Evening Star Newspaper, December 21, 1897, Page 1

— THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY..- AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, J1Ci Fernsylveria Avenue, Cor. 11th Et, by Few York Oiice, 49 Pottor Buildinz. _— ee ‘The Eveniag Star ts served to culaccibers fn the ity by cnrriers. on their owa account, at 10 ecnts per week. or 44 cents per month. Copies at the counter 2 cents each. By mail—anywhere in the United States or Conada—postage prep.id—30 ccnte Per month. ncaterdas nintuple Sheet ftar. $1 per year, with reign postage : . (Eatered «° the Post Ofiec at Washington, D. C., @s_secend-?.ae mail matter.) ©All wali subscriptions must be paid in advance. Rates of advertising made known 00 application. BIG THEATER BURNED > Auditorium Building in Kansas City Totally Destroyed. LOSS, $450,000; INSURANCE, $85,000 The Structure Also Large Famiy Hotel. Included a -- PANIC STRICKEN = KANSAS CITY, December 2 Auditorium, the la nd west of Chicago, and the Audi the :nost fashionable family one of ‘Iries in the city, situated at Holmes 1 ath streets, were gutted by fire that i in the theater part shortly after 1 G@elock this morning The 106 guests escaped in safety, al- though many building in their 1 on the entire by will ager euranee nt property, len clot he loss: which ts iness man, sgregate in- Hoo, Owing to high msurance + deal of the ivsurance bad allowed to lapse. Caused by Crossed Wir fire in unoceupied n the vor of the theater aud ed fron lw owned Frazer, a a @ gre en The originated an sixth the first ere who nm at H awoke the gue 1 many families and children md the greatest confusion en- su For a time it rontined d that the flay floor, nes but en gotten under | tin and defied all | ntly b forth a frem the of the n that ad to th a continuou: enabled it rol The r of the nd se ue the ures wall, which ve in the control. nm carried i fled fre th out their rer r neighboring { ones their 1 en qu who hz rk Company's Efiects Saved. In the theater the Woodward Stock Com- Pany, which has been tne standing attrac- tien since reopening of the place last naged to save the bulk of i after the second burst of flames +men gave up hope of saving the st the building in which nnex to ihe in avd 1 there were openings fn ali the t which made the two butidings ‘one made them both an easy prey for the flames once well Started. Superintendent Pelletier of the insurance patrol refused to allow his men te enter the building to spread tarpaulins, end all efforts ef the firemen were c fined to the outsi¢ Luckily the structure stood alone and #t uo one time was surrounding property The firemen worked heroi hin a few hours both the thea- 1 the 1 had been gutted, the part of the roof had fallen in and me-third of the west wall of the aps ale hotel co! It History of the Building. The Auditorium was built in 18% by Colo- mel Geo. W. Warder at a cost of $100), It was named the Warder Grand Oy House, and was ope: by Booth and t. After a brief but unsuccessful traded the property to Chicago. Henry _re- . but it again failed to § the National Bank -d the property and eum, well-known 1 manager, the hou: for a season in the’ most ap tropolitan style. nother fatlu k traded last Octobe xton and Burzis ”) in iinprovements both hotel and the th iad HAD LOST ITS CHARM. “r exp repairs and ater. on LIFE Himself in CHICAGO, Campvell, an age 21.—Alexander B. t of Rushville, Ind., committed suiciie at a Clark street hotel last night. He took morphine and was dead when found. He had writ long letter to the coroner and made a will bequeathing his few valuables to relatives suicide was about sixty-nve years old. He came to the hotel December 1, and registered from Santa Monica, Cal. He attempted recently to kill himself in Li A Cal Failin His relatives and friends unsound mind. He was examined authorities and released as sane. He was the son s born in Was a leadi djutant es, he returned home. thought him of by the of a Christi this w fortune of i000 when an acc occurred that lew death of : Id son, who ed by t cars in Topeka. t gbis 3 with his wi Qos . Cal., where she ¢ ace ago. This last bereaven: heavily upon Campbell's mi time he was thought to be insane : confined in an asylum. Coming back to Indiana, he began the practice of law in Rushville and stumped Rush and surround- Ing counties last fall for McKinley. AND, Ohio, December 21.—Prep- arations zre being made to ship the mon- ster steel gun cast at the Otis steel works to Washington. The gun weighs eighteen tons. So far as the casting of the gun, it has been a success, but the real test will when the gur is tested by the govern- ment, at_which time the success or failure of Dr. Gattling’s plan of casting such a large gun in one piece will be clearly demonstrated. >— To Succeed Mr. Devine. Mr. Reue! Small of Portland, Me., will be appointed one of the official stenographers of the House tn the place of Mr. Devine, who has resigned. Mr. Small has been stenographer of the superior court at Port- land, and has also served with tbe seal commission, 13,980, Che Sh Fening Star. WASHINGTON, D. ©, TUESD AY, DECEMBER 21 1897-SIXTEEN PAGES. TWO CENTS FEW FACTS, BIG Commissioner Evans’ Comment on the Story of Pension Safeguards About t cient to Prevent IMAGINATION) AT BAYONET’S POINT ——— Autonomy to Be Forced on the Cubans, GEN. BLANCO PREPARING 0 FIGHT Frauds. he Bureau Sufi- Such Rob- bery as ix Alleged. “With figures report, the assistance h you can d imagination, the author of a few facts ana] Reorganization of the Spanish find in my annual Army. of the pension fraud stcry in a New York paper of yester up quite a fiction.” his morning in which purported ling pension fraud Really there fs little ther in this connection. said, the article is for tion, based unen and it appears ticle, a pensio ay succeeded in building Pension Commi: figures s easily distorted. the the —————— PROGRESS OF THE CAMPAIGN ioner H. Clay discussing the ar- the unearthing of s. for me to say fur- As I have already the most part fic ily obtainable, To any idi of article at once y Charles M. Pepper.) of The Evening star. MARIANOA, Cuba, December 17, 1807. Military operations are the chief means for establishing Spain's colonial policy in Cuba. Since the insurgents will not have autonomy on a silver platter it is to be pressed on them at the point of the bay- modus its own lity. We have | Onet. The soil in which the plant must rown shout the pension office sufficient | grow has to be ploughed by rifle ball and safeguards to prevent any such thing as | cannon and enriched by more biood. In ef- Do net unde reourt records | tcf a fresh campaign is u n by the day. We are ever on the | 8rms of Spain. This makes pertinent the ngs. and when once we | inquiry as to the condition of the army ever let up in the pi which is to enforce the acceptance of au- fore as ee tonomy and the ability of the insurgents there are survivors.’ st its implantation. At the outset y do not know w sts of reduce the in: brigandage m: n. Blanco that he will soon urrection to a mere state of be dismissed. They are an hat office is required to ar jon. ‘hi: > s sean nension = echo of Weyler’s bragging that the island does not pen people simply heen: NL A - é L : would be pacified in three months. The they say they pidiers. We don't give & aptain general's vauntings are of no more pe ke ase in point itn lone before a pe! ail, the applics davit of the appl eh come ali d let us ion is ant t cant must 1 rades t vive the of th de ft office soldier the ile gor or vidence nts pr was taken w ving a ¢ reatest 1 na de ap le for swelling to a figure in exces: re other é » 1 rememt big frauds in the New miner there and tigated. W ns Ww who were parts were run down ntiar weeks ago out we: ing four pensi hose pension as the re sfon is gran i from the War I ing boards The usual uds Run Down. complaints re performing Another case happ A widow was draw- ht than the v the guard. Noth ions justifics the hope Ive results in. the re of var rhateiy for insurgents until the reiny fur- | After t the usual suspe¢ camp of a corpo 1 of ndi- © promise of near future. The ng fortunes in the roops and for the ason in Ma n of actu see what de has to be filed hat he ay wi tice the 1 zning through the hot, wet summer bring the affidavit of © certify Blanco had a monumental task pens rtake on h It was to re- act a ruuds in that dire ired thy mer of his 1 for my Lefe & cry of one of the T will not ask for é nd of the sick soi- an has little | ders hav k to Spain; some- joc In m thing has been done for those whose ail- iced ent was lack of nourishme new r tell wheth capitals have been established and the ests for deafnes: tis what the au- policant hears not must know. A few to do but certify the of the large ones in on.” But untry forty or fifty miles from Ha- be re. It was shown me with pride. The a list of pensioners ary con was fearful. The fet the survivors. mosphere wa menace to health : = who might breathe it. To the i brought ther. ly by disease frauds. Some time} jt could only mean a 1 to their hed me of | sufterings. In the military hospitals around York office. I sent nn the co weather has lessened the : , = rom yellow fever, but the sol- UG HOG Guts verywhere are yet dying like flies. nd five ca where] And a sight of them in their camps and » being issued to dead men.| barracks out through the country shows dead men’s | that the vacancies in the hospital cots will be quickly filled with new recruit The physical state of the troops which are rav- ed by the fevers of all kinds cannot show @ marked gain. nd sent to the peni- ned several elict of a soldier, as well as one for her chil. We had a report Reoreanieing theeAene of something crooked here and investi- ae a 3 ated. We found the widow had married] 1” the reorganization proper of the army and thereby forfeited her right to pension; an improvement is shown. Some of the that the child was dead and she was still] lost columrs have been found. Battalions drawing its pension. Now, mark what this} which had been out of view for months office did. The woman who certified to the | jive reappeared. The forces are in better relict differen! pension as thi learned, knew the second mar ther, that the two bro’ widow were present a “These are merels tend to show wotehes for frauds, ani “There is another casi man a oldier in he Mexican pension