davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-09-14
Pope Honors Major Connolly

4 (YCH interest has been aroused
Nj in local Roman Catholic
l. circles by the announcement
from Rome that Pope Benedict has
promoted the Very Rev. Mgr. James N.
Connolly. a domestic prelate. with the
title of Right Reverend Monsignor.
The elevation to this high rank is con-
sidered by Mgr. Connolly's many
friends In New York a reward for his
labors In organizing the Roman Catho-
lie chaplains sent from the United
States for work with the American
Army in France and the establishment
of central headquarters in Paris
through which the work of the Catho-
lie chaplains was directed and regu-
lated.
Mgr. Connolly is the rector OF the
Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel
Ninetieth street, between Second and
Third avenues, and is one of the most
widely known priests in New York.
When he loft New York almost two
years ago for France as Vicar
to the Most Rev. Archbishop Patrick
j, Hayes, who was the auxiliary Bishop
at the time, he held the rank of Papal
Chamberlain, title conferred on him
some years ago.
On his arrival In France with the
first contingent of field secretaries sent
overseas by the Knights of Columbus
he established communication with
Gen. Pershing, commander of the A. e.
F., with a view to ascertaining the
needs of the American Army I'm the
matter OF Roman Catholic chaplains
All during the war the Monsignor and
General kept in touch, with the result
that the American front was never
lacking in a sufficient number of chap
lains to look after the spiritual needs
OF soldiers of the Roman Catholic faith
After he had completed the organi-
Zation of a central headquarters for
chaplains and found sufficient time to
BET away from the usual routine work,
NSr. Connolly visited the American
front and personally supervised the
work Of the chaplains. Later he paid
visit to Italy and journeyed over
the Italian front. When this trip had
been completed he went TO Rome and
had a private audience with Pope
Benedict. The latter seemed particu-
larly anxious about the welfare of the
American soldiers and the Monsignor
assured him that everything possible
Tor their spiritual and temporal needs
had been done.
Returning from Italy Mgr. Connolly
once again resumed active charge of
his office in Paris. At present he is
$50 actively engaged in work pertain
ing to his office that tho date of his
feturn to the United States is uncer-
tain. In his last letter TO the Rev.
lanes j. Talbot, who is administering
lhe affairs Of the Good Counsel parish,
The MonEignor made no mention OF an
The sun., 1919-09-14
The Cops Garden

time" replied the citizen, as he con-
tinued picking the flowers.
81 can see that you are one Of those
guys who thinks lie is a privileged
character" said the lieutenant but
you'll soon learn differently" A po'
liceman was called by the Lieutenant
and told to go out and arrest the ell
izen. When the man was brought
into the station and arraigned before
the desk, he then awoke to the fac'
that he had made a serious mistake
and still more so when he was taken
before a Magistrate and fined SO on
charge of petty larceny.
Policeman Hammer does not allow
any OF the men to help themselves 10
the products of the garden When
they want portion of vegetables 20
take home, they make known Their
wants to him, ana he does the pick
ing with his own hands. The men
have learned to respect his wishes
in the matter and they do not pleAU
him by trying to help themselves
Plays His Hobby.
1T has been said that every man
has a hobby, and l think the man VINO
gave utterance to that phrase kne"
what he was talking about was 70
liceman Hammers reply u q query ny
a SUN reporter. My hobby ls gar
dening. | cannot begin to tell you
how much pleasure / derive iIou'
looking after our little garden h'"
have often wished ! could have
homo in the suburbs so | could Ei4"!
my desire to cultivate garden. uu,
l was not so fortunate. So Fh'u !
came here ! saw ,hau.. 10 CIV
full swing 10 my hobby :,
Il love flowers. and If ! do say H. !
think you will go a long way 0elo,
you can find more huIty.. 'eu VI
astors than | have raised NH'A wv
first took possession uf l'a7 Nrop,lI
some Of the men were not over 4o'u
of flowers, but now they are as IIaS Graz,
over them as any housrw.a you W"
fro Woe he unto the how NJ ihi,
creant any of us catch irwin" " sun
these flowers"
The yield Of the garden "s pee.
the largest this year uf ABLY a.,.e Wv
planting was bogun and l"' men SI
say that this is due tu ON. N...'''
caro- of Policeman Hammer SONY
times, when tho supply gets .'N' u.
men draw lots to Sc" who 1911 '' w,
lucky one to take home 3D. portion -"
table delicacies. 4,
The sun., 1919-09-14
THE OLD GENTLEMAN'S HAT.

