Evening Star Newspaper, November 26, 1897, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR. gees PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDiNGS, 3101 Pernsylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th St., by New York Offic, 49 Potter Building, ‘The Evening Star {s served to cubscribers in the eity by carriers. on their own account, at 10 cents week, or 44 cents per montk. les at the ¢eunter 2 cents each. By mail—anywhere in the United States or Cenada—postage prepald—50 cents Fer month. Saterday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foreign postage |. $3.00. —— —— —_ Office at Washington, D. C., « y il. matter.) ‘cy all mati ‘subeerh iptions rust be paid in advance. Rates of advertising made known on application. | No. 13,959. == llllllaSSS SSO WASHINGTON, D. ©., FRIDAY. FIGHTING AT NIKKI Rumored Collision Between French and British Forces. CONFLICT WAS GENERALLY EXPECTED London Foriegn Office, However Professes to Discredit the Story HISTORY OF THE DISPUTE a BERLIN, November 26.—A “dispatch to the Frankfort Zeitung from Rome reports that a sanguinary conflict has taken place between the French and British at Nikki in the Lagos Hinterland. News Heard in London. LONDON, November 26.—While the ac- curacy of the statement contained in the Rome dispatch to the Frankfort Zeitung announcing that a conflict has taken place between the French and British troops in the Lagos Hinterland is doubted, the Lon- don morning papers today pointed out the imminent danger resulting from the prox- imity of the two forces in the contested ter- ritory. Later in the day a rumor was received at the British colonial office to the effect that there had been a collision between the British and French forces at Nikki, which 1s said to have been captured by the French troops. e The officials of the colonial office, how- ever, regard this report as highly improb- eble, as, they explain, the British police in the Hinterland, who are in very limited numbers, had Strict orders to avoid any collision with the French. It is also under- stood that the French ferces had been in- structed net to come inte conflict with the Brit The British forces in the Hinter- land, it is further stated, are being rein- forced considerably. Conflict Was Expected. A conflict between the French and Brit- ish forces in the Lagos Hinterland has been anticipated for some time past. Both countries have been hurrying troops into the disputed territory. The trouble is of about thirty years standing. In 1S) France and Great Britain opened negotia- tions for the settlement of their respective frontiers in west Africa, and it was de- ice that French influence be confined to the and that Great ¢ hand south of this line. The outbreak of the war interrupted the negotiations. Was considerable opposition in b tries to the cession of any territor during the next five yes quently occurred. Final: to appoint commissioners to rec whole matter, and as a result, in the course of the next ten years, four separate agree- ments were concluded. One di Franco-Prussian There ; the sec- end arranged a number of disputed points regarding Gambia, Sierra Leone. the gold st and Lagos; the third drew a line be- tween the spheres of the two countries in the er region, running from Say, on the Niger, to Baru, on Lake Chad, and making a detour so as to include the kingdom of Sokoto in the British sphere; and the fourth settled the interior frontier of Sierra Leone, relinquishing the Hinterland to France. Further Difficulties Arose. But since these agreements were arrived at further difficulties have arisen owing to the failure of the boundary commissioners of Great Britain and France to agree among themselves as to the frontier lines, and especially as to the interpretation of the Say-Barua treaty, principally owing to the absence of any boundary line to the southwest of Say, where the competition of the British and Frgpch has been very strong. The British Niger Company, which was first in the field, concluded a number of treaties with native chiefs, bringing the whole of the Borgu and Dahomey Hinter- land within the British sphere. This was during the fall of 184. In the meanwhile the French were trying to establish a great Africag empire, to extend from Algeria to the basins of the Congo and the upper Nile. But for this purpose it was essential to se- cure the Hinterland of Lagos, and Carnot- ville, in northern Dahomey, became the base for dispatching a number of French expeditions into the interior, with this ob- ject in Th jew. British Niger Company, however, capital of Burgu, for the purpose of nego t g a treaty with the native ruler, and the English officer was fortunate enough to reach there before a French officer, Commandant Decoeur, who was bound for the same place and with the same intention, although the latter had the start, and gard secured his treaty and carried it away three weeks before Decoeur arrived at Nikki. French Send Troops Forward. The French, however, seemed to have choser to disregard this fact and have dis- patched armed expeditions, not