Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 16, 1908, Page 2

7 Berald--Review. |ABRAHAM RUEF |SUAST COSTS MANY LIVES) APMED) FANATIC. BY C. E, KILEY. GRAND RAPIDS, - - MINNESOTA. NEWS OF WEEK SUMMARIZCO Digest of the News Worth Telling Com: densed for the Busy Reader. Washington. The senate confirmed the nomina- tions of Luke E. Wright to be secre- tary of war, and Truman H. Newberry to be secretary of the navy. Seventy-three public bills and 250 private bills were dropped into the hopper of the house on the first day of the session. The secretary of the treasury re- ceived through the collector of cus- toms of Georgetown, D. C., a con- seience contribution of twelve $100 bills. They money came by express from an unknown party in Chicago. The secretary of the treasury trans- mitted to congress the book of esti- mates of appropriations required for the service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1910. The estimates for 1910 total $824,408,984, which is $57,- 900,676 in excess of the appropriation for 1909. Personal. Capt. Maynard H. Murch, sixty-two ars old, retired shipbuilder, died at nd. Capt. Murch built some largest freighters sailing on Great Lakes, Mary Goolwin Pinkney die? umonia in New York at the age of ninety-nine years. Miss Pinkncy credited with being on» of the wealthy women of the wor'd. rles K. Sackett, one of the best known members of the Chicago board of trade, dropped dead in the lavatory of the Postal Telegraph company’s building in Chicago. Heart disease was the cause. A discharge in bankruptcy has been granted in New York to Mrs. Leslie Carter Payne, the actress. According to her schedules Mrs. Payne’s liabili- ties amounted to $194,418 and her as- sets to $57,926. i Brig. Gen. Henry Jackson, retired, died at his home in Leavenworth, Kan., of cancer, aged seventy-one Gen. Jackson was a soldier imean war, the Civil war, the merican war and in Indian He was born in England. Keefe of Michigan, presi- dent of the Longshoremen’s union, has been sworn in as commissioner of ye Cleve of of pn years in the C Daniel J immigration. Secretary Straus and the bureau chiefs witnessed the cere- mony after which Mr. Keefe was in- troduced to the various heads in his bureau and at once assumed the du- ties of his office. Casualtles. Fire at St. Louis destroyed the plant of the Lohse Patent Door com- pany, entailing a loss of $100,000. The Indiana Box ompany’s factory at Muskegon, Mich., was destroyed by fire. The loss is estimated at $75,000. Independence, Kan., has voted to adopt the commission form of gov- ernment. The commissioners will be elected next spring. A. R. Walker, agent of the Iowa Central at New Sharon, Iowa, was fatally injured when he was run over by a fast freight in front of the depot. Fire at Kingston, Ont., destroyed the building occupied by the Worm- with Piano company and W. G. Craig & Co., wholesale grocers. The loss is $120,000. Theodore Mantz and George J. Fish- er were probably fatally injured by the explosion of a threshing engine at Mason City, Iowa. The engine was used to run a corn sheller. Three children, Ethel and Martin Anderson, aged eleven and ten, re- spectively, and George Stack, Jr., thirteen years old, were drowned playing on thin ice in the suburbs of Boston. Two dead and three seriously injur- ed is the week’s record of fatalities from careless rabbit hunting in the vicinity of Mason City, Iowa. In most instances the shooting has been done with a rifle. Fireman W. H. Horn was fattally scalded and Engineer Will Steele and Brakeman Joe Reimers were badly in- jured in an explosion of a freight en- gine on the Milwaukee road near Lost Nation, Iowa. Two persons were killed, two others were seriously injured and a number were less seriously hurt when north and south bound passenger trains of the Santa Fe railroad collided near Amarillo, Tex. Two men were instantly killed when a Milwaukee passenger train ran down their wagon ata grade crossing in Chicago. James Gicey, towerman at the crossing, is held by the police pending an inquest. Officers are searching for fifteen- year-old Dottie Lincoln, a_ pretty Spearfish girl, who mysteriously dis- appeared a few days ago. The girl was seen in Deadwood, but there all trace of her was lost. Passenger Train N. 43 on the Rock Island, while running at a high rate of speed near Keer’s station, twelve miles east of Little Rock, Ark., split the switch at that point, derailing the engine, baggage and express