Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume], October 17, 1907, Image 1

About Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

                
'4
VOIiUME 60
st
i'\
CASUALTY LIS
31 DEAD,600
*"v
-I
-W~:'
St
Chief Surgeon at HI'Fated
Indiana Powder Mills Is'
sues Statement, But it is
'••A .':
ii
'&'
feiW
9
Believed Dea List
is Larger
MARTIAL LAW IN
W E E IS I
Four Square Miles of Strict
en Territory Patrolled by
Police to Guard Inhab*
itants Living in the
Tents
Fontanet, Ind., Oct. 16.—No reason
able theory has been advanced as the
cause for the terrible catastrophe
here yesterday when the Dupont pow
der mills blew up, killing probably
thirty-flve and injuring COO persona.
The most plausible of the rumors in
circulation as to the cause" was that
the machinery In the glazing mill be
came overheated from friction set
ting fire to some loose powder.
People Uve In Tents
A large portion of the inhabitants
slept on cots and in tents provided
by Governor Hanly last night. "She
Injured^ passed a fairly comfortable
iilght and no additional deaths were'
repotted.
Systematic efforts Qf search for
victims' in the debris were begun this
morning. The bodies of those re
covered will fee buried today. The
total number of dead may never b9
known and It will be several days be
fore the exact property loss can be
figured out.
The loss to the powder company In
t1 property damage Is estimated at
$280,000. The property loss In the
town of Fontanet will exceed half a
million,
Casualty List Complied.
Dr. W. F. William of Terre Haute,
chief surgeon of tre Fontanet mills
and the Ddpont powder company, to
day 'compiled an official list of tho
casualties, containing the names of
thirty-one' dead and eighteen a^ous'y
injured. It is believed that other
names will be added to the list of the
dead, increasing it to 35 or 40 88
several of the employes are known to
have been blown to pieces.
Martial law has been proclaimed
and the wreck strewn district, con
taining four pquare miles, is being
guarded, policed by state troops.
It is reported today that the maga
ine which blew Up contained 50.000
pounds of dynamite and in addition
65,000 kegs of powder.
Fire Follows Explosion,
After the explosions, which fol
lowed one another with frightful ef
fect. came fire, and what the ono hor
ror left undone, the other completed.
Thus, many people who might have
been dragged from the ruins and re
vived, were the victims of flames,
There were 40.000 kegs of blasting:
powder stored In the magazine and
every one blew up seemingly at the
same moment. It was this detonation
that shook to pieces the homes and
stores and factories in Fontanet and
which brought death and injury to
scores miles distant.
Immediately following the fi'st de
tonation the inhabitants of the plane
rushed out of their homes and scores
an. dstarted for the mills. They saw in
the distance clouds of smoke and
flame. Hardly had these people began
the work of rescue before the other
explosions ensued and felled all and
hurt many.
Notwithstanding the impending dan
ger the men and women of Fontanet
worked heroically. With frantic haste
thev rushed into the ruins that were
still unscathed bv fire and endeavored
succor the dying.
Corpses Snatched from Flames.
'The dead In several instances were
snatched from the path of the tia-oes
and in others the dying were lifted
out of the wreckage and allowed to
breathe their last in tne arms of
friends.
Although nearly every inhabitant of
.the town showed Rome trace of the
-atastrophe, only the ones worst nf
fop.ted were sent away. Th° others
disregarrtpH their, burns and took
paH in the rescue ork.
After the first, mill blew ud the anv
lh
second and th'rd •intonation's to
i-.laoe to P»V» thprnT^lves. Broken
nnrf
p-i—nj nd Interna] in.l'ir'o^
Wfire" thoir lot Not few worn ji
(Continued on Page 8.)
IPOB-lwjiafafc
linn
REV. FATHER JAMES FOLEY.
OTTUMWA PRELATE MADE VICE
PRESIDENT OF CARLOW COL
LEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
AT DAVENPORT MEET
ING.
V.
From Wednesday Daily.,
The many friends of Rev. Father
James Foley of the Sacred Heart
church of this city will be pleased to
learn of the honor conferred upon
him by the Alumni association of Car
low college in Ireland which is in ses­
Two Men Shot by
Bootlegger One
Cannot Recover
Des Moines, Oct., 16.—(Spec
ial)—J. C. Cain, today shot
Chas. Marsh, the Superlntenden
and' Chas. W. Johnson, the store
keeper at the enterprise coal
mine over S quarrel due to
Cain's booHefcgtogr. .Johnson
will die. The offloers. are
searching for Cain.
