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(910 Wontff'omerv (00,000 TM Mømgiomjexy Mira Jerjisierc 1910 Montgomery 100,000 ' V - w, • VOLUME LXXVII. MONTC/MERY, ALABAMA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1900—TEN PAGES NUMBER 342 SEVEN PERSONS MEET TR>'dlC DEATH AT CORliLL UNIVERSITY Fire in Fraternity Chap ter House* HANDSOME FISKE MANSION Three Victims Were Members of j Volunteer Department. I ■ .... raw Members of CM Psl Greek Letter Society End College Life la flames—Ithsen Is galled. Ithaca, N. Y., Dec. 7.—Seven per sons met a tragic death this morning In the worst disaster that over beteli Cornell University. Three of the victims were volunteer firemen of the city of Ithaca nd four were student* of Cornell University. The firemen all were prominent In this city. They were A. 8. Robinson, attorney; John Rumsey, hardware nerchant, ana Esty Llandon, a salesman. The stu dents were O. I. Schmuck j( rlanover. Pa.; F. W. Grelle of South Orange N, J.; W. H. Nichols of Chicago, ant F. I. McCutcheon of Pittsburg. The cause of the fire Is unknown. A fei minutes after the fia.nes were discovered, tne Chi Psl chapter house was all ablaze, the flames fanned by a strong northwest wind, nd the stu ' dents were trapped In the dormitory j on the third floor. Many of the boys Jumped to safety while those rho hes itated were carried to the ground by the fulling walls. The money loss Is nearly *200,000, since « original cost *f ihe build ing, erected by- Mrs. Jennie McOaw F sk was about *150,000 an 1 rtensive Interior decorations had been made The cause of the fire is unknown, but it Is expected It started In ti-e kitchen. Cornell University is . Immeasurea bly appalled by the catastrophe and academic work Is almost suspended. The burned building was bolt by Jen nie MnGraw Fluke, the 1 ne'aotor of Cornell, whole will was contested by her busyand. Profeaaor Willard Flake Mrs. Flake died abroad, peeking i.ealth (or an Incurable dlaeaae and never en tered her beautiful manalon ..live. Early thla morning the ■'?utlful Chi PjI Fraternity house at Cornell Unl veralty caught Are and . oon the flrat floor was ablaze. Before the Are de partment could r.frrlve, O. • Jchhuck of Hanover, Pa, had Jumped -rom a tl.lrd atory window and ,vas so severe ly Injured that he died. Built by Mrs. Flake. The chapter house, rhlch was a man sft -j bull by Mrs. Jennie McQraw Flake, on the campus, overlooking Caouga Lake but never occupied by he< because of her premature death, was a beautiful structure . f sandstone. It was handsomely decorated within with marble and mahogany. It Is Dow a heap of ruins. The alls, which were of rubble masnnry. collapsed, un der the Aames and high winds. ihe liremeo kilieo were: A. S. ttob Inson, a lawyer and graduate of Cor nell: Esty Landon and John Rumsey. They were manipulating a hose on ’.he nortn side of the building when the wall collapsed on them and pinned them to slowly roast under the burning debris. When the Are department arrived the screams of two men appearing in (he window of the southwest tower, over the main entrance, was heard. For some reason the men hesitated to Jump and before they could be reached the tower collapsed and the men were buricc beneath the ruins. The chapter house burned -apldly and the walls cracked apart in all di rections. The Are was so hot that the Aremen were driven from the southeast «lde ot the building. They put up a hard Aghb but the walls were so hot that any attempt at rescue was tnpos slb.e. , - Among those who were taken fi).m the ruins , were 1. M. McCJutcheon of Pittsburg, the football fullback substi tute. They were In a pitiable condition. Condition. They were breeding from cute caused by falling brleks and Gm bers and blackened by smoke. Sev eral of thpSe who had been thus caught were badly burned. W. W. Goetz of Milwaukee, <t was ascertained later, was not killed, but was Injured. The Are continued to blaze Aerr.sly and It wag several hours before the ruins were cool enough to underako any rescue work. Many of the stu dents at first supposed to be missing are being cared for at other fraternity houses in the vicinity. This Is the most serious disaster t.iat has ever occurred at Cornell, though at the Delta Chi Chapter house fire some years ago several lives were lost. Among the Injured was B. R. Pow ers, a senior of Atlanta. The fire started In the kitchen of the basement of the chapter house.x The names had gained considerable head way before the students In the chapter house were awakened'. The fire burned Its way from the | kitchen Into the lower hall, where the i stairs leading to the floor above were | soon burning. The halls throughout : the house were Immediately filled with | dense smoke. In the rooms on the up per floor were twenty-seven students, ! all of whom were taken unawares, | It was not possible for the students to get out by way of the halls, and all went to the windows. As the Are ap proached the rear of the building, the students were forced to Jump and sev I eral were seriously Injured In this way. ! The wind at the time was blowing thir ty miles an hour and created a draft ! through the building that Boon made i the Interior a mas of flames. Alarm Was Delayed. No alarm was turned in until half