davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1942-03-12

That dial tone steady hum the signal that the equipment
ready receive call 1t corresponds operators Num-
Der, please1"
Usually dial heard almost instantly when the re-
lifted But if the central Office equipment operating
capacity there may be few seconds wait before
it is heard. a%
When YOU hearing the you prevent the equip
en from getting you your number You also prevent II from
completing calls FOR other
Waiting for the dial helps the service to serve all
THE pAc1rJc TE1EpHONE AND TELEGRAPH CONAN
COULEE CITY, TELEPHONE 216
Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1942-03-12

FOR AIR RAID precautions this sx-
tro large new decowdre Kitchen
cdtch-dll" is an ideal woste basket
for Kidding the house Of oil sorts Of
rubbish. It holds rs quarts and can
accommodate infldmmdble wustel
paper, empty glass jars nd all sorts
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-25

Cummings, himself identified her by her
red dress and chestnut hair. Heartbroken, he
probed into the grave beneath the body and
unearthed bundle of Laura's clothing then
rode escort to her mutilated remains to
Cowes' Store in Elkville where Dr. c. A..
Carter was to hold inquest.
Facing large and excited crowd, Cum
mings exhibited the girls pathetic bundle
Her best crinolne-comb and brush
nightdress. This proves she planned TO leave
home, perhaps elope with someone" Cum
mngs cried. I'VE must find out, fellow cit
liens, who that party was!"
Don't call us fellow citizens!" Tom Dula
sneered. And how come you know so much
about what Laura Foster planned to do ?"
i may know more than you think" Cum
mings retorted Il may know Laura's muir.
derer is standing among you at this very
moment
The crowd jostled Someone shouted rs
this confession" There was a mutter about
lynching, while Cummings stood grimly res
olute
"You might well be suspicious" he an
nounced, for Laura rode off with someone
she trusted But don't be fools. Let the Law
hang the guilty man when he's found Or"
he paused dramatically-"the guilty woman!"
In unfriendly territory with a killer on
decamped. Cummings, stubborn, held his
ground.
Often the valleyites noticed the school
master turned detective riding through the
woods alone, prowling the thickets near the
murder-spot Funny, too, his visiting Betsy
Scott, the valley laundress
But it was Cummings who found the Bar
low knife in the murder thicket handed il
wordessly to Sheriff Hix, and later made
circuit of every crossroads store.
1t was Cummings who went to the dance
where the valley boys were holding a fiddler's
contest, and, cornering Ann Melton. talked
quietly about the price of handkerchiefs.
Then came the morning when the COM
munity awoke to find that John Dula- and
George Hendrix had fled the valley.
CONSERVATION swept the Piedmont when
Sheriff Hix, acting on mysterious tip set
out in pursuit of John Dula, said to be heading
for New Orleans.
Then another sensation hit Statesville
Cummings under cover of the confusion,
had also slipped out of town.
Wrathful valleyftes raced with lynch.
ropes in pursuit
But the lynch-party did not catch Cum
mings. Ben Cummings caught the lynchers.
And behind him, hog-ted and roped to
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-25

Did Laura enjoy this contest over her
hand? Did she mean to wed the schoolmaster
or did he serve merely as competition to
heighten the ardor of her other sutors?
Perhaps she did want to settle down, en-
vying the marital happiness of her friend
Ann Melton over in Statesville of other young
folk in the folds of Happy Valley.
Conjecture as we may, the fact is that
while betrothed to Ben Cummings, Miss Laura
continued her scampish spoonings with the
local contingent.
All was not halcyon in Happy Valley, and
in the midst of this situation Laura Foster
cantered off on the evening of June %, 1866
and didn't come back.
Such prodigal absences were nothing new
she was given to these little jaunts in the
hills. But when this picnic heightened into
week, the Foster menfolk numbered their
horsewhips and set out to look.
Valley boys and the SWANS of Statesville
stared blankly when asked about Laura. The
Dulas Triplett and Keaton looked askance.
She wasn't staying with Jim and Ann Melton;
relatives hadn't seen her. either.
why not ask the school-teacher," Tom
Dula proposed. Maybe the DANNY Yankee
done eloped with her"
But Cummings at the schoolhouse seemed
equally in the dark For a week, then, horse
mont range. Sheriff William A. Hix sent depu-
ties but they found no trace of Laura Foster
Not so her horse.
Discovery of the forlorn Belle in the
woods some five miles from the Foster dwell
ing, tethered to a tree from which she had
gnawed all the lower bark, terminated the
hunters.
IF Laura meant to run away, she wouldn't
have deserted Belle" Cummings pointed out
to his two friends. Il loved Laura, and if
someone's harmed her, I'll pay them out"
But six weeks of search ended in futility.
1t remained for a rainstorm, washing the
earth from a thicket-screened mound above
nearby Wilkesboro, to find her
Colonel Dave Horton the local magistrate
cantering along the turnpike with a friend
was Mortified to detect in the damp dusk an
odor uncommon to mountainsdes after rain.
Examination verified his worst suspicious
There, in a shallow flood-opened grave,
huddled the pitiful remains of Laura Foster.
Horizons friend galloped the news to
Statesville. and Ben Cummings raced through
the valley TO the spot.
Murder was obvious. The dead girls dress
was torn, a lace handkerchief choked her
mouth, her breast had been deeply stabbed
and a jugular slash had nearly severed the
head from her body.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-25
A Roinsform. q Barlow
Knife. a Fiddle Bridge and
q SehooImosfer's Ingenuity
Solve The Murder Of the
Siren Of Happy Valley
BY THEODORE ROSCOE

