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ALGER QUITS THE CABINET
McKinley’s Secretary of War Tenders His
Resignation.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT CREATED GREAT SURPRISE.
Conference With the President Was Brief— Reasons
For Not flade Known.
A Washington special says: Secreta
ry Alger has resigned from the cabinet,
and the president has accepted his res
ignation to take effect at the end of
the present month.
Secretary Alger returned to Wash
ington Wednesday morning after a
three days’ visit to Vice President Ho
bart’s cottage at Long Branch. He
was an early caller at white house.
Conference Was Short One.
It is understood the colloquy was
brief and spirited, and Secretary Al
ger hastily retired. He proceeded to
the war department and formally pre
prepared his resignation to take effect
at the discretion of the president.
Secretary Alger will retire at once
from the war department, and Assis
tant Secretary Meiklejohn, now ab
sent from the city, has been tele
graphed for to return at once to take
charge of the war department until
the new secretary is formally an
nounced.
It is said by administration people
that the president had no fault to find
with Secretary Alger’s administration
of the war department, and his retire
ment from the cabinet is due entirely
to the latter’s political combination
with Governor Pingree, of Michigan,
in opposition to the administration.
This is regarded as a subterfuge.
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GEN. R. A. ALGER,
WHOSE RESIGNATION AS SECRETARY OF WAR
HAS BEEN TENDERED PRESIDENT
M’KINLEY.
The resignation of Secretary Alger
is believed to have been sought by the
president, as public opinion had al
most crystalized in a desire for the
secretary’s retirement. The feeling
began with the first charges of Gen
eral Miles that the beef furnished the
army of invasion in Cuba had been
chemically treated, or “embalmed.”
It was at once apparent to many that
the contracts entered into between the
war department and packers were
irregular, and so strong was the
criticisms that the president ordered
a board of investigation, which, after
a long and tedious hearing, dismissed
the matter by simply criticising some
of the acts of the war department,
EULOGIZES DEWEY.
Austrian Newspaper Accord* Unstinted
Praise To Manila Hero.
The Nue Frei Press (Vienna)
lished an article heartily welcoming
Admiral Dewey to Austria. Recalling
the bold coup de main at Manila, the
Nue Frei Presse sees in the admiral
the personification of daring coolness
and dwells on his calmness and amia
bility, describing him as an admirable
soldier and a gentleman who can be
placed in the category with De Rnyter,
Nelson and Tegethoff. The Nue Frei
Presse then says:
“The great welcome extended to
Admiral Dewey is intended not only
for the hero but above all to the glori
ous representative of the great Ameri
can nation to which Austria-Hungary
is united by so many ties of interest.”
“NO PLOT,” SAYS MORGAN.
Senator Declares He Will Support Bryan
Should He Be Nominated.
At Anniston, Alabama, Wendesday,
Senator Morgan, in answer to a ques
tion regarding that famous “inter
view,” said: “Yes, I see they are
making a good deal out of it or trying
to, but it is hardly necessary for me
to say that I am making war on no
body or that there is no deep or dark
plot back of anything I have said or
done. I am not in tbe habit of mak
ing war on democrats and if Mr.Bryan
is nominated, I shall be found sup
porting him with all the enthusiasm
at mv command.”
FRANCHISES EXTENDED.
Road From Pensacola, Fla., to Memphis,
Tenn., May Soon Be Built.
At a special meeting of the Pensa
cola city council Wednesday morning
the franchise of *the promised Pensa
cola and Northwestern railroad was
extended, and its immediate construe
tion.it is understood, will now be
commenced.
The road will be extended from
Memphis, Tenn., to Pensacola.
exonerating the secretary or General
Eagan, the commanding chief, of any
irregularity in awarding the contracts.
In this matter the president stuck
squarely by his secretary of war and
defended him whenever opportunity
offered.
Then the tremendous death rate
from sickness in the army caused a
general complaint extending from
ocean to ocean, and whatever explana
tion was offered was quickly eclipsed
by the startling figures showing that
disease thinned Spanish the ranks a doz^n
times more than bullets. The
criticisms along this line were joined
in even by army officers, who recog
nized and charged that the army was
in many instances officered by men
who knew nothing of army rules
or methods, and that the disease was
due in many cases to incompetence on
tho part of the regimental command
ers and the surgeons, whose appoint
ments were made through political in
fluence.
