davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
Monday, February 1871 oo7.
THE SPECIAL JURY A PARTIAL JURY.

TT WAS to be expected that Every Evening,
u the champion and defender Of the corpora
tions. would rush to the rescue Of the infamous
special jury law. An organ that rejoces over
the defeat OF a national law TO prevent child
labor probably because its owner derives some
profit from the toll and labor of little children,
and dcsignates government by the people them
selves as mob rule is very likely TO favor an
ordinary jury TO try a man charged with a serious
crime and a special jury to try a case against
corporation where not life but a few hundred
dollars are at stake. The operation of the pres
ent special jury law is one that favors the de-
PENDANTS in the trials The jury is not selected
by the court, but by a county officer The same
names are drawn term after term and year after
year The corporations know the record of
every man and how he has stood on previous iur-
les IL one is known to have favored the plain
tiff and there are few such on the special jury list
he is stricken off, so that when the jury IS COM
plete ten out OF the twelve are supposed to be
for the defendant What chance has the wido'~
or orphans suing a corporation for the negligent
killing of their husband and father with such a
jury? Practically the jury is packed against the
plaintiff and the defendant corporations know
always demand special juries to try their cases?
In a recent trial in which the Pennsylvania
railroad was the defendant there were four jur-
ors with annual railroad passes in their pockets
What chance had the plaintiff with such iury'
The verdict proved it.
AT the last term of court there were thirty-one
special jures The system is unfair and its op-
Grafton works end of injustice. The law was
created for the benefit OF the corporations, and
they take full advantage of it. They are planning
10 kill the bill (Which passed the House with
only two dissenting votes) in the Senate, and if
the corporations have their collars as many
Senators as they claim their efforts will prob
ably be successful Watch the vote on that bill
in the Senate. The who will vote against
it will be against every measure opposed by the
corporations
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE LONG AGO.

A MOST important bill is that introduced in
4 = the House several days ago by Representa-
tive Baggs of Kent county, imposing State tax
one cent per gallon on beer manufactured in
Delaware. Unless it be that brewers can get
their grip upon the members of the Legislature,
there should not be a moments hesitation about
the passage Of that ball. We understand that
the only tax the breweries pay to the State Is
SIoo year, whereas their income and profits are
simply enormous. A tax Of one cent per gallon
or 81 cents a barrel would be only fraction of
the brewers profits. 1t is said that one brewery
in this city manufactures and sells annually 81
900 barrels OF beer There is no reason why
such a concern should not pay a substantial tax
to the State, just it is proposed the public SER
vice corporations should do 1t is a matter OF as
tonshment that the interest Of the State has so
long been neglected and that the breweres have
been allowed to operate their lucrative business
by the payment to the State of the insignificant
annual tax Of SIoo. Representative Baggs de-
serves the cooperation and help of every honest
and incorruphbe member OF the Legislature to
place upon the statute books as soon as possible
'he bill introduced by him and for whch he de-
serves so much credit. We hope Mr. Baggs will
call up his bill for passage as soon as possible.
We want the public to know the names af those
who vote for and against it,
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
narbarous treatment Of Jurors.

What a stupid and inhuman system IT
Is that holds citizen from the bedside OF
his dying wife because he has been Sc
lccted as a juror
Joseph b. Bolton. who is on the Thaw
jury, when at last permitted to visit his
home, in which his wife lay dying, arrived
TOO late TO see her alive.
Is II surprising that so many responsible
ctlzens try TO evade service on iuries?
And now the unhappy mans mind may
be so much affected by grief it may be
necessary to lmpanel a new jury and be-
gin the trial all over again
The incident illustrates the absurdity Of
our system Of requiring a unanimous ver-
dict by twelve men, There should be Sc
lected dn all important trials an extra jur-
or, TO sit in court and take the place
OF any one of the twelve who from illness
or other cause should be incapacitated.
Better stll. perhaps, would be a pro-
vision that in such cases the trial should
proceed with eleven jurors, and that in
any event the agreement Of ten Jurors
should be sufficient for a valid verdict
N. Y. Herald.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
CAN SAVE THEMSELVES IF THEY WILL

