Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA JOATJjY BEE : SUNDAY , NOVEMBER 18 , 1804.
OLIVER LINDSAY'S STIUIIICEI
How a Clever Lad Saved Fort Hunter
from an Indian Massacre.
About sunrise of a crisp October morning
In tlio year 17&6 Oliver Lindsay , a slim sunburned -
burned lad of ID , was standing on the pint-
form of the Fort Hunter stockade , looking
very discontentedly at the autumn land
scape. As far as he could sed russet and
gold-tinted mountains sloped to the shores
of the broad Susquehanna. Ilclow him , and
a few feet to ono side , a stolid-looking
sentry paced before the wide open gates.
From the low log structure of tlio fort
il , proi > er , behind the lad , came the eager prat-
If * tic of children , the shrill voices of women ,
and the rattle of tinware. In the yard a
few scattered groups of soldiers were light
ing their after btcakfast pipes , or polishing
and cleaning ; their Hint-lock muskets.
It was more than a year after Uradilock's
disastrous defeat near Fort Duqttesnc , and
the murderous Shawnces and Delaware's , In
their Blow and unopposed advance with
scalping knife and tomahawk , had pene
trated to this part of the Province of Penn
sylvania. At least they had been In the
vicinity of Shatnokln a week before , at
which time the scattered settlers had flocked
In haste to the recently constructed fcrts
along the river.
A dozen families were under the protec
tion ot Fort Hunter , which was garrisoned
by two sergeants and thirty-four ptlvatcs.
Mr. Lindsay , with his wife , had gone on to
Philadelphia to urge the need of more cfll-
clcnt protection upon the assembly , leaving
Oliver In care of the neighbors at the fort.
( t was a dull and monotonous experience
for the lad , and he heartily wished himself
back nt his cosy home near the base of
Peter's mountain. All through the summer
he had looked forward to the joys of Octo
ber. Now , Instead of gathering nuts for
winter or tracking ilecr and smaller game ,
he was n prisoner behind the tall stockade.
Ho could have better stood danger and ex
citement , but. ( hero was not even that to
relieve the Irhsomcncss of life at the fort.
No Indian atrocities had occurred within
thirty miles , and the scouts who went out
dally reported no signs of savages. The
lettlors- themselves were discontented , and j
Admitted that they had been hasty In aban-
dofijng their homes , while the fact that the
gates were left open by day showed plainly
what the soldiers thought of the situation.
"I'd like to stretch my legs on the moun
tain and pick up a few chestnuts , " Oliver
remarked to the sentry oelow him. "They're
Just diopplng out of the burrs now. 1
wonder If there's any danger ? "
Private Gideon Qhnblc , having an exalted
Idea of his own dignity and ot the rigid
duties of his post , frowned slightly by way
of reply. Hut Sergeant Piper , who chanced
to be passing along , overheard the latter part
of Oliver's remark.
"Don't bo afraid , sonny , " he said , reas
suringly. "Your hair ain't In any danger
of beln' lifted. Why , I'd make my after-
davit there ain't a redskin within forty
miles. They know better than to meddle
with provincial troops , an' as long as you
people stay In this fort you're safe. "
"I didn't mean that , " Oliver began , In
dignantly , but the 'sergeant had already
paced out * of hearing , and was negotiating
a loan of tobacco from his fellow officer.
A moment later Oliver .Jumped . down
from the platform and thoughtfully crossed
the yir.il. "Sergeant Piper says there's no
danger1 he relltcted , "and he ought to
know. I'm just ravenous for chestnuts. I
needn't go far and I can easily get back be
fore I'm missed. " He entered the- block
house and when he came out of the rear door
two jnliuites afterwards ho had an empty
powder bag stuffed Into his pocket. A
glance around satisfied him that the coat > t
was clear. Jle mounted the stockade on
thp river side , climbed over , and dropped
lightly do\yn In the grabs.
From'the bluff on which the fort stood
the lad descended to the ravineof the
creek , and after following this for half a
mile he struck across the thick timber to
the first mountain. The chestnuts were not
10 plentiful as he had expected , and he
trnflgud up ono side of the mountain and
down the other. Ho sorely wished that IIP
had his gun along , for quail and turkeys
constantly started up before him , and once
ho caught a distant glimpse of a deer.
Beguiled by the beauty of the day and by
the Intoxication ot his freedom Oliver
strayed across the valley to- what was
known as Llttla mountain , where ho filled
his bag with chestnuts ln avshort time. It
was now long past noon , and he ruefully
discovered that ho was hungry and a good
distance from the fort.
As ho lay stretched on the sunny slope of
a rock partly up the mountain n bright Idea
occurred to him. Only a mile and a half
away the sharp face of Peter's mountain
dropped Into the Susquelmnna , and ho could
see tho- very clump of trees behind which
the homo .clearing ttood. He remembered
that In the hasty preparation for flight he
had concealed his fowling boat under bushes
at the moutn of the run. What was to
prevent his getting It now and paddling
dfwn the r.ver to the fort-
There Was no obstacle as far as Oliver
could see. A short tramp through the forest
would bring him to his home , and the river
was clo e by , It was far quicker and easier
to rctur by that route than by the way he
had come. Danger from Indians did not
occur to htm.
The mare he thought ot the plan the bet
ter he liked It. He felt a strong desire to
see how the place looked ; after a week ol
solitude. Perhaps the chickens and ducks
had not been able to scratch a living for
themselves and were dying of starvation ;
or Drown Bees , the cow , which his father
had driven far Into the woods , had returned
to the imply stable and missed the com
panionship of the two horses , who by this
time had carried Mr. Lindsay and his wife
to Philadelphia.
