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VOL. XXIII.—NO. 145. 11 HI 1 I..OH!) ROBERTS* ADVANCE FROM THE HKENOSTER RIVER WILL. BE DELAYED BOEIS DESTROY ALL BRIDGES free staters complaib of the WANTON ACTS OF THEIR TRANS VA AX ALLIES BOER PLANS AB£ UNKNOWN Embargo Upon Xrws From Pretoria llh.s Been Complete of Late Supplier Eolerln^ Mufe kinK by Rail. LONDON, May 25.—Lord Roberts' In fantry advance Is delayed at the Rhenos tf-r ilver. for a day or two, by the depth of the stream, which 1? not fordable. Tho banks, which are precipitous, are forty 1< < i high. A pontoon and temporary bridge constructions are under way. The railway has not been damaged to any irreat extent between Kroonstad and Rhenost< r. The Transvaalcrs have offended tlie Fi cc Staters by destroying their splendid bridges when retiring to Kroonstad. They refrained from doing- this on the retreat to Rhenoster. but they are destroying the railway and bridges almost completely noitb of the Rhenoster. The British tr->< ps are in the foim of a crescent with horns thirty miles apart, with Gen. French's cavalry on the left, within twen ty-thri-e miles of the Vaal, and Gen. Lan Hamilton's mounted men cm the right, Within thirty milts of the Vaal. The cen ter of the crescent is apparently forty miles from the Vaal. Seventy or eighty miles to the left Lord Methuen is ad vancing up the Vaal. Boer telegrams say that 7.0U0 British with forty guns are ne:ir Vreydeford, which is close to the Vaal, and near Heilbron. The Free Staters i.re pictured as "bolt- Ing liko hares"' at the first fight of the British. The latter, according to one writer, do not even find women and children, as the fleeing farmers take their lamilies with them, in consequence of the reports current among the Transvaalers that the British kidnap all children over twelve years of age. The Boer rear guard was composed of Russians, to whom was committed the t.-:^k df destroying the bridges. They also looted freely. BOEK PLANS A MYSTERY. "What the Boers are doing is an abso lute mystery. The embargo of news out of Pretoria for the last twenty-four hours has been complete. Such threds of in formation a.s the correspondents at Lour tnzc Marques have picked up do not Illuminate the Boer design* and dispo sition further than that the movement towards Lydenberg continues and the referendum concerning the continuing of the war goos on among the Boer fighthig men. It may be a fortnight before tho results of this singular vote are finally before the Transvaal government. If th<; view of Boer discouragement is one half right, the Boers will vote to quit. In Natal Gen. Dartnell'e volunteers oc cupied Mt. Prospect Monday. Lord Dun donald'e cavalry is at Firmstones, near Ingogo. His Infantry rests at Schoens h'c gte. The names arc- all of fateful memory in the first Boer war. The Brit ish face Laing's Nek, where the Boers, through the range glasses of the British," ere occasionally visible. In the march across the Biggarsberg nil the farrr's except one were found va cant. A temporary bridge has been finished aKWaschbank. Trains now go to Dun dee. Gen. Buller said the best way to celebrate the Queen's birthday was to re pair the railway to Newcastle, and every man was put to work. Karl de la Warr, who was supposed to have be^n capture*! at the time of the disaster that belell the squadron of Beth uen's horse, contrived to escape, lie laid all night, with a wounded leg, behind an ant-he&p, reaching the caiip next day. As the railway is now open north of Mafcking an abundance of provisions 1h entering the town, plenty of flour and meat, and a few luxuries. The telegraph messages will probably come from Mafe kir.g direct over the northern route in a o::y or two. South Africa has another infliction. An extraordinary is.^ue of the Gazette, rut Durban, announces the death of an East Indian from the bubonic plague. The government has put into force the most •tringent preventive measures, but fears are expressed that the pestilence- may get among the troops. GOLD PAYMENTS SUSPENDED. The Transvaal national bank has sus. ponded gold payments under authoriza tion from the government, requiring the acceptance of bank notes. The Institu tion has large assets, apparently, in Lon don. One hundred and fifty thousand pounds were seized at Cape Town and £25,000 at Durban. Mr. Lucan, chairman of the London committee of the bank, Bays: "The Transvaal government is la;, lug liands on every ounce of gold it can fir.a in the country. The government has nothing to lose and everything to gain thereby. Financial circles here are inter ested In many ways, principally whether the Transvaal I. O. L"s will be redeemed." The Birmingham Argus which keeps in pretty close touch with the colonial of fice, says: "We understand that a general election will be ordered as soon as Lord Roberts obtains an additional success. The gov ernment will present to the country what It wlsh.es to do with the conquered re. publics." BOERS WITHOUT HOPE. At a stop the war meeting in London this evening William St »nd remarked rh.u the Boer delegates nuw In the United States told him they were prepared to ac cept peace on uny terms compatible with Independence, and asked if it was any good attempting to :-eo Lord Salisbury, to which Mr. Stead replied that it was useless to do so unless they were prepar ed to surrender their independence; so the delegates proceeded to America, "v. hero they have met with so mu.