Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, May 5, 1888, Page 1

THE OMAHA DaAiLy BEE SEVENTEENTH YEAR. OMAHA, SATURDAY MORNING, FAMILY OF EICHT CREMATED. A Horrible Human Holacaust at Arlington, Neb, DIED WHILE SAVING THE STOCK. Mother Freeze and Seven Othérs of Her Household Rush Madly Into a Blazing Barn and Are Burned 10 Death, S Nebraska's Latest Horror. Anvinomax, Neb., May 4.~ [Special Tele: gram to the Bee,]—At 6 o'clock this morn ing a firc was scen on the farm of Widow Freese, one mile ont, which was supposed to be the barn of her son-inlaw and family, who lived with her. A posse of citizens went outat 8§ o'clock to see if all was well, and were horrified at finding the charred re- mwams of eight human beings only identificd by their statures, and such little pocket trinkets as resisted the heatand flames. The unfortunate mortals who were consumed in this human holacaust are as follows: Old lady Freese, Fred Groteluschen, his wife and three children, Fred's brother Louis, and their hired man. Their bodies were found scattered in different parts of the barn among the nineteen horses and cows, which were also burned The first intimation that the people of the town had of the terrible holocaust was by the driving il on the back of his mud- bespattered and foamed-horse of Bd Smith, a near neighbor, who among others had dis- covered the barn on fire. Smith breathlessly informed the early risers with whom he came in contact that he had gone to the house of the Freezes, 250 feet distant from the barn, and found it deserted. He wa unable to explain the absence of the entire family, 5 SEVEN 1N NUMD and, inspired by his ational disclosures, the representative citizens of Arlington quickly bestirred themselves and started on horseback and by vehicle to the scenc of the tragedy. Arrived there, @& harrowing sight of death and destruction met their gaze, coupled with one of the most mysterious affairs in the history of the state of Nebraska. A mammoth frame barn of two storics in height, that had been the sheltering place of ten head of horses and nine of cattle, was a smouldering mass of ruins, and the stench from the fumes of burning flesh was repulsive and sickening. Bursting into the bed of the burning embers the excited explorers tore away the ruins and made a discovery that chilled the marrow and made strong men quiver. Strewn about were the cremated carensses of the stock, and confused and mixed among them were the UNRECOGNIZALE AND CHARRED TODIES of a whole houschold, consisting of the fol- lowing: Louis A. Frecze, sixty-three years old; Mrs. Fred Groteluschen, her daughter; Fred Groteluschen, and their children, aged respectively five, four and two years; Louis Gorteluschen, a brother of Fred's, and a hired hand who has worked on the farm for three years. “Che devastation was thorough and horrible tobehoid. Mrs. Freeeze was found lying near the door burned toa crisp, the only sem- blance of a human being left of her being in the form of a tuft of hair that cling to the back of her head. Louis Groteluschen. who was next found was only identified by a part of a woolen shirt that had escaped the flames bearing his initials, “L. G.” His watch, badly damaged, was found lying by his side, and the hands had stopped at seventeen min- utes past 7 o'clock. Beyond these marks of recognition ther ned nothing to ident- Ify him by. s remains PUESENTED A SICKENING SIGIT. The next unfortunates encountered were Fred Groteluschien and his two four and six old children. They were discoy ered in another part of the given up to the cows, and he and his little ones, like the rest, burned to an unrecognizable mass. Freds identity was established by the finding of his pocket knife lyingnear him, Offina far corner the blackencd and unrecognizable remains of Fred’s wife and remaining child, the babe, were found. A horse, in his strug. gle to free himself from the flery furs had fallen upon them, evidently as they w making their escape, thus pinioning them ihoir fate, The two human horso R, in rn to beings and the WERE CONSUMED TOGETIHER, Mrs. Groteluschen meeting her fate beneath the neck and breast of the horse and the babe under the logs of the animal. In the midst of the exciting proceedings a horse with his eyes burned out and his cars singed to the head beat about, the premises in insane anguish. A few well-directed blows from an axe ended his suffering. The butned and charred remains were placed in four coffins and conducted to the house, a short distance from the burned barn, The verdict of the coroner's jury was that death was caused by fire, Mrs, Freeze, the mother, grandmother and mother-in-law of this family of human beings 80 quickly wiped from existence, was well- to-do and considered among the wealthy of Washington county H husband was Kkilled ten years ago by falling from a wagon and sho has remained a widow ever since With her son in-law, Fred, who conducted her affairs, his wife, their three children and the hired man and Louis, a brother of Fred, they lived in the farm house, T MYSTERY surrounding the terrible affair is impenetra- ble,and this town is in a fever of excitement to-night. The presence of the whole family in the barn is unexplainable, and the condi- tion of the house leads to the belief that tho household was astir previous to the breaking out of the fire. The theory of foul play on the part of the hired man is dispelled, 85 he fell a vietim to the flames. In the house the breakfast dishes wero washed and stacked up, and on the tablo were found three tin plates and by each a slice of bread and but ter, with sauce, with a few bites off one piece, presumably the leavings of the chiidven just as they were beginning their break The cows were milked and the wilk strained, The milk was that of the morning’s production, as it Was still warm, and tho bed chambers presented appearances of undergc rangements after @ night's occupancy, and one bed was freshly made and another was