i an hour after the fire had been discov ered, and It was half an hour later before the volunteer r.re department j could get to work. Rurnsey, London and Robertson, the Ithaca voluntecn firemen had managed to train a hose on the north aide of the house, when the wall tottered. Tl#re was a cry of alarm and several men standing near managed to get out of the way, but the three named were caught ufider the debris and killed. Although Smuek got out of the building, he went back for his room mate, Mr. Nichols, ard In this attempt to rescue his comrade he was so se riously Injured that he died. H. M. Cury Jr., a Sophomore of Pittsburg, Pa., was also hurt. Powers' Injuries were slight. The origin of the fire Ir unknown, according to a statement of President Schurrrasnn. J. M. McCutcheon, of Pittsburg Var sity, substitute fullback, died this af ternoon of the Injuries he received In the fire this morning. N THE HUNDiEY CASE HUNTSVILLE HAN WILL HAVE TO FIGHT. Southern Politician* Inalat On ratling I)') Ittconolatcncjr of HfOeeveU’o Pooltlon To wold Former t Democratic Alabama > State' Senator. / VVtlBIlIUglVU, UCU. I •'—!»»•; «* though there is no authority 'for say ing at this writing that the confirma tion of Oscar R. Hunitley to be United States Attorney for the Not them Ala bama District is certain to miscarry this session it Is p etty well known here that his case will not be disposed of without mature consideration on the part of the Senate Judiciary Commit tee. A few things will have to be looked Into, so the talk in legislative and po litical circles runs. Congressman Wiley Is not interesting himself to any degree in th* Hundley apolntment, as the duties of the office are not to be performed, in any event, in his con gressional district, or in the middle iudicial district of Alabama. As previously stated, Referee Scott Is credited with having had something of a pull in brtng'ng about the moinl nat'.on of Mr. Hundley, and It is gener ally understood here that Hundley owes his selection also to the activity of Col lector of Internal Revenue Joe Thomp son. and the silent but potent influence of Booker T. Washington. « In view of the President’s recent mes sage urging the white people of the land, out of their abundance, to pro vide for the education of ne*To chil dren In order to fit them for future citizenship and lift them ijp to the full measure of self government, the po sition of Mr. Hundley on that eub'ect is discussed here by Southern people. They insist upon recal’ing the fact that he. while a Democratic senator some years ago from Madison County, suc ceeded in passing through the Alabama Legislature a proposed amendment to the Constitution, to the effect that revenue raised for the school purposes from the negro ra e should be applied to the education of the ne rro children, and that money c lteted for like pur poses from the white ra ■e, should go exclusively to the education of white children. He was vloeitlj1 opposed 'o the proposition to put upon tne wh'te man the burden of educating the ne gro. That amendment, Aiabantans re call, was overwhelmingly voted down by the white people of the State. * Afterwards, Hudley turned his coat and became a "Black and Tan" Repub lican; anu. In the light of these facts, many Southern men Insist that the p b lic Is Interested in knowing why Pres ident Roosevelt. whL expresses sympa thy with any movement looking to the betterment of the negro should be guil ty of the Incons'stency in singling out for official recogn tlon a man who, In the olden days, was so violently oppos ed to negro education. Col. Edward L. Russell, of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, left this a'tcrn ion f-r St. Louis, where he will remain a couple of clays before returning h me. He is much relo'ced over the e’ectlon of Mr. W. W. Finlcv to the presidency of the Southern Railway Coupiny. and Colonel Russell's f-iends here ongr tu lated him that at the New York meet ing the other day It was his groat pleasure to have placed Mr. Finley in non ination. Representative Wiley Introduced a bill In the House for a public b ildlug at Greenville, the limit of cost to be $75,000. He will pre s the measure be fore the committee, am' while h may not succeed In getting 't through this session, nis aim Is to have the metier in proper shape so that It can be includ ed in next general bill for government buildings. ... Governor-elect. Comer, arrived he; ; this morning". He was a visitor at the capitol, and was on the floor of the -House during the session todav. and was introduced to many of the lea ling members of that bods. Alfred J. Stofer. Arsenic Administered. Chicago, Dec. 7.