-h coldness In officialdom as to excite the exulta tion of those who ara determined to throttle the little states to death." LITTLE RESISTANCE EXPECTED. Gen. French has reached Prcspect Sta tion, about five miles north of Rhenoster river. The Boers are retreating straight - on the Vaal. A dispatch from Rhenoster dated Wednesday, May 23, 7:45 p. m ., Bays: "The general opinion is that we will arrive at Pretoria as fast as we can j march, though the. Boers announced to all I " ""' *" ■*** ■ Vt -*■-'"..* ' " the countryside that they Intended to fight to the death." Gen. Lan Hamilton is co-operatir.g in the advance on the right. Thus Lord Roberts, who, presumably, is a few miles behind Gen French, will reach the Vaal before the end of the week. Natives re port that the Boers have buried two guns in the Rhenoster river. In Natal Gen. Buller's forces have crossed the Transvaal near Ingogo, but are still held at bay at Laing's Nek, where the Boers are intrenching them selves. With the exception of this -J^ss Natal is clear of Boers. They have a big gun posted, but it is doubtful If they will be able to hold the position when threatened by a flanking movement fr< m the forces that have crossed the lngogo river. , A dispatch from Pretoria announces that the first train north entered Mafe king May 22, and that the first train south is expected next week. It is said that the reiief of Mafeking was due to a blunder of one of the federal officers, by which Gen. Delarey was foiled in his plan to cut off the relief force, after driving them away from the Molopo riv er. It is added that the federals have resolved to make a determined defense of the city of Johannesburg. Klimke, the state mining engineer, has been given six months' leave of absence, presumably for protesting against the proposition to blow ud the mines. A special dispatch from Newcastle, Na tal, says the Russian ambulance corps with the Boers is disgusted with their conduct, and has requested the czar to recall it. ANOTHER PEACE RUMOR. The Lourenzo Marques correspondent of the Daily News, telegraphing Wednes day, says: "According to a private letter smug gled through from Pretoria, President Kruger now favors surrender on the ground that continuation of the war would ruin the property of the burghers. He has thrown upon the commandants the onus of what course to pursue. "Civilian prisoners released at Pretoria report extraordinary activity during the last two weeks on the railway from Pre toria to Pietersburg. As many as twenty trains are running daily, and it is possi ble that a large portion of them are being used to move supplies northward for safety." The Daily Express continues its al leged exposures of Dr. Leyds" use of the Transvaal secret service fund. The pa per's Brussels correspondent asserts that numerous continental newspapers were bribed to the estent of £20 to £25 a week. PRETORIA ADVICES. PRETORIA. May 23.—An official bulletin Issued here today says: "Sixty British cavalry came into col lision, on May 30, with eighty of the Swaziland commando, at Schoeper's Nek. The fighting lasted an hour. The British lost twenty-seven killed, twenty-five wounded and eleven were 'taken prison ers. Twenty-five horses, two Maxims and a quantity of ammunition were also captured. The federals lost one killed and one wounded. They assisted to re move the wounded and bury the dead. The advance guard at Heilbron retired on the main body at the northern bor der. "According to Free State advices, the British yesterday were at Graylings Drift, on the Vaal river, twenty-five miles from Wolmeranstad, with a large force. On Sunday Kalbe engaged the British between Heilbron and Lindley. The federals had to retire before an overwhelming force, losing one killed and seven wounded." COLONIALS GET THE PRAISE. MAFEKING, May 17 (per runner to Kimberley, May 24).—The British reliev ing force occupied 'his town at 7 o'clock. The garrison immediately moved out with Maxims and pompoms and attacked McMuilan's laager. The Boers resisted weakly for half an hour, then bolted, leaving their wagons, tents and lmpedimentia. Coi. 3adc.i-Powell gave the garrison an opportunity of re ver.ging themseives, using the relief force as a reserve, and in the town men and women swarmed on the house tops, and Lady Wilson, on a bicycle, accom- ! panted the troops to the iloer laager. | There was immense enthusiasm over the fact that the relief of tho place was ac complished by colonials. BRITISH CROSS THE BUFFALO. BOER CAMP, VOLKSRUST, May 22.