davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-04


Valley Ei1h' after rieht haystacks burst
into flames. houses caught fire apparently
without reason barns burned 20 tho ground,
destroying horses and-c cattle
People started 20 whisper Its The Devil
There's curse on as Bu, why Why"
Cattle sickenod and died noXphcahly in
tho fields in haruyarls IN their stalls
The Valley grow frantic az this new
scourgc but there was moro 20 come
Things began disappearing from their
homo, prized hcrooms pieces of jcwelry,
lnictknacks. oven family portraits as
though suatchcd away by an invisible hand,
and with never a single clew left behind
All the supersttous they had inherited
from their Old World ancestors came 10 the
surface Tales OF ancient black magic and
rtchcran commenced - circulate They
took TO double boiling their doors at night.
Fcw stirred outside after dark for fear of
meeting the Evil one himself face to face.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-04


attention ? Why had he
picked their homes and
barns TO blast with fire
and humAtnpe them
selves and their cattle
with mysterious. agon-
ling death ? What had
they done % deserve
this terrible affhction
that was being visited
upon them ?
T was just l. years
ago, on New Years
Day 1925. that Satan
or one Of his omssaues
FIRST made his presence
felt IN the small COM
munity Of Valley City
not far from Ahc county
scat AZ Medina
New Year along
~ith Ghrtstuz7. Thanks
giving and such few fu-
ncrals as might bc were
about the only times the
Valley kinfolk and
ncighbors had a chance
20 get together in any
thing like holiday mood
and usually they made
the most Of II.
Fred Geinke a pros
porous hard working
farmer. together with
his wife Lily, their six
children and several
near relatives celebra-
ted the day IN tradi-
tioual style with roast
suclIng pig an apple
In is mouth. mounds OF
stcamiug vegetables and
four kinds Of pic topped
off with foamiue glasses
Of uot-to- hard cider.
They rose from the
table stuffed almost %
Overlooking content and
entirely ware Of
thor impending fate
Sometime later a
fauuwifc who lived
across the road heard
anguishcd screams COM
ing from the Geinkc
home and hurried 90 in
yestigate What she saw
sent her as fast as she
could 20 20 the nearby
home OF Martha Hasci
Wise Iily's niece
Quick. Martha the
terrified woman cried
It's the Devil The
Devils took all the
Gcinkes sick unto dying
Hurry III go for the
doctor
Martha. better known
- tho ,yttrs Valley ac
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-04


Funeral arrangements in
Hardscrabble Valley were a two-day chore.
The whole house had to be cleaned the
mustv parlor aired Neiehbors who came
to pay their respects must be greeted. And
there was the cooking 10 do in preparation
for the friends and relatives who would
come from far and near. Pies and cakes 20
bake jars of pickles and relshes 70 he got
up from the cellar For funerals in The
Valley if not exactly gala affairs, were as
nearly So as dccency permitted.
Il don't know what I'd DO without YOU
Lily Gcinke told her niece when IT was
all over
Still the fires the deaths Of livestock
and the strange disappearanccs Of articles
continued And three days later, just after
the family physician had predicted it would
only be- a short time new until she was fully
recovered Lily Geinke suffered an unexpected
relapse and di,l in agony before the good
doctor could bee summoned
lie signed the certificate Of death as due
10 coronary thrombosis. form Of blood
clotting which stopped the heart
a vcrtabIe epidemic of the terrible
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-04

