V" L LXIV N° 21,265.
CALL HIM HOLD-UP MAN.
SATS HE ROBBED WOEKZ.
J)ft£ctircs Make Arrest — "That Mc
'Cook-Kid Nearly Got Me"
Cfcriftepher Smith, alias Sandrock. <-t No. 527
■j aß t44th'«l was arrested by hair a dozen de
jjjtyes at No. 12 Lawrence-st. last night. He
g jjspected of beini? th* man who was engaged
B ihe hold-ups at the Wosrs home, the Talbot
tfi jse and others. .
Acting Ir.spector O'Brien declared that the
p»a had committed the hold-ups. At the 44th
£ sdiress the rrisoner is said to have lived
u£}i fc'.s father ar.d three sisters.
Ihe arrest s made in "Pop" Lindsay's
i^lgck ar.J tan" two-cent poolroom, at No. 12
j,3«T*nce-st. Disguised' as 'longshoremen, de
tjedves sper.t the evening in the place playing
pool with the whites and ■ groes. The talk of
Xh« ele£* w3S chiefly about recent hold-ups and
nbbexfcs- The detectives gathered from the
v&i that the man they Fought would come in.
•rvey baa a description and recognized him at
mate. He was extremely cool.
At beadaoarters. Acting Inspector O'Brien
f ,. f 3 prisoner if he did not want something
to «*'
r-edr -ed at 3 o'clock,
• and get me some carbolic
-pertnr '
had he<-n arrested as a
, se that the prisoner had
]-•- old-up man, Th prisoner
told OoU • ' the latter
- the robbtr who had tried to
• ral Arson •".. McCook, in
•'Thai — MeCook kid almost got me," he
tcld CoHir.s, and the latter said Smyth had dis
played a rer.t tn his coat sleeve which he de
clared had been made by one of young Me-
Cook'e ballets.
CALLED it PKri'MAN home.
CeHir.s Mid he heard Smyth call up a maid in
tfce Ehirrr.an house and tell her that he was the
jesti who had robbed tho place; that he was
eerry. but. needing the money, he had to do it.
CdKles told the police that he and Smyth had
teen schoolmates, and that Smyth had tried
Tien he recently met him. after an interval of
rreral yars. to 'get him for a pai." He said
£s.t Smyth finally, in answer to Collins's de
js&nd for an explanation of certain hints of
rsoney tc be made easily, had bluntly told him
that be was the highway robber, and had
shswei rvo big pistols to prove it.
Cc'lir.s said the news-papers made a mists
When they said that Mi Woerz had given a
tingle bur-dred-doHar bill to Smyth. He said
teyth had told him that a maid had thrown
gstm a roll ■■: twenty fives.
Tht detectives searched the prisoner's home
»sd there found a suit case. Jn which were ihe
t!srk felr hat and dark overcoat described by
til the victims as having been worn by the rob
ber. The coat war tisrht fitting for him. as de
aertsaO.
TELL. OF SMYTH'S RECORD.
The police say that Smyth. under The name of
E*££rock. had been arrested on May 19, 1903.
fcr shooting one Patrick Dillon at 65th-st.. and
Amsterdam-eve- in a quarrel over $20. They
fevad that he had been employed an a general
all siuiuJ worker by Miller Bros., druggists at
4Sth-et.ar.cl T--r.rl.-a\-_. ~cv;ral persona about
*fce*Tftsre~w>^3 th- <t«tective= that when Smyth
3«ft this place fee had boasted tiat *•■> «a* going
to gti a lot cf rr.or-ey. and that quickly.
Actirg Inspector O'Brien said that Smyth
TrAght lit described as "a rattlebrained, harum
scarum, rood for naught" sort of a young man.
}-> said he w&e cure to fasten on him. by means
C pawTitickcts. the robbery of Frederick C
Heigte &t the Delta Phi fraternity house, Co
tafttda University. No. 411 w. llTth-st. This
robbery was on January. 24.
The other criir.es which O'Brien says Smyth
conir.!tT«-d were the robbery of E. L.. Shipman.
oi So. 325 West TCth-st.. on December 24; the
loid-up of Mr. Woerz. who is a wealthy brewer,
is hfs home, No. 1 Er.st 03d-st.. on January 9;
the bold'Up of Dr. Robert B. Talbot. of No. 37
West 68th-£T.. and the robbery of a woman in
c ivzg-y coach in oth-ave. of ' 700.
The McCook robbery v.as on January 31. The
nbber that nieht escaped by a third story win
der* fcfter th«T general's son. Anson *}-. jr., had
tree two shots at him. The boy is twelve years
In getting the money from Mr. Woen the
cuj «ntered the house, met the brewer, and
Jtaie him give up the money while several
•wre- cf the fami'v looked on powerless? to do
*trthlrg.
