davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

Every cloud has it's silver lining. The
hard times that are making life bur
den to many people, are responsible
for number of New York pickpockcts
turning honest. At least that is the
claim of the New York police who say
that they know of many professional
dips" who have found they cannot ex-
list on the little money they can extract
from unsuspecting victims. Either the
said unsuspecting people have no mon
ey in their pockets or else they are
guarding very closely what little they
can get.
An investigation of the Chicago city
employees shows that less than two
per cent are addicted to the use OF
liquor. The rate for most of the city
employees is about one per cent put the
rate in the po'ce departing II brings
the average up. The investigators ex-
plain that the lolice have a harder
time fighting the habit because of the
desire of saloon keepers to keep in
with the policemen on their beats by
frequent treats.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
Prisoner Tries
to Escape From
SheHUm Courz

Jose Servantez, found guilty last
Tuesday by the district court jury Of
the charge of larceny was, this morn
ing, given an indeterminate sentence
in the state penitentiary at Anamosa
! for period not exceeding five years,
by Judge D. NJ Anderson. Apparent
ly, greatly angered over his sentence,
the prisoner make a break for liberty
as he was leaving the court room on
his way back to the county Jail, but
was soon in custody again.
When Servantez was brought before
the court this morning for sentence, it
was found that an interpreter was
necessary as the man said that he
could not understand or speak Eng
lish. Rafael Davila, fellow Mexican,
who was tried here last term for MUIR
der and acquitted, and who is now in
the county Jail, awaiting the grand
jury on the charge of breaking and en-
tering some railroad cars at Eldon,
was brought into the room and acted
as an interpreter.
The prisoner appeared to be in a
fairly calm state of mind until he was
told that the court had pronounced a
sentence of not more than five years !;
then he snarled and muttered in Mex
lean, why don't you give me ten He
was told by the court that five was the
maximum sentence that could be pro.
nounced upon him and then Judge An
derson explained in detail to Davila,
who in turn repeated to Servantez, the
workings Of the indeterminate SEN
tence law and that his term would
probably be considerably less than
the maximum time imposed. AS the
prisoner was leaving the court room
in the custody of the sheriff he made
break for liberty. They we're at the
double door which opens into the up
per corridor and in opening 1t the man
twisted himself out of the grasp of
the officer and ran down the hall to-
ward the stairway.
Mr.. Knox made lunge and landed
upon the mans neck. Thus getting a
strong hold upon him he held him
until others could assist him. Mr..
Davila was in the meantime walking
down the hall without giving any
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

evidences of having an idea of escape.
The two were then taken to their cells
through the sheriff's Office and the tun-
mel connecting it with the jail, Serv-
antez still bracing himself against
the doors and walls and wrestling
about in an effort to break away from
the hold which the sheriff had on his
collar. The excitement caused by the
prisoners effort to break away was
taken part in by all in the court room
at the time, as we'll as others in the
building, including the employees in the
different offices.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
AN ovERwRoUGHT EXECUTIVE


The governor of Arizona is in dan
ger of losing his sense of perspective
A dispatch from Phoenix announces
that Governor Hunt has selected the
beads of eleven foreign corporations
10 serve as legal witnesses at the
hanging of as many convicted murder
Prs on December 10. He does this be-
kause he believes that the corpora
lions Joined together to defeat the
abolition of capital punishment in
Arizona. Indeed, Governor Hunt goes
Snuch further; he declares that every
Sitizen who voted against the aboli-
zion measure is guilty of causing the
Eeath of these eleven criminals:
q When eleven men have been hurled
Tito the darkness of eternity together,
a hope every voter in this state who
8oted on November to retain CAPT
&al punishment will realize that he
ae1ped to take these human lives.
cope every single voter will feel a
Personal guilt. If Arizona is to be
Geld up before the world in this awful
8ght. 1t is the voters who are respon-
Rible.
v Somebody ought to take the COVER
Tor Of Arizona into cool room,
there he may calmly think before he
peaks again. The voters Of Arizona
Ire not responsible for the eleven
SFimes committed by these condemned
hen who were found guilty by their
aeers of murder in the first degree.
a Eleven murderers in Arizona did
way with eleven victims. Is Gov
S-nor Hunt as full of high-fown sym
s@athy for those eleven victims and
heir families as he is for those who
4pok their 1ives?-The Minneapolis
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

