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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1903)
o The Omaha Bee. T"" wx "W.f-a. r w w w nr unday g PAGES 11 TO 20. t ESTABLISHED JUNK 10, 1871. OMAHA, SUNDAY MOHN1NG, MAKCII 1, 1003. SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. MAN WHO ROUTED THE GANG Characteristics of Jareph W. Folk, Prose cutor of Eu Louis Boodlen. FAME ACHIEVED BY A COUNTRY LAWYER tapeadoos BlaMaa Wereaaary ta Be rare Dwaarittrr Pr..f ( Maalrlpal Rolt.ian-A Terror to Croak. It has been ten year since Joseph W. Folk, teeing no future for himself beyond a comfortable living in the prartire of law In hit native town of Brownavllle, Tenn., decided to go to St. Louis, the taetropolla of all that region, and bang out bla eblngle. He landed there an unheralded and un known country lawyer and for aeven yeara the average resident of St. Louis knew that Bo auch man existed. Tben, by a queer turn of the political machinery, the demo cratic leaders picked out this young man as their candidate for circuit attorney and elected him. Today Joseph W. Folk Is known not only la St. Louis, but In all America, as the man who pulled down about the heads of the "bosses" who elevated him the corrupt politics 1 ructure they had spent yeara In rearing; who has sent fourteen men, in cluding the democratic leader, a millionaire or two, and city lawmakers, to the peni tentiary for the crimes of bribery and per jury; who hopes to convict tan more men on similar chargea, and who has caused four others, one a multi-millionaire, to be come exiles from Americon toll. In less than three years thia country lawyer has cleansed St. Louis of the mu nicipal debauchery that had Infected it (or twenty. Alone and unaided he baa per formed this monumental task by bluff, hard work, and his knowledge of criminal law gained while defending petty offenders be fore the courts In his home town of some 1.000 population. Mr. Folk Goes to St. Lea la. When, In his Md year, Mr. Folk set himself up In St. Louis, it waa with the de termination to begin all over again. He decided to drop criminal law, which he had been practicing ever since hit graduation from Vanderbllt university three yeara be fore, and to take up the civil end of the profession. Gradually he succeeded in get ting business men to trust their legal in terests to him, and so firm had bis purpose become never to meddle in things criminal again and so remunerative waa hla civil list, that when, unexpectedly, "Bosa" Ed ward Butler, democrat, appeared before him and asked him to become the party's nom inee for circuit attorney, Mr. Folk In stantly refused to consider such a proposi tion. Nor could days of argument budge him, and then the "boss" threatened: "We'll nominate you anyway and make you refuse the honor on the floor of the convention." "Very well," waa the rerly, 'TH refuse." Tben Mr. Folk'a clients, backed up by other business men, stepped In and inter ceded with him to take the ofBoo for the welfars of the city. They finally induoed him to surrender, but when h aald to "Colonel" Boiler's eommlttse. "Very well. I will accept." he added: "As I Intend to do my duty If I'm elected, some ot yon fellows had better look out, for some day I may find It my duty to prosecute you." In ao many words did Mr. Folk give fair and timely warning to the men be haa aent to prison. Where Mr. Folk Got too Flrat Clao. The year 1901 found a civil lawyer occu pying the position of circuit attorney of St. Louis, and his name waa Joseph V(. Folk. Naturally, Mr. Folk fell Immediately back on hla knowledge of criminal law gained in bis home town, and ha worked at night to Improve thia. He waa thua occupied, when, one day, he aaw a "squib" in a newspaper stating that It was rumored that certain members of the bouse of delrgatea (St. Louis' lower legislative branch) were having aoma trouble In getting at $75,000 bribe money In a aafe deposit vault, which they felt they were entitled to have. Mr. Folk's Idea of politics is Ideal that politics should be clean. "He who vio lates th law ia not a democrat, la not a republicanhe la a criminal," he haa aald. Here waa a hint at the worst kind of mu nicipal crime, and although he knew that, if It were true, men of hla own party and soma of hla frlenda would be Implicated, he quietly began Investigating. A few days' inquiry satisfied Mr. Folk that the clipping referred to an attempt on the part of the Suburban railway to secure the passage of an ordinance enhancing the value of Ita property several million. Tben, although he had absolutely nothing except hla auspicions that thia waa ao to back him. he aent for the railway's millionaire president. Charles H. Turner, and He leg islstive agent, Philip Stock, to appear be fore him. When they rams he informed ' them that he wanted them to tell him about the attempt which they had made to bribe the house of delegates to pass house bill No. 44. They dented that any auch thing had been attempted. A Scares Mlllloaalre. "Very well gentlemen," aald Mr. Folk, "It will be my duty to Issue warrants for your arrest and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Would you rather have me do that, or will you come back to me at the end of three days and give me the information demanded?" At the end of the aecond day ex-Gov-ernor Charles P. Johnson of Missouri, one of the leading criminal lawyers of the mid dle west, walked Into the prosecutor's of fice. "Mr. Stocke Is my client." he aald. "I have rome to tell you hat he la ao ill that he cannot appear before the grand Jury to morrow." "Governor," waa the reply, "I'm aorry that Mr. Stocke ia 111. but appear he must before me tomorrow and tell ma what I demand of him. or I shall sea to it that he la arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." The