Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 2, 1908, Page 7

a ‘Rerald-Review. wy, [STEAMER i Tra BY C. E. KILEY. MINNESOTA. GRAND RAPIDS, - oe NEWS OF THE WEEK IN EPITOME important Brest atl at Home and os Foreign Shores Briefly Told. From Washington. Marley Lawton, a son of the late aj. Gen. Henry W. Lawton, who was d in the Philippine islands in 1900, been appointed second lieutenant of the Philippine scouts and ordered 10 Fort Thomas, Ky. Because he barely avoided running down the president of the United es with his bicycle while the lat- er ¥ walking to church last Sun- bert Boyer, a negro youth, was z sted on the charge of “not héving 2 suitable bell om his bicycle.” Paper is to be manufactured from on stalks, a heretofore useless by- duet, according to a report of the au of manufactures. A company zed at $500,000 has been or- zed at Atlanta, Ga., for the pur- € it is claimed that paper can be rom cotton stalks at a cost of 5 per ton. the announcement by Chair- Hitchcock of the Republican na- committee of the appointment ard J. Stellwagen of Washing- ton as chairman of the inaugural com- mittee, the first step was taken in the k of preparing for the inaugura- n of Mr. Taft and Mr. Sherman as side ent and vice president on March People Talked About. Edward Harris Coy, fullback for two years on the Yale team, has een elected captain of the eleven the coming year. H. E. Hansen, an explorer in the service of the American department of agriculture, has gone to Central where he will collect plants, ete. The Peruvian government will pre- sent a gold medal to Miss Annie Peck, the American mountain climber who last August succeeded in reach- ing the summit of Mount Huascaran Brig. Gen. John Greene, U. S. A., re- tired, died suddenly at Boise, Idaho, of petralais of the heart, in his ighty-fourth year. Gen. Greene was teran of the Mexican and Civil aeedé: Capt. Patrick Henry, who spent ich time in Washington for twenty years as the official representative of the levee board of the Mississippi river, died at his home in Clarksville, Tenn Miss Bertha Duppler, secretary to ur Chicago postmasters and at the > of her resignation said to have been the highest salaried woman in the postal service, has been marrieg to Jacob Baur, a prominent Chicago Ss man. Frank Melville, one of the best cus men in the United y a number of years n director of the Hippodrome n Ne w York, succumbed to heart fail- in the general offices of the Hip- e company in New York. Cardoner, a millionaire mine owner of Wallace, Idaho, announces at he has purchased and will oper- under modern methods the mines the vicinity of Barcelona, Spain, from which it is the belief that the mans derived their lead supply. It will be the first time the mines have been touched for centuries. Sins and Sinners. J. E. McElroy, a construction engi- neer wanted at Hillsboro, Pa., for for- gery, was arrested at Los ‘Angeles. Joe Kofranek, a barber, is under arrest at Sioux City on a charge of ar- son preferred by his wife, who says he tried to burn down the house after a quarrel. J. A. Northeutt, a prominent citizen of Henry Ellen, Jefferson county, Alabama, was shot and killed by J. W. Dement. Dement will say nothing as to the cause of the tragedy. Burglars robbed the Kirkwood, War- ren county, Illinois, postoffice of $35 in cash. This is the seventh post- office robbery in the Fourth congres- sional district in the past three months. George B. Gascoigns, a plate printer employed in the bureau of engraving end printing in Washington, was shot and killed by Thomas R. Griffith, a blacksmith, who was arrested. The shooting was the result of a quarrel. Judge Munger, in the United States court at Omaha, sentenced J. H, Ed- misten, a former state oil inspector and chairman of the Populist state committee, to pay a fine of $1,000 and serye four months in jail for illegal fencing of government lands. Edmis- ten has been promitient in Nebraska politics for many years. Daring safeblowers blew the safe in the bank at Clark’s Hill, Ind., but were spprehended before completing their work The little town was thrown into a state of wild excitement and a revolver battle with the robbers fol- lowed the attempt to rob the bank. William Herman, assistant chief Jerk of the municipal court in Chica- eo, and Samuel B. Panama, a well- known local politician, were indicted » connection with the alleged frauds in the primaries of Aug. 8. Twenty- other indictments were re cht eig turned. INA A COLLISION Big fichinice tia Looms Up Out of Fog and Crashes Into Liner Finance. FOUR CARRIED DOWN TO DEATH Passengers Thrown Into Panic, but Rescuers Work Quickly—Woman’ Refuses Rescue. New York, Noy, 28.