Evening star. [volume], March 30, 1908, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
THE EVENING STAR I ( I "
WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION.
Susineit Offlce, 11th St. and PenntyIrani\ Avenu*. ^ ^ ^ _
Ti# THEODOHI W. N0YE8, President/ " l
'^25^ I Weather.
European England. l.l I 1^^^ ^^1 V I I III I III I #\ I |
New York Office: Tribune Buildin*. VI W_W ^ H I
cr,r: . rr/::: 4 IV /^WVI14 4 4AA JmP AV44 p** *** tedition,
is delivered by curriers, on their own ?. , \ * J t ^ [ f .
e.nint. within the city st 50 cents prr month: mOITOlV rain,
without The Sunday Star at 44 cents per month. w
Pallr Sunday Included, one^month. to cents. ' . SSSi?ttf.,S%.,B.?r-w
No. 17.354. WASHINGTON, D. ., MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1908?EIGHTEEN PAGES. TWO CENTS.
San?iay Star, one jear. $1.50. 77 7 7
" " - * - ?
HOUSE RECEIVES
DISTRICT BUDGET
FORCOMIHG YEAR
Cut of Over Four Millions in
Commissioners' Figures.
V ,
$9,436,289.35 THE TOTAL
Big Paring in Estimates for Educational
System.
XHE IMPORTANT LIMITATIONS
Provisions for Better Fire Protection
in. the Public Schools?Contracts
for Gas and Electricity.
The District of Columbia appropriation
toll for 1000 was reported to the House
of Representatives today from the appropriations
committee by Representative
Oardner of Michigan, chairman of
the subcommittee, consisting of Messrs.
Gardner, Madden, Vreeland, Burleson
and Bowers.
The total amount recommended for appropriation
by the subcommittee is $9.43ft.289.35,
which is $4,230,977 less than the
fstima'es submitted by the Commissioners
and $873,043.2$ less than the total appropriations
for the District for the current
fiscal year.
Water Department.
For the water department?the total
amount being payable from the water
revenues?the sum of $125,160, a reduction
Pf $8,103, is recommended. It is estimated
that the water revenues available for the
fiscal year 1000 will amount to $520,000.
but It is provided in this bill, as In the
last seventeen appropriation bills, that
the Btirplus of these revenues over the
appropriations shall be applied to the
work of extending the high-service water
flistribution system. The estimated ultimate
cost of this system is about $5,600.[w?0.
which includes $1,200.01)0 ^or the
Complete installation of meters in private
premises. Up to date $3,363,956 has been
txpended In extending the high-service
lystem.
According to the subcommittee's report
the total general revenues of the District
tor ine nscai year luuw win amount to
about $5,911,030, while the District's
hare of the appropriations recommended
in this bill will aggregate $4,718,144.67.
the total amount recommended by the
committee being $9,438,289.33. exclusive
pf the water department. Including some
additional amounts carried In other bills,
the total charge against the District
revenues in I960 will, not exceed $4,900,293.46,
or $1,010,736.54 less than the estimated
revenues. Under the law this
fturplus must be used to reimburse the
general government for sums advanced
to the District, it having been provided
that the repayments should extend for
6ve years, beginning July 1, 1908.
Legislative Limitations.
In the District bill are a number of important
and interesting legislative limitations
on appropriations. They will be
referred to in detail In their proper place in
the general discussion of the bill. Several
are of particular interest. One provides
t.iat all per diem employes of the District
government may be granted leave with
pay on I^ibor day. Another authorizes
the Commissioners to Install tiro apparatus
In the suburbs of the District foi
the use of volunteer organizations.
The limitation of most importance provides
that all school buildings in the District
shall have all exits with doors opening
outward, and further that all exits in
all school buildings shall be unlocked
each school day from one-half hour before
until one-half hour after school
hours. Janitors who violate this provision
are to be summarily removed.
Another significant limitation forbids
the Commissioners to enter into contracts
for lighting streets by gas or electricity
for a period of more than one year.
Cut Estimate in Half.
