davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-30

moved down SO many Of them.
The Veterans Of the Spanish war
have an active and strong organize
ton here.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-30
CATCHES CROOKS
WITH CERTAINTY
II III II Al Il Il III
VH
.
n
Keokuk's Police Department Has a
Tong and Remarkable Record IN
Solving Problems Of Crime
and Catching Criminals.
rs UNDER DIFFICULTIES
Now Taking Another Step In Ad-
vance in Law Enforcement, Max
ing keokuk Best Policed city
in Whole State of Iowa.

The police department OF Keokuk
has for its chief characteristic catch
Ing crooks.
For forty years, it has considered
ITS business to be discovering. who
committed q crime and then arresing
him, and on the side locking up
crooks wanted elsewhere.
Its efficiency in this direction is
not fully appreciated by Keokuk
people. observation Of other cities
anolcaees now good the police depart
ment of Keokuk really is and b.s
been for years under vaious heads
In Keokuk, thieves are gener.,,,,
arrested and the stolen property 70
covered. In most other cities Of .b,s
size, and in some much larger once
the thieves generally get away ant
the stolen property is never see,
again by the owner.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-30
Good Work Under Difficulties,

In fifty years, Keokuk has had but
two unsolved murder mysteries-and
one of them was miles outside the
city limits and worked on for years
by the Pinkerton agency. Scores OF
homicides have been worked out tc
/ the conviction Of the defendant ir
court. Dozens of mysterious crimes
which other police departments
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14
PlWN0N@ER M SHADOW OF THE @All0wS GAVE BRILLIANT
DINNER TO GOVERNOR OF MONTANA AND wGDLAMTE CHIEFS

later one of Montana's leading states
man. Plummer, in the absence of his
young wife, whom he had recently
lady of character and refinement,
who enjoyed the friendship and con-
fidence of the few good women of the
sparsely settled land.
AS the holiday season drew on
Plummer planned an elaborate din
ner party. He sent to Salt Lake for
turkeys-the first on record in the
territory-for which he paid $40
each in gold. He also ordered other
delicacies that never before had grac-
ed the festal board of any gathering
in Montana. He imported the finest
wines that money could buy.
Plummer was the soul of hospitali-
ty upon the occasion. His easy flow
Of conversation, his elegant manners,
his gracious attention to his guests
made him an ideal host. No person
seated there at his table could realize
that this smiling, witty, courteous
gentleman was the arch-demon of the
trails; that this well-modulated voice
which entertained with compliment
and jest could thunder out the vilest
blasphemy and that the hands which
served them had put to death count
less victims.
Knew His Fate Was Sealed.
None could fully realize this, yet
every guest present knew that Plum
mer was doomed. 1t was in a sense
feast of Belshazzar; but although
the hand of fate was written as plain
ly upon the walls of the cabin as it
had been upon those of that Babylon
ian palace, Plummer did not see it or
know that his kingdom of crime was
nearing an end.
The night was half passed before
the party broke up and Plummer
stood in the door of his log cabin,
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14

bidding the guests goodnight. AS
the last departed he glanced up al
the sky, admiring the armament bril-.
liantly lighted with stars and the full
glory of the moon on winter night
the last moon in its full beauty
that he was ever to behold.
The succeeding days were stormy,
but the Vigilantes were busy. A doz-
en- road agents were given brief trials
and hanged, and many of them con-
victed Plummer over and over again
by their testimony.
This information, CLEANED from va
rious of the robbers as they swung
into eternity, was just what the Wig
ilantes had been waiting to secure,
and as soon as they had the absolute
confirmation of their information
concerning Plummer's activities, they
FASTENED back to Bannack.
Plummer Suspicious.
Plummer, hearing of the work Of
the Vigilantes, suspected that cri-
sis was approaching, and as dusk
was falling on the day the Vigilantes
returned, he, together with Buck
Stinson and Ned Ray, two of his
lieutenants, had their best horses
brought in. The Vigilantes we're
watching and laid their plans oc-
cordingly. No time was to be lost.
A rope was obtained from the house
of Governor Edgerton and three sep
arate commands organized quietly.
To each was assigned the task of cap
turing one of the criminals.
The night was very cold and the
hard-packed snow rang vibrantly
with the slightest football. The cab
in of Sanders, as has been said, was
next to Plummer's home. Between
the two houses was small space
which was now in dark shadow. Mrs.
Sanders was alone with maid and
two children. Her husband had been
gone on a mysterious trip, the dark
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14

