PLUCKY MRS. STILES.
She Was the First Female Spy in
the Union Service.
Xoted an Confidential AKmt and itla
l»at«*h llrarrr In tlir Danfteroua
Soutliweat All Through the
Civil War.
In the Woman's Relief Corps home,
at Madison, 0., were passed the last
years of Mrs. Elizabeth W. Stiles, a
woman with a brilliant record and a
thrilling and romantic history.
Elizabeth W. Brown, says the Cin
cinnati Commercial, was born in Ash
tabula, ()., August 21, lSlti. Through
out her girlhood she lived a quiet, un
eventful, though not a common-place,
life. She was the master spirit of the
home and neighborhood. At the age
of five years she could handle a gun
and ride on horseback, in which ac
complishments she became proficient.
In her teens she had a far-reaching
and enviable reputation as an expert
cheesemaker and skillful nurse.
At the age of 21 Miss Brown, who
was an independent, resolute and cap
able woman, of commanding presence
and masterful will, embarked on a
career of self-support in what was then
"far-away"Chicago. There she earned
a livelihood as seamstress and teacher
until her marriage to Jacob Stiles,
which occurred in 1846. In 1859 she
and her husband removed to Shawnee
town, Kan., where for a time she
taught school. Both were intensely
loyal and patriotic. During the early
years of the war they were surrounded
by southern sympathizers, but were
fearless and outspoken.
At Shawneetown, in 1862, came the
great sorrow of her life, the sudden
and violent- death of her husband. It
was a beautiful night in October; Mr.
Stiles had retired, when Mrs. Stiles, on
housewifely task intent, heard a tramp
of many feet, followed by a rap at the
door. She opened it and greeted, as
she supposed, a band of federal sol
diers, as they were dressed in United
States uniform. They asked that her
husband get up and direct them to
some place they were seeking. He
complied. As he stepped a few paces
Into the yard, in the presence of his
horror-stricken wife, he fell dead,
pierced by a bullet from disg-jlsed
MRS. ELIZABETH! W. BTTT.I.a
(First Kemale Spy In the Employ of th«
Government.)
guerillas, commanded by the infamous
Quantrel. A pistol was pointed at hei
head, but she was not further mo
lested.
She was forbidden to bury her hus
band. By some means she commu
nicated the tidings of the tragedy to
some federal troops, who came and
buried his body. Threats and men
aces followed, with the offer ofsl,ooC
for her head, rendering it unsafe fot
her to remain. She left her home and
the results of years of patient toil on
horseback, guarded by union scouts,
under command of Lieut. George 11.
Hoyt.and wasescorted to Fort Leaven
worth. When, in 1595, she came to
the W. R. C. home, to their mutual sur
prise and joy, it was discovered that
the superintendent, Mrs. Clare 11. Bur
leigh, was a sister of Lieut. Iloyt.
Soon after her arrival at Fort Leav
enworth a message from President
Lincoln summoned her to Washington.
After her arrival there an interview
with Gen. Lane resulted in her accept
ing the responsible and arduous po
sition of a spy and dispatch bearer.
In this capacity, accompanied by her
adopted daughter, now Mrs. Clara Sea
mans, of Ashtabula, she rendered ef
ficient service until the close of the
war.
On one occasion she was arrested at
Jefferson City, Mo., and sent to Gen.
Price for examination on suspicion oi
being a union spy. With great adroit
ness she succeeded in convincing the
general that she was a confederate
spy instead. She was equipped with a
finer horse and better firearms, was
bidden a godspeed and sent on her
way.
Again she and her daughter were ar
rpsted as suspicious persons and sent
to headquarters. She was suddenly
taken violently ill, was bedridden for
two weeks, successfully feigning a
most distressing malady. On learning
that federal troops were in the vicin
ity convalescence was rapid. Ilercap
tfves accepted her repeated affirma
tion that when arrested she and her
daughter were on their way to the
of a friend, and they were al
lowed to pass beyond the confederate
lines.
She retained her mental faculties to
the last, and died July 18, 1898. At her
request the obsequies consisted of a
bervice of song and the reading of the
impressive burial service of the Episco
pal church, of which she was a com
municant.
f'rlnOlMTN 111 Mcxtco.
