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THE PLANTER'S ^lOAN AND i SAVINGS. ?BANK. ^AUGUSTA, GA. Pays Interest on ItepositS. Accounts Solicited. L. C. HAYNE, President. CHAS. C. HOWARD,* Cashier. THE NATIONAL BANK OF AUGUSTA' L. CSHAYXK, FRANK G. FORD. President. Cashier. CAPITAL $250,000. Und ivftlerl Profits. J $ 125,000 Our New Vault contains 410 Safty-Lock Boxes, which wc offer to our patrons aad thc public at three to ten dollars per annum. VOL. 69. EDGEFIELD, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1(5, 1904. NO. 12. THE WA Such News As ls Available Not Def?nate ACTIVE HOSTILITIES HAVE BEGUN Sharp Fighting Reported Between the* Forces of Russia and Japan News ?nde?inate. St. Petersburg, By Cable.-The Em .peror received a message from Viceroy Alexieff which says: "Admiran Marakoff, commanding the fleet, reports from Port Arthur butler date of March 10 as follows: "Six torpedo boats which went out to sea the night of March 10, four of them being under the. command - of Capt. Mattoussevitch. encountered the ene my's torpedo boats followed by cruis ers. A hot action ensued in which the torpedo boat destroyer - Vlaslini dis? charged a Whitehead torpedo and stink one of the enemy's torpedo boats.'On .the way back the torpedo boat destroy er Stereguschtchi. commanded by Lieu tenant Sergueieff, sustained damages: her engine was disabled and she be gan to founder. By 8 o'clock in the morning five of our ' rpedo boat de- j 8troye:s and returned. When the crit- I leal position of the Stereguschitchi be came evident I hoisted n.y flag on the cruiser Novik and went with the Novik and the cruiser Boyar in to the rescue. But as five of the enemy's cruisers sur rounded our destroyer and as their bat tleship squadron was approaching, I ! did not succeed in saving the Steregus- j chichi, which foundered. Part of the crew was made prisoners and part was drowned. "On the ships which participated in the night attack, one officer was seri ously and three other were 'slightly wounded, two soldiers were killed and j eighteen were wounded. "At 9 o'clock fourteen of the ene my's ships assembled before Port Ar thur and a.;bombardment was beguu with the' heavy'guns' of '-their battle ship squadron at long range. "This lasted -until-1 o'clock in the afternoon. It is estimated that the enemy fired 154 twelve-inch shells: The damage to our vessels was insignifi cant, and they are again- ready for battle. . Our losses were one officer slightly wounded and one soldier killed and four, soldiers wounded. "The illumation of the sea at night by the searchlights mounted at our batteries was most satisfastory, and several times isolated shots from our batteries forced the enemy's torpedo boats to retire. "Witlr the commencement of the bombardment at djpljvn the guns of the fortress, replied to -the euemy's fire. "The crews of all the ships engaged gave proof of remarkable coolness in action. "A bombardment at such a distance mast be.consldered ineffective, but the Japanese cruiser iTakasago. is^i-.eported ^a^agB^tb? extent of which, however, ltSras-impossible to ascertain at a distance of five miles. Many shells were fired at a rance pf IVs, miles. "I have the honor to r?port the fore going to your Majesty. ("Signed) LIEXEFF." Toko, By -Cable-Official and jni- j avte reports both indicate that Admiral Togo's fourth attack on Port Arthur on j the 10th instant was the most effective since the first assault of a month ago. One Russian torpedo boat destroyer was sunk and several Russian torpedo boats seriously damaged. The fortifi cations and city were submitted to a heavy bombardment lasting nearly four hours. The naval bombardments of the land works have generally been ineffective, yet the peculiar topograph ical conditions of Port Arthur make' j immunity from serious loss from bom bardment almost impossible. Admira! Togo's torpedo flotilla opened the ac tion by boldly steaming in under the batteries of mechanical mines in the harbor. Thc closing action was the bombard ment of thc inner harbor by thc Japan ese battleships. Thc latter took a po sition southwest of Port Arthur and used only their twelve-Inch gur:s. There were twenty-four twelve-inch Two Army Corps to East. St. Petersburg, By Cable.-The fifth army corps at Moscow and the tenth army corps at Kharkoff will start for the far East in a few days. After Ute war has ended the two corps will re turn to their stations, but the other troops-tha't are already in the Orient will remain permanently in the Asiatic provision. Investigation Committee. Washington, Special.-When tho House met Saturday Speaker Cannon announced the special committee pro vided for in the McCall resolution adopted bi ?the House yesterday to in vestigate "the indictment" report from the Postoffice Department as follows: Representative McCall, of Massachus etts, chairman; Representatives Hitt. Republican, of Illinois; Burton, Repub lican, of Ohio; Metcalf, Republican, of California; . McDermott. Democrat, of New- Jersey;' -Bartlett. Democrat, of Georgia, and Richardson. Democrat, of Alabama. H-'avy Fire Loss. Chester.' S. C., Special.