Edgar Saltus discusses the amazing
case of the harlequin peer versus the
Duke of Portland, which soon is to claim
the world's attention, in
j The Sunday Call
VOLUME CL— NO. 88.
People Win First Battle for Honest Nominations
Call's Direct Primary Campaign Results in Victory
YOUNG WOMAN
TAKES POISON IN
CROWDES CAFE
Chooses Restaurant at Em
porium as the Place
to End Life
DRINKS DEADLY ACID
Orders Ice Cream and Im
mediately Swallows
Fatal Draught
NAME IS CONCEALED
Dies on Way to Hospital
and No Mark of Iden
tity Is Found
After having removed carefully
from her person all articles by which
her identity could be established, a
comely young woman 22 years of age
entered the cafe in the Emporium, in
Van Ness avenue, yesterday afternoon
and in the presence of scores of women
patj^ns cf the place drank from a vial
of carbolic- add. While many of the
women screamed with fright. . others
rushed to "the assistance of the young
woman, but. intent upon selWestruc
tion, she fought them with /all L the
strength that she could command, and
passed away fifteen minutes 'later on
*fee y»y to the Central Emergency
Hospital.
The case is shrouded in deep mys
tery, as the young victim evidently in
tended that it should be. Her purpose,
her station in life, her address and even
her name are secrets which she has
taken with her into dfath. That she
was or refined features, that she in
tended that- her identity be concealed
Rn&jtbat she purposely chese to pass
dramatically from life's stage— that
much, is certain. The rest must wait
until relative^ or friends call at the
?lorgue. v.-her<» the body now rests, to
reveal the secrets which, her lips, for
ev«r. stilled, cannot tell.
On the register at the Morgue it Is
pimply ~gufcide — Identity unknown."
but In the life of the girl It was an
overwhelming woe, and to end it she
sacrificed her existence.
The young woman called at the drug
Ftore of C. M. Fuller at 2200 Fillmore;
street at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon
and purchased from Dr. Wilt a small
bottle of carbolic acid. She said that
she was a nurse and desired the drug
for medicinal purpose?. She seemed
gay. enough, quietly paid for her pur
chase and left the store. It was more
I than three hours later that she en
tered the Emporium. She was neatly
\u25a0 clad in a" black street suit with a tan
; coat and did not attract especial • at
' tention among the great number -of
shoppers. ;V._- .
She made her way to the cafe and
seated herself at a table. It was after
5 o'clock, a time when the cafe was
crowded wlih women patrons who drop
!ln for a cup of tea. The young woman
ordered a plate of icecream. After she
I had eaten a few spoonfuls she slipped
ithe bottle of carbolic acid from her
spocket, and. pressing it quickly to her
11 p», began, to drain its contents.
The girl's strange action and the
odor of the drug attracted the atten
tion of several women seated near her.
As they gazed, the bottle fell from the
girl* n«nd and she fell with a 'groan
to* the table.
The. entire cafe was In' an uproar
instantly. Several women screamed in
their excitement and hurried from. the
room. The calmer among the women i
hastened to the side of the girl and;
sought tt> render aid, but she fought
them desperately.
Frink G.» Andrews, manager of the
cafe," sent immediately for medical aid
and procuring a bottle of sweet oil, at
tempted to have the young woman, now
writhing In pain, 'swallow some of its
contents. Again she fought fiercely.
A physician had arrived meanwhile
with a stomach pump and despite her
struggles \u25a0 •'- a determined attempt was
made to save the gir^s life, but It was
In vain. She was placed in an ambu-.
lance, but breathed her _ last while' en
route to ; the Central Emergency : Hos
pitalllHHQßE
\u25a0A few --bourn after , the body had ;
reached the horpltal-"a woman called .
over th« telephone and asked ifabody,
had been brought from' the. Emporium.'
After the - appearance,- of : the young
Vom»n had been described, • she! cried Jn'
'*: hysterical- voice:*;. "It -is she. i I waij
The San Francisco Call.
