davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
MEAT ANIMALS SCARCE
Their TOtak Value Has Increased ir
 This Country "

'hoftase or meat animals in the IrniteA states IS stflk1ngly demonstrated by com. p"f a'Ns heures made public by the de. par,inent of agriculture showing that tiere are nine less beef cattle. seven Iess sneep ana three less hogs now for each 100 persons In the country than there were in i9io' says the Washington Star. This means that it would take is. 259 OOO nor. meat cattle, sheep and swine to give inc present population the same supply that the census of 1910 showed to exist.
 Whlie the population of the country ia estimated to have increased from e1 .97o .
 D D to %,646,0O0 In the last three years. the number of beef cattle has decrea ase6 Is,9 per cent. and of sheep 5.o Der cent. The number of swine increased slightly. l.5 per cent but it did not keep up with the proportional growth of population.
 In spite of the reduced number. if ia esunated that the value of the cattle in the country increased from sl,534, 600, 900 Tn 1910 to Sl,930,0S7. .000 on January l.
 This increase in value however" tha departments statement points out. does not necessarily mean that farmers or stock raisers are making more, if any. profit. On the contrary, the cost of pro., auction has probably increased more rapidly than the increase in the selling price Of live stock. Producers of farm products are the last to receive any benefit from higher prices paid by con- sumers yet they are among the first to increase production if there is a pros. pect of realizing better returns
 The very fact that there is a present shortage of nearly 100000 meat ani- mals in the United States since the census or 1910 indicates that the business Is not profitable to producers"
 The scarcity of meat animals is attrib. uted by the department experts to the. encroachment of farmr upon range terri. tory, lack of proper range leasing law. shortage in the corn and forage crop in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma: in- crease In the value of land and higher cost of labor and stock feed. decline in stock raising on farms in tho east and south because of poor marketing facin- ues' tne temptation to sell live stock at prevailing high prices, and enormous lesses from hog cholera,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
All Trace Lost

The guests were just about to depart the reception had been unusually bril-. liant that night. No one was allowed to leave the place, the garden was thoroughly explored, but without re- suits.
 Then Lecoq had began to search the house. The servants swore that no one had entered or left the building for the last hour.
 When Lecoq came to the private apartments of the Duke the valet ob- Jected. But a voice said: Let him come in Make your inspection, officers"
 It was the Duke who spoke, as he splashed in bathtub in a room open- ing off his bedroom High and low they searched, but without avail.
 Lecoq was in despair. Then he be- thought himself of Papa Tabaret and went to see him.
 Papa Tabaret was an old man wbs While not a detective himself amused his leisure studying the criminal an nals of the day and drawing his own differences from them. He was con- suited by many of the Paris detectives who had a knotty case on hand
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Saving the FOOtprints

Make haste,' cried Lecoq, "this rain will obliterate the footsteps. Get me an earthen dish, a plate, a pitcher, some water. Gather all the boxes and old boards you can find lying about"
 With d fragment of broken glass he scraped furiously at the plaster on the side of the room. When he had accu- mulated seven or eight handfuls of plaster dust he mixed half of it with a little water, forming paste which he allowed to remain untouched on the side of the plate.
 Running into the garden, he sought out the most distinct footprints and sprinkled over them a fine coating of the dry plaster. Then he carefully poured in his liquid solution.
 The experiment was successful-he got good impression of the footprints when the liquid had cooled. Then with the boxes and boards he covered over some of the other footprints.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Deductions

Leooq pursued his investigations out into the vacant land and across to a lumber yard, following the tracks. With his lantern he made a most minute ex- animation of the lumber yard. Then he said:
 When the murderer repaired to the Pepper-box, the accomplice came to wait here. He was a man of middle age and tall; wore a shaggy brown overcoat and soft hat. He Is probably married, as he had a wedding ring on the little finger of his right hand.
 He mounted guard here. The time seemed long, and in order to releive his impatience, he paced up and down the length of this log.
 He had made about 30 turns-I have counted them-when in the stiffness he heard the women coming. He ran to meet them and helped them to this log. He first brushed 1t off with his soft hat you can see the marks of it.
 '"Then. probably not thinking 1t dry enough, he wiped it with the skirt of his coat. Here are some pieces of the shaggy wool which caught in the splinters.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Vengeance on Sairmeusa

