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No. 17,226. WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1907-TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES.* TWO CENTS. THE EVEN1N& STAR WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION. ?HtoM Offlco, Utb Street ud Pennsylvania At*. Tit Eraning Star Niwaptper Oompanj, TBIODOU W. Hons. rmJnt. luepm Office: 3 Kanat ??.. London, Sngland. Vow York Office: Tritons Building. Chicago Office: First National Bank Building. J to Ermine Star, wlta the Sunday tuomlnf a on. !i delirered by carrier*, on their own ac.-KlDt, within the city at 30 cents per month; without Tht Sunday Star st 44 cests per month. By mail, poetaire prepaid: ? Daily, Sunday Included, one month. 60 cents. Dally. Sunday excepted, one month, 50 cents. Saturday Star, one year. fl.OO. Sunday Star, one year, (1.30. ?loumr jtccoRo WITH MNUE PUN Representatives Speak in Ad vocacy of Improvement. FOR UPBUILDING CAPITAL Congressmen See Need for More Public Buildings. THOROUGHFARE IS NEGLECTED Its Development Not Keeping Pace With Other Sections of the City, It Is Declared. As the time approaches for the convening of the Sixtieth Congress interest is growing in the proposi t:on for the purchase of the prop erty on the south side of Pennsyl vania avenue from the Botanic (iarden to the Treasury for sites for government buildings. With the arrival in the city of senators and members of the House the ranks of the advocates of the plan are swelling, as is evidenced bv the many indorsements it receives. Representative I?eGage Pfatt. one of the members-elect of the sixtieth Congress, is most outspoken in his advocacy of the I*?nnsylvanla avenue Improvement propo sition. "I am in hearty sympathy with the pro posed improvements of the squares on the south side of Pennsylvania avenue," said Mr. Pratt to a Star reporter today, "and concur without reservation in every word of approval and Indorsement of the plan which has been Indicated by others in the columns of The Evening Star. "Mv first visit to the National capital was made In 1872. and during: the long period Intervening few have been the years that I have not made either brief or extended visits to this city. From i the early 70 s far into the 80's the original scheme for making Washington the 'city beautiful' was slowly unfolded. During recent years the developments have been comparatively rapid, until now, with the exception of Pennsylvania avenue, we are approximating the ideal. Why one of the greatest, grandest and most historic ave nues in the world should be so long neg lected has been a matter of serious quan dary with me. A Great Duty. "There are few duties imposed upon men. InstituUons and governments greater than that of anticipating and providing, In so far as It Is possible to do so, for the probable requirements and necessities of the future. Those who from lack of courage, inclination or interest undertake to shun this obligation are not numbered among those who help to make the world go round. To anticipate the future needs of our National capital, and to do now those thins which will insure a proper preparedness for future governmental re quirements. to say nothing about the ad visability and wisdom of Increasing, to the fullest extent possible. Its attractive ness. Is a present duty and should be per formed without hesitation. "Let the worn-out and ragged fringe to the majestic avenue be stripped off and In its place put on a bordering as beautiful as the highest In architectural and land Frafc'ng ar'i can supply. These are my sentiments." Old Friend of the Plan, Representative William Richardson of Alabama is equally positive?similarly en thusiastic. "I am." he said today, "an earnest advo cate of the Improvement and beautlflca tion of Washington city. I have expressed these views by my votes for several years past. I believe that Washington ought to be made the most beautiful and attractive capital of any of the nations of the world. I favor the condemnation of the property fronting on tihe south side of Pennsylva nia avenue for the erection of government buildings. I believe that If this plan is adopted It will not only add more than anything else to the beauty of the city, but that It will facilitate the transaction of public business. I am not fully ad vised as to th? plan for beautifying the Mall, and therefore would not like to ex