davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Blue-grass blade., 1908-01-26
A BIBLE TEARING PARSON.

Men may do in these days with i'm
punity what their ancestors of a CEN
fury ago, dared not to have done.
Any minister of the gospel preach
ing century ago, even in America,
who would dared to have stood in the
presence Of his congregation assembled
for public worship and one by one
have torn pages from the bible and
casting them to the ground would
have been accused of heresy and sacri-
lege, made to stand trial therefor
and if god failed to punish him by
striking him dead during the act, his
escape from punishment would have
been accepted as prima facia evidence
OF his being in league with the devil
and his accusers would have demanded
a summary punishment for practicing
the black art
Reports from Ottawa, ILL.,, sent to
the Blade through a friend, state that
d. r. Railey, of the Congregational
church in that city, shocked his congre-
cation by such performance, from the
pulpit, but explained his conduct by
claiming to have used that method as
an illustration to point moral and
push home an argument he had to
make. The explanation might have
satisfied some of the orthodox breth-
Blue-grass blade., 1908-01-26


tlan superstition as when pagan idols
were dehed, challenged and spat upon
III order TO prove their impOtency for
either human veal or woe. The bible
is gods book, so the Christians claim,
and he who defileth its pages doth de-
file god. Had an illustration of the
same kind been used by a Freethought
lecturer, IN public, as evidencing feel
ing OF indifference for the book, he
would have been subjected to a per-
feet storm of indignation and pulpits
would have belch i forth their most
solemn protests against such ain act.
Preachers being looked upon as some
thing OF higher order than common
men may be permitted to do that which
other men may not do and in this re-
spect the conduct of DR.. Bailey will
get but passing notice.
The humorously grotesque appearing
TO the Blade, arising from his destruc-
ton OF the printed bible, is found in
his reasons given by himself at the
time, for so doing. He said =
You will say that l have used a
most harsh and heartless method of
demonstrating my point. But l want
you to know that the literal destruc-
ton OF this book and scattering it's
torn leaves on this platform is not
one-half so cruel and heartless as to
attempt to mutilate the truth contained
within It's inspired word, or to make
1t OF no effect through your traditions,
or to refuse to live the principles of
Jesus Christ in your daily lives, as He
has announced them here"
But why should this conduct seem
harshY Is it any more harsh than the
burning OF human beings in the name
OF that same Jesus" whose principles
he declares his congregation does not
live up to- Was it any worse than the
destruction OF Paine's Age of ReasonY
The bible is but mere book, or a mere
collection of books. In the printing
and sale of that collection of books i'm
mense profits are realized by a gi-
gantic fraud every year. The very
fact that Dr. Railey looked upon. the
act he had committed as being harsh.
suggests once more the notion that
the bible has been made a fetch, a
classed as divine, when.
after all it is but human production
and subject to the same memorable rules
that controls the ultimate of all things.
DIR. Balley's act injured nobody. 1t
caused no heart to break, no tears to
How, no suffering, no sorrow. Another
bible will perhaps be necessary and the
congregation chip in to buy one, and
this is practically all the harm it has
done. There is no more danger in
Blue-grass blade., 1908-01-26

blessing because of the mere privilege
OF testing the curative properties of
medicine.
What is morali.JY
Correctly defined it implies the
greatest possible happiness for the
greatest possible numbers.
What is religionY
Aside from its etymology, and re-
garding it in the light as accepted and
understood by the Christian world to-
day, it is simply a combination of
many forms OF worship in which igno-
rant man prostrates himself before an
unknown and unknowable power.
While religion, as thus defined
may tend to produce some sort of hap
plness for those indulging in such
practices, it is not conducive to the
happiness of the majority, but to "a
few, and the greatest possible num-
bers" no not figure or enter into it's
calculations. AT best it is but a hap
plness derived from feeling miserable.
Those who delight in human misery
can extract happiness from religion.
The truly happy man is he who is
Tree from all its environments. AL
through the forms of religious worship
differ in degree, the end sought is one
and the same, namely, an effort to
curry personal favor with the deity.
For this reason devout Catholic will
press his lips to the crucifx and the
devout Protestant sprinkle himself
with water and recite prayers from a
book
What answer have either to offer
when confronted by the worlds wick
edness? The Freethinker, plying
both, laments the presence in the world
OF so much suffering, want and misery,
and wonders that an all-powerful and
all-merciful god does not or cannot
prevent it. AT the very threshold of
his inquiry he is met with the reply,
such is gods own plan" He is told
that character is formed thereby, and
that world without woe would be I'M
hit for strong men. There is evidently
vacant space in the reasoning power
OF one who can hold to such a belief
and he is entitled to sympathy on ac-
cout of his deformity. Such an argu-
ment is as pitifully bereft of logic as
it is of human feeling. There is but
one answer necessary, namely, if there
be god who can view human suffering
and be happy in its presence, or, who
can look upon the fearful crimes COM
mitted in his name by those pretend
ing to love and worship him, honest
men and loving women will shun his
presence like a pestilence, and strive
to get everywhere where he is not
Character had better been formed, or
given in the first place instead of per-
hitting man to have acquired il in such
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
SENSATIONAL SHOOTING.
Baltimore clubman Badly Wounded at
Atlantic City.

