The San Francisco call., 1910-05-19
Answers to Queries

Gently read, 1T is as deep mystery the
Nathan murder" What was the Nathan mur-
derf
Benjamin Nathan was wealthy
New York city merchant who was
killed in bed chamber of his resi-
dence on July 2, 1870. Although the
utmost silence reigned in the house
that night, and the windows were open.
no warning was conveyed to the watch
man near by; even the members of Ma
than's household, some of WHOM slept
In an adjoining room. were not awak-
ened. The scene of the homicide pre-
sented an appalling appearance; every
thing bore evidence of fierce struggle:
the room was stained in many places
with blood, and there were nine fright
ful wounds upon the head and face of
the murdered man. There hung over
the case a veil of mystery which has
only deepened with the years and which
the heaviest rewards have not in the
slightest degree served to tighten. The
mayor of New York offered a reward
of $4,000 for the arrest and conviction
of the criminal; $1,000 was offered for
the recovery of each of the diamond
studs taken from the bosom of Ma
thans shirt; other rewards were offered
for watches, ETC., and one of $1,000 for
the identification of an iron dog"
found I'm the vestibule of the house
after the tragedy, while the stock ex-
change, of which Nathan was a mem
ber, offered $4,000 for the discovery
of the perpetrators of the crime. Not
withstanding all this, the criminals
never have been brought to justice.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, City.-Has COM
positor the authority TO alter a writer's pune
tuation Of copy?
Pens and Type on this subject says:
'Other things being equal, however, he
who has paid most attention to rule
q rrrif
Proclamation to correctness. With a
clear understanding of an authors
meaning, the compositor need seldom
go far astray; and it, having done his
| best. he finds any passages hopelessly
| involved, or the meaning too subtle
to be grasped, he has one safe re-
! course-and that is to follow the copy
closely and mechanically. In our opin-
| ion no system of punctuating can be of
uniform and universal application. Men
| differ as much in style of writing as in
| personal appearance, and we might as
well expect the same robe to fit all
forms as that one set of rules shall
nicely apply to the endless diversities
of diction.''
WORKING MAN. c., City. What is the
accepted definition of working man and laberng
either class?
A working man is one who is a la
|
boring man, one who earns his daily
support by manual labor A laboring
| man is classed as one who performs
| work that requires strength rather
than skill as distinguished from the
work of an artisan. All who work in
a broad sense, come under the head of
working man, but book keepers and
| clerks do not come under the head of
iabering man.
At uT7er frr,rN
the Maltese cross and what is its origin?
| It is a cross with eight points which
was adopted as a decoration by the
Knights of Malta, who were also
called the "Hospitallers of st. John of
| Jerusalem" This was military
| religious order, organized by some mer-
chants of Malfi, trading to the Leyant,
who obtained leave of the caliph of
Egypt to build house for those who
came on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and
whom they received with zeal and
charity as early as 104S.
LOOKING GLAsSEs--A. l.. F., City, How
| are locking glasses made?
After the glass has been polished on
| both sides, it is laid on a firm table.
usually of stone, with upturned edges,
| and one or more sheets of tin foil are
laid upon the plate. Quicksilver is
/ then spread over it, and at once forms
| an amalSan1 With the TIN, making q
rejecting surface. The process is sim
pie enough in theory. but requires ex-
perience and skill to put it into prac-
| tice with satisfactory results.
LARGE MoON-N. S., City. Why does the
moon, when il is full, appear much larger on
rising than it does when higher in the sky?
Because of the refraction of the light
of a heavenly body caused by the at
mosphere.
| ELEvATIONS-Stranger, City What is the
height of the Twin Peaks, Lone mountain and
Strawberry hill the last named in Golden Gate
park?
Twin Peaks, s25 feet; Lone Noun
tain, 46s, and Strawberry Hill, 426
THE MINT-A. s.. Oakland What ground
| space does the United States mint building In
San Francisco cover?
/ Two hundred and seventeen feet on
| Fifth street by 161 in Mission.
ST. HELENA-R., City. How far distant in
| an air line is Mount st. Helena from San Fran
cisco and what is its height?
The distance is 65 miles and the
height 4,s43 feet.
STEAM BEER-A. O. s., city Was steam
beer sold at retail in San Francisco in 1868?
| Yes.