press an opinion on that subject. How ever. I can say that I am an advocate for whatever plan or scheme looks to the beautifying of the city. I recognize this 10 b? a patriotic duty." Representative Edward I.. Hamilton of Michigan told a Stnr reporter today: 'While as a citizen 1 am interested In having our National capital expressive of our country, my services in Congress have not brought me into sufficiently close re lations with the subject of beautifying the Mall to enable me to speak with suffi cient knowledge. However. In my judg ment. that part of the city south of Penn sylvania avenue is a standing argument in favor of Improvement. The clearing away of present buildings and the erec tion of such gtAernment buildings as may Hereafter he required, upon properly pre pared sites, would do more to improve Washington than anv other thing I can now thfnk of. But I am not in favor of going into this or any other scheme of Improvement without the most careful consideration of the expense involved." A Voice From Maryland. Representative J. F. (\ Talbott of Mary land Is In favor of the government ac quiring the property on the south side of the avenue with a view to the erection of department buildings thereon. "I have been for years, and am now." he said today, "in favor of the govern ment purchasing the squares on the south s ds of Pennsylvania avenue and fronting on that thoroughfare, and erecting on the tract such department buildings as may !>e needed in the future, or. if It should be deemed best for the heautlficatlon of the capital to do so. use the tract for additional park purposes." "It was a great mistake," said Repre sentative M. E. Driscoll of New York, "that in the original location and con struction of administrative buildings they were not locat *d dose together instead of being scattered all over the city, as they now are. It may be as well to commence the concentration of those buildings now. and the property south of the avenue is most available for that purpose. As soon as the proposition is suggested I presume prices of real e?tate In that locality will go up. But perhaps It may be as well to mak ? a thorough job of it now as at any other time lat ?r on. because values are not Ilk' ly to decline. That Is Uie way it appears to me now. although I do not wish to b" considered as committed to any par ticular plan." A More Beautiful City. "I am in favor of a better and man beautiful Washington," said Representa tlve William B. McKinley of Illinois, treasurer of the republican congressional campaign committee. "It ought to be the most attractive capital In the world, and my judgment Is that whatever action Con gress takes ought to be along the lines of some IntelllKent. comprehensive plan, one that will add. not only to ths beauty of the city, but will be in the interest of busi ness economy for the government. I ihope Consr.'ss will give this very careful eon i federation and that th* citizens of Wash ington will awaken to the .importance of I mon> thorough co-operation with the au thorities In formulating fome business-like . plan for the beautiflcstlon of the city, j We who live In the central states and j come to Washington often wonder why so I little Interest is shown In the capital by tile mass of its citizens." MURDER OR SUICIDE? YOUNG SOCIETY COUPLE DEAD AND HOUSE IN FLAMES. I Specisl Dispatch to The Star. NEW YORK. November 33.?Nicholas M. Smith, jr., and his young wife, Grace, were found shot to death in their blazing home. Si) Woodland ivenue. New Rochelle, this morning. The tiremen had hardly got their bodies to the yard before the house was a mass of flames, and was consumed with Its entire contents. letters saved by the police and fire men, along with a revolver which lay on the table on which Smith's body rested, kad the police to believe Smith set fire to his own house, then shot his wife to death as she lay sleeping and blew'out his own brains. It may be proved, however, that these letters have no hearing on the double tragedy and that the young couple were shof to death by robbers, who set fire to the house to conceal their crime. Tell-Tale Note Found. Later, however, a note found in Mrs. Smith's 'bedroom put an entirely different aspect on the affair. The note was as fol lows: "Dear Minnie: I owe a small sum to B. F. Company. Please pay them and cre mate me. 1 cut off my hair, but my head aches are