davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
SHORTEST ROUTE TO JAPAN
II ie Along the AIeutian Islands,
Which Stretch Out From Alaska
Toward AsiatIc Continent.

Few persons are aware that the
shortest route from San Francisco to
Japan Is by way of Alaska. Nearly
thousand miles are saved to vessels
trading with the Orient by coasting
along the Aleutian Islands rather than
following the Hawaiian rrute.
The Aleutian Islands. which extend
in a chain east and west for more
than thousand miles. are Inhabited
by the remnant of the Aleu,s. Their
war of the revolution closed just as
the American Revolutionary war be
gan. So patriotic were the Aleuts. SO
brave in their struggle for indepen-
dence. that they succumbed to the
Russians only after a conflict OF near
Is fifty years, and then simply pc
cause the race was almost extermln-
ated in the struggle. While the Aleu-
tian Islands must eventually form an
important link in the commerce pc
tween the United States and the
Orient. other islands link our country
with the vast empire TO the north. Ia
the narrow Behring Straits lie two ,lt-
tie islands. one occupied by RUSSIA
the other by the United States, SO
that citizens of the two great nations
live on respective islands within q
few miles of each other.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
BIG DEMAND ON EDUCATION
Modern Life Requires That 1t Shall
! Furnish Opportunities for the
Fullest Indlvldualsm.

Opportunities for the fullest indi-
yidualism is the demand which mod
ern life makes upon education. The
school should be an experiment sta
ton replete with alluring incentives
to intellectual growth. Here, aided
by the helpful sympathy OF teachers
who have discovered the difference
between schooling and educat ton, chill
dren could try their powers, and ms.
ments of enthusiasm be utilized for
mental growth in various lines. Men
tai tendencies, like animal instincts.
must be coaxed out by stimulating
situations. and the present school en-
yironment is too barren to offer the
needed excitation. Boys are continu-
ally trying to understand themselves.
ture vaguely Graves, but the pedagogi-
cal rope always pulls them back to
the curriculum Then their enthu.
siasm cools, while the teachers go on
trying to strike an intellectual spark
with the mental temperature at zero.
This is not only an extravagant waste
OF educational forces. but, what is far
more serious, it awakens hatred Of
study in those whose mental organi-
cation does not suit the school plan.
The restraint of a system suited to
the average child inhibits the powers
of unusual children and awakens re-
sentiment. Uniformity in treatment
and instruction suppresses the ten
dency to vary and creates billiards.
Edgar James Swift, in Harper's
Magazine.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
His Whiskers Were Characterized as Being a
Breeding Place for Germs and Therefor a
Menace to the City Of keokuk,
A JURY FOUND HIM GUILTY OF crime
Verdict Was Returned That He Should Be Taken
to Rowes Barn and Shorn of Luxuriant
Growth of Alfalfa

VIII DR.. Walter Barr, the Keokuk
literary luminary, be robbed of his
talent like Sampson was robbed of his
strength, when those luxuriant whisk-
ers GOTTEN referred to as a crop of
ripe ALFALFA are shorn from his face?
1t was decreed last night by jury
OF six intelligent, upright and honest
men, that the hirsute appendage
which has been worn by the author
for many years, is menace to the
community, and should no longer dec
crate his face as breeding place for
such germs as the alfalfalorum slop-
pyotis, the harem skarem and the
whiskeroris germatidas: that he
should be taken in custody OF the
sheriff to DR.. Rowes barn where the
crop was to be removed at the expense
of Judge ID. F. Miller, The Judge over
ruled the verdict as to the last clause
and then pronounced sentence, from
which there was no appeal.
Although the doctor had withstood
ten hours of cross examination and
was in a state of nervous collapse, he
heard the jury's finding like a stole.
Later as the penitentiary doors-beg
pardon. the doors of Dr. Rowes barn
were closed upon him he remained
even then unmoved by the severity of
the sentence that had been pronounc-
ed against him
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19

