Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, May 6, 1908, Page 8

<= aE Sil eet on aang GANG OF ROBBERS ~ SHOOTS UP TOWN Dynamite the Vault and Safe in the Scandia State Bank at Stephen, Minn. —— GETS AWAY WITH $8,000 CASH Stephen, Minn., May 1. — Stephen was terrified at an early hour yester- day by a gang of six robbers, who dy- namiteq the vault and the safe of the Scandia State bank and carried off $8,000 in cash after a revolver duel with William Merdink, a merchant who lives upstairs in a block adjoining the bank. He was aroused by the first explosion and, grabbing his revolver, crawled to the cement roof, and lying behind the parapet opened fire on the robbers as they left the bank with the loot. Fusillade of Shots, The robbers returned his fire and for a few minutes there was a perfect fusillade, which aroused the entire town, but none of those near at hand had guns to assist Merdink. Merdink eseaped injury, but at least one of the robbers was badly wounded and blood was spattered on the sidewalks from the bank to the stables of Al Dicker- son, manager of the- lumber yard, where the wounded robber and two others stole a buggy and horse and drove out of to town, heading north. The other three robbers headed for Strandquist, east on the Soo. Posse Gives Chase. In a few minutes the citizens organ. ized posses and gave chase in all di- rections and all surrounding towns were notified by telephone and wire. Residents in the neighborhood were panic-stricken during the shooting, and several women were thrown into hysterics. No suspects were seen about Stephen. Both vaults and safe were complete- ly wrecked. The robbers were cool and walked away after Merdink ran’ out of ammunition. Seven Are Held. Warren, Minn., May 3. — Two more men were arrested yesterday morning at St. Jean, charged with being con- cerned in the dynamiting of the Scan- dia State bank at Stephen, Minn., April 28. This makes seven men un- der arrest, and it is believed that at least four of them will be unable to deny the accusation successfully. Contradictory reports have been re- ceived as to the wounding of one of the robbers by a citizen of Stephen, and the police have been inclined to thing that the original story was a mistake, but yesterday a party of de- tectives found the nude body of a man on the prairie eight miles north of Stephen. Died of Bullet Wound. Examination showed that the man had died from a bullet wound, but his garments had been removed as if to prevent identification, and a pile of ashes near by showed what had be- come of them and of any papers he may have carried. It is thought that this may be the body of the wounded robber and that he was abandoned there by his mates after he had suc cumbed to his injury. The two arrests made yesterday morning followed an exciting chase of two miles, but the men finally were rounded up without anybody being in. jured. Half Town on Manhunt. Greatest excitement prevails at Em- erson, Man., where three of the men now in custody were captured, and half of the poulation has turned out with guns and revolvers to join in the hunt for any members of the gang who may be at large. Rewards have been offered for the capture and conviction of the robbers, and the citizens are determined to land the men at any risk if they can be located. NICE DUEL WITH RAZORS. One Combatant Lands in Hospital and Other in Police Station. St. Paul, May 38. — Frank Clark and W. Johnson, colored, became in- volved in a fight about a woman. Razors were drawn and a duel to the death was fought in the house. When the police arrived both men were covered with blood, and Johnson was bleeding from _ several scalp wounds. He was taken to the city hospital, where his head was sewed up by the surgeons. Clark’s injuries were not considered dangerous, and he was held at the station on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. Steamer Burned at Sea. Guayaquil, Ecuador, May 1. — The Ecuadorean cruiser Catopaxi arrived here yesterday with the crew of the steamer Cacique, which was totally destroyed by fire off Santa Elena Point. The fire originated through an explosion of naphtha. Fall From Tree Is Fatal. Marshalltown, Iowa, May 1. — Charles Chindland, a Gilman young man, who fell from a tree last Friday, dieq last night without regaining con- sciousness. = = Newsofth Officers Have Little Evidence Against Alleged Bank Robbers—Bag of Money Found. Warren, Minn., May 5.