ni np i no;
LIFE OF GENERAL HUERTAS IS
THREATENED.
Four Army Officials From Colombia
Charged With Trying to Persuade
Garrison at Panama to Revolt—
Were Promptly Apprehended—They
Declare It is Spite Work.
Through a letter the Panama gov
ernment naa (Uncovered what is al
leged to have been a plot against the
lile OH Ueneral Huertas, commander
in chief of me forces of the republic
of Panama, and an effort on the part
of army omcials to persuade the gar
rison at Panama to revolt. If such a
plot really existed it was promptly
nipped in the bud by the apprehension
at Panama of four alleged conspira
tors, wno were immediately brought
under guard to Colon and shipped
hence to Port Limon.
The prisoners were all born in the
interior of Colombia, and have been
on the isthmus for years. They were
members of the Colombian battleship
which gave its support to the new gov
ernment when the republic was form
ed, and which was commanded by Gen
eral Huertas. They all took the oath
of allegiance to the new republic and
continued to serve in the army. One
of them is a colonel named Ferrol,
two are majors, and the fourth is the
adjutant of General Huertas.
They declare that the charge that
they were engaged in a conspiracy is
the work of personal enemies, and
that some Colombian who was deport
ed from the isthmus immediately after
the establishment of the republic No
vember 3, sent a letter from Port Li
mon addressed to Colonel Ferrol. The
communication was written in terms
implicating them in such a plot. At
the same time, they say, the writer
advised some of the officials at Pana
ma to secure and read the letter ad
dressed to Colonel Ferrol before it was
delivered to him. This was done eith
er last night or this morning. The
four persons were arrested this morn
ing at the barracks and lodged in jail.
This afternoon they were conveyed
to the railway station, where they
were placed on board a train bound
for Colon.
According to their statement, they
were not allowed to make any explana
tion. The writer oï the letter, they
say, may have been prompted by a
desire to injure them because they
turned Panamains, or the whple plot
may have been concocted in Panama
in order to get them out of the coun
try because, as Colombians, they were
disliked here. They do not dare go to
Colombia, where, they assert, they will
be treated as traitors. The govern
ment will pay their passage .to Port
Limon. They are entirely without
funds and have no means of earning
a living, but they express the hope
that ultimately they will be permit
ted to return to the isthmus.
Upon arriving here the prisoners
were placed in jail. The reports in
circulation that they attempted to as
sassinate General Huertas are not
true. Nevertheless, the government
doubtless had some evidence against
them to justify the step of deporting
them.
COUNTRY'S CREDIT.
Bankers Say Our Debts Are Dimin
ishing.
A large portion of Wall street is
just now trying to figure out how large
a credit balance this country is piling
up abroad and how much gold we
may count on getting from other coun
tries in the near future. This, of
course, has more or less of a bearing
on the amount of available funds for
business and speculative purposes.
For two years we were in reality
running behind because of our enor
mous borrowings abroad, although we
actually had a large trade balance in
our operations with other countries.
But bankers practically agree that we
have discharged all of our indebted
ness created in Europe by syndicates
—at one time estimated at upwards of
$3,000,000,000—and now we are rapid
ly piling up a credit balance.
A factor that helped to rapidly wipe
out our credit in the past, up to a re
cent date, was the continued liquida
tion of our securities by foreigners.
It Ms now believed that the selling is
over. For a week Europe has been a
considerable buyer of our securities
and one foreign banker expressed the
opinion that after declines off and on
for a year and a half in our stocks
Europe stood ready to take back
qjjite a good many at the present low
level. He said that sentiment there
was much improved toward; all Tpyest
ments and he predicted' a fair recov
ery of our stock market, though not
anything approaching a boom. -
The $2,142.207 worth of platinum ex
tracted in the Gorotiägodaski district
of Russia last year is practically the
world's supply of that metal.
WASHING TON ITEMS.
Chelan county will exhibit at the
St. Louis exposition.
C. W. Frick, an old and respected
citizen of Spangle, died recently.
Wheat is nearly all In market around
Govan. The crop has been quite sat
isfactory.