With one of these charges at the
door of the war department, a tre
mendous crusade against so-called
“Algerism” began, and as the secre
tary’s determination not to retire in
creased, public demand for his removal
increased, until the most powerful of
the eastern newspapers were almost
united in a determination that he
should surrender his portfolio.
Through all of this the secretary
declared he would not retire under
fire. But recently he announced for
the United States senate in Michigan
against the incumbent, Senator Mc
Millan. In doing this he openly
formed an alliance with Governor
Pingree, who is a declared anti-ad
ministration republican. Senator Me-*
Millan is a strong McKinley advocate.
The Last Straw.
This last act was the straw tha*
broke the camel’s back so far as Mc
Kinley is concerned. In the storm of
criticism the president had stood by
him, bHt to hold a position in the
president’s official family in national
politics and be allied with the presi
dent’s enemy in state politics was a
double that the friends of the president
openly resented and while McKinley
has acted with the utmost diplomacy,
it is known that he determined then
and there to make a change. The an
nouncement of the secretary’s resigna
tion Wednesday, therefore, is in line
with what correspondents have pre
dicted for the four weeks past.
No Reasons Given.
No official statement as to the cause
of the resignation was procurable ei
ther from the president or from Secre
tary Alger, neither of whom would
talk on the subject. Nor was the letter
of resignation obtainable at this time.
For the present nothing will be known
officially concerning the severance of
the official relations between the pres
ident and his war minister, but later
on the correspondence closing the lat
ter’s career as chief of the war depart
ment doubtless will be given to tho
press.
DR. KERFOOT ELECTED
Corresponding Secretary of Southern Bap
tist Home Mission Board.
Rev. F. H. Kerfoot, professor of
systematic theology in the Southern
Baptist Theological seminary, of Lou
isville, Ky., has been elected corre
sponding secretary of the home mis
sion board of the Southern Baptist
convention, whose headquarters are in
Atlanta, Ga.
Dr. Kerfoot has not yet accepted tbe
offioe tendered him, but every possible
influence is being brought to bear to
iuduoe him to do so. It would hardly
comport with Dr. Kerfoot’s idea of
propriety to accept this new office un
til he lias resigned his professorship
in the seminary. feels
The board in Atlanta very con
fident that they will secure Dr. Ker
foot’s services._
ANOTHER PLEASURE TRIP
Is Being Arranged By the President For
Mrs. McRlnley’s Health.
President and Mrs. McKinley will leave
Washington probably within a week
for a pleasure trip designed mainly
for tho benefit of Mrs. McKinley’s
health. They will go to Lake Cham
plain and will be absent from Wash
ington for at least two weeks, On
their way back they may stop at Long
Branch and visit the Vice-President.
Trouble in San Salvador.
United States Consul Jenkins at
San Salvador has reported to the state
department by qable that San Salva
dor is in a state - >f siege as the result
of revolutionary plotting.
WHITNEY’S MISSION.
Gone to Europe to Ask Admiral Dewey
To Be Presidential Candidate.
O. H. P. Belmont, of New York,
who attended the meeting of the dem
ocratic national committee ln Ohicago,
was asked if llham C. >> nitney s
sudden departure for Europe was in.
the nature of a mission. He said that
he understood Mr. Whitney meant to
see Admiral Dewey and persuade the
seaman to let his name be presented
to the national conyen'cion.
LETTER OF RESIGNATION
Of Secretary of Wnr Alger and
President McKinley’s Re
ply Thereto.
\ Washington dispatch says: Sec
retary Alger maintained the same reti
cence Thursday that he adopted Wed
nesday after his resignation had been
presented. He would make no state
ment, and every inquiry was met with
the declaration that this same silence
would be preserved so long as he was
a member of the cabinet.
The most absorbing and generally
discussed topic was the choice of a
successor to Secretary Alger. Many
names were mentioned in the specula
tion.
