The Topeka state journal. [volume], January 04, 1896, Image 1

About The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980

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TWO CENTS.
SATURDAY EVENING.
TOPEKA, KANSAS, f ANUARY 4, 1896
SATURDAY EVENING.
TWO CENTS.
HAVANA,
HO
VictoriousCubans Come in Sight
of the Ramparts
Of the Beleagured Capital of
Cuba Toda"y.
Campos, the Spanish General is
Surrounded.
SOME ADVANCE BODIES
Of the Cubans Already in Ha
vana's Outlying Suburbs.
Last Night Their Campfires Vis
ible to the City People.
THE LAST DEFENSE.
Preparations for a Final Battle
to Hold Havana.
Consternation Prevails in the
City Among All Classes.
Havana, Jan. 4 Unless all indica
tions are misleading the end of the
Cuban insurrection is at hand, and the re
sult, it would seem, must be in favor of
the insurgents, whose armies, under Gen
erals Maximo Gomez, Antonio Maceoanvl
Quintin Bendara are nearing this city
from three different directions.
The above facts, so frequently
denied in official circles during
the past two weeks, are now
generally admitted, even in offic
ial circles. Although all Boris
of lame explanations of the triumphant
advance of the Cubans are put forth in
the hope of calming public excitement,
no amount of explanation will alter the
fact that the insurgent cavalry scouts
ara believed to have been Bighted from
here this morning.
As these advance bodies of the Cubans
wero at Tapaste, eighteen miles from
Guanabaco, practically a suburb of this
city, last night, it is by no
moans improbable that the report
that the Cuban scouts have been sighted
from the lines defending Havana is cor
rect It is no longer a cry of "on to Havana"
from the Cubans. They are here slowly
but surely surrounding this capital after
8 triumphant march from the eastern
end of Santiago de Cuba to the capital
of . this island, in spite of ail
the best troops of Spain could
do to prevent them. Step by
step, General Campos has beea driven
back before the advance of the victor
ious army, until here preparations are
being completed on both sides for the
final and decisive struggle.
General Campos has 120,000 men, but
they can not be massed at Havana in
time. Gomez has 50,000 trained and
hardened soldiers.
General Bandera and his column
camped last night at Sao, Jose de Lai
Lakas, a very short distance from Ta
parse and his forces are now said to be
moving on Guanabaco, or its vicinity in
order to take up the position assigned to
them for the siege of Havana,
Another report has it that Bandera will
try to pass Mount Bejuca to Rincon and
from there to Santiago de Las Vegas to
cut the railroads leading into Havana,
but in any case, it is admitted that ha
will push onward toward this city. His
camp fires wera last night visible from
the Spanish outposts aronnd this city.
In fact it is claimed that Bandera will
camp this evening at the Vento farm,
within rifle shot of the outposts of the
Spaniards.
The main body of the insurgent col
umn under General Gomez was reported
iijih morning to De at iJurau moving in
the direction of Guira Melana at the
bend of the railroad leading from the
province of Pinar del Qio into Havana.
Other portions of Gomez's column, by far
the strongest of the three and now said
to number 8,000 men, were sightod to
day at Guivican and San Felipe, only
slightly to the eastward and northward
of Guira Melana.
The third insurgent column, tinder
Gen. Macao was announced this mornlne
to have passed Ceiba, Mocha, with
Gomez, who as last heard from should
now be in the vicinity of San Antonio
Vegas.
All three columns have been continu
ing the work of destruction, burning
cane fields and plundering the houses of
the wealthier class as they pushed
onward. The Providence Kombre de
Dias, Julia La Gia, Mercedita and other
plantations in the Guines district,
through which the insurgents have just
passed, have been completely wiped out
by fire.
Here the utmost consternation pre
vails in government circles. There
la no denying that Havana is
?W.l k .tents and purposes
invested by the insurgents. Their
columns are pressing unchecked around
seem to have fallen into
lonties
of helplessness. ----
Government officials are blaming the
different Spanish generals for the con
dition of affairs, utterly regardless of
mat was Campos'
scattering of his
Direr the island, which
forces all
is mainlv tn
blame for this crisis, although other in
buciiuws nave naa a great share in the
bitter humiliation of the Spaniards. In
Bpaclty has been supplemented by sick-
and treachery. The Spanish gol-
diers, in spite of all denials, have desert
ed in considerable numbers, and have in
many instances shown sympathy with
the insurgent cause.
