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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*