Newspaper Page Text
The Macon Daily Telegraph
THIRD SECTION
WEATHER FORECAST FOR QEORQIAFAIR SUNDAY AND MONDAY, WARMER SUNDAY! MODERATE SOUTHWEST WINDS.
THIRD SECTION
ESTABLISHED IN 1829,
MACON, GA., SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 27, 1908
DAILY, |7.00 A YEAR.
GIRL III FRAUD
IS tjlSIEH
Western Union Robbed of
$2,000,000 By Wire
Tapping.
HOLDS KEY TO MYSTERY
.Locked in Secret Room in Cincin
nati Office RuUdlng “May” Tapped
Wires of Western Union and Sup
plied Bucket Shops with Grain
Quotations in Advance—One
Company raid $500 a Week for
the Tips Furnished by Girl—Best
Electrical Experts in Bark Still
as to How Messages Leaked, and
“May” is a Fugitive—Company
Breathes Easier Since Fraud Has
Been Discovered.
have declined to pay near-beer taxes Into
the state treasury.
The announcement said that Chatham
coudty officials declared no suoh taxes
were due from Savannah or other por
tions of the county.
A state tax of $200 per annum Is levied
on the sale of near-beer and Oov. Smith
recently announced that collection of this
‘ x will be. vigorously nroReeut *
Tho total taxes for the yesr on near-
CHATHAM WON’T
PAY JEER TAX
Officials Say no Such Tax
Is Due From That
County.
CINCINNATI, Dec. 26.—The most
astounding wire-tapping mystery that
ever tested the detective ability of a
Sherlock Holmes has been solved, at
least practically so, and the officials
of the Western Union Telegraph Co.
at Cincinnati, where millions of'dol
lars' worth of Information was stolen
by the wire tappers during the. past
six years, are now breathing easier.
Looked in the breast of an un
known young woman are the secre;s
that the Western Union Telegraph
Company has been trying for years
to discover. These secrets would,
perhaps, send a score of Cincinnati’s
prominent business men to the pen
itentiary and cause the lopping off
of the official heads of some of the
Western Union department chiefs,
but the young woman cannot be
found. Detectives have been on her
trail for months,-without success.
“May" Is tho only name she is
known by. She was only a "hello"
girl, perhaps living like a queen now,
when she entered the employ-of the
conspirators. Operatives of a well-
known Cincinnati detective agoncy,
who found her photograph among
some of tho belongings she left be
hind when she made a tfhick get
away, have found out that much,
but have not the slightest trace of
her*or her relatives.
When the “Leak” Began.
That she was the accomplice, se
creted in a locked room through
which the stolen Information passed
the sleuths are positive. Modern po
lice methods of torture, they be-*
llever might induce her to divulge
some of the secrets of this great
mystery. If she could only be found.'
The story of the "leak" is a most
Interesting one. It goes back about
six years, when the growing Impor
tance of the Cincinnati bucket shops
caused the Chicago Board of Trade
to take notice. The Windy City or
ganization started a warfare by cut
ting off Its quotations from such al
leged Illegitimate concerns and In
terdicting its legitimate customers
from supplying the service.
The O’Dell company, alleged to
be & "bucket shop," was then reach
ing mammoth proportions, with hun
dreds of branches throughout the
country. It was absolutely nece<-
I sary that the company should re-
' celve the earliest reports on the Chi
cago quotations, both for its own
Information and fr sending out to
Its branches.
Besides the O'Dell company there
were several other Cincinnati con
cerns of the same kind. For the
successful conduct ot the business It
was necessary that they should have
n “fast wire" service, one that gave
them the news of fluctuations before
the general public became Informed.
In other words, when a trado was
offered at a certain quotation, they
were several minutes ahead of the
customer as to what the market had
done.
When the fight opened, the O’Dell
company, which, as the, largest buck
et shop, naturally became the lead
er, wan put to much trouble In se
curing the quotations. These were
surreptitiously obtained by tapping
wires running to legitimate brokers
in other cities and by other devious
methods.
Conspiracy to Tap Wires.
Finally, certain persons formed a
conspiracy to tap tho wires rignt
under the noses of the Western
Union chiefs, and offered to furnlsn
a “fast wire" service for a high
price, graded as to the Importance of
the bucket shop.
