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VOLUME 11. NO. 247. T' 4 4* *4 MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY FORMED With Aisist&noe of' Commissioner Preus Mutual Fire Protection Com pany Organized This Afternoon ARE TOLB OF ADVANTAGES Directors Elected And Company Will Be Placed In Operation As Soon At PossibleSmoker This Evening More than fifty of the most prom inent farmers of southern Beltrami, northern Hulbhard and eastern Clear water counties were in attendance at a meeting held in the agricultural de partment of the hiigh school building today for the purpose of organizing a mutual insurance company. The farmers were addressed by J. A. O. Preus, state insurance commissioner the enthusiasm shown assures the success of the undertaking. The company will be known as the Bemidji Mutual Fire Insurance com pany. Articles of incorporation were drawn up and submitted to the farm ers. They were approved by the men present and Mr. Preus. The main purpose of the organization is to in sure farm property. Preus Talks Mr. Preus in a short address told the farmers of the success of the mutual insurance companies in this state since they were first brought into exiatance 34 years ago. He said that at the present time more than $320,000,000 worth of farm property was now insured by the 157 compan ies now in operation. He told that no mutual farmers company had ever failed in this state that approximat ly $6,500,000 had been paid into the companies for insurance fees that the cost was so small that about $21,- 000,000 had been saved the farmers of the state since the method was first introduced. Directors Named In order that the company might be formed 25 farmers were required to sign the articles of incorporation. Of these nine were elected as direc tors. The oficers will be named by the directors. Each company repres ents at least $50,000. The farmers who signed the ar ticles with the exception of those who signed late this afternoon, were: A. P. Ritchie, J. C. McGhee, D. A. Whiting, E. E. Schulke, H. E. Baw ers, T. J. Brennan, August Jarchow, A. E. Rako, E. C. Bengh, Nels H. Wil lett, George W. Day, Pter Larson, G. G. Moie, Herman Penske, Hugo Hen sel, E. W. Hall, E. M. Sathre, John Utech, Andrew Larson, Alfred Moen, John Dahl, Alfred Dahl, Alfred Graf, George Walker and A. Gould. Informal Smoker This evening an informal smoker will be held in honor of Vr Preus, who is now regarded as Minnesota's next, auditor at the Commercial clu'b Mr. Preus congratulated the farm ers on the interest taken .Jn the company and assured them that they would be assisted as much as possible by his office. FIVE TESHFY FOR STATE New Witnesses Heard In St. Paul Police Graft TrialTends To Up hold Testimony of Willie Wolfe CORROBORATES STORY IN PART St. Paul, Feb. 14.Testimony ot five witnesses in the Flanagan-Turner graft trial corroborated in part the story told by Willie Wolff as to his meetings with Flanagan, which Wolff testified were incident to the Dorsey deal in which $3,000 was paid for al leged police protection. C. B. Boucher, proprietor of the sameetings loon where Willie Wolff testified he paid Flanagan" his $750 from the $3,000 collected by Ida Dorsey, testi fied as to seeing Flanagan and Wolff in his place in 1913. Edward Reichow, bartender for Boucher, corroborated the latter's story. Woodie Burke and Anna Clark tes tified as to meeting Wolff and Flan agan at Emma Brown's resort in Jan uary, 1913. Wolff on direct examina tion said he and Flanagan "met a couple of girls and had some drinks at the Brown woman's place following the payment of the $750 of Dorsey money to Flanagan. The Burke wom an said she had been threatened by Wolff several times prior to the re turning of the graft indictments. She insisted, however, she was not tes tifying for the state because she fear ed Wolff. The Clark woman said she had been threatened by Wolff, but was telling the truth about the alleged Flanagan-Wolff episode at the Brown woman's resort. She identified Flanagan In court as the man she had met there. The assistant cashier of the Mer chants National bank corroborated Wolff's story as to his depositing $700 in that bank in January, 1913. Wolff on direct examination had tes tified he