The comparative statement showing the
appropriations for 1906, the estimates for
T.?o9 and the amounts recommended by
the committee gives an excellent idea of
the manner in which the bill w'as pared
to the core. For Instance, the appropriation
for the executive office last year was
$104,519: for thin year $111,828 was asked
i?rifi onlv SIOliTfU refOmm??niier1 Of flit.
pift.K'Jt asked for the care of the District
building' 331.240 is recommended.
An aj?parently astonishing and incomprehensible
drop in the contingent and
miscellaneous appropriation from 3078.090
to 371.662 is explained in part by the
emission of a }.V?O.000 item for the completion
of the District building, which is
cf course not needed this year.
Of the 361.700 asked for work on
certain specjiied streets only 333.700 Is allowed.
and the appropriation for county
roads construction is cut from 3147.400 In
the present law atid Sled,000 asked to
3*3.90O. The committee turned down absolutely
tne request for the sum of $5,600
for replacing the sidewalks around the
Treasury building, and cut the item of repairs
to county roads from SllfMJOn in the
? irrent law and 3125.000 asked to S100.000.
The request for an appropriation of
I1O.000 with which to employ special counsel
to determine ownership of land on the
Anacostia river is also refused. Under
the heading "improvements and repairs."
embracing the foregolr.g items, the committee
recommends 3985.800. although
31.230.9OO was asked and Jl.146.4bn is in
the present law.
Sewer Requests Hacked.
The sewer estimates are cut to the hone.
Requests for 340.0(10 for sewage disposal
dikes. 375,000 for the Rook creek sewer.
322.000 for the Stlckfoot bran< h sewer.
329.475 for the North Carolina Heights
truck sewer and 331,875 for the 4th street
southeast relief sewer were all refused
by the committee. The cut in this department
was from 3306.025 in the current
law and 3515.0U3 asked to 3271.000 recommended.
The committee also got very busy under
the heading "streets." The recommendation
of the Commissioners for an appropriation
of SIKH,oik) for the purchase of
playground sites Is absolutely ignored, as
are requests for appropriations of $5,000
for drilling and maintaining wells. $5,<Mjo
for grading and improving Rosed ale site
and $04.50O for the construction of bathtiouses
and purchase of sites. The cut
under "streets" is from SiMS.MO in the
current law ;tnd $004.u90 asked to $401,305
recommended.
Washington Aqueduct.
The electrical department fared not so
Kadly. The sum of $450.005 is carried in
the current" hlli. and the Commissioners
sisked for $408,045, while $440,047 Is recommended.
T.'nder the "Washington Aqueduct." the
committee refused requests of the
(Continued on Twelfth Fage.j
?
BERKMANjSARRESTEO
Endeavor to Connect AnarchI
ist With Bomb-Thrower.
!
CRIME OF UNION SQUARE
Commissioner Bingham Will Deal
Sternly With Rioters.
SILVERSTEIN IS RECOVERING
I
Impossible for the Police to Prove
His Acquaintance With Henry
Frick's Assailant.
|
?
NEW YORK. March 3?>.?Alexander
Berkman. the anarchist leader, who served
a long term in prison for an attempt to
assassinate Henry O. Frle.k, was arrested
by the police here today. He
will be taken to Rellevne Hospital--this
afternoon and confronted with Selig SI1versteln,
the man who ls? chartered with
having thrown the bomb at the T'nlon
Square meeting last Saturday. The police
say that when tlie two men are Drmigni
together at the hospital they will he ques|
tioned closely and an effort will he made
to learn whether they have anything In
common.
Had Berkman's Card.
The detention of Berkman by the police
was brought about through the finding in
Silverstein's rooms in Brooklyn of a card
bearing Berkman's name. This card,
which was made out in Silverstein's name,
certitied to his membership in the "Anarchist
Federation Union." It bore the
signature "Alexander Berkman." The
police say that Berkman, when shown the
signature at police headquarters today, acknowledged
that It was his. When he was
sought out by newspaper men after the
j tragedy of Saturday and told that his
[ signature had been found In Silverstein's
home he denied acquaintance with the
wounded man and said that if it were true
that the signature had been found It un,
doubtedly was attached to some formal
letter with reference to a request that he
deliver an address before some society.
