davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

MAHA folks had a splendid
IN1 c~hance-snd a few OF them took
advantage OF ito see how
A much three really competent
actors can do with a play that
1B does not in itself contain suffi-
cent material to hold interest. The
Witching Hour at its best Is a rather
strained and unreal presentation OF argu-
ment to support a state OF facts that the
author has apparently but vague knowl-
edge concerning. Giving Mr.. Thomas full
credit for his assertions that he studied
long and carefully the psychic phenomena
that have interested tho scientific world
for many years, It remains that the play
he has built to exploit his knowledge OF
the subject is not the most potent support
his theories might receive. 1t is quite adj
missible that Mr.. Thomas is himself con-
WINGED. but the means he takes to convince
others is not the most powerful. His play
Is plausible, II a certain state OF facts is
admitted at the beginning; deny this pre-
conceived condition, and the whole fabric
fails. II It be admitted that the general
statement. put into the mouth of Judge
Prentice, Is true and tina the human mind
is either active or passive; sends out or
receives Impressions, and does not act for
itself. but in accordance with the thoughts
Of others. then, perhaps. The Witching
Hour" is logical and convincing. But II
the auditor is inclined to be skeptical as
to the whole topic of clairvoyance, telep-
athy. or whatever name one cares to apply
to the subject, this play is not likely to
convince him. 1t would be unfair to sug-
gest that Mr.. Thomas was not sincere in
his belief at the time he wrote the play.
and that he actually put out what he
thought might be established. Nor has he
Nhown any signs in public OF recantation
II these ideas. The conclusion is war
Janted, then, that he did and does believe
In the mystic power so freely referred TO
by the leading characters in The Witching
Hour"
.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
Omaha SYMPHONY
OrChe Stra

One Point Where the Gate City
LagH Behind and where There lie
Need OF Concerted Action Between
Business Men and Musicians.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
Man Who Wrote "Dixie"

Movement to Erect a Monument to Daniel Decatur Emmett
Arouses New Interest in the Man and the Conditions I'm
der Which the Famous Melody Was Given to the World.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
AT the Omaha Thcaters

Boyd offers Three Musical Plays, Marie Cahil Coming at End Of
week-Krug Will Have the Old Enjoyable "Fantasma" for En-
tire Week-Moving Pictures at Burwood, Vaudeville at Orpheum.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
How Good Actors Saved a Play of Little Merit

in the subject matter OF the play as IN
the way Il was handled by the players.
To Mr.. John Mason fell the part Of a
gambler, bred a gentleman and pursuing
the calling he has chosen solely because II
affords him an easy and certain means Of
luxurious livelihood and sufficient accumu
lation to insure his future. He contents
himself with the easy sophistry that his
game is square" and that in playing he
assumes equal risk with his victims, and
ascribes his successes to his luck" He
laughs at the womanl qualms Of his
sister, who dislikes the source of her COM
fort, and also at the scruples Of the woman
he loves, and whom he saw welded to an
other rather than give over his gambling.
He even allows this woman's son to play
in his place because he thinks he will learn
there that he cannot win and will quit the
game the sooner To this man suddenly
comes the knowledge that he has the fac
ulty Of thought projection in an unusual
degree, and about the same time the boy
gets into trouble as the result Of a quarrel
in the gambling house.
one Of the many charming Inconsistencies
IN the Thomas play-an exhibition OF the
poetic license the dramatists are fond
OF resorting tots here exhibited. Young
whipple, the boy in the play. struck down
a tormentor in a fit Of uncomfortable
frenzy induced by the display of a Jewel
to which he was supposed to have a con-
genital aversion. For this crime he was
sentenced TO be hanged. Now, in Kentucky,
It is rare that a white man is hanged for
mere murder, and one of good family and
any sort of political influence easily es-
capes the gaIlows; while this boy was
chargeable only with m-anslaughter, which
is not a capital offense at all, and which,
in this case, could easily be turned into
involuntary m~anslaughter and end with a
minimum penalty of Imprisonment. But for
the purposes OF the play, Mr.. Thomas found
II expedient to ignore this feature of his
case and turn loose on the boy the might
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
Musical Notes.

