Highland recorder., May 24, 1901, Image 1

About Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972

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HIGHLAND
>L. xxiii.
RECORD
MONTEREY, HIGHLAND GOUNTl VA.. MAY 24. 1901.
NO. 21.
AMUSEMENTS.
Talmage Preaches ou thc
Straitjacket Religion.
aces Where We May Find
ted Moral Entertainments.
[Copyright 1901.1
&HINGTOX, D. C.?This discourse of
almage is in accord with all innocent
ics, while it reprehends amusements
al belittle and deprave; text, II Samuel
ii. 14. "Let the young men now arise and
pla-/ before us."
lhere are two armies encamped by the
pool of Gibeon. The time hangs heavily
on their hands. One army proposes a
game of sword fencing. Nothing could be
more healthful and innocent. The other
army accepts the challenge. Twelve men
against twelve men. the sport opens. But
something went adversely. Perhaps one
of the swordsmen got an unlucky slip or
in some way nacl his ire aroused. And that
which opened in sportfulness ended in vio?
lence, each one taking his contestant by
the hair and then with the sword thrust?
ing him in the Bide, so that that which
opened in innocent fun ended in the mas?
sacre of all the twenty-four sportsmen.
Was there ever a better illustration of
what was true then and is true now?that
thaV*\vhlch is innocent may be made de?
structive?
a- What of a worldly nature is more im?
portant and strengthening and innocent
than amusement, and yet what has count?
ed more- victims? I have no sympathy
with a straitjacket religion. This is a very
bright world to me, and I propose to do
all I can to make it bright for other*. I
never could keep step to a dead march. A
book years ago issued says that a Chris?
tian man has a right to some amusements.
For instance, if he conies at night weary
from his work and, feeling the need of
recreation, puts on his slippers and goes
into his garret and walks lively round the
floor several times there can be no harm
in it. I believe the church of God has
made a great mistake in trying to suppress
the sportfulness of youth- and drive out
from men their love of amusement. If
God ever implanted anything in us, He
implanted this desire. But instead of pro?
viding for this demand of our nature the
church of God has for the main part ig?
nored it. As in a riot the mayor plants a
battery at the end of the 6treet and has it
fired off 60 that everything is cut down
that happens to stand in the range, the
good as well as the bad, so there are men
in the church who plant their batteries of
condemnation and fire away indiscrimin?
ately. Everything is condemned. But
Vaul, the apostle, commends those who
use the world without abusing it, and in
the natural world God has done everything
to please and amuse us.
-??"'Aud I am glad to know that in all our
cities there are plenty of places where we
may find elevated moral entertainment.
But all honest men and good women will
agree with me in the statement that one
of the worst things in these cities is cor?
rupt amusement. Multitudes have gone
down under the blasting influence, never
to rise. If we may judge of what is going
on in many of the places of amusement by
the pictures on board fences and in many
of the show windows, there is not a much
lower depth of profligacy to reach. At
Naples, Italy, they keep such pictures
locked up from indiscriminate inspection.
Those pictures were exhumed from Pom?
peii, and are not fit for public gaze. If the
effrontery of bad places of amusement in
hanging out improper advertisements of
what they are doing night by night grows
worse in the 6ame proportion, in fifty
years some of our modern cities will beat
Pompeii.
I project certain principles by which
you may judge ip regard to any amusement
or recreation, finding out for yourself
whether it is right or wrong.
I remark, in the first place, that you can
judge of the moral character of any amuse?
ment by its healthful result or by its bale?
ful reaction. There are people who seem
made up of hard facts. They are a combi?
nation of multiplication tables and statis*
tics. If you show them an exquisite pic?
ture they will begin to discuss the pig?
ments involved in the coloring. If you
show them a beautiful rose they will sub?
mit it to a botanical analysis, which is only
the post-mortem examination of a flower.
They b?ve no rebound in their nature.
. They never do anything*>nore than smile,
?there are no great tides ot feeling surging
*Wp from the depths of their sovl in billow
arter billow of reverberating laughter. They
seem as if nature had built them by con?
tract and made a bungling job of it. But
blessed be God, there are people in the
world who have bright faces and whose
life is a Song, an anthem, a paean of vic?
tory.
Now, it is these exhilarant and sympa?
thetic and warm hearted people that are
most tempted to pernicious amusements.
In proportion as a ship is swift it wants a
strong helmsman, in proportion as a horse
is gay it wants a stout driver, and these
people of exuberant nature will do well to
look at the reaction of all their amuse?
ments. If an amusement sends you home
at night nervous, so that you cannot sleep,
and you rise up in the morning not be?
cause you are slept out, but because your
duty drags you from your slumbers, you
have been where you ought not to have
been. There are amusements that 6end a
man next day to his work with his eyes
bloodshot, yawning, stupid, nauseated, and
they are wrong kinds of amusement. They
are entertainments that give a man dis
f;ust with the drudgery or life, with tools
>ecause they are not swords, with work?
ing aprons because they are not robes,
with cattle because they are not infuriated
bulls of the arena.