He said that many requests of this kind
come to him and that frequently they are
made by persons unknown to him.
Wounded Man Better.
Silverstein. who was frightfully Injured
by the explosion of the bomb Saturday,
was reported to have made considerable
progress toward recovery today. The
physicians at Bellueve said that unless
some unfavorable development comes
they believe he may recover. He is being
closely guarded in the prison ward at the
hospilal.
Two detectives were said today to have
gone from New York to some unnamed
city in the northern part of this state
to search for members of an anarchist
group who fled from this city after the
bomb explosion on Saturday. Detectives
are also reported to be searching for the
haunts of anarchists in Paterson, N. J.,
and It is reported that the police departments
of Chicago, Denver, New Orleans
and San Francisco have been asked to cooperate
with the New York police In their
efforts to discover any accomplice of Silverstein,
.Police Are .Baffled.
Berkman's visit to the hospital where he
was confronted with Silverstein failed to
bring any show of recognition on the part
uf the two men. As Silverstein's eyes
! are sightless and covered with bandages
two detectives engaged Berkman in a
spirited conversation in Yiddish as the
trio stood by the side "of Silverstein's cot
at the same time watching the wounded
man closely for any sign or movement
which might Indicate recognition of Berkman's
voice. Nothing of this kind occurred,
however, and when Berkman declared
positively that he never had seen
Stiverstein before, there was nothing to
do hut take him back to police headquarters.
Police Commissioner Bingham in speaking
today of the disorders growing out of
Saturday's meeting of unemployed, said
lie wanted it understood that it is his intention
to deal with an iron hand in all
cases of riot or disorder.
Warning to Hunter.
"1 have received no complaint of brutality
on the part of the police," said the
commissioner when he was asked if any
complaints of that nature had reached
I him. "The police were not brutal. They
did mighty well."
He was told that Robert Hunter, the
socialist leader who had intended to address
the meeting on Saturday, had complained
In a published statement that the
police had used him in a brutal manner.
"Mr. Robert Hunter wants to behave
himself," was the commissioner's reply,
"and if he dries not behave himself he
will be sorry for it."
Berkman Is Released.
When Berkman was arraigned before
Magistrate Drocge in the Jefferson mar
kct police court, a aeteciive asK&a tnat ue
he held forty-eight hours on an affidavit
which made no specific complaint against
him. The magistrate said he would hold
Berkmao only if the detective had some
definite charge to make, and as he ha/i
none Berkman was paroled on his own
promise to appear again if desired.
MONITOR AS A TARGET.
___________________
Firing Test With Twelve-Inch Guns
in Hampton Roads.
Within a short period, probably inside
of one week, the firing test by twelveinch
guns at the turret of the monitor
Florida will be held. Conditions "as nearly
as possible approaching actual warfare"
are to mark this undertaking, from
which the Navy Department hopes to obtain
valuable results.
A feature of tiie test will be the tiring
at the vessel of a Whitehead torpedo,
with the determination to strike the vessel
in one of her vital parts and thus
demonstrate in a practical way just how
much damage might result from this
method of warfare attack. The general
fxprrianuii ib inm mr i?-bi will mac pwre
in the vicinity of Hampton Roads, where
there is plenty of sea room. It is probable
that the monitor Arkansas may T>e
utilized as the attacking vessel.
Race Riot in Chicago.
! Special ntupateb to The Star.
' flll'AGt?. March 3o.? One man was
I probably fatally stabbed and three others
j severely cut during a race riot of foreigners
here today The injured men are of
different nationalities, and the quarrel
that resulted in the stabbing affray followed
a discussion of the merits of the
respective countries.
MIKADO TO HONOR STEVENS
j mm mm Tntimati A mTAV A "RTT%
rufiiiiuJiiuuB i/?iuuiuiiiui?
MONEY TO FAMILY.
Japan Will Contribute $75,000 and
Korea $25,000 Mare as a
National Tribute.
TOKIO, March SO.?The emperor has hestowed
Upon the late Durham White
Stevens, who was assassinated in San
Francisco by a Korean, the decoration of
the Grand Rising: Sun, the highest order
in Japan. FPhe Japanese government will
give 150,000 yen (about $75,000) to the
family of the murdered diplomat and the
Korean government will give them 50,000
yen, in all about $100,000.