The, term of a prisoner in Mexico is
divided into three periods. The first
is occupied with penal labor, the sec
ond is spent in the training school, with
small pay, and the third is preparatory
to freedom, with paid work and many
prlt ileges.
TOPPING OUT IN WASHINGTON.
AB Old Custom Anions llrlcklayrra
iu the Capital Illy M hick
!■ Dylnc Oat.
"What was once a very general cus
tom in this city, 'topping out,' as it was
called," remarked an old bricklayer to
a Washington Star reporter, "has near
ly died out, and some of the new gen
eration of bricklayers have never par
ticipated in it. 'Topping out' occurred
the day the last course of bricks was
laid in a house and was to celebrate the
event. On the morning the 'topping'
was to take place a flag was raised on
the building. It was also a. signal for
the owner of the building to prepare a
lunch and the customary drinkables,
especially the drinkables, for all hands
engaged on the building. Of course, it
generally wound up in a mild kind of
spree, but it was the custom, and no
LEOPOLD IL, KING OF THE BELGIANS.
Jt Is reported that this eccentric ruler Is to visit the United States In the rear fu
ture. He is now S3 years of age, and not as well preserved as he might be. In Eu
rope he is known as an incorrigible rake. His love intrigues and the scandals in
which he has liguted would, if given in book forr.,i, fill several heavy volumes. He
spends much of his time in Paris, where he keeps himself busy by bringing out n..-w
vaudeville stars. Besides being king of the Belgians he is the protector of the Congo
Fre . Slate, in which country he has amassed a great fortune.
one who a mounted to anything ever re
fused to give a 'topping out.' The best
kind of punches were often provided
for 'topping out,' though in later years
it ran down to beer.
"In the days when ale was the drink
I have known of a barrel of aie being
used at a 'topping out,' besides a bar
rel of sandwiches. The day Dr. Hail
'topped out' his house on C street near
Four-and-one-half street, which, by
the way, was the first brown stone
front ever put up in this city, he not
only furnished all the ale and porter
necessary, but used up three baskets
of fried chickens, cakes and other
things. It was the talk of the town for
yearsi especially among mechanics.
There were also a number of other fa
mous 'topping outs.' Mayor Lerret
'topped out' his house on II street, be
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets, with fine champagne, as did
also Mr. Gall, the jeweler, who built
THE LUCKIEST BABY ON RECORD.
her name Is Marie Splnola, and her home at Nizza, Italy. Recently there was a
gatl.ering of friends In the Spinola homestead, which was over a century old. Just
as the guests sat down at a table for dinner, a crash was heard, apd the next mo
ment the structure fell down, killing six women and three children and injuring
many. On the next day, when the ruin was seaf-ched for bodies, a faint cry was
heard under one of the <beams. It was removed at once, anil to the surprise of aU
little Alarie was found lying tucked in her cradle wrappings, having escaped with
out receiving so much as a scratch.
a house next to him. Many of the hod
barriers were given bucketfuls of
;altes, cookies and sandwiches at the
close of the 'topping out.' Hut those
Jays have passed and when anything
is said to the owners of houses being
built these days, they express ignor
ance of the custom and decline to oi>-
serve it when it is explained to them.''
I'lntiln 'J'lint Kill Other,
I-'ancy two plants being so onfriend
y that the mere neighborhood of one
is death to the other! Yet that the
?ase with two well-known EnglUh
slants. These are the thistle and the
rape. If a field isTnfested with'thistles,
which come up year after year and
•uin the crops, all you have to do is to
sow it- with rape. The thistle will be
absolutely annihilated.
l.imK-I ii Inurlii'd Sliver llnr*.
In the Hank of England there are
lilver bars that have laiu there un
;ouche4 for 2UO years.
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1898.
NO MORE FLYING DUTCHMAN
There linn firm .Notlilntc l.nunched In
'l'lila Century Wlilch at Alt
lteaeiublea It.
We could not possibly manufacture
the Flying Dutchman out of anything
launched this century. Attention is
called to this fact by Clark Kussell in
the Pall Mall Magazine. Think of a
four-masted ship, says he, with her
dreary black-and-red hull, her iron
masts, her metal shrouds, her short
poop or long-flush deck, her bewilder
ing complications of double yards—
think of such a ship luminous with the
seaglow, breasting the surge of the
Cape. Accursed! Impossible! She
could never make a Flying Dutchman
in the spiritual meaning of that ter
rific sentence of doom! Vanderdecker
would refuse command. lie would jump
overboard in his great boots, clutching
his yard of pipe to his heart, and so
would end one of the most poetical leg
ends in all sea literature. No; the
phantom could not survive such a
shock.
