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ITZV-r I THE MORNING NEWS. )
V()l I. 4iX 4 Established 1850. - - Incorporated 1888. >
t VAJ, 1 _ j H ESTILL> president. f
A LAU i 0- WHIM,
The Story of a Bear Hunt in Russia,
By W. Addison,
. Author of “Her Last Cast,” “Doubtful Honors," etc.
Copyrighted, 1895, by W. Addison.
In many of the provinces of Western
Russia the country people have been al
most entirely disarmed. Ten years ago
one was accustomed to find some old
firearms from, the French period in the
houses of the peasantry, to keep the wolf
mindful of his proper limits whenever he
became too bold and aggressive; but now
it is quite changed. Certainly the Rus
sian government has decreed that regi
ments—similar to the French in Algiers
should organize regular hunting parties,
but the means of communication in the
interior of the tzar’s mighty dominions
are still very imperfect, and the Russian
peasant is almost as much afraid of bu
reaucracy as the ravages of his four
footed enemy the wolf.
How can he procure assistance in case
of necessity? He trudges fifty, eighty or
100 versts (seven versts equal four Eng
lish miles) in order to make his complaint
to the commander of the first infantry reg
ment, and then goes home with tne con
solation that the hunting party will ap
pear in due course, as soon as the wolfs
skin is worth anything! Or should he
make his grievance known to the parochial
authorities, it all requires time and pa
tience, should he take the precaution
to make th starost (a resident elected by
the rural authority, similar to our mayor)
a present of some of his best hens, and
even then the grievance must be investi
gated, which formalities usually cost a
great deal, and have no practical result.
Linder these circumstances could we
blame Passkovaja Petrovna Strashln, the
newly-made widow of a small land owner
in the province of Pshof when she pre
ferred to look, to the priests and an oppor
tunely arrange forest fire for help, rather
than to the hunting party after she had
lost several sheepi from her flock, all car
ried off by wolves.
Os course, great confidence in the
priests projection was Indespensable, In
order to bear up against adverse circum
stances, but Passkovaja Petrovna was a
pious and also a naturally discreet woman.
W'hen her husband was killed last winter
by a falling tree she threw herself down
before a holy picture hanging opposite the
door in her room and prayed long and fer
vently. Ever since that devotional per
formance it was a settled thing, that the
, IKtotjof bo l.i t,for hta W'i.Cle .
Jon. Her deceased husband for many
years enjoyed the distinction of keeper in
the adjacent royal forest, which-powt, and
the small farm holding attached to it, was
made over to him, after he had the good
fortune to save his excellence the gover
nor-general from a watery grave while
following the chase.
The transfer or sale of she small farm
stead to strangers, however, was mean
while strictly forbidden. Passkovaja
Petrovna hod, therefore, to farm herself.
Besides a few trustworthy farm servants
her old father shared her humble dwell
ing, and, above all, fate was uncommon
ly kind to her. One evening she found a
young man very 111 lying on her doorstep.
She took him In and tended him, and found
in the rapidly recovering young German,
whom the search after employment had
driven to her, a true servant, with a. per
fect knowledge of farming in. all its
branchew. Christopher Kalk became trans
ferred Into Vladimir Christos, after his
first day In the held with the plough, and
the diligent German was careful to havo
no drones in the busy hive, so soon the old
grand fa t her sot to work as well.
Thus the life of Passkovaja Petrovna
wtw much easier than what she might
have expected after her good's man’s de
cease, had the beasts of the forest not con
tinued to prey upon her live stock. Vainly
did Vladimir Christos dig pitfalls In dif
ferent parts of the field, catching thereby
a few marauders. Just as he thought that
he had scared thorn away another pack
appeared from another side, and disap
peared again with their victims In tha
thick, impenetrable forest, before they
could make an attempt at recapture.
The inmates of the house were driven to
despair when the grandfather returned
from the pasture one evening with the
tattle, loudly and bitterly lamenting the
Injustice of heaven in letting their best
cow be killed and carried off by a she bear
to be devoured in the thicket. The even
song was hushed, and all sat crestfallen
and silent. The day’s work was done
without a word being exchanged among
them, Vladitnlr Christos looked anxiously
for a change of weather and the possibil
ity, with a favorable wind, to*set the un
derwood surrounding their Held on fire.
On June 7, a Saturday, at length, the
bright sun shone forth on the waving corn
fields round Uponetz. Vladimir Christos
sat before the house sharpening his
scythe. Just as he had finished doing this
a carriage containing several occupants,
and driven furiously, came in view on the
highway lending past the house. As aha
way did not go any further in to the for
est, Vladimir Christos started up and
rushed excitedly Into the spacious hall,
separating the summer from the winter
residence, and shouted to his mistress:
“Paakovaja Petrovna, to crown all our
misfortunes, here comes the Ispravnik”
(* local dlgnatary; head of the police, "or
some other big gun. They are coming in
a troy aka" (a carriage drawn by three
horses), "from Oponetz. Be quick and
lock the chest, mother, and drive the
‘suckers' through the backdoor Into the
•tye. They might take their fancy, like
the sheep did the wolves, and the cows
did the "boars; then we would
have to whistle for our winter’s grub!"
