Evening Star Newspaper, November 19, 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, S. H. KAUFFMANN, Pres’t. New York Office, 49 Pottsr Building, i ‘The Evening Star ts served to subscribers In the elty by carriers, on their owa account, at 10 cents Ber We, cr 44 ceuts per month. Coples at the £e % sents each. By mall-anywhere In the United States or Canada—postage prepald—5v cenis ber month, Saturday Quintupl» Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foreign jovtage added, $3.00. (Entered at the Post Office at Washinzton, D. C., as second-class mall matter.) ‘All toail subscriptions most be patd in advance. es uf advertising made known on application. Che Evening Star. No.13,326. WASHINGTON, D. 0. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1895-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS. Look on page 8 for the ninth installment of the new mystery story, “Before They Were Married.” $250 for the correct solution of the mystery by a woman reader. WAR ON THE SULTAN Audul Hamid Succumbs to His Enemies, TURKEY'S RULER POISONED Culmination of the Revolt Against Him. FREQUENT PLOTS AGAINST HIS LIFE His Ministers Constantly Guarded by Soldiers. — SATURDAY A CRITICAL DAY ———_——— BERLIN, November 19.—A dispatch re- ceived here from Sofia, Bulgaria, says that the Sultan of Turkey, Abdul Hamid, hes been poisoned. No details are given. Plots Against the Sultan. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 18, via Sofia, November 19. mors of discovery of plots against Abdul Hamid’s life are now so frequent that they no longer attract much attention, and some of his ministers, it Is known, have to be kept constantly guarded by soldiers in order to give them courage enough to transact the business of their re- spective offices. Thronghout the night of Saturday last, November 16, which was a most critical day for the Turkish empire, the sultan was en- gaged, sitting close to the telegraph instru- ment in Yildiz Kiosk, personaliy dictating instructions to the different province gov- ernors to do their utmost to restore order in their districts, This indicates that the sultan has at last had his eyes opened to the character of his advisers, and that he has finally determined to take the reins of government in his own hands. The lack of sufficient funds to equip the reserves called out and the searcity of regu- lar troops in the disturbed provinces is a matter of great concern to the sultan, who is said to be rapidly getting an idea of the extent to which misgovernment has spread, not that this has gone on without his knowl- edge. THE SACKING OF KHARPUT Details of the Outrages on the Ameri- can Missions, (Copyrighted, 1895, by the Assoclated Press.) CONSTANTINOPLE, November 18, via Sofia, Bulgaria, November 19.—In résponse to the telegrams sent to Kharput by the United States minister, Mr. Alexander’ W. Terrell, inquiring into the burning and _pil- laging of the American missions there, the porte has furnished some information to Mr. Terrell, and additional facts have been obtained from other sources by the United States minister. The trouble at Kharput had been brew- ing for some time. On one hand it was claimed that the Armenians, incited by the agents of their revolutionary committee, had been arming themeelves, holding secret meetings, and preparing for revolt against the Turkish authorities. The crisis was to be recipitated by an attack upon the Mus- sulman quarter. A second version of the affair is that the Turks, acting under !nstructions from the Yildiz Kiosk officials, if not from the sul- tan himself, deliberately planned mas ere the Armenians of Kharput. The Kurds, who were not armed with rifles, were pro- vided with weapons similar to those used by the Turkish soldlery, and ammunition was plentifully distributed among them. At a signal agreed upon a quarrel was picked with some Armenians and the attack upon-their quarter was commene=d. ‘The Armenians had been anticipating an outbreak for some time past, had armed themselves as well as possible, and bad barricaded their dwellings and made so determined a resistance that the first at- tack of the Kurds was repulsed. The American missionaries applied for Protection to Mr. Terrell. In view of Min- ister Terrell’s representations the Turkish officials promised to protect the lives of the missionaries, and detailed gendarmes to guard their property. When the Armenians repulsed the first at- tack of the Kurds the latter were so in- ted at the check they had received that Y proceeded to the quarter of Kharput where the American mi: located, and overcoming any opposition of the ‘gen- darmes, If there were ary present (a point which has not been definitely rtained), they ransacked the houses, including eight of the American mission buildings, and ex- ploded a shell in the house of one of the onaries. The American miss‘onaries aped uninjured, and placed themselves under the protection of the Turkish gov- ernor, who still has them safe under his car ng the pillaging, it has been ascer- the Kurds were supported by the in troops in a number of instances, and in other cases the soldiers remained sive spectators, i ta k 1 more successful at- the Kurds upon the n quarter, and a terrible massacre ed. The number of victims not yet been ascertained, but it is declared to be normou: Conservativ mates say that from SM) to 1,000 persons were Killed during the rioting. The American misstonaries have formally protested against the di of their property to the Turkish sand to Mr. Terrell, who, whe ase are thoroughly and that th hi when > blame is it belong: ABDUL HAMID’ It Has Been Marked by Disorders and ss of Territory. Abdul Hamid 1 we m of Iul Mejid, who re to IS6l, to the ed sent from 18 led in ce