Stories are afloat here of a wholesale
republican propaganda at work among
the soldiers from Spain and it is claimed
that it will bear fruit
But the most astonishing of the climax,
is the cool manner in which the
insurgents have pushed onward in
past ten days. Riht on the
ground the insurgents have just travers
ed are several strong columns of Spanish
troops, said to number in all about 30,
000 men, but we hear of no fighting
worth mentioning, a skirmish here and
there being all that is recorded.
Of course a great deal of this success
is due to the fact that the Cubans have
the sympathy and active support of nine
out of ten persons they have
encountered in their march on
Havana, while on the other hand,
the Spaniards meet with little sympathy
from the natives of this island. Thus the
insurgents have been arrested in every
way possible in their endeavors to keep
clear of the Spaniards and the latter
have been misled at every opportunity.
Well to do people from the districts
around Havana are flocking into this city.
The price of provisions haj already be
gun to go up alarmingly. In the streets
the hustle and bustle of the
military is visible. Every man or boy
who can be placed under arms has been
called upon to shoulder a rifla and the
war ships have landed every man and
gun available for the defense of the city.
SEVEN TYJULLED.
Further Particulars of tlie Battle in
the TrauKvnal.
London, Jan. 4. The colonial office
has received a dispatch fro oi Johannes
burg saying that all is now quiet there.
Sir Jacob Dewett the British agent at
Pretoria wires: "Everything is quiet
and no further serious disturbances will
occur. A deputation from the
Johannesburg reform committee
came over yesterday evening
giving guarantees to keep the peace and
maintain order. I waited upon Presi
dent Kreuger and informed him of the
guarantees. He gave me the assurance
that if the Johannesburg people keep
quiet and cammit no hostile acts, or
in any way break the laws of
the country, Johannesburg will
not be molested, or surrounded by
the Burgher forces. The deputation
was highly grateful for this assurance
and pledged the committee to preserve
peace and order. I lake this opportuni
ty of testifying in the strongest manner
to the groat moderation and forbearance
of the government of the Transvaal ua,
der exceptionally trying circumstances.
Their atti'.ude toward niyself was every
thing I could wis!).
"The prisoners have just arrived The
casualties on their side are said to be
severe and on the side of the Burghers
very slight.
"Ji.moson's wounded number over 330.
They are all at Krugersdorp and attended
by doctors. Their names and the details
of their wounds cannot yet be given.
The number of killed is estimated at sev
enty, but no reliable information is ob
tainable. The bodies are still being
picked up on the battlefield and buried.
"The battle lasted from 3 in the after
noon until 11 o'clock at night Dr.
Jameson led the three principal attacks
and his men distinguished themselves
with great gallantry."
The Cape Town papers state that Dr.
Jameson, Sir Charles Willoughby and
Captain White (a brother of Lord An
naly) are lodged in Pretoria jail. Grey
and Coventry of the Bechuanuland police
and a brother of the Earl of Coventry are
wounded. Tho Boers captured about
500 prisoners.
A private and reliable telegram re
ceived here this afternoon from Pretoria
says that President Kruger has declared
that he is ii!.ng to make
satisfactory con..- ssiens to the
Uitlanders. or d reign population
of the Transvaal, whose demands
for representation in view of the fact
that they contribute practically the whole
revenue of the republic, led to the ill-
feeling which resulted in Dr. Jameson's
raid.
The St. James Gazette, this afternoon
think3that Emperor William's message
to President Kruger like President
Cleveland's massage to congress, is a
warning which should not bo disregard
ed and furnishes evidence of a combina
tion of the powers against Great Britain.
Continuing, the St Jtmes Gazatte
urges the British government to drop
the Armenian nonsense, make an alliaoco
with Russia, close the understanding
with the Dreibuud, and in any case push
on with the armaments with unsleeping
energy.
