Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ESTABLISHED EST 1 VICTORY FOE JAPS. Panic Seized the Russians as they Saw Torpedo Boats -ATTACK THEIR SHIPS OP WAE. -As Russian War Ships & Dashed from Harbor They Were Shoe to Pieces by the Japanese Fleet. A copyrighted special dispatch to "the Atlanta Journal from London says Japan has won her first great naval victory. A. dispatch from St. Petersburg says that an attack has been made by a Japanese torpedo fleet on the Russian battleships and cruis ers lying at anchor at the entrance of toe harbor of Port Arthur, and that the battleships Czafwitch and Retvi zan and the cruiser Pallada were tor pedoed and wrecked. Shortly before midnight on Monday a large Japanese fleet, presumably that which left Sacho early Saturday, was reported off Port Arthur. TheRus slan fleet, which had been anchored outside the harbor, bad been warned and had returned within tbe harbor entrance. The Russians felt that their torpedo system would protect fchnm, but even then took no chances, hut kept their searchlights working both from ships and shore batteries, particularly from that portion of the land called Tiger's Tail. The Japanese fleet outside did some maneuvering and then apparently went off to the southward, so many thought, to join the remainder of the Japanese fleet known to be in the neighborhood of Wei Hai Wei. At 1:40 a. m., Sunday, as watchers and searchlights were becoming lag gard and the alarm at the first felt, was about dying out, a black streak was observed crossing the harbor mouth by one of the lookouts on tbe Czare witch. He gave the alarm, a dozen searchlights flashed out and the sight paralyzed the Russians. TELE RUSSIANS ATTACKED. According to dispatches sent to St. Peterburg, a half dozen torpedo boats were making their way toward the fleet. Before any move could be made, a torpedo was launched from one of the Japanese boats at tbe Czarewitch and striking her, exploded, tearing her apart, at almost the same mo ment another torpedo was fired at her and hit the Retvizan, the most modem ship m the Russian navy and made a wreck of her. Tbe deadly missile struck the Ret vizan just forward of her forward tur ret on the port side and tore a gaping hole in her side. Consternation among the Russians had now increased to a panic and hardly any attempt was made to repel the attack being made. The Pallada, a fine cruiser, was lying inside of both battleships, and to her the torpedo boats next turned their attention. The Pallada's crew had got her rapid fire guns to work and were trying to hit tbe Japanese. The latter then launched' half a ?dozen torpedoes at the Russan cruiser before one took effect. It left the Russian cruiser a hopeless wreck. By this time several Russian torpedo boats had got into the fight and tbe Japanese, finding affairs becoming complicated and more critical than they oared to meet, withdrew as they came. Attempts were made from the shore to tire the mines in the entrance to the harbor. Some did explode, but not while any torpedo boats were near, while others failed utterly to answer to the electric spark. By the time the Russians had gotten over their consternation and got into condition to light, the Japanese had disappeared. By daylight there were j no Japncse in sight. ANOTHER* JAP VICTORY. A copyrighted special dispatch to the Atlanta Journal from London says an official Japanese telegram to Raron Hayashi, the Japanese minis ter there, gives details of the sea bat tle between the Japanese and Russian squadron in which the cruiser Variag and the torpedo gunboat Koreitz were destroyed. The battle took place near the Polynesian Islands in the Yellow Sea. It began on February 8lh iu the afternoon. The Russian warships, after some hours of lighting, taking refuge among the island. Tuesday morning, the battle was resumed and continued until the Variag was sunk and Koreitz blown up. According to the official Japanese report the Rus sian losses are said to reach hundreds. The survivors from tbe Russian warships took refuge on the French cruiser Paschal. As the Japanese squa dron was escorting the prisoners from Nagasaki to the Korean harbor of Chemulpo,near the Polynesian islands, the squadron encountered the Variag, one 01 Russia's most effective fighting ships, and the Koreitz, a particularly ! dangerous adversary because of two torpedo tubes ia addition to her usual ly heavy armament. RUSSIANS TRY TORPEDOES. The Koreitz was in advance of the Variag; both warships had been lying ort" Chemulpo. As soon as the Koreitz sight was within effective range of the Japanese squadron she