guilty and the following Jurors were
called: R. l.. Reid, Archer Mil
Ter, j. j. Ayres, Rev. r.. w. Lilley,
Rev. H. B. Foster, j. o. Boyd.
Attorney McManus entered an OH
lection to the summoning of beardless
youths to the jury.
Alleging conspiracy and collision.
Attorney Craig asked the rule on the
witnesses. The following We're sworn ::
Rev. Potter, Mayor Elder, Edward f.
Carter, for the state and Rev. vii,
liams, Rev. Foster, Thos. P, Gray and
DR.. Barr for the defendant. Clerk Eof-
ton administered the following oath:
You and each of you do most
solemnly declare and say that the
testimony which you are about TO
give before this honorable court rim
the case of The District" VS.. iGs Wal
ter Barr, shall be all you know, what
YOU have heard, what you believe and
more too. And this you will tell with.
out any fear or regard for the trut1
in this particular case. SO help your
self Isaac. 500
Attorney Craig in examining the
jury propounded the following ques
ton:
Do YOU know your name? Can you
read or write? Have you any preju
dice against the WHISPERS on accoun,
of the similarity to the word whiskey
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
Mayor on the Stand

The second put OH the stand was
Mayor j. +. Elder The witness tes-
titled to being president of the board
of health, and as such his duties We're
to look after and protect against the
spreading of germs. To assist In this
work 2 police department had been
installed and street cleaners purchas-
ed. A one time the city intended
repairing one of the sweepers With
Dr. Bars whiskers. His whiskers
are a great place for breading OF
germs, On cross examination the
witness testified that the conviction of
DR.. Barr was being sought to quell a
riot. He claimed knowledge of germs,
but was deficient on germ technique
and anatomy. He did not believe thar
hair was antiseptic, and testified that
gas emanated from DR.. Bars mouth,
but could not be segregated because
OF the germs. He said that he had
seen germs jump fifteen feet.
And Then a Preacher.
Rev. Potter was the next witness.
:
failed to give his occupation. For a
business he talked on Sunday and ate
chicken during the week. The wit
mess testified to Barr's breaking in at
! the T. NJ. church and putting a
(! auietus on the services and every
thing. He was opposed to long hair,
especially because hair had caused
| the greatest domestic tragedy in his
/ tory He related story about the
marriage of man. Sampson by name,
who grew long hair, and to it attribu-
tied his great power During the
night his wife cut his hair off, and
there resulted the great domestic
/, tragedy The witness related story
of DR.. Bars repetorial work. CAT this
juncture Judge Miller overruled a
half dozen more questions asked on
cross examination). The witness de
MED ever having grown whiskers or
attempted to. (Whila the witness
was leaving his seat DR.. Barr at
tempted to escape, but was captured
by Sheriff Crimmins at the door,.
Bribed to Disappear.
The next witness, G. P. Dorsey, left
the state to escape having to testify.
Rev. Williams took the stand in be
half Of the defendant. lie only
knew DR. Barr above his nose. AS
to his objection for making DR., Barr
shave off his whiskers, he said it was
part OF his means of livelihood He
1 testified to his actions while in the
county Jail, and though he was a
Russian SPY at the time He disap-
pears into Illinois, going TO Springfield
/ to get in the Jackpot
What is the jackpot? asked McMan.
us. Objection overruled.
The judge said he would need open
ers 10 come in the jack pot.
/ Getting back to the whiskers the
witness said he was ashamed to tell
how long Barr had worn the whiskers
4 but thought it was all the way from
4 foug 10 sixteen inches. The testi.
1 mony then reverted 10 the result up
on Sampson when his whiskers were
cut off. He became weak as a baby
4 but did not opine that DR.. Barr could
/ become any weaker than he is
/ On cross examination Attorney
! Craig asked if it was not fact that
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19

Dr. Barr has the jaw bone OF an ass
and whlskers to conceal it, bringing in
the story Of Sampson doing his dead.
ly work with the Jaw bone of an ass.
The Naked Truth.
mos. T. Gray was the states next
/ witness. The doctors whiskers should
not be cut he said, because he did not
wish TO expose the doctors bare face
to the public. Whiskers of DR.. Barr
Is help, an antiseptic, because the
Whiskers take germs from the air and
are consequently public benefactor.
The doctor is great literary genius
Cctgar from the doctor) and uses his
whiskers as a pen wiper in the pur.
suit of his talents.
On cross examination Commissioners
Gray testified that Barr had applied
for Job as dog catcher but had been
refused the position
Cut Down Six lncher.
The next witness, Harvey Bonham.
demanded his fees in advance He
had known the doctor about fye-feet.
eight inches corrected by the court
to read feet ipcbes). Continuing
he believed them whiskers" to be a
habitude for microbes, There was
no cross examination.
DR.. Barr took the stand in his own
behalf. He gave his name. but after
five minutes of recitation, was halted
by the Judge.
He had no recollection of his birth.
He never had any whiskers, but
+! beard, and they never started but
grew. He got them in Chicago from
J. Ham Lewis and wears them as a
cherished memento of an innocent
childhood. He cut them off once
when the police We're after him. He
testified to looking in looking glass.
but the court would not allow him
to testify what he saw. The witness
said he had never gone to church, he
cause he could not talk back TO the
preacher. He did not wear whiskers
to conceal his identity.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
Charley Ross in Disguise.