—The chase »| for the Stephen bank robbers is now confined to Canada. The five men brought from Emerson, St. Jean and Morris have about convinced the au- thorities that they had nothing to do with it. It seems that there were two gangs of men at Emerson Thursday morning and that the Candian authori- ties captured the wrong crowd. Two of the men wanted are known to have been within a few miles of Winnipeg, and it is thought that they are in hid- ing thefe now. Meanwhile scattered evidence of the movements of the Stephen gang is coming ‘in from various sections about this region. Among other things a coat covered with blood has been. ‘dis- covered in a buggy near Fox, Roseau county, with a letter in the inside pocket addressed to Charles Fisher, Fairmont, Minn. The pockets also contained soap and safety matches, with long flax strings. The police will take charge of the outfit. A party of homsteaders and settlers uncovered a cache near Deer post- office, in Marshall county, containing cracksmen’s tools, soap, a nitroglycer- in bottle and some jimmies. They were led to make the search by the discovery of a bag containing $795, mostly in gold, by Rural Mail Carrier Christian Ingvald, whose at- tention was attracted to the place by the movements of a closely curtained carriage on the morning after the rob- bery. ASSESSORS AT SEA. St. Louis County Men Given Conflict: ing Instructions by Authorities. Biwabik, Minn., May 4.—The town- ship assessors of St. Louis county were on Tuesday instructed by Frank- lin L. McVey, chairman of the Minne- sota tax commission, to assess all property at its real value. Now they have received a letter from County Auditor Halden, saying it is the prac- tice to assess at 50 per cent of the value in other counties, and that it would be unjust to make a full levy in St. Louis county. DERAILED NEAR RED WING. C. G, W. Passenger Leaves Tracks but No One Is Injured. Red Wing, Minn., May 5. — The Great Western passenger train from Minneapolis was derailed one and a half miles north of the city limits last evening. The accident was caused by the tank on the engine climbing the rail. No passengers or employes were injured, although the combination smoker and baggage car was derailed and thrown from the trucks and sev- eval windows were broken. NEW FARMS IN MONTANA. Secretary Garfield Opens 205 to Homestead Entry. Washington, May 5.—Two hundred and five farms near Great Falls, Mont., have just been opened to horhe- stead entry by Secretary Garfield, ef- fective May 7. These farms are em- braced in ‘a tract of about 18,000 acres which were withdrawn from all forms of disposition in connection with the Fort Shaw unit of the Sun river irrigation project. SUES THE TEACHER. But She Says She Whipped the Boy in Self-defense. Fern, Wis., May 5. — Miss Nellie Bates, teacher at Fern, has been sued for damages by John Moore for whip- ping his son. Moore says that the teacher whip- ped his son too severely, while Miss Bates says that she had to whip him in self-defense. SMALLPOX IN COLLEGE. President Eaton of Beloit Quarantined for Mild Case. Beloit, Wis., May 4.—President Ea- ton of Beloit college has a mild case of smallpox and is quarantined, as are thirteen girls, mostly freshmen. The school takes the matter calmly. Vaccination was general and every one was sworn to secrecy until the first excitement blew over. TIMBER ON BAD LANDS. Petition Asks Government to Convert It Into National Forestry. Devils Lake, N. D., May 5.—W. W. Barrett of Churchs Ferry has been circulating a petition here to be pre- sented to the president asking’ that the lands known as the Bad Lands, in North Dakota, be converted into a na- tional forestry. Tot Trampled Upon. ’ St. Paul, May 5. — Catherine, the three-year-old daughter of Anthony Segale, a fireman, was run down.by a horse last evening and seriously in- jured. The horse trampled on the child and broke two of her ribs and cut and bruised her body and head in many places. Three Switchmen Hurt. St. Paul, May 5.