davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

eastern end of the inclousre in which
McLear had his desk took fire.
Every person within the radius of
the nitroglycerin's force was hurled
fat upon the floor, many beneath
crashing, cutting showers OF heavy
glass from the skylights and parti-
tions, some beneath the desks at
which they had been sitting a second
before.
Not only from the banks quarters,
but from all over the building came
cries of terror and shouts of warning.
Men and women raced out through
both of the big doorways into Fourth
street, some fleeing for blocks in their
fright. Pedestrians stopped in amaze
ment as they heard the great boom"
and saw fugitives with bloody faces
and hands pouring from the building.
In the terrific explosion both Nc
Lear and the bomb-thrower were in
stantly killed. A negro messenger
named William Crump, who was try
ing to eject the stranger, had both his
eyes blown out and was fatally in
iured. A dozen or more employees and
patrons were severely hurt and the
entire first floor of the bank was
wrecked.
The cashiers body was torn limb
from limb Both legs were blown off,
one arm was blown from its shoulder;
half the head was all that remained.
Of the bomb-thrower SO little was
! left that a waste basket contained all
that was later taken to the morgue.
He was literally shattered to atoms.
The only thing that remained intact
about his body or his clothing was a
little brass name plate attached to
bunch of keys, which was found near
a strip of blue cloth that had been
part of his trousers. The words H
Steele, Garner, Ia.," were inscribed
upon the plate. Through this clew il
was discovered that the man was Rob
ert Steele, who had left the Iowa town
six years ago for the east, and had
presumably been living with a wife
and three children somewhere in this
city then. His identity would probably
never have been known for the little
brass plate.
President Rushton, whom the
; stranger had left only half a minute
before throwing the bomb, escaped
serious injuries, but had several small
cuts on his face and hands. First Vic'
President Edward F. Shanbacker
though only few feet away, was un
scathed. Second Vice President B. M
FARES, whose desk is a mere stel
from the cashiers, probably ESCAPED
death only through having been il
and having stayed at home.
The explosions force swept through
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

every department of the bank and
wrought havoc as it went. In the col
lateral department, not far away from
where the bomb was thrown, 100000
worth of valuable securities were
blown from the desks and trays and
were scattered in twisted, torn mass.
Just outside the waiting room,
which is in the same section of the
bank, massive brick fireplace, sur
mounted by large marble clock, was
wiped out of existence, not trace re-
naming Of either timepiece or bricks
Bank Notes Swept Away.
From the decks of the paying teller
and receiving teller the conclusion
and consequent rush of air swept at
least $4,000 in bank notes. The clerks
and officials there, as well as those In
the collateral department, forgot their
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

fered, and went around corner OF
the corridor, waving his hand in the
direction of the cashiers Office, to in
dictate that Crump should conduct the
unwelcome visitor there.
The man was SO big and strong that
he would have been match for the
negro had it come to a physical en-
counter, and probably both Mr.. Rush
ton and Crump unconsciously decided
that the best thing to do was to let
Mr. McLear attend to him. The
Waterman had already taken the Wis
itor towards McLear's Office before
President Rushton's signal.
The cashier was sitting at his desk,
which was behind waist-high coun-
ter and separated from the main cor
ridor of the bank only by law rail-
/ ing. William McLear was big,
hearty, iovial chap, who could handle
any sort of man without giving him
offense, and could get rid of him with
out creating scene.
He was a good fellow with every
body, a handsome, likable man. Every
bank has a man of that type as val
liable business asset, man who rep
resented the institution at conven-
lions, banquets and social affairs, who
4 by his personality secures and holds
the business of the smaller banks in
country towns. That was MeLear's
pla,se here. He had been with the bank
nearly 20 years, had gained for it
much business, and had been pro
NOTED upon his merits from one post
to another until not long ago he be
came cashier when Vice President
Shlnbacker took his present place.
Just exactly what happened the1
may never be known. A business
man who was not far away saw Nc
Lear rise to meet the stranger and 6
, moment later heard the latter's voice
high-pitched and angry. Only tht
} words five thousand dollars" could
be made out. The business man, no
! interested in the talk, turned away.
Crash Heard Blocks Away.
, Then came the ripping, grindin.
, decorating crash. The roar of it wa
: heard six blocks away A great put
of smoke swept upward with the de
J bris and drifted as high as the eight
or top story of the Bullitt building
} Every pane of glass about the banl
! was shattered in twinkling, an
t every piece of brass grill work wa
J bent and twisted and torn.
r A score of desks within radius 9
1 ten yards seemed to leap straight 4
. the air, and then drop back and cras
upon the marble floor. There appeare
t to be a sheet of fame in the immed
8 ate vicinity of the explosion, for som
a of the desks were blackened an
: some curtains and woodwork at tn
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
NEEDED FRESH AIR
cHIvALRous OLD SECRETARY
HAD RECEIVED SHOCK.
Was Not Used to the Presence Of Fem
mime Writers of Anonymous Let
ters-Hence His lnstruc-
tions to Messenger.

