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V<(lV <(1 LXVI ...N° i!l.7i>4.
KFJIttSSIOJ TRIUMPHS.
BVSSIAN rrori.E .tNGRr.
Meetings of Members of Parliament
Dispersed by Troops.
gt Petersburg, May X.— There seems to be no
lotign doubt that the dominant party tn Russia
I* committed to a policy of repression, and the
danger of a ««peedy conflict between the govern
ment and the representatives of the people has
been greatly increased. The action of soldiers
and police in dispersing a meeting of members
©f parliament at the hall of the Economic Ro
dety last night was repeated to-night Several
members who protested against the dispersal
narrowly escaped being bayoneted. The good
Impression produced by the official intimation of
the new Premier that the Emperor and the gov
ernment were sincerely desirous of working in
harmony with Parliament has been dissipated.
The Liberals are amazed, in view of the semi
official assurances on the subject, by the promul
gation of the obnoxious fundamental law in a
flirhtly modified form. It put an end to the
report which the new Cabinet tried to foster
that the downfall of the Wltte Cabinet was due
to imperial disapproval of the original draft of
th<» law. An article in the law not mentioned in
j**t night's dispatches, exempting crown lands
from taxation and expropriation, and another
reserving the power of amnesty for political pris
eners tn the Emperor run counter to the already
express will of the majority. There is a pro
vi»icn that Imperial orders must be counter
signed by the President of the Council of Min
itterft or the member of the Cabinet whose de
partment is affected, but since the Cabinet is
not responsible to Parliament It is easy for his
icftjesty to replace an unwilling minister by one
•rho will do his bidding.
The indignation caused by the Emperor's at
tempt to reinforce the prerogatives of the Crown
has hern intensified by the action of the police
tort night In dispersing a meeting of some mem
bers of th*- lower house of Parliament and of
the upper house, or new Council of the Empire,
»t th» hall of the Economical Society. "With
out warning th* building was surrounded by
the Iwnaiiovsky Guard regiment and a detach
ment of cavalry- A hundred policemen marched
Into the hali. where Count Heyden. a marshal
of thr nobility and a member of Parliament
from Ft. Petersburg, was presiding, and ordered
the meeting to disperse, under instructions from
the Chief of Police. Vigorous protests were
made, but the members were compelled to yield
to force, and left the hall after drawing up a for
mal protest, which was signed by twenty-eight
members of Parliament.
M. Eodlteheff. a member of . Parliament for
It! Petersburg, hurried after midnight to the
hi!! where the Constitutional Democrats were
holding their convention, and announced to the
members there assembled the action taken by
the police. A furious scene followed, after which
Rodltcheff, in an impressive speech, which was
I cheered to the echo, said that the government's
appeal for confidence had again been false and
tint the people must rely upon themselves. It
«a»decided that one of the first things done after
disassembling of Parliament should be a de
"iaad for the dismissal of the Chief of Police. "'
Th* members of the Constitutional Democracy,
when they reassembled here to-day, were great
ly excited, and it required all the influence of
the leaders to restrain them. There" was a tre
mendous uproar when M. Milukoft* introduced
the subject. He said: *
We had reason to believe that the mad folly
nf the Wine government in trying to force the
Emperor in sign the odious fundamental law.
after a storm of indignation has been aroused
throughout the country by the publication of
the [raft of the measure, had been definitely
abandoned. We now learn that, like thieves in
Ibe night, the bureaucrats have executed their
damnable conspiracy against the people. Th«>
'!■■•■• parts of the fundamental law as issued are
Worse than the worst parts of any European
constitution.
T asked the convention to adopt a moderate
attitude, but now we have the right to be rad
ical. We must immediately answer this chal
knge.
fcf. Roditcheff then presented a resolution, in
noe as follows.
