davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-12-06
letter FROM
FRANCIS MoDERMOTT

Somewhere i'm France, Nov. ".
Dear Mother:
was just ready to write this
letter when fellow came in and
gave me ten letters from home.
What mean, That makes a
gloomy day bright. Nearly every
day il rains, but today is fine. II
lis just like a spring day. ! have
heen running around with my
sleeves rolled up. have a little
cold, SO | guess I'll keep my coat
ON until | get rid of it. 1t might
get worse and settle in my feet,
and cold feet over here don't go.
The Fritzies were over taking
our picture this morning. They
will l1lorc than likely be back this
evening. They have camera and
powerful glass. They take these
pictures, then develop them and
at night come back, and then they
can tell just where and what they
are dropping them on. What they
try to get is the railways, supply
stations and wagon roads. They
had the anti-aircraft guns work
ing on the four that were over to-
day, but didn't hit them. The
Fritzies were sure up around the
angels though.
| You asked nEe about the girls
over here. Well, there are very
few. girls this close to the front
but what are here, most of then
are good lockers. But I'll say thu
irish girls in America are 0. X
for me.
Well, mother, / am going t.
Paris Thanksgiving with John ant
ASel. That is, if we get our fur
loughs. look for it about Xmas
The Red Cross train jus
pa ssed. 1t runs regular ever,
evening, and it's always prett,
.wcll filled. You can see most an
kinds'of a cripple YOU WISH. Their
is one car in the train that Van
de rbilt donated. am out to Sc
lit every evening" because up il
! fhe corner of the ear is the Am
1erican flag-and am mott tn
'onlyaon,a. Anything that come
: from or stands for good ed v.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-12-06

\. will draw the attention of all of
,ns. They also have The ambu-
lance Red Cross. This morning
was up in the village and l saw
an auto coming with two men i'm
the front seat. each wearing a
khaki uniform. they drove up to
me, stopped (, jumped out and
shook hands as though they had
known me all my life. They said,
YOU'RE he first American we've
seen since July!'
You have read about the mar
row winding gauge. II runs
about half block from our bar
racks. BY the time the last car
is around one corner the engine is
around another one. They may
he running north and i'm five
minutes be running south. They
do this to keep away from the air
lplanes.
wish you could see some of
he towns over here. You have
no idea what they look like. AT
night it would give you chills to
go through the street. Last
night | went up town and took a
lantern to keep from stepping in
the she'll holes that were full of
water. A Frenchman came up to
me and put searchlight in my
face. | had an Algerian cap on,
and | guess he thought | was a
Friizie. made myself known
very quickly. l didn't want that
bird showing a bayonet into me.
Say. talk about souvenirs! /
could bring back Il carload of
German helmets. Just up the road
short ways they pile all that
stuff and when they get couple
of carloads they take it away. But
when get go or 40 pounds on my
back there isn't much room for
German helmets. | could send
them but they would never get
out Of this country.
They sure are taking advan-
tage of the good weather. The
windows are shaking in the old
shack. Well, mother, will close
for this time, with lots of love
Your boy. FRANCIS.
Tell Grace III write tomorrow
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-12-06
LETTERS FROM
HERMAN HOVER

