davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18
STATE GUARDING
MURDER WITNESS
coroner Meyer is Said 10 Have Forn.
Man Who Was in the Gang
Which Killed Castro.
INQUEST OPENS N EAST MOLINE
Mexican Whose Testimony Nav Gen.
His Companions to the GaIlows
VIII BE Heard Thursday.

Coroner r. e. J. Meyer has found
eye witness to the murder of Do,,tu-.
Castro, siivis section hand. who pai1
with his life the penalty Of turri,a
states evidence in the Cracraft w.
der case, al least such is the info-r-.
ton received today from sources 80
lieyed to be authentic The man is No.,
in custody and Coroner Never ma
mated this morning that he Il hone,,t
OF having the entire story revealed 49,.
Thursday evening.
Authorities are not ready N a..
close Identity Of the man. or possihi,,
men, who viii make the states cssa
Of the direct instead Of circumstan,iaI
evidence. u is thought that they ave-
Mexicans who were in the gang wbicb
attacked Castro with a spiked cIuh
Friday night. cut his throat with !
razor and then put the body on a stree,
car track to conceal their guilt
The inquest was commenced in Fac.
Moline last evening and prelimfnary
testimony Of several Mexicans was
taken. The coroner then continued The
hearing till Thursday evening Al
when the man whose evidence NAV
send several OF his fellow countrvnen
10 the edltOWS VIII be placed on the
stand Testimony last evening tended
10 show that Castro was murdered and
was not an accident victim.
Six are Held.
All but six OF the p Nexicaus ar.
rested after the murder Friday even
ing have been released Officials have
satisfied themselves that the other q
had nothing 10 do with the affair. The
others still declare their innocence
and most of them deny having even
participated in the saloon brawl which
preceded the killing.
In addition TO the six held for the
Castro murder. the sherif's Office has
several who are said TO be implicated
in the Nicholas Cracraft case, Of which
Castro's death was an aftermath o.
the two cases, the one of the Amer
lean shot in the Silvis yards and left
to die alone, will be the hardest for the
state 10 secure a conviction in. il has
become evident. Evidence i'm This will
become. entirely circumstantial. The
mans death-bed statement is consid-
cred a powerful weapon for the prose-
Cutor, however.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18
Only Return for Taxes.

ASIDE, however, from the mere mat
ter of the dollars and cents involved
the committee desires to call attention
to the fact that in the small cities and
towns Of the country about all the peO-
pie ever see Of the government of the
United States is the pOstOffice, and
about all they get in return for the
steady stream Of taxes which they pour
into the federal treasury is their mail
facilities. The carping critics of the
policy of constructing public buildings
in which to transact the business of
the republic in the small cities and
towns YOciferously applaud the COM
mittee and the congress when millions
are named for monumental structures
in the great cities of the country, and
declare before all the world that we
are valiant patriots. but when $25 900
or $4,000 is to be appropriated for the
construction of a building in one of
the small cities or towns of the cOun-
try in order to economically and eff
GENTLY provide for the public service
in rural community this committee
and congress are denounced as an ag-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18

r. r. Mitchell of Rock Island was
nned 50 and costs this morning in
East Moline police court on a charge
of Speeding.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18
Is Not a Boys job.

Names Of 400 individuals and cor
pOratiOns that should be represented
in the membership Of the new organ
ization have been listed Those who
will solicit memberships will go out
in squads of three and four. and each
forenoon each squad will call on about
20 assigned prospects.
This is not a boys job; neither is
il a job for one man. Team work is
required if success in this campaign
is to be achieved. declared one of the
speakers of the evening, and a plea
for at least IS workers was voiced.
This number has not yet responded to
the call to service, but volunteers are
still being accepted. and there is hope
that a sufficient number Of campaign
ers viii yet be moved by the unselfish
spirit Of community service to get
into harness and insure success.
H. A. Jansen, chairman of the gen
eTal committee of II that is in charge
OF the reorganization campaign, pre-
sided at the meeting. He outlined in
detail the contract entered into with
H Van R Chase. president of the City
Development Bureau of Chicago, and
the plan under which the reorganiza-
ton campaign will go forward. as
we'll as the bureau system under which
various phases of booster work here
will be carried on if reorganization is
effected
Need Of Team Work Shown.
First speaker he introduced was
William Boyd, field secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States of America. Other speakers
were G. A. Stephens, H. Van r. Chase,
Joe Long, f. w WOOdcock, Alice Child
Walker and EldoradO Jones. Messrs.
Boyd and Chase emphasized the neces-
sity of team work, the first named
speaking on The New Spirit in Bus
mess" Local speakers declared their
faith in Moline and their willingness
TO do what is possible for them TO do
to advance the city's interests.
Begin Campaign Tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning at 9:45 the 20
committees of Moline's business and
professional men who are working tor
a reorganization OF all commercial
bodies into one central factor will com
mence their whirlwind three-day cam
paign for members. Hope is to secure
between 500 and 1000. Membership
fee-$25 a year-will assure an in
come of between $4,000 and $25.0O0 if
the desired members are secured.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18
SI5O.O0O for Oak Park.

