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\, THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY. EH'EIT SI MJAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Ave., Car. I lth St., by The Evening Star Newspaper Company. S. H. KAUFFMANN, Pre3't. New York Office, 49 Potter Baild nj, The Evening Piar Is served to cut>i>cr!!.er>< !n '.hp rltv fir carriers. . n tli>!r own account, nt Tn .cnts per week, or ??? cents per month. Copies nt t!ie counter. 2 tents cu-L By mall ? anywhere In thv t'ntte.1 States or Canada?postage prepaid -50 cents per month. Satnnlav Quintuple Sheet Star. $1 per year, wit foremen postal add^d. $3.08. ?Kntered at the l'"St otti. i- at Washington, D. C., cs se<-.?nd < lass mail matter.) CTA!] n.a ! Mihw.ript ions must he paid in advance. Ratts of advertising made known on application. Na 14,227. WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1898-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS. TUB ITAH BY MAIL* Persons leaving the city for any period can have The Star malletf to them to aty rddress In the United States or Canada, by order!** It at this office. In person or by letter. Terms: IS cents per week; 25 cent* for two weeks, or 50 cents per month. Invariably In advance. Sub scriber* chancing their aUre&s from one Post-cflSee to another should give the last address as well xs th* new one AID SENT TO FOSOS Twenty Tons of Rations Sent to the Starving Cubans. JOINT SESSION OF COMMISSIONS South American Volunteers in Spanish Army to Go Home. MORTALITY IN THE TOWNS HAVANA. October 4.?Col. Clous, ^ecre 1117 of th?- United Stati 9 ? vacuatKn com mission. has agreed with Gen. Parrado of the Cuban commission that a joint session of the cvnrvmissiors 1k~ held at the meeting place of the colonial government at !? o'clock tomorrow morning. Twenty tens of rations on the Comal, now at Matanaas, will Ik- brought by rail free of charge, for the relief of the suffering inhabitants of Fosc-s. Gen. Parrado this afternoon paid an un official visit to the American commissioners at the Trotcha Hotel Yedado. Vim it to Fosos. Havana. October (Delayed in trans mission. >?Lieuts. Wade and Marsh have paid a visit to the municipal authorities cf Fosk S, on ifbON rep rt Of the fearful con dition of affairs there the United States commissioners cabled to Matanzas for twenty tons of the <'omal rations. Mr. R bert I'. Porter, the Cnitrd States ciLstoms commissioner, left here yesterday by the steamer Saratoga. Captain General Blanco today issued a decree gr 11 tins to the volunteers from Cen tral and Sr.uth America their discharge, to t ike effect after the approaching monthly r view, and granting them return passages to th?ir homes at the governmenfs ex pense. provided they leave Cuba at once. A decree has also been issued prohibiting th- confiscation ?f cattle by all branches of the army and by all the Irregular troops. The auxiliary troops at Oardenas snrren d- red their arms to the military governor on September 30. InnurKcnt Government to Move. It :s reported that th?* headquarters of the Cuban insurgent government will be moved within a fortnight to Varadero, a seaside resort near Cardenas. It is added that the lirst person to arrive there will be the former vice president of the Cuban re publie. Senor Domingo Mondei Capote. The official register of births and deaths for the city of Havana shows that on Oc r 1 th< re wi re > births and fifty-three iths, . nd thai on October - there were 1 ?" births and thirty-five deaths. Th- mortality at Guinos is very great and at Gulra de Melena, whose population only : nnl -rs 3,000, there were 232 deaths dur ing the m?>nth of September. Work has been commenced on several sugar estates in the province of Santa Clara. The arrivals today were the steamers Serra and Ramon de Larrinaga. from Liv erpool; Yigilancla. from New York; Olinda, from \ era Cruz. A lava, coastwise, with cargo and passengers, and Yucatan, from Carthagena, with cattle. COL. HAHKILS* CONDITION'. >ot DunKerooxly III, but Complete Recovery Will lie Slow. Special IUspatoh to Tl?e Evening fctar. ASHEV1LLE, N. C., October 4.?The con dition of Col. Geo. H. Harries remains ma terially unchanged today. The physicians say the colonel is not dangerously ill, but they are of the opinion that he will not be able to transact business of any character whatsoever to several weeks. Mrs. Har ries has been sent for and is expected to reach Asheville this afternoon. The other officers of the District regiment who are here recupeiating fr?-m Cuban fever and its effects are pi greasing toward complete re covery as rapidly as could be expected. SECOND DAI AT NOTTINGHAM. Helium Take* the Knrnaby Manor Selling 1'lute. LONDON, October 4.?At the second day's racing of the Nottingham autumn meeting today Captain J. Orr Ewing's three-year f 1! bay gelding Helium won the Barnby fklanor selling plate. To<l Sloane rode the Lorillard-Beresford Stables* three-year-old bay gelding Blondin II. but was unplaced. The betting was 11 to 4 against Blonain II. The Welbeck stakes handicap was won by Mr. G. Maclachlan's three-year-old brown colt Marthus, by Deuce of Clubs out of Sweet Mart. Draco. tn< I^orillard-Beresford stables" four-year-old chestnut gelding by The Sail or l'rirn-? out of Daiya. with Tod Sloane up started in this ? ven , but was n >t placed. The belling was 13 to S against Draco. TftlOl BLE 1\ TUB A. O. I. W. (?rand >la?iter Workman Miller Criti cised for h Hccent Removal. ST. LOUIS. Mo., October 4?As the re sult of a dUfere *c ? of optadon, Grand Mas ter Wcrkman W. II. Miller of the Ancient