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About The Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 19??-1984 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 1921)
Newest and Biggest of the Atlantic Liners Day Is Saved by Golf Ball Amateur Champion Sees His Shot Go True by Remarka ble Roundabout Drive. MOUSE IS CAUSE OF IT ALL Champ Hurls Ball at Fleeing Rodent, Misses, Ball Rebounds, Hitting W aiter, Who Drops T ray and That Ends Mouse. With a full psKsenger list of persons and “personages," the latest and biggest and most luxuriously-equipped ad dition to the fleet of the French line docked nt New York recently. The photograph shows I-a Paris ending her maiden voyage at the pier. The vessel Is of 33,700 tons. Its four screws driven by oil-burning engines of 45,000 horse power. __________________________________________________________________________ Where Vendetta Still Prevails *--------------------------------------------------- the crimes, no one was ever punished by the law. Code of Honor as It Is Enforced in Sardinia, Corsica and Agreed to Attend Mass Together. Then some one huvlng authority Elsewhere suddenly listened to reason. All the OIFFICULT TO STAMP OUT Most Persistent Disciples Are Among the Most Mild-Mannered and Most Hospitable People In the World —Ceremony of Reconcili ation. New York.—Vendetta still flourishes In many purts of the old world, but In no place Is It more flrmly estab lished than In the Island of Sardinia. Why It flourishes there Is » mys tery still unsolved, for the Sardini ans themselves are probably among the mildest mannered men In the world. Travel all over their Island und you will he received with the greatest hospitality. There are few Inns, except In the two or three chief towns, but Inns are not needed, for every door Is open to the stranger, the best of fare Is of fered—nay, lavished with open hands —the futted calf Is Instantly slain, the cellars are ransacked for the oldest wine. Indeed, you might almost start a vendetta by refusing hospitality or wanting to hurry away too soon I So long ns you do not stnlle at the women folk you are an honored guest for a much longer time than you wish to remain. Hut the etiquette about women Is ns strict as lit any harem land In the East, nnd no Intercourse Is allowed with strangers. Next to Sardinia lit the vendetta business comes Corsica, where the peo ple, utter all, are not very different. There Is plenty of bloodshed In Sicily, but It Is organized by a secret so ciety und has nothing to do with ven detta. Alhanln runs the blood-feud on very similar lines und Albania's hereditary enemy, Montenegro, oddly enough, cherishes almost the same traditions, whereas the Serbians, the cousins of the Montenegrins, are bloodthirsty In quite n different way. It Is probably not an accident (hut feuds and feudal ism have the same derivation, and clannish traditions must have some thing to do with the custom, writes Herbert Vivian. hostile families—the Leporls, the I’es, the Seazzus, the Spezzigas and the Vasas—fur more hostile than the Mon tagues and Cupulets, agreed to attend a service of reconciliation together. Their famous feud has been respon sible for no fewer than 75 homicides during the last 15 years. It ull began 'with the murder of Prof. Pier Felice Stangonl, a widower who lectured at the technical Institute of Sassarl. What he had done Is not quite clear. Some say lie had flirted with a Miss Pes and then refused to marry her. Another story Is that he was unin tentionally killed by a mischievous boy from nn unfriendly village. Any how, the professor was taking a coun try wulk with his three boys, Albert, Mario and Arnold, when some one lurking In the thickets suddenly bit him on the forehead with a bullet from a catapult and killed him ln- stnntly. There was a sensational trial and tlie suspects were acquitted. A few months luter, however, one of them, Martin Pes, was killed. Thereupon the authorities arrested Professor Stangonl’s father-in-law, Paul Leporl, a vigorous old man, und he was ac quitted for lack of evidence. Assas sinations followed with furious rapid ity. Nicholas Vasa was seriously wounded one day and killed the next. Members of the various families were found dead in lonely places or disappeared and were never seen again. An Immense amount of prop erty was destroyed. Great numbers of Innocent people went In dully fear of tlielr lives. Ceremony of Reconciliation. son of Martin Pes, whom old Leporl was accused of killing. Salvatore Is now some forty years of age. Then there were Mario and Arnold Stangonl, sons of the first victim, well able to remember the horror of their father’s murder, Arnold In the uniform of an ardlto (storm troopers), with two sli ver medals earned by prowess In the war. After the benediction, old Paul Le porl nnd Salvatore Pes solemnly em braced nnd wept on each other’s shoulders, amid the Intense emotion nnd loud applause of the crowd. The kissing became