University of South Carolina Libraries
UNHAPPILY MARRIED. REV. DR. TALMAGE PREACHES UPON AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT. Sturdy Blows in Behladrf i e omw a Against thr Dissolutene- oioIdern So ciety-.Wholesale "'ivoc'" ondeied. The Blesa.d 3.1ri"ge state. N EW YORK,. March 1i .-Po-v. Dr.' Talmage chose as the sub ject >f his af ternoon sermon in the Acaden y of Music today a topie ot national inter est--viz, --Wholesale i:vorce. The great audience repeatedly showed its appreciation of the seniments express ed by the reverend sgeaker. and his sturav blows in behaLaf of the protec tion 6f the household and against the dissoluteness of modern society were received with marked appreciation. The text selected was 'Matthew xix, 6, "What, therefore',God hath joined to gether let not man put asunder." That there are huadreds and thous ands of infelicitous homes in America no one will doubt. If there were only one skeleton in the closet, that might be locked up and abandoned. but in many a household there is a skeleton in the hallway and a skeleton in all the apartments. "Unhappily marriec" are two words descriptive of many a homestead. It needs no orthodox inister to proveto a badly mated pair that there is a hell. They are there now. Sometimes a graid and gracious woman will be thus incarcerated. and her life a cruci fixion. as was the case with Mrs. Si gourney, the great poetess and the *great soul. Sometimes a consecrated - man will be united to a fury, as was John Weslev, or united to a vixen, as was John Milton. Sometimes, and -generally, both parties are to blame, and Thomas Carlyle was an intolera - ble scold, and his wife smoked and swore, and Froude. the historian, pull - ed aside the curtain from the lifelong -squabble at, Ci-aigenputtock and Five, Chevne Row. - Some say that for the alleviation of all these domestic disorders of which we hear easy divorce is a good pre scription. God sometimes authorizes divorce as certainly as he authorizes' marriage. I have just as much regard for one lawfully divorced as I have - for one lawfully married. But you know and I know that wholesale di vorce is one of our national scourges. I am not surprised at this when I think of the intuences which have been abroad. militating against the marriage relation. For many years the platforms of the country rang with tal- about a free love millennium. There were meet ingr of this kind held in the Cooper Institute, New York; Tremont temple, Boston, and all over the land. Some of the women who were most promi nent in that movement have since been distinguished for great promis cuosity of affection. Popular themes for such occasions were the tyranny of man, the oppression of the marriage relation. women's righfs and the affin ities. Prominent speakers were wo men with short curls and short dresses and very long tongues, everlastingly at war with God because they were created women, while on the platform sat meek men with soft accent and cowed demeanor, apologetic for mas enlinity andholding the parasols while the termagant orators went on preach ino- the doctrine of free love. 'hat campaign of about 20 yearsset more devils into the marriage relation than will be exorcised in the next 50. Men and women went home from such meetings so permanently confused as to who were their wives and husbands that they never got out of their per plexity, and the criminal and the civil --courts tried to disentangle the "Iliad" of woes, and this one got alimony, and that one gota limited divorce, and this mother kept the children on condition that the father could sometimes come and look at them, and these went into poorhouses, andthose went into an in sane asylum, and .those went into a dissolute public life, and all went to. destruction. The -mightiest war ever made against the marriage institution was that free love campaign. some times.under one name and sometimes under another. Another influence that has warred uipon the mariae relation has been polygamiy in Uth That was a stere otyped caricature of the marriage re lation and has poistoned the whole land. You might as well think vou can have an arm in a state of mortifi cation and yet the whole body not be sickened as' to have those territories *polygamized and yet the body of the nation not feel the putrefaction. Hear it, good men and womien of America, that so long ago as 18562 a law was . passed by congress forbidding polyga my n the territories and m all plc~ where they had jurisdiction. Twenty-four years passed along and ive administrations before the first brick was knocked from that fortress of libertinism. Every new president, in his inaugu ral, tickled that monster with the straw of condemnation, and every congress stultified itself by proposing some plan that -would not work. Polygamy stood more intrenched and more braz en, and.more missant; and more brag *atand more infernal. James Bu ch anan, amuch abused man of his day, did4 more for the extirpation of this viflainy than most of the subsequent *administrations. Mr. Buchanan sent out an army, and although it was halt ed in its work still he accomplished more than some of the administrations who did nothing but talk, talk, talk : At last, but not until it had poisoned ~eerations, polygamy has received its Polygamy in Utah warred against the marriage relation throughout the -land. It was impossible to have such an awful sewer of iniquity sending up its miasma, which was wafted by the 'winds north, south, east, and west, without the whole land being affected by it. Another influence that has warred against the marriage relation in this country has been apostulous litera Swith its millions of sheets every wee -'th stories of domestic wrongs and infidelities and massacres and outrages until it is a wonder to me that there are any decencies or any common sense left on the subject of marriage. One-half of the news stands of all our cities reeking with the filth. "Now," say some, "we adniit all these evils, and the only way to clear them out or correct them is by easy di vorce." Well, before we yield to that cry let us find out how easy it is, now. I have looked over the laws of all the states, and I find that while in some states it is easier than in others in every state it is easy. The state of Illinois, through its legislature, recites a long list of proper causes for divorce and then closes up by giving to the courts the right to' make a decree of divorce in any case where they deem it expedient. After that. you are not surprised at the announcement that in one county of the state of Illinois in one year there were 833 divorces. If you want to know how easy it is. you Ihave only to look over the'records of the states. In the City of San Fran cisco 333 divorces in one year, and in 20 years 'in New England 