not relieved. I will be relieved in a few minutes. Lovingly, GRACE." An inventory of all the valuables in the house, made in the handwriting as in the note, also was found. That a determined attempt to destroy the house by lire had been made was evident from an examination of the par tially burned cellar. The plug had been withdrawn from a barrel of oil and the whole cellar bottom and a large quantity of broken wood which had be?n strewn about had been saturated. A servant toM the police that the barrel of oil was re moved to the cellar from a stable two days ago by order of Mr. -Smith. Smith was a member of the Arm of Frederick Vietor & Archellg, manufac turers of print cloths and manufacturers' agents as well of this city. Seemed a Happy Pair. Two maid servants, who slept In the rear of the handsome house, were not awaJcened by the revolver shots nor by the smoke and flames, and when rescuers came they were carried to the yard, un conscious and burned. The police base their suicide and murder theory on the report that Smith, who was in the automobile business in New York, has suffered heavy financial loss during the present money stringency. He was looked upon as a successful man, and he and his wife were popular among the society people of New Rochelle, where they were seen constantly together spinning abOut the neighborhood in their automobile. Smith appeared to be very much In love with his wife. Smith's father and mother spent much of their time with him. but last night were in New York. GABY'S BUSINESS ETHICS. Does Not Believe in Killing All Com petition. NEW YORK, November 2?.?E. H. Gary, chairman of the directorate of the I'nlted States Steel Corporation, lias struck a new and remarkable keynote in respect to business rivalry. In an Interview In wMcli ha was reviewing the speech he made here recently to representative steel and Iron men. Mr. Gary Is quoted as saying: "Too many men have learned too late that the friendship of the public and the confidence of one's competitors are the most desir able elements in business. "I want to see how competitors succeed. It is the policy of the steel corporation not to crush competitors by fair or foul means. The steel trust controls about per cent of the steel and iron business of the ITnlted States, and there Is no intention of en larging that control. We b?lieve condi tions will lie better with healthy rivalry. "Ii is clear that the United States Steel Corporation, with its extensive resources, could use its giant strength, like other corporations, to crush competition. But In the end would the Kame b" worth the can dle? The corporation would become an ob ject of attack. In my judgment such a policy would b? the undoing of our cor poration, In whlcii billions of dollars are invested." LEEDS WILL BECOVEB. j Noted Financier Suffered Stroke of Apoplexy Becently. NEW YORK, November 2:<-The condl , tion of William B. I>eeds. former president i of the Chicago. Rock ^lnnd and Pacific railroad, who suffered a I'ght stroke of., apoplexy, was saiJ today not to be serl- , ous. One of Mr. I^eeds' friends said the j paralysis was confined to the vocal chords i ar.d was only partial. Mr. Leeds was transacting his business at his home In 5th avenue today, but expressed a hope to be at his office again next week. It was said that the stroke was prob ably caused by Mr. Leeds' additional 1 work during the recent financial troubles. ' His interests In corporations and iinaneial I institutions are large. The first stroke of paralysis affected I Mr. Leeds' throat and vocaj organs. When he suffered the second stroke, the latter part of 11KW. he went to Paris, i where he placed himself in the care of a j specialist. The second stroke affected his 1 left side. Mr. I.eeds was forty-six years i old in September, having been born in ? 