Order of I'nited Workmen has removed irom office Walter F. Mclntyre, chairman of the committee on finance. The matter will mcst likely be tck* n before the Grand Lodge for final adjudication. Members of the ?. rder question the right Gt the grand mastc r to remove Mr. Mcln tyre It is asserted that the proper course I t Mr. Miller to have pursued would have tien to have preferred charges against Mc Ixitvr ?. GOV. Ill SIINKLL OFF TO OMAHA. "Will Take Part in the Kxereises At tending: Ohio Day. CHICAGO. October 4.?Governor Bushnell of Ohio ; nd his staff reached Chicago on th Panhandle today and left on the Bnr ttneton for Omaha to take part in the exer cises of Ohio day at the exr?osition. The party will return home via St. Louis. The governor was accompanied by Mrs. Bushnell and his whole staff, which con sists of the following: Adjutant General rt B. Klngsley, Quartermaster Gen eral William I' Orr. Surgeon General Jo *" i'h Lowes, wife, daughter and son, Aids d? camp Cols. David L. Cockley, Chas. B. W ng, wife daughter and Miss Timms of Cincinnati? Chas. K. Fisher. Julius Flelsch m nn and wife, K< bert McKinney and wife, Albert Brewer and wife and Chas. L. Kurtz. Cavalry Horses Starts South. NEW YORK, October 4.?The horses of the 6th Cavalry started from Camp Wikoff t< day for Huntsville, Ala. Several troops were In charge of them, and the remainder of the men of the ttth Cavalry will depart tomorrow. Col. Young, who is now in command of the camp, said today that he hoped to have aU the n;en away by Saturday at the latest. About twenty-five sick men were sent to New York hospitals to day. There are about 100 men in the hospHaJ now. Steamship Arrivals. At Southampton, Kaiser Frederich, from New York for Bremen. WILL IMPROVE SANTIAGO Gen. Wood to Inaugurate a System of Municipal Taxation. The Minimum Rate Will Produce A bout $150,000 Per Month in Revenue. SANTIAGO DE CUBA. October 4.?Gen. Wood proposes to inaugurate a system of municipal taxation, making the taxes re troactive to September 1. The funds of the customs house cannot legally he taken for municipal improvements here cr in this vicinity, though the pres?nt surplus is $loo,4Mm. Consequently, another source of revenue has to be obtaine 1. Th*r< has be'n a law to tax and lict nse every business and exerybody; but sirce the occupation of Santiago by the American troops these taxes have not been collected. Now. how ever. the minimum rates will be exacted, which will bring ir. a revenue of $150,0'<0 per month, which is badly needed for local improvements. I nlike Spanish Method*. It is the policy of Gen. Wood to spend all he can legitimately upon Santiago, Mhich is the exact opposite of the system adopted by the Spaniards. Water in the dry season costs 25 cents per barrel. Gen. Wood's plan is to bore artesian wells and obtain a plentiful supply of water. Santiago can stand the expenditure of a lot of money in improvements, and Gen. Wood proposes buiUiing boulevards around the city, thus practically extending its lim its and making the outskirts the most pop ular portion. But there is no idea of un duly taxing the people. The general will merely raise sufficient money to carry on the municipal government in a satisfactory manner. A committee, c insisting of two American officers and two Cubans, has be-;-n appointed to consider the best legal meas ures to be adopted under the circumstances. i nil From (ien. <>urcia. Gen. Calixo Garcia called on Gen. Wood yesterday. He prop >ses going to Washing ton to advocate Gen. Wood's $"??) plan of disbanding the Cuban army Gen. Wood leaves here today to be pres ent at the evacuat.on of Manzanillo. He will continue the functions of the local Spanish authorities and all other arrange ments. Col. Ray claims that per cznt of his regiment have been sick from lack of Iresh beef. CIII.\ESE MINISTER I NIXFOIiMED. llan Received No Report of the Em peror*? Dentil. The Chinese minister was at the State Department this morning and had a short talk with Secretary Hay. The Secretary said afterward that there was no change in the condition Df Chinese affairs so far as he knew, and no late official dispatches. It was thought that the minister's call might have some relation to the critical condition of affairs in China and the dis patch of American warships to Chinese ports, but Mr. Wu said his visit had no connection with the general situation in China, but related to pending routine af fairs. He received an official dispatch this morn ing. but this brought no developments in regard to the reported death of the emperor or the disturbed condition of the foreign element ac Pekin. This in itself was re garded as reassuring, for so many days have eiapsed since the report of the em peror's death that Mr. Wu looks upon the ? reports as wholly discredited. JLast night Minister Wu received a pri vate dispatch confirming the announcement of the banishment of Chang Yin Houan. The minister refuses to credit the report of the emperor's death until he is officially advised. WILL 1IE MISTERED OIT. Signal Corp* Companies Ordered to New iork aud Chicago. Orders have been issued for the Oth Com pany, United States Volunteer Signal Corps, Lieut. J. D. Wood, commanding, i.ew at Washington barracks, in this city, to proceed to New York city, where the company was organized, and where its n embers will be mustered out of the serv ice after the furlough of sixty days which has been granted them lias expired. Orders have also been issued for the 7th Company of United States Volunteer Signal Corps, under the temporary command e?r Capt. J. W. McConnell, now