Miss Stevens in Oakland.
SAX FRANCISCO. March 30.?With a
body guard of detectives Miss K. B.
Stevens, sister of D. W. Stevens, the
Korean cabinet adviser who was assassinated
last week, was met last evening
when she stepped off the Overland limited
train at the Oakland Mole, and during her
brief stay in this" city armed guards will
watch her to prevent the slightest chance
of her encountering the terrible fate of
her brother. Miss Stevens left Washington
the moment she heard of her brother's
death, accompanied by Joseph 1. Porter,
a distant relative.
Upon her arrival In Oakland she was
met by Chozo Koike, Japanese consul
general of San Francisco, and two armed
men to act as a body guard. Upon her
arrival on his side of the bay she was
driven to her hotel on Sutter street in
a closed carriage. After dining the
Japanese consul took her at once to
Gray's undertaking parlors, where she
viewed the remains of her murdered
brother.
CONTRACT IS AWARDED.
TliJ. SaA.Smil fnr A marloon PtA. .
I JOiUO vuu *V4 44IUV* ? *VV
publics Building.
Bide were received Friday afternoon at
the international bureau of the American
republics from twelve representative
building firms of the United States for
the construction of its new building, for
which Mr. Andrew Carnegie contributed
$760,000, and which Is to be erected on the
site known as Van Ness Park, formerly
selected for George Washington University,
at the corner of 17th and B streets.
After careful consideration of all of the
bids by Secretary Root, chairman of the
governing board of the bureau; Director
John Barrett, and the architects, Kclsey
& ('ret of Philadelphia, the contract was ''
today awarded to Norcross Brothers of
Worcester, Muss. Taking into consideration
the three important points of time,
material and cost, their bid was the lowest
of the twelve. Work will begin at
once, and it is now planned to lay the
corner stone with appropriate ceremonies
in May, before the adjournment, of Congress.
/ _
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE.
Aldrich Currency Bill Received by
the House.
The Aldrich financial bill reached the
House today. It was presented .by a clerk
of the Senate immediately after the House
met. For the time being it was allowed
to lie on tne ?peaaer s taoie. Aner lying
on the table for a few minutes the
Speaker took It up and referred it to the
committee on banking and currency.
Soon after the bill was referred Chairman
Fowler of the committee on banking
and currency said that he bad called a
meeting for Wednesday, ' and," said Mr.
Fowler, "the bill will be treated with all
the respect that is due to a measure coming
from so great and distinguished a
legislative body as the United States Senate.
Murray Bush Dies at Manila.
A cable message was received at the
War Department this morning from Gov.
i Gen. Smitili of the Philippines, saying that
Mr. Murray Rush of Philadelphia, Pa.,
who was visiting the Philippines, died at
Manila the 24th instant. Mr. Rush was
a member of the distinguished Rush
family, his great-grandfather being one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
?
* _
THE BLOCKADE.
JOY LIHE_PIER FIRE
Loss of $150,000 and Several
People Injured.
HOSE BROKE FROM MEN
A Number Seriously Hurt Before It
Was Becaptured.
WINDOW PANES BLOWN OUT
Disastrous Blaze in Boston Accompanied
by Explosions?Firms
Out of Business.
NEW YORK. March 30.?Tire on the
Joy line pier in the East river and an
adjoining pier early today resulted In the
injury of several firemen and caused a
loss of $150,000, and for a time seriously
threatened the steamer Edgemont and
the scaffolding of the new Manhattan
bridge. Of the loss $100,000 falls upon the
Joy line and $50,000 upon the Terry &
Tench Co., contractors, who are at work
on the new Manhattan bridge. The fire
started under the flooring of the pier and,
fed by the coating of pitch which covered
the heavy timber, made rapid headway.
A high-pressure hose which broke away
from two firemen while they were attempting
to direct a stream under the blazing
pier injured several men before It was
brought under control. Several of the
men required attention from an ambulance
surgeon.
Hot Air Explosions.
