Evening star. [volume], July 21, 1910, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
v'; ^ "' ' v-:: ..r;-- - " -'' - '\m
? r ??
WFATHFR C^5*/ . 6 *rn The circulation of The Stir, ?
1 I 1 ^ ^ 4?/L A ^ ^ ^ AiJ both daily ard Sunday, is greater 8
Fair moderately high tcm- M1 ^k/^k ^y many thousands than that of |
, trature tonight and Friday; light: I: I IT I 1 %7^V I I %S I I I I I I I I I any other Washington newspaper.
Yariablcwinds- - J V^llv /W\lvl W4IM . .1
v | jjaNj^Tronj^jToo^^^oTATiojis^
No. 38.195. WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1910-EIGHTEEN PAGES. ONE CENT~
EXPLOSION OF GUN
AT FORT MONROE
KILLSTEN MEN
Wives and Children of Artillerymen
See Them Blown
to Pieces.
LIEUT. G. L. VAN DUESEN
SUFFERS A BROKEft LEG
Lieut. Howes Is Injured About His
Face.
VICTIMS HORRIBLY MANGLED
Breech Blows Out During Battle
Practice by Coast Artillery.
* J
.Names ox Anown i?eaa.
i
FORT MONROE. Va.. July 21 ?Ten artillerymen
arc dead and a number of
< thers seriously injured, including two
officers. as the result of the blowing out
of a breech block in a twelve-inch shore
gun at the Dc Russy battery during the
coast artillery practice here today.
The accident occurred while student ofl
i ers were endeavoring to sink a tleet of
towed tareets. representing an imaginary
hostile fleet proceeding toward Washington.
The battery was under the immediate
command of Scrgt. Harry Haas of
the rtflth Company, I'nited States Coa&?<
Artillery.
The Known Dead.
The known dead arc: '
Sergt. llarrj Haas, gun commander.
Corporal Bradford, gun pointer.
Privates A. J. Sullivan. Duffy. Adkins,
Adej, Kine. Chad wick and Smith.
One private was blown into Chesapeake
bay with the breech block. ,
Lieut Van Detisen sustained a broken
1 g. Lieut. Hawes was injured about
the face.
Wives See Husbands Killed.
Many prominent officers of the army
ai d r.a\ y who went to Hampton roads to
v tress what was expected to be the
iarset practice of tiiis character
i it cad bc< n attempted anywhere saw
the accident.
it wa* the more horrible for the reason
laat wives and children of several of the
it en killed, no danger having been anticipated,
were permitted to see the tareet
practice A number of them witnessed
tut accident- j
Report to War Department.
\n official report to the War Department
shows ten men killed, two probably
fatally injured, and five slightly injured
as the result of the premature ignition
of a powder charge in a twelve-inch gun
at the battle practice at Fort Monroe
today. The dead;
Sergt. Harry <j. Hess.
t'orps. Charles O. Adkins and Albert
I.radtord: Privates Roy Dubbey, John W.
t nadwick. Clove W. King, Alfred W.
smith, Andy J. Suliivan, James ii. Turiier
and H. Adey.
The report says the explosion was probablj
due to the premature ignition of a
powder charge, jn which the breechPk?ck
and powder were blown to the rear.
A board ot officers is investigating.
The probably fatally injured are.
Arlie Adey and Judd E. Hogan.
Slightly injured;
Second Lieut. (Jeorge L. Van Deusen.
Privates Orville T. Rainey. Ellsworth
Hf man. Charles E. Parks and William
Sulzberger.
News at War Department.
News of the catastrophe at Fort Monroe
spread rapidly through the War Department.
The greatest interest was manitested
in the details.
A telegram received this afternoon from
titn. W II. Carter, assistant chief of
staff at Fort Monroe, announced that
eight men had b?*cn killed, two men fa
tall} injured and three others slightly injured
and that Lieut. George L. Van Deufrcn
had bis leg broken.
There apparently was at first some delay
in the transmission of official reports.
i?> direction of Gen. Wood, chief of staff,
efforts were made to secure information
from the po-t by long-distance telephone.
By that means the account was given
that Sergt. Hess and eight men ol the
k*th company were instantly killed.
* ^l'hese men < omprise tlie crew of one of
the three twelve-inch guns of Battery
J>e liussey.
