The farmers' union., November 19, 1891, Image 1

About The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

                
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VOLUME I.
MEMPHIS,' MISSOURI, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 1891.
NUMBER 12.
A CONSPIRACY PROVEN.
BANKERS
STATES
OF THE UNITED
COMBINED TO ROB.
Tfaelr Private Circulars and Falsehoods
How the Old Tarty Tress Is Uotight
and the People Mccetvcd.
The bankers of the United States
formed their first public organization
at Washington when they met there
Saturday, January 11, 1802. The dele
gates present were :
Mr. Coe, of the Merchant's Bank,
Nef York.
Mr. Martin, of the Ocean Bank, New
York.
Mr. Gallatin, of the National Bank,
New York.
Mr. Bates, Bank of Commerce, Bos
ton. Mr.
Mr.
ton.
Walley, Iron Hank, "Boston.
Wallace, Merchant's Bunk, Uos-
Mr. Rogers, Tradesmen's Bank, Phil
adelphia. Mr. Mercer, Farmers' Bank, Phila
delphia. Mr. Patterson, Western Bank, Phil
adelphia. This was the committee appointed
ly the Bankers' Association to see the
Finance Committee of the House and
Senate and shape the financial lagisla
tion of the country. When the first
meeting of these bankers took place
wo are unable to ascertain, but this is
the first open appearance in public.
They met at the date above stated,
January 11, 18t'2, at Washington, and
Bent for the Senate Finance Commit tee,
composed of Mr. Fessenden of Maine,
Sommers of Rhode Island, John Sher
man of Ohio, Howe of Wisconsin,
Tearce of Maryland, Bright of Indiana,
and Dougal of California. Tliev also
sent for the House Committee, com
posed of the following members: Th(td
Steven of Pennsylvania, Morrill of
New York, Phelps of Missouri.
Spaublivj of New York, Corning of
New York, Hortonof Ohio, Stratton of
New Jersey, hooper of Massachusetts,
and Maynard of Tennessee.
Mr. Spaulding in his history of the
war (which was suppressed by the gov
ernment) sfated that the bankers de
manded the exception clause in the
greenback.
And these bankers are the same
gentlemen Thad Stevens shed tears
over when he said : "We hud to yield
to the money power or lose the Be
Inblic." It was this committee of bankers
that shaped the financial pDlicy of our
government, and which is directly re
sponsible for all the legislation that
followed their first. As will be noticed
our senior Senator from Ohio, John
Sherman, was a member of the Senate
committee, and kuew and knows all
a1xut the transaction of those times.
These bankers had everything their
own way until 1870, when Peter Cooper
and others arose to warn the country
of its impending danger, ami m 1877
we find that they extend their organ
ization all over the United States.
They held a meeting in New York
September 12, 13 and 14, 1877, and
after electing Cbos. B. Hall, of the
Boston National Bank, President, and
James Buell, of the Importers' National
Hank, of New York, Secretary, and a
Vice President, Treasurer and Kxeeu
tive Council, they also elected one or
two Vice Presidents from each state.
The first we hear of them publicly
again is on October 0, when they sent
out three different circalars. One to
the bankers of the country, and two to
the leading newspapers of the country.
These circulars were as follows, and I
have had the originals in my posses
eion, and I copy them verbatim :
TO THE BANKERS.
"PIUVATE AND SUGGESTIVE."
It is advisable to do all in your
power to sustain such daily and weekly
prominent newspapers, especially the
religious and agricultural press, as will
oppose the issuing of greenback paper
money, and that you also withhold
patronage or favors from all applicants
who are not willing to oppose the
greenback or government issue of
paper money,
James Bcixl,
Sec'y, 247 Broadway.
The following is taken from the
Chicago Inter- hean:
"The Inter-Ocean acknowledges the
receipt of the following singular docu
ment, which came to this ofiice from
New York, Saturday morning :
The American Bankers' Ass's, )
247 Broadwav, Room 4, -New
Yoke, October 9, 1877. )
STRICTLY PRIVATE.
Dear Sir. Please insert the en
closed printed slip as leaded matter on
the editorial page of vour first issue
immediatelv following the receipt of
this and send marked copy with bill
to yours truly,
James Biell, Sec'y,
247 Broadway, Room 4.
Comments on slip not to exceed half
a column will be paid for, if billed at
the same time. J. B
The following is the document
which we are asked to insert as leaded
matter on tho editorial page,. in other
words as a statement made by tho
Inter-Ocean:
"The Greenback partv has offered
through its managers to sell out to the
Democrats, and hereafter to work in
Democratic harness if a place lor a
few of their leaders can be provided.
This merely shows how much depend
ence there is to be placed on the lead
ers of lunatics who clamor for money
based on nothing.'
We insert this, but we shall send no
bill for it. We shall send no bill be-
cause in the first place we do not follow
directions about leading it, secondly
because we are compelled to say that
we don t believe a word of t he state
ment to bo true. The attempt to thus
maliciously destroy the Greenback
party without submitting a word of
proof is a piece of shameless and brazen
effrontrv which ought to be beneath
any body of commercial gentlemen and
especially trie American Bankers Asso
ciation.
The following circular was sent to
the New York Sun. The Sun says
"The following was received yester
day at the office of the bun:
The American Bankers' Ass'n,
247 Broadway,
New York, October 9, 1877. )
8TRICTLY PRIVATE.
