The Minneapolis journal. [volume], June 15, 1904, Image 1

About The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
CONFLICT RAGES
IN KOREAN STRAIT
Cruiser Meets Squadron and Gives
Battle, With Others Has
tening to Scene.
RUSSIANS IN SORTIE
FROM PORT ARTHUR
Eleven Warships Sally From Har
bor but Japs Fail to Lure
Them to Fight.
Toklo, June 15, 6 p. m.It is re
ported here that the Japanese pro
tected cruiser Niitaka has engaged
the Russian Vladivostok squadron off
Tsu island, in the strait between Ko
rea and Japan This report, how
ever, lacks confirmation.
Three Japanese tiansports, outward
hound from Shimonoseki, met the
Russian warships this morning out
side the strait of Korea. The Rus
sians fired eighteen shots at the Jap
anese ships. One transport escaped.
The fate of the other two Is not
known.
The Japanese transports Ugo and
Fuyo, homeward bound, met the Rus
sian vessels near Okl island. The
Russians pursued them and fired six
teen shots at the Japanese ship. The
transports escaped and reached Kat
sumoto.
The Japanese warships in the vicin
ity are hurrying to the scene. Sasebo
Is being closed.
There is a strong possibility that a
naval engagement will take place
soon. No southern Japanese city is
exposed to attack, but this Russian
raid may prove expensive to shipping.
London, June 15.A dispatch to the
Central News from Tokio, filed this
(Wednesday) afternoon, says a naval
engagement is now in progress off
Tsushima Island in the Korean
straits botween three Russian cruis
ers which escaped from Vladivostok
and a number of Japanese ships.
The Central News dispatch adds
that the Vladivostok squadron was
first reported June 14 from Oko Island
(off Kioto, Japan, In the sea of Ja
pan. Later in the day ronno "ndir-or
was heard northwest of .Tagat (on
the Japanese coast in straits of Ko
rea).
The captain of a Japanese merchant
reports his ship was flred upon by a
Russian warship. Heavy cannonading
was heard early this morning in the
neighborhood of Oki island.
NEWS OF BATTLE AWAITED
Russians Expect Port Arthur and
Vladivostok Fleets to Unite.
St. Petersburg, June 16.3:35 p. m.
No Information is obtainable here
regarding the reported engagement
between the Russian Vladivostok
squadron and a Japanese squadron in
the Korean straits. But it is quite
likely that a naval fight has occurred
or is about to occur.
Vice Admiral Skrydloff has left
Vladivostok with the armored cruisers
Gromoboi, Rossia and Rurik and some
torpedo craft. As this fact is already
known abroad the Associated Press
betrays no confidence of the authori
ties here in making this definite an
nouncement.
If the report that the Russian pro
tected cruiser Novik made a sortie
from Port Arthur yesteiday Is true, It
demonstrates that the entrance is free,
and this was doubtless preliminary to
the egress of the whole squadron for
the purpose of effecting a juncture
with Skrydloff's squadron.
The news of a decisive sea battle
may therefore arrive at any hour.
Before Admiral Skrydloff left Vladi
vostok the Russian protected cruiser
Bogatyr, which went on the rocks off
Cape Gamova, was hauled off and
towed into the harbor of Vladivostok.
She is now In dock there.
SORTIE FROM PORT ARTHUR
Russian Warships Sally Forth but Re
turn to Harbor.
Tokio, June 15.4.30 p. m.While
flotillas of torpedo boat destroyers
and torpedo boats were supporting
the military bombardment of the forts
at Siao-ping-tao (on the Kwan-tung
peninsula, between Port Arthur and
Port Dalny) Tuesday morning, the
Russian protected cruiser Novik and
ten torpedo boat destroyers made a
sortie from Port Arthur.
The Japanese warships retired, en
deavoring to lure the Russians Into
the open sea. The Russians, however,
returned to the harbor the same after
noon.
A flotilla of gunboats and mine
ships sank a number of mechanical
mines off Port Arthur on Monday
night.