at Washington barracks, to proceed to Chicago, ill., for firlough and muster out. The quartermaster's department will fur nish transportation and the subsistence de partment the necessary travel rations and coffee money in the case of both companies. OITLOOK IV _>EW JERSEY. Pitney Dee-linen Renoniinalion-Re puhiieann Will Hold Their Own. Representative Pitney of New Jersey, a member of the subcommittee of the House appropriations committee, having charge of the District appropriation bill, will not re turn to the next Congress. He has de clined a renomination, following his with drawal from the gubernatorial contest, and arcther candidate has been nominated in his place. Mr. John I. Blair Rcilly is the republi can nominee succeeding Mr. Pitney. He was cheten at a convention which was re markable for its harmony, which, it is said, was an omen of a vigorous campaign to follow. The* fourth district Is nominally democratic, although Mr. Pitney carried it tv. ice. Mr. Keilly Is said te? be very popu lar in the fourth district. He is a Jawyer. a i?olitlcian of prominence in that portion ot the state and a man of ability. Representative Loudenslager of New Jer sey was in Washington today and visited republican congressional committee head quarters. He brought encouraging reports of the republican outlook. "The congressional "campaign is progress ing favorably," said Mr. Loudenslager to a Star reporter this afternoon. "We will hold our o**n this fall, although as there are thr?e districts which are normally democrutic we might lose one." Interior Department Changes. The following official changes have been made in the Department of the Interior: Office of Indian affairs.?Appointed: Hen ry M. Gaines of Georgia, clerk, $1,000, by transfer from the New Y'ork Indian ware house. Patent office.?Resignations: Elmer S. Far well of Illinois, third assistant exami ner, >1,400; Willard D. Wilson of Illinois, fourth assistant examiner, $1,200. Promo tion: G?orge V. Chandler of Pennsylvania, fourth assistant examiner, $1,200, to third assistant examiner, $1,400. Appointments: Edward N. Palegsen of Illinois and Isaac H. Bryant of Tex;is, fourth assistant exam iners, $1,200. Many Paten in Granted Today. There were 412 patents grunted today, 30 design patents, 19 trade marks, 11 labels and one print. Of this number 372 patents and 28 trade marks and prints were grant ed to residents of the United States and 70 patents and three trade marks to foreign ers. Of the latter England led, with 21 to her credit; then came Germany, with 20. In the United States New York led, with 71; then came Pennsylvania, with 38, and Illinois with 35. AT THE WHITE HOUSE Matters Talked Over at Today's Cabinet Meeting. PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO OMAHA Some Recommendations to Be Made in His Message. ARMY OF 100,000 MEN The cabinet today talked over various matters, including the President's trip to Omaha, the reception to the Episcopal dele gates on Friday and the President's annual message to Congress. Secretary Gage, who is in Colorado, was the only absentee. There has been no change in the program for the trip to the Omaha exposition. ThS President and his party will leave here next Monday morning for the we3t. The cabinet officials who will go with him from tl is city will be Secretaries Wilson and Bliss. Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn will a'so be of the party. Secretary Alger will piobably join the party In Chicago. Secre tary Gage and Postmaster General Smith will join the Piesldent in Omaha. Attorney General Griggs and Secretaries Hay and Long will be unable to leave Washington. Secretary Hay will remain here to watch developments in Paris. Secretary Long will keep an eye on the situation in the far east, ready to move war vessels to China at a moment's notice. Attorney General Griggs is compelled to remain in Washing ton owing to work before the United States Supreme Court. The I'renldent'n MmanKe. The cabinet officials gave the President an Idea of the recommendations they will make In their annual reports, which will soon be sent to the chief executive. The President, 4n turn, talked about the work he will have to do on his coming message. This message will probably be of great length. It will review the war and make important recommendations as to the gov ernment of the islands which have be'en acquired. The recommendations the President will make as to the future of the new posses sions will necessitate a large increase in the regular army. It is understood today on good authority that the President will sug gest to Congress the establishment of a regular army of 100,000 men and will point out where this many men will be necessary for the work of the future. Included in this number, however, will be a provision for native regiments in all of the islands. This, the President will say, will give the natives encouragement in showing that they are to be trusted by the United States and will give them salaries and money. So far as Cuba is concerned, this will prob ably be the first step in the organization of a stable government for the island. If the natives take to this plan and maintain good regiments for police duty they will be In better position than otherwise to declare their readiness to become an independent government, with the power to maintain peace and order. The President may rec ommend the organization of five or six reg iments in Cuba composed of natives. He will probably say that the question of how long a standing army of 100,000 will be needed will have to be left to