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PUBLISHED THBEE T] HE DENIES IT ??nnor Blease Sajs C cirpfrifiCi Gen eral is in Error. WRITES A TART LFTTER Says the Newspapers Lie So Often Here Lately That Ho Does Not Notice T hiem Usually?Record Says Its Statement of What Blease Said is Correct. Governor Blease said, Tuesuay af ternoon, tiat his position had been misstated In press reports regarding his veto cf the $5,000 item in the appropriations bill for investigations of county offices, and he denied em phatically that he had told the comp ? troller gee eral to go ahead and spend this money. The gOAernor furnished for publi cation the correspondence on the subject Tv esday between himself and the comptroller general, which ex plains itself: February 2S, 1911. Hon. A. W; Jones, Comptroller Gen I eral, Ci".y. Dear Sir: I notice by the papers (which lie so often here lately, that I do not notice them usually- that it was stated that I said for you to go ahead in your investigations and spend the live thousand dollars which were provided by the act of the leg islature, and which item was vetoed by me. I hereby most positively say to you, not to expend that money. I made no such agreement, and if so understood: by you, you were certain ly badly mistaken. I thought it was a needless appropriation and cut it out, and stand by it. Very respectfully, Cole L. Blea3e, Governor. February 28, 1911. To His Excellency, Hon. Cole L Blease, Governor, Columbia, S. C. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 28th, 1p reference to the veto of the $5,000 appropriation for Investigation by me, or under my direction, has been received. While the newspaper statement was somewhat Inaccurate I under stood you to suggest that I borrow such funds as should be necessary to make needed investigations, and ask- the legislature at its next ses sion to provide for the payment of the loan. I then realized that the law required me to confine my ex penditure? to such appropriations as have been made by law, and then de termined, as now advised by you, not to borrow such money in violation of law, or exceed the appropriations placed at my disposal. Yours respectfully, p A. W. Jones, Comptroller General. The paragraph which caused the governor to write as above to the comptroller general was as follows: "Governor Blease vetoed the item In the appropriation bill authorizing the comptroller general to expend $5,000 hi examining county offices, but Lt baa since told the comptroller general to go ahead and spend this amount, If so much should be neces sary. Comptroller General Jones has, however, declined emphatically to follow this course, since the legis lature sustained the governor's veto." Wednesday afternoon The Record said: ' Comptroller General Jones did not volunteer to the press the information'which The Record pub lished in the Issue of Monday reier ring to this matter but the facts as to what had passed between the gov ernor and the comptroller general, concerning what is an official and public matter, were ascertained by The Record of its own motion, and the statement published in this pa per on Monday stands as substantial ly correct, the governor having pro posed, and the comptroller general having declined, to proceed without the appropriation vetoed by the gov ernor." COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. Figures Showing How Destructive They Become. The Montgomery Advertiser says to show the damage the boll weevil can do once he opens his campaign against the cotton fields of a State, we print the following figures re cently compiled in Mississippi: Coun:y. 1910. 1907. Adams. 1,020 20,455 Amite. 3,435 25,567 Claiborne. 4,899 24,183 Franklin. 1,250 15,045 Jefferson. 3,404 22,955 Lincoln. 5,377 19,261 Pike. S.608 22.407 Warren. 6,820 19,002 Wilkerson. 1,063 23,12i> Yallabusha. 