The earlier telephone messages said
that the breech block of the gun had
blown out and caused a premature explosion.
Gen. Caiters message was received
later. It was addressed to Gen. Oliver,
acting seucni) ui war.
Explanation of Accident.
Officers of the Coast Artillery gave It as
t. eir unoflt* Jal opinions that the explosion
va.s caused b> the ignition of the charge
before the breo block had been closed,
probably caused by the wind blowing
uewn the mouth of the gun.
The shore guns were engaged in battle
practice with a fleet >>f moving target
which was being towed up Hampton
roads about four miles out, and supposed
to represent a hostile tleet sailing up the
J'otomae to atta k Washington.
officers of the Coast Artillery had pre\
iously declared that the firing tests
1,a mnriiirtwl <>?> -j
" " ? ? " " ?' o*-' ovaiv
than had ever been attempted anywhere.
It had been planned to have five batteries
of ten and twelve-inch guns concentrate
their fire upon the target fleet and demolish
It as quickly as possible.
Jt was intended also to bring the mortars
into play. Ships of the coast artillery
were to tow the targets. Each
was thirty feet high and sixty feet long
and represented a section of a battleship.
The De Russy battery, where the explosion
took place, was located in about
the middle of the fort, and was equipped
m-|th three twelve-inch disappearing rifles
1ft mounted design. it was named alter
%
I
Brig. Gen. G. A. De Russy. who served j
with distinction in the civil war, and
died in 1801.
The hattery was manned by the entire
j enlisted strength of the 00th Company.
! which was about 105 men, distributed
j among the three rifles. About twentytwo
men were in each firing squad and
were stationed upon the implacement of j
the guns, the others being below in the
magazines.
Which of the three guns exploded was
not reported. Officers of the coast artillery
here say that the heavy death
list indicates that the explosion took
place after the gun had disappeared and
was in a reclining position in the pit.
They point out tuat -had it exploded
' while tlie gun was up the damage would j
have been comparatively slight. Ex- i
plosions of the latter character have oc
| curred before in the Coast Artillery, but
j never with such disastrous results.
Thirty Officers in Charge.
Thirty officers, who have recently been
! graduated from the Artillery School at
' Fortress Monroe, were in charge of the
'
l tests.
i Newly Assigned to Corps.
I
Second Ideut. George L<. Van Deusen
is from New Jersey, and was graduated
from the United States Military Academy
in June, 10<i0. He was originally appointed
second lieutenant of the 18th
United States Infantry.
A few days ago he was transferred to
the Coast Artillery Corps, and was sent
to Fort Monroe to take a course of instruction
at the artillery school at that
post. It was in connection with his new
duties that he met with his present misfortune.
Go to Witness Battle Practice.
A large party of military men left here
last evening fer Fort Monroe to witness
battle practice with big guns which ended
so disastrously today. In the party were
Gens. W. H. Carter and T. H. Bliss, assistant
chief of staff; Gen. William Crozier.
chief of ordnance; Gen. James B. Aleshire,
quartermaster general; Gen. William
H. Bixby. chief of engineers; Col.
iviniugomery ,\l. .uacuiiin, gt-iiviai siau ,
T.ieut. ("oils. Millard F. Waltz, general
stalT: William D. Beach, general staff:
Edward Burr. Corps of Engineers, and
Charles J. Bailey, Coast Artillery Corps:
Majs. John II. Rice, ordnance department:
Edwin A. Root, general staff; William
C. Davis, general staff, and Andrew
Hero, jr.. Coast Artillery Corps, and
Capts. Michael J. Eenlhan, William S.
, Graves, Henry G. Eearnard, P. D. l>oehridgo.
Charles D. Rhodes, Joseph P.
Tracy, general staff; Clarence M. MrNeil,
Percy P. Bishop and Edward Carpenter.
Coast Artillery Corps.
The naval officers detailed to observe
the tests are IJeut. Commander Heigh C.
Palmer and IJeuts. Baldridge and Howe
I of the target inspection office, and Commander
Jackson, in charge of the ordnance
proving grounds at Indian Head,
Md. 4
RAWN SELF-SLAIN'
Murder Theory Is Scouted by
Police of Chicago.