IT HERE remain only three weeks before the
= adjournment of the Legislature. The
members have absented themselves so much of
the time since the Legislature has been in session
that practically nothing has been accomplished
up to the present time. None of the measures
concerning in any way the corporations have
been acted upon. They are piled up in the COM
mittees with more done them than the day
when they were introduced. We do not hesi-
tate TO say that the Legislature is making for
itself anything but a orsditable record. So far
it has been great disappointment to the people.
Indeed, it seems that the people have no rights
that worthy of respect by a majority of the
members. In the interests Of the corporations
and with a servility to their corrupting influence
taht is most pitiable the members ignore their
duty to their Constituents and the people. Many
OF them are 10th to support a measure in which
the people are concerned, and yet seem only too
ready and glad to render some service to the
corporations and their agents and the lobbyists
who infest the halls of the Legislature If such
is to be the history OF the Legislature Of 1907,
the sooner it adjourns the better. In the annals
Of the State most Of the members will be record
ed as having been false to their pledges and
promises unfaithiul to their party and derelict
in their duty to the people and they probably will
never again be trusted by the people to perform
any public duty or service.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
SLAUGHTERED HIS DOG

CHESTER, Feb. 1s.--William Back
man. aged 30 years, while suffering
with religious mania, slaughtered a pet
dog owned by members Of his family,
and became so wild that the police
had TO take him I'm custody until he
can be transferred 10 an insane asylum.
Blackman cut the dogs head off and
washed his hands in the blood. When
asked why he did it said:
had TO battle In the dogs blood to
wash away my sins. Abraham was
willing 70 offer up his son as a living
sacrifice so ! offered up the dog.
Voices IN the air commanded me 10 do
so.
Up TO short time ago he refused
10 shave his beard off. saying that
the Saviour wore one Blackman was
very industrious man, hut since re-
cent revivals in this city his mind has
been affected His mother applied TO
the police last night after he had kill
ed the valuable pet dog.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
wnmlngion. February 6.
MuzzIinn the Press.

Editor The Evening journal.
Talk Of muzzllng the newspapers
and denying them the use Of the mail
because they are printing the Thaw
trial is ridiculous. There Is other OBJ
scene matter passing through the mail
that could be safely barred out-the
souvenir postcard The characters that
apear on the cards that are sent from
all parts of the world are not fit for
the ordinary person to read or see. The
foreign cards are by far the worst, and
I would like to hear what the Post
office Department thinks of such mat
ter going through the mail.
No one takes more care than the
editors and proprietors Of newspapers
to print the news they think the public
wants IN as clean a manner as possible.
Who wants to read plain, bare facts?
That question IS easily answered, "No
one" The FIRST thing q person does
In the morninB after he aHakens IT to
get his newspaper and read az the days
doing 7 have heard IL repeated on the
street. cars I'm boarding houses, cafes
and various other public places thar
such and such paper had more details
and gave a much better detailed ac-
count Of some prominent occurrence.
The general public very often rush to
get newspaper to see what has been
written about a certain accident. No
matter II they SAW it themselves they
want TO sec what the newspapers have
to say IN the matter.
The President has been active in TAX
ing a hand in every public question
efura he ionrarnp the chief executive OF
the nation. He has generally came out
with flying colors and victory crown
ing his efforts. His latest attempt
believe will end In a failure, for the
people Of the United States want a free
press-one that win give to them ac-
counts and happenings Of the world
without fear or favor.
Respectfully.
Reader.
Wilmington. February Is.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
HOW TO SEE SUN SPOTS
All That is Necessary is to Look
Through Smoked Glass.

Anybody can see the spots on the sun
that are just now worrying the astron-
omers. All that is necessary is a bit
OF smoked glass. The observer must
take care to get the glass smoked
as thickly as possible, and then TO pass
slowly from the shade into the sum
light to prevent the binding effects
Of looking suddenly at so bright an
object
The spot win be observed in the
lower right-hand corner OF the red
circle that is seen near the Sircumfer-
ence. appearing as a very small black
dot 1t win take a few minutes to
become sufficiently accustomed to the
glare to see the spot. A better method
to see the spot is 10 take an ordinary
pair Of opera glasses and to focus the
light OF the sun passing through them
on a sheet of white paper. BY this
means two images OF the sun are OBJ
tained about an inch or an inch and a
half in diameter and the spot viii be
seen much more clearly than by the
smoked glass as a spot near the rian
OF the circle
sun spots ara not permanent but
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
MUCH STONE
GOING IN BIG DAM
Engineers Hit Upon Plan to
CheapIy Carry Material Co.
ing Into MCCaII's Ferry