BATTLE IN TASSA VALLEY
Russian Relief Force Driven Back
with Great Loss.
Special to The Journal.
Kaiping, June 15.Heavy fighting
has been in progress for two days in
the valley of Tassa, between Va-fan
ffow and Wanjallng, and the end Is
not In sight.
The left flank of the advance guard
of the Russian relief expedition un
der Lieutenant General Baron Stakel
berg has been driven back with great
loss, many officers from the rank of
general down being killed or wound
ed. General Gerngross, command
ing that wing of the Russian army,
was wounded in the head Colonel
Khavastounoff and his adjutant, Lieu
tenant Dragoslaff, were killed, as were
other officers of the line and staff.
The extent of the Russian loss is
unknown, a large part of the force
still being in confusion.
The Russian column sent south by
Kuropatkin, ostensibly for the relief
of Port Arthur, is in collision with a
large force sent north by General Oku.
Va-farxjow is sixty miles above Kin
chau.
FOSS LIKELY TO
SUCCEED MOODY
Illinois Congressman the Most
Probable Selection as Secre
tary of the Navy.
GEORGE E. FOSS,
Congressman Who May Be Secretary
of the Navy.
Naw York Sun Bpeoial flervioe,
Washington, June 14.Represen-
tative FOBS of Illinois, chairman of the
house committee on naval affairs, will
probably succeed William Moody as
secretary of the navy. The president
Is looking for a man to fill the place
of Secretary Moody when he assumes
his duties as attorney general.
Besides Mr. Foss, Representative
Dayton of West Virginia, wh
member of the committee
affairs, Is also being considereuH3
Mr. Foss has the better chance of
succeeding Mr. Moody. He has an in
timate knowledge of naval affairs,
and his friends say is just the man
that would suit the president.
WEARY SEEKERS"
FOR LAND FILE
Four Women in the Line at Cass
LakeSquatters Prepare
to Contest.
Special to The Journal.
Cass Lake, Minn June 15.One
hundred and ten weary seekers for
land were lined up before the United
States land office here this morning
waiting for the doors to open. Among
the number were four women. The
first man to file was Daniel Caldwell,
who took 160 acres sixteen miles
southeast of the village of Northome.
At the end of the first half hour
twenty-three filings had been made.
An amusing incident was the breaking
into the line of Mary Hamelinen, a
Finn, who succeeded in filing despite
the fact that she had no number. The
filings were pretty well disposed of
at noon.
It Is said that many squatters went
on the land promptly at 9 o'clock and
will contest conflicting entries made at
the land office.
The four ladies who entered land
are Louise Moen of Fosston, Inberg
Ose of Big Wolf Lake, Bertha John
son of Virginia, and Mary Hamelinen
of Eveleth. The land which is most
in demand is in town 148, ranges 26
and 27.
It was expected that Governor Rich
ard, commissioner of the general land
office, would be here, but he did not
come.
NO EXCITEMENT AT DULTJTH
Most of the Best Locations Already
Taken by Indians.
Special to The Journal.
Duluth, Minn., June 15.The lands
that were opened to settlement to-day
In the Bois Fortes, Pigeon River and
Red Lake reservation in this district
include about 50,000 acres. At the
same time the Indian lands opened at
Cass Lake aggregate 71,000 acres and
at Crookston 128,000 acres.
There was no excitement either here
or at Cass Lake. Here very few were
attracted. Most of the north shore
lands here, either at Bois Fortes or
Pigeon River, are forest and much
of the good timber has been cut.
Many acres are covered by spruce
swamp and most of the untimbered
land is rocky.
Indians have taken allotments in
the most desirable locations, around
Pigeon portage and bay on one reser
vation, and on Nett and Pelican lakes
in the other.
STANFORD NEWEL MAY
GET CLAYTON'S PLAGE
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, June 15.There is a
chance that Stanford Newel of St.