ané issued to him in IL et that the woman w sre still certifying to his exist- vflice never let up one iota. were all prosecuted and sent to the illustrations, yet they how carefully ally drew two pension: the Mexican o was drawing a for mobilization. Ible f soldier, we | Shape It is po; to tl ng been at] shift them from one part of the island to sioner. Fur-} another. The estimate of an eifective force thers of the alleged | of 70,000 has been raised to $0,000, But it t the death of her is with what he has that Gen, Blanco must conduct his future cperaticns. He brought with him 1,700 men. No further arri of troops have been chronicied. ‘The hints that no fresh levies are to be made in the provinces of Spain is borne out. Whether the peninsula is unable to raise more, or this offi I how determinedly } Vhether the Sagasta ministry needs all the a recelt Ww @ | troops at home to prevent a Carlist: up- eT recall where one | rising, does not change the position in and _eivil wars | Which the captain general finds himself. 5 ; | He must make his future levies on Cuba was granted first if. penisten e wnile The outlines of this plan are put forth i excel form in the minds of the authorities. The the same, with the exception of the omis- 5 ¥ rally. the anish pope Sic iddle tial in one name, | first element is, naturally, the Spanish pop: Tigtle ‘stogoeas the extent of bearing arms has not thus promptly stopped both will not be paid again v has recovered that whic lost. In the New York legal pensioners were to mention the depart one cent. The banks good the loss, for as such the banks “And so I tell you any amount of fraud to be practiced suc- sfully in this department. vend $10,000 in running self, I would rather s Gown a fraud than ing one.”* < = BRIDGING Gaillard’« Est or Steel St In compliance with a Capt. in the District of Columbia appropriation act approved March 3, 1897, Gen, Wilson, chief of engineers, has submitted to Con- the report of Capt. gre Corps of Enginee wi mutes for both a stone arch b eel bridge with stone foundations over line of Massachusetts avenue extended westward. cost of the stone arch bridge 1s $08,545, dge $199,204. > the chief of engineers aa: Roek creek on the and for the steel bri in transmitting ¢ “In my judgement the lic, the durability and structure as well as harmony with the ap- parent future conditic will be best secured by the construction of the stone arch brid, too, then, the very m: le bridge ture. id that as the act a stone quiries and sequence cbaracter. ° com Prompt Action in Congress is Looked For. As soon as Congress missioners’ new highway bill, which been introduced in the Senate by Mr. Mc- Millan, chairman of the Senate committee on the District of Columbia, will be referred to a subcommittee and its consideration will be begun at once. Representatives will to consider proposed lutions before the in the regulations, he checks were forgeries, ROCK CREEK. * at the site selected; se for maintenance and repairs is me to think that in the end a stone will be the more economical struc- In this connection it may be proper rch bridge or a steel bridge the in- estigations have, as a con- been limited to bridges of that action on the measure will be taken as promptly as will be found consistent with its careful consideration. ——-e-_____ Considering House Rules. The committee on rules of the House of time to time during the recess of. Congress rules of the House. There are several reso- amendments to the rules and the commit- tee itself desires to make some alterations pensions, and they far been unanimous. ‘The volunteers in anit hee Giunonaatly Havana, who number between 18,000 and case, where five ji- | 20.000, prefer to remain a home guard. discovered, [ forgot | They breathe fewer threats against au- tonomy because their employers have had prudence enough to curb them. But there are many chasms to be bridged before these Havana volunteers will be planting autono- my with powder and shot. In the country the drawbacks are not so great. The vol- unteers have already had actual service to do in defending their neighborhoods from insurgent raids and assaults. They have iffed fighting a Httle and would not be bad material out of which to mold a force of regular soldiers. Auxiliary to these vol- unteers are the local guerrillas. Sometimes they form the basis of the volunteers. ‘They are not, however, all Spaniards. In their ranks are Cubans of a certain type, es, and a mixture of the scum of all alities. They were responsible for a share of the fearful atrocities committed under Weyler’s despotism. The regular troops also had a share in the atrocities, but the guerrillas reveled in the license given them. ‘The insurgents have hung many of these guerillas. 