Championing Chickens

Cruelty to Animals

Dallas Morning News
Friday, Aug. 30, 1895

Waco, Tex., Aug. 29 –– At the next meeting of the Texas Humane society, President R.B. Parrott will read startling statements of cruelty to poultry practiced by shippers. There are sworn affidavits that in many cases chickens are forwarded in coops so crowded together that the weak succumb to the strong in the struggle for standing room and are trampled to death. In some cases, it is reported, they are sent to distant points without food or water, and eat each other when in the last stages of famine. One instance is reported of a coop of Plymouth Rock hens which the assignee refused to receive. It was set off by the transportation company on the platform and there remained until the last hen died from hunger and thirst. The society also has a report of a mare whose colt was a week old, which was taken off on a journey and the colt being knocked in the head in sight of the mare because it hurt its leg and could not keep up. When the grand jury meets next week in Judge Scott's court the Humane society will present a list of instances of cruelty to animals for consideration.

A Rabid Reprieve

Mad Dog is Spared

Waco Times-Herald
July 1, 1914

A call for police to come to Ninth and Webster to kill a dog was received at the city hall last night. Officers Carlisle and Tonahill responded and found a terrier apparently suffering from rabies, and snapping viciously. The dog’s mistress, however, protested in tears against the dog being killed and the officers left it in her charge on condition that she would keep it locked up.

The Real John Wilkes Booth?

John Wilkes Booth Lived at Glen Rose, Texas

Waco Times-Herald
June 3, 1903

Enid, O.T., June 2 – Junius Brutus Booth, the actor and nephew of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln, has fully identified the remains of the man known as David E. George as his uncle. George, or Booth, committed suicide here January 14 last and in his effects was found a letter directed to E.L. Bates of Memphis, Tenn. By Bates’ instructions the body was embalmed and is today kept here in a secret repository. Mr. Bates came here at once and fully identified the body as John Wilkes Booth. He, however, in order to have his records straight, went east, and has obtained positive identification of the remains from the dead man’s nephew and from Joseph Jefferson, Miss Clara Morris and a score of others who knew him in his early days.

According to Mr. Bates’ story he had acted as Booth’s confidential agent and attorney for nearly forty years. After Lincoln was shot the assassin escaped to the Garrett plantation in Virginia. According to Mr. Bates the man who was killed was a man by the name of Ruddy. Booth had been at Garrett’s for about twenty-four hours, but on the afternoon the alleged captures he had been warned to leave, and did so.

Booth was afterwards taken by friends, and, in the disguise of an old colored man, he made his way to friends in Central Kentucky, where he recuperated his strength and proceeded on his way to the Indian Territory, following the course of the Arkansas river from a point where it empties into the Mississippi.

From here he drifted into Texas and naturally selected the most isolated spot in the state. The place at which Booth settled was Glen Rose Mills, Texas, then on the frontier. There he conducted a store for several years, and it was there in 1871 that Mr. Bates first met him. While there he was known as John St. Helene, but changed his name whenever he moved.

Mr. Bates has four photographs of the man taken at different times in his life, and each is a complete identification of the others. In addition the marks on the body of George were identical with those of Booth.

Mr. Bates has just returned to Enid, and has possession of the remains of Booth and all his effects. He will act as executor of the estate.

Conking the Tonks

CHUNKING ROCKS AT TONKS HER YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCE

Mrs. Dee Cook Remembers When, as Little Ella Slaughter, She Bombarded Indians

Waco Times-Herald
Feb. 16, 1936

Ever chunk rocks at Tonkawa Indians? It is a privilege reserved to few; but Mrs. Dee Cook (she was little Ella Slaughter then, in pigtails and pinafores) accomplished it.

She didn't know for a fact that Tonkawas ate little girls, although her negro nurse had told her so. But the Tonks were cannibals, sure enough.

Anyhow, back in 1873 a lot of the Tonks made one of their annual pilgrimages to Waco to visit Captain Sul Ross at his house near where the Cotton Palace now stands. They camped on the south side of the creek. Little Ella Slaughter and some of her fellow students at Waco academy decided they would go take a look at the Indians.

Led the Procession

Ella and Florine Davis climbed up on Ella's pony, "Hug-and-Buck," and led the procession. Mrs. Cook doesn't remember exactly, but she thinks some of those in the party were Belle Puckett (Hamilton), Annie Burnham (Sullivan) and Lula Garner (the late Mrs. Pat Massey).

They got to the creek; they dodged down under the bank and poked up their heads to look at the wild Tonkawas. And the wild Tonkawas were all asleep. They traveled at night and slept by day.

How could a gang of little girls have a proper look at Indians who had blankets over their heads?

So They Let Fly

So all the little girls picked up rocks and let fly at the sleeping redskins. They got immediate and startling results.

A lot of the Indians jumped up and yelled, and came running toward the creek, bending their bows. Of course, Mrs. Cook says now, they didn't intend to hurt anybody. They were probably playing. But the little girls didn't know that. They wanted to save their pigtails, and they ran. The Indians did not pursue.

Mrs. Cook didn't chunk any more rocks at the Tonkawas.

The Wave of the Future

Goods Ordered by Wireless

Waco Times-Herald
July 20, 1911

Waco firms are accustomed to receiving orders in many ways, but one placed here recently with the wholesale department of Sanger Bros. came in a rather unexpected manner, arriving by wireless from A&S Levy, Victoria, ordering a bale of eight ounce duck. The message is now on exhibition in one of the Sanger Bros' show windows.

The message was received at the station in North Waco and delivered to the parties addressed in short order, showing that wireless telegraphy has reached a stage where its commercial value has been satisfactorily demonstrated.

So far as known, Sanger Bros. are the first here to receive a message via wireless for an order of goods.