—Thfc police today established the fagp that arsenic had been admtnistered Mrs, Rosa Viral, mother of the family* n which six sus picious deaths have recently' occurred. Coroner Hoffman today obtained a per mit for the exhumation of the bodies of five members of the Viral family. d CLOSES WITH LAUGH MARK TWAIN IX DEBATE BEFORE COMMITTEE. * I Humorist Appears As Supporter of Copyright Rill, 8e»W«* Justice T* Authors sad Nat To the x Publishers. Washington. Dae. 7--Samuel I* Clem ens. (Mark Twain.) brought to a close with laughter a day of argumentative strife over the terms of the copyright hill, now the subject of hearing before Senate and House Committees on Pat en ta Mr. Clemens followed a brief state ment by Rev. Edward Everett HalO, chaplain of the Senate. Mr. Clemens commented on the lmposlblllty of un^ derstandlng the legal phraseology of the copyright bill, and said ha allowed all credit to “the trained legislators,” who were wrestling with It. "I am partly interested In the por tion of the measure which concerns my trade," he continued. ‘I like that extending the present limit of the life of copyright from forty-two years to the life of the author, and fifty years thereafter. I think that ought to I sat isfy any reasonable author, because It will take care of his children--let'the grand children take cere of themselves. It will satisfy me because It will en able me to take care of my daughters. After that. I do not care. "It; is not objectionable to me," he continued, 'that all the trades and in dustries of the Pnited States are In the bill and protected by It I should like to have the oyster cult added an<l anything else that might need pro tection. I have no Immediate feeling. I think It a Just and righteous meas ure, and would like to see It passed." Mr. Clemens argued that there was really no legitimate ground for mak ing any limitation to the life of a copy right. The expiration of a copyright, he explained, does not inure to the benefit of the public, but to the publisher, who lives forever and rears families In af fluence and enjoys from generation to generation these Ill-gotten gains. Richard R. Bowker vice president, and Robert U. Johnson, secretary, of the American Copyright League, ad vocated the bill, as did Th » nas Nelsdn Page, the author; F. D. Mlllett, the artist, and W. A. Livingston* repre senting the public p-inters. MR. CLARK OPPOSES DID NOT WANT CITIZENSHIP BILL IIP. Measure to Give P»t o HI' an* Right of Suffrage Met With Oppoal tlon On Deinoer-tlc Side of HOu»e. Wash'nsrton. Dec. 7.—Tho Democrats In the House today opposed the con sideration of the bill con re rna Cnlted States citizenship upon the Inhabitants of Porto Rica. Chairman Co >per of Wiscons'n. unde** the call of commit tees. called the at'ention of the House to the erroneous positions for the b 11 on the calendar, insisting that Its prop er place was on the House caendas Mr Clark of Missouri, lcndlna the minority "bieetf-d to 'ts transfer. but t.*e a Iter Cannon decided will Mr. ooper that It properly he ongs on the House calendar, vhich wo ild Rive It « different slants Shan on the u don c ’ etidar. The chairman of the re mm f tee OP Insul.-r affaire atf m; t.-d to liar, 't called an for eonslrt* ration. Again Mr n.itk proto-ted. insisting •hat I be Hon c had n r'vht t > hn*'e no tl e of the poselble ■■onsite alien. of tl-e measerc The sucak-'-r «rstalt *.I I,,, p-fjicst a**d 111' hlli tvrni or r The dlecrtsinn dlt .’le e.I n l-term putt *n • ■f the Ilamocrat to fight the measir* whem ver possible. Good Rondo Olhi'lrb. Muskogee, I. T. Dec. 7—Tho Nation al Good Roads Association. In annual convention here today elected ff. H. Moore. Chicago, president. C. N. Has ke’.l. of Oklahoma and M. T. Herrick, Ohio, were elected members of tho executive board. Aged Turfman's condition. New Orleans. Dec. 7.—The condi tion of Captain “Billy" Williamson, the aged turfmap. who was thought to be dying yesterday, remains unchanged today. Attending physicians hold out no hope for his ultimate recovery. v HE WANTED TO HANG HALF WITTED BOY CONFESSES TO ~ - CHIME. Ms U AmrU#b( and Murderer •(Doan Oilman, But Employer FuraUfcea Complete Alibi to Authorities. Dayton, O., Dec. 7.—Tes I did It—I am the murderer of Dona Oilman." Coolly and without the slightest sign of emotion or remorse, David Curtis made the above confession to County Detective McBride. Coroner Lane, De tective C°leman of the Pinkerton agency and Prosecuting Attorney Nc vln. In the office of the latter, at 1 o'clock Friday morning. The confession was made without the sweating process and was complete In every detail, temporarily satisfying the officers that there can be no doubt but that the perpetrator of the most frlend Ish crime in the history of Montgom ery county, nas been placed within the grasp of justice. The statement of Curtis as given to the authorities this morning was as follows: “On the evening of November 20, I ate supper In the Cadillac Restaurant on- Fifth street, near Brown. Just as I came out I saw Dona Gilman waiting for her car and I also boarded the westbound Fifth street car. At Na tional and Gvveland Avenue, I alight ed. Shortly after the ear had started up the Jilll, and as she took the west side of the street, t followed up the hill on the east side. I then commit ted the assault." After the confession had been made to the officers. Curtis broke down ami cried like a child. Curtis is 27 year sold and earned a precarious living selling newspapers, etc. He Is half-witted and at times labored under leluslons that lie was a great detective. Among, newsboys Curtis yi-as known as “Baby Dave.’ Many of those who know him allege that his story Is i artly the result of his own disordered imagination and that he really had no connection with the crime. Dona Gilman, a 20-year-old girl, was criminally assaulted an,l strangled to death Tuesday evening. November 20, wlthlQ fifty yards of her home on Ar lington Heights, a suburb of this city wh.le returning from her work. Hot body was discovered by her 16-year old brother. Collins, the following Thursday morning. The spot where thf body was supposed to have lain durln„ Wednuesday was in plain view of pass ers-by and occupants of neighboring houses and the delayed discovery lenl mystery to the affair. The employer of Davis Curtis fur nishes a complete alibi for .him. Nr charge has been placed against Cur tis br the authorities. CONDITION AT CLIFTON. I Town Still Sen of Mml and Sia?ltfi Sediment. Folomonville, Ar.^.. Doc. T.—Reports from the flood stricken city of Clifton indicate that while the water has sub sided. the fown Is paralyses by pools of mud and sme ter sediments. No definite list of tin deal can be obtained. The first rush, which came (soon after da k Monday nUht, form 'd a dam of wreokare and threw fierce MiTents over the tov-n The store of the Arlro-a Co'per Con pa-ay, carrying h :lf a mill on dol kir.t w >rth of 3to k ■'a ■ flood 'd fl. •• teet deep The sme ter wo ks built ay. r me stream was wrec o’J. Six miles of the track of ih Coronado Branch Is Je-troved. Tin tracks ol thc-Arisona am! New Mo-i Ra .waj I ..re under tlirt-v teet ef a.line Tne city is und r iron ; T art! io recent vand.i.Lm M.rii 'offering I among tile pooro: clause a becom mg manifest, bu d' es( is at a atandst 1 | >nd one telephone wire Is the so e co i j i.eetlon with tlie out ide wond. i No bodies have been ic o ered a'"d I the complete death I s never enn b I ascertained. The damage Is estimated ■ at 120(1.0011. Much p 11 ge is now going [ on and several Mexicans have bten shot. The town of Metcalf. North l,l | Clifton, was also damaged, but pc lives were lest No New Japanese Treaty. Washington. Dec. 7..Assistant s-'e - lCtary of State Bin on toddy uia<b • stutement on behalf of the Presided that no steps of any kind had been tak en or will be Instituted with a view t'/ I WEATHER FORECAST. Washington. Dec. 7.—For t’ahajtai I Fair Saturday and Sunday: alowly rl» l>( trinrtcralnrel fresh rnat to snnth rul winds. to the negotiation of a new treaty with Jupan for the exclusion of Japanese laborers. The President. Mr. Baron suys, asks that this Information be made public. CREW IS RESCUED. Three Masted Schooner From Norfolk A Total Loss. Philadelphia. Dec. 7.—The Assatea-ue Life Saving Station reported today th.'H the three masted schooner F orence I. Lockwood, from Norfolk, for New York, with a cargo of lumber, stranded on Williams Shoal, off Aasateague, Vlr glna. last nlghtand Is today a total loss. Captain Tarim- and his crew were rescued by the life savers. The schoon er went aground during a heavy gale and quickly pounded -to pieces In the heavy sea. The schooner was built at Norwalk, Conn In 1S87 and was owned by J. H. Smith of Boston. .The vessel waa 10S feet long, had a beam of thirty feet and a depth of fourteen feet. STOVE PRICES ADVANCE. Hentern Take Jump of 5 Per Cent De spite Birmingham Report. Chattanooga, Tenn., Dec. 7.—Secre tary E. W. Sample of the Southern Association of Stove Manufacturers, announces that the stove manufactuf ers of the South linve made an ad vance of a per cent on all grades of stoves. The dispatch sent out from Birming ham to the effect that the raise was not made was a mistake and unauthor ized by the Association The Western manufacturers advanced their prices a few weeks ago and It la expected that the dther manufacturers of the coun try will follow suit in a short time. MINISTER EXPELLED. Methods! Preacher Cast Out of Con ference for Immorality. Shreveport. La., Dec. 7-—Rev. N. J. Roberts, of LeCompte, La., was today expelled from the Loulsluna Confer ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, on the charge of “Immorality” Mr. Roberts has been under suspen sion for some tlige awaiting trial. In the case of Rev. J. R. Moore of Min dan. La., formerly Presiding Elder of the Shreveport District, the committee of investigation reported that a trial woukl be necessary. The charge against Dr. Moore Is Intemperance. Many Bids for Lands. Lawton. Okla.. Dec. T.—The total number of bids received to date for the Big Pasture lands. Is 5.213, more than a thousand of which were received to day. TO AID FREE LABOR IMPORTANT MEASURE PASSED BY LOWER HOUSE. States May Prohibit the lUnltic o| PrbWu Mode Goods late lhelr Bnpilwar—preaeht ban la AheoaSteal. * Washington, Dec. 7.—By a practi cally unanimous vote the House today passed the bill limiting regulation ol Interstate commerce between the sev eral states In articles manufactured by convict labor or In any prison or re formatory. The bill was Introduced by Mr. Hunt, of Missouri, a practical stonema on. Under the Wilson bill, which became a law In 1890, convict labor made goods may enter, into active competition with goods manufactured by "free labor" and under this federal law, a statu could not pass a law that would pre vent the shipping Into the slate prison made goods of other states. The law pas's.