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;. r llir at f THE, )THEATRICAL TOPIC3 JANK OAICKK 1()F.1 Til IIACKKTT. Jane Oakci, who was recently Arthur Byron's leading lady, has made a transfer In the same capacity, to James K. Hnckett, In his production of "Don Caesar de Bazan," and In so doing has taken a forward step to wards obtaining the big prize that her grandfather, Christian Peper, has promised her. As In tho rase of sev eral women now on the stage, a salary Is no object with Miss Oaker. Her dally bread docs not depend upon her earnings. When she first had lean ings towards tho stage, her relatives tried In vain to dlssuado her, and after her grandfather saw that her mind was fully mado up, he accepted the decision, and then said so long as she was going to be an actress, she must be a good one, and that ho would give her $100,000 If she would get to the top of hor chosen profession. He Is well able to kep his promise, being one of St. Louis' millionaire to bacco manufacturers. With such a prize nt tho top, and also tho desire to grat'fy her own high ambition, she Is working, heart and soul, to achieve her object. By the way, Miss Oaker mado her first success as Her.uli, with Modjcska, the same part In which Maxlno Elliott first came to the front. Hermla has been the means of starting many a prominent actress on the road towards success. not.ANii kki:i's iiauohteii. Florence Reed, tho daughter of the late Roland Reed, a popular comedian "ii " FLORKNCE REED. for the past quarter ot a century, Is a recent addition to tho profession, having made her first appearance last season, In a monologue, at Proctor's Fifth Avenue Theater, New York city. She was successful from the first and played several of Mr. Proctor's thea ters. When tho F. F, Proctor Stock Co. was organized she hecame a mem ber of tho company and with it played a number ot rdles, Including Kitty Fauntelroy in "Dr. Bill," Alice Lane in "The Woman Hater," Hetty Tarbox in "Lend Me Your Wife," Matilda Wedagaln In "My Awful Dad," and Mrs. Dick Chetwlnd in "Young Mrs. Wlnthrop." This season she Is en gaged for May Irwin's Co. for leading business In her new play. AFHICAN WAll I1KAMA. "The Outpost," a three act drama, by Edwin Barbour and James H. Haw kins, was produced for the first time on any stage at Jacobs' theater, Eliza beth, N. J., the other ovenlng by J. K. Emmet and Lott e Gllson and com pany. The scenes are laid at the homo of Fritz Von Nellandt, near Klmberley, where Nora Desmond has come to reach her brother, Lieutenant "Jack" Desmond, who Is In the British , army. She finds a good home, and Is the heiress to tho Orient diamond mines. Captain Fabian, a French of ficer in the English army, has been made tho executor of hor father'u will, and Is n love with her and asks her baud In mnrrlage. -She icfusts his a 1- ranees and loves "Fritz," a son of an old Boer, Oom Peter, and who Is a ctvlt engineer In the Boer forces, while Lleutonant Desmond Is In love with Jean, a sister to tho engineer. Tanta Iona, who Is a sister to the old Boer, and who has three husbinds, k-cps house for the family and Is In lovo with Reginald Smlthcts. a young Am erican "wllllo" boy. These two char acters Introduco tho comedy element. Captnln Fabian, realizing that Nora loves "Fritz," plots to kill him as a British spy. "Ulgo," a typlcil African, despises Fabian and befriends "Fritz," who Is compelled to flee from tho house at the Instance of Fabian, who declares ho will blow the dam shackl) of tho Nel'andts to pieces with a gat ling gun which Is brought into action In front of the house, but the sergeant In command refuses to tiro on the house. Nora levels a gun at tho sol diers from a porch, who makes a rush to tho house when Nora climbs down a tree and seizes tho gattllng gun, and forces tho British to surrender. Tho family are afterwards captured and mndo prisoners In their own Iioiibc and after many exciting Incidents within the wn'ls of tho old homestead "Fritz," who has been out awed, comes homo and seals his compact with Nora to wed him, while "Jack" Desmond, through tie machinations of Nora, Is reconciled with Join, and Col. Wll loughby, In command of the troop?, finds that Captain Fabian has been persecuting Fritz and Nora, and dis misses him In dlsg ace. Little Toody, a child of six years old, through which much of the love making Is done, forms quite a character In tho play. The old Boer Ncllandt, while defend ing his home In the second act, Is killed. Tho play Is picturesque, and lacks the usual fusllade of gun shots and hurrahs Incidental to a play of Its character. ANI'lltANT FOH STl.M.AIt HONOUR Another American girl will aspire for st-l'.nr honors In grand opera. Bar netta Mueller made her debut at San FrnncUco tho other night in the part of Nedda In I'Pagllaccl. This young lady possesses all tv.o requirements for the position, a fine voice, good looks and temperament. Besides, she hat had tho advantage of study with sorar of tho renowned masters of the art of singing, having Just completed a course In Italy under the leading teacher In Milan, and In Paris with Madam Duprez-Do Wost. Sho Is a na tlvo of New Orleans, twenty-one year? of age, and a handsome face and en gaging manner make hers a most at tractive personality, Miss Mueller has appeared with the Nellsen company in partB In "The Sinking Girl" and "The Fortuno Teller," and while with tho company was under the instruction of the Tlvolt's