LEAVES PRISON
TO SAVE SOUL
ESCAPED PRISONER GOES BACK
TO CELL AT MICHIGAN CITY
VOLUNTARILY.
Michigan City, Oct. 16.—Escaping
from the state's prison in- September.
1906, and touring the southwestern
states as "the Rev. J. Williams, evan
gelist," making hundreds of convert^,
Allen J. Lawrence yesterday voluntar
ily returned to his cell.
Lawrence was convicted of criminal
assault at Laporte, Ind., In 1905, and
received an indeterminate sentence of
two to fourteen years in the peniten
tiary. He had been working as a coal
shoveler for the Laporte Gas company
and was supposedly an ignorant man.
But he studied diligently while In
prison," and it is said wrote some re
markable letters telling of his victory
over brute instincts.
Clears Up Own Mystery.
He escaped from prison in Septem
ber, 1906, and his whereabouts until
yesterday have been a mystery to the
penitentiary officials.
Lawrence says he worked his way
to Kansas, where he assumed the
name of the Rev. J. Williams, and im
mediately started his work of evangel
ism He preached all the way to Ne
braska, which state he covered from
end to end, making hundreds of con
verts, according to his story.
As he was placed in his old cell,
Lawrence said:
"I will serve my sentence, but I will
still have the consciousness of having
started hundreds of men and Women
on the path to righteousness."
Mrs. Lawrence Seeks Divorce.
Mrs. Lawrence, who Is earning her
living as a dressmaker here, is in the
meantime suing for a divorce. She
has known nothing of her husband's
whereabouts in the last year. Soon
ofter bis conviction Mrs. Lawrence pe
titioned the governor to pardon her
husband, but when the latter made his
e«co.p3 the wife abandoned her efforts
In his behalf.
A SUICIDE FROM GRIEF.
Brbwne Sold Homestead Then Shot
Himself Rather Than
Leave it.
Burlington, N. J.. Oct. 16. —Umble
to bear the thought of leaving the
old homestead farm, which ho irl
sold. Newbold Browne, a prosperous
farmer and member of an old .and
prominent family, blew out his brains
In a corn field overlooking the old
nloves 'n the others ran out. seeking place. Browne was missing when th-s
rafetv. J/any ^f t.hem however, were
I'nab'e to get far enoii^h nwav before
family awoke ,and knowing of hi:
melancholy condition, his wife mh
mened neighbors, who found aim aft
er several hours search. The Bro,v".o
farm has been in the famiiv nr Sev
ern] epnoratlrns Browne wn 40
j-rars eld and leaves a widow nn.l one
[son.
m^-r
FOLEY
r"
IS GIVEN OFFICE
sion at Davenport. The popular priest
who has been chosen as first vice
president of the alumni of Carlow,
has been a resident of the city for
the past six years, during which time
he has been the pastor of the Sacred
Heart church.
Rev. Father Foley has been a
priest of the Catholic church for over
thirty-one years having been ordained
at Carlow college in Ireland, June 10,
1876.
—o—
Davenport, Oct. 16.— About thirty
priests from different parts of the
country are assembled in Davenport
for the second reunion-of the Carlow
Alumni association of the United
States and Canada. All the visitors
were formerly students of St. Par
rick's College, Carlow, Ireland, and
the convention Is one of the most
pleasant experiences of their lives.
The tiem will be spent in reoaiiii
anecdotes of the times gone by, and
with fitting remembrances of the
Alma Mater.
President Rev. J. J. Head, St.
Louis, Mo.
Vice President— Rev. James Foloy,
Ottumwa, Iowa
Second Vice President Rev. T.
P. Toite, Newton, Kas.
Third Vice President— Rev. T. F.
O'Brien, St. Thomas college, St Paul,
Minn.
Secretary Rev. J. Phelan, Sibley,
Iowa.
Treasurer Rev. Father Cooney,
Waterloo, la.
Archbishop Ryan Writes.
Archbishop P. J. Ryan of Philadel
phia Is the oldest living member of
the association, and a letter from him
was read and warmly applauded at
the meeting. Archbishop Ryan ex
pressed his heartfelt regrets because
(Continued on Page 8.)
Editor Hits Man
With Cane and
is Then Arrested
Davenport, Oct., 16.—(Spec
ial)—Dr. A. Riohter, editor of
the German Democrat, was ar
rested, today for shooting T. H.