— The Birtish crossed the Buffalo river and were within sight at our position yester day. They are busy emplacing heavy cannon at Schuinshovgte, near the scena of the battle on the Ingogo river in 1881. It is reported that fighting occurred at Botha's Nek yesterday Chris Botha, brother of the commander. ' in-chief, has been appointed assistant to the commander-in-chief, and has given j great satisfaction. He revived the light- I ing spirit in many of the federals. In an ambush between Nqutu and Mt Prospect eight British were killed and thirteen wounded. BOERS MEANT TO FIGHT. KROONSTAD, May 24.-Although the Boers retreated without a shot their late I position showed they meant to fight. All the steep sides of the south bank ' were cunningly laid rifle pits, resembling the defenses of Paardeburg. These pits ! extended for ten miles. A number of i gun emplacements had been blasted in i the rocks, and at several spots the grass ! had been burned in patches with a view of marking the range. President Steyn Is telling the Free Staters that Lord Roberts' proclamation has been rescind- ■' cd. GETTING OUT THE GOLD. CAPE TOWN, May 24.-Bar gold to the value of $705,000 has been sent by rail from Pretoria to Lourenzo Marques State Secretary Reitz traveled on the same train. PRESIDENT KRUGER DEFIANT. CAPE TOWN, May 24.—President Kru- I gcr, it is announced here, has issued a proclamation saying he will defend Jo hannesburg and calling upon all the t Boers to fight to the bitter end. m — CHAIR MEN ORGANIZE. Association Formed at Cincinnati and OfiicerH Elected. CINCINNATI, 0., May 24,-The Central | Chair Manufacturing association has been ; organized here by twenty-five men who represented 90 per cent of the chair manu- ; facturers in the territory including Michi- ! g;.n, Indiana, Ohio, Western Pennsyl vania, West \ irginia and all the Southern states. The purpose of the organization :is to protect the trade, and to secure equitable railroad rates anci have some understanding in regard to breakage. The new association elected officers as fol lows: President, D. J. Graf ton, Marietta. 0., vice president. F. Weikel, Louisvi.le, Ky.; secretary. F. Stajk. Aurora, Ind.; treasurer, R. E. Cornelius, Indianapolis! An executive committee was also named. C. C. Cosgrove. of Cambridge, 0., was appointed traveling secretary. The asso ciation adjourned subject to the call of the chair. m FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION. Five Sawmill Men Dead and Plant Wrecked. COVINGTON, Term., May 24.—Today, ten miles west of here, a boiler at Mc- Ferrin's saw mill exploded, killing five men and completely wrecking the plant. The dear are: Capt. James A. McFer i rin, Moses Huntley, Burkett, I York jwd au unknown negro. FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 25, 1900. lillEfl 11 FAIURB OF THE WELL KNOWN COMMISSION HOUSE OF PRICE, M'CORMICK & CO. COTTON EXCHANGE EXCITED UNFORTUNATE FIRM HAD BEEN LEA DIM; BULLS IN THAT STA PLE UNTIL CRASH OTHER STOCKS ARE AFFECTED Panicky Feeling: Developed All Around, 'Ihonyh No Other Fail ures Were Announced as a Result of Bis One. NEW YORK, May 24.-Prlce, McCor mick & Co., ene of the largest comm's sion houses in the city, today failed, with liabilities estimated at $13,000,000. The firm Is a member of the Stock, Cotton and Produce exchanges, and a member of, the Chicago Stock exchange, and has branches in about thirty cities through out the United States. The failure is ascribed to the fact that the firm was long In fac-3 of a fast falling market. A notice on the doors of the company referred all inquirers to W. J. Curtis and M. N. Cromwell, assignees. Mr. Cromwell said late this afte;noon that it was impossible to make any state ment at this hour concerning the condi tion of the firm; that its business is very extensive, and covers several branch agencies. The total liabilities, he said, are about $13,000,000, all of which was se cured. He added that a statement would be submitted to creditors at the earliest possible date. The firm is composed of Theodore H. Price, William McCormick, R. G. M. Stewart-Wortley and Walter W. Price, with George Crocker, of San Fianeisco. a special partner on an Investment of $500, --(XX). Mr. McCormick is of the well-known Chicago family of agricultural Implement fame, and Mr. Stewart-Wortley is a son in-law of Rear Admiral Schley. The firm was organized Jan. 7, 1897. Of the partners Mr. Crocker Is now in Europe, and Mr. Stewart-Wortley Is on liis way back from Europe. Early In the day rumors were current that a prominent firm was in trouble, and shortly before the official announcement of the suspension was made it was gen erally known that Price, McCormick & Co. was the house referred to. Prior to the formal announcement the cotton mar ket had broke over 20 points, under ter rific selling for both accounts from all directions. The firm has long been regarded as the leading supporter of the market, and at one time it was