St. Louis Post-Dispatch
June 5, 1908

Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.

The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive

Page 1

Only y Evening Paper in St. . Louis with both Associated Press and United Press Service

SSS; PRICE ONE CENT.

imac ee ere - GE LOUIS, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 5, 1908. WOMAN SLASHED IN HER ROOM AT NIGHT. OLD SUITOR SOUGH1

ae ~~ VOL, "60. NO, “289,

—_—_——_— MISSOURI GIRL WHO REFUSED 10 __WED MAN SHORTER 1HAN HERSELF

(LACK OF SIE MAKES SUITOR SIGH IN VAIN Miss Wyles Resists Wiles of Swain Accepted After Cor- respondence. SHE WANTS A WARRIOR JEFFRIES 1S UNPITIED AT ‘HOUR OF DOOM Slayer Goes to 4s to Scaffold While Crowd Holds Carnival - and Reviles Him.

Anti-Taft Allies Opposed At ission of Campaign M ager on a Proxy. ~ a ALABAMA CASE If “‘Antis” Lose State, / Atte mpt at Roosevelt Samoa Looked For. BETS ON HIS GAMENESS Throng of St. Charles Folk Jokes While Prisoner Pales at Noose.

New Orleans Man Proves Too Small in Missouri Girl’s Eyes.

VICTIM’S WIDOW WEEPS CLARENCE, Mo., June 5.—Because he fell a few inches short in height and a number of pounds in weight, Ben Mouchon of New Orieans will not be the husband of pretty 19-year-old Elsie Wyles of this town, who answered Mr. Mouchon’s advertisement in a St. Louis newspaper. The advertisement which struck Miss Wyles’ fancy stated that ‘‘a wealthy SESSIONS ARE Sight of Death March Drives Mrs. Wussler, in Favored Spot, to Tears. of Contest Evidence a De ELSIE Not Sound Well 1] WY LES.

young man of New Orleans was desir- ous of meeting a pretty Missouri girl, who would make him a good wife.”’ Looked Good in a Picture. A letter from Clarence brought a quick reply, accompanied by a photo- graph. The photograph looked all right, but you can’t tell from a picture wheth- Gov. Folk, speaking of the execution of William Jeffries, slayer of William Wussler, at St. Charles, said to a Post- Dispatch correspondent at Jefferson City Friday: “If the publised statements regard- ing the hanging are true, Sheriff Waldo By a Staff Correspondent of the | Dispatch, — a CHICAGO, June 5.—The Taft be ‘ the first contested point this af , in the meeting of the Repubitesn: 4 tional Committee, when the commi tabled a protest against the r

P. Hines showed himself wholly unfit for that or any other office and demon- strated an utter disregard not only of every sentiment of humanity, but of the MAJ, LITTLEFELLOW SHOT IN FUNNYBONE BY RANEY er a man is 5 foot 8 or 6 foot 2; he might weigh 170 pounds or only 100. But he looked good to the Clarence girl, and she sent her picture. After corresponding for three months |, Frank R. Hiteheook, one of Taft's ma agers, on a proxy given. by mon Luna of New Mexico. Similar tions objecting to Charles G. DAZE; STORM 10 FOLLOW THE TEMPERATURES. Arthur F. Statter, Taft ‘ members by proxy from North « and Alaska respectively,. oe the same time. The committee's action in Taft men has encouraged rter to believe that they will per n tl Alabama contests, the first to be e Both sides regard the decision. in» Alabama case as the index tox strength of Taft and of the anti-Ta allies in the committee. On the Gon mittee’s attitude, it is believed, ali wih depend in the convention 11 days henea, : Taft already has enough delega! elected on \the face of. mere noininate h on the” only chance tke allies have to efe; him is by unseating enough of { Taft men to leave the issue in | If the Alabama decision is | them, the ahti-Taft men are expected #6 start the Roosevelt stampede r in earnest. Stampede the Last nenest.> Br This is their talk today. There meeting in the Fairbanks h ; last night at which the anti-Tatt said among themselves that, if 7 won the Alabama contest, he also win most of the other contests, s laws of the State. This execution lacked every element of that solemnity that the law demands on such an awful occa- gion.” The Governor said that if he had the power to remove Hines he wouid do so. “According to newspaper reports,” the Governor .said, ‘“‘the statute was fla- grantly vielated not only as to the num- ber present, but by permitting chil- dren to witness this terrible scene. vernor Lacks Power. Governor in this State has no power to remove a Sheriff. If he had guch power, conduct of this kind would | be the cause for action. There can be » rie deubt as. to the guilt of Ahe prisoner, _. ‘Put the manner ef his execution made it - @ mockery of justice. ° “Section 2678, Revised Statutes of 18988, provides that at the execution there May be present, besides the officers of the court wherein the conviction was had, such other officers and such guards and assistants, as the officer executing the sentence may see proper to admit. “He shall request the presence of the Prosecuting Attorney, the clerk of the court and 12 reputable citizens, to be selected by him, two of whom shall be physicians, and-he shall also permit the présence of the counsel of the convict