car, com- bination smoker and one chair car. Two trainmen were killed and two others injured. IS FOUND GUILTY Former Political Boss of San Francisco’ Is Convicted of Bribery. HOTEL IS CLOSELY GUARDED Ends With Abruptness, but Jury Takes Twenty-four Hours to Reach a Verdict. San Francisco, Dec, 12—Abraham Ruef, former political boss of San Francisco, was convicted yesterday of bribery. The verdict was returned exactly upon the stroke of 4 o'clock, when the deliberations of the jury had been prolonged throughout a period of twenty-four hours. The warnings of Judge William P. Lawler and the vigilance of the police checked all at- tempted demonstration, although the excitement in the court room was so intense that men were thrust down into their seats or held in the grasp of detectives as they rose to obtain a better view of the proceedings. Trial in Progress 106 Days. The trial, which had been in prog: ress for 106 days, ended with sur- prising abruptness. The day had al- most passed without sign or intima- tion from the jury room, the hopes of Ruef and his attorneys had risen with every hour of delay and the ad- herents of the prosecution were pro- portionately discouraged. With num- bers and interest undiminished, huf- dreds of spectators retained their seats in the chamber or stood pa- tiently in a long line opposite the en- trance. The jurors had scarcely taken their seats in the box before the brief proceedings were at an end. The judge glanced at the verdict and handed it to Clerk Welch, who read it aloud. First Thought of Father. Immediately everybody arose to their feet. There was a murmur of approval, but no scene or demonstra- tion. At the other end of the counsel table sat Francis J. Heney, who ap- peared in the court room yesterday for the first time since the day he was shot. Ruef sat between his father and Thomas B. Dozier of the defense when the verdict was returned. Al most his first thought was for the elder Mr. Ruef. He whispered a few words of encouragement to the old man and sent him out of the room to break the news to the defendant’s mother and sisters. By previous agreement of counsel that the bill of exceptions should be settled later, the court set next Sat- urday, Dec. 12, as the day for pro- nouncing judgment. Ruef’s convic- tion renders him liable to a maximum penalty of fourteen years in the peni- tentiary. DAVIS ACQUITTED OF MURDER. Jury Frees Man Charged With Killing Dr. Rustin of Omaha. Omoha, Dec. 12—Charles E. Davis is a free man. The jury which for two weeks has been hearing the evidence against him in his trial on a charge of mur- dering Dr. Frederick Rustin, yester- day morning returned a verdict of not guilty, after deliberating all night. The opinion of a single juror, who held out for eighteen ballots for a manslaughter verdict, prevented an acquittal verdict being returned with- in a short time after the jury went out. The verdict was reached on the nineteenth ballot. The most damaging evidence against Davis was given by Mrs. Abbie Rice, a paramour of Dr. Rustin. She told of a triple suicide pact in which she was involved with Rustin and Davis. Rustin, she said, instructed her to kill him, but her nerve failed her and Rustin released her from the pact, saying he had a man who would end his life so his (Rustin’s) family would get some life insurance money. Mrs. Rice testified that Davis was the chosen slayer and that he was given morphine as a reward for his act. Dr. Rustin was found dying on the doorstep of his house. VANISHES FROM STEAMER. Prominent Elk Mound (Wis.) Citizen Dissapears From SS. Oceanic. Eau Claire, Wis., Dec. 12.—Anton Rosenberg, a well-known citizen of Elk Mound, sailed three weeks ago on the steamship Oceanic of the White Star Line for Europe. A letter received yesterday said that when the boat reached Southampton Mr. Rosenberg was missing. His hat, coat and yest were found in a toilet room. No further clue was given. Dentist Kills Doctor. Hazlehurst, Miss., Dec. 12.—Dr. A. S. Pitts, a prominent physician, was shot and killed late yesterday at his office here by Dr. Thomas Birdsong, a dentist. Nothing can be ascertained as to the motive. Earthquake In Sicily. * Messina, Sicily, Dec. 11.—Severe earth shocks at Mount Albano yester- day created a panic among the peo- ple. The church and a number of public and private buildings were badly damaged. Twenty-five Tons of Dynamite Explode Prematurely, Causing Death and Ruin. Colon, Dec, 15.