said they were going to put August cotton up to 10 cents. The declines of the past month, however, were against them, and, despite their efforts, they could not hold the market up. Con sequently today's developments did not come as a total surprise, though they had sufficient force to demoralize the trade. The firm's bullish attitude was surmit-ed on the cotton market, and it was thought to stimulate '.he recent cotton bearing. PANIC ENSUES. Following the failure the cotton mar ket became panicstrlcken and broke 10 to 13 points. The decline from the highest point when the bull movement culminat ed was 122 points. Later the nurk^t steadied, but continued with a very weak undertone, under favorable crop reports. The market at 1:45 p. m. showed a not loss of 10 to 14 points, having recovered from the extra depression. Early in the d:iy rumors were current on the stock exchange that there w. re some outside troubles. By the time the failure had been announced from the ros trum of the stock exchange the membsrs were prepared for the news. Nevertheless it had its effect. There was a rush to sell that carried , prices down Bharpiyi There was a decline of about 1 per cent in the standard railroad share:-, and from 2 to 2*4 per cent in the balance of the list. While the firm was also a member of the produce exchange, the effect thera was almost wholly sentimental. Accord ing to the ruie of the e-xchange, the sus pension caused the closing out of all the contracts of the firm on the tloor of the exchange Assignees William G. Curtis and Will lam Nelson Cromwell make the follow ing announcement regarding the failure: "To the creditors of Price, McCormick & Co.: Price, McCormick & Co. have been compelled to temporarily suspend payment. We ask and advise that cred itors holding stocks, bonds and other collateral and loans, already well mar gined, hold the loans until reasonable op portunity be afforded the assignees to deal with the same, that unnecessary loss thereby may be avoided." Price, McCormick & Co. had an ex tensive wire service, and at times were credited with doing as much busi ness as any firm on the exchange. Most of the business was in cot ton, and its senior partner and organizer was formerly a member of the firm of Hubbard. Price & Co. The firm controlled most of the Southern stock business, and has been active at times in stock favored by Southern operators, although this trade has been less.in volume than its wire trade business secured from other cities. CAUSED PANIC IN COTTON. One of the Immediate Results of the nig Failure. NEW YORK, May 24.—The wildest ex citement prevailed at the cotton ex change today, with phenomenal activity and unprecedented liquidation of long cotton, supplemented by heavy sales for short account, the latter in good part on orders from the South. The market opened steady, with July contracts one point higher, and the rest of the list from unchanged to nine points i lower. The selling movement was not i so marked on the opening call, and some ■ of the lc cal traders prepared a little up- I ward movement, but they soon saw their mistake, when an a%'alanche of long cot i ton came on the market, and carried j the smaller traders off their feet. It was evident that some house or houses had reached the distress point, but it was not until 12:34 p. m. that the prime factor of weakness was definitely known, although pretty generally suspected. At that hour the failure of "Price, McCor mick & Co." was announced. This suspension was not wholly unex pected, nevertheless it threw the mar ket into a panic, and for a time pande monium prevailed on the exchange. Au gust contracts, which this concern orig inally undertook to advance to 10 cents, and did advance to 9.60, sold off to 8.35,' this being a decline of 25 points from the top of the bull movement, and a decline of 19 points from the closing price of yesterday. May contracts, in which this concern also had a heavy interest, broke 78 points, or more than %c for the day. Rumors of other failures were rife but later it was announced that no more failures were looked for. It was thought on 'change that while the failure of Price, McCormick & Co. had crippled some New York parties, the public, who had indulged on the score of margins, had no fear of further appre hension. The greatest decline of the day was 10(g78 points. The market closed irregu lar at a net decline of 11(878 points, hav ing failed to recover from the extreme depression of the day. In addition to the heavy loss on May, July went off 46 points. The fact that the English market was closed, on account of the queen's birth day, added to the activity of the local market, the enormous selling orders to protect accounts having been sent over from Liverpool and eisewhere in Great Britain. Continental selling orders were also a factor. While there Is no official record of the sales of cotton futures today, and there are no means of knowing the ex act extent of the transactions, It Is known that the volume of business reached something like 1,000,000 bales, if not exceeding that enormous total. CHICAGOAiVS NOT HURT. Price-McCormlek Failure Not Felt There. CHICAGO. May 24.