and the room was filled with armed
men. Plummer was dragged from Ills
bed and out of the house, struggling
The most desperate OF the road
agents, noted for his panther-like
quickless, his unfailing vigilance and
his deadly aim, had been caught liter
ally mapping.
Buck Stinson and Ned Ray were
both taken with almost as little trou-
BILE. And the three commands march
ed away to their CHASTITY rendezvous
the gallows.
PIummer Breaks Down.
1t seems a curious anomaly that
the chief of the road agents, the
leader who planned the atrocities
that terrorized the entire northwest,
in whose plans the others of the
band were mere tools, should have
proved the most arrant coward of
them all. He who had dispatched
so many victims with his own hand
and who had been responsible for the
murder of scores of others, did not
know how to die like a man. Pos
sibly the bloody visages of those vic
Tins haunted him then.
Plummer recognized the leader of
the Vigilantes as Colonel Sanders,
one of the guests at his dinner party
shortly before, and approaching him
the robber chief begged piteously for
his life.
at is useless" said Sanders "You
are to be hanged. You cannot feel
harder about 1t than do, but could
not help you il I would"
Plummer became servile, cajoling,
loathsome in his abject and aban-
doned cowardice. He begged. He
asked to be chained down in the most
cabin. He offered to leave
the land forever and exhausted every
loophole of escape. Finding that his
:aptors had no pity, he fell on his
knees, wept and declared that he was
loo wicked to die.
The first of the three to hang was
Ned Ray. He went to his doom with
lot curses on his tongue.
Buck Stinson was taken next, and
hen sounded the command: Bring
Up Plummer."
Seeing that all efforts were fruit
ess he braced up at the last, asked
or good drop and died almost with
tut struggle.
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14
BELGRADE FARMER
KILLS HIS BEAR
FOLLOWS BRUIN 100 FEET INTO
DEN WITH LIGHTED TORCH
AND FIGHT STARTS.
Torch Goes Out and Hunter Fires
Haphazard Shot Which Puts Bear
Out of the Fight; Higgins of Bel
grade, Hero OF Hunting Exploit
that Is Thrilling.

vi the fall hunting stories none are
more thrilling than that of w. w.
Higgins of Belgrade, who followed a
brown bear into it's den, and in the
dark, fired the shot which killed the
bear as it was advancing to attack
him.
The incident occurred in west Gal
latin canyon, where Higgins was
hunting. He caught sight of the
bear, and followed it for mile to
It's lair When it disappeared in the
den, Higgins secured a pine knot,
which he improvised into torch, and
with this to light his way, followed
bruin into the cavern.
He walked for nearly 100 feet into
the den, and could hear the labored
grunts of bruin before him. Finally
he caught sight of the bear, which
had reached the end of the den and
could go no farther. The bear saw
him about the same time. BY the
Pickering light of his pine torch he
watched bruin raise himself on his
hind legs, and make a dash towards
the intrepid hunter.
Higgins dropped his torch, the fall
putting it out. In total darkness the
seconds raced away, while death
beckoned to him.
He could hear bruin coming to-
ward him. He raised his repeater
and fired in the direction of the
sound. He followed his first shot
with half a dozen more as fast as he
could work the lever of his gun.
There was crash few feet away
from him, and the noise the heavy
animal made as it threshed about the
den floor in it's death agony. To
make sure, Higgins fired several
times in the direction of the noise.
Then followed welcome silence.
Higgins slipped out of the den, pro-
cured another torch, reloaded his re-
peater and ventured cautiously into
the den. When he reached the scene
of the combat he found bruin ON the
floor of the den, weltering in the
blood of his wounds, and quite dead.
His first shot, fired at haphazard
and in the dark, was fortunately
placed, and had put the bear out of
the fight. But for the luck that at
tended this first shot the story might
have had different ending.
With the aid of two men, and a
rope, he managed to drag the car
cass of his kill out of the den. The
brute weighed about 400 pounds. Mr..
Higgins will have a rug made of the
robe as memento of his thrilling
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14

