Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-16

ana dled. Ine cnlld survived neT Oniy
short time, and we wonder IL Its
brief and loveless life could have
been spared, whether its affection
might not have modified John CAL
wins views regarding infant damna-
tion.-W. E. Curtis in Chicago Rec
ord Herald.
RECORD HoAxEs.
Rem markabIe SwindIes and Hsells" That
Astonished the World.
The recent release Of the princi-
pals in the notorious Humbert-C -Craw-
ford swindle recalls other instances,
humorous and tragic, where human
gullibility has reached almost incred-
ible limits.
Less than twenty years ago a re-
port got into circulation among the
peasants of Bosnia that the great
viennese banker, Baron Rothchild,
had been sentenced to death for trea-
son, and was trying to secure a sub
stitute willing, for handsome con-
sideration, to undergo the extreme
penalty in his stead. A large number
Of peasants banded together to fur
nish this substitute by casting lots.
It was not until the authorities had
posted in every village throughout
the affected districts strong denial
of the canard that the rioting and
ferment caused by the bankers ap-
parent reluctance to part with the
blood money" was allayed.
On one occasion the Times itself
fell victim to an extraordinary piece
of journalistic humor. A correspon-
dent sent a letter to .The Thunderer''
deploring the destitution prevalent
In certain parts of Italy consequent
upon the absolute failure OF the mac
aroni crop. Ignorant of the fact that
this popular article of Italian diet is
not a plant at all, but manufactured
from flour, the Times published a
leader on the subject, suggesting the
establishment Of fund to assist the
sufferers.
A hoax which nearly caused war
between Austria and Roumania con-
vulsed Eastern Europe less than dec
ade ago. The inhabitants Of Rust
chuk, in the latter country. were con-
vinced of the existence in their midst
of a wehrwolf-a man who Is able at
will to change himself into a huge.
ferocious wolf.
Men Of science doubted the story,
and in a wordy argument with local
resident the famous Austrian pro-
fessor, Taublich, was killed for laugh
ing at what he had termed a tissue
Of nonsense" Complications imme-
diately arose between Austria and
Roumania, the former country de-
manding the instant execution Of the
murderer.
Just as Austria was about to pre-
sent an ultiinatum the "wehrwolf''
was shot at and wounded, proving to
be nothing more than stupid prac
ticaI Joker, whose folly not only cost
valuable life, but had almost
plunged Europe into the horrors of
war.
Danger, the we'll known American
actor of the early sixties, had weak
ness for hoaxing his fellows. On one
occasion, while resting" at Minneso-
ia, he was seized with bright idea.
He secured a dummy, dressed 1t In a
suit Of old clothes and hid 1t at night
In the woods near the adjacent lake.
Next morning he hired a boat, got the
dummy aboard unseen and rowed
away about half a mile from the
short. When the beach was fairly
crowded with people he began gesticu-
lating wildly at his companion. Next
he pounced upon the dummy like a
madman, and struggle which
ensued threatened, to the excited
watchers on land, to capsize his frail
craft Next they saw Danger fight
his companion down, hurl him into
the water, and with repeated blows
Of an oar, sink the body in the lake.
Then the actor, chuckling at the ex-
citement he had reused, pulled for the
opposite heavily timbered beach. A
minute later several boats filled with
armed men were in hot pursuit. The
supposititious criminal reached the
woods we'll in advance Of his pursuers
and got clear away, while the whole
country was searching for him.
Eventually, however, the fraud was
revealed.
A Journalist once succeeded in hoax
ing many of the leading London news
papers, and through them the pro-
vincial press, at the expense Of the
great abolitiohist, Wilberforce. He
was a reporter in the press gallery in
the House Of Commons, and he pre-
tended to read to his colleagues from
his notes the following passage from
a speech with which he credited the
famous parliamentarian:
Had 1t been my lot to be born in
Ireland, where my food would have
consisted principally Of the potato,
that most nutritious and salubrious
root instead of being the poor, infirm.
stunted creature you, sir, and honor
able gentlemen behold In me, would
have been a tall, stout, athletic man,
able to bear an enormous weight"
No wonder Mr.. Wilberforce read
the passage with astonishment in the
next mornings Press, for he had not
addressed the House at all for some
weeks.