davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
GEE GAM EXPIRES
ON liner At SEA
Chinese Interpreter of Police
Court for 40 Years Stricken
With Paralysis

OAKLAND, July 21.-Chinese resi-
dents have received word of the death
on the liner China of Gee Gam, for 40
years the Chinese interpreter of the
police court. He was stricken with
paralysis on the voyage and expired in
midocean. He was returning to his ma
tive land for a visit.
Gee Gam was one of the best known
orientals on the coast. His sons have
been educated at the University of Cali
fornia and one son, Luther Gee, took a
ma ster's degree at Harvard and is now
vice president of the Tangshan engi-
neering and mining college in north
China. The professor teaches economics
as that subject is given at American
universities.
Gee Cams body will be buried in
China, but funeral services will be held
at the chapel in Brenham place, San
Francisco, where for several years the
family lived. Gee Gam was once an
active Congregational minister in San
Francisco.
Although the father clung to the Chi
nese custom of using his surname first.
his sons call themselves Gee, after
occidental fashion. The children are
Linforth. Pond Mooar.. Luther Mclean,
Henshaw, Benton, Howard, and Miss
Mae Gee. A widow, Chung Shee, also
survives. Gee Gam was So years of age.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
CITY CLERK AIMS
AT SPEED RECORD
Berkeley Official Will Ride His
Motorcycle a Mile Against
Time

BERKELEY, July 21-With hopes of
breaking the Pleasanton track record
of mile in SO seconds with the motor
cycle, City Clerk Walter j. Seaborn
of this city is daily riding his four
cylinder Pierce and will try for the
record in few weeks. Seaborn as
tonished the spectators last Sunday at
Pleasanton by reeling off mile in
just minute, and he made six miles
at an average speed of / minute and
6 seconds.
Young Seaborn, who was a globe
trotter and took part in the boxer trou-
bles in China, is known as an athlete
as well as an expert stenographer and
type writer. He is member of the
Berkeley tennis club and is frequently
seen engaged in one of his favorite
pastimes, horseback riding.
But the horse has been cast aside
for the speedy motorcycle, and Seaborn
has proba bly, the most powerful ma
chine in the city. more powerful than
the new Thor wheel of the police de-
partment, which can develop nearly 6
horsepower.
Inside the city limits young Seaborn
does not speed, but on the Orfnda park
road north of here he has been known
to hit nearly a mile minute clip
over the hills.
He says that the sport is exhilarating
and great exercise for a man whose
office duties keep him indoors the
greater part of the day.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
EVENTS COUNTIES BORDERING ON THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO
HERE'S A BRIDE
Who IS A BRIDE
Catches Groom With "Ad,'
Buys His Troussean and
Settles $4,000 Upon Him

OAKLAND, July 21.-Mrs. A. NJ AT
wood, a wealthy widow of New York
city, and r. III. Foster of Dalton, Mass.
who met for the first time week ago
Sunday at the Metropole hotel. made a
hasty trip to San Rafael this morn
ing. where they were quietly married
The nuptial knot was tied after several
weeks of courtship by correspondence.
and the newly welded couple. both of
whom are wen advanced in years. left
for a honeymoon trip with Santa Cruz
as the objective point
The correspondence that led the
couple to the altar began while Mrs.
Atwood was in Los Angeles recently
She placed an advertisement for pro-
posals with matrimonial agency or
that city, and Fosters response came,
together with 81 others
Mrs Atwood declared that No. 5S,
from a man she had formerly known,
was on it's way, when she accepted Eos
ter's proposal ana agreed TO meet him
here for the ceremony.
She said that she accepted Foster be-
cause he did not smoke. Il want
man who does not use tobacco or
liquor" she said today, and, strangely
enough, Foster. who was about to pur-
chase a cigar from the hotel clerk, de-
sisted
According to her own statement, Mrs.
Atwood is worth about 500. 600. invest
ed in real estate and stocks. Upon the
couples return from San Rafael will
was drawn up by attorneys in which
Mrs. Abbott provided 100000 for Foster
in case of her demise. The balance
was distributed among relatives.
She then paid the expenses of Fos-
ter's courtship, the hotel and sundry
bills of both herself and Foster, bought
him some new clothes and then said;
II wonder if the skeptical ones will
still persist in declaring that maria &c
by correspondence is a failure"
The couple left the hotel with four
trunks and six suitcases, avowing their
intention of travelling in style.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
MONUMENT TO BE BUILT
FOR THE FIRST AUTOIST
Nicholas j. Cugnot Constructed
Steam Carriage in 1869