-The most disastrous fire in years broke out in the basement of the Bewley Hardware Company's store Sunday night at* ll o'clock, and; despite the heroic work of the fire department, rapidly spread to the adjoining building-occupied by Kluttz's New York Racket. For a time it was feared the entire block ,v-ould go. The fire was gotten under control about 3 o'clock Monday morn ing, after, destroying more than $60.000 worth of property. Hanchuria in Bad Shape. Pekin. By Cable.-Private Chinese reports that are being received here state that-the whole of Manchuria is in a state of utter confusiong owing to the Russians having seized all food supplies and other commissariat neces sities. The natives are streaming south toward the ports and are suffering great hnriiships. The late military governor cf Kirin has committed sui cide, owing to his inability to relieve the peonie s distress or stop the Rus t?an depreda', ions. g?ns in the squadron of six battleships, and each gun fired five rounds, making a total of 120 huge projectiles that were-fired at the city. The bombard ment was deliberate and carefully planned. In order to aid in perfecting the firing Admiral Togo stationed the cruisers in a position due east of the entrance to the harbor, and at right angles to the battleships. The cruisers observed the range and effect of the tiring.and signaled the results and sug gestions by wireless telegraphy. Ad miral Togo was unable to learn defi nitely the results of the bombardment, but later private reports .indicate that much destruction was caused in the city where serious fires broke out. There also was damage to batteries. Capt. Shokiro Asai, commanding the flotilla of torpedo boat destroyers, had only three destroyers, but attacked the six Russian destroyers, ordered his era ft to close in with the enemy. He steamed so close to th* enemy's de stroyers that they almost touched, and' a most desperate conflict ensued, from which the Russians retired badly dis abled. The Japanese flotilla which sunk the mines at the mouth of the harbor later crjgaged two Russian destroyers. This Cotilla was commanded by Command- I er Tsuchiya. Admiral Togo's object in sending cruisers to Talien Wan Bay was to encompass the destruction of a signal station mine depot at Sam Shanto. This object was achieved and the buildings were demolished> Rear Admiral Dewa and Uriu par ticipated in the operations under Ad miral Togo, the details of whose opera tions became known In Japan only Sunday. The nows created intense en thusiasm.. Admiral Togo's report came hist night, and but it was withheld until shown to the Emperor. Admiral Togo is permanently numbered among the heroes of thc empire. The latest report places the Japanese less at nine killed, five seriously wounded and seventeen slightly hurt. The Japanese fleet was not damaged in the fighting. Odds Against Russia. St. Petersburg. By Cable.-The cable | story of the fierce fight off Port Arthur between the torpedo flotillas, which oe-. ! curred Wednesday and the bombard- j ment which . followed on Thursday morning', was not given out here until j after midnight. Two official messages from Viceroy Alcxieff had been received during the j cay and presented to the Emperor, but the public "remained In suspense. The Impression was that Admiral Makaroff had directed the attack upon thc ene my's fleet. When the texts appeared it hecarae evident that the collision be tween the torpedo flotillas has occul ted accidentally during the night, while the Russians were scouting in search of the enemy. As far as is known here, this is the. first time torpedo boats have engaged :ach other at sea. AU the odds were against the Russians as the Japanese flotilla, was supported by the cruiser lash4for the"f?e lancf^ap^arently~had the better of the combat, sinking a Japanese torpedo boat, until the crui sers got within range and one of the latter's shells crippled the Stere guschtchi." The gallant action of Vice Admiral Makaroff in transfering bis flag j:o the fast cruiser Novik and sailing out in the face of the enemy in an attempt at rescue receives unstinted praise, stamp ing him at the outset of his command ta' a. man of force and action who in sists on being in the van of the fight ii.gr. The removal of the battleship Rct vizan from the mouth of the inner har bor, which marked the assumption of command by Admiral Makaroff, will permit the free exit of the heavy armored ships. With the channel open it is believed that Admiral Makaroff will make the squadron an aggressive torce. Appreciating the misfortune of the fleet: it is believed that Admiral Maka roff will attempt to unite his forces by i:rlnging the Valdivostock squadron to Port Arthur. Repairs on the battleship Retvizan will be completed in a few weeks, but the battleship Czaravitch is so badly damaged that it is not thought that she can participate in any of the oper ations for a long time." Emperor William on Board. Dover, England. By Cable.