On the eve of the meeting of Parliament the
government ha* flung a new provocation to the
people by the issue of the fundamental law and
by depriving their representatives of the right i
to revise it. The ruling bureaucracy resumes Its
«n<-i«rf power, and Parliament, the centre of the
people* hopes, is shorn of the rights solemnly
c>v.fnrt><l upon it by 'the manifesto of October
*' Th» party of the people's liberty and the
members of Parliament see in thi«i act an open
md grant violation of the people's rights, and
announce that no bureaucratic government can
■top the people's representative.*? from accom
plishing their duty.
When the reading of the resolution was
finished there arose a storm of cries of "Too
r.v?akt" M. Roditcheff appealed to the members
"f the convention not to lose their heads as the
covernrsent had. but to show themselves strong
and calm. His appeal carried the day. and the
convention adopted the resolution by a stand-
Ing vote.
Previously the convention was forced to adopt
a mr.re radical declaration on the subject of the
esrarian problem, laying down the general prin
ciple that the land belonged to those who tilled
it, leaving the details of the scheme to be pre
*<r,ted to Parliament by the central committee.
The convention closed at 6 o'clock this even-
Jug. after M. Milukoff had delivered a speech
bj which he congratulated the party on having
disappointed Its enemies, who predicted a split.
He believed that the ideas for which the party
rood were constantly growing In the country,
*hi!«. on the contrary, the extreme revolution
ary organizations were passing through a
crisis. While the struggle might be prolonged,
victory tvas certain in the end.
The police to-night published an explanation
•f th^ir action In closing meetings, Justifying
it under the strict letter of the law which per
mits the presence of only members at meet
"S^ of societies. The presence of members of
Hit Parliament and other outsiders, the explana
tion Bays, made the meeting illegal. The ex
planation has not allayed the public irritation,
*s the law !n this respect has not been enforced
■triedy.
As if these incidents were not sufficient to ex
c't« the members of Parliament, the local au
thorities inflamed the working classes yester
4lt >". Without warning they ordered many of
to* leaJera of the workmen to leave the city.
they hLyj not time to remove their families. The
baiter was brought to the attention of a meet-
Isg of 122 peasant and workmen members of
< ( -nt, v. ho denounced it as an attempt
" ; - the part cf the government to bring about
routine rd es seventh pace.
v Jor Albany. Utica. Syracuse. Rochester. Buffalo,
-•lagiira I'"al!« and (».<• West the New York Central
«•« »rj,!.,« at $.30. *:i:.. 10:2 D. 11:1 Va. m.: l«. l«.
***, 3:i<t, 3 : 40. Z:iZ, «.«»>. i:». :.:i.<. :.::•-". 6:<X). I'M. >>:<*>.
•_*♦. »:.'». i!; 3(» p. m. Can you «1" better?- A«Jvi.
TV/0 TELEPHONE SYSTEMS IN NEW YORK
*'';-• J wean for bust— men. 'wo bor>ks to eon
•- '-. l»v L<i..U to answer, two Oii'.s to pay.—
To-mnrrtm. fair; u.. rt h»r.t „ !„,!«.
Blb^^ j IHfc r TiiH Ifli^iß^^^^^^ tl't 1 ' i IP * ■ -^ v * i
I . < J ;"' V >■■■ "'■■■■* \ ' '. ■■■■ . . > _ .- ft W * ._ I
i "'"' ' ' ; MB k* # i "• ■ ■ 1
■ * ' : i
1 E. E. Olcott, 2 Andrew Carnegie, 3 T. C. Martin. 4 Mrs. Carnegie, 5 John Frits, 6. Charles Haswell. 7 Catherine Olcott.
(For story of cornerstone laying ace page 7.)
MR. BELMONT ON STAND.
TELLS OF RACE BETTING.
Testifies in Union's Suit to Recover
Money Treasure? Lost.
August Belmont went on the witness stand
yesterday before Justice Amend. In Part 12
of the Supreme Court, in the suit brought by
the Housesmiths and Bridge Erectors' Union 52
to recover $1,600 from the Westchester Racing
Association, of which Mr. Belmont is president.
The money was lost by F. P. Rasmussen, at one
time treasurer of the union, in betting on the
races at Morris Park in 1904.
