The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume], February 08, 1904, Image 1

About The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971

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VOLUME 1. NUMBER 246.
WAR1
St. Petersburg, Feb. 8.The mis
Ian reply bas been banded to the Jap
anese government by Baron de Rosen,
the Russian minister at Tokio.
The Japanese minister, M. Kurino.
is making preliminary preparations foi
his departure from St. Petersburg.
Port Arthur, Feb. 8.Viceroy Alex
left forwarded the Russian reply tc
Baron de Rosen, the Russian' ministei
at Tokio, by telegraph and the lattei
acknowledged its receipt
From ,the Russian viewpoint the
Bote is regarded as pacific.
Accompanying the note were in
structions to Baron de Rosen for his
guidance in certain eventualities.
London, Feb. 8.Information re
ceived at the Japanese legation here
from Tokio shows that Russia's reply,
in the estimation of the legation, de
cidedly does not meet Japan's wishes.
The general tension in diplomatic
Quarters here is unquestionably in
creased.
FEAR WAR IS AT HAND.
Russia Standing on the Tiptoe of Ap
prehension.'
St. Petersburg, Feb. 8.Russia is
Standing on the tiptoe of expectancy
and apprehension. Her reply having
now reached the hands of the Japan
ese government at Tokio word there
from is awaited with extreme anxiety.
The air is filled with grave fears
that it will "mean the parting of the
ways for Russia and Japan. The
strain is intensifying. The feeling
that Japan will stand 'firmly -on- her
former demands against whatever con
cessions Russia can offer consistent
with the maintenance Of her pride is
becoming a conviction, here. An ofii
cial of the foreign office said:
"The world understands our posi
tion pretty well. There is no reason
Why the situation should be consid
ered changed, either for the better or
worse. So far as the actual state, of
the negotiations is concerned matters
should be improved by the Russian
answer, which is framed in the
Most Conciliatory Spirit.
Nevertheless, there is a serious
doubt as to the course the Japanese
government will pursue. Russia has
done her utmost, but the other side
must yield if a common ground is to
be found. The Japanese people and
press have been kept in a continual
state of excitement by false reports,
invented, we believe, to create distrust
of our purposes and pacific intentions.
How far the Japanese authorities can
withstand the popular tide is a quesr
tion."
In sharp contrast with this calm and
even hopeful view voiced by the Rus
sian official is the gloom which pre
vails at the Japanese legation and
British embassy, where no efforts are
made to disguise the feeling of pro
found disquiet over the outlook.
The belief is almost openly ex
pressed here, that if Japan considers
the reply unsatisfactory it will be the
End of Diplomatic Negotiations.
Minister Kufino and Sir Charles Scott,
the British ambassador to Russia, have,
nnnference. sividAfitiv J- *i
HJHJL
IS INEVITABLE
Breaking Of of Negotiations Between
Russia and Japan Formally An
nounced Yesterday.
London, Feb. 8.The Japanese minister at the foreign legation
here announces that the breaking off of negotiations -which was the
feature of the war news yesterday, is equivalent to a declaration of
war. Japanese troops are already pouring into- Manchuria and
Korea. Russian troops are also reported moving to Korea from
Mukden.
Dinner Plates
Free
Commencing today we will give,
free, until the last day of the month,
a 7-inch imported dinner plate with
each purchase of 2. A $12 pur-
chase will secure a set of plates
worth $1.50.
BEMIDJT, MI1STSTESOTA.
tertalnlng" on action to De taken in
case of a rupture in negotiations,
which it is believed will be immedi
ately followed by the breaking off of
diplomatic relations. In this event M.
Kurino will ask for his passports and
will leave St. Petersburg at once. The
minister has already anticipated such*
a contingency and is making arrange
ments to vacate the legation building.
Under the terms of the lease this may
be given up. It is even reported on
apparently good authority that M. Ku
rino has ordered a special car to be in
readiness at the Warsaw station to
take him to Germany. The current af
fairs of the Japanese legation will be
turned over to the British embassy if
the worst happens.
The absence of M. Kurino from the
theatricals given at the Winter palace
during the evening, which were attend
ed by all the other ministers and by
the ambassadors, was generally re
marked. It was the first court 'func
tion he had missed this season.
CIPHER MESSAGES FORBIDDEN.
Japanese Government So Informs
Cable Companies.
New York, Feb. 8.The central
office of the Western Union cable serv
ice announces that private messages
in secret language cannot be accepted
for any place in Japan.
The Commercial Cable company is
advised by the Japanese administra
tion that secret language is prohibited
in private messages to Japan.