THEY WILL ABANDON CASE
Coroner's Discoveries Substantiate
Belief in Suicide.
i
"Ira G. Rinn committed suicide.
The Chicago police will drop the In
I ventilation and the search for the aupi
potted murderer."
?HKRMAN SCHl'ETTLER,
Act Ins Chief of Police of Chicago.
Police Abandon Case.
CHICAGO, 111., July 21.-The Chicago
police have dropped the investigation Into
the death of Ira G. Rawn, president of
the Chicago, Indianapolis and L<ouisville
I railroad CMonon). *
Herman Schuettler, acting chief of police,
said today that he was satisfied that I
Mr. Rawn had committed suicide.
Acting Chief ftcnuettler announced his
decision after a long conference with his
detectives who had investigated the \Vinnetka
tragedy. All the details point to
suicide, according to the detectives.
Murder, Assert Detectives.
Despite the withdrawal of the Chicago
police the private detectives employed by
the Rawn family continued their investigation,
and steadfastly declared that Mr.
Rawn was killed by a burglar.
The suicide theory is believed to liave
been strengthened by the results of an
investigation by Coroner Hoffman.
' While Mr. Hoffman lias not announced
his theory of Mr. Rawn's death, it is
i said he tends toward the suicide theory.
The bullet hole in Mr. Rawn's night
I garment ha- r*=en careruny examined ay i
; the police. Tiicv said its appearance I
leads to the suicide belief.
Powder Marks on Gown.
The hole is surrounded by blood stains
In which there are several particles
1 thought to be powder marks. If they
j prove to be powder marks the police
j think there would be little doubt that
! Mr.. Rawn killed himself.
While the private detectives announced
I yesterday that they expected to make
! an important arrest today, no one was
taken into custody.
"My men have told me that as far as
they could learn only one shot was heard
by the Rawn neighbors,' said Chief
Sohuettler. "They also told me that the
muzzle of the revolver was covered with
blood and that the flesh near the wound
' had been burned, which would indicate
j that the shot was fited only a few inches
from the body.
"We have found nothing that would in!
dirate murder.'"
The private detectives have discovered
nothing new to substantiate the murder j
1 theory. c*eie?fcJn?T to Ralph G. Coburn,
; son-in-law 01" the dead man.
"We have heard no("*?ng new and there
i< uniliinot further to he said." a
Mr. Cohurn.
Mr. Rawns funeral has been set for
tomorrow afternoon.
I SCENE O
i { A \'
' * - i& ?
' -
- V -'*
: V 'r
fOLDlEI
MAINE REGAINING
OLD-TIME POSITION
I
Coming Election in the State
Will Be Taken as Indicating
nf DiiUIIa Cftnlimnnt
ui in ui r uuiiu ociiuiiiciii.
DEMOCRATS WILL APPEAL
TO POPULAR DISCONTENT
Hope to Profit by Factional Differences
Among Republicans.
OLD REGIME IS WEAKENING
Four Representatives, the Legislature,
Governor and Numerous
Other Officers to Be Chosen.
Special From a Staff Correspondent.
PORTLAND, Me., July 21.?National Interest
attaches to the elections in Maine
which will be held September 12. Four
representatives in Congress, an entire
legislature, which is to choose a successor
to United States Senator Hale; a
governor and numerous county officers
are to he elected.
Republicans all over the country have
their eyes fixed upon this election, which
will he taken as indicative of the drift
of general public sentiment. If the democrats
should show gains over two years
ago?should elect one of their representatives
in Congress, as they are confident
of doing?such an outcome following the
democratic gain in the Foss district in
Massachusetts, the Rochester district in
New York and the De Armond district in
Missouri would make their jubilation
country-wide, and undoubted impetus
would be given to the democratic campaign
in all the states.
It falls out that the voters of Maine
are more interested in the state election
than in the Congress election, although in
^his particular district and in the second
district the congressional campaign has
peculiar personal and local features that
accentuate the Interest.
Belief of the Democrats.