1 have heard Spanish officers voice a longing to hang the remaind2r. ‘They have no place in a war which is pro- fessedly to be conducted ‘hereafter on principles recognized by civilized nations. ‘The class that joined the guerillas enlisted early, so there is not much of a reserve on which to draw for soldiers of this kind. But the whole matter of depending on the island to furnish the future levies is too indefinite to have a place in any campaign- ing that may be done during the next few months. Mornle of the Higher Ranks. Capt Gen. Blaaco has for the command of the 80,000 suppcsedly effective troops two lieutenant generals, fourteen generals of division and twenty-eight generals of Lrigade. So whatever the drain has been upon Spain's resources of men for the ranks she has enough generals to carry on the war. Some of them have not yet found their commands, though they are making Frogress in that direction. Gen. Blanco’s personal staff seems to be of better stuff than that by which Weyler was surround- ed. It may be because these officers are newer to their surroundings and their op- portunities. Time will be required to show whether that {fs so. The morale of the army in its aigher ranks is undoubtedly better. The cafes of Havanna have less attraction for them. Instead of sipping coffee, smoking cigarettes and keeping up the dispute of line and staff they show a desire to go out in the field where some fighting may be found. That they do fight is preven by the reports of the various en- gagements in which officers of rank are killed. ‘This may be partly due to their inexperience and their ignorance of the ment will will not losa have to make are accountable, it is impossible for As for m e $100 by perpetuat- imates for a Stone ructure. provision contained D. D. Gaillard, and esti- idge and a th di The estimated Gaillard’s report interest of the pub- permanence of the ons at the locality aterial difference in contemplates either HIGHWAY BILL. reconvenes the Com- has It is expected that rticipation in the fighting? vthe ‘captain general's chief of staff is Lieut. Gen. Pando, The other lieutenant general, Valera, is chief of the reserve. Gen. Pando was chosen for political ag much as for military reasons. He was ially well informed of the conditions in the eastern provinces, which are for all practical purposes held by the insurgents. hold sessions from amendments to the committee off country, but it is also evidence of actual leaders, had been intimate to the degree that they might be willing to trust him. Gen. Pardo started for the eastern prov- inces with amnesty tm one hand and the sword in the other. The sword, however, was half sheathed, so it Wouid not be just to say that military operations in the east under Pando have been a failure. The in- surgents have harrassed his troops and laid slege successfully to several towns in Santi- ago and Puerto Principe, but these are not conclusive as military operations. They were meant to convince Gen. Pando that autonomy will not be accepted. As a demonstration they ,probably served their Purpose, though mygterious rumors con- tinue to originate in the palace that Pando is coming back with the promise of sur- render from one or two important insurgent leaders. The military prospects in the east will have to be judged after the authorities wet the troops there revictualed and sup- plied with rations enough to enable them io keep the field for a few weeks without darger of starvation. = In the central and western provinces something is known of actual military oper- ations since General Blanco took command. Though it is a year since Maceo’s death, and though his death was said to mark the end of the revolution in Pinar del Rilo, the new captain general has thrown addi- tional troops into the province under Gen- erals Bernal and Velasco. The only im- porcant engagement that has taken’ place resuited in the alleged retreat of the in- turgents, though they left no dead, while the Spanish troops had a long list of casua!- ties. Now the insurgents are said to be massing again in Vuelta Abajo, the range of hills from which the sea can be seen on either side. Their number was r “] to be only 700, but the governor of the prov- ince warned the palace that they were in reality aml we strong enough to convey their own provisions to the hills from the expeditions which landed on the st. In the fight at Caiman, near Bata- na, on the south coast, General Parrado had four columns under him, and, though only 200 ir nts were reported, the sa lively one. These engage- s ive of nothing. They simply show that in such military operations as have been carried on since Captain Gen Bianco's coming the Spanish forces have not be ple to place to their credit a The general pl administration con troops m reliance sweeping victory. campaign of the new templates k the L How far this not be judsed until further or the experiment. tement of the al campatening thus far accomplished under the policy of General Blanco has ¢ ied with it inef- dental information about the al y of the in: sist. Incidental forma- tion 1 that an be gleaned > friends of the insurgent imate triumph mak y say th against insi ion. 10,000 the in: have even had 50,000 men beth in ficid and in reserve may be doubted, as also whether they now 30,800. i not vital so long as e men enough to keep busy all the s ‘rs Spain can send agaist them. e undoubtedly weak in the provine: and Matanzas. When not hur y the troops all they can do fs to make an occasional raid or tease the Spanish columns. But the future of the insurre tion does not hinge on this part of the