partly avranged, the covers and pillows lying on a chair near by, Every other was rbed, the clothing a unmolested. Everybe , but 1o theory for the mentuble aftair, It is 8 mystery of the unfathomableskind and ONE DIFFICULT TO EX Edward Smith, the ouny ma ered the fre, said to 4 Bex reporter: on my way to the field with wy teas o 1 noticed very suddeuly the barn of Preeze's on fire. 1 started as who discov I was plow. ghior fast as 1 could make one horse go, leaving the mate behind. My father followed on foot When 1 arrived the whole barn wa ablaze and I could see no moving or living ob- Jects inside or outside. I wondered why 1 did not see some of the family. While I was looking m fright and wonder at the fire, the top or top story fell in and that broke the sileace, and it was awful to realize that nothing appeared in living form about the premises, It dawned upon my mind that something was wrong. 1T rushed to the house and hallooed through room after reom, only to find it deserted. In haste 1 called ‘Where are yout’ and only heard the echo, ‘Where are you." I did not go back to the flames but hurried on to the town, and gave my opinion that something was wrong, as I could find none of tae family about the house. Then with a company I returned and found that I had stood by and witnessed the BURNING OF SEVEN OF MY NEIGHIORS BEFORE MY B “Could you not sce e flames " “No: I could not sce in the barn at all. There was but one opening—that of the slid- ing doors on the west, out of which came great puffs of smoke and long tongues of flames,"” ‘Do you know where Fred and the two children were found ““Yos, they were near the door on the north opening into the cow-shed, and that door was shut, and T have an idea that Fred and the two children went from the main part of the barn to get out at that door and found it fastened on the outside, and were unable to return through the increased flames.” “Were you quite well acquaiuted with the family “Yes, Tknew them well,” “Did you know of their ever having been in any quarrel?” “No, T never knew them trouble with anybody." THE NEWCOMER FROM GERMANY. Mr. Staples, cashier of the Bell Creek Val- ley bank, where Mr. Groteluschen did his business was next seen. Mr. Staples said that Fred Groteluschen has always trans- acted all of Mrs. Freeze's, his mother-in- law’s, business, and whenever he (Fred) had any extra money he left it in the bank. On 30th he paid the tax on Mrs. Fre s land and told Mr, Staples he would try to to pay that on his own land soon, but jokingly remarked he was busted and would probably want to borrow a little. The next day Fred’s neighbor, Stranghoener, came into the bank and left #0 to Fred's credit, ing he owed that to him and he (Fred) had said he was out of money and needed it to pay his tax, so that it is supposed that no money of any amount was about the house. “Do you know of any new comer from Germany?” asked the reporter of Mr. Staples. ‘““About the latter days of March a young, nice looking man, called Henry Hiller, came tome with Fred, and Fred did the talking for him, saying this man was a friend of s from Germany and was going to be nis brother-in-law. Mr. Hiller had a foreign draft for over #00, which at Fred’s request I took for collection. About ten or fifteen days after that both of them came in the bank and I gave Mr. Hiller some change that Fred said he (Hiller) would want to use in Columbus, where he left for that da, do not know whether a marriage to Fred's sister at Columbus has yet happened or not. I have never heard any more from him or of him. Tdon't think there was anything but the kindest of feelings between them.” DR GLOVER'S VIEWS. “Tarrived after part of the remains were removed from the ruins. I found a horse near the ruins in great distress -from burns. His ears were burnt off, his back a horrible mass, his eyes both out, and yet his sides and legs were unhurt. This leads me to believe that the fire was over and in front of him, and as his halter was on and the strap broken, I think he broke loose. believe the whole affair a circumst. though not explainable, yet not a tr: believe some of the horses were loosened in the struggle to get them out the adults ex- bausted themselves so that a sudden bre; ing in of smoke and blaze prostrated them, and the children were with them by mere ac- cident and oversight of the parents in their fright to force them back. I knew the fam- ily well during my business in Arlington, and kuow them to bean exceptionable family, free from quarrel and strife,” MR, PETER HAMMING, who was on the coroner’s jury, furnished me a plat of the barn, and showed why it looked reasonable that it was not foul play, but a foolhardy effort to save the stock, fergetting the chunces they all took. MR, W. 8. COOK, who went to the scene of the fire among the first, explored the house thorougly and found nothing that would point to suspicion either in the cellar, garretor living room: He found the milk strained from the morning milking und one pail of night's milk partly skiunmed with the skimmer beside it, and he thinks the bread on the table by the tin plates had been barely bitten at and not fairly started on, en o horse in the to be m any i — - THE FLOODS CONTINUE, Gales and High Water Around Lake Regi MiLwAUKEE, May 4.—A spec Evening Wisconsin from Cheboy; a hieavy casterly gale yesterd night opened the straits and a big fleet that was caught by the storm was driven west with the moving ice. Au immense grain fleet is going down this morning, but no sail vessels have gone through. Last night's storm was tereifi cd this morn- ing and suys.no i seen from Helena. A special from Winona, Minn., says the flood at that plac washout ocenr colliery on the Paul railie One-third of the city is covered with water from six inches (o four feet deop. The Bur- liegton company is disabled Reports from Chippewa say the Chippewatand Eaus Claire rive vising rapidly. Hundveds of fumilics here are moving their effects in boats to plisces, the to the 1, Mich., and last be Wixoxa, Minn., May 4.