davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05
WRGHT MADE A GREAT FIGHT THOUSANDS ENJOY RING MARVEL
Superb Performance in the Sawdust
Rings Claddens Young and Old

Bigger better and on a more
elaborate scale than ever before at
tempted Ringing Brothers came to
town today with their circus. The
visit of this big amusement enter
prise has been uppermost in the
minds of the people from the time
the billboards had been covered with
flaming posters until the long trains
rolled into the Central yards early
this morning. The first section reach
ed here about o'clock and this was
followed closely by the others. On
the run from Dallas to WaXahachie
there was not a single accident to de-
lay the trains and they came into the
yards on schedule time. AS soon as
the long trains We're spotted on the
sidings the work of relieving them
of their burdens of wagons, animals,
paraphernalia and accessories was
commenced Before it was yet day.
light hundreds of people swarmed
through the railroad yards to watch
the process of unloading. As rapid
ly as the wagons and cages We're
rolled off the cars waiting teams
We're hooked to them any they were
pulled to the show grounds i'll the
east part Of town When the first
wagons reacheds the big open lot an
army of workmen was ready TO be-
tgin unloading them and hosting
the tents. The tents sprang up as II
by magic and when the big top
had been spread out and then strung
up the hundreds of spectators who
had gathered to see this part OF the
show realized that the greatest cir
Gus on earth was really here.
Long before the appointed time
this morning the streets along the
route of the parade We're lined with
| thousands Of persons and available
windows in the courthouse, in stores
iand the awnings in front of business
houses had been pre-empted by
those seeking places of vantage from
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05
WOMAN HUNG BY HANDS.
Masked Men Suspended Her win
Toes Barely touching Floor.

Lansing, Mich, Oct. 5,-Mrs. w,
b Scott, wife of a baker of this city,
was found in the woodshed of her
home Sunday, suspended by the
wrists from a rafter, 50 that her toes
lust touched the floor.
The woman had been gagged and
hung there by two masked men
more than two hours before her
husband and a neighbor found her.
She was utterly exhausted and had
suffered severely from the shock.
According to the story told by the
police. Mrs. Scott entered the wood
shed Just after the men had opened
tn door and stepped into its shadow.
They seized her, threw her 10 the
floor and after procuring clothes
line bound and gagged her and
hung her to the rafter, after which
they entered the house and searched
for money.
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05

Texarkana, Tex, Oct, 5.--Herman
Post, 13-year-old lad employed as
delivery boy at a dry goods store,
while searching for a pony yester-
day morning found mans skull on
Twenty-first street in the north
portion of town. The grewsome find
was reported to the police depart
ment and Patrolman Uckolls. Con
stable Hargett, Deputy Sheriff Bry-
ant and Justice of the Peace Rag
land brought the head to the police
station, where it was viewed by
hundreds of people during the day.
The head had been severed from
the trunk at the base of the skull, a
saw or sharp instrument having ap-
parently been used. A portion of
the back of the skull had also been
removed.
All efforts to find the body were
fruitless, though the officers search
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05
REVENUE AGENT FOLLOWS SHOW
Bill Mcdonald Attempts to Make Cir
Gus Pay Tax for 2 Performances.

Evidently laboring under the i'm
preston that Ellis county officials
We're not capable of discharging
their duty Bill Mcdonald, state rev.
enue agent. followed the circus to
town today for the purpose Of trying
to force the collection of an occupa-
ton tax for two performances. Just
what success he will have is yet to
be determined. The circus manage
ment followed the former custom
of paying for one performance with
the understanding that the ticket
wagon would be open all the after
noon and that there would be no in
tcrmission between the afternoon
ana evening programs Extra tax for
reserved seats was also avoided by
selling these tickets for forty-nine
cents and returning to the purchaser
la penny in change In addition to
| the county tax the circus also paid
| the city $50 for a license TO give
| one performance.
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05
Txakana Lad Finds Mans Skull in Northern Part Of City and
Effort to Find Body Fruiless
THE GREWsOME OBJECT IS PLACED ON EXHIBITION
Officers Are Inclined Believe that Head Is Portion Of Body Used Tor
Demonstration Puposes-Nohng Indicate Man Had Been Vic
tim Of Foul Play but Skull Is Being Held by the Officers

