The progress-advertiser., December 31, 1903, Image 2

About The progress-advertiser. (Lexington, Miss.) 1902-1903

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The Progress-Advertiser
J. F. GRIST. Editor.
LEXINGTON, s s MISSISSIPPI.
CURRENT COMMENT.
The number of Protestant mission
aries at work in Japan is given by the
New York Observer at 680.
There are 900 Christian churclws in
Japan, as over against 70,000 Buddhist
temples and 56.000 Shinto shrines.
Th9-,questioa is asked. "Does football
Per
make young men bowlegged?''
baps not, but it makes them broken
legged.
Less than for per cent, of the Co
lombians can read, and they've had
400 years in which to establish public
schools.
Winnipeg publishes statistics to show
that it has more hours of sunshine
than any other city in Canada. It
needs it.
Carrie Nation has just purchased a
ton of hatchets. The hardware trade
does not altogether share in the gen
eral condemnation ot Carrie.
Henry Clay is spieling in Philadel
phia for a vacant seat in congress.
Mr. Clay's name at present graces the
payroll of the Philadelphia city coun
cil.
A wireless trolley car and one that
requires no "third" rail, has been con
Gradually invention will
structed.
reach a point where it will not make
the surface of the earth uglier.
France is to occupy Siam. The divi
sion of Asia goes forward apace. Rus
sia has Manchuria, England is taking
Thibet, Korea is awarded to Japan,
hut where does Germany come in?
They are printing everything that
those young demoniac Chicago carbarn
murderers say and do; so that they
can instigate a fresh gang of youth
ful lunatics to similar deeds, perhaps.
We laugh at the bloviating self
glorification and gush of some Spanish
American nations, hut we used to be
nearly as bad in the first half of the
nineteenth century. We know more
now.
Report has it that a company has
been formed to build a $1,000,000 temple
in Los Angeles, Cal., for Robert J.
Burdette, the humorist and lecturer,
row the pastor of the Baptist church
in that city.
Last year the British mercantile ma
rine reported 1,483 casualties, of which
348 were complete wrecks. The total
Joss of life was 5,318, 103 less than the
preceding 12 months and 1,649 less
than the year before that. In the last
25 years the British marine has lost
6,221 ships, with a total loss of 41,267
persons.
Possibly the only child in the United
States who can boast of a great-great
great-grandmother is David Ross
Chambers, aged two, who resides with
his parents at Bushnell, 111. This
grandmother, thrice removed, is Mrs.
Nancy G. Bond, of Warren county, 111.,
and who is now in the ninety-seventh
year of her age.
The Frisco railroad is now handling
business from Chicago, Kansas City
and St. Louis to the gulf. An ar
rangement has been completed with
the Southern railway for the use of
the tracks of the Mobile & Ohio and
the New Orleans k Northwestern to
reach the joint terminals of the Frisco
line and the Southern line at New Or
leans.
A feather bed, which once belonged
to George Washington, is offered as a
world's fair exhibit by Lee LdYmer, of
Osawatomie, Kan. He says he can give
a complete history of how the feather
bed came into his possession from that
of Gen. Washington. This calls to
mind the story that near Paris is a
factory that runs night and day turn
ing out chairs that Napoleon sat on
while confined at St. Helena.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Bristow intimates that various
congressmen have been beneficiaries
of the reckless lawlessness of deposed
post office officials, but that none of
them are to be imputed with motives
other than pure and patriotic. When
they got allowances for post offices ar
bitrarily raised for their constituents
they were simply proceeding on the
theory of asking all they could get and
getting everything in sight.
At a club meeting at Olathe, Kan.,
Mrs. T. Ir. Hogue read a paper on
proper literature for children. She ad
vocated reading to them history and
newspapers. She said: "The Jewish
mother was required, I have read, to
repeat the story of Israel's deliverance
to her children and they in turn to
theirs. Docs anyone doubt the effect
of this upon the vitality of that peo
ple? So every American parent should
feel It their duty to tell the children
the story of their country, the names
of its heroes."
