davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Moscow TerrOrists Ready to
Blow Up Ruler and COnsOrt
at Railway Depot
Bombs Manufactured to Slay
SOvereigns Captured and
'Reds" Are Jailed
Two Women and Four Men Be-
Iieved to Be RingIeaders
in the Conspiracy
LSpecial Dispatch 10 The Call

N HOSCOW, Dec. 25.-The secret
M service police have unearthed q
plot against the car and car
ina. who are 10 arrive here soon
Two women and four men, members
OF anarchistic groups, were arrested
today. 1t is expected that these ar
rests may throw some light on the
killing by. bomb a few days ago in
St Petersburg of Colonel Karpoff
chief of the secret police OF that city
The arrest of the two women and
four men was made in house or
Baskskow street, where they had been
living for fortnight. Hidden in the
cellar were found several bombs
filed with a high explosive. The secret
police have been watching this house
ever since colonel Karpof was killed.
The information the police received
was that the prisoners they took today
we're making the bombs found in the
house where they were arrested to use
upon the arrival here of the ear and
czarina. The police say the bombs
were TO be dispatched to the Kursk
depot and exploded there when the
imperial couple and their suite ar
rived on the Livadia railway.
A watchman implicated in the con-
splracy disappeared Immediately after
the arrests were made. The arrests and
the finding of the bombs created a
sensation in the city and resulted in a
more rigid supervision over all persons
arriving in MOSCOW This supervision
has always been a rigid one, but the
watchfulness Of the police is greater
Sust at present than over before.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
OFFICER OF BACHELORS
SOCIETY A BENEDICT
Henry Jung Claims Miss Myrtle
Allen as Bride
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

SAN JOSE, Dee. 25.--Henry Jung
vice ruling bachelor of this citys
famous unmarried mans association
which includes in its membership lead
ing professional and businessmen OF
San Jose, today forsook his brethren
and became the husband of Miss Myrtle
Allen, local society belle The cere-
mony was performed at the home of
Jung In Vine street. Rev Emil Meyer of
the Lutheran church officiating.
Jung's marriage probably means that
the bachelors organization will dis
organize, as other brothers are to fol-
low the lead of their vice ruler
A banquet to the club members, one
of the penalties imposed upon unfaith-
full bachelors, has been postponed until
the end of the honeymooM
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
SPECIAL POLICEMAN is
CHARGED WITH MURDER
Killed Man at Dance: Pleads
Victim Resisted Arrest

SANTA BARBARA, Dec 25.-A war
hant charging murder was issued to-
might for Walter Harrison, special
policeman. who while on duty shot
and killed Leonard Gotta at dance
early this morning.
Harrison surrendered Immediately
after the shooting, claiming that Gotta
had resisted arrest and had attacked
him. Bail was fixed at $500 after the
inquest had established the facts. The
coroner's jury failed to exonerate the
officer.
Gotta was "a years old and married.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
WOMAN STRUCK BY CAR
AND FATALLY INJURED
Dies at Children's Hospital
Shortly After Accident

Mrs stephen Jefferson. wife of
Stephen Jefferson. cabinet maker liv-
ing at 115 Cherry street. was struck
late yesterday afternoon by United
Railroads car in Sacramento street
near Cherry and. fatally injured
She was taken to the Children's hos
pital in Sacramento street. where. she
died within a short time.
Mrs. Jefferson, who was a middle
aged woman, was crossing Sacramento
street when she was run down by the
car. George Corrigan, the motorman.
was arrested by Policeman W. R. Nc
Mullin and charged with manslaughter.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Many Christmas Gifts

An ornate silver punch bowl, on a
mirrored stand, with a dozen silver
cups, was the gift of Joseph A. Sulli-
van, an old family friend. Frank +.
Murphy sent a hammered silver tea set
of the finest workmanship. A pair of
silver candlesticks came with the good
wishes of Cleveland L. Dam, McCarthy's s
legal adviser. DIR. William j. Walsh,
coroner elect, remembered the head of
the union labor ticket with a pretty
brandy set of silver and glass.
These were but a few of the Christ
mas gifts received by Mayor elect Nc
,Carthy and his wife. There were
many other articles of cut glass and
silver, and the array looked like that
of very popular bride.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
MAYOR ELECT
BARS POLITICS
ON CHRISTMAS
Mccarthy Spends Day With His
Family and Romps With
His Children
Many Handsome Gifts Received
by San FranciscO's New
Chief Executive