throne fmm: prede Murad V, who, un Abdul J essor brothe led his | or of At | fin turn, had sucee troy nd Montenegro war, and, although the Jans ted before the end of tho year, standing the h the sta a conte at Const Pre ernmer key, bu authorities, had taken de we e Chri these were re sultan's who, du ference, | the extracrdinary step of be: | law | my rise to the | s stowing a purely nominal constitution on the Ottoman empire. In April, 1877, Russia declared war against Turkey to enfores the suggestions of the conference, and although Armenia and Bulgaria favored the Russian arms at the beginning of the campaign the Turks rallied and seriously checked the triumph- ant progress of the invaders. : The Turks were overwhelmed in num- hers, but persisted energetically. The his- tory of the Turkish defense in this war is full of brilliant achievements, but the Rus- sians gradually overran upper Turkey and occupied Adrianople in January, 187%. In March the preliminary treaty of San Stefano was signed. After grave diplomatte difficulties, owing chiefly to the apparent incompatibility of English and Russian Interests, a congress of the powers met at Berlin and sanctioned the cessions and other territorial changes which, with modifications, were carried out between 1878 and ISS1. Tunis was made a French province in 1881 and in 1882 the final release of Egypt from the domain of Tur- key was accomplished. As a result of the Berlin congress Rou- mania ard Servia became independent kingdoms, and Bulgaria, in the very heart of the Turkish empire, was cut off and created a tributary principality, to which eastern Roumelia was added in’ ISS5. Progress of Admiral Selfridge. Admiral Selfridge cabled the Navy De- partment yesterday that he had put in with his flagship San Francisco at Naples to get his mail. He will proceed directly to Alex- andretta, where he should arrive about Friday, and will then be tn a position to ex- tend aid to the Americans and Europeans in that section in the event of further up- risings. Protection of Amertcans. It is believed that Minister Terrell has been remarkably successful in his efforts to protect. the American missionaries and teachers, for so far it has not appeared that in all of the slaughter of the natives a single American has suffered in person, and the extent of their damage has been confined to the destruction of some mission property, probably incidental to a general pursuit of native Christians. So far as the misfortunes of this element is concerned, while they may properly ex- cite sympathy of the entire Christian world, there is no warrant for interference on the part of the United States, the Armenians being Turkish subjects, for whose religious freedom the great European powers are re- sponsible. Any interposition by the United States woul be not only in vivlation of our traditions, but might be used, it is said, as a powerful argument to justify European interference in the affairs of American re- publics. A LONG SESSION There Were Severfl Unusual Features About Today's Cabinet Meeting. The Armenian Situation, Foreign Re- lations Generally and the Presi- dent's Message Discussed. There were several unusual features about today’s cabinet meeting. The President ar- rived at the White House from his country home about 10 o'clock. Soon after Secre- tary Olney came over from the State De- partment and had a cenference that lasted until 12:30 o'clock. From 11 o'clock until that hour Secretaries Lamont, Herbert, Smith and Morton and Postmaster General Wilson were present and took part in the discussion of our complicated foreign rela- tions. When the consideration of that branch of the public service was concluded, Secretary Olney left the meeting and r turned to the State Department. His ac- tions indicate that he is a very busy man at_ present. The cabinet meeting proper lasted till nearly 2 o'clock. Secretary Lamont re- mained in private consultation with the President a half hour after the departure of his colleagues. It is generally under- stood that outside of the Armenian and Venezuelan affairs the meeting was de- voted entirely to the consideration of the President's message to Congress and the recommendations and estimates of the s eral executive departments. Secretary Car- lisle and Attorney General Harmon, who are in New York, were the only members not in attendance. —______- e—______ INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY Investigating the Smaller - Branch Post Offices. Complaints have of late been frequently made to Postmaster Willett that many post office substations in Washington kept inadequate stocks of postal cards, wrap- pers and stamps on hand to meet the de- mands of their patrons, thereby causing no little inconvenience to the public. Mr. Wil- lett, In compliance with the requests thus made to him, at once cent letters to each of the substations, arking a report to meet this complaint. Today the last replies from the thirty-four stations were receive None of the large brench post oftice: known by letters A, B, C, et were in- cluded in this inquiry. The reports show that about three-fourths of the substations carry a sufficient supply. A “‘sufficient supply” is anywhere from $50 to $100 worth of postal supplies. Some of the offices— about one-fourth—sent unsatisfactory re- ports, indicating that the complaints that had been made were well grounded. The requires stamp agents to carry f. worth of postal supplies, and a substation is regarded as of far greater business ina- portance than a stamp agency, so that it should be equipped with a larger supply of stamps and wrappers. The large down- town branch post offices do a very ld business and carry thousands of dol worth of stamps. In certain seasons of the