only to Nikki, but to Broussa, which has all along been acknewledged to be within the sphere ef British influence. Besides, the French raised a question as to whether the bank of the Niger below Say is prop- included in the British sphere under Barua treaty, and to settle these questions ‘in dispute commis- representing Great Britain and > are now tardily beginning to de- in Paris ‘The colonial office, late this evening, re- zeived a cable message from Lagos, West Ceast of Africa, stating that a rumor is current among the natives there of a col- ision between 400 British and French troops. The report, it is believed, will prove to be founded on a conflict between the French and some natives. panier TRAIN WRECK NEAR CINCINNATI. Passengers and Crew Believed to Have Eseaped Unhart. CINCINNATI, Ohio, November 26.—Pas- senger trair No. 1, leaving here at 9 a.m., on the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern road, was derailed at Pierceville, forty-five Talles west, by the breaking of a wheel of the postal car. So far as known both pas- sengers and crew are unhurt. gee GOULD’S SUBSTANTIAL THANKS. fie Will Raise the Salaries of All Missourf Pacific Employes. _ ST. LOUIS, Mo., November 26.—It is an- pounced today that, as a Thanksgiving present, President George Gould of the Missouri Pacific railroad system has ad- vanced salaries all along the line 10 per cent. The advance, which will date back from November 1, effects 15,008 employes and will result in an additional expenditure of $900,000 a year. witte. ——— ee Death of W. Seymour Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. FREDERICKSBURG, Va., November 28. —W. Seymour White, mayor of this city, chairman of the national battlefiel@ park commission and president of the State Press Association of Virginia, died here at 2:25 o’clock this morning, after an illness of two months. Mr. White was forty-four years THE IN THE OHIO SENATE/ THE RAILROAD DEAL Situation Gives Democrats a Chance to Filibuster. © ~*~ They May Try to Prevent an Organti- zation and Thus to Defeat the Election of Senator Hanna. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. COLUMBUS, Ohio, November 26.—The republicans are undoubtedly right in hold- ing that in the joint session of the house and senate to elect a United States senator a majority of those present and voting can elect. But the same construction of the law in the orgenization of the senate will give the democrats power to block the pfoceedings as long as they please. They may by these tactics compel the republicans to yield some of the offices to them before they will permit an organization to be effected. How the Matter Stands. Supposing that the fusion republican Voight of Cincinnati will vote on organiza- tion with the republicans, and of that there seems to be no doubt now, the senate will be equally divided, 18 republicans and 18 democrats. If all the republicans vote for one person for any office and all the democrats for another, the presiding officer, Lieutenant Governor A. W. Jones, can de- cide the matter by his vote. But he cannot vote unless there is a tie. What the Democrats Can Do. All the democrats need do to prevent Mr. Jones from deciding the vote will be to have one of their number cast his vote regularly for some person other than their caucus nominee. No person will then have a majority of the menibers present and vot- ing, and there will be no election. If the organization of the senate should be delayed in this way until after date for the election of a United States senator serious complications might arise. — SECRETARY GAGE’S REPORT. Congress on the Fi Second Day. The annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury, according to present plans, will be sent to Congress either on the first or secend day of the coming session. As to the secretary’s plans for the reform of the currency enough has been learned to give confidence that the President is in full ac- cord with his views and recommendations, although in his official utterance, as ex- pressed in his forthcoming message to Con- gress, he may not give a complete and specific indorsement to all the propositions covered by the secretary's report. There will, however, be no differences between the President and the secretary. It is also understood that the forthcoming report of the monetary commisston will cov- er recommendations not essentially different from those embodied in Secretary’s Gage’s report to Congress. Those most familiar with both of these important papers give assurance that the difference between them will be easily reconciled and that to the Support of the propositions so harmonized the monetary commission will be able to bring the powerful influence of the great body of business men which the commission represents. ————_+-e-___. FIERCE GALES PREDICTED. Will Go to it or Forecast for December of the North Pacific. The chief naval hydrographer in his fore- cast of wind and weather in the north Pa- cifle ocean for December says: “During the month the northern part of the north Pacific ocean will be