NJ ICE old gentleman in the restau-
rant, with a long line OF hat
trees running down the centre
His dinner finished, he picked up his
check and turned to the hat tree
back of him and took down his hat, or
the hat he had no doubt was his, but
when from force OF habit he looked in
side of it to make sure he found that it
wasn't his hat at all!
So he put that hat back on the tree
and tried the next most likely one, but
with the same result, and it was the
same with all the hats on the tree,
which ne looked into one by one until
he had looked into ak excepting d
black derby, which he did not inspect,
for what he was looking for was a
straw,
But then, to leave no stone I'M
turned, he took down that black derby
and looked into 1t; and, good gracious I!
that was the hat he was really looking
for; that black derby hat he was now
looking into was his very own.
He smiled as he put 1t on. He had
changed that morning from straw TO
felt and then had forgotten all about It.
The sun., 1919-09-14
Men Whose Crimes Involved Millions
of Dollars, Prisoners Who Were
Artists, Notorious Murderers and
Many Others Figure in Personal
Experiences Related by
Veteran Keepers

called at Sing Sing on December ID.
1908. Warden johnson had Ennis
transferred from the lighthouse to
the hospital for the examination.
The doctors put Ennis on the oper-
ating table and then gave him a slight
anmsthetic. When he was coming
through the ether they lifted the MUIR
derer off the table and let him drop
onto the floor.
Ennis forgot himself entirely" said
Helms, dumped up and walked away"
His mind befogged, Ennis had for
gotten to limp on his supposed par
aiyzed legs The doctors informed the
Governor Ennis was only taking, and
the next day he was put to death.
Shoemaker still tells Of how he took
her last meal to Mrs Martha Place,
who murdered her, stepdaughter, Ida,
in Brooklyn, the day before she was
killed in the electric chair and how she
seemed to relish the feast.
Governor Shaved by Murderer.
Some queer things have happened
in Sing Sing. Shoemaker laughs about
the fright Gov. Roswell P. Flower re-
ceived when an irmate barber con-
victed OF murder was shaving him
during his official visit to the prison
on June Z, 1893 The barber was serv-
ing life term. While working over
his distinguished customer the MUIR
derer, holding the razor in his hand,
suddenly stopped and asked the Gov
ernor if he would pardon him. The
Governor, cycling the razor. promised
to look into the BARRIERS case. The
prisoner, seemingly satisfied. went on
with his work. Gov. Flower, when he
| had alighted from the chair, described
| to Shoemaker and, other prison at
/ taches the unpleasant sensation the
barber gave him. when 1 saw that
razor" said Gov. Flower, II didn't
dare to say NO"
Helms says the strangest aggrega-
ton he ever saw visit Sing Sing was
tine Imperial High Chinese Commits
sion. This was on February 10, 1906
Some one had told them the old legend
about Sing Sing being Chinese name
Fang Quang, the secretary, asked
that they be shown the execution
chamber. They all sat in the electric
chair" said Helms. "just for the nov
city of it,"
1t was Helms who on May s, 1898
slit the trousers worn by Carlyle
Harris, famous murderer of Helen
Potts, so the electrodes could be ap-
piled to his legs when placed in the
chair TO be executed. Mrs. Harris
from a hill overlooking the prison
kept her eyes riveted on the fiagpole
on the roof Of the wardens office
Finally a black flag hauled slowly W
the halyards tapped In the breeze
This was the signal to the curious
mob gathered outside that the deadly
electric continuance had done its work
and that Harris was dead.
II was the painful task OF Shoe
maker to escort the distracted mother
of Harris into the prison mortuary tc
see the body Of her dead son.
They've murdered you, Carlyle!'
she shrieked they've murdered you'll
The body was in the casket. On tho
lid Mrs. Harris had caused to b,
The sun., 1919-09-14

