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8 THE COYEM3TEKS ODD TENETS OF SECT TATTLE KNOWN. fern Hi.ndrcd Members m This Citg— Merger Takes PI arc T<-daU. To-day the members of th? Second' Re frrra^d Presbyterian Church, otherwise known as the Covenanters, will hold their last «e-v;— in their building in S?th street, between Kiehth. and Ninth avenues. Th«i building has been sold, and the congrega tion intends to unite with the Fourth Re formed Presbyterian Church, in Harlem. the -v body la bear the name of the down town church and to continue under the ministrations of the Rev. R. M Sommer ville. who -has served as it? pastor for more than thirty-five years. The denomination, which has only a few hundred members in >'<■•«- YorK City and not above ten thousand in the United States, is notable for the marked manner in which It Is differentiated from other' Protestant denominations. It is «•:«: firm in its 'tenets as is 'he Roman Catholic Church; although us far removed from the latter as any of the Protestant denominations. It is prob- Ml that no Protestant church maintains •with so little modification the customs and tenets adopted at the lime of the Reforr rr.ation as does this denomination. Any onr who chances to attend the service in •vTeft 3.° th street to-day will witness ana chronistic customs that he •would hardly imagine possible ■•- New York City at this day. The service will be the semi-annual com munion, usually held in May. but advanced in this instance in order that the last ser vice in the building may be a communion. Th» visitor will hear no musical instrument, for it is sn article of the faith" of this «"hurch that the only music permissible En Christian worship is that of the human voir*. The basis for this custom is a Bib i.iriil • ••- [a the ApoFtclic Church, the Covenanters say. no instruments ere used, thertiore none should be used in the Chris tian Church to-day. The church never has any Trouble with quarrelsome choirs and organists. ■ PSALMS THE ONLY HYMNS. As the communicants approach the com munion table they -will sing a metrical ver sion of the I' ■ mE of David, a precentor 3es<linp them. The Psalms of David.' which nv-ans all of those included in the book of Psalms, . re the only hymns >ung in /wor ship by the Covenanters. They covenant not to sinp hymns in any other church in which they chance to find themselves, for they take the irround that all other songs of praise are of human origin, the Psalms only being from the hand of God. The metrical version •;-• .1 is that of Francis Rous. an English theologian born in 1579, who v.as an Intimat? friend of Pym. a mem 'Tof several Parliaments and a. supporter «f Cromwell uk! the Commonwealth. His 'Trains of David in English Meeter." is his chief claim to remembrance. This version had the sanction of the "Westminster a.- sembly-, the ■"-tat.-? of i-'eotland and of Par liament. As The ">nmiunicant{- reach the commun ion tabl«* each w-l! hand a card to a mem ber of the Session standing at the foot of the tabk. This card contains the name of tli" person who presents 11 In some Coye uanter vljurciies the "token.* ■£ it •- ■ Uled f- a metal piece. Th 4 '"tokens- " ire diftrfb ut<H3 at ihc preparatory services held hi the «-ourse of ih*^ ■ •■■ prior to the con raunion wsrvipe to those, -who announce th«=;r inienti.-»n of participatin-. The token i« a memento of the days when the Scotch <""\'nant<-is -.vcre hunted by \he myrmidons nf Charieß IT. Tl^y w^re^ijqt safe even in Jheir homes, norn ithsiandins that the edict n-as supposed not to Beet. « ings in private bouses. They met in raves in order to cor,du<n errtoeK and for the purpose of preventing spi^s <,f th^ Kins: from iaterler- In? vith their meetings they ea\-« tokens ''■ thos« who were entitled to attend the s»>ni-v ? . These •■:-■■ passports to th« secret communion PULPIT PRIVILEGE GUARDED. The R*>v. Mr. Sommerville win be assisted by a riprsyman from ■ Boston Covenantors' rhur ° !! - W Is the custom 10 have a clerical assistant at the communion service from another church. Xo clergyman of another denomination or another branch of tin Presbyterian Church is ever permitted to '■P'-ak from a pulpit of this denomination for tear that- he will enunciate some teach ins: at variance with He peculiar tenet?. Xn Covenanter v.m swear allegiance to the Constitution of the L'nited States. For this reason th*re are do lawyers among then. Tb*y -njll not s*>rve on juries vh^n the oath requires Ik stance to the Consti tution. Because <.f this objection to the |<atb they never cast a ballot, preferring to live uiwor the ministrations of ■ govern niejit of th? choosinsr-of others. A militant pcopl<£as the Stuarts discovered, the; re sist the dt*ire to eerre in the army, unless by special dispensation they are permitted to .enlist without taking the oath of al!e gianoe. Th*» Civji War v as a rreat temptation to tbenj. They bad been consistent abolition ists, endeavoring La pet rid of* slavery