davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

asking me.
But don't worry about a place to
stay" she said, 1--WE can take care of
you for tonight, anyway. What kind
of work 90 you think you could do,
E1nily?" 1 told her I had wanted to
work in a factory and after finding
that 1 had never been employed in
one BEFORE she tried to influence me
to go into the domestic service as she
thought the girls liked that much bet
ter than the factory, once they found
places with good families
Among other things, by her gentle
method of questioning, she had ascer-
tanned where 1 had come from, with
whom I had worked there, how much
money =! had, received per week, who
my parents were and where they had
lived what church had attended, the
name Of the minister and some of the
people I knew in the church, also how
much schooling I had had and wheth-
Ell or not Z liked to read end what
books I had read. Not until later,
when 1 summed up all that I had
been asked, did realize that she had
obtained considerable information
through her easy, tactfu1 Questioning.
perintendent possessed way of un-
derstanding girls that would make it
easy for a trouble laden heart to un-
burden itself to her.
All through the gentle questioning
which, by the way did not take the
form Of an inquisition, but partook
more Of the nature Of a running con-
versation-T stuck to the story I had
originally adopted. I had come here
for work, my parents were dead, [ had
little money and knew nothing of the
city.
AS we talked a soothing influence
seemed to steal over me for an at
mosphere of restfulness mad assur-
ance permeated the place. Upstairs
could hear girlish voices singing,
TITS a Long Way to Tipperary' and
Miss Hewitt explained that one of the
girls had been twenty-one years old
that day and they were holding par
ty for her. She regretted that had
arrived too late to participate in the
festivities.
Every moment I become more and
more certain that the Protective
Home was all and even more than it
claimed to me-.
I had satisfied Miss Hewitt with my
answers, I was to be kept ffor the
night It was when she suggested
that have a mice warm bath before
going to bed,'' that revealed my iden-
tity for I knew that there was no
longer reason for hiding 1t as my re-
ception at the home had far surpassed
my expectations. Had I been less
kindly treated I would have spent the
night there.
One who has never felt what it is
to be alone in a strange city, to have
only a few pennies in ones pocket,
and to have nowhere to turn at night
for shelter, can never realize what it
means to suddenly find ones sell in
so comfortable a home as the Bridge
port Headquarters, and in the pres
ence of SO understanding woman as
Miss Hewitt.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
School Board Not
Favorable TO High
School Dance Hall

The plan to use B. H. S. gymna-
SUM as a dance hall, and to. throw
other schools open for dancing, will
not perhaps be approved by the
Board of Education nor by the Park
Board.
J Such a program is proposed by G..
N. Stinion. Of New York, who has
been employed as an expert to pre-
pare plan for the supervision Of
public amusement.
Rev. John H. Brown, chairman of
the committee which employs Mr..
Stimson, Mr.. Stimson and few
members of the Park and Education
Boards, met last night in the Board
Of Education rooms. The meeting
was executive.
Mr.. Stimson has been unusually Sc
cretive regarding his proposal for a
recreation plan, especially in. dealing
with the press. y
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
new ENGLAND
IS SWEPT BY
ZERO WEATHER

Session, Feb. "a minimum tenn
perature of three degrees below zero,
the coolest recorded in this city in
three years. was shown by official rec
ords Of the weather bureau today.
The low point wasN reached at a. m.
after which there was a gradual rise,
four above being the reading at
o'clock.
Greeneville, Me-, with low OF 22
below, was the coolest place in New
England last night, according to re-
ports received by the bureau here.
Other official figures were;
Burlington, VT, 16 bellows Port
land, Me-, IL below; Concord,rN. H.,
IA below; Nantucket, Mass, six above,
being the highest.
The cold wave extended to.all parts
of New England.
New York, Feb. 3-Today is the
winters coolest in this vicinity this
season. The temperature stood five
degrees below zero.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
STRATF0RD
Especial to The Farmer)