big, unwieldy sheet of paper with
almost as much foolish reading mat
ter on it as there is in current copy
of the Congressional Record. The
people of those states have fastened
that law on Observation-Disclosures of
them wish they didn't have it-but it's
like the itch, wishing won't cure it.
This initiative and referendum idea
is sort of foot and mouth disease
that has from time to time attacked
human government as far back as
history goes.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

at another port few weeks later per-
mitted without the shadow of pro-
test? Why, if the armed forces of the
United States were sent to Mexico be-
cause Huerta would not salute the
American flag, was the question OF that
salute entirely ignored in the media
ton proceedings? Why, having re-
manned in possession of Vera Cruz for
four months after Huerta decamped
from Mexico, do we leave just at the
moment when rival forces are again
fighting for Huerta's vacant chair?"
Chicago News: England has lost
it's "Bobs' and America has lost its
"Bob," the genial, brilliant Robert J.
Burdette who made millions laugh
and never soul weep.
Ute Independent: When a man gets
his hide so full of booze that he i'm
AGNES himself three-ring circus,
street parade and ALL and persists IN
operating the whole show at once on
our main street, we believe he should
be locked up long enough till he comes
to realize he is only the baboon IN
a cage of one of the small sideshoWs.
Burlington Hawk-Eye: Audubon
has given a car load of flour and
car of corn for the suffering Belgians.
Audubon has perhaps $500 happy and
prosperous people. They will no
doubt be doubly happy because of this
good deed that they have done and
not whit less prosperous. If the
whole state did as we'll, the railroads
would be rueing their promise that
they would haul to the seaboard Tree
of cost, everything that Iowa gives
to relieve the want in Belgium.
Des .Moines Capital: Pay your war
stamp taxes and look pleasant. Really
that is about the only thing for you
to do. Beneath the velvet glove of
Uncle Sam is concealed an iron hand
and your uncle has wonderfully eff
fective method of getting what he
wants.
Beside, national administration is
in power dedicated to the mossbackian
theory that low tariff is the passport
to commercial and Industrial plenty Of
course that theory has been exploded
time and again, but each generation
has to learn the lesson for itself.
The Underwood tariff measure has
failed as revenue producer. To meet
the financial emergencies of the period
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
DEMANDING EFFICIENCY.

Achievements of the year demon
strated a constant growth Of sentiment
throughout the country in favor of the
merit and efficiency system, accord
ing to recent report made by Robert
D. jerks, chairman of the council, al
the National Civil Service Reform
leagues thirty-fourth annual meeting
even in congress the tide has turn
ed against the spokesman said Mr.
jerks. "The Collop amendment
which sought to throw open the post
Offices for patronage purposes, was de
feated."
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
Little Benny's Mote Book
BY LEE PAPE

kester making lot of noise is kalled
a band. If peepil sing at the saim
times its duet, but If wun jest sings
by If, it's ony solo, no mattir
how s0od he sings.
Pop ses sum musick may be good
enCff to soothe the savidge beest but
it was proberly sum uthir. musick that
made him savidge in the ferst phase
rote pone about musick, beeing
this:
o musick is a bewtifll thing
1njoyeC by poor and rich,
Evryboddy has the privilege to sing
Ony you hat to lissen to witch
O musick is beWtifill, musick is
sweet,
Weathir flutes with the mouth OF
pianolas with the feat.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
MOTHER WANTS $4,000
FROM YANKEE CIRCUS

Abba, Dec. 5.--Annie M. McConville
has brought suit against Fred Buchan-
an, proprietor of the Yankee Robinson
circus, for $4,000 damages for the
death of her son Edward, who was
killed September S, 1918, when the
tent collapsed in storm and the little
fellow, while trying to escape from the
tent, was hit on the head by quarter
pole and killed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
THE REvULSION AGAINST DIRECT
LEGISLATION.