1H61. * ' * Costly Living in Germany. BERLIN. November 23.?In the relchstag today the socialist* announced their in ? tentlon of Introducing an lnt?rpellatlop asking Chancellor von Buelow u.hat he , purposes to do to counteract the high prices of provisions and coal. The conservatives gave notice of an In i terpellation on the subject of the hard ' ships arisins from the deafness of coal. Girls on the Gridiron. CHICAGO. Novemlier 23.?A special to : the Tribune from Muskegon, Mich., says: Fourteen girls, comprising the entire senior class of Pent water, Mich., high school, attended the foot ball game be tween Hart and Pent water yesterday, ! : disobeying the orders of the principal, ? I and were suspended for the year. King of Portugal Banishes the Crown Prince. WITH tHE CONSERVATIVES Wishes to Force the Abdication of His Father. miSIS IK SEACOAST KINGDOM Telegraph Wires Are Censored. Leaders of Monarchist Party Will Meet Tonight. MADRID. Novemosr 23.?Uncensored nail advices from Portugal. Indicate that he anti-dynastic agltatlcn Is growing and :hat a crisis seems imminent. * The Liberal, says it. has received con Irmation of the report of the banishment >f the crown prince of Portugal. Louis Philippe, to the Villa Vicosa, where one ?f the royal residences is situated in a forest fifteen miles In circumference and , nailed In. The paper says th<- prince's banishment followed a tempestuous scene between Louis Philippe and the father in which the former demanded thai King Charles either change his policy or abdicate. Monarchists to Meet. I-JSBON, November 23.?The leaders of the two monarchist parliamentary groups opposed to the dictatorship of Premier Franco will meet tonight and decide on a course of action. Immured in Vicosa. LONDON, November 23.?A special dis patch to the Standard from Madrid says that King Carlos of Portugal has ban ished Crown Prince I-uiz Phlllppi to the royal residence at Vila Vicosa, an Iso lated park, one hundred miles from the capital, on account of the prince's re monstrance against the dictatorship re gime, which, he declares, is turning Por tugal Into a hotbed of republicans and anarchists and endangering the mon archy. The Incident has caused a great sensa tion. The crown prince is said to be un der the Influence of the conservatives, who advocate the abdication of King Carlos in favor of his son. LISrVN. November 28.?The excitement here caused by resentment against the dictatorship of Premier Franco, is In creasing among the members of the re publican opposition and Is extending to other circles. The government threatens to proclaim martial law at the ttrst out break. and the troops hfcve been continued to their barracks in readiness to suppress rioting. Four additional newspapers have been suppressed, and the police continue making arrests. Prince Lt^z Phlllppi, Duke of Bra ganza. Is t?e crown prince of Portugal. He is only twenty years of age. The king is forty-four. SUICIDE TANDEM. Woman Tries to Drown With Chil dren Tied to Her. 8T. LOl'IS, Mo.. November 23.?With her infant In her arms and her three other small children tied to her wIUi ropes, Mrs. Margaret Deters, aged twsnty-elght years, jumped into the River Des Peres today in an attempt to drown herself and her children. The plunge Into the cold water caused the terror-stricken children 1 to scream. Policeman Reynolds was at tracted and rescued the woman and the children. At the police station Mrs. Deters said she had left home last evening and ihad wan dered nround all night before having de termined to drown herself and children. The children were suffering severely from exposure. They were given to the father, who is a drug clerk, and the woman was removed to the observation ward at the City Hospital. Deters said his wife had been suffering from mental trouble for THE SUNDAY STAR CIRCULATION Last Sunday 36,197 Copies. 33% greater circulation within the city than any other WMhl?g ?Oh Sunday paper. NO paper In Washington other than The Star prlnta its Sunday circulation figures. ADVERTISING Sunday, Nov. 17, 1907, 162 columns. Sunday, Nov. 16, 1906, 125 columns. Gain, 37 columns. Advertiser. In The Sunday Star are guaranteed the largest local circulation by over 8,000 copies. SSSaWr SJTSsVm ?*"?>'?c,n "PBAT" HOUSES "DEVIL DENS. ' Chicago High School Authorities Are Emphatic. CHICAGO. November 23 ? Chanter houses of high school fraternities In Chi cago were pointed out last evening m dens of vlcloiteness. In whloh gambling s ss.r,ok;""""" and orgies last until ths hmall hou-s. H.gh school and college instructors mad> the charges at a conference of paints at the Ch!Pa" v thP fra,ernlty problem at the Chicago Norma! School. "'Instrument of?the devM'^and1a^lrta ChicagoS NoriSaf"co'lle^f of U'9 in his denunciation of the fraternity. He drew his eSnclu^ons frnm many yearn of exp^rie-ice u , , "J the Hyde Park High School. prlnclpdl of DEMOCRATIC COMmFttEE. Plans All Cut and Dried at the Tag gart Dinner. FRENCH LICK, Ind.. November 