The people. (Camden, S.C.) 1904-1911, June 23, 1904, Image 1
*
VOL. I. NO.21. CAMDEN, S. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 23,1904. $1.50PEK YEAR.
TERRIBLE FATE OF EXCURSNN PARTY
V 1 1
Crowded New York Steamboat Catches on Fire In
East River??Loss off Llffe Nearly 1000.
New York, (Special).?Flames that
suddenly swept over the excursion
steamer General Slocum in the East
river, near its junction with Long Is
land Sound, at 10 A. M. Wednesday,
drove hundreds of the passengers to
leap overboard, while hundred* more
who remained aboard were burned
to death.
It seems certain that at least 600
persons, mostly women and children,
met death. The number of deaths
is likely to reach as many as 800.
Four hundred and ninety-eight bodies
had been recovered at a late hour
and divers were at work taking more
from the hold of the steamer. The
remains of many persons who leaped
into the river have not yet been found.
The fatalities, all occured in a brief
race with death over a half-mile
course which Capt. William H. Van
Schaik, of the boat, made in trying to
beach her on North Brother Island.
He succeeded in this attempt, but
the fire meanwhile had spread so
rapidly that one of the vessel's decks
had collasped, killing many, while the
flames had destroyed others or driven
them to death in the water.
Boat'a Officers Arrested.
The captain has been severely
criticised for not running the boat
ashore when the flames were dis
covered. With five of his men he was
arrested.
Some of the survivors declare that
the life-preservers were rotten and
proved utterly uselss when the pas
sengers tried to use them.
About 1.200 persons, members of
an excursion party given by St. Mark's
Evangelical Lutheran Church, 232
Sixth street, on East Side of Man
hattan, were on board the General
Slocum. The greater number of
passengers were women and children.
All were on their way to Locust
Grove, a summer resort on Long Is
land Sound.
The dangerous Hell Gate rocks had
been passed in safety and the steam
boat was off the cast end of Ran
dall's Island when there was a sud
den fire in the forward part f the ves
sel. The overturning of a pot of
grease in the boat's kitchen had caused
it. What seemed an explosion fol
lowed.
A cloud of ?moke and flames shot
into the air.
Death In Frightful Panic.
,A Instantly the women became panic
stricken. The crew of 23 men were
powerless in the frenzied throng that
rushed toward the stern, pursued by
the flames. The pressure against the
rails was so great that they soon gave
way. Forty or fifty persons were al
most immediately swept overboard.
Captain Van Schaik then headed
the boat for North Brother Island
and the harbor craft began picking
up the trail of victims and survivors
who continued dropping in her wake
by fives and tens, sotne supported by
life preservers, but most of them with
out such aid.
Hundreds fleeing from the flatnes
Wed to the upper hurricane deck,
which, under the unusual strain, to
gether with the burning of its sup
porting stanchions, collapsed. One
hundred or more were thus precipi
tated to the middle deck, and many
of them were thrown bodily into the
blazing hold.
Few Could Be Saved.
The steamer's whistle was blowing
for assistance, and tugs and other
nearby craft answered the call. Be
fore any of the boats could reach the
burning steamer, however, the frantic
women and children had begun to
jump overboard. The current was
strong and there are many whirlpools
in the channel* The boats that always
abound in the vicinity picked many
persons from the water, hut these
were only a small number of those
?toggling in the swift current.
As the fire increased the struggle to
gain points of vantage at the stern
became frightful. Women and chil
dren crowded against the after rail
?ntil it gave way and hundreds were
pushed off into the river. After this
there was a steady stream of persons
who jumped or were thrown into the
water.
By this time the shrieking whistle
of the Slocum had attracted the at
tention of river craft for a con
siderable distance around, and tugs
and other small boats were rushing to
the assistance of the burning steamer
Rows Of Head* In Water.
( These small boats rescued all those
in the water whom they could reach,
but many person* struggled and
sank before any help could reach
them. In the wake of (he Slocum as
she hurried upstream was a line of
little bjack spots marking the heads
and bodies of those who had sought
to escape the roaring funnce 111 the
ship by throwing themselves over
board.
Few of those saved by the small
boats had on life-preservers \t no
lime during the progress of the ? ?
was there any good opportunity either
to lower the lifeboats or get the life
preservers out from underneath the
seats. This gives an idea of the
rapidity with which the flames swept
the decks.
It was an experience harrowing and
terrible, and that any escaped alive
seems wonderful.
Through all the panic during that
inferno, with fire and smoke surround
ing them, the officers and men of the
doomed boat remained at their posts,
but they were powerless to avert the
catastrophe.
