Evening Star Newspaper, October 29, 1895, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th Street, by The Evening Star Newspaper Company, 8. H. KAUFFMANN, Pres Seo New York Office, 49 Potter Building. The Evening Star is served to subscribers In the elty by carriers, on their own account, at 10 cents per wee. cr 44 ceuts per month, Copies at the counter 2 vents cach. Hy miail—anywhere in the United States or Canada—postage prepaid—30 ceuis per month. * Saturday Quintupl+ Sheet Star, $1 per year, with fereign postage added, $3.00. (Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., as second-class mail matter.) > All mail subseriptions must be paid In advance. Rates vf advertising made kncwn on application. Che Loening Star. No. 13,308. WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1895-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS. Look on page 8 for the twentieth installment of “When the War Was Over.” $500 for the cor- rect solution of the mystery by a woman reader. SUICIDE OR ACCIDENT Frederick Cushman’s Body Found on the Sidewalk. _— HE MAY HAVE JOMPED 70 HIS DEATH Another Theory That He Fell From the Window While Asleep. ae NO INQUEST TO BE HELD SS An action which seems of too horrible a character to have been ¢; d out by a person in his sobe> seuses, but yet which is surreunded by cireum es that point very strongly to suicide, irred abont 3 northwest, and resu in the de Frederick H. Cushman, well known in this city as steward of the Richmond, the Co- mbia Athletic Club, the Down Town Club and for the past month of the Elsmere. Found on the Pavement. A colored man passing along 1th st et 4 o'clock a.m. discovered the pros form on the pavement in front of the hou menticned. The structure i: dow brick, three stories in height, with a small parking in fron? inclo an iron railing. The body was lying in the gateway. The colored ma was startled over the incident and hastened down the street in search of aid. He met Mr. Martin Cronin, and together they recurned to the body. A bright light was burning in @ room ‘in the third story of house 708, di- rectly over the front door. Successive rings of the door bell aroused the land- lady, Mrs. Mary W. DeMaine, who Ss asked regarding the occupant of the thi story room. By the aid ef a match the landlady identitied the prostrate form us one of her roomers, Frederick H. Cush men. Dr. Phebe R. Norris resides in the house, and was hastily aroused. The & tor, upon examinatica, found that Cus man was dead, his head being mashed al- Most to a jelly, with the brain oozing out. A small crowd hed gathered by this time, and upen the arrival of a policeman patrol wagon was summoned and the body removed to the morgue. Preceding Circumstances. ec 30 o'clock this morning at 70S 10th street th of ed Cushman, as stated, occupied a small hall room on the upper floor of the house. According to Mrs. De Maine, he returned home about 1 o'clock last went at once to his room. Nothins more was heard of him until the body was found, although Mrs. De Matne and sev- eral others in the house we wroused about E and, the on oO when evening and which th thought for a rumble of an earthquake. doubtedly caused by Cushman, he jumped or accidentally fell from the window of h's room, struck the iron s' leading to the front door with terr w! force, landing on his head and rebounding to the sidewalk. An examination of his reom he policeman, who was the fi iv to enter, showed that the brightly, the bed undisturbed, the room perfect order, with the ception that the water pitcher w 1 the content: spilled over the carpet. Cushman had re moved his coat a it s lying on the bed. There was found in the room a note addressed to Mr. George T. Stoner, and also four empty whisky hottles. nhappy rricd Life. Cushman was a married man, but fact that he had not been living with wife for some time, and that she ber 25 last, filed suit for divorce, m story of his death of more than pa The deceased iS stewa States Hotel in Hartford tc About eleven year: city and married Mis: wughter of Charles H. SafYell, plitan police foree, but at p ng native of Con- of the United sixteen years. and Trust Company building. They have one child, a boy nam Fred. age. Soon after his m ome steward of Barnum's Hotel, in Baltimore, and rema ed here for four ars. He re- turned to Hartford, Iut again came to Washington to accept a pi Richmond. In the fall of 1 the employ of the Down Town , and was with that organization until a few Months ago. After being out of work eral weeks he w ed by the propr Ismere a mo: th kis wife and child, at M1 H street nor bout six mi hs ago a quarters at 924 K street northwest. separation cecurred jon thereafter a Cushman left the He returned six ago and er the room at 708 1th where he had resided with his wife and child about two years Said to Have Been a Hare It is said that Cushman lived very unhappily, and d seven y had rated repeatedly. It is claimed 1 of the wife that Mr. inker, and that Drinke nd wife ring the past his nable to lon according to the s man, September last. thro E. B. H tiled suit for diverc e withheld from pub own that the only charge maie wa sertion. The friends of the dead man, howev maintain that he was not a hard drink pe could be and was as upright found anywhere. He had me quently of lat abou be ett wee! » cor nd a trial thirt a view of again | riled to see her last t KX street northwes eral hours, ap- pearing i He had b ver. Before leaving the how