It Is said that the rate paid by
the O'Dell company wus $500 i
week. What the many other con
cerns paid Is not known, but the
conspirators were not modest in
their demands.
Even Hilly O’Dell,
stingy when it becatu
•pend big money, kicked
ly at times over the estortlonat _
mnnda of the conspirators. Th** lar- of^he uviu,„
ter, however, would not cut down)dr th** dernpftaied Mffirmr*
one penny. They kn*w that the> »any xuapirton whaiaoew
had the bucket shops In Ihelr grasp 1 '** r " ,lo * ,n *
and could chart** what they p loaned
During one "dull apel!" ODell an j
•olutelv refused to continue th« pay-! h-u *rin*-n t*-nt I N
Benia. Th* service was nromotlv IPL* 1 * eharge of
•lit off.
wire was enough. O’Dell capltu-l
lated, and the conspirators restored
the service at an Increase t>f!$100|
Iper week. * I
Adjacent to the O’Dell quarters on tho I
seventh floor of the First National Bank
building was a room. No. 702, that was
always kept locked. But two persons bad
keys to it. One was a young woman
who was both a telephone girl and tele-
graph operator; the other whs an expert
electrician, whose duty It was to sit In
the room during market hours and. If any
correct Jt
The operator wore a telephone receiver
attached to each ear, and us the ticking
came over tho wire she telegraphed It
I to the adjoining rooms, w:iere the O'Dell
operators took It from the sounder, not
I knowing but that they were receiving
the messages direct from Chicago.
How this telephone wire was manipu
lated so that it would carry the ticking
I of the telegraph instrument In the office
of the Western Union Telegraph Com-
ipany’a offices, Just a block away. Is one
of the secrets that the detectives would]
like to get from the unknown young
woman and the expert electrician who
was locked in the room with her during
market hours each day. Tho method
used In transmitting the quotations does
not'offer a solution.
These quotations are sent direct from
the floor of tho Chicago board of trade
to the operating roopi or the Western
Union In Cincinnati; They are trons-l
crlbed and then given over to operators
to send out on the tlexer service, which]
includes In the Cincinnati district all
the large cities within tho radius of 160
miles.
When the first Investigation was made
it was easy to learn by timing the receipt]
of the quotations frtix the Western Un
ion operating room and in the bucket-
shop that .they were being received sim
ultaneously In both places. Tho closest
scrutiny and tracing failed to reveal that
the wire had been-tapped or any other
connection-made that would explain the
remarkable'Tact that tho bucket-shops
"ere receiving the quotations practically
at the same time as the Cincinnati office
and * some minutes before they pouldj
be given t<. tins ticker rrrvti’c for distri
bution to the legitimate trade.
|8ldo of the auditorium, Just completed.
Traclnq Secret Wires. „ ^
JThc efforts of the Chicago hoard, of|
trade to solve the "leak" would make a
long story. Time and again men would
come suddenly and trace the wires enter
ing and leaving the operating room of the
Western Union Telegraph Co., only to
confess that they were baffled and una
ble to even suggest a solution. ri
I Thero came a time, however, when ti
consplrntora saw discovery staring
them In the face.
One of the finest electrical experts In
tho country had been secured* for the Job
of locating the “leak." Ho was sont to
Cincinnati with authority that gave him
carte blanche In the Western Union of
fice. Several weeks ho put in on the
wires, ahd then the report Is said to have
come to Billy O’Dell tnat the stranger
had solved the mysterv and was ready]
to leave for Chicago with his report.
Hastily summoning a trusted lieutenant,
O’Dell la said to have Instructed him:
"Catch that man before he leaves. Tell
him It will bo to his Interests to see mo
at my house tonight. Try to find out his
race and religion."
The lieutenant caught the expert at the
depot, Just as he was about to board a
train for Chicago. He delivered the
sago and finally persuade the expert to
accompany him to O’Dell's mansion. Ini
Avondale, a fashionable suburb of Cln*
clnnatl. ■
"You can’t do anything with this man.'
whispered the lieutenant to O’Dell, as
ho left the two men together.
O'Dell was lavish with his princely hos
pitality, and In two hours the expert, It
is said, left the mansion with his pockets
crammed with yellow nnd green pnper. r
It was said to be a fortune.
The expert went to Chicago on the next
train and reported to his employers that,
notwithstanding a most searching inves-
gatlon, he. had been unable to throw any
light whatever on the mystery of the
"leak." For one day. however, the buck
et-shop men and tho conspirators had
held their breath, for It looked like ex
posure was Inevitable.
