The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 15, 1895, Page 9

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1895. CONFESSION OF A TRAIN-WRECKER A SENSATIONAL LETTER OFFERED IN THE RAILROAD STRIKERS’ CASE. AUTHOR OUT OF REACH. RLES O'BRIEN WRITES THAT ‘Was PaIb 8400 To DESTROY HE SACRAMENTO TRESTLE. One of the most exciting and sensational episodes in the trial of the strikers, John Cassidy and John Mayne, developed y terday in the United States District Court. Attorney Monteith, for the defense, had J. R. Hughes, president of the A. R. U. lodge of Sacramento on the stand. The Wwitness testified to the receipt of a certain letter on the 16th of July, and identified the communication, but when it was of- fered in evidence by the defense the attor | | but about two hours later he appeared with his hair cut and his face shaved clean. I asked him if he was trying to disguise himself. He answered that he was and that the officers were after him. 1 did not see him again until the next day at about 10 a. ., when I spoke to him on Wood street. While we were convers- ing 2 man came up, whom Barrett intro- auced as O'Brien. He informed me that O'Brien was with him at the wreck and that detectives were after them both. They said they wanted $100 each, in order to leave the country by steamer. I an- swered that we had no money for any one and that we were not paying any one for wrecking trains. ‘“Another day T was in the committee- room when Barrett and O'Brien came in. The latter said Ben True was after him, and asked to be concealed. O’Brien seemed to be very much excited, and said he had to have money enough to get out of the country or he would give the whole thing away. Barrett got exceedingly angry, pulled a ‘gun’ and called O'Brien a vile name, at the same time exclaiming that he would blow his head off if he thought he was going to give anything away. I got between them, made Barrett put up his gun and put 0’ Brien out of the room. ““A day or two later in the committee- room, a section-hand named Patrick Court- ney accused Barrett of being a spotter and said he had a Southern Pacific pass in his pocketbook. He said he saw him in deep conversation with Kellogg, the chief of the | Southern Pacific deputies at the mole, and saw _ him _going ,into Superintendent Wilder's office. The section-hand wanted to give him a licking right there, but we | kept them apart, and appointed a commit- TOWING A BlG VESSEL T0 SEA. THE SHIP GEORGE SKOLFIELD SAILS THE BAY ON HER WAY NORTH. iLATEEN CRAFT IN BUNTING. THENEW CONGRESSIONAL ACT REL- ATIVE TO ACCOMMODATIONS ON VESSELS. | The ship George Skolfield was hauled to sea by the tug Fearless yesterday and the | people along the water front were treated to a pretty sceneas the big vessel towed | by the handsome tug passed down the bay. The potent power of steam over sail is never so apparent as when a great ship, obedient to the dominant tug that resistlessly drags her forward, fol- 'lows with seeming servility in the v BEBEAER ) THE FEARLESS TOWING THE GEORGE SKOLFIELD TO PEA. [Sketched for the “Call” by W. A. Coulter.] vs for the prosecution objected, and and excitingargument, during row sustained the objection testimony on-the epistle was barre t polnts made lleged cor train w n which One of the strong the defe: of A.R. 1S men wi July 1 ark and a number of soldiers and for which crime S. D. now under sentence of death. ¥ on Word The communication 1 reads: ruled out of the City July 12th 1894. President of the A. R. U, Sactamento vou get this I am_far away a friend of d I am the men wich mede r wreck. I got4 hundert dolla the work One men wich hired me weas a } < men, one wasa man wich hada s on under his overcoat. Tl aid that v could hired pl of me 3 Dollarsa onth to_play soldie to be 1d make no giff 2 ence, they are any of the boys are w write you this that y not guilty. me 10 say nothing, but if I am & — — — — will not others suffer for what I have done. I was sick and no work, hungery and did not no what I was doing, end the men told me it wes allright. forgive me your friend not fiend Charles O'Brien. When Hughes was questioned after the court had adjourned for the day, he said: “‘There were four or five A. U. men present when I received, opened and read the letter. I consulted the attorney em- ployed in the Worden case and he advised me to lock it up in a safe and have it ready whenever he called forit. He never asked for it .and I sent it to Mr. Knox for use in the present trial at Mr. Knox’s request.” W. W. Craig, who was Secretary of the Sacramento A. R. U. lodge during the strike, had this to say regarding the sup- posed author of the letter: “July 11th at 1:15 P. M., a man calling himself Charles O’Brien took me outside of the A. R. U. headquarters and told me that he was an A. R. U. man and that he had loosened the rail that caused the wreck over the Yolo. He asked me for money to enable him to get away. I told him to meet me in half an hour, when I would robably be able to assist him. I sought {nox and we soon ascertained that he was