Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, May 19, 1906, Page 3

ar a FATHER GAPON FIND BODY OF MYSTERY OF LABOR LEADER'S FATE !tS APPARENTLY CLEARED UP. SOME “TRICKS OF THE TRADE” FORMER EMPLOYE ACCUSES STANDARD OIL OF BRIBERY AND CHEATING. St. Petersburg, May 15.—The mys- tery of the fate of Father Gapon ap- parently was cleared up yesterday by the discoveery of a corpse which has almost positively been identified as that of the former priest, hanging in the upper chamber of a lonely villa in the summer suburb of Ozerki, Finland. The villa was rented April 8 for the summer and a deposit paid by a man from St. Petersburg, whose identity is unknown to the police. After visiting the house several times in company with a young workman he disappeared April 11, taking the key with him. The proprietress of the villa, be- coming alarmed at the non-appearance of the tenant, notified the police, who entered the house. Hanging From a Nail. Breaking down a door they were confronted by a body in a Iong coat hanging from a nail, the feet touching the floor. Decomposition of the face made pos- itive identification difficult, but the features resembled those of Gapon and the clothing corresponds with that worn by the missing labor leader. As the usual symptoms of strangulation were absent, it is conjectured that the man was killed elsewhere and his body brought to the villa on the night of April 10. This would agree with the date of the execution of Gapon given in information of the secret po- lice and with the death sentence of the former priest as announced in recent dispatches from Berlin. DARK PRACTICES OF OIL TRUST. Company Stopped at Nothing to Kill Competition, Says Witness. Chicago, May 15.—The investigation of the interstate commerce commis- sion into the relations between the Standard Of] company and the rail- roads was concluded Saturday after- noon as far as this section of the coun- try is concerned, and will be resumed in Cleveland May 24. F. S. Hibbe of Peoria, for thirteen’ years an employe of the Standard Oil company, told the interstate commerce commission a number of “tri¢ks of the trade” that were used by salesmen and agents of the Standard Oil com- pany. The witness named five towns in IIli- nois where he had convinced cus- tomers by trickery that the oil of the Standard company was superior, when as a matter of fact it was inferior. Trickery Still Practiced. “Do the agents of the Standard Oil company still practice the tactics you have mentioned in meeting competi- tion?” asked Attorney Monnett. “Yes, they are doing it to-day,” re plied the witness. “They pay rebates, bribe people, cut the price and substi- tute an inferior quality of oil, and, in fact, do anything necessary to get business and put the competitor out of the way.” The witness then detailed a plan he had used to make trouble and expense for the Standard Oil company. He would induce a business man to give him a “fake” order for oil and then show it later to agents of the Standard Oil company, who would give the man a cash present in order to get him to buy oil from the Stand- ard Oil company. On cross-examina- tion Attorney Miller asked: Abandons Dirty Game. “Are you working any of these games you have described, now that you are working for an independent company?” : “No, I do not have to stoop to do the dirty things I learned while in the employ of the Standard Oil company,” replied the witness. Mr. Hibbs gave the names of men whom he had bribed to give up infor- mation of the business of the competl- tors, and on cross-examination de- clered “the Standard Oil company is doing all of those things to-day.” Other witnesses told of bribing em- ployes of railroads and manufacturing companies, and an instance was re- Jated where a wire and nail mill in Indiana was compelled to shut down because grit had been placed in the oil purchased of an independent concern at the instance of a salesman of the Standard Oil company. KOMURA TO LONDON. Report that Hayashi Is to Be Foreign Minister. Tokio, May 15. — The newspapers here assert that Viscount Hayashi, am- bassador to Great Britain, has accept- ed the foreign ministry and Baron Ko- mura the post of ambassador at Lon- don. There has been no official an- nouncement pending the arrival of Premier Saionii, who will return to ‘Tokio to-day from a tour of Manchuria. ONE OF MOST HORRIBLE CRIMES IN THE HISTORY OF THE WHOLE SOUTH, Pensacola, Fla., May 16.