davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-12-07
HAS REMARKABLE
CRIMINAL RECORD
WOMAN FIREBUG CONFESSEs
STARTING MANY COSTLY
CONFEDERATION
Her Biggest Montana Fire Was that
Which Destroyed $500, 900 Lumber
Plant in Eureka Last Spring; Is
Sent to the Penitentiary.

lost remarkable is the Grim
l.MI inal record of Mrs. May
~ Sheriff., alias May Steven
son, confessed firebug who was
Esentenced to serve from 10 to 20
years in the state penitentiary for
burning the home of Louis F.
Garnsey at Whitefish. Mrs. Sher-
rill, it appears, has from childhood
been afflicted with pyromania, and
wherever she went left long list
of mysterious conflagrations in her
wake.
Through the efforts of w. G.
Brooks, state fire marshal, and ].
B. Hall, special agent of the Ma
tional Board of Fire Underwriters
of San Francisco, Mrs. Sheriff.
confessed many of her crimes, and
is strongly suspected of having
committed others she will not adj
NIT, including the burning of the
Brooks-Scanlon Lumber company
plant at Eureka last spring, which
entailed loss of 100000. 1t has
been brought out that at the time
of the Eureka blaze she was en-
ployed at one of the lumber COM
pany's camps and was within half
block of the mill when the fire
broke out.
She Began Early
Mrs. Sheriff. was born in Chica-
go, her maiden name being Cow
den. After her mothers death,
she was adopted by a family by the
name of Miller in Oklahoma. There
she set fire to the Miller home, and
finally went back to her father in
Chicago, where she was response
BILE for another fire. She was next
heard of in Missoula, where she
married a railroad man by the
name of Hough, who divorced her
upon conviction of a larceny !
charge in Seattle. She was parol-
ed from the Washington peniten-
tiary, and became a trained nurse,
drifting to Dayton and then to
Pomeroy, Wash. There she mar
ried Sheriff.. At Pomeroy she
was convicted on a charge of arson
and sentenced to 10 years, Sheriff.
1ivorcing her. She was soon after
oaroled, but broke parole. How
ever, she was again paroled in jan
larry, 1922, ordered from the state,
and her fare paid to Missoula.
She then went to work for a
named Hays near St.
-gnatius, and admits firing his
on which there was no
insurance. Her next move was to
Corvallis, where she set three fires II
hen to Hamilton, where mystic II
.ious fire occurred, but she denies II
for this. She went
O the Westmont Orchards at Ha-
milton, owned by the Montana Life
insurance company, where she
burned two barns and silo; there
o Wisdom, where a barn went up
n smoke. Then occurs an inter
ral in which there is no record of
Ter activities, and the next heard
# here was when she appeared at
ennings in May last, and admits
a barn for a lumberman
The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-12-07

DSllSfOiSAll, oOSidiJ community VI
educational purposes, institutions
association or societies, whether in
corporated or not, and whether
known as public or private institu-
tions or objects, as in the opinion of
the said trustees, at the time of max
ing distribution, will render the
said income most widely and sub
stantially beneficial to the interests
of mankind, either by promoting,
encouraging, or aiding the chart
table, benevolent, social community
and educational efforts of organic
ations, or by giving personal aid,
assistance, comfort or relief to indi-
viduals, giving to my said trustees
the fullest discretion, not incon-
sistent with the laws of the State,
to use the said income in dispens-
ing charity in its broadest and most
humane sense, to such objects as
the said trustees may deem fit, hav-
ing myself the fullest confidence
in the wisdom, charitableness and
fidelity of the said trustees and re-
questing that they shall not in any
manner be held accountable or liza
BILE for their actions in selecting
the beneficiaries of the fund hereby
created.
eff the trustees shall find it adj
visable at any time, in order to
meet the needs then existing, to
distribute in any one year more
than the income from the principal
for that year, they are hereby given
full authority to distribute of the
principal in that year an amount
not in excess of per cent. of the
total fund delivered to them by my
"At the end of the Is year period
from and after my death, unless
the trust be sooner executed, | di-
rect the trustees to distribute the
principal of the said fund remain
ing in their hands to such charita-
bic objects and purposes, or de-
serving individuals, as they may Sc
lect, giving and granting to the
said trustees full power of appoint
ment to make such distribution and
as my agents and trustees,
with the same force and effect as
if the beneficiary so selected by
them had been specifically desig-
mated herein"
Provision was also made for Gre
ating corporation to execute the
trust, if the laws of Montana, were
so as to permit it, which |
law was enacted in the 1928 session.
Largest Charitable Request.
The amount of property which
would have passed to the John
Bielenberg Foundation was the
largest amount ever given to char
ity by will or otherwise in Mon
tana, it being over 100000, and
the terms of the foundation were
the most liberal ever granted, in
that it granted full power to the
trustees to select the beneficiaries
of the income which was to be
spent annually, from time to time,
and distribute it in disbursing char
ity Sin its broadcast and most hui
name sense" so that the income
might be "most widely and sub
stantially beneficial to the interests
Of mankind"
An appeal to the supreme court
will be taken. If the estate is dis
-ributed without will it will go to
Charles and N. ]. Bielenberg, and
he representatives of Henry Kohrs
deceased, and Conrad Kohrs de-
one-fourth to each of the
brothers and one-fourth to the rep
of each of the half |
brothers.
The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-12-07