not a member of our organization. When we went to keep my appointment he was not there a aw O'Brien on the 17th of Janu- ary | 3 e was in the United States District Attornev’s office. I got Melvin Hatch, who was with me, to shadow O’Brien while I reported the matter to At- torney Monteith. Hatch failed to keep - track of O’Brien and neither I nor any of us have seen this man O’Brien since. He is aman about 5 feet 5inches hizh. He had a mustache of a light color when I first saw him, but when I saw him in the Fed- eral building his mustache was black. His eyebrows were lighter than his mustache and his hair was light. I believe his eyes were blue, but am not sure. He had a face, with a peaked nose. In form he heayy set, and I judged him to be be- tween 35 and 40 years old. He carried his head down in his shoulders and had a broad, Irish brogue; when talking he avoided looking you in the face. But the most marked peculiarity about him by which he could ‘be unmistakably identified was that two fingers were missing from one of his hands—the fore and middle fin- gers. When I first spoke to him there was a man, evidently his companion, standing a snort distance away. They walked away together.”’ According to the statements of some of the Oakland strikers O’Brien and his com- panion appeared in their town about the 13th of fuly. The companion gave his name as Barrett and played the leading rol Charles Fink, who saw the men, first met Barrett on Wood street, near Gough, in Oakland, about two days after the wreck. He accosted me and asked me if my name was Fink and said | he would like to speak to me in private. Ee showed me an A. R. U. card, which I believe was from the Sacramento union. We went to the back room in Hampton’s saloon. He told me he was from Sacra- mento and added that he was implicated inthe wrecking of S8am Clark’s train. I stopped him and said I did not want to know anvthing about it, that we were not wrecking trains and didn’t want anything to do with any one who did wreck them. He then told me that he was broke and wanted 25 cents to get his hair cut and to get a shave, and I gave him 60 or 70 cents. When I first saw him he had a mustache, killed | were cheap. I| The men send me away and told | | sinc ' fo: tee of two to go with Barrett to his room to see what he had in his pocketbook, as he refu to show what it was in the com- mittee-room. I have not seen Barrett Charles Hall, one of the committeemen delegated to accompany Barrett, says that wt they reached Barrett's room they another man there, and Barrett re- fused to show his pocketbook. _ Several other-members of the A.R.U. corroborated jin one particular or another the Fink. Asked why Barrett and O'Brien had not been given into custody they said that they were endeavoring to secure evidence sufficiently conclusive to warrant such action, but that up to the time of the dis- ag{)e:xmnce of the men they had not been able to do so. Ivis proposed to use the letter referred to as the basis of a plea for pardon for Worden, whose prayer for a new trial is now pending in the Supreme Court. The defense expects to conclude its testi- | It is believed there will be | mony to-day. no rebuttal witnesses put on by the prose- cution. SPOKE OF GEORGE ELIOT. JENKIN LLOYD JONES DELIVERS A | PLEASING LITERARY LEC- TURE. HeE Samp THAT THE AUTHOR'S GREATEST Book Is “ DANIEL DERONDA.” A lecture on George Eliot was delivered last evening at the Second Unitarian Church, Capp and Twentieth streets, by Jenkin Lloyd Jones. The church was crowded with an audience largely com- posed of ladies, who appeared to appreciate the interesting discourse. Mr. Jones said that only a mind used to criticism and broadened by culture could do justice to the subject. It was fitting that the name of the great woman should be hidden as becoming great souls. only the little artist who desires to see his name made public. George Eliot was rather revealed by her work than hidden behind it. In her work there is evidence of the most marvelous encyclopedic mind of the present century. She was endowed with the power of pene- trating away into motives; she was the analytical chemist of conduct, and her work reveals a noble philanthropy. Here, t00, is revealed the religious heart. She was a scholar, a philosopher, a reformer, a devotee. Under these four heads Mr. Jones con- tinued his lecture, taking up her books. The story of Romola was beautifully told by the lecturer, who here and there inter- rupted the narrative with criticisms, or rather, eloguent praises for the respective beauties of Romola. ‘‘The scholar in this book,” said he, ‘‘uses her scholusl,up to advance the cause of righteousness.” Mr. Jorfes said he believes that George Eliot’s greatest book, not her greatest novel, is “Daniel Derenda.” book for the boys and the girls to read. It will teach them the insignificance of trifles, how useless it is to spend lives in search of wealth. Ministers would do well to read this book, for it would show them how wide is the difference between ministry that conforms to doctrines