ROSTOV. March 30.?Hot-air evnlosions
from windows and doors In the faces of
firemen mounting ladders caused Injuries
to ten at a fire In the large seven-story
brick building on Atlantic avenue and
Purchase street early today which caused
a damage estimated at between $75,U0U
and JlOO.tKXf. None of the firemen Is
believed to have been injured seriously,
however. The building was occupied by
lirms carrying much inflammable material
it) stock, such as paint and oils, glue and
woolen waBte.
Among the firms in the building were
the Chandler & Farqu&r Co., A. C. Kotten.
Pitkin Supply Company and the HillClark
Machine Company, all machinists'
sQpply dealers; A. M. Thayer & Co., Keystone
Blue Company, Colonial Paint and
Oil Company, paint dealers, and the riodgdon
brass works.
DIPLOMATIC BILL REPORTED.
Consuls Allowed to Pay Higher Rent
Than Formerly.
The diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill, parrying for the expenses
of the diplomatic and consular
service for the next fiscal year, was re
ported to tne Mouse loaaj ironi me committee
on foreign affairs. The sum mentioned
Is an Increase of $356,130 over the
current appropriation for this purpose.
An important change of law in the bill
is contained in tire paragraph allowing
United States consuls to pay higher rent
for their quarters than has heretofore
been tiie case. The bill increases the
percentage to 30 per cent, the committee
being convinced that something must
be done to allow the consuls to make a
better appearance abroad.
To enable the departments of the government
to have exhibits in the international
congress on tuberculosis, -which will
bo held here next fall, the bill carries
$35,000.
No Change in British Premier.
IjONDON. March 30.?The condition of
Premier Sir licnry f'amphell-Pannerman
shows no marked change for the
worse today, but the diabetes, which apparently
is in its incurable form. Is making
gradual inroads upon his reserve vitality.
The bulletin issued this morning
says: "The prime minister had a quiet
day yesterday and a fairly good night.
He continues weak, but there is no
marked change in his condition."
<
THE OPPOSITION TO TAFT
STATEMENT GIVEN OUT BY THE
' ALLIES."
Claimed That of 262 Delegates
Elected to Chicago Convention
_ .1
Only 130 Are for Secretary.
"The allies" are giving out statements
to the press contradicting the confident
claims of the Taft press boomers. The
first handout came last night and is as
follows:
"During the past week forty-six delegates
to the republican national convention
were elected. Of these four were
instructed for Taft. sixteen for Cannon,
twelve are uninstructed and fourteen are
contested. Taft's instructed delegates are
from the fifth Virginia district (lily
white faction) and second Kansas district.
"While the delegates from the fifth Virginia
and some other southern districts ,
selected on a lily white basis are as yet ;
uncontested, it remains to be determined i
whether or not the republican national
committee in convention will recognize
delegates elected through the exclusion of
the great bulk of the republican votes in
any district as legal under the call.
"Cannon secured sixteen delegates from
his own state, including the four delegates
ai-large. Of the uninstructed delegates
chosen two are from the eighth
Michigan district; two each from the sec- ond.
third and fourth Tennessee and eighth
Mississippi. The four delegates-at-large j
selected by the regular republican convention
are uninstructed. as are the eight i
delegates from Rhode Island. In view of j
the effort made in every convention to se- .
cure Taft instructions, the significance of
uninstructed delegates is that they are 1
almost uniformiy unfavorable to Secre- '
tary Toft's candidacy. i
"It is insisted that there Is no reasona- .
ble basis for the claim put out by the '
managers of Secretary Taft's oampaign
that there have been already selected 40 1
per cent of the number of Taft delegates ;
neceseaary to his nomination. The extrav- <
agancu of this claim is shown by the fact i
that it Involves the classification as Ta.t
delegates of all conte.s/ted and uninstructed
er? fur olincon hilt ho 1 f W.i'ir.n
uviv gaico ou iut v,mv'uv. 11, uui a ua-ii uuiivit
out of the total of seventy-live.