Especial to The Farmerl
Stratford, Feb. 3.-Charged with de-
livering liquor without written order,
Thomas Roychki. of 25S Church street.
Bridgeport,wa arraigned before Judge
Howard w. Curtis of the Stratford
town court today and fined $40 and
costs. Roychkf has been disposing Of
intoxicants for the last month to vari-
Gus families in the town. He was ar
rested by State Policeman Anthony
Fellows last evening.
Mary De Libero of Avon park dis
trict, was fined SIS by Judge Curtis to-
day, charged with assault
Judge Charles III. Welles Of the pro-
bate court, committed yesterday to St.
Francis Orphan asylum, New Haven,
the three Ballard children, Tony, age
8 years; Leonard, ager 8 years, and
Matthew, aged years. Mrs. Ballard
testified that her husband an away
from home six months ago and has not
heard or seen him since. She told the
court that she was unable to support
them
In a game replete with many fast
and exciting plays the Branford High
school basketball FIVE defeated the
Stratford High school quintet at the
town hall last evening by the score OF
&c to II. This was the second defeat
administered to the locals by the Wis
itosr this season. The City Normal
school girls team defeated the Strait
ford High school girls team by the
score of Ia, tor II.
A large audience attended the lec>
tylre given by Prof. r. c. Ostrander of
New York on Mexico, the Egypt of
the New World" last evening ar the
Stratford public library. The next lee
ture will be given at the library Fri
day evening, Feb. 81 Hon. Arden L..
Judd, of Stratford, will be the speaker.
His subject will be John Paul jones'"
Masses at st. James church, Sun.
day. will be at $3.50 and 1890 O'Clock.
The last mass will be high one.
At the Stratford M. e. church, Sun
day, Rev. Ernest c.. Carpenter, the
pastor, Will preach in the morning
The topic will be Neither Hot or
Cold" In the evening Mrs. Carpen-
ter will speak on "The Great .Adven-
ture' Sunday school at ~ O'Clock.
Epworth league service at $50.
Leader, Bridgeport Christian Union
men.
The Stratford chemical crew was
called out this morning to extinguish
chiml ey fire in the home of C. E.
Palmer, East Main street. The dam.
age done was very slight.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
Americans Leave
England for U. s.

New York, Feb. 3-The international
Mercantile Marine announced today
the postponement of the sailing Of the
American liner ST. Louis from noon
today until noon Sunday.
The announcement of the postpone
ment of the sailing of the ST. Louis
was made public just before the re-
ceipt of news from Washington that
diplomatic relations between the
United States and Germany had been
severed.
Up to that time it was said by the
International Mercantile Marine Off
Gals that no reply had been received
to the request made by them for in
structions as to the sailing of the st.
Louis. The excuse given that the de-
lay was caused by a shortage of coal
was regarded in shipping circles as
merely technical Whether the s..
Louis would sail tomorrow would de-
pend, it was understood, on Develop
ments in Washington.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
SEARCHING
ICE-CRUSTEO RUINS
FOR MORE VICTIMS


Chicago, Feb. 3.-Handicapped by
the coolest weather Of the winter,
workmen searched today for bodies in
the ice covered ruins that marked the
site of the West Side tenement
wrecked by explosion early yesterday.
OF the u persons known to have been
in the building at the time of the ex-
plosion, presumably caused by leak
ing gas, 10 were known to be dead
and 20 were missing today. Seven of
the bodies recovered had been identi-
fed.
Throughout the night searchlights
played on the ruins and ambul;lnces
were kept in waiting. AS rapidly as
pne exhausted shift Of rescue workers
stepped from the wreckage fresh
group jumped to their places.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
''CHOST" ATTACK
BY GERMANS is
TRIED AT YPRES
British Catch Early Morn
ing Raiders and Annihi-
late Them.

