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WEEK
VOL. 45.
THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT.
By W. W. FENN.
Author of “The Raven Kock,” “The Murderer’s Watch,” “The Testimony of Hugh
Merriday,” Etc., Etc.
Copyright, 1895, by W. W. Fenn.
When Robert Dartrell fell In love with
Lucy Wynyard there was no more jealous
man in England. The geen-eyed monster
became his master. The smallest pretext
led him into foolish suspicion, and oc
casionally outrageous words. Every man
(and there were not a few) who dared to
cast admiring glances at the lady of his
choice, came in for glowering looks or
curt treatment from Bobby, as he was
always called.
Especially were the vials of his wrath
poured upon the head of Lucy's foster
brother, for whom she naturally had a
Strong regard, seeing that they had been
Whildren together. Long before Dartrell
Was engaged to Miss Wynyard he never
failed to express his dislike to their fa
miliar Intimacy, but when he had asked
her to be his wife, and she had said, ‘Yes,”
he put his foot down.
“I never liked this Mr. Luttridge,” he
said. “He Is a very off-hand sort of gen
tleman, and presumes too much. He is
far too familiar with you, Lucy. It is all
very well for him to call himself your
brother, but you know he is in no way re
lated, and he often behaves, It seems to
me, as if he might be your lover.”
“Oh, poor old Horace!” cried she, "you
will never think of being jealous of him
any more than he would be jealous of
you. I can’t treat him otherwise than I
have ever done, and, besides, he is a luck
less youth; he will never set the Thames
on fire.”
"No,” says Dartrell, “unless It’s in
sured,”
“I pity poor Horace,” she continued, for
of course she did not see Bobby’s hu
morous carcasm. “He is so hopelessly
unsuccessful in everything he attempts.
This fancy of his now to become an artist
will end in failure, 1 am sure, although X
admit he shows more ability at an easel
than anywhere. I really pity him.”
“Ah, pity is akin to love. Well, my pet,
I don't mean, of course, that you are
likely to love him otherwise than—but
there. I tell you I’d rather you didn't
see him. Drop him. please.”
Then they would both laugh and go
through the usual osculatory perform
ances, and the question would be ended
for the moment. But it recurred again
and again, always in the same key and
ending in the same way.
Young Horace Luttridge hud been ear
ly made a member of Col. Wynyard’s es
tablishment, being, us It was understood,
the only son of an old brother officer,
who, as he lay wounded and dying on
an Indian battle field, confided his boy to
the colonel’s care. Wynyard, true to his
trust, on returning home and marrying,
brought up little Horace as If he had
been his own .child. He was some live
years old when little Lucy appeared—
appeared at fb« , ost of her raotner’e life
—but us '.he children grew up, her stron
ger nature soon began to dominate that
of her brother, as he was always called,
and she maintained her supremacy long
beyond childhood.
Then Col. Wynyard died suddenly, and
Lucy went to reside with her maiden
aunt, one Miss Habgood, her mother’s
elder sister, at a small house in St.
John’s Wood. Her marriage was post
poned for three months. However, delay
nad no ill effect, for Lucy never wavered,
and Bobby was as devoted as ever—and
as jealous. He had got a step In his of
fice, and ways mid means sufficient were
provided for a fair start.
Meanwhile, her prophecies regarding
Mr. Horace Luttridge were not wholly
verified. He appeared to be getting on ut
lust, and had established himself in a
commodious studio in St. John’s Wood,
although his efforts pictorial scarcely
seemed to warrant his mode of living,
rememebring that he was supposed to be
wholly dependent on his art. He and
Dartrell maintained a sort of armed neu
trality, and Lucy appeared to conform
by degrees more willingly to her lover's
wishes regarding the young painter.
They seldom met now, and so Hobby’s
jealousy in that direction seemed to be ap
peased.
The marriage drew near. On its very
eve the happy pair had been for a stroll
in the park In the line October afternoon.
They stood at the door of her aunt’s
house chatting for a while in the gloam
ing, the gas above them throwing her
face and figure into shadow. Her left
hand rested in his right—both were glov
ed. Suddenly he pressed her third linger,
and raising It slightly, said with surprise,
“Where is you ring, Lucy—you engaged
ring?”
She winced a little as she replied, "Ah! a
great misfortune. I hoped you wouldn’t
notice It, but I have dropped it some
where, I can’t toll where or now.”
“H'm,” he said, impatiently, “this Is
unlucky—a bad <v»ien. You had It on this
morning, because I saw it. Where have
you been to-day? You surely remember
missing It.”
“No, Indeed, I do not remember where
or when I missed it first; but oh! I shall
find it, I shall find it.”
“1 hope so, for it is of considerable
value, but you must go In now; your aunt
will bo growing anxious. We have had
our talk' so until to-morrow—and to-mor
row, darling, we part no mora,"
Their Ups met, she turned, knocked at
the door, and us it was opened he de
parted.
The marriage was duly celebrated, very
quietly, tor Miss Wynyard could not yet
wholly lay aside her mourning. In a
month they were settled in their own
modest home, and they were as happy
well, happier—than the day was long, tor
the days were then at their shortest. Time
passed, but that unlucky engaged ring
had never Men found; but as it was re
placed by a more binding one, they accept
ed the loss with a good grace—at least
she did.
Every Inquiry had Men made, a fortune
had been spent in advertising, but all ef
forts to recover it were vain. Still, the
subject rankled evidently in Bobby's
mind, but he abstained at last from acri
monious comment, and only spoke of it as
a profound mystery.
Suddenly, however, one January after
noon on his return home. Robert Dartrell
showed such evident algns of annoyance
that his wife could not fall to Inquire the
cause.
"Well. Lucy." he said gravely, "as II
was coming from the office just now, I
met Lutt ridge. He was for passing me
with a nod, but 1 stopped, and 1 don’t
know what induced me. but 1 asked him
straight out if he happened to have heard
anything about your lost ring. He al
ways somehow seems to remind me of it.
