks. AS there are no race tracks
in Philadelphia, New York was the
nearest place for those who sought
that form of amusement.
President Nipple learned about a
year after the Real Estate company
was organized that one of his young
men had visited Sheepshead bay and
had won five-dollar bet. The presi-
dent took him into his private Office
and prayed with him. He gave him a
marked Bible, and then dismissed him
from the company's service, so that
danger Of contamination would be
avoided.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
JOSIAH r. ADAMS, VICTIM
OF POLITICAL ATTACK.

Josiah r. Adams, prominent club
man and lawyer and noted figure
in the most exclusive set of Philadel-
phia's fashionable world, killed him.
self in hotel in Philadelphia, six
years ago. Adams was a man of rare
culture. He took liking for the ex-
element of political life, and affiliated
himself with the Quay machine. He
was nominated for Judge of the supe-
rior court. A bitter attack was made
upon him by local newspaper. He
was accused of having conspired with
another man to defraud the public by
a get-rich-quick scheme, in which it
was alleged that hundreds Of persons
were induced to invest to their sor-
row.
Adams made weak denial to the
charge, and withdrew from the ticket.
He never recovered from the blow.
On the day he shot himself he kissed
his wife affectionately, left her, and in
five minutes was dying from bullet
wound in the head.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27

lieved to have been the agent, but so
far as the records of the coroner's Of
flee go, that cause il not ascribed.
Notwithstanding this official yelling
no one in Philadelphia familiar with the
wild and reckless peculation in which
Singerly was involved, and which re-
suited in the failure of the banks in
which he was interested, believes that
he died a natural death.
Singerly was a peculiar combination.
He was born in Philadelphia in 1882.
His father was pioneer In street
car transportation and made fortune.
In his young manhood William M.
Singerly developed liking for conviv.
iality, which resulted in his income
being cut of, and he was put to work
as a car conductor at a small salary
This enforced employment brought
about reformation after he had pass
ed his thirty-fifth year. He then dis
played qualities of shrewd business
sense which 1t was not believed he
possessed.
Without any previous knowledge Of
newspaper uldhlHS uS SuCCecucu III
gaining control of small newspaper
called the Public Record. He changed
its makeup and it's general method of
treatment of the topics or the day, and
astonished the town by reducing the
price to one cent.
He became Democratic candidate
for governor and made a canvass of
the state in a special train. He had
then gone into the breeding of blood
ed horses and had one Futurity VIC
tory to his credit-the capture of
| 100000 in stake and bets by Nor
relic in the season of 1892.
Spreading out still further, Singer.
ly went into banking and organized
two institutions. Reckless loans drove
him to the wall, and in 1897 both
banks failed.
On February 81, 1898, Mr.. Singerly
died suddenly in his home. The story
was given out that heart disease had
carried him off. aggravated by his
financial troubles. After his death
the community was startled to learn
that he was in debt to the defunct
Chestnut Street bank to the extent OF
100000, which he had borrowed on
collateral security of $4,000.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
FRANKLIN 3. GOWEN,
RAILROAD PRESIDENT.

Unfortunate speculation without the
defalcation feature brought about the
selfinflicted death of Franklin B.
Gowen, president of the Philadelphia
& Reading railroad, and one of the
in the keystone state. He shot him
self in December, 1889, but as the
deed was committed in Washington
and not in Philadelphia, the circum-
stances became known within "a
hours. The belief was general that
he had been murdered by agents Of
the Mollie Maguires, in revenge for
the active part he took in suppressing
that band OF thugs.
The fact that Gowen had taken his
own life was established the next day,
and then began an investigation as to
the possible cause. The moral charac-
ter of the great lawyer was above re-
proach. His life had been singularly
clean. and his reputation never had
been tarnished by even as much as the
breath of scandal. He died without
having made will and when an ap-
praisal of his estate was made Ii was
found that he had left but $450,O00 in
personal and real property of an estate
which in his lifetime was estimated to
be worth between $2,O00,000 and $3,-
100000. He had been induced to in
vest In southern lands, where 1t Is be-
lieved he suffered great losses. The
full particulars never were revealed.
but there was no other reason to as
cribe than despondent desperation
brought on by investments which i'm.
paired a considerable fortune.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
FRANK X. NIPPLE AND
JOHN 8. HOPKINS.

