Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel], May 26, 1910, Image 1

About Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911

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1 XVIOJiI. OU OIiIIMJLO ton MONTH
COI.. XXXVII.
NUMBER 237
BIG MEN OF FISH
TRUST INDICTED
AT SAN FRANCISCO
Grand Jury Charges a Conspiracy
to Keep Up Prices of
Sea Food
CITY'S MARKET CORNERED
s Throw Away Catch and Make It
into Glue to Keep the
Supply Short
[Assorlateil Press]
SAN FRANCISCO, May 25.—A. Pal
adlnl, head of the Western Fish
and its allied companies, rated aa
a millionaire, together with nineteen
other officials of the combine known as
tiie tish trust, were Indicted by the
grand Jury today for alleged conspiracy
against trade.
The charge Is based on alleged vio
lations of tho Cartwright anti-trust
law. Paladinl and the Western Fish
company are the two principal defend
ants.
Judge Van Nostrand ordered that the
defendant! furnish $r>oo ball each and
appear before him for arraignment to
morrow morning. The indictments fol
lowed a searching throe weeks' investi
gation by the grand Jury and tho dis
trict attorney, during which, it Is said,
evidence of a startling nature was se
cured. From the evidence presented to
the grand Jury it appears that Pala
dinl and his associates control the deep
sea lishing Industry of San Francisco.
Teamsters testified they hauled tons of
fish from the Paladinl boats to a glue
factory, allied with the fish trust, where
the fresh fish, many still alive, were
solil at a nominal price for glue, while
the small remainder of the catch waa
disposed of to retailors of San Fran
cisco for from 14 to IS cents a pound.
Evidence was also secured that When
tli" I'ortola *flsh company, an Inde
pendent concern, was organized the
fish trust sold Its product below cost
until the Po # rtola company was forced
to the wall when, It is alleged, the old
tactic* were resumed.
Teamsters also testified that while
hauling the surplus from the Paladlnl
boats to the glue factory they fre
quently trader! part of their loads for
fresh meat at the slaughter houses
which they paused.
Captains of tugs which were em
ployed by Palndini to haul the boats
to the dii") sea fishing grounds, told
the grand Jury of seeing tons of fresh
fish thrown'overboard to feed the gulls
bo that the market would not bo over
stocked and the price mild be kept up.
Retailers testified before the grand
Jury they were forced to buy of tho
trust at whatever price tho combine
saw fit to charge.
'SELL DIAMOND. AID WIDOW,'
BOARD URGES POLICEMAN
Sporty Bluecoat Who Won Spark-
ler Given Straight Tip
To sell a diamond ring valued at $90
and tvivc the proceeds to Mrs. David
Brooks, widow of the patrolman who
was murdered by thugs,-, was the. un
umi.il punishment the police commis
sion Inflicted on Patrolman W. L.
Claiborne la«t night. The commission
did not tell Claiborno that he would
have to do so, but it continued his
two weeks and suggested that
it !)e done.
When the facts were stated to the
commission last night it appeared that
Claiborne, while on duty, went Into a
drug store at Orand avenue and Twen
ty-eiglith Street! and entered into an
argument with Dr. T. E. Taggart over
the respective values of diamonds eat'h
owned. Each believed his the best and
they bet the diamonds on their opin
ions, leaving the matter to be solved by
two men in the drug store at the time.
These mon took the diamonds to Jew
elen and found Clatborne's stone much
more valuable than that of Dr. Tag-
K;>rt. They turned the diamonds over
to Claiborne without saying anything
to Taggart and the latter went to the
University police station to learn what
had become of his diamond. While
there Captain Bradish insisted Dr.
Taggart put the farts in the form of
chargei before the police commission.
When tin- matter was brought be
fore the commission last night Com
missioner Wellborn said that Dr. Tiig
gart ought to lose h!« diamond, hut
that he did not believe Clnibnrna should
keep It, as It sot a bad example in the
department.
Dr. Tnggart then said he had no In
tention of making a squeal because he
had lost the slone, and that If Clai
borne would sell the dlamond-and give
the money to Mrs. Brooks he would be
satisfied.
MARRIES UNCLE TWICE;
PROTESTS SECOND DIVORCE
DENVER, May 25.—That Mrs. Bes
sie Raymond had married her own
uncle has been brought out in the dis
trict court here when she resisted the
application for divorce brought by her
husband, George Raymond.