9,756 16,265 There is no sermon against the boll weevil so eloquent as these few figures. They show conclusively that no tinn! should be lost by the people of Alabama in preparing to fight the weevil this year. Convict Caught. John Wheatley, who was convict ed of shooting Conductor Joe Bran son on the Southern railway between Spartan burg and Asheville, and who has escaped twice, was Wednesday brought back to Spartanburg from Atlanta where he went after making his last get-a-way. [MES A WEEK, WAS NOT FOR SALE BRYAN REFUSE ONE MILLION DOLLARS BRIBE. The Story of the Offer, Which Was Made Long Ago, Has Ju&t Been Printed in Omaha. William J. Bryan got an offer of a bribe of $1,000,000 while a mem ber of congress, according to a story printed Wednesday in the Omaha WorldrHerald. The offer, it is said, was made during the Cleveland ad ministration. At that time he was one of the committee on ways and means. The proposal was that Mr. Bryan should not bring in a minority re port on the bill to issue $150,000,000 of bonds payable in gold, principal and interest. The article gives no intimation as to whence the bribe offer came. The story is credited to a former banker of Lincoln, Neb., who has since diea in substance the story is this: The. banker, while in Washington visiting J. Sterling Morton, then sec retary of agriculture, and Mr. Bry an, was approached by two men, whose names are not given, and was offered $3 0,000 if he would obtain Bryan's consent to kill the minority report on the bill which was then pending. He was authorized to offer ?Mr. Bryan $1,000,000 for the ser vice. If Bryan refused but would agree to absent himself when the '-Ml came up for debate Bryan was to receive $300,000. The banker refused, but later saw the same two me a talking with Bryan. Two hours later Bryan told the banker that he had been of fered a bribe of $1,000,000 and had refused. "They offered me a bribe of $1, 000,000 not to bring in a minority report on that gold bond issue, l told them to go to whoever sent them and tell then there is not money enough in Wall street to *>uy me." Bryan is credited with saying, "I have no love fcr the money itself. My salary supplies "*ny very simple wants. I do not know what I would do with the money. It i? hot the temptation to me that it would be to many men and I deserve no credit for refusing it." CHILD DEBS FROM INJURY. As Result of Being Struck by a Doc tor's Automobile. The States says Murdouk Camp bell, son of Rev. J. A. Campbell, died Tuesday afternoon at the Columbia hospital as the result of an automo bile accident. -Murdock, who is six years of age, was struck by a ma chine driven by Dr. Jos. J. Watson. The accident occurred last Monday morning on the Camden road under rather peculiar circumstances and at the time was not considered serious. The boy was swinging behind a wagon and did not hear the ap proach of the automobile. As ht> dropped off and darted to one side of the road he was 3truck by the ma OJme. Dr. Watson, who states that3 he was running at a very moderate rate of speed, at once slopped and had the boy taken to the hospital. It was not until Tuesday morn ing that dangerous symptoms ap peared and an examination showed a concussion of the brain. The little boy is a son of Rev. J. A. Campbell, a well known Methodist minister. Dr. Watson was exonerated from all blame for the accident. BURGLARS MAKE RICH HAULS. Net $50,000 From Jewell Robberies in Daytona. A series of robberies, ending with the burglary at the home of Mrs. Roger Whinfield, at Sea Breeze, Fla., Thursday niprht, is estimated to have netted a gang of burglars more than $50,000 in gems and other jewelry. According to the report of Mrs. Whin field, jewelry valued at $25,000 was secured from her home, 'ncluding a pearl brooch and two diamond pen dants worth $10,000. This robbery followed the robbing of the homes of E. H. Hot;-hkiss there and J. D. Price, at Ormond. The re port to the police shows that at each place jewels valued at $15,000 were taken. All the houses were entered in the same manner, through unlocked up per windows, and the robberies are believed to be the work of the same gang. There are no clues to the burg lars. Fell From Train. Pitching headlong from the rear platform of the last car on the Penn sylvania eastbound train, as it rushed past a suburban station, W. A. Hard man, aged 30, a flagman of Newark, N. J., was instantly killed. The ac cident was witnessed by a large num ber of persons waiting a* the station for trains and caused great excite ment. Schooner Lost at Sea. The loss of the four-masted schooner J. S. Strawbrid;:e, 2SO miles off Bermuda on February 2S and the rescue of her crew by the Russian ship Endymion was announced Wed nesday. The Strawbridge was bound from Rockport. Me., to Nassau, New Providence, with ice. The ni?e men composing the crew were landed at Bermuda. GIVEN HIS SEAT I -. LORIMEiit IS SAVED BY ELEVEN DEMOCRATIC VOTES. Thirty-fife Republicans Also Voted For rlim, Which Gave Him a Ma jority of Six. Th ' United States Senate Wednes day, \fy a vote of 4(^to 40, sustained William Lorimer's title to a seat for the State of Illinois, defeating the resolution of Senator