INDEX OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO CALL'S
NEWS TODAY
TELEPHONE TEMPORARY 86
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, > 1907.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
TESTEEDAT — Clear; maximum temperature,
B6; minimum temperature.. 48. .
TO RECAST FOR TODAY— Cloudy; cooler;
brisk west wind. Pare 9
EDITORIAL - \u25a0. -
Sacramento's shameless lobbyist*. * Page 6
A new form of «port created by John D,
Rockefeller. Page 6
Whither are we drifting* Ask the gboets. .?. 6
> No more Judges needed. ' Paje 6 ,
LEGISLATURE
Direct prtaaary measure is passed by Legisla
ture and goes to GoTernor. . Paje 1
Sleepy legislators just miss passing bill ob
noxious to the railroad. \u25a0 -Pare S
Insurance committee decides that deposits
shall apply to foreign companies only. Page 2
CITY
- Unidentified girl about 22 years of age drinks
carbolic acid In crowded cafe at the Em
porium. . Page 1
Assistant City Attorney Bajrgett nays city has
right to take orer Spring Valley Water plant
under forfeiture clause of State constitu
tion. Page 1
Members - of rehabilitation - committee faror
plan of appropriating $1,000,000 for beds in
established hospitals Instead of building new
hospital .with funds. '. • Page 14
Judge Dunne sets early dates for the trials of
Ruef.and Schmltz and asserts that there shall
be no needless delays. .Page 7
State offers help to street-cleaning commit
tees. - Pa«e 14
SuperTisors receive bids for $80,000 of muni
cipal bonds out of total of $1,573,000 offered for
sale. . VX Page 14
United States Marshal this morning will arrest
Japanese student for sending ' indecent letter to
Americas girl In Mill . Valley school. Page 2
Harriman working for -Federal aid in addition
to J 1,000, 000 State ' appropriation for thelslais
Creel- harbor project.- , Pace 14.
' United Railroads arbitration board will file Hs
findings today, i- ... : • -'" Page 13' '
California'"* to \u25a0.'ftboir" : that "It bss tb'e r" moat
beautiful women in America.- ' ' ' : Page 14
Lillian Gsroace Ferures dlToree from husband :
on'-'tl>e irround of fallure-to prorlde.; . . • - Pajre. -7 '
: JWtt e-beat«r barricades : door against police ; and .
-pots- up; a*- fight.- :'-- '':'\u25a0 \rJ. -<."'\u25a0' - '\u25a0'2*fb'T< \u25a0
% Insurance - companies * compromise claims of
pollcj.bolders'.who suffered from April -'flrcY P. 14
SUBURBAN ' '/
Oakland clergyman takes up task of lisbtenlng'
the labors of telephone " operators. " Page 4
State Labor Commissioner declares employes
of milliners are underpaid. Page 4
narry Holly, former ; Reliance Club manager,
acquitted of enticing Estelle ' Cunningham \u25a0 from
her borne. Page 4
County Assessor Dalton and Mayor Mott of
Oakland engage is a political battle. Pare 4
California State Eugenics Society expels State
Mrs. Dshlgren, daughter of Mrs. CoHon. weeps
on witness stand while telling of relations with
her late mother. Page 5
. Receiver asked ' for Oregon company, con
spiracy being alleged to delay work. / Page 5
DOMESTIC
Mrs. Thaw denies husband beat her. but
Lawyer Hummel 'takes stand today to Identify
signed statement to thßt effect. Page 1
Mac Wood flics suit against Senator, Platt and
promises sensation. ; ' Page t
Senator Bailey exonerated by "Texas Senate;
House to take np charges todar. Page 2
E. H. Harriman girp« explanation of gigantic
financial operations In railroad stocks by himself
and associate*. Page S
Idaho prosecutors close the case against the
alleged slayer of Tyler. Page 2
WASHINGTON
Secretary Root works in We interest of the
ship subsidy bill, which will be passed by Con
gress this week. Page 6
Perkin* offers amendment to sundry civil -bill,
authorizing expenditure of $375,000 for purchase
of subtreasary site' in this city.-; -Page 6
SPORTS
Champion Anflold M£de]. the world's ' greatest
collie, bought by a Callfornlan. Page 8
Horses quoted at generous odds win five of the
races at Emeryville. Page 8
James F. Lanagan, Stanford's famous coach,
