The Topeka state journal. [volume], December 24, 1897, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
(
TWO CENTS.
frida;-
EXING.
TOPEKA, KANSAS, DECEMBER 24. 1897.
FRIDAY EVENING.
TWO CENTS.
REPUBLICAN BOLT
Sensational Scene at the St.
Louis Convention
Likely to Ee Repeated in the IT.
S- Senate.
WHEN WOLCOTT QUITS
Tho Old Party He Will Be Fol
lowed Bjr Carter, Shoup, Clark, War
ren and Wilson.
IT 31 AY DEFEAT IIANXA
Revolt Against the Administra
tion's Currency Views
Is Spreading in Ohio and Bodes
No Good
To the Chairman of the Nation
al Committee.
Washington, Dec. 24. It is expected
that a number of Republican senators
who have heretofore supported the ad
ministration will follow Mr. Woicott in
giving notice that they can no longer
act with the Republican party. Among
these senators are Carter of Montana.
i?houp of Idaho. Clark of Wyoming,
Warren of Wyoming and Wilson of
Washington.
The desertion of these senators will
reduce the anministration's strength in
the senate to less than two-fifths of
that body. It will probably mean that
no serious effort will be made during
the present session to pass any finan
cial legislation through the senate.
New York. Dec. 44. The World prints
the following special dispatch from
Washington :
The publication of Senator Wolcott's
threat to resign from the I'nited
states senate created a sensation here
in political circles.
While many believe that his indigna
tion may sufficiently cool to prevent
the actual relinquishment of his seat,
all agree that his return to the advo
cacy of free and unlimited silver coin
age is certain.
The position in which Senator Wol
ott is placed is weil understood by all
those who realize the peculiar situation
"which has developed with respect to
the administration and monetary com
mission of which the Coloradoan is
chairman. Kither President McKinley
and Secretary Gage are at variance, or
Senator Woicott and his sympathizers
Ere utterly deceived as to the presi
dent's attitude. Mr. Woicott has since
his return from Kurope talked long end
earnestly with the president and he
defends the president while taking a
position of open antagonism to Secre
tary Gage.
The assertion is made by Mr. Wol
cott's sympathizers that Secretary
Gage misrepresents the administration
and that if it were not for the political
disturbance it would cause Mr. Gage
might retire from the cabinet. This
statement, which is now made private
ly, it is likely will be made publicly
before long. If this is done the issue
will be raised and the public will know
the facts.
The result will probably be that Mr.
Woicott will find that he has misun
derstood the position of the president
and will then dramatically announce
his indignation at the administration.
The president can hardly be in sympa
thy with both Secretary Cage and the
Colorado senator as Gage stands simp
ly for gold and Woicott for silver alone.
As things are now tending the presi
dent will probably have to break with
one or the other of them, and unless he
is misunderstood by the leaders of his
party and persons closest to him, the
break will not be with the secretary
of the treasury.
The committee room of Senator Woi
cott was besieged by those desiring a
confirmation or denial of the authentic
ity of the statement that he contem
plates forwarding his resignation to
the governor of his state unless the
president's approval of Secretary
Gage's plan should be less pronounced.
No satisfactory information was giv
en to these inquiries. Without making
a definite statement Senator Woicott
left the city.
The other silver Republicans are also
absent. Senator Carter is in New York:
Senator Pettigrew is on the way to his
home in South Dakota: Senator Chand
ler, who first predicted a split in the
Republican party on the silver ques
tion and hinted at the defection of Sen
ator Woleott, has gone to New Hamp
shire. Senator Teller will not discuss the
question affecting his colleague. He
foresaw the inevitable break. Presi
dent McKinley. he thinks, cannot long
ride two horses going opposite direc
tions. Chicago, Dec. 24. A Washington spec
ial to the Chronicle says:
Shortly bffore congress adjourned for
the holidays Senator Woicott gave no
tice that he would take occasion early
in January to make a speech on the
subject of international bimetallism
and one the money question in general,
in which he would take occasion to re
fer to the work of the bimetallic com
mission, of which he is chairman.
1 have reliable information to the ef
fect that this promised speech of the
Colorado senator, when delivered, will
be of the most sensational character.
Mr. Woicott will improve the oppor
tunity then presented to forma'.lv sever
his relations with the Republican partv
and to announce his purpose hereafter
to act with some party which favors
the free coinage of silver bv independ
ent action on the part of this govern
ment. He will say. what is now generally
known to be true, that there is no
longer the slightest prospect of restor
ing silver by international agreement.
Mr. Woicott. instead of condemning,
will praise the president for the sincere
efforts which Mr. McKinlev has made
since his inauguration in behalf of in
ternational bimetallism. The Colorado
senator will deny that he has any
quarrel with the president or with the
administration.
