The San Francisco call. [volume], August 29, 1911, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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The Call Has the Best
COMMERCIAL B, I "I'l-frt-
THEATRICAL ft I 1111 ■
REAL ESTATE ill ■* Ifl f \
SPORTING 111 tflf X
SOCIETY II HH I 1
MARINE I I L 1 1 U
VOLUME CX.—NO. 90.
SEVEN KILLED,
LOSS A MILLION
IN SOUTH STORM
Freak Wind Blows 94 Miles an
Hour in Charleston,
South Carolina
Tide Rises Eight Feet and Har
bor Is Filled With Wreck*
age of Sea Craft
CHARLESTON. S. C. Aug. 28 (via
Sumnerville, S. C.)— Seven per
sons known to be dead, many
injured and property damage of
more than $l,oo<">.non is the result of the
storm which struck Charleston Sunday
afternoon, isolating that city from the
rest of the world.
THE DEAD
W. H. SMITH, Columbia, drowned
under a falling wharf.
MOTORMAX fITTER, drowned.
IDA ROBIXSO>, crushed by roof.
ROSA ROBIXSOX, crushed by roof.
ALOXZO J. COBIRX, engineer, killed
by flying timber.
EVA MVERS, dro%vned.
TOME DOOIjY, drowned.
Wreckage Fills Harbor
The Cassidy family, number un
known, caretakers at the Wahoo Fer
tilizer mills, are missing and are be
lieved to have been drowned.
The harbor is filed with wreckage
of small boats, schooners and launch
es, many piers are washed away and
in the city the streets are strewn with
fallen trees, roofs, fences and other
debris. Among the principal buildings
damaged are the custom house, the
postofflce. St. Michael's church and the
Wahoo Fertilizer mills was practically
ruined.
Communication Paralyzed
The street electric and telephone and
fire alarm systems are out of commis
sion.
All trains are leaving the city from
an old depot, the floor of the new sta
tion and the tracks being under water.
The gouthern railway officials expect to
resume regular schedules tomorrow.
At the height of the storm the wind
reached f*4 miles an hour, when the
tide rose 8 feet at the battery in front
nf the c:-
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
ORDINANCE ENACTED
Tunnel Bill Passed to Print by
Supervisors
The weights and measures bill was
enacted by the board of supervisors
lay. Supervisors Bancroft, Cut
tpn, Hn.-ks and Hayden voting against
it. They objected to the charge to the
merchants for the inspection imposed
and also held the "official sealer" should
he limited in the ordinance to a certain
number of deputies. Murdock voted
with the majority.
The tunnel ordinance was passed to
print by the board, providing a method
for the assessment of the costs and
damages on the private property in the
districts ben^fit^d. The bill was amend
ed to permit the city in certain cases
to bear part, not over 50 per cent, of
•xpense.
street committee was given the
j-ecupst of the Southern Heights Im
provement club that the Santa Fe Rail
way company be compelled to put in the
approaches to the Nineteenth street
bridge, which was dangerous; also Mark
Sheldon & Co.'s request for a safety
station in Market street opposite the
foot Of Battery; and a petition of resi
dent? that Twenty-sixth street be cut
through from York to Potrero avenue.
The proposal to buy the lot of the Mcc
estate at Geary street and Presidio ave
nue for a carbarn was held up pending
the city attorney's examination of some
unexpired leases.
The interior carpenter work of the
city and county hospital ward and
nurses buildings was let yesterday by
the board of works to McSheehy Broth
ers for $53,742. The cement and con
crete work was griven to Robert A. Mc-
Lean for $18,818.
WILL LOOK INTO CLEMENT
SCHOOL CASE TOMORROW
Auditor Calls Parties to Squab-
ble Into Conference
Whether Henning & Burke used infe
(k material in building the wall
the C!etß*at primary scheel
•will be taken up by Auditor Boyle next
Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The
firm and the Merchants' association's
bureau of inspection, which challenged
the work, were notified yesterday by
Boyle to appear at that time.