year one of these branch offices. buys $400 worth of stamps a day of the central off It would be rather hard to catch thes offices at a time when they could not fill almost any kind of an order for postal sup- plies. Local oe OUT OF POLITICS. Ex-Representative Pence Tells How Amos Cummings Was Welcomed. Ex-Representative Lafe Pence of Colo- rado arrived in Washington today. Pence is not in politics, as he and ex esentative Haines of New York de that for five years they would devote them- selves solely to business. : “It is not always the casiest thing in the world to ca z t such H 3s and 1 mad Star reporter tor asion art > contract on each other. $ Wanterl to attend a ¢ . but I brought out the con Pe row “howe as to and have Some nty conven and he had to keep awa’ He stands ready to draw it on me at uggestion Tuy part to mix up in political matters. “This contract Is and binding one, and it was ¥ our wit who a ermined to t we do f tit 1 I think I'd I had not gone out of polit on have trouble in keepi ‘fe insurance, for poli little money and too much e orking for the Pence 4 gS was held to : in New York , Lat first thought that I could not attend ft, and } it was the funniest poli meeting T ever In fact, it was not potiti all, s the reason I could ontract. ans, and ts ther: ice of Mr, 1 that wa and that w mings fd at tha great populai meeting was about Amos Cummi you could not tell, from. the whether Amos Cummings was a d or a republican. WANTED FOR MURDER Nellie Armstead Dies From Jos Dudley's Blow. INFLICTED THREE MONTHS AGO The Man Has Left and the Police Are Searching. THE FATAL AFFRAY “Howardtown,” the name of the settle- ment in the vicinity of the Freedman’s Hos- pital, that is also sometimes known as the “Camp,” has, after a lapse of some time, turned up another murder story, but there is not the mystery connected with this case that there was in that of the Italian who was murdered there several years ago by An- tonio Nardello, who was afterward execut- ed, This time the victim is Nellie Armstead, while her alleged murderer is Joseph Dudle: The weapon used was a stone or brick, and residents of Howardtown are anxious that Dudley should be captured, because his vii tim was a popular young woman and belong: ed to a good family. So far as can be ascer- tained, the young man’s record is not bad. Nellie Armstead was about twenty-two years eld, and she died at Freedman’s Hos- pital about 1 o'clock this morning, her death resulting from a fracture of the skull, the wound having been inflicted more than three months ago. From time to time since she went to the hospital her sufferings have been intense, and death came as a re- lie Dudley ha ‘ot been apprehended, al- though the police have heen looking for him ever since the 13th of August, the time of the infliction of the wound. “s of the young woman's death did not spread through “Howardtown” with any degree of rapidity, nor did the people of Glick's alley, e Dudley lived, know of the girl's de intil late in the day. « Dead Woman. Nellie Armstead was a good-looking young woman and had many friends. She was em- ployed in service at the house of a resident of Le Droit Park,-and her death deprives her employers of the services of a woman whose place they do not expect to fill for some time. s called, had lived there he made the acquaintance of most of the residents, in- cluding the young women, among whom he was a general favorite.’ He knew Nellie Armstead very well, and had b in he company frequently, because she was a com- panion of his particular friend, known to the residents as ‘ootsey” West. The Trouble. These females were fast friends, and Joe went with “Tootsey” so much that he nec sarily met her friend Nellie on many occa- sions. é On the evening of August 13 Joe was with the two females, so it is charged, and “Tootsey” had no hat. The two of them wanted to go off down the street together, so it Is alleged, and Joe asked Nelife to let “Tootsey" wear her hat until their return. But this Nellie refused to do, and Joe, feel- ing aggrieved at her refusal, started a row. Just what happered may never be known unless “Tootsey” West tells it, for the lips of the most interested one have been sealed. At any rate, when Nellie refused she sa.d she did not intend to have ner hat ri in any such mar r, and this, it is thoug! angered Dudley, who threw the mis inflicted the wound which ended fatally. Soon after Nellie died this moraing the hospital authorities sent word to the police in order that her alleged murderer might be apprehended if pessible before his friends learned of her death and sent him a word of warning. Created Indignation. The news of her death was not even known to her father, who Is the janitor of a school, and he went to work this morn- ing as usual, wholly ignorant-of his daugh- ter's ending. Turoighout “Howardtown™ the news of her death was not known until a Star reporter visited that section, and then it was that the residents showed their indignation. It appeared from the general tone of the conve: tion that Dudley was not much loved by the residents of “Howardtown,” and this was probably because he lived in the vicinity of Glick’s alley. On the other band every one gave the dead girl a good name, and s she had never before fig- ured in any fight or d.sorderly affair. Coroner Hammett was notified of Nellie’s death and will probably hold an inquest tomorrow. The police of the eighth precinct took a hand in the matter soon after the trouble on Wilson street near the girl's home, and a@ warrant charging him with comuinitting @ murderous assault on Nellie was sworn out at the Police Court. Since the issuance of the warrant, Policemen Murphy and Me- Donnell have made every effort to appr hend the fugitive, but without any success They have searched more than a hundred houses and have watched some of his haunts, but never have they been able to get sight of him. The warrant is still in the hands of the police, who are fully satis- fied that the alleged murderer has left this jurisdiction. le and PANIC I —— A FACTORY. Flames Cut Of Escape by the Stairs and Many Jumped. NEW YORK, November 19.