] Not since that time, although expert
investigators had come nnd gone, had
the conspirators felt alarm until disclo
sures developed from the recent failure
of bucket-shops. Among the papers
found in the safes of the defunct con-1
corns were memoranda of payments and
oanceled checks which directed suspi
cion towards certain persons and started
of the ticker service, otherwise known as
the Gold Stock and Telegraph Company.
Tice Connolly, chief lineman.
George Derfus, In charge of the switch
board In the operating room.
John P. Me Cade, day chief operator.
Whether the ■■retirements” ordered
from the New York office will bo per
manent or not, Supt. Miller says he Is
unable to say.
A Genuine Sensation.
The nows of the shokeup produced a
genuine sensation in brokerage and tele
graph circles. All kinds of reports were
in circulation and it was said that the
western Union management was In the
humor to force the most drastic treat
ment as far as the Cincinnati office was
concerned.
All of the decapitated men had beon
long in the service of the company, Tho
two Millers are nephews of the district
superintendent and have had charge of
the praotlcal operatng of the Cincinnati
"Hum ukuiii, hub nine lurevcr.
because by that time all the Cincinnati
bucket-shops had either found their way
Into the bankruptcy courts or had been
driven out of business by the activity of
the Cincinnati authorities .against that
form of gambling. In other words, there
was no necessity for the secret wlro.
It Is stated In Inner circles that the
Chicago board of trade obtained its Infor
mation of tho conspiracy through At
torney J. J. Hill, of Chicago, who, In
turn, secured hla information from an
operator formerly in the employ of the.
defunct O’Dell company. It Is claimed
that this operator was the fiance of the
mysterious "May.” who occupied the
locked room In which the quotations were
transferred from a telephone wire to a
telegraph wire into tho O'Dell offices,
Exposed by Operator,
The report Is that this operator first
offered his Information to tho Chicago
board of trade for an enormous sum. but
was turned down. He finally made a deal
with Attorney Hill, whereby he received,
it Is said. II.OOO for what he knew. The
telltale operator formerly lived In Ken
tucky. and was around Cincinnati aa late
as a week before the final disclosures In
the "leak" mystery, but. like the myste
rious young woman, he has disappeared.
Charles Tillman, of New York, superin
tendent of the ticker service, who lias
been at tho head of the Investigation
ever since the wlro tapping was first
suspected six years ago. declares k In
the most nuzzling case he lias ever lmd
to deal with.
"For the past six years experts have
•*" trying to trace the 'leak by which
terlouB Incomes.
In such extravagances
cn the races.
Some owned automobiles and others
setting heavl.y
species of fish known ns the loan shark.
Some of those upon whom the shadow
of suspicion was cast were only substi
tute operators. They were transferred
to other points in the company's employ
"for the good of the service," although
no conclusive evidence or crookedness was
adduced against them.
It was staled at the time that they
had been only temporarily transferred,
but they have not been returned to the
( Mi,' 1nr.it i *-ff■ It. ,.!■ ! •' 1
transfers was a near relative of one offi
cial who had. in a few years* employment
with the Western Union, saved enough
money to become one of the principal
backers of n financial company.
Immediately following this there was a
startling shaking up In the Western Un
ion office. Five high officials were sum
marily decapitated. The only explanation
given was that It was "for the good of
been _ „
the bucket-shops were uble to
quotations of the Chicago board.'
"The switchboards of the Cincinnati
Western Union office have been frequently
tom up by experts, who made sudden
descents at most unexpected hours, and
tho labyrinth of wires had been tepeat-
edly traced, but always without sue-
‘•as.
"The ’leak' continued to work os usual
and not the slightest discovery reward*!
the Investigators. It Is evident that the
method used of stealing the quotations
from the wire must have been very sim
ple. for the removal of all trace of the
'1/xHl/' B»B IndlunlannAita MCailWllIlC,
- - to receive
the quotations without the least apparent
difficulty.
News Was Quick.
"What made the affair more irritating
was the fact that these quotations actu
et-shbp brokers had the constant ndvan
tage of knowing In advance of the legit
imate brokers and the general public
spent • an Immense amount of money In
most of' the bucket-shops
out
Had It not- been for the failure of the
O’Dell company and tne subsequent In
spection of its papers by the authorltlei
and officials of the Western Union Tele
graph Company, it Is problematical If
the ’leak’ would have been detected.
