The San Francisco call. [volume], March 05, 1895, Page 2, Image 2

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ances of hostility to Southern Pacific
measure.
During the skirmishing between the two
factions, while the doors were closed,
other arguments than those immaterial
were brought forward. The sum at which
votes were rated was extremely insignifi
cant, however. One member was offered
$100. Later $50 was added to this. He re
mained obdurate, but the company did not
make any further raise. *
The scalpers' bill was the first on the
Senate special file. This brought it up
immediately after 2 o'clock. Dodge pro
tested against it on the ground that it was
not needed. "It is not called for," said he.
"The people do not ask for it. Besides,
the only portion of it that is for the people
is the section forcing the railroads to re
deem unused tickets, and I think that is
unconstitutional.' '
Wade of Napa pointed to the fact that
the fifth section of the bill provided for the
imprisonment of a corporation. This, he
thought, showed how utterly useless the
bill would be.
Waymire of Alameda here introduced
an amendment to strike out sections 5 and
6. He was ruled out of order. Then the
House resolved itself into a committee of
the whole and the amendment was lost.
A call for the previous question shut off
further amendments. The roll was called
and the vote stood 96 to 35. At once a de
mand weut up for a call of the House.
There were 40 votes in favor of this to 32
against. Immediately the doors were
closed and the roll called to find the ab
sentees. These were O'Day, Dinkelspiel,
Tomblin and Stansell. Warrants wore
made out for their arrest and the House
proceeded to quarrel.
First, dispensing with tin* call of the
House was demanded. Then a motion to
adjourn would follow. Brusie- wanted a
recess. Then Bledsoe, not being able to
have the rules of the House dispensed with,
asked that the absentees be excused for the
day. He was ruled out of order. Reid of
Trinity by this time became aware of the
active interest Mrs. Cummings was taking
in Assemblyman Hall. He, therefore,
called the attention of the chair to the fact
that the rule allowing only members'
wives on the floor was being violated. He
moved that the rule be enforced. The
chair announced that only motions to ad-'
journ or to dispense with the call of the
House would be in order. Then they
moved to adjourn some more. Secretary
Brandon of the Senate, who came in on
business, waited with interest for the doors
to open. Then an 'appeal had to be made
to the House to let him go out.
In the meantime Mr. O'Day and Mr.
Tomblin had been rounded up by the ser
geant-at-arms. Dinkelspiel- had come to
the door of the Assembly, just after the
call of the House had been demanded. Not
being able to get in. he went to the Gov
ernor's office on some business he was in
terested in and did not come back till the
trouble was all over. Mr. Stansell was
found later. Tomblin and Stansell were
known to be against the bill. O'Day was
for it. There was only one man more to
be found. That was Dinkelspiel. Both
Collins and Wilkins were excused. It was
decided to dispense with the call of the
House, and the roll was called with the
following result:
Ayes— Ash, Bassford, Berry, Bettman, Brusie, '■.
Butler,Ca_*gtll, Coughlin.Cutter, Davis, Devine,
Davitt, Dixon, Freeman, Gay, Guy, Healey,
Kelsey, Laugenour, Lewis, Llewellyn, Meads,
McCarthy, McKelvey, Merrill, O'Day, Pendle
ton, Powers, Richards, Spencer, Swisler, Tib
bitts, Thomas, Tomblin, Twigg, Weyse, Wilkin
son, Zocchi, Mr. Speaker—
Noes— Bachman, Barker, Belshaw, Bennett,
Bledsoe, Boothby, Bulla, Coleman, Dale, Dodge,
Dunbar, Dwyer, Swing, Fassett, Glass, Hall,
Hatfield, Holland, Huber, Hudson, Johnson,
Jones, Keen, Kenyon, Laird. Nelson, North,
Osborn, Phelps, Price, Reid, Robinson, Rowell,
Banford, Staley, Stansell, Wade, Waymire—:.'*.
Excused and absent— Collins, Dinkelspiel,
Wilkin.
This made 39 ayes to 38 noes. There was
a pause. Then came the change that de
cided the bill. Hall and Laird changed
their votes to "aye" and the bill was
passed.
Its future is problematical. It will be
sent to the Senate. The Senate will refuse
to concur in the amendments and the bill
will be sent back to the House. The
House, however, will not recede from its
amendments, and conference committees
will be appointed by both houses. Neither
Speaker Lynch nor Speaker Flint will be
likely to appoint violently anti-railroad
members on their committees, and as a re
sult the various amendments will be
thoroughly toned down and the poison ex
tracted from their stings. Then a bill sat-*
isfactory to the railroad company will be
passed, transmitted to the Governor, and
then— Governor Budd is non-committal as
to how he will treat the bill. It will be
remembered, however, that he was elected
on a violently anti-railroad platform.
In the evening the railroad again came up.
This time it was in regard to the street-car
system. The Committee on Corporations
have reported a bill that refuses to allow
two lines of street railway, under different
managements, to use the same street for
more than five blocks. Its section 3 re
peals an act of 1878 fixing a penalty of
$2. *0 charging more than the rate fixed by
law for a ride.