put Jean Lacheneur found fine widow ua tt ana oletated to her letter demanding Tn,.,n 1%1. the auchess come to the Pepper-box. 1aklng her maid Camille with her tha terrified duchess went and gave tba u,;aar.. Chupin money "f"o"
 ineh Jean made the old woman write ano'i.er al ietter demanding the presence of ". ouehess at the resort. She obeyed taking with her Camille as before
 put ne mad also written letter to the uuhe' ,.,na' teinng him that his wife was to Vlst the Pepper-box that night. He arr ranged Tor two brbed ruffians ana a oissipated youth named Gustave. over whom he had control to be present
 III mat low resort he was to comnlate ms vengeance upon the family of Sair. mouse. 'Ihe duke, takings with him his box. Ae epper-
 lie left Otto at the lumber yard lean Was not present-he had fallen into . quarry and broken his leg.
 u, Lecoq Promoted
 when the two women cama l., mother , Chupin began to demand money me Duchess had forgotten to remove aer diamond earrings. One of the ruf- mans, becoming impatient, seized her ana wrenched a diamond from her a.r At that moment the Duke can,a ;,, 1i, tin. pack door, and all three men set un5ysx him. "en sel upon
 fig, Bianchew cried the Duke. "nvr save the honor of the name"
 ne Duchess and her maid fed ana S mnen the Duke finally returned to his committed suicide. "oness
 It was the faithful valet Otto whorr neeoq had called the accomplice. TX was Tn love with Mme Miner and b.S arrahsed the comedy of the hotel
 Ihe Duke, when he saw that q, E.cor. a9t aat reeosnlzed him in the prison, had attempted to commit suicide. not b.- neving but that d'Escorval would taL. Nehseahce upon him. He had been rs. assured When he learned that SegmuI. Ter was to handle his case.
 me Duke was tried for murder and acquitted. Lecoq was promoted.
 Copyright, 1914, by Irving Ktnr> NeNt weeks one page classic will h. Caleb Williams" by William c1odw;r
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
T am innocent. I was attacked

bodies except pipes, tobacco, cigarette papers and a few sous.
 The letter signed, "Lacheneur," was written on a paper which had in one corner a half-effaced mark, of which could only be made out the word 'Beaumarchais."
 This letter. said Locoq, was surely written in one of the cafes of the Bou- levard Beaumarchais."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08

When Fougasse died he had gone with a travelling show run by a man named Trigiot.
 For the past few years he had been barker for a snowman named Simp- son, with whom he had wandered over England and Germany. Simpson had sailed for America and he, May, had come on from Leipsic. arriving in Paris the afternoon of the Sunday upon which he had been arrested.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Eager for Revenge

The inspector soon satisfied himself that the two men by the fire were really dead; then he turned his attention to the third tim-a young man dressed in a soldie uniform.
 He still bre Sed, but had evidently not long to live. \ opened his eyes. and when they had n him a glass of wa CT, said T h received my death blow.''
 He had not beeA Shot, but had been thrown against the side of the room with such force as to break his skull.
 ''I have received my just deserts" he faltered. Tt was the brigand, Jean Lach- eneur. who enticed me here"
 .Lacheneur?''
 ..Yes, former actor, who knew me when l was rich. He, knowing l was without sou, came to me and promised me money enough to begin life over again.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
A CL A SSIC
 IN A P A c E
Copyright. 1914. by Irving Kini
 rights reserVed)

Copyright, 1914, by Irving King. All
 rights reserved.)
 Gaboriau put the detective story upon a higher plane than it had ever been a-4ore, and in that particular sort of story he has never been eXcellec. sher- i-,els Holmes is vastly entertaining, but .a. Lecoq was more than that. M. Lecoq .s human-no drug hend-and con >incing."
 Beginning with the story which bears the famous detective's name, the char aoter of Lecoq is carried through seY- eral subsequent stories by Gaboriau. In the first story he Is young man win ming his spurs.
 There are two volumes to M. Leeoqs the second one of which Is sometimes published separately under the title or '.The Honor of the Name" In Il de- tectfve work is only alluded to.
 It is romance of the country life of France in the days when Louis ANlil was restored, for the second time' 10 the throne of his ancestors;'' and con tains a most interesting picture of the times and the people of the times
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
One Mystery. Explained


