Savannah weekly news. (Savannah) 1894-1920, April 18, 1895, Image 1

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|C$tTmE5 aaM A ■■■■ |wWEEK 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.