future events. This army will be needed for at least a year. Treatment of Soldier*. Chaplain C. S. Bullock of the 1st Illinois Regiment went to the White House today. He is on his way through the city to his home In Chicago. He talked to some of the officials about stories of the ill-treat ment of soldiers at Chickamauga, where his regiment was stationed for four months and a half. Chaplain Bulleick was presi dent of the Chickamauga Chaplains' Asso ciation and w as actively engaged for mon'bs in visiting sick soldiers. "There is no truth In the stories of neglect of sick sol diers and the serving of impure food," said the chaplain. "Our chaplains' association had weekly meetings at Camp Thomas and recelve-d reports on the condition of affairs. At no meeting was there reported many of the things I have since seen charged. "1 notice that Archdeacon Brady of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment and Chaplain Carstenson of Indianapolis make severe charges about what they saw at Chicka matga. They allege, for instance, that sick soldijrs lay in the mud without atten tion, iuid went for hours uncared for. I saw none of these things, and remember distinctly that Chaplains Brady and Car stenson made no such charges before our chaplains' association, where they would have Instantly been investigate. Food and nudichies were plentiful and medical at tention could be quickly had. My regiment had fresh meats and fresh bread every day from the third day after arrival. The soldiers ate hardtack for only three days after getting to Can p Thomas." The chapkiin said he had not com; here to go before the investigating commission and consequently would not appear there unless summoned. He did not Intend to volunteer as a witness. DEATHS AT SANTIAGO. Gen. Laivton Report* Many Wlio Sac <>iinilied to Dineimo. Adjutant General Corbin today received the following telegram from Major General Lawton at Santiago de Cuba: "Fever cases, all kinds, 743; total sick nes 1,104. Deaths: Michael Daley, pri vate, Company G, 3d Cavalry, chronic dys entery, September 80; Laughlln C. Norden, private. Company A, 5th Infantry, typhoid fever, October 1; F. W. Tyler, private, com, pany I, 2d U. S. V., acute dysentery, Octo ber 1; Herman Smith, private, Company M, 2d U. S. V., pernicious malarial fever and acute dysentery. October 1; John A. Mun der, private. Company E, 2d V. 6. V., re mittent malarial fever. October 2; Henry Rodman, private,'Company I, 2d U. 8. V., chronic asthma, October 2; Wm. G. An thony, civilian, typhoid fever, October 2; Alfred Winn. Company L. Oth U. S. V., September 30; Frank Edwards, private, Company F, 8d U. S. V., yellow fever, Octo ber 1; James Cooney, Company F* 3d U. S. V., malarial fever, October 2; Joseph Ray, sergeant. Company A, 5th U. S. V. Infantry, cerebral congestion, October 2; Charles Stebbins, private. Company G, 3d U. S. V., remittent malarial fever, Septem ber 25; Austin Dunbar, private. Company F, IHh U. S. V., chronic dysentery, October 1; Joseph Moseley, H., Company D, Oth U. S. V., typhoid fever, October 3." 1 CONDITIONS IX POIITO KICO. The Prenlilent C'nrefully Considering tlie Report of Gen. Wilson. The report of Major General Wilson upon th? political, social, educational and finan cial conditions of Porto Rico is in the hands of the President, who is giving it careful consideration, in order to gather Informa tion for his recommendation to Congress in the matter of the government of that isl and. The early evacuation of the island by th3 Spanish and* Its undivided and com plete control by the United States makes it important that a system of government for it should be early established. While the other questions growing out of the Spanish war may be more or lsss urgent, the government of Porto Rico is considered p reining. HEAR FROM MERRITT He Explains Conditions in Philippines to Peace Commission. SEPARATE SESSIONS HELD TODAY Gen. Porter Entertains the American Commissioners at Dinner. VIEWS OF PARIS NEWSPAPER PARIS, October 4.?The morning was cold and disagreeable, favoring indoor work, of which each of the peace commissions nas plenty on hand. The American commissioners determined to devote today's session to a conference with Maj. Gen. Merritt. The session of the American commission began at 10 o'clock and lasted until 1 o'clock In the afternoon. Gen. Merritt de tailed to the commissioners his personal views and those of Rear Admiral Dewey regarding the physical, geographical, moral and political conditions prevailing In the Philippine Islands. Gen. Merritt Did Not Finish. Gen. Merritt's exposition of his perso.ial views and Judgment of the Philippine Is lands was not finished today. He will meet the commission again tomorrow, when he will continue to discharge his errand here. President Montero Rios of the Spanish commission and his colleagues were busy today with telegraphic and other corre spondence. Senor Rios denied himself to all callers. A newspaper, Le Petit Bleu, this morning declares it has authority for the state ment that it has been decided that an ad justment relative to Cuba will be first dis cussed at the next meeting, owing to inci dents which have recently taken place In the Philippine Islands. The san><; newspaper remarks that Senor Rios yesterday "bought three copies of a work on international law by one of our most eminent jurists." The Petit Bleu does not accept the view that the work of the commission will be concluded before December, but expresces the belief that It will require a longer time. Gen. Porter to (>ire n Dinner. The United States