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About The Abbeville chronicle. (Abbeville, Ga.) 1896-1953 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1899)
VOL. II. ill UNTIL SITUATION IN CUBA AND PHILIPPINES CLEARS UP. DISQUIETING NEWS THE CAUSE. Mustering Out List of Fifty Thousand Volunteers Will Be Laid Aside For the Present. A Washington special says: Al thoughAb e secretary of war has pre pared a*Ri st of the volunteer regiments to be r-dered mustered out under the decision reached by the cabinet to muster out fifty thousand soldiers now in camp, it is stated at the war de partment that the list may be held for a time until the situation in Cuba and the Philippines clears up and becomes settled. While the administration does not look for any serious outbreak.or dis turbance, both the president and secretary of war deem it advisable at this time not to reduce the army until sifter the first of the year and the oc: cupation of Cuba by the United States is completed. .General Lee, since his arrival at Havana, has requested the war depart ment to hurry as many regiments to his command as possible. It is ex pected that the celebration of the end of Spanish sovereignty in the island will result in disturbances, if not con flicts between the Cubauds and SpAu iards, and General Lee is anxious to have as large a force as possible "to preserve order. The administration, therefore, thinks that it is best not to issue orders for mustering out any more volunteers until after the first of the year anyhow. It is stated at the war department that the colored regimonts in the southern camps will be among the first mustered out, as it is found thnt these rogiments will not be serviceable in Cuba. Lawton Assigned To Manila. The war department has issued or ders assigning Major General Lawton to service in the Philippines. This assignment is considered one of ex ceptional importance, as General Law ton, who was one of the most conspic uous officers in the campaign about Santiago, General will be second in command to Otis, and in the event of General Otis’ appohitmeut as governor general of the Philippines, will assume military command of the forces in the Philippines. His new duties will require a com bination of nerve and tact. General Lawton recently has been in command of tho camp at, Huntsville. General Frank, as ranking officer, will assume command on the departure of General Lawton. The latter’s selection for largeljAthe duty iu^ the Philippines was owing character of his service duringWI war anu later at Havana. The War Investigation. The war investigating commission held only a short session Thursday devoted to executive business. The;:" were no witnesses ready for examina tion. The Swift Packing company, of Chicago, which protested against the statements in General Miles’ testimo ny, derogatory to the canned fresh has roast notifi«H^e beef^fctn islied commission his expeditions, of its in ability to beun hand on January 4th, ns expected, and January 9th has been set for the date of the appearance of its representative. So far no final ac tion has been taken on the insistence of the commissary, General Eagan, that he be recalled to testify in answer to General Miles’ charges, and no decis ion has been reached as to recalling Generals Shatter and Miles. INVITATION IS PUZZLING. British War Office Applies to the United States For Definite Information. A London cable dispatch says: The war office is puzzled by an invitation received from the governor of Florida, to send representatives to the national militia convention, which is to take place at Tampa, Fla., on February 8th. The British officials have been en deavoring to ascertain the purposes of the convention, and finally decided to write to the government of the United States on the subject asking ter infor mation prior to coming to a decision. * BURN'S. RIG ELEVATOR Two Hundred Thousand Bushels of Wheat Destroyed at Minneapolis. Elevator X on the Hastings and Da kota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway at Eleventh ave nue, Minneapolis, Minn., burned Thursday llie main elevator with its annex and 200,000 bushels of wheat were consumed and the loss will be at least $2,000,000. This property was owned by the George C. Bagiey Elevator Company. The insurance is ample to cover the loss. BROWN SPECIAL ATTORNEY. Appointed By Georgia's Governor to l.ook After State’s Railroad. Governor Candler, of Georgia, has auh'amt :w.