Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THS S?MTJBB WATCHMAN, Eatabiiaiied April, 1SS0, "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims*t at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's.'* THE TRUE SOUTHRON. Established jane, 1S6? Consolidated Ang. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. ?.. WEDNESDAY. JULY 3.1901. New Series-Vol. XX. No. ^4% -Br 2NT. G-, Osteen, . SUMTER, 8. C. TERMS : $1.50 per annum-io advance. AD7?RTIS?H?KT: OQO Square first insertioQ'..................$l 00 ?very subsequent insertion........ 50 Contracts for three months, or longer wi! be made at reduced rates?. AU comrjonicatiooe which subserve private interests will be charged for a3 ad ver tie cae nts. Obituaries and tribntes.of respects will be charged for. A NEW YORK BINK SENSATION. The Seventh National Bank Nearly a Million Behind. "New York, Jone 2a-It " became known today ^ that tbere was a debit balance, at the Clearing House against the. Seventh National Bank amounting t?$93&GG0. This gave rise to rumors that 1he bank was in difficulties, ind caused other rumors that other banks were also hampered. All -these were cleared away when, Manager William Shorer" of the Clearing House 'Association, gave out a statement to theeffeet that all the banks in the association had met their obligations* and that all Clearing House sheets ' had gone through. William H. Tap? ian, president of the Gallatin National Bank/who was present at a conference held during the day with other mem? bers of the dearing House Associa -fcion. made the following statement : "All the banks have settled ?heir balances satisfactorily. This disposes of aH rumors. " Tonight a statement was sri ven out by the officials of the Seventh -Nation-1 ai Bank, in which it said that the debit balance of ^the Seventh National Bank with the Clearing.-House this, morning was S93S,000, and that this, balance was due to heavy checking on > the part^of men connected withseveral > large brokerage and'banking-houses'. The directors and stockholders of the bank cohvened and at once provided ample means for all business purposes. ? The statement further-says that the flurry was probably started for stock jobbing purposes, and that the rumors . so weighed- on the mind of President William" H. Kimball, of the" bank, that he tendered his resignation; which "was accepted, and E. R. Thomas, son of Gen. Samuel Thomas, was elected in his place. Gen. Thomas, is a direct? or and one of the heaviest stockhold? ers in the bank. The statement avers that the bank is. in most" excellent con? dition, and is not connected, directly -or indirectly, with any other finan? cial institution in New, York or else? where. : TBE W4B IN AFRICA. Bloody Engagement B etwee u Boers and British June 6. Cape Town, June 25.-Details of the engagement between Gen. Elliott -Scott and DeWitts' force hear Reitz, June 6, shows that the British sur? prised the Boer convoy. The burghers fled, but seeing, that the captors were not in strong force the Boers returned and charged with great determination, .after desperate fighting recapturing =the convoy. When Col. De Lisle ar-' rived with.reinforcements,the fighting was renewed.- vThe Boers lay between their guns and unflinchingly fired vol? ley between th? wheels while their com? rades engaged in spanning and driving off that portion of the convoy furthest from the British. The latter pushed in among the wagons, using the bayo? net freely/ Gen. Delary was present and personally. used a rifle, a man at his right-hand was killed and the com .rade on his left was wounded. The "affair endecl in a'serious hand to hand* encounter and fierce melee the Boers being eventnaHy driven off. One of Gen. DeWitt's staff officers was wound? ed and taken prisoner. Barkley West, Cape Colony, Monday, June 24.-Gen. Eouches, the Boer com? mander, advanced beyond Glenn on Monday, which is about 10 miles southeast of Aliawalnorth. Boers and British scouts have exchanged shots six miles hence. All the local defense forces have been mobilized. Rev. Patrick Chambers Killed. Walhalla, June 24.-News reached here toady that Rev. Patrick Cham? bers, one of the most prominent citi? zens of the Holly Springs section, had died from the effects of a blow receiv? ed at the hands of his son-inalw. Dan Roach, several days ago, with an ax. All this trouble, it is said, was caus? ed by Roach not providing for his own family. He lives at the home of Mr. Chambers who told him he ought to get to work and make a living for his family.. Roach became furious, secur v ed his axe, and dealt a deadl/ blow with the side of it back of the left ear. Mr. Chambers is a leader of his sec? tion, honest and respected. Roach has been in trouble before, his father-in law always coming to his rescue, try? ing to make something out of him. Greenville, June 25.