island. Insurgents Well Armes The insurgents, it is known, have all t arms they need. A month ago Gen. Gomez rd that he wanted further ammu- nd ro more rifles. Since then his s huve recelved additional ammuni- tlon, The dynamite guns, which were at first handled so badly, nave been used with effect. Something like an artiller has be blished in the eastern prov- Inces. provisioning of the Spanisa troops there will be shared by the insu gents, who have never heretofore failed to attack the cenvo; How far the generals expect to continue offensive operations, and whether they are actually planning a mo: ment to Matanzas the developments of a few weeks will snow. It gives the Sp: fards themseives a shock to read in the olficial news that part of the military operations of the tr s is to “strengthen Jucare-Maron trocha, ern of the i nur Calixto Garcia has thus own jack of strategical in- stnct. Wacther, after the aggressive ¥ cs of the forces under their command and their success in drawing the troops to the east, they will retire to their strong- holds, depends on their view of the ad- ntages. Unie: become Impatient they probably content with soon uming detensive we bisects the ¢: land. Neithes their own followers have be will fare and showing the inability of Spain to conquer. Opinions given in the shadow of a mili- tary campaign are not of special value. A single action may upset them all. Never- theless, as an indication of the feeling with which the Spanish officers are enga; ing in the operations, 1 may give an illu: tration. I have heard a dozen speak of ending the war in one, two or three years. Of a successful termination within six menths, two or three. Those in the fieid have explanations to give of the difficulties which the nature of the country impose: In the southwestern part of Havana pro ince one of the commanders, who was tak- ing his column out, us taiking to me of the position of the United States with more intelligence and less animosity than most of the officers show. He said: “Your peo- ple would be more patient if they und¢ stood the topography of Cuba. The insui rection is in las lomas—the hills.” His hand swept the horizon, where the brown hills stretched on every side. If Cuba had been created a treeless plain, Spain might keep down insurrections. CHARLES M. PEPPER. —_+. INDIAN OUTBREAK | FEARED Plot to Burn All United States Court Houses in the Territory. CHICAGO, Decer>er 21.—A spectal to the Times-Herald from Wichita, Kan., say: Information has been received at the of- fice of the United States marshal at South McAlester, I. T., to the effect that the lawless element among the Indians has fermed a corspiracy to burn up the United States court house there and all other United States court buildings in the Indian territory. : The burning of the United States court house at Ardmore the other day, with all its records, 1s belleved to he the first at- tempt to carry out the plot. The Indians are said to be growing more restive as the 1st of January approaches, as upon that day ail of their tribal courts are abolished and the fedcral courts wi! have full juris- dictfon in litigatton affecting the Indians, Under the Indian law one Indian cannot sue another for debt cf any natur@ There are vast numters of notes held b; Indians against their. less p1 ren, now uncollectible, which come under the federal Mw. -1t will rain many thousands of Ind: who have here- tofore been considered wealtily, and it is the discontent of the debtor class that is thought to be responsible for the plot to burn the court records and impede es far as possible the administration of justice in the United States Detectives are watching the paren | ef the wuspected In the past his relatives, with some of the ! Indians, . are me iy eet: SUPPORTING THE LAW President and Cabinet Discuss the Civil Service. + -- INDORSEMENT OF THE MERIT SYSTEM Secretary Wilson Differs From the Others. Fase EXEMPTION AND ADDITION The opponents of the civil service law wiil get support from President Mc- Kinley or his cabinet offic sin their fight on the law. T! Was definitely settled at the cabinet mee Cs 1 ice Ww e the cabinet, and little else was discussed The question Was brought up by the lution intro- duced in the Senate last week by Senator Cullom and pz by that bho This resolution inqu appointive positions in his depart ich should be ex pted from the operations of the civil service law. tor whether the law should be amended or changed, the experience of the inet offic being the test of hi DS We Thi resolution was referred to in the cabinet, and nearly every cabinet: member rd se thing on the subject. These brought out any interesting fac CGief fact is that, with the exception Secretary Wilson, the cabinet is practically t any ch < of importance ttions of the civil ser welt advo the © numerou: k encu fent aad his a y Alccr was ni, hut the faet ne cut that in ibe buildi re he ts ated lew caunges, even are Pin the kaw. nd Aiger oppos kind in their re hw tre Gn auswer t cach ww Age te ral Gary tions by the P x emptons of positic in their re- spective 1 ts, but these mendations will cover so few position to virtually amount to no change of any hind, Sec ry G