Nicholas Joseph Cugnot is to have a
monument. If any one asks who
Cugnot was, it may be said briefly that
he was the first automobilist.
Many years before Stephenson had in
who was military engineer. had made
locomotive for roads. His own folk
scarcely knew of him until the recent
automobile exhibition, but his locomO-
tive has been piously preserved at the
Conservatoire des Arts ct Meters, says
the London Globe. The place for the
memorial is, as it should be, in the
commune OF Void (Meuse). where he
was born in 1926 Cugnot died in 1904.
His lot was not that of many geniuses.
He did not die in want. Napoleon had
secured him pension of 1000 francs.
In this respect the premier consul
showed more enlightenment than he
did in regard TO Fulton of steamboat
fame, whom he considerable is dis
tressing to write-an adventurer
Cugnot's carriage was built to trans
port arms and he had designed a serv-
ice gun. These achievements alone
would be a passport to Napoleons
favor.
enough from our point of view. 1t was
built in 1852 He used a pair of single
acting high pressure cylinders to turn
a driving axle step by step by means of
pawls and ratchet wheels. 1t may be
added that Cugnot was in his way an
authority on military fortihcations.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
women TO RAISE
FUNDSFOR CHURCH
Whist Tournament Planned by
Mothers Society of st.
Elizabeth's Parish

OAKLAND. July 21.-Extensive
preparations are being made by the
Mothers society of St. Elizabeth's Cath
Ollie church for the whist tournament
to be held Tuesday evening, July %, in
ST. Elizabeth hall in Bray avenue,
Fruitvale, for the purpose of raising
additional funds for building a new
edifice, to cost 800. 600.
The officers of the Mothers society
of the church are Mrs. S. Rist, presi-
dent; Mrs. F. Franz, vice president, and
Mrs. G. Nittler, secretary. The follow
ing committee is in charge of the whist
tourney: Mrs. j. c. Nebach, Mrs. Rist,
Mrs. H. Van Duren, Mrs. j. Rightling
Mrs. John Bond and Mrs. H. Scha-
barunl.
Five pretty girls have been selected
to keep the scores at the whist tourna-
ment. They are the Misses Rose Bold,
Rose Rist, Julia Nebach, Florence Bu-
cher and Emma Krieg.
There is already several thousand
dollars in the new building fund and 1t
is planned within a year, by means of
entertainments, bazaars and subscrip-
tions, TO increase this amount to $25,-
600, which will be sufficient for work
on the new edifice to begin. st. Eliza
beth's parish is one of the largest on
this side of the bay.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
MODEL OF COLUMBUS
CARAVEL IN LOUVRE
Famous Vessel Reproduced in
Its Minutest Details

The exhibits at the Louvre have just
been enriched by model of the caraVel
in which Columbus discovered America.
the arsenal at Corunna. and the model
has been made under the direction of
the naval architect, Senior Soc. at the
instance of King Alfonso and the
Spanish admiralty. The model is 20 cen
timeters in length-that is. about -
inches. and it has been reproduced with
the minutest detail--sails. rigging, and
armament. The model will be placed
in the naval collection. Two of the yes
sells with which Columbus lodged the
Portuguese navfgatOrs, crossed the At
lantic and discovered America were
caravels. The caraveI was narrow at
the poop and wide at the bow. and car
ried a double tower at the stern and a
single tower in the bow. 1t had four
masts and a bowsprit, the principal
sails being lateen sails.
AS to lateen, it may be observed. il Is
a phonetic spelling of Latine wolfe
latine." from it's use in the Mediterra-
mean. II was a triangular sail extended
by a long tapering yard slung at about
one quarter the distance from the lower
end. which is brought down at the tack.
causing the yard to stand at an angle
of about 45 degrees or more. Longfel-
low in the Golden Legend" sings.
On before the freshening gale
That fill the snow white lateen sail,
Swiftly our light felucca flies.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
BOARD WANTS CITY
TO BUILD SCHOOLS
Request Submitted to Oak
land Council
Bond Issue Election Proposed in