-Charlie Hol-1 combe, a young white man. was put in j jail today, charged with forgery. Hoi- j combe presented to President Nor- j wood, of the City National Bank, a note for thirty dollars signed by him? self, and E. B. Latham and Walter Holcombe as securities. Upon exam? ining the note Norwood saw that Latham's signature was a fake. He refused to recognize the note, but call? ed a policeman and had Holcombe ar? rested. Holcombe denies that he forg? ed Latham's signature and insists that it. was written by Latham himself. NEWS FROM THE FLOOD. - Sixty Drowned at Bluefield-Lit? tle News From Other Places. Roanoke, Va., June 25.-News from the flood stricken district in West Vir? ginia is still very scarce, but through persons coming in from the coal fields the situation is getting down to cold facts. There has been some interrup? tion today between Roanoke and Blue fields, and only one wire has been used since morning, this remaining wire being duplexed all day, the rail? road dividing it with Western Union folks as far east as Lynchburg and west of Bluefield. A telegram from Bluefield tJfcris afternoon says there are no important developments there to day. Repair work is going ahead with a rush- and vigor. Bluefield is the great shipping point for the Pocahon? tas Coal company coming, east. It is said there that coal fiedls will not be able to ship out any coal for the next 30 days. It is thought at Bluefield that the loss of life will reach in the neighborhood of 60. The coal fields will suffer almost incalculable loss as a result of the wash-out of tracks and damage to their machinery. : A gentleman arriving in this city today fromt he stricken section gives an explanation for the report first cir? culated that great masses * of human bodies were to be seen floating around in the water. It seems- that there is a graveyard between Norfolk Junction and Keystone, which towns are about a mile apart, and at which point the storm was very severe. This graveayrd is near the bank of the river which caused the great destruction. When the flood came the graves gave up their dead and added greatly to the bodies seen. . The Norfolk ; and Western. folks thought this morning that they would be ?ible.to have their Valley line open this evening. They say the Thacker coal fields lines are already open to? day, and the road will be able to get a train through to Columbus tomorrow. These repairs will only be of a tempor? ary nature, however, and it will neces? sarily be many weeks before the tracks and roadbeds can be placed in their former condition. London, June 26.-The casualty lists made public by the war office continue to show rather severe fighting in vari? ous parts of South ?frica that are not reported in the ordinary dispatches. This is notably ' so with ' regar? to the Zeerust position, in Cape Colony. It also inspires-disquietude, which is: added - to by- the repeated looting of . Jamestown, in spite of the proximty of a strong British force at Aliwalnorth. Tt' appears " that ' including the Boer* prisoners and those in the concentra? tion camps the cost of supporting some 80,000 Boers is today falling'heavily; upon the British taxpayers. Cape Town,.- ^Tune 25. - Jacobus Bo- ? tha, the member of the Cape Assembly for Aliwalnort*n, has been, captured by the Boers and publicly sjamboked. In addition his house was bumed. The reason assigned for this treatment is that Botha voted in favor of. the. treason bill. Leipzig, June-25.-The .director oj the Leipzig: bank; announce, that owing to the stoppage of the' Dresdener Credit Anastret in consequence of difficulties in discounting bills, the Leipziger bank is compelled to tem? porary suspend payment, in the inter? est of its creditors. The directors say that if. the committeement can be liquidated the creditors will suffer no loss, and the stockholders may hope favorable outcome. The capital of the bank is $48,000,000. LABOR RIOT IN NEW YORK. Rochester Police and Striking Laborers Come Together. Rochester, N. Y., -June 26.