23-At the dinner given last evening by Chair man Taggart to the members of the dem ocratic national committee. Maj. Meniles of Mount Vernon. Ind.. said: Menile8 "We seem to have everything arranged, ^e have the candidate arranged for we have the platform built; i? fact. there does not seem to be anything left for us to do or for the future convent,on (o dQ The man we have selected as our candi date. i believe, gentlemen, fits present cS. ditions. but if the conditions change I be lieve the democratic party is big enoueh and strong enough to change with the! There never was but one n^n as big as Jefferson/ and he Thomas Today the committee members tot to gether and heard committees fmm i cities that had been s^nt hereto get ?he convention, if possible. Bryan was discussed informally .i question of making Tom S? ??'nw2 national chairman was talked about !? said there will not be manv ,.*?? 1 ,'8 the personnel of the next national commit" hansbrough opposed. Will Have to Pight for His Re-Elec tion to the Senate. th??VT8 /r?mT N0,*th Dak?ta Indicate that Senator Hamibrough will have a fight for re-election. He is being op posed by an element in ?ie state including wMch ,th! I?"*6"" t,00d ,n **>""<* a*"3 which is taking advantage of a new primary law to make trouble for Senator Hansbrough. who h?u held the office for eighteen years. ofThL-nUed 9^,e?r?Vides for the naming or L nited States senators by nrimarv elections, anu Senator Hansbrough wiil ha\e to go to the pjiii next year under its provisions. His frVnds are hard at work 'lvely^run* the opSolltton a The leading candidal* against him are ,tPrrvatS,nMa"SllljL^'R^^a UVttleMofNBismarcT "nd CX'6tate Senator HAS HAD GOOD EFFECT Accepted Significance of Mr. Morgan's Visit. L , ?? - HIS REMARKS REASSURING ! \ Regards the Financial Situation as Satisfactory. CONFERENCE WITH CORTELYOU Calls on President by Appointment and Has Over an Hour's Talk. J. Pierpont Morgan and George F. Baker, the latter president of the First National Bank of New York city, arrived here yesterday afternoon for a cor'erence with Secretary Cortelyou of the Treasury. At 10 o'clock last night Messrs. Morgan and Baker. accoVnpanied by A slstant Sec retary Robert Bacon of the State Depart, ment. went to the White House to see the President by appointment. The ob ject of their visit was not divulged, but it was believed to be in relation to the l.nan clal situation. Mr. Morgan said the Presi dent had sent for him. Upon leaving the White House at 11:23. after being with the President an hour and a half. Mr. Morgan, on being asked In regard to any developmsnts, replied that conditions in New York were reas suring. He said everything possible was being done to relieve the money strin gency, and that the situation was satis factory- Mr. Morgnn said also that his object in coming to Washington was to see Secretary Cortelyou In furtherance of the conference he had with the Secretary In New York last week, at which time means were discussed for the further re lief of the situation. He saw Secretary Cortelyou before going to the White House, he said, and called on President Roosevelt to pay his respects. Significance of the Visit. The visit of Mr. Morgan to Secretary Cortelyou and the President last night was generally accepted here today as evi dence that the financial leaders in New York intend to co-operate with the Treas ury Department in making a success of the new loans. Mr. Morgan's views and advice have commanded much attention, because of his detachment in a large measure from recent speculative hanking enterprises in New York and the breadth of view which his friends declare he has always brought to conditions !!??-? the present. It Is known that his Influence was great in saving the trust company situation In New York when It was ex ceedingly critical three weeks ago as the result of lack of co-operation among the trust companies. Mr. Morgan has long favored some modification of the existing currency sys tem. but has not. so far as his friends are informed, undertaken to prepare any de tailed plan of his own. He found Secre tary Cortelyou in agreement with him that several steps should be taken to give greater elasticity to circulation and to restore confidence, but did not Insist strongly upon any one of the several measures which are now the subject of popular discussion. Sanger Corner Turned. The assurances