 Bah, bah.' cried Tabaret you know, as well as I do. that May re- sides in the Rue de Grenelle-St Ger main and is known as NJ. le Due de Sairmeuse. You know nothing of con- temporaneous history if you doubt it. Bring down that volume there"
 Then he read sketches of the Sair- mouse and dEscorval families in the present and the preceding generations, which showed that the families were at feud.
 Do you not see," said Tabaret, that d'Escorval recognized in May his old enemy. Sairmeuse, and refusing to take advantage of his opportunity for revenge, conveniently broke a leg which was no more broken that yours or mine--so as to avoid sitting in judg- ment on him? But do not match your self against the Duke-he is all l-power- full. Good day"
 The next day Lecoq went to the Hotel de Sairmeuse, but found the house in great agitation. The Duchess was dead-had died suddenly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Blackmail

against the race of Sairmeuse A s,,...ss iid'iied Chupin, who had led Blancbe to the @ cottage, had through window. seen uer m act As he went home he was sta bbed ,, py man whom he had defrauded but hneu nv long enough to confide his secret to |, lhe oid duke died and the new duke and lls 1S Wile' Blanche, went to live in Paris. svsttraas, la son went also and began a
 lie was killed in brawl and if wa. ms hls "luoW who kept the Pepper-box. Cbun- nag spent all the money he had extorted and had left her penniless.
 But she knew that the duchess had been ner husbands benefactor and so asked anu so,-after his death. money to open 2 Gtani Gan5 shop. Her husband had never con nded to her his great secret.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Askine Another Chance

Fr. Absinthe followed him and took . seat at nearby table. A pleasant stranger asked him to drink and Fr. Absinthe fell. When he realised thai he was getting drunk the young men had gone.
 He took another drink and turned around to 500 the hospitabie stranger gone likewise
 An examination of the widow ehupiR,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
MONSIEUR LECOQ

But l will be revenged. I know more than he believes. I will tell all"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Convincing Lies

When he had arrived in Paris he had gone to a little hotel opposite the rail- way station, where he had registered, hired a room and left his trunk
 Having some money in his pocket he had foolishly gone off on a "bat." The judge knew the rest Who the people were that he had met in the Pepper-box he had no idea.
 Did he remember the women ?-what sort of looking women were they?'
 O, he remembered them well; they were drinking with the men. They were both very large and tall-regular grenadiers.
 He told his story in a most convinc- ing manner. But Lecoq knew he was lying. His description of the two women convinced the detective of that. But they could get nothing further from him.
 The prisoner was made to take off his shoes. He had on no stockings and his feet were black with mud
 Lecoq took his knife and scraped off some of the mud. The prisoners toe nails had been carefully tended and be- heath the mud his feet were white and soft.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Attempted Suicide

When he returned he was walking hastily and called out to Lecoq. q must return home at once-l cannot listen to you now. Talk with me about this mat ter tomorrow"
 After recovering iron. his astonish- ment at the altered manner of the judge, Lecoq thought he would take look at the prisoner. He found him lying on his pallet with the blanket drawn up over him.
 There was a strange writhing of the body. Lecoq called for the guard and they rushed into the cell to find that the prisoner had tied a, strip from his bed- clothes around his neck and then, by using a spoon as a tourniquet tried to strangle himself.
 They had come just In time, and after reviv!ng the man they put him in a strait jacket.
 The next morning. when Lecoq went to the prefecture, a strange judge was sitting there-M SegmIler. M. d'Escor- val had broken his leg in alighting from his carriage the day before and was laid up.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
The Duke Admits If

Just month from the time Lecoo had found the letter on the floor of the study or the Judge man presented himself at tho Hotel de saTmause. saying that ne had message from M d'Escorval,
 He was admitted, and when alone with the Duto. handed him letter. It read 1.
 VI saved you by not recognising the prisoner. May. In your turn aid mo. By aomorfow . or ths day after I must have p6O,00O francs. Maurice d'Escoryain
 The luke sprans to [. writing table and without noticing that the messenger Was looking over his shoulder, wrote My fortune, my life is at your disposal Your former enemy. now your devoted friend,'
 Fhe messenger, taking spe letter, with nasty movement east his red peVd and
 '+eeeal' exclaimed the Duke.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Warned in Time