OAKLAND, July 21.-Fortifed by le-
gal advice from City Attorney Stetson
and District Attorney Donahue, the
board of education has filed with the
city clerk a formal request for the city
council to call bond election to Sc
cure money with which to build new
schools and enlarge sites and buildings.
The council will receive the request at
its next meeting, July 25-
The school boards resolution was:
THAT the city council be and is here
by requested to prepare and submit at
an early date to the qualified electors
of the municipality a proposition to
bond the city for the purposes set
forth in the declaration of the board of
education"
Then followed the estimates of costs.
For high schools and sites the amount
is $ess,000 and for grammar and pri-
mary schools, sites and buildings
s2.432, ,o5O.
Should the council call the election
the work, IL the bonds be voted under
the present regime, will be supervised
by the beard of public works. But a
new charter will be submitted TO the
voters within 80 DAYS and its adoption
viii legislate the school board. the city
council and the board of public works
out of Office. Thus the work may be
passed on 10 an entirely different board
II was because of this that the park
commission dropped it's plans for a park
bond issue.
It is uncertain what action the city
council will take on the school direc-
tors request
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
TOBACCO NAMED BY
SATAN, SAYS LEGEND
Woman Dressed i'm Feathers
Discovers Demons Secret

If we can believe an eastern legend
referred to by a Paris contemporary to-
bacco owes its name 'au demon lui-
meme" According to the legend a peas
ant saw Satan planting some strange
herbs and had the hardihood TO inquire
the name. Satan was annoyed at the
request, but replied: 'If you discover
riches pertaining thereto belong to
thee; but if not, 1 claim your body and
soul"
The peasant was disturbed and told
his wife She said, do not fear; leave
ii to me; 1 will find the. secret" At night
she diyested herself covered her body
with a glutinous matter and rolled her
self in feathers-possibly the prototype
of "Chantecler'-and set off for the
field. Satan was watching, and as he
saw the woman bird he, in his turn
BECAME alarmed and shouted, Great
bird of evil, do not touch my tobaccov'
The secret was discovered, and to the
credit of his ''brunstane devilship"-the
title bestowed by Burns-it may be
added, the peasant received the field.
The foregoing legend does not clear
up the difficulty as to the origin of the
word tobacco" According to Charlie
voix. in his History of ST. Domin-
ique," the pipe used by Indians in smok-
ing was called tabaco'; Las Casas
tells us that the Spaniards who accom-
panied Columbus on his first voyage
saw the Indians in Cuba smoking dried
leaves, rolled up in tubes called TIA
bacos." Ciavigero says the word was the
name of the plant among the Haytians,
viz, tobacco Hakluyt says the same
According to Bauhin, 1895, and Minshen,
1917, tobacco derived its name from an
island-the same today-Tobago, near
Trinidad, and another suggestion is
Tabaco. a province of Yucatan.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
MORE CLAIMS FILED
AGAINST MEEK ESTATE
Notes of Capitalist and Wife
Aggregate 100000

OAKLAND. July 21.-Claims aggre-
eating s60,603.75 were filed today
against the estate of the late Horny w
Meek These claims represent promis-
sorry notes signed by Meek and his
widow. Harriet Webb Meek The hold
ers of the notes are J. W. McClymonds,
assignee OF II. ID. Rowe $3.50; San
JOAQUIN Valley bank of Stockton, s46,-
zoe with interest, making the total due
s4s55375: Mrs. W. G. Palmanteer
$3.50: Abbie +. Bickel, $4,000; II. D.
Rowe $3.50. Mrs. Meek has already
presented claims against the estate
covering the same claims. These will
be withdrawn if the notes are paid out
Of the estate.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
NEGROES OF BOLIVIA
STEADILY DECREASE
Half Caste Natives Increase,
Women Preponderating

Doctor Chervin has been studying the
people of Bolivia with some curious re-
suits He divides them into four groups:
the natives. whites, half castles and
negroes. The natives are the most
numerous, the last returns showing
792,S50 persons. But the birth rate is
low and mortality heavy. The half
castles, on the contrary. are steadily
increasing. Half castles of natives and
negroes are not numerous. There are
231. .08S descendants of Spaniards. AS
to the negroes their decrease is marked.
In 1s46 they numbered 27.941, while last
return gives them at only 1000. An
other strange fact to which the doctor
makes reference is that among the
natives men form the majority. The
same holds good of the negroes. but
among the whites and half castles
women preponderate.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
VACUUM MACHINE USED
FOR WASHING CLOTHES
Invention Shown at Exhibitions
in Australia