and the priesthood of kindness and saintliness, The disappoint- ing ending shows the higher art, which is truer to nature, and which only such gen- ius as Shakespeare and George Eliot dare venture on. Providence does not permit men to eat the plum and keeF it. S Other books of George Eliot were dis- cussed in_a pleasant vein, while interest was sustained with charming bits of read- ing that impressed Mr. Jones most pro- foundly as inimitable touches of art by the woman of genius. e ———— ‘Work of the Grand Jury. J. W. Barry and George Ross, election of- ficers of the Fourth Precinct of the Thirty- seventh District, were arrested yesterday on Grand Jury indictments for making false re- turns to the Registrar. They were released on $1000 bonds each. Isabella Levy, B. Levy, F. H. Woods and John Smith were arrested on Grand Jury indictments for renting houses for purposes of ill fame. The two first named and Swith were released on their own recog- nizances and Wocds on $100 bonds. various incidents narrated by Mr. Ttis | It is a good | | white bubbling path of the small | craft ahead. Yet more expressive and impressive is the simile when the strong little vessel binds herself close to the huge hull and drives it forward. It is great, bulky helplessness and small, irresistible force. The big ship while thus drawn away by the tug is bound for the north with a large passenger list of white and Chinese hands for the salmon fisheries and ma- chinery and boats for the canneries. Yesterday being the birthday of Hum- bert, King of Italy, several Italian vessels in the harbor were patriotically decorated with flags, and down in fishboat basin the little lateen craft fairly blossomed with bunting. The body of a female infant was found in the water at the foot of Fillmore street yes- terday. In the new Congressional act providing for the deductions from the gross tonnage of vessels of the United States, to take effect April 1, 1895, the following, relating to the accommodation of the crew, appears: v place appropriated to the crew of the 15hall have & space of not less than sev- enty-two cubic feet, and not less than twelve superficial feet, measured on the deck or floor of that place, for each seaman or apprentice 1 lodged therein. Such place shall be securely constructed, properly lighted, drained and ventilated} properly protected from weather and sea, and s far as practicable properly shut off ' and { protected from the efluvium of cargo or bilge- | water.and failure to comply with this pro- ;islnn shall subject the owner to a penalty of $500. Every place so occupied shall be kept free from guoits or stores of any kind not being the personal property of the erew in use during the voyage, and if any such place is not kept iree the master shall forfeit and pay to each seaman ot apprentice lodged in that place the sum of 50 cents a day for each day during which any goods, a8 aforesaid, are_kept in the place after complaint has been made to him by any two or more of the seamen so lodgea. No deduction from tonnage shall be made unless there is permanently cut in a beam and_over the doorway of every such place the numier of men itis allowed to accommodate with these words: “Certified to accommodate — sea- LADIES PLAN A SURPRISE THEY. M. C. A. GYMNASIUM CLASS GIVE THEIR INSTRUCTOR A BICYCLE, PROFESSOR SCHENCK THE FAVORED ONE—AN EXCITING BASKET- BaLL TOURNAMENT. Professor Schenck, the instructor in gymnastics at the Young Men’s Christian Association, had honors thrust upon him | last night. They were unexpected honors, too, for if the professor had been told an hour before that he would soon be riding around the gymnasium on a highly decor- ated bicycle, with the applause of a large audience ringing in his ears, he would have laughed the idea to scorn. Tt was ladies’ night and the gymmasium girls had planned a surprise for their in- structor. After their march and dumbbell drill, in which about eighty of them took part, they all formed in line and then a bicycle, looking as if it were competing for a prize in a corso of flowers, was brought in, and Secretary H. J. McCoy presented it to Professor Schenck with a neat and ap- propriate speech. The recipient of the present from the ladies’ class was too much overcome to make a speech in reply, but he_ got on his flower-covered wheel and rode around. ‘When this little interlude had been dis- posed of, the gymnastic exhibitions went on as usual on” Ladies’ Night. The sefior class gave some interesting exercises on buck, and the two little Masters Duck and Schenck quite brought down the house with their tumbling. In the parallel bar exercises E. Fleisher, Edward Spaeker and A. Hetrich performed feats of great agil- ity, and the pyramid exercise, with its spice of danger, won all the applause that a pos- sibility of broken bones generally does arouse. The basket-ball tournament was osten- sibly between the Business Men and the Twentieth-street Branch, but some adven- turpus visitors became mixed up in several of the scrimmages. The fact was that the gallery was too small to accommodate the | army of ladies present, and the Christian young men very kindly let them sit round the arena of the gymnasium. They were not much in the way till the basket-ball tournament commenced, and then in the heat of the fray the ball sometimes came bounding in among them and the gallant youths who were pursuing it had to roll over on the floor or 1all hurriedly on their knees to avoid bowling the ladies over altogether. As it was, the only damage done was to a few theater hats, which were knocked off or jammed sideways by the ball. 