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j t n THE LEDGER: GAFFNEY, S. r M APRIL 7. l*OS. MUST UPRISING MORE MEDIATION TALK LEAD ENDS TWO LIVES APPEARS CERTAIN Spanish Royal Family Badly Scared and Is Getting .. Ready to Skip. 3IUCH ALARM AMONG OFFICIALS IN MADRID Spain Hourly Expecto Note Editor Brann and Capt. Davis From the Pope. In Fatal Engagement. LATTER HOPES FOB PEACE RESULT OF BAYLOR ROAST XVonunrlMutcnto Especially Feared | From (ieneral Weyler and (he Mili tary Party—Boy Kins Will Fly to 8au Lncar de Baranieda—Ilefuswl of Euro|ie to Help Queen Regent. I Berlin, April 4.—The German am- 1 "bassador at Madrid, Herr vcn Radowita, reports to the forei,?n office here that the Spanisli royal family fears an out- [ break unless the differences between the United States and Si»ain are soon settled. The Carlist movement is assuming more active form and the royal family fears especially a pronuuciamento from General Weyler and the military party. Everything is prepared in the royal castles for flight. The boy king, Al- E honso, will be taken to San Luca de tarameda, an Andalusian port, where a yacht is kept ready for sailing. The replies to the queen's letter ask ing for the intervention of the European powers have been wholly unsatisfac tory. FIRST MOVE OF THE FLEET. Schley Issues Orders to United States Flying Squadron. Fort Monroe, Va., April 2. — The steamer Yorktown of the old Dominion line landed 45 seamen here today, liO of whom were assigned to the cruiser Co lumbia and 15 to the Columbus, which is expected here this evening. Lieuten ant Brainard of tho Brooklyn has been relieved and assigned to command one of the mosquito fleet tugs. The Colum bia began painting this morning, and while her excess of free board over t e other members of the squadron wi.l necessitate a longer time to complete the work, her officers expect to have it done by morning, when she will run up to Newport News for a full complement of coal. The first move of the flying squadron under Commodore Schley’s orders was made shortly after noon today when tho Massachusetts aud Brooklyn came down Hampton Roads and anchored off Fort ress Monroe. The Columbia, after coal ing, will join them and upon saluting the commodore’s flag will be a part of the squadron. The addition of the Min neapolis will make a formidable array of fast fighting vessels exclusive of the M assachusetts, which is rather slower than the others and for which Commo dore Schley, if very rapid action is re quired, will not wait. Both Commodore Schley and Captain Cook, his chief of staff, *aro very reti- cent anil refuse to disenrs, not* only Incuts that uave taKen place, but alwi ic to theorize on any situation that might <5:cur.. The Montgomery, which is expected here today, is believed to be coming in for the purpose of having im provements made To some of her gun mounts and not join the squadron. PRESS ON WAR PROSPECTS. Newspapers of London Say ConCiet Is Almost Certain Now’. London, April 4.—The afternoon pa pers deplore war between Spain and the United States, but declare that it is in evitable unless a third nation succeeds in patching up an eleventh hour peace. Some of the papers deride the Mad d demonstration. The Westminster Ga- aette refers to it as a sort of •‘interna tional Nellie Farren performance in the Boval theater.” •file Pall Mall Gazette says: “President McKinley has played a great part, but he will know when the limit nas been reached and if war it is to be he will enter upon it with a quiet dignity contrasting strongly with t e excitable, stage army effects of the Mad- ; rid ojtera house.” No Action by the Committee. Washington, April 5.—The house committee on foreign affairs met at 10 : o’clock this morning. Mr. Gillett (Rep., I Mass.) said a few minutes after the committee convened that the committee would take no action today. Every . member was pledged to secrecy before ; the committee adjourned. One of the Republican members, however, said in , response to ijersisteut inquiries: “We did nothing. ” The committee will meet again tomorrow morning. Orders For Naval Cadets. Annapoijs, April 4.—Tb« naval ca dets of the first class today received per emptory orders to join their ships at once and will leave here this afternoon. Their diplomas were given them today without the customary final examina tion. President Randall of the state aennte has introduced a bill appropriat ing $200,000 to enable the governor to arm and equip the militia and naval re- I ■enre of Maryland. Congressmen Expect Conflict. Washington, April 4. — Very few members of congress who were seen early today believe there is much hope of averting war and (hose who do base their belief solely upon the theory that a tain at the last minute will yield. ost of them look upon war as a cer tainty and already are discussing this, its probable duration, cost, etc. Relief For Keeoncentradot. Havana, April 1.