He will simply say that, with the dis
appearance of the hope of bimetallism
the financial contest henceforth in this
country will be a battle between the
standards, and that he prefers silver
rather than gold as the measure of val
ues in the tTnited States.
President McKinley is fully advised
as to Mr. Wolcott's purpose and is sor
ry that the administration will short
ly lose the support of so able a man.
Undoubtedly the speech will be a
sensation, and to add to the sensa
tional features of the occasion it is ex
pected that a number of Republican
senators who have heretofore sup
ported the administration will prompt
ly follow Mr. Woicott in giving notice
that they no longer act with the Re
publican party.
Among the senators who will proba
bly join with Mr. Woicott in abandon
ing the administration are Mr. Carter
of Montana. Mr. Shoup of Idaho, Mr.
Clark of Wyoming, Mr. Warren of Wy
oming and Mr. Wilson of W ashington.
These men have always favored the
free coinage of silver, but they consent
ed very reluctantly to support the St.
Rouis ticket and platform because of
the hope held out that Mr. McKinley
would be aide, if elected, to accomplish
something for silver by bringing about
international bimetallism.
IT MAY DEFEAT HAKHA.
Ilapub'.icaa Opponents Will Vota for
Silver Man to Best Him.
Columbus. Ohio, Dec. 24. The State
Journal th.s morning prints a story
that the Republicans, led by Charles
Kurtz, in opposition to the re-election
of Senator Hanna. have promised to
support free silver as the price of the
defeat of Senator Kanna. The story,
the Journal states, (times from a man
who claims that Mr. Hanna will be
defeated. The Journal says:
"Conferences are being held in vari
ous parts of the state by Democrats
who have gathered at the direction of
McLean and the free silver leaders to
plan for bringing pressure to bear up
on Democratic members of the legis
lature to vote for Govei nor Bushnell
and the argument which is used in
these conferences to convince the
doubting and bring conviction to the
hesitating is that 1-iushnell has surren
dered to the liryanites idea of finance
and will act with the free silver men in
the United States senate if elected."
BY TROLLEY CA11S.
System That May Eventually Connect
Atchison, Top3ka, Lawrence, Kan
sas City and Other Towns.
The Kansas City. Lawrence and To
peka Electrical Railroad company has
been incorporated for the purpose of
building a line for rapid transit be
tween Kansas City and Topeka. It is
believed by those who are familiar
with it, that it is only a scheme to de
velop, boom and dispose of 1,000 acres
of fine market garden lands in small
patches lying along the south side of
the Kaw river between Lawrence and
Kansas City. The company seems to
be built on a most gorgeous foundation
and has a stated capital of three mil
lions of dollars.
The charter was filed with the secre
tary of state late yesterday afternoon
and names the following persons as di
rectors: ;. B. Pureed of Manhattan;
John G. Johns of Houston, Texas; Hen
ry McGrew and W. L. Wood, a tirm of
Kansas City. Kan., lawyers: E. E.
Holmes, James Haggard and A. N.Gos
sett. Kansas City, Mo., men who have
become interested in the lands men
tioned through foreclosures upon loans
which they have made.
The charter specilies that the com
pany will build an electric railroad, tel
egraph lines and other necessary ad
juncts of the proposed system, from
Kansas City to Topeka, beginning work
early in the spring.
Edwin G. Anderson, a Kansas City
lawyer who filed the charter and who
is also interested in the company, said:
"Surveying will begin as soon as the
weather moderates. The company pro
poses to build this line of road iirst to
penetrate the produce and gardening
districts west of Kansas City. By this
plan we will be able to carry freight
as well as passengers and thereby en
able the gardeners to place their stuff
on the markets within an hour after it
is gathered.
"The company expects to build a dam
near Holliday which With the dam now
at Lawrence will furnish the power
necessary to operate the plants which
will run the railroad equipment.
"We propose to have freight trains
ur.d passenger trains running reguiarly
at short intervals, between the termi
nal points. Topeka and Kansas City,
and will be able to give the people of
the intermediate towns and villages
and the country a more accurate and
trustworthy service than Is guaran
teed by the ordinary railroad."
While the likelihood of this road be
ing built is very faint, the possibilities
of such a road are great. Although
railroad men treat the scheme with de
rision there is no doubt that sometime
within the next quarter of a century
such a road will be in full operation. It
is believed by men prominent in the
ilnancial affairs of the eastern part of
the state that Topeka, Atchison, St.