|(A N l|ie appointment well known lawyer of Hon. of r TP^ Atlantic 1 attorney of the th#|f te«r ;at0 in looking railwft after y to re the P tl,at valuable property. succeed lion. \V. A. % B>o ^ep, was appointed by Gor K. qpd reappointed by tkinson, and whose term res on Jhnary 1st. The Abbeville Chronicle MRS. BOTKIN GUILTY, Get« Life Sentence For Caiiftlng Death Mrs. Dunning:* At San Francisco Friday night Mrs. Cordelia Botkin was found guilty murder in the first degree for the death of Mrs. John P. Dunning, by sending a box of poisoned candy to her temporary home in Dover, Delaware. The condemned murderess will he spared the ignominous death on the gallows, however, the jury that found her guilty imposing only the penalty of life imprisonment. The verdict was unexpected. An acquittal was confidently awaited by tho defense, while the prosecution feared a disagreement. Humors had been in circulation to the effect that several of the jurors strongly favored the defense and that their opinions ble were too firmly grounded to he capa of change. Although the jury was out only four hours, more than one of which was de voted to dinner, it is currently report ed that tho verdict was the result of a compromise. Considering tho unex pectedness of the verdict, Mrs. Botkin kept herself well in hand when her fate was announced. Not until the jury and most of the spectators had left the court room did she give evi dence of collapse. Then she sank back half fainting, but speedily re vived. The jury retired at 5:55 p. m , but soon afterward was taken to dinner in charge of a deputy from the sheriff’s office. During the meal hour no ref erence was made to the case by any of the men in whose hands lay the fate of Mrs. Botkin. On returning to the jury room the evidence was carefully gone over and prolonged discussion followed. It is not known how' many ballots were taken before a final agreement was reached. At 9 o’clock word was sent to Judge Carroll Cook that the jury was pre pared to make a report. Court was immediately convened and at 9:15 o’clock, just four hours after the case had been placed in its hands, the jury stated, through its foreman, that an agreement had been reached, the ver kict being that Mrs. Botkin, accused of killing Mrs. John Dunning, by means of poisoned candy sent through the mails, was-of murder in the first degree. In accordance with the laws of California, which empow ers the jury to decide between hang ing and imprisonment in such cases, the penalty was fixed at imprisonment for life. While at no time during the trial had Mrs. Botkin expressed herself as anticipating such a verdict, she re ceived it with remarkable calmness, exhibiting no trace of emotion, though she sat close to her sister, Mrs. Rob erts, and seemed to look to her for sympathy. After the jury had been polled in the usual manner, Judge Cock announced that sentence would ho pronounced on Saturday, January 7tb. He then remanded the prisoner to the custody of the sheriff, to he im prisoned in. the county jail until called to pronounce sentence, when she will be removed to the penitentiary. When the courtroom was cleared, after Mrs. Botkin bad announced to the deputy sheriff in a clear voice that she was ready to- go with him to pris c-iu'Vjiff. v.qccurred the only sensational in the evening. The condemn ed worn, ^attempted to rise, when her highly strung nerves seemed to relax and suddenly she fell back into the arms of Mrs. Roberts. It was thought that she had fainted, hut in a moment a glass of water revived her and she resumed her usual appearance, though the in tense nervous strain was still appar ent in the twitching of her facial mus cles and the quick movement of her hands as her fingers drummed on the table. ^ few minutes she apparent ly shook o„ ,, u y signs of excitement and quietly acccu. .tinied the deputy sheriff out of the courtroom. PENSIONS NOT WANTED. But Alabama Veterans Do Not Object To Aid In Care of Graves. A Birmingham, Ala., dispatch says: Camp Hardee, United Confederate Veterans, held a social session Friday night and among other features were a number of speeches by prominent confederates. ' A sentiment against asking the federal government for pensions was expressed and McKinley’s suggestion that the government assist in taking care of the graves of the con federate dead was heartily endorsed. BANK DIRECTORS RELEASED. In Jail For a Week For Violating a New Law. The directors of the Moran. Kas., hank, which failed last January, have been in the Allen county jail for near ly a week, charged by depositors with violated the new hanking law of Kansas, Thursday they appeared by counsel before Judge Schoonover in Garnett and presented a petition release on a writ of habeas corpus. Schoonover issued an order re them on $200 bond each until 14th. APPEAL TO CUBANS. Now In United States Issues a Circular. A New York dispatch fays: The Cuban delegation to the United States has just prepared and sent to Cuba an elaborate appeal in circular form to be widely distributed to all natives, to remember that they fought for inde and not for annexation. The manifesto reviews the struggle to throw off Spain’s tyranny and n the glories of the victory a: to the action of congress in d to?;t a stable government sha ABBEVILLE. GA.. THURSDAY, JANUARY 5. 