Engineer Stops Train to Do Some Fishing

1916

Lumber Dealer Files Suit for $2,000, His Alleged Loss by Railroad Man's Act.

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana. — Admitting that fishing is alluring, but contending, that business is business, Edgar Wright, lumber dealer, has filed suit for $2,000 against an engineer on the Baton Rouge, Hammond & Eastern Railroad.

In his petition Wright alleges he lost a lumber contract worth $2,000 because the engineer halted his train two hours to try his luck at fishing in a pond along the line.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 11.

The Jockey's Bogy

1901

"The bogy of a jockey's life is taking on flesh," says Ainslee's. "He dreads this as a beauty dreads to lose her charms, and his whole thought from the age of 16 to 25 is to avoid the catastrophe. This is the pernicious feature of the life and distinguishes as a healthful sport from boxing or from football, in which the physical being is developed according to the laws of nature and is not outraged or balked. In order to reduce his weight nine pounds Monk Overton once remained in a Turkish bath from 10 p.m. one day until 2 p.m. the next, with no nourishment except a cup of tea and some toast.

"Again, Mike Bergen, mounted on a favorite, rode such a poor race that the stewards came to the paddock to investigate and punish him for fraudulent riding. They forgave the performance, however, when they found him collapsed and unable to speak. Knowing that he had to ride at a certain weight, Bergen had spent 48 hours in a Turkish bath, eating nothing whatever. When he reached the track, he was so weak that a stimulant was necessary. The one drink of whisky he took so demoralized his faculties that he could scarcely keep his seat in the saddle.

"Such a violation of physical development at the age when a boy should be most rapidly maturing makes it difficult for a jockey ever to become robust. Moreover, the mere riding of a race is a terrible drain on the nerve force of a jockey. A boy may lose a pound of weight in a hard race."

Trying to Make Forty Dollars

1901

Here is a hard luck story apropos of efforts to make a little sum in Wall street: A young man started with $100 and ran it up to $9,960, or $40 less than an even $10,000. The desire to round out the $10,000 goaded him on. He said to his broker, "If I can make that additional $40 on a quick turn I will draw out my $10,000 and invest it in real estate."

It was a strong bull market, but things appeared sky high, and he picked out an active stock to sell short. I think he landed on T. C. and I., which had a phenomenal rise and was due to drop anywhere from 10 to 50 points. He sold 100 shares at par, intending to close it out at 99. But instead of going down the blamed thing soared to 126. At every three points' gain he sold another 100 until he was carrying all he could tote. In 24 hours he lost nearly every cent it had taken him three months to make.

With what little he had left he bought T. I. on the recession to 116, friends of the Hanover National bank assuring him that it was going to 150. Then came the fireworks and the funeral. The bottom fell out of the specialty and young Dr. Knowall found himself $15,000 in debt. He hasn't been in Wall street since. — New York Press.

Bets on Race; Nevah Again!

1915

Virginia Gentleman Is Bittah Because Mistah Millah Wins His $1,000

PHILADELPHIA. Pa., Dec. 16. — A peanut grower from Virginia placed a cool thousand dollars on a race horse in a well-appointed apartment and lost. He is now touring the central section of the city with a detective in an endeavor to find the apartment and two men who escaped with the money he lost.

"Nevah again will I visit youah city, suh," said the indignant plantation owner, T. M. Edwards of Rushmere, Va. Edwards says a chance acquaintance introduced him to a man named Miller.

"Mistah Millah was represented to me as being the gentleman who won back Judge Grinell's fortune by playing the hosses," said Edwards. "I was prevailed upon to go to New York to get $1,000, and returned here today. I put up the money and lost. So did my friend.

"Mr. Millah won all. My friend was very bittah against Mistah Millah and vowed he would shoot him and get my money back. Then he disappeared."


Pleas for Woman's Life Win

OTTAWA, Ont., Dec. 16. — The women of Alberta have won their fight to save the life of Mrs. Annie Hawkes of Macleod, sentenced to hang for the killing of her husband's affinity. Announcement was made that executive clemency has been extended and the sentence commuted to 10 years' imprisonment.

Hundreds of petitions protesting against the death sentence imposed upon Mrs. Hawkes were received here. The plea was made that Mrs. Hawkes while hysterical killed the woman who had been brought into her home.

Pity the Gold Miner!

1920

One might imagine that if he could discover a gold mine he would have a fortune. But time has brought changes. Among them has come a depreciation in the purchasing value of gold, due largely to the cheap American dollar and to the large flow of gold from abroad during the war.

When prospectors first rushed to Alaska, says the Cleveland Plain Dealer, little trouble or expense was entailed in procuring the yellow metal. Nuggets could be found on or near the surface, and the dust was easily washed out of sand taken from the beds of mountain streams. Now expensive machinery must be employed and "pay dirt" is usually found only after much labor. The results are indicated by the unprofitable business reported by one Alaska gold mining company for 1919.

During the year it cost this company $1,744,869 to produce $1,467,389 worth of gold, leaving a deficit of $277,480, as against a loss from operations the previous year of $96,945.

Those who find cause to complain because of their hard lot since the war, would do well to consider the unfortunate position of the gold miners. They comprise one group which cannot profiteer.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 20, 1920, p. 6.

Swindlers 'Giving to The Poor' Take More Than They Give

Ohio, 1921

OLD GAMES

Prove Good In Relieving Northwestern Ohio Residents of Their Wealth.

That the same tricks swindlers have been using for many decades are still good, was proven this week at Toledo, when George Kostak, fifty-one, was swindled out of $2,400 by two confidence men. Posing as an heir to $1,800, one of the swindlers said his father's will instructed him to give the money to the poor. Ostensibly he placed the money in a tin box with Kostak's cash and then told the victim to hold the box for safekeeping.

After waiting vainly three days for the strangers to re-appear, Kostak opened the box and found nothing but a wad of paper. The victim was first approached by a stranger who said he was seeking his wife who ran away from Lorain. Kostak solicitously accompanied the stranger downtown, where they were joined by a second stranger, who incidentally related the story of inheriting the money. Both men prevailed upon Kostak as a sign of Good faith to withdraw his $2,400 from a bank before they produced the tin box.

—Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, April 29, 1921, p. 5.