The Topeka state journal. [volume], March 27, 1901, LAST EDITION, Image 1

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

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

                
4
fern WMf Mrirei
sYsf Ay
TWO CENTS.
LAST EDiTO.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
TOPEKA, KANSAS, MARCH 27, 1901.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
; I Y
Y
Y
AFFAI
Tl!f3 Trustees Appoiiilsi! to
SteMi M Oat.
to About $50,000 to
Eastern Ciiis.
USED THE MONEY.
Was Paid to Him on Account
of Mortgages.
When Creditors Demanded
Money Mr. Popenoe Left.
NOW IN COSTA RICA
Will Return If Business Is
Adjusted.
Hopes to Get Money Spent
in Mines.
DISASTROUS EFFORT
Lost 20,000 In Booming
the Capital.
Country Home and Other
Property Transferred.
F. O. Fopfno? is still In Costa Rica
and the indications are that he will not
return to Topeka soon. His affairs are
la a hopeless tang!" and trustees have
been appointed in the hope of straight
ening them out. All his property has
been sold or transferred. The liabilities
exceed J,",0.00. The business of the Ac
counting Trust company, or -which Mr.
Popenoe was president, is being closed
out and the work will probably be com
pleted this week. The magnificent Pope
noe country home In Highland Park
vh!ch cost Mr. Popenoe $40,000 has been
transferred to an eastern creditor. His
paper, the Daily Capital, in -which he
eunk $20,000 in eight months, was taken
possession of by the Bank of Topeka, the
mortgagee, and sold to a new company.
The story of thj rise and fall of F. O.
Popenoe reads like a romance, and it is
a romance in which the central figure is
a man of great energy, who hoped to
lose as a Napoleon of finance and who
rose to an enviable position in the finan
cial world orly to be at last hurled to
the ground by the force of his own am
bition. He was kindT generous and pub
lic spirited, and if he had possessed the
wealth of Jay Gould he would have been
known as a great philanthropise.
Mr. Popenoe was reared on a farm
end early in his life learned shorthand.
He was an expert stenographer and fif
teen years ago was employed by the T.
TJ. Bowman Loan company which was
then and si:i is one of the substantial
financial institutions cf the city. He
married the daughter of the head of the
company and started life with, bright
prospects, fur he was industrious, ener
getic and honest.
When Mr. Popenoe left the Bowman
company it was to take charge of the
affairs cf the Topeka Investment com
pany, one of the concerns whose exist
ence was squeezed out in the Kansas
boom. He managed its affairs satis
factorily and upon its ruins erected an
other company which be called the Ac
counting Trust company.
The star of the young financier was in
tha ascendancy and when he organized
fcts company in ISM he had no trouble in
drawing to him some of the most sub
stantial citizens cf Tup- ka. Among the
early directors of the company were Kd
ward AVSlder, C. S. deed. E. K. Ware,
P. I. Eonebrake and E. B. Merriam.
Men stood ready to do his bidding and
the prospect was bright. Indeed. The
company had a nominal capital of ?r0,
000, but Mr. Popenoe was the on dom
inant force in the organization. What
lie willed was done and the directors
simply lent the influence of their names
to he!p him in his plans. They stood as
sponsors fer the young man In the busi
ness world.
As time passed some cf these men
thought that the president of the com
pany was too daring or reckless and the
directory was revised.
The report made to the secretary of
S-ate last June showed the following as
RS INVOLVED
l : i ?!
7 l $
YK M VaY
j .h V..; d V 1
F. O. Popenoe, Topeka Financier Now
in Costa Rica.
directors of the Accounting Trust com
pany: -
F. O.. Popenoe, president, Topeka,
Kansas.
C. L. Holman, treasurer, Topeka,
Kansas.
V. R. Barrett, secretary, Topeka,
Kansas.
K Wilder. Topeka, Kansas.
P. O. Wiliard. Topeka, Kansas.
1. B. King. Plymouth, Ohio.
Occasionally there was a transaction
which filtered through to the public
which would not bear the close scrutiny
of business men but the people at laige
did not dream that the institution and
its head did not stand on the most secure
foundation.
BUILDS A COUNTRY RESIDENCE.
Two years ago Mr. Popenoe secured
the old J. K. Hudson homestead of ten
acres in Highland Park. His father-in-law
and benefactor had passed away
and left the Popenoe family a large sum
of money, estimated at $40,000. Mr.