WILD REPORT CURRENT.
Rumor of Naval Engagement Circu
lated in London.
London, Feb. 8.The scare in finan
cial circles here was exemplified dur
ing the day by a wild report current
ion the Stock Exchange that a severe
naval engagement has taken place in
which three Russian and two Japanese
ships were sunk.
RUSSIA SEEKING WAR.
Opinion Expressed by Japanese Minis
ter at Washington.
Washington, Feb. 8.Mr. Takahira,
the Japanese minister, has not been
informed by his government of the re
ceipt of the Russian reply, but he has
received advices from Tokio which
show the feeling there to be one of
great exasperation at the delay in the
receipt of the Russian reply, for which
no explanation has been given. He
described the situation'as being very
grave. He was not surprised to hear
that M. Kurino, the Japanese minis
ter, was preparing to depart from the
Russian capital. In view of the activ
ity of the Russian military forces the
Japanese believe that Russia is bent
on war. Special emphasis is placed
by Japanese officials upon the forward
ing of the reply to Admiral Alexieff,
head of the war party, for final revi
sion. Another strong indication of
war, in the opinion of tfie Japanese, is
the warning given by the Russian offi
cials to the Japanese officials at Vladi
vostock and to the Japanese commer
cial agent that a state of siege might
be expected any time.
Mr. Takahira had a conference last
ing about half an hour with Actio*
secretary or State Loomls during tnc
afternoon. He left the department
greatly depressed over the situation
'and will not be surprised to hear of a
severance of diplomatic relations be
tween Russia and Japan at any mo
ment
MEASURES FOR DEFENSI.
Forces at Vladivostock Ready to Repel
Hostile Attack.
Vladivostock, Feb. 8.Even the au
thorities here apparently are without
information in regard to the general
situation. They receive casual in
structions from which it is apparent
that preparations are on the increase
to repel a hostile attack, but no com
prehensive steps have been taken, nor
has there been any specific allotment
of funds without which many things
are impossible. The movement of
troops toward Korea has been stopped.
The public is greatly depressed by
the uncertainty and banking and mer
cantile operations are at a standstill.
If Vladivostock is blockaded the
offices of the Ussuri railroad and the'
law courts will be transferred to Kha
barovosk and the administrative offices
to Nikolsk, Ussuri.
It Is rumored that all strangers,
whether Russian or foreign, will be re
quested to leave the precincts of the
fortifications and the native residents
will be required to provide quarters
for 8,000 soldiers, with horses, with
orders to mobilize the reserves being
expected hourly.
RECOGNIZED BY JAPAN.
Russian Contention Against Fortifica
tion of Southern Korea.
London, Feb. 8.With reference to
the reiterated statement from Russian
sources that Russia could not agree to
a Japanese fortification of Southern
Korea, as it would endanger the neu
trality of the straits of Korea, the Jap
anese legation said that Japan had
already recognized the reasonableness
of this contention on thp part of Rus
sia and had readily agreed that the
passage of the straits of Korea should
be perfectly free. Japan, however, re
fused to agree to the neutral-zone sug
gestion because she believed it would
become virtually a Russian sphere of
influence in view of her large conces
sions on the Yalu river. Moreover, if
Japan had granted this demand it
would have been in opposition to
Japan's contention that the independ
ence and integrity of Korea must be
recognized. DUE TO ORDERS FROM JAPAN.
Hasty Flight of Japanese Residents of
Vladivostock.
St. Petersburg. Feb. 8.A dispatch
LESSONTODOMINICANS
PEOPLE OF ISLAND MU3T CEASE
TO MENACE LIFE AND PROP-
ERTY OF AMERICANS.
FULL REPARATION TO BE DEMANDED
8ECRETARY MOODY ASKS FOR DE-
TAILS OF KILLING OF EN-
GINEER JOHNSTON.
Washington, Feb. 8."Send full par
ticulars about assassination of John
ston" is the substance of cablegram
which Secretary Moody has dispatched
to Commander Lewis C. Heilner, com
manding the gunboat Yankee at Santo
Domingo City. When the details of
the assassination have arrived the
secretary will then be in a position
to give specific instructions as to the
course to be followed.
Deliberation, it can be stated, will
be observed in the handling of the
Dominican situation. If the press dis
patches are confirmed it can be stated
that the naval commanders will .be in
structed to demand to obtain the full
est reparation. Nor will they stop
with this. Before the American war
ships leave Dominican waters the in
habitants will have been made to
know that the Washington govern
ment's patience has been exhausted
and the menacing of American life
and property must cease or the people
of the island stand the consequences, i
What additional warships shall ro
to S?.n Domingo will be decided when
the official detailed report has arrive-.