Dear Folks:
Guess it's time wrote again.
Haven't written letter since the
postal rates advanced. Isn't this
penny extra business the big
nuisance, though? Tobacco,
shows, carfare, dances, football
games all from 1c to &c up. Even
some of the church going fellows
are afraid they are going to add
war tax to the collection.
got all your letters, pictures,
etc, all O. X. Much Obliged for
The V. Had just IA cents when it,
arrived. More anon.
guess might as we'll begin
where | left off and chronicle all
the events | can think OF. Guess
wrote last week ago Sunday.
Sunday afternoon Whit and
went over to Easton, Pa, and
lhummed around. That's right on
the New Jersey line. SO we crossed
the river over into that state
town named Phillipsburg. Took
the steam train back. First time
I'd ridden steam train since I've
been here. Had pretty good
time. Didn't do anything special
Monday. Went to bed early.
We're supposed to dig bitches
TUESDAY. but it rained all day. SO
we didn't do anything but lay
around. Went to musical COM
edy, Pretty Baby that night.
We got our detail Wednesday
Dug bitches all day for the steam
heat (which, by the way, | don't
think will be in operation for a
month yet. We are getting used
to the chill, thought OF course
we didn't kill ourselves working
Soldiers, you know The worst
Of il was il was muster day, which
lis supposed TO be holiday. VIC
always get soaked details on Sun
, days or holidays, il seems. Thai
was Halloween, you know, ant
7 say-they celebrate that day il
this neck of the woods; more thar
, the Fourth of July. never saw
|, the like of il before. All the ma.
Y lives logged up in every possible
: kind of attire (masquerades) ant
: 'paraded the streets, threw con.
9 fetti, etc. Lots of parties, etc
e We stood down town all evening
just watching the crowd. 1t GER
s ltainly was great Didn't do any
y thing Thursday. Went TO a dane
J, Friday night.
n The second 5 per cent of tn
G draft army left here Saturday, s.
!. orr battalion had to go down an
line up along the street like w
o did before. We got out of Satur
day morning inspection that way
: In the afternoon Whit and wen
). over to South Bethlehem (Chas
It Schwab's steel town. to see tn
y Lehigh- Muhlenberg college foot
y ball game. Certainly had a grea
y time financing it. We put on
e joint resources together and the
-, by extreme luck got away as fol
e lows: Found one overeoat but
n ion and sold il for csc; and the
j. while we were counting our shel
le els just before entering the gam
IS an old gent came up chad a sc
5. on the tsam) and said he had OF
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-12-06
LETTER FROM WIN. sovLpEn.

sSolucWllcic III LIdllCc, NUN. :.
Dear Friend Charlie:
1 am writing you tonight to
thank you for the tobacco. gave
Frank and Dewey each four pack
ages, but as l could not get any
papers and they each had hat
full of them, they let me have the
three packages of papers, so we
all broke even. We can get red
books right here in France. but
where was I could not get them
handy, so l had to use the ones
you sent.
Yes, still have my razor, but |
seldom use it, because I want to
save i'll. now have ten blades for
ii, butI hope to use most of them
i'm the states. The government
gave me a good razor, so | use it
and save the one you gave me.
Mason is now driving big
Packard for an officer. so he
Goes not have to drill any more,
nut | would not trade places with
him. Frank is still orderly or
clerk for Co l.. Dewey is getting
big and fattcr every day.
There is not much TO write
about the boys except that we see
each other quite often. Douglass
is a company signal man. Bar
rington is a buck private in the
rear rank, while McKeever is a
corporal in Co. l.. Glenn Ball
and l are signal men i'm the head
quarters company. Muller. Ball,
Jones and Fox are all privates in
+, d, G and M companies respect
lively.
Glenn Ball is corporal in
headquarters company and | was
a corporal in E company, hut now
am a private in headquarters.
This is a very pretty country,
but its skies must have holes in
iii, because ii rains nearly all the
time. You will notice in all of my
letters say, ut raincd today, etc.
AT last the tobacco famine has
lifted and we are now getting
oodles of tobacco. | guess with
plenty of vim blanc white wine)
and tobacco most fellows ought
to get along all right.
still go to church every chance
get and am not alone, because
most OF the fellows appreciate re-
ligiOn now. We have a Salvation
Army hall in town so | generally
go to that They have Victrola
and a piano, so we have some mn-
Isle at times. The band gives 8
concert every Thursday night.
AS YET have never met any
\ fellows from Waterloo. but shall
keep my eyes open and maybe
can sift one out of the bunch.
] get the Times regularly ant
they have good circulation il
This far country. guess that is
quiie a distance for Il little paper
Ito get from home, but il is worth
Tits weight i'm gold every time j
igets here.
Well, as there is no more new!
| will close for now. Hoping thi!
finds yourself and family o. K,
am, your old time friend,
| MN ROIJ, DEN
Signal Section. lIdqrs. Co., 16tl
Infantry, A. j. +.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-12-06

Cost Il? Use, The, Times. !.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
SAVED BY NAVAL VESSEL.
Collier Was with the Knight of the
Thistle When She Sank.

