Newspaper Page Text
The Atlanta Constitution.
VOL. XXXUI. NO. 22.
FAILURE INVOLVES
OWHI3,OOWO
Price, McCormick i Co.
Go To the Wall With
Big Liabilities
FIRM LONG ON COTTON
Obl!gat!cn» Are Said To Be Well
Secured, and Declaration Is Made
That Losses May Be Pre
vented If Assignee is
Given Time.
New York. Mar 54—Price. McCormlek
& Co- one of the largest brokerage
booMs ta the city, fallel today with Ila
btlnloe estimated at SIXOOMO*- The firm
Is a member of the Sto k. Cotton and Pro
duce Exchanges and of the Chicago Stock
Exchange, and has branch offi-'es in about
thirty cities throughout the United States.
The failure is ascribed to the fact that
the firm was long of cotton in the face of
a feat-falling market. A notice on the
doors of the "filers of the coni;«ny re
ferred all inquiries to William J. Curtis
and William X. Cromwell, assignees. Mr.
Cromw.il said late this afternoon that It
was Impossible to make anv statement at
this hour concerning the condition of the
firm, that its business is very <-»ten*led
and covers eevera’. brunch agencies. *he
total liabilities, he said, are about $13.-
<W»\ nearly a.'l of which was secured.
He ad-let that a statement v mid be sub
mitted to the creditors nt the .ariiest
possible date.
The firn, is composed of Theodore H.
Price. William G. McCormick. It. G. M.
Stewart-)) rtlt-y and Walter W. I’rice.
with George Crocker, of Sa:. Franefse >. a
special partner on un Investment of ss.*'**.-
MMu Mr. MeCorml k. j- of the wll-known
Chicago fanH.y of agricultural implement
fame. .a. 1 Mr. Slewart-)) •*rtli-y i- a son
in-law of Rear Admiral S 'hley. The firm
was organized January 2. 1.Y77. Os tne
partners. Mr. Uro k r is now in Europe
and Mr. Stewart-)) jtlley k> on his way
back from Euroj-e.
Early in the cay rumors* were current
that a prominent was in trouble, and
shortly before the i.lti :al announcement
of the s’-ispctfion «va» made, it was gen
erally understood that Price. McCormick
& Co was the firm referred tc. Prior to
the forma, announcement, the cotton mar
k rtf -v p >n.tj- und.-r t< r-
rifi-c »< Hing fr.<m all directions. The firm
has 1 *ng been regur led as the h ading
supporter of the market, and at on* time
It was satd they were going t > put August
cotton up to W cents. The decline of the
past m -nth. however, »a.< against them,
ar..| despite their courts they cculu n t
hold the market up. Consequently today's
development did not come as a total sur
prise. th i-gh they had sufficient force to
temporarily demoralise tr.e trade.
The turns bu....-ri attitude was surmised
in the .otton market. and it is thought
to have stun. L. ted the recent, a tivilics
of cotton lerri.
Following the announcement of the
failure t.»» cot >n market became p.iri'-
fct.a- ken. and broke lv t<> 14 pdnts. The
ex ter t f the d -.no it..a the nights!
pn e wl n tu. bull movement culminated
lu- bet-.i 1— points.
Later in the day the market Irjcnme
more quiet ar .1 re overed trot*, the ie
pression. Nevertheless. it had Its effe
Hare was a ru.-h io sell lha; cair.ed
I
of eb.al . per cent in l.ie standard rail
way .-.ha • . and ir m - to p- r cent in
the balaiu el the list. While the nrrn
was a.s<> .. r.-m.cr of th.* Produce l.x
cliai.gv. tr.* till- t of tne failure there was
aln. >ot wi sentiment 1L
A< *»rd:i*g to lie- rule of the exchange,
th- at;.l.. 1 ill.. :>1 of the failure Was f<4-
k>*<. b> the - . iisg out of the suspend
ed firn. « outstanding contra, is
fi. or t the * ing*. Up to the close of
the cv t.. ... the -J- .ilings for the firm’s
act •rant i ited ..»> shares.