—Captain General Blanco has issued an important decree, dated March 33, and published this niorniug, in which he directs the end of th< reconcentrados in tho four western provinces, Piuar del Hio, Havana, Ma- tauzus and ttauta Clara. Vets Vote to Volunteer. Bristol, Teitn., April 2.—Tho K. V. Fulkerson eamp of confederate veterans, 900 strong, by nnauiinous vote have tendered their services to the govern ment in case of a war with tipaln. He ,Wlil Submit K!s Plan to Termi nate the Present Crltleal Situa tion—No Proposal Vet Made to the Government at Washington—Much Confusion In Madrid. Madrid, April 5.—Tho minister of foreign affairs, Sonor Gulloii, in an in terview just obtained, said the Spanish government is expecting the speedy ar rival of a note from the Vatican in which the pope would indicate the plan ho proposes to terminate the present .situ ation. In regard to the e.T.cacy of r__ Latiou, Senor Gallon said: “It is recalled t v, at Americana promi nently participated in the pope’s .lubilco and presented him with a splendid gift. The pope was profoundly moved at the groat manifestations of respect and said io them that he eagerly awaited the op portunity to show his ret (ignition. “This remark has been regarded by some as indicating an inclination upon the part of the pope to favor the Ameri can side, but this conclusion is easily disproved by the known partiality the pope has alwas displayed in his public- acts and by the intimate tricndsliip ho has always exhibited towards Spain. Moreover, the Spanish government has made his mediation conditional upon the honor and integrity of the territory of Spain bo safeguarded. Should the pope propose au armistice, clearly the insur gents should csk for it. “Anway, whatever may be the plan of mediation, it will comprise the cessa tion of the war in Cuba. “In regard to the point of view of tho other nations, with perhaps a few ex ceptions, all view with confidence the pope's mediation.” Un being informed of the ri>o of 4 points in Spanish 4s on the bourse yes terday, Sonor Gullon remarked: “There is no reason for such excessive confidence, a iv more than there is reason for unreasonable alarm, as the gravity of the situation i.-; unchanged. We must have more light on the situa tion to sec our way clearly.” inner political circles tonight regard tho situation as critical. Up to !• o’clock this evening the Spanish government had not replied to tho final proposition of the United States, which was presented this after noon. There is still much confusion and dis cussion in regard to the initiative of the papal intervention. The facts are as cabled to the Associated Press. The only suggestions made to Spain are those which the United States min ister, General Stewart L. Woodford, presented at last Tuesday’s conference. Those suggestions looked to au armis tice to be offered by Spain in order that permanent peace might be negotiated between Spain and the insurgents. It uiiiy *uid on absolute authority that Proidell? \' nc : no s*’"- gestlon to “yuvu through any channel except the United States minister here. The Spanish government admits that the United States government has never asked for or suggested the mediation of the pope, and regret that a misunder standing should have arisen. There is great activity in all the de partments here, even at the statehouse at night, apparently indicating that im portant events arc imminent. At the United States legation General Woodford and his entire staff are still busily at work. The Austrian ambassador here, Count Dubsky, had an interview with General Woodford at 11 o’clock this evening. The French amlassador hero. M. Pat- enotre. has had a long conference with the minister for foreign affairs, Senor i Gullon. PEACE TERMS PROPOSED. Such as Can He Accepted by Spain and (he t’ulted States. Rome, April 5.—It is authoritatively said that the pope’s proposed terms are | such as can be accepted by Spain and ; ! supported by the United States minis- i ter, General Stewart L. Woodford, in forwarding them to President McKin ley. | The pope’s iniative is based wholly on the fact that Spain, when she asked for the good offices of the powers, also asked for the pope’s good offices. The inteiqiosition of the pontiff has thus far lieeu confined to efforts to bring about an armistice between Spain and the insurgents. Again Denied In Washington. WASHIKGTON, April 5.