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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1903)
IS THE HOENING OREQONJAN, . . THURSDAY, SEPTEMBEB iO, 1903. FIND LONG-LOST SON Parents of Marcus Hechtman Are Overjoyed, KIDNAPED MANY YEARS AGO Return to Portland and "Walk by ' Chance Into Store Kept by Hi Father, Who Recognize Him at Once. Kidnapped from his parents In Pqrtland ! 15 years ago. the appearance of the Park ! School brought back to the mind of Mar cus Hechtman a remembrance that this I city was his former home, and then he chanced' to enter the store of his father, I on Couch street, where recognition was j mutual. K ! Seven years was the ago of Marcus Hechtman when a red-haired woman stole j him from his parents. Rushed across the , continent and taken to Europe, all recol lection of his Oregon home faded from the mind of the child. Dimly he remem hered his father, mother and sisters, but It was as In a dream, and the quickly- changing scenes of his boyhood almost obliterated from his memory his own I name, or that of his father, Benjamin Hechtman, a second-hand dealer of 251 j Couch street. Drifting Into Portland in company with ' an acrobatic troupe, Hechtman, now 22 ' years old, was pleased with the town and j made up his mind to leave" the show busl- j ness and settle down. Last Monday ho happened to pass the Park School at Park ' and Jefferson streets. Something In its time-worn appearance awakened the j sleeping memory. Believing that he was i once more in the town of his parents, he went to the old home on Taylor street, j but there they had been forgotten. It j was entirely by accident tnat ne strayea into the store of his aged father, in com pany with a chance acquaintance who wished to buy a watch. bowed' down with the never-forgotten grief of her young son's mysterious dls- appearance, was sitting by the door. In- j stantly there flashed upon the mind of j the young man a suspicion that this was i his own mother sitting before him. Fear ing that the news If told suddenly would , harm her, and scarcely believing his own ! eyes, he looked at his father, an old man j of many years. The eye or tne iatner detected a scar upon the boy's face which had been remembered as the positive iden tification of the boy when he had disap peared 15 years before. The news was broken to the mother, who then without hesitation recognized her long-lost child. It was a most pa thetic scene enacted In the dark little second-hand store on .Couch street near Third. Relaxing from the strain of Eng lish to their native Yiddish, the reunited family poured out the stories of their pent-up hearts to one another. The sisters at home found among them a brother, grown into a stalwart man, whom they remembered only as a lost child. Last evening the home of the Hechtman family, 210 Hall street, was brlglly lighted, for all their friends had been Invited to share in the general thanksgiving of the long-separated fam ily. The story of his kidnaping, as told by young Hechtman. savors of the Arabian Nights, but Is doubtless true. Though an acrobatic performer, he seeks not' notori ety, but the steadfast welcome of his kin dred. Hechtman declines to give the name of the show he performed with in San Fran cisco, the last stopping place before he came to Portland. But he tells freely of his kidnaping and his adventures while wandering around the globe since that time. "This happened before I was 7 years old," he said last evening. "I had just started to attend Park School, and knew almost no English at all, otherwise I sup pose I would have known more about the place. I i remember It all very clearly. I had Just come home we lived on Taylor street near the Plaza blocks then and had removed my coat to go out to play. A woman with bright red hair, whom I remembered as having given mo candy frequently before, came up, and, after feeding me with fruit and candy, told me to come with her. I was in shirt sleeves all this time, but she took me to her room, where sho wrapped be up so com pletely that no one would know me. Then she took me In a cab to the depot, where a man who was evidently awaiting her joined us. I was taken on the train and was. Boon fast asleep. About the nest thing I remember is that wo were in a big city with a 'harbor, where we boarded a large steamer. The roan who came with us from Portland said he was her husband, but I never saw any marriage certificate. "England was the country where we first performed. "While on the way. I was taught a number of acrobatic tricks, and am now as good as the best of them. We went from England to the Continent and performed In France, Germany, Nor way and Sweden, Italy and Austria. I picked up the languages of each of these countries, and can speak them as well as English, for I have only been in this country three years." The Hechtman family are Russian Jews. Marcus, the long-lost son, is a bright, active-appearing young