If any amusement sends you home long?
ing for a life of romance and thrilling ad?
venture, love that takes poison and shoots
?ftsfil moonlight adventures and hair?
breadth escapes, you may depend upon it
thatk'ou are the sacrificed victim of un
rsanc-ffied pleasure. Our recreations are
intended to build us up, and if they pull
us down as to our moral or as to our phy?
sical -strength you may come to the con
CatBioa that they are obnoxious.
t. ie is nothing more depraving than
ott ?, In nee. upon amusements that are full
of iiAuendo and low suggestion. The
yoi nM man enters. At first he sits far
ba<k,pvith his hat on and his coat collar
up, fearful that somebody there may know
bini. Keveral nights pass on. He takes off
his hat earlier and puts his coat collar
down J The blush that first came into his
che?k when anything indecent was enacted
corneal no more to his cheek. Farewell,
young! man! You have probably started
on tha
mate djlestruction. The stars of hope will
go out
long road which ends in consum
one by one until you will be left in
utter -larkness. Hear you not the rush of
the maelstrom, in whose outer circle your
boat nfow dances, making merry with the
whijliq? waters? But you are being
draf-n in, and the gentle motion will be?
come t crrific agitation. You cry for help
in vak ; you pull at the oar to put back,
but thi ' struggle will not avail. You will
be toss 'd and dashed and shipwrecked and
Bwallo-. ed in the whirlpool that has al?
ready < rushed in its wrath 10,000 hulks.
Youn g men who have come from the
country residence to city residence will do
well to be on guard ana let no one induce
them tc places of improper amusement. It
is niighltily alluring when a young man,
long a 4-itizen, offers to show a newcomer
all aroulnd.
StBl I further, those amusements are
wroiig fvhich lead you into expenditure
beyotid four means. Money spent in rec?
reation ls not thrown away. It is all folly
for its td! come from a place of amusement
feeliag fhat we have wasted our money
and lunfc. You may by it have made an
I
investment worth more than the traasac
tion that yielded you hundreds or thous?
ands of dollars. But how many properties
have been riddled bj* costly amusements.
How brightly the path of unrestrained
amusement opens! Thc young man 6ays:
"Now I am off for a good time. Never
mind economy. I'll get money somehow.
What a fine road! What a beautiful day
for a ride! Crack the whip, and over the
turnpike! Come, boys, fill high your
glasses! Drink! Long life, health; plenty
of rides just like this! Hard working men
hear the clatter of the hoofs and look up
and say: "Why, I wonder where those
fellows get their money from? We have to
toil and drudge. They do nothing." To
these gay men life is a thrill and an ex?
citement. They stare at other people and
in turn are stared at. The watch chain
jingles; the cup foams; midnight hears
their guffaw; they snagger; they jostle de?
cent men off the sidewalk; they take the
name of God in vain; they parody the
hymn they learned at their mother's knee,
and to all pictures of coming disaster they
cry out, "Who cares?" and to the counsel
of some Christian friend. "Who are you?*'
I go further and say that all those
amusements are wrong which lead into bad
company. If you go to any place where
you have to associate with the intemper?
ate, with thc unclean, with the abandoned,
however well they may be dressed, in the
name of God quit it. They will despoil
your nature.
I had a friend in the West ? a rare
friend. He was one of the first to wel?
come me to my new home. To fine per?
sonal appearance he added a generosity,
frankness and ardor of,nature that made
me love him like a brother. But I saw
evil people gathering around him. They
came up from the saloons, from the
gambling hells. They plied him with a
thousand arts. They seized upon his so?
cial nature^ and he could not stand the
charm. They drove him on the rocks, like
a ship, full winged, shivering on the break?
ers. I used to admonish him. I would
say, ""Now, I wish you would quit those
bad habits and become a Christian."
"Oh," he would reply, "I would like to,
I would like to, but I have gone so far
I don't think there is any way back." In
his moments of repentance he would go
home and take his little girl of eight
years and embrace her convulsively, and
cover her with adornments, and strew
around her pictures and toys and every?
thing tbat could make her happy, and
then, as though hounded by an evil spirit,
he would go out to the inflaming cup and
the house of shame like a fool to thc cor?
rection of the stocks.