—Fire In a six story factory building at 98 Clinton street today caused a panic among the working people employed there, who numbered about 200, One person is known to have perished, and there may have been others who met a similar fate. The basement in which the flames started was occupied as a candle factory, and the tallow there caused the fire to spread rapidly, cutting off escape by way of the stairs. Several men jumped from the roof and from windows to the tops of adjoining buildings. After the building had been gutted the firemen set about searching for bodies. One which has not been Identified was found. cuted. Of those who jumped from the building one, at least, will die, and two others, If ies, will be cripp! injured is Meyer Lipschitz, tailor. Joseph Lipschitz, brother of Me: ained injuries of an internal character, as well as a hurt of the back which may result in death. The name of the other one injured aas not been re- ported. The search Is still being prose- an employin, TO HELP THE FARME kin, M. P. Wheat, Barley and Oats. BRIGHTON, Eng., November 19, annual conference of the National Union of Conservative Associations heid here today. Mr. J. Rankin, conservative member of par- lament for the Leominster division of Here- fordshire, in moving a resolution to the ef- fect that the condition of agriculture de- manded the imme¢ tention of the gov- ernment, said he did not think it possible to exe retern te nm. but the duty should be taken off tea and placed upon wren ba 1 hops. : atleman, a man nself h sand old age s one of Mr. Joseph Cham- in's informal committee on tne latter subject. R ies on Mr. WHO WON THE PRIZES?/WRECKED THE TRAIN The Answers to the Great Mystery Story Being Examined, Sifted Down to Forty Close Competitors. It has been no easy task to determine the winner or winners of the prizes offered by The Star for the best solution of the mystery story, ‘When the War Was Over,” recently published. When the mail bags were finally closed on tke last entry in this unique com- petition last Tuesday, @ week ago today, there were upward of 4,500 letters. Work was begun the next day on a preliminary ex- amination of these to determine the range of accuracy, and by Friday a basis had been obtained for a general examination, which was begun that evening. A committee was set to work Friday night, with the result that about one-third of the letters were opened and read, and Saturday night this work was completed. The process consisted of a system of selec- tion, and on the first reading the letters were divided into three classes, the first and smallest class being composed of the an- swers that suggested a bogus marriage be- tween Dutton and Martha Kirk, which was concluded to be the greatest mystery of all, and which was the point guessed by the least number. In another class were the letters that solved the other main points of the story, but failed to solve this one. The third class consisted of those that failed in both of these particulars, and was, of course, considerably the largest lot of the three. AS a result of this selection there were eighty-five letters of class A, as it was called, suggesting the bogus marriage, and upward of a mail bag full, estimated at 1,000, of class B, which failed to note this event. The work of examination was re- sumed last evening, and the committee ex- amined the eighty-five letters of class A, ana of this number found forty which cov- ered all.of the points of class B, in addition to suggesting the bogus marriage. These forty letters now represent the last lot to be examined, and will be attacked tonight. ‘The work of the committee has been made unusually d.ticult by the fact that as the contest has narrowed down it was found that although no one solution had appear- ed to cover all the essential details of the last chapter, yet there was enough accur- acy, and particularly im the last forty, to ace for the prizes exceptionally close and difficult to determine. Indeed, so ciose is the competition that a system of marking has been devised that will be ab- solutely fair to ‘all and that will include many collateral and perhaps unessential points in the story, but which must now be brought Into cons.derat:en to determine be- tween these competing solutions. It not probable that the result will be ascertained in time for publication tomor- row, as the work must be dene with great re, In order to prevent mistakes. Still it fs honed that within’ a short time _ the twenty-nine prize winners—for it is now practically certain that there is no abso- lutely correct solution—will be known with- out a doubt. i —_———_—_ MAKE NO COMBENATION. Senator Wilson Think# the Republi- cans Should Organize thé Senate, Senator Wilson of Washingion satd to a Star reporter today that the republicans should attempt to organize the Senate, and should do so if they have the strength, but that under no circumstances should they make any combination with nor put them- selves under any obligations to the popu- lists or the democrats. He said that he is in favor of increasing the revenue so as to meet the expenditures, ard that the repub- leans could not propose such an increase except on the lines of their own policy. He did not think that they should ask Mr, Cleveland what they should do. It was evi- dent, he said, that they must provide reve nue, and deeply