'I}he tournament was an exciting one, though it was evident almost from the first that the Business Men were going to sweep the Twentieth-street Branch before them. In the first 15-minute half the former made three goals to the latter's nothing, and in the second half the Bus ness Men made four goalsana the Twen- tieth-street Branch only one. FROM THE ORIENT. The Steamer China Arrived From the Seat of Waur, Bringing Latest News Early This Morning. The steamer China arrived from the Ori- ent at 1 o'clock this morning. She had twenty-six cabin passengers on board, among whom were Compte Le Marios, Dr. Muller and Dr. J. M. Flint. The voyage over was uneventful. It was made in quick time—fourteen days. Advices received regarding the war situ- ation do not_record any startling change in the situation since the last news was re- ceived. The Japanese papers claim that the reports received from the scene of the fighting are conflicting, and that the Chi nese papers wilfully misrepresent the sit- uation. The suicide of Admiral Ting and other high officials is confirmed. On Feb- ruary 26 the Japanese were attacking Haicheng. THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE, ENS, A STATIONER, {AT IT DOES NOT SMOOTH. R EMBEZZLEMENT ARRESTED WHE PRESIDENT OF THE OwL COMPANY. T. J. Stephens was arrested yesterday afternoon on two warrants charging him with misdemeanor embezzlement. Stephens was president and manager of the Owl Stationery Company, 406 Mont- gomery street, which was sold out by the Sheriff on Ja ary 18 ‘last. The other directors we: H. B. Barbee, 142 San Jose road; A. B , hi his sister, and Bassett. The complaining witness is H. B. Bar- bee. In cone complaint he alleges that Stephens misappropriated stock, consist- ing of rubber stamps, printed letter heaas, memorandum bo peneils: and mucil- age, of the value of $18 95, which he gave to the Contra Costa Laundry Company. in payment of his laundry bills, In the other complaint he aileges that Stephens ex- changed stationery goods for fancy tables and otnher Chinese goods, which he pre- sented to his friends. Barbee said they formed themselves into a company in April, 1893, to buy out the former proprietor of the store, a man named Thistle. There was between $5000 and $6000 worth of stock in the store, and during the nine months they were in busi- ness about $2500 worth of new stock was purchased. They were doing a business of from $300 to $1000 a month, but when the bills given for the purchase money of the stock became due there was only enough money to pay one, and th were com- Fcllm( to go into insolvency. An expert | had taken stock prior to that and his report was that there was only about $500 worth of goods in the store. ‘When Stephens was asked where the money or stock had gone he said he didn’t have it in his pocket. Barbee declared that Stephens had not Thomas J. Stephens. [From a photograph.} only paid his laundry bills with stock, but also the bills of his tailor and shoemaker. Stephens had a different story to tell. He denied misapprovriating any portion of the stock and said that Barbee’s action in having him arrested was due to family differences. He and Barbee’s sister, who was one of the directors of the company, had been engaged to be married for the past three years, and since the engagement was announced Barbee had moves eaven and earth to break it off. He had circu- lated the most scandalous stories about him to injure him in the eyes of Miss Bar- bee and her_friends. € Wwas now em- ployed by W. J. Patton, who purchased the stock at the Sheriff’s sale, which was of itself a refutation of the charges against him. If he felt disposed, he said, he could make it uncomfortable for Mr. Barbee. —_— A Shipping Firm Collapses. The Charles Dietrick shipping firm has gone out of existence after a perilous life of many years. At one time they operated the steamers Homer, Truckee, Farallon, Alice Blanchard and South Coast, but careless and unbusiness- like methods lost them their charters, until only the steamer South Coast remained. The difficulty yesterday between Dietrick and Charles” HigglIns, the vessel's manager, cost the failing firm their last boat, hence the total collapse. TWEITEN "TIXE MILLENTOM COMES There will be no more COUGHS, COLDS,’ BRONCHITIS, CROUP or CONSUMPTION. Until that time use HALE’S HONEY OF HOREHOUND AND TAR for the alleviation of these distressin, and prevalent complaints. C. lf CRITTENTON, Sole Proprietor, 115 Fulton St., New York, and for sale by all