general nnd there were solemn vows of mutual love and re spect. The Last Combat. This Is the story of the latest rec onciliation. Two families carried on a feud until they were both nearly de stroyed. They fought like wild beasts, concentrating every nerve, every emo tion, In the business of killing the tra ditional foe. Year after year, In am bush nnd open fight, members of both families fell victims of the Implacable rancor. Oddly enough, however, tlie two heads of the respective clans, sturdy old men, remained unmolested. Youths and even children were laid low, but the chiefs remained, like stal wart oaks, undisturbed by the raging tempest of crime. At last they remained almost alone. A few more murders and they would have been the solitary representatives of their slaughtered lines. They took no special precautions to guard against attack. In fact, one afternoon, one of them was riding quietly back to Sasearl, accompanied by a servant. A few miles from home a shot re sounded from behind a bill and he bit the dust, lie shook himself and rose to bis elbows, but lie knew that bis hour had struck. He called quietly to his servant. “Take off the saddle,” he said. • When tills was done lie took cover very stealthily behind It, pointed his gun In the direction from which death had been let loose upon him. Then he bade Ills servant run to ward the town, shouting as he ran; “My master Is dead 1” Two hundred members came from Deceived by Ruse. fur and near to attend the ceremony The man who lmd fired the shot of reconciliation. was completely taken In by this de The boys of Templo seminary vice. First, he peered out cautious walked first In the procession. Then ly; then Ills whole body appeared came Monslgor Sanna, bishop of Tem above the hill. It was the chieftain plo and Castelsnrdo, followed by the of the other family. parish priest, the mayor with an Ital The wounded man took a long, de ian ling and an enormous crowd from liberate aim, fired nnd saw with sat the whole countryside. Penitential isfaction that he lind lilt Ills mark. hymns were sung nnd mass was cele The servant came running back, re brated In the oiien air uinld deep emo called by the shot, nnd to liim the old tion. man said grimly: Then Father Dellglos, a famous “Tell them to bring two biers, for Franciscan preacher, spoke of the we are two dead men.” And so it beauty of Sardinia, the hospitality of proved. Part of Their Code of Honor. They found the chieftain with his The great difficulty that govern her people, always generous except ments find In suppressing vendetta Is when carried away by traditional ha head resting on the hard pillow af that Its disciples regard It ns part of treds. lie nlluded to the 75 victims forded by Ids snddle, and In death he their code of honor. Men who go to nnd Invoked the blessing nnd pardon still clung to Ills gun. After this last tragedy the few survivors of the two church regularly nnd observe all the of heaven on the survivors. Then the members of the hostile futilities consented to make pence, for religious feasts—black-coated gentle men o f Infinite respectability, who fnniilles were divided Into two long It seemed to them that they bad car could be trusted anywhere with un flies and went up side by side to re ried out the law of vendetta to Its told gold und frivolous females—nev ceive (lie episcopal benediction. There bitter end. But vendetta Is In their blood—the ertheless consider It their sacred duty was Paul Leporl, “Uncle Paul,” ns he to slay the second cousin twice re Is known to the whole countryside, the very children play at vendetta. Just moved of some one who has killed a Inther-in-lmv nnd nlleged avenger of as little Spaniards play nt bull lights. member of tlielr family In legitimate the first victim, now ninety years of A trifling accident or a petty quarrel self-defense, indeed, there Is a stigma 1 age, and very hoary, but still erect may easily lend to another feud last ing for centuries and spreading a reign on their whole clan If blood has not und vigorous. Reside him was Salvndore I’es, the of terror over whole provinces. been wiped out with blood. If many molars lime not repaid a single tooth. It ceases to be—It never Is, In fact— a personal affair. It Is Just primitive, savage justice. lu Sardinia church and state have been frantically at work for genera tions trying to suppress the veudetta. I but It Is very slow work. From lime to time, however, rec- | onetllatlous do take place. Sixty five ! years ago there was a solemn cere- j niony of forgiveness between two fam- ! llles that had been at war for two een- ' turles, killing one another ami de stroying one another's cuttle and j farmsteads. It made an enormous seusutlon, und marked an epoch In the j history of the Island. Only the other 1 day there was a similar event, for ; which the parish priest and the mayor of Templo, amid the savage rockland of Angina, are Jointly responsible. Almost endless negotiations preced- I ed the formal kiss of |>ence. No one ( wished to forego his vengeance; the honor of five hostile families was nt stake. Again and again, for a whole A recent terrific » lud and * torrential rain conspired to drive this XTts- generation, men anil boys have been sisslppl steamer on the tuod lints. The old vessel, on« of the last of the stern- stabbed, and though everybody knew' driven variety for which the Mississippi was once famous, has been abandoned the culprits and all the reasons for by her owners. Her back la broken and her sides are all wrenched. Chisago.