Please insert the enclosed sup as
editorial and send marked copy of
paper with bill to
James Buell,
Sec'y. 247 Broadway, Boom 4
"The prospect is that in .six months
there will not be a Greenback leader
in all the land. Overtures have been
made by the leaders of the Greenback
movement to President naves to ahan
don the Greenback as a lost cause, pro
viding he will give irood official posi
tions to about twenty of the most blat
ant of the clamorous for more money
that is based on nothing."
The Sun- made no comments, but
published the whole as above. It will
be seen that to the Inter-Ocean, a Re
publican paper, they stated the Green
back party would sell out to the Dem
ocrats, and to the Sun, a Democratic
paper, they stated that the sale was to
be made to the Republicans.
Has human eye ever seen a greater,
more infamous falsehood and decep
tion? Yet these uoiices printed in
thousands of smaller papers did their
deadly work among the mass of tho
people and had the etlect of withdraw
ing them from the support of the only
party that was their friend in need.
The daily papers of to-day are filled
with similar editorial (?) utterances
as regards the People's party. One
paper says we are selling to the Re
publicans and another to the Demo
crats. My Jfiod ! Where will this lead to ?
Tho people are now on the verge of
ruin, starvation and despair. Will
they allow themselves to be fooled
again, or will they liberate themselves
with the ballot this fall, or must it
come to a revolution? I do not believe
that they are yet ready to submit to
abject slavery. I believe that there is
yet patriotism enough left in the Amer
ican people to strike down the tyrants
who are endeavoring to starve them
into submission. Hcao Preyhr.
Ill IIl'll-OII.
There is much said for jest or in
anger, but now let us try for once to
speak in pure reason on the Alliance
measures. In our country government
is for the people. It is reasonable to
suppose that any government which is
based on the will of the people will
sooner or later be used for their bene
fit. To say that a government shall be
by the people, but not for them would
unreasonable, untenable and im
possible. The government by the
people must be for the people. This
much seems plain. It is plain, and
our national constitution recognizes it
when it declares that among the ob
jects sought by the formation of the
consitution is the promotion of the
general welfare.
But what does "for the people" mean,
or the general welfare ! Vo we mean
all the people? Must a law that is to
benefit the people include benefits to
verv one of the population ! Does
the "general welfare" mean equal wel
fare to everv soul in the nation? The
question answers itself bv the impossi
bility of framing such laws. The postal
svstem does not benefit all alike. The
public schools do not benefit all alike.
ubhc roads do not benefit all alike.
Bridges mav be used bv but a few.
.thousands oi laws clear! v necessary
for the general welfare affect only a
part of the people. How, then, shall
we tlehne the people; tlow shall
we declare what the "common good
includes? The answer is simple. It
not a definite, binding definition
that is sought. But one that is prac
tical and in harmony with the principle
that the people must rule. 1 he rule,
law or definition must be that, what
ever the majority of the votes declare
to lc tor the good of the people or
welfare of the community,' must be
accepted as such. It must be done
legally by certain lorms, say
constitutionally, but in the last
resort, fundamentally, it is the
will of the majority that must ex
press what "for the people" means, or
the general welfare. lhere can be
no other rule consistent with a practi
cal, real government of the people. The
authority of a majority and the judg
ment of the majority go together.
There are, and properly are, restraints
on the majority, but all must and will
Yield to it if it chooses to assert itself.
it is true many laws are made never
even discussed lv voters. Ihe de
monetization of silver, for instance.
But even this was the work of the rep
resentatives of tho majority of voters,
or theoretically by them. Ii the voters
disapproved their action they could
change their representatives. The
sharper, the quicker, the surer the
voters exercise this right to dismiss
the representatives who go contrary to
their wishes, or their interests, the
more will the government be bv the
people and almost necessarily for
them.
Whatever interferes with this free
exercise oi the voter s rights and
duties, whether a physical, legal or
sentimental impediment is an obstacle
to the development of government for
the people.
Any principle, as of party govern
ment, or of doctrine, or the inculcation
of maxims which tend to deaden voters'
flense of responsibility or deceive them
as to their duties or their powers, is an
obstacle to the application of the
principles of government for the peo
ple.
Hence the partT spirit has justly
been held to be the greatest danger to
government for the people, since it de
stroys the voter's sense of responsibil
ity as well as the representative's feel
ing of accountability. The party voter
accepts everything his party favors
and legislative wrong-doing goes un
restrained. Corruption comes natu
rally with partisanship. Party rule
and corruption are inseparable.
Insidious arguments to turn voters
away irom the consideration of meas
ures are only secondary obstacles to
the triumph of government for tho
people. "That is paternalism," is an
epithet often used against measures to
benefit the people, when all legislation
to "promote the general welfare," can
not be anything but paternal. "That
is the best government which governs
least," is a barbarous maxim often
heard, vet wholly untenable and inap
phcable. It is . seldom used except
when laws granting ,special privileges
are sought to be remedied. In onr day
special privileges are often defended
by the old "stop thief" argument. "You
would grant special privileges to the
masses, to labor," says one of a small
number who are growing sich at the
expense of the Many. But all such
means of attacking people's measures
are of little force compared to the
party reeling nursed and directed by a
party press.
The first thing, then, we nmst ask
for new measures proposed to benefit
the community is unbiased considera
tion by voters. This, reader, is the
very beginning of reason. Until t
willing frame of mind is reached argu
ment can be of no use. Prof. Morse,
when trying to introduce the tele
graph, found the first and greatest
difficulty to be to get men to examine
it. They all just knew that snch an
invention was impossible. Yet he had
no selfish interests against him. This
discovery attacked no existing inter
ests. Had such opposed him his dim
cnlties would have been far greater.