—Duriug lus the Mississippl rose four inc ches the highest point ever known her ars are cutertained that the water will carry away the wagon bridge crossing the river to Wiscons! e —— Challenges the World, Atraxta, Ga., May 4.—[Special Telegram to the BeE.]-Last night Charles Thompson, a compositor in the Constitution oftice, se S0 e solid nonpareil, in three hours. here ¢ but three turued letters in the proof. Thompson is ouly ninete id l been in the eity onl country printer. He challenges the t night es. It now - Louts, May 4.—A i o the Juckson outheastern ¥ orning near ound passenge injured. . The cause of the wreck is said to i huve been @ vreken teleeraph wire, [ ALL WAITS ON' THE TARIFF, A Page Causes Commotion in a Committee Meoting. A BAD OPINION OF SENATORS. A Conference With the View of Push- ing Ahead Various Appropriation Bills— Lyman Amends the Omaha Bridge Bill. A Sudden Adjournment. WaAsHINGTON Bureav TE OMAnA Bre, 513 FOURTERNTH STRRRT, WasniNerox. D. C.. May An illustration of importance in the minds of the democrats of preventing any interfer- ence in the pending debate on the tariff bill was given this afternoon during a meeting of the committee on manufactures which is in- vestigating trusts, During the eritical ex- amination of a witness a page burst into the committee room and announced the ayes and nays were being called. What on?” inquired the chairman of the committee, “Whether the tariff bill shall be set aside and the regular order of private bills shall be taken up,” replied the page. ““T'he committee stands adjourned for thirty minutes,” exclaimed the chairman in excite- ment, and every democratic member started from the roam to the floor of house on the run, one of them exclaiming: “Nothing must interfere with the tariff debate.” The republican members of the committee did not go up to vote. There is no disposi- tion on the part of anybody to interfere with the tariff debate and no one wants to prevent as early a vote as a full discussion of the measure will admit. Chairman Randall of the committee on appropriations says he would like to push through his bills as soon as possible, as it is necessary that they should all become laws before June 30, but he is per- fectly willing that the tariff reformers shall say when he can take the floor. It is gener- ally believed that the tariff bill will be set aside till after the national conventions, when many members will be absent and will also have to be present during the discussion of the measure. and that the appropriation bills shull be considered at that time, during the first three weeks in June. The Pacific railroad funding bill and the Oklahoma and omnibus territorial statchood bills are press- ing the house for consideration, and these may also come up when the tarift bill is ld aside in June. ROUGH ON THE BENATORS. Senator Blair's cummittee on education and labor had a lively hearing this morning. Mrs. Charlotte Smith, president of the ‘Womens' league, made some broad and vigo- rous charges against Chief Clerk Yeomans, of the treasury department. She said that he had cut_down the wages of the char- women to $15 per month, although congress had appropriated money to pay them at the rate of $20 per month and give them thirty- day leave of absence, with pay, each year. She charged Yeomans with having placed his colored chamber maid, one Martha Thomas, on the char-woman's pay roll, and said she intended to issue a call to all labor organizations to help the Woman's National league in its fight for the cause of the char- women of the treasury department, During Mrs. Smith’s statement the venera- ble Senator Payne, of Ohio, who is 2 mem- ber of the committee, entered the room. Abouta y ago Mrs. Smith made an argu- ment before the committee on education and labor, during which she severely arraigned immoral senators and representatives, and Senator Payne took a good deal of pleasure in cross examining her on that subject. As s00n us h w her to-day he broke into the proceedings by inquiring whether she still en- tertained the bad opinion of senators and members of the house she did when he saw her last. Mrs, Smith replied that her opin- jon of senators had recently been given a twinge—a shock—which added very much against them. She said that she had a fow days ago scen a democratic senator from the st, whose name was just now upon the lips of almost every one in the marble room or lobby beyond the senate, with a very com- mon woman, and_that they were both intoxi- cated. S ne did not enter into a cross examination this time. THE ORDER OF BUSINESS 1N THE TOUSE. There was an informal conference between the speaker and other the house committee on rules, v ith a view to agreeing upon some kind of plan for the dis- posal of appropriations and other ijmportant measures pending. The scventeen days agreed upon for the main debate on the tariff bill end with next week, when the measure will be taken up under the five minute rule, and there will be no way of limiting debate until all of the amendments are disposed of, when it will naturally come to a final vote, In view of the fact that there is no likelihood of a vote on the il till after the national conventions are held, there was a hope pressed at the conference that some agree ment might be reached whereby the appropriation bills could all be finally passed before the expiration of the present fiscal year, for which appropriations have been madé to June 80, There was no agreement_arrived at, nnd an- other meeting will be held about the time the tariff bill is taken up under the five minute rule. The democratic members of the house nave not fixed a night for holding their caucus for the purpose of considering the amendments which shall be accepted. Ever; thing seems to be at sea so far as general legislation is concerne The speaker b promised to recognize Chairman Blanchurd for another motion