Kemerer, who started the agita
"tlon for thfe enforcement of the
mulct law, over the head with a
cane.
COD'S WRATH IS
SEEN IN FIRE
BURNING OF EDIFICE BY LIGHT
NING HELD OMINOUS BY
PASTOR.
Allentown, Pa., Oct. 16. —"Was tho
bolt of lightning which struck and
destroyed Zeigej church, Lehigh coun
ty, a judgment of God for the conduct
of the members of the congregation
holding service there?"
This is the question which is being
asked by members of the Reformed
and Lutheran denominations which
met in this historic structure, and in
substantiation of their question they
hold that the lightning that laid tholr
house of- worship' In ruins came from
a sky which ten minutes previously
had been perfectly cloudless and from
which there came but one boll—that
which shattered the steeple of their
church and left them to worship in
the woods.
Fight Over Steam Heat.
Several months ago the proposition
to install a steam heating appartus
was made by some of the more pro
gressive members. Opposition to this
scheme was met on all hands, but fi
nally the matter was passed, and the
members set about to Install i,he sys
tem. It was about half in place. wht!i
the church was burned down as the
result of ^he lightning stroke.
This dissension recalls another re
cent trouble in the congregation,
when Rev. Nevin A. Hellfrich, the lest
of his line, which had for four gent-r
ations furnished pastors for the Re
formed branch, passed away. Classis,
considering the charge, which ousists
of five congregations, too large, pro
posed a dissolution and the forming nf
two charges. Zeigel church member
ship, however, threatened to withdraw
from the classis if such a course vas
adopted.
Now the members are wondering
whether the bolt which left the'r
church in ruins, sparing only the pul
pit, Bible and communion service,
was not a judgment upon them for
their unchristian action in harboring
dissension in their ranks.
Forger Is Caught.
Iowa City. Oct. 16.—(Special.)—.T.
H. Woolley, the Detroit forger, who
cashed numerous checks here, after
signing the name of Contractor Wfl
liam Horrabln thereto, is in more
trouble. He is wanted for a similar
offense, or series of offenses, in Mich
igan. As Johnson county is willing
to let the Michigan courts bear the
expei.se of prosecution, the prisoner
was released nere. Sheriff Rowland
placed him in the custody of Sheriff
Pratt of Detroit, and that official has
started back with the ex-Michigander
in tow. The officers here believe that
Wooilev faces a long term in the
onIlciUiuj'y.
ASSEMBLY IN
SECRETARY OF WAR IN INAUG
URATING ISLAND CONGRESS
SAYS FILIPINOS ARE INCAP­
ABLE OF GOVERNING.
Manila, X)ct, 16.—Secretary Taft
formally opened the Philippine as
sembly in the National theatre thfe
morning in the presence of a large
crowd.
Mr. Taft reiterated his statements
regarding the Philippine Islands as
announced two years ago. He said he
did not believe the Filipinos would
be fitted to govern themselves for a
generation but he said the whole mat
ter was In the hands of congress. The
secretary refrained from making any
suggestion regarding specific legisla
tion on the part of the assembly.
Given Hearty Greeting.
Secretary Taft arrived here late
yesterday afternoon and was greeted
by Major General Wood and staff.
Rear Admiral Hemphill and staff,
Governor-General Smith and the
members of the board of commission
ers.
Mr. Taft landed at the head of a
speculator water parade and went In
procession to the palace, thousands
cheering him along the route. Mr.
Taft made the highest impression In
responding to the addresses of wel
come. He held a regular love feast,
calling many Filipino officers and as
semblymen he recognized, by name.
He declared that he was overwhelm
ed by the flood of affectionate mem
ories of the last seven years, since
he first visited the Philippines.
Secretary Plans Many Visits.
He will inspect the schools and In
dustrial exhibits and will visit a num
ber of places of interest, making side
trips to Olongapo and Caguio only.
The Philippine commission has
authorized the creation of a perma
nent public utilities commission, con
sisting of three members, with power
to adjust, increase, or reduce the
rates to be charged for all utilities.
The law bearing on this subject is
extremely broad and covers every
utility at present, and also provides
for future contingencies. The corn
mission will consist of governor-ge.i
eral, the secretary of commerce and
police, and a third member to be ap
pointed by the governor-general.
Chicago Bucket Shop is Hit,
Washington, Oct., 1C.—John K. Com
stock & Co.. sometimes operating as
J. K. Comstock & Co., or as the J. K.
Comstock & Co., in the Commercial
building, Chicago, and getting an aver
age of fifty letters a day from clients
in New York, Ohio. Missouri. Iowa,
Kansas. Tennessee. Georgia, and Penn
sylvania, were today held to be bucket
shon operators and as s»ch a fraud
order was issued against them the
wstofflce department.