ambassador. Gen. Hor ace Porter, wil! give a dinner in honor of the Americans tomorrow afternoon, and next week Gen. Porter will give a dinner in honor of both commissions at the United States embassy. The Spanish commissioners were received this afternoon at 4 o'clock by President Faure at the Elysee palace. Thi members of the Spanish commissi in were introduced by the Spanish ambassa dor, Senor Leon y Castillo, and Senor Rios expressed the gratification of the commis sion at meeting the president of France. At 4:45 p.m.. immediately following the reception of the Spaniards, the members of the American peace commission were re ceived by President Faure at the Elysee Palace. Gen. Porter met the commission ers on the steps of the Court of Honor and they proceeded to the grand salon. Judge Day Presented. President Faure, surrounded by a few members of his official household, received Gen. Porter, who presented Judge Day and the other members of the commission in turn, after which Judge Day handed Pres ident Faure a cable message from President McKinley. It was dated September 30 and it was addressed to "His Excellency, M. Faure, President of the Republic," and was signed, "William McKinley, President of the United States." It read as follows: "On this occasion, when the commissions of the United States and Spain are about to assemble at the capital of France to negotiate peace and when the representa tives of this government are receiving the hospitality and the good will of the repub lic, I beg to tender you my most friendly personal greeting and the assurances of my grateful appreciation of your kind cour tesies to the American commissioners." President Faure, In replying, courteously expressed his appreciation of the cordial sentiments uttered and heartily recipro cated them. WILL START THIS WEEK. The Oregon and Iowa About to Begin Their I.oiik Voyage. Navy Department officials expect that the battle ships Oregon and Iowa will start on their long voyage for Manila the last part of this week. Many rumors have been afloat as to why the ships have not sailed, but the facts are that the colliers and pro vision ships have not yet been made ready to accompany the battle ships. There has been no especial hurry in the matter, be cause the department Is aware that the later In the year the ships enter the Ma gellan straits the better It will be. It Is now expected that the battle ships will reach the straits about the middle of No vember, but the department would prefer the 1st of December. There are no lights in the straits and no channel marked, as In other parts of the world. The ships can proceed only in daylight, and at this time of the year the days and nights are about equal. Two months later the days will be so long that the ships can sail much far ther and will have to anchor but a short time each night in the straits. NANCY (illLrOKU'S EXTRADITION. The Necessary l"npern Will Be Sent From Connecticut. Acting on Information of the arrest of Dr. Nancy A. Guilford In l<ondon, the Sec letary of State has called upon the gov ernor of the state of Com??ctieut for the necessary papers upon which 4o base an application to the British govefnmer.t for the extradition of the prisoner. jI telegram was received from the governor of the estate this morning saying that the neces sary documents would be foi'varded to Washington at once. Meanwhile. Dr. Gull ford will be detained by the Britlih author ities psndlng the action of the govern ment. A Faithless Uuariiai. J. A. Grammer of Bentonville, Ark., was convicted at the United Stafis district court at Fort Smith, Art, on a chargo of having embezzled $585.07, paid to him as the guardian of the minor child of James L. Mulre, a soldier, who served in the 'M Arkansas Cavalry. From the evidence It appears that he used a port! >n of his ward's money to buy a pleae cf property for himself, and also that he iived just after he received the money in i style far In excess of that warranted by his income. > ? < *. Davis Estate Distributed. SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Oet&ier 4?The estate of the late Jacob H. Davis, which has been In litigation for the past two years, has been finally distributed among tho heirs In accordance with an order Is sued by Judge Coffey. The asta'e has been valued at $2,000,000, but owing to an agree ment entered into years ago liy the de ceased, half the property, as irell as the outstanding mortgages, goes to his sur viving partntr, Alexander Boy<L The re mainder is divided among his tdeces, Mrs. John M. Curtis and Mias Lismie Iduir. OLD BANK IN TROUBLE Tradesmen's of New York Fails to Clear Today. DUE TO CLOSING OF WOOL EXCHANGE Columbia National of This City Had Withdrawn Its Account. CAPITAL STOCK WAS ?750,000 NEW YORK,October 4.?The Tradesmen's National Bank o? No. liGO Wcs? Broadway did not clear through the clearing house, of which it is a member, today. This fact led to investigation, and it developed that the bank is in serious trouble. The clearing house committee visited the bank yesterday an<I after a careful exam ination of its securities found Its capital Impaired and advised an early liquidation. The Tradesmen's National Bank is one of the oldest and one of the best-known institutions cf its kind in this city. It was organized ir. the early part of this century, and while never a leader among the banks of this city, was always regarded as very sound and conservative in its business deal ings. Absorbed n Smaller Hank. Less than a year ago it absorbed one of the smaller banks in the wholesale dry goods district. The bank