-The Ger- j man Lloyd steami r Koenig Albert, on its way to the Mediterranean with Em peror William on board, arrived here Sunday afternoon. Sir William Henry Crundall. former mayor of Dover, went on board the Koenig and delivered the dispatches, after which the vessel pro ceeded. Report Denied. Paris. By Gable.-The St. Peters burg correspondent of The Echo de Paris has sent in an interview with M. Witte, the former Russian Minister of Finance, who denounces as infamous inventions the rumors that Count Lansdorffis to be replaced as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He declares that the Minister enjoyed the full confi dence of the Sovereign. M. Witte said that he himself would never return to. office. The correspondent of The Jour nal in St. Petersburg says that the re ported resignation of Foreign Minister Lt tisdorff has been denied officially. Telegraphic Briefs. Wesley M. Oler, of Baltimore,' was elected president of the American Ice Company. Dr. Von Koerber, the Austrian Pre mier, made a pessimistic speech at the opening of the Reichsrath. Fire at. Bocas del Toro. Columbia, de stroyed 100 buildings, including the American consulate. Governor Odell's Shipbuilding Trust securities were sold at an apparent loss of $129,790. Preached on Lynching. Springfield, Ohio, Special.-It has been decided by- the authorities here and at Columbus that the remaining seven companies of State militia wbich were called here by the recent race riots may be safely dispensed with and all the troops will accordingly leave here in the morning. The city has been thronged all day with strangers who have, carried away with them relics of the jail, levee districts, and the pole on which Dixon" was hung. Tho pas tors of practically all of the churches in the city preached on the lessons to be drawn from the lynching. A PROCLAMATION ISSUED Our Army and Navy Ordered to Ob serve Strict Neutrality. Washington Special. - President Roosevelt, after a conference with Secretary of state Hay, Issued the following executive order: "AU officials of the government, civil; military and naval, are hereby directed not only to observe the Pres ident's proclamation of neutrality in the pending war between Russia and JapaA but also to abstain from either action or speech which can legiti mately cause irritation to either of the combatants.- The government of the United States represents the peo ple of the United States, not only in the sincerity with which it is en deavoring to keep the scales of neu trality exact and even, but. in the sin cerity with which it deplores the breaking out of the present war, and hopes that it may end with the earli est possible moment and with the smallest possible loss to those en gaged. Such a war inevitably in creases and inflames the susceptibili ties of the combatants to anything in the nature of an injury or slight by outsiders. Too often combatants make conflicting claims as to the du ties and obligations of neutrals, so that even when discharging these du ties and obligations with scrupulous care, it is difficult to avoid giving of fense to one or'the other party. To such unavoidable causes of offense, due to the performance of national duty, there must not be added any avoidable causes. It is always unfor tunate to bring Old World antipathies and jealousies into our life or by speech or conduct to excite anger and resentment toward our nation in friendly foreign lands; but in a gov ernment employe whose official posi tion makes him in some sense the representative of the people, the mis chief of such action is greatly in creased. A strong and self-confident nation should be particularly careful not only of'the rights, but of thc sus ceptibilities of its neighbors, and now adays all the nations of the world are neighbors, ene to the other. "All officials of the government, civil, military or naval, are expected to carry themselves, both in act hud in deed, as to give no cause of just, offense to the people of any foreign laud and friendly power-and with all mankind we are no win friend ship." A Heavy Gale. San Francisco, Special.-The worst rain and wind storm in 13 years swept over .this city and along thc Pacific coast Thursday, doing much damage to shipping, railroads and frame buildings through the State. Tae storm extended from San Diego to Vancouver Island, and it is feared that many marine dis asters have occurerd along the coast. Telegraph and telephone wires were prostrated in every direction and for several hours this city was entirely cut off from the outside world. A passen ger train at /the. Alameda^Mole. across _ the track, so fierce was the gale there The steeple' of St Paul's church, one of the handsomest in this city, was snapped off and many buildings under construction were badly damaged. A seven-story lirick building, almost com pleted at the corner Of Bush and Polk streets, was hopelessly wrecked. Four flin Burned. Harrisburg. Pa., Special.