Beveridge de claring him not legally elected a member of the senate. The following Republicans voted for Lorimer: Bradley, Brandegee, Briggs, Burkeley, Burnham, Burrows, Car ter, Clarke of Wyoming, Crane, Cul lom, Curtis, Depew, Dick, Dilling ham, Dupont, Flint, Frye, Gallinger, Gamble, Guggenheim, Hale, Hey burn, Kean, McCumber, Nixon, Oli ver, Penrose, Perkins, Piles, Rich ardson, Scott, Smoot, Stephenson, Warren and Wetmore.?35. The following Democrats voted for Lorimer: Bailey, Bankhead, Fletcher, Fos ter, Johnston, Paynter, Simmons, Smith of Maryland, Thornton, Till r.an and Watson.?11. The following Republicans voted against Lorimer: Beveridge, Borah, Bourne, Bris tow, Brown, Burkett, Burton, Ciapp, Crawford, Cummins, Dlxon, Gronna, Jono.s, LaFollette, Lod?e, Nelson, Page, Root, Smith of Michigan, Suth erland, Warner and Young.?22. The following Democrats voted against Lorimer: Bacon, Chamberlain, Clarke of Arkansas, Culberson, Davis, Gore, Martin, Money, Newlands, Overman, Owen, Percy, Raynor, Shively, Smith of South Carolina, Stone, Swanson and Taylor. Aldrich, Frazler and Terrell did not vote. Senator Lorimer did not vote because of his interest in the casei and Senator Taliaferro was in his seat but did not respond to his name. The vote of Senator Cullom, Mr. Lorimer's colleague, from Illi nois, was awaited with great inter est. 'Both sides chailem him. He voted for Lorimer. AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS. The South may be Paid for Cotton : Siezed During War. The friends in Congress of the claimants of cotton seized by the Federal Government under the "Cap tured and Abandoned Property Act," when hostilities had ceased, are In the nearest way to accomplishing the long delayed act of restitution that has ever been approached. Time after time a committee of one house or the other of Congress has reported favorably on these claims, only to be blocked by the oth er house. Now it appears that th? two houses are agreed that it is time that this money should be restored to its rightful owners. Wednesday the conferees of the two houses of the committees on re vision of the laws agreed upon the Bartlett amendment to consolidate the ActB respecting war claims, so that the proceeds of cotton seized under the "Captured and Abandoned Property Act," now in the treasury as a trust fund, might be restored to those who submitted their claims to the Court of Claims, with proper evidence, without being required to prove loyalty. The fund amounts to $4,886,6Jl, of which South Carolina claims are $422,547. TWO CONVICTED OF MURDER. . I One Without, Other With Recom mendation to Mercy?Negroes. A dispatch from Gaffney says: After being out for a day and a night in the case againset Arthur Curry. Luther Curry, two negroes, and Jim Hayes, a white man, charged with the murder of Robert Davidson, a white man, on Thanksgiving clay, the jury brought in the following verdict Thursday: Luther Curry, guilty of murder; Arthur Curry, guilty of murder with recommendation to mer cy; Hayes, not guilty. It is not thought likely that the at torneys for the defence will try for a new trial, but it is very likely that they will appeal to the Governor to have Luther Curry's sentence com muted from hanging to life imprison ment. Sentence has not yet been passed on the negroes, but will prob ably be in the morning. The two negroes are brothers. RAILROAD ACCIDENT. One Switchman Killed and One Was Wounded. The Evening Post says Robert Tanner, of No. 11 Blake street, a switchman of the Charleston Termi nal Company, was killed Wednesday morning shortly before six o'clock, and Gus P. Zander, of No. 4 6 Drake street, another switchman, was in jured, when a tender of engine No. S, on which they were riding, jump ed the track. The engine was back ing, and the switchmen were stand ing on the running board of the ten der, when the jolt came, and they were thrown off. Tanner falling in from: of the tender, and being run over, receiving injuries that caused his death later, while Zander wasj bruised and bones in a leg broken. | UG, S. C SA1L1IDAY. ? THEY WERE PAID Some of the Evidence Before the Leg' islatore and the Conns IN THE IORIHER CASE We Publish Below Extracts of the Testimony Brought Out in This Notorious Case So as Our Readeis Can Jndge for Themselves as to the Facts. From January until the 26th of May, 1909, the Legislature of Illi nois was engaged in fruitlessly bal loting for a Senator to succeed Mr. Hopkins, who was then a member of the Senate. Mr. Hopkins had re