Mr. Belmont appeared in court with his coun
sel, De Lancey Nlcoll. who asked Justice Amend
to place Mr. Belmont on the stand, as he had to
go out of town to-day.
"This man De Lacy," said Mr. Nicholl. "has
fomented over fifty cases of this kind. Mr. Bel
mont is here and ready to testify to-day, and it
is hardly fair not to take his testimony now."
Counsel for the plaintiff said they were not
ready to examine Mr. Belmont. J. F. Perdue,
counsel for the union, denied that the suit was
a scheme of Peter De Lacy's, and said that he
was there "to recover money lost by working
men." Turning to Mr. Perdue, Mr. Belmont
salt:
"This is a matter of personal annoyance, and
if you had any decency you would have told me
that I need not come to-day. I know your ob
ject and what you are paid for."
•'I am just as respectable as you are," hotly
retorted Mr. Perdue.
Mr. Belmont finally took the stand, and testi
fied that counsel had informed the Westchester
Racing Association that it would be illegal to
accept money from the Metropolitan Turf As
sociation. He testified that no arrangement had
been made between the two associations, but
that each bookmaker purchased a certain num
ber of tickets, the money going to the West
chester Racing Association.
Asked why any arrangement had ever been
made with the Metropolitan Turf Association
and whether, If the revenues from the turf asso
ciation had not been forthcoming, the racing
would have had to cease, Mr. Belmont said: "If
there were no revenues from the Metropolitan
Turf Association, the revenues of the West
chester Racing Association would be very much
cut down."
The examination continued:
O —Then you came to the conclusion that racing
would be unprofitable without the assistance of the
bookmakers? A.-No: but It was deemed a helpful
o^rc^ of Revenue. you were chairman of the Stat«
RR Q C-5neATC -5ne A TX 11 d n JW, A -ol T the* commission was to
P T-&>£ n f™ Vurcha^ 7 aVrJe" number of
tickets the Metropolitan Turf Association attracted
many People who otherwise would not go? A.-
Yes.
Mr. Nicoll then examined the witness. He asked:
O-DJd the Westcliester Racing Association en
ter irno an arrangement with the Metropolitan
Turf Association to allow them to make bets? A.
"o^Was'the purchase of the tickets voluntary on
the' part of the Metropolitan Racing Association?
A — Entirely bet on the races A.— l do not
q._Do you bet on the races A.— l do not.
Rasmussen took the stand and told how and
when he bet at Morris Park. He said that he
confessed to using the union's fund at the race
track, and that he had paid back part of the
money. .i'Li
John G. Cavanagh was sworn in. He said his
business was dealing In racing stationery. The
witness testified that he furnished racing blanks
and "advance information." He said that any
one could go to the racetracks and become a
bookmaker. ■_ •
STRIKERS PARADE.
Five Hundred Italians Visit Green
wich, and Stop All Work. ,
(By TVleffraph to The Trlhun*. ]
(;rvenwicb. Conn.. May S. — Five hundred
striking Italians paraded through Greenwich thin
afternoon and stopped all of their fellow coun
trymen from working. By night, after they had
cleaned out the •tonemen at tho new plant
being built at Cos* Cob to electrify the New
Haven Railroad, they numbered a thousand.
The' men started a hundred strong, and first
visited the quarry districts, then crossed the
Byram Riv«r to Helle Haven and Field Point
Park. All the gangs putting in foundations for
the trolley poles along the railroad tracks joined
them.
At W. H. Truesdale's estate the strikers took
the tools from the workmen. In one place an
Italian is reported to have raised a red handker
chief on a whip for a flag and fired a pistol in
the air.
Sheriff Ritch was called upon for protection,
and gathered together fifty special officers to
prevent damage being done. The men acted
peaceably and no arrests were made. The
strikers demand $1 75 a day.
POLAND SPRING HOUSE.
Special representative will he at the Repoit Bureau.
r,rd Floor K. E. Car, B*way and 28th St. (May 10th
to 2 r -th> to iii:ik«* engagement* and satisfy all in
quiries concerning tin* summer season of 1008 at Po
land Spring. The Mansion House (always open)
jtreatly <• "1.-ul-'-'I The Poland Spring House opens
May 24'th.— Auvi.