The circumstances surrounding the
self-destruction of Frank X. Nipple
and of John s. Hopkins. cashier of the
Peoples bank, who killed himself In
March. 1898. are strikingly similar.
Both men occupied positions of trust,
were prominent In church work, had
a rigid code OF morals for the govern.
ment OF their employees, and were
strict observers of the Biblical injunc.
keep 1t holy. Neither would ride In a
public conveyance on Sunday unless
the exigency were imperative. Nei-
ther would countenance the use OF
liquor or tobacco In any form. Hop
kins maintained this attitude to the
day he destroyed himself. although he
was associated with the most corrupt
cabal OF politicians In Pennsylvania.
The Peoples bank was Mat Quay's
bank. IL was while he was In control
that he wrote the famous letter to a
henchman that he would shake the
plum tree"
The difference between Nipple and
Hopkins was In the amount Of their
stealings. The cashier of the Quay
bank got away with only 100000.
which he lent on worthless collateral
to a concern called the Guarantors
company. He foisted the securities OF
on the directors as Of value and when
exposure threatened, he prepared
himself for death and eased his con-
science by writing a voluminous let
ter of contrite explanation to James
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
JOHN FIELD, MERCHANT,
LOST MIND WITH MONEY.

John Field, once postmaster Of Phil
adelphia, a member Of the old whole.
sale dry goods house of Young, Smyth,
Field & Co., shot and killed himself In
Fairmount park while insane. He
came from Ireland when he was ii
years old and began as errand boy in
the house which he subsequently con-
trolled. The firm did an immense busi-
ness and in addition to branches in
Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis
and San Francisco, carried on bank
ing business in Saxony.
1t never was definite known how
Mr.. Field impaired his fortune, but the
general belief was that 1t was due to
speculation in realty, which he knew
nothing about. This so affected his
mind that he developed a suicidal
mania.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27

Philadelphia. speculation
followed or preceded either by defal-
cation or betrayal of trust. has been
responsible for a startling number of
suicides in Philadelphia among men
of affairs and prominence in the So
cial world.
Beginning with the sensational fail
ure of the Keystone National bank,
in 1891, which ruined men whose rep
utations were as untarnished as that
OF the president OF the Real Estate
Trust company, and which resulted in
jail for two of them, Philadelphia has
had an amazing series of financial
scandals and bank wrecks. Bank de-
positors have lost millions, but the
largest inroads of the wildcat finan.
ciers were made in asphalt and In
Consolidated Lake Superior. In these
two companies the public, largely In
Philadelphia, dropped upward of $780,.
100000.
In nearly every suicide caused by
wildcat finance. attempts have been
made to suppress the facts, as
in the case Of the president Of the
Real Estate Trust company, whose
suicide was known to the members of
his family, the coroner and the coron.
er's physician for six days, and was
even suppressed by Philadelphia pa
pers. So determined were these two
officials to prevent the news from be.
coming public that the physician filed
false certificate of the actual cause
OF death, ascribing 1t to cerebral hem.
orhage, but omitting to state that the
hemorrhage was due to bullet fred
into the brain with suicidal intent.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
BENJAMIN n. GASklLl,
BROKER, THIEF, FORGER.

Benjamin II. Gaskill was one OF the
most noted exemplars of fraudulent
finance, who cheated his friends and
then killed himself to avoid facing
them. He was thief and a forger,
but this discovery was not made until
after his death. In his lifetime Gaskill
enjoyed the respect and esteem Of
his business associates. His reputa-
ton for probity was of the best, and
his credit was gilt-edged. After his
suicide a diary was found among his
effects in which, he spoke of himself
as Jekyll and Hyde. He wrote that
he could not make himself understood
to sordid minds and that his aspira.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
CONGRESSMAN ADAMS,
HIMSELF ONLY VICTIM.

Robert Adams, Jr., familiarly known
as "Bertie" Adams, former minister to
Brazil, prominent as one of the orig.
inal explorers of the Yellowstone re-
gion and member of congress from the
Second district of Pennsylvania, COM
mitted suicide by shooting in his
apartments in the Metropolitan club,
Washington, on the 1st day of last
June. Wildcat speculation was di-
rectly responsible. He died absolute
ly penniless, having dissipated for
tune of 100000. He left note ad-
dressed to Speaker Cannon, in which
he said that as his personal obliga-
tions exceeded his resources he was
obliged to abandon the responsible
position he held in the house of rep
resentatives. The congressman lost
money at cards, but the greater part
of his wealth went in land invest
ments and in loans on worthless Sc
curities. He sent good money after
bad in the hope of recovery.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27

tions were too high for the ordinary
mortal to grasp.
Gaskill was not as pronounced
churchman as Nipple, but he made
practice of keeping up a friendship
with churchgoers. His forgeries forced
the City Trust, Safe Deposit & Surety
company into bankruptcy. His meth
ods were ingenious, and he reaped
something like a million dollars. 1t
was not exactly wildcat speculation in
his case. 1t was rather the credulity
and trustfulness Of those he defrauded
that brought him the enormous re-
turns. Accidental discovery drove him
to suicide.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
JAMES v. p. TURNER,
RUINED BY BUYING LAND.