occupies quarters in the Wool Exchange building. The wool exchange suspended business temporarily only a few days ago. At that time it was declared that the bank was in no degree concerned in the suspension of the ex change, although it was not denied that it had many wool accounts. It had also been rumored that the bank would be absorbed by one of the larger institutions in the financial quarter. ThN report was promptly denied by President McNaughton, wh ? > de clared that the bank was perfectly solvent. The capital of the Tradesmen's National Bank is In the banking district the opinion is ex pressed that the troubles of the wool ex change are indirectly responsible for the Tradesmen's National's troubles. Columbia Changed It* Account. Up tc a week or ten days ago the Tradesmen's was one of the New York correspondents of the Columbia National Bank of this city. At that time the ac count was closed and transferred to the Phoenix National Bank. OXE III XUHKI) I'KItSOXS DROWNED. Kerry Boat ('npsxy.es in CroNNine: the Indus at Mittnn-Kote. LONDON, Octobcr 4.?A special dispatch from Bombay etys that a ferry boat was capsized today while crossing the Indus at Mittun-Kote. a town'of the Punjaub, on the west bank of the river, and im> of the passengers were drowned. MIRDEK AXI) SUICIDE. A?ecl Richard Dickerxon Shoots Mrs. Winship and Himself. CLEVELAND, Ohio, October 4.?A sensa tional murder and suicide occurred early today at No. Lake street. Richard Dickerson, sixty-six years old, the keeper of a repair shop at the corner of Wood and St. Clair street, shot Mrs. Blanch Winship three times with a 3<S-caliber revolver, then turned the weapon on himself and both he and the woman died almost instantly. Mrs. Winship was divorced woman, with one child, and had of late kept roomers at the above number. Dickerson had been paying attention to the woman for some time past, but she had decided to break off with him, and when the man called at her home today she refused to see him and locked herself in her room. Dickerson, however, forced the door lock and at once opened fire with his revolver. From the positions in which the bodies were found death must have been instan taneous in both cases. Dickerson lay on his back across a bed, and Mrs. Winship lay upon the floor at the side of the bed, with two ugly-looking bullet holes in her breast. One bullet entered just above the left nipple and the other lodged in the ab domen, either of them being sutiicient to have caused death. The bullet with which Dickerson killed himself entered his head just below the left eye. Dickerson was a roomer at Mrs. Win ship's house until recently. I\ A. WITMER COMMITS SUICIDE. Prominent Member of Ila&erstOTY xi llur Shoots Himself in His Library. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md., October 4.?P. A. Witmer, one of the most widely known men of the state, committed suicide last night in his library, in the presence of his wife, by shooting himself through the right temple with a revolver. He was sixty-four years old and a member o? the Washington county bar. For twenty-five years he had been treasurer and examiner ot the public schools of Washington county, receiving bis appointment from Gov. Whyte. and for a number of years was associated with Adams & Blake in the pub lication of the Daily News, taking front rank as a democratic political writer. At the time of his death he was the office dep uty of Sheriff Seibe'rt. KANSAS VISITED BY INSECTS. Forced to Flee From Colorado by the Forest Fires. WICHITA, Kan., October 4.?Several hours before sunset last evening there be gan to arrive here, flying low, over the city, a cloud of insects comprising grass hoppers, wasps, bald hornets, several va rieties of butterflies and wild bees. They are drifting slowly with a light breeze toward the southeast, the lowest flying wasps and hornets clustering in great numbers about the peaks and spires of higher buildings. The cloud of winged creatures, eextending into the air to limits of vision overhead, was passing for hours. It is thought the insect visitation is due to the forest fires in Colorado, the insects, it is supposed, be ing driven from their haunts in advance of the flames. Defended His Mother** Honor. MOBILE, Ala., October 4.?Francis P. O'Connor, seventeen years of age, a mold er's apprentice, stabbed John Kitchen to the heart in defense of his mother's honor at their home this morning. Kitchen, who died instantly, was an oyster opener and an all-round tough character, having served two terms in the penitentiary. O'Connor surrendered to the police immediately after the killing. Public feeling is on his side and it is not expected that the law will hold him. Secretary Gage at Denver. DENVER, Col., October 4.?Lyman J. Gage, Secretary of the Treasury, arrived in Denver today, accompanied by his wife. He cornea to Colorado for the purpose of inspecting mines in Boulder county in which he ts interested. SPANISH TROOPS DEPARTING Gen. Garcia Expected to Leave on the Steamer Alicante. American Force* Closing in Aroond San Jnnn in Porto Rio??