The importance of Great Britain's
move in Thibet lies in its significance
as a counter check upon the Russian
policy in Manchuria and a possible ef
fective diversion calculated to turn the
Muscovite eyes away from the prey in
the north. The delicate game of c hess
which Russia and Britain have been
playing with Persia, Afghanistan and
the khanates of southern Turkestan as
the board is given a new aspect. Were
Russia to gain ascendency over Thibet
It would have China in a vise, the two
Jaws of which would be Thibet and
Manchuria.
There were 996,545 pensioners on the
rolls on June 30, 1903, and the pension
bureau estimates that there are 200,00C
survivors of the civil war who have
not applied lor pensions. This num
ber includes some not entitled tc
pensions under the present law and
some who do not need or are too proud
to accept aid. The death rate of thli
"unknown army" is estimated at foui
per cent, for this year, and about
14,000 of Us members will apply foi
pensions. The bureau estimates that
in ten years the "unknown army" will
cease to be a factor.
CHIGA6Q BANDITS ON TRIAL
Attorneys Ask to Have Trials Post
poned For Two Months.
Ueflnrlnar That the Public Mind Is
icd That a Pair Trial at
This Time I* lmj»o**iblc.
ho Inflm
Chicago, Dec. 29.—With the state
prepared to demand that the death
penalty he visited on each desperado,
the car barn bandits—Peter Nieder
meier, Harvey Van Dine and Gustave
Marx—and their accomplice in other
crimes. Emil Roeski, were arraigned
for trial in the criminal court Monday
morning. The attorneys for all the
defendants were prepared to make ev
ery effort for delay. There was a large,
crowd of curious persons in the court
room, and it required a number of
extra bailiffs to preserve order and
prevent overcrowding.
The four prisoners, neatly dressed
and well groomed, but minus that
air of bravado that marked their con
duct immediately after their arrest,
were placed in a row before the judge's
bench.
Van Dine and Nledermeier wore a
serious look, out Marx and Roeski
seemed unable to realize their plight.
Marx smiled continually, and Roeski
looked bored.
After the reading of the indictments
charging Van Dine. Marx and Nieder
meier with the murder of John John
son and Frank Stewart in the raid
on the Chicago City Railway barns,
and Roeski with the murder of Otto
Bauder in a saloon hold-up, Marx's at
torney asked for a continuance of two
months, stating the present state of
the public mind would prevent a fair
and impartial trial.
Marx, according to the affidavit, in
addition to being a criminal by hered
ity, is made further irresponsil le by
an injury to his head, inflicted by his
father with a broomstick. A separate
trial was asked for the prisoner.
A similar plea for a continuance and
of heredity insanity was set tip lor
Van Dine. His attorney proposed to
show that Van Dine is an epileptic
and that an uncle died in an insane
asylum.
Niedemeier and Roeski asked for
continuance for the same reason set
forth by their fellow-prisoners, and
presented affidavits pleading mental
irresponsibility. After hearing brief
arguments for and against a continu
ance, the cases were passed until to
day.
A DAY AT THE WORLD'S FAIR.
Children In Public Seliools of Sn
linn, Km., Writing K.aaya on "A
Day at the World. Fair,"
St. Louis, Dec. 29.—Col. E. C. Culp,
secretary of the committee on cere
monies, who >s spending the Christmas
holidays at his home city, Salina, Kas.,
says in a letter just received:
"I think that all children in the fifth,
sixth, seventh and eighth grades of
the public schools of this city are writ
ing essays on 'A Day at the World's
Fair,' and I am informed that this is
going on in every town in the state. A
committee is to pass upon the essays,
and a certain number are to be se
lected, framed and placed upon exhibi
tion in the Kansas state building. I
think fifty children have called upon
me for pointers, even coming to my
house. Some bright young girls, 12
to 15 years old, have suggested that
all of the high school scholars in the
United States be invited to make maps
of the Louisiana Purchase, a certain
number in each state to be selected by
the state and the exposition to make
selections from the state selections for
diplomas or 'honorable mention.'
