davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

surrounding country, like the lower
Colorado or the delta OF the MISSISSIPPI
before dikcs were erected. heaVy
rain in the interior. which is largely oe-
forested. results in food, when sweeps
over the banks and mandates the valley
crops are destroyed and the people VINO
at most, have scarcely more thah -
necessary to keep them aliVe' are
brought face TO face with FAMINE.
The valley is a populous one despite
the ever present probability OF dlsaster'
The farms. as a rule are not more than
,wo or three acres in size, although they
Weld proportionately large crops "i
wheat. sorghum and rice. The peopie'
expecting floods. live in huts bulit OH
natural or artificial hillocks, subsistins
IN the fruits of their soil and Keeping
themselves warm by burning grass or
hrushwood. In this environment they
ola ont a bare existence. generation
after generation. without thought OF MI
grating to the vast uhcuiti'a'e"
stretches of Manchuria and MongoiIa'
u,hera there is land In abundance 1or
onyone who chooses to settle upon IT,
,rbe Chinaman, who is largely fatalis-
.;c is slow TO move from his home. no
r,atter how squalid it may be. and
stoically accepts whatever lot fate may
d.a1 out to him. When the famine
comes and food can no longer be OBJ
,o,ned at home he loads his chattels.
,,sualIv consisting Of few pans ana
some clothing, upon barrow. and goes
., the nearest town or city. Oftentlmes
ore may see whole families migrating IN
mi. fashion, the grandmother or grand
fother riding on the barrow and the other
,,.mbers of the family trudging along
ot the fathers heels. In the famine
camns shelter is provided by means OF
grass or brush mats. which are bent In
tho shane of a horseshoe with the open
! nortion on the ground. One end Is
banked up with earth to keep out the
wind. II such a structure cannot De
built the family chooses bare spot ana
natiently awaits relief or death.
The extent of the present famine is
indicated In the latest report to the State
Department. According to this. which
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

covers only part Of the whole region,
out Of less than 10000 families In sim
gle "hsien." a county town. 10000 were
without a bushel OF grain. an OK or
donkey. In the counties OF Nanhsuchow
and Mengchen alone 100000 people re-
ceive aid.
Most Of the people. according to this
report, die at home. being too weak to
go into the field and dig for greens. Many
lie down in the streets to die when they
bccome exhausted The sale Of girls be-
tween the ages Of twelve and eighteen Is
common. Men offer their wives for sale.
hut there is no market for them Under
the present conditions such sales are
cokcd upon as justifable. The pur-
chasers instead of being regarded with
hostility or contempt are acclaimed as
bcnefactors. Children are sold for few
hits of cash or given away to save them
from starvation.
The following incident, related by one
OF the Chinese gentry to the American
consul in Nanking. illustrates the gen.
eral condition in the stricken region. In
one hut lived a family Of eight-the par
ents. two sons and their wives and two
children The food supply having be-
come exhausted and every available ar
ticle OF value sold. the wife Of the elder
son offered herself for sale in order that
something to eat might be obtained for
the others, but the wife of the younger
son interposed. she has children and
I have none." she said "She Is needed
more than J." Neither was successful In
carrying out the design. Some days later
the entire family was found dead.
Every moment 1t is feared than an epi-
demic will break out among the $4,000
| or 1O0.O 900 people who are encamped out
side the walls of Nanking. Many OF
them are sleeping on the ground In sew
| eral inches Of mud and water. and their
condition Is becoming worse each day.
The plague. which has been at Its
worst at Harbin, but appears to be abat-
ing there as 1t moves southward. will
probably persist until summer comes and
the people live more In the open air. II is
particularly contagious In the pneumonia
form, the germs being scattered by the
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