I was summoned to his deathbed; I
hastened; I entered the room; I found
him, to my surprise, lying in full every?
day dress on the top ot the couch. I put
out my hand. He grasped it excitedly
and said: "Sit down, Mr. Talmage; right
there." I sat down. He said: "Last
night I saw my mother, who has been dead
twenty years, and she sat just where you
sit now. It was no dream, I wan wide
awake. There was no delusion in the
matter. I saw her just as plainly as I
see you. Wife, I wish you would take
these strings off me. There are strings
spun all around mv body. I wish you
would take them off me." I saw it waa
delirium. "Oh," replied his Wife, "my
dear, there is nothing there; there is
nothing there!" He went on and said:
"Just where you sit, Mr. Talmage, mv
mother sat. She said to me, 'Henry, I
do wish you would do better.' I got out
of bed, put my arms around her and
said: 'Mother, I want to do better. I
have been trying to do better. Won't you
help me to do better? You used to bein
me?' No mistake about it; no delusion. I
saw here?the cap and the apron and the
spectacles?just as she used to look twen?
ty years ago. But I do wish you would
take these strings away. Thev unnoy me
so I can hardly talk. Won't vou take
them away?" I knelt down and prayed,
conscious of the fact that he did not
realize what I was saying. I got up. I
said: "Goodby! I hope you will be better
soon." He said, "Goodby, goodby!"
That night his soul went up to the God
who gave it. Arrangements were made
for the obsequies. Some said: "Don't
bring him in the church. He wa3 too
dissolute." "Oh," I said, "bring him. He
was a good friend of^nine while he was
alive, and I shall stand by him now that
he is dead. Bring him to the church."
As I sat in the pulpit and saw his
bodv coming up through the aisle I felt
as if I could weep tears of blood. I told
the people that day: "This man had his
virtues and a good manv of them. He
had his faults and a good many of them.
But if there is any man in this audience
who is without sin let him cast the first
stone at this coffin lid." One one side
of the pulpit sat that little child, rosy,
sweet faced, as beautiful as any little
child that sat at your table this morn?
ing:, I warrant you. She looked up wist?
fully, not knowing the full sorrows of
an orphan child.
This destroyed man was a Samson in
physical strength, but Delilah sheared him,
and the Philistines of evil companionship
dug his eyes out and threw him into the
prison of evil habits. But in the hour
of his death he rose up and took hold
of the two pillared curses of God against
drunkenness and uncleanness and threw
himself forward until down upon him
and his companions there came the thun?
ders of an eternal catastrophe.
Again, any amusement that gives you
a distaste for domestic life is bad. How
many bright domestic circles have been
broken up by sinful amusements! Tlie
father went off, the mother went off, the
child went off. There are to-day frag?
ments before me of blasted households.
Oh, if you have wandered away, I would
like to charm you back to the sound of
that one word "home."
I saw a wayward husband standing at
the deathbed of his Christian wife, and
I saw her point to a ring on her finger
and heard her say to her husband: "Do
you see that ring?" He replied: "Yes, I
see it." "Well,' said she, "do you re?
member who put it there?" "Yes," said
he, "I put it there." And all the past
seemed to rush upon him. By the mem?
ory of that day when, in the presence
of men and angels, you promised to be
faithful in joy and sorrow and in sick?
ness and in health; by the memory of
those pleasant hours when you sat to?
gether in your new home talking of a
bright future; by the cradle and the joyful
hour when one life was spared and an?
other given: by that sickbed, when the
little one lifted up tbe hands and called
for help, and you knew he must die, and
he put one arm around each of your
necks and brought you very near together
in that dying kiss; by the little grave in
the cemetery that you never think of
without a rush of tears; by the family Bi?
ble, where, amid stories of heavenly love,
is the brief but expressive record of
births and deaths; by the neglects of the
East and by the agonies of the future;
y a judgment day, when husbands and
wives, parents and children, in immor?
tal groups, will stand to be caught up
in shining array or to shrink down into
darkness?by all that I beg you give to
home your best affections.
Ah, my friends, there is an hour com?
ing when our past life will probably pass
before us in review. It will be our last
hour. If from our death pillow we have
to look back and see a life spent in sin?
ful amusement, there will be a dart that
will strike through our soul sharper than
the dagger with which Virginius slew his
child. The memory of the past will make
us quake like Macbeth; the iniquities and
rioting through which we have passed
will come upon us weird and skeleton as
Meg Merrihes. Death, the old Shylock,
ivilldemand and take the remaining pound
of flesh and the remaining drop of blood,
and upon our last opportunity for re?
pentance and our last chance for heaven
the curtain will forever drop.
MORE FIGHTING TO DO IN CHIN/.
Wflldersee Fliting Out Another Punitive F.x
P.-dillon.-| rench Troops to Stay.
London (Ry Cable).?Dr. Morrison,
wiring to thc Times from Pekin, says:
"Thc German staff have notified the al?
lies of their intention to send another
expedition to suppress 'Boxers' in thc
southern part of the province of Chili.
boyong Chingching, and have invited
ihe co-operation of the allies. The de?
parture of thc French troops has been
countermanded.*'
The British military authorities arc
extending tlie railroads to Tttngchow,
along thc Peiho. This will greatly fa?
cilitate the withdrawal of the foreign
troops, nnd, commercially, will cause
important developments in the north
after thc work of pacification is com
ploted.