Druggists. " Pike’s Toothache Drops Cure in One Minute, ) wife; E. R. Barbee, | CELEBRATION OF ST. PATRICK'S DAY. RELIGIOUS SERVICES, BALLS AND BANQUETS ARE ON THE PROGRAMME. PANEGYRICS, BUT NO PARADE. THE OBSERVANCE WiLL Be GEN- ERAL, THOUGH ON A DIFFER- ENT SCALE THAN USUAL. The 17th of March will be a day of ge eral observance and celebration by the citi- | zens of San Francisco of Irish birth or descent who show their reverence for the memory of the patron saint of Ireland every year, Butone feature will be miss- | ing, that of a parade. As the17th comes on Sunday there will be more elaborate services than ordinarily at all the different Catholic cnurches in this city. Panegyrics on the life of St. Patrick will be read in | the churches. The principal services will be at St. Mary’s Cathedrat, 8t. Patrick’s Church, St. Ignatius and St. Mary’s Church. The ;;_rincipal mass will be held at 10:30 A.ar. here will be various entertainments in | honor of the day. In fact the celebration, ! in the vicinity of Howard and Sixth streets | wish to meet them and agree on some | that ancestral castle shall be occupied. | Count and Countess, and the stories about i the ancestral castle in Corsica and the City Hall dome and park contracts for painting became positively entrancing in their per- fection of detail. The bills for some of the goods were or- dered sent to 36 Valparaiso street, but the creditors have found no one by, the name of Vincelleoni at that address. i Vincelleoni poses asan actor as well as an artist, and _speaks grandly of how he ‘“‘supported’” Henry Irving and Ellen Terry when they visited San Francisco and of his wife having been Joe Murphy’s “lead- ing lady” at one time. An army of creditors of the Vincelleonis basis of settlement pending the time when THE FIGURE WITH WINGS. Any Enlargement Might Cause the Ap- pendages to Fly Off. The proposed changes in the plans for tl}e statue to be placed on the aome of the City Hall when completed has called out the following communication from one of the competitors, reminding the City Hall Commissioners of the conditions fixed for the original bid and questioning their right to make the changes proposed: To the Honorable Commissioners of the New City Hall: The undersigned, one of ihe seulptors who in answer to your notice requesting models | and designs for & 5'atue intended to Le placed | uponthe dome entered into competition for the same in the belief that the same was to be carried out in good faith under the ¢onditions advertised, viz. 1—That the statue was not to be more than 1y feet high. 2—That it was ‘o be of white 1metal. 3—The ccst not to exceed $6000. Respectiully enters his proiest against any departure from the terms of said competition, and the contract between youand Mr. Wells, the sculptor selected to carry out the same. | The guartersized model by Mr. Wells of | five feet high was received and approved Iby you, and there was no reason why tw ZPCRoviLEY TWO MEN WHO WILL BE PROMINENT IN THE CELEBRATION. [Drawn by a “Call” artist from photographs.] though there will be no parade, will be conducted on the usually elaborate basis which has prevailed in the years gone by. Besides the church services™ there will be balls, banquets and literary entertainments. On the evening of St. Patrick’s day the Knights of St. Patrick will give a grand banquet to invited guests at the new Del- monico restaurant, 110 O’Farrell street. The large new banquet hall will be bril- liantly illuminated with incandescent elec- tric lights. The ball will be decorated with American and Irish flags and evergreens. Between 100 and 200 persons will_sit down at the table. Jeremiah Deasy will preside at the banquet. The principal speakers of the evening will be Senator George C. Perkins, Senator Stephen M. White, Judge J. F. Sullivan and J. J. Dwyer. On Saturday evening, the 16th inst., the Irish population of San Francisco will give themselves up to social gatherings. All care will be put aside for thirty-six hours, and as much pleasure as can be gained will be sought for. The two principal fiutherings for Saturday evening will be alls at Odd Fellows’ Hall and at Har- monia Hall. The Knights of the Red Branch will give the ball at 0dd Fellows’ Hall, and they intend to make it superior to any of their former annual balls. The Anciént Order of Hibernians will act in | connection with the Knights of the Red | Branch, and will assist in making the grand ball a success. The ball at Harmonia Hall will be given by the Connaught Social Club, and this ization has perfected elaborate plans for a fine entertainment. The Dublin Social Club willii n with the Connaughts in securing a jolly good time. | The people of St. Paul's parish, whose | church is on the corner of Twenty-ninth | and Church streets, will give an entertain- ment on Tuesday evening next. The members of the church of St. Charles Borromeo, which is at the corner of Shotwell and Eighteenth streets, will | ive an entertainment in honor of St. | Patrick on Monday evening next. Could Not Agree on a Room, The Board