-Strik? ing laborers to the number of 10,000. had a brisk encounter with the police today, in which ll policemen and 20 rioters were injured. The strikers had set out several times before to drive off laborers who were at work on street improvements. At Mill and Commercial streets they encountered 50 laborers employed by the Rochester Gas and Electric company, in digging a trench and, advancing, drove them from the trench. The workers sought refuge in the power housT*bf the com? pany and the police undertook to dis? perse the mob. The police reserves were drawn up in a" platoon of 50 across the street, and, upon orders, advanced with drawn clubs upon the mob. Immediately the air was filed with bricks, stones and wood, and shovels and picks in the hands of the strikers were used freely. Amid the melee a shot rang out and Sergt. Sterun, commanding the pla? toon, ordered the policemen to fire over the heads of the strikers. This had the desired effect, the strikers scattered and the police chased them through the street to the city hall park, where they were held awaiting action by the mayor. Reinforcements were hurried to the scene of the riot, but their services were not required. The injuries sustained by several po? licemen are of a serious nature. The hurts of the rioters were mostly scalp wounds inflicted by the officers' clubs. Cambridge, Mass.,. June2 6.-Presi? dent Eliot announced at the Harvard alumni dinner today that John Pier? pont Moragn had given more than one million dollars for the erection of three of the five buildings planned for the Harvard Medical school in Botson. The gift is for the '' Prosecution of Applied Biological Research." The buildings will bea memorial to Junius Spencer Morgan, for many years a Boston merchant. Montgomery, Ala., June 26.-A col? lision on Hull. Street this afternoon between a trolley car and hose cart caused the death of one man and four were injured. REPUBLICANS OPPOSE RECIPROCITY They Seek to Evade Pledge in Republican Platform. "Washington, June 25.-It now seems that while Senator Aldrich^ as repre? sentative of the protected interests- of the country and particularly of the sugar and tobacco trusts, called at the White House the other day to protest against all measures looking towards carrying out the reciprocity pledge in .the Republican national platform, he particularly directed his attack against free trade with Porto Rico, which nearly everyone has considered would inevitably follow the special session of island legislature called- to meet July 4. Sentaor . Aldrich, however, has- found a loophole by which, he hopes- free trade can be- staved off a< lit? tle longer until Conrgess* can get a chance to take action preventing it indefinitely. It has been the popular impression that the Foraker act was mandatory and that the President had no choice to do anything else but proclaim free trade whenever the island was ready for it. The act says: "And fwhenever the legislative assembly of Porto Rico shall have enacted and put into opera ton a system of local taxation to meet the expense of the government of Porto Rico by this act established, and shall by resolutions duly passed so notify the President, he shall make procla? mation thereof, and thereupon all tariff duties on merchandise and arti? cles going into Porto Rico from the United States and from Porto Rico shall cease and from and after such date all such merchandise and articles shall be entered at the several ports of entry free of duty." In addition, the law prescribes that the abolition of duties shall, in any event, occur on the 1st of March, 1902." Senator Aldrich contends, however, that the Island revenues will not meet the needs of government and that even if they do, the fact cannot be established without. at least six months' trial-which would bring ns to next December when Congress meets again. He wants the President to refuse to issue his proclamation on this plea until after that time so that Congress may get a chance to extend this last date. The figures rela'tihg to the Porto Rican finances already in the posses? sion of the Governm?nt through re? ports by Governor Allen, are consid? ered by Mr. Aldrich to indicate th?t"there will be difficulty in secur? ing enough revenue through the ope? ration of the. Hollander tax law. The excess of expenditures over island receipts during th? ten months of mili? tary administration was ?188,877.97, While the, same= ?xcess during the first eleven month's of? civil government was ?121,35?. 