The German War Office has received
I dispatch from Pekin concerning the
explosion at thc arsenal at Kalgan, and
naming Lieut. Rummer as the officer
wounded. The dispatch characterizes
thc explosion as very serious, saying
seven cavalrymen are reported missing
or found dead, and that three men, be?
side Lieut. Rummer, were seriously
wounded.
The viceroy of Canton has signed a
contract for the removal of the Macao
barrier in the Canton river, constructed
during the Franco-Chinese war, which
has been a great obstacle to navigation.
The viceroy has also squelched the na?
tive opposition to the construction of
new wharves, pointing otit that they
are necessary to the interests of the
trade. The viceroy's action is creating
a good impression.
MARTIAL LAW REVOKED.
Jacksonville Again in Civil Control-Safe?
guarding Reports.
Jacksonville. Fla. (Special).?Martial
law has heen revoked and thc city is
again in the hands of the civil authori?
ties. The saloons were open from 7 a.
m. to 5 p. m. and no disturbances were
reported. The troops will be withdrawn
immediately.
The balance of the yellow fever fund,
amounting to $20,000 will be turned over
to the Relief Association in a few days.
It has been lying in a local bank since
188S. the year of the epidemic.
At the morning meeting of the Re?
lief Association it was deemed neces?
sary, owing to the conflicting reports
sent through the country by individuate
which tend to confuse thc public mind,
to create an authoritative channel
through which must be sent all infor?
mation relating to our suffering people.
A shipbuilding concern that was
burned out and which employed 100
men. and an iron works company, em?
ploying 35 men, have resumed.
To Make First Payment in 1902.
Berlin (By Cable).?A dispatch re?
ceived here from Pekin says the note of
the Chinese peace plenipotentiaries, ac?
cepting the amount of indemnity de?
manded by the powers, proposes to pay
the first of the .30 annual instalments of
15.ooo.coo taels in July, 1002. The
plenipotentiaries stated that China had
not the slightest intention of trying to
escape payment. The indemnity de?
manded was 450,000,000 tales, over
$.-?00,000,000. The plenipotentiaries
stated that China's resources were
dwindling and that the country could
not afford to pay more than 15,000,
000,000 taels a year.
Shooting Mystery in a Bank.
New Orleans, La. (Special).?Philip
Schumacher, paying teller of the Teu
tonia Bank, a State institution, was shot
in the calf of the leg while at work in
the bank counting cash previous to a
meeting of the finance committee. When
assistance came he was lying on the
floor, badly bruised, a pistol near him,
and money scattered on the floor. He
said he was attacked and fired on by
two men. and that he had returned the
fire. Although the bank is in the heart
of the city, thc men could have entered
and escaped by the rear. The police
have been unable to find any trace of
the thieves.
Walked Into Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls, N. Y. (Special).?A
man supposed to be Wm. Gardhouse, of
Brampton, Ontario, walked out into
Niagara river, near the brink of the falls
in Prospect Park, and was swept over
the brink and dashed to death on the
rocks below. A large number of peo?
ple saw the man deliberately walk to his
death, but he was carried over the falls
50 quickly that no one could do any?
thing to save him.
Woman Suffrage In Norway.
Christiania (By Cable.)?The Lag
thing (Upper House of the Storthing)
by 16 to 13 votes, rejected the bill,
adopted by the Odelssthing (Lower
House), May ll providing communal
suffrage for women paying taxes on an
income of at least 300 crowns. The
question will be dealt with at a plenary
sitting of the Storthing.
WIFE OF SECRETARY GAGE A
VICTIM OF HEART DISEASE,
Washington (Special).?Mrs. Lyman
J. Gage, wife of the Secretary of the
Treasury, died at her residence, 1715
Massachusetts avenue northwest, after
an illness of nine weeks.
With her when the end came were her
husband, her married daughter, Mrs. E.
F. Pierce, of Evanston, 111., and Dr. W.
Johnston, the attending physician. Fora
time before her death Mrs. Gage suffer?
ed considerable pain, but she maintained
her bright and cheerful demeanor and
was conscious to the last. j
Heart trouble, the result of grip com- j
plications, was the immediate cause of
death. Mrs. Gage was exposed to the
inclement weather about an hour on in?
auguration day, but at that time her
Favor Anti-American Combine.
London (Special).?While the Ger?
man-Austrian proposals for an anti
American combination have not yet as?
sumed any thing like definite form, the
idea is attracting considerable atten?
tion, both in Great Britain and on the
Continent, especially the latter, where
the newspapers have eagerly swallowed
an alleged interview in which J. Pier?
pont Morgan is quoted a<- declaring
that bc and his associates would not on?
ly swa#p British trade, but would para?
lyze German competition as well..
health did not seem to be affected. On
March n she left here for Evanston to
/isit her married daughter. While there
-he had a chilli and took to her bed,
jut soon recovered sufficiently to return
o Washington, where she had been con
ined to her room ever since.