To fulfill his duties as a voter the citi
zen must give measures full and fair
consideration.
The Farmers Alliance measures,
when examined, reveal themselves as
measures that will benefit the great
body of our people, will bring pros
perity to the very homes of our million
toilers, will diffuse wealth and extend
its blessings to all in greater degree
than ever in the history of the world,
but they are opposed by the selfish in
terests of classes now enjoying special
privileges of law, and who also control
the old political parties. It is only
asked that you give them reasonable
thought. J. Shearer, for Liberty Bell.
A I.oiig Step Toward Nationalism.
A most important step in the govern
ment control of production and distri
bution has just been taken ly the
French government. Enormous pur
chases of grain and meat have recently
been made on its account in Chicago.
They are said to have bought Hour to
the extent of 2,000,01)0 barrels and 25,
000,000 bushels of grain. All this will
go in duty free, and in addition there
will be great saving in the cost of buy
ing and shipping as compared with the
expense involved in ordinary commer
cial transactions under the competi
tive system. Thus Franco will be in
position to supply her people directly
through the government with cheap
food at a time when the other nations
of Europe are suffering from scarcity
of bread augmented by high tariffs.
This is a very practical answer to the
critics of nationalism, who delight in
pointing out how impossible it would
be for the government to conduct sat
isfactorily those large commercial
transactions now left to private enter
prise. While these wiseacres have
been demonstrating to their own satis
faction the absurdity of the idea that
the government should undertake the
work of distribution and how much
better these things are settled under
competition according to the principle
of supply and demand, the French Re
public, quietly disregarding all theo
ries and seeking only for the best and
most practical way of meeting the dan
gers of famine and popular discontent,
undertakes the obvious dnty of a gov
ernment in seeing that the people are
supplied with food, regardless of tho
interests of profit-mongers and middle
men. The spectacle is an instructive
one, and we may depend upon it that
when the people have experienced the
solid advantages of the measure they
will not be satisfied in the future to
pay tribute with every loaf they pur
chase to produce exchange operators
and the whole host of toll-takers who
stand between the farmer in America
and the European consumer. Tho
populations of other countries will not
be slow in demanding that their gov
ernments shall follow the example set
by France. Think how mnch it would
have saved our farmers, poor in the
midst of plentv, had our government
been acting as their agent in the tran
saction, and handed over to the actual
producers the amount received from
the French, less only the actual ex
penses incurred in negotiating the
sale !
The Real Issue.
The vigorous efforts of the pluto
cratic press to push the discussions of
the political arena into a channel which
avoids the real questions at issue is
verv suggestive and indicates that
their side of the real questions will not
bear discussion.
ho far as the subject of money is
concerned there is only one question,
and that is, "Shall the people be fur
nished with a currency sufficient for
the wants of trade independent of the
banks?"
This is the pith of the matter and it
is around this point that the discussion
should center. The plutocrats realize
that this is the essence and carefully
guard all the approaches to its discus
sion, llie bankers circular went to
the root oi the matter when it sanl "we
must not allow the greenback to circu
late because we cannot control them.
They furnish the people a circulating
medium independent of the bank, and
thereby interfere seriously with your
individual profits as bankers and lend
ers." The contraction of the currency
and bringing it under the control of
the banks is the course that has built
up millionaires and built down tramps
and paupers.
Ihe control of the supply of money
by the banks is the vicious element of
our banking law, and it is this which
must be removed. Even the amount
of circulation becomes a secondary
matter, and if increased would only
furnish a temporary relief if the con
trol remains as at present.
The difference of a few cents on the
tariff is. immaterial and bo the pluto
crats of both old parties agree to raise
a racket over that, but both sides
stoutly insist on the principle of pro
tection. The free coinage of silver,
good perhaps as far as it goes, is but
bagatelle, except to the extent that it
would give us a currency independent
of the banks. It is this same fentnro
of the sub-treasury plan that excites
the animosity of the plutocrats, lhey
are neither fools nor sleeping. They
eminently wise and very much
awake to their own interests. To beat
them and prevent the accomplishment
of their designs we must bo equally
wise and equally earnest. If wo would
preserve the liberties of this country
and give our children a chance to
make an honest livelihood we must
resist the aggressions ol the money
power.
The people of this countrv are not
idiots bnt ihev have been misled for
fty vears by a systematic and un
scrupulous effort of the Associated
Press. It is no light task for a people
to unlearn what they have been a thirtl
of a century in learning, but it must
be done or our country will follow the
footsteps of departed nations.
Let us hold our adversaries to the
point at issue. Make them show cause
why tho bankers should be allowed to
appropriate the wealth created by all
the other people. "Nonconformist.
How About Nebraska?
3Mr. J. B. Hunter, a well-known Re
publican of Nebraska, said a few dayi
aero in Denver, when asked about Ne-
braska politics : "Now you ask about
political affairs in Nebraska. Being
Republican, I regret very much to say
that in my opinion the r armers Alu
ance will sweep the state this fall.
Both the old parties nave put up
strong tickets, but that will not make
any difference. The Alliance will
elect the whole State ticket. Of late
rvi idea has been freely expressed to
the effect that the bountiful crops this
year have toned down the aggressive
spirits of the farmers. It is a mistake
the Alliance is stronger than ever,
The defeat of the Newberry Maximum
Freight Bill added new fuel to the
flame. The fanners refuse to lav dow
their arms, and they will record at
least one victory this fall."