launched two torpedo tubes. The Japanese immediately opened heavy tire on the Koreitz. The Variag hurried up to tbe aid of the torpedo ^gunboat and both warships returned j-the Japanese tire. The battle lasted for somo time with slight damage to either side, when Jtbe Russian warships retired, perceptibly taking refuge in the har bor. Earlj Tu?sday morning the two Russian c ters, which had repair ed their es during the night, made a out of the harbor. It was a desperate effort to escape from fie watchful Japanese fleet, resembl ing : ? it hopelessness and dash Cer vera'? an iorable rush from tbe har bor oi . ntiago. The guns of the Japu :esj squadron covered the en trance to the harbor where the Rus SaUcy Jr lG'aug,?i^ (? 869. sians had taken refuge, as the czar's battleships emerged, belching shot and shell. SHOT INTO PIECES. The Japanese concentrated a ter rific fire on the two Russian ships and in a very short time it was apparent that their destruction was a certain ty. The Variag was disabled, her steering gear being knocked out of commission and the gun turrets bat tered, and within a half hour after the morning's engagement began she sank. The Koreitz fought until a shell exploded in her magazine, which rent her asunder. The crews of the two ships stuggled in the water and the survivors were picked up by the French cruiser Paschal, which wit nessed the terrific battle. The Japa nese squadron proceeded on its way to Chemulpo, where the troops on board the transports were landed. ANOTHER BATTLE. A dispatch from St. Petersburg says a second telegram has been received from Viceroy Alexieff. It is dated February 9 and says: "A Japanese squadron of fifteen battleships and cruisers Tuesday be gan to bombard Port Arthur. The fortress replied and the squadron weighed anchor in order to partici pate in the battle." A third telegram from tbe viceroy says that after a bombardment last ing one hour the Japanese squadron ceased its fire and steamed south ward. "Our losses," the viceroy continues, "are two naval officers and fifty-one men wounded, and nine men killed, and on the coast batteries, one man killed and three wounded. "During the engagement the bat tleship Poltava and the cruisers Diana, Askold and Novic were each damaged on the water line. The damage to the fortress was not impor tant." A RUSSIAN VICTORY. A dispatch from St. Petersburg says Russia claims to have gained a victory at Port Arthur according to newspaper extras printed here in which it is declared that three Japan ese warships and four torpedo boats were crippled. One report says that the Japanese battleship Skilkishima was sunk. The same newspapers an nounce printed dispatches from Vladivostock reporting the complete route of the Japanses by the Russians along the Yalu river, Russian soldiers and marines, these dispatches claim, have occupied Chemulpo, Corea. There is no official confirmation of any of the reports and they are discredited, as they are utterly at variance with the official dispatches which have been made public. Private telegrams report the com plete route of the Japanese by the Russians on the Yalu river. These advices also claim that Chemulpo, Korea, has been occupied by Russian soldiers and marines. Russia's Loss. A summary of the losses sustained by Russia in the first twenty-four hours of the war with Japan show that ten Russian warships were placed out of action in one way or another and that the Japanese did not lose a ship. The losses were as follows Battleship Retvizan, torpedoed and beached at Port Arthur. Battleship Czarwitch, torpedoed and beached at Port Arthur. Battleship Poltava, hole below wa ter line at Port Arthur. Armoured cruiser Bayarin, disabled by Japanese at Port Arthur. Cruiser Pallada. torpedeed at Port Arthur and beached. CruiserNovik, hole below water line, at Port Arthur. Cruiser Askold, hole below water line, at Port Arthur. Cruiser Diana, hole below water line, at Port Arthur. First class armored cruiser Variag, destroyed at Chemulpho, Corea. Torpedo gun vessel Korietz, destroy ed Chemulpho. Russian Troops in Far Fast. FirstSiberian Army Corps.?South ern Manchuria?21 battlions, 9 squad rons. .'14 guns. Viadivostock and Port Arthur?2 battalions. Frontier guards -2G battalions, 25 squadrons, 28 guns. Peehi-li?12 battalions, 5 squad rons, 4 guns. Semirechensk?8 battalions, 22 squadrons, 28 guns. rjza?4 squadrons, 4 guns. Second Siberian Army Corps.? Tsitsikar?12 battalions, 24 squad rons, 22 guns. Kirin?20 battalions, 29 squadrons, 102 guns. Detached pusts?21 battalions, 46 guus. Total for both corps?525 officers, 22,y.'50 men, D).:!00 