on Monday to suspend the rules to pass the river aud harbor bill. Mr. Blanchard thinks he can secure the necessury two-thirds vote. This is very doubtful, LYMAN'S BRIDGE BILL AMENDME Before the passage of Mr. McShane's bill in the house yeste providing for the conustruction of a brid over the Mis- souri river between Omaha and Council Bluffs, Judge Lyman offered and secured the adoption of the following amendment: “Said bridge when built shall not be located less than one-third of one mile from other bridges across said river then built or in pro- cess of construction,” There are Nebrask- ans in Washington who believe the effect of this amendment will be to destroy the inten- tion of the bill. They say that it will require tife construction of the bridge at an inacessi- ble and impracticable point, as it will locate itinthe bluffs, Mr. Manderson introduced a duplicate of the measure in the senate, and the bill first introduced in the house will un- doubtedly be pa by the senate, orthe house bill will be taken up in the senate and Judge Lymun's amendment stricken out on the ground that there is no plausible reason why the bridge should be located a distance of one-third of a mile from any other bridge. There was no debate on either the bill or the amendient, or it is beheved the latter would huve failed. Noone asked the object of the amendment, and undoubtedly it was the intention of Mr. MeClammy, of the com wittee on commerce, who had charge of the measare, to have the amendment stricken out in the senate. His object in uccepting the amendment was to secure the withdrawal of Judge Lyman's objection to the considera- tion of the bill, it being considered only by unaniu sonsent. After the bill has passed by the senate and sent 10 @ coufer- | ence commitiee it will be privileged wmatter, and can be tuken up at_any time, which will secure its ideration, even if the it 18 stricken out SENATORIAL COURTESY 5 evening’s critic says: *-Mes In- Kburn were out at Ivy City ying courtesies ut the club as judges of a horse Senatorial courtesy is see adVAItage on i 1uce track than it 1s in a sen- |'ate chamber.’ MAIL CHANGES IN NEHRASKA AND I0WA, Changes buve been ordered in time sched- i to 80 much better race. | ules of Nebraska stdr mail routes as fol- lows: Prague to Rescue—Leave Prague Mondays, Wednesdays and Satardays at Sa.n ar- rive at Rescue at 12 m. Leave Rescue Mon- days, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1 p. m.; arrive at Prague by 5 p. m, Niobrara to Running Water—Leave Nio brara daily except Sundays at 6 a m. and 5 p. m.; arrive at Running Water at7a. m and 6 p. m. Leave Running Water dai except Sundays at 8 @ m. and 7 p.m.; arrive at Niobrara by 0. m. and 8 p. m. The following changes are made in Towa schedules : Audubon to Guthrie Centre—Teave Audu- bon Monaays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p. m. ; arrive at Melville by 6:50 p. m. Leave Melville Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 a. m.; arrive at Audubon by 11:30 a. m, Leave Melville Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7 a. m.; arrive at Guthrie Centre by 11:30 a. m. Leave Guthrie Centre Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1 p. m.3 arrive at Melville by 5 p. m. PerrY S, Heath, Diverted From Its Purpose. WAsHINGTON, May 4.—[Special to the Brer.] —The house committee on manufactures, which has, for some time, been, and which will yet be during this session, engaged in investigating trusts, has been diverted from its original channel, and it is very likely that the results originally aimed at will be lost sight of. It was the primary purpose of the house in ordering an investigation into cor- porations and pools and other kinds of com- mercial arrangements under the title of trusts, to take some legislative action, which would prevent accumulated wealth combin- ing against labor and the common masses, 80 a8 to give men engaged in trade on o small scale the same privileges that are enjoyed by amassed capital. During the past two weeks the work of the committee has been drifting more and more into the hands of rival corpo- rations and the result will be innumerablo suits in the courts under the inter-state com- merce law and the common laws, It has al- ready boen shown that certain railroad com- panies, in their contracts for transportation, have favored the larger corvoratious to the exclusion of the small ones and individuals, notwithstanding the existence of a law pro- hibiting it. There have been in Washington for a month attorneys representing the small dealers in oil, conl, ete., collecting information growing out of the trust investigation and interview- ing members of the committee, with a view to instituting civil suits against both the railroaa companies and the monopoli The committee has nccepted the scrvices of a lawyer for a rival to the Standard Oil com- pany, and he is making the investigation very interesting, bringing out a volumo of secret business transactions between the Standard Oil and other monopolies with the railroad companics, There were severe protests against permitting this attorney to question witnesses relative to seeret and private busi- ness engagements, but he has managed to come out on top, and is sustained in every movement he takes by the committee, Rep- resentatives of the Standard Oil compuny and of the railroads which gave rebates to this giant monopoly, made a stiff fight aguinst the committee’s acceptance of this attorney’s services, and there were threats that an ap- peal would be taken to the house. The ques- tion was raised whether the committee had any authority to en; the services of an attorney in the investigation, but it was held that it might accept thevoluntary services of any one to ask questions. This attorney knows so much of the imside transactions of the great monopolies that he is making the iuvestigation highly Buportant and the pro- ceedings very interesting. Army Matters. WasniNGToN, May, 4.