portent OF which she did not know
He had been returned for but a mo.
ment that night, then hurried of
without answering her anxious in
quiries.
She knew that some hazardous un-
dertaking was on foot, but what
could the nature of it be? The night
wore on and she waited and listened
for something-she knew not what
to happen. Then suddenly she heard
low voices in the dark space between
her home and that of Henry Plum
mer. Peering out of the window she
saw the CLINT of light reflected from
her window on rifles muzzle. One
thought obsessed her. These men
were laying in wait to murder her
husband as he came home. Many
such deeds of blood had been done
lately, and he had been threatened
many times
She blew out the candles and
waited through moments that seemed
an eternity. Presently there was the
measured tramp of marching men,
and dark figures doomed in sight as
she watched through the window.
The suspense was terrible. A mo-
ment more and she saw that they
were surrounding Henry Plummer's
cabin.
Plummer had come in early. He
was fatigued. He loosened his neck
tie, unbuckled his belt that held his
revolvers and, smiling, handed them
to his sister, saying:
II guess l won't have any use for
these tonight"
1t was the first time in his career
in the territory that Plummer had
been known to be unarmed, sleeping
or waking.
He lay down on his bed without
taking his clothes off, as he intended
to make an early start in the morn
ing. Suddenly the door burst open
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14
Where Highwood Hank Quits
HISTORICAL REC0LLECT10Ns OF RAWHIDE RAW11Ns
rs OF RAWHIDE RAWLINS

When first knowed 4hwod Hank he's wlncher and pretty
body that savv that iron knows they owned boss that
at daybreah it's e he'd turn him loose HOSES notorious
thu
brand He claimed he flesh
off
wither There
breakfast His hands hay that
ms gaet an nee worked whole his fingers would
the
havn' clamped saddle " "
"As Hank
him. 1t these days like his backbone
He still and rides they the long
"A Hank bunch lin ia
pretty snty He drops his the his loop igft
Bonc Hank
old days this would Hank 1t takes him
on through the corral beg Hubby crawl this
shoulders,
ridn he tells This
ou,
Hank, cnches
his
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14

It was shortly before Christmas in
1868, in Virginia City, that dinner
party was given amid holiday spirit
that is not outdone in dramatic and
tragic interest by the feast of Bel
shazzar of Biblical history.
The host was Henry Plummer, the
handsome, debonair, magnetic chief
of the robber band of the gold camps.
The guests included the governor
OF Montana, Sidney Edgerton; Wilbur
F. Sanders, and dozen other leading
citizens of the territory, most of
whom were members of the Vigilan-
tes.
BY the glancing light of hundred
candles the feast was set, wine flow
ed, toasts were drunk. Yet nearly ev-
cry guest at the banquet board knew
that their host was doomed to die on
the gallows before the moon, which
shone full in the winter sky, had
waned. They knew, too, that some
of them would be his executioners.
The real character of Henry Plum
mer, who had led life of desperate
crime in California, had long been
suspected by few, but the truth
concerning the double life he was
leading as sheriff of the gold camps
and leader of the road agents had
now been finally established, and his
death had been decreed. The time
was drawing close when he was to
pay the dread penalty. Of all the gay
assemblage at his house at the dinner
party, it is probable that he was the
only man without an inkling of his
impending doom.
Man of Fine Manner.
Plummer was man of engaging
manners and prepossessing appear
ance. There was an air of distinction
and refinement about him that sug-
gested the fine gentleman. He was
the next door neighbor of Sanders,
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14


h
oil you o. say
beer a
Il cite th
the
lred tina times
m says you wait New Year"
is
The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-14
Cost of Draft.

Figures compiled by Adjutant Gen.
eral Phil Greenan show that it cost
$685. at the railroad station for each
man selected for military service in
Montana under the provision of the
draft law.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Cooperating with Y. NJ. C. A.