subject to flerce gales. These will probably be found due principally to either of two classes of barometric depressions, one class originat- ing in the west and moving to the eastward over the Japan sea and across the Island of Hokoshu, and the other class forming to the south of the 30th parallel and moving rorthward and tending to approach the average storm track for December. The region of greatest frequency and intensity of these gales will probably lie north of the 35th parallel and reach across the entire ocean; but between Japan and longitude 160 degrees east it will extend as far south- ward us latitude 30 degrees north. In the vicinity of the Philippine and Hawaiian Islands frequent squails may be expected. -—____ PERU'S NEW MINISTRY, Advices From Lima Announcing Its Composition, The Peruvian minister here has received a cable message from Lima announcing the formation of a new Peruvian cabinet, as follows: President of the cabinet and minister of the interior—Senor Alejandro Lopez de Ro- mana, former prefect of Arequipa. Minister of foreign relations—Dr. Enrique de la Riva-Aguero of the former cabinet. Minister of justice—Dr. Jose Antonio de Lavalle y Pardo. / omemepes of war and navy—Col. Jose Rosa i. Minister of the treasury—Senor Ignacio Rey of the former cabinet. Minister of public works—Dr. Ricardo L. Flores doctor of medicine). ———_—_+e— PROCEEDS OF THE U. P. SALE. Pay Warrant Directed to the Treas- urer Signed by Mr. Vanderlip. Assistant Secretary Vanderlip today sign- ed what is known as a pay warrant, direct- ing the treasurer of the United States to deposi: in the treasury the sum of $18,194,- 618.26, representing the proceeds of the sinking fund bonds recently sold and the uninvested cash in that fund, which have been transferred to the treasury as partial payment of the settlement with the reor- ganization committee of the Union Pacific railroad. This operation is merely a beok transaction in the treasury, and while it does not of itself result in formally taking up the amount as a treasury receipt, yet it is 2n important step which leads to placing the sum in the treasury cash,whore it is beyond recall and cannot be’ with- drawn, according to the constitutional pro- vision, except in consequence of an ap- Frepriation made by law. The full trans- action will not appear in the statement of treasury receipts until the close of the present month. ——_—__-e+______ Affidavits Regarding Importea Tea. ‘The Secretary of the Treasury has issued instructions to collectors of custems to the effect that the affidavits required under sec- tion 4 of the new tariff act, in regard to the importation of teas, shall be taken only from importers or consignees, and not from agents or brokers, and, further, that in case of doubt as to the genuineness of the sample cr trpth of the affidavit, the ex- the official standards. == Eckington and Belt Roads to Have the Underground System. PLANS OF THE NEW SYNDICATE About the Men Now Controlling These Properties. PROBABLE HEADQUARTERS - The announcement made in yesterday's Star that it is the purpose of those who are members of the syndicate that purchased the- Columbia and Maryland railroad and all the railroads connected with it to equip the Eckington road in this city with the underground system created much interest in this city. It is stated that it is the in- tention to begin at once the electrical equip- ment of this road, as it is an important feeder for the proposed electric road be- tween this city and Baltimore. It is further stated that the portions of the road between this city and Baltimore which are now nearly completed, and which extend for some distance from each city through the suburban territory, will be put in ‘such condition that they can be operated at ag early a date as possible. The middle portion, which lies between the extreme suburban limits of the two cities, will be finished at a later date. It is claimed that the two sections of the proposed road, con- necting, as they do, the business center of each city with a populous suburban sec- tion, give promise of a paying business, and that it is the purpose to get them in running order so that the company can be- gin to reap the benefits of the traffic which is believed will come to the proposed road. Between This City and Baltimore. It Is, however, positively stated that the new owners look upon the entire project of the road connecting the two business sections of Washington and Baltimore as likely to prove a good paying investment, and while it it stated that they intend at first to get into running ortier the two ends of the contemplated road, it is not the desire that {it should be understood that they do not propose to carry out the entire enterprise. As tne street railway in Baltimore termi- rating at Howard and Saratoga streets is already equipp2d und is in running order end as the road going through the suburbs of Baltimore is practically completed, the main work to be done will be centered in this city. It is likely, therefore, that the general offices of the company will be 10: cated here. The