smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

The New York Herald says that it
NAV well be said that murder is a
common crime IN that city, and adds:
IC comes like an epidemic, bringing a
series of bloody deeds and deaths.
Sometimes the deed is done in open
day, again at night, and at times it is
the climax of a long and intricate
plot that battles all elucidation. In
tracing the causes of this greatest OF
crimes the records show that rum and
women WELD the pistol and knife in
most instances. Very seldom do we
hear of a murder for mere robbery
Drunkenness and jealousy seem to be
the great prOpelling forces to the gal
lows. Yet not ALWAYS to the gallOws,
for the process that leads thereto is
tedious, and the courts are cautious.
But whether the law seizes the erim-
inal rightly or wrongly, the victim is
here still and the murder is done.


We haye had within a year such a
record Of murders that, doubtless, the
public has forgotten most of them
Who knows how many murders are
committed in our midst that the world
never hears of? Would it be rash to
saw that the poor, lifeless corpse that
is kept from rOtting by the dripping
of the water upon it on a slab IN the
MOrgue is always accidentally
drowned" or that it is a case of sui
eide :" There are dark nights on the
wharves, and the noise from the
splash of a drunken man or woman
does not reach where relief comes
from. There are dark nights. too, out
in the river, and neither the cry for
help nor the wall of the victim can
reach the shore. "An unknown mani
often, it is to be feared, means "rhere
is a brother murdered in the river"


With these cases, however, the
MOrgue, and not the Tombs, is con-
eerned. Through the kindness of the
Warden a reporter was recently ena-
bled to ascertain the number of pris-
oners in the Tombs who are now
awaiting their trial for murder. The
total is twenty-five. In some of the
cases there were circumstances sur
rounding them sufficient to make
mems blood run cold.


The principal figure, however,
among this crowd of men charged
with murder is Stokes, who shot Fisk.
BE bears his position much less fret
fully now than he used to bear it.
His great confidence in an aequittal
by jury having been destroyed, he
began to recognize with better sense
the perilOus position in which he was
placed, and he is now become tOlera-
bly, reconciled TO the tOrtures and pri-
vations of prison experience. His
health is not falling, and he, too, is
hopeful. In fact, the reporter was in
formed that there was not a poor
wretch in the TOmbs from whose sin
full breast Heaven has yet taken the
poor consolation of a little hope for
the future.
Year: 1872

Strange things happen in ten years.
Fortunes are made and lost, while
one goes up, he who was up finds the
level. We are led to these remarks
by tine following "reminiscences Ten
years ago we knew a man who was a
poor utility actor, doing his biz for
only nine dollars a week in one Of
the eastern theatres He worked
hard, but couldn't get ahead, and he
became discouraged about things aud
couldn't eat much, and his friends
got worried about him. One day,
while reading the Tribune, this poor
young man saw one of Horace Gree
ley's articles advising young people
to "go west, where fortunes awaited
them" The poor player rolled this
bit of advice over in his mind, like it
was a delicious morsel, and he pawned
all his clothes and stage jewelry and
scTaped together barely enough to
take him to the rich lands of the west
as a sort of steerage passenger. That
was ten years ago, you Will remember,
during which time we lost track of
that young man, and imagined that
he had committed suicide, or died one
of those unnatural deaths which are
so common out there. Judge of our
surprise when, on last Saturday, the
bronZed features of our long absent
friend greeted US 10 our sanctum, and
the hard hand of the returned one
elasped ours in true western fashion +,
the once poor player sat down and
recounted to us the perils and dangers
he had passed through in his wild
western life, and, in voice, tremu-
lOus with emotion, he concluded his
touching narrative by asking if we
could lend him a quarter! We were
never so taken down in our life be-
fore, and like our returned friend, we
don't have the same faith in the
teeming lands of the west, as we once
had.
Year: 1872