.if.--"-
siaii*
I
"4F
ffrtiii
i-i i-r-jffiTfi*
nr
4 %hrkF
OTTUMWA, WAPELLO COUNTY, IOWA, THUllSDAY, OCTOBER 3 7, 1907 TSTTJMBEB 31
OVER UNCLE SAM'8 SHOULDERS.
Uncle Sam's attitude toward Japan has encouraged China to defy Japnn ese aggression.—News Item.
•pji^
Have You Seen a
Stray Earthquake?
Therms One Loose
Albany, N. Y., Oct., 16.—An
earthquake of great proportions
in a direction and at a distance
not yet identified, began to re
cord Itself about nine o'clock
this morning on the Seis
mgraph at the sate museum.
At 10:15 o'clock the movement
was still In progress and un
dimished in strength.
Washlngtort, Oct., 16.—An
earthquake of great violence
was recorded by the Seismo
graph at the weather bureau to
day. The strong motion of the
disturbance began shortly after
9 o'clock and submerged about
six minutes later.
Blackmailing Plot
in Lead S.I), is
Frustrated Today
Lead. South Dakota, Oct., 16—
An attempt to extort $20,000
from J.- Grier, manager of the
Homestake gold mine, under
threat of dynamiting his home
unless the money was placed In a
designated place was frustrated
last night by the arrest of the
alleged blackmailers. A decoy
letter was left as directed and
Mrs. Anna Maijas was caught
by concealed' policemen as she
took th$ letter. Her husband
Chris, and Matt Seimbola, were
later taken into custody.
MEETING OF DEMOCRATS.
Des Moines Man 8eeks to Interest Ot
tumwans in Daily Newspaper
at Des Moines.
T. L. Meals of Des Moines is in the
city today and has called a meeting
of the democrats of the city in the
parlors of-the McElroy restaurant to
be held this evening to take up the
arganization of a company to start
a democratic state daily newspaper
at Des Moines. An option has been
secured on the Des Moines Tribune
for thirty days. It is the Intention to
make one of the Wapello county stock
holders a director in the company.
SMALL WRECK.
Three Cars of a Milwaukee Freight
Train are Derailed N6ar Chula,
Missouri, Last Night.
A slight wreck occurred at Chula,
Mo., last night, derailing three car3
and blocking traffic for a few hours.
The wrecking crew from here are at
Elmira clearing up a wreck that oc
curred there Monday, and were not
able to respond to the call from
Chula. The trouble was slight, how
ever, and no one w«ts injured, al
though all trains'were delayed owing
t"1 the stoppage of traffic. No. 3 did not
arrive here until noon.
Army of the Cumberland In Reunion
Chattanooga.. Tenn., Oct. 16.—Tho
annual reunion of the •society of the
Army of the Cumberland convened
here today for a two days' session.
tXfi&t
«tt te«7\
HJ-Ki
EMBANKMENT.
MM MM
ii
Cincinnati, O., Oct. 16.—Attorney
Harry H. Bausch was killed, six per
sons were injured and twenty-five
others slightly hurt today when an
Elberon avenue street car jumped
the track and went over a twenty-five
feet embankment at Mt. Hope, in the
western end of this city.
As the car was coming down a steap
grade the motorman lost control of
the car, which jumped the track and
went over the bank. It landed up
sicje down, the heavy trucks orashlng
through the car. A number of those
most seriously hurt were caught in
the crowded car and crushed by the
trucks.
RUSSIANS DISCUSS WAR
NEWSPAPER SAYS TROUBLE BE
TWEEN UNITED STATES AND
JAPAN IS NOT LIKELY.
St. Petersburg, Oct. 16. Great im
portance is attached here to the dec
laration by War Secretary Taft at
Tokio regarding the Philippines as
indicating the determination of the
United States to carry out an exten
sive expansion policy in th& Pacific.
The Novoe Vremya today, analyz
ing the situation, says it regards the
retention of the Philippines as boing
"a clear evidence of the aggressive-in
tentions of the United States, which,
in spite of the enormous cost," Is yet
determined to retain a mi'itary and
naval base which is useless to them
except in case of war.."
LONG BALLOON FLIGHT
American Team Sails From St. Louis
to Jacksonville in Successful
Trial.