Miss Bella Robinson received the follow
ing kind words from a 81 Joseph paper
when she recently gave a concert there:
Miss Robinson Is an excellent Beethoven
player. In the Op. So there was an In
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

coming into life invests the character Of
Jack Brookfield with a dignity that lifts
Il far above the ordinary conception Of
such a role. 1t has been told that in the
beginning this was to have been a secondary
role; that Justice Prentice was intended
to be the dominating figure, but the de-
velopment OF the situations overturned Mr..
Thomas first notion and he found himself
as other authors have. with a character
out-growlng the original notion and taking
prominence not intended for II. While the
part was given to Mr.. Mason originally,
he saw its possibilities. and was permitted
to develop them. n 1t is but stating a
simple truth to say he has made Jack
Brookfleld one OF the strongest OF present
day stage creations. when he has
sloughed off the laissez faire of his profess
sion and become really a man Of action,
bent on accomplishing a great purpose, he
shows a virility and vigor that masters the
audience as IT did the author. Mr.. Mason
has the good taste to minimize much Of
the Inconsistency that surrounds the role,
and gives IL a value that could not spring
from 1t we're It carried along on the melo-
dramatic lines on which it was conceived.
BY doing this, the actor has done the
drsmatist a distinct service and has
brought to himself another accomplishment
worthy to be remembered.
.
Under the sympathetic and capable treat
ment Of Mr.. Whytal. the role of JHstice
Prentice slips away from the original pur-
pose, that of the dominating force Of the
drama, and becomes one of the sweetest
portrayals of a loveable character now
readily recalled. The innate chivalry of the
man, his poetic nature that could not be
buried under the dust of legal lore that
must rave accumulated along his path
from boyhood to the supreme bench, the
wholesome. healthy sentiment that guided
him in his daily walk, are all brought out
by Mr.. whytal so delteately and yet so dis
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17


The admission by Elbridge 7. Gerry Of
the New York Society for the Prevention
Of Cruelty to Children, that there is a
panic OF over-zealous legislation which
does harm to the cause of r~esculng chill
dren from oppression, comes opportunely
when Boston Is striving to punish Mrs.
Fiske for having children on the stage
during her presentation OF Salvation
Nell" Boston's eager haste to convict
Mrs. Fiske Of cruelty to children is a
glaring case of good motives misguided.
No one Is fonder of children than Mrs.
Fiske, no one would more quickly resent
cruelty or injustice to them. To be a
child in her company, taking minor part
in her play. Is to the children participating
what 1t would be for a home boy or girl
to share in the diversions of an evening
party. There is no work about It, no hard
ship.
1t is to the interests of every reputable
theatrical company to take equally good
care of it's little ones. Humanity and
policy alike secure to the average stage
child all the comfort and education and
happiness hat a parent could desire. Bos-
ton, like every other city, has within its
own borders fragrant native violations of
child labor laws which should secure at
tention before such spectacular methods
employed. Mr.. Gerry is right: The
child rescue movement needs at times to
be saved from fool friends.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

tinctly that one feels like thanking him
openly for the effort he has made in round-
ing out so excellent a creation. And for
Miss Gardeners part In 1t, all praise Is due
her for the excellent judgment and really
exquisite taste she shows at all times.
Many Of the leading women Of the stage
who base their claims to favor on their
ability as emotional actors, might well
learn from her how to lucidly and con
sit at Miss Gardner's feet for a time and
v~incingly express a great emotion.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

The interest at present is not so much
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

MAHA folks had a splendid
chance-and a few OF them took
advantage OF ito sec how
much three really competent
actors can do with a play that
does not In itself contain suffi-
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

he movement inaugurated at
Memphis to erect a monument
to Daniel Decatur Emmett, the
author of the immortal Dixie"
has created a new interest in
the song and It's origin. Al q.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

TIL our nelghbors Minneapolis
and st. Paul supporting two
orchestras, the probability of
Omaha doing something along
that line would appear to be
more nearly at hand. Mime
Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17