- HE dawn mists were beginning to rise
over the Great Smoky Mountains as an
ox-cart trundled along the red clay road
leading out of Statesville, N. Can ox-cart
in which lounged lank individual who, fiddle
TO chin, was serenading the sunrise as If
without the slightest care in the world.
Like the Piper of Hamen he was trailed
by large and appreciative crowd But it
wasn't his fiddling which fascinated them so
much as the fact that this minstrel sat
perched on a wooden coffin. His foot-wag
was accompanied by the clink of a ball and
chain, and his song-to the tune Of "Oh,
Susannah"-was this:
Oh how pick my banjo now
! pick it on my knee
And by this time tomorrow night
Twill be no use to me.
Poor Laura loved its tender strains
She loved 'em long and well,
And now / go to pick again,
And sing for her In He'll!
The raffish fiddler was a Confederate hero
one OF the 20 survivors of Zeb Vance's North
Carolina Cavalry, decimated during Pickett's
charge at Gettysburg; and his song a parody
of his own composition, made up. ironically
in Jail.
The singular series of events which led up
10 this bizarre scene began some IT years
ago this month when Ben Cummings arrived
in Statesville, N c., to teach in the town
school
The Era of Reconstruction was getting un-
der way that Fall of 1865 and il needed cour-
age to come down from the North and get
established as a school-teacher.
Ben Cummings made friends slowly for
the villagers were disposed to be hostile
especially the war-impoyerished families of
the local aristocracy like the Meltons, Trip
let's and Dulas, whose sons had galloped
through battle smoke with the Stars and Bars
and whose mansions were falling into disrepair
Perhaps 1t was this chness that made
him grateful for the fireside and warm armed
hospitality Of Laura Foster. beauty of the
Piedmont in nearby Happy Valley.
One thinks of Scarlet OHara for Laura
possessed the same ardent femininity, impetu-
Gus temper, warm-lipped hunger for romance,
incalculable gray-green eyes Winsome as the
Scarlet of fiction, she loved unwisely and too
well-far, tickle and fancy free
She'll come to no good end" her elders
predicted. "Carryin on with so many boys!
Girls ought to marry an settle down."
Her father. reduced to tenant farming by
the war, and her brothers Jim and Eb were
heavy-handed men. Stormy scenes followed
each new harum-scarum escapade
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-25

their saddles rode-Shep Keaton and Tom
Dula.
Got EN- at the Tennessee border" Cum
mings announced grimly. Il figured John
Dula sent that tip himself to steer the sheriff
away from his brother.
1T was Tom bought that Barlow knife at
Cowles' store in Elkvile-I traced il there.
1T was Tom borrowed Ann Melton's lace
handkerchief to gag Laura With traced
that from your valley laundress.
I'D say Tom and Ann have been carrying
on behind Jim Meltons back-from gossip
heard the other Sunday around church
And I'd say Ann Melton, jealous of Toms
philandering with Laura, urged him on to get
rid of Laura
It's no use, Tom" he swung on the ours
ing prisoner. i've something else that con.
victs you"
What ?"
you lost it near the grave where you
buried Laura. The bridge" said Ben Cum
mings sterny "of your fiddle"
So even the famed Zeb Vance former Gov
ernor and dashing cavalry leader. called to
Dulas defense, could not save the minstrels
neck. Noted fiddler and phanderer, Tom
was doomed At the last he confessed, wholly
substantiating Ben Cummings deductions
We know the unregenerate ballad of his
last earthly mile. But as he mounted the
scaffold some Of his grasshopper lackadaisy
evaporated.
wine, women and fiddlin'," said the raf-
fish ex-cavalryman sadly caused my down
fall"
This regret however sincere, was a little
late, as remarked by some witness in the
crowd who sang out parody for parody:
Hang down your head, Tom Dula!
oh, hang down your head and cry;
You killed poor Laura Foster,
An now you're bound to die!
Which Dula, at his ropes end, presently did.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-25