NEW-YORK. WEDNESDAY, MAY <>. IWMJ.-FOUKTEEX I^ES -^: ' ;,\ : .
LAYING CORXKUSTOXE OF UNITED ENGINEERS 1 BUILDING.
TRIES SUICIDE IN P. 0.
FOLLOWS THIRD DEGREE.
Act of Clerk Shut in Room Eight
Hours— s2,ooo Missing.
Jacob Luckstone, chief clerk In the registry
department of the General Postofflce and for
eighteen years an employe there, tried to kill
himself early last evening: In the Postofflce
building. Postofflce Inspector Mayer received
orders to find out where $2,000 in bills sent to
the First National Bank of Tallahassee, Fla.,
had gone. He said last night he had kept nine
postal clerks, including Luckstone, for eight
hours yesterday in a room in the Federal Build
ing, and had told them he would not let them
go until he found out what had become of the
money. Luckstone said he waa weak from
hunger, got Into another room by the excuse,
and tried tp end his life by cutting his throat
and wrists. His life was not considered in dan
ger last night.
The Chemical National Bank is the loser. On
April 26 the bank sent two packages of regis
tered matter to the postofflce, both addressed to
the First National Bank of Tallahassee. Fla.
One of the packages contained $1,000 in $1 bills,
and the. othf r (1.000 in $2 bills. May 2 t*%
Chemical Bank received a telegram from the
Florida institution which said the money had
not been received.
The case was put into the hands of Postofflce
Inspector Mayer. His investigations led him
to believe that the money had been filched from
the postoffice here. He said that an alteration
had been made in the records, and that this
made it appear that the money had been sent.
Mayer says the clerks protested that they
knew nothing of the money. Mayer had seven
of his assistants with him, and he and they kept
talking to the men until fi o'glork.
The men got nothing to eat and were not al
lowed to send out for anything. Luckstone pro
tested as hard as any. When Luckstone was
finally allowed to leavr. the room Mayer said no
attention was paid to him for half an hour, and
he then went in to see the man. He was startled
to find him bleeding from wound 3in the throat
and wrists. A small penknife, the blade covered
with blood, lay beside the couch where he was
lying.
The Hudson Street Hospital ambulance sur
geon was summoned. He saw the wounds were
superficial, and dressed them quickly. He said
the man need not go to the hospital
Mayer put him under arrest and took him to
City Hall station. Mayer said the man gave
his address as Lexington avenue and 23d street.
The City Hall police say the address was not
the correct one. and that the man lives at No.
14(5 West 82d street.
Luckstone is thirty-eight years old. His sal
ary as head of the registry' division was ?I,H<K)
a year. He was well liked, and was considered a
good man in his place.
BAR ACTS AGAINST POOL.
Association to Demand That Appel
late Division Remove Him.
The Bar Association, at its meeting last night,
resolved to prosecute City Magistrate Joseph
Pool and to ask the Appellate Division to remove
him from the bench.
The action of the association was brought
about by certain members preferring charges
against Magistrate Pool, which they presented to
the grievance committee. The committee ap
proved them, and presented them to the execu
tive committee, which recommended to the gen
eral body the resolution of censure that was
adopted. The nature of the charges was not
revealed.
The resolution authorized the president to ap
point a prosecutor to submit charges against
Magistrate Pool to the Appellate Division, and
to ask for his removal from the bench.
BOMBS FOUND IN PARIS.
Two Men Wounded by Premature
Explosion in Capital.
Paris, May 8. — A striking carpenter named
Habort and another man were wounded this
afternoon by the explosion of a bomb which they
were loading in the garret of a house In one
of the districts Inhabited by the working
classes. After the men had been arrested other
bombs were found.
SAYS WIFE MOCKED HIM IN PULPIT.
[By Telegraph to Th« Tribune.]
Anderson, I ml.. May The Rev. James E. Haff
ner. pastor of the Universallst Church of this city,
filed suit for divorce to-day, alleging that his wife.