The following is Secretary Alger’s
letter of resignation, and the presi
dent’s reply to it:
“July 19, 1899.—Sir: I beg to ten
der you my resignation of the office of
secretary of war, to take effect at such
time in the near future as you may
decide the affairs of this department
will permit.
“In terminating my official connec
tion with your administration, I wish
for you continuous health and the
highest measure of success in carrying
out the great work entrusted to you.
I have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
R. A. Algeb.
To the President.”
The President replied as follows:
“Executive Mausion, Washington,
July 20, 1899.—Hon. R. A. Alger,
Secretary of War, Dear Sir: Your
resignation of the office of secretary of
war, under date of July 19th, is ac
cepted to take effect the 1st of August,
1899.
“In thus severing the official rela
tion which has continued for more
than two years, I desire to thank you
for the faithful service you have ren
dered the country at a most exciting
period, and to wish you a long and
happy life.
“With assurances of high regard
and esteem, I am yours sincerely,
“William McKinley.”
FIGHTING RESUMED.
Americans and Filipinos Heet In
a Desperate Conflict
at Bonong-.
News has been received in Manila
from General Smith at Iloilo, Island
of Paaay, of a severe fight on Wed
nesday at Bonong, between Byrne, of
the Sixteenth infantry, with seventy
men and a force of 450 Babaylones,
who surprised the American troops.
One hundred and fifteen of the ene
my were killed, as is shown by actual
count, many were wounded and one
was taken prisoner.
The American loss was one man
killed and one wounded.
Tho fighting was mostly at close
quarters, with bayonets and clubbed
guns. A considerable stock of supplies
and arms Lave been captured by Cap
tain Byrne, who is in command of the
battalion operating at La Carlota, in
the district of Negros.
DEWEY’S SUIT FILED.
Admiral Claims Big Sums For Destroying:
Spanish Ships.
Thursday Admiral George Dewey
through his attorney filed suit as a
libellant in the district court of the
District of Columbia to recover the
prize money due him and the officers
and crew of his fleet for the vessels
sunk in the battle of Manila and the
property subsequently recovered by
the naval force under his command.
The ships and equipments have already
been appraised.
Admiral Dewey demands the sum of
$325,141 and, in addition, the amount
due upon toe three cruisers sunk in
the engagement, but subsequently
raised, and upon which he places a
value of $425,000. These last vessels
have never yet been appraised.
FOUL CRIME REVEALED.
Body of Baby Accidentally Found at Bot
tom of Klver.
A Chattanooga dispatch says: W’hile
searching for the body of Miss Bed
dig in the Tennessee river, Thursday,
the searchers brought up a sack con
taining tbe body of a little white baby.
It was wrapped in a Hebrew newspa
per aud some fine cloth. Tbe chief of
police has detailed detectives on tbe
case and they have located the pa
rents.
STRIKERS LOSING GROUND.
Eighty Per Cent of Trolley Cars Are Run
ning In New York.
A New York dispatch says: The sit
uation of tbe Brooklyn strike Friday
was such as to give tbe Rapid Transit
company much encouragement. By
investigation it was found that fully
80 per cent of the cars were running
on most of tbe lines. An exception is
tbe Hicks street line, which has not
been operated for several days. Four
policemen are seeu accompanying tbe
cars. Many still refuse to patronize
the surface lines on account of possi
ble delays. Tbe “L” roads are get
ting this patronage.
GWALTNEY INDICTED.
Serious Chartres Brought Against a Coun
ty School Commissioner.
The Floyd couuiy, Ga., grand jury
indicted James D. Gwaltney, county
school commissioner, on the charge of
seduction. He was arrested some
time ago on a warrant sworn ont Sy
the father of Miss McKenzie, the girl
in tho case. The matter never came
to trial. It was rumored that the case
was compromised for a money consid
eration.
WAS“UNMANLY”
SAYS PINfiREE
Governor of Michigan Severely
Scores President McKinley
“TREATED ALGER SHAMEFULLY”
The Assertion Is Hade That War
Secretary Repeatedly Offered
to Vacate.