The auditor has held up the $6,000
final payment for the job, which the
board of works and the supervisors
agreed to, in spite of the protest of the
tion and the six samples exam
and found wanting by Chemist
Hanks.
Boyle said yesterday he would go
thoroughly into the merits of the mat
ter before he passed the demand on the
treasury.
DEAD MILLIONAIRES NIECE
CAPTURED BY CUPID
Relative of Col. Swope Elopes
With Traveling Salesman
COLORADO SPRINGS, Aug. 28.—Lucy
Lee Swope, niece of Colonel Thomas H.
Swope. the murdered Kansas City mil
lionaire, who has been spending some
time in this city, eloped yesterday
Tiorning with W. B. Byrne, a former
Kansas City business man, now travel
ng salesman, living in Denver. The
-ouple went to Pueblo, where they
tvere married, and returned h«r« last
• vening.
THE San Francisco CALL
Beattie Hears Knell
Cousin Opens Heart
Alleged Mover of
Wife Quails at
Testimony
Henry Clay Beattie Jr. on the an
niversary of his marriage is on trial for
the murder of his wife, whom he is
accused of having with a shot
gun while motoring with her about five
miles south of Richmond, Va. The
alleged occasion for the crime is said
to be Beattie's attachment for another
woman, Beulah Binford, in whose com
pany he has been frequently seen dur
ing the last two months. The principal
witness against the accused is his
cousin, Paul D. Beattie, who has
sworn that the accused requested him
to purchase a shotgun and shells for
him, which he says he did. Beattie's
defense is that his wife Was filled by
a strange man who accosted her on the
road. He has maintained an imper
turbable silence since making this state
ment. Paul Beattie is an epileptic.
CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE. Va..
Aug. 28.—Paul D. Beattie, cousin of
Henry Clay Beattie Jr.. who stands in
dicted for the murder of his wife, tes
tified late today that the accused had
told him 24 hours after the murder how
sorry he was "he had done it," a cir
cumstance relating to the crime that
the witness hitherto had suppressed.
Coming as dramatically and as unex
pectedly as the pathetic tale an hour
before of Mrs. R. V. Owen, mother of
the dead woman, as to the domestic in
felicity of her daughter, the brief but
thrilling testimony given by Paul Beat
tie created a profound sensation.
Lips Quiver as He Talks
Paul Beattie at the coroner's inquest,
a nervous wreck, but today strong and
determined, poured out a tale which
confessedly had troubled his mind not
only because he purchased the shotgun
for Henry, but because he had not until
today told all he knew of the case.
With quivering lips and tear dimmed
pyes he set forth the story against
which his heart and sympathy had for
days been revolting.
"I hated to testify against my own
flesh and kin." he murmured as the
muscles of his throat pulsated, "but my
wife, my child and the duty I owe to my
city forced me to do so."
Gasp Sweeps Courtroom
The gasp that rose simultaneously
from the throats of those in the stuffy
courtroom was strikingly audible. Peul
Beattie continued:
"Henry himself told me that he want
ed me to stick by him, but I said to
him 'this looks mighty black to me.
and you've got me into a lot of
trouble.' "
"Henry told mt. I «isi. *o God I had
not done it, 1 would not have done it for
a million dollars, but she never loved
ONCE RICH MINER
DIES A PAUPER
Relatives to Whom He Gave
Large Sum Refuse to
Aid Him
[Specia/ Dispatch to The Call]
REDDING, Aug. 2S.—Dennis Cronin,
miner, aged 81, died in the county hos
pital today, a pauper. Two years ago
he gave $10,000 to a nephew and a niece
in the east, keeping only $80 to pay his
own funeral expenses. Illness came
upon him soon after making the gifts,
and he used the $80 for medicines. Ap
peals to his nephew and niece for
money fell upon deaf ears, and he was
forced to go to the county hospital.
Cronin was buried today at the expense
of the county.