Shore Reached At Last.
The Slocum got within 50 feet of
FINANCIAL.
Tn New York tlii^ week $r,.1.18,000
of dry good? was marketed and in the
name week last year $1,777,000.
For five months of 1904 bank clear
ings in Pittsburg have decreased $258,
000,000 compared witli the same time
in 1003.
J. S. McCord & Co. had a private
despatch saying; "W. K. Vanderbilt
is expected home on July to. The
(Pennsylvania Railroad will then offer
to buy half the Ontario Western
Railroad Company's stock if the New
(York Central will take the other half."
low i/ti? ierc stopPed in sfcal
th? nrtiif * ^as Just before she
beached?h!?.S?,nut ?f North Brother
Deached that the hurricane deck, the
supports of which hrfl burned away,
(K.Jn a]*-*?** ,oad ?f women and chil
of tfc g panic and horror
of those on the deck below
fndn?ia lfrTar.d parts of the second
and third decks also caved in. Rut
Trace v hl!l happcn?d the tug Walter
} racey had gone alongside the burn
NUnvofThl *"d been ,ashcd *?h?.
bv I PVSfng"s wcre taken off
mainlrf J'" Tracey* whith ??*
mained alongside the steamer until
i'u8 8 P>Iot house took fire.
lw.f if p,ace. where the Slocum
ward JI!S?oflF th* scar'?t fever
ward on North Brother Island. The
patients who had been out on the"
porches and lawns watching the ap
proach of the burning steamer were
?.Jn.do??- Pl!>"ici,n. on the
i land hastened to the assistance of
b;;in? br?u?h? ?hore
tnrougli the shallow water Manv
cum wm- Wh? ,capcd from the Slo
cum were carried away bv the r..r
tent, even after she was beached and
were drowned. ' an<l
Pastor's Tsle Of Horror.
One of the best narratives of the
rT?T R" George C
wifj n 1 tllr church. Hi.
a ? Gertrude, and his daughter
"Th afie an,?nR thc dcad He said-'
theTir a started in the kitchen, in
forward part of the ship, when we
were off One Hundred and Tliirtv
fat"whichTo l I "nderstand ^at some
and th-it H ?VCr start<?d the blaze
f,?r 1 e mc"ln the kitchen ran
of *U I,VCS- At t,,at f'me most
of the women and children were I
xrdti,'n Khe,ircar part ?f t,,e b?at.i
where the band was playing. Whv
tlu captain did rot point the boat1
for the sunken meadows near-by I do
not understand. y
kept on. and the fresh wind
from the Sound drove the fire back
through the different decks with I
lightning rapidity. I? three minuies
Jec?s werje'ablaze. a" ,hc|
T.^%,nndtS^hatrer0f Women were 1
in theirg ?nd cIa!,pmK their children
?" their arms. Some mothers had as
tlienf aDetiltlfefr?r ^ cllildren with
,eath from fire was to be e*
.m0nlyi,?> d'e ,n the water.
deckhand firetlshot ?P to the top
accK and drove the crowd back the
panic was terrible to witness. The
? r"5*'1 from the forward part of the
... ,?Yer The Rail "Like FUes."
believe that the first who fell into
g-ffrwas-tsS
instant i Wol,,d ?et us the next
&E2UT S&S,-?'
r s'l'rurL- .h ?VCr or j,ln,Pe<i. When
their faces anywhere. They probably
N?tttk as SOOfl ns tllCV a?riinL* *1
V'.l. a great A
??float, but my strength was abm,',
gone when a man on a tug picked me
tHMnrm*
r ,.?Uickf?t Fire He Ever Saw
C'?P am Van Schaik said:
niy^'cxilerience! W,
I'ilol-hotwe am|r*aid .Zre" "'? !"
??;.;i.rSSsS
holt would founder wi, .,II 1 'V
?' I ran ashore there " ,la"dV
hrcea was blowing. A frMl?
i...r. ih^rVar,,!1^, ",o
t forward boiler, M thTlmr""*!?
' ' "Wind W.i'V'0 ?*"tcmr,,i. '
I hrii V 7?? St?-ong."
I held for North Hrothers* |H|,flli
fen a
Brother Nland tlT/ ^ <0, N(,rtU
Pilot-house'^a | '
my ?p on fire. The Moaner' ^
of watereaAM''ilie o "l*'"1 f7,r
Wmm Appelate* Receiver.