On tlio stand Raymond stnted sim
ply that the couple were married in
1906, that there were no children as a
result of this marriage, and that his
wife had deserted him in 1908.
Mrs. Raymond told the court that
Raymond, whom she first married in
1890, is her uncle as well ns her hus
band, and that two children, now 16
and 18 years of age, were born of that
marriage.
In 11*05, she said, they were divorced,
and in IMB remarried.
Raymond's petition was denied.
MARY HARRIMAN WEDS TODAY
NEW YORK, May 25.—Miss Mary
Harrlman, daughter of the late E. H.
Harrirnan and heiress to part of ono of
America's greatest fortunes, will be
married tomorrow to Charles Cary
Rumsey of Buffalo.
LOS ANGELES HERALD
INDEX OF
HERALD'S NEWS
TODAY
FORECAST
For Los Angeles and vicinity—Cloud)'
TlilirHiln}'! llgrht, south wind. Maximum
temperature jrentftrday, 71 degrees) mini
mum temperature, S3 degrees.
LOS ANGELES
Good Government forces to have big
rally tonight, many clubs beting
formed. PAGE 11
Brothers wed two pretty Monrovia girls
and entire wedding pary picnics on
courthouse lawn. PAGE 12
City has good view of racing comet In
cloudless sky. PAG! 12 13
Annandale club property worth $200,
--000. Is caurt'ft decision. I'AUK 18
Hun .. of voters must re-reglster or
be disfranchised. . PAGE: 1.1
City council provisionally buys $850,000
worth of aqueduct bonds. PAGO 1
Jay Ransch. bookmaker, released from
custody on < charge of threatening
child's life. PAGE 1
O. O. P.'s troubles now whirlpool of
disasters. «'"■«' «
Double divorce plea of Schallerts de
nied by Judge West. PAGE 18
Work of Investigating- highway condi
tions -will begin today. PAGE 9
Historic) valley openea to homeseek
ers. PAGE 9
Entlra referendum petition called void on
technicality. PAGE 8
Strike of brewers becomes a lockout. PAGE 5
"Old man's darling" asks court for divorce
deer... PAGE 8
Council favors rate of 7 eer.'s a kilo
watt hour for electricity. PAGE 9
Society, clubs, music. PAGE 12
Editorial. PAGE 12
Sports. PAOE 10
Markets and financial. ' PAGE 7
News of the courts. PAGE 8
Municipal affairs. PAGE 8
City brevities. . PAGE 13
Hotels. . . PAOK 13
Theaters. PAGE 13
Marriage licenses, births, deaths. PAGE 14
Classified advertising. ' PAGES 14-16
Citrus fruit report. PAGE 7
I3ulldlng permits. PAGE) 6
Shipping. PAGE 16
SOUTH CALIFORNIA
South Pasadena and Alhambra vote down
consolidation. PAG 14
Harry Geohegan elected president of Pasa
dena board of trade. PAGE 14
Five hum!ied cheer Johnson at Riverside
rally. PAGE 14
Long Beach celebrates at a banquet. PAGE 3
COAST
Twenty officials of alleged fish trust at
San Francisco Indicted for conspiracy.
PAGE 1
Accuse missing Oakland girl of being $26,000
embezzler. PAGE 1
Young, former S. P. official, now head of
Morgan-Guggenheim Interests In Alaska.
PAGE 2
EASTERN
Prohibitionists accused of forgery by liquor
dealers' representative In testimony be
fore Illinois grand Jury. . PAGE 2
Beef trust opens Its fight In federal court.
PAGE 10
"Golden Rule" Chief Kohler of Cleveland
In disgrace. . PAGE 2
'■p.l;i'.-Tv.-iuth," says Colonel Watrous of
of Darling. PAGE 2
Ute Indians lose $500 annuity and portion
of claims. PAGE 2
Pullman company fights order to reduce
Moping car rates. PAGE 2
Secretary BalUnfffr gives Ran Franciscans
hearing regarding 1. ten Hetchy valley
water supply. PAGE 2
Oliver Spitser, pardoned sugar trust em
pinve. mi stand Implicates late H. O.