2n.000. Is that not easy enough If the saume ratio continue-the ratio of mulipnlied dior~e and multiplied causes of divorce-we are not far from the time whei our courts will have to set apart wbhle days for application, and all you will have to prove against a .an will be that he left his newspa per in the middle of the floor, and all you will have to prove against a wo ni will be that her husband's over coat is buttonless. Causes of divorce double in a few years-doubled in France, doubled' in England and doubled in the United States. To show how very easy it is I have to tell you that in vestern re serve. Ohio, the proportion of divorces to marriages celebrated is 1 to 11, in Rhode Island is 1 to 13, in Vermont 1 to 14. Is not that easy enough? I want you to notice that frequency of divoce always goes along with the dissoluteness of society. Rome for 500 years had not one case of divoce. Those were her days of glory and vir tue. Then the reign of vice began. and divorce became epidemic. If you want to know how rapidly the empire went down. asked Gibbon. What we want in this country and in all lands is that divorce be made more and more difficult. Then peo ple before they enter that relation will be persuaded ihat there will probably be no escape from it except through the door of the sepulcher. Then they will pause on the verge of that rela tion until they are fully satisfied that it is best, and that it is right, and that it is happiest. Then we shall have no more marriage in fun. Then men and women will not enterthe relation with the idea it is only a trial trip, and if they do not like it they can get out at the first landino. Then this whole question will be ta -en out of the frivol ous into the tremendous, and there will be no more joking about the blos soms in a bride's hair than about the cypress on a coffin. What we want is that the congress of the United States change the nation al constitution so that a law can be passed which shall be uniform all over the country, and what shall be right in one state shall be right in all the states, and what is wrong in one state will be wrong in all the states. How isit now: If a party in the marriage relation gets dissatisfied, it is only necessary to move to another state to achieve liberation from the domestic tie, and divorce is effected so easy that the first one party knows. of it is by seeing in the newspaper that Rev. Dr. Somebody on March17, 1S95, introduced in a new marriage relation a member of the household who went off on a pleasure excursion to Newport or a business excursion to Chicago. Married at the bride's house. No cards. There are states -of the Union which practically put a premium upon the disintegration of the marriage rela tion, while there are other states, like our own New York state, that had for a long time the pre-eminent idiocy of making marriage laivful at 12 and 14 years of age. The congress of the United States needs to more for a change of the na tional constitution and then to appoint a committee-not made up of single oentlemen, but of men of families, and teir families in Washington-who shall prepare a good, honest, righte ous, comprehensive, uniform law that will control everything -from Sandy Hook to the Golden Horn. That will put an endjto brokerages in marriages. That will send divorce lawyers into a -decent business. That will set people agitated for many years on the ques tion of how shall they get away from each other to planning how they can adjust themselves to the more or less unfavorable circumstances. M1ore difficult divorce will put an estoppel to a great extent upon mar riage as a financial speculation. There are men who go into the relation just as they go into Wall street to purchase shares. The female to be invited into the partnership of wedlock is utterly unattractive aiid in disposition a sup pressed Vesuvius. Everybody knows it, but this masculine candidate for matrimonial orders, through the com mercial agency or through the county records, finds out how much estate is to be inherited, and he calculates it. He thinks out how long it will be be fore the old man will die and whether he can stand the refractory temper un til he does die, and then he enters the relation, for he says, "If I cannot stand it, then through ~-the divorce law I'll back out." That process is going on all the time, and men enter the rela tion without any moral principle, without any affection, and it is as much a matter of stock speculation as anything that transpired yesterday in Union Pacific, Illinois Central or Dela ware and Lackawanna. Now, suppose a man understood, as he ought to understand, that if he goes into that relation there is no pos sibility of his getting out or no prob ability, he would be more slow to put his neck in the yoke. He would say to humself, "Rather than a Caribbean whirlwind, with a whole fleet of ship pino in its arms, give me a zephyr off fie s of sunshine and gardens of peace. Rigorous divorce law will also hin der women from the fatal m stake of marrying men to reform them. If a young man by 25 years of age or 30 years of age has the habit of strong drink and fixed on him, he is as cer tainly bound for a drunkard's grave as that a train starting out from Grand Central depot at S o'clock tomorrow morning is bound for Albany. The train may not reach Albany, for it may be thrown from the track. The young man may not reach a drunk ard's grave, for something~ may throw him off the iron track of evil habit.1 but the probability is that the train that starts tomorrow morning at S o'clock for Albany will get there, and the probability is that the youno man who has the h'abit of strong~ drin7; fixed of him before 25 or 30 years of age will arrive at a drunkartl's g'rave. She knows he drinks, although he tries to hide it by chewing cloves. Everybody knows he drinks. Parents warn, neighbors and friends warn. She will marry him: she will reform him. If she is unsuccessful in the experi-1 ment, why, then the divorce law will emancipate her, because habitual drunkenness is a cause for divorce .in Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, Connecti cut and nearly all the states. So the poor thiing goes to the altar of sacrifice. If ou will show me the poverty- struck streets in any city. I will show you the homes of the women wvho married men to reform them. In one case out of 10000 it may be a 'successful experi-] ment. I never saw the successful ex perient. But have a rigorous divorce law, and that womian will say, "If I am affianced to that man, it is for life." A rigorous divorce law will also do much to hinder hasty and inconsiderate marriages. Under the impression that one can be eaisly released people enter 1 the relation without inquiry and with out reflection. Romance and impulse 1 rule the day. Perhaps