Macon, Ga., (Special). ? Jur!?e
Speer, of the United States Court,
appointed Mis* Nellie S. Walsh, of
Savannah, receiver of the bankrupt
firm of Krouskess & Co., of Savan
nah. This is believed to be the first
time a woman was ever appointed to
such a position. Judge Speer, in nuk
ing the appointment, declared that lie
made it to show his confidence aud
pride in the business ability of the
wwiim of the Souti*
REVS n satn HBOL
William A. Snyder, a former
evangelist, was arrested in Philadel
phia and confessed that he had ob
tained money in Maryland towns and
elsewhere by raising the amount on
postal orders.
Frederick Warren, of Buffalo, lost
$c,ooo, the savings of a lifetime, while
playing English faro in New York
upt?n recommendation of a friend,
whom he attack wiili a cane.
Warrants have betn issued f?r 87
miners in the Cripple Creek district
for complicity in the dynamite outrage
at Independence. All are charged
with murder.
Gen. Stephen D. Lee and Dr. Ran
dolph H. McKim, of Washington,
were the principal speakers at the re
union of Confederates in Nashville,
Tenn.
At Brazil, Ind., a Methodist preacher
opened a dance with prayer as a
compromise with the young jolks who
participated in the social event.
Miss Elsie Whelen and Mr. Robert
Goelet, of New York, were married
at Wayne, a suburb of Philadelphia.
Mrs. Martha E. I.unn, aged 61 years,
has been arrested at Elgin, 111., on the
charge of forgery.
At Cleveland. O., Mrs. L. D. Allen
shot her husband and then herself.
She was 20 years old.
. Arrangements for the fourteenth*
international convention of the Baptist
V oung People's Union of America,
V lurli wi;' men :n Detrv.: July 6 :c
10. are approaching completion.
Levy T. 11 annum, a Trenton lawyer,
who is legal representative in this
country of Jon Per Jicaris. has received
a letter from him written in his
captivity.
James King Clarke, the former hus
band of Miss Esther Bartlett, the
"violet bride,' \vas married in Bryn
Mawr, Pa., to Miss Katherine Wil
loughby.
Lieut. Nathaniel T. Bowers, En
gineer Corps, of Fort Leavenworth,
was killed near the target range by
lightning, which struck his rifle.
In a free fight at Brands Springs,
Ga., Bert Smith, while shooting at
someone else, hit and killed John L.
Smith, his step-grandfather.
Rev. Dr. Frank Gunsaulus, formerly
of Baltimore, in a baccalaureate ser
mon in Chicago, said that all men
are not created equal.
The National Conference of
Charities and Corrections began in
Portland, Me.
The whipping-post has been revived
in Lexington, Ky.
Mrs. Lawrence C. Philpps, wife of
Pittsburg millionaire who kid-1
napped their two children, indignantly
denies the charges he made, and says
she will fight the divorce proceedings
and also tor the custody of the chil- j
f?' ?' .V, ? " vv ^~ **; I
Hannah Elias, the negress. who was'
released on habeas corpus on the
charge of extorting blackmail from
John R. Piatt in New York, told of
her efforts to refine herself and con
ceal her color.
The Western Federation of Miners
will establish a new mining camp in
New Mexico for all the union men
i deported from Colorado and will sup
port the men while they are prospect
! '?#:?
A report issued by the Department
1 'y Agriculture shows the immense
| destruction wrought throughout the
country by the countless enemies to
the various plants.
Dr. Thome, whose first wile eloped
i with the best man at the wedding, is
. engaged to be married to Miss Clara
j McCullough, of Toronto, a trained
i nurse.
: 1 lie operation of laminectomy was
j performed in Philadelphia or. Charles
1 Bonder, whose neck was broken iu
I an accident at a baseball game.)
I he Chicago Federation of Labor
1 adopted resolutions asking President
I Roosevelt to send federal troops to
I the Colorado strike regions,
j _ 1 he account ot the referee provid
ing for thxf distribution of the Piatt
estate gives Jjjs widow (now Airs.
Margaret J. Graves) $8,000,000.
Louis B. Matheny. a notorious crook
, wanted for postolticc burglaries, was
! arrested at the Cravesend track by
i inspectors.
1 hirty nremeii were overcome by
tobacco smoke and liquor funics while
fighting .1 fire iu llolt/'s cafe, iu New
i ??rk.
William A. C. Miller, a prominent
I .umbernnn, of Detroit, Mich., com
j nutted suicide in the basement of his
i home.
