davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
AMERICAN CO.
SYSTEM WOULD
BETAKEN over
Election VIII Decide
Whether S3,S00,000
In Bonds VIII Be Is
sued For Purpose
Especial to The Hersld)


MERCEDES. Sept. 6.-Voters of
Hidalgo and Cameron counties va
ter control and improvement cis-
trict No. 9 will decide Saturday
whether So 500 900 in bonds viii be
issued with which to buy the dis
trict. improvements. and equipment
of the American Rio Grande Land
and Irrigation company, whose ca
nails irrigate 100000 acres In this
section. and which has been known
as the largest private corporation
of its kind I'm the world
Should the election result IN a
decision to buy the system. the n
ripation company will receive ap-
proximately half the bond issue Tor
their project. a price settled upon
by five prominent Valley engineers
after representatives of the COM
pany and landholderS were unable
10 agree on a price.
The remainder of the bond issue
would be used In construction oi
concrete canals. and further I'M
proving the system.
Voting Boxes
Following are the boxes included
in the district, at which voters VIII
cast their votes:
Juan Soils filling station-resi-
dence building is the voting place
for precinct No. / which consists
OF all that part of the water dis
trict IN Cameron county. This vot-
ing place is located east OF Mer-
cedes on the main paved equity
highway between Mercedes and Ia
Feria.
Voters who reside in the part o.
the water district lying souih Of
mile IL and In Hidalgo county or
precinct 3. will vote at the South
palm Garden school house. south
Of the main paved highway, be-
tween said cities. on the old county
highway, just south of the Riggs
nursery. Cities of Mercedes and
Weslaco are not included III tho
district and will not be entitled &c
vote in the election.
No Check Marks
Voters OF precinct 2. residing In
that part of the water district which
lies north Of mile IL and In Hidalgo
county, will vote at the central
school house. which Is located on
mile 3, about one mile south Of Ed
couch at what Is known as HITS
corner. There will be signs on the
road showing the way to the school
house. The towns Of Elsa. Edcouch,
and La Villa are not included III
the district and residents OF these
towns cannot vote.
Election officials emphasize the
polnt that voters can only vote IN
the precinct in which they itside.
They are also cautioned TO make no
check mark. or writing OF any kind
on the ballot. whether they vote fo-
or against the proposed bond issue.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
HELMS BATTLES
DEATH TOLAST
Struggles With Guards Car
rying Him From Cell
To Chair

HUNTSVILLE. Sept. 6-tR)-Bat-
ting like a trapped beast. Henry
Helms, Cisco Santa Claus" bank
robber. expiated his crime in the
electric chair early today after a
desperate effort to prevent being car
ried to the death chamber. Al
though In a weak condition, Helms
struggled with the guards from his
cell until he was strapped in the
chair.
AS the clock in the prison tower
began tolling the midnight hour,
Captain Homer Knighton, assistant
warden, arose and checked careful
ly the persons assembled In the
warden's office. Once satisfied that
only those who were supposed 10
be witnesses were present. Captain
Knighten led the silent group down
the corridor, through numerous
heavily guarded gates. across the
yard 10 the death chamber.
Battle Begins
Helms was lying on the floor ap-
parently asleep as Captain Knight
en- and the guards entered the death
chamber to escort him down the
one-way corridor. He remained
motionless until the two guards en-
tered his cell and placed their
hands on him. Then the battle
started.
Realizing death was waiting
Helms with the strength Of a mad
man tore himself free from the
clutches of the two guards and re-
treated to the back Of his cell.
With his breath coming short and
fast. Helms. with his back 10 the
wall. waited for the guards To make
the next move. Two other guards
we're ordered into the cell. The four
guards closed in on the prisoner and
started dragging him toward the
door.
Becomes Frantic
Much difficulty was experienced
IN getting him through the door
Helms made a desperate effort to
grasp one OF the bars, but his fin
gers only grazed the cold steel
Down the corridor the group pro-
ceeded with Helms writhing. twist
inG and setting back On past the
cell of Marshall Ratliff. who is un-
der death sentence also far the
holdup Of the Cisco bank. the same
crime Helms died for. to the little
green door,"
Mastering his fast waninf
strength Helms made a desperate
attempt to loose himself. But Ions
confinement had sapped his vital.
ity. and the four guards dragged
him on through the little door
When Helms saw the chair, he be.
came frantic and his efforts TO free
himself became more desperate.
Dead in Six Minutes
He stared unseeing at the grouT
OF witnesses and at the chaplain
and the assistant warden. AS tht
condemned mans eyes glanced a
the chair his chin became set. hi
raised his eyes 10 the ceiling ant
muttered something. He made on
effort to jump from the chair. bu
once his arms we're fastened ID,
leather thongs he appeared calmer
Sgt. II. J. Howard gave one swif
look, took two or three steps to tn
switchboard. and showed In the lev
er. Three charges we're sent through
Helms body.
The current was applied at 12:f
a. m, and Helms was pronouncet
dead by the prison physicians 81,
minutes later.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
MERCEDES WILL
OPEN SCHOOLS
Numerous Changes Worked
Out For Good of New
Years System
(Snerial 10 The Heraldl