Mrs. Gage was a Miss Lansing and
,vas born in Albany, N. Y., 58 years ago.
She married Mr. Gage in Denver, Col.,
n 1887. Through all the course of her
areer as a member of the Cabinet fam
ly she remained a thoroughly domestic
?voman. Her manner was quiet in a
narked degree, her appearance most
ileasing and her accomplishments nota
>le. Her death is especially a loss to
nany unostentatious charitable organ
zations in the city, to which she gave
lountiful assistance.
Cubans Defend tbe Flag.
Santiago de Cuba (Special).?After
m exciting ball game between the
Vmericans and Cubans herc, which the
Cubans won by the score of 11 to io.
mndreds crowded on the field and a
ubilant Cuban attempted to pull down
he American flag to half-mast. The
?imerican players interfered and a live
y scrimmage followed. A squad of
ural guards drew their machetes and j
barged the crotfd. crying "Viva la I
iandero Americano ' ("Long live the j
American flag^")
i y
THE PRESIDENTS
WIFE ^PROVING.
_
Sat Up for a Short ?Time Sunday
Fever Has Abated.
SHE MAY SOON BE A&E TO TRAVEL.
President Describes Her Condition ag a Trans
formation--The Remarkable Change lor Ihe
Better r-.--.-n Surprises Her Physicians-Mr.
McKinley's Anxiety (ireatly Relieved, Al?
though Mrs. McKinley lt Still Seriously ll!.
San Francisco (Special).?Mrs. Mc?
Kinley's condition was 50 far improved
Sunday that she was able to sit up a
short time. This welcome news was
given out shortly after 5 o'clock.
General Shafter called on President
McKinley, and while they were talking
word came down stairs that Mrs. Mc?
Kinley was sitting n--. The President
at once asked to be excused and hurried
to the sickroom. The anxiety caused
mrs. Mckinley.
by thc bulletin stating that Mrs Mc?
Kinley'*^ temperature was higher was
dispelled at io o'clock, when Secretary
Cortelyou announced that she had pass?
ed a comfortable night and that the
slight fever noted had subsided.
The President did not attend church,
but remained at home nearly all day,
going out for a short walk just before
noon. There were many callers at thc
Scott residence. There was a general
feeling that the crisis had been passed
and that Mrs. McKinley would continue
to gain strength. No definite date has
yet been decided upon when the Presi?
dent will start for the national capital,
but it is hoped that Mrs. McKinley will
be able to travel in a few days.
At 9.10 p. m. Secretary Cortelyou
gave out the following bulletin:
"Mrs. McKinley's physicians report
that she has had a very good day, and
progress made since morning is satis?
factory."
President McKinley is in receipt of
cablegrams from the King and Queen
of England, President Loubet of France
and many other European potentates,
inquiring as to Mrs. McKinley's condi?
tion.
Among thc callers on President Mc?
Kinley was Calvin S. Titus, the first
American soldier to mount the walls of
Pekin, who returned Friday on the
transport Sheridan.
"French Mary" Takes Her Life.
Pittsburg (Special). ? Mrs. Mary
Leonard, better known as "French
Mary." a vivandiere of the Civil War,
and one of the most picturesque fig?
ures produced during the Rebellion,
committed suicide by taking poison.
Mrs. Leonard served through the war
with the 114th Pennsylvania Volun?
teers, doing remarkable service in a
number of battles, for which she re?
ceived conspicuous mention and a med?
al for bravery.
ROBBER BAND OF AMERICANS.
Country .lust North of Manila Terrorized by
Their Operations.
Manila (By Cable).?Detectives and
the police have broken up a band of
American brigands who have been op?
erating in the province of Pampangn.
north of and not far from Manila.
George Raymond. Ulrich Rogers and
Oscar Mtishmillcr have been captured,
md Andrew Marlin. Peter Heise, Geo
Munn and two others are still bein?
pursued. This band committed out?
rages, murder and rapine at Bacolor.
Pampagna province, and Sunday last
they killed Henry Dow, an American.
Thc band sometimes represented them?
selves as American deserters, and at
others as American soldiers. George
Raymond wore the Uniform of a cap?
tain. Raymond and Martin were for?
merly policemen in Manila.
The civil commission has appointed
Capt. Arlington U. Betts, of the Forty
seventh Volunteer Infantry, to be civil
governor of Albay province. Lieut.
Howard Lee Landers, of rhe Forty
first Infantry, has been appointed treas?
urer of the same province. Lieut. W.
O. Thornton, of the Thirty eighth In?
fantry-, has been appointed treasurer of
the province of Capiz. in Panay Island,
vice Lieut. Marion C. Raysor, who
is ill.
Since the main declared object of thc
Federalists, peace and American sov?
ereignty, is nearly accomplished, the
party's future is discussed. Under the
coming government, to be composed of
appointive officials, there will be slight
use for party activity outside of the mu?
nicipal elections. The leaders hope the
party will be considered as the semi?
official medium between the govern?
ment and the masses. They are at
present endeavoring to obtain the re?
lease of a thousand prisoners who were
convicted of purely political offenses,
the contention being that they should
have the same amnesty as those who
were released when awaiting trials.