Treat the Cows Kfndly.-There ara
too many who exhibit roughness Ct
treatment toward the COW; and vet
no domestic animals are more sensi-
tive or more quickly feel the unkind-
ness shown them. They can be made
docile and mild in thieT dispositions.
or timid and wild, just in accordance
with the treatment they receive from


their herder and mixer; and it is a
well established fact that a COW will
transmit her disposition to her pro-
geny. A rough, quick tempered per-
son should never be employed as


mixer; and one who will, on anv
pretence whatever kick or strike q
cow, should be kicked in return, from
the barnyard into the street.. and
never be allowed to return. Gentle
ness will increase the quantity of
milk, as has been shown by q change
of cruel and irascible mixer to one
who pTaetieed kind and gentle treat
ment. 1t is an injury to cows to be
driven faster than an easy walk, to
and from their pastures. To be ur-
ged on by thOughtless boys and these
perhaps on horseback, is to produce
a fever and heating of the blood
which is sure to dry up or lessen the
flow of of milk. Cows should always
he made as comfortable as possible,
summer and winter, it pays 10 do it.
Year: 1872

STRANGE FREAK OF LIGHTNNG.-
A young lady, while standing in .
window in MOrgantOwn, Butler
county, KY, received slight shock
from a flash Of lightning. On her
recovery, it was found that an allan
thus tree, standing near the window,
had been accurately photographed by
the electric flash upon her breast.
This reminds a friend that in his
youth he was the object of photo
graphy. He had told his father that
he was ga demented old jaekass."
This playful remark enraged the IN
reasonable father, and he interviewed
his son. When the interview was
over the son felt that he had been
struck by lightning, and that photo
graph of mans hand was distinctly
visible-but not where could he see
the picture. Lightning is guilty of
strange freaks sometimes.
Year: 1872

A wholesale liquor firm in Paterson,
n. j., were surprised the other morn
ing at the absence of a revenue stamp
lust affixed to a barrel of whisky by
the Assistant Assessor, and as they
could not sell the liquor without the
stamp and the stamp could not be
duplicated. they were in an awkward
fix. Suddenly they remembered that
Dutchman had been seen sitting on
the barrel Immediately after the
stamp was pasted on. and on finding
that gentleman and looking under
the tail of his coat, the mystery was
solved. After some trouble the stamp
was transferred from the innocent
German to the barrel, and the excite
ment subsidized.
Year: 1872

They tell about a man in Doyles-
town, Pa, who heard that well water
could be purified with lime, so he
emptied a bushel and a half into ms
well, and felt blissful and happy, 15
turned out that, because OF the Dry
ness of the season, there was only
feet of water in the well, and ever
since his experiment he has been sell
ling a good article Of whitewash to
his neighbOrs at two buckets for
cent. aud walked a mile and half to
tine creek for drinking water for his
family. He has doubts now about
lime being a good purifier.
Year: 1872

Goldsmith Maid, the famous trOt-
ting mare, is said to be stolen proper
ty, and a lawsuit for her recovery is
impending. 1t is said that about five
years ago the stables of a great Ken
tueky stock raiser were burned down,
and very promising young mare stO-
len, and the groom who had charge
of her has just seen the eel ebrated
Maid, and is ready to take oath that
she is the stolen animal.
Year: 1872

A good, convenient and very efiec-
tual remedy for the sting of wasps,
bees, ETC., is simply to hold any
hollow key over the place stung, press
it hard into the flesh a minute or so,
and when taken off the poison will
be on the surface of the flesh and do
no harm. A thimble with a tight
top will do, but not so well.
Year: 1872

In the November number of the
Atlantic, Professor John Fiske has q
paper on 1.-THE PrimevaI Ghosc
World" It will be in the vein of
the series he published in the same
magazine last year, in which he traced
back so many myths to their origin
in the unending change on the eaFth's
surface from light to darkness and
back again. In the coming essay be
gives a curious explanation of the su-
perstitiOn so common Especially in
England) that it is unlucky to Kill
robin. Long ago it was believed that
the death of a robin bOded some ca
lamity. Still earlier, the calamity
was specified it was death. Going
back a few generations more, we find
that this death was always caused by
lightning. Then we come to the
generation that reverenced the robin
as the bird of Thor, God of lightning.