man, now 22 years old. He looks like an acrobat with his HE HUNTED IN PORTLAND EDWIN BOXXELIt USED TO PICK BERRIES IS HEART. OF CITY. Old Pioneer Now Living: In Saa Francisco AatonUhed at Grorrth. of Fomev Home. A vigorous, well-preserved man of 67 years Is Edwin Bonnell, a Portland pio neer of moro than 5Q years ago, who is spending the week of his vacation In this city. Mr. Bonnell is at present a resident of San Francisco, where he is -assistant PORTLAND PIONEER REVISITS HIS OLD HUNTING GROUNDS; EDWIX BOXXELL. lithe yet muscular shape. His father is the second-hand dealer who was sand bagged in his store by the negro, John Gibson, a short time ago. GET ONE TODAY. Don't Fall to Take Advantage of These Lovr Piano Prices. No abatement in piano buying at Ellers Piano House. Seej the bargains in used pianos for "?45 up. Fine new uprights, fully warranted, at a saving of fully one-third. Call today or tonight. Eilers Piano House, 351 Washington. Fell From Train. Passing through the vestibules of the Northern Pacific train Tuesday afternoon at the Kalama transfer, Mrs. Bt P. Ed wards, of 2S4 Crosby street, Portland, fell from the coaches by a sudden jolt and was. seriously Injured. In' falling sho struck 'Switchman C. Holmes and was thrown clear of the track. Dr. S. C. Cook was called, and rendered medical assistance. Th Injured woman was brought back to her Portland home, and It is believed that she will recover from the fall. F-RIEMD OF G"REAT MEN Captain Leoffler, Doorkeeper to the President, Vists 'Portland. Knew Many Presidents. Captain Charles D. A. Leoffler, the i veteran Doorkeeper to the President, ac companied by his wife and daughter, spent yesterday in the city. He sat on ihe veranda of the Portland last evening and talked entertainingly of his long service in the White House, of his days In the old ante-vellum regular Army and of the , Civil War. "So General Williams lives here and is Mayor of the city," he inquired. "I'm very sorry I didn't know that, as I should have enjoyed meeting him again. He was a great friend of President Grant, and was frequently at the White House both as Senator and Attorney-General. I havo had a speaking acquaintance with every senator and cabinet minister since I was appointed Doorkeeper to the President In March, 1SC9. Sumner, Chase, Conkllng, Blaine and Evarts were as familiar figures to me as Senator Depew, Lodge or Spoon er are now. "I came to the .personal notice of Gen eral Grant during the war, when I was chief dispatch carrier of the Army of the Potomac, and when he was elected President he made me his doorkeeper and the place of Doorkeeper to the President was afterward made for me by act of Congress. "I enlisted In the old Second Cavalry In 1S5S, and served on the Texas frontier un til the war. The regiment was command ed by Albert Sidney Johnston, afterwards the famous Confederate general who was killed at Shiloh. Our lieutenant-colonel was Robert E. Lee, and the majors of the Second were Hardee, the author of "Hardee's Tactics," and " George H. Thomas. Hood, afterward a leader of the Confederate armies, was our adjutant, and Fitzhugh Lee was a first lieutenant. J was with a detachment at a fight with Comanches on the Cimarron in what is now Beaver County, Oklahoma, when Fitz Lee was wounded by an arrow. He was terribly wounded and wo thought he could not recover, but he survived a march of 200 miles to the Canadian River, where the regiment was stationed, and lived to obtain fame in two later wars. We carried him on a litter swung between a mule and horse all the way, and, al though It was a rough trip, his marvel ous nerve never left him and he rapidly recovered. "When General Twiggs surrendered the Department of Texas to the Confederacy In February, 1SG1, we were ordered to Green Lake, on the gulf coast. Here we bade goodbye to the majority of our of ficers, who had cast in their fortunes with secession, and were loaded on an old sidewheel steamer for New York. We left our horses tledup to picket ropes on the beach when we sailed away and they were used to mount rebel cavalry. "On the day following the assassina tion of President Lincoln, and the attempt on the life of Secretary Seward, I reported to Secretary Stanton as his personal body guard. It was before the days of the plain clothes detectives, and I was de tailed from my regiment for the purpose. I dressed in citizen's clothing, but wore my Army six-shooter strapped to my belt In plain view. It was hard service, for Stanton was cordially hated by the South, and was marked by the conspira tors for death. I was on duty practically day and night, and have reason to believe that I saved Mr. Stanton's life on a num ber of occasions. ' "General Grant was undoubtedly the most democratic and unassuming man who ever occupied the Presidency. He often chatted with me and we frequently exchanged cigars. It was his custom to stroll about the White House grounds and the streets