horses. Total available men in the Far East. :>'00.000. To Buy Worship. A dispatch from Atlanta says Collonel Harry Silverman, member of the governor's staff, has started a movement whereby it is proposed that the citizens of the United States subscribe $3,000,000 with which to purchase a modern battleship and present it to plucky Japan. Mr. Silverman is very much enthused over the project and is of the opinion that I there will be no trouble to raise the I amount. Other cities will be notiiled land an organized move will be under taken. A number of prominent citi i/.ens after learning of the scheme have assured Mr. Silverman their co operation in making the undertaing a success. _ Don't Forget the Corn. The Southern Cultivator says in planting your crop for D>04 be sure to plant the largest corn crop you ever raised. You will need it before the year is past. Wars and rumors of wars mav come and go; and the price of cotton no man can foreknow. But corn and meat and Hour and lard and beef and other things eatable will be wanted in increased quantities. OBANGEBUR( THE LIE PASSED. Exciting Passages Between Members in the Legislature Hails. THE STATE HOUSE MATTER. Tension of the Last Few Days Gave Way and Members In dalged in Sensational Personalities. The State says there were exiciting scenes in the hall of the house of re presentatives Thursday night, and members indulged in language un parliamentary but quite expressive of their overwrought feelings. It is all the outcome of the investigation into the manner in which the State house was completed. The report of the commission which examined that work created quite a sensation throughout the State, and the mem bers of the commission which had in charge the work of completing the capitol held an informal meeting Thursday. It was decided to memoria lize the general assembly for the mem bers of the building commission to be given a hearing in their own defense. When the memorial was presented in the house thereupon ensued the colloquy which very nearly approach ed a clash upon the floor of the house, for Mr. T. Y. Williams of Lancaster In words which bear but one construc tion attacked the varacity of, Mr. W. J. Johnson of Fairfield who in turn had stigmatized the report of the in vestigation commision as an infamous falsehood. Furthermore Mr. Johnson had a sharp passage at arms with Mr. J. M. Rawlinson of Richland who has been one of the unobtrusive members of the house, but who was very much angered by a statement from Mr. Joluison that the latter had made a demand to be heard by the joint com mittee. This Mr. Rawlinson denied, and the charge was reaffirmed by Mr. Johnson, who cited incidents to show the reasons for his remarks. Mr. Rawlinson declared that there had been no demand, and that the re marks to which Mr. Johnson attached importance were but parts of a casual convei&a'ion. The iioor and galleries of the house wore packed with visitors, who took a very keen interest in the heated de bate, and at times the sergeant-at arms was close by the gentlemen speaking to prevent personal hostili ties. It is generally believed that the contention between the members of the joint investigating committee and the members of the building commis sion will become more acrimonous, for evidently the investigating committee iias not shown its hand, aud ihe build ing commission also has some warm matter in reserve. The memorial was presented in the house by Mr. Aull, and in the senate by Mr. Talbird. The gentlemen also presented resolutions asking for an other committee to be appointed to hear the testimony of members of the building commission. Mr. Williams in the house and Mr. Aldrich in the sen ate presented resolutions providing for the same investigating committee to continue its work. The whole matter after acrimonious discussiou was re ferred to the committee on railroads, none of whose members are members of either of the warring commissions. TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION. Following is the memorial present ed by former Gov. McSweeney, Mr. G. Duncan Hellinger, Mr. J./Harvey Wilson, Capt. R. II. Jennings, Mr. IR. 3. Gantt and Mr. W. J. Jonhson. "Gentlemen of the General Assembly: "From an examination of the re port of the joint committee 'to con sider the several reports of the coin mission on the completion of the State house and facts relating thereto,' we. the undersigned members of the com mission, authorized arid directed 'to complete the State house' feel that [ the report of t he committee does us a manifest injustice, as it wittingly or unwittingly, unfairely condemns