At recent expositions in Melbourne
and Sydney Vice Consul General Henry
u. Baker found that much attention
was attracted to an ingenious Austria
lian invention of a machine for wash
ing clothes by means of suction caused
by a vacuum, which he describes:
The device in appearance resembles
metal cone or inverted perforated
funnel. 1t may be placed in a copper
boiler or even in an ordinary kerosene
I'm When the water boils. steam is
generated inside the cone, this forcing
the water in a spray out of the top of
the funnel, thus forming a vacuum in
side the cone. To refill this vacuum
the water is sucked through the clothes
continuously, and this percolation goes
on at the rate of four gallons minute.
the dirt being removed by force and
rapid circulation.
The machine appears to remove all
kinds of dirt and discoloration and to
leave the articles washed snow white
in appearance, while 1t also saves the
rough handling incident to usual labor
ious rubbing and scrubbing, and so
tends to eliminate wear and tear. and
serious damage to delicate fabrics,
linens, laces. etc.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
COMING OF ROAD
TO BE CELEBRATED
Western Pacific Officials to Join
Citizens of Oakland in Fes=
tivities August y

OAKLAND, July 21.-Secretary A. A.
Denison of the chamber of commerce
announced today that he had con-
ferred with c. H. Schlacks, first vice
president of the Western Pacific COM
pany at San Francisco, relative to the
celebration of August %. when perma
company, and that the railroad officials
had approved of the plan mapped out
by the chamber. The Western Pacific
company will cooperate with the citi-
zens of Oakland in preparing a royal
welcome for the first train, and def
mite plans for festivities will be drawn
up tentatively on Monday, when Assist
ant Traffic Manager F.. l.. Lomax will
meet with committee to be appointed
by the directors of the chamber.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
FORGED PAWN TICKETS
BAIT FOR GULLIBLES
Perpetrator of SwindIe Pleads
Guilty to Petty Larceny

OAKLAND. July a1.-George Harris,
alias Hands, who was arrested by De-
tective Drew for working a swindle
with bogus pawn checks, pleaded guilty
to petty larceny before Police Judge
Samuels this morning, and will be sem
fenced tomorrow.
His method of obtaining money was
unique. He obtained a block of pawn
brokers' tickets and filled them out
himself. He then sold the tickets to
Whomsoever he could
The charge to which he has pleaded
guilty was of selling to an Oakland
man for $3.50 a spurious ticket calling
for a diamond ring, pawned for $50.
according to the ticket.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
GLENN cURTISS TELLS
OF FOOLISH QUESTIONS
Aviator Says Public Is Learning
Aeronautics Rapidly

Glenn III. Curtiss. whose brilliant
feats permit America TO retain it's very
high place IN aeronautics. was deserib-
ing in New York his recent fight down
the Hudson.
The heintelligent interest OF the public
in my aeroplane and it's operation" he
said, shows very plainly that people
nowadays have a good general knowl-
edge of aeronautics. 1t wasn't always
so. When l think OF the stupid and
useless questions about my machine
that used to exasperate me TO the point
of rudeness. am reminded OF Smith.
smith, meeting Jones one day, ex-
claimed.
"'HaIIo. Jones, You wearing glasses
What's that for?
Jones, annoyed at the foolishness
of the question, answered irritably:
a .(.ornsr"
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
ORATORY COMES HIGH
IN FRENCH SENATE
Radical Socialists Hold Record
for Long Speeches

The Officiel gives some interesting
statistics of the French chamber and
senate. II, seems that during the year
1908 the chamber sat for sos hours As
minutes, or an average of 3 hours As
minutes per sitting. or hour SO min
utes per day. The number of speeches
delivered was 413, making 549,664 lines
in the Officiel
The democrats (union and left) spoke
in the aggregate 103s hours IS minutes,
the radicals 81 hours 81 minutes, radf-
cal socialists 120 hours 81 minutes, So
cialists 100 hours 33 minutes, progress
lists 62 hours s minutes and nationalists
80 hours / minute The average time
each speaker was before the house
would be 2 hours Is minutes for the left
and As minutes for the right; the aver
age cost would be Ill francs for the
left and 312 francs for the right
The French senate sits less often and
speaks less than the chamber, but the
vote is the same. During 1907 the SEN
ate sat for only 265 hours 35 minutes,
or hours Z minutes per sitting on the
average, or 43 minutes per day. Allow
ing $4,000 francs per annum for each
senator, the eloquence of the upper
chamber costs the country 455 francs
per minute on the radical side and 1873
francs on the progressists.
NJ Cailloux has the distinction of
having occupied the tribune the long
est, and he is honored with 1859 lines
in the official publication. M. Jaures,
the socialist, must look to his laurels,
for he is only poor second, with 1925
lines to his credit. M. Clen1enceau, pres
ident of the council, in both chambers
spoke only for 9-f1ours 45 minutes. and
he is more loquocious than many of his
ministerial colleagues. The most mod
est is M. Dujardin-Beaumetz, whose
short discourses occupied in the cham
Der 2S minutes and is in the senate.
Dams les petits mots les bons on
guents' is the comment of Paris con-
temporary.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
Student EDITOR
TO TAKE UP PEN
Dudley j. Gates Will Be Chief of
Daily Californian, Official
Organ of University

