davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
HER $40 ROLLS into
CRACK IN BOARDWALK
Crowd Helps Weeping Girl
Hunt for WherewithaI for,
Weeks Stay.

Atlantic City, Aug. 26.-When Miss
Bessie Winton, a Lebanon girl. dropped
a coin on the boardwalk, and started
a lively chase as it rolled toward a
wide crack, the crowd in the vicinity
halted its promenade and showed an
amused interest in the proceedings.
When Miss Bessie failed to catch the
coin and saw it roll into the gaping
crack the crowd became a little more
interested, but, supposing that it was
a penny or, at the most, a quarter.
was preparing to move on with its
stroll.
Then the pretty girl broke into tears.
which got her more attention, and as q
finale she sobbed out that the lost coin
was a $50 gold piece, sole foundation
for another weeks stay. The interest
men and women down boardwalk steps
to the beach and on a wild hunt for
the missing twenty.
The crowd hunted while the girl
hunted and wept. but, unless some
youngster or hard-hearted grown up
managed to slip the double eagle away
during the excitement of the hunt, II
is still lying in the soft sand.
An hour was consumed in the
search, but 80 far as is known, nobody
located the missing coin. The girl was
still in tears when she was at last
compelled to quit the search, but she
Indignantly, refused offers Of loans
made by sympathetic persons.
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

ing party have talked. For 1t is told
that on the road to the hanging Hig-
gins though white with fear said not
word. Apparently realizing the hope
lessness Of his situation, he waited
calmly for his fate. r.. ..
The crowd carried a rope three
fourths Of an inch in thickness. Ar
rived at the bridge the moose was
thrown over his head and he was put
up, to jump off or be thrown over.
The bridge is about eighteen feet above
the water at this point. Just as he was
ready, some one fired at the man, clip
ping off two fingers. Another gun
cracked, and the prisoner. apparently
preferrjng hanging to be shot to death,
leaped over the edge of the bridge.
AS he fell, the small rope cut sharply
through his flesh. opening a cash from
ear to ear from which blood spurted all
over his body. AS he swung there,
bleeding and writhing, his shoes only
two feet above the water. a half dozen
others fired at the man. In a few min
utes the crowd vanished into the corn
fields and then little later the spec
tators arrived.
Undertaken william Beckenhauer and
DIR. Allen came out from Bancroft a
half hour later and took the body to the
former place, where IL awaited an in
quest under Coroner Wells. OF West
Point. .r ""
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
LONELY FARMER
GETS $25 BRIDE
Friend Acts as Agent and Wed
ding Is Celebrated on Fifth
Day of Acquaintance.

Vincennes. Ind. Aug. 26.-Charles TIL
ley, a prosperous farmer living near
Freelandville, this county, and Miss
Mary steffin, Of this city, were married
here after an acquaintance of five days.
Each is 36 and neither has been mar
ried before.
Tilley obtained his bride at a cost Of
$25. 1t happened. In this way:
Tilley imagined he was unable to Sc
lect a wife without assistance, and told
William Brocksmith that he would give
him S25 IL he would find a wife for him.
Brocksmith, half in fun, accepted the
offer, and after realizing that he had
undertaken delicate task, called on
Herman Schroeder to lend assistance.
Schroeder told Brocksmith that he
knew a good girl. that would Just suit
Tilley, and promised to win her con-
sent TO marry him II he could obtain. q
half interest In the purchase price Of
fered TO Brocksmith.
Brocksmith closed a bargain for half
OF the money with Schroeder An i'm
PRODUCTION took place at the home OF
Miss Steften. she agreed at once to
marry Tilley.
I " -
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
JAG SECURED FROM
the FESTIVE ONION
Texans Find More "Snakes" In
New HighbaIl Than
in Whisky.