This advice seemed so good, that the
good housewife bundled the grunting
young porkers out of the kitchen over
the courtyard into the stye. Before she
had completed this the troyaka. drawn
by three strong cheatnuts, stopped before
the house door, and a footman leaped
down from the box. At the same time
one of the occupants of the carriage beck
oned the old grandfather, who stood
scraping and bowing cap in hand, to him.
and inquired: “la It true that the bears
and the wolves have been playing havoc
with your live stock of late? 1 am the
leader of the hunting party from Pshof
and want to please a whim of my cous
ins, to orgauiss some hunting expedi
tions, Before all. and under all circum
stances, we must have a young bear’s cub
to present to a young I:vl> .i< a lap dog ”
Although his younger companions begged
hlni to frotn JaKlhk w’itii tUo
peasantry, ths interogutor continued:
"His moat highborn would :a»t mind pay
ing a hondaome sum for such a pet."
uJcchlji cums*
G EO RGIA
"We will see what can be done for your
most highborn,” replied the old man.
“We only want to follow the tracks left
by the bear when she carried oft our cow.”
“That would be capital,” exclaimed the
young baron. And to his cousin, “Just
' think that my life’s happiness depends
upon this whim of Helena’s, and I prom
ise to meet all your bills, if you help me.
Let us remain here.”
"Here? We are not in Couland! Inside
there, I am sure all that has legs sleep to
gether. On our arrival I fancied I heard
some tell-tale grunts.”
there are bears in the neighbor
hood!”
“Dear Coz, our cousin Helena Is a dev
ilish pretty piece of goods, but this whim
of hers surpasses all preceding ones. In
any case we will do better to take up our
quarters at the Starost’s, In the village.”
“Nothing there! If you are really my
friend Feodor Alexandrovich, so let us
stay here. I like that young man there.”
Capt. Feodor Alexandrovich hesitated,
In spite of these words. He knew Russian
ways better than his Couland relative,
Baron von Swan, therefore he demanded
with a certain scpetlcal curiosity, “Have
you good, long straw, upon which no one
has slept yet, and fresh eggs?”
“At your most highborn’s service,” re
joined the old grandfather, as saviour of
their honor, who remembered well that
the captain had said there was money
to be earned, If they could manage to pro
cure a bear’s cub for his cousin. "Beau
tiful big eggs, a pat of fresh butter, and
bread from last week’s baking, and the
winter residence which Vladimir Christ
os. had newly whitewashed out and put
ship-shape.” With a deep sigh, the cap
tain threw his mantle from off his shoul
ders, and said, "All right, le't us stay!
But don’t forget, my dear Swan, It is your
wish to stay!”'
Thereupon the captain ordered his serv
ant to remove the firearms and the edibles
which they had brought with them into
the winter house; the coachman he sent
with the carriage to the starost at Opo
netz. Just after the visitors had entered
the hall, Passkovaja Petrovna came for
ward, and In her most amiable manner
bld them welcome. Her dark looks, how
ever, belled her. words, her voice was not
the cringing one of her father’s. The good
woman had as yet no Idea as to what It
all meant. Valdlmlr Christos whispered
something to her which had the effect of
immediately dispelling her black looks,
and In their place a smile o’erspread her
ample features. The matter was a pri
vate one, from which there was some
thing to be had; this just fell In with her
Ideas. Would the gentlemen remain?
Now she was In earnest as she turned to
Feodor Alexandrovich ..wlt-H-AJw*- wprds, /
‘ Your Moo Hffrhboin, jusl do- an you
would in your own house.’ Which they
without further ceremony did, and thanks
to the rugs and elk skins which they had
with them, they had not only tn a very
short time arranged comfortable shake
downs, but also had the deal table cov
ered with a snow-white table cloth. In
spite of all this, the captain regarded the
prospects of a successful bear hunt with
considerable misgivings. An old, experi
enced hunter like he, believed in nothing
that he did not see. What the peasant
had totd him about the following of the
bear tracks, he accepted as only going
to prove that the royal forest harbored
bears, of which he was aware before hand.
Feodor Alexandrovich laid more value
upon the intelligence he would receive
from the forresters, whom he had re
quested through the Ispravnik to meet
him in Oponetz on the following morn
ing, to enable him to please his rich Cou
land cousin in his desire to possess him
self of a bear’s cub.
Baron Swan, however, who looked upon
the matter in quite a different light, had
already spoken repeatedly with Valdimir
Christos since their arrival. While he let
his companion arrange the mode of action,
he rubbed his hands and chuckled ——
"Well, at any rat, I’ll try to get an
ounce of lead into a wolf’s Carcass, so
if I come back late do not be uneasy.
I’ll take the young man who knows all
the ways and byways in the neighbor
hood with me.”
Feodor Alexandrovich did not want to
hear of it, and offered his companionship,
but thought better of it, as he recollected,
that the royal foresters might report
themselves this evening. Linder these cir
cumstances Baron Swan set out with
Vladimir Christos towards 6 o’clock, and
Kept the way leading to the forest, where
the cow had disappeared. Armed with a
rille loaded with buckshot, the rich young
landholder resigned himself willingly to
Vladimir Christos’s guidance. For many
a long month the young German had had
no opportunity of speaking his mother
tongue. Now he lent his pent up verbosity
loose, and laid out his plan as they went -
along Vladimir Christos —ought he knew •
the place f?.irly well, where the bear fam- |
ily had taken up their quarters. It was i
In one of the thickest parts of the pine I
forest, just where a hurricane had up
rooted a lot of huge trees, and thrown I
them In wild disorder on the top of one
another. At an opening In this "Wind- j
break” they would have to watch at sun
set, until the old bears sallied forth in
search of prey. Then, perhaps they would
be able to kidnap a cub. Baron Swan
offered his revolver to his companion, as
a means of defense, which, however, he
declined, remarking, "I couldn’t use the
kicksaw: this ax on my back will stand ;
mo in better stead, In case of need.” Ar
rived at the edge of the wood, they ob- '
served that the tracks led into a thicket. ’
The trodden-down grass betrayed the j
close vicinity of Mr. Bruin and family. |
Mister Bruin must have soon got tired
of the work in the underwood, because I
he had deserted the thicket and gone i
further on to a hillside covered with •
pine. On the smooth, slippery moSs the ;
! dragging of the body had evidently be- •
come easier. .