elect p. II. Mccarthy last night was
the circumstance that the electric wir-
ing of the family Christmas tree got
out of whack. Little Howe Mccarthy.
son of the next executive, grieved be-
cause the blue bulbs would not twinkle
like the red ones and the yellow ones.
and the father grieved with the boy.
Eschewing politics and everything
Herewith connected, San Franchises
mayor elect spent Christmas in the
bosom of his family. In his view, the
festival is essentially one for the de-
light of the children, and for hours he
romped and played with his son and
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Shreve & Co. Fully Convinced
That Joseph E. Birmingham
Stole From the Firm
Wife OF Accused Man Refuses
to Believe That He Is
Guilty of Crime
Sad Home Coming of Gifted Sing.
er From Europe and Her
Attractive Daughters
Police Intimated That DiSgraced
EmplOye May Have Already
Fled From the City

"W:@: s''i E '.is s;.:,'ss:= s:';s':: %: e:
severan months, believing
that he was not honest. His mode Of
life was such that our suspicious were
aroused. He was a familiar figure
around the tenderIOin, and frequented
particularly the Reception saloon
With our suspicious aroused, we set a
trap for him, and he fell into il and we
caught him with marked money which
he had stolen from Shereve & Co. His
statement that the firm was in con-
spiraey to disgrace him that he
could not enter into business cOmpeti-
tiOn with US is ridiculous. Would we
want to lose our best man. such as we
considered him to be, or would we con-
spIre against business which il not
established evens,
GEORGE LEWIS,
Manager of Shreve & Co.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
.FIREMEN AND ENGINEERS
DEMAND HIGHER WAGES
Increase Ranges From Is to 40
Per Cent Over Present Scale

ST PAUL, Dec. 25.-The conference
in Chicago relative to demands for rail
road switchmen viii be resumed Mon
day. when union officials and repree
sentatives Of the railroads VIII meet.
The brotherhood OF railway firemen and
engineers has presented demands to 40
railroads west Of Chicago for wage in
creases ranging from Is to 40 per cent
over the present scale.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Music of Childish Laughter

After him followed the deluge of
little children. The society women
distributing the gifts had their task
cut out for them. For more than two
hours the children passed, big and
little, black and white. brown and yell
low. And with the distribution there
broke forth the tribute to Santa Claus
in blowing horns. banging drums and
happy childish laughter. How those
thousands of children laughed. Such
music the corridors of the ST Francis
hotel had never before heard. 1t was
the most infectious laughter in the
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
THREE BURNED TO DEATH
AND TWO OTHERS MISSING
Fire Believed to Have Been
Started by Incendiary

CUMBERLAND. Md, Dec. 25.-Three
miners were burned to death today
near Harrison, Va Two other men.
who boarded at the same house. are
missing The police are working on
a clew indicating the fire was started
after Christmas celebration by man
who had been elected
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
CARS CRASH AND NINE
SERIOUSLY INJURED
Four Probably Fatally Hurt in
Accident at Pittsburg

PITTSBURG. Dec. 25-Nine persons
were crushed and mangled today when
an interurban car struck the rear end
of another car while rounding a curve
two miles from Mount Pleasant. OF the
injured seven were foreigners Four Of
the persons hurt probably will die.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
f|NANCI[R ESCAPES
TRIAL BY DEATH
Deposed President Of Phenix
Fire Insurance Company
Passes Away

GREENWICH Conn, Dec.t 25.-
George Preston Sheldon. the deposed
president of the Phenix fire insurance
company of Brooklyn, under indict-
ment for grand larceny in connection
with financial irregularities in the
company recently exposed by the state
insurance department of New York.
died at his home here today, ignorant
of the fact that detectives were wait
ing with extradition papers ready to
take him to New York for trial in the
event of his, recovery.
Sheldon had been president of the
Phenix fire insurance company of
Brooklyn for 21 years prior to his re-
moval and was one of the most promi-
nent residents of Greenwich. The re-
port of the investigation made by Will
liam Hotchkiss, state superintendent
of insurance of New York. to District
Attorney Jerome of New York declared
that the company had for years evaded
an official investigation at Sheldon's
dictation and that by consent of the
directors he had pledged the security
of the company for loans.
Sums aggregating $25O,000 had been
loaned, it was charged, to former off,
GERS of the state insurance department.
Sheldon, 1t was further alleged. had
overdrawn his own salary and had
used the company's funds in specula-
ton.
Sheldon was born in New York 81
years ago and was. a graduate of Yale.
In 1888 he was elected president of the
Phenix fire Insurance company of
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Death Delays Proceedings