A-.-.gi:ee- William J. Curtis and William
. .
aounccment itgarulng the lallun ;
"T*« ia- • • toru ■ : I’ll-. M '-‘rml k
A <‘a ; i’r ••. M«-U -no. 1c Sc Co. have* iieeu
<omiel.*-i t« temporarily .i*sj*-:i.l pav
rr.ei.t u. .- i that creihtoru
holding the - - ks. bonds arm other <• >l
- to . aid already well mar
gined, l :t. . j.. u , until rc:isona» « op
portune > r. d the ee t*tdeii
with t tha a.-ary los-s-s
thereby may H* avoid d."
I*rb *. M> *’> rnil<-k Ar Co. had an extend
ed wire s rvt •. and at tint s were cred
ited •» dot: • ..’.;y as large a burtnes-' as
any firt i on the axeliange. T!*e>r repre
sentatives the escr >nge were R. M.
Btowart-Wors .y. VI. *■ M-.t’ormi k and
Goor-ro Cr - «cer. the -r->! il partner. Mach
of tha built*-* of the firm was In th-
Cctton Ex* hit.» at first. nn<! Its senior
mem:>er ar. reanlzer was f rmall/ of
the firm of Hub* ird. I’ricc * Co. At that
time tha older firm had a large southern
business. The present firm controlled
much of th*- southern stock business, and
has be* n very active at limes In stocks
favored by t <i:hem opevators. although
Rs fines of trade have been far less in
volum- th..n its regular commission busi
ness obtained through its wire service to
outside clti -s.
Branches in New England.
Foston. May 3*.—i*rlce. McC«.m.i-*k &
Co. ha'c *ci>ral bran h< s in N-w «-Irt»-
lar.d At era- time they had -i wire agen y
In this dty. bat of late the local bu iness
has been transacted througo various
broker c houses, including the firms cf
George A. FernaJd A Co.. Hayden. Sloan
A Co. Towle A Fltxspsrald. Lee. Higgin
son A Co. and others. The Fernaid firm
Stated this afternoon that Pi lee. M.*Cor
gal.-k A Co.’s account with them was very
Memphis Firm Won’t Lose.
Memphis. T nn . May 24.—A. A’ Hogin.
of H-gin A •' M-inohi c»rr<*spon*l**nis
of Pric»*. MrCi.rmlck A: Co., said tonight
that his firm w >uld lose hut Httle by rea
of the failure. H<* said:
••W” are correspond-nts of five dlffer-
OBt cotton bouses in New York, and at
the very outside we shall not lone SSOO.
We have no Intimation whatever of the
failure. Our order* ’hroughout he lifter
noon wrrj) executed on the ex.'itange up
to within nine minutes of the announce
ment of the failure.”
No Damage In Texas.
Waeo. Tex. May 24.-Qu!te a stir was
caused tn local cotton circles today whi n
the failure of Price, McCormick & Co.
was announce*!, although no one suffer
ed by the suspension. At the cotton ex
change here, where a leased wire is
operated, I’rlce. McCormick A Co. being
one of the correspondents, it was t tated
that no damage was done to any one in
this section unless it was on small Indi
vidual accounts. A member of the firm
operating on the cotton exchange, and
who is in a position to know, sacs that no
on** on the leased wire in Texas was
caught by the failure.
Heavy Loss In California.
San Francisco. May 24—It Is estimated
that the losses in tills city in cotton and
stock through the failure of Price. Mc-
Cormick A Co. will bo close to the half
million point. ______
Crocker Talks of the Failure.
Rome, May 25.--George Crocker, of the
failed firm of ITlce, McCormick A Co.,
of New York, is staying here Today he
informed the corn sjamdent of the Asso
ciated Press that he was the chief
partner of the firm and that he hud heard
of the failure this morning with great
surprise.
”ln my opinion." said Mr Crocker, ’’the
t failure was probably caused by tho pri-
I vate speculations in cotton of a member
ol the firm, unknown to the otber part
ners und «ontrary to th** rules ,of the
itriq, which absolutely forbid Speculu-
I tiau.