the only ground for the marriage contract is that she likes his looks, and he admires the raceful way she passes around the ice I Eream at the picnic: It is all they know about each other. It is all the prearation for life. A woman that ] :-ou'ld not make a loaf of bread to save2 er life will swear tocherish and obey. 1 A Christian will marry an atheist. anl that always makes conjoinedt wretchedness, for if a man does nott believe there is a God he is neither to be trusted with a dollar nor with your i lifelong happiness. Having read much i bout love in a cottage, people brought t p~ in ease will go and starve in a t By the wreck of 10.000 homes, by th< holocaust of 10.000 sacrificed men and women. by the hearthstone of the fam ily, which is the cornerstone of the state and in the naime of that Got who hnth set up the family institution. and who hath made the breaking o the marital oat 11 the most appalling o all perjuries. I implor" the congress o the United States to make some righte ous, uniform law for all the states. ani from ocean to ocean, on this subject of marriage and divorce. Let mesay to the hundreds of yonni people in this house this afternoon. be fore you give your heart and hand it holy alliance use all caution. Inquiri outside as to habits, explore the disposi tion. scrutinize the taste. question the ancestry and find out the ambitions Do not take the heroes and the heroines of cheap novels for a model. Do no put your lifetime happiness in th keeping of a man who has a reputation of beino a little loose in morals, or in the-eeping of a wo man who dresses fast. Remember that while good looks are a kindly gift o God, wrinkles or accident may despoi them. Remember that Byron was n< more celebrated for his beauty than fo his depravity. Remember that Absa lom's hair was not more splendid than his habits were despicable. Hear it, hear it: The only foundation for hap py marriage that has ever been or ever will be is good character. Ask Goi whom you shall marry, i: vou marrv at all. A union formed in prayer will be a happy union, though sickness pale the cheek, and poverty empty the bread tray, and death oper the small graves, and all the path o: life be strewn with thorns from the marriage alter with its wedding march and orange blossoms clear down to th< last farewell at that gate where Isaa< and Rebecca, Abraham and Sarab Adam and Eve parted. And let me say to you who are in this relation if you make one man 01 woman happy you have not lived iii vain. Christ says that what he is t< the church you ought to be to eacl other, and if sometimes through dif ference of opinion or difference of dis position you make up your mind that your marriage was a mistake, patient ly bear and forbear, remembering that life at the longest is short, and that foi those who have been badly mated ir this world death will give quick ani immediate bill of divorcement writ'r in letters of green grass on- quiet graves. And perhaps. my brother, in sister-perhaps you may appreciat< each other bettter in heaven than you have appreciated each other on earth. In the '.'Farm Ballads" our Ameri can poet puts into the lips of a repent ant husband after a long life of mar ried pertubation these suggestiv< words: Aid when she dies I wish that sh< would be laid by me, And lving together in silence perhaps we wll agree. And if ever we meet in heaven I would not think it queer If we love each other bettpr because - we quarrelled-here. And let me shy to'those of you -whc are- in happy married union, avoid first quarrels. Have no unexplained correspondence with former'admirers: cultivate no suspicions; in a momeni of bad temper do not rush out and tell the neighbors;. do not let any of those gadabouts of society unload iu your house their-baggage of gab and tittle tatde;- do not stamtd 'an-yotur- rights; learn-how to apologize; do not be so proud, or so stubborn, or so devilish that you will not make up. Remembker that the worst domestic misfortunes and most scandalous divorce cases started fromn little infelicities. The whole piled up train of ten rail cars telescoped and smashed at the-foot of an embankment 100 feet down came to that catastrophe by gtting two or three-inches off the trac -. Some of the greatest domestic misfortunes and the wide resounding divorce cases have started from little misunderstandings that were allowe~d to go on and go on until home and:re spectability and urligion and mortal soul went down in the crash, crash:! And,. fellow citizens as well as; fel low Christians, let us have a divine rage against anything that wars on the marriage state. Blessea institution ! [nstead of two arms to fight the battle Df life, four; instead,of two eyes to scrutinize the path of life, four; instead of two shoulders -.to lift the burden of life, four. Twice the energy, twice the courage, twice the holy.ambition, twice the probability .of woildly suc ::ess, twice the prospects .o'f heaven. [nto the matrimonmal-, bower .God retches two souls. .Outside that bower room for all contentions, anil all bick 3rings, and all controversies, bu't in side the bower there is room for only ne guest-the andel of* love. Let that angel stand at the floral doorway f this Edenic bower with dirawn iword to hew down the woirst foe of Lhat bower-easy divorce. And for avery paradise lost may thlere be a paradise regained, and after we quit ur home here may we have a bright er home in heaven, at the-windows of which this moment are familiar faces watching for our arrival and wonder Lng why so long we tarry. A Tragedy of the Flames. NEW YORK,Marchl 20.-In his heroic mndeavor to save his wife and children Tohn Kurtz was burned to death in the 'our story tenement 168 25th street ~his morning. Kurtz, with his wife, wo sons and datighter, occupied the econd floor of the building. When Kurtz reached the street door, just be ~ore 3 o'clock, he discovered the vesti ule ablaze. -He dashed up-stairs, wvarned his elder son, told him the iouse was on fire and look out for his nother. Mrs. Kurtz was quickly troused and, followed by her son, ran ip to the roof, where the greater nium er of other tenants, aroused by the houts of Kurtz, had preceded'her. l'he occupants of the third floor gained he roof, crossed to the adjoining iouse and escaped in safety. Two ~isters named Schamp -founa escape ~ut oiY. The firemen spread a tarpau in under their wind~ow and both vomen dropped into it without injury. rony Ketcham, an insurance agent, vho roomed on the third .tloor, jumped rom the front window and fell on the ~idewalk, with nearly every bone in uis body broken. He died at the hos >ital at'2:30. Two of Kurtz's child en jumped from the second-story vindow and were not seriously in ured. After the fire was put out Eiurtz's body was found on the stair ray leading to the roof, lie had evi lently attempted to follow his wife Lnd son to the roof, but was overcome >y the smoke. His clothing was burn dl from his body and his head burned o a blackened, charred lump. A Lover'5 Quarrei. CEun,. O., March 20.