Evening Star Newspaper, August 1, 1895, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR ean eS PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY fot fuses beeen pce by eunsy) venue, Cor. The ene Star Newspaper Company, 8. H. KAUFFMANN, Pres't. Wow York Office, 49 Potter Building, 2h Brentng Star is served to subscribers in the ity ca w 1 rriérs, on thelr own account, at 10 cents E oe —— cents per —_ es rs the ry cents each. mail—anyw! United States or Canada—postage cone Der month. Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, ae ; ase Office at ees e Bate mi sul Kixtes of advertising sade ence eae application. Che Loening Star. No. 13,232 WASHINGTON, D.O., THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1895-TWELVE PAGES TWO CENTS. SBe proof ef te pudding is in the eating. Yesterday's Bar contained 39 cofumns of advertisements, made up ef 592 separate announces ments, Bese, advertisers fought pubficity—-net merefp Space. DIED IN SCOTLAND Sad News of the Missing Dana Davenport. INFORMATION THROUGH THE POLICE The Young Man Found. Dying by a Railroad Track. LITTLE DOUBT OF IDENTITY This morning's mail to police headquar- ters brought sad t'dings of the missing Dena A. Davenport, who disappeared on the 5th of July, and a telephone message was sent to Anacostia to the Rev. Mr. Davenport, father of the young man, to have him call and see Inspecto® Hollin- berger, in order that he might hear of his son’s sad*ending in Scctland. In the mes- sage sent to the father nothing wus said about the death of the missing young man, as Inspector Hollinterger trought best to have’ the information imparted to the grief-strickea fataer at some place other than his home, where, it was thought, other members of .he family might be over- come. The inspector knew that the father could probably stand the skcck, and then he could impart the rews to the others in @ mere delicare manner than a policeman calling at the house ccvld give it. News From Scotland. The letter received by Maj. Moore gives the particulars in suck a detailed manner that there is no doubt as fo the identity of the young nan, who met his death on the railroad track. This letter reads as follows: “LANARKSHIRE CONSTABULARY. . “RUTHERGLEN OFFICE, July 23. “Sir: Early on the morning of Saturday, 20th instant, Dana Alfred Davenport, med- ical student, of Washington, U.S.A., was found lying on the Caledonia railway track near Cambuslang, suffering from in- juries to which he succumbed about 1 p.m. on Sunday, 21st, in the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, to which irstituticn he had been removed immediately after being fcund. “The following ts kis description: Twen- ty years of age; five feet two or three inches high; slender build; dark hair; clean shaved; teeth even and white, and Amer- fean accert. “Dressed in double-breasted tweed jacket, with yellow spot through it. Light bluish trousers, light iacing boots, white dress shirt and collar. Had neither money nor valuables about him when found. “TI inclose cutting from Glasgow Evening News of 22d instant, narrating the circum- stances of his death, which I will thank you to give publicity to In any of your Papers, and alsé to cause inqulry to be made in Washington and neighborhood with a view to his {dentification. The body bas been interred by the institution where he died, and his clothing is aow in pesses- sion of the poiice here. Should any trace of his frierds or connections be obtained I will thank you to communicate with me or with James Neil Hart, esq., procutator, Fiscal county buildings, Glasgow. _I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, “D. SMITH, Superintendent.” How He Died. ‘The newspap2r clipping mentioned in the letter reads: “The engine driver on 2 train of empty wagons, which was going to Westburn col- Nery cn Saturday morning, observed a man lying on the up-line about fifty yards from Cambuslang goods station. He at orce stopped his train and went forward to the spot, accompanied by the rreman and brakeman. They fcund that the person Was a well-dressed young man, and wus bleeding very much from his head. The train was sent on gnd the engine at cnce brought back. Dr. Kerr, Cambuslang, ex- amined the young man and found that he had sustained serious injuries to the brain; that he was injured on the thigh, and was also otherwise bruised. Constable McCul- loch of the county police interrogated the injured youth during a lucid Interval, when he said his name was Dana Alfred Daven- Fort, twenty years of age; that he was a medical student, and had arrived here a few days previously from Washington, U. S.A. He then became unconscious and was not able to speak again before bis death. He was brought on the engine to Glasgow and afterward removed in an ambulance wagon to the Royal Infirmary, whero his death occurred yesterday after- poon. The injuries upon the body seem not entirely to have been caused by being run over on the line, and the doctors at the Inflrmary will not certify the cause of death. Among deceased’s papers is a note book, giving the names of several clergy- men and music teachers in this city, but, so far, nene of these have baen able to identify Davenport or give any informa- tion whatever regarding him.” Clinging to Hope. An Anacostia policeman found the Rev. Davenport at his home and delivered In- spector Hollinberger’s message. Later in the day Dr. Davenport, accompanied by Detective McDevitt, who has been working on the case, called at headquarters and saw Inspector Hollinberger. The letter and newspaper clipping printed above were shown them, and the detective was satis- fied that the dead man in Scotland is the missing one for whom the search has been made since the 5th of July. The father, however, was inclined to believe that there may still be some doubt left. He could not realize that his son was dead, and will cling to the slight hope left until there is gcme additional proof of his identity. De- tective McDeyitt had a copy of his cir- cular sent out offering a reward for in- formation concerning the whereabouts of the missing young man. This circular gives a_ description and information concerning the young man as follows “Davenport is about twenty-four years of age, five fect four inches high, slender build, auburn hair, brown eyes, smooth face, somewhat freckled. He wore a pair of silver sleeve buttons, round in shape, engraved ‘D. D.;’ also a gold cross on his watch guard, engraved ‘D. A. D.’