Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1915 — Page 2

THE SCENERY SPECIAL

By AUGUST WITTFELD.

(Copyright.) "These stories of holdups and train robberies,” said Monk, "always remind me ot an actress who has been robbed ot httr glittering glassware. Yon never heard ot anyone doing much on the proceeds of historic highwaytog, and the man who attempts to hold up a modern express train may get away with the goods, but eventually the sheriff puts him on his visiting list.” "Right you are,” replied the pugnosed brakeman. “It takes nerve to hold up a train, but it takes more than nerve to pull the trick off successfully and retire on the proceeds. The men who possess all the qualifications requisite for such jobs generally land a sinecure behind the frosted-glass partition." < “Now you’re talking classical English,” commented Monk, "and expressing clarified thought in capsule form. I never knew but one man to pull off a holdup successfully, and then obliterate himself from the surroundings/ "It happened down South, where at one time the railroads were noted for their lack of speed, and where it was impossible to miss a train. All you had to do, if your train had left the station, was to follow it on foot, and you couldn’t miss it unless you overlooked it or mistook its creeping for the inertia ot a side-tracked section.” “Yes,” commented the pug-nosed brakeman, “I knew of a man down there who brought suit against the S. L. O. road to recover for damages sustained in bumping into the rear end of the moonlight limited while walking along the track. “The company tried to non-suit him by bringing a counter-charge of trespass ; but his lawyer threatened to attack the validity of their charter on the ground that they could not prove that they were running trains, and they withdrew their charge. “The plaintiff won his suit, and the company was ordered to upholster the rear end of their trains to prevent a repetition of such accidents.” “Well, to get back to the holdup,” said Monk, “I was touring the South, some years back, and at this particular time my objective point was Boonville. As I had lots of leisure, 1 decided to make the trip by rail. / “I caught up to a freight bound for that point, and, sauntering up to it, I swung myself aboard the caboose and proceeded to accord myself with a cordial welcome. I took possession of the lower bunk without waiting for the porter to appear, and was soon in the land of dreams. "I was awakened by the crew, who had come back to see if the rear end was all right lie asked me what the Stonewall Jackson I meant by intruding, and volunteered to punch my ticket or my head without fear or favor. “I'hypnotised him by making a few occult passes, and he extended me the cordial entente. It was pretty good stuff, even though it -was tax free and did not bear the pure-food guaranty.” "If yon will pardon the interruption.” said the pug-nosed brakeman, “I want to pay tribute to the railroads of the South. The southern spirit of hospitality is not dead, and the Chesterfields of the rail will give you the glad welcome or the G. B. with all the grace born of heredity and long practice. They will fire you from a train in such courtly manner that you feel like apologizing for giving them the trouble." "Your prognostication coincides with my observation,” commented Monk. “This Chesterfield of the caboose told me we were approaching Hog mountain, a moonshiners’ stronghold, noted for its reluctance to contribute to the revenues of the government and for the weirdness and grandeur of its scenery. “He said he had to go back to the engine and tend to his fire, and he advised me to take a seat in the observatory of the caboose and enjoy the phantasorama. “I took his advice, and found that we were traveling up into the mountain, and that the scenery was all that he claimed for it. I was taking in the scape, when I noticed a tall mountaineer making his way down a rugged path toward us. “He carried a long rifle, and was accompanied by a lean, lanky coon dog. He reached the railroad track just as we passed, and, spying me looking out the observatory window like a blooming Juliet scouring the horizon for a dilatory Romeo, he pointed his rifle at me and commanded: “'You-all throw np your hands!* “I looked at him in amazement, but lost no time in doing the upward Delsarte movement “'Say yon moth-eaten mountaineer,’ I shouted, 'what's the answer to the riddle you’re propounding? Have I unconsciously butted into a HatfieldMcCoy combination, or do you imagine this is a treasure train?* “ 'You-all stop that train, or Hl blow yoor.darned head off!’ he replied. “How the heck do you expect me to stop the train?* I shouted back. 'Run along, Reuben, and file your request with the engineer. He’s running this seelng-the-scenery special from the front end.’ - - “For a moment he looked as if he doubted my statement; then, lowering fats gun, he sprinted for the forward end, while I climbed down from my started out to investigate. *“As 1 stepped from the train. It

