Thursday, September 8, 2011
Published in the Illinois Intelligencer, Vandalia, Illinois on Saturday, September 7, 1822
    A person in the upper wards of this city, having some money to pay to another person, called upon him, with the same, but found that he was not at home; his dog, however was present, and eyed the man, and saw the money in his hands. Calling the second time, he found his man in, and putting his hand into his pocket, he discovered that he had lost his money. Immediately retracing his steps down the street, he perceived the dog at a distance, standing motionless on the pavement, and on coming up to him discovered that the dog found the bank bills, amounting to $80, which he held tightly between his fore paws, until he surrendered the sum to its rightful owner. This is among the many proofs of the sagacity and value of this noble animal.-N. Y. Advocate.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Published in the Illinois Intelligencer, Vandalia, Illinois on Tuesday, May 29, 1821
Capt. Grows, of the brig Minerva, arrived at Bath on the 2nd, states, that on the preceeding Friday, between 5 and 6 o’clock, P. M. Cape Ann was a distant 15 miles, the sea quite smooth and a very light breeze, he saw very distinctly the Sea Serpent, about 40 yards from the vessel, steering hold. The description given of him by capt. Grows, corresponds with former accounts. He has heretofore disbelieved the existence of this monster, but his doubts are now entirely eradicated.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Published in the Illinois Intelligencer, Kaskaskia, Illinois on Wednesday, November 10, 1819
    A rattlesnake was lately killed at Wilton, [R. I.] in which were found eighty-two living young ones, from 8 inches to a foot in length.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Published in the Illinois Intelligencer, Kaskaskia, Illinois on Wednesday, November 3, 1819
    Mr. Harrison, of Canterbury, acomplished a most arduous undertaking; he laid a wager of 3000 guineas that he could ride from Canterbury to London in three hours, being a distance of 56 miles. He started at 3 o’clock and arrived at the appointed place in two hours and fifty-seven minutes, winning by three minutes. He rode eleven horses, and did not appear much fatigued.-London paper.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Published in the Illinois Intelligencer, Vandalia, Illinois on Friday, August 6, 1824
    Last year a rattlesnake was killed on Bullard’s plaines, in the parish of Felioiana, which had not less then one hundred and thirty seven rattles. If the generally perceived opinion, that the number of rattles denote the age of this species of the surpentine race be correct, the snake must have been as old as it had rattles. The oldest inhabitants of our state, had never previously seen one with more than forty rattles. The longevity of the rattlesnake probably depends on the nature of the soil and climate to which it sojourns
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, June 1, 1908
    A hen belonging to Mrs. Al Granger, who lives some three miles northwest of Wauconda, recently laid an egg which as a curiosity breaks all previous records by a mile. The specimen measured nine inches the long way around and seven inches in circumference the other. When broken a complete egg of normal size was found within the yolk of the large outer egg.
    Both the inner and outer egg were surrounded by a hard shell, the yolk of the big egg entirely surrounding the inner egg. This same hen has previous to this laid seven double yolk eggs.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Published in the Illinois Intelligencer, Vandalia, Illinois on Saturday, November 8, 1823
    A county gentleman who is neither a friend to thieves nor poachers, has at this moment in his household a favorite cat, whose honesty, he is sorry to say, there is but too much reason the call in question. The animal, however, is far from being selfish in her principles for her acceptable gleanings she regularly shares among the children of the family in which her lot is cast. It is the habit and repute of this said Grimalkin to leave the kitchen or parlour as often as hunger and an opportunity may occur, and wend her way to a certain pastry cook’s shop, where the better to conceal her purpose, she endeavours slyly to ingratiate herself into favor with the mistress of the house. As soon as the landlady’s attention becomes engrossed in business or otherwise, puss contrives to pilfer a small pie or tart, & from the shelves on which they are placed, speedily afterwards making the best of her way home with her booty. She then delivers her prize to some of the little sons in the nursery. A division of the stolen property quickly takes place, and here it is singularily amusing to observe the sleek animal, not the least conspicuous among the juvenile group, thankfully mumming her share of the illegal traffic. We may add, that the pastry cook is by no means disposed to institute a legal process against poor Mistress Gib, as the children of the gentleman to whom we allude are honest enough to acknowledge their four footed playmates failings to papa, who willingly compensates any damage the shopkeeper may sustain from the petty depredations of this wouldbe philanthropic cat.-Edinboro Observer.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville, Illinois on Friday, May 19, 1911
    Twenty years of hard labor in the Chester penitentiary for the theft of eighteen chickens was the unusual punishment meted out by a jury in the Mattoon circuit court to Ora Brady, alias Blondin, a former resident of Iroquois County and an all around criminal.
    The sentence is unusual because of its severity and also because the prosecution against Brady is the first instance under the “habitual criminal act” which makes it possible to inflict such dire punishment on indictments of burglary and larceny.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Illinois on Monday, December 7, 1891
Harding, a Cattleman, Insane from the Horrors of a Terrible Experience.
    Englewood, Kas., Dec. 6.- [Special.]-News comes of the rescue from an old disused well in No man’s Land of a cattleman named Harding by the driver of the stagecoach which every ten days runs from Englewood to Beaver City, No Man’s Land, and back. Harding had a fearful experience and is insane from the effects of it. While out rounding up stock he was lost to his companions. This was ten days ago, and he must therefore have spent nine days in the well. How he got there is unknown, but probably the sudden stopping of his horse threw him down the hole, which is nearly forty feet deep. Beside him was found the half devoured carcass of a wolf with a bullet through his head, showing that Harding must have shot him. Occasionally Harding has gleans of intelligence, and from what can be gathered it seems he was five or six days without food. Wolves probably discovered his presence there and the one on which he lived most likely was crowded over the edge of the well by the rest of the pack. The rescuer was attracted to the spot by the wild howlings of the insane man.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Friday, March 11, 1910
Deputy City Poundmaster Seal Has Narrow Escape.
Timely Arrival of Poundmaster Cox Saved Helpless Man From being Torn to Pieces.
    Denver, Colo. March 11.-Prostrate on the floor of a chamber six feet square with seventy-five ferocious dogs raging about him snapping at his body. Thomas Seal, deputy city poundmaster, was nearly bitten to death here at the city pound. Only the arrival of Poundmaster Cox, in response to the shrieks of his assistant saved the helpless man from being torn to pieces.
    Seal had taken in all dogs doomed except a savage St. Bernard which fought him until they reached the pit, and then as he cast off his muzzle, it seized his arm and both fell into the pit. The other dogs rushed upon him and he was badly bitten before he could be rescued.