Reid moved to amend the bill by striking
ont this amendment. He denounced the bill
as an attempt to strengthen the street-car
monopolies. '
Thomas of Nevada protested that the
bill was to allow the poor man to get to
work more quickly, since it allowed cars to
run at twelve miles an hour.
Wade of Napa spoke against the bill and
for the amendment, as did a number of
others, but the amendment received only
19 votes and was lost. There were 51 noes.
MX THE SENATE.
The Extortion Bill Killed by a Good
Majority.
Sacramento, March 4.— Senator Toner's
bill to open up avenues of extortion in the
government of the city and county of San
Francisco came up on second reading in
the Senate late this afternoon.
The Committee on Judiciary recom
mended an amendment to the bill, and
this was first voted upon. The bill Is en
titled, "An act to repeal an act entitled,
'An act to provide and regulate the manner
of receiving and paying^ fees, commissions,
percentages and other, compensation for
official services in cities and cities and
counties having a population of over 100,
--(XX) inhabitants, and prescribing the duties
of officers "with reference thereto,' ap
proved March 11, 1893."
Its purpose is to repeal the act which
secured passage two years ago through the
efforts of Senator Fay. If the bill should
pass it would allow the Sheriff of San Fran
cisco and other officials to extort fees as was
the custom two years ago and back of that
date, and would make the revenues of the
Sheriff 's office exceed $50,000 a year. It is
a bad bill, but there is little likelihood of
its passage now.
Senator ; McAllister declared that .the
easiest way to kill the bill was to defeat
the amendment of the Judiciary Commit
tee, because without that amendment the
bill contained a fatal defect which would
kill the bill of itself.
- ''According to Senator Langford that is
a vulgar way .ofj killing a bill, sometimes
practiced by the Assembly but never in
the Senate," said Senator Ford, referring
to a verbal passage between Senators Lang
ford and McAllister some days ago. "At
this stage of proceedings it is not the
method but the action which should be
considered," retorted Senator McAllister.
"The bill has reached the danger line."
The amendment was defeated by a vote
of 17 to 12. This practically kills the bill
unless Senator Ford can drum up recruits
to support his motion for a reconsidera
tion, which will come up to-morrow.
Bills were passed amending the law so
as to secure a better protection for ani
mals ; appropriating $3042 for the Woman's
Relief Corps Home at Evergreen ; provid
ing a clerk in the office of the Superinten
dent of Public Instruction.
McGowan's bill authorizing the forma
tion of county insurance companies and
regulating methods of business was slightly
amended and went to third reading.
Senator Hart called up to-night the 3 per
cent cinch on the insurance companies and
succeeded in having it made a special order
for 3 :30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon.
IN THE house.
77te Police Commissioner Bill Made a
Special Order for To- Day.
Sacramento, March 4.— Almost the en
tire morning was spent on the county
government bill, which received many
amendments. One of the most important
of these was introduced by Thomas of
Nevada, who wishes the Supervisors to be
given the power to arrange their game
laws without regard to the provisions of
the general law. It was argued that Cali
fornia was larger than the whole of the
New England States and that it was as
natural for Modoc County to need game
laws differing from those of San Diego as
it was for Maine's laws to be unsuited for
Rhode Island.
Wade of Napa assured the House that
the proposed amendment had been de
cided to be constitutional by the courts of
his county, and the amendment was
adopted, XoVth of Alameda giving notice
of reconsideration.
Special orders were postponed for a
time at the request of Mr. Brnsie in order
that the Senate amendments to the gen
eral appropriation bill might be considered.
Bulla of Los Angeles moved that the
House refuse to concur in the amend
ments, explaining that he did so to save
time.
Bledsoe of Humboldt wanted the amend
ments considered separately, but receded
from his demand when a viva voce vote
was taken. This left the chair in doubt.
Bulla explained that if the House refused
to concur conference committees would
have to be appointed, when an agreement
could be reached in regard to the proposed
changes which would be acceptable to both
houses.
A spirited debate ensued. It showed
that very few, if any, of the members were
willing to agree with the Senate in all the
proposed changes, and Bulla's motion was
carried by a heavy vote, only Coleman
voting no.
The Senate was at once notified of the
action of the Assembly. The Senators ap
pointed a committee of conference consist
ing of Yoorheis, Orr and Langford, and
Brusie, Bulla and Laugenour were ap
pointed by Speaker Lynch to assist in
getting the bill into shape.
Immediately after recess Cutter asked
permission to introduce Assembly bill 653,
in order that he might present some
amendments. This is the bill limiting the
time for which the Police Commissioners
can hold office. Cutter assured the House
that the bill did not affect Mr. Gunsti nor
would his amendments; but that the mem
bers could decide whether the two men who
have been in office now for sixteen years
were to stay forever.