Ly w in his Vocute few exemptr ppartm and ma nd that cer- tain po: not now under the law be included. The cabinet officers will have when Congress 1 all of thi iil They will deal with be ex- ces Of th and will heads of the mos: artment detailed data which have been made public in years. The President lstened ively to what his advisers had to say. lie was fully accord with them on the subject of the v itself. No reom was left to doubt the ition of th imipistration, It 1s that civil service W must be maintained, but that there are details which may be regulated to the advantage of the law. Some of these details have been mentioned in The Star. i to a Star stood that that he in places d that he would rland ke in in » clyil serv! not have done so had he given the matier fuller consideration, President McKinley will probably amend these mistakes. It is also probable that when exemptions are made from the operations of the law the sident may include positions under the It has not been 4 ided, it is said, when the President will take action in the mat- ter of rescinding portions of President Cleveland’s blanket order. There was talit that he might do this during the recess to forestall the anti-civil service people, but it is now said to he doubtful wheiher he will act until the fi n Congress on the law has subsided. It is at least prob- able that he will do nothing until the r plies of the cabinet officers to Congress sent and their effect realized ay. dent does rot believe, it is said, a majority of the members of Con- gress are in favor of striking the law serious blow. He thinks that the Ssht wil rot be kept up much longer and has no idea that there will be any mater legis- lation on the subject. Amending the Law. The subcommittee appointed at the recent conference of republicans to report amend- ments to be proposed to the civil service law will hold s ions during the reces: The committee wili examine the bills which have been introduced during this Co gress relating to the subject of the civil service. re FIRED ON THE that BANCROFT. Authorities at Smyrna Resent Night Eutry f the Warship. CONSTANTINOPLE, December 21.—It that when the United States Appears sicamer Bancroft arrived at Smyrna, on the night of December 4, she was greeted with a blank cannon shot and rifled bullets from the fort of Yenikale. A boat from the warship, sent shorewards to ask for explanations, was fired upon and compelled to return. Thereupon the American admi- ral lodged a protest with the United States minister here, Dr. James B. Angell, who demanded the punishment of the guilty parties and an apology from the Turkish government, which was given on Sunday last. In addition, two Turkish officers were dismissed and sentenced to a weck's arrest. The entry of ships into Smyrna at is prohibited, but on this occasion lamps on the outer light houses were still burning, and the Bancroft stopped when the requisite signals were made. The Navy Department received news to- day that the U. S. S. Bancroft had been fired on at Smyrna, but the cable message was brief and little importance is attached to the incident. The Navy Department received its first official news of the firing on the gunboat Bancroft at Smyrna on the 4th instant through a dispatch recelved at the State Department today from United States Min- ister Angell at Constantinople, briefly re- counting the circumstances attending the incident and its satisfactory settlement in the manner indicated in the press dispatch. The matter is not regarded by. the officials as of very great significance, and there is rot the slightest probability that it will develop into the proportions of a diplo- matic incident. Several instances have occurred within the memory of naval officers stationed at the department of similar arbitrary efforte to enforce vexaticus port regulations com- mon to orieata! ports against foreign ves- sels, American as well as those of other nationalities. & similar rule is applied at Havana, where the guns of Morrp Castle do not hesitate to fire dt any vessel pass- ing in or out of the harbor after night- fall, and the Russians established a sim- ilar mal Chouen more liberal in scope) at Viadivostock, the great Pacific fortress, after tuards had awakened one foggy morning to find that a large British squad- ron was lying under the guns of the fort, having eatered unseen in the night. IS REGARDED AS ABSURD The Assertion That Senator Wolcott Will Resign in Disgust. 