CARNEGIE GIFT $125,000.
Anr.ovnced n Dinner of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Alumni.
Andrew Carnegie, it was announced last night
*t the fiini.rr of th»- alumni of the R«rn— claer
rolyttchnic Institute, of, Troy, N. V.. has made
* fi?t cf H25J090 to the institution.
President 7<k-ketts of the institute announced
**• gift The reu;:ion was at Sherry The
Pit is to h«.;p rebuild the main building, which
•»•&» fitftroyed by fire last June. It was an
'ouricea fliat the* building would be called Car
*-•*&* Ht'.!.
About 2y> m^rrihers of the Alumni Association
*ere pres«- :i t. President Ricketts. in his ad
crts«, saj.j ne } ia ,s roTn i ns to report but r.rog
**t* -t;^. ]a£t ytar." he asserted, "has been
*-" ac-tt prosperous tn the historj- of the Insti
*"•- Altho-jeh the chemical lab<>rator>- was de
'■*^J-t2 by fire on May 5. the main' building on
2? *' tbt iaborttorr was rebuilt by October
f 1 - ty hirinsr outside room* we were able to
*"«? the mafn school goin? with little incon-
Tk« presid»nt added that $90,000 had been
•^atrjbuted Vj graduates toward the rebuild
:' c Thirty thousand doilars ivap received from
J. j. Albright, of Buffalo, of the
r «;- of 'OS, hsd S iven
fSSSS* 3*3 * Rtcketta paid that la?t October
;; ' '»-• tva* received i<i memory of a graduate
*£'.£'. Institute, and $100,000 wa« expected from
*j* tame Bonrcc this fali. Both amounts would
euo-R-arc endowment.
°- */. KAHX'S HOUSE BURXS
Property Worth $4Oojooo Lost in
Mprrisiozcn Summer Home.
>wii»u)«t ;;. j p- cb- 3 Property said to be
£*» HOCi.OW vas destroyed this evening In the
_, '* of the bocae DC Otto K. Kahn, a Bihar
tt * fir » c.' Kuh-. Loeb & Co.. New-York bank
{♦iv,_ T ~* hoc**- j3j 3 sbout two miJes from the
2£ r* 0rr * | U >l ra- J-rr.es Frassr. Mr. Kahn's
ejaS* pj*p4«-nt. sty, zl:^ cort-nts of the houfo. in
»lvr,[ T l r •« .r'a-:rt:vßS. r 'a-:rt:v BS a.nJ *.rt:c!es of worth which
t«tjrV 6c6 c rtr *' lac * i - F-vciyiu'.T.g in the house was
7S 1 * ~ :t ,"*&* fiistvvtred by Mr. Fres«r*p wife.
ef * X- * r-t '- n<ier:t ' B cottage is about, a quarter
*„♦«♦* froxn tf:e i'Ouse. Mrs. Fraser, looking
tsaf " PyWi'M Jumes break out near the
Jerri/, T * hfcr « a chimney which led to the main
•=>c t.««€r^ed. Sfce gave the alarm.
iii »- !* 'iouee va» on* of two erected by the
Sd £'t Z* 1 " VVo . !; ior hts daughters. Mr*. K*hn
tt* jT" 1 - *•' "■ W«rthe.itn. The house was one. of
*er» w :ai;? ' cf Morristown. The two houses
g-J^mgCttq by a :-<,•, ered court, and in a meas
b.'j» f r ' (J J}* btmfitos. Tht place? together we ■
•**£..*. c^' sfe " Cou.t. To the rear of the; houses
Wfei. .F souach court.
e&JJt'. c arta! «" arrived they devoted their
Si* * \° <e*pir.p the fire within the- K.-ihn build
•S*. " Wtbemh the «TJ.-iet court caught fire
•i**wi i l^*"* *na euffered i>oir.e damage- they
*S»r^ BolJ frWflfri are in New-York for the
«'«i Is, ar!S Ciua an np-iraisal Is rrnde the exact
w ui r.ot l^ known.
®'*""- LINE TO CLEVELAND.
*"?**, XeT|r y or< 5:22 p. m., arrive Cleveland 7:13
sV. *«?"■'*■ Cincinnati 1 M p. m . Indianapolla 3.-0 C
**» Efjb Louia fee p. m.. by New York Central
To-day, snow and continued cold.
To-morrow, fair; fr*»h westerly whtd*.
JOHN F. AHEARN.
G. 11. WOOD SURRENDERS.
SAYS HIS MIND IS BLANK.