NEW YORK, Dec. 25.-George P.
Sheldon's death may cause hitch in
tuted to recover money that he is al
legged to have overdrawn on his salary
account as president of the Phenix.
The inquiry into the affairs of the
company will be continued, however.
The books of the Chicago and Allan.
ta offices are yet to be examined and
the district attorneys Office here will
continue it's activity
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26

TITO. stand in the chill darkness of
Christmas morning waiting the
return from Europe of his tai
ented wife and attractive daughters,
while in his ears echoes the rasp of
the prison key, was the peculiarly
anomalous position yesterday morn
ing of Joseph E Birmingham, for
20 years an employe of Shreve & Co,
the jewellers.
To come from a successful tour of
Europe, where she had trained her
voice, of which her husband had been
so proud, had met the artist people
of the great continental cities and
lived the charm of social security,
and to arrive Christmas morning, the
day of peace on earth, and then to
find the husband just liberated on bail
from prison and facing the accusation
of having betrayed the trust of the
firm with which he was employed
for score of years, was the cruel
experience of Mrs. Lillian Kraft Birm-
ingham And after her arrival she
labored all day in an effort to reach
George Lewis, manager of Shreve's,
and secure clemency for Birmingham.
An Unhappy Reunion
Instead of arriving to fill holiday
with the joy of a family reunion, Mrs.
Birmingham came to San Francisco
yesterday just in time to shield her
husband from the insistent attacks of
the notoriety and shame he had brought
on his family when he sat in the Office
of the firm which had implicitly trusted
him for 20 years, and wrote voluntary
confession of the theft of $175.
Friday evening Joseph E. Birming-
ham was taken from behind the
counter in the jewelry store at Post
street and Grant avenue and drawn
into the office, where his pockets were
searched. In them was found SITS in
marked money which had been paid
into the firm for articles which Bir-
mingham had sold. He had not turned
the money over to the credit of the
store. There developed, too. the in
sistent rumor that Birmingham had a
tenderloin affinity on whom he Law
ished his $500 salary and other income.
Saturday evening after Birmingham
had been accused "a hours his wife,
who is staying at the Victoria hotel,
three blocks from the scene Of her
husbands disgrace. strenuously de-
clared her belief in his innocence. She
indignantly denied the report which
the police intimated to be true. that
Birmingham was fugitive from jus
tice.e
Keeps in SecIusion
Birmingham had been living at the
Hotel Robins in Post street near
Leavenworth until late last week, when
he removed to the Hotel Victoria in
Bush street. corner of stockton At the
latter place he took apartments for
himself. his wife and daughters. From
the ferry, where he met his family at
3 o'clock Christmas morning and told
his wife the bitter tale of his fresh
disgrace. Birmingham went to the Vic
toria hotel
Inquiry at the hotel yesterday pro-
duced the equivocal answer that he
was at home to friends and not to
other people. The police stated they
believed he was not there. The Pink
erton detective agency was engaged in
the case and shadow was placed over
the Victoria hotel. All day long a
Young man in a bI,1e sarge xuif and
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
WOMAN MAIL CARRIER
FATALLY HURT BY TRAIN
One of Three Feminine Postal
DeIiverers i'm Nation

% sPARTANBURG, S. c., Dec 25.-
Miss Myrtle Hicks, one Of the three
women mail carriers in the United
States. was TODAY fatally injured by a
Grains
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
SUBURBAN

Berkeley police will put into effect the golden
rule. Page 80
Holiday well kept and poor made happy in
Greater Oakland. Page SO
Church of st. Louis Of Bertrand celebrates
completion Of edIhce at Oakland. Page 30
Throngs attend services in Alameda churches
before break Of day. Page 80
Oakland churches arrange special Christmas
services for today. Page 80
Berkeley church choir sings through college
city early Christmas morn. Page 80
Young man in Oakland seizes purses. women
being his victims. Page 3S
Oakland bellies become Christmas brides at
pretty weddings. Page 3s
Elaborate musical programs prepared for sun
day Christmas services. Page 3S
Berkeley painter daubs chickens bright green
to determine fondness for lettuce. Page 3S
Oakland Orpheum offers an unusually excellent
bill Page ss
Christmas caller in Oakland enters wrong house
and is battered with potato masher. Page 80
Two Berkeley youths abandon fearless bear
hunt" in Naps county. Page 3S
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26

