The times dispatch. [volume], April 08, 1911, Image 1

About The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
THE dispatch founded ISMl ,?r, V ~z~~=:~ ~?
the tim^ rouNDED m?._WHOLE NUMBER 18,583.
R101 IM OX D, Y?., S'?TUKJ >A V, APR EL 8,1911:
THIO WKATHER TO-DAY?Vniiettled.
PRICE TWO CENTS.
Vreeland Tells 1 ankers
It Is Unnecessary
and W icked.
PRESENT SYSTEM
IS INADEQUATE
Declares That No Other Nation I
Suffers as Much, Even in Plush
Times?United States Treas?
urer Lee McClung Speaks
at Dinner to
Bankers.
That recurrent financial panics in j
thr; United States cause more suitor In?
and loss than all the wars In which
the Culled States has ever engaged, !
and that they are unnecessary and j
wicked because preventable, was the:
assertion of. Edward 13. Vreeland. mem?
ber of Congress Prom New Vork un.l |
vice-chairman of the National Mom.'- j
tary Commission, before Itlchmond
Chapter of the American Institute o? j
Ranking at its annual banquet at .lie j
Jefferson auditorium last night.
Mr. Vreeland asserted that rio counj.
try in the world save lite L'nUed States
suffered from such periods of money
stringency?thut the present financial
system of the country, a makeshift of
Civil War conditions?had been out?
grown by the cnormoua development
?jf the country.
"If our banking system Is so Inade?
quate that it breaks down in time of
peace on an average of once tn ten
years." asked Mr. Vreeland. "what :u
heaven's name will it do in time or
war?"
I.oc MrClnng on Hanking.
Other speakers were Lee McClung,
Treasurer of the United States, who
read an able paper on the relation ot
the United Mates Treasury to the
banking system of the country; Guy
crnor William Hodges Mann. cx-Gov
ernor Andrew Jackson Montague and
Ralph It. MacMichael, of I'it sburg,
president of the American Institut?!
of Banking. John Garland Pollard
acted as toastmastor. Carter E. Tal
man, president of itlchmond Chaptor,
welcomed a number of distinguished
guests, Including several railway pre
ldents. bank presidents, manufacturers j
and merchants and presided ourlng the!
evening.
Mr. Vreeland was introduced by Mr. J
Pollard us a member of a ''small but
respectable minority in the House, now I
known as the Republican party." He j
was informed that although it has been j
said that the greatest of Virginians
ore dead, yet some great Virginians I
"He" above the sod Mr. Vreeland, In |
opening, added to Governor Mann's list
of great Virginians who had aided in ?
the making of the nation the name of
Rohei t Ei Lee, who, he stated, when I
history came to lie judged fairly and |
Justly, would be rated high for the no- j
bility of his character as for his ability !
of performance.
Monetary System Heforra.
"The most important question, save
alone the preservation of our peace,"
said Mr Vreeland, "is the reform uf
our monetary system. It affects every
man. woman and child in America?
the banks possibly less than the manu?
facturer and the laborer. The wise
banker, when the signs of panic cc^ne,
can take in sail?he can call In his
loans. It is the manufaciurcr and the
wage-earner who is primarily con?
cerned that we have a syjtem of bank?
ing that will stand up in time of panic
and depression. Our banking system
Is defective. In the past half-century
every other great nation has revised
Its system of banking, and in no siller
great nation do the recurrent money
panics appear Isn't it the fea. of a
future panic that shapes every transac?
tion you make? Haven't you always in
view those paroxysms which we. have*
had on an average every ten years?
Competing nations have not had a
money panic in fifty years. Is it pos?
sible that we, the greatest nation in
invention and activity, that we alone
fihould suffer these panics except
through defective machinery of bank?
ing and currency?
Panic From Clenr Sky.
"The panic of 1007 fell out of a clear
sky, when the country was busy and ,
prosperous. The people then woke up j
to find that they had a system that!
was unable to bear the burden of the
extended business of an enlarged coun?
try.