Motive for Killing Watch ung Grocer
Is Not Known.
Declaring he wanted to surrender himself be
cause he had heard he was wanted by the
police of Plainfield for the murder of George
Williams, the Watchung grocer, in a sleigh on
the outskirts of Warren on Thursday after
noon, George H. Wood, twenty-six years old, an
ironworker of No. 576 West 131st-st.. went last
night to the police station In West 20th-st
Wood said his memory was more or less of a
blank regarding what had happened to him or
■wjiere he had been for nearly a week. When
the New- York pclice got in touch with the
Plainfield authoritias by telephone, however,
they learned what assured thorn Wood was
the man who, the police of the latter place as
sert, started on the sleigh ride which ended in
the grocer's death.
Wood was accompanied to the West 20th-st.
station by' his wife and the tatter's brother,
John Btachoff, of No. 44S West 27th-st. Wood
had been in Bischoff's house, where his wife
and three children had been staying for several
days.
■ When Wood was taken to the detective bu
reau at Police Headquarters. Chief of Police
Kiely. of Plainfield, was reached by telephone.
He said the man in custody, from the descrip
tion, was the' one wanted, he thought.' The
only discrepancy was the absence of any mus
tache on Wood, but his lip showed evidence
of having beer, freshly shaved. Wood will be
held in Police Headquarters pending the ar
rival of Chief Kie this morning.
Wood told the police he left this city on last
Monday with a man named! Mack, a man he
had worked for in the iron business. He said
their destination _ was. to be Scarsdale, Perm.,
where Mack was to start him in business, Mack
having given him $1,000 to that end.
Wood says he remembers scarcely anything
more. 'Whether they were in Scarsdale or not.
he says he doesn't know, nor does he know
what became of the ?1.000 or Mack. He says
he has an impression he was in Trenton and in
a junction in New-Jersey, possibly Monmoutb.
Junction, but he 13 not sure about it. He Bays
quite positively he was not in PJainfield."
Wood says be returned to New-York and
joined his wife and children in Bischoff's home
on Thursday afternoon, but Mr?. Wood and her
brother say that Wood did not appear until
yesterday. When the police asked him what
had become of his valise and slouch hat. Wood
said he had' lost them; The. fact that the
Plainfield police say .that tlje stranger who ac
companied Williams on the ride which ended in
the latter's death left a valise and hat behind
him is regarded as significant.
Bischoff told the police that before Wood was
accompanied to the West 20th-st. station by
him and Mrs. Wood, the three went to a Dr.
Hall, of West 2Sth-st., who examined Wood
with a view to determining his mental condi
tion. Dr. Bali said, according to Bischoff, that
Wood showed no signs of having been under
the influence of a drug, as his relative? ha:'
surmised, nor did it appear that he had been
drinking. The physician's opinion, however,
was that Wood was not mentally normal.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TI.IBrNE.]
Plainfield, N. J., Feb. 3.— Additional interest
in the mysterious killing of George William*,
the village grocer at Watchung-, which occurred
on the road leading 1 from Mount Horeb to Coon
town, yesterday, developed this afternoon when
Chief P. B. Kiely of the local police department
asked, for the arrest of George H. Wood, of the
firm of Wood & Stevenson, iron setters and
erecters, whom address is given as No. ~>~o>
West I,'il6t-st., New- York. The police of New-
York were Risked to search for Wood.
Obtaining a clew this morning from Eugene
Wood, a hackman in the employ of D. S. Rob
erts' the liveryman who drove Wood to th.>
home of Edward Pollack, near Warrenville, on
Tuesday afternoon. Chief Kiely learned that
George H. Wood had been staying at Blimm's
Hotel, on Somers«et-st. Going there, he was in
formed by the proprietor that Wood bad gone
to the hotel on Monday, bur that he I'ft there
yesterday morning to go to Watchung. He.
boarded a trolley car at the hotel. The chief
then made a search of the room occupied by
Wood and there found a satchel containing a
half box of cartridges, some letter heads, a blue
shirt and several collars and cuffs. These things
were appropriated and are now at police head
quarters.
BILL TO STOP TIPPING.
Saxe Measure Similar to Famous
Missouri One.
fBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBCSB.]
Albany. Feb. B— The Saxe measure, emending the
Penal Code by prohibiting the corrupt influencing:
of agents, employes or servants, was printed to
day. and. with the printing it was discovered that
the bill is in effect a reproduction of the famous
anti-tipping bill, which created such genera! at
tention In the Missouri Legislature. The bill, the
text of which has been printed in these dispatches.
is In the opinion of its introducer, directed at
stopping the petty '•RTaft "' of servants in dealing
with trades people, but careful examination reveals
the fact that it would make a fine of $10 to SSO a
cor sequence of tipping 1 waiter, with an equal
amount of fine for the waiter if he took the tip.