The Globe says: "It is an insult from
tho Gorman government collectively and
not only from the emperor alone. "
Continuing the Globe dwells upon the
necessity of strengthening the
defenses of Great Britain, and
remarks: "There is no war party
here; but the-etire -empire would so be
come were the words of President Cleve
land and Emperor William attempted to
be followed bv deeds."
Murder Instigated by the Mafia.
Lketoxia, Onio, Jan. 4. At Graf
ton, near this place, last night, two
Italian brothers who slept together,
w"ere awaVoned by three masked men,
two of mora held one of the brothers
while the third stabbed the other to
death. Robbery does not seem to
have Wen the motive for the crime, a3
several hundred dollars in the house
was not touched. It is believed the
deed was instigated by the Mafia. The
three men escaped.
Surprised Their Friends.
Boonkvii.i.k, Mo., Jan. 4. The so
cial circles of Booneville were treated
to a genuine snrpri.se in the marriage
at the residence of Mr. William M.
Lionberger of Rev. Dr. G. L. Leyburn,
pastor of the Presbyterian Church,
and Mrs. Belle L. Woolfolk, who is a
sister of Mr. Lionberger. Rev. Mr.
Dobyns of Marshall officiated.
I. X. Meyers' Appointment.
Washington, Jan, 4. L T. Meyers, of
Richmond, Va., has been appointed as
sistant general superintendent of the
railway mail service.
THEIRJAPERS.
Memhers of the New Venezuelan
Commission
GivenTheirCommissions Signed,
and Sealed Today.
THEY HOLD A MEETING
At the State Department This
Morning.
Copy of the Commission Stating
Powers of the Board.
Washington, Jan. 4. The members
of the Venezuelan commission, Mr.
White alone being absent, were at the
state department today and had an im
portant conference with Secretary Olney.
Mr. Coudert was the first member of
the commission to appear at the state
department He arrived about ball past
10 o'clock, accompanied by his son, and
had a short chat with Assistant Secretary
Uhl, who showed him into Secretary
Oiney's office.
About fifteen minutes later Justice
Brewer and Mr. Oilman appeared, and
were admitted at once to see Secretary
Olney.
Judge Alvey was the last member to
come to the department
The fifth member. Mr. White, has not
yet reached Washington.
After exchanging greetings with the
secretary and with one another Secretary
Olney presented to each member a com
mission, signed by the president, of which
the following is the contents:
"You are hereby appointed member of
the commission to investigate and report
upon the true location of the divisional
line between the territory of the republic
oi Venezuela ana that or .British Uuiana.
"It is expected that, the commission
will avail itself of all possible sources of
information, will apply to the matter all
pertinent rulos of municipal and inter
national law and will make a report to
tho president of their conclusions, to
gether with the evidence and docuineuts
submitted to and considered by them,
with as little delay as is compatible with
the thorough and impartial considera
tion of the subject to be dealt with."
Justice Brewer was today unauimously
elected president of tho Venezuelan
commission and administered to Messrs.
Alvey, Coudert and Gilman the following
oath:
r, , oi , appointed o!
the United States at
-, do solemnly
swear that I will support and defend the
constitution oi the L mted States oi Amer
ica against all enemies, foreign
and domestic; that I will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same; that I take
this obligation freely, without mental
reservation or purpose of evasion and
that I will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the office of member of the
commission to investigate and report
upon the location of the divisional line
between the territory of the republic of
Venezuela and that of British Guiana,
etc.
Commissioner Alvey then in turn ad
ministered the same oath to President
brewer. It was moved and seconded
that the president designate a clerk to
net for the present session of the com
mission, and Walter Blandferd was ap
pointed in that capacity.
THEIR WAGON BURNED.
A Family of Movars in Town That Mot
tTith Hani Luck on Christmas Day.
Mrs. Thorpe is just now interested in
the case of a family of movers that lost
their wagon and all their goods by fire
hero on Christmas day.
Tho family had camped for dinner
near Pauline, but were invited to take
Christmas dinner by a farmer named
Hadley. They accepted and while they
were in the house their wagon caught
lire from a little stove they had in it and
was burned with all their good3. They
were on their way from Oklahoma north,
and the family consists of a man, his
wife, her brother and a daughter 10 vears
old.
They were brought to town and are
located in a room on Kansas avenue,
which was paid for for one week by
some man whose name is lost The men
of the family are hunting for work but
meanwhile charity supports the family.