—The explosion Sat- urday at Bas Obispo of a twenty-five ton dynamites blast was the most se- rious accident in .connection with the building of the Panama canal since the United States took control. A thorough investigation, with a view to fixing the responsibility, has been or- dered, and already officials are taking evidence and endeavoring to ascer- tain the cause of the premature dis- charge of the blast. The dead now totals fourteen. That many bodies have been recovered, but it is believed that a score or more are still under the masses of rocks and earth that were thrown up. At least fifty persons were injured. Train Has Close Call. The death list would have been ap- palling had a train conveying 500 la- borers passed a few minutes later. This train steamed through the cut and was barely out of view when the explosion occurred. For a distance of 800 feet in length and 400 feet in width the Bas Obispo cut presents a graphic picture of the terrible effects of the explosion. The whole hillside has been devastated, the dynamite rending the earth in twain and tossing huge boulders in all directions. .A ninety-ton steam- shovel lies a complete wreck, crushed under the weight of falling rocks. Every one of the crew was killed. All the tracks in this section were torn to pieces and are now covered with tons of debris. Hundreds Work Heroically. The work of clearing away the wreckage continued throughout the night, but a much longer time will be necessary to take away the great heaps of earth and _ rocks in the search for the buried dead. Hundreds of men were on the scene yesterday working heroically to find the bodies of their dead companions. Many evi- dences are come across of the terrible force of the blast, as here and there pieces of human flesh and bone are turned over with pick and shovel. Three Americans Killed. The charge consisted of fifty-one holes, sixty feet deep, and spread out over a large section of territory. The last hole was being charged by John J. Reidy, an experienced powder man, when it exploded. The others were exploded by the concussion. Reidy was blown to pieces. The other American dead include John J. Korn, steamshovel engineer, and J. T. Hum- mer, steamshovel crane man. Two Spaniards were also killed and eight West Indian negroes. The badly in- jured include B. H. Cole, powder man, and Arthur Bassett, drill foreman, Americans. The officials at the Ab- con hospital, where many of the in- jured were taken, report that they are doing well, some of the men not being seriously injured. GEN. FIRMIN ON BAND WAGON. Is Welcomed at Port au Prince and Urges People to Support Simon. Port au Prince, Dec. 15. — The steamship Virginia, with 116 exiles aboard, among whom was Gen. Ante- nor Firmin, arrived here yesterday. Immediately upon arrival Gen. Fir- min landed and was welcomed in the name of Gen. Simon. Gen. Firmin was driven to the pal- ace along streets lined with a cheer- ing multitude, At the palace Gen. Simon, the pro- visional president, extended a most cordial welcome to Gen. Firmin, who at once declared that he had surren- dered all ambition for political prefer- ment. He urged all Haitiens to rally to the support of the Liberal govern- ment. DEATH COMES TO MRS. DOLL. Widow of Senator Cushman K. Davis Expires Suddenly. Baltimore, Md., Dec. 15.—Mrs. Wil- liam Hunter Doll, who was Mrs, Cush- man K. Davis, wife of the Minnesota senator, died suddenly Saturday night on her farm near Hyattsville, Md. As Mrs. Davis, the deceased was promi- nent for several years in capital so- cial circles and entertained at her Washington home on many occasions. Mrs. Davis’ former home was in $t. Paul, where she met and married the senator. HANSBROUGH QUITE WEAK. North Dakota Senator’s Physicians, However, Are Hopeful. Minneapolis, Dec. 15. — Senator H. C. Hansbrough of Devils Lake, N. D., who was operated upon at Asbury hospital in Minneapolis Friday, is not gaining strength rapidly, but his phy- sicians believe there is no additional eause for alarm. He spent a fairly comfortable day yesterday, and last evening was resting easily. He still has considerable fever and is ex- tremely weak. HAY WAGON CRUSHES Boy. Chippewa Falls, Wis. Dec. 15. — Richard Taggart, seven years old, had a remarkable escape from instant death here. He was run down by horses hauling a large load of hay, and his head became wedged against the front of the hind wheel, causing it to stop revolving, and he was drag- ged thirty feet beforé the team was stopped. The