quiet, determined manner of the young man and the set of his prominent Jews made the older report to his client that "Folk meant business, and you'd bet ter it as he says." The result waa thit next day, not only Stocks, but his mil lionaire empler. Turner, walked into the grand Jury rouu and told of the boodle clique In the house of drlegatea and city council, and of the railway's attempt to pot through house bill No. 44 with the aid ot I1S5.000 in bribes. ITS.OGi for the del egates and t0.000 for the roumilmra. Aaolaar Aaahllleaa Bias?. The bluff had worked, but It aaa legV.ly necessary to see the bribe money which had beea placed in the rare cf tao aafe de posit companies. So Mr. Folk began an other bluff. He went to the president of one of the banking bounce. Mr. Blank," he sail, "these three men ho aooumpasy ma are grand Jurors. Vi c : want you to open box (giving the number), I mbl-h contains 75.fiOn In brlba for mem bers cf the bouse of delegates." The trust company's hesd, an old friend of the prosecutor's, laughed. "Sorry, but I can't accommodate you," he said. "That box la sacred to the lessees." Mr. Blank." asked Mr. Folk, "do you realize that, by the confession of two of the men who have deposited the money here, bribery has been committed? Io you reallie that bribery la a crime? Do you reallie that the bribe money is in your vsults in your possession? And do jrou realize that you are, therefore, an acces sory to the crime of bribery and can be arrested and prosecuted and p'inlshed j therefor? I shall do thia very thing if you don't open that box for us." It waa stupendous bluff ita maker had to bluff but It worked. Fifteen minutes later the pale and 'shaking trust company president led the way to the vaults, the box was opened, and there lay ITj.000 In bribe money before the very eyes of the circuit attorney and the three grand Jurors. An hour later the same bluff was worked, but with more difficulty, at the back which was repository for 160.000 and the flrat chain of evidence was complete, which later on was alarmingly amplified by the confes sions of a fugitive, John K. Murrell, and by members of the house of delegates of the city council while under cross-examination in the grand jury room. How Mr. Folk Prepared for Ike Trial. Then Mr. Folk set to work studying crim inal law for eighteen and twenty hours a day, so that he could be prepared to meet the onslaughts at the trisls of the famous array of legal talent that the defendants had retained. This midnight toll had Ita reward the trial recorda show that when ever this or that opposing legal light ralaed a point the prosecutor successfully met It with another always a little better. Bluff, unceasing work, a country court experience and a determination unshaken even by threats of assassination and the bitter knowledge that he would have to work for the downfall of frlenda these are the weapons which have caused Joseph W. Folk, Just turned 33, to bring about the biggeat collapse of a corrupt political ring since Tweed was sent to Jail, and which have placed him in the foremoat rank of the leading criminal lawyers of the day. And yet. for all the reputation that has come to him within the last two years, he Is as modest and unassuming as in the days when he was a green lawyer In little Brownsville, Tenn., or when, a carefree school boy, he played town ball on the com mons which, according to Mr. Folk, was the only exciting event In his career until he unearthed the boodle gang of St. Louia. tUAWT FKATTRES. OF LIFE. Mrs. Abram Van Hows of Sodus, N. T., 80 years of age. is cutting her third set of teeth. Two weeks ago she experlenoed a peculiar soreness in her gums where her teet had once been, although she lost them all many years ago. A physician waa called In and found that a full new set of teeth was straggling to get through the gums on both Jaws. Mrs. Van Howe has never worn false teeth. The center of the mother-of-pearl shell Industry is Singapore. .. Thq shell oyster la. lx lo tan Inches long, the larger ones weighing as'' touch as tea pounds. It is found an hard bottom channels between Islands when the current is strong. In gathering it a diver takes with him a bag of coil rope one-fourth of an inch in diam eter, made in large meshes, which while suited for holding the shelL doea not Im pede hla traveling along the bottom. The apparatus for diving has not been intro duced in the Philippines,' although the Manila shell brings ths high prios of $1 a pound. Perhaps the most remarkable pension ap plication ever presented in congress is that embodied In a bill introduced by Congress man Pearce of Maryland. It recites with great gravity and a wealth of circumstan tial detail that the applicant, when a child In arms in 1861. waa so frightened by Tankee Invaders in Maryland that hs be came paralyzed and has never been able to do any work. There is talk of awarding Congressman Pearce some kind of a cham pionship In view of originality of hla bill. All ths tramway car vestibules of Den ver, Colo., are to be fitted with mirrors as fast aa they can be placed upon the cars. This doea not mean that the motormen are going into the beauty culture fad. The mirrors, which are of heavy plate glass, are hung out at one aide of the vestibule at Just such an angle that without turn ing hla head the motorman can see exactly the condition of affairs on the steps. He can thua watch the rear platform, and there will be less danger of the car being accidentally started up again while a pas senger is getting on or off. An unsentimental wedding in Kansas Is thus described by the Marysville News: "The ceremony waa performed in Char ley's business office, and waa done up in ' short order so that busfness waa lnter- j rupted only for a few