Os course he said no. but I looked him
straight in the face, I teal sure—well. I
feel sure he was not shaking the truth.
1 didn't like hit* manner at all. When did
you aee him last?"
She loo’.-.ed puxaled, not to say uncom
fortable. She drooped her eyes, and after
a pause answered, hesitatingly:
"Oh, I haven't seen him. I haven't
seen him since, I don't know when; not
since just before we were married."
Bobby was silent, and the subject
droppet!.
CHAPTER IL
The next day was Saturday. A dense
fog hung over the north of London. as
Robert Dartrell emerged (rani his house
at least an hour earlier than usual. He
vouchsafed no explanation of thia to his*
wife, except that he had business tn do be
fore going to the ofllce. He looked fe
vered and excited. He ate but little break
fas*, and pleaded that he bad slept badly.
ESI t chin N nw.
< THE MORNING NEWS. i
< Established 1850. - * Incorporated MBB >
I J. H. ESTILL, President. f
The business, whatever it was, took him
straight to some studios, one of which was
occupied by Mr. Luttridge.
"Not come yet, air,” said the porter, in
answer to Dartrell’s inquiry. “The fog
have’doubtless delayed him, sir. It’s too
dark to paint, though Mr. Luttridge in
general is never particular early. Will
you wait, sir?”
“Yes, for awhile,” and the visitor walk
ed in. He sat down moodily in front of
the freshly-lighted, smouldering stove.
The obscurity throughout the studio was
intense. He endeavored to stir the fire
into a blaze. It refused to brighten. Still
Dartrell sat on, poker in hand, Impatient
ly tapping the grate. At length he rose,
flung the fire iron noisely into the fender,
and murmured:
“I suppose he won’t come, can’t expect
him in such a fog, and I must be off to the
office soon."
Nevertheless he reseated himself, shuf
fled the chair round, and gazed again
into the blackness, which' had now in
creased through a considerable access of
fog. Suddenly, leaning forward, he said
aloud:
"Hallo, what's that?—a spark? No,
coudn’t have been.” He rubbed his eyes.
“1 see sparks and devils or ghosts when
ever I thing about it—asleep or awake—
perhaps I’m asleep now. Nonsense! H’m!”
So he sat staring at, the blackness. Then
again he said suddenly:
‘Why, there It was, and there it is.
What the deuce is it?”
Presently he seemed once more to have
caught sight of something, for this time
he rose, and walked cautiously into the
corner. He advanced one foot into it. It
happened just there to be clear of furni
ture and studio lumber. He poked his
foot about. He could feel nothing—see
nothing now. He turned apd looked away
for a moment up at the window.—Then
looked back into the corner. Os course
It appeared darker than ever.
“What can it be?” he exclaimed, stoop
ing. “Gone again.”
Then bending quickly down, he grazed
his temple against a projecting canvas
standing against the wall. He muttered
a word not necessary to repeat. With
more caution now, as he dropped on one
knee, he felt out right and left with both
hands like a blind man. Then he ran his
fingers, along the cracks, edges, and
ridges. He stood up. he stooped down
again, still passing his hands over the
floor in all directions. "It’s like a wili
o -the-wlsp," he said. “I see it, and don’t
see it, but there is something that shines,
I’ll swear.”
After continuing his diverting recrea
tion for several minutes, he stood up,
only to go down again Instantly this time
on both knees, for he had again seen the
momentary sparkle. Darting at the exact
spot with hie fingers he touched some
small, projecting substance In the extrem
ist corner. A piece of glass or gravel
was it? Perhaps, but he could not raise
It at first. He persevered, and got his
nail under it. and then It did yield slight
ly. and flashed as It yielded. A little
more grubbing at it, and he found It was
attached to a second, and a third, similar
substance, and that the three were held
by—yes, a ring.
H» stood up vlth it In his hand, and
‘.'Urn/d round 1. eparklMd briiliuntiy now
as he brought It more under the high-up
window, for the light was rapidly* increas
ing, the fog was lifting. In two minutes
more it was clear enough for him to see
that in his hand he held, and could Iden
tify beyond doubt, Lucy s engaged ring.
It being Saturday, Mr. Dartrell return
ed home by 3 o'clock. His wife happen
ed to be In the dining room as he knocked,
and seeing her there as he crossed the
hall, he entered, shut the door, and sat
down without removing his hat or top
coat. He looked so disturbed and angry
that Lucy instantly exclaimed,
“Oh! Bobby, what is the mater?”
“You shall hoar bye-and-bye, dear,” he
answered curtly. “Please go and put on
your hat and cloak. No." he proceeded,
as she began protesting, ‘‘l insist on your
walking round with me at once to Lut
tridge’s studio. I Insist on it. Do as I
tel) you."
He said this so sternly that she was
completely overcome, and began to sob.
For a moment he appeared moved and
hesitated slightly as he repeated,
“Do as I tell you, Lucy. I will not dis
cuss the matter here. It is far too un
pleasant, but 1 am determined to bring
you two face to face. You will see I have
a good cause for insisting.”
‘ dear Rober k tell me,” she began.
I will tell you nothing here,” he inter
rupted. ‘Please don’t keep me waiting,”
and in the deepest distress she left the
room to do his bidding.
The dense fog of the morning had entire
ly cleared off, and the short winter’s twi
light was but slowly creeping on as
husband and wife were on their way to
the studio. He maintained a rigid silence.
He was evidently beside himself, and the
poor little woman had wisdom enough at
last to cease vain importuning.
h J v,ndow • tUI admitted
sufficient light to his painting-room to al
low Mr. Horace Luttridge to critically
no * result of his afternoon’s
work as it stood on the easel in front of
80 employed, a ring at the
model s entrance took him, palette and
brushes in hand, to tne door.
he claimed. on see
ing who his visitors were. “This is a
8 rSH’/’iTS n OBt «51*P«ctod pleasure."