Prosecutor and sheriff questioned those
closest involved once more but got nothing
i've told you all l know" Martha Wise
said a break in her voice. Il wish / could
help you Mother Aunt Lily, Uncle Fred
You'd better 20 up 70 Cleveland FOR
couple Of weeks and have that infection
treated. Martha" Prosecutor Seymour said
gently indicating her still-bandaged arm.
And get a good rest. You've been through
a lot
She left the following day March 1st
Two weeks went by Not a single fire
no one strangely sick nothing reported miss
ing throughout the entire Valley
Sheriff and prosecutor nodded grimly.
Get Martha Wise" Seymour said.
Rain drImmed steadily on the roof Of
Sheriff Roshon's car the night he drove the
Widow Wise back from Cleveland It was
drumming on the tin roof outside the prose
tors window as she sat down and faced
him across his desk
we know you did it, Martha" he said
Why not confess and get it off your con-
science o."
You're wrong. Mr. Seymour I would
never a done such a thing
He told her about the arsenic in Lily
Genke's stomach. showed her the druggists
register Of her purchases, explained how they
knew she'd warned her children not 20 drink
water at "grandmas or Uncle Freds." Still
she shook her head in stony-faced denial.
For several minutes they faced each other
across a silence broken only by the rain on
the roof Then Mrs Ethel Roshon the
sheriffs wife took hand
Listen Martha. DO you hear those rain
drops? DO you hear what they're saying
They're saying: rop-drip-drip You-did-t.
Drop-drip-drip. You-did-it You did it.
Martha You know you did! Listen to it.
Martha. It's the voice of God. He's telling
you to tell the truth
The Widow Wise listened and then she
broke
oh, my God" she moaned Yes did
il. ! put arsenic in the water bucket But
it was the Devil told me 60. He came 10
me, laughing and grinning while baked
my bread. He came 10 me when l was
a-hon in the fields He kept telling me 90
do it while he follered me in the meadow
1t was the Devil done it."
She looked down at her work-gnarlcd
hands
They told me I had no business wantiu
20 get married again. SAID 1 was old and
ugly They laughed at mo when that young
fellow threw me over. / hated them and
the Devil said Kill them And did
Her eyes lighted with unholy glee
Il liked their funerals / could GET
dressed up and see folks and talk 90 them
didn't miss funeral in twenty years Tie
only fun l ever had was after / kilt peop.,
She signed a complete confession
At her trial defense lawyers tried 90
prove she was an epieptic and had beer
insane since birth but the jury did not
agree with them
Thqy foilhd Martha Hasel Wise guilty.
and she was sentenced 10 life imprisonment
in the Ohio state Penitentiary for Wou.en
at Marysvlle where she still is today
SO one ever Know how she set an 'lase
fires arid committed her mysterious thefts
Perhaps the Devil did have a hand IN those
terrible months after all
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-04

sicianS eagerly.
Yes" the doctors agreed
Certain poisons-arsenic, for
instance might have caused
them"
Sheriff and prosecutor had
10 cover "A lot OF ground but
they finally established that
the person who had warned
the children had recently made
two purchases Of arsenic to
kill rats"
Prosecutor seymour oh
tanned a court order for the
elimination OF LILY Geinke' 5
body. An autopsy was per
formed Arsenic all right"
the coroner reported Enough
of It 10 kill a dozen people. "
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10
NOTICE OF FILING ACCOUNTS
The state of Ohio. Morgan County.
tn Probate Court

Whereas. accounts and vouchers
have been filed In the office of this
Court by the Administrators or Ex-
ecutors OF the following deceased
persons. tO-wit:
James A. Fitch, Executor of" the
Estate Of Mcclellan Fitch; Grant Nc
Carty and Frank S. McCarty, Exc
cutors of the Estate of John j. Nc
Cartv; Emr'ett Abel. Aar,.ristrator.
with the Will Annexed Of the Estate
OF Emily G.. Parsons; Goldie r. Betz.
Administrative of the Estate of Carl
r. Betz: also the following Guard
ian's Account: Emmett Abel, Guard
ian CT Annie Mehaffey
Notice Is hereby gwen that said
accounts and vouchers are now on
file in the office of said Court. being
suspended for confirmation. and per.
sons interested in said accounts or
any item thereof. may file written
exceptions thereto at least FIVE dave
prior to the 28th day of December,
1912. when the same will be heard
and continued from day to day un-
til finally disposed or
ARTHUR TORRFPT
3d3 Probate Judge
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10

grow more next summer may as well
! answer Eyes, I'll grow more-grow
more like my. dad every day."
| Pvt. Herschel Mclaughlin, weigh
ing 206, and..a. well-known figure
about the village before his induc-
tion into the army, Feb Is, 1912.
was giving hand to friends here,
Saturday. He came to the home OF
parents. Mr.. and. Mrs. Isaiah Nc
Laughlin, near Bald Knob, Center
! township, Friday, and on this, his
first furlough home. He is a men,
ber Of Battery A, .142nd,- Field Ar
! tillery and had been stationed at
! Camp Bowie, three miles from
Brownwood, Texas. Upon induction
he was sent to Ft. Bragg. N. c..
, later to Ft. Sill, Okla, then to
Camp Forest. near Tullahoma.
Tenn, and finally. to Camp Bowie.
After destribing the weight of
! artillery, l decided that there is the
place for the comic-strip character,
"Pop-Eye" to demonstrate his mus
cular ability. Private McLaughlin's
opinion was that Camp Bowie might
be his "old address before he
could return to it or even acquire
a new one. He, spoke Of his fine
treatment by citizens and Red Cross
organizations in Oklahoma, Missouri
; and elsewhere while enroute home.
What was represented to him as the
generosity Of an Oklahoma million
aire, provided him and other home
b3Lnd comrades at stop, enroute,
with a meal that made tables groan
mot saying the derogatory word
about soldier. At whistle-stop
Joints, organizations represented
by young ladies, tossed cake, fried
chicken and other delicacies in at
the windows Of coaches, with much
reckless abandon. Though the
train was slow and numbering on it's
schedule and the engineer could not
gather up, the soldier at his seat by
the window was gathering up very
speedily-at every toss. His stay
ended Tuesday noon. He has three
brothers in the army, one in North
Africa, one in Utah, and one as he
then figured was sitting on his bar
racks bag at a Florida, railroad sta
ton platform awaiting north
hound" to Camp Edwards, Massa-
chusetts..
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10
County Democrat Mc.n.n oais Thd.y Deeemb. TO-