The closing arguments We're begun,
Attorney Craig opening for the state.
He reviewed the evidence, and de-
clared that the defendant had worn
his whisllers TO conceal the fact that
be is Charley Ross. He asked on be-
half of the state, the community and
the fair women and children here that
the disgrace be carried on no longer.
This talk about Barr being like nv
paper is all bosh he is fly, that is
certain.
Attorney McManus opened and
closed for the defendant He made
an eloquent plea for the hirsute an
pendage of the doctor. The prosecu.
ton loses sight of the fact the science
has advanced DR.. Barr carries with
him protection against the germs of
the city.
Judge Miller instructed the fury
TO retire, and TO return with verdict
for the state; majority vote to rule.
with no court to which to appeal.
The jury found the doctor guilty
and decreed that he be taken to
Rowe's barn and be shorn of his
whiskers, the Judge to pay the bill
The last clause was overruled by the
Judge. Foreman OF the jury was j. ].
Ayres.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
. . . = . - = = . . . . I

. Facts About Mock Trial.
= Defendant-Dr. G. Walter Barr. ,
Plaintiff BARRIERS Union
Charge-Refusal OF the defend !
= ant to indulge in a tri-weekly I
= shave.
. Judged. f. Miller. !
. Clerk of court ED S. Lotion I
. Sheriff.. j. Crimmins. /,
= Stenographer-Wm Aldrich. (
= Attorneys w McManus .
= for defendant Theodore A. Craig I
= for state. =
. Witnesses Ed. F. Carter. May 4
. or j. F. Elder, Rev. j. w. Potter I
. and c. p. Dorsey for plaintiff; 4
= Commissioner Gray, Harvey Bon 4
= ham and Rev. George C. Will 4
. liams for defendant 4
. Jury--Prof. r. l.. Reid, Archer .
. Miller, j. ]. Ayres, Rev. r. W. 4
. l-illey, Rev. H. B. Foster and ]. 4
= o. Boyd. I
. Edgar smyser. .
= Verdict of Guilty. I
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19

Being in the rubber belt the south
ern islands of the Philippines should
be excellent for the industry, and 1t is
predicted that some day great and
prosperous rubber estates will be es-
tabiished upon them
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
Testimony is Taken.

The first witness for the prosecu.
ton was Edward F. Carter. G, e,
germ eNperD whose testimony was
as follows, the questions and answers
being:
@: What is your name. age. occu
patton. weight, color of eyes and hair;
A: You can search me.
@: What is your nationality
A: Ny father was a Russian, my
mother WAS French, | was born in 6
German balloon sailing over Norway
so must be either chimney swal
low or wood-pecker,
@: Are you friend of the prison
er?
A. Well, would not confess thu
crime in public if was.
@: Do you shave yourself or not
A. shave myself, also the neigh
bors.
Q. What is your opinion of whisk
ers
A. | know him by sight only
Q: | do not mean the defendant.
mean whiskers on the chin; what d.
YOU think of them?
A; think they look better OF
the chin than on the elbow.
Q: Why is a, razor?
A: No matter how deep YOU dis
for fishing worms, there is always {
chance Of being bitten by a COW
The witness was then asked t
tell all he knew about the case, ano
in an expert manner plunged into ties
timony as to germs, exhibiting mum
Der of microscopic photographic EN-
largements of the germs found in DR.
Bars whislers. The elaboration was
intensely funny.
The testimony on cross examination
follows:
@: Did YOU say you We're FRIEND
of the defendant
A. I'll tell the truth if the sheriff
leaves the room.
Q: If you were Dr.. Barr would yol
shave off your whiskers2
IA II WSie III. fodlT / MOult
cut off my whole head.
@: If YOU were barber would vol
shave DR. Barr If You had chance
A. Not if / had chance. I'd risl
it though if l had an AK or lawi
mower.
@: Have you been bribed or pal,
Ia testify In This caSa9
A; Honest Injun, no Bat ] wouI,
feel well repaid if we can find hin
guilty and hang him
@: Then YOU believe in capita
punishment-in hanging man by tn
neck until he is dead? You the fathe
of fifteen or sixteen children woult
lend your efforts to send an limo
cent man to the happy hunting
ground? I'm not only surprised, bu
ashamed at you. What do you meal
by such heartless, savage, cannibal
istic demonstration
A: Well, ] only wanted to he'll
Smyser out. Otherwise I'd be in m
little bed at home now dreaming o
humble bees and waving corn.
@: Is that all you know about tn
case
A: That's all know and coupl
of yards more.
@: You are excused. Mr. Sherit
take this witness down stairs an
throw him into the swimming pool.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
unkInd Remark.