absolutely unattended, and he was personally known to a large part of the population of Washington. My daugh ter Is named for Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayes, and as a baby was an especial pet to that grand, good woman. Mrs. Hayes was one of the finest entertainers who ever presided over the White House, and although a temperance woman was not fanatical on the subject, as some or the stories would have one believe. She never objected to her guests views on the sub ject, and I know that mine was served at formal functions during her time, al though personally she nor President Hayes ever drank It. "On the morning that President Garfield left the White House for the Baltimore & Ohio depot, where he was shot dotal, by Gulteau, he stopped and bade me goodbye. 'You. must take a vacation of two or three weeks, captain,' said he, 'you're working too hard.' In a short time I helped carry mm into tne buna ing on a stretcher, and, when he was taken away again to Long Branch where he died, I helped carry him to the am bulance. General Arthur, who succeeded him, was one of the most lavish enter tainers of all our Presidents and was a princely man. "The routine at the White House has not changed materially In the 34 years since I went Into the service, and until the building was remodeled last year the old mansion was practically the same as In the days of Lincoln. I have served many Presidents and I am proud to say held the trust and confidence of each of them. I am 6C years of age. but hope to serve through another Roosevelt admin istration, and perhaps longer:" Captain Leoffler, Is to leave this morn ing for a tour of Yellowstone Park with his wife and daughter, from whence ho will return to his duties in "Washington. cashier of the TSavings and Loan Society, a position he has held for 33 years. His father, A. C. Bonnell, -was the sec ond Mayor of Portland, serving In 1S52-3, and was prominently identified with the very early days of the city. "My father preceded his family to Ore gon, coming across the plains In 1S5L The next year I came with my mother and sister via the Isthmus, and so it happened that I was an Oregon pioneer at 15. My father was associated In the lumber busi ness with John Gates. William P. Abrams and a Mr. Abbott, whose first name I do not recall. They had a large mill and sash door factory on the river front be tween Madison and Jefferson streets. We lived In a little cottago on the river bank near where the west end of the Madison- street blrdge now is. Father vas Mayor ana was very active In the development of the new town. At that time there were probably loDQ people here, but things were booming and the little town was growing rapidly. There were only three streets there. First, Second and Third. Front street was not built up at that time, and was used as the steamboat levee. West of Third street and east of the river everything was unbroken forest, and I have gathered blackberries and hunted over what Is now the heart of the city. "A line of boats was running from the mouth of the Columbia to Oregon City and they did a land-office .business. Tho Dalles was quite a llv.e little town at that time, but the Cascade Rapids made con tinuous navigation between Portland and the upper river impossible. In 1S54 my father's mill was destroyed by fire and left him practically a bankrupt. W. S. Ladd was appointed assignee of the mill's affairs and he took me Into his store to keep his books. F,or some time I was his only clerk, but as the business grew he employed S. G. Reed, who afterward be came his partner, and Seth S. Slater to assist In handling the trade. "My father became Interested In mining In California and in 1856 removed to San Francisco. I . went with him and have been in Portland but twice since. My other visit here was In 1S77. When I left In 1856 Portland had possibly 2500 people and there were but two brick buildings In town. In 1S77 there were perhaps 25,000 Inhabitants and now I return to find a city of 125,000, which has grown entirely out of my recollection. It's a fine old place and I am glad to have seen it again before I die. Most of my companions of the early days are dead, but I have met a few of the old-timers and exchanged rem Inlscences with them. "My father died In 1S73, at the age of 74 years. At the time of his death and for IS years previously he was treasurer of the Bulletin Company and he retained his faculties to the last. I shall leave here Friday for Seattle and Tacoma, and after another week will return to San Fran cisco and go to -work again." Mr. Bonnell called at the Oregonlan office yesterday and renewed an acquaint ance of 50 years with H. L. Plttock, who was also an associate of his father. He has promised Secretary HJmes of tho Historical Society to supply him with a portrait and biographical sketch of his father. TOO SICK TO TESTIFY. Annie Bovrmnn Cannot Appear in Crlttenton Home Case. An Investigation