Finally, at the time when the mind
in its infancy-persOnified every force
especially a destructive One-we
learn that the lightning itself is a red
bird that drops from its beak a worm
that skaters even the rocks on which
it chances to fall. So it seems that
the English peasant woman, warning
her child not to kill the robin, is but
giving the nineteenth century YER
sion of heathen mythe, born per-
haps, ages before Christ was.
Year: 1872

The correct thing now a-days for
lady promenaders is to carry one arm
bent at the elbow, the hand sticking
straight forward and allowed to bob
up and down like dislocated pump
handle.
Year: 1872

The process Of lion-taming is elabor-
ately described by a writer in the Lon
don Daily Ne,cs, part of whose story We
copy:


Whatever is the reason, the forest Ii
ons are more intelligent and teachable
than those bred in confinement. The
lion tanner begins by taking tie feeding
Of them into his own hands, and so gets
them to know him. He commences feed
ing them from the outside Of the den,
then ventures inside of one at time,
always carefully keeping his face to tha
animal and avoiding any violence, which
is mistake whenever it can be avoided,
as it rouses the dormant devil in the
beast Getting to handle the lion, the
tanner begins by stroking him down the
back, gradually working up to the head,
which he begins to scratch, and the lion,
which, like the cat, likes friction, begins
to rub his lead against the hand When
this familiarity is we'll established, board
is handed In to the trainer which he
places across the den and teaches the
lion to jump over il, using a whip with
thong, but not for the purpose of pun
ishment.


Gradually this board is heightened !;
the lion jumping over it at every stage /;
and then comes the hoops, etc, held on
top of the board TO quicken the beasts
understanding. To teach the animal to
jump over the trainer, the latter stoops
alongside the board so that when the lion
clears one, he clears the other, and half a
dozen lessons are ordinarily about suffi-
cient to teach this. To get lion to lie
down and the tanner TO stand on him is
more difficult. 1t is done by filicking
the beast over the back with a small
"tickling" whip, and at the same time
pressing him down with one hand. BY
raising his head and taking hold Of the
nostril with the right hand, and the un-
der lip and lower jaw with the left, the
lion, by this great pressure on the nos
tril and lip, loses greatly the power of
his jaws, so that a man can pull them
open and put his head inside the beasts
mouth, the feat with which Van Am
burg's name was so much associated. The
only danger is least the animal should
raise one of his fore paws and stick his
talons in, and if he does, the tanner must
stand fast for his life till he has shifted
his paw.
Year: 1872

A meeting was held in New York City,
last week, in promotion of the cause Of
international prison reform. Horatio
Seymour presided, and in a pertinent
speech alluded to the necessity of wise
criminal code, not yet possessed by any
State of the Union. The defects in
these laws and their execution are charge
able in great degree to the indifferer ce
of the people and Legislatures.


Wise legislation will allow prisoners
to keep for themselves or families a
whole or share of their earnings, and will
force the perpetrators of petty offence:
to support their families by honest labor
or make them feel therein some sharp
daily punishment for each day spent IL
idle, disorderly conduct.


A letter was read from President Grant
regretting his inability to attend, but ex
tending assurance of his interest in Peni-
tentiary reform.
Year: 1872

Henry Ward Beeeher, in an article On
amnesty, published in the Christian I'm.
ion this week, says 1--WE commend to
the attent'on of gentlemen who are
afraid OF amnesty the present condition
OF Louisiana. Are the soldiers of the
political power in that community such a
select aad virtuous class that the admis.
sion of exceptionists would lower the
average quality2 In fact, was there ever
set of more worthless adventures than
those who are wrangliDg over the Offices
in New Orleans? Have we not had evi.
dence enough of the wretched misgov.
ernment of half the South? Since we
cannot directly cure it, let US at least
leave the people perfectly free T. do the
best they can for themselves. Let us not
shut out aIl their old and trusted leaders
from the Offices which the veriest riff
raft etse to enter We are excluding
the class Of the most intelligent and capa
bic men in the South from supporting a
cause which the whole white population
supported Surely it is time for this in
justice and folly to end"
Year: 1872

A GREAT many people in this country
are shamefully negligent about answer
ing letters. Nothing is more annoying.
In European countries it is regarded as
the height of fillbreeding to allow letter
which needs reply to go unanswered,
and so it ought to be considered here.
This is a point on which parents should
lay great stress to their children. They
should be taught to consider it as rude
not to reply to letter which needs at
tention as to hand fork with the prong
end.
Year: 1872

An old lady said her husband was
very fond of peaches, and that was his
only fault.
YOU call that fault ?"