Havemeyer. PAGE) 1
Attempt Is made to steal evidence In Brown
bribery case from Chicago court room.
PAGE 1
Senator IjoFollette scores railroads for
cxtortloln. PAGE 1
FOREIGN
Great suffering follows fire at Aomarl,
North Japan, PAGE 2
MINING AND OIL
Arrangements are perfected for mining
men's outing at Catalina. PAGE 9
Iron lies at city's portals. PAGE 6
Land commission decides railroad
staked mineral land by mistake. PAGE 6
ACCUSE MISSING GIRL
OF BIG EMBEZZLEMENT
OAKLAND, May 25.—8e11e C. Jenkin,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H.
Jenkin, well known residents of Oak
land, has been missing since April 15
and she, Is accused by the real estate
firm of Farry L. Holcomb with having
embezzled more than $25,000.
For the past four years Mfss Jenkin
had been employed by the Holcomb
company as confidential accountant.
At the same time the girl disappeared
Harry H. Houston, also an employe of
the firm, was reported missing and the
police say that Houston and the girl
have gone to Honduras.
Miss Jenkin and Houston were seen
together at various resorts In Alameda
county for nearly two years previous
to their disappearance and Houston's
wife secured a divorce from him be
cause he kept company with Miss Jen
kin.
Experts have for several weeks been
Investigating the Holcomb books, with
the result that a shortage of more than
$15,000 has already been discovered and
transactions uncovered which lead the
experts to believe the Shortage will
probably exceed $25,000.
THREATENS SUICIDE IF
KILLING IS NOT AVENGED
Girl Demands Punishment of the
Sleuths Who Shot Sweetheart
CHICAGO, May 26.—"1t seems there
Is no justice. I will kill myself unless
there Is some atonement. I have noth
ing to live for any more."
This was the declaration of Miss l'au
llne McUght, aged 21, to Chief of Po
lice Steward.
She was the sweetheart of John Du
binskl, the young: miner who was shot
and killed by detectives last week,
when they mistook him and his two
companion! for highwaymen.
Relatives of the victim accompanied
Miss McUght to the chief's office and
they demanded, It is said, that some
action be started to punish the officers.
Chief Steward refused to take offi
cial cognizance of the case until the
coroner's Jury returns a verdict
THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 26, 1910.
H.O. Havemeyer
implicated in
sugar scandal
Dead Magnate Named on Stand
by Spitzer, Pardoned Em
ploye of Trust
ADMITS INVENTING SPRINGS
Violet Mertens, Stenographer,
Gives Evidence Regarding
Statement of Weights
rAssociated Press]
NKW YORK, May 25.—Oliver
Spltzer, former superintendent of
docks of the American Sugar Re
fining company, explained today why
he did not confess during' the trial
ending last February, when he was
sentenced to two years In the prison
at Atlanta. ' ,
Such a confession, he declared on the
stand today would "have carried him
to a cemetery."
In other words, he would have Im
plicated the late Henry O. Havemeyer,
once head of the sugar trust.
Spltzer was under cross examination
by the defense at the trial of Charles
R. Heike, secretary-treasurer of the
American Sugar Refining company,
who, with five subordinates, Is
charged with conspiracy to defraud the
government by underwelghlng sugar.
srrrzEß'B testimony
"What did you say when advised to
confess?" asked Clarence Lexow for
the defense.
"I said the only confession I can
make will carry me into a cemetery,
and Mr. Stlmson (the government pros
ecutor) does not want that."
"You are referring to Henry O. Have
mcycr?" was asked.
"Yes, I am," answered Spttzer.
This closed the court incident, but
Fpitzer talked more freely after leav
ing the stand. He said he had met
H. O. Havemeyer two or three times,
and Ernest W. Gerbracht, former re
finery superintendent, another of the
defendants, had made his reports di
rect to Mr. Havemeyor.
Thf> frauds, he insisted, had begun
before his time, although he worked
on the docks twenty-nine years. He
admitted the Steel springs used to
manipulate the scales on the docks
were his Invention.
"Why did you not tell the truth In
the first place-?" he was asked.
MIRROR RtfrXBCTS F(M)I,
"Every time I look In a mtrror, I see
a fool," was the answer. "T was
a fool not to do It, but I was ashamed
to Ift anyone know I did these things.
