Newspaper Page Text
SCENE OF THE FIRE IN ST. LOUIS: BLOODSHED IS AVERTED FOR THE PRESENT Republican Govern oc Taylor of Kentucky Causes the Re , lease of Walker. ¦ Democratic Legislators Will Not Attend the Session at London Unless Compelled by the Military. CINCINNATI, Feb. 4.— Thirty-two members of the Kentucky Legislature, 5 all Democrats, are to-night making the hotels and homes of political friends in Cincinnati an asylum of refuge from whatever unknown and unpleasant ¦ possibilities the capital city of thalr own State to-morrow might have la < store for them. They report that four Senators and five Representatives have been left in Frankfort, a number sufficient to convene the Legislature there. ' The legislative contingent lodging her© expect to have the programme wired ' to them In the morning. They are no doubt acting under the orders of the J steering committee, j In addition to the legislators there Is an unusually large registration of citizens from Kentucky at all the hotels. . VJ FRANKFORT, Ky.. Feb. 4.— Armed conflict between the civil authori ties of Franklin County and the National Guard of the State of Kentucky has been averted, and \- ,.":' unless new causes should come to the front there is small likelihood that the political situation will again become as it has during the last forty-eight hours. Governor Taylor this morning ordered the release of Alonzo Walker, for the posses sion of whom Judge Moore hafi declared that Sheriff Sutter would swear In a posse and take possession of the Capitol grounds, If such an extreme became nec essary. While not recognizing In his ac tion the existence of the writ of habeas corpus which had been sworn out In be half of Walker, Governor Taylor by re leasing the man removed the most threat ening sign of trouble. The commanding officers of th© troops which guard the Capitol grounds are care ful to say that 'the situation Is entirely a military affair, and that they extend to the writ of habeas corpus very little con sideration; but, whether they regard It or not. Walker Is free and Sheriff Sutter will not be called upon to summon force in the attempt to secure his release. The appalling consequences which would follow such an effort on the part of the Sheriff were too much for the more con servative members of the Democratic party, and It was decided to-day that, no matter what Judge Moore should say as an individual, there would be no attempt to take possession of the Capitol grounds by force of arms. Even If Walker had been held a much longer time than he actually was held, no effort, the Demo cratic leaders had decided, should be made for his rescue after the writ of habeas corpus bad failed.- Both sides will take a rest pending the session of the Legislature called by Gov ernor Taylor at London No Democrats will attend this unless they are taken there by the military forces of the Stats, and no attempt will be made In this direc tion by Governor Taylor until he has af forded them every opportunity to go to London of their own accord. What will be done when it has been made certain that the Democrats will not visit London has not been definitely determined by Governor Taylor. It Is likely that mat ters will on both sides be allowed to drift until after the funeral of Governor Goe bel. WALKER RELEASED BY TAYLOR'S ORDERS He Is Informed . That He Hay Be Court-Martialed at Any Time for Inciting a Mutiny. FRANKFORT. Feb. 4.— Alonzo Walker, the stenographer -who was placed under arrest' on the charge of inciting the sol diers of the State Guard to mutiny while pinning a notice of a proposed applica tion for an injunction upon the door of the office of Governor Taylor, was re leased this morning. The release was not made In response to the writ of habeas corpus which Sheriff gutter tfied in vain yesterday to serve upon Governor Taylor. The latter concluded that Walker had remained in custody for & sufficient length of time and told him to go home. The charge of inciting to mutiny has not been quashed, but Walker may not be brought before a court-martial as was at one time contemplated by the officers of the State Guard. At 10 o'clock this morning Colonel Roger Williams entered the room in the executive building and remarked to Walker: ..