GOOD FOR 75 CFNTS ON DOLLAR
Price, McCormick & Co. May Pay
Well Yet.
New York. May 35.—According to late
reports the liabilities of Price, McCormick
A Co., the brokers who suspended Thurs
day last, may be even greater than orig
inally reported, but the Indications are
that the assets will be large enough to
pay at least 75 cents on the dollar. This
statement was authorized today by a
member of the firm.
Tlie capitalization of the firm is raid
to have been a million und have dollars
irstead of a million as original/ named.
Os tills sum T. H. Prtco had >5W,000;
George Crocker’s special interest was
luOu.tH) and the Interests of Messrs. Mc-
Cormick and Stuart-Worthh y were $25tt,000
each. Walter W. Price’s interest was
I said to have b«-en nominal.
The firm’s loans from the local banks
are said to aggregate about $4,000,000.
Nearly all of litem are time loans und
were made during the period when In
terest rat.-s w re higher and stock values
i were lower than they are now. It is
' pointed out tn view of tills fact that the
banks probably will continue to hold
lento th<tr c-"-.ter:>T until maturity.
MRS. DAVIS CANNOT ATTEND.
WRITES LETTER TO THE REUN
ION COMMITTEE.
Would Like To Be with the Confed
erates. fcut Her Health Is
Uncertain.
Louisville. Ky., May 24.—(Special.)—
Judge H. W. Hrucc. the chairman of the
convention committee of the confederate
reunion, has received the following letter
, from Mrs. Davis, widow of Jefferson
: Davis:
i Your kind invitation on the part
of the United Coulederatc Veterans
has been received, and I regret to say
that my health is so uncertain that ▲
cannot pcsstoly have tne pleasure of
being with you, great as it would be
to me. However, the date set for it
has given me ccnifort, in ths as
surance it conveys that my hus
b.,nd‘s frien s and comrades desire
to hold him In affectionate and rev
erend memory. 1 wish with all my
heart I could go to meet our friends,
but in all events I send my loving
sympathy, and our two children will
be present with you—my daughter,
Mis. I. A. Hayes, and my grand
dnu ' *er. Miss Varina Hayes. With
affectionate messages to our veter
ans. I nm very cordially yours,
MRS. V. JEFFERSON DAVIS.
“PUT ME OFF AT BUFFALO”
May Bo the Request of the Confeder
ate Vet Next Year.
Ix»ti!«v1ll**, Ks . May 2s.—<Six*clnl.>—ln
formation wns received tn the city to
day to the iflfrct that a movement had
b* -n put > n fi*..t by the mayor and other
leadirg citizens of RiifTalo, N. ¥.. to in
vite the cimfe.ii rate ve’erans. when th.-y
meet in this city next w>-.-k, to hold their
n*-xt annual r* union in that city. The
matter v as g -it* rally talked . ver rt re
union headquarters this astern x»n and
in any prominent confederal* s expressed
them: lyes tn favor of going to a north
ern city in 180 l sb aild qpe extend an In
vitation to the I nlted U<*nf* derate Vet
erans. it *was argued that inasnv.-'h as
the Grard Army of Ui«j Republic had
b-.tf r d l.< ulMiiir by holding its nation
al encampment here in IsX. it will tie
meet and pr< i»-r for the southerners,
should a northern city Invite them aur
ins th. Ir Louisville session to visit it
n.-xt y*ur. to accept the invitation. I’.ut
little is known of tile status cf the
pro|*osed Buffalo invitation, but it is
re|»ort«*d that the mayor and a commit
tee representing the city council and chief
comm, rcial bodies are coming here to
asiC for the reunion next year, If such
j is th** case, they will almost Finely be
-. successful.
DAVIS'S AND LEE'S PICTURES
On the Walls of the Custom House at
Louisville.
