davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
EASY IN SOME STATES.

There are some states where about all
you have to do to write insurance is TO
hang up a sign that sounds well and sit
and take in the money. over in Pennsyl-
vania anybody who is out Of Jail can or
simply by proving to the authorities that
ne has applications for $4,000 worth of in
surance. The state can't refuse his appli-
cation, for the law is mandatory. Not that
he needs TO be promised 100000 in premi-
ums mind you; he has only TO agree to
underwrite property worth s2O0,cOQ.. Sec how
little that means? At 4 per cent the COM
rany might be doing only $500 worth Of
business You could pretty nearly say
they could insure the big dam in the Sus-
quehanna, which would he worth $4,000.
The fre risk on that would be covered by
a premium Of about 80 cents
why, say | can give you rule by
which anybody can get up an insurance
company that will stand up long enough
10 let his agents make some money. if
they get out and hustle. Go at it like this:
You go to one Of the states where the law
compels them TO give you charter if you
fulfill their conditions, and there you or
ganize a company. No matter who your
stockholders or partners or directors are
all you need is 10 rope I'm some Office boys
and such and get 'em to sign their names
The principal things the law demands are
assets and sometimes pledged business.
The business, Of course. your agents can
drum Up for you. The assets you get like
this: Your partner buys in barn at a
sherifrs tax sale out in the State Of Iowa
~ xb.roa hnufs and spends a corinle of thou-
sand for II, to get a clear title. Then, in
consideration OF a loan Of s125OOO he gives
you a mortgage on it 10 that amount. OF
pourse. unless you feel extra generous, you
don't need to give him the money
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

them It's usually the poor man who gets
stung and you have to feel sorry for hini'
He may be a fool but he isn't dishonest
at least not about his insurance When
man is going to turn firebug he sees 10 IL
that his insurance Is good, all right
The craft of the frebug was rich III
experience and legends when Nero burned
Rome, but year by year new tricks ana
new stories crop up. and the courts GRIND
out their grist OF convictions for arson.
But the latest news is that arson has be-
come a profession. To-day there are men
who go about among small tradesmen ana
promote" fires, just as some professional
entertainers promote church socials. They
lay the plans, examine the policies, furnsh
papers needed TO establish the value OF iost
stock" equip the proprietor with an ahoi
and in case Of need supply an accomplice
to start the flames. They are true 'hreOus
brokarc
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

trio. and there was a battle. This now
light footed. light tongued jester was
the only one who could be patched to-
gether well enough to reach the peni-
tentiary. His two pals were shot to bits
that night.
Two Kentucky Swells" came next on
the programme, and the hundreds of con-
victs out front stirred with interest as
one OF the neatest looking little wenches
who ever wore short skirts came tripping
out with negro companion. The little
one was neat and danced. and sang like
fairy. who is she?" asked one of the
important visitors of one Of the prison
officials.
She's -. gun man and nigh
wayman, doing his second term for rob
berry," replied the prison official without
batting an eyelid.
That even convlcts enjoy being fooled.
II a good Job is made OF II. was demon
strated when two clowns. as juggiers
and eauilIbrists. came out on the half
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

Vaudeville Of really high class at
stated intervals for the prisoners OF
Riverside Penitentiary, said vaudeville
to be furnished exclusively by home
talent" is the latest innovation intro
duced by Warden John Francis in the
great prison just below Pittsburg, Penn.
The term "home talent" in this case
means strictly Convict labor" as every
act put on by the prison stock company
Is played exclusively by prisoners inside
tho walls-many Of them in for life.
The most successful vaudeville per-
forrnance ever given by the retired actors
was held on Monday. January :, or New
Years Day, according to the prison cal
endar 1t was in fact the first occasion
after the performers had reached that
stage of proficiency when they could
perform without stumbling before their
great and critical audience of more than
a thousand prisoners. There were
few--very fow--persons invited in from
the outside world 10 witness this unique
entertainment. which lasted three hours.
In many respects II was performance
most strange. one Of the really odd
features of the show was that the actors
did not court publicity. In fact, they
held "A meeting on the stage before the
rising OF the curtain and refused to pro-
ceed with the show unless guaranteed
that they would not be exploited In the
newspapers the next day. 1t was finally
decided and promised that the name OF
no one taking part in the performance
should be paraded in the public prints.
and so the show began.
II was one of those rare occasions
when the convict had the privilege OF
talking with his neighbor, as he criti-
cised the actors. Each prisoner and
guest of the prison on entering the big
chapel where the stage had been erected
received a programme neatly printed In
the prison printing shop. There was
lack OF names on the programme and
there was nothing to show where the
entertainment was given.
The first page Of the programme an
nounced that It was grand entertain
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

