davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1920-11-14

snan Pasquale was clever enough to Keep
up an almost daily communication with
the Coughiins By mail, by newspaper ad-
vertisements, and even over fhe telephone.
When Mr.. Coughlin insisted upon proof
that his mysterious negotiator was real1y
the person who kidnapped the child, Pas
quale replied that 1t was too dangerous to
have the baby's photograph taken and that
all the clothing that the child wore on the
night of the kidnappers had been destroyed.
But as proof Of the senuineness Of his
claims the man wrote o remarkable letter,
giving an intimate description Of baby
Biakely's room. Re told how and where
he had obtained the ladder, and as . cir.
cumstantial detail mentioned that one end
Of the Nadder he had rested against q little
flower pot on the lawn to keep II from
slipping. He reminded Mr.. Coughlin that
the water container for heating the baby's
milk was only half full on the night Of
June 1.
Very few kidnappers have been sfrewd
enough TO carry on negotiations and secure
their ransom money without being
trapped. Pasquale did this successfully,
and perhaps stfli has the child somewhere
In hiding.
His greed. which prompted him TO get
stiIl more money from Mr. CoughIin, landed
him in the hands OF the police. On his sec
ond attempt last August, when ne demand
ed 5000 more, they caught him.
AT once Pasquale began 90 act Hike an
irresponsible man. He told all sorts Of i'm.
90, ieao rss,ru.s,.us, v,ssur, swv,c,. rp<
The Washington times., 1920-11-14

the mans purpose that night
II pasquale told the truth In his first
statement, when he said he came to rob
the house without any intention Of kidnsp-
ing the child--then the police reconstruct
the picture OF what happened, and are
convinced that little Blakety Coushlin was
dead before he left his room. The police
are inclined 10 believe that Pasquale came
as q burglar and did not know there was
The Washington times., 1920-11-14
.oENTLEMEN:

08NTL6MENs
Around the last part of April, Isao. had room
IN the back part of the house the FIRST floor at No.
sos North Ninth street. Philadelphia, for three
weeks During that time learned that the landlady
was carrying big roll of money with her oil the
time. So before moved from that house I had
pass key to open her room door, Then went to
room at No. 3a3 North Seventh street.
Then about week later came back to No. BOB
North Ninth street and went and hid myself in q
clothes closet in the landlady's room. That wss
about o'clock in the evening, and at the andlady
went to bed
Between 1o:3o and II o'clock came out OF the
closet but in coming made little noise because
I had to force the door open and that woke the
woman.
y She sat up in bed and was just going 70 call for
help when hit her with piece of lead that was in
the closet Then took her roll that was on top OF
4 dresser and went out. didn't mean to kill her. but
I did it just the same.
One night in the last part Of May 1oao, came
20 Norristown from Philadelphia with the intention
Of rading the telephone pay station on both the ra
road and the elevated station over in Bridgeport
Pa. missed the last car going back, so made up
nv mind 70 walk as far as the city line, because
didn't. want to stop in Norristown over night
Az I got q little way outside of Norristown
heard baby crying and saw light in house on my
left. 80 went to look around the house and found
the stepladder. Putting one on top of the other
could see a woman with baby on her lap, sitting
down in the baby's room. Then saw a man come
into where the woman and the baby
were from another room. Then they
[ put the baby to bed and turning the
The Washington times., 1920-11-14

tisated this boasted murder and know that
he is lying about it-the old woman was
not killed IN the way he says and Pasquale
did not kili her.
Why did Pasquaie confess to this rnur-
der which he did not commit
II was for the purpose OF having the
police look up his statements about the
old woman and prove they were not true,
they think. Nobody boasts Of q murder he
was innocent OF except crazy man. II
Pasduale claims TO be the hero Of one cold
blooded crime which It IL certain he did
not commit, then, perhaps, he fs lying
about the Coughlin Kidnapping and murder,
II win be argued. Such confessions would
confuse fury and lay foundation for
Pasquale's lawyers to insist that any man
who would boast Of murders he did not do
must be insane
DID Pasqyaie from the very beginning
start in 10 pShy the part OF an irresponsible
lunatic? In his letters to the distracted
parents the man always signed himself
The Crank" But his negotiations were
carried out with great shrewdness. So
resourcefu1 and adroit were his dealings
with Mr.. Coughlin that he wheedled out
OF him $4,000 ransom and got the money
without being caught, nor did he return
the child.
While the State and the local police, teie-
phone operators, post office employees and
the whole neighborhood were alert, this
The Washington times., 1920-11-14