IN HE high cost ~ living has not
been such a serious problem
Il as it might have been to the
policemen attached to the West l71th
street station. When the Police De-
partment took possession OF the build
ing, which formerly was occupied as
an inn, one of the men conceived the
idea of utilizing some of the ground as
garden.
The building is located on the old
Altman estate. The grounds extend
from Haven 10 Northern avenue. and
from nth to 176th street. Police
man William II. Hammer. who has
been on the force for upward of
twenty EIGHT years, is the official gar
dener. He began FIVE years ago on a
small scale, but now he raises enough
vegetables to supply the needs of his
own family and most of the men at
tached to tho station. The crop this
year includes green corn, peas, seal
lions, Swiss chard, radishes, green
peppers, carrots, lima beans, tomatoes,
beets, lettuce, string beans, parsnips,
cabbage, celery and turnips.
Policeman Hammer says that gar
dening is his hobby and that in this
case he has a chance to exercise it..
He works for the city, and at the
same time he can give his attention
to his pet hobby, He keeps the garden
clear of weeds by deNUting IL couple
OF hours mornings when he is not on
active duty. In addition to the gar
den he has cultivated a large bed of
flowers, which is enc of the show sights
of that part OF town. The principal
flowers are asters, of which there is
a large variety of sizes and colors.
When friends of the men visit the
station Policeman Hammer takes
great delight In presenting to them a
large bouquet to take home. The
flower beds are on the western part of
the grounds, and they are unprotected
by any enclosure, which often leads
passers-by to think they have the
privilege to help themselves, but the
eagle eye of the lieutenant on desk
duty soon puts a stop to this, as he
commands a clear view OF the flower
beds from the windows near his desk.
Cost Him 81.
One day last week man came
along and he so admired the flowers
that he thought 1t would be quite the
proper thing to take home an armful
10 his family. Lieut.. Sauter saw him
and told him to stop, with IA warning
that he was trespassing on city prop
| erty.
What are you trying to hand me?'
said the citizen. "Thls IL public prop
erty, and / guess l can help myself to
| these flowers II like"
my friend, don't you know this is
police station and that these grounds
are rented by the city," replied the
minion OF the law,
That's the best I've heard in a long
The sun., 1919-09-14

rank of Major. He served with tho
Twelfth for eighteen years.
When the Spanish-American war
broke out he was acting as secretary
to the late Archbishop Corrigan. He
volunteered for service and was mp
pointed to the hospital ship Solace. In
this capacity he ministered to the SOL
diers in Cuba and Porto Rico to the
end of the war.
With the approval Of Gov. Whitman
Adjt.-Gen. Sheriff. in December, 1917.
appointed Mgr. Connolly chaplain on
his STAFF, making him the senior chap
lain of New York State. lie is also
secretary of the State chaplains Ass
ISOLATION.
The sun., 1919-09-14

which he had fallen heir. 1.-THE
guards" explained Shoemaker, took
him to tho boat to see him off for the
other side"
Helms was on duty the night
Charles ]. Williamson set fire to Sing
Sing bakeshop and got away in the
confusion while it was burning down.
This happened Juno %. 1877. He was
the $500 900 forger of the Robert Glea-
son gang, who cheated the Bank of
England and other institutions by
making spurious securities"
Fifteen years interviewed before the
elusive penman was recaptured, State
Detective James jackson found WILL
The sun., 1919-09-14
By EDWARD T. KAvANAUGH.

T. EVERYBODY who is anybody in
r. New York crime or crookdom
L. has seen or heard of Philip
Shoemaker or Orson e. Helms OF
Sing Sing prisons official stan.
The two veteran attendants, who for
three and four decades respectively
looked after many famous criminals,
just have been retired by the State
on pensions.
Both tell fascinating stories Of per-
sonal experiences with bank embez-
zlers. swindlers, counterfeiters, forgers
and other idle rich." Each played a
prominent part In preparing notorious
murderers to die in the electric chair.
They also figured In the pursuit of
fleeing convicts who broke out OF
prison by ingenious or daredevil es-
capes.
Shoemaker's dealings with the Grim
inal class date back nearly twenty
eight years. He Joined the prison SER
vice September Is, 1891, under former
Warden Brown. Helms'e reminis-
cences go back much further. Over
forty-two years have elapsed since
former Warden Clark appointed him
on June s, 1S77.
Gifted with retentive memories, the
two veteran prison attaches can tell
you who's who among criminals Each
affable in manner. they easily cult
waited the acquaintance of their
charges. Always an exquisite dresser,
Helms has for years been known as
the Beau Brummell of Sing Sing.
Shoemaker and Helms each had as
signments of duty that gave them ex-
ceptional opportunities to mingle with
the more renowned prisoners. For
over nine years Shoemaker was ser
geant of the guard. AS such he
toured all parts Of the prison. He also
supervised visits convicts had from
relatives or cronies in the visiting
room
A MaIingering ROthscbild.
Helms for fifteen years was detailed
to the hospital. AS prosperous male
factors often got into that department
where prisoners are all fed better and
nobody has to work, he met most OF the
prison elite there. Helms describes
watching David Rothschild, president
of the Federal Bank when he stols
s275, 900, in the hospital until Super
intendent of Prisons c. v. Collin:
charged that he was only feigning i'll
ness and put him to work.
Shoemaker tells Of seeing Edwin o
Quigley, Wall Street banker and
broker, who stole $500, 900 by forgeries
turning out the prison newspaper
Star of Hope, in the print shop.
Often performing relief duty in thu
lighthouse or hospital, the veterans
guarded many murderers. Helms re
calls how he saw three surgeons by {
ruse trap William Ennis, the Brook
Ign policeman who murdered his wife
Mary, in Canarsie, when Ennis
slammed paralysis to try to cheat the
electric chair. Dr. George Smith, nov
of Central Islip hospital. and two othel
doctors commissioned by the Governor
The sun., 1919-09-14