Th*y are cr^ited «;t?i having been In the front ranks of the abortionists. It was .... of the lencts of the faith that no Cove nant^- oould how slav-s. it is said (bat on f»se occadon Dr. TlTllson. a Phlla* elerp-yman of th«» denom-ination la ante bellum days, was afk«d if it. was true that the Covenantors - IM not permit a Blav« hv)d*-r in th* ■ ■ • -UTiy. >* F • i ie i S reported to Imv« m pMed. "we don't even a!lo<v Borse thkves.' MR. LINCOLN ORDER, Th- Covenantors, t »i»r«>f ore, i\hen the w broVe out. ivant^d to enlist in the Union armia. It is said ' ''■-:■: seat committee to Pi*si<l*nT. Lincoln, expia'infn the situation, and he -•-la:. r« ■ that •■-v^nanrers should be accepted without taking the cath. - *- This is all '■- * OB < they belirv^ that •>■..; povernment is a divine ordinance, an< j th# , Constitution b^ins. "U'e, the people of the rimed States." etc.. irlvinp no credit to dirtoe aujhority. It hi therefore a secular government, although, as ''" v admit a form of eov<>rnment of a very high orde lhey hxlieve that tbe Bible farm a • a^;s :or all n-.ora! jaws and that it is the • oiißation of a nation to r-'.;. s i:i z . those Liars. A nation is God-created, they say f«j men are born into it. but the laws or the i;nitf-d States are ■'-' * n made, failidj to I -cognize the divine nature of the Kov«m inwi thould exist in the' reaJm of Ihk Son of God. No Covenanter may be a Ma son or a luember of a;;. oathbownd secret society. In this respect thjey are following the . v ajrple cf Jesus, who aaftl "In n. r- . have i iiaid nothing." ■ <-Jahnins a history lx»?innins Wilil thc j:r<aWiins of John 1. box In Scotland. an-J^ tfier. for^. she right to be considered i ■.,. jiar'-nt stem of t?.*> Presbyterian Church, the;- hold ttri'.-tiy to Calvin's five inu •>{ Lelkf. They do not believe la t-ard playfni. dancing, smoking or the ute of tobacco in any form, or fa f:ie «>-c of alcohol as v bc'.erage. and no oiie -,vbo -vjolat'-s theite r- Quiremeßti may be h minJster or h',-l<J an office of any kind in the denomination. A! thoyth co modeEt a. denomination, it mam taJßt a denominational nre^s. its menjbe'rs support it BO loyally that it ranks- viij] with tt" i;rr is of other den'jiHinjtiOEi- NEW RJVEtt BOATS j To - Supplant Familiar -Types on Mississippi. Drawings made from the engineer's plans of the new boats to be used. by the Mis sissippi Valley . Transportation Company i have been received, and show a remarkable divergence from the type of boat with j which. river men are familiar. There are two types shown by these ! drawings, one a towboat and the other. j a freight barge. At first glance one no tices the towboat is a alaaiwrhttlH, rad ically different from the Pprague and other sternwheol boats now in use. The .ab- I sence of the high cabins and immense ! smokestacks, forward and. th» substitution . j for them' of. a low. stout, raking smoke i stack like that of an ocean steamship next [ catches the eye. The hull of the boat, as it appears in ; these drawings, is shaped like that of a ; ] yacht, running out gracefully forward, so that it displaces the water with the least effort. The cabins, with ample accommo dations for the officers and crew, rest on the main deck, where ordinarily in the old ' fashioned river boat would be the boilers, j and the pilot house, looking more like the | pilot house of an ocean liner than a river j boat, is immediately above the forward cabins. Back of this is to be seen the hatch covering the fuel hopper, for all the I fuel will be taken aboard from a chute overhead, as it is taken on by. the loco motive tender, thus saving. time and labor. The engines, which do not. appear "the. | picture, lie horizontally, and are double j compound, fast working engines, the wheels | being designed to turn forty revolutions a I minute. Steam capstans an] bitts forward and aft show that this towboat is designed either to lash up. with her tow ahead of her I by the. present system, or to -tow it on a ; long line astern by; the system used on Other rivers and the Great Lakes. . It is possible it viil'bcused to tow. by the one method downstream and by the otter up- J stream. " ■_ . • '-. •■ . In spite of her difference from the cur- j rent type, the new towbeat has everything j in her "favor as. regards appearance.- She j looks trim, powerful,, fast and efficient, and | moro like a boat than like a floating board- I ing house, which t the old type always re tembled." . ' '. .' . * The freight barge is a long, broad, steel barge, absolutely lacking in the superstruct ure, even in the shed roof, which is used in the old Crescent barge. Her deck is cut by a frequent succession of hatches, through which every p3rt of the hold can be used. The holds in the bow and stern indicate the fact that there is a small cabin at eacnj end for work and storage and for the crew. .The- towboat is 'to cost $SO,OOO and the barges |Bt.«8 each. The barge is designed to carry 4.000 tons on 9 .feet of water and i 1.200 tons on 4 feet. The -towboat has :'.'