"Two hundred and sixty-two delegates
have been chosen and distributed as follows:
Taft, 130; Fairbanks, 26; Foraker,
2; Cannon. 32; unlnstruoted, 32; contested,
42; the showing of the opposition increas. 1
ing from 84 to 126 during the past week, j
The results Justify the pred.ction made ,
last week that the Taft campaign has
reaached a period of greatest momentum, 1
and that the end of the coming month wi l <
find the opposition far in the lead- It is ,
now believed by representatives of the
opposition that their estimates of a possible
350 votes for Secretary Taft In the 1
Chicago convention should be considerably <
reduced." ? ,
?- ,
For Use in Shipwrecks. 1
On account of the great loss of life In '
wrecka on the coast, under circumstances '
when aid cannot be given by crews of
life-saving stations. Secretary Straus Is
preparing a bill requiring all sea-going
American vessels to carry a landing device,
consisting of a self-anchoring line
carried by a projectile, and a means for ,
projecting it. With such a device. It Is
asserted, crew and passengers could be '
landed safely, even in fogs and storms '
which preclude aid from the life savers 1
on tho coast. 1
Incendiary Fire Near Hagerstown.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
HAGERSTOWN, Md., March 30.?Fire
of incendiary origin, the third of the.kind
here in the past week, late last night
destroyed the large barn of Jacob Eshel- 1
man, near Hagerstown. Six valuable 1
horses, live cows and other valuable live :
stock perished. The loss will amount to
about $7,000. The barn was set on Are (
at two places and in such a way that it
was impossible to save the live stock. 1
The officers are convinced that a tire fiend i
is at work here. It is believed arrests ,
will be made within the next twenty-four i
hours.
No Change in Guild's Condition.
BOSTON, March 30.?A bulletin Issued
from the statehouse at 0 a.m. stated that ,
there had been no marked change In ,
CIov. Guild's condition during, the pre- i
ceding twenty-four hour*. j
4
BRYAN MEETS HARMON
Both Will Attend Democratic
Club Dinner Tonight.
BANQUET IN KANSAS CITY
Many Will Go Long Distances to Be
Present.
WAS IN ST. LOUIS TODAY
It Is Now Understood That Augustus
Thomas Will Second the
Nebraskan's Nomination.
.KASPAS CU1, AW.. Aiaroii m'.?j-iuhireds
of democrats from Missouri. Kansas
and other nearby states are her* to
attend the dollar dinner to be given In
Convention Hall tonight by Jtlie Young
Men's Democratic Club. "William J. Bryan
and Judson Harmon will be the guests of
honor, and it will be a mammoth affair.
Eighteen hundred persons will occupy
the seats at the banquet tables arranged
>n the arena floor where in 1900 the
lemocratlc national convention nominated
Mr. Bryan for their standard bearer.
In the galleries, which will be thrown
ipen to the public after the speaking has
begun. It Is expected there will be 10,000
persons.
Mr. Bryan will come to Kansas City
from Evansvllle, Ind., and Is not expected
to reach here until 5:30 this afternoon,
one hour before the time set for the
serving of the dinner. Mr. Harmon, together
with a host of prominent democrats,
arrived this morning from Cincinnati.
Bryan In St. Louis.
ST. LOUIS, March 30.?W. J. Bryan,
who win tonight deliver a speech at the
iinner of the Young Men's Democratic
Club of Kansas City, arrived this morning
from the southeast, and after breakfast
at the Union station departed for
Kansas City In company with Edward P.
Soltra and others In Mr. Goltr&'s private
car.
Thomas Gets Bryan Proxy.
MOUNT VERNON. N. Y., March 30Augustus
Thomas, playwright and friend
of William Jennings Bryan, was anxious
to go to the democratic national convention
at Denver and vote for the Nebraskan,
but local political powers told hlna
ho nniiM nnt Ho ?. doloaato If that woro
his purpose.
Hearing of his disappointment. Mr.
Thomas' friends in Missouri made arrangements
so that he may hold the
proxy of a delegate from that state, and
it is now announced hare that he will second
the nomination of Mr. Bryan.
EN"JURIES TO FIREMEN.
Bill Amending the Police Act Passed
by the Senate.
