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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
?*C<VhP,l^lie<1J bjr t,,e majority members
of the boards of supervisors of elec
tions in.- the Wilson ballot law coun
ties making up this fraudulent ballot
without any knowledge of. or participa
wl ; H! 8 *or* ,by the minority mem
Mrs of the board.'
Indorses Taft.
The platform starts off by indorsing
the policies of President Taft and his
administration. It then takes up the
suffrage amendment and declares:
"Republicans of Maryland claim help
from all good citizens, whatever their
politics or party, from all sincere
mends of honest government and pure
polities, in defeating the proposed
simendment to our state constitution,
which we accept as the paramount is
sue In this campaign. Like the amend
ment rejected by the people four years
ago. this measure, would make of
Maryland a one-party state, subject
with no hope of rescue, to the misrule
or those selfish and unscrupulous men,
long supreme in the democratic party
organizations, against whose methods
and aims thousands of democrats have
again and again protested at the polls.
"It would render powerless for good
independent voters, reform organizations
and a free press, and thus virtually de
stroy the salutary Influence of public
opinion on our state and city govern
ments. This amendment would rob thou
sands of worthy citizens of rights solemnly
assured them by the Bupreme law of the
land. It is a scheme long meditated and
carefully planned to make and keep
Maryland under the control of the po
litical party now dominant and as now
organized, regardless of her people's
wishes, and at the same time to insure
to the men who make up the political or
ionization now in power perpetual control
of their own party and through it the
state government?a control to be used
in the future, as It has been In the Dast,
for their own selfish ambitions and fraud
ulent aims and purposes, without regard
to the fair fame or vital interests of our
state. Condemned by enlightened public
opinion throughout the Union, Its adop
tion would be a discredit to our state, an
insult and a grievance to our foreign
born citizens and a grave menace to free
government in Maryland.
Democratic Control "Dangerous.''
"The danger of perpetuating the con
trol of the democratic organizations has
been strikingly emphasized in the admin
istration of state and city government."
The platform then charges "the present
democratic state administration with gross
inefficiency and mismanagement."
"We point to the first session of its legis
lature," it continues, "which has been
marked by unprecedented extravagance,
by the most shameless multiplication of
useless state employes at the public's ex
pense and by a brazen refusal to even re
spectfully consider the recommendations
of economical procedure offered by Gov.
Wartield in his retiring message."
It then scores the city democratic ad
ministration, declaring that "exposures of
lax business methods and notorious scan
dals have followed in rapid and startling
succession, notably the defalcation in the
city register s office, resulting In the loss
of nearly S70.0OU of the people's money."
The platform declare* for the bill of
the Just Representation League, which is
based unon representation according to
population.
The platform advocates "a just, impar
tial and unprejudiced supervision and
control of public service corporations and
public utilities generally in this state
through incorruptible, enlightened and
nonpartisan agencies, and we condemn
any exemption from such supervision and
control, or *>ther 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
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