davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21
THE DURRANT TRIAL IN POINT

1t is the vice of our system of Jurisprudence that
every possible intendment of law is stretched and
perverted to criminals from Justice
will give you an example in point | sat through
the trial of Theodore Durrant for the murder of
Blanche Lamont and | heard every word of the
testimony. There was not the slightest doubt of his
guilt, but he could never have been convicted had
he kept off the witness stand. He knotted the
rope that hanged him with his own teeth The
police had cooked up an absurd farrago of identi-
icaton evidence that cast doubt on the whole case
for the prosecution. They traced Durrant in com
pany with Blanche Lamont on a streetcar Journey
from the normal school in Powell street to the
Emmanuel church in the Mission They managed
to drum up something like dozen witnesses who
swore they the pair on the streetcar Some
of these witnesses had never seen Durran in their
lives until that afternoon and most of them were
women, who are especially liable to the influence
of suggestion Now what vaue could be attached
to identification by passing glance at person
never before seen known?
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21

merely an amusing form of jealousy, but it seems
worth while at the start to point out that the
results Of an election do not supply infallibe
test of influence.
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21

the calendar OF political OrtenSeS- For
many years Santa Barbara part Of the con-
gressional district of which Los Angeles county
the biggest end, and during several OF these
years Santa Barbara republican voters had the
privilege of handing their ballots to Nc
Lachan Los Angeles county
PURPORTED TO BE WHISKY
The troubles and perplexites of a paternal gov
ernment were illustrated the other day at Yuma,
where Mexican was caught, rather detected
by gumshoeman selling something that pur
ported to be whisky to an Indian in dark room.
On investigation the liquor turned out TO be vine
gar. The gumshoeman arrested the Indian. The
Mexican escaped.
RAFFLES
The arrest of gentleman burglar" who was
operating in a leading hotel of this city after he
had skinned the guests of several other resorts
of fashion and had run what the newspapers
describe as "a meteoric career directs attention
to prominent feature Of American city life. Some
satrist has remarked that our big hotels are de
signed to provide exclusiveness for the masses
and the saying carries more than gleam of truth.
1t seems clear that headquarters in big hotel
gives man the entree to what some people like
to call Exclusive circles" The newspapers help
in exaltation of this supposed quality. Indeed,
have seen a fashionable church commended in local
print as ''one Of most exclusive institutions.
Local society SINNERS and sizzles about the rival
pretensions of this or that hotel to this exclusive
ness We have not forgotten the celebrated ball
at which young lady dropped her pearl necklace
and her friends promptly set the police the track
OF the other guests. 1t was exclusive society with
o11r1 shoe attachment
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21
e in the Contemporary Life of California
By Edward f. Cahill

prosecution. Of course, there was
other evidence in plenty, but it
was all circumstantial and it
would not have suficed to upset
the doubts raised by the identih-
cation evidence had not Durrant
gone on the stand. The story
that he told was so contradictory
and impossible that he clinched
his own conviction. Billy Barnes
cross examined him and simply
left him without an inch of ground
to stand on
| remember discussing the case
afterward with. Delmas and he
agreed with me that if Durrant
had kept off the stand he could
never have been convicted.
"If l had been counsel for the
Defense" said Delmas, Il never
would have let Durrant go on
the witness stand and / would
have said to the jury: Can you
gentlemen take on yourselves the
responsibility of hanging a man
on such a body of fimsy circum-
stantial evidence !? "
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21

of it volunteered and was doubtless quite
sincere, but it was accepted without due consid-
Grafton of its dubious character.
The influence of suggestion in a that COM
mands worldwide attention is incalculable. 1t IS
no secret that for quite two years after Durrant
hanged the Mission district hotbed OF
extraordinary stories about the case and every
newspaper in town compelled to keep special
staff engaged in running them down. Almost
without exception they proved to be the products
OF sheer imagination.
This is what suggestion does. great body OF
myth concerning Durrant grew up in accord with
we'll known law of psychology
sTANTONS UNCONSCIOUS HUMOR
In the way of politics nothing quite so funny
has happened for time as Phil Stantons state
ment of his position in regard to running Tor gov
ernor next year. Here it is:
Personally don't want to be governor of Cali
forna | will say positively that | will not
for Office but if there is any way to escape 1t
] going to do
With all due respect and gratitude to the friends
who have suggested my candidacy for the COVER
norship, am frank to say that | do not want to
make the race When [ left Sacramento last
March | doubted whether | would ever see the
capital of California again, and wanted no more
of public life. | am still sincerely opposed to
being a candidate again, and am perfectly willing
retire. In saying this may appear presump-
tuous, but | sincere.
My present plans do not include making the
race for governor but will admit that if the de-
mand is strong enough and circumstances
shape themselves | would become candidate.
Apparently the former speaker of the assembly
still feels the ground slipping from under him with
nothing but his own sense of fitness for exalted
office to hold him level But that is inflated enough
to float an arShip.
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21
THE INFLUENCE OF
SUGGESTION