ed over large portion of ground.
The head was in grass about six in
Ches high in a strip of woods. There
was nothing about the ground to in
dicate that the man had been VIC
tim of foul play, though the pres
ence of the head without the trunk
has occasioned no little speculation.
The officers are inclined to be-
lieve that the head is a portion of
a body that had been formerly used
for demonstration purposes at a
medical college, though there are
other theories regarding it.
The skull is that of a white man
apparently about 80 or @5 years of
age The hair is light reddish
brown, teeth large and prominent.
All the flesh is gone from the face.
The skull is still being held by the
officers and an inquest will be con
Quoted by Justice Ragland Tuesday.
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05
RECORD BREAKING CROWD.
Largest Crowd That Ever Attended
Circus in County Saw the
RingiingS.

The largest crowd that ever at
TENDED a circus in Ellis county saw
the Ringlings in W&Xahachie today.
1t is estimated that fully twelve
thousand people were on the streets
when the parade took place. Inc
sidewalks around the square were
iammed and the people crowded INTO
the streets until there was barely
room for the pageant to pass
through. A great many OF the visit
ors came in Monday night and Tues
day morning every train brought
large crowds. The school children OF
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05
DOG POISONER FINED.
Man Accused of Tryiag to Rid Com
munity of Canine Population.

Accused of trying to rid the Alma
community of its canine population
William Sands appeared in the
county court Monday and entered
pleas of guilty to two charges OF
killing animals. He was fined $500
in each case. The fines and costs in
both cases amounted to $63.20.
Sands thanked the sheriff when ne
settled with that official.
1t is said that for several weeks
past Sands has gone about the COM
munity poisoning dogs in an indls-
criminate manner. Nearly all the
CANNES in that vicinity were killeo
before the cause of their demise was
asce1tained.
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05

The b Philathea class Of the Bap-
tist Sunday school cordially invites
the A class to meet with them We'd
nesday afternoon at 8 O'Clock at
Mrs. Royal Williams on Royal
street A full attendance is desired.
as this is to be business meeting
The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-05

the city were given a holiday that
they might witness the parade and
attend the performances at the
show grounds.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

Federal Sleuths Kept on the jump

Originally the secret service of the
United States had two functions and
two only. Those were the detection
of counterfeiters and the hunting
down of illicit distillers. A good many
years ago, however, long before Mr.:
Roosevelt entered public life, one of
the presidents detailed secret serv-
ice men to serve at the White House.
There was not the slightest authority
in law for such procedure, but con-
gress had good deal of considera-
tion for the executive and this vfo-
lation Of law went on year after year.
Finally congress, seeing that the prac-
tice had become permanent and not
wishing to engage in dispute with
the executive branch, conferred the le-
gal authority necessary to enable
presidents to make such a detail !
Gradually the presidents enlarged
the practice of detailing secret serv-
ice men and sents them hither and
yonder on all sorts of errands. Then
other administration oficers-cabinet
chiefs and even bureau heads-with-
out the remotest authority in law,
called upon the secret service branch
for agents to send out on contiden-
tial missions. Chief Wilkie Of the
secret service was up tree, figura-
lively speaking. He did not have
men enough to go around. Congress
allowedohim a blanket appropriation,
but it was not large enough to hire all
of the detectives demanded.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
Time to Call a Halt on the Practice