Dartrell, followed by his wife, brushed
past him without salutation. vVhen the
door was shut he turned abruptly and
* Luttrld ?». if you will find
our visit a pleasure. It gives me none,
I promise you. To come to the point at
once, have the goodness to tell me if
you please, how it is I found this ring in
i this room thia morning."
He had taken the jeweled hoop from
! nls waistcoat pocket, and was now hold
-1 ln F. conspicuously in the light, in
I threo large diamonds flashed
i brilliantly.
: Great as had been the artist’s surprise
from the first. It had <rown every mo
j ment, and had become something more
now. especially when he saw from Lucy’s
expression that the production of the
Hng as unexpected to her as to him
self. He looked completely bewildered
His color came and went, and he was
some time before he spoke. The emer
gency was so sudden and unforeseen
I that a man of stronger nerve than Hor-
J ace Luttridge might have displayed some
confusion. Presently, however, by an ef
fort he pulled himself together, ami said
; with comparative calmness:
I “Excuse me. Mr. Dartrell, but upon
| what grounds do you assume that I
i know how you come to And a ring in my
room? I know nothing about it. Indeed
I don’t know that you did find it here’
Your manner is extremely offensive let
me tell you, and without further expla-
i nation I decline prolonging this inter
' view."
Dartrell laughed derisively- whilst his
I poor wife, standing between the two men
j cast appealing glances from one to the
other. He put her aside, and addressing
I Luttridge. said:
"Oh, I will explain, sir. nevsr fe.nr
I Listen, therefore, both of you. You sec
this is the ring which I gave my wife
I when we were engaged. I coull swear
to it anywhere. On the morning of the
’ day before we were married she wore
. It. as trite had ever worn tt since I gave
i it her. In the evening of that
day I missed it from her finger, and site
j told me with some distress that she had
| lost kt.
“Where?* I Inquired. She did not know.
I Mark that. She would be sure to find
I it; but she never did find It. That agree
<i able task was left for me."
He laughed again, sardonically, for he
I was growing cooler now. and I>artrjJi*s
anger ala-ays was the deeper when he
managed to control it. More slowly then
he proceeded .to narrate the exact cir
cumstances under which he discovered
the ring. As he finished he added:
“Pe>rhaps it is as well I could not await
your arrival this morning. My time was
up, and so I deferred my inquiries until
my wife could also be present.”
With this he drew a chair forward, and
sitting down calmly regarded the other
two. They were silent. Dartrell, after a
minute, went on:
"I hope, Mr. Luttridge, you consider
my explanation complete, if not satis
factory. It is your turn now to—in short
answer my original question.”
Lucy threw herself at her husband’s
feet and seized his hand.
“Robert! Robert! dearest Robert!” she
exclaimed, “you cannot suppose for one
instant—you cannot doubt me. You can
not suppose that this miserable business
is not to be easily explained.”
At first he seemed Inclined to thrust
her from him, but as he looked down
into her appealing eyes, he put his other
hand to his brow and hid is face for a
moment.
“I should prefer Mr. Luttrldge’s expla
nation,” he said, but Luttridge seemed
again deprived of speech. He stood look
ing on the ground, restlessly pulling his
mustache. Suddenly, however, he held
out his hand, saying:
“I’ll trouble you, sir, to let me see this
ring. I have only your word for it, that
it is the Identical one."
“This is mere prevarication,” said Dar
trell, “I refuse to show you the ring. I
see by your face that you know all about
it, and how it came here.”
Again the wife spoke, as the artist with
shifty looks was renewing his feeble pro
test.
“It is vain. Horace,” she said, “to pre
varicate. The whole truth must come
out. Be patient, Bobby, and I will tell you
everything. I have striven for years to
shield him from disgrace and ruin. He’s
bringing it on himself now, and alas! per
haps deserves it. Dearest Robert, if you
will but be patient you shall know all.”
"Get up, Lucy,” said Dartrell, rising
himself and assisting her. “God knows if
you can exculpate yourself you shall. I
shall be only too thankful, but I tell you
it cannot be easy. But that I love you as
I do, I would not listen, and I will not
now do so here, for I see by this man’s
face that he would yet prevent you from
speaking if he could. I know not what
influence he has over you, therefore you
shall have a fairer chance than you can
whilst in his presence.”
Luttridge had edged partly behind Dart
rell, and was endeavoring to sign Lucy to
be silent by holding a Anger to his lips.
“You both know.” went on Dartrell,
“as well as I do that this is the ring, and
even when its discovery here is accounted
for, much will remain—aye, very much—
but come away, Lucy. Come with me at
once to your aunt. She must be told how
matters stand, and unless she and you
together can give me better reasons than
seem likely, 1 tell you—well, God knows
what I shall do.” and once more he hid
his face in his hand.
Abruptly, then, he took her by the hand,
and drawing her towards the door by
which they had entered, opened it, and
the two went out, whilst Luttridge with
ill-assumed coolness, began a blustering
tirade about the insults which had been
put upon him.
Some little distance lay between the
studio and the house to which this now
most unhappy couple were repairing.
Dartrell said not a word, but he did not
resist the gentle pressure with which his
wife clung to him, or command her rl
lence as with broken voice she feebly
strove to exonerate. Horace.
“It is all due to his weak and shiftless
nature,” she said. “It was his debt—debt
, —his detits Bobby, which took me his
studio tne day before we were married. *
He pulled up abruptly in the now quiet,
gas-lit, subuioan road, and looked as if
he were about to speak, but in a moment
he went forward again, and she proceed
ed:
“You know from time to time I have
helped him out of money scrapes. He al
ways turned to me, therefore I guessed
what he meant, when I received a note
from him entreating me to come to him
that morning—the day before we were
married. He was in the greatest trouble,
he wrote. Now, it so happened tnat my
pin money had run very short, conse
quently I went almost empty-handed. It
seemed he wanted £SO by 2 o’clock that
day, otherwise, he said, he should be ut
terly ruined, and worse. Nothing less
could be of any use. He might as well
have asked me for a thousand. He grew
angry. I told him he must get out of it
as best he could, and was going to leave.