minutes. Charley came from behind the counter In hla shirt sleeves and with bis apron on and waa ready for the ceremony, but at the Judge's request removed his apron and donned hia coat. The Judge tied the knot good and , solid, the groom kissed the bride, removed his coat, put on his apron and resumed business. The witnesses were Herman Brenneke. Joseph Sedlarek and George T. Smith. Somebody may want to know what kind of a business bouse this Is wh're this marriage took place, but aa this is Kansas we will have to say that all we know about it ia that it Is not a dry goods house. The Bremen boys celebrated the occasion with firecrackers, guna, tin pane and all kinds of musical Instruments, and Charley took them In and did the right thing by them. , Thia ia the season of the year when the Indian chlefa come in from the reserva tions to see the Great Father. There are a acore of them in Washington now. A gro'.ip of half a dosen atandiiig on the curb watching an automobile recalled to aome Texans who were passing the story Colonel Bill Sterrett used to tell about the man who went Into the Indian territory to sell baby carriages. Everybody aald he was crazy. It was admitted that there a as a fine crop of babies In the territory, but no one could see whst the squaws, who were used to packing their offspring on their backs, could do with baby carriages. Still, orders began te come back, first for dozens and then for carloads, and flnaliy Sterrett went up to investigate. He went into one of the Indian villages. "And I'll be dashed." aaid Colonel Bill, "if I didn't see a dozen big fat Indiana ait ting In baby carriages, all scrouged up, nils the squaea were pushing them around. The baby carriage man had made the Indians believe that baby carriages were the right kind of pleasure rigs for the nobis red men," STILL WORSHIP AZTEC CODS Mexican Indians' Still Devoted . to Forgotten Shrines. Long STRANGE TALES HEARD BY EXPLORER Teekert Maler Gives Some Aeeasst of the Feabody Maseasa of His Work o Fraltfal of Archaeolo gical Ftesalts. Another chapter has been added to the evploratlon of the ruined citlea of Central Ajnerk-a. once the seats of Aztec civiliza tion destroyed by Cortei nearly five cen turies ago. In the recently published report of Mr. Teobert Maler, who for several years has been conducting researches mong these ancient ruins in the Interests of the Pea body Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard university, and whose fully illua trated account uf what be has seen and found Is shortly to be Issued as one of the publications ot that Institution. Dr. Maler's explorations stretched Over three years, and were carried on mainly In the Vsumalalntla valley, in southern Mex ico. Among the long-forgotten cities which Mr. Maler visited were Taxchllan, literally the "City of the Oreen Stonee;" El Cayo. the "Place Where the Banks are Strewn with Stones;" Budsilha, or "Smoking Water," from the miat arising from an ad jacent waterfall; El Chile, so called from the herb from which chile aauce is made; Anaite, named for the white lilies that flourish on the banks or the river, and El Cblcoxapote, named from a tree which pro duces a well known Mexican chewing gum. These cities are all hidden In the tropical Jungle, some entirely unknown even to the wandering woodcutters and gum collectors, and others visited only by mysterious bands of Indians who still come to make occa sional sacrifices on their fallen altars. Draalte Resalta Eateaslve. The definite results of Mr. Maler's inves tigation were the study and photograph ing of some twenty stelae, or carved mono lithes, on which are represented many of the scenes of Aztec daily life, In particular their religious rites; the restoration of be tween twenty and thirty ruined buildings temples, tombs and communal dwellings, and the examination of nearly fifty carved and painted lintels, many of them exca vated from long-accumulated debris and never before noted by the modern explorer. In many oases the expedition has preserved the record of objects that In another cen tury would have entirely vanished, for the changing course of the I'sumatsintla tides has already eaten away the former water front of some of the cities. Tenaslque, where Mr. Meier made his preparations for plunging Into ths Mexican wilderness, is a small town snout five days' sail from the Gulf of Mexico up the t'su matslntla, which here flows between mod ern Mexico and Guatemala. From here to El Cayo, the first of the ruined cities, was another four days' journey, overland, with camp equipage, cameras, servants and pack animals. Budsilha is not far from El Cayo. and La Mar another town visited by Mr. Maler Is la the same neighborhood, but tie two are separated by a tangle of trop ical vegetation through which ths explorers mads their way only with the greatest diffi culty. Interesting finds were made In all these places In El Cayo, for example, the figure of a god that dates back, perhaps, to the very earliest period of the city yet which had evidently been worshiped even up to our own times, as was shown by the presence of several broken Incense vessels in ths tumble-down room in which the image was discovered. Owtliaea of a City. At La Mar there still remained sufficient evidence of its ancient structures to recon struct a very good picture of one of the smaller cities of the Axtec period. The architectural center of the city, it was found, was formed by two temples, now In ruins, which crowned two pyramids, ons facing to the east and the other to the west. Between the pyramids was a wide plaza bordered on the north and south by smaller buildings. The plssa was originally orna mented with stelae, one of which, although serving only to adorn so small a city as La Mar, is a splendid specimen of the