Popenoe was now regarded as a man of
independent wealth by many though oc
casionally a veteran in the business
world would hint that things were not in
as good shape as the public supposed.
The Hudson home was torn down and
Mr. Popenoe began on its site the erec
tion of a magnificent country home. Ex
pense was not considered in the erection
of the house. The interior was finished
in mahogany, rosewood and othf.r costly
and rare woods, and when it was com
pleted the home was an ideal one. The
rooms were filled with costly furniture
and nothing was overlooked that would
add to the comfort of those who were to
occupy it. A corps of servants, consist
ing of cook, butier and waiters was in
stalled. Mr. Popenoe settled down with
his family to enjoy the comforts of life.
He was an officer of the State Temper
ance Union and gave freely to the cause
of the association.
Ambition was now firmly rooted in the
mind of the young man. He had an ex
cellent family, a beautiful home and ap
parently everything the heart of man
couid desire but still he was not satis
fied. BITS A NEWSPAPER.
Mr. Popenoe desired to enter a new
domain. He wished to shine in public
life and the Topeka morning paoer which
was then laboring under a load of debt
offered him the opportunity. He sought
and he bought the Daily Capital. He
did not invest much money it was rot
necessary ard he gave his notes for the
balance of the purchase price which
amounted to upwards of J 50, WO. He paid
only J5.0"0 at the outset.
This was one of the great mistakes in
the career of Mr. Pope ioe. He was en
tirely ignorant cf the details of the news
paper business. He did not understand
what the reading public wanted and must
have. He did not understand how to
handle his advertising patronage.
Then came the Sheldon edition, with
its phenomenal notoriety and circula
tion. The name of the Poper.oe paper
was heralded from one end of the coun
try to the other. The circulation jumped
to 100.000, then to 200.000, and dill not
stop at that. Mr.. Porenoe may not
have known that the people who sub
scribed for the paper did not care for
the Daily Capital, but they wanted to
familiarize themselves with the plans
of a well known minister of the gospel
who saiii he would show how an ideal
paper should be conducted.
Mr. Popenoe thought that he would
continue to conduct the paper along the
same lines as were laid down by Rev.
Mr. Sheldon, and would thereby "hold a
large proportion of the subscribers. J.
K. Hudson was editor of the paper. He
had been engaged by Mr. Popenoe at a
salary of $;.00o per year. General Hud
son now came to the front and said that
as long as he was connected with the
paper Mr. Popenoe's plans would not be
followed. The quarrel which ensued ex
tended over a period of several weeks,
and was ended by the retirement of Gen
eral Hudson and his son-in-law. Dell
Keizer, from the management of the
Capital. Mr. Keizer was business man
ager and ownd stock in the -paper, for
which Mr. Popenoe paid him $10,000.
GIVES PERSONAL ATTENTION TO
HIS PAPER.
Then Mr. Popenoe assumed direct con
trol cf the paper. Much foreign adver
tising had been lost because of tiie Shel
don edition, nearly ail the foreign adver
tisers having been denied the use of the
Sheldon edition. Mr. Popenoe set about
to win back what had been lost. He had
by this time given up the idea of con
tinuing the paper on the Sheldon plan,
for the subscribers for that week had
all dropped out, but Mr. Popenoe had a
definite plan to make the paper one of
the greatest in the west.
Mr. Popenoe bought the paper last
May, and on August 1 he assumed per
sonal charge. The profits of the Sheldon
edition, which were more than $20.';'0.
were available, and the young financier
saw a bright future ahead in his news
paper career. Ha accordingly opened
wide the throttle. Expensive men were
imported to boom the advertising and
help in the editorial department. Sal
aries were raised all around, and the
work cf invading the new-sparer field
was comnnyieed in earnest. The local
advertising rales had been increased be
fore Mr. Popenoe became owner of the
paper, but as the advertising did not
come in as rapidly as he wished he re
duced the rates below the old ones,
adopting a. policy to secure advertising
at any cost. The Sunday paper was en
larged from 16 pages to 32 and even 40
pages, and the issues were distributed
free, scattered broadcast over the city
and the state. The young manager evi
dently did not know how expensive such
proceedings and policies were, but he
soon learned.
HE RUTS A BANK.
About this time Mr. Popenoe planned
axioUjer count, Ha opened Eetfouations
for the purchase of the First National
bank, and even contracted for the pur
chase, and deposited money to bind the
sale. He thea went east evidently for
the purpose of interesting eastern friends
who had money in the scheme, but for
the first time in his life he failed. He
could rjot raise the money. When the
time for the expiration of the option
came Mr. Popenoe was compelled to re
linquish the bank, which was just
within his grasp. What the result would
have been if he had succeeded in his
plans can only be conjectured.
