THE EVENING STAR WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION. Offica, lltk St. ud The Evtning Star Nnriptpc Oospuy, linpMn Office: a Refent St.. London. Ei|iui New tork Office: Tribune Buildinf. I Chicago Offlse: Firtt WationW luk Sulliiaff. Th? Evening Star, with the Sunder moraine edition. Is delivered by carriers within the city at .10 rent* per month. Orders may be sent by ?all or telephone Main 2440. Collection Js nude br carrier at the end of each month. By mail, po^tere prepaid* Dally. Sunday Included, one month. AO cent*. Daily. Sunder excepted, one month. 60 cent*. Saturday Star. fl year. Sunday Star. 91.50 year. Weather. Fair tonight and Thursday# continued warm. No. 17,866 WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1909.-SIXTEEN PAGES. TWO CENTS. Maryland Republicans Upbraid Democratic Governor. CONVENTION MEETS TODAY Disfranchise Amendment Means Fraud, Says Platform. WILLIAMS FOE CONTROLLER Cecil County Man Gets Nomina tion?State Central Com mittee Is Named. Special Dispatch to Tho Stur. BALTIMORE. August "JT>.?The repub lican state convention met at noon today at the Maryland Theater, and the roll call showed a full attendance of delegates. The features of the convention were a hot shot at Gov. Crothers. a vigorous denun ciation on the platform of the proposed disfranchisement amendment and the nomination of Frank E. Williams of Cecil county for state controller. The convention adopted the following resolution calling upon the chief executive of the state to show cause why the'letter of Chairman Parran to the governor hi regard to marked ballots and other viola tions of the corrupt practices act should not be answered: "We "call attention to the fact that at the last meeting of the republican state central committee for Maryland a resolu tion was adopted by that committee di recting Chairman Manna to request of I Gov. Crothers by letter that the attorney! general of Maryland be called upon for an opinion as to whether or not the elec tion law of Maryland permitted black lines to be placed under or over the names of candidates on official ballots in the Wilson law counties of Maryland. Acting upon this resolution. Gov. Crothers was requested by Chairman Hanna to ask thut an opinion on these points be given by the attorney general. In that such an opinion has not been given, though asked for in May last, we submit that it is fair to assume that this trick of black-lining the names of democratic candidates may again be resorted to at the coming elec tion, and if such should be done should be branded as an act of dishonesty and as i an effort to debauch and fradulently carry the elections to be held in November next. "And we further hold that if this scheme is to be carried out it will be ?*Cther special favors to any particular enterprise or corporation." For Repeal of Wilson Law. Other fe'atures of the platform are: "We ask all honest men to aid us in choosing a general assembly which shall repeal the iniquitous 'Wilson' law and once more assure to every constitutional voter the right to have his ballot ca?t according to his ?-onscience and counted as cast. "We believe in a just and fair primary election law. The existing primary elec tion law is unfair, expensive and unsat isfactory to honest candidates and honest voters. "We favor a progressive, practical and enlightened policy of good roads con struction by the state. "We demand the strict and Impartial enforcement of the corrupt practices act. "We favor liberal appropriations for the care of the Indigent insane and feeble minded. "We favor a revaluation and reassess (Continued on KKteenth Page.) Exhuming of Body Is Indefi nitely Postponed. OFFICIALS GIVE NO REASON Reticence at War Department Con cerning Change of Plans. SURPRISE TO MRS. SUTTON Believed Nothing Will Be Done Until War and Navy Secretaries Return to the City. The exhuming of the remains of Lieut. | James N. Sutton, jr., which He in the Nationa! cemetery at Arlington has be*n indefinitely postponed. It will not occur today, nor tomorrow. An authoritative statement to that effect came from the office of the quartermaster general of the army today. No reason for the change of plans was given. In fact, officials of the War Department say that Mrs. Sut ton's request for permission to disinter the remains of her son has never been finally acted upon. Mrs. Sutton herself said today that she had known nothing of a plan to take the body of her son from the ground until she read it in the newspapers this morn- | ing. She received word from the de partment this morning, and at 10 o'clock told a Star reporter that arrangements had been made for the disinterment, ex