2 Doex Not Look on Secretary Gage’s Position asx Representing That of the Administration on Finance. The story that Senator Wolcott is “dis- guste with the administration and is going to resign from the Senate because of the President's financial policy ts regarded here as absurd. Mr. Wolcott is in New York, but what is known of the situation and of his relations with the President seems to render unnecessery a denial from him. The story grows out of a misapprehen- sion of the situation. Senator Wolcott is devoted to President McKinley, and either represents him or misrepresents him with much warmth and vigor. The senator makes distinction be- tween Secre Gage’s position and that cf the “administration.” He feels toward Mr. Gage as does Senator Chandler, and {t is expected that at a very early day he will take occasion to dencunce the policy of the ecretary of the Treasury in his most choice phrase A sirange situation is developing with administration and Mr. Wol- on. respect to th cott’s comm A comedy of errors is being played. It may result ultimately in Mr. Wolc re- ening from ti dfunct_commis- but not in Fis departure frem the nate One ef two thir r Presi- ry of Tre Wolco y deceived Mr. Wol- earnestly with is return from Europe, defends the President, while taking a position of antagonism toward Mr. Gage. Secretary Gage's Position. The assertion is made among Mr. Wol- cctt’s cirele of sympathizers that Secretary Gage misrepresents the administration, thai if it were not for the i Mr. This assertion, which is cott the Pr now made privately, or oue of similar im- port, Is likely io be made public before long. If this Is done, the issue will then be raised, and the public will know the facts. The result will probably be that Mr. Wol- cott will find that he has misunderstood the position of the President, and will then become dramatically offended at the ad- ministration. Hi undertaking to repre- sent the administration after all he has said in favor of free silver appears anom- alous and mischievous. The President can hardly be in sympathy with both Secretary Gage and the Colorado senator. 4s things are now tending, the President will probably have to break with one or the other of them, and, unless the President is misunderstocd by the leaders of his party and the persons closest to him, the break will not be with the Secretary of the Treas- ury. After Mr. Wolcott has had his say about Secretary Gage and his finaneial pol- fey, it will be hardly consistent that both r. and Mr. Woicott should be “in with «the administration on the nelal question. The collapse of the commission is what is expected by most people, and this seems the more p when it is known that Senator Chandler and Senator Wolcott conferred together over Sceretary Ga Statement about committing this government more thor- oughly to the gold standard, and that the two senators sympathize in their hostile feeling toward the policy of the Secretary of the Treasury. —e-<—_ MAJOR DICK SOUNDS ALARM. AN Ohio Republican Office Holders Summoned to Hanna‘s Aid. Senator Hanna will leave We over the Pennsylvenia railroad tonight. “I shall epend the holidays in the quictude of my home in Cleveland, after which I shall establish headquarters at Columbus and remain there until the ques- tion of my successor is disposed of,” he said to a Star reporter this afternoon. Among today’s callers at Senator Han- apariments at the Arlingten was Louis J. Rowbottom, secretary of the Cleveiand beard of elections, and one of the senate stanch su Rowbottom was form- erly secre of the famous Tippecano« Club of Clevéland, which parti the inauguration of President Me It was reported today that Major Che W. F. Dick, who has charge of Scnator Hanna's canvass fer the senatorship, has sounded a general alarm, and every Ohio republican, whether in or out of the state, has been summoned to appear at Columbus for the final round-up. This is said to in- clude the republican members of Congress from Ohio and those republicans who have received appointments under the present admimustration, hington for Ohio <—________ WILL GO TO CUBA. Representative King of Utah Wants to Post Himself on Aftairs There. Representative King of Utah is one rep- resentative in Congress who purposes ac- quainting himself with the existing condi- tion of affairs in Cuba before voring on any proposed legisiation affecting that tsland. He will leave Washington today and will spend his two weeks’ vacation exploring Cuba. “I shall go by the way of Tampa; Fla., and hope to reach Havana by Friday,” he said to a Star reporter this afterncon. “No, I do not go in behalf of the democratic side of the House. I shall make the trip on my own responsibility, but I hope to bring back with me some information that will be use- ful to my colleagues when the Cuban af- fairs come up for consideration. “The Cuban question is one of paramount interest to this country. Much has been published in the newspapers concerning the condition of affairs, and doubtless the greater part of it has been the truth. But I intend to see for myself. I shall take in as much of the territory of the island as is possible in the two weeks, an I hope to reach Washington soon aft2r the re- assembling of Congress. ———-—e.