of City auii Commissioners en- deavored to find a suitable courtroom for Po- lice Judge Low yesterday, but were not suc- | cessful. Auditor Broderick refused to sanction the use of a room between the offices of the License Collector and Fire Marshal on the ground that the undesirable people who hang about a Police court would deter people from going along the corridors to the other offices in the vicinity. LEFT THEIRTRUNKS BERIND A HOWARD - STREET LANDLORD LONGS FOR THE RETURN OF HIS VANISHED STARS. THE ONE POSED As AN EMINENT TRAGEDIAN, THE OTHER AS A SOUBRETTE. The following advertisement appeared in yesterday morning’s issue of a city paper: AUL A. VINCELLEONT AND WIFE CALL at 1058 Howard street, San Francisco, and re- deem your trunks or they Wil be sold for rent due. The advertisement was inserted by T. Healy, who holds the trunks for a $50 rent bill. Paul Armand Vincelleoni and his wife, at that time named Maud Meyer, gained considerable notoriety in November, 1892, by eloping to San Diego. J. R. Fritz, a wholesale lottery dealer, doing business at 841 Market street, had the pair brought back on a warrant_charg- ing them with stealing $900 from him, but the trouble was patched up and they have lived here until a short time ago, when their creditors lost sight of them. Vincelleoni says he is a Corsican Count and tells that he will some fine day fall heir to a fine, an elegant castle. He is a painter and tells aliuring stories about the contracts he has had to paint the new City Hall and the buildings in_Golden Gate Park. Mr. Healy and his wife allowed the Count and Countess an extension of five months in their rent on the strength of these stories, but when they discovered that the dome was not near completion and no inting contract in Golden Gate Park E:d been let they took the covers off the bed supposed to be occupied by the Vincelleonis and they immediately left for a lodging-house at 1020 Folsom street. There also they got the better of the landlord several months’ rent and were compelled to move again. In the meantime the grocers, butchers and other purveyors of necessities in the neighborhood were induced to credit the | Bave his estimate of §6000 and thus procured the full-size model should be of any larger size than 20 feet and even then the wings would have been out of all proportion to the generally Tecognized iyle for sueh figures, besides bein; asource of danger at the height it is propose to place the statue from high winds. fl will be remembered that one of the wings and some other portions of the white metal angel on the Rosenthal building on Marketstreet were blown down one night about_three years ago and the statue stillremains in that mutilated condition. But as reported” in the papers, with wings enlarged, the height of the figure will be nearly thirty fe d with a corresponding spread | the dang be augmented and an unnec sary exper curred_for no good obj | Further, Mr. Wells must have made his calcu- lations as to the cost of different stages of his work and the materials for the same when he W the contract, Therefore he has no excuse for either making the statue larger than his contract called for or increasing the price to $14,000. Lestly, it is suggested to your honorable board that you cancel the existing contract if it cannot be car- ried out at the origina), price agreed upon, the difference to be made 1p by Mr. Wells’ bonds- men, and then have a fresh competition under new conditions in_justice to the other compet- ing sculptors and to the taxpayers, who fur- nish the funds for the work. MORTON A. EDWARDS, 41015 Post street. THE RAM IN NAVAL WARFARE. Suggestions ¥rom the Recent Disaster in the North Sea. The sinking of the North German Lloyd steamship Elbe by the British steamer Crathie, with its resulting loss of life, in- evitably revives the discussion of the tre- mendous distructiveness of the ram as a weapon in naval warfare. The rapidity with which the ill-fated steamship went down and the comparatively small size of the vessel that struck her are points that are rightly considered to be significant. They show that even inferior craft, like tugs, if they have sufficient speed, might be employed as rams. Then the fact that the Crathie was able to go to port without difficulty is sug- gestive, writes a correspondent of the New York Sun. Itappears that her stem was completely carried away above the water line, but she was able to return to Rotter- dom. Yet the damage to her was more severe than to the ramming vessel in some other collisions, the case of the schooner that sank the Lady Elgin being one among many th us recalled. It is also not quite certain how much damage the Crathie really sustained. But in any case the destructive power of a vessel built like the Katahdin, expressly for ramming, and her defensive strength, derived from a specially constructed prow, must be ob- vious. She might sink a ship like the Elbe and do herself no harm of consequence. “No blow,” said the report of the McCann Board, often known as the Policy Board, ‘“‘which can be