James V. p. Turner, registrar of
vital statistics of Philadelphia and a
lawyer of note, shot himself In the
stomach in Fairmount park in April,
1902. He was member of the So
ciety Of the War of 1912 and of the
Sons of the Revolution. Mr.. Turner
had been induced to invest in lands
in the west, which he believed to be
mineral-bearing, but which turned out
to be worthless. He became despond-
ent and chose to kill himself rather
than begin life over again at AZ.
The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1906-09-27
WILLIAM NJ. SlNGERlY,
NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER.

William M. Singerly. proprietor of
the Philadelphia Record. president Of
the Chestnut Street National bank
and the Chestnut Street Trust COM
pany, died under circumstances which
pointed Enthusiastically to a death self.
inflicted. Cyanide Of potassium IL be-
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20

cautious than the man with firm jointed thumbs.
II be does make mistake he consoles himself
with the thought that whatever Is done cannot
be undone; however he often lacks in continuity
and application, Persons with tins type OF
thumb often talented, but through want Of
plicaton do not make the best OF their abilities,
consequently they love changes, They are, never
theless, very enthusiastic while things flow by like
song. They are jolly good fellows and scatter
their money though it were the cork-screw to
pleasure after all, Socially they admired
the fact being due to their great adaptabihty to
people and conditions. In affection they are gen.
orally demonstrottve.
The straight and firm thumb, ms in Figure 3,
gives to the owner strong will and a stubborn
determination; consequently the are
stronger in character and more practical in airing
their ideas, They more cautious and secre
tive than their supple Jointed brothers; advance
slowly and surely. They have greater application
and more apt TO carry out their purpose
they are exacting and demand much from
others as they do from themselves. If one de-
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20

impulse of the moment, and in that case usually
ends his own life
man with thumb that has the first pha-
lange shorter than the second tSee Figure ~,
would reason and discuss everything to death;
nc would be suspicious of others and lack will
power TO carry out his own plans
thumb with the first phalangc longer than
the second tSee Figure 81, tells that the owner
OF this type would act in a hurry in fact would
be reckless in his actions As the will is not
governed by reason, he would be quick tempered
and domineering.
thumb that has waist shape appearance
(Sec Figure 81, imDels its owner to seek wisdom,
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20
E3.~I

will power and strength Of mind.
In judging thumb the reader must hrst ex,
anime the length between the first and second
phalanx, whether it sets high or low from the
hand (See figures l and y; whether the first
phalangc is longer than the second, or the second
longer than the first; whether 1t Is supple or
stiff.
1t is a recognized fact that children who are
weak-mIndcd idiots from birth are invariably
born with small and insignificant thumbs there
fore it goes without saying that the longer and
better proportioned the thumb, the more the in
tellectual faculties rule and vice versa. Again |
must mention the fact that the student of palm
istry should never neglect the consistency OF the
skin, whether hard or soft, on the palm side.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20
N. 9rGz6 51Az0M

trusted to carry out his promises. His inten-
tions may be sincere but he just cant help chang
ing his mind, for the faculties are weak and he
certainly is to be pitied. He finds 1t impossible
to say no, and will be easily taken in
When the thumb sets closely to the side OF the
hand as in Figure ! the owner is secrctive, eau
tious and often suspicious. seldom frank or out.
spoken 1t is hard to discover what he intends
to do When the thumb is also long, revealing
good intelligence. the owner is also close and
avarcious, always saving no matter how many
millions he has accumulated From such one it
would be difficult to borrow money unless excel
lent security in sight and large interest
coming for the favor
When the thumb sets away from the fingers,
as in Figure ., the opposite characteristics are
brought to light, nature more Open free and
generous often extrnyagant,
The thumb that is flexible, as in Figure 4,
gives it's adaptabty to people and condi-
tons He is easier in nature and one whom cir.
cumstance affect less; often cxtravagant in
money matters projects and ideas. lie is less
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20
E9T-7