—Three switchmen in the Minnesota Transfer yards were seriously injured by the derailing of a switch engine last night. _ 4 Nort oF ashe as ‘ UP BY DYNAMITE Burlington Passenger Train Is Wrecked a Mile West of Butte. THREE PERSONS ARE KILLED Butte, Mont., May 5. — East-bound Burlington train No. 6, due in Butte at 11:30 o’clock Friday night, was dy- namited about a mile west of the Northern Pacific station at 11:37 o’clock. The explosion caused the first or helper engine to leave the rails, but it plowed along for a few hundred feet without turning over, The second en- gine crashed into the bank south of the track, a few car lengths from where the explosion occurred, and turned over. Every person on the train survived the explosion except Engineer Bussy of the second engine, who was buried under his locomotive; Fireman Ehle, who died Sunday, and Carl Ming, a tramp, who died Saturday. He was riding on the blind baggage and was taken from a mass of timbers under which he was buried. His arm and leg were broken. Cars Smashed. The mail car was hurled on its side and wrecked. A cold storage fish car was smashed into kindling wood. Only the front trucks of the express ear left the rails. The baggage car also was detailed, only the Pullmans remaining on the tracks. Although a large force of deputy sheriffs, railway detectives and other officers are investigating the case, no motive for the crime has been se- cured. The dynamiting is believed to be the work of some tramp seeking re- venge for being ejected from a train. Express Messenger J. B. Valentine was seriously cut by a flying grenade. His escape from death in his car is considered remarkable. Reward Is Offered. St. Ptul, May 5.—The Northern Pa cific has offered a reward of $5,000 for the apprehension and arrest of the perpetrators of the outrage. The entire force of Northern Pacific special agents have been assigned to the case and are working under Spe cial Agent W. T. McFetridge. SAVES THE CHILDREN. Woman Breaks Into a Neighbor’s Locked House. Ladysmith, Wis., May 5.—Mrs. John Kehl rescued two small children from William Houpt’s burning residence during the absence of the parents. Mrs. Houpt had locked in her chil- dren while she went to visit. Shortly afterwards the building was on fire and Mrs. Kehl, hearing the cries of the children, broke one of the win- dows and carried the children to a place of safety. The building was de stroyed. PATENT DRIVES MAN MAD. Work at Night to Perfect Device) Brings on Acute Mania. Marshalltown, Lowa, May 5. — Be- cause he worked so much at night try- ing to perfect a mechanical device that he expected to have patented, J. B. Mathiesen, a machinist employed by the C. A. Dunham company, was adjudged insane and taken to the state hospital at Independence. His case has been diagnosed as acute ma- nia, resulting from a loss of sleep and 1ervousness. BRINGS MAY TOKEN; SHOT. Bullet Is Answer to Boy’s Expression of Regard at Seattle. Seattle, Wash., May 5. — After he had carried the emblenr of love and neighborly courtesy to Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Copeland in the shape of a May basket filled with tastily arranged flowers, little Eddie Gregg of Foy sta- tion, near Seattle, was shot in the thigh and may die as a result. Cope ‘and is accused. BURGLARS IN GROCERY. Steal Candy and Cigars, but Get Na Money. Pierre, S. D., May 5.—Burglars last night entered the grocery store of E. F. Gifford and stole cigars and candy, besides breaking open a money draw- er and scattering papers generally over the room. All the Saturday even- ing reeeipts had been taken home by the proprietor and no cash was se cured. Saloon Fight Fatal. Lead, S. D., May 5.—In a quarrel over a card game here last evening Eli Raich, a well known saloonkeeper, shot and mortally wounded Mitchell Ogressa, a Homestake miner. Raich gave himself up. Gift for Maj.’ Chamberlain. Mitchell, S. D., May 5.—Just before Maj. Harry D. Chamberlain gave up his position as agent at the Crow agency the large number of govern- ment employes presented the major ‘and his wife with a $100 set of silver. hwest| WRONG MEN IN THE LAW'S GRIP TRAIN I$ BLOWN State News of the Week Briefly Told. A fur manufacturer of Ironwood, Mich., is looking over Fergus Falls with a view to establishing a fur fac- tory there. The public school at Springfield was burned, causing a loss of $35,000. The high school and seven other depart- ments are without quarters. The bodies of Henry Moberg and Samuel Glover, who were drowned at Lake Lizzie, near Pine River, some time ago, have been recovered. The Bergley building at Franklin, occupied by the Farmers’ supply com- pany, was completely destroyed by fire. The origin of the fire is un- known. The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Hickman of Montrose was smothered to death under When the parents awoke the child was dead. ; Paul Zorn, riding a bicycle in the middle of the Omaha tracks a half mile east of Stillwater Junction, was run down by the, Twilight limited and instantly killed. John Dunnett, a prominent grain man of the Twin Cities, died at his apartments at the Plaza