—One of the most horrible crimes in the history of this state, if not of the entire South, was committed in Santa Rosa county, ten miles north of Milton, Sunday night. An itinerant preacher named Ackerman, his wife and seven chil- dren, the eldest about fourteen years old, were killed and their bodies’ cre- mated in their home, which was fired by the assassins. The crime was dis- covered yesterday morning by per- sons with whom Ackerman had an ap- pointment. They found the house in ruins and the charred bodies of Ack- erman and the eight other members of his family scattered among the wreck age. Their Skulls Crushed. Examination by physicians showed that Ackerman and his wife had been struck on the head with some blunt in- strument, their skulls being crushed. The citizens of Milton have raised more than a thousand dollars, which will be offered as a reward for the ap- prehension of the assassins, and Gov. Broward has been appealed to to offer a reward for the state. Ackerman was considered a peace- ful and quiet citizen. It is not known that he had any enemies who could have a motive for the crime. PUT WOMAN TO TORTURE. Mob Tries to Make Her Give Names of Accomplices in Alleged Murder. Okolona, Miss., May 16.—Mrs. Mat- tie McIntosh, a white woman, who was recently arrested charged with com- plicity in the murder of her husband, and who gave bond, reported to the officers at Okolona yesterday that Sunday night a number of men visit- ed her house, took her to a tree and threatened to hang her unless she re- vealed her alleged accomplices in the murder. Mrs. McIntosh declined to talk, whereupon she was strung up for several seconds. Upon being lowered to the ground she still refused to an- swer questions, and, she declares, was strung up a second time. When the rope was taken from her neck she heard her assailants announce that she was dead. Her body was carried into the woods and left there. She re- vived and immediately came here. to tell her story. NEGRO ASSAULTS WOMAN. Is Strung Up by Mob and Body Rid- died With Bullets. Eastman, Ga., May 16.—Mrs. Pope, a widow who lives alone about six miles north of Eastman, was assault- ed by a negro named Will Wommock last Friday night. He told her if she made the assault known he would kill her and that he would be back the next night. When the negro returned Saturday Mrs. Pope began firing, one bullet striking Wommock in the stom- ach and passed through his body. The negro ran and Mrs. Pope continued to shoot at him until she had emptied her pistol. Neighbors attracted by the shooting came and heard the facts. They went to Wommock’s house and found him in bed wounded. At first he denied his guilt but later he con- fessed. He was taken out and strung up and his body riddled with bullets, after which the mob quietly dispersed. DRISCOLL AT WHITE HOUSE. Congratulates President on His Work for Arbitration. Washington, May 16. — Frederick Driscoll of Chicago, commissioner of the American Newspaper Publishers’ association, called upon President Roosevelt yesterday and on behalf of the newspaper publishers of the coun- try, thanked him for all he had done to advance the principles of arbitra- tion. Mr, Driscoll said the present re- lations of the newspaper publishers with the several trades unions were superior to those of any other body of employers and employes. During the interview the president expressed the most hearty interest in the subject. CONGRESS SHATTERS RECORDS. Fifty-Ninth Assembly Eclipses Law- Enacting Abilities of Predecessors. Washington, May 16.—The files of the index clerks at the state depart- ment show that the first session of the Fifty-ninth congress has broken all records of complete legislation up to this moment. Already more than 3,000 laws have been enacted, which is between 700 and 800 more than in any preceding session up to the begin- ning of the month of may. The great- er part of this mass of law is made up of bills of a private nature, and only about 250 of the total enactments were general laws. BIG FIRE IN RACINE. Plant Valued at $250,000 Is Destroyed by Flames. Racine, Wis., May 16.—The plant of the Higgins Spring and Axle company, located at Racine Junction, and one of the largest manufacturing establish- ments in the city, was practically de- LAST RITES FOR DEAD EDITOR. All St. Paul Honors the Memory of Jo- seph A. Wheelock. St. Paul, May 15.