With British Army In France, Feb.
3.-The German raiders who maze
two attacks yesterday morning against
the British trenches south OF the
Ypres salient looked for all the world
like the famous Ku Klux Khan the
crusaders Of reconstruction days in
the southern states of America. They
were clad in white sheets fashioned
into a. sort of smock, wore white
masks and sought thus to cross the
snow covered No Mans land without
detection.
The raiders came over in two waves
only to be hurled back with heavy
losses in killed and wounded. They
swept into a perfect storm of machine
gun fire and there were crimson
splashes on the snow wherever one OF
the strange white figures fell. There
was a ghostly aspect to this affair
throughout. It was attempted at the
misty hour when the late winter
moonlight fades into the dawn. After
an all night vigil in the front line
trenches the soldiers nerves are apt
to be iumpy as morning approaches
On this occasion there had been the
usual preliminary German lombard
ment and something was expected,
but not the ghostly apparitions that
Eventually greeted the gaze of the
sentriest as they peered in the chilly
half light into the barren stretch OF
white separating their trenches from
those Of the enemy.
Regardless whether they were
ghosts or Germans, the sentr1es knew
that the proper thing to do was to
shoot and there came cackle OF RI
f1es all along the line. One young
Irish officer stood up and let go with
his revolver. Then the machine guns
chimed in and the first wave of the
attackers was breaking when the Sec
c-1d came over. Two Germans man
aged to plunge into British trench,
but they got out so. quickly that they
left behind them unused a can of dy-
Mantle, many grenadss and rifle.
One of the two died in the British wire
acknowledgements as he was trying to re-
treat.
An incident that shows that the hu-
name spirit has not vanished in this
war occurred recently when some Ger
man prisoners appeared behind the
British lines with British gas masks
hung across their shoulders. Inquiry
developed that the British army au-
thorities have ordered this precaution
so that prisoners may have the same
protection from a gas attack from
their own lines as their captors enjoy.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
FREIGHT Liner,
UNDER u. S. FLAG.
OFF FOR EUROPE

Several freighters left New York
for Europe yesterday. One of them,
the Dochra, bound for Genoa, flew the
American flag. Other freight ships
will sail today.
The New York harbor guard has
increased it's vigilance. Collector of
Customs Malone now has 1900 men
assigned to this duty. In addition to
the cooperation of the navy Destroy
ers stationed at the Narrows, he has
under his command the harbor police
boats. and four tugs of the coast guard
cutter service.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
Veteran Engineer
Dies In His Cab
In Stamford Yard

Stamford, Feb. 3-Davis r. Thomas,
probably one .of the best known among
the veteran engineers on the New
Haven road, died in a coach in the
railroad yards today. He was about
to take out his engine which was
ready for him. The train which he
would have hauled was due at the
station a, short time later. He was
about so years old and had been run
ming on the road for IS years. His
wife and son survive.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
CORSET WORKERS MEET.

The Corset Workers union met last
evening and made preliminary ar
rangements for the campaign to in
crease the membership Of the organ
ization. Brief entertainments at
each of the meetings were arranged
for and q. mass meeting will be held
at which noted speakers will be pres
emit.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
Deutschland's Dock
Endangered By Fire

New London, Feb. "a tool shop
located near the state piers in East
New London was burned this morn :
ing It was one> Of the construction
sheds used in connection with the pier
work and contained nothing but
metal.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
Buonotato Widows
Father Is Dying

Her husband killed following his
departure from this city because Of
gang threats, Mrs. Rosie Buonotato of
10 Herbert street, today is facing the
possibility Of losing her father, too.
He is in dying condition at a local
hospital.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
LABOR DELEGATION
TO ATTEND FUNERAL.

A delegation of officers Of the Gem
trail Labor Union will go to Danbury
Monday to attend the funeral of the
father Of Robert T. Cunningham, sec
rotary of the State Federation of La
bor- John J. O'Neill, president Of
the C. L. u, will head the delega-,
ton.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

The Holland American liner Nieuw
which left Rotterdam,
for New York, was recalled
owing to the submarine situation.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
The S71iff7=lNurraYCO.
1907 Main ST. and 14o fairfield ~7u~
>Br9gSports Busy Gash Store

Miss Peacock is with us to show you how to
the Flesher yarns She has brought many articles which
entirely The work is very simple and all insruc
tons will be given by Miss Peacock at time you may wish.
Comfortable quarters have been provided in Art Needle
work Department and you time during the day
and remain as long you wish.
Those who not acquainted with these yarns should
take advantage Of this opportunity to learn their many ad
vantages and Garments made of Feisher yarns
soft and and will not lose there shape uffness
Hardwear little effect them and when they soled
they may be washed
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