From simply wlthlng Oliver easily per-
tuaded himself that It was h s bounden dut >
to visit the settlement when so convenient
an opportunity offered. With a glance at
the hazy sun he fcirambled down the slope
to the heavy forest below , and struck briskly
011 in a lice line for Peter's mountain.
Uefore long .he recognized familiar spots.
Here was ho pool ot the brook where he
had snared the big trout , and there the
clump ot hasel bushei In which he hat
routed and shot his first pheasant.
At last ho broke from the shadowy oak
and chestnut timber Into the meager clear-
liiH "where stood the log house and stab ) ;
As ho pauied with a natural instinct of cau
tion ho felt n iharp pang at the contrast
between his life here and at the fort.
Alt ic-jrned quiet and. peaceful , BO he
crossed a field of corn stubble to the stable.
The door was still closed and there was no
sign of Drown Dcss. The chickens were
scratching about as calmly as though they
had not been nt the mercy of four-footed
prowlers for a week past , and the occa
sional quack of a happy duck came from
the hidden channel of the run at the foot
, of the clearing.
A few steps farther brought Oliver to the
house , and he opened the door and entered.
Ho glanced carelessly through the two lower
rooms , noting that what furniture had been
too heavy to take to the fort was undis
turbed. Next he cllmed the rickety steps
to the loft overhead , where he knew some
maple sugar was stored In a cranny of the
rafters. He easily found It and was rolling
a delicious morsel In his Inouth when a noise
outshU stiffened h.s limbs with sudden ter-
ro. ' .
Ho heard fooUtcps on the frosty ground ,
the cackling of frightened and fleeing fowls
and the guttural tones of several human
voices. Then the Intruders came Into the
house and moccaslned feet shuffled softly over
the floor.
Indians , of course , was Oliver's Inilnnt
conviction. For a minute he simply could
not move from fright , and his throbb ng
heart seemed to come clear up Into his
mouth. A resistless fascination kept his
eyes on the opening at the head of the steps ,
where he expected an Indian's scalp lock to
appear every second. At the same- time he
could see the outlines of one of the shuttered
windows of the Joft , but he dared not stir
to reach It , nor could he have oTened ; the
shutter * without a noisy creaking of the
rusty hinges.
When the suspense was more than the lad
could endure , and no prying feet had yet
been planted on the steps , lie no selessly
lowered himself to his hands and knees , let
go of the b.ig of nuts , and crept a few
Inches to a spacious crack In the floor. He
looked timidly down and saw enough to make
his blood tun cold.
Directly beneath him , and close to the
kitchen chimney , stood seven Indians , both
Delawares and Shawanecs. They \\ere arineJ
with muskets and tomahawks , and their
brutal faces were hideously streaked with
red and yellow ochre. One had a reeking
scalp dangling from his belt , and several
wora faded and greasy coats that had evl-
HE UTTERED A CRY OF FEIGNED AGONY.
dcntly belonged to some of Braddock's Ill-
fated soldiers.
Another , to-wl q a face a broken nose lent
a most ferocious aspect , held In his hand a
pair of plump hensr-whlch he had captured
and killed outside. From his words and
gestures he seemed anxious to make a fire
n the chimney and cook the fowls. To
liia the others plainly objected , and after
: hey had talked for a while In low and
irokon English , Oliver suddenly discovered
.hat they were on their way to attack Fort
Hunter.
The lad now almost forgot his own peril
as he listened keenly for further Information
and before long his patience , was amply re
warded. He learned that the Indians belon
ilm were the advance guard of a larger
force , which they expected to Join shortlj
at thei foot of Peter's mountain. Then they
Manned to push on to Fort Hunter , reach
t before sunset , and rush through the gates
It appeared that scauts had apprised them
of how easily the fort could be taken by sur-
prlbo , and of the feeling of confidence am1
security that prevailed there.
Though Oliver'knew that his situation was
still very critical the uppermost thought In
Ills mind was to thwart the threatened at
tack , and he sa.\y pretty clearly how It
could be done , provided the opportunity was
given him. "Hurry up and go , yoii palnlei
( lends , " ho whispered under his breath
"Then we'll sco who gets to the fort first
Oh ! but you'll suffer for all the settlers
you've murdered. "
lion ever , the Indians were provoklngly
slow about going. They kept talking am
gesturing , mid all the time Oliver shlverei
and perspired for fear they would take a
notion to explore the loft.
Hut finally , after ransacking a chest o
drawers and slashing It with their toina
hawks , the whole party slouched cut ot the
door and their soft tread faded from hear
Ing. Doubtless mere curiosity had drawn
them to the house , or the hope that It was
stlll Inhabited.
Oliver did not dare to stir for scvera
minutes , though It seemed a much longe
time than that , owing to his excited state o
mind. Then ho rose , stretched his crampec
legs a bit , and cautiously descended the
steps to thp lower floor.
The house stood near the southwest corne
of the clearing and looked towards the river
From the door a narrow road with bubhc
on each side led straight for fifty yard
to the thick chestnut timber ; several hun
dred yards to the right lay the base of th
mountain , and a short distance to the let
the clearing was bounded by the channel a
the run.
Oliver hurried first to the right-hand em
of the house , and peeping through a crevlc
of the logs he saw the last of the Indian
just vanishing In the rocky thickets of th
mountain. Ho waited a little longer t
better his chances of escaping observation
and then crawled on hands and knees ou
of the door. Ho rose to his feet as soon a
he was fairly started down the- road , am
stooping low he ran swiftly between th
bushes and tall grass.
Ho was close to the shelter of the tree
when the "sight of a copper-colored snak
squlnnlnc across the path caused him t
start back and spring erect. Instantly , bu
too late , ho repented his Imprudence. A
musket cracked sharply on the right , and h
felt a bullet whistle by his ear.
