Evening star. [volume], December 12, 1908, Image 1

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

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THE EVENING STAR - j ^ ^
WITH 8UHDAY M0RNIH8 EDITION. l^W "W
Maw OCet, Utk St ui r?H^niU A*?? W x ^ I ^ / k ' ? V V ...
/fl h|^ 1r|l 01TT1T fY SStjYf ?"
Qtow'oiSi* nro' -SiSS toi'hiHii. I B^. B B I II ^ Fair and cooler tonight. Sun ^toSl^W^rH&f&STS
H / " /U day partly cloudy, with mode*.
count. within the city at 50 cen^a per month; X. V y
without The Sunday Wtor at 44 cents pet montp. r ?iltC tCITlpcrjltlirC,
By mail, float*** prepaid: ' * _ !
PaMy. Sunday included, one month. "0 cent*. ?_? . ??? , ? ~~ ' -"
Dally. Sunday excepted, one month. 50 cynta- _
No. 17,610. WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1908?TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. TWO CENTS.
' . . , ? ???? .i. ... , , ? ? ? m
SCARE AJjAYY YARD I
Railroad Company Gives 1
* Notice of Removing Tracks.
DANGER OF BIG DISCHARGE 1
Work for 2,000 Men Contingent I
Upon New Tracks.
ADMIRAL LEUTZE POSTS ORDER I
Bill Prepared Urging Congress to ?
Build New Tracks Refused by
Railroad Company.
Disaster is threatened to the Washington
navy yard far greater than the much- p;
talked-of discharge of 200 workmen, ac- F
cording to officials of the yard. al
The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wash- w
ington Railroad Company has announced B
its intention to remove its tracks now con. S]
necting with the naval gun factory at M N
street southeast because of the failure M
of Congress to take actionem the pending
matter.
The removal of the tracks, naval ottl- m
cials declare, will necessitate the navy w
yard authorities resorting to the means tt
of transportation of a past century?ox v<
teams and mules?and will result in a pos- ai
sible reduction^ in the force of mechanics
and helpers of *2,000 men. **
"As a result of these disclosures today t'
the employes of the great gun-making st
plant of the government are much
wrought up. Rear Admiral Eugene H. ^
C. Leutze, commandant of the navy yard, '
calls attention briefly but pointedly in tr
an order that was posted in the several lis
shops and offices at the yard today to the hi
menace caused by the threatened cut-off tj.
of railroad connection with the establish- ,
ment. ?
Admiral Leutze's Order. rt
The order follows: pi
"In view of the fact that certain addl- L
tional work has been allotted to this yard, p<
the notice in regard to discharge of about es
300 men on the 1st of January, 1900, pub- ci
lished November 21, 1908, is hereby modi- fc
fled. A* for as now can be foreseen the
present force of employes can be retained
until about April 1, 1909, unless the rail
road connection with the yard Is cut off." h.
"As the sutn of about Jt2.000 per day Is a!
paid in salaries to the employes of the
Washington navy yard in cold cash and
not in promissory notes," a naval officer 18
said today, "and the money Is spent In n<
the District for rent, food and other ne- ai
cessities. the menace to the gun factory 0j
becomes a matter of moment to the busl- m
ness men ef Washington, and they should
assist In providing a check to the threatened
wholesale discharge." or
Congress, by its acts e t 1501 and 1003, *'
required the removal of the present railrqu|
track connection by a date not V1
later than April 38, 1908. By act of May <*c
2T, |908, Congress authorised and direct- jf
edSMg Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wash- J1'
ingten Railroad Company to construct at *?
its expense a single branch track or sidlog
ftom- its present main line at a point "}
in the vicinity of the Pennsylvania ave- c1'
nuo bridge over the Eastern branch of the su
Potomac, along a prescribed-route to a ai
connection -with the track system of the
navy yard. It was provided that the
work Should be begun within she months di
from the date of the passage of the act ar
and to be completed within two years. st
Company Refuses to Build. m
It was learned today that the railroad P?
company has advised the Navy Depart- re
meat that it cannot see its way clear to
build the tracks as prescribed by Congress.