There was no possibility of mistakes,
the legs of the cow had torn up the ;
ground here and there, as with a light
plough. No track-finder was necessary
to read these marks. Very soon the tracks ■
pointed In the direction of a hollow, in i
w hich the hurricanes had played such I
j havoc. And that was just what Vladimir i
Christos had said at first. “Now," he ex
claimed. excitedly, "Look there, where !
the ‘Windbreak’ begins. Right on the •
top are the trunks lying crosswise over
one another. Now we dare not follow the i
trail any further. As soon as the bears |
■ leave their lair they’ll scent our fresh
tracks, and probably surprise us in our
best work. We must keep to the top ■
I side, so that we can look down upon ■
I “All right, my friend, .but the under
wood Is so thick that I guess we won’t !
be able to see anything.
“\Ae must trust to good fortune."
| "Xorasho ! but let us have a pull at the j
brandy tiask before we go any further in '
the evening’s programme. Vladimir
Christos.”
“Spasiba, your most highborn, water is
my only drink. In the distillery, which
my father managed In Poland, I com
pletely surfeited myself, and now I can
not touch it.”
"Very probable,” laughed Swan, at the
same time taking a long, deep draught
from the flask; then both lapsed into si
lence. In some places the young pines
stood so close together that they had to
creep on all fours to get through. They
were sometimes obliged to diverge from
the edge of the hollow, but always re
turned again. As they, after divergence,
once more peered into the hollow, they
perceived, below right In the thicket, a
cleared space, which presented the ap
pearance of a true Golgotha.
"Mr. Bruin’s dining room,” whispered
the baron to his companion.
"Perhaps his summer quarters are not
far off. We must not venture too near,”
rejoined the young German. He glanced
hurriedly around. They found themselves
beside a stunted tree, whose lowest
branches spread themselves out some ten
feet from the ground. Swan Interpreted
the meaning of his glance, and nodding
knowingly, crept without more ado to the
trunk. Vladimir Christos followed. Both
of them had under estimated the strength
of the tree. The baron handed his compan
ion his fovzling piece and endeavoured to
clamber up. Vainly! And after repeated
attempts, he whispered that he must give
it up.
Vladimir Christos shook his head ener
getically, and began to unfasten his ax,
which he canted on his back, secured by 9.
cord. As soon as he got it in his grasp he
drew the baron aside, and with a swing
ing blow drove the sharp blade of the ax
into the trunk at about six feet from the
ground. The sound of the blow echoed
dull In the stillness of the forest. They
listened for a moment, then stooping, the
young German offered his back to Baron
Swan, and indicated that he should mount
it, which he did, and very soon aJter was
pearched upon a brane th with his face to
ward the hollow. Vladimir Christos reach
ed up the firearm to him, and then sprang
up himself, and the next moment w-as sit
ting on a branch close by.
Both remained motionless, but after a
while, how they had to suffer on their airy
perch! Swan cursed the whim of his pret
ty cousin who had imposed upon him the
task of bringing home a live bear’s cub as
a proof of his affection for her, and his
own foolishness In giving way to her wish.
Vladimir Christos also began to feel that
it was not so easy after all to gain the
promised reward for a successful capture.
But both waited patiently, bearing the
self-imposed torture, as best they could,
easing themselves a little every now and
again by aid of their hands. The sun was
sinking fast behind the horizon. AM the
birds of the forest suddenly became alive,
but ever more and more ominous peeped
the watery sky in through the openings
in the foliage. It began to rain.
The baron whispered to his haunchman
In despairing tones:
"And this into the bargain.’*
"That’s just the very ticket.”
Swan looked around so suddenly at
, these wdtSfe thwt he nearly losj. his balance
■end tun.uli'S. Vai iuci-Ty ;ha, be-
held on, for just at this npment they heard
a scraping noise In the hollow.
Immediately afterward they thought they
detected the sound of something being
rolled over the grouhd. Right! A bear’s
cub about the size of a big cat was tum
bling somersaults, while he held a bone
fast between his forepaws, and now a
second cub sidled up to him, making fu
tile attempts to steal the bone from him.
A little further away sounded a low growl.
"The mother,” whispered Valdimir
Christos.
Just as if the she bear had felt the
breath of his mouth, she looked up into
the foliage. Head erect, she stood on
haunches, without moving the slightest,
and drew In the night air. The scent must
have been deadened by the falling rain.
Still more piercingly she directed her
glance toward the tree, for the muzzle
of the baron’s gun pointed threateningly.
The baron was still in doubt as to whether
he should fire or not, when Valdimir
Christos whispered:
“Quick, or she’ll take to flight with
the cubs.”
Baron Swan was a crack shot, and the
distance was so small, that he could
scarcely miss the still visible white spot
on the breast, where every bullet works
with fatal effect. In spite of that he al
lowed himself so much time, that his com
panion once more urged him to fire with
the words:
"Shoot, for goodness sake!”
At last he touched the trigger. A stream
of tire, and as if struck by lightning, the
bear rolled over, shot through the heart,
from bush to bush right down to the bot
tom of the hollow.