The Saxe bill says that "whoever corruptly give«,
ofVrs or promises to any servant any gift or gra
tuity whatever. with Intent to influence his action
in relation to bin employer's business, is guilty of
a misdemeanor ■ This, according to the legal lor«
of legislators, clearly reaches the waiter and the
•'tID " and there la no little amazement among the
Colons at she hardihood of the representative of
curator Plunkett's old district in putting in a meas
ure so hostile to the "peepul " Moreover. Senator
Sake ts reported to have told the attends at a
local hotel that when bis bill passed their "graft
would «u>p. It is probable that the bill will be
amended so as to preserve tha foundations of so
ciety, which are endangered by its present pro
••isiona. ■■;■■ ■->■
NEW-YORK. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY i. IMS. -SIXTEEN PAGES.-*- &?£: ,
PROMINENT FIGURES IN THE FIGHT OVER SUBWAY SIGNS.
W. B. PARSONS.
(Oopynght, 1902, Ly Uockwcvd.)
MAYOR ORDERS THE SIGNS OUT.
AHEARN WILL TEAR THEM DOWN IN THE SUBWAY
IF BELMONT REFUSES.
Big Victory for the Municipal Art Society and The Tribune — Slot Ma
chines and Stands Must Go, Too.
No effective action having been taken by the
Rapi'i Transit Commission against the subway
advertising signs. Mayor McClellan yesterday
made a drastic move himself. In accordance with
an opinion from the Corporation Counsel. He
ordered the Borough President to have his Bu
reau of Incumbrancea t^nr out the signs, slot
machines and tlower stands, if the Interborough
Rapid Transit Company dtd not remove them
on due notice.
What the Interborough company will do about
- m could not be learned last night.
August Belmont, the president, would only
that he had referred the question to his coun
sel. <;f-orge \v Wickershaxn, counsel for the
rating 1 >mpany, declined to talk about the
case. There would be many ways to raise legal
objection to the action of the Mayor, h^ said in
- toa question, but added that unfil he
was empowered, he must decline 10 talk about
the affairs of his clients.
From former expressions of opinion from Mr.
Belmont. however, it s«ms practically certain
that the Interborough will fight this action, so
the question as to the legality of the signs will
be taken into the court:;. This result the Mayor
did not succeed in obtaining through the Rapid
Transit Commission. In a letter to the commis
sion at its last meeting Mr. Beltrwr.t declaim
that he was advised that the slot machines,
Sower stands and cigar stands wero part of th^
privileges pertaining to the running of a rail
road, which always had. been the legal ground
on which they based the maintenance of the
subway sign?.
VICTORY AFTER A LONG FIGHT.
This decisive action by the Mayor <-omes a? a
victory in tho long fight which The Tribune and
the Municipal Art Society wag*d against the
Irotn the day when this paper called at
tention to these disfiguring advertisements In
the new subway stations. In spit" of vigorous
efforts on the part of Th^ Tribune and the so
ciety no decisive action could Vie obtained from
the Rapid Transit Commission, although the
members individually deplored the presence of
the signs in the stations. Alexander E. Orr. the
president, held that the negative clause in the
operating contract which implied a permission
for signs had positively committee the board.
Po strongly did he hold out for the rnmpany
that he declared frequently tha* If the signs
'•moved the city should pay damages to
the [nterborough.
Mayor McClellan and Controller Grout t.-»->k
r view of the however Finally a
tion was r" :r through the board compel
ling th* Imerhorough to regulate the number
of signs in each station In accordance with a
scheme to be prepared by Mr. Parsons, the chi^f
Other resolutions intended to curb
FIGHTS THE DRAWBACK.
Senator Hansbrough Seeks Repeal
of Provision About Wheat.
[FROM THE TRJ3C3JE BUREAU.]
Washington. Feb. 3. — Senator Bansbroui in
troduced in the Senate to-day an amendment to
the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill which. 1 if
adopted, v ill have the effect of repealing the
drawback provision of the Dingily act so far
as it applies to wheat The amendment was
referred to the Committee on Appropriations,
and when it comes up for consideration the
Senator from North Dakota will be heard. In
support of his amendment Senator Hansbrougb
will argue that the framera of the Dtagl net
never Intended the drawback provision to apply
to wheat, and. without questioning the legality
of the Attorney General's recent opinion that
the drawback provision does apply to wheat as
well as to other commodities, will assert that
the opinion merely establishes the fact that the
language of the act is susceptible of an inter
pretation never contemplated by the trainers.