The appearance of insular issues will
quickly result in the actual formation of
projected opposition parties.
Fifty insurgents were captured this
week in the Laguna Bay region.
SIX MINERS LOSE THEIR LIVES.
Result of an Accident in the Shaft of the
George's Creek Company.
Fairmont, W. Va. (Special).?The
most serious explosion in the history of
mining in thc Fairmont region occurred
at the George's Creek Coal and Iron
Company's shaft, at Farmington, seven
miles from this city, and resulted in
six miners losing their lives outright,
four being so badly injured that their
death is momentarily expected, and
four others being more or less seriously
injured. Every man at work in the sec?
tion of the minc in which the explosion
occurred was killed or injured, with o.ie
exception. This man was digging and
upon the first sign of an explosion lay
on "his face in the hole from which he
had been taking coal and succeeded in
getting enough fresh a:r to keep from
suffocating. Reports are that a miner
carried an open torch into his room and,
after firing a shot the dense smoke
caught fire and the gas exploded. This
story is denied in some quarters, but no
other theory has been offered.
The company had issued strict rules
against the use of anything else but
safety lamps, but it is reported it was
desired to break the record in the coal
output, and it is supposed the officials
were not on thc alert, and thus permit?
ted the man to smuggle the torch into
thc mine. The explosion was not felt
in another portion of the minc, where
22 men were working, but made its way
out the air shaft, almost demolish?
ing the building in which the immense
fan was located. Tbe only sign of the
explosion at the main entrance was the
smoke which poured out after the ter?
rible report, spreading consternation
among the wives and children of tne j !
miners who reside on the hilltop above '
the mine. The work of rescue was
commenced an hour after the explo?
sion. The last of the unfortunates was
rescued at 5 o'clock p. m.
Hypnotic "Subject" Killed.
Woonsocket, R. I. (Special).?Dur?
ing an exhibition of hypnotism given by
Prof. Frankie Farnsworth and wife, of
Fitchburg, at the Ollera House, one of
the subjects, Thomas Bolton, also of
Fitchburg, was killed. Mr. Bolton was
resting between two chairs with a 600
pound stone on his body. A local
blacksmith. Clifford Trask, attempted
to break the stone with a sledge ham?
mer. The chair on which Bolton's i
head rested gave way and the subject | .
fell to the floor, the stone crushing his j,
b*uL J
VERY DRAMATIC
AND PICTURESQUE
Was the Christening of the Big Bat?
tleship Ohio.
OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESIDENTS TRIP
Cn Hnrbcm the Niece of Mra. McKinley, Per
for.;-? rf;.; Function that Had Been Ass gncd
to the President's Wlfc-Sbe Presses the
Button, and Miss Dcshler, of Ohio, Breaks
Ihe Bottle of Champagne Upon the Vessel.
San Francisco, Cal. (Special).--For
lunately, Mrs. McKinley's condition
permitted President McKinley lo attend
lue launching of the battleship Ohio
fron' thc yards of thc Union Iron
Works. To \\itms? the launching of thia
ship, named Ohm. his native state, was
the real objective of the President's long
trip across the continent and waa tht
event which has attracted to the Paci'ic
Coast the governors of three.,states, the
Ohio congressional delegation, several
L'n.t'.d States senate ta and many other
notable and distinguished people.
Dramatic and picturesque as was the
sight nf 14.000 tons of steel sliding ino
the fullbreasted tide of San Francisco
Bay. it was not so splendid and magni?
ficent as the great naval pageant which
accompanied, nor as profoundly impres?
sive as the greeting extended to the
President by the 4.000 employes of the
shipyard.
\\ hen thc President left thc sick room
of his wife every arrangement had been
made to notify him on the instant of any
change for the worse in her condition.
Ile was driven to the wharf in a closed
carriage, escorted by a squad of mount?
ed police. The Cabinet and other dis?
tinguished guests were aiready aboard
the transport tug Slocum, which was to
convey the party to the Union Iron
Works.
The /"resident's flag, an eagle and
shield on a blue field, was flying from
the main mast, and the Union Jack was
at the bow as he stepped smilingly upon
the gangway to the accompaniment of
the cheers of thousands. Then began the
sail over the shining waters of the bay.
It proved to be a triumphal journey, thc
like of which has not been witne?*scd in
this country since Admiral Dewey upon
his return from the Philippines sailed
jp the Hudson on the Olympia.
Near Goat Island lay the transport
Sheridan, travel stained from her long
journey across the Pacific. She had just
arrived from the Philippines, and still
had aboard the Forty-second and Forty
sixth United States Volunteer Infantry.