Can the musical forces OF Omaha. regard
less Of other differences, fail 10 unite on
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12

rows for possible identification, but
as there were few cases where any OF
the dead were recognized they are
now being covered with quicklime
when this material is available. 9th
erwise they are being left to decom-
pose where they are found. Now all
the efforts are being directed to get
ting the survivors away.
a royal decree was issued placing
the Messina and Reggie districts in
a state of siege, which is stricter than
martial law General Mazza, COM
mander of the Palermo garrison, is
placed in supreme command.
It Is reported, however, that the
King scouts the suggestion that Mes
sina and Reggie ought not to be re-
built. He said: II, have lost two
Of the most beautiful jewels Of my
crown. but Messina and Reggie must
be rebuilt, cost what may, and they
shall be more beautiful than ever.
Maybe this terrible calamity will
prove the strongest bond of reunion
between south and north. will go
there If need be, and where the King
goes his people will follow =
A detachment of troops which
went to the villages on the east coast
of Calabria found nothing but ruins
and the bodies of persons killed in
the earthquake. The survivors had
fed.
A convoy with 1000 rations Of
bread, which was going through Bag
nara, was rified en- route by famished
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
CAUSE OF THE EARTHOUA

Messina, Sicily. - Earthquake
perts who are here to study the i
nomenon generally agree that
earthquake was the result of a Il
in geological formation under Me
ma, which constituted a line of I
tact in the volcanic action betv
Mount Etnas and Mount Vesuvius, 1
that a slip occurred similar to the
which detached Sicily from the m
land. That a subsistence occurre4
some points and that there was a.
ing of the earth's surface at othe}
proved by soundings, which show
channel of the harbor deeper at 81
places and shallower at others.
British battleship Exmouth at
lance one-half mile south of Rel
found f1fty-eight fathoms of wi
where formerly there were 243.
Mr.. Perret, who was one of 4
first scientists to reach the sc
says he has proved the fact that
first motion was. upward and the
ond oscillatory. He characterizes
disturbance as intervolcanic.
The continual settling of the e.
of the earth in this region has
amply proved, for there have beer
less than 500 recorded seismic m
ments since 1905.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
TO REBUILD MESSINA.
Merchants Of Ruined City Resolve to
Return When Wreck is Cleared.

Rome, Italy Despite Premier Clio
litti's statements indicating that the
Government will discourage the re-
building of Messina, the merchants
of the city who escaped held a meet
ing at Palermo and decided not to
abandon the place, but to return and
rebuild once more when the ruins
were cleared away
The treasures which lie beneath
the ruins of Messina must amount to
an enormous sum. Pillage and theft
during the first days were INDUCED
in to considerable extent, and. I'M
fortunately, are still going on.
The treasures contained in the ca
thedral have disappeared, but enor-
nous wealth, nevertheless, has been
recovered. The Commercial Bank
saved 20,000,000 lire, and the fire at
the depot of the Bank of Italy has
now been got in hand.
A priest and his attendant who
were found alive amid the ruins of
their presbytery declined to leave.
They preferred to remain in this dan
gerous situation, as beneath the ruins
were hidden their treasures. They
told their rescuers life was not worth
living without their wealth.
The banks and commercial estab-
lishments lost huge sums in cash and
securities. Little, indeed, of the bull
lion in any lof the lost cities was
saved except 100000 in the
branch of the Bank of Italy at Mes
sina and similar amount in the
vaults of the Commercial Bank at the
same place.
A special Government commission
will probably be appointed to go to
the scene of the disaster and make a
systematic search for securities, bull
lion, coin and artistic treasure lying
in the wreckage.
Besides the large direct interests
in Messina and Reggie there is
scarcely a large commercial house,
bank or institution throughout Italy
which has not been hit by the disas-
tiers. The religious orders, also, be-
sides losing members, lost property
and treasure, and the Holy See lost
churches to the value of many mill
ions of dollars.
Ambassador Griscom, at Rome,
turned over to Count Taverna, head
of the Italian Red Cross, $3.50, 900
from the American Red Cross.
The Pope welcomed sufferers at
the hospital established by him at the
Vatican and administered consolation
to them personally, leaving, techni-
cally, the confines of the Vatican to
do so.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
Correspondent Writes Touching Description
the Horrors He Saw During Tour of the
Ruined City of Messina.

