davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
INTERESTED IN AN
 ARREST DURING DAY

"What most interested me today was an arr est I made" said Frank Childers, a Pessemer detective. q arrested a negro woman charged with concealing stolen property. The goods were found in her house, but she denied all knowledge as to how they came there, although she main- tained that no one else lived in the house.
 "The aspect that the negro criminal site uation Is taking on is alarming. There seems to be a well-established under ground railroad among the negroes, and 1. is with difficulty that testimony can be secured to convict. The negro criminal class hangs together wonderfully. They call theft making, and when in danger of being caught pass the property along, sometimes through dozen hands. Every one who handles 1t gets a certain share of the proceeds, and if caught refases to give information as to who committed the theft. Frequently we find property stolen in Jonesboro in the pipe shop quarters As in the case today, when caught their memories are apparently blank. and there is nothing to do but send them up for re- ceiving stolen property, and let the real criminal go The average negro of this class does not serve out the fine imposed, but has confederates who pay his fine, leaving him free to go over the same road again.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
UNCLE ABE GREATLY IMPRESSED BY WEATHER

'De mos fng what hab interest me to- day." said Uncle Abe Washington, in suspicious answer to the reporters query,
 lam de weather. I hab derived at de seclusion dat de weather am de only flng what am wufr interestin' anybody, suh.
 And why has 1t interested your" was the next question fired at the old darkey
 "Gawn way fum heh, man?' said Uncle Abe deprecatingly. "Dain't no sense in axin' me dat An don't has to know no reasons why de weather hab interest me- Nav, suh. Desc heah days sho is too prooty ter be phisophilizn' erbout Desc is de only kline O days dat An doesn't hab de rheumatiz, en dain't nobody got no sense in axin' me why 1t hab interest me not to hab dat, suh. De student doc tors vascunated me-. but hit ain't tuck yet. en An sho is sot on enjyin' life till hit do
 De weather hab interest me 'cause hit mean spring when de sun shine lak dis, en spring interest me cause An been waitin fur hit all winter. Oats de only reason An got, suh An don't see no sense in all dis axin nohow. Oats all right, suh. You sho is welcome, suh."
 And the interview was considered at an end.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
BASEBALL OCCUPIES
 THE FOREMOST PLACE

That's easy" said Bob Puckett, one of Birmingham's star amateur baseball play CTS, yesterday when asked what had in- terested him most during the day. 'I eat, drink, sleep, walk, work and play with tantalizing sphere dangling before my eyes and an imaginary ump bawling Strike, tuh,' into my ears. The roar of the bleachers and the cries of the grand stand of Over the fence, old scout! Bah! He's goin' to fan; give him a tennis racket! Who is the hayseed? Ugh! Ugh! -o--o-oo-u-u-o-o-wow! Watch him swing like gate on oiled hinges, Swat her into next summer old sport, and whoopee! tickles my auditory nerves and I gaze in the mirror to see a grin spreading across my horizon from ear to ear
 Just wait, kid. until we get that cop baseball team sprinting around the sacks like the figures on roulette wheel and two shorthand experts keeping tab on the score sheets and you'll have some- thing to write about in that paper of yours.
 "Yes, sir. we will hold meeting to- morrow and elect officers for the club,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
What Has Interested
 You Most During Day?"
Some of the Replies Made to This Question by Birmingham
 Citizens Seen Yesterday.

What has most interested me today. you asa?" said John Lyons, the con- tractor. Why, my baby boy Aaron. with chicken bone in his chubby fist
 You see. Aaron has been sick, and according to the doctors orders. his diet has been much restricted. We called him Aaron because he Is .he opposite of Moses, who. we are told. was very meek Aaron has decided opinions of his own, meekness not entering into his make up. His ms-her and I had some diff culty in curtaling his appetite for cer- tain dishes, but stern necessity de- manded it, and they were tabooed from Aaron's bill of fare, much to his disgust
 This morning we were told he might have a little chicken, so 1t was prepared. Aaron always sits by me at the table and frequently helps Himself to tid-bits from my plate. When the chicken was served took leg on my platter. Aaron gazed at 1t intently and gave me the grand hailing sign of distress. I respond cd with a nod. He giapced at his mother apprehensively. She smiled and Aaron grabbed the bone. In a moment his pear ly teeth were Investigating it's tender ress. and look of supreme satisfaction spread ovef his face. Yes, sir; that incl dent has most interested, me today for 1t marked the return of health to my boy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
TRIP TO EUROPE IS
 MONOPOLIZING MIND