resigns In accordance with a physician's" ad
vice. .Page 8
SOCIAL
Invitations received- for marriage of. Prin
cess . Lobanoff-Rostovßky and Jerome Barker
Landfield-of Berkeley. ' Pare 6
LABOR V
Final report . of relW committee of Typo
graphical Union No. 21 r shows that it has dls-"
bursed $26,10C55 since last April. Page 7
MINING
Creditors of Sullivan Trwt Company will prob
ably agree on plan of settlement today. Paj-e 13
Sao Francisco and Tonopab ' Board resumes
business; shares of merger enjoy- a good de
mand. . Pays 13
Report of the Goldfleld Consolidated Mines*
Company shows a large sum In the treasury and
rant amount of rich ore In sight. ' Page 14
MARINE
Liner Moneolla passes quarantine, bet her
passengers will not land until this morning. P. 9
afraid she'd do it." The woman gave
her address as ISI Xo*>' street, but re
fused further information, saying she
would call to sm the body. However,
she. did not call. at either the morgue
or the hospital during: the night.. x The
address .was evidently -a fictitious* one,'
as the persons living. at 181 Noe street
knew, nothing of ; the incident.' :
, The: youngs woman.; was .about., five
feet.in • height and inclined .to. stout
ness: She was of light> complexion,
with blue "^eyes '•.'.-•and*.? yellowish hair.
Her -" features were regular and her
face, attractive. Small marks, .were
noticeable' on the left: side of i-herj face
and on uer left arm, '\u25a0 and h*r **chin
showed 'a recent; bruise. ; : On '-her- left
arm jas.-'a .- plain round gold "bracelet
and;-. two',:' small', clasp-pins ;-•• held, her.
waist at the neck- She also wore a
gold •, brooch V studded -with '* pearls.".. She*
wore *a -; neatly ; ft ttin k black skirt is\\&
waist-ilof i good vmaterial..; Her 'shoes
and stockings were 'both; of iblack." She
hadtalso tworn£af tan i'coat, of :* three-j
quarters '•\u25a0; length.^ Her^hat .jwas^large"
and (brown ". in"; color,/ ornamented ?,with'
the jwingl'of jaibird. . : She had^twoijhat
plns'-Jwlth vr»*d : k bulbi<,'V surrounded .by.
«inair< blue* stones: The: price mark : on
her hat read "$7.50." '"^fIMBRSiSS
SAX FJRANOISCG, ; TUgSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1907.
Amendment on Which People Will Vote
THE Legislature shall have the power to enact laws relate to conventions of political parties; and the
Legislature shall enact laws pr^Jiding. for the direct nomination*of candidates for public ofl&ce, by electors, political parties, or or
ganizations of electors without "conventions at elections to.be known and designated as primary elections; also to determine the
tests and conditions upon which electors; political parties; or organizations of electors, may participate in any such primary election.
It shall also be lawful for the Legislature to prescribe that any. --.-such primary selection shall be mandatory and obligatory. The Legisla
ture shall also have the power to establish the rates of compensation for primary election officers serving at such primary elections in *
any city, or city and county, or county, "or other subdivision of a designated population,' without making such compensation uniform,
and for such purpose such law may declare the population of any city, city and county, county or political subdivision. Provided, how
ever, that until the Legislature shall enact a direct primary election law under the provisions of this section, the present primary elec
tion law shall remain in force and effect: v ".-—\u25a0;'
Wife Said Thaw Beat
Her, Jerome Holds
A NEW POSE BY EVELYN NESBIT THAW
Hummel to Refute on
Stand Today Denial
of Mrs. Thaw
SrEOUL, DISPATCH TO TIIE CALL.
NEW YORK, Feb. 25.— Documentary
evidence introduced today by District
Attorney Jerome at the culmination of
his cross-examination of Evelyn Xes
bit Thaw, but not yet absolutely au
thenticated, places this .remarkable
young women in the position of. having
accused Harry Thaw .of . repeatedly
beaten her . brutally with a' cowhide
whip. .