1893. CUBAN MOBS PULL DOWN AMERICAN FLAG, OATH OF ALLEGIANCE REFUSED. Such Are the Stories Afloat and Are Willing Credence By Excited Crowd*. A special cable to the Chicago Trib une from Havana Rays that rumors were afloat Thursday night and given credence by excited orowds thronging the streets. It was reported early in the evening that General Mariano Menocal and his Cuban forces at La Pava had been asked to take the oath of allegiance to the United States and had refused. The news that Cuban soldiers had refused to take .the oath of allegiance was cheered by the crowd and mount ed insurgents scattered through the town, telling the people in tho streets that General Menocal had withdrawn his troops from La Pava and taken to the field. This story, regardless of its truth or falsity, is chiefly worthy of serious at tention because of the eagerness with which it is received by the crowds, who insisted upon its truth. They justified General Menoeal’s report on the sensational action. The situation grows out of the re fusal of General Brooke to permit the Cuban troops to take part in a parade on evacuation day. The feeling in Ha vana is intense. The United States flag was torn down from many houses in the lower districts Thursday night. the upper-class Oulans sent cable grams without number to President McKinley begging him to interfere. Cablegrams have been sent broadcast over the United States asking for pub lic meetings and appealing to the com mon sense and justice of the American people. The Cuban leaders are doing every thing possible to prevent an outburst, but say that if General Brooke’s com mand is carried out, not only will they be helpless, hut they will think what ever happens to have been caused by what they consider the arbitrary and unjust action of the United States. Judgw Advocate Charles Gould, of the American commission, cabled President McKinley Thursday that there is intense uneasiness there, and advising that the Cnbaus be permitted to participate in the evacuation cere monies. Hooting American Troops. The more excitable of the population of Havana’s lower districts are begin ning to hoot tho American soldiers. The higher class of Cubans are bitter ly chagrined and disappointed at the turn affairs have taken. They hardly know what to say or do. Their plans •were to have 1,000 picked men, the flower of the insurgent army, march into Havana January 1—soldiers who came into camp at Las Palmas and Amriano with the understanding that they were marching to Havana for evacution day. They bought new uniforms in honor of the occasion. The streets have been amply deco rated. Spain has now been driven out, but the Cuban soldier must not enter. The Cubans compromised on original plans two days ago. It was said the soldiers might enter on the second proximo. Five days 'of rejoicing was planned. The people of Havana planned a great feast for the soldiers. General Brooke, who is supposed to act under instructions from Washing ton, said the arrangement could not b.e carried out. The next few days may mean peace or war between the Cuban insurgents and tho United States. GEN. SHIFTER ASSIGNED. Goes to California to Command Pacific Slope Department. Official notice has been received by Major General Merriam at San Fran cisco that General Shatter is to he again assigned to the command of the department of California. It is ex pected that General Shafter will take charge about the 10th of January. General Merriam, himself, has not yet been assigned. EXPRESS COMPANY ROBBED. Employ© of the Well* Fargo Company Skips With #G0,OOO. The local office at San Antonio,Tex as, of the Wells Fargo Express Com is out a money package containing $60,000. The money was sent from Houston for the Southern Pacific to meet its pay roll. It arrived Wednesday morning, and was given to C. A. Beeler, tho Wells Fargo money delivery clerk, to hand over. Beeler started for the depot was seen en route. Four hours after his departure his wagon was found five miles west of the city in a the horse almost dead from the effects of hard driving.. MISS GARCIA DIES. Daughter of General Garcia the Victim of Consumption. Miss Mercedes Garcia, the 17-year daughter of the Cuban patriot, General Garcia, died of consumption Thomasville, Ga., Tuesday. Colonel Carlos Garcia, her brother, from Washington a few hours lier death. The remains will be temporarily in in Thomasville and later moved Cuba. /V 1 A GROUNDLESS FEAR. Canadian Paper Think* We Now Want the Dominion. The Toronto (Out.) liberal World, which opposes the present govern ment at Ottawa, had a