Before the happy hunter had time to
gather his wits together, Vladimir
Chi'tistof made a daring leap from h:s
perch on to the ground. Quick as shot he
tore the ax out of the trunk of the tree
Baron had not yet reached terra firms as
tye gave vent to his joy in a loud "Hur
. rail." Vladimir Christos had, in spite of
| its bitings and scratchings, collared one
! of the cubs by his fur.
As Swan, who had re-loaded his gun,
• appeared on the spot, the little brute
i was already made prisoner with its
limbs firmly tied with a cord. With its
i eyeballs rolling about In its head it tried
I vainly to free Itself from Its distasteful
• captivity.
At tne sight the baron could not re
strain a shout of joy. The dead bear sat
-1 isfied his hunter’s pride; the growling lit
tle fellow, whom Vladimir Christos had
muzzled with a tigthly-tied cord, was his
reward for his trouble.
"You have earned one hundred roubles,
| my friend!” exclaimed Swan, flushed with
| pleasure as he looked down upon the car-
J cass of the bear. In the very next mo
j inent, however, he cried excitedly: "It
isn’t the she-bear!" He had scarcely ut
i tered these words as Vladimir Christos
I instinctively snatched up his axe from the
I ground. Just iix time, for they heard the
mother, the underwood snapping ami
’ cracking beneath her great weight, as
’ she came snorting towards them. Baron
j Swan levelled his gun. An enormous
j body raised itself upon its hind legs.
1 Twice gleamed the fire from the muxxle
' of his gun, but uninterrupted the fore
| paws of the w-ounded beast fell, and in
i one inextricable mass man and beast
, rolled over on the ground at the feet of
■ Vladimir Christos.
He stood with his ax raised high in the
air,peering into the darkness for the bear’s
! head. He was pust about to strike as a
new movement hindered him. One more
f second of dreadful suspense and the ax
whizzed through the air.
The stout German had hit his mark
The bear fell back dead, and he shoved her
; to one side. There the baron lay! A few
| minutes before a strong man, full of life
and vigor, now a bloody, mangled body
hovering between life and death. The left
i arm and right shoulder had been horribly
; lacerated by the claws of the angry beast.
; On his thighs were hanging pieces of
j flesh and shreds of his clothes. "What is
Ito be done? Hurry home; and leave the
unfortunate man to the mercy of the
wolves preying about? Impossible!"
Vladimir Chritof did just the right thing
in the dilemma. He unfastened the bran-
SAVANNAH, THURSDAY, APRID 18, 1895.
dy flask from the baron’s side and poured
some brandy between his parched lips.
It seemed to Impart new life into his in
animate form. He opened his eyes, and
his lips moved as if trying to utter some
words. A few- minutes’ silence, then fal
tered over his pale lips, “Have we—got
the cub?" Vladimir thought he was dream
ing. Scarce saved from the jaws of death
and his first thoughts were for the woman
whose whim had brought him in this strait.
Almost angry, he cried, "What shall I
do with you here in the night, deep in
the forest?”
“Shoot! Shoot!” murmured the baron;
then he seemed to lose consciousness
again. And Vladimir Christos did not
know of anything better, so he followed the
advice given to him. He loaded both bar
rels, discharging one after the other. In
the Intervals between the shots, he tore
his own jacket to pieces, and bound up
the left arm of the wounded baron as well
as he was able. It grew everv min
ute darker and darker. At some distance
howled some bloodthirsty wolves. Still
no help, and no hope of it! The baron
gradually came round, and became aware
of his desperate position. In spite of tnat,
all his thoughts were with his beloved
cousin. "If I die,” he said, “take her the
young cub, wth my best wishes! Perhaps
she’ll think of me.” Again and again
Vladimir Christos loaded and fired in the
air. At last, after hours of waiting, which
seemed like years, they heard an answer
ing shot from the field. Another intermi
nable interval elapsed; then came stalking
towards them fignres with lanterns. Di
rectly afterwards appeared Feodor Alex
androvich, with his man servant and two
foresters, on the spot. And on a quickly
improvised bier, they bore away the
wounded hunter to the farmhouse.
Vladimir Ohrlstof carried the cub home
on his shoulders. After Baron Swan had
kept his bed some weeks, he at length
grew strong enough to leave for his own
home. At parting he pressed a large sum
of money Into the hand of Passkovaja
Petrovna, with the words:
“Well, we’ll remain good friends, even if
I do take Christopher Kalk away with me.
The young rogue made me swear on my
eick bed never again to undertake to grat
ify a woman’s whim. Now he must bear
testimony to that in case I am not so pliant
another time! My visit, however, has
been of some good; I am returning trium
phant to my betrothed, and you are freed
of your unwelcome neighbors.”
Passkovaja Petrovna smirking regarded
the big sum of money in her hand, then she
kissed the sitrong right one of her depart
ing guest, and cried, “God bless your most
highborn, and your future wife.”
Content with the new turn events had
taken, Christopher Kalk sprang on to the
box of the carriage, and away they went
for the west.
(Ttye End.)
DEATH IN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT.
One Man Falla Sixty- Feet and Hits
Another Man in Striking;.
• Pittsburg, Pa., April 17.—William Dean
was instantly killed and John Reef and
Harry Goshen we,re seriously injured in
N,»w
Arrott building mwrning. George
Ballman, the Pittsburg manager f*»r the
Crane Elevator Company, was testing the
elevator and remained on the ground floor,
while John Reef, who was running the
carriage, went up to the seventh floor.