came to a stop, and when I reached the engine the mountaineer had the engineer and his man-of-all-work lined up with their hands as far from earth as possible. He*caught sight of me, and in a wink he had me doing the high reach alongside the others. “‘Say,’ growled the engineer, 'what you want to do? Steal this outfit? There isn’t anything on board you can take, unless it’s the coal in the tender.’ “ ‘Don’t you-all give me no sass,’ cautioned the tall man of the mountains. ’l’m going to borrow this train, and you-unsll have to run it for me.’ “Well, he made us all climb aboard, packing*uß into the cab, and ordered the engineer to start up. “ ‘Say,’ queried the engineer, with his hand on the throttle, ’aren’t you going to ride?* “ 'No,’ replied the mountaineer, T hain’t never been on one of those pesky things, an’, I ain’t going to take no chances. I guess I can hoof it and keep up to you; but don’t you-all try to run away from me, or I’ll plug you full of lead!’ “The engineer started up, and the highland holdup man had no trouble keeping up with us. The queer procession proceeded for several miles, then we came to a place where a track branched off from the main line into the heart of the wilderness. Here he brought the engine to a stop by pointing his gun at the engineer and shouting, ‘Whoa!’ “‘Now, you-all git down and move the track over so we can go up this ’ere way,’ he commanded, addressing the man-of-all-work. “That worthy lost no time in climbing down and throwing the switch, and we moved along the old unused track. " ‘What the nation does that elongated outlaw want to run us up this old lumber line for?’ growled the engineer. ‘There hasn’t been a train along here since the road stopped taking out timber.’ “‘Say, you train robber!’ shouted the man-of-all-work, addressing the patriarchal pirate in his most courtly manner, ‘will you kindly inform us whither we are going and why, and what is our doom.’ “ ‘You-all ’ll find out soon enough,* he answered. ‘Shut up!* “We proceeded for about three miles, and then the grizzled guerrilla commanded the engineer to stop. He told the fireman to fix his fires so they would last for a couple of hours. When everything was ready he lined us up In single file, with the lanky coon dog in the lead, and made us precede him along a path in the wilderness. In about fifteen minutes we came to a cabin in a clearing. In answer to a whistle from our captor, a woman appeared at the door. “ ‘Mandy,’ he said, ‘l’ve brought company for dinner. Rustle around lively. These gents is in a hurry.’ “In short time the meal was ready, and we all sat down. It knocked the wind out of me to hear that venerable villain ask a divine blessing on the repast, but it didn’t spoil my appetite. “After we had finished and the table had been cleared, our host procured writing materials and placed them on the table. “ ‘I want one of you-uns to write a letter,’ he said. ‘Guess you-all had better do it,* he continued, addressing me. -- “I expressed my willingness to accommodate him, and perpared to stenograph his dictation. “ ‘This here letter,’ he said, ‘is to be wrote to the president of the United States.* “I indited the superscription and waited for him to commence dictation. “ ‘Mr. President,’ he started, and then continued: Dear Sir: This here section of the country has been pestered by a lot of no-account revenue men huntin' for moonshiners. They made it onpieasant for us honest natives and we-all has had to feed them pretty darn often. To prove to you that these revenue men you send down here are no-account critters, I am sending you by railroad a keg of first-class moonshine whisky which I made in my cabin while your varmints was there eating my grub. I guess youall will find it all right, but there is no use you sending any more of them critters down here to get me, for I am going away. Please excuse the writing, as it was done by a no-account railroad man. Yours truly, [his] JAKE X. TOLLIVER. [mark]

“Quite an expressive epistle,” coot mented the pug-nosed brakeman. “Yes,” replied Monk. “That mountaineer had the art ot letter writing down fine. After I had finished my stenographic duties, that moonshiner produced a five-gallon keg and made us lug it down to the train. He told the engineer to see that it was delivered to the president along with the letter. Then he bade us adieu and told us to clear out. “We backed out of that wilderness, and eventually reached our destination." “And was the liquor sent to the president?” asked the pug-nosed brakeman. ' “Not in a thousand years!” exMonk. “Somehow or other that keg sprung a leak, an’ before we reached our destination every drop of the liquor was gone. If the train hadn’t run so slow, we might have saved some of it.”