-Chicago is not heavily Interested in cotton speculation, hence the Price, McCormick & Co. fail ure today was of comparatively little im portance here. As far as can be ascer : tamed. almost all the Chicago business in cotton was transacted by this New York house, but the amounts involved at present are understood to be small, and in some cases the balances are due to the Eastern firm. SHERIFF FOILED A MOB EFFORT MADE TO LYNCH CHARLES GARDINER AT ATHENS, O. ' ATHENS, 0., May 21-At midnight a mob attacked the Jai: where Charles Gardiner is confined. Sheriff Porter outwitted the mob, and spirited the negro Gardiner away in a carriage. No one knows which "way to pursue. The mob understands that It has been foiled, and Is now dispersing. The mob was composed largely of men work- Ing in the mines. ROYAL ARCANUM OFFICERS. Change i n Minnesota Membership of Standing Committees. MONTREAL, May 21.-The supreme council of the Royal ■ Arcanum elected these officers: Supreme regent. W Holt Apgar, Trenton, N. J., re-elected- su preme vice regent, Joseph A. 1/angnu Pittsburgh Pa., re-elected: supreme ora tor, A. S. Robinaon, St. Louis, Mo., re elected; supreme past regent, Edmund Schyler, Baltimore; supreme secretary, A. B. Robinson, Boston-; s^jjre-me treasurer, E. A. Skinner, Worthfleid. N. V., re-elect ed; supreme auditor, A. T. Turner Jr., Boston, re-ele%ctcd; supreme chaplain. Uriah Tompklns; eupreaie guide, A. R. Buikhardt, Chicago, v( -le-:ed; supreme warden, Isaac W. Caulrield, New York.' re-elected; supreme sentry, Carl Molley, St. Louis, re-elected; supreme trustees. J. S. Johnson, Chicago; W. H. Betbe, Ra venna, 0., and C. H. Prentice, of Con necticut. The standing committees were re-eleeu ed with only the exception of Elijah Baker, of Minnesota, replacing G. S. Backus, of Merriam P^ark, Minn:, on tho committee on council work. Asheville, N. C, was selected as the meeting place in 1901. QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY. It W>««. Fittingly Observed Through out Great Britain. LONDON, May 24.—Under the stimulus of the relief of Mafeking and Lord Rob erts' rapid and successful progress the queen's birthday has been celebrated throughout the empire with unique and almost unprecedented exercises. The two-fold nature of the celebration gave the affair unusual brilliancy. Among the incidents of the day was the presentation by William Waldorf Astor to the town of Maidenhead of a polished five-pounder, to be placed in the park. The weapon was drawn to the park to | day, in the presence of 5,000 people, where 1 it was formally accepted by the mayor I on behalf of the town, after which a I royal salute was fired. Queen Victoria has replied to President t McKinley's congratulations in a gracious message of thanks. NEW YORK. May 24.-The Canadian j Society of New York held its fourth an ; nual dinner or celebration of the birth j day of Queen Victoria tonight at Sherry's. ■ More than 170 persons were present. At ! the guests" tables sat Sir Percy Sander i son, consul general; Gen. W. Ross, pre | mier of Ontario; M. I. Southard, of the ! Ohio society, and Robert C. Ogden, of i the Pennsylvania society. Letters of re gret were received from President Mc i Kinley, Gov. Roosevelt, Lord Pauncefote, , Sir Wilfred Laurier, the members of the i Dominion cabinet, Postmaster General , Smith. Secretary Elihu Root, Mayor Van Wyck, Richard OlneVj President Schur man, of Cornell; Whitelcw Reid, S. R. ; Calloway and Andrew Carnegie. The fol lowing cablegram was sent to Queen Vlc - toria: "Congratulations. Canadian Society of New York, in banquet assembled, in cele brating your birthday." NEWS FROM THE ORIENT. Northern Pacific Liner Glenoble Makes a Faat Run. VICTORIA, B. C? May 24.—The j Northern Pacific liner Glenoble reached ! here yesterday morning, having defeated j the Victoria, of the same line, in a race across the Pacific. She brings news j that Russia is continuing her aggressions |in Korea, and reports published in : Hong Kong that during the maneuvers ; there a Russian warship fired a shot at ■ a Japanese cruiser. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED. —Chicago Chronicle BULLETIN OF IMPORTANT NEWS OF THE DAY "Weather Forecast for St. Paul. Fair. I— British Troops Pushing On. Prlce-McCormick Failure. St. Paul's Murder Sensation. 2-McCardy Galni More Votes. Supt. Smith In It. Auditor Dunn on Tax««. B—MinneapolisB —Minneapolis Matters. Northwest Xews. Line on Democratic Platform. 4—Editorial Page. \\ hilM>U—Sli<-ru<aii Controversy. Proceedings of the Conferences. fi—Sport in*r \phs. Wlnnebagu Chiefs Want Blood. <>— Ni-ni. of the Railroads. Doings of Congress. Popular Wants. 7—Markets of the World. Chicago July Wheat, 67 I-Bc. Bar Sliver, «O-«Ic. Stock** Panicky. News of the Courts. B—St. Paul Social. CHINA FINALLY WARNED MIST SUPPRESS BOXERS OR BE SUPPRESSED. SHANGHAI, May 24.