Jacksonville, 111., Oct., 16.—Pilot J.
C. McCoy and Capt. C. D. T. Chandler,
who will represent American in the
coming balloon races, descended here
yesterday afternoon at 5:15 after a
trip begun in St Louis at 2:05.
They stated that they could have
remained in the air at least four hours
longer had they desired to attempt a
night voyage in the size balloon they
were using. It was the twenty-first
ascension for Mr. McCoy, and the elev
enth for Capt. Chandler.
They were up about 5,280 feet at
their highest point, and were about
2,000 feet high when they went over
Jacksonville.
Mr. McCoy is president of the Perth
Am-
ntW^&-*
4
1 KILLED AND
CINCINNATI.: TROLLEYf JUMPS
TRACKS AT TOP SPEED ON
HILL AND GOES OVER 25 FOOT
»v
*&>•
CHICAGO FOR
Harriman and Fish Faction®
Waging Hottest Battle in
Years Fish Loses a
Round When Injunc
tion is Modified
"TIED-UP" STOCK
WILL BE VOTED
Poned Until De-
cember 18
Chicago, Oct. 16.—The annual
meeting of the Illinois Central raU
road, during which a warm contest
is expected for the control of the road
between Stuyvesant FiBli, the former
president, and E. H. Harriman, open
ed at noon today. Four directors are
to be elected. Stuyvesant Fish, E.
H. Harriman, and John Jacob Astor
are retiring from the board and all of
them are candidates for re-election.
The vacancy caused by the death
C. B. Welling will also be filled.
Fish Check Noted.
Stuyesant Fish was checkmated yes
.terday in his light for masterjf of the
Illinois Central railroad.
The restraining order on Monday
by Judge Farlin Q. Ball was so modi
fied that even Mr. Fisn should havo a
clear majority of the undisputed votes
at the annual meeting of stockholders
today—which he probably has not—
he wins but an empty victory, while
if the Harriman-Harahan forces have
such a majority they may legally and
finally remove Mr. Fish from the board
of directors.
As one of the capitalists expressed
It, the situation is such that Mr. Harri
man can say to Mr. Fish: "Heads, I
win tails, you lose."
The order modifying the restrain
ing order stipulates that the 286,731
shares of Illinois Central stock owned
by the Union Pacific and the Mutual
Life Insurance company may be voted
at the meeting today, but such votes
must be tabulated on a separate list.
If it is found, in casting up the totals,
that this disputed stock or any of it
a deciding factor the matter on which
such vote was taken will be passed
as If not under consideration.
Deadlock Postpones Meeting.
In case such a deadlock results in
the vote on a director the order stlpu
lates that the election be postponed
until an adjourned meeting to be held
December 18. Should it develop, how
ever. that Harriman has a clear major
ity over Fish exclusive of the stock
involved by the restraining order ha
can carry every point legally. On the
other hand, Fish cannot win unless he
is able to muster enough votes to over
whelm both the disputed and undis
puted stock held In Harrlman's inter
ests.
SMALL ISSUES DEFI
Deposed Head of Telegraphers Claima
He is Still President and Never
Ousted.
Chicago, Oct. 16. Sylvester
Small, the suspended president of the
Commercial Telegraphers' Union,
who arrived in Chicago from New
York yesterday, declared that he Is
still president of the union, despite
the action of the executive board in
ousting him.
Asked If lie would make an effoit
to have himself reinstated at tha
convention announced to be held soon
In Milwaukee. Mr. Small replied:
"I shall not ask for reinstatement
for the simple reason that I
IB^
®j$L
Vt-fi
&
V\Sf-'
?•*, m*
.^va\
BEGUN AT
(1?
J.?*
?y
Under Court Ruling if Thii j|
Changes Result Annual
Meeting Will be Post-
Ji
AIT. 06
suspended. I am the president of t*w
union, and as far as I know no cafi ror
a convention hag been Issued."
When reminded of the blttor atti
tude of the strikers- toward hliu, me
deposed leades said:
"I don't care a rap what they say
about me. I a mthe president and I
know what I am doing."
Emperor's Condition More Favorable.
Vienna. Oct. 16.—The condition of
Emperor Francis Joseph this morn
ing is regarded as more favorable by
the physicians.
bony, N.- J. Capt. Chandler is head of
the aeronautic section of the United
States army. Both balloon Ists will re
turn to St. Louis tonight and will start
on another ascension, leaving St.
Louis at 4 o'clock In the-afternoon tor