"'rhcn there was Annie Singer. She had
a grocery over In Third avenue. Annie
needed money. too, and one Of these pro-
moters named Jacob Ostrinsky came
around to her and said he would show her
an easy way to get It, He said. Have you
got one policy She said, 1t vos my hus-
bands
They didn't quite know what to do ABOUT
that. but to make perfectly sure she Went
around to the company and took out new
one And just to nail It down she signeo
herself Annie Singer. widow Ostrihshy
told her. I vos vun OF der most expert
man for fires in Chicago. had two mine
self. vunce | vos by der theatre. ana
yunce I vcs come downstairs NIT mine
cloze in mine hand und barefoot, und COL
lected all right pretty SOON
"Well, one night in early August
motormsn who was passing the corner In
n car around 2 O'Clock in the morning saw
a fare In the back OF the store lie
stopped his car and ran to the place Here
was Annie asleep in the doorway. with the
door locked behind her and one kid In her
arms and another beside her In baby
carriage.
"The nlotorman yelled for water and
tried to get in. Annie sat up and held him
back. She howled, Don't you trow water!
Don't you spoil dot shtockl Get der fire.
mens.'
"The fremen and the motOrmen put out
the blaze They found eleven bottles SCI
! around on shelves and counters and so on
=. They all had large necks; some were miiB
I I, gtrfp nd a
! it's neck Then the strings were all joined
and tied to one main string, which lee
across the shop to the door where the
woman was asleep. And every one OF
! those bottles was half fun of benzne
! There would have been good, lively hrC
there. only they started it where it reached
the main string and burned 1t off before
| Annie could give Il pull and bring dowr
, the bottles.
| I'VE asked her who put those bottles
! there and she looked up in scared SORT
I of way and said, Tt vos burglars Be-
| fore the trial, though, she broke down and
/ told the truth They sent her up to Au'
! burn and Ostrinsky. the promoter. got
twelve years in Sing Sing. They had
| bought new curtains, too a few weeks
before the fire
] "A dodge that these promoters think a
lot Of is writing Black Hand letters. I've
had a number OF cases lately which were
plainly Just insurance frauds. where fake
Black Hand letters figured There was a
tailor who wrote himself three Black Hand
letters threatening to burn his place, and
so he moved his family out of the rooms
! upstairs to be ready for II.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
onvc with Hstnc Amusing Their Fellow Prisoners
Even Jokes Their Jalers Are Not Barred and Are
Greatly Enjoyed by the Audience

but his voice was clear as a bell. He
seemed happy, and why not? 1t is whis-
pered that there may be pardon hand
cd down for him at Harrisburg very
soon. He was beardless youth when
he killed another boy upstate.
One of the "Mistah Bones" was recog-
nized as the sole survivor of a trio of
colored gentlemen who about eight years
ago went forth to rob in one OF the
Pittsburg suburbs. The citizens, long
suffering from similar things. had armed
themselves before the arrival of this
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
ILOYDS DIDN'T KNOW THEM.

"But lie had clerk cable over long
hypothetical question about those policies
TO his London correspondent. Bright and
early next morning comes a query back
from London repeating the underwriters
names that were stamped on the policies
and asking, Are these given eXactly?' The
broker cabled back that they were, and
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

On the Other Hand Sterling Concerns Must Be Con.
stantly on the Defensive Against
Willy Scoundrels.

our old friend the rat. Everybody knows
that rats dote on sulphur. The poor rat
has an awfuily bad reputation. THIS once
has done lot to clear his name IL any.
body wants TO convince US that rats set 4
fire, he has got to produce the rat With the
match In It's mouth.
Then there is stock watering-not paper
stock, you understand, but the stun In the
shop IL the fire gets put out too soon II IL
often easy to increase the loss by proper
use of water. One day ] came into
grocery and found the whole family lug.
ging water There were as many a. q
dozen of 'em. The big ones had big pals
and the little ones had little pals. and BE-
tween them they were drowning the plAeA
asked the old man what he was doing.
~ had to be mine own fireman. he said.
You didn't put out your fire.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
Legislative Graft Hunters Reveal Fact That Fraudulent
Companies and Agents Still Find
Many Victims.