My credit was good; I could pret any
thing, and I dtd not want people to
know I was fool enough to do these
thlng-s for nothing. I got nothing out
of It.
"Another rep.son why I committed
perjury was because T thought nothing
could happen to the sugar trust. We
all thought the trust was so strong the
government could do nothing with it."
Aside from Ppitzer's confession, the
government attaches most Importance
to the testimony given today by Miss
Violet C. Mortens, a stenographer em
ployed by the sugar company. She said
she made three copies of the so-called
technical statements concerning sugar
weight*, which have disappeared, and
one copy went to Heike and another
to Oerbracht.
The government will put on the stand
eitrht or ten \.itnesses who. It is said,
will confirm her statement, and at
tempt to prove Heike received these
statements. Mr. Stlmson expects to
close his case by noon.
FIRE WIPES OUT BUSINESS
SECTION OF WISTER, OKLA.
One Unidentified Man Burned to
Death in Hotel
FORT SMITH, Ark., May 25.—Prac
tically the entire business section of
Wister, Okla., fifty miles southeast of
here, was burned today and tonight.
One man, whose identity has not been
established, was burned to death in the
Brown hotel.
The first fire began early today and
burned seven business houses and three
hotels. Several more business blocks
were burned tonight.
Fearing that the entire town would
be burned, houses and storoa were
dynamited. The fire was believed to
be under control at 11 o'clock p. m. Its
cause Its unknown.
LOS ANGELES MYSTERY
PROBED BY GRAND JURY
PORTLAND, Ore., May 25.—The
grand Jury today took up the subject
of the mysterious disappearance of
Mrs. Hannah Smith and will continue
its investigation tomorrow. Among
those who entered the grand jury room
during the day were A. B. Chase and
Mrs. M. Boden. Chase Is a hearse
driver in the employ of E. E. Ericson,
the undertaker vifio the district attor
ney's office yesterday stated had ad
mitted having sent a "fake" telegram
from Los Angeles regarding the where
abouts of Mrs. Smith.
Mrs. Boden acknowledged after they
left the jury room that they had been
questioned concerning the Smith mys
tery.
WED WITH LICENSE TAKEN
OUT FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
CHICAGO, May 25.—Fifteen years
ago Julius Hoffman, a widower, pro
cured a marriage license, giving the
name of his prospective bride as Mrs.
Henrietta Domke, a widow.
Monday the couple wore married by
Judge Frank Green at West Hammond,
Cook county. The same license, yellow
with age, was presented to the magis
trate. Hoffman' told Judge Green that
his own and Mrs. Domke's children
had objected to the match until re
cently.
Principals in Hearing Held Yesterday
at Bedside of Woman Who Is Dying
v „^ * * \ * *'* / **^Bf^^Jfi^Bß Bi^i^^iß^K lE^^BtT^' /> I
CITY LOANS SELF
ON ITS OWN BONDS
Provisionally Takes $850,000 in
Aqueduct Bonds with
Sinking Fund Cash
By taking money out of one of the
city's pockets and putting It in an
other the city council yesterday made
a big financial deal and produced the
money that will enable the construc
tion work on the aqueduct to proceed
at the accelerated pace that lias been
kept up for the last six months. The
city bought $850,000 worth of Its own
aqueduct bonds with the accrued in
terest amounting to about $22,000, and
this money was turned in to the aque
duct funds.
These bonds were bought subject to
the options of Kountze brothers and A.
B. Leach & Co., the New York bond
buyers, who have an option on all the
Owens river bonds. The New York
bond buyers can have these bonds at
any time they choose to exercise their
option.
The action of the city in aslng its
sinking fund to buy Its own bonds
wns not especially satisfactory to the
New York bond buyers, but they have
tightened their purse strings In the
last few weeks and refilled to advance
money as fast as the aqueduct depart
ment wanted It. Their option requires
them to take bonds only twice a year
and In the last few weeks they have
Insisted on standing by this.
But the city is independent of bond
buyers to some extent. It can use its
sinking fund to carry on the work un
til next February without slackening
speed even if no more money was
forthcoming from the bond syndicate.
But before that time two option terms
will have expired. Insuring plenty of
money in the aqueduct treasury.