-. "Well, Mr. Walker, we have agreed to an exchange of prisoners and yoy are to be given your freedom." "I can go, can I?" asked Walker. "I guess so," was the reply, and the colonel then added with a laugh. ""We have exchanged you for one Zulu and three Filipinos, and as we expect them every minute I guess it will be all right for you to have your freedom." Mr. Walker was then allowed to go, after notice had been served upon him that the charge against him was still pending and it could be pushed at any time if the military authorities should so decide. He told Colonel Williams that he intended to remain in Frankfort. Various rumors were circulated In re gard to the reasons for the sudden re lease of Walker, among them being a re port that his release by order of Gov ernor Taylor was In deference to a tele gram from Washington advising his dis charge. Governor Taylor was too busy to-day to be seen In regard to the matter, but Adjutant General Collier said that no such reason existed for Walker's re lease. "The idea is absurd." said General Col lier. "Mr. Walker's arrest was simply a • matter of military discipline. He was not discharged, but was given his lib erty* until arrangements could be made for his trial by court-martial. When this will be has not been determined as yet." Asked if Walker's release was Influ enced at all by a desire to forestall any possible application in the Federal court for a writ of habeas corpus. Adjutant General Collier said: "Not In the* least. A wrong Impression apparently prevails in regard to the rea sons for the arrest. Mr. Walker was heard to make statements two days before his arrest that were regarded as mutinous, and persons overhearing Ms remarks made affidavit to that effect. The order for his arrest was accordingly made out by Governor Taylor, and we were only waiting for a favorable opportunity to arrest him. His arresfat the time It did occur was as unlooked. for by us as It was by, him, and was more of an accident than design. It Is simply nonsense to say that he was confined because he pinned a court notice on the Governor's door. "It Is a trivial matter." continued Colo nel Williams. "Since Mr. Walker's ar .rest we have hardly given the matter a thought, and his liberty was granted him simply for the reason that to keep him In confinement was not only a hardship to him. but to us also, as we had made no provision for prisoners. It will take some time to get together the Judge-advocate and members of the court-martial, and we have no desire to inflict any needless hard ship on Mr. Walker." In response to a request Colonel" 'Wil liams produced from the flics the order for the arrest, signed by Governor Taylor and dated February 2. It says: "It appearing from information given to me that Alonzo Walker has been guilty of the offense of encouraging, advising and inciting mutiny and desertion among members of the regular State militia from Kentucky." Mr. Walker will return the notice of the service of the injunction summons to morrow and give his arrest as his reason for not reporting earlier. . * GOEBEL WILL BE BURIED AT FRANKFORT Simple Funeral Service Will Be Held at His Old Home in Coy- ington. FRANKFORT. Ky., Feft. 4.— lt has been practically decided that the remains of Governor Goebel will be burtefi In Frank fort, In the cemetery overlooking the Kentucky River, where lie the remains of Daniel Boone. Vice-President Richard M. Johnson and several Kentucky Governors, eminent Jurists and soldiers. Arthur and Justus Goebel. Senator-elect - Blackburn. D. S. Hackelford. Clerk of the Court of Appeals, and Warden Llllard visited the cemetery to-day and spent some time se lecting a suitable spot. Though no definite decision was reached, a spot In the vicin ity of the Immense shaft erected In honor of Kentucky's dead soldiers, nearly tha highest point in the beautiful cemetery, will probably finally be selected. Although the burial will take place In Frankfort, in accordance with the wishes of the friends of the dead man. the funeral ser vice will be held in Covlngton. his home. The remains will be taken to Covlngton to-morrow on a special train, which will carry the pall-bearers, the relatives of the dead man. members~of the legislative committee. Judges of the Court of Ap peals, and others. Tuesday morning the remains will bo conveyed to Odd Fellows' Hall, where they will He In state from 8:30 In the morning till 10 o'clock at night, the hall being kept open In the evening to allow the working people an opportunity to view the remains. The funeral services will be extremely simple. In deference not only to the wishes of Governor Goe bel. but also of the' members of his fam ily. Outside of a guard of honor, con sisting of fifty