driver, John Connell, was arrested, but will not be prose. cuted unless the boy dies. “Knights of White Death’ Joke of Youth Who Wanted Sherlock Holmes Mystery. TERRORIZES TOWN “John the Baptist” Holds Up Merchants and Exchanges Shots With Posse. NABBED AND SENT TO ASYLUM Madman Races Through Streets With Gun, and Men, Women and Chil- dren Seek Shelter. WRECKED BY BOMB Chicago Police Believe Bomb Thrower Designed to Wreck the Coliseum. WORK OF WOULD-BE REFORMER Chicago, Dec. 13—The mystery of the “Knights of the White Death” letters, which were recently sent to various clergymen and prominent cit- izens in this city with the threat that unless they left large sums of money at designated spots they would be put to death, was cleared up last night; when William Pollard, twenty- two years old, driver of a grocer’s wagon, was arrested and confessed to having sent the missives as a joke. When confronted by the postoffice of- ficials, Pollard laid the blame on his having read Conan Doyle's stories of crime. Fascinated by the novelist’s lurid pictures of skulls, ghosts, grave- yards and all-night vigils of detec- tives, Pollard declared he had deter- mined to see how they would work out in the hands of the Chicago po- lice. So he organized the “Knights of the White Death,” and with a Sher- lock Holmes fancy for the weird, wrote out a bundle of letters, all deco- rated with skulls and cross-bones, The demands for money, he said, were simply added to enliven the mystery, as he never went to see whether the money was left or not. \ Pollard was arrested at Evanston, a suburb. He was held in custody pending further investigation. Against Which Much Opposition Has Been Made. Edgewater, N. J., Dec. 13—Pro- claiming himself to be “John the Bap- tist, come to save the world,” an armed fanatic, wrought up to a high pitch of maniacal fury, terrorized this village for a full hour late yesterday, appearing suddenly on the main street waving a big revolver, holding up the proprietors of several stores, ex- changing many shots with a hastily formed posse and at last being wound- ed himself when the police and a mob of citizens ran him down. In all the fusillade no one was hit but the maniac himself, and his wounds are not regarded as dangerous, Like “Wild West” Exploit. Although the reign of terror the invader instituted was apparently based upon a religious impulse, his raid possessed well nigh all the fea- tures of a “wild west” exploit. In the midst of the,excitement the mad- man’ commandeered a horse and wagon and struck a reckless gait out of town. It was from behind the im- provised bulwark which he made of this vehicle when he alighted from it near the Palisades that he was finally picked by the shots of the pursuing posse. After he had been taken into cus- tody, the man, gray whiskered and apparently about fifty-five years of age, said he was Oscar S. Pomeroy, that his home was in Nebraska, but that he had been an inmate of a pri- vate sanitarium in Stamford, Conn. Taken to Insane Asylum. When it was found that his wounds were slight he was ordered taken to the state asylum at Morris Plains, where he will-be detained pending other proceedings. Pomeroy first made his appearance at Walsh’s hotel, where he rushed into the kitchen flourishing his re- volver and drove out the cook and the housekeeper. Then he returned to the street, and men, women and children fled to shelter as the mad- man raced up and down the main thoroughfare shouting and firing whenever a head appeared. Chicago, Dec. 14 — Two buildings were wrecked and windows were shattered for a block around by the terrific explosion of a bomb in an al- ley in Wabash avenue, near Sixteenth street, last night. At first it was re- ported that several people had lost their lives in the ruins, but after searching until after midnight the po- lice stated that they believed all had escaped. The wrecked buildings ad- join the Coliseum, where the First ward ball, the annual revel against the holding of which this year much opposition has been made, is sched- uled to be held to-night, and the po- lice are working on the theory that the unknown bomb thrower designed to wreck the Coliseum in order to stop the ball. Was Heard for a Mile. The report of the explosion was heard for a mile. The congregations of Grace Episcopal church and of the Open church and guests of several nearby hotels rushed to the streets in a panic. A two-story frame building at 1518 Wabash avenue, which ad- joins