up persons could equal. Triumph
does not always follow genius but
this six year. old has genius. He lis
the son of Mr.. and Mrs. William
BiniOn.
The ban. .on being outdoors with
a straw-hat on was sort Of lifted
Monday by the wsather-man..
Mrs. Dewey (Belva) Parks return-
ed home Sunday afternoon from Me-
mortal hospital, Marietta, where she
had spent As days as patient, en-
during an operation and illness that
at times had serious implications.
Mr.. and Mrs. Van. B., Parks aft
er a residence absence of more than
six weeks, during which they re-
manned at the home of their son, M.
d Parks, returned to their village
home here, Sunday.
140c-1O42
In 1892 an Italian came over and
discovered America. (Using the
same fgures). In 1912, an Amer
lean goes over and discovers Italy
as much lost to herself as America
was in 1892.
Dick Galloway of GAINESVILLE has
been staying at the Mrs. Sarah
Conger home in Woodgrove, and
attending school at Reinersvilie.
Mrs. Rosa Foraker Of Sharon
township, Noble county, is per-
forming household duties in the
Dewey Parks home, northeast of the
village
Pvt. Herschel Mclaughlin, home
from a Texas camp, said there were
a lot of armadillos on the loose
around their camp-no, you're
wrong-they are quadrupeds. They
eat carrion, insects and sometimes
fallen fruit The books say that
the armour that covers them, in
stead of resembling scale armor
like that of the Manis, reminds the
observer of modified plate armor
They burrow with great rapidity
and can only be forced from their
refuge by smoke or water. When
pursued they either burrow into
earth or oppose a partial resistance
by rolling themselves. up, and trust
ing to the protection of their ar
NOR. In some wild places the ma
tives consider them great delicacies
when roasted in their shells.
Herschel Wiley, who has been
engaged at his trade as brick-layer,
at Brockway, Jefferson county, Pa,
arrived at his home in the village
last Friday evening. He reports to
the hunters here that both deer and
bear may be found in that region.
He does not of course tell exactly
how to- find them, but we suggest
that our hunters would look ahead
for the deer and behind for the
bear
Well, four zero, Or near-zero days
are in the background with num-
ber Of thermomete concurring in
temperatures of zero and four de-
grees above on certain mornings of
last week.
II there is any business now that
is grinding to a man it is certainly
feed-mill.
Donald Baker, bus driver from
Bristol, into this school-port pos
sesses hefty pair of gloves that
are the cynosure Of all eyes. They
have a fairly heavy coat of cow
hair on the backs and up the long
gauntlets. He has had the pair for
few years but they show little
signs of wear. They We're made to
order at Rochester, N. Y.
The most amazing bit of news
coming out of Washington since the
war started-lowering of the top
draft age limit from IS to 3S. Are
we that close to victory? What?
Some fellows when asked to
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10

1groundhug.' While he waited at
the postoffice for his father, the Star
route mail! man, the rural carrier,
Hutchins, engaged him in an argu-
ment on the valne of corporal pun
ishment in the schools. While thus
engaged in conversation he quickly
and neatly with finger in the
moisture on glass printed his
name with letters that few grown
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10

dearth of coal at the school house..
Billy" while, probably not in the
class of prodigies represented by
another Morgan county boy who en-
tered Northwestern University at
the age Of 13, he is undoubtedly a
precOcious child. He was six last
October, and year before he en-
tered school. he had no trouble
smelling a nine letter word like
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10

lowering around zero. Owing to
the censorship here, I cannot say
much about this place, but it was
doggone cold.
The cover In six months" Quip
sounds too much like the lover in
90 days. quip Of April, 1861, when
President Lincoln called for $4,000
volunteers for three months serv-
ice--Montgomery Hist, p. 283.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10