“ ‘Lucy,’ he cried, ‘forgive me. » am a
brute. Let me tell you, for I tell you
most things, and you will see my neces
sity.”
“The truth is, Bobby,” continued Lucy,
clinging tighter hold of her husband, and
swaying a little in her walk, for they
were moving on slowly, “the truth is I
found out by degrees that he had aporo
priated £SO which did not belong to him,
but to which he had access, to meet %me
stockbroker’s claim on account of a spec
ulation which had turned out badly. He
was bound to pay it that afternoon, and
he was also bound to hand over by 2
o’clock tne £SO he had appropriated.”
“Ah! that he had embezzled,” interrupt
ed Dartrell, "call things by their proper
names.”
"Well, then that he had embezzled. He
implored me to save him, but how could
I give him £SO. Then he said:
“ ‘Lend me something—a piece of jew
elry-something that I can turn into mon
ey within an hour.'
“It was nearly 1 o’clock, and he must
have it by 2. There was no time to lose.
I offered to go and see what I could find.
“ ‘No,’ he said, ‘there is no time. There,
five me that ring. That’s the very thing.
can raise £SO on that at once.’
“I declared I would do nothing of the
kind. He grew furious and tried to take
it off my finger. I would not let him.
I said you would be sure to miss it, and
besides it would be such a bad omen.
“He seized my wrist and tried to force
it off. I resisted all I could. There was
quite a struggle. He became more and
more violent, until he seemed half mad
and hurt my hand. I cried out. He per
sisted. and had nearly torn the ring off
by main force, when in striving to wrench
my hand away, the ring slipped out of
his fingers, flew off up into the air, and
must have fallen—well heaven knows
where, for we did not even hear it fall
It seemed to spurt away as it were—and
vanish."
Again Lucy paused, and this time sway
i ed as if she would have fallen. As Dar
trell held her, he saw she was ghastly
pale.
“Are you faint, Lucy?” he asked, speak
ing more tenderly now.
Very,” she replied.
“Here," he sard, “hold on to me—an
' other yard and you will be at your aunt s
: door.”
They managed to reach it and knock
and for the moment she slightlv rccov
i ered—recovered enough to say faintly
! “Well, we lost it—we lost the ring, iiob
-1 by. For two mortal hours we searched
; everywhere—everywhere, and could not
And it, do—all—we—could."
•••••••• •
The door opened, and as she turned to
step in, she fell forward heavily on the
floor.
"There, keep her perfectly quiet The
I injury is not serious, I hope. She was
1 only severely stunned, and she is doing
. very well now. I will be here the first
j thing in the morning.”
“Thus said the doctor, who had been
sent for when Lucy was carried into
Miss Habgood s house, perfectly sense
less.
“Oh, no, you mustn’t think of taking
her home to-night." continued the doc
tor. in answer to Dartrell’s inquiry. I
would not answer for the consequences ”
So this settled It. The husband watched
by his wife’s bedside until she slept. Very
quietly then, he sought Miss tiabgood
anti after some conversation, told her in
explanation of their visit, ail that had
happened.
The old lady appeared greatly concerned,
naturally, but being a woman of consid
erable nerve, had not lost her composure
for an instant.
“Well. Mr. Dartrell.” she said, “it was
a very foolish affair, and arises entirely
from people not being perfectly straight-
SAVANNAH, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1895.
forward. I am always straightforward,
at least when I’m allowed to be so.”
She seemed to think this ended it, but
as Robert Dartrell’s face bore signs of
great anxiety, not unmixed with anger,
she went on:
“I don’t know that anything more is to
be said. I don’t think you need be anxious
after what the doctor told you.. Lucy will
get better in a few days, and it will be
all over.”
"I am sorry I can't agree with you, my
dear Miss Habgood. It. appears to me to
be far from over. The explanation of the
ring may be true enough, but you cannot
expect me to condone my wife’s intimacy
with Mr. Luttridge when it goes to the
length of her visiting him clandestinely in
his own room, as she did by her own con
fession. I have always objected to, the in
timacy, and she knew it.”
“But, my dear sir,” broke in Miss Hab
good, “you don’t suppose ”
“Excuse me; I may suppose anything.
You know as well as I do that he is in no
way related to Lucy. There is no blood
relationship, nothing to prevent—you un
derstand what I mean.”
The old lady bit her lip, and for the first
time showed signs of uneasiness.
“I am surprised at you, Robert Dart
rell,” she said; “but perhaps I ought not
to be, knowing of what a jealous man
is capable, and you are a jealous man
—a very jealous man. I foresaw the like
lihood of trouble in this quarter. 1 said
as much to the colonel. And I implored
him over and over again to speak out
and make a clean breast of it. After
my dear sister’s death there was no need
for secrecy. You ought to have been
told, when you asked him for Lucy s
hand, and he should hav6 told both Lucy
and Horace long ago. They both ought
to have known, if only as a precaution
ary measure, to prevent the possibility
well, to prevent the possibility of their
falling in love with each other. Not but
what, she went on, “nature manages
these things better than men. Quite
early it was evident to me natural in
stinct was at work, and put a barrier at
once to any thought of love arising be
tween them.”
“But, my dear madam,” said Dartrell.
“I don’t follow you. You say I ought to
have been told, and Mr. Luttridge—but
what ought I to have been told?”
“Ah! that’s the point. It all comes of
not being straightforward, as I say.”
“But really I don’t understand. Pray
tell me! What do you mean?”
Dartrell’s face had brightened a little,
I for he began to perceive a glimmer of
the truth.
“I repeat, what ought I to have been
told?”
The old lady looked at him keenly, bit
her lip again ,and then said more slow
ly:
"Heaven forgive me if I tell you, for I
promised the colonel on his deathbed that
I would keep his secret to my dying day.