It is to. the effect that heotherwise
shamefully^ maltreated her while she
was in- deHcate health; that he- tore
heir bathrobe from her shrinking form
and throttled ; her; tha t he forced her
to join him in taking cocaine stimulant,
and retained, when ,she left him in
Paris to return; to New York, much of
her t personal . wardrobe, and jewels.
. , According, to. Jerome, '.-all these as
tounding statements.' and.othershardly
less astonishing, are included in a de
position which Evelyn ;Nr'sbit made, and
signed 'after > haying/ told : t\\n •;" story ;of
her, ill treatment to Abraham 'Hummel!
to r whom Stanford White had .taken 'her
during' the period ; of her -hostility to
Thaw.
"I never told Mr. Hummel this," she
cried with spirit. . •'..'\u25a0
; Jerorn<?, with the methodical and'me
chanical., regularity ;of a- triphammer.
glanced . at\ the, paper in his^ hand and
then ;let fall another crushing question
from its 5 typewritten- contents. : i ;.- -
"Did you not tell Mr. Hummel that
Thaw- tore \u25a0': your bathrobe from your
bodyVand \u25a0 took you, by 'the. throat-and
b^at -you; wlth.fico'.vhide .whip?'"': : ;
"Never,", declared \u25a0 Evelyn. ;»• '. ' .
As the climax of his long and arduous
Nesbit Says Sister
Lied on Stand
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL
PITTSBURG, Feb. 25.—
•<TliaTv irlll K«?t : alt;tbat'a'"
routine to him, even if the.
jnry docs free litm.V . .' '.-'>:
This was asserted by Howard
A'eublt, brotber of Mrs. j Harry K.
Tbavr, nt the Union Depot last
uigbt. Voungr Xesblt came from
\u25a0 Stir York, Saturday for the avowed
purpose of inducing ' his : mother, '
Sirs. Holman. to go to JVeir ; Vork«
-to " testify. He claims Vshe could .
give testimony, which • would j send '
Thaw. to «be; chair. '
He failed of his mission and re
ceived a ', severe, snubbing. Mra^
Holman Bay-idg: she' would not* go '
to'\ew;York; that she considered
: thnt "Thaw : was Insane., when be.
killed White. -Yonug. Xesblt was
' furious. •He said: r '. \u25a0' \u25a0 -.
f'Aftcr this r trial In ' over. - Mrs. *
Thaw -oiid.- Ilarrj-, \u25a0-. too; will j throw
my sister, down, and t . it's, -'all she
descrveil. To think that she got'
. on the stand and; lied 'the Way she -
did Is awful. -, ;Mr.; White was a
\u25a0 irooflv man r.and^l-. know he never
treated my sister the,way_ she says
he; did. "; - .-. : :.-_ ,-,.", \u25a0
'\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 "Of coune, I wanted my mother
to go ' i East j and f tell what she
• know*. ; It -is- a i shame that - she
will not ; fio. ; Her reputation has
been -ripped up In terrible fashion,
and I blame Jerome : f or ; it. ,. Tha W
has allowed his wife to He. He
must be 'craxy /'.'".- -' \u25a0 v . ;;; .•-\u25a0.. '- \u25a0__
\u25a0 _i« v \u25a0-. \u25a0j: \u25a0 ''' . J -\u25a0:,:\u25a0 \u25a0,?'\u25a0'•' ,';'\u25a0"\u25a0"\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0•.'...-.... -\u2666
duel "with this " nlmble-wlttea woman
the *\u25a0 prosecutor - flashed . upon.-- her.J. J - sud
denly < a ;. document'; completely,* incased
in." thick glass, i'ltjs: ostensibly j a :pho T ;
Continwd'6n\Tas^3^c6lumn.l%
SPRING VALLEY
FORFEITS PLANT
SAYS BAGGETT
Water Rates in Excess of
: Those Fixed by Board
Are Collected
MAY TAKE WORKS
Company Fails to Get Usual
\ Injunction Against
Supervisors^ •*.