T'S AX OPEN1 REVOLT.
BRAZILIAN PROVINCES DECLAR
ING INDEPENDENCE.
Titer Will Have None of Fonseoii Kniitor
of New Secessions -firillirle llo Sill Reject
the IHctator and Announces 1H -V'tpii-oiuy.
The Crisis in Kra7.ll.
When, on th" 15th of November, 1SS0,
Do n Pedro, Fmieror of Prail, was
hii-tl. il on hoard a st -amer at llio Ja
neiro, anil shipped to Lisbon, the world
ogarded the feat as the mot completely
success! iu ami a' soiiitely blood e.-s revo
lution in a!l history Those nations, like
our own. who had ceased to respect uio
ivine theory of inonarchs, clapped their
hands with .;oy and welco-i e l another
and important acquisition to the great
amily of republics Though t h.it revol
ution was as unexpected as It was thor
ough, preparations had been made f. r it
is for back as p-s.l. b. the establishment
f a military club, which wa-t'ie fo-usof
republican idea-, and of whom the leading
, Ir.twas President Ha ronscca. Hum
edro, who had ruled ihe country sin e
s.'il, was a man, like Abraham I.mco n.
w ho, if he erred at all, erred on the s'do
of mercy. I ike Lincoln, he had a'sti
liberated the s'aves: and as a member of
the House of Praganza he hud indulged
to the utmost tin: political pretensions of
the Catholic e'erey. While not disliked
iy the peop'e, he was consi lered to have
passed the stage of usefu m ss . His
daughter, the Princes. I-ahella, had
so al owed herself t become the mere
tool of Cardinal lie Costa, the Primate
Hiazi', and the p oplc therefore.
feared that on the death of Com Pedro
the government would be handed o it
to clerical influence. It wa this belief
more than anything e!c which nurtured
th-1 spirit of re , olutinii
When Fonseca cMahlished a provi-
s'onal government many of the nohi'itv
and the Jesuits had to unit liru.ii, .and
llOfSE OF nF.lTTIF.S
the founding of new convents and
monastic orders was strictly prohibited.
The authorities of the church d'd not
then-fore take, very kindly to the repub
lic.and being favored in their intrigues by
a 1 the monarchists and the owners of the
liberated slaves, the clergy last Febru
ary se tired the modification of those
temporary laws which legalized civil
marriages, secularized the cemeteries,
and excluded the monastic orders from
t ho control of the public schools. At
that time the p ovisional ministry of the
1'r. s dent resigned, and lirail adopt 'd
a new constitution which, wh le not go
ing so far as to restore the empire, was
reallv a compromise between the princi-
j.Vs of republicanism and the sullen
attitude of the deny. For example.
.e new premier. Itaron Leeiina. not
(n y ignored those iiecrecs winch abol
ished tit'es but insisted on having his
own tank of baron o'licially re ogni.ed.
With such a premier the republicans
were sure toha.etroube sooner or later.
It has now appeared.
Closely fo'Iowing the dissolution of
Congress and the assumption of dictator-
kip by Da Fonseca. the important
southern province of Mi i Gran le do Sul
has not only re.'used to r cognize this
l'HACAOA
act of usurpation but has declared its in
dependence and set. up a miniature re
public of its own, to the Presidency of
which it has elected Silverco Marline?,
a citizen of great influence, l'eports
also come from the northern province of
Pernatnhuco, showing great discontent,
and there are rumors of a dis.;iiieted
feeling in all tho States which bodes lit
tle, good to the republic As the out
come of the act on of Uio Grande do
Sul, it. is confronted already with the
dismal prospe -t of civil war, ior, having
the army at his back, it is not likely
that the dictator will submit to tho
course which this province has taken.
Later advices say there is no longer
any attempt to deny that the 1 ro.inco
of Pernambuco has joined tho Province
of Uio Grande do Sul in declaring its
independence. Great excit-ment pre
vai s at Kio do Janeiro and throughout
Mta.il. It is repo t d that Mar.-hal da
Fonseca has been informed that he is
suffe ing from a disease which must so;m
cau?e his death and that he has an
nounced his wl lingness to lesign the
reins of power. The German popula
tion of Kio Grande do Sul is rej.orted to
bo organizing int amp d brdies f men
on the p'an of the I uth sett'ers of
South Africa and to be determined to de
fend tho independence of their new
State.
Uio Grande do Su! is the sixth largest
province in brazil, the other live being
now lKtmo.
Cenra, rernambtico, Bahia, Rio do Jan
eiro, Minas-Gcraes, and San Paulo. It
has an area of 1,335 square miles, a
population of 5 -i4,.ri27, and is situated at
tho extreme southeastern point of bra
zil, bordering on the frontiers cf Uru
guay. It has a coa t line of 400 miles,
but not many ports of importance, ow
ing to the difficulty of navigation in
th ir haijjprs. ,iNevert'ie'ess it has con
siderable commerce and promises to be
come one of the most prosperous of ad
the l'railian provinces. It has valua
ble coal mines, important fisheries,
raises la rue herds of cattle and hand
some crops of wheat, which is made into
Hour in its own mills. The Ita ian col
onists produce - .", I'll i pipes of w-ine an
nually. Woo! is grown and cloth man
nfa -tun d, and line cassimere-: from its
merino are sold in Ilio Janeiro.