More than six months have elapsed
since the passage of the act. it is pointed
out, and the construction has not been OI
commenced. bi
Before the passage of the act of May g(
27. 1908, proceedings had been Instituted tt,
,by the government In the Supreme Court
* of the District of Columbia to restrain w
the railroad company from its contemplated
action in removing the present de
track connections. The injunction was dt
granted and is still in force. The rail- hs
road company now threatens to ask for in
the dissolving of the writ in order that it qi
may proceed to remove the tracks, which bl
cuter the navy yard at the M street gate, in
The railroad officials declare that the
United States government should build
and own the proposed track from the
vicinity of the Pennsylvania avenue _
bridge, ' which," they add. "is as much.a w
part of the navy yard plant as any other
constituent portion of it."
The railroad authorities, therefore, have
positively declined to proceed with the in
construction of the track named by Con- ei
grass and announce their intention of removing
the M street tracks as soon as
possible. This will, if carried into effect. ?
leave the gun factory without means of
transportation for the heavy naval ord- K
nance and other weighty supplies, except
by the ancient methods of trucks hauled b?
through the streets of Washington hy M
oxen, mules and horses. As this means in
would We entirely inadequate, it is the
opinion of naval officials that a discharge v<
of approximately 2,000 men would be nec- w
sssary. F
Appeal to Congress;
To meet the emergency it Is said the gi
Navy Department has incorporated In its
estimates to be submitted to Congress a
request for an appropriation of $303,083.33 ^
for the construction of the proposed sid- p
lng, Including the acquisition, of the nec- cc
essary lands and rights of way. *h
In order to reduce complaints of c-itl- fa
sens in the southeast to a minimum. Rear
Admiral Lcutzc has caused all the railroad
switches In the northwest portion of the R
yard to be turned about, so that no more
Dmivuiii( vn uniiiiiK oi cars win nave
to be carried on outside of the yard in
the public streets. The gate at M street
is closed and is only opened to allow the B
passage of trains in and out of the yard, lo
bout twice each day. *
In view of the threatened disaster to the fr
yard, steps are being taken to interest in *
the matter all the citizens" association* of diJ
the District, the patriotic organizations h*
and others. th
STUDY SECOND* TO ATHLETICS.
.. * as
Comment on Becent Foot Ball Game.
"Prexy" Angell to Resign Soon. di
BAV CITY. Mich., December VI.?Ad- **
dressing the local University of Michigan nj
Alumni Association last night. Prof. C. ?t
H. Van Tyne. head of the department ot pi
American history at Ann Arbor, declared
that the University of Pennsylvania foot
ball players, who defeated Michigan at
Ann Arbor, had not been attending classes T
up to the time of the game, while the
Michigan players had comparatively little g,
time for practice, owing to the academic
requirements at Anrt Arbor.
Prof. Von Tyne said several professors
took Capt. Schultz in hand individually. r?
and by giving him extra hours brought fr
his work up to the required standardWarmly
eulogising president* Angell. el
Prof. Van Tyne said that it might be only
a matter of a few months before the venerable
head of the University of Michigan
would resign. di
1ISK LIVES FOR SHIP
___ ^,
rwo Heroes Aboard Sunken
Cruiser Yankee.
RIED TO CLOSE AIR PORT
ingineer and Diver Were Neck
Deep in Water.
OCKED IN DABK CABIN
Iscaped Only When Pressure Blew
Door Open?Bravery Praised in
Capt. Marsh's Report.
Warm praise for heroic work on the
art of Engineer Wotherspoon and a
tench-Canadian diver named Micrtot
board the cruiser Yankee, while an effort
as being made to tow the vessel to New
edford,. after she had been cleared of
pindle Rock, is given in a report to the
avy Department by Capt. Charles C.
larsh of the vessel.
The night of December 4-i?, while the ves 1
was under tow, Capt. Marsh says, was
uch the worst since the grounding, the
ind blowing with such force that had
le ship been still on the rocks she very
fry likely would have been fatally damped.
The report says:
"Hours were consumed in trying to tow
le ship. Her draught, eleven feet and
venty-nine feet, and the heavy list to
arboard made steering impossible, so
lat she took rank sheers, parting the
awsers, etc. By 8 p.m., the dangers that
ireatened were loss of air pressure, for
st was increasing, endangering the exaust
from the air compressors. During
le night the Lebanon came alongside, to
Ive us a line, and was swept down upon
s. Any one who has seen the Lebanon
>11 will understand our alarm at her
resence. It has been stated that the
ebanon or the Harlln damaged the air
>rt. Of these statements nothing can be
ild one way or another with any aciracv.
Suffice it to say the air port was
>und open.