"The democrats believe they have the
best chance in years to carry the state,"
said one of the big democratic leaders to
me today. Asked for his reasons, he
went on to say that the democrats hope
to profit by unquestioned factional differences
in the republican party, by the
dissatisfaction of the people over the high
cost of living, by the attitude of the
"standpatters" on the tariff, by the fear
that the republicans are not sincere on
the question of Canadian reciprocity, by
dissatisfaction over alleged republican
extravagance in the conduct o'. state affairs
and generally from the dlsgruntiement
of the voters and the supposed desi
pa for n rhnnerp
The republican majority for governor
two years ago was 7,273 in a total vote
of 142,bOO. Democrats regard that narrow
margin with satisfaction and are encouraged
to believe they can overcome it.
They admit that if the republicans get
together and work harmoniously and vigorously
for their ticket the democrats
cannot win, Maine being a republican
state normally. But they believe the republicans
are divided into factions and
that the progressive movement will extend
to Maine sufficiently to lessen the
republican vote of two years ago.
Political Changges Indicated.
Indications point to political changes
in Maine. The old regime is weakening.
The Hale influence, which dominated so
long, has been shattered. Senator Hale
himself is eliminated; his son has been
defeated in his ambitions for Congress;
men's views are altering. That element
of the party which believes in conserving
the water power of the state and other
natural resources instead of exploiting
them for a ring is in the saddle, led by
such strong and resourceful men as the
Flickers. Progressiveness is spreading;
the high protective tariff and the spirit
or siannpausm are neing quesiionea.
I do not mran to say that a democratic
victory is imminent: I only endeavor
to point out the conditions which
the democrats are counting upon to redound
to their advantage. The election is
still a number of weeks off. the campaign
is not under full swing and the old gray
fox doesn't predict so early in the game.
The republican governor who won by
that 7.300 majority has been renominated.
Bert M. Fernald. In his term the state
expenditures have exceeded the resources
by some $1,200,000. The money has not
been wasted; even the democrats admit
that. It has gone for state improvements,
but the Maine temperament does
not countenance a policy of exceeding
one's income. The state institutions will
have to borrow money to run on for
the near future and the democrats are
playing strong on that key.
The democrats have nominated as their
candidate for governor I-. v\ . Plaisted,
who has been three times elected mayor of
the rockrlbbed republican city of Augusta.
He Is a young man. full of enthusiasm.
and possesses ability. Tils
platform advocates tariff for revenue,
reciprocity with Canada, opposition to
state extravagance and resubmission of
the constitutional prohibition of the liquor
traffic. It blames the repub'Jcan tariff
for the high cost of living.
Republican Flans.
The republican will stand pat on
the tariff, praise the Payne bill, indorse
Taft and Roosevelt policies, play
up the tariff commission as evidence
~ (Continue*! on Tenth PageT)
F ARTILLERY AC
^ i '
? I i - iin mi
U AT TARUW PRACTICE AT FORT 1
^ $-4
DRIVING THE FORMOSANS.
Japanese Use Mountain Guns With
Advantage?Natives
Forced Out.
VIPTAdt a w r- .Tulv Ol Further
? 1 V * v<| V V*I J mm *. ? ? - ?
advices of the little war Japan is waging
against Formosan aborigines were
brought by the steamer Awa Maru yesterday.
The Japanese forces are now
building intrenched lines with blockhouses
flanking the Formosans, the total
length of the lines to date being 307
miles. Following the recent heavy fighting,
mountain guns have been taken in
as well as machine guns and the moral
effect of these has induced surrenders
of large bodies of natives. The fighting
is mostly in thick forests and mountainsides.
3,000 to 4,000 feet above sea level,
and there are difficulties in the way of
using artillery. The Japanese are mounting
guns on high hills from which the
native strongholds can be bombarded.
The Japanese forces in five detachments
resumed fighting July 2 and drove
the natives from their mountain strongholds
with heavy loss. The Japanese
forces went into action at thirty yards'
tkn V* *n< or i ham_
uiciaiu.r, me nauvco nuvntug mcuiselves
on the bayonets.
BASE BAIL RELEASES.
Latest Bulletin Issued by President
Ban Johnson.
CHICAGO, III.. July 21.?The following
bulletin of the American league was Issued
today by - resident B. B. Johnson:
Releases?By Washington, J. Hardy,
unconditional: Frank Oberlln. outright.
By New York to Jersey City?J. Frill.
By St. Louis to Toledo?Pitcher Gilligan
(optional).
By Detroit to Washington?H. Beckendorf.