‘d today abrogates the Interstate commerce law as at present applied to convict made goods, thereby affording to. the different states and territories the right to inhibit- the shipping ol convict mnde goods within the con fines of anv state or territory. Mr. Hunt asked for Its passage not In the Interest of free labor, but in the lntorest o' manufacturers. He said it was an attempt to curb the crimi nal competition of the penitentiary with the free labor of the country. “It is cruel.” ho said, "to usk the free labor of this country to maintain Its citizenship, Its dignity and Its sell respect, if It has to wait until the pro duct of the state prison Is sold before the employer can get a reasonable price for his honestly manufactured pro Otlter speeches were made by Sher ley of Kentucky: Gaines of Tennessee, Henrv of Texas and Grosvenor of Ohio. DR. LAPPONI IS DEAD WAS PRIVATE PHYSICIAN TO THh POPE. Had Been 111 For Some Time of Con eer of the S(o«*cI—BfMlTfd Plus Will Live -.ong. Rome. Dec. 7.--Dr. Lapponl. physi cian to the pope, died at 7 o'clock this morninft. He had been III for some time of cancer of the stomach, anil pneumonia netting in. he could not in his weakened condition wltnstand Its ravages. When Dr. Lapponl we.s sinking, the pope sent him the apostolic benedic tion. and when the news of the death of the doctor reached the pontiff, h was exccedinglv griev^l. It Is reported that before losing con sciousness. Dr. Lapponl. -jferrlng tc the pope, said: "He lias a strong constitution and having studied him carefully. I think lie will live longer than Leo XIII." The deceased physician vat vets popular In Rome among the clerical! ! as well as with the antl-eler.cals. i The friends of T)r Lnpponl. whet his death became generalv known said that the time had .rived to vin dicate his reputation rewarding hi. diagnosis of the nature of the 11! ness of l.eo XIIT. which rten the doc tor had always refused to taVe. i When the pope beeame 111 the hill I -,etlns issued only revealed the symp toms hut d'd nr.* mention 'he disens Itself. Many physl-lnns end medl’.t ntihl'ec*:on« including some /.mertent psners, devoted to the wed* -til pi- -fMs. e-ten. attacked Dr Tdtnponl. snylnt that he did "ot re"ogn'ze hat the none was suffering from inner Plio-tlv before the pontiff's death tel evrams eaotnlnlng rtat'enicn'e to t'ti. . ep—t made ab'oad were submitted e the doctor at the Vatican atd he em nli * eul!v deni al that -he pope hat cancer. . Dr. Lapponl was snpporterl in till statement by his assistant. Dr. Mazzo nl, but they absolutely efus.c to giv : out any statement regarding .he rca cause of the Illness of the pope. Later when the Inter-st in the -asy had al most disappeared the doctor .nforine. the correspondent of the Associate: i Press that Leo 111 uffered fron senile consumpt oh which poured picu risy. j The then papal secretary of State j Cardinal Rampc’lu. obligated both Dr ! Lapponi and Dr. Mazxoni to ..talntait s.crecy regarding* the cause of thi I pope’s death. A BLOW FOR NEW SPELLING Congress Stops Roose ' velfs Idea. MUST STICK TO WEBSTER Appropriation Bill Contains Pro ’ v»sion Contrary to Carnegie. DrtlUra That the Only Just nad Rlfkt roan War to SpeM Wya patented by the Dictionary- Writer. Washington, Dec. 7.—tlmpllfled spelling received a hard blow today In ti e legislative, executive and Judicial appropriation bill for 1908. reported to the House by the committee on ap propriations today, which says. •'Hereafter In printing >' >cuments authorized by law or ordered- by Con gress or either branch there it .he gov ernment printing office shall follow the rules of orthography established bv Webster's or other . encrally ac cepted dictionaries of the 'English lan guage,” The bill carries an appropriation ot 831,215,525. stroyed the soldiers barracks, a large Increased from 84,500 to 86,1'0. With an appropriation of >1.000,000 and provision forbearing "simplified spelling” in documents authorized by law or ordered by Congress, .he legls j lutive, executive and Judl lal appro I priatlon bill for 190S was reported to I the House today by (he -pproprlatlons committee which was made u special order for Monday. The amount carried by the bill Is 1085,842 less than the estimate. The appropriation for the current fiscal | year aggregated 880 168,485. The en ; tire number of salaries uarrled in the I bill is 14,727 or 220 less than included ! In the estimates therefor, and twenty nine more than provided for the cur rent year. An Increase from 11.200 to 81.400 Is made In the allowance to members of th* House for clerk hire and ,ne re quirement that members ■-'•rtlfy they have spent this amount is omitted. The appropriations for miscellaneous expenses for the year Is cut from 100, 000 to 880,000 The salary of the Sec retary to the Speaker is Increased from 88.000 to 84,000. raise: ows cotton. Churchill Would Have Railroad Bull! In Nigeria. Manchester. Knp., Dec. 7.—Delivering *■» address lftat nbtht at the banquet of the British Cotton Growing Associa tion. Winston Spencer Churchill, under secretary for the Colonies, referred to the necessity of building e railroad In Nigeria, to assist In the development of cotton graying. He said the day was not far distant when Great Britain would be forced to embark upon a great scheme for the amalgamation of the West African colonies of Sierra Leone, the gold coast and two Nlgerlas. The public would then wake up to a realisation of their possession of a West African empire. | THE BIRDSONG TRIAL - —t PROSECUTION RESTS SOONER THAN WAS EXPECTED. Effort firing: Made by Defenur to Prove Wo in tin Won Driven Inntne by <>omnI|» of Mon J»'be Killed. / Haxlehurst. Miss.. Dec. 7.»