Bertha Haffner, has stigmatized him professionally
nn<! treated him cruelly. He says his wife marked
passages In his Bible so as to confuse him In the
delivery of his sermons, and often sat in church
and mads faces at him ns he attempted to preach.
TWO TELEPHONE SYSTEMS IN NEW YORK
would mean for business men, two books to con
sult, two bells to answer, two bills to pay.— Advt. t
HARKIMAYS FAST TIUP
AN INTEROCEAN RECORD
Crosses Continent in 33 Minutes
Less than Three Days.
Edward H. Harriman alighted from the Em
pire State Express at the Grand Central Sta-.
tion one minute after 10 o'clock last night,
finishing a record trip by rail from San Fran
cisco. He kissed his wife and daughter, who
were waiting for him at the station, and then
answered inquiries which were pressed on him
by waiting reporters.
"I made the trip in thirty-three minutes less
than threr> days from San Francisco to New-
York." he said in reply to the first question.
The following are the time table and itinerary
of the remarkable trip:
I /eft Oakland Mole. Cal.. 7:23 p. m. last Saturday.
Sparks, Nev.. »)6 miles. 6:47 a. m. Sunday.
Green River, Wyoming, 70S miles, midnight Sun
day.
Omaha. Neb.. BCT miles. 2:«. p. m. Monday.
Chicago. 111.. 448 miles. 12:* a. m. Tuesday.
Buffalo. N. V.. 540 miles. 12:69 p. m. Tuesday.
New York, 440 miles. 10 p. m. Tuesday.
"You want to know about San Francisco?"
said Mr. Harrison. "Rebuilding is already in
progress. They are putting up wooden build
ings, of one and two^. stories,, creating a, tem
porary wholesale district. They are trying to
get the wholesale district as near the railroad
as possible. Most of the building at present is
on Van Ness avenue and Filmore street. In the
burned residence section also they are erecting
wooden structures on the grounds of the resi
dences."
"How would the burned district in San Fran
cisco appear In New York?"
"It would be as if all the buildings on Man
hattan Island were laid waste from 57th street
to the Battery, with here and there a few big
buildings, or the walls of buildings, left stand
ing; all the section destroyed except the docks
and some buildings near the waterfront. You
may imagine what would have been the result
of the flre if the waterfront had been destroyed
and there had been no connection with the main
land. If the approaches to the ferries had been
destroyed there would have been no escape for
many people."
"What is the present state of order in San
Francisco?"
"The military are still in charge by courtesy.
The people feel more secure while the military
arc taking care of the property left in the burned
business district."
■What about the syndicate that is to aid in
rebuilding San Francisco?"
"I know nothing about that yet. I said in
San Francisco that the city could get $100,000.
o<>n if she needed that much and could show that
she needed it and what the money was to be
used for San Francisco has less debt per cap
ita than any of the large cities of this country.
If the burned district were not rebuilt the city
would have enough assets left to pay the debt
■Will there be restrictions In rebuilding the
city?"
"Strict methods in construction and ma
terials will be insisted on, and the height of
buildings will be limited. They probably will
widen some of the streets. They may adopt
part of the Burnham plan. They will not aban
don the wholesale district. There is no diffi
culty in building on made ground if the founda
tions go deep enough. There will be a change
in the location of Chinatown. There is plenty
of hope in San Francisco, but it will take years
to get the city back to where it was before the
flre." ' -•_ - -
"Will Seattle grow at the expense of San
Francisco?"
"I forgot about Seattle. I don't care to make
any Invidious statements. There is no reason
why one city should grow at the expense of an
other."
SPEAKER DROPS DEAD.
Detroit Attorney Succumbs to Heart
Disease at Society's Dinner.
Detroit. Mich.. May Alfred Russell, one of
the prominent attorneys of Detroit and for
merly United States District Attorney for the
Eastern District of Michigan, dropped dead to
night at the Detroit Club.