The Tenant Farm in Happy Valley, N. C.
to Which the Proud Foster Family Wa
Reduced After the War. And Right - tn,
Barlow Knife That Played Vital Part In
Both the Crime and Its Solution.
But Laura, with an angry laugh and a
toss of her chestnut hair would swing to the
saddle of her bay mare Belle and be off again,
keeping tryst with Hayden Triplett, George
Hendrix, Shep Keaton or the dancing Dula
boys, Tom and John
These were wild young fellows, hotblooded
hard-riding scions of the old Dixie--veterans
already in their youth-with fiddle and fist
and scuppernong wine trying to forget the
Lost Cause.
Swift company for a mountain maid, yet
such was public opinion that Laura's interest
in the Northern school-teacher created the
greater disapprovaL
Cummings, following the bride path to
Laura's door, was scowled upon by his jeal-
Gus rivals, warned away There were en-
counters with Hayden Tripett, George Hen
dirk, wild Shep Keaton, Tom and John Dula.
Arguments. Threats. Fist fights.
Stout-knuckled quick in intellect as we'll
as rough and tumble, Cummings stood up for
his rights against the five of them. He was in
pered her love for him, and he intended to
marry her if, single-handed, he had to fight
the war all over again.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02

eS Inc associated PreSs.
Secretary of State Hull made
clear today that the United States
is too busy winning the war in North
Africa to worry about the report on
the Morocco radio that Admiral
Jean Darlan has taken over author
ity as chief of state in the area.
Mr. Hull told his press conference
that the United States at present is
absorbed in the task of driving Axis
forces out of Africa.
This government. he added, had
no time to sit down and talk poll
tics with various groups interested
in the future status of personalities
there. The time will come later,
he said, when the people themselves
will decide. The Fighting French
have expressed bitter opposition to
recognition of Darlan, former Vichy
leader.
Mr.. Hull gave similar reply to a
question about the status of Otto
of Hapsburg. pretender to the throne
of Austria Hungary.
Asked about a report that repre-
sentatives of seven European nations
formerly under Hapsburg rule had
telegraphed to the Secretary of State
and to Secretary of War Stimson a
protest against tendencies to give
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Political Problems Must Wait,
HuII's Reply to DorIon Critics

Otto HapSburg or his agents In
fuence upon the special Austrian
unit in the United States Army"
Mr.. Hull replied he did not think it
necessary to say more than that
the State Department was constant
ly in receipt of kilograms about mill
tary, political and personal matters.
AT this stage, he emphasized, the
United States Government is deeply
interested in military matters-in
the restorat ton of freedom to peoples
who have lost it, so that they them
selves can select their leaders and
forms of government.
This Government, he continued,
was not concerned with picking such
leaders in advance, but in the win
ming of the war.
Mr.. Hull disposed quickly Of Mus
solini's Commute speech excoriating
the British and blaming President
Roosevelt for the war. Asked for
comment on the speech, he said he
had not yet seen it and doubted if
it would have been worth comment
ing on if he had seen it.
- In reply to other questions, Mr..
Hull said an understanding had
been reached with Portugal to facil-
itate the exchange of certain COM
modities which each country was
DESTROYS Of obtaining from the other.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Jups, Shumed on GuuduIcunoI,
Live Alone for Weeks in WiIds

These Japs lived three months in
the Tenaru Jungle and they had
plenty of opportunities to reioin
the main forces if they had so
desired.
Meanwhile the main land often
sive on the northwest beach front
is still progressing satisfactorily.
Word was received late yesterday
of group of marines commanded
by 1t. Gordon Naples, Middlesboro.
KY, which surprised and ambushed
party of $50 to 200 japanese off,
GERS and men on the southwest slope
of grassy knoll about seven miles
southwest of Henderson Field.
The japanese were eating break
fast and 80 were killed by the first
volley of marine rife and subma-
chine fire. More were killed by fol-
lowing volleys
Some japanese trying to escape
through the jungle encountered a
small force of marines who had cut
around to the rear.
The total score was at least 10
japanese killed and only two slight
injuries in the ranks of the Ameri-
cans.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
II. S. Continues
hopping Up on
GuoduIconuI
Earlier Story on Page ALL