The four-master in taking her place
would, with thundering canvas, thrash
the memory of her out of the sea
man's mind. Hut in that seventeenth
century craft in which the profane and
stubborn Dutchman put to sea he is
still to be encountered. Doubt it not.
Nothing to the north of 31 degrees
south; but down there, on soft, misty,
moonlit nights, the specter glides into
being; the vision shapes itself into a
fabric of star-like poop, and a tall,
pale man with a long, white rippling
beard, standing beside the helm, "all
silent and all damned," as Wordsworth
says; or she flies past over mountain
out seas, leaps, as it were, out of some
sudden shriek of storm and wool-white
squall of foam—leaps and dissolves
like the sea-flash swelling from her
bow.
.>!<»Nf|iiitn«»N Have Their Own Wny.
The past few days have furnished an
experience with mosquitoes in Florida
seldom equaled and never surpassed.
The vicious insects have come in a
cloud, inft sting every nook and corner
;ind attacking every living thills' from
which a drop of blood could be drawn.
Men have been forced to quit work,
horses and mules have had to );e pro
tected, dogs had to be talo*n into
dwelling houses and poultry squawked
during the night hours like prowling
blasts had seized them. All outdoor
work is largely suspended.
( hiiK-Nf to Orilcr.
Germany is sending as interpreters
to its Chinese possessions at Kino-
C.'hou graduates from the Berlin sem
inary lor oriental languages, wao have
had three years' training in tht Chinese
taught a> Berlin.
IT HIGH TENSION.
Residents of Virden Were
Excited by Many Rumors.
CONSPIRACY TO MURDER.
Above Charge is Made in War
rants for Mine Officials.
RAILWAY MEN INDIGNANT.
Chicago & Alton Kallroad Officer* Propone
to Secure l.egal KeiJregg for au Alleged
Lavrle.s Seizure of tlie Itoad hjr tlie State
Troops.
Virden, 111., Oct. 15. —A new quiver
of excitement swept, over this town
hourly throughout Friday afternoon
and from 2 o'clock tili nightfall rumor
followed rumor, and not even the best
informed had any definite idea as to
what would develop during the night.
Rumors that another train load of ne
groes was on its way here kept the
excitement at a high tension, but the
militia are in complete possession of
the stockade and are closely guarding
the railroad property.
The coroner's jury heard a large
number of witnesses, but did not con
clude its work. The inquest will last
until Monday or Tuesday.
Warrants were sworn out yesterday
before the local magistrate by an offi
cer of the Miners' union charging
President Loucks. Manager Lukens
and others with "conspiracy to mur
der." but on the advice of the military
officers in charge here they were not
served. This action, however, caused
Col. Young to refuse to allow several
guards who had been employed by the
coal company to depart for their
homes in Chicago, as he thought they
might be needed as witnesses. Six* ex
guards from St. Louis, who came upon
the train carrying the blacks Wednes
day, and who were more or less seri
ously wounded, were allowed to le:ive
for home.
General Manager Lukens, of the Chi
eago-Virden Coal Co., has made the fol
lowing statement in regard to the
wages paid by his company, and the
demands of the strikers:
"I'nder the old scale of wages, prior
to the summer of 189/, the pay at our
mines was 25 cents per ton. mine run.
and fairly good miners could and did
earn $2.25 per day. The pay rolls
show an average of $2.29 per day net
for every miner in the mine, with a
range of sl.lO to s4.st> per day. The
price of powder has been reduced 5(1
cents a keg since then, which makes
a material increase in the miners'
wages. At the price miners are de
manding—4o cents per ton—an aver
age miner can make from s.'! to $t per
day and a good workman would have
no difficulty in earning $0 per day."
Chicago, Oct. 15.—Complications
which threaten to assume greater pro
portions than the clash between fed
eral and state authority during the
railway strike under Altgeld's admin
istration. promise to grow out, ctf Gov.