"The essay work is interesting ev
ery scholar in this little city, and it
is 'good stuff.' "
a
SENTENCEDT0THREEM0NTHS
Harry Pelkna Sent to County Jail
For Having Falnlflrd Chicago
Criminal Court Reeortln.
Chicago, Dec. 29.—Harry Pelkus,
who was convicted of having falsified
the records in the office of the clerk
of criminal court, was sentenced Mon
day to three months in the county jail.
The falsification of records was in
connection with the trial of members
of the Electrical Workers' union, ac
cused of assaulting non-union men.
Several union electrical workers in
dicted with Pelkus were Monday fined
$300 each.
SHOT BY WOMAN'S HUSBAND.
G. W. Grote*, l/pon Finding H. G.
Edniund*on in Hi* Wife** Boom,
Fatally Shot Him,
St. Joseph, Mo., Dec. 29.—H. G. Ed
mundson, a real estate dealer, was
found in a room with Mrs. G. W.
Grotes in a South St. Joseph hotel
Monday and was fatally shot by the
woman's husband, who is a building
contractor. Grotes used a shotgun and
fired through the panel of the door.
Grotes' wife accompanied the injured
man to the hospital, All the parties
came here recently from Bedford, la.
Marehal Joan Die* of Wound.
Cherryvale, Kas., Dec. 29.—W. G.
Jones, marshal of Cherryvale, was
shot by Dan Hughes late Sunday while
attempting to arrest the latter, and
died Monday. Hughes escaped. A
posse is in pursuit and he may be
lynched.
Two Awed Nog-roe© Cremated.
Sedaiia. Mo., Dec. 29.—Ann Tyler, a
blind negro woman 93 years old,
and James Turner, a negro 85
years old, were burned to death
Monday in the destruction of the
house in which they lived.
Five gerlonaly Injured in Wreck.
Boone, la., Dec. 29.—Two women and
three men were seriously injured, one,
Charles Humphrey, a car barn man,
fatally, in the wreck of a suburban car
by a switch engine in the Boone yards
here Monday. The car was demolished
and eight passengers had miraculous
escapes.
Post mas ter-General Payne 111.
Washington, Dec. 29.—Postmaster
General Payne Is suffering with a se
vere cold, and did not leave his apart
u*"" Monday.
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A Good Beginning
for the Year
BELIEVE in beginnning the New
Year well," observed young Mr.
Talkington, as he carved the
turkey; "I am not superstitious, but—"
"Yes," said his wife, demurely, "I
remember how well we began it last
year."
"You were to start on a trip that
day. weren't you?" queried a guest.
"Yes, and the. train, a new one just
put on, left at 9:25, and, as you know,
we live as near to the railway station
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HAD TIME TO BURN.
as one would like to live, for instance,
to—"
"A family with ten children, say?"
"Quite. Ned thought we ought to
arise at five, thus beginning the New
Year well and catching the train com
fortably. He ordered a cab for 6:30,
so it would reach the house at night;
he did this over night and also wound
up the cook's alarm clock. When she
saw it set for five her face resembled
a napping volcano."
"Why not merely say she looked as
if you had unexpected guests for din
ner?" said Mrs. Brownsmith.
"Well, she did. She was such a good
cook that I was blind. Ned duly
waked me the next morning."
"With difficulty, dear."
"You waked me, anyhow, and your
voice sounded like the dentist's saying,
'Step this way, please.' We hadn't
heard the cook go down, and going to
investigate I found her asleep. She
said the alarm had gone off at. »:15,
and she'd been up every half hour
since to see if it was five. The volcano
was awake then!"
"Oh!"
"When I returned, Ned pointed to
the clock on the mantel and Bald it
was 6:17, and we were late."
"Well?"
"Nothing—only that dock was a
wedding present and so handsome that
nobody ever expected it to keep time.