syndicate that has pur- chased these properties appears under the corporate name of the Baltimore Security and Trading Company, but it is said that it is the purpose to keep alive the organi- zation of the various companies which controlled and owned the railroad proper- tiles which have been acquired. Practically One Control. These companies are all to be reorganized by the election of new officers. For ex- ample, the directors of the Belt and the Eckington roads in this city will be chosen by the owners of a majority of the stock in this road, that majority, of course, it beiwg understood,.is now owned by this syndicate. Then the directors will elect officers. This process will be repeated in all the companies owned by the syndicate, and, while the directors and officers will not be precisely the same persons in all Tespects, yet practically all the corpora- tions will be under one and the same con- trol. It is expected that this reorganization of the various companies will be made in the course of a couple of weeks, and when that is accomplished then steps will be at once taken to get the roads in running order. It is proposed, as above stated, to first equip the Eckington, as that is an integral part of the system, with the underground electric power, and, under the act of Con- gress, it’ is stated that the company has the power to equip their lines with this system without waiting for the action of Congress. Need Not Go to Congress. It is stated that the law which reauired both the Eckington and the Belt railway companies to equip those portions of their respective lines which are situated within the boundaries of the city of ‘Washing- ton with compressed air motors, also pro- vided that in the event the compressed air motors should not prove a success then the said companies shall put into opera- tion the underground electric system. It is said that the work of electrical equipment of the Eckington road will be begun at an early date, in fact, at as early a date as is practicable, and that the un- derground system will be constructed along the route of this road within the old bounds of the city, and the balance of the road lytng outside of the city limits will be op- €rated by the overhead trolley. = Like the Chevy Chase. At the city bounds a similar device will be used on the cars to that which’is em- ployed on the cars of the Chevy Chase line and the underground trolley will be insert- ed beneath the cars and they can continue their trip into the city. On the trip leaving the city the underground trolley can be re- moved and the overhead trolley used. It is further announced to be a part of the plan of this syndicate to equip the Belt railroad with the underground system as soon as is practicable without interfering with the execution of their plans for get- ting into speedy working order the Ecking- ton road and that portion of the Columbia and Maryland which extends out through the suburbs toward Baltimore. pital. It is interesting in this connection to know something about the personnel of the new management. The name of Mr. John E. Searles of New York city is mentioned first in the accounts which have been given of the consummation of this deal. It is said that this is not accidental, as Mr. Searles is largely interested in this enter- prise. He is perhaps better known in this country as the secretary of the sugar trust than in any other way. But Mr. Searles is said to be a substantial and conservative business man, and fs the president of the Western National Bank, one of the largest institutions of the kind in New York city. He is said to be not only a man of exten- sivé means, but is in a position to com- mand large sums of money. Next to the name of Mr. Searles aj (, NOVEMBER 26, 1897—-SIXTEEN PAGES. TWO CENTS. The regular permanent family. circulation of The Evening Star is more than double that of any other paper in Washington, whether published in the morn- ing or in the afternoon. As a medium for unobjec- tionable advertisements it there- fore stands unequaled and un- approachable —_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—__—_—_—_ Mr. Nicholas P. Bond, Who is mentioned as the president of the Baltimore Security and Trading Company, the corporate form of the syndicate, is a lawyer in Baltimore, and represented the owners of these prop- erties in the recent sale. The treasurer of the company is David M. Newbold, who was the president of the Eckington and Belt railroads under the former management, and, with Mr. Bond and Robert 8S. Carswell of Baltimore, may be said to represent the: Elkins-Widener- Dolan syndicate, the late! ownegs of these Droperties. % f Mr. O. T. Crosby of this city ts:mentioned as one of the directors of the company. He is the president of the Potomac Electric Power Company of this eity. FAVORS MODIFICATION Senator Pritchard on Civil Service Olassifica- tion. Investigation of the Senate Committee —Exemption From Scholastic Examination: Senator Pritchard of North Carolina, chairman of the committee on civil serv- ice, says that there is a demand for some