Miles City.-Corn grown by John
Wareheim of Cascade is to be exhib-
tied at the national corn show to be
held soon in Chicago.
The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-12-07
BIELENBERC WILL
CASE is DECIDED
JURY FINDS JOHN BIELENBERG
WAS OF UNSOUND MIND
AND BREAKS WILL
Brothers Succeed in Having Docu.
ment Disposing of Million Dollar
Estate Set Aside; Will Go to SUI
preme Court.

THE jury, in the contest of thu
will of the late John Bielen
- berg, which has been on tria
before Judge Winston and a jury il
the district court at Deer Lodge fol
the last four weeks, returned its
findings to the effect that the de
ceased was of unsound mind at the
time of making the alleged will, but
was not acting under undue influ-
ence as charged.
This contest was brought by the
brothers of the deceased, Charles P.
H. Bielenberg and Nicholas J. Bel
enberg to each of whom the tesla
tor had left life estate in the in
come of a trust fund of 100000
each. The petition for the contest
alleged that the deceased was of
unsound mind at the time of the ex-
ecution of the will and also that he
was acting under the undue influ-
ence of Samuel McKennan of Hell
ena, who was named as the execu-
tor of the will, and other officers
of the Union Bank and Trust COM
pany, which was named as the trus-
tee of the personal trusts created,
and of Mrs. Augusta Kohrs of
Deer Lodge, who together with Mr..
McKennan and Mrs. J. M. Board
man We're named as the trustees
of the trust company to be created,
designated as the John Bielenberg
Foundation.
Left Two Brothers.
Mr.. Bielenberg left surviving
him two brothers, Charles and N.
]. Bielenberg, to whose children
specific requests were left in addi-
ton to the principal of the $780,
600 trust funds, held in trust dur
ing the lives of their respective par
ents, and deceased half brother,
Henry Kohrs, late of Davenport,
Iowa, and Conrad Kohrs, deceased,
late of Helena and Deer Lodge to
whose descendants substantial
sums were bequeathed direct. In
addition to these a legacy of $780,
600 was left to Mrs. Augusta Kohrs
wife of Conrad Kohrs deceased,
with whom Mr.. Bielenberg had re-
sided for many years, and legacies
of $1,000 each to the Kohrs Mem
orial library, Deer Lodge; Presby-
terian church, Episcopal church,
Christian church and Methodist
church, Deer Lodge; the Y. w. c..
A. the Y. M. c. A., St. Peters hos
pital and the Montana Children's
Home Finding society, all of Hell
ena. These legacies aggregated
more than 100000. The remain
der of his estate was left to trustees
to be held by them in trust for the
John Bielenberg Foundation and to
pay over the income under the fol-
lowing instructions and for the fol-
lowing purposes:
Purposes Named.
ITO distribute and pay over the
entire net income therefrom in ex-
tending aid, assistance and relief,
in such amounts, at such times, and
to such needy and deserving person
or persons, or to such charitable,
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
New Ship Rooster.

Part of the electrical cooking appa-
ratus in new British ship consists Of
cylindrical rooster, in which joints
and fowls may be hung, and subjected
to grilling heat applied to the meat
from all sides at once.
This is step forward of any pre-
viously devised roasting apparatus, al
though 1t borrows its principle from the
olden days when a piece of meat was
hung on a spit and turned slowly
around before live Goals Never has
there been devised a process of cook
ing meat which resulted in such deli
ciousness of flavor as this form of
roasting; but it was messy, smoky and
very troublesome.
The Goals had TO be Just right; there
must be no wood or coal under com
bustion on the fire to faint the meat
with smoke; there must be sufficient
of the Goals to maintain heat during
the time required for cooking the meat.
This was a complicated process, in
volving considerable skill and close at
tention.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