-Four un identified men were burned to death in a box car containing gasolene, which caught fire at Branch inter-section, ten miles east of this city. Two others. George Klinger. of Harrisburg, and W. C. Ly 1er; of Lewistown, barely escaped with their lives, their bodies .and clothes being badly humed. The men were employed on th* Pennsylvania Railroad improvement at Enola and were, being sent to Bainbridge to clear thc ice from the tracks. One of the cars contained five ban-els of gasolene. One of the men struck a match to light his pipe while near one of the gasolene barrels. A spark must have landed on the barrel for in an instant the in terior of the car was a fiery furnace. There was a scramble to get out. but four men were trampled upon by the others and their bodies were afterward found burned to a crisp. A Million Dollar Loss. Wilkesbarre, Pa., Special.-Thc Sus quehanna river was falling rapidly and the receding waters have left devasta tion in their path from here to Sayre, Pa., a distance of 95 miles. The river is reported clear of ice, but from Sayre To the New York State line there is an other blockade. Three miles south of here ls Nanticoke. a distance of six miles, the ice still remains in the river. There can as yet be no real estimate of damage done, though it is safe, to say the loss to railroads, mines and other industries in the Yyoming valley alone will reach a million dollars. Senator Tillman Better. Washington, Special.-Senator Till man's condition continues favorable and he is resting easy. The operation on the tonsil which resulted in remov ing the pus from the abscess has re lieved him a great deal and he now trikes nourishment more freely. Tiie temperature is also satisfactory. Those attending him say they -now see no cause for apprenension. If the improve ment continues as at present the family hope the Senator may take his project ed trip South in a few days. Poisoned By Rough on Rats. Dothan, Ala.. Special.-Mr. J. A. Pe tcrman, his" wife and three children, and Mrs. Angus Kirkland and her br.by. were poisoned Thursday morning by eating biscuits which were made from flour in which Rough-on-Rats had been put by a small child of Mr. Peterraan. Prompt medical attention was procured and they'are now out of dauger. Sharplcy Sentenced. Washington, Special.-First Lieuten ant. Sharplcy. of the Twelfth Cavalry, having been tried by a general couit martial at. Manila and found guilty of serious charges affecting his moral character, has been sentenced to dis missal from the army. The napers have been prepared in the War Department for transmission to the President. Found Dead. Alexandria, Special-Frank Summers, a blacksmith, was found dead beside his mother's grave at Union Cemetery. His face and a porci?n of his neck had been badly mutilated by large dogs, which were attacking the body when it was discovered. Suicide is suspect eil. A wife and five children survive him. PALMETTO POINTS GIVEN IN BRIEF Death of Congressman Croft. A Washington special to The Colum bia State of Friday says: Shortly after 7 o'clock Thursday morning George Wiliiam Croft, repre sentative in Congress from the second South Carolina district, died at his resi dence, No. 2, Sixth street, N. E., from blood poisoning. The body was taken South on the 9:50 train, accompanied by members of his family and a con gressional delegation. The hour for the funeral will be set after the ar rival of the train at Aiken. Physical exhaustion was the immedi ate cause of Col. Croft's death, but this was the result of the blood poisoning, from which he has been suffering for some time and which was brought on by a small splinter in his thumb. Up to Wednesday it was thought that Col. Croft would recover. But early Wednesday morning hope was aban doned and his sons. Theodore Croft, of Aiken, and Randall Croft, of Provi dence, R. I., were telegraphed for and arrived several hours after the death of their father. Col. Croft was seized with sharp pains in his thumb about 8 weeks ago. His niece. Miss Flo: ide Croft, who is a trained nurse, extracted the splinter, administered a hot witch hazel application and for some time afterward the pain was eased and Col. Croft was about the capitol as usual. A week later, however, the pains re curred, the thumb began to swell and Dr. Fred Thompson, of this city, was called in. Meantime Col. Croft's brother. Dr. F. W. Croft, of Aiken, was sent for and upon his arrival a consul tation between himself, Dr. Thompson and Dr. li. h. Freedrich was held. The swelling was declared to be'due to palmed abscess and an operation was at once decided on. The doctors made an incision extending to the elbow in the hope of affording the patient re lief. But instead a second abscess formed