70:^ The : legislature has al? ready enacted ' ? budget for the next fiscal year, which/with . other necessary, expenses will take. S2, OOO, OOO and to meet this expenditure the -.receipts.are estimated at exactly the same -amount.. Some of the items, however, says Sen? ator Aldrich, are pure guesswork, such "as the 3150,000 expected from the Operations "of the Hollander law.. Of course Senator "Aldrich cares nothing about Porto Rico. What he is interested in. are the beet sugar ' and tobacco interests. The sugar interests in particular has .been mov? ing through Henry Oxnard, the man' who. caused the initial abandonment of "plain duty" to keep out Porto Rican goods. Mr. Oxnard considers that his interests are threatened by the possibility that eventually all the possessions of the United States may send' their sugar to this country duty free. He looks upon the free entry of Porto Rican sugar as the first step in that direction, and purposes to make a vigorous fight in opposition. ' The same is tine of the tobacco growers, who complain that the American market is already being flooded with Porto Rican cigars, and that with the abolition of all duty, the importation of that kind of mer-, chandise will greatly increase. In fact,' according to the claim of the protectionists, it will be impossible for American tobacco growers and cigar makers to compete with Porto Rican labor. Of course this is all pure nonsense, but then again, "any stick is good enough to beat a dog with," and any weapon will serve the protectionists.' BIG STEAMSHIP WRECKED. Passengers and Crew Rescued. St. John's, N, F., June 25.-The Orient Steam Navigation company's steamer Lusitiana, Capt. McNay, from Liverpool June 18 for Montreal, hav? ing 500 passengers on .board, was wrecked last night off Cape Bollard. No; loss of life occurred. All the pas? sengers were rescued. The Lusitania was bound round Cape Race for Montreal, with a large cargo and a shipload of passengers. She mistook her course in a dense fog and went ashore near Renews, 20 miles north of Cape Race before daybreak. The ship ran over a reef and hangs : against a cliff,. The passengers, who are mostly emigrants, were panic- ? stricken. They struggled and fought for the boats, and they were overcome by the officers and crew who secured control after great trouble and a pro? longed struggle with the rougher element among the passengers who ; used knives, The women and chil? dren were landed and the men follow- ; ed. The crew stood by the ship. "Now, dear," said mamma, giving I final instructions to Elsie, who is go- j ' ing to take tea with a playmate, "- !'< when you are asked if you will have j < something you must say, ' Yes, thank 1 ? you,' and if you don't want it you j * must say-" " Oh, you needn't both- ; : er about that, " Elsie interrupted. "I i don't expect to refuse anything."- '. Philadelphia Press. 10,000 HORSES STRICKEN. Strange Disease Resembling Grip Spreads Rapidly-Alarms Horseowners. A peculiar malady hitherto unknown to veterinary surgeons has attacked horses of every degree in this city since last Saturday. In that time over ten thousand horses have been laid low by the disease, and the number is increaisng with such rapidity that owners are alarmed. ' According to Supt. Hankinson, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, so serious is the state of affairs that unless the malady \ is speedily checked oxen will have to draw^ vehicles about the city. Not since 1874. when an outbreak of epizotaic attacked horses here, has the condition been as serious as it is today. "The symptoms of the disease," Supt. Hankinson told a "World re? porter yesterday, "are a sort of lassi? tude, a well developed cpid and a high? er fever. Dr. Henderson, who has been treating horses at the New York veterinary Hospital, informs me that over 2,000 horses have been cared for in that institution since the disease began to spread. Almost every stable in the city has been affected by it, and reports keep coming in con? stantly. "The malady is more like grip than anything else I know of. It at? tacks horses of every degree and sta? tion. The valuable high-stepper and the West street truck horse are alike affected. "In 1874 oxen had to be used for draught animals and if the disease keeps up a short time longer a like condition will prevail." Mr. Hankinson said he wanted to warn all drivers that as soon as the disease manifests itself the animals should be taken from the shafts, wherever they may be, and taken back to the stable to receive immediate treatment. The reports of the leading veterinary surgeons show that thus far the dis? ease has not taken a dangerous form where treatment has been immedately applied. It has been found that in most cases the disease lasts from three to five days, but the cold will continue for ten days or two- weeks. "Every bit of work the horse does after he is attacked by the disease," Supt. Hankinson states, "tends to add to his weakenss and lessen his vitality.?'