—Joseph A. Wheel- ock, late editor of the Pioneer Press, and the most distinguished of North- western journalists, was buried Sat- urday afternoon. Services at which only the family were present were Summit avenue. Afterward, at 2:30 o'clock, public yet unostentatious and brief services were held at the House of Hope Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Wheelock had long been a con- spicuous member. Needless to say, the church was crowded with some of those that had long esteemed or loved a man who made no efforts to obtain popularity. Many of the most infiuen- tial residents of this city and state were there. Flowers in exceptional abundance appeared on and about “the coffin. These floral emblems conveyed the sorrow and love of nearly all the governmental and the important com- mercial bodies in the city. A beauti- ful tribute to the lamented editor was the address by Dr. M. D. Edwards, pastor of the Dayton Avenue Presby- terian church, a lifelong friend of Mr. Wheelock, DISTRUST OF BANKS COSTLY. Farmer Hides $1,300 in Gold in House and Thief Gets It. Sioux Falls, S. D., May 15.—Phillip Schenk, a prominent Bon Homme county farmer, had no faith in savings banks, so he made a practice of keep- ing his cash in what he believed to be a secure hiding place on his farm. But the hiding place evidently was not so secure as he supposed, for it was raid- ed by a thief, who carried away gold coin to the value of $1,300. The house was entered while members of the Schenk family were asleep, and the loss of the money was not discovered until the next morning. Not the slight- est clue has been secured which would lead to the discovery of the identity of the thief. SKUNK ATTACKS CHILD. Three-Year-Old Wisconsin Boy Seri- ously Injured. Hartford, Wis., May 15.—While Mrs. Adam Weiss of the town of Herman and her three-year-old son were in the woods getting soil for flower beds, she heard the little fellow scream. She turned to where she had left him pick- ing flowers, and to her surprise she saw a large skunk had attacked the boy and was biting him in the arms and legs. The child had fallen down in his attempts to get away from the angry animal and was badly scratched and bitten before: Mrs. Weiss, with the aid of the family dog, which accom- panied them, could drive it away. SHELL IN STOVE EXPLODES. Child Is Seriously Injured in the Acci- dent. Kaukauna, Wis., May 15. — Verna, the seven-year-old daughter of William Wardell of Shicoton, narrowly escaped instant death and received a bad wound. The family was gathered about a stove in which a fire made of chips was burning. Suddenly there was an explosion which blew off the stove door, anda shriek from the child told that she had been injured. Inves- tigation showed that a portion of a charge of shot had entered her arm and shoulder. It is supposed that a shell had been gathered up in the yard among the chips. BLOWS HIS HEAD OFF. Anoka Man !s Found Dead in Neigh- bor’s Barn. Anoka, Minn., May 15.—S. W. South- ard, father of Dr. Flora L. F. Aldrich, shot himself here. He left the house in the afternoon, taking a double-bar- reled shotgun with him. When he did not return in the evening search was instituted, and about midnight his body was found in a neighbor’s barn. The old man had placed the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and discharged both barrels. The top of his head was blown completely off. Depression on account of ill health is thought to be the cause. SUIT AGAINST DEAD MAN. Deputy Sheriff Finds Corpse on Which ‘ to Serve Execution. Sioux Falls, S. D., May 15.—Joseph Hostetter, a local attorney, has been suing a dead man. The attorney had a client who had a claim against Knut Thompson, a farmer who resided six miles west of Baltic; and a judgment against Thompson was secured. An execution was placed in the hands of Deputy Sheriff Peterson. When the officer reached the Thompson place to serve the execution he found that Thompson had been dead two days. New Position for St. Paulite. Washington, May 16.—Consul Gen- eral Edward H. Ozmun is in Washing- ton from his post at Stuttgart. Mr. Ozmun has been tendered the positiqn of inspector of consuls, under the pro- visions of a new law. Enlarging Ashland’s Coal Docks. Ashland, Wis., May 16.