After the failure of his bank project
Mr. Popenoe devoted himself with re
newed energy to his paper. Corps of
advertising solicitors were sent out over
the state and the local merchants were
appealed to. Business came, of course,
but it cost more than it was worth.
As the year was drawing to a close it
became eident that Air. Poienoe's
newspaper venture was not bearing
fruit. The debit side of the ledger was
appalling, and it was evident that some
thing had to be done. Then it was that
many of the expensive men were dis
charged and a policy of retrenchment
was commenced, but it was too late.
He had sptnt $20,000 more than the re
ceipts in bisming the Capital in the brief
period of eight months.
In his zeal for newspaper success Mr.
Popenoe had neglected his other busi
ness. Money was collected for clients of
the Accounting Trust company which
did net find its way into the pockets of
the clients. It may have been used to
help make up the pewspaper deficits or
for something else at any rate it" was
gone, and these people began to clamor
for settlement.
CREDITORS BECOME INSISTENT.
The Bank of Topeka again took charge
of the Capital, and Mr. Popenoe was left
without resources to satisfy the demands
being made upon him. Before the first
day of February he left for Costa Rica
with his family, and he is still -there.
When the books of the Accounting Trust
company were examined it was found
that there was due to eastern clients in
the neighborhood of $30,000.
One of Mr. Popenoe's pet projects was
his Costa Rica gold mines. He had in
vested $60,000 in developing- these mines
and was president of the Bella Vista
Mining company. He was also largely
interested in the Thayer Gold Mining
company which was virtually the same
thing. Both mines are in the mountains
of Costa Rica. When Mr. Popenoe went
to Costa Rica he hoped to raise moi,ey
on his interest in the mines. He ha i
sold much of his stock, however, before
lie went away but he expected to get
back at least a part of the money he had
invested. He left word when he went
away that he would cable money from
Costa Rica to redeem the Capital,' but
again he failed.
Before Mr. Popenoe left Topeka he
transferred his beautiful country home
to Coleridge Hart, a lawyer of 33 Nas
sau street. New Tork. a distant relative.
I He r.ad secured money from Mr. Hart.
He also deeded his ranch of 1.400 acres
I situated near Alma, in Wabaunspp oni.i.-
ty, to lira T. E. Bowman, his motner-in-law.
. TRUSTEES ARE APPOINTED.
After Mr. Popenoe reached Costa Rica
and when he saw that there was littlj
hope of his being able to straighten out
his tangled affairs at once he sent the
manager of the mining company, R. C.
Shaw, a brother of Jesse Shaw, , of th
Topeka Water company, to Topeka to
make arrangements of some kind to adT
just the tangled skein -of his affairs. M.
Shaw arrived in Topeka a little more
than a week ago and appointed tv.o
cither trustees to act with him. Tl.o
three trust "es are John R. Mulvane, of
the Bank cf Topeka, Jesse Shaw and R.
C. Shaw. Before Mr. Shaw left to return
to Ccsta Rica a week ago. he gave the
Topeka people assurances that the min
ing company would return to Mr. Pope
noe the money he invested in the mines
and as this amounts to $60,000. it wou:d
more than pay all his pressing obliga
tions. There are no resources in the Ac
counting Trust company and the only
hope of the trustees is that the moiiey
wiil be returned to Mr. Popenoe by ire
mining company. Mr. Shaw said he j
thought this would be done, as he says I
the mines are becoming very prosper- i
ous.
Meantime the mining company held an
election and deposed Mr. Popenoe as an
otllcer and director, but he still holds
about 2.50,000 shares of mining stock at
E" par value of $1 per share. The mines
are said to be rich in gold ore and if
they are the probability is that Mr.
Popenoe will reap a share of the bene fits.
Meanwhile Mr. Popenoe and his
family are living in a little house in ti e
wilds of Costa Rica .waiting for affairs
to right themselves, when he declares he
will return to Topeka and settle all his
obligations.
S. L. Lea itt haa recently returned
from the Costa Rica mines and Col. A.
S. Johnson and J. P. Griswold have also
beer, there on trips of inspection and ai;
say that the mines are bound to turn cut
well. They with many other Topeka
people are financially interested in the
mines.