The dispatches Mat" that this province
is largely co onied by Ceimaris, and
maintains an army of fin,ouo men of
t;e-n:an o. iin. The statement how
ever, is not altogether correct. A Ger
man colony of l'-'ii persons was organized
at. San Leopoldo by 1'cdro I. in 1S-J4,
which ha- increase! ; inee that time to
r to.' 0 1. The dispat, h, therefore,
must refer rather to the entire German
population than to the number in the
army, though it is not improbable that
a libera! element of Germans or German
descendants arc to be found in the ranks,
and that to this extent it will be found
stipe, ior to the native force when it is
cal e 1 into action. Out of this colony
forty-three others have sprung in this
province, the members of which are
largely ensiatred in agricultural pursuits
the rineipal one of which is the culti
vation of tobacco. Their whole num
ber, how.-ver. does not reach ,ro, Out).
It w II b; seen from th's general
sketch that, in military strength an I re
sources Kio Grande do Sul is in a posi
tion to make ser ous trouble for the dic
tator. If the revolution htcaks out in
other provinces, as now appears likely,
it is not impossible that lie may meet
with a fa e akin to that of Halinaceda.
so far at least as defeat is concerned.
The situation, indeed, is a d- p'.orable
one. bul there appears to be no other so
b.tion of tin- problem than by the stern
and I loody arbitrament of civil war.
Tho cause of the present trouble may
bes' be judged from the following
language of the Primate of lirail. so
far back as 1'ebruary, threatening if
the ( onstitiition did not suit him "that a
conflict, painful and grave, will ensue
throughout our dear country, which can
but resu't in the direst calamities."
President Fonseca is a man of ability.
He was the soul and life of the move
ment which deposed Do in Pedro, and
has both the army and navy at his back.
He is also a large landholder in the
verv province which now revolts and
while he ha- be n forced to dissolve
Congress, that body was never very
friendly to his administration and had
ranged itself in opposition to the party
who, by a mateily stroke of policy,
made the country a republic.
.Ill.IAN 1 1 A WTHOHN'K. whulias been
writing: a history of Oregon, took the
AT 11IO JANEIR
precaution to send West every chapter
of the work as soon as completed for
examination and revision by a com
mittee of men expert in the history
of the State. This will undoubtedly
secure accuracy of statement, but it
must, tend t hedire Hawthorne's de
scriptive work somewhat.
The Ostrich Is a lan;erons ltiid.
Dunlin the nesting seas in the male
ostrich is anything but an agreeable
creature and resents the intrusion of
any visitors on his domain in a very
pugnacious way. His mode of attack
is by a series of kicks. Instances are
known of men being killed outright
by a single kick. If a man isnttacked
it is useless for him to seek safety in
Hight. as the bird would easily over
take him. The only plan is to lie flat
iii the ground and submit as resign
edly its possible to the inevitable pum
meling. which, it may bcexpectod, will
be repeated at intervals until a means
of escape presents itself, or the bird
affords Jin opportunity of being caught
ACCt'AMACAO.
by t he neck, which, if tightly held and
kept down, prevents much further
mischief.
Oil from Smoke and nses.
In Scotland there is a company
which pays a certain amount yearly
to a number of iron works for the
privilege of collecting the smoke and
gjises from the blast furnaces. These
arc passed through several miles of
wrought-iron tubing, and as the gases
cool there is deposited a considerable
yield of oil; one plant is reported to
yield 25.000 gallons of furnace oil per
week.' Oil thus obtained is distilled,
and a considerable quantity of creosol,
phenol, and some other substances are
procured from' it.
Tub people of America who luive
sat under the spell of Edwin Iiooth's
masterly acting certainly hope that
the reports that he h;is lost his mind
are not true. It is bad enough for
his health to be in such condition
t fiat he leave the stage, without the
additional misfortune of a clouded
intellect.
SoMittiMKs there is a good h 1 of
pride in telling how t ig a sinner you
j used to be.
BANDITS IN - WISCONSIN
MASKED MEN HOLD UH AN
PRESS TRAIN.
EX-
Door Illowil Open by Ilynamito Sales
Thrown from the Cars They Compel
Trainmen to AHl-t-T"ie 1S:1 Attack
MaIe iNcHi "Western" T"hlon Junction,
Wis.
T.ootcl an Kxprc. Car.
A rasse ger train which le!t hicneo
on the St. Paul road the other ti ght, for
"Milwaukee, was held tip a mile beyond
Western I'nion ,1 unction, Wis., by two
masked men, and the express car was
robbed of !?.-, on '
Safes, with .Io:,im-0,
belonging to tho
American Express
Co., were d u m p e d
from the car. b .t the
pair of bo'd robbers
were frightened away
before they could
break open the stee!
boxes. 'I he robbery
INK OF THK MAsKSwaS a most, d .a r i n
rsr.i". an,i sensational one
Xot the least of its features were the use
of dynamite, bombs in the breaking open
of the boxes of the express car. where
Messenger .1. C. Murphy was iu charge,
and the fact that the attack was made
in a thicklv populated part of the coun
try. The robbers evidently boarded th
train on the front platform of the front
car at Western l"nio:i Junction,
put on their masks, and a- they
the water-tank, two thirds of
They
passed
a mile
north of the junction,
they climbed over th '
tender. Each had a
breech-li ading double-
barreled shotgun and one of the nouns,
a large-calibcred revolver. They oin
nianded tho engineer to stop the train. He
did so. They compelled the engineer and
fireman to leave the engine and go with
them to the express car. '1 hey tried to
secure admi-sion It was refused.