on the finger and shortly after- * ward blood poisoning set in. At h?s bedside when death came were Col. Croft's brother, Dr. Croft, his niece, who has nursed him devotedly from the very outset of his illness, and his cousins. Misses Mary and Matilda Croft, of this city. The death of Col. Croft has proved a sever shock to the Southern colony here with whom he had become well acquainted already, although serving his first term in Congress. There were scores of his confreres from the house and of friends who called to ofter their condolence. Many beautiful flowers j were carried South on the funeral train j the sympathetic expression of frituis S here. j Congressman George William . Croft, was born in Newberry county, Decem ber 20tb, 1846, .His-early education wand - in 1863 he entered the South Carol in Military Academy at Columbia. Mr. Croft enlisted with the cadets of thc academy and continued to serve un til the close of the war. In 1S66 and . 1S57 Mr. Croft attended the Univer sity of Virginia, and subsequently studied law under Governor B. F. Per ry, at Greenville, and was admitted to the bar in 1S69; and in 1S70 be located at Aiken, where bc has continuously practiced his profession. Mr. Croft has been prominently iden tified with Aiken county ever sime it became a county in 1872. He has been a member of the South Carolina Sen ate, and served two terms in the House of Representatives. He was also twice elected president of the South Carolina State Bar Associations. Mr. Croft was elected to the Fifty eighth Congress from the second dis trict in 1902, receiving 5,134 rotes, against 247 for W. S. Dixon. Republi can. Mr. Croft was married to Miss Flor ence Ethel McMahan. of Alabama, April 17. 1S73. His wife and six sons survive bim. His sons are: Theodore G. Croft, his law partner; W. McMahon Croft. Randall B. Croft, now in Provi dence. R. I.: daurie and Edward Crort, students of South Carolina College, and Mason Croft. Palmetto Items. Mr. T. A. Clark, who lives near Florence, lost his dwelling house and barn by fire Saturday. The fire caught between the roof and the ceil ing and as Mr. Clark was not at home had Rot too much headway to be stopT ped when Mrs. Clark had summoned help. The total less on 4.he dwelling was $1,500. covered by about $500 in surance. About one-third of the house hold goods were saved. At a meeting of the board of direc tors of thc Chiquola Manufacturing Company, of Honea Path, held in their office there Monday, it was decided to submit the question of increasing their plant from 15.000 to 40,000 spindles to a meeting of the stockholders to be held on the 12th of April. There is no doubt that the suggestion will be adopt ed by the stockholders. Already more than 85 per cent, of the money asked for lias been subscribed. The Chiquola Mill was built in 1902 and has made money from the beginning. Charlie Lomax, a colored employe of Hie Pickcns oil Mill, became entangled in the machinery at the mill Monday afternoon and received injuries from which lie died carly next morning. He was a worthy negro. His home was in Greenville. The extensive and considerable task of rebuilding the three Cliftons, whose splendid mill properties were swept away by the waters of the raging Paco let fast June, is about concluded. For weeks and weeks past. President Twitchell, of the company, has been engaged purchasing and having install ed the machinery equipment at each mill. No. 1 has not only been rebuilt With its former equipment. 23,072 spin dles and 70S looms, but No. 2 has been finished and 27.776 spindles and 861 looms placed in shane. Thc first mill is already manufacturing cotton. The Medical Society of South caro lina, which is the trustee of the old Roper Hospital fund, has a scheme for the building of a new hospital on the site of the old Roper Hospital in Charleston, if that city will take over the place and give it the support which is now given the city hospital, the latter institution being abandoned and disposed of, the proceeds of the sale reverting to the city treasurer, if the city council so elects. The scheme meets with the approval of a large number, who think that the new hos pital would be much more economical than the present, arrangement. SHARP TALK IN CONGRESS Hrs Git Warm Over the Post pf, office Investigation Hatter. iTnat an investigation of the Post office Department by the House of Representatives will result from the publication of the report involving members of Congress in that con nection was indicated by every ex pression possible short of a vote in that body. With a whirlwind of pro tect the report was taken up by in dignant members, their personal con nection with it explained, and epi thets hurled at Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow. ["The Bristow report was conceived in iniquity, born in sin, and has trav eled its course until it has struck the public of the United States as a great attack upon fl body of