Oliver was badly frightened , but he had hi
share ot the pluck and grit that made th
settlers of those early days what they were
As ho plunged into the timber a second re
port rang out , and n bunch of leaves wo
nipped from a sapling at his side. He spot
on like a deer , wisely keeping- the road
where ho could make the best speed. H
now heard no sound ot pursuit , but well h
knew that the crafty savages were com In
swiftly and silently on his track.
Faster and faster the lad ran. What U th
boat should bo cone ? The thought struc
a chill ot terror to his heart , for In that oven
all hope of life was tone as well. On th
boat hung his only chance of escaping th
tomahawk ot saving the occupants of th
fort from a like fate.
The remembrance that other lives than hi
own were at stoke kept up his courage an
strength , but he was badly winded when h
came to where the road nwcrved to ford th
run. Hero he took to the thallow channe
leaping rocks and logs and iplashlnf
through poo's ,
At last lift caught a glimmer of the broai
river ahead , and an Initant later he eager !
tore apart a clump of water birches , II
uttered a low cry ot delight , ( or there wa
. 3
ho boat Just as ho .had left It , the paddle
till lying on the bottom.
Oliver quickly dragged the light craft
vcr sand and gravel and launched It on the
wlft current of the river. He tumbled In
lid began to paddle with all hli * might for
mid-stream. Hope thrilled his heart as .he
lanced back between the , strokes , The
here was thirty yards behind forty
fty.
fty.Ah ! there they were. Ou { from the
tushes leapt the painted savages , and a
ilood-curdllng whoop echoed from mo'un-
aln to mountain. Two muskets cracked ,
nit ttlll the daring lad paddled on. hoping
o Increase the distance before dropping
under cover. Hut n third shot tore the
laddie from his grasp , and then , quickly a
ilcver ruse flashed Into his mind. He ut-
ered n cry of feigned agony , tossed up his
Tins , and fell limply to the bqltom of the
> oat.
oat.There
There was silence for a moment , and then
ho bullets began to whistle , Seine flew
vcrhead , and some spattered the water
oundabout ; half n dozen pierced the sides
of the boat , but luckily did not harm the
iroatrnto lad.
Finally the fusllade ended , and not r
ound was heard but the rippling of the
current. The Indians clearly believed that
ho fucltlve was dead , and not worth th I
vasto of more powder nnd ball.
The boat drifted on and on , now pltchlnr ;
ind tossing amid rnplds , nqw grinding or
ubmerged rocks nnd grass-bars. Oliver did
not dare to rise. He knew that the current
rended toward , midstream , and In this
bought there wns comfort and cheer. .
For fully half an hour he lay on his back ,
azlng up at the blue October sUy. Then ,
satisfied that the danger was past , he ent
ip and looked about. Peter's mountain was
ildden by a bend of the river , , and there WOF
no trace of the Indians on the 'shore. With
part of his shirt he plugged up several of tin
bullet holes that were Icablne. and then
started to paddle lustily.
In a little less than an hour Oliver landed
inder the stockade of Fort Hunter nnd
valkcd calmly through the open gate. There
iad bsen considerable anxiety over his ab
sence , but no one had a word of reproof for
: ho brave lad when he had related his thrill
ng adventure.
At sunset the Indians arrived , doubtlesi
llsappolnted to find the gates closed. The
vatchful.sentries discovered them linking In
he timber , and they were greeted with s
lot anil scattering n fire that they retreated
n haste , leaving three dead behind. During
: he perilous weeks that followed Fort Hun-
: er was not molested , and In time the set-
, lers went safely back to rebuild on th
charred embers of their homes. M. G.
.i//-.v.
n v. Dr. Benjamin Watoon. n vener-1
Episcopal clergyman of Philadelphia ,
ells the following anecdote of the late Dr.
Stephen II. Tyng , the elder , once rector of
loly Trinity , Philadelphia , nnd afterwards
'ector ' of St. George's , Philadelphia : "Hefore
Jr. Tyng came to this city , " said Dr.
Watson , "he was rector of a church nt
Georgetown , now a part of Washington City ,
t was In the early days of the century , when
hat great statesman and orator. Henry
Clay , was In the heyday of his glory. One
Sunday evening Dr. Tyng ascended his pul
pit and proceeded to deliver a most eloquent
ermon. His hearers and he realized nlmul-
ancously that his words were unusually
loqucnt. In the midst of'an Impassioned
exhortation the church door opened and a
belated Christian walked down the aisle and
ook a seat. It was Henry Clay. Dr. Tyng
recognized him. Suddenly and unaccountably
ho preacher became filled with a sense of
ils own Insignificance as on orator In the
presence of this eloquent man. He broke
lown , nnd floundered miserably through the
remainder of his sermon , which he brought
o a speedy close. "
Hon. Whltclaw Reid , editor of the New-
York Tribunennd candidate for vice presl-
lent on the republican ticket In 1892 , sailed
for the Mediterranean on the10th Inst. A
w York dispatch says his leave-taking was
a particularly sart one , because of the faqt
: hat his physicians Tiad as'sufqd Win "that
13 could not survive another New York
winter , and that even the climate of thp
Nile can prolong his life only a few weeks
or months at the moil. Mrs. Reid accom
panied her husband , but the children will
remain at Ophlr farm for the present.
It lias bsen known for several years that
Whltclaw Reid had n bronchial affection that
threatened a serious result. Last spring Mr.
Reid contracted a very severe cold , which
lie was unable to shake off. It fastened It-
elf upon h.s lungs , and as he rapidly grew
worse the best medical assistance was called
n. The physicians found Mr. Reid to be suf-
[ erlng from consumption , and the best to be
hoped for was the checking ot the dUease
for a short time.