evident that in doing so they must increase tariff duties. As to financial legislation, he said the sit- uation was very uncertain and unpromis- ing. Undoubtedly, he said, something will have to be done, but with the great diver- sity of cpinion and many conflicting views of men composing Congress, it is very un certain what conclusion the majority will arrive at. If our country is to adopt a gold standard, it seems plain that we should enact a law requiring that all import du- ties should be payable in coin. The gold people complain that the greenbacks are being use to draw the gold from the treas- ury, as they are, since the department in- sists upon giving gold for them on demand. ‘That being the case, we should stop receiv- ing paper money of any kind in payment of customs dues, and should make these people pay into the government some of the gold which they are getting together. a. Personal Mention. Lieut. Col. Henry W. Lawton, Inspector general, Fas been granted two months’ leave of absence, to take effect on the com- pletion of his arnual tour of inspection. Private Secretary Thurber, who was call- ed to Syrecuse, N.Y., by the death of his twin sister's husband last week, has re- sumed his official duties at the White House. The leave of absence granted Col. John N. Andrews, twelfth infantry, has been ex- tended one month. Col. Andrews !s visit- ing friends In this city. ; Secretary Carlisle left here this morning ar 10 o'clock for New York, where he will make a financial address before the cham- ber of commerce tonight. Representative Henry C. Brewster, Mrs. Brewster and two daughters arrived last night at the Shoreham from Rochester, N. Y. M. A. Hachisnke and-T. D. Jupinok, prominent Japanese from Japan, are mak- ing a tour of this country, prior to return- ing home. They are guests at Page's. Charles Coote, the actor, of New York is a recent guest at Page's. Representative Lafe Penee of Denver, Col, has arrived at the Riggs House, where he will remain for a while. State Senator Albert A. Wray of New York has taken up his quarters at Page's. Ex-Representative George E. Bowden of Virginie is stopping at the Hotel Johnson. Mr. Bowden is prominently connected in railroad circles at present. Among the arrivals at the Ebbitt today was W. S. Tipston, editer;of the Cleveland Herald, of Tennessee. Col. Frederick R. Prince of Hartford, Conn., has registered at the National. Mr. Prince represents the Gatling Gun Com- pany of Hartford, and is here testing guns at Indian Head. Gen. Miles has gone to New York for a He attended a banquet in Phil- jast night and made an address on’ ses."” Lieut. . H. H. Benyaurd, corps of engineers, who has just returned from a visit to Europe, is in the city on_leave. John H. Barthoif,of the medi ut, retired, is on a-visit to this city. pntative Matthew Griswold of has arrived in the city, and is located for the present at the Portland. He is from the district pepresented in the last House by Mr.. Stbleyg Representative Babcoclg of Wisconsin and his family have occupied their residence, No. 11 B street northwest. ————_-e. Printing Office Examination. ‘al de- The civil service commission will exam- ine applicants for the work of compositors, pressmen, electrotypers and stereotypers in the government printing office December 3, commencing at 9 a.m. No skilled laborers are included 4 this examination, It Was Running Nearly 75 Miles an Hour. ENGINEER AND TWO TRAMPS Second Attempt at a Terrible Crime. CARS TOSSED LIKE STRAWS ——— SYRACUSE, N. Y., November 19.—A de- liberate attempt was successfully made at a point one mile west of Rome at 4 o'clock this morning to wreck train No. 6 on the New York Central railroad, the engine and all the cars on the train being ditched. Engineer Hager of Albany and two tramps were killed. The fireman, Chris. Wagner cf Albany, and Mail Clerks Porter and M. J. McCarthy were injured. This was the second attempt within three weeks to wreck the same train near the same spot, which is an ideal one for the commission of such a crime. It Is on a heavy down grade, and trains usually run down it at the rate of sixty-five miles an hour. This train, not stopping at Rome, generally goes down the grade at a greater rate of speed, and it is believed here that today it must have been running close to seventy-five miles an hour, in order to make up a few minutes lost time. There is not a house within half a mile of the place. The wreckers broke into the section tool heuse and stole some tools, with which they removed the fish plates which fasten the rails to the ties and pulled out the spikes. The train left this city at o'clock. It consisied of four mail cars and three sleep- ers. There were clever postal clerks and fourteen passengers aboard, beside the members of the crew. When the crash came the engine was thrown from the track into the ditch and completely submerged in the mire, only the driving wheels on the left side being above the eurth. The forward mail car was thrown two car lengths ahead of the en- gine and rolled down the bank so that it lay lengthwise toward the rails. The sec- ond car, in which the mail clerks were working, was thrown on the tender of the engine and badly demolished. ‘The third and fourth cars were also ditched, the ends of cach being broken. The first one of the sleepers was thrown from the rails, completely rolling over, so that the trucks were a distance from the rails. The sec- ond car*was simply turned on its side, while the rear sleeper did not leave the tracks at all. Engineer Hager went down with his en- gine and must have been instantly killed. The fireman, Chris. Wagner, was badly injured about the head, and it is feared that he Is internally hurt. The two tramps who were found dead are supposed to have been Stealing a ride on the forward end of the first mail car, directly in the rear of the engine. Boys the Miscreants. ALBANY, N. Y., November 19.