■<""> horsepower, and is 150/ by 33 feet, and draws CO inches with her. fuel on board. GUARD XOTES. There is no vacancy on the First Brigade staff as aid. General George Moore Smith selected a ati for the place some -two ■reeks ago. although lie made no formal an nouncement of the fact. • The general was very Indignant at the .statements that he. desired applications-, from wealthy society m«;n for the place. 'He said : "There Is absolutely.; not ona word of truth in the statements in question, nor did 1 ever authorise them, In any way. When I desire to rill any vacancies on my. staff It is not necessary for me to' advertise for applicants, as there are any number of de serving officers in the guard .to choose from, asid'. from my persona, friends in civil life." Company 1". of th* 7th Regiment, will bold a dinner., at the Princeton Club next ! Thursday night. Some professional talent will be on the programme. Colonel Apple ton, who for some rears was commandant .-i Company- F. will be .among the guests. The riding .class of. tbe : company 'will go ' on an outdoor ride up in "Westebester Coun ty next Tuesday. Teams from Companies C and A Will play 'a game, of indoor base- ; QUEER PEOPLES DESCRIBED BY A VETERAN TRAVELLER Merv in the Mangrove Swamps of British Nigeria Paint Their Fiancees Red and Then They Are Fattened for the Altar. B.i- J6bn;Foster Fra»-r. • ii 2. if you took at a map of Africa, with British territory marked in red, , you; will i " tind on the west coast a splash. of color now known as British Nicr'iia. three times the size of the British Isles and covering j four hundred thousand square miles, of I country. Runuing up through Nigeria is the' wonderful' River .Niger, the birthplace ' of which was- for ages as . mysterious as that of the Nile. itself, It is with some of the people, who live along the banks of tlic river that I now propose to deal. They are among the latest of the King's subject?, for it was only in 1900 that they came under direct imperial administration. Near the coast the land. is low lying and swampy. Bat as the interior is reached there rise plateau after plateau, until at last high mountains are discovered. Climate and environment play ;<n important part in the characteristics of a people. Accordingly, ■anong the natives of the Niger Delta, liv ing in the malaria soaked . mangrove ' swamp?, there is constant disease, and the negroes -are addicted to • every kind .of , foul custom and superstition. ■ When, how- • ever, higher country is reached, . where there are grassy plains -and hills .studded i with tine tree?, a brave and warlike type of negroes is encountered, own who arc altogether in a higher state of civilization. There is Fome.th.lns: .terribly «"■•>■]•" about j the dark forests which cling close to the. ■ slimy and foul adored banks .of thV-Loww J Niger. Along the innumerable creeks the heavily leaved branches of the mangrove ; treet are so interlaced that, the light is completely shut out. Thr malodorous air, i whi.-h sucks all the vitality . out of ihe white mai, is steamy, and the. squelching mud is full of appalling and vile. looking creatures. . . • Alongside these lack recess* c ' ii\'' the negroes whom , 1 have called the men of the mangrove swamp?. Something of the horribleness.of their surroundings seems to have entered into their natures, for they take a fiendish delight in murder and tort ure and in practices «if the most revolt ing character. The impression on the mind of the traveler, when his canoe pushes up mm of the network of creeks, and in the blackness of the forest, so strange, and so weird after the flaming light outside, he fuddculy comes across a village of wattled huts and low caste natives, completely naked, with tattooing or raised bears upon their black skins,- is' .'never, eradicated a. long as memory holds. ,':ife is one Jojir terror to them. They bciiev.< In ghosts -which-, kill with spears, they beli<\c that constantly on the, steamy Waters are travelling misty canoes, hurry i».'g the living <i the region ••> (|x a<- icumxj; and they an sure of lh* pxisteiice of evil spirits whicii kill without a wound, or whlcli ii, Hi- t'.eir "> ir-it by daubing the huts with blood. Biiiudging the faces «jf the ijc-epcirefwith blood 'a- . •■i. etifr-Ci •■ >on filllhs the. rooting pots with blood,' A* h in th"- Hj»>t4—juj' t ' ..->\- > , oroerc or the bud to hidden that ; -vj can ap [»roacb within .a few yards •.' lioVi knp* l edg« '' -■' : ' ■■• Vt*. ■!'.• tO -_' ( ;'•':<■ ill' li'.e the i ... . who a re- -among. tLe low NEW-YORK DAILY TRIBUNE. SUNDAY. FEBRI'ARY 20. 