"We cannot escape depressions in
business from failure of crops or from
(wars or rumors of wars, but every
such depression causes a breakdown,
a' closing of banks. It Is resulting
In breaking down our credit. We are
not over the pnnic of 190? yet. V.'e
have a system which almost compels
panics. Every wise and careful banket
Is watching to protect himself. Sup?
pose to-morrow some unfortunate race
outbreak on the Pacific coast should
suggest war with Japan. Every banker
In the United States would commence
strengthening his reserve?he would
call in paper and put more money in
his vault. When 10,000 or 15,000 hanks
begin that, it precipitates the very
thing they are afraid of. Tho wheels
of commerce are (logged and there
results a suspension of payment in
New York, as has happened in every
panic. In some respects otir system
Is the worst, nnd in some the, best in
tho world."
Would Not Work Herr.
Mr. Vreeland Indicated that he did
riot favor the branch bank system
which prevails In England. Such a
plan in this country, he thought,
Svould result In a few gigantic banks
In New York or Chicago with branches
In every city. Instead of cities like
Richmond having their local banking
Institutions, managed and financed by
local men.
"We want," he continued, "a system
that won't drop when a few speculators
get In control of a few banks in New
York City. Why should the whole
country suffer for the fault of a few?
Tho present system compels suspension
of payment. There Is no acknowledged
leadership, such as is furnished by the
Pank of England or the Pank of
France. These are not merely great
money-making machines, hut tlio Hank
of Englnnd is a financial signal light
ar Great Britain. "We have no leader
ip to which we can turn for dis
~~ICorj.tinued. pn"^con<S~Pajre.v
ATTACKS PENSION LIST
TrciiMiircr JlneVcnuu Say* It IIocsj ,
Country No Credit? I
Philadelphia, Pa.. April 7.?Tho Civil j
War pension list was at lacked by
Franklin MaeVcugb, Secretary of tho
Treasury; in an address at the opeti1
In? session of the fifteenth annual i
meeting of the American Academy of!
Political and Social Science here to- j
day. when he advocated a civil service .
pension for government employes.
"We have a perfectly enormous civil I
War pension list, whlclt is not a credit |
to us." be said. "It never had a scion- j
title or.a just basis, although a worthy i
motive gave it origin. It has lost Its i
patriotic aspects, and has become a j
pollth.ai list, .costing Hie government
aipoui $100,(100.000 per year."
Referring to superannuated civil ser?
vice employes, be said:
"We cannot throw these old men
and womeu out into the streets. You
would not have; us to do it any more
than we will do it Therefore; we ,
keep them even after their efficiency
has deteriorated. So yoti can s,;e why
we are losin? money by paying salaries
for Inefficiency In place of haying effi?
cient employes and a retiring list for
those whose efficiency has departed."
Charles Nagel, Secretary of Com?
merce ane] Labor; discussed "Industrial
Accidents in the United States, and!
Their Prevention."
"The terrible disaster to-day at I
Scrahtbn. news of which reached me
only a few hours ago. Is the most
I powerful argument for the necessity!
of acting upon the subject we will
discuss to-n'ght." eald Mr. Nagel Iii
opening his address. He dwelt on the
i unreasonable percentage of industrial
accidents, and said that while he Is a
believer in individualism, there is a
point where the Individual cannot pro?
tect himself, and the Statt: must step
in anil protect him.
"While I believe t ha C the State ba?
llot the authority to force a system
<>f compulsory accident insurance, it
should lead the way." continued the
speaker. "Failure of employers to
realize the necessity of safonuardltik:
their employes," he said, -had resulted j
In a storm of indignation shown by
excessive verdicts awarded plaintiffs
I by angry furors and by extreme legis?
lative enactments."
MRS. YERKES'S WILL
Wldo?% of Millionaire hen von Kxtntc to
llrotbcrN nnd Mxtcrs.
New York, April 7.?The will of Mrs.
Mary Adelaide YerkesJ widow of
Charles T. Yerkes, which wajj. filed
for probate, leaves to each of her ej^nt
brothers and sisters one-ninth of her
residuary estate; the other ninth to a
nephew and niece, children of a de- ;
ceased sister. Seven servants are re- ;
Warded with $1,000 each, and William ',
Savory Lower, to whom Mrs. Yerkes t
was once reported id have been eh- i
gaged; receives $5,000 as a "faithful i
friend."
Mrs, Yerkes's brothers are Thomas,!