. When Tast seeu he was dressed in a dark gray guit_and white saw hat (bought at Saks & (%.'s). “Davenport is a member of the Episcopal Church and was studying for the ministry. It is supposed that his mind has become impaired through deep study and that he is not able to give an account of himself. Please loek over hospitals in your neigh- borhood. The above reward, $100, will be paid if Davenport is found alive, or $50 for information that he is dead.” Speaking of the case the Rev. Davenport said that although the name given in the Scotland letter was the same as that of his son it is possible that the dead young man is‘not his son. “I wonder,” he said, “if there could not have been another Dana Davenport,” as if he wanted a single straw upon which to build his hopes. And if it is the body of Ht = he would like to know how he was led. Possibly Murdered. According to the contents of the letter the physicians who attended him would not give a certificate of death, so that the real cause is not known. When Davenpor: disappeared from Ralti- more, where he was visiting friends, he had $35, a watch and chain and a gold cross, as well as silver sleeve buttons. Upon leaving his friends he sald he was going down the river, but Instead of doing so it is supposed he boarde] a steamer and sailed fer Scotland. : He had expressed a desire a year or more ago to go across the ocean on 2 European trip, and had said to his father that he thougnt he could work his passage over without any funds. Detective McDevitt expresses the hellef that young Davenport was murdered. The money he may have expended, but the detective thinks be would hardly have disposed of his watch and cross. There Were cuts on his head, and nothing is said in the letter, says the detective, to show that the railroad train killed him. “I think he was probably murdered. and robbed,” said the detective to a Star re- porter. t is possible that he was robbed end then thrown fromthe railroad train." Inspector Holiinberger gave the prief- stricken parent a letter to the chief clerk of the State Department, and {t is likely that the department will make the neces- sary inquiries. May Have Sailed. Rev. Mr. Davenport, father of Dana, sald this afternoon that, acting on some in- formation which he received after leaving police headquarters in Washington this morning, he will at once write to Messrs. Patterson, Ramsay & Co., the Baltimore agents of the Johnston line of steamships, some of whose vessels sai! from Baltimore to Glasgow direct, and endeavor to ascer- tain from them whether Dana’s name ap- peared on any of their passenger list Should Dana's name be found as indicated, it may be, Mr. Davenport said, he should be inclined to accept this as confirmatory evidence that the young man who died at Glasgow was hi son, and will take the necessary steps to bring the remains to the home of the family for finai interment. At the State Department. Mr. Davenport visited the State Depart- ment this aft2rroon and informed Chief Clerk Remick cf the reported finding of the body of his son, and at his suggestion @ telegram was sent to the United States consul at Glasgow, instructing him to ob tain all the particulars of the death of young Davenpo: and also -o forward to Washington Nis clothing ani other effects in order to establish his identity. ——_—__ HE DEFENDED THE MAFIA’S MEN. A Thirty-Minute Speech at the Close of a Trial Brought Him 815,000. Judge Thomas Semmes of New Orieans is in the city to appear before. Controller Bowler in behalf of the Louisiana sugar producers. He is a close relation to Ad- iniral Semmes, Who wrote a history of the confederate navy. Judge Semmes, while essentially a civil lawyer, figured in the celebrated trial of the thirfeen alleged members of the New Orleans “Matia’ or- ganization, who vere charged with the assassination of David C. Hennessey, chief of police of New Orleans. The Italian ‘colony of New Orleans, or, more properly speaking, the frierds and those in sym- pathy with the accused, most of whom were very wealthy men, retained in defense of the prisoners the finest legal criminal tal- ent of the city. It was suggested Ly the Mafia sympathizers that Judge Serames be engaged to defend the accused. He ts said to have consented to do so, provided his connection with the case would be con- fined simply to making the closing argu- ment on behalf of the accused, he to take no part in the examination or cross-exami- nation of witnesses. Under the circumstances, Judge Semmes appeared in the court room on the last day of the trial, and in a thirty-minute speech showed why the Italians should be acquit- ted. His presentation of the facts and his masterly exposition of the case command- ed the attention of some of the most emi- nent members of the bar, who had gone there to see Judge Semmes in his new role as a criminal lawyer. For this brief speech Judge Semmes is said to have received $15,000, but, so far as the Italians were concerned, it was money well invested, for, though the chain of evidence which the police had woven around them seemed complete, they were all acquitted. The in- dignant populace, however, the day after their acquittal summarily shot and hanged them. Judge Semmes was severely criti- cised by the people of New Orleans for having lent his talents to what was to them so unrighteous a cause. He enjoys a large practice in New Orleans, and, it is said, could, if he so desired, have long since represented Louisiana in the national legislative body. o—_____—_ McCLELLAND SKELETON MYSTERY. Another Effort Being Made to Cleur it Up. CENTRALIA, IIL, August 1.