davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

Russian general to report himself to the
minister of war on returning from foreign
service, but when Gen. Stoessel presented
himself at the ministry to discharge his
duty he was not admitted and soon after
ward received a written communication
that the minister did not desire to see him.
When he went to call on old comrades with
whom he had been on terms Of intimate
friendship before and during the war they
frequently were mot at home" When he
went to the theater the persons sitting
round him made critical and insulting re-
marks about his generalship in voices in
tended to reach his ears.
When the general ventured out into the
streets for a walk he was often recognized
Russians, who overwhelmed him with
curses and showered insults on him with
astonishing vehemence. On one or two oc-
casions he was still more seriously molested
by patriotic street mobs, when men and
women alike attempted to tear the clothes
from his back. At another time party OF
women and girls spat in his face, cursng
him as q cowardly traitor to Russia. When
Gen. Stoessel applied for permission to leave
st. Petersburg in order to seek refuge from
persecution in some secluded part of the
empire the authorities refused to allow him
to depart on the ground that he was sus-
pected of q desire to support the revolution
airy movement.
Finally. after q long period Of tribulation,
q C0urt-marttaI met TO Try zen. StOeSSei on
the charges formulated against him in con-
nection with the defense OF Port Arthur.
Gen. Floug, another high officer who took q
prominent part in the Manchurian cam
paign presided over the court-martial and
leading lawyer named Maximow was
permitted to act as counsel for the defense.
The proceedings Of the court-martial were
conducted in an extremely unsatisfactory
manner, for the military Judges followed
no particular rules of procedure and &C
cepted or rejected evidence according to
their own personal whims. Evidence prof.
fered by Gen. Stoessel to prove his inno-
cence was rejected, while witnesses who
testified against him were allowed to dis
course on their impressions for hours to-
gether. The whole course of the proceed
ings of the court-martial led impartial OBJ
servers to the conclusion that 1t was cut
and dried beforehand.
I Yet this military tribunal. despite It's IN
judicial character, was not able to find Gen.
Stoessel guilty of the charges leveled
against him, and shuff1ed out OF the con-
troyersary by administering reprimand to
the accused man. This course ruined Stoes-
sci without exposing his military judges to
any disagreeable consequences for causing
a miscarriage OF justice Gen. StOessel left
1.-THE court, not indeed branded as coward
and traitor, but still with suf1cient stain
on his character to render him an outcast
from his own class of society forever and
ever.
shortly after the trial . pamphlet was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

German officers from Kiaochao came on
board and were first cabin passengers
far as Hamburg. The Russian officers
practically boycotted the unfortunate Stoes-
sci, and the German officers, following their
example, Stunned him oStentatiously at all
times and at all places.
The officers, both Russian and German,
refused to sit at the same table with Stoes-
sci and demonstratvely turned their backs
to him when he happened to be in their
vicinity. When he made his mornings prom
enade on deck the others made no attempt
to conceal their desire to avoid that part
of the ship on which he was taking his ex-
ercise. This condition of affairs was fnde-
scribably humiliating for man who had
commanded a great fortress In a great war
and who Immediately after the capture of
Port Arthur, had received the highest dec
Grafton which the German emperor has
power to confer. Nine. Stoessel, who ac-
companied her husband home from the war
was overwh elmed with shame and chagrin
at this treatment and suffered a nervous
prostration which threatened to have seri-
Gus consequences. For a time she and her
husband left their cabin as little as posi-.
BILE In order to avoid being Stunned and
boycotted by their fellow passengers
After the long. weary voyage had termi-
mated General Stoessel met with the same
hostile reception on landing once more in
his native country. A successful general re-
turning from a campaign in which he has
gained honor is usually received with pub
lie marks of appreciation, but General Stoes-
sci came ashore without even those marks
of respect being manifested which 1t is Gus
tomary to show a high officer on his return
from foreign service. Dressed in SLOUGH
hat. gray suit and long, shabby overcoat
instead of his brilliant military uniform,
the hero came ashore. carrying his own bag
and supported only by his trembling Wife
He seemed DESTROYS to avoid publicity, for
he anticipated and dreaded an openly hos
.;rz t. fAyI4
But his efforts to escape notice were I'M
successful. and when he had been perceived
by the crowd many bitter cries were raised,
such as There goes the traitorn' "The
traitor has dared to landv' Death to all
traitorsr' and other cruel insults of the
same character.
During the terrible period when he COM
manded the garrison of Port Arthur and
directed with skill and bravery the defense
Of that fortress, when day after day he
faced death and saw starvation staring him
in the face. General Stoessel used to en-
courage himself and to strengthen his own
resolve by picturing ths triumphs which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