Grain growers throughout the wheat produc
ing sections of the 1 country are considerably
aroused over this question, and by resolutions
and petitions adopted at their meetings and
conventions have established the fact that they
heartily support the principle embodied In Sena
tor Hansbrough's amendment.
PROTOCOL XOT IN EFFECT.
Santo Domingo's Customs Still Held
by Native Officials.
ganto Domingo. Feb. 3.— lt Is not true, as pub
lished In the United States, that representatives
of the American government took possession of
the custom house hen on February 1, under the
terms of the protocol recently signed by Min
ister Dawson and Commander Dilllngham and
representatives of the Republic of Santo Do
mingo. The custom house is still In the hands
of Dominican officials.
The country remains quiet.
TO CLEAR THEATRE ENTRANCES.
Police Commissioner McAdoo yesterday ordered
the theatre squad to keep ticket speculators away
from the entrances to the theatres. Accordingly
the polio* shoved the scalpers over to the edge
£lC£S SX fyrv >"•>""■ yrbpri- they ■war&.YfßtPrr.a.VW
MAYOR ITCLELLAN.
(Copyrisht, 1903. by Koc*wo<xl.)
the signs were passed, to all of which the operat
ing company as little attention as to the
first. Meantime, the slot machines and the
cigar stands and flower «=tands began 10 overflow
in everj' station, and the Controller set about
trying to check the innax. Resolutions were
passed by the board asking that the company
remove them, but they were not removed. At
the last meeting of the board, on Thursday, a
resolution was passed formally ordering thra
they be taken out, and calling on the counsel of
the commission to begin action against the com
pany if they were not removed.
The Municipal Art Society had concentrated
all its efforts on the Mayor. The Mayor asked
Corporation Counsel Deteny for an opinion as to
thf* city's power.
MR. DEL A NY'S OPINION.
The opinion, which came yesterday, declared
that the Mayor had full power to order the signs
removed. In his opinion. Mr. Delany speaks of
the beauty of the stations as an evidence that
signs .were never intended for such places. His
opinion goes on:
I ara of the oninion. therefore and so advise you,
that th- operating company has no legal rifeht to
use the subway stations for its own emolument by
lettisg them out as places in which to advertise or
sej] £oodr. ,2 ,_,
tanMeUeve 'he complaints made arc jaetinaWey an.i
1 aocise you to instruct th© President of th& Bor
■•■'j£r> of Manhattan, who. under the, charter, has
i--«rnijanc- and control of the removal of encum
brances Immediately to re n:>i;ce to the Inter
rough RapW Tr-ins>ir Company, operating the sub
w?v railroad, at once to remove from the subway
s'atlons thc&e various advertising signs, Bower
ftands and slot machines and other encumbrances,
and that, upon the failure of said company to com
nlv with the demand of the President of the Bor
ough of Manhattan, that he be Instructed to re
move the same by. force.
The Mayor immediately sent a ropy of the
opinion to Horoufh President Ahesjrn, wtt* the
requesj that he direct the lntevborough people
to take lown the signs or have them torn out.
Mr Ahearn toid Thomas E. MeEntegart, super
intendent Ol the Bureau of Encumbrance?, to
teD the operating 1 ompany to take the signs
out of the stations rft once.
Th" Mayor sent the following letter to the
Municipal Art Society:
I be S to acknowledge the receipt of your com
munication of November -28. in regard to the ad
vertising signs in the «nbway, and to sa> that
I have not made an earlier reply thereto because
I desired to await the result of the consideration
of the. subject by the Rapid Transit Commission,
which I thought might make any action on my
P^Vhen nI1 however: the commission took a position
contrary to my view of the law. r submitted the
matter "for advic* to th* Law Depart which
to-day confirms my opinion that the. use of the
subway for adveri *|gns is In violation of the
cities rights, l feel justified, therefore, in taking
fn£ c™e ™ action, and 1 have, ace odtngly. re
qu"sted the Borough President to notuy the con
tractor to remove the objectionable signs and t
within a reasonable time this demand be not
complied with, that l.c remove them himself to the
corporation yard like any other encumbrance un
lawfully upon the public highway.
WRECK ON CENTRAL.
Buffalo Special in Disaster— Tico
Trainmen Killed.
Utica, N. T.. Feb. 4.— Train No. 30, on th~
New-York Central Railroad, known as the
Buffalo Special, met with an accident at Whites
boro. four miles west of this city, shortly after
1 ,-,-,■ ■• this morning. The engine is said to
have exploded, and the engineer and fireman
were killed.
All the available physicians in this city have
ne of the accident.