hotel Minne- apolis, after battling three hours with a stroke of apoplexy. Conrad Sauer, proprietor of the Sixth Avenue saloon at St. Cloud, was punished for violating the Sunday closing law. Justice Scott fined him $10 and costs, amounting to $15. Fire in Fred Johnson’s paint shop at Moorhead, supposed to have been started - by a spark from the wood stove, caused a loss of $3,000; covered by insurance. Ed Peterson of Hallock was arrest- ed by Deputy Game Warden Munch of Crookston for shooting a wild goose and was fined $16.50 on appearance before Judge Harrison at Hallock. The Sons of Norway lodge of Crookston will make a big effort at the grand lodge meeting to be held in St. Paul on June 10 next to get the next meeting in 1909 for Crookston. Misd Rena Degnan, primary teach- er at the Pine River school and the only daughter of Marian Degnan of Staples, died of lockjaw, the effects of vaccination, after an illness of three days. The two-year-old- son of Dr. C. A. Lester of Wabasha overturned a buck- et of boiling water and was so badly scalded about the neck and shoulders that he died after suffering intence pain. James Gillespie, five years old, was crushed to death by an automobile at Sixth and Cedar streets, St. Paul. There were several witnesses of the fatality and no blame is attached to the driver of the car. Ole’ Peterson, a farmer who lives in the town of Lee, Beltrami county. Mr. Lee appeared before County Auditor Wilmann and furnished proof of hav- ing exterminated five vicious wolves of the timber breed, all of which were secured in the vicinity of his home. D. E. Pardel, who was arrested at !Baudette while trying to escape into Canada, and who was brought to Be- midji to answer to the charge of fraud- ulently obtaining board at the Mark- ham hotel in Bemidji, has been sen- tenced to thirty days in the county jail. The People’s State bank of Mon- terey was broken into and the safe blown open with nitroglycerin. The burglary was not discovered until the bank officials reached the scene to open up for the day’s business. Be- tween $1,500 and $2,000 was secured. The sheriff is investigating but there is small chance to apprehend the criminals, as the night was dark and stormy. The crop report for the territory along the line of the Chicago & North- Western railway west of Winona shows that there is a marked increase in acreage of wheat and coarse grains over last year. It also shows that the severe weather of the last few days has done no damage, but in the end will be a benefit, and that the seeding throughout the territory is practically completed. Simeon E. Hedding, oldest passen- ger engineer on the St. Paul road, died at his home in Minneapolis. Dur- ing his forty years’ service he never had a wreck and never lest a cent of property belonging to the company as the result of accidents of any kind. He had the honor of pulling the first train which ran out of Minneapolis on the St. Paul road. This was on Christmas day, 1874. Four weeks beneath a hay stack is the tale of a valley dairy cow brought to Crookston by Ole Hoven, a farmer. Hoven has a large hay stack on his farm, at which cattle feed. The stack tumbled over in March. Hoven missed the leanest of his cows and had given her up for lost. A few days ago he was amazed to see the cow sleek and fat, emerge from the ruins of the big hay stack. James Gordon lies in his room in Minneapolis in a precarious condition, having escaped death by the fraction of an inch as the result of a vicious assault of Roy Miller, enraged be- cause he thought the affections and trunk of his sweetheart had been stol- en from him. Cc. J. Kruppenbacher, arrested in La Crosse on charges of embezzlement ‘from the Great Northern Copper com- pany, is in jail at Preston, and is very ill from nervous collapse, following several weeks of hard drinking. His shortage is $700. heavy coverings. | , ,when Premiums Collected in All Branches Aggregate $1,863,239.59. Figures taken from the preliminary. report of Insurance Commissioner J. A. Hartigan show that the general casualty insurance companies had a very profitable year in Minnesota in 1907. In the volume of premiums col- lected the employers’ liability branch of the business comes first, the per- sonal accident second and the fidelity third. In all cases the premiums were far in excess of the losses. The pre- miums collected aggregated $1,863,- 239.59 and the losses $849,500.19. The following table shows the pre- miumis and losses in each branch of the business. Premiums. + + $461,855.99 