A Detroit, Mich., special says: Gov
ernor Piugree handed to the Assor
ted Press Friday a prepared,and signed
interview, giving what the governor
asserts are to be “facts which are ab
solutely reliable, bearing upon the re
lations between General Alger and
President McKinley with which the
public are not familiar.” At the out
set the governor said:
“I have no hesitation in saying that
the course pursued by the president
in this matter is little less than cow
ardly. It is, to say the least, very
unmanly.”
Governor Pingree said bis informa
tion did not come from General Alger,
but from one whose knowledge of the
facts cannot be disputed.
Proceeding, he says that repeatedly
since tbe eastern newspapers began
their attacks upon Secretary Alger,
the secretary informed tbe president
that if those press dispatches embar
rassed the administration in the
slightest degree, he would resign at
once, but the president as often pro
tested emphatically that he had the
utmost confidence in Secretary Alger
and his conduct of the war depart
ment, and that the country could not
afford to lose his services.
The governor says that at the time
“his alleged alliance with General Al
ger was announced, and before his dis
avowal of interviews criticising the
president had reached Washington,
General Alger told the president that
upon the president’s slightest intima
tion he would resign, but the presi
dent refused to entertain the idea for
a moment.
“As to the ‘alleged alliance* being
any reason for asking for General Al
ger’s resignation, Governor Pingree
says, ‘Long before my announcement
that I would support General Alger
for the senate, Secretary of State Hay,
on June 2d last, requested Vice Presi
dent Hobart to intimate to General
'.Alger that his resignation would be
acceptable to the president and would
relieve him from the embarrassing at
tacks of the press upon the conduct of
the war.
Mr. Hobart very properly declined
to be a party to such unmanly, not to
say cowardly, proceeding and express
es opinion in terms decidedly vigor
ous.
“After that General Alger, entirely
ignorant of this miserable conspiracy,
several times offered to end the attacks
by submitting bis resignation, but
still the president did not have the
courage to express himself to his sec
retary. General Alger finally did
hand his resignation ta the president
to take effect January 2d.
“The president dared not face the
general in a manly way and ask him
to retire and give his reasons for mak
ing the request. He finally accom
plished by indirection what he dared
not do in an open and frank manner
himself.”
Governor PiDgree states that Mr.
Hobart was finally prevailed upon by
Attorney General Griggs to convey to
the secretary that his resignation was
desired and gave my alleged alliance
with the secretary as a pretext.
Commenting on the whole matter,
the governor says that General Alger’s
sacrifice was compelled by demands of
New York politicians, backed by the
“unscrupulous and heartless press."
He predicts that it will be learned
“that the president himself will be
responsible for whatever mistakes have
been made in conducting the war.”
“I am told on tbe very best author
ity that General Alger made very few
appointments of officers during tbe
war, and that tbe commissions were
issued almost entirely upon tbe order
of the president. ”
M’LAURIN HAS “CINCH.”
Manager* of “Private” Allen Give Up
Fight In Mississippi.
A special from Jackson, Miss.,
says: The campaign managers of
“Private” John Allen now concede tbe
election of Governor McLaurin to tbe
United State senate, althouglit they
make no estimate of tbe majority.
McLaurin now lacks only five votes of
tbe number necessary to elect on joint
legislative ballot, aud the coming pri
maries positively assure him fifteen,
with a good fighting chance for twelve
more.
It is conceded that McLaurin will
have to his credit tbe uiuely votes
necessary to elect.
French Judge Suspended.
The court of cassation at Paris has
suspended M. Crosjean, the Versailles
judge, for two months, for communi
cating to newspapers documents con
cerning the Dreyfus case.
Refrigerator Plant For Manila.
Secretary Alger has approved plans
for a building for the refrigerator
plant at Manila. The building will
cost $230,000 and the plant and ma
chinery $400,000.
EPWORTH LEAGUERS
In Convention at Indlapapnlis Finish
Work—Resolutions Adopted.
The work of the Epworth League
convention at Indianapolis practically
ended Saturday.
The closing day was the most im
portant of the convention, 14,000 vis
itors thronging the city. The follow
ing resolutions were adopted by the
convention:
“Resolved, That we congratulate
the country on the passage of the anti
canteen act, which so accurately repre
sents the will of the American people.