As the Slocum approached the big
transport there was a scene of frenzied
enthusiasm aboard. The soldiers, all i?
their service uniforms, rushed to the side
md rent the air with cheer upon cneer
at sight 0:: the President of the United
States come to welcome them home.
Then came the launching. \ platform
had been built around the prow of the
)ig iron monster, which lay in the very
tin in which the famoit*. Oregon was
milt, and from winch Tm side;;:. Harri
*on launched the monitor Monterey ',<?
'ears ago. Gathered on thr platform
ncre the President and members of the
Jabinet; Governor Nash, of Ohio; Miss
Deshler, his niece, who was to christen
he ship; Miss Barber, who was to act
or Mrs. McKinley, and many uniformed
)fficers of the Army and Navy.
Miss Barber and the President stood
>efore the electric appliance which con
rolled the guillotine that was to sever
he rope which would loosen the weight
hat was to knock out this last beam,
?.liss Barber, with her finger on the hut?
on, was looking intently at the indica
or. At t2.22.V2, two and a half, minutes
>efore the tide was at its highest, the
ime set for the launching, there sudden
y shot into the face of Ihe indicator the
lord "Ready."
Miss Barlier pressed the button. The
ast block fell away. At the same time
Miss Deshler let go of the bottle of
hampagne suspended at the side of the
iow by a red. wmte and blue ribbon,
nd. as it crashed against the side, she
utered the words '"I christen thee
Ohio.' "
Released from its bonds, the heavy
mil of 14.000 tons of steel went ploughi?
ng through the thick grease of its era
Ile, slowly at first, then faster and faster
he slid down the ways, taking the flood
najestically, and piling up thc water in
jreat waves before her. The band
rashed, whistles blew and the multitude
houted.
The trip back to the city was almost
1 repetition of the journey to the yard.
Vhen the Slocum came alongside her
vharf the President did not wait for the
rangway tc be run out. He stepped over
he rail to the pier and almost ran to thc
arriage which was waiting for him.
fhe door slammed, and he was off at a
;allop for thc bedside of his wife.
Saw Comet in Twilight.
Lick Observatory, Cal. (Special).?
rhe comet discovered at Queenstown,
australia, April 24. was seen here. In
he strong twilight no tail could be
cen, the head only being visible. Its
losition observed by Mr. Aitken at 8
\. m. was right ascension 5 hours and
3 minutes, declination 3 degrees and
7 minutes north. This is the first time
he comet has been seen at any obser
atory in the northern hemisphere. The
omet is much fainter than when dis
overed, and will not be visible here
dthout a telescope.
duffy's SI5,900,0?0 Oil Charter-.
Austin, Tex. (Special).?The largest
il charter ever incorporated under the
iws of Texas was filed here in the sec?
tary's office. The charter is that of J.
I. Guffy Petroleum Company, of Beau
lont, capital stock $15,000,000. It means
consolidation of the Guffy-Galey hold
igs. which are the most extensive in
ie Texas oil fields. All of the stock,
is said, has been paid in. Thc incor
orators are J. M. Guffy, of Pittsburg,
'a.; A. F. Lucas, B. F. Drexel, Perry
Viess, Hal W. Greer and R. A. Greer,
f Beaumont.
Gov. Nash III in San Francisco.
San Francisco (Special).?Thc pro
ramnie for the entertainment of Gov.
[ash and the Ohio visitors was declared
ff on account of the illness of Gov.
lash. While attending the christening
f one of thc big trees in his honor near
anta Cruz he was poisoned with poison
ak. He war. partially blinded, and sut?
ured very much while addressing the
'nion League Club .at night. While his
ffliction is not se: ions, it prevents him
rom participating in any of the func
ons that had been arranged in his
VIRGINIA STATE NEWS.
Budgrt of tbe Latest Happenings
rV-JMn All Parts.
VOODOO DOCTOR OO'JP.S TO JAIL.
Stabbed His Patient's Husband. Who tlUtA Be
come Jealous of thc Medicine Man-Dug
Their Way Out of Jail-Shot in a Peculiar
Manner-AdJrefnea at Washing on and Lee
??Stonewall Jackson'* Home.
Col. J. Risque Hatter had a hearing
before Justice of the Peace Vermillion,
in Campbell county, on the charge of
killing the negro Jack Smith. Smith
entered the room occupied by Colonel
Hinter's daughter and was leaning over
her bed whispering threats into her ear
when ?he awoke and began screaming.
Smith escaped through the window.
Colonel Hinter kept watch through the
remainder of the night, and the n**xt
morning, after sending messengers for
neighbor*, went into an outhouse where
Smith lay asleep. After arousing the
negro and telling him he had cone to
kill him, Colonel Huttei fired a ball in?
to the negro's brain, killing him almost
instantly. In thc trial rhe Common?
wealth was represented by Common?
wealths Attorney Wm. M. Murrell, and
tlie defense by Mr. Fred Harper, both
of whom argued the case brief!;. Col.