Investigation proved it was just four,
and we went back to bed for an hour.
I was dreaming that the cook's New
Year's resolve was that she would
never leave me, when an awful noise
waked me. The cook called that it
was eight, and as breakfast had been
ready three hours she thought she'd
better call us!"
"But did you reach the station in
time?"
"Yes. In my haste I did my hair
with three pins and Ned put on his
dress coat and odd shoes—we are both
forgetful, you know. Vf w e scalded our
throats with hot coffee and choked
ourselves with overdone steak. The
cabman, who had arrived at 6:30
•harp, demanded full pay for the time
he had waited, else he'd deduct from
the number of Ned's useful eyes!"
"Dreadful!" chorused the guests.
"While he did this tKe cook gave
warning and told me that the catch on
the back cellar window was loose.
"Anyhow, if you were In time to
catch your train, Ned could begin nis
New Year fairly well."
"We were in time. To Ned's fever
ish inquiries the ticket agent calmly
responded, 'Oh, yes, we had plenty of
time—24 hours and 29 minutes!"'
"Why, how on earth could that hap
pen?"
"The train, as t said, was a new one,
put on for the first time on New Year'a
day, and—and the calendar to which
the agent pointed told us that to-day
waa December thirty-first!"
ELISA ARM8TKONQ.
They Needed It.
Pudney—Aie you going to make any
New Year resolutions?
Parker—No; I'll Juet repair thojs I
broke last year.—Judea
Their New Year s
'Dinner
O you went to Isabel's New
Year's dinner?" said the bru
nette. "Lucky you! Tom and
I dine with his mother on the first, day
of each year, listening to a discourse
on economy which lasts from oysters
to coffee."
"Knowing that all your bills will be
in the next morning's mail, too," cried
the blonde. "Yes, we accepted Isa
bel's invitation, and—"
"How lucky that Jack's New Year's
resolve was to go more into society
and yours to be more punctual here
after. Isabel had told me that it you
were late to one more dinner she—"
"Then you haven't seen Isabel since?
Yes, Jack agreed, like a lamb, to go,
and didn't even pretend he couldn't
find his studs in the vain hope of es
caping evening dress."
"How do you like Isabel's new
dress? Is it as cold as—"
"Her reception of a tardy guest? Not
quite. I was ready at only ten min
utes after the last moment at which
we could safely start—and if that is
not being punctual, I'd like to know
what is! Jack was wailing in the hall
and in the excitement of trying to find
room for himself jfter I was in the
carriage forgot all else. I had reached
the last button of the last glove when
we arrived. 'Eleven sharp!' Jack
called to the driver, and then I looked
up to see—Isabel's old house!"
"When the dinner was given to dis
play the new one?"
"Exactly. After running a block
through the snow in his thin shoes and
nearly being arrested as an escaping
thief, Jack got the driver to return.
Once inside, he declared I hadn't told
him Isabel had moved."
"Because he had kept on reading his
paper while you told him all about
it?"
"S
"Yes. I had even told him how the
bathroom was tiled. But, dear, I had
forgotten whether the new number
was 250 or 2550."
"What on earth—"
"Jack threatened to go home and get
dinner on the chafing dish—the cook
had holiday. Then I remembered
thoughtfully writing out the address
while Mae and I discussed that new
dressmaker, and putting it in Jack's
waistcoat pocket, because 1 am so for
getful."
"How thoughtful."
"Jack gave the slip to the driver and
promised him something awfui to
drive last."
"Then your troubles were ended?"
"N—no. I had written down the ad
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JACK WAS WAITINO.
dress of the new dressmaker, Instead
of Isabel's."
"And you were no better off than be
fore?"
"Worse. Jack's language was awful.
I said we could just drive along th«
avenue until we came to the house,
which I would recognize Immediately."
"So—"
*'He said we were invited to dinner,
not to breakfast. Then he asked th*
driver if Tie happened to know when
Mrs. De Style lived."