ACCOUNTING TRUST CO.
Charles L Holman and W. R. Bar
rett are working hard to straighten cut
the 3ffairs of the Accounting Trust com
pany. They have been associated with
Mr. Popenoe for many years and they
refuse to discuss his trouble. They a e
both Renown as honorable and straight
forward gentlemen and the blow falls
heavily upon them.
The last statement of the Accounting
Trust company was filed with the Sec
retary of State last June. It is as fol
lows: RESOURCES.
Bills receivable $29 ."37. 8
Real estate 25.315.00
Personal property 1.23.10
Stocks and be.nds 8.920.00
i ash on hand 29.S5
Due from banks 9.6ri0.70
Accounts receivable 20.642.53
Total $175,699.0S
LIABILITIES.
Capital paid up $50.000 00
Surplus and undivided profits.. 50.030.00
Bills payable- 21,096.33
Bills payable, accounts payable
and money for loans and re
investment 54.172.70
Encumbrance on real estate . 400.00
Total T175.693.08
"WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW.
The records at the court house show
that F. O. Popenoe has disposed of about
all his property in Topeka after covering
it all with mortgages.
On March 4. 1901, the deed was filed
conveying from F. O. Popenoe and Mar
ion B. Popenoe the 95 lots in Highland
park, which made up the Popenoe home,
to Coleridge A. Hart of New York City.
Tie amount named is "$1 and other val
uable ce-r.siderationst." On the same day
F. O. Popenoe and wfe conveyed to
Mary J. Taylor, of New Tork City, the
SDCf odd, lota making up the Popecoe
chicken ranch for $1. In December 190.)
the 350 lots making up the chicken, ranca
were mortgaged to C. B. Merriam for
$3,000. In April 1S98 the home place sold
to C. A. Hart was mortgaged to the
Buriington Savings bank for $5,000. For
some time the sheriff held two warrants
against Popenoe for personal property
tax. One case for $374 against Popenoe
and one for $241 against the Accc-untii.g
Trust company. Both wrere afterward
paid by Prof. E. A. Popenoe, of the State
Agricultural college at Manhattan, a
brother of F. O. Popenoe. The taxes on
the home property, $189.75, were paid by
Popenoe's father.
Mr. Popenoe's parents who are at pres
ene residing at the Highland Park place
are among the most,; respected and high
ly esteemed people i of this community.
The same is true of the other relatives
by marriage and otherwise, none of
whom are in any wise directly or indi
rectly responsible for Mr. Popenoe's mis
fortunes. They hold strongly to the be
lief that he will return to Topeka, settle
all of his indebtedness and straighten up
his affairs. t
it look:
Santa Fe Shop Proposition Will
Undoubtedly Carry.
Major Anderson Says the Pros
pect is Encouraging.
C. B. Merriam Says Means In
crease in Property Talues.
The importance of the passage of the
Santa Fe shop extension proposition at
the city election next Tuesday must not
be overlooked. . '
"The Santa Fe shop proposition looks
very encouraging," said Major T. J. An
derson this morning. "Men who were
opposed to the bonds are coming in every
day and giving in their allegiance to the
proposition. Mr. Archie Baird has been
an indefatigable worker 4n the interest
of the bonds, arid has had great in
fluence with the men in the employ of
the Santa Fe road, 'jiome few people
still persist in saying. "that the proposi
tion for bonds conies from the Santa Fe
road. Nothing could tie turth&r from the
truth. They have never askjvl us for a
dollar. They said it would take about
twelve acres on which to build the pro
posed improvements and they were will
ing to pay what they could get it for
elsewhere or even more. They said they
would pay $500 per acre, and these bonds
are being voted to make up the balance.
"The very minute that it is known that
the preposition is carried, Topeka will
have taken a great stride forward, and
the city will increase more in population
in the next twelve months than in the
past five years."
An idea of the' eT;et of the passage
or the failure to pass of the bonds for the
shop extension may be gathered from
talking with the real estate men.
The real estate men of the city, who
will cf coursa do a great deal of busi
ness if the proposition is carried, are
unanimous in the opinion that the ques
tion at stake will decide the future of
the property values of the city.
"There will be a steady increase in the
values of property," said C. B. Merriam,
of the T. E. Bowman company, this
morning, "if the proposition carries. We
are of the opini&n that this increase will
not be in the nature of a boom, but will
be a steady increase in the value of
from 25 to 50 per cent, in the value of
all property. If the proposition is de
feated and the proposed shops lost to our
city, there will be. in my opinion, a cor
responding depreciation in the values of
property."