"Even now the exact method of the
conspirators is not .definitely known, but
It Is reasonably certain that certain per-,
sons who have not been named were
prime movi rs In the big Theft nn.l that
the principal work of tne wire tappers
was done In that mysterious locked room
next to the offices of tho O'Dell company
in tho First National Bank building.
There Is still some work to be done.
"The contents of a number of packini
boxes sent to the express companies am
storage houses Just before several of
tho flrmB blew up," said Supt. Tillman,
"have not yet been Inspected, and wo
— y And evidence that will permit us
begin criminal Proceedings against
tain Individuals Bo far as tne Chicaffi
board of trade Is concerned the Invent!
ration Is at an ond, but tho Western
Jnlon will not let up until everything-la
cleared, if It lakes twenty years m«
Million Dollars In Six Years.
It is not definitely known how many
bucket-shops received this stolen Infor
mation. Certain It Is, howover, that at
least twelve were thus supplied. Figuring
at the rate of $600 per week for the larg
est concern, the O’Dell company. $360
each per week for the next four in order,
of importance, $260 each for the remain
ing five, and $200 each for the remaining
two, the officials And that the conspira
tors received the enormous sum of
$1,107,600 for their work In six years.
do ,000 for the six years.
over
... t ..l years.
And all this $2,000,000 worth of Infor
mation passed through the ears of a
woman. If she Is ever round the officials
of the Western Union may yet learn the
modus operandl of the conspirators, for
they rely on the old saying that a woman
cannot keep a secret. But this secret
has been kept for six years, and present
indications are that It will be kept longer.
float, and thal a pistol was not pointed
act dangerous to himself or
TEXTILE WORKERS
HOLD BIG MEETING
GRENVILLE, 8. C„ CHOSEN A8
PLACE FOR NEXT MEETING.
CLARK'S ADDRESS FEA
TURE.
* MfTlo Was cL\o
one day of the *| jjf E. Miller. Or..
CHARLOTTE, N. C.. *Dec. 26.—The
first formal meeting of tho Southern
Textile Association, organized In this city
two months ago by cotton mill superin
tendents. overseers, mill engineers and
others Identified with the scientific and
mechanical end of the textile Industry of
the southern states, was held 1,4 re today.
In the absence of President J. A. Dean,
of Spray, N. C„ detained by Illness, David
Clark presided.
The chief address of the day was deliv
ered by W. A. Graham Clark, special
agent of the department of commerce and
labor, who cmphaslaM the fact that Eu
rope Is far ahead of America In the i
utilization and iramufarture of waste cot
ton products. Mr. Clark hoe traveled
* * *“ tr the world seeking
Mrs. Claudia* Hams’ Al
leged Misconduct Re
flated in Court.
FLUSHING. N. Y., Dec. 26.—That
the trip of Thornton J. Halns und
his brother, Capt. Peter C. Halns, Jr.,
last August to the Buysldo Yacht Club,
where William E. Aunis \vn a killed,
came about through the invitation of
an old friend, and the Journey was,
therefore, not taken with the decision
Ot taking the life of Annis, wa H made
today by Lawyer Joseph \\\ Slmy In
the outlining of the defense of Thorn
ton J. Halns, charged, with his broth
er, with tho murder of Annis. The
name of the friend who will bo called
to testify that on the afternoon of
August 15 he Invited the Halns broth
ers to Bayside, where they were to
look over .somo property near the
yacht club, was not given.
The defendant’s counsel, In open
ing, Btartcd to relate all the un
fortunate details of Captain Halns'
marital troubles, which Mr. Shay de
clared causod the mind of the army
captain to become unbalanced,
objection of District Attorney Darrin
Justice Crane ruled that any state
ment of what Annis did, whether true
or false, was not admissible. Justice
Crane said counsel might relato what
ever was told to Captain Haln a or the
defendant.
Mrs. Haina’ Name Dragged In.
With this ruling Mr. Shay recited
all of the alleged acts of Mrs. Halna.
of which, Mr. Shay declared, she lmd
told her husband on his return from
tho Philippines.