1910. NEW STYLE OF PACKAGE FREIGHT BOAT TO BE USED ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. b*l next Wednesday night, and Companies B and L> will play a game n^xt Thursday night. A review of the Sth Regiment, by Briga dier Genera! David E. Austen, chief of coast artillery, will be held next Tuesday night. Open Olympic games under the auspices of the "2d Regiment will be held at the armory next Wednesday night. The meas urements for the twelve events will be the same as were used in the Olympic games, and a largo number of the athletes who GENERAL LEE STUDYING THE FEDERAL RESERVES BEYOND ThE NEAR LINE OF BATTLE. Winning design in competition for a $50,000 commission for a. monument in mem ory of these Virginia soldiers who took part in the battle of Gettysburg. (F. William Sievers, sculpter. > '■ • took part in them -will compete. There will be three prizes in each even". Officers of the national guard in Man hattan and Brooklyn are t\ onderine when ti.rt Armory Board is going to hold a mo.--i inp and pa?s upon a number of matters ♦ hat need attention. It is now several month: since the board met. I'elegates from all the 'National i^iard eft of the tribes of the Niger Delta Their ' village? arc removed from the native roads, probably to •"?caiw? the notice of slave trad ers, who used to be very active in these parts. Bj the roadsides 'nay be seen spirit houses for tho reception of the souls of men between death and reincarnation. Until the comiiig of the British nd even now in remote districts these people in dulged in cannibalism. They made human sacrifices. As the birth of twins was con sidered of evil omen, the mother ;m><i i.< r children were always slaughtered. Since r.ruisi] rule has been exercised these atroci ties have been prohibited, and thus when ever disaster romes to the Ibibios they always ascribe it t<> their being prevented t>"!!! making sacrifices to appease the dei i!s of the i\oods. ! The most important race on the Lower Niger, and living further inland, are the Ibos. The people speaking the Ibo lan- I guage number some millions, though; of course, how many exactly it is impossible to say. They are not very big men, rarely ■ taller than rive and a half feet, but they : are well made and muscular, and the wom en have skins bo black and so bright that they look like ebony. When young they are often rather handsome, but as they reach manhood or womanhood they become either -very fat or very thin. Th« black man's Ideal beautiful girl is a very plump --•!)». and accordingly before marriage the bride is specially fattened. so that her spouse may be all the better ' pleased with h< r . : j 1l"< ii,.. arr great fishermen! and spend much of their time In that pursuit, leaving most of the trade In the hands of the women. They have towns, find these, is well as the villages, are governed by chiefs, recognized by the British government, each or whom has pworn allegiance to the local king. The streets are grassy lanes, across which stretch festoons of giant creepers, and the i,,ii.>- are bo hidden among the scrub and low trees that ' they are almost indistinguishable from the sur rounding vegetation. The king's palace i* surrounded by mud walls. He is practi cally a, prisoner, for only once a year is he allowed by the priests to go outside, and then only to perform a solemn dance before his subjects. The [bos inhabit the stretch of country extending from the Niger to the Cross River. The customs, of course, vary-- In different parts Those who live near the Cross River have practices that are cer tainly peculiar. For instance, when a.fes tival is in i-ri..--|>< • t the women spend many days beforehand in arranging one an other's hair, smearing ii with palm oil and then plastering it into singular shapes* which remain undisturbed for months at a time. "Most men shave their chins, but Hie chiefs allow .-. small tufty beard to grow, and to lie end of this they not Infrequently iasi"n •! mail bra.** :.. [i 01 me orn* mcul. . As 'he English ?ii| icai a ring •■■ ben Hie it- engaged to l>2 married, so the Ibo girl, wears necklaces in proportion to the number <.i fovera the haV. The . ip thing is >■■■■ | i ofui : The men in content with a tti tight pie* t of • loth which t ilia from their waist to then ankles, while the cloth worn by ••• women rraches only half way organizations in the state will gather at Albany next Wednesday and Thursday to attend the annual convention of the Na tional Guard Association of Xew York. Governor Hughes will be entertained at dinner by the delegates on the night of February 24 at the Ten Eyck House. At the review of the 22d Regiment to morrow night by General P. p. Wanser, commanding the national guard of New Jersey, there will be a large delegation of national guard officers from that state. Colonel Hotchkin has nominated Sergeant Ladew, of Company A. to be second lieu- tenant, and Second lieutenant Deeves, of Company M. to be first lieutenant.. It has been decided to form a^slgnal* detachment of twenty-four .men. .made up by detailing two 'men from- each company. Lieutenant Mc.Ewen.will be in charge. Captain ■ Henry S. Sternberger. the regimental commissary, will go to the West indies for a ■ pleasure trip' for a month", leaving the city on the Moltke on February 22. .. Besides the West