-A team be onging to Robert Mang~ler, a livery table keeper at Monticello, live miles r'om here came into the stable vai'd ast night with the body of a girl amed Annie Frisch sittihig in the ye micle stone, There was a bullet wound n her right temple and another in lie left arm. Later in the evening he dead body of her lover, Arthur ~peyed, who was known to have gone riving' with her, was found on~ the~ oadside. Speyed had killed the girl nd committed suicide, probably as be result of a lover's quarrel. Speyd -a 22, and the girl 11. WHY CHINESE COMMIT SUICIDE. Their Generals Kt ill Each Other When De fe-ate.. To suppose that the recent suicides of (2,C-Se ntaval and military leaders were inspired by cowardice would be an egregious mistake. The victims killed themselves because from their poiit of view it was impossible for Iitem to do anything else as gentle mcn of honor. If they had done otherwise they would have been con sidered 1y their countrymen as dis graced. When Canton fell, 1857, Gen. Yeh,comnimaner of the Chinese forces. incurred popular detestation by ref us ing to take his own life. It is always the proper thing in Clii na for a defeated general to commit suicide. When the Takoo forts were captured in 1860 many mandarins des troved themselves. Their sense of I honor would not permit them to sur vive the disgrace. They acted, accord inZ to the Orieital idea, like virtous and brave men, and the gates of Para dise were opened wide to receive them. Any officer of State may appropriately have recourse to self-slaughter under similar circumstances, or if an insult has been offered to the Emperor. An historic conference between represen satives of China and Great Britain, the object of which was to settle terms of peace, was interrupted by one of the pig-tailed officials, who withdrew to commit suicide, being overwhelmed with mortification. Sometimes the wives of officials fol low the example set by their husbands and commit suicide. Women who have lost their husbands often do like wise. Such action on their part is considered highly creditable and not to be interferred with by anybody. They dress themselves in red for the ceremony and hang themselves in the open street or in some other public place, surrounded by an admiring crowd. Tablets inscribed with their names and a record of the virtuous manner of their deaths are placed in the temples. A oirl who has lost her alanced husbanc may with propriety do the same thing, and it is expected that the Govern r of the province will set forth the case in a eulogistic memo rial addressed to the Emperor. Thus a premium may be put on suicide. When the British captured Amoy, oinfpo and'Chang Kiang the bodies of many women were found in wells. They had destroyed themselves for fear of experiencing at the hands of their European conquerors outrages of the sort unhappily commoa and even customary in Asiatic warfare. Entirely apart from the considera tions thus mentioned the Chinese seem to be more disposed to suicide than any other people. Many Chinese laborers were brought to the fsthmus of Panama to assist in building the rail way which now Joins the two oceans. The work 1eing 'hard and the climate unhealthy they killed themselves in greatnumbers. and it was no uncom mon thing to tind half a dozen of them on any fine morning dangling by their necks from the trees along the road that was in course of construc tion. These pig-tailed Orientals al most invariably select poison, hang ing or dro-wning as a means of self destruction. They seldom cut their throats, because they believe they will appear in the next world exactly as they have left this one, and it would not be agreeable to go about with a slit throat in the land of spirits. What has just been said is supposed to apply even to their dress, so that the intend ing self-murderer puts on his or her be.e clothes before committing the act. If a man, lie goes to the top of a hill or to some other retired spot and there accomplishes the purpose in view. If a woman, the dee is usually perform ed in the house. The recent suicides of the Chinese naval and military leaders made them safe at all events from sentences of de capitation such as were issued against others of the commanders. This was fortunate for them, for, if they had *been beheaded, they would have ap p eared in the next world without any heads. Incidentally, all their ances tors would have been involved. It is quite possible that the Emperor will issue an order depriving the ancestors of the defeated leaders of the rank which they hav~e hitherto enjoyed. The power of the sovereign thus ex teinds to the domain of spirits. When a title is to be conferred upon one of his subjects, itis a customary prelimi nary to raise the rank of the ancestors of the individuals so honored. This matter being somewhat technical, it is impossible to estimate with exactness the amount of damage done to Li Lung Chang's great-great-grand father by the withdrawal from that eminent statesman of the Yellow Jacket and the three-eyed Peacock's Feather. This idea, absurd as it seems, has found its analogy in England, where, within quite recent times, the whole family of a person guilty of treason was at tained, and the estates of innocent relatives were confiscated. Perhaps the most famous and highly scientific form of suicide is, rather was, that called hari-kari. Formerly it was a national institution in Japan,1 but it no longer prevails, having been1 dropped with other barbarous customs incidentally to the adoption of West-i ern civilization. In that country every gentlemen used to be taught while yet< a boy how a person of condition should kill himself, the exact spot be- 1 ing indicated at which the entering 1 knife would cause death and destroy1 consciousness immediately. If the Emperor was displeased with an offi-] cial he sent a messenger informingt hinm that his Majesty would gracious ly permit hinm to commit hari-kari. The official then promptly availed 1 himself of the permission, as a matter of course. This idea of permittino at sentenced person to kill himself is e-< ing ado pted even now in the United 1 States. the criminal hinmself releasing< the "drop"' and thus hurling himself into eternity by direction of the law. A Cuban Plot Foiled.1 TAuMP, FLAt.. March 20.