I Anton Czeriniiiiski was instantly
| killed and Burto Men fatally injured
by an explosion in a dyehouse in
t. Iiieago.
j During a quarrel over a small mat
1 ter m (?irar?Jvil;e. I'a., rims, Thouip
,ind killed I'hilip Curley.
Jho I'.rie Railroad made a second1
I reduction of 10 |#i?r cent, of its work-1
! nig force in the sh .ps.
1 \il" \V' clitor "f the Cape
-May Wave, was drowned in the surf
I there.
| Arthur M. Huarpre, recently ap
I pointed Lnited States Minister to,
j **!*Kl-,"tiua in succession to John Bar-'
I rc!.t.,l arr?ved at Buenos Ayrcs.
1 here was a sensational upward'
movement in cotton (>n the New
York and the New Orleans Ex-1
I changes.
L nited States Minister Squires ar-'
1 rived at New York on the steamer!
I Havana.
A new dormitory was presented to I
^rniceton Lniversity by the class of
70
F*ni|i.
A liilclt oceured in the negotiation*
for the release of Pcrdicaris by tin*
Brigand Rensuli. It is believed to be
due to tlie refusal of Great Britain
and tlie United Slates to guarantee
the carrying out of the conditions.
The French Chamber of Deputies
appointed ;? committee to investigate
the charge that $400,000 was offered
to the son of Premier (^onib.? to se
cure authorization for the Chartrusian
monks to remain at the Grand Char
; relist
King Victor Ktmnanu"! handed to
the British Ambassador and the Bra
zilian Minister Im decision as arbi
trator between Great Britain and Bra
zil 111 the Guiana frontier question.
' A deputation from the International
Women's Congress was received in
Utrliu by the Kmprcss.
ML EDISON NOT SUSTAINED
Ckargod hM fffice Exaamrs With
taiMfetBKj.
(UUUL VIS WOT A BATTEXI.
Washington, D. C., (Special).?Re
garding the charges of Thomas A.
Edison against two examiners in the
Patent Office in conncction with the
grant of letters patent for an electrical
invention by Ernest W. Jungncr, the
Secretary of the Interior has approved
an opinion rendered by Assistant At
torney-General Campbell.
The opiniota holds that nothing is
shown in Mr. Edison's petition that
involves any cause for the exercise of
supervisory authority at tlje hands of
the Secretary, and for that reason the
Secretary is advised that the Commis
sioner of Patents should be left to hi?
own discretion in dealing with this
matter.
The transfer of the examiners from
one division tt> a Cot her is recom
mended by Acting Commissioner
Moore, of the Patent Office.
Mr. Edison charged "incompetence,
neglect of duty ?na maladministration
j of office in connection with the grant
of a United States patent to Ernest
\V. Jungner, for reversible galvanic
battery No. 738,110, dated September
i? >903"
In connection with the three charges
Mr. Edison complained of the declara
tion of an interference between one
of his applications and the parent ap
plication of Jungner, and asserted that
the declaration of this interference
was improper and assists in showing
that the examiners were incom
petent. He further complained that
it deprived him of the opportunity
of showing that Jungner's invention
was inoperative.
The findings of Acting Commis
sioner Moore were that there was ab
solutely no evidence of malfeasance or
; intentional wrongdoing on the part
! of the examiners, and that the second
| and third charges were not sustained
1 and should be dismissed. As to the
declaration of the interference it was
found that "the examiner, in view of
all the circumstances, did not depart
from custom and acted in accordance
with the dictates of common sense,
and that Mr. Edison was not de
prived thereby ox an opportunity of
making a further showing as to what
was contained. in the Jungner appli
caSMMfc ^fffrflllv
given that oppoitunity and failed to
take advantage of it."
As to the first charge, it was found
that the examiners failed to appreciate
the nature of the enlarged description
of the Jungner p; tent. and that they
should have appreciated the effect of
this enlarged description, and the
j charge was sustained only as to this
j particular. The names of the ex
! amincrs were not made public.
Sl.ltMM FOR MR. MENQIES.
1 Ternlaatlaa of the Suit Agalast Gen. Loult
Fitiferald.
New York, (Special).?By the fiat
1 of a jury in Part 6 of the Supreme
! Court, Brooklyn, Morris C; Menges,
promoter, formerly of Baltimore, was
raited to the ra'ing of a millionaire.
In round figures the jury's award is
$i.iij,ooo, and this sum Gen. Louis
j Fitzgerald is ordered to pay as com
pensation to Mr. Menges for services
1 rendered in connection with the taking
over by the Puller syndicate, of which
I General Fitzgerald was a member, rtf
I the Western Maryland Railroad. To
1 the original claim of $1,000,000 is ad
I fled interest for 2.x months and also
i counsel fees.