74,352.67 661,448.4: Accident .. Health Employer: Fidelity’ Bure . urglary and theft. Plate glass ss ‘Steam boiler Sprinkler leakage .. Credit 0 1.863,239.59 $849,500.19 ST. OLOF DEBATERS WIN. Discuss Municipal Ownership of Rail- ways With Gustavus Adolphus. The fifth intercollegiate debate be- tween St. Olaf college of Northfield and Gustavus Adolphus of St. Peter was held in Northfield. The judges awarded the honors to St. Olaf col- lege. The question debated was: “Resolved, That in cities in the Unit- ed States of over 75,000 inhabitants municipal ownership and operation of street railways is preferable to pri- vate ownership and operation; grant- ed that such cities have the legal right to contract debt.” The affirma- tive was supported by Simon O. Lund, Alvin Peterson and Rudolph Fjelstad of Gustavus Adolphus. The St. Olaf representatives were Carl J. Olson, Martin O, Schel and B. B. Peterson. The judges were Judges Edwin A. Jaggard and O. B. Lewis of St. Paul and President Milo B. Price of Owa- tonna. WILL STUDY ABROAD. University Professors Get Long Leave of Absence. The board of regents of the Uni- versity of Minnesota have granted an extended leave of absence to the fol- lowing: Dr. G. N. Bauer, assistant professor of mathematics; Prof. Brook, instructor in engineering mathematics, and L. B. Sperry, assist- ant in the college of engineering. The first two instructors will study abroad for several months. Dr. Bauer will leave within a week for a year’s study in the University of Gottingen, Germany. Prof. Brook will leave in June for Germany. Both these pro- fessors will spend their August vaca- tion in France. Both will return to their work at the university in the fall of 1909. Mr. Sperry will go to Hel- ena, Mont., where he will remain the rest of the year. FARMERS DISCUSS ROADS. C. L. Goodell Gives Practical Talk and Introduces New Methods. There was a good attendance at the meeting of the Northern Farmers’ as- sociation held at Northome. Presi- dent W. J. Potter presided over the meeting. The greater part of the day was taken up in discussing subjects pertaining to farming and road-build- ing. C. L. Goodell of Barnum, Minn., gave a lengthy talk on building roads in timbered countries, introducing new methods that are being followed to advantage in this line of work. The matter of holding the county fair here next fall was discussed and met with much encouragement, but was not definitely settled upon. It is hoped to make the coming fair a real “hum- mer,” it being the intentions of the association to raise $300 or $400 for cash prizes. 2 STATE LAND IN DEMAND. Hundreds Inquire Regarding Tracts to Be Sold in Beltrami County. J. H. Beagle of Duluth, Nels Otter- stad of Turtle River and Alex Cam- eron of Bemidji city, who, as state ap- praisers, have appraised the land owned by the State of Minnesota that will be sold at public auction in Be- midji in July, have completed their work and the final report of their ap- praisement has been taken to St. Paul by Mr. Beagle. Already hundreds of inquiries have been received by the secretary of the Bemidji Commercial club requesting information concern- ing the state lands which will be sold in Bemidji in July, all of which indi- cates that there will be a healthy de- mand for the excellent Beltrami coun- ty lands to be disposed of by the state auditor. ‘ shift ns RACE A JURORS SIDE WITH WIDOW. Man Who Gave Her Presents Cannot Take Them Back. ‘W. B, Arnold of Winona, who gave a number of presents, including furni- ture for her rooms to a widow, Mrs. Dorothea Newhall, and then took them back under a writ of replevin, was compelled to give them back a jury in the municipal court brought in a verdict against him, Steam shovels will start work at once on the Northern Pacific’s new line in the Fountain cut, near Hawley. It is proposed to put a bridge over the big sink hole at Stockwood and a new bridge over the Buffalo river at the site of the old Jacobson mill. Monday. By an overwhelming vote President Roosevelt’s four-battleship program failed in the senate, just as it did in the house.. It was developed by Sen- ator Allison during the debate that there is a well defined understanding among the senate leaders for the au- thorization of two battleships each year until the American navy is re- garded as sufficient to meet any de- mands that may be made upon it. As finally passed the bill carries appro- priations aggregating $123,118,659, and provides for the construction of two battleships and two