-On Satur day three Cubans. Ricardor Ferdinan-2 del, Abelardo Leon ' and another< bount tickets for an excursion to Jamaica. When they presented their tickes at the South Florida ticket of- I fice, this morning, they were told by t the agent that lie had orders to take thmi UP and pay the nmoiiey- back. HeC first got hold of the tickets before tell ing thema this. They went to the port1 and boardc-l the Mascotte, tendering 1 thie nmoney was refused and they weree forcibly thrown from the steamer. It I is k nown that these three mien had $50,- s o00 for the revolutionists in Cuba, and c imxportant papers for uie patriots. By I some mneanls the Spanish vice consul r found it out and ordered their passage I cancelle-d. It is fur-ther known that s one of these is a brother-in-law of Gen. t Marti, leader of the movement. Suicide Under Arrest. VINNsaoito. S. C.,- March 20. Thoumas P. iHolimaE-, aged 263 and i-e-s ently agent and operator at Carlton, Ga., comtmitted suicide at his home at - Blvthewood. this county, at 5.3 r clock this after-noon. Hie had been ' rrested oni the charge of the embezzle- ~ ment of 857 of express money while a gent and sheril f was waitino to take t he traini for tis place w'hen 710tfman 1] mddenly shot himself in the breast. ~ lie dlropped to the floor and died at nce, having been shot through the ~ he. b THE FIREMEN BURIEI) A TRAGEDY AT A DISASTROUS FIRE IN TOLEDO. Walls of the Murnin;z RnZid liott.. of Oh WabashI Road Fall Upon the Fireimen. Killing Three and 3aliming Many. TOLEDO, 0., March 17.-A disast rous fire, attended by heavy loss of life. oce curred in this city this morning. Tiiret men lost their lives, two being in stantly killed. Nine others were Iunort or less injured, one of theiii. .14)1111 O'Leary, amachinist it is thougit fa tally. The list of dead is as folows: R. H. Bolilman, 56, painter. inar ried: seven children; skil cruiishaed and internally injured. J. J. Preston, car iispector; mar ried. six children; back broken and skull crushed. John Bowen. 18, a spectator. skull crushed and internally injured The injured are: H. F. Howard, general foreman Eastern division, back bruised, face cut, slightly burned. John OLeary, machinist;leg broken, arm crushed, skull fractured; may die. Patrick McDonough, fireman; skull fractured, shoulder broken. Martin Greenburg, car repairer head cut. Harry Zimmerman, painter; leg sprained, body bruised. Louis Decker, painter; head bruised. shoulder sprained. Henry Cerding, car repairer; head bruised and cut. Casper Becker, painter; head and shoulders cut. T. C. Laurer. trnck foreman; neck sprained, head cut. The dead, except John Bowen. were employes of the Wabash Railway. Those constituted the company's fire department for the protection of the shaps and were engaged in fighting the flames when the accident occurred that resulted so disastrously to them. The round house is located at the foot of South street. It was a sub stantial trick structure with a capacit v of twenty engines, and contained six locomotives wthen the fire broke out. The flames were first seen in the cupola that surmounted the roof shortly after 10 o'clock. An alarm was telephoned to the city fire department. and in the meantime the yard company got one stream playing on the blaze, which soon made its way to the roof. The walls of the building were believed to be secure, and the brave fire fighters pressed closely in toward the building, the more effectively to combat the spreading flames. It was seen that the roof would soon fall, but no danger was apprehended from that source un til, to the horror of the spectators, the southwest wall, weakened by the de struction of the frame supports that connected it with the roof, was ob served to tremble and suddenly fall out on the volunteer firemen. Before the majority of the men could realize their peril the heavy wall was down on top of them, burying them under a heap of- smoking debris. All but Bowen, Preston and Bolilman were quickly taken out. The two first named were completely covered by the ruins. Boblman was a little more fer tunate. From out of the smoking heap the mangled bodis of Bowen and Pi-es ton were taken. They were beyond the need of human caire. Bohlman was still alive, though unconscious, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly af ter being taken home. A dozen surgeons were quickly sum moned, and prompt assistance was ren dered the injured. O'Leary the ma chinist, was still unconscious, and at one time appeared to be sinking, Hie rallied temporarily, but it is not thought he can recover. When the first of the city firemen answered the alarm, they saw that there was immi nent danger of the fire spreading to the Wabash elevator and the repair shops, which stood close by. The oil house was also menaced, but luckily the flames were held in check at this particular point. A general alarm was sent in. and by dint of numbers the firemen succeeded in saving the surrounding property. The round house was completely wrecked, and the six engines rendered practically useless. The loss is esti mated at from $75, 000 to $100,000, and is believed to be fully covered by in surance. How Gen. Garza Fell. MOBILE, Ala., March 19.-The Reg sters correspondent at Bocas Del To r, United States of Colombia, under late of March 13, says identification >f Gen. (Catarino Erasmo Garza, slain n the attack in Bocas, is complete. everal letters were found on his body iddressed to him, also a telegram. In lividuals also identified him. Three imes during the fight lie advanced within ten feet of the barracks and ~alled on the captain to surrender and ~ach time the answer was a volley of nusketry. When killed he fell with .n twenty feet of the barracks. As he ell he shouted: "Fire the town." and , rebel named Cartro pou red oil on a >uilding between Wilson's store and :he barracks and struck a match, but1 vas shot dead in his tracks. Govern nent soldiers captured the small ;chooner on the 9th in which the reb ls came from Greytown. Five rebels vere on board, but they jumped into he sea and escaped ashore in the >ush. These alone escaped to tell the ale of the defeat. On boai-d were 'ound forty Winchester rifles and a arge number of cartrides. From his the inference is that (Uarza expect id to have had a larger force than that hich appeared at Bocas. It is possi le, he anticipated that the f'orce vould have accessions at Bocas. Since 1 he fight forty more g-vernment sol iers have arrived from Colon. The otal record of the battle is eleven lead. twenty-five wounded and thirty iye prisoners. Several of the woun'd d w'ill die. The woman and baby ho were shot are doing well. The >risoners say that they were signed as aborers at Greytown to w-ork on ba- ~ lana plantations at Bocas. They sail- ~ d from Greytowni February 2d, and -isited Carreta, Costa Rica, where ~ Lrms were taken on board and many C nore joined the expedition. When j hey arrived at Bocas, the arms were iven them and they were told to fight t r die. This story is not credited. r here was but one Colombian in the C arty. it is thought it was merely a r illaging expedition. The fruit steam r Briefond from New Orleans, reports a assing a schooner of f Cape Gracias. ~ upposed to have soldiers on board a oming to Boczs. Should it prove to e another rebel invasion, they will ieet with a warm reception. The Inited States steamer Atlanta has I dthdrawn her- marinas and returned C SColon,.i A Triangular Kilning. TooMsm,?. Miss., Mar-ch 2.