men as free from wrong-doing, corruption, crime and irregularity as any equal number of mon oa thc face of the earth." This was the parting shot of Representative Grosvenor, of Ohio, in paying his tribute to the report. /.''That document is the production of a liar and a scoundrel." shouted Representative Hill, of Connecticut, on making an explanation of his con nection with certain leases. He add ed that, he should voto to investigate himself, and also the Fourth Assis tant Postmaster General. "There is nothing in any of it to impugn any improper motive or conduct upon any member of the House," was the ex pression of Chairman Overstreet, cf the committee who eombatted the idea of an investigation. ?Mr. Williams, thc Democratic lead er, urged an investigation of the whole Postofiue Department, and re ceived thc hearty applause of both rides of the House and the galleries which had filled during thc discus sion. It was soon found that the two hours which had been allotted to the subject was noi going to be near enough time for the personal explan ations which members were demand ing the right to make, and a moUon ?to extend the debate until four o'clock tomorrow wis carried with vim. Mr. Overstreet proposed a postpone ment of the discussion until "Monday in order to give the members more time. Mr. Hay. of Virginia; Finley, cf South Carolina, and others opposed postponement. Mr. Hepburn, Republican, of Iowa, said that any investigation of the Fnistoffice Department would not elicit any facts net brought, out by the committee report. "I say that an investigation would elicit further facts, and that these fads have been suppressed," retorted William Alden Smith, amid loud applause from the floor and galleries. Mr. Williams said he wanted tho corruption in the Pnatoffico Depart- j I ment to bc investigated, not by tho friends of thc men who have been guilty of corruptions but by the House bf Representatives. . As to the Hay resolution. Mr. Wil liams said it did not touch the ques <?ff?>hat "somebody[at &ftaFi&???a~' fgjgaffiaaM w ^.nopofthri alter man In the* House of Representatives and in the Senate, guilty of no apparent wrong, guilty of no violation of any law, guilty of no moral obliquity, guil ty of nothing that bears cveu the lingo of criminality." "What was the motive of it?" he vigorously inquired. "Wasn't it to give the Congress notice that, the De partment held something over Con gress and that Congress had better let the Department alone?" he inquir ed, his words being drowned by ap plause from both sides. Mr. Hay, of Virginia, said he did not altogether agree with Mr. Williams. "I believe there ought to bc an inves tigation of the Pnstoi?ioe Department, and along with it an investigation of these charges against members." Mr. Cooper, of Wisconsin, declared J that President Roosevelt had directed the prosecution of members of bis own party. Mr. Moon, of Tennessee, facing the Republican side, said: "These thieves being yours and not ours, it is for you, not for us. to say if they shall have your protection." Mr. Underwood, of Alabama, said that "no man who is innocent is afraid to face such charges as these. But." he salli, "If a man is Riiilty ho ought to bo required to appear before the bar of the House." Mr. Overstreet then withdrew his motion to postpone, and the House proceeded to discuss the resolution. Mr. Overstreet, refereing to the rec ommendations made by a member of Congress, said "that there was in no instance any violation of any law whatever by any member of Congress in making any recommendation, eith er for increase of clerk hire allow ance or increase of rent of postoffice buildings. "The resolution proposes an Investi gation by five members of this body." he said, "whereas a committee of sev enteen members representing an equal number of States, of both par ties in politics, which has already had before it in a proper way this infor mation, has unanimously reported tn thc House that there is no need for further investigation." Mr. Moon, nf Tennessee, insisted that there should be ah investigation covering the Posto/Tico Department and everybody conn erteil with it. "and whoever is guilty."' he said, "whether in this Ilonsr- or in the De partment, should be exposed. The membership of the House being ac cused," he said, "was entitled .to vin dication, as wore also the Department officials, if guilty nf no wrong; but," he said, "I take if that no sensible man will deny that there is anything else but crime running all over that Department." W. W. Kitchin, of North Carolina, severely criticized General Bristow and charged him wich having deliber ately suppressed Important and ma terial facts-"facts," he said, pound ing his desk, "which could not be overlooked, and which were suppress ed, in my judgment, for the purpose of giving a false impression to the country and misleading the public." "Bristow's action." ho said, "was neither courageous nor honest, but for partisan purposes. He knew thc country demanded an Investigation," Mr. Kitchin sala. "Ho unaertooK, in my judgment, to blackmail Congress, to silence Congress, and to silence the country. It ia a species of intimida tion." He asked if those on tho Re publican side would sit still and stop the investigation and thus give tho backbiters an opportuntiy to attack the character and integrity of those whom Bristow liad accused. Mr. Grosvenor, of Ohio, declared tho Bristow report a malicious libel on 191 members of tho House. '.'I will resign my seat tomorrow," he caio, pounding his desk, "if there is anything irregular or improper iu what I did." KILLED FIVE MEN Startling- Confession of Cn.