It is also evident that there will be a
considerable movement of properties.
George B .Payne, of the firm of Payne
& Thompson, said this morning: "There
will be a steady movement of real estate
if the bonds are voted. Property values
will increase, and there will be a great
deal of building. People are holding off
until after the election before making
purchases."
"It is a matter of great importance."
said Emmett Roudebush. "Of course we
real estate men are interested in the
project as much as any one, but I am in
favor of the proposition from the stand
point of a citizen of the city, because
tiiis is my home, and I want to see the
city grow, as well as from the stand
point of a real estate man. But the !o"a
tion of the shops here will be of as much
interest to the property owner and the
merchant and the laboring man as it is
to the real estate dealers.
"This is a matter where the welfare
of the city and its citizens is at stake,
and we should not for a moment for
get it."
While there is little doubt that the
proposition will carry If all its friends
gt out and vote, the importance of the
question should not for a moment be
fore-otten. Everyne who favors the
measure should cast his vote for the
bonds so that there will be no doubt of
the measure carrying.
It must not be forgotten that if the
bonds fail to be issued it will be almost
impossible to raise the required amount
by subscription, as it taxed the ability of
the committee who hpd the matter in
charge to -raise the $25,000 with which
the first lar:d was secured for the rail
road company. '
DAILY FIGHTING.
Gen. DeWitt Aprain Reported to
Have Entered Cape Colony.
Cape Town, March 27. Indecisive en
counters at widely separated points are
reported daily. Fighting took place yes
terday at Tarkastad and Henningfon
tein, both in Cape Colony. The casual
ties wree few.
A commando numbering 200 under
Commandant Fourie was dispersed at
Thabanchu.
According to reports received here the
hills above De Wetsdorp. just reoeeupied
by General Bruce Hamilton, were also
the scene of a fight lasting several hours
yesterdav.
New York, March 27. Charles D.
Pierce, the representative of the Orange
Free State, today said that there was no
truth in the story circulated in Paris
that Mr. Kruger was to come to this
country to give a series of lectures.
London, March 27. It is reported from
Bloemfontein that General De Wet is
again in Orange River colony.
Weather Indications.
Chicago, March 27. Forecast for Kan
sas: Threatening tonight and Thursday
with possibly snow; fresh northerly
wind
NEW SULTAN
Arab Rebels Proclaim Moham
med V in Yemen.
He Is a Brother of the Present
Turkish lluler.
YOUNG TURKS ACCEPT.
Open Enmity to Abdul Ham id
Spreads to the Palace.
Patrols of Constantinople Hare
Been Doubled.
Mohammedans and Christians
Arrested in Large Nnmbers.
London, March 27. Advices received
here from Constantinople are to the ef
fect that affairs are rapidly reaching a
dangerous pass there. Turkish finances
are in an Inextricable confusion. Ail
government salaries are from six to
eight months in arrears. Upward of a
million Turkish pounds are due for war
material, while the military expenditure,
is daily increasing in order to cope with,
the rebellion in the province of Yemen,
in Southern Arabia and the possible ris
ing in Macedonia.
There is no doubt that the Ottom-in
troops received a severe check at the
hands cf the Arab insurgents, who, in a
manifesto denouncing the sultan, pro
claimed his brother, Mohammed Reshad
Effendi, to be sultan with the title of
Mohammed V. The Young Turks party
have adhered to the Arabian proclama
tion and the open enmity to Abdul
Hamid, the sultan, has spread to the
palace and the sultan's advisers.
Lizzet Bey is said to be preparing for
flight. The patrols of Constantinople
have been doubled. Mohammedans and
Christians are arrested hourly and large
numbers are daily shipped to Asia
Minor.
The tension between Bulgarians and
Mussulmans in Macedonia is extreme.
It is reported that another band of ma
rauders has crossed Bulgaria Into Mace
donia. TRAIN IN THE RIVER.
Firemen and Two Passengers
Injured on Lackawanna.
Binghamton, N. Y., March 27. A pas
senger train on the Utica division of the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western was
wrecked early today a mile and a half
east of Norwich. The train is said to
have gone into the Chenango river. It is
reported the engineer, .fireman and two
passengers were injured. The high wa
ter had undermined-the tracks and they
sagged under the weight of the train,
throwing the engine and coaches into
the stream.
STORM COMING.