Messina, Sicily. - Eight thousand
soldiers and sailors are in this char
mel house, still searching for those
who were trapped alive beneath the
wreckage.
The scenes for a distance along
the waterfront make the stoutest
hearts quail. Little groups of men,
women and children, half clothed,
sleep huddled together, crazed and
numbed with grief and terror. They
are awaiting boats to take them
away. No family is complete. Men
are without their wives, many of the
women are widows, and children
have lost their parents.
Behind this line of refugees there
are number OF improvised hospital
stations, where the injured. as fast
as they are brought from the ruins
on stretchers, receive first aid before
being taken on steamers for trans
portation to Naples, Leghorn, Cata-
MIA, Syracuse or Palermo.
1t was astonishing how many peo-
pie still were being dug out alive six
full days after the catastrophe. While
the correspondent fingered for an
hour near one of these stations
twelve wounded were brought in
They were almost naked, their bod
les covered with blood and dirt, and
they were hardly recognizable as hui
man beings.
The brunt of the work of rescue
has fallen upon the sailors, foreign
ers as we'll as Italian, and all have
done their duty nobly. Praises of
the Russians are on every lip. They
hesitated before no danger.
A correspondent made two tours
about the wrecked city, through
streets piled twenty or thirty feet
high with debris 1t was wilder
ness of ruin mile wide and two
miles long. Beautiful churches,
splendid villas in the foothills, hos
pitfalls, barracks and the university
all shared the common lot. Two
thirds of the magnificent Norman
the pride of Messina, Is in
ruins and little or nothing remains
of the relics of Phoenician, Greek,
Roman and Saracen architecture
which marked the stages of Messina's
twenty-six centuries of tragic and
history. The loss to the
world will be irreparable.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12

The committee of nine who are in
vestigating Wall Street methods APP
pointed four subcommittee to take
up the inquiry.
The Rev. DR.. Aked, of New York
City, in a sermon drew parallel be-
tween the earthquake in Italy and
the menace of anarchy to society.
Orville Wright, aeronaut, sailed
for Europe to confer with his broth
er William in regard to offers for
control of their aeroplane patents
The Tooth anniversary of the birth
OF Charles Darwin WIS celebrated at
Baltimore by the American Associa.
ton for the Advancement Of Science
The elections held in France for
members of the chambers of Deputies
resulted in a victory for the Gov
eminent and particularly for the
Radicals.
Guglielmo Ferrero, lecturing a;
Columbia University, New York, de.
picted Nero and st. Paul as "collab.
orators" and denied that Nero set
fire to Rome
The Federal inquiry into the al.
legged relations between the packing
houses and the railways was resumed
in Chicago, redoubled precautions
for secrecy being taken.
Mayor Mcclellan, of New York,
issued a record breaking message,
with sixty-five illustrations, defend.
ing his administration against the
charge of extravaganza.
In the City Court, New York, the
case of Mary j. Moore against Alice
j. Eaton, which has been in the court
for twenty-three years, was settled
and stricken from the calendar.
sity, Professor Ferrero, the Italian
historian, bracketed Nero and St.
Paul as the two ancients to whom
Christianity. art and civilization owe
more than to any two men in history.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12

Here and there the correspond
encountered salvage parties at W,
One party was trying to dig OF
girl whose crying could be he
plainly, but as the correspond
watched there was a sudden cav
and thereafter silence.
In one place two buzzards y
summing themselves on VIM
ledge over the dead body of woman,
whose wealth of black hair covered
her face and shoulders. Dogs and
cats are killed by the soldiers when
ever caught among the dead
The air in Messina Is almost I'M
breathable. The survivors of the dis
aster are so dazed and worn out that
they are quite incapable of describ-
ing their experiences connectedly, but
the accounts of all agree that the de-
Yastation was accomplished in less
than one minute. The strata below
the Strait slipped along the line of a
fault; then tidal wave rushed in
and out, and all was over. All those
capable of analysing their sensations
say that when the shock came they
felt an upward thrust of the earth.
This was followed by an oscillatory
motion, and the crust of the earth
vibrated. Few of the survivors are
able to explain how they escaped.
They know only that. amid falling
plaster and masonry they managed
to jump safely from windows or
stumble down crumbling stairways.
BY some evil miracle the prisoners
in the Jail all escaped alive. They
were considerable in number, and in
stantly set at work to rob the dead
and rife the ruins.
In the first confusion the thieves
of all near parts of Sicily made a rush
for Messina, but within few hours
Gordon of troops and bluejackets
was established, with orders to shoot
every suspicious character who tried
to pass the lines going in or out.
1t has been literally impossible to
count the dead, and the bodies that
have been extracted from the wreck.
In the first attempt at life saving,
bodies were positively torn to pieces
heads, arms, feet and hands lay
scattered among broken masonry
The stencil from the bodies and
the fumes Of burning flesh are as
suffocating as they are horrible.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
In All Parts OF the state.