Paul, present minister to The Hague,
will succeed Powell Clayton as am
bassador to Mexico. Mr. Newel is
among those now being considered for
the prospective vacancy. When he
was in Washington last winter he told
the members of the Minnesota delega
tion of his desire for a change, in the
event that Clayton resigned, as it was
then reported he would. Minnesotans
promised their support and it is un
derstood that they have filed or will
file recommendations with the presi
dent.
H. C. Stevens.
GREED OF BANDIT
BLOCKS RELEASE
Moorish Brigand Increases De
mands and Hitch in Freeing
Perdicaris Follows.
Washington, June 15.A serious
hitch has occurred in the negotiations
for the release of Perdicaris and Var
ley, the American and Englishman
captured in Tangier by the bandit
Raisuli.
Raisuli has vastly enlarged his
original demands. He now insists
upon absolute control of no less than
four Moorish provinces, and demands
that no less than three nations, includ
ing the United States, guarantee the
absolute performance of the sultan's
promise.
The demands are regarded as ab
solutely impossible of compliance
here, notwithstanding the effect the
refusal may have on the fate of the
captives.
MINERS TO APPEAL
TO THE PRESIDENT
Butte's Fifteen Thousand Will
Ask for Interference in Be
half of Coloradans.
Bpeclal to The Journal.
Butte, Mont., June 15.--President
Roosevelt will be urged by 15,000
Butte miners to interfere in the pres
ent deplorable state of affairs in Colo
rado. The Butte Miners' union ia the
latest organization to ask the na
tion's chief executive to act, and his
reply is anxiously awaited.
At the meeting last night of the
i a message was drafted and by
's vote was ordered sent
t' i Roosevelt without delay.
1 ^*ds:
I ^r*ne 14.President Theo
dc.L ^vSvc.r^Washington, D. C: The
miners of Butte appeal to you as the rep
resentative of constitutional rights to as
sert the protection due to the citizens of
Colorado, whose rights are invaded and
devL'?y by a state administration that
has no respect for law.
Edward Long,
President, Butte Miners' Union.
Dan Donovan,
Secretary.
The miners also decided to call a
mass meeting for next Sunday eve
ning at 7 o'clock. "The meeting is
called," says a prominent member of
the union, "for the purpose of pro
testing against the infamous outrages
being perpetrated in Colorado. The
meeting will be addressed by well
known local speakers. Resolutions
voicing the sentiments of the miners
and citizens generally will be passed,
and such other action as deemed ad
visable under the circumstances will
be taken."
HETTY GREEN SCORNS AUTO.
Boston, June 15.Mrs Hetty Green to
day further emphasized her scorn for lux
urious living by declaring that she would
rather own a donkey than an automo
bile.
THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNALR
CZAR'S FLEET ESCAPES FRO VLADIVOSTOK, RAIDS JAP SEAS,
FIRES ON TRANSPORTS AND ENGAGES ENEMY IN BATTLE
PRICE TWO CENTS. WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 15, 1904. 16 PAGES-FIVE O'CLOCK.
500 PERISH IN FLAMES ON EXCURSION STEAMER
CHILDREN BURNED OR SWEPT TO DEATH IN THE SEA
PAYNE COLLAPSES
NERVES GIYE WAY
Postmaster General Prostrated in
Chicago as Party Leaders
Meet.
'y
HENPfY C. PAYNE,
National Republican Chairman, Who
Collapsed in Chicago.
Chicago, June 15.Postmaster Gen
eral Henry C. Payne, chairman of the
republican national committee, col
lapsed at the Auditorium Annex to
day.
Mr. Payne has not been in good
health for some time. He recently
took an ocean trip for purposes of re
cuperation.
He was in his room when the attack
came. His ailment apparently was of
a neurasthenic nature. The time was
shortly before the hour set for the
convening of the republican national
committee over which Mr. Payne ex
pected to preside.
It was said that Chairman Payne's
illness was such as to preclude his
taking active part in at least the pre
liminary work of the~conventim It
was stated tfcat "Senator Scott of West
Virginia would pro.ba.bJy succee as
executive head *of thex
committeea and
would preside -this afternoon.