appointment to meet his little hoy after school today and go with him to purc shoes. It was 1 o'clock when he left the presence of his wife, and an hour later, in an intoxicated condition, he entered his room in the house on 10th street. ¢ Suicide Theory. t Cushman was not entirely h his wife lends weighf to it being thought that fact that he on while on pro- 1 his life. The fact th: sober when v the suicide thi S$ not the sort of a man although he had gone vie The to take his ¢ through con: found in the room adhir was without date, and the sligh’ This coat si There he abering for sever of the window. No Inquest Necessary. . Cushinan was ed wita grief being informe the sad affai roner Hammett decided that an inqu fell s 1, after 1 ho pled out was unnecessary, and the body in charge by Undertaker Sp funeral will be strictly y 2s will be held tomorrow afteraooa at 8:20 o'clock at 924 K street. ATTITUDE OF THE SOUTH Republican Delegates to the Nominating Convention Will Not Be Aggressive, The Party’s Success to Be Considered Rather Than Preferences for Individual Candidates. Speculation is now and then indulged in respecting the relative strength in the south of the candidates for the republican n>mina- tion for the presidency. It is only specula- tion. There 1s Kittle, if anything, of a defi- nite nature to go on. Missionary tonrs lave not yet begun, and until these have been made and the r 'S ascertained one inan’s guess will be accounted pretty nearly as good as another's. Altitude of the Sou he The = ion has come to a representa- tive of ar from a well-known republi- can oft ‘ction that the south in the next national convention of that party to occupy an attitu s hkely of inquiry and patience Sressive kirg making. on than hereto! teism that is always be- too loudly in the index, id this gentleman, who is lkely to be a delegate to the next convention: re of the south- ill be to trong: those ern republicans next year vin what man would prove idential candidate in he must look for thi That will be the point I readily concede it. ate to do so? Any good republican anding for the party's principles ougat to satisfy us. The Party’s Success. “The thing to be considered is the party's success at the polls, and, as our chances, as matters stand, are against our being able to do much for the candidate there, why should we assist in manipulating the convention so as to bear a decisive part in m?_I, for one, am opposed to any and shall use my influence to nt it if it I have no de: proposed. belittle my party in my section, of course, to nor do I propose that its delegates go to the next envention and simply suck their thumbs and lock on, But we ought not to earry ourselve as to foment factional strife, or to permit ourselves to be used toward isting a man upon the party as its can- te who is not thoroughly and entirely ceceplable to those sections upon which he nd for his election. We are to be s willing and certain to do all we ybody the convention mi nd if we succeed in rendering at the polls, so much the t ed on us and us to dering ihe problem of su hence it will work no injust ve us in to sure out of the caicula- the nomination.” iil Go Uninstructed. “You think, then, that the southern re- publicans will, as a rule, go to the next de. At any rate, 1 most earnestly they may. They ought to go there to consult about the party’s good, and not to the: idual_ preferences. hould be the attitude of trom one section as from another, but in sections reliably reyfublican it is only natural that individual prefer- should be presented and demand at- But this view of the snized lead: img a eatest strength in the south?” and McKinley the Best Known. the s day the-gr Harrison “Nobody can safely answer that. Gen. Harrison and Gov. McKinley are person- ally the best known to the local leaders. Both have visited the south. Gov. Morton has just made a visit to Atlanta, but is something of a stranger to our people. Neither Mr. Reed nor Mr. Alliso down to 2 us, though both are in high ute with our people. But what should r preference as among so admirable a What man among them who, if nominated and elected next year, would fail as President to treat the south right? should not the southern republicans, being true, hold back and let the test onzl popularity be made where the sion of the question will signify has been INSPEC The vernment to Look the Pl: nad Its Imp: ce yvements Over Carefully. Maj. W. Cooper of the miscelianeous ivision in the Interior Department has n designated by Secretary Smith to make a special inspection of the govern- meat works and leased properties at the Hot Springs of Arkansas. The improve- at the Hot Springs have been in of the miscellaneous division for and Mr. Cooper is most thoroughly informed as to the history of the develop- ments there. There remains on the government appropriation for buildings, highways and other improvements at the springs now $30,000, $90,000 having been t th hin the last year or two. fhe expenditure of the fund on hand will depend muc on Maj. Cooper's report. While the Secretary has the fullest conti- in the eiliciency and integrity of Mr. superintendent of the Hot vservation, Maj. Cooper has been instructed to secure quarters outside of the hotels belonging to lessees from the gov- ernment and e his inspection as thorouzh as p. . no limit being placed upon the time allowed for the purpose. oe Army Orders. Leave of absence for four months has been granted Major William