The House consented to taking up the
bill out of order. Cutter then introduced
as an amendment an insertion of a subdi
vision that will oust Tobin and Alvord the
day after the bill receives the Governor's
signature. The words inserted are in sec
tion 1 and provide that a vacancy exists
in an office "at the expiration of four years
from the date of an official's appointment
or election unless a definite time therefor
be fixed by the laws creating said office or
commission.''
The amendment was adopted. Another
amendment making the act take effect im
mediately upon its passage was also
adopted, Boothby of San Francisco giving
notice of an intention to reconsider.
Cutter then asked that the bill be made
the special order for to-morrow morning,
immediately after the reading of the jour
nal.
Dixon of San Francisco protested that
the bill could not be back from the printer
by that time, 7 7-:".
"But it will be back then," Cutter said,
with significant emphasis.
Upon this assurance the bill was set for
consideration at that time. :- -7
As soon as the scalpers' bill had been
passed in the Assembly the bill appropri
ating $210,000 to pay the bounties due on
coyote scalps came up. There was no dis
cussion, the bill going at once to its final
passage and its death.
The bill of Senator Voorheis authorizing
the formation of districts for the construe,
tion of sewers and other sanitary purposes
was also passed.
It was decided to reconsider the bill al
lowing the State Treasurer an extra clerk
which was defeated on Saturday. Action
was postponed till to-morrow.
Weyse's bill allowing County Treasurers
to pay for the collection of county licenses
was taken up as a matter of urgency and
passed. The House then took up its spe
cial order file.
The bill relating to taxes, prepared by
the Committee on Revenue and Taxation,
was read the third tine and passed. " :
The resolution of the Judiciary Commit
tee. that the question of a constitutional
convention for ' 1897 be submitted to the
people at the next general election was
adopted without a dissenting vote.
Coleman's resolution that Congress be.
urged to allow the miners to work their*
properties in the Yosemite Valley was also
adopted. .
The" bill proposing to give the Super-,
visors of San "Francisco power to loan
money in the sinking fund on real estate
was considered by the San Francisco dele
gation to-day. They decided to return the
bill without recommendation!
The bill providing for the erection of a
pesthouse was reported favorably.
The Ways and Means Committee allowed
fifteen appropriation bills, footing up $327.
--052 46, this afternoon. The largest were
$160,000 for improvements at Folsom and
Dwyer's bill appropriating $100,000 for es
tablishing at San Francisco a State asylum
for the indigent sick. , , r :
The Whittier Reform School was allowed
$36,100, instead of $129,150 asked for
The bill providing for six extra police
men at $100 a month for the capitol build
ing- was recommended for passage and
$1500 was recommended for a monument
for E. G. Waite.
The bill allowing the Controller a . rev
enue clerk was also favorably considered.
The bill to establish a furniture factory
at Folsom was killed. '■ _
. Bound for Yukon.
Port Town-send, March 4.— The steam
ship Willapa left on her initial trip to-day
for Alaska with a full cargo of freight and
eighty passengers. Every steamer ; going
north is loaded down with miners and ad
venturers rushing to the Yukon gold fields
THE SAX FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1895.
MANY PATENTS
ARE INVOLVED.
Important Decision Rendered
by the Supreme Court in
the Bate Case
AS TO FOREIGN INVENTIONS.
Those in This Country, Particu
larly Edison's, Will Soon
Be Unprotected.
Washington, March 4.— The case of the
Bate Refrigerator Company against Fran
cis Sultzbcrger & Co., upon which hinges
the question whether American patents ex
pire with foreign patents previously issued,
was decided to-day in an exhaustive opin
ion by Justice Harlan. : The court held
that the invention for which Bate received
a patent was previously patented in a for
eign country and the United States patent
expired with the foreign patents. Electric
and other'patents are involved by the deci
sion in this suit.
The case involves the construction of sec
tion 4887 of the Revised Statutes, which
provides that "every patent granted for an
invention which has been previously pat
ented in a foreign country shall be so lim
ited as to expire at the same time as the
foreign patent, or if there be more than
one, at the same time with the one having
the shortest term, and in no case shall it
be in force more than seventeen years."
Among the patents affected are three is
sued to the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany on applications filed by Thomas A.
Edison, as follows: Patent No. 474,230, ap
plication filed April 27,1877; Nos. 474,231
and 474,232, application filed July 27, 1877.
On March 7, 1893, patent 492,789 was is
sued to the same party on an application
filed by the same party on September 5,
1877. These inventions became the prop
erty of the American Bell Telephone Com
pany by the telephone consolidation con
tract, November 1, 1879. These Edison
patents are claimed to be fundamental, and
with the Berliner patent now in litigation,
and which were filed in the Patent Office
from 1877 to November, 1891, expire at the
date of the expiration of the foreign pat
ents. The inventions have been in use
since 1878. The' Edison inventions were
patented in England, 1 France and Canada
in 1877, and in Belgium, Austria-Hungary,
Italy, Germany and Spain in 1878, and in
Prussia in 1882. They are" free in foreign
countries, and under the construction now
given to section 4857 are made free in this
ceuntry. Substantially the decision will
affect in the same way the quadruplex tele
graph patents which were applied for in
October, 1874, and issued December 15,
1885. The incandescent-lamp patents filed
by the General Electric Light Company
are included in those which will be affected
by the decision. The decision says:
Was the Bate invention patented abroad
before it was patented in this country? If so
the American patent expired with the foreign
patent, and thereby the American public be-
come entitled to the use of the invention from
the time the foreign public was permitted to
use it. Congress, in effect, by the existing laws,
says to an inventor seeking to enjoy the exclu
sive use in the country of his invention for the
term prescribed by law : "If your Invention has
not been introduced into public use in the
United States for more than two years you
may, on complying with the conditions
prescribed, obtain an American patent, and
you may, if you can, obtain foreign patents.