best eon temporary Aztec sculpture. It has been suggested that Taxchllan. ths most Important ot the ancient cities which Mr. Maler visited, may have been ths town referred to by Cortex in a letter to his mas ter, the Emperor Chsrles V, although Mr. Maler himself rather doubts the identifica tion. The ruins have been visited in mod ern times by more than one explorer., and In 1882, when ths city waa visited by Mr. Desire Charney. a French archaeologist, whose expedition waa supported by funds from his home government and from the American millionaire, Lorillard, in whose honor Mr. Charney called the place "Loril lard City." Mr. Maler, however, has suc ceeded not only In uncovering numerous hitherto unnoted sculptured stone monu ments from the debris that now overflows Its terraces and esplanades, but also in dis covering certain Important temples. Gettlaaj l the River. 'There must have been heavy rainfalls In distant Guatemala and eastern Chtapaa," says Dr. Maler In the new Peabody museum report, describing his approach to Taxchl lan, "for the I'sumatsintla was excessively high, having risen to the very edge of the high banks, which made progress up the river exceedingly difficult, since the poles fc- which the cayuco la propelled could not reach the hard bottom. Vnder such circum stances forked branches are made last to the end of the poles, and with theae 'bor quetas' the men seise the overhanging branches of the trees and shrubs and push the cayuco for sard, while those not occu pied with the poles grasp the branches. If possible, with their hands, and pull with all their might. Thia procedure is exceed ingly laborious, and progress Is slow. In Uiis manner it took us a day and a half to overcome the abort diatanoe between Anaite and Yaxchilan. When the river ia in thia condition no ons attempts to go upstream, the labor and the danger are too great. In point of fact, we had a terrible struggle. We had to force our way through brancbea of trees projecting out ot the water, and often we had to use our machetes to remove the obstaclea Impeding our way. In spite of all our exertions we were frequently whirled round by the force of the current and carried downstream. Masses of trees which reached far out Into the river could not be surmounted, nor powerful rapids overcome, without two or three successive attempts." CvHraeei of Herolaaa. "When we rested at night," he rontlnuea. "we fastened our cayuco to the brancbea of a great chtmon and protected ourselves and our baggage as well as we could with oiled cloths sgslust the heavy night rains. It waa not possible to go on shore, as every thing waa flooded. At noon of the aecond day we finally arrived at the ruined city, ths location of w hick eas of xoy znea recog nized by certain signs. The 'cuyo' on the low shore which generally serves to mark the spot, had entirely vanished under the water. We now breathed more freely, and. glad of having thus far surmounted all diffi culties, we fastened our cayuco to a tres. My men admired eath other as heroes and each one asserted that bad It not been for him we never could have come up the river. "In the meantime we sought shelter in the neighboring 'shore temple.' But aa the entire stone structure was soaked with rain and all the ceilings dripped with moisture, my men constructed for themartvea a palm leaf hut, while I. after discovering ths 'Labyrinth,' (Dr. Maler's name for a struc ture afterward explored more thoroughly) settled myself within Its walls with my most important baggage, for the ceilings were dry, and the great stone benches were very convenient for sleeping purposes or for spreading my things upon them. It was rather dangerous to spend the nights alone in that solitary ruin on ac count of the tigers. But fortunately we escaped all collision with these felines, which are always to be greatly feared. We were so fortunate as to have a month of glorious weather, which greatly les sened the difficulties of my work among the ruins. It generally rained at night and hardly ever by day. Even the I'su matsintla soon sank again to a less dan gerous level. But we had another trouble to contend against. Our stock of provis ions bad run very low, because the men when living at some one else's expense eat enormously and know no moderation." Later, It may be added, provisions were obtained and soma three montha were spent In examining and excavating the rulna so deeply burled under a tangle of trees, shrubs, and tropical creepers that It was only poesfble to picture the general plan of the city after each structure bad been examined in detail. City of Terraces. But this plan, once completed, presents a curiously vivid picture of temples, dwell ings, altars and palaces. The ancient city was not a city of streets but of terraces rising from the water, front that is slowly and Inevitably' being eaten away by the turbulence of the river. Many of the struc tures were so overgrown that they could not be excavated and photographs of va rious parts of the ruins had to be taken at special moments when the sun forced its wsy through the thick foliage. Here and there were found circular stone altars, probably set up over the graves of persons of rank. About the temples were many beautiful stone stelae carved on both sides the side facing the temple almost Invari ably representing the ancient god Ketsal koatl, who seems to hsve been the special deity of the city, while ths other aide represented a human figure, Perhaps the most remarkable of the memorials Mr. Maler discovered is a sculptured lintel which he considers the finest piece of sculpture yet found in the city. It was done in fine-grained lime stone of a light yellow color and so well preserved that it looked as new as if it had just left ths hands ot the sculptor. The