AN ATLANTIC PORT, Dee. IL
The s members of the crew of the
British steamship Knight Of the This
tie were brought here by an American
laval collier, which rescued them short
~ before their storm battered steamer
toundered on Monday, POO miles south
eaet OF Cape Race Twenty three OF
the men were English. and the remain
&sr vere Chi.ese
The steamer LEFT an Atlantic port
Nov. % for England encountering
rnugh weather almost from the outset
On Thanksgiving day her rudder was
mashed. making her manageable. On
Dor {, while the rev was ENGAGED in
throw e OFT 4 sea anchor 70 steady
he hip, a mountainous wave crashed
over the starboard side, doing great
damage and severely iniuring two
Chinese members of the crew.
Late that day the collier arrived in
answer to the $ o S calls. and stood by
'or two days. Twenty of the steam
"T 5 crew We're rescued by life raft,
but were nearly drowned before they
we're pulled aboard the naval vessel
Others decided it was too hazardous
% t'y to leave, and they remained on
"oard the wreck until Dee. 10, when it
became apparent that the ship was go
ny down.
Putting off in lifeboats, they reached
he collier after desperate struggle
just as their steamer sank, stern first
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
SIX INJURED IN
GUN FIGHT IN STREET
Police Battle with Negroes When They
Raid a Club in Bridgeport
Two Likely to Die.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Dee. IA
gun battle lasting three hours between
the police and frequenters OF Negro
club on Water street took jlace here
early yesterday, resulting III the wound
ing OF Que policeman, two white citi-
zens and three Negroes. Of the in
iured two are likely TO die. William
Thomas. the proprietor of the club, and
los others are under arrest.
Those injured include:
George Harris of Hartford white
shot in leg when Negroes fired into
Water street.
Maurice Dannio, white. of Bridge
port, shot in groin, expected to die.
Thomas Mcnamara, policeman, shot
in thigh.
William Green. Negro. Of Bridgeport,
shot in cvc will probably die.
The fight started shortly after >
o clock and continued until after
o clock. Virtually the whole police
force was at one time engaged in the
siege and the final battle took place
when Chief Redgate and four or five
patrolmen forced their way into the
club room.
A white man made comnlaint that
he had been roughly handled at the
Thomas quarters The policeman sum
moned two others and attempted To en-
FER the place. The door was S'ammel
7" tLoir 'a"es and shots irel through
IL. Policeman Thomas Mcnamara was
shot in the LEG. The others sent in a
all ~ headquarters for help. The men
inside barricadcd the doors. opened the
windows facing Water street and
threatened TO shoot any one approach
ing 10y that thoroughfarc
The police tried to force their way
! into the building and were met with
a vollcy. The place was then surround
ed, enc detail of police taking station
| in a freight house across the way from
where they fired into the windows Of
| the club with riot guns, thus stopping
the Negroes from shooting into the
! read.
At the rear OF the building many
| NC those who had been inside tried to
| ct away but were caught by the pc.
| lice. In the meanwhile Chief Redgatt
had found a way to gain access to the
ear Of the club room and with five
others armed with army reyolvers went
in. When they reached the club room
! '3tc men were found who surrendered
only after they had emptied their lie
volyers.
Thomas, who had escaped to the eel
lar 81 the adjoining building, was over
Irowcrcd and held without bail TO await
the outcome of the injuries inficte,
upon those shot in the melee.
Of the LOG under arrest 10 are whit,
men and IL are young white women
the rest being Negro men and women
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17

alone at the time. Capt. w. >. Blng-
ham and Alton Means, a brother OF
CASTOR, having walked down the road
to shoot at rabbits.
A coroner's inquest accepted the
statement of CASTOR Means that she
shot herself accidentally. After her
body was taken to Chicago for burial,
the coroner s physician there declared
that the wound in the back of her head
could not. have been self inflicted.
The investigation shifted to New
York, where Mrs. King had resided for
several wears and where Means had
] handled her business affairs. There a
search Of the apartments of Mrs kim
ana her sister and these of Mr.. and
! Mrs. CASTOR Means, disclosed, accord
7 ing to New York officials, that Means
; lad misappropriated the woman s mon
( "v anAal@o that he was connected with
( t.eTnan agents.
( Ms. King had inherited approx
mately 100000 from her second hus-
! band, the late James G. King of Chi
cago. and during the trial New York
and Chicago witnesses declared nearly
! all of this sum had "vanished - dur
inc the time Means was connected with
the woman s affairs. 1t also was as
serted Means was preparing to offer
for probate an alleged second will Of
James c. King which would give an ad
ditional 100000 to Mrs. King.
North Carolina officials reopened the
iNvastiga'io ion, and at hearing here
last September, Means was bound over
to the grand jury and later indicted
At his trial which began here Nov %
the state contended that Means had
looted the woman S fortune and killed
cr to escape an accounting. Witness
re asserted Mems had lert the tomar
81 virtual prisoner in the Chi ago BeacI
5u.cl The defense denied this and Of
fered evidence to show that Mrs Kins
approved Means speculation with he
money.
Means said on the stand also tha
he had investigated alleged neutralit,
violations for German interests befor
the United States broke relations wit
Germany but always was loyal to hi
country and turned over to officials in
formation he thought of value to thi
country.
.. The defense contended the woman
death was accidental; that she stun
: bled, fractured her ankle, fell an
fired the pistol.
Mrs Kings mother, Mrs. Anna l
Robinson of ASheyillc and her siStel
Mrs. Mary c. Melvin, took oppoait
sides in the case, the mother apDearin
a. a witness for the prosecution an
the daughter siding with Means
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
LONGWORTH WANTS.
BRAINS EXEMPTED
Ohio Representative Introduces Income
Tax Amendment in House-Helps
Salaried Men.