The initiative and Referendum WHEN
looked to be SO popular and promised
to sweep the country few years ago
seems to be declining in popular favor.
The Wisconsin voters, though partial
to novelties in legislation and admin
ist-ation, rejected by large maJor1tles
at the last election ten proposed con-
stitutional amendments, including
three to establish the initiative and re-
ferendum and the recall In that state.
This is only one of several signs OF
radical change of mind by the people
of Wisconsin.
In Minnesota, initiative and referen-
dunn amendments also failed for lack
of majority necessary for their adop-
ton. Texas voted against constltu-
tional amendment giving direct legisla-
ton to the people. Thus in three
states on single day we're popular
judgments rendered against the lnltla-
tive and referendum.
Missouri has had the initiative ana
referendum for six years and In tnat
time thirty-ive constitutional amend
ments, five of them initiated by the
people, have been referred to popu-
lar vote for approval and all of them
have been rejected. In other words,
I the people show their opinion of direct
legislation by killing every proposition
submitted to them. In Oregon the
spioneer state in this supposed reform,
the long list of measures which have
! to be passed upon at every election IS
regarded as nuisance. The people
cannot digest and understand their
merits without more of study than
they are willing to give them and they
vote most of them down. At the last
election on November thirty-one sub
Siects of direct legislation were submit
tied to the people of Oregon and thirty
aDf them were rejected.
The states which have wisely held
8off from adopting these new nostrums
are fortunate. 1t is wise to let the
states finch have committed them
selves to them pursue the experiment
lat their own cost and see just where
lit leads them. Thus far it has shown
itself SO unsatisfactory in it's practical
sworking that three states have reject
ed it and its further extension among
s&he states of the east is apparently
checked.
Il The people are glad to vote for the
men of their choice, but It is hard to
%ntcrest them in measures. They pre-
Ter generally to delegate the duty of
legislation to those chosen for that
purpose. Apparently they mistrust
their own Judgment ION the matter
which ought to be the fruit of careful
Examination and special knowledge.
gThis system which all the older states
still cling to has given in the main sat
iSfa Glory results Certainly there is
nothing in the working of the initiative
and referendum, so far as it has been
cried in several western states, to sup
bort the claims made for it's superior
#ty. It places burden on the people.
which the most of them persist in
evading and fails to give stability or
sair popular favor for the legislation
Enacted. Press.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
MT AT sPoILs SYSTEM.

The National Civil Service Reform
league in it's thirty-fourth annual meet
ing in Chicago yesterday adopted reso
lutions severely criticising Postmaster
General Burleson for having made the
appointment of fourth class postmas'
tiers matter of congressional patron
age. The action of the secretary in in
viting advice of congressman relative
to the comparative qualifications of
eligibles, is declared to have made po-
litical preferment and not efficiency the
stepping stone to Office.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

Because of the war, English manu-
facturers and consumers of wood pulp
have been caused considerable uneasi.
ness. Production is at standstill in
the countries at war, and in Norway
and Sweden, principal sources of sup
ply, mills have been greatly hampered
because of lack of coal and Of cherni-
GALS England has practically no do.
nestle sources of pulp.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

what you want to do now is to cuI
down your expenses and live within
your income. would give all the leger
demain of finance and financiering fol
the DID, homely maxim, Live within
your income Samuel ]. Tilden.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
Musick.

Musick.
Musick is sownds made by must.
clan.
The best kind of musick is the op.
pos:te of noise, but the werst kind OF
musick is jest the saim as noise sum.
times wen lady is singing orfill lowd
she thinks it is musick, but she is jen'
reilly the ony wun that thinks so. A
cornet sownds awl rite, but it is not
regular musick.
Sum things you can get musick out
of is pianos, violin, comb and tissue
papir harps, and herds.
Sum things you cant get mus1ck out
of is drums, simbis, cats, sum peepils
voices, and babys.
A lot of musicians playing at the
saim time is kalled orkester. or.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
ON CHARITY FIRST TIME.