When stricken Mr. Russell was making an ad
dress at the annual dinner of the Michigan So
ciety of Colonial Wars. His collapse created
consternation among the guests and brought the
dinner to a tragic close. Heart disease was as
signed as the cause of death. ■•■..■;
Mr. Russell was seventy-six years old, and
was a native of Plymouth, N. H.
DEATH ENDS STAGE MYSTERY.
[By Tela«raph to The Tribune.]
Logansport. Ind.. May B.— The death of Mrs.
Elizabeth Clerke In the Insane hospital near this
city to-day solves the mystery of the disappear
ance of Miss Elizabeth Rcnner from the grand
opera stage ten years ago. She was playing in
Paris In 1895, when symptoms of insanity devel
oped. Her husband, D. H. James Clerke. brought
her to this country for rest, and she improved and
again went on the stage. While giving a perform
ance at Liaporte a year later she went insane and
was committed to the asylum near this city.
POLAND SPRING HOUSE OPENS MAY 30TH.
Hiram Rlcker & Sons beg to announce that their
special representative will be at the Resort Bureau.
3rd Floor N. K. • 'or. B'way and ISth St. «May 10t".i
to 25th") to arrange for bookings and answer all in
quiries concerning both the Poland Spring House
and Mansion House at 'Poland ttprlng.—
I
f«1
II!
THE UNITED ENGINEERS* BUILDING.
KILLED IN ELEVATOR.
Philadelphian Crushed to Death in
Victoria Hotel Lift.
Charles N. Grover, a representative of ths
Mechanics' Insurance Company of Philadelphia,
whose home was at No. 1519 North 53d street.
Philadelphia, was instantly killed in an
elevator at the Victoria Hotel. 27th street and
Broadway, shortly before 7 o'clock last night
while ascending to his room, on the third floor.
Thomas Fitzgibbon. in charge of the elevator.
became so excited as a result of the accident
that he had to be treated by Dr. Mount, of the
New York Hospital.
According to the police. Mr. Grover. with a
friend, Frederick D. Savage, whose address is
given as the Murray Hill Hotel, entered the ele
vator to go to Mr. Grover's room. Midway be
tween the second and third floors Mr. Grover
lost his balance apparently, and lurched forward
in such a manner that his head projected
through the elevator door.
Fitzjribbon, the elevator man, reversed the
lever, and the car dropped to the first floor. Mr.
Grover was caught between the elevator and the
third floor and his skull was crushed.
Dr. S. W. Smith, the hotel physician, and Dr.
A. H. Hillsman, who happened to be in the
hotel, were hurriedly summoned, but they could
do nothing. Mr. Graver's family in Philadelphia
were notified.
Coroner Schrady investigated the scene soon
after the accident, and said that, technically.
Fitz.sribhons should be arrested, but on account
of his condition his examination would be post
poned until to-day.
Mr. Savage was so shocked by his friend's
death that he was put to bed In the Victoria
Hotel.
VESUVIUS AGAIN ACTIVE,
Main Crater Discharging Sand —
Heavy Detonations.
Naples, May 8— Vesuvius is again showing
considerable activity. A dense column of smoke
is rising from the crater, accomnanied by loud
det • mtions and electrical discharges. The main
crater is throwing out sand and cinders.
An English engineer named Mozer to-day as
cended Mount Vesuvius, going within eighty
yards of the opening of the crater, which now Is
four hundred feet lower toward Resina than It
was before the recent eruption.
DEFAULTER NOT DEAD.
Missing Deputy Treasurer Swapped
Clothes with Corpse in London.
St. Paul. May B.— A special to "The Dispatch."
from Crookston. Minn., says that news has been
received that Joseph Matthews, who, as deputy
treasurer of Polk County, defaulted to the extent
of $6,000 and was thought to have died In a
London hotel in 1896. Is alive and expects to
return soon to Crookston to reimburse the bonds
men of County Treasurer Peaudry, who settled
with Polk County officials.
Matthews disappeared in 1886. His watch,
ring and papers were found among the effects
of a man who died in a London hotel. It is now
thought that Matthews was in London at the
time and changed clothing with the dead man to
confuse the police.