They threw bombs into the car and so
terrorized th messenger that when they
knocked a second time he opei.ed the
door. They robbed the car of On cash,
tos-ed out two safes, man bed tin: en
gineer, Ii email, express messenger, and
his assistant up the tracks for a he If
mile, and marched them b.ck and forth
for ten minutes, then ;ent them back to
the ciigiikc. The crew mounted their en
gine and after a delay of half an hour
went to Milwaukee The robbers wen
so fri .htened at the delay that they made
n attempt to o en the safes they had
thrown out. Their dynamite bombs
wrecked the car, tearing away heavy iren
plates and tossing them fifty feet away.
After the robbery the plunderers disap
peared, while tha c n.ntry in that vicin
ity was scourer! for them iy detectives
of the railroad and of the city police of
Milwaukee.
Concerning the manner in which the
robbers rli i their work. F.ngineer
Mar-key said: "We had got about a
quarter of a mile north of the Western
I nioa .Itinciion. The liren.an was ut
ting in coal. Suddenly he heard a
noise and 1 oked up. I saw there was
something wrong from the expression of
his face. I looked c!r se by to see what
it was and I saw a masked man with a
double ha reled gun in one hand and a
revolver in the other. They were
leveled at the fireman. Ouieker than I
could think another masked man ap
peared and pointed a gun and a revolver
at mo.
"Fireman Av. rill got his speech fir-t
and caller! out: 'What do you want'.'"
" 'Throw up your bands'." said the rob
her. I'p went Averill's hands.
"I asked what they wanted. 'None of
your business. We'll let you know soon
enough.' replied the man who held that
big gun and revolver pointed at mo.
"The other robber ban led the. fireman
a cigar and said: 'Light it ami be quick
about, it, or 1 11 blow your head olT.'
"The fireman lit it at the wMcr glas
lamp and began comfortably pulling
away at it when the robber said: 'Give
it to me." It was quickly handed to
him.
"The man who held thrs gun at my
head said: 'Stop her, and" I'e "quick about
it, too I stopped her. He said: 'You
two get otr the engine.' Wo did so.
They followed .is. They said go up to
the express car. We did so. They said:
'Got that ar open I rapport on the
sirle door. There are no end doors to
those ears. Tin y are w:.at tramps call
'blind baggag ' cars.
"Well, I rapped, but there was no
answer from tin: inside. Ore of Ihe
robbers left its and erahid- through
under the car to the other tde"; jthc other
covered both mvself 'and'--the fireman
with his shot, gun and revolver.
Soon
we heard a terrific explosion". That was
a bomb which he had taken from his
pocket and p'accd on the ledge of the
side door of the express car. '
'He soon crawled hack 'under the. car
to us. He pulled from his poiket'a'
bottle about eight inches long, which 1
could see as he stood close to me had
two fuses in P. He lit th fuses from
the cigar which he was then smoking
and which he liar! compelled the liremati
to light He laid th's bottle on tha ledge
of the rioor and motioned us to get down
the embankment. Wo ran dow;. They
kept us covered all the time with tho
nuns It dirl not go off. He threw it
awav. It was picked up and is now
held by the detectives from Milwaukee.
"lie drew another from his pocket,
lighted it from his cigar. The other rob
ber said: 'Throw it into the car.' He
held it until it burned down pretty well.
As I stood close to liim I trembled a
trifle, as I'd sooner face the revolver
than the bomb. Then he tossed it
through the glass above tho side- door.
It didn't oxpiode for twenty seconds
Then the exp osion threw the glass ail
over us and threw out great plates of
iron from the car sides Tnen they or
dered the fireman and me to go on the
other side of tin: car. They held the
guns on us and wo crawled ender the
cars.
"Ihe explosion of the bomb had
ware 1 the express messengers, and when
the robbers knocked with their revolves
on the c'osed doors on the other sid of
the car, the messengers at on e opened
the doors. Express Messenger Murphy
i-aid: 'What do you want?' 'Vouknow
well. Thr.iw up your hands.'
"I'p went the hands. 'Get that box,"
yelled one of the robbers. Murphy re
plied: '"J here's nothing on the train to
night.' tiet down hero out of tlio car,
l'.I.OWlMi I I' HIE EXI'HKSS ( All.
yelled the robber. Out hopped Mnrphy j
and his assistant. Cook 'Put up your
bands and hold them up,' was the next I
order I'ji went the hands of Murphy i
and Cook. ( ne robber covered Murphy, J'
Cook and my. elf, while the other he ped ;
i ireuian Averill int i the car. Then the !
working rohl.er came and helpc I the
messenger's helper. Cook, into the ar, ;
t o. He got in after them, ho'ding h s j
revo'ver on them all the t'mo. I got
; retty tired of ho ding my hands up and
lowered them a litt'e. Tie"! man n
guaid saw this and delibe ately leveled
t!:e shotgun at mycj.es and c oily asked.
'Will you lio'd up your hands?" I yelled,
'Don't shoot!' and raise 1 my hands again
"Then ihe robl er inside the car nut
the helper out ami c slled for the messen
ger. Mi rphy was he'ned in. I don't
know what they did. for the man with
the mask held the gun on me all the
tine, it was the funniest mask you
ever saw. It was simply a past-board
sho.i box. which tin- man had stuck over
his head, with big eyeholes in it. it
came from Chh ago, too, and the naire
of a ( hhngo sho ? linn was on it, I'tit, i
though I felt like laughing at it, I was ;
afraid to move. '
Well, pretty soon they struggled to the
door and threw out twosmall stcl money .
safes. I knew these were, the through I
sat' s ami they generally luiu lots oi
money in them. Then the robbers came
from the inside, a-.d the fireman, my
self, the express mes e:iger, and Ids as
sistant were all ordered to march ahead.