figure la that of a warrior, holding In hia right hand what appears to be a quiver with bow and arrows which he ex tends toward a second warrior. ' From his shoulder bangs an ornament of cords to which are attached ths , five human beads of as nieny.alatJ. enle.. Ha wears a huge helmet, adorned with feathers, on the front ot which is fastened the small figure of a man holding another human head. A serpent with open jaws rises from the top of ths helmet. The warrior him self. It may be, lies burled on the plat form of the temple which ths lintel was carved to adorn. Great Fismro of a God. Here, also, in the temple of Ketsalkoatl, much of which is still standing, the ex plorer found a great figure of the god sitting cross leyged and yet so tall that It originally must hsve almost touched the celling. As a whole It la curiously sugges tive of some of the eastern representa tions of the Hindoo Buddha. The eyes, also, are oblique, like a Chinaman's two facts which are Interesting in view of the theory that America was settled from Asia. More curious still Is the story of the woodcutters who work in the neigh boring forest snd who told Dr. Maler that the Indians still come and offer sacrifices to this very image, burning incense in vessels adorned with feathers, and per forming strange dances one of which is called the "Dance of the Toucan" because the dancers wear the stuffed skin of this bird as a head dress. Whence they come and whence they go not even the wood cutters can answer. PRATTLE OF THE TOnGiTEHS. Tommy What did your mother do for your cut finger, Johnny? Johnny She didn't do nothln' but lick me for cuttin it. Mamma Tell me why you dielike your new doll, darling? Little Elsie 'Cause she's like Aunt Jane; her complexion rubs off. Small Willie bad done an errand for his uncle, who merely said: "Thank you." "Oh." rejoined Willie, "if tnafs all It's worth, I suppose you're welcome. But I was figuring on a nickel at least." Little Elmer was saying his prayers be fore retiring, and having got as far as "If I should die. before I wake" he hesitated. "Well, w hit's next?" asked hla mamma. "Why," replied Elmer, "I suppose a funeral wouti be the next thing." Small Bobby hurt his finger while play ing, and bis mother caught him up In her arms, kissed him and began to dry his tears with her handkerchief. "D-Ion't wipe m-my eyea yet, mamma," sobbed the little fellow. "I a-ain't done c-rrylng." Mamma Didn't you feel afraid of some thing when you went Into the closet to get a piece of cake without permission? ' Elmer (aged S) Tea, mamma. Mamma And do you know why you had that feeling of fear? Elmer Pure I do. I was afraid I couldn't find the cake. He had recited to his class the story of Abraham entertaining angela unaware. Feeling that the children might not know the meaning of the word "unaware," he asked them if they did. One little hand went up promptly, and ths smallest girl In the clasa aald: "The thing you wear next your skin." Harper's Magazine for March. The Saaae Old baaw. "And who," whispered a member of the legislative committee, "ia to get the hot end cf this deal?" "Ths people," wildly exclaimed the irate member who was floating with the reform ers. "O well, tben, go ahead." said the first member, ia a relieved tone. "I didn't know but wbal it waa to be one of us for a ctatgs." Baltimore A mrricaa. NIOBRARA AND TflEELRIlORN How a Local Company Made Ternii with a Groat Railroad System. NORTHWESTERN SCARED OF MILWAUKEE laalde tory of the Klohraxa Extra, aloa of the F E. 4k M. V. aai How a Lawyer aad aa Editor Caaaed the Korthweetera to Move. It's rather a strange coincidence." said E. A. Houston up at Niobrara, as he fin ished reading The Bee's report of the out come of the Northweatern's absorption of the Elkhom, "that Niobrara seems ths In direct cause of thia whole mess. "Ed Fry and myself were secretary and proaldent, respectively, of the corporation that brought It all about, or at least forced an issue. Niobrara had waited over thirty years for this railroad to build In. During this time Omaha and Niobrara delegations had waited on President Hughitt without moving him. All manner of schemes had been worked without avail. We had asked for engineers to look over the ground and the last one was sent out by the North western, who reported sdversely, saying to our committee, 'We don't have to come to Niobrara to reach the country west.' Sioux City organized a company about this time and established a survey, but the financial crash of 1893 submerged it In the same hesp with other enterprises. "It got to be pretty desperate when the county seat took wings, and 'last straws' were being grabbed at with no definite pur pose. Finally a half-hearted gathering as sembled and nobody but Fry had a word to offer. He suggested the harnessing of the Niobrara river for a great water power, or at least find out how much of a power we had so as to lay right foundationa for the future. This elicited considerable interest and ws went to work at once to make the survey. When It was dlsoovered thst there was a fifty-two-toot fall a permanent sur vey was ordered and a competent hydraulic engineer engaged. It was while Fry was industriously engaged seeking capital for this project that he ran up against the rail road situation and found men who would build the railroad." Some Railroad History. Here Mr. Houston went on to give a his tory of the Niobrara, Missouri River & Western railroad, with himself as president and Mr. Fry as secretsry. He eelected his Incorporators, who cheerfully put in their money, and organized .under the New Jer sey laws, the eastern end of the corpora tion Uklng the vice presidency and treas ury and being a part of the directory. Not a word waa said to anybody outside of the ones directly