Mrs. Matthews collected $5,000 life Insurance
after the supposed death of her husband, and
married another man.
SMALLPOX PATIENTS PLAY BAftEB
[By Tvtaaraph to The Tribune.]
Crisfleld. Md.. May 8. -Open air exercise for
smallpox patients at the pnsthouse and grounds
across the river has resulted in the formation of
two baseball nines composed entirely of colored
men suffering from the disease, mostly in mild
form. The smallpox teams play every afternoon
and crowds or «.':-isfleld people sit on the piers and
watch the odd spectacle on the quarantined dia
mond. f
TWO TELEPHONE SYSTEMS IN NEW YORK
would menu for business men. two books to con
sult twu bslls ut answer, two bUls to pax.— Advt,
PRICE THREE CENTS.
SUM DEATH MSOLYIDi
SUICIDE THEORY GAINS.
Recent Butmem Worries Ascribed as
Motive for Self-Destruction.
The death or Charles I* Spier, the confidential;
man of H. 11. Rosen*, of the Standard Oil Com
pany, was as much a. mystery to the police last !
night as ever. Captain Hogan. who commands
the precinct In which the Spier house, in Tomp
kins avenue. New Brighton. Staten Island, fes
situated. Inclines to the theory that Spier com*
mltted suicide, although he' will not commit
himself definitely to such a statement. On on*
point, however. Captain Hogan Is positive. an 4
that is that no burglar committed the deed.
"After the ■ most careful examination ; of that
house and the grounds surrounding It. I am ab
solutely certain that the house was not entered
by a 'burglar." he said.
On the other hand. Dr. H. W. Patterson, the
Spier family physician, who wss one of the first;
to reach the house after th* tragedy, and Core-;
ncr M. J. Cahtll are Just as positive that Spier!
was murdered by a burglar who was caught hv
the act of robbing the house by its unfortunate*
owner.
The burglar theory rests mainly on the testi-j
raony of the widow. Mrs. Spier said that sher
was awakened by her husband knocking at heM
door and saying: "Kid. there are burglars in tha><
bouse. I must go after them."
Then Spier took his revolver from a bureau
drawer, and. holding the collar of Buster. taei
Boston bull terrier, in his other hand, crept
down the stairs. A moment later. Mrs. Spte*
says, she heard her husband call out. "Sic 'em,
Buster!" There was the report of a revolver,
the sound of a body falling, and all was still.
When Dr. Patterson and others came In aiwj
man what
heard the cries of Mrs. Spier and her two maids/
they found a few pieces of silverware on the*
floor. The doors leading to the ack porch weraJ
open. There were no signs anywhere of a strut*!
gle.
POLICE FIND FEW CLUES.
Two beer bottles, wrapped In a newspaper ol
last Sunday's date, were found near the back
fence of the Spier garden. It was learned that
they had been purchased from a dealer hi
Tompklnaville, and the police are said to be hi
possession of the name of the man who bought
them. This, the burglar theorists say. may fcr«
nlsh a clue to the murderer, although no arrest
had been made at a late hour last night.
The maid. Eva Ohloff. has also told of seetrigl
a rough looking man looking at the house mat
Tuesday and Thursday of last week. This mighfl
supply a clew, but the police do not place muds
faith In It
It was learned from one of the maids that
the doors opening on the porch were frequently*
left open at night, so apparently that had r;o>
significance. And. while It would be easy tor
an active man to climb up to the porch from
the sloping ground at the rear of the house, there
was not a scratch or a footmark or evidence of
any kind that any one had done so. Captain
Hogan and his detectives say a fleeing man must
have left some marks, even if he had gained en*
trance to the house without doing so.
The advocates of the suicide theory say that
for several days Spencer had been in a nervous
condition, so nervous that he had voluntarily
occupied a room apart from his wife, so that ha>
might not disturb her at night Then there wai
the judgment for 150.870 against him as presi
dent of the Yetman Typewriting Transmitting;
Company. Again there was the odd changing
of the beneficiary in the two New York Life to*
sura nee policies, aggregating $75,000 and only
recently taken out. from his wife to Alfred
Lauterbach, as trustee of his estate.