A good story is told concerning the
treatment a chivalrous old cabinet Of
ficer from the south, who served in one
Of the Cleveland cabinets, dished out
to writer of anonymous letters. A
few months before this cabinet officer
accepted his portfolio a woman had
been dismissed from his department
for characterization. Not long after
this woman's dismissal woman clerk
in the same division began to receive
shocking series of anonymous let
tiers. The letters we're obviously writ
ten by woman, but the recipient Of
them had no notion as to what woman
could be the author of them. She
finally turned batch of the letters
over to the chief of her division, an
elderly and kindly man of family.
| The courtly old southerner carried the
letters straight to the secretary.
The latter picked up one of the let
tiers and started to read it.
Now, here is an odd thing" he said,
and he touched the bell for his secre-
tary. Bring me-" he said to his Sec
rotary, the letter I received a few
days ago from that woman who was
discharged from the blank division be-
fore l came here and who applied to
me for reinstatement"
The clerk brought the letter his
chief wanted. The secretary compared
it with one of the anonymous letters.
Both were written in an odd back
slanting handwriting, and there could
be no mistake about their being writ
ten by the same hand. The secretary
sent special messenger to the adj
dress of the woman who had applied
to him for reinstatement, and she was
at his Office an hour later. The secre.
ta4y, a cavalier of the old south, rose
from his desk and gravely greeted the
woman when she entered his Office.
Madam" he said, 81 do not know
whether the position you formerly held
here required that you should be q
Judge of different sorts of handwriting
At any rate, should like to ask YOU
opinion of the handwriting of these
two letters" and he handed the woman
her own letter applying for reinstate
ment and the last anonymous letter re
ceived by her victim. The woman tool
the two letters and she saw that she
was in trap.
Since you ask me, Mr.. Secretary,
she replied, undaunted, Il reply tina
these two letters were unquestionabl!
written by the same hand" and sh'
founced out of the Office.
The old secretary sat tilted back il
his chair his head on his bosom, ant
reflected for long while. Then h
touched the button for his negro mes
senger.
Nose he said, when the messen
ger appeared, open all of the wiz
dows," and the negro opened them
looking surprised, for it was midwir
ter and the snow was thick on the ou
side stills. And Nose, start those tw
electric fans a-going.''
whats tn mattuh, subj" inquire
the darkey, a privileged old retainer.
Nothing, Nose, nothing" reptile
the secretary, thoughtfully, ''exceI
that something unfragrant was just
here, and I want to fumigate and di
pei the memory of it."
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