Declaration was made by Mr. Shay
that It was tho club members who
called Thornton Halns’ attention to
Mr. Annis In his boat. Counsel said
that before tho defendant could In
duce his brother to leave the dock,
Captain Halns ruehdd to the float
and shot Annis to death. The defend
ant, believing his brother in danger
of his life from John Tanning, the
boatman, and tho club members warn
ed them off with his revolver, counsel
said.
An Important Ruling.
Justice Crane, In denying the *rno
tlon of counsel to dismiss the Indict
ment aftep District Attorney Darrin
announced today that the state re9ted.
ruled that a defendant might be held
guilty as a principal even though tho
man who did tho shooting was In
sane. The court further ruled that a
defendant would be guilty as a prin
cipal who aided or induced an Insane
man to commit a murder.
.Only two witnesses had beon called
for tho defense wfc*n Justice Crane
adjourned court until Monday. Mr.
McIntyre called District Attorney Dar
rin to the stand to tell of tho em
ployment by tho state of two special
prosecutors to assist in tho case,
geno N. L Young, of counsel
Halns, tho second witness denied tho
statements made by Policeman Fal
lon. who declared that Thornton Halns
had stated that "He would go to hell
to get Annis and kill him again."
Falsehood Charged
Joseph Shay, associate counsel for
Thornton J. Halns, In opening tho
case for the defense, charged that tho
evidence of tho state boro every aem
blance of falsehood. Invention and
manufacture. Ho sad tho dofenso will
prove Thornton 1 Inina had nothing t‘>
do with the death of Annta; that
Halns had no thought of Annta la
his mind when he went to Baystdo:
that he had no Idea that Annis was
there; that Thornton Halns did nfft
know that lila brother hod a revolver,
nnd that Thornton would have pre
vented the meeting between his broth
er and Annis If he could.
"We propose to show you that
brother, Capt. Peter C. Halns, was i
tally unbalanced nnd to show you
causes which crested that condition of
mind." saM Mr, Bliay. He then d«*clarod
that Thornton Halns had eonferred last
spring with Messrs. Jesperson an»l Hn-«.
who had property for sale at Bayside.
near t.he yacht club, and that Mr. Bugg
told Halns to meet him any Saturday at
the yacht club. He said that Thornton
Halns had engaged a man to build
house for him ad Bayside.
. Why Revolver Was Carried.
Mr. Shay said that on the day of the
killing of Annis the two brothers left
Brooklyn. Intending to go by motor-boat
to Fort Hancock.' Thornton J. Ifalnr car
ried his revolver to l»e fired as a signal
driver marau-
"That the captain had a’ revolver with
him on these occasions and on this day
was beyond Thornton’s wildest imagina
tion." said Mr. Shay, "for on account of
the condition of the captain as we wll'
show you, the utmoat care was exercised
to keep from him meeting that might be
dangerous to his own life."
The trtn to Fort Hancock was aban
doned, Mr. Shay said, because of time
taken up with a talk with a builder, and
Instead tho brothers decided to go Jo
Bayside to look at the lots Thornton
Halns thought of buylnf. Counsel de-
elared that proof would he adduced to
■how that on the day of the shooting,
"Capt. Halns was a madman," as the
result of his marital troubles, which
counsel related In detail to the Jurv.
Klllina D:>crlbed.
Describing the killing of Annis, Mr.
Shay said that the Halns brothers were
Inquiring at the Bayside Yarh Club for
Jeeperson, the real estate dealer. when
Bfrchfleld, who was standing nearby,
spoke to Mrs. Annis by name. Af this,
he said. Thornton Halns asked ir that
wero "Billie Annis’ wife,” and nxkcd If
Annis whs there. Thornton was told that
Annis was on board hla boat, which wax
then approachln- the dock. Continuing,
Mr. Hhay said.-
"Thornton realizing that n atght of
Annis to hla brother would probably
mean ths undoing of his mental Impair
ment, determined to get away. It was
then that ho turned to hl«^ brother and
£ldL'‘ The C 3ptaln thank* hlmret?''from
th<> defend* nr and in*.
Champion Talks.
SYDNEY, N S. W.. Doc. 26.—In
an interview today after the fight
for the heavyweight championship
of the worm here In which Jack
Johnson, the negro pugilist of Gal
veston, Tex., won over “Tommy"
Burns, tho French Canadian, John
son sAid: “I never doubted tho
iasuo from tho beginning:. I knew
I was too good for Burns. I havo
forgotten more about fighting than
Burns ever know. I was sure I
could win from tho start. Tho ref
eree was fair and I havo no com
plaints to mako."