Four transatlantic steamers sailed
from Philadelphia yesterday, bound
direct for the prohibited German u
boat IONA
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
BRIEF NEWS NOTES

The United States Government has
begun thorough investigation of the
sinking of the German steamship
Liebelfe1s at Charleston, S. G.
Collector of the Port of New York
Dudley Field Malone announced that
the neutrality force under him had
been increased from 200 to 500 men.
A statement made public by the
Interstate Commerce Commission
shows that So railroads during De-
cember earned $S1, 531,471, and ex-
pended $5S,954,273.
Because of tn possibilities of dan
ger from the present international
situation, Army officials have taken
steps for extra precautions at the
Panama canal.
Immediate construction of 80 coast
submarines and 20 fleet submarines,
to secure America against foreign in
vasion was provided in bill introduce
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

A tornado struck Lincoln county,
KY /, blowing away half of the two
story High school at Hustonvil,e
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

In the Mediterranean the safety
zone leading to Greek territorial wa
tiers is indicated by the. white areas
shown in the map of that sea. The
territorial waters of France, Italy and
the British possessions in the Medi-
terranean are apparently Included in
the barred zone.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03
ed in the Senate by Senator Poindex-
ter of Washington.

ed in the Senate by Senator Poindex-
ter of Washington.
Charles H. Eavis and Elmer CAL
brath, formerly presidents Of the old
Second National bank OF Cincinnati,
were found guilty on % counts of an
indictment charging them with vio-
lating Federal banking laws.
The British Minister OF Munitions
ordered a census of the coal tar and
coke by-products industry, especially
those by-products that are used in
making munitions.
The United States Cast Iron Pipe
& Foundry Co. of Scotdale, near Con-
nellsville, Pa, received an order for
iron pipe totalling $3,500,C00 from the
Argentine Republic.
A torpedo boat destroyer steamed
from the League Island navy-yard at
Philadelphia with orders to hold up
any ship that might attempt to leave
the Delaware river without clearance
papers. 81
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

FUNERAL DESIGNS AND
BOUQUETS
JOHN RECk s. SON.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

According to the notification issued
by the German government, sur
rounding the British isles and border
ing the coasts of France, Belgium and
Holland is barred zone" Indicated
by black areas on the map) twenty
nautical miles wide. The boundaries
of secondary barred zone" shutting
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-03

off the British isles and running as
far south as Cape Finisterre, on the
northwestern coast of Spain, are in
Dictated by heavy black line. This
zone is pierced by the route to Fall
mouth, as laid down for one Ameri-
can ship a week in the annex to the
German note
The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1917-06-30
U. S. NAVY.

Washington, June Adding one
more name to the list Of versatile
lighting men. St. Peter became a
member Of the United States Ma.
rine Corps, today. st. Peter,
whose modern prefix happens to
be Leroy Williams, dropped in
from Chicago to enlist, and is said
to be physically perfect with the
exception Of slight varicocele in
his left leg, caused by fall.
Other new recruits, who promise
to be excellent warriors IL names
count for anything, are George
Washington, Grant, Sheridan.
Sherman, Tommy AtkiDs. Jesse
James and Julius Caesar.
Caesar, who halls from Brook
lyD, ls 80 young that it was Deces
sary to get bis mothers consent
before he could enlist in the Ms.
rine Corps. Despite his extren Q
youth, julius may yet prove to be
1.-THE MODEST Roman of them ell. y
The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1917-06-30
AN ATTROCIOUS MURDER
Belden Spencer Shot Times, Throat Cut Body Weight
ed and Thrown in Canal
an Thompson and his wife Jailed as Suspects.
No Witnesses to the Murder. But the Circumstantial
Evidence Very Conclusive