amination and reburial in consecrated ground at Arlington, to occur between 4 and o o'clock this afternoon. Later the statement came out from the War De partment. and when she was informed of it Mrs. Sutton said she was as puzzled as any one elsa over the rapid changc of plans. Although the strictest reticence is main- j tained at the War Department with re- ! gard to the matter, it is understood that, the reason for,the delay is that most of; the high officials of the department are absent and the officers in charge do not care to assume full responsibility in the case. Several Seasons Advanced. There are several reasons for this. In the first place the Sutton case has as sumed national importance. The interest in it is so widespread that officials of the Navy and War Departments are confident that it will come up in Congress in one form or another, either through petition by Mrs. Sutton or as a result of the row between the navy and the Marine Corps growing out of Commander Hood's mi nority report, which contained severe criticisms of the Marine Corps. Another delicate phase of the situation involves a conflict of authority between the War De partment and the Navy Department. To avoid such conflict no army surgeon would perform an autopsy on the remains of Lieut. Sutton. Surgeon George Cook of the navy performed an autopsy the day after Sutton died. So far as the army is concerned, that autopsy is official, and will stand, unless express orders come from the Secretary of War through the surgeon general of the army. In this connection Col. La Garde of the Army Medical Corps, a famous expert on gunshot wounds, denied emphatically today the report that he was to perform the autopsy. Col. La Garde said he had never been requested to do so. and could not perform an autopsy without express orders from the surgeon general. The War Department became interested in the case only because the Arlington cemetery is under its control, and because Lieut. 8utton's remains could not be dis turbed without an order from the quartermaster general. Await Beiurn of Secretaries. The probabilities are that the whole matter will rest until the return to Wash ington of both Secretary of the Navy Meyer and Secretary of War Dickinson. They will confer, and it is not impossi ble that the matter will be referred to President Taft himself. In the meantime Mrs. Sutton and Mrs. Parker, mother and sister of the dead lieutenant of marines, have gained one point In their fight. Cardinal Gibbons, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in America, has given them his permis sion to bury Lieut. Sutton in consecrated ground. The cardinal is now in Port land, and it is understood that James N. | Sutton, Lieut. Sutton'ft father, laid the findings of the Annapolis court of inquiry before him there and that the cardinal, after studying them, raised'the ban and directed the church authorities in Wash ington to perform the necessary services. I To give Lieut. Sutton the benefit or the Catholic burial services disinterment is not necessary. The ground in which he now lies may be consecrated and the serv ices performed by a parish priest without the removal of the remains. In any event. Mrs. Sutton said today, lier son's remains will be allowed to rest in Arlington cemetery. At one time she had thought of taking them home to Oregon, but she has reconsidered that plan. To Verify Nature of Wound. The main object in the disinterment of the body U to determine the exact na ture of the wound in Lieut. Sutton's head and to verify, if possible, reports which Mrs. Sutton firmly believes that Lieut. Sutton's right arm was broken during the struggle on the night of October 12, 1907, that ended in his death. The testimony of Dr. Cook and Pick ercll before the court of inquiry differed regarding the wound. Dr. Pickerell. who was the first medical officer to reach Sutton after lie died, testified that the external appearance of the wound indi cated that the revolver which killed Sut ton was held close to his head when fired. Dr. Cook, who performed the au topsy for the first court of inquiry, ex pressed the opinion that the revolver was held several inches from Sutton's head. Gotham Broker Held at London. LONDON, August 25.?James Camp bell, described as a mining broker of New York, who was remanded August 21 in Liverpool, on the charge of obtaining $10,000 under false pretenses, was com mitted for trial today at^the Old Bailey. It appeared from the evidence submitted that Campbell obtained the money in question on an old share certificate of the Norfolk & Western Railroad Com pany, which has been worthless since the reconstruction of the line in 