MERCEDES, Sept. 5.-ActiTities
Of the Mercedes school system for
the new year will begin with regis
tration Of seniors Friday. followed
by the first faculty meeting OF the
year Saturday at 10 a. m. Monday
morning will be registration day for
juniors, sophomores enrolling Tues
day. Enrolment is expected to to-
tai more than 1000 students for the
year. "A number OF changes have
been worked out In the courses and
system of the Mercedes schools for
the new term.
Forty-one instructors compose the
teaching staff of the Mercedes. pub
lie schools this year, according to
l.. III. POteet, superintendent. All
five principals from last years staff
are returning this year. They are
N. w. Gay, principal OF the senior
high school: w. Ed Perry, principal
Of the junior high: Joe r. Day
principal of the North Side school
T. R. Graham. principal of the
South Side school: and Jimmie
Johnson. principal at Heidleburg.
The remainder of the teaching
staff include Miss Fern AIfrey
Hillsboro: Miss Louise CARL, Bel
ton; Miss Amy Cornish. Graham
II. n. Douglas, Mercedes; Miss Mary
Nell Hadden. Mercedes; Miss Maui
rine Hvistendahl. Mercedes; Carl p
Kitchen, Fort Worth; Miss Merle
Malone, Troup: Miss Hildegande
Mansk. Clifton; Miss Lillian Moore
Floresville; Miss Mildred Schubert
Mercedes: Miss Mary Norrod, Pilot
Point: Miss Emma Belle Scott
Brentwood; Miss Alma Whatley
Lewisville; Noel Wood, San Saba
In the South Si.e grammar
school will be Miss OpheIia Byars
Raymondville; Mrs. Joe r. Day
Mercedes; Miss Nell Hancock, Sar
Juan: Miss Lucille Jeffries, Mission
Mrs. Lellah Lyle, Mercedes; Miss
Cymbeline Nell. Mercedes; Mrs. w
X. Perry, Mercedes: Mrs. Il. MI. Rice
Mercedes, and Mrs Effie j. Shekell
Mercedes.
Instructors I'm the North Side
grammar school include Miss LOil
Bell, Waco; Miss Ruth Day. Harlin.
gen: Miss Mary Heacock. Edinburg
Miss Lois Matthews, Pharr: Mis-
Ruth Pierce. Llano; Miss Ruth Rol
Inns, Fort Worth: Miss Annie Yer.
ser. Harlingen: Miss Maymic White
NacOgdocheS: Hiss Estelle Wilson
San Benito. and Miss Grace Wright
San Marcos.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
MISSING BANK
HEAD SOUGHT
Search Centers On Colorado
Man Attempting $780,
600 Fraud

DENVER. Colo. Sept. 6.--tF)-In
an effort 10 solve financial puzzle
involving the attempt Of man rep
resenting himself as G. ID. Wag-
goner. president OF the Bank of
Telluride. Colo. TO obtain by tele-
graphic orders half million dollars
from six large banks of New York,
police and private detectives today
began extensive search for Wag-
goner, who has been missing for 10
DAYS.
The mystery surrounding the
transaction was heightened by the
publication here of statement
that q Denver banker. who refused
TO allow his name to be used. had
received letter from WaggoneT
Monday, saying:
II have just received a S500.00c
gift from the Denver Clearing
House association: at least / assume
IL Is a gift. for there are no strings
attached to i'll"
Partly substantiating information
from New York that code order!
had been received ordering them tc
place in the Chase National banks
smountings ranging from $4,000 tc
100000 each. at the disposal ol
VraREOner. C.. w. DOwntain. cashier
OF the Telluride bank. declared thai
before taking a vacation in Denver
from August 26 TO August 80, he hac
signed number OF drafts for the
bank president.
1t was known here Waggoner LETT
his home in Telluride August p snc
was III Denver August 20. Delos
Wageoner. the bankers son, said
he did not know his fathers where
ahouts.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
SOLONS MUST PAY EXPENSES
If SPECIAL SESSION HELD

the second called session Of the leg
islature.
In attempting to vote aid TO
Younger widows of Confederate vet
erans the legislature unknowinGly
fixed it SO all widows under 70 years
of age could not receive their pen
sions. In opening the gates 10 new
pensioners. the legislature deprived
many who had received q pension
for as long as fifteen years Of their
quarterly allowance.
There was not enough money to
pay all on the rolls the full pension.
and the attorney general ruled that
what money was on hand should BE-
prorated among those on the pre-
ferred list. that is. all widows rs
years old and over.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
FORT ANNOUNCES
BAND PROGRAM