Then you take the mortgage and trans
fer il to the insurance company In ex-
change for your stock. There's S2o.Wo OF
the assets accounted for on an outlay OF
s, 900 and some notaries' fees. For the
rest, YOU load her up with mining stocks
counting em at par value, and with GER
tifcates of deposit in smashed-up banks
OF course. though. IL you're going very
far in that line II is better to have some
respectable names among your officers, so
the state insurance people won't look your
assets over too closely
up In Rhode Island there was cashier
in a sound, legitimate bank who went
wrong. He tore out a blank certificate or
deposit from the banks book, filled 1t out
and loaded Up an insurance company with
it, He fgured-lots of these fellows seem 10
figure-that If the company could only get
started doing business 1t could pay It's
losses out of the premiums 1t took In and
would never need TO fall back on its assets
on the place where its assets ought to pe.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
MIRACLE OF RE-BIRTH
An Actual Experience of Bowery
 s'Tough"

From "The Regenerate." Recored by Nor
 man Duncan in the Century Magazine.
 T got up, from my knees a new man "a new creature in Christ Jesus I had been born again. It is not a cant phrase. There are no other words so accurately to describe the change which had occurred within memo other words to describe the completeness of it, the newness of the life into which had come, a child in righteous ways. I was regenerated: l had been born again was sober;, and from that moment have never wanted alcohol. A miracle, as truly a miracle as any. healing ever was. have not wanted a drink, have not wanted drink since that moment. I did want a bath instantly, but I was too dirty to be given one without pre-
 cautions. And wanted a clean shirt. I loathed my rags. I wanted to be clean
 My word! how I craved a bath! And pride at once revived-the good pride of manhood. One of the brothers-we redeemed drunlaards are all brothers offered me five cents. rejected 1t l was no heggar. I was man again, a gentleman What did want of char ity? What did I want of nickel I
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

hadn't earned? I wanted work. First needed a bed-and then I wanted a bath and job I had my bath in the morn ing My word what a gracious gift 1t was And I got my job, too-and l got my clean shirt.
 But l lay that night in a Bowery lodging house. It was a heaven of rest and lease and quiet and seclusion after Solomons cellar. I was too dirty to be- put in the long room with the decent Bowery rowdes and trunks I was given bunk in a section reserved for the worst of us. I had fallen very low, you see. But I was too weak to crawl into bed; they must lift me In. I did not sleep. lay awake all that night-4in, tears and prayer and joyous aspiration. My tears were of contriton my prayers were of rejoicing. of grati- tude; my aspiration was toward work and service, and self-respect. and the love of all men. wonderful night--a night in which those things which had once cherished, but had long abandoned were restored to me-zhope, truth, love, pure ambition. The things of St. Paul: Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are Just, whatsoever things are pure, whatso- ever things are lovely. whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any vir- tue, if there be any praise It seems to me now, that in that night travelled
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

r Birmingham Special, !" The New York train.
 Observation cars,
 Electrically lighted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Best Hair Dressing
 For 1911

Tn this year of 1911 make up your mind to use the best hair dressing, nair grower and beautifier that the world has ever produced.
 The best Is none too good for you, so why bother longer with ordinary com mercial hair dressings when Nortons s Drug store will sell you a large bot tie of PARISIAN SAGE for 50 cents Get a bottle today and if you don't say, after you have used 1t. that it is the most delightful and refreshing hair tonic you ever used, get your money back
 PARISIAN. SAGE is guaranteed to stop falling hair and itching scalp; to abolish dandruff and destroy the dan druff germs, or money back.
 It penetrates into the hair roots and makes the hair grow luxuriant, lus- trous and beautiful. Refined women everywhere use it. Sold by Norton's Drug store and druggists everywhere. Girl with Auburn hair on every carton and bottle.
 .I have used your Parisian Sage all winter and find 1t a great benefit to the hair. It Is worthy of all the praise one can give it."-Yours truly, Mrs Lillian Futile, Chaumont, N. T., Juno {, 1910.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Curious "Recordsv of 1910
pm Leslie's Magazine.

tTom LeSle S MdSdZlIe
 When a certain South Dakota town, within the 24 hours of its existence last August reported a water-works company. a newspaper and claim for the county seat, it also offered itself all unconscious ly as an index to a year which has been marked by nothing so much as by it's records" It has been a 12 month of high prices and high flying, noted alike for the Polish immigrants that have come in and for the political lights that have gone out. And, apropos of the immigrants, Mistress Marie Tufer form erly of Vienna but now of New York, has set a little record all of her own by importing q brothers. That is. she came over a year or so ago as the fam fly scout, so to speak, liked it here, and now has invited the rest of the family to come and live with her. Mother and father did not appear only because they died before the exodus began
 With such items as these two entered upon the balance sheet of it's news; and with a ball player named Tucker pitching IS hitless innings in a 'double-header," down at Bessemer Ala. and with Oscar Tamm of St. Louis, running his automo- bile with the stars and stripes flying from the steering gear (of courseD across the arctic circle in the far northern Sweden: and with one Romain Roland publishing an eight volume novel clean Christopher over in Paris. and the South Dakota electors wrestling, on election day, with a ballot seven feet long-with such details as these to be recounted, 1t becomes obvious that 1910 has removed itself distinctly from the rut of usual happenings.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
WEEKLY THEATRICAL LETTER
BY EMoRY B. CALVERT