—John Hil- dreth and Frederick Bristol, two boys, have been arrested by the Central Hudson detectives at Rome, charged with wreck- ing train No. 6 this morning. After the arrest young Hildreth broke down and con- fessed that he and Bristol, in company with two other boys, named Herbert Plato and Theodore Hibbard, had broken open the tool house and with the aid of tools thus secured had removed the fish plates ae the rails. No cause is given for the eed. HONORS a AWAITING THEM. United States Diplomats to Be Recog- nized by Japnn’s Emperor. A naval officer attached to the United States fleet on the Asiatic station has writ- ten to a brother officer in the Navy Depart- ment that # is more than probable that the Emperor of Japan will soon confer high honors on many of the diplomatic and con- sular officers of the United States in China and Japan, in recognition of services ren- dered the Japanese government during the recent war with China. According to the writer, there will be given to Minister Dun at Tokyo and Minister Den- by at Pekin the decoration of the Rising Sun, which is the highest decoration con- ferred upon any person, except to those of royal birth, Other decorations of less prominence are to be presented to United States Consul General Jernigan at Shang- hai, and Consuls Charles Seymour at Can- ton, J. Courtney Hixson at Fuchau and Sheridan P. Reed at Tientsin. Others, again, whom the emperor will probably compli- ment are Charles Denby, jr., secretary of legation at Pekin; Joseph R. Herod, second secretary at Tokyo; Captain Barber, naval attache at Tokyo, and Commander Emery of the gunboat Petrel. <9 -___ TWO APPOINTMENTS, The Swixs Mission Goes to Missourl— Virginia Gets a Consul. The President today appointed John L. Pexk of Kansas City, Mo., to be minister plenipotentiary to Switzerland, vice Mr. Broadhead, resigned, and Otto Munch- meyer of Virginia to be United States con- sul at San Salvador, Salvador. ee THE HOUSE DISTRICT COMMITTEE, Six New Members to Be Appointed— The Chairmanship. There is likely to be a lively contest over the chairmanship ef the House committee on the District of Columbia. The chances will probably lie between Representative Babecck of Wisconsin and Representative Harmer of Pennsylvania., The odds are be- lieved Ly many to be in favor of Mr. Bab- cock, unless Mr. Reed as Speaker should find it necessary to take a dark horse. Mr. Harmer is the ranking member of the com- mittee, but those who are well posted upon the relations existing between Mr. Reed and members of the House are of the opinion that his personal choice may fall upon some cther member. Mr. Babcock served on the District com- mittee last year and gave considerable at- tention to District affairs. He is now the second in rank to Mr. Harmer, and, in fact, the two, with Mr. Hull of Iowa, are the only surviving republicans on the committee as it stood at the end of the last, Congr Representative Hilborn of California, who served for most of the lest Congress on this comuvittee, but was displaced finally in favor ot Mr. Ei h, the democratic contestant f e-elected to this Con: and may properly be viewed as a su iving republican member of the District committee. It is thought in some quarters that Mr. Babcock's services on the repubii- cen congressional committee and his rank on the District committee, taken in connec: tion with the part which he played in Di trict affairs, at the last session, make him a very strcng candidate for the head of the District committee. It is known that Mr. Reed regards the committee on the District of Columbia as one of great importance, aud he has some pronounced ideas as to the nature of its composition. Mr. Reed thinks that this com- mittee should be strictly a working body, a business organization. He does not want anybody on it, it is said, who desires the ap- pointment merely for personal gratification, but will select men whom he believes will be hard workers and will handle the affairs of the District in a practical, business-like and honest manner. In this particular his ideas coincide with those of Mr. Babcock, wha at the last session of Congress often expressed himself upon this matter in a similar vein. Of the fifteen men who composed the com mittee on the District of Columbia at the last Congress, only nine will sit in this Con- gress. This means that the Speaker will have six vacancies to fill, including the chairmanship; and, as there is a great de- mand for places on this committee, he will have to sift the appointments from among a large number of applications. —_____- «+ —_____ . BUILDING WARSHIPS. America May Construct Boats for Japan. Commander Miyaoka, naval attache of the Japanese legation here, has made a strong report to the naval department of Japan on the merits of the United States battle ship Indiana. This report, coming at a time when Japan is locking abroad for new battle ships and cruisers, will, it fs believed, be favorable to securing some ol the contracts for American shipbuilders. Commander Miyaoka spent an entire week on the Indiana, while she was at sca and in dock. He has had long experience In naval affairs, having been au instructor at’ the Torpedo School in Japan, and he made his investigations with the critical eye of an expert. He went from deck to keel, exam ining the engines and watching the’ manip ulations of the stokeholes, and went aloft to inspect the rigging and upper works o: the craft. Mr. Miyaoka sums up his conclusions in the statement that the Indiana ts a magnifi cent ship, equal to, if not superior, to any battle ship of her