D, very thin woman in a country
,oSn was riding home on an under
,sAei wagon. She was sitting on a
sols pox In the vehicle A friend in
Sassins saw her, and shouted to the
a,,.,e Hey, Bill. your corpse is
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
Change of Venue.


Attorney Ed W. McManus, for de-
PENDANT, submitted a motion for q
change of venue. and then said in
support of it: 1t is not the crime
that is a serious one. but the penalty
attached. To take the life of the de
PENDANT would not be serious pun
ishirent, but to deprive him of those
luxurious whiskers is too much Fur
ther your honor is not competent to
try the case, because of prejudice, DR..
Barr having declared over at Wild
Cat that your singing Of the Star
Spangled Banner was rotten.
Attorney Craig for the state argued
against the motion The least said
about your singing the Star Spangled
Banner the best said. Further, no
Judge can make such show of him.
self as you can
Judge Miller in ruling ON the mo-
ton stated that while Dr. Barr should
be hanged without the attendance Of
a clergyman. he was not prejudiced
and couldn't be. He oyerruled the
motion.
Plea of Not Guilty.
The defendant entered plea of not
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19

tThe names given by some of the
jurors sounded like a bunch OF tin
cans falling down cellar steps; hence
we omit names.)
Attorney McManus examined the
jury for the defendants.
How long has it been since you
served term in the penitentiary?
State (this to A. Millerl are you
any relation to the judge
Answer: No.
You are to be congratulated.
One juror was challenged for
cause because he did not grow whis,
kers; another because he was preju-
diced against DIR. Barr.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-19
Were You There?

1t was the funniest thing ever given
in Keokuk. One big laugh from start
to finish, the mock trial in Kangaroo
court presided over by the Hon. D. F.
Miller, was the side-splitting farce
that entertained several HI led peo-
pie last evening, while Edgar Smyser
the high school student benefited from
it, From the opening of court by
Sheriff Crimmins until Judge Miller
adjourned it, the spectacle was one
of uproarous laughter, fun and amuse-
ment Witnesses testified to what
not attorneys argued about germs,
the sheriff bagged the doctor as he at
tempted to escape and the spectators
howled
Court Opened
AT s o'clock Sheriff John j. Grim
Minis opened the Kangaroo court, and
Judge Miller took his seat at the
bench. Attorney Craig, the state
prosecutor, announced the case
as that of the state of Iowa VS.. one
G. Walter Barr Dr. Barr was brought
into court under custody of Sheriff
Crimmins. The Indictment No. %. was
read by clerk Ed S. Lotion, as fol
lows:
We. the grand jury of the city of
keokuk. County of Lee, State of
Iowa, sitting in solemn session and
Being sound of mind and body, do
hereby indiet one g. Walter Barr OF
said district, OF the crime of failing
to indulge in a tri-weekly shave, eth.
er by his own hand or at the hands
of public barber.
We further find that the said G
Walter Barr, by his failure. neglect
and refusal to do said necessary and
sanitary act, is committing a crime
against humanity. in that his whisk,
ers have become breeding place
lodging house, boarding stable, OF
varied and divers germs. microbes
bacteria and what not, chiefly the lat
ter and we
Further recommend that said G.
Walter Barr be brought into court
and made to stand trial.
Respectfully submitted,
THE GRAND JURY.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-05-12
From Near the HuhT