Still I must break my word now it has
come to this. Yes, I must. Well, then,
my dear sir, in two words, Horace Lut
tridge and Lucy are brother and sister.
Col. Wynward was the father of both.”
Bobby rose as if a load had been taken
from his shoulders, and uttering a sigh
of relief, sat down again—the shadow of
that terrible doubt was gone—Then he
said:
“Thank God! Yes! I ought to have
been told. It would have spared me many
an anxious, bitter moment."
"Pardon me, Robert Dartrell. if I say
that with the exercise of a little more
common sense, you could have spared
yourself all anxiety on the point. Loving
Lucy as I believe you do, you ought to
have had more trust in her, for without
trust there cannot he complete and per
fect love.”
“Y-Ott—are cjnittr my uoar'(Miss
Habgood—dear au.at, I hope 1 may call
you. I have been a great ass—excuse me
—I have been very wrong, I mean. I
deserve to suffer, and I nave; but the
lesson the last twelve hours have taught
me will not be easily forgotten, I promise
you.”
Nor was it. Horace Luttridge, who
had managed by the skin of his teeth to
save his reputation as an honorable man,
also learned something that was useful
to him on that memorable day of the fog.
When he wants advice now, and he fre
quently does, he seeks it from Robert
Dartrell in preference to his wife, and if
artist and government official are not
intimate, they are at least very good
friends when they meet.
(The End).
A BIG FIRE RAGING.
An Orphan Asylum in Ruins and
Other Buildings Burning.
Milwaukee, Wls., Dec. 11, 10 p. m.—A
large fire is raging in the suburb of St.
Francis and at this hour is not under
control. The St. Amelianus orphan asy
lum was completely destroyed and it is
possible that the flames may spread to
the Catholic seminary, w’hich is separated
from the asylum only by a small creek.
The wind is blowing a gale and all com
munication by wire is Interrupted.
Close to the asylum are the chapel, the
printing office and a barn, which are built
In the shape of a triangle.
The fire started in the printing office
at 6 o’clock. At this hour the employes
stopped work and the pressman, Chris
Fuhrmann, accidentally knocked over a
lamp which exploded. He tried to extin
guish the fire by throwing clothes over
the flames. The draft carried the flames
to the ceiling, which w r as in a blaze in a
moment. The pressman rushed out of the
building and called for help, but as there
is no fire department at St. Francis, the
flames ate their way to other parts of the
building. In the asylum there w-ere 192
boys, ranging in age from 3 to 15 years.
They all marched out in good order and
no one was hurt. As tljere was no fire
apparatus, a bucket brigade was formed
and help asked from this city. Engine
companies 8 and 10 were ordered to the
scene of the fire, but they were absolute
ly powerless.
The building With all its contents was
burned to the ground and the firemen
directed their efforts to save the semi
nary and other adjoining buildings. It
is snowing now ana the nope is enter
tained that the efforts of the fire depart
ment will be successful.
Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 11, 11:45 p. m.—
At 11:30 p. m., the fire was under control.
The firemen succeeded in preventing the
flames from spreading to the seminary.
The asylum is completely destroyed. The
loss will amount to $50,000 and is fully in
sured. As soon as possible the building
will be re-erected.
PROTECTION DEAD IN ENGLAND.
Lord Salisbury Holds Out no Hope
for the Polley.
London, Dec. 11.—A deputation, headed
by the Earl of Winchelsea, waited upon
Lord Salisbury to-day and urged that the
government readjust the duty on beer
so as to encourage the growth of English
hops and barley.
Lord Salisbury intimated that the pro
posals submitted by the delegation meant
protection, said he believed that public
opinion was not at all changed upon that
question. Protection, he said, would not
return at any period to which the present
generation could look.
BLAZE AT BIRMINGHAM.
Damage of gl£.<MK> to the Whitney
Building and Ita Contents.
Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 11.—The Whit
ney building, occupied by Robert Gary
& Co., dealers in wholesale dry goods and
notions, caught fire to-night at 8 o’clock.
• and the fire did about $12,000 worth of dam
's age to the stock and building before it
I was put out. The building is valued at
| SIO,OOO, with $€,750 of insurance, and the
stock is valued at $25.00). with SIB,OOO in-
1 surar.ee.
CRUEL WORK AT THE CANIPS.
THE CONVICT HORRORS LAID BE
FORE THE LEGISLATURE.
Chairman Reagan Presents the Re
port of the Investigating Commit
tee—The Dade County Camp the
Worst in the Lot—Several Impor
tant Appropriations Made A
Lively Fight Over the Bill to Al
low the Governor to Issue Treas
ury Notes.
Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 11.—Mr. Reagan of
Henry county, chairman of the peniten
tiary committee of the House, which re
cently made an investigation of the condi
tion of the convicts in the i state peni
tentiary camps, made a highly sensa
tional report to the legislature to-day. The
story told in the report is one of starva
tion and cold and heartless cruelty, al
most too horrible to be believed. With
few exceptions the convict camps were
found to be in, a fearful condition, with
the Inmates subjected to every cruelty
and half-starved and half-clothed in the
bargain. It is a sickening record that
stares out from the report and the re
sult will probably be such an upturning as
has never been seen since the lease sys
tem was first established.
The report says at most of the camps
insufficient (building were provided for
the comfort of the convicts and that such
was especially the case at Alexanderville,
Echo, Rising Fawn, the camps in Worth
county and at the Dade coal mines. At
Echo, Andersonville, Toledo and Max
well the buildings were miserable substi
tutes for house, being on the ground in
a malarial section and subjecting the
convicts to disease and death.
“At Alexander,” continues the report,
“the convicts did not receive one third as
much food as was necessary. At the
Dade coal mines it was the same story,
everything being in the very -worst con
dition and the convicts being half fed and
half starved.”