Joe, Leavenworth. Lawrence. Emporia,
Ottawa ;ind towns within the territory
mentioned will sometime be connected
by a rapid transit trolley or storage
battery system. These cities are the
centers of population of this section
of the west. When the telegraph com
panies completed their systems into
these towns they were amused at the
suggestions of competition from tele
phone companies. However, the tele
phones are here and are doing a suffi
cient business to declare large divi
dends annually.
In the east. particularly the New Eng
land states, the plan of uniting cities
by electric railroad systems with a ten i
minute or half-hour service is very
popular. Boston for example, is con
nected with dozens of surrounding
towns and all of them are benefited.
Such a system operating among the
towns in eastern Kansas would give
the country people facilities for doing
business which t hey do not now enjoy.
The plan proposed by the gentlemen
interested in the new road is one of the
future possibilities of eastern Kansas,
a fact which even the most conserva
tive business man will not dispute or
deny. It is only a question of time
when it will come.
Weekly Bank Statement.
New York. Dec. 24. The weekly bank
statement shows the following changes:
Surplus reserve, decrease $4. .6-- : loans,
increase SH.tcT.'AK': specie, increase $i:.7'Xt;
legal tenders, decrease $4.."-"i.""y: deposits,
c'.eert jse JTf.s.XiAt : eircu !a t ion. deireas1 2 -6lk..
The banks now hold S11.5-:;.4"0 in ex
ctss of the requirements of the 5 per cent
rule.
Good Wages for Alaska Puckars.
Chevenne. Deo. 24. The army pack train
hus left here for Alaska. 12 packers ami fc2
mules forming the outfit. Before leaving
the packers' wages were increased from
$iO to SIM a month.
The up-to-date Lunch "and Short Or
der Restaurant, The Cremerie, 7-G Kan
sas avenue. SCOTT &. SCOTT.
UNITES TWO SEAS
Russia Will Dig a Canal 1,000
Miles Long
Joining the Baltic With the
Black Sea.
TO COST 97,000,000.
Work Must Be Completed fcy
the Year 1902.
The Czar Needs it in His Busi
ness of Overrunning Asia.
New York, Dec. 24. A special to the
Herald from Washington says:
The Russian government will begin
next spring upon a stupendous piece of
engineering work, which, like the
Transsiberian railroad will be of great
strategic and commercial value to her
when completed.
The project contemplates the con
struction of a canal connecting the
Baltic and Black seas, which can be
traversed by battleships of the heav
iest tonnage at six knots per hour. Ry
means of this canal, Russia will be able
to mobilize a huge fleet in the Baltic in
lo7 houi's by bringing to that sea the
Black sea squadron or can collect in
the Black sea in the same time the
Baltic and Black sea fleets.
In case of a general European war
over the division of China at the time
of the completion of the canal, it would
not be difficult for Russia to send her
lleet through the Bosphorus. the sea of
Marmora and the Dardanelles into the
Mediterranean, down the Suez canal,
across the Indian ocean to China, while
she could utilize the Transsiberian
railroad to transport troops. The canal
will remove the necessity of sending a
fleet across the North sea and down the
Atlantic in order to reach the Medit
teranean and through that sea reach
the Suez canal and China, and it was
pointed out that in case of war Great
Britain or Germany would take meas
ures to see that the Russian tleet did
not pass through their waters without
a hard struggle.
It is officially stated here that the
canal, when completed, will connect
the city of Riga on the Baltic and
Cherzon on the Black sea. Advantage
will be taken of Dwina river, at the
mouth of which Riga is located, and of
the Dr.eiper river, which flows into the
Black sea and i.t the mouth of which
Cherzon sits. It has been estimated by
the Russian engineer that to connect
the two rivers, 12.ri miles of excavation
must be made. The length of the canal
will be 1.000 miles. It will have an
average depth of 2S.4 feet. The cost
of the work will be $97,000,000 and it
must be completed by 1902.
It is frankly admitted by the Rus
sian authorities that the canal is being
built for military purposes, just as the
Transsiberian railroad is being con
structed, but they say that the water
way will be of iK-neftt commercially.
The wheat raised in the southern part
of Russia, near the Black sea. and the
coal and petroleum obtained from that
section can be transmitted more cheap
ly to market than by railroads or by
steamers going through th" Hosphorus
into the Mediterranean. Sixteen cit
ies are situated along the route of the
proposed canal and they will be bene
fitted by its construction.
"Russia maintains a formidab'e fleet
of battleships and cruisers in the Black
sea," said a well known naval com
mander, "such action being in viola
tion of the provisions of the Berlin
treaty. The construction of the canal
will mean that this iieet can be rein
forced within seven days at the ut
most by an equally formidable fleet
from the Baltic and in case of the dis
memberment of Turkey, or a necessity
for a larger force of naval vessels, in
Asiatic waters. Russia would lie able
to get her reinforcements to this sec
tion ahead of any other European gov
ernment who would be compelled to
use the Atlantic ocean and the Medi
terranean. So far as Turkey and Chi
na are concerned, the completion of the
Russian canal will place the czar in a
position which will be envied by all the
other European governments."