"Nonsense. He—"
"He knew. It was about six blocki
from our house. Stupid of Jack not t«
have asked sooner. And he seemed te
think the whole affair my fault!"
"Well, you reached Isabel's aftei
all."
"Ye-es, In time for the salad. Ant
—and I really should not like to re
peat the things our hostess said whet
she had a chance to apssk to ■»
•Iona."
1
FEDERAL COURT AT OMAHA
Important Trials to Come Up During
the Present Term.
Cave of PenitOf
iNf«»rr«'il to the
t lrcatt Court.
The <'on»i»lraey
Dietrich Trai
Omaha Neb., Dec 29.—The members
of the new federal petit jury called for
the present session of the district
court reported if. Judge Munger Mon
day morning. The important trials to
come up as a result of the recent work
of the grand jury, however, will not be
gin until January 4, at which time Sen
ator Dietrich will be tried on an in
dictment charging conspiracy against
the government.
Judge Munger. on his own motion,
has transferred' the Dietrich case to
the circuit court, which will bring one
of the four circuit judges into the case
to sit with him These judges are
Sanborn, of St. Paul; Vandeventer, of
Cheyenne; Thayer, of
and Hook, of Topeka. In the ordinary
course of affairs Judge Thayer will be
the member selected. His experience
in trial practice and trial by jury, has
been extensive, especially in this class
of case.
St. Louis,
CONSOLING FOR KRATZ.
'I'll© Mexican Herald Doesn't Think
the St. I.«uls Fugitive Is Ip
Avalust Anything Serious.
Mexico City, Dec. 29.—With refer
ence to the extradition of Charles
Kratz, who is wanted in Missouri on
boodle charges, the Mexican Herald
says:
"To judge by the experiences of oth
er alleged boodlers in St. Louis, who,
even after conviction, have not been
imprisoned, Kratz has no very serious
ordeal before him, and when his case
has been adjudicated he may return
to Mexico free trom the anxiety and
mental strain under which he has lived
since he first came here, and may de
vote himself with greater energy to his
business interests in the state of Ja
lisco."
RECEIVERSHIP ANNOUNCED.
J. R. WhnIi, of Pontino, Snmed A»
Receiver For the Manhattan Coal
Co., of Cornell, 111.
Bloomington. 111., Dec. 29.—Judge
Patton, in the Livingston county court,
announces the appointment of J. R.
Wash, of Pontiac, as receiver for the
Manhattan Coal Co., of Cornell, upon
the petition of President D. C. Eylar,
and he took charge of the big plant
Mr. Eylar claims that he
Monday.
advanced and became responsible for
$25,000, and now the treasury is
empty, and the mine is still incom
plete, and will require $7,500 to $12.
000 to properly finish and equip it. It
is said that the losses are $20 or $30 a
day.
SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM.
Klcvittor At
iti
tin* of the Gi
the Corntn* Diatlllery at
Bui
Peoria, 111.
Peoria, Hi., Dec. 29.—Fire, presum
ably of incendiary origin, totally de
stroyed the grain elevator at the Cor
ning distillery Monday morning, with
a loss of approximately $40,000, cov
ered by insurance.
Fifty thousand bushels of malt and
corn was destroyed. For a time the
entire distillery was threatened, and
the entire fire department was called
out to fight the flames. The distillery
was preparing to resume, after a shut
down of several weeks, caused by the
explosion of a cooker, which killed sev
en men and injured several more.
NO MORE DEATHS REPORTED.
In the
Of the Txventy-Nlne Dead
Pere Mar.inette Wreck One
Liiidentllled.
Rcniuii
Grand Rapids, Mich.. Dec. 29.—There
have been no further deaths at the
hospitals, among the injured in Satur
day night's wreck on the Pere Mar
quette railroad near East Paris, and it
is said that there is no immediate
prospect of any of the injured sue
cumbing. Only one of the 29 dead still
remained to be identified, a man with
the initials A. .T. K. on his cuff, but
with no other mark to identify him.