pound and 1O3 packages is so small that
the merest pinch of seed out of each packet
will make 1t up. This seems small mat
ter but when seed is handled by the hun
dreds of tons 1t makes difference Of thou
was absolutely impossible to regulate this
to a nicely when filling the packets by
hand but with the machines 1t can be
controlled down to one envelope in a pound
Of seed. Therefore strict supervision Is
kept over the contractor, for with the seed.
the labor and all other factors considered
it would be possible by very small varia
ton for him to almost double the profits on
his contract.
The saving to the department of the flll-
ing machines Is to be measured by the fact
that during the busy season the warehouse
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

would fall to his lot If he succeeded in
making an honorable fight for the good
name Of Russia. The japanese acknowl-
edged that he had made such a fight, and
impartial observers of the struggle were of
the same opinion, yet his own countrymen
regarded him as a coward and a traitor and
treated him accordingly.
Consequently, instead of re-entering Rus
STA in that ceremonial style suitable for a
hero coming back from the wars, Gen.
Stoessel crept into his native land like
criminal being hunted down by the police.
At the first sound of the hostile cries on
the quay he fastened to seclude himself
and his wife in closed cab and drove thus
to the dwelling of near relative. Here
he found welcome and shelter, but his
stay in St. Petersburg became a more Sc
we're test of his manhood and courage than
all the dangers of Port Arthur had been
during the war.
1t is customary for Russians of rank who
return home from foreign service to be re-
ceived by the czar. who then listens from
their own lips to report Of their official
activity! Gen. Stoessel was not summoned
to the imperial presence. and when, after
an interval Of waiting, he applied for an
audience with the car, he was curtly in-
formed by the communication of a subordi-
nate court Official that his petition could
not, be granted. 1t u also customary for Q
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

The Department Of Agriculture has in the
past few years managed to save about
$4,000 annually out of the appropriation
for seed by doing the packing by machinery
and saving the profit formerly paid the con-
tractor. This money had been used in the
purchase Of rare and valuable seeds, and
they have been sent out to special expert
mentors In limited way. It was in this
way that the durum wheat was established
as a practicable crop in this country and
the crop last year was 100000 bushels,
all of it representing new wheat land. be-
cause the durum wheat would not grow
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