injuries, heroicaIty, gnd went to work
at once to rescue the money and Sc
eurities. 1t was reported that two
certified checks-one for 100000 and
the other for a still larger surn-were
missing It was not known whether
they were destroyed, blown out of the
building, or stolen in the excitement.
So terrific was the force Of the ex-
plosion that the dead cashiers watch,
heavy, gold hunting-case timepiece,
was bent from its fiat shape into the
form Of horseshoe. A fat, mashed
piece of gold found upon the floor
near where the bomb was thrown was
identified as a ring he had worn.
Whole Building Shaken.
AS high up as the fifth floor OF the
building a desk in an Office directly
over the bank was completely upset
and the employees panic-stricken. A
medley of bells sounded all through
the building as telephone bells in each
Office began to tinkle under the VlDra'
ton of the building and chimes sound
| ed on every side. The news stand IN
front of the bank was mixed up as
badly as though it had been turned
upside down. Papers, books and mag
azines were scattered everywhere.
It was an hour before anything Ike
order was restored. Some of the bank
officials and clerks actually did not
know they were injured until friends
or strangers pointed out their wounds.
The banks telephone system was
thrown out of order by the explosion
and the attaches ran all aver the
| neighborhood, bloody and disarrayed'
seeking phones over which they could
let their families know that they were
safe.
Eugene McIlhone, secretary to the
second vice president, who was caught
almost in the center Of the explosion
radius, recovered consciousness before
aid reached him, and then walked
about for five minutes, dazed and help
less, before he discovered that the In
dex finger of his right hand had been
blown completely off.
Crowds numbering thousands gath
cred in Fourth stSeet, in front Of the
building; in Harmony street, to the
south of it, and in Orianna street, up
on which the rear windows face
Along both these latter streets ghast
ly relics abounded. In Orianna street
, were fragments Of glass and wood tt
which particles of flesh adhered. Har
mony street was Uttered from curb tt
curb with glass and wood, with here
, and there a bit of brass from th'
grillwork. Some of the ultra-morbit
took away in their pockets some Bit
of the debris as souvenirs.
, All afternoon and evening the Bul
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

Philadelphia.-It was just 11:4O
o'clock, 20 minutes before closing time
ut the Fourth National bank on the
morning of January 5, when tall,
dark, unkempt stranger entered the
bank corridor from the north corridor
of the Bullitt building. Patrons OF
the bank-not many in number, for
tunately-were passing in and out to
make deposits or drafts before noon.
The clerks and tellers were busy to-
falling UP their sheets for the day. The
officers were hurrying to wind up their
business. Scarcely anyone noticed
the newcomer.
He had on dark blue suit of cloth
ing. those WHO saw him remember,
ragged and shiny from age. He wore
q black SLOUGH hat. He peered around,
hesitatingly, ana then caught sight Of
President Rushton standing near one
OF the vaults, which were soon to be
closed. He must have known Mr.,
Rushton, for ne did not ask anyone for
the president, but approached him and
spoke to him Immediately.
"My name is G. E. Williams" he
said, ''and live in the suburbs OF
Philadelphia. / want to know If you
can let me have loan Of $4,000"
Mr.. Rushton saw that the man was
some sort of crank, and to get rid Of
him, asked that he name his securi-
ties. which the president would con-
slider before making the loan. At the
same time, Mr. Rushton signalled to
Crumn, the Waterman, a splendidly
built big negro, who wore gray uni
form and to the banks patrons, was
one Of the most familiar figures about
the place.
AS the Waterman responded, Mr..
Rushton whispered: Get rid of this
fellow, won't you, Bob" addressing
the colored man by the nickname
which the financial men of the. dis
trict long ago applied to him. But the
intruder pressed up close to the presi
dent again before Crump could reach
him.
Insurance Policy as Security.
''My securities-why, I've got life
insurance policy that runs out in five
years, said the stranger. His manner
was hesitating and he stammeret
slightly. "I'll show you some pictures
that are worth a lot of money, too"
And he drew from his pocket two
photographs, dirty and torn. One Wa'
Of a woman, the other little girl. ]
Is supposed that they were pictures
of his wife and daughter. The banke1
woi,Id not take them in his hand ant
scarcely more than glanced at them
They could not be found later.
BY now Mr. Rushton was sure tina
the man had no legitimate bushes
with him, so he excused himself on
plea of considering the security OF
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
LIKE THE ATTEMPT ON
LIFE OF RUSSELL SAGE.
story Of Man Who Demanded $4,000
and Was Killed by His Own Bomb.