the man in New Orleans said he would ‘come up if the Missourl” girl would say ‘“‘yes.”’ She said ‘‘yes’’—for him to come. He wired that he would be here Tues- day night. Instead, he came Tuesday morning and met his fair correspondent JAIL UNTIL TL, MOND SES - shouldertd athlete, and the applicant for NEW YORK. June 5.—Raymond her hand was not built that way. Hitchcock, the comedian, was commix- During the day Mr. Mouchon called ted to the Tombs prison without bail | 0" Miss Wyles and expressed hig sat- this afternoon, when his trial on | ‘8faction of seeing her come so fully charges preferred by three little,| UP tO expectations. He assured her girls, which begati today, was sud- that she supassed’ the girl of his denly adjourned until next Monday. hopes, and that all was well. The adjournment came when Hitch- But the lady hesitated. ‘cock’s counsel conferred privately She Wants Big Man. with. Justice Goff, immediately after “I thought you were a great big the first juror had been selected. man,” she said. At the conclusion of the confer-}] °Why—why, what's the size got to ence, Justice Goff announced that, in| 40 with it?” he wanted to know. view. of what the attorney had told “I don't know,” said Miss Wyles, him, he would adjourn the case until] |@oubtfully. “I like great, big master- next Monday, and that in the mean | ful imen; the kind that do things.” time Hitchcock would be remanded to | The suitor remained a week, press- the Tombs prison without bail. ing his suit, and at last gave it In a previous trial ona similar |}Up. Her head was set. The most com- charge, the case against the actor fell | forting thing she would say was that flat, when one of the complainants,| he could ‘go home and I'll think it

While a small customer was weeping at the tomb of Lowlight Rates, he was shot twice by Raney Daze, pres- ident of the Light- ning and Shower Trust. The wea- pon was of small caliber. Both bul- lets lodged in the right arm, in the region of tae fun- ny bone. Here is the bul- letin issued by the surgeons:

One OF T THE 7 MORES SHOES .

Woman whose throat was cut, her hus.bend-from. whom she was seoeroted, one of the. shoes left by assailant when, he fled ‘ond. diagram showing how, according.to the Rohling fam- uy, the he intruder entered the e house, attacked M rs. Gerling and escaped. | HUNTRESS CREW |Man Waits Sass Bed for Return SAVES GUNBUA AT FOAMING BAR

L% h~ » Be oh See

of Mrs. Gerling---Estranged Showers and b ° probably thunder- Hus and 1S Held. storms Friday » night and Satur- day. Southerly winds. The river will remain stationary or fall ver, slowly.