MAN COMMITS SUICIDE
STANDING IN STREET
Employe of Standard Oil Com
pany Shoots Self in Heart
NEW YORK, Aug. 28.—Standing at
New and Beaver streets today, Arthur
Veit, employed in the shipping depart
ment of the Standard Oil company,
where his father. Richard C. Velt, is
one of the managers, committed suicide
by shooting himself through th« heart.
Veil was a graduate of Columbia
university and married.
His father, who is manager of the
marine department of the Standard Oil
company, is on an automobile tour in
England.
J. R. KEENE'S HEALTH
IS REPORTED BETTER
LONDON. Aug. 28.—James R. Keene
of New York, who has been suffering
from a slight recurrence of the illness
which he had in New York, was much
better today. When inquiries were
made this afternoon concerning Kerne's
health, he was sitting up and enjoy
ing luncheon.
SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1911.
Henry Clay Beattie Jr.
me, she only married me for my
money.' "
Mother Whispers Testimony
From early morning, when a mother,
Mrs. R. V. Owen, stifled her pride and
in a choking voice, almost a whisper at
times, told the jury the details of Henry
C. Beattie Jr.'s alleged physical ailment
which caused his wife heartrending
grief and hours of anguish, the prisoner
faced the hardest strain thus far wit
nessed in his fight for life.
Through the testimony of the mother
of the dead woman the prosecution en
deavored to define the motive for the
crime, the fear that the news of the al
leged ailment might reach Henry Clay
Beattie Sr., and cause a rupture be
tween the son and the father upon
whom he depended.
"The Girl in the Case"
To reinforce its theory of the motive,
the prosecution put on the stand also
Mrs. J. E. Binford, mother of Beulah.
"the girl in the case," and Henrietta
Pittman. Beulah's chum. Their testi
mony brought to the surface a story of
Beattie's four years of acquaintance
with Beulah Binford, of alleged numer
ous Indiscretions, of the birth and death
of the child named Henry Clay Binford,
and how, just prior to the murder, this
relationship was renewed.
The prisoner fidgotpd uneasily as he
heard Paul testify. Perspiration was
on his brow and a flush on his thin
face. He buried his fingers into a
crumpled handkerchief, almost shoved
it into his mouth and bit hard on it.
EXPRESS COMPANY
REDUCES CHARGES
Complaint of Shippers Is Fol
lowed by Widespread Cut
in Rates
Upon the request of the state board
of railroad commissioners. Wells-Fargo
& Co. has made widespread reductions
In its express rates. More than 100
of these reductions have already been
made. These adjustments have fol
lowed the discovery that in many in
stances the company has been charging
more for the shorter than for the longer
haul over the identical route. These
charges have been in direct violation of
the state constitution. The commission
has called the attention of the company
to this condition and the corrections
have followed.
These adjustments are in no way
connected with the general investiga
tion that is to be made into express
rates throughout the state. They are
merely incidental to complaints re
ceived by the commission and a cursory
examination of the existing rate sched
ules. The general investigation will
follow.
Among the most conspicuous cases
have been the charges from Sacramento
to points in northern California. In
many instances the rate has been
higher from Sacramento than from San
Francisco, although the haul from Sac
ramento is contained within the haul
from San Francisco. The rate on cer
tain articles to Etna Mills from Sa pi
mento, for instance, was $4.50, while
the rate from Kan Francisco was only
$3. This has now been changed so that
the rate from Sacramento is $2.80.
Similar conditions existed in and
about Los Angeles. In many cases the
charge was far higher for the shorter
distance. This was found to be the case
from points in the southern part of the
state northward to the Ventura county
territory.
CUMMINS, PEEVED
AT TAFT, IS OUT
FOR LA FOLLETTE
lowan Says the Wisconsin Man
Has Ideas Which Are Really
"Safe and Sane"
He's Opposed to the Presi=
dent and Would Work
Against Him
[Special Ditpatcit to The Call]
WASHINGTON, D. C, Aug. 28.—
Word was received at the
capital tonight that Senator
Cummins of lowa, angered by
President Taft's attack on the tariff
record of the insurgents, had come out
for Senator I>a Follette of Wisconsin for
the republican nomination for president.