TORE DOWN OUR FLAG.
American Color.- Snutched from Cadet's
Itoom of the St. Louis by Officer Todd.
New York, Jan. 4. Cadets of the
St. Louis of the American line accuse
Chief Officer Todd, it is said, of tearing
down the American flag from the cadet's
room of the ship whiie the vessel was
bound from Southampton for New YorK
and then trampled it under foot remark
ing at the same same time: 'Tt was a
nice thing to have in sight."
The patriotic youngsters protested
against the iDdignity offered to their
country by the chief officers, he accord
ing to the report is a British subjac:
holding a commission in the Royal Navy
reserve. They were told to mind their
own businesa. Despite the warning the
cadets had many conferences as to
whether they ought to make a complaint.
While the St. Louis lay at the American
line pier awaiting the hour of depar
ture, the cadets were still talking of the
affair.
LOST HER POCKET BOOK.
Mrs. Butler of Silver Lake Loses $118
on Kansas Avenne This Xorxlnj;.
Mrs. P. C. Butler of Silver Lake
lost a pocket book containing- $18 in
cash and a check for $100 on Kansas City
bank today. She went from Justice
Guy's court room, where she had been
is a witness m the Brown case, and
missed her pocket book at the postoffice.
Strauss Corset Firm Assigns.
New York, Jan. 4. H. & S. Stransi
manufac'.ureres of corsets at Newark, N.
J., with ware rooms in this city assigned
today to Edmund E. Wise, without prc
icrences. The firm has been in business
about twenty years. Liabilities about
$200,000.
WASN'T THE EARTHQUAKE,
Says Architect Holland, That Caused the
loundttion of the State Normal Huild
ins to Settle.
State Architect Holland, who was re
cently sent to Emporia by the state board
of public" works to inspect the west winjr
of the State Normal school building will
make his report to the board at its
regular meeting next Thursday.
To a State Journal roporter Mr.
Holland said: "I found that the build
ing was very much out of repair,
although I am not able to
say that the recent earthquake was
responsible for it. I have been assured
that some of the irreg ularitie3 were dis
covered before the earthquake. The
trouble is that there has beea a gradual
settling of the foundation of the build
ing, which has been uneven and has
damaged the structure. The long
drouths we have here are extremely
hard on the foundations of large build
ings, especially of those erected several
years ago. But few of those foundations
were put down deep enough, to be below
The drying out line and that is what is
causing tho trouble. I favor usiojr'a
concrete basis for foundation for a large
building and then there can be no set
tling." Architect Holland said it will take at
least $3,000 or $4,000 to m,ike the proper
repairs on the normal building, although
there is no immediate danger of its col
lapse. KI L LED HIS SISTER.
An 11-Y ear-Old Parkdale Boy Shoots
His Li'tio Sister Accidentally.
Little 6-year-old Veroqua Van Horn
died yesterday soon after 4 o'clock as a
result of having been shot in the breast
by her brother Jackson, aged 11, shortly
before noon yesterday.
They are the children of George Van
Horn, the hack driver, who lives two
blocks beyond tlia street car line on
East Sixth sireet.
Tho shot was of 22 calibar and was
fired from an old rusty revolver that had
not been in use for years.
The boy had had the revolver playing
with it and snapping it about the house
at different objects. Finally he aimed
it at his sister's breast and snapped it
again.
Two shots entered the little girl's
breast, and it is supposed that one of
them was lodged in the barrel of the re
volver. The chi'.d suffered greatly and died at
4:15. It will be buried tomorrow.
D. I. FUiiBECK'S RENTALS.
Ho Has Thirty Flats iu the Missouri Town,
and All Are Occupied.
Mr. D. I. Furbeck, who was the Popu
list candidate for li-iten?.nt governor in
1894, still lives in Topeka, but he has re
cently come into possession of thirty
Kansas City flats, which rent for $25 a
month each.
Mr. Furbeck has succeeded in trading
his equity in his Shawnee county farm
until he got this Kansas City property.
Every one of his thirty flats is occupied,
and after all his expenses are paid he is
left a nice margin for an income. His
oon is" in Kansas City looking after the
property.