startling edito rial Thursday under the heading "Canada on the Brink,” in which it warns the people of this country that times are critical, so far as the main tenance of Canada as a free independ ent and integral portion of North America is concerned. The World says: “Unless Canadians are fully alive to the situation and speak out in ’ no un certain way, they will find themselves between a grasping annexation move ment in the United States, having for its end the domination of the whole continent, and a great party in Eng land is prepared to make almost any sacrifice to the United States in con sideration of some kind of support of England in her race with Russia, France and other European powers.” The World then refers to the recent speech at Macou, Ga., of Major Gen eral James H. Wilson, of Delaware, in which that gentleman expressed when the hope that ho “would see the day our starry flag shall float everywhere in the frozen north to the sunny clime of Central America.” Then The World proceeds: words Gen “We believe that these of eral Wilson only show too well the opiuion of Americans when once their appetite for expansion is aroused in the direction of the north, and if ouco they get it into their heads that they only have to go far enough in their great game of bluff, which seems to he their best and their strongest card in diplomacy, they will force Canada in to annexation.” In conclusion the paper says: “We are nearer to absorption than ever we were. Do Canadians realized it?” CAPTURED IN CALIFORNIA. S. L. Almand. a Geoori-la Merchant, an Alleged Absconder. S. Lafayette Almand, a Georgia merchant who is charged with ab sconding with some thirty or forty thousand dollars, was arrested in Tu lare, Cal., last Sunday morning, and Monday night City Detective Hewitt quietly slipped out of Atlanta and went to California after the muchly wanted man. Almand’s headquarters were at Con yers, and did a large business through out the state. He had the unbounded confidence of the business men of the state and almost unlimited credit. He appeared to be flourishing, when about three or four weeks ago he suddenly disappeared from the scene of his business career, and when those who trusted him examined his affairs they claimed he had carried with him sev eral thousand dollars which he ought to have turned over to them. Just how many were victimized can not be said, as all of them decided to keep quiet and try to catch the man who had absconded. Nor can the ex act amount of the money alleged to have been taken he named, as even the victims do not know, hut it is •es timated that the amount will he be tween forty and titty thousand dol lars. BUTLER’S EFFORTS CONDEMNED. Confederate Vetera ns* Camp In New York Opposed to Pensions. The following resolution, offered by Comrade Beasley, farmerly of North Carolina, was unanimously passed at a meeting of the Confederate Veteran camp of New York. “Resolved, That the confederate veterans’ camp of New York condemn in unmeasured terms the efforts of Senator Butler, of North Carolina, who is not a confederate veteran, to de bauch the manhood of the south by seeking to obtain pensions for ex-con federate soldiers from the United States and that any similar effort by any southern member of congress will abhorrent to the camp and meet with unified condemnation." YVHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED Each Cuban Soldier May He Advanced the Sum of $100. Tn anticipation that the government will take favorable action on the plan of paying off tho Cuban troops by giving them $100 each, the Cuban au thorities now in Washington have taken steps to secure §xact detailed in formation ns to the number of Cuban troops who bore arms and are now in a position to. rightly receive this bounty if the government decides to pay it. JACKSON DAY BANQUET. Elaborate Preparations Being Mncle^ At Chicago For the Occasion. Elaborate arrangements are being made in Chicago for the third annual Jackson Day banquet, which takes place on the 7tb day of January under the auspices of the William J. Bryan League of Chicago. Mr. Bryan will be the guest of honor of the occasion and the banquet will he the most elaborate, as well as the most signifi cant, ever given by the league. Seats have been arranged for several hun dred at the banquet and distinguished democrats from all parts of the coun try will be present. TO CONNECT ISLANDS. War Department Order* Cable* For tho Philippines. A New York dispatch says: Colo nel Kimball, of tho quartermaster’s department has received orders to secure at once an iron ship of from 1,000 to 1,2,00 tons for use as a cable ship to lay cable to connect tue islands of the Philippines. department \ Tho has already ordered for cable, this weighing /purpose 166 miles of marine 