FIRE ON AMERICAN BOAT.
Dominican Insurgents Kill Engineer
of Launch.
San Domingo, Feb. 8.J. C. John-1
ston, engineer on the auxiliary cruiser
Yankee, was shot and instantly killed
by Dominican insurgents, who fired
upon a launch from the cruiser.
United States Minister Powell has
directed the captain of the Yankee to
take drastic measures to avenge John
ston's death and this insult to the
American flag. Johnston was buried I
on shore.
Great surprise is expressed by all
foreigners, and especially by Ameri
cans, that the commander of the Yan
kee has not demanded immediate sat
isfaction for this act and for the fir
big on the American flag by insur
gents.
Former Chief of Police Joseph Kip
ley of Chicago is dead. He had been
suffering from stomach trouble. A few
days ago he underwent an operation.
to which he was too feeble to rally.
The .Ji&midji Daily Pioneer
BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, MONDA% FEBRUARY 8, 1904.
ni'IMl
vea nere during the day rrom
divostock says the hasty flight of
Japanese residents there is at
tributed to secret orders from the Jap
anese government. Neither persua
sion nor promises of protection by the
authorities had any effect The Jap
anese commercial agent aided in the
exodus. During: the course of the
flight the storekeepers sacrificed
stocks valued at several hundred thou
sand roubles for 5 to 10 kopecks on
the rouble. The neighboring town::
are without hairdressers, laundresses
aid maid servants and some of the
factories are closed.
It is added that there is general ir
ritation at Vladivostock owing to en
tire lack of news, even in official quar
ters. CONTAINS FRESH PROPOSALS
Russians Hopeful That Reply Wilt
Have Good Results.
don, Feb. 8.A dispatch to Reu
Telegram company from St. Pe
ittrg says:
authoritative statement from a
,n source regarding the contents
ie Russian reply is as follows:
the Japanese government is
animated by the same pacific senti
ments as the Russian government
there is reason to hope that it will
give Russia's fresh proposals such fa
vorable reception as to permit mutual
accord being finally reached. Baror,
de Rosen has been furnished with all
the necessary instructions for a fresh
|hase of the negotiations."
ONE RUSSIAN WOUNDED.
Korean Gendarmes Have Clash With
Czar's Soldiers.
Seoul, Korea, Feb. 8.Russian sol
diers have been the cause of a disor
derly incident in Korea. One of the
Russians seized a woman and an
angry crowd gathered. A body of Ko
rean gendarmes soon arrived at the
scene of trouble and an encounter
with the Russians followed. The gen
darmes fought well and overpowered
the Russians, one of whom was
wounded. The Koreans declare that
lie Russians will destroy the country.
An insurrection has broken out
sixty miles north of Seoul and the
prefect's house has been destroyed by
the people.
Crfsis Expected" Any Moment.
Washington. Feb. 8.Minister Gris
com, at Tokio, cables the state depart
ment that, in diplomatic circles the
feeling is that the relations between
Tokio and St. Petersburg may be
broken off at any time.
ii, i
Wi ll BEGIN ON MARCH I
SENATE COMMITTEE DECIDES ON
COMPLETE INVESTIGATION
OF 8MOOT CHARGES.
HEARING WILL BE OPEN TO PUBLIC
MAJORITY OF THE WITNESSES
SUMMONED ARE MEMBERS
OF MORMON CHURCH. _.
Washington, Feb. 8.Complete in
vestigation of the protests against
Senator Reed Smoot retaining his
seat in the United States senate will
begin March 1 before the committee
on privileges and elections. The com
mittee agreed to this date at a meet
ing held during the day and Chairman
Burrows, was given unlimited power
to summon witnesses and to appoint
a sub-committee to go to Utah to take
testimony, if necessary. The hearing
of the case will be public.
The protestants who are now organ
ising to make the fight against Sen
ator Smoot have declared that it is
ribt their intention to enter into what
are known as the Leilich charges. For
mer Representative R. W. Tayler has
announced that it is the intention of
his clients to try the case as respects
the relations of the Mormon church
to the United States government and
the intrusion of a great hierarchy into
the political affairs of the nation.
The witnesses to be summoned are
for the most part members of the
Mormon church. Among them are
children alleged to be the offspring of
polygamous marriages contracted since
the manifesto of 1890.
BUTLER IS ACQUITTED.
St. Lcuis Millionaire on Trial for Al
leged Bribery.