A feature Of the one thousand per
Vtnt increase in idleness in the city
: Chicago is the fact that many of
Ne idle men are out of work and
hard up" for the first time in their
ives. A careful record kept at the
sShicago municipal lodging house
Aows that during the month of No
bmber five thousand "first nighters"
#ere cared for. That means that this
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
UNION co. LAND
BRINGS 1884

Creston, Dec. 5.--The records of
Union county show the recording Of
some Of the papers whereby one OF the
largest deals has lately been made that
has been transacted in southwestern
Iowa for a number Of years This trans
action involves about $500 acres Of
land, one section of it being in Union
county, Iowa, and the consideration in.
the exchange Of land amounted "
S138. 46s.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

a war tax measure in time of peace
has been devised. The European wal
is the excuse presented but the utterly
thin and transparent texture of this
plea will become more and more appre
ciated as the months 60 by.
This war tax stamp is going to be.
come extremely odious during the com
ing two years, and if the thunder-cloud
expressions of countenance to say
nothing of the staccato mutterings OF
the people indicate anything it is that
a party will be called into power in
1916 pledged to revenue policy based
upon an entirely different set of prin.
ciples.
La Crosse Tribune: One lasting
benefit which the European war prob
ably will confer upon the United
States will be an increased capacity
for manufacturing cotton goods. The
slump which the war brought upon
the cotton market has shown the SUI
perior safety of having the market
for the staple here at home instead
of subject to foreign conditions. Along
with this, the fact that Germany and
England are able to furnish only a
small part of the cotton manufac.
lures the world needs, creates de.
mand which is likely to be very at.
tractive to American capital.
New York World: II know no
method" said President Grant in his
first inaugural address, "to secure the
repeal of bad or obnoxious law so eff
fectual as their strict construction.
The same is true of fool laws, and
the socialists of Massachusetts, have
been quick to apply the method in
the case of a recent Massachusetts
enactment which prohibits the parade
of red and black flags. They chose
their time with ready wit. They
awaited the big HarvardP Princeton
football game of Saturday and then
invoked the statute against the thou,
sands of joyous and cheering parti
sans waving the crimson colors OF
Harvard and the orange and black of
Princeton. The result was that the
game, as a color scheme at least, be,
came a grotesque failure.
AS an example of legislative super.
ficiality this law stands out conspicu.
ously in it's thought of hitting the
thing fancied to be signified by strik.
ing at the sign. AS statute certain
to pJoye more destructive at the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

Let's see. Whose move is it on the
matter Of improved river front? The
council named committee to investi.
gate and recommend The committee
has done so. Evidently it is the coun-
ellis turn to act.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

One mans gain is often another
mans loss While householders are
chuckling over the fact that the mild
weather has been easy on the coal
bill, the coal dealer has been wonder
ing wherein he has any chance for
a merry Christmas"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

breech than at the muzzle, it is pre-
eminent
As Webster said, Massachusetts,
there she is, behold her!' She needs
no certificate from us of having won
| first prize in the recent production of
fool legislation. That will be univer.
sally conceded.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