—The members of the Chinese secret society, known as the "Boxers," are now openly drilling at i Pekin, and many high Manchus, including members of the Imperial clan, are joining the movement, which is becoming s*> threatening that the diplomatic repre sentatives are about to take action. B. J. De Cologan, the Spanish minis ter, and doyen of the diplomatic corps, > has made a demand upon the tsung 11 yamen (Chinese foreign office) couched in the strongest terms, for the immediate suppression of the "Boxers," threatening | that otherwise all the powers concerned will land troops in China. Advices received here from Korea say that Russian troops now occupy Fasham ! po and will prevent all commerce with ■ that part of the territory of Korea claim ed' by Russia. LONDON, May 25.—A dispatch to the Dally Mail from Tien Tsln, dated Thurs day, says: "The massacre of seventy native Catho lics at Keo Lav Tsung on May 14 is as cribed to the loose attitude of Fakahs, the virtual governor of the province of Pc Chi Li, who is accused of favoring the Boxers. "It is reported that Gen. Faung Lao Tv, who was sent by the viceroy with troops against the Boxers, was murdered at an Interview with their leaders." BAPTIST MISSION WORK. Vigorous Utterances of the Hut. Dr. Yillier*. DETROIT, May 14.—"These are critical i days, because they are criminal In their | tendencies," said Rev. Dr. Villiers, be | fore the Baptist society today, "and the I hand that shapes the next few genera ! tlons will be the hand ttjat shapes the fu ture of America." He traced immigration to this country i from the beginning aid eked statistics to j show the percentage of fnieigners in all i our great cities. The speaker declared that what could and would unify "hy phenated Americans" and fuse all these different forclgn-born Americans Is God's love. Rev. Villiers quoted figures to show the great numbers of Poles ; and Hungarians who have Immigrated !tc this country in re^on: yearn, anc ea'.ri: "But vicious as they are, no mission i of ours is any more promising- than the ' one among the Slavs in Pennsylvania. It is God's opportunity." In conclusion he laid particular stress j upon the work bcin? done among the j Italians and Swede 3. There were two ;i<i<lre..s-?s on the negro problem. Prof. J. H. Hjye. of Georgia, i spoke on a higher education of the ne gro, and Mrs. William Kc>tt, colored, I made "A Plea for My Pc pie." Philadelphia and 3prlng£eld, Mass., are j candidates for next years anniversarj j meeting. Minneapolis lias asked for j them in 1902. A delegation is coming j from Kansas City lo urge It! claims I to next year's gathering, on tiie ground that at tne meeting in 1899 It was prom } lsed that the 1901 session would be held In Kansas City. CUBA POSTAL SCANDAL. Talk of Trying Neely in the New York Courts. NEW YORK, May 24.—Edward K. Jones, the special representative of At | torney Geneial G:iggs, in the prosecution j of the Neely cast, today had a talk with i Judge Lacombe as to the Cuban postal I scandal. Mr. Jones said that the papers ; which were said to have left Washington had not reached him yet. but they are expected this afternoon. Mr. Jones said that as soon as the documentary proof procured by the war department concern ing the issue of stamps which were or dered destroyed comes Into his posses ' sion, additional action will be taken against Neeley. District Attorney Henry L. Burnett and his assistant, Ernest C. Baldwin, will appear before Gov. Roosevelt, at Oyster Bay, in support of the application for a requisition for Neely's removal to Cuba. If the requisition in the Neely case ii refused by Gov. Roosevelt, Assistant District Attorney Baldwin believes that [ under the federal statutes Neely can ke tried in this district. -•»» WORK OF GERRY SOCIETY. Three Jiiiiiuhhp Children Are Taken in Charge. NEW YORK. May 24—Three Japanese children, a girl and two boys, were taken into custody today by the Gerry society, upon the belief that they were either kidnaped or bought In Japan and sent t>> this country. A notice of their arrival was sent from the treasury department at Vancouver, and the Gerry ag;n'.s found the children in the possession of several Japanese men, who were training them as acrobats. Two of the men were held in heavy ball. — Chotte Their Offltws. CHICAGO, May 24—The convention of the National Electric Light association completed its work today. The new of ficers of the association were chosen as follows: President. James Cohoon. of Syracuse, N. V.: first vice president, Louis A. Ferguson, of Chicago; second vice president, W. W. Worth Dean, of St. Joseph, Mich. T-raveJters* Protectfiv*? A«t«oclatlon. NEW ORLEANS. La., May 24.