Dean, who was a plasterer, run a board
across the elevator opening to finish some
of his work. He evidently knew- nothing
of the elevator being over him. When the
carriage started dow-n a scream was heard
“Stop, stop.” The next instant the ele
vator struck the board that Dean had
been standing on finishing his work in
the hatch. Dean was thrown into the
cellar of the building, a distance of some
sixty feet. His lifeless body struck Har
ry Goshen, who was working in the cel
lar, and it is feared Goshen also may
be fatally injured. Reef, the elevator
man. was injured by jumping out. of the
carriage. Mr. Ballman, manager of the
Crane Elevator Company, said the acci
dent was due entirely to Dean’s care
lessness. Dean’s neck was broken and
his skull crushed in the fall.
A TRAIN DITCHED AT FLORENCE.
The Fast Mail Run* Into a Waaliout
and Is Completely Wreeked.
Florence, 8. C., April 17.—Train 35. the
southbound fast mail on the Northeast
ern railroad, which left here at 3:10 o’clock
this morning, for Charleston, ran into
a washout at Howe's Crossing, four miles
below this city, and was completely
wrecked. Tile engine passed over the
washout, but the tender, mail, baggage,
first-class car and three sleepers went
down. There were few- passengers on the
train, none of whom were Killed.
The Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., the noted
New York preacher and orator, and Rob
ert Petteway, the baggage master, of
Wilmington, N. C., received the worst
injuries, but neither is seriously hurt.
The train was in charge of Engineer
Meadorse and Conductor Thomas Oglesby.
Neither were hurt. To add to the hor
ror, the two rear sleepers took fire frqrn
gas lamps and were burned. A large
force is at work clearing the track. All
trains are running via Sumter and Lanes.
M’LALGHLIN'K TRIAL.
« HI ■ > ll|
The Work of Securing a Jnry Still
in I'rogrr»«.
New York, April 17.—The third day’s
work in trying to secure a jury for the
trial of Police Inspector WHllam W. Mc-
Laughlin, began at 10:30 o’clock to-day be
fore Judge Barrett in the court of oyer
and termtner.
When the court closed yesterday. Fore
man Schneider, who was sworn in on Mon- 1
day, was the only man m the jury box.
There have been twenty-aight jurors ex
amined dutCng the two days preceding ‘
from which only one juror has been oh- j
tained.
The prosecution elected yesterday to j
try- the inspector on the fourth indict
ment, charging him -with extorting ssu
from Francis W. Seagirst, Jr., on Nov. 21,
i JB9l.
I Many more talesmen were examined to
day, with the result that two more jury
men have been secured. This makes a
total three jurymen so far secured to I
hear the evidence In the case.
BLOODSHED IN A BROTHEL.
A Man Kills One of Its Inmates and
Then Commits Suicide. •
Morgan City, La., April 17.—A double
tragedy took place at 11 o’clock last night
in a disreputable house here. Adolph L.
: Scheneck of New Orleans shot Mattie
| Francisco three times in the head with
a revolver, causing Instant death. He then
! placed the pistol to his right temple an I
j shot himself. The couple occupied a room
in the house. No quarrel was heard be-
■ tween them. Scheneck was infatuated i
with the girl, who was until recently an
Inmate of a disreputable house in New-
I Orleans. Il is thought Scheneck came
here for the purpose of killing her and
committing suicide. He was 3f years of
age and a member of Bolye’s detective ;
I force in New Orleans. He leaves a wife j
and four children. 1
MADNESS OF THE SILVERITES.
AN EFFORT TO BE MADE TO REA
SON WITH THOSE IN ILLINOIS.
The Injustice of Their Attempt to
Commit the Party- to a National Is
sue to be Pointed Out to Them,
They Will Also Be Shown That
There is No Sense in Committing
the Party to Silver so Far in Art
-1 vance of the Next National Conven
tion.
Washington, April 17.—The administra
tion has decided upon a definite pro
gramme for fighting the free silver craze,
which is rampant in Illinois. Ex-Pension
Commissioner Black, who is now district
attorney for the northern district of Illi
nois, had a conference with the President
to-day, acquainting the latter with the
facts in relation to the spread of the sil
ver sentiment in the west, and discu'ssing
the best way of neutralizing this growth.
The plan which seems to be received with
most favor proposes an appeal to the de
mocracy of Illinois on the ground that
they have no right to commit the party
to a national issue, as their leaders are
endeavoring to do. It will be pointed out
to these democrats that a national conven
tion is the only body that can speak for
the democracy of the whole country, and
if the Illinois democrats are so anxious
to hold a convention, the only thing they
can do is to indorse the platform adopted
in Chicago in 1892. They ought either to
do this or else wait for the assembling
of the national convention next year,
when they can make the effort to secure
the consent of the entire democracy- to
their views.
It is very easy to see that this appeal is
a just and proper one. Suppose the Illin
ois democrats adopt a free silver plat
form this y-ear and next spring—by which
time every condition may be changed—
the democracy, of the whole country
should be decidedly opposed to such an
indorsement of silver, ts-here would the
Illinois democrats be then? They wotill
either have to repudiate Their platform
of this year or else desert the party.
They would probably confess that they
made a mistake and wheel Into line.
It Is to avoid the occurrence of this
contingency that the administration will
appeal to the Illinois democrats not to
rashly hasten into a situation that will
embarrass them in the future. It Is be
lieved that if the question is put to these
members of the party in this light, they
will hesitate to identify themselves with
the silver movement.
Gen. Black, by the way, is quite confi
dent that the sound money element will
after all win in the proposed conventon.