1MU6. The magistrate fixed baii at $10,000. Waterways Commission at Vienna. VIENNA. August 25.?The members of the American waterways commission have arrived here from Berlin. They will remain here until Saturday and then go on to Budapest. "Hello Bill" Shaw Dies. CINCINNATI, Ohio, August 25.?Col. William D. -Shaw, railroad man and originator of "Hello. Bill." the E!k slo gan at lodge conventions, is dead at his home here, aged seventy years. THE EAST AFRICAN EXPRESS IS ARRIVING. TUGBOATS BOILER EXPLODES ONE CRUSHED TO DEATH AND THEN SCALDED BY STEAM. Three Others Mortally Injured in Accident on Wrecking1 Company's Boat in East River. Special Dispatch to The Star. NEW YORK, August 25.?One man was instantly killed and others were mortally injured at 6 o'clock this morning when the boiler of the tugboat Bee. of the Packard Wrecking Company, exploded in the East river, almost under the De lancy street bridge. The Bee. commanded by Capt. Florin | Romard, was steaming up the river when j the explosion occurred. i The tugboat careened and began to sink I before the clouds of steam lifted. One man, whose name could r.ot be learned by the police, was crushed to death and then scalded by the steam. His body lay on tihe deck, when Capt. Rom ard attempted to steer his craft to shore. Sunk Near Shore. The boat was sinking fast when a tow was thrown to her by the tug Director. The Bee was drawn close to shore and then the three unconscious men and the body of the dead man were lifted to the Director. The Bee sank and the Director put up steam and made all speed to Bellevue Hospital. The dying men are Peter Bariin and John Jacobs, both firemen, and Albert Cordell, a cook. The cause of the explosion is not known. OPPOSE UNFAIR CONTRACTS. t Insurance Commissioners Plan to Aid Policyholders. COLORADO SPRINGS. Colo., August 25.?Great interest is shown during the deliberations of the national insurance commissioners' convention here in certain questions to be presented by the various committees today. An efTort is being made to have uniform contracts used by all accident insurance companies, there being claims that some of the smaller companies issue unfair contracts to the insured. This committee was expected to report today and there was prospect of a lively debate. The committee on fraternal insurance w'as also scheduled to report today. Salt Lake City and Mobile, Ala., are working for the ltftu convention. The following speeches were on today's program: "The Fraternal Insurance Ques tion," James R. Young, North Carolina; "Taxation of Insurance Companies." Thomas B. Love, Texas; "The Mutuallxa tion of Stock Companies," Joseph Button, Virginia; "Insurance Legislation," W. L. Clayton, Colorado. SAFETY IN GOLDEN GATE. Harbor Susceptible of Being Mined' in Less Than 48 Hours. SAN FRANCISCO, August 25.-Thut the ' harbor of San Francisco could be mined in less than forty-eight hours and the port be rendered safe from invasion by a foreign fleet was the statement made yes terday by Capt. Ferguson of the mine planting steamer Armisteai' aft^r seven uncharged mines had been placed in the Golden Gate. The work of the mine planter and the Coast Artillery was undertaken as a practlcc measure and to demonstrate the speed with which the mines could be. laid. After the fire control cables have been laid a number of loaded mines will be placed at the mouth of the harbor and exploded as a matter of actual practice for the Coast Artillery. President to Witness Ball Oame. CHICAGO, August 35.?President Taft, who is to~ be the guest of the Hamilton Club in this city September 16, from 3:30 o'clock in tlie afternoon until he leaves the city the following morning, has for warded his acceptance of an invitation from the officials of the club to attend a special base ball game in the afternoon. The day is an open date for the West side team. A special game has been ar ranged between the Chicago and New York National League dubs. The pro gram for the evening's entertainment for the President has not yet been com pleted. . ......... Expert Gunners Firing at Mov ing Targets. . i o - f i . ? TRIALS BY THE U. S. NAVY Admiral Schroeder's Fleet on Drill Grounds on the Atlantic. MANEUVERS AND EVOLUTIONS Testing the Efficiency of Men Be hind the Guns?Naval Colony at Norfolk. NORFOLK, Va., August 23.-Battie practice with the torpedo boat O'Brien and the cigar-shaped practice barge No. 2, as moving targets, was continued throughout today by Rear Admiral Schroeder's Atlantic battleship fleet on the southern drill grounds. