Sept. 2, 1907 (Monday)

FORTUNATELY, THE SOUVENIR HUNTERS DIDN'T TAKE THE GUNS OR THE SMOKESTACKS: It's hard to believe, but the Swedish naval vessel Fylgia (shown here)barely survived the throng of visitors that tramped through the ship yesterday as it floated in New York harbor. The captain, Henry Lindberg, was eager to have people tour the ship, in conjunction with Prince Wilhelm's visit to the United States. By the end of the day, however, the crew was still tallying the items that visitor swiped from the ship as souvenirs. Today's Times reports, "In one instance it was said the sword scabbard of one of the senior officers was stolen, while wine glasses, spoons and other small articles are missing by the dozens."
Today's Boston Globe reports that "one enthusiastic souvenir hunter even carried away the breech block latch of the big gun in the forward barbette."
On Saturday and Sunday, about 10,000 people visited the ship. He is scheduled to sail to Sweden from Boston on Sept. 5 -- provided visitors didn't dismantle the engine.

MEMO TO ANGRY PARENTS: LOOK BEFORE YOU SPANK: Recently, a 7-year-old boy was playing in a field near his home at Bear Point, near Crooked Lake, in Michigan. For a while, he watched as his dad, Fred Williams, used some dynamite to blow tree stumps out of the ground. When the boy got back home, his mother decided that was the time to discipline him for a recent "childish misdemeanor," according to an article on the front page of today's New York Times. Mrs. Williams grabbed a SHINGLE to administer the punishment. When the shingle connected with the boy's rear end, a explosion tore a hole in the boy's backside and destroyed two fingers on the mother's hand.
It so happens that the boy had slipped a DYNAMITE CAP into his HIP POCKET when he was with his dad. The mom is left with severe injuries; the boy will likely die.