ARE GRANTED ANOTHER WEEK
for Filin* Brief* In the Ziegler
Extradition C'n*e Again
Extruded.
TIi
New York, Dec. 29—The Missouri
authorities who demand the extradi
tion of Milliam Ziegler, of New York,
charges of bribery in connection
with baking powder legislation, will
have still another week in which to
file briefs with Gov. O'Dell. Att'y.-Gen.
Crow wrote the governor that they
understood that they were to have 15
days instead of one week additional.
The governor consented and this ex
tends the time till next week.
To llrlna Home Smltfc»on*« Body.
Genoa, Dec. 29.—Gen. Alexander
Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone,
is here, and will convey to the Smith
sonian institution at Washington, D.
C„ the remains of James Smithson,
founder of the institution, who died In
Genoa in 1829.
To Hove More Leeerny.
Washington, Dec. 29.—The civil serv
ice commission has agreed with the
decision of the classification committee
that postmasters should have more
fieedom in dismissing men who have
proved incompetent.
Indication, of Malice.
Joplin. Mo., Dec. 29.—The discovery
of a battery wire in the wreckage of
the plant of the Independent Powder
Co. points toward malicious origin to
the explosion of I he works several
weeks ago, when two men were killed.
on
Six Young Men Poisoned.
Harrisburg, 111., Dec. 29,-Six young
men at Ledford, south of this city,
were poisoned. Sunday, by whisky pur
chased at one of the saloons in this
A corroded german silver fork
city.
was found in the jug.
BODIES OF THE DEAD
Many Acts of Vandalism Committed
On the
Pere Marquette Victyna.
GHOULS ROBBED THE REMAINS
Tile Lost Vlrtlm'11 Body Found. Bat
So Terribly Disfigured That Ita
Identity Will Men
Positively Effected.
Be
Grand Rapids. Mich., Dec. 29.—
Gathered in a rubber blanket on the
slab in a local morgue was the charred
and dismembered remains of the twen
ty-second victim of Saturday night's
head-on collision on the Pere Mar
quette railroad, near East Paris. So
terribly disfigured is this last victim
found at the scene of the wreck that
in all probability its identity will never
be positively effected.
It was a first thought that these
remains were parts of one of the
bodies previously recovered. Investi
gation at the morgue, however, showed
that this could not be the case.
The coroners were inclined to the
belief that this body is that of a wom
an, but the railroad authorities say it
must have been a tramp riding on the
"blind baggage" car, as no woman pas
senger could in their opinion have
been thrown where tills body was
found. It was the unmistakable odor
of burned flesh that led the wrecking
crew to a realization of the fact that
another body lay under the wrecked
engines, where Engineer Stoddard and
Fireman Burns, of the eastbound train,
were found. When they had uncov
ered the remains of this additional
victim they found only fragments of
a human form. There were no arms
or legs, only fragments of the skull
and large bones, some teeth and most
of the internal organs intact, but lit
erally roasted.
DESPOILED BODIES OF THE DEAD.
Han)- Were Kolilieil of Lara;© Sums
of Money and Jewelry.
Grand Rapids, Mich., Dec. 29.—De
spite the extreme precautions and
watchfulness of the Pere Marquette
railroad officials'' and county officers,
it Is now believed that many acts of
vandalism were committed at the
wreck near East Paris Saturday night,
and that ghouls despoiled bodies of
the dead.
Coroner Hiiliker stated Monday that
nothing of any value whatever was
found by him when he searched the
dead, and that he is satisfied that
ghouls robbed the remains either while
they were in the wreck or being car
ried into baggage ears to be brought
to this city.
Relatives of Lon J. Baldwin declare
that he had between $50 and $60 in
his possession when he left this city
with his wife and son Saturday after
noon; yet not so much as a nickel
was found in his Ciut—ng.
Tt is believed by relatives of Bert
Myers, of Lake Odessa, that his body
was robbed of $100 and a watch and
chain.
Mrs, L. J. Baldwin is known to have
had $20 in her possession when she
left Grand Rapids.