death will come, whether by starvation
or freezing.
In the meantime the plague in it's
pneumonia form. in which it will un-
doubtedly spread with great rapidity
through the famine camps. in which
thousands are huddled together, is draw
Ing nearer. The fear Of epidemic also
lies in the almost inevitable outbreak
OF famine fever. "A loathsome disease
which manifests itself in eruptions of
the skin and the swelling Of the limbs
and Is almost always fatal. With little
vitality left the people would be swept
away by the scourge.
The stronger among the survivors,
cities, resorting TO extreme measures TO
maintain their existence, have adopted
The plan OF organizing bands to loot the
ehops. particularly in Nanking. Unusuai
precautions are taken to prevent them
from entering the walled towns, but they
elude the vigilance of the authorities by
Going in at different gates singly or in
small groups. which excite no Suspicion,
gathering later at an appointed meeting
place. This plundering was stopped Tor
a time. but there is fear Of fresh out
breaks.
The weaker. both in the famine camps
ard throughout the valley. in some in
stances have taken to cannibalism, ana
eat the bodies of the dead. In the coun-
try region nearly all domestic animals
nave disappeared. Dogs. cats anu
oonkeys have either been sold or eaten.
The sale OF girls and women into slavery
mas become common. but even this
snords little relief, as there is no market
Where any offer to purchase Is mace
The price is so low that the proceeds OF
The bargaining are Of little avail WITH
iood as high as II II.
The valley Of the Huai River. where
hmines have occurred for many years
n f1at country that was once prob
scIy delta that has been filled by the
earth swept down by the floods. the
Dlt washed down from the interior
gradually spreads over the river bed
snd builds up the banks until the sur
Aea Of the stream is higher than the
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19
Crushed By Famine and Paeue Chinese Sell Daughters and Wives
The Unfortunates Offered az
Slaves Bring Little Money
Now and Brigandage Is
Frequent-Relief Work
by Foreigners.

cess has been very doubtful. Against
the pneumonia form it is practically use.
less When the present epidemic broke
out, the Chinese government called on
Dr. Mesny. a French bacteriologist. or
the Tientsin Medical School. to take part
in the fight He hurried to Harbin and
threw himself into the work. which was
largely in the hands OF American and
English physicians. He had been inocu-
lated and he took all possible precau.
tions against the infection.
"One evening. when he had been at.
tending plague patients in the relief hos
pital, he dropped into a doze after din-
ner. When he awoke he suddenly rec
ognized the symptoms Of the plague ap.
pearing in himself. He dressed and hur.
ried to the Russian isolation hospital.
He would not even allow the doctors to
take his temperature, for fear OF infect
ing the thermometer. He knew that his
wife would hurry to him II she knew OF
his danger and asked that she should
not be notified until after his death. The
doctors kept him alive for two days. and
then he died.
Every man who is in the field knows
that he is likely to meet the same end
hy one of the most horrible diseases that
is known Yet they take 1t as part OF
their ordinary duty. Twelve days affer'
DIR. Mesnys death they lost another COLI
league. Dr. Arthur F. Jackson. mis-"
| sionary. Of the United Free Church or
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

breath or sputum. AS 1t Is the habit or
the Chinese families to keep to their
huts during the winter time for lack or
clothing. and to exclude all fresh air be-
cause of lack OF fuel. In many cases II Is
fatal to entire households. 1t Is expect
ed that terrible havoc will be wrought II
II penetrates the famine region.
1T Is very likely that the horrors of
the famine and plague In China have
been understated," said the Rev. Willard
L. Beard. district secretary Of the AmerI-
can Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions 1T is hard to understand the
sweep Of those disasters. The highest
estimate that have seen OF the deaths
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

us from Chefoo that shows the awful
sw;ftness Of the disease.
"A servant in the house Of an English
tradesman asked leave to go home for
the night. as one OF his family was all
ing. The master let him 60. but he did
not return. In day or two the mer-
chant sent to inquire for him. He
learned that the man was dead from the
plague. His wife. his mother. his brother
and his brothers. two wives. had all died
with him. AS the servant had not come
back, the masters household was not in
fected.
Inoculation has been tried as preven-
tive Of the bubonic plague. and Il sue.
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

from the present epidemic is 5000.
That Is not large. While I was In China.
| saw $1,000 people die OF cholera In
one year In the city Of Foochow alone.
Another year. 10000 died OF bubonic
plague in the same city. That was only
one town. What the deaths were
throughout the province we cannot even
guess.
"The pneumonia plague is even more
deadly than the bubonic form. FIRE.
quently. the death rate OF sufferers Is
100 per cent: that Is. all who take the
disease die Of 1t. The seizure Is fright
fully sudden. and death follows usually
in six, or seven hours. A story comes to
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19
SHADED PORTION OF MAP SHOWS
AREA WHERE PLAGUE is RAGING.
NONE SURVIVE WHO CONTRACT
THE DISEASE. A RUSSIAN ARMY
is THREATENING TO OCCUPY
kULJA, NEAR THE FRONTIER.