—The fa- mous McClelland skeleton mystery is brought to the surface again by the Indict- ment of John A. McClelland and Wesley Tabor by the Marion county grand jury, now in session, for the murder-of Alex- ander and Oscar McClelland. John A. McClelland was arrested at Cen- tralia last night on a bench warrant is- sued by the order of the grand jury, and Tabor is now in jail in Salem. This case created quite a sensation two years ago, when two skeletons were found in a pond on the farm previously owned by John A. McClelland. The skeletons were supposed to be those of Alexander and Oscar McClelland, father and brother of John McClelland, but they were never fully Identified. Every grand jury since has investigated the mystery, but no indictment has been found before. Tabor was brought into the case by a confessior which a divorced wife made before the grand jury in January last. What new evidence has been pre- sented to this grand jury is not known. Flemirg, the Outlaw, Acqultted. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. BRISTOL, Tenn., August 1—Henan Flem- ing, the Kentucky and Virginia outlaw, in- ected for complicity in the murder of the Mullins* family at Round Gap, in 1890, for which “Dock” Taylor was executed, has been acquitted. The judge ruled out eyi- dence obtained by Fleming’s confession. Fleming was badly wounded while resisting arrest in West Virginia. His brother was Killed. The Mullins massacre was the most cold blooded ever committed in Ken- tucky or Virginia, and it is the opinion of many that the Flemings engaged in it. SS The L. and N. Gets Into Knoxville. KNOXVILLE, Tenn., August 1—It is learned here that the Louisville and Nash- ville railroad has purchased the Tennessee Central, which is now being built from Nashville to Knoxville, for $260,000, agree- ing to assume the obligations. of the pro- moters of the latter road as to timg of con- struction, agreements with counties, &c. This gives the Louisville and Nashville en- trance into Knoxville, an advantage long sought by that road. MANY HOMES RUINED] SENATOR GORMAN'S PERILISTATE BANK TAX Scene of Desolation Caused by Flood at Socorro. CROPS AND HOUSES WASHED AWAY Citizens Organize a Committee of ; Relief. —-_.___ SMALL TOWNS WIPED OUT — DENVER, Col., August 1.—A News spe- cial from Socorro, N. M., says a tremendous roaring startled the people of Socorra Tues- day afternoon adcut 4 o'clock. Shortly huge waves of weter came rushing down en arroyo which drains the eastern slope of the Magdalens mountains and almost encircles the town. At first it was hoped the flood would be confined to the lower portion of the cit: but soon the water came above the wood and three feet of water began to rush through the principal street. The water came in waves, each succe2ding one heing apparently higher than the others. Por- tions of houses, household goods, carriages, stoves and farm implements were mingled with huge boulders, railroad ties and bridge timbers. All were Lcrne through *he streets by_the madly rushing waters. For two hours the work of estruction continued, the horror belag Increased by vivid lightning, creshing thui rand biind- ing re Gradually the wat2 subsided sufficiently to allow a partial inspection of the destruction. Only two dei bodies were taken from the waters before dark, a mother and ner child. An attempt was made to reach the peopl. living in the river bottoms, but darkness and the absence of boats prevented success. All night long homeless people were being brought in and cared for. A Scene of Desolation. Yesterday a scene ef desolation was pre- sented. A majority of the business houses had escaped heavy Gamage or destruction but hundreds of pcor people lost every thing, being homeless and without mor and almost naked. More than fifty hou: are known to have been de: ved, whi almost every residence in the city Is dam- aged. Since the water has rec adobe houses have fallen in others must be ubandoned. The two recovered Tuesday night were as those of members of*the Durane ‘i Four more bodies were taken out yest day morning and idertified as Duranes, making six recovered. Others are reported as having been seen, but, owing to the treacherous nature of the ground, they can- not be reached. The destructive ers spread over the entire city and carried death everywhere. Many are missing. Another victim has been added to the list, an infant son of H. Baca having died from the effects of the water, having been rescued when al- most drowned. - Reports are coming from towns north and south of here of heavy loss For twelve miles south destruction of property was terrible. Farm houses and crops were entirely swept away. The Santa Fe track was washed out between hi San Antonio in_ sev road from th tically destroyed for ten miles out, bridges and several miles of track bei gone. A large portion of track on hoth sides of the city running east and west was taken up by angry waters and turned north and south. The names of the regovered dead thus far are Leander Dur fe Celia I rane, Thomas Durane, —— Durane, — Du- rane and a child of H. Baca. Only two members of the Durane family are alive. Over a Million Dollars’ Loss. No estimate of the loss can be made, but it is said to be more than $1,000,000. Among the heaviest losers are M. EB. Baca, C. B. Brown, J. E. Smith, A. D. Coon, C. S. Perling, J. B. Hilton, E. Kalsonstein, J. W. Tory, A. E. Bierts, A. Torres, E. E, Wold, Elias Baca and Mrs. Lopa. = Hundreds of farmers have lost their houses, crops, fences and stock, and in many cases the farms have been rendered unfit for cultivation. Yesterday afternoon the citizens of Socorro met, and a relief eommittee was appointed. The committee was at once put to work, but the demands soon outran the resources, as every person had suffered loss, The number of persons thus suddenly forced upon charity cannot now be estimated. Reports of damage con- tinue to come in. Three small towns‘south of here were totally destroyed. The Storm General. © ALBUQUERQUE, N. M., August 1.