In addition to the item of 81 $50, 900
for Chicago, there is one of $3.50, 900 for
Oak Park, Of which not more than
SIS, 500 is to be spent on site There
is an unused apprOprie 01 for a site
now available for Oak Park.
With reference to the total Chicago
appropriation of $4,000, 900 the commit
tee report says:
This is quite a large sum, but when
it is remembered that the city OF Chi
cago under the census of 1910, six
years ago, had population of 2, 185. 2S3
people, and in 1915 the postal receipts
were $23,41S,574, the amount does not
appear to be too large. In other
words, the postal receipts for one
fourth of a year will pay the full
amount authorized for the site"
The report contains vigorous de-
Tense Of the existing system of making
public building appropriations in
smaller cities. In this connection it
says:
For several years certain metro
politan newspapers, magazines, and
other publications have been loud in
their denunciation of congress for
what they have been pleased to term
pork barrel legislation and much of
it has been leveled at public building
legislation.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18

gregation Of pork barrel advocate
and hooters of the treasury.
Other Midwest Items.

The items for Illinois outside Of
cagn and Oak PARK are rs fnIInua.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18
new POSTOFFICE
FOR EAST MOLINE
Appropriation of $4,000 for Building
Included in Bill Recommended
to the House.
OTHER TOWNS ARE FAVORED
GaiVa Also to Have Fine Federal
Structure Committee Report
Answers Pork Charges.

Washington, July 1S.-The public
buildings bill, carrying appropriations
in excess of $50. OOO,0 900, was reported
to the house yesterday by the public
buildings and grounds committee.
The largest item in the measure is
an appropriation of 81 100000 for the
purchase of d site for the west side
postof!ice in Chicago. This amount is
in addition TO the appropriation of ST.
7500 900 which was voted a number of
years ago and which has been pro
nounced inadequate by Secretary of
the Treasury McAdOO.
Members Of the Chicago delegation
have promised the people of Chicago
that they will support the item for a
Chicago site and were preparing them
selves today TO vote not only for it but
the whole bill if necessary to get it.
They insisted, however, they would
not bind themselves not to support
amendments to strike out certain indie
feasible items in the measure
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19

ton she saw the huge knife draw
moving Enthusiastically upward. Her
eyes sought the bridge tower-the
bridge tender was standing at the
open window. Her glance swept the
stretch of river; then she remem-
bered, then she understood, then she
knew, ala river tug was bearing
rapidly downstream; she could see the
pilot and the captain in the wheel
house; the bridge was lifting for the
boats passage. She had heard it's
loud whistle at the moment she rushed
from the station.
The baked girl drove her little
spurs into Rocket. The horse sprung.
Infatuated, to greater effort. II she
could make the draw in time she
would jump tia slight rise-noth-
ing should keep her back. She wildly
waved her free hand at the bridge
tender He was watching the boat and
the span was slowly rising; but a
few strides closer and she would have
risked making the ackknife-she
realized now she was too late.
Without swerving for an instant
from her purpose; without shrinking
from her single alternative, and only
praying for time still to make good
her endeavor, Helen headed Rocket
straight for the open dlaw. His feet
struck the pier She gave The horse
his head. The why beast saw what
yawned ahead. He heard his mis-
tress quick word. AS his feet touched
the brink of the abutment the horse
cooled like spring, and for an in
slant quivered. His mistress with a
sharp cry of command rose in her
stirrups: then launching himself and
his burden, like an arrow far out, the
hunter sprang with Helen clearly into
the river. There was a great splash
and the parted water closed over their
heads.
A pilot, captain and bridgetender
stood as men dazed. looking on. The
river captain, yelling the crew TO quar-
tiers, hurried forward to throw out
lines as soon as the tug should come
within reach of the imperiled girl.
The bridgetender, in the window,
glued TO the scene, watched the cir
cling bubbles where horse and rider
had plunged down. waiting for them
to reappear. For an interminable in
slant the onlookers waited. 1t seemed
as If the two would never come up.
Then a girlish head Of soaked curls
rose among the ripples, a young face
emerged from tie troubled pool, and
Helen, throwing herself free from
Rocket, shook the water from her
eyes and nose with a swimmers quick
certain pun and struck out for shore.
Rocket was not far away. With few
powerful strokes his mistress caught
his name and recovered him. The
tide, running heavily through the
channel, carried the two together be-
low the pier on the opposite bank
But Rocket, scrambling in moment
from the water. bore his charge I'M
hurt up the steep bank, and under
her urging ran up the track to the
foyer.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19
PROSPERITY IN
WESTERN CANADA
900 Million Dollars in New Wealth
Added in 1915.