Sums of money ranging from $10
up to $50 are missing from bodies of
victims who are known to have been
carrying money.
Sheriff Chapman is authority for a
statement that a gang or men was
fought off the relief train when it
left Grand Rapids, but the sheriff be
lieves that these men managed to get
back on the train unnoticed.
PLENTY OF ROAST MUTTON.
DeRtroyed the Fast Buffalo
Stork Yards, ii
Sheep Were Burned to .Death.
Fire
Whieh 7,000
Buffalo, N. Y„ Dec. 29.—Seven thou
sand sheep were burned to death at
the East Buffalo stock yards Monday
night. The long sheds in which they
Were confined were swept by the
flames before any of the animals could
be released. The loss is estimated at
$75,000. The sheep we;e confined in
two long sheds, 10 feet in width, cov
ering a total area of 600,000 square
feet. Running 'parallel with them
were the hog and cattle sheds. The
fire, fanned by a brisk wind, destroyed
the two buildings in an incredibly
short time.
NEGOTIATIONS ARE DELAYED
Livery Owner** A**ociutlon Di*«atl»«
fled With Arbitration Board Se
lected by the Driver*.
Chicago, Dec. 29.—Peace in the
strike of the livery drivers has been
met with new delay. Members of the
livery owners' association expressed
themselves as not disposed to submit
their differences to a board of arbitra
tion selected by the drivers. The own
ers would not say, however, that the
move made by the strikers might not
result in negotiations toward a set
tlement.
Cooked For Abraham Lincoln.
Danville, 111., Dec. -29.—Catherine
McVey, 104 years old, who was pastry
cook at a Danville hotel when Abra
ham Lincoln stayed tuere, died sud
denly Monday. Her husband died 25
years ago, and after nis death she nev
er went to bed, but always slept in a
chair.
Aaalatant Freight Auditor.
Topeka, Kas., Dec. 29.—J. I). Stuart,
of Houston, Tex., has been appointed
assistant freight auditor of the Santa
Fe. This is a new position. The ap
pointment takes effect January 1.
Man and Hoy Burned to Benth.
Crested Butte, Col., Dec. 29.—Chas.
Ostraut, an eccentric character, aged
lbout 55 years, and Joseph Beitler, a
boy, aged 10, living here, were burned
to death near Anthracite, in a cabin
which caught fire from some unknown
cause.
Benth of Artist Trumbnll.
„ „„ „ „
Hartford, Conn., Dec. 29.—Gurdon
Trumbull, an artist of distinction, died
Monday at the age of 62. It was In
studies of fish that Mr. Trumbull
achieved his reputation.
A
Colombian Legation at Washington
Packing Up to Leave.
AWAITING SEC'Y HAY'S ANSWER
Flint They
Are So Sure of Itn Tel
Are Taking Time by the Fore
lock mid Getting Bendy
t«f Vamooae.
Washinglon, Dec. 29.—Although Sec
retary Hay has not yet replied to the
note of Gen. Reyes, preparations are
rapidly going on for the closing of the
Colombian legation here and the de
parture of Colombia's representatives
for home. It is clear that they do not
entertain much hope of a satisfactory
response by this government. Already
most of the legation files have been
packed and arrangements completed
for placing them in storage here.
Gen. Reyes for several days has de
nied himself to callers. It is said that
while the reply of Mr. Hay has not
been made, sufficient information has
been obtained by the Colombian repre
sentatives in the interviews they have
had with the secretary to enable them
to forecast its conclusions. The prep
arations going on for closing up the
affairs of the legation would seem to
indicate that Gen. Reyes and Dr. Her
ran are awaiting, only as a matter of
form and diplomatic courtesy, the of
ficial communication of Mr. Hay set
ting forth the reasons why this govern
ment can not accept their view of the
Panama situation, before severing dip
lomatic relations with the United
States.
NAVAL MOVEMENTS.
a i«,.th
Movements of Wnrihl|i« t,
Slilea of Hie Isthmus.