Joseph Dougherty of 2607 Park avenue, a former suitor of Mrs. and such minister of the gospel as the convict may desire, and such of the con- vict’s relations as the officers may deem prudent, but no person under 21 years of age, not related to the convict, shall be allowed to witness the executien.”’ “Among the 1500 persons who saw Jef- fries hanged for the murder of Wussler, May 3, 190, there were few who pitied him. The relatives and neighbers of the Wuseler family freely expressed their - hatred up te the last moment of Jef- fries’ life and there were hundreds of . Others who were almost equally bitter against him because of the wanton and cold-blooded crime of which he was convicted. “Did I feel sorry for him?” repeated Mrs. Fred Walkenhoe, whose farm ad- Joins the Wussler homestead, when she Was asked what were her feelings as shé saw Jeffries struggling at the end of a rope. “I did not. I just thought bina ‘Was too good for him. I would like to have had him eut here at my house to pour coal oll over him and burn him." Not Satisfied With Ha ng. A few hours before Jeffries was hanged, Fred Walkenhoe went into the Jail to see him. Jeffries said to him: “I suppose you'll be satisfied when they’ve hung me.” “No I won't Bill,’"” answered Walken- hoe. “The only thing that wouie satis- fy me would be to tie your heels to the tail of my horse and drag you along the og until there was nothing but bones When ft was thought that. Gov. Folk might commute his sentence to life im- prisonment a petition to the Governor against it went through the town and 500 Teading citizens signed it in a day and it Was sent to the governor. The next week the lawyer who had “@etended Jeffries circulated a petition to have the sentence commuted and aft- -@r working a whole day got only three re. Day Like a Carnival. ‘The tewn went out to see j.im hanged as it would go to a circus or carnival. The 1500 persons in the gallows inclos- ure and the disappointed ones outside ‘Waited in the hot sun for an hour. Some “had. provided themselves with bottles of whisky and they drank and laughed. & thick cloud of tobacco smoke hung over the throng. Tt was a.chiv..jrous crowd. There were ne seats, and the women and children, eepe y those mothers who hed ba- gs in their arms, head a wearisome time Flood stages are indicated for the Mis- souri, above Hermann, in the next few days. The stage at. St. Louis is 29.9, a rise of .3. Lowering clouds, accompanied by a brisk wind, sed over the city at 2 p. m. In uth St. Louis the wind caused some alarm. The highest ve- locity recorded by the Weather Bureau was 20 miles an hour.

Flora Whiston, on the witness stand, declared that under the influence of an agent of the Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Children, she had perjured herself before the grand jury that indicted Hitchcock. The complainant in the case called today is Helen Von Hagen, and the allegations sworn to by Flora Whis- ton and Elsie Voecks, the other al- leged victims, are expected to figure in the trial.

over, and maybe let you know, but’— But che jig is up; there’ll be no or- ange blossoms on that combination, because the conventions of society re- quire two to make a marriage, and that condition is wanting here.

The legitimate PAID circulation of the Post-Dispatch ia St. Louis and {ite suburbs is greater than that of ALL other English Dailies COM- BINED.

History of a Month! The month of May just closed was a Record Breaker for that month for the entire thirty years of the existence of The Post-Dispatch In Circulation, in Circulation Revenue and in Volume of Advertising! THE FIGURES: Average Circulation of the Post-Dispatch Every Day During the Month of May, J]907......-.--.. 164,930 Month of May, 1908.......-. 176, 054. Month of May 1908 .. ee homes, The one paper in every home. Circulation Total Columns Advertising 3156 Wh ? e POST- ATCH has more actual bona y English dailies ! books open to all. First in Everything.

Month of May 1907 ... 3237 ciromatiod on the or.3 & St. Louis It in the Home paper of St. Louis. ‘The only paper in many Craft Is Listed to Port Among Pirates’ Fleet of Schooners When Found.