—Regarding the intervention of the pope between the United States aud Spain, it can be again reiterated that no such proposal has been made to this government, and that if there is to be papal mediation it must be between Spain and the insurgents and that any suasion the Vatican can exert should be directed at Madrid. Archbishop Ireland was in Washington hist week and informally, knowing no formal and direct proposition would be ut all acceptable, personally, as stated by the Associated Press last Fridav night, urged the president to adopt as pacificatory an attitude as possible, but, as stated, did not go beyond this. The Pope Is Disappointed. London, April 5. — According to a special dispatch from Rome, the pope is “disappointed at the reception of his overtures in America, but is not dis couraged.” The disiKitch adds: “This morning his holiness dispatched a cable of 500 words to Arcbbisnop Ireland urg ing inen-aked efforts in the interest of peace and further immediate negotia tion# to President McKinley. An im portant conference has lieen called for this afternoon. Archbishop Keene and Mgr. O’Connell will attend.” Waco Mcu Sleet on the Street and Fight Cnltil Hath Are Mortally Wounded—Several Struck by Stray Bullets and Injured Slightly—The Cause of the Double Tragedy. Waco, Tex., April 4.—W. C. Brann, editor of The Iconoclast, and Captain M. T. Davis fought a pistol duel to the death on the streets of this city just be fore nightfall. The two men met on South Fourth street, in front of the Cot ton Belt ticket office, and after exchang ing a few words, both began emptying their revolvers into each other’s bodies. When tho battle was over, Brann was found to be perforated in the left lung, the left leg and the right foot, and died after being taken to his home. Davis was shot through the right lung and through both arms. He is likely to die. Several persons wore hit by stray bul lets and slightly wounded. Brann died surrounded by his wife and children. It was a remarkable deathbed scene and those who were present say the picture was cue hard to lx* forgotten. The difficulty grew or/ of the Brann- Baylor feud of last year. Captain Da vis’ daughters are pupils of Baylor uni versity, and the references made in The Iconoclast to Baylor, which were gen erally construed to mean reflections on the moral character of the pupils and faculty, brought forth from Captain Davis a denunciation of Brann, deliv ered in language most forcible and direct. In the city campaign now in progress Captain Davis is the chairman of one of the committees, and was active all day in the duties that position emailed. Election day is close at hand and excite ment was high. Brann was an advo cate of the candidate Davis was seeking to defeat, and that state of affairs con tributed to no small extent to the meet ing. Politics, however, was not the chief cause by any means. About a month ago. before the city campaign opened, a friend of Braun’s referred to him in complimentary terms in the presence of Captain Davis and nearly provoked a row then and there. Remarks on that occasion made by Cap tain Davis as to The Iconoclast and its editors were repeated, it is said, in Braun’s hearing and Brann’s rejoinder was carried to Captain Davis. This episode stirred up the men against each other and the bitterness between them, which began with the Erann-Baylor trouble, arose and grew intense when the Gerald-Harris tragedy OvCurred last November. It was often predicted that when Brann and Captain Davis met there would be bloodshed, Captain Davis be ing a fearless man and ready on all oc casions to express himself. The publi cations of Brann against Baylor univer sity wounded him deeply and he took every occasion to make his feeling known. RAILWAY RATES RESTORED. Caldwell Resigns as a Member of the State Commission. Raleigh, April 2.—Another sensation in tho railroad tangle was created today when Chairman L. C. Caldwell of the state railroad commissic n handed Gov ernor Russell a letter in which he gavo his reasons for a restoration of the old passenger rates in this state. In the letter he also tenders his resignation to the governor as a member of the state railroad commission. Governor Russell today spoke before the railroad commission. He said that he regretted Chairman Caldwell’s back down. He has not yet acted on the resignation. By the vote of Caldwell and Dr. Ab bott the old rates have been restored. Com mission .’r Pearson, tho only Demo crat on the board, has filed his protest against the restoration. What the out come will be does not appear. WORK OF MID WATERS Sr.d Scenes Presented In and Around Shawneetown. FLOOD VICTIMS GET FOOD WHOLE TOWN At IS WRECKED. by F.ngluml Keep* Hands Off. Ixindon, April 5.