The Washington State Game ft Fish
Protective association has been or
ganized in Seattle.
Farm work has been stopped in the
Palouse country because of hard freez
ing of the ground at nights.
W. A. C. second team. 11; Univer
sity of Idaho second team. 0. This
represents a good game in Pullman
Saturday.
Milton Klepper, a freshman, won
first prize in the annual declamation
contest at the Washington Agricultur
al college Saturday night.
The destruction of the honie of Geo.
Wright, at Whatcom, by Are recently
caused the death of one child and the
pedhaps fatal injury of another.
As a result of the strike of the
plumbers for $6.50 a day Spokane is
apparently on the verge of one of the
bitterest labor wars in its history.
M. L. Starr of Medical Lake was
run over by a passenger train at Hat
ton last Sunday morning and had his
left hand and right arm ground to a
pulp.
Floyd L. Daggett and Dr. G. S. Alli
son were recently elected Bchool di
rectors for school district No. 81, em
bracing the city of Spokane and one
outlying addition.
One of the finest church edifices in
Washington was opened for public
worship Sunday, when the first ser
vices were held in the auditorium of
the Central Christian church at Spo
kane.
The case of James Champoux, who
13 mouths ago, in Seattle, killed Lot
tie Brace in a fit of jealousy, has been
affirmed. Champoux'sdefense was in
sanity, but he was convicted of mur
der in the first degree and must hang.
The steamers Flyer, Bellingham and
Dode, all Sound vessels, were in a col
lision in the bay at Seattle last Sun
day. The Flyer had a large hole torn
in her portside abreast of the engine.
Fifteen thousand dollars will probably
cover all damage.
Building operations during the year
1903 in Spokane will aggregate nearly
$3,500,000 in actual cost, independent
of street railway construction, public
works, machinery installed or build
ings projected for future construction.
Tom Fitzgerald, aged 66, a railroad
laborer, was found almost dead in a
boxcar recently. He cut his throat
with a razor and crawled into the
car, where he lay four days. He will
probably recover. Fitzgerald is from
Missoula, Mont. He was despondent.
With solemn yet simple ceremonies,
the members of Spokane Lodge, No.
228, Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, Sunday held thefr annual
lodge of sorrow, in memory of their
departed brethren. The services were
held in the Auditorium theater, and
the crowd packed the house. Many
people remained standing throughout
the ceremonies,
Rudolph Butzaw, a stenographer in
the employ of M. E. & E. T. Hay,
was drowned in a lake about seven
miles south of Wilbur Sunday after
noon. Butzaw was skating with a
party of friends when he went through
the thin ice. Efforts to rescue him
were fruitless. The body has not been
recovered. Parents of the deceased
live at Loda, Illinois.
The damage to the work now under
way on the irrigation canal on the
Yakima Indian reservation is more se
rious than at first anticipated. Prac
tically all the work at the headgate
will have to be done over again. The
flood came at a time that nothing
could be done to save it. The rise in
the river covered everything to a
depth of about 12 feet.
This state has fared exceptionally
well with the committees assigned her
delegation in the house of representa
tives. Congressman Jones was assign
ed to the rivers and harbors. Con
gressman Cushman to the interstate
and foreign commerce and Congress
man Humphreys to the merchant ma
rine and fisheries committees. In con
nection with this Congressman Cush
man also goes to the private land
claims committee.
The Bible and the 8choola.
Brooksville, Ky.—Judge James P.
Harbeson of -the circuit court has ren
dered a decision in the case where
the Rev. Thomas Hackett, a Catholic
priest, brought an injunction suit
against the school trustees of Brooks
ville asking that tjiey and the teachers
In' the public schools be restrained
from reading the Bible or offering
nrayer in the schools, on the ground
that it was a violation of the constitu
tion. Judge Harbeson dismissed the
petition, at the cost of the plaintiff,
and in unqualified terms says that the
nible is the foundation of all Chris
tian governments and he does not see
where it is sectarian to read It In
schools. An appeal was asked for and
granted.