Snow Began Falling at Denver
This Morning.
Denver, March 27. Another heavy
snow storm began here early this morn
ing. At this hour (9 a. m.) about six
inches of snow has fallen and it js still
snowing.
Reports coming in from eastern Colo
rado towns today indicate that the stock
losses resulting from the blizzard of
Sunday and Monday will not exceed
three per cent. '
STOLE TRAY OF DIAMONDS.
Young Jewelry Salesman Robs His
Employers at EL C
Kansas City. Mo., March 27. Twenty-year-old
William A. Deardruff, a clerk,
has been arrested, charged with stealing;
$3,100 worth of diamond rinjars from his
employers, Edwards fc Sloan, wholesale
jewelers. "Later, when confronted with
the rines. which had been found hidden
In the basement of the firm's building,
Ieardruff . broke down and confessed.
Deardruff has also confessed to having
sent Mr. Edwards, the senior member of
t he firm, a letter thren tening" to kidnap
the jfwHer's son if he did. not immediate
ly produce $1.'0 in grold.
" 1 admit the whole thing-.' said the
youthfs.il prisoner to a reporter at the sta
tion, after he had sigrned a written con
fession presented by the prosecuting at
torney. "No use to djeny it any more. I
am up aeahist it."
Deardruff said he planned the robbery
by himse'f hrtd taken no one into hi
conndppce. His first idea was simply to
steal the tray of diamonds. He accomp
lished this, he said, during the afternoon
of March 11. and hid the ringr; in the
basement. It then occurred to him that
he could not immediately negotiate a sale
of the diamonds and the scheme to extort
money from Mr. Edwards was conceived.
Deardruff has been employed by the firm
for eighteen months. He will be prose
cuted for grand larceny.
BLIZZARD'S HAVOC
Thousands of Dead Animals
Strew the Plains.
Denver, March 27. Thousands of dead
cattle, sheep and horses strew the plains
of western Nebraska and eastern Colo
rado as a result of the blizzard. Incom
ing passengers over the Burlington and
Union Pacific say that in every gully
are seen the carcasses of animals and
that the bodies are scattered over the
plains in every direction. , .
Cut in Prune Prices.
San Jose, Cal., March 27. The Califor
nia Cured Fruit association has cut the
prices of prunes for export one-haif cent
a pound. This for the sizes from 40-5'
to 90-ltws, inclusive. The object of the
cut is to put the exporter on an equal
footing with, the jobber of European
prunes.
'INSIDE SEWS."
Berlin Newspapers Mase Public Roo
fs, sian State Secrets.
Berlin. March 27. The Vorwaerts pub
lishes "inside news from Russia to the
effect that the number of students en
rolled in the army is still Increasing and
now exceeds 2,000.
According to the same authority an ex
student named Pi rat oft, who was enrolled,
was executed March 22 in Kieft because
of insubordination, and two former stu
dents. Rybakoff and Lanzetnik, will be
tried for a similar offense.
The Taeblatt's St. I'etershurg- corre
spondent says the recall of Count ilur-avieff-Amoursky,
Russian military at
tache at Paris, has been ordered and that
the Russian ambassador to France, Prince
OuroussoiY, probably will soon be re
called. IS UP.
China Failed to Sign the Treaty
With Russia
Making Manchuria a Part of the
Czar's Empire.
Fekin, March 27. The Chinese had not
signed the Manchurian agreement last
night when the time expired.
The ministers -of the powers do not
consider that the murder of Rev. J.
Stonehouse of the London Missionary
society who was killed by Chinese
brigands 14 miles east of Tien Tsin re
cently affects the Chinese situation po
litically. They are perfectly aware that
the country around Shi-Nan is infested
with robbers who are naturally hostile
to foreigners and would take such an op
portunity as in the present case to kill
one; Mr. Kockhill, the special commis
sioner of the United States, says he does
not consider it safe for people to travel
alone in the country districts and guards
can not be supplied to the missionaries.
Consequently those going into the coun
try take considerable risk. The district
in which the murder was committed is
policed by foreign troops. Therefore,
China is not officially responsible. The
foreign troops practically looted Shi-Nan
of everything worth taking and the peo
ple there are indignant against all for
eigners. The missionaries attribute the
murder to the leniency of the powers
toward China, which makes them seem
to be afraid.
The ministers have many different
views on the indemnity question whichr
may result in considerable delay In the
negotiations on that subject.
ORDER NOT TO SIGN.