Louisville, Ky.. May M—(Special.)—As
en evidence of the extent to whi.-h sec
tlonal lines have been extinguished be
tween the north and the south, it was
announced at reunion headquarters this
evening that several thousand Indianians
would attend the great meeting. The
most unusual i*it of evidence, however,
is found tn the fact that the '.uulaville
custom hou>e and postofiice. the most
( imposing building in the city, is being
decorated with confederate flags t.nd
colors and pictures of Robert E. la?e
and Jefferson Davis are to adorn its
I walls.
h+ + + . i .. 1 . + .i. + .i..i.+ ++ + *.i. + *i-++*i-++>!-*+ + *l’*l-+’i-++ +++*+++++++ +++++ + + + + *****+ + **** ! **’ i " l “ i *t
f** 4*
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' F— pop. ‘-EXPERTS J rO;// /'J *
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• i k H w I9OO /I! f 1
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l " W E2 X T !" :
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4. 4. 4. a. 4. 4. .j. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. .j. 4. 4- 4. 4. 4. 4* -J- 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4- 4* 4- 4- 4* 4* 4- 4* 4* 4 4* 4* 4- 4* 4* 4- 4- 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 444*4444 4444 4 4 4
BEELV IS ARRESTED
BN NEW EVIDENCE
Burton Furnishes Affidavit
Concerning His Knowl
edge of Case
BURTON CAUSED ARREST
He Says That as Soon as Neely
Learned That an Examination
Was To Be Made He Left
Havana for New York
City.
New York. May 22—C. W. F Neely,
former chief financial agent of tho post
office nt Havana. Cuba, was re-arrested
today by a United States marshal. The
am st was made on a warrant Issued by
United States Circuit Court Judge La
combe in n civil suit ngnlnst Neely by
the United Stales. Ho is charged with
the wrongful conversion of $45,30.25. His
ball was fixed at $50,0™ The arrest was
on information furnished by George 11.
Burton nnd tho order of arrest was In
dorsed by Edward K. Jones, special at
torney general, and Fred P. Smith.
In Ms afffdnvit CokHrtl Burton state*
that on April 21. 1900. he was ordered by
Major General Wood to examine accounts
nnd vouchers in tho department of posts
in Cuba, passed upon and audited by tho
assistant auditor from tho inception of
his office to April 24. 1900.
Colonel Burton, according to his affi
davit. examined the accounts nnd found
Irregularities that made it necesary for
him to visit Neely’S office to examine his
accounts He saw a Mr. Reynolds lit
Neely’s office and this man. he asserts,
held frequent whispered talks with Ids
superior After Neely learned his ac
counts were to be examined ho left Ha
vana on the steamship Mexico.
Mr. Burton further alleges that ho
learned from E. G. Rathbone, director of
posts In Cuba, that Neely had gone to the
Waldorf-Astoria, in New York. A cable
dispatch was sent to Neely to return, but
he paid no attention to It.
Continuing. Colonel Burton says:
"The duties of the chief of the bureau
of finance, Charles W. F- Neely were to
collect all the revenues derived from the
postal department of the Island, including
the sale of stamped paper, box rents and
the fees from the postal money order bus
iness and to deposit the same to the cred
it of’the director of posts, with the treas
urer of the island of Cuha, in Havana.
In order to ascertain the amount of said
revenues, I demanded the .-ash book, led
g. r and the entire records of the office
from January 1. 1900. to April 30. V.miO. Mr
Rich. In the presence of the director of
posts, handed me a, book which he stated
was Neely's ledger and also stated that
said ledger was all the record that said
Neely had left pertaining to postal earn-
ATLANTA, GA., MONDAY, MAY 28, WOO.
ings, which statement Rathbone corrob
orated.