citizens, there will* be no ceremony or display of any kind. Even the funeral cortege will be lacking. Wednesday morning the remains will bo brought back to Frankfort and placed In the big ballroom of the Capitol Hotel, where they will 11© in state all that day. It Is believed that from thirty to fifty thousand strangers will be In the city to view the remains and bitter feeling en gendered by his death may result In a clash. Precautions are being taken. Ir respective of party, to prevent trouble. The Interment will take place Thurs day from the Capitol Hotel, but the actual arrangements for the burial have as yet not been decided on. Plans for the raising of funds by pop ular subscription for the erection of a monument to Governor Goebel's memory are rapidly taking shape. Besides this. Democratic leaders say the Legislature will make an appropriation for a monu ment In his honor, following the usual custom In Kentucky on the occasion of the death of a Governor. A suitable tablet, to mark, the spot where Governor Goebel was shot, will also be provided for. DEMOCRATS CHOOSE LOUISVILLE AS CAPITAL Legislature Will Meet Each Day and Adjourn Until Hatters Are Settled. LOUISVILLE. Feb. 4.— This city Is to b© the seat, temporarily at least, of the Democratic State government. To-mor row the Democratic members of the Leg islature will meet here, and It Is pur posed to make Louisville the headquarters of the executive and legislative branches of this State government as long as the presence of troops keeps them from Frankfort, or until the present conflict of authority In the State is settled. The details of this. plan were decided upon at the conferences held by leading Democratic leaders at Zelbach's Hotel during the afternoon and evening. News paper men were carefully excluded from these councils, and every effort was made to keep the deliberations - secret. The plans to have the Democratic members of the Legislature meet here had already well matured. Preliminary steps^ In this direction had been taken at the meetings of these members held In the Capitol Ho tel at Frankfort since the State buildings have been surrounded by soldiers. The Democratic legislators there adopted a concurrent resolution for adjournment to Louisville, and this fact was made known early In to-day's conference. It was stated by members of the Legislature present that threats had been made at Frankfort by persons connected with Governor Tay lor's administration that members of the THREE BLOCKS RAZED BY FIRE AT ST. LOUIS Conflagration Destroys Property Valued at Two Million Dollars. Crushed Under Falling Walls, One Fireman Loses His Life and Eight Others Are Seriously Injured. THE DEAD. CHARLES W. MEBUR. fireman. THE INJURED. Chief Swlngley, face blistered by heat. John Judge, foreman engine com pany, bruised about legs, Internal Injuries. John Hanmore, driver engine company, leg broken, hand and cheek bruised. Mike Hanlon, truckman, back cut and bruised. James Adams, truckman, cut on hand. John Karp, pipeman. Internal In juries, serious. Harry Bridge, foreman engine company, shocked by electric wire. Assistant Chief Gus Thierry, shocked and burned by live wire. A. J. O'Reilly, supervisor of city lights, got blown into the street by concussion of falling walls. James J. Schweiger. fireman, hands cut. G**orge W. Durand, spectator, hip dislocated. • August Roeber, pipeman, leg hrnkeiv ST. LOUIS. Feb. 4.— Fire broke out at 8 o'clock this morning In the five story brick building at Broadway and Franklin avenue, occupied by the dry goods firm of Penny & Gentles, and In a few minutes en^veloped the entire Etrucutre. Sparks and brands were blown in every direction by a strong northwest wind, and the destruction of adjoining property was threatened. A general alarm vu turned In and soon every en gine in the city was at the 6cene or on the way there. On the south of Penny & Gentles, the flames communicated with the buildings occupied by Sctaper Bros., dry goods, and the Famous Dry Goods Store. The burn- Ing area increased minute by minute, the flames gaining great headway and leaping across to the east side of Broadway. In a short time a large empty store building on the corner of Franklin avenue was de stroyed, with those directly south, occo jiie<l ty tn<« "Pt6ple*s "House 'Furnisnlng Company, the Marks millinery stor«. Dill's dental parlors and Deere Bros.' five end ten cent etore. By 10 o'clock all the trails of the Penny & Gentles and Bchaper Bros." buildings, with the ex