By Cleveland to Springfield, 111.?A. J.
Patrick.
Bv Boston to Brockton ?Players McHaie
and Pond; to Lawrence, E. Jlearne;
Pitcher Yount. unconditional.
Contracts?With Philadelphia, P. Donahue
and John Leary.
TAFT ON GOLF LINKS.
Splendid Bar Harbor Weather Temptation
He Is Unable to Besist.
BAR HARBOR. Me., July 21?Another
day of Ideal weather called President
Taft early ashore from the Mayflower
and before 9 o'clock he was on his way
to the golf links of the Kebo Valley
Club. Mr. Taft made a low score of 99
for the 18 holes in his first trial yesterday
afternoon, but expected to beat that
today.
Today's luncheon engagement for the
Taft party was with the Nicholas Andersons
of Washington. Mr. Taft also will
hold a reception for the summer colony
at the club this afternoon. Some time
before nightfall he expects to have a
conference with Chairman H. C. Emery
of the tariff commission.
Telegrapher Stricken Dead at Keys.
NEW YORK, July 21.?William A. Plunkett,
at one time chief operator for the
Associated Press at Louisville, Ky.. was
stricken with heart failure at his key in
a downtown broker's office yesterday and
quickly expired.
He had been an operator for twenty
years.
:CIDENT.
?3r ft''- ' J
H^HnMWMHnBHMJ
KOKROB.
THE OPTIMIST.
?
CUT FENCE; JAILED
Mystery in Arrest of American
at Tia Juana.
DETAILS EAGERLY AWAITED
Prisoner, Heavily Ironed, Is Taken
to Ensanada for Trial.
NOT ALLOWED TO SEE FBIENDS
Effort to Construct Gate Regarded
as Trespass by Owners of
Adjoining Property.
SAN DIBGO. Cal., July 21.?Developments
are expected today in the case of
D. W. Mackay, whose arrest at Tia Juana
and alleged Ill-treatment by Mexican officials
have been brought to the attention
of the State Department at Washington.
Mackay Is due to arrive at Ensanada today
and it Is expected that Gov. Vega of
Lower California will act promptly.
He, presumably, already has ?.ne papers
in the case prepared by Mackay's lawyers
in this city. Strangely enough, beyond
the fact that Mackay's arrest was the
result of his cutting a hole in a wire
fence very little is known as to the
reason whv that action should have been
treated so drastically.
One report is that the fence was government
property, but this is not credited.
The commonly accepted version is that
conflicting property interests are at the
bottom of the trouble.
Trouble Over Gate.
It seems that the Arguollo estate, in
which Mackay bought an interest, has i
never been finally settled up. Mackay
cut the fence for the purpose of putting
in a gate. This appears to have
been considered a trespass and the arrest
followed. Why Mackay's action
should have brought such severe treatment
upon himself is not explained, except
on the theory of spite.
Mackay is a millionaire resident of this
city. He was taken from the'Tia Juana,
Lower California, Cuartel Tuesday afternoon
after tour days of strenuous efforts
on the part of friends in Idan Diego to
effect his release following his arrest a
week ago.
Guarded by two mounted rurales, Mac- (
Kay was siarieo ior t^usannaa ior iriai.
He was heavily ironed, but was permitted
to ride In his own carriage, and it is ex- <
pected that the rurales would reach Ensanada
today.
All efforts to communicate with
Mackay following his arrest were
futile. He has not even been allowed
to talk with his counsel.
Mining Man Arrested.
REDDING, Cal.. July 21.?News has
reached this city that Marion Beckwith,
who was formerly well known in Shasta
county as a mining man, is now in
Jail in Mexico. Beckwith was sent to
Mexico by the United States Smelting
and Refining Company to take charge
of a large copper mine in that country.
All his employes were Mexicans. A
short time ago he warned them to
drink less and work with more diligence.
He showed a disposition to enforce
his order In regard to drinking
and soon became unpopular at the
mine.
It is said that he is the victim of a
conspiracy of the men in his employ
and was arrested in an effort to get rid
of him.
Reports Awaited Here.
Telegrams protesting against the Imprisonment
in Mexico of D. W. Mackay
are being received today at the State
Department. These have awakened unusual
Interest In the case.