! This, at least, is the interpretation that
1 insurgents at Washington are giving to
j the following statement contained in a
I letter written by Cummins:
Personally, I am opposed to Pres
ident Taft. If I had my way he
would not be the choice of the re
publican national convention and
if it were possible for me to pre
vent it, I don't hesitate to say I
would do so.
La Follette stands for legislation
that is perfectly safe and sane, not
withstanding the efforts that have
been made by his enemies to dis
credit him as unsafe. His judgment
on great questions is reliable and
the accusation of being erratic and
unsafe and radical are made with
out any foundation whatsoever.
His views are sound and the intense
earnestness with which he fights is
the only thing that leads many to
the belief that he is unsafe.
Cummins an Artful Dodger
-^It will be note that while this state
ment is subjecty to ; an interpretation
that will please the friends of La Fol
lette, ' the " insurgent does not commit
himself to the Wisconsin man. He
rdoe3>- not say ;definitely. that he is for ■
La FoHette for s the nomination for the
pMßideniy>- - r "-" ''* -^>^^^~\
To those who have talked with Cum
mins it is plain that he has come to
the conclusion that there is no hope
for a compromise candidate at the 1912
convention. It has been known here
for several months that the reason
Cummins refused to sign the petition
requesting La Follette to become a
candidate was because he did not care
to put himself in the position of being
committed to the Wisconsin man, feel
ing sure that the latter would have no
chance. His ideas are known to have
been that La Follette's candidacy
might have the effect of forcing the
acceptance of a compromise candidate,
whereupon he would have been found
standing with head bowed, expectantly
waiting for the lightning to strike.
He did not want to have it said at
such time that he and La Follette were
tarred with the same stick.
Struggle Will Be Short
That there will be a short, sharp
struggle in the republican convention
there is no doubt. While Cummins has
made no statement as to whether or
not he will work to send La Follette
delegates to the convention, it may
now be exper-tod that he will do so.
President Taft will have so overwhelm
ing a majority of delegates there is
no doubt of his renomination.
The chief fight, therefore, will be
made over the platform to be adopted.
The insurgents will fight for a vindi
cation of the lowan's tariff maneuv
ering, but even on this point It is to
be expected that the supporters of
President Taft will prove victorious.
Even the states from which the in
surgents came are divided, while the
Taft stipporters will be united.
SHIP SPRINGS LEAK,
THEN BURNS AND SINKS
Second Engineer Is Lost During
Rescue of Crew
SEATTLE. Aug. 28.—The sound
freighter Transport of the Star Steam
ship and Sound Packet lines, which left
Roche harbor last night for Seattle,
sprsng a leak and shortly afterward
caught fire, sinking at 11 p. m. Her
crpw was taken off by small salmon
boats, and during the transfer Second
Engineer Wilber Snyder of the Trans
port fell overboard and was seen no
more.
TWO SEAMEN KILLED
IN WARSHIP DISASTER
Accident to Anchor Gear Claims
Lives on Ohio
WASHINGTON. Aug. 28.—Word
reached the navy department today that
two seamen. William A. Creech and
Wilson D. Mickey, had been killed on
board the battleship Ohio as the result
of an accident to the archor gear. The
Ohio is, in Tangier sound, Chesapeake
bay, preparatory to participating in the
target practice of the Atlantic fleet.
LEHIGH DEATH LIST
REACHES TWENTY-NINE
Another Woman Victim of the
Wreck Is Dead
MANCHESTER. N. V., Aug. 28.— Mrs.
Hazel F. Smith of Waverly. N. V., who
was injured In the Lehigh Valley train
wreck on August 24. died at Canan
daigua today, making the death list 29.
Divorce Suit Filed
Sinclairs Friendly
Mrs. Upton Sinclair, wife of the author, socialist and founder of
Utopian colonies, named defendant in a divorce suit yesterday. The couple
"were married in 1900. There have been rumors of disagreement between
the pair for some time. Mrs. Sinclair says she and Poet Kemp will prob
ably go on the stage.
