davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
HIGH WATER IS OVER.
Kansas River Falling at Rate of Two
Feet Day.

The last high water scare of 1909 is
a matter of history now, according
to the report at the weather office.
The stage of the river today was 17.S
feet, a fall of one and a half feet
since last night at o'clock. The riv-
er is now falling at the rate of two
feet, perhaps more, day.
The frozen ground helped relieve
the water situation in the Kaw valley
during the past two days. 1t held the
water in the ground, giving the river
and smaller streams an opportunity
to carry out the flood water which
had been collected.
Everywhere the streams are lower
than was the case yesterday. The
Blue and Kaw are lower at Manhat-
tan. Above Manhattan on the Smoky
Hill. Solomon and Republican rivers
the water is at low stage. North of
Manhattan the Blue is low.
1t is impossible for rain to fall
while the present temperatures pre-
vail And with the rivers doing their
work so well and no additional mois-
ture there can be no high water save
that incident to the removing of the
flood water caused by the recent
rains.
Yesterday afternoon at o'clock
as marked the first fall in the stage
of the Kaw river at Topeka in "a
hours At 4 o'clock Monday the river
stage was 1914 feet 1t remained at
that state until last night at 5 o'clock
when the gauge showed a stage of
1913 feet. The water is still falling
rapidly and tonight il expected to
show the stage of the river at but lit
tie more than Is feet
Soldier creek is within its banks
and there is no reason to fear that
stream The latest "ffood scare has
gone the way most of them go.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
TRADE GIRLS FOR OPIUM
Sarganese Offer Maiden for an
Ounce of the Drug.

Manila, Nov. 1.-THE natives of
Sargani. a group of islands to the
south of Mindanao. are offering in
barter young girls each for one ounce
of opium. according to W. S. Lyon. a
korticulturist, who returned today from
trip along the south coast of Min
danao. Mr.. Lyon is engaged in OBJ
tanning specimens of tropical fruits for
the department of agriculture at
Washington.
Mr.. Lyon reports that this traffic in
opium in South Mindanao is carried
on by way of Palm island. The gov
ernment cutters visit that district oc-
casionally, but they are lacking in fa-
cilities to suppress the traffic.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
FAMINE Is THREATENED.
Illinois Mine Disaster Brought Hun
dreds 70 the Scene.

Cherry, ILL.,. Nov. ia famine is
threatened in Cherry not only for the
destitute survivors of the mine disas-
ter, but also for the hundreds of out
siders who are here The one small ho-
tel of the little mining town has had
such a rush of business that it has
bought out the food supply of the To-
cal stores and then has been unable to
get enough for its needs.
About 100 visitors to Cherry are be-
ing furnished meals in mining car
brought by the ST. Paul railroad These
visitors. who include company officials,
state and government mining experts,
physicians, nurses. relief workers and
newspaper men, have sleeping quarters
in three sleeping cars which stand on
a sidetrack near the mine.
Every night since the disaster a score
of outsiders have slept on hard floors
in the hotel. the railroad station and
stores, the hotel accommodations being
entirely inadequate.
The situation will be further compli-
Gated by the arrival of troops. The
railroad company has sent in a re-
QUESTION for four additional sleeping
cars for the soldiers and extra dining
cars will also be sidetracked in the
town.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
TO SAVE THE SIOUX.
A Colony Will Be Established in
Nicaragua.

Boston, Nov. Ito save the remnant
of the Sioux tribe of Indians from ex-
tinction by consumption and other dis
eases. a colony of Indians will be es-
tablished in Nicaragua early in the
new year.
Chief Little Bison, a full blooded
Sioux, sailed from Boston on the steam
er Esparta today for Nicaragua, where
he will receive the deeds to 10000 acres
of land granted by the Nicaraguan gov
ernment for the establishment of the
colony. The project is supported finan-
cialIy by F. S. Dellenbaugh, head of the
American Geographical society, and
several wealthy New York people. The
migration of the Indians is expected to
begin in January.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17

to shunt a big six wheel engine and
vestibule train on to the Fourth dis
trict siding.
White Should Write the Drama.
William Allen White is a. good writer.
He should now write a drama and he
could call "A Certain Candidate" AMI
in the last act he could exercise his
powers as a writer of tragedy and as he
excels in the narration of the sad and
the pathetic, the drama should have a
good season on the kerosene circuit
Jackson for congress in the Fourth
district; the triumvirate at Topeka
broken; Anthony has gone to Egypt.
The gang at Rome will be happy and
care free either way the fight goes at
Alexandra. They cannot lose now. The
only man they feared will soon be out
of the way. But the pity of it.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
SELLS CONTEST ENDS.
Mrs. Lewis Sells Executrix of Her
Snowman Husbands Estate.