WASHINGTON, Dee 17.--With the
idea Of eliminating from the war rev
enuc law what he characterizes rs the
moot viniouS and its ore entirely ~
fafensib!a provision, = Penros@atati-
Loss. .1}I q Ohio irtra da.e7 = tn
house bill to exempt incomes derived
from personal c~ertion from the ''ox
cess profits taz
Instead of seeking To repeal section
2yo OF tAe law. which imposes tdo t.z
ot s Ter cent on Al earned in ONES Ing
excess q S., o. year NJ. Lone@orta
seeks to rectifv the portion Of the laa
! of viii so much criticism has beer
made by amending the definitions on
| ''tradc' and cuisines : in the excess
| profits section The bill introduced to
dav would remove from this cate cory
salaried and professional men.
/ Several bills have been introduced fos
| the repeal Of the entire section rla
f. ing an evcess profits tax on earned I"
/ comes while letting unearned income
! 90 st Gree
n IS almost certain fiat these wiz
accomplish nothing on account # f'u
attitude o. democratic members Of IN
ways and means committee a@ainsi
eliminating any tax from the bill alt"
gother and on account 1T the pride a
iaahar-hif, I'm the oriainal section uliaI
thai5uar t[ifthja at lh. ways aus
tmaars committee he, cyHi}itej
Tha ta,t hat the iii came from }i
Long worth, one # the most inGaenti..
members Of the WAYS aud means com
mittae is taken to indicate that If VII
not be shelved as the other bills pro
ably viii be. He is IN q position t
push it, and considerable sentiment he
been aroused in congress on account 0
the WOW IN which the obnoxious sectio
was framed in the conference COW
fee, then pushed through the Senat
and House without any mention beiu
made OF it at all.
Mr. Longworth : amendment consist
, Of only this: "The terms trade
; and "business shall not include pr,
LESSONS and occupations having no il
I, Vested capita and not more than
cminal apital -
t If congress shall exclude profession
r. and occupations which have no capt.
. or at least only a nominal capital fro
= this definition - sGid Mr.. Longwort
$ in discussing his proposed amcndman
then section 900 will apply only
l. sueh corporations and such PARTNERSHIP
j. as are not purely professional in cha
acter
/ This vii! eliminate from the re
/ cnue law its most vicious and TO II
mind its one entirely indefensible pr
h vision, he continued 1.-the provigi
II that puts an extra penalty on incom
e derived from brains and personal exc
d tions as compared with those deriv
from invested capital simply.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
MEANS NOT GUILTY.
Acquitted in North Carolina Court of
Murder of Mrs. Maude King.

CONCORD, y. c.. Dec. lT.-Gason
X. Means was found not guilty here
Yesterday of the murder Of Mrs Maude
4. King. The jury received the ease
Saturday. night but after two hours OF
elaboration announced that a verdict
would not be returned until yesterday.
Mrs King, a wealthy widow, was
tiiled at Blackwelder Spring, a lone
" SPOT in the country near here on
Ang. 80 last when with Means and a
party OF his friends she had stopped
on an automobile drive to practise pis-
tol shooting. She and Means were
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
Sporting Notes.