—The Travelers' Protective association devoted most of the day on the subject of elect ing officers and the selection of a place for the next meeting will take place to morrow. Kansas City will probably be chosen* PRICK TWO CENTS-J SvPSSk* 11 IB iIS 111 Edward Erickson Arrested for a Crime Com mitted in February, 1891 DECHTUR STREET'S LONG HIYSTERY New Light Thrown on the Murder by Gustav Wall, Who Says He Saw Martin P. Erickson Right After He Had Been Shot. Through Information given personally to Oov. John I,lnd yesterday, Edward Eritkson was placed under arrest or. tha charge of murdering his brother, anil the officials at the sheriff's office, who are making Investigations, believe that tha atrocious murder of Martin P. Erlckson, on the nighrt of Feb. 1, IMM, In his butch er shop In Deoatur street, will be fully explained and the murderer punished. The murder of Martin Erickson was the cause of a sensation at the time. It waa committed as a finale to a long list of bold crimes by hJg-hwaymen ami robbers who Invested the city at that time, and the futile efforts of a wea.k and vasclllating p-ollce force that failed to unearth and punish other offenders were not strong enough to grasp any other view than thait the crime waa committed by robbers, wlio made Lhelr escape. SWEAT BOX INVESTIGATION. After an incomplete Investigation Ed ward Erlckson was arrested, put through the sweat box at the Central police station and given a preliminary hearing in the police court. There was no evidence of even an incriminating na ture against lam, and he was not held. No effort to secure indictment by the grand Jury was ever made, and the case went by default- Now, six years and four months after the crime waa committed, the only eye witness to the bloody deed comes for ward and makes a statement that ap parently makes retribution cure. Along with the revelation made by the eye witness come development* to show that the murder was practically the work of itwo men. Wtkile Edward Erickson stajldp accused of having fired the pistol sihot that caused death, it is claimed that there was a violent quarrel between the murdered man, his Iwather and a thirJ party on the afternoon of the day of th« murder, and that threats of vengeance r gainst the murdered man were muds a.t that time. The truth of the adage that murder will ] out Is demonstrated In the-.str&!ige story told by Gustave Wall, the eye witness, who preserved a silence of over six years and suffered the tortures of a disturb- I ed conscience during the whole of the time. According to his own statements Wail has been pursued day and night with the vision of the murder. Waking or asleep, the knowledge buried In his mind conjured the ligure of a man with whose features and personality he was fa miliar, standing over the body of a pros- i trate brother, a smoking' revolver grasp ed 1 In his hand, and ft look of fiendish malevolence distorting his features. CONSCIENCE WORRIED HIM. At the time of the murder of Erick- j son, Wall was employed cleaning passen ger cars In the j ard of the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad. He lived with his family on Magnolia street and worked at night. On the night of the murder he had been summoned home from his work at 8 o'clock and returned by way of Dt-catur stieet about 9 o'clock. As he passed the little one-story frame building-, No. 640 Decatur street, in which the shop was located, he heard a violent quarrel in progress. There were loud words and he believes blows were struck. He noticed the disturbance be cause he knew the Erickson brothers and their place of business. FATAL SHOT FIRED. He had not gone more than fifty feet past the shop when he turned back, re solved to learn what was the cause of thB # dlsturbance. As he stopped to look through the window a pistol shot rang out and he heard a noise as if a heavy body had fallen on the floor. Peering through the window he saw what has haunted him through six long years. Fearing that harm might come to him, he ran rapidly down the street and tried to ban'.sh from his mind what he had just seen. The next day he pur posely avoided the newspapers and reso lutely abstained from making inquiries or displaying any knowledge of the af fair. After the preliminary examination hail been held and Edward Erickson had been released. Wall opened his ears enough to admit information that was the talk of all of his Swedish friends. I He heard that Martin Erickson had been murdered by robbers and, fearing to say anything that would re-open the case against Edward Erickson, he buried the secret in his bosom and went about his daily toil. But conscience made a coward of him. His rest was disturbed during the hours In which he should have Blept. At work, the vision came up before him and made him absent minded and neglectful. His foreman found fault with his work and he was threatened with discharge. He became morose and melancholy at his home, and his wife was unable to wring from him a confession as to what was upon his mind. Fearful that he might become Involved In difficulty he resigned his position and, leaving home, sought employment in a small Wiscon sin town. It was then he discovered