Washington, Dec. 29.—The fleets of
warships on both sides of the isthmus
of Panama will shortly be re-enforced
by several vessels now on their way to
that quarter. The gunboat Topeka, of
the Atlantic training squadron,left Key
West, Sunday, for Colon, by way of
Kingston, as convoy of the torpedo
boat destroyers Truxton and Stewart,
which have been assigned to patrol
duty on the Caribbean coast of the isth
mus. The gunboat Castine arrived at
Colon, Sunday, from Philadelphia none
the worse for her recent grounding on
a bar in the Delaware river. The big
collier Caesar has left Culebra for
Colon with coal for the fleet. The con
verted cruiser Dixie left League Island
to-day for Colon 'with the Panama ma
rine brigade, numbering about 600 men,
in command of Brig.-Gen. Elliott.
Naval movements in the direction of
the isthmus have been almost as active
on the Pacific coast.
Petrel, bound for Panama, arrived at
Acapulco, Mexico, on the 26th inst.,
and undoubtedly has left there by this
time. The flagship New York, the gun
boat Bennington, the torpedo boat de
stroyer Preble and Paul Jones and the
collier Saturn, have been fitted out
at San Francisco for service in the vi
cinity of Panama and it Is expected
that all of them will start south in a
day or two.
The gunboat
COL. JOHN GRIFF PRATHER.
Death of an Oil! and Prominent Clt
teen of St. Louis After a
Brief Illnexa.
St. Louis, Dec. 29.—Col. John Griff
Prather, for 49 years a dominant factor
In St. Louis affairs, died of pneumonia,
Sunday &fternoon, at his home. At the
time of his death and for a year past.
Col. Prather was jury commissioner of
St. Louis.
The illness that resulted in his death
was of but ten days' duration. A heavy
cold developed into pneumonia, and for
four days death was expected hourly.
For many years Col. Prather was
prominently identified with the demo
cratic party, and he served it as na
tional committeeman in Missouri for 16
Unable to agree with Bryan in
years.
his free silver views. Col. Prather tem
porarily retired from politics in 1896.
When Sterling Price threatened to in
vade St. Louis during the civil war
Col. Prather was appointed to the com
mand of the home guard, from which
service he received his title. Col. Prath
sr was eminently successful in business
and made an ample fortune in St.
Louis.
W. J. BRYAN AT THE HAGUE.
The Editor of the Commoner Visit*
the Netherlands Foreign 31in
lntter at The HuKne.
The Hague, Dec. 29.—Wm. J. Bryan
arrived here, Monday from Berlin and
visited the foreign minister. Mr. Bry
an Is enjoying his tour. He said he
found Count Tolstoi looking well,
though very aged. Tolstoi's first ques
tion was: "Are you a socialist?" When
assured to the contrary, the count said:
"I am very glad to hear it. I am not
• socialist, myself."
Sunk By Floating Ice.
Cincinnati, Dec. 29.—The packet
steamboat W. H. Grapevine was sunk
at the public landing here, Sunday, by
an ice gorge, being the second boat
sunk here within a week. With mov
ing ice gorge ten feet thick other craft
and wharfboats are in danger.
An Old Healdcnt Gone.
St. Louis, Dec. 29.—'Theodore Prou
het, 91 years old, died at his home in
Bridgeton, Mo., Sunday, of a compli
cation of diseases incident to old age.
He was one of the oldest residents of
Bridgeton.
Killed nr Ml* Stepson.
Indianapolis, Ind., Dec. 29.—Edward
Stanhope, colored, forty years old, was
murdered, Sunday night, as he sat in
his home, by his stepson, Harry Chap
man, who later surrendered. He said
his stepfather had insulted his mother.
Owl Car Conductor Killed.
Chicago, Dec. 29.—Joseph Dries, 50
years old, conductor on an "owl" car,
was shot and probably fatallv wounded
Monday morning by a stranger. The
men had quarreled over the issuance
of transfers The stranger escaped.