Its nullification by Attorney General
Griggs is viewed with pninful solici
tude uud ever-increasing indignation,
and we hereby pledge congress our
hearty support in maintaining it
against the untenable opinion of a
subordinate executive officer. We
heartily indorse the union of the tem
perance forces sought by the American
Anti-Saloon League.
“We regard the election of a polyg
amist to congress by the state of Utah
as an indignity offered to every Amer
ican citizen and an insult to the sanc
tity and purity of the Christian home.
“We protest against the election of
Mr. Roberts to the house of repre
sentatives and demand that one whose
life is so repugnant to Christian prin
ciples shall be expelled from that great
law-making body. with other
“We favor a federation
young people’s societies both locally
and nationally through suitable execu
tive committees for the promotion of
Christian citizenship.”
CROWDED CAR WRECKED.
Strikers Do Dastardly Work In Cleveland.
Six Persons Badly Hurt.
At Cleveland, O., Sunday night, a
trolly car, loaded with passengers, was
wrecked by an explosion of nitro
glycerin or gun cotton. Six persons
were badly hurt, half of them being
women.
The explosion tore out the front end
of the car, smashed all the windows
and destroyed the brake. After con
siderable difficulty the car was stop
ped and a call for an ambulance was
sent out. The motorman w as dazed
by the shock, but the conductor escap
ed injury. explosion
The force of the was so
great that it shook all the houses in
the neighborhood and w'as heard for a
distance of two or three miles.
There is no clew to the identity of
tbe person who placed the explosive
on the track. Persons living in the
neighborhood say they saw a man in
the bnggy stop at the corner of Ken
sington street where the explosion oc
curred, and get ont by the railroad
track. He remained there a short time
and then drove rapidly away. the
Within a few minutes after ex
plosion a crowd of a thousand people
assembled and the injured, who cared were for
suffering from shock, were
until the ambulance arrived. None of
them were dangerously injured, their
hurts being confined to bruises about
the feet and legs.
PRIEST CAUSING TROUBLE.
Calls Upon Filipino Insurgents to Force
Independence of Church*
A Manilla dispatch says: A Filipino
priest named Gregorie Agripay, with
the insurgents, is trying to lead a
movement for the independence of the
church in the Philippines from the
Spanish priesthood. proclamation de
He has issued a
claring himself the vicar general of all
the Filipino priests in the districts
outside of American control on the
island of Lnzon, and is inciting the
priests to disobey the regulations of
the church and brotherhoods. The
archbishop of the district has issued a
bull excommunicating Agripay, and
this action has increased the feeling
betweeu the Filipinos and the church.
OTIS AMENDS DISPATCHES.
Recent Fight W«» Bigger American Vic
tory Than First Reported.
Sunday the war department received
from General Otis another dispatch
giving additional particulars of the
light between Captain B. A. Byrne,
with seventy men of the Sixth infan
try, and robber bands in the islands of
Negros. the victory of the sol
It shows that
diers was greater tban that reported
in General Otis’ dispatch of July 21st
and that the loss suffered by the rob
bers was considerably larger than be
fore stated.
DEWEY AT TRIESTE.
Hero of Manila the Guest of Honor at
Baiiqiiet By Austrians.
Admiral Dewey, accompanied by
Captain Benjamin P. Lamberton and
Flag Lieutenant T. M. Brumby, of
the United States cruiser Olympia,
landed at Trieste, Austria, Friday to
return Thursday’s visits to tbe ad
miral, and to call officially uppn the
governor of Kustenland, Count Goose.
The American officers also called upon
tbe mayor of Trieste.
The United States minister to Aus
tria-Hungary, Addison C. Harris, gave
a banquet Friday night in honor of
Admiral Dewey. Tbe guests were
limited to thirty-five.
WON’T AUCTION LANDS.
Secretary of the Interior IHaapproves
Hermann’s Recommendation.
A Washington dispatch says: Sec
retary of the Interior Hitchcock has
disapproved the recommendation of
the commissioner of the general land
office for the sale of all the lands in
Alabama by public auction. These
unoccupied and unreserved lands in
the state aggregate 522,373 acres, over
the disposition of which there has been
considerable agitation.
THREE VICTIMS
OF A MOB
Assailants of the Ogletrees Are
Quickly Put to Death.