modification of the civil service classifica- tion, either by legislation 6r otherwise. The committee on civil service, which has taken @ great deal of testimony.on the subject of the extensions of the classification by President Cleveland and of the operation of the law as applied to ‘various branches of the service, will resume the investiga- tion, Mr. Pritchard says, about the 10th of December, taking up particularly the inter- nal revenue service. It is likely that the final report of the conimittee will be made to the Senate early in January. The be- Nef is that this report will recommend some important modifications of the sys- tem. Mr. Pritchard said on the subject today that he could not talkabout what the com- mittee might recommend in advance of their conclusion, but that some modifica- tion seemed to be nécessary to save the system from becoming weighted down. Exemption From Examination. “There are & great many people in the country, of course,”” he said, ‘‘who declare that they want the whole system wiped out. The conservative sentiment is;however, that the system should be preseryed and that the best way to preserve it 18 to protect it from abuse. In certain branches of the service and with respect to a certain elass of posi- tions there ts a good healthy’ sentiment in favor of claskification and tRe merit sys- tem, but there isa strong sentfment against the extension of this to offites the duties of which are executive. A too broad ex- tension of the system 1s calculated to weight it down and render #t unpopular, hereby epee ngering its continuance. 1 lave an idéa that a good pripieiple to adopt Woull be-that a Scholastic emamination 1s Proper to Getermine the fitness of persons for clerical positions, but ¢hat such a test is not suitable in determining the fitness of a man to fill a position gwhére the duties are exccutive. The clerk# im the depart- ments, a Jarge class. ef*those in the rail- way mail gervice, in Jat all thege in purely clerical position should he, aah fe prithin the cfyil service law, but there a lot of Positions that cannot be made-€o fit under the classification. idea that the law is a sort of blanket to cover everything is very unpopular.” Financial Legislation Needed. Senator Pritchard has little to say about the prospect of general legislation during the coming session. He: said that some sort of. financial legislation was greatly needed, but he could not tell what might be done about the matter. The people of the south, he said, needed better banking facilities, and were in favor of extending the bank currency. He said, also, that during the session he was going to make an effort to reduce the’internal revenue tax on whisky to 90 cents per gallon. This, he said, would produce ‘more revenue than does the $1.20 rate now jevied and would be fairer to the small distfflers, ee ALL AMERICANS: FREED. Spain Has Just Refeayed Three More Suspects in Cuba. A cable message has been received at the State Department from Consul General Lee at Havam announcing the release of Louis Soumeillan and Chaquillo Manuel Fernandez, American prisoners confined in Spanish jails in Cuba for alleged complicity with the insurrectionary movement. Sou- meillan had been tried and sentenced to Perpetual imprisonment. U. 8. Consul Barker at Sagua reports to the department that Rafael Fernandez, an American citizen, confined at that place for alleged complicity in-the insurrection, was reieased from custody yesterday. ‘There are now no Americans in custody in Cuba on account of tHe insurrection. —————_- SPANISH MINISTER’S RETU! Senor de Lome and His Family Ex- pected Tomorrow. Senor de Lome, the Spanish minister, and his family are expected to’return tomorrow from New York, where they have spent several weeks, and take possession of their new residence at 1785. Massachusetts avenue. It Is one of the most spacious private resi- dences in the city. The Spanish legation will have offices in the rear of the resi- dence. The minister's ocetpancy of a new house is taken as an evidence that there is no présent likelihood of a change in Spain’s diplomatic representative .at Washington. It is understood that the minister submitted his resignation at the time the change of finistry occurred at:Madrid, but that he was asked to remain, to his famil- jarity with the numergus pending diplo- n.atic questions. 74 ¢ NO WORD FROM joFrawa. Reported Disinclindélan fo Suspend Sealimty. * No word of the repofted ?t@fusal of the Canadian government té the propo- sition-.of the United @@mtes for a: modus vivendi to stop the killfiig*of #eais while a commission is engaged'fn arranging other. issues between the Unifid States and Can- ada. has come either téthe ment or to the British 4hbass# here. There 1s no disposition in offiéfal'quéirters to dis- credit the statement céfing from Ottawa” to that effect, and it is ‘eared'that the end of the negotiations is get.a Ing way re- moved. The Canadian alternative TO LEGALIZE BULL FIGHTS RIOT IN REICHSRATH Scene of Wild Disorder in the Aus- tro-Hungarian Congress. POLICE CALLED "0 QUELL- TUMULT Uncle Joe Mansfield Introduces Bill in Gampia Tapio Shows How Prices of Georgia Produce ‘Would Be Raised Thereby and Prosperity Follow. Members Go at Each Other Sav- agely in Prize Ring Style. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. ATLANTA, Ga., November 26.—Undaunt- ed by the defeat of his bill to legalize prize fighting in Georgia, “Uncle Joe” Mansfield, member from McIntosh county, will intro- duce a bill to allow bull fights In Georgia. Since the first of this legislative session “Uncle Joe” has been trying to have passed his bill to legalize prize fighting. He has made several eloquent speeches In favor of the measure, and has made a great fight for its passage. The general judiciary com- mittee. made an unfavorable report on the bill, but Mr. Mansfield made a motion to disagree to this report, which motion was tabled. Now “Uncle Joe” will offer a bill to legal- ize bull fights. He says that this will be a great commercial benefit to the state; u.at bulls which now sell for $5 for beef will, if trained for fighting purposes, bring $25, making a clear gain of $20 a head for bulls cf Georgia. He says this will bless south Georgia more than any other section. Mr. Mansfield said that his prize fight bill would bring millions of dollars to Georgia and bring a revival of prosperity; that cotton would go up to 10 cents and other products take an upward tendency. eer serea PRESIDENT FLEES FOR LIFE eee VIENNA, November 26.—The discrder in the lower house of the reichsrath was so acceniuated today that a strong detach- ment of police had to be called in to pre- serve order. When the president of the house, Dr. Abrahamovics, entered, he was grected with vociferous shouts of “Get out.” The leftists rose to their feet in a body, many of the deputies shrieked wildly and an in- describable tumult followed. During the tumult a social democrat, Herr Berner, made a rush for the president, and a lively fist fight followed between Be ner and thé house attendants who attempt- ed to protect the chair. Public Papers Destroyed. Thereupon another social democrat, Herr Resel, jumped upon the ministerial bench, and, hurrying to the presidential chair, seized the papers which were lying on the president's desk, and tore them to pieces, while other social democrats hastened to Herr LBerner’s assistance, occupied the tribune and demanded satisfaction for the attendants’ pummeling of Herr ferner. President Abrahamovics was compelled to flee. Subsequently the social democrats and other deputies indulged in a free fight, and Herr Berner was ejected from the house. In the meantime a detachment of seventy police arrived in the house, and the officer in command called upon the social demo- crats to withdraw from the presidential platform. ‘They, however, refused to with- draw, and resisted the attempts of the po- lice to eject them. They were eventually removed forcibly and singly. The police then made a cordon around the tribune. These scenes were enacted prior to the formal opening of the house. Tumult in Galleries. While tHe deputies were fighting and howhng on the floor of the house a tumult arose in the second gallery, which the at- tendants promptly cleared. ‘The authorities then caused all the lob- bies_of the house to be filled with police, the gates were closed and the building was guarded by a strong police force. ‘The session of the house, in the mean- while, was suspended. —— TO AVERT INVASION. Seeretary Bliss Takes Action Re- garding Wichita Reservation. Secretary Bliss has taken prompt action to avert a possible invasion of the Wichita reservation in Oklahoma by whites, with the idea of forcing upon Congress the open- ing of that country to white settlement. Reports have just reached the department that certain persons are declaring their in- tention to organize a large party in the state of Kansas, or elsewhere, to invade the Wichita lands with the object stated. Instructions have been wired to all the agents and inspectors in that section to make inquiries and ascertain as far as pos- sible the truth of the rumors and report the result here. The agents are called upon to exercise great vigilance to prevent any such invasion, and in case of necessity, where the Indian police force is inadequate, military assistance will be promptly fur- nished. This action is more of a precau- tionary measure than in anticipation of real danger. Officials, while taking proper steps to meet any contingency, do not ap- prehend any serious disorder. ————_o—___ LIEUT. O’BRIEN’S RESIGNATION. Heavy Snowfa cided F ST. PAUL, Minn., November 26.—A bliz- zard of no mean proportions is now raging in the northwest. Dispatches from points in Minnesota, Iowa, Montana and the two Dakotas state a heavy snow storm, ac- companied by a medium wind, but a much lower temperature, has prevailed most of the day. At Helena, the highest point reached was 30 above, while at 8 p.m. it had dropped to 12. The lowest temperature was at Battle Ford, where at 8 o'clock last night the thermometer registered 10 degrees below zero, ——— AUSTRIAN STEAMER JOKAI SUNK. Four of the Crew Drowned—Result of a Collision. LONDON, November 26.