LADIES OF ONITSHA, NIGERIA. to the knee. On occasions of festival the women, . like' their sex In other parts of the world. love to adorn themselves with gaudy ribbons of blue and orange, fastened in a bow to the right side of their waists. Both sexes paint their bodies on f*te days, while . when they are in mourning they mark white. rings round their eyes. Cireal pains taken in the painting of the figure. When a woman wants to look particularly smart she lias a white mask painted over her own, countenance, while a long white daub stretches down her spine. Although the skfns of the men are as black as night, they always take-tlir precaution, when setting out 'for warfare; -to paint themselves black. Whan a girl reaches marriageable. age she is painted red all over by the man to ' whom she is betrothed, which Is a sign she 'must receive no more • attentions from the other young men of the district. But after this coloring, and while she Is being fattened • for the. mar riage ceremony, she la invariably painted white all over when she goes out visiting her friends. The native Belies every oppor tunity to cover himself with paint of some sort. If lie is sick he plasters' himself with a thick green paint made from leaves. •' The. usual Ibo way of saluting a friend is t<> Bt*op the Qngers and si,ukr,ilie tlst. The lye* at Lolto'ja, however, salute one another by bobbing down to the ground. and going through the pantomime of spreading du.«t over » heir faces, and taking it in turns | to ( maki weird noises Thus when a man passes another Ik- Bays "Ough! ough, ah, all. ya m oh ah." The other him iiifiin •■■;.;. dona lite same, alternately with the i. ''[. both of them slowly and pleadingly and wit!' If Ing intonation. Then suddenly or' 1 , chang n■. brings out a new word, which Mi other repeats, "Oh oh, ah, oh. akoo, .iii ii. <-•• whtli the otJiei coma In with "Abo'o, ■boo, a boo ' and tin!.-- they ■ past each other, th* plaintive "oughE •"nh«i" gradually getting fainter v the dis tance increase* | Indies, he will visit ports on the Spanish Main and the Panama Canal, Bermuda and Nassau. Companies A and L are to jrive joint games open to the Military Athletic !,eague in April. Company D will hold a promenai" concert at the armory on starch 12. Despite the uncertain we.ather, consid erable work has been done on the new ar mory. Brigadier General George Moor* Smith. First Brigade, wll! leave for Camden. S. C. on February 24, to be gone a month for a rest Hfs -lepart'ire will leave, th* 1 brigade uiider the command of Colonel Daniel Ap pleton of the 7th Regiment. The 69th Regiment, at its annual inspec tion and muster on the night of February 11, made the best record in its history, and. so far as the general appearance of the men and the condition of state property were concerned, one of the best records in the State, say the inspecting These, represented both the War Department and the state. Companies D. F. I and . X ©etch paraded ICO per -cent of their membership. Curof 773 members on ; the roll there were 7.">5 present, company 'I. . Captain Charles Healy, had a full membership of 103 officers and men present— the first time in ihf- his tory of the regiment, that such a record has been made] at the state muster. On -.the morning of the day set for the inspection Company I 'had two newly elected lieuten ants who had not been sworn in, and to get this done It 'was necessary for the Governor ■to get' the examination papers in order to wire. authority for the officers to take"t-he. oath. Private Eagan was chosen to ta"ke papers to 'Albany, ..leaving here at 9:30 a. m, . Permission was wired .from Albany at 3.^0, p. m. that Lieutenant Colonel Conley .could ; . administer the oath of office to his two lieutenants., and Private Eagan returned. ] from Albany the same night, in time to be | mustered in with his company. A review of the 69th Regiment by its former colonel, BdVard Duffy, will be held in the armory next Saturday night, and a reception will follow. This will be the first revi. w by the- colonel since he was retired. company C, Captain McSherry, will hold an exhibition drill and dance at the ar mory to-morrow night. Captain George X Bouton, First Lieuten ant Albert Clements, and Second I->ieuten T ant Angelo .Bianchi.' of .Company. A, Mth Regiment, have each the unusual record of performing 100 per cent of. duty for ten years. All three officers are Spanish War veterans. V". ' ■ ! '< : ' . ■'.".'_.;'* Officers of the 33d ■Regiment will be di \ ided into ' two I equal parties to-morrow night at the armory, in order to right out theoretically a problem of defence and at tack, between.-' a ' Blue -and a .Red --army. Second Lieutenant • Charles R. Coffin,', of Company .C,. has. been unanimously elected first lieutenant, vice Robb..prnrii6ted.-.-Flrst Sergeant Greor^e C". Douglass, of . Company K. has been unanimously elected "second lieutenant. ... : ' . . ..'"'