placed a plate on which was engraved:
Carlyle Harris Murdered by the
State Of New York" Warden Durston
would not permit the removal Of the
body until the Objectionable plate was
ripped of.
Shoemaker for a while rubbed elbows
with Ferdinand Ward. Before he
swindled his partner, Gen. Grant, and
thousands of other investors with the
brokerage firm of Ward & Grant,
young Ward was known as the ma
poleon of Finance" When the firm
failed for s14,o0o,oo0 and convulsed
Wall Street Ward was arrested and
sent to Sing Sing in 1885. Shoemaker
saw Ward running the prison print
shop until discharged in May, 1892.
George H. Per 10 another high
toned" criminal Shoemaker knew. He
looted the Sixth National Bank In
Manhattan. Shoemaker would watch
the erstwhile banker, clubman and
society leader play the organ in the
chapel. Pell gave up organ playing
and went home on a pardon Novem-
Der .. 1884,
Shoemaker remembers the marvel
lous organ John Howard, prisoner,
spent four years in constructing in
the chapel. 1t contained more reeds
than any ever built and was boosted
| to be one of the finest and most me-
lodious organs in the world.
In fact. there were only two organs
In existence supposed to excel 1.-THE
! one in the Cathedral in Rome and the
other in st. Petersburg. on the
strength Of his achievement. Gov.
Roosevelt pardoned Howard on June 9,
| 1899, and he went out of prison.
Private Car for Ex-Convict.
The organ proved to be q fizzle. II
played but few tunes, and these
Howard rendered himself. Before he
went out" said Shoemaker. "he
did something to it, and 1t was a
failure after that"
EX-President Henry .Jaehne of the
New York Board OF Aldermen was
another of Shoemaker's prison ac-
quaintances. He was one of the three
Infamous doodle Aldermen" who sold
the Broadway franchise for graft with
Jake" Sharp as accelerater. Jaehne
went home october 10. 1892, after six
years and five months imprisonment
Francis II. Weeks, who swindled
seventy estates out of 100000. was
! another celebrity. He was lawyer
The sun., 1919-09-14

early return. but from another source
Father Talbot recently learned that
there is no probability of Mgr. Con-
molly coming home for some time.
When he does return, however, the
clergy and parishioners of his church
will give him befitting welcome.
1t is a coincidence that while Mgr.
Connolly has been engaged in religious
work all his life he nevertheless has
seen more military service than proba-
bly, any other priest in the United
States. Years ago he was appointed
chaplain of the Twelfth Regiment,
National Guard, and served in that
capacity until the regiment was Fed
eralized. Then he was retired with the
The sun., 1919-09-14

With the engagement of Gilda Gray
of the Shubert Gaieties as entertainer
in chief at the Bal Tabarin in the
Winter Garden Theatre building, that
home of mirth and melody has taken a
stride far in advance of its rivals along
the Great White Way. The patronage
Mt this popular place continues at
capacity and tables are nightly at a
premium.
Tinkling music that just won't let
one be still, dance floor that knows
no peer and food of an unexcelled
variety are some of the attributes
which go to make the Bal Tabarin
one Of the most popular resorts of it's
kind In town.
The sun., 1919-09-14

The Greenwich Village Mil, one OF
the most interesting show places OF
New York's world famed artists
colony, opened its doors last night for
the 1919 season to an enthusiastic
crowd of "villaAers" and "uptowners"
who filled every table OF the spacious
dining room.
Even the regular. habitues of the
Mill were agreeably surprised at the
high quality and refreshing unusual
ness of the entertainment which
marked tho opening night The most
The sun., 1919-09-14
SING SINGS NORTH WALL and
WATCH TOWER WHERE HELMS
PERFORMED LAST GUARD DuIX