The council was disappointed to some
extent that it was found necessary to
use this sinking fund for aqueduct
bonds, for it had anticipated invest
ing this in the city's own power bonds
or harbor bonds and saving a largo
amount in interest.
BALLINGER'S RESIGNATION
IS ONCE AGAIN RUMORED
Accused Secretary Again Denies
He'll Leave Cabinet
(Special to The Herald)
WASHINGTON, May 25.—The family
of Secretary Balllnger have packed
their household goods and nre ready to
return to their home in Seattle. Mr.
Ballinger's resignation is expected by
officialdom as soon as the report of
Investigating committee is submitted
to congress. It is known th;it the com
mittee will divide on political lines and
that the fight over the adoption of the
majority report will be made in the
house.
Regardless of the outcome of the
fight on the floor, It is understood that
Mr. Ballinger will rest content with
his vindication from the Republican
majority of the committee.
It Is recognized on all sides that the
Ballinger incident has been an em
barrassment to Mr. Taft and that the
secretary's tenure of office has been
continued only through Mr. Taft's loy
alty to a friend.
When the renewal of the rumor that
he would resign was madf today Mr.
Bnlling-er Issued his customary denial.
CHAMPION OF BALLINGER
TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE
CHICAGO, May 25.—Edmund T. Per
kins, engineer In charge of the Chicago
bureau of the United States reclama
tion service and one of the chief sup
porters of Secretary Ballinger in the
controversy with Glfford Plncnot, an
nounced today that he would retire
from public service to enter private life.
Mr. Perkins Informed Secretary Bal
llnper of his intention before leaving
Wdßhlngton, where he went to testify
in behalf of the secretary.
CONGRESSMAN COOK ILL
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., May 25.—Con
gressman Jool Cook, aged 68, is crit
ically 111 with heart trouble at his home
here.
LEFT TO RIGHT—JUDGE H. H. |
ROSE, JAY RANSCH, ACCUSED
OF HAVING THREATENED TO
KILL HIS MOTHER AND NIECE,
AND DETECTIVE WILLIAM IN.
GRAM
KISSIE R-\NSCH, NIECE OF JAY
RANSCH
TRY TO STEAL EVIDENCE
IN BROWNE BRIBERY CASE
CHICAGO, May 25—A sensational
turn was given the Lee O'Neil Browne
alleged bribery s trial here late today,
when It became . known an attempt
was made during a noon recess to
burglarize Judge McSurley's court
room in the criminal court building.
A lock on the main door had been
jammed so badly, it was necessary to
remove it before 'the door could be re
opened.
Whoever attempted to secure access
to important papers by breaking into
the court room apparently had been
frightened away.
Judge McSurley, State's Attorney
Waynian and associates, lawyers tor
the defense, court stenographers and
newspaper men were all at lunch when
the attempt was made.
When he was informed of the mat
ter State's Attorney Wayman said he
did not take to court with him the
alleged confessions made by Represen
tatives H. J. C. Beckemeyer and Mich
ael S. Link, the contents of which
have been kept a close secret.
Against the objections of State's At
torney Wayman, Attorney Forrest for
the defense this afternoon secured a
continuance until tomorrow. Attorney
Forrest said he desired time to look
up federal authorities on the election
of senators and congressmen.
Attorney Forrest spent the entire
day in presenting his contentions that,
the criminal courts of Cook county
have not Jurisdiction to try the brib
ery cases, as he alleges election of fed
eral senators is controlled by federal
la,w.
ROCKEFELLER IN PACIFIC MAIL
NEW YOHK, May 25.—At a meeting
of the stockholders of the Pacific Mail
Steamship company today William G.
Rockefeller was elected a director In
place of the late K. H. Harriman, and
Mortimer D. Schiff was chosen to suc
ceed W. V. S. Thome. The other di
rectors were re-elected.
MISS FREMONT IMPROVING
Miss Elizabeth Benton Fremont,
daughter of Gen. John C. Fremont, who
was threatened with pneumonia, was
much better yesterday and her physi
cian expects her to recover rapidly.
tirVPT T7 1 fVH'lirQ* I>Alt,Y tc. OX TRAINS .If.
oIINLI-Liili vUI Jliio . SUNDAY Be on tii.mns lOr.