present director, Mr. Paul Stelndorff. Acting under hlti advice she betook herself to Italy to perfect herself In singing, and today she is In possession of ono of the best cul tivated sopranos In tho, country. While abroad sho made the acquaintance o many musical celebrities, Including Maecagnla, the composer ot Cavallerla, and Puccini, who gave tho world the greatest of modem works, La Bolicme. Puccini was especially charmed with hor voice. Mies Mueller Is a favorite In Crescent City society, where she U highly connected, and Is nlso well known In New Yoilc, where she has wealthy relatives. A little Christianity Is a daogerout thing for others. Icxtooooi pr (apt. (i.W. Stater C"OL"Ji'ac"at(jC"jiiii (Chicago letter.) Around the wreck of the light draught steamship Reutan on a Lako Michigan sand bar, near Chicago, June 10, 1886, has been woven one of the strangest and most complicated ro mances of American history; a ro mance in which Captain George Wel lington Strectcr of tho wrecked vessel has figured prominently, together with tho authorities of Illinois, Cook coun ty, and Chlcngo. The last chapter ot tho romanco Is yet unwritten, and Streotcr and his clan still claim the 200 odd acres of land on the lake shore, in the very heart of Chicago, which has been washed up around the Rcutan's hulk by tho Btorm-swep'. waters, or deposited there by munici pal rubbish carts In tho spaco of 15 years. Tho area ot land which Captain Streotcr claims "by right of discovery" is worth at least 25,000,000, If nut more. Streeter calls his territory tho District of Lako Michigan. He has CAPTAIN been elected by his followers a dele gate to Congress, and only last April was In Washington to see what was going to be done about the matter. Captain Streeter says his ship was wrecked 451 feet off shore, out today the spot Is halt a mile Inland. Ho could not get his vessel oft the bar, so ho stood by and "let things happen." After a while it became possible to walk ashore on the growing sand bar, and soon the city authorities began to dump their rofuso there. Today a boulevard borders the water, and off In the other direction runs the North Shore drive. Make n Mnp of the I)llrlot. In 1890 or '91 Streeter had a map of his "District" properly drawn to scale 'FORT STREETER," CAPURED BY POLICE MAY 26, 1900. nd duly filed with the Cook county sglstrar ot deeds. After this he sold .he property, and ere many moons here was a village on the site. Cup .ain Streeter spent weary weeks In a itudy ot maps, and finally recorded his slalm with the Land office in Washing .on, D. C. He had como to the con tusion that the land was "unknown' .ill he "discovered" it, and that no uithorlty in Illinois had any claim tip in It. Not satisfied with Ins single ilalm at the national capital, ho took nit two "military territorial warrants" toverlng some $6,000 in script. After nuch cudgelling of brains on the part if the Secretary of the Interior, Street ir got a "location certificate," slnco it itiirxit r ie Cho.ro.ctor Tllclrit nt I.nlrn chlgo.n." v 3 e had been decided that the United Stales government had no claim or ti tle to the land. Now Captain Btrecter was happy; he had obtained an of ficial national document recognizing his claim. Then began a bitter fight. In the end the national authorities surveyed tho land and tho registrar ot tho Land oinco calmly announced that It was government property. This decision naturally roused Cnptaln Strcetnr's an ger, but he finally convinced Sccretnry Bliss that the "Dtstrlct" was "now" land, located by nature In an inter national highway. Secretary Bliss tald tho registrar wos wrong and re versed his decision. The registrar thereupon hnnded In his resignation, which was accepted. Orjtunltci h lloternmrnl. Thon tho Indefatigable Streeter vdnyed another trumn card. Ho cot the I pepolo who resided on his curious plot uf ground to oiguntzu a "government." STREETER. This occurred, to be exact, on tho first Tuesday in April, 1899. Tho constitu tion of the United States was adopted, the American Hag was choien by unanimous vote as the emblem of tLo community, and the place was style "Tho District of Luko Michigan." Ijiws for the government of the "District" were framed, and Captain Streeter was made clerk. Other chief officers were designated, and this body of men, on April 25, 1899, filed Into the office ot Clerk Durnham of the United States court for the Northern Illinois district, and formally took oath to uphold the United Slates laws In their "District." The mayor of Chicago, with the police chief and such other officers as wero Intimately concerned, wero directly thereafter warned that, beginning with the next May day, they would be look ed upon and treated as trespassers should they Intrude on the territory of the "District." On May 5 Streeter and some 25 citi zens of his "District" took posKessIon of "The District of Lako Michigan." Strceter's home was mado the center of government, and above It the Amer ican Hag was hoisted. Chicago awoke to tho ringing nlarms of war. At the city hall tt was decided that Captain Streeter must be suppressed by force, and 100 soldiers wero sent to perform tho work. "Military Governor" Wil liam H. Nlles objected. He and 14 ol his men wens captured and put Into Jail for "unlawful assemblage," and on May 6 Streeter's settlement was wreck ed by the neighboring landowners. But no court could bo found wherein to try tho Streeterites, They were released, and