davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23

songs at the top of her great Irish
voice, and keeps everybody in the
station awake with her song. She
makes herself perfectly at home in
the tiny cubby-hole of cell and sinks
into sleep as peaceful as a chilG's
when she has exhausted herself with
singing. 1t takes vigorous effort to
make her get up in time for court,
EnIivens Station with Song.
Remonstrance with her is useless,
the matrons have learned her long
ago. Sometimes they ask her if she
isn't ashapled to come so often to the
station EnuSe and she always makes
the same answer. mo; the city's
willing for me to stay here and I'll
come as often as | like. It's much
more comfortable than home. It's
cleaner and | like the electric lights"
She has such ready good humor
and such a spirit of fun that in spite
of her waywardness Moggie is rather
a favorite in the station and with the
judges. After one of her last visits
to the police station Maggie pleaded
penitence to the Judge and promised
to walk the straight and narrow path
in the future If the judge would let
her go. So the magistrate did give
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23

the judge let them off with some
strong words of admonition. Then
the matron took the girls to their
home, where they found mother al
most frantic. The matron put in a
plea for them and saved them the up
braiding that most parents would
have poured forth for such an indis-
erection. Now, every Christmas since
the happening there comes to the sta
ton gift from those two girls, a bit
of their own handiwork, and now and
then a letter from their mother, re-
iterating her appreciation for the
saving of her girls.
Maggie Regular Ledger.
With some of the prisoners the ma
irons become old friends, for they
almost make the station house their
regular dwelling place. One of Mrs.
CoX's old-timers is an Irish woman,
named Maggie, whom everybody in
the station house knows. She has
been habitue of station houses for Is
years, and the matrons and sergeants
get so they look for her and almost
miss her when she doesn't come. She
is one of the cheerful drinkers and al
ways comes in with a swagger and a
laugh. The matron will greet her
with a sort of despairing smile
We'll, Maggie, are you back again."
Sure, and amt you glad to see
me? l keep you alive, give you
something to live for"
And she does keep things alive,
Mrs. Cox admits. She sings her Irish
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23
@A@@M@mAn@ D@R A@ARMn
SECRET CABINET
BIZ GIsELA DITTRICK BRITT.

before the glamour of mystery. She
could almost see the treasure!
"Pl-e-ase, Jack" When Mollie
coaxed--
The man drew a long breath. With
out word he laid aside coat and vest.
He turned back the big rug. He
pushed the buffet out into the room,
then deliberately and slowly he raised
the Ratchet Mollie handed him.
Crack! Down tumbled a square
of tinted WALL
ooh, Mollie!" gasped the girl in
Pink.
Go on" said Mollie, in low, mex
orable voice. The blue eyes were un-
relenting. The Spartans paled into
insignificance before this slender
young priestess.
Again the Ratchet went up--the cash
widened.
The plaster was all down-the gray
dust was settling over the pretty china
and silver, over the polished tables
and chairs, over the blue and the
pink Paris gowns, over the black and
the golden heads.
One! rang the tall cathedral clock.
Down fell the tools with a clatter upon
the floor. Mollie sprang forward with
startled cry:
Look" the whisper sounded hoarse-
ly through the silence. "Oh, look!"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23

world so cheerfully under the influ-
ence Of drink. Many of the cases
that come under the eye of the police
matron are of women who have been
led to the passion for drink to drown
some sorrow, and many of them
women used to better ways of living.
One day frail bit of a woman-a
mere girl-was brought to the station.
Her husband had got out warrant
for her and wanted to have her COM
mitted to some institution. Drink had
made terrible ravages in the woman's
appearance, and when the effects of
the whisky began to wear off she sat
in her cell clinging with her thin
hands to the bars and begging pitt
fully for drink, Toward dawn the
woman collapsed and hurry call
was sent to the hospital The ambu.
'ance surgeon On his arrival had only
time to knee at her side and begin
his work bt lore death closed upon
her
WON ms PitifuI Story.
While tn, woman lay trembling in
the cell dp ng the night she had told
her story to the woman outside thu
bars, Of how the craving had grown
upon her little by little until she lost
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23