In Water to His Heck. ~
"Some time in the early morning, per- N
ips ctuoui j. a.m., wora came up mat me
r compressors had stopped. Also the
9ws came of the open air port. This
tter information was given to the engi- *
irr, Mr. Wotherspoon? He went below
id then sent for a diver. The behavior
' these two men cannot go by unitlced.
J
"The open air port was in the stateroom
i berth deck, starboard side, next to the
r compressors. Mr. Wotherspoon Went
to this stateroom and shut the door. He
en tried to close the air port, gfgt one
>g partly in place and then hung up his
ntern so as to use both hands. The
rht was blown out and be was left in tl
tal darkness. The pressure against the q
>rt was too great for him, and he found
mself in water up to his neck in this w
used stateroom. Fortunately the pres- ?
ire eventually carried fiway the door,
id he was thrown out into the berth <
ick.
"In the meantime a French-Canadian .
ver named Micnot put on his diving suit 11
id in darkness went down in a linking a
lip to lend his hand at closing that air v
>rt. The diving pump was tended by t.
r. Wotherspoon, and one of the commy
whose name at this time I do not J'
member. For devotion to their work e
id for courage I know nothing better b
tan these actions. tJ
Extinguished All Fires. tl
"Again word was brought me that not ?
i!y were the air compressors stopped. 11
it that water through the air port had
me into the flreroom, extinguishing the
es in our boiler, and hence all pumps si
ere stopped." a
Efforts were made to get the vessel un- si
>r tow, but before long she took water b
rectly down the engine and flreroom D
itches and those on board took refuge
the port fore-rigging. The ship sank
lickly. She rests perfectly upright, on a P
ue mud bottom, according to the chart, tl
forty-four feet of water. C(
NEEDS HEB PENSION NOW.
'idow Who Voluntarily Gave It Dp ^
X 1 a VS a as
askb xor Aenorauon. b
DETROIT. Mich.. December 12.?^lav- t<
g voluntarily relinquished a pension of g:
ght dollars a month nearly ten years s
fo for no other reason than because she
d not feel she could conscientiously say
at she needed government aid, Mrs.
Ilzabeth Whitney of Romeo. Mich., more
lan seventy years old, is now asking to .
i restored to the p.mslon rolls. Charles A
Yates, a special pension examiner, is
vestigating the case.
Mrs. Whitney's husband, a civil war
>teran, died in 1882. leaving his widow C
ith several small children to support, tl
rlendw and neighbors contributed funds
i pay a mortgage on her cottage home jc
id in the early nineties the widow was
anted a pension of $8 a month. In
ecember, 1000, she stopped cashing the t<
;nsion vouchers despite the advice and
Lplanatious of friends and her name was ?
topped from the rolls. Her sons had
own up and were then in a position to
ntribute liberally to the maintenance of A
eir mother's home, while now they have
imilics of their own. C
C
PUT HIM OUT OF BUSINESS. ?
?_____ c]
iimmary Justice Meted to Negro
Desperado in Georgia. ?
STATENVILL.E, Ga.t December 12.?
reaking into the home of Fisher Bete,
a negro desperado, crying out that
* wanted "Old Bclote," fired two shots B
om his pistol into the bed where the
lughter of Belote-was lying ill, seized
>r by the foot and dragged her from
e bed, fired three other shots and then ,J
<1 "
Harper Belote, a little boy, tired at htm n
i lie ran. but mliwcd. Track hounds T
llowed the negro with a posse into a tl
vamp several niilps away. The posse ?
suppoared for two hours And then re- -p
>peared with the significant statement rj
at "the negro will make no more mid- ^
ght raids on white people." Their a
atement at once stopped all further
irsui t. b
FEARS FOB STEAMER. *
.. t<
urkisb Vessel Reported Foundered ?
in Black Sea?Many Drowned. a
lecitd fahlerrani to The Star.
ST. PETERSBURG, December Uf.-A
legram received here front Sebastopol
*
'ports that a Turkish steamer bound
om Constantinople for Sebastopol found- n
ed in a storm In the Black sea. d
Details are lacking, but it is estimated si
iat the crew and fifty passengers were
rowned. b
IRDERS TO NEILL TO PROOI
'RESIDENT'S INSTRUCTION FOI
BUILDING INVESTIGATION.
t
lureau of Labor to Be Utilized fo:
Inquiry-?Letter Made
Public.