MIR. and Mrs. Austin Bridges are
spending this week with Mrs. Bridges
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. A. II. Hutchins.
Mrs. Albert English and son, of Fox
boro, Mass, are here with her parents,
Mr.. and Mrs Willard Bowdens
Bryant Perkins has gone to Bangor,
where he will be employed during the
summer.
Miss Rita Leach has returned from
Seal Harbor, where she spent two
week. She left Tuesday for Bangor,
where She has employment.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred c. Speth and son
Ernest, of West RoXbury, Mass, and
Leo NJ. Sellers of Cambridge, Mass,
have returned to their homes, after a
week here, guests of DR.. and Mrs. NJ.
a. Wardwell,
The many friends of Mrs. A. w.
Bridges regret to learn of her illness.
" Leonard and Dudley Snowman of
Southlngton. Conn, are spending their
vacation here with their grandmother,
Mrs. Phoebe Snowman.
Mrs. Alice Corson and two daugh-
tiers, of Portland, We're in town last
week, guests of Mrs. Bernice Snow, in
the home Of Mr.. and Mrs. S. G. Var
num-
The many friends of Mrs Alfred
Perkins will be Interested to learn
that she underwent successful
operation for appendicitis Sunday
morning at the home of her niece. Mrs.
! r. II, Perkins. Mrs. Perkins has been
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

August l is the date set 70 the
annual summer, sale of the ladies' aid
society of the Congregational church,
on the parsonage grounds.
Chester Clement has started the
foundation of his new cottage on For
est road, near the residence of Capt
Roland Lunt
Mr. and Mrs Fred Robbins of Heron
Neck light station are spending their
vacation at their summer home here
The Country Club opened the sea-
sons social festivities with a tea at
the club house on July 4. The guests
enjoyed the pleasant affair, as we'll as
the, golf and baseball games.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Walls motored
to Rockland last week, and on their
return brought as guests Mr., and Mrs.
George Crockett and granddaughter
Ruth. of Thomaston.
Mrs. Mary e. Lurvey is at her home
here, which she only occupies during
the summer season. She was made
happy on her seventy Ell ghth birthday
by gathering of relationships. Ed
win Stanley of Northeast Harbor. Mr.
and Mrs. Arthur Dorfty and children,
with the elder Mrs. Dority of Sedg-
wick. Thus four generations honored
this genial well-beloved citizen of
Southwest Harbor. Mrs. Lurvey ap-
preciated the many gifts, as Wen as
the welcome guests.
mild sensation was created here
one day last week by the somewhat
thrilling account of a bold holdup in
broad daylight, Oscar Seavey with a
bakers truck, we'll loaded with tasty
products, was on his return from ELS
worth, when, on the road from Somes-
Vile, he noticed a man who made
some signal, which he supposed meant
a request for a ride. Mr.. Seavey
slowed up, but finding the man armed
with a club and revolver, he ran his
truck against him. knocking him with
some force into the gutter and then
speeded up. He was not out of range
when the highwayman fired three
shots in quick succession. one striking
the radiator and two the wheel but
the engine kept on working till he was
out of danger, when he plugged the
holes in the gear and reached town
safely.
Fred Walls has good crew dis
charging a barge load of coal 1000
tons, at the factory wharf
July l6. Spray"
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

Pearl Hanna and family visited his
parents at Southwest Harbor last
week.
Maurice Ball left Saturday for Bos-
ton, where he expects employment.
George Martin and wife of Calais
are visiting their daughter, Mrs. Lester
Hall.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Baker and father,
Charles Baker, of Rutherford n. j.,
and f. l.. Hodgkins, wife and daugh-
ter Lois, of Bangor, were recent
guests at H. NJ. Hodgkins', Mrs.
Baker will be remembered as Agnes
Hodgkins, and many old acquaintance
were glad to see her again.
one of the many parties at Stin-
sons lobster pound Friday night in
cluded Mr. and Mrs. Fred Baker and
Charles Baker of Rutherford, n. j., F.
l.. Hodgllins. wife and daughter Lois
of Bangor, Morton Whitcomb of ELS
worth, Mrs. Ella McCauley, Mrs.
blanche Richie, II. NJ. Hodgkins, wife
and son Dana, of Hancock. A sunset
supper of hot Holsters was enjoyed by
all.
George a. Phillips, d. d. S, of Ban
gor, has purchased the Hale property,
and will occupy it as summer home,
This was formerly DR.. Phillips grand
fathers home. Old friends are glad to
claim Dr. Phillips as a resident once
more.
July 16. NJ. r.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
TREES NOT DAMAGED BY WIRE
by Experiments Made by Unver-
silly Of Washington Expert.