—In the thick of a fog off Sandy Hook yesterday the steel freighter Georgic of the White Star line rammed and sank the lightly laden Panama line steamer Finance, outward bound, with eighty-five pas- sengers. The Finance went down within ten minutes after the collision, carrying to their death three of her passengers and one of the crew. The rest of the passengers, who included nineteen women and fourteen chil- dren, as well as others of the crew, were rescued by the boats of the Georgic. The freighter was not dam- aged. Looms Out of Fog. The disaster occurred in the main ship channel off Sandy Hook at 8 o'clock yesterday morning. The Finance was picking her way down the channel when Capt. Mowbray, who was on the bridge, heard the whistle of an approaching liner. The Finance was immediately ordered astern and was slowly backing when the Georgic, in-bound from Liverpool, loomed out of the fog and a moment later crashed into the port side of the Finance. The prow of the freighter penetrated the side of the Finance nearly ten feet, leaving a ragged hole through which the water rushed in. The Panama steamer heeled far over to starboard, while men and women, many of whom had been awakened from a sound sleep, were thrown from their berths. Passengers in Panic. Hastily covering themselves with bed clothing and making little attempt to dress, these rushed in a panic to the main deck. Many of the passen- gers jumped overboard before they could be restrained by the crew of the injured steamer. Immediately after the accident the freighter backed off and anchored, her commander, Capt. Clark, in the mean+ time having ordered the life boats lowered. The boats of the Finance were also cut away as quickly as possi- ble. Attention was first given to those who: had jumped overboard, and a seore or more were picked up by the small boats. Probably half of the passengers, with the crew, stood by the ship, awaiting rescue, and these were gotten off with remarkable ex- pedition. Refuses to Be Rescued. When it was believed that all had left the vessel and the water had reached the rail, Miss Irene Campbell was discovered holding tenaciously to a post in the rail. Appeals to her to throw herself into the water or allow herself to be taken into a small boat failed. Then two sailors clambered onto the half submerged deck and seizing the terror-stricken woman, ove at either arm, struggled to force ? er from her position. Neither reason nor force could break her hold. The men abandoned her only in time to save themselves. With a despairing cry the woman disappeared. The shipwrecked passengers and crew were brought to this city last night and placed aboard the Panama steamer Alliance, where the wom:n and children were provided with cloth- ing. HAITI’S BLOCKADE DOESN’T GO. United States Refuses to Recognize Closing of Ports. Washington, Nov. 29.—Haiti’s “pa- per” blockade of the ports of Aquin and Jeremio, which the government admits its inability to make effective by force of arms, will not be recog- nized by the state department. This is in accord with the traditional poiicy of the American government. Notice to this effect has been sent to Ameri- can minister Furniss at Port au Prince, who cabled that he had been notified that the ports declared block- aded also had been declared closed to commerce by the Haitien authorities, who also had notified the local steam- ship agents that merchandise for them must be landed at the capital. Little Gift for Sheriff. Houghton, Mich., Nov. 29.—George T. Hamilton, accused of sending Sher- iff Beck an infernal machine last July, was yesterday found guilty and sen- tenced to ten years’ imprisonment. Wife Shot; Husband Arrested. Meadville, Pa., Nov. 29. — Alton Hoover, twenty-three years old, of At- lantic, surrendered himself last night, two hours after three shots had been fired at his wife, two of them taking effect and inflicting probably fatal wounds, Aged Woman Arrested. y New York, Nov. 29. — Mrs. Ellen| K. Peck, seventy-five years old, was arrested last night charged with grand larceny, in securing money on worthless titles to land in Kentucky. dares Mi ail In ai t Washington, Nov. 29.