He fl***'**'*’*' Mlver t-'lk hasjbftpn
A ti: , ci: east ap I ho
adds iti.at ■» any sort of i.#ht is put'tip bv
the.scond money men, the latter nan win.
in the meantime, President Cleveland’s
letter is to be taken as the party slogan of
the sound money democrats. It is re
garded very much in the same light as
his famous tariff message—a bold un
compromising statement of what he be
lieves to be the right position, regard
less of the sentiments of those in the
party who may happen to disagree with
him.
Chicago, April 17.—A meeting of the
leading democrats, opposed to the intro
duction of a silver plan In. the party plat
form, was held at the Great Northern
hotel this afternoon. The Invitations to
the meeting were sent out by Postmaster
Hesing, and several other leading "sound
money” men of the party.
‘“The purpose of the meeting,” said Mr.
Hesing, “is to decide upon some plan of
action on the part of the great number of
democrats who are opposed to the deliver
ance of the party to the silver heresy. The
state convention has been called and or
ganization must be made to make a con
test against silverites for delegates to the
convention, or if it Is deemed proper to
protest against the holding of a conven
tion to decide upon a party policy in a
year when there is no general ‘ election,
and when nothing substantial can be
gained by a party deliverance upon any
issue.”
A committee of five was appointed to
effect a permanent organization, the body
to have as a foundation “honest money.”
There were at the meeting twenty-five
prominent democrats, the chairman be
ing Henry S. Robbins, who was a mem
ber of the delegation which went to Wash
ington to invite the President to visit Chi
cago. The committee on organization con
sists of J. Mayo Palmer, ex-eorporation
counsel and son of Senator Palmer; Wil
liam T. Baker, president of the board of
trade; Jacob Richards, ex-South Town as
sessor; A. F. Seberger, ex-collector of the
port, and Adlai T. Ewen, ex-United States
district attorney and cousin of the Vice
President. They wtlLreport on permanent
organization and a aSime for the body next
Saturday at the Palmer house.
Much commotion has been caused in
democratic circles by the bold declaration
made in favor of the free coinage of sil
ver by ex-Judge Samuel P. McConnell,
president of the Iroquois Club, the lead
ing democratic organization of Chicago.
Judge McConnell, In a long and apparent
ly prepared interview, favors a free sliver
declaration at the forthcoming demoi
cratic state convention. His straight-out
talk has aroused strong feeling in the
j Iroquois Club, and it Is said an effort
will be made to request his resignation
as president.
PASSES ITS DIVIDEND.
The Baltimore an<l Ohio Goes on the
Non-Paying List.
Baltimore, Md., April 17.—The board of
diradtors of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
! road Company, by an unanisnoiMt vote to-
I day decided to pass the common stock div-
I idend. This decision was reactyed after a
i long meeting of the finance committee,
i wbHi began at noon yesterday and took
: a recess at 6 o’clock last night until 10
o’clock to-day. A strenuous effort was
i made by those who were anxious to keep
the Baltimore and Ohio Company in the
dividend paying list, to pay a one per cent.
I cash dividend, but they were out-voted by
I the ultra conservatives.
The directors declared the customary
semi-annual dividend of 5 per real, on the
stock of the Washington branch.
The summary of the entire Baltimore
ani Ohio system shows for the nine
months of the fiscal year, 189-1 -’95, ending
! March 31, receipts of $17,041,062, and ex
penses of $11,854,056, as compared with $17,-
525,669 and $11,9-5,387 for the corresponding
period of 1833-’94, a not decrease of $51,331.
GRACE RESIGNS.
The New York Democracy .Mast Find
a New Chairman.
New York, April 17.—Ex-Mayor Grace
sent tils resignation as chairman of the
I executive committee of the New York
| democracy to Col. Robert Grier Monroe,
> its acting chairman, to-di(.v. It came as
I a surprise to politicians of all classes.
Mr. Grace has been ill at his residence
j for the last few days, and many of his
| friends attribute his resignation to his
* illness.
( WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK $1 A YEAR )
4 5 CENTS A COPY. I
I DAILY, $lO A YEAR. f IN V7. OV,
OLNEY ON THE INCOME TAX.
He Files a. Brief ou the Petition for
a Rehearing.
Washington, April 17. —Attorney Gen
eral Olney this afternoon filed in the
supreme court of the United States a
brief upon the petition for a rehearing of
the income tax cases. It was not expected
at the department of justice or at the
court that the government would respond
to the notice by Mr. Guthrie of the inten
tion of counsel to ask a rehearing and at
the court some surprise was expressed
at the appearance of the document.
The Attorney General’s brief was as
follows; "The United States respectfully
represents that if a rehearing is granted
it should cover all the legal and constitu
tional questions involved, and not merely
those as to which the court are equally
divided.
"1. Whether a tax on incomes generally,
inclusive of rents and Interest or dividends
from investments of all kinds, is or Is not
a direct tax within the meaning of the
federal constitution, is a matter upon
which, as an original question, the gov
ernment has really never been heard.
“Its position at the argument w'as that
the question had bee® settled—-by an ex
position of the constitution practically
contemporaneous with its adoption—by a
subsequent unbroken line of judicial pre
cedents by the concurring and repeated
action of all the departments of the gov
ernment and by by concensus of all text
writers and authorities by whom the sub
ject has heretofore been considered.
"2. The importance to the government
of the new views of its taxing power, an
nounced in the opinion of the chief justice
can hardly be exaggerated.
