Greeley's Thoughts on Home Life

1915

Horace Greeley, the noted editor, once wrote, "I think we all, as we grow old, love to feel and know that some spot on earth is peculiarly our own — ours to possess and to enjoy — ours to improve and to transmit to our children. As we realize the steady march of years in the thinning of our blanched locks, the deepening of our wrinkles, we more and more incline to shun travel and crowds and novelties, and concentrate our affections on the few who are infolded by the dear hut, our home."

"The ax is the healthiest implement that man ever handled, and is especially so for habitual writers and other sedentary workers, whose shoulders it throws back, expanding their chests and opening their lungs," Horace Greeley wrote. "If every youth and man, from 15 to 50 years old, could wield an ax two hours a day, dyspepsia would vanish from the earth and rheumatism become decidedly scarce. I am a poor chopper, yet the ax is my doctor and delight."

Horace Greeley said: "I should have been a farmer. All my riper tastes incline to that blessed calling whereby the human family and its humbler auxiliaries are fed. Its quiet, its segregation from strife and brawls and heated rivalries, attract and delight me. I hate to earn my bread in any calling which complicates my prosperity in some sort with others' adversity — my success with others' defeat. The farmer's floors may groan with the weight of his crops, yet no one else deems himself the poorer therefor. He may grow 100 bushels of corn or forty of wheat to every arable acre without arousing jealousy or inciting to detraction."

Slain By Naked Maniac

Iowa, 1900

James Fitzsimmons Dead, Three Others Injured

Cedar Rapids dispatch: Charles Mefford, a maniac, at 5 o'clock a.m. killed James Fitzsimmons, fatally injured John Drake, seriously and possibly fatally injured Mrs. James Fitzsimmons and then ended his own life.

Mefford was 20 years old and had been insane for a number of years. Two years ago he was in the Independence asylum for a short time, but escaped and was never returned. He was not generally considered dangerous. Saturday night about ten o'clock, while clad in nothing but a shirt, he darted out of his home, a raving maniac. He was seen two or three times between then and midnight, but the police failed to find him.

Shortly before 5 o'clock Reginald Andrews, the janitor at the Old Ladies' Home was awakened by crashing glass. The next moment Mefford stood before him. stark naked, swinging a neck yoke. He warned Andrews that his time had come and swung the neck yoke in an effort to brain him. The latter dodged and grabbed the weapon, threw Mefford on the bed and choked him until he begged for mercy.

Then Andrews agreed to give him a bath, a suit of clothes and some breakfast, which apparently satisfied him. Rushing through the house, Andrews locked the twelve or fourteen old ladies in their rooms, notified the police by telephone, and then ran across the street, to the home of Joseph Drake for assistance.

Drake dressed, picked up a revolver, and they started out. As they did so Mefford, carrying an ax, was seen to plunge through a window in the home of James Fitzsimmons, about 150 yards away. As he entered the room Mrs. Fitzsimmons uttered a scream. Mefford swung the ax and brought it down toward her head. Her uplifted arm saved her life; the arm was broken in two places and she sustained a serious scalp wound. Mr. Fitzsimmons hurried to the aid of his wife and his skull was crushed with the ax, death resulting immediately.

The maniac then rushed into the room of Miss Katie, who escaped with a few scalp wounds. Starting down stairs he was met by Drake who snapped his revolver four times at the madman, each time upon an empty shell. Mefford grabbed the revolver, ran a few blocks and killed himself with the one load the revolver contained.

—Humeston New Era, Humeston, Iowa, July 4, 1900.

Cow's Tail Wedged Between Ice Cakes

1920

Farmer Has to Chop Animal Out With an Ax.

WANDSVILLE, Maine — Twice a day Samuel Fatts, a dairyman of this village, lets h is cows out of the barn so that they can go to the creek and drink.

The other afternoon Fatts' cows were at the creek. A few minutes later they all returned to the barn except one cow. Fatts paid no attention to the lone cow, believing that she would return when she got ready. An hour later he went to the barnyard. The cow was still at the creek. He called to her but she did not move. He went to the creek and found bossy's tail wedged between two cakes of ice which were at the water's edge and she could not release herself.

Fatts returned to the barn, secured an ax, went to the creek, cut the ice away and the cow ran to the barn.


State's Shortest Man is Dead

Was 55 Inches in Height and Weighed 150 Pounds

MACOMB, Ill. — John Kelley, 50 years old, said to be the shortest man in Illinois, is dead of apoplexy at his home. Kelley was forty-four inches in height and weighed 150 pounds. In his younger days his legs were double-jointed, enabling him to move as rapidly backward as forward. Kelley used a stepladder when harnessing his horses.

Dreaming He's Fighting Intruders, Hacks Brother With Ax

1902

MURDERS IN A DREAM.

NASHVILLE, Ind., June 28 — Dreaming he was fighting burglars, John Snyder, aged 18 years, the son of Newberry Snyder, living near Beck's grove, eight miles south of here, seized an ax and literally chopped to pieces his brother, Grover, aged 20 years.

The young men had attended an ice cream supper at the home of County Superintendent Manuels and on their return home they were told by their mother that she had heard someone prowling about the premises and she showed them where she had placed the ax which she intended to use to defend herself if she was attacked.

The young men retired, and a short time afterward Mrs. Snyder was aroused by the screams of her son and rushed into the bed room to find John standing horror-stricken beside his brother's bed with a bloody ax in his hands. The victim is terribly lacerated about the body and legs and his recovery is considered impossible. John claims he was dreaming burglars "were in the house and that he was beating them off when he seized the ax and attacked his brother.


CONFESSION OF BOY ROBBERS.

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind., June 28. — Eleven boys, aged from 8 to 13 years, have been arrested and jailed in this city for numerous robberies at the junction. For several weeks the cars and stores in that neighborhood have been looted and much valuable goods taken. To-day the police bagged the entire organized gang of juvenile robbers, who confessed.

—Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN, June 28, 1902, p. 8.