Why, because there are diherent
ways of eating them, sir. My husband
takes them in the form Of brandy
Year: 1872

REV. GILBERT HAVEN, of Ohio,
hopes to see the day when a negro wo-
man, married to a white man, shall be
President of the United States. We
hope that the said Rev. G. HIS negro
wife may be the fortunate woman, and
that her first official act will be, Semira-
mislike, to have the head of her white
husband taken off smooth with his shoul-
daro
Year: 1872

a LAFAYETTE young man gave wo-
man his note for $500 as a balm for
wounded honor, and afterward married
her for the purpose of getting possession
of the note. He destroyed the docu-
ment and disappeared.
Year: 1872

II is thought that poor Mexico is in
her national death throes. The only
thing that eau save her is annexation to
this country. Intelligent Americans
now in Mexico say that annexation is the
great desire of her best people.
Year: 1872

THE BARRIERS in Germany are striking
for higher pay. Their present rates are
three and half cents for cutting hair and
one and half cents for shaving. They
refuse to continue work for less than FIVE
and two and half cents respectively for
similar services.
Year: 1872

A RICH young fellow from Aiab~naa
visited New York the other day, and,
having imbibed little too freely, took
it into his muddled head to enlist in the
United States service, under the impress
sion that there was to be immediate wal
with Spain. He is now petitioning the
Secretary of War for discharge.
Year: 1872

The Postoffice Department has just
made an important decision regar ,ll-
the transmission of newspapers by
mail, which is OF considerable interest
not only to publishers, but to the peo-
pie generally. Under the new con
struction placed upon the law, nc
name or memorandum can be made
on newspaper inside the wrapper on
which the address is written. 1t is
barely permissible to mark an article
with pen or pencil. More Than this,
subjects tie paper to letter postage,
and the violator of the law to fine,
Neither must any printed card, hand
bill or advertisement, written notice,
letter, or slip of any kind whatsoever,
be folded in the paper. Printed slips
posted on the outside or folded in
papers or periodicals, soliciting no
tices, are also violations of the law
senders of transient papers can send
bundles of printed matter by weight
at transient postage charges, but must
not send any written matter in such
bundles. To do any of these things
is to violate the law. These facts are
of Importance, and should be borne in
mind.-PiHs5urg Commercial.
Year: 1872

Now, perhaps, it makes little differ
ence, so far IS the morality OF the
case is concerned, whether one six


teenth OF per cent. or 16 per cent.
is embezzled. But when you come to
discuss the question as to whc en-
bezzles it, it does make great desl
OF difference. And if this article " as
not already too long, the comparison
might be carried back several years,
with still more striking results. The
point here demonstrated is that the
charge that the standard OF the great
mass of the men in the civil servir"


not being improved, is false. y -.
men denounce the civil service rs
"the worst the world ever saw it
shows that they don't know what
they are talking about-that they are
chattering SANDER and misrepresen-
tation without investigation, or any
regard for truth. No doubt the civil
service can be greatly improved, and
no men have given more effective
demonstration of their intention to
improve it than those at present in
power. In conclusion, i invite the
attention OF candid people and ere
formers" also to the facts here set
forth. II l have "set down naught
in malice" 1 certainly have extenu-
uated nothing. CYMoN.
Year: 1872

The bark Warren HalIett, which
sailed from the port of Boston Tues
day, for Cape De Verde, put into
Princeton harbor the same night in
consequence OF a mutiny among its
crew. Previous to reaching the hsr-
Dor q terrible fight had occurred on


oard, during which one man was
He'd and another fatally injured.
Year: 1872

Having made large additions to our establish
ment in the shape OF material of the lates
style. and having employed experienced anC
careful workmen, we are prepared to execute
orders for every variety Of PLAIN AND FANCY
LOB PRINTING with neatneSs and dispatch
The addition of Steam Power to our establish.
ment Affords rs great advantages over mos
country ofDces IN the way of low prices and
ast work Call with us and be con WINGED.
Year: 1872

tention Of the mother. The latter went
to the door, and was almost paralyzed
with fear at discovering an enormous
eagle sailing around the child in grace
full eddies, each circuit bringing it nearer
its victim. Quickly comprehending the
situation, she rushed from the door and
clasped her darling in her arms. While
carrying the child to the house, the eagle
hotly contested the right of possession,
and twice approached near enough to
the child to touch its flowing hair with
its beak. But Mrs. Decker defended her
child, and succeeded in taking il to the
house uninjured.