More than 800 newsboys with
healthy appetites enjoyed the dinner
given by Park Commissioners I. A..
Hall in Paterson.
Justice of the Peace Philip Schpitz.
of Camden, was appointed DEPUTY.
United States Marshal to succeed
Constable Joseph Smith. who re-.
signed.
Accused OF deserving his wife.
James Joy, of Third street and Jer-
sey avenue, Gloucester City, was held
in $500 bail by Justice Of the Peace
Barr in Camden
County Physician Scanneli. at
Trenton, performed an autopsy on.
the body OF Giacinti Ricci, who was
electrocuted, and pronounced the
death instantaneous and painless.
The opportune awakening of
Aaron Seitzick probably saved his
family from being asphyxiated by
coal gas in their Millville home. A
physician resuscitated them.
Accused OF bombarding the store
OF Israel Palitz, at No. 303 Kaighn
avenue, with stones, Frank Barrett.
eighteen years old, and Charles Gull
len, seventeen years old, were ac-
quilted in the Camden Police Court.
August Queren. a foreman in the
Blasius piano factory, Woodbury., sus-
tanned broken rib from a fall from
truck. For long time Queren
was unconscious
While working on the foundation
of the new st. Mary Magdalen
Church, at Millville, Joseph Slosser
was stricken with vertigo, and, fall
ing to the concrete floor. sustained
injuries of the head and shoulder.
Benjamin Wells. farmland work
ing for James Moore, near Wood
bury, had been laid up with broken
rib, and when he was able to be
among the horses again one of the
animals kicked him aud be was again
lAid un-
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
NEW JERSEY STATE NEWS


Hiram Hitchner, of Elmer, has re
ceiyed a prize of $50 for the best
corn raised in New Jersey. He ex.
hibited at the annual corn show
twelve ears of corn that weighed six,
teen pounds. Each ear contained
more than 1890 grains. Friends OF
the farmer have been figuring what
those twelve ears of corn would pro-
duce in four years if he should plant
the grains, and keep on planting the
product Of those grains for four
years, assuming that the same ratio
held and each grain merely produced
one new ear of corn. There are 49,
900 of those grains now. This year
they would produce 20,280,OO ears;
in 1910 they would produce 26,364,-
100000 ears. The crop would be in
creased to 33,273,200,000 ears in
1911, or 43,255, 16O, 900, 000, 900
grains, counting 1900 grains to the
ear
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12

DR.. and Mrs. H. o. Carhart, OF
Blairstown, while out driving were
run down by milk train on the New
York and Susquehanna Railroad at a
grade crossing near their home Mrs.
Carhart was killed. Her husband
had both legs and arms fractured,
and probably will die. The horse
was killed and the carriage demol-
ished. DR.. Carhart is prominent as
politician. He served several terms
as County Chairman, and was elected
County Collector of Warren recently.
His wife was nurse in the Paterson
Hospital two years ago, when DR..
Carhart was patient with a broken
leg. An attachment formed at that
time resulted in their wedding last
summer.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12

Austrias State railways in 1906
we're run at a loss of $16,S49.000.
Senator Burkett, of Nebraska,
made an argument IN favor of the
Postal Savings Bank bill.
The South Manchurian Railway is
its head Office from To-
kio to Dalny, Manchuria, with a
branch office at Toxic.
Standard Oil interests have pur-
chased two buildings for business
purposes on the south side of St.
James Park, London, causing adj
verse comment from residents OF this
exclusive section.
The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
Is Not massacre Rock. !.

The myth of Massacre Rock" in
Eagle Rock Park, Montclair, has been
dispelled by the archives of New Jer-
sey. The big rock, which occupies a
conspicuous position in the park,
bears a sign, Massacre Rock" and
the tradition was that at this point
band of pioneer farmers and their
families were murdered by Indians.
A Montclair woman who doubted the
story inspired an investigation by
William Nelson, of Paterson, one of
the compilers of the New Jersey ar
chives, and he states that the massa-
ere story is extremely improbable, for
the reason that at the time when the
tragic event was supposed to have &C.
CURED there were not more than a
dozen Indians in Essex County.