| do not assert that the police
deliberately manufactured this
body of evidence. Not at all. Most
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21
MIGHT HAVE QUEERED WHOLE CASE

The court was occupied for weeks with this
branch OF the testimony and if it had stood alone
it would have queered the whole case for the
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-21
ABOUT QUOTATIONS

take this from the FRESNO MlIIOI.
Another correspondent writes: Il that Ed
ward F Cahil of The Cali in his department,
The Candid Friend says how sharper than a
serpent child it is to have thankless tooth Is
this quoted correctly?"
OF course not 1t should be ~How toother than
serpent sharp it 5 o have childless thank"
No, we mean How sharper than a toothless child
it is to have serpent thank Confound it, The
right quotation is How shopper than a tartless
ch1d'-say, just look into your Shakespeare
and don't bother again.
AS a matter of fact my quotation was correct
It is not, of course from Shakespeare. 1t was
sort OF BOBBY trap and any person who has time
and taste for research may find it in the pages OF
a great novelist of the Victorian period Sir
said Doctor johnson, Il have found you reason;
/ am not bound to find you understanding
IAN OLD DUB"
They are telling story in New York of street.
car conversation overheard on the morning after
the New theater was opened 1t ran like this
They had the first performance last night"
What did they act?'
Antony and Cleopatra
That's conlic opera; isn't IT.:
paRSF}, PTbo Wrote N9 is IS 9 play
I'm trying to find out" After a pause: ~Why.
it's by that old dub Shakespeare
Nv quotation was not from that old dub not
wthstanding its suspicious appearance, but l apollo
gize for making the mistake OF borrowing another
man Joke without appendnS diagram IOr use
in what Deacon Pillsbury used to call "the hog
thief belt
LET THE SINNER GO
| find in the Chronicle this editorial sermon in
point-of the recent campaign:
Clergymen safe ground when they anath-
ematze sin. When it to publicly denOunc-
ing particular sinners they at intensity hui
man passions which may be better sOothe
1t is of consequence to mankind that the
church, only character building institution,
retain and increase its hold the people than
that any good man be elected to Office for good
purpose any bad man defeated and thereby pre-
vented from accomplishing a bad purpose Chris
tianity maintains its hold mankind by persua-
sion and not by compulsion, by the exposition of
the Christian virtues and not by the personal de-
nuncation of particular sinners, by exhortatOn
repentance, and not by delivering sinners to the
secular arm, by the hope of forgiveness and not
the fear of punishment, by the practice of charity
and not the pursuit of vengeance.
Yes dear, this is comforting and comfortable
doctrine Denounce the sin, but let the sinner go.
So shall your pew seats multiply and fatten while
you shall occupy the undisputed eminence OF a
bump on log
The sermon ended,
The fishes descended
The eels ceiling;
The pixies stealing.
Much delighted were they,
But preferred the old way.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
VILLAGE TRUSTEES
HOLD MONTHLY
MEETING
Convey Thanks of Board to Fire
Department.
WEBER GETS SEWER JOB
Bid of 1856 for 900 Feet Extension on
South Branch Street Lowest of
Three Submitted.