- : . '■;*' ." ' ! It is not surprising that among the i>rn pl» who Inhabit the fetid swamps border' ing the Niger and the 'gloomy shadows of the forests there should be Innumerable seciet 'societies. Most of ■ these are chiefly for the maintenance of tribal order; 'some are associated with superstitious religious practice?, while there 'are 'others.'. Which have terrorism and plunder --is their main object. Youths are initiated into th* lower grades 'of these- tribual"- societies, advance In knowledge of the' secrets as.' they .reach manhood, and then' attain ' high rank or office in- proportion to their ability or their wealth. ' ■ - • < ■ Qjiite apart' from these legitfmato. tribal societies arc the brigand' societies^ '■Among the'lbibios there are societies known as "leopards" and "alligators." The "leop ards' 1 thieve and. murder on land, while the "alligators" take the rivers and creeks as their province. The "leopard" society Is so called because its members dress them selves,"in leopard, skins; they ■ go -forth at • night,, make 'thr . woods.-. echo I with 'their yells, and if , they come across , any . one murder him and steal his belongings. The native- wh.i hears their yell crouches In ter- . ror, for be knows that If caught, his doom. is sealed. The "alligator" societies have, canoes made to resemble crocodiles; they lie in ', watt . underneath ': the ' overhanging-, branches of a tree on tho river, and when a native conies; paddling down abool out. • upset ins boat, kill him and' sebn his be-, longings. •-' The difference between these, murderous societies cm'- t::r>. ordinary tribal societies is Chat, wiMie '.he object of the. former la the i imiaiign of crmie. one f of fin chief functions or trie latter. is th© «Je tection and punishmeiu of crime? . s . I he most widespread of -the secret . aocia tlos In Nigeria is the Bgbo ; society, which is partly religious and partly social In Its functions, and may almost bo compare] to Freemasonry in England. Phe functions b'fjthe high efflceri <■ ■ secrets which have not ■■! been discovered by " European in vestigatore 'The' societies' meet in ■a ■ re THE PACIFIC SLOPE Alleged Attempted Murder a r Coast Sensation. [By T«l*gTßph to Th* Trlbun*.] San Francisco, Feb. 13— Local newspa pers have been fiH«d this week with details of an investigation of a peculiar attempt on th* Hf* of a woman and h»r infant child tit Dr. Willard Purk'.'.-! sanatorium, near Santa Kosa I,uella Smith, who had been a prot*?* of r>r. Burke for several year?. . recently gay« birth to a child, and soon aft-r r» t.urnc<l to the sanatorium. where 'she was permitted by Dr. Burke to remain in a t»nt on th« grounds. - She ass-rts Pr. B'irk« is Th* father of the child. - : i?y} 'S,-> : t ' Last we*k there wj<i an explosion «l th sanatorium and the woman and child had a narrow escape from death, Dr. Burke .•aid the woman herself caused ;. the explo sion.' as sly had threatened frequently to commit suicide; Ho also declared she was insane, and. that her charge that he was th<» father of the child was a mental- delusion. . The authorities Investigated the case and found *O much evidence again?' Dr. Burke that they arrested him. and he has been held for trial for attempted murder.. It Is alleged he procured dynamite from his mine near Orovllle and had miners .show him how to use" It. l.ueiia Smith recently threatened to sue . Burke ' for damages and to compel him to support he and the child. The case has- excited great interest because of the prominence of Dr. -Burke. -who for many years has been the head of the. sana torium. . ' . The annual report of the l'nit»d Railroads of San Francisco shows gross- receipt? last year of $7. 4 [">.->. 9 65,- and net. earnings of 213.316. The roads carried" nearly -one hundred and fifty million passengers." Th" financial report Is* the best •in the; seven years" h:!«t,>ry of the company. Alden r Anderson.' State Superintendent of Banks, is th" latest announced candidate for Governor. ' Anderson .-has- a wide ac quaintance among politicians ' and men of ajl classes. \ He was formerly Lieutenant . Governor. " He is one of' the . largest fruit growers in *tb£,stat».; .". .;.' •"" \ ' Los Angeles i$ ma-king desperate efforts to procure '.the- Removal ' of »he Inion Iron Works. from this city to its new seaport of San : Pe'-jro. If has offered a '.free 'sir* and many other inducements, but President' Me-. Gregor says' th.* .great.; cost .of. maintaining two- plant fojjid not be equalized by cheap er and better labor conditions: in the' south ern' city.* I.°s .. Angeles : -. has enjoyed the open .'shop {or .many years,"'and the result is that It .'costs far j less ; to manufacture, or bufld in that .city than in San . Francisco, where the labor unions v are. still in complete "control: ;•■ • ■ • ...■■■.. .1 Mrs. Willa. Dick KJp' obtained a divorce this week ; from * Lawrence .' Kip >on the ground- of desertion. She i? . the daughter of a known capitalist of -Indiana. .- Kip was " th"' favorite grandson of- the famous Episcopal" bishop.'