Potash in United States.

A discovery of a< deposit of potash within the United States was made some time ago, though little has been done in the way of its development. The department of the interior has expressed the hope that this supply would for some time at least make the farmers of this country independent of foreign sources. It lies, however, still undeveloped. Germany, up to now, has had a world monopoly ol

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

INMAN COMES FROM FAMILY OF PLAYERS

Melbourne Inman, English Billiard Champion.

Melbourne Inman, English billiard champion, who was touring the United States and Canada in company with Willie Hoppe and playing matches in which English billiards and the American game alternated, comes of a line of forbears noted for their skill with the cue. His grandfather and his granduncle were excellent players, although not professionals. His father, Robert W. Inman, who is still living, conducted a club for gentleman players and gave instructions. The British championship, which Inman has won three times in the seasons of 1911-12, 1912-13, 1913-14, consists of preliminary rounds of 9,000 points for SSOO a side if there ' are entfugh entrants, and the finals match of 18,000 points for SI,OOO a side, a purse of $250, a gold medal, the challenge cup, and the net gate receipts. These events are conducted by the Billiards Control club of Lon-

FIGHTER CAREFUL OF HANDS

Joe Shugrue, Crack Little New York Scrapper, Has His Maulers Insured for $20,000.

Joe Shugrue, the little New Yorker who has a ten-round popular decision over Lightweight Champion Freddie Welsh, will take no chances with his hands. He took out a $20,000 accident

Joe Shugrue.

policy to repay him In case anything happens to his maulers. Joe has three big fights on and an Injury to his hands would set him badk just about the amount of his policy.

PLANS BOXING UNDER HEALTH BOARD NOW

The Massachusetts legislature will be asked to put professional .boxing tn that state under the jurisdiction of the new department of health, and to limit professional bouts to six throe-minnte rounds. These are provisions included In a bill filed by Senator Bagley. Amateur bn ying is not affected by the proposed legislation.

don. His last triumph brought Inman nearly three thousand dollars from all sources. He defeated Thomas Reece, challenger, who had previously beaten George Gray and H. W. Stevenson. Following the tourney proper Inman defeated Stevenson in a special match for SI,OOO a side. In figuring his $3,000 earnings, Inman received $1,750 from the gate receipts, SI,OOO stake money, and the $250 purse. The matches were played in Holborn hall, London, 1,500 points a day, at admission prices equivalent to 50 cents, $1 and $1.50 in United States money. Inman holds the world’s record of 744 for tournament play, established last year in his match with Reece. He has recorded 787 and 894 in practice. He also holds the Canadian mark of 501 set at Winnipeg and the South African mark of 546 made at Pretoria.

DEVICE TO START GOLF PLAY

Instrument In Use by Various Clubs Eliminates All Arguments Between Contesting Players.

Arguments over the starting of players is eliminated to a great extent by an Instrument now employed by virtually every golf club in this part of the country. This device is a long piece of pipe mounted at an angle on wooden or steel • legs, the opening being large enough to accommodate a golf ball. The higher end is open, ' while the lower end is plugged, and an opening made near the end, from which one ball may be removed at a time. By being covered all the way down, not one ball can be displaced from the order in which it was inserted into the tube. As players reach the first tee, if they cannot leave at once, they drop an initialed sphere into the tube, and when it comes to the end the owner’s name is called and he, his pair or foursome, tees off. If the owner of a ball is not present when his initials are called, his ball Is placed last in line and he must await its next appearance before he may start. The old system of barber shop precedence is eliminated entirely, for .there can be no question as to the ownership of balls now, with every player having his initials sunken into the gutta percha, and one inclined to "slip one over” by substituting his ball for one ahead of his is balked.

FOOTBALL PLAYED IN 1914

Thirty-Four Thousand Games Were Played In Which 152,000 Players Took Some Part.