—On receipt stroyed by fire last evening. The of telegraphic orders yesterday work buildings with contents are easily valued at a quarter of a million dol- lars, and the loss will reach those’ ,;The Reis coal dock extension is ale will begin at once on doubling the ca- pacity of the Clarkson coal dock here. ‘ready completed. first held at Mr. Wheelock’s home, 421 | Wednesday. Washington, May 10,—The. senate spent the greater part of the day again in the consideration of the ques- tion of divorcing the production of coal and other commodities from their transportation <nd closed that branch of its work by adopting a modified provision. When the senate adjourned there was a general feeling that the rapid work of the latter part of the session presages the early final disposition of the bill. After spending the greater part of the day discussing it, the house yes- terday passed an amendment authoriz- ing the secretary’of the navy to go into the open market to purchase anchors, chains and cordage, should it be demonstrated that those articles can be purchased cheaper than they can be made at government navy yards. DIETZ’S ALLY IS SENTENCED. Judge Characterizes Actions of Dan Defender as Treason. Hayward, Wis., May 16.—Valentine Weisenbach, who was convicted ¢ couple of weeks ago in the circuit court for Chippewa county of attempt ed murder, was sentenced by Judge A. J. Vinji to twelve years’ imprison ment in the penitentiary at Waupun Weisenbach was the confederate ol John Dietz and assisted Dietz when he made his famous attack upon the officers who attempted to arrest Dietz. The case attracted considerable at: tention when tried, as the evidence connected Dietz with every criminal act of the defendant. The crime was committed several miles miles from the Cameron dam, which Dietze has So successfully defended with his rifle and showed that the men were laying in ambush for the officers. In sentence: ing Weisenbach, Judge Vinje charac. terized the acts of Dietz and of Weis: enbach as “treason against the State of Wisconsin.” Thursday. Washington, May 11. — The senate yesterday completed the consideration of the second section of the railroad rate bill and just before adjournment listened to the reading of sections 3 and 4. This reading brings the consid- eration of the bill up to the Allison compromise amendments which will be taken up to-day. A number of important changes were made in the second section, in- eluding a provision restoring the im- prisonment penalty of the act of 1887, and an amendment. suggested by Sen- ator McCumber imposing fine and im- prisonment against shippers who ac- cept rebates from transportation com- panies. Shells and projectiles for the navy department will, after June 30, 1906, be purchased by the bureau of ord- nance, in the open market instead of, as is now the practice, in secret mar- kets, from firms engaged in the manu- facture of these articles. This change was brought about through the efforts of the chairman of the appropriations committee, Mr. Tawney of Minnesota, who offered an amendment to the naval appropriation bill directing the change. DROWNING CAUSE OF DEATH. Recovery of Body Shows That Report of Murder Is False. Helena, Mont., May 16.—Brakeman Bert Slater and Fireman Fred Sawyer of a Northern Pacific freight train re covered the body of William Decker from the Yellowstone river near Dew- ey, a few miles west of Forsythe, thereby winning a reward of $200 of: fered by Rosebud county. Decker was foreman of a railroad grading outfit and was drowned while pursu- ing on horseback a fugitive from a grading camp who had stolen a horse and fied. The coroner’s jury decided that Decker lost his life by accidental drowning, and not from being shot by the man he was pursuing at the time af the tragedy, as first reported. LIFE’S BURDEN IS TOO HEAVY. Charles Koencky, Ill and Despondent, Commits Suicide. Grand Forks, N. D., May 16.—Chas, Koencky, a farmer living eight miles north of East Grand Forks on the Minnesota side of the Red river, com- mitted suicide yesterday by shooting. The man had just finished his break- fast and his wife and four children were jn an adjoining room. He took a shotgun from the rack, rested the butt against the floor and firéd, the entire load of shot entering his neck. He was sixty-five years of age and had bee dll. and dpepondent = some tim@es <0 Friday. Washington, May 12. — Senator Bailey’s non-suspension amendment applying to orders of the interstate commerce commission as covered by the railroad rate bill, which has oc- cupied so much of the attention of the senate in connection with that Dill, was yesterday adversely disposed of by the decisive vote of 23 to 54, prac tically a party vote. An amendment offered by Mr. Ray- ner confining the court review to con- stitutional questions was also voted down. - A number of other amendments ot fered in the main by Democrats ant by Senator La Follette, were rejected. The only amendments accepted