President Roosevelt today made publi
be following letter he has written t
'harles P. Neill, directing him to procefr*
ith an investigation of the "building in
pector's office of the District;
"The White House. December 10, 1908.
My Dear Mr. Commissioner:
"As the result of the falling, recently
i this city, of part of the iron fram
rork of a building under construction ii
rhich one of the workmen employed oi
be building lost his life, the coroner'
jry recommended that the Preslden
ause an investigation to be made of th
uilding inspection department of the Dis
rict government. The Commissioners o
be District approved the reeommendatiol
f the jury and the inspector of build
igs has likewise expressed his desire tha
uch investigation be made.
"I wish you would immediately institute
uch an investigation and report to mi
s soon as possible the results of thi
ime, using such of the force of you
ureau as may be necessary for thi
roper and prompt conduct of the wofk.
"This is the second case within a com
arativeiy short time in which tlirougi
be falling of a flart of a building undei
[instruction worklngmen have lost the!
ves, and- as the District of Columbii
i entirely a federal jurisdiction, I thinl
. entirely proper that the bureau of jaboi
hould investigate a question of tills kind
earing as it does on the matter of pro'
:ction' of the lives of workingnicn en
aged in the construction of buildings
incerely yours.
"THEODORE ROOSEVELT."
HALL CHOSEN PRESIDENT.
nnnal P.leetinn nf (iffirpre of thi
Gridiron Club.
At the annual meeting: of the Gridiroi
lub, at noon at the Now Willard today
te following officers were elected:
President, Henry Hall, Pittaburg ChrOn
le-Telegraph.
Vice President, Scott C. Bone, Washing
>n Herald.
Secretary, John S. Shriver, Baltimor
meriean, re-elected.
Treasurer, Louis Garthe, Baltimon
meriean, re-elected.
Executive committee. H. Conques
larke. Ernest G, Walker, Boston Herald
harles C. Randolph.*
Harris M. Crist of the Brooklyn Eagl<
as elected to resident membership in th<
lub.
The December dinner of the Gridirot
lub will be held at the New Willard to
ight at 7:30 o'clock.
FANATICS FACE CHARGES.
Kansas City Religionists Arraignec
for Killing Policeman.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., December 13.ames
Sharp and three of his followers
lcluding his wife, will be given a forma
earing this afternoon before Justici
heodore Remley, charged with murder h
te first degree for the killing of Police
inn A. O. Dalbow in a revolver fight las
uesday. Late yesterday they were ar
l i aryy or) hnfnrn Tiiuitoo Damlavr WKan 4K.
wvtw? v uuoiav ucii?ic?. ?? utn till
barge was read to them and they wer<
sked to enter a p ea Mrs. Pratt declared
1 ain't guilty of that; I did not kill any
ody."
"Neither did I." said William Kngle. th<
venteen-year-old epileptic, who is a?pro
sge of Sharp. Sharp said he did not un
erstand the charge, and a plea of no
ullty was entered for all four- defend
nts.
Pioneer Mine Worker Dies.
BRIDGEPORT, Ohio. December 12Pat"
McBryde. first secretary of th<
nited Mine Workers of America and sec
stary of the Ohio Operators' .Association
led early today of pneumonia. He wa
ixty years old and one of the best know)
len in the mining business. The "bod:
as shipped to Columbus. Ohio, today fo
urla'.
A
f,
BUSY CITIZENS..
FJR AHEAD OF RECORD
I
Six-Day Cycle Racers Keep Up
r Grueling Pace.
SPRINTS NIGHT AND DAY
- * -r * - ?
P
J Catch Bp With Old High Score and
Leave It Far Behind.
SEVENTEEN MILES AHEAD NOW
?
e ???~1
No Change in Itelative Positions.
n
8 Eight Teams Still in En'
durance Contest.
c
f
r, NEW YORK. December 12.?With the
. end of their long journey only half a day
t distant, eight weary but determined riders
are whirling around the big saucfer-shaped
B track at Madison Square Garden today,
g Eight more men. equally as worn by the
e fearful strain of the almost ceaseless
,. grind in the six-day bicycle race, were
B snatching a brief rest before they were to
be called upon to lake up the struggle
. while their spent partners sought the rest
1 they so much needed.
r The night had Ijeen trying for all the
r men. One sprint followed another, with
t scarcely a breathing interval between.
t For a time yesterday the riders were
r many miles behind the mark set by Miller
and Waller In the famous race of 1899.