-A iple killing occurred at Kewancet. a s rnall stationi on the Alabama (Great h outhern Railroad this aften-moon. y, en and Alien Pringle, brothers.aged c spectively 27 and 35 years 01(1. and h I ames Britton, aged 30 years old. r.e ewed an old quar-rel at a meeting. a nd one of the Pringle boys shot Btrit- Ih mn in the bowels, miortally wounding f, im. Britton then shot both of the c; ringle boys, killing them instantly. a: he men exchanged four shots each. hi -tragedy between these men had c SOME FACTS ABOUT CUBA. Timcly )Lta Concerning Spain's Treasure Cuba is about as iarge as England proper, without the principality of WaleS. Its gr-atest leigth is SOO nifles. its narr)west part twenty miles, and its average forty miles. The cir euniference of the island is 2,000 miles. and is supposed to contain 35, 000 square miles. The nearest port to this continent is Matanzas, lying due South from Cape Sable, Fla., a dist anice of only 1o miles. Havana is sixty miles West of Matanzas. The (linate is variable, but snow never falls in Cuba. In the cities and near the swanips yellow fever prevails from the middle of June to the last of Octo her, but in the interior of the island i~ is no more unhealthy than in Ameri can cities in summer. The average temperature at Havana is 77. the max imum 89. and the minimum 50 de grees. The population of the island is about 2,000,000, of which 300,000 are Spaniards. Havana, the eighth commercial capital of the world,with a population of 400.000, has a harbor populous with the ships of all nations. Morro Castle, with the big guns peeping out through the yellow stones and its sentinel lighthouse, stands guard over the nar row entrance, with the battery of La Punta opposite. The city is rich in public buildings, cathedrals and ven erable churches. The dwelling houses are universally so constructed as to form an open square in the centre, which constitutes the only yard or court attached. The house is divided into a living room, a store room, chambers and stable-these all upon one floor-while the family vehicle blocks up in part the only entrance, which is used in common by horses, ladies, slaves and gentlemen callers. Therooms are lofty and the. floors stuccoed or tilted in marble, while the walls and ceilings are frequently or namented in fresco. The most striking peculiarity of the town house in Cuba is the precaution taken to render it safe against sudden attack, each accessible window being secured with stout iron bars from top . o bottom. while bullet-proof doors bar the entrance. The Cuban ladies rarely stir abroad except in a vehicle, and in consequence the feet of theq senoritas are marvels of smallness and delicacy. Their voices are sweet and low. while the subdued tone of their complexion is relieved by the arch vivacity of night-black eyes. But the domestic affections are n'ot culti vated-in fact, home to the average Cuban is only a place to sleep. The first attempt of the Cbubans to throw off the Spanish yoke was made in 1S23, when Simon Bolivar offered to aid the disaffected party by putting an invading force into the island. Another was made in 1826, and a third in 1828. Under the leadership of General Lopez a conspiracy was de veloped at Cienfuegos and Trinidad in in 1848 to establish Cuban independ ence, but the natives were timid, and after two years of desultory fightino Lopez was overpowered and executea in IS50. The island was -in a chronic state of civil war from 1868 to 1876, a fact which so attracted the attention f President Grant that,in the interest f American and Cuban commerce. he >rposed annexation.. These outbreaks ;ere led by Cespedes, an able lawyer and wealthy planter of Bayamo, and hring the eight years of hostilities. Spain actually sent to Cuba 145,000 mlisted men, of whom only a few hndred ever returned. Since 1876 oving bands of insurgents have caus d the authorities more or less serious rouble, and the mountains and half naccessible forests of the eastern hore still serve to secrete many armed and disaffected people. In the revolution of 1878 the com ander of the littleguardia costa gun oats, probably in utter ignorance of nternational law, interferred with American shipping, and the Spanish fovernment had to py for their rash ess. In one year three of our vessels were ssaulted.' They were all whalers he Ellen Riizpah, the Rising Sun and he Edward Lee. In the case of the rst two vessels they were overhauled ear the Cuban coast, the captain tak n off and the ships kept under cover f the Spanish vessels until the. impe ~ial naval authorities saw fit to let ~hem proceed. The Edward Lee,when ~inaled, adopted the tactics of the tllianca a week ago, and, setting all ails, distanced the gunboat, which pened fire. The claims of unwarrantable deten ion preferred by the vessel-owners ainst the Spanish Government were llowed when presented by United ~tates Minister Lowell, and an-indem iity of $10,000 was paid to the owners f the Rising Sun and the Rizpah. The Edward Lee. whose case was so nalagous to the Allianca, did not get ustice so easily. The Spanish g-overn ent stood out on the plea th?at the ~essel had suffered in no way, as she ad not been searched, and that the eaty between Spain and the United ~tates p rmitted them to demakd that Lny vessel should establish her nation-1 liy in quarters frequented by suspi ious craft. The very Throne Trembled. LoYDoN, Mar-ch 19.-A dispatch to e Central News from Madrid, via 1 ayonne, France. says that recently ie conditio.n of affairs in the Spanish apital has been more serious than at< ny time for years past. The censor iip of dispatches leaving the country I ias prever ted the full truth from be ming known. The fact is that the overnment is powerless to contr-ol e army and that the officers from e generals down have sided with the< otous stubalterns. When Premier agasta learned1 of this state of thing e meditated summoning the civil s -uard, but he found that he could not 1 ependl upon that branch of the ser- 3 ice, its ollicers expressing sympathy t ~-its those of the regular army. I ~hereupon the prime nmster and his 3 >lleagues tendered thier resignations, I enor Sagasta informing the Queen egent that he feared insistence upon ~ e punishment of the offenders would r ~sult in ai mutiny of the military otli- 1 ns in Madrid and the provinces and 1 xight even endanger the monarchy. t he impression produced upon the eneal public at seeing the govern- e ient at the mercy of a few score sub- T t A Disaster on the Rhine. 