TIE regular monthly meeting of The
Village Board of Trustees was helC
Tuesday evening, Sept. 7, at s o'clocl
in the village rooms. The following
officers were present President Mar
tin, Clerk w p. Hogan and Trustees
Buss, Barrett, Nash, Moore, Hayes
and Davenport and Street Commits
sioner A. r. Dunn.
There was some question about the
villages liability in the case of the
bill for $51.95 from the municipal
judge in the Slattery-Jepson cases
The matter was laid on the table un
til the advice of the village attorney
could be secured.
A reimbursement pro rata was
granted in the. matter of the Il. J.
Morrissey license, the amount of re-
funding being $326.55. A similar re-
endorsement was made in the case OF
a Mr. Luton of Albany the amount
refunded being S20.12.
On the petition of j. T. Remington
power to act was given to the street
committee to remove a projection OF
rock on Hillside street.
The sealed bids for the construc.
ton of 900 feet of sewer on South
Branch street were opened The fol
lowing bids were made: Winslow Il
Craven $3.50 or 1.30 per it.; Winsow
Bros, $l107 or l.23 it,; John Weber,
1886 or. $.95 per it. The latter was
the only one to make the bid without
reservation or condition The first
two made it necessary for the village
to remove all superfuous dirt and
rocks. The Weber bid was accepted.
Permission was granted II. w. Bur
CESS to put. in a curb and gutter
about his residence on Mccall street.
the village surveyor being instructed
TO establish the grade of Mccall
street.
A. II. Winslow was granted permits
sion to erect a building on West Main
street according to laws submitted.
The clerk was instructed to have the
Bennington Water Co. lower the wat
er shut off caps which are above the
sidewalks. The committee on light
ing was given power to move certain
arc lights.
TIE clerk was instructed to convey
the boards appreciation of the fine
condition of the Bennington Fire De
partment as shown at the recent in
spection, to the chief OF the depart
ment.
The Twin State Gas and Electric
CO., was granted permission to erect
poles on Putnam street The follow
ing bills were ordered paid
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
ANARCHIST DID NOT SPEAK
Burlington Execution Would - Not
Allow Her to Deliver Address.

Burlington, Sept. 4.-Emma Gold
man, the anarchist. and her manager
DR.. Ben Reitman, found themselves
vigorously opposed by Mayor ]. e.
Burke in their plan to speak on An
archism and What II Really Stands
For" in this city last night.
Fooled in their attempt to engage
the city nall for this purpose, they hir-
the city nall for this purpose, they hir-
ed what is known as Perleman's
hall in the north of the city. Anticipa-
ting trouble, Miss Goldman and her
manager went to the hall at o'cock.
only to discover that the mayor and
two policemen had anticipated them
by full hour When they drew up
in front of the building the mayor and
the officers took their stand at the en-
trance and Mr.. Burke addressed them,
briefly stating that they would not be
allowed to spread their doctrinefrom
that platform or from any other spot
In the city of Burlington. Themayor
gave them to understand that in the
interest OF law and order and good
government their presence and their /
IDEAS were very unwelcome in tais city.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
AER0PLANE FALLS
AND AVIATOR
IS KILLED
First Fatal Accident of Its
Kind in France
e. l.. LEFEBRE THE VICTIM
Was Trying Out Wright Machine
When ii Pitched Suddenly to
the Ground,

Juvisy Sur Orge, France, Sept. s.
E. l.. Lefebvre, the French aviator,
was killed by a fall from his aeroplane
yesterday. afternoon. The cause of
the accident, which was the first fatal
one in the history of French aviation,
remains a mystery. Lerebvre was en-
gagged in testing the machine prior to
the delivery to purchasers of several
Wright machines built by the COM
pany, of which Michel Clemenceau,
son Of the expremier is a director.
The machine left the ground easily
and flew around the aerodrome at a
height of about 20 feet, making the
turn gracefully. Suddenly without
any apparent reason, it tilted sharply
downward and, propelled by the force
of the motor. struck the ground with
great violence.
The aviator was pitched out on his
head and lay unconscious amidst the
wreckage. A doctor was hastily sum-
moned, but the aviator died within
few minutes.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
DOLLY WARDEN
Best Comic Opera on the Green Corr
Circuit This Year.