The most sensational part of the report
covers the Dade County Company camp,
although the balance of the camps were
found bad enough to shock any humane
community. Siberia, almost loses it£ hor
rors in comparison with the Dade county
camp. The report says of it: “In addi
tion to being starved and without suffi
cient clothing they are treated with great
cruelty, the system of corporal punish
ment adopted by the superintendent, who
it seems is also the whipping boss, is the
most brutal ever Inflicted by one human
being upon another. The half-starved
convict is thrown upon his back, and
while in this position a machine attached
to a hose is fastened over his nose and
water is thrown into his nostrils until
he is almost trangled, and as the victim
shows signs of reviving, the water is
again turned on, and the strangling
process is repeated until the victim has
barely enough life left In him to rise from
the ground. Such brutal and Inhuman
treatment should not be tolerated a day
** i infliotor should be properly pun
ished. Such outrageous conduct is a dis
grace to the state, and we recommend
that the proper authorities look after this
matter without delay and that saltDcon
yicts be removed from said camp and
iron* the control of the said superintend
ent.
. T , h ®. report concludes as follows: “We
feel that the great state of Georgia can
not afford to allow those who are placed
in her custody, criminals though they be.
to be starved or beaten to death They
are certainly entitled to humane treat
ment, and it is the duty of the state to see
that they receive it.
‘ With a few exceptions, we find the
camps in a bad condition and the convicts
not well treated, and we most heartllv
condemn the present lease system and
congratulate the people of the state that
it is soon to be ended and the blot upon
the fair name of our state removed for
ever.”
Several important appropriations were
made by the legislature to-day. The
House refused day before yesterday to
appropriate the money asked by the State
Normal School at Athens for a building
of a dormitory. The Senate, however,
this morning put an amendment to the
bill giving the $25,000 to the Girls* Nor
mal and Industrial School, allowing the
Athens school $7,000, and after some de
bate the House accepted the amendment,
so the normal school will get a dormitory
after all.
The Senate also inserted in the bill
$5,000 for the Technological School, but
the House refused to agree to this, and
the Senate receding, the Technological
School gets nothing.
The Senate declined to pass the House
bill providing for the issuance of $240,-
000 treasury notes for the payment of in
digent soldiers’ pensions, but instead
passed a resolution authorizing the gov
ernor to make a temporary loan to pay
these pensions. The House, when this
substitute was sent over, refused to agree,
but insisted that the Issuance of the
treasury notes was a better method of
paying the pensions than making a loan,
upon which the state would have to pay
out considerable in interest. A confer
ence committee was anpointed. .
The House finally agreed to the Senate
amendment on the bill. The governor
will borrow the money and payment will
be made Jan. 1. The soldiers will not get
their pensions for 1895, however under the
Senate amendment.
The Senate also passed the bill appro
priating SSOO to repaint the state capital
dome, which needs it very badly, ana al
though having defeated a similar House
measure it was agreed to by the lower
branch for the sake of harmony in the
legislative halls.
The Senate killed the bill by Speaker
Fleming of Richmond, making the earn
ings of a married woman her personal
property and not subject to the debts of
her husband.
Mr. Fogarty’s bill empowering the city
of Augusta to construct drainage canals
outside of the corporate limits was passed
and is ready for the governor’s approval.
The bill cutting down the fees of oil in
pectors was lost in the House, after hav
ing passed the Senate on Monday.
The bill to repeal the act under which
municipal corporations are authorized to
levy a tax upon drummers was lost in
the Senate, after a sharp debate.
Mr. McCurry of Hart county, chairman
of the special committee, sent to Augus
ta to examine the fish ways in the Savan
nah river, made his report in the House
this morning, accompanying it with a res
olution directing the fish commission to
make periodical examinations of the fish
ways, and report upon the same to the
government. If he finds that the fish
ways are not adequate the governor is
to take steps to have them made so, in
order that the people living above Au
gusta may have the pleasure of angling
in the Savannah for the festive shad in
season.
The general assembly adjourned sine
die to-night at 12 o’clock. The adjourn
ment was conducted amid rather more or
derly scenes than usually characterize
the last hours of Georgia’s law-making
body, on account of the fact that both
houses had their hands full of business.
Quite a number of bills were left over
on the desk of the clerk of the House,
but none of them are of great import
ance.
The House to-night presented Speaker
Fleming with a handsome silver service,
in recognition of his services as speaker.
President Venable of the Senate was pre
sented with a handsome watch fob.
Six Drowned in a Colliery.
Dublin. Dec. 11.—Water burst into a col
liery at Cong, county Mayo to-day, and
flooded the shaft to a depth of 150 feet,
and drowned six men.
A SENSATION IN THE HOUSE.
Secretary Calloway and Speaker
Fleming; Fall Ont.
Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 11.—After the ad
journment of the House to-night Speaker
Fleming arose to a question of privilege
and made a statement to the House,
which was the culmination of sensational
rumors tending to complicate the speaker
and Gov. Atkinson’s private secretary,
Maj. Frank Calloway, in a personal con
troversy, or worse difficulty.
On Monday when Mr. Calloway appear
ed at the door of the House with a
sage from the governor, the House was
so engaged that the speaker did not or
der it received at once, and Secretary
Calloway went back to the executive of
fice feeling offended. He thought that he
had been personally slighted by Speaker
Fleming and when later Speaker Fleming
sent a page to him to tell him that the
House was ready to receive the message,
Maj. Calloway sent back word that ‘.‘the
whole business might go to h—, with his
compliments,” at least that is what Mr.
Fleming stated in his explanation to-night
that the private secretary said to the
page.
Mr. Calloway, however, insists that he
said that the speaker, personally, and not
the House, or the whole business, might
make the trip to the lower regions, as
suggested. It was over this difference
that the difficulty appeared to be brewing.
An afternoon paper published an inter
view from Secretary Calloway, giving the
story according to his view, which made
the intended insult a personal one to Mr.
Fleming, and not to the House. Mr.
