(910
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TM Mømgiomjexy Mira Jerjisierc
1910
Montgomery
100,000
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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.
\