New Orleans, Aug. ga new form of
intemperance. the onion jag, has broken
out In Texas.
''As q matter Of fact" says Percy w.
Morrow, travelling passenger agent Of the
Louisville and Nashville in Houston, half
of the saloons In my Part of Texas are
making more money out Of onions than
they are on red eye, and the onion high
ball has supplanted the original article"
As described by Mr.. Morrow and others,
the effects of the Texas onion are pleas
ant and far reaching. First comes a
period OF peace with all the world, this
being followed by soJourn In the land of
unalloyed bliss, and the climax coming
when the onion eater attains to the full
realization that he Is king Of creation and
that all men do him homage.
To attain the full Joy Of an onion jag,
one must indulge in the Texas article,
which is the size OF well developed can
teloupe, and of 10000 times 10000 am
peres voltage. The fruit is white and
Juicy, but the wires are said to be liable
to do short circuit at any moment.
Instead of calling for whisky straight
or complicated connections, in these days
Of agricultural progress, the up-to-date
Texan demands an onion highball, and the
man behind the mahogany is busy devils
ing all kinds Of strange mixtures. Whisky
is In a fair way TO become drug on the
market.
AS the most defenseless creature from
the Rio Grande to the Panhandle, the
Mexican gypsy Is blamed for introduction
Of the onion jag. Onions are cheap, and
two jags may now be acquired for the
price Of one of the antiquated variety.
Fifty-seven new varieties Of reptiles are
said to have been discovered since the
outbreak Of the new dissipation.
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
THE STORY OF coPPLEs'
HORRIBLE DOUBLE MURDEF

Since the inception Of the little town
of Rosalie nothing had stirred II to
such a high pitch of excitement as the
murder OF Walter Copple and his wife
on the night of May IL. 1t was COM
mitted In cold blood, Louis Higgins,
who paid for his. crime today shoot
ing both the man and his wife in front
OF their home, three miles east Of Rosa
lie. Then. leaving. their bodies where
the hogs could eat them. he escaped on
a mule. He was caught the following
day at Hooper and taken to Omaha for
safe keeping.
Higgins was employed on the Copple
farm for three months before the crime.
He was addicted to the use of cigarets
and was supposed to be a dope flend.
On the day previous to the murder,
Sunday, Higgins had been drinking
hard. Some difference between him
self and Copple prayed upon his mind
and under the influence OF the liquor
he planned and committed the deed.
The crime took place between mid
night and 2 o'clock In the morning. He
took his shotgun and went to the barn,
turing Copple out OF the house by fir-
Ing a shot. When Copple went TO the
barn Higgins accosted him and after
q heated argument which continued to
the door Of the mouse, Higgins raised
his gun and sent two shots crashing
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
SMALL CONCERNS
HAVE LITTLE SHOW

Washington, D. c., Aug. T.-Resent-
ing the criticism by independent deal
ers that the navy department was ex-
cluding ali except the Standard Oil
company from presenting bids TO be
opened next Tuesday for OIL for tho
navy, officials of the bureau of supplies
and accounts declare that while there
was no desire to exclude Independent
or small dealers. the department has
found 1t necessary to guard against
purchasing such inferior Oil as small
dealers have from time to time pro-
vided.
Complaints coming from heads OF the
different bureaus that machinery is be-,
Ing damaged by poor oil, and that
many contractors have provided oil
which has given much trouble, have,
caused the bureau to adopt policy
which gives each bureau chief the priv
tlege to name the kind Of Oil he knows
by experience to give satisfaction. This
is not specially stipulated In the sched-
ule for bids next Tuesday, but II Is
known the department will adhere to
this policy.
Although this will exclude nearly
al! small and Independent oil dealers
from competing with the Standard OIL
company, which has provided Oil giv-
ing satisfactory results, 1t is declared
necessary course.
In view OF the Importance Of the
bids, which are to supply $4,000 gall
Ions of oil, enough to last until July
i. 1908, much deliberation was given
to the question Of specifications The
794,000 gallons will be taken in lots
Of 100000, 145,0O0, 145,000 and two
lots of $4,000 gallons each.
; The specifications, although severeI
are made as broad as possible as far
as delivery and other details are con-
cerned. 1t has been found necessary,
however, to give preference to the
tried article and do away with all ex.
periments @#
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

J; New York. Aug. T.--H. H. Rogers
and William Rockefeller are reported
to have had serious disagreement
about the policy to be adopted by the
iStandard Oh company In defending tt,
self against the attacks Of the gov
iernment. a-...
It is learned that good deal OF dis
,sension developed at the meeting %
the directors, when the unusual divt-l
iidend OF So a share for the period waSl
declared. The attitude of the admin
listration toward corporations was dis
cussed and particularly the fine Of
SS29, ,000,o0 assessed against the Stand
ard Oil company for rebaEng by
Judge Landis.
It Is understood that the lines were
drawn sharply at the meeting and
some OF the directors strongly urged
that In view OF the heavy fine. the
Standard OIL company dividend should
be passed. These took the position that
the company for various reasons ought
not to so on paying dividends while it
as under such heavy fine from both
national and state governments. II
was said that the arguments presented
were Of a somewhat heated nature and
the discussion took decidedly acrt-
mohous turn. '|..' @F
Some argued that to pass the divi-
dend might be construed as a confess
sion Of guilt on the part OF the In
diana concern. They expressed conf
dence that the decision Of the higher
court on the appeal from Judge Lana
dis fine would be more favorable to
the company.
After an extended discussion OF both
sides Of the question, the directors op-
posing the dividend declaration relent--
ed and IT was finally decided to pay So
for the quarter, the same amount as
paid In the corresponding quarters OF
the two previous years. III.
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
Sixty Men, Presumably Farmers, Took
Prisoner From Train and Swung His
81 Body From Bridge Mile North
Of the Town.
MOVE WAS CAREFULLY PLANNED
The Men Gathered in the Station and Held Up the
Train While the Prisoner, On the Way to His
Trial, was Torn From the Sheriff and
His Deputy-Body was Shot Into.