* This loss was gradually cut down.
During the night new records were es
tablished. hour after hour. At 8 o'clock
this morning the three leading teams were
more than ten miles ahead of the mark
established nine years ago.
8 O'Clock Score.
The score at that hour was:
< Rutt-Stoll, 2,-ittO miles, 9 laps; Mac.Far'
land-Moran, 2,469 miles, 9 laps; Hill-Deinara,
2,489 miles, 9 laps; Walthour-Koot,
i" 2.489 miles, 8 laps; Collins-Mitten, 2.489
, miles, 7 laps; Galvin-Wiley. .'{.489 miles,*
0 laps; Anderson-Vanoni, 2,469 miles, ;>
- lops: Palmer-DrObarii, 2,457 miles, 5 laps.
The best previous record was 2,459 miles
_ and 8 laps, made by Miller and Waller m
1899.
The fast pace of the night was steadily
B maintained during the. early hours of the
forenoon. The old record was eonstant0
ly falling farther and farther behind.
At 10 o'clock the three leading teams,
with Rutt and Stol in the van, were more
than fourteen miles ahead of the Miller
and Waller 1899 record. They had covered
2,508 miles 9 laps against the old record
8 of 2,494 miles 8 laps for 130 hours.
8 There had been no change in the relative
positions of the riders at that hour.
1 Between 10 and 11 o'clock the leaders
" covered 19 miles 9 laps and increased
their lead over the old record more than i
2 miles. At 11 o'clock they had covered !
* I roo .tvliAn C !<.?? II ?? > 11 I
.,UwO o (t^uiiibi .,?u? mues ?
laps made by Miller and Waller in I SOU.
i At 12 o'clock the old record had been exceeded
by 17 miles 4 laps.
Scores at Noon.
The score for the 132d hour. 12 o'clock,
| was: Rutt-Stol, 2,548.4; MacFarland,
Moran. 2.548.4; Hill-Demara, 2.548.4; Wale
thour-Root, 2.548.3; Collins-Mitten. 2.548.2:
1 Galvln-Wiley. 2.548.1: Anderson-Vanonl,
2.547.8: Palmer-Drobach. 2,53(1.
* Previous record 2,531 miles, made by
e Miller and Waller in 18S?!?.
c The score for the 134th hour at 2 p.m.
was: Rutt-Siol, 2.586 in ties t lap; Maei
Farland-Moran. 2,5811 miles 1 lap; HillDemura.
2.586 miles 1 lap; Walthour-Root,
p 2.586 miles; Collins-Mitten, 2.585 miles
. 9 laps; Galvin-Wiley, 2.585 miles' 8 laps;
. Anderson-Vanoni, 2.585 miles 5 laps;
t PaJmer-Drobacb, 2,573 miles 7 laps.
. Previous record. 2.567 miles 3 laps.
Acquitted of Wife's Death.
PEORIA, III., December 12.?Frank J.
- Potter, who has been on trial for two
s weeks on the charge of being responsible
- for his wife's death, was acquitted by a
, Jury today. On the night of Apri' 2. while
s Potter was asleep, his wife attacked and
i seriously injured him. Potter claimed
t that It was in his efforts to protect himr
self that he had to beat his wife. Her injuries
caused death about a week 'rater.
^?
HAMS' TRIAL SET FOR MONDAY
THORNTON WILL FACE JURY
FIRST ON MURDER CHARGE.
Must Reply to Accusation That Ho
Helped His Brother Slay
W. E. Annis.
Special --Dispatch lb The Ktar.
NEW YORK, December lC.-Next week,
for the second time in his 'ife. Thornton
Jenkins Hains, college graduate, author
and master mariner, is to be put on trial
for his life. He will be arraigned Monday
before Justice Frederick E. Crane of
the supreme court at Flushing L,. I.,
charged with the murder of William E.
Annis. publisher of Recreation Magazine.
August 15. 1908.
It is charged that Hains, with drawn revolver,
intimidated spectators who saw his
brother. Capt. Peter C. Hains. jr., U.S.A..
shoot Annis. and aided and abetted his
brother in the act.
It was in 1891 that T. J. Hains. charged
with a capital offense, first faced the
jury. The pleh of self-defense won a verdict
of acquittal.