Scotland. A Cambridge University man.
and a highly trained physician. He was
at Mukden. supervising the work of
quarantine of the railway and the fumis
CATION of the mails. He was attacked
and died within few hours.
The news from the famine country is
even more revolving to a foreigner than
the horrors Of the plague. There hum
dreds go barefoot. almost naked, In the
cruel winter weather. The sale OF chill
dren into slavery is not uncommon In
famnes but in the present one the mar.
ket has been so glutted that there Is no
demand for them. Ordinarily, boy sold
for adoption to fairly well-to-do fam.
iy will bring 500 to $50. while a girl II
Of small value.
"The Chinese way of showing that =
thing is for sale is 10 fasten straw to
II. our missionaries in the stricken
provinces frequently see children playing
in the streets with straws stuck In their
hair. One little boy. whose clothes had
been sold for food vas buried up to his
neck one night in a wagonload of manure
TO keep him from freezing. Next day
Ills father sold him for a cattle OF bread.
A cattle is pound and third.
slavery IS technically forbidden by
the Imperial law. but it is very widely
practised, notwithstanding. While was
I'm China I rescued three slave children
at different times. One had been stolen
.~I1 20
troupe. Another was taken from his
widowed mother and sold to a young
bride who believed that she was about
10 bear a daughter and wanted to have
n husband ready for her. Her child
proved to be a son. ard she was glad to
be rid OF her bargain. :,
when children cannot be sold or given
away. as at present. still more horrible
things happen. 1t is known that parents
have eaten their own children under the
stress Of famine. Such cases have been
reported from the Anhuei district. On
the point Of starvation. children arc
nearly always abandoned and left to die
by the roadside
A widow In Kiangsu lost all her crops
in the flood. She sold her plough for .
few pounds Of rice: then her other farm
ing tools. trying to keep herself and her
four small boys alive. Then she tried to
sell her donkey. her last possession. No
one wanted the beast. and at last she
killed 1t with her own hands and used 1t
for food
They had lived on the meat for nearly
two weeks. when one night the rest OF
the carcass. which was left outside the
hovel to keep it frozen. was found by .
-
New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

Continued on second passsi
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
MAYoRALrY coNTESr m cssls
cAoo EXPECTED TO sRlNo u
OUT HEAVY VOTE,
PREDICTED THAT i7s,ooo
WILL De NEcEssARY 70 WIN
Women Appear at Head Of Sceiaiise
Tickets in Kansas To~ns-9ecialiste
After Offices In MiIwaukss-LiquoP
Questions In Colorado Elections ..,
The Situation Elsewhere.

Chicago. April Rain falling the
latter part OF the night and all the
early part Of tho day had little effect on
the number OF voters who came to the
polls today to elect a mayor for four
years. other city officials for two years.
and to pass upon two bond issues. andf
three annexation propositions.
The republican candidate Is Prot,
Charles e. Merriam. an instructor In
political economy at the University ofs
Chicago. an alderman. and head OF the,
Merriam commission. which Investigate.
ed city finances and reported much ire.
regularity.
Carter II. Harrison. democrat. haSl
been mayor four times. and his father
was mayor before him.
Today's vote was expected 70 be thai
heaviest ever polled In Chicago. It was
predicted 1t would take at least IT'S. 900
ballot for either mayoralty candidatoi
to win. This was allowing 10000 OF thu
expected $4,000 votes to be cast for the
socialist and prohibition candidates.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04