Atlantic City, N. j., Aug. 2S.-
Though Charles B. Roberts, the hnan-
cier and clubman of Baltimore, who
was the victim of mysterious shooting
on the board walk here, is still in a
critical condition at a local hospital
strong hope is entertained by the ply
sicians that he will recover He has
sufficiently revived from unconscious
ness to tell the police something of
the man who shot him and, acting on
the faint clew which is understood to
have been given them, they have been
working industriously to clear up the
mystery surrounding the shooting.
Mrs. Williams, who was in the roll
ing chair with Roberts, and the negro
chair pusher were subjected to sharp
cross examination and their stories
agree on the details.
Mrs. Williams made emphatic de-
NAL when asked whether the man
might have been her husband She
asserts that Mr.. Roberts has long
been family friend and that her hus-
band knew him as such.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
OFFERED $4,000 TO RESIGN
Charge Made by Assistant Attorney
General of Kansas.

General of Kansas.
Kansas City. Aug. &C. w. Trick
EFT, assistant attorney general of Kan.
sas, who was found guilty by a jury
in Kansas City, Kan, of malfeasance
in office, has issued a statement in
which he makes the declaration thai
the brewery interests long ago offered
him $4,000 to resign. He makes no
explanation, however, why he never
mentioned the matter before, nor why
he did not bring action against the
brewery interests for trying to brihe 6
public officer, which is as much OF Q
crime in Kansas as the acceptance .!
bribe.
Shortly after I began closing the
saloons of Kansas City, Kan, and ct
Wyandotte county by means Of the
paddock system" said Mr.. Tricketc,
the brewery interests offered ne
$4,000 to resign. All I was asked 10
do was resign. l refused the offer
with contempt, not giving it the slight
est consideration"
Mr.. Trickett's assertion that the
present fight is being made against
him by the brewery interests is dis.
puted by Joseph Taggart, county at
tOrney.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Damage in the South Greater
Than First Estimated. /.
Death LIST IS APPALLING
Believed Seventy Persons Per.
ished in Georgia and the
Two Car0Iinas.

Atlanta, Ca, Aug. 29.-Sixteen
known dead in the vicinity of Augusta,
with probably an equal number of
deaths in the outlying districts from
which reports have not been received,
a property loss Of $2,000,000 in Au-
gusta and vicinity and 1000 persons
homeless, summarizes the situation in
the Georgia flood district In the Caro-.
linas Spartanburg, Greenville and
other cities report that the food has
receded, but that the damage is
heavy. Possibly $1,000,000 has been
lost in North and South Carolina be-
cause of the high water. The loss Of
life is comparatively small in these
states, warnings having been given be-
fore the great sweep of water shot
over the cities When the whole situa-
ton has cleared it will probably be
found that the total death list in the
three states of Georgia, North Caro-
lima and South Carolina will be in the
neighborhood of seventy. Most of the
dead are negroes, in fact not a dozen
whites have been reported as having
lost their lives.
Negro cabins flanking the river
banks and setting in the lowlands
were washed away like so much drift.
wood. The water rose so rapidly that
many Of the occupants of these cabins
never had a chance to even escape
from the rooms in which they slept
In Augusta reports were received that
bodies had been seen floating down
the river, but only sixteen bodies had
been recovered in the city limits of
Augusta. The country districts re-
Port number of casualties.
Tho suffering in Augusta is reported
Intense among the poorer classes,
whose homes were swept away. The
sudden drop in the temperature to al
most the frost limit adds to the dis
comfort of the persons made home
less.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
.a:CHARGEs RING RULE:
Voters League Of Minneapolis Issues
>,,s,,.. an Address.