S. McCaskey, twentieth infantry, with permission to ap- ply for an extension of two months. Col. Charles C. Byrne, assistant surgeon eneral, gen ordered to make inspec- ion of tlie sanitary condition of the mili- tary posts at Governor’s Island, David's Isiand, Fort Hamilton, Fort Schuyler, Fort Columbus and Fort Wadsworth, New York harber f of absence granted Lieut. Tv 1 x: Owen, fourteenth infantry, has been first infantry, has six mouths’ leave of absence on to so abroad. Castle on the E: the Hawaiian minister, true that ex-Queen Li idence in some other country, ably southern Europe. She is no longer isoner in Honolulu, and is not in her movements. Inasmuch, as her Income does not exceed 5 r, Minister Castle is inclined to deubt the report that she proposes to pur- a summer and a winter home in ister ++ Patents Allowed. Patents were allowed to Washington In- ventors today as follows: J. D. Hyer, as- signor to M. bray, Boston, Mass., lacing stud; A. M. Coyle, pumping apparatus; George L. Favorite, car fender; Samuel R. Scharf, railway track; Malone Whele electrié are lamp; Malone Whel are jone Wh W. Creecy, electric arc Paul of Frostburg, Md., apparatus for man- ufacturing gas. M hand of; IN A DOUBLE ROLE Holmes, the Suspected Murderer, Exhibits Remarkable Nerve. ABILITY SHOWN AS HIS OWN COUNSEL Beginning the Taking of Testimony in the Pitezel Case. UNUSUAL COURT SCENE —— PHILADELPHIA, Pa., October 29.—It is Holmes everywhere today. The whole city is agog ever yesterday's sensational devel- opments in this remarkable case. So, in spite of judicial orders that only those hav- ing business with the case should be ad- mitted to the court room, in spite of the presence of a phalanx of big reserve po- licemen and an increased force of court officers to keep away the morbidly curi- ous, that self-willed and independent entity known as the general publie surged and struggled and kicked {ts way along the corridors of the big city hall in an effort to catch a glimpse of the outer door of the reom in which the strangest criminal nar- rative of the age is being gradually un- folded. This was the natural consequence of yes- terday’s events, when the prisoner, finding himself abandoned by his counsel at the Holmes From a Recent Photograph. ver: t moment, displayed the nerve which has invariably characterized him, and undertook his own defense. The result was not what most persons expected. Instead of the case thereby degenerating into a farce, as- his recent attorneys had predicted, the gaunt and pallid prisoner in the dock revealed a quickness of percep- tion and an instinct of self-defense in the arply-put questions of which many a oung barrister would be proud. And so far had his pleadings for right and justice met recognition that a little table provided with pens, ink and paper was placed in the prisoners’ dock that he might have all the privileges ordinarily accorded to at- torney: With ~ man of less nerve force and brain power then Holmes, acting the composite role of prisoner at the bar and counsel for the defense, the -spectacle would indeed have been farcical. But not for an instant does he lose control of himself. Be it thrust or parry from the court or from the keen and scornful cfficers of the commonwealth, Holmes is equal to the emergency and the ener somehow feels that he does not get altogether the worst of the argument. At 1) o'clock the jury was brought into the room and, Judge Arnold appearing a moment later, court was formally opened. Meantime Holmes, in the custody of a court officer, was placed in the dock. He show i no change in personal appearance neanor from yesterday, and while the was pronouncing the stereotyped formula which declares the court open and concludes with the prayer, “God save the commonwealth and this honorable court?” Holmes stocd up in the lock, his han clasped in front of him and his head slight- ly inclined. He busied himself for some ements afterward arranging his paper: in lawyer-like fashion on the desk in of him, and reading over notes or perhaps his defense, so far as arranged by himseif last night in the dismal solitude of his cell. The day’s proceedings were begun by District Attorney Graham, who arose and said to the court: “I desire to say to the court in view of what was said last nignt before the adjournment of court, that the lady, known as Miss Yoke and Mrs. How- ard, was sent for, saw the prisoner and ample opportunity for an interview ith him. Holiwes Contradicts the District At- torney This is the woman concerning whom there was a warm passage-at-arms last evening between Mr. Graham and Holmes, the iat- ter declaring that the woman was his wife and that Mr. Graham had done all in his power to separate them. When Mr. Graham Concluded Holmes said that he had only had a three-minute inier- iew with the woman, and asked that it be renewed during the noon recess. His re- quest was granted. Then the prisoner asked that a plan be produced of the Callowhill street house, in which he is alleged to have murdered Ben- jamin F. Pitezel. The district attorney sald such a pian was in court and would be produced at the proper time. “I also ask,” Holmes continued, “that a quantity of the liquor which Mr. Graham said I used in my efforts to exterminate the Pitezel family be submitted to analysis. I want to prove that while it contains a mall quantity of nitro-slycerine, it is en- irely harmless, and is sold in every drug store.” “Do_vou mean the liquor you M Pitezel