REBELS FIGHT
ABOUTJOSGOW
Muscovite Domain Borders
On Another Serious
Revolt.
ATLANTA IS OFF
GOODJEHAVIOR
Record Marred By 233
Cases Before Judge
Broyles.
ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 26—The record
which Atlanta has been making un
der prohibition for ft consistent de
crease In arrests for disorderly con
duct was marred today when 23S such
cases wero tried In the recorder's
court.
This was the h'ghest number for
any one day In the past two years.
It Included 74 arrests for drunken
ness.
MOSCOW. Dec. 16.—Baron Cotte. chief
of the secret political police, was killed
and Colonel Murakl was wounded In a
fierce encounter today with revolutionists
who were entrenched In a suburban villa.
During the fight several policemen were
klllad and others wore wounded. Troops
wero summoned to the aid of the police
and a regular battle ensued.
r A -.III.-.. /'-II. rl . ,
to the villa before the revolutionists wero
subdued.
The occurrence is tho most serious
since the uprising of December, 1905.
The villa where tne fighting took place
occupied a strategic position
Island, an islet In the river neai
that Is a favorite summer resort. Tho
JmMlngu meellny
RebtlaOpen Fire.
The police got wind of the affair nnd
surrounded the villa with the purpose of
making arrests. As they approachod the
houso, the revolutionists opened fire. This
result was unexpected and the police
withdrew. The Infantry were sent for,
and with this reinforcement a second ad'
vance was made. The police and the sol
dlers had to retire a second time and It
was In this encounter that Baron Cotte
was killed and Colonel Murakl wounded
Several soldiers also lost their Uvea.
When tho artillery nppeared, a fow well
directed shots put an end to the trouble.
The losses sustained by the revolutionists
are not known, but they doubtless are
heavy.
SAYS
HE’LL GET THERE
Congressman Says He Has
the Votes If He Can
Keep Them.
TOLEDO, O., Deo. 26—"Tho acna
torial outlook is good. My chances
arc good, and I have tho votes, If I
can keep them—and I think I c
was the statement of Congressman
Theodore Burton, of Cleveland, upon
Ills arrival hero lato thin afternoon
to speak tonight before tho wholesale
merchants and manufacturers' hoard
of Toledo Chamber of Commerce at
tho Hotel Sccor.
His address at tho banquet was free
from •politics, but the congressman
took occasion to inako reference to tho
political bosses, whch In view of tho
charges of borslnru living made in the
senatorial campaign were received with
Interest, ,
In his address Mr. (Burton «uld:
"Tho boss Is n repulsive figure in
our political life, but no boss could
hold sway for a year without the In
difference of a largo body of citizens
or without tho co-operation of large
business or other Interests which de
sire to avoid the complexity of (lent
Ing with board? of aldermen, legisla
tive bodies and executives. It Is their
great wish to deal with single Indi
viduals who dictate tho action of the
different agencies of the government
In return theso supporters of the bosses
arc willing to glvo largesses In the
way of campaign contributions and
bring to tho support of any party large
numbers of votors. This does not
means, however, that any psrty organ
tsatlon should shape tho policies of a
political party or dlouite to executive
or legislator what he shall do."
"The crying evil of our time," said
Mr. Burton. "Is In the Indifference of
the great mass of intelligent and pa
triotic voters."
SUES
According to Mr. Bhav. Thornlnn ffilnx
did not come up wllli ('apt. Holds until
«fl**r the NhootlriK und v»h*n T.,nn!n"
hud ^the raPlain^ln hla jeras; and wi
ll x ipsrtatenleiiti ting in April the
CASTRO’S LAST ORDER
BREATHES OE BATTLE
BELIEVED FORMER PRESIDENT 19
NOT YET AWARE OF HIS OVER
THROW.
chai**<] tcfore Thornton »*» even upon
the flout; that Mrs. Annis ws% not eo the
CARACAS. Thursday, Dec. 24. via Port
••r hi* ov«-i throw. Ills message readttM
"If a Dutch warship again nppeare at
IjiGuiilra make an utturk on one aide
with throe of our slilpa."
