davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
Man and Boy, Who for Forty Days Terrorizsd
the Coast City, Now Safely Behind Bars.
AN EXTRAORDINARY SERIES OF CRIMES
Younger of the Two Desperadoes
Breaks Down and Confesses--T Three
Murders Many Brutal Fioldups. and
+ Decentralization of Police Force Is
Their Record.

San Francisco. - Three separate
murders without shot, knife thrus
or recourse to poison; two brutal as
saults that almost resulted in death;
bold midday bank robbery; at least
three hold-ups; the decentralization ot
a metropolitan police force and the alb
solute terrorism of city Of nearly
4O0.OO0-this stands as the 40 days
record Of a man and boy whom the
local police describe as the most re-
nlarkable brace Of criminals they have
ever placed under lock and key.
The elder is Kanaka, Of a good
family and educated in select school
His name is John Siemsen, and he is
a handsome fellow of muscular as
pect but effeminate manner. The
younger Louis Dabner, is only Is
years old.
When Siemsen was nonchalantly
confessing his crimes, he was inter
rupted in his narrative by the captain
of the detectives.
DIun any OF your victims resist
you, Siemsen? Hadn't you any hesi-
tation in committing these assaults p
The murderer puffed at the cigar he
was smoking and removed it with his
manacled hands. He seemed annoyed
at something the detective had said,
aud thought moment before he re-
piled:
Captain, wish you wouldn't use
that world assault 1t has come to
have an extremely vulgar significance
and object to it. It would be better
TO say when I cyerpowered them"
Dabner Breaks Down.
Dabner's confession was different.
He broke down a few days after he
was captured and If he had not
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
VAST WEALTH or THE SOUTH.
In Natural Resources That Section ls
Supreme.

TO its coal supply, more than twice
as great as the combined coal area
Of Great Britain, Germany and Penn
sylvinia; to its vast stores OF oil and
natural gas as supplementary sources
power Of water powers for utilization
Of power and heat and light the South
adds at least 100000 available horse
power Of water powers for utilization
for electrical transmission. also for
power, heat and light. The develop
ment of this vast water powev poten-
tiality will eventually employ $780,
100000 to $500, 100000 and be equal In
working capacity TO 5000. 900 men. 1t
will make possible construction OF
thousands Of miles Of interurban cleo
tric roads, 1t will furnish cheap power
and light for mines and factories. and
create, as in Switzerland, the highest
forms OF skilled mechanical work in
the mountains OF the South, where
climatic conditions are unsurpassed
by any other section Of the world. In
counting up the riches Of the South al
ways bear IN mlrd It's wealth of ever
running streams. where nature fur.
nishes the power without price except
for the cost Of deveiopment--Manu-
facturers' Record.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
MADE THEM ALL LAUGH.
Book Must Have Been Funny but No
One Knew What Is Was.

It must have been very funnv
storyl The type looked funny from
across the aisle of the car, the pic
lures looked funny, and the young
lady who was reading It doubled up
in fits of stifed laughter every few
minutes. The young man in the seat
with her could not help stealing a
glance at the pages Of the book which
was evidently so funny, but whose
cover was carefully doubled back out
Of sight, and soon he began to laugh
as he unblushingly followed the story
page alter page, shaking with sup
pressed merriment.
The woman In the seat at right an
giles became interested an6 looked
over the girls shoulder Presently
her face broadened into a grin and
soon she was convulsively shaking.
The man in the seat across smiled at
the scene. A boy a few seats down
the aisle grinned alphabetically. A
darky still further down showed all
bis white teeth. The contagion spread
until the car was nearly on the verge
Of mysteries, when the fair reader got
up to leave the train, yet no one but
the girl herself had any idea as to
what the book was.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

