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SON OF GRANT BEING BOOMED By Eastern Democrats for the Presidential Nomination. TIMBER OF FIRST-CLASS Leaders of Party Believe Youngest Sod of Great Union Commander Would Stand Good Chinee to Win. The Atlanta Constitution publishes the following: That a well-organized boom is being launched for the purpose of securing the democratic nomination for the presidency for Jesse R. Grant, the youngest son of former President Ulysses S. Grant, the great union commander, was the interesting intel ligence brought to Atlanta yesterday by Hon. G. V. Gress of Heartsease, Ga., who has just returned from New York, where he was in close touch with the democratic leaders. Colonel Gress, who wilt always be remembered in Atlanta as the donor of. the Grant Park Zoo, andw ho is quite a figure in Georgia politics, hav ing represented Wilcox county in the legislature at different times has fre quent business in New York in con nection with his extensive lumber in terests, and during his trips to the metropolis has become intimately ac quainted with the strongest men in the democratic organization. Colonel Gress declares that there is no doubt as to the determination of the Grant Park Zoo, and who is name before the democratic conven tion, and he believes that by the time the convention meets Mr. Grant will have a large number of delegates pledged to his support. “A betteY man to head the ticket would be hard to find,” declares Colo nel Gress. “A lifelong democrat and a man whose life has been spotlessly clean, the New York leaders believe that he is the best man available to oppose Roosevelt, for they are certain that Roosevelt will again head the l'epublican ticket. “Mr. Grant, though forty-eight years of age and for twenty years a power in the democratic councils of New York, lias never held public office. He could have had any place he desired in the city government, but he refus ed all offers, as he did the foreign mission which was tendered him by President Cleveland. Mr. Grant has kept himself in the background wait ing for the proper opportunity, and he and his friends think this has now come. All along he has done yeo man service for the party, and I can say with the greatest certainty that he now has the backing of nearly all the democratic leaders of New York whose influence counts for anything. “New York and New Jersey and some of the other eastern states are already enthusiastically for him, and prominent democrats declare that, should he be nominated, he will have no trouble in swinging those states into line, fihe question of Mr. Grant’s candidacy is now being put before the democratic leaders of other states, and the n?ost favorable expressions have been heard. A number of south ern states are counted on to come into the- Grant column. “The eastern leaders with whom I have talked feel that they can get the support of the south for Mr. Grant, despite the sentiment which has be come widespread in the south that it is time for a southern man to lead the democratic hosts. They think that just now no southern man could make anything like the showing which they are sure Mr. Grant could make. They speak of wishing some prominent southern man named for vice presi dent, but as to just who he shall be nothing definite ha3 been said, of course. Mr. Grant’s friends feel that the routh will come into its own in due time, and it is with this idea that they are going to go out for southern delegates. JUDI.E BLECKLEY L4ll) 10 REST. funeral Services Held in Georgia Supreme Court Room in Atlanta. All that was mortal of Judge Logan E. Bleckley, eminent jurist, patriotic citizen, profound scholar, humanitari an and dreamer of beautiful dreams, was laid to rest in Oakland cemetery, at Atlanta Thursday. Tlie services in the supreme court chamber were chamber, Atlanta, Thursday, were marked with that degree of simplicity which best befitted the last chapter in the life of a man who ever frowned on ostentation and display. ROADS MAKING A HOWL. Declare They Are Being Ruined and Send Magnate Morgan to Confer With Rooseveit on Situa on. J. Pierpont Morgan, the New York financier, arrived in Washington in his private car Monday night, and went immediately to the White House, where he was in conference with President Roosevelt for more than two hours. The object of Mr. Mor gan’s visit was to urge the presi dent to take some section to "allay the public anxiety now threatening to obstruct railroad investments and construction.” Mr. Morgan pointed out to the pres ident that the financial interests of the country are greatly alarmed at the attitude of the administration to ward corporations, and particularly the railroads. At Mr. Morgan’s earnest request President Roosevelt has agreed to have a conference with four leading railroad presidents, Messrs. McCrea, of the Pennsylvania; Newman, of the New York Central; Mellen, of the New Y'ork, New Haven and Hartford; and Hughitt, of