the south wall of the Coliseum: annex, immediately collapsed and took fire. The fire leaped across an area and spread to another frame building, which was also wrecked. Properties of the Coliseum stored in the two buildings added fuel to the flames. Crowds of excited people, be- lieving that the great stone structure of the Colseum had been biown up, rushed to the scene. Intended for Coliseum. That the bomb was intended for the Coliseum and that it was an effort of some would-be reformer to make im- possible the holding of the ball to- night, the police express little doubt. Another theory is that the bomb was thrown as another chapter in the “gamblers’ war,” which has been marked by the firing of a series of bombs. The First ward ball has long been a source of contention between reformers and the promoters of the annual festival. Recently the pastor of a church in the neighborhood sought and failed to secure an injunction to prevent the holding of the ball on the ground that it was prejudicial to the morals of the community RISK OFFICIALS MAY ESCAPE. If Decision Freeing Tegeman Stands It Will Serve to Quash Indictments. New York, Dec. 13—John R. Hege- man, president of the Metropolitan Life Insurance company, was freed by the court yesterday in a decision that, if it stands, will serve to quash all indictments now outstanding against insurance officials. District Attorney Jerome, however, expects to take the present case to the court of appeals. Mr. Hegeman was (charged with perjury in the verification of a report made by the Metropolitan Life In- surance company to the superintend- ent of insurance of the State of New York in January, 1905. The matter reached the appellate division of the supreme court through habeas corpus proceedings, and yesterday that court sustained the writ and dismissed Hegeman from custody. The court in its opinion says that the evidence was insufficient to es- tablish prima facie, wilful and delib- erate perjury of Mr. Hegeman. On the contrary, there was enough to show satisfactorily that such wilful and deliberate perjury had been com- mitted. CRY “DOWN WITH AUSTRIA.” Anti-Austrian Demonstration at Opera Performance in Moscow. Moscow, Dec. 13.—There was an anti-Austrian demonstration last night at the performance of the popular Viennese operatta, “Fuerster Cristi.” One of the characters, an Austrian officer, was hissed and there were many cries of “Down With Austria” in the audience. A number of arrests were made, including two women who proved to be Czechs. RIVER CONGRESS OVER. Convention’s Last Act Declaration for $500,000,000 of Bonds. Washington, Dec. 13.—The rivers and harbors congress adjourned final- ly yesterday after the adoption of a series of resolutions, the most im- portant of which was one providing for the issuance of $500,000,000 of ponds by congress for financing of waterway improvements. Joseph E. Ransdell of Louisiana, president, and J. F. Ellison of Cincin- nati, secretary and treasurer, were re-elected. The resolutions urge congress to authorize the completion of water- ways projects heretofore entered up- on; the adoption of new projects of a comprehensive character; doubling the size of the engineer corps of the army, and the creation of a commis- sion to study waterways here and abroad. Vice presidents, one each from the various states, and a board of di- rectors were appointed. KAISER INSANE IS CHARGED. Wilhelm Suffering From Acute Reli- gious Dementia, Says Report. Chicago, Dec. 15. — The German press of Chicago has received trans- lations of articles published by the Dresdener Nachrichten, the leading Conservative newspaper of Dresden, openly charging that Emperor Wil- liam of Germany is insane. The publication avers that the em- peror has an acute religious demen- tia. According to the information the editors claims to have from attaches of the royal household, the ruler spends many hours in bed daily reading re- ligious books and making prayers that are hours long. The emperor’s ab- normal mental state is said to have become apparent since the recent out- burst of popular indignation against him. The emperor’s refusal to grant audiences to his lifelong friend and counselor, Von Buelow, and his ex- traordinary conduct towards mem- bers of his household indicative of his suspicion that all of them were in some way connected with his humilia- tion, are regarded as significant. The charge that the emperor has given most of his time to the contem- plation