The usual Friday evening band
concert, by the 18th cavalry band
will be held at 1880 p. m, under
the direction of Technical Sergeant
Horace z. Nichols.
The program:
March, Olympia Hippodrome, Al
exander.
Overture, The Three Guardsmen,
BrOcktcn.
Selection. Bright Eyes. Hoschna.
Idyll, The Mill in the Forest, Eli
enberg.
Waltz. The Belle OF Mexico. Jcio.
Novelty. A Cyclone In Darktown,
Barnard.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
VALLEY BIDS
FOR TROOPS

The Valley Is making a bid for
four batteries in the national guard
regiment that Texas now has "on
paper.- III organized, It would mean
about 400 enlisted men and 80 or
40 officers in the Valley, according
10 Mai. II. B. Galbraith. who Is
acting as spokesman for this Sec
ton. /.
Majos Galbraith has received
numerous inquiries from potential
officers and enlisted men IN the
Valley and has written Maj. Gen.
John A. Hulen of the organization
asking that the possibility OF or
ganizing four batteries In the VAL
ley be investigated.
Major General Hulen's answer Is
expected In the near future.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
Senate HostiIities
lease For Weekend

~, WASHINGTON, Sept. 6.-fp1-A
NeeA-eno suspension Of hostil,tis-
.ooay confined activities in the sers sen
ates tariff warfare to those nr,ta+
lnaneuVers by which Congressional
leaders seek to solidify their forces
and improve their plans for future
strataEemS
On Monday at noon, the armistice
will end. Then, the parliamentary
battle will be resumed i'm earnest,
with debate centering upon admin
istrative provisions OF the tariff bill.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
4 MEN NAMED
IN RUMORS ON
ELECTION
Gregg and Celaya Are
Silent; bennett De-
nies 1t; Creager and
Fernandez Away
R. B. Creager. mayor.
John Fernandez,
-Tr.Y1r, Cx~nCr

r.. B. Creager. mayor.
John Fernandez.
John Gregg,
Joe Celaya. commissioners.
"A pL.sistent rumor has been talk
ed on the street that these four men
will be candidates for office In the
coming Brownsville city election this
winter.
Jesse bennett IS being mentioned
as the fifth man to complete the
ticket but he denied this morning
that this was true.
Creager and Fernandez are out OF
town and could not be reached.
Gregg and Celaya would neither
confirm nor Geny that the ticket
would run.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
Vote Saturday On Purchase OF Irrigation System
RESCUERS WORK
= = =
TO FREE MAN IN
y r. y
OUICKSAND CELL

OTTUMWA, Ia, Sept. 6.-(Fl-
Buried beneath a pile Of quick
sand and rocks which showered
down on him yesterday. Weikens
Priest. 55-year-old well cleaner.
battled death today while rescu-
ers attempted to free him from his
well prison, So feet below the sur
face.
Continued caveins frustrated at
tempts Of workers TO extricate
Priest from his prison. At one time
last night they had hi mfreed to
the waist, but another shower OF
dirt descended. a brick from the
wells facing striking and injur-
ing Ed Kirkland. fireman.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
FIRE DEPARTMENT ANSWERS
TWO ALARMS, ONE FALSE

A false alarm sent in a 1880 p. m.
Thursday night called the Browns
vile fire department to the box at
Fifth and st. Charles. No blaze wa
found at the spot. where q ny-dDer
OF boys we're gathered 5ey>ral were
questioned. and clues ~ the source
Of the false alaEe are being investi-
gated
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06

The fire wagon also ansewerd q
call from the Rio Grande Tea and
Ccfsee company. Fifth and Fronton
streeats. yesterday at $50 p. m.
Several cases of candles in storage
caught fire from undetermined orr
gin, but no further damage resulted.
The blaze was extinguished by chem
icalG n
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
Speedster Crashes
Newspaper Office