—Seated about a table at dinner In a loop restaurant recently, three Hammond residents carried on un animated conversation about golf. Earlier the talk bad dealt with ani mals, artificial lee und Admiral Sims' speech, but bud v.-ered around due to a sincere effort on the part of two women present to pleuse tlielr male escort, Freddie Beckman, champion amateur golfer of Hammond. Since this story deals particularly with Freddy, It must be understood be has several laudable characteris tics und accomplishments. Beckman really Is n good golfer. Back lu clvU- lzation lie Is at a disadvantage be cause of Ills acute bashfulness, but this affliction Is remedied for him in circumstances demuuding instant ac tion, Beckman was very polite and nod ded briskly whenever he was uppealed to during the golf discussion, but sig nally failed to register enthusiasm. Golf Ball to Rescue. It was Just after the conversation bad swung back to animals that Beck man’s moment came. Ills companions, Mrs. Elene Meyn and "L. M.,” bad Just finished their dessert when an uproar arose near the band. A woman shrieked and another and a third. As one person, patrons of that entire end of the restaurant rote to their feet and mounted chairs. “It’s a mouse and coming this way," cried Mrs. Meyn to Freddy. There was no question it was a sec ond Just made for the amateur golf champ of Hammond. Ills hand stole Into his coat packet and brought out a golf ball. It was one he had made a hole In “1” with just the day before, and he was keeping it as a souvenir. Balancing the ball In his hand, lie gazed earnestly at the fleeing rodent, headed straight for him. Then he swung his arm In a long underhand stroke and let the ball fly. It flew across the ten feet of space between Freddy and the mouse with a swlsli. Perhaps the mouse moved a trifle or maybe the ball was not ex actly round—at any rate, the shot missed by a hair. Get* the Rodent. A gasp went up, und ended In a shout of wild laughter, for the boll, Widow Gets Half Cent in Breach of Promise Suit London.—One-half cent dain- nges was awarded to Mrs. Wini fred Coales, a widow with two children, of Blackborough road, Relgate, who sued William C. Cromwell, a motor engineer’s clerk, of Brighton road, Redhlll, for alleged breach of promise of marriage, which she said was made a few days after the death of her husband, who was serv ing with the Rhine army. striking the wall with a thump, bounded back and fitted snugly In the exact middle of a rotund waiter’s an- utomy. The waiter bad remained to all ap pearances petrified after the first shriek, following the discovery of the rodent, but at the advent of the golf ball he bounded up with a howl. A platter of food and drluk In his hands fell to the floor and his nouns rose louder as he saw the extent of the casualties. As the platter fell, Beckman watched It with pop eyes, and then, as tlie last echo of the crash died away, he murmured to his compan ions: “By gosh, I got that mouse after all.” Yes, you have guessed It—the plat ter killed the mouse, Freddy’s shot cost him $7.70 and a g ilf bull, how ever. WALES GETS FEUDAL GIFTS Ceremonies 600 Years Old Are Revived on Visit of Prince to Cornwall. Launceston, Cornwall, England.— Picturesque feudal ceremonies of 600 years ago were revived here when the prince of Wales, who is also duke of Cornwall, paid a visit to the old-time capital of hlg ducliy. Launceston hus been a royal borough since about 1086. The ceremonies Included the presen tation of rent and “offerings of fealty” In kind, according to ancient custom. The mayor presented to the prince 100 shillings and one pound of pepper on a silver dish. To Sir Hugh Molesworth St. Aubyn fell the duty to offer a brace of grey hounds. According to ancient usage, they shcnld be pure white, but the nearest obtainable approach was a well-matched piebald couple. Another ducal tenant tendered a pair of gilt spurs, and others present- Octopus Seizes Boy, Who Is Saved by Sister ! Eureka, Cal.