As conditions stand, however, Mr
) Menges is a millionaire in name only,
j for immediately after the verdict was
announced counsel for General Fit /
1 gerald. though denied a new trial,
i were granted .1 stav'of 60 days, pend
' ing which the papers will be prepared
I f?>r the appellate division, to which the
case will !?e carried.
I ?
000 NOT A SOCIALIST.
Uunsaulas Terms Declaratioa of Independence
?a Interesting Falsehood.
Chicago, (Special). ? I)r. Frank
tiunsanlu.-. delivered the baccalaureate
address ;?t the Auditorium to the
graduating class of Armour Institute
"There was never a more interest
inn falsehood than 'All men art
created tree and equal','" said he
"The Declaration ?>! Independence
was the v\<?rk of an hour of intense
excitement, and on every national
anniversary this phrase is misquoted
because w'.ien it i?-, taken from its con
text it is false. Freedom is something
ti? he won. Men are not born free
Fvery power into whose control a
man comes is a conquered freedom
There are no equals in this universe
<?f God's. God is no Socialist."
Innocent Mas In Prison.
Kansas City, Mo., (Special).?Wil
liatn Merrill, aged (k> years, surrender
ed himself to the police here, saying
lie had killed John Fdwards, a railway
brakeman. at Deer Lodge, Mont., t<;
years ag>?. A man named Murph)
had been sentenced to life imprison
ment for the crime, and is now serv
ing time in the Montana Penitentiary
Merrill says he killed Fdwards in a
quarrel over money.
Russian Losses Stated.
St. Petersburg, (By Cable).?Th?
following official statement of Rus
sian losses in the war has been issued:
Navy?Forty-four officers and qjo
men killed; i.i officers and 2jo men
wounded.
Army? Thirty vx officers and 980
men killed; to.i officers and a,080 men
wounded.
Taken Prisoners?Twenty officer*
and 696 men.
Totals ? Killed, t.oBo men; wounded,
2,416; prisoners, 716; grani total,
I 5.UA
UTE V1SBWTM AFFAIR,
*rav Mn (Urj.Olta.
The joint army and navy board has
postponed until next fall the con
sideration of the question of control
?>f wireless telegraph systems operat
ing on the coasts of the United States.
The army members of the board in
formed the nava! members that they
were not ready to make a report at
this time, owing to pressure of other
duties. The proposition came up in a
request of the Navy for the co-opera
tion of the Army for the control of
wireless systems, to be under the
direct supervision and management of
e Navy. While the army officers of
the joint board did not submit any" re
ports, General Greeley, the chief sig
nal officer, has submitted his views
to the general staff advising against
any interference whatever with com
m"cial line systems of wireless tele
graph, maintaining that in case of war
the government would take control
of such systems, as it would of tele
graph and cable lines operated in or
to and from the United States. Gen
eral .Greeley also points out that the
Signal Corps is now introducing and
operating a satisfactory system of
wireless telegraph at different points,
which it was proposed to use as a part
the Signal Corps' regular worlc!
The indications are that the Army is
in no hurry to accede to the proposi
tion of the Navy.
lalaads far FMy 1ms.
When William H. Taft, Secretary
of War, greeted the 43 distinguished
Filipinos constituting the Honorary
Board of Philippine Commissioners
to the World's Fair he took for his
text "The Philippines for the Filipi
nos, ' He said he intends to visit the
Philippines next year for the purpose
of seeing what progress is being made
ln_J"C government of those islands.
The intelligent body of Filipinos
who are now the guests of the nation
were early in the morning received at
the War Department by Secretary
Taft, formerly Civil Governor of the
Philippines. After the reception, at
which some highly interesting speech
es were made by Dr. Tavera, one of
the native commissioners, and by
Secretary Taft, the party was turned
over to the several officers of the
army detailed to show them this city.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon they
were entertained at luncheon by the
President, and following the luncheon
the visitors were given a reception by
Mrs. Roosevelt, when they were
formally presented to officers of the
army, navy. Marine Corps and to
many distinguished officials of the
United States.
Caaary Laads Are Caatly.
^In a report to the Department of
ClAiitiierce and I.abor United States
Consul Berliner, at Teneriffe, Canary
Islands, says he thinks .that nowhere
else in the world is land held at as
nigh figures as there.