The bicycle which was ''snitch-
ed and sold by one dealer to an
other dealer and then sold to an
innocent purchaser here, is still aft
er several months, the cause for
wrangle.
Six Year Old Genius
Six year old BILLY" Binion, jr., Of
Bristol township, was in the viii
lage last Friday. because of {
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10
Rsinersville

A COW belonging to George Dean
o the late Frank Foster farm, died
1nst Saturday of Acompaction of the
10ucls.
Winter, am told, does not Off
eially begin until Dec. 21st, but the
oRicial part of it was poor comfort
last week with the thermometer
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1942-12-10

Give Bible for Christmas We
have them.--Stanbery Pharmacy.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Kem-TOne Free
0dors

\ new kind Of paint developed
by scientific research and en-
hodyIng the latest advances In the
field Of chemical resins. has been
announced by the Sherwin-Wil-
liamS Company. worlds largest
manufactures OF paints and var
nlSheS.
Known AS Kem-Tone. this new
interior fiat wall finish has just
been introduced in Detroit by the
Crowley-Milner Company.
According TO Crowley paint ex-
pertS, the new finish is free from
paint odors during
and after painting. The only me-
dunn used for thinning is plain
water which does away with the
usual odor Of turpcntine and thin
ners. kem-Tone can be applied
over practically any interior sur
face without any undercoater or
preliminary preparation. TIL is
means, il was said, that old wall
paper. which ordinarily would
have 10 be removed, can now be
covered with a single coat OF
Kem-Tone.
KEN Tone dries in only one
hour and the surface il covers
can be washed repeatedly without
harm. 1t is available in an as
Sortment OF pastel shades.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Color Book Aid
ToDecoration
CrowIey's TO Lend
Helpful Volume

The Worlds Largest Color
Book. a new two Square-foot
portfolio OF color photos showing
hundreds Of rooms styled by lead
ing American decorators and col.
or-eNpcrtS, is available 10 visitors
oi the Grow loy-Mllner Company
exhibit ~ the Detroit Builders
Show for reference and study
a quantity OF the color guides
is also available AZ Crowlcy-Mil-
ner'S store and will be loaned 10
residents of this area, Crowley
officials said Saturday.
In addition 10 more than 100
photos OF room color-SchemeS. the
portfolio also shows scores OF home
eXteriors demonstrating how a
house can BE- rcStylcd with mod
pvr, pai,t rofors
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Modern Treatment

Photos in the color guide We're
taken in some ~ Americas finest
homes. They show how American
decorators now are using modern
paint colorS 20 achieve smart, new
effects and backgrounds for both
modern and claSsic-Style furnish
ings.
The photos also show how GER
tain colors can make a room seem
larger or smaller. lower or higher,
warmer or cooler. ColIcr or more
formal All OF the colorS used,
according 30 Crowloy-MIincr rep
rcSentatIveS. are available in
rcady-mINcd paints.
The decorating guide was com
piled by The color experts Of the
observation-disclosures decorative stu
dos who selected the photos from
- 600 rooms and homes.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Furnished Home
One Of Builders
Show Features
Golden Berry, Maple
Used Throughout
Five-Room Dwelling

II you're seeking ideas on how
to furnish that new home OF yours,
Tor apartment. for that matter)
then by all means visit the COM
pletely furnished fve-room De-
Tense House at the Detroit Build
ers' Show.
Furnished throughout by Crow
ley-Milner Company. the home is
the personification OF good taste.
And you'll be. agreeably surprised
at the price tags on the furnishings.
The Defense House visitor first
sees a charming conversational
group consisting OF a homespun
tapestry covered Lawson sofa,
Virginia wing type chairs with a
Colonial flower pattern. and a
large bookcase with drawers. Add
ing immeasurably 10 the rooms
honey and CHEEKY atmosphere is
a hooked rug.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Styles Vary