Safe in port at the headquarters of the Loyal Legion is the gunboat St. Louis, after its thrilling capture by pirates and its rescue by the brave sailors of the Huntress, flagship of the Missouri navy. The St. Louis is a three-foot model of a famous gunboset which saw service in the Civil War. It was used in the Dec- oration day exercises along with a sim- ilar model of the Maine. Before the Huntress cast off for Jef- ferson Barracks the little boats, gaily decorated with flowers, were placed in the river. An hour later the launch of the Huntress was sent out to pick them up. The Maine was found proudly rid- ing the current, but the St. Louis was not sighted. The Huntress was put about to look for it. “Ahoy, there,’’ mann, commander of ‘‘You've got our boat.’’ “Dare you to come and take it,” said the skipper of the launch, a fat man with a white cap and a parboiled face. Forward Turret Manned. “Pipe all hands on deck. Man the for- ward turret,"’ shouted the Lieutenant. The little launch darted for the shore with the Huntress in pursuit. “Bing!” Just like that sounded the little gun on the starboard side of the Huntress and a ring of smoke went sail- ing across the bow of the launch. That was ali that wae in the gun. The launch tied up off a brewery and the five men who made up its crew snatched the gunboat St. Louls from the yrow and ran up the street with it. They scattered over the country that lies round about the brewery, but their search was in vain. They were about to give up the quest when &@ man ran up to Lieut. Montgomery. “I'm a member of the House of Dele- gatos," he said. “I know where your boat is.” “Where?” asked the Lieutenant. “It's on a bar.”’ ' Ie Found on a Bar. He led them to the Broadway saioon, where the gunboat St. Louls was listed to port among a fleet of schooners. The prise crew sweoped down upon it and carvied it In triumph back to the Hunt- sang Lieut. Timmer- the Huntress,

Elizabeth Gerling and rival of the husband from whom she is now separated, is being sought by the police on her accusation that it was he who lay in hiding beneath her bed Thursday night at-2855 Osage street, leaped out when sha entered the room and slashéd| Mrs. Gerling, weak from loss of blood and with only a slight chance for recovery, although the jugular vein her throat with a knife. was not severed, was taken Friday to St. Anthony’s Hospital. Mrs. Henry Rohling, her mother, and Louis Rohling, her brother, corroborate her statement that Dougherty was her assallant. “Joe’’ Dougherty is known also as Alphonse. He is a _ stoop-shouldereu young man with high cheek bones and dark eyes, hair and complextion. He is 6 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds and wore dark clothes and a black ‘“‘pancake” hat when last seen. The shoes, found under the bed and held as a clew at the Wyoming Street Police Station, are No. 6%. Her Husband Is Held. Henry Gerling of 182 Mallinckrodt street, from whom Mrs. Gerling sepa- rated two months ago, when she went to live with her parents at the Osage street address, is held at the North Market Street Station pending investt- gation into the attack. Gerling has ac- counted for his whereabouts at the time of the attack. Mrs. Gerling returned home at 9:30 Pp. m. after a visit to Mrs. August Veit- meyer of 2911 Osage street, and entered the house alone, according to the story of her family. Other members of her family had been out of the house dur- ing the evening, leaving it at times un- ccupled. From the living rooms of the Rohlings on the second floor two stairways lead to the ground, one opening on the street, and the other running into the back yard. Both staircases are shielded from outside observation by wooden casings. It is thought that the woman's assalil- ant crept up the stairs from the street, and crawled through a kitchen window which was open. His entrance proba- bly did not alarm a brindle bulldog, which was left in charge. Dougherjy had been td the house several times ‘tn the last two pets ope was on friend- ly terms wi Mrs. ling. aalee veaet home, talked with her family until nearly 1 Dp. m., when she prepared to retire. Her room was in the front of the house on the second floor. Her mother already was asleep in an adjoining room, and her l4-year-ol4 brother, Louls, was