Canada as whole has enjoyed won.
derful prosperity in 1915, from the
products of the farm, the orchard and
the centres of industry. No country
wrote a brighter page of history in
agricultural and Industrial develop
ment during 1915 than Canada. Nearly
a billion bushels of grain produced.
Taxes in Western Canada average $24
and will not exceed $35 per quarter
section, which includes ell taxes. No
taxes on improvements.
When Western Canada was faced
with her enormous harvest last fall
the military authorities decided that
soldiers in Canada could give the EN-.
pire no better service for the time
being than to assist in harvesting the
crops. For that reason leave of alb
sence was given to soldiers who
wished TO work in the harvest fields,
and their labor was an important fac.
tor in harvesting the big crops success
fully.
The necessity for increasing the az.
ricultural production is commanding
even more attention in 1916, and it is
now announced that soldiers in Can
ada may obtain leave of absence from
their military duties in the spring for
a certain length OF time to enable
them to plant the seed for the crops
In every Province of the Dominion.
The fact that the Government rec
ognizes the seeding and harvesting Of
Canada's crops as being Of the first
importance is perhaps the best evil
dence that conscription or any in
crease Of taxes which would reduce
the agricultural activity of Canada
will never be considered by the author
tiles.
Owing TO the number who have en-
listed for overseas service it has been
found necessary to secure farm labor
in the United States. It is hoped that
fifty thousand can be secured.-Advsr
tisement.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19

in the struggle. Again the fireman
wrenched away. That's all right
you fellows go ahead"
'Its suicide for you. man" pro-
tested the engineer.
mo, Dan" retorted the fireman.
"It's every man for himself" he re-
peated. backing across the footplate.
en- stay with the cab"
stay and 0e-hanged," shouted the
conductor, with a fiery expletive. Let
him alone, boys" he cried, angrily.
He's dippy. Comet" And with his
companions hustling close after, he
started over the coal on the tender.
The train had attained a frightful
pace. Already glimpses of its long,
curving roll on the distant hill might
be seen from the window of Signal
station, where the disturbed operator
had taken the message of the runaway
from Cedar Grove and was reading
it to Helen Holmes, breathless beside
his table:
lair BRAKES BROKEN DOWN.
RUNNING AWAY. SIDETRACK NO.
20. NO. 145."
It was the import of the last SEN
tence which for an instant froze her
senses. Her father! The passenger
train facing that runaway on the sim
gle track below Signal. More than
once she had heard her father declare
that the stretch between Signal and
the next station, Beaman, must be
double-tracked - only, money was so
hard to get. If the lack of it should
now cost him his life, the lives of per
haps half a hundred others!
While she was thinking, the opera
tor was working furiously at his key
with a message for Beaman station.
His one hope of avoiding the head-on
collision was to catch the passenger
train beyond Beaman.
STOP NO. 20. RUNAWAY ON
MAIN LINE"
He told Helen, closely watching the
dots and dashes, what he had sent.
Il should have an answer in minute. ="
1t came almost at once. Signal eta
ton operator first tried to write 1t,
then threw down his pen and repeated
it's words unsteadily to- the frightened
girl.
mo. 20 LEFT ON TINE. BE-
TWEEN HERE AND THE RIVER"
With wide-open eyes she looked in
tently toward the mountains. At the
moment, the rolling hills now hid the
runaway. but the situation was chart
ing itself, like lightning, in her mind.
Between where she stood and where
the passenger train was coming, the
line crossed San Pablo river, a navi-
gable tidewater stream and water
way that fed a considerable traffic to
the railroad. Her father had put
across the San Pablo huge jack
knife drawbridge-the best an hon
est engineer and an honest railroad
directorate could build Just over the
river from Signal station he had al
ready put in, as a start towards dou-
ble-tracking. a long passing track.
With everything Of this speeding
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19