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Win tlirop continued as the suest of the fleet throughout the day and was a most in terested observer from the firing ships of their evolutions and gunnery practice in demonstration of the efficiency of the navy's best gunners, when aiming upon the enemy in mimic warfare. The fir ing began early in tlie day and could at times be heard faintly from tlie shore at Cape Henry and Virginia Beach. The firing was at times in quick succession, and then only at intervals. Ocean Swells Lacking. The weather was clear, but the desired ocean swell was lacking, and the battle practice targets had to be towed about the drill grounds in a calm sea. Rough and choppy waters >ere preferred for this work with the view to testing marksmanship under most trying cir cumstances. This will come later, how ever, as there is yet much battle prac tice work remaining on the program of maneuvers and evolutions of the fleet. The vessets of the fleet while engaging in practice work today had their wire less batteries screwed to the limit, so as to avoid interference witli commercial wii-eless operations on the coast, and it was impossible to pick up any of the day's results as they were communicated from ship to ship. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Win ihrop is expected to take his leave of the fleet this afternoon, reaching Old Point in- time for his scheduled departure this evening for the National Capital. Cruisers Take on Coal The armored cruisers Montana. North1 Carolina and New York, which came into Hampton roads last evening, were today engaged in coaling and taking on ammu nition and other 'stores spnt from the Norfolk navy yard. This completed, they will rejoin, the Schroeder fleet on the drill grounds. The mail and dispatch boat Hornet hav ing broken down, the auxiliary Panther has been substituted in her place and is now making daily trips between Old Point Comfort and the fleet, carrying mail and small supplies. Tlie presence of the battleships in these waters has brought to Old Point Com fort and the watering places about Nor folk a large colony of naval people who will remain here until the ships leave, about September 8, to prepare for the Hudson-Fulton celebration in New York. Asiatic Squadron in Chinese Waters. PBKING. August 25. ? The Asiatic squadron of the American Pacific fleet, under command of Rear Admiral G. B. Harber, has arrived at Cliing Wantao from Japanese waters. Admiral Harber and the various commanders will come up to Peking for an audience with the re gent. Smallpox Case on Ocean Liner. NEW YORK, August 23.?The steamer Carpathia, which arrived last night from Naples, was detained at quarantine today with a case of smallpox among the cabin passengers. The patient, C. G. Kustis. a former naval officer, was said to be in the convalescent stage and was transferred to the ICmergency Hospital. His wife went to the hospital .with him. . HEAVY EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY MANY HOUSES DESTBOYED IN SIENA PROVINCE. Scores of Persons Injured at San Lorenzo?Panic in the City of Siena. SIENA, Italy, August 25.? A heavy earthquake was felt throughout the prov ince of Siena at L29 a.m. today. Prac tically all the houses in San Lorenzo were destroyed or badly damaged. Many per sons were injured. The quake was felt most severely within a radius of twenty miles from Siena. Considerable damage was done at Buono convento. Several houses collapsed and one person was killed. Several persons were injured at Monteronl. A number of houses also were damaged there and masonry fell into the streets. The shock was recorded at Piorabino, on the coast about fifty Miles southwest of Siena, at 1:25 a.m., and there was a repe tition live minutes later. The people fled from their homes in terror, but no damage has been reported. Siena itself escaped with a severe shak ing. The people were badly frightened, however, and rushed out of their houses into the streets, where they wandered about in a state of semi-panic until they were assured that the quakes were over. Siena province has an area of 1.470 square miles and a population of 233,000. The city of Siena is at an altitude of 1,000 feet and counts 30,000 inhabitants. San Lorenzo. Buonoconvento, Monter onl and Piombino are villages with popu lations ranging from 1,000 to 4,000. HEBMIT'S HOABD POUND. Lucky Discoveiy in an Old Aban doned Hut. Special Dispatch to The Star. NORTH ADAMS. Mass., August 25.? Peter Morgan and Henry Williams of Ponal, Vt., are 13,000 richer as the re sult of a lucky find. They went into a deserted hut to escape the thunderstorm, and in prowling about the place found beneath some loose floor boards an old rusty coffee can filled to the cover with gold and sliver coins and dollar bills. The hidden hoard