—|Special Telegram to the Bee.]—The unexecuted portion of the sentence imposed by a- general court martial {general court martial order No. 14, February 10, 1887, Department of the Platte) is remitted in the case of Frank O'Neil, late private Company C, Sixth infantry, and he will be released from confinement on receipt of this order at the Leavenworth military prison, or as soon thereafter as the rules gov- erning forfeitures of time for misconduct or violation of prison regulatious will permit. Post Chaplain John T. i ntly appointed, is ordered to report for duty at Fort Snelling, Minu, Thirty recruits have been assigned to ghteenth infant rty to the Fift infantry and thirty fantry. The extension of lea Second Licutenant Hen t in spe March 9, 1888, is furth s, The leaveof abs ate of disability g William R. Abercrombie, Second infantry, in special orders No. 89, February 17, 1588, is extended ons month on surgeon’s cortificate of disabilit First the e of absence ¢ D. Styer, Twenty- ul orders No. i, r extended fifteen nce 0N sergeon’s cor- itenant utenant Will S, Wittich, Twenty- first infautry, is granted leave for four months to take effect'when his services can be spared by his post commander. Washington Brevities, WASIINGTON, May 4.—Mr. Cox of New York presented 1n the house a bill for the appropriate reference of the following me- woriul from Generals Schofield and Slocum, and other members of the army of Potomac, asking for the appropriation of §25,000 to aid in meeting the expenses of the fraternal union of the suryivorsof the army of the the Potomac gpd the armies of northern V. ginia, to be held on the battlefield of Gettys- burg in July next to commemorate the twen- ty-fifth anniversary of that conflict. The republican members of the fo lations committe ing to-day to hear themajor on the fisheries treaty, which has been pared by Senator Edmund plete, I pre. und is_now com- cport takes the ground thut the ires nothing of advantage to the ates except what belongs to the United States by natural vights, The treaty will probably be reported next week und taken up as soon as the Chinese treaty is dis- posed of, The Tarift Bill Has the Call WasmiNGtoy, May 4.—[Speeial to the Bee. ]It is not expected that action will be on by the senate on the river and harbor bill before the house acts on the tariff bill, even if the former measure should be imme diately taken up and passed by the lower house of congress. It was not the original design of the majority of the house, or the president, that the river and harbor bill should go' to the white house before it was seen what would be done in the way of tarift reform., If the tariff bill should pass the house the river and harbor bill is to be sucri- ficed; but if the house should refuse to pass the tariff bill, then the river and harbor bill become i law, 1t is held by the admin on that one carries with it propositions to reduce the surplus sufticiently without the otlier, and that it would not be advisable to both a L session of con Besides this, the president prefers that there should be no river and harbor bill passed until after the campaign, Towa Pensions. WASHINGTON, May 4.—Spec to the Bee.|—The following pensions were granted Towans to-day: Original invalid Thowas Abernathy, Centerville. Inerease Zaccheus Smith, Ottumyva, Reissue—Thowmus H. Breuton, Minburn, Postal Ch. WasHINGTON, April 4 to the* Bee.| —Fred Shumaker was to-day appointed postmaster at Bonair, Howard county, Towa, vice Jobn A. Galush, resigned. Died. WAsHINGTON, May 4. —Charles Lyman, for many years at the head of the dead letter of- fice department, died at bis residence in this city yesterday evening, aged 50 years, £ . Bond Ofering. WasiINGTON, May 4. The the treasury p £3,571,00 bonds o nges, [Special Telegram secretary of to-day $734,000 0f THE GENERAL BEEM TRAGEDY No Evidence to Sustain the Assassi- nation Theory. SIGNS OF MENTAL ABERRATION. Facts Going to Show That He Contem® plated Taking His Life From the Time He Arrived in Stanton, Groundiess Suspicions SraNTON, Neb., May 4.— [Special Telogram to the Ber.|—The tragic death of General Martin Beem still contintes to be an_ absorb- ing and interesting topic of conversation and facts are shaping themselves so as to convince honest and just thinking people that the deed was actually committed by himself. The testimony of Mr. Chase, who was the first witness before the coroner’s jury, was sub- stantially as follows; “Shortly after dinner while myself, Mr: Beem and the general wero In the sitting room the general said to his wife sho had better go up stairs and take a nap, which she did, the general following her o short time after, saying he guessed he would lie down, too. ~ After they had both gone up stairs I got up and went to the barn where my son GGus was at work. Very soon after I reached the barn, we heard two re- ports of u pistol at the house in quick succes- sion. My son Gus and I ran to the house and went up stairs. I found my daughter standing at the head of the stairs with both hands up to her head, looking very white and dazed. 1 took hold of her and took her into another room, and the first words she said were: ‘I'm shot,’ and I at first thought from her position that this was the case, but soon found that she was uninjured. Gus, Mr, Case’s son, in his testimony said “A short time after futher came to the barn we heard the two pistol shots in_quick su cession and I ran to the housc and up stairs, vhere I found my sister standing in the dopr- way at the head of the stairs with both hands up to her head. T passed her and went into the room where I found the general lying on his face in front of the bureau, which stands across the room from the bed. He was breathing as though he was choking and I turned him over and opened his shirt and vest. He breatbed hard two or three times and then expired.” In her testimony M she went to her room as suggested by the general and laid down on the bed, the gen- eral coming in soon after, he taking a hook and saying he would read awhile. Continu- ing she said; “I then fell asl 1 was awakened by hearing a most horrible noise and jumped off the bed. The first thing I saw was the general's face, which had the most fearful expression 1 ever saw. From that time until my father took me into an- other room I remembered nothing. 