II. D. Allen offers the Comic Opera
Success, Dolly Warden" WITH the be-
witching prima donna soubrette, Miss
Alkaline Fildes which will be the at
traction at the opera house on Satur-
day evening. Dolly Warden" will be
remembered as being the biggest
comic opera success known on Broad
way for years, 1t served as the vehicle
which brought Miss Lulu CHASER TO
her present position. The principals
of the company are particularly note
worthy as artists in tneir line of
work. The scenery and costumes are
elaborate and magnificent Miss Ad-
aline Fildes headed by the peerless
beauty chorus, all of which are beauu
full and attractive women.
The story of Dolly Warden" has a
broad and humorous thought with a
consistent plot. II is so constructed
that il permits the introduction OF
novel, interesting and entertaining
specialties. Dolly Warden" is the
Joint work OF those masters of comic
opera. Messrs. Stanialus STANCE and
Julian Edwards. No attraction of the
season would be more welcome than
Miss Alkaline Fildes in Dolly Var
den" It's reputation is a guarantee
of merit and originality. The seen
cry is rich and warm In color and
style, the costuming is in perfect
harmony and the soft blending OF
electrical effects give the whole an
unusual charm.
1t is entirely different from the old
hackneyed idea which has laways pre-
dominated in comic opera. That is to
be successful there must be blaze
of white light and a flash of vivid, de-
cided coloring and a great mass OF
beautiful voices There is beauty
and tone to Dolly Warden" No ex-
pense has been spared in equipping
and staging the piece. Nothing that
would add to the success and beauty
CT the production was sighted or
overlooked The company in itself is
one of rare merit, selected only after
careful study. Each individual mem
Der is admirably fitted to the part, he
or she portrays, and herein lies much
of the success of the play.
The company is headed by the
prima donna soubrette, Miss Adaline
Fildes. who comes stamped with the
approval of the press and public. she
has IAN exquisite voice and an album
dance of magnetism, with a beautiful
figure, which adds charm to her
charming personality. Other men,
bers are Alden MacClaskie. last sea
,on with Miss Hattie Williams in
Fluffy Ruffies," George Odell, who
was formerly connected with Henry
w SavaPe's prince of Pilsen."
Miss Beranice Bartlett, who will be
as the leading Soprano
With Charles Dinningham's musical
comedy success, The Red Mill and
Mr.. ALI Helton. who has been con-
,ected in former years WITH Conan
md Harris, and Donald Mackenzie
who has appeared at the Metropolitan
opera House with the Metropolitan
company. Tickets at Box once
Thursday evening at o'clock.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
[. AGENT IN CUSTODY
j. n. Houston Alleged to be About
$3.50 Short in Accounts.

Rutland, Sept flames H. H
Houston of Fowler, age about Is
years, was arrested Thursday after
noon by Railroad Policeman j. Bris-
lin for embezzling the funds of Rut-
land railroad while acting as station
agent at Center Rutland. 1t is alleg-
ed that the young man has misappro-
priated about $3.50.
Houston has been employed in that
capacity about six weeks, substituting
for the regular agent, George Wright,
Jr., of Center Rutland.
Mr. Wright resumed his duties this
week and when he figured up the
amount of tickets that had been sold
he found that there was a shortage of
about $50 He notified the auditors
Office and an investigation disclosed
a shortage in cash Mr.. Houston is
now in the Rutland county jail and 1t
is expected that he will be arraigned
today on the charge of embezzlement.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
BRANDS DR..
COOKS STORY AS
ALL UNTRUE
He Saw the Eskimos that Cook
Travelled With
WENT NO DISTANCE NORTH
They and DR.. Cook Started, But Did
Not Get Far From The Green
land Coast.

New York, Sept. S.-Commander
Robert E. Peary has wired the as
ISOLATED press from Newfoundland
that Dr. Cooks story is not to be TAX
en- seriously.
Peary and other members of his
party in their journey north met the
Eskimos from Etah with whom Dr.
Cook wintered and talked with the
two who accompanied Cook on his
sledge trip north in the spring of
1908.
They stated to Peary that the par
ty went no considerable distance
north and at no time was out of sigat
of the coast. They spent some time in
exploring in that section, but made
no determined effort to reach the
pole
Knowing from the Eskimo the story
of DR.. Cooks explorations Peary was
thunderstruck when he heard that DR.,
Cook claimed to have reached the
pole. He made. at the time, no COM
ment on the Cook story but waited
until he had looked up his notes mad
talked with other members Of his
party, who were also familiar with
the story of the Etah Eskimo.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
DRAG CREEK FOR
PART OF YOUNG
WOMAN BODY
Discovery Of Shocking Tragedy
at Ann ArbOr, Mich.
MABELLE MlLLMA IDENTIFIED
Believed to Have Been StrangIed Be-
fore Body Was ismembered-EVi-
dence of Surgical knowledge.