My prospective trip to Europe IS or prime interest to me, and if the business of selling automobiles is uppermost in my mind as day-in and day-out propo- sition, I am getting most pleasure from thinking about the sea voyage l am soon to take with friends and anticipating our sightseeing experiences abroad said Leo Loeb "A party of three of us Louis Philipps. Aooif Hirsch and myself have secured passage for May in the steamer Kaiserin Augusta Victoria Of the Hamburg American line. It has been eight years since I was last in Europe, ana for some time have been longing Tor this trip. I went to sleep Saturday night thinking about it, and I woke up this morning thinking it over. By the way, there is to be a great rush for Europe this season It is very difficult now to secure frst-class passage for either May or JuEe."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
HAPPY TO FIND
 BABY ON PORCH

A wee little pink, tight-fisted, rosy checked chubby mouthed, gurgling. coo ing 3-months-old baby girl was what J. H. Hughes, 3s36 Avenue c. found Satur- day night when he went to his front porch to investigate a noise which he had heard there. It was case of love at first sight with MT. Hughes, and 1t i, stated that he will adopt the child if no one appears to claim her.
 The child was costly housed in small store box. She was we'll dressed and plenty of extra clothing was placed in the box with the baby. Pinned to tn , little tots dress was note:
 ''Thelma May. Born December 3. 1909. 7
 About 9:30 o'clock Saturday night MT. Hughes heard a noise on his front porch as of some one walking. There was no knock on the door and he went to inves- tigate. He found the baby and, thinking he might see who brought her. hes went cut into the street. Mir. Hughes said he saw buggy going down the street which looked like a very respectable vehicle. He thinks the buggy contained the per sons who left the child on his porch. lie said they drove toward Woodlawn.
 Mir. Hughes and his wife have been married several years and have had To children of their own. They will keep the child and rear 1t as their own daughter, if one cnnas to claim #.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
THIS MAN IMPRESSED
 BY BLACK CATS ACTION

Today being the 18th day of the month is searey enough for an automobilist so venture out. but to have a black cat run across the road ahead of tho machine is the worst yet, and if hadn't been in such hurry I should have turned back and taken another road to town when the incident occurred" said George Waters yesterday evening.
 "The black cat affair impressed me to the degree of great uneasiness and while I know many people contend that there is rotking in superstition, I crossed my fin gers and lid numercus other conJuring stunts on the return trip of my drive. Every time struck a rough place in the road I expected to lose a tire or puncture one because I knew I had no business with 1o6 pounds of air in the tubes
 Superstition Is a funny thing. any way; something that Is continually wor- rying me, and I fancy that it worries ether autoists. This black cat affair in- variably accompanies scme accident, and while I escaped this afternoon. expect to be cautious for few days. When say that 1t impressed me am serious. I have seen many farmers who would turn lack on a road if a rabbit crossed their course. Some of the rustics will stop and draw a cross-mark in the road and then go ahead, but don't know any rem edy for the black cat trouble; hence l am leary of what occurred on the road"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
HATTIE AT REST

Hattie is at rest. A day has come when, life, this faithful old darkey rests at last. Hattie was the wife of Warren Youngblood, one-time slave of the south Alabama family of that name, but who followed his young mistress" Mrs. Rich- ard Johnston. to Birmingham few years ago, purchased his little cottage at Rose dale and took his place among his neigh bors as an humble and honest colored man.
 Both were hard-working negroes. Hat tie, as washerwoman, served Maj. Frank Y. Anderson's family for years, continuing the laundry work during the summers when the Andersons went to Valley Head, and she sent her baskets to them on Saturdays train. Later she served the c. H. Ungermans as cook.
 Yesterdays funeral service was held in a little chapel at Rosedale. Hattie s friends and Warrents were all there to pay her this last tribute after her lifes toll. Among them were the granddaugh- ters of WarTen's Told master" and the four little great-grandsons. The service was slIupie ana SiHcere- An impressive thought, advanced by the minister in his simple way was this: Many of our peo- pie expect the dead to be preached into heaven. To my way of thinking, the ser mon has already been preached. and there is nothing more to say. Our lives are our sermons, and whether they be good or bad determines our abode after death" He touched upon the life of his parishioner briefly. "She did not come regularly to church." he said. "she paid her dues and helped in any way she could, but she did not come. That was because she was al- ways busy. She did her <best," he said.
 The story is perhaps best told in the words of little Richard Johnston when he heard that Hattie was dead Tt is a pity he said. 'There are so few like Hattie"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
SPIRIT OF NATURE
 PUT HIM IN TUNE