Fulton, Mo., Feb. 8.Edward But
ler, the St. Louis millionaire, tried on
a charge of bribing members of the
St. Louis house of delegates to secure
the passage of a city lighting bill in
iSffti was found not guilty by a jury
which had been out about twenty
hours.
Previous to the finding of the jury
it had reported to the court that no
verdict could be reached. Judge
Graves thereupon requested the jury
to retire again, saying he would recall
them in a short time.
The jury was brought in quickly and
the verdict was read by Judge Graves.
As its import was realized a dozen of
Colonel Butler's- friends-gave forth a
wild shout and dashed into the street
to spread the news. Butler shook
hands with the jurors, after which
Judge Graves polled and discharged
nrem: cvrctni. Attorney roiit naa iuuy
expected a verdict of guilty, or at least
a hung jury.
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
Recent Explosion on the Iowa to Be
Looked Into.
Washington, Feb/ 8.As soon as the
Iowa arrives at the Brooklyn navy
yard, for which port she is now bound,
Rear Admiral Rodgers. the senior offi
cer at that yard, will direct a thorough
inquiry to be made into the recent ac
cident to the eight-inch guns of the
starboard forward turret. The ord
nance officers hero decline to discuss
the matter, being left completely in
the dark as to the cause of such acci
dents, even after a most sweeping in
vestigation into the former explosion.
It is felt now that -to prevent a loss
of confidence on the part of the sailors
in the safety of their weapons it will
be necessary to get at the real weak
ness of the naval guns and take im
mediate steps to correct them, even if
it involves the replacement of the old
guns by newer and heavier weapons.
SENATOR HANNA WEAKER.
His Physician, However, Is Confident
of Recovery.
Washington, Feb. 8.Senator Han
na is in an extremely weak condition,
but the attending physician, Dr. Rix
ey, continues to view the outcome
with confidence THe senator had a
comfortable night, but the fever gained
a little ground and 1B somewhat
higher.
At 10 o'clock the following bulletin
was issued by Dr. Rixey:
"Senator Hanna rested well. Tern-'
perature 101, pulse 82."
This brief announcement was all
that was given out. When the crucial
point will be passed is problematical,
as it Is not known positively where or
when the typhoid was acquired. The
senator's stomach is in better condi
tion and he is taking nourishment
much more satisfactorily than hereto
fore. BRYAN TELLS OF BENNETT WILL.
He Wants His Political Foes to Stick
to the Facts.
Louisville, Feb. 8.W. J. Bryan has i
dictated' the following statement in
explanation of the Bennett bequest:
"Philo S. Bennett #ed leaving an
estate valued at about $300,000. He
bequeathed $100,000 to his widow, who
is past sixty years of age and without
children.
"He left me $50,000, with a suggos
tion us to its division.
"Had I accepted the $50,000 direct,
as he requested me to, there could
have been no contest.
"He then gave me the alternative
of distributing it among institutions
as I saw fit. I am willing that my
political opponents shall have the
facts, but it is only fair that they
should state the facts."
OFFICIALS ARE INDICTED.
Oklahoma City Men Charged With Va
rious Crimes.
Oklahoma City, Okla., Feb. 8.Six
indictments have been returned by
the grand Jury which for three
weeks has been investigating alleged
Doodling and corruption in the city
administration. The men indicted
were Charles S. Wadsworth, city en
gineer, charged with bribery Dr. J.
S. Osborne, grand larceny Patrick
O'Shea, street commissioner, embez
zlement, and three councilmen, Hugh
McCredle, Andrew Burns and Daniel
Phillips, who, it is charged, irregular
ly procured contracts from the city.
Wadsworth, Osborne and O'Shea were
arrested.
GAS EXPLOSION IN MINE.
Fire BOBS
IS SWEPT BY FIRE
Business Section of Baltimore Wrapped
In FlamesLosses Estimated
at $200,000,000.
Baltimore, Feb. 8.-Fire which broke out in the business sec-
tion of Baltimore at 11 o'clock yesterday morning still rages.
Hundreds of business blocks are in ashes and the estimated losses
at present are in the neighborhood of $200,000,000.
Every member of the local fire department has been constantly
on duty for more than twenty-four hours and the departments of
the several neighboring cities are sending relief this morning.
Killed and Three Men Fa
tally Injured.
Scranton, Pa., Feb. 8.Evan Gabriel,
fire boss at the Storrs shaft of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad company, was instantly killed
and James an'l Edward Webber, broth
ers, and William Jones were fatally
injured by an explosion of gas. A"
naked lamp carried by one of the men
ignited the gas, causing the fatalities.