GEO. W. CLEMENT DEAD.
Tifliilas c-Mayor Passes Away
Death Caused ly Apoplexy.
Wichita, Jan. 4 Gaorge W. Clement
died yesterday of apoplexy. He had not
been well for a long time. In February
of 1805 he suffered a stroke of apoplexy
and this was followed in March of the
same year by another. These were fol
lowed by softening of the brain and his
death resulted from these causes.
BOUGHT UP BY ENGLISH.
Mne Leaavllle Mines Purchased by a Lon
don Mining Company.
Chicago, January 4, Charles Edward
Tracy, who was at one time a law partner
of President Cleveland, arrived in Chi
cago yesterday and announced the sale
of a ring of nine Leadville mines to an
English syndicate, for $1,500,000. All
the mines were fully investigated by ex
perts from London before the trade was
closed. Schuyler B. Ingham, of New
York, was, it is stated, also interested in
tiie matter.
The purchaser is the new Elkhorn
51 ining company (limited) of London.
S P A IN RED THE TRA M PS.
Police Office C'nastisc Unruly Tramps
in Regular District School Style.
The key to the water Btation at the
city prison is in the tramp room down
stairs. Recently some tramps got gay
and shut off -the water. They also up
set the stove and broke up the benches.
Sergeant Eilison, Jailer Disbrow and
some of the officers wont down and took
turns spanking tho tramps one at a time
with the boards they had made whiie
the other officers held them, and they
wero not a bit gentle about it either.
The tramps were not allowed to say a
word in reply, but were made to put up
tho stove again, turn oa the water, and
clean up the mess generally. After
that thev behaved.
FAIRBANKS NEW VENTURE
The Chicago Millionaire Figures in a Gold
-Mining Company.
Baltimore, Jan. 4 A private dispatch
states that N. K. Fairbanks the Chicago
millionaire; E. K. Willard and T. D.
Hooper, bankers, of New York; General
T. M. Logan of Richmond. Vs., and oth
ers have organized at Richmond the
Piedmont Gold Belt Chartered company,
with a capital stock of $2,000,000 for the
purpose of developing on a very exten
sive scale large gold mining properties
covering several thousand acres in Buck
ingham county, Virginia.
IT. Weekly Bank Statement.
New York, Jan. 4. The weekly
bank statement shows the following
changes: Reserve, increase, $3,840,001);
ioans, decrease, $12,885,800; specie, in
croase, $1,840,500; legal tenders.decrease,
$369,100; deposits, decrease, $9,474,400;
circnlation, increase, $26,200. The banks
now hold $19,779,675 in excess of the
requirements of the 25 per cent rule.
A Topeka business man work3 all
through the noon hour and takes his
Innch after 1 o'clock, because as he ex
platns, boring callsrs do not come in at
the noon hour.
TO CONFER.
Business Temperance Men of
Kansas to Meet
In Topeka on Next Monday to
Consider
FKESENT SITUATION
Brought About by Gov. Morrill's
Utterances.
Can the Business Interests Per
mit Defiance of Law?
The officers of the State Temperance
union have made arrangements for a
meeting of between forty and fifty lead
ing temperance men from different sec
tions of the state to be held in Topeka
next Tuesday.
A letter has been sent out inviting to
this conference the leading temperance
men of the Republican, Populist and
Prohibition parties asking them to meet
to consider a list of questions submitted by
the officers of the union and to decide on
some policy to be pursued by the ag
gressive temperance workers of the
state.
Governor Morrill's recent announce
ment on the prohibitory question is to
be considered in all its bearings.
The miRsrion sis tn what. nnin-Rn nnliti-
cally is to be pursued by the friends ofi
prohibition is to be d:scussed. Whether
an open fight lor and against
resubmission is to be tolerated or whether
it is desirable to make the question of re
submission a non-partisan issue.
One question to be discussed is wheth
er there is any special cause for the par
tial return of the open saloon in certain
sections of the state after fifteen years of
prohibition and who Is responsible for
the existing conditions?
It is learned that more Republicans
have been invited to this conference than
from any other party and that it is to be
a business men's meeting and not a
preachers' conference.