ONE MADE A FULL CONFESSION.
Eight Other Negroes, According to
the Confession, Were
Implicated.
Three negroes were lynched in Early
county, Ga., Sunday morning by a
mob. The first one put to death was
Louis Sammin. He was captured
near Brinson and carried to Saffold
Sunday morning about 4 o’olock.
Has was taken before Mr. and
Mrs. Ogletree, who identified him
as one of the party who robbed tha
man and assaulted the woman.
The negro was carried a short dis
tance from the house of the Ogletrees
and strung up to a limb.
Before dying he confessed to tho
deed and gave the names of the ne
groes assisting in the devilish work.
He said that there were eight negroes
in the gang and that they came from
Augusta, Ga. He also said that two
of the party were only a short distance
from where he stood.
The mob divided, one portion swing
ing np Sammin and the other two ne
groes, who were overtaken and shot.
How Sammin Wan Caught.
On Saturday night Sammin ap
peared at the cabin of an old negro
near Brinson and asked for lodging.
The old man suspected that the way
farer was one of the assailants of the
Ogletrees and gave his consent for the
stranger to remain awhile. The old
darkey +hen went to Brinson and in
formed the officers of the strange ne
gro’s presence.in his house. A posse
was soon organized and in a short
time Sammin was a captive.
Were Probably Escapes.
A dispatch from Augusta states that
while no positive information has been
secured, it is thought that the six ne
groes mentioned in Bainbridge dis
patches are those who escaped from
the Richmond county jail on June 7th.
They had all been convicted at the su
perior term, and were awaiting trans
portation to the various places of pun
ishment when by the aid of a nail,
spoon handle and a piece of wood
they dislodged enough brick to admit
their bodies through the wall.
They were next heard from at Lula
ville, some seven miles west of Au
gusta. Some female residents of that
place wired to Augusta that they were
terrorized by the escaped convicts.
The sheriff failed to find any proofs of
identity, but offered a reward of $150
for the arrest of the escapes as well as
expenses incurred.
The negroes were John Dogan, sen
tenced to seven years in the penitenti
ary, convicted of assault with intent to
murder. He is a man who shot and
attempted to kill Bridgeman McEl
murray at Port Royal bridge over the
Savannah river. Dogan has his full
name tattoed on his left arm.
Ben Lark, sentenced for five years,
convicted of burglary at the Walter
place. Hender
Will Easterling and Dred
son, each under sentence of six years,
convicted of burglary. They bur
glarized Sim Walton’s store on South
Boundary.
Columbus Ray, under sentence of
five years, was convicted on an indict
ment for burglary at the home of
Mail Carrier Bruner.
Will Campbell alias “Boar Hog,”
sentenced to six yeaTS in the peni
tentiary, convicted of larceny from
the car.
SOUTHERN SHIPPERS LOSE.
Right Car Loads of Watermelons Given
Away In Jersey City.
A New York dispatch says: Eight
car loads of watermelons were given
away Saturday at the freight yards of
the Pennsylvania road in Jersey City.
This was done because the company
wanted the cars, and the New York
consignees did not send for the fruit.
The loss falls on the consignors in
the south.
OFFICIAL REPORT FROM OTIS
On the Desperate and Close-Quarter Fight
On Island of Negros.
The war department has received
the following cablegram:
“Manila, July 21.—Adjutant Gen
eral, Washington: Captain B. A.
Byrne, Sixth infantry, with seventy
men, surprised united robber bands
of Negros, numbering 450. Killed
115; wounded many; captured a few
rifles and revolvers, many hand
weapons, large quantity of stock; fight
ing at close distance. Byrne’s loss
one killed, one wounded, names not
given. This action very beneficial for
quiet,of Negros. Otis.”
NINE PERSONS KILLED
By Explosion Which Occurred on Board
English Torpedo Boat Destroyer.
A dispatch from London says: An
explosion on board the torpedo boat
destroyer Bullfinch on the Solent, dur
ing her trial Friday, killed nine and
injured four on board. It was the
worst naval accident of this nature
that has occured in the British navy
in twenty years, The victims were
terribly injured, steam and boiling
water filling the engine room.