—Despite offi- ble sources has been obtained of an agreement of far-reaching importance between the United States and Japan covering the policy of the two coutries in the Pacific. * of encouraging and defending free and peaceful commercial: development in the Pacific. mutual guarantee to respect each oth- er’s territorial possessions there, but defines the attitude of the two coun- tries towards China, binding each to defend by every peaceful means Chi- na’s. independence and integrity and to give equal commercial opportuni- ties in the Chinese empire to all na- tions. But, more important still, the agreement in the event of complica- tions threatening the status quo, binds the United States and Japan to con- sult each other with a view to acting together. The Agreement. The agreement has been drawn up in the form of a declaration and con sists of five articles. The first article gives expression to the wish of the two .governments to encourage the free and peaceful development of their commerce in the Pacific. The second is a mutual disclaimer of an aggressive design and contains also a definition of the policy of each gov- ernment, both as directed to the main- tenance of the existing status quo in the Pacific and the defense of the principle of, equal opportunity for com- merce and industry in China. The third article contains a statement of the consequent “firm” reciprocal reso- lution of each government to respect the territorial possessions in tle Pa- cific of the other. Preserve China’s Integrity. In the fourth article the Uni‘ed States and Japan express their deter- mination to support “by all peaceful means at their disposal” the independ- ence and integrity of China and the principle of equal commercial and ‘n- dustrial opportunity for all natiois in the empire. The fifth article mutially pladges the two governments, in the case of “the occurrence of any event threatening the status quo” as above described or the principle of equal op- portunity as above dened, to communi- cate with each other for the purpose of arriving at a mutual understanding with regard to the measures they may consider useful to take. HITCHCOCK GETS POSTAL JOB. Is Offered and Accepts Position of Postmaster General in Taft Cabinet. Hot Springs, Va., Nov 29—Frank H. Hitchcock has been offered and has accepted the position of post- master general in the Taft cabiact that is to be. The official announcement of this conclusion regarding the first cabinet selection of President-elect Taft doubtless will not be made until Mr. Taft has completed his cabinet, at which time it will be announced en bloc. Because of this view of the sit- uation no expression regarding the se- lection of Mr. Hitchcock was obtain- able for publication from either Mr. Taft or the Republican national chair- man. There were many reasons, it was pointed out why it was expedient that Mr. Hitchcock's status should be fixed, at least so far as the principals are concerned, and a complete under- standing is known to exist between them. As chairman of the Republican national committee Mr. Hitchock be- came more familiar than any other person with the political phase of questions likely to arise at the begin- ning of the Taft administration and the knowledge he gained regarding the personnel of the party will be of great service to Mr. Taft throughout his ad- ministration. Besides these reasons the national chairman admittedly possesses a com- prehensive as well as a_ technical knowledge of postal affairs, gained by a protracted experience as first assist- ant and acting postmaster general. PUPILS FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES. Girls’ School at Saratoga Damaged by Fire. Saratoga, Noy. 29.—While the forty girl pupils of St. Christina’s school were at breakfast yesterday a fire broke out in the laundry and spread so rapidly that all were forced to fiee to save their lives. Practically all of the belongings of the students were destroyed and the building was dam- aged to the extent of $5,000. No one was injured. Is Badly pee ee Postal Official Is Short. Wabash, Ind., Nov. 29. — Claude Stitt, deputy postmaster, has disap- peared and an investigation of his ac- counts has been made by postofice inspectors. Yesterday afternooa ihe officials announced that there is a shortage of $2,622. Stitt was under a bond of $2,500. Swindled Out of $3,000. Indianapolis, Nov. 29.