Tl,o l,L;-.,.-, A,-,o,;--.,,- -, ;,,7
r,d,,-or3 Co~s,- ,'r,ea.l;dl,a
,;.,b,r rT,,,, NJ 70
Corev is a Chicaaoan
Iobn PAM Tores and W Rair4
Of tbr Me-, yo,t Nat;onai and ga
Carmodv of tho pi+tsI,nrg Tatianal.
have enlisted in IN. na,.,,
Eddle '".llhS. great second Dagger
Ter whom Ere dent Comlskey Of the
White SoE paIt 500 600 three years ag0
'N"a'fS t. enlist IN som" branch o.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
S2.631.0l

The estimated contract price to cou-
struct the entire length of the sewer,
which was 7,S4+ feet az surveyed was
= 500, siXty-eiaht per cent OF the en-
ire length Of the sewer was completed
which would amount to $3.50 as per
contract price; but this work was done
by the men from the house of correc-
tion at the cost named above, 50 631 oil.
The reason for not completing the re
naming 81 per cent of the sewer was
on account OF obtaining better right
o. way opening into stream Of run
ming water, which procedure was APP
proved by the state board of health.
The men also laid % 50. vds. of con
crete walk in front Of the new dormi-
sorry and constructed permanent road
way 20 rods in length, IA feet in width
and Of an average depth of feet, with
stone foundation. For this work tbs
men received $l75. The state received
| $3.50.
| Sheritfs Of counties have been callet
aqon frequently TO report the condi
ton OF Jail labor in the different coun
ties, and these reports indicate thai
county Jail prisoners throughout tn,
state have been employed practically
all Of the time, earning money for thu
| state and for themselves as well.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17

4. L. TRACY, N. d. Once and residence,
2i4 Main ST. uusts. 8 TO- $50 u. M, / 10 )
aud Z tu $50 81 u Tel. 80.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
ADJUSTMENTS
Attractions at the Movies.

The Empire today presents Valeska
Suratt in The Siren a William Fox
drama in five acts, also The Ford Edu-
cational. Tomorrow Ella Hall will be
seen in The Charmer, a Bluebird come
dy drama, and a Metro Drew comedy
will be shown.
Today the Princess theatre presents
Emily Stevens in the special produc-
ton, The Stacker, with an all-star east
in seven acts. Tomorrow CARLYLE Black
well and Madge Evans III the World
Brady made feature, The Burglar. a
special feature from the play by Au
eustas Thomas, is the offering.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
PRISON LABORERS
IN HELPFUL WORK
Took Part in Important Construction
at a Price Far Below the Normal
Cost to State.
Cost to State.

RUTLAND, Dee l7.-Special out
side work done by prisoners from the
house Of correction, besides raising
large quantities of farm produce, is
wnma'izad below
II. the early spring, 81 days Iaber
as performed ut Mendon for the state
forestry department. for which tle men
themselves received 80 per day above
expenses. or 500 50 This labor bene-
tterl H., state and the forestry depart
aeut n" vcll - the men.
I zee hundred and thirty-siy days
labor was performed on the state high
gavs in Rutland county, at 1928 per
dav. amounting to 1896. OF this sum
the ine1Gyreeeived 81 per day, or 1896.
III 8tstTt6. received $I25 per day. or
Last simmer it became necessary to
onstruct over mile of sewer at the
state school for feeble-minded, at Bran
| don This work was accomplished sat
| istaetorlv at a marked saving to the
| state. at time when labor for such
varr was extremely scarce, if available
If ali. The cost o. the sewer construc
tion is tented below:
Pipe $S5l.0l
. barrels cement at 500 600
Paid the men at s per day
| for e0- lavs sn7 81
I, !ts5a ,by states @, Vermont an
! $50 per lay FIR sa7 DAY. 3g2.5'
| rajd tGaasr ortatian OF men to
and from Rutland, also cost
of foreman 2ll.5'
Expert supervision IA DAYS al
$3.50 per day 1880
Hauling pipe go
The work at Brandon also
included construction OF 9
concrete manholes, for which
steel covers cost 1925
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17
PROHIBITION VOTE.
Expected That House Will GtYe Two
Thirds Vote for Adoption.

WASHINGTON. Dee. 1.-The house
vote on the federal prohibition amend
meut resolution set for ; o. clock TO
lay toe. the center Of interest over
var issues in congress today with pro
hihition leaders confident OF the two
thirds majority necessary for adop-
ton.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17

What effected The sale? Just RefOrmer Classified
Ad-Cost only 20 cents-Pa1d 3OOa6 on costl
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-17

DIR. n L. WATERMAN OHcc. Abbott
Bldg. Elliot ST. Hrs. 1873, 6.53S Tel 42W
W. II. LANE, M. D., ~ Main s., Hours;
! 20 3 aud ta c&-gpt sundays, Tel 5S9W