Though the German emperor employs Ber
lin tailors , he believes In giving provincials
employment also. In very good-sized town
there la a court tailor , who occasionally has
the honor ot supplying the emperor with a
uniform , and as his uniforms are as diverse
and numerous as the stars of the heavens ,
there Is good business done , especially as
his majesty differs very materially from his
grandfather , who had his uniforms and caps
repaired and cleaned so often that the trades
people had to declareat last the garments
would bear no more renovation. The Imperla"
measure Is always kept In stock by the tail
ors , 60 that only the minute details are sent
when an order Is given. A tunic for the
kaiser costs on an average between ? 40 and
! f50.
William R. Lscds of Philadelphia , who dl ? <
In that city on Monday , wns one of the besi
known politicians In Pennsylvania. Ho held
many offices , and was a delegate to a num
ber of republican national conventions. In
1887 ex-Governor Beaver wrote of him
"There Is no manMn office , or that has held
office , elected on the republican ticket within
a quarter of a century , but that owes to Sir ,
Leeds a debt of gratitude. There Is not a
republican voter Interested In the success o"
republican principles and republican candl
dates and party supremacy In the state am
nation but Is under obligations to the skillful ,
tireless , courageous and faithful labors o !
William R. Leeds. "
Monte Crlsto never had Its doors closed ,
and Dumas , the elder , fed n regiment. The
hungry trooped there. It often happened tha
thcro was not enough for dinner. Ho had a
dog ns hospitable as was his master , apd thai
dog Invited twelve other dogs. Dumas' fac
totum In chief wanted to drive off/'the whole
pack. "Michael , " said the great modern
romance-maker , "I have a social position to
fill. It entails a fixed amount of trouble am'
expense. You say I have thirteen dogs , am
that they are e.ttlng me out ot hoiuo and
home. Thirteen ! That is nn unlucky num
her. Go at once and find me a fourteen ! )
dog. "
Whistler , the eccentric London artist , was
born In Lowell , Mass , , and was educated a
West Point.
George du Maurlcr , the novelist , and Alma
Tadetnu , the artist , were students together
at Antwerp , and resembled each other so
closely that they were hardly distinguishable
arart mull r.n Mautlti lr > t the sight of a.
eye and began to wear blue spectacles.
James Mulligan , the United States consu
general at Samoa , writes to a friend In Lex
Ington , Ky. , that Robert Louis Stevenson Is
a very lively man for one who Is suppose <
to bo In bad health. Ho plays tennis for
hours , and no one can outlast him at a
dance. He will put oft writing a story at
any time to attend a ball.
Saclmrzln , the czar's private physician , Is
said to bo worth 7,000,000 rubles. He has
been professor at t.io St. Petersburg' ' unlver
city thirty-live years and Is 65 years old
He Is noted for his blunt frankness , oftei
rudeness , toward his patients , Including
those of the highest rank.
Germans claim that the late Hermann
Hclmholtz was , after Humboldt , the greates
scientific thinker of this century. The phy
slclans who performed the autopsy were ns
tonlshed at the weight of his brain and the
extraordinary number of Its convolutions.
A monument to General Grant Is soon to
be placed In tjjo Golde.fi Gate park of San
FrancUco. It will lip a shaft six feet , four
Inches In height , surmouiued by a fac
slmllo In bronze ot the bust o ( General Grant
which was made by the tame artlit , Rilper
Schmld , for the tomb In Riverside park. A
the base ot the shaft , In front , will be a
grcup of war Insignia and trophies In bronze
Story- a Nebraska Victim of a Promising
Foreign Association ,
CONVENTION OF THE STATE LEAGUE
Mlldut Cull for tlin TJilnl Amiunt Moating
An Important ! > ofl lon-luto Local
Iteportn Vnliio ( if btnto In-
About five years njju a pupil of the Na
poleonic menage shook : the dust of Minne
apolis from his bootsuand hurried to the
Missouri valley with a [ gripsack nnd a head
crammed with flnanclaNschemcs. The pco-
) | e of this section were plodding nlong In a
nonotonous rut , satlHfltil with moderate re
turns on their labor anil money , he argued ,
and needed to bo educated up to the times ,
ills partners or employes had perfected a
financial scheme Insuring unheard-of profits
o Investors. "You jdrup your dollars In the *
slot , the machine guarantees the rest. " Hav-
ng a strain of philanthropy In his veins he
patriotically decided It-was too-good a thing
, o be confined to the boundaries of Minnesota.
Ho would let the adjoining states into the
snap , the whole world If need be.
The scheme was a National Building and
Loan association. Profits ranging from 20
: o 30 per cent were cock-sure and loans would
be made on easy tenns. The luminous
Ite.-aturo coupled with a smooth tongue
captured , several hundred persons in Omaha
and vicinity , nnd they put up $1 per share
for the privilege of bflng taken In , besides
contracting to pay Jl every month on each
share.
Mattfers drifted along smoothly for n yeai ,
and the dollars poured Into the Minneapolis
slot In a steady stream. The shareholders
flattered themselves that the first year's
divvy would be a stunner , and their day
dreams of affluence grow apace. Suddenly
rumors gained cunency that Hie Minneapolis
scheme and the schemers were not working
on the square. Some part of the machinery
slipped a cog and an arctlo coolness sprang
up between anticipations and the realiza-
Jon. It did not take the Omaha crowd
eng to dltcover that they had been bitten ,
nnd they proceeded to clamor for their coin.
Formal letters counselling patience and a
long-range glassy stare were the response.