Marine and Army forces on Quad
alcanal continued to mop up isolated
positions on the outskirts of our
holdings. capturing three artillery
pieces. six machine guns and killing
81 japanese yesterday, the Navy an
nounced today.
In what the Navy described in
a communicate as extensive patrols
an Army patrol killed II Japanese
and captured a 70-millimeter gun.
The marines accountd for the re-
mainder in two patrols. One group
killed IS japanese and captured one
7s-millimeter and one 30-millimeter
gun along the upper Lunga River.
and a second patrol killed Is jap
anese and captured six machine
guns.
In addition, Army planes carried
out four attacks on enemy positions.
A Navy observer compared these
patrols unofficially to football
assault In which the main opposition
is knocked Que first before the sec
ondary is attacked. The main OPP
nosition was knocked out when Hen
derson Airfield was captured and
the scattered groups hidden in the
iunrles and mountains are consld-
cred the secondary opposition.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
BY WILLIAM NIPPLE,
AsociateG Press War Correspondent.

GUADALCANAL. Nov. Is de-
layed) patrol parties
which have lost face because they
have been defeated by United
States marines apparently have
made little or no effort to rejoin
the main japanese forces, marines
returning from jungle fighting re-
ported today.
The marines said that in a num-
Der of instances in which they sur
prised small Japanese parties they
found the enemy soldiers had been
living apart from the main forces
for a considerable time. In many
cases, the Americans added, the
Japs had built crude places of hab-
itation in the jungles, Living off
the land they had not been sup
piled with arms, ammunition or
food.
AS one instance they cited the
discovery of remnants of Japa-
nese force near Tenaru River, where
the Japs suffered a major defeat in
the first big land battle August q.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
U.S.. Communicate
War Department Tells
Of Tunision Action

A War Department communique
issued this afternoon telling Of the
same action in TuniStd as described
in dispatches TIA North Africa and
London toHo1DS
North Africa.
l. Allied forces in the Tebourba
area have repulsed an enemy coun-
terattack
2. Bombing attacks on the air
fields at Tunis and Bizerte have
continued. Light bombers and fight
ers have been operating in support
of our forward troops. Seven enemy
aircraft have been destroyed. Five
of our aircraft are missing.
3. The Royal Navy is assisting in
the provision of cover for the ad-
vance of our forces.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Senate Unit Approves
House Bill 10 Bolster
Fire Escape Law
McCurron Warns Officials
To Eliminate Hazards
Without Buck Passing

A House bill giving the Com
mlSSlonerS greater power to re-
quire fire precautions in public
places and fire escapes on all
rooming houses of three or more
floors was reported out by the
Senate District Committee this
afternoon, along with three
other bills.
The other subjects we're: Sus-
pending for the duration of the war
the 48-hour limit on the work week
of women in industry. amending
opening and closing hours for bar
Der shops. to simplify the process of
clearing the title to property sold
for nom payment of taxes.
Shortly before the bills were re-
ported, Chairman McCarran at
meeting of the Senate committee
warned the Commissioners, police
and fire officials about buck pass
ing" and to eliminate any fire haz-
ards that may be existing in public
places in Washington
He called the officials into con-
ference with the committee to see
what lessons the District could
learn from Boston's night club trag-
edy. Commissioner Mason pointed
out the District heads on Monday
had ordered an examination of all
buildings where public gatherings
are held
AS one definite move. Commission
err Mason went on record in favor
Of prohibiting smoking in all thea
ters and large stores.
To Ask Action on Bill.
AS a result of the discussion
Senator McCarran said he would
ask his committee to act on bill
that passed the House year ago.
giving the Commissioners broader
powers in ordering fire escapes on
buildings other than private homes.
and increased authority to issue
other fire safety rules.
Senator McCarran said the bill
had been held up because of a be-
lief in some quarters that it con-
tanned a provision that would lead
to monopoly in the installation
of fire alarm signals. The provision
in question would have required
buildings of a certain size to be
connected with fire alarm head
quarters.
The Commissioners today recon-
mended that feature be dropped
(See FIRE ESCAPES, Page 2-X.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Big Attack Repulsed
At Bizerte, Escape
To Tripo|i Is Cut Off
Earlier Story on Page A-1.)