EDINBURG, Sept. 5.-H. q. Steen
and Bill Dyer. 5r.. crashed" the
gate OF the Edinburg Valley Review
Thursday night with the Shaw
Sport speedster which is TO be given
away by the Valley theater OF Edin-
burg.
The dynamic novelty car tore into
the office. causing "a small-Sized riot
among its occupants The small
speedster was brought to stop be-
fore any disaster occurred
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
THE WEATHER

For Brownsville and the Valley.
Partly cloudy I'd cloudy tonight and
Saturday, possibly with local
showers Saturday. Light to fresh
scutherly 10 easterly winds on the
west coast.
For East Texas: Mostly cloudy
tonight and Saturday with local
thundershowers. Light 10 moder-
ate easterly TO southerly winds on
the coast.
RIVER FORECAST
There will be no material change
in the river during the next few
days.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
RATS INVADE HOMES

LONDON.-As a result Of the
drought rats seeking water swarm
ed into thousands of country homes
in England and Wales.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06
ROCK CRUsHEs ARTIST

LYNMOUTH. Eng.-A rock from
the cliff she was painting fell and
crushed Miss Lily Mudieman, an
artist.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06

Insurance Makes a Difference
Rio Grande Valley Trust Co.--Adv.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06

TIDE TABLE
High and low tide at Point Isa-
bel tomorrow, under normal met
geological conditions:
High ...... 5.35 "a. m; T.3l ~ r1s
Low ...... 1911 q. m, 1917 p. ms
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06

MISCELLANEOUS DATA
Sunset TO-DAY ..-.............. ga
Sunrise tomorrow ssasass.ss.a 6sl4
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-06

NOTHING, animal nor plant. can
refuse the lure Of the Valley. At
Olmito. a Spanish iguana, two and
one-half feet long, with lacey frills
and everything was found perched
in a tree. So far as is known. 1t IS
the first Of the species TO stray so
far from its usual tropical haunts.
New Britain herald., 1929-08-08

munal love" ideas could visit each other and discuss the advantages of Holy City by night.
 Sam Tyler's" problem, after he had spent week in Holy City, ostcn- sibly planning the great amphitheatre with its capacity of l7,000. was to get Rikcr to talk before witnesses. This might be done with the aid of dicta- graph. But first Sam" needed a man to help him snare Father" Riker red handed. For this purpose he intro duced another Examiner reporter un der the fictitious name of "Dr. De Soto," who claimed to be an expert magician "wth a record" but who was in reality Walter Diffenbaugh, a feature W. iter.
 The scene was set. 4 wire was run from a desk in De Soto's" San Fan cisco hotel suite to an adjoining room, where accommodations were had for witnesses. These included steno. grapher, Dr. Joseph Cation, an emi, nent West Coast physician. and Judge Lille T. Jacks.
 Father" Riker blandly walked into the trap laid for him. "De Soto" and Sam" adroitly drew him into admis- sions of leading nature while the witnesses listened through their ear phones in the next room.
 Some of the remarks of the Holy man of the Santa Cruz Mountains were unprintabe. These occurred most frequently when he was referring to women and the Hove cult at Holy City.
 The gist of his statements, however, was in ono key-''Get the dough as long a. you don't get caught" He planned tho erection of fifty cottages and tho large dormitory already men toned This dormitory-with it's connecting door-was to be built on the theory that "the crowds will stay little longer if you give them this opportunity"
 Some of the crude and naive
New Britain herald., 1929-08-08

pOlHClllS lON6.
 The next morning everything that Riker had said was printed for his prospective victims to read-that is, everything that could be printed. Needless to say, the mammoth "revi- val" at Holy City never materialized. , The trapped "holy man. retorted rather feebly with the charge of 'per- secution" in view of the dicta- graph record of his conversation he decided to abandon his gaudy dream of a "milliondollar miracle show
 Meanwhile the police are keeping an eye upon Holy City.
 -he case of Juan de Dios Garay furnished more tangible grounds for prosecution. "John of God" as he was accustomed to refer to himself modestly. collided with the Medical Act.
 Love seems to have been his spec ialty. Newspaper reporters, who again aided in the expose, encountered a number of women patients in Garay's office who had come him to be treated" for unhappy love affairs. A girl newswriter reported that Garay's method of treatment was a bit elemental" for ailments of the heart. He invited her to his apart ment for more detailed consultation.
 A young newspaperman went to Garay's highly perfumed office, deco. rated with a bust of himself, fake diplomas and spirit" photographs, and asked for aid in his unhappy love affair."" Garay, surrounded by three rather sinister-looking Mexicans, ad- mitted that he could remedy the diff culty. According to the investigator Garay said:
 q can cure you and l can make you happy. All you have to do is follow my instructions and pay the fee. First of all, make you stronger. Then I'll work on the girl though occult powers possess. Fl burn my magic powder for you. I'll go to the mountain top at midnight and attend to that. It's all in mental concentration. See, this
New Britain herald., 1929-08-08