. ';. j; \ ' '** „' The University of California has received a valuable: gilt of anthropological , material for it» museum from Mrs. Blanche Trask. who got many of her "specimens from the Channel 1 ' Islands, off Santa Barbara. Th" collection -comprises - five- .thousand, piece?, among which re -many unique implement.* and 'weapons! of the early dwalie'is on this coast. *One peculiar: exhibit: is the frame work of aji ancient j house made "of ribs and large, bone? of whales. .; .. "The new" California "Limited tMirt.on th* 1 Santa F n Railroad ■"ill th« fastest over land tr''in running out of .Chica;?"- Tt will malic the trip to Los Angeles in "sixty-four and one-half -hours,!" lnstead of "the- present schedule of seventy-two hours. • • The i Santa Fe; Railroad Company will build ia ss2o').pOO 'station at ßaritow, which Is : one of -.the , main » transfer; points to Los Angeioy; -,'■ The, building* will Jnelude a large I hotfl."-fr<r pass"ng*r.~ and v employes, and a reading room for the. latter.- MAN IN THE COSTUME OF A WEST AFRICAN SECRET SO CIETY. , eluded spot in ; the bush, ,and ,then- set out | In procession to different pla>--s. daii'-ing; m fh'ir fantastic- costumes. They shout as : they go along:, but \ -try th© ton's of tb»ir voices from gruff bays to'thin falsetto, and : all the ; while, shake wooden rattle?. ; Every member" of 'Egbo is bound by oath, tinder penalty of 'death. ; to obey evry com mand issued' by' th« spirit under which th* society, pjbfesses to 'be organized. One of the- nieru hers acts. as priest. *o represent the*spbif -When his 'voice is be^rd cry on* iii th'r; town shuts up bis hoi] 5 ,- and remains within" as. ions as- j the priest is 'near: When the goes, forth he is preceded runners, who carry whips of hippopota "inus hide. and thrash everybody out of the wav, hit.' those who are not successful in getting* of night take care to avert then- ' faces: 'Of .course- vthe<- natives know thai the. orders .are. .given by a .human being, but will not confess, even to them a*lVea, that- the. .voice ta any other than a spirit which. most be obeyed To 'disobey the laws -enacted .by. the E«tM> society is to risk" death: ■ , . v - -^ • But. there is an even^more influential so ciety :: than the Kgbo, in Southern Nigeria. It Is called Idion. and consists only of men of .rank and importance. No man who has not passed through all the grades of Kgbo can be admitted. The, law» of the Idion .soHety demand that' its members shall not steal., lit or do anything wrong. ' -These secret,. societies^ are valuable fac- | tors tii the government* of '.the country. When the British" aiithorltles can p.,sua:. the-heads of them that a particular thins •ought lo be done or' ; ought not M be done ! there is never. any question on the part of the; people to "the order. 'but they obey in stantly. . _ CAUSE .FOR CONGRATULATION. ,,'-"*>'•" yairi- "'° friend. Tin in need of ■ iHt!6j money,*. 1 • • ,«,,^.' 1 " v for ou - oM man. 1 coaajatnlat* you, replied - l >™ ether. Your* .ten limea better oh thin, ( am , need a whole 'lot cr it. -Detroit Free Pre^s. WARN THE FARMERS BAD SEED THHEATFAS LOSS OF •>/-;. nnn/ion. Campaign to Prevent Sowing of Spoiled . Corn on , .. ■ ■ ', ■■ Xcbraska Land. In an effort to prevent -tti» las» t? •> »_ brafka farmers of SLVJ^MW. on . their isift orn rrov. the, Omaha Commercial Club h?« enlisted "the assistance of' thousand* cf business lt|f|l in parts of Nebraska, and a*' vwhtrlTrlndv whtrlTrlnd ■ ' ';- Mia has b»en. lie^un hav ing for its end the savins: o* 27/<"^/«> fcnih els of corn to the state! this MM , The .: condition which confronts the \«. braska farmers, and- which has callel forth concerted action on th» .-■>-■ of jh<» business men of the , stat*. Is sag wh!rh has been brought about by the- w«»r. col<i winter, whl^h has prevented the. farmers from gathering their corn crop, with Na| result that the corn which will be utilized as seed for the 1910 crop ha y deteriorate to such an extent that a lir?e amount of it:. ls; unfit for. planting. To. make mat ters worse, this deteriorated se»d docs Bot outwardly differ from good corn. «a that the. farmers ar» likely la plant this a,. rorn without the knowl«»ds:e that it ■will, not sprout' and produce a rropl • • •-- : The Nebraska State Aericultural Collets om» weeks ago call«d attention to this damaged corn condition, and the T.a v Commercial Club immediately took th«» mat ter up. Samples of seed corn «•■-» 06 tained, from every county in the -'-*'<=■. *"1 a scientific 'examination »as mad* of the sample?. 'The result was astonishing. One out of every six' ears submitted was fount defective.- • ..1.,.* :i ■What this means to Nebraska and '• the .food Supply 'of: the country can t% understood when it .13 ?aid that, this de fective seed, if planted, would diminish th« leld of corn by 2S ?24.'' 1 0r» bushels, valued at between jI3,«XM*"O and $14.' W. WASTED , LAND AND ' EFFORT. Nebraska annually plant? UMN --•• of corn! 