525 tons. J REPRESENTED MEXICO AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. SERVICE COVERED MANY YEARS Dead Minister Was An Able and Efficient Diplomat and Did Much For His Country. Ambassador Romero, of Mexico, died in Washington Friday morning at 4 o’clock, aged 62 years. He was operated on three days before for appendicitis. will bo Mexico The remains taken to for interment. Senor Romero probably was the best known member of tho diplomatic corps in Washington and was for some time its dean. Official prepared Biography. A sketch by the bureau of American republics, and published in its bulletin for the month of Decem ber, 1898, nfter revision by Senor Ro mero himself, gives the subjoined biographical review of the dead am bassador: “Senor Romero is ono of the most eminent statesmen, writers and diplo mats of Mexico. He was born in the city of Oaxaca February 24, 1837. lie received his first education in his na tive place and finished it at the capi tal of the republic, where he received his diploma as a lawyer. “Tu 1855 he first entered the foreign office, although still pursuing his legal studies. In 1857, when President Comonfort made his coup d’etat, forcing President Juarez to leave the capital, Senor Romero accompanied him to Vc-ra Cruz, where he continued in the service of the department of foreign relations. In December,1859, he came to Washington ns first secre taryof the Mexican legation and re mained here in that capacity until Au gust, 1860, when in the absence of the minister he became clmrge d’affairs. He returned to Mexico in 1863 to take part in the war against tho French and was appointed colonol by the presi dent. General Porfirio Diaz then appointed him as liis chief of staff. Soon after that President Juarez ac credited him ns envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Wash ington. He remained at his post from October, 1863, until January, 1868, having rendered most important ser vices to his country. “On his return to Mexico he was appointed secretary of tho treasury, hut was obliged on account of ill health to give up that office in 1872. For three years he remained in Soeonnsco devoting himself to agricultural pur suits, and from 1877 to 1878 was again secretary of the treasury. In 1880 he served as postmaster general. In March, 1882, he came hack to Wash ington as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, and has re mained in that capacity ever since, with an interruption of only ten months in 1892, when, for (he third time, he was called to serve ns secreta ry of the treasury. “.As representative of his country in the United States Senor Romero has shown himself a most efficient and able diplomat. His efforts have been most successful in strengthening the friendly ties between the two nations, and with this object in view he has written a great deal, his productions always receiving the highest encomi ums from the press. Senor Romero was a member of the International American conference, and in that body served with great distinction, having been ono of its two vice presidents. As representative of Mexico in the conference he voted for the establishment of the bureau of American republics, and ever since its organization has shown an active and zealous iuterest in its progress. He was a member of the executive com mittee of the bureau when that body was first organized, and on every oc casion has lent his valuable aid to tho work of the international union of American republics.” This sketch necessarily fails to do justice to the life-work in behalf of his country performed by the dead man. He has seen his native country steadi ly rise from a nation of revolutions and disorder to an honorable position among nations as a progressive, stable and prosperous republic. In much of this he had had a share. lUNtpuffl ' ■ i LAuffo TO BRYAN. - Nebraska Traveling Men Tender Him Complimentary Reception. A complimentary reception and ban quet to Colonel W. J. Bryan was ten dered at Lincoln Friday night by tho Nebraska Traveling Men’s Bryan Club. Invitations were sent to 250 admir ers of Mr. Bryan, which were with few exceptions accepted. The only notable absentee was Congressman Bailey, of Texas, who was to have re sponded to the toast “Democracy." Mr. Bryan responded to the senti ment: “America’s Mission; Let Not the Crime of the East E’er Crimson Thy v ame, Be Freedom and Science and Virtue Thy Fame.” SPANIARDS SAVE AMERICANS. ----- - V 1 '® Crrw of a I ' ost Ve *** 1 lUc*®' 1 PP a Br 's Advices from London state that the Spanish brig Gabriel, Captain Pages, fi 0 m Cardenas November 22d, has ar rived at Corunna, having on board ten of the crew of the American bark ]-’ jV ie Iteed, Captain J. D. Steelman, from Now-vYork November 25th for Bahia, -which is