sobbed out the terrible story neither,
perhaps, might have hanged, for it
would have been difficult matter to
have forced an admission of any sort
from Siemsen. 1t was the fear of
God and the love Of home which
loosened Dabner's lips. His father
and elder brother came down from the
little country town where only few
months before the boy had been a
high school pupil. Both pleaded with
him to tell the truth. His father
worked on all the religious impulses
of his son, and evoked the picture of
his sorrowing mother. All three wept,
and finally the shaken dupe Of the
elder criminal told the waiting detec-
tiyes everything.
The first the public heard of the
"gas-pipe men," as Siemsen and Dab
ner have been dubbed from the choice
of weapons, was one morning when
the papers reported an unusually brut-
fish and mysterious murder. Johan
Pfitzner, a shoe merchant on McAllis-
ter street, was found in his shop with
the side Of his head battered in. De
spite his awful injuries he fingered
over a day and night, but died before
he could give the police any clew on
which to work. He had evidently been
fitting pair Of shoes to customer
when he was struck down from above
'by some blunt instrument"
In his signed confession Dabner has
this to say Of his first murder:
"On the day of the Pfltzaer murder
Jack Siemsen and / looked in the
showcase Of the store and went down
the street and then came back in the
store. siemsen tried on pair Of
shoes the first time, but complained
they we're too dear, and we walked
out. We walked around the block
and came back. We went in the store
and then ! tried on 3 pair. When be
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

was trying on my snoes Siemsen hit
Pftzner, who fell to the floor. l then
put on my own shoes and held the
door at the same time, while Siemsen
went through him. Siemsen got about
500, which we divided at our house
on Union street. We threw Pftzner's
watch in the water at the foot Of Fill
more street This statement ls made
freely and voluntarily"
Many Suspects Arrested.
But the police did not know all this.
They raked in suspect after suspect,
but had to let them all go, as each
was able to establish an alibi. Then
the fiendlsh crime was repeated.
William Friede, a Market street
clothing merchant, was slain under all
most exactly similar conditions. He
lowered on the border of life for al
most two weeks and was able to MUIR
mur once: "A large man and small
man" before his spirit fiickered out.
Siemsen related this deed as a par
tlcularly good piece of craftsmanship.
It seems that he and Dabner planned
the attempt carefully, and entered the
store when there were few people
about and the danger OF interruption
appeared at minimum. Dabner tried
on coat and vest that he selected,
and Siemsen stood by, ostensibly to
offer his approval. As the merchant
stopped to measure his supposed Gus.
toner for the trousers Siemsen swung
the gas pipe, which he carried wrapped
in piece Of paper, and felled his vic
tim with heayy blow.
Meanwhile an ex-convict was on
trial for crime which Siemsen ana
Dabner had committed--the highway
robbery of DR.. T. B. Leland, former
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
GOOD NEWS FROM AFRICA.
Letter from Missionary Tells of Pow.
er of Gospel to Attract the Negro.

A letter from Rev. w. G. Johnston
OF the American Presbyterian Mis-
sion in Efulen, West Africa, shows
how the gospel attracts the negro:
There were $50 people at Sabbath
school yesterday and over 900 at the
preaching service. There were So In
my class of men, and we have a
young mems class besides. Yester-
day a week ago was our communion
service, and we had an average at
tendance Of 22O at each Of the three
days prepa ory services, and on
the Sabbath there were about $50
people present. Eight persons were
received on profession. There are 72
on the Efulen church roll now, 33
men and 80 women.
There are 242 In the two inquiry
classes and the work is rather en-.
couraging, but I have not been able
to spend the time in the villages that
need to spend there. There are
more than 80 inquirers from villages
ten miles and more from Efulen. and
we have during this year received
into the church six persons living
more than ten miles from Efulen-
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
FLOATING CHURCH.
How the English "Fen" Country ls
Given Religious Privileges.