T. J. Hains will have spent about four
months in jail when he is taken from his
cell to the courtroom Monday. The jail
is in Iyong Island City and the trip to the
courthouse occupies forty minutes by an
uncertain trolley schedule.
Sheriff Harvey of Queens county said
today that the prisoner and, his guards
would travel back and forth each day on
the trolley.
300 Talesmen Summoned.
Nearly ,'100 ta'esmen have been summoned
for the trial. Forty compose the
regular weekly panel, 150 are in a special
panel ordered by Justice Crane, 100 are
members of the special panel ordered by
County Judge Aspinall. the legality of
which has been challenged, and five men
V/Oicorl f rnm Viroir
vavmwvu i viii ^/tcviuuo jiauriA \jii inrii
agreeing to appear for duty at this session*
It is believed that Mrs. Claudia Hains.
wife of Capt. Peter C. Hains. Jr., will not
appear as a witness at the trial and that
she will-in fact, remain in Massachusetts,
where a subpoena of New York courts is
inoperative.
Attorney John A. Mclntyre is said to
i contemplate calling Capt. Hains as a
! witness for the brother on trial, although
insanity is pleaded in Capt. Hains' behalf,
| and he is being held to await improvement
in his mental condition.
WEST SHORE CARS ROBBED.
Buffalo Men Charged With Receiving
Some of the Plunder.
j NEW YORK. December 12.?Charged
with having in their possession stolen
goods, the property of the West Shore
railroad, two men who said they were
j Charles Cohen. 26 years old, of 44l> Michigan
avenue, Buffalo, and Jack Barney,
years old. of 2.T0 Seneca street. Buffalo,
were arrested here today. The arrests
were made on complaint of William Burch
of Buffalo, an agent of the West Shore
railroad.
For months past that railroad has been
a heavy sufferer from trajn robbers. Cars
on the way from Buffalo to New York
were opened and thousands of dollars'
worth of merchandise taken. Although
some of the cleverest of the railroad detectives
were assigned to the case they
could not find where the cars ware broken
open. One car was broken open and
$1,300 worth of merchandise was removed.
According to the police the
| thieves hid their loot away for a while,
then packed It in fresh cases and shipped
it 011 to this city or elsewhere, consigned
to confederates who disposed of it In various
ways. It is said by. the authorities
that there was $1,300 worth of the stolen
freight In the lodging rooms in which
Cohen and Barney were found.
Suicide on Board Steamer.
KINGSTON. Jamaica. December 12.?
Samuel C. Smith, an American, committed
suicide last night on board the steamer
Frlnz Auguste Wilhelm in this port.
He locked himself in his cabin, opened the
main artery in h's arm and bled to death.
Mr. Smith is said to have come from
nonistota. Madison county. N. Y., where
he was in the furniture business. The
i body is to be embalmed and will be re*
turned to New York. j
4
iNORITYNQTIII HOW
Censure to President Affair of
Republican Senators.
RETALIATION UP TO THEM
Democratic Colleagues Willing to
I
Vote for Resolution.
NO SKIN OFF THEIR NOSES
Assert That Criticism in Message
Was Not Aimed at Them?Would
Uphold Dignity of Congress.
No democratic senator will introduce
the resolution by means of which the
Senate expects to censure President
Roosevelt next week for his criticism of
Congress in comments on the secret service
in the recent annual message. Several
prominent democratic senators made this
understood today.
The way the democratic senators look
'upon the matter was clearly explained
by one of them?a southerner?who.
though he' says he has never had a personal
quarrel with the President, has not
spoken to him for the past six years,
merely because he doesn't like him and
his methods.
"This is distinctly *the affair of the republicans
in the Senate as well as in ther
House." declared this senator. "They
should by all means act first. Have you
ever heard any hint ihat the secret service
was employed to investigate a democratic
senator? Are not the republicans
the only ones who have been criticised by
the President?
Willing to Vote for Censure.
"I want to say, however, that if the
republicans do introduce a resolution censuring
the President for what he said in
his message democrats in the Senate will
vote for It. I consider the President's statement
as insulting to Congress. And I
believe every other democratic senator
will not hesitate a moment in voting to
uphold the dignity and honor of Congress.
"I know the republicans have a resolution,
the purpose of which is to expunge
from the records the objectionable portion
of the President's message. I don't
u ^ ;i* i.. I* i ii. (it
nnuw who win imruauce 11 or wurn 11 win
be Introduced.. But I know how I will act
when it is introduced."