But the American patent will be granted on the
condition that if you obtain the foreign patent
first your invention shall be free to the Ameri
can people whenever, by reason of the expira
tion of the foreign patent, it becomes free to
people abroad ; but in no case shall the term of
the American patent exceed seventeen years."
The rule prescribed by the twenty-fifth sec
tion of the act of 1870 having been reproduced
In section 4887 of the Revised Statutes and the
latter section never having been amended we*
ought not after the lapse of nearly twenty-five
years from the passage of the act of 1870 place
on Its twenty-fifth section or on section 4887 of
the Revised Statutes, which took its place, any
interpretation other than which the ordinary,
natural meaning of their words import. Our
answers, therefore, on the questions certified
are that; the Inventions for which United
States patents to Bate were issued were under
the facts stated "previously patented in a
foreign country" within the meaning of those
words in section 4887 of the Revised Statutes,
and that the United States patent to him ex
pired under terms of that section before the
expiration of seventeen years from its date.
Let it be so certified to the Circuit Court of
Appeals. -; r i. ■•.-.'■. _'■•'. ■■
FAR-REACHING IN RESULTS.
Much Property Affected by the Bate Deci
'">*7." sion.
New York, March 4.— The decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States,
handed down to-day, unanimously sus
taining the decision of the lower court
in the case of the Bate Refrigera
tor Company against Sultzberger, is
probably more far-reaching in its influence
and affects a larger amount of property
than any decision in the court since the
"greenback" cases were disposed of.
This decision not only settled the contro
versy, but when the parties directly inter
ested, viz. : the General Electric Company
and the American Bell Telephone Com
pany on the one side and the Westinghouse
and tho anti-Bell Telephone Company
on the other side, but also disposes
of a very large number of other patents
which the public have assumed to have ex
pired under the ruling of the lower court,
but which would have been revived if the
decision of the Supreme Court in this case
had been the other way, and it also short
ens the life of a great many patents which
have not yet actually expired.
The decision is against the position taken
by the General Electric Company and the
American Bell Telephone Company and
those associated with them on the appeal
and affirms the decision previously ren
dered by the United States Circuit Court
in this circuit. r \" -' '■ "-
This decision terminates three Edison
patents for the carbon transmitter owned
by the American Bell Telephone Company,
by which it hoped to extend its control for
twenty-five years more, as would have
been the case had the decision been in
their favor. ;'■ ."■, 7." / ,
A considerable number of patents owned
by the General Electric. Company are also
disposed of by this decision, including
Edison's patent on the incandescent lamp,
regarding which- there has been so much
litigation, and also his patent on
the "multiple arc" system of distri
bution, and his patent on the socket for
incandescent lamps, which was recently
held to be valid by Judge Cox. Probably
there has been no case I argued before the
Supreme Court since the war in the out
come of which so many lawyers are inter
ested.
NO MINISTER TO MEXICO.
Mr. Ransom Qualifies for His Warns Mis
- sion.
Washington, March 47 — Within two
hours after Mr. Ransom of North Carolina
ceased to represent that State as a Senator
he had qualified as United States Minister
to Mexico. The ceremony took place in
the room of Assistant Secretary Uhl at 2
o'clock. Mr. Ransom will leave for home
to-morrow to put his personal affairs in
shape, and will return to Washington in
the course of three weeks to receive his
instructions before going to his post.
COPYRIGHT LAWS AMEXDED.
Action of Great Interest to Publishers
Taken by Congress.
Washington, March 4. — An important
measure of great interest to newspapers
throughout the country was enacted in the
closing hours of Congress. It amends the
copyright laws so as to correct unduly
harsh and oppressive provisions of the law
as heretofore enacted.
Under the law any newspaper reproduc
ing a copyright photograph and publish
ing it forfeited the plates of the copy and
was liable to a penalty of $1 for every copy
found in its possession.
The measure as passed modifies ma
terially the penalties imposed by the pres
ent law. It ends as follows:
Provided, however, in the case of any such
an arrangement for copyright or photograph
made from any object not a work of fine arts,
the sum to be recovered in any action
brought under , the provisions of this
section shall be not less than 8? IOO, nor more
than .SSOOO. And provided further, in case of
any such infringement of the copyright of a
painting, drawing, statue, engraving, etching,
print or model, or design for a work of the
fine arts, of a photograph of a work of the fine
arts, the same to be. recovered in action
brought, the provisions of this section shall
not be less than $250, and not more than
$1000.