COURT GOES TO
A DYING WOMAN
Mrs. Scholl's Testimony Fails to
Fix Threats to Kill on
Son, Jay Ransch
Wearing a deep mourning band on
one sleeve as a token of his grief over
the death of his sister last January,
Jay Ransch, former jockey and book
maker, yesterday escaped trial on a
charge of having threatened to kill
that same sister's orphaned daughter,
a pretty child, 6 years old, through
the inability of his mother, Mrs. E.
M. Scholl, to fix the day upon which
it was claimed the threats had been
made.
Mrs. Scholl is bed-ridden in her
apartments at the Marlborough, 551
South Grand avenue. She is a suf
ferer from tuberculosis and there is
small chance that she can ever re
cover from the ravages of the dread
disease. In these circumstances Judge
H. H. Rosa held court in the woman's
apartments yesterday afternoon, to
which Ransch was taken by Detective
William Ingram. The hearing was
brief, but it proved a severe tax upon
Mrs. Scholl's fast failing strength.
The crucial question in the inquiry
came early in the hearing. Quietly
but impressively, as one about to die,
Mrs. Scholl responded to the oath.
She then gave her name as Mrs. Em
ma Scholl and her age as 51 years.
"Do you know Kissle Ransch?"
asked Deputy District Attorney Veitch.
"Yes, she is my adopted daughter,"
replied the witness.
"How old is she?"
The bed-ridden woman looked wist
fully around the room, but the child,
there a few moments before, had been
sent outside.
"Kissie is 6," she answered.
Then came the stumbling block.
Mrs. Scholl testified that she was Jay
Ransch's mother and that he fre
quently came to visit her.
"Wneh did you see him last?" asked
Mr. Veitch.
"I don't know the day," she an
swered. "It was the day he was ar
rested here."
"I can't remember what day it was.
I never kept track and I won't commit
myself by swearing he was here such
a day when I don't know. I couldn't
do that, could I, judge?"
Judge Rose assured her she was not
expected to testify to anything of
which she was not certain, and she set
tled back Into the bed, greatly re
lieved.
Frank Dominguez, attorney for
Ransoh, put no obstacles In the way
of tho prosecution. He made no ob
jection to leading questions, but despite
this the inquiry was fruitless. Mrs.
Scholl seemingly had lost all idea of
time in her imminent approach to
eternity.
KANSCII DISCHARGED
The court consequently adjourned,
and later, in the court room, the de
fendant was discharged from custody
on motion of the district attorney, who
explained what was already apparent,
th.at the prosecution's chief witness
was not in a condition to testify.
According to the story told to the
police, Jay Ransch is jealous of the hold
liln little niece has gained in the af
lVrtions of her grandmother, who has
adopted the child and who, it is said,
contemplates making her her heir.
Ransch says, and his statement is
not denied, that he has sent his mother,
from time to time, large sums of
money and that the trouble between
them is not due to jealousy on his
part, but to the stories told the sick
woman by mlsehlefmakers.
The value of Mrs. Scholl's estate has
been estimated variously at all tne way
from $8000 to $100,000. Jay Ransch, ac
cording to Frank Dominguez, his at
torney, is owner of properties worth
close to half a million, most of which
he made in the racing game.
When Ransoh was arrested in the
Marlborough Tuesday an automatic re
volver was found in his possession, and
subsequently a charge of carrying con
cealed weapons was mado against him.
To Judge Rose, Ransch explained that
he always carried a revolver, and when
asked why said that he frequently had
aa much as $40,000 on his person, for
use in his business as a bookmaker,
and consequently had fallen into the
habit of carrying a gun. He was, how
ever, fined $25 on the- charge, which
he paid.
Last night Jay Ransch left Los An
geles for Bakersfield to rejoin his wife,
who is there with her parents.
f^CENTS
'WE'RE IN GRIP OF
RAILROAD TRUST,'
SAYS LAFOLLETTE
Morgan and Rockefeller Own En
tire Transportation Fab
ric, Is Statement
SENATOR'S VIBRANT SPEECH
Present Rates Are 'Not Only Not
Reasonable but Are
Extnrtinnatp.'
[Associated Pressi
WASHINGTON, May 25.—"Bofora
the Interstate commerce com
mission can become effective, it
Will be necessary to equip it more
thoroughly," said Senator LaFolletta
in the senate today during a speech
which consumed practically the entire
session.