0 A1TERDA31, )Iarch 20.:-Sixteen 1 undred cases of dynamite in transit a i boats on the Rhine. fromn Germany FI r Maaslius, exploded today near U obith. The cargoes ot two boats ex- a loded. sending both to the bottom. ti church in the village of Elten was a iatered by the explosion and fifty a ouses collapsed in Emmerich and a ?eeken. The inhabitants of Lobith, ieve, Salworth, Tolkamier. Spick and alf a dozen near-by places felt two ti jolent shoeks and supposed that there u 'as an earthquake. Three bodies c< te been recovered. A girl was a' und (lying in a pile of ruins. The r< iuse of the explosion had not been (3 ~certaied this evening. An inquiry n is begun in Cleve. The number of al saulties is ntot known, but it is sup- iz TO THE DARK CONTINENT. Five Thoutsand Ne;roP4 Shout Adieus to the E n ig:rants. SAVANNAI. Malrch 2.-Te ste~tw ship Horsa. with :200 Liberian emi grants. sailed from Savannah this af ternoon. Five thousand negroe -rat h ered on the wharves and cheered the vessel as it passed down the river. Knots of negroes began gathering in the vicinity of the dock, where the steamer was lying. early this morning. The number kept increasing, and at noon several thousand were packed in the streets and lanes and covered the roofs of the buildings for several blocks. The effort by Rev. C. S. Smith. sec retary of the $unday School Union of the African Methodist Church. who has been endeavoring to prevent the clearance of the -essel, on the ground that she was no,, properly equipped. fauied to accomplish anything. The accommodations of the Horsa com plied fully with the law and the vessel passed a thorough inspection by the custom officials. Shortly after noon the gates to the wharf where the emigrants were wait ing were opened[ and the negroes went aboard. It was a curious procession. ranging in age from the baby in arms. to the old man tottering on the verge of the grave. The women came first, and made strange contrasts. One with a checked apron and a sun bonnet was followed by a jauntily dressed girl of more tender years, with gaudy plumed hat and brightribbons. Some carried valises, others buckets, others tins full of small articles. After the women came the men, some with shot suns and rifles, and others with assorted lugg-age All were sent into the stern ofthe vessel and grouped together in order that a picture of the vessel might be taken. The count was 202, of which 38 were children and seven infants. The clearance papers put the number at 197. Over 400 trunks and boxes were taken as baggage. In the boxes are agricultural implements, fire arms. ammunition, houshold utensils and supplies, clothing, etc. The party will probably be the best, quipped that has ever left America. for zhe dark conti nent. Since their arrival in Savannah they have spent probably $1,500 to $2, 000 laying in stores. Theer majority of the negroes appear t. be still quite well supplied with money. The is proba bly not a man in the party but who has sufficient to provide subsistence for some time after landing in Liberia. Supplied as they are, there is no dan ger of this party starving to death or otherwise suffering if there is any pos sibilift 6f making a living at all in the land to which they are going. When '.be vessel's lines were cast off the-e was a cheer from the crowd on the wharves and the emigrants sang their $artinq song: "I'm Going Home to Africa's ahore&" The refrain was taken up by those on the shore. The singing was hept up until the vessel passed the city. the crowds following along the wharves shouting good-byes. From the negroes gathered on the crowded deck of the stearaship came back answering saouts from men and women, whilqtie color bearer of the party, a sturdy negro of small dimen sions, violently waed a large Ameri can flag that will be displayed as the Horsa enters the harIor of Monrovia. The Horsa expects to reach Monrovia 1 about April 1, and afer landing the emigrants will endeav r to secure a return cargo. The parir is accompa- 1 nied by E. B. Cuttinohan. secretary of the International 'gratr~n Society, I R. 0. Truesdale and J. 0. ilanchester,t and W. M.--Simpson, ageit of the charterers. The missionary cause is represeinted by four colored ninisters, who go provided with funds t< build a church in Monrovia. Another Convert. Mr. S. M. Inman, a very weathy t cotton dealer of Atlanta, Ga., recettly E paid a visit-to Mexico, where he sp'nt one month. Up to the time Mr. .n- i man went to Mexico he was a strong s adv.ocate of the gold standard, but hih C sojourn in that country, where silver c is the standard, has opened his eyes, t and he cormes back a convert to free silver. Speaking of the conditions in Mexico he says: "I find, that Mexico has prospered :iuring the last two years, wvhen busi-1 less conditions in our country have been clog-6ed where they have not been actu7aly going' backward. Cot ton in Mexico is selling at 161 cents a pound in silver, which is equaio S+ ents in our money. I paid $7.50 in ilver for a suite of rooms which, in his country, would have cost $10 in ~old. A suit cf clothes, a pair of loves, a hat or any item of domestic ecessity sells in Mexico for approxi nately the same amount in silver that ye are required to pay here in gold; . other words at about half the price. rhis establishes very clearly to my nind the absurdity of the~ argumnent bout silver being a depreciating cur -ency. A silver dollar in Mexico will I lo what is done by a gold dollar in his country, and it has been the ap >reciation of gold and not the depre iation of silver which has brought s bout the disparity. I found the fac- s ories running on full time and a cot on factory at Orizaba, capitalized at ~3,50,000 was paying from 20 to 25 er cent. dividends. The people are ontented and prosperous and have ~ ot suffered from the general depres- -C ion during the last few years. The ~ ruth of the matter is that the silver i ~urrener of Mexico has acted as a plendidI protection mleasure against e utside depression, and as it has re- r ulted in Mexico, so it would be in C his country if we would imitate the r xample of Mexico in this respect and hrow ourselves upon our own re ources. This is not the testimony of a politi-p ianor office seeker who is trying to h elude the people with the hope of f -etting office, but is the testimony ot a u hrewd, wealthy business man, who n as been on the ground and knows n rhereof he speaks. Mr. Inman is not c lie only gold bug who has been con- ti erted from the error of his way by a si isit to Mexico. Sometime ago we tl ublishcd the testimony of Geni. E. P. 1 dexander, who is now a resident of si lexico. His statement and Mr. In- ni ian's agree exactly as to the prosper- ui s of the masses in Mexico, and they I 6th attribute it to the same cause- g ie free and unlimited coinage of sil- a er. The testimony of such men is hi ititled to consideration. and no doubt ec ill have its weight with many of tl iose who have heretofore adhered to ic 2e gold-bug theory without being tI ble~ to give one intelligent reason for n~ eing in such comp)any. Such converts n s Gen. Alexander and Mr. Inman are E ivaluable to the cause of the people h i restoring silver to its rightful place il smoney. - All we need in 1's coun- lK y to bririg prosperity is more money. 