New York. January H.-(Special.)--In these days of loose nations about busi- ness debts it is a pleasure to find man who regards debt as matter of honor as well as obligation.
 When James Flynn, former theatrical manager and vaudeville agent, left New York seven years ago, he also left a number of bills behind him. He decided to go west and seek his fortune, and finally located in Oklahoma. Before mak- ing his departure Mir. Flynn sent let ters to his creditors telling that it would be impossible for h,m to pay them at that time, but as soon as he had run of good luck he would meet all of his ob- legations.
 He owed four months rent, and also was indebted to William E. Atwell for sS45.< There were sundry other obligations which worried Mir. Flynn more than they did his creditors. For seven years Mir. Flynn seemingly dropped out of exist ence, but his creditors received checks for payment of debts in full with interest recently. MT. Flynn had stroke of good fortune in Oklahoma and Is en- gagged in the bridge building business. He also sent a check for $250 to the St. James fire department. in which organi- zation he was interested while resident in that suburb.
 Delays in completing the building at Broadway and Forty-third street have necesstated several postponements of the opening of the new George NJ. Cohan the atre, but there Is excellent reason to be- lieve that the house actually will be thrown open to the public about the mid dle, of next month.
 The complications which have arisen from time to time between the promoters of the building and the contractors are now said to be satisfactorily adjusted. The theatre itself virtually Is completed. Rehearsals of Cohan's new play. "The Lovesick Kings" will begin immediately.
 Lillian Russell will probably make an Australian tour. Half dozen American artists are either on their way to Aus .tralia or will soon start for it to fill en- gagements. There is said to be a biz demand for American talent in that coun- try.
 At the recent dinner Of the theatre managers, Percy G.. Williams. discussed the drama for. ten minutes with one of those present before he discovered that the stranger was not one of the New theatre founders but waiter
 
 | Fritzi Scheff has brought her tour in "vrhe Mikado'' to an end Miss Scheff 8 plans are somewhat indefinite, but 1t is known that she will not immediately resume her stage work. From Louisville she went to the home of her. husband, l John Fox, Jr.. where she intends to take long rest. MT. Fox is the well known author. Additional rehearsals have been re- auired by Maude Adams before she was willing to make her first public appear ance' in the."Chantecler.' The first per formance will be given at the Knicker- booker theatre on January 2s.
 Harry T. Rose. formerly stage manager of the Garrick theatre, has returned to |the city after spending seven years in prison for killing 'hf4 wife. Governor White pnrdoned Rose " condition thai the board of parole take favorable action
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

back over the long way I had come-that I was once more In the company of the pure things of my -boyhood. And in the morning I stumbled rejoicing to the labor of the first day in new life. And I was sober-and I was not afraid. v
 It was the end.
 And now?" <
 within a year my physical health has been restored and all my faculties' that I have 5000 a year, which I earn, and a position in my employers bnsi- ness of sufficient importance at least to enable me to employ in my department seven brothers in the faith who have since been converted"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
A Seven Foot Ballot

From Lesles Magazine.
 The absurdity of the referendum, push ed to its logical conclusion. is found in the seven-foot ballot the voters of South Dakota had to manipulate at the. late election. In the large precincts it was necessary to provide special ballot boxes the size of small trunks. The ballot, s4 inches long and IA inches wide, were filled from top to bottom with closely printed nonpareil type, one alone of the proposed laws covering two feet of space Nor is this the limit to the burden which referendum amendment might
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

put upon the voter. It would be quite possible to have a ballot eight or even 10 feet, long,, covered closely with the texts of proposed, legislation, referred back to, each individual citizen for ap- proyal or disapproval. The government of the United States was established as a representative democracy A pure democracy, in which the people speak directly upon every question of public importance would be possible. only in small territory. with a population cor respondingly small History thus far has produced no finer form of government than a truly representative democracy, and, with; an Intelligent electorate ana honest public Servants we can conceive of no higher form. ~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

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