her the chance, threatening dire con-
sequences If she appeared before him
again soon. The very next night Mag
gle was brought into the station
house with her usual hilarity, but
gorgeously arrayed. She made no
apologies for her downfall, but ex-
planned that when she went from the
station house the day before she had
found a letter from her sister contain
ing SB5. She took 81 of it and bought
new skirt, a new shirt waist and an
enormous brass chain; with the other
IS she went to saloon to come out
minus the money and in the custody
of policeman. Once during one Of
her visits to the station Maggie grew
respondent. She thought of her two
daughters who are placed in Cath
Ollie home, safe from her influence,
and she began to brood. She got hold
of string and decided to choke her
self with it. To make the thing more
effective she called to Mrs. Cox to
tell her what she was going to do.
The matron was used to Maggie, how
ever, and to threats of suicide, so she
answered carelessly: Go ahead,
Maggie, you've no idea how quickly
we would get you out of here; get
you out much quicker dead than alive,
because we don't want any dead ones
around here" Whereupon Maggie
burst into one of her peals of laugh
ter and declared it was no use COM
hitting suicide in the face of such
encouragement.
There are only few that take the
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23

There was glitter of silver,
CLEAN of gold-in the opening! The
Girl in Pink felt a SILVER creep down
her back; her heart throbbed wildly
And Mollie was right! Her dreams
were true!
1t was silver--heavy, solid silver
wrapped in soft, old, yellowed paper
that plainly told of the passing of ths
years.
Slowly, reverently, Mollie unwrappet
them piece by piece. The blue eyes
were luminous, the sweet mouth trem
ulous.
NOW hurry! See what else there
is--it seems to be small secret cab
met. Oh, Jack, what will Aunt Liza
say! Aren't you glad I dreamed"
The man with the dust-covered shirt
and begrimed hands pushed her gently
aside.
Get back out of this mess, Mollie.
and let me see what is here. 1t must
have been great-great-grandfath
Claims. He was governor, and this
was the mansion. Jove! I'd like to
give the old gentleman handshake!
Here, take these" he handed her an
other bundle of silver spoons, q pitch
err, a silver sugar and creamer, a pair.
of sugar tongs, half-dozen silver
plates of foreign make, two gold-lined
goblets, and queer low dish of silver
filigree.
Suddenly everyone stood still. There
was confusion Of voices, a trampling
of heavy feet in the hall, and the next
moment the door was flung violently
open, and two brawny policemen stood
on the threshold.
Just keep your place, partner.
Promanadin' amt the ticket Just now
The big policeman smiled pleasantly.
The man in the dust-covered clothes
grew pale.
Don't lose your temper, old man."
sang out a CHEEKY voice from the rail-.
They've run me in, too. ! think-it's
going to be-funny." The Girl in Pink
gave little involuntary cry. The man
in the greatcoat smiled at her reassur-
ingly. Strange, she had never known
before what a splendid-looking fellow
he was! Any girl might be proud
Perhaps-after all Then she retreat
ed toward the library door hastily.
A man, small man, with very red
face and angry eyes, had pushed his
way past the two policemen across to
the table where the treasure glittered
and cleaned under the electric lights.
There it is-every bit of it," He
pointed excitedly 10 the heap of silver
stuff, then to the unsightly hole in
the wall. Don't you see that! What
further proof do you want? don't
care who he is-a Claflin or anybody
else, or whether he owns the universe!
He's a blasted thief-he and his part.
ner there! Haven't | been watching
him skulking about the place for the
last two hours! They knew I was
away from home! The thief Stealing
my silver right out Of" his rage fair.
ly choked him, he could not say more
Mollie caught her breath. For one
brief moment she looked at the grouI
before her. Then, with a queer little
sound, a curious mixture of laughter
and sobs, she sank helplessly down
upon the floor, little limp, blue thing
that gasped family:
"Oh, Jack! Jack! Its-Mr. Crosby.
and-we've dug - into - his - silves
closet!"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23
Made Nursery of Station.

One day not long ago a 14-year old
girl brought In dirty little baby and
said the child was lost. The baby
spent the afternoon peaceably sleep
ing on the big quilt the matrons keep
for the purpose, and about five o'clock
a man came in and asked the matron:
Have you got for me baby?"
The matron assured him that she
hoped 1t was for him, as she was anxi.
GUS to turn the infant over to some.
body. The baby was properly identi
fled and the man started off with it,
complacently, when the matron asked
where his wife was that she had left
the child uncalled for all afternoon.
She had gone out, the man answered,
and she had telephoned to him at his
place of work over in Manhattan to
call at the police station on his way
home to get the babe. The man was
told very plainly that the next time
his wife wanted to go shopping she
was not to send her baby to the police
stations as nursery.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-08-23
"Shoplifter" a Puzzle.