—The British steamer Baron Ardrossan, from Bombay on October 14, for Antwerp and Havre, col- lided with the Austrian steamer Jokai last night off Dungeness. The Jokal was so badly damaged that she sank shortly after- ward. Four of her crew were drowned, and nineteen others were rescued by a pilot cut- ter. The Baron Ardrossan had her bow stove in. —_——___ CLOAK MAKERS ON STRIKE. Peace Contracts Expire and General Walk-Out is Threatened. NEW YORK, November 26.—A strike which involved 200 cloak makers occurred today-at a Delancey street shop. The cause of the strike was a threat alleged to have been made by the employing con- tractors to reduce wages. This is the first result of the expiration of the peace con- tracts entered into three months ago be- tween the 800 contractors and 9,000 or- ganized employes in the cloak-making in- dustry. » According to the agreement, these con- tracts became obsolete today. A series of meetings will be held to outline plans to avert, if possible, a general conflict be- tween employes and employers. —— “¥IGHT OVER MULATTO’ GIRL, One Negro Killed and Another Prob- ably ly Wounded. WILMINGTON, Del November 26.—A special to the Every Evening from Lewes, Del., reposts a desperate and fatal fight at a colored festival held in that town last night. Cephas Miller, a Virginia negro, be- came engaged in a quarrel with John E. Lockwood. a colored resident of Lewes, a comely mulatto woman being the cause of the fight. Miller drew a revolver and fired several shots at Lockwood, one of which pierced his heart, causing almost instant death. Another man was shot through the hand. Lockwood's friends immediately attacked Miller with clubs and razors, beating and siashing him until he was unconscious. He was rescued by the town constable and taken to the lockup. The infuriated negroes made several attempts during the night to lynch the murderer, but were prevented by the constable and his deputies. Miller is still unconscious and may die. —— BEAR TO SAIL TODAY. No Doubt Expressed That It Will Be Accepted. Although the resignation of Lieut. Michael J. O’Brien of the 5th Infantry has not yet reached the Secretary of War, it is said at the War Department that there is no doubt of its acceptance. Lieut. O’Brien has asked for a year’s leave of absence, but it is nct probable he will get it, inasmuch as it is understood that Gen. Merritt, commandirg the Department of the Est, has repcrted adversely on the application. The acceptance of Licut. O’Brien’s resignation relieves him from the possibility of being court-martialed for his recent alleged violations of the articles of waz in connection with the visit of his regiment to the Nashville expositioin. Lieut. O’Brien graduated No. 3 in, his class at West Point, and was the special representative of the army during the Chinese-Japanese war. More recently he has been prominenuy before the public as one of the principals in the O’Brien- Romeyn scandal at Fort McPherson. It is bis purpose to engage in literary and legal pursuits, for which he is said to have shown special aptitude. Capt. Tuttle Talks of the Chances of Success. SEATTLE, Wash., November 26.—The revenue cutter Bear will, it is expected, sail this afterncon or tonight to the relief of the whalers who are frozen up in the Arctic ocean, north of Point Barrow, Alaska. Capt. Tuttle, in discussing the probable point where the sled or land party wiil be landed for their dash north, said that it all depends upon the state of the ice pack. No vessel, he declared, has heretofore been in that part of the Bering sea to which the Bear is bound later than the month of Oc- tober. The ice condition, he said, is un- known except within sight of shore. The natives have been urf&ble to report on the ice formaticn only so far as they have been able to see it the land. “As a result of this winter's work in subject by the time I return.” He then added, significantly: “As far as steam and sail drive us to the north we will go.” ptain Tuttle will shape a course at the career from the straits of Fuca to Una- THE TORPEDO BOAT FOOTE. Report on Her Trip, Generally Favor- abl The naval trial board, Lieut. Commander Rodgers, pregident, which conducted the six-hour final trial of the torpedo boat Foote on the 18th instant, submitted its re- port to the Secretary of the Navy today. ‘The board finds generally that no weakness or defect appeared; that the machinery showed no failure nor deterioration other than that due to fair wear andtear, and that there was a want of proper vacuum in the condensers, not due, however, to the con- traciors. The guas were fired with full charges and were found to function per- fectiy, as did the torpedoes. The engines and bollers worked well, and the speed made was 185 knots on 192 tons displace- ment. The reversing gear was able ‘to ‘The rudder was fcund to be overbalanced, and the board condemns the practice, as exhibited on the Foote, of placing a steam- steering plant in the exposed conning tower. LOVERING IS GUILTY Finding of Fort Sheridan Court-Mar- tial in the Hammond Case, 10 BE PUNISHED BY A REPRIMAND Court Shows Leniency on Account of Officer's Good Record, FINDINGS EN ROUTE HERE CHICAGO, November 26.