____ CONTESTED ELECTIONS. Cases That Are to Come Before the House Committees. The next of the contested cases before the House elections committee No. 2 is that of Grattan B. Crowe vs. Oscar W. Under- wood, in the ninth Alabama district. This has been fixed for a hearing January 7. ‘The committee expects to dispose of all the contests before it by February. The other’ cases are: Thomas H. Clark, contestant, vs. Jesse F. Stallings, contestee, second Alabama district; Comer vs. Clay- ton, third Alabama; Goodwin vs. Brewer, fifth Alabama; Willis vs. Handy, Delaware: Hunter vs. Rhea, third Kentucky. Of these contests three are not expected to reach the stage of a hearing. These are in the sec- ond and third Alabama and the third Ken- tucky districts. Mr. W. Godfrey Hunter, who contests the last named, has received a presidential appointment, which he is thought to prefer. If you want to buy, sell or exchange anything, lease property or rent rooms, want a situation or want help, it will pay you to announce the fact in the advertising columns of The Star. They are closely studied by more than three times as many people as read any other paper. AN APPALLING ACT -- Miss Le‘la Herbert, While Temporarily Insane, Commits Suicide, JUMPED FROM THE THIRD STORY Shocking End of the Daughter of the Ex-Secretary of the Navy. > DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY eee ies = Miss Leila Herbert, daughter of ex-Sec- retary of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert, killed herself at 10 o'clock this morning by jumping from the window in the rear of the third story of her father’s residence, No. 1313 New Hampshire ave The un- young woman had given no evi- of her inten to commit such desperate deed had an ine ue. fortunate dence a tions She been rete ee Mixs Herbert. id for some time past, suffering from result of injuries rece from a horse, and been confi aparim in the third story front under the care of a trai burse and receiving the medical services of Dr. W. W. Jobn- son. roved considerably in health, it is thought, in the past few days, and Sunday lust she want out riding. Morning Occupation. Herbert arc sted as usual in her recm maid who brought thi ircesed some pleasant d among other things wt had not curled nd of her m at it with her tinrers the colored of the ld pre and To the meal to marks the paper » chop, After woman weather, nt her very » ene had ing and oh better been concluded Mrs, ~f Miss Herbert, who the i nurse ») weeks The and when ke a walk ked that m fast had Micou the the eldex rot Mr had st we latter was conversing in an « continued her waik © room. From Utis room a ihe narrow w room. down inary es were probably three fect above The ap. Out of one of these windows, marked in the accompanying illustration by a cross, Miss Herbert jumped. § n ing to the occu of the front No one saw her take the fatal leap. distance from the window sill to the as- phalt paved yard below ts about forty feet. in the er of narrow yard or area- way formed e main building and the fence d@ ard from premises No. 1311 New Hampshire avenue were t barrels filled with ashes. Miss Herbert evidently fell ck the cone te outs rked b she st rels. the spot being m a small pool of blood. Silas Johnson, a colored man who had been engaged to put in coal at the Herbert house, was at the rear of the yard when he heard the sound of the fail, fol- lowed by a m. He ran to the spot where the body of the girl lay quivering, and was quickly joined by the servants of the house. Miss Herbert. who appeared to be still breathing, but who was uncon- scious, was carried to the dining room, where death ensved. Her body was then removed to the apartment on the third door which she had left but a few mo- ments before on her journey to death. The Jenness of the tragedy made it all the more awful and appalling for the dear ones who were so devoted her. Her sister was prestrated by the calamity, and the elder Mrs. Micou was deeply jat- fe . Bx retary Herbert, the dev@ted father of thi i girl, was absent from the city on a visit to Montgomery, Ala., but te expected here this evening. His soa- in-law, Mr. Micou, took immediate meas- ures to prepare Mr. Herbert for the terri- ble blow which had fallen upon him, but of which as yet he was at noontime un scious. A telegram Was scnt Lo the ex-See- retary announcing that his daughter was angerousiy ill, and it was followed by another dispatch sent later announcing that she was dead. Both of these messages reached him while en route to this c The Coroner's Concl ms. Coroner Carr was at once notified, and, after learning the facts in the case and that Miss Herbert had been for some time suffering from melancholia, he gave @ certificate of death by suicide, commitied while temporarily insane. Miss Herbert, like the rest of the fam- ily, was well aware of her father’s in- tended return. While it was learned that ber heaith had given the family much concern lately, it-was not thought for a single moment that she would do anything + tend further endamger her health, much rc to take her own life. That she was suffering from melancholia for some time past has been apparent, but with the atten- tion she was receiving it was thought to be merely a passing form of the disease. The old colored servants, who were de- yotedly attached to their mistress, said to- day to sympathizing friends of the famty who called that “Miss Leila” was really Sweeter than ever lately, and every day grew brighter and more cheerful since her ttrength began to return. During the early part of her iliness she suffered excruciating pain, but lately had nothing at all to com- plain of on that score.» As she required, however, coatinual care and attention, a trained nurse has been in attendance upon her the last fortnight. Her Brilliant Secial Career. Miss Herbert was the eldest daughter of