of the conditions ex Istlng In. the Crlttenton Home was not made yesterday, owing to the illness of Annie Bowman, who has occasioned the official probing by bringing a charge of assault aaglnst Mrs. Brown, the matron of the home. When the case was called In Peace Justice Reld's court yesterday morning a continuance was granted until such time as the complaining witness is physically able to appear. She is under the care of a physician- and the case can not be tried for several days at least. Considerable Interest has been aroused In tho case, judging from the number of persons assembled at the courtroom at the hour for calling the case, yesterday, It Is understood that the charge, Is not founded on grounds of sufficient strength to admit of a verdict of guilty being returned against the defendant, but Is merely the basis for Investigation of the unofficial charges of negligence In the care of babies confined at the home. .Meier & Frank Company.. ..Meier & Frank Company.. Our. showing of new Pall Dress Fabrics is by far the largest and best to be found in the town. New Laces and Dress Trimmings Everything that's pretty and stylish is here for your choosing at the very lowest prices. New Velvet Waistings, dots, figures and novelty effects Immense assortment of styles at popular prices. "Perrin's" Gloves It's Glove time. Always a matter of propriety, from now on gloves are a necessity to well-dressed women. The question is not "Why?" but tkWhere?" For a great many years "Perrin's" real French Kid gioves have been the stand ard of quality vby which Amer ican values are measured. Never have the styles and qualities equaled the 1903-4 assortment. Every new shad ing, every new style in com plete size assortment and every pair has the Meier & Frank guarantee to give the wearer satisfactory service. Styles for dress and evening wear Walking shades. "Dent's" and "Perrin's"' Gloves for men. New Kid Gloves for misses and children. New Neckwear The Ladies' Neckwear Store believes in expansion. It would have to expand, belief or no be lief, if it is to succeed in getting before you the largest and grand est showing of new styles ever before displayed ;n this city. Superb variety of Silk, Lace and Cotton Novelties in all the latest effects. Magnificent Lace Collars, black, white or ecru, prices $1.50 to $45100. New Ostrich Feather Boas, all lengths. Sole Portland agents for the fam ous " Keiser " Neckwear for women. New Marabout Teather Boas in white, black, light blue and pink Newest styles, prices from $12.00 to $25.00. New Silk Neckwear at 50c and 75c. COPYRIGHT Free Embroidery Lessons given daily by an expert Hours 2 to 5 P. M. All the new methods taught. All the new models in La Grecque and Kabo Corsets now ready for your selection Expert fitter All are rightly priced. thing The boys' cloth ing section is filled to overflowing with all the neat, serviceable kind of clothes for the little men school clothes, dress clothes, overcoats. Special value in boys' all-wool, 2 piece School ' Suits in brown, gray and green mixtures, ages 8 to e Boys' all-wool Oxford gray Overcoats, latest styles, ages 4 to 16 years New styles in little boys' kilts, Russian Blouses and Sailor Suits. (Second Floor.) The 725th Friddy Surprise Sale Tomorrow, the 725th Friday Surprise sale. By looking back over the seventeen years during which we have held these famous surprise sales we can not locate an embroidery sale that would come anywhere near equaling the marvelous value of fered for tomorrow. All new goods. The whys and wherefores of this transaction wouldn't in terest you. The value is here The styles and qualities are here. 50c, $ 1 .35 Embroideries 25c yard 4500 yards of beautiful Nainsook Embroideries, 5 to 12 inches wide, all tHe finest patterns in immense variety . -Values in the lot ranging from 50c to $1.35 C a yard, tomorrow, yard ...S. Nainsook Insertions 2500 yards to match the above edgings, very best patterns, values ranging from 35c to 60c yard, Friday bupnse bale price will, fl i be, per yard SEE FIFTH-STREET WINDOW DISPIVV. New Carp a j "Peninsular ets, Draperi The choicest stock of Floor Covering and Draperies ever shown in Portland is here a stock that includes the best of the new patterns and colorings, the most taste ful combinations, and 'every yard from the standard mills of the country. Wilton Carpets The acme of excellence the correct floor covering for library, dining-room or parlor. Axmmster Carpets For drawing-room; soft, delicate shades ; beautiful designs. Brussels Carpets The sterling Carpet for wearing qualities ; the popular chamber Carpet. Immense assortment of new patterns and colorings. Velvet Carpet The best wearing ; medium v priced ; all the bright, new colorings. New Lace Curtains, new Draperies, new Materials. Competent designer and work men. Custom Shade work a specialty. Orders promptly executed. Bargains in Tray Cloths We offer for today an exceptional bargain