Reports on the situation are expected
hourly from both American Consul
n + T?neonorlo on/3
DtnillUCACl ai ohm * i win ihv
American embassy at Mexico City, In
response to inquiries sent out from Washington.
Bars Drinking on Trains.
ATLANTA. Ga., July 21.?The state senate
yesterday passed a bill declaring the
drinking of intoxicating liquors on passenger
trains a misdemeanor, punishable,
by fine or imprisonment.
/
II " ??
'
KING GEORGE'S CROWNING.
Picturesque Ceremony Proclaiming
That the Great Event Will
Occur Next Year.
LONDON, July 21. ? The picturesque
ceremony attendant upon the accession
of Kin? George was re-enacted today
when the various officers of arms proclaimed
his majesty's pleasure that the
coronation of the kin? and queen take
place in June, 1911, on a day to be later
determined.
Sir Alfred Scott Scott-Gatty, garter
king of arms, mounted the colonnade of
the Friary court in St. James palace and
read the royal proclamation. Grouped
about him were the officers of arras, the
high bailiff of Westminster and the Life
Guards. The Duke of Connaught and
others of the royal family looked on
from Marlborough house.
The proceedings were repeated at Charing
Cross and at Temple Bar, where admittance
to the ancient city of London
was solemnly demanded, and at the
Royal Exchange.
MOONSHINE STILL DESTROYED.
Located in Alabama, Home of Prominent
Candidate for Sheriff.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 21.?A dispatch
from Anniston, Ala., says revenue
officers have returned from Cleburne
county after having destroyed one of the
largest "moonshine" stills that have been
located in years.
It was in the home of Charles Pessnell,
one of the most prominent candidates for
sheriff, who lacked only twenty-two votes
of receiving the nomination. No arrests
were made.
YEAR S STRIKE MAY END.
Iron, Ste^l and Tin Workers to Vote
on It Soon.
PITTSBURG, Pa., July 21?The strike
begun over a year ago by the Amalgamated
Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers against the American Sheet and
Tin Plate Company is to be referred, it
is said, to a vote of the mill workers soon
to determine whether it shall be declared
off.
T :? - i:?..?,i ih. xii * 11 - J #
ii is uciievtu i in* vuie win ne cauea ior
before September 1. The strike was declared
because the company abolished its
joint agreement with the association and
entered individual agreements with the
men.
This was held by the unions to be an
"open-shop" policy, at which they rebelled.
Carried Baby, Lost Diamonds.
PITTSBURG, Pa., July 21.?D. R.
Spahr of Tarentum believes that the
weight of his baby has cost him |515
worth of diamonds. While carrying the
bouncing child around the streets yesterday
the jewels mentioned disappeared.
He believes that shifting the baby from
arm to arm woraed the diamonds out of
his pocket. *
Have The Sta
Wherever
If you are going out <
for the season The Star, i
? . ? f A . _ /
bring you tne nrsi news i
RATES BY MAIL, P'
The Evening Star, 40c
The Evening and Sum
The Sunday Star, 20c
Payment should be m
In ordering the pape
changed always give the c
dress.
LEGAL SNAG STRUCK!
Typographical Error May Delay
Raising the Maine.
FORMAL OPINION AWAITED j
Trouble Due to Mistake in Mention>
ing Date in Bill.
DOUBT OVER ANOTHER POINT
Officials Uncertain Whether They
Must Report Flans to Congress
Before Lifting Wreck.
rossioiy, pernaps, mayne, uie ?re<n ?
the battleship Maine will sometime, somehow.
be raised from the mud of Havana
harbor and the bodies of the American
sailors who perished on board her will j
And a final resting place in their native
land. War Department officials have
Just raised another quibble on two technical
points which, if sustained by the
Attorney General, will put off the com- j
mencement of the work of raising the
warship until after Congress has met
again.
Tt is quite likely that when the news of j
this latest obstacle reaches the ears of ;
Representative William Sulzer of New i
York he will blaze with righteous indig- j
nation, and will endeavor to have the i
intent and purpose of Congress carried
out without delay.
It was Mr. Sulzer who kept alive the
agitation which caused Congress at the
session just ended to appropriate $300,000
for the work of raising the wrecked vessel,
and when he left the city a few
weeks ago there seemed to be absoytely
nothing which could prevent the immediate
cpmmencement of the work.