Harry New of the committee made
the following statement this afternoon.
The report that Mr. Payne has suffered
a sudden collapse is not true. Every
body "knows that for several months he
has been in poor health. The excitement
and late hours necessary to attendance
on the preliminary convention work have
exhausted him to some extent. Mr. Payne
will be all right with a little rest and
sleep Reports that his health is in a
precarious condition are, to say the least,
exaggerated.
FORTUNE FOR TRAIN GUARD.
New York, June 15.At one time a lieu
tenant in the French army and now
guard on the Brooklyn Rapid Tran
sit train, Desire Bretiglnlre has been no
tified by members of his family in France
that his father is dead, leaving an estate
to which the guard is heir to the extent
of $300,000.
HE'LL GET INYOU CAN BET ON THAT.
WISCONSIN FIGHT
IS TO THE DEATH
Spooner Throws Dignity Aside
and Indulges in Angry
Abuse.
From a Staff Correspondent.
Chicago, June 15.Those members
of the national coinmittee who came
to Chicago thinking that the Wiscon
sin contest was to be settled without
difficulty are now revising their judg
ments.
Senator Spooner, the leader and
spokesman of the "stalwart" faction,
has not hesitated to let everybody
know just where he stands, and his
language has been the most forceful
that his extensive vocabulary could
command. He is mad, "clean plumb
thru," and members of the national
committee who are also members of
the senate, and have never seen the
senior Wisconsin senator in action out
side the capital city, are wondering
that he should have so completely lost
control of himself. He uses the bit
terest language, and at times the most
vulgar abuse in referring to the "half
breeds," and his choice of epithets is
to say the least, unwise.
From his dignified, influential and
commanding position in the American
senate, where he has the ear of the en
tire country on all great occasions, and
where he has been on many an im
portant day the direct mouthpiece of
the administration, he has descended
at one step to the level of a common
political brawler. Intemperate in
speech, impassioned in gesture, in
dulging in language which he must
know cannot be accepted literally by
his hearers, and which, when dis
counted, means for him a loss of pres
tige, he is as unlike the John C.
Spooner whom one sees in Washington
as day is unlike night.
All of which shows that there is to
be no compromise of the Wisconsin
trouble that the "stalwarts" will ac
cent.
"Compromise!" shouts Spooner.
"Why we have offered time and again
to compromise. We have offered the
olive branch, not once or twice, but
a number of times, but always with
the same result. There is no compro
mise possible with such a lot." And
then follows language not fit for re
production in a great family news
paper.
Spooner and his crowd are here to
fight to the last ditch. Ke will stand
by his friends in the state, and if they
go down he will go with them. But
surrender Never!
"I haven't anything personal at
stake," he says, "for my term in the
senate lasts until 1909. I am fighting
for clean, for decent politics in our
-state, and it is a fight worthy the best
there is in me, or in any other man
who believes in the right and wants
to see it triumph."
Payne Is Dignified.
Postmaster General H. C. Payne
maintains a quiet, dignified attitude.
He feels strongly but he has better
control of himself. It is now the un
derstanding that when the committee
gets ready to take up the Wisconsin
contest, Mr. Payne will step down
from his place as acting chairman of
the national committee and ask Sena
tor Scott of West Virginia to preside.
Payne will take no part in the hear
ing, and will not vote.
Continued on Second Page.
ROOSEVELT WINS
GOULD FOR KNOX
Railroad Magnate Promises Presi
dent Not to Oppose New
Senator.
GEORGE GOULD,
Whose Luncheon with Roosevelt
Makes Gossip.
New York Ban Special Service.
Washington, June 14.George J.
Gould took luncheon at the White
House to-day. He was the only guest
and after luncheon the president
talked with him for an hour about the
political situation.