-New York World. RAILROAD DISASTER IN INDIANA.. Emigrant Train Goes Down With Trestle-Sixteen Killed and Fifty. Wounded. Perca, Ind., June 26.-Sixteen per? sons were killed and about 50 were se? riously injured in a ' wreck of train No. '3," the west bound Wabash limit? ed, nine miles west of this city at 12:30 a. m., today.. The dead are all Italian emigrants en route to Colo? rado, whose names are unknown. Two sections of train No. 3, one coming from Detroit and the other from Toledo wers consolidated in this, city into a train -of eleven cars, making up the flyer for its journey to St. Louis. It consisted of a combina? tion baggage and express, combina- ' tion and smoker, day coach, emigrant coach, three chair cars, three sleepers and the private car of General Super? intendent Cotter of the Iron Mountain railway. Having left this city one hour late the train was speeding west? ward at a high rate when-at a point nine miles west the engine plunged through a trestle which had been undermined by the recent heavy rains. The embankment on both sides of the little stream dropped at a sharp degree a distance of forty feet. Owing to the momentum of the train the engine appeared to leap nearly across the embankment, plunged into the soft earth on the opposite side and fell, back to the bottom. Engi? neer Butler and Fireman Adams were thrown from the cab but not serious? ly hurt. The express car and the first chair car were telescoped. The emi? grant car followed by two chair cars went down on the left side of the track and the first sleeper pitched forward upon the mass of debris Its windows and trucks were broken, but none of the occupants were injured. The remaining cars also left their trucks, but were not badly damaged. It was in the emigrant and day coaches that most of the deaths and injuries occured. ANOTHER STORM IN VIRGINIA. | - Baltimore, June 26.-A special to The Sun from Keyser. Va., says a frightful storm passed through the historic New Creek valley south of Keyser last night. It was an appa? rent repetition of the cloud burst, and in a short time the bottom lands were coveredNby a roaring river from 10 to dO feet deep, carrying off newly har? vested wheat, ruining oats, corn and gardens and damaging roads and pas? ture fields. It is not known, that any lives were lost, but several persons are not accounted for. Today the water receded and on all sides are lying the bodies of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and other live stock by the score. The valley is one of the most fertile in the State. New Creek rose a foot every two minutse for 20 minutes. There's a man up in Sumter county whose brains are composed of little sells each one of which is stuffed full of information relating to the past and present local history of our towns. Wherever he goes he gleans something new and sooner or later gives it out again stamped with his authnority. His name is McDonald Furman. Aiken Journal and Keview. ALABAMA'S NEW CONSTITUTION Montgomery, Ala., June 26.-In the Constitutional Convention this morn? ing Governor Jones offered a separate article providing for dependent mem? bers of the families of sheriffs killed while defending prisoners. It gives the right of action of damages against the county and the Courts a right of action against mobs. "Winn, of Barbour, offered an ordi? nance giving the railroad commission plenary powers, but giving the rail? roads a right of appeal to the Courts. This was accompanied by a petition from the citizens of Barbour County, declaring that the present commission was a failure. Similar petitions were also presented by Ashcraft, of Lauder? dale, and Banks, of Russell. An important feature of the Conven? tion today was the report of Chair? man Parker, of the committee on county and county boundaries. Ma? terial changes were reported ; one per? mitting the State to acquire additional territory, as in the case of the promis? ed purchse of West Florida. It pre mits tho Legislature to change county boundries when requested by two thirds vote of the qualified electors residing in the proposed territory to be taken from one and added to an? other county. New counties can only be created in like manner. The area I of counties is reduced from six hun ! dred to four hundred square miles. THE MANILA SCANDALS. \ Manilla, June 26.