OUT OF '■''■". 9 QUALIFY,
McAdoo Disappointed (her Patrol
vi en 's Marks m a n»h ip.
Police Commissioner McAdoo ann
terday that only nine out of the I.DUO police
men had qualified In the revolver practice, held
in the armories recently. Tht- Cocomiasl
greatly disappointed In future vigorous
methods will be adopted in hope of making the
patrolmen better marksmen. Experts will be
secured to teach the patrolmen how to use the
revolver. Mr. McAdoo also stated that the re
volvers of many policemen were found to be
rusted, and that cartridges clogged the <-ha~i
bers
On the subject of police pistol practice, and
the efficiency of policemen with the weapon In
connection with their promotion, the Municipal
Civil Service Commission gave a hearing yester
day Deputy Commissioner Lindeley. a captain
in "the ll'th Regiment, wan one of the speakers
"An expert shot is invariably careful in han
dling his weapon, and. because careful, often
p!o\v in drawing It," he declared. 'It is pro
pon ' . require a percentage of •■»."» out of a
postlUa ". •"> points before a policeman may be
r.mked a? a marksman."
STRIKE OF BELGIAN MINEK^
About 14,000 Men Quit — Higher
Wages Demanded.
Mans. Belgium. Feb. 3.— About fourteen thou
sand coal miner* struck to-day. They demand
higher wages. "- . * v
: The National Congress of Miners will meet soon
to discuss a general struts. -
A. B. ORR.
LEADERS FOR STOCK TAX.
TO BE MADE PARTY BILL.
Measure Agreed On at Recent Con
ference at Albany.
[BT TELnr.APH TO THE TRIBUNE.]
Albany, Feb. .'{.—lt was learned to-day that,
despite various conflicting reports, the financial
conference at the Executive Mansion on last
Wednesday night did deride to put in a finan
cial measure, and that this measure will pro
vide for the stock transfer tax. levying $2 on
every 100 shares sold. Moreover, when the
meeting broke up the exact understanding
was that the committee on taxation in each
house should draft a measure at once, embody
ing this scheme, and that the bills should be
forthwith introduced, not as Individual meas
ures bu'_ by the chairman of the taxation com
mittee of each house. Senator Merton E. Lewis
and Assemblyman Arthur C Wade, thus reliev
ing the individual members from assuming re
sponsibility for so drastic a form of taxation.
It was further agreed that as soon as the
measures were introduced the majority party
should caucus ("conference" was the word used
at the meeting, but caucus was the idea), ami
that these caucuses on either side should make
the measure a party measure. Then the bills
were to go through, backed by the influence
that they would have as embodying the views
of the party leaders. This was the programme.
To it those present — Speaker Nixon. Senator
Raines, Assemblymen Hooker and Wade, with
Governor Htegins and his legal adviser, ex-
Senator Cuthbert W. Pound— assented.
The discussion during the evening "as en
tirely centred on the stock tax. The mortgage
:<ix. Tor example, •asasMi even considered For
the st«>ck tax. Assemblyman Rogers, following
the lead of Senator John Raines, made the most
extended pleas. When Senator Raines began to
urge the stock tax his attention was called to
the fact that his Assemblyman, Jean L Bur
nett, of Canandaigua, was talking again! the
plan, at quoted in The Tribune this week. Sen
ator Raines explained this to the satisfaction of
the conferrees. The Governor and Assembly
man Hooker favored the plan. There was no
dissenting opinion, but Speaker Nixon and As
semblyman Wad*, chairman of the Committee
on Taxation, displayed no enthusiasm for it.
The former acquiesced in the policy of immedi
ate introduction and subsequent wrk to get it
through; the latter said nothing.
It develops, however, that there is a decided
impression that, once the measures are intro
duced, a strong effort will be made to defeat
them in caucus, either by direct vote or by a
large number of Republican members staying
away. On th" other hand, there is a distinct
feeling that this will be a doubtful plan, for the
rural members, realizing that some taxation
measure must pass, will insist on this as the
one affect them least. As between defeating
this bill and having their appropriation bills
riddled by the Governor's blue pencil, as has
been forcibly suggeste4 o from the Executive
Chamber, the average legislator's: choice is
fairly obvious, for there will be no return to
direct tax this year. This the Governor has
made perfectly cfear. At worst, the surplus can
be drawn on for this # year's deficiency.