While the Young Mems Christian
association is the largest body doing
welfare work among the United
States troops, other organizations are
cooperating. The Knights of Colum-
bus, a fraternal organization in
charge of the Roman Catholics, has
put up, and is putting up, club-houses
equipped with desk rooms, benches,
monographs, player-pianos, moving
picture apparatus, and other facili-
ties for entertainment. Sixty-fve
halls are now in operation, open to
men of all denominations.
The Young Mems Hebrew associa-
tion has made arrangements for
headquarters in Young Mems Chris
tion association buildings. There is
not a sufficient number of Hebrews
in any one brigade to justify the bull
ding of hall by this organization.
The American Library association
has raised a fund of over 81 100000,
and is erecting special library build
ings in the camps.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
BAMBERG, S. c., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 1917.
THIRTY.EIGHT KILLED.
Passenger Train Crashes into Rear
of Accommodation Train.

Shepherdsville, KY, Dec. 90
Thirty-eight persons were killed and
about thirty-nine others injured to-
night when Louisville and Nashville
passenger train No. I from Cincinna-
ii to New Orleans, crashed into the
rear of the Bardstown, Louisville and
Springfield accommodation train just
south of the station here early to-
night, according to w. F. Sheridan,
superintendent of the Louisville di-
vision.
First reports, apparently auehtntic,
had placed the number of known
dead at sixty-seven, and the number
of injured between forty and fifty,
but this was reduced when an official
check of the figures were made.
No cause for the wreck was assign
ed by Mr.. Sheridan, who would make
no statement, pending an investiga-
ton of the tragedy.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Extracts From Diaries Of Germans

The 94-page booklet German
War Practices, published by the
committee on public information, de-
votes one section to extracts from
German war diaries, among them be-
ing the following:
"A shell burst near the eleventh
company, and wounded seven men,
three very severely. At o'clock we
were ordered by the officer in COM
mand of the regiment to shoot all the
male inhabitants of Nomeny, because
the population was foolishly attempt
ing to stay the advance of the Ger
man troops by force Of arms. We
broke into the houses, and seized all
who resisted, in order to execute
them according to martial law. The
houses which had not already been
destroyed by the French artillery and
our own were set on fire by us, so that
nearly the whole town was reduced
to ashes. It is terrible sight when
helpless women and children, utterly
destitute, are herded together and
driven into France" (From the di-
ary of Pvt. Fischer, eighth Bavarian
regiment of infantry, thirty-third re-
serve division.)
Copies of this booklet may be Sc
cured free Of charge by application
to the committee on public informa-
tion, 10 Jackson Place, Washington,
D. c..
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Demand for Men of Training.

Secretary of War Newton D. Baker
urges men in scientific institutions
to continue their training.
"The government service will de-
mand more and more scientifically
trained men," said he, "and I hope
those who are in charge of scientific
institutions will impress upon the
young men the Importance Of contin-
uing their studies, except to the ex-
tent that they are necessarily inter-
rupted by a mandatory call under the
provisions of the selectiVe service
law"
Every effort will be made to use
each students special training in con-
nection with specialized occupations
in the army to afford technical stu
dents liable to call as great an oppor-
tunity through the national army as
if they had enlisted.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Plans for Care of Injured Soldiers.

Plans for caring for members of
the expeditionary forces who may
be returned from Europe unfit for
further service include, besides the
necessary surgical and medical at.
tention, instruction in the use of in
jured and artificial limbs, and voca-
tional training. The experience of
Canada and European allies in this
work has been of great value to the
United States government in arrang1
ing it's plans.
Equipment for heat treatments
and electric and hydro therapy will
be provided; gymnasiun@ will furnish
opportunity for special exercise for
reeducation in the use of joints, mus
cles and nerves which have been af-
fected in service; in curative work
shops the man will perform useful
work which at the same time will
bring these parts into activity.
The aim will be to return every
man into civil life able to be self-sup-
porting and useful, and not depen-
dent merely upon the pension he will
receive from the government.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Lucid Testimony.