In 1913 George b. Rigg of the Uni
versity of Washington heard ii stated
that shade trees were being killed by
driving one or two pieces of copper
wire into each. He recently proceeded
to put this to the test and announces
his result in Science. Six young trees,
he writes, from two to four inches in
diameter were selected. and on March
81, 1910, there were driven into each
tree five pieces Of thickscopper wire
1.5 inches long. The end Of each wire
was left flush with the outer surface
of bark. All wires were within six
feet of the base of the tree. The
trees comprised two hemlocks, two
nlderS, one cedar, one willow.
On July 3, 1929, the trees were ex-
amined and found to be perfectly
healthy. In all cases they had com
pletely healed over the wires and
their growth was equal to that Of
other similar trees in the immediate
vicinity. On cutting into the trees it
was found that there was very little
injury to the wood, merely brown
color showing for about 1.5 inches
above and below the wire, and about
OBS inch to each side
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
A Flying Bishop.

The bishop of Bangor, Wales, has
created Il record by flying to Cologne
to deliver sermon at the age OF
seventy eight years. He is the Righr
Rev Watkin Williams member of an
ancient Welsh family, the Williams OF
Rodelwyddan, descended from Sir VIII
liam Williams, speaker of the house
of commons.
He began his clerical career with
a curacy which few Engishmen would
care to pronounce, that of RhoS-llaner-
chrugog, and was for many years rec
tor of Rodelwyddan before becoming
archdeacon of st Asaph and then
dean. He became bishop of Bangor
nearly % years ago,
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

Urban Black. son of Floyd d. Black,
is very i'll.
Fred w circuit, who is employed at
Seal Harbor, spent Sunday at home.
Mrs. circuit returned with him
Mr. and Mrs. Guy Coates and daugh-
ter Ruth of Medford, Mass, are visit
ing relatives here.
Mrs Electa Roper is employed at
the Frosts, South BrooksVille.
Ira Closson, who has been at Seal
Harbor. is at home.
All are very busy/haying, and report
a good crop. Gardens are late.
Susan e, widow of Adams II. Ather-
ton, died Thursday. June 2S. The fol
seventy fifth birthday. She was born
at Ellsworth Falls, June 80, 1913, a
daughter of the late Dyer and Louise
(Archer) Smith. She bore her long
suffering with fortitude, and was
greatly beloved by all in the family
circle her chief thought being for the
happiness and comfort of her daughter
and family. Mrs. Anterior was true
gentlewoman, eXcelling in all the
housewifely arts and accomplishments
unselish, sacrificing and finding
her greatest satisfaction in the home.
In early life she was connected with
the Second Baptist church of Cam
bridge. She was formerly a charter
member of the Daughters of Maine
club of this city. She leaves one
daughter Mrs. G.. f. Wood; one grand
son, George Anterior Wood of this
city, and one brother Charles p. Smith
of Ellsworth Falls. The funeral was
held Saturday afternoon Rev. George
Baptist church, officiated. Relatives
acting as pall-bearers were G. F.
Wood, j. w. Walker, f. w. Smith and
G. F. Archer. Burial was in the fam
lily lot in Glenwood cemetery, Everett,
Mass.-Somerville (Mass) Journal
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
WHISTLE is BIRDS DEFENSE
Honing Pigeons Protected by This
Means From the Attacks Of
Their Natural Enemies

''The reliability Of the homlng pigeon
over radio. telephone, telegraph or any
other known means Of message trans
portation. for short distance has been
demonstrated" said Roy Delhauer.
United States pigeon expert, in a lee
ture to members Of the second bat
TALON, Fourth field artillery, regarding
the handling Of homing pigeons at Fort
Sam Houston, Texas, recently.
That organization, while on hike Of
500 miles. was supplied with birds, and
part Of the days program was to send
messages from the battalion head
quarters at San Antonio.
Mr. Delhauer has recently adopted
bamboo whistle that may be attached
to the pigeons tail as protection
against the attack of hawks while in
the air. The whistle Is very light and
makes shrill noise, thus frightening
off any bird of prey that wanders too
near the message bird.
In Panama 1t is said that such
whistle Is necessity on account OF
the prevalence of pigeon hawks 1t Is
an invention Of the Chinese. Mr.. Del
hauer said that In China 1t is not an
uncommon thing for the natives to re-
lease whole flocks of pigeons and other
birds, each with whistle tied to its
tail. AS the birds fly about the great
number Of whistles produce aerial
music
Five hundred dollars Is not consid-
cred an eXorbitant price to pay for a
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