Early next week, then, i? nothing unforeseen
happens, the stock tax bill will be introduced
as a committee measure, to be adopted as a
party measure at a subsequent caucus in the
next we<:k probably. If the bill can be sent
through quickly, the sessior* is likely to end by
April 1; if th^re is a long fight over the bill,
such' as attended the flat mnrtsrage tax measure
in Governor Odell's first administration, it may
lie indefinitely prolonged. Friends of mortgage
tax, however, will gain little ?olace from the
fact that at no stage of the recent conference
was there any serious or even respectful con
sideration bestowed on the several mortgage tax
schemes. Excise increase had a little more
fr-rious attention, but see: entirely uniikely.
It may be that cor.fere;. in New- York City
now in prcgrrerfs may change the situation, but
just now it seems to be a case of stock tax,
direct tax or using the surplus, with the sec
ond consideration eliminated for this year at
least. The secrecy that has veiled these pro
ceedings ha 3 been due entirely to the fart that
Governor Higgins somewhat sarcastically re
minded the conferrees the other night that at
their previous meeting he. had b?«*n able to get
a full view of the pr^ee^dinrs from th a n»xt
day's newspapers.
ALBANIA TO REVOLT.
Prince Ghica Announces Beginning
of Movement for Freedom.
Rom», Feb. 3.— Prince Gnlca." of Rumania, who
has been elected by the Albanian committees
Supreme Head for Albanian Independence, said
to-day that his election meant the beginning- of a
general revolution in Albania and a bitter strug
gle to achieve the liberty of that country. He
said he would in person assume command of tha
Albanian forces, which, he asserted, would b->
reinforced by 12.000 European volunteers.
The committee?. Prince Ghica further stated.
ha\ - at command all the means necessary for
the prosecution of the war for indepen
dence, and only ask to be left free in th?
fight for liberty. Those enlisted in th
movement, he added, ra determined to
achieve their purpose- or die to the last man.
Should Austria Intervene :«> preifnt the execu
tion of the commit - plansj hs declared, she^
will b« opposed by Italy. Rus*la and Great
Pritaln.
FLORIDA'S FAMOUS TRAINS.
••X Y. & Fla. Special." 2:lu P. JI "KJa. & \Ve»t
Indian Ltd." 9:25 A. M Unexcci". • I service via
I'enr.. & Atlantic Coast Line. 1161 U'w&y. N. V.—
Advt. _v -
AUGUST BELMONT.
PRICE TORKi: <EXTa
RATE BILL TO BE PASSED.
MADF A PARTY MEAST'RE.
Republican Conference Decides to
Push Railroad Legislation.
[FROM Tire TRtßr^- RPAr.I .
Washington. Feb. The Republican mem
bers of the House have adopted the Townsend-
Esch Railroad Rate bill as a party measure and
arranged that the Committee on Rules shall pro
vide for Its safe conduct through the lower
chamber. A rule will he brought in next Tues
day limiting the debate on the bill to two days
and permitting the introduction of a minority
substitute. No amendments will be allowed.
and at the close d the dfbate a vote will be
taken, first on the substitute and then on the
bill itself. This action insures Ihe passage
of the measure through the House, although the
final vote will r.ct ie taken before Thursday,
February 0. as Wednesday will be devoted to
the formality of counting the electoral vote.
The proposed action is the result of a confer
ence of the Republican Representatives this
after:-.. which lasted three hours.
Opposition to the approval of the bill by th*
conference proved less formidable than was
expected, although a Hvcly and. at times, heat
ed discussion r.ns precipitated, and forty-four
members, insisting on further consideration, sap
ported Representative Wanger's motion to post
pone action. These votes were cast by twenty
two rnerr.ters of the Pennsylvania delegation
and twenty-two from other Eastern States.
The opposition pit-dlcted from the Northwest
failed to develop, greatly to the discomfiture of
those who had so fret-ly prophesied a serious
party =plit over* the bilL
Representative Townsend made an excellent
impres«=ior. in hi? explanation of the bilL Ht»
was subjected to .i fusillade of rapid fire ques
tions which might have confused even a veteran
of the House, but. as an otd member expressed
it. "he knew just wiiat he wanted" to say and
how to say it. ar.d he showed that he is a
'comer.' " Speaker Cannon took a hand In the
proceedings and supported the bill, although, as
he explained, it was not all that could be de
sired. He dec-lured it to be a. step in the right
direction, and his counsel, always powerful with
his associates, carried its ac-ustomed weight
to-day. other lecders of tn^ i><m v spoke la
favor of i.. legislation^ and the opposition, ai
though aggressive and determined, was over
whelmed.
An hour before the conference the Pennsyl
vania allegation met in caucus, and the tone
of the speeches xr.a<jt» was in violent antago
nism to the bill. Reptestntative Mahor. de
clared that he would resign his seat rather than
be forced into support. ng the bill, and at the
party conference htUl later he walked out rather
than take part in the consideration of a measure
which he held should nut re taken up at this
time. The delegation, having voted to refusa
to be bound by any action of the conference,
consistently maintained its. position, and will
vote- ,-. - it pleases wh-?n the bill is brought be
fore the House.