DISHEARTENED.
Committee of Seventeen Feel Greatly
Discouraged at Law Breaking.
"The Committee of Seventeen will
start the first of the year in a very dis
couraging condition." said one of the
most prominent members of the organ
ization today. "We are still hanging
together and meet every Tuesday even
ing, but money is coming in very slow
ly and it seems impossible to accomp
lish any desired results.
"People think that because we have
a Republican sheriff we should feel
encouraged, but even supposing that
Mr. Cook will do what is right, we can
never secure conviction while the pres
ent county attorney is in office. County
Attorney Jetmore simply don't want to
convict these people, and the present
Topeka police force are the best pat
rons the joints have,
"Why right here in this block," he
continued, "there are five joints run
ning wide open to my knowledge. I
am told that you can get almost any
class of drink you want in Topeka at
the present time, and that there would
be no difference between Topeka under
s. saloon system and Topeka as it is at
present except that now men drink be
hind partitions. We feel very down
cast, indeed, over the condition of af
fairs, and don't see how we can remedy
them for a time at least."
Many temperance people are being
converted to a belief in state agencies
somewhat on the South Carolina plan
with modifications.
U. S. CYCLKUS ABROAD.
Team of Wheelrasn to Compete With
European Riders
Xpw York. Dec. 24. A formal call f!ettj
fi by more th.in 11 prominent ryellsts
in all p-arts of th country has been "issued
in the intereis of the formation of a na
tional patriotic ore,aniz:ition if wheeim--n.
to send a team ot" American riders to Eu
rope to compete in the world's champion
ships whit -ii will be decided during Au
gust in Viennu.
It is intended that only the best ama
teurs and professionals will represent the
United States, and the funds cU-rivod from
preliminary meets will be suf ricitriit to
pay the expenses of the teams.
Eat at the Cremerie. 726 Kansas ave
nue. Scott & Scott.
LONG DON LET OUT.
Either Greatly Sinned Against or Our
Legal Machinery is Kan by
Imbeciles.
Rev. John L. Longdon, the Methodist
minister who was sent to the peniten
tiary three years ago from Topeka, for
violating the age of consent law, was
pardoned today by Governor Leedy.
The pardon was forwarded to Lansing
this afternoon and Longdon will be re
leased tomorrow morning, in time to
reach his family in Topeka for a
Christmas reunion.
The pardon was secured through the
efforts of Capt. J. G. Waters.
The prosecuting witness, Minnie
Brown has made an affidavit that she
perjured herself on the witness stand;
that she was practically compelled by
the prosecution to admit the charge
made by the county attorney, although
it was not true, and states further that
pressure brought to bear against her
by the social purity league and the at
torneys, was responsible for her testi
mony which was Induced by fear occas
ioned by threats against her.
An affidavit from Thomas Archer
says that the girl came to him after
she had joined the Salvation Army and
without any solicitation desired him to
make a statement for her to the effect
that she had misrepresented the facts
on the witness stand, and thereby help
her to right the wrong which she had
committed against an innocent man.
Mrs. H. Pratt, mother of the girl,
now Irving in St. Joe, also makes affi
davit that in her (.pinion, her daughter,
Minnie Brown was compelled through
fear, owing to her extreme youth, to
testify that Longdon was guilty al
though she knew at the time he was
not. Mrs. Pratt also says that the
girl has since told her that she did
not tell the truth on the witness stand.
There are perhaps a dozen other doc
uments tending to prove that the wit
nesses misrepresented the true state of
affairs and succeeded in convicting
Longdon. He says in a letter to the
governor:
"When the prosecution had about
completed its case and realized that a
conviction -could not be secured, one of
the attorneys took the prosecuting wit
ness and two other women into a side
room. Prior to this time the girl had
sworn that I was not guilty of the
charge. When she came out of that
room the attorney had a signed state
ment in which the girl declared that
I was guilty. That is the time she was
compelled to swear to a falsehood."
Longdon says: "I have been perse
cuted by a society which is maintained
by a religious fanaticism." He refers
to the Topeka Social Purity league.
Gov. Morrill refused to issue the par
don, and the Populist board, not long
since, made a similar recommendation.
The signers of the petition for Long
don's release are as follows:
Major J. K. Hudson, H. T. Chase,
Dell Keizer, P. C. Chamberlain. R. L.
Thomas. A. Metcalf. Postmaster Arn
old, Eugene Wolfe. CP. Adams, R. B.