Mr. Gould is the fifth big financial
man who has been entertained
at the White House, with much
secrecy, in recent weeks. The
others were James Stillman,
president of the National City
bank of New York A. J. Cassatt,
president of the Pennsylvania railroad
J. P. Morgan, and George W. Perkins,
n^'JKrJEOTnH FWMn*aJilZZ
came separately and In every case the
most strenuous efforts were made to
keep th
visi.t
secret.
Durine Mr Gould' visit at the
White House it developed that the
president desired to secure the al
legiance of Mr. Gould for Attorney
General Knox, after his retirement
from the cabinet. The president had
been advised that Mr. Gould and his
friends would oppose the election of
Mr. Knox when he came before the
Pennsylvania legislature as a candi
date for the long term as United
States senator.
The president had heard that Mr.
Gould is powerful in western Pennsyl
vania, where he had secured an en
trance into Pittsburg for the Wabash
railroad despite the opposition of Mr.
Cassatt and the Pennsylvania lines.
As the result of that struggle much
bitterness was engendered and the
president understood Gould did not
fancy the idea of both Pennsylvania
senators being under the thumb of Mr.
Cassatt. For that reason it was
brought to Mr. Roosevelt that he
would antagonize Mr. Krtox.
The president told Gould of the vari
ous reports coming to him. He as
sured him that Mr. Knox would treat
all interests fairly and alike. In re
turn he was assured that Mr. Gould
would not fight the election of Mr.
Knox. TAMMANY DENIES
PARKER SUPPORT
Negotiations to Placate Murphy
Fail and Fight Will Go to
Convention.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,
Washington.
Washington, June 15.To-day's
New York Tribune, which on Monday
printed a story that a proposition had
been submitted to Murphy and Hill
looking to the cessation of the Tam
many fight on Judge Parker, prints
another story indicating that these
negotiations have failed and that the
fight will be carried to St. Louis. It
says:
"Charles F. Murphy is confident
that he has Hill and Belmont beaten
at St. Louis. A supreme court judge,
a personal friend of Judge Parker and
of Mr. Murphy, suggested to Mr. Mur
phy this week that it would be a good
idea for Tammany to fall into line
for Parker and make his nomination
certain, at the same time getting a
pledge from him that McCarren
should be removed from the chair
manship of the state executive com
mittee and not embarrass Tammany
any more by arraying the Brooklyn
machine against Murphy.
"The would-be peacemaker was in
formed that any overtures would have
to come directly from Hill and Mc
Carren and furthermore, he was told
that as Parker already was beaten,
overtures at this time would be of lit
tle use.
"The Parker men are trying to pre
vent Tammany from carrying its op
position to Parker into the convention.
They are afraid of the moving effect of
one of W. Bourke Cockran's speeches
if the fight is carried to the conven
tion floor.
"Things are shaping so that it is
almost certain that the convention will
be highly exciting and turbulent The
Chicago convention in 1896 was some
what on that order and when Bryan
hit it at tho psychological minute, the
delegates were swept off their feet and
the conservative! were overwhelmed.
The Hill men do not want any such
rough and tumble fight as that."
H. C. Stevens.
*Jfcn&
FAXK TO-NIGHT AND THUSDAY.
NEW YORK VESSEL
WITH 2,000 BURNS
Fire Bursts Out on Crowded Boat
and Merrymakers Are
Killed.
VICTIMS IN PANIC
LEAP ONLY TO DBOWN
Docks and Rescue Vessels Piled
High With DeadScores
Sink in Swirls.
New York, June 15.Coroner'* Physi
cian Weston has notified the morgue
keeper that 106 bodies are on the way
to the morgup on the Massasolt. The
superintendent of the Harlem morgue had
asked the charities department for 200
boxes In whle#- to put the bodies of
those who pwWied in the disaster.
New York, June 15.Five hundred
persons, mostly children, perished to
day by the burning of the excursion
steamer General Slocum. near Hell
Gate, in the East river.
The Slocum, with the annual Sunday
school excursion of St. Mark's German
Lutheran church of this city on board,
was proceeding up the river to one of
the many resorts of Long Island
sound.