~ EOPLE who do not know how many
100000 OF anything really Is
need not try counting it up on
their fingers before they read this
story, because they would be gray
headed before they finished. But that Is
the number of packets of seed that the
government puts up every year for distri-
button by senator's and representatives to
their constituents. The packing and mail
ing of this number of seed packets annu-
ally used to be huge job 1t is now, but
il has been reduced considerably by the
aid of machinery. 1t was formerly done
by contractors away from the strict super
vision of the government and there was
chance for immense graft in it. But the
matter is so handled now that there is
scant room for irregularity, and while the
packing of the seed is stilf done by con-
tract, it is done right here in the Depart
ment of Agriculture and under close gov
ernment supervision.
The work is all under the bureau of plant
industry OF which DR. B. r Galloway is
the head and the man who is closest to
the actual work of packing is l.. Z. w.
Tracy, whose office is in the big brick
building at the corner of 14th and streets
southwest, just opposite the bureau of en-
craving and printing and on the other cor
ner from the bureau of chemistry made ia
nous by DR.. II. w. Wiley and his pure
food crusade. This is the seed warehouse,
but the packing establishment is now in
new quarters down on 18th street south
west. just below Il street and that is where
the machines have been installed that do
the work formerly done by over 100 girls.
The seed-packing plant is still a busy
place and there is a large number of en-
ployes. But, like everything else in Ameri-
life. 1t has now been reduced to
science. and one machine does better than
half dozen women used 10 do before.
+
1t would be a tedious process to tell all
the formalities gone through with and all
the precautions taken before the seeds
bought in the open market are brought to
the seed house. There are tests for germi-
mating power, the samples tested for
dirt and adulteration, and if after the seed
are sent out II is found that they do not
come up to sample no further dealings are
had with the same seed contractors next
year.
The part where saving can be made in
packing and distribution of seed is in the
introduction of machinery to do the work
that was formerly done by hand. There
are on an average 100000 packets of seed
to be put up Each one of these packets
in q little envelope about two inches by
three inches in size. Formerly there was
an immense number of girls employed who
filled these packets with a little hand
measure very much like the measure used
in filling cartridge shells with powder and
shot
But this work is now all done by ma
chtnery. One girl operates a machine,
which is connected with a big hopper
holding a given sort of seed. The franked
envelopes in which the seeds ought to go
are packed in trough on side of
the machine. They are run under the seed
hopper one at time and an ingenious
device like a pair of fingers drops downs
and opens the envelope Inside of the hop
per a series of little measures is revolved
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

difficulty proposed this year that is likely to
be adopted. as it will cost no more and will
be even more advantageous to the legisla-
priation for seeds applicable to rare and
ueseful varieties and to distribute these
alone. leaving the distribution of lettuce
and cabbage seed and common flowers to
the seed men who make a regular business
of it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

published in st. Petersburg giving sensa-
tional account of the systematic persecu-
ton of Gen. Stoessel. The author. who
signed his full name to his statement of the
case declared that Gen. Stoessel's humil-
fating downfall was primarily due to
personal quarrel with Peter Dournovo, for
merly minister of the interior and the most
powerful man in all Russia. Dournoyo pos
sessed immense influence and far-reaching
connections. According to this pamphlet,
which was entitled "A Terrible Judicial Err
cpiracy against Gen. Stoessel, first of all
instigating various creatures of his corrupt
system of rule to bring charges against the
defender of Port Arthur and then instruct
ing his reptile press to disseminate the ac-
cusations to all ends of the earth.
This version of the affair was described
in full detail with many apparently con-
elusive proofs and great show of justifica-
ton. After the publication Of this pamphlet
Gen Stoessel challenged Dournovo to
duel, thereby indicating that he himself re-
garded the story OF Dournovo's machina-
tons against him as accurate and well
founded Gen. Stoesseis seconds called
upon Dournovo to fight duel to the death.
the technical condition being pistols at fif-
Dournovo declined to accept the challenge
on the ground that a chiyalrous code OF
honor did not compel him to. fight duel
with an officer whose reputation had been
stained by the official decision Of court
martial -.-.-.
Gen. Stoessel afterward renewed his ap-
plications for permission to leave St Peters
burg, but the authorities obstinateIy re-
fused to allow him to settle In any other
part of European Russia. Finally, how
ever, he received definite orders to with
draw to Loulnov. a small town In a south
ern Caucasian province on the shores of the
Black sea. This town was center of po-
litical and racial upheavals and Gen Stoes-
sell in proceeding there, seemed likely either
to be massacred by barbarians. Tartars or
fanatical Mahometans or to fall a victim to
the deadly climate of the place in which
strangers could hardly hope to live.
He is still in exile in this place, living on
a miserable pittance from the Russian gov
eminent hardly enabling him to keep body
and soul together. His brave wife, the
companion of his strenuous campaign in the
far east. holds out unfnohingly against
all the dangers of their Caucasian home.
Gen. Stoesse although still in the prime
of life, Is a broken-down man. His hair
has turned gray. his face is furrowed with
lines OF care and his shoulders are bent
with the stoop of detection. He sees no
prospect of ever being able to prove his
innocence. and he Is intensely unhappy.
Nevertheless. he Is convinced that when the
history OF the defense of Port Arthur comes
to be written in full It will be seen that he
did his duty as q man and as a soldier.
] SERIOUS VOLKHOVSKY.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