the Chicago and Northwestern, to determine if some agreement can be reached as to the relations between the railroads and the administration. It is probable lhat E. H. Harriman, head of the Harrimaa lines, may also participate in the conference, which, it is un derstood, will take place at the White House. After boarding his train shortly af ter midnight to return to New York, Mr. Morgan dictated the following statement: ‘■At the request of many business men, before leaving for Europe, I came to Washington to see the presi dent to discuss the present business situation, particularly as affecting the railioads. I suggested to the presi dent that it would be greatly in the public interest if he would see Mr. McCrea, Mr. Newman, Mr. Mellon and Mi. Hughitt and confer with them as tc what steps might be taken to allay the public anxiety as to the relations between the railroads and the gov ernment. I'he president said he would be glad to see the gentlemen named with this end in view.” P. F. Yoakum, chairman of the board of directors of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad, also had an interview Monday with Presi dent Roosevelt and members of the interstate commerce commission re garding the railroad situation. He toid President Roosevelt that the agita tion and legislation in various states regarding two cent fares and the re duction in freight rates have had the effect of making it almost im possible for the railroads to nego tiate loans on their securities and he declared ‘‘the railroad men are will ing that the supervision of the rail roads ho centralized in the national government. “That,” he added, “would restore confidence and give the people to understand that the railroads wish to observe the laws and it would stop the hostile legislation in various states ’ LOVJPLaiM MADE BY KOOStVELT. Declares Action of California Will Prevent Settlement of Jup Question. Governor Gillette of California has sent to the state senate a message from President Roosevelt, complain ing that rhe recent action of the legis lature would have a most unlortunate effect on the oresidcnt’s efforts lo secure exclusion ef Japanese laborers by friendly agreement. The president asked the governor to secure suspen sion of further action until receipt of a letter from him MONTHLY KtPOiff Of GINNtil ■>. Official Figures Place Numbar of Boles to March 2 at 2,7 6,000- The National Ginners’ Association issued a bulletin at Memphis, Tenn., at 1 o’clock Monday showing the num ber of Dales of cotton ginned up to March 2 1907, to be 12.718,000. The report is signed by J. A. Tay lor, president of the association. NEW YOKfi HAS SNOW SfORM. Likewise, Philadelphians ere Greeted With fad of Sevan Inches Leaden skies and tho ominous east wind to which New Yorkers awoke Sunday, dashed any hopes they may have entertained that the backbone of the winter, locally speaking, had been broken. The city’s thirteenth big snowstorm materialized. The sicrm seems to have centered along the New Jersey c-ast and east ern Pennsylvania. Snow foil continu ous lv for fifteen hours to a depth of seven inches in Philadelphia. EXPLANATION BY BONAPARTE New Light Thrown on His Opinion Anent Immigration Statute. NOT A BLOW TO SOUTH Souihtrn States Can Continue to Induce Foreigners to Come Hence With Only Small Restrictions. A Washington special says: South Carolina officials and others interest ed in the attitude of the administra tion towaids assisted immigration, held a conference Monday with Presi dent Roosevelt and Attorney General Bonaparte at the White House and with Secretary Straus at the depart ment of commerce and labor. Tlie result of the conference with the president and Mr. Bonaparte, ac cording to statements made by for mer Governor D. C. Heyward and Commissioner of Immigration Wat son, of South Carolina, was entirely satisfactory to all concerned, and the opinion was expressed by Mr. Hey ward that according to the explana tions made by the government offi cers, the new immigration law will not deprive the states of any rights conferred by former laws which may not nave been appealed or by the existing laws. Early in the day Messrs. Heyward and Watson had a brief conference with the president. This was follow ed late in the afternoon by a second meeting, at which in additioin to those named there were present Attorney General Bonaparte, R. G. Rhett, may or of Charleston, and Thomas F. Par ker, the chairman of the immigra tion committee ot the South Carolina Manufacturers’ Association. At its conclusion Ihe attorney general and his visitors said the conference had been a satisfactory one. These conferences grew out of a request made by Mr. Heyward, who, with Mr. Watson, is about to start for Europe to make an effoi 1. to se cure the permanent establishment of the line of steamers which the North German Steamship Company has been operating to Cliarleston, with a view to turning tho tide of immigration southward. The opinion of