Dertoit, Sept. S.-~Bloodless from
the ruthless knife of a murderer anC
shrunken by several days immersion
in the waters of Ecorse creek, the
dismembered body of Miss Maybelle
Millman, q years old, of Ann Arbor
Mich. lies in the county morgue a
pitiable exhibit of human brutality
A portion of the lower part of the
trunk of the unfortunate girl is still
missing.
While determined men are drag
ging Ecorse creek night and day in
the hope of discovering the remaining
portion of the girls body the authori-
ties of Ann Arbor and Detroit are
uniting in a desperate endeavor 10
solve the mystery of Miss Millman's
murder.
Miss Martha Henning of Detroit, a
former schoolmate of the Millman
girl, made the identification and after
prolonged questioning of her. the Of
ficers left hurriedly for the universe
ty town, accompanied by Harry Mill
man, brother of the dead girl.
MOSI vi lHe queStloHS put 10 MlSs
Henning were concerning Maybell's
physical condition, as the mutilated
body leads the authorities to believe
the cutting was done by some one
well acquainted with surgery. Upon
this point Miss Henning was unable
to throw any light.
The county physician is now in
clined to think that the girl was
strangled to death before her arms
legs and head were cut off.
TIE head and limbs were found
sewed in the same kind of a burlap
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
RIT CH|E'S STORE
WAS ENTERED
LAST NIGHT
Early Morning Visitor Forced
Rear Door of Building.
NOTHING is FOUND MISSING
This is the Third Building in the
Village Which Has Been Enter
ed This Week.

The rear door of A. K. Richie &
Co.'S store was forced open early this
morning by some one who probably
wished a supply of fall dry goods ana
perhaps some change. Fearing de-
lection, it is believed, he left the
building hurriedly without taking
anything with him. The door was
found open by Chief of the Police
Brazell about o'clock while on his
regular rounds
Officer BraZzell at once telephoned
Mr.. Richie who arrived at the store
before five o'clock. A hurried inves-
tigation failed to show that anything
had been removed from the store All
the money was in the safe which was
undisturbed. Mr.. Richie 1as looked
over his stock carefully today but
nothing appears to be missing.
Entrance was made between 3 and
4 o'clock as Officer Brazzell found the
door closed on his rounds at II and g.
1t is thought that the would be rob-
Der was frightened away after break
ing in and did not have time to Sc
cure any booty.
This is the Third building that has
been entered by thieves this week
Monday morning employees at the
freight house found that tne building
had been entered over Sunday and
boxes containing candy and cart
ridges had been pried open and some
of their contents stolen. The men
considered it the work of some boys
and did not take it very seriously.
Sunday d. Corsigilia's cash register
was tempered with after two boys,
now awaiting trial. had secured en-.
trance to the fruit dealers store by
the rear door.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08
FIREMEN CELEBRATE
Bennington Delegation Had Good
Time in North Adams.

Tuesday nights Transcript printed
the following account of the doings OF
the Bennington fire department in
North Adams on Labor Day:
Then Bennington caught the fever
and with its band at tne head of its
dancing crowd, at times quite as
many young women as men. paraded.
To the music of the band the enthusi-
asts two-stepped up the street and
back again, then there was another
turn and with hands on each others
shoulders like barn dance, the
dance was done from Holden street to
Bank street and return. Such entnus-
iasm could not last forever, although
there were any number of funny hap
penings while it did last
Cars of course were held up by the
crowd which gathered in one mass
about the band and the gang of per
formers. Several automobiles were
also held up, and TO clear a road for
them, with big nozzle in one hand,
used like a wand, foreman of the
company, with a nod here and there
and a word with the nod, danced
down the street through the crowd,
which laughingly gave way and made
room for automobiles The automo-
bilists seemed to catcn the spirit of
the affair and some of the tourists
mad the best laugh they had for
moons and the antics of the leader
and some OF them seemed to leave the
scene of good natured jollity with real
reluctance.
While this was going on tne Ben
nington outfit had caught its second
wind, and with band started to look
up Dr. Stafford as the genial doctor
has a great hold on Vermont people.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-08

COOK COCKTAIL ARRIVES
An Arctic concoctlon Which IL De-
cared to Be Real Nectar.

New York. Sept THE Cook
cocktail with a distinctly polar flavor,
has arrived, and those who slipped the
new drink yesterday declared 1t an
Arctic nectar of real delight. Here
are the details of the connection as
made in Broadway and other resorts:
Juice of one lemon, pony of gin, a
tablespoon of Maraschino, white of
one egg; mix in a Fifth Avenue tum-
bier, and fill with Gle. Two of these
are declared to be a sufficiency for
any normal person, but any beyond
three are guaranteed to- start the
person who drinks them on a hunt
for the north pole at once.