—An- other cloudburst has occurred and the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company's new bridge at Rio Puerce has been wreck- ed. Much suffering is reported by Mexi- cans and small farmers near the water's edge. Their homes are flooded and their fields ruined. Hall accompanied the rain and the crops on high ground are lying flat as if a monster roller had passed over them. A train was sent to meet the east- bound train at Rio Puerce. An endeavor will be made to transfer the passengers. The storm was general and the country is flooded as far south as El Paso, and as far west as Willlams. Rumors are plentiful regarding loss of life. Railway tracks are in places very dangerous and much care is being exercised by the officials to have weak places closely watched. Disastrous Rains in Colorado. . DENVER, Col., August 1.—Colorado Has been visited for two days with the most destructive rains and cloudbursts in the history of the state. At Boulder, forty miles north of Denver, three inches of rain fell in four hours, damaging crops to an inestimable extent. Irrigating ditches have been damaged along their entire length. At Loveland the biggest ditch in northern Colorado broke through the sides in sév- eral places, flooding the country in the neighborhood, which contains well culti- vated fields. At Golden the gulf trains are all tied up because the track up Clear Creek canyon has beén washed out in several places and four bridges have been carried away. In the towns of Central City and Black Hawk, at the head of Clear creek, floods have caused considerable damage to houses and mining operations are interfered with on account of the washing away of the rs umes. At Catskill, in New Mexico, the Red river went on a rampage, bridges were washed out and several families had to flee for their lives. From a score of other points In the mountains come reports of heavy rains artd cloudbursts. The Midland Terminal passenger train which left Cripple Creek last night at 10 o'clock was caught in a landslide near Gil- lett and the two rear coaches derailed. No one was injured, but the train and its occupants had a narrow escape. Travel on all the mountain roads is interfered with and it will be weeks before the damage to some of them is repaired. FRORENCE, Col., August 1.—President Johnson of the Florence and Cripple Creek railroad put large forces at work today repairing the extensive washouts caused by cloudbursts. It is “believed the road can be reopened in about ten days. The damage to railroad and other property is estimated at $35,000. The supposed death list of eight at Adelaide is now reduced to three, as follows: Thomas Watson, Mrs. Carr, Lee Tracey. They were in the hotel that was washed away. The three train- men who were caught in the flood are now said to have escaped. His Political Standing at Stake in the Goming Maryland Contest. He May Not Receive the Support of the United Democracy in the State. Mr. Gormen’s own view of the size of his contract in Maryland is found, the poli- ticlans believe, in the tone of the resolu- tions adopted under his direction at Balti- more yesterday. The Maryland leader al- ways plays skillfully, and this time his skill is coupled with anxiety. Distrusting the Cleveland contingent, and realizing that he would need it at the polls, -his platform leads off with a cordial indorsement of the national administration and a laudatory mention of the President by name. Similar considerations induced him to praise the state administration highly and to mention Gov. Brown by name. But for himself he asked almost nothing. So completely, in- deed, did he efface himself that he would not permit the mention of his name even in connection with the tariff bill, which had to be referred to, and which his friends all insist is, In all of its competent and benefi- cent features, the fruit of his labors. Was ever a dictator, supreme in all the pre- liminary stages of a fight, more modest, or more conciliatory toward recalcitrant fuc- tions. si Me. Gormun’s Peril. But, the question is asked, will the policy win? Mr. Gorman's peril is regarded as extreme. He has everything at stake. The ticket is his and he made it, and the platform is the work of hie hand. He is responsible for everything. The opposi- tion was so powerless it confined itself in the convention to sporadic protests and Interruptions of speakers. It didn’t even venture upon the barren employment of bringing in a minority report on anything. Every triumphant phase of the proceedings, from the time the chairman seized the gavel to the moment when he brought it down with a resounding rap and declared the convention adjourned, was shaped absolutely according to Mr. Gorman’s di- rections. This is the situation in which Mr. Gor- man’s democratic opponents in Maryland have long expressed a desire to see him placed. They have never done anything des'gnedly, it is true, to help him into such asituction. They have always fought him earnestly and actively, and they gave him the best in their locker in the campaign just el But there,.at last, Mr. Gor- man is, dependent upon them for their help at the polls, and certain to be over- whelmed if that help is withheld. Will they withhold it? Effect of a Defent. The temptation ‘s thought te be very great. A defeat next Novenvber would affect Mr. orman in two ways. It would seriousiy ir his prestige as local leader, and. it would remove him entirely from the list of presidential possibilities, If -he loses the state thi ar he will als» lose the power to contral Maryland's vote mext year in the democratic nattonal convention, and shorn of that power he ,would, as a national figure, be helpless Indeed. Mr. Gorman’s friends do not believe he can be beaten. Things, they declare, will work out in the end in his favor. The party, they assert, has as much at stake as the Senator bas. How, they ask, can the Sena- tor be punished at the polls without the punishment extending to the party? The Senator is making the party's fight. He is stand!ng for the party. Cleveland demo- crats, Brown democrats, Gorman democrats are all interested and involved alike, it is held, and cll must stand together in the face of the common enemy. Depends on Ba ftimorc. The folitical situation Im Maryland is similar in one respect te that in New York, The metropolis of the state decides state contests. The problem confronting Mr. German, therefore, relites almost exclu- sively to the city of Baltimore. He has confessed this in taking