s..s,;. an Address.
&: The Voters league of Minneapolis
has issued report on the political
situation in Minneapolis, which deliv-
ers an attack upon the way things are
being conducted in the city hall and
charges ring rule in the main.
A severe arraignment is given some
bf the officials and, in addition, the
report alleges, in substance, that the
city councils sacred precincts have
been invaded by polluting' influence
The leagues address regarding the
ring" follows:
In the eyes of the law the city of
Minneapolis is controlled almost ex-
clusively by the city council There
Is probably not another city in the
world in which the city council is vest.
ed with as much legal power. Yet it
is fact admitted by nearly all candid
men closely in touch with the actual
manner in which our city affairs are
conducted that the men who really
control the action of the city govern
ment in most matters are not the
members of the council as a body, nor
even the leaders of the council, but a
small coterie of aldermen, some OF
the heads of city departments and Ger
tain contractors or the representatives
of contractors. This coterie is com
monty known as the city hall ring
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
TWO MEN DROWNED.
Their Canoe Capsized During a Gale
on Cass Lake.

SueIT NanOe OaPSiZeo Our1n9 4 Gale
on Cass Lake.
S. Thayer Bass of st. Paul and
William D. Harris of Minneapolis,
were drowned in Cass lake during
heavy gale which upset their canoe
in which they had started for Cass
river. The accident happened three
quarters of mile from the dock
three-quarters of mile from the dock
at Cass lake, within view of A. S.
Williams, who saw the plight the men
were in and made futile attempt to
save them. -
Mr.. Bass and his companion left the
dock to row up Cass river, a distance
of about nine miles. Their canoe was
about three-quarters of a mile from
the dock when heavy gale came up,
capsizing them.
Mr.. Williams, who was on the dock,
leaped into a launch and went to the
rescue, but before he could reach the
drowning men they had Disappeared
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
St. Paul Banks Closed.

The State Bank of St. Paul and the
Citizens Savings bank of the same
city have been closed by Public Ex-
aminer Schaefer because of refusal
On the part of the st. Paul Clearing :
House association to clear for them.
They may open again in a few days.
Mr.. Schaefer said that Minneapolis
men were negotiating for the stock of
the two institutions and might be sue
cessful in securing control of them.
The two banks, he declared, were per-
fectly solvent and no loss would &C.
crue to the depositors.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Order for Harrington Claim
STATE OF MINNEsoTA,
County of Mower-ss.

STATE OF MINNESOTA,
County OF Mower-ss.
In Probate Court,
Special term, Aug 26th, 1908.
In II the matter of the estate of Henry N.
aillson, deceased.
Letters of administration on the estate
Ct % said al deceased being this day granted unto
Erlck Easton of said county.
It is ordered that all claims and demands of
All persons against said estate be presented to
this court for examination and allowance at
the probate Office in the court house in the
city OF Austin, in said county, on Monday. The
26th day of April. A. D. 1909, at 3 o'clock D.
m. 49,.
IT is further ordered. that six months from
the date hereof be allowed to creditors to pre-.
sent their claims against said estate, at the ex-
plratlon of which time all claims not presented
TO said court or not proven to its satisfaction,
shall be forever barred, unless for cause shown
further time be allowed. -" '~~y' :
Ordered further, that notice of time and
place OF hearing and examination Of said claims
and demands shall be given, by Publishing this
order once in each week for three successiYe
weeks in the MOWER County .TRANsCR1PT. a
weekly newspaper printed and published at
the city OF Austin. In said county. $3.50 j -@s
Dated at Austin. Minnesota, the e6th day az
Aug, 1909. By the Court, :. IS
tSeal) ) M.a6 6RKKNhfAN
5.. Sept 2. 8 Is :. - .'
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Delivers an Address at Min
nesota State Fair.
ARRA|GkS REPUBLICAN PARTY
EuIogizes Governor Johnson at
the Beginning of His
Address.