—The movement of the jxiwi-rs of Europe for a joint offer of mediation between the United States and Simiti has received a severe and probably fatal rebuff in the form of a definite refusal upon the part of tho i British government to participate In it. Least Three Hundred Caught Flood and ffwept Away. Evansville, Ind., April 5.—Mayor Camt-y of Shawneetown appealed to congress for aid this morning for desti tute people of his stricken city. He says the town is absolutely destroyed and that there is not enough food in town for oik* meal. He says :ioO people are drowned. All g(Kxls in the city are lost and the situation is distressing in the extreme. This city sent two steam boat loads of provisions last night that should reach Shawneetown this mom- iug. It is reported that the levee broke while the people were at church, and that many were drowned because there was no warning, the flood sweeping over the town like water through a mill race. Execution of John Evans. Rockingham, N. C., April 4.—John Evans was executed here at an unusual hour, 8 a. m., for the crime of assault upon the person of Miss Lile Colo, a re spectable young white lady of this town, and an employe of the Peedeo mills of this place. The crime was committed on Oct. 23, last, and created a great sen sation in the state. Governor Russell respited the negro three times on the strength of new evidence. Evans de nied nis guilt to the last. Maher and Jeffries to Meet. San Fran'Isco, April 4.—Sharkey has refused to deal with tho Olympic club, so that organization finds it neces sary to look elsewhere for an opponent for Jeffries. Accordingly, a telegram was sent to Peter Maher, and to the sur prise of all sjxirting men hero, Le has replied favorably through his manager. Dozen Buildings Destroyed. Rock Hill, S. C., Aprils .—Fire here destroyed 12 buildings, involving a los of $250,000, upon which there was an insurance of $100,000, distributed in Ifl companies. The origin is yet a matter of speculation. Relief Committees Sent Out From Ridgeway—Bodies Being Recovered by Parties Sailing About In Small Boats—Many Badly Mangled—Des cription of the Disaster. Ridgeway, Ills., April 5.—Tho - p is over 500 feet wide today in t c k vee at Shawneetown and gradually widening. Water is from 10 to 15 feet deep all over the town. With the continued cold rains and the loss of life, the suffering aud sorrow are little abated. It is known that from 45 to 50 people have lost their lives. None of the bodies have been recovered. Those known to be dead r.:c: Colonel Colhcott. Y. T as’i Collicott n” 1 wife. Mrs. C. R. Gc.’lovi^y and two . . qh- lers. Mrs. Holly. Mrs. Greer. Mrs. Ed Fa Ike. Charles Clayton and fr.rr.iiy cf r’.z. Anna Rhineholt. C. Rincholi. Paul Phalon aud family cf tkrea, Mrs. McLam. Zachary Meyer. Mrs. Wobb and three children. A family of seven unknown. Ellen McAllister. Mary McAllister. The scene in Shawneetown is worse than in 1887 or in 1884. when there was much suffering and loss of property, but no lives were lost. Every store in town is full of water and provisions can be had only as they are sent from sur rounding towns. Relief committees are doing all in their power to provide for the wants of the horror stricken people. Clothing and provisions are being sent in, in every conceivable way, on trains, boats and skiffs, canoes and (logouts. The provisions are cooked, ready to be served on arrival, as there is but little, if any, chance to do any cooking, stoves and kitchen utensils being practically all under water and fuel a scarce article. The people will not suffer for food or raiment, however, notwithstanding those in the doomed city are being well cared for. There is much anxiety on the part of many who have friends in the flood. The levee is in a precarious condition, as it is lieing undermined in several places. It is thought by conservative people that the loss of life will reach 100. That number alone is missing and unaccounted for while it is known that 50 have perished. Tho prop' riy loss, to say nothing of tho damage to the levees aud crops, will reach over $500,000. Property in town blocks on both sides of mills there is utterly ruined and the y* damage to goods is enormous. Remains Are Recovered. It is reported that by 10 o’clock 12 bodies hud been recovered. The tele graphic communication between Cypress Junction and Shawneetown has not yet been re-established and the rumor can not lie substantiated. It is said seme of tlrni were badly mangled. The