Welch. D. B. Dyer. Charles S. Eagle.
N. G. Dyer, O. S. Carman, Horton; E.
K. Felt, W. M. Hord. J. P. Rowley. W.
B. Kobey, W. R. t Hazen, Lieut. Gov.
Harvey, D. H. Brannan, S. H. Roberts,
Andrew Nordquist. S. B. Isenhart, Jet
more and Jetmore, Hugh Heald, John
W. Day. A. B. Quinton. W. E. Sterne,
Webb McNall and E. G. Wilson.
Capt. J. G. Waters said today:
"There is a household in this city
composed of six little bits of children,
and a good Christian mother, with two
grown daughters respectably married
and one grown son who Is also married,
living at Salina. who havo been suf
fering ail the agony a household can
know by the conviction of the husband
and his incarceration in the peniten
tiary for a crime of which the jury
pronounced him guilty. During his
stay there his wife has kept the fam
ily together, making a fight that would
have appalled the stoutest man. By
dint of the closest economy they have
been housed and clothed by her. Not
a moment of that time did a member
of the family forget the father. They
have importuned the board of pardons
and the governor.
"The governor ascertained who and
what the family was: he learned that
the man had been, during his entire
time there, the very best behaved, and
had been given the warmest recom
mendations from both the Republican
and the present warden.
"The governor had presented to him
the solemnly sworn affidavit of the girl
who testified that she had sworn false
ly, that she was too young to compre
hend the gravity of testifying falsely,
that it was wholly untrue and she de
sired to undo the mischief."
, Other Pardons.
Gov. Leedy today pardoned A.H. Fry
of Cherokee county, sentenced to the
penitentiary for 15 years, for breaking
into a box car and stealing some prop
erty in May, 1SS8: Geo. Lee. sent from
Bourbon county for a similar offense,
for five years, in June, 1S95. was also
pardoned. These pardons were issued
under the decision of the supreme
court, which holds that breaking into
a box car does not constitute an of
fense of that character.
'.VAST THE GOLD STANDARD
Bengal Chambar of Conmeroa Ad
dresses the Government.
Calcutta, Dec. 24. The Bengal cham
ber of commerce has sent an address
to the government, in which it says
that the time has arrived to adopt the
gold standard, pointing out that it is
four years since the mints were closed,
leaving India without a currency sys
tem, asserting that the suspense is
harmful to trade and urging the gov
ernment to disclose any measures
which it may have in contemplation.
TO INSPECT CUBAN FOOD."
Special United States Food Commis
sioner to Sail for Havana.
Fort Worth. Dec. 24. George V.
Simpson, president of the Fort Worth
stockvanls. who has been appointed
special food commissioner to Island of
Cuba, will sail for Havana next week.
He has instructions from the agricul
tural department to make an explicit
report on the food situation existing in
Cuba.
Money f:r Funeral Flowers.
A few days ago a man called at D. A.
Muivane's residence at Twelfth and
Ciav streets and asked to see Mr. Mui
vane. When that gentleman appeared
he said: "Mr. Muivane I'm on my way
to a funeral with my wife and I haven't
anv change with me. Can you let me
have $1.50 until tomorrow to buy some
flowers?" Mr. Muivane did not recog
nize his caller as an acquaintance, but
asked: "Who are you?" The latter
replied, "Why, don't you know me?
I'm ." Mr. Muivane let
the man have the money. In speaking
of it he said: "I haven't seen him since.
It was a pretty slick scheme to get
$1.0 and he caught me pretty well."
SHINE ASTHESUN
Will Howard Gould's Christmas
Dinner
When Compared With Dinners
Wrhich Hare Gone Before.
COVERS FOIl TWELVE.
Six Men and Six Women Will
Sit Down.
There Will Be Flowers and
Frnits from Every Clime.
How the Gilded Youth of Today
Squander Wealth.
New York, Dec. 24. Howard Gould is
to give a Christmas dinner at the Hol
land house. It will surpass in sump
tuousness everything that has occurred
in the annals of private festivals in
years and its guests will be twelve per
sons. What the presents will be those who
remember that Mr. Gould gave a fan.
the cost of which was $80,000 to the
beautiful woman who sat near him at
Rodney Wanamaker's dinner in Paris
last year, hardly dare to imagine.
He has selected his guests admirably.
Not one of them is inclined to make
set speeches, to formulate toasts, or
to prepare phrases in dialogue like a
game of chess.