inflicted by any weapon other than a mine or a torpedo carrying very large quantities of high explosive can compare in effect to that of a vessel mov- ing ‘at a high rate of speed.” On the other hand it remains to be seen how far the disaster to the Elbe might have been minimized by a system of bulk- heads better constructed or better operated. Perhaps it maf' be some time yet before detailed knowledge can be had of whether the bulkhead doors were closed and whether one lesson in this case isnot ractically the same as in the e of the inctorin. But, be the responsibility what it may of constructing ships that cannot wholly be sunk as the result of collision, it remains true that war vessels as now con- structed are in great danger of aram that can strike the machinery compartment below the water-line. [t is reported that the Elbe had fewer compartments than the most modern steamships and that she had bulkhead doors where now it is recognized that the only safety is in solid partitions. Suggestions of rusty doors and other causes of failure to shut off promptly the flooded apartment from others have been made. Again, it is thought that the Elbe was struck at the bulkhead aft of the engine-room, possibly breaking in two compartments. But, look- ing at the matter in any way, it is evident that the attack of a hostile ram, which can be repeated if necessary, must be more dangerous than an accidental collision. As as offset we have the vigilance of the attacked vessel ina combat, and her ability to avoid or diminish the damage of an at- tack by maneuvering. Many of the acci- dental collisions occur in darkness or fog, when there is no time to move so asto avoid collision. ¢ 5 Perhaps after the Katahdin goes into commission, which will doubtless be at no distant day, since she will soon have her trial trip, something may be learned in practical experience of the handiness of vessels expressly built for ramming. The gneml belief in the capabilities of this warfare may be judged from the | it common practice of giving ram bows to war vessels. Perhaps a fair conclusion is that for harbor defense a ram like the Katahdin may have a specific yalue, al- though it cannot take the place of the guns and torpedoes. Its function is that of an auxiliary. But it also furnishes a vessel so built as to reduce the liability of rec damages from ramming an enemy. RICHEST MAN A RUSSIAN. Young Elim Demidoff and His Uncount- able Wealth. Like the English millionaires those of the Jzar's domains mostly derive their revenues from landed property. While the Britain, however, devotes a large part of his gross income toward improving his possessions and to the amelioration of the lot of his tenants in one way or another, the Russian, on the other hand, extracts every farthing that he can from his prop- erty and spends it upon himself, the result being that agriculture in Russia is going from bad to worse, that formerly fertile and productive estates have now become barren and impoverished, and that, while the peasantry are ina state of misery bordering on famine, the nobles themselves have been obliged to mortgage or sell their lands and are at the end of their financial tether. Of course there are some excep- tions, such as, for instance, the Yousoup- offs, the Demidoffs and the Scheremetieffs. The wealth of the Demidoffs is so vast that it is beyond calculation, , and, strangely enough, the fortune is of relatively recent creation, its founder having been a country blacksmith in the days of Peter the Great. It was while t ing in the Ural Moun- tains that tne latter broke one of his most valuable English pistols. A village smith mended it so quickly and so well that the Czar was delighted and asked the man’s name. ‘‘Demidoff, I shallremember you,” said he, as he rode off. The poor man was beginning to think that i’u!er had forgotten him, when there came an official document adorned with the imperial seal, ;:rsmlin% him the freehold of a great tract of crown land in the neighbor- hood of the village. Demidoff went to work on his new property, and found there inexhaustible mines of iron, silver and malachite. Young Elim Demidoff—he does not bear in Russia the Italian title of Frin(-e generally prefixed to his name by oreigners—is at the present moment the richest man in the world, Princess You- soupoff, with_her great turquoise mines, comingnext in rank. Fortunately, both of them are more free-handed and generous than their respective immediate predecessors as head of the family, the late Anatole Demidoff and the late Prince Yousoupoff having been alike renowned for their meanness and avarice, of Whi almost incredible stories are related.— York Tribune. —_————— Durable Chalk Marks. About five years ago an article appeared in one of the daily papers stating that when the old city bell was taken down to be replaced by a new one chalk writing was found, plainly written thirteen years before by 4 young engineer. In the year 1822 the bridge over the Big Gunpowder Falls at Ridgeley’s 1lron ‘Works, about 14 miles from Baltimore, was constructed by Robert Burr, considered at that time a famous architect and engineer, of New Jersey. When the bridge was erected several persons wrote their names thereon with chalk and they can easily be read at this day and the date, “July 4, 1822.”