our acts and the work approved by us without giving us an opportunity to be heard and even refusing to allow us a hearing. Many of the allegat ions of error and incompetent' are easily explained. Certain conclusions could and would not have been drawn had available evidence been heard. Above all we feel that an impression that must necessarily result from the tenor and terms of die report would not exist if we were allowed the opportu nity to be heard. Therefore, believing that the gener al assembly caujhave no intention of condemning us without a hearing, as members of a commisssion upon whom you imposed an involuntary public duty should be allowed to account for that trust and to give their answer and explanation to any allegation or in sinual ion, do most respect fully memor ialize your honorable body to make provision for giving us a hearing in order that further and all evidence may be produced that may give light upon the question before the com mittee and that our evidence and re ply to the report of the committee should become a public record of your honorable body of the same perman ency and dignity as the report itself." MIC. AULL'? RESOLUTION*. Following is the text of the "con current resolution providing for a joint committee as to the work on the State house." Whereas, itappers from the report of t he joint committee appointed un der concurrent resolution to const, the several reports of the commissi) on the completion of the State house and facts relating thereto, that till of the available testimony bearing on the subject was not adduced, that Gov. M. H. McSweeney, chairman of the committee for the complet ion ofilie State house, Attorney General G. Duncan Bellinger, Secretary of State M. R. Cooper, State Treasurer W. H. Timmerman and R. II. Jennings, S. C, WEDNESDAY, : Comptroller General J. P. Derham, chairman of the finance committee, George S. Mower; chairman of the ways and means committee of the house, J. Harvey Wilson; members of the house, R. J. Gantt and W. J. Johnson, members of the said com mission were not permitted to testify before said committee, and that other parties whose actions were considered by said committee were not allowed to appear before said committee or in any manner given a hearing. Be it Resolved, that a special joint committee consisting of five members of the house and two members of the senate be appointed by the speaker and lieutenant governor, respectively, with authority to appoint a ste nographer, take testimony, com mand the production of records and papers and report the same to this general assembly before its adjourn ment. Mr. Williams offered the following: Whereas, certain members of the for mer commission to complete the State house have memoralized the general assembly to make provision for giving them a hearing in reply to the report of the joint committee to consider the several reports of the commission of the completion of the State house and facts relating thereto. Be it Resolved, by the general as sembly of the State of South Carolina that any evidence explanation or other statements in writing that the said memoralists may have to submit will be received and considered by the general assembly whenever presented. mr. patter80n's statement. When the memorial had been read, Mr. J. ?. Patterson of Barnwell, a member of the investigating commit tee, declared that it is a duty to him self and to South Carolina for him to make a statement. The general as sembly is conversant with the mat ters which led up to the appointment of the investigating commission?the members of which realized the gravity of the trust placed upon them. They had done their duty honestly, fear lessly and conscientiously. The mem bers of the State house building com mission bad all been friends of his and it bad been an unpleasant duty. The investigating commission had not been charged with the duty of extoll ing or blaming the members of the building commission. He referred to the cards in The State of Wednesday in which Mr. Bellinger and Mr. Gantt complained that they had not been treated with proper consideration. The complaint is that the State house commission had not been invited be fore the building commission. Why should the members of the latter commission be summoned when they themselves could not agree? In reference to the statement of Mr. Bellinger that he bad been denied the privilege of coming before the commission, Mr. Patterson declared that it was a case of a misunderstand ing, which he regretted, as he and Mr. Bellinger had been political personal friends for many years. On the night of January 7th