 To his dismay, she met May a few blocks off. He had thought May would. seek the woman and he had hoped to get her out of the way before he &r- rived. But he had been too late.
 In their hurried meeting some money had changed hands. Lecoq followed May to a drinking place-a sort of thieves den. The detectives took place at table near the one at which May sat down.
 At Mays table was a hard-looSlng citizen with whom the fugitive at once got into conversation, ordering drinks rapidly.
 Lecoq heard May tell his chance &C., quaintance the story of his adventures just as he had told it to the judge May and his companion began to talk of brrgiaries and May suggested that they go and rob the house of the Duke de Sairmeuse
 It was getting late at nigh. now and May and hls companion left the drink ing place-both, apparently, drunk.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
The Judges Letter

The next day Lecod called upon the judge d Escoryal and was admitted. The study was unoccupied, but from an adjoining room, separated only from the study by curtains, came the sound of stifled exclamation and sobs mingled with kisses.
 on the floor Lecoq found letter He picked 1t up and read it. It said
 The bearer of this letter is Marie Annes son-your son. It is to his edu- cation that I have devoted by patrimony. He is noble man. The miserable woman who murdered my sister died by poison administered by her own hand. My sister would have been more terribly avenged had not an accident saved the Duke and Duchess de Sairmcuss from the snare into which I had lured them. Jean I.ach- cneur."
 Lecoq departed without seeing the judge dnd went to the country-to the village of Seirmouse, from which all the actors in the tragic drama had come.
 There he investigated and returned to Paris to gather up some loose ends of history.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08

revealed nothink. Her son, a professional thief, was in jail. They examined him result-nothingl The widow stuck to the story she had first told and the others professed absolute ignorance.
 Tt is useless" said Segmuller at last; the prisoner must go upon trial we shall never solve this mystery.
 Lecoq begged for another chance and proposed: Let the man escape. Then l will follow him night and day. l shall surprise his secret"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Following the Escaped May

The judge signed an order removing May to another prison, and it vas so arranged that he was given an oppor- tunity to escape from the prison van. He availed himself of the opportunity.
 He walked nervously to street where were shops for the sale of second- hand clothing. Leeoq, perfectly dis guised and accompanied by Fr. Absinthe, likewise disguised, followed him closely,
 He tried to sell the clothing ne had on and get another suit with some money to boot, but he did not seem tn know how to go about it. He sat down on the steps of the Odeon for mo- ment, burying his face in his hands, and seeming in great distress.
 This man, penniless in Paris, does not know what to do," thought LecoG.
 Leaving F'r. Absinthe to watch the fugitive, he hurried to the little hotel and told Mime. Milner, the proprietress, that her former lodger was in trouble at the prefecture, and wanted her. She hurried out and he after her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Outwitted by the AccOmplice

They re-entered the house. On the floor was & large bowl which had con- tained villainous compound of wine, vinegar and water known as Wine & la Francais.
 They found five glasses, three broken. two whole. On the top of one of the overturned tables they found the wet marks of the bowl and the five glasses. The bowl had evidently been emptied by five persons in company. But which persons?
 70, ho!' said Lecoq, the two women could not have been drinking with the murderer"
 They discovered another glass. sim liar in shape to the others, but much smaller-it had contained brandy.
 The apron which Gevrol had torn from the head of the old hag was lying on the floor. It's pockets were turned inside out Some one had been there in their absence.
 Tt was the accomplice,' cried Lecoq. he has been watching us. When We went out he stole in here to obtain evidence which he knew was in the old woman's pockets. thought myself so shrewd! What lesson l should have locked the door.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
"pOOr Gustaye"