. He declares good Ian J with water
iacilities has been sold at $4,866 an
?cre. The Consul says that in order
;o help the farmers the Spanish Gov
;rnment has compelled the tobacco
regie in Spain to take from the Ca
nary Islands each year for the next
our years 220,000 pounds of tobacco,
it present the crop amounts to 132,
>00 pounds, but more will be planted
11 the future. The Government also
ias sent an experienced horticulturist
0 see to the cultivation, and what
mprovements can he made, so that
it some future day Spain may be in
dependent of Cuba in regard to certain
qualities of tobacco that are at present
bought there.
Appeal to the President
President Roosevelt received a tele
gram from VV. I). Haywood, secretary
of the Western Federation of Miners,
urging him to institute an investiga- :
tion of the present serious condition
of affairs in the Cripple Creek mining j
district of Colorado. I
Beyond the mere statement that
the telegram had been received and
that no answer yet had been sent to it.
10 official information is obtainable at
the White House. What action, if
any at all, the President may take is |
not even intimated.
_ At least twice heretofore in the last
six months the President has been
requested fr. interfere in the Colorado
troubles, but* declined, after mature'
consideration, because lie had no legal 1
power to take action in the matter, j
h is regarded by those in close touch
with him to be unlikely that the Presi
dent wijl interfere in any way with
She action of the constituted att
I'orities of the State of Colorado.
Chinese Government'* Regrets.
Secretary Hay received a call from
Mr. Chow Tszchi, the first secretary
of the Chinese legation here, who ex
pressed the deep regret of his govern
ment at the reported killing near)
Niucliwang of the American news
paper correspondent Ktzel by Chinese I
soldiers, who suspected him of being'
a pirate. The legation has received 110 '
details, but was able to assure Secrl - j
tary Hay that his government would
make all proper amends for the tin- 1
fortunate affair if the reports were!
true. I
New Office for Mr. Cocbras.
President Roosevelt announced the'
appointment of William E. Cochran.:
low chief postoffice inspector, to In
liurchasing agent of the I'oitoffice De
lartment, an office created at tli?r la*!
session of Congress. The appoint
ment takes effect July 1. The salirj
of the office is $5,000 per year. Mr 1
Cochran's successor has not yet been !
selected. i
Coofrcssloaal tad Departments.
Attorney General Knox will resign
from (lie Cabinet in a few day* anil
will be succecded by Mr. Moody, (lie
present secretary of (lie navy.
Ambassador Powell Clayton says
the relations of the United States with
Mexico were never more friendly than
now.
Secretary Taft decided that army
oflicers serving on the Isthmus of
Panama in construction work of the
canal shall receive so per cent, ad
ditiooaJ pajr
RUSSIANS LOST 8M SEN
IcfMtoi to lave Vikel tato Jif?
eseTrap.
luca suuisnm is ktmtei.
After SMffet FlfMag tfce Ji^ikm Maic a
False Retreat, tfce Rwitan Hetty FeHewtef
Tkeai, Wbea the Japaaese Made a Plaak
Meveaeat Calclriag the Ruduilai Trap?
Tfce Rasslaa Lessee ere PUce4 at Mt Mem.
Nhichwang, (By Cable).?Informa
tion was received here at 10 o'clock
P. M. through heretofore reliable
channels that part of the Japanese
force left at Pu-Lan-Tien to check
mate the, Russians' southward move
ment to relieve Port Arthur, was at
tacked southeast of Shungnmao.
After flight righting the Japanese
made a false retreat, the Russians
hotly following them, when the Jap
anese made a flank movement, catch
ing the Russian* in a trap. The Rus
sian losses are placed at 800 men.
They then fell back on Kai-Chou and
began to retreat along the Baimatgu
Tsaichou road.
Japanese Outposts Active.
I-iao Yang.?The Japanese are re
ported to be fortifying I.aodun (which
cannot be located on available maps),
and alon^; the railway from Pu-Lan
Tien to Tandzafan. Japanese scouts
are constantly skirmishing with Rus
sian cavalry south of Vafandian.
Demonstrations by criusers off Kai
ping and Senucuen have ceased. A
strong advance guard is occupying
Siuyen, which is being fortified. Jap
anese scouts have been seen at Ilai
| Cheng a:id 011 the Kaiping road.
General Kuroki remains at Feng
i Wang Cheng, where the fortifications
i have been strengthened. The Japan
j ese have retired from Saimatzc. which
I has also been abandoned by most of
! the inhabitants owing to the complete
j exhaustion of supplies. Japanese
I forces are also icported to be occupy
1 ing Aiyanynmiu.
j Lines Close About Port Arthur.
j Liao-Tung. ? A Russian corres
? pondent and two officer's who es
! caped from Port Arthur arrived here.