Mr. Bellinger, while Mr. Patterson's guest at the Colum bia hotel, had threatened that in case the joint commission should attack the building commission he would take the matter to the legislature. Mr. Patterson declared that he regrets very much that a casual conversation should have been misunderstood. He had told Mr. Bellioger that should the report be in the nature of an at tack he (Mr. Patterson) would insist upon the members of the biulding com misison being given a hearing. There was no formal demand and the state ment he made to Mr. Hellinger was conditional. The joint committee had thought it a waste of timeaud money to bring here the members of the build ing commission. The investigating commission had employed a govern ment architect and in person had in spected the budding carefuliy. He regretted that the building commis sion had felt aggrieved. They -are honorable men and if their confidence in those whom they employed is mis placed it is a misfortune to the State of South Carolina. mr. William's disclaimer. Mr. Williams made a straight for ward statement that the terms of the memorial do not contain a true state meat of facts. The joint committee had never refused Lo give audience to any member of the building commis sion. The architect brought here to inspect the work had been given no suggestions. The investigating com mission had not rellected upon the buiiding commission. It had simply stated the facts as they had been found. "No member of that enmmittec has ever intimated to me in any way whatever that they dersired to be iieard before that committee." said Mr. Williams, "and I challenge each and every one of them to show that they have ever at any time mentioned the matter to me. Yet it is stated in this memorial that we refused to hear them. 1 go further, gentlemen, and say that no member of the state house commission has ever asked the joint commission, as a committee, to allow them, or any one of them, to be iieard, and yet they come here and state in this memorial that we have refused to hear them. I make this statement because that is a reflection upou the committee and 1 couia not sit here and allow the state house com mission, or any other set of men. to rellect upon me or the gentlemen with whom I have been associated upon this committee.'' Mr. Robinson declared that it had not been the purpose of the commis sion to rellect upon the building com mission. The members of the latter had not asked to come before the joint committee. The architect and con tractor had been asked to appear and had not done so. Mr. Aull declared that the building committee had been very severely criticised and as an act of justice they should be heard. He introduced a concurrent resolution to that effect. 0 FEBRUARY 17, 1904. Mr. D. D.McCall, Jr., of Marlboro, declared that never in bis life had he been given more pleasure than he has in endorsing the action of the investi gating committee. He thought its work should stand. Its members are honorable men. MATTERS APPROACH A CRISIS Mr. W. J. Johnson, a member of the state house building committed, made an impassioned speech, in which he declared it bad not been his inten tion to speak upon this question, for j the language which he would like to apply to the report would not be par liamentary. , Mr. Williams and Mr. Rawlinson plied Mr. Johnson with questions to fiind out if the latter had been denied the privilege of coming before the commission. The moment was excit ing when Mr. Rawlinson began to ap proach toward Mr. Johnson, *but the speaker rapped the members to order. Mr. Johnson declared this report of a commission which sat behind closed doors to have been a damnable insult to the State of South Carolina. In reply to Mr. Patterson he said that there had been no division in the building commission except for one dissenting member, who bad been per mitted to be with the investigating commission. Why not the other eight? They are honorable gentlemen, all of tbem, and any statement to the con trary is an infamous lie. Mr. Williams?Do you mean to ap ply that to the members of the com mittee? Mr. Johnson?You have heard what I have said. Mr. Williams?Do you mean to ap ply that to me; it is very easy for you to say. Mr. Johnson?if the cap tits wear it; just wear it. Mr. Williams?All right, sir. Mr. Gaston made the point of order that the discussion is all out of order. Mr. Mauldin, in the chair, ruled that the memorial is a matter for dis | cussion. Mr. Johnson, continuing, said thatj the joint committee was no more tit to pass upon the government archi tect's work than the building commis sion