Later on the victims united In a demand
for. a settlement nnd placed It In the hands
of a Minneapolis attorney. A settlement
was finally had , the victims receiving about
50 cents on the $1 , and the remainder , less
lawyer fees , going to fulfill the pledge of
ireat profits for the managers.
The story of one of the victims a woman
who clung with much tenacity to the
printed promises of the concern , furnishes
an Instructive lesson on how to get rich nt
the expense of others. At the time other
victims rushed for cover she had paid In
$138. Early In 1891 the concern under
went a process of reorganization and nil
claims were neatly bcaied to make up n
tinge deficit In the expense account. Gorge-
) Ubly printed bpnds or promises to pay were
Issued In place of the original certificates ,
and each victim received a copy. The bond
of the Omaha woman Is printed on regula
tion bond paper , 22xlC Inches In size. A
perspective of Minneapolis occupies a con
spicuous place , giving the Impression that
the managers own the town. Flanking the
tramo are cuts of two fine buildings , and on
the top In elaborately designed letters the
name of the Institution. Uelow Is a cer
tificate stating that the holder will lecolve
"on the 1st day of July , A. D. , 1891 , on
presentation nnd surrender hereof , the sum
of $103.95 , together with the net profits on
that sum hereafter accruing. " The bond Is
dated January 1 , 1801.
Under the terms of settlement printed on
the back of the bond , 5-per cent per annum
was to bo. paid the mony , which would
bring the total up to $117.14 on tha 1st of
July , About the time the bond matured
nn Omaha gentleman , undertook to collect It
for the distressed lady. ; Inquiry as to what
It was worth brought i the answer , $112.CS.
Subsequently the bond'wan signed and sent
to Minneapolis for collection. It was re
turned a few days agn-wlth a note stating
that the concern wouldupay but half of the
amount in cash and give a paid-up policy
for the remainder.
Thus , the victim was shaved $31 by the
reorganisation deal , $4.4G on the bond In-
te-est deal , and the prospect of her receiving
the balance Is dccldqdty remote.
THIRD ANNUAL MEETING.
The following circular has been Issued b >
the Nebraska League < iof Local Loan and
Hulldlng associations.
To L cal Building Associations of Nebraska :
The third annual meeting of the Nc
bniika State League tot Local Loan and
Building associations will be held on Decem
ber 11 , 1S94 , at 2 o'clodk p. in. In tlio com
mittee room of the Lincoln hotel , at Lin
coin , Neb.
All local associations In the state are In
vited to send at least -one delegate , to this
meeting , as our legislature meets this win
ter and Important matters pertaining to our
building absociatlon law bliould be consid
ered.
ered.Tho
The executive committee of the league has
rendered valuable services to local associa
tions during the year , which will be full >
shown by their annual report , and steps
should be taken to continue the good work.
We especially urge all local associations
who have not yet applied for membership
In the league to do EO now , so that when the
occasion requires we can secure prompt
vigorous and united action.
The. wisdom and necessity of unifying ou' '
scattered forces is shown by our late cxperl <
ence with the Income tax bill In congress ,
which' would no doubt have been passet
without a clause exempting building associa
tions from Its operation had it not been for
the prompt and persistent protests of the
various state leagues and the United States
league.
Let us get together , find out what we
want and then proceed In a systematic way
to get It. C. J. PHELPS , Pres. ,
C. W. BRININGER , Sec. , Schuyler , Neb
Grand Island , Neb.
At least three of the Omaha associations
will bo represented at the convention Wit )
two or more delegates'each. . The Omaha
has already elected Messrs. E. EBryson
and T , J. FItzmorris ns delegates , and the
Mutual at Us meeting Slonday night wll
name Its delegates. The Nebraska director ]
meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month
when the matter of representation will bi
settled.
AN IMPORTANT DECISION.
The supreme court of Illinois has ren
dered an Important decision on the nppea
of the Jollet Building and Loan association
from the ruling of the assessor of the' town
of Jollet. The case was a test one on the
point In Issue. Nearly two years ago the as
sessor of Jollet assessed the assets of the
above named association and proceedings wer <
Immediately commenced by the association
to have the assessment set aside on the
ground that U would force Us members , who
were chiefly borrowers , to pay a double tax
The court sustained the assessor and heh
that the borrower , like any other borrower
may show his indebtedness and escape paylni
taxes upon U , According to this decision thi
building and loan associations of Illinois and
those doing business In that state are no
longer exempt from tax
REPORT OF TUE OMAHA.
The twenty-third .annual report of the
Omaha Loan and Building association , jus
Issued , presents substantial evidence of steady
growth. The total aseU amount to $102-
749,30 , of which sum ' 481,315.75 represents
loans on first mortgage * , and $2,401.20 loans
on stock. In the eleven' and a half years o
Its existence the association foreclosed rca
estate mortgages amounting to HC.294.97
tome of which has been retold on co'ntracts
The receipts for the 'pnrtod Included In the
report were $49,019.5C , > cr nearly (5,000 per
month. Of this sumHJ.65 52 was paid to
withdrawing shareholders , $ is.30f.ijij to .bor
rowers , jci.OOO on redemption ot certificates
ot Indebtedness Issued at the maturity of the
first series , and Jl,333.20 for expenses. The
net earn ! .gs for tbe lit rctntlu were $3,772 CS
out of which a semi-annual dividend of :
per cent wan paid. Despite the strlngenc >
of the tlmei , and the consequent wltadrawals
the Ouuha reports * . net Increut of 1,146
shares outstanding since January 1 , bringing
ho total up to 4C17 > 4 , held by C91 Individ
uals.
uals.VALUE
VALUE OF OFFICIAL , INSPECTION.