is sup posed to have belonged to an aged her mit, Willis Brown, who was found dead In the place abo,ul fourteen years ago. All of the cains and bills were of the civil war period and were badly dis colored. ? As the aged man had no relatives, so far as known, it. is probable that the money will revert to the men who found It. BAILWAY OABDENEBS ELECT. American Association of Landscape Beautiflei-s Adjourn Convention. PHILADELPHIA, August 25.?Dele gates of the American Association of Railroad Gardeners, composed of em ployes of railroads in the east and mid dle west, closed their third annual con vention here today with an inspection trip over a section of the Pennsylvania railroad. * The following officers w"ere elected: President, George B. Moulder, chief gar dener for the Illinois Central railroad; vice president, Patrick Foy, chief gar dener of the Norfolk & Western railway; secretary and treasurer. J. S. Butter worth. landscape gardener for the Mis souri-Paciflc system; new members of the executive cotnmlttee, M. R. Smith of the Pennsylvania railroad and Charles H. Fritschler of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis rullway. Convicts Escape From Pen Hospital. Spcviut Dispatch to The Star. RICHMOND. Va., August 25.-This morning three white inmates of the hos pital at the penitentiary farm attacked Guard Pamplin, knocked hlra down, took his gun and then enticed two large blood hounds to follow them. The men made their escape. Officers are now scouring the country for the convicts. Turkish Ambassador Sails. NEW YORK, August .25. ? Hussein Klazim Bey, Turkish ambassador to tho United States, sailed today on the steamer Mauretani* for Liverpool, / Order for Temporary Care of Incubator Baby. OTHER ISSUES DEFERRED Habeas Corpus Proceedings Await Action of Governor. FOSTER MOTHER'S STATEMENT Declares Real Mother of Infant Is an Actress?Will Continue Her Fight. KANSAS CITY, August 23.?Marian Bleakley, the five-year-old incubator baby of St. Louis world's fatr fame, who was kidnaped at Topeka last Saturday from Its mother, Mrs. J. J. Bleakley, was today placed temporarily in the custody of the clerk of the Juvenile court at Kansas City. An order to this effect was given here this forenoon by Judge E. E. Porterfield in the circuit court. There were two habeas corpus proceed ings on the docket today, both brought by Mrs. James G. Barclay of Buffalo, N. Y., the foster mother of the child, to prevent herself and J. R. .Gentry from being re turned to Topeka for trial. The second sought to prevent Baby Marian from being returned to the custody of Mrs. Bleakley, who the state supreme court has de clared is the legal mother. Today's proceedings, though brief, were fraught with much interest and were par ticipated in by the greatly sought child and the two women who have made so strenuous a fight for her possession. Postponed by Agreement. By agreement the habeas corpus pro ceedings in the case of Mrs. Barclay and Gentry to prevent their being returned to Topeka for trial was postponed until Monday next, until after the requisition hearing at Jefferson City before Gov. Hadley. When the proceedings in the separate habeas corpus to prevent Marian being returned to the custody of her mother at Topeka came up Frank Walsh, attorney for Mrs. Bleakley. filed an answer in which it was contended that Judge Por terfield's division of the circuit court lacked' jurisdiction. Arguments of this case were then be gun. Mr. Walsh declared that a & the state supreme court had decided that Mrs. Bleakley was the mother of the baby the lower court had no right to interfere. This case also in turn was finally post poned until Monday afternoon next, as stated, to be heard after the Barclay Gentry case is disposed of. In the mean time the court issued the order remand ing Marian Bleakley to .the custody of the clerk of the Juvenile court. Says Mother Is an Actress. Marian Bleakley, the incubator baby, is not the child of Mrs. J. J. Bleakley of Topeka, according to Mrs. Stella Barclay of Buffalo, N. Y., the foster jnother of the little girl. Her real mother, Mrs. Barclay declares, is.an actress. Mrs. Barclay, resting under a charge of kidnaping Marian, has said she will fight until she dies to retain possession of the little one. This morning she said to a reporter in the matron's room: "If I thought for one minute there was_ a drop of Mrs. Bloakley's blood In the child, I would not have her lor an instant, but I know to whom she belongs. She was the child of an actress. And, by the way, littjp Marian is .the exact picture of her. The strong similarity of features to my mind makes the identification complete. If we could only by