13 ad the~ way to get more money is to ithorize the free and unlimited coin e of silver.b A Western paper' says: "If men are fa te salt of the earth, the women are la adoubtedly the sugar. Salt is a ne- w ~ssity, sugar a luxuiry. Vicious men tI e saltpeter. indifferent men are the re ck salt, and inice men are table salt. tI ld maids are the browvn sugai-. good ta 4tured matrons are the loaf sugar, re id the pretty girls arc the line pulver- p1 ed white clarified sugar. Pass the ti ulveizedsugr plase POWDER Absolutely Pure. A cream of tartar barmg powder. Highest of all in leavening strength.-La test United States Government Food Ee por' Royal Baking Powder Company, 106 Wall St., N. Y. WORK OF THE CONFERENCE. Slowly at First, but More Rapidly Now Its Ideas Spread. COLUMBIA, S. C., March 17.-A day or two ago I visited Senator Tillman at his new home near Trenton Place, I found him very busy with his farming operations. While there, however, I took the opportunity to ask him what be would say for publication. He thought that his views on the Consti tutional Convention compromise were so fully expressed in his pre;-ious inter views that there was no need for any thing further. He said that as his views were the same now as they were when first expressed he was disinclined to intrude them on the public. But when I asked him how he thought the :ompromise idea was being accepted md how it stood he replied: "I see no evidence that there is any ,reat dissatisfaction with the com proinise idea. no more than I expected. the people are thinking and are anxi -us to have peace. .Everything will work out all right, I elieve. Any ittempt to hurry matters will only tend to mar the effort. Things are workino- very satisfactory here in Edgefieid, and I think thislis a typical :ounty." When I asked him about the charge hat fraad was suggested he promptly -eplied: "The recalcitrants. or extreme Con ervatives, as they call themselves, are iowling about the perpetuation of raud. Their plea for honest elections n the light of their past endorsement mnd participat'on in the methods which v-ere found neces-c. to redeem the state and cxLi.- to control it is imply disgusting. The Convention vTill provide in the new Constitution 'or white supremacy and honest ,lections. too, and everybody will be atisfied *-xcept those who hid hoped o use" ti.e negro to get back into >ower. I think che Senator was right. There an be -> question that the peace and inity iaea is spreadir.q' and that, too, Lt a rapid rate. Men who two months Lgo thought that such a thing was im >ossible are now beginning to realize hat it is very much more of a possibi ity than was ever dreamed of.. When he announcement was madethat thie >all for such a result was givena prac ical start and that a conference had een helil bet ween representatives of he two leading factions, it was even hen thought that it would amount to iaught. BIut things change and be ore long, if the signs do not fail, there v'ill be a general desire to get in the and wagon and be a party to the lans for securing a division of the epresentation in the Convention upon he agreement reached by the confer nce. Had it..not been for the impetus iven the compromise idea it is not so [kely that the meeting at Chester rouid have a'reed to nominate two ~onservatives ~and two Reformers in onvention as delegates to. the Consti .tional Convension. Indeed it looks rigrhter now than ever with the forty ndY the conferenc' all working for the amere sult. The "forty" can very n~ll co-operate in what has already en done. A~out a dozeni counties have already teel and elected delegates to the Con rent-on that is to meet here on 27th. ['he tlections show that among those vho wllbe expected at the Convention Is delegates will be: ..Chestr-R. A. Lore, Win. T. J. junnintham and D. K. Wylie. Oconee-R. A. -Thompson, W. H. -Iughes aid J. WV. Shelor. Greenvile-J. R. Harrison. Win. Vatkins, 'V. L. Mauldin and L. W. 'arker. Darlington-W. F. Dargan, H. T. ~homipson, 1.. C. Burn and J. W. Voodhiam; Kershaw-T. J. Kirkland,: B. H. ~oykini and G. 'V. Moselev. -Abbevile-I. -H. McCalla, T. J. ioberts'on and J.2. Maxwell. Marion-J. C. allers, WV. J. Mont ~omer'y, J. E. Ellene and J.~D. Mont omery. Anderson-D. K. Norris, A.' T. ewell and T. F. 3HI. Conferences have buen called in a lumber of other counies. Spartan urg will act on the 23d. Georgetown n the 22d. Sumter and idge field will e along with delegates. and several ther counties hizvcalle4l meetings. - ebout half of the couni grill, how ver, from present indicati.gnot be apresented at the Convention. 9th--~ e's. however. may'come in a the last >und. -News and Courier. The Armenian Ouitrages. LoNDoN, March 2". -A special re orter of the Daily News reports on is imguiry into the Armnenan out'rages. [e says: "Thiere is abuindant and nanimiois evidcfle of tlie bloodiest, lost liendishly pr'eediatal and dam ably perpjetr'ated massacre of inno ants. This i intend to prove out of ie mouths of the perInetrators them Iv-es." The correspondent sends from ae Russiani frontier, under date of ebruary 28. the~ story which lhe him l1 elicited from a Turkish non-coin iissioned ollicer. This officer, acting aider orders. shared ini the slaughter. e described the revolting horrors at ceat length. "Ie has now left the :-my. says thei correspondent, "and as field to Russia. where he is perse ited by the in finite horror of his own ioughts and :s dyin;.c sur'ely and rap ly. 1 questioned~ im iree hours in Ie pr'esente o''resp~onsible witness. -] as deeply impressed with his resigned elancholy and invincible despair. le said that thr'oughiout the fighting never heard of a singleC soldier be gwounde~d. much less kiiled. Many urds were k'ied. however, practical in the earlier days of the affair.'' SoMIE Indiana farmers have lately ~en caught on tihe bill board privilege .c'set. T wo men paint a sign on the rmner's fence and give him a few dol rs to guarantee thleml that no one else ill be p~ermhitted to paint signs over emi. Thie farmne-. is asked to sign a ceipt acknowledging th e payment of e money in order that they can re rn tile same to thleir'emloyer. The ceipt which heC signs tuns1 Out to bea 'onussory note for' two hundreC or