Staid regulation and Inspection ot building
associations Is demonstrating ltd value wher-
iver established. Nebraska's experience in
.Hat line'has been fruitful of good results
n eliminating speculative and Illegal methods
of business and In enforcing correct book-
cecplng , thus Increasing confidence In their
stability. A Majority ot associations are offi
cered by men who are novices In financial
nanagemcnt. This fact calls for greater care
and frequent examination by the proper offi
cials , to the end that errors may bo corrected ,
and the organizations held closely to their
clearly defined purpose. Illinois did not In
augurate Inspection systematically until the
first of this year , and not a moment too soon ,
A number of wildcat concerns have been
shown to be Insolvent and placed In the hands
of receivers , others had In practice a variety
of doubtful schemes which were eliminated
and the bocks of all overhauled and brought
to a uniform system. "I discovered one
case , " said State Auditor Gere , "ot nn asso
ciation with assets of $50,000 , which has been
n operation seventeen years , which has ma
tured and paid off three series ot stock , and
which has built eighty houses , where the only
record of accounts of any kind consist i of n
jink account book and the stubs of a check
book. The secretary Is a lawyer and n
spiritualist. The society Is located In a
'arming ' community , and every member ha.l.n
irlvato account , no matter how small , with
.ho local bank. The first of each month the
iecrttary made n practice of drawing checks
n the names of the members of the associa
tion nnd depositing them to the credit of thc >
association. The accounts are all right and
.he society Is thriving. Its officers , however ,
mvo hern notified that some Imkkeeplng
will havo'to ' be dene In the future. "
' 'ASSOCIATION NOTES.
The Equitable of Fremont has matured
ts first series , and will close subscriptions to
series N on December 0.
Since June , 1891 , co-operative building as
sociations to the number of 2CO have been
chartered In the state of Pennsylvania , mak-
ng the present total In that state 1,239. The
nembershlp aggregates 272,580 persons , the
annual cash Income $ H-132,080 , and the
assets nearly $101,000,000.
The state auditor of Illinois decrees that
expense1 funds must be done away with In
that state.
Mr. C. H. Ciessy , formerly a reporter on
The Bee and the Journalistic , hero of
Wounded Knee , Is now editor of the Chicago
Hulldlng and Loan Record.
ItKI.KIIOUS.
The largest cross In the country has Just
Ijeen erected In a cemetery In Buffalo , N. Y.
It was cut from one block of Barre granite ,
stands 2C feet high , breadth of arms 10 feet ,
thickness 3 feet G. nnd weighs thirty tons.
The figure of the Savior cut in the stone Is
nine feet from head to foot.
The estate of the late Prof. Swing of Chicago
cage , somewhat to the surprise of his friends ,
s estimated , real and personal , to be worth
nearly $200,000.
In San Francisco there Is a circle of King's
Daughters in which there are eight Chinese ,
two Japanese , two Syrian and two American
women.
At the ordination last week of Rev. A. C.
Hardy , a prominent member of the New
Hampshire Methodist Episcopal conference ,
as a deacon In the Protestant Episcopal
church , the lessons were read liy Rev. A. C.
Hardy , Jr. , of Rhode Island and the sermon
was preached by Rev. Lucius Hardy of Ver
mont , both his son ? .
Rev. B. P. Dulln , who has been assisting
Rev. A. T. Lynn In holding a series of meet
ings In Stafford , Va. , Is 81 years old , and on
the day ho wns 81 he rode fourteen miles and
eMhcd at three different places. He was
converted fifty-nine years ago _ and has been
preaching fifty-four years.
Dr. Carroll estimates that 20,000,000 re
ligious services , not counting the Sunday
fchools , are held every year In the United
States , and that 10,000,000 sermons are
preached In 165,000 places of worship.
The American Bible society has suffered a
heavy loss by the burning of Its house In
Yokohama , Japan , used as a depository for
bib ) ? ? . Th6 entire stock of books nnd sheets
were much Injured by fire and water , but
the plates were fortunately stored elsewhere ,
and thus are uninjured.
For the first time In many years the Ameri
can Sunday School union makes a special
sppeal to the churches. The past year has
been one of the most successful In the his
tory of the society , showing the establish
ment of 1,785 new Sunday schools and the
conversion of nearly 11,000 persons.
The next national council of the Congrega
tional churches will be held at Syracuse , N.
Y. , October 0 to 14 , 1895. It had been ex
pected that San Francisco would be selected ,
but arrangements for railway fares were not
satisfactory , and , as Syracuse renewed her
Invitation , it was accepted.
The twenty-ninth annual report of the board
cf trustees cf the Universallst general con
vention shows that the church membership
Is 4C.413 , a growth of 1,700 during the past
year ; the Sunday school membership Is 58,163 ,
a growth of 1.000 ; the number of families re
ported Is 43,959 , almost equal to the church
membership ; the number of ministers Is 757.
The total contributions for parish expenses
and benevolences were $1,224,851 , n falling olT
of about $165,000. This Included $821,070 for
current expenses and $03,991 for missionary
and general purposes.
BlVUATlOJf.lI
Illinois has 855 938 pupils In the public
schcols , 116,636 In private schools and over
$10,000,000 In school houses ,
land under the Orientalists , Inynball and
Rutgers. In 18 IS he went to Sumatra and
remained there for many years , studying the
language.
Word has been received In Holland from
Surabaja of the death of Dr. H. Neubronntr
Van der Tunk , the famous Indo-phllologlst.
Ho was born In India and studied In Hoi-
Miss Jennie Dean , to whom the Manassas
Industrial School for Negroes , In Virginia ,
owes.much of its success , was born a slave ,
but now owns her homo of fifty acres , near
Dudley Springs , paid for by her own earn
ings.
ings.The
The official registration at Yale shows an
Increase In every department of the uni
versity. Since 1890 the total student mem
bership has Increased from 1,600 to nearly
2,400 , The registration for 1893 was 2,217
and for 1S94 , 2,397.