There is a striking similarity be-
tween the Philadelphia affair and the
attempt of Henry L. Norcross to kill
Russell Sage in his New York Office
is years ago. Norcross threw bomb
n Mr.. Sage. The explosion killed
himself and a clerk named Benjamin
2. Norton, seriously injuring Mr..
Sage Frank Robertson and William +.
T.aidlaw, slightly wounded other per-
sons and demolished the office.
Norcross was a note broker, with an
once in Pearl street, Boston. He
conceived the idea Of getting money
from Mr.. Sage by threatening his life,
ana hi pursuance of his plan manufac-
tured d destructive bomb in his office.
The bomb he placed in q. satchel and
then started for New York.
on December 4, 1891, Norcross
walked into Mr.. sage's Office, at No
III Broadway. carrying the satchel
Handing the clerk a card inscribed
m. D. wilson,. he asked that Mr.
Sage .be notified.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09


Should fail and miscarry-'tis strange to
see
Times vista illumine the parts we
Played
How the roles have altered, the changes
Quite other from what we had hoped 1t
to be-
'Tis a queer old, funny old world!
When hope has vanished and pleasure is
gone!
IT'S dreary old world when the skies
when the Il heartbeats are ticking the end
of the day
The summons that beckons from earth
life away,
And world values perish. its gIories de-
cay
Tis a weary old, dreary old world!
sarah Palmer Byrses. in Boston Tran
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
ReUeriie.

IT'S merry old world when the heart is
young.
When happiness beckons and hope lures
on,
When the moonlight entices and songs
are sung;
Eyes shining with laughter, and every
tongue
Fun of promise and faith in the things
to be-
IT'S merry old, jolly old world!
IT'S busy old world when tn, seasons
tide
Is rushing us on in the high neon glow,
And strength and power and naanhoods
pride
stem the forces Of nature, and side by
Goes the struggls Of living. Of riches. and
need
IT'S hard old. busy old worlds
'Tis funny old world that ths plans ",
said
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
M RNMo:'

lit building was visited by the
crowds. At night the police were still
in charge of the bank. The officials
were there, too, going over accounts
to see that the money and securities
were intact. Outside of the two certt
fed checks reported missing, it was
said, unofficially, that everything had
been found.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

Mr.. Sage sent back word that he
had some important appointments,
but would see Mr.. Wilson later. Nor
cross instructed the clerk to tell Mr..
Sage he had a letter to him from Mr..
Rockefeller and would take but mo-
ment OF his time. Upon receipt of this
information Mr.. Sage stepped into the
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
AnqIicized French.

For two centuries we have been
crying "Encore!" at the end of song.
where a Frenchman never says it, hts
own equivalent for it, strangely, being
the Latin "Bis!" And ION the tapis"
appears in English rar more often
than in French, and misunderstood at
that, since it does not mean ION the
carpet" but on the table-cloth of the
council table for discussion.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

reception room where Norcross was
sitting. Just at that moment Laidlaw
and Mr.. James entered the reception
room and passed into the interior Of
fee. Norcross approached the old
financier and handed him a neatly
folded note. Mr.. Sage opened it and
read:
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
Peculiar connomens.

By naming his ten children after
as many states, a South Carolina val
ley farmer has proved his patriotism.
His six daughters are named Caro-
lima, Virginia. Georgia, Florida, Jer-
sey and Idaho, while the boys are
known as Texas. Tennessee, Ohio and
Missouri
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
Milkia zinc Amateur Manician-