Immediately sued their captors for false imprisonment. Fort Htreettr Captured. A year later on Saturday, May 2G, 1900 there was another exciting fra cus. Streeter's force had again in trenched Itself and was ready for busi ness. In the afternoon of that day GOO city police officers wero mobilized, and, armed with rifles and revolvers, tney prepared to advance on Nlles and his men, who held possession of tho property on the lako shore between Oak and Huron streets. Tho news flew around lik vfJdflre that the "Invaders' had landed on the water front at 1:30 that morning, hsrl thrown up two formidable rlflo pits, hoisted the American flag, and wero offering armed and riotous resistance against the combined authority of city, I county and state on behalf of their seir-constltuted sovereign state of the "District of Uke Michigan." Tho police planned to make a de mand for a formal surrender of the handful of men, first through tho Lin coln park police, nnd, If that plan failed, through the high sheriff him self. "Governor" Nlles accepted the advice of Park OfTlccr Walter Hayes, and surrendered ere his diminished forco of flvo men was still further re duced. There was n good deal of shoot ing during the day, and when the casualty list was made out It wits found that eight men nnd a girl had been more or less hurt. Htntement of Ilia "Ootrrnttieitt." The war wbb over, for a llmo nt least. After liti nrrcht Nlles made n state ment: "1 am tho mllltnry governor of the District of Lake Michigan," he said, "and was elected to that position by tho citizens of the district. What nre tjiey going to do with us? A year ago they couldn't find n court to try us In. Judge Kohlsaat In tho Federal court ruled that ho had no authority to grant the lelease of ono of our men, who was held prisoner by force which, by tho way, was all Hint caused us to surrender today. The Judge give ub his renson that ho had no Jurisdic tion. One man was carted back to tho county Jail and then quietly let go. Wo claim the ownership of tho lond through right of discovery, Tho sur vey of 1821 established tho Hue ot tho state of Illinois, nnd there has been no territory annexed to tho stnto slnco Unit time. There Is n clause In the con stitution which gives people with the standing c have the rlgnt not to bo Interfered with when wo nre covered by n treaty, and wo nro covered by a .treaty, which the United States made many years ago with Great Britain, Why, they couldn't find n court to try us n year ago, and they can't find ono nowl They !mo been all through tho courts, and this Is tho net result ot their work. Wo claim wo own approx imately 186 acres lying In the District ot Lake Michigan." TIki I'n.l Not Yet. What will happen next tho future alone will toll. Streeter was In Wash ington as Iato as last April, demanding that he be recognized as a duly elected delegate to Congress from "Tho Dis trict of Lake Michigan." Ho says he will build a police court on his curi ously acquired land If his It be and that a defensive forco will bo organized forthwith. Whether Streeter wins his queer contention nt tho Inst; whether Chicago wins, or whether tho stnto ot Illinois Is victorious, "Tho District ot Inko Michigan" will bo pointed out' by future generations ns one of the most remarkable plots of land in tho whole world. Ono of the most essential equlpmenti of the district Is n building, tho sec tions of which arc loaded on several wagons and are ready to be put to gether in a moment's notice. The only drawback to this schema Is that the police have not given Streeter time to unload tho sections and put them to gether. A large furniture van Is the principal government building. It Is the capltol, executive mansion, stat department building, treasury building and tho home of moat of the other de partments. Entrance Is gained through tho rear by means of two gang plank leading up to n gate. Tho gang planks nre lowered like a medlovnl diwbridge to admit welcome visitors. A Clrrut Invention. An Atchison (Kan.) woman has a bablt of eating too much, and sho In vented a method of knowing when sho hud enough, and will have her discov ery patented. An Ingeniously mado little alarm bell is set In hor corset, and when the pressure of the corset from eating amounts to so many pounds to the tquare Inch tho alarm Is set off and the woman must quit. Sometimes she Is In tho midst of a Juicy steak, or bIio may be Just tasting a delltjous dlnh of lie cream, or sho may havo Just reached her coffee, when tho pressure sets the alarm off, but Bhe then quits. When visitors nro at the house the alarm startles thorn a little at first, but thoy soon got usod to the gong. The Inventor says tho alarm has been of more benefit to her than a score of doctors. Ex. I'orliet I'latol lii South Carolina. "When does tho new law, pasted by the lust legislature, in regard to pis tols, go Into effect?" was asked by r hardware dealer. There seemB to bn considerable doubt as to the time when t..o law Is to go Into effect. Upon In vestigation, It was learned thai July 1, 1902, Is tho time when no moro pis tols of tho usual variety can bo sold. The uct provides that pistols twenty Inches' long and weighing tnreo pounds may then bo sold to those who want them. A weapon of this size, however, could not be concealed In the hip pock et, but, tho Inw goes further and pro hlbltB tho carrying of any sort of fire arms, concealed or otherwIse.Orceti vllle (S. C.) News. l