Tin y alked us up the track ahead of
the engine about a quarter of a mile.
AH this time we had to hold up our
hands Then they turned u around
and marched us l.a- k toward the engine.
They followed us losely with guns or
revolvers covering us. Then they or
dered the fireman to put out the head
light lie did so. One robber f-aid:
'We haven't uot lime now. Let's go
1 ack." They turned ii -;igain and
mar le d us along the track o : e more.
They marched the four of n a half mile
this time. Suddenly on? sa;d: 'Halt:
We halted, hands tip all the time, mind
you '.Jo t ack to your ngine,' shouted
one of ti.em. We n.ai died slowly La k.
They did no: follow us. To tell you the
truth I thought we'd he shot in the back
any see ml.
-We got back and the four of us got
on the engine We waited about live
minutes. The passi n-r- had heard the
sliootiug and they were hiding their val-o-.
There wasn't a head stick ng
out of a window during th-' entire time.
After we had waited a tout live minutes
I started up the engine. We had. of
(Ouic. to run past the place where
tiiese robbers had left us. I sat on the
!o ikotit. I stood at my post, for the en
gin - was in motion and the lives of the
I assengers were in my lands, but I
never felt I was so near death as at the
time when I pas ed the point where
those men had left us. I looked out of
the windows fr the rol hers, but did not
see there, and ;-o we got away. They
detained us. 1 :h'nk, about half an
hour. 1 ut it seemed to me more like half
i day.
"There was no bravery exhibited.
There was little show for any. Two
robbers did the work. 'lhey secured
about S.".0'io from tho little safe while
they were in the car. The two safes
they threw out they evidently intended
to wreck by bombs, but- were scarerl
away, and tho e safes, which emtained
between ?."o,0()0 anl SIOO.OUI, were not
STOl II Kit AX1I HE yt'ICK AIIOCT it!''
attacked. It was a cool robbery. The
men had the drop Uesistance would
have been madness. I guess suicide
woti'd have, been about the name f r it.
We simply did our duly by holding our
hands up and saving our lives."
T1I Ina l-'rw Words.
A to i vt o weighing twenty-seven
! P1,ul";s ":-s ''ecu raise i at j ayou
i-ai a lit.
I) xor believe everv thing you hear,
for. he who believes everything he hears
ptfo'i tiel .eves more than he hear.'.
'i):.o:iN Pkick o" Man lu ster, Ma-s.,
l&'Said to t3 the oldest, schoolteacher in
rtht! countrv. He was bom in 1SOS.
Tuk man wh i invariably whistles
does very little thinking. Hut he keeps
other eo; le thinking, .list the amc.
Tin: oldest surgeon iu the world is
said to lie M. V. f-almon of Cambridge,
Fngland He was born in March, 17.i i.
Titoi-sAM" of souls have been lost be
cause somr body was afraid of doing
something somebody else, would find
fault with. '
Tuk ormolu effects whir h are shown
upon the high-class French fiiui'ture of
the seventeenth ecu ury are now being
imitated in wood ami p ast, r gilding.
.TosKi'ii Tai-kv, a negro, gave a pecu
liar reason for trying to han ; himself in
Pittsburg the ether day. He is now 107
years old. and he had given up the hope
of ever dying iu the natural way.
Mil. AMI Miss. SrKCIlKN Osiioiixk of
Ktioxville, Tenn , are torn toco'ebrats
the seventy second a .nivcrsary of their
marriage. They are respectively loi
and 92 years of age and have ".'0 de
scendants. Ti onorouT.Y dry salt intended for
table use, and mix with it a small pro
portion of corn starch, if von would
j overcome tho tendency it has. in dam i
weather, to pack so. idly in the salt
cel'ars or shakers.
RATTi.KsxAKESare said to have a nat
ural antipathy to white ash leaves. Soma
naturalists assert that a rattle nak
p aced in a circle of half ash leaves and
I alf hot coals will en ss the coals rather
than encount -T the leaves.
CURRENT COMMENT.
Poor Old Brazil.
Pra II is also having domestic troubles.
In borrowing idea from the I'nited
States the So ;th Americans have evi
dently overlooked the freo schools.
Kansas City Mar.
There is evidently a bitter contest go
ing on between parties in l!ra,il. and tho
rival Pritish and Anericaii interests are
playing an important part in it Presi
dent Fonse'a's previous sine-ss and the
service he has done hi-country lead to
the. hope that he will trt'im; h buffalo
Fx press.
If it is true that a revo'ution is im
pending am! that martial law has been
proclaimed, the outlr.ok is far from
ph asing. The background to which tho
leer n morarchy was removed is not far
enough in the dim distance to prevent
a goorl many regrets which may ripen,
in the case of an uphea al. into a d ter
mined elTort for re toration. I'etroit
Free Press.
If any', ody has set him- It upas a nic
la'or n Uraol, the oecurienre is un
fortunate for that count y, as it will re
tard its developments and the progre-s
of trade: I ut the change will not bo
) ermauent. There will be another revr
lut fin by and 1 y wh eh will restoro
the republic The state of e juilit rium
to which the political oscillations tend
is one of self-govcriinien'. Philadelphia
Inqu rer.