—William B. Cunningham, eighty-three years old, was swindled out of $3,000 here yes- terday by cofidence men. Cunning- ham is a retired farmer. Places Gag on Navy Men. | Washington, Nov. 29. — That there shall be no further public discussion by. naval officers concerning the New- port conference without permission of the president is the purport of an or- der issued by Secretary Metcalf, by direction of the presider* cial reticence, information from relia- The agreement is based on the idea It contains not only a 3% * ‘MINE DISASTER|" Explosion Wrecks Model Coal Mine of World at Marianna, Near Pittsburg. DEATH ROLL MAY REACH 200 Fifty-two Bodies Are Recovered, Most of Them Horribly Mutilated and Dismembered. Pittsburg, Dec. 1. — At least 139 men lost their lives Saturday in an explosion which wrecked the mine of the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal company at Marianna, forty miles south of here, and cast into gloom what was until then. considered the model mining town of the world. Fifty-two bodies were taken from the mine yesterday, all but two of them being horribly mutilated and a number of them dismembered. There is no doubt that the death list will reach 138 men. Officials of the company admit that 138 men went down the shaft to work Saturday morning. According to miners and others familiar with the number of men generally employed in the mine the death list will exceed the compa- ny’s estimate by at least fifty. Horribly Mutilated. Up to darkness last night twenty- five bodies had been brought to the surface in an iron bucket. Arms, legs or heads were missing from some, and the trunks of others were burned, bruised and cut. Two of the men taken from the mine yesterday had been suffocated and their bodies were not even scratched. One of these was John Ivill, a cousin of John H. Jones, presi- dent of the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal cémpany, owners of the mine, who was employed as head timekeeper. Iyill’s body was found beneath a coal digging machine and it was apparent that the young man had crawled there in a vain effort to escape the deadly fumes. Will Not Be Cleared for Days. The body of the other man was found near Ivill. The unfortunate had placed his face in a _ pool of water, which all miners are advised to do when an explosions occurs, in a des- perate attempt to fight off suffocation until rescued. During yesterday afternoon the cor- oner of Washington county held a meeting to organize a jury and then adjourned until all of the bodies have been taken from the mine. The opin- fon was expressed yesterday by a number of expert miners that the mine will not be cleared of victims for several days. Early yesterday a small fire broke out in the mine, but was ex: tinguished. Rescue Work Being Pushed. Conditions about the mouth of the mine were disagreeable yesterday. A drizzling rain fell and the weather grew cold. Many relatives of the vic- tims ‘stood all day close to the ropes around the shaft, but there were few of the harrowing scenes aisually asso- ciated with a mine explosion. Most of the relatives are English-speaking people, who bear their grief in si- lence. It is estimated that one-fourth of the victims are Americans. As rap- idly as possible the work of rescue is being carried on. At short intervals new men are sent into the mine to re- lieve others searching for the dead. Owing to the dangerous gases and the mass of wreckage in the mine the res- cue work is slow and is being carried on with a great deal of precaution. Ex- perts from Pennsylvania and West Virginia are in charge of the work of exploration. JAIL EIGHT MOONSHINERS. Revenue Officers Raid Their Alabama Stronghold. Anniston, Ala. Dec. 1. — The fa- mous home of moonshine whisky in the Turkey Haven mountains of Ala- bama was conquered, at least for the present, by United States revenue of- ficers when they brought to jail here Jim Floyd, for a decade the leader of the Floyd gang, and eight alleged members of his band. Five bullet wounds in Floyd’s body attested to a desperate all-night fight with the alleged moonshiners. WOODRUFF OUT OF RACE. Eliminates Himself From Senatorial Contest in Favor of Root, Hot Springs, Va., Dec. 1. — After a protracted conference yesterday be- tween President-elect Taft and Timo- thy: L. Woodruff, New York state chairman, announcement was made that Mr. Woodruff had eliminated him- self from the New York senatorial race, in favor of Secretary Root. GIRLS ADMIT SETTING FIRE. Two inmates of Ohio Industrial School Make Confession. Columbus, Dee. 1. — Two girls at the state industrial home at Delaware, whose names the authorities refuse to give, confessed that they set fire to the main building at the home early Saturday. The loss will amount to $10,000. Eighty-eight girls were res- cued by the watchman, Joseph Spir- row. A number of the girls were more or less injured. y+ [ooKs a FOR SEINE new Light - /Paris Murder | Stfengthens Gent