lost. The crew were rescued near tjie island ^'.Bermuda. CUBANS SHOW RESENTMENT. Demitn<l That Their Army Be ed «fc Evacuation. A special to The Chicago from Havana, says: “Cuban residents of Havana if General Brooke does not rescind order barring representatives of Cuban insurgent army from present at the evacuation day nies on Now Year’s Day, they close their houses on that tear down their flags and and remain indoors. The Cuban peace commission, a stormy interview with Brooke Wednesday night, General Gomez not to visit Havana, as he intended, as no courtesy ho shown him. The Cubans are greatly excited. They stand on every corner of tho discussing the situation in a half frenzied manner. “ ‘We have not fought for a change of masters,’ declared one of the most prominent Cubans in Havana. “ ‘Our army is still in the field. They shall not lay down their arms until we find out whether we are to be slaveR or free.’ “Two nights ago General Ludlow notified tho commission that General Gomez and other prominent Cuban army lenders could be present at the ceremonies, and that the Cuban army alight enter Havana. “Later General Brooke told the commission that, tho Cuban army was not to he recognized, and to have no part in the demonstrations of Jan uary 1st. “This action at once caused the Cu bans to declare that, they would stay in their houses, and the day of rejoic ing over the raising of the stars and stripes would he turned into a day of gloom, and that the city should have tho appearance of a town in mourn ing.” _ AGAINST ANARCHISTS. A World-Wide Crusade Agreed Upon at a Conference In Koine. A dispatch from Rome, Italy, says: The New York World correspondent has secured from a delegate the result of the anti-anarchist conf erence recent ly held in Rome whose proceedings had previously international been kept secret. First, an bureau of police for the surveillance of ni ai'chists is to ho established at Berlin consist ing of nine members-—German, Aus trian, French, English, Italian, Rus sian, SwisB, Belgian auu Dutch. This bureau will correspond direct with all the police of Europe and will ho represented in each country by spe cial ageuts. All the states represented will con tribute equally to the maintenance of tho bureau. Second, European governments are to negotiate for extradition treaties governing anarchists. Anarchists are defined as all those who make a public profession of the anarchist faith, who are found in pos session of anarchist publications, bombs, nnd letters of anarchistic char acter and all members of anarchist so cieties. A person convicted of an auarchist crime will be punished according to the laws of the country where the crime was oommitted. Anarchist journals are to be placed under censure, their circulation inter dicted, their oditors, printers and dis tributors proceeded against as anar chists. All proceedings against anarchists are to bo conducted in secret. HEAVY LOSS BY FIRE. The Semct-Solway Company's IH-Product Plant at Eiislcy City Gutted. A Birmingham, Ala., dispatch says: The loss from the fire which gutted the Semet-Solway Company’s bi-pro duct plant at Ensley City at an early hour Wednesday morning is estimated all the way from $100,000 to $250,000. It is impossible yet to tell the exact loss in the absence of knowledge as to the extent of the damage done to the machinery of the plant. One man lost his life by the fire— William Ost a gas fitter, who was last seen on one of tho high trestles near the gas vats. The plant was the largest concern of its kind in Ihe- south. The owners reside in Syracuse, N. Y. The plant was completed last summer at a cost of over $500,000 and had been in oper tion but a short- time. It produced coke, gas, ammonia, tar and other pro ducts, another was to be used for heating various industries at Ensley City. RIG STREET RAILWAY MORTGAGE. The Atlanta Consolidated File* tho Largest Kvi-r Recorded In Gate City. The Atlanta, Ga., Consolidated Street Railway company has filed in the clerk’s office a mortgage on its property in Fulton county in favor of the Mercantile Trust) and Deposit company, of Baltimore, to the amount of $2,500,000. This mortgage, which is one of the largest ever placed on record in At lanta, was made to secure a new bond issue which is. to he made by the Con solidated for the purpose of retiring all of those now outstanding. The war tax on the legal document amounted to $1,249.50. DREY FI'S TAKEN TO PARIS. Brnortert Thnt Famous Prisoner Is Be eretly Conveyed to Flench Capital. A special to The New York Herald from Paramaribo, via Huyti, says: It is reported here that former Captain Dreyfufi lias been removed from his island prison to Cayenne 1 anil sailed from there far France on December 4th last, on a convid. transport. \ No details