Being confined to my home all day on account of slight illness in my family, l have had an excellent opportunity for phiosophic contemplation" said ex-Mayor N. w. Scott of Ensley laght night.
 Tt was a beautiful, free day. All na- ture was at rest and the people seemed to have caught the spirit of nature. My mind turned often to the turmoil of poi- tics in which I was once as deeply n- volved as any citizen, but from which I have weaned myself
 Somehow I have fraternal sympathy for the fellow who is in the fight It is sport that is good for the blood and the nerves when you are physically and tenn peramentally equipped for the pressure, but if you are lacking in corkidence pa- tience and far-reaching er/urance you had better engage in some less strenuous diversion.
 "I have lost none of my interest in poli- tics, but 1t is safer and more comfort able to watch the game from the bleach- erS'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
SUCCESSFULEMBLEM
 HAS BEEN SELECTED

The successful emblem which is to rep resent the genius of Birmingham has been selected. The committee is of the opin- ion that it will become popular immedi- taely and will be very effective in ad- vertising Birmingham.
 The contest has given Birmingham wider advertisement, caused a more gen. eral study of the city's wealth and strong points, and aroused more interest than any other scheme which the Chamber of Commerce has ever attempted.
 Over 1G0 designs were submitted by peo- ple from all over the United States. One came from Italy, and many of them rep resent hard work and artistic talent.
 The committee, after several weeks of hard work. finally sifted the matter dop n to about 10 designs. ard after long delib- eration selected the winner last week.
 The picture of the emblem and the name of the successful artist will be presented at the meeting of the chamber Friday right.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
POPULAR ID SEND
 LETTERS BY WIRE Amusing Incidents in the Bir-
 mingham Offices BUSINESS IS RUSHING
BUSINESS IS RUSHING
Large Proportion of New Fifty-Word Service Is Made Up of Love Letters Glowing With
 Warmth

Letters by telegraph rem to appeal to the people of Birmingham. The new service inaugurated by both the Postal and the Western Union telegraph compa- rlies provides that night messages of 50 words each can be sent anywhere for the same price that was formerly charged for messages of 10 words.
 The first weeks experience has demon- strated that man or woman can say whole lot in 50 words if they set their minds to 1t.
 There have been so many of the new messages filed that extra forces have been necessary by both companies to handle the business with dispatch, Strange to say, a volumnous proportion of the business has heen taken up with what are generally known as love let ters. The amount of honeyed speech that can be crowded into 50 words has been the marvel of the telegraph operators.
 And there have been many amusing incidents. One man struggled for mo1e than half an hour and could not stretch his message so as to make it 50 words. He was desperate, so he added the word darling 15 times in order to get his moDey's worth. Another man wired to place away out west, and after repeated trials could not say enough to amount to more than 30 words. With all of his years of experience he could think of nothing to fill out the remaining % words that he had coming to him. He finally filed his message and stalked out of the office firm In the conviction he had been cheated because he only got 30 words when should have had 50. Another mar filed a message which would have required about 10 words He utilized the remaining 40 to explain that the length of his message was due to the fact that the telegraph companies allowed him % in order to get his moneys worth.
 But after all the new service is of most value to business men. They can file 5O- word messages at the close of business in the evening which are delivered at their destination the following morning. One firm in New York filed 500 of the nev night letters the first day the sery- ice was inaugurated. Birmingham bus- ness men have also been using the serv- ice extensively. It has apparently already proved it's merits to the telegraph compa- nies, because the business Is handled at plight, when business is naturally slack. There is every indication that the night telegraph letter service has come to stay.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
MOUNTAIN SCENERY
 MAKES HIM POETIC