-Wlth sur prising rapidity, the prosecution In the care of Mrs. Angle Birdsong. charged with the murder of Dr. Thomas Butler, completed Its evidence today. A day and a half had been occupied In presenting the State's witnesses. Two leading points were aimed at by the prosecution. First, it was attempted to show that the youthful defendant was deliberate ami that she followed her already mortally wounded victim out of his office to his veranda where she adjusted her revolver, after he had pleaded for mercy, and that w)th the weapon again ready she fired three more shots at him. The second aim of the prosecution was to prove Dr. But ler's good character. One of the State's .witnesses, Mrs. Nora Garrett, lived in a house across the street from Dr. Butler. She testi fied today that she saw the shooting both in the office and outside and that she heard the physician cry: "Angle don’t soot me any more." A moment later. Dr Butler exclaimed: “My God. Angle, what will hecome of you when vott die." The witness said that she herself called to Mrs. Birdsong to stop shooting. This witness said there was no truth in a report that she has informed Mrs Birdsong of stories about the latter's character, alleging to have been cirru i lated by Dr. Butler. The prosecution 1 went into details about the nature of the physician's wounds and then rested its case. The defense immediately called ns Its first witness the defendant's moth er-in-law. Mrs. S. F. Birdsong. The latter testified that the defendant after the birth of her last child, hail shown I signs of Insanity and that these svmp | toms were repeated about the time of the killing The mother-in-law said • that Mrs. Garrett, who had testified j for the State, called upon Mrs. Bird I song a few days before the tragedy and that after this visitor's departure. Mrs i Birdsong remarked that if she found i that Dr. Butler had told ill stories : about her she would kill him. 1 WtnesH said Mrs. Birdsong had been nut at night only once during the tte tiod the stories referred to and that i •1,011 the defendant had gone for medi i cine at witness's reottest Other wit nesses told of Mrs. Birdsong's attempt It suicide a few days before the shoot in,- At this point adjournment was taken until tomorrow I II is announced that the attorneys defending Mrs. Birdsong will attc- m ! to introduce into the trial the free . I (•••ptonec of evidence concerning the phvsiciun's alleged statements about ! ti„. woman who deliberately shot him. I exception was taken to tlie ruling of J the court at tile close of yesterday's ' | session that only such parts of' this ’ ; ovtdenic could he admitted as came to - I Mrs. Birdson's ears. It is claimed that the actions of wo ! men friends of Mrs. Birdsong had i quite as much effect in driving her to I the verge of emotional disunity as did I gossip which sue heard. Some of these I former friends are alleged to have re | fused to speak to her when they met her on tin* street The vase continues to attract to the court room some of the leading per . sons of the community and of the State. A sad feature of the trial has been the presence In court of the chil dren of both of the young defendant and those of thp man she killed. John Steon of Monticello, Justice of the Peace, who examined Dr. Butler's body, was the first witness today In the trial. The clothing worn by Dr. Butler, when he was shot to death, was ex hibited In court and upon being shown to the witness he identified It, saying the garments were In his possession from the day of the shooting until the meeting of the grand jury. He traced the course of the shots fired by Mrs. Birdsong by means of the holes In the clothing. Powder burns were found on the clothing. Justice Steen them exhibited the blood-stained underwear of Dr. Butler As tho undershirt, ghastly with blood clots, was held up by the witness, Mrs. Birdsong trembled with emotion, then turned her head away. Later, she re gained her composure and viewed the garments, this time with sc-emiiMt un concern. PAY EIGHTY l'KR CKXT. Chamber of Commerce Reports On baa Francisco Insurance. San Francisco, Dec. 7.—Report of the special committee of tile board of trus tees of the chamber of commerce on In surance settlements after the big fire, which as just been published, says: "The total area burned was about $. 000 acres, or about 4.J square miles, containing 520 blocks and about £5. 000 buildings. One half of theso were residences. The amount of Insurance covering property In the burned district was approximately $235,000,000 (estimated). The value of buildings und contents de strojted In the fire must have been about $350,900,000. being an estimate on the Insurance liability, the known ratio of insurance to value 'about 70 per cent) and a guess that there was about 5 per cent of property that car ried no Insurance. "In spite of the earthquake, in spite of the nearness on the time of the Bal timore and Toronto conflagrations, the companies will finally have paid un doubtedly In the nelghborhocd of elgthy percent of the amount of Insurance In volved. At Chicago there was 50 per cent fcald. In Baltimore 90 per cent.” < HII.DRKX OF ZOLA. Offspring of Mme. Hmerot Being Kdu eoreri By l.eglflmnte vMfe. Paris, Dec. 7.