Hillier and his wife and daughter made
full statement;-, of the affair. After
hearing the evidence and arguments
Justice Vermillion. without hesitating a
moment, discharged Colonel flutter.
For stabbing with a knife Samuel Saun?
der?, husband of a patient he was treat?
ing, John Turner, a colored medicine
man, was in Nanzemond County court
bned $5 and given thirty days in jail.
He was indicted for felony. Turner hH
undertaken to cure thc woman, on whoso
eas** several doctors had failed. Som*-*
of the things he used in the preparation
of his medicine were lizard liver, frog*
feet, vorms. and herbs. Saunders got
jealous of the doctor's attention to his
wife, and ordered him away. Saunder?
was stabbed during the fight that follow?
ed.
Miss Lucy Hutchinson, of Franklin
county, married J. E. Carper, of Ros?
well, N. M. Mr. Carper was born in
West Virginia, later removing to New
Mexico. Two years ago his wife died,
leaving seven children. Carpc* recently
wrote to his dead wife's brother re?
questing him to select a suitable woman
as a'step mother for his little ones. Mr.
Hunt introduced by mail Miss Hutchin?
son, and pictures were exchanged. They
were engaged conditionally and Carper
reached Danville several days ago. He
called on his betrothed, who was suffi
ciently pleased to allow thc ceremony to
continue.
By using a crowbar, cold rh<*rl. and
auger, which had boen smugjied to
them by friends, two prisoners dug their
wuv out of Southampton CovtSj jail at
Coartland. Another prisoner was offer
?t freed r*\ but would not '.cave beca'ire
his sentence wh-. i to expire. The
nther inmates had no chai ape.
Bloodhounds were takc:i to the -ceoe
and trailed the fu'-jiuves to Nottawav
River, where they are supposed to have
taken a boat.
Thomas Carter, of Wadesville, was
mot in a peculiar manner at the homr of
his aunt, Mrs. Bettie Carter. The young
man was sitting in a doorway when his
Hint, passing through the room, laugh?
ingly remarked that an old gun that
leaned against the wall would shoot him
if he didn't get out of her way. She
evidently jarred the gun in walking
across the room, for as young Carter
arose, the gun fell and was discharged,
its load of shot entering his leg.
Thc annual baccalaureate sermon at
Washington and Lee Unhersity this
commencement will be preached by thc
Rev. Dr. David G. Wylie, pastor of thc
Scotch Presbyterian Church, of New
vork. The address before tbe Young
Men's Christian Association will bc de?
livered by Bishop Robert A. Gibson, as?
sistant bishop of the Episcopal diocese
of Virginia. Ihe address before thc
graduating law class will lie delivered by
former Secretary ot the Intei-ior Hoke
Smith, of Atlanta, Ga.
Thc cases of J. M. Cogie, ?his-son.
W. T. Cogie, and J. M. Wynn, charged
with felonious assault on and attemot
ing to extort ai the point of a pistol
Piooo from Dr. J. H. HargiS.-c, a young
physician of Petersburg, rhoru Cogie
charged with having betraved his
daughter, were tried in the Hustings
Court. Thc affair has excited much in?
terest and the courtroom was crowded.
Thc jury returned a verdict of not gull?
ly in each case and all three of the ac
:uscd were acquitted.
Within the past few weeks a cone
?pondence has been carried on between
Mrs. Stonewall Jackson and the Mary
Justis Lee Chapter of the Daughters
)i the Confederacy, relating to the pur
?hasc by tbe chapter of General Jack?
son's former residence in Lexington.
Mrs. Jackson is anxious to sell this
iroperrjr, which she cannot afford to
ceep, and it was Mrs. Jackson who sug
tested that the Daughters buy it. They
>ropose to undertake to raise the money
or the purpose and convert the place
nto a hospital.
There is trouble at the National Busj
less College in Roanoke. It seems that
ionic difference arose beJtween Presi
lent Eckerle and Prof. L. A. Coulter,
>n?* of the teachers, and when he walked
mt about 80 of the pupils did the same
ind refuse to go back until Professor
roulter is reinstated.
In Accomac county Hiram Shivers,
iged 11 years, and Alonzo Thomas,
ged 14 years, quarreled over the pos
ession of a pistol, the result being that
mixers ran into a house, got a shotgun
nd shot and killed Thomas.
The police of Newport News are
ooking for a miscreant who gouged
mt the eyes of Dr. Jone.*-." fine driving
torse. Whoever did thc- deed climbed
iver a high fence and used a long stick
n order to blind thc animal.
__ Thc Norfolk and Atlantic Terminal
Company has purchased the- steamer
3e!lc Horton, now at New York, for
ervice between Norfoik-on-thc-Roads
nd Newport News.
Mr. Charles Broadway Rouss. of
s'ew York, has sent his check for $10
o Reel Company No. 1. of Woodstock.
o assist them in purchasing their out