An officer of the union who is a
staunch Republican said today: "Gov
ernor Morrill's recent interview has done
us more real injury than anything that
has occurred recently. He has en
couraged the liquor interests and has
discouraged the triends of prohibition,
but we do not propose to lie down and
the only thing left for us to do is to pre
pare for an aggressive fight.
"Govenror Morrill's last utterance on
this question settles one thing, he will
never be renominated no matter how
much he may desire a second term."
SIMON AX THIS HEAD.
Volins Greenspan Now Goi.-ig Into the
Newspaper liuslncss.
Simon Greenspan say3 that he has
made arrangements to start a resub
mission daily paper in Topeka. Accord
iug to Simon it i3 to be a "resubmission,
high licence, independent daUy."
He says that the date of issue has not
yet been fixed, but it will be
within a mouth. Simon says
that 200 of the best people in
Topeka have subscribed $100 apiece to
the fund. This means $20,000 more to
be devoted to the task oi starting a pa
per in Topeka where it is not needed.
There has been talk that the Kansas
City brewers and wholesale liquor deal
ers were about to contribute $10,000 to
ward the resubmission cause in Topeka,
but they have spent so much fruitlessly
in the same cause that they have been
very slow to put up the money. Simon
says that the fund he has raised is con
tributed entirely by local men.
An effort is being made to secure con
trol of one of the two small evening
papers and it is probable that if the re
submissionists do anything that is what
it will be. Simon says that the paper is
to have a telegraph franchise, but refuses
to say what it will be.
Of course there is more or less wind in
the scheme and if money is to be con
tributed at all it will be in a much
smaller amount than named, for people
are less apt to bite on a resubmission
newspaper scheme than they were three
or four years ago.
COLD WAVE GOES EAST.
Kansas May Lool: for Kin in Tempera
turo Tomorrow.
The cold weather experienced in Kan
sas yesterday has moderated somewhat
today, and the wind has changed, now
blowing in from the south.
Iu Topeka, the thermometer reached
the lowest point at 3 o'clock this morning
registering 4 degrees above zero. At 2
o'clock this afternoon the temperature
stood 30 degrees above. Cloudy weather
is predicted for Kansas tonight, increas
ing tomorrow with rising temperature.
At the Santa Fe telegraph office this
afternoon the weather was reported cler.r
and cold at all points with the exception
of Nickerson, where it is cloudy.
Along the lines of the Rock Island the
weather is cold and clear, the lowest
temperature being reported from the
Omaha division. In New Mexico and
Colorado the weather is clear and cold.
In Texas, cold and cloudy.
In Other I'lacei.
Pittsburg, JVn. I Last night was
the coldest o. the leaaon, the mar
cur4 at t.. .vciither bureau
dropping to two degrees below
zero, while many thermometers in more
exposed places registered from 4 to 6
degrees lowet. The indications are for
still lower temperature tonight and to
morrow. St. Paul, Minn., Jan. 4. Although the
weather burean reported the mercury
44 below at Winnipeg, 38 below
at St. Vincent, 24 below at Da
luth and 16 below in this city.
At 7 o'clock the forecast officials prom
ise a rise of from 15 to 20 dogrees to
night. Although quite cold it is quiet,
ittle wind blowing. .
Miss Florence M. Brigham, of Chicago,
spent the holidays with Topeka relatives.
I
NOW A NEW REVOLT.
Puerto Rieo May .'hike
.Off the Bonds
of Spain.
There is a likelihood that Spain will
soon have another rebellion on her hands.
The inhabitants of Puerto Rico, tired of
Spanish rule and encouraged by the par
tial success of their Cuban neighbors,
now threaten to revolt after enduring
oppression for 400 years. '
Puerto Rico is tho only colony besides
Cuba that remains of all the great pos
sessions Spain once had in the western
hemisphere. It is only a little island,
the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and
the farthest east of the group. It is sepa
rated from Cuba by the island of Haiti,
whose people have thrown off the yoke
and enjoy the freedom of a republic.
Puerto Rico is almost rectilinear in
shape. It is about 100 miles in length
from east to west and about 40 miles in
width. Yet on this little island there
are over 800,000 inhabitants. Just what
percentage of the population is ready
to take up arms against Spain and fight
for freedom it is difficult to estimate.