x '.£<;' \u25a0\u25a0'-. \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0..' \u25a0\u25a0
iLAV^Y ER- UNAi^SHED
• Assistant vCity^ Attorney Wil
liani T.. Baggett declared posi
tively yesterday that tire Spring
Valley Water, Company, under,
the penalty clause of the State
constitution, had forfeited its
franchises and water works. He
gave it as his opinion that it lay
within the power of the Super
visors' to \u25a0 acquire \u25a0 for the city of
San Francisco, by due process of
law, the - entire plant of ; the cor
poration,, with or without the
consent of the stockholders. Bag
gett based his contention on the
fact; that the Spring Valley
Company had .1 collected water
rates in excess of the figures
fixed by the Supervisors.
The paragraph providing a
penalty for violation of the pro
visions of section' 1 . article XIV,
of the State constitution, reads
\u25a0\u25a0-..,-\u25a0\u25a0>• • —~: •-...\u25a0 .-;.--\u25a0 *
: Any. person, company or corpora
tion collecting water rates in any city
and : county, or city , or town, in this
State, otherwise than as so estab
lished,, shall forfeit the franchises and
water works of such '- person,' company
or corporation to the city and county,
city or town, where, the same are col
lected . for the public use. \u25a0
Sofar as the State constitution, goes,
the .city . and county of LSan FrancSsc.6
Is placed in a lawful way of acquiring
the franchise and' "water works": of
the "Spring, Valley Company ! without
further cost than the "due process of
law.*' The "due -process" is the only
thing that ' stands ln~ the .waj- — it is the
only,' defense left to the Spring .Valley
Company, ito: prevent it's forfeiture of
151,000.000 -worth of property. land the
company: will. have, to plead the United
States constitution In 'order to attack
the constitutionality of .the State con
stitution. . It, like the Japanese case, is
another controversy over State rights.
BAGGETT IS > READY
•.-•'\u25a0' Bagg'ett said yesterday that he ,was
ready to: proceed at law In the . prem
ises if "the matter were . brought : to bis'
attention In' a way.' that_ would warrant
the 'City Attorney's office In taking .the
initiative. The Supervisors might. take
cognizance of it, inasmuch as they will
meet tomorrow" night •, to resume . con
sideration»of *the establishment* of wa
ter ratesfor the. coming year.
Citizens : might bring 7 the' point to is
sue by., preferring .complaint— particu- 1
larly those citizens who remember and
have f the: receipts to -show." for their
payment of . a ,water; charge jot; from 10
to ;15 ".'\u25a0perV; cent in excess of : . the rate
I on" Page* 3,; Colamn 6
Sergeant Brady and the Missing Links,
an extraordinary story of the Philippines,
which you may believe or not, will be a
feature of
Only One Dissenting
Vote in Senate
By Governor James N. Gillett
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 25.— 1 am pleased to know that the Legis
lature has passed an amendment submitting the direct primary
question to the people. The Republican party in convention at
Santa Cruz gave its pledge to the people. That pledge is redeemed.
The people may now determine whether they want to nominate public
officers by direct vote or retain the old convention system.
Many Declare in Favor Only From Fear
of Reprisal by Constituents
George Van Smith
:.-iV.. .^-. CALL HEADQUARTERS, 1007 EIGHTH^ STREET.
;^V.SACRAMENTO, Feb. 25.— The- oeople :bave^ won the first battle of
their campaign: to : wrest the control of -Calif ornia and California politics
from the bosses. /TheVSehate by a vote of 37 to 1 adopted the Held-Wright
constitutional amendment, which carries the question of direct primary
election legislation to the people for their ratification or rejection at the
"general ? election, ' 1908 A
I saw. in the California Senate today a reproduction in miniature of a
scene I witeiessed six years ago, when the Legislature of Minnesota struck off
the . shackles : of James J. Hill and the railroad combine and turned the
government of the North Star State over to the people. Again: the same
speeches, rather better done in Minnesota, where the question of direct
primaries was : not so much a mystery to the faithful creatures of the
machine as : it' is in California"; the same damning by faint praise, the same
vehement assurances that the votes of the speakers were cast for a bad
measure because a misguided people demanded a toy of which it would
soon tire, and finally the same virtually unanimous vote. It was with
insignificant variations-a re-enactment of the legislative crises in Minne
sota, Wfsconsin, Kqrth Dakota and Illinois. True, the final votes in thosa
States carried -direct primary laws or alleged direct primary laws into effect,
while", the vote in the California Senate today only carried the question to
the people, but they were all generally the same in that they were the first
great steps toward the political emancipation of great commonwealths.