in 5C0 Linen Tray Cloths, 18x27-inch size, drawn centers and corners ; fringed ; a bargain extraordinary at Around the Store New Footwearfor men, women, and children. New Furnishings for men. New Undermuslins. New Belts and Bags. New Veilings and Hat Drapes. Medium and heavy-weight Knit Underwear for women and children. " Stoves and Ranges, fifty models, Basement. Meier & Frank Company Meier & Frank Company j Meier & Frank Company" J Meier &. Frank Company MUST WAIT FIVE YEARS SENTENCE PASSED BY COURT-MAR-TIAJj UPON COLONEL BOOTH. OIDcer at "Vniwcouver Fonnd Guilty of Permitting Irregularities In Quartermaster's Department. I Lieutenant-Colonel Charles A. ; Booth, Quartermaster's Department, United States Army, was found guilty, at the late general court-marltlal at Vancouver, of permitting Irregularities to exist in his office while in charge of the Quartermas ter's stores at Fort Davis, near Nome, Alaska. A peculiar feature of his case, and a matter which has aroused the resentment o the men at Vancouver post, is that dur ing his stay at Vancouver, while awaiting the outcome of charges against himself, he was made an officer of the summary court, where minor charges against the men are tried. The court-martial findings were made public yesterday, and were that Colonel JJooth must remain at the foot of the list of Lieutenant-Colonels during the rest of his active service, which Is 11 more years. This sentence would render Colonel Booth totally ineligible for promotion. However. Brigadier-General ,Funston, commanding the Department of the Co lumbia, upon reviewing the case, commut ed the sentence to five years at the foot of the list Meanwhile Booth will continue to draw the pay and allowances of his present rank, his promotion being only re tarded. Booth was pronounced guilty of misman agement and neslect. The case against the officer was strong. It is said that the j charges and specifications were very vo luminous, entering into the smallest de tails of each offense, giving dates and all connected circumstances. Among the specifications against Booth was a charge concerning the purchase of cigars, later retailed to others at prices lower than the manufacturers received for ! them. Another specification was that TJnntVi cntri lnri mifintltlPQ of CftmrnlMnrV supplies without authority. On this point Booth set up the defense that the sup piles were not needed by the soldiers and would spoil, being of a perishable nature. Booth was Major while In Alaska, but was In line for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. He arrived at Vancouver sev eral months ago, under special orders to j await the action of the general court martial. Tho wait was sufficIenUy long, however, to give himt promotion, to his present rank. Booth was involved in the same manner as Lieutenant Knud Knud son, both having been stationed at Fort Davis and both accused of Irregularities in sales of Government supplies. WEDDI N AND VISITING CARD ENGRAVER' AND STATIONERS. W. G. SMITH-& CO WASHINGTON BUILDING Corner Fourth and Washington Sts. Keep the "Pockct'Serre" Untouched. PORTLAND, Sept. 7. (To the Editor.) By all means let us resist the ditrict as sessment system for gulch Improvements; It would not be us If we did not! Although one zrolden exception to the usual delaying, of work on necessary im provements would Indeed be refreshing to some of us. It would seem' a more equit able arrangement to tax the whole clty for all this gulch filling and bridging, for what benefits one part of a city in such matters must benefit the whole city. But there is so much of this work to do we'll all get our share by the assessment plan'. And the principal difficulty lies In this wise at present, it seems to me. Most of us would rather risk bridge disasters and car wrecks with all the attendant horrors and expense than pay a property assess ment of from five to 23 dollars toward averting such calamity. "We would rather take chances on our physical nerves being torn In shreds In accidents than hurt the "pocket nerve" by paying a slight assess ment towards making all roadways safe. Such seems the perversity of the "human warriors." however. In closing might I suggest that we do some of this neces sary work on gulches and bridges first' and test the validity of the system after the work is done and- paid for. In the mean time we will have arranged safe roads tj tne courtnouse tor those wno must at tend to the legal aspect of affairs. IMPROVEMENT. HOLMES BUSINESS COLLEGl The regular night school of Holme Business College will beglp September 2J Day school students will resume studlc Monday, September 14. BUSINESS ITEMS. If Baliy I Cutting Teeth, Be sure and use that .eld and well-tried remedjl Mrs. wmsiow's booming &yrup, lor chllSrei teething. It soothes tne enna, softens the gum1- allays all pain, cures wind colic and diarrhoea Nervous, weak and tired people shoull take Jiooa s faarsapaxiua. for the blood.