of © \Her ’ 7 Paris, Dec. 1. — All the new light thrown on the murder of Adolphe curred on the night of May 31 at the home of the artist, strengthen the conviction that Mme. Steinheil either strangled the victims alone after administering a narcotic or poison, subsequently binding her- self to her bed, or that she had an ac- complice in the person of a profession- al criminal. The body of the murdered painter was disinterred yesterday and remoy- ed to the morgue, but the surgeons found that it was in such a state of decomposition as to make it an im- possibility to perform a complete au- topsy. They contented themselves with taking away the viscera for chemical analysis, in order to discover possible traces of poison. The glasses found at the time of the murder will also be examined. Rich Lovers in Pairs. It is now learned that Mme. Stein- heil was receiving the visits of an- other rich lover, in addition to Mau- rice Borderal, and that she had prom- ised each of them that she would mar- ry him in the event of her becoming widowed or divorced. Testimony from many quarters seems to upset the charges of the roy- alist press that the late President F\ lix Faure was the victim of the crim- inal dealing, but even M. Dupuy, his premier, does not deny that Mme. Steinheil was with him shortly before he expired. Faure Mystery Probed. It is noteworthy that no autopsy was held on the body of Faure. The corpse, while still warm, was filled with powerful embalming fluids and hastily coffined. Little by little the story of that old crime is coming out in the Parisian press and the assertion is now pub- lished broadcast that death came to him from Marguerite Steinheil, and both press and physicians are specu- lating on the kind of poison used. In La Liberte, Henry Deschamps quotes a resident of the Impasse Ron- sin, who says that from his window he saw the body of Felix Faure car- ried from the Steinheil house by two men, Death Scene Is Ghastly. One ghastly detail of the death ot Felix Faure may be added to the re- volting tale. In his convulsive death agonies, the dying man knotted his fingers in the woman’s thick blonde hair, and as the plotters dared not cut the hair they had to pry the fingers loose one by. one. This took half an hour, during which time the woman was screaming and went into hyster- ics, which ended in a faint. SIX MEN DIE IN SALT MINE. Air Supply Shut Off While Men Were at Work 350 Feet Below Surafce. Detroit, Mich., Dec. 1. — Six men were suffocated to death Saturday aft- ernoon in the village of Oakwood, out- side the western outskirts of Detroit. The Oakwood Contracting company has been engaged in sinking a°600-foot shaft for the Detroit Salt company. men who lost their lives were excavating 350 feet down in the shaft. The supply of air came from a two-foot canvas tube, which ran down the shaft from the surface of the ground. This tube became clogged Saturday afternoon about 150 feet down from the surface. With the air supply shut off the shaft rapidly filled with gas and the men were suffocated. COLORADO IS SNOW-BOUND. Heaviest Fall of Snow Ever Experi- enced in That Section. Denver, Colo., Dec. 1: — Beginning Saturday and continuing until late last evening the eastern portion of Colorado was visited by one of the heaviest fall of snow ever exprei- enced in this section, at some points a new record being established. The entire plains country east of here was included in the visitation. It is there that the railroads experienced the greatest difficulty, but reports last night indicate that delays are not se- rious. USES “NITRO” IN JAIL WALL. Oklahoma Convict Wrecks Building in Attempt to Escape. Hobart, Okla., Dec. 1. — In a desper- ate attempt to prevent officers taking him to the penitentiary, Walter Reed, who was convicted of manslaughter and was held in jail here pending his removal to the state prison, exploded a large quantity of nitroglycerin against the wall of his cell. The whole side of the jail was blown away, but the sheriff and deputies in the jail rushed to the outside, saved their lives and prevented Reed from escap- ing. Desperado Kills Sheriff. Ogden, Utah, Dec. 1. — Chief Depu ty Sheriff Seymour L. Clark was kill- ed at Uintah by an unknown despera- do. Deputy Sheriff J. J. Murphy was shot in the hand and a sick man who was in the custody of the two officers was shot twice in the arm. The des- perado eseaped. Drug Store Robbed. Mason City, Iowa, Dec. 1. — Bur- glars broke into the Smith drug store, at Rockwell, securing $110 in cash and valuable articles