The shoplifter is often the puzzle
to the matron of the Adams street
station. They come in great numbers
from the poor, shabby woman, who
has stolen few pairs of socks, or q
little frock for her baby, whom she
longs to have dressed like the babies
of her well-to-do neighbors, to the
woman of apparent wealth, who has
secreted some seemingly useless trifle.
One woman faultlessly gowned and
of undoubted culture and good breed.
ing, who offered $500 not to be made
to sleep in cell had been arrested
for taking three pairs of 69-cent
gloves. She was indignant at her ar.
rest, but she didn't deny the theft,
merely offered to pay for the gloves.
That was case out of many such
that Mrs. Boylan recalls from her ex
periences at the Adams street sta
ton, one of the things no one can ex.
plain. They call it kleptomania with
the rich and thievery with the poor,
who, at least, have the prick of neces.
sity to lend pallation to their guilt.
These are the ordinary happenings
in the life of the police matron. Their
days and nights are a ceaseless round
of watching the intoxicated, of stand.
ing by to keep the suicide from her
intention, Of dressing the woman with
delirium tremens, who tears her
clothes to shreds in the night, of hear.
ing over and over the stories OF
wretchedness and misery and deprav,
ity.
The National tribune., 1906-03-15

of the mules Shoot q few - drivers.
Turn the wagons and keep 'em turned
and away he went like regular whirl-
wind"
Phillips for brief time had charge
of the wagons of the Nineteenth Corps
during the Shenandoah Valley raid.
After the war he drifted into the police
force. For many years he was stationed
at the Cortlandt Street Ferry. He has
been at the City Hall for more than
eight years. and he has met some funny
cranks in that time.
straight to the City Hail. said the old
man yesterday. Never saw the like Of
the place for attracting cranks.o one
woman used to come here regularly
odd, wild-eyed person she was. She
used to whoop that she owned the City
Hall and the Waldorf-Astoria, and she
wanted the keys quick or she would see
the Mayor about II. Couldn't lay II
finger on her but she would squawk
like a fused hen. One day Reese
CKeese is the Custodian, with more
strange stories of the City Hail than old
George found an old brass Key and an
old iron one. We gave 'em to her and
never came back.
'"Ihen there was tall, well-dreSsed
woman, didn't look crazy at all, used 10
| come every month regularly as payday
| to collect rent on the City Hall. She
| owned II, she was sure, and got pecrisn
when anybody argued with her. Used
TO give her a slip of paper with a verse
/ from the Bible written on it every time
| she came. That was all she wanted
and she'd lope out looking as pleased
as could be.
/ But the funniest and gaycst bug
that ever buzzed in this old corridor
vas a niger. / don't know what his
name was but we used to call him
| George on the principle that you call
every niger George and every Dutch
man August when you got to have q
| name quick. George used to float In
here, dressed in a shadbelly blue broad
| cloth coat that hit him about the knees
and was covered with brass buttons
| He wore tall hat and was frescoed
| from head to foot with them diamonds
The National tribune., 1906-03-15