But War Department officials have
found two obstacles, and they seem deeply
concerned about them-j^Jf much concerned
that they have deciaed to hold up
the work until the Attorney oeneral shall
have rendered an opinion.
Two Appropriations Made.
Congress at Its recent session made two
appropriations for the work of raising the
battleship. The first act, which was approved
May 9, provided that "the Secretary
of War and the chief of engineers
! are hereby authorized and directed to
provide with all convenient speed lor the
raising or. removal of the wreck of the
battleship Maine from the harbor of
Havana, Cuba, and for the proper interment
of the bodies therein in Arlington
cemetery."
This act carried with it an appropriation
of |100,000. Shortly after its passage
the army engineers reported that
the sum of $1U0,U0U was not sufficient to
even make a proper start and an item of
$200,000 was inserted in the urgency deficiency
bill. The clause making provision
for this appropriation set forth that
it should be expended for raising or removing
the wreck of the Maine "in accordance
with the provisions of the act
approved May 10, 191o."
The act referred to was approved May 0
and not May 10. It was clearly the intent
of Congress to refer to the act of May
9, but the War Department officials have
formally decided that nothing can be done
until the Attorney General officially sets
forth whether or not the $200,000 shall
be considered as applying to the $100,000
already appropriated by the act of May
9. A palpable typographical error has
been made, but the War Department
wants an opinion on it.
Another Tecchnical Point.
There is still another slight technical
pofnt which the Attorney General has
also been asked to decide. The officials
want to know whether, under the terms
of the act, they are merely to "provide"
for the raising of the Jge-jok, and then
report to Congress aig'to the plans decided
upon, and await further authorization
before commencing the work, or
whether the act authorizes them to go
ahead with the work.
Should the Attorney General decide
that these purely technical objections
have real weight nothing can be done
toward remedying them until Congress
convenes again next December, and the
work of raising the Maine would be
put back for practically a year.
? _? i.._ |? ,k>
c ongress W?D Biinuscij- maun*c m
matter of providing funds for the raising
of the Maine until the last session.
Representative Sulzer had talked for
twelve years on the matter, in season
and out, and Anally he forced the hands
of Congress, and obtained the appropriation
needed.
COURT RULES AGAINST MOON.
Declared to Be No Longer a Measure
of Time.
PITTSBURG, Pa.. July 21.?The moon
lias lost its legal standing in Pennsvlj
vania. Joe Coshen, through his counsel,
sought release from jail on the ghound
that, according to the moon, he had
served the month's time to which he
had been sentenced.
Judge Robert S. Frazer handed down
a decision that in legal or criminal matters
the moon has ever since 1821. by
ruling of the Supreme Court, been
eclipsed by the calendar as a measure of
time.
Diaz Opponent Ont of Jail.
SAN LIUS POTOSI, Mexico. July 21.?
Francisco I. Madero, candidate of the
anti-re-electionist party for President of
wHa Wn hpld in nriann hara
iurAiv.ut ?? " ^
on a charge of defaming President Diar,
was released on a bond of (8,000 yesterday.
r Follow You
You Go.
d? town for a few days or
line times out of ten, can
rom Washington.
OSTAGE PREPAID.
: a month.
lay Star, 6oc a month,
a month,
adc invariably in advance.
i _ J J I i
:r or naving me aaaress
>ld as well as the new ad?
GUARD MS IN
IN DIM! CAMP
Less Than 1,300 Men, Instead
of 2,000, From National
Capital at Gettysburg
REAL SOLDIERS WANTED
FOR SERVICE IN FUTURE
Weeding-Out Process Now Under
Way Expected to Benefit.
FOUND CAMPGROUND DIRTY
Pennsylvania Troops Not Particular
as to Conditions They Left Ba>
hind?Strenuous Work.
Special From a Staff Ourre*p??n<1ei>t.
GETTYSBURG. Pa.. July 21.-Jerked
up short and sharp, the loose ends of the
District National Guard got the shock
of their lives yesterday when they were
all jumped by both Gen. Harries and the
regular ofRcetu in command of the camp
Gen. Harries wants to know why the
strength of the National Guard of the
District of Columbia Is dwindling, and to
find out he has issued confidential orders
w.hinh ...111 %-v?? ? ~ Ll- 4 *
vTiuvii ?tui i7i mm every uun er iu niB iem
to tell him. The orders state that the
general wants to know what each officer
believes Is the reason for the small number
of men in camp this year. It has
been supposed that 2,000 men were In the
District of Columbia camp, but in reality
there are less than 1,300.