There is a disposition today among republican
senators* to defer action on the
message until after the special committee
appointed yesterday by the House shall
have reported and the House shall have
acted upon its report. If this is the case
the Senate will not take up the matter
next Monday or Tuesday, as it was believed
it would do.
President's Friends Not to Fight, j
A republican senator, in close touch with
what is going on, said today that he did
not believe there would be any serious opposition
by friends of the President in the
Senate to the passage of a resolution of
mild censure. The matter of a tight on
the floor over the matter, he intimated,
would depend altogether on the character
of the resolution.
"The strongest form which such a resolution
could take," he said, "would be to
expurge from the records the disparaging
statements of the President. I do not
believe the form of the resolution has yet
been determined upon. We may wait to
see what the final action of the House
is."
Committee Will Not Hurry.
There was no meeting today of the special
committee appointed yesterday by
Speaker Cannon to consider that portion
of the President's message in which language
is used which is held to reflect upon
members of Congress.
The committee will not meet until Monday
and probably will not bring in a report
until just before Congress adjourns
for the Christmas holidays.
The I. ISH 1a II.. 4? J ?
a v. I o .JIIIV. IVI - ci it v VII1I1I1I.ICC III uu.
It will liave no investigation 10 make. Its
principal duty will be to draw up a resolution
making a recommendation as to the
disposition of that portion of the President's
message relating to the secret
service.
It is well known that this recommendation
will be to the effect that the offending
section be laid upon the table.
When the resolution comes up for action
in the House there probably will be some
debate upon it. It is not be ieved that
any member will take advantage of the
opportunity to roast the President in a
sensational way.
One reason that the committee will not
bring in its report earlier is that time will
be given to members of Congress to cool
off.
IMMENSE COAL FILE AFIRE.
Factory W^lls So Hot They Are
Likely to Collapse.
DOWAGIAC, Mich.. December 12.?A
peculiar tire which has been burning for
three days in a pile of 4,001) tons of soft
coal at the big stove plant here of the
Beckwith estate is threatening the factory
today. The coal pile is thirty to
thirty-five feet deep, is surrounded on
three sides by factory wails, and is open
to the sky. The surrounding walls have
grown so hot today that they are likely
to collapse.
Gas from the burning coal has overcome
a dozen of the men who are fighting the
fire. Frequent explosions keep throwing
masses of the coal out on the firemen.
New Franco-American Treaty.
PARIS. December 12.?The exchange of
signatures to tlie new Franco-American
treaty of extradition . wi.ll take place in
Paris in a few days. Ambassador White
has been authorized to sign for the United
States. This treaty is substantially identical
with the one negotiated in 1892, the
modifications whereof by tfie American
Senate, however, France then declined
to accept. The existing differences now
have been composed.
Many Night Riders Indicted.
UNION CITY. Tenn., December 12.?The
attorney general Investigating the Reeifoot
night rider case stated that when
the grand jury adjourned today all of the
work accomplished by the last grand jury
would have been gone over by the one
' now sittinc. Durlnar the last term 123
indictments were returned, and as only
thirty-three have been returned so far ?t
this term the above statement seems to
indicate that about ninety Indictments
will be returned today.
Noted Manufacturer Dies.
LITTLETON, N. H.. December 1??Jo*
seph Herrmann of New York, who, un.
til his retirement from business a few
years ago, was the largest handkerchief
manufacturer in the world, is dead at his
summer home. Sugar Hill, at the age of
forty-six years. Mr. Herrmann has been
ill for two months. The cause of his
death was general pares!*
MftY MAKESTATEMENT
Expression From President
Regarding Canal Purchase.
GETTING FACTS TOGETHER
Proposed Prosecution of Accusers for
Libel.
INITIATIVE IS WITH JEROME
Bill for Compensating Injured Em*
ployes Favored?Pardon for
Bank Official Asked.
Provident Roosevelt may make another
statement regarding the payment for tha
Panama canal, which has been the subject
of such wide discussion lately. He is
considering the nnestion Nnthlne definite
could be learned today as to when the
statement may be made public or the nature
of the contents. That the President
Is accumulating information from various
sources, however, is known, and that
he may make use of this in some manner
is also known.
The most important phase of the situation
relates to the intimation of the President
that if he can reach certain people i
by criminal libel proceedings he will do
so. It develops that there Is no federal
law of criminal libel and nothing under
which officials of the United States can
act by direction of the President.