1 did not know Liow I'got to the door nor did T sce any- thing farther. The revolver was in the bureau drawer. _ Mrs, Case, in her testimony, said she was in the room below at the time of the traged and heard two shots of a pistol in quick su cession, After describing the condition in which General Beem was found, she said: “T assisted my son to relieve the general as much as possible.”” In the course of her ex- amination, Mrs. Case smd the general was subject to violent fits of passion, but showed none of it on this visit, everything beiug cx- ceedingly pleasant. The testimony of all the servants goes to show that there were 1o signs of any dis- turbance and no unpleasant scenes had oc- curred up to the time of the tragedy. Gus Ca was immedi patched to Stanton to notify the cor who, with a friend of the family, rapaired to the scene. It was thought best not to speak of the subject until after the coroncr been notified. No importince can be att that the clothes of the signs of beingr scorched e Beem stated that hed to the fact general showed no as his clothes had n handled and disurranged before the jury seen them and this would naturally” ef- face all evidence of this kind. The fact that they were not scorched seems to have been the'ouly reason why the jury gave the verdict as they dic It was noticed by sever ton who had been add; upon his arrival th conversation seemed and after reaching where his wife was visiting he times asked for a rc shoot wild cats even after being told that none were known to exist in that vicin It is the opinion of many that he was laboring under a temporary aberration of mind. s : citizens of Sf ed by the gene his condition and nge ied by summing up the testimony by the jury as retained in their minds. Passed a Forged Check. K, Neb., May 4.— [Special Telegram to the I on, of Sioux City, was arraigned before Justico Bells to-duy, and on the trial this evening it appearcd that he passed a forged check upon Belle Isle & Hellman, proprictors of the Tillenburg hotel The name signed was that of D. H. Collamer, one of our leading merchants. In default of buil he was remanded to the custody of the sheriff and will be taken to Madison' to-mor- row. Nowra et e Enforcing the Occupation Tax. Convmnus, Neb,, May 4,—|Special Tele- gram to the Ber.]—One of our prominent real estate dealers, two saloonkeepers, two druggists and a number of merchants v arrested at 4 p. m. and brought befd police judge to show cause why they | paid the occupation tax which went into effect M » tax was promptly puid by s will probubly contest., - Instructed For Laird, HasTiNGs, Neb., May 4.—[Special Tele gram to the Ber ounties of Gosper, Hitcheock, Furnas and Chase instructed their delegates to vote for Laird's renomina tion, Fronticr county, it is rumorcd, will do the same. The sentiment of the district scems to favor Laird’s renomination by ac- clamation, —— The Bankers Can Smoke. BeaTiice, Neb, May 4.—[Special Tele- gram to the Bee,]—The stock of L. Cohen, cigavs, was taken on a $400 chattel mortgage by the German bank of Beatrice, The stock will not invoice much more than this amount, Congressman Dorsey at Home, Frevost, Neb, May 4.—[Special to the Ber.]—Congressman and Mrs. Dorsey ar. rived home to-day from Washington to re main until after the congressional and state conventious, Elected - Another Treasurer, Dxs Moixes, Ta, May 4.—[Special gram to the Dee.]—The directors State Agricultural society have C. B. Worthi of this plac in place of Mr. George H. M Resigned His Situation. Dgs Moines, Ta,, May 4.—[Special gram to the Bee.|—Mr. J. J, W Burlington, the treasurer of th trustees of the Soldiers' Orphuns Davenport, resigned to-day, He remoye from tate. lected Mr. , treasurer, , deceased. of intend Arvested For Embezzlement Des Moises, Tn., May 4.—[Special gram to the Heg|—The Sheriff of Gr county arrived in the city to-day and toolk William Klackner, a young man ged with embezzlement. - He was ar- rested at the theater last o ud beld to await the Grundy county authorities. He 18 @ your Germay, claimiog to be a Lutherau | resigued, The chaw ——— — NUMBER 32, minister. He is also a printer, and is charged with having taken money 'from the news- paper office where he worked. = Towa Dentists. Towa City, Ta, May 4—The four days' session of the State Dental association closed here to-day. Des Moines was selected as the place for holding the next meoting. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, J. B. Monfort, of Fairfleld; vice president ‘and_superintendent of clinics, L. K. Fullerton, of Waterloo; secretary, G. W Mills, of Winterset; treasurer, K. M. Shriver, of Glenwood. - Work of Thursday's Storm. KrokUK, Ta., May 4.—About 30'clock yes- terday afternoon the storm blew down sev: eral houses in the town of Berring on th Santa Fe railway in theedge of Knox count Mo. Jumes Meyers, of Memphis, Mo., ¥ killed outright by a faliing building FINTIETH CONGRESS, Ho WasmiNGToN, May 4.