Intercollegiate football during the last season was played by 450 colleges, 6,000 secondary schools, and by 1,500 teams not connected with educational institutions but representing athletic associations, large and small. Thirty-four thousand games were played arid 152,000 players participated in the games and practice. Notwithstanding the distractions of war and the handicaps of tight money, more people than ever before attended the games of the country, estimates placing the number around 7,292,000 persons. Tfcp culmination in attendance, of Course, was at the HarvardTale game, where 70,000 persons occupied almost 29 miles of seats in ths magnificent Yale bowL

Take Kindly to Boxing.

Boxing under commission control is profitable in Milwaukee. In six big contests about 40,000 people attended the bouts, the money they attracted being: McFarland vs. Britton, $9,125; Ritchie vs. Wolgast, $39,755; Ritchie ▼a. White, Wolgast vs. Rivers, $12,245; Wolgast vs. White, $6,500; Welsh vs. White, $24,517. Total rereceipts. $103304. Commissiond 8hartv45, 340.02, ——

BASESALL

Ralph Works signs to pitch for Kan* sas City association team. Floyd Perritt, the Los Angeles pitcher, mistook a guide for a mountain lion and shot him. .• • • Six of the old Brooklyn team have become major league managers and six have become minor league manag era. • • • The Giants are the first baseball club to own their own training grounds. Marlin, Tex., looks good to McGraw. * * * The National league is proposing to enforce a rule regarding asking waivers—that is, that waivers once asked cannot be recalled. .• • • Although Joe Jackson admits that a Federal league scout has been negotiating with him, he insists that he has no intention of jumping. *• * . Al Bromwich, new third sacker purchased from Davenport by White Sox, hit -310 last season. He Is noted for making long hits in the pinches.

FOOTBALL

Football, baseball and track titles were won by the University of Illinois teams in 1914. • • • Coach Haughton says the open football game is worthless unless merely as a variation while Coach Zuppke declares it is good. • • • Monthly smokers at which football is lectured upc i is the new plan of Coach Frank Hinckley at Yale and will be part of a system. * * • Harvard’s big football games in 1915 will be played as follows: Saturday, November 6, Princeton at Princeton; Saturday, November 20, Yale at Cambridge. • * * In the event that Frank Mount Pleasant is unable to sever present connections, is is said that Glenn Warner’s successor at Carlisle will be Lone Star Dietz, the famous Indian back and lineman, who has been Warner’s assistant. ♦ • • Des Jardien, who become a coach after graduating from Chicago next June, is out after a Maroon record. By commencement the celebrated center who captained Chicago last fall and who for two consecutive seasons has made Camp’s All-American, will have won 12 “C’s. '

HORSE RACING

The Chandlers, J. B. and Zach, are going to train for E. D. Gould of Kearney, Neb. • * * It 'is announced that 'Top” Geers is going to take Etawah, Anvil and some others to the Pacific meeting. « • * When Mr. Small sold Peter Scott for $30,000 he did not do such a bad job, if the g. c. bars that kind of hones. » « * Ed Geers, the veteran driver of light harness race horses, has in 25 years piloted winners of more than $1,178,000 in purse money. * « • Tod Sloane, considered by many the greatest jockey who ever strode a horse, is nowadays seen about Taris wearing the Red ; Cross armlet. Efforts are once more being made to get a Carroll Shilling, the Texas jockey now off the turf for over two years. Shilling is wealthy but is anxious to ride again.

TENNIS

The next national tennis championship may be staged at the Fox Hill courts of the West Side Tennis club of New York. This organization isl once more making a determined effort to land the big event * * * The war has left matters in s chaotic state in Australia. The Davis cup still remains in New York because it was not deemed wise to ship ft across the Pacific to fall a prise to a German man-of-war.

BILLIARDS

The National Billiard Players, it la said, will drop the case against Edgar T. Appleby of Columbia university. “Unintentional violation of the ethics of the game” were the charges. • • • Hoppe becomes the permanent owner of the 18.2 trophy. Sutton haa definitely declined to play in Milwaukee and Hoppe has therefore trophy against challenge long enough to insure its permanent ownership.

