Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1898 — CATTLE KING FAILS. [ARTICLE]

CATTLE KING FAILS.

G. C. GILLETT OF WOODBINE, KANSAS, MISSING. Live-Stock Operator and Proprietor of the “Model Farm" Is Gone, and Creditors Claim that His Debts Reach Nearly a Million. Kansas Failure Creates Excitement. An attachment suit for $40,000 filed at Abilyne, Ivan., by the Gillespie Commission Company of Kansas City against Grant G. Gillett of Woodbine precipitated great excitement among cattlemen and commission men. Gillett has been the cattle king of the State for three years. Starting with nothing, he has shipped over 200,000 cattle from Texas. Of late he had been hard pressed and a few days ago he made an assignment and deed of trust to D. W. Naill and went to Texas. Naill refused to accept the trusteeship and papers are not filed. The register’s office shows more than $1,000,000 of his paper, about one-third being “blanket” and unreleased mortgages, the remainder covering cattle being fed. The commission firms claim that many cattle have been mortgaged more than once. About 5,000 head are at his ranch. Gillett is 31 years old and has startled the old cattlemen by his bold methods. Elmore & Cooper, the Gillespie Commission Company and Trowers & Sons, Kansas City, have handled most of his paper, but a dozen or more Kansas City firms besides these have been caught for varying amounts. GENERAL ADVANCES IN PRICES. Cereals, Provisions, Cotton, Fteel and Pig Iron Rule Higher. Bradstreet’s views the business situation thus: “Winter storms and a holiday have interfered with wholesale demand and distribution, but later clear, cold weather is a compensating feature, inducing heavy retail business in '.seasonable goods. In general business circles most developments have been favorable, notable among which might be mentioned general advances in prices of cereals, provisions, groceries, cotton, steel and pig iron, the latter chiefly at Eastern and Southern points; continued heavy general export trade, a better tone in the market for hides and leather, more firmness in cotton goods and active stock speculation, all of which are reflected in the heavy bank clearing total. Unfavorable features are few, prominent among which is the continued dullness at wholesale of wool and woolen goods. The movement of wheat and other breadstuff’s continues large. Wheat (including flour) shipments for the. week aggregate 5,824,723 bushels, against 5.079.14 J bushels last week. Corn exports for the week aggregate 3,993,846 bushels, against 3,331,724 bushels last week.”

DEED OF CRUEL ROBBERS. Jacob Mominee Ducked in a Cistern and His Wife Strung Up. The terrible treatment of Jacob Mominee and wife, living near Touissant, a French settlement, has been reported in Toledo, Ohio. The old man was ducked into a cistern until he fainted and then the woman was strung up by a halter until she revealed the hiding place of their money which they had hoarded for years. It is alleged they were robbed by three masked men of about $11,700. A grandson escaped and aroused the neighbors, who gave chase and shot one of the men in the leg, but he was helped to escape in the big marsh.

Diamond la Found in Ohio. While plowing a few months ago William Taylor, a farmer residing near Milford, Ohio, found a stone which has proven to he quite a treasure. Taylor took it to a diamond cutter and when informed that it was a diamond he was paid a price that pleased him, but he little dreamed of its real value. Then the stone was taken to Europe and placed before experts, who declared it to be one of the finest ever found in the world. Three Men Killed in a Duel. At Hughes’ Springs, Texas, Edward Wilson in a spirit of fun cut off a button from Benjamin Boon’s overcoat. Boon took offense at Wilson’s act. Constable James Driver and his son David and his son-in-law, Marcus O’Neill, attempted to quell the disturbance and Boon opened fire on them. Constable Driver and his son were shot dead. O’Neill in return shot Boon, who died in less than an hour. Baby Attacked by a Monkey. At Perry, Okla., a baby was attacked by a monkey and almost killed. The monkey belonged to a show which is wintering in town and it got out of its cage, ran into the house of A. M. Patterson and attacked his 2-year-okl girl. The child’s face was lacerated and one arm and hand badly chewed up. Thief in the Kunnaa Treasury. At Topeka, Kail., the private deposit boxes in the State treasury have been robbed. Investigation shows that the locks on as many as six or eight boxes are alike and one key will unlock several of them. Earthquake Shock Ta Felt. Many points in south and southwest Virginia and North Carolina report buying experienced an earthquake shock. Charles W. Conldock la Dead. Charles Walter Couldock died at his home in New York City, after an illness extending over several weeks. Ohio Town Swept by Flames. Almost the entire business portion of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, was destroyed by fire. The loss will be nliout $20,000. rhort of Coal In Kansas. Kansas has been experiencing n coal famine, the worst ever known in the State. Hundreds of the smaller towns have been without coal. Missouri and Illinois coal was shipped to the State, but this, with the Kansas supply, did not meet the emergency. Yount Husband la Shot, Elmer Munsell, aged 20. was shot accidentally by his 18-year-old brother-in-law at charivari festivities tweuty-four hours after Mansell's marriage. The tragedy occurred In Dry Grove township, 111. Hoasted Alive by Steam. Six persons were killed, ten dangerously wounded and fifteen to twenty others badly injured by the explosion of one of the boilers in the river steamer T, C. Walker, near Fourteen Mile Slough, Cal. Escaping steam udded to the horrors of the disaster.