That which interested me the most to- day was the fact that the people of Bir- mingham are apparently unaware of what a beautiful scenic district they are liv- ing in," said Walter Blackman last night when questioned by a reporter and un- aware of the fact that he was being inter- viewed.
 Right here we have mountain scenery rivaling anything to be found in Amer ica, and I think I've seen pretty near all of it. In Shades valley this afternoon the splendor of it was impressed upon me more than ever and the thought that Birmingham people were going to North Carolina and out to the Rockies for a glimpse of grand mountain scenery struck me as being a bit farcial
 There must be something wrong some where with the people of Birmingham or they would have started in long ago to preaching the beauteous scenery of the Birmingham district Perhaps it is be- cause the town is still young and the peo- pie here have been bit too busy to look around"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
BEAUTIFUL DAY IS
 CAUSE or HIS JOY

What now interests me most? Well, the weather" said Felix M. Drennen. This is perfect day and I feel thank full. Nothing touches life at so many points. especially at this season of the year, as weather conditions.
 "A spell of glorious weather like this affects everybody directly. Everybody is cheered by 1t just as most people have a feeling of depression when nature is dark and dreary and the roads are miry. This bright sunshine and this balmy air tho days neither too warm nor too cool- :a1ai'c seasonable conditions that cheer alike the farmer, the merchant and the manufacturer.
 This splendid day, in contrast to some of the gloomy days of winter, puts us all in good humor; and after Sunday rest everybody will feel like doing something and every fellow will feel like doing his best. The bad weather has had much to do with keeping the iron market dull But the win<er is over and pig iron prices will move upward. The building trades will be brisker than ever. and every
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
BIRMINGHAM MADE
 HANDSOME GAIN
PER CENT AHEAD OF SAME MONTH A YEAR AGo--AT.ANTA SHOWS A LOSS OF 2l PER CENT

The cold weather and heavy snowfalls had a decided effect on building oper- ations in February, a record of the prin- cipal cities for that month showing q moderate decrease. Permits were taken out in 55 cities for the construction of 1O,740 buildings involving total cost of Al, ,962.244 according to official reports to Construction News as compared with Ill., 2sl buildings involving $5O.s9o,6os for the corresponding month a year ago. a de- crease for the month just closed of 6S buildings and sS.o2s.ss2, or r per cent.
 Birmingham showed 2s1 buildings at . cost of sa74.ss7, against 112 at a cost of sls5,24o the previous year. gain of ss per cent.
 Atlanta showed loss of H per cent from last year. Louisvilles gain was 2ls per cent. New Orleans 42 per cent. Mem- phis Il per cent, Houston All per cent. Mobile showed a loss of 9 per cent and even New York city had a loss of 65 per cent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14


 Officers L. Strong and Fuqua of North Birmingham called Detective Nation to their assistance, and went to the house to make the arrest Harris was wanted for the murder of his wife in a theatre at Lyrchburg, Va. on September 13, 1869.
 Nation Describes Affair
 Tn telling of the affair last night De- tective Nation said
 After Strong and Fuqua, who have, been working on the case with me for three or four days, had tracked Harris to his rooms last night, they called me by telephone and all three of us went to the house. Fuqua went to the back and Strong and l entered the front door. The house was in total darkness and as we entered struck match to see where we were
 we were in a narrow hallway and few feet in front of us stood a man talk ing on the telephone. Strong recognized Harris and said, Howdy to him. Harris turned from the phone and Strong said. Hello. Bruce, what are you doing here?"
 "'Who are you speaking toT demanded Harris, my name Is not Bruce He was still standing at the telephone with the receiver in his hand. walked up to him and laid my hand on his shoulder saying that we were officers and that he was un- der arrest. Instantly the fight began.
 Sent Strong Sprawling
 strong had hold of one of Harris arms and I had hold of the other. He threw his arm around like whip and Strong went sprawling across the room. Harris made dart for Strong and, in spite of the fact that was trying to hold him. he jumped on top of Strong, who was lying or the floor. I fell down with him and we rolled over several times all three in Q clinch. Harris was feeling for Strong's gun, but he could not get 1t, and we all rose to our feet again.
 Harris was fighting us backward to- ward the rear of the hall, and we finally passed through the door into the dining room. Strong is a rather small man. and with another sling of his arm Harris sent him flying across the room again. He was the strongest man ever caught hold of in my life. The room was still dark, and I called to strong to leg him. For some reason Strong could not get hold of his legs, and Harris turned all his atten- tion to me.
 "He was bending my body backward, and saw would have to release my hold on him. Thinking to scare him into sur rendering. I pulled my gun and told him to stop or I would shoot. Like a flash he grabbed the revolver, and in another instant would have wrenched it from my hand and killed us both. He was des- perate. Taking in the situation in an instant I saw the only thing to do was to shoot. intended trying to just graze his body and stun him, but he having hold of the gun, and the room being dark, I could not aim. I fired and the ball en- tered his right breast, killing him inc startly. The bullet must have pierced an artery for he bled as if he had been stabbed with knife.
 ''We had called several times to Fuqua to come to our assistance,s but mistaking where we were he went upstairs and did not get to us until the thing was over. There were several other men boarders in the house, too, and I called on them to help overpower Harris. but they refused to aot Harris was a regular giant, but
 