—A resolution was adopted calling on the secretary of the treas. ury for a statement as to whether there is an order or regulation of the treasury depart- ment the enforcemont of which would pre- vent the overloading of vessels with freight on the great lakes, and whether there is any law in force regulating the quantity of freight carried by such vessels, Private business having been aispensed with the house went into committee of the whole, Mr. Springer of Illinois iv the chair, on the tariff bill, Mr. Caswell of Wisconsin criticised the method of tariff reduction proposed by the committee on ways and means, declaring that it did not provide for any substantial decrease upon articles of general consumip- tion. Thecommitteeshould have provided, he contended, for an entire removal of the duty on sugar. That couse would take one dollar of tax from the food of every man, woman and child. Such relief would extend to every rich and poor. He would give a rea- sonable bounty for sugar produced in the United States, but he would no longer con- tinue this great tax on the mouths of 60,000,000 people under the guise of a tax for revenue. Mr. McDonald of Minnesota spoke in oppo. sition of the prote system and expatiated upon the injuries resulting to the people by the locking up of a vast surpius in the treas- e Juenther of Wisconsin remarked that lleague had swallowed the whole dose repared by the democratic majority and scemed to relish it greatly, endeavoring by political sophistry to persuade the people of the district that it was a very palatable de- coction, the panacen of all cvils, the long looked for democratic St. Jacob's oil that would heal all the evils of body politic. [Laughter.] He was in favor of restoring the wool tariff of 1867. He was a firm be. liever in the tariff which not only supplied the means for the expenses of government, but at fhe sume time built up and encouragzed home manufactures, developed the in haustible resources the country, and employment to millions of our people. While he regretted the condition of the working- men of the country of his birth, he did not feel called upon as an American to give aid to them at the expense of the laboring people of America. Mr. Caruth of Kentucky—How are you on the tax on empty bottles Mr. Guenther—I'm all right. How are you on full bottles! [Laughter.] In conclusion, he expressed hi ngmess to allow the people to bring in a verdictin the case of Protection vs Free Trade, and he prophesied the verdict would consign the democrats to a vluce among the stragglers i the grand national procession of Ameri industry. Mr. Wheeler then spoke in fa bill. The committee then rosc anc*e house took a recess until S o'clock, the evening sion to be for the consideration of pri pension bills, At the evening twenty-seven pen: until to-morrow PACKER! CMED. They Say No Combine F trol Cattle Prices. CricaGo, May 4.—[Special Telegram to the Bep.|—Every farmer, throughout the northw , and every shipper of cattle and hogs to the Chicago market, is ready to en- e the stutements made in the specelies of enators Plumb and Vest in regard to the combination for fixing prices. The big packers here to-day are greatly excited over the debate in the senate, G. B. Webster, of Armour & Co., said of these statements: “There is no combination here between the buyers of cattle for any purpose. “h house requires so many cattle for its day’s work, and the buyel in- structed to buy thut number at_the lowest price they can sceure them for, The price of cattle is regulated by the supply. When there are plenty of cattle in the yards the price is lower, and when the supply is light the price advances. This would not be so if there was a combination to mauniputate prices. do not buy cattle in Chic alone. There are not enough animals sen here frequently to supply the houss We buy in Omaha, Kansas City, and in fact, all over the west. There i$ nocombivation among the packers now, and there never h been, The statement that the packers know just how many cattle may be coming into th ards, and what their quality is, 18 not so. The difficulty with Mr. Vest and Mr. Plumt) is that theéy assume to represent the cattle raisers’ inte ts without knowing anything about the business. Hence they make mis: tukes. The whole thing has becn gone ever 50 often and rebashed in 80 tiany ways that it is not worth serious attention. Eve im portant alicgation in both of those specches as printed is untrue, Jobn Wigelsworth, who is the cago representative of George 11 mond Co, of Hummond, Ind., the pion in the dre: bus. iness, suid: *“These gentlemen's statements prove their ignorance of the situation, He Mr. Plumb char, , ; ) ressing the ach the abattoir in cssion_the house passed on bills and adjourned - ists to Con- Chi Ham pri of the cattle that finally r New York, Now, if they knew anything, they would know that the New York people have endeavored time and again to f business of Chi cago. Co. in this and in all th vlcet for the past eightoen years, t time there has pever been any attempt to make 4 combination to control the prices of cattle. It could not be done.” In spite of these protestations, howey shippers thinlk otherwis - ANOTHER SWITCHMIE STIIKE > Pay or Sho Los ANGrLES, O department of the tied up to-day ow men, The night s or shorter hov men have joined with then > n now work fourteen b pay as day men working ticlals of the road s reasonable and hasty filled with new men arn to work at on The freight Pacific road is <e of its switch- ant more pay s of labor and the day switeh ht men and get the same ten hours. The of the wore un 1 their places will be s the strikers re o settlement hus yet Souther i itchmen w 0 differences botween the strik n and the Southern Pacifi rnoon, re - Massachusetts Men For Clevels SPRINGPIELD, Mass., May 4.—1 crats of th to-dey € conventi president, and Gene for vice president. demg. nal district o Appointed Lib WasnisaioN, May state hus appointe of New Hampsh state department, vice Theodore ¥. Dtz takes effect Junel, THE MAINE MAN UNMASKED. His Letter of Declination Now Proven a Hollow Sham, PUTTING ON THE PLUMES AGAIN, Mugwump Massachusetts Turned the Tide and the Coy Knight, After Bwearing He Would Ne'ce Consent, Consented, The Plot of the Pla; Prinaveurenia, May 4.