Are you sure that Fertilizer Is
your right name?" she asked.
Eyes. ma'am,' replied the little girl
"Well. tell you mother to come
here,' said the teacher.
The mother came the next day.
''Yes; Fertilizer is right" she said.
"You see, named her after her faith.
er and mother both. Her father
name is Ferdinand and my name is
Liza, SO we called her Fertilizer"
There Is q lad in town In New
Hampshire, where the thrifty moth.
ers are still wont to cut their chill
dren's hair by means of pair OF
shears and a bowl, who has always
felt that this sort OF thing is degra
dalton.
In Sunday school on one occasion
the teacher told the class of which
this boy was a member the story OF
Samson and Delilah. When she had
finished she said to this youngster:
Henry, what do you learn from
the Samson story?"
THAT it don't never pay respond
ed Henry, promptly, ito let woman
cut a feller's hair"
A man arrested for murder bribed
a juryman with 500 to hang out q
verdict of mansiaughter. The jury
was out long time and finally came
in with a verdict of manslaughter
The man rushed up to his friend on
the jury and said:
I'm obliged to you my friend. DID
Won have a hard timer"
yea said the juryman; ian aw
full hard time. The other eleven
wanted to acquit you.''
A member of the democratic ma
tional committee tells of an "old
time" who, during the last campaign
took the stump in Iowa. 1t does not
appear whether he gathered many con-
verts to the party creed or not; but
he certainly added to the humor OF
the situation.
On one occasion, when vast crowd
had gathered to hear him hold forth,
he addressed them in this wise:
Fellow citizens, our opponents are
resorting to every form of dishonesty,
deception, and underhand trickery to
corrupt the voters, But, fellow citi.
zens, we warn them and here his
voice shook the rafters, I'VE warn
them, fellow citizens, that that Is q
game that two can play att"
A booking agent for a chautauqua
bureau visited a small town in the
middle west, He called on a man who
said that in order to introduce chau-
tauqua it would be necessary to see
the most prominent man of the .own.
Together they called on the first
citizen and the booking agent was
introduced. "Mr. JONES'" said he, 81
called to see you in regard to a chau,
tauqua." Wont do we no good
spoke up the prominent man of the
town. "Me and my vile have feen
pestered to death with automobile
agents fer six months, an now, by
jing, we've ordered machine we seen
in a catalogue
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

And still the freeze up has not
come. There is yet a chance that the
roads can be dragged before the
ground is hard.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

While the roads are good is the
time to get your coal in Buy your
Christmas coal early, don't wait till
the roads get so bad that it takes two
trips to haul one load.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

It will be but few days now until
congress inflicts itself on a long-suffer
ing public again
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

Wide tire wheels on wagons length.
en- the life of paving.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
Press Comment

La Crosse Tribune: The moose con.
ference may not have been an autopsy,
as it's leaders so emphatically protest,
but we suggest that a decision as to
the disposal of the remains be reached
quickly, before disintegration goes any
further.
Muscatire Journal: No adults see
the true joys of Christmas tide save as
they see them reflected in the eyes of
happy childhood. No adult hears the
matchless melody of the carols of in
visible choirs of Christmas angels save
as they catch now and then a faint,
sweet echo midst the laughter of hap
py, romping children We grown ups
are exiled, alienated from the happy
Christmas land. For us the only pass
ports back to its borders even are the
happy prattlings of childish voices, the
dewy JOY tears in kiddies' eyes.
New York Independent: .'Why did
we seize Vera Cruz? Was it to prevent
the landing of a cargo of arms and am
nutrition for Huerta? If it was, why
was the landing OF that Identical cargo
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.

If you want to realize what the in
itiative and referendum really means,
just send out to Oregon or California
and get one of the tickets voted at
the recent general election. 1t is a
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
d. n ne r
S tori g s

In New York new teacher found
a little negro girl was named Ferti-
lizer Johnson.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08

Chicago News: England has lost
it's "Bobs" and America has lost it's
Bob the genial, brilliant Robert j.
Burdette, who made millions laugh
and never a soul weep.
The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-01-16
YOU'RE coNsTiPATED, 8
alLIouS-cASCARETS!
Clean Your Waste-cIosged Liver and
Bowels Tonight Feel Bully,

Get ten-cent box now.
No odds how bad your liver, stom.
ach or bowels; how much your head
aches; how miserable and uncomfort.
able you are from constipation, in.
digestion, biliousness and sluggish
oowels-you always get the desired
results with Cascarets.
Don't let your stomach, liver and
bowels make you miserable. Take
Cascarets tonigt; put an end to the
headache, biliousness, dizziness,
nervousness, sick, sour, gassy stom.
ach, backache and all other distress.
es; cleanses your inside organs Of all
The bile, gases, and constipated mat.
ter which is producing the misery.
A ten-cent box means health, hap
piness, and a clear head for months
No moredays of gloom and distress il
you will take a Cascaret now and
then. All druggists sell CCascarets
Don't forget the children-their lit
lie insides need a gentle cleansing
100. (adv)