vision limiting the functions of the
secret service, it was not striking at
the president, but at a custom. At
all the members who had anything to
do with it. Representative Walter L.
Smith of Iowa, drafted the provision
and it was put in with the approval of
Chairman Tawney and all the men,
bers of the appropriations committee.
Gradually congress itself has en-
larged the inspection, or espionage,
system of the government, but for the
most part, it has done so under ex-
ecutive pressure. Naturally, the fact
that the congressman helped to Gre
ate so many "spies" would be expect
ed to stop their criticism, but it is
fashionable now to blame a good many
things on the president. The army of
government detectives numbers all
told about 5000. Nearly all of these
men are engaged in travelling about
the country and mingling with the
80,000,000 people outside of Washing
ton. The list includes secret service
men, postoffice inspectors, special
agents of the land service, pure food
inspectors, meat inspectors and 9TH
ers. The talk that in some instances
secret service agents have been used
to work up damaging information
about congressman who are objection
able to the administration seems to
be without the slightest foundation.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
EHE3EH 81 : H!;::|::;;|R{g$;9 So
-! 55s&z5 5$R$4X9

THE announcement that two blocks
/ of Fifth avenue in the heart of
what was only few years ago the
most exclusive section of wealthy
homes in the city are to be converted
to business uses marks another step
in the rapid passing of this thorough
fare as a fashionable street. For sew
eral years the homes which lined the
avenue from the magnificent Wash
ington arch to the lower end of Cen.
tral park have been disappearing rap
idly. and this movement has proceed
ed more rapidly since the department
stores began to invade the once sacred
precincts.
It is known that one of the blocks
just sold is to be used as the site
for a dry goods store, now further
down town, and it is rumored that
the other has been acquired by Chi
cago mercantile establishment which
has often been reported about to in
wade New York
In five years it is predicted by real
estate men there will not be a dozen
private residences in Fifth avenue be-
low Fifty-ninth street. Even the
wealth of multimillionaires cannot
Withstand the encroachments of busi-
ness, and they are being driven up
town or into the side streets, whittier
the fashionable clubs that formerly
had houses on the avenue are follow
ing them. For a time there was a
tendency to build luxurious hotels on
Fifth avenue, but this has ceased. Ho.
tel visitors find the brilliancy Of Broad
way and the conveniences Of its great
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
Gleanin&s of Gotham
Life in the Great Metropolis
Mirrored for Our Readers !
Big Bank Moves Fifty Million Dollars

The entire lower section is given
over to great banking chamber, the
ceiling of which is 60 feet high and
SO feet to the top of the central DOME
Dominating from it's position in the
center of the banking room every other
feature of the ground floor is the great
armor plate safe, weighing 10000 tons.
Bare of disguise or ornament, the
architects are frankly treating it as
strong box. The safe has every
known effective safety feature, the
most modern and striking of which is
system of steam coils encircling the
great iron box designed to parboil in
moment any person bent on robbery.
The steam can be shot into these coils
by touching several concealed buttons
in twinkling, making all the space
about the safe veritable furnace.
The purpose of such feature is to
foil any attempted bold holdup in
banking hours, no matter how strong
or how heavily armed the raiding
force. The safe might be wide open,
with hundreds Of thousands of dollars
in plain view, every bank clerk and Of
ficial on that floor might be looking
down the muzzle Of a revolver, yet an
office boy on the upper floor could
touch button and no human being
could approach the safe and live.
The National City bank is just four
years short of 100 years old.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

Six professors of the State College
of Agriculture are making a tour
through the farming regions of Penn
sylvania on a special educational
train" furnished by big railroad
company. The trip combines instruc-
tion through lectures and object les
sons in the shape of all sorts of up-to-
date equipment for farm work, carried
on the train. One Of various objects
in view is encouraging the cultivation
of alfalfa, the hardy grass which is pc
culiarly valued as hay producer.
There are also suggestions for increas-
ing the output Of dairy products, the
care of live stock and other matters of
practical moment. AS the people flock
to the train, view the exhibits and lis.
ten with deep interest to the lectures
it is apparent that they are quite will.
ing to pick up hints that may be valu.
able in their business.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