YORK. Feb. 1S-That the McCalPs
Ferry Power dam, which is now being
constructed in the Susquehanna River
lat McCalrs Ferry will be everlasting
lin character is the prediction Of the
engineer in charge OF the work.
The construction is now being push
ed rapidly forward. and. notwithstand-
ing the work that is being done on
the Lancaster County side of the river
it is said the construction works from
Frey's Island to the York County side
will be first completed. The total
volume of concrete necessary for the
dam will be 100000 cubic yards. OF
this amount about one-tenth will be
the highest grade Portland cement and
the remainder broken stone.
The engineers have had a problem
to solve in regard to deposting this
great mass of material quickly and
economically To accomplish this a
temporary bridge. built Of concrete
arches, has been erected from the
Lancaster county shore to the island
in midstream. The bridge is fifty feet
wide and Of uniform level. Near each
side OF the bridge a track is laid, and
on these travel two large cranes. each
Of which carries four steel cantilevers
stretching upwards and outwards over
the site Of the dam and lower portion
of the power house.
Between the vertical members OF
the crane and extending the full
length Of the bridge, there are four
railway lines. Trains of bucket cars
filled with concrete or flat cars load
ed with pudding stone ply back and
forth on the bridge. The cranes lift
the buckets and their contents, depos-
iting them at the place required. In
this manner the immense dam is being
rapidly built
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
RICH MARYLANDER
SUES FOR DIVORCE
Charles E. WdrbuTtOn, Of Elk
ton, Says His Wife Persists
in Living Away
LEFT AN ELEGANT HOME

When Clara Thompson. Of West
Philadelphia, was married TO Charles
Il. warburton, of Elkton. Md, Feb
ruary Is, 1904, the wedding attracted
great attention because Of the promi-
nence OF the parties concerned in their
native state. Three short years have
rolled around and now the wife is sum-
moned to court by her husband in a
suit for divorce. The allegation in
the case is abandonment on the part
Of the wife
/. Marshall Haines, representing the
husband, brought suit in the court Of
Cecil County. Nd, on Saturday. It
was alleged that Mrs. Warburton left
her home and her husband in August
last and that she firmly refused to re-
turn.
The Thompsons originally hailed
from Chestertown, Nd, and the love
affair between the young folks was OF
long standing. Miss ThOmpson's fam
lily removed to the city her father,
Joseph w. Thompson, Of 4705 Hazel
avenue, West Philadelphia, becoming
president of the Thompson Coal and
Coke Company.
After the wedding the young couple
went to Elkton, where lay the hus-
bands business interests. Mr.. War
burton began the erection of a hand
some house, probably the finest in
town. During the time occupied in
the construction of the beautiful home
the bride resided at the home Of her
husbands family. 1t was noticed by
the residents that Mrs. Warburton
af.~fN 20 Irars M AZ q
home There was nothing in the
outward conduct of the couple
TO arouse suspicion that all was not
lovely with them.
/ Finally the fine house, costing about
$4,000. was finished and the young
folks moved in. It was a veritable
dovecote, but it seemed to the resi-
dents Of Elkton that love soon took
wings and flew. To the aston
+ ishment OF Elkton's best set, Mrs.
Warburton, after a residence Of not
more than two weeks in the new home
suddenly departed for Philadelphia
where her husbands counsel says she
still resides, and she refuses to 90 ia
her husband The pretty house Is
without q tenant and loves young
dream is shattered.
Charles p. Warburton is one Of the
best-known young men in Cecil county
After graduation at one Of the lead
ling schools he became identified with
his father in many enterprises. He in
herited his fathers aptitude for busi-
mess and became the head Of the Gil
lpin Electric Company.
William Warburton, the father OF
Charles E.. can be termed the leading
citizen Of Elkton. He is a bank pres
ident and is connected with every en-
lterprise Of note in northern Maryland
/ He is prominently Identified with the
politics Of Maryland. He is rated as
very rich. and his son Charles is also
said 10 be well of.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
TELEGRAPH TOLLS
ARE RE-ADJUSTED