creeping up on q STEP
ladder peered into the
lighte e d room and
watched a wo m q n
putting her baby to
sleep. At that time
the idea Of kidnap-
ping had aever
entered his head, he
asserts. But think
ing 1t over he was i'm
pressed with the fact
that It would be an
easy way to make
money by stealing the
child and holding 1t
for ransom.
Which 10 the true
story?
The police regard It
as of very great i'm
portance to m axe
certaiu inst what was
The Washington times., 1920-11-14
AUGUST PAsQUALE.

a child in the room, and when his prowl-
ings awoke the little one and II uttered o
cry he seized II and strangled 1t and hur-
ried away withsthe dead body In his arms.
m CPasouale came to the house with q
Kidnapping scheme planned out II Ia highly
unlikely, the police insist, that he would
have accidentally suffocated the child BY
wrapping u or hugging It too tightly.
The Washington times., 1920-11-14

(Continued on Merit Poosl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06

pablo leadership. That would be sup piled by German officers.
 If Russia's armies during the Russo Japanese war had been in charge of competent leaders, there might have been different story to tell. The efficiency of Russian troops was shown in the recent war when they were led by such officers as Grand Duke Nicholas.
 It seems inevitable that Great Britain will be drawn into the pres ent conflict in defense of Poland. If Germany had no hand in the devel- opments which have brought about another crisis in Europe, events could not have shaped themselves more to her advantage. There is good reason to believe that she has played the bol- sheviki against her former enemies.
 The means with which Germany may seek revenge are already within reach.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
WILLIAM MARION REEDY

George M Bailey, in the Houston Post. William Marion Reedy of St. Louis,
 editor of Reedy's Mirror, and known Reedy died the other day in San
 Francisco. For more than thirty years Reedy was a dazzling light in Ameri- can journalism, a philosopher, critic.
 politician, litterateur, raconteur and democrat But it was the human note which his whole life melodized that
 made him beloved figure in the circle of wide acquaintance. He was known from ocean to ocean and from the lakes to the gulf, and the large host to whom his genius and his friendship p
 radiated embraced men in all the vo- wonderful .mind, his heart and soul were yet more wonderful, for it was the love he bore for others that evok ed | a swelling reciprocal tide of affection for him. Many of us who were in San
 Francisco recently counted as one of the opportunity it afforded of enjoying once more the spell of his inspiring personality, and 1t is difficult to real 1 ize that the meeting there was one of ! hail and farewell, The immortal realm
 must have been garbed in the habila-
 ments of glory and vibrant with the I melody of many harps to greet his knightly soul as it passed the portals
 of the peace that endureth and the | love that never dies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
HOLLY OF A DIVIDED FLEET

and ideas independently of each other,
 according to the admiral in command.
 bined exercises, they do not readily
 anal lgamate, for their training has diff
 fered. You could not throw the Prince
 ton and Yale football teams together
 overnight and expect them to play an
 efficient championship game with liar
 great fleet can be obtained only as a re- suit of long practice. Neithar half of
 divided fleet is as big as the combined fleet would be in war. Therefore, dur
 ing peace the copnmander-in-chief is not
 obtaining the training he should have
 in handling and maneuvering the large
 number of vessels that would be under him in war time. An occasional assem- bling of the two fleets under one com mand would never provide the reauisite training It should be continuous throughout the command of the com mander-in-chief..
 The teaching of hisotry, the warning of our greatest naval strategist and the present crying need for economy unite in demanding that our fleet, no matter where it may be based, shall be reunited into one powerful unit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
Arkansas Farmers Go
 to Fount of Knowledge

l ZINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY " Arkansas farmers, county dem onstration agents and bankers passed through Birmingham Sunday en route to sections in Georgia and the Caro- linas, where best results have been obtained in the reclamation of worn- out lands through the intelligent ap- plication of fertilizer
 They travelled under the auspices of the Profitable Farming League of their state, which, in turn, has the indorsement of chambers of commerce and other business associations
 It is difficult to imagine more practical form of getting what enc wants than that adopted by these American farmers. The Carolina and Georgia farmers in the districts which they are visiting had proved what could be accomplished by fertilizers. The Arkansans were not too proud to go and ask these successful farm CTS how it was done. They were ready and willing to be pupils in an art in which they knew they could benefit by more accurate knowledge.
 The first step in progress is the desire to go ahead. The greatest ob- stacle to progress is obstinate stand- ing by old and inferior methods mere ly because one is accustomed to them. The Arkansans are wide awake.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
From The Scientific American.

From The Scientific American.
 NN WHATEVER political expediency WNW there may have been in divld- V V ing our fleet between the At lantic and the Pacific from the stand point of military efficiency, national de- fense and economy, it was one Of the most faulty moves ever made in the ad- ninistration of the United States navy. A strong statement-but having behind if the navy's greatest strategical author ity. for in 1912 Admiral Mahan said: TO divide the battle fleet would be the most entirely suicidal act that could be contemplated"
 The results of dividing the fleet are bad at best and positively disastrous at the worst In the first place, divided fleet practically doubles the require ments for flagships, supply vessels, tugs, targets. flag officers and staffs shore bases-in fact, for everything, which In business would be known as overhead
 expense. By combining the two fleets and reducing the ships and staffs now duplicated, we should save several hun-
 dred officers, several thousand men, TO-
 duce government expenditures by several
 million dollars and greatly increase the
 efficiency of the navy.
 Again divided fleets develop doctrines
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
PLIGHT OF THE NOVELISTS

Moves recently noted, the part of the
 human family that is most keenly con
 scious of it's own intellectuality-so
 much so as to dub itself intelligentsia
 has grown increasingly bolshevist, f
 the word may be used in this connec-
 tion. for a generation.
 Fantastic theory and half-bakei
 criticism of everything that is arc characteristic of the time. This spirit
 shows itself in art even more than in political theory. The young men who
 come crowding from our colleges have made a cult of iconoclasm. For cen turies literature was reproached for being a tory; now it is roaring rad ical. The half-trained intelligence
 flies to- criticism as naturally as a duck
 to water.
 Now, it happens that the men who chiefly have the initial say as to what shall be published are largely intelli- gentsia. As such they express their prejudces, as human beings are likely to. The war did not take a course agreeable to them. It's issues did not appeal to them. It flatly contradicted their assumptions, and they do not like to be reminded of their discom- future. They take it for granted that as they think and feel so do their fellow creatures. When the author of war book comes in, even though he brings in an interesting manuscript. he Is sneered at The public is n,s but this is not necessarily what Nit wants
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
Another Large Cement
 Industry for Birmingham

TIT was a practical move for the Le- 0 high Portland Cement Com pany to purchase an extensive acre age of land near Tarrant City as a site for a cement plant.
 Not only does the land contain im- mcnsc deposits of limestone and do- lomite, but the Louisville and Nash vile railroad Birmingham MineraD runs through the property. It has the raw materials and is well situated for shipment.
 s The Alabama By-product Com pany's plant, that of the Preston Motors Corporation, the very success ful works of the National Cast Iron Pipe Company and many smaller in dustries are grouped in this neighbor- hood, while two quarries of the Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Con- pany are close by.
 Birmingham is the leading cement distributing center in the south The Atlas Portland Cement Company ap- preciated this strategic position to the extent of taking over the plant of the Standard Portland Cement Company at Leeds. This is one Of the largest in the country with an annual capacity of million barrels. The Southern Cement Works, makers of furnace slag cement, is another big producer.
 Not only does this district itself consume an enormous amount of ce- ment of both kinds, but it is ideally situated as a point of distribution for the south, the southeast and for export.
 There is we'll defined report that another cement industry is headed this way. In time, if not soon, others are bound to follow the example of the Atlas and Lehigh.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
LUKE M,LUKE SAYS