There is no doubt, however, about the
prevalence of the anti-Spanish feeling.
The people there are born with a hatred
for Spain that increases with'their years.
Their numbers may be many, but their
DR. J. JULIO BESSA.
resources are small. All the arms on
the island are owned by the Spanish,
who control the sale of guns and ammu
nition. The Puerto Rican revolutionary party
which was recently formed in New
York purposes to supply this deficiency.
At the first meeting an impromptu col
lection was taken and over $500 con
tributed. The revolutionists are now
organizing branches in ether cities, and
expect to raise enough money in a short
time to send well equipped expeditions
to the island with largo supplies of arms
and ammunition. Then, when the word
is given for the revolt, the patriots will
be well armed.
Dr. J. Jnlio Henna of New York,
who has been elected president of the
revolutionary party, says that the Puerto
Ricans and the Cubans are to combine
their resources in this country and holp
each other, at the same time dividing
Spain's attention.
"Money is coming in rapidly for the
purchase of arms and ammunition," ha
said. "Like Cubans, Puerto Ricans are
compelled to suffer tho burden of an ab
surd and heavy taxation. Our people
are downtrodden and enslaved. Outrages
by the Spanish government upon the
people are of common occurrence. Our
police is composed of ex-convicts sent
from Spain, and our people are subject
ed to gross outrages at the hands of
these men, who are invested with a
power that makes them petty tyrants.
Wo realize our strength now. We, too,
will fight for independence, and with
Spain's waning energies divided be
tween the two countries Cubans and
Puerto Ricans hope to achieve their free
dom. "
It is a fair land, this little island, and
a rich one. In the interior aro several
mountain ranges from whose slopes
plunge down over 1,000 streams that
empty into the ocean. Most of these
rivers are navigable part of their length.
There are 40 or more towns and cities,
and a railroad almost encircles the is
land. The principal port and capital is
San Juan. This is a historic and pictur
esque old city. It is defended by Morro
castle, where a garrison of some 4,000
soldiers is maintained.
The bulk of Puerto Rico's trade is with
England, but owing to heavy duties and
taxes it is carried on in Spanish ships.
Spain comes next in rank as a customer,
and the United States is third on the
list.
The productiveness of this small col
ony is surprising. The average annual
yield of coffee is 15,600 tons; of sugar,
67,000 tons; of tobacco, 7,000,000
pounds astonishing figures. Besides
this, many tropical fruits are exported
as well as some cotton. Tho tobacco is
said to excel that of Cuba, and the cot
ton is veiy valuable. There are gold,
copper, iron and lead deposits there, but
the mines are not worked. In 1893 Puer
to Rico sent to tho United States over
$ 2, 000,000 worth of sugar and coffe9
and fruit to the value of abont $3,000,
000. We sent them in return flour, but
ter, cheese, codfish, iron and steel to the
value of over $3,700,000, besides 2.G50
tons of machinery and 11,000 tons of
is the curse of the country.
The inhabitants are taxed almost every
time they turn around. They are taxed,
in fact, when thev go from one city to
the other. Travelers have to pay $ 4 to
land on the island. The taxes on foreign
ships are particularly heavy and unjust.
The island is governed wholly by
Spaniards, who are sent from Madrid.
Every petty officer is a . Spanish tyrant
in the eyes of tho people. This horde of
officeholders the Puerto Ricans have to
support as well as furnissh money to car
ry on war against their neighbors, the
Cubans. No -wonder they are ripe for
rebellion.
Everybody takes the J ours ax.
GET A RECEIVER.
Harrison Telephone Co. Placed
in the Hands of One
By Judge Hazen Who Names
C. O. Knowles.
IS A FRIENDLY ONE.
The Receivership Is to Tide the
Company Over
Until Certai lClaimsAre Settled,
Said to Be Unjust.
A receiver wa. thi3 morning appointed
by Judge Z. T. Hazen of the district
court for the Topeka Telephone and
Electrical company. The receivership
was asked by the City Real Buate Trust
company on a claim of $11,000 with in
terest from May 1, 1835.
Charles O. Knowles was appointed re
ceiver by the district judge. He gave
bond, signed by II. E. Ball and A W.