that he had shouldered a burden more tenacious and cumbersome than that of Sinbad, the sailor, told in the Arabian fable. SECRET TROUBLED HIM. .altey three years or aiwenc* from henvt he returned to 9t. Paul for a short sei »on. He met his old companions, pan d reluctantly through the etre«.t» n. ar where the crime was committed, and hearkened a moment to his conscience that still bade him tell the whole story. But f-ar was stronger than conscience or judgment, anj he resolved to travel far away, hoping that a srreat distance in a new country would serve to eliminate the picture that burned like fire on his brain. Ha went to the coast and took ship for Alaska .ft Landing at Skaguay he tried to lnt> re-t himself in new employment and a change of surroundings. But It wag futile. Trur., was nothing In th« new country that would obliterate the scene In the butcher shop bock In &t. Paul. After three months he returned, and alter a, short etay with his fnmily. went asain Into the West, traveling about the mining camps of Montana and Idaho. At length he secured lucrative employment in tht? great Ben Lomond mine, at Marysrllle. Mont. For a short period, two years ag~, he says, he forgot about tho matter to some extent, and waa in his normal con dition. But the terror returned with In creased vigor, and a thousand and one tlmee h« made up his mind to tell the whole story. Twice he returned to St. Paul for no other purpose, but his cour age faJled him, and he returned to his work without unburdening his mind. Then be concluded to wrlt« a letter to the authorities, but later decided be wouM wait until h« could summon sufficient courage to tell bis story without fear, and to face the accused. DREADED TO TELL ALL. Two weeks ago he injured his hand while at work In the mine operating a drill. The injury compelled him to cease work until the hurt healed, and he came to St. Paul to visit his family. With his return to thU city his consclenca again became loud in its demand for sat isfaction, and the mosrt horrible dreams awakened him at all hours of the night. He became haggard and feverish, and his wife became alarmed at his condi tion. At length, recopnlelng that blfl secret was undermining his health anl that his duty to bit family was gr< than any other consideration, he mado up bis mind to see the authorities relate his story. This is what he says happened yesterday: "It got so I could not stand It any longer, so this morning I went first to rohn Budin, the druggist, at Seventh and Pine streets. I told him about It, and he said he would go and see the gov ernor. We went to the • it v o'clock this morning and was them boom time before we could see him. When h« found out what It was he told me they would send for me in the afternoon and for me t'> be 'at home at 3 o'clock. No body can tell what I have suffered from keeping this to myself all this time. 11 was was more than any man could stand. SUFFERED UNTOLD TORTURES. "I have seen this thing all over again In my dreams every night for nix years, and I could not get my sleep. I feel better since I told about it, and all I want now Is to get ba<k to my work In Montana, as I don't want to have any thing more to cay ab.,ut the case, and have done my duty." The first Intimation received at tha sheriff's office of the case was at noon, when Gov. Llnd's messenger called with word from the governor that he would like to see Sheriff Wagener at ■ trice. Sheriff Wagener ha<! gone to St. Cloud with a prisoner, and the rn<-s- Benger was referred to Chl<-f l*eputy Robert, who was In charge of the of fice. In company with Assistant County Attorney Zollman, Deputy Robert visited the governor 1! office at 2 o'cl<><;k In th« afternoon. ERICK9ON IN CDBTODT. The eorernor told them substantially what had been told him by Wail, and after taking the necessary preliminary t-tejs they went to Edward Erickson'a butcher shop, on Decatur street, and placed him under arrest. Deputy Robert said to him: "Ed, the county attorney wants to se» you. Come along with me down town." "I can't go now—l caji't leave tho shop," said Erickson. "Well, it's Important, and he oan't wait. You had better come along with me." Kriekson complied in an Indlfl manner and accompanied the deputy on the car. They walked up Cedar s-• and at the walk leading to the fronc door of the Jail Deputy Robert took a half Nelson hold on his prleoner and said: "Erickson, I've got to put you in Jail. It Is the old case against you up ag-aln. and I've got to put you where you will not be disturbed for a few days." Erickson turned pale an a ghost, fal tered in his Bteps and after several at. tempts succeeded In swallowing a lump in his throat and stammered out: "Great God. I thought that old thln» was all settled and would never come up' any more. But it 1b all right, I'll go along with you." Once in the Jail Erickson recovered composure somewhat and asked the, Jailer to send for Stan Donnelly, th« at luaUuucd on liveuutd fugv, xJSmi