his candidate for governor from the city, In order,to win he must poll the full democratic vote of Baltimore, and he appeals to the city through and in the flame of’a rich and in- fluential m2rchant of the city. But it is in Baltimore also that the anti-Gorman democrats reside, end these men must be brought into line if a full vote is secured. The Sound Money Appeal. A second appeal that Mr. Gorman makes to the city is in the declaration against the free coinage of silver. The first outline of his program, which was sent out from his own headquarters, did not contain this feature. The silver question, according to that, was to be Jealt with in the lump sum of reaffirming the national democratic platform of 1892. But a separate deliver- ance on the gubject was decided upon. The business men of Baltimore, it was, thought, would be better pleased with an expression which would show some courage on a point so vital to business interests. And Mr. Gorman has maie it, and in the face, too, of its possible effect on silver sentiment in the south and west, where many of his ad- mirers reside. This also is accepted as showing how ticklish Mr. Gorman feels about the situation at home. - WORKHOUSE MAIL. A Question Whether Officials Have a Right to Open It. A peculiar case has come before Judge ‘Thomas, assistant attorney general for the Post Office Department, in connection with the mail going to inmates of the Pittsburg workhouse. The managers of that Insti- tution have been in the habjt of examining this mail and opening it if they saw fit to do so. They did This on the supposition that the place was on a footing with penal institutions, and they had the right to open such mail. Awhile ago the Pittsburg Humane Society heyd a complaint from one of the inmates of the workhouse whose mail had been mecdled with, and the offi- cers of the society brought the matter to the attention of the post office authorities, with the result that an imspeetor was sent to investigate. He found that there had been no exaggeration or misrepresentation of the facts and so reported. The depart- ment has held in conformity with the de- cision of tke courts that the mail going to persons convicted of a felony could be opened by prison authorities, but that due those who are confined ir charitable in- sututions or in jail under criminal charges could not be so opened. A further investi- gation will be held, and q decision made to govern like vases. ’ ——_—_+e+____ A Hundred-Year-Old Treaty. A fac simile of the treaty of peace ne- gotiated by General Anthony Wayne with the Indians of the northwest territory, August 3, 1795, on the site of- the present town of Greenville, Ohio, has been pre- pared at the instance of Mr. Harvey M. Friend, and will be forwarded to Green- ville in time for use at the centennial an- niversary celebration of the signing of the document, which will occur Saturday next. The socumene proved, when taken from its receptacle 3 the State Department, to have been Well-preserved, and the s!gna- tures were as clear as if made within the past year. Those interested in the cele- bration made an effort In the last session of Comgress to secure an appropriation for @ statue to mark the location of the occur- rence, but failed. ——————>o+___ No lover of gocd stories should miss read- ing the $2,000 prize detective story, “The Long Arm,” by Miss Mary E. Wilkins, the first installment of which will be published in The Star of Saturday, August 8. Mr. Edward Atkinson’s Plan to . Avoid Its Payment. PLAN TO ISSUE DEPOSIT CERTIFICATES How They Can Be Put Into General Circulation. — EXPANDING THE CURRENCY ‘The plan of Mr. Edward Atkinson of Boston to drive “a coach and four” through the law imposing a 10 per cent tax on the circulating notes of state banks and pri- vate bankers by the issue of certificates cf deposit is attracting a deal of attention from the adyocates of a change in the cur- rency. It is believed in some quarters that this discovery of the limited character of the 10 per cent restriction will change the entire charatter of the contest over the currency question, and give a decided vantage ground to the advocates of a banking currency. They have occupied the position heretofore of suitors for the favor of Congress, and it has »een necessary for them to undertake the task of winning both houses to their view and getting the approval of the President in order to give force to any new legislation. Some of them now believe that they will be able to dic- tate terms to the advocates of government paper money and a circulution secured by high priced bonds, and to demand conces- sions in favor of a banking currency in return for their votes in Congress, to ex- tend the 10 per ceit tax law ¢o certificates of deposit issued by small private bankers. They may be overconfident in this view of the case, but they have l-een congratulat- ing themselves a good deal since the publi- cation of Mr. Atkinson’s plan Monday over the opportunities for contest which they helieve are open before them. No Hope in the Next House. It is doubtful if they ean accomplish any- thing with the big republican majority of the House of Represenintives which meets in December, for bota Jeseph H. Walker of Massachusetts and Herry U. Johnson of Indiana, who are contesting for the chair- manship of the banking some form of secured f gentlemen will be confronted, how , with the possibility that the monetary cir- culation may be expanded to indefinite limits if certificates of deposit may be issued tn even amounts by any bank or banker in a form suitable for circulation. Restrictive legislation upon private banks, if not upor state and nativual banks, will be eagerly demanded in many quarters and it will be difficult to let the session of Con- gress end without taking note of the de- mand. No Tax on Deposits. The propcsition of Mr. Atkinson is sub- stantially that there is no federal law im- posing a 10 per cent tax, or any other special rate of taxation, upon ‘ertificates of bank deposits. It is in the power of any bank or banker, according to this view, to print simple certificates that there has been deposited one, five