ceived a large vote by way of in struction in the primaries, and Mr. Stringer was the primary selection of the Democratic party, and the votes ran for many weeks, for months, with the greater part of the Republi cans voting for Mr. Hopkins. On the 26th of 'May there was a sudden change, and the votes of a very large part of the Republicans and of the Democrats were turned to Mr. Lorimer, who up to that time had not been an avowed candidate, only an occasional scattering vote having been cast for him. On that day there were 202 members of the Legislature of Illinois present in the joint session of the two houses, mak ing 102 votes necessary to an elec tion. On the roll call of the Senate, there were ten votes for Mr. Lori mer, and on the roll call of the House there were 91 votes for Mr. Lorimer, making a total of 101 votes. Thereupon seven Republican Senators who had voted for Mr. H >p kins on the roll call changed their votes from Mr. Hopkins to Mr. Lori mer, making 108 votes for Mr. Lori mer, and he was declared to be elect ed. Those 108 votes were 53 of them cast by Democrats and 55 by Republicans. 'Now there are certain undisputed facts which bear upon .this Inquiry as to these 53 Democratic votes. Thfe first Is that Mr. Lorimer was present at Springfield and in attendance at the State Capitol at the time of this election, and he had been there for several weeks. It appears that one of the Democrats who had been asked to vote for Mr. Lorimer raised some objection and was requested to go into the Speaker's room on . the day of the election and see 'Mr. Lori mer. He had asked for certain promises regarding patronage, regarding the appointment of Federal officers in his own town. He was requested to go and he did go into the Speaker's room, and there found Mr. Lorimer; and he had with Mr. Lorimer a con versation relating to the appoint ment of Federal officers in his town, and it appeared to be r?*Msfactory when he came out from the inter view. The agent selected by Mr. Lorimer, the chief agent to secure Democratic votes for him, was Mr. Leo O'Neil Browne. Mr. Browne was the leader of one faction of the Democrats in the Assembly. There were two fac tions, each with a leader. Mr. Browne had between thirty and for ty, and another, Mr. Tippet, had be tween twenty and thirty Democratic members of the Legislature, and Mr. Browne was called into consultation, conference, co-operation with Mr. Lorimer and became plainly Mr. Lor imer's accredited and authorized agent in securing votes from the Democratic side of the Assembly. This rests upon the testimony of Mr. Browne himself, and is not subject to any dispute. Mr. Browne, the leader of this crowd voted for Mr. Lorimer, and the er, 'Manny Abrahams. He procured them to vote as the agent of Lori mer, secured by him to act for him, closeted with him by day and by night, reporting to him step by step, having the relation to him of a mem ber of a campaign committee. On the floor of the Assembly, on the day of the election before the vote was cast, Mr. English, a member of the House, in eiTect charged corrup tion. (Mr. Browne, for the apparent pur pose of strengthening his followers, had made a speech in which he had undertaken to explain what was about to be done, and he had used the expression, "We cannot cash dreams," when that stout Democrat of the House retorted, "But you can cash votes," and it was under the aspersion of that remark in the open House that the votes were cast. Mr. Holtslaw, who was ? Senator, testified that Senator Broderick, a Democratic Senator, as was Holtslaw, assured him that there was $2,5 00 in it for him if he voted for Lori mer, and he did. Holtslaw has also testified to the payment of the $2, 500. Three other witnesses have testi fied not merelv to approaches but to the actual payment of money?Mr. White who was the originator of the charges, 'Mr. Link, another Demo cratic member of the Assembly, Mr. Beckemeyer, another, all members of the faithful thirty. It happens that there were two events?two meetings of followers of Browne?subsequent to the elec tion of Lorimer in which the testi mony fixes the payment of money un der such circumstances that, if tho (Continued on third page.) [AUCH 4, 1911. WAS ESCAPED CONVICT. POLICE CHIEF IDENTIFIED AS ESCAPED MURDERER. Safe for Fourteen Years?He Had Been Joined by His Wife and Chil dren. Thomas Edgar Stribling, who for five years has been chief of police of Danville, Va., under the. name of R. E. Morris, was arrested there Thursday afternoon