Ike a film through her head, Helen
was dashing out of the office when the
scream of a whistle signal bore down
on her ears. Confused as she was, it
meant nothing TO her A chance, a
hope, had flashed across her mind and
her resolve had been taken-to reach
the passing track switch and side
track the fatal runaway before it
should strike and scatter to destruc-
ton the helpless passenger train.
Rocket. without q thought other
than OF alfalfa and undisturbed repose
in his dropping head. stood at hand in
the sunshine. To his amazement his
mistress running TO him, headlong,
vaulted upon his back. In her fear,
she cried to him. The horse heard-it
seemed as if he understood. He woke,
quivering, at the impact of her body.
Whirling with his charge, at the touch
of the rein, so quick he almost bolted
from under his mistress. who was try
ing TO seat herself. the brute galloped
with Helen down the main track for
the river bridge.
She painted at great drafts of sun
ny mountain air as Rockets wiry legs
stretched and bounded under her.
With every stride her mind cleared.
With this, her courage mounted. 1t
was, after all, no more than a smart
dash for her to attain for everyone
safety. The bridge was a difficulty.
but Rocket, who could thread lava
bed without bruising a fetloek. or
cross a prairie-dog town at fun speed
and hold his mistress as steady as if
she were sitting a rocking horse, was
not likely to balk at galloping over
mere ties-besides, she would give
him his time. At the worst, any
bridge. she said to herself. must be
reached before it can be crossed. and
her eyes were already fixed hard on
the one she must cross, when she
thought she saw the great jack-knife
span ahead moving mysteriously on
its balanced bed. Urging her horse
to his best, centering all of her facul-
ties on mastering the ticklish task
ahead, Helen's eyes set in a stare on
the jack-knife, to determine whether
it was moving or trucking her strain
ing senses. In almost an instant her
doubt was resolved; to her consterna-
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19

getting away from them. The train
crew tumbled forward, for a confer
ence, to the cab. The conductor. COM
pairing watches with the engineer,
looked serious-within ten minutes
they would be running on No. eos
time; they might even meet her at the
bottom of the hill before they reached
Signal.
The conductor acted quickly. Pick
ing UP a lump of coal he scratched a
message on a white signal flag and
wrapped it around a wrench. Cedar
Grove station was hardly mile ahead.
AS the engine dashed past it. the con-
ductor, in the gangway, hurled the
message through the office window.
Picking it up and hastily reading the
rough scrawl. the startled operator
wired the tidings instantly to the next
station. That station was Signal
In the bouncing engine cab there
were grave faces. What are you GO
ing to do?" shouted the engineer.
Without hesitation the conductor
cried: Cut off the caboose and stop
it-let the train go!" The engineer
agreed: We've only got one life
apiece No time to lose George!" he
yelled to his fireman, make for the
eaboose."
The fireman, perhaps the youngest
man in the two crews, without answer
ing, continued to hunt for a wrench.
Wake up, George" shouted the con-
ductor, come Oh
Searching the tool box, the fireman
shook his head. What do you mean ?"
demanded the engineer, catching in
excitement at his companions arm,
aren't you coming?"
The fireman did not hurry his an
swer. mo. I'll stay here" he said,
turning simply. He was a stubborn,
well-set fellow, really a big, clean
looking boy-with a heavy head of
dark hair pushed under his grimy cap
and slow, clear eye matching his
deliberate way of speaking.
Stay here!" Numbered the conduc-
tor in surprise. Are you crazy?"
He caught the fireman's other arm
and with the engineer talked to the
obstinate fellow. The two, who liked
him, pulled the boy toward the tender.
He shook loose. The brakeman joined
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19