London, March 27. The officials of the
Japanese embassy confirm the report
that an imperial decree was issued by
the court at Sian Fu through Liu Kun
Ti, the viceroy of Nankin, ordering that
the Manchurian convention should not
be signed March 26, the date fixed by
Russia. An intimation of this decree waa
telegraphed to the various governments
concerned.
LAST caucus.
Nebraska Legislators' Final Ef
fort to Nominate a Senator.
Lincoln, "Neb., March 27. Fifty-three
Republican members of the legislature
last night went into what is believed to
be the last senatorial caucus held on the
long term vacancy. From 8 until 11
o'clock balloting was steadily maintained
without a nomination. There was a fall
ing off in the vote for Edward Rosewater
and a gain for George Meiklejohn, the 11
o'clock ballot resulting:
Rose-water. 27; Meiklejohn, 20; Currie, 7;
Baldridge, 1.
During the balloting a communication
was received from the nine men who re
fused to enter the caucus. In effect the
bolters agreed to abide by the decision of
the caucus if it would undo the work of
a week ago and nominate any two men,
eliminating the name of D. K. Thompson.
There were other propositions, which were
not disclosed. The ccaucuh at 11 o'clock
took a recess to consider the communica
tions.
The prospect is regarded as unfavorable
to any sort of agreement or the election
of eiiht-r senator befH-e the expiration of
the legislative session at midgmght Thurs
day night. During the day a number of
conferences were held, the most interest
ing being that in Governor Dietrich's of
fice, between the caucus bolters, the gov
ernor and a number of party leaders. It
failed of the purpose of inducing the bolt
ers to join the majority.
The caucus adjourned shortly before
midnight, subject to call of the chairman.
The communication of the bolters was
left Unanswered after a motion to de
nounce them and their advisers as trait
ors to the party had been tabled.
HESIUXS ALL WOKKY.
Banker Brown of Baltimore Quits
Business For His Health's Sake.
Baltimore. Md., March 27. Alexander
Brown the head of the banking house of
Alexander Brown & Sons, of this city,
has resigned all the directorships held
by him in financial institutions, and will
temporarily retire from active business.
He does this on the advice of his physi
cian as a preliminary step to a prolonged
tour of Europe. Mr. Brown has financed
a large number of important deals, in
volving more than $200,OCK),000 during the
past three years. -
THE SULTAN'S SECURITY".
XT. S. Geologist Will Examine Tur
key's Government Mines.
Washington, March 2S. Geologist J. B.
Spurr of the United States f.eolt jgical sur
vev has left here for Turkey under a
special commission from the Turkish gov
ernment. He will, among other things,
examine the mini-s owned by tha sultan
and report on their value.
THD0UGI1 MEXICO.
American Capitalists Have Secured
Concessions For a Railway.
Chicago, March 27. A special to the
Record from City of Mexico says:
Chicago and New York capitalists
have, it is said, practically secured a
concession for a railroad through the
northern part of the republic. It is be
lieved the road will connect with the
Mexican Central at or near Chihuah'.a
and will run through the state of Sonoia
to the Oulf of California.
Sirs. Kation Inspects Train.
Cincinnati, March 27. Over 4.000 per
sons at the Grand Central station to
day inspected the new Pan-American
train of the "Big Four." Forty other
cars of the same pattern are to be de
livered to the "Big Four" by June. Gen
eral Passenger Agent Lynch escorted
Mrs. Nation and her party through the
train and at that time the champagne
happened to be flowing freely. M-s.
Nation expressed her indignation at the
I use of liquor and. wine on the train.
IVAOyiilG UP.
City Election Situation is Ee
coming Exciting;.
Both Sides Claim That Thej
Will Win.
REPUBLICAN riGUIiES.
Workers Tlace Hughes Major
ity High Enough.
Fusionists Silent Hut Hope to
Win.
City politics is wanning up, but it in
getting warm on the ,quiet. The bos
politicians on both sides are doing a
lot of figuring and work. The .Repub
lican committee seems to be frightene l
for some reason, which they will not ex
plain. They claim the election of Hughf-s
by at least 2.E0O, but they are not let
tins any chances slip, and the Repub
lican city central committee, being com
posed of experienced and astute poli
ticians, knows a chance to slip when
they see one.