 CONTINUED ON FACE yl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
WOULD SEND VETERANS
 TO MOBILE REUNION

"The business of raising a fund for anything" said Culpepper Exum yester- day, Ifs sometimes more than one bar Confederate veteran in the Birmingham district who hasn't the ready money is enabled to go to the Mobile reunion. I have thought today that there must be 50 men of the true-blue type in Birming- ham who think so well of the good old fellows who stood the gunfire of '61-'6o that each will send his check to me for sl0 without having his name printed in the newspapers.
 'sLet us pay the expenses and send thess good old men, perhaps for their last reunion of Confederate veterans, without telling who helped to send them. If there be those who want to help let them send the mite to The Age-Herald or to me. It will take $500 to send those who want to go That means 50 men at s1O each The old boys must go.
 "Tll bet that Bob Jemison, Major Tut wiler, Billy Kettig, John Kaul Sol Caheen, Henry Gray and whole lot of other good citizens who are just as good citizens as these I have mentioned, will send me their check before noon to- morrow-Monday.'
 'Who?"
 'Well, watch it. Keep your eye on Harding, Webb Crawford. Tom Smith, Will Porter, John H. Frye, John Elliott, Eugene Enslen-watch Otto Marx and Leo Steiner.
 .'If these boys don't get it up Will Mo Queen, John Raul, Billy Kettg and some of the balance of us will make 1t good, and the old fellows of Birmingham are going if Barbour Thompson has to come over and take them all down in his own private car"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
INTEREST IS
 FOUND IN HIS FAMILY

'I have been more interested in my family today than anything else on earth" said s. J. Bowie last night T have been working night and day On those rate cases in Louisville for several weeks, and every Saturday night I travel all the way from Louisville to Birmingham to spend 12 hours with my family for l must return on Sunday night
 When man gets homesick and is that anxious to get back to his OWL hearth stone you can imagine that on such a beautiful day as this his family and sur Ioundings have not orly Interested hir: most but have interested him entirely"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
Bruce Harris, Who Shot Wife In Lynchbirg Thea're, Meets
 Dea'h In Birmingham
POSED AS WORKER
 FOR BARACA CAUSE
Was Physical Giant and Handled Two Officers at Boarding House Last Night as Though They Were
 Mere Children

Surging, swaying and fighting back and forth in a struggle to the death at last night, Detective c. s. Nation of the local police force shot and instantly killed Bruce Harris, alias Samuel Smith. Harris was wanted for murder, and when the detective saw the prisoner was about to get hls pistol from him he shot Harris in tho right breast
 The fight took place at 6:30 o'clock when, after trailing Harris all afternoon,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
GOOD ROAD DELEGATES
 GO TO MONTGOMERY

The Jefferson county delegation to the Alabama Good Roads association will leave today for Montgomery to attend . meeting which promises to be the most enthusiastic in the history of the state.
 The adoption of iaws putting into effect the good roads amendment will be the livest issue for the convention.