()f fices Declared Vacnnt. SAX JUAN. Island of Porto Rico, Octo- I ber .1 (delayed In transmission).?The trans port P. De Satrustegui arrived here y^f terday from Spain, and is taking on board | troops today. She will sail tomorrow. The transport Isla de Panay sailed f<?r ! Spain this morning, with 1,21(0 troops on j board. It is rumored that Captain Genera! Ma- ; cias will leave here on the Alicante, which is expected daily at this port from Havana j Tho United States hospital ship Solace with fifty-live convalescents on board, sails for New York today, end the Mayflower will sail this afternoon. She is doe to r.r rive in New York on October 10. Her com mander has collected evidence here con cernlng the French steamer Rodriguez, n prize of the New Orleans, last June. The question to be determined is whethev (1m Rodriguez attempted to enter the port o! San Juan. The opinion of the townspeople here clearly affirms that the Rodriguez in tended entering. The Mayflower car.ies t?? New York as a witness S- rgio Noa. who is arserted to have been on duty at thf* sem aphore station at Morro Castle on the day of the New Orleans-Rodriguez affair. The Spanish troops were evacuating guas yesterday, and Arecibo will be dcliv- ' ered over to the Americans tomorrow. The American troops are closing In rap idly. and the Spaniards are concentrating in large numbers at this place. The Spanish government's offer of free transportation home to the families of offi cers has resulted in many marriages of de parting officers and officials. Dating from the last day of September Spanish government has declared vacant a long list of civil governmental positions. (?OV. LOWNDES I \ DORSES PEARRE. <H?I Animosities Thrown Aside?4*onni|? Vliout DeiiiiHTlUic Nomination. SimvJuI I>i8j?atch to Tbe Evwiliijj St?r. CUMBERLAND, Md., October 4.?Gov. Lowndes, who is charged with being op posed to the election of Col. George A. Pearre. the republican candidate for Con gress, because Col. Pearre was the leader of the anti-Lowndes-Wellington faction, dispels the rumor by coming out candidly in favor of the republican nominee. Before leaving for Baltimore yesterday Gov. Lowndes said that he was altogether satis fied with the action of the convention, that it had named a good and able man, who would command united party support. A prominent republican said that the op position claiming that Col. Pearre would be knifed by members of his own party were reckoning without their host; that he would receive loyal support. Col. Pearre is not opposed to Gov. Lowndes in anyway, and it is stated will aid him toward securing Allegany's support for renomination for governor. There is much speculation among demo crats as to who will be their iOBlnw Some here favor Mayor Charles A. Little of the Hagerstown bar, at present com manding a battalion of the 1st Maryland Volunteers, others want ex-Judge John A. Lynch of Montgomery, while still others have started a boom for James Clark of Cumbreland, president of the James Clark Distilling Company and of the Cumberland Brewing Company. He is an ex-confeder ate and is rated as a millionaire. It is not believed that Mr. Clark would sacrifice his business to accept. He has never been active in politics. The populists will probably nominate Alexander Davis, ex-county commissioner, of Sharpsburg, Washington county. LESS TH AX TWO PER CENT, Deaths in llnttle and From Disease Since May 1. The War Department today posted the folic wing bulletin: "Deaths from all causes between May 1 and September 30, inclusive, as reported to the adjutant general's office up to date, October 8, 1HU8. were: Killed?Twenty-three officers ajid 2T>7 en listed men. Didd of wounds?Four officers and CI en listed men. Died of disease?Eighty officers and 2.48T? enlisted men, being an aggregate of out oi a total force of 274,717 officers and enlisted men, or a percentage of 1 5U-1,UJU. THEIR REQIESTS REF1 SED. Members of Congress Want Particu lar Regiments Mustered Out. Members of Congress who called en the President and Secretary of War today to request the muster out of regiments in their stales were Informed that it was im possible. While it might not weaken the army to have one regiment mustered out, yat if one request is granted, the officials contend, it will be impossible to refuse others, and the aimy would soon be reduc ed far below its actually nmni| Strength. Action is now confined to indi vidual cases. Late Naval Orders. Lieut. Commander C. J. Curtis has been ordered to the command of the Hannibal, relieving Commander H. G. Colby, who Is ordered to duty in charge of the second lighthouse district at Boston, in turn re lieving Commander T. Nelson, retired, who is ordered home. The orders to Commander W. H. Brown son to command the Terror have been re voked. Commander F. M. Green, retired, has been detached from the navy yard, Boston, and ordered home. Commander W. C. Gibson has been ap pointed senior member of the board of in spection and survey at the New York navy yard, relieving Lieut. F. Turnbull, who is ordered home. Lieut. F. F. Fletcher has been detached from command of the Kanawha and ordered to command the Eagle. Lieut. R. F. Lopez, from the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, to command the Rowan. The following named officers have been honorably discharged: Lieut. A. B. Connor, Lieut. J. A. Patjens, Lieut. T. F. Webb, Ensign W. H. Bostwlck and Assistant Sur geon S. H. McKim. REQ TESTED TO REPORT. ['resident Hill Xotiiled of His Selec tion as Assistant Secretary of State. Secretary Hay has telegraphed Mr. David T. Hill, the newly appointed assistant sec retary of state, who is now at Schenenin ?en, Holland, requesting that he come to Washington at his earliest convenience, rod it is expected that he will start for the United States in a few days. Personal Mention. Mr. Albert F. Flint of this city will shortly leave for Boston, Mass., where he will reside in future. The Right Rev. Ellison Capers, bishop of :he diocese of South Carolina, and his wife, ire visiting at the home of their son. Mr. John G. Capers, 1719 S street northwest. A Local Patent* A patent was issued today to F. T. Mc [ntyre of Washington, D. C.t for a multi pile-rate metering system. PRAISE FOR SHAFTER Gen. Yn heeler Says He Deserves Great Credit. BEFORE INVESTIGATING COMMISSION Importance of Supplying the Army at Santiago Realized. WAS NO GENERAL SHORTAGE The examination of witnesses was begun today by the war investigating com mission, all of Its members being present. Gen. Joseph Wheeler was the first witness placed or* the witness stand. In reply to a question by <?