* of The Famous Train Robbers THE MYSTERY IS CLEARFD UP The Car Barn Bandit Clears Up the Mystery of the Chicago & North western Express Robbery Four Years Ago. Chicago. Special.-Gustave Marx, one of the three car barn bandit now under sentence of death, declared in a confession made Sunday that he was ene of thc three men who held up thc Chicago & Northwestern Express train at Tower "W." near DeKalb.'four years ago. The crime, which has passed into history as one of the most desperate ever committed in or about Chicago, has never been fastened upon any one of the many suspects arrested, and tho identity ot' the bandits has remained a mystery to the police until now. Marx says both his confederates in the crime are dead, and refus?s to give I heir names. One of thm. he declares, "died with his bcots on." The railway authorities admitted a loss of $100.000 by the robbery. Marx said the robbers secured only $8.000. the rest of the money having been destroyed by the explosion o?- dynamite used lo crack the sa??. In a sort of footnote to this startlins; confession. Marx admits the killing of five men in his career of crime. "Besides John R Johnson, killed at ibo car barta ; Deter: lice Quinn, killed ?U the time of ray arrest, and Otto Bau pre, whom Roeski is generally sup posed to have killed. I have killed two ether men." said Marx. "Eight- years ?go Neider m ier and I want to Janes ville, Miss., to rob a train, and hid our \ iynan.ite alongside the track. A track- . iva)ker or railroad detective-I have j :>.ever .learned which-came upon us .nd asked us what we were doing here. I shot him. and we threw Iiis ?ody into the Rodi? river. The other nan whom 1 killed I had done criminal votk with in Michigan. I met him at -amp Goldfield. Coi., when Neider aier and I were there ksst fall. He ?new too much about me. and 1 killed lim and left his body ly^na; in the suburbs of the camp. k>th these crimes !6n be verified by the police." Letter From President. Norfolk. Special.-President Roose 'felt sent, the following letter to Secre ?ry Sheperd. of the Jamestown Expo sition Company, endorsing the tcrcen onuial to bc heb! in 1907. ns demand ng tlie united effort of the whole un ion in commemorating tho real birth ?i thc nation: White House. Washington. D. C. March 9, 1904. "My Dear Sir: I trust I need hard y say to you how apt I regard th? iroposed tercentennial ceiebiation to :e.Jicld_Oii the borders of Hampton nark an epocu in. tue uiaiury ?rruur ountry. The first permanent settlement if English-speaking people of A merl an soil at Jamestown in lfi07, marks he beginning of the history of the baited States. The 300th anniversary of hat event must bo celebrated by the icople of our Union as a whole. "With best wishes, believe he. Sincerely yours. "THEODORE ROOSEVELT." General Fitzhug Lee. president of the exposition Company, will probably rike charge of tho headquarters to be paned in Washington lo work for a tational appropriation. Alexiefi's Report. Viceroy Alexieff has sent the follow- < ng message to the Emperor: "in the light between our torpedo : ?oats and the Japanese cruisers on If arch 10, Captain Mattenssevitch, En den Alexandro!!, and Mechanical Engi neer Bliniff. received slight wounds, mil Ensign Zaoit'f was severely wound- ' Hi in the head, losing an eye. "The commandant at Port Arthur re ports HIP following details of the bom bardment of the fortress there on March 10: As soon as the enemy ojien ?d fire our batteries replied. Six of th. enemy's ships remained behind the -iao Tishin promontory and opened fire -,h the fortress over that shelter. They .cased bombardment at 1:15 p. ni; The HI erny fired about 200 projectiles. One ;hell from the battery No. 15. on Elec tric Cliff, damaged a Japanese cruiser seriously. "The results of the bombardment ?vere significant. Six soldiers were wounded. Three inhabitants of the town wounded. "According to General Stoessle's re port the officers and soldiers in the ?.hore batteries displayed exemplary courage and fired their guns in perfect order." ' Senator Tillman Better. Washington. Special.