was to pass upon the work on tne State house. Mr. Johnson continued that the damnable suggestions in th report were absolute falsehoods. UNPARLIMENETARY LANGUAGE Mr. Williams, very calmly raising in his seat as Mr. Johnson concluded, and pointing his linger at Mr. John son, said with deliberation: "There is'absolutely nothing in the report which even intimates that any member of the State nouse commission has been in collusion with anybody to rob the State, and anybody who says so is a liar." Mr. Johnson?Do you? At this point several members sprang up, expecting to see trouble, and the sergeant-at-arms took up a place between the two members of the house, who stood glaring at each other. Mr. Aull at this point passed his concurrent resolution to have a com mittee appointed to take the testi mony of the members of the building commission. Mr. Williams called at tention to his resolution to have testi mony taken by the same committee. Mr. Gaston thought it unwise to act upon these resolutions Thursday night, when the house was in excite ment. He wanted the memorial and resolutions referred to one of the i standing committees of the house. This motion was adopted by the house and the matter was disposed of. After careful deliberation, Speaker Smith selected the railroad committee as the one before whom this bill should go, as none of the mernbe of that committee are members o either of the com missions. Subsequently Mr. Williams apologi zed to the house, "but not to an indi vidual" for the language he had used, and later Mr. Johnson did the same thing. The bouse then preceded with the consideration of the appropriation bill._ Fate ofa Thiel". The Spartanburg Herald says a few nights ago Bill Hunter, colored, decid ed he wished a morsel of chicken and having observed that Berry Hpps of Union had a fat chanticleer, be sought him on his roost. Just as he grasped his coveted bird, he was discovered and there began a race for life. For-1 getful of the lay of the land Bill ran on, when suddenly he plunged down an embankment into a deep railroad cut. The fall broke Bill's thigh, and also the unoffending rooster's neck. The man's wild cries for help were heard far and near, and he was soon j found and given medical attention.; His condition is still serious^ Insurance fjgtimntcs. Reports coming in from all sides in-1 dicate that rebuilding of the destroy-! cd part of the city of 1'altimore will soon begin. Insurance men have gone over the ground and held con : ferences and now estimate the loss at ' $125,000,000. The insurance is placed at $5)0,000,000. It is considered very j fortunate that valuable papers, stocks and bonds in vaults in banks were not injured. This reduces the loss ;i great deal. It is feared that afte ten days' grace the hanks will tie un able to satisfy the demands for money withd rawals. Principal Ships in Far K?st. Battleships, 12-inch guns.24 Battleships, ti-inch guns.08 Cruisers, 8-inch guns. 24 Cruiser, ti-inch guns.80 Russia. Battleships. 12-inch guns.20 Battleships, ?-inch guns.84 Cruisers, S-inch guns. 14 Cruisers, ti-inch guns...'?>>? Sunk Their Own Ship. A dispatch from St. Petersburg say* a report has been received from Vice roy Alexietr saying that the Russians torpedo transport Yenisei has been blown up as the result of accidenta j striking a mine at Port Arthur. The Yenisei sank and Capt. Stepanoff, three officers and 91 men were lost. A WANTS A HEARING. IAttorney General Bellinger Appeals to the Legislature. Gen.fG. Duncan Bellinger, who was a member of the commission that is criticised by the legislative committee has prepared a card in which he de mands a iiearing for himself and the other members of the commis sion. Iiis card reads as follows: I was astonished to see in the press that a report by the joint committee to consider the several reports of the commission on the completion of the State House and facts relating thereto had been submitted to the General Assembly, as the report unmistakably impugns the character of the mem bers of the State House commission, authorizec" ind directed "to complete the State House," of which commis sion I was a member, for, from the re port, it is obvious that no member of that commission testified before the committee, and I beg to submit that from my own experience that no mem ber was even allowed a hearing. I re quested and demanded of Mr. J. O. Patterson, a member, of the commit tee, that I, as a member of the State House commission, should be heard and requested that humble privilege. He informed me that he had seen the chairman, the Hon. Robert Aldrich. in reference to the