**injral Dodge, General Wheeler said he had no objection to being sworn, and Major Mills adminis tered the oath to him. The examination was conducted b|* ex Governor Beaver, who dev. iop.-d the facta concerning General Wheeler's status 1n the army. General Wheeler said he left Tampa June 14 for Cuba, but he had no knowledge of the Cuban campaign before he went aboard the transport. On June VM he was ordered to dis?*mbark by General Shaft.-r, and the next day he proceeded to go ashore with a part of his command. Cm the following day he moved his troops out to Anasclto. li</ (?vn. Wheeler. arranged with General t'astilln of the fu ban army to furnish Cuban soldiers, but the Cubans did not turn up as arranged The liret engagement at L*a Cuasima he spoke of In a complimentary way. especially In tils references to the regulars. II.' spoke of their early tiring. The Spaniards at first boasted that they would drive the Ameri can pigs Into the sea, but they were dis couraged by the bravery of the Americans and their excellent tiring. Of his own knowledge General W heeler knew nothing accurate about the losses of the Spaniards. At El Caney, he said, there were more Americans killed while forming the line of battle than after the light began. The Spaniards knew that tin Americans would have to come over the road they used, and opened a heavy lire upon them. He said at El Caney he had advised, after conference with others, that no retreat be made, as there was a large hill between his com mand and other American troops, and he feared the whole Spanish force would be thrown on them. tiofl.d Example of High Otllrrrs. "I ought to say It was magnificent ot see officers of high rank." said Gen. Wheeler, "going ashore with packs on their backs and sharing the hardships of the men. It had a good effect on the men. None of us had tents for seven days." He si>oke of his command getting In trenched a mile and three-quarters from Santiago. Asked the character of roads which his c< mmand passed over fr.nn time to lime, he said after the work that was done on them they were very good roads. Up to the time his command got before Santiago the rains had not made the road bad. No General tliortuice of Supplies. He said there was no shortage of ord nance and commissary supplies. "Certainly not of ordnance," he said. "There were a few cases of foments com plaining of shortage of rations, but that Condition was only temporary." Gen. Shatter l*r?i?e?l. He said that Gen. Sliafter deserved great credit for the way he kept the army sup plied. He said he seemed to realize the great Importance of that matter and his ef forts were to keep at least three days' ra tions with the troops, and he did keep two days' rations there." Gen. n heel r said that it would have b- en a good plan to follow the line of the bay. but he did not think it was better than what was pursued. This was In reply to a question by ex-Gov. Beaver. By -placing their guns on the adjacent hills the Americans could have knocked the Spaniards to pieces. In Morro Castie the guns were not mounted, though ihn Spaniards had guns in breastworks. Th? railroad was not fitted for transportation ol htavy guns, but they could have made It so. General Wheeler said he had ad\lse<* against any retreat across the San Juan after they hail secured their position it front of Santiago. The Medical Department. Asked what the condition of the medical department at the front was, he said there was at times some complaint, but It was not so serious. Some were killed or were sick' or wounded. There was not as much complaint In cavalry organizations as he heard among other troops. Probably, ha said, they had a better supply. Ex-Governor Beaver?"Were the wounded promptly taken care of?" General Wheeler said he thought they were. The number of men bury.ng the dead and carrying off the wounded before Santiago weakened their line. The camp conveniences, while the troops were there, just at that time were favor able, but they feared they might not con tinue so. loud 11 ton a of Tampa. The selection of Tampa was not because of the Santiago campaign. The campaign at Santiago was an afterthought, being brought about by the conditions existing there. The largest number of troops in Tampa, he thought, was about 18,000 or 10,000. He did not think he had seen any accurate report about that. The troops at Tampa were well supplied with commissary stores. The water supply at Tampa, he said, was good. The facilities for taking care of men from a medical standpoint, he said, were good. He had gone into the hospital tents and he thought the sick were being well taken care of. At that time there were few sick of either volunteers, or reg ulars. There were but few sick, and they were well cared for. Gr*n. Wheeler said he hod no direct con trol of the supplies that went with him to Santiago. He had no knowledge how he was to be supplied when reaching his des tination except upon talking to staff offl csrs. He knew there was an abundance of supplies on th? transports The delay to starting from Tampa bay.