TO releasing her gaze. sns stared st,
him without speaking. I'm sure |
know YOU" he exclaimed. perplexed.
He rose Of q sudden to his feet-so
easily it surprised her 1T was the
beach," he went on. slowly You
were hurt-the miniature railroad"
She regarded him a moment in ST.
lence. Then she spoke: rs it possi-
ble?" she murmured. You are-?"
I'm the little boy" he smiled
grimly It'll now, I've never seen the
little girl since"
A sense of confusion assailed her;
she wanted to escape his look. You
are hurt she said. dismissing with
an effort all consciousness of their
strange meeting.
He hesitated; then he saw, and he
thought he understood. NO" he said
brusquely. almost rudely, only few
scratches"
A cry of recognition and amaze
ment cut off their words. The passen-
ger train had backed down on the
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19
eoprnoHT .a.s. y EsaNr ! ,rlAs1AN

Where did that dog go?" quivered
Helen, not answering.
"Geel l didn't see. You pretty near
got killed. That dog wasn't any good"
declared the boy scornfully. Some
day" he stopped the blood on her
knee once more with his handker-
chief, and then added firmly: Il am
going to drive big engine sometime
myself, like my father"
A frantic g0verness. followed by an
open-mouthed chauffeur, came rInning
at that moment toward them.
The child parted reluctantly from
her new-found friend. "Are you 60
ing to be a really-truly engineer and
smokyed up?" she asked
George faced her unabashed. "You
better believe I am"
Il don't care" declared Helen,
gulping solemnly while the governess
tried to hurry her away, 81 won't ever
forget you-no matter what you are"
At eighteen, Helen had lost none of
the characteristics of her childhood.
They were held in deeper reserve, but
they were just as persistent. Re-
strained by convention, she was still
adventurous in spirit and her fathers
one anxiety, old soldier though he
was, was that a spirited horse or an
ocean undertow would some day be his
daughters undoing. At that. he was
forced to admit, the reckless girl could
get more out of horse than he himself
could.
Closest among her fathers friends,
was Amos Rhinelander, a New York
man of large means, and General
Holmes, returning on Helen's eight
eenth birthday with Rhinelander and
Rhinelander's nephew-Robert Sea-
grue, himself young and ambitious
railroad promoter-from a trip of in
spection of the tidewater terminals of
Holmes road, was eagerly awaited
by his daughter at their country home
among the San Pablo foothills. A
message sent up to her from Signal,
the suburban station of the country
seat, had asked her to meet her father
that day on No. 20, the through
eastern passenger train.
The motor car had gone ahead and
Helen, taking Rocket, one of her IA
vorite hunting horses, rode down at
her leisure to the station.
While far from being a spoiled child,
Helen felt very much at home any
where on the Copper Range and Tide
water railroad. Reared at home, I'M
der discipline almost military, and
under teachers held sternly to account
for her education by her only living
parent, the growing girl had still pre-
served an innate simplicity-some-
thing almost naive-which was re-
flected in her friendship for the en-
ployees. high and low, of the entire
Tidewater line, of which her father
was president and in which he owned
a substantial interest.
On the day that Helen cantered lazl-
ly down through the foothills toward
Signal, long westbound freight train,
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19

Pinkham's Vegetable Compound My
mother bought it and the next month L
was so well that worked all the month
without staying at home day. lam
in good health now and have told lots Of
girls about it. Miss CLARIcE NORM,
q Russell Street, Taunton, Mass.
Thousands Of girls suffer in silence
every month rather than consult ply
stefan. II girls who are troubled with
painful or irregular periods, backache,
headache, drsgging-down sensations,
fainting spells or indigestion would take
Lydia Z. Pinkham's Vegetable Com
pound, a safe and pure remedy made
from roots and herbs, much suffering
might be avoided
Write to Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine
Co, Lynn, Mass. (confdentiaD for free
edvice which will prove helpful
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19
CONVERSATIONS

ST. Peters cathedral, in Rome, viii
hold $4,000 people.
A quick-cutting file from England
has heavy teeth cut over the usual
diagonal ones.
The first ironclad was the British
Warrior. Constructed in 1858, she
was. in 1887, still on the active list.
New South Wales has a mountain
from which a stone yielding so per
cent alum has been mined for more
than half a century.