BERKELEY. July 21.-Dudley ].
Gates, editor elect of the Californian,
the student daily at the university. is
expected to arrive here in few days
to look over the field preparatory to
issuing the college paper Gates was
selected as editor by the executive COM
mittee of the students last year.
For three years he has been mem
Der of the staff of the campus publica-
tion and has risen from the positions
of reporter. associate editor, news ed
itor and managing editor.
He is well known in fraternity cir
eles and is affiliated with the Alpha
Delta Phi society. as well as the
Wingled Helmet honor. organization of
the Junior men.
Gates will outline his policy for the
Californian next week, when he ar
rives from his home in Richmond, Ind.
The San Francisco call., 1910-07-22
HEAD SHOPLIFTER
ADMITS Her GUILT
Mrs. Ella Harkins, Leader OF
Thieves, duplicates Husband
and His Brother

OAKLAND, July 21.-Mrs. Ella Har-
51ins, leader of the shop lifting gang
arrested last Saturday by the local
police. confessed 10 acting Captain Of
Detectives Hodgkins this morning, i'm
plicating her husband, Henry Harkins,
and her brother in law, Peter Har-
kins. alias Hargens, in a multitude OF
fhefts. The Woman's confession was
corroborated within half an hour by
the admission Of Henry Harkins Of his
completely in numerous robberies OF
store counters. The police have had
identified several stolen articles TO sub
Stzntiate the tale told by the shop
Iifters when the trio are arraigned next
Saturday morning in the police court
The confessions make possible the
prosecution of the cleVerest shoplifterS
ever arrested here. Until Ella darkins
broke down and told of her escapades
and Of her cunning, the police had the
,nerest shreds of proof of guilt. The
words uttered first by Mrs. Harkins,
then by her husband, put different
aspect on the case. Complaints charg-
ing burglary viii probably be sworn
70 tomorrow.
FACE BURGLARY CHARGES
There is a recently enacted statute
shopIfters Where intent TO steal can
be shown on the part OF any person
entering q store the authorities may
try that person for burglary, instead
of petty larceny. as the law formerly
provided.
With the penitentiary yawning be-
fore her, Mrs Ella Harlkins display ed
z spirit of bravado, Of pride in her
prowess as a thief and a leader of
planned crimes which were committed
in Oakland San Jose and several
other coast towns. AS evidence of his
success, she said they had obtained in
q few months goods worth thousands
of dollars from stores.
The plan of operation in all cases
was the same. Here in Oakland the
three would leave their quarters at
7z3 Eighth street in the forenoons.
Peter Hargens would carry a suitcase,
in IL a large black bag. He would take
his place outside the store TO be robbed.
Mrs. Harkins and her husband Henry
would enter, the man carrying her
long black cape over his left arm.
PLAN OF OPERATION
Pretending TO be a customer, Mrs.
Hsrkins would talk to a salesman and
have the goods laid on the counter.
Henry Harkins would deftly slip arti-
cleS OF value into the folds or the cape
At a signal the couple would leave
the shop, give the loot TO Peter Har-
gems. who would put it in the black
bag in the suitcase and leave.
Mrs. Harkins and Henry have con-
fessed TO thefts from Hale Brothers.
Eleventh and Washington streets:
Smith Brothers clothing store, Tenth
and Washington streets; Smiths book
store in Thirteenth street between
Broadway and Washington; Abraham
sons dry goods store, Thirteenth and
Washington streets; Capwell's dry
goods store. Twelfth and Washington
streets, and EsmioPs furnishing goods
shop.