or ten dollars, as the case may be, and that the certificate is redeemable out of this deposit upon pre- sentation at the bank of issue. There are several ways in which the certificates might be put in circulation. They might be issued in printed beoks, containing cou- pons for even sums, which could be paid out like checks, when they bore evidence of an actual deposit in the bank. In this form they would form a convenient medium of payment for manufacturing and other corporations and would be more negotiable in the hands of employes than ordinary checks. The bank would keep a record cf the certifi.ates in the hands of each de- positor and would be responsible for their redemption without regard to his personal sclvency. An Advantage Over Checks. The certificates would have an advantage in this respect over checks, because their issue to the depositor would be evidence that he had the credit and that his ac- count was not overdrawn. The certificates would not be in the form of a promissory note, however, for that is subject to the 10 per cent tax, but would be in the form of @ warehouse receipt, certifying to the actual posscssion of credit by the holder. They would be charged against the account of the depositor when issued to him, so that the bank would have practically in its cwn possession the means of redemp- tion. A system like this has already been proposed by the Hungarian Bank of Com- merce and Industry to-make up for the deficiency of circulation caused by the with- drawal of the government paper money of the Austrian empire. This bank {fs not au- thorized to issue circulating notes, but has prepared to put out books of certificates of deposit in even amounts, capable of use as a*circulating medium, and to pay interest on deposits until the presentation of the certificates for redemption. Could Be-Used in Making Loans. The certificates could be put in circula- tion in making loans, as well as upon the actual receipts of deposits. The British system would be adopted in this case of carrying to a man’s credit account the emount of the loan ‘and then issuing the certificates against it. The issue of such certificates and the expansion of the cir- culation would be thus limited only by the ‘amount of commercial paper offered for discount and the willingness of the public to receive the certificate. Some doubt is expressed at the treasury whether they would be received readily into general cir- culation, but there appears to be no reason why they should not be accepted as readily as checks, and they probably would be ac- cepted at mills and factories where it is the custom to pay in checks and by trades people dealing with the employes. The general use of the certificates and their free circulation might require an agree- ment among the asscciated banks of some city or state, but such an agreement would meet any deficiency of the circulation, and might obviatesthe necessity for other de- vices which were employed during the panic of 1893. There is no reason, in the opinion of some of the advocates of the system, why certificates of deposit issued by national banks should not circulate as freely as bank notes. They would not he secured by United States bonds, but they would embody the piedge of a_ specitic credit, and would not be repudiated except in the case of the absolute collapse of the bank of issue. Even this danger could be guarded against by an agreement among the banks to guarantee the certificates of their own association. The case would be different with certificates issued by private bankers, and might call for restrictive legislation. An Attorney General's Opinion. The opinion of Attorney General Olney, which was given during the panic of 1893, Seems to support Mr. Atkinson's position that the 10 per cent tax could not be levied upon such certificates as he proposes. A tax law can be construed only to levy taxes upon the person or goods specifically enumerated. This is a fundamental propo- sition of law, and is referred to in the two decisive head notes to Mr. Olney’s opinion, which sum up its force and bearing. These head notes are as follows: “The tex on state banks imposed by the act of February 8, 1875, chapter 36, section 19, applies only to promissory notes, and not to other negotiable or quasi-negotiable paper. “If there is any doubt as to the meaning of a statute imposing this tax, the doubt must be resolved in favor of exemption.” As to Penalties. The principle that a tax law must be construed strictly applies with equal force to a penal law. There are laws against making paper in the likeness of Unitel States security, and the secret service force of the treasury have given them a wide application. They might attempt ‘to interfere with the issue of printed certifi- cates of deposit under these laws, but doubt is expressed whether they could sustain such interference before the higher courts. The people with whose operations they have interfered in the past have been for the most part counterfeiters and crimi- nals or bisiness men who have used copies of securities as a catchy form of adver- tising. Neither class has been disposed to carry to the Supreme Court the question whether the Unfted States can legally in- terfere with the printing of legitimate commercial paper in any form desired by the issuers. It might be necessary to make such an issue for the court or to modify the existing statutes in order to clear the ground absolutely for the issue of certifi- cates of deposit, but-it is the opinion of those who wish to try the certificate system that the existing statutes are directed against varios forms of counterfeiting or imita- ticn and not against legitimate negotiable commercial paper. GERMANY’S QUARANTINE. What Dr. Snimon Says of Its Effect on American Shippers. Secretary Mcrton has received, through the State Department, a document from the United States embassy in Berlin, announc- ing the establishment by the bundesrath of an obligatory quarantine of ruminating animals ard swine imported by sea. The action was taken in order to prevent the introduction of Texas fever, pulmonary ecnsumption, mange, sheeppox, swine pest, swine