some legal proceed ing get the actress to court there would be no doubt in the matter." Interest in the case today centered around the hearing In Judge E. E. Por I terfield's division of the criminal court of the habeas corpus proceedings brought to prevent Mrs. Barclay, J. M. Gentry and Marian Bleakley trom being returned to Kansas. POPE KEEPS WELL POSTED. Archbishop Farley Declares He's a Hard Wonker Despite His Age. NEW YORK, August 25.?Rev. John M. Farley, Catholic archbishop of New York, returned on the steamer Caronia today from a visit to the pope. He was met by several hundred representatives of the clergy and laity of his archdiocese who went down the bay in a big ex cursion steamer for the purpose. The archbishop said: "We were cordially received by the pope, and he was greatly interested in all we had to say about America and the progress of the country and of the church. He is as well informed on the topic of the day in America, as well as other countries, as any newspaper man in New York. His power for work is wonderful. A man of seventy-four years of age, the labor that he performs in a week would drive the average New Yorker to take a month's rest at Saratoga." SPECIAL BALL GAME FOB TAFT. Feature of President's Stay in Chi cago on Western Tour. SpoHal Dispatch to The Star. CHICAGO, August 25-?President Taft, who is to lie the guest of tha Hamilton Club Thursday, September 16, from 3:.'!0 o'clock in the afternoon until he leaves the city the following morning, has for warded his acceptance of an invitation from officials of the club to attend a spe cial base ball game in the af.ernoon. The day is an open date for the West Sid? team. A special itame has been ar ranged for between the Cubs and the New York Giants. The program for the President has not yet been completed. 400 Square Inches of Skin Grafted. SALEM, Ore., August 25.?Miss Irene Martin, eighteen years old. of this city has just undergone an operation in which tour hundred square inches of skin have been engrafted on her body. She was recently seriously burned. Thre? people offered akin for the operation. Physicians declare this the greatest skin-grafting operation ever performed. Monument Dealers to Meet. CHICAGO. August 25.?Prices, styles and quality of monuments and tombstones will be discussed at the annual oonventlon of the National Retail Monument Deal ers' Association, which begins a two-day session here today. Lord Eliot Commits Suicide. LONDON, August 25.?An inquest was held today into the death yesterday of Lord Eliot, eldest son of the Earl of St. Germans, who was found dead at Port Eliot, the family residence, from a gun shot ?*ound. The verdict was suicide. Lord Eliot had acted strangely since bis recent return from Egypt, ..... ASKS FOR THE FACTS President Taft Wants to Know i About Alaska Coal Lands. CALLS FOR FULL REPORT Acting Secretary Pierce Will Sub mit Details Soon. DEPARTMENTAL ROW POSSIBLE Sensation Caused by the Appeal of Mr. Glavis Over the Heads of His Superiors. Interesting1 if not sensational develop ! ments are expected quickly in the Pin j chot-Bahinger row. President Taft has taken a hand in the cape, and has placed Interior Department officials on the de fensive. w Officials of the Interior Department to j day received a demand from President i Taft for a detailed report upon all phases i of the departmental action on what is known as the Cunningham coal land cases, arising In Alaska. "There Is nothing to say about this matter," said Acting Secretary Pierce to j a Star reporter, "except that we will make a report to the President within a few days upon published statements and upon the situation." The officials take the position that as they are preparing a report for the President their lips are necessarily sealed against any outside discussion of the subject. This was the attitude assumed by Commissioner Dennett, who only this morning arrived from an in spection tour through the west, and Acting Secretary Pierce coincided with this statement. The two officials were engaged early In the day witli Assistant Attorney General Lawlor in consulta tion with reference to the proposed re port to Beverly, and assurance was given that It would be put In shape as soon as possible. Privately the officials express Indignation regarding the re port, and say that at the proper time they will have no difficulty In convinc ing the public of the probity of their conduct In the matter. A departmental row of the biggest pro portions is threatened as the very least that will happen, while the air la full of rumor of possible scandals of magnitude. It is said that charges which have been preferred will either be sustained, to