deposited $700 of his $750 share in the Dorsey deal in this bank. JUDGE A. G. DAYTON. Miners Ask President Wilson to Investigate His Conduot. More than 3,000 miners, their wives and sympathizers attended a mass meeting in Wheeling, W. Va., and adopted a resolution calling upon President Wilson to institute a con gressional investigation into the offi cial conduct of Federal Judge A. G. Dayton with the object of having him removed. Judge Dayton's recent de cisions with reference to the coal mine strike, the most objectionable of which was that enjoining the miners' officials for even speaking to other men employed there, suggested the meeting. SUNDAY IN THE CHURCHES. Salvation Army Sunday school at 2 30. Services at S p. m. Episcopal Sunday school at 9:30 a. m. Morn ing prayer and sermon at 10:30 special music. Archdeacon Parshall. First Scandinavian Lutheran Sunday school at 12. There will be no preaching services. T. C. Kolste, pastor. Congregational (Nymoxe) Sunday school at 11 a. m. Preach ing at 7:30 p. m. Special music. All are cordially invited to these* serv ices. G. M. Peacock, pastor. German Lutheran There will be German Lutheran services in the Swedish Lutheran church at 10 o'clock. Rev. Kurz of Brainerd will preach the sermon. Temperance Meeting Union temperence meeting in the city hall Sunday evening at 8 o'clock. Attorney W. I. Norton of Minneapolis will give *he address. Miss Hyland wdll sing at this meet ing. Everybody welcome. Baptist Sunday school a 10 o'clock. Preaching at 11 a. m. Jr. and Sr. Young Peoples' meeting at 3 p. m. respectively. Union temperence meeting ait the city hall at 8 p. m. Meeting for prayer Thursday even ing at 7:30. Bveribody welcome. C. E. Chandler pastor. First Methodist. Morning worship 10:45. Subject "Bemidji and the Saloon Question." Sunday school at 12. Epworth League at 6:30. Evening service, Temperance Mass meeting at the city hall 8 p. m. Prayer meeting Thursday evening at 8 p. on. AH are cordially invited ito these services. G. W. Gilman pastor. Presbyterian Bible class and Sunday school at 10 Morning worship and sermon at 11. Jr. C. E. at 3. Young peoples at 7. Mid-week ser vice for prayer and bible study on Thursday evening at 8. Tomorrow evening there will be no service at the church. We will join the churches of the city in a union tem perance meeting at the City Hall. When we will be addressed by At torney W. I. Norton, of Minneapolis, tentiary. SCOOP THE CUB REPORTER HARD TO GET GAMES To schedule games for the Bemidji high school basketball team is a dif ficult proposition according to Julius Bestul who is at the head this season. So far the team has had a poor sea son and unless games can be schedul ed for every week until the close of the season the year will be the poor est for a basketball team for Bemidji during the past several years. TELLSOFNEW HAVEN DEAL Tavenner Relates History of Railroad Affair And Says All Connected With It Are Guilty Of Crime NEW LAWS ARE FAVORED Prom Congressman C. H. Tavenner. Washington February 14Whlen the president of a bank defaults and the authorities come in and close the bank, often (bringing about the ruin of the innocent depositors in the in stitution, no on attempts to create public opinion against the author ities for enforcing the law. But when there is a agitation against financial malpractice in railroad af fairs, at once there are sleek coated gentlemen to rise up and denounce as demagogue those who demand the punishment of the rich malefactors. No such outcry, however can save the financial pirates who looted the New Haven Railroad from a full ex posure of their misdeeds and from probable punishment. The Bible puts in a special class those who rob widows and orphans. Those who lost through J. P. Mor gan's jugglery of the New Haven's finances were the railroad's stock holders. They have lost heavily. Senator Lippitt, of Rhode Island, told the Senate that 22,000 of the New Haven's stockholders are either widows or estates belonging to or phans and fatherless children. The firm of J. P. Morgan & Co.tain stands accused of looting this road to the tune of millions. No such scaly financing has been brought to light since the insurance investiga tions, The firm has not yet denied the