plague, foot and mouth diseases, etc. The duration of quarantine {s fixed at four weeks, and an additional period of observa- tion of five months at the place of destin- ation. The imperial chancellor, however, is empowered to reduced the time of quaran- tire as a special concession to ten days in the case of animals fiom couniries where these diseases do not at the time exist. In such cases there will be no observation period. In cases where there may be some special danger the entry of cattle will be forbidden altogether. The occurrence cf contagious diseases among animais in any quarantine station will result in immdi- ately stopping the admission of cattle thereto and the animals already there will be slaughtered and the station barred from further use until it is completely disin- fected. These quarantine regulations will go into effect October 1 next. Dr. Salmon, chief of th> bureau of animal industry, says these regulations have no particular significance for American ship- pers, as the importation into Germany of cattle from this country was prohibited altogether on the pretense of the presence of contagious diseases,among our caitle. He attributes the regulations, which are_ regarded as very elastic, to a desire to se- cure the importation of cattle by sea from other countries than the United States un- less the German government intenis to relieve this country after October | from the prohibitive decree now in force. —_——_—+ 2+ _____ LOANING MONEY TO ENLISTED MEN. Acting Secretary MeAdoo Examining Into the Charges Made. Acting Secretary McAdoo has under con- sideration today the record of the proceed- ings of the court of inquiry recently ap- pointed to irvestigate serious allegations ef usury on the part of subordinate officers of the pay department of the receiving ship Vermont, stationed at New York. It was charged that several of these officers had violated the regulations of the navy in many flagrant instances by advancing money to enlisted men and collecting ex- cessive rates of interest thereon, in some eases charging as high as 50 per cent on joans running only a few days. The result of the inyestigation will not be known until Acting Secretary McAdoo is prepared to announce bis course of action. If the charges are shown to have been substan. tiated, the officers implicated will be sub- jected to trial by court-martial, but in the event of their being proved groundless the department will drop the matter without further action. ——————2+_____ IN THOROUGH ACCORD. No Estrangement Between Architect Alken and His Chief Assistant. Sensational rumors have been current for several days past of a serious estrange- ment between Mr. Aiken, supervising architect of the treasury, and Mr. Kemper, the chief executive officer of that bureau, and both gentlemen have been very much annoyed thereat. In conversation with a Star reporter today Mr. Kemper stated in a most emphatic way that there was abso- lutely no foundation whatever for the re- pcrts in question. “The relations between Mr. Aiken and myself,” he said, “are of the pleasantest and most cordial character, rersonally es well as officially, and we are in thorough accord on all questions affect- ing the generai policy of the office.” ———+e. TEXAS’ PRIZE’ FIGHT LAW. By the New Civil Code Contests Are Allowed. DALLAS,Tex.,August 1.—Ex-Cirguit Judge Charles F. Ticker, who for many years sat upon the bench and greatly distinguished himself for his legal ability, and who is re- garded as having one of the clearest legal minds in Texas, states the law governing prize fighting as follows: “The last legislature adopted a new crim- inal code, in which it made prize fighting a misdemeanor, pun'shable with a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and im- prisonment for thirty days. This law went into operation July 29, just passed.. That |. legislature also subsequently passed a civil code, and in it enacted that a fight may take place by taking out a license of $500.- This law goes into effect September 1, or thirty days before the Corbett-Fitzsimmons contest. There ts no doubt our supreme court will hold that this is or will be the law after the first day of September. The civil code was adopted last, and therefore takes precedence over the other. This o) op or rather statement of facts about these laws is concurred in by every lawyer in Dallas who has read them, and it will be seen there is no power to prevent the fight taking place. Around headquarters today everything is quiet. The sale of seats goes merrily along, not to toughs, for they have no money to pay the price, but to railroad magnates and bank people. It is singular that more rall- way officials have bought tickets than any other class. i A Court-MartinI Ordered. . A general court-martial has been ap- pointed to meet at Fort McHenry, M4., to- morrow for the trial of such prisoners as may be brought before it. The detail for the court is: Col. Henry W. Closson, fourth artillery; Capt. Peter Leary, jr., fourth artillery; Lieuts. James L. Wilson, fourth artillery: Clarence Deams, fourth artillery; John M. Stotsenburg, sixth cavalry; Clar- ence C. Williams, fourth a: ery, and Adelbert Cronkhite, fourth artillery, judge advocate. ————___+e. To Meet in Atlanta, The first meeting of the government bosrd of management of the cotton st exposition, to be held in Atlanta, called for August 13. The board h has met in Washington, but its offic be removed to Atlanta, meytings held there. MR. ECKELS’ VIEW . He Declares Illinois Democrats Will Stand for Sound Money. SUBSIDENCE OF THE FREE SILVER TIDE It Goes Down Before the Golden Harvest of Corn. SPLIT IN SILVER RANKS Mr. James H. Eckels, controller of the currency, returned this morning from a trip to Illinois, during which he gathered some information as to the political situa- tion in that state. In conversation thig afternoon with a Star reporter Mr. Eckeld gave a summery of the result of his ob- servation, “The main feature of the outlook in Iili- rcis from a democratic standpoint,” said Mr. Eckels, “is that the state conyention which meets next year to select delegates to the national convention will