—Mme. Kmll Zola has Anally applied, to the courts for per mission to confer here late husband's name on the throe children born as a result of M. Zola's Intimacy w'th Mme. Roserot, which n as revealed during the Drejtfus affair. The children are being reared bv Mme. Zola who expresses a special gratification at the fact that the boy has decided to adopt a technical pro fession instead of trying to emulate his father In the field of letters. DAVIDSON'S REPLY PRBHBHTH TASTHIOSY HR |.U AH.USST HAU.KY Telegrams Inrtlrute Thai Waters floree Company Gave Senator Money W Poor (HI oa Texas Troubled Waters. Austin. Tex.. Deo. 7.—In answer to a statement Issued Inst night by ■ United States Senator Joseph W. 'Bailey, In which Senator Bailey demanded of At torney General Davidson all document ary evidence In his possession \whlch tended to prove that he IBallcy) was paid by the Standard or Waters-Plerce Oil Company for services rendered, At torney General Davidson made public a statement tonight which contains all vouchers, notes, letters and drafts In his possession and upon which he based his charges ngalnst Senator Bailey. In the statement Mr. Davidson de nies that he has co-operated In any movement to prevent Senator Bailey's re-election and affirms the authenticity of documents upon which his charges were based. The first voucher is dated at St. Louis, June JO. 1900, and Is on the Waters-Plerce Oil Co., books to H. O. Pierce, Dr., for demand loan of $3, 000 to Joseph w. Bailey and Is en dorsed account the Texas cases. Another Is In favor of Henry and Scribbling, of Waco. Tex., for "Account of expense in anti-trust civil ease ot State of Texas vs. Waters-Plerce OH Co. at Waco, $1,500.'' In connection with this voucher Is the following telegram: "l<ake Nehegamon. Wis., June 13. “To Andrew. St. Louts: “If Johnson approves authorixe Bailey to loan Strtbhllng on his note fifteen hundred. Bailey should quiet all Texas parties. Tell him 1 will see him. H. C. Pierce." The following notation written on telegram: “8. P,: Draft drawn by Bailey for $1,500." Another voucher read: "Waters-Plerce OH Company to H. C. Pierce, Dr. Amount paid J. W. Bailey account Texas eases, $200.” Among other documents made public in the statement Is a note signed by J. W. Bailey, payable to the order ol H. C. Pierce for $8,900 dated Wash ington. Maxch 1, 1901. for value re ceived. a letter signed by J. W. Bailey addressed to H. C. Plereo asking him to send New York exchange for $1,750 and another addressed to J. P. Gruet, Secretary and siffned by H. C. Pierce, President, as follows: "Please send New York exchange for $1,730 for Joseph W. Bailey. Gaines ville, Tex., and charge against legal expenses account of Texas legisla tion." "I sent this amount personally tc Mr. Bailey In response to his enclosed letter of March 28th. "Since then Mr. Bailey has returned the amount to me anil it is new propel for the company to make this payment, Attach Mr. Bailey's letter to your vouchor and merely enclose tho draft to him without voucher His enclosed letter will he your voucher." TWELVE MINERS DROWN. Caught By Flood l.tke Rots in a La redo, Tex . 7—News has Just reached this city from Monterey, Me*., of a mine accident which occurred on Tuesday last at the Avino Mines, and which -esulted in the death of twelve Mexican miners at work In the shaft. Hail it not been that the entire force of men employed in the mine had not commenced their labors for tne day, a number of others might hnvc been killed. The accident occurred ut on early hour in the morning. According to the beat available in formation the accident was due to thi carelessness of some one In letting n big flow of water Into the lower eve where the men were drowned Th-> wefe caught as In a trao by the im mense Bow of water caused by the opening of a flood gatof ami had mi chance to escape. The authorities will make a rigid Investigation of the nct-ldent and will endeavor to fix the responsibility. Opening of Rids Postponed. Washington. Dec. 7.—The Isthmian 1 Canal Commission tonight announced that the dale for the opening of bids for the completion of the construction of tho Panama canal has been post poned from Pei-ember 12. to 12 o'clock noon. January 1st. next. / WATERWAYS f CONVENTION President Speaks to the i Delegates* —.— MUST HAVE FACILITIES I , Resolution Adopted Asking for $50,000,000 Appropriation. Spokesman Dfi'lnm to Roosevelt That •Inly By Proper River anti M«r 1 bor Improi ement Can Rail roads Be Repainted. • Washington. Dec. 7.