They say that for four days they were
crawling through the Japanese lines,
the Japanese having picketed all roads
at intervals of fifty yards. The fugi
tives traveled mostly at night and
kept to the hills. They were greatly
exhausted.
They caught a hospital train leav
ing Vafandian, which also brought a
number of men wounded in skirmish
es along the railway. Most of the
wounded are recovering rapidly,
many of 'hem have been awarded the
St. George's Cross.
The refugees say that Port Arthur
is well provisioned, the merchants
having managed to get in large
quantities of supplies before the rail
way was cut.
Bridgeport. Conn., (Special).?The
mystery which has surrounded the
sudden disappearance of the lake sub
marine torpedo boat Protector is at
last cleared. The Protector is now
the property of the Japanese govern
ment, and is on her way to her new
pwners, where, as soon as she arrives,
she will he put in fighting trim and
in charge of two of her original
crew, C. M. Willson, chief engineer,
and George II. Kvans, driver. To
avoid international entanglftnenu, the
Lake company has been exceedingly
careful about disclosing any of the
plans of the Protector. Although
the deal by which Japan became the
owner of the submarine was consum
mated between two and three months
ago, everything was done to throw off
suspicion.
MOODY TO OET KNOX'S PLACE.
Many Changes la President Roosevelt's Cabi
net Are la Prospect.
Washington, D. C, (Special). ? Sec
retary Moody will become attorney
general, to succeed Philander Knox
when the latter retires from the
cabinet, a.id will serve a short time
and then retire.
This, it is understood, has been de
termined on almost specifically. It is
not expected that the change v\*ll
taken pUcr until some time in the
fall, possibly December, but Mr. I
Moody will then leave I lie navy do- i
partmciit. Atuv a .short term at at-j
tomey g-neral lie will carry into ef
fect his announced purpose of resum-j
ing his law practice. Mow long he 1
will stay 111 th.- cabinet as attorney j
fceneral is a matter of detail that will '
>e arranged later.
1 he va? aticy in the department <?f
justice that will be created by Mr. j
Moody tak-Mig up private practice wil! I
be filled by someone not yet under
consideration, but it is hinted that a
strong possibility will be Henry M.
Iloyt, solicitor general of the depart
ment, an-l a close personal friend of j
Attorney (ieneril Kn >x.
HAVOC FROM NATURAL OAS.
One Mao Killed, One fatally Hurt aod Hoate
Collapses la Exploiloa.
Bradford, P., (Special).?In a nat
ural-gas explosion one man w n killed,
another fatally injured, tin* home of
k. I.. Sheckle.s was wrecked and prop
'?r?v valm d at $tt,ooo was destroyed.
Several persons had narrow escapes
>m death.
I awrenct and Nutting, both car
M'uters, iiad been employed to re
>i*r the interior of the Scheckles
o'ise. One was under the building
nid is is s ippos**d that lie accidentally
Stroke thvj gaspipe connections. A
"olume >f gas aceumulated, and, be
diming ignited, exploded with ter
rific force. Thf shock was felt over
1 considerable portion of the city.
Three lajured la Wreck.
Minneapolis, Minn., (Spcci.il).?As
a result of a collision between a
heavily loaded excursion train on the
Minneapolis and St. I.ouis rtilroad
and an empty Northern Pacific pa<*
sen^er train three passetmcrs wore
injured and several more or less
shaken up. There were 7cv> pesons on
the excursion train. The train wis
a Minneapolis and St. I.ouis special
which left St. Paul 011 an excursion to
Curver. Minn.
Mammsiunr.
Bryantsville, Ind.. (Specl?l)v-?
Three men arc dead and two wounded^
one fatally, as the result ot a pistol*
fight on the streets o? this village. Th?
dead are James and Charles Rout an<^
Milton Tow. James Tow is fatalljt'
wounded, and Frank Tow is badly
hurt. ? .
