The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-22

New York, April 2l-The trial of
Albert Wolter. with its morbid un-
wholesome pictures of the staying of
little Ruth Wheeler by choking and
burning her still living body in the
fireplace of VOTERS room, moved eN-
peditiously to-day TO near a close.
The prosecution rested its case late
this afternoon, after VOTERS COM
panion, Katie Mueller, thin fragile
girl, almost sick with fright, had told
of seeing Wolter at night stealthly at
work on the tell-tale fireplace.
Wallace Scott, VOTERS attorney,
then outlined the defense in ad adj
dress to the jury.
Wolter will take the stand in his
own defense. According to Lawyer
Scott. he Will call second witness
a girl-to show that the body was
not on the fire-escape until late Sat
urday, two days after Ruth Wheeler
by no means a rich man. He leaves
a considerable number of unfinished
manuscripts in all stages of COM
pletion, and of all characters, many OF
them begun years ago and put aside
as unsatisfactory. Mrs. Gabrlowitch
will aid Mr.. Payne in the final decision
as to what use shall be made of
these.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Amer
ica's foremost humorist. and known
the world over as Mark Twain, was
born in the little town of Hannibal,
John Marshall Clemens, came from an
old Virginia family, and, with ms
young wife. Elizabeth Hampton. a de-
scendant of the early settlers of Ken
lucky, he joined the sturdy band or
pioneers who pushed west over the
Alleghanies in the early part of the
last century and settled along the
banks of the Mississippi River.
In the uncouth environment or me
then little frontier town, Hannibal,
days Here he fshed. hunted and
lounged along the river banks with his
sturdy companions, living heahhy
outdoor existence, which undoubtedly
accounted for his long life in the face
of his many Affections.
He attended the little school, but not
being of very studious disposition.
he learned far more from contact with
the rough companions whom he inn
mortalized in later years as "Huckle.,
berry Finn and Tom Sawyer" and
others of their type. At the age OF
twelve his meagre school education
was brought to a sudden close by the
death of his father.
Becomes Printer.
His older brother, Arion S. Clemens,
was the proprietor of printing shop
in the village, and young Sam Clemens
began his journalistic career there as
u printers devil" In the course OF 9
compositor, and in 1853 he left his ma.
tive town and began wandering eX.
istence. He journeyed from place tc
place, working at his trade in New
York and the principal cities Of me
vast amount of experience during his
travels, which proved of the greatest
value in the preparation OF some Q!
his works in later years this periot
cial standpoint, and he was iinall,
compelled to return to his home along
the banks of the great river in rather
straitencd circumstances.
The life of steamboat pilot mac
always appealed to his youthful mag
ination, and now that he had growlr
TO manhood he resolved to realize hi:
ambition. He was fortunate enough
to become pupil of Horace BiNby, ant
| he was soon guiding the awkward
mel Of the muddy stream,
| The idea of his becoming an author
had never entered his mind at that tine
| but he absorbed enough of the pilo
| culties encountered in guiding boa
along the great river in his Life OIL
| the Mississippi River" which he Wrot
/ many years later.
AT the outbreak OIL the civil w q
4 stea,nboating came to a standstill, an
! young Clemens enlisted in the Confed
crate army. A soldiers life. howeve,
was not to his liking, and after a FEY
weeks service he Joined his brothe
Arion, who had received an appoint
ment as secretary OF the Territory {
Nevada He acted as secretary to hi
brother, but as his duties We're almos
nothing and his salary even less, Il
spent most of his time in the, mimi
camps Ills experiences in this set
ton are depicted inS1ris "Roughins IL
and .'rhe Jumping Frog"
First Literary Work.
In 1862 he began his first regular III
erary work on the staff of the vi
ginia City Enterprise ELe wrote
column daily. dealing with the polit
cal situation In the state, that attracte
wide attention. These articles Il
signed with the nom dc plume Mar
Twain" which he had heard sung o,
on the Mississippi steamers to let tn
pilot know that the sounding Shove
two fathoms Of water. ~
, Tie resigned his position at Virgin,
City and went TO California, whore l
worked on the Sacramento Union, b,
A after brief period he left his des
and went to Hawaii to write up II
sugar interests. His work was Vel
Z successful and on his return to Gal