A concourse of 10000 people rose en-
masse as William J. Bryan, the great
commoner, candidate of the Democrat
ic party for president of the United
States, mounted the platform at the
state fair grounds to open the battle
of ballots in the great Northwest.
It was Bryan day at the state fair.
The horses, the fat cattle, the call of
the pike, the grand stand attractions,
even the great challenge trot did not
draw the crowds. Every one waited
for the evening hour and the promised
appearance of Bryan.
At the conclusion of Bryan's speech
the mass of people surged to the plat
form, and in so doing crushed the
press bench, using it as a bridge to
the platform.
President Nelson of the state fair
introduced Governor Johnson and Mr.
Bryan and Governor Johnson intro
duced Mr.. Bryan as the presidential
candidate of the Democrats and "the
country's greatest orator.
Mr.. Bryan mounted a chair and,
with hand outstretched to quiet the
multitude, stood for several minutes,
acknowledging the cheers of his ad-
mirers, before launching into his
speech.
He eulogized Governor Johnson in
the beginning, and then he spoke at
length on all the planks of his plat
form, and the burden of his speech
was carefully couched appeal to the
Republicans of the country to put him
in power that most of the policies put
through and advocated by Roosevelt
may be perpetuated by Bryan.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
WILL LEASE ELEVATORS.
Petition of Receivers Granted by Fed
eraI Court.

erai Court.
The petition of the receivers of the
Minneapolis and Northern Elevator
company, asking that they be allowed
to lease the eighty elevators for the
purpose of raising funds, was granted
in the federal district court at Mime
apolis by Judge Milton D. Purdy.
The order empowers the receivers
to pay the wages of the employees Of
the company, amounting to $1,704.S7,
now past due, and incidentals amount
ing to $103, expenses which were in
Cured just prior to the appointment
CT the officials; to borrow sufficient
funds, not exceeding 100000, with
which to carry on the business of the
concern, at current rate of interest
and terms approved by the court and
to lease the elevators and warehouses
during the crop year up to Aug. /,
1909.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Perish In Burning CoI|Ie1y at
Hai|eyvI||e, Okla.
net DEATH BY SUFFOCATION
Burning Oil Starts Fire and
Flames Soon Cut Off All
Means of Escape.

Manchester, Okla, Aug. 27.-Thirty
coal mine No. 1 at Haileyville, four
teen miles east of Manchester, when
fire destroyed the hosting shaft and
air shaft and cut off the air from the
men below. Rescuers were unable to
enter the mine for nearly twenty-four
hours, owing to the fierceness of the
fire, and by that time all the men
: had perished. Their bodies were re-
covered.
Explorations in the channels re-
vealed that none of the men met
death by burning, but all of them were
suffocated.
After the miners had gone down in
the cage a fire broke out occasioned
by the ignition of barrel of oil
which miner was trying to divide.
The flames spread so rapidly that all
communication with the top was soon
cut of. Hundreds of miners rushed
to the scene and tried to get into the
air shaft, but this was impossible, the
flames and smoke coming up that way
with such force as to drive them back
Then an effort was made to operate
the cages running up and down the
hosting shaft, but it was found that
the cages, the cables and the guides
had been burned. There was absolute
~ no help for the imprisoned miners.
When the mine was finally cleared
Of smoke nineteen of the dead miners
were found, with five mules, huddled
together in one of the entrances q
mile from an opening. They had start
ed toward the fire instead of making
q detour.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Order for Hearing on Claims
STATE OF MINNESOTA,
County of Mower-ss.
In PrOhata C0nrf

STATE OF MINNESOTA,
County of Mower-ss.
In Probate Court.
Special Term, Aug. II, 1908.
In the matter of the estate of Winfield S.
Willis, deceased.
Letters of administration on the estate of said
deceased being this day granted unto William
S. Willis of said county.
It is ordered. that all claims and demands of
all persons against said estate be presented to
Ghis court for examination and allowance at
the probate office, il the court house, in tie
city OF Austin in said county, on Monday, the
LIST day of March. 1909, at ten o'clock a. ms
1t is further ordered, that six months from
the date hereof be allowed to creditors to pre-
sent their claims against said estate, at the ex-
piration of which time all claims not presented
to said court, or not proven to its satisfaction,
shall be forever barred, unless for cause shown
further time be allowed
Ordered further, that notice of time and
place of the hearing and examination of said
claims and demands shall be given by publish
ing this order once in each week for three
successive weeks in the MOWER COUNTY TRAN.
SCRIPT, weekly newspaper printed and pub
ished at the city of Austin in said county.
Dated at Austin, Minnesota, the 18th day of
August, 1908. BY the Court,
~, (SeaD JIM. GREENMAN,
Judge of Probate Court.
Aug 10, 26. Sept.2
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Chicago Union Stock YARDS.