Tanner's action in refusing to allow
the Alton road to unload negro min
ers at Virden. General Solicitor
Brown, of the Chicago & Alton, left
for Springfield yesterday as the result
of a conference between the officials
of the road. The governor will be
sought by Solicitor Brown, who will
assume charge of the situation at Vir
den. so far as the Alton is concerned.
Steps will be taken by the Alton to
secure legal redress for the alleged
lawless seizure of the road by the gov
ernor. The officials of the Alton make
no attempt to conceal their anger and
cast the blame upon the governor for
interfering with a common carrier
which has authority to operate as such
under state laws.
Springfield. Oct. 15.—Tn nn interview
yesterday (!ov. Tanner said: "On
learning* this morning* that the na
tional gnanl were searching* trains T
nt once jrnve orders to Adjt. Gen.
Tteece to instruct Col. Young* that the
national guard have no rig*ht to search
trains and that hereafter they must
not board the trains, as their orders
were to prevent the landing* of im
ported labor, which would necessarily
result in the precipitation of a riot;
that they were there to keep the
pence."
imported negro miners in this city
were (|iiietlv escorted by Company F.
Sons of Veterans, of Macomb, and
Cavalry Troop I*. of Bloomington, to
the Central I'nion station yesterday
while the union miners were attend
ing the funeral of the men killed at
Virden. The negroes were sent to St.
Louis. T.ater Company F and Troop
T* were sent to Pana.
Sank Aft '*r n 'ntlWion.
Toledo, Oct. 15.—John Xagle re
ceived a dispatch late last night from
the captain of his tug Saugatnck stat
ing that the steamer Colby had col
lided with and sunk the schooner
Nassau at the month of the Detroit
river at 10 o'clock. The Colby was
bound up river and the Nassau was
headed for I'uffalo with a cargo of
wheat. The crew of the Nassau were
saved by the Saugatuck. The loss will
reach nearly $50,000 on the schooner
and the Colby is badly injured.
I)i<l No* Strilcp.
Paris. Oct. 1". The threatened gen
eral strike of railroad men did not
take place yesterday. Nearly all the
laborers are at work, and the railroad
service is uninterrupted, the railroad
men having apparently ignored the
decision of the committee represent
ing them.
T'>«' I.iml Troop* Iv<* 4 rfciti|> WikofT.
New York, Oct. 15. —The Seventh
regular infantry lt : ft Camp Wikoff yes
terday for forts in the Department of
the Lakes. The Seventh was the last
in camp and its departure brings
Camp Wikoff to an end.
CONTINUOUS OVATION.
St. I.nuU Honor* President McKinley on
)tie OITIIHIOII of 111. Vlutt to that f'lty,
St. Louis, Oct. 15.—President Nf<*Kin
ley was the guest of St. Louis yester
day. He came from Omaha by way
of Galeshu rg, 111., over the Hurlington
route. From the time of his arrival
until 11 p. m„ when he left the city,
he was accorded an almost continuous
ovation. Escorted to the Southern
hotel by civic bodies and regular and
voluteer troops, among which were
two commands that had gained dis
tinction at El fancy. President Mc-
Kinley was met by the cheers of thou
sands of people.
At the Southern hotel he reviewed
the parade given in his honor and later
held a reception in the parlors. At
noon he addressed a large crowd on
the floor of the Merchants' Exchange
and afterwards sat down to an elabor
ate luncheon at which 75 persons were
present. A drive through the streets
and parks of the city completed the
daylight programme of entertain
ment.
A feature of the drive was the stop
made at the soldiers' home, where
President McKinley met and shook
hands with .lack ITaynes, aged 111
years, said to be the oldest soldier in
the Cnited States.
Last night at the Coliseum the great
est throng of people addressed by
President McKinley under cover thus
far during his present trip gave him
a magnificent greeting. His speech
was interrupted repeatedly with ap
plause. The president and party left
at 11 o'clock for Terre Haute, Ind.
ANARCHIST CONSPIRACY
Italian* Planned to Kill Emperor William
In Cairo—Nine of the Gancr Arreted.
Alexandria, Egypt, Oct. 15. —The
Alexandria police have arrested nine
Italian anarchists since Thursday
night and have thereby frustrated a
plot against Emperor William, now on
his way to the lfoly Land to be pres
ent at the consecration of the Church
of the - Savior at Jerusalem.