the disparagement of one set of officials, or if disproved will react upon another set and Interfere with their further usefulness to the government. President Taft is said to* be in a posi tion where he must take cognisance of the situation and'that he has done so in most vigorous fashion by demanding the fullest explanation. He hag* also called upon Secretary Balliiiger, now In the west, "for his version of slich poftlonrf df the case as he may be familiar with as the result of his former connection with the Cunningham claimants and his official po sition as head of the Interior Department. Charges of Chief Glavis. This action was precipitated by the recent visit to Beverly of L R. Olavis, chief of tield division of the general land office, with headquarters at Seattle and with Jurisdiction over Alaska. Mr. Glavis went over the heads of his im mediate superiors and took his informa tion direct to the President. The fact that his charges are said to reflect upon the work of his own department, and to substantiate intimation?. which would support the position of the forestry serv ice, lends added significance to his action. Mr. Glavis is not now in Beverly nor in Washington, and it is declared he has not talked to newspaper men. but there is knowledge in a general way in official circles of the purposes of his recent visit to the summer capital. ' There Is thought to be no question that Mr. Glavis' statements to the President precipitated the executive action calling for the complete statement from the in terior Department. The present crisis is said to be an incident of the friction be tween the forestry' service and the land office over administration of the conser vation policy, and therefore in a measure a part of the Ballinger-Plnchot contro versy. In the absence of official statement and depending upon unofficial and press re ports from various points, the situation at present seems to be an inquiry into the truth or falsity of certain charges or in timation that some Interior Department officials have not lent requisite aid to the effort of the government to save a bil lion dollars' worth of coa Hands in Alaska from being turned over to private owner ship Instead of being withheld by the government under the conservation policy. As a matter of fact, reports go a great deal farther than that and make stronger intimations, but they have not. publicly at least, taken the form of official charges and necessarily cannot be detail ed at length. Coal Lands in Dispute. The lands in dispute in this case coin prise some 35,000 acres In Alaska, part of the tract lying within the Chugach forest reserve. -They contain coal In enormous quantities, and a rough estimate of their value places them upon a footing with the Pennsylvania coal fields. They con tain the fuel for coming generations of settlers In Alaska and on the Paeilic coast, and the government policy of con servation has been to withhold them from private acquisition until their value could be ascertained and a method for their disposal provided. In the meantime settlers have endeav ored to get hold of them by entering claims. Some 72"? filings have been made, and later these were consolidated, reduc ing the total claims to some forty-five. The charge has been made that some of these entries were made through con spiracy. the use of "dummies" and simi lar methods. The land office has been investigating those charges, and Mr. Olavis has been In charge of the work until recently superseded by Special Agent Sheridan. It has been alleged that the action of the Department of the Interior has tended to hurry the decision In the con spiracy cases before all the testimony could be put in. It is alleged that May 19 Acting Secretary of the Interior Pierce laid down a decision that no charge of conspiracy should lie against the Cunningham cases, and that upon Mr. Olavis taking it over the heads of his superiors and to the President, At torney General Wickersham reversed the order about June 29 and held that conspiracy charges should be considered as lying in those cases. Mr. Glavis communicated with the forest service, informing the law of ficial of that branch of the service that part of these coal lands were within the Chugach forest reservation, and asking him to have the forest service co-operate in efforts to hold up decision in the Cunningham cases until thejr could be further Investigated. This waa done, and through the Secre tary of Agriculture the cases were halted. One of the most significant features of the whole affair, according to offi cials. is that Mr. Olavis, the officer of the Interior Department, should find a I I- ?< ? ? ? ? ? ? * . # ?V