Fleming refused to be interviewed by the
paper publishing the story. Secretary
Calloway was on the floor of the House
all the evening, and all sorts of develop
ments were rumored. He at one time as
cended the speaker’s stand and held an
excited interview with the speaker, still
insisting that he had not sent his mes
sage to the House. In his statement,
during which he said he had not
intended to refer to the matter, .but de
sired to shield the secretary from cen
sure or criticism by the House, Mr. Flem
ing produced an affidavit from the page
who had carried the message corroborat
ing his version.
After Mr. Fleming’s statement Mr.
Rockwell of Chatham tried to make an
explanation on behalf of Secretary Cal
loway, but the House would not hear It.
If, is understood that the explanation
would have been but a repetition of Maj.
Calloway’s assertion that he intended his
message as a personal one only to Speak
er Fleming.
Mr. Fleming does not consider that he
has any quarrel with Secretary Calloway
about his action as speaker, and no man
who knows him would suggest for an
instant that he would shirk personal re
sponsibility on any legitimate matter. It
is possible that there may be further de
velopments of a sensational character,
though friends of both Speaker Fleming
and Secretary Calloway hope to satisfac
torily adjust the misunderstanding.
GROVER WEATHERS THE STORM.
T
Unfounded Sensational Reports
Afloat at Washington.
Washington, Dec. 11.—Private Secretary
Thurber is authority for the statement
that there is not a word of truth in the
report that the cabinet
have telegraphed to the President to le
turn to Washington. A denial of the
story is also given by Secretary Herbert.
Mr. Thurber says it was not known until
last night where a dispatch would reach
the President, for it was the intention of
the presidential party to put in several
days shooting without interruption and
return to Washington by Friday or Sat
urday of this week.
Last night the President telegraphed
from Hatteras Point that he was enjoying
his trip, and meeting with gratifying suc
cess with his gun, and he added he would
probably return according to his origi
nal intention, in season for the regular
Friday meeting. He stated that he was
in excellent health and was in no danger
from the prevailing storm.
In spite of this official assurance from
Mr. Thurber, there was considerable gos
sip and speculation in administration and
political circles generally, in consequence
of the report that several of the Presi
dent’s advisers had telegraphed him to
hasten back to Washington to consider
the reply of Lord Salisbury on the Ven
ezuelan question, and also, Sec
retary Carlisle’s report on the financial
condition of the treasury. Various ru
mors were in circulation to the effect that
the steamer Violet was In an exceeding
ly dangerous position and fears were ex
pressed as to the safety of the presiden
tial party. Yesterday a terrific storm
raged about Hatteras, the wind blowing
from the north and northwest at the rate
of fifty-six miles an hour. In fact, all
along the coast It blew at a velocity of
from fifty to sixty miles an hour. The
storm was central near Hatteras last
night. It was learned yesterday that re
quests have been made of all government
employes along the coast to make no re
port to the outside world of the move
ments of the presidential party, and the
only news obtainable Is from masters of
incoming vessels. The subject was free
ly discussed and commented upon to
night in the hotels and clubs, but beyond
•the statements of Private Secretary Thur
ber, no one was prepared to verify the
more or less sensational reports in circu
lation.
Norfolk, Va„ Dec. 11.—The storm which
settled over Hatteras yesterday has abat
ed and to-night the Wind is only blowing
at the rate of ten miles an hour. The
Violet successfully weathered the gale,
but the presidential party has done no
shooting to-day. There is every Indica
tion that to-morrow will be an ideal day
for duck shooting. The plans of the Pres
ident have been somewhat changed, he
having decided not to leave Hatteras un
til Friday, arriving in Norfolk Saturday
and reaching Washington early Monday
morning.
DEATH IN A COAL MINE.
Three Men Lose Their Lives as the
Resnlt of an Explosion.
Rich Hill, Mo., Dec. 11.—An explosion
occurred in mine No. 15 of the Rich Hili
Coal Company about 6 o’clock this even
ing. The entrance is badly torn up and
the mine cannot yet be entered. Three
men were imprisoned. Their names are
Dick Towes, Jim Donaldson and Owen
Meals. Meals’ body was recovered, but
the others are beyond reach at present.
The mine is located a mile and three-quar
ters south of Rich Hill and employs 175
men, though at the time of the accident
all the regular miners are supposed to
have been out of the mine, as only the
shot firers have any business there. No
cause for the accident can yet be assigned.
DURRANT’S DAY OF DEATH.
Judge Murphy Names Feb. 21 as the
Date of His Execution.
San Francisco, Dec. 11.—Judge Murphy
this afternoon fixed Feb. 21, 1896, as the
date for the execution of W. H. T. Dur
rant, convicted of the murder of Blanche
Lamont, in April last. The application of
Durrant’s counsel for a writ of probable
cause was denied by Judge Murphy this
morning. The motion for a stay of pro
ceedings will be parsed upon to-morrow
Durrant Is not elated over the prospect
of his removal to the San Quenten peni
tentiary, but otherwise he exhibits the ’
same indifference which has marked his i
bearing throughout the trial. '
< WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK Ji A YEAR )
< 5 CENTS A COPY. t
I DAILY, 110 A YEAR. J
MONDAYS
AND
THURSDAYS
SAID PASHA AND THE SULTAN.
THE EX-GRAND VIZIER NOT TO BE
ALLOWED TO LEAVE TURKEY.
The Saltan Says the Former Official
Knows Too Many Secrets to Be Per-,
mitted to Leave the Empire—The
British Ambassador Sends the Sul
tan a Note Exi>ressing the Hope
That Said Pasha Would Not Be
Harmed.
Constantinople, Dec. 11.—The porte haa
granted exequaturs to Maj. Williams and
Maj. Bulman, the newly appointed British
vice consuls at Van and Sivas, and also
to the British vice consul at Harpoot.
The vice consuls will start for their
posts Immediately.
In the appeal made to the sultan by M.
Nelidorff, the Russian ambassador, in the
name of the czar, he strongly advised the
sultan to concede the demands for ex
tra guardships in order to avoid magnify
ing the matter, as he assured the sultan
the demand would be persisted in by the
powers.