in Burlington, Vt.?"" ‘Yes. “That has never been in my possession.” Then came another request from the pris- oner. He wanted to know if during the tes- timony of one witness all the others should not he excluded from the court rooin. Judge Arnold answered ‘hat this would be done if the exigency arose. Taking Testimony. There was a lull for a moment, and then began the big work of the trial—the taking of testimony. Jeannette Pitezel, ‘‘Dessa,” the daughter of the dead man, was the first witness called. She is a slender, pale girl, of about seventeen, and was neatly attired in dark gray. Sne was called merely to identify several large crayons of her father, which she did. “Cross-examine,” said the district attor- ney. of have no questions now replied Holmes, but when told that “now or never” was the time to question the witness, at least en the picture question, he aske: “Are these good pictures of your father as you last saw him, or two years before?” I last saw him. ‘That is all.” John Townsend, a photographer em- ployed in the detective service, and Wm. H. Kau, a private photographer, then ider- tified photographs of Holmes taken by them after his arrest. Eugene Smith, who found Pitezel’s body in the Caliowhill street house on Sep- tember 4, 1894, then told a detailed story of his discovery, which has been already fully published. He had become acquainted with the dead man on August 22, 1394, jeft with through business con¢erning patents which Pitezel was supposed to have held. He saw lim several times during the following week. Witness drew a packet of papers frem his pocket. When he came to the dates Holmes objected to his referring to them unless they were in his own hand- writing. Smith admitted that the papers had been “prepared,” and the court sus- tained the objection, . Pitezel’s Remains Exhumed. Smith said that dgring his first visit to Pitezel, whom he knew ty the name of Perry, Holmes came in, and after giving a rod or sign to Pitezel went upstairs. A moment later Pitezel excused himself and fcllowed him. He returned very shortly, but Holmes remained upstairs. The wit- ress was present when the corpse of Pite- zel was cxhumed from the potter's field, ard was there first introduced to Holmes. Lawyer Howe of St. Louis, Alice Pitezel, the young daughter, and the insurance of- ficers were there. The body was recognized by the witness a8 Pitezel’s. Holmes offer- ed $30 to have the corpse cremated, and asked Howe about it. The lawyer answer- ed that the widow would first have to be consulted. Holmes told the insurance peo- ple of the marks of idertification, and after the body had been dug up he pulled out a laree and cut a wart end other marks frcm the corpse. At this time witness had recognized Hclmes as the man he had seen go upstairs in the Callowrill street house. Holmes Cross-Examining. Holmes, on cross-examiration, asked a number of immaterial questions, but show- ed much legal skill in their construction. He presented a strange picture, standing in the dock with his pencil leveled at the witress, trying to confuse him. He asked that the plan of the house be produced here, and Witness Smith temporarily made way for Marshall R. Pugh, an engineer in the bureau of surveys, who had drawn the plan, and was called to identify it. Smith then continued his testimony, and Hclmes sought to prove that he could not, frem the place where he sat, have seen him go upstairs on the day referred to, but the witness adhered to his original state- ment. Holmes submitted Smith to a long and searching cross-examination, dwelling upon every point of the testimony adduced py the commonwealth, but the witness was urshaken, Dispute Over Excluding Witnexses. Eventually becoming exasperated at his inability in this respect, and in consequence of an immaterial word from Mr. Graham, Holmes exclaimed: “I object to the blood- thirsty manner in whteh the district attor- ney and this witnéss are trying to draw the inference that rushed into this pot- ter’s field and mutilated the dead body of my frier: You are drawing the inference your- self,” said Mr. Graham, * Dr. Wm. J. Scott was called, and at thi juncture Holmes renewed his plea to ha witnesses, except the qne*on the stand, ex- cluded from the room. Mr. Graham objected to this, and Holmes, without a change 6f expression, but wi infinite sm, said; “I would like to know whether you\*Mr. Graham, or the honorable court is te make the rulings in this case. I have been @nxious to know this since the trial began.” Judge Arnold uphelé the district attorney, and Holmes asked for gn@ was granted an exception to the ruling. Holmes compromiged by asking that the witnesses connected’ with the murder of Benjamin F. Pitezeli be Sweluded. This was granted him, and aS Holmes called out the names of these witnésses they left the room. : * Not having a full list of the witnesses, however, he was suspicious that all had not left, and, i Spite of the district attor- ney’s protestations, he pressed the ter earnestly, addressing himself principally to the court and ignoring Mr. Graham. “I wish I could get the prisoner to un- derstand,” finally femarked Mr. Graham, “that somebody in this case Is acting hon- estly.” The examination of Dr. Scott was ahout to be resumed, when the district attorney arose and said to the court: “In view of the circumstances of this case, and the evident desire to create sym- pathy for the prisoner, I mean, as a mat- ter of grace to him because he is without counsel, to ask all the witnesses connected with any part of the case to retire. Were he to be represented by counsel, I would fight such a proceeding at every step.’ After the witnesses lad all left the room Holmes asked if his. wife was to be a wit- ness. “Again I must ask,” Said the district at- terney, ‘which wife you mean? “You know,” responded Holmes, with a flush of anger. “The woman you see fit to designate as Miss Yoke, thereby casting a slur upon her and myself. That woman ts my wife.” ; “You cast a slur on her,’ Mr. Graham retorted, “when you married her with two wives living. I call her by the name she ‘nat is for her to say,” said Holmes. “Well, she is not in the court room,” con- cluded the prosecutor, “and I decline to say whether or not she will be a witness.”” Dr. Scott's Story. Dr. Scctt was ghen permitted to tell his story, which concerned his having besa called in to examine Pitezel’s body after its Giscovery. He explained the situation of the’ room and the arrangement of the win- dows, so that the ‘sun's rays would fall upon the corpse and hasten decomposition, together with the position of the burns on the body, the broken jar, pipe, ete. He verified the prosecution's assertion of yesterday that the pipe could not fall from the lips of Pitezel to the place where it was found, and could not have broken by an explosion, because the pieces of glass were rot scattered about the room, but were in- side of the jar. The doctor dwelt upon the discovery of chloreform in the stomach, and said large quantities of the drug had been used, and, from the congested condi- tion of the lungs and the empty heart, it was apparent that the.man had met a sud- den and violent death from chloroform poisoning. At the end of Dr, Scott's examination in chief the court took a recess from 11:10 to 2:30 o'clock. — All the Persons Rescued. Supt. Kimball of the life-saving service received a telegram yesterday saying that the life-saving crew at St, Joseph, Mich., had finally eifected, the rescue of all the persons on the’ steamer Pearless, stranded near that station in the big storm on Lake Michigan. Forty persons in all were brought safely ashore: Invited fo, Boston. Secretary Herbert ‘has been invited to attend a banquet at Boston the 15th prox- imo and make an address in regard to the enlargement of the Boston navy yard and the improvement of the harbor adjacent. Contract “Awarded. John Pierce of New York has been awarded the contract tor the stone and brick work of the bas:ment and area walls of the post office at Buffalo, N. Y., at his bid of $57 Notice fo Subscribers. Subscribers are earnestly requested to report any irregularity in che de- livery of The Star and also any failure on the part of the carrier to ring the door bell. A proper service can only be main- tained through the courtesy of sub- seribers in reporting shortcomings. TWO LABOR LEADERS Messrs, Sovereign and McGuire Talk on Politics and Cuba. GREAT SYMPATHY FCR THE INSURGENTS Many Knights of Labor Are Afford- ing Active Assistance. HOW NEW YORK MAY GO General Master Workman Sovereign of the Knights of Labor today reached Wash- ington to attend, with Messrs. T. B. Mc- Guire of New York and H. B. Martin of this city, an informal meeting of the ex- ecutive board for the purpose of looking over various reports preparatory to sub- mitting them to the General Assembly at its approaching session here. Mr. Sovereign has been ill for a long time at Sulphur Springs, Ark., to which place he has removed his family from his for- mer home at Des Moines, Iowa. His sick- ness was caused by a general breaking down, the result of continued speaking during last summer. In talking to a Star reporter Mr. Sov- ereign said the K. of L. throughout the country are in much better condition at this time than they have been for several years past, and that some district assem- bDlies that have not“Leen represented at the meetings of the General Assembly for several years will have their delegates at the coming convention. . Excitement in Kentucky. In coming to Washington Mr. Sovereign traveled through Kentucky, where, he says, the political excitement {s so intense that it can hardly be described. Continu- ing, Mr. Sovereign said: ‘The republicans are claiming the state, the democrats are also claiming it, and I would not be sur- prised if the citizens’ ticket is successful. The latter ticket is really on a populist platform, and the organization seems to have attracted to it an ii of voters, who are dissati old. parties, but whether there will be enough votes cast for the citizens’ nominee, Mr. Pettit, on election day to elect him is more than I am prepared to Say Sympathy for Cuba. Referring to the subject of the Cuban insurrection Mr. Sovereign said: “My sym- pathies, and I believe those of the mem- bers of the K. of L. generally, are heartily in favor of the Cubans in their struggle for independence. There are in our order many assemblies composed ent of Spanish Americans. I have received letter from many of these asking if, should they extend sympathy in a practical way to the Cubans, ‘such action would be regarded as inimical to the order. I have replied to ail such communications that the writers and those represented by them should go ahead if they desired, and as thé result the mem- bers of the assemblies in Key West, ‘Tam- pa, Galveston and many other places in the southwest, as well as on the Pacific coast, have gone to Cuba to fight the Spaniards. The