regarding the of. the prisoner or a^ to his diminution can be r. ja-tained NO. 50. PROVINCE WAS NOT SURRENDERED TO THE AMERICANS. MAY CRUSE MUCH COMPLiCRTlOM American Troops Were Sent To Take Charge* lhit Arrived Too Date—A Problem For General Otis. There is a good deal c f anxiety in official circles at Washington over re cent events at Iloilo. Wednesday morning Unitcil States Consul Pratt, at Singapore, cabled to the state de partment, “Iloilo taken 24th. Spanish fled to Borneo.” This threw the offi cials into deener doubt than before. Just before noon another dispatch was received from General Otis that confirmed the fears of the officials of tho war department ns to what Had taken place at Iloilo. It appears that the American forces bad arrived too Into on the scene and that the insur gents had added to tho difficulty of the problems already presented by hoisting their flag over tho city, which they have been besieging for months, The nows of the surrender of tho Spanish garrison at Ilolio to the in BU rgents before the American troops arrived on the scene created a flurry of excitement among Washington officials, for the importance of this in cident, or accident, is everywhere recognized. result It is understood thnt ns tho of the president’s conference with the war department officials, urgent orders were sent General Otis to carry out the original programme and see that this portion of the archipelago, ns well as Manila, is at once placed under American control. This means that if the Filipiuos do not turn Iloilo over to the Americans at once the army and navy will proceed to wrest it from them. It is not expected there will be any serious difficulty in accomplishing this end, but the Iloilo incident may prove of the highest importance in other ways. Filipinos Agoncillo and tho other who have come here to establish a junta are rejoicing, and claim that the neoessary result of the capture of Iloilo is the early recognition of Fili pino independence by this govern ment. They argue that this shows what they have always claimed, that their strength is not merely on paper, but that, if left alone, they would have no trouble in establishing their own independent government, and they believe this event will have im portant bearing on the future action of this government. A good many other people agree with these Filipinos in this respect. It is regarded in administration cir cles as highly probable that precipitat- this new complication will result in ing the territorial question in congress immediately after tho recess, and that all efforts to keep it in the back ground, according to the president’s plans, will fail. If it does come, tho legitimate result will be an extra ses sion of the new congress and much important legislation. The evacuation by the Spaniards of all tho Philippine posts, as reported by General Otis, although doubtless inspired by a desire to secure their safety by concentration, nude fbtedly has done much to complicate the problem already presented to .the war department of extending the military jurisdiction over the islands. . It will now bo necessary to expedite the execution of tho original plans, and it may he fully expected that within a week important events will have hap pened in the Philippines. It is pre sumed that General Otis will demand the surrender of Iloilo into his hands, and this demand may at oneo raise the issue between the insurgents and our own government of possession of tlio islands.. Tho province of Iloilo is set down iri the official directory as having a popu Intion of 472,000, and it is the twenty second seaport in importance in the Philippine group. It is located-on ay river navigable for vessels of fifteen feet draught, so that very few of our gunboats would he available to assist the troops in esse it should, he sary to take forcible possession of the city. r. DENY THE RUMOR. GlRC.lt anil Myers Declare Tlioy Have Not Joined Union Tobacco Trust. The statement m a dispatch from New York to the effect that the Liggett & Myers Tobacco company, of St. Louis, would he consolidated with the Union Tobacco company, the purchase price being placed at about $12,000, 000, is emphatically denied by Colonel M. C. Wet more. “It is all a fake,” declared Mr. Wet more. “The Union Tobacco company has never offered to buy the Liggett & Myers Tobacco company, and the Liggett & Myers company, never of fered to sell to the Union Tobacco company, or anyone else.” BEET SUGAR CROP SHORT. United States Consul Says Deficit Amount to 35o,ooo Tons, ^ deficit in the German beet s_ 0 1 of at least 350,000'tons is figur. out by I nited States n Consul at/MadegebuTg. All the old stocks of sugar in F,-, jl r0 pe having run low, the market ^ heen ?tronger for some time vntt. ward 'Wfce’G " _ . , fj