From some examination papers in a
Massachusetts-we repeat, Massacttt-
setts-toWn:
"Capillarity is when milk rises up
around the edge Of the bottle and
shows good measure"
''The settlers gave a THANKSGIVING
dinner to the Indians for their kind
ness and to the Lord for fair weather
They kept UP their festivities for
three days, eating all the time. A
party Of sixty Indian warriors came.
rolling their warhoops down the hill. =
Henry VIII, by his own efforts.
increased the population Of England
forty thousand.
"Esau wrote fables and sold them
for potash
The Lupercal was the wolf who
sucked Romeo and Juliet at Rome
Lincoln has high forehead which
is a sign Of many brains. "-Every.
hody's.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-05-12
Breaking a Hobo's Heart.

Manager Gus Hartz was standing
near the opera house box Office when
one of two panhandlers who had en-
tered the lobby approached him, and,
holding out an addressed and sealed
envelope, begged for the price Of a
postage stamp.
ITS for me mudder, boss" he sniv-
eled. "You'se wouldn't turn down er
guy fer de price er de stamp, would
youse?"
Never" said the manager, deity
grasping the envelope and throwing it
through the box Office window. Here,
Fred" addressing himself to Treas
urer Fred Coan, stamp this and have
1t mailed"
The velocity of the proceeding fair
ly took the panhandler's breath away.
Then, backing away to where his part
ner awaited him, he whispered Moth
in doing, bottle guys wise" -Cleve
land Leader.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-05-12

knocked in the wall theFe-Mr. ,Flarity
helping him Of nights and Mr.. Dobbs
arputting in the glass-but 1t amt,
and you've got to step around to git
jest the right view of them"
Miss Cynthia stood before the can
vas, lost, unable to utter word. lie
had painted the sunset hour on the
wharf and the rousta bouts unloading
bales of hay from up the river in the
mellow light. It was a tremendous,
decorative thing of which Miss Gym
thia had never seen the equal.
its order for big building in
Chicagy, and, Miss Cynthie, what do
you think? It's to be hung on the
walls Of a room where Workingmen
can go and have meetings, and some
big rich men are going to pay him
ten thousand dollars for this one and
two more! I tell you he don't make
nothing but .a-number-one, triple K
art, he DON'T ALI three Of EN- are
to be about the doing of something
and l think it viii be mighty uplift-
ing to men that has to work as hard
as them men does to have great
artist paint pictures of the doing Of
it. He says this one is his best-has
got more climate than the others"
More climate?" asked Miss Cynthia
In a small voice.
Eyes, climate all around tt: like
that sunset light on the PROV Of the
boat and the mems backs and SIGH"
Didn't he cali it atmosphere? ven
tured Miss Cynthia delicateIy.
That's It! I knew it had some
thing to do with the weather. Any
way I am learning to know it when
see It, like out the back door at
early sun-up when take in the F1ar-
ity twins II seems like all the men
in the Painters Union tries to paint
with it. Once along come man
named Singer and painted it better'n
any of 'em cause it's borned in some
folks, like the making Of pies and
cake and SIGH. That's copy of the
picture the man done Of his own
mother. over there by the cot. Mr..
Alan always takes it with him cause
he amt got no picture Of his own
mother, who had the mfschance to
die when he was horned. He says
the picture means everybody's mother
I think it do"
ooh, Whist1er's mother! How
beautiful! I wonder if he made the
copy himself?"
Eyes, he done it over across the
ocean-in Jerusalem, think. And the
mans name is Whistler instead of
Singer remember 1t was some kind
of musicianer. He talks and tells
me all about every kind of art-thing
and sometimes I am kinder slow at
catching on, but I like 1t and feel
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-05-12
The Most Beautiful Thinu.

A newspaper recently invited its
readers to state in a few words what
they considered the most beautiful
thing in the world. The first prize
was awarded to the sender of the an
swer: "The eyes of my mother" ''The
dream of that which we know to be
impossible" suggested an imaginative
person, and this brought him second
prize. But the most amusing thing
was that which read, THE most beau
tiful thing in the world is to see a
man carrying his mother-in-law across
a dangerous river without making any
attempt to drop her in