Bancroft, Neb., Aug. 26.--At 1886
o'clock this morning Loren Higgins, on
hts way to Pender, Neb.. for trial for
the murder Of Mr.. and Mrs. Walter
Copple, near Rosalie, Neb., May IL. was
taken from an Omaha railroad passen-
ger train by a crowd Of sixty masked
and armed men, hauled mile north in
a dray wagon, and hung from Drioge
over Logan creek
Even before the prisoner could jump
over the edge Of the bridge with the
moose about his head. the mob, impa-
tient of it's vengeance, fired at him.
One bullet teoix off two fingers. and
with yelp or pain the unfortunate
man leaped to his death. Gun after
gun cracked as the body swung back
and forth, and it is doubtful IL It Is
ever known how many shot or bullets
entered the mans body.
After the hanging the crowd scat
tered into the corn fields, throwing OH
DISCUSSES, and made their way to their
homes or to Bancroft.
Trouble Brewing for Days.
For Ave or six days talk has been
brewing about lynching the man who,
without provocation, last May shot
Farmer Copple and his wife, mutilated
the bodies and then let them lie where
the hogs could eat them.
However, 1t was the general senti-
mcnt that II Higgins should plead
guilty, they would allow the law to
take its course. However, when 1t was
learned he would ask for a second pre-
liminary hearing and that he had hired
special counsel to defend him, the de-
termination was formed to lynch him.
1t Is believed that Hirshall Copple, of
Bancroft, brother Of the murdered
man, and well known as the champion
sprinter of Nebraska, was the leader
The crowd gathered from all about
Fender, Bancroft and Rosalie. Some
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

were incensed that the county should
bear the heavy expense Of long trial
OF man whose guilt was known.
Second Crowd Formed.
Al second crowd was formed at wis
ner, Neb. so that IL he should be taken
through there, they would not be
cheated OF their victim.
The town knew nothing at all of the
lynching until after the crowd had
stormed the train at the depot. So
quietly had they gathered In grain
elevator near the station that the town
itself was caught by surprise. A big
crowd here Is feverishly talking about
the crime. but II is doubtful IL there
will be prosecution. as sympathy runs
TO the lynchers. and besides they are
not known.
story of the Sheriff.
Sheriff Young told the following
story:
II had some fears that there would
be Iynching, and accordingly sent
for Deputy Newell to come to Bancroft
and help me take care OF the prisoner.
Deputy Newell, i understand, obtained
the services of City Marshal Jay Bruce.
When the train stopped. Newell got on
the car ahead OF the crowd, hut he was
struck on the herd and knocked down.
The crowd came right In over him.
II started to get up to take Higgins
into the baggage car Just then I was
grabbed from behind and choked
around the neck.
II had hold OF Higgins with a twist,
and in the scuffie that followed my
hand was quite badly injured.
II was taken out of the smoker and
into the day coach and tied to seat
by the hands and feet. / was carried
on to Pender on the passenger train
and drove back to Bancroft"
Elevator Not Used.
It has been stated here that the
crowd met at daylight in the Saunders
Western elevator near the depot, but
Ed Shaw, manager, declares this cam
not be true Certainly the crowd was
not concealed there. he says, when the
train arrived. Mr.. Shaw says he visited
the elevator at Z O'clock this morning
and that no one was there, He thinks
the men concealed themselves in the
empty box cars on the sidetrack op-
posIte the depot.
In the elevator, however, there Is
an open window about six feet from
the ground. The window was boarded
up, but some OF the boards have re-
Gently been dislodged. In the soft mud
beneath the window there were many
tracks OF boot heels.
Like Painted Hariequlns.
Dressed In grotesque costumes Of q
mardf gSas festival. but without the air
OF frivOlity, which characterizes such
occasiona, the mob lay IN wait behind
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