matter and that such a privilege would be granted. I have been continuously in the city of Columbia or the town of Barnwell, the home of these gentlemen since this in vestigation began. My request was re fused. I was allowed no showing. I informed Mr. Patterson that if I was denied a hearing that I would appeal to the General Assembly. I now do so. 1 now ask that all parties con cerned be allowed a showing. Other members asked the same privilege. It was denied. We now appeal to the sense of justice of the General Assemb ly and to the public at large for a showing, a hearing that has never been denied to the humblest repre sentative of the Anglo-Saxon race. Without a hearing an attempt has been made to cast a stigma upon the names and reputation of Governor M. B. McSweenoy, Secretary of State M. R. Cooper, State Treasurers W. H. Timmerman and R. H. Jennings, Comptroller General J. P. Denham, Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Senate George S. Mower, Chair man of the ^Ways and Means Commits tee of the House J. Harvey Wilson, Representatives W. J. Johnson and f R. J. Gantt and myself. It is incon ?eivable, unfair and inhuman that such a report should be made without a hearing, for, as a citizen of a State that I have attempted faithfully to serve, I Itave always believed and now believe that the noblest feature of our Government is "A law which hears before it condemns, which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgement only after trial." My appeal is to the General Assembly for this privi lege. As I am not a member of the General Assembly, and this is the only avenue that I have to appeal to them for a hearing. I hold no public office except that of a member of the board of trustees of Clemson College, to which I was elected by the General Assembly, without a dissenting voice, and as a citizen and member of the State House commission I ask a full, fair hearing -a privilege to give an account of my stewardslpin this mat ter. Truly this is not an unreason able request! G. Duncan Bellinger. Sails lor Japan, A dispatch from Oxford, Ga., says after a stay of seven years in Ameri ca, during which time he graduated from Emory college, Bun Kishi, of Tokio, Japan, has sailed for his native land. He left San Francisco this week. He is a zealous patriot, and is hasten ing his return to Japan in order to serve his people in the war with Rus sia. Bun Kishi had been a student at Emory for six years and was graduat ed last commencement with the de gree of bachelor of arts. He was pre paring himself to teach and preach, .lust before leaving San Francisco, he wrote a letter to Professor Frederick Duncan, of Emory College, bidding him farewell and expressing his good will toward all Americans, and in the let 1 er stated that his seven years spent in this country had been most happy, but that he would not return to America again, hut would meet his friends in the world to come. Mr. Kishi took great interest here in the Young Men's Christian Association, and League work, and also took an especial interest in literary work, be ing a member of Phi Gamma Literary Society. He took a good stand in his class and had many friends among the student body and faculty. Murder in West Virginia. A special from Bluelield, W. Va.J says: "With a bullet hole through his brain and his body badly cut the remains of ail unknown man were found Wednesday, under the lloor of a deserted house near Athens, Mercer County. Harry Taylor, formerly of North Carolina, told his sister several days ago thai he committed the mur der, and robbed the dead man of money and valuables. He threatened to murder his sister if she divulged the secret, hut she notified the sheriff. Taylor lied, but it is feared he will re t-urn and carry out bis threat. The house is being'watched by the officers." A Fatal Pipe. At Montreal, Canada, in a tire which started r.eflr the jewelry establishment of Rluomtield Brothers Sunday night, two men and a woman .vi if> burned to death. Tenants in rooms were cut olf by the When ihe firemen arrived urst care was to rescue the oc upantsof the building, which was a difficult task. Two men and a wo man were taken out dead, others were r -ued in a serious condition and re p ved to the hospital. The dead Lave not yet been indentified. ?1.00 PEE ANNUM. KUSSIA IS WILD - And the War Spirit Buns High AIL Over the Country. THE JAPS MUST BE PEBISHED. Shouts for Success of Russian Arms Mingle With Curses Hurled at the Japs for IThcir "Treachery." A dispatch from St. Petersburg says the whole city anxiously waited Tuesday night for official news. Ex traordinary