ception of that on the west, had fallen.' The wall between Schaper Bros, and the Famous fell, but the fkunes were quenched before doing much destruction in tfre latter establishment. It wae not long before the upper floors and v.alls of the building opposite Penny <k Gentles on Broadway began to fall. Casualties to firemen were numerous. When the walls of Deere Bros.' five and ten cent store collapsed several members of Engine Company No. 11 were in the building. Four firemen were covered by the debris and It was several hours before they could be taken out. Charles Mappes, a pipeman. had been crushed to death and several Injured. John Judge, foreman of No. 11. was wedged In with the dr-bris. Across 'his feet lay the body of Mappes. With a cool head Judge directed the efforts of his comrade? in their work of rescue. When he was $r.ally removed he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, where sev eral others of the injured had been re moved. From Broadway the flames ate their way through to a number of three and four story structures occupied by numer ous fiftas fti various lines of business. These were soon on fire from top to bot tom and were razed. Heroic efforts to keep the flames from the building on the. corner of Fourth and Franklin avenues, occupied by the German-American Bank, v.ere successful. This and two buildings adjoining on the south were saved. Across on Fourth avenue and extending through to Thinl avenue was a row of old buildings occupied by the SchlfOer- Coraella Seed Company, the Plant Seed Company, Krenning's Glassware and Crockery Company, BasFett Plumbing Company. Mueller Block Commission Company, Nelson Distilling Company. "Ie- I-aln & Alcott Commission Company, Hake & Sons' Commission Company. Ben ton & Co., commission house. Bauer Flour Company and William Bock's saloon. Here the firemen were finally able to stop the spread of the fire to the east. but not until the interiors and stocks of merchandise of all these buildings were destroyed. Before this occupants of buildings east on Third and Second streets, fearing a further spread of the fire, commenced to remove their stocks, but at 3 o'clock It became evident that th« fire had been put under control.* At this point Third street widens out, and this helped the firemen to keep the flames In check. If the fire had broken beyond bounds here the loss would have been enormous. This Is the middle of the commission district, where the streets are narrow and the buildings old and their contents of a combustible na ture. » Nothing could have prevented the fire sweeping everything to the river In the meantime stores and buildings on the north side of Franklin avenue, for half a block east and west of Broadway, caught fire from flying embers, blazes being started at half a dozen different points. " Good work by the firemen, how ever, prevented much loss at this point. Two ordinary stores and a few small shops, partially destroyed, were the heav iest losses. The trolley wires along Broadway and Franklin avenue were a source of danger, and until they were cut by the Mayor's orders there were numerous narrow es capes from electrocution. While trying to get a derailed car ont of the way of the firemen at . Fourth and Morgan streets the car bumped into -a fire engine." crushing Fireman Hanmore. He was fatally hurt. . ¦ For hours after the fire broke out the scene was thronged by thousands of spec tators, who had been drawn by the re port that the entire city was burning. Every policeman available was hurried to the scene and rope barriers were erected around the fire section, but it was all they could do to keep the eager crowd back. The loss on both buildings and stocks of goods is approximately $1,500,000. Defin ite figures are exceedingly hard to obtain. There were six retail concerns which were heavy losers. The balance of the loss is divided, in varying proportions, among a score or more shopkeepers or flfms. Only two concerns suffered losses of over $100, 000—Penny & Gentles and Schaper Broth ers. The buildings in which the two con cerns were housed were owned by the Mary K. Knox estate, and were erected at a cost of $165,000. Penny & Gentles' loss, which was covered entirely by in surance. Is estimated at $135,000. Schaper Brothers' loss it* estimated at $100,000. Thesfe two concerns occupied about .half the block on the west side of Broadway, south from the corner of Franklin ave nue, and the buildings were entirely de stroyed. The rest of the block