THE origin Of the paragraph in the
last sundry civil bill, restricting
the activities of the secret service,
which provoked the hot denunciation
of the president, is decidedly interest
ing. While subcommittee was fra
ming the sundry civil bill it was
brought to the attention of the men,
bers that secret service man had
been assigned to keep watch over the
conduct of certain naval officer. The
application for the detail was made to
the navy department by the wife of
the officer, who was not entirely satis-
fed as to the faithfulness of her
spouse. The officer was not even on
duty at the time, but was away on
leave of absence.
It occurred to members of the ap-
preparations committee that this was
the limit of governmental espionage
and that the time had come to call a
halt. President Roosevelt, of course,
had secret service sleuth detailed
for such purpose and when the sub
committee wrote and inserted a pro-
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

NEW YORK-Fifty million dollars
~ in gold, silver and currency were
moved across Wall street the other
day, when the National City bank quit
It's old home, 81 Wall street, for it's
new quarters, the old United States
custom house, remodeled.
The removal of this enormous sum
OF money was accomplished by the
banks own clerks and messengers,
who, under heavy guard, crossed and
recrossed the street carrying great
leather bags, each containing not less
than $4,000. The street was filled
with policemen to head off anything
suggestive of trouble.
year ago the old custom house
was turned over to builders. The in.
terror was completely remodeled, but
the granite walls, with the familiar
Ionic columns, were left practically un.
touched. BY adding a Corinthian col
onnade and adhering strictly to q
scheme Of classic simplicity it is be.
lieved an admirable result has been
obtained.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
Gridiron Club Gives Annual Dinner

after the recent national campaign, the
dinner presented an exceptional op.
portunity for the merry-makers.
One of the funniest skits was a roll
call after the recent national political
battle. The mournful tap Of a drum
was heard in the anteroom and there
came marching in a tattered and dilap-
idated troop. The uniforms showed
the members had been on the firing
line. The president of the club an
nounced in solemn voice that the
slaughter had been terrific. The
members of the troop answered
to the roll call. Sergt. Jim Wat
son was reported as killed while
riding to the. front on the water
wagon" Private Charlie Lands fell
at Watson's side," Private Charles G.
Dawes passed in his checks" and
Private Frank Lowden was "shot in
the pocket" Corporal Norman E..
Mack was reported as "burying the
dead" Corporal William J. Bryan was
among the missing" Corporal Loeb
was lin the hands of his friends" Prt-
vate Taft was reported present and
Color Sergt. Hitchcock was announced
as here, with the colors."
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
Mrs. Tom Pierce Free from ASYLUM

by inimical relatives, and declares
that she will carry the entire matter
before the legislature and ask for an
investigation.
For years Mrs. Tom Pierce has
been the most talked of woman of
the smart set New York's million
aire circle knew no more daring rider
to the hounds. In the field Mrs.
Pierce's aim was the surest. No one
drove blooded horses with such con-
summate skill. But it was also said
that no one could sit longer at. the
festive board where highballs bubbled
and rare wine flowed.
So ardent a sportswoman did she
become that she discarded the fem
inine garb of field and chase. She
startled society by riding to hounds
in male attire, and even afoot she
frequently adhered to the bewitchingly
sportive panama hat, box coat, riding
breeches and puttee leggings.
Several weeks ago Mrs. Pierce sud-
denly dropped out of sight. She was
last seen at the office of her brother,
J. c. Rogers, and was next heard of in
the sanitarium. Her sudden reappear-
ance created a sensation among the
smart set
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

M RS. TOM PIERCE, "sportiest wom-
AV4 an in the world" once a leader
of New York's smart set, and most ia
nous woman whip in America, has
been liberated from the private sani-
tarium in Norwalk, Conn, being ad-
judged sane on her brothers state
ment that he simply had his sister
placed in the asylum to enable her
to recover from case of alcoholism.
Mrs. Pierce at her fashionable home
in this city, declared she has been the
victim of conspiracy and was sub
jected to the greatest cruelty by her
brother, from which she was rescued
only through the ceaseless efforts of
her friend, Adele Ritchie, the actress
She also AYERS in no uncertain
terms that the private sanitariums
in Connecticut are filled with perfect.
ly sane people, forcibly placed there
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
Dous as Suicides,