Finland is a country about which
we in the United States hear little,
but it is nevertheless on the map tele-
phonically speaking Although accu-
rate statistics are difficult to get, the
latest reports Indicate that there are
in Finland about 5000 telephones and
considerable number of interurban
toll lines, all operated by private com
panies In view of the fact that the
population of the country is only
100000, this represents creditahle
telephone development, one which in
Belgium
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

Benjamin Colt. wife and two chill
dren, Clarice and Lester. and Ambrose
Colt, Wife and baby of Arlington,
Mass, came Saturday to spend their
vacation with their mother, Mrs. EN-
ma Reed came with them by car.
Austin Ingalls,, wife and daughter
Pauline, of Bar Harbor, spent Saturday
night and Sunday with his parents,
Otis H. Ingalls, and wife.
Mrs Lena Robbins, who is employed
at Southwest Harbor, spent Sunday at
her home here.
Mrs. l.. w. Rumill came home this
week after month at Petersham,
Mass, with her son, e. II. Rumill
JulV 16 L.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
DOCTOR IN DOVER COMMENDS
"FRU|T.A-T|VES"
This Wonderful Fruit Medicine
Relieved Torturing Eczema

Dover New Hampshire.
1906 to
The
OIL would hands
my flesh while asleep spen hundreds seeking
and would be as of suffering.
especially
obserical
CHANGED to
used boxes Fruit
free of
My gratfed the results that
cannot proclaim loudly of renedies'.
E. N OLZENDAM VIM.
Fruit v act exlently
impurities correcting Constipation
skin healthy
Skin Blemshes
have
5Oc box, for ST. size OF
FRUIT.ATIvES LIMITED, OGDENSBURG, NY.
ottawa, Can London, Eng. Christchurch,
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
Coffin Cloth for Clothes.

Cloth made for use in or on collins
was used for womens gowns and
mems evening clothes in 1919 by
United States women and men, during
the shortage of broadcloth. Testimony
to this effect was given at the trial
of a suit between two mercantile con-
Germs.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18

in poor health for year, and her
many friends hope for her speedy re-
covery.
Mrs Nalarius Black and Oscar
Staples We're week end guests of Mrs.
Blacks granddaughter, Mrs. Brandon
Leach.
Miss Ethel Leach and friends of
Bangor spent the week-en with her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Norris Leach.
July IS. "WoodloCke"
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-18
ObsoIescent,

Johnny, can you spell horse?
81 could ifQI wanted to, but what's
the use spellin' anything so out o
style T-Boston Evening Transcript.
Decorah public opinion., 1923-02-07
CALMAR,

The Ford dealers of Winneshiek
county held a meeting at hfySah
office Tuesday.
viii Meyers is visiting his parents
in Kentucky.
The Ladies Auxiliary met at the
Legion rooms Friday afternoon.
The whist club met at the Hinsoh
home Tuesday evening.
Jacob Moudry sold his nome 10
Robt. Shimek.
Mds, w. B. Miller, Fred Campbell,
/. A. Dessel and Albert Holmes en-
ter,ained at cards on Wednesday and
Friday evenings at the formers
The MASQUERADE dance held here
Friday evening was well attended.
Frank Krysan, John Hosper, Chas.
Kellogg and Henry Hinsch are at
tending the automobile show in MIN
neapolis. =,
Mrs. Herman Wnagsness and Mrs.
Sever SeveIson were Decorah shop
pers Saturday.
Born to Mr.. and Mrs. r. j. Becker
a SON Feb. 4, 1923. Congratuf9;lons.
The Third Alarm" a very thrill
ing movie is being shown at the
Oiypian theatre today and tomorrow
for the benfit of the fire department.
Mr.. and Mrs. Adolph Ira were
pleasant surprised at their home last
evening by some of their friends.
The American Legion will stage a
6 act vaudeville at the Frana opera
house Friday evening.
Tomorrow morning at the Saint
Alvsious church at 900 o'clock VIII
occurr the marriage Of Edward Host
inc 20 Miss Mary Timp Youngest
daughter Of Mr.. and Mrs. William
Timp. They will be attended by
Miss Hagman and Felix limp. Rev.
Kerper will preform the ceremony
after which a wedding dinner viii be
served To immediate relatives ana
friends only.
The newlyweds will make their
home with the groom's father one
mile southwest Of Calnar. We Wish
them happiness and prosperity