colliers and 4! the purchase of three additional col- liers, the construction of submarines and other necessary craft, and in- creases the pay of officers and enlist- ed men, as well as increasing both the pay and the strength of the marine corps. ‘Tuesday. Washington, April 29. — Ostensibly considering the sundry civil bill, the 4 house devoted most of its time yester- day to speeches covering a wide range of subjects and concluded the session by giving an attentive hearing to the president’s special message. Although nearly every member had read the message in the newspapers, a large number remained in their seats, care- fully following the words of the read- ing clerk. The pension and the District of Co- lumbia appropriation bills were pass- ed by the senate yesterday. In addi- tion the special message of the presi- dent urging a legislative program was read, and another chapter of Senator Warner’s speech on the Brownsville affray was heard. The senate at 5:27 p. m. adjourned. Wednesday. Washington, April 30.—Senator Da vis of Arkansas created a mild sensa- tion in the senate yesterday when, in discussing his resolution calling on the secretary of the interior for infor- mation about the tribal rolls of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians of Oklahoma, he declared that 10,000 names were being kept off the rolls by the secretary, and instanced a case in which he said nine members of a family were rated as negroes and only one sa an Indian. Advancing toward Mr. Foraker, his voice thundered throughout the chamber and adjacent halls as he asked if the Ohio senator “loved niggers” so well, why did he not come forward and defend these members of that race. Only laughter greeted this, and Mr. Foraker request- ed in a mild tone that the senator speak loudcr. Later Mr. Davis’ reso- lution was passed. Mr, Williams of Mississippi present- ed a petition, signed by 164 of the 166 Democrats composing the minori- ty, asking the speaker to recognize some member of the house to move the discharge of the ways and means committee from further consideration of the Stevens bill for the removal ef the duty on wood pulp and print pa per and to pass that bill or a similar one. Thursday. Washington, May 1. — The consid- eration of the sundry civil appropria- tion bill was resumed in the house yesterday. Mr. Townsend of Michi- gan offered an amendment increasing from $50,000 to $350,000 the appropri- ation for the enforcement by the in- terstate commerce commission of that clause of the Hepburn act directing the commission to cause to be made examinations of the accounts of the interstate railroads of the country to determine whether that law is being violated, and to make public the re- sults of such examinations. After a debate lasting four hours the amend- ment was agreed to. The senate had under consideration all of yesterday the agricultural bill. Practically all of the committee amendments were disposed of except those relating to the forest service, which will be taken up to-day. Friday. Washington, May 2. — The time ot the senate was taken up for two hours yesterday with a speech by Senator Jeff Davis of Arkansas asking that the committee on the judiciatry be dis- charged from further consideration of his bill for the suppression of trusts. The remainder of the day was given over to the consideration of a resolu- tion by Senator Elkins suspending un- til Jan. 1, 1910, the commodity clause of the Hepburn railroad rate law. The resolution provoked so much de- bates and so many amendments were offered dealing with other phases of railroad legislation that the whole matter went over until Monday. The commodity clause, under the provisions of the Hepburn bill, went into effect yesterday and railroads therefore which haul interstate com- merce products of mines or manufac- tories in which the carriers are inter- ested are liable to maximum fines of $5,000 for each offense. The Elkins resolution proposes to give the railroads 20 months additional in which to divorce themselves from those properties, on the ground that the financial condition of the country has been such that the railroads have been unable to find buyers and to set- tle such questions of joint ownership as are involved in mortgages covering both the raliroad property and mining or manufacturing property. The house spent all of yesterday's session in considering and passing, paragraph by paragraph, under suspen- sion of the rules, the sundry civil ap- propriation bill. smear ax vais tes tebe 06. \