LEGISLATORS FEAR THEIR CONSTITUENCIES
The virtual unanimity with which the Senate passed the Held-"Wright
amendment when It reached the show-down stage should not be. taken as
an . indication of any overweening desire upon the part of a two-thirds
majority of the membership of the. upper house to redeem the platform
pledges of the parties. The Senators were pledged to vote for the amendment
as returned from the free conference, where it went only because of Jugglery,
and recognizing the fact that they had come to the last act of their little
politico-comedy drama, they voted right, but embraced the opportunity to
express their appreciation of ' the horrible consequences that must follow
in the wake of comprehensive direct primary laws.
Senators Wright, Leavitt and Anthony were the only outspoken sup
porters of the measure. Wolfe scouted the value of a reform which he felt
bound to support because of his party's pledge to the people. Caminettl
discovered that the Republican party was trying to "whip the devil around
the stump." Carter waxed almost tearful as he depicted the overthrow of
the 1 political boss and the enthronement of , newspaper despotism, which hs
said -must result from the enactment of direct primary legislation. Curtin
denounced the whole thing as political molasses with which to catch, -rotes,
and ' Belshaw, who fathered the > commonwealth club amendment, regretted
that, the Legislature could be dragged away from a really good measure.
. , \u25a0 . '.--.-.. - .- \u25a0 . *\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 '.\u25a0-.:\u25a0\u25a0 -.•-.- ......
SENATOR WRIGHT MAKES A SPEECH
The Senator from Contra Costa, quite unintentionally, of course, pointed
an excellent way in which to defeat the attempt to submit the constitutional
question to, the people, as obviously in the few remaining days, the Senate and
Assembly could not agree upon a substitute measure for submission.
Senator Leroy A. Wright of San Diego, though ill. made his best speech
of the session for the adoption of the report of the free conference. He had
hoped to have the report adopted without debate, but the several speeches
in opposition to direct primaries on principle roused, him to participation in
the debate in a manner , that -brought cold comfort to several of the Senators
whom* he charged with "damning, the' amendment with faint prals©.'* -^In th«
midst. of several of the speeches Senator "Wright asked the speakers if they
intended to vote for or against the amendment, and invariabfy srot an affirma
tive answer from statesmen -who were decrying the merits of a measure which
"party pledges" compelled them to vote for.
SenatotvWrigrht' said his speech was made, ln- fairness to the measure and
the' people -of California who demanded its enactment. He pointed out -how
the/people.' had lost confidence in the stability and integrity of government
because of the recognized domination of corrupt bossism. The people. h«
said.^had -a', right to repose the fullest confidence In' every department of
government and - that confidence could onlj* be engendered by fair dealing 'on
the part of .'the public '.servants. The first great step In this reversal of form,
heinsisted; was keeping faith with the people in the matter of direct primer
legislation. . ~ .
SENATOR CARTER'S PRESS BUGABOO
It remained for Senator Carter to shake the press bugaboo at tbs
Senate. The Senator from Los Angeles has no exclusive copyright on that
particular, scarecrow! It has be«*n exhibited by one or more machine satellites
in every Legislature that" In compliance with a popular aemand for clean
poiltics has adopted or approximated decent direct primary systems. Carter lm- \u25a0
pressively. informed the Senate that the .people had been deluded by the press
to believe that direct » primary legislation was the panacea for all political
Ills. Because of that horrid delusion.', hie .said," he should vote for the Held- ':'
Wright amendment,' but -before taking" that abhorrent step he wished M
The Sunday Call
PRICE FIVE GENTS.
I