class afloat. His report is In great detail, showing all her points oi superiority. There is keen competition at the present time among the shipbuilders of the world for securing the contracts for the construction of the new ships whic Japan is about to build. Mr. George Wil- liams of Washington, representing eastern ship yards, visited Japan recently and found that the cabinet favored the Ameri can builders, but that they were opposed by the naval experts, who had received their training in England, and believ-d the E lish were the best shipbuilders. Mr. liams left for England some day his visit may lead to some understanding between the English and American build. ers. Commander Miyaoka’s report, coming at a time when the contracis fer the ships are about to be let, will doubtless be of ma terial assistance to the Americans. DISTRICT GOVERNMENT Brighter Prospects for Farmers at the Market, Change of Front on the Part of the Commissioners—Other Local Affairs. The position of the farmers in their fight with the Commissioners to maintain their rights on the north side of B street between 7th ard pibstreets was ma! ystrength- ened today, and the prospect of being al- lowed to continue to use the street for the sale of their products is much brighter. The Commissioners spent a large portion of the forencon in discussing the situation, end the final outcome of their deliberations was to submit all legal questions involved to the courts for final adjudication. This neces- sitated an agreement between Mr. William Birney and Mr. S. T. Thomas, the attorney for the District, whereby the former was to go into court next Saturcay and ask leave to file an amended bill. Mr. Thomas, on the part of the District, will agree, and an ex- tension will undoubtedly be granted by the court. After Gen. Birney submits the amended bill of the market company the District will have to make answer, and it is expected that it will require at least a month to get the decision. Shortly after the Commissioners arrived this morning Senater Chandler,accompanied by Mr. E. R. Tinker of North Adams, Mass., a director of the market company, appeared at the District building and as! for a hearing, which was granted. The he: was a private one, and took place in the effice of Commissioner Ross, president of the board, all newspaper reporters being barred. Serator Chandler called attention to the fact that the Conmmissioners had no right to use the wholesale market square in whole or in part for a retail market. The law was specific on that point ahd retail farmers could not be put there. Then again he said that the Commissioners had no right to say that farmers should not stand cn cne street and designate, as they had done,opposite the wholesale market square, practically a retail market. He contend further that the Washington market a public market within the meaning of the law, its charter referring to it as such in numerous places, and being such was en- titled to all the rights and privileges of a public market. One of these rights was the use of abutting streets for a space not exceeding fifteen feet from the curb line. After the hearing closed the Commission ers at once sent for Attorney Thoms, av another conference was held on the suh- ject, which ended as above stated, in the Commissioners agreeing to have all the legal questions involved in the matter set ferth in an amended Dill. It was expected that there would be a public hearing this morning at 11 o’cloc! at which Congressman Wellington wou! speak in the interest of the farme But the hearing miscarried, and when 11 o'clock arrived but one farmer was on hand. the hearing went over to some future da ———— FARMERS MEET. The Market Affair Still Under Discas- sion. An adjourned mass meeting of the truck- ers occupying stands on the south side of the Center market, and who have been ordered by the District Commissioners to vacate and remove to haymarket square, was held this afternoon. As heretofore, Mr. George G. Curtis p sided. The following dispatch from Co gressman George L. Wellington of Ma Jand, who had been invited to accompany the committee appointed at the-last me ing to confer with the Commissioners, wa read: CUMBERLAND, November 17.—A Smith and others, Center market, W ton, D. C.: I will meet you, us req jay morning. ae GEO. L. WELLINGTOD For some reason, however, as yet un plained, Mr. Wellington did not come to the city today. In consequence of this the joint commit- tee representing the farmers and gar of Maryland, Virginia and the Dist Columbia determined to meet at the Friday morning next at 10 o'clock, and the meantime messages Will be sent to gressmen Wellingte f Mary and Meredith of Virginia, asking them to meet those interested in the matter at the same hour and _ place = them to see the Commissione: a revocation of the objectionable or: The pre against the removal of the trucker ull going for- ward, and nearly every occupier of a stand in the body of the market has siz these papers. Another mass meeting of th be held in the market hall n at 2 o'clock to hear the “eport of the isit of the committee to the Commi and the transaction of such otner b: as may be brought before them. w hing KEEPING OPEN HOUSE Candidates for the Different House Offices at Work. THEIR FRIENDS MAKING A CANVASS A New Southern Man Out for the Doorkeepership. THINGS GETTING LIVELY All the candidates for the House offices kept open house today at the several head- quarters to greet the incoming members of the lower House, who will decide thelr des- tinfes in the republican caucus prior to the assembling of Congress. The candidates for the clerkship have their headquarters within a square of each other, and the members who are uncertain as to their choice of