The following is from the Dispatch
of Columbus, Ohio:
Settlement was reached in the
Lewis Sells will contest Tuesday af-
ternoon. The jury was dismissed and
the case continued until the final en-
try can be drawn. -
1.-The attorneys for the parties de-
cline to state the terms of the settle
ment, but it is understood from a
close friend of the family that the
settlement was based substantially on
the provisions of the will of Decem-
ber, 1904. This is the will under
which Mr.. Sells stated repeatedly
down to the time of his death he
wished to have his estate ad
ministered. By this will Mr.. Sells
made certain bequests to his sisters,
principally in the form of annuities.
His widow and daughter have stead
fastedly contended that the pre-
tended will executed few weeks be-
fore he died was not a valid will, but
that they were willing that a settle
ment should be made which would
give the testator's sisters the aggre-
gate amount to which they would be
entitled under the will of 1904. BY
this will Lewis Sells had given to his
sisters substantially the same amount
as they received under the will of
their brother, Peter Sells, who died
in the fall of 1904. The result is
that these five sisters receive from the
estates of their two brothers, Lewis
and Peter, in round numbers about
$4,000"
BY the will of 1904, Mrs. Rhoda ].
Sells, formerly Of Topeka, becomes
executrix of her late husbands estate.
Mrs. Sells qualified on October 80.
1909, and is now in full possession of
the estate of the late Lewis Sells
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
TO BANQUET TOGETHER
National Municipal League and Civic
Federation Will Unite.

Cincinnati, O., Nov. 1.-THE National
Municipal league convention in session
in this city held its annual meeting to-
day and listened to the reading of a
number of papers.
Miss Grace Abbott of Chicago, di-
rector of the League for the Protection
of the Immigrant, read paper on I'M
migration and the municipal problem.
In a paper on municipal contracts,
Richard Henry Dana of Cambridge,
Mass, advocated the taking of such
contracts out of politics. Other papers
were read by Prof Augustus Raymond
Hatton. professor of political science in
Western Reserve university, Cleveland,
and Arthur H Woods. who was fourth
deputy police commissioner of New
York under General Bingham and IN
charge of the detective bureau
The members of the league will join
with members of the American Civic
association in a banquet tonight
President J. Horace Mcfarland and
Secretary Richard Watrous, both of
Harrisburg, Pa, were reelected, as
were practically all of the other Off
GERS. Among the vice presidents named
were Clinton Rogers Woodruff, James
r. Garfield and George w. Marston,
San Diego. Cal.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
HE LIVED A CENTURY.
John L, Mctiaris Died on the Tooth
Anniversary of His birthday.

Richmond Ind. Nov. 17.-At- the
close of a big celebration in honor of
the Tooth anniversary of his birth,
John Fletcher Medaris of Greensboro,
a small town near here. died late yes
terday. Medaris all but collapsed
earlier in the day, but by his grim de-
termination lived until the program
IT. his honor had been carried out.
1t was his expressed wish to live for
the celebration. The entire population
of Greensboro turned out to honor MI
Nedaris.
1t had been planned that the aged
man should hold a public reception in
the town hall, but his enfeebled condi-
ton caused this plan to be dropped
Consequently Medaris spent the day at
the home of his daughter, Mrs. John
Martindale. At noon $50 of his rela-
t:ves gathered for the dinner planned
as a part of the celebration.
Medaris has been a citizen of the
Town for eighty Years.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
HE HAS A LIST.
Collector of the Port of New
York Has % Names
OF Men Implicated i'm Sugar
Weighing Frauds.
A STILL LONGER ONE
Prepared by Deputy Surveyor
Parr for MacVeagh.
A Congressional Investigation
Is Now Talked Of.