Indiana's Annex.
We have acquiesced in Chieirgo's an
nexing a large portion of Illinois, but
wh n she b gins to gather Imiiana in
also, it is time to oh.! t-ct. Pittsburg lUs
patch. I hiea?o has been doing a go d r'eal of
annexing lately. Now she will have a
chance to show how she. enjoys the pros
pect of being annexed herself. Uochcs-
tcr Herald.
Indiana is claiming a part of Chicago's
territory. If the sky-scraper peop e keep
i n building up into th air as they are
doing on paper now, some of their top
stories will be claimed by Canada. Min
neapolis lotirua'.
A g ivernment survey now about fin
ished is sairl to show that Indiana is en
titled to a slice of Illinois that will take
In Chicago. It is rather :ate to move
the fair, but it may yet 1 e held in Indi
ana Tin's w mid bo considered by the
breezy City another of those ( hit-ago.
Ills. Philadelphia Ledger
And now arises a (ont-ovcrsy over
what Stan Chicago is ir.. Indiana
claim- it on th authority of an old
boundary which has been discovere I, and
her claims seem to be well substantiated.
The fact o" the matter is that Chicago
co'. ers about eno gh ground to consti
tute a whole Mlt ' by herself. Poston
News
Mines Returned to His Drini.
liichloride of gold is making a brave
strugg e. but whisk v is stil master of
the field. Urookiyn limes.
The Kee'.ey b'chlorido of eo'd treat
ment may not le th-i realisation of
scientific expectation in this direction,
but it is entitled t a fair and impartial
test. Troy Times
On the th.ory that drunkenness is a
disease it is perfectly consistent for a
patient to ha e a re'apse if he gets out
too early or co-i es in contact with
whisky. Milwaukee News.
The bichloride of gold cure for intem
perance recei es a severe bl wT in the
death from a co'i- lism of its late cham
pion, Col. .lohn T. Mines, who b -lievei!
the preparation ha 1 cured him. New
York Worl I.
We do not think logical and fair
minded m -n will draw final conclusions
fiom the case of Mr. Mines, and con
demn tin1 treatment as a fraud simply
because he fell. FochesUr Post-F.x-1
ress.
As M'nes has been the chief adver
tiser of Pr. Kccley's alleg. d "cure. and
has paraded himself, so to speak, aj
Kccley's pri e patient, his sudden death,
directly duo t an a 'coin die debauch,
will be a blow a literal blow between
tho eyes to Ir. I ee ey an I his nui- h
pufic! "certain Hire. " New York Ad
vertiser. Home Ruls.
There will soon be but one Irish Home
Utile party that anyboiy except a few
Fenians will recognize. Cleveland
Leader.
It is evi "ent that if Ireland is to be
freed it w ill b- in spite o" a considerable
lortion of her own people. St Louis
Kepublic.
As an organization po ent in Irish
polices the l'arneilites have apparently
ccae 1 to exist The oulv advice that
America has for th factions is to get
together f r the gno I o Irela id and not
for hear! cracking. --Washington Star.
It is fol y for Mr ParnelTs followers
to keep up the strrggle. It is impossi
ble to cent -nd with the Irish priesthood
in polities, and the fact has been so
thoroughly demonstrate 1 that a blind
man can s -e it Nashv ill.1 American.
The defeat of tho l'arneilites in tho
recent, e'ection at Cork has shown tho
real weakness of that portion of the
Irish party. As the matter now stands
the Parnellitcs are without money,
leader-, or prestige even among those
who would b. expected to be their
friends. Itoston .'ournal.
Cit es Cry for It.
We have found something ".t last that
I'epubl cans and Pcnmcrats agree on to
a dot It is that New York is to have
both conventions. New York Kecorder.
hieago has decided to make another
grab. Hie will ask for tho I cpublican
onvention o. Is'.L'. Per gr. e.l s insa
tiable. 1 itsburg Commer.-ial-Gazctte.
f-ince New . York ou'dut get the
World's Fair she is clamoring for both
the big national convent'otis Hie is
bound to have a circus of some kind any
way. Prooklvn I nicn
t least five American cit es arc cry
ing for the honor of welcoming the t on
vention that is to nominate the next
President of the I'nited States. It is a
high hon.-r. ! altimo c American.
Minneapolis, Cincinnati, San Fran
cisco, and Chicago are already candi
dates for the next Pepub ican national
convent'on. C hi ago is the best place
after all. Ka amazoo T degraph.
Tha Cigarette Eu -.
A St. Louis chem'st has made tho
startling discovery that cigarettes are
filled with bugs The horrible smell is
fully acounted for at last. '.'rand Itapids
Tclegrac.
According to I Jr. t hmann iv.imcsnit,
of M I ouis, cigarette aio often made
poisonous by the ravages of a wo. ra that
comes from tin e: g of a coleopterous in
sect, which is passionately addicted to
the use of tobacco. I'o ;ce bronchial af
fections and V roat complaints, and no
wonder, if the inse.-t is a- terrible as tho
description B ston Post
A ft a uis physician has discov roi
bugs in cigarettes. He savs the, bug
poisons the cigarette This dictnm will
probably not spoil t e demand for tho
article, but it will furnish t n perishing
duda with a remark for his part of a
little street col'o juy. "Wot s eaten' yer?"
the gamin will flippant y Inquire. "A
cole pterous insect," the dude will ans
wer, with a faint nourish of cane and
monocle. 'I hen the cumin should wrilt.
New Y'ork Journal