According to NJ Camille F1am.
marion, the eminent astronomer and
psychologist, it is possible for dogs to
commit suicide. We ourselves have
heard of such things aud take more or
less stock in them, but M. Flammarion
believes that dogs suffer from grief
and despair ard kill themselves like
human beings. His remarks were oc.
casioned by the alleged suicide OF a
Saint Bernard dog who threw himself
under a motor bus in the Place Saint
Sulpice recently, an hour after the
death Of his mistress. He argues that
the dog may be assumed to- have
known as we'll as human being that
a motor bus would crush him to death,
and when he got in front of it's wheels
he probably did so as the quickest
way to end his grief at his mistress
demise. M. Flammarion cites other in
stances which have come under his
notice of dogs committing suicide, and
concludes that the stories are not so
incredible as they seem at first sight,
and adds that dogs may have even bor-
rowed the instinct from man. But hav-
ing given dogs credit for memory and
intense affection, says the Boston Her.
aid, why doubt their capacity for men
tai suffering? Maeterlinck, another OBJ
server of dogs, has given them souls,
as well as memory and affections.
Many q dog has died of grief even II
he did not commit suicide.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

IT NCLE IKE STEPHENSON, cham
- pion buttonhole story teller of the
senate, has certainly been treated
shamefully since he came down here
last winter to take Mr.. Spooner's place
as one of Wisconsin's legislators. He
has the distinction of being the oldest
man in the senate and at the same
time of being one Of the wealthiest,
and he is used to having his own way.
He had no sooner got here last De-
cember than he discovered he had
been assigned committee room over
in the Maltby building, on B street
northwest. This was too far from base
to suit Uncle Ike, so he made a good
sized kick, and finally got himself as
signed to room on the senate ter
race, away down in the ground.
But great surprise was in store for
Uncle Ike when he returned this De.
cember. He had no room at all. His
Office furniture was all standing out in
the corridor. This was too much. OF
he went to see about it. What he
found out was that there had to be a
place to put new power plant, and
his room was the only one available.
Where was he to 60 now? Oh, he'd
have to go over in the house Office
building until the senate Office build
ing was finished.
So now, Uncle Ike, who has more
money than he knows how to spend
and who could buy himself thousand
committee rooms, is located away over
in the extreme southeastern corner
of the house Office building-Anacestia
they call it in the house-and it looks
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01

wASHINGT0N.-That branch of the
W public service which it's detractr
ors called "the government spy sys-
TEN" or 1.-The Black Cabinet" has been
brought into conspicuous prominence
by the tiff between congress and the
president, growing out of the criticism
In the presidents message of the &C.
tion of congress in circumscribing the
activities of the secret service.
The system of government es.
p1onage over the private citizen has
grown in an unprecedented manner
under the administration of President
Roosevelt. Whether it conduces to
the general public welfare is a matter
for publicists to discuss, but as to the
fact that the secret service has
reached greater extensions than ever
before there can be no doubt.
This extension has been brought
about by the executive branch of the
government, and it's justification, in
large degree, is that law has no
value unless it is enforced, and the
only way to enforce it is to look after
violations.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-01-01
J. K. Tod Now Living Close to Nature

into operation at his handsome home
at Sound Beach, Conn, and not long
ago, when he introduced new idea
into his simple life scheme, became
talked of as a man who had palace
for his home, but who found JOY in
sleeping in "shack.' The structure
is made of plain boards and so sup
piled with windows that it has per-
feet ventilation. No matter what the
quarter of the wind, fresh current of
air from the sound sweeps through
the rlace.
It is located almost on the water,
and there Mr.. Tod sleeps during the
late days of the spring and through
out the summer On warm morning
he can almost roll out of bed into the
water. Being an ardent lover of out
doors, he is an enthusiastic yachts
man and cruises in his big auxiliary
schooner rigged craft, the Thistle.
Mr.. Tod's place is surrounded on
three sides by the sound, and he owns
a large island to the west which at
low tide is connected with the main
land. This place is a great claiming
ground for the neighbors, and at one
time schooners loaded with sand at
this island, but Mr. Tod finally stopped
the custom, as the island was being
rapidly removed.