Omcials of the Western Union and
Postal Telegraph Companies announce
that the announced increased i'm rates
Is not properly speaking an increase,
but a nlial adjustment Of rates that
have been In operation for the last
fifteen or twenty years.
The public generally VIII be accord
ed the same rates they have had. only
the commercial interests, using what
has been known as exchange rates"
are affected by the adjustment, the
telegraph people say.
For the most part the increases are
at the rate Of % per cent. Only a
short time ago the two telegraph ccm-
panies Increased the wages OF their
employees 10 per cent.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18

are formed and disappear in the course
of few weeks or months. Whils
they last they move from east to west
on the suns APPARENT sphere malkine
a complete rotation in about 25 days
The cause OF these solar spots Is un-
known. but It is known that they are
rather intimately connected with the
magnetic forces Of the earth, since at
has been established as a fact that
when the sun spots are at their maxi
mum intensity there are magnetic d's-
turbances on thee arth more or less
corresponding TO the intensity OF the
spots.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
PROPHETS HAVE AGREED
Weather Man and the Grounding Get
Together.

Since February has already had more
clear days than were recorded during
all Of ulle preceding month, the ques-
tion naturally arises: Isn't the ground
hog making good after all?
OF course some of the days since
February 2 have not exactly confom-
ed to the groundhog's prediction. Some
have been entirely cloudy, some partly
so, and on one or two days at least It
showed, but there have. been other
days when there were neither clouds
nor snow. and which people character
lied as being ideal winter weather. To
be sure the temperaturehas not always
been above freezing and one or two
days IL was rather low, but because
the grounding prophesies good wealth
er IL does not necessarily mean that
the temperature must always resemble
a summer day The grounding does
not profess to make the weather; he
only claims to be able to forecast il.
II. therefore, he comes anything like
being right people ought to be satis-
fed
The first four days OF the month were
cloudy but there is no possible way
by which the first two days can be
charged 20 the account Of the ground
hog, for the reason that he didn't pre-
tend to do any forecasting before the
second day of the month.
1t is a significant fact that both the
grounding and the weather man agree
as TO what the weather will be for
the next few days at least. The
weather man. therefore is simply fol-
lowing the judgment OF tn egroundhog
when he says:
Partly cloudy Monday; Tuesday
cloudy and warmer; diminishing
northwest winds.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
Another Answer.

Some days ago in the city Of Will
mington. a man who had been living
apart from his wife, but not divorced
from her, shot through a glass door
at man whom he charged with
intimacy with his wife missed him,
and was shot dead by the other. The
coroners jury pronounced 1t self de-
tense. Well We should call it man
slaughter. The scoundrel ought to go
to prison for life. He ought to have
fed from the justly exasperated hus-
band like other wicked men flee. So
ciety win not have the seducer of a
mans wife ready to shoot the hus-
band with dignity on equal terms. The
"unwritten law" must be at least Lean
ed to. And a man who monkeys
around another mans wife ought to
run from her husband like a dog shot
at.-Delaware State News.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
POLICE PENSION FUND.

T Is to be hoped that the plan for police
- pension fund in this city will be worked out
successfully. Council probably because of the
stress of other matters has not given the subject
the consideration that it deserves but we have
no doubt that the councmen will heartily favor
the police pension fund system and will do all in
their power TO help along such a worthy project.
Our policemen do not receive high wages They
have little left after their living expenses to pro-
vide for the proverbia rainy day. The police
men, along with others on wages and salaries,
have felt keenly the effect of the increased cost
of living There is in sight no advance in pay.
And unless the Legislature devses some plan for
increasing the revenue of the city or passes a law
to permit the city to extend its system of taxa
ton, it will useless to advocate general increase
in the wages of the policemen The proposed po-
lice pension fund.- therefore, becomes all the more
important
Many of our policemen are dutiful, courageous
and faithful employees of the city. Under the
present police commission regime the position of
policeman is permanent so long as he fulhls his
duties. Therefore he should prepare for the flu
ture and that is the purpose of the police pension
fund Council, we feel sure, will help the move
ment to the extent Of its financial capacity But
either with or without the aid OF Council the
policemen should persist in creating fund.
Contributions regularly received from the force
would form a nucleus and the policemen could
give benefits in sports or at the theatres which
would net them round sum that would swell
the fund Other cities have police pension funds
and we trust that our own patromen and officers
will stir this question until their efforts are
crowned with success
Evening journal., 1907-02-18