Company Integrity Lost.
These matters are held in strict confidence.
as the brigade officers do not
want to have the discussion to become
general. One of the reasons which company
officers put forward is that the reorganization
of the guard makes it impossible
to keep the old-time company
formations as they existed for j^eara in
Washington. Nowadays anybody is likely
to be promoted to be captain or lieutenant,
provided he la a real soldier. II
Is exactly like the regular arany In that
respect. The old way allowed the man
to elect the mpat popular man as captain.
A boilermaker could not be the
captain of a company of aristocrats. Now
it la all different. That's but one reason,
though. Some of the men were tired
and sick of military life after the Massachusetts
experience last year.
However, this spirit of discontent will
not last forever, and if this has anything
to do with the present small
strength, the time will come when the
guard will be in stronger shape than
ever. At least the officers predict it.
They believe that the undesirables in
the guard will be weeded out and only
real soldiers will be left.
Susy at Mess Time.
There is much kicking because of a
confusion of orders last night about
mess time. Some photographers got
around camp and got the brigade and
regimental officers to line up for pictures
about the time mess sounded.
There had been a confusion of orders
on the hour fer mess, and in addition
Gen. Harries had ordered every officer
to accompany him to the tent of Gen.
Wotherspoon, in command of the camp.
All this fell within a single half hour.
There was some very soldier-like
expletive language along the company
streets in consequence.
The District National Guard has a
dirty camp. There is no getting around
it and it is not the fault of the boys
from the capital, either. The regular
officers roasted the guard good and
sharp today, and every officer who has
anything to do with the policing and
cleanliness of the camp was put on
his mettle.
The main trouble lies with the fact
that the Pennsylvania guardsmen left
things in a mess. There are more flies
roosting around the mess the men from
the Keystone state left than there are
in all Washington it would seem. Now
the District boys are on the same camp
ground and they are not living on a
bed of roses by any means. The stories
floating around the camp are to the effect
that the Pennsylvania troops did
not want to come here, they sulked In
their tents while they were here and
took no interest in keeping things clean.
And now the District boys are getting It
good and hot from the United States
a ? ^ !*>?? edifAn
Ai Iny UUirei r. inoii uv nvito wci c g?wti
out by Maj. C. Fred Cook which will
probably result in a thorough scrubbing
and washing and policing everywhere in
camp.
Attack on the Camp.
For the first time during the m^peunri
this big camp was under lire all day
yesterday, as all the regular troops
marched out into the country early in
the morning and attacked the camp. Five
rounds of blank ammunition was given
to every man. The 2lKh United States
Infantry and the 2d United States Infantry
were snooping around the camp
all day. waiting to take a pot shot at
any imaginary enemy that It thought it
saw.
While this bang-hang business was going
on the District's soldiers were away
oft from camp, practicing outpost duty.
They, too, had live rounds of the real
thing?paper bullets, of course?and every
now and then a District guardsman would
be shot through his thorax. The 1st and
2d Regiments split In two, each battalion
becoming an enemy of its erstwhile
friends. The men have been cautioned
against firing at each other with blank
cartridges at too close a range. Some of
the green men that were here with the
Pennsylvania troops found that even pa
per bullet? can mak(*..'ound?. Some of
those fellows began banging away at
each other at about tw>y yards. The
result was that more tl*?.? one man was
badly hurt. The Pennsylvanians got Into
one of these tactical scraps with the
hardened veterans of the 2d Regulars and
began shooting paper Nutlets at them.
The regulars knew all erout these blank
cartridges, and rather than get hurt with
them began chasing the Pennsylvanians
air tne neiu ???
Honon Heaped on Band.
The District of Columbia is honored
jy the choice of the 2d Infantry Band
o play at dress parade Sunday when
.housands of visitors will be here from
is far as Washington. Dress parade
a the dress-up occasion of the day.
rhat's when the girls see the brtss>utton
side of soldier life. Dress i,1* ado
was an Invention of a millta. /