"The average individual" said the
Scotland Yard official, cant give a
detective simple, plain, straightfor-
ward information. Questioned by a
detective, he becomes as involved and
difficult as the Office boy. A detective
asked an office boy if it was Mr.. Jones
or his partner who reached the office
first as rule.
Well, said the boy, turning very
red, Mr.. Jones at first was always
late, but later he began to get earlier,
till at last he was first, though be-
fore he had always been behind. He
soon got later again. though of late
he has been sooner, and at last he
got behind as before. But I expect
he will be getting earlier sooner or
later London Tit Bits.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Ovation to American Artillerymen.

To the tune of "The Campbells
Are Coming" the first American artil-
lery unit to engage the enemy went
back to it's billets behind the French
firing lines last Wednesday after
noon. The artillery had a longer
stay at the front than the infantry,
and both men and horses were tired,
muddy and wet with the rain that
beat upon them as they came into
the village.
When they reached the village the
entire command drew up on hill
side, and gun covered with camou-
fase PAINT was brought out IN front.
On it's shield an artilleryman had
written in chalk: '"The first gun for
the Germans. Their colonel told
them the villagers wished to do honor
to the gun and it's crew and to the
American army. The children placed
a wreath over the barrel of the gun
and a bunch of wild flowers inside
the empty case of the first shot fired.
The regimental band played both
the American and French national
anthems.
After this brief ceremony the troop
ers dismounted and, to the embar-
rassment of many of them the towns
people embraced them effectionately.
The artillerymen escaped without a
casualty, although they were shel1ed
heavily several times by the Germans.
The officers said that on the night
Of the German raid on the American
trenches the artillery quickly poured
a counter barrage into No Mans
Land, and they are sure they killed
some of the enemy and prevented
more from reaching the American
line. The gun crew that fired the
first shot is made up of youngsters
hailing from South Bend, New York,
Minneapolis, Chicago, Baltimore, New
Orleans and Douglas, Ariz. All the
artillerypen are anxious to get back
to the front, but before doing so will
be sent to other camps to instruct
artillerymen who have not yet been
in actual battle.-Exchange
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
Rules for Illumination of Signs.

Orders governing the use of electric
signs, made by the fuel administra-
tion to assist in conserving fuel, apply
to the entire villages and
small cities as well as the larger cen
ters. Among these instructions are:
Directional signs on retail stores
may be Illuminated from one-half
hour after sunset until closing time,
but not later than II p. NJ; such
signs on theatres may be Illuminated
from one-half hour after time of COM
mencement of last performance. Dis
play advertising on theatres and re-
tail stores may only operate between
7:45 and II p. m.
Enforcement of the orders is in the
hands of the State fuel administra-
tors.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
10000 Nurses are Required.

With a continuance of the war, in
the next: year at least 10000 nurses
will be needed in army hospitals at
home and abroad. Of the $4,000
graduate nurses of the country, on
ly $500 have so far been assigned
to duty in army service, and of this
number 1900 are in France.
An army nurse must be graduate
of a training school for nurses and
must have served for two years in
a hospital. They are assigned to du-
ty in the United States or abroad, and
preferences are granted when condi-
tions permit. Nurses who prefer not
to have service abroad will have their
preferences respected.
The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-12-27
next week with trades unions on the
man power proposals.
Peace Terms the Germans Want.

Peace Terms the Germans Want.
Washington, Dec. 20.-What pur-
ports to be an outline of the kaiser's
much advertised "Christmas peace
terms has reached here through
the same neutral diplomatic chan
nels which earlier in the week re-
ceived information to support intima-
tions from abroad that a new peace
offer was coming.
In the main, the terms, as describ-
ed, follow the lines of those said to
have been written by Foreign Minis
ter Won Kuehlmann last summer. At
that time they were denounced as
having been written purely for polit-
ical purposes. The so-called terms
are said to leave the disposition of
Alsace-Lorraine to a plebescite of in
habitants.
German Colonies.
England to pay Germany for her
lost African colonies and the money
to be used for the rehabilitation of
Belgium, Serbia, ,Roumania, and Nor
thern France
Russian provinces bordering the
Baltic. the Black sea and Prussia to
become Independent, under German
plan.
Poland to be called an independent
State under Austrian suzerainty.
Disarmament, freedom of the seas,
anG commerce to be left to the peace
conference.
Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro
to retain their original boundaries,
with the right of access to the sea
being granted to Serbia.
Turkey to remain intact.