4 mill lay dopn life the that husband innocent of the
charges brought against him Il pposOu to SAP that nil not face
trial that he fugitive from Justice mill stand by Mr. Birmingham
the end and defy ow that he has made
MRS. LILLIAN KRAFT BIRMINGHAM.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Through Smiling Pathway

They were very quiet, these thou
sands on thousands of little children.
They hung back in diffidence, hesitated
in alarm, as if, half afraid that at the
next step Santa Claus would vanish,
the choir disappear and all would be
a dream. But the kindly hands waved
them onward through the corridors,
through the lane of the wonderful men
and women smiling down at them, over
the carpets which deadened the sound
of their footsteps. Here and there,
among the masses of the children,
walked some parent, fearful that in
the crush his charges would be lost
or injured
AS the children packed into the lobby
and main dining room Mrs. Edward de
Witt Taylor appeared at the balcony
and waved an American flag Instantly,
the tots responded with a yell Their
alarm disappeared at the sight of the
waving stars and stripes. They cheered
again and again, the elder among them
lifting the babes up on high to catch
a glimpse of old glory.
The presents were distributed in the
tapestry room. The children, after
marching into the hotel were divided
into groups in the various big rooms
in the place and thence marched to
where the mound of toys awaited
them
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
INDEX OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO CALLS
NEWS TODAY
TELEPHONE KEARNY Sc
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2s. 1909
WEATHER CONDITIONS
NEWS TODAY

YESTERDAY-Cloudy; showers; southeast
wind: maximum temperature so, minimum 46.
FORECAST FOR ToDAY-Cloudy, with show
ers light south wind. Page 45
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
POLITICAL
REAL ESTATE

Years record in real estate makes remark
able showing. Page 40
New construction work calls for expenditure
Of large sums. Page 46
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
CITY

Composer says impresarios fear 10 produce
operas written by Americans. Page 20
Mission district viii give the new year rous-
ing welcome Page "a
Commercial Travellers congress to open Tues
day in Golden Gate hall. Page "A
Railroad gang foreman found dead and circum-
stances in case indicate murder. Page 23
Big mass meeting to be held today for the
Geary street bond issue at the building trades
temple. Page 10
Eight thousand children from the homes of the
poor receive gifts at the st. Francis. Page II
Mccarthy bars politics Christmas day and
romps with children around big tree. Page IL
Footpads hold up poultry dealer at his doorway
and get $3.50 Page Fl
Red tape delays extradition of fugitive post
office clerk from this city. Page 40
Elaborate preparations made for carnival in
Fillmore street New Years eve. Page As
Christmas mail swamps force in local post
office. Page IS
Hordes Of hungry men feasted at the Helping
Hand and WhosoeFer win missions. Page As
Pioneer now resident here original booster of
Panama Pacific fiesta Page FL
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
In Dumb Amazement

AS the first of the thousands of little
ones entered they stopped in dumb
amazement. Before them rose pillars
of marble. On one side the jolliest
Santa Claus Imaginable waved a well
coming hand from his position on the
top of a cabin roof and standing by
him were the harnessed reindeer At
the same instant a choir robed in white
crashed into song. And above and
around them were scores of smiling
friends, beautiful women in beautiful
gowns, wonderful men in silk hats and
funny frock coats, policemen who, in
stead of Immediately ordering them
off the premises. beckoned them on, to
march on. And the music. 1t was
everywhere. No sooner would the song
of the choir cease than a brass band
would smash forth into tunes which
made one stamp his feet through sheer
glory of sound And when the bands
men stopped, the choir would begin
again. It never ended.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
ST. NICK TAKES
5000 CHILDREN
TO FA|RYLAND
Music of Childhood's Innocent
Laughter Rings Sweetly
Through Hotel
From Nooks and Crannies of the
City Came the Army
of Babes