rescuers are having the (rrcate.it difficulty in persuading the peopR to 1 leave their flooded homes. The second floor in the majority of the houses are occupied, the tenants declaring they will not leave, but will remain to pro tect their belongings. The buildings are without fire and the tenants are suffering with the cold, yet when a rescue boat approaches the rescuers are turned away after leaving food. The rescuers have found Mr. and Mrs. Rhineholt aud their daughter Lucy, who were reported among the missing yesterday. Two more daughters of the Rhineholt family are, however, known to have perished. The parents were rescued by one jKirty of b atmen and Lucy was takau out by another. She, therefore, was under the impression that she was the solo survivor of the family and her frantic grief was terri ble. Standing at the water’s edge she wrung her hands and cried aloud iu her agony until kind hearted strangers, who, too, were weeping in sympathy, led her away. Up to noon today no new names have 1 ecn added to the list already published. A refugee stated today that during the excitement Sunday afternoon, just after the levee broke, he saw a tanner with his wife and children driving furiously iu a wagon through the street in front of the courthouse. The farmer evi dently became confused, for he lashed kis horses squarely into the current irom the crevasse and the next moment the vehicle was overturned and the fam ily disappeared. Suecor For Starving. Noah Welsh, the proprietor of a brick factory at Shawneetown, has gathered 75 people at his factory and 35 at his house, both building# being situated above the water line on the hill. These 105 people saved absolutely nothing but the clothing they wear. They were without food all day yesterday, Mr. Walsh having exhausted all that he had at home. The relief committee hurried food to them today as fast as it was pro- sible. County Treasurer Henry Banks re lated his experience as follows: “I was sitting in my home talking with Mrs. Goetzman, a neighbor who had called, about 4:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon, when suddenly the bells be gan ringing. Mrs. Goetzman jumped up and cried: T believe the levee is broken.* I rushed out of doors and found Mrs. Lee Howell lying on the sidewalk in front of my door, where she had fainted from fright. I carried her home, a block away, and caiue book to my family to move ujoitairs at once. Then I ran to the courthouse, a block distant, to get my county treasury records. It took mo about 10 minutes to gather them and rush back home. My house was almost a mile away from the levee, but by the time I got there I could see the water coining. I found my family ujistairH all ‘lafe and in half an hour the water was up to tho second floor. We were all taken out by boats. ” Treasurer Hank# and his family are staying with friends iu Cypress Junc tion. He said he also saw the wagon containing the farmer and his family overturned and the occupants swept i away. He said that there were three children iu the wagon, instead of two, as stated by other wiluctsos. _ WAR IS SURE UNLESS SPANISH BACK DOWN Sigsbee Makes a Sensational Statement Before House Foreign Committee. SAYS SPANISH MINE WRECKED THE MAINE Euoy to Which Bis Ship Was Anchored the Most Unfrequented In Havana Harbor—Testimony Bus the KllVot of Making Congressmen Determined to Avenge the Disaster. Washington. April 5. — The honsa committee on foreign affairs met this morning. Captain Sigsbee, Admiral Ir win and several experts iu explosives had been summoned to give testimony re garding tlu 1 wing up of the Maine. Representative Quigg of New York, lx - fore he entered the. conimitteoroom, said that Spain would ’ held responsible lor the blowing up o he Maine. He is in -favor of reporting a resolution in- si meting the preside! f o drive Spam irom the western hoinis acre. *T think tiiere should le concerted action between the execume and the two houses of congress,” said he. “The president should call keith committees to the White House this afternoon and read the message to tin m. The mes sage should hold Spain si icily account able and the answer of congress sh: uld be a resolution directing Uim to drive Spain from the western hemisphere. Taat resolution should bo reported to both houses tomorrow immediately after the message goes in, and iu my opinion passed without debate.” It has developed that the house eom- niiiteeon foreign affairs made a tenta tive proposition to the senate committee on foreign relations to meeti joint ses sion to secure concerted ration, but up to the present time the senate commit tee has not accepted. Captain SigsLeo was the first witners examined by the lions.