One-half of all the foregoing penalties is
to go to the proprietors of the copyright
and the other half to the use of the United
States.
VICTORY FOR YOUNG GRIFFO
Declared a Better Man. in the
RingThanLeedsofNew •
Jersey. •■'•':
Twelve Fierce Rounds Fought
. and Both Men Badly
pummeled.
Cgney Island, March 4.— One of the best
cards ever put up by the Seaside Athletic
Club was that prepared for its patrons to
night. Young Griffo, the Australian,
was again to the fore to show his
wonderful skill, and a big crowd came
from Philadelphia to see how Horace
Leeds of Atlantic City, N. J., would make
it with the antipodean. There was a good
deal of quiet betting on the event and the
Quakers with their money made Leads a
slight favorite, but even money was the
prevailing price. Fully 4000 spectators
were present. Tim Hurst refereed all the
bouts and Bob Snell held the watch.
At 8:40 o'clock Marty McCue and Danny
Mcßride entered the ring. In the fifth
round both men warmed up and made
things lively. Mcßride had the call at the
end of the round and when the referee
awarded the fight to him the decision was
received with cheers.
Tom Denny of Australia and Solly Smith
of California were the next pair. They met
at 122 pounds for a ten-round go. The
bout was declared a draw.
The fight of the night was then an
nounced. Horace Leeds was the first to
climb through the ropes, accompanied by
his seconds. Young Griffo followed just
at 10 o'clock. Griffo looked fat but in good
condition, while Leeds, who is taller, looked
trained to the hour. The bout was to be
of twelve rounds' durations at 133 pounds.
Both men did some hard hitting, and in
the twelfth round Leeds landed his left on
the body. Leeds again led,. Griffo
countered on the face. Both countered on
the face, and Griffo jabbed Leeds in the
face again.
Griffo was smiling when he tapped Leeds
lightly on the face. Griffo hit Leeds on
the ear. Leeds made a wild swing, but
Griffo dodged once more. Leeds punched
Griffo in the mouth and Griffo tried his
shoulder once more.
The gong then ended the fight amid
shouts ol "Griff.." and counter howls of
"Leeds.'' Referee Hurst decided in favor
of Griffo.
Montreal, March The Costello-Woods
fight was declared a draw in the tenth
round. The decision was rather favorable
to Costello. 7777
• ♦
GOING ON ' rxxytJK HUNT,
President Cleveland and Party Will
Leave the Capital To- Day.
Washington, March 4.— The lighthouse
tender Violet, in which the President and
party will take their duck-hunting trip to
North Carolina, reached here to-day from
Baltimore. It is belived that the President,
Dr. O'Reilly, his physician, and two or
three friends will begin their trip to-mor
row. It is thought that the party will be
absent at least ten days or two weeks.
Death of the Census Office.
Washington, March 4.— The Census Of
fice ceased existence as a bureau to-day,
and hereafter until the work of the eleventh
census is completed will constitute merely
a division of the Interior Department.
The division now consists of ninety clerks,
three special agents, with George R. Don
nell of Mississippi, the former chief clerk
of the bureau, as division chief at ' a re
duced salary of $2000.
Belay in the Hayward Case.
Minneapolis, March County Attorney
Frank Nye was ready to begin his presenta
tion of the Hayward case to the jury to
day, but Judge Smith was not ready to
have him. The Judge declared that he
was not willing to jeopardize the life nor
the health of Nye and the juror Meyer,
and he believed it better to give both
another day's rest. Accordingly the case
was continued until to-morrow. •'•
■ — *>z — ' — '
Their name is legion. The intelligent
housekeepers who use Dr. Price's Baking
Powder. ■....-*
Populists Will Join Silver Men.
Grand Forks, N. D., March The
Populist party of North Dakota will be
merged into the new silver party. W. H.
Standish, Attorney-General under the late
Populist State administration, is the au
thority for this declaration. He intimates
that this course of action has been agreed
upon by the leaders in conference and de
clares that the rank and file of the party is
in favor of the move.
Acquitted at Bakersfield.
Bakersfield, March 4.*— The trial of
Samuel Simmons for the murder of A. P.
Hood in the Weed Patch, about one year
ago, was concluded to-day, defendant being
found not guilty and was immediately set
at liberty."--. ■"- .
To Investigate the Bond Issue.
Denver, March 4.— The State Senate to
day adopted a 7 resolution, introduced 7by
Senator Carney, calling on Congress to in
vestigate the late bond issue. ,
Nothing spurious is found in the Almighty
Dollar (Cigar). * : jl.'7' : *
SWINDLING THE
UNION PACIFIC.
Successful Efforts of a Band
of Expert Check-
Raisers.
NOTHING
WITHSTANDS THEM.
Railroad Detectives Tracing
the Bold Rgues, Who
Flee WestwarQ.