The men knew of the dangerous condl
tlon of the mine and were warned not
to enter.
Tieup Almost Complete.
Chicago, Feb. 8.The strike against
the American Can company, to resist
a 10 per cent reduction, has been ex
tended to the Illinois Can company
branch. The 350 men, boys and girls
employed there failed to report for
duty. Seventeen hundred employes
are now involved in the strike. The
(ieuD is almost complete.
TEN CENTS PER WEEK.
SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED.
Steamship Dakota Takes Initial Dip
at Groton, Conn.
Groton. Cown., Feb. 8.The steam'
ship Dakota, built for the Great North
ern Steamship company, was success
fully launched from the yards of the
Eastern Shipbuilding company amid a
din of salutes from whistles of vessels,
factories? ami locomotives and the
cheers of fully 5,000 spectators. Miss
Mary Flemington of Ellendale, N.
was sponsor and as the great craft be
gan to slip away from the christening
stand she broke a bottle of champagne
(ton the prow, saying "I christen theo
Dakota."
In the christening stand were Gov
ernor Abram Chamberlain, President
James J. liill of the Great Northern
Steamship company, many prominent
Dakotans and members of the boards
of trade of Minneapolis and St. Paul,
with ladies.
The Dakota was launched In her
cradle and she took the water grace
fully, speeding out into midstream
where", as the momentum decreased,
tugs hooked on and plffPed her under
control. Later she was towed back to
a berth beside the Minnesota.
Tho Dakota like her sister ship, the
Minnesota, which was launc|ed at the
Eastern Shipbuilding company's yard
in April, 1903, is of the largest type of
cargo and passenger vessels built In
the United States. Their dimensions
are :?0 feet over all, 7 feet (i inches,
breadth, 56 feet moulded depth, 33
feet draught and gross tonnage 22.000.
Triple expansion engines of 11,000
horsepower, driving twin screws, are
expected to develop "an average speed
of fourteen knots an hour. It is esti
mated that tho Minnesota will be
ready for her trial next July and tho
Dakota in September.
BULLETS TO KILL TWO.
American Poisoners Will Be Shot to
Death by Mexicans.
Now York, Feb. 8-.Leslie W. Hul
bert, formerly of the district attorney's
office of New York, and Dr. C. R.
Harle, a physician of El Paso. Tex.,
will be shot during the next few days
at Chihuahua, Mex., for many murders
committed by means of slow poison.
With their deatli the New York Life
Insurance company will conclude the
final chapter of ono of the most sen
sational life insurance swindles in tho
history of this country.
While these men wore charged with
but two specific murders Ehey have ad
mitted seven and have confessed also
that they collected Insurance fraud
ulently on a score of poisons. They
have admitted also that fraudulent in
surance WRS procured on consumptives
by having Dr. Harle pass on them.
Then they collected all or a part of
the premium.
COTTON PRICE8 LOWER.
Extremely Bearish News Causes a
Weak Market.
New York, Feb. 8.-Extremely bear
ish news caused a weak opening in
the cotton market. Prices showed a
loss ot 40 to 55 poiuts at the begin
ning, whjck, he.d iioaa Increased lo 52
to 70 points on the active mon,th,s be
fore the call was completed, with
March selling as low as 13.88, May at
14.05 and July at 14.08. Later there
was a small rally on covering, but the
market ruled feverish.
Later New Orleans became firmer
and a covering movement set In here
that, in connection with local and
Southern bull support, rallied the mar
ket about 20 to 45points. The ad
vance-met very heavy selling, chiefly
from outside sources, and in the late
trading tho market was very weak, be
ing finally easy at a net decline of 40
to 85 points.
PROBABLY FATALLY WOUNDED.
Street Car Conductor Shot While Pro
tecting Passengers.
Chicago, Feb. 8.Two masked men
who attempted to hold up a Western
avenue trolley car near Diversity
street, within a stone's throw of Car
Barn Bandit Neldermeier's home, shot
and probably fatally wounded George
Beckler, the conductor, who resisted
them. The dozen passengers in the
car were panic stricken and duflng the
excitement the robbers escaped.
Beckler wa3 taken to St. Elizabeth's
hospital, where it was found that he
had been shot beneath the heart. The
physicians said he probably would die.
Finest Vessel on the Lakes.
Cleveland, Feb. 8.The steamer
Umbria, one of the finest freight ves
sels on the Great Lakes, was success
fully launched at.the American Ship
building company's yards here during
the day. The new boat is owned by
H. A. Hawgood of this city and coat
nearly $800,000.