The scattered parishes of the Eng
lish Fen" country have been spiritu-
ally neglected for many years. The
'Fens" are vast tracts Of low-lying,
marshy land, crossed in every direc-
tion by dykes. sluggish rivers and in
lets Of the sea.
A typical Fen village is the parish
Of Holme, not far from the ancient
cathedral city Of Peterborough. This
is a true bit Of primeval fen-land, ex-
tending over 600 acres of sedge,
heather and bog-myrtle. Scattered
over this wide area live some $50
fenlanders, who have for generations
found the problems of church and
chapel, day school, and Sunday school,
almost insurmountable, says Christian
Herald. During the winter months,
however, the widow of the late ter
ritorial landlord sent a covered wagon
six miles round the Fen to bring the
children into school each day, taking
them home again in the afternoon.
Owing to the peculiar features Of
the country and the scattered popula-
ton it was found impossible to secure
any suitable central point for chapel
or mission room, and a building on
wheels was discussed. AT last the
Rev. George Broke, vicar of the par.
ish, decided upon floating chapel,
which should navigate the intricate
winding waterways Accordingly, on
an ordinary fat-bottomed fen-hghter
some so feet long and IL feet wide,
spacious mission room or chapel
was constructed. 25 feet long, 8 feet
wide and over feet high. Every
inch of space was utilized. At the
far end of the big room are two low
platforms, each three feet wide, and
on the upper one Of these stands the
altar. On the right is small stone
baptismal font, and on the lower plat
form an oak prayer desk and a small
American organ. There is a tiny
pulpit, and in the body of the room
are two low benches for the choir
children, for the congregation about
40 beechwood chairs are provided.
There is no church bell, it has been
found better to use a flag-staif with
special flags. A tiny tug. whose en-
gine is fed with peat, hauls the church
along the sluggish streams: and every
Sunday there are regular services,
besides Sunday school, children's
service, mothers meetings, and the
like. The Wears wife acts as organ
list, and there is a choir of six special
ly trained girls.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
POSTUM CEREAL co. LTD.



We warrant and guarantee that
all packages OF Postum Cereal, Grape
Nuts and Elljah's Mamma hereafter sold
by any jobber or retailer. comply with
the provisions OF the National Pure
Food Law, and are not and shall not
Be adulterated or mIs-branded within
the meaning or said Act of Congress
approved June 50. 1906. and entitled.
AN act for preventing the manuiac-
ture, sale or transportation Of adul-
terated or mis-branded or poisonous or
deleterioua foods, drugs. medicines.
liquors. and for regulating trafic there
IN for other purposes"
POSTUM CEREAL Co, LrD.
G. w. Posr, Chairman,
Battle Creek, Mich.
Dec. IL. 1906.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 18th day OF December, 1906.
BENJAMIN +. REID,
Notary Public.
MY commission expires July /, 1907.
Our goods are pure. they always
have been and always win be. they are
not mis.branded. We have always.
since the beginning Of cur business.
printed 9 truthful statement on ths
packages Of tho ingredients contained
therein and We stand back Of every
package.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
A mans holiness Is to be measured
by the happiness he creates.
Torrey Meetinqs.

Rev. DR.. Reuben A. Torrey, the
famous evangelist, closed a three
weeks revival in Nashville, Tenn, on
November s, and on November IS he
opened a mission in Omaha, Neb.
The reports are that DR.. Torrey's
work in Nashville is resulting in great
good. Much regret is being expressed
all over the country that Charles M.
Alexander, who sings with DR.. Tor
rey, will not be in this country this
winter Owing to Mrs. Alexanders s
illness last summer Mr. Alexander
has had to cancel all evangelistic en-
easements to accompany his wife or.
long sea voyage.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

A new building for the German Ihe-
ological seminary at Bloomfield, N. j..
is about to be erected in memory Of
the late Rev. DR.. Charles E. Knox, for
many years president Of the seminary.
and the pastor Of the First Presby-
terian church Of that town. It Will
cost $4,000. There is only one other
Presbyterian school for training min
listers Of foreign birth In the country.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