Every month at this dinner will be
represented by its special fruit even
if that were extremely exotic and its
special flower, even if this be doomed
to death by cold in a moment. Each
month will be represented by its spec
ial gem in lace pins, in scarf pins and in
other jewels chased by artists. There
are also to be selams, which are bou
quets that the orientals made of prec
ious stories that spoke a special lan
guage. There are to be in this dinner patties
as tall as citadels, meats as delicate as
crystallized candy violets and all the
vegetables that Lucullus caused to be
prepared by cooks who were great
artists.
Twelve persons, six of whom are wo
men, are to give to this dinner, which
will have a histor. its enduring
charm. The women will be beautiful,
the men will be interesting.
CHICAGO MEN 51Ai' DIG IT.
An Independent Surveying Party
Leaving for Nicaragua Canal Site.
Chicago. Dec. 24. A special to the
Record from Washington, D. C says:
The steamer Finance, which sails
from New York next Thursday, carries
an important delegation of engineers
and contracteors who propose to look
over the route of the Nicaragua canal
on their own hook, without waiting the
report of the commission which the
government recently sent to revise the
surveys and estimates heretofore sub
mitted to congress. As far as can be
learned this party has no connection
with and asked no assistance from the
government although Senator Morgan,
who has always taken the leading part
in legislation relating to the canal has
encouraged the journey, and thinks
that the interest which has inspired the
enterprise is the most favorable sign
that has lately appeared. The senator
understands that the party will be
composed of some of the heaviest con
tractors now engaged in the construc
tion of the Chicago drainage canal, and
that they will be accompanied by con
sulting engineers of their own choice,
who will assist thein in making a prac
tical examination of the several routes
that have been recommended and pre
paring estimates of the cost of con
struction. It is understood here that the con
tractors on the drainage canal are tak
ing this step with a view to utilizing
their machinery and force of employes
when their present contracts are com
pleted, and if they find things to their
satisfaction they propose either to pur
chase the concessions of the Maratime
company or to enter into a contract to
complete the canal, taking a certain
amount of stock and bonds in the cor
poration as their compensation.
The present situation in Nicaragua
requires that some action shall be ta
ken by the United States immediately
in order to preserve our rights under
teh existing treaty and concessions.
The Menocal concession upon which
the present company is working, and
upon which the legislation now pend
ing in congress is based, expires in
isy9.
INVITED THE WHOLE TOWN
Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb Will
Entertain 1,500 People on
Christmas.
Burlington, Vt., Dec. 24. Dr.and Mrs.
William Seward Webb have invited all
the residents of Shelburne, about 15
hundred persons, to partake in the
Christmas festivities, to be given in the
Ring building at the breeding barn, at
Shelburne farms, on Christmas even
ing. In this building are three rooms,
which will be used respectively for a
dancing hall, supper room and a room
for a large Christmas tree. The Christ
mas tree festivities will be held at 5
o'clock, and will be of the old-fashioned
English order. Gifts have been pro
vided for every one.both old and young,
by Dr. and Mrs. Webb.
Supper will be served at 6 o'clock by
Caterer Coon, of this city. This will be
followed by dancing. The first dance
will be led by Dr. and Mrs. Webb, who
also will sit down to supper with the
townspeople. Music will be furnished
by the Howard Opera House orchestra,
of this city. Denominational Christmas
trees will be out of the question, as
every resident in the town has been in
vited, and all Will jjin in the enjoyment
of the hospitality of Dr. and Mrs. Webb.
Christmas at Shelburne this year will
be one that will be remembered, and
which has never been equalled in the
town.
Troutman Wasn't Aft?r It
James A. Trontmnn has returned from
N-w York and Washirgton. He emphat
ically ct nies the r-port that he went to
Washington to recure an appointment.
"There is no truth in tin1 report." said
he. "I went to New York to take depo
sitions p.ncl stopped at Washington on my
return home. I stopped in Washington
to attend to some private business that
was in no sense jxiitical. and did not see
a single member of the Kansas delegation
while I was there."
WALKED OUT OF DAWSON.
Passengers From That Point Say tho
Trail Will be Open All Winter.
Tacoma, Wn., Dec. 24. Among the
passengers from Dawson who came
down on the City of Seattle, are Col.
Lamphere and Mr. Gregory of Chica
go and D. P. Quinlan of Seattle; T.
Gardner of Oconomowoc, Wis., and T.
B. Denny of Roselin, Wn.
Quinlan, Gardner and Denny came
out from Dawson, having left that place
November 4. They walked all the way
and carried their food on their backs
and on sleds. They occupied a little
more than 30 days on the trip.
Mr. Gardner and his companions
made the trip out without any trouble,
although they struck some weather
that sent the mercury 65 below zero.
This was on the exposed mountain
tops and did not last long or cause
them any inconvenience. These men
say there will be no great difficulty in
getting into Dawson all winter if the
roads and the weather do not get worse
than now.