It is said that the President was aware
of this' when he gave utterance to the
threat of proceedings, and that efforts
are being directed upon District Attorney
Jerome in New York to have him lay the
facts before the grand Jury there. Tha
pressure upon Mr. Jerome is being directed
through United States Attorney Stlmson
in New York. The administrat on feels
that there is at least an unwritten code
of coartesy between the prosecuting officials
of the United States and the state*
and counties, and it is to this that an appeal
is apparently being made.
Must Be Begun by Jerome.
Any action against persons In New
York connecteed with newspapers there
charging criminal libel of the President
or his brother-in-law. Douglas Robinson,
or any one else, would have to be started
through the district attorney of New
York county.
The interesting point of a prosecution
in New York would be the question of
who would be the comnlainant. If the
President were the complainant he would
have to become the leading prosecuting
witness.
This would probably interfere with hit
trip to Africa, as the case could not
come to trial until after the time for the
5resident to leave for his proposed hunt.
o such objection would srisd jn the case
of Douglas Robinson, who nas several
times discussed with the president the accusational
and who denounces them as
bitterly as does the President. Mr. Robinson
Is d citizen of New York.
Should District Attorney Jerome decide
to move for an indictment before the
grand jury and secure one he would have
the fullest aid of the legal machinery of
the administration and access to every
paper connected with the canal transaction.
The handling of the editor of the Indianapolis
News upon charges either criminal
or civil will h? left to C. P. Taft. it
is said, although Mr. Taft. if lie makes a
move, will have the aid of the federal
officials, as would Mr. Robinson.
Compensation for Injured Employes
Representative Sabath of Chicago is
much pleased because the President has
several times assured him that he favors
the bill of the Illinois man for compensation
of injured employes. Mr. Sabath
talked with the President again today on
the subject. "The President tells tne
tnai ne win gladly aid me in every way
possible in having my bill enacted into a
law." said Mr. Sabatli. "and I am delighted
with his favorable opinion of the
measure. My bill is framed largely after
the laws that now govern on this subject
in both England and Germany. These
and other countries abroad* now fully recognize
the fairness of granting compensation
to employes Injured in the service
gf employers.
"The two greatest men of their day in
England and Germany. Gladstone and
Bismarck, respectively, worked on this
problem about the same time, and both
worked out laws that automatically pay
for injurie ? Under my bill" a commission
would be provided, and this body would
have examiners pass upon each case of
injury, fixing the damages- according to
the terms of the law.
"The United States will have to come
to a law of this kind, and the sooner the
relations between employes and employer
are adjusted upon this basis the better it
will be all around."
Will Attend Two Dinners.
President Roosevelt will attend two dinners
tonight. The first will be the annual
dinner of the Boone and Crockett
Club at the Metropolitan Club. The President
will go there at 8 o'clock. The
second will be the Gridiron Club dinner,
which the President will attend about
10:30 o'clock. The Boone and Crockett
Club Is composed of noted hunters and
sportsmen, and the President never fails
to attend the annual dinner.
Earl of Warwick Tells of Africa.
The Earl of Warwick of England dined
at the White House last night and related
to the President many interesting
experiences in Africa.
Pardon Asked for Bank Official.
Representatives Keifer, Cole and Ansberry
of Ohio and Representative Landis
of Indiana called on the President today
to seek a pardon for Edwin Fiioktnger. a
manufacturer of Galion, Ohio, who was
convicted of participation in the wrecking
of a national bank at that point and sentenced
to seven years in prison. The
President was told that although Mr.
Flicktnger was an officer of the bank he
knew little about Its operations, and
should not be held responsible for tihe
dishonesty and laxity of others. The
President gave his callers to understand
that lie was little disposed to grant pardons
or commute sentences o" bank olflcials
and favored severe punishment. He
was willing that the Department of Justice
should go into the case and report to
him tor consideration.
Assayer at Salt Lake.
Senator Smoot has recommended to
the President tlift nomination of J. U.
Eldridge to be assayer-In-chief of tl^
new assay office at Salt Lake, and as no
other names are before the President the
recommendation will doubtless be carried
out. Mr. Eldridge is said to be wen
fitted for the position.
Senator Cummins Learning.
Senator Cummins of Iowa believes he
is learning the ropes in the Senate ae
rapidly as most new men do. He called
on the President today. Responding to a
facetious inquiry aa to bow he was get
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