A local bill passed 'by the senate this
afternoon originated in the House and
amends the Metropolitan polioe act for
this city. It adds to the act the provision
that hereafter when any member
of the fire department of the District In
the actual discharge of his duty shall
become so disabled by Injury as to require
medical or surgical services other
than such as can be rendered by the
board of police and fire surgeons, the
expense thereof may be paid from the firemen's
pension fund, upon recommendation
ef the chief engineer of the department,
approved by the Commissioners, and accompanied
by a certificate of a member
of the board of fire surgeons.
CLEARLY AN INADVERTENCE.
Investigation of Opening of American
Mail Pouch at La Gu&ira.
An Investigation of the affair of the
United States mail pouch at La Oualra
intended for the officers of the gunboat
racoma at that port has satisfied the
authorities at "Washington that the opening
of the pouch by the Venezuelan postal
authorities was an inadvertence due to
the lack of distinction in the seals. It
eas clearly shown that no attempt was
made to tamper with the Inclosed mail,
and that the pouch and contents were delivered
to their proper recipients as soon
as the mistake was discovered. According
to Secretary Root the affair is a
closed Incident, and calls for nu action 011
the part of this government.
CHAIRMAN HOUK HERE.
Describes the Recent Convention at
Nashville.
John C. Houk of Knoxville, the new
chairman of the republican state committee
of Tennessee, was at the Capitol
today, and to many of his old colleagues
In the House he graphically described the
scene that made the recent republican
convention at Nashville the stormiest in
the history of the party. Mr. Houk, who
is identified with the Brownlow wing
if the republican party of Tennessee, was
;lected chairman of the state committee
to succeed Newell Sanders, who belongs
to the Evans faction. The delegates from
rennessee to the republican national convention
in Chicago June 16 will go uninstructed.
Senator Penrose's Improvement.
PHILADELPHIA. March ??.?The phy
sicians attenuing l nuea oiaies senator
Penrose, who is seriously ill, said today
that they rioted an improvement in his
condition. The senator passed a comfortable
night. This is the most encouraging
statement made by the physicians in ten
days.
The Takoma Buna Aground.
A dispatch has been received at the
Navy Department from Commander John
Elood of the cruiser Tacoma stating that
that vessel ran aground Saturday while
entering the harbor of Willemstad, Island
Df Curacao, Just off the coast of Venezuela.
The vessel was soon pulled off,
and It was found that she sustained slight
iamage to her rudder. The Tacoma has
been cruising between Curacao and l>ajuaira
for the purpose of carrying dispatches
from Minister Russell to the station
at Willemstad. The Tacoma has
been ordered to leave Willemstad for the
Norfolk navy yard for repairs. I
Personal Mention.
A. T. Stuart, superintendent of public
schools. Is spending a vacation of a few
days at Atlantic City. He left Washington
the end of last week and will jiot
return to his office until Wednesday.
GILLETTE IS DEAD
FOR GIRLSMURDER
Electrocuted at Auburn Prison
This Morning.
SLAYER OF "BILLY" BROWN
Ministers Admit That He Made a
Confession.
STORY OF THE BRUTAL CRIME
His Sweetheart's Love Letters Stand
Almost as a Classic in Their
Artless Simplicity.
Story of Gillette Case
TftM in TVi i rloATi Tina*
A.U1U AAA AUAi WVU Aili4V(Q?
GilWt*. horn I*S4.
Grace ("Billy"! Bnirn, tx>rn 1HM.
They flr*t met In 1!*v?.
Deceived her lo March. 1900.
Murdered her July 11. 1U06.
Arrested July II.
Indicted August. 31. lOoe.
Trial hejrati N'nv?mtier 12, 1900.
F'?und guilty December 4. ltv*?
Trial cost Herkimer county $17,000.
New trial refuaed February 1H, 1008.
Respite refused March 29. 1908.
Gillette put to death today.
AUBURN. N. Y.. March 30.?Cheatnr Gillette,
murderer of his sweetheart. Or are
Brown, whom he killed at BUT Moose lake,
in the Adlrondacks. paid the penalty of
death In the electric chair at Auburn
prison at eighteen minutes after 6 o'clock
this morning.