"Said 1. dger contained a statement of
receipts for stamp <1 paper, box rents and
some receipts from the fees of the money
I order business from January 1, T.***.'. to
i April 1900. with the exception of th*
r< elpts ot the Havana postoffice from
i March 15. 1900. to April 30. UH*), of which
i there was no record. I asked said Rich
' If lie had in the office any postal earnings
1 not yet deposited and he answered In the
negative, but stated that he had r<<’<i;>ts
of May 1 and 2. l!«>0, that he. Rich, had
I collected since Neely's d> parture. which
I money ho produod and I counted it and
found the same to amount to t fraction
over $..,00>10. Said Rich also stated that
all the ntonev; r< e< iv< d by said Neely had
1 d< posited with the treasurer of the
Island of t'ttlia on or before April 3*». i'JOO.
"The ledger let hy said Neely shows
that the .-ash receipts were, from the
fifty-nine Important cities In the Island of
Culm, for the months of January. I’ebru-
I arv, March, April. I!"**, ns follows:
•''For January, HW. Neely received from
I the sale of stamp. .1 paper and from box
1 r. nts the sum of sjx.'"i.’ 22. of this amount
I he <i< posited with the said treasurer the
sum of $17..'>30.
"For February. I’’™, he received from
the sale of stamped paper anil from box
rents the sum of !fe.?i".Vs6, to which lie
tidded the sunt of JT.JiL’.u.’i r- celved lie him
from fees of tile money order business for
the months of July. August and Septem
ber IS’tt. He took up in cash also in the
month of February, 1!""', the sunt of $4,-
' 5R5.47 tecei\ < d from fees of the money
<>rd< r business for the months of October,
Nov. ntl.er and fteceml.er, lx?9. lie did
1 not. however, deposit litis latter amount
‘ with th'- said treasurer. This last amount
add .1 to tile first two items makes the
' total receipts for February. H** l . amount
to tin- sum of $.i7.223Jit'.. of which he depos
ited th' sum i f $24,3t2>.f15.
"In Mat. il he collected from the sale
of stamped paper and box rents the stint
of $27,0'12..M1. id which he deposited the
sum of slt>.:i2s.44.
"In April. I>">. he collected the sum of
S2S.&2S.;>I. ot which he deposited the sum
ol sls.4s!t.SX.
"My investigation demonstrated that
Chari. - I’. W. Neely, as chief of tho bu
reau of finance, has received the sum of
, sl-2.ii.6.02. of which he has deposited with
th.- treasurer of Cuba the sum of $77.-
2X1.37, and that the balance, amounting to
tile sum of $45,375.25, or any part thereof,
cannot be found and that tile said sum
remains entirely unaccounted for.”
Demand Rathbone’s Report.
Washington, May 22.—The house com
mittee on Insular affairs today favorably
reported to tho house the Hay resolution
calling for Information relative to Direc
tor of Posts Rathbone’s reports. This ac
tion followed a conference Chairman
Cooper, of the committee, had with the
| postmaster general, who favored all ef
i forts to probe the situation.
Case Will Be Strengthened.
Washington, May 22.—The war depart
ment today received from General W ood,
at Havana, by cable, the substance of
two criminal charges to be preferred
against Neely in connection with the
Cuban postal frauds. *
Tha department In turn
the charges to District Attorney Burnett
at New York and declined to make any
statement as to their character.
Tho charges are two counts specifying
the Illegal conversion of government
money to the use of Neely. In that case
the charges might be prosecuted In tho
United States and It might bo that It
was tho Intention of the government of
ficers to provide in that manner for a pos
sible failure of the efforts to secure the
extradition of Neely to Cuba.
The charge upon which Neely is n"W
helii is of the very slightest character,
so slight as to be subject to grave doubt
its to l»s sufficiency against a writ of
halx as corpus, being nothing mdre, ac
cording to report, than an allegation that
Neely brought misappropriated money
Into tho United States. Hence there is
necessity for Immediately strengthening
the case, not only with a view to extra
dition. but also because It Is desired to .
make sure there shall be no miscarriage
of justice.
New Developments Not Expected.
Havana, Maj* 22.—N0 new developments
are looked for In ronnwtlon with the
postal frauds for some days unless sorne
i thing unusual should happen, and It 1s
' felt that everything is now known with
I the exception, possibly, of how far evi
der -e can be obtained to convict tha*
men known to l>c Implicated.