truth is that the Spaniards have op- pressed the Cubans so long and treated thera so badiy that they have aroused the sympathies of the lai majority of the people of the United tes, who will be glad, I firmly believe, to welcome the es tablishment of a Cuban republic. Mr. MeGulre’s Vi Mr. T. B, McGuire of the executive board of the K. of L., who was present during The Star reporter's interview with Mr. Sovereign, . said, referring to the Cuban trouble: “It has always appeared to me that Ire- mense number lied with the two lard and Cuba are in the sz t, both having for years upon year: hed plies for the use of the aristocracy of Eng- land and Spain, respectively, where in Eoth instances the people of the two islands are looked down upon by their m. Leve that the people of the Uni d States are tired of having either kings or queens or their representatives ruling the inhabi- tants of any part of the American centi- nent.” King of home affairs, Mr. McGuire Iam a populist, but there are only about 20,000 of us in New York state, so we do not cut much figure in poll . At however, my impress.on that the republicans will carry the d Tammany tlall the city of New The ety ofiics: re at this time pr: well emptied of the rriends of Tammany, and wienever that hag oc- curred in the past Tammany Hall man- aged to get its forees together and get back into powef.”” TO BE DUPLICATED. Washington Mail Burned in the New- port, Pa., Wreck, The Post Office Department has rece! a quantity of mail that was fished out the canal after the wreck at Newport, P: of cated all its mail known to be on train. Mr, Grant, assistant superintendent of the railway mail service, today explai ed the extent of the destruction of mail sent from Washington. The train up from Ashington over the Pennsyivania road, ing the Washington mail that closes at 2 p.m., meet ach of which re ne fi Wednes that t Harrisburg two trains, nty-one newspaper sacks, near which were burned up. The pouches and sacks destroyed were destined as follows: St. Louis, two sacks; California, one pouch, two sacks; Colorado, one pouch, two sacks: Missouri, two pouches, two sacks; Mexico, one sack; Texas, one pouch, one sack kansas, two sacks; Arizona, two Kansas, one pouch, two sacks; Indi: ritory, two sacks. There was also destroy- ed one pouch and two sacks containing mall for points in central Ohio, Indiana and Il- Mnois aud various southwestern points, Washington merchants who mailed let- ters to the points named on the date of the accident will be on the safe side to dupli- cate all such correspondence. o- Engineer Corps Promotions. First Lieut. D. D. Gaillard, the young en- gineer officer who is assisting Maj. Davis In the care and improvement of the Washing- ton aqueduct and accessories, will be pro- moted to the grade of captain in the corps of enzineers in consequence of the volun- tery retirement, yesterday, of Capt. Car F. Palfrey. Lieut. Gaillard has heen or- dered to examination for promotion. Oth- er omotioas caused by the retirement of Capt. Palirey are Second Lieuts. Spencer Crosby to be tirst Heutenant, and Add.tional Second Lieut’ Robert P. Johnston to be second lieutenant. Retirements. and deaths hav- made promotions in the engineer corps rap d beyond all precedent during the past year. Killed by Claim Jumpers. George S. Doane, agent at Quapaw, In- dian territory, has informed the Indian office that a native policeman was killed on the reservation when attempting to remove Hugh and Emma Hedges from the aliot- ment of land belonging to the Cardin chil- dren. The killing was done by Amos Val- lier, a Quapaw Indian. It is stated at the Indian oilice that the courts of the terri- tory will have to prosecute the man who did the shooting. CONGRESSIONAL STATIONERY Controller Bowler Decides It Cannot Be Drawn Until Oongress Meets. The Usual Practice Not to Be Followed Now—A Circular Letter on the Subject. Controller Bowler has now tackled Con- gress. He has had something to say about members’ stationery accounts and nothing can be drawn by them on their allowance until Congress meets. He has decided that they are not entitled to any until that time. Prior {o the Forty-fifth Congress sometimes members elect did not draw their salaries from the 4th of March to the Ist of Decem- ber until after Congress convered, and then they got it in bulk for that period. During the Forty-fifth Congress, however, a pro- vision of law was made that members should be paid monthly from the beginning of their term on the 4th of March. Since then they have been permited to draw their compensation, including stationery al- icwance, each month as it came due,regard- less of the fact that they had not had an opportunity to take the oath. All during the summer preceding the mecting of a new Congress it has been the custom for members to send to the proper officer of the Nowse for ationer: nd it is one of the vrivileges thought h of, especially by members-clect who have not served before. Mr. Bowler now ys that the members of the present Congress shall not have the privilege. He has decided that, while their salaries may be paid them by the month, they may not draw any stationery, unless they pay for it cash in Consequently the following form of letter is sent to every member applying for sta- tionery: STATIONERY ROOM, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE . 8. Washington, D. favor of the —-, ordering sta- is at hand. The cost of the sta- tionery order#d is set forth in the memoran- dum at the foot hereof. It amounts in the aggregate to $—. As the law has been construed, and as we understand it, we can only send you the goods upon receiving payment in advance. The goods are the property of the United States, and as the law is construed, the right of a member-elect to stationery does not vest until he has been sworn in at the opening of the session. The right to sta- tonery is an entirety, and not hke a met lary, divisible. This has been di: uinctly so ruled by the controller of the ury. u desire it, we will, on receipt of the forward you the goods at your risk expense. Very respectfully yours, THE +--+ BATTLE SEIP MAINE. A Statement by Secretary Herbert as to Alleged Detects, Secretary Herbert has made the following statement in regard to alieged defests in the battle ship Maine: “The vessel was designed to be on an even keel at her normal draught of twenty-one feet six inches with 400 tons of coal on board. She has now been fully loaded with over SW) tons‘of coal and her draught forward is two feet five ches greater than aft. is ts. common. Many other ships when fully are down by the head more or less. When the p has been at sea for a fow this will be corrected in by us.ng the coal, whi taken from the forward p: It would, of course, b should not be Gown by the head much as she is be corr the use of the after trimning tank pr for th's purpose, and by some shifting to the aft store rooms, not now used. It perhaps be also necessary to add some permanent balla to the pr the Maine to star- i matter of importance. adjusiment of nta and Boston very serviceable there is a list ie, and this is cor- vessels both 1: we'ghts in 1 ha both proved to . but in each of th ly double that of the rected by loading. be hes when unloaded about seven degrees, or near- ly double the list of the Maine. frigate United State: vessel in her day, med twent her fali The old which was a splendid required to be trm- by her head to xet — Personal M Miller, Mrs. Jennes apostle, is re from this city, although she came over in New York this morning. Mrs. Miller is building a resid. here and likes the apital so well that she already claims it as her home. the dress stercd at the Riggs House reform iS. T. Howland of w York and C. C. Cole of Des Moines are at the Riggs Hou: Mr. and M in of Quit - and Mr Philadeiphia 2 Among the recent arrt ton are Mr. and Mrs. H. K. Barker of New York, Mr. and M Wm. P. Wescott of City and Wm. B. Brown of Cleve- nn and Miss Nellie are at the Arlington. i. Montgomery of at the Arlington, wus at the Arli land. Madame Melba and Madame Scale! donnas, are at Miss Page and Mis: delphia at the Shoreham, F. 1b. De Berard ana Mrs. Berard of New ¥ arrived at the Shoreham this morn- and Mrs. James R. Lathrop of New are stopping at the Shoreham. May Robson, Miss Ida Conquest and Gale, the actr are guests at Page's. Mr. and Mrs. George W. Birch of Brook- lyn and E. B. Kemp and A. J. MeBlair of New York are recent arr at Page’ A party of Boston tiseers Visiting Washington and sojourning at the Ebbitt comprises Mrs. Arthur Hinds, Mis Noy Miss S. Frank King, Miss Sar Bates and Mr. Frank K. Nash. J.J. Hendrickson of New York and Miss R. J. Hend KSOn are Recent arrivals at the Ebbitt are Mr, and Mrs. J. R. Van Nest and J. R. Van : jr., of East Orange, N. J., W. M. Taylor of Staunton and J. E. Fleming of Morgan- town, W. V. Tazewell Ellett and F. B. Jacobs of Rich- mond are recent arrivals at the Raleigh. McC. Young of Frederick, Md., Robert Bruce Moorman of Rcanoke, Va., and W. H. Francis of Philadelphia are among the guests at the Raleigh. C. Adrian Grant of Virginia Raleigh. Mr. Wm. B. Hibbs, who has been !n poor health for some time, will go to Asheville the latter part of the week to recuperate. Mr. W. A. Henton, international secre- tary of the colored dey: nt of the Y. M.C. A,, lefi the city last night for Rich mond, Va., to complete arrangements for the mference of the ociations of Vir- ginia, North Carolina and the District of Columbia from the Ist to the 4th of No- vembe Josiah L. Pearcy, United States consul at Colon, plombia, is among the guests at the St. James. tative A. C. Harmer and Mrs. have arrived at the Oxford for the t the Ebbitt. is at the of engineers, re- ity t morning froin an w York, turned to this official visit to Messrs. John Henderson and W. McGill, jr.. of French street have return: from an extended hunting trip in upper Maryland. They report game as plentiful. and they had abundant ess, bageing a large amount. Dr. Abbott S. Payn of New York is in the city for a few days, visiting his parents. j olula, SALISBURY’S REPLY An Impression That’ It May Be Evasive, Not Aggressive, WILL AVOID A CRISIS IF POSSIBLE Why He Waats an Alliance With This Government. NO TRADE TO BE MADB ee ee ‘The impression seems to preva‘l in official and diplomatic circles that the reply of Lord Salisbury to Mr. Olney’s notes will be differert than indicated by the semi-off- cial utterances of the London papers. It is lieved that those utterances correctly rep- resented the attitude Lord Salisbury was disposed to take, but the Impression is grow- ing that he think better of it, an] give ther an evasive reply or refrain from any “gressive course calculated to join the is- sue. It is quite possible that the Britsh for- eign office did not feel sure at first that Mr. Olney meant all that was said in the note, There ts a well-known disposition on the part of the British government