When near One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth street, persons on shore
saw smoke and flames spring from
the upper part of the crowded
steamer.
A panic ensued on the boat almost
instantly. The crowds on the forward
deck began to spring overboard or to
crowd to the after part of the boat.
The screams of the terrified pas
sengers could be heard on shore and
hundreds of small boats immediately
put off to the rescue. Owing to the
rocks on either side of the channel
at this point it had been impossible
to beach the ship.
The captain stuck to his post at the
wheel and headed the vessel straight
up the river for North Brother island,
where she was put aground in the
shallow water. Several hundred feet
of open water still lay between the
burning steamer and the .shore and
many persons perished either in the
water or on the burning vessel after
she had been beached.
Carried Two Thousand.
It is estimated the steamer carried
2,000 persons. She was the largest ex
cursion steamer these waters and
could carry 2,500 passengers.
The Slocu sailed fro the foot
.Twenty-thirdmstreet,Bastmriver, shortlyo
i/u,. v,i
after 9 o'clock Th point she had
reached.i^i,.nmv,exac. whe theI flames were dis
covered in the forward part of the
boat, was off the "Sunken Meadows,"
at the extreme east end of Randall's
island.
So quick was the spread of the
flames that the captain of the Slocum
could not turn and was forced to make
head on for North Brother island un
der full steam.
By the time the Slocum reached
One Hundred and Thirty-fifth street
the excursionists, driven to the rail,
many of them with their clothing on
fire, began to jump overboard by twos
and threes.
When One Hundred and Thirty
eighth street had been reached the
heat from the fire had become so in
tense that men, women and children
plunged overboard by the score.
There was a terrific crash when the
boat was beached at the reef at the.
northern end of North Brother island,
where she rapidly burned to the
water's edsre.
It is said the fire started in the
lunch counter in the forward part of
the boat. When the alarm spread
among the passengers, the hurricane
deck was crowded and when off One
Hundred and Thirty-eighth street this
deck collapsed.
Many persons were thrown into the
water, but hundreds were precipitated
to the lower deck, which was itself a
mass of women and children.
Unknown a Hero.
A tug of the New York Central
railroad saved nearly a score thru
the heroism of some unknown man
who stood on the paddlewheel box of
the Slocum and passed women and
children to the tug until he was driven
back by flames and jumped into the
tug. Neither police nor firemen,
when they arrived, waited to remov*
coats or clothes, but jumped over
board and saved a great many who
would otherwise have drowned.
Many of the bodies recovered wex
horribly burned. Wreckers say that
it will be hours before the fire in th
hold of the boat is out and the bodiet
there can be recovered. Both firemen
and wreckers say that the greatest
loss of life, extending into the hun
dreds, will be found in the hold.
Many of those picked up alive fa
the river will die in the hospitals.
Most of them were frightfully burned,
having delayed leaping from the boat
until their clothing caught fire.
Some died In the improvised am
bulances in which they were hurried,
from the shore.
Every man on board who could
swim went overboard loaded dowft
with children. Many of these heroes
lost their lives. Burdened as thejr,
were they could not make headway
against the overpowering swirl of
the tide as it rushed from he East
river into the sound.
Tale of SurviAor.
John Edell, 22 years old, one of ttfr
survivors of the disaster, gave the fol*
lowing account of his terrible experi
ence, his mother and little brother
being drowned before his eyes:
"When we left the pier the decks
were packed to the limit of their
capacity. The band was playing, that
children were frolicking about and
we were all having a fine time.
"As we neared Hell Gate childron
were called down to the lower deok
were ice cream and soda water wag
served. The children were falling
over each other in an effort to gt
to the tables which held the refresh
ments. With my mother and my littUi
brother, Paul, I went to the engint
room to watch the machinery.
"Suddenly, and without the least
warning, there was a burst of flam*
from the furnace-room that rushed
up thru the engine-room and flashed
out about us. The flames spread am
Continued on Second Page.