W. J. Bryan is in Parla.
HOWE IIS SHU I
BY A DIPLOMATIC STROKE HE
MAKES PEACE.
His Immediate Creditors Settled With
—Others Give Reaeonable Time—
—Dowie Declared Zion Estate Was
Valued at Fourteen Million Dollars
—Lace and Candy Factory Behind
With Orders.
Chicago, Dec. 7.—By a stroke oit
diplomacy John Alexander Dowie has
established harmony in Zion, its re
ceivers and its creditors in and out
of court. He proposes to settle with
his immediate creditors, to arrange
with others on a reasonable time
basis and to end the receivership.
At a recent conference between the
attorneys representing the heaviest
creditors and Jacob Newman, attorney
for the receivers. Dowie showed the
lawyers a statement setting forth
Zion's assets and liabilities. He de
clared he valued Zion's estate at $14,
000,000 above all liabilities. He ex
hibited large orders for lace and
candy. He said neither the lace nor
»the candy factory could supply its
orders. He showed an order for 75
carloads of candy from a Cincinnati
firm. He showed a draft for $50,000
from a wealthy wellwisher and de
clared he could draw for $200,000
more on one of Zion's friends in Wis
consin.
On this showing he offered to set
tle all urgent claims in cash and to
put Zion on a cash basis in all future
dealings with the world. With his
heaviest creditors out of the way, he
said, his debts demanding immediate
payment would not amount to more
than $150,000.
Mr. Dowie's presentation of figures
and his offers of settlement were sat
isfactory to the attorneys. His plan
will be submitted to the receivers,
their attorneys and the creditors' at
torneys and, it is said, will be ac
cepted. In that event, the creditors
will join hands with Dowie in a plea
to Judge Kohlsaat to dismiss the
pending litigation and permit Dowie
freedom to gather funds and cancel
his obligations.
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
Secretary Wilson Submits His Annual
to the President.
James Wilson, secretary of agricul
ture, has submitted his annual report
to the president In part he says:
Out of their continued abundance
during the past year the farmers of
the nation have contributed food and
raw materials for manufactures to hun
dreds of millions of people in foreign
countries, besides sustaining 80,0.00,000
at home.
Represented in value, the exports of
grain and grain products had about
two thirds of the importance of cotton
in the last fiscal > ear, the value of the
export being more than $221,000,000.
From 46,000,000 acres of wheat there
was a surplus for foreign mouths
amounting to 114,000,000 bushels and
20,000,000 barrels of flour, amounts
that together represent 204,000,000
bushels of wheat.
Third in importance are the exports
of meats and meat products, with a
grand total of $178,000,000, to which
may be added $35,000,000 for live ani
mals. Quantities that are beyond the
grasp of the mind represent the ex
ports of meats and their products. The
pounds of beef were 385,000,000; of
pork, 551,000,000; of lard, 491,000,000,
and of oleo oil, 126,000,000.
The foregoing figures,, it should be
borne in mind, do not stand for the to
tal production of the farms, but for
the surplus production after the wants
of the people at home have been satis
fied.
Election at Olympia.
. Olympia, Wash., Dec. 9.—In the city
election here today, H. G. Richardson,
republican, was elected over F. G.
Blakeslee, democrat, by a vote of 479
to 469. The democrats, republicans
and socialists all had complete tickets
in the field, the socialists polling 42
votes. All the republican' ticket was
elected except the city attorney, P.
M. Troy, democrat, defeating W. L.
Agnew, republican, by a vote of 478
to 464. - ■ •' '
Both Agree to Fight. •
Denver, Dec. 7.—President John
Mitchell of the United Miiieworkers
and Governor Peabody had a confer
ence lasting 45 minutes today, and ttt
night the settlement of the strike is
as far distant as ever. Mr. Mitchell
informed the governor that the strike
will continue to the bitter end, and
the governor Just as positively- in
formed the strike leader that he will
tolerate no violence, but will order out
the troops at the first provocation.
There has died in the Kentish vil
lage of Rolvenden an old lady. 92 years
of age, who was present at the battle
of Waterloo.
INSPIRATION FOR THE WRITING
OF "BEN-HUR."