Author, His Wife and Kemp Chat of
Marital Troubles With Reporters
NEW YORK, Aug. 28.—The marital
difficulties of Upton Sinclair and Meta
Fuller Sinclair, who have been mar
ried 11 years, reached a climax today
when the author brought suit for ab
solute divorce, naming Harry Kemp,
the poet, as corespondent.
While the papers were being pre
pared by Sinclair's attorney for service
upon the wife today, she and her hus
band and the corespondent poet sat
in the assembly room of a large Broad
way hotel and quietly discussed with
reporters the problem of marital re
lations and Utopia in general. The
author and his wife frequently ad
dressed each other in endearing terms
and in a most matter of fact way Sin
clair told his wife that his attorney
would call later in the day, as he did,
with the formal papers.
Mrs. Sinclair was asked if she would
fight the divorce^ proceedings.
' Xo," she said. "I have not yet con
sulted a lawyer, but my present inten
tion is not to oppose the suit."
CANAL WILL BE
READY IN 1912
Less Than One-fourth of the
Big Ditch Remains to
Be Excavated
[Special Dispatch to The Call]
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2*.—The actual
digging of the Panama canal will be
completed before the end of the year
1912. There will be a great deal more
work to be done, but when the dig
ging is over the worst part of the job
will be over.
The significance of the announcement
that the digging will be completed in
1912 is in the fact that work on the
canal has progressed beyond the rosiest
calculations and that it will be ready
for actual operation before the time
fixed for the Panama-Pacific exposition.
L>ess than a fourth of the canal now
remains to be excavated.
The total excavation for July was
2,518,982 yards, as compared with
2,406,288 cubic yards in July, 1910, and
2,843.260 yards in July, 1909.
It is apparent that if the July rate of
excavation is kept up about 16 months
more will see the dirt all removed.
The total for July is rather below the
average for the first seven months of
the current year.
The force at work in the zone is a
good sized army. It amounted, includ
ing the railroad employes, to 34,681 at
the close of July. Of this number
4,250 were white American employes.
When informed of the statutory
grounds which the New York law' re
quires for the granting of a divorce,
she said:
"It does not seem to me that divorce
should be a disgrace, even divorce ob
tained upon such grounds as you say
must be shown in this state. I believe
that an individual is justified in pur
suing his or her ideal."
"I have the misfortune," she said, "to
have a conservative husband. He is
conservative by instinct and nature and
a radical merely by choice. A monog
amist ought to be able to act the
part of a husband; in other words, he
ought to have some time to devote to
his wife. He should not be so ab
sorbed in his work that the true pro
portions of human relationship fade
into insignificance beside his work."
Mrs. Sinclair said that she expected
to go away for a rest, and added that
Kemp would not accompany her. She
said that both of them might later go
on the stage. Sinclair said that he
was going to his home in Arden, Del.
BACHELORS MAY
PAY FOR LIBERTY
City Commission Plans to Put
Tax on Town's "Mis
guided Men"
[Special Dispatch to The Call]
VALLEJO, Aug. 2S.~Bachelorhood in
this community is about to be an ex
pensive as well as forlorn state if the
plans of the city commission are carried
out. It Is not that the town desires an
increase in population or wishes to
force felicity upon the misguided young
men, but the commission form of gov
ernment is proving expensive, and in
casting about for objects taxable the
commissioners concluded that if the un
married were not going to support fam
ilies their money might as well help
support the municipal undertakings.
It was the report of City Auditor
George Hildreth, showing the need for
additional source* of city income under
the commission's government, which
prompted the commissioners to exercise
their ingenuity, not the shortage in
nuptials, for if the tax were to drive
all the unmarried men into wedlock the
purpose of the measure would be de
feated.
Another scheme for raising city funds
which !s under consideration is to Im
pose a license tax upon the business
men, so that there would be more uni
formity in the taxation and the burden
would not be entirely upon the liquor
dealers.
_7, / V
THEWEATHERV)
YES TERDA Y-^Highest 62
lowest Sunday night, 54.