CONVEYING CONSORI
 Mother Lucille" the Woman who Reigned with Riker Over Their Hundred Acre Holy City" in the
 Mountains.
 KTOT in darkest Africa, where ig- IN norant natives depend upon tribal medicine men" to heal the sick and brew love potions. Not even in the Middle Ages of credulity and superstition! But in America's Golden West, home of sunshine, movies, health, wealth and modernity, were disclosed these two pretentious projects for preying on gullible public by ap- pealing to the emotions through mix ing up a simulated religious fervor with queer love liberties.
 Two men there were brought to book not long ago for strange offenses. They were mulcting large followings by pretending to exactly the sort of magic that many savage witch doc tor has claimed for his own. It is startling to realize that so many grown-up people should have "shelled out good money to take part in the rites of these brazen imaginative fakers.
 But they did. And ''Father" Will fam E. Riker and Professor" Juan de Dios Garay were both clever and re- sourceful, though they worked in diff terent ways. In the end they came to grief, because they weren't successful even in ''fooling some of the people all of the time"
 Garay was sentenced to ninety days in jail by Municipal Judge Charles Ballard and the extensive healing hoax and love cult of Riker was nipped in the bud.
New Britain herald., 1929-08-08

WHO came TOT SlUU apiece.
 It was in the building of the amphi- theatre that "Sam's" services would be worth most. He admitted (perhaps with fingers crossed) that he had built many revivalist's colosseum before and pretended to thorough knowledge of the technical details involved.
 But Sam" did not stop with that He hinted that he, too, was versed in the Black Art. revealed a familiarity with trickstering that endeared him to Riker. Here was just the sort of man needed fur the scheme: clever, experienced and totally unscrupulous.
 It was of course important that Sam" should famiiarize himself with the workings of Holy City. He men. tioned that early in the game. So Father" Riker took him into the mountains to his private kingdom and introduced him to many of the "sub- jects."
 At Holy City ."sam" found some in. teresting things. And he got first hand. shocking glimpse of the Kings" philosophy of life in action. He met "Mother Lucille" Riker's wife, he saw l5-year-old Marguerite Strauss. little girl who had been taken from her parents, also members of the colony, and forced to perform menial tasks one being the care of thirteen cats and four dogs-in Riker's residence
 Riker. with the peculiar violence that characterized all of his pronounce. ments, had already told Sam" that women should be subjugated to men, that children should be dispensed with, this being "the last generation" He had declared that when William E. Hickman murdered little Marion Parker, in San Francisco, a year ago he was acting as Gods agent" and his deed was trying to show the world that children have no further place in it"
 It was among influences of this kind that Marguerite Strauss was forced to live al fifteen
 Of course, there was to be a vast publicity drive, with Sam" in charge, to acquaint the world with the many
New Britain herald., 1929-08-08

Thi. Snapshot of Fifteen-Y ear-Old Marguerite Strauss Was Made by tho Newspaper Investigator Against Riker's Her Parents, Who Are Cult Members, to Perform Menial Services in the
 Kings" Household.
 is my powder"
 The reporter was advised to return few nights later, meanwhile arrang- ing an interview for Garay with his sweetheart" A woman staff member set down. When the patient who called himself Billy" returned he was told: Eve got you cured. Now, here is what you do tomorrow night-you go to the girls house. You take her in your arms. Sit her on your lap. Kiss her with all your might and tell her you love her. She will be prepared for you. Thursday you come here to mo and pay me the rest of tho money. Friday you will be married.'
 Cara had regular price scale.
 "To be fortunate in business and obtain success, $30 to overcome any love doubt or difficulty, $50; for suc- cess in gambling, $75; to read the deepest thoughts, S20; to make your- self invisible, SEQ; to get fat, S20; to get thin, S20."
 However, this modern love expert and Genius fo the Lamp was totally unable to work any of his charms upon the stubborn lock of a cell door in the city jail of Los Angeles. To De- tective Luke Lane and M. Berenzweig and to Medical Inspector w. A. Byrne he was completely visible in his i'm pressive office, though undoubtedly he would have given considerably more than S20 to have vanished in a puff of smoke.