accusations, or has it taken le gal steps against the New York newspaper which printed these charges. Now Senator Norris of Ne braska, has repeated the charges in the Senate, which has adopted tSe4 Norris resolution instructing the In terstate Commerce Commission to continue its investigation into these financal transactons. The commission made an incom plete investigation and an incom plete report. It reported that some $12,000,000, belonging to the stock holders of the railroad and used in the acquiring of the Westchester branch apparently "vanished into th'in air." The Commission is now instructed to go ahead into this "thin air" and find the thieves. Senator Norris has repeated in the Senate the charges that this $12,- 000,000 vanished into the coffers of J. P. Morgan & Co., ana that the job was done by lending money of the New Haven, almost without se curity, to a dummy corporation or ganized for the .purpose, and by tak ing out extravagant "commissions." On June 30, 1910, the New Haven (through Morgan, its fiscal agent) had paid over $21,000,000 for the Westchester property, which was then worth slightly over $12,000,- 000. The Morgans know exactly wnat they were doing. They had the best of corporation lawyers to advise them. It now develops that in loot ing the widows and orphans they vi olated not a single federal law. Un der state laws they might fbe 'prose cuted, but state administrations, only too liable to be controlled by such a corporation as the New Ha ven, have taken no steps. A poor man, guilty of thievery not half so reprehensible as those fin ancial transactions, would have been sent over the road for along stretch. The Morgans eluded the criminal statutes. Is there any additional argument needed to suport Woodrow Wilson's plan for federal regulation of railroad finances? If the law which the President advocates were on the statute books today, every living man connected with this New Haven affair would go to the peni- E BEMIDJI TOCELYkPIOJSTE BEMIBJI MINNESOTA, SATURDAY EVENING FEBRUARY 14, 1914. RED WINfi WINS FROM%THLEfICS Bemidji Boys Unable To Keep Pace With Visitors In Second Game Of Series And Lose By 20 to 16 Score scor jp* PAST CONTEST4 THROUGHOUT Basket Shooting of Hanson -Played Large Part In VictoryTeams Evenly MatchedBattle Tonight In one of the closest and most in teresting basketball fames ever play ed in Bemidji the McNeil five of Red Wing defeated the Athletics of this city by a 20 to 16 score, last evening. The Red Wing (boys went into the game confident of victory and started off with a rush wihich soon netted them a basket. Bemidji did not seem to play basketball to the extent of which they are capable until near the close of the game when a five ^minute spurt made a victory seem possible. At this stage Hanson,, Red Wing for ward, one of the surest basket Shoot ers to ever play here connected with two difficult ringers and the game was neatly tucked ajway. Visitors Past Red Wing is without doubt the best team met by tke Athletics this year. Every one of the visitors JS a fast aggressive ball player and to lose to such an aggregation is by no means a reflection upon the ability of the Bemidji men. That Bemidji did not play the game as in previous games of the year was noticable, and the three weeks of no practice was telling. For "Blud" Tonight The game to be played this even ing will be for 'Iblud," and Bemidji will enter the game determined to re its wonderful record established during the last two years. Vollners, captain of the Red Wing quint, was able to secure but one "bas ket off of Peck last evening, so close was the guarding of the Bemidji guard. Peck, aside from a tendency to rough it, played a great game. Neumann at centre played one of the best games of his career and had hement not been intwiuneraanig.ht-4ia*ee every scrimmag the 4e larger. Howe, Bemidji's clever little forward was held scoreless last even ing, while Brandon was able to con nect but once. Even on Fouls Each team was able'to secure six counts lb yfree throws. Inability to throw fouls cost Bemidji the game. The playing of Hanson, Vollners and ConJin for Red Wing starred as did Bestul, Neumann and Peck for Be midji. The Score Bemidji Bestul Peck Neumann Howe Brandon Red Wing Conlin Peterson Rehder Vollners Hanson .Field Baskets, Vollners 1, Hanson S, Peterson 1. Bestul 2. Peck 1, Brandon 1, Neumann 1. Fouls, Bran don 6, Vollners 6, Referee, Stanton and Oftedahl. Homesteader Loses life L. C. Markland, 65 a homestead er of Gryla, lost his life when his home (burned Thursday. His family escaped uninjured, but were ibadly frost bitten. The Marklands had mov ed to this county from North Dakota but recently. Bryan Assails Roger Sullivan. Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 14.Under the caption, "Sullivan Senator? No," W.Clair J. Bryan as&ails in the latest issue of his Commoner the candidacy of Roger C. Sullivan for the senate. Mrs. George (Baker, Mrs. W. Z. Robinson and Mrs. Walter Marcum, will entertain the Eastern Star at a thimble ibee in the Masonic hall Tuesday afternoon. Supper will toe served from 5:30 to 7 to which the members and their families are inPast vited. Walter F. Marcum returned today from Thief River Falls where he haswere been on business during the last .several days. T^!W^j PRESIDENT MEN0CAL Cuban Executive Remembers Victims of Maine Disaster. A special message from President Menocal of Cuba to be read at the memorial services to be held at Ar lington National cemetery next Mon day in honor of those who perished when the battleship Maine was blown up in Havana harbor, has been re ceived by the Cuban legation at Washington. It expresses eloquent memorial sentiments befitting the ocwithout casion. MANY HEAR RACHIE TALK Former Member O The Legislature Addresses Large Audience At City Hall Temperance Mass Meeting GRAHAM SPEAKS THIS EVENING The city hall was completely filled last evening when Hon. Elias Rachie of Minneapolis, a former member of the Minnesota legislature, the first speaker of four who are being brought here by the anti-saloon ele Bemidji, spoke on ''The Li quor Problem." Mr. Rachie brought out_the point that on an Average, $10,000 passes over the bar of every Minnesota sa loon annually, which would mean that in this city $280,000 is spent for liquor is one year. He drew at tention to the fact that liquor is de trimental to a persons thinking cap acity, and that "booze" tends to bring about an unfitted community. The speakers referred to the finan cial end of the liquor question by saying that the life of just one boy, worth more to his family than the entire $28,000 brought in by the saloons, can easily be crowded out of honor and righteousness iby drink. This evening Thomas W. Graham will speak on "Booze and Business." Sunday evening there will be a union meeting at 8 o'clock at the city hall and Attorney W. I. Norton will speak on "Booze and Economics," and Monday evening in the same hall he will speak on the same subject. These meetings are free and those in charge extend an invitation to all persons to attend. At Piney Ridge The offering at the Brinkman dur ing the past several days has been Piney Ridge, and the play has given general satisfaction. Miss Beaton as Zoila Daring and Irvan Hamby as Jack Rose carried their roles well. Mr. Hambly took the part of Jack Rose in true southern style. The St.ed company is still drawing large crowds. JJy special request the Per ish Priest will be played tomorrow night. Prominent Masons Here N. C. Pike, of Lake City, Eminent Grand Commander, Jesse Norton cf Duluth, Eminent Grand Captain Gen eral, George M. Stowe of Wadena, Eminent Grand ^Commander and Thomas Morris mayor of Crookston and Past Eminent Grand Comman der, of the Kniights Templar 'lodge, in iBemidji yesterday and atSauk tended a meeting which was held in the Masonic hall last evening. When This You See, Remember Me By MR I A Over drafts 2-1- Ley Ta 2-1-1915 NO HOCKEY GAME TOMORROW Bemidji Aggregation Disbands Be cause of Lack of Interest. Bemidji's hockey seven which or ganized several weeks ago and play one game with the Crookatofi team, has disbanded. In the game with Crookston the deficit amounted to nearly half the total expense and with the prospects for paying ex penses in future games, poor the play ers agreed to drop the sport. The rink near the dock is still in good condition and- a few minutes work cleaning off the snow would make*an excellent rink. William Shannon of the Bemidji postoffice force left this morning for Centre on a short business trip. While in that city he will be the guest of relatives and friends. OFFICIAL FIGURES OF CITY CLER *tC^ ^SHOW 'WET' AND 'DRY' FINANCES! (Records in the office of George Stein, city clerk, given below, showy tlhle tcondtitionis of Bemidji's finances as they will be one year from now should the* vote of next Tuesday result in favor of "no-license" or should it show a desire to continue the sale of liquor in this city for at least another year. The figures follow. Running Expenses of the City for 1912 and 1913. 