Attorney General Bonaparte, rendered last week on the immigration question, they fearel was calculated to upset their plans. At the meeting the entire matter was reviewed carefully and Mr. Bona parte explained the exact meaning ol his opinion Messrs. Heyward and Watson ex plained that the state did not wish to do anything not absolutely legal in securing immigrants needed in South Caiolina. “The result,” said Mr. Watson af ter the meeting, “is satisfactory to all. We do not feel that the move ment for immigration to the south will be retarded ir. any way as a result of the attitude of the adminis tration and I am sure that the la bor interests will riot only not be in jured In any way, but will be bene fited.” Former Governor Heyward said: “The construction of the law as given by the attorney general today )3 absolutely satisfactory to the move ment for immigration to the south. It has never been the purpose of this movement to bring in contract or cheap labor. The question of the rights and power of the state as to prepayment of the passages of immi grants wiii doubtless be set forth later by the attorney general. It seems certain that the new law will not deprive the states of any rights conferred by the former or present laws. 1 was very much gratified at the interest shown by the president and all the officials in our movement to upbuild the south on practical lines and I feel that they all now have a clearer idea of its economic value to the entire country.” ’ ■ >1 MONEY RETURNED BY PfRKINS. Was Given By New York life Insurance Company ler Campaign George W. Perkins, former first vice president of the New York Life Insurance company and now a mem ber of the firm of J. P. Morgan & Cos., has sent to the New York Life his personal check for $54,019.19 to re imburse the company for the repub lican campaign contributions made from its funds in 1904, in connection with which Mr. Perkins recently was made defendant oa a charge of lar ceny JUDGE APPLAUDS VERDICT Unwritten Law Exonerates Strother Brothers Charged With Murder of Their Sister's Betrayer. James and Philip Strother, on trial for the past two weeks at Culpeper, Va., charged with the murder of their brother-in-law, William F. Bywaters, were Thursday morning pronounced not guilty by the jury. The twelve men who tried the case spent an hour and thirty-two minutes in reach ing their verdict. The announcement was the signal for an outburst of approval, which Judge Harrison quickly silenced. Jas. Strother readied for the hand of Mr* Moore, one of his counsel, and Philip was quickly surrounded by his friends, who have stood by the brothers since the opening of the trial. Mrs. James Strother, overcome by Emotion, fell forward into her husband's arms, sob bing. When the effects of the critical mo ment passed, Judge Hairison address ed the jury as follows: “Gentlemen of the jury, I thank you for a verdict which I think will be approved by the public. It is an established precedent in the state of Virginia that no man tried for de fending the sanctity of his home should bo found guilty.” Philip and James A. Strother shot to death their brother-in-law, William A. Bywaters, as he was emerging from a window in their home in an effort to abandon their sister, whom he had married at the point of a gun held over him by them. The attempted escape came as a thrilling climax in a story of love, ro mance, deception and threatened de sertion. Mrs. Bywaters, formerly Miss Strother, was one of the most beauti ful and popular young women of the neighborhood in which she and her family lived. She met young Bywaters several months previous to the kill ing, and it is said she suffered the price of folly because of her great love for the man to whom she had en trusted the keeping of her heart. The fact that the jury brought in a verdict of acquittal is due more than anything else to the testimony given on the witness stand at the trial by Mrs. By waters, who laid bare the secrets of her heart to save the brothers who risked their lives in de fending her. Under direct and cross-examination she unflinchingly told of her relations with Lywaters and his broken prom ises lo marry her. Her story created a profound interest and sympathy in every heart, and it is believed settled any doubts in the minds of the jurors as to what their verdict should be. Mrs. Bywaters was carried into tho court room in an invalid's chair, and though she is in failing health, her weak voice was heard throughout the court room, which was still as death while she told her story of abandon ment to (he court and jury. The defence of the Strother boys was that they shot By waters because he was not willing to contribute all he bad to give to right the great wrong which he had done their sis ter. FOUR GRLfKS LOSE LITE. Stepped in front of Fast Moving Train and Were Mangled. Near Roanoke, Va., Thursday, four Greeks, employed on Tidewater rai> road construction work, were struck by a Norfolk and Western