brought by Mr. Mor gan In regard to the improvement in con ditions in New York, with the subscrip tions which are still coming in for the new loans, encourage the 'belief here that the corner has been turned in the monetary situation, and that the banks throughout the country will soon be able to resume Currency pay ments without restriction. The enormous amount of gold which lias arrived or has been engaged is felt to be rather more than sufficient to restore the New York bank reserves to a point of safety, and It is believed that after the open ing of the bids for the Panama bonds, the situation will be such that further gold imports wil^ not be required. Few Callers Heceived. Practically during the entire morning Mr. Morgan remained at the Arlington Hotel. He received only two or three callers, but was communicated with by telephone several times. Ijite in the morn- I Ing Postmaster General Meyer called at i the hotel in Ills automobile and a few minutes afterward he and Mr. Morgan j left together, without giving any Intima- I tion as to uieir movements. Up to 1 o'clock ?.r. .Morgan had not j called at the Treasury Department, al- j though Secretary Cortelyou had been at j his desk throughout the morning. Mr. j Morgan had no eng ig-ment to see the Sectotary, n:id i: wis said that he was not expected. Duriug the morning Mr. F. Baker, who ! accompanied Mr Morgan to Washington, had a conference with Secretary Cortel you. but no details concerning the inter view were disclosed. WANTS BANK OF ISSUE WILLIAM BARRETT RIDGELEY ON CURRENCY NEEDS. SPRING FIELD. Til.. November 25.? "The government Interferes too much with the business of the country," said William Barrett Ridgeley last night in addressing the Ad Men's Club on the financial crisis. "This disturbance as usual manifested itself first in New York city, but its ex- ; istence was due to more t?'.ian stock mar- | ket conditions. Since perhaps the time of i the San Francisco fire there has been ; plenty of warning, not only to the United J States, but to the old world, of Uie pend- i ing danger. The expanison of loans and ! credits had reached a limit where the re serve fund was inadequate. "The collapse was not entirely due to speculation. Neither was it due to the . cry that the east was taking all the money 1 lway from tih? west and storing it up. The j most important point to be considered Is the fact that we are all in the same boat and that money cannot be divided into two classes, that used In speculation and that used in straight business. What Is used in one channel one day Is diverted into an other channel the next. Want More Bank Notes. "legislation on the question is bound to come." Mr. Ridgeley declared It as his belief that a large central bank of issue was the proper solution of the situation, such a bank to be entirely divorced from politics and speculation. The banking laws of Wie country should be changed, but he did not believe in special emergency currency un less it could b?- mad? useful at all times. He would arrange for a uniform system by which national banks could Issue un covered bank notes bas?d on the credit of the hank and requiring the banks to keep thsir equivalent In reserve. We should thus have a bank note which could be passed anywhere. The deposit credit was the real elastic currency of the country, and witih this system In use the banks would not be disturbed. HAIL TO THE WHISKERS. Populist National Committee Is Going to Meet. JOLIET, 111., November 2V?The popu list national commit lee will have a meet ing at the Hotel St. James. St. Louis, No vember 26. In addition to members of the national comma ice. friends and ad visers have been culled in and the meet ing may result in the t'xing of a time and place for holding ? he convention of 11KW and the renomination of Tom Watson of Georgia. National Chairman James II. Ferrlss of Jollet said today: "The meeting is i.imely, for in a measure our party Is a calamity party, but really calamity is not the ir.otive this time. The populists are pleased with the trend of pubic sentiment, for the people were never more patriotic in time of war than in this financial crisis. Best of all. the government Is with us. for the first time In my remembrance on c. like occasion. "By the way, Br/:in has hit the key note. Let the government guarantee the bank deposit. It is easy as guaranteeing the bank notes, ind <|jite