The Discussion, discussing tho situation, j
■ says;
"The eyes of Cuba are fixed upon the
; Investigators and upon their work, and
Cubans, as well as Americans, are bound
to be influenced by tho way that work I
Is carrleo on. As ft is now clear that ;
fraud does exist, tho Americans are in
terested in its discovery and punish- |
ntent. .
"Tho Anti9*lcans have proceeded with
I great severity where Unban custom house ■
employees have been concrned in alleged ;
frauds; anil the Cubans have not pro- j
tested, because they realize that 'his
has been done with the i<l<‘a of lerfect
ing the Cuban public service.”
Opposes Trial in Havana.
Wnshington, May 22.—John D. Lindley, I
attorney for Charles I’. Neely, appeared '
before tile house judiciary committee to- ;
day an*, submitted an argument against i
the extradition bill. He also presented a ,
j voluminous brief. The proposition to sub- .
ject an American citizen to trial In a
[ country where a Spanish system of laws
Is In vogue, he contended, was utterly
opposed to American traditions. He said: '
, "The proposed legislation Is without i
precedent iti tiie history of the country. ■
I It is violative Os the principles which for
' bid unusual and extraordinary measures,
it is a devise to enable the government to
do something which otherwise would be
unlawful. It seeks to subject a citizen
to pains ftn<t liabilities to whicn, " Itnoiit
such legislation lie could not be subjected.
It is the exjiression of the sort of power
that absolute monarchs exercise, but
which is a menace to them and intolerable
in a republic.” , , .. i
After a two hours’ executive session tne ,
committee voted to report the Raj extra- I
dltion bill, witn sont. changes. The main i
coiitrov<*rsy was to making tho bill gvn- ;
oral Instead of limited to Cuba, and <1 I
was finally made general.
Will Amend the Resolution.
Washington, May 22.-Senator Bacon to-
I day gave notice of his Intention to offer
j an amendment to his resolution for the
i Investigation of Cuban posthl affairs, au
thorizing the committee on Cuban rela
ti< r.s to "send for persons nnd papers to sit :
during th** teeess of .-ongress and at such
places ns the eorr.inittee may determine,
to be necessary or important either In the
United States or Cuba.”
Papers Leave Washington.
New York, May 23.—I’apers are today en !
route from Washington to New York i
which charge Neely, the alleged default- ■
ing postal employee, with the embezzle- |
ment of a sum approximating s4*.«».<.<*M>
through conversion into cash of the $4 ft >.-
000 worth of "surcharged" Cuban postage
stamps which were ordered destroyed and
so certified by Neely.
Neely’s Shortage Is $65,000.
Washington, May 24.—A report has been
received from Special Agents Seybolt and
Williams at Havana tn which they charge
Neely with not accounting for stamp#
moneys, property, etc., aggregating more
than $65,000. This report will lie forward
ed to the counsel for the government at i
New Y’ork.
Bristow Cuts Down Expenses.
Havana. May 24.—Mr. Bristow, acting
director of the posts, today abolished the
I solicitor’s bureau, appointing In Its place
a law clerk with one stenographer, and
i thus saving s2.7<M> annually. Many other
I reforms are promised. The inspectors
i are still busy over the postal accounts,
; and they say it will be a month before
tho report will be ready. In the mean
time It is not likely that important de
velopments will arise.
General Wood has ordered that every
department be thoroughly overhauled.
Th.- auditors are now dealing with the
j, treasury and with the North American
| Trust Company. Later they will ueai
tilth th.- custom house. There Is no sug
| gest on that frauds are suspected tn con
| nection with any of these departments
lor institutions, but General Wood feels
1 that tho public desires the most cotnpl. : •
I investigation of all Cuban accounts. Suen
I a move has been contemplated for s-v-
I oral weeks before tho discovery that
something had gone wrong In tho postal
I department. General Wood’s order will
be executed quite Irrespective of the !n
--■ vestigatlon that congress is likely to di-
I rt-cL
COMMITTEE GOES TO CUBA.