As Mrs. Gerling faced the mirror, she was terrified by therefiection of a man’s figure creeping from under her bed, with a knife in his hand. Be- fore she could flee, and as her first scream was uttered, the man was upon her, left arm, while with his right hand he drew the blade once across her throat and again across her head. At her daughter's cry, Mrs. Rohling awoke and sprang from bed. Mrs. Gerling’s assailant burst into the room, which adjoins her daugitter’s, brandish- ing the knife. “Don't try to stop me! he cried, brushing her aside and rushing into the kitchen, which adjoins Mrs. Rohling’s room. Louis, the boy, seized him as he passed, and attempted to hold him, but the man was too strong. He seemed to take care, however, not to injure the youth. In his stocking feet, the man sprang down the back stairs leading to the yard. He scaled a fence 8 feet high, leaving the print of his feet in the soft clay, ran across a neighbor's yard, and leaped a low wire fence into the alley. Trace of Footprints Lost. His footprints were traced down the alley half a block east, and were then lost at a point where the fugitive took to running in the grass. Meantime, Mrs. Gerling, half dead from loss of blood, had confirmed her mother's and brother's recognition of her former suitor. “Joe did it.” she said. from under the bed and said you'’ Then he cut me.” Rohling, hearing the screams, ran upstairs from his saloon beneath, and telephoned for Drs. Frank J. Dietz and B. Babcock, who gave emergency treat. ment to the woman. They at first sasd she was fatally wounded, but were cn- couraged to see her rally slightly toward morning. At one time, by their advice, a priest administered the last sacra- ment. Mrs. Gerling’s condition was so se- rious Friday that her doctors would not grasping her with his ‘rr “He crept ‘T'll fix that the only thing left to do will be. “i start a Roosevelt stampede. ME ex Before the committee met this ing, the Taft cosomitteemen were ¢ Ing a majority of 14 on the committe® | They declared al! the contests would Be Téecided strictly on the question of larity, and that whether the de ee ousted were black or white made difference. By climbing on this W place of “justice, they hope to ay the race issue mesey ste © them ma o South. ta In the Alabama con est * ig not involved. That is a fight t State Chairman Thompson and NW Committeeman Scott. The nom men are for Taft, and the Scott are uninstructed. If the Taft men Ww it will be only by the National | tee deciding against. one of its o members, Scott. ae The Scott, or anti-Taft delegation | basing its claims on the fact that, @ the last State election, when the son wing failed to name a State. ‘ it did so and polled 12,000 votes feria Scott candidates. Therefore, it tends, it is the regular State can organization, whereas the Thomgr | | sou wing is outlawed by inactivity. ig a Taft and the Jewirh Vote, * ae The anti-Taft boomers added @ international flavor to the fight by ringing in the Cgar of Russia. Th say Taft's recent visit to the Caar Bi turned the Jewish vote against him, ag that this talk is tery prevalent the Jews who have been at headquarters. if noise and bustle count, Tatt ts} hind in these opening days. The : vention hotels are full of boomers. Among the leaders are tor Heminway, the Fairbanks Lage and Congressmaa Burke, who ts. ing Senator Kaox, S Senator Seott, owe of the powers in the Natioval Commi O. Lewden of Hlinois, a Car and Senator Crane of Massa also on the ground directh of the scores of anti-Taf* boomers. Thomas J. Akins, sut Louts, and national ec Missouri. arrived this dicted that {t was “all shouting’ for Taft. He retary would get 1) vof a contests, without even rested ne question. There were, he many contests in which beth sides ' made up of Taft men. ~ *That the national

: - oy ‘ ni ¢ = é 3 , @ men Soon saw this and they ee. ; a. 2. : 4 on 2. ; : = J » 7 - - ~ 4 cd . ‘ A ' oa Re eee na i ‘ee 2 oa. be ie J ae ee e ° ‘ s s ape 2 ee = " : ; $34 a cate e a +g + Reis ; a : ‘. Ma £ s ‘ : a . Ey = aie > 2 “ : md * b bial Pi a 75 , ~ ’ ‘ : : 3 J a , - ~ouer YS baa ate - P33 ae . ‘ Ser Pans vy oe ae eg ae t pee 4 8, i ye Se ; ¢ ‘ : . : oS ~ ie : Sa % i= si : : j pas “ at 5 pe > 3 sj : mas oe =, , ‘ 4 % , ' bs 3 + + , ¢ v kegs Y : bd e, , ab iyr* . é rot a. é yon eos n A . a a : in I e "4 ¥ . i es 7 . ; oa ‘ a Pe + ? S -y i . ; ae ») 5 oP ¥ ¥ we 2 ‘ ae ik ; a 2 J A : ; “ ‘ * ; % z ¥ 3 * ’ . x - , 2 20ST -DI ress. reading in the kitchen. Conttnned on Page’, €

eee wes ee

RA A NE A AA A IIE ALLELE LAI

Cee

Re ec ee