on the west side of the street Is taken up by the buildings occupied by the Famous Dry goods store, whose loss was compara tively slight. On Franklin. Just back of ; Penny & Gentles', the building occupied by the Fuch Millinery and Cloak Company Buf fered a loss on the stock of $40;000. The store occupied by D. Crawford & Co., at Broadway and Franklin avenue, was entirely burned, with a leg's on build ings and stock of $70,000. The People's House Furnishing Company, at 814 North Broadway, was completely wrecked: loss, $50,000. At 812 North Broadway, Deere Brothers' store, filled with a stock of 5 and 10 cent goods, sustained a $33,000 loss on buildings and stock. The fire swept through the block from Broadway to Fourth street and burned all buildings' from 827 to 809 N. Fourth street. These buildings were old three and four story structures, come' occupied as. tene ments above and stores " below, while others were vacant. Here the St. Louis Dressed Beef and Provision Company, the Schisler-Cornell Seed Company and three small stores suffered a loss of J65.000, while the losses on buildings amount; to nearly $45,000. .. '. Among the firms and individuals that suffered heavily from the fire are the fol lowing, whose places of business were on the east side of Fourth and west side, of Third streets: A. Nasse, wholesale grocer; Plant Seed Company; Krennlng Glass Company, Bassett's plumbing' establish ment. McClain & Alcorn Commission Company, . Buelter-Block Commission Company. Nelson Distilling Company, Hake & Sons' Commission Company, George A. Benton, produce: Bawer Flour Company, Shaw & Richmond, produce. Late to-niKht John Cummlngs, private watchman of Penny & Gentles', was "ar rested and is being held at the Four Courts pending an investigation into the origin of the fire. He was taken into custody as the result of a statement by a woman rooming opposite to the effect that she had seen a man answering the watchman's description lighting matches In the store previous to the fire. . -""..-/¦. -«" Continued on Sixth Paga. DTTRBAN, Feb. 4. — General Buller crossed the Tugela River on Friday- night and is marching. on Lady *. smith. No definite news will be permitted to go out until Ladysmith is relieved. . ' liADYSMITII, Saturday, Feb. 3 (by heliograph via Signal HillY— General Uuller's guns have been heard. Otherwise it is very quiet. We are awaiting Turther news or hi ; progress. There have been no developments here. Very lew Boers show northeast of camp. The majority are concentrated couth and west. The health of the garrison is improved. LADYSMITH, Feb.- 4- (by heliograph via Signal Hill.)— The- garrison was much cheered by hearing General Buller's guns yesterday. The result of the engagement is not knownJ The Boers are again massing near Ladysmith, also moving another gun toward Surprise Hill. We are quite ready for them if they contemplate another attack. ' BULLER FIGHTING NORTH OF THE TUGELA RIVER Thunder of the British Cannon Gives Renewed Hope- to the Gallant Defenders of ||§| -.Continue* on Bwmd Pag*. PRICE FIVE CENTS. VOLUME LXXXVH-KO. 67. SAN FRANCISCO, MOKDAY, FEBRUARY 5, f 1900. THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL The fire- started at Franklin avenue and Broadway, • seven blocks , north of the Court House, wnose cupoia is seen « In the left of the picture, and which stands on Broadway and Chestnut street, and swept' east and southeast to « within a couple of blocks of the end of the Eads 1 ridge, shown on the right 'of the picture. \ -• , : ; :^;i4 Special Cable to The Call and - the New : York Herald. . Copyright, 1900, by James Gordon Bennett. LONDON, Feb.' s.—Just one week ago to-day General Buller.'"in an address to" Warren's' division, bade -. the . men to be, of good cheer, for he hoped to be in Ladysmith within a week. > • That the general's hopes have not yet been realized may be taken as a cer tainty; for there is no doubt.that.news of the relief of Ladysmlth would not «be held up.by.the.War Office. 'Has he even yet begun an advance and crossed' the Tugela? ,-..