Ex-Mlnlster William Potter has enriched
the library of the University of Pennsyl
vania by , Uie gift of a complete set of
Hansatd'.i parliamentary debates. It makes
459 volumes 'and povors the proceedings and
speeches In the British Parliament from
1006 to 1891. . This Is a very valuable and In
Its completeness a most rare work In this
country. It Is the repository and source of
our Parliamentary law and will afford the
historical students an opportunity near at
hiThd for Investigating points In English his
tory In what are practically original docu
ments.
Dr. Wllljarn T. Harris , United States com
missioner of education , In his annual report
says : "But far surpassing libraries In their
educative Influence are the dally newspapers
and magazines. We are governed by public
opinion , as ascertained and expressed by the
newspapers , to such a degree that our civili
zation Is justly to be called a newspaper
civilization. " This fact Is becoming moro
recognized by the educational expert and the
student alike as time passes. There Is ,
therefore , great need that the dally press be
kept free from matter of an objectionable
character. The home newspaper , which re
fuses to cater to the depraved tastes of the
minority of readers , lobes Its prestige the
moment It falters In Its determination to
Improve- Us moral tone and debar from Its
columns everything which tends to lead tea
a thlitt , among the younger ot Its reader ? , for
nowB or strlcity literary matter of an Im
moral or low sentatlonal type , "
XHAllli AI'TKIS TIIK .S.l/.tt.
Aulxron Herbert.
She sts | nt her glass with musing heart ,
Ami thinks of the days that were ,
Hefore tie oliat \ the world's great mart
That face ao passing fair.
And uho wonders what she would give and
Hive ,
If out of that Klabs could rise
A face that lies dead In the years that are
With'tho hope and the trust In Its eyes.
Cook's Imperial , Wbrld's fair "highest
award , excellent champagne ; go&d efferves
cence , acrmblt bouquet , delicious flavor"
Orchard & WilMm
Special sale of drop patterns in car
pets. Too many patterns that can not
be duplicated prompt us to offer for a
weeks' sale reliable makes of goods at
prices to close them.
If you know what a good Tapestry
Brussels is you know what excellent
goods Smith's and Rox'berry's ' are for
wear. A' nice line of these makes at
70c a yard. We have Tapestries at 35c
a yard and all the way between. We
prefer to recommend the best makes.
Ingrain Carpets , too , at prices much
lower than the same qualities have been
shown.- Best quality two-ply all wool
a small lot only at 45c. Please ex
amine these before you buy. Extra qual
ity Union Wool and cotton , 25c yard.
We have also a few drop patterns of
Moquette and Body Brussels that will
be sold at two-thirds regular price.
1414-16-18 Doulas St
Complete Drapery Dept. 2nd Floor.
A NAPOLEON IN THE TOILS'
Tlio Courts "Wrestling with the Crimes of a
New York Bauk Lootor.
CAREER OF A WALL- STREET PLUKGER
Robbing n Hnnlc to I'ny Ills Losses in
Speculation The Crush of 1HKI
Flight ntul Itulurn or John C.
Euo Case lu the Courts.
The supreme court ot the United States ,
by a recent decision , brings Into relief again
the career of a financial Napoleon rivaling
that of Ward , who wrecked the fortune of
General Grant , of Ivcs , the Ohio railroad
plunger , of Menage , the Minneapolis promoter
meter and exile , or Nebraska's Mosher , now
tarrying In prison at Sioux Falls.
Dy forgtry and theft John C. Eno wrecked
the Second National bank of New York ,
while president of the Institution , and tied
to Canada. That was ten years ago. He
was indicted for forgery , but owing to the
meager number of crimes for which extra
dition could bo had at the time , pursuit of
Una was useless. Suddenly and unex
pectedly he returned voluntarily from exllo ,
determined to stand trial for his offenses.
The first object on raised by the defense
was on the right of state courts to assume
jurisdiction ever crimes committed against
an Institution chartered under federal law.
An appeal was taken to the federal circuit
court , and that tribunal held that the state
courts were without Jurisdiction. The na
tional supreme court has just reversed that
ruling , remanding the case to the state courts
for trial.
LIFE IN WALL STREET.
In 1SS1 John Eno was looked upon as an
almost perfect tyira ot the successful man.
Nobody knew the extent of his speculations ,
but those' that he let come to the public eye
were so admirably timed and worked out
that they added to the estimate of hid
shrewdness. By his father's Influence he
was president of the Second National bank ,
an Institution so solid that IU clients repre
sented moro classes than can Id be seen at
any other bank. Lawyers , physicians , cler
gymen , actors and gamblers rich men and
poor men gave their money to the keeping
of John Eno.
Wall street Is a pool among whoso rocks
hides an octopus , n patient devil that Is as
slow and as reslstlets as a glacier. Ills
clutch Is death.
One day In 1SS2 , with John Eno at his hap
piest , this octopus reached out one slimy
tentacle and dragged him down. By a
superhuman effort he broke away and es
caped. The octopus hid In hla hole and
waited. He could afford to wait.
With the first reverses of luck Eno strug
gled all the harder. Nobody save his
brokers knew that ho had lost a penny , and ,
after all , he was far from ruined , If he
lost } 100,000 on a deal , It was but a
twentieth part of what ha had made In a
few years. It was not the loss of money
that made him nervous and uneasy , It was
fear that New York , his New York , would
know that he had lost.
Througn the prlng of 1S82 the great game
went steadily against him. The drain was
constant and terrible. In the summer he
was at the end of his resources. His last
dollar was gone.