The next morning the winged monster
again made its appearance, lowering
closely around the house for sometime,
and then perched itself upon an adja-
cent tree. The mother notified the
neighbors, and q son of Mr.. John ID.
Dinehart, aged about nineteen years.
took his rifle and sent bullet through
the head Of the bird 1t proved to be a
splendid specimen of the American bald
eagle, measuring six feet and six inches
from tip to tip


The enterprise Of the Register in OBJ
tanning the details of this story excites
the jealousy of the Hudson Star, which
asserts that the monster was a gilt
tin eagle
Year: 1872

The Administration Is acquitted by the voice
OF the people and the Republican party the charge OF
the affairs Of the nation Ia again committed for another
term OF four years. We rejoice with our readers over
mis- fortunate and auspIcous issue OF contest Cr1
cal in its relations to the future II the country and 50
xamped the reckless m1ligny OF the opposition
we have encountered. II the Administration, 50 hand
somey reelected, shall act wisely IL may confidently ex
peot 10 win back to the ranks OF its supporters
a LARGE prOpOrtion OF those who have gone
astray and TO receive numerous retnfOrcement


from the ranks OF its traditional Zoe OF those VINO must
by lost To this end II will become those In power to


use the victory generously dscarding any sput OF pro-
scrinfion prOclaming amnesty to all who would renew
their allegiance and DEVOTION even seeking their coun
sell cOOperatiOn, and support
Year: 1872

Grant is elected-the worst thing for his
reputation that could happened Had he been de
feated his retirement might compensated many Of
his msdeeGs. Now he has an opportunity TO perfect
that disgrace which believe awaits him. We can yet
wait Nor do we despair OF the election. We believe
there is sufficient virtue yet left IN the people though
latent now TO overcome the power OF President even
i'm these DAYS OF patronage We look 10 the future hope
fully and as the darkest hour Immediately precedes the
dawn and as "hope springs eternal IN the human
hrpaA u WI
Year: 1872

and leave the past present TO be referred 10 a
record of a temporary degradation OF our country re-
uured for her discipline, and in contrast To which her
future under Reform rule. shall show the more glO-
riOusIV
Year: 1872

a. In he continued and adhered TO- They have indorsed
the platform OF Republican National Convention.
unon which he was nominated, and declared res
ointeIv that the Constitutional Amendments
shall bc enforced and the equality OF races and rights
consider this full and final yindcation OF the Rrpubli-
can party and s policy, and the virtual termination OF
the career OF the Democratic party While the people
have again expressed their undlmnlshed esteem for
President Grant and have declared by their that
no has acquitted himself well In his high office, they
have at the same time given unqualified Endorsement
20 the governmental policy that has marked his Ad-
mnistrat0n, rs well tho course OF Congress, with
which he and his Cabinet have throughout been In
harmony.
Year: 1872

- IRON ~ FhEtktphia Fublb LedgT lhIl .


The Presidential election of 1872, ABOUT
which many persons have been in a state OF mental eA
ercse for nearly two past has and gone anu
people will about their ordinary business TINS MORN
ing just If no unusual thing had occurred YESTERDAY
No intelligent man will be surprised at the result Oh te
election and in this the election will present tna
rarest OF all features very few will be disappointed anu
hope that will have real occasion to DO etAer
disappointed Crieye.
Year: 1872

Tic peOp1G OF Ine UHIVtU OV'IVVS I I1H' = =


great deal OF good and good feeling ana wneh


little time given for sober second thought gO0d deal
Of good udgment The unparalleled and outrageous
abuse hcaped upon Gen Grant by deserters ana enc.
mics, aud by him borne in silence. have aWakeueu
their feeling in his behalf as much as his merits
aud the cause he represents have convinced thvir
Judgments They approve the policy Oh the hePuD-
Ican party They indOrse the Administration OF Gen.
the management OF the country for the next four years
to the successful General and statesman who safely ed
them through the war than its results thrown
away by the elevation OF candidate whom Demo
cratic orator described ridiculous campaign JOSS
made up like a scarccrOw OF dilapidated hat ana
shabby coat"
Year: 1872

The great struggle Is over. IL has varied in
It's fortunes determined In its results through
causes that deserve calm and deliberate consideration,
for they without instruction and
for the future or what actually DONE have the
result Let us now make the best OF it. 10 offers new
incentives 70 oil earnest patriotic mon, VINO hope 10
preserve free civil government and effect reform In the


abuses ana cOrrnptiOns that eating the very heart
out OF our American civilization.