to consider the acts of the administration of the United States during that period when the issues of a presidential campaign are being jo'néd as purely buncombe, for home consumption. It is well understood in England that th ministration would be greatly benefited if it could awake a new popular issue before the campaien of °9%, and Lord Salisbury may have been disposed to regard the pres- ent move in that hi. If so, it is said he has been thcroughly undeceived and brought to a realization of the fact that the pttituje taken in the Olney letter is the one that the department intends to occupy, and that a peremptory rejection of it would inevitably lead to trouble. Will Avoid a Crisis if Possible. It is not certain that this will lead Lor@ bury to a more pacific policy, but the reasons why Great Britain should not seck a conflict with the United States are re- garded as potent enough to ca’ him to void a ertsis if possible. The recently more concil‘atory tone of the London press and the manifest desire of Lord Salisbur et con= to this country of his dreamed-of ‘e are looked upon as ind. e modification of hs tir to the policy u and the complcations it may invelve may tend to make Britain more concilia- tory toward the United State it is very well understood here now that Lord Salisbury would yield a great deal in all boundary d'sputed if there were ony hepe of securing an alliance with the United States which would rei-eve her frcm possible embarrassments with other powe' it become evidenwtait the dcetrine of “no entangling alliances” by the Unite? States is even less to her Hik- ing than is the Monroe doctrine. If th government would waive the first so far as. to join with Great Britain, the other doc- irme would be readily accepted. » Purpose to Trade. It is understood, however, that the ad= in'strition is net interested in this ase of the question, any more than as it S that the British government is. xious to have a conflict with us. There is no purpose to make a trade for the recognition of the Monroe doctrine. As far as the Venezuelan boundary dis- pute is concerned, this country has no in- terest in securing a ecncession of territory te Venezuela if that territery belongs to Great Bri ly is seeing that Great not take what she cannot es- right It is the principle, and not the p » that is being con- d for. If Salisbury sisis that not called upou to answer to us for the validity of tUe before appropriating the disputed territory, that will «rectly jcin the issue made the Secretary of State. It is ins sted that there is no ques- tien about the vigorous course of the ad- ministration in that event. It is ins! d also that this main issue will bot b> permitted to be clouded, nor even evaded, less the evasion amounts to a recognition of the position of the United State: No Crisis Before Congress Meets. Whatever the reply of Lord Salisbury may be, however, no actual crisis can arise before the meeting of Conzress. The reply will prebably call for a rejo'nder, which will be final, and the administra- tion's position will be firmly fixed, subject to the approval or disapproval of Con- gress. There is no probability that any part of the correspondence will be given publicity by the department until Con- gress mects, when it will all be made the subject of a spec’al message. Unless the fact is din London, it pro} able that even the receipt of the reply will be announced or acknowledged before the correspondence is sent to Congres + + PRESENTED TO THE ott IDENT. The Canadian Officials Meet Mr. Cleve= lnnd Info: ly in Hin Ofte Sir Mackenzie-Bowell, the Canadian pre- mier, and Sir Charles Hibbert-Tupper,Cana- dian minister of justice, were presented to the President today by Secretary Olney. The visit was made shortly before the cab- inet assembled at 11 o'clock, and was quite informal in character, lasting only a few minute The r pticn took place in the President's office. The Canadian officiala were received in an unofficial capacity, as they are in the city si Pauncefote, the British ambassador, in his diplomatic negotiations with the Secretary of State for the conclusion of an interna- tional agreement between the United Statea and Great Britain for the settlement of claims agai the United States for illegal se’zure of Canadian sealers in Bering sea, Sir Julian Pauncefote is ill with the gout, and if his condition does not prevent his attendance, he will have a formal confer- ence with Secretary Olney at the State De- partment tomorrow in regard to the ap- pointment of the proposed claims conven- uon. —— Important Naval Changes, Several important naval changes were announced toda Capt. George W. Dewey is detached from duty as a member of .he ght house board and is as as president of the naval bo: tion and survey, vice Commodore assigned to the command of th Capt. John R. Bare’ Ss de- od from duty at the Naval War Col- port, aid ordered to relieve Capt. ber of the light house opean = or the Cruiser Boston, rs for the cruiser Bos- s been completed, and she will be put in commission at the Mare Island, Cal, navy yard on the 18th proximo. Capt. Frank Wildes will have command of the cruiser, with Ifeut. A. V. Wadhams as ex- ecutive an] L eat. H. B. Tyler as navigating officer. The ston has been out of come mission ever since her return from Hoa- many months ago, and has andere gone extensive rep The dfficulty of securing ber full complement of menu hag delayed her carlicr employment in general cruising.