Conditions hero aro apparently
factory, A decree h/ut been Ilsus.
muting the trans-shipment of merenan-
dlsa Trlndrtd, opening navigation
in*-* tms now moved Into MlmMPS
Students today l.urn.d Castro's id*
tor.- Which hung In the VsrfM Hospital
F It HartMt tho repii-sentattve of tho
N. w yyrfc and llurmuiK* Asphalt Com-
I*•»«>■, has arrived h,-r»* and op* m-d offl.es.
It whs this < ornpsny that tho * Ml courts
condemned to pay .. fine of $1,004,9*6 to
m.o Veoegttelnii rovernnunt because of
alleged (.ompIMty In the Matos revolu
tion. This dr, i [on later wus oooflrmril
by the court of caMotton,
OF LATE DAYS
The New Wedding Scheme
Is the Smoothest and
Latest Game.
BELL EXCHANGE
AT ATHENS BURNS
Supposed Crossed Wire
Started Fire-Town
Without ’Phones
ATHENS, Qn„ Dec. 20.—Fire dc-
stroyod a lar«o pnrt of tho oaehanRO
of tho Southern null Telephono
Company horo tonight. Tho cause
of tho fire has not bocn determined
but It muit have been a crossed
wire.
Earlier In tho day a a (rent car
wire became crossed nnd burnod
out ono hundred foot of telephone
cable. Tho operntor escaped tonight
without -injury.
Tho flro department succeeded In
keeping the Are off the big switch
board nnd thus saved a largo pot
tlon of tho oxchangc, *
Tho damage In estimated ai
|8,000. Work begins tomrrow on
the repairs. The city will be with
out 'phono sorvlco for two or three
weeks.
Negro Shot hj Officer.
Alork Lewis, a negro, who was
shot by Officer aoorge Emeflck yes
terday whllo ho was rcalstlng nrrest,
Is desperately 111. Tho nogro cut
four holes in the officer's coat be
fore ho flred. It was not dlscov-
croa until this morning thnt tho nn-
gro was shot. Tho bullet entered in
tb(T loft armpit nnd not a drop of
blood flowed from tho wound,
BOY LIVED 134 DAYS
NEW YORK, Dec. 26—To have lived
134 days with a broken neck was tho
record of Walter Canning, a, well-de
veloped 15-year-old hoy, who died In
Brooklyn yesterday. Diving in tho wa
ters of Bhecpshei^d bay on August 13.
Canning struck bottom and tho top of
his spine was driven into the hose of
his skull.
Aftor remaining unconscious for three
days, an operation was performed in
which tho spinal cord was laid bare.
The£’oulh recovered consciousness and
tho use of the right side of tho body.
He was removed to his homo appar.
ently on tho road to recovery but again
lost consciousness and was taken back
to tho hospital whoro ho died.
TWO SKATERS BREAK ICE
AND LOSE THEIR LIVES
JEWETT CITY, Conn., Dec. 26—
Robert Jeffrey, aged 17. and Hector G.
Ingrns, 16, broke through tho Ice whllo
skating on a lake hero today and per
ished. The bodies were recovered.
ATTEMPT MADE TO WRECK
WILBUR WRIGHT’S MACHINE
INMANS. France. Dec. 26,-Just before
making a flight today Wilbur Wright, the
American neroplantst, discovered that
some one had filled the oil box of his
aeroplane with gasolene. The discovery
probably prevented *a serious accident.
Hubnequtntly Mr. Wright gave a remark
able exhibition In the presence of a
large number of spectators. Including M
Barthou, the minister of public works.
COLUMBUS’ REGOBDEB
COLUMBUS. Oa.. Dee. 26.—No Christ
mas drunk fines were remitted In police
court -today. The usual assessments were
made and tho fines stuck, to the great
disappointment of the oid-timers. The
Woman's GhrltftlMl Tmnw Union
had petitioned the recorder not to 1 1
.the general rule, but to enforce the find
GETTING THE SIGNATURE
How it Dignified Parson, n Wealth;
Widow nud an Kloplng Couple
1-lny Their Parts In Amazingly In.
grnlnus Fraud Now firing Ope*
rail'd in Indiana—Mr*. Sarah
Ilnffler, of Minoru, Runcoed out ot
91,000 nnd Aaron Minrnrr out of
9000—tho Lightning Rod and
Creamery Swindles Exposed.