Interested, and nobody out side knew lhat any such organization had been effected until the Associated Press dispatches announced the fact In the news papers. In the meantime Fry's printing office had been busy with stock certificates and other necessary work for the corpora tion and as soon as the certificate of do mestication in this state had been received here the right-of-way from here to the Fremont, Elkhorn Missouri Valley rall load grade at Vardlgils had bees secured before the Omaha officials were scarcely aware of It. "A few days after Division Superintend ent Reynolds arrived at Niobrara," con tinued Mr. .Houston, "and Fry being ac quainted with him, wss sent on a mission to discover his business here. Reynolds hsd gone to Interview one of our merchants and Fry waited at a convenient distance until the railroad official came out. Then he sauntered up the street in great haste, and meeting Mr. Reynolda and his engineer, accosted him with affected surprise: " 'Well, Mr. Reynolds, are you not off your beat?" " 'I think not. Why do you ask thatr " It seems strange to see you in Nio brara you uaually turn at the bridge and go west.' " 'Have you any now railroads in sight r asked Reynolds. " 'Oh. yes,' replied Fry, 'we hsve ons pretty well along.' " Is it local capital?' he asked. " 'No, sir; It is eastern capital. Our pres ident Is here, however, and I should like you to meet him.' He hesitated, but finally walked across to my office snd the form alities over, the railroad subject csme up and I went over the situation frankly and truthfully. Mr. Reynolds was very atten tive and drank in every word I had to say, took the address of our treasurer and gath ered such other information as I cared to offer. "By a mero accident I learned a week after that 'a friend of ganford Parker of Spencer desired to meet him at Niobrara Thanksgiving morning.' I knew something was up, but did not look for the surprise that met my gaze Thanksgiving morning, 1M1. Geaeral Maaacer Bldwell farprleee. "Thanksgiving day will always be a red letter day for Niobrara. General Manager Bldwell and two corps of engineers, with Hon. John B. Barnes of Norfolk as counsel, were early arrivals. Fry had gone to his pasture and hia daughter sent post baste after him, for Mr. Bldwell had aent for us that a consultation could bo had. At 9 o'clock Fry and I had gathered ourselves together, consulted such of the local di rectors as ws could on short notice, and appeared before Mr. Bidwell as Invited. He had come with the olive branch and stated before the assembled business men the position of the Elkhorn toward Niobrara and Us full willingness to build into Nio brara. He acknowledged that we had pro cured considerable inside ground that both ered him. Then I gave a history of our effort, and every now and then Mr. Bidwell would break In, 'You went about It juat right,' and finally with this general under standing, we agreed to let the Elkhorn in provided our eastern friends were properly taken care of.. All these plans were read ily consented to. After some important matters brushed away. Fry and myself were requested to accompany Mr. Bidwell to Omaha that night to fix up the details In reference to the dissolution of the Niobrara, Missouri River a; Western Railroad com pany. Hot Faglae sal Special. "We were railroad magnates for a day at least, and dined at the Omaha club! We had put them all to thinking. Ben White, the general attorney for the Elk horn, was blind aa a bat on the New Jersey lsw. Here Is where Messrs Bidwell and White bad to show a little Inside Interest that had hitherto not crept In. We had not taken with ua any copiea of our arti cles of Incorporation a very exhaustive document on which I had spent many a weary hour during that awful August weather of that year and White wanted ua to explain aome things there. It waa with some hesitation that ha brought down from his office a certified copy from the secretary of state's office, something like fifty typewritten pages, for our Inspection. It bad been pretty well atudled by the legal department and not a Hula marked un tar. reference. Mr. Bldwell was busy writing to President Hughitt snd trying to rstch the t o'rloik train for a return trip to Nio brara. But It was 9'30 that evening before the special pulled out from Webster street depot having been kept hot there ready to start at any moment, with all traffic be tween Omaha and Fremont blockaded from t to 6:S0, when the dispatcher was re lieved of a tremendous burden, ss he sfter ward informed Fry. At 9 30 we left on the special for Verdigris st fifty miles sn hour. "Mr. Bldwell that morning, upon reach ing Fremont, remarked that he had for once escaped the newspapers. Fry, being a newspaper man. took time to go up to The Bee building, where he saw Charley Best and asked him if he was prepared for a 'beat.' and then It was that The Bee sur prised Its readers with a big piece of news for Its last afternoon edition. Taking It up to Mr. Bldwell's office, where we were yet hard at work arranging our affairs. Fry re marked to Mr. Bidwell. 'The newspapers caught you this time.' When reference was msde by The Bee about the Niobrara, Mis souri River A Western railroad being the cause cf this extension. Mr. Bldwell's pride was considerably touched, and he remarked that 'that's not soV Fry had a twinkle in his eye and we exchanged winks, but said nothing. But on our return home Mr. Bid well here and these dropped some secrets which were not intended. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Faul, which Is opposite Niobrara, was the greatest bugaboo he bad on his mind, and it was thought we were in close alliance with that great system in our scheme to build a railroad It Is not saying but that this may have resulted to the Milwaukee's sdvantage had the Elkhorn not stepped in. We held the key to the situation for the time being and as matters revealed themselves proved how well we had our organisation In hand. "Two weeka before tbe Northwestern had engineers here watching our course. Fry and I kert our own counsel and the direc tory was blind to what was going on, hav ing confidence In our ability to cope with the other schemers. So secret, slso, was the Northwestern (under whose exclusive control the late extension was constructed! that the englnecra who were shipped here to do the work read their transportation to 'Atkinson' snd found themselves upon awakening next morning at Verdigris. Mr. Bldwell said that all this organization to get In on the ground floor emlnated from Chicago by wire and no time was allowed for undue delay. "I therefore say. It Is a strange coinci dence that Niobrara unwittingly has re tired several high officials and been the means of blotting out forever tbe name of 'Fremont, Elkhorn A Missouri Valley rail road.' But Niobrara got what Fry and I started out to get, and If anybody thinks we had no hard sledding tbey want to place themselves In a like position. Everything has gone to show thst we proceeded right, for the great danger that Niobrara felt waa tabt instead ot crossing the Niobrara river at the mouth where it doea It would have crossed at the mouth of the Verdigris, four miles south, and engineers who worked on this extension declare that the Verdigris crossing was the cheapest and eaalest to maintain. I don't like to see our Elkhorn officials stepping out. but we hail the Northwestern coming in." GOSSIP ABOl T NOTED PEOPLE. Pro?. Mommsen, the German historian, whose flowing white locks caught fire at a gas Jet in his library a few days ago. Is 85 years old, but haa lost little of his physi cist and none of hla mental activity. Twenty years ago he was almost cremated when the valuable library In his home at Charlottenburg was deatroyed by fire. In the more recent accident his face was somewhat scorched and the professor re- j marked whimsically: "It la all over with my beauty." Why didn't Senator "Tom" Plstt devote himself to a diplomatic career? "Will President Roosevelt go into the next na tional convention with tbe New Tork dle gatlon?" he was asked tbe other day. "I think," said the senator, with appar ent deliberation and evidently weighing every word, "it would be absolutely safe to say that he will not." "And why not?" tbe interviewer followed up hotly, scenting a big piece of news. "Because It Is customary for a president who Is seeking renomlnatlon to stay in Washington while tbe convention is in progress." Not long ago Sir Richard Powell, a famous London physiclsn, was called to treat King Edward. The klng'a regular physician, Sir Francis Lsklng, wss present. After examining hla august patient Sir Richard said in bis characteristically brusque way: "You have eaten and drunk too much. I will aend you a prescription that will put you right." Then he hurried out to see other patients, when Plr Francis followed and protested against his abrupt way of treating the king. "My dear Lak lng." aald Powell, "if there Is any squirm ing to do you return snd attend to it. I really haven't the time." John Jerome Kelly, son of the late John Kelly, who was leader of Tammany hall next before Croker, became a member ot the New York stock exchange a few days sgo and was Initiated with a degree of vio lence which bore testimony to his popu larity. The members daubed hla face with paint and made htm dance aa Indians dance in geography pictures. Tbe reason they based him that way was because bis father waa a political Indian and because Mr. Kelly expects to do whatever brokerage business there Is to be done for tbe Tam many Indiana of this day. A citizen who has Just returned from a trip In Europe aaya that the sword pre sented to Admiral Dewey Is a beauty, but that In the matter of downright gorgeoua neas It is rather a poor second to that given to Lord Roberts by the city of Ports mouth recently. The American, who has examined both weapons, aays that the one owned by ths little English soldier Is probably the costliest thing of Its kind in the world. The band-made blade la of English ateel inacrlbed with all tbe en. gagementa In which Lord Roberts baa taken part. Tbe grip Is of gold snd carved Ivory, tbe guard of aolld gold ornamented with rubies, diamonds and sapphires, and the scs board is splendidly decorated. Dr. Edward Everett Hale addressed the Mothers and Fathers club of Boston a day or two ago. He startled his audience somewhat by saying: "Tenement houses, some seventeen stories high, packed with people and causing all kinds of tenement house laws to be made, are ss wicked as hell." He expressed ths hope that la I hundred yeara from now there would be no great citlea. "What we mant." aaid the orator, "Is to Initiate our children to live in tbe open air, to grow to lovs the coun try, so that they ran know the difference between a turnip and a potato and between grass and hemlock. When thia has been brought about we will have been converted from the miserable mechanical machine life ws ars now living." MODERNS IN SECOND PLACE Omsba Book Borromers Btill Cling to the Standard Works of Fiction. EXPERIENCE OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY Mlaa Tabltt Gives Sosao laforaaatloa as to the Desnaad for Stories of Varloas Classes aad Other Wrltlasa. In these days when the printed pare plays so ls-se a part In our scheme of ex istence, anything which gives Information as to the relative popularity of authors and tbvlr various books and helps to show which works have the merit to outlive their first burst cf popularity. Is of con siderable Interest. A report from tbs city library for the