that come OF chandeliers. The city
owed him Just s7.000.0oe. George would
howl. 1t 'twan't any use ever max
ing fuss. We'd all chip in and give
him cent as part payment on account
He'd bow and scrapc, wave the old hat
and march out majestic as you please.
There was an old German once. not
so long ago at that. who lost lawsuit
of some kind against a city official.
He'd drop in here every few weeks and
go the rounds of the Departments,
shaking his fist at every door and
shouting that he was agin the
Guv-ment. Ach, How he was agin the
Guv'ment, We would let him growl
and then would steer him gently out.
Amt ever any use getting mad at them
fellows. They are just queer and can't
help it.
''Oh, we've got a denouncer. too.
She's an old woman. with very gray
hair, who wears an old-fashioned black
alpaca dress, and when the fit strikes
her she comes around to tell the Alder
men what she thinks of them. Last
time she was here she did sail into
Hearst. She raked him up and down
and across the middle.
Every day you'll see somebody go
up stairs here in the city Hall and
pretty soon you'll see en- come down
again with a puzzled, disappointedlike
expression. Usually they'll ne mum
bling. Dern the luck. l can't lind it
Can't find what I'll put in.
Ticket Office for the Brooklyn
Fridge Where's the blamed entrance
To the thing, anyway
Now, they may be bugs. or they
may be from out of town. l don't
/ know, but it's queer. amt it,
None of these people get to the
| MAYOR, though. Old George is gentle,
| but firm. He has met so many cranks
| that he is able 10 diagnose each case In
stantIy and pretty accurately That's
why he is so useful around the hall
| He is pretty sturdy figure of man,
| standing about five feet nine inches.
with good chest that old age hasn't
pinched yet. He IS straight and walks
| vigorously There is much of the ole
soldier about him. which snow-white'
! miIitary-cut mustache accentuatcS.
The National tribune., 1906-03-15

of Santo Domingo Here he would have
found to-day all the earlier stages of
the process, from the savage who dwells
in primitive hut, wears little clothing
and subslsts on the unprepared fruit of
the earth; the tribal state, the feudal
system and the age of chivalry, up to
and a little, way into the complexities
of 18th century civilization You may
see it all in the city of Santo Domingo
to-day. Here is the magnificent cathe-
dral built by the successors of Column
bus, where in a great iron chest still
repose his bones, according to Domini-
can belief; here in the plaza is the fine
statue to Columbus, surrounded by we'll
designed Government buildings. You
may hear the Jingle of the telephone
bell. and the cable flashes rne news of
the world 10 You daily, yet 10 minutes
walk will take you to negro huts that
rim the ancient city round, modelled
after those Of central Africa, IN wic,: w...c,:
dwell people who are at least semi
savage. These are the lowest type of
the Santo Domingo citizen. The others
grade rapidly upward to Dominicans
who have been educated in the colleges
of the United States, and you may find
them of all grades between.
The National tribune., 1906-03-15

the favorable climate, and their blood
and that of the Spaniards mingled.
Could ii have been Saxon, Norman, Celt
and Briton, Santo Domingo might well
have been another England, but ii was
not; II was a mixture of races which
cannot weld into a harmonious whole.
The result was not a race, but a mon
grel. That is what the Dominican is
to-day. and that is what is the matter
with his Republic. You find in the
island q few men Of the uncontaminated
Spanish stock OF such is Don Emil
liano Tehera, well named the grand
old man of the island Another Is
Miguel A. Roman, Governor Of Santiago
Province in the interior. These, and
few like them, are the brains and the
stability of the people, and when the
mongrels reach a deadlock in their
tribal quarrels they turn to these men
of pure white blood to help them out
with sound advice. In the most recent
of the islands troubles the name of
Tehera is mentioned frequently as that
of man in whom the people have con-
fdence and whose advice they are will
ing TO follow.
The Pure Blacks.
On the other side of the equation you
nave the pure blacks, of whom there
are quite few in the island These
seem TO be better men OF their class
than the people of mixed blood to whom
] have applied the rather unpleasant
term of mOngrel. The great Hereaux,
who ruled Santo Domingo vigorously
for many years. was Of this type. He
was bloody tyrant, but was strong
and fearless man. His rule was that OF
the barbarian, but IL at least had the
clemens Of strength and courage. None
of his successors seems to have pos
sessed those elementary requirements.
1t took a strong hand to rule England
in the days of the feudal system, and
England bred such men in plenty. Santo
Domingo does not breed them, and ii is
doubtful If she ever viii; yet her peo-
pie, In spite of their constitution and
claims 20 civilization, are living in feudal
times still.
That brings US TO a consideration OF
y-she qualities az the people themselves
A student of ethnology or at least -of
miscegenation, might spend q lifetime
of study here and still find raw ma
terial ready TO hand The strange
creature OF vaudeville who has black
face, red hair, blue eyes and freckles
is no joke here; he is a native and the
color will not rub off. You see people
as white as yourself with kinky hail
and Enthusiastically negro features. You
see blue eyes, straight yelloY hair and
dark skins. All the possible mixture!
OF whiiG nd hla"k are here and SOME
you N0""li@1 not believe possible There
has been added TO the mixture Indian
Chinanan, Syrian and ] don't know
what else.
Rich or poor. black or white, elu
Gated or savage, / have found the Do
ininican uniformly polite, gentle. ant
In personal dealings honest In tn,
city he is q good deal of Yankee. II,
knows how 10 skyrocket pr,ceS on tn.
approach of the Americans, and he vii
The National tribune., 1906-03-15