of piety on his prie-dieu and refuses to consider matters of state has created a profound sensation and gives rise to guarded intimations that the deposition of the ruler in favor of some other member of his family is not beyond probability, SAD END OF WEDDING JOKE. BARTENDERS ELECT WOMAN. Miss Anna Willard of Chicago Chosen Vice President of Association. Alton, Ill, Dee. 13—A woman is now vice president of the Illinois Bar- tenders’ association. She is Miss Anna Willard of Chicago. There were about fifty delegates and their wives at the convention and three delegates were women. They were Miss Wil- lard, Miss Elizabeth Maloney of Chi- cago and Miss Muri Kelly of East St. Louis. Praises Battle Fleet. New York ,Dec. 13.—Words of praise for the American battleship fleet and its officers and men were uttered by Lord Northcote, retiring governor general of Australia, at a luncheon in his honor in the Law- yers’ club yesterday. SURRENDERS TO POLICE. William Crandall Says He was a For- ger and Was Converted. Chicago, Dec. 13.—Declaring he had been converted while on his way to commit a robbery, William Crandall walked into a police station last night and asked to be arrested. He said he was wanted at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for forgery. Two revolvers with which he had equipped himself for the robbery he turned over to a charity worker. The police have in- formed the authorities at Cedar Rap- ids. Killed by Train. Marshalltown, Iowa, Dec. 13.—At Nevada yesterday when he attempted to cross in front of a North-Western passenger train, Milburn Ellison was struck by the engine and died fifteen minutes later. He was seventy years old and is survived by his aged wife. Ptomaines Fatal to Two. Westchester, Pa, Dec. 13.—Two members of the family of George Van Horn of Mendenhall, Chester county, are dead and three others are ill as a result of ptomaine poisoning, caused by sausage proeured from a local grocery store. HANSBROUGH HAS RELAPSE. North Dakota Senator Is Taken to As- bury Hospital in Minneapolis. Minneapolis, Dec. 13.—United States Senator H. C. Hansbrough of North Dakota, who has been ill in Minne- apolis for a number of days, had a decided turn for the worse yesterday, and he was removed to Asbury hos- pital. While in Minneapolis he suf- fered an attack of an old trouble, which affected him ear, and his condi- tion"has become worse, so that it was decided to take him to the hospital Bridegroom Dying From Tuberculosis Resulting From Exposure, Des Moines, Dec. 15.—As the re- sult of a wedding joke Joe Bergstrom is dying of consumption, and Satur- day left for Denver with his bride of one month. On the wedding night friends kid- napped and tied him to a tree, where he remained for several hours until found and liberated by a minister. Exposure brought on consumption. Drama Portrays Count Witte. St. Petersburg, Dec. 13.—At the Imperial theater last night, the first performance of the drama, “The Lead- er,” was given. The play is based on the early life of Count Witte. Its author is Prince Zymbatoff. Four Children Die in Flames. Ottawa, Ont., Dec. 15—Near Haw- thorne, eight miles from Ottawa, the four young children of W. J. Scharffe, a farmer, were burned to death in their beds yesterday morning, while the parents looked on, unable td give aid. Trade District Swept by Fire. Fort Dodge, Iowa, Dec. 13.—Patton, a small town in Green county, suf- fered a $60,000 fire last night. The flames started in a millinery store from a defective flue. Ten business ‘blocks were totally destroyed. Wolgast Outfights Attell. Los Angeles, Cal., Dec. 13—Ad Wol- gast of Milwaukee outfought Abe At- tell, the featherweight champion, be- fore the Pacific Athletic club here Jast night. The fight went ten rounds with no official decision permitted un- der the law. : Seventeen Die in Train Crash. Brussels, Dec. 13.—Seventeen per- sons are known to be dead and more than a score injured in a collision yesterday at the Tourtaxis station between a workmen’s train and a freight train. Kills Employer for $2.25, Cleveland, Dec. 15.—After an argu- ment over $2.25 in wages Frank Ross, an Italian laborer, shot and killed John Clifton, an excavation contract: or, the police say. Ross escaped. Mrs. Gould Denied Jury Trial. New. York, Dec. 13.—Katherine Clemmons Gould was denied. in the appellate division of the supreme court yetserday a trial by jury in her action for divorce from Howard Gould. Plan to Prevent First Ward Ball: me t