Knowles, for $5,000 for the performance
of his duties, and immediately took
charge of the central office of the com
pany on East Filth street.
The real estate company is trustee for
15,U00 worth of bonds issued by the
original company. Of these $5,000 were
bought by Edward ARozier of St. Louis,
and afterward $6,000 more were sold to
him with the remaining $4,000 held as
cailateral security. This makes the
amount of the bonds held by Rozier $11,
000 for which the real estate company is
trustee.
The step is regarded by the members
of the company as a friendly step to tide
the company over until claims they say
are unjust can be settled. They regard
it as the best thing for the creditors and
the company.
'Judge A R Quinton asked for a re
ceiver in Judge Foster's court a few days
ago," said C. E. Tomlinson, the secretary
and treasurer, and the heaviest stock
holder, today. "The claim was one of
$9,000 by the Harrison International
Telephone company, Chicago, for
telephones sold to fcim Bear and A K
Iiodgere when the original company ivas
iirst organized.
"There 'is not a shadow of merit in
their claim and we regard it as in every
way unjust.- - The claku. is simply on a
memorandum bill, no bill at all, for tele
phones which they sent here on appro
val and which would not work. They
are in the cellar now. Bear & Rodjjers
offered to send them back, trade them fur
telephones which would work, ordoanr
thing reasonable. Their claim is uo:
against us at all.
"No receiver was appointed by Judi;e
Foster. Judge A. H. Horton filed trie
application for a receiver in the district
court in order to protect hi3 clien',
whose claim is just, and which w
acknowledge and intend to pay."
The Harrison company charges spite
work in the asking of a receiver on the
Chicago claim. They say that after Sim
Bear left the company he was pretty mad
and tried three diffsrent times to get a
receiver appointed on the $9,000 claim.
He was to be the receiver. The Rozier
claim would not have been pressed
at this' time had it not been that
it had to be done, nad not the receiver
been asked in Judge Foster's court,
none would have been appointed by
Judge Hazen on the other claim.
Everything will go on at the plant as
before. Mr. Tomlinson will continue in
nis position and the receivership will
not affect the running of the plant.
The Harrison people say that while
they have the Bell company to fight all
the time they do not think that company
or John R Mnlvane is mixed in this mat
ter, especially in the claim under which
the receiver was appointed. They are
not so sure about the other.
RAISES AGE OF CONSENT.
Congressman Brorierick Fnvors a Bill for
the Territories.
Washington, Jan. 4. The national
bureau of reforms is working to
secure the raising of the age of consent
from sixteen to eighteen years, and its
extension to (be territories. At its
request Representative Broderick of
Kansas, has introduced a bill raising the
age aud making the law, which cow
applies only to the District of
Columbia, applicable to the territories
and all other places over which the gov
ernment has exclusive jurisdiction.
FAR FKOM THE SEA.
Captatu of the V. 8. Ship "Monocicj"
VIsitiu.r ;it Abilene.
Abilene, Jan. 4. Captain R. E. Im
pey, commander of the "Monocacy." ono
of the best known of Uncl9 Sam's big
cruiser, is makinir a short visit with his
sister Mrs. C. I. Woods, and nephew R.
I. Woods. Captain Impey's vessel is at
Hong Kung where it has been watching
the United States' interests during the
CUiua-Japanese troubles. Captain Im
pey is on Bpeaking terms with Li Hung
Chang and refers to him as an exceed
ingly clever old man.
He visited Abilene twenty-five yean
ago when for a time he was stationed at
Fort Wallace, being then in the army.
He says the soldiers all want a war it
will mean active work and promotion.
"Still," he remarked, "I believe that
when I retire I'll buy a farm and settle
down. It is a much pleasanter life than
my present one."
Childcrs Found.
Childers, the man who stole the horse
and buegy from Henry Lodge's stable in
North Topeka, was found in Kansas City
yesterday afternoon by Chief Wilkerson.
Childers is now in the Wyandotte county
jail and the Topeka officers cannot have
him. He is charged with stealing horses
in southern Kansas. The horse and the
buggy and the harness were recovered.
Smooth as silk is the way our collars
feel now. Peerless Steam Laundry, lit
and 114 W. 8th.
A