The rooms on exhibit AT the
Builders Show. as well as the ones
permanently available for inSpec-
ton in Crowley-Milner'S furniture
department, range from traditional
10 modern groupings
Al the Builders Show, for ex-
ample. youll find one living room
-d6ftt-- n graceful Chinese modern
Another j. done in contemporary
regency. This room, incidentally.
is sure 10 capture the eye and
fancy Of more than one feminine
VISITOR.
The effect 81 the room IS
achieved by simplicity. restraint
and individually distinctive ele-
montS. A barrel wing chair in
soft green matclaSSe has an inter
c>ting grouped pattern. The pull
up chars IN Pendec cedar dam
ak hold the rooms scale.
Soft tone Chinese paintings add
wall interest. Lamps have Opaque
shades. covered in brighter warm
green satin The carpet is warm
green and the walls are of a more
colorfIl hat-tone green The drap-
ercS repeat this tone IN smartly
>''Iped mat satin.
The advantage OF the PeRdleton
6 % Op groupings according TO
CrOWley.Milncr interior decora-
tors. IS that each basic grouping
!, Sh0Un as "A complete room.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Lodder-Bock Chairs

Al the end of the room nearest
the kitchen are ladder back chairs,
drop-leaf table and a china
cabinet.
The kitchen is appropriately
decorated in red. white and blue.
The crisp white curtains are
trimmed in red plaid and the walls
are delft blue. There's gas
range and electric refrigerator.
while the linoleum floor is black
and white, with a red trim.
There's a full sized maple poster
bed in the master bedroom. as
we'll as a roomy chest on chest, a
vanity with oval mirror and a
blanket chest at the foot OF the
bed. A small bookcase and chair
ideal for pre-bedtime reading
stand in one corner of the room.
The walls are rose-gray, while the
ceiling and rugs are of the same
shade Of turquoise. The flounce
on the bedspread matches the
rufhed lowered sateen window
curtain
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Experts Create
Pend|eton Line

The Pendleton ensembles shown
at the Crowley-MIlner Company'S
Pendleton Shop have been created
and color Co-ordinatcd by some of
the nations leading manufacture
erS, under the supervision Of JOS
eph g. Platt.
Plat. artiSt-deSigner. created
the interior sets for the motion
picture. Gone With the Wind"
Crowley's are exclusive Detroit
distributors of the Pendleton line
of new and moderately priced
furniture and accessories.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Urqes Cooperation

Cooperation between the gov
eminent and the American In
sti'utc OF Architects 10 speed the
war construction program was
urged Saturday by Ebert /. lIar-
riSon. wee president of the Central
Illinois Chapter Of the American
Institute of Architects.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Use Masking Tape

Upon removing masking tape
which is frequently used when.
painting stripes or borderS--Some
of the adhesive occasionally sticks
to the surface. This can he taken
off without marring the finish by
using fresh piece of masking tape
and rubbing IT across the adhered
pieces. The adhesive will stick 10
the fresh tape and come off easily,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Sage Green Walls

The studio bedroom or child :
room has soft sage green walls. A
teXtured throw rug covers the
floor, and "A studio couch in beige
and bitterSweet stripe stands
ready 70 give continuous 24-hour
service. The Chest-deSk solves
both the problem Of storage and
writing Brilliant Mexican pat
terms highlght the homespun
The bathroom has coral rose
walls. white fixtures and A linoIeum
floor
CroWley-Mllner's interior deco
ration experts selected Golden
Berry, maple as the wood for all
the pieces Of furniture.
Easily one Of the Builders Show
highhghts IS the furnished Defense
Home. Don't miss il,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Plan Color Scheme

A. one glance YOU can see chow
tbs rug goes with that drapery
how various pieces Will look to-
gether. You can plan your color
scheme. You can choose your
furniture and accessories and know
that Your selection IS correctly
STYLED ono piece or an entire
room may bo purchased or
dtapcrloS, rugs or lamps.
Grow lcy-MIIncr officials empha-
SIZED Saturday that their own
Dome decorating department was
available 10 aid in the solution OF
any home decoration problem
Also emphasized was the fact
that the Pcndleton Shop groupings
consisted Of a truly ready-to-Wear
decorative service Of highest quail
ity composed by group Of leading
interior designers at no added
cost 10 the consumer.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-15
Crow|ey-MiIner
Pend|eton Shop
Popular Exhibit
Distinctive Furniture
Display Aid TO Correct
Home Decoration

Crowley-Milner Companys Pen
dleton Shop exhibit at the Detroit
Builders Show demonstrates how
much OF the mystery and many
OF the mistakes OF interior deco
ration can be eliminated.
Set up for inspection by Show
visitors are siX-room groups. Each
is shown as a complete room with
furniture, lamps. pictures, walls.
draperies, floor coverings and art
objects-all co-ordinated for har-
mOny OF style and color.
The six rooms are faithful re-
productions of rooms featured in
Crowley Miners seventh floor
PendletOn gallery.