PUGILISM

Patsy Brannigan shaded Johnny Kilbane, champion, in a six-round bout at Pittsburgh. It was a popular decision. see Johnny Dundee claims the distino tion of having been the busiest little boxer fit the land in 1914. Dundee engaged in. two dozen fights.

Borne Town Helps

MONEY IN MUNICIPAL PLANT —l, Cleveland Hao Greatly Reduced Coot of Public Utilities Supplied to Its Citizen*. Cleveland has done better than most cities in the application of the communal or municipal idea to public services or utilities. It has a municipal cold storage, in connection with a market, which cost $2,000,000, and is doing well on the investment. It has achieved a three-cent car fare. It now sets out for three-cent electricity. It was paying S9O to SIOO a year for street arc lights and the price for power use was eight cents a kilowatt Two small electrical plants were established. The cost of street aro lights dropped about half. The current was sold by the city from its small plants at three cents. A heavy loss was predicted. Instead of that, the plants more than paid expenses. Mayor Baker proposed a sale of $2,000,000 worth of bonds with which to build a plant to sell electricity at three cents. The bond issue was passed by the people and the operation of the new plant began last July. In August there was a profit of SSOO on the three-cent price. In September the profit was $1,700, and on the basis of business now in hand and contracted for the superintendent estimates the profit for the first year at SIOO,OOO, which would about cover interest charges, depreciation and taxes if it were a private concern. When the plant is completed and running at full capacity the superintendent estimates that there will be a net profit of $500,000 annually.—Pittsburgh Dispatch.

SHOW CHILDREN CIVIC NEEDS

Birmingham (Ala.) Women’s Clubs Forming Leagues In All School Grades of the City. " * The women’s dubs of Birmingham, Ala., have been the means of forming junior civic leagues in every school grade in the busy city. The women, feeling that the children were growing up without knowledge of city needs, decided to educate for good citizenship. First, they cleaned up the school yards, then the parks and the streets. Today every young citizen who joins a league in his or her school grade signs thia pledge: “I will not injure any tree, shrub or lawn. "I promise not to spit upon the floor in a street car, schoolhouse or any public building, or upon the sidewalk. “I pledge myself not to deface any fence or public building. “I will not scatter paper or throw rubbish in public places. “I will not use profane language at any time. “I will always protect birds. "I will protect the property of others as I would my own. "I will promise to be a true and loyal citizen.”

School Gardening an Asset.

School gardens, embellishment of school grounds, is an important factor in the reputation of a city, enhancing the beauty and value of the various points where situated and In these days of rapid travel in automobiles, of great interest to residents and visitors alike. Such beautification cannot fail to make lasting impressions upon travelers and visitors, who almost invariably judge of cities and other communities by the public improvements and embellishments, while the satisfaction and delight of pupils and parents is still of greater importance than all other considerations.

Gives Hornet Luncheons.

H. E. Coles of the engineering staff of the state highway commission has learned not to be too friendly with hornets. A few days ago when he was eating his luncheon a hornet came along. He gave him something to eat The visitor called his mate. The following day four hornets ate luncheon with him, and on the next day as Mr. Coles opened his pail a whole swarm of hornets came lighting on him and his luncheon. He took to the tall and unhewn, leaving the hornets in full possession.— Carpentaria (Cal.) Dispatch to the San Francisco Exeminer.

The Polish Race.

Mr. Brandes says in his history of Poland: “Individualism was the death of Poland. It was an enthusiastic and unpractical people, noble-minded and untrustworthy, pomp-loving and volatile, vivacious and thoughtless, a people who despised severe and fatiguing labor, and loved all Intense and delicate, sensuous and intellectual enjoyments, but, above all, who worshiped independence to the point of insanity, freedom to the extent of the liberum veto, and who, when they had lost independent and freedom, remained faithful to their old love.”

Ruinous.

Crawford—" Why do our officials willfully destroy every natural beauty the city possesses?Crabshaw—That gives them a chance tn a few years to ask for millions to make the city beautiful.—, :.a-