by machinery and each one comes up
filled with seed and carefully leveled on
on top by a rubber scraper. The measure
of seed is dumped into the packet and the
envelope is snatched out of it's holder,
pasted and sealed up and dropped into
tray, whence it slides off into an immense
bin. whose opening is on the lower floor
of the warehouse. At the bottom of this
bin sits rows of girls and in front of
them moves an endless belt. The packets
of seed which are falling from the floor
above are pulled out onto this belt, and as
they pass around the line they are dropped
one at time into larger envelopes. Five
of the little packets go into big envelope,
and this envelope is taken by the end girl
in the line and stitched with wire before
being dumped into a mailing sack. These
sacks, when they are filled with seed pack
ages, are piled up in one corner of the
warehouse and are sent out to congress
sional constituents ali over the country.
k*
Formerly these big packages were sealed
up, but 1t was found that under the pressure
of the mailing sacks the mucilage oozed out
and many of the packages stuck together.
Therefore, the scheme of wire stitching
was tried and 1t has worked very satsfac-
torily.
A machine has been devised, however, by
Mr.. Tracey of the seed division which will
seal up the packages without any chance
of their sticking together in mailing sacks.
The department did not take the precau-
ton of patenting this device, and the re-
suit has been that the seed contractor did
patent 1t and now the machine is a private
monopoly. Its advantage is that 1t only
uses four cents worth Of gum, where the
stitching machine uses dollars worth of
wire. When all of the stitching machines
are in commission they up about five
miles of wire day. So 1t can be seen that
this is quite an item.
There have been number Of other i'm
provements made by the department in the
mechanical detail of seed mailing. One Of
them has been to put Sunken tray under
the bottom of the seei envelope bin and
this catches all of the waste. so that at
the end of the season about 95 per cent OF
these waste seeds are saved and out Of
the 81, 100000 packages, amounting alto
gether to $50 tons. there were last year only
six bags of mixed seed. most of which
could be sorted out and used. This has
made another saving also in the number Of
girls employed in sorting out the seed
packets which had slipped out of the bins
and gotten mixed up before going on the
girls were employed in this sorting work
all the time. whereas now one girl Is en-
ployed about half the time on the same
job.
4
There is another machine which has been
designed by Mr.. Tracey and patented by
the Department of Agriculture, which prob
ably will take the place of the complicated
seed-mailing machine now in use. It Is a
very simple little device and requires three
girls to attend to 1t against one girl who
now operates the bag filling machine, but
the three girls and the machine do not
take up any more floor space than the
present complicated device. and they can
prepare 10000 packets of seed per day
against 25.O0O which now put up by the
one-gir machine
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27
PORT ARTHUR'S DEFENDER
NOW LIVING IN EXILE