OF the election by . committee being
voted down. s
Twelve progressive republican sena-
tors demanded one-fourth of the re-
publican representation on each Of the
senate committees and agreed to stay
out Of the republican caucus unless the
regulars promise to make this conces-
sion
The caucus Of the house republicans.
held last evening. was the most har-
monious in years. There were about
120 out OF the 161 republican members
Of the house present. The absentees
were mainly regulars. tho the non-at-
tendance of the progressives was the
more noticeable.
Among the progressives absent were
Iowa. Norris of Nebraska. Cooper, Len
root, Nelson. and Cary OF Wisconsin.
Davis. LindbUrgh, Anderson of Min
nesota, and Kent of California.
The majority Of the progressives were
present, but not in pugnacious mood
They had been in conference all the
afternoon and had decided to continue
their advocacy of progressive policies
in connection with the tariff, govern
1lent expenses, and popular govern
ment. But they decided it was unwise
to disrupt the minority on minor prop
ositions like the choice Of a minority
leader and the selection of committee
memberships
AS result there was no opposition to
the selection of Mann for minority
leader. The Illinois representative was
nominated by Uncle Joe Cannon. On
motion of Olmsted, Mann was declared
the caucus nominee by acc1amation.
The nearest approach to a fight then
developed over the question Of selecting
the republican members Of committees.
Olmsted moved that the selections be
made by the minority leader. while
Good proposed that the slate be made
up by committee Of seven with Mann
chairman This progressive proposition
ELECTED a wrathful onslaught from Can
non.
Jesus Christ had no committee on
committees when he appointed his
disciples" thundered Uncle Joe, "and
they all turned out all right, except
Judas Iscariot."
After a debate lasting a couple Of
hours the question was put to a vote
The Olmsted proposition was adopted
by an overwhelming majority.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
Women Candidates For Mayor.

Topeka. Kan. April affections are
being held today in all Kansas cities
that have the commission form OF Cow
ernment. Twenty-Five cities are vot--
ing.
Socialism is an issue in Wichita,
Pittsburg. and lola. where the party
has candidates In the field for mayor
and commissioners. In Wichita. A. /.
B!ase. shoemaker and socialist, Is
opposing John H. Graham, former
mayor.
Tickets headed by women arc in the
field In two OF the smaller cities. In
Galena Mrs Sarah c. Scovall. So
cialist. is being supported by many re-
publicans and democrats. Elmdalo.
presents Mrs. NJ. f. Johnson. a widow.
as one OF its candidates for mayor.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
ACCUSED cAMoRRIsr DISMISSED
ABeArEMAGGio AND LATTER
NOW WANT VENGEANCE,
POSTAL CARD BECOMES
AN IMPORTANT FACTOR
Lodging offered as Testimony
Against Accused and Strengthens
Story Of Abbatemassio and carabin-
sers-Aecussd Denies Charges.

Viterbo. Italy. April 4.-The Jury In
the Camorra trial listened today to the
interrogation and defense Of Giuseppe
do Marines. who Is charged with hav-
Ing planned the murder OF Gennaro
Cuoccolo and his wife, Maria. De Ma
rines has been frequently arrested In
Naples. the accusations against him
including robberies. assault and mur-
der and he has served brief sentences
of Imprisonment.
The Camorrist was not in good voice
today but he shouted his deniafs. He
denied any part in the assassirlations
and asserted that he had been involved
in the revelations Of the informer. Abb
batemaggio, because Of the latter IS
spite. He had discharged Abba tenag-
gio from his employ. he said.
The chain OF evidence against the
thirty six Camorrists secured by the
carabineers is streng thened by the
finding Of a postal card in the house
Of the testtfier asking the writer to
authorize the death OF Cuoccolo.
In telling the story of the murders
Abbatemaggio had said that such a
postal card had been written and that
upon its receipt by de Marines the as
sassinations were planned.
De Marines declared that he was in
nocent Of the crimes charged. Abbat-
emaggio in involving him was salts
flying a personal grudge he said. This
he explained as follows:
"Abbatemaggio was for time my
stable boy, receiving from me SIS n
month. He proved very bad young
man. He stole q gold chain from my
porter. assaulted the porter's sister
and bit my coachman, drawing blood.
when I heard OF his foul deed l
dismissed him saying. Tell that ruff
fian never to come into my presence
again Otherwise I will cripple him
with a club This was the cause o.
Abbatemaggio's rancor leading IL the
present attempt at a terrible revenge.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
M. w. A. ROW IN SENATE.
FraternaI Order Pointed to rs Example
Of Bad Management.


Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines. April 4.-The big row
between contending factions of the
Modern Woodnen broke out in the
senate today, when the bill was under
consideration to require that all fra
ternal insurance shall be on the basis
Of national fraternal congress rates.
Adams attacked the bill as one desired
by the officials OF fra ternal companies
in order that they might continue the
extravaganza under which most OF
these companies have been operated.
He referred to the Modern Woodman
and said the $7o0O.Q00 fund they have
is their greatest danger and is dividing
the order, and he referred to the fall
ure of the Charlton bank and the loss
of $250, 200 Of funds as evidence Of mis-
management.
Senator Saunders. who was formerly
a director Of the Modern Woodmen. re-
piled warmly to the attack and de-
Tended the head officers and explained
that the loss In the Charlton bank
would be adjusted soon. He said that
the fraternals must all raise their
rates or they Will fail.
The senate this afternoon passed the
bill requiring fraternal societies to
raise their rates to the fraternal con-
gress basis.
To sesregate Insane.
The senate passed a bill to compel
private hospitals to segregate the sane
from the insane patients: also house
bill to permit wholesale druggists to
sell intoxicating liquors.
The senate today passed the Van
Law bill extending the term Of office
of the state labor commissioner from
two to four years.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
MEETS HORRIBLE FATE
Member Of Wrsckine Crew Struck In
Head BY Hook and Suspended In
Midsir-Faes Crushed Beyond Rseoa.
nition-Death ,RsIisvss Unfortunate
Mans suffsrinas.

Special to Times-Republican.
Mason City. April "A terrible acci-
dent occurred near Hutchins Sunday.
The engine Of freight train, in back
in CUP to pick up car. left the rails
because Of their spreading. The wreck
or was sent out from here to pick it
UP. John Pitka was one Of the men
that went out. The large cable was at
tached to the engine and power applied
when 1t broke, the end containing the
hook swinging around and catching the
unfortunate man on the side Of the face
and suspending him twelve feet in the
air. The side Of his face was so badly
crushed that he could hardly be recog-
nized. He was Immediately brought to
this city and given care at the Story
hospital but died during the night. He
has two brothers living In Chicago who
have arrived to take care Of the body.
It Is quite probable that litigation will
follow.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
MESSAGE TO BE SHORT.
President Will confins Suggestions to
Rseiproeity.

President Will conf7ns Suggestions to
Reciprocity.
Washington, April - President
Taft's first message to the Sixty-second
congress will 90 in tomorrow, accord
ing to unofficial information at the
White House today. The president be-
gan the dictation OF his message early
today, and vi, = 80 ccb!ret ret at II
o'clock he laid bcfc"e Il = r g!l draft
of the document Folio ~'rg the cabi-
net session this afternoon tie president
will take up the message with one Of
his secretaries and proposes to COM
plete It.
The message. according to informa-
tion, will dea! only with reciprocity
with Canada. Reference to permanent
tariff commission or to other kindred
subjects will be deferred until later II
the presidents plan Is followed out
The neseage will not be long and will
follow closely the speeches made by tho
president on the subject Of reciprocity.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
MANN MINORITY LEADER.
Cannon Follower Chosen BY cauou,
For Speaker.

Cannon Follower Chosen BY caueu.
For Speaker.
Washington. April AFTER another
day Of caucuses and conferences, all
parties and all factions thereof were
ready to take up the work Of the Sixty.
second congress.
As a result Of the caucusing, the
house is prepared to organize in an
orderly manner and proceed to the con-
stderation Of legislation with reason
able dispatch.
In the senate, the first step toward
organization will not be taken till to-
morrow afternoon, and the indications
are it will not be accomplished without
clash and turmoil on both the repupn-
can and democratic sides.
The results OF the conferences on the
eve Of the session follows
!. Caucus Of republican members OF
house unanimously selects Representa-
tive James r Mann. Of Illinois, tor
minority leader.
Mann was instructed by the caucus
to select tha republican membera Of
committees, the progressive proposition
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-04
iowa Supreme Court.
TO TimeS-Republican.

Special to Times s-Republican.
Des Moines, April 4.-The supreme
court today rendered the following
opinions:
Sidwell against Economy Coal Com
pany, appellant Polk district. AZ
firmed.
Anderson against Anderson. appel
liant Harrison district Affirmed
Koane against Century Firc Insure
ance Company. appellant. Winneshtek
district. Affirmed.
Tulxey against Reinhoidt. appellant.
Harrison district. Affirmed.
Migliaccio against Smith Fuel Cons
pany, appellant. Polk district. Az
firmed.
,Morrili against Bentley. appellant.
Blackhawk district. Affirmed. On:
plaintiffs appeal reversed on defend-
ants appeal
Kierulft against Harlan. appGllAnt
Clarke district. Modified. affirmed andS
remAnded