“First. Pushed their logical conclusion,
they practically exclude from the direct
operation of the power alj the real estate
of the country, and all its invested per
sonal property. They exclude It because,
if realty and personalty are taxable only
by the rule of apportionment, then the
inevitable inequalities resulting from such
a plan of taxation are so gross and fla
grant as to absolutely debar any resort
to It.
That such inequalities must result Is
practically admitted, the only suggestion
in reply being that the power to directly
tax realty and personalty was not meant
for use as an ordinary, everyday power;
that the United States was expected to
rely for its customary revenues upon
duties, imports and excises; and that it '
was meant it should impose direct taxes
only In extraordinary emergencies and
as a sort of dernier resort.
“It is submitted that a construction of
the constitution of such vital importance
in itself, and requiring in its support an
imputation to its framers of a specific pur
pose, which nothing in 'the text of the
constitution has any tendency to reveal,
cannot be too carefully considered before
being finally adopted.
"Second. Though of minor consequence
it is certainly relevant to point out that, if
the new exposition of the constitution re
feprad to is to prevail, the United States.
I-hA .I*lllo pre V'lbUi'iln-QliW taxccj-'
«Mod. vae’. sums of money, •iwlueh, on
every principle of justice, it ought to re
fund. and which it must be assumed that
congress will deem itself bound to take
provision {or refunding by appropriate leg
islation.’-’
CAMPOS BEGINS WORK.
He Makes Three Appointments and
Issues a Proclamation.
Santiago, de Cuba, April 17.—Following
the arrival of Gen. Martinez Campos, act
ive measures for the suppression of the
rebellion have already been taken. Gen.
Garrieh has been appointed governor of
Jhe province of Santiago de Cuba, Gen.
Salcendo has been appointed commander
of the first division, with headquarters
at Santiago de Cuba, and Gen. Reeham
bre has been assigned to the command
of the second division, with headquar
ters at Bayamo.
Gen. Martinez Campos has issued a
proclamation asking the support of the
various political parties and promising
to implant reform at the conclusion of
the rebellion, which he hopes will be
speedily terminated.
Havana, April 17. —Capt. Gen. Calleja
to-day turned over the governorship of
the island of Cuba to Gen. Arderius, and
will sail for Spain on April 20.
Jacksonville. Fla., April 17.—A club
called The Friends of Cuba was organ
ized to-day among prominent Cuban and
American business men of the city to give
tangible aid to the Cuban patriots. The
club appointed a committee to solicit sub
scriptions and to arrange entertainments
and excursions. The officers elected are:
John G. Christopher, president; R. J. Mar
tinez, secretary, and J. 1. Munoz, treas
urer.
Kingston, Ja., April 17.—Refugees from
Cuba are arriving here dally. The latest
arrivals report that the town of Las
Palmas has been burned by the insurgent
leader Cebreco, and that the town of Bay
amo is besieged by the rebel leader Crom
bet, with 500 men.
Kej* West, Fla., April 17.—Martinez Cam
pos landed at Guantanamo yesterday and
left to-day at 1:30 o'clock for the field with
6,000 troops.
Gen. Masso, an insurgenf leader, has Is
sued a manifesto, declaring death to any
peace commission. The insurgents have
9,000 men and are gaining strength everv
day. They control the province of San
tiago De Cuba. The death of Gen. Flor
Crombet is confirmed.
Santiago de Cuba, April 17.—Dupuy de
Lome, Spain’s minister to the United
States, has started for Havana, after
gathering what information there is to
be had here regarding the Allianca af
fair.
MEXICO’S COTTON WEEVIL.
Another Expert Sent to Look Into
the Invasion of Texas.
1 Washington, April 17.—The departmeat
i of agriculture has sent an additional ex- ■
pert south to investigate the habits of the
new cotton weevil, which has been im
ported into Texas from Mexico. Etomolo
gist H. A. Schwarz has gone to San An
tonio and other points in Texas to make
a study of the habits of this weevil. It I
is a semi-tropical insect, and although it ;
may thrive in the lower corner of Texas,
i which is semi-tropical in character, it is
believed that not many generations can
survive the climate of the states north
i of Texas where cotton is grown the
i United States cotton belt, with the excep
j tion of this small region of Texas, forr.i
--i ing the point around Brownsville on the
I Rio Grande, belongs to what is known
as the lower Austral region and the habits
I of insects imported into that region a-e
bound to change from the habits of the
same insect when found In the scml-trop-
I leal region. These difficulties caused by the
1 change in climate are to be the special
study of the etomologist who has gon
south. One thing so far discovered is
that thfe insect cannot fly so far in the
climate north of the Mexican boundary,
and left to his own exertions it might
j not be a dangerous pest. The chief cause I
for alarm, however, arises from the fact 1
; that the insect is and has been carried
! north in unginned cotton and after reach- ,
i Ing the cotton belt is able to survive <
the climate.
MONDAYS!
-AND*-
THURSDAYS |
A TRAIL OF BLOOD AT ’FRISCO.
IT LED FROM THE CHURCH TO
WARD DURANT’S HOUSE.
The Bloody Clothing of the Murderer
Not Yet Found by the Police—A Man
AV ho Looked Like Dnrant Seen in
the Vicinity of the Church With u.
Woman—An Attempt Once Made by
the .Prisoner to Get a Girl to En
ter the Church to Submit to n Pri
vate Examination.
San Francisco. Cal., April 17.—At ths
coroner’s -inquest to-day, in the case of
Minnie Williams, whose murder Theodore
Durant is charged with, A. E. Williams,
father of the girl, testified that she had
been keeping company with Durant for
some time. He identified his daughter’s
purse, found in Durant’s overcoat pocket,
stating that he had given it to her last
Christmas.