With infinite care he traced the history of the diamond earring he had picked up until he found that the last known of it it had belonged to certain Russian prin- cessS now dead, whose effects had been sold and scattered.
 He took the mud which he had scraped off the feet of the prisoner and went to the station house where May had first been imprisoned
 May had asked for water to drink sev- eral times while confined there. Lecoq saw that the cage had dirt floor. He poured water on the floor and made of it mud, which he carefully compared with that scraped from the prisoners feet.
 It was the same. May had deliberately muddied his feet.
 F'r. Absinthe had been stationed at the morgue where the bodies of the victims of the tragedy had been carried. with in- structions to observe if anybody recog- niZed them.
 Three young men came in, and one of them, upon seeing the body of the man who had worn the soldiers uniform. cried out: Poor Gustave!" and seemed about to fait. His friends hurried him away to neighboring cafe.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
Before the New Judge

The prisoner was examined before Seg- muller. He seemeds quite cheerful now and laughed at his attempt at suicide He no longer required the strait cket.
 His story was. briefly. that hs had wandered into the drinking place where he was arrested. and some ruffians set upon him. He defended himself. He was afraid when he was arrested and foolishly tried to commit suicide.
 He had no relatives. A wandering snowman found him as a baby by tho roadside. and as 1t was May at the time he called him May.
 The name of the snowman who. he said. had brought him up. was Fougasse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
One Trail Lost

Lecoq found the hotel May had de- scribed, saw the name May written upon the register saw the room he had en- gagged, saw the trunk and found it to con- tain the articles the prisoner said it did.
 The smart German landlady was talking to a parrot as Leeoq enteredA trying to make 1t speak German. The landlady con- firmed what May had said about arriving from Leipsic, even to the very hour, and asked:,
 What has become of him? No trouble, I hope. I was getting worried. He only paid for his room for one day.
 Lecoq evaded the question and all she seemed to be interested in was who was going to pay her for the room.
 Lecoq found the cabman who had driven the women back to Paris from the suburb, and he told story exactly agree ing with Lecoq's deductions. He drove the detective to the house where he had left the women and of which he had seen them ring the bell.
 The old porteress said yes. on the night, and at the hour mentioned, she had heard her bell ring and had gone out to see two women running out of the vesti- bule.
 "of course." thought Lecoq. they would not have driven to their own house.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
BY EMILE GABORIAU


 Yes, monsieur, 1 took the liberty Of initiating the nanuwr1tlng of Al d lcs- coiNaL Your answef to that 1ell.. "a an aumission In your own handwriting that you We're present at the Peousr- poN on that fatal ment and there ar- rested as A1ay.
 nope, at the same time, that 1 U 'ahsihit this doeufnent to the judge, that can trahsmit pruoI of your Innu-cencs or the enarge or murder"
 The duke buried ms lace in his hands TOT moment and then motioned I.ecoo to tahe d cnalr. Lecoq tod the atltSe all he had discovered and the duka maue frank conressIon.
 ears before the Marquis de Sair- nleuse-the present duKe-and Maurice q Escorval had been In love wItb ,ba same Slri-Marie Anne Lacheneur
 The old duke had just returned from ms exile and the girls father had hand- eu pack to him the estate of Sairmeuse when he considered held in trust for the Sairmeuse tamily-though he might nave claimed it as his own. The duke instead of being grateful for this act of iiaeity treated Lacheneur with con tellp. ana oppressed him in every way. Lacheneur started a peasants' rsvoi, winch was speedily put down.
 ihe Baron dEscorval, though jnno s%ehl' % was arrested tor compnclty, bur supsequently pardoned, much to tha ulssu sust of the oIa duke, who hated hin, anu ms son, Maurice.
 ,. Across the Border
 nauiice and Mare Anne I.anhsnsu,- Ilea across the border into piedmoa. and were there married. The 1,,,ls ioIced ms son to marry the daupnter n, HIS 1rlend, the Marquis de Courtsn,e,, girl cold, heartless and ambitions when finally Marie Anne came hscr 10 the village. Blanche de Courtonis,, was filled With rage of Jealousy
 Marie Anne's father had been executea ner brother Jean had disappeared. ana sne sil was living in a little cottage sIons lnere child was born to her. which, was secretly removed by the doctor ana as events proved. intrusted to lean. bianche suspected that her husha,o visited Marie Anne and one night she went secretly to reconnoiter the bonsa, naiie Anne was out, and Blanche sea- lns bowl of bouillon on the tahIs put arsenic in it. Then she bnr,ao away; Marie Anne came in. drank or the poullion and died. Her husha nd, ana father-in-law arrived just before she expired. '1s' oeAo's