were those offered by Senator Allison striking out the phrase “fairly re- munerative” in the provision allowing the interstate commerce commission to fix rates; limiting the operations of orders of the commission to two years; and making the interstate com- merce commission the defendant in suits challenging the rates fixed by it. After passing 320 pension bills the house yesterday devoted much time to considering a point of order made by Mr. Tawney (Minn.) against an ap- propriation for a new steel floating dock in the naval appropriation bill. The chair held the point of order well taken in a carefully prepared opinion. BOY AND RESCUER DROWN. Lad’ Who Tries to Save Brother, Whe Gets Cramp, Also Perishes. Sioux City, Iowa, May 16—Harold and Ben Mead, the twelve and four- teen-year-old sons of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Mead of Kingsley, lowa, were drowned in the Little Sioux river there yesterday. The boys went to the river alone; thé older one doffed his clothes and went in swimming in the icy cold water. He was seized with a cramp in the middle of the river; his brother went to his assis- tance and both were drowned. A searcing party is looking for the bodies. OPENING INDIAN LANDS. Saturday. Washington, May 14. — The senate proceedings Saturday included a sen- sational statement by Senator Till- man, covering the details of his and Senator Bailey’s negotiations through ex-Senator Chandler with President Roosevelt regarding the rate bill, and an attack upon the president by Sena- tor Bailey. Senator Lodge replied to Senator Tillman for the president, denying the South Carolina senator's allegations, and Senator Carter defended the chief executive against Mr. Bailey. Mr. Tillman said that the president had referred slightingly to Senators Knox, Foraker and Spooner, and Mr. Lodge replied that the president had characterized this statement as a falsehood. The actual accomplishments of the day consisted of the completion of the consideration of the Allison amend- ment, covering review by the courts of the orders of the interstate commerce commission. There were several of these provis- ions and all were accepted as present- ed, or suggested by the Iowa senator, showing an almost perfect agreement among Republican senators. Indeed, one of the noteworthy feat- ures of the day was the practical una- nimity of the Republicans. They not only voted almost solidly for the Allison amendments, but were just as nearly united against opposing propositions. Senator La Follette con- tinued to act with the Democrats. Crow Reservation Will Soon Be Ready for Settlers. Helena, Mont., May 16. — Surveyor General E. W. Beattie of Montana has completed and forwarded to Washing: ton plats of the survey of the Crow Indian reservation, and as soon as the president issues his proclamation the reserve will be thrown open to settlers. It is expected the reserve will be opened July 15. Monument for White Beaver. La Crosse, Wis., May 16.—Though Col. D. Frank Powell (White Beaver) was buried in Los Angeles, a monu- ment will be erected in La Crosse. A movement is under way to procure a large marble image of a beaver, which will be placed in a park here, to be paid for by public subscription. Waylaid and Robbed. Horicon, Wis., May 16. — Ed Free- man, foreman of the Van Brunt fac- tories, was waylaid and robbed while on the the way to pay off the men. He had several hundred dollars in his pocket. No weapons, only fists, were used. He also lost a gold watch. Switchman Loses His Legs. Ashland, Wis., May 16.—Switchman George White, grandson of Former Chaplain Bancroft of the Waupun state prison, fell under the wheels of his engine in the Omaha yards yester- day, losing both legs. His injuries are fatal. — st UMPIRE KNOCKED OUT. Monday. Washington, May 15.—The session of the sehate yesterday passed with- out an exciting incident and without M.| the adoption of a single amendment to the railroad rate bill notwithstand- ing that measure was under consider- ation practically all the time from the hour of convening, 11 o'clock, until adjournment at 5:15 p. m. The most characteristic feature of the day was the rejection of amendments. Objecting Player Knocks Him Down With Bat and Then Uses Feet. Punxsutawney, Pa., May 16.—J. Shuster of Chicago, while umpiring a ball game between Punxsutawney and Oil City, of the Interstate league here yesterday, was struck to the ground with a ball bat and kicked into insen- sibility by Left Fielder Clark of the home team. Schuster is in the hospi- tal in a critical condition and Clark ‘ % ney i eg Briefly Told. Mrs. C. O. Strand of Waterford was adjudged Insane.’ Miss Joy Secor ‘has been engaged as teacher of Latin in the high school at Blue Earth. Homer Muse, the three-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Muse of Maine, was drowned in Dear river. Frank Smith and John Kramer were sentenced to forty days in jail at Has- tings for the larceny of a skiff. They were arrested at Lake City. Raymond Rosenberger, the four- year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Ro- senberger of St. Cloud, was killed by being run over by a farmer’s wagon. George B. Edwards, a former Great Northern conductor who lived at St. Cloud, has been taken to Stillwater to commence a three-year term for grand larceny. The citizens of Watertown have de- cided to celebrate the fiftieth anniver- sary of the village and the fortieth an- niversary of the stock fair. Great pre- parations are being made. Red Wing is seriously considering the advisability of filtering the city water supply by means of electricity. N. Tuenvessen has been elected presi- dent of the board of pulic works. The crew which has been working at Gull lake, near Brainerd, collecting pike spawn, has closed its operations and reports a successful season. Thir- ty million eggs are said to have been taken. A local Milwaukee passenger train ran into an open switch and collided with a freight train in the yards at Northfield. Beyond a general shaking up, no one was hurt. The engines were telescoped. At the annual ‘aosting of the New Ulm Rural Telephone company the fol- lowing officers were elected: Presi- dent, Philip Leisch; vice president, Alex Russell; secretary, F. H. Krook; treasurer, Otto Schell. A. J. Harwood has made final proof on the eighty-acre tract within the vil- lage corporation at Roosevelt, which has long been in controversy. It is ex- pected that the land near the railroad station will soon be platted into busi- ness lots. Roy, the nine-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Holtorf of Potsdam, met a sudden death from concussion of the brain, caused by being dragged by a Shetland pony at the home of Albert Stephans near Plainview. A Knights of Pythias lodge was in- stituted at Blackduck after weeks of labor on the part of old members of the order, assisted by T. J. Miller, chancellor commander of the Bemidji Knights of Pythias lodge and others in Bemidji. William S. Ormand, who was finan- cial secretary of the Eveleth Miners’ Union No. 47, Western Federation of Miners, is accused of a shortage in the union’s funds and has been bound over to await action at the September term of district court. The Cass Lake band has been en- gaged to play for the firemen’s tourna- ment at Cass Lake in June. The band is composed of youngsters, some of them not being over twelve years of age. It was organized only seven months ago ard has rapidly advanced. Peter Olson was instantly killed at the hoist on the Swallow & Hopkins railroad between Fall Lake and Bass- wood, near Ely. He was riding on a flat car at the rear end of the train, which was backing up. His hat was blown off, and in leaning over to watch it he lost his balance. Both his feet were cut off and he was crushed in the chest. The Wright County Teachers’ asso- ciation was in session at Monticello last week, one hundred teachers. being in attendance. Several excellent pa- pers were read. Dr. G. F. James of the state university made a fine ad- dress on “Some Lessons From the Japanese,” and Dr. P. M. Magnussen, president of Minnesota college, led in a discussion of “How to Study.” Red Wing is to have a paid fire de- partment which will consist of ten men, including the chief and assistant chief. There will be three volunteer companies in addition, each one to re- ceive $200 a year. Two of these com- panies will have headquarters at the central fire station. It is estimated that the department will cost the city between $9,000 and $10,000 a year. Arthur Vanvalson, a farm hand who worked for Patrick Daly, a farmer three miles from Rosemount, was run over by a freight train a short dis- tance from the station. He was alive when found, but while being taken to Minneapolis bi ated, John Louick, a ‘laborer at West Du- luth blast furnace, was killed as a re- sult of a large quantity of lime falling on him, but he must have died instant- ly as a result of the injury, for his skull was crushed. Louick was twen- ty-eight years old and unmarried. aAA