—Word reached here that a 16-foot octopua was killed at Samoa, Humboldt county, after It bad seized In Its tentacles eight-year-old George Peterson, son of a Eureka tug captain. The octopus lashed out with the other tentacles and wrenched an oar from the bands of a stater, who was trying to rescue the lad. With another oar she stunned the animal, which loosened Its hold on tho boy and crawled to nearby rocks, where It was beaten to WWV ************* W ! I ! ! < ! < ! < ! I ! < ' i W W ' ed a pound of cumin, a salmon spear, a faggot of wood, a pair of white gloves and a rose. Strangest of all these curious terms of tenure Is one requiring the repre sentatives of the manor of Swannacot and St. Mary Week to present them selves at the dneal court clad In man tles of goatskins. The present-day Incumbent, Bethuel Hutchings, stoical ly endured this attire over the ordi nary clothes on a broiling hot day. His appearance suggested a blend of a modern country tourist nnd Robin son Crusoe. The prince, much amused at the vnriety of gifts, solemnly "confirmed all the loyal tenants In their hold ings." TWO SWEPT THROUGH TUBE Erie Workers Carried Nearly a Mils When Temporary Dam Lets Go in Storm. Erie, Pa,—Carl Henderson and Axel Mackl, employed in the construction of the Mill creek water tube, were swept nearly a mile through the 18- foot concrete tube when a temporary dam let go during a terrific rainstorm. Both men were working Inside the big tube when the dam let go. They were carried to the lake and thrown out upon the sand. Both will recover. Nearly an Inch and a half of rain fell In 20 minutes, flooding many cel lars and Interfering with traffic. REDS LOOK TO SOUTH AMERICA Bolshevist Leaders See Final Haven of Refuge in Our Neighboring Continent. SAT LENIN IS WEAKENING Intercepted Correspondence of Com munist Officials Shows T hat Many Octobrists Are Sending Their Families Aboard. Reval, Esthonla.—According to re cently Intercepted correspondence from communist officials In Moscow to communist agents abroad, advising them of the “Inside situation” in Rus sia, South America Is looked on as a final haven of refuge by many of tlie less hopeful Bolshevik leaders In event Russia becomes too hot for them. One of these letters, recently pub lished in n Reval newspaper, the Pos- lednle Novostl, advises one of the offi cial’s friends, who now Is apparently Scouting for a New Scenic Road In Germany, to "convert your valu ables into dollars as frequently as you can, or, better still. Into South Amer ican currency.” Saya Lenin Is Weakening. "The Octobrists,” the letter adds, meaning by them those communists who participated In the October (1917) revolution, "are frequently sending their families abroad. Soon, It may be, I shall send my wife across to you, In which case try to put her up as best you can.” Referring to the political situation, this communist wrote: “Illltch (mean ing Lenin, that being, his middle name by which he Is popularly known In Russia) Is weakening. Zinovleff has grown too fat. Trotzky alone re mains as of old the unrecognized Na poleon, but he Is ‘evolutlonlzlng’ also.” In connection with the sending abroad of the families of the Oc tobrists, this letter goes on: “Will you kindly keep a detailed account of their arrivals and of their means? Further, by a decision of the military department of the party, I want you to withdraw from the banks all the deposits at your disposal and put them In safe hands. Bring It to Switzerland. "Bring to Switzerland a third of the ‘Iron fund’ and hand It to B----- . The rest can be left In Germany for any eventualities.” The writer constantly refers to the ruling councils of the Bolshevlkt as “the Olympians,” nnd remarks that "our Olympus Is going the pace too fast.” "From January,” he says, "the situ ation In the council of the party and In the central committee hns come to a point to the last degree. Tlie result of these conflicts was the expulsion of Comrades Krylenko, Bontch-Bouro- vletch, Dubov, Blumenthal and many others. This was the last gesture of the gay party gods. For a word said against Illltch, Krestlnsky or Zinovleff, even not In public, ostracism Is immi n e n t” RACING FRAUD IN GERMANY Old Steamship’s Back Is Broken Promoters Fix Things So No One Elee Gets Any of the Money. Mrs. Mary J, Burton of Los Angeles Is pointing, for the benefit of Miss Barbara Babcock of Salt Lake City, to the wonderful view of southern Utah’s “Dixie country" as they stand on a high plateau. The girls are members of a party opening the new scenic road from Zion National park, Utah, to the north rtm of the Grand canyon. Berlin.—Horse races In Germany generally were honest affairs before the war, but scandals are the rule nowadays. Typical of the rest were the recent Cartsliost races, under the auspices of the Strausberg Racing society, which so arranged matters as to keep not only all the purses hut also the amounts of the totalization and registration fees. Four horses ran In the so-called Fredersdorf race. When the Jockeys had galloped over more than three- quarters of the distance they began trotting, so that the first horse ar rived at the starting point seven and a half minutes after the agreed max imum time. According to the rules no purse was paid and the money placed on the horses and the registration fees went to the treasury of tbe Strausberg Rac ing society.