candidates alternate between the two rooms. There are some members al- ways who do not make their declarations until the last minute, or until they are con- vinced which way the fight is going. They are the people who are afraid of being left outside the breastworks and wait to be on the winning side, having little matters of patronage to be attended to later. Managers Are at Work. Neither candidate lacks, however, earnest and outspoken friends, who announce their allegiance boldly and work vigorously for the success of the cause they have es- poused. Gen, Henderson's manager is Rep- resentative J. Frank Aldrich of Chicago, and Maj. McDowell has intrusted the direo- tion of his fortunes to Representative Stone of Allegheny and Mr. Hooker of New York. The rumor which had been circulated to the effect that the entire Pennsylvania delegation is not marshaled upon Maj. Me- Dowell's side was silenced last evening by Representative Dalzell, who had been named as one of the alleged dissenters, av- pearing at his headquarters and declaring himself in Maj. McDowell's favor, adding tae the entire delegation would be with him. It is considered likely that a caucus wili have to be held in several of the state dele- gations to decide upon the stand which the members from that state will take in the clerkship contest. This will be the case especially where certain states desire pa- tronage, and will come to a unanimous agreement upon the man to be supported for the office, as well as the men to he select- artes enjoy the minor patronage under that office. Another in the Field. Mr. J. B. Fortune of North Carolina has entered the field as a candidate for door- keeper against Mr. Glenn of New York, and Mr. Tipton of Tennessee. Mr. Fortune is more especially, however, a rival of Mr. Tip- ton, as he bases his claim for recognition upon the favors due the southern republi- cans. He will not open headquarters, but will make a vigorous personal canvass among the membena--= For Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Thomas H. McKee of Indiana has opened headquarters at the Ebbitt, in room 47, where he is conducting a contest for the office of sergeant-at-arms of the House. Capt. McKee is well known to the older members, and as secretary of the late con- gressional campaign committee became ac- quainted with the new members. Mr. E. K. Valentine of Nebraska, who was segeant-at-arms of the Senate under the last republican administration, is said to be laying his pipes to conduct a canvass for that office in case the Senate is reorganized by the republicans at this session. He has not openly commenced a campaign, for he does not want to waste his ammunition, un- less the republicans propose to take control ot the Senate offices. Mr. Tipton’s Headquarters. William S. Tipton of Cleveland, Tenn., has opened h quarters in room 106, on the second floor of the Ebbitt House. Mr. Tipton fs a candidate for doorkeeper of the House of Representatives in the next Con- gress, and he is making a vigorous cam- ign. have a very cordial support through- out all the southern states Mr. Tip- ion to a Star reporter today. “We think that the scuth deserves something of the Fifty-fourth Congress, and it is only right that the doorkeeper of the House should be from that section.” The position sought by Mr. Tipton and other candidates has a patronage of- over 100 places, many of which pay over $2,000 a year. Mr. Tipton has edited a paper, which he established, for twenty-three years. He remarked today that he had the solid republican delegation from his state with him. Wants to Be Chaplain. Rev. Dr. C. N. Ramsdell, for twenty years pastor of the North Presbyterian Church, on N street, between 9th and 10th streets, is a prominent candidate for the chap- laincy of the House of Representatives. Mr. Ramsdell received the caucus nomina- tion fer appointment to the chaplaincy in rst Congress, but lust the place when a vote was taken in the House by three votes, which decided the contest in favor of the blind chaplain. Mr. Ramsdell s a great many friends among the hold- over republicans in the House and many of them believe that as he received the “aucus nomination before that it would be only right that he should be given the position this fall. Mr, Ramsdel! is work- ing actively for support in his contest. The fact that Mr. Reed favored his selection in the Firty-first Congress 1s regarded as like- ly to lead to further support by the ex- speaker, Mr. Ramsdell is a native of New York state, and he was a soldier during the late war. He is a graduate of Prince- end has a very large following. The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Jus- tice Harlan, yesterday held th the Union Pacific Railroad Company had no right to make a lease practically giving the West- ern Union Telegraph Company an exclu- sive right to maintain telegraph lines along the route of the railroad company. The case came from Nebraska, and the court, by its decision, reverses the judgment of the circuit court of appeals and affirms the judgment of the cireuit court for the Ne- braska_ distri The decision holds that the Unjted § a bill in equi to maint4in its own lines of t road routes, and thi road com to do any its ob! to maintain sway. of Purcell, 1 T., tm Anhex. KANSAS CITY, Mo., ber 19.—A special to the Star from Perry, O) ss: Just after 3 o'clock this morning the north side cf the city of Purcell, LT, caught fire, and the flames are still raging. News fs that three-fourths of the town is In ashes, and if the wind contiaues to blow from north very little of the town can be sav ell is located on the hank of the South Canadian river, on a high hill, end the wind has full sway. orted at this time that seven pe shed im the flames.