as an escaped murderer from the Hamilton, Har rison county, Georgia, prison. In 1897 he was tried for murder, con victed and sentenced to life impris onment. He escaped, pending a mo tion for a new trial. Stribling coolly and promptly con fessed when the requisition papers were read to him. Since he escaped Stribling was married. He is the father of ten children. The arrest and exposure of the chief of police was made by Secret Service Agent J. W. W. Smith and Deputy City Sergeant W. W. Bosseau and caused a widespread sensation. For the past six years no one for a moment suspected his identity. Ef forts were made a number of times to trace up some shady spot in his past life, in criminal trials, but no inkling of-his prison career was brought out. He was first employed as night watchman for the Southern Express Company. About five years ago he was elected as a patrolman on the Danville police force, and after serving about six months was ad vanced to chief. His promotion was due, in a meas ure, to his great nerve and coolness, though he was criticised severely for his almost uncontrollable temper. Stribling, in his official capacity, had many innfluential friends, and, during his residence here, had never been charged with any offense other than those resulting from outbursts of temper. Stribling shot and killed William J. Cornett, in Georgia, and was being held in prison pending a motion for a new .rial. His brother-in-law, who was implicated in the killing, was given a long term, but was pardoned. After hip escape from prison Stribling was joined by his wife and children. He was allowed nearly two hours to bid his family farewell, at his home, but did not break down even for a moment. The prisoner was taken to Georgia Thursday night. Before leaving he said he killed Cornett for a criminal assault upon his sister. Stribling hopes to secure a pardon. THOUSAND DYING DAILY. Plague and Famine Claim Many Vic tims in China. Famine and the plague are sweep ing over China. The known deaths from the plague number 30,000, and according to the official statistics, the death rate averages 200 daily. But the officials say but little is known of the true conditions. It is impossible even to estimate the number of deaths that have re sulted from lack of food. Dr. Sam uel Cochran, an American, who is engaged in the work of relief, writes: "One million people will die before the first crop is harvested. This will be scanty, because the people have not the strength to till the soil, and no animals remain for ploughing." So far Japan and America are the only foreign countries that have con tributed to aid the sufferers, but even the assistance that has come from the United States is entirely inadequate. It is estimated that 2,000,000 people are without food and are existing on roots, grasses or anything that af fords the slightest possibility of nour ishment. Those possessing grain guard it night and day. Missionaries, who are distributing relief, tell of many tragic occurrences ?a man on his way to meet them, dying in the road; another falling in the road as he was returning to his family with packets of rice. T"rom the famine, the death rate is several thousand daily. MEETS HORRIBLE DEATH. Caught in (he Shafting of a Shingle Mill, Fatally Hurt. Caught in the shafting of his fath er's shinple mill at Lexington 'about 8:30 o'clock Wednesday morning, young Davis Caughman sustained injuries from which he died three hours later. His body was hurled round and round for about 30 times before the mill was stopped. He was Injured about the head and face and one of his feet was multilated. He was also injured internally. Da vis Caughman was a son of Capt. P. H. Caughman, one of the most high ly respected farmers of this county, living about 3 miles from Lexing ton. He was about 2f> years of age, sturdy and industrious and true, and was loved by all of his associates. Died on a Train. Lovelace F. Price of Columbia died suddenly Wednesday afternoon while a passenger on the "Carolina Spec ial" cominp; from Spartanburg to Co lumbia. Mr. Price's death resulted from an attack of heart failure. He had only recently been suffering se verely from this trouble and the at tack was renewed Wednesday after mm: MURDER SHOCKS ROME ITALIAN PRINCESS KILLED BY CAVALRY OFFICER. In Hotel Room Slayer Stabs Victim, ."Who Bleeds to Death, Then Shoots Himself, But Probably Not Fatally. Princess Di Trigona, a lady-in waiting to Queen Heleua, niece of Marquis Di Sangiuliano, the Italian minister of