'If th» farmer plants seed?o poor that one grain out of every six does not sprout the effect i? th» same as if . l.«Ts.flrt> acres of the most fertile land in Nebra?ka •were permitted to He idle, this year. More than that., the farmers would plough ar>4 care for the poor corn plants' th<» Ma us or those- which produced the b»st crops. If tested ' and cood seed are- Used tbes« 1.0G3.W) acres will produce 2S.SC4.^O bushels of corn, according- to the average yield, ia this state. Corn is planted in Nebraska in April aad ay. and in the mean time, thousands of business men. storekeepers and grain buy ers and dealers will be Atoning it into ti« farmers that they should carefully te3tteir seed this year Additionally thereto lectsr ers from the State Agricultural College been placed in the field and are . -»lte« nishtlyto Catherines of farmers. The tn dustrial departments of fU< * Burlington, Union Pacific and Northwestern railroads have sot into the. game, and. lastly. prac« tically every newspaper in the stare ii't»H in? the farmers of Nebraska that they mist b« careful this year.' to see that their seed corn is good. -the' penalty, for sr^reral. fail ure betas the. loss of UUBfi* H> •■« tann ers and of millions'of *bustie-ls c-f rn«ai:t> the consumers of th» country. One 'of the- most effective points of tii^ campaign to that no zmeralirip? ar<* dealt in by the men behind the movement. Ea^-h county to taken up separatply. and th» lo=3 to that county alone is shown, should MM poor seed be used. Then the loss for ea»h particular township is >hown and the mat ter is finally driven home by ' ■•■-; M hundreds of the men who farm z^eai bodies .of land the loss which they, individ ually, will sustain. ... . ... MAKE FIGURES STRIKE HOME, For instance, th*- farmers it launder* County, are shown that they stand to-los« $342,2fV» by. the. use of unselected --«>'l. thos* of Oase -County. . IHMtt; Casler too* $i.:'\r-T. '.-and Tjin«-a?Ter County. KSI.IJP- These Inini ' are based on the averag* vj^ld of corn produced by the?* •-otint:es and are taken from th«» state and zov»rn- M ml crop reports. They are absolutely ac curate, and. as'sach; have s^t- the 9«na»h> hard-h«aJed farmers fa thinking of ju* l "hat portion of that kM will be sustained by a -i> of them. TMtl these conditions are brought 3tUI closer home. The man " who ordinarily plant? I.MJ acres of corn •- informed th3t unless lie is careful in th» "selection of M? wed. instead of produefne the av«aj* crop of s.fN bushels, hi? 1 Ml acr« *O only prodnce SO.SyO bushels, a loss of *- 13 * bushels. Allowing only 31 cebt»«a "ishe*. this reprowßta a less '••> thai farmer ■ *f *-■."::• and an b« cause of Mb failure tn pfc»* good seed. And tM farmer w* plants^ acres of corn is aVawa that his lot-*. nttd:r similar conditions, will be J«3 buslicts. worfh at least. »41«5. Even the 'little felloe h " plants only -1° atf%« to . .-.m to sbipwß that lie will lose IpS lushels. worth JS^. unless he takes ,care of his Mai this year. •• But* Nebraska farmers are not the ofliy people interested in this rr-jVruient. Twenty-six million, bushels of corn weiS^ iJIt'.OCMW pounds, and Nebraska railroads are interested to the extent of that muck extra grain la haul if the- farmers wiU test their seed. And pram dealers are inter ested to the extent of handling tha: amount of corn which they wooM ncS otherwise do. And banks are interested ia handling the- nIMcCO for « hi.-h the cram would sell An.l storekeepers are Interested in srllins: food which farmers «i'! pur ehaaje wttli the ?13>».(W> so obtained. . .A?a millers are Interested in crindinsr -■-*"• bushels of corn. --^ V*'^ And lastly, t-very family in th* UnueJ States Is interested to the extent of Ofi m*- buslie! of meal for every family ta f ™ country which woaM -be P ro\id-<J tff »'•• extra '7(V«V»v> boshefei of «x>rn tb«- N"^ra?S* farmers will produce if they will only h^i the advice of the business mm of Ne braska »aH pay attention *» their reel cura t thto niii lag 1 A GETTYSBVMG SHJft Xcvc York Sculptor to Erect It for Virginia. Tl , r William Clever* a >nun S N>w YorK .culptor. has just b^en awarded the com mhJton for the execution of a monument W the Vlrgtata soldier who look r^t In tn^ battle of Oettja I The t » rtl W!^ after a competition, in wMeh about t^tuy mo s,M!pr,.rs took part-nearly or.e-half «C the deigns beinc sent fror. New t^> the t ;eM>sbu. Mmmm,,.! Co^nM^oiu The Virginia Legislature has a^roprlatci KO.tX» for Hie lmMUitnent. in the winning design the sculptor W depicted Cnera. Robert BjU* O n his «•■ known ''-- Traveller. Mudylng the federal reserves *£#»££ a«arltarof battl.-. -•.■.•••:■• »n, ?■ aliesorlcal group,. S > rabuUzinc Vlrslnta^^ the branches o< the scrv.ee. i»fantr>. cavalry andartilfrry. ei,'^ The n iroeni will - - ' - 1 •o^ i :•■ j -r-; '• v I Mewed t"" ' ■■ Cemetery Hid??. The X ■.■•■'- '» t, : finish, his work }tr ' ° cun , oa u f read • " - ; Unlon'and Conrederate '*>*?£* ljl *