They report the country as being
rich with gold and say new and valua
ble discoveries are being made every
few days.
No gold was brought out by any of
the men who came down on the City
of Seattle.
Colonel Lamphere and Mr. Gilbert
bought two mines within 50 miles of
Juneau, which will be worked by a
company with a capital of $1,000,000.
These' gentlemen say that work is be
ing rushed on the Dyea Aerial railway
and also on the Skaguay trail, and that
both will be in shape for the miners
to pass over in the early spring.
TORE OFF 1I1S STAR.
Patrolman Ben Perkins Suspended
Until an Examination is Made.
Policeman Ben Perkins, colored, has
been suspended from duty on the police
force by Chief of Police Henry M.
Steele, on charges of theft preferred by
a well known Topeka merchant. Ser
geant Owen removed his star from his
coat.
In the chief's office a short time ago
Chief Steele told Perkins that his res
ignation would be acceptable. Perkins
requested a specific charge. To this re
quest Chief Steele replied that William
Dransfield of the grocery firm of Drans
field & Dick, had preferred a charge of
larceny against Perkins. "I will have
to take you off duty," said Steele, "un
til the matter is investigated. When a
business man of Mr.Dransfield's stand
ing accuses one of my men of theft it is
serious."
Ben Perkins became very angry and
said: "1 am not guilty of that charge
and any man who says I am is a
Chief Steele flushed and
the two engaged in a wordy quarrel.
Those who were in the room at the
time prevented the two from coming to
blows. Perkins left the room in a rage
with the declaration: "If that man
makes that charge against me he will
have to prove it. I am entitled to a
hearing before the commissioners any
way." Chief Steele's answer to this
way by Flamming the door in the po
liceman's face.
A police officer, who sides with Per
kins, said today:
"Dransfield has been trying to get
on the police board ever since the elec
tion. When he failed to be appointed,
he set about to get one of the commis
sioners removed. Some time ago he
sent for Ben Perkins. He wanted him
to take a delegation of colored men be
fore Gov. Leedy and ask that Secreta
ry M. D. Henderson be removed. Per
kins, being employed by the board, re
fused to do so. This was at Dransfield's
store. After Perkins was gone, Drans
field discovered that a pound of butter
was missing. He reported to Henry
Steele that Perkins had stolen the but
ter. Steele told Perkins of it."
William Dransfield said today:
"The statement that I asked Perkins
to go before the governor and ask for
the removal of Henderson, is a malic
ious lie. I am too busy attending to
my grocery business to take up such a
fight. Some time ago I reported to
President Billard that Perkins had
stolen a pound of butter from my store.
I really had to do it, for it was not the
first time he had done it. We can't
stand that kind of business. Perkins
will have to settle the matter. He
owed us a bill, and for that reason it
would have been to our advantage to
allow him to remain on the force, but I
could not tolerate the pilfering."
Ben Perkins is one of the best known
policemen in the city. He has served
in this position under several adminis
trations. For awhile he was fireman at
fire station No. 3. He is prominent
among the colored people. Since his
present appointment he and Henry
Steele have not been on good terms.
Recently Steele said to Perkins:
"I don't believe you've caught a
thief since you have been on the force.
I want men who catch thieves; I don't
care how many bad men they arrest."
To this Perkins replied: "I have ar
rested a few pretty bad men that some
of the others didn't want to tackle. I
notice that whenever there is a tough
negro to arrest, you send me after
him."
CLASH OF ARMS
May Soon be Expected in Upper Nile
Valley.
Cairo, Dec. 24. The dervishes have
left Shendy and Metemmeh and are
marching against the anglo-Egyptian
forces with Berber as their objective
point.
LOOKING THEM UP.
Matrimonially Inc.inod Women Un
der Investigation.
Indianapolis, Dec. 24. D. Phillips,
middle aged, of Grand Rapids, Mich.,
reputed to be worth $50,000. is here in
vestigating the antecedents of ; two
young women who answered his matri
monial advertisement.
He has received numerous letters
from various sections and is traveling
incognito and making a personal inves
tigation. So far he has found some cardinal de
fect in every applicant, but he reports
a delightful experience and he will con
tinue until he finds a life mate to his
liking.
Artificial Indigo.
London, Dec. 24. A dispatch from
Vienna says ft is reported that the
long attempted artificial production of
indigo has been achieved at a.n aniline
factory at Lud wigshafen. on Lake Con
stance, and that it is prepared very
cheaply from coal tar. If this report s
true, an important branch of British
trade will be seriously threatened.
New place 726 Kan. Ave., Cremerie.
Scott & Scott.
A UNIOfT DEPOT.