—The Times will vublish to-morrow the following triple leaded special from New York, which it will indorse a8 coming direct from an authentic source 1 have entirely reliable information that the friends of Blaine have, within the last three days, received direct from him an assent to an aggressive movement for his re- nomination for president, and the assurance that if nominuted in the face of his letter of declination he would not feel at liberty to de- cline. A general and systematic effort has been made by Blaine's closest friends, such as William Walter Phelps, Whitelaw Reid, Charles Emery Smith and others, for two months past to get Blaine into the attitude of a passive candidate, The Washington conference was only & part of the varied methods by which influ- ences have been brought to bear upon Blaine and the publication of his portrait, freshly taken from life in Italy, and issued b/ the Judge this week, was decided upon more than w month ago as a starting pomt of an avowed effort to make Blaiue a candidate. Every possible pressure has been put upon Blaine to get from him a direct assurance that he will not decline if nominated, and that assurance has been received in this city from Blame within the last three days. In a very few days more it will cease to ba a sceret that Blaine is in the hands of his friends as the Blame leaders will at once come to the front and make an nggressive campaign for his renomination. This move- ment has been pretty clearly foreshadowed for some weeks in such Blaine organs as the Tribune of this city and the Philadelphia Press, and all affectation ubout Blaine's can- will now soou be thrown off and the battle made an aggressive one. A purt of the original programme was the clection of Churles Emery Smith as delegate-at-large from your state, and the failure was a great disappointment to the Blaine junto in this city, but Mr, Smith gives assurance that Blaine can com= mand the majoxity of the Pennsylvania dele gation under any circumstances, and that if Blaine's nomination shall scem to be assured the delegation will be solid for him. The un- expected expressions in Massachusetts and Vermont for Blaine were not accidental, nor are they unexpected to Blaine's friends. When all of the anti-Blaine men were repos- ing on their arms because they regarded Blaine as out of the fight, the friends ot Blaine were most energetic in their work in two anti-Blaine New England states, and they got possession of Vermont and Massa- chusetts while others were sleeping in fans cied security. It was the expression of these two hithe erto anti-Blaine New Bugland sta‘es that made Blaine ¢ aside his doubts and assent to the importunities of his friends for his re- nomination. It is now a positive fect that Blaine is in the field, so that his friends have his assent to a movement in his favor, and that he will be nominated at Chicago if hard and plenty of enthusiasm can accom- sh it Bt More About Blaine. Yougk, M 4.—(Special Tele- n to the Boe|—The sensational stories which several papers in this city publish con- cerning Blaine's alleged intention of being on the Atlantic at the time of the holding of the national conveution, o he might not de- cline if nominated, turns out to be like many of their other exclusive stories, without any foundation in fuct Mrs, Andrew Carnegio, who, wit I her husband, takes an annual out ingon Fells of Scotlund, sent some weeks 20 from her home in_ this city an invitation to Mrs, Blaine, asking she and Mr. Blaine join the und pro cecd thenco to th trip is 10 b le entirc conching, To this invitation Mrs, Curnegic received to-day from Mrs. Blaine a kind note of thanks and eptance. She and slr. Blaine will join probably in London, vel by couch along and through the Scottish Curnegie will sail M. Blaine ma and then the over the border and highlands. Mr. and Mr from England June 6, be home until late into summer, or pre not before carly fall, *“This statement,’ said a close friend of Mr. Blaine lust evens ing, “should put a quictus on those hape hazard guesses thut some democratic papers. are making concerning Mr, Bluine's moves ments and intentions.” ~ e Blakely Hall's Sensation, New York, May 4.—[Special egram ta the Bek|—The Sun published a leaded story about the air full of danger in Berlin, It says ugly rumors al flout of socialistg threatening vengeance on the crown prince and a lot of rubbish about great excitement in Germany. Blakely Hall, who sends the story from Berlin, says his dispatches to the Sun‘are being confiscated and his mail rifled, All this trouble about Hall, ete., is undoubte edly duc to the arrvival in Berlin of Hall's ut in the Sunof the day after the of Emperor William. He pictured rmans us drunk, in crowds enpyin ionies as if it was a fote day, uuf mufi wns would be glad to liwve another soon. No wonder Berlin officials want to confiscate Hall's le Hall says in to-day’s dispateh that revolutionary pamphlets ave being distributed abont Ber- hin, vow: dire vengeance on the crown prince because of lus licentiousness, - Oberhin's Boon Oneriiy, Kan., May 4.—[Special Telegram to the Bek.]—As before stated in the Bem the Rock Islund meuns to occupy a large por- tion of northwestern Kunsas, ‘fo-day the company filed in the recorder’s office a morts gage on the right of way, roud beds, depot and grounds through Decatur, Rawling an: and Cheyenne counties on to Denve ing will “eomme at once and it i the road will be cted by January next, The Omuna & Northwestern are now | af Alma, Neb., with ties and iron suficient to' build on to Oberlin and thence to a point in Thomas county to connect with the Union ific road to Denver, The commite toe sent « by the city to examine the varie ous waterworks cast and north of here re. turned and t Monc night the city coufie cil will be asked to submit a -proposition vote ,000 for waterworks and electrid lights, A week of almost constant rain all over the west 18 @ guarantee of large crops this scason. ' tngalls Burned in Efiigy, Lupaxox, Tenn., May 4.—Public indignae tion was aroused to such pitch by the speectf nator [ s on Tuesday, fhat late last t some izens assembled,and burned ) efligy of thie KKansas senator, - Live Record 4.-A large and dise is reported as raging in Ban 1the reported loss cxceeds & { & million dollars, No detsils arg of & i 200 ci he