The Democratic committee held a mu
tual consolation meeting last night nn I
attempted to figure out how they could
land their candidate for mayor. After
using up all their had pencils, they
came to the conclusion that they coul.i
win if they could get all the Iiemocrats
out and persuade the Republicans to;
stay at .home. Just how to accomplish
this could not be decided, but the com
mittee scratched their heads and pull"d
their whiskers over the question for
three hours trying to arrive at a solu
tion of the problem, but the fact is that
party lines do not cut much figure la
the election.
The Republican committee haa sent
out notices to all the true believers ask
ing that they use every effort to get the
women out, and they are telling, on the
quiet, that if they do not get the women
out the ticket may be defeated. Tearful
appeals ate being sent to, the women
who are connected with the different
women's societies which are working In
connection with the city committee, and
to others who have no connect lin other
than the good of the c ommunity, urging
them to get out and work. 1
The Republican precinct committee
men report that they lind but few Re
publicans who will not vote for Hughes,
and they also report that tne woman
vote will show at leaist three to one f r
Ilughep. It is on these rerxirts thut the
committee bases its figures of 2..r.ov ma
jority for Hughes. If thes" figures r.
correct, the majority for Hughes would
be nearer 3.0)0 than 2.SK).
Some of the fusionists are actuall;.
claiming that they expect to elect their
candidate for councilman in the Second
ward, and a few enthusiastic part ts.-i ns
are making bets on that prnnsit ion. but
they are too conservative to make a lw-t
on the majority for Hughes even when
it is placed as low as l.fioo, .which indi
cates the air of uncertainty which sur
rounds the election.
There is a great deal of talk of a qui't
campaign, and all such talk is nonsense;
the campaign is no more quiet than I
neighborhood gossip, and every tine
knows how quiet that is it w uld not b?
as well advertised if It was displayed In
a half-page ad. in a daily paper. The
quiet talk is used by both sides to get
out the vote by frightening the mem
bers of the different parties into going
to the polls. It will work, too. and there
will 1)9 an immense vote cast in the city
on account of it.
Some of the city officers on the Repub
lican ticket other than mayor are shak
ing the "quiet campaign" rag in th
faces of the voters in order to get theru
out. It seems to be contagious. The
only man on the R( -rublica.n ticket wh
seems to feel that he has a sure thing
is Fred Stonestreet, ail the rest have
been scared by the "quiet camioitti"
talk. They will take each other t a
corner and whisper something about
how a certain man is going to vote, and
how he has been inihiemed by till
"quiet" work, and then they will at once
begin to talk "uncertain."
The majority of the- Republican work
ers are confident that they will win, and
all of the fusionists and some Republi
cans hope they will not; that is about
the situation.
KEYEM E RECEIPTS.
Total For February Shows an Increase
Over Last Trtiar.
Washington, March 27. The month!.'
statement of the collections of intcrr.i!
revenue show that for the month cf
February, 1901, the total collections were
$22,660,4:17, an Increase of $l.xr.0.T71 v r
the corft-sponding month last year. 1 he
collections from the several sources- of
revenue are given as follows:
Spirits, $fi.77,74. increase $1,376,212;
tobacco, 4, 623. 115, decrease $11 ri.2H7 ; fo
mented liquors $4.27.4':. increase
666; oleomargarine $1S7.0:2. decrease $!:,
551; special taxes not elsewhere enuier
ated $24,643. Increase $2.M9: miscellane
ous $3.S60.3S2. Increase $r,20.St2.
For the last eiirht months the total col
lections, were $ 213.1 OO.l.'O. an increase over
the corresponding period of 190O of J7,
491,272. KI PLING It E PEN TANT.
Believed That the English Writer
Will Return to America.
Concord, N. H.. March 27. Inrorma
tion has been received here whh ft bad
to the belief that Rudyard Kipling w
return to America and become a pummc:
resident at least of New Hampshire.
Soon after Mr. Kipling mnrried r;v
American girl, the sister of Wolcott T!il
estier, he built a beautiful home, Ti.
Naulahka, near Rrattleboro. Yt. H
left that place as the result of a quari-e
with his brother-in-law. Beatty Bales
tier, and has since sold the place an
has lived in England.
Last week a large reaj estate; ownc
in Chef-iteriield, this state, s ild a build
ing lot on the shores of Sp iffard Bak--at
Chesterfield and rhe deed was mad'
out to Mrs. Rudyard Kipling.
Gold Export Resumed.
New York, March 27. The National
City bank hits arranged to tihlp 1.2.",0.("o
francs gold by tomorrow's steamer, and
1,000,000 marks to Benin, either tomor
row or Saturday.