Copyright in the United States and Great Britain
by Curtis Brown All rights strictly reseryed)
ST. PETERSBURG, January -. 1897.
~ UTE recently a report was cir
culated in St. Petersburg that
Gen. Stoessel. who achieved
world wide fame by his defense
of Port Arthur against the Japa-
nese mad been obliged by necessity to seek
financial aid from well-known benevolent
organization which is indirectly connected
with the Russian army. Confirmation or
denial OF this report was refused at the
office OF the institution in question. Its
truth is considered highly probable. how
ever by those who know into what desper-
ate straits Stoessel has fallen of late, and
whose deeds once seemed likely 10 he re-
membered with gratitude by his countrymen
as long the record of them survived.
AS readers will remember. assertions
were made soon after the fall of Port Ar
thur that its defense had not been con-
Quoted in an efficient manner and that Gen.
Stoessel had committed a number of grave
tndiscretions and mistakes in the course of
his contest with the japanese. These ac-
cusations' were supplemented by far more
terrible accusations OF cowardice and
treachery. Stoessel was accused OF handing
over the fortress to the Japanese in spite
of the fact that he still possessed sufficient
troops, stores and ammunition to hold out
for further period OF many months. Both
Gen. StOeSSei ana tnOSe OF MS ITlenOS VINO
were i'll the far east when these accusa-
tions were first made telegraphed indig-
nant denials of all the charges, but the
statements once spread could not easily be
suppressed. Consequently the soldier. in
stead OF carrying out his dosire OF re-
naming in the far east, resolved TO return
10 Russia in order to face his aCcusers and
u repudate the charges leveled against
him
From that moment until now the de-
fender of Port Arthur has experienced
nothing but a succession of insults and
humiliations. He returned from the far
east on board steamship of one of the
German lines and his unpleasant expert
ences began during the voyage back to
Europe. His fellow passengers included a
number of Russian officers who had been
invaded home from the war who were
returning TO Europe after having been re-
leased from captivity in japan on that
word OF honor not to take any more part
In the hostilities. At Shanghai a number Of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

,EOPLE who do not know how many
81 100000 of anything really Is
need not try counting it up on
their fingers before they read this
story, because they would be gray
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

Copyright in the United States and Great Britain
by Curtis Brown. All rights strictly reseryedD
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-03-07
Y. NJ. C. A. CONFERENCE

In response to the call made by Mr. W.
l.. Bfannan, State Corresponding Secre-
tary Y. Nj. Z. A.. for an open conference
relative to building and association in
fredericksburg, Il number of the city
ministers and laymen met at the MethO-
dist church Tuesday night.
After opening with prayer by Rev.
Decatur Edwards, Mr.. Brannan stated
briefly the object OF the meeting. Ad-
dresses We're made by Revs. X. A. VIII
liams, John X. Rosebro, j. II. Light, De-
catur Edwards and Ii. II. Henderllte,
Col. Z. d. Cole, Messrs. s. W. Somervllle,
P.V. d. Conway, j. W. Adams, Law
erence Perry aud Others.
The needs for Y. NJ. c. A. building
and association for the men, the cost
and maintenance of same we're discussed.
Great interest was manifested by all
Dresant. aud the cOncensus oil opinion
was that the citizens generally are
awake TO the movement and ready to
respond To the call, when made, with
their money, time and prayers and lend
a helping hand in every way possible To
aid in carrying out plans.
On motion the secretary was instruct
ed 10 communicate with the State Gen
era Secretary, Mr. l.. A. Coulter, aud
fix a date with him To meet our peo-
pie in general conference in the near
failure to further perfect plans.
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-03-07

The News-No Pure Drug Cough Cure
Laws would be- needed, il all Cough
Cures We're like DR.. Shops Cough Cure
is-and has been for 20 years The
National Law now requires that if any
poi-uns enter into a cough mixture.
10 must be- printed ON the label or pack
age
For this reason mothers aud Others.
should insist un having d.. ShOop's
Cough Cure 40 poison-marks ON DR.
Shops labels, aud none in the medicine.
else ii must by law be- ou the label. Aud
it's not only safe, but 10 il said 10 be by
those that know 10 best. "a truly re-.
markable cough remedy. Take 20
chance, particularly with your children.
Insist on having DR.. Shoop'- Cough Cure
Compare carefully The Dr. SlOop pack
age with others aud see. 40 poison
marks there lou eau always be- on the
safe side hy demanding Or. Shoops
Cough Cure Simply refuse 10 accept
any other Sold by Goolrick's Modern
Pharmacy.