FAILING from the hooks and cram
/" nies of the city. 5000 children
a - marched into the st. Francis
hotel yesterday right into the fairy
land of their childish dreams, each
there receiving share of the tons of
toys which had been gathered for them
by the hotel management and by a
band of charitable women. Tingeing
the happiness was a. slight pathos of
the sorrow in the lives of some of them,
the sorrow which is the heritage of the
little children of the poor.
They poured through the doors in
hundreds, the halt, the, manned, the
crippled, small, solemn sisters guard
ing charges yet smaller than them
selves; little children with the worldly
wise stamp born of the battle of the
street; little children with mems faces;
little children of every degree, descrip-
tion and color and nationality-aIl
marched through the halls of wealth to
the wonderland of Christmastide, each
being welcomed in accord with the die
tum which declared:
Suffer little children to come unto
Me and forbid them NOT
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Many Well Wishers

Otherwise the entire day was spent
at home. Family friends and well
wishers called on the mayor elect in
large numbers to extend to him the
compliments of the season and wish
him success in his administration of
the affairs of the city. His telephone
tinkled all day long, carrying similar
regards from friends who were unable
to visit him personally. Among those
who called at the Mccarthy home were
George w Kelly, D. G. Doubleday,
Charles Holtz, John D. Campbell, L. B.
Reagan and family and John T. Byrnes
and family.
Some magnificent Christmas gifts
were received by Mr.. and Mrs Nc
Carthy, the success of the November
election being made the occasion of
generous remembrance by friends.
Perhaps the finest single present was an
unusually handsome oak chest of silver
cutlery. The set consists of 2oS dis
tinct pieces, contained in five great
drawers. Accompanying this gift was
a card bearing the words:
ITO Mayor elect and Mrs. p. III. Nc
Carthy. A merry Christmas and a
happy new year. From your friends,
d. S. Dorm, Percy Stuart, H p. Flan-
merry, Irving Lundborg, d. G. Double
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
Wire Trouble Located

With the aid of Howe, the trouble
with the wire feeding the blue bulbs
was explored and the fault located.
When the blue lights twinkled as
brightly as the red ones, the joy of
McCarthyS father and son, was unal-
loyed.
Although mixed with the stream of
callers at the family home, rs Colling-
wood street. were many political as
sociates of the voters elect, no talk
of appointments or other workaday
subjects was permitted to creep into the
conversation. For the time, Mccarthy
rid his mind of all thought of the
cares of the Office he is about to as
sumo and spent the day like an un~
distinguished citizen.
Pursuing his invariable custom, the
mayor elect attended mass at the
Church of the Holy Redeemer, in Dia-
mond street, at which he is constant
worshiper. He attended the II o'clock
service in order to hear the sermon
In the afternoon he paid a visit to the
grave of his first wife, who died sud
denly during the visit to San Fran
cisco of President Mckinley. Mccarthy
was chairman of the committee that
welcomed the martyred president.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
COAST

William G. Bradbury, convicted millionaire,
spends melancholy Christmas in prison. Page "a
Two Seattle banks consolidate, forming largest
institution in the northwest Page 10
Hawaii endeavoring to solve the labor prob
lem. Page 10
Chauneur's error cause of fatal accident in
Honolulu. Page 4S
Former engineer w. Lewis Clark of Mill Val
ley has discrepancy in report Page 10
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
EASTERN

Nan says mind is blank r.
wife's murder.
Mrs. John Jacob Astor ma
Lord Curzon, former viceroy o
Nine. Humbert declares be
Of Empress Eugene and Marsh
President Taft plans measur
government of Alaska.
Financier dies and escapes
crimes.
Chance telephone call reun
rated for more than 20 years.
Shirt waist strike remains u
insist on open shop.
Higbwaymen run riot in
panic among shoppers.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL
Moral standards in politics. Page rs
No property rights in labor. Page rs
Mr.. Tsft's doubtful enterprise. Page rs
POLITICAL
Lincoln -Roosevelters seek W. Davis of Oak
land for gubernatoral candidate. Page "a
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
FOREIGN

German war department decl
Zeppelin's airship.
Plot aimed at life Of car
earthed in Moscow.
Zelays fees from Nicaragua s
gunboat.
German steamer goes ashore
may be lost.
Many villages in Spain are in
storm.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
MARINE

Passengers Of Lurline enjoy christmss festiv-
ties as steamship enters Golden gate. Page IS