scenes were witnessed in and around the newspaper offices and a crowd of people literally beseiged the ministry of the interior, wnere the Official Messenger is published, smart carriages driving up in quick succession and the highest and lowest of the inhabitants waiting in the ante room or camping in snow covered streets waiting patiently far into the morning for the numbers containing the official bulletins. The text of these communications had leaked out among the newspaper men, but as the law forbids the pub lication of such documents until they have appeared in the Official Messen ger, the editors had to wait until the government organ printed the news before starting their own presses. TnE NEWS EAGERLY SOUGHT. The Associated Press representa tive, calling on a well known editor, found him surrounded by a throng of officers and prominent citizens implor ing him to read to them the telegrams he had just received. The editor, pale with emotion, re cited the narrative of the bombard ment of Port Arthur. More people kept coming in and the editor was compelled to read it over and over again. The crowds expressed furious impatience at the fact that nothing was paid about injuries indicted upon Japanese warships. The intense indignation with which the news of "the stab in the back in flicted by Japan" was received here seems to be general throughout the Russian The whole empire is fired bythe war fever. *The state of feeling here was illus trated at the theatres last night, when people demanded the national anthem. More remarkable was the refusal of the drosky drivers yesterday to accept money from officers when they drove to the palace. JAr-S BRANDED TRAITORS. The newspapers in general de nounce the action of Japan as treach ery, declaring that it is "truly Asi atic," but insisting that the issue of the conflict will not be decided by the naval engagements, as tbe Japanese will have to meet Russia on land, when thescore will be wiped out. The Novoe Vremye says it is quite possible that the whole of Korea has been over-run by Japanese soldiers in dis guise and that Russia may first bave to assume the defensive, but when her forces in Southern Manchuria and Korea are increased, the Japanese will realize what they have to meet. "GOD ON RUSSIA'S SIDE." "God, right and international law are on our side," the Russ says, and continues: "One hundred and thirty million Russian hearts are beating with the de sire to expunge the traitorous slight on Russian honor. Enough of defen sive tactics! Let us drive out the foe!" . The Bourse Gazette says: "Yes terday we longed for peace. Now we think only of war. The world soon will be startled by Russia's heroic work. Japan has placed herself be yond the pale of civilization. The upstart, pigmy Japan, would nothave dared to attack the giant Russia without the encouragement of Eng land and America." DID BRITISH SAVE JAPS? The Russians claim to have author ity for saying that the new Japanese war ships (the Nisshin and Kasuga) were saved from certain capture by tbe Russian squadron bound for the far east under Admiral Wirenius by the action of the commander of a British battleship in placing his ves sels across the Suez canal and hoisting a signal of distress, thus delaying the Russians two days. The anti-British feeling here is bitter, it being asserted that the Jap anese attack or: Port Arthur was launched from Wei-IIai-Wei. ?Ambassador McCormick is busy talking over tbe affairs of the Japan ese legation. KURINO GUARDED IIV POLICE. In spite of the state of public feel ing, there has been no attempt to mo ie-a M. Kurino, the retiring Japanese minister, or his staff. The authori ties are according M. Kurino special police protection. He has had no communication with the foreign office since the delivery of the last Japanese note and has made his farewell calls. He left St. Petersburg quietly Tues day night. General Dragomirov arrived in St. Petersburg today. He is one of Rus sia's greatest lighters and may be ap poii.ted commander in chief, as Gen eral Kurlpatkin, the war minister, probably cannot be spared. Shot Fifteen Miles. A dispatch from Hampton Roads says the battleship Missouri, on her trial trip Thursday off the Virginia canes, lost two torpedoes and a six-inch gun was damaged. In other respects the trial was a success. One of the 12-inch guns, being elevated seven de grees, let lly a shell which the strong est glass could not follow to the end of its llight. Later a passing steamer reported that the shot had struck the sea within 300 yards of her. The steamer was distant from the Missouri just fifteen miles.