I?ewls, William and Powers Moore, nil j
o* Philadelphia, and George Pago
Moon-, Of Chicago. The sisters are
Martha Kilon Stockton, of Philadel?
phia; Eliza Markley Sanderson, ejf
Rala, Pa., and Anna H. Sims, of Bronx
Vllle, N. Y. The latter, a favorite sis?
ter. rcbciv.es in addition to her ninth
$100.060 and ull Mrs. Yerkes's Jewelry
and personal apparel. She left nothing':
lo charity. Tho value of the estate
Is not f?Jvc-n. but it Is regarded as con- i
slderable. The widow Inherited abejut !
$3.00i>.ooo. It Is estimated; of her late
husband's estate.
WILL NOT RESORT TO LOANS
Japanese Financial Policy Will Re
CnchnufKCd ibc Coming; Year.
Tokio, April 7.?Marctuis ICatsura,
the premier and minister of finance,
addressing an audience of hankers at
Kyoto to-day, said there would be no i
change In the government's financial
policy during: the coming year. Un- {
usual expenditures must be faced in
Kftrea. and also measures for the pre?
vention of floods and for the develop?
ment of the railroads and the navy
must be undertaken. Uul the neces?
sary funds would be secured, he said,
without resort to additional taxation
or foreign loans.
The Improvements In Korea are
planned to extend over a number of ?
years. ' The Rank of Korea will he able
to finance these. The reconstruction
of the main line of the Japanese rail
way system into a broad gauge road
has been postponed for one year. The
premier counseled conservative actiem
on the part of the hanks In advancing |
money, notwithstanding the accumula- j
Hon ?f capital.
WILL OPPOSE VIOLENCE
Threat* by SoclnllM Lender DurinfT I)r-I
bate on Ferrer Cone.
Madrid, April 7.?The continuation
of the debate on the Ferrer case, in the.
Chamber of Deputies to-day, was re- j
sponsibie for an exceptionally turbu?
lent session. The Socialist leader.
Pablo Igieslas, raised a storm by de?
claring thai although he could not
resuscitate Ferrer, he could repair the
injustice of the trial. If he did not
succeed, he would try to overthrow
the administration. which refused
reparatirm to the murdered man. The
affair, he said, would not end there
Then he shouted: "Do not be surprised,
deputies. If justice is den'ed, to hear
the clash <?f arms."
After the president had tried In vain
to make Igieslas withdraw his words
of menace. Premier Canalejas sprang j
to his feet, apt! declared that the gov?
ernment would oppose with all Its
energy, and the force of laws pro?
vided, any attempt at revolutionary
violence.
NOT RESPONSIBLE
_
Officials) of Corporations Can't lie Held
for Newspaper Libel.
New York. April 7.?Officials of a
newspaper corporation cannot be held
personally responsible for the news?
paper's publication of libellous matter,
i Such was tho decision of the nppel
I late division of the Supreme Court to
!day in the case brought by John D.
Rockefeller. Jr.. against S s. Carvalho,
j president: Bradford Merrill, treasurer,
and Edward II. Clark, secretary, of
the star Company, publisher of the
New York American. The court orders
all proceedings against (hem dismiss?
ed.
As officers of the newspaper cor?
poration. Carvalho, Merrill and Clark
were arrested on the charge of crim?
inal libel. The newspaper article for
which It was sought to hold them
I responsible related to alleged abuses
of working men of a corporation which.
j It was alleged. John D. Rockefeller,
Jr., controlled.
END IS VERY NEAR
Tom Johnson Realize* Mottle for Life
In Over.
Cleveland. O.; April 7.?Shortly after
bidding his fninllv srood-hv late to-day.
Tom L. Johnson relapsed Into ti semi?
conscious state, widely condition still
existed tit midnight. ' It is reported
that heart stimulants were several
times administered to-night. The for
I mer Mayor, who has been making a
j strong fight for life, npparcntlv real
! i/.lng that his end was near, hod his
j wife, daughter and son summoned to
his bedside for a last Interview. He
I l.< quoted as saying at the end of tho
visit. "Farewell, T am through talk
I Ing." The members of the family left
tho room weeping, hut have remained
1 close, to tho room ever #ln?e.
ADERO DELIVERS
HIS ULTIMATU
No End of War With
out Resignation
of Diaz.
WOULD FOREGO
LEADERSHIP
He Is Willing to Have Provi?
sional President of Republic
Appointed from Diaz's Cabi?
net?Surprise in Mexico
City, and Peace Seems
Far Away.