It has just about gotten so that a woman doesn't care hang about the color of the goods as long as you can see through the skirt. If the puff curis over the ears get any bigger it won't make much differ ence if woman does wear her hat when she is in theatre. Politics or no politics, if woman has perfect figure and perfect com plexion she isn't going to lose much sleep over who is elected President. 1 Somehow or other, a fellows pretty sister isn't half as attractive as some other fellows homely sister. Why is it that girl who is too Delicate to walk four squares car | dance twenty-four miles without any | trouble?
 What has become of the girl whe had to use shoe horn to get into hel hobble
 1 ing a man from taking such big chev
 of scrap that his cheek bulges ou until it hanks on his shoulder. l Many a man who eats six meals |.
 day thinks it is up to him to go ou and preach against Intemperance be
 cause he doesn't drink booze. | Marriage is often a contract in whicl
 a man agrees to let some woman mak,
 things disagreeable for him tor an in definite period.
 1 And the H. c. of L. wasn't such { much in the old days when petticoat
 were made out of bed ticking. Some married women seem to i'm asine that if they did not talk all th' time their husbands would not knov that their wives had nothing to say.
 This is a mean old world. Tell you troubles to another man and he vii break in on you and tell you his-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
War Clouds Gathering
 Once More in Europe

11T9HE situation in Europe is graver ss4 today than it has been at any time since the armies of Germany were sweeping toward Paris. Bo!she- vik successes against Poland may lead to another world war, more san- guinary and destructive than the struggle which ended in 1918.
 It is mere speculation, to be sure, but the possibility of coalition be- tween Russia, Germany and Japan is fraught with peril to the nations who defeated militarism on the battle fields of France. It would be to Japan's interests to consider pro- posal from bolshevik Russia to join hands. While Japan was associated with the allied nations during the lastswar, she is the only great imper- ialistic government left on earth. The Japanese have been aptly called the "Germans of Asia," and 1t is probable that at heart they sympathized more with the aims of German militarists than with the allied cause.
 Unscathed by the war, Japan is more powerful and aggressive than ever before. She desires to become the mistress of Asia, and later, no doubt, of the world. Germany and Russia are on a footing which could easily lead to an offensive alliance Given control of Russia, with hel inexhaustible supply of men and hel vast natural resources, Germany would be able to start another world war, even if Japan held aloof.
 There is no better soldier than tho Russian. He is brave and docile and can endure great hardship. An he needs to make him invincible is ca-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
FIorida's Roads

T notice that Jefferson county is building some permanent roadways, said Will Perry of Tampa, Fla who recently spent several days visiting relatives and friends in this city. We have some splendid roads in our state but in the majority of instances we do not have concrete base but rolled sand base which has proven most sat isfactory. In my opinion, money in vested in permanent roads is money saved by the county and they will be here when the present generation has passed out. The splendid roads built by Napoleon in France were a great factor in winning the world war we have been told. On the other hand . county spends more money in keeping chert roads in repair than in building permanent highways"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
University of Cincinnati
 Introduces New Course

THE University of Cincinnati
 4 will train teachers of retail selling for high schools. What has been done to train salespeople for 1 the vocation they are to follow? Lit tie or nothing" is the answer. In circular touching this subject the university points out that eff cient service to the customer must be based on certain fundamental prin- ciples of merchandise knowledge, in- telligent interest in the needs and desires of the customer, and skill in salesmanship which helps to bring out the particular talking points to make the sale"
 Several years ago James Bowron, prominent industrial leader and elo- quent speaker, addressed the Sales ladies' Union of Birmingham. His remarks were full of practical sd- vice, and were felicitous from begin ming to end
 Among other things, Mir. Bowron told the young women that it was es- sentiai for them to become familiar with the goods they were to sell. If | they were nl charge of silk counter they must learn all about silks; where each kind of silk was made and how it was made.
 If they were selling faces they must know all about the history of laces, and so on. They must be full of such information as would interest the cus- toner.
 No university course could lead to better results than MT. Bowron's talk.
 In the Cincinnati institution the teachers will be chosen on the basis of education, experience and person ality or fitness for the work.
 The enrolment for this year will be limited to fifteen. The course will last from September Is to May 31, and students will devote the time of the course to store practice. They will study the problems which con- front the daily worker.
 In classes at the university the prospective teachers of selling will Istudy the economics of retailing, merchandise, textiles and n-textiles, textile chemistry, retail salesmanship, which is really psychological study of the customer" store organization and system. The latter part of the course will consist of observation, lpractice teaching, and planning a course of study for high school teach
 ing.
 This new movement in the vocation
 al system of Cincinnati can but prove exceptionally beneficial
 | x * F
 l Duse is said to be pauper. Being la great believer in art for arts sake xte probably couldn't see the movies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06