New York, Nov. 17.-Although no
official confirmation could be had to-
ay either from customs officials or
from United States District Attorney
Wise, the report is persistent that in
dictments have been found against a
number of government weighers whom
special Attorney General Stimson has
connected with the weighing frauds
perpetrated by the American Sugar
Refining company at its Williamsburg
docks.
The report from Washington that a
list of twenty-five weighers had been
furnished to the United States civil
:ervice commission by the collector at
New York of men implicated in the
frauds in question was confirmed by
Deputy Surveyor Richard Parr.
Mr.. Parr admitted that a list of
''undesirables" had been prepared by
him and forwarded by him to the sec
retary of the treasury. He intimated,
however, this list was much longer
than that referred to by the United
states civil service commission and
that when the final shake up came.
twenty-five would be dropped.
The belief is becoming general that
81 congressional investigation of the
New York customs house will be or
dered. Colonel E. S. Fowler, former
collector of the port, today declared
himself in favor of such an investiga-
ton.
Deputy Surveyor Parr modified his
earlier declaration that he had diScov-
cred fraud in the importation of sugar
at Philadelphia by saying that possibly
.he discrepancies could be ascribed to
natural causes, such as shrinkage and
moisture.
At the headquarters of the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining company, Presi-
dent w. B. Thomas issued denial OF
report that he intended to resign.
A report that A. H. Senff had re-
signed as director was also denied. ii
being explained that Mr.. Senf had
merely declined reelection.
Reynolds Explains to Taft.
Washington, Nov. 17.-Secretary OF
the Treasury MacVeagh called at the
White House today and formally pre-
sented to the president the members
of the new tariff commission, or for
eign tariff board as It is sometimes
called. These are James B. Reynolds
formerly assistant secretary of the
treasury, Prof. H. G. Emery of Yale
who is chairman of the board and
Alvin H. Sanders Of Chicago.
Secretary Macveagh and the mem
bers of the board discussed with the
board the work Of the new board.
Before leaving the conference, Mr.
Reynolds took up with the president
some details of the sugar trust frauds
in New York. so far as the charges
against him by Assistant SURVEYOR
Parr were concerned.
Mr.. Reynolds explained briefly his
connection with the case as he has
already outlined in a formal state
ment, given out several days ago.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
GEN. GRANT DRIVEN OUT
He Escapes From His Burning Home
by a Ladder.

Chicago, Nov. 17.-Major General
Frederick D. Grant was forced to quit
mis- home, 1906 Dearborn avenue, to-
Gay by fire that originated in the base
nent and for time threatened to
consume the house.
The commander of the department
Of the lakes was awakened by the
smoke and assisted his wife in escap-
ing by climbing out ef a window to
the porch roof and descending to the
GROUND by a ladder which the firemen
raised.
Several of the servants were carried
down ladders by the firemen. The
principal damage was by smoke and
water.
General Grant feared for the safety
OF valuable papers which he left in
the library.
After watching the flames for long
time and ascertaining that they were
under control General and Mrs. Grant
went to the home of Mrs. Potter Palm
er. who is Mrs. Grants sister. In de-
scending the ladder from the porch
roof Mrs. Grant was aided by firemen
who also offered assistance to the gem
eral, but were waved aside.
Mrs. Grant narrowly escaped injury
when she at first sought to escape from
the house by the stairway from which
she and General Grant were driven by
the flames and smoke. Some personal
papers and a pocketboek. left by the
general in his dressing room, were re-
covered by a policeman.
The furniture in the house is valued
at $1,000 and much of it was damaged
The first thought of General Grant
after seeing that the occupants of the
house were safe. was a number of
priced relics of his father. General U.
S. Grant, among them being a sword
presented to the soldier at the siege of
Vicksburg, a portrait. and the field
de SIX used by the commanding general
I,f
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
AFTER LAND SHARKS.
secretary Wilson Will Try to Protect
the Easy Marks.

Washington, Nov. 17.-Schemes to de-
fraud the farmer and the would be
farmer-meaning the city man who is
attracted to the country by spurious
advertisements are receiving the atten-
ton of the department of agriculture
and it is probable that Secretary Will
son in his forthcoming annual report
will sound a note of warning to the
overcredulous.
Tracts of almost pure sand left after
the cutting of pine trees are being aG-
vertised as farming lands of the finest
description; undrained swamps are de-
scribed as priceless possessions and all
sorts Of inducements are held out to at
tract purchasers of these alleged
worthless lands
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
NOBODY WAS KILLED
All of the Higgins Yachting Party Ac-
counted For.