Madero's Camp. Bustillos Estate,
.?near Chihuahua. .Mexico, April 7.?
What he declared to be nts ultimatum
on the question oi peace was deliv?
ered by Francisco i. Madorc to-day.
While insisting that President Diaz re?
tire and the country bo given a new,
election, Senor Madero said h<. was
willing to resign as '?Provisional
President," and, if necessary, woo id
allow a Provisional President to be
selected fron? Diaz's Cabinet.
The tenor of Senor Madero's inter?
view was rather to discredit the pos?
sibility of immediate peace. lie said
no peace overtures whatever had been
received by him. He did not Intend
to move camp toward the border or
anywhere else with a view of receiv?
ing any peace commissioners.
"To have peace in Mexico It is ab?
solutely essential that General Diaz
shall retire." he said. "In such case a
Provisional President will have to be
selected by both sides. It Is not nec?
essary that I or any of my friends
shall be chosen. I would accept as
Provisional President a member be
the Diar. administration if chosen by
both sides, and we are granted the
right to select a few Provisional Gov?
ernors."
Surprise In Capital.
Mexico City, April 7.? Krancisco I.
Madero's proposition to resign from
the provisional presidency In favor ol
V>ofne member of the ~?iaz Cabinet
came to government officials as a sur?
prise.
When the news was transmitted to
Minister of Flnnnco Limantour by an
Associated press correspondent, it
elicited no comment but a request to
call on him to-morrow. Similar an?
swers were given at the homes of other
officials. None was prepared to make
a Bt-itement, nor could a statement b.?
obtained at the h?>me of the President.
Unless all memuers of the Cabinet'.'
and possibly with the support of Con?
gress itself, should agree to Madero's
terms, there is but one man in the re?
public who can answer the rebel leader,
and that Is the President himself.
That the members of the Cabinet
would go that far on the road towards
peace is not to be expected.
No admission was made by any offi?
cial to-day that any direct overtures
of peace had been made to Madero.
Officials* In Flight.
Agua Prieta. Mexico, April 7.?All
the officials of Arizpo have left that
city and tied to Cananea. according to
a report received htre last night.
Arlzpe is probably now In the hands
of the rebels, under Juan Cabral. The
30ft Federal volunteers at Arlzpe are
not accounted for In the report. It
has been reported, however, that there
has been lighting In the vicinity of
Arlzpe during the last two days.
Arlzpe is the capital of the Arlzpe dis?
trict.
Insurrectos have also entered the
camp of Las Chispas, in the Arlzpe
district, which is owned by Swiss. It
is one of the richest camps in Sonora
and sends Its gold bullion on burros
overland to Nogales.
Bringing: In Wounded.
El Paso, Tex.. April 7.?Eighty-three
wounded and a number of prisoners
taken by the Federals at Casas Grandes
were brought into Juarez to-day. Tho
wounded lay prone in box cars, > >.
were well cared for by the escort,
which numbered about 200. With the
latter were two field pieces and two
rapid-fire guns.
General Eugia L?is, recently ordered
to proceed with his force from Ca aas
Grundes to Chihuahua, is reported to
have left for the latter place. Twenty
five "soldadas," or women camp fol?
lowers, who had become separated
from their husbands in the Federal
ranks, arrived at Juarez to-day. They
walked from Chihuahua, liSO miles,
pushing a hand car that bore their
meagre belongings. Where bridges
were cut, they forded the streams,
carrying the hand car.
Juarez A p:nin Menaced.
United States customs guards report
a force of 400 insurrectos at San Igna
clo. opposite Fort Hancock, east of El
Paso. The appearance of this force,
! which, it is believed, is awaiting rein?
forcements, has revived fears of an at?
tack on Juarez.
Dispatches from Cullxean, the capital
j of Sinaloa, declare twq engagements
I have taken place near Mojnlo, and that
a number of wounded Federals have
been brought to Cullxean in ox carts.
j Couriers from Agua Ajlto, near Mo
jol?, brought reports of an engage?
ment, in which it was said forty insur?
rectos were killed by tho Federal artil?
lery.
Only ir>0 troops are left to garrison
Cullxean, and Governor Ucdo has been
(Continued on Second Page.)