The fight was the culmination of W
feud between- *. lie Rout and Tow
families. The Routs liveJ at Bedford
eight miles from Bryantsville, and thdf
Tows are farmers, living near hero*
The Tows are relatives of the Tovtf
family which participated in tbW
bloody Tow-Bass feud some time
A free-gravel-road election was hel
here and the village was crowd<
with farmers. There had been cou~
siderable drinking, and when the Rout
brothers drove into town and pasaeq
the Tows, who were standing neu
the election booth, trouble wa? looked
for. Two weeks* ago at a social af-4
fair the hostility between the
families had been rekindled by ?
fancied insult to Charles Rout by a
young woman who favored one of thq
Tow boys. Hostilities were avertea
at the time, but the Rout brothers aa4
nounced.ou their arrival here that they
had come to "even things up."
i Five minutes after the Routs reach-'
j ed town they were seen approaching
j an election booth. The Tow brothers
1 stood about to feet apart, awaiting
{ the arrival of the Routs. There is a
i dispute as to whether there were any
words before the shooting began, and
it is also in doubt as to who fired the
first shot, but it seemed to be rccog^
' nized by all the participants that it waa
i a fight to the death. Each of the five
I men drew a revolver, and each side
! advanced, all firing. The men were
| not 15 feet apart when the firing
j ceased. On the ground the two Roul
brothers and Milton Tow lav dead.
James Tow was prostrate, fatally hurt?
and 1'rank Tow. though able to standj
had a bullet in his arm and another in
his side .
The crowd had scattered hastily
when the shooting began, and none of
the bystanders was struck, although
more than 25 shots were fired.
The wounded were taken to a store
and their wounds dressed. Teh threa
dead were laid side by side on the
counter to await the arrival of the
coroner and officers from Bedford.'
There is intense excitement here.
Bedford, Ind.. (Special).? Sheriff
Smith and three deputies left here for
Bryantsville. on receiving news of
the fatal shooting which resulted
the death of the two Rout boys.
DIED IN HIS CHAIR.
Abler Mckinley's Ead Cane Sad deal? at Rki
Home la Saaierset
a
Somerset. I'a., (Special).? Abnef
McKinley, brother of the late Presi
dent McKinley, was found dead in a'
chair at his home at A o'clock A. M.
H is death' came without warning to
his family. His colored servant, who
slept in his room, was up with him
at 2 o'clock, and it is not known all
what time Mr. McKinley got up againj
as he did not waken his servant. Mrs.
McKinley walked into his room at
8 o'clock and found hiin sitting in a!
chair cold and apparently dead. A
physician was summoned, who sail!
death had probably occurred two or
three hours before.
Mr. McKiuley's death was due to
Bright* disease, which developed
shortly after the death of his dis
tinguished brother three years ago.
Since then Mr. McKinley has devoted
nearly all his time in a vain attempt
to overcome the fatal malady, consult
ing the most eminent physicians ani
traveling from one climate to another.
Two Wv*eks ago he returned from
Tampa, Ha., where he had been for
six weeks, and placed himself under
the care of Dr. Henri I. Marsdco.
Attempt to Wreck Cbarck.
St. l.ouis, (Special).?It became
known Monday that an attempt had
recently been made to blow up the
Church of St. Anthony, which is itt
charge 01 Franciscans. A stick of
dynamite was discovered under tha
altar, attached to a fuse running to
a candle Inability of an attendant to
light the candle to which the fuse
was attached l*d to the discovery of
the fuse ,-nd th ? dynamite. The fuse
wa-? >0 ,M'r.iugi'd that if the candfc
had hunted i n a certain time it
would have ignited the fuse and cams'
ct! au explosion which might have de
stnyed (lie building and caused a
p.;c.?t loss of Iif:*.
Oovernmeal Case Palled.
New York. ? Special). ? United
State-, Commissioner Shields dia
charged from custody Kdward l'\ Mc
Sweeney, former Assistant Cointnia
sioner of Immigration at this port,
who was charge I ??th the larceny of
certain papers ; llcged hy the immi
gration officials to be official. In his
very brief opinion. Commissioner
Shields decides t lit- Government failed
to make out a '?ase of even probable
cause and discharged the accused. The
charge aganist McSwccney attracted
considerable attention when made in
Heir at Cecil Rhodes.
Asheville, N'. C.. (Special).?Marf
Virginia Rhodes, one of the heirs to
Cecil Rhodes' est ?te in South Africa,
has been found in Asheville. She ia
now Mrs Virginia Rhodes Baker and
a missionary Mrs. Baker is about
years old
Colk<. ? ,..?idO?t( Kl Is HfCMClf.
Odessa. M<>., (Speeial).?1.. II. Geh
man, president <>f Odessa College, wu
imeonseiotis in hi* apartments in the
college ImhM'uh. lie had ?hot him
self in the region '?f the heart, and it
m believed will die. President Geh^
man win horn in Philadelphia 70
year* ago, and f ?r 10 years was super
intendent of the schools of (''mitland,
M l. lie eime here f->nr y<\irs ago.
lie had fr<V|??ent periods of men in
cholv Mrs (ieh;nan lives near Phita*
delpbia.