-Senator Till man, who for a week has had serious troubl? with his throat, is reported to he very much improved and the confi dent expectation is expressed that he will he aide to leave the city for the South during the present week for a period ot recuperation. The improve; mont is due to the relief experienced from the lancing of another abcess. Thc Senator swallows readily now and i: able to converse without difficulty. This morning the Senator suffered ex treme pain, its intensity being greater' tlian any he had experienced since his' throat affection first manifested itself. But Saturday's operation ended the pain. Georgia Delegates. Gainesville. Ga.. Special.-Judge H. C. Tate, of Lumpkin county, and Col onel Spence, of Pickcns county, were chosen as delegates to tbe national Republican convention to represent the ninth congressional district of Georgia. Walter H. Johnson. W. J. Lyons. Marry Stillwell Edwards and FI. L. Johnson were endorsed as delegates from the State at large. J. W. Lyons was eu dorscd for Georgia's member of the national committee. Train Derailed. Murphy, N. C., Special.-The passen ger on the Murphy blanch of the At lantic. Knoxville & Northern Railway, due herc at ~> o'clock Saturday even ing, was derailed near ?lairs Crossing, three milos south cf this place. Thc engine and tender alone kept thc track, both passenger coaches leaving tho trm-k and turning over In the ditch. The wreck was caused by c broken rail. Several persons wer? Slightly hurt. An elderly woman by the name of Shepherd, who lives near Franklin, this State, in the <"'ly person seriously hurt. MANY LIBRARIES IN CHINA. Celestials Abundantly Provided With Reading Matter. Cliina is essentially a reading coun try. Circulating libraries have been in existence all over thc Middle king dom for ages and nowadays they are wheeled about from door to door, so you see that ihe '"Booklovers' Ijbrary" is not a new or original idea, in fact, the life and history of the Chinese make one realize those words found in Ecclesiastes: '"That which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Books are cheap in China. Anyone can have twenty-one volumes octavo of the standard Chinese dictionary and all the thirteen classics as well for the modest sum of $5.50 of our money. There are all over the empire famous Chinese libraries. Thc Chi nese have always illustrated their books in black and white. Lamp Chimney's Long Service. A lamp chimney that had been in use in a Newport. N. H., family for more than twenty years was broken recently. No Plain Cooks. Sir Thomas Horne, the president of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, made recently a tour of inspection over the Pennsylvania line from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. Sir Thomas was much uleased with the service and cuisine of his dining car. He inspected the kitchen and showed great luterest in the skilled maneuvers of the- cook. The cook, who was something of a wag. described to him distinguished visitor the kitchens of the great New York hotels, whore the walls are of glass, the floors of vitrified brick, the tables of white marble, and the cook ing utensils of German silver. "A great hotel chef," he said, "has from fifty to seventy-five assistants under him. I know one of these chefs, and I.visited.him two weeks ago. Hi* assistant cooks were all young women' -the prettiest lot of young women I ever saw. " ;Why, Gaston,' I said to my friend, 'why pretty girls you employ!' " "Indeed, they are pretty," said he. 'Plain cooks won't do here.' " Colombia has great wealth lying un touched on her plains and in her for ests and mountains. Pl Georgia Chemical Works AUGUSTA GA. MANUFACTURERS OF HIGH GRADE FERTILIZERS AND ACID PHOS HA TES. CAPACITY: AUGUSTA FACTORY PON PON FACTORY TOTAL TONS. 35,O0O ?2B22. 70,000 Equal to 700,000 Bags for Each Season QUALITY BEST Mechanical Condition Excellent ANALYSIS GUARANTEED EVERY KAG FULL WEIGHT, 200 POUNDS SOLD BY fi [dpi! Mercantile Co., Wagons ggies FURNITURE. Large Shipments of the best makes of wagons and buggies just received. Our stock of furniture and house furnishings is complete. A Large stock. always on-hand. All calls for our Hearse prompt ly responded to. All goods sold on a small mar gin of profit, money. Call to see mc, I will stive you o-iixx -JP. COBB. Johnston, South Carolina, W. J. Rutherford & Co. MANUFACTURERS OF AND DEALER IN Cement, Plaster, Hair, Fire Brick, Fire Clay^ Ready Roofing and other Material. Write Us For Prices. Corner Reynolds and Washington Streets, Augusta, Georgia; COSKERY'S HEADQUARTERS for vehicles of all kind, FARM WAGONS from one to four horse. Columbus, Cincinnati and other grades ofBUGGIES, SURRIES, ETC. Babcock's fine and unexcelled Buggies, Carriages, Stanhopes, Cabriolets are the best in the United States for the money. Masbury's superior house paint. H. H. COSKERY; Sole Distributing Agents'. 749 751 Broad St. iilCIIJi FIRE Insurance,HEALTH Insurance, ACCIDENT Insurance, Fidelity and Indemnity Bonds of all description issued. Your Business solicited. GRIFFIN ffice Over May & May's Store.