The negotiations for a government loan
of £1,000,000, secured by the revenues of
the Turkish tobacco regie, have fallen
through.
It is learned that Said Pasha, in reply;
to the sultan’s demand that he leave the
British embassy and return to his homa,
said that he was willing to live in any
place outside of Turkey that r.he suit**
might appoint and would also pledge him
self to keep entirely aloof from politics
being, in view of the circumstances, ex*
tremely anxious to leave the country witn
his family. To this the sultan replied that
he was unwilling that Said Pasha should
put himself outside of his (the sultan’si
power, as he was the custodian of too
many secrets.
The result is that Said received the as
sent of the Sultan to his living anywhere
within the empire, together with the im
perial assurance that his majesty would
not compel him to hold office, and upon
this assurance Said returned to his home.
Upon leaving the British embassy Said
left a letter addressed to Sir Philip Cur
rie, the British ambassador, thanking him
for his protection and hospitality. Sir
Philip wrote a letter to the sultan expres
sing the hope that Said Pasha would not
be harmed.
Placards denouncing the sultan were
posted on the morning of Dec. 10 in all
‘the principal mosques and at the gate
of the Ylldiz palace, the sultan’s residence.
After the decision of the porte, to Issue
an irade permitting the passage of extra
guardships through the straits of the Dar
danelles, the foreign diplomats held a
meeting at which they decided that th*
presentation of an ultimatum to the porte
was needless, inasmuch as the firmana
demanded had been granted.
An Armenian messenger employed in
the British postoffice was arrested at the
Yildiz palace by detectives to-day and
conveyed to the central police station,
where he was examined and released.
London, Dec. 11.—It is learned at th®
admiralty that the dispatch boat Cicat
rice sailed on the 10th to loin the squadron
at Salonica. The Dryad is expected to
arrive on the morning of the 12th.
A dispatch from Constantincpie dated
Dec. 12 'laid Prosha’s return t<»
his residence w’as contrary to the publics"
expectance. He drove thither in the car
riage of Sir Philip Currie, the British am
bassador, accompanied by the dragoman
of the British embassy. On the same eve
ning the secret police who had been sta
tioned around the embassy were with
drawn.
Said Pasha, in his letter to Sir Philip
Currie, dwelt upon his forty-three years
of public service, including five vizlerates,
and said that now that his health was
exhausted he was unable to bear the bur
dens of the post that the sultan wished
him to assume. His majesty had after
wards offered him a special appointment;
in the palace to direct Important affairs
of state. Unhappily, his health did not
allow him to do this. His purpose In go
ing to the embassy was to escape the em
barrassments and thereafter to leave the
country. Said Pasha intended to pass
one night at the embassy, in which belief
he wrote immediately to the grand vizier
expressing the hope that his request
would be favorably regarded. On th®
same evening, however, the sultan sent
his messenger and informed Said
that his majesty continued to hold hla
former grand vizier in high favor, and had
entire confidence In his fidelity. On the
following day the sultan gave similar as
surances to the other embassies, express
ing a desire that Said should not leave th®
country. While grateful to his majesty.
Said was compelled to consider the intol
erable intrigues of the palace and conse
quently felt bound to reiterate his request
to leave Turkey. Deopite this, the sultan
on thirteen occasions sent hte chamber
lains and his secretary to reassure Bald
of his majesty’s wish that he abandon hi:i
intention. The sultan, moreover, gave no
written assurances. For these reason®
Said remained five days at the embassy,
despite his intention to remain only on®
night. But on the other hand, his request
had not met with a favorable reply, while
he felt obliged to attest his appreciation
of the sentiments and assurances of his
sovereign. His letter was an expression,
of gratitude to Sir Philip Currie and hl®
wife. Throughout the communication®
with the palace, Said Pasha, .had full
liberty of action.
The Standard to-morrow will print a
Constantinople dispatch, saying that th®
porte is absolutely deserted, and that the
ministers are living day and night in th®
palace, where confusion reigns supreme.
The Chronicle to-morrow will print a
Constantinople dispatch saying it is re
ported that the sultan swore on the
Koran to protect Said Pasha's life and
liberty. He also presented to Said Pasha
a large sum of money and granted him
a pension of £365 monthly. The sultan
seems to have had a fit of generosity
toward suspects. He sent Klamil Pasha,
formerly grand vizier, a rosary worth
£2.000 and increased his stipend £5,000.
The Times to-morrow will print a dis
patch from its Constantinople correspond
ent saying that Said Pasha’s return
to his home was due to the pressure
brought to bear by Tashln Effendi, the
sultan's first secretary, and Tewflk Pasha,
The correspondent adds that It would be
vain to predict a sequel to the episode.
A Constantinople dispatch which the
Daily Telegraph will publish to-morrow
says that Tt is generally felt that Said
has stultified himself by leaving the em
bassy.
The Chronicle’s correspondent says that
some regard Said as playing a very deep
game, and that these perhaps are better
informed than those who believe that
he has acted foolishly.
A Constantinople dispatch, that the
Times will print to-morrow, will say that
the French dispatch boat, the Faucon, la
due to arrive there on Dec. 13, and that the
second dispatch boats of the other powers
will arrive singly later.
Dispatches from Urumi Yah, under date
of Dec. 10, say it is now certain that the
Hammadeh cavalry destroyed 200 vil
lages in the vilayet of Van, and that 50,-
000 homeless Armenians are Hocking to
the city of Van. According to these dis
patches, the government is doing nothing
to prevent outrages upon the Armenians.
FOUND DEAD IN HIS BED.
A Prominent Citizen of Charlotte
Commit* Sufeide.
Charlotte, N. C., Dec. 11.— " W. N. Prath
er, a banker and prominent citizen of
Charlotte, was found dead in his room
this morning, with a rope around hi»
neck. His death had, however, really
been caused by an overdose of morphine.
He was a sufferer from melancholia and
dyspepsia. He was a prominent Musca* _
NO 95.