- cemmittee on foreign affairs this morning. Captain Sigsbee, in (he cour. of Ins examination, stated it to le hi. opinion that kis vessel, tho no, was blown up by a submarine mine located by the Spanish auth.- rittes. As to whether it wn. hud by the Spanish authorities or not, he declined to express an opinion. He told tho committ' e what ho had at tested to before the Ixard of inquiry about tho bu; y to which tho Maine was anchored 1 eing tho most unfrequented buoy in the karlor. The position in which tho ship was placed, ho said, v a s -ueh tnr.t he could nave been fired upon tioi i bath forts at the fame (hue. The committee met again tonight ami prepared the text of the resolute ns to be presented to the hnu*c. The mem bers of the ccmmii tee. from the informa tion they have, believe war is, inevita ble unless Spain makes a square back down. An intimation was thrown out that a declaration or war will nolle made just yet in any event, because Consul General Lee has cabled that it will require several days to get the Americans off the island. , communication, mid now that It act 1 81 >P r — y . Judge Day, ever since the Cuban situ- ution liag reached an acute stage, ha# b^cn a constant early visitor and always had been promptly ushered into thu president’# apartments. Today, how e'er, ho was about u half an hour earlier than usual and this fact taken to gether with the early arrival of some Important members of both houses, evi dently at the wish of the executive, gave credence to a report that some im portant phase of the affair had been reached or t V.t action wow contemplated that necessitated early consultation. Representative Adams of Pennsylva nia, acting chairman of the house ’com mittee on foreign affairs; Representa tive Grosveuor of Ohio and ex-Represen- tative Thompson of Ohio, both the pres ident’s warm personal friends; Senator Allison of Iowa, chairman of the senate committee on appropriations, and Sena tor Frye, a member of the senate com mittee on foreign relations, were all early in conference, most of them com ing separately. Mr. Adams left with tho assurance, as ho stated, that the message would go in tomorrow. ARMY NOW READY TO ACT. General Mile, Tells What Will Follow Firing of First Gun. V AfiiiNGTON, April 5.—Thteo qr-es- tions were asked Gene:..! Miles i .s afternoon: 1. Is tho army ready? 2. If war is declared will ;l:ore ko any immediate move:.-eat cf the militias in any of the states aud territories, or will the first orders relate solely to the navy? 3. What s* tees will be called imun first to furnL-h militia ? * In answer to the first quxticu Gen eral lilies said: “The army is now ready for any duty that confronts it. As iar as infantry, cavalry, light artillery, the personnel of the heavy artillery and the staff corps are concerned, half au hour cf notice would be enough. “As far as tha army being ready to cop;* with a foreign foe in the defense of the principle cities as against battle ships and swift torpedo boats and tor pedo destroyers is concerned, it is not sc well equipped in modern high power guns, mortars and rapid fire guns as it is iu field service, but in case of an emergency we will have to make the best use we can of our facilities.” General Miles said in reply to the second question: “The first orders that would be issued would undoubtedly be confined to the regular troops, but the National guard of the gulf and Atlantic- coast states would be held in reserve and within call to move at short notice if war was declared. The lull naval reserve will be railed out an hour after war is declared to man the auxiliary cruisers and coast defense ships. SENATE COMMITTEE MEETS. Decided to Grant McKinley AU the Time Necessary. Washington, April 5.—The senate ' committee on foreign relations was prompt iu getting together today. The meeting was held for the especial pur pose of deeidhig whether the committee should make ns report on the Cuban situation today or po.-tpono action until after the president’s message slrll be received tomorrow. In view of all tne cm r.niftances the committee lost little time in reaching a conclusion to delay its report until the message should be received tomorrow. The document will be relen t-1 to the committee immediately upon its pre sentation in the senate and it will l>e re ported back to the senate* as promptly as circumstance:- will permit. The only circumstance that may change the determination of the com mittee to report in favor of intervention and independence is the ]tossiLility of the president’s recommending a con trary course. Such a recommendation would cause the committee to stop and reflect and might have the effect of changing its coarse. THE NEW CAMP AT TYBEE. Artillery Fort Is Named For General Graham of Atlanta. Savannah, April 5.