-Harold M. Pitt, manager of Evans & Co, government contractors, who has been on trial on charges of improperly purchasing Government stores was acquitted to? day. Four other purchasers of com I missary stores were found guilty and fined 81,000 each. Pitt was acquitted by a Military Court composed of ! volunteer officers. Provost Marshal Davis considers Pitt was convicted on his own admissions and has ordered a reconsideration of the verdict. Those sentenced were Clark and Boldt. a Spaniard named Riva and a China? man, Wung Tingv Clarke and Boldt, in addition to being fined $1.000 each, were also sentenced to a year's impri? sonment, but Pr?vost Marshal Davis commuted the imprisonment. FINNS TO SETTLE IN GEORGIA. Washington, June 26.-The Southen Railway announces that it made ar? rangements today with Captain A. Backman of Findland, fo the, pur? chase of 10,000 acres of land on the Southern . Railway in Georgia for colonization purposes. Capt. Back man's purpose is to aid a number of Findlanders who are dissatisfied with the political condition in their coun? try to emigrate to Georgia where his brother, Rev. Mr. Backman, an in? fluential Lutheran minister, will ar? range for the settlers. It is hoped the result will be considerable Finnish set? tlements along the line of the railroad. ? The Sumter grand jrj ry has presented the roads of the county as a nuisance. Now if they are tried, convicted and closed up, "the county "will be in a favoable posiiton to get some roads that will be beneficial. If Chester county had no roads now-we mean nothing called roads-we have no doubt that we would be better off ten years fom now than we will be, with the things we call roads obstucting travel and transpotation, and stand ng in the way of locating roads on rational grades.-Chester Lantern. A SENSIBLE JUDGE. The court room is a place where a good many amusing things occur. The examination of witnesses is often the occasion pf a good laugh for the visitors to the temple of justice. In many instances the joke is on the wit? ness": but sometimes the table is turn? ed and the examiner is the one who is hit. An instance of the latter kind occurred in the court room this week. On the stand as a witness was a prom? inent farmer of the western section' of the county, who is a little deaf. The attorney asked him a question : but received no answer. The question, was repeated : but still there was no answer. The examining attorney then threatened : "I will appeal to the judge and he will make you answer the question." "That, he won't," was the reply of the witness who was not too deaf to catch the attorney's remarks. "He's got too much sense to ask any such fool question as that." The sheriff's '1 Order in Court"_ was not sufficient to restore quiet in the court room. Accident at Epworth. Columbia, June 26. -There are usual? ly about 109 or more orphans at the 1 Epworth Orphanage. This afternoon : som? of the boys were working about : the farm and a small detail was sent 1 ont to gather broom straw. A severe ! rain storm arose and the boys sought < shelter under an old barn and stable ? which stood on the plantation, some ? distance from the main building. The * barn was blown down, and Charles < Stack, aged 7, from Lake City, was ? instantly killed. The following were 1 injured : John Henry Parker, Mayes- < ville, arm broken: Lee White, of Pen- i dleton, face cut: John D. Lemmon, cf Sumter, shoulder bruised. John D. Lemmon, although hurt, ran to the main building and told of the trouble and every one rushed tc give all help possible. Young Stack was ( instantly killed, but prompt assistance v was given the others. They are all do- t ing well, and the wounds were given ? immediate attention. Young Stack a was a bright little fellow, who came s here from Florence. His remains will I be sent tomorrow afternoon to Lake I City for burial. . g BANK CHECKS WILL BE FREE. Revenue Stamp Tax Will BelOff July I. < ~* The troublesome revenue tax which; has been in force since July 1, 1?98? will at last be lifted on some of the chief articles in common use. After the 1st of July people will no longer have to put the inevitable and inconvenient 2-cent revenue stamp ODL bank checks. The ameLdment act of March % 1901, will go into effect July 1st By this act the tax will be lifted on many of the most important taxable articles? instruments and property. The lifted tax will affect chiefly the rank and file of the people. A tax still remains on many less common articles, v The necessity for affixing revenue: stamps continually since the Spanish