Funchal, Madeira, Nov. 17.-There
was no loss of life when the yacht
Varuna owned by Eugene Higgins of
New York, was wrecked on the north
west coast of the island.
The yacht was driven ashore during
a severe storm. All of the members
of the yachting party and the crew
have been accounted for They found
refuge on the North Coast. The
Varuna is full of water and it is be-
1ieved she will soon go to pieces.
The Varuna is a twin screw yacht
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
HELPED BY HIS WIFE.
Mine Promoter Charged With Forgery
Is Acquitted.

Kansas City, Mo-, Nov. 17.-Robert J.
Meenan, a mine promoter of Deadwood.
S. D., charged with forgery. was ac-
quilted by a jury in the criminal court
here last night. Meenan was accused
of having raised a stock certificate in
the Golden, Placer Mining company
from $50 to 25.00O shares. 1t was charg-
ed that he sold the stock to buy ma
chinery for the new mine. His wife
sat at his side throughout the trial
consulted with her husba nd's lawyer
and assisted in the examination of wit
neSSes.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
WAS COLD TODAY.
Mercury Dropped to % Degrees This
Morning.

Fair and rising temperature is the
forecast for the next "a hours. The
minimum temperature last night was
22, and the thawing point was not
reached until after noon. This after
aoon the wind blows Is miles an hour
from the northwest. The last river
measurement was 17.S, a fall of 1.6
curing the past "a hours. The Kaw
will continue to fall steadily, as there
is no surplus water above to cause
another rise. The hourly temperatures
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
TAFT AT THE THEATRE.
The President Goes to See SIontgom-
cry and Stone.

Washington, Nov. 17.-President
Taft made his first appearance of this
season at a Washington theater last
night, attending the performances OF
The Old Town" by Montgomery ana
stone at the New National.
When the president entered his box
he was greeted by the audience with
continued applause. The president was
accompanied by Mrs. Taft and her SIS
ter, Mrs. Laughlin, of Pittsburg.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17

of 1874 tons. built of steel. She
sailed from New York, on November
2, and after touching at Bermuda
proceeded for Madeira and the Medi-
terranean. Mr.. Higgins is a mem
of the board of managers of the Della
ware, Lackawanna & Western railroad
and has other extensive business in
tereStS.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
WRECK NEAR WEIR CITY
Broken Rail Threw Passenger Train
Into Ditch, InjtIring Fireman.

Pittsburg, Kan. Nov. IA broken
rail caused the derailment of north
bound St. Louis & San Francisco pas
senger train No. ia early today three
miles north of Weir City, KAN, the
engine baggage. smoking and chair
cars left the rails. only the sleeper re-
manning OH the tracks. Fireman Floyd
Sans was injured slightly.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17
weather Indications

Chicago, Nov. 17.-F'orecast for Kan
sas: Fair tonight and Thursday; ris-
ing temperature-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-17

Cherry tocay The authorities. realiz-
ing it will do all in their power to open
the mine.
The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1909-03-24

After being out practically twenty
nine hours, the jury in the case of
Barnard Andrew Nelson, accused of
the crime OF murder in the first
degree (of. having killed Morris
Fuller at Fowlds on the morning of
January 3rd), at SIS last evening
returned verdict of not guilty, as
charged in the indictment.
The jury had retired from the
court room at the conclusion of the
trying of the case Monday afternoon
at 3:25 o'clock. They spent all of
Monday night considering the case
and the arguments, pro and con, as
to Nelson's guilt or innocence, waxed
exceedingly strenuous at times; in
fact voices were heard in the hall
way, lifted to a rather high pitch of
feeling.
The twelve men came into court
Yesterday morning and asked for
The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1909-03-24
Advertising Sale"

The Presbyterian Ladies Aid
society are planning an "Advertis.
ing Sale" to be given in the rink
April 2.
The sale is one of considerable
magnitude, the ladies having written
to- a great many wholesale houses
and secured a good many useful
articles. which they will place on
sale at that time. Among the ar
ticles secured is a fine lot of garden
seeds, Quantity of Occident -four
of which the Northern Grocery
company is the distributing agency.
They also have mattresses, carpet
sweepers, preserves, fruits, canned
goods, breakfast foods, confection-
cry and a variety of articles which
will be placed on sale at that time.
The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1909-03-24
DISTRICT COURT Will
REC0NvEhE APRIL 20
Judge Stanton Adjourned the Term..
Lee Sentenced to Retormatory.
indictments Returned.