foreign affairs, and cousin of Prince DI Scalea, Secretary of State in the foreign office, was mur dered Thursday in a small hotel in [ the city of Rome, by Lieut. Baron Paterno, a cavalry officer, who then shot himself. Paterno was still alive when the room occupied by the cou ple was entered by hotel employees, but the Princess was found lying on a bed, dead. She had been stabbed in the neck and death was almost in stantaneous. (Princess Di Trigona was one of the most beautiful ladies-in-waiting to the Queen, and her tragic end has caused a tremendous sensation. She was at the Court ball on Monday and attracted more than ordinary atten tion as well as general admiration. She had had a disagreement with her husband, which deeply grieved the Queen. Her Majesty used every in-j fluence to reconcile the couple, but without success. Baron Paterno, who had been iri close attendance upon the Princess for some time past, engaged a room in a small hotel this morning. Soon he was joined by Princess Trigona and they remained together until the afternoon. A waiter, passing through the1 hall, heard a pistol shot, followed by grosns. An attempt was made to break in the door, but this proved too strong to be forced, and employees entered the voom by a window. The Princess, half dressed, lay on the bed, in a pool of blood. A dag ger had severed the blood vessels in the neck and she had bled to death. Paterno was outstretched on the floor. There was a bullet wound in his breast, made in an evident at tempt to commit suicide, but he was still alive and was quickly removed to other quarters. The Princess had been summoned to appear before the Court today in separation proceedings brought by| her husband. Both she and Paterno were Sicilians. Last summer the Princess was at Saint Moritz with her two daughters, who are seven and fourteen years old, when she received a letter from Paterno explaining that his debts prevented him from join ing her. She was touched by the let ter and sent him a check, which he turned over to one of his creditors. The creditor, it is said, instead of cashing the check, used it for black mailing purposes against Prince Di Trigona, thus revealing the scandal. MONTE CRISTO HAS A RIVAL. M*.Jern Croesus, Young and Good Looking, Starties Atlanta. Fortified with 134 one thousand dollar bills, a New York certified check for $45,000 and a suit case and Gladstone bag crammed full of biils of smaller denomination and gold coins, a mysterious stranger has just finished giving Atlantans a perfectly good imitation of Death Valley Scot ty's free spending, and has departed for Havana, Cuba, with Miss Louise Whittimore, a pretty manicurist, whom he took as his bride while here. After a short stay in Cuba, they will go to New Yrok, from which city they will go to Europe for an ex tended tour. The young Croesus registered at a local hotel as A. W. Carniichael, of New York, but is said to hail from Buenos Ayres. He asked to be given an entire floor, but finally was per suaded that a suit of four rooms would be sufficient. He then pro ceeded to a tailoring establishment, where he ordered an outfit of six teen suits, paying for them in ad vance, something over $1,000. But this was only the start. Carniichael visited the hotel bar ber shop the first day, where he met and fell in love with Misss Whitti more, and made an engagement fur luncheon. Not satisfied with her cos tume, he pulled out five $100 bills and sent her out to get some clothes befitting the occasion. When she re appeared he was dissatisfied with her lack of jewels and took her to a lead ing jeweller, where he presented her with a large diamond ring and pearl necklace. Carniichael also visited a garage, where he rented an automobile at the rate of $5 an hour, for as long as he should want it. At the end of his visit he paid the owner $113 5, al though he had not used the machine more than half the time. Accompanied by Miss Whittimore and her mother, Carniichael went from there to Tampa, Fla., en route to Cuba. Friday Chas. Belleisle, who acted as his chauffeur while in At lanta, received a telegram from Car niichael instructing him to meet him in New York and accompany him on an extended European trip. Car niichael also sent transportation and $100. Carniichael is described by the ho tel attaches as good looking, of the blonde type, and about 20 years old. He was quiet and unassuming and apparently interested in nothing but having a good time. Tired of Atlanta. There were four attempts in one day recently