He urged the reconstruction of the
commission and said the country should
be divided into districts in charge of
a subcommission. The Wisconsin sen
ator spoke for almost live hours in
support of the Cummins amendment
regulating railroad rate increases ami
had not concluded when the senate
adjourned.
WASHINGTON, May 25.—"There ia
not une line In the statutes to give the
people reasonable railroad rates," de
clared Senator LaFollette in the sen
ate today. "All that has been accom
plished," he snid, "is to afford a means
of giving equal rates to shippers."
The interest of the shippers was by
no means the interest of the general
public, he asserted. He declared tho
people generally were as much entitled
to protection as the shippers. Forty
years ago the fight was begun with that
end in view, he said, and it was aa
much a fight against extortion aa
against discrimination; but in the for
mer respect there had been an utter
failure.
With a huge chart to show the rel
ative importance of the various groups,
the Wisconsin senator spoke in sup
port of the Cummins amendment to tho
railroad bill, requiring the prior ap
proval of the interstate commerce com
mission of increases in railroad rates.
RATS SENATE RULES
"The interstate commerce commis
sion is engaged in a mere child's play,"
said Mr. LaFollette, "The rules of the
senate seem to be so formed as to pre
vent one from speaking the truth. The
railroads hare been having their way
for forty years. We have the sins of
many congresses to atone for before wo
permit this bill to pass from our
hands."
While the rate regulation provision
of the president's original bill was in
the public Interest, Mr. LaFollette said,
the provision had been modified by
Senators Aldrich and Elkins wholly in
the interest of the railroads.
Since January 1, he said, the rates on
wool from St. Louis and Duluth to New!
York had increased 17 and 18 per cent;
on grain and grain products, domestic,
from St. Louis to New York, 18 per.
cent, and from Chicago to New York,
30 per cent; fresh meats from Missouri
river points to Chicago. 16 per cent; :
Missouri river points to East St. Louis,
23 per cent, and the rates on mules and,
horses between St. Paul and La Crosse,
10 per cent. He contended that instead
of an increase there should have been a
decrease.
Quoting Senator Root as saying that
unreasonable rates could be corrected
under the present law, he said, "Such,
a statement impeaches either the intel
ligence or the candor of the man who
makes it."
RAILROAD KXTOItTION
Contending that the present railroad
rates are "not only not reasonable, but
are extortionate," Mr. LaFollette de
clared: "Those who will not consent to
give the commission power to examine
further increases betray the public in
terest. I am here today to plead that
rates shall not be further advanced un
til we go back and clothe the commis
sion with authority to determine tho
reasonableness of rates and equip it so
it can perform that service."
Saying that of the 240,000 miles of
railways in the United States six
groups controlled 200,000 miles, Mr.
LaFollette found there really was very
little variety of interest in railroad
ownership in the United States, leaving
the control practically in one gigantic?
trust He found Morgan and Rocke
feller at the head of the entire fabric,
and he predicted that ultimately those
two names would stand not only for
the financial but for the production and
transportation interests as well.
NICARAGUAN INSURGENTS
MEET COMPLETE DEFEAT
SAN JUAN DEL SUR. Nicaragua,
May 25.—A report has Just been re
ceived here from government sources of
the complete defeat of the insurgents
at Bluelields bluff.
A Nicaraguan government, force front
the gunboat Venus today off Blueflelds
boarded and searched the American
schooner Esfuerzo, flying the Stars and
Stripes. The action was in defiance of
a ruling from Washington that the Ve
nus had forfeited her right of search
ing.
Following the search the Venus and
the other Nicaraguan gunboat, San Ja
cinto, were seen approaching Rluefielda
bluff. The American gunboats I'adu
cah and Dubuque were lying off Blue
fields, and it was expected here that
their commanders would take prompt
action.
WARRANTS FOR OFFICERS
OF DEFUNCT EUREKA BANK
RENO, May 25. —Warrants issued to
day for the arrest of Oscar J. Smith.
Bert L. Smith and C. Griffin, officers
and directors of the now defunct Eure
ka bank, will be served lute this af
ternoon. The men are charged with
receiving: funds for an insolvent bank
when they knew that the institution
was unsound. Indictments charging
the men with felony were returned a
short time ago by the Eureka county
grand J""-"