inexpensive. A tux on the bank deposits of less than one half of one per cent in one year would pay all the losses from national banks since they were organized. "The government should issue all cir culating notes dlr-jct nnd attend to the elastic feature automatically or other Wise. In short, the government shou d ;;o a little farther into the banking busi ness. as other govjrnments do. and the banks should recede a little from govern ment business." Mr. Ferriss denied that an alliance was being arranged with either the Hearst Independence league or prohibitionists, but he added: "We feei individually as friendly to either we do to Bryan or Roosevelt. We are pleased that they are going our way. end would be more pleased if they would go further." WOULD EXTRADITE WANDA. Russian Government After a Pretty j Polish Woman. VIENNA. November 21.?Wanda Lobrod- j zieka. the woman who threw a bomb at I Gen. Skalon. governor general of Warsaw. I and. aided by confederates, disappeared. ha.< been brought from Cracow to Vienna, where her' trial on the demand of the Russian government for her extradictlon will take place. The prisoner is a strik ingly pretty, woman of the Polish type, and Is intelligent as she Is pretty. After her crime Wanda fled to Cracow. There her beauty attracted many admirers, one of whom, an Austrian, she married. It was not long, however, before the secret police of Russia tracked her and her arrest followed, in spite of a plea that by merriage she had become an Austr'an subject. Dr. Liebermann. socialist leader, will defend the woman before the Vienna landesgericht. by which the supreme court decided she must be tried. If the decision is against her she will lose both her husband and her life. Pope Regrets Taft's Haste. ROME. November 2i!.?'The Vatican lias learned with regret that War Secretary Taft will return direct to the United States from Russia, as It was hoped that he would come to Rome. wh?re Cardinal Rampolla. Serafino Vannutelli and Vives v Tuto, who dealt with him in 1!H?2 on the question of the friars' land in the Pb-'ip plnes, desired to greet him. The pope also wished to make Mr. Taft's acquaintance and discuss with him per sonaliy the latest report from Mgr. Agiu: papal delegate in the Philippines. Will Operate on Kaiser. NEW YORK. November 21.-A London dispatch to the Sun states that the real cause of the kaiser remaining In England after the termination of his state visit to the British court Is to prepare for an op eration, which will take place within a few days. According to the dispatch the operation will be through the ear. afTectlng th? throat. It touches the kaiser's original trouble there, which is referred to as hereditary, but. It is added, the operation is not a serious one. Russia's Big Check. LONDON. November 2"..?Russia today wiped out the balance of her Indebtedness to Japan arising f om the war. the Rus sian embassy handing over to the em bassy of Japan a check for This represents the balance due Japan ; for the maintenance of the Russian prisoners. Weather. Rain tonight. Tomorrow colder and generally fair. V DRAG THE POTOMAC FOR J, W, CRAWFORD Police in Quest of Admiral Dewey's Secretary. MAY HAVE ENDED HIS LIFE Intended to Commit Suicide, Accord* ing to a Letter. NAMES A FRIEND EXECUTOR Coat and Hat Found on Deck of Ferry Boat?Financial Trouble Suggested. A special delivery letter from Lieut. John W. Crawford, L:. S. X., secretary to Admiral Dewey, mail ed to Rennett A. Allen, chicf of the division of accounting of the Post Office Department, contained the statement that the writer intended to do away with himself. The let ter was postmarked 6:30 o'clock p.m. yesterday, -and its contents startled Mr. Allen, who was a close personal friend of Lieut. Crawford. Shortly before Mr. Allen reached headquarters last evening to re quest the assistance of the police in the matter the latter had received a coat and hat belonging to the writer of the letter, found 011 the deck of the ferryboat Lackawanna, suggesting that the owner had jumped overboard. As soon as Mr. Allen had stated his re quest to Lieut. Perk, the ranking officer on duty at police headquarters at night, the latter told him of the recovery of the coat and hat. causing Mr. Allen to believe his friend . had committed suicide, as threatened. The hat and coat were fully Identified, as were two pencils and a handkerchief found in the