Steinheil and Mme. Japy, which oc- |: only goes to]: THUNDRED LVE WES; ’ / SWALLOWED BY SEA Coasting Steamer in Philippines _ Strikes Rock and Sinks During. Storm. FEAR TRANSPORT MAY BE LOST War Department Alarmed for Safety of the Dix, Which Is Six Days Overdue. Manila, Noy. 29. — The coasting steamer Ponting, carrying a_ large number of laborers from Narvacan to the rice fields in Pangasinan province struck a rock and sank last night dur- ing a storm off the town of San Fer- nan, in Union province. It is said a hundred of the passengers and crew were drowned. The steamer Vig- caya rescued fifty-five. A patrol of constabulary, which was established immediately after the ac- cident, picked up fifteen bodies, and many more were coming ashore. It is not known whether any Americans or Europeans were aboard the wrecked steamer. The storm last night kept the liber- ty men from the Atlantic fleet ashore all night. The waters of the bay were exceedingly rough, and Rear Admiral Sperry sent a_ wireless. message ashore to the effect that they should not attempt to return to their ships until weather conditions were more favorable. Fear Ship Is Lost. Washington, Nov. 29.—Considerable alarm is felt at the war department over the fact that the army transport Dix, en route from Seattle to Manila with a cargo of 200 soldiers and 250 mules, is six days overdue. It is feared here that the Dix was caught in the same typhoon. which disabled the hospital ship Relief while proceeding from Manila to the island of Guam. Adjt. Gen. Ainsworth yesterday sent a cablegram to Manila requesting tha a vessel be sent out from that port to locate the Dix. The Dix is the largest of the army transports. She sailed from Seattle Oct. 15 and left Honolulu for Manila Oct. 30. She should have arrived at Manila about Nov. 21. OVER 100 PERISH !N FIRE AT SEA Shore Onlockers Powerless to Aid British Steamer Off Isiand of Malta. Veletta, Island of Malta, Nov. 28.—- A terrible disaster, in which more than a hundred persons lost their lives, occurred at the entrance to this port, within sight of the whole pop- ulation of the city, who were power- less to give aid. The British steamer Sardinia of the Ellerman line, ha g from Liverpool and bound for Alex- andria with a crew of forty-four Eng- lishmen, eleven fi ix second st and eabin English passen; 3s, and nearly two hundred Arab pilgrims aboard, caught fire and within a few minutes wes a roaring furnace surrounded by clouds of black smoke, through which flames burst upward to a height of 200 feet, from frequent explosions in the hold. Ship’s Boats Burn. So rapidly did the fire spread that the frantic efforts of the crew to op- erate the fire apparatus proved use- less, for it seemed but a moment be- for the upper works and masts crashed down upon the deck, while the ship’s boats were crushed by the falling debris or set on fire and quick- ly burned. Safety lay only in the sea, for no one could save himself except by jumping overboard and taking chances of being picked up. Assistance was hurried to the burning vessel from all the warships in the harbor and from the shore, but the work of rescue was greatly impeded by the strong tide that was running. Even the naval launches, which came as fast as they could be driven, were unable to go alongside. Among the Arabs. there was a panic that could not be con- trolled. Many of them were too ter- Tified to jump and they were burned to death. Others, casting themselves into the waves, were drowned. Heroic Sacrifice by Crew. The crew behaved with admirable courage, serving out life preservers to the last, and working the pumps. ‘When the pumps became useless, Capt. Charles Littler, commander of the Sardinia, took the helm and directed his ship toward the shore, so long as it could be navigated. He perished at his post. First Officer Frank Watson, all three engineers, Seagraves, Bishop and Neil, eighteen of the ship’s com- pany and two first class passengers, one of them a boy named Grant, are missing. Fifty or more bodies have been recovered and seventy persons rescued. 1884 DOLLAR BRINGS $280. Copper Cent Dated 1799 Sells for $82.50 at Chicago Auction. Chicago, Noy. 29. — At an auction sale at the Chicago Numismatic so- ciety last night a silver dollar of the date of 1884 was sold for $280. Only five of the coinage are in existence so far as known. A copper cent of the date of 1799 was sold for $82.50. Two other cents of the year 1856, with a @iying eagle design, one copper and the other nickel, were sold for $31 and $37.50, respectively.