■Denver, March 4.— One of the most sys
tematic and ingenious check-raising swin
dles that was ever successfully carried out
in America has just been unearthed in this
city, the victims being the Union Pacific
Railway Company, nearly every bank in
Denver and several dry goods and other
houses. The method used by the swin
dlers shows them to be master criminals,
as daring as they are dishonest.
Early last month the Union Pacific pay
car left Omaha on its regular monthly trip
to Salt Lake City, with the wages of the
company's employes. Closely following
the car came a gang of check-raisers, and
its members left the marks of their skill
with acid, ink and pen in nearly every
town where Union Pacific employes reside.
The full extent of their operations and the
loss to the company, or those who took the
raised salary checks, is not yet fully
known, but enough has leaked out to show
that the check-raisers have ' netted thou
sands of dollars by the swindle.
The full force of the Union Pacific de
tective corps is at work on the matter, as
well as the police authorities in Denver
and all the other towns on the line. The
gang visited the hotels and saloons most
frequented by the railroad men, where a
large portion of the checks had been cashed
or traded in and bought them up for cash.
In value the checks ranged from $10 to
$100, but each one was skilfully raised to
$110, and .passed for that amount at banks
and stores. In every instance the raised
checks were tendered for some small pur
chases, so that the gang got nearly the
entire amount in cash.
In Denver the checks ultimately reached
different city banks', where they were pro
nounced all right and forwarded to Omaha.
The Union Pacific auditor then passed all
the $110 checks as being "0. X.," and com
menced the balancing of the accounts.
When the returned cheeks were compared
with the stubs of the check-book the fact
became apparent that the checks had been
tampered with, and work was at once com
menced by the railroad's detectives. It is
supposed that the gang worked west to
Salt Lake and then escaped to the coast.
Omaha, Nebr., March 4.— Startling de
velopments were made in the Union Pa
cific check-raising swindle to-day, which
are calculated to alarm all • corporations
paying in checks. The discovery ' was
made that the gang who operated on the
Union Pacific system have a method of
erasing ink with an acid which defies the
best made paper, which is guaranteed to
show the slightest presence of acid or other
foreign substances.
The amount secured by the work of the
gang is not yet known, but it is not as
large as at first supposed, j The fact is not
regarded as of much importance, however,
as compared with the new process which
is puzzling the company's chemists and
detectives. The paper on which the checks
are printed has been regarded until now
as being absolutely proof against manip
ulation, but the operations of the gang of
experts shattered' all the claims of the in
ventors of the paper that their invention
is acid i>roof.
The checks which were raised failed to
show a single erasure mark, and the
amount of the check in figures in the right
hand corner, as well as the written amount
in the body of the check, were wiped out
as completely as if a cloth had been used
in removing dust from a table top. Not
content with removing the figures, in one
instance the name of the employe was re
moved and a new name substituted, show
ing they had mastered the secret com
pletely.
Frank Brown, local treasurer of the
Union Pacific Company, stated that he
had never seen checks so flawlessly altered
as in the Denver case. They had passed
through his hands, but a powerful glass
had failed to show the least manifestation,
and if he -had not known the checks were
raised he would have sworn they were
originally as made. It was his opinion
that no other altered checks would turn
up. upon the theory that the men had
been able to clean up quite a sum and
would leave for other fields to prosecute
th eir rascality.
What is to be done is the question
which is perplexing the minds of officials
at the Union Pacific headquarters to-day.
They argue that the puncturing of the
amount of a check on . its face, by a
machine invented for the purpose, can be
filled out with papier mache, painted over
and a new puncture made for a different
amount. That chemically prepared papers
are of no avail with the discovery of acids
that will wipe out the most reliable ink as
easily as dirt may be displaced with water.
The Burlington people are also excited
over the paper, for they use the Underwood
safety paper, and they have to go back to
the old method of paying employes in cur
rency, should uo check paper be discov
ered. 7 : -v .-"Lj' '• '''--'_.- -.'"
SLASHED HIS BKOTHEK,
John TV un it Army Street, Arrested for
V*".:;. .'.7 Assault to Murder.
There was a row in the family of Patrick
Nunan, 1508 Army street, about 11 o'clock
last night. One of the sons, Thomas, a
teamster, had retired to bed when his
younger brother, John, came home and
began to quarrel with him. The father re
monstrated with John and he turned his
wrath upon him and struck him in the
mouth. , Thomas sprang out of bed to
assist his father and John slashed at .him
with a razor. ■". He inflicted a long, deep
gash over his heart and laid open his left
( cheek.
John then ran out of the house and the
father notified the police. . Thomas was
taken to the -City and County Hospital in
the .patrol wagon, where his wounds were
stitched and dressed. Neither is danger
ously injured.
John was captured by Policeman Heaphy
and was booked at the Seventeenth-street
station on the charge of assault to murder.
COLLIDED WITH A TEAIN.
Probably Fatal Accident to Patrick
Slevin, Harrison ' Street. .