LONDON Dec 2.-British and American shock troops
today wthstood and rpulsed the heaviest German counter
attack in the campaign for Tunsa beating the Nazis back
south of Bzerte while other Allied closed the ring
tighter around that port and Tuns and stood asre the
road of escape or supply from Tripolitania
spokesman at the Allied headquarters North Africa
said the Germans suffered heavy losses in their counter
attack against Allied advance positions north of Tebourba
road uncture 20 miles west of Tuns and 35 miles south
of Bizerte
London newspapers reported that 1t Gen Kenneth A. ~
Andersons advance units had captured of highway
ing Tunls Bizerte the
between the Axis sronghods This
the Morocco radio hours there
ton from other quarters.
This gain would isolate the enemy penned up and
leave him only of escape-by
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Ia Great Lakes Seomen Drown
AS Tug Sinks in Freezing Gale

The Offices of Cleveland Tankers,
and the oil company said the tug
Admiral had the following crew:
Capt. John O. Swanson, River
Yssyssx, Mich, master.
William r. Cowan, Cleveland, first
mate.
Harold Hanninen, Cleveland,
second mate.
William D. Rocks, Cleveland chief
engineer.
Francis Shannon, Ashtabula, Ohio
first assistant engineer.
Bert Haahr, Detroit, second assist
ant engineer.
John Tierney, John O'Connor,
John Cahill, wheelsmen, all of
Cleveland.
Neil Chambers and George Cham
bers. both of Cleveland, and Alex
ander Baldwin, Port Huron, Mich,
firemen.
Jerry Girard, Chicago, utility man.
Robert J. Dundon, Cleveland,
steward.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Second Doctor Held
In D. {. Workers Death
BY The Associated Press.

BY The Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Dec. DIR. Max
J. Weinstein. 81, of the Bronx, was
held in $4,000 bail today on a
Bronx grand jury indictment charg-
ing first degree manslaughter in
the death of Miss Nadine Nc
Geehan, Is year old Washington
OPA employe.
County Judge James M. Barrett
denied defense counsel motion
that the physician be paroled pend
ing trial.
DR.. Weinstein was taken into
custody after authorities had ar
rested DR.. Joseph Nisonoff of New
York City, and accused him of
performing an illegal operation
which resulted in the death of Miss
Mcclellan November ID.
DR.. Nisonoff and his receptionist,
Mrs. Pearl Tense, were indicted yes
terday on manslaughter charges in
the case and were released on bail.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Labor Arbitration PIaI
Reported Agreed On
In AFL-C|0 Farley
Nomine Of Presidents
To Arbitration Board
Under Discussion
BULLETIN.

Peace committees of the
AFL and the CLIO agreed today
to establish a joint committee
to resolve all differences be-
tween them, with the provi-
sion that unsettled issues shall
be referred to arbitration.
Earlier Story on Page A-6.)
BY the Associated Press.
AFL and CLIO peace commit
tees were reliably reported today
to be close to an agreement on a
plan OF working unity which
would provide for settlement of
jurisdictional quarrels by a board
Of arbitration, pending the
achievement of actual organic
unity.
Lending support to the report
that some understanding was i'm
minent was the response of one
committee member to a query today
when the conferees recessed for
luncheon.
Asked whether they planned a
meeting tomorrow. William L.
Hutcheson, AFL member, replied:
I'VE hope to get through today"
There was no other statement.
One proposal under consideration,
it was learned from an authorita-
tive source, is the creation of a board
composed of the two presidents.
William Green of the AFL, and
Philip Murray of the CLIO and an
impartial chairman. A number of
possibilities as impartial chairman
also have been discussed. including
members of the War Labor Board
and DR.. John R. Steelman. director
of the United States Cancellation
Service.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-02
Copt. Moore's Widow
Voted $734 by House

The House has completed con-
gressional action on a bill to paw
s734 for personal effects lost in
hurricane in Samoa in 1926 by the
late Capt. Samuel N Moore U. S. N.
Capt. Moore was lost with his
ship, the Quincy, off the Solomon
Islands recently. If the bill is
signed by the President, the money
will be paid to the captains widow.
Mrs, Camilla Moore of 3107 Circle
Hill road, Alexandria.