ST. I.OUIS7 Dec. 20.—"Tho Wed
ding Swindle'-- Is the name of a
brand-now and moat Ingenious con
fidence game that la being operated
In Indiana and may soon reach St.
I.ouls.
While it la one of the cleveroat
swlndlea ever worked anywhere, It
la very amualng, too, nnd all central
Indiana la laughing at It—that la,
all except the vlctlma—they fall to
aeo any humor In It.
So far na can bo learned, the In-
ventora of thla remarkably clever
awlndle aro working It for the first
time In Indiana. Tho police dopart-
monts of the different largo cltlca
of tho weat, who linvo been notified
of thla fraud and naked to watch for
tho oporatora of It, dcclaro that It la
now to them, and even thoy havo to
laugh when they dro told of.lt.
The old fellow who takea the rolo
of the pteachor In this new act Is
said to look and play tho part, to
perfection. And they say that tho
unctlonanoss-wlth which ho asks tho
blessing at table, or offers a prayor
heforo retiring for the night In ths
house of hla victim has never been
surpassed by any real preacher who
ever lived. • ,-
Preyed I,Ike u Habit.
"Why," Bam Mrs. Sarah Hnfflcr,
of Elnorn, Ind., who was swindled
out of 81,000 by this alleged proach-
or, “you ought to havo heard him
pray. It was ono of (ho best pray
ers I ovor. heard, nnd scripture!
Why he Just had tho Bible at his
tonguo's ond. He could quote wholo
chaptora of It, I guoss.
"I novor heard such good ndvlco
In all my llfo as he gave to tho
young couple ho married In my
houso. It wna perfectly delightful,
and I thought what n good man he
was—until I found out that ho had
swindled mo out of 81,000.”
y.aion Mlncnor, a woalthy farmer,
who lives near Shelbyvllle, Ind., wna
swindled out of 8000 fly tho alleged
prachor and his assistants, nnd ha
asaorta that ho never mot a man
who was more benign of counte
nance or holy of mnnncr than thla
one.
-'Ills prayor before we retired for
tho night was a wonder," said Mr.
Mlncnor, "nnd I felt real proud to
havo him lu my houae.”
Thla Is how the swindle worked
In operation against Mra. Haffh-r. a
charming widow, who Uvea two
miles south of Elnora, Ind,
It was somo time aftor’dnrk when
a loud knock took Mrs. Haffler to
her front door. There stood a fine
looking old gentleman, with n woman
clinging to hla arm. He lifted his
bat, bowed, begged hor pardon for
disturbing her at such an unseemly
hour, and asked If she could accom
modate them for the night.
Deplored Hasty Marriages.
Being a deeply religious woman
herself and acquainted with tho man
ners of clergymen, she knew as
soon ns he began to speak that ho
was a preacher. Beforo ho was
through making his apologies she
asked them both In.
"We have been Being a little
evangelistic work among the farm
ers hereabout nnd Und ourselves
belated nnd prefer to spend the
night with somo worthy farmer, If'
we can, thnn to return to tho town
tonight,” he explained.
Tho widow replied that she was
only too glad to have them as her
guests. The preacher wore u black
frock coat, a white tie, nnd he
looked every Inch a minister. Ills
wife had a moat charming manner.
They talked of religious matters tor an
i ta e raps
fire wus **n
and lu flva
which waa In th* new
belli* carried v«ry
hour i
id the
Mn
preacher putting up here?**
"Mi- anil Nellie
didn’t want rn«
hI.« had to Nii-Hk away. ’ But she's of
’"’save !E ri r£>15 M SH
lie fire, j ring*- Herns** regularly laau* d.
araLSr rn xm
••Id wI.*tr new Mis ar* aituat»d. ' nmrrv >ou flurh « i>ro<’<j«dln* would l»«i
re'V^'ied the sJ-p/oV'thc ho'-i-V * I? IThen Vm-* turn! d'tii the young woman,
slopped by lh«- arrival of the 1 who was wwplnx at the st»:rii»-ss of hi*
hrtKRde I manner ind look, and mild. In thunder*
■III*- I own u.arsh-1 has h. * n maklna It ! otia fww-s "You should he ash-uu.d -f
lively for Ox* blind tls*-r* for ths ismt | yourself, miss, to run i-way fmin v.wtr
few day*, having nrroated and commit tod parents ami nilsinpi to wad .. young
to bond four or flvo of than. In thtut man to whom tin y aro opnore*