Miss Miriam Lord, Miss Lilia Berry and
Miss Stevens testified to finding the body
of the murdered girl.
Police Sergeant Burke told of the search
for bloody clothing, the morning after the
murder, at Durant’s house, and of the find
ing of Miss Williams’ purse in the accused
man's overcoat pocket.
Dr. Thomas A. Vogel, at whose house
the meeting of the Christian Endeavor
Society was held on Friday night last, tes-'
titled tihat when Durant reached the
house he had perspiration in his face and
his hair was over his forehead. He
washed his hands, as he said they were i
dirty. He entered into the spirit of the
festivities and seemed perfectly natural
all the evening.
A statement of the witness to the policei
was read in which he seated that Durant
had suggested to a Miss Lucille Turner,
who had complained to him of an ailment,,
that he should make a private examina
tion of her. Durant had said there was
no danger of discovery, as he knew of a.
place in the church w’here it could be per
formed in secrecy. Miss Turner kept
away from Durant thereafter. She had
told the witness that Miss Williams had
expressed to her a fear of Durant, to
whom he had made some improper pro
posals.
F. A. Wolfe testified that he left Dr.
Vogel’s house on Friday evening with Dih
•rant. Miss Lord was in their company.
He saw Miss Lord home and later saw a
man in the vicinity of 'the church who
looked like the prisoner.
There were several other witnesses at
to-day’s proceedings, but their testimony
was unimportant. After hearing them the
coroner continued the hearing until Friday
morning.
The most startling feature introduced
into the tragedy to-day was the finding
of a trail of blood by Patrolman Hervy
on Twenty-fourth street, near Bartlett,
which led ip the direction of Durant's
house. Hervy’s discovery may give a *
clew to the disposition of the hloody 3
cloth c- , T - '••■■■<
derer carried away his bloody clothes and '
that they were dripping The condition
of the closet makes ft probable that the
clothes of the murderer were covered
with blood enough to cause them to drip
if carried in a bundle. It is not known
that the police have made a thorough
search yet of Durant’s premises. If the
man and woman whom Hill saw enter the
church Friday night a few minutes after
8 o'clock were Durant and Miss Williams,
the murderer would have had time to
commit his crime, take his bloody clothing
to the Durant residence and dispose of it
and arrange his toilet as it was when he
reached Dr. Vogel’s.
The funeral of Minnie Williams took
place from the First Baptist church this
afternoon. Fully 5,000 people were present.
NEW YORK TO EXHIBIT,
A Hill for an Appropriation of $25,-
000 to Be Presented.
Albany, N. Y., April 17.—1 n pursuance
of the recommendation of the governor
that the legislature take action to see that
the state is properly represented at tho
Cotton States and International Exposi
tion, soon to be held at Atlanta, Ga., tha
ways and means committee of the assem
bly will to-morrow introduce a bill. The
measure will provide that Mrs. Levi P.
Morton. Mrs. Howard Townsend of Mount
Vernon and Mrs. Donald McLean of New
York City, with three commissioners, to
be appointed by the governor, shall con
stitute a commission to take charge of
the New York state exhibit at the fair,
which is to be held from Sept. 13 to Dec.
31 of this year. The bill will appropriate
$25,000 for the expenses of the commis
sion.
It was the Intention of the committee to
allow the bill to go to the governor with
out naming the women who are to consti
tute a part of the commission. A com
munication was received from the Colonial
Dames of America, requesting the appoint
ment of the three women who have bee®
named.
It is in order not to place the governor
in the position of appointing Mrs. Morton
that she and her colleagues were named
by the committee.
GREEDY FOR THE SMART MONEY#
England to Insist on Nicaragua
Handing Over $75,000.
Washington, April 17.—The Nicaraguan
minister, Dr. Guzman, up to 2 p. n). to
day had received no additional information
from Manugua regarding the difference*
between his government and Great Brit
ain. Nicaragua still feels that the mat
ter is one which ought properly to be ar
bitrated and her reply to Great Britain
binds her to accept any conclusion which
may be reached as the result of arbitra
tion. Great Britain, on the other hand,
asserts that the expulsion of Mr, Hatch
was in a sense an Insult to her majesty's
government, and will insist upon the pay
ment of the $75,000 of “smart money,” al
though entirely satisfied tp leave any of
' the other points in dispute to the decision
of an arbitration tribunal. No belligerent
news of any kind nas reached the state
or navy departments or the Nicaraguan
minister.
London, April 17.—1 n an article com
menting on the situation of the
dispute between England and Nic-
I aragua, the St. James Gazette accused
the American newspapers of wonderful
ignorance of diplomacy. The Monroe doc
trine, it says, has been a doctrine for
«ixty-two years, yet it has never been
acted upon. Whenever England has any
serious differences to settle with the re
publics of South America nothing but
settled international iaw will prevent her
from settling them. The suggestion that
England wants to bombard Greytown is
absurd. If Nicaragua has foolishly re
fused to pay the indemnity demanded by
England, with the knowledge of the United
States, Great Britain will take such steps
as the American government was per
fectly aware of at the time the demand
was made.
Nicaragua’s New Ministry.
Washington, April 17.—Louis Baker,
United States minister to Costa Rica,
I Honduras and Nicaragua, reports to the
I department of state the reorganization
of the ministry of Nicaragua, as follows:
Foreign affairs, Manuel Coronel Matus;
interior, Gen. Francisco Ralladores Teran;
war and marine, Gen. Ruehen Alons*;
finance, Santiago Callejas.