The Greatest Play of the Century.
Few people* know that it was the
famous agnostic, Robert G. Ingersoll,
who caused the writing of the novel
"Ben-Hur," the stage versiep of which
has created an absolute sensation, not
only in this country, but in England
and Australia. It came about through
a chance meeting of the two famous
men in a railroad journey, when Chris
tianity became a subject of their talk.
General tVallace had always been a
man of strong religious inclination;
Indeed, his splendid description of the
appearance of the Star of Bethlehem
to the wise men of the desert had been
written before this chance acquaint
ance.
The arguments and claims of the
great Infidel were too much for the
doughty general. His senses were :
charmed with the eloquence and poet
leal presentation of the causes of ag- j
nosticism, but he was by no means
convinced of Rs truth. The discussion
made him deeply reflective and led
him to make a careful and exhaustive |
study of the life of the Nazarine. The j
result of this research and General i
Wallace's answer to Ingersoll was I
"Ben-Hur," a work which has been
more widely read than any printed
volume save the sacred Book of Scrip
tures.
The entire public of the state of
Washington seems to be interested in
the presentation of "Ben-Hur" at the
Spokane Theater, Spokane. The en
gagement covers December 14th, 15th
and 16th, with special matinee on
Tuesday, December 15th. Special rates
can be secured from the railroads by
applying to the local railroad agents.
Orders for seats through the mail
will be promptly attended to, in the
order of their receipt, when accompa
nied by a remittance and a self-ad
dressed, stamped envelope for reply,
in order to avoid all mistakes. Appli
cations for seats should be made to
Daniel L. Weaver, Manager Spokane
Theater, Spokane. Seats for all per
formances will be securable when the
sale commences. It will be well, there
fore, for those who intend to take in
this great entertainment, to lose no
time in filing their orders, as the sale
starts on Thursday, December 10th.
Although there has been a heavy de
mand for seats, Manager Weaver, wish
es to announce all will be able to se
cure a seat who wish, as the company
has extended its engagement one
night. Prices range from $3.00 to 50c
ARMY'8 STANDING.
Nearly 70,000 Men Enlisted— Net
Decrease.
Washington.—On December 1, 1902,
the army of the United States, accord
ing to the latest reports which had
been received from the military de
partments, consisted of 3586 officers
and 66,003 enlisted men, a total of
69,589. In addition there were in the
service 3598 men of the hospital corps
excluded by the act of March 1, 1887,
from classification as part of the en
listed force of the army. There were
also in the service 182 volunteer medi
cal officers, 100 regular officers and
4978 enlisted men of the Philippine
scouts, and 29 officers and 840 enlisted
men of the Porto Rico regiment At
that time I reported an order made
on the 24th of October, 1902, providing
for a further reduction of the army to
the minimum strength allowed by law,
except as to the organizations which
were to be kept at full strength for
instruction purposes at Leavenworth
and Riley and the legation guard at
Peking. That order has been executed
during the year by permitting enlist
ments to run out without filling the
vacancies.
At the date of the last reports re
ceived from the military departments,
October 15, 190 f 3, the actual -strength
of the regular army was 3681 officers
and 55,500 enlisted men, distributed as
follows : 4
United States, 41,832; Philippine isl
ands, 16,510; Cuba, 719; Porto Rico,
212; Hawaiian Islands, 19T; China,
151; Alaska, 569. . -
The distribution among the différ
ent branches of the service was as
follows :
General officers and staff organiza
tions, 3848; cavalry, 12,179; artillery
corps, 16,470;, infantry, 24,554; re
cruits and miscellaneous detachments,
2130. . ' . .
There was also in the service 26
officers and Çj20 enlisted mèn oit the
Porto Rita régiment, 99 officers and
4805 enlisted' Philippine scouts and
2807 hospital çorps paen. r
These figures Show a total net de
crease during the year of li,978.
Ascum—I:suppose everything yôune
MacKInnes has was left to him by his
father.
Newitt—Wqll, yes, all but his name
which he made for himself. The name
his father'gave him was "McGinnis.'