In district court this morning,
William Lee, convicted of grand
larceny in the second degree. was
sentenced to serve an indeterminate
term in the reformatory at St. Cloud.
Frank Jackson, attorney for Lee,
asked the court for clemency for his
client and Lee, in answering if he
had anything to say, cried and said
that the court was sentencing an
innocent man.
Judge Stanton replied that he had
no doubt Of the guilt Of Lee and he
was surprised at the defense Lee
had made. y
Lee is II years old and his par
ents live in Washington county,.
Wisconsin. He was married but
his wife died. He has a child S
years old who is living with his,
parents. He has been a common
laborer and has worked as a lumber1
jack in the logging camps near
Deer River and during the past
winter has worked near Fowlds. .
Yves Wright, George Gunderson
and Joseph Wagner were arraigned
in court this morning to plead to
indictments returned by the grand
jury against. each of them, wherein
they were charged with "wi]fully
omitting to pay over to. the County
of Beltrami money received by
them as public officers"
= The indictment charges, more
specifically, that on August Is, 1907,
they failed to pay oyer the proceeds
of the sale of a horse sold to w. A..
Cassler by them. Each of them
pleaded not guilty to the charge,
contained III the indictmest and II ".
was ordered by the court that defen-
dants might change their plea and,
if they desired, demur to the indict-
ment. --.
Archie Brown, who has been held
in the county Jail as a witness for
state in the Nelson case, was ordered
discharged from custody.
There are several court cases
which have been tried and there is
something of lull following the
strenuous work of the past ten days
in court.
The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1909-03-24

instructions as to whether they
could return a verdict of man.
slaughter in the case; and as to
what extent they could ask for
clemency for the defendant; also
if they could find that the Barnard
Nelson indictment was not true
indictment in the first or second
degree. They were given negative
answers to the questions as to return
ing verdict of manslaughter and
also as to finding the indictment
not true, and were given to under
stand that the question of the
extent that clemency could be exer-
cised toward Nelson rested entirely
within the jurisdiction of the court.
The jury retired and put in sew
eral hours in earnest discussion of
the case. Finally, at 3:45 yesterday
afternoon, the twelve came into
court and reported that they we're
hopelessly apart and could nof reach
verdict. They were directed to
return for further deliberation; and
they wrestled with the evidence and
all phases of the crime, finally reach
ing a verdict at 8:15 last evening. -
Word was quickly sent. to Judge
Stanton, County Attorney McKusick
and Attorney Henry Funkley, (Nel-
sons counsel( Clerk of Court Rhoda
and others and soon a small-sized
crowd of anxious spectators was
seated about the court room, await
ing the reading of the verdict which
The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1909-03-24
New Settlers for North Country,

Gerhard KONG and Otto Remberg
OF Moos Creek were visitors in the
city Monday evening while on their
way from the Cass Lake land Office,
where they had been to file on
valuable tracts of land in section
,29-155-31. Messrs. KONG and Rem.
berg were formerly residents OF
Minneapolis. x
John Kolar, who filed on a quar-.
ter section of land in that vicinity
some time ago and who recommend.
ed north central Minnesota to these
gentlemen, accompanied them -tc
Kelliher on the evening train. "
The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1909-03-24
This forenoon Judge Stanton.
adjourned court until April 10th, at
10 a. m.
''Skidoo' Party Was Fine.

The "skidoo" party, held at the
Methodist church last evening under
the direction of L. F. Cole of Min
neapolis, was highly successful
entertainment.
Yesterday was the 23rd day Of
the month. Adults were charged
twenty-three cents last evening for
admission and children under thir-
teen years paid thirteen cents.
An. excellent program of twenty
three numbers was rendered, every
number of which was encored.
Every selection on the program was
fine. At the close of the entertain
ment Chautauqua salute was given
MI. Cole for the aid he has given
the church in its attempts to raise
money.