stepped out, raising his hand ard Civ
Ing the regular brakeman's signal to
ego 0head."
Warns the Engineer.
The men beside the cab spoke:
run her forward slow, and stop"
Engineer Flint opened the throttle.
Careful there. slow: I said" warned
the man presenting the rifiea
Engineer Flint obligingly slowed
down and stopped at word OF command.
The men leaving one in charge,
then hurried away 10 reJoin their COM
panions behind the shed. The villagers
ard some OF the passengers followed
cslrtos1sly.
the presence OF q gun, concluded to In
vestigate. He walked around the cor
ner OF the shed and was stopped by a
Gannt In blue FoFeralla. who Eritted:
Stand back there. What do you
wantf-
Locking sor mv eOeane." saad John
.rweai, k aan't here. Get back"
In the center Of the group. about
which armed men with pistols kept
back tina vfiiaWers, stood higgins.
Takes Murdere's Story.
BeAore him were three men one OF
whom was writing RAPIDLY az the pris-
orar betWNon pobe and cries OF distress,
dictated his last confession on earth.
Despkte his fear the prisoner spoke
quietly and It was impossible for Con-
dnctor johnson to hear what he said.
The confession concluded. one OF the
men said 30 Higgins:
You now have mtnute to prepare
30 meet yoer God"
ron, for Christ's sake. men. don't.
don't hang me. I'll teal you ALL,
Whisky did II. Whisky did 1t. Don't
kin me. Don't kill me. Amt any OF
you got a ,mother?i Il Amt anyone going
to help meT"
'sYou didn't .hink OF your mother nor
the mother Of the Ccppie kids when you
shot down their father and the mother.
grufHy replied one OF the lynchers.
II didn't know what was doing"
yelled the wretch. groveaing In the dirt.
pray, and hurry up. You are soon
70 die," said the grim leader.
Silent as He Prayed.
Sobbing and shrieling alternately,
Higgins dropped to his knees.
A hush fell over the crowd and many
uncovered their heads as the prisoner
with rolling eyeballs gazed heaven
ward, his white lips moving in PRAYER.
At the expiration of q minute, Hig-
gins, who was still on his knees pray
ing, was interrupted.
"Get up" cried the leader, and Hig-
gins, with the rope Still about his
neck, was dragged away.
Five minutes later the crowd had
bundled the man into the dray and
started for the wagon bridge over
Logan creek, mile away, where
the last scene in the life of Loren
Higgins, murderer, was enacted.
Story Of the Hanging.
When Higgins was taken from the
train in a dray, he was hurried north
to the wagon bridge over Logan creek,
which had evidently been agreed upon
as the place for the hanging. For
horses had been tied near there and
some OF the men rode away on them
after the deed had been done.
Spectators were not allowed at the
lynching. A crowd attempted to fol-
low, but members OF the mob fired
over their heads eight or ten times,
compelling them to fall back. City Mar
shal Jay Bruce was probably a half
mile away when the hanging occurred,
and he was probably as close as any
one.
Though none can be found wso says
he knows, evidently some In the lynch
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
HAS BODY ExHUMED IN %l
A TOM PLATT SCANDAL

Shicago. Aug. N.-James Donovan.
who for several years has waged a pc
culiar battle against Senator Thomas C..
Platt, succeeded In having the grave
Of LaFora 8. Baker, in Big Rapids.
Mich, opened, in ORDER to support his
contention that the former Michigan
lumberman had not died, but had fed
to Europe to avoid responsibility In sew
eral financial failures. He associated
Platt with the transactions.
The exhumation proved TO the salts
faction Of Big Rapids city officials that
the skeleton Is that OF the man
whose name appears on the gravestone.
but Attorney Donovan continued his
assertions that wax image had been
the grave, made fourteen years ago,
had been opened recently. and n skele-
ton substituted for Il wax bust Of
Baker
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

string of boxcars west of the Ban
croft passenger depot as the train
bearing the victim approached.
AS the train slackened speed at the
platform, passengers crowding to the
doors to alight, Conductor AL Johnson
and Brakeman Chambers stepped to the
planking Standing well back was a
crowd of villagers with grave faces.
Not sound save the kissing of steam
and the whirr OF the air brakes broke
the silence as the train stopped. I'M
pending trouble was noticeable and the
passengers paused on the steps In won
derment as rushing suddenly from be-
hind their barricade OF box cars on the
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
SOUTHERN RALks
At DELAY OF CASE