by different persons to commit suicide in Atlanta. ?o WO CENTS PER COPY EXTRA SESSION [Probable Failure of Reciprocity Bill Means Extra Ttrm. ALL DOUBT REMOVED It is Also Settled That Extra Period Will Be Called to Begin Its Work Before April 4?Democrats Wanted a Month to Prepare, and at Quo Time President Seemed Willing. A Washington dispatch says the last vestige of doubt that there will be an extraordinary session oi* con gress called by President Taft to con sider the Canadian reciprocity agree ment in the new practically certain, event of the failure of that meaeur* in the present congress, disappeared Thursday when it became known that Republican leaders had been called to the white house for a consultation. "The die is cast," said one of the Republican senators after returning to the capital. "Mr. Taft has decided that there must be an extra session and that he will call ft earlier than. April 4." Democratic leaders wanted a month in which to get ready for a. special session and President Taft was inclined to accede to their wishes. It became known Thursday, however, that the Republicans fav- 4 ored an earlier gathering if there was s no way to avoid coming back. Mr. Jr Taft would be guided, it was said, by the wishes of the Republicans. It was announced that a conference would be held on the subject prob ably on next Monday, to decide upon la date. March 20 was the date talked about Thursday at the capitoL Democratic leaders in the house cliffe. in their views as to the length, of an extraordinary session if the President should call one, but a'Jl the estimates are that the session would * continue until between July 1 and October 1. Speaker-elect Clark believes that four or five months would be ample and that adjournment might be reached during July. Chairman TJa derwood of the ways and means com mittee of the house, feels that an ex tra session could wind up Its business by Sept. 1. Representative Henry oC Texas, who will be one of the leaders in the next house, thinks the session might run on until October 1. Ail these, are of course, guesses. The selection of committees, those on accounts, mileage and rules first of all?will be the first work at tempted in the event congress meets in extra session. The choice rests with the ways and means committee, which is vested with the function ot a committee on committees, but a Democratic caucus must formally pass upon the committee's action. Democratic leaders say that the reciprocity measure, if not passed by the senate at the regular session, wiU pass the house in extra session If the President should call one. Of the special sessions called in. March during the past forty ye?r?, the shortest term was one and one half months and the longest almost nine months. The last extraordinary session was during the present con gress, when the congress met on March 1& and remained in session until August 5, constructing th* Payne-Aldrich tariff law. PLEAD FOR MERCV. Sentenced to bo Whipped for Bru tally Beating Wife. The spefctacle wa. witnessed in. the criminal court at Baltimore, iMd., Wednesday, of a white man. who had jrutally beaten his wife, pleading for mercy with tears streaming down his face, when he heard the sentence of five lashes at the whipping post and imprison ment in jail. But there was no mer cy because the testimony showed that Frank McCauley struck his wife seven or eight, times, choked her and ihen took from her more than $20. It was the second sentence of a wife beater to the post by Judge Duffy within a month. Burns Two Horses. A colored renter on the plantation, of C. B. Dunbar, near Millettsville, Rarnwell county, was plowing in a broom sedge field and becoming thirsty wp-.it off In search of water, first sett^'ii fire to the sedge. He left his t vo horses hitched to a plow and when he returned in a short while both horses were burned to death, still hitched to the plow. Engineer's Head Crushed. When a trestle gave away Thurs day on the Shenandoah Iron & Coal company's narrow gauge railroad near Liberty Furnace, Shenandoah county Va., Engineer James Hines' skull was crushed. He died instant ly. Fireman Thomas Fultz suffered a broken leg. His head was cut, but he probably wili recover. Boy Horribly Mangled. "Open my eyes and take me home," was the dying request of Clyde Fogus, aged 17, of Uoanoke, Va., who was horribly mangled and almost instantly killed Thursday by the aceidental explosion of a quan tity of dynamite which was being used to blow holes in which to plant fruit trees.