Chicago, Aug. 31-Cattle--Beeve
$3.60@7.75; Texans, $500 500;
Westerners, $3.50 @5.S5; stockers ard
feeders, $2.60@4.55; COWS and heifers,
$1.75@5.S0; calves, S5.25@7.25. Hogs
-vLight, $6.30@7.05; mixed, $635@7.-
12M; heavy, $6.35@T121k; good to
choice heavy, $6.55@7.121a; rough,
$6.30@e.56; pigs, S4.00@6.00. Sheep,
$2.2oG4.25; yearlings, $4.20@4s0;
lambs, $S.50@8.2o.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
WI MAY GO HOME.
Recall OF Chinese Minister at Wash.
inqton Expected.

Picking, Aug. 31.-The Chinese gov
ernment is considering the recall of
Wu Ting Fang, the Chinese minister
at Washington, on account of recent
disclosures on his part which are be-
lieved here to have been indiscreet.
The government for some months past
has been embarrassed by Mr.. Wu's
platform and other utterances and by
his attitude as a public character in
America.
Liang Tun Yen, assistant secretary
of the board of foreign affairs, is the
leading candidate for the post at
Washington in succession to WI Ting
Fang.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Boy Expiodes Dynamite

Harry Holmes of Minneapolis, thir.
teen years of age, was serious.
ly injured playing with a dynamite
cartridge. He laid it on a rock and
hit it with another rock. His left eye
was blown out and two fingers of his
left hand were blown off. It is feared
he will lose his left hand and the
sight of the other eye. Graders are
at work In the vicinity using dynamite
and it is supposed the boy found a
cartridge that had been mislaid.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Pioneer Minister Dead,

Rev. johannes B. Erich, one of the
pioneer ministers of the Norwegian
Lutheran synod in the Northwest and
for many years one of the, leading
spirits in the church, is dead at Min.
neapolis at the age of seventy-three.
Owing to his failing health Rev. Erich
was forced to retire from active work
several years ago, but he was not
taken seriously i'll until a few days
ago. Death was caused by cancer of
the stomach.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Minneapolis journal Sold.

The capital stock of the Journal
Publishing company of Minneapolis,
publishers of the Journal, has passed
into the hands of syndicate orga-
nized and headed by Herschel v.
Jones, prominent grain expert of
the Northwest and editor Of the Com
mercfal West of Minneapolis. Mr..
Jones will assume the business and
editorial management of the paper. It
is understood that the consideration
for the holdings is $1,20O,00O.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Seriously Hurt in Auto Wreck,

Seriously Hurt in Auto Wreck,
DR.. w. w. Folwell, for a number of
years president of the University of
Minnesota and more recently librarian
and professor of political economy at
the same institution, was seriously in
jured in an automobile accident at
Franklin, this state, while driving with
his son Russell. Dr. Folweu is well
along in years and as the machine
completely overturned it is feared the
result will be serious,
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
MOB LEADER ENDS LIFE.
ngfield Woman Suicides When
Placed Under Arrest,

Springfield, I'LL, Aug. 27.-Kate How
ard, leader of the Springfield mob,
committed suicide when she was in
formed that she had been indicted by
the grand jury for the murder of Scott
Burton, the aged negro who was
lynched at Twelfth and Madison
streets on the first night of the riot.
Mrs. Howard was found in her home
by the deputy sheriff, who informed
her of the indictment.
She asked permission to go into an
adjoining room, where she drank poi
son. Then she walked to the Jail
near by and fell dead just inside the
door.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
Little Girl Fatally Injured.

Fannie, the eleven-year-old daugh-
ter of Isaac Fine of st. Paul,
fell from the second story window Of
the house, distance of twenty feet,
and received probably fatal injuries.
Her skull is fractured at the fore
head and her face badly disfgured.
She is unconscious from conclusion
of the brain and it is said that she
would probably die. Just how the a.
cident happened is not known.
Mower County transcript., 1908-09-02
FIFTY-0NE OF CREW PERISH
British Steamer Founders With Heavy
Loss of Life.

Rojio, Japan, Aug. 28.-News of the
sinking of the British steamer Dun
earn and the loss of all but two of the
ffty-three members of her crew in
the typhoon which ragged on Aug. 26
off the port of Goto, on the island of
Kiuhiu, has reached here in a report
received from Moji, a town on the
same island.
The Dunearn was bound from Niko.
laiesk, Asiatic Russia, to Singapore
and put in st the port of Karatsu for
coal. Again putting 70 sea on Aug. a
the ship ran into the very center Ct a
typhoon. which sent her to the bottom.
The two survivors are Frustrated fri
exposure and hardship.