Fire Traps Men and
Boys in "Blind"
Tunnel,
FORTY BODIES
ARE RECOVERED
One of Victims Was in Charge
of United States Rescue Car,
While Noted Expert in
Rescue Work Is Lying
at Point of
Death.
Scranton, Pa., April 7.?One of tliej
most serious mine disasters which |
ever has visited this .section of the)
mining country occurred to-day at the]
little village of Throop, a short dis- I
tu nee from this city, when the lives i
of betw pen fifty and sixty men and
boys were snuffed out. Among those]
known to have perished are Joseph
Evens, who was in charge of the
United States mine rescue car: Isaac
fawe, a tire boss, and Waiter Knight,
a foreman. |
Evans's death was the result of a
defective oxygen-charged armor
Charles Enzian, the- noted expert, in
general charge of mine rescue work
j for the Federal government, was also
overcome, and is said to be in a crlt
bal condition to-night.
As rescuers entered the mine they
stumbled over three bodies. One of
these was Joseph (".vans. He was se^?n
to wrench his helmet from his head.
It evidently had failed to work*.
Evans was carried to the open air as
quickly as possible, but he had inhaled
so much smoke and gas from the
burning coal that he died within a few
hours. Enzian's experience was simi?
lar to that of Evans.
'iSvo Score Ilodles Found;
Up to a late hour to-night nearly two
score of bodies had been piled at the
bottom of the shaft, but it was thought
advisable not to bring them to the sur?
face until the crowd had dwindled. A
temporary morgue had been erected at
the opening to the mine, and here were
congregated hundreds of women >and
children, relatives of the men and
boys who had been so suddenly snatched
from them. Their grief was pitiful,
whildren of tender years clinging to
the skirts of their mothers, while older
members of the family sought to soften
the anguish of the distracted mothers]
and sitters of the unfortunate fathers
and brothers.
None or tho bodies was mutilated,
death doubtless having been caused by
inhaling llames and gases. The rescu?
ers are pushing Into the mine, and it Is
thought that all of the bodies will
be recovered within a few hours.
The fire was In the Pancoast Col?
liery, three miles from- this city.
Three men. protected by helmets and
oxygen tanks, this afternoon pushed
past the point where the flames were
first discovered and stumbled over the
bodies of two men and a boy, who evi?
dently had fallen while groping their
way to safety. To those familiar with
the conditions In the Pancoast Colliery,
the finding of these bodies indicated
that there was practically no hope for
the other Imprisoned miners.
Tho fire started a few minutes before
10 o'clock this morning In an engine
house at tho opening of a slope, 750
feiet from the surface. There were
400 men in the mine when the fire
started. About sixty of them were at
work in a "blind" tunnel at the end of
the slope, for whom escape was com
pletely blocked by fire, smoke and the
generated gases.
Hangs of miners at the Pancoast, led
by Mine Superintendent Joseph Birtley.
and assisted by the Throop fire, depart?
ment, carried hoso Into the mine and
fought the tire.
nescue Car Summoned.
The United States mine, rescue car,
stationed In WJlkesbarre. was summon?
ed early tn the afternoon. Three men,
with the oxygen tanks and helmets on.
succeeded In penetrating the slope for
a hundred feet after the blaze at the
engine hou.se had been subdued, and
they came upon the bodies of the two
men and a boy. Their faces were
burled In the wot culm, as If they
had died trying to escape tho deadly
gases nnd intense heat.
A corps of the rescue, men later came
upon several bodies strewn along the
roadway, where the men had fallen
over one another in their frenzied
tight to get to the end of the slope.
The bodies were carried to tho' foot
of the shaft and stacked up In piles In
the narrow space to bo taken out after
nightfall. This was done ,\o mollitv
the horror consequent upon the sight
of the distracted wives, children and
other relatives of the victims who
thronged the mouth of tho shaft.
Borough officials, deputy patrolmen
and a squad of Stato constabulary
were, summoned from Pottsville, three
miles away, to take care of the crowds.
There was no violence, although It
w.is feared there might bo some dis?
orderly demonstration on the part of
the friends of tho foreigners among
the victims.
The colliery is owned and operated
by the Prioo-Paneoast Coal Company,
at the head of which Is John R. Bry
den, general manager of tho Ontario
and Western Collieries in this region.
It is one of tho largest and most up
to-date collieries In tho region.