I Patrick Slevin, 2755 Harrison street, was
probably fatally injured about 4 o'clock
yesterday afternoon at the railroad cross
ing, Sunnyside. He was driving in a buggy
with a young lady relative from the East
and had just crossed the track when the
train leaving \ the city at 3:40 p. m. came
rushing along. The noise of the whistle
frightened the horse and it backed toward
the track. The engine struck the buggy,
smashing it into pieces and Mr. Slevin and
the young lady were thrown violently to
the ground.
Mr. Slevin, who is a tall, heavy man, was
terribly hurt. He was thought to be dy
ing, and the train backed down to the Va
lencia-street depot with him. There the
patrol wagon was summoned from the Sev
enteenth-street station and he was taken to
his home by Sergeant Burke. . : -' ■ - -..
Drs. Clinton, McPherson and another
physician were hastily summoned. They
found that his collar-bone was broken and
there were severe wounds in his scalp.
There was a frightful gash over the ear.
Mr. Slevin is 67 years of ape and it is
doubtful if he will recover. He was a cor
poral in the Police Department three or
four years ago, being placed on the pen
sion list. He was greatly esteemed by all
who came in contact with him.
The young lady was taken to Mr.
Slevin's home by some citizens. She had
sustained an ugly scalp wound besides in
ternal injuries. >,- -
--T-*- ♦ •
THE HALf-MILLION OLTJB.
A Circular Letter Presented and Referred
to a Committee.
' The committee of the Half-million Club
met in the rooms of the Merchants' Club
yesterday afternoon. A circular letter,
which had been prepared by H. E. High
ton, was read to the meeting. The letter
reads in part as follows :
"The sub-committee appointed by the
Half-million Club to invite the co-opera
tion of progressive organizations and citi
zens of San Francisco respectfully ask the
assistance and influence of the body you
represent and the presence of as large a
number of its members as practicable at
the second meeting of the club, to be held
soon at the hall of the Chamber of Com
. merce.
"Without further detail than having
suggestively presented an outline of the
purposes of the Half-million Club, we say
that those purposes converge first upon se
curing sound internal conditions which
will allow full sway to natural laws, not
withstanding occasional and temporary
obstructions, and will ultimately give the
diversified phases of industry, business
and civilization itself."
The letter was referred to a special com
mittee to make such alterations as might
be deemed proper. After it has been acted
upon and reported by the sub-committee it
will be sent to the various commercial and
improvement organizations throughout
the country.
TORONTO'S BIG BLAZE.
Nearly a Million Dollars'
Worth of Property
in Ruins.
A Dangerous Fire in the Heart
of the Canadian
City.
ToßO_rro,Ont., March Saturday nights'
fire burned the three corners of Queen and
Yonge streets before it was controlled.
Loss $780,000. Three firemen were seri
ously injured during the fire and had to be
taken to the hospital.
At 12:30 this morning the tire was dis
covered issuing from the windows of Rob
ert Simpson's six-story dry-goods store, on
the corner of Queen and Yonge streets.
The fire originated in the packing-room,
and the flames rushing up the elevator
shaft communicated almost instantly to
every flat.
The pressure from the mains was insuffi
cient to throw the water high enough, and,
fanned by a light breeze, the fire «was
driven across Queen street to the north
side. Jamieson's large tailoring establish
ment was . soon in flames, which extended |
to the portions of Eaton's dry-goods estab- !
lishment, a department store, facing on
Queen street, but were prevented from en
tering the main building.
From Jamieson's the fire extended north
to Sutcliffe's dry -goods store and burned it
to the ground. The Imperial Bank, across
the street, then caught fire, and destroyed
the top flat of that building. Henderson's
auction-room was next burned, while Buf
field's tailoring establishment and the
Black Horse Hotel were gutted. Wanless'
jewelry-store was destroyed and the flames
communicated with Knox Church on
Queen street, one of the oldest Presby
terian places of worship in the city. The
spire was destroyed, falling with a crash,
but the main body of the church was only
slightly damaged. ,
The fire raged on the east side of Yonge,
south of Queen, and a vast square of stores
was burned. The firemen did their best
with the appliances at their disposal and
finally checked the flames. Following are
the losses and insurances: R. Simpson
loss $350,000, insurance $300,000; J. Wan
less, loss $42,000, insurance $41,000; Jamie
son, loss $25,000, fully ins-ired; Sutcliffe,
loss $90,000, insurance $74,000; Milne & Co.,
loss $20,000, insurance $20,000; Tremont
Hotel, loss $50,000, insurance $5000; Knox
Church, loss $50,000, insurance $20,000.
In addition to this there are large un
ascertained losses caused by smoke and
water, destruction of street-car tracks, and
tearing down of trolley and electric-light
wires, roughly estimated at $250,000, mak
ing a total loss of $780,000, with insurance
of $470,000.
HENDY'S WILL STANDS.
Judge Coffey Grants the Respondent's
Motion for a New Trial.