CoK says he will make his acceptance speech simple enough for child to understand. In that case the "inteili- gent voter may be able to under stand 1t after a second perusal. F Y x The ''bitter enders" are largely to blame for the present chaos in Europe, which promises to bring on another orld var. Anericas moral support might cheer up the Poles. but on the other hand 1 1t wouldn't depress the bolsheviki enough to notice
 Such is life" said Charley Chaplin when informed that his-- wife had brought suit for divorce. Such is life in Movie Land The advance in Pullman rates will not bother the horny-handed son of toll who travels with a diamond on his finger. We may rest assured that no matter which candidate is elected President he will be able to do his own "creel- ing"
 The hiCh crSt of Iiyipcr is Se,dOno dis cussed on golf links, but about 90 per cent of our population don't know one golf club from another. When Brother Burleson retires to private life a two-cent stamp will cease to be symbol of what the re- pu ublican press calls 'Burlesonism." F # It begins to look as if Lloyd Georges vacation had been indefinitely post poned-
 The prohibition candidate for the presidency will never ride down Penn sylvania avenue on camel. The Filipinos are asking for inde- pendence at a time when little states need a powerful protector.
 # # x
 Not being protected by a patent, Ponzi naturally does not want to give away his secret
 ;s x x
 The dearth of front-page news from Mexico betokens a beatific calm on the part of Villa. The old fashioned drug store was 8 gloomy place. The modern drug store IS center of social activity. < # *
 Nothing epochal in yachting circles will occur until Shamrock V appears on the scene. Mrs. Chaplin says Charley is cratic. That's the impression we got from watching his feet. < # x Warsaw has fallen so many times it has acquired certain proficiency. F x F
 The war cloud in Europe is already considerably larger than a mans hand. x # F Driving taxicab in Marion is an- other expeditions way to get rich.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
IMMUNITY

IMMUNITY.
 But you told me you were never both red by mosquitoes out here?"
 q aint-" said the farmer. who was literally and aguratively taking in few boarders whenever mosquito comes buzzin' around an gets whiff of his old pipe of mine. he drops dead.
 MAKE ROOM FOR ANOTHER What does this .ellow do for 7TIns?r Hes a foot prohteer."
 Sells shoes?"
 NO, he charges s1o to give one~dancing lesson"
 PRACTICE AND PREACHING. T overheard an old dame the other day giving rich family Hail Columbia for spending $5o,ooo on their home instead of donating it to the poor"
 "Td hate to be the beggar who asked her for nickel"
 "Nhy so?"
 'The chances would be about 100 to l that he wouldn't get it" NOT QUALIFIED. "A reporter wishes to see you. sir" aWhat does he want." asked MT. Grab4 coin, testify. b 'cHe says he wants to get your views on the European situation" .sreIl him I'm. not competent to discuss that question. don't even know what's become of that poet, musician or some thing or other, who captured Ffume" PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-06
WANTED

By ]. c. Holland God give us men; time like this de- mands
 Strong minds, great hearts. true faith
 and ready hands. Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office can
 not buy, Men who possess opinions and a will: Men who have honor-men who will not lie;
 Men who can stand before demagog, And damn his treacherous flattaries witho6t winking, Ta1 men. sun crowned. who live above the fog In public duty, and in private think For while the rabble. with their thumb worn creeds. Their large professions and their little deeds, Mingle in selfish strife. To. Freedom Wrong rules the land. and waiting Jus
 tice sleeps.