John E. Wilkie, chief of the secret
service and formerly a newspaper man
in Chicago, is one of the best amateur
magicians in the country. He ger,
forms wonders with deck of cards.
and his sleight-of-hand maneuvers with
coins, handkerchiefs and other objects
are source of constant wonder to his
friends.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

at times dizzy spells when eVerytnlhs
was a blur before me. The passages
of the kidney secretions were irregn-
lar and painful, and there was con.
siderable sediment and odor. | don't
know what 1 would have done Dut
for Doan's Kidney Pills. could see
an improvement from the nrst poA'
and five boxes brought final cure.
Sold by all dealers. so cents oo1"
Foster-Milburn Co.. Buffalo, N. 4.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09

was SO "SA
ened and gener-
ally run down
with kidney dis
ease that for a
long time I could
not do my work
and was Ave
weeks in bed.
There was con-
tinual bearing
down pain, ter
rible backaches.
headaches a n d
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-02-09
TERRIBLE TO RECALL.
Five Weeks In Bed With Intensely
Painful Kidney Trouble.

Mrs. Mary Wagner, OF 1867 Kossutn
avenue, Bridgeport, Conn, says: I
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-12-07
HER COSTUMES ARE HELD
New Orleans Woman Victim of For
eign Citizen" Ruling.

New York. Miss Florence Todd,
daughter of Waldo Todd a New Or
leans hotel proprietor and apupil OF
Jean De Reszlie, is sorry that the local
customhcuse officials have suddenly
decided to find out just how much prop
erty a "foreign citizen can bring into
this port duty free. The reason for
Miss Todd's sorrow Is that she is "the
foreign citizen who is being made the
principal in a test case, The custom
house definition of a foreign citizen is
any person who has been away from
America for two years or more, Miss
Todd has been studying abroad for
three years.
Returning to America on the French
line steamer La Provence, Miss Todd
brought seven trunks with her They
we're examined and held up, the Gus
toms officials estimating that costumes
they held are worth at least $4,000.
Should full duty, at so per cent, be
assessed, it will cost Miss Todd $1,000
to release her wardrobe.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-12-07
MAKES REPORT ON PEONAGE
Says Laws of the States Need to Be
Revised.

yIr.l.i.,.-.-, r, ,-..,l,t ~ tLo ot.
'''l'" 'o,-' -
W. 'l'! 49,, , ~ '''',,7 ,,,, m t.sistant
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9'IoiiE io,o''i','ol-,'''''T,- ,' - ',l', - ~
i0'"'i''9 " -, - ~ 1a,,ht os
.l"n'le' il. 49, 80 s,inaoi,,,ta,,, soryi.
W w. s. 80 49,, s,.., ,,anoi, Iro also
'uuo' 90 ,,..s.,as ',Ns - ~. ~ ctata la,r.
'Ug so9'' 1''''' I : ~ il - ,I P,,ss1 u,b,t
~ ,.l.,5 - not1a .oIt 9Jc i,.a,ast arJ ,bo da.
al ol',- t - 80. ,,',,,, ~, a l,'' a,,,. , tbo
ino"u lo' e. "oo ". ';', ;1,,.t,,i.. anJ +bo in.
ga p"Il,IoD ,',," ~ ,.i,I load 70 tho
''o''G''0'l " -, - -. G. i,,,s
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-12-07
CHRISTMAS OUT OF A JOB
And Refused Employment in Cen
tral America.

New Orleans.-Advices today from
Central America state that Lee Christ
mas from Memphis, Tenn, who is per-
haps the best known revolutionist and
soldier of fortune in Central America,
is in hard lines and out of a job He
applied to nearly every business house
in Belize for work, and was refused in
each case.
Christmas is a remarkable soldier of
fortune. He was at one time an en-
gineer on the Illinois Central railroad,
and was discharged because OF color
blindness. He came to New Orleans,
and being unsuccessful in securing
work, he went to the river TO commit
suicide. When he arrived at the wharf
he found a ship about to sail for Gem
tral America and changed his mind
about Jumping into the river. He
worked his way down on the vessel,
and upon his arrival in Honduras en-
listed in the revolutionary army and
was promoted to a gereralship. He
was afterwards commander Of the gov
ernment troops in Honduras, President
Bonilla's confidential adviser and man
ager of a railroad,