Washington, Aug. 2.-Overtures tenttve-
lively made by Gov. Glenn, of Nerth Car
olina for the suspension OF the present
hearing in the North Carolina rate case
until after the question Of Jurisdiction OF
United States circuit court Judge ]. C.
Prftchard has been determined by the su-
preme court of the United States, were re-
jected by counsel for the Southern rail-
way.
The plan Of the governor as outlined by
special counsel for the state, was to sus+-
pend the present inquiry because Of the
expense attached to 1t. but the Southern
railway argued that in order to expedite
the adjustment Of the controversy, neces-
sary facts In relations to the cost of doing
business in North Carolina should be gath
cred pending the settlement of the juris-
diction of the courts.
Had the Southern railway consented to
the plan the present hearing before Judge
Walter A. Montgomery who was appoint
ed master to take evidence and report to
Judge Pritchard, would have been post
poned today and indefinitely. AS It is the
hearing was ordered to proceed and indi-
cations are that it will continue for a
week or more.
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29
KILLS PET HORSE
Then SHOOTS SELF
Wealthy Bachelor of Atlantic.
la, Didn't Want Horse to
Live After His Own Death.

Atlantic. Ia, Aug. 2S.-While tempor-
arily demented, @. A. Long, Of this city,
killed his favorite horse with one bar
rel of double barreled shotgun.
Now that he is dead there is moth
ing more for me to live for" shrieked
the man as he turned the other barrel
upon himself, kicked the trigger and
blew Off his own head.
: Long was wealthy bachelor. He
leaves two brothers.
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

Sluetrdch came queeFly BarDeQ Ddnu
of men, probably sixty in number.
Grinnins Death Heads.
Grinning masks and falsefaces of the
ragmuffin. with gaudy paint, and the
false boards of comic opera stood out
above costumes Of blue overalls and
new hickory" shirts as the band
rushed rapidly forward. The crowd
Of silent watchers at the platform
parted quietly as the harlequins came
on.
The moment the band emerged into
the clear space between the crowd and
the train, as by prearranged plan, It
separated into groups OF four of Ave
men each. Every man carried a heavy
pistol or Winchester rifle or a crow
bar. When the train was reached, one
group rushed into the passenger car
In which the officers and the prisoner
were seated.
Hands Up or Die.
"out of the way. Hands up or you're
dead man." shouted the leader Of
the group" confronting Conductor
Johnson. ..
The conductor put up his hands.
what do you want?" he asked.
Never mind. keep your hands up"
Johnson's side and showing pistol
under his nose The others entered the
car at the south, and while another
band of four men rushed onto the
car platform In front.
The men made their entrance to the
coach almost simultaneously The
frightened passengers shrank against
the seats some dropping their grips
and begging for mercy.
I'VE won't hurt you, only don't In
terfere," shouted the men as they
turned their guns OH Sheriff Sid Young,
Deputy Newell and the prisoner, who
sat next to the window.
Attack on Officers.
Higgins was manacled to the car
seat. The prisoner shrieked in terror
as he saw the men approaching.
me-" he cried.
'pI protect you," replied Young at
tempting TO draw a pistol. Deputy
Newell Jumped to the chiefs side, but
was felled to the ground by a blow
from dubbed rife.
Sheriff, we don't want to kill you,
but you must let US have him." cried
a member of the gang.
You can never have him while I'm
alive" replied Young.
AS he spoke one OF the band seized
him about the neck and choked him,
at the same time taking away his pis-
toll. r'..as.
Otners or the party hurried rope over
Higgins head and seizing him by the
arms and throat hauled him bodily
over the seat into the aisle.
Clipped The Handouts.
Hold on, don't hurt Sid" shouted a
man armed with q huge pair Of bolt
clippers.
The mob paused.
Go on with him boys" yelled a man
standing by the officer and covering
the sheriff with gun, 'Pll come later"
The lynchers took the prisoner out
Of the car, while one remained In
charge OF the sheriff. He remained
only a moment, however, and then
followed his companions to the plat
form.
Break Engine Loose.
4 Out of the platform the harlequins
Of death. waving the crowd back with
their pistols, marched straight to a
shed to the west OF the depot. Around
this they disappeared.
While this scene was being enacted
In the train. the party sent 70 the
engine had covered Engineer Flint and
Fireman Hart with rifles.
Two OF the men stepped chose 10 the
cab windows. while another walked
between the cab and the baggage car.
With practtced land he uncoupled
the engine, broke the air brake and