1912 1913 Police Dept $3978.70 $3926.45 City Bldgs.^ 2454.69 2361.50 Fire Dept. 6066.49 6688.16 Prisoners & Jail 805.19 231.48 Miss. Con. Exp 1242.93 966.34 City Engineer 317.55 280.90 Gen. Street Work 2093.32 2450.90 Gen. Lighting 6519.84 6332.25 Print &Sta.-. 468.61 738.83 Elections 831.38 452.82 Tools & Equip. 809.90 222.73 Scavenger 162.50 268.50 Fur. & Supplies 174.60 186.58 Munic Court 2593.37' 2346.70 Insurance T. 557.30 173.30 Miss. Salaries 2812.33 2903.00 Health Dept 841.05 664.07 The budget or 1913 to cover the foregoing items, of expence is $30,325. In addition to this amount thereis a tax levy to cover the following items:- Libray Fund 1500.00 Poor ^nd 2500.00 Int. Fund 3000.00 Per. Imp 12.500.00 No levy was made for the sinking fund for the reason that, the 25 per cent of the liquor licenses required hy the charter to be placed to the credit of this fund would be amply sufficient. It necessarily follows that license we muct raise by direct taxation $49,725, wth license, on a basis on twenty-nine saloons we would have to raise only $20,000. The funds affected in case of no license are: General Fund ...IT. $18,270 00 Sinking Fund 7,250.00 Road and Bridge The effect of license and no license on the General and Sinking funds will be as follows at the end of the 1914 fiscal year: General Fund, License. Overdrawn Feb. 1st, 1914 $28 168 68 Budget for 1914 3o!l25.'oo 63 Per cent of 29 Licenses $18,270.00 Mis., License, etc 3,000.00 Tax levy for fund 20^000.00 !9!5 17,223.68 General Fund, Without License Overdrawn February 1, 1914 $28 16*8*68 Budget for m4..: soWoo 63 Per cent liquor license refund IQ 000.00 Mis., Licenses, and Col .........$ 3,000.0,0" Overdrawn 2-1-1915 45,493.68 CENTS PER* WfflTHV-^ $32,719.75^ $31,744.53 $19500.00 2 20,O00.6o Cash on hand Feb. 1, 1913 (exclusive of bonds, etc) $ 8,176.47 Cash on hand Feb. 1, 1914 (exclusive of bonds, etc.) n\tSB.16 25 per cent of liquor licenses 7 250.00 25 per cent of Municipal Court fines, etc 400.00 Interest on Investments Cash on hand in this fund 2-1-1915 $27,435.15 Amply sufficient without any tax levy to pay $25,000 bond issue matur- ing in 1915. Without License. Approximate refund license money $ 4 000.00 Loss Liquor License (25 per cent) 7^250 00 Cash in Fund !$1U5O]OO in short, the sinking fund at the end of the fiscal year, Feb. 1st, 1915, would Ibe insufficient .by nearly $10,000 to pay the bond issue maturng in 1915, and would as there is no tax levy for this fund in 1914, necessitate another band issue. HO P' $68,493.68 $68,493.68 Sinking Fund, With License. 2 i I $4 4f 900 00 $58,493.68 $58,493.68 H $58,493.68 000 00 16,185.15 $27,435.15 $27,435.15 SECURES FEATURE FILM Manager Woodmansee Closes Con tract For Production Of Cleopatra C. J. Woodmansee, manager of the Grand and Majestic theatres has closed a contract whereby "Anthony and Cleopatra," one of the largest moving picture films ever produced will be shown at the Grand in near future. This is an eight reel film and includes 4,000 persons. It is one of the George Klein pictures. "Checkers" which was shown at the Grand last night and Thursday night was one of the best films ever*shown here and again proves that Manager Woodmansee efforts to bring only the best to Bemidji are not unavailing. A marine dectective story, "Port of Doom," will be shown next Tuesday and Wednesday. Large Class To Take Exams' Several young men of this city and surrounding villages have made in quiry at the Bemidji postoffice re garding the civil service examina tions for railway mail clerk February 21. S. A. Cutter will have charge of the class which will probably be the largest to take the test in this section of the state.