pockets of the coat, the Initial "J." having been em broidered on the handkerchief. Mr. Allen was deeply affected by the occurrence. He and Lieut. Crawford had been close personal friends for a long time, and there had never b*en anything In the conduct of the naval officer to In dicate unhappineas on his part. Why he should have decided upon such a course, Mr. Allen was unable to understand, al though there was a suggestion of finan cial trouble in the letter. Possibility of Financial Trouble. "I have no idea what caused him finan cial trouble." Mr. Allen stated at police headquarters last night. "He received a salary of and a rent allowance of #?10. He did not gamble nor was he a vic tim of drink, and. so far as I know, he had no bad habits." The letter Mr. Allen received, he said, contained much Information of a personal nature, and he would not turn it over to the police. He read, however, portions which dealt with the question of the con templated act. Lieut. Crawford addressed Mr. Allen as "Dfar Friend." and wrote: "I am going to do away with myself. No doubt when this reach's you the act will have been , accomplished." Lieut. Crawford also wrote a request that Mr. Allen act as administrator of his affairs, and remarked that his wife would 1 be shocked when she heard the news. Mr. Allen today stated that he had little j douht that l.feut. Crawford wa> dead. Crawford, It is said, ii ft debts aaggrfgit ing approximately and in a note he sent his wife lie stated explicitly that the indebtedness Had accumulated too much, but that It was not due to specu lation or gambling. In the note he for warded to Allen lie slated that if the rights of one who ti.Ues his own life would permit. h? would like to be buried in the National cemetery at .Arlington, Va.. but otherwise he expressed a wish to have his body cremated. He ali-o left a hurriedly executed will and is^ked that his friend break the news to his wife and give to her the papers he had carefully made out showing his indebtedness. At the Ferry Whjrf. The last trace of Lieu*. Crawford pl.ieed him aboard th? Alexandria ferry boat, whicr. left the local wharf at the foot of 7th street southwest at <i o'clock last evening. Crawford reached the wharf about five minutes before (5 o'clo' k. ard lie went directly to th? ticket window. There ly? bought a one way ticket to Alexandria, costing S cents, and gave a quarter in payment. G. H. Nowell. the ticket agent, recalls the transaction with a man answering th ? description of Lieut. Crawford, and after th? t'.cket agent had returned the 'J<> cents change he gay Crawford proceed to the front of the wharf. Almost immedlafe'y^ Craw ford turned around and walked onto the boat. The first stop was at the steel plant at Giesboro Point. While the boat was making the run th-re. which requires about twelve minutes. John Underwood, an employe of the boat, says that he re mained on the stern and lie did not see Crawford in that part of the boat at that time. Time Was Propitious. The Koat made a bow landing at the steel plant wharf, the stern being out In the river. It Is believed that if Lieut. Crawford Jumped from the boat he leaped while It was making the stop at the steel plant. The passengers were all forward. By that time darkness had settled over the river. I While the boat was at the wharf at Alexandria Capt. Marmaduke saw what looked like a bundle of clothins behind a crate on the stern, but he thought that a member of the crew had placed the gar ments there On the return trip Frank Luckett. first mate, noticed the coat and hat. The articles were turned over to Detective I^rry O'Dea of the harbor pre cinct when the boat arrived here. He no tified police headquarters at once, and re called seeing the man who wore the coat and hat waiting on the wharf before the boat left Washington, and from the de scription he identified him as Lieut. Craw ford. Search for the body of the missing lieu tenant was begun early this morning, both of the police launches, the Vigilant and the Major Sylvester, going down the river with grappling hooks. Mai Syl vester took an active 'merest In the search, and he telephoned Instructions to the harbor precinct In regard to making .t thorough. Search Without Success. Back and forth along the channel of th? ferryboat between the steel plant and Shepherd's Point, tlie crews of the twa flulice launches, with three grappling