where voodooism .'thinly disguised as
Catholicism Is still rampant. All this
is sheer nonsense. 1t is easy for for
eigner to be mistaken in this matter of
voodoo. One night, travelling alone be-
tween La Vega and Santiago in the in
terror, l lost my way and made the
latter city only with a very tired horse
under me at midnight. In little viii
lage on the outskirts l came upon a
singular scene. An unfinished house
stood there, its gaunt rafters bare in
the brilliant tropical moonlight. Its
upper part was black with people who
moved rapidly about, uttering wild
cries, beating the rafters with palm
leaves, and acting in general as If pos
sesseG. My horse SHE'D at the sight,
and ] stopped him on the farther side
of the road and watched for some time.
Uncanny worship l believed ii to be,
or at the best, witch finding. What
unseen demon were they chasing about
this building, thrashing with palm
leaves and driving away with wild
cries? For some time / watched them,
feeling sure that l was present at the
preliminary rites of Voodoo. In the
The National tribune., 1906-03-15
MAYOR CAN'T SPARE GEORGE.
New Yor:<'s City Hall Crank Catcher Is
Rc;aincd-Nns with Sheridan When
Winchester Was 20 Miles Away, and Is
Only IL Years Young.
CNew York SUM-

George a. Phillips. who has been a
policeman ever since he hung up his
old Springfield and shed his army uni
form in 1865, got AN order from Com
missioner Bingham Wednesday morn
ing transferring him from City Hall to
Church Street Station. His rheumatic
leg fairly twinged when he read the
order over again. Post duty for an old
fellow of II isn't a snap.
1t wasn't very long until the news got
around the City Hall, and everybody,
from city officials to the sweepers, went
to old George and told him how sorry
they were.
"Huh"' he grunted. Il amt kicking.
Guess 1 can do my work well as any of
the young bucks at that. II my legs
hold out and it don't get leetle mite
too cold you'Il find the old man shooing
as many yeggs off his beat as any of
these kids. with all their front and sassy
talk. It's purity burned cold, though,
amt it?'
Eventually, in the course of the
morning, the Mayor heard that old
George had been transferred. He real
lied Immediately that Commissioner
Bingham undoubtedly hadn't heard of
old George, and considered him merely
as cop on special detail who ought to
get out and earn square days pay.
II guess we can fix that said the
Mayor. II can't lose the old fellow
He's too valuable around the hall. He's
a sort of crank buffer
The Mayor did little telephoning,
and before noon another order got to
old George transferring him back to
City Han. The Commissioner said that
the first order was given merely to make
the City Hall job part of the post work
of the Church Street Station.
Then the old man held a reception,
shaking hands with his friends, and
they included a lot of Commissioners
and other dignitaries who were hustling
in and out of the City Hall and had
heard the news. Somebody put clip
ping from an evening paper in Phil
| lips'S hand. He read 1t with grunts of
disapproval.
"Seventy-five," said he. Here's a
cheerful young feller who makes me
out 20 years old. Now, what dye think
near to 1t. To read that you'd think
I was regular old Methusalum. I'm
only II, and that amt old, as anybody
knows. A man gets along to be II and
II he's got good teeth in his stomach
he don't feel more than middle-aged."
Phillips was appointed TO the Police
Department on Dec. 27, 1865. He had
gone through the civil war with first
rate record. Some bullets went past
him at Port Hudson and he lodged a
few more at Cedar Creek, but it was at
Winchester that he had the time of his
life. His grandchildren, and he has a
flock of them, know the story from be-
ginning to end and backward. He was
a wagonmaster in Sheridan's army then,
and when Gen. Phil and the big black
horse came galloping to save the day,
Phillips was among those present.
what did he sayf' said the old man
yesterday. why, the words he yelled
were few, but moying-'What the -
are you doing with them wagons?
Wheel 'sm around. Hammer - out