—The Tribune today prints the following: The finding of the court-martial is that the accused is guilty as charged in the specifications, and recommends that he be reprimanded by the reviewing authority. The findings add: “The court is thus lenient in view of the good character of the accused, as shown in the evidence.” The foregoing is, according to the state- ment of a man who knows, the exact ver= dict of the court-martial which has just completed its labors in the case of Captain Leonard A. Lovering of Fort Sheridan, charged with brutal treatment of Private Charles Hammond. 5 Court Debated One Hour. It took the court-martial one hour to reach its decision. The first ballot resulted in seven members of the court-martial vot- ing “Guilty” and five “Not guilty.” The usual court-martial is composed of thirteen members, but Major Randolph, who had been detailed to attend, was unable to do so, and so the twelve men sat as a jury to decide the fate of Captain Lovering, There was a vigorous effort made to have those parts of the specifications charging Captain Lovering with cruelty and brutali- ty stricken out, but it was finally decided to consider the charges as they were set forth in the specifications, and the decision. was reached without making the changes. A majority is conclusive in court-martial findings, and, after the verdict of guilty was established the only thing to be con- sidered was the measure of punishment. Officers had made up their minds that Hammond's career as a soldier was not creditable, and this weighed strongly in bringing them to an agreement as to the punishment to be meted out to Lovering. Lovering’s Honorable Record. The evidence showed that Captain Lover- ing had been connected with the United States military service for twenty-five years and that this record had been a good one. A number of officers came out plain- iy and said they would not vote for a find- ing of guilty if Captain Lovering was to be given a humiliating punishment. It was argued that Hammond's record placed by the side of Captain Lovering’s was of such a character as to unavoidably gain some sympathy from the court for the officer. Lieutenant Colonel Hunter, judge adyo- cate of the court, will have his record completed today and this, with the finding, will be forwarded to Washington tonight. It will probably be placed in the hands of the President on Monday, and after its in- spection by General Alger and General Miles the finding will be given out officially. The public announcement will probably be made by Thursday of next week. The Record Not Received. The record of the court-martial in the case of Capt. Lovering has not yet reached the War Department. It appears that it will not pass through the hands of Geh. Brooke, as would be the case in the ordi- nary routine, but the general being regara- ed somewhat in the light of an accuser of Lovering, the papers will not come before him at all, either for review or for trans- mission to Washington from Chicago. Th: jucge advocate of the court will, it is ex- pected, forward the papers directly to Judge Advocate General Lieber, at the War Department, and the latter will submit them with his indorsement to the com- msnding general. Gen. Miles in turn will send the case up to Secretary Alger, and eveniually it may reach the White House, —— GIRLS WERE T0O PRETTY. Abandoned by Their Uncle They May. Be Sent Back to Hamb fo The Treasury Department has before it a case of unusual interest. On the 12th of this month Ella and Agnes Frensdorfft arrived at New York from Hamburg, Ger- many. They are fifteen and nineteen years, respectively. They came over expecting to make their home with an uncle named De Young, in Brooklyn. He had written therii, it is said, that he would receive them cor- dially and give them a home. The old man met the two girls upon their arrival, but a change came over him, He forgot his promises, and influenced, it ia claimec by his wife, stammered out that the girls were too pretty for him to un- dertake the respomibility of rearing and caring for them. He declined to receive them, and the immigration authorities were in a predicament. There was nothing to do, however, but order the deportation of the girls on the ground that they would probably become public charges. This order was issued. In the meantime, however, several He- brew societies and prominent Hebrews uf New York began an investigation of the cases, and at last decided to make an appeal to the Treasury Department te prevent deportation. Peter Zucker, a rep- resentative of these societies, has arrived here and made a statement of the case to Assistant Secretary Spaulding today. The societics, he said, would give bonds that the Frensdorffs would not become public charges. The representative of the s0- eleties made a verbal statement of the case. Gen. Spaulding instructed him to file with the department as soon as possible if