The first to be arrested is a cafe
keeper, a well-known anarchist, in
whose house the police discovered two
wire-wound bombs of great strength,
full of bullets. This arrest was made
in consequence of a notification from
the Italian consul general at Cairo
that two anarchists had left Cairo for
Port Said. The police investigation
showed that the arrested cafe keeper
had bribed the steward of a steamer
sailing Friday from Alexandria to
Port Said and Syria to take on board
a box of bombs. Apparently the e. n
archists originally intended to use the
bombs at the Palais Abidin at Cairo,
while Rmperor William and the khe
ilive were there. When the kaiser de
cided not to visit Egypt the anarchists
changed their plans and decided to at
tack him in Palestine.
A FRIGHTFUL DISASTER.
A Steamer 1* Wrecked on the Coast of Kn
gland and Out of 'iOO People on Hoard
()fly 31 are Raved.
Loudon, Oct. I".—The Atlantic
Transport Co.'s steamer Mohegan,
which left London for New York on
Thursday with 50 passengers and a
crew of 150. is ashore off the Lizard.
There has been great loss of life. A
coast guard message reports that the
passengers are "drowning like rats."
Another account says: Bodies are
washing ashore, one being of a lady,
lashed to a plank.
Particulars as to the disast<>r are
difficult to obtain. When the Mohe
gan struck a gale was blowfng and
the sea was running high. Life boats
put off from the Lizard and from Fal
mouth. one returning filled with pas
sengers. Several were drowned on the
passage of the life boat to the shore.
Another life boat saved six persons.
The coast at that point is extremely
dangerous and has been the scene of
numerous wrecks.
Only 31 have been saved. This in
telligence was forwarded from the
coast guard by telephone to Falmouth.
A Hie I'onil Kobbery.
Minneapolis, Oct. 15. —It lias just
leaked out that a week ago burglars
broke into the office of the Consoli
dated Milling and Hardware Co. and,
after breaking open a safe, escaped
with $05,000 worth of United States
bonds. President Christian a few days
later received a letter offering to re
turn them if a reward was advertised
in one of the local papers. This was
done and $25 was offered. Another
letter followed saying that this was
too small and that though the bonds
were worthless to their present pos
sessors they were worth a good deal
to Mr. Christian.
Col- nel and Pillow "Hun*r I'n "
Charleston, S. C.. Oct. 15. W. H.
Robertson, colonel commanding the
First regiment, national guards of
South Carolina, was suspended yester
day by Adjt. Oen. Watts. It was re
ported some days ago that Robertson
had pawned seven Springfield rifles
belonging to one of the companies in
the regiment, and when the matter
was investigated the guns were found
in a Charleston pawn shop. This was
sufficient for the suspension. The
national guard is a colored organiza
tion.
Somewhat Improved.
Washington, Oct. 15. Mrs. Sherman,
wife of ex-Secretary Sherman, is still
in a critical condition from the effects
of the stroke of paralysis which she
sustained Thursday, but is thought to
be somewhat improved.
Stay in .lail I'nMl Trial.
Cincinnati, Oct. 15.—After hearing
arguments yesterday on the applica
tion of W. .1. Haldeman. the wealthy
paper manufacturer, for bail, court re
fused the same, but set the trial for
November 21. Haldeman will be tried
for killing ex-State Senator Richard
son. His friends offer any amount of
bail, but the court holds that first de
gree murder cases arc not bailable.
An lli-ir for tlio MarlhnrntiirliH.
London, Oct. 15.—The Duchess of
Marlborough, formerly Miss Consuehl
Yanderbilt, of New York, gavo birth
to a sou on Thursday.
SSOO Reward
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FINE LIQUOR Si'ORB
IMPORTOM, PA.
TBS utenlpid baa opened a M>
etaaa Lienor rtON, and Invitee M»
trade of Bcjtanraate ink'
Wa ihtll «anj BOM baft the kul Aatav*
teaa and Imported
WHISKIES,
BRANDIES.
GINS AND
WINES*
BOTTLED ALE, CNAMPAfiUE, Eft*
OMMIMrf
Bottled Goods.
CIGABS AND TOBAOOa
omu. Ajrt> coca in.
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abort notioe. Private fiunillea Barred
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