-;¦ *•, , A.host of rumors were current yester day In regard to the' British commander's movement In Natal, the general tenor of the reports being, that he-was once more - endeavoring. to force his way through the Boer lines. One telegram went bo far as to assert positively that he had- crossed the Tugela. Up; 1 to an early hour, this morning no confirmation of these statements was forthcoming, the War Office stating simply that.it had no news for publication. The Dally Telegraph's correspondent, Mr. Bennet Burlelgh, who is with Buller's army, .telegraphed from Spearmans Camp at 6 o'clock last evening that, aside from occasional sniping and the advance of a small body of British troops to drive back Boer sharpshooters from the' north bank of the Tugela at Potgieters Drift, the day was quiet. He added, - however, .that the troops were enthusiastic '- over the prospect of an early advance. ,On the other hand, one of the news agency reports says that Buller, crossed the Tugela on Friday and is marching on Ladysmlth. It is possible that Lord Dundonald's recent 'reconnoissance' to the most westerly of the drifts on the Tugela was mistaken for an advance in force. Another agency has a . message to the effect-that on Saturday. Ladys'mlth heard the guns of the army of relief. Then the Pietermaritzburg. correspondent of the Dally Mail states definitely that General Bufler has undoubtedly secured a road to Ladysmlth and will reach his objective point this week. .This last message may be merely an echo of the general's Spear mans Camp speech, ¦ but the other two telegrams are more ' definite. I : | It is difficult to understand why, wHh out large reinforcements. General . Buller should' succeed;: on t this;, occasion, after failing at' Spion Kop, unless under the steady pressure 'which the', strengthened British forces in other fields are beginning to exert the Boers' have weakened their forces before Ladysmith and. that Bulier is aware of this. •¦' £'_->. ii'-'ir. ¦ " All ' over town one heard " nothing ' but' talk .of a new attempt" to. relieve Lady smlth. During the day I met' a' gentleman' from South Africa^ who gave me "news some ' time ago' of A what', was -going . on- at Delagoa Bay.^When I ho-was '• aaked^Trbjj, just one victory the war is half over." - In the clubs, ¦ where accurate informa tion Is usually to be obtained, I found the same, impression prevailing. There has returned also a general feeling of confi dence, just exactly the opposite, to what Is represented in certain foreign news papers, which describe the British nation as nervous and the military position as hopeless.' ' ' ."¦ \ To-day r war overshadows everything. People— women Just as much as men— will riot talk of anything else. .'-¦ ¦> -.: BULLER MAY SOON REACH LADYSMITH LONDON, Feb. s.— The Pietermaritzburg correspondent of the Daily Mall, tele graphing yesterday, says: "General Buller has undoubtedly se cured the road to Ladysmlth and should reach his 'objective point this week. It Is believed here that the object of the Boers in occupying Ngiitu, Zululand, is to secure the road from Dundee to Vryheid In case of 'retreat. VI learn from a' reliable source that Gen eral Joubert was seriously injured by a shell in ! the fight at Willow Grange, and that he .will never ; be able to command again on. horseback. My informant says that ¦ he has, •in > fact, retired from the field. ' "The Boers admit that the attack , on Ladyßmlth was a. serious blunder, and would not have occurred rif. General Jou bert" had .been In command. General Lu cas'Meyer played the coward at Talana and sheltered .himself in a Red- Cross wagon, ' shamming . sickness. .' He ' has been he was so joyous his reply was that from reports he had received from a goad source he was, confident that the losses of the Boers had been enormous. 7-'/. ; ;'-i/ "Considering their limited forces, they have," he said, "had over. 9ooo casualties, which they conceal with the utmost care from the relatives of the dead. There are thousands . of letters at . the Boer head quarters which are undelivered because those to whom they are addressed are no more. "I think that Buller Is all right. The only thing' to do with the Boers is to keep banging away at them. A few more such victories as the Boers have had of late and they will be finished with. The Boers can replace nothing, of what they lose, whereas the English can fill up every gpp which occurs. That's why I say Buller ia right, even if he has to retire again, to attack and keep harassing the Boers, who are in a bad plight, suffering men tally and physically and falling short of ammunition, shoes and clothing. •T have heard on the best authority that General Buller has " gone on again and that the .War Office is already. In pos session of important Information but does not purpose to, lay ltselfopen to further criticism of haste by letting out' valuable news" prematurely. - If Buller only gets