Furthermore, according to an intimate bu»H
ness friend. Spier was known to be a heavy*
speculator.
"In this connection." this friend said, it is)
worthy of note that the stocks in which tha>
Standard Oil crowd are interested have been
hammered a great deal of late, and what raish:.
only have made a dent In the roll of the blgasif
men might have swamped Spier."
Another point urged by the suicide theorists,
is that Detective Sergeant Lawson. the arst!
police officer to view the body. Is positive that
there were distlnc marks of powder on the*
pajamas Spier wore. Here, however, a direct,
conflict of testimony is reached. Dr. George
Wood, the coroner's physician, says there were,
no sued marks, and that only the edge of thai
cloth was burned, as would naturally take plact>
if the shot were fired at close quarters.
One phase of the case that has caused som«k
feeling between the police and the coroner I *
that the latter has positively refused to carry.
his autopsy to the point of extracting the fatal}
bullet from the body. This, he says. Is at th
request of the widow.
Captain Hogan has pointed out that the re*
covery of the bullet would go far toward deter-,
mining whether the dead man was killed by h! *
own revolver, and so. to a great degree, would
clear up the mystery. This matter Is now in
the hands of District Attorney J. J. Kenny.'
who will decide to-day whether any further!
probing shall be done before the burial, which)
is set for 2 o'clock this afternoon at the Mora-*
vinn Cemetery. New Dorp. Staten Island.
BertUlon experts were at work on the can ■»
yesterday. They examined the finger print onj
the rear door jamb and a smear made by &
thumb on the handle of the bread tray which
was found on the floor. The smear on the silver l
was found to measure up with the thumb of Mr.'
Spier.
The dog. Buster. Is the subject of much dls-»
cusssion and conflicting arguments. Some say
the dog raised a big racket at the time of the>
shooting, and others that he was not heard. Dr.
Horace V. Patterson, whose home Is at the rea»
of the Spier place, states that Buster did much)
barking at the time Mr. Spier was killed.
MR. ROGERS CHANGES OPINION.
H. H. Rogers. Jr.. who on Monday was a firm
believer in the murder theory, had somewhat
modified his opinion last night.
"Since making the statement that I believed
Spier had been murdered by a burglar." said Mr.
Rogers. "I have heard from the police, and am
now not quite so certain. I will not admit It to>
be a case of suicide, although It may be pos
sible. Ido not believe that the fact that Spier
recently took out $73,000 in life insurance has
any bearing on the case. That may be merely
a coincidence, as In many similar cases."
When asked whether Spier's finances were In
a bad condition. Mr. Rogers said that if it were
so It was news to him. He did not believe his
father. H. H. Rogers, sr . would offer a reward,
In view of the fact that Borough President Crom
well already had done so.
John Bonne, manager of the Times branch of
the New York Life Insurance Company, said]
yesterday that both policies Issued to Mr. Spier
were incontestable, and would be paid by th«
company, even if it were certain that Mr. Spier
committed suicide. He said he did not know
Mr. Spier's reason for having the policies made
out to Alfred Lauterbach as trustee. Mr. Spier
was solicited for the insurance by Mr. Boons
personally. 4£m
Mr. Lauterbach said yesterday that as trustee
and counsel for Mr. Spier he was prevented from
talking about the case. It was plain that Mr.
Lauterbach scouted the suicide theory. Thar*
was a report that the policy for 950.000 would
have to go to the payment of the Yetman Com
pany judgment obtained against Mr. Spier lost,
February-
Police Commissioner Blngham yesterday de
clined to make public a report he had received
from Inspector Grant regarding the Spier case*
■
POLAND SPRING. SUMMER SEASON.
The Poland Spring House opens May 50th. tit.
The Mansion House open throughout the year. A
special representative will remain at the Resort
Bureau. 3rd Floor N. K. Cor. B way & 2StU dw
(May 10th to £3th» to make engagement* and sr.r>«
all toaulrtss, Tvi. «?« llajL-Adtt.