American war has been a great hard? ship to the people. "The tex was im? posed on things in common use among the masses, and has been a source of great trouble and expense for the past three years in the commercial and business world, as well as annoyance and cost to private individuals. Of the many taxations imposed by the act of June 13 1898,, the most seri-, ously inconvenient have been^ lifted under the act of ' March, % 1901, to go. into effect July 1st. After Monday bank checks will no: longer have to be stamped. Telegraph messages will not require that extra cent heretofore imposed. Express re? ceipts and money orders will not need revenue stamps. All patent medicines will be released from their previous heavy revenue tax. Schedule B of the act taxing medi cinal. proprietary articles and prepara^; tions, such as cosmetics,'chewing; gum, perfumery, etc., has been amendedb?. elimination, leaving only the previous tax on sparkling and other wines when bottled for sale. . - '- >?-; Seats in parlor cars and berths ih sleeping cars are still taxed 1 cen V'tho : stamp to be affixed to the ticket hy? the company. ->V? Tax on personal notes has been lift-? ed and that on deeds, instruments^ conveyances, ..etc, much reduced Previously such documents were taxed 50 cents for value from $100 to ?500,' and 50 eents>for additional value up to $5,000. Now only 25 cents} imposed for amounts between $2,500 and '$3,*-* 000. . - As the revenue tax act now stand^l since amendment, taxation falls large- " iv on corporations and holders of larga interests rather than upon the popu? lace. The consequent penalty for not affix-/ ing necessary, revenue stamps will^ of ^ course, after Monday be remo1 ?Sgl Documents formerly invalidated- by; the lack of proper stamps will -no longer be subject to such law* The toubl?soime necessity, so annoy? ing to business .'men, of keeping on hand a supply of stamps will largely be relieved. The continuous cancella? tion of stamps by writing one's ini? tials and the . "date on them will be obviated. !" Papers rearing stamps which have not been affixed are invalidated. They cannot be recorded or admitted as evi? dence in .'any court until proderly stamped. . Wm Single revenue stamps to the value of 81,000 have been issued. Everybody is glad-that the revenue tax will be " lifted. It is a great relief not to have "to bother with, licking stamps on all occasions, making chick? en feed change to pay telegaphic toll tax, etc., or to procure stamped check books. " j Banks and,business enterprises have known of -the lifting of some- of the taxes since March and have been able to prepare for it. Left over stamps, stamped check books, etc., may be redeemed, however, by the revenue de- ? partment. Private individuals can have redeemed such stamps or checks at their banks by accommodation. Australian Ballot For Cuba. Habana, June 27.-The election com? mission appointed by the Cuban con? stitutional convention to frame laws for the conduct of Cuban elections has completed its work and will probably ; present its. project of electoral law to the convention tomorrow. The electoral project provides for universal suffrage and the use of the Australian ballot system. One article specifies that the ballots shall be di? vided into columns corresponding to the number of political parties in the field, and that each column shall be distinguished by the mark of a party in order to prevent the. deception of the voter who can neither read nor write. 'T'!:'*^ CHAh %f|ES. For some time there has been aris? ing questions at the office of the secre? tary of State as to the construction of the act relating to charter fees. The . office has now construed the act to mean that fees must be paid on the maximum capitalization named in the declaration. For instance if it is stated that a company is to have a 2apital stock of not less than $1J.000> nor more than $150,000, the fees> on. 5150,000 must be paid. When snbaa. iuent increases are made the fees are' 3n the basis of the amount of increase. The fee under the new law is $300 on i capital of $500,000, and $125 on a ?apital of $150,000. The fee is one nil! on all amounts under $100,000. Gomez Coming to U. S. Havana, June 26.-General Maximo jomez sailed for New York today ty ray of Tampa, Fla., accompanied by he private secretary of Governor Gen ral Wood. The purpose of the gener? al's visit to the United States, it is aid, is to confer with Thomas Estrada 'aima, the former delegate in the Tnited States of the revolutionary overnment of Cuba. ^ - "T^.