RULE FOR C i DERATION.
The conference instructed the House Commit
tee en Kuies to bring in a rule providing tor
cousjitnitT'-r. f<t tee bill, beginning at 11 o'clock
on Tuesday rooming and continuing until 4
o'clock on Wednesday., when a vote shall be
taken. The first vote is to be taken on the
Davey bill, the Democratic substitute for legis
lation on railroad rates. The only teat vote
taken as on a motion to postpone action until
a further Lonierence on next Tuesday. This
was lost. 44 to 107. Efforts were made to amend
the hi; but they all railed. Fault was found or.
tne gn-und that it did not include regulation of
the private car evil and terminal charges. The
advocates of the bill met these criticisms by de
c'urins that it contained authority to correct
these ovils.
Th* change of the meeting from a caucus, as
the call stated, to a "conference." leaves mem
bers free to follow their own inclinations. It .3
reported that the opposition may organize with
the purpose of joining- the minority in the House
in the vote on the rule prescribing the manner
of considering the bill. These plans however,
are still indefinite.
A PROTEST FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
ssi s. Mahor. and Sibley. of Pennsylvania,
were conspicuous in treir opposition to any I^s
islation at this time, boih contending that suffi
cient time had not been ?iven to consideration
of the subject. Pennsylvania, Mr. Matron said,
was the State most affected, and he thought
that the millions of money involved in the pro
posed legislation should not b? jeopardized by
hasty action. In addition to his protest that
sufficient time had not been given for considera
tion. Mr. Slblej expressed thi» opinion that th»"
members of the committee vhich reported th/»
bill were not clear in their interpretation of it.
Mr. '.Yang. of Pennsylvania, took a different
attitude from that of his colleagues, and said he
woul '. support th* 1 proposed measure unless he
was convinced that something better could te
c?f> red.
At this j'!Pctur» Speak?*- Cannon advised hi*
associates that if action was to be tzken at aM
it must be <l>-»ne now. H« suggested that a re
cess might be taken until evening, in order that
the members ir:ght further consider the ques
tion. Ti'.e sent:rr:en t of th° rrerrbers presenr.
however, was so bvenrhelmlngry in fivor of Im
mediate action that the Speaker did not pres^
his ?u2 > c:'?sti''n.
Mr. Paynei of New-T^rk. rh« majority leader.
in answer to Mr. tlahoh'a c?-.ars;es that the pro
posed bill would resu't in confiscation and great
hardship, slid that in its present shape it did
not provide for mote than what was in the orig
inal Interstate Commerce act. which had stood
for ten years, at the tnci of which time the rail
roads raisM she question of the legality of the
enforcement of the decisions cf the commission
ps to rates, the courts sustaining th-? contention
that no power to rix rates was vested in the
commission. In other -wordx. h<» said, the law
now proposed had beer in Sect for ten years,
and had worked tn the satiffaction of the rall
ror-c"3.
Th» Esoh-Tovrr.s^nd bill extends power to fix
rat- • to the Interstate Commerce Commission,
ir. ii •as the commission from five to seven
r. rnibers, ar.d creates a transportation court,
with power to rcien- the decisions of the com
mission.
WESTERN EGGS COHlfiaEl).
Arr.our and Swift Hold the Stock and Price*
Are Soaring
[BT TTLEGKAPU TO THE Tn:3r«.] i »" .
Plttsburg. Feb. 3— The «g& market has been cor
nered by Chicago packers. It was announced h«r»
tc>-<iAT. It la expected the price trill advance to »
cents a dusen in Pittsburs ur.!es* th» M weather
l'-tS UP-
F.r3 dealers h«re. on calllrg for »jg» from West
ern packers, were offered storage eggs at 54 ceata
a ti'izen by Swift a rd Armour. Word was seat to
T E Purceii. .if Chicago, for a stock. Be tele
grap'rU back that the packers had cornered tn«
market, and the r-rk-e would have tn b« psM.
■ Purc«U I" the largest independent *cs joo&er SB
the country. . "j. :'~-.' J~^\
EARLY SPRING IN CAL!FORNBA.
Penrs.vlv.iria Railroad Tour leaves New York Frt-'
ruarv"l«. Thirty-three days en rout*. Round trip
rate." covering all n«c«saarv expenses, 9J& Details
or C. Studtis. £. P. A. No. m sta Alt. HSW York
City.— Adv.* —--»-- ; r-^