—Presides Roosevelt told the delegates to the Na tional Rivers and Harbors Convention when they called on him at the White House today that he would consult with the leaders In Congress and expressed the hope that something definite and I effective could be dune In the way of Increased appropriations for the Irafjjl provernent of the nation's waterways. Albert Bellinger of Cincinnati. O., the convention spokesman, advanced the proponltlon that the national wa terways made efilcient by the aid of the government will not only supply the J-eflciency of transportation facUl ties present and prospective, but wouii so equitably and naturally regulafc freight charges as to be most condu ct v o to eonttnued prosperity. I He told the President that the con vention suggested regular annual ap proprlatlona of not less than |5®,<M>0.Otfll I to replace the "hitherto desultory and ' Inadequate appropriations" for the Im 1 provement of the waterways and to' 1 place their prosecution on a business basis. Insuring their completion within ! a reasonable length of time. The President replied as follows: "Oentlemen—It Is a very great ploas ; lire to greet so distinguished a body of men who huve reme to this great city In connection with a measure of the utmost consequence to the nation as a whole. X have come to feel a growing sense of the importance of es tablishing a tar reaching plan for the general Improvement of the waterways i of the country. ! "I was nrst led to the consideration of that plan by considering another plan for me use of water not la con nection with the waterways but In connection with preparing the land at the head of the river to produce the harvests that later In part should be chrrted on the rivers lower down— that Is. In connection with the Irrlgu- < tion policy In which I so strongly be lieve as vital to the welfare of the Rocky Mountain and adla-'ent States. Must Have Facilities. •Just as I tysl that tho n government should concern IfooU utilization of the water «f rivers j their sources where the country »« dry. so I feel the national goverunteiu should concern itself with the prope ' ! control and utilization of the water lower down In tho liver w|iero ta.y are fitted to bo the great arteries ©i communication. We need Snd must have further facilities for transport .-1 tion- . , • It would not be possible foy me to ter into any diseuttslaii of t I details of your plan until 1 liavespai with some of the leadens of tbs t< houses of Congress. J shall coni with them at once and trutt that som thk.g definite and effectjvd can be & along the lines that you mention. You i understand, gentlemen, I could not off ! hand commit myself t* the details ol I any policy without taking Into constd I oration what the feeling of the co-or dinate branches would, be and X ml* be guided largely by their views, am sure that you will find there thg genius, patriotic spirit to do what Is best for the Interests, of our common country.” Want Big Appropriation. The unanimous adoption of the roar olutlon, urglny Congress to appropri ate annually not less than 150,000.000 for the Improvement of rivers, harbors and waterways, commencing with thjf'; pres* nt session and the appointment ot III committee of eighteen delegates, bead ed by former Governor D. R. Francis. I of Missouri, to present the seitlments I of the convention to the President and ■ | to Congress, concluded the business proceedings of the tfody today. ; Among the speakers today were W1I Uain B. Stillwell, President of tha Board of Trade. Savannah. On.. and M. T. Bryan. Nashvlllg. Tenn. .1. N. Teal of Portland. Ore., chair man of the Committee on Resolutions, brought In the plaftforin report which was adopted by a itislng vote. The re port In part follows: "Present -condltlotns demonstrate thgt the transportation facilities are totally Inadequate for the prompt and econom ical transportation of the product# df ; tho country. Hurulreds of millions of dollars are lost annually to our farm ers and other producers by the failure of the national Government to provide thr assistance which properly Improv ed natural waterways will give an In creased facility for transporting freight. "The nooning of the Panama Canal which will so greatly increase our fa cilities for trade at the Orient and the awakened development of closer business relations with South America® republics, emphasizes the Importance of waterways as one of the nations first t importance." Timm BfCBIVEH -N VMF.n. Californio Creditors of Hlrmlu*hnm-M Innla Co.. Hove Petition. Atlanta. Ga.. Dec. 7.—On the petition of a California rr-dltor of the Atlanta-', Birmingham Insurance Company, Pendleton In the superior court hor. | late today, appointed A. J| Orme re reiver of that company and of th".| Prudential Fire Insurance Company off West Virginia, with authority to have 'n charge the J300.000 of relHSg surame bv the Atlnnta-B'rmlltgbom 3 Company in the Prudential. The petitioner charges that the iw(; companies are practically the rn.oWI having the same officers, etc., and thUwg the reinsurance, following the y.-ancisco fire, was made for the p :r- ‘ pi.se of delay’n* creditors. It is asked that this amo tZ >0.‘T>t of re'nsursnce bo kept as a separata trust fund for the benefit of crcdlto-a.; The hearing was set forth December l.V Mr. Orme Is the third recelvor of tlie two companies appointed within the past week —.--j—- ■ Fire At Barracks. Norfolk. Vu., Dec. 7.—Fire at u«* j known origin Is reported to have 4M9 strojUd the soldiers barrackse. a large frame structure on" Fort Wool, five ! Hamnton Roads, opposite Old Point Comfort today. Tho government tug Reno left Fort Monroe Immediately uf- i ter the lire broke out and with anoth er tug succeeded In getting the bias* under control. The extent of the dank 1 age Is not known. \