Before he left his cell In the condemned
room Gillette confessed to his spiritual advisers,
the Rev. Cordello Herrick, chaplain
of Auburn prison, and the Rev. Henry
Macllravy, that the charge of which he
stood convicted was true. He killed Grace
Brown and he admitted it before he went
to his death. This information was given
to the public in the following signed state,
ment of the ministers: "Because our relationship
to Chester Gillette was privileged,
we do not deem It wise to make a
detailed statement, and simply wish to say
that no legal mistake was made in the
electrocution."
The carrying out of the death sentence
was remarkable in Its celerity. Like a
bolt of lightning, only one contact was
necessary to carry the law's mandate
into effect. This was of 1,800 volts, at
seven and a half amperes. The current
was held on for sixty-three seconds, and
when it was turned off an immediate examination
showed that life was extinct.
"Gentlemen," Warden Benham said, "the
auuuuiitu Kiat mo UMLn is
dead." Chester Gillette had paid the penalty
for his crime.
Not Much Solemnity.
Unmoved and without showing the
faintest stern of emotion of any kind.
Chester Gillette was put to death in
Auburn this morning. The electrocution
was the most successful that ever took
place in the local prison. The man was
declared dead by the officials at 8:18, hut
by the watches held by some of the newspaper
reporters it was two minutes after
that time when the warden said to the
witnesses and attendants: "Gentlemen,
the physicians announce that the man is
dead"
The electrocution lacked much of the
solemnity of former executions, and during:
most of the time, except for the brief
space when tue electric current was
coursing through the man's body, there
was a hum of voices in conversation.
This grew so marked during the time
that the physicians were making the examination
of the body for life that the
warden found it necessary to pound on
the tile-covered floor of the chamber for
silence.
The Rev. Ilenry Mcllravy of Little
Falls, who had l>een with Gillette, was
so overcome at the electrocution that he
was taken from the death chamber before
the contact was turned off.
Fearful that he would collapse, lie
started for the door leading to the prison
yard, keepers walking beside htm.
Witnesses assembled at the warden's
office at 8 o'clock, and at 6:10 the march
from the office down through the south
wing of the prison to the death chamber
was started, and at 6:11, when State
Electrician Davis made his test of the
?,1* U Ik/. Lnrtl* i-./ Kirhts t ho
rimi'iuuci y wuji mc u?uii ui uein-o, ?
witnesses had taken the scats assigned
to them.
Makes Final Statement.
The test being finished, the word was
given and the door leading from the death
cSlIs was opened. Gillette walking firmly
and looking neither to the right nor
the left, came briskly along the row and
Into the chamber. On either side of him
was a minister of the gospel, Chaplain
Herrtck on his right and Rev. Mcllr&vy
on his left. It was 6.12:.15 when the little
party entered the chamber and the
work of strapping the man in the chair
was quickly over. The electric current
was turned on at and was switched
off at t?:15:06. Immediately after l)r.
Spitzka made an examination of the
heart. Other heart examinations followed,
and at ?i:lK Warden Benham made the
announcement that Gillette^ was dead.
Gillette's confession of murder was supplemented
by u written statement to "The
Young Men of the Country," in which he
said nothing about having killed his
sweetheart, but dwelt on his religious
conversion.
uov. jiugnes neiusai.
AT.BANY, March 30.?Gov. Hughes last
evening came to the executive chamber
and promulgated the decree which sealed
Gillette's doom. In the course of the decree,
he said:
"Whatever his power, the governor has
no right to grant reprieves unless he can
assign good cause, and if the administration
of the law Is to be respected, petitions
made at the eleventh hour must
show merit. I find none In the present
case.
"No view of the unhappy event is adequate
which falls to take account of the
proved facts, the events preceding Grace
Brown's death, the condition of the body
and the character of its injuries, the overturned
boat with Grace Brown's cape on
top of it. the disposition of the tennis
racquet, the conduct of the prisoner prevails
to the tragedy and subsequently,
and the manner In which he sought to
explain it when defending Ills life.
"If reason ls_ to he our guide, and all the
established facts are taken Into consideration.
there is no escape from the conclusion
that a brutal murder was comniltteed. and
that the conviction was Just. After ex(Continued
on Ninth Page.)
*
I