; Senate Agrees tc Investigation of
Cuban Irregularities.
| Washington. May 26.—The senate today
* agreed to tho resolution for an Investiga
| tion by the committee on Cuban affairs
i of the Cuban postal and other Irregulari
ties. authorizing the committee to visit
Cuba if necessary to pursue the Inquiry.
Beyond this the proceedings were of llt
! tie general Interest, some time being
I given to the sundry civil appropriation bill
| without completing It and to the District
’ of Columbia business. One of the latter
: measures provides extensive depot and
terminal Improvements In Washington for
the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio
railroads and for the removal of the his
toric "long bridge,” the highway from the
north to tho south during the civil war.
Tho senate agreed to Mr. Pettigrew’s
resolution calling upon the secretary oT
war for a statement of the number of
Filipinos who have b. en killed by United
States troops in the present Insurrection.
[ Mr. Vest called up, and the senate pass-
I cd. the bill introduced by him giving ju
j risdletion to the national health officers
ov.-r their quarantine districts.
' Mr. Jones, of Arkansas, presented the
i credentials of Josepn S. C. Blackburn
I as a senator from Kentucky for the term
beginning March 4. 1901. They are signed
by J. C. W. Beckham, governor, und
were read and plaetd on file without com
ment. Mr. Blackburn was present
HOLE WAS IN A MINER'S LAMP.
Investigating Into the Cause of the
Cumnock Mine Disaster.
Raleigh, N. May 25.—(Special )—The
assistant labor commissioner returned
today' from the Cumnock coal mine,
where Investigation of Tuesday’s disas
ter lias been in progress by mine own
: ers, the coroner's jury and the labor bu-
I reatt. The jury found It <lld not know
I tho cause of the explosion which killed
! twenty-one men nnd injured one, Thom
as Charlton, who has since died. One ot
I the men rescued is In an extremely se
■ rlous condition. The explosion did not
. extend more than three or four hundred
| feet. The body of Simeon Mclntyre has
I been found. A hole was In the thick
• glass of his lamp and the theory is that
an excess of gas gathered suddenly’ from
I some unknown resservotr and caused the
lamp to burn a hole through the glass.
It Is asserted that the hole is plainly
i broken from the Interior outward.
Virginia Bank Robbei.
Richmond. Va. May 24 The Peninsula
bank at Williamsburg Was entered by
robbers last night, the safe blown open
nnd about SIO,OOO In money was taken.
There Is no clew to the robbers.
PRICE: FIVE CENTS.
CHINESE REFUSING
TO BE imifl)
The Highbinders Threaten to
Slay Their Countrymen
Who Submit
WAR IS ON IN EARNEST
Fan Francisco Board of Health,
So Far, Has Been Unable
To Cope with the Obsti
nate Chinese Citi
zens.
San Francisco. May 21.—Chinese High
binders and the board of health have had
a clash over the bubonic plague question
and up to the present time the highbind
ers seem to be ahead. So far, bj' threats
to assassinate any Chinese who submit
to inoculation against the plague, they
have prevented the Chinese from taking
treatment. There are 25/AO Chinese in
tho Chinese quarter of this city, and they
are terrorized at the prospect of vaccin
ation with tho Haffkine prophylactic. It
was stated at a meeting of the board of
health today that at first the Chinese
were willing to undergo the treatment,
but that the highbinder element circulat
ed the rsport that the whites had con
spired to ki.l off the Chinese and had
adopted this measure to do it. This story
had immediate effect, and It will requlro
force rc m;ike the Chinese submit.
The Chinese merchants have closed
their stores, not on account of fear of the
vaccination, but for fear that their stores
will be wrecked by the Ignorant Chinese
masses who hold them responsible for the
action of tho board of health. So f. r
as plague cases are concerned, there have
been no developments and no new cases
have been discovered.