Civil War Semi-Centennial Number of The Times-Dispatch
IVext week hrgtua ' the ?eml-eentennlnl of the Civil Wnr. On Sunday The Tlmes-Dlspatch will devote
tin entire Mcctlnu to picture* and nmricH of the men ond event*' which tunke up the opening chapter of
thnt great strife. From the pen of ?lohn Elfreth YVutklnn there will lie .1 atory of Fort Sumter, with prof line
illuHtrntlnns. ('nplnln Jnme? Tower .Smith, of General Stonewall .Inckfton'H ntafl, has written for ihtn acctlon 11
vivid portrnyal of the nftsniilt on Fort Sumter nnd the eventx leading; up to and following it. There will he
pictured of President Jefferson . Du-vIh and General Itohert k. I.eet also of the twenty-four nurvlviug geuertiU of
the Confederacy. Thene generals Mend mcnnaRe? and greeting* to their rornrnde? of Mll-MUS. TIicmc nrc hut n
few of tbc features which will ko to make up (hin historical section.
A full page of pictures of Thomas Jeffcrton, whone blrthdny anniversary folia next week, nlso will he
printed In Sunday's Tlmca-Dlspatch.
THOMAS S. MARTIN SELECTED
TO LEAD MINORITY IN SENATE
SENATOR THOMAS S. MARTIN.
ACCUSED PRIEST
Ciro Yitozzi, Camorra Prisoner,
Falls While Testi?
fying.
FASTS FORTY-EIGHT HOURS
Prisoner Ordered to Break Fast
With Yolks of Half-Dozen
Eggs.
Vlterbo, Italy, April 7.?Again to-day
the trial of the Camorrlsts was Inter?
rupted when Ciro Vitozzi, the acctidcd
priest, weakened by a self-imposed fast,
fainted. Ho was under interrogation!
and had worked himself Into a state
of mental and physical exhaustion
until ho tumbled over against the steel
bars of tho prisoners' cage. Lawyer**
and carbineers rushed to his assistance,
and in the confusion President Blnnchl
declared the sitting suspended. At the
same time the court ordered Vltozzl to
break his fast with the yolks of half a
dozen eggs.
The climax came opportunely for Vi?
tozzi, following his declaration that ho
had abstained from food for forty
eight hours. He had been telling a
story of his alleged persecution in
prison, and the recital was not with?
out its dramatic effect.
"With mo in my cell." snld the priest.
"I had a lock of hair from the head of
that holy soul, my mother. This wad
tnkort from me upon the order of a
magistrate, who insisted that the hair
was that of some woman companion
of his. "What nonsense! Why, It was
even gray. Can any one Imagine a
greater profanation?"
Seized With Kit of Weeping.
Here Hie accused man invoked the I
soul of his mother in support of his
statement, and, tho recollection of what
he described as the Insults to her mem?
ory overwhelming him, he. was seized
with a fit of weeping. Between his
sobs ho cried out:
"I have been fasting for forty-eight
hours, supported during my whole inter?
rogation by divine power."
With the words he collapsed.
Giovanni Kapl was not present when
the trial was resumed to-day. Ills
physician certified that Jje was suffer?
ing from a sore throat, as a result of
having "cried too much during his in?
terrogation."
Telia of Attempted II r I he.
The proceedings opened with the re?
call 'of Vitozzi The prisoner described
attempts which he said had been made
to make him appear guilty of complic?
ity In the murder of Gounaro Cuoecolo
and his wife. While he was In prison,
ho said, ho was confronted with a man
who offered him $20 to denounce cer?
tain persons as guilty of the Cuoecolo
assassinations, adding that If It was
necessary he would send the priest to
America, as Erricono hud boon sent.
Vitozzi said that he did not know the
man who approached him, and whose
name as given him was fictitious.
The. prisoner told of the alleged
abuse of him by the examining Judges
during his preliminary examinations
and while he was In prison. Judge l>
(Continued on Third Pago.) '
ERTY
TRIPLI
Georgia's Prison Commission
Recommends That He Be
Pardoned.
DECISION IS UNANIMOUS
Generally Believed That Gover?
nor Brown Will Make Him
a Free Man.
{Special to The Times-Dispatch.]
Atlanta. 6a., April 7.?Upholding the
"unwritten law," the Prison Commis?
sion of Georgia to-day unanimously
recommended the pardoning of Thomas
Edgar Stripling, convicted and sent?
enced for life In Harris county, Ga.,
who fourteen years ago made his es?
cape, afterwards becoming Chief of
Police In Danville, Va.