l m % l1e r1r With bis 7 rIra
Horribly mangied he started 10 uaa
+ when Datuer quletei him with mI
arm swing ol his iesdea weapon. The
two lhuga then riled the tils and the
+ open safe, taking only the coin and
currency They secured about S2.760
which they stuffed into leather
satehei. Before they had even washed
their hands they drove away. siemsaD
10 take his future wife out for a ride
and Dabner to play with the girls ne.
tle brothers and sisters.
sasaki's Mind Left Blank.
Several persons had seen the twa
robbers come out Of the bank and the
police we're supplied with descriptions
on the strength Of which they arrested
about a score Of innocent men. sas.
ah fought winning fight with death,
but to the detectives who sat by bis
bedside he babbled only two Amerf-
cans" When he finally regained con.
sciousness. after many days, his mind
was wiped bare Of the whole tragedy
-he remembered everything up to the
moment Siemsen entered the bank,
but beyond that his brain could not
travel.
Siemsen and Dabner proceeded to
spend their money, putroubled by re-
morse, doubts or antlcipations. They
were both living with the family of a
German jeweler, to whose daughter
Siemsen was making violent and sue
cessful love. Hulda Won Hofen, stlll a
mere child, was won by expensive
presents Of gems, automobile rides
and everything that her lover could
lavish upon her. Both thugs were well
received In the family, where they ap-
peared only as pleasant young chaps,
each with little more money than
he quite knew what to do with. Hulda
Won Hofen at last succumbed to the
fattering whispers of Siemsen and
they made short nuptial trip to Oak.
land.
About four o'clock on a Saturday
afternoon Siemsen took his wife to a
hairdresser's parlor to get shampoo
and told her he would be back in an
hour. Then he met Dabner, who had
armed himself with a fish plate from
the car track which ran past the Won
Hofen home. They proceeded to the
jewelry store Of Henry A. Bedrend Cd
Steiner street.
The Murderer's Downfall.
This merchant had under his couh
ter revolver, police club and pair
Of handouts. When the two men en-.
tered his suspicious were not aroused,
and he turned away from them to pull
their purchase from shelf. They
struck at him, but the showcase was
SO high that the blow was broken.
Behrend wheeled, snatched his re.
volver and smashed the glass case to
attract attention. Then he closed In
on the robbers. Siemsen seized him
In a muscular grasp and held his head,
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

Bishop CGs9els writes from Pacing,
West China that in his recent visits
to the Church Missionary society sta
tions covering over 1900 miles. he
confirmed nearly 300 converts, dedi-
Gated several churches. and admitted
catechIsts and lay ministers. The
outlook everywhere was encouraging.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

Dr 81. G. Keith. formerly of ST.
Louis. who was struck by lightning
several years ago. went 60 LeadFfis.
Col. for Bis health. and was again hit
By a bolt About III years ago the
doctor, while walking on the street,
was struck by a thunder bolt His
lett side was partially paralyzed He
went to Colorado fof his health and
last spring while on the street he was
again hit by lightning. This second
bolt practically rendered Or. Keith
helpless as far as his left side is con-
cerned.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03
EAcrs AsouT FIauRE M
Professor Of the Occult Has Added >
New Wrinkle.


Mathematlcians have iuggled with
the mystic figures 3, z and . for ages.
and now comes a foreign professor"
Of the occult science to tell fortune
By "the force in a simple numeral"-
the 9. He reminds his victims that II
they multiply any number, short of q
decimal, by the two figures Of the
roduct added together will make 9.
thus: Nine times are IS, and and
/ are 3; 9 times are 27, and and 2
are 8; 3 times are as, and and 4
are 3; times 6 are 54, and 4 and 5
are 9; 3 times are So, and 3 and 6
are 8: times s are 70. and 2 and z
are 8; 3 time 9 are 81, and and are
9. He might have added that any
number In the hundreds Of thousands
multiplied by will give product
the sum of whose digits Is multiple
of 8. Take at random--9 times 545
are 4.9O5. the sum Of which is IS, and
into IS goes 2 times. Take 1883
by equals 66,16S; the sum
OF the digits is 27; into 27 goes
3 times. Oh. there is an immense
amount Of fun in 3.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

The effect of true conservation al.
ways Is to cut cleaner the lines Of
square dealing.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