freight ti’ain and instantly killed. The men stepped from one track to another directly in front of an approaching train. RAILROAD CONIRi-LS SIEaMER LINE. Merchants and Miners’ Iransportation l.ompa-ny in New Hands. The New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad has acquired con trol of the Merchants and Miners’ Transportation company, which oper ates lines of steamers between At lantic coast points from Boston to Savannah, Ga., according to a state ment made by Mayor John F. Fitz gerald of Boston. EMBfZZLEH tOMMILS SUICIDE. Short in His Accounts, Preston Swallowed Dose ol Prussic Acid. All mystery in the death last Thursday night of Leonidas M. Pres ton at tht Hotel Cumberland, in New York, was dissipated Saturday at the coroner's inquest, when it was learn ed that it was practically certain Preston was short in his accounts as secretary and Now York manager of the Tinken Roller Axle company. He suicided with prussic acid. The shortage is expected to aggregate from $50,000 to SIOOO,OOO. WILL DECREASE TRAIN SERVICE Report That Southern Railway is Planning Such Action. SEEKS TO CUT EXPENSES Several Passenger Trains to Be Cu Out, Beginning March 24-An nouncement Creates iensation. .... According to the Atlanta Constitu tion arrangements are being made for the dropping off of a number of pas senger trains on the Southern rail way on March 24, and those iu a position to know state that these plans will affect the Atlanta division particularly. Except for the informa tion that a number of passenger trains are to be cut off, none of de tails could be learned. The cutting down of expenses is given as the reason for this contem plated cut. So far as the service is concerned, it is a matter of general knowledge that so heavy has been the passenger traffic lately that the present number of trains has reaily been inadequate for the handling of the business. For this reason, it seems a difficult problem to under stand just how the Southern railway will be able to still handle Its pres ent passenger business with even few er trains than they now operate, es pecially in face of the fact that this passenger business la constantly growing. No reasons have been given for the cutting down of expenses, but in At lanta railroad circles, where the com ing cut on March 24 is being discuss ed, it is generally believed that fears on the part of the railroad execu tives regarding coming legislation is principally responsible for this cur tailment of passenger trains, it is the opinion cf several passenger officials that the railroads mean to put the public on notice that any drastic legislation will be met with curtailing the present service and equipment, which is being provided. In other words, there are many of ficials who insist that if Georgia leg islates a 2-cent per mile passenger rate, the railroads will retailiate by giving a much cheaper equipment and a scnedule with comparatively but a few trains where now many are operated. Tho plans which are being made for the coming cut is thus ex plained as the first move by the rail roads to put the public on notice as to what they intend to do in case of drastic legislation on the part of Georgia. Another reason which is given l'or (he cutting out of some of the pas senger trains on the Southern rail way is because of the tremendous in crease in the amount of the operat ing expenses of the road. Very re cently the conductors, trainmen, switchmen and other employees have received increases of wages, while the telegraph operators and signal men have applied for such an in crease and have been assured that their petition will be granted to the extent of a substantial increase, and the locomotive engineers are prepar ing to make similar demands. The railroads also state that their operating expenses in other ways, ma terials, etc., havo increased tremen dously, and while the monthly reports show big increases in revenues, these increases in the expenses are such a to have cut down the net profit very materially The railroads declare that as the prices of living expenses, cloth ing and practically In every other line of business have been increased, it is impossible for tho railroads to bo the one exception in this era of un precedented prosperity, and in tho face of greater expenses be expected to reduce railroad farts. For which reason the SoU'hern railway is pro pa::!.;; to even up matters by reduc ing expenses by cutting out some of ■.he passenger trains. BAKEtACtD lit MILL lOIMtD. Dago Insists that United States Senate r bail to > tc are War. The Madrid correspondent of the London Telegraph says that as a re sult of inquiry he confirms all the accounts given by the Havana Diaro do la Marina of the alleged bribery of the United States senate to declare war on Spain. He asserts that official proofs of the story are now In the archives at Havana, and he further states that the amounts paid to the intermediaries of the plot were at least $6,000,000.