—Phila- delphia N LA GRIPPE. La grippe or influenza is a disease caused by a specific microbe affecting the mucus mem- brane lining the Lungs, Bronchial Tubes, the Head, Nose and Throat. First the microbe or the predisposal cause, then expose yourself to cold when your general system is in & condition below normal, and you have Grippe in all its forms. Grippe affects the system in general, but es- pecially the Nervous System. Once having the Grippe you are never free from some of its dis- agreeable symptoms. To avoid against Grippe the general system and secreting and excreting organs of the body should be kept in a normal or active condition. White blood corpuscles act as a specifie for the microbe or Grippe bacillus. Necessarily your blood must be rich in the essential elements that go to make white blood corpuscles to battle with the Grippe bacillus. Joy’s Vegetable Sarsaparilla acts as a specific in Grippe, because it makes rich blood, good digestion and is a wonderful tissue rebuilder. Don’t be substituted. When you want Joy’s, get Joy’s, and get ne other. TESTIMONIALS : Trs EpwIN W. Joy CoMPANY.—Gentlemen: It has been my habit for years to wake up in the morning with & headache and a_worn-out, exhausted feeling attending it. About two months ago I commenced taking Joy’s Vege- teble Sarsaparilla, and haye been taking it oc- casionally ever since, and it is no little satis- faction to me to say that since I took the first bottle I have been feeling splendid and have not had a return of the old debilitating head- aches. A. M. ROWE, 522 Jones street. Epwis W. Jox Co.: My occupation gives me little or no exercise, and 1 have consequently had for years a weak stomach, indigestion and constipatiom. I was & sufferer until I fortun- ately tried Joy’s Vegetable Sarsaparilla, which has helped mé in every way. I think I had one of the most sensitive stomachs one ever pos- sessed, and I was in continual distress, but with the_aid of Joy's Sarsaparilla can now eat any and everything without any evil effects. It has thoroughly reorganized me,and I am delighted to recommiend 1t CLARA MELVIN, 126 Kearny st., San Francisco. GENTLEMEN: Being troubled with boils I took one of the sarsaparillas and the result was s “mass of pimples.” Hearing of JOY’S, which ‘was purely vegetable, I tried it, and the boils Then 1) 0 wdow days. Joy's scts different to the others. J. NEWMAN, Alameda, Cal. Formerly with the ““Alta California.” Epwix W. Joy Co.: As a remedy for indiges- tion and dyspepsia, with the usurl sick head- aches accompanying them, I have found a remedy that seems to remove the cause and cure them in Joy’s Vegetable Sarsaparilla. I have used it mysell and most lighly recom- mend it to others. L. C. LUCAS, Laclide Building, City. EDWIN W. Joy Co.: For years I have suffered from indigestion and hesdaches, but as soon as I purchased a bottle of your Sarsaparilla [ could eat almost anything Wwith impunity and am never troubled with & headache of any kind, and give you the credit which is due you. THOMAS P. CULKIN, St. Louis, Mo. Epwix W. Joy CoxPa Up to a month or so ago I was so ill as to be seriously alarmed. I had been running down in health and flesh steadily. 1 hardly knew the cause, yet at- tributed it to rheumatism and genem!debim{ and despite the most strenuous efforts could not check the persistent dangerous tendency that was wearing me out. Finally it got so bad that I was afilicted with fainting spells. ‘While in that dangerous condition and willing to try almost anything, I saw some of the strong testimonials that were published de- tailing the_effects of Joy’s Vegetable Sarsa- parilla in _just such cases as mine, and without any confidence whatever I bought a bottle. I am gaining my lost flesh, my casual friends re- DAk my. improvement, wnd I ceriainiy have 10 say that I have not felt so well for years, and I think it my duty to compliment the great home remedy, Joy's Vegetable Sarsae parilla. MRS. BELDON, 510 Mason street. GENTLEMEN: T had been ailing for weeks with what eppeared to be a disorder of the liver and kidneys, &nd notwithstanding every care # seemed to grow worse instead of better. Finally my wife, becoming frightened, pro- cured a bottle of Joy’s Vegetable Sarsaparilla, and I begen taking it. To make a long story short, it not only overcame it entirely, but at the same time an eczema or skin eruption dis- appeared that had been upon the left side of my face for many years. Infact, it did so much for me, I was so delighted with it, I sent Torthalf a dosen mors bottles and gave it to my children, with the most satisfactory results, Ifany one had told me that in six weeks it would have accomplished what it has I would not have belleved him. The above is a simple narrative of the truth as clearly as I can statg T. 5. MILTON, 511 Post streat., -