The application will now go to Gov?
ernor Brown for action, lie has an?
nounced that owing to a press of
work, he will not be able to reach
the case before some time next week.
So strong has been tho sentiment for
pardon, however, petitions coming
from all parts of the State and from
Virginia as well, that it is generally
believed the Governor will sign the pa?
pers and make Stripling a free man.
Kcturu to Danville.
Stripling intends to return to Dan
vlllo and resume his life there, so re?
cently Interrupted by the hand of tho
law.
At tho hearing before the commis?
sion, the plaintiff's attorneys conllned
their efforts to contrasting tho char
cater of Stripling with that of William
Cornett, tho man he killed. Stripling
was painted as a Christian, a man of
the highest charactor, a lover of homo
and of wlfo; God-fearing and lovable,
acting finally only to save his own life.
Cornett was shown In the blackest
of colors. Affidavit aftor affidavit was
introduced to prove that vhe had no
respect for women; that ho was a loose
talker, and that ho had not refrained
from boasting of his conquests. Affi?
davits from his neighbors, from Connor
employes and from relatives wore to
tho effect thai ho was repeatedly
warned that if ho did not stop talking
about tho wives of other nieri, he
would head a funeral procession, and
that his only reply was that ho was
too smart and too quick to bo caught
napping.
Mrs. T. II. Durham made affidavit
that Cornett had asked her for a kiss
and was advancing upon her when
neighbors arrived, and that she told
Stripling and her husband.
Mrs. Stripling also made affidavit
that once she received a letter from
Cornett. Mrs. Stripling made no re?
ply, but kept the letter and gave it
to her husband,
Docs Xot Cacape.
Stripling did not escape a roast or
two from affidavits and from attorneys
for the Cornelts in the course of their
attacks on him. One affidavit was in?
troduced tn prove that Stripling and
rnett had been seen together on the
afternoon of the killing, anil I hat both
were in the friendliest of moods. A
'etter was read from the editor of a
Danville paper saying that Stripling
was not wanted in Danville by the ma?
jority of the citizens of that, place.
Another aflldavit was to the effect
that of the two men killed by Stripling,
both were shot In tho back.
Attorney Cameron. In his speech
n gal list Stripling, said that he recog?
nized Stripling as the man who led a
mob ut Columbus, which lynched two
negroes.
FRAUDULENT BILLS ISSUED
Testimony Following: ISxnhilnnllon of
ItookN of Cotton llrokrr*.
Aberdeon. Miss April 7.?That an
examination of the; books of Steole,
Miller & Co., cotton brokers, showed
that fraudulent bills of lading for 13,
620' bales of cotton had been issued
by the firm, was tfcS testimony .?- -'j;y
Receives 21 of the 37
Votes Cast in Demo?
cratic Caucus.
FIGHT OF BRYAN
IS OF NO AVAIL
Battle Fought in Advance of'
Meeting, Enabling Senators to
Keep in Background?Pro
and Anti-Bryan Feeling
Made Manifest in Prelim?
inary Scrimmages.
Washington, d. c. April 7.?Senator
Thomas S. Martin. 6t Virginia, -was
selected at tho Democratic Senate cau?
cus to-day as permanent caucus chair?
man and minority leader during tho,
present Congress. Ho received twenty
one out of tho thirty-seven votes cast,
sixteen going to Senator Benjamin R
Shlvely. of Indiana. who was then
elected vice-chairman. Senator Wi E.
Chilton. of West Virginia, was elect
led secretary of the caucus, tho two
last named places having been Oiled
by acclamation. Senator Owen de?
clined a re-election ris secretary.
The expected contest did not develop
I rior to the session, the Progressive
Democrats, as the followers of Wil?
liam Jennings Bryan prefer to be dcslg
I nated, met in the office of Senator Owen
to canvass the situation. A number
, found themselves In an embarrassing
I position because of pledges made many
weeks ago that they would support Mr.
Martin for the minority leadership.
PlmiH Clinmred in CuucuK.