After dragging about through the Pro
bate Court since 1889, and finally proceed
ing as far as a verdict, the contest of the
will of Joshua. Hendy has again been sent
back for a new trial. The decision is
Judge Coffey's,, and with what reluctance
he does it he sets forth in his opinion, and
the motion for a new trial was based on
two grounds insufficiency of the evidence
and error of the court in admitting evi
dence which should have been kept out.
Both of these grounds Judge Coffey up
holds, but his decision is based principally
upon the latter one— error of the court.
The will was broken by the jury's verdict,
but by the granting of this motion it is,
for the time being, established again.
Strong Nerves
Depend upon pure, rich, red, nourishing,
strength-giving blood. The nerves derive
their sustenance from the blood and when
they are weak it is because they do not re-
ceive the nourishment needed. - The true
cure for nervousness will not be found in
opiate or sedative compounds. These only
allay the symptoms. '
Hood's
Sarsaparilla
Removes the cause by purifying and en-
riching the blood, giving to "it just those
qualities which are demanded for the
proper support of the nervous system.
Hundreds of women who once suffered
from nervousness, write that they have
taken Hood's Sarsaparilla and nervousness
has disappeared. This was because Hood's
Sarsaparilla purified their blood.
W W -m m ' mt*---. aa • ' " *• - **»)t*tB n *\-x*t'rX*~- " •
Mood < Pi lie net harmoniously with
Iwu ° * I, *'» U.ood'a Sarsaparilla .25c.
A Blue Man,
Blue Monday.
-
Blue, Blues, Blues! Yes, all goes wrong
this morning. The sky is dark and murky,
the air in my room is chilly, I walk on "a
pin, the fire does not burn, the water is
cold, I have a nasty taste in my mouth, my
headaches; gracious: I forgot to mail that
letter. See I have spilled the ink over the
carpet. How bleary are my -'yes this
morning. So at lust I am to breakfast.
Coffee cold, cakes undone, no Call; of
course I am irritated. 1 don't believe I
will get that order from Ward, James t
Co. The old man is such a crank any way,
and I feel like fighting.
-•-
A Joyful Man,
Happy, Well and Strong.
Heigh ho, the bird sings, the lire burns;
now for my cold plunge. Deuced Iy cold,
but how refreshing. My dear, how charm-
ing you look this morning. Really, old
silks actually look well on you. Bless me,
if these newspapers don't keep up with the
times. Here is a big recommendation for
Joy's Vegetable Sarsaparilla the very
thing I have been taking, and "it touches
the right spot."
Moral.
100 spoonfuls is contained in each bottle.
Each bottle of toy's Vegetable Bar-sapor .__►
contains purely vegetable iuices. Them
are no minerals in this Housenold Remedy.
If you decide to try the Great Some Rem-
edy, Joy's Vegetable Sarsaparijla, ask your
druggist for a bottle and don't take any-
thing else. »jr
WHY BE SICK
WHEN .sJk A TRIFLE
WILLBUY i|p£. tJieGreatest
HEALING -35-|f- INVENTION
OF THE *s^/? AGE?
Dr. Sanden's Electric Belt is a completa body
batter*.* for self-treatment, and g-narantees or money
refunded. It wtil cure without medicines Rheums
tism, Lumbago, Sciatica, Lame Bacl., Kidney and
Liver Complaints, Nervous lability, Weakness,
Losses, Drains, and all effects of early indiscretion
or excess. To weak men it is the greatest possible
boon, as a mild, soothing electric curront.is applied
direct to the nerve centers, and improvements are
felt from the first hoar used. Pamphlets free.
Address SA>*l>K> KLETTKIC CO.,
Council Building. Portland, Or.
COAL OIL
Best and Safest Oil
Manufactured.
pIEXTIOh ,
ii'S'E'AK"
. 11l ti^-* l^- 2^
Wm c
111 GBttAKEfO^fißf TEST
ii gffissiTOrt-g^e
Mmfor: fuller rc&i
qJ^Hj SAM FRANCISCO E- j
GIVE THIS OIL A TRIAL ASD YOU
WILL USE HO OTHER.
/^"^ Dr. Gibbon's Dispensary,
l%m-ep-tMi 023 KIJAKW NT. Established
a Dr. Gibbon Dispensary,
023 KKAKNY XT. E.t -Wished
In 1854 for the treatment of fiivate
J,*lJ^s3Jf Diseases, Lost Manhood.' Debility or
*3£p^«SS?>3 '"sense wearinffon bodyand mind and
**&iy_if&s»i_£>l Skin Disease". The doctorcures when
*££v^<Wi2i others fail. Try him. .'linrEe** low.
tT-.oC-.ir'i'* pt-riT 3 rurf>cn»r-ntfr4. Callorwrlte.
Dr. -1. r- -UIBBOA'. Box IW, San Francisco.
jpf&miana
pill ; Bitters
»!f?3*3 The Great Mexican Rcmed*.
Oivt*i liealth •rut **rtroi_^ti. t»
fPfrfty »yW*. I"*-' Bestial Organs
Depot, 383 Market St,, S. F.
Weekly Gall, $1.50 Year