It is sjdd by Dr. George A. B. Hayes
of the state hospital for 'Hisane that
in Louisiana insanity is increasing
at the rate of more than 10 per cent
a year, or five times as fast as.the
population. , .
IIM «181111111
ANSWER TO R008EVELT't LET
TER ON POSTAL 8CANDAL,"
Says He Was Never Given a Chance
to Defend Himself of Charges-^-He
Will Refute Them—The "Gross (Bor
ruption" Sentence 8tings Former
Counsel for Postoffice Department. *
Washington, Dec. 8.—James N.
Tyner, who was assistant attorney
general for the postoffice department
until dismissed on account of matters
connected with the postoffice affairs,
has seat the following to President
Roosevelt:
"Washington, Dec. 8.—To the
President—Sir: In your official state
ment as president of the United
States, addressed to the American re
public in connection with the report
of Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Bristow on the alleged postal
frauds, you make certain statements
concerning my supposed connection
therewith, which I take the liberty of
answering in order that it may prop
erly go upon your official records.
"I do not deeire in accepting your
good faith or sincerity in accepting
the conclusions of your subordinate,
Mr. Bristow, and in dignifying them
with the weight of your high official
position, but has it occurred to you
that pending the trial of the three
Indictments against me based upon
the allegations of the report, and
without having heard one word from ■
me in my defense, your premature
and unwarranted announcements of
my assumed guilt and your call to the
court and jury to indorse the same,
is to say the least, extraordinary and
dangerous?
"I am not even asking that I should
be presumed Innocent, or that before
I am condemned by you or the de
partment I should be confronted by
proof or witnesses or given an oppor
tunity to be heard in my defense; or
that in the trial which confronts me,
I should have a fair trial—all I am
asking is that in view of the uni
formity of my life and the fact that
my lips may at any moment be for
ever sealed, this letter be filed among
your official records of my case, to
gether with my letter of July 27,
1903, to Mr. Bristow, a copy of which
I attash.
Makes Denial.
"I desire again to deny any one of
the veiled charges made by Mr. Bris
tow in his report, and to call your at
tention to the fact that not one direct
or specific charge is made against me
In the conduct of my high office, nor
has, nor can one cent of gain be
traced to me. If my life is spared I
shall fully refute all the surmises '
and insinuations of Mr. Bristow, and
shall be able to show the reasons
which which led him to withhold from
you further data and to misquote and
falsify that which he did submit to
you. ;
"I also desire to state that if any of
the friends of Tyner have, as you al
lege, advanced the theory that in this
case the chief offender was my
nephew, and that my alleged offenses
were due to my falling mental and
bodily powers, they did so without my
knowledge or assent. It is true that
owing to two strokes of paralysis my
bodily powers have failed me, and I
may have to face a third and triier
and sterner judge ere many days, $ut
my mental powers, I thank God, have
never suffered, and I trust will not fail
me until I have convinced the Ameri
can public and you that my acts have
been honest, honorable and straight
forward in the sight of God and man.
I am confident that the relations of
Mr. Barrett with me and my depart
ment were as innocent and honorable
as I am sure were all my motives and
acts.
Gross Corruption Sentence.
' "I also wish to deny your utterly
unwarranted statement that 'the gross
corruption in the case of Tyner has
gone on for a number of years.' You
should know, and your subordinates
do know, that no single act of cor
ruption, gross or mild, has been dis
covered against me; and that the
United States government, with its
40 inspectors and chief Inquisitor, Mr.
Bristow, will be unable to discover.
I have tried during 40 years of faith
ful service to my country to prove my
zeal for faithfulness and honesty in
the public service, and I now say to
you, the president of the United
States, my executive, as if it were the
last word I shall ever utter, that in
your well recognized and honorable
seal for the public good, you have al
lowed yourself to be deceived and im
posed on, and while I can not hope
for a hearing at your hands, I shall
at least give myself the wretched
solace of having denied these yrrongs
and of having demanded that hearing
which right and justice ought to ac
cord to me. Véry respectfully,*
"JAMES N. TYNER." «