FORECAST FOR TODAY^FqSS^mh
early morning fog, moderate Ikmpismttre, ,/
light southwest wind increasing. J<«" f/
*• '■ —.-. / 4
• . .. . ... __ ...J, -?k
PRICE FIVE CENTa
RAILROAD'S
TONE IS
FIRM
Kruttschnitt Defines Its Position
in Respect to Demands of
S. P. Employes
REGARD FOR THE PUBLIC
IS FIRST CONSIDERATION
Shopmen Give Their Side of Case
and Are Hopeful Concern=
ing Outcome
OFFICIALS AND WORKMEN
WILL CONFER THURSDAY
APPEALING directly to the judg
ment of the public on the mat
ters at issue between the Harri
man railroad system and its
shop employes, Julius Kruttschnitt, vice
president and director of maintenance
and operation of the Southern and
Union Pacific and allied lines, last even
ing issued a statement covering the
company's position as regards the labor
situation.
Kruttschnitt, who arrived Sunday
evening from Chicago, was in confer
ence all day yesterday with high of
ficials of the Pacific system, including
E. E. Calvin, general manager; J. M.
Davis, general superintendent for the
northern district, and H. J. Small, gen
eral superintendent of motive power.
At the close of the meeting he issued
his statement, in which answer is made
to each of the nine demands of the fed
erated shop employes.
First Duty to Public
The reply of the railroad chief calls
particular attention to the policy of
the Harrhnan roads in dealing with
their employes, declaring their stand to
be liberal and just at all times and
likewise satisfactory to the workmen.
He charges that such an arrangement
as the labor leaders are trying toforce
upoji the company would cripple the
service materially, causing the public
to suffer, and finally sums up his
whole argument in a statement of his
belief that the first duty of a public
service corporation is to the whole
public.
Meanwhile the international officers
of the five unions affected are speeding
westward and will arrive Wednesday
evening", when they will consult with
the local leaders in preparation for
Thursday's conference with Krutt
schnitt. The official has been advised
of their intention to meet with him at
that time and has announced that he
will be in San Fram-isco until Satur
day.
Shopmen Are Hopeful
The eastern labor leaders are J. A.
Franklin, president of the Boiler Mak
ers' union; James. \V. Kline, president
of the blacksmiths; M. V. Ryan, presi
dent of the car workers; M. O'Sullivan,
president of the sheet metal workers,
and J. D. Buckalew, vice president of
the Machinists' union.
In spite of the statement issued last
night, the San Francisco shopmen ar«
still of the opinion that Kruttschnitt
ran be convinced of what they con
sider the reasonableness and justice of
their demands. E. L. Reguin. who has
been acting as spokesman for the fed
eration in San Francisco, said last night
that there was little cause to fear a
labor crisis. He said:
"All we want Kruttschnitt to do is
to meet with us and let us talk. If we
can't bring him to our way of think
ing:, then it is up to us. We must
prove to him the justice of our de
mands. Perhaps from his viewpoint
his objections are plausible, but we
may be in a position to makt him see
our side of the question.
Shopman Makes Statement
"As for these demands which he
notes in his statement, let me say that
our original idea in forming a federa
tion to handle the business of the five
crafts was to save expense, both to
ourselves and to the railroad company.
Instead of our paying the expenses of
five committees, we would be able to
get along with just one, on which ail
five crafts could be represented.
•'lt -would benefit the company, too,
for this single committee could meet
with th« motive power superintendent
or some other official and arrange all
agreements at the same time. The
wages in the different crafts are prac
tically the same, the same conditions of
employment as well as the same hourn
obtain in all of the five branches, and
by settling them all at once the officials
would save time and so would we.
In Case of Grievance
"Another advantage would be the ad
justment of minor grievances among
ourselves. For instance, the machinists
might feel that they had a grievance.
It would be brought before this ad
visory board, composed of one man
from each craft, and after a hearing
the board would decide whether to or
der the machinists to drop their com- .
plaint or to approach the officials. From
the railroad point of view, the only rea
son I can see for their objection lie*