The boar! of health today listened to
attorneys employed by Chinese who
argued against forcible attempts to make
the Chinese submit. They stated that
the opposition to the treatment was uni
versal among the, Chinese, am! that un
less they could be persuaded to tike rhe
treatment voluntarily, tlc-re w >ui! bo
violence and destruction of property.
It. Kiny-.un. federal quarantine officer,
said that the federal government had in
structed him to take action io prevent
Chinese who had not been inoculated
with the serum from leaving town. He
had made arrangements with the trans
portation comj anies to this effect
Dr. Day, of Honolulu, who battled with
tho plague in Hawaii, w is presen’, an 1
said that a dally house to house Inspec
tion was the best means of preventing the
spread of the disease.
An attempt Is Icing made to ki.l ra.s
in Chinatown by putting poisoned fish and
x
in this city seems to be connnca entirely
to the Cinese quarter, and they are afraid
of the measures taken to prevent tho
plague and not th itself.
Texas Puts on Quarantine.
Fl Paso Tex.. Mav 21.—State Quaran
tine <>flb-*r Norton fully established the
qu trat tine against S •’■- ■o on ac
count Os -he bubonic plague t day. A
Camp has been est.ibu-hed a mhe west of
the c:tv and guards are stationed there to
»ton all trains and prevent peop;c. freight
: exnress parcels from entering the
s:.tfe. United Stat.-s mail will go ’hrough
as well as ex .-ss matter <!' fined tor
M-xic*. But lit. e fear <f the plague
spreading to this state is expressed.
Board of Health Denounced.
San I'raneisco. Mty 22. —1 aking the
declaration of the state board of health
■ . • ■ - do ! I xist in
San Francisco or any other part of < a;i
fornla as a text The Cal! and Chronic.e
;<><i; y edit iriallv denoum e the S in Fran
cisco b >ar<l of health. They cba.g- .hat
last March the c ty board of health for
political reasons attempted to create a
plague scare and is now attempt.r.g to
vindicate its form- r course by t: ■ •■■‘ e S* *
discovery of f:«-h plague cases. The
board reported that there was no
news to give out regardtug the plague.
No new cast s have found
board has taken nj action as to the inocu
lation of Chinese.
Plague Is on the Increase.
Washington, Mav Mad reports from
the Philippines show there as Uen a
steady increase in the numbers ut bubonic
plague. I litre wire thirty-one cas >s in
' Manila l it Ing January, sci ty-> ig'nt during
February and fifty six during March.
During the three mouths approximately
I<jo cases of leprosy were also discovered.
Excellent work is being done by Hw
Manila board of health, undci the direc
tion of Mijor Ir.. Bi wii. m iniprovtng tne
sanitary ct’iidiiior <T the * ifv an I cin* K*
ing the progress of ill-' pl.ngce. 1 tv- •.'•one
ot dismf«<tn.g the hou- s v.as c mdu ted
so .|U,e*.v ami s . sterna: .eallv mat otn
parauvvy little opp>s;l.cn was made by
lhe res id vii is.
Chinese Want an Injunction.
San Francisco. .May 24.—An application
was made in the United States court to
day by the Chinese for a temporary in
junction to restrain the San Francisco
board of health ami Dr. Kinyoun. tho
federal quarantine officer, from interfer
in'" with the commerce and comfort of
the Chinese quarter by * sinbksli.ng a
quarantine on the pre; -xt tli.it the bu
bonic plague exists in tills city. Judge
Morrow r< fused to grant < x parte a re
straining order, but granted instead an
order to sliow cause why an injunction
should not l>e issued, returnable at 11
a. in. tomorrow.
F. L. VADAKIN WAS INDICTED.
Slayer of His Wife Released on,
$5,000 Bond.
Memphis. Tenn.. May 21—Edward L.
Vadakin. of Forest City, was today in
dicted bv the grand jury of Shelby coun
ty on two charges of murder in the first
degree one indictment charging the kill
ing of his wife. Lily B. Vadakin. and the
other charging the killing of Henry Reich
mann. Vadakin was released on s.\t»d bail
and let* at once for his home at l orwrt
City. Ark.