not adopt a free silver platform and will not send free silver delegates to the national con- vention. This confident statement niay. sound strange in view of the action of the late Springfield convention, which declared so emphatically and apparently unani- mously for the free end unlimited coinage of silver, giving the impression that its declaration was the voice of the democracy of the state, but even in the short space of time which has elapsed since the action of that meeting there has been a remark- able change of sentiment in Illinois. “The free silver tide has subsided with a rapidity which has been appalling to those politicians who expected to float into power upen its crest. There are many reasong for the change of feeling, prominent among them the return of good times and a mag- nificent crop. I never saw such corn- fields as those gow flourishing in the state of Illinois. The farmers are busy and feel- ing good over the prospect of a plentiful harvest. They haven't time to keep up the free silver agitation, and without constant discussion and herd-times croaking the sentiment for the white metal dies a nat- ural death. “Another sizaificant fact is that the labor classes are abandoning the cause of silver. This is noticeably cpparent in Chicago, where a majority of the prcminent labor leaders are going over tc the side of sound money as being for the best interests of labor. With the farmers abandoning them and the labor organizations also, the free silver politicians are rapidly finding them- selves without a following. The campaign of +ducation in behalf of an honest cur- rency is beginning to tell, and the heresies of the free silver argument are rapidly be- ing repudiated by an intelligent people. “It is evident that a number of peo- ple who took part in the recent free silver manifsstation in Illinois already re- gret their action, and are trying to get eway from the responsibility attaching, They are realizing their mistake, and feel now that it was not the great public move- ment it was thought to be at the time of its occurrence. They overestimated the significance of the temporary craze and miscalculated its effect. Some people who went into the movement in all sincerity realize that they were led astray by. the politicians, and the large number whose partisanship ‘n oehalf of free siwer was due solely to political reasons are blaming the lack of perception which caused them to make such a mistake. A Division of Silver Force. Advices from other sources received by The Star tell of another phase of the situa- tion in Illinois, which fs interesting at this time. It is raid that the free silver wing of the democratic party of that state, which was responsible for the recent free silver convention, has suffered a split. There are now two factions in, that wing of the party, headed, rerpectively, by Gov. Altgeld and his secretary of state, Mr. Hinrichsen. The division is credited to petsonal differences between the two offi- cials, generated, it is alleged, by political jealousy. Immediately after the Springfield convention there were indicatiors of trou- He between Gov. Altgeld and his brainy and ambitious .jeutenant. While the free silver movement in Iilinois was supposed to be headed by Gov. Altgcld, the events of the convention demorstrated that it was a question whether Gov. Altgeld had more influence than Mr. Hinrichsen, with the indications somewhat in favor of Mr. Hin- richsen. This was especially the case with the country delegates, who were conspic- vously lukewarm toward the governor and his following of Chicago ward heelers. 4 Hinrichsen and Altgel It is reported that Mr. Hinrichsen was surprised and delighted at the manifesta- tion of his new-found influence, while the gcvernor was no less surprised, but also very much alarmed at it, and this mutual discovery was the cause of an“imniediate coolness. It is said the governcr vetoed a bill which was a pet measure with Mn Hinrichsen and this did not mend mat- ters. Then the gcvernor called an extra session of the legislature without consult- ing his secretary of state and against his well-known wishes. The next move of ag- gression was made by Mr. Hinrichsen, who sided with Governor Altgeld’s oppenents in the matter of the selection of a speaker of the house after the death of Speaker Meyers. Thus, in little ways, the breach has been growing wider between the two and the matter is being taken up by their respective followers in a partisan manner. The prospects are said to be very favora- ble for a wide division, resulting in a com- plete dissolution of the Altgeld free silver party, some of them going back into the regular organization and others following radical leaders and ultimately bringing up in the populist party. The outlook, it is said, is regarded with a great deal of cai placency by the sound money democrats, who see prospects of shattering the Alt- geld influence and reorganizing the badly disrupted democracy upon old lines of strength. ee MAY BRING ABOUT A CLASH. Ameticans Take Disputed Territory im Venezuela. ST. PAUL, Minn., August 1.—Donald Grant, M. F. Clapp, W. H. Fisher and J. A. Bowman of this state have returned from Venez2ula, where they closed negotia- tions for the operation of a syndicate.which ‘will open that country to American capital and give American manufacturers and wholesalers a larger market and closer connections with all northern Soutn Amer- ica than ever before. Part of the conces- sion which is granted to this syndicate, it will be remembered, is claimed by Great Bow that the negotiations have been closed and the syndicate organized, as the Orinoco Company, it will demand full pro- tection of all its land from the linited States government. This is entirely likely, say the concessionaires, to force an issue on the question of the Monroe doctrine be- tween this country and Great Britain. The concession on the ees co river is said to ° ny million Mee ayndicane 1 be obliged, under the ns of concessions, to induce cvionists to te, and they wili open the mines. The er are largely on disputed soil, ap it is said, quickly bring on conf’ British authorities. with