Gods works are a revelation Of him.
self, as well as his word. Neither
Of them can we fully understand
without the other. We need to make
q study of both.
We learn from Gods works Of crea.
tion something Of his wisdom, power,
goodness, and love. The more we
study them the more we learn 10 love
to wonder, and adore. This wise and
good God Is our father; we look upon
his works and say, my father made
them ALL" We rest In the love 81
the strongest; we trust in the guiding
care Of the wisest-
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-03

Dabner's confession was different.
He broke down a few days after he
was captured and If he had not
The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-10-07
She NEEDS THE Cash
Rumors Heard That Lady
Warwick's Business Ven
lures Have Gone Awry.

London, Oct. IF Lady Warwick
lost as much money in America as has
been reported here the fortunes of the
house are likely to be in a pretty
parlous state. The ex-earl is one of
that section of the British nobility
known as land poor. He and the
countess between them own about 3d.
600 acres. mainly agricultural. and not
productive in the matter of rent.
Warwick castle is an expensive place
to keep up, absorbing a good portion
of their income. Lady Warwick always
has been outspoken about her poverty
and, though it once was strongly re-
marked it did not prevent her going
about in a thousand guinea fur cloak
and wearing handsome jewelry. Her
purchase in those lines are, however,
relatively few and far between.
Gives Little to Socialism.
Her contributions to the socialist
cause, which she has at heart, have
amounted in all to not more than a
few hundred pounds. She undoubtedly
had not the means. Similarly, the
agricultural school she founded in the
neighborhood of Warwick castle, which
was her pet scheme, had to be abandon
ed only a few weeks ago simply be-
cause she could not afford to keep II
going It has been costing her nearly
1000 pounds a year. and this was ar
expenditure which she publicly avowed
neither her husband nor herself coul6
afford to continue.
Fate Like That of Other Women.
A friend who knows both the ear
and countess, and to whom she com
municated the meager details which sc
far have reached London in reference
to Lady Warwick's reported loss, ex-
pressed the opinion that the countess
merely is meeting the fate of mos'
women who engage in business ven
lures on their own initiative. She could
not expect much guidance from hel
husband. who always has been the les:
predominant partner.
The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-10-07
JOHN D. IN new ROLE
Gives Out the Impression as
Being Only Steward of
the Standard.

New York, Oct. John D. Rookie
felIer's private conception of himself
heretofore never allowed to become
public. which is that he is only the
steward of the Standard Oil wealth, re-
sponsible to God alone for his steward
ship was quoted yesterday morning
by the Rev. Robert S. Macarthur, the
rector Of Calvary Baptist church at
sixty-eighth avenue and West Fifty
seventh street, before his regular young
peoples Sunday morning class.
The Rev. Mr.. Macarthur. in the
course Of a defense of Mr.. Rockefeller
and the Standard Oil company. said:
"A few years ago some one asked Mr..
Rockefeller privately why it was, since
he had such a tremendous fortune, and
his tastes were so simple that he could
not retire. Mr.. Rockefeller then made
reply which he did not intend should
be made public and which gives an at
titude of his mind never before APP
preciated by the public.
Heard Mr.. Rockefeller Say 1t.
% I am the trustees of the property OF
Others he said. through the provi-
dence of God. committed to my care
1 am the steward of vast interests be-
orphans and others, who are actually
or relatively poor. For this holding
am responsible to God. Were I to give
up my interest in the Standard Oil
company I would imperil the interests
of these people according to the popular
supposition that my withdrawal would
hurt the companys business. There
fore I feel it my duty to God and to
the people whose money is invested in
my company to continue active In It's
welfare
The Rev Mr.. Macarthur was asked
after his address about the correct
ness of the quotation he had cited He
said that it was absolutely authentic
and he intimated that he himself was
the one who had heard Mr.. Rockefeller
so characterize his position in the
world. In his address, which was upor
The Virtues of the Standard Oil com
pany," DR.. Macarthur had something
to say about the character of Rookie
| Teller.