It Is Time That All the Kail
roads Entering Topeka
Unite in Building a Union De"
pot on Kansas Avenue.
ALL ARE CROWDED.
Santa Fe Has Waiting llooms
Too Small.
Rock Island Needs More Room
for Offlces.
The new and greater Topeka in Its
march of progress, now well under
way, needs as another mark of ad
vancement a Union depot.
All the railroads entering the capital
city have this year done a record
breaking business in passenger and
freight traffic with still brighter pros
pects for liS.
Why can't these companies do a big
thing for themselves and the city of
Topeka by the construction of a Union
station?
The natural location for such a depot
for the use of all the roads, the conven
ience and economy of themselves and
the public is on First street on the east
side of Quincy street. This tract to tho
extent of half a block extending from
Quincy to Kansasavenue and from First
to the alley is already railroad proper
ty. The Santa Fe.Manhattan, Alma & Bur
lingaine, Leavenworth & Southwestern,
and the Rock Island already have
tracks on First street adjoining this
site. The Missouri Pacific tracks are
near by and the Union Pacific is inter
ested in the Manhattan & Alma line.
The Union Pacific main line couhl
easily effect an arrangement to come
over to the South side with its west
bound trains by the Santa Fe bridge
and go out over the Rock Island bridge
and reverse the plan with Its east
bound trains.
The advantages of a Union station
to the public are inestimable. To the
railroads and express companies a
great saving is possible in the common,
use of waiting rooms, ticket sellers, ex
press facilities, etc. The saving in the
transfer of express and passengers will
be large in a financial way and great in
the matter of convenience to travelers
who come n on one road and leave on
another.
The Union depot project is especially
timely just now for many reasons,
among which may be namd a few:
The present Santa Fe depot is entire
ly too small to take care of the enor
mous business of that company in this
city. Only recently it has been neces
sary to encroach on the waiting rooms
for a lunch counter now too small. A
news-stand has been built outside on
the platform. The company needs its
present passenger building for a freight
house.
The Rock Island building is rrowded
and needs its present waiting rooms
and ticket office for additional general
offices. The Missouri Pacific has no
suitable facilities whatever and is com
pelled to keep its passenger office lock
ed up half the time.
A Union depot at First and Kansas
avenue would with the new bridge and
the auditorium practically wipe out
Smoky Row and make lower Kansas
avenue a respectable and important
portion of the city.
ToTjliANClTbUT.
Kansas Mutual Life Will Take Ad
vantage of New York Com
pany's Withdrawal.
The withdrawal of the New York
Mutual from Kansas will undoubtedly
redound to the benefit of the home
companies.
The Kansas Mutual is already mak
ing an effort to employ all the agents
of the New York Mutual. A proposi
tion has been made to General Agent
John E. Lord to take a position with
the Kansas company, and agents all
over Kansas will be invited to take po
sitions with the Kansas Mutual. The
company expects to double its business
in Kansas next year, and the with
drawal of foreign companies will by
no means impede such a determination.
It may be that the Kansas Mutual Life
will so increase its business that it
will erect a new building in Topeka and
employ several times as many clerks.
MISSS1EGEL TO WED.
Daughter of New York Merchant
Will Marry F. E. Vogel.
New York. Dec. 24. Gerson Siege!,
vice president of the Siesel-Cooper Co.,
has announced the engagement of his
daughter, Blanche, to Frank K. Vog-I
of Chicago. The wedding will occur
In March or April. In all probability
the breakfast will be given at Delrnon
ico's. instead of the family residence,
22 Fast Sixty-seventh street.
Miss Siegel met her prospective hus
band at the world's fair in Chicago
four years ago. The Siegels have ex
tensive interests in Chicago, as well as
here, and have been associated with
Mr. Vogel s cially and through busi
ness affiliations many years.
Frank K. Vogf-1 is a member of th
big packing fupj of Nelson Murris &
Co. of Chicago.
LP W ELLFO LLP WS SUIT
15,000 More Cotton Operatives Noti
fied of a Wage Reduction.
Lowell, Mass., Dec. 24. The treasur
ers of the Lowell cotton mills, at a
meeting held here today, voted to re
duce the wages of their employes from
Jan. 1.
The causes of the reduction are the
same as those which led to the manu
facturers In the Fall River, Mass., Sun
cook. N. H.. and other places to lower
the wage scalp.
About 15.C00 operatives in this city
will be affected.
Fakers in Europe, Too.
Rome. Dec. 24. The statement con
tained in a special dispatch from
Rome, published in London yesterday
to the effect that a cabinet meeting has
decided to send an Italian squadron to
China, was pure invention. There has
been no cabinet meeting since Decem
ber 20.