Over the door of his Park avcnuo mansion
he fancied that ho saw "Ilu.n" In bold let
ters , like the Inscription carved upon a tomb.
Then , without forethought , moved entirely
by the- Instinct of Belt-preservation , and ut
terly without scruple , ho took a package of
money from the vault of thd Second National
bank , It was not until ho had sent the bank
notes to an Imperative broker that he realized
what he had done.
He cit down In his private office to think
upon the deed and Its consequences. He-
morse was farthest from his thought * . Ho
had no qualms concerning the depositors
whoso money ha had thu bolJIy taken. After
all , It was but a loin. One sharp turn ot the
market and ho could repay every cent. Yes ,
he felt that It was a loan and his heart grew
lighter.
He slept soundly that night and awoke to
go down to the bank and repeat his tticlt.
He clearly foresaw the end If ho kept on In
this course the collapse of the Second Na
tional. Hut II he were not beneath the
stones when the structure fell why should ho |
1
care ? Deliberately , and day after day , he
stole the money entrusted to him , entering I i
It on the books an loans to mythical persons
On May 6 , liil , the edge ot the storm j
cloud struck New York. On that blactt
Tuesday , when with Jim Knene's suspension
still fresh , the Marine's National bank cOH
lapsed , with James I ) . Fish burled In tlio
ruins , and Ward and Grant went underi *
the one-time ruler of the country a pltlab ] &
spectacle and his partner a fugitive frora
justice.
Eno affected dismay. In reality ho wa.9.
caltn. Ho had expected this. He secrfc'ly |
compared himself with Ward , and shriiggb'Q
his broad shoulders. He sat still and waited
for the great catastrophe.
BURSTING OF THE STOUM.
It came on May U an appalling burst ot
fury , as If an avenging god reached down
from the skies to shatter tha petty houses of
men. The first news was that Nelson Ilobln-
son had suspended. Wall street wai >
thronged with men , many of them laborers
and clerks , waiting to spe the refreshingly
unusual sight of millionaires going madV
Hut these stoics gave no outward sign of
eii'otlon ; their terror , their anguish , were
locked within their breasts.
Eno , sitting In his private office , reviewed
messenger after messenger , each bearing
news of immense meaning. "Hatch St
Footo are down. " " 0. M. llogart sus
pends. " "So does J. C. Williams. " "Don-
nell , Law-sou & Simpson" "Hotchklss < 3t
Hurnham" bulletins snapped out as If every !
word were precious. One of the firm or
Goffe & Handle , Eno's brokers , rushed In' ,
Ho Hiust have $95,000 ! Impossible ! Hut
ho must he begged and pleded. Ko turned
away and shut the door against the broker.
In a half hour Goffo & Handle had furnished
another piece to the general wreck.
Such dismay had not been scsn In years.
There were runs on a half dozen of the most
stable banks , and the Metropolitan closed lit )
doors. So great was the fear that Secretary
Folger came to the Stock exchange In 4
very bad hat. From Hroadwny to the sub-
treasury the street was blocked with shout
Ing , gesticulating men. It seemed as If th
commune had come. All travel through the
alley of wealth was at an end.
Then a line of police formed and pushing
steadily on pressed the crowd back. Inch by. .
Inch. Down the lane thus formed came.
General Grant , haggard and bowed , tottering
as ho walked , leaning on the arm of a man
of majestic mien Roscoe Conkllng. A sight-
Beer , perched on the shoulder of the Wash
ington statute , called for cheers , but there
was no response. In panics men do not
hurrah they growl.
And Eno ?
Ho had waited long enough tO'sec a crowd !
at the paying teller's window of the Second
National a motley assemblage. In which
were both the Dalys. Mike 'Murray , Pete *
Miller , Jacob O'Brien , Howell , the pedestrian ,
almost weeping for his dollars , and Edwin
Hooth , silent and thoughtful moro sphinx *
like than the gamblers and then the prcsl *
dent fled to Canada.
.1 cAXTicr.it UP t > oru3inKit.
Gcoruo T. nider In Harper1 ! Mnirnilne.
Sad , fitful , dwindling days arc here ;
The pale , chill lustre of the sun ;
And clotidlund leaden , dismal , dun
The fullering pulses of the year.
At sea a ghostly close-reefed nail
HtrnltiH , here and there , to make the lanql
Great billows break nlong the utranu ,
And terrors Bather In the gule ;
And neltlng , passionate gmts of rain
Make moun o'er forest , field , unil fold- .
All grewsome gray tind ducky gold ,
A dolorous litany of pain.
The crimson hectic of the leaven
That tilt and Iluttcr fiom the trees
Like frightened birds abreast the breeroi
The rustling- the tawny Bhcaves ;
*
The fretful murmurlne of the rill
That hurries on with startled pace ;
A strniiKQ and patient pallid grace
That lingers over vale and hill ;
All blighted buds and perished bloom
A glory from the garden sent
The year waits solitary , lone ,
A wanderer In the deepening jjloom.
Let earth and heart and head hove rest ;
Life-currents In the vclr.K stand Htlll
A little while ; there lies no III
In till * repose ; for text IH best ,
And Faith shall better lessons bring-
Of Him who worketh as lie will.
Through seeming joy , through seeming 111.
The Kail U prophet of the Spring- .
A toadstool weighing six pounds and meas *
urlng over three feet In circumference waa
found recently on the farm of the late John
Durham In Huntlngton , Long Island. It \ a *
presented to Cornelius P. Rasers , postmaitep
of the village. In an unguarded moment h $
placed It on exhibition In the poitolnca. BveJ
since he displayed It he has been pestered
by penoni who want to have the peculiarity
ot the curiosity explained to them.