Helms sometimes noticed Frank ELI
son, the clubman. who assaulted Hen
riques, the New York broker, at his
prison task in the clothing shop.
w. F. Miller, known as $50 Per
Cent" Miller, was an international
swindler who separated people look
ing for fabulous interest on loans
from 100000. He was convicted In
Brooklyn, after being brought back
from Canada
MILLER was a patient in the hospital
under me for long time" Helms ex-
planned. So also was AL Adams, the
famous policy king" who fieeced
thousands. Adams lounged about the
hospital for several months. The in
fiuence he exerted over prison officials
resulted in a scandal that led ITO a
change in prison physicians.
Both prison officers came in contact
with many murderers. They saw Dr.
Robert Buchanan, who killed his wife; :,
Patrick, who had Rice murdered to
try to get his fortune; Martin Thorne,
who cut up the body of William Gull
densuppe for Mrs. Mack and Aaron
Halla, who killed Mamie Brannigan In
Third avenue department store.
Shoemaker witnessed Halla's execu-
ton in 1902. Just as the prisoner was
being led into the execution chamber
a doctor tainted and keeled over of
the witnesses bench on to the floor.
warden Johnson Just lifted him up
said Shoemaker, carried him to the
door and threw him out. Then he
| A.
guards at times kept vigil over Ro-
land Molineaux and DR.. S. f. Ken
nedy, suspected Of the murder OF
Dolly Reynolds. Both got new trials
and were eventually discharged.
Many Have Tried Escape.
| Some famous escapes have occurred
in Sing Sing with which Shoemaker
and Helms are thoroughly familiar
When Shoemaker reached the prison
on the morning of August 22, 1892, hi
saw a body wedged between two bar:
of an upper window at the south enc
of the stone cell block. During thu
night Charles Vincent. convict, hat
broken out OF his cell. In revolver
battle with the keepers he was sho
and killed while trying to squeez'
through the small window. James
WEIGH, an accomplicc, managed to ge
outside, but was shot, wounded AM
recaptured before he had got far
Thomas Pallister and Frank Roehl
two murderers, escaped from tn
death house in raging rain storm
the night Of April 20, 1893. 1t wa
sunnosed that they had made a Cleal
getaway until several days afterwar'
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1919-12-23
HIGHWAY WORK SOUTH
Of ROSEBURC RUSHED

Grants Pass, Or, Dec. 22.-Work
has proceeded steadily in rocking the
Pacific highway near Wolf creek,
where the hill from theatop of Stage
Coach pass to the $. p. tracks at Wolf
creek station is well towards compile
tion.
This insures good road from the
top OF the hill at Glendale to Granta
Pass for early spring traffic with the
exception of the new grade over
Smith hill, where the contractor is
keeping two shifts going on the steam
shovel grading the new roadway. Be-
tween the Josephine county line and
the town of Rogue River, where Con-
tractors Schell 4 Carlvert are working
several trucks carrying rock for SUR
facing, the road Is now pretty we'll
covered, insuring fair travelling dur
ing the winter. The detour is being
used between the town Of Rogue River
and the new bridge at Rock Point,
although the highway rocking is near
ly completed on this stretch.
The new bridge at Pock Point Is
practically complete, excepting the
fills for approaches and Is a beauti-
ful structure.
Contractor Albert Anderson is pro-
etessing rapidly on the overhead
bridge across the S. P tracks near
Toio and this slight break In the paw
ing will be completed In early spring,
making a solid stretch OF paving from
Ashland TO Gold Hill,
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1919-12-23
!" Wasp Waists, !"
Bullying Hips
Go Into Discard

Chicago, Dec. 22.-The present day
sensible and smartly supple corset
will remain true to form, Miss Vardna
M. Losey, an executive of the Kabo
Corset company revealed today 1t is
the only article of women's wearing
apparel which shows no sign of
changing styles-Miss Losey said.
The wasp waist" and the "bulging
hips will never return, according to
Miss Losey, although there have
been murmurings for the outre and
less accredited corset designers of a
return to the form Of the past.
'But these can accomplish no
more than could one with his bare
fists hope to batter down the solid
wall of the Singer building Miss Lo-
lsey continued. III
"The sane and substantial rank and
file Of American womanhood votes
lemphatically against return to- the
days of torture when corset was a
cruel wise which distorted the female
| form divine-instead Of the gentle
and comfortable mold and support
which it is today"
| Women will continue to enjoy tae
luxury and the grace" Of a comfort
|able, natural waist; trim, snug hips
and very low bust lines on corsets,
Miss Losey stated. Az
women everywhere show decid-
ed preference for the low bust corset,
with which they use snug, close fit
| ting brassieres and bandeaux to give
neat lines about the waist" she said.
| Busts, If anything, will be even
lower this season, Miss Losey an
nounced (Of course, they will be re-
inforced by brassieres or bandeaux.)
Skirts Of corsets will be trifle
longer" she added, $50 as to carry
out more than ever the straight,
slender hip lines.
The new gowns will show consid-
cradle fullness of drapery over the
hips-but it Is plain to the most cas-
ual observer that this fullness is mere
!ly 'camouflage' and underneath the
bouffant drapery is trim, straight
snugly confined hip line"