On last Wednesday morning, be-
tween and o'clock, Belden Spen-
Ger, colored man, Left his home
on horse back to pass over the
causeway to Avery's Island, to his
work. That was the last seen oi
him alive. During the day his
horse returned, showing bird-shot
wounds in the neck. This fact
alarmed the inmates of Spencer's
home, who soon learned that he
had not reported for his usual
work that day.
The causeway, the only isolated
stretch between his home and his
work, was very carefully scrutin-
lied for any clue that might lead
to the unravelling of the mystery.
| At point nearer tha main land,
and before the toll gate was reach
ed, the close observer noticed the
bushes were broken and down
trodden on the side of the road.
The dragging of the canal brought
to view the ghastly find-the body
of Belden Spencer. A piece of iron
had been tied to the neck and an
other piece to the feet. The throat
had been cut. Two powder burnt
holes in the front of the body tes-
titled to an assault with shotgun
at close range. Two other holes in
the back, powder-marked, told
their own story of the attrocious
character of the crime which had
been committed on the causeway
in the early morning hours, ere the
victim had reached the island.
The character of the discovery
pointed ia one possible direction,
and but on. Spencer was a well
to do and industrious colore ed man
of between thirty-five and forty
years of age. He owned his own
nished. Some time before, he be-
came involved in a shooting scrape
with negro farmer who lived not
very far away, resulting In the
wOunding Of his adversary, Van
Thompson. The difference be-
tween the men grew out of viola-
ted home relations. While the
matter had been ostensibly drop
ped, it seems to have been general
ly recognized that very bitter feel
ings existed between the men.
Thompson was therefore observed
closely.
On Thursday morning, before the
finding of Spencer's body was
generally known, Thompson was
seen to get into his buggy, taking
with him pump-shotgun and headed
for New Iberia. Mr.. Clarence Smith
merchant at Rynella, reported the
facts to Sheriff P. A. Landry, who
took with him deputy and motor
ed out to the south of town and
on down the Avery Island road.
Mr.. Landry was himself at the
steering wheel. He soon reached
a point where he could see his man
coming. When they were quite
abreast, the emergency brakes
were applied and the car was
brought to a stand blocking the
The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1917-06-30

way of the other. Thompson was
! promptly covered and ordered out
OF his buggy. His gun had cart
ridges, loaded with number six
six shot, in its magazine. He was
brought to town and jailed. His
wife was subsequently taken in
custody and his home searched.
Thompson stated that he had no
| knowledge of Spencer's death. He
said he was bringing his gun to
, town to have it epaired-notwith-
| standing it seemed perfectly re-
sponsible in every action. When
searched, among other things, he
had ten dollar Treasury Bill in
his pocket an several piec ,s If
silver. Spencer wife said her
husband mad drawn $15 the day 3--
fore he was killed; he had one ten
dollar bill and the balance in sill
yer. When the body was taken
from the canal only few cents in
silver were found in the pockets.
1t was also carefully noted by the
sheriff that several pieces of mar
line were found in Thompson's
home-of the self same kind which
bound the weights to the body
when drawn from the water. In
Thompson's home were found two
revolvers, each of "A calibre; al
SO, a box of fresh cartridges to
fit these weapons. A peculiar and
noticeable feature was the fact that
these cartridges were distributed
at four different points about the
house and in different rooms.
1t is quite certain that Thompson
was not wearing the same clothes,
when arrested, that he wore on
Tuesday previous; neither has it
been possible to locate the gar
ments he was then wearing. Also,
bowie-knife. While there was no
evidence of blood discernable, the
knife showed a thin layer of re-
Gently formed rust-just about what
would have formed had the knife
been washed and put away wet.
There is evidence indicating that
Thompson followed the railroad
track to the Island, and from the
Island, the day Spencer was first
missing. On Thursday he was TAX
en- into the presence Of the mur-
dered man, and saw and heard the |
CHASTITY wounds discussed. His
manner was stoical, though it is
not clear that there was aught in
his manner or actions which would |
indicate his guilt.
Sheriff Landry seems to think |
that the arrest was most oppor-
tune in the making; for had it been
to take Thompson at his
home, with his revolvers and shot
gun, and distributed ammunition to
points of vantage, there
might have been a different story
to tell. And, on the other hand,
if Thompson is an innocent man,
fate certainly has woven a web of
awfully incriminating circumstan-
ces about him.