It was decided that tho Progressives,
should vote for Senator Nowlands, of
Nevada, as Senators Culberson. of
Texas, and Stone, of Missouri, both de?
clined to become candidates. The plan
was changed In caucus, however, when
it was learned that Mr. Shlvely, who
was the vice-chairman under the lead?
ership of Senator Money during the
last Congress, would not object to re?
ceiving the complimentary vote of
those who would not vote for Mr. Mar?
tin.
Several of the Progressives, after
the conference, conceded that Mr. Mar?
tin could not bo defeated. Failure to
upset his candidacy was duo partly to
his having been originally brought
out as a candidate of the Bryan men,
led by Senator Stone, to prevent tho
election of either Senators Bailey or
Bacon. Both of these Senators, gener?
ally known as the Regulars, were dp
posed by the Progressives. It looked
for a time as If Mr. Martin would be.
elected unanimously, but Mr. Bryan
wanted an out-and-out Progressive
named and frankly told some of tho
new Democratic Senators that they
were throwing away their opportuni?
ties.
Mr. Martin was nominated by Sena?
tor Clarke, of Arkansas, and Senator
Shlvely by Senator Kern, of Indiana,
the running mate of Mr. Bryan in the
last, campaign. Senator Stono second?
ed the Shlvely nomination- The thirty
seven votes cast accounted for tho
Democratic strength except four. Sen?
ators Tlllman, of South Carolina; Ter?
rell, of Georgia, and Shlvely were ab- .
sent because of illness, and Senator"'
Martin did not vote. The roll call fol?
lows:
For Martin?Bacon. Bailey, Bank-v,
head. Bryan, of Florida; Chilton..
Clarke, Culberson. Fletcher, Foster,.
Johnston, Overman. Paynter, Percy,
Rayner. Simmons. Smith, of Maryland;!*
Swanson. Taylor. Thornton, Watson'
and Williams.
For Shlvely?-Chamberlain. Davis,
Gore, Hitchcock. Johnson, of Maine;
Kern, Lea, Martine, Myers. Nowlands,
O'Gorman, Owen, Pnmereno, Reed,
I Smith, of South Carolina, and Stone.
Kept lu Background.
Tho fact that the battle had been',
fought In advance of the caucus en-[
ablc-d the Democrats to keep In tho,
background all of the Bryan and antt~
Bryan sentiment manifested during tho
preliminary scrimmages.
Tho friends of Senator Martin decld-j
ed that inasmuch as they had the votes;
to elect their candidate it would ba^
follv to bring this question Into tho
caucus, which appeared to bo entirely
harmonious.
The appointment by Chairman Martlnv,
of a steering committee which wills
also serve, as a committee on commit?
tees was authorized by the caucus.
The committee will have to report
its program for the filling of vacancies;
on standing committees to tho cauoua.'
itself.
A statement Issued by Senator-Owen^
speaking for Sonators who voted},
against Mr. Martin, says:
?Those who supported Shlvely did
so because ihey are militant. Progres?
sive Democrats, determined to enforce
the policies of the national Progressive
j Democrats, and they feared that the
I country might feel that Senator Mar?
tin would not bo regarded as progres?
sive as the country had a right to ox
I pect of the leader of the Senate. Wo
shall expect the country to bp agreo
ably disappointed In this matter. Thor?
arc at least twenty-two or twenty
' three militant Progressive Democratic
' Senators who have not heretofore been
regarded as in complete sympathy with
the national platform, who will bo
found actively progressive, so that
there shall bo In the Senato a
party united in spirit and in common
purpose to control the special Interests
of this country and restore the rights
of the common people."
VICTORY TTCOMPLETE
F led inn of Martin 1? Hard fllov* tot
Nebrnttknn,
I Special to The Times-Dispatch.]
Washington. I >. C April 7.?In splM
of the terrific light that has been
waged iur ?he las four or flve (lay*
by William J. Bryan to prevent ?W^
ntor Thomas S. Martin, of Virginia,
from being elected leader of tho Dom?
ooratics In the Senate, the result of tho:
( incus this afternoon, when henatot?
i Martin was declared duly elected, 1?
! 'complete victory for tho latter andj.
' a hard slap at the interference of th?.
1 Nebraska n.
When Mr. Bryan came to Washing-,
ton for the ostensible purpose of see
Ir.g Champ Clark made Speaker of th*?>
House, he gave the public to under-.
aiund that this was hhi only purpos?
& bcins here* awl that hq would uot?;