ccivcs them they do not forget and often seek
revenge In affairs of the heart they not de-
monstrative but staunch and true. In money
matters they arc economical and practical, and us
uay get full value for their money, and general
" ask the price of thing beforehand
4 thumb firm but slightly supple or curved in
the first JOINT would be happy medium between
the two previously mentioned thumbs They are
not extravagant, stngy, but feel that money
is made for the happiness and comfort 1T brings
They are yielding to a certain point, beyond that,
firm and set. They stay up a ladder as long as
possible but will not be imposed upon.
A thumb that is "cubbed' (See Figure %, has
often been found to indicate an ungovernable
tcmpcr. lack OF reason in action unrestr1ned
nassion aroused by the slightest cause lhls IS
particularly true when the hand is bad otherwise
vet | have seen and examined many cases TN
bofh scxes) where the disposition seemed more
,b,p agreeable even angelic. It's a sign, however,
that the owners have no control over thelr pas
e;ons and at times violent and uncontrolaole
tomper is shown. So this feature evidently lies
dormant in many cases and may never have
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20

She will think that in those days she was very
young and foolish; she will remember how she
set certain young fellow high upon a pedestal
and how miserable life was when the pedestal
fell and the image shattered into bits.
She may laugh a little at her crcduty in
thinking any man perfect, but at the time
she will sigh, for she will know that at eighteen,
when she first fell in love, she was sweeter and
more charming than she is now.
Her more maturcd, womany charm may make
her very dear to the man who is to be her hus
band, but, nevertheless, she will wish that he
could have been the first that she could have
come to him with no old memories and no bun
dies of old love letters hidden away in the bot
tom of trunk.
She will regret the self that is no more and
the inability to enter into her engagement as
into and untried world
She will regret the time that is past and not
the man who played the chief part.
She Will remember her first love affair with
tenderness and swelling at the heart, but her
emotion will be for the sweet air of mystery
that hung IT, for herself as she then was.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20

an iron will. The owner would make up his
mind quickly and act with dispatch and precision
The head rules the heart.
Very Long-A thumb that is very long would
cause its owner to exclude all sentiment and feel
ing for that of reason. He would be stern and
unapproachable and hardly listen to stranger
and naturally tcrrify one Such thumb makes
its owner obstinate and his actions deliberate and
positive; sympathy
Short-A thumb that is short change
and weakness of will it's owner acts more from
the heart and feelings than reason, undecided
Welding, wanting scf-confdence. The shorter
the thumb the less the will power,
Very Short-Thc owner of such thumb would
have mind that Is constantly changing in fact
swayed BY every impulse, thus running from the
acme OF enthusiasm to the lowest degree of de
spondency Such an individual could hardly be
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-20

when eighteen and twenty get engaged There
fore, their kind relatives will make them wait
little while before the knot is actually tied and
will probably insist that they call the state of
affairs understanding, and not an engage
ment.
The lovers will, in all likelihood, laugh Mt this
condition, and VOW that it makes no difference
at all in their affections, that they will always
be true, etc, etc.
But by and by the time will come when they
will thank their kind relatives for insisting that
they should not be bound to one another, for
the young man, having accepted position in
another town, may meet girl with brighter
eyes and knack of dressing more becomingy
and stylishy and, what is more, of making these
stylish and becoming clothes herself.
The girl at home may think that her heart is
broken, but subsequently she will discover that
it is just as whole 1T was.
She will bring her own good common sense to
bear upon the subject and realize that she could
not have expected boy of twenty to be ma
ture enough for real seriousness. She will also
come to know that If one man is untrue, there
is another one who will be faithful, and that
there may be better fish in the sea.
At the time she may not think So but let
her go out and buy hat pretty waist,
and she will be surprised to find how little she
thinks about the sorrow she thought she would
| never get over, for there woman
vet who was not susceptible to the seductive
power OF some new piece of hnery.
| If she cannot indulge in finery, she can
| at least make herself fascinating in the DID, and
surround herself with little court of admirers.
This move will satisfy both her vanity and her
pride at the same time. fellow is not
merely Consolation" to quote the slang ex-
preston, but absolute necessity.
| She must not get into the habit of moping,
both for her own sake and for the sake of the
people who have to live with her. Even if she
spends her days hammering away at typewriter
or measuring out ribbon behind counter, she
can still be cheerful and happy. She can learn
to take an absorbing interest in her work, to
devote the best of her time and attention to it,
and if she does this, she will certainly have no
time for moping,
OF course, she may be tagged out and tired
when she comes home at night, but if she exer-
cises little will power, she will soon get over
this first affair
She will probably think that she can never
love again, but some day she will find herseli
announcing her engagement
There will be ring upon the finger where
she had once thought mans ring would evel
be- and she will recall her first love affair with
a smile that is half tender and half amused.