year 1902 gir aoms interesting comparisons. Tbe works ot fiction are of course ths most popular and are read by all classes. Next In demand are works of a religious character, especially those cf an optomistlo and reaasuring nature. Books classed under literature, biography and travels rank next and are all about equally popular. Books dealing with philosophical subjects seem to have a certain popularity and works classed under useful arts, while In no caae rising to great demand, have a high aver ege of circulation. Pooka of poetry have no large popularity and the historical vol umes are not read as much as one would expect to find them. One Vslsme Win a. in me aopanmeni oi ociion n mm that the popular book Is the one-volume ' story. Readers do not like to carry boms two volumes at one time and frequently do not read the aecond at all, ( either be cause they have lost interest, or ars at tracted to some other author when they return the first volume to the library. Ths short story, unless the collection Is of marked excellence, does not seem popular. Tbe reader, at least here In Omaha, ap pears to enjoy best tbe book with a con siderable and well worked out plot. Tbs novels ot the romantic school do not have the popular demand which they ars sup posed to excite, snd while when first Intro duced Into tbe llbrsry, there Is a rush among certain readera to obtain them, this is satisfied during tbe first year, and ths books fall to a comparatively low average of circulation. It baa been Miss Tobitt's observation, that taking a period of flvo years in the llbrsry, such books as Wey man's, Anthony Hope's and others of the kind, fall In average circulation below some of the old standards, Dickens or Dumas for instance. ' This is contrary io the popular belief, and goes far to refute the statements of decadence In modern lit erary taste. Aa a rule, some particular work of an author rises far above his other books In popular favor. One such popular book, however, draws attention to ths other storlea cf the writer and secures for these an Increase of circulation, owing to the curiosity of those who hsve been pleased by tbe popular tale. While there la a demand among a clasa of readers for stories of fa re turn countries and characters, the Hooks most generally reaa aeai Amon - can life. Of these the books of homely, plain living, lead. The second volumes ot various works do not reach the circulation ot the first. Popularity of Asthora. Among all ths recent authors Stevenson haa perhaps tbe highest average of popu larity and this Interest in his books seems to be growing. "Treasure Island" has a demand among all classes. "St- Ives" la also popular. There la a small, constant circulation for all of Dickens' works and Dumas is In considerably larger demand. "uA.(. r-hHoln" la the rrut favorite of this writer. Thackery and Bulwer ars also wanted. The books of Jano Austen seem to be rapidly growing in popular favor, especially "Sense and Sensibility" and 1'Pride and Prejudice." "Janice Meredith" enjoys a large and well sustained circulation and a number ot new copiea have been ordered to replace ths wornout books. Tbe library list was mads with the Idea of ascertaining if the books wars being purchased which the people wlahed te read. From orders made at holiday time. 1901. a list of volumes in each department was made, taking them aa purchased, without any selection. The circulation for ths year waa then obtained. Crawford's "Marietta," Ludlow's "Deborah," Dalrymple'e "That Wager of Dot's" and Waterloo's "Tbs Seekers" ran out one book card, or over forty times In circulation. These wera among tbe sixteen books first on the pur chasing l'st. Habberton's "Caleb Wright" waa taken out forty times; Chestnutt's "Marrow of Tradition," thirty-four times; Oppenheim's "Tbe Survivor." thirty-three times; French's "The Colonials." thirty-one times, and tbe lowest in tbe list, Bourget's "The Screen." thirteen times. Motfett'a "Career of Danger," twenty-seven times, wss the most popular juvenile. Other Thaa Firtioau Poetry and the drama: Field's "Book of Tribune Verse" went out twenty times; Well's "Mother Goose's Menagerie," twelve times, and Dunbar's "Candle Llghtln' Time," eleven tlmea. Tbe average for ths other twenty-four books was only three times out, with seven books not out at all. In the natural history Hat, "Amateur Bee Keeper" reached Its second card; "Ufa on' the Stage" (literature), Morrison, was circulated twenty-nlns times; "Bible Stories" waa out twenty-seven times; "Life Everslastlng," twenty-three; "Life Beyond Death," eighteen; 'Making of an Ameri can" (biography), twenty-four, and Cuater's "The Boy General," twenty-two. "Method of Bookkeeping" waa tbe most popular book of the acience list. "How to Make Common Things," "Gala Day Luncbeona," "Farm Poultry" and "Theory and Practice of Cooking" were the beat liked of tbe useful art booka. "Intervals, Chords snd Ear Training" and "Romantic Caatles and Palaces" lead the fine art list, and Halp hlde's "Physic and Psycblam" and James' "Will to Believe" were the moat popular of tbe works on philoaophy. The books on language snd education had sn average circulation of five. . Aa Eaatrr Hea. There is a person residing In Greenup who haa a number of bens, and he beard that to place Venetian red In the drinking water for rhtckena would keep off dlaeasa and Improve tbe health of his chickens. Hs tried It, putting a large quantity of the powder in tbe water. The chickens did mot take kindly to the colored water, except one bt-n that appeared ts have a natural fondness for the liquid. She drsnk fre quently and long of it, with the result that whst should te the white of her eggs Is a beautiful Venetian red. This is no exag gerated statement, but a fact. Greenup (Pa.) Gasetta.