—The now artil lery camp at Tybee has been iiameiU Camp Graham iu honor of General w]j M. Graham of tho department of the gulf. Tho officers and men unani mously indorse the name. There are some fears expressed about the new fortifications, which have not advanced as far toward completion as many heretofore supposed. The strict est secrecy has prevailed with regard to the work ai d. according to the best in formation heretofore, it was thought that one or two of the guns were ready for work. It is now learned, however, that not one of the guns is in place. The four 8-iuch guns are there, but there is only one carriage, the others having been delayed for some reason. Work on mounting the one gun will probably begin at once, but the others cannot be put into the emplacement un til their carriages arrive. Without the guns in place the fortification is some what ineffective, but it has been stated all along that in the event of an emer gency they could be got ready for im mediate action. LEE FEARS A MASSACRE. Vessels Sent to Havana For Purpose of Reselling Americans. Washington, April 5.—Members of the home were informed today that vessels have been dispatched to Havana to take off General Lee ami our consul officers, as well as all Americans who desire to leave the island. A Republican member of the foreign afla’.rs committee says that the delay asked for by General L-t- to get tho Americana off the islands, he under stands, "nil not- entail a delay in tho transmission cf the president’s message to congress. “If General Lee believes that the safety of Americans in Havana will be imperiled we must wait. We cannot be responsible for a mas-acre. But the fact that General Lee fears the jxjssi- bility of such a thing shows tho kind of people we arc dialing with." MESSAGE IS ABOUT READY. No Change In Date Fixed For Sending It to Congress. Washington, April 5.—Assistant Sec retary Day was at the White Ken*} by 8:30 this morning and went over the situation with the president. The lat ter hud scarcely risen and had not gone down to breakfast, but, as usual, re ceived Judge Day immediately and the two consulted tog< (her for r. quarter of un hour. At the conclusion of the visit Judge Day stated that there were no imisirtant development# in the situa tion. He said the president’# message was practically finished and that so fur as he knew there had been no change in tho date fixed as expn sued to con gressional callers for submitting the document to congress. The president ha# acted with the greatest expedition iu framing the im* GRAHAM IN ATLANTA AGAIN. The Department Commander Returns From Inspection of Defenses. Atlanta, April 5.—General Graham, commander of the department of the gulf, accompanied by Lieutenants Re- ber and Burney, arrived in Atlanta from Galveston this niorniug, after hav ing visited and inspected the coast de fenses iu the department of the gulf. Geueral Graham has made a thorough inspection of all the coast defenses in his department and now understand# their need# and requirements. In view of the critical situation it is likely that he will make or has already made recom mendations to the war department for changes ami improvements at various fort#. G’hief of Signal Corps Rcber, who ac- comjianied General Graham, went for the purptse of inspecting the condition of the signal service at the various forts. He will arrange matter# so that each fort will be in telegraphic communica tion with the dejiartnient headquarters. To I’urchasc Sainunu Buy. New York, April 5.—It is stated here that the United States i# considering the purchase or lease of Samaua bay, iu San Domingo. Samana bay i« in the Mona channel, between Porto Rico and San Domingo. It is a landlocked bay, 6 miles long, with a narrow mouth, which could be fortified and easily de fended. Thera are one or two ixlandM in the luy which would make excellent coaling stations. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt is said to favor the plan. Succor For the Survivors. Washington, April 5.- Arrangement# arc making at the navy department for the execution of the act of congress making appropriation for the benefit of the officers and crew of the battleship Maine. Nearly all the enlisted men who survived the disaster, ami repre sentative# of those who lost their lives, have filed their claims for indemnity on account of clothing and other penaatal property lost on that occasion. r -