Senator Sparks is to entertain his fellow Sena-
tors at banquet this evening at Dover. We
hope that the record Senator Sparks will make
during the next three weeks as a servant of the
people will make his constituents feel like giving
him banquet and reception. SO far we have
not observed any action his part that is likely
to meet with such demonstration in his honor
We fear unless he changes his attitude toward his
constituents and the people of Delaware that he
is NOR likely to be dined and wned at Broad
Street Station Immediately upon the adjourn
ment OF the Legislature.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
EaIIinn Roard Iniurss Man.

While walking past the burned build
ing on Market street, formerly oc-
cupied by Louis Jacoby. Saturday, a
board thrown from an upper floor
struck Harry B. Casey, Of No. IA Wal
nut street. on the head. injuring him
so severely that he was sent to the
Delaware Hospital FOR treatment.
Benjamin ]. Cummins. Of No. 7O1
French street. who was with Casey,
was struck on the arm and slightly
hurt by the same timber
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
Wilmington, February
smokinq and DRINKING by Women.

om1kiNH anu GflNNNN9 hJ HoHINt
Editor The Evening Journal.
Recently the people Of this coun-
try have been treated to articles on
smoking and drinking by women. We
have all read with interest the re-
citation Of facts that cannot be de-
MED. In fact, We have also read arti-
cles by women defending the habit Of
smoking and drinking by women. That
thousands Of women drink and smoke
in public places IS beyond the ques-
tion Of a doubt, and / myself have
witnessed the sight many times. /
have been i'm the best hotels in this
country and perceived fashionably
dressed women drinking the strong
est Of liquors. / have seen them car
ried out I'm an intoxicated state. and
I must say that the sight was an ex-
tremely disgusting one. or course,
there is more or less drinking and
smoking among the women of the
lower class; but they are not the only
ones who have contracted this un-
feminine habit Something ought to
be done to break up the practice, at
least in public.
II these women desire TO smoke and
drink, then let them do so in the pri-
vacy Of their own homes, not in pub
lie places like hotels sand restaurants
of the better class, where their acts
can be witnessed by men and women
Of all degrees Of social standing Their
husbands should make an effort to
break them Of the habit, for they,
think are the only -ones who can do
So 1 deplore this habit among the
gentler SEX and 1 hope in time to see
it broken up.
Respectfully,
u q
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
chance Eor Ereiaht crews.

The p. b. and W. r. r. has institute
ed a change I'm the local freight SER
vice on the Delaware Division. In
stead Of the local freight crew running
through from Delmar to Wilmington
as heretofore. there are now two crews
to do the work. one crew does the
work from Delmar 10 Harrington and
return. daily except sunday while the
other crew runs from Wilmington 10
harrington and return
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
Editorial Opinion
onnosed to Indlees.

No, we wouldn't allow an extra cent
above the lawful salaries, for a cart
load Of new indices in our County
Building. Our county officers are paid
to keep their books which includes Of
course proper indexlng. Whoever
heard of a large account on a business
book without an idex. 1t seems strange
that anybody has the brass statue
cheek to try TO revive this old eX-
ploded form Of graft after al the
curses that have been heaped on it
here in past years. And Legis-
latureman who votes to create another
indexlng job ought to be sprayed with
lime. sulphur and salt by his enraged
oonstituents.-Delawa State News.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
Peoples Column

Anonymous conf funicatIons for the
peoples column VIII not be printed
Names of contributors 70 the column
VIII not be printed, but must be fur
nished The Evening Journal as an evil
dence Of good faith on tho part of the
contributor.
Evening journal., 1907-02-18
Thinks Coroner Erred.

EdltOr The Evening Journal.
In answer to j. P's Bricklayer and
Carpenter Problem / should say that
each carpented received 1880 3O-31 and
each bricklayer sS696 4S-12l.
Yours respectfully,
Jas. Mack.
Wilmington, February 49,