The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 16, 1895, Page 1

A VOLUME LXXVIIL- FRANCISCO, TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 16, 1895. PRICE FIVE CEN NOVEL WAR YACHTS | long voyages they can be relied upon to | A Fleet of Pigmies for the United States Navy. TO PATROL THE RIVERS. Craft of a Strange Type to Be Constructed on the Composite Plan. MOVED BY WIND AND STEAM. Two of the New Vessels Will Be Bullt on the Pacific Coast. WASHINGTON, D. C., July 15.—Six magnificent steam yachts such as could be owned only by the lucky possessors of | many millions of dollars will be built by ring the current fiscal year, ugh they are to -be. finer than end alth | and 13 have finer lines than the other two nd carry a spread of 11,000 squbre feet of convas. Under sail alone they will make ten knots with a stiff wind and a fairly smooth sea, while in the trade winds for make long cruises at the rate of six or eight knots. When going under sail alone the engines of the single-screw boat will be uncoupled, allowing the shafting and screw to revolve simply by the action of the passing water; and so slight is the re- tarding influence of the screw thus disen- gaged that there is every reason to expect a sailing speed fully equal to the possibili- ties of the steam power conditions. The engines in each type are designed to de- velop the same horsepower and to induce the same speed, that of twelve knots, differing only as regards shafting, number of screws and the incidental division of motive force. For the twin-screw gunboats the engines will be rights and lefts, each in a separate water-tight compartment, and will be of the usual vertical, direct-acting, triple- expansion type, with high pressure cyl- inders of 12, 181 and 28 inches respectively, having a common stroke of 18 inches, capable of developing 800 horsepower with 200 revolutions a minute. The engine of the single-screw boats will also be of the triple-expansion type, with cylinders of the following diameters, 15}, 2314 and 36 inches, with a common stroke | of 30 inches, and to run at 150 revolutions a minute when developing the required 800 horsepower. Each boat will have two single-ended “Scotch” boilers, with two | corrugated furnaces, each 3 feet in diame- BURIED IN A CELLAR Bodies of the Murdered Pietzel Girls Found in Toronto. THREE FIENDISH CRIMES. The Notorious H. H. Holmes Accused of Taking Their Lives. RECORD OF MANY KILLINGS. It Is Thought the Insurance Swin- dler Had Murdered the Elder Pletzel. TORONTO, Oxst.,, July 15.—The bodies of Etta, Alice and Hettie Pietzel, the miss- ing daughters of Benjamin F. Pietzel, were found by Detective Cuddy of Toronto and Detective Greyer of Philadelphia, to- day, buried in the cellar of the house GENERAL similar vessels of their class, they promise to beall-around the most useful ships be- longing to the United States Government. By act of Congress, approved March 2, 1895, provision was made for the construc- tion of six light draft composite gunboats, the individual constructive limit of cost being §230,000, exclusive of the cost of arm- ement. From this authority Chief Con- structor Hichborn and Engineer-in-Chief Melville have drawn designs for entirely novel types of warships, involving for the first time in Government. vessels the prin- ciple of composite construction, the fram- ing being of steel and the hull wood. The essential reasons for the construc- tion of vessels of the composite type are that they are largely independent of dock- ing facilities and economical in the use of fuel. The exfoliation of the copper causes the barnacles, grass, etc., to be released just as soon as the vessel is put in motion, and the bottom is made comparatively APPEARANOE AND. DECE PLAN OF THE PROPOSED |Sketched for “The Call.”] ter. Each boiler will have a diameter of 1034 feet, a length of 1034 feet, with 39 square feet of grate surfacé and 1250 feet of heating surface, making a total heating | surface of 2500 square feet and a total grate surface of 78 square feet. They will have moderate forced draught induced by two blowers for each boat applied directly to the ashpit. The boilers will be placed side by side in the same compartment, with a common fireroor. The armament, being identical in both types, will consist of six 4-inch, four 4-pounders and two 2-pounder guns, all rapid-fire. The character of the services for which these gunboats are particularly | designed requires that they be exposed to musketry fire, and the housing of the ma- jorpart of the battery by an unbroken deck, besides adding materially to the admirable protection to the guns' crews in action. The necessarily exposed position GENERAL APPEARANCE AND DECK PLAN OF THE PROPOSED TWIN-SCREW WAR YACHTS. [Sketched for “The Call.”] clean, thus permitting the vessel to main- tain her designed speed with a minimum consumption of coal. The docking expenses, whether at home or abroad, and the costof fuel, are two very serious outlays that these vessels are counted upon to minimize, while their ac- tivity, range of action, and general effi- ciency are greatly increased. The six vessels will be of two radically different types; one type carrying full sail power and propelled by a single screw; the other type having steadying sails only, and propelled by twin screws, actuated by two separated engines. Their principal dimensions are as follows: Single Screw Twin Serew 3 pe. Tyve. Length on load water-line. ... 168 feet 174 teet. Beum, exireme, at load ne. ...... 36 feet Draft, normal 34 g0 ....... 12 feet 12 feet Displacement, normal, about 1000 tons 1000 tons Indicated horsepower, about.. 8 800 Bpeed, an hour, in knots 12 12 The single-screw vessels Nos. 10, 11, by their arc of fire and possible usefulness in a running action, while for river ser- vice, for which these boats are particularly fitted, the disposition of the gun-deck bat- tery is all that could be desired. Each of the vessels will carry about 10 officers, 125 enlisted men and a small guard of marines numbering perhaps 10 men. The vesgels are so commodious, how- ever, that for special duty a very much larger complement could be accommo- dated, or a large number of refugees could be taken on board. Secretary Herbert, who is compelled by law to have two of these vessels built on the Pacific Coast, two on the Atlanticand two on the Gulf if possi- ble, has invited bids under two heads— those based upon the plans and specifica- tions of the Navy Department ana those based upon the designs and plans of the contractors—and not more than two of the gunboats to be buiit by one contracting 12 | party. stiffness and strength of the vessels, gives | of the bow and stern guns is justitied only | SINGLE-SCREW WAR YACHTS. No. 16 8t. Vincent street. H. H. Holmes, now under arrest at Philadelphia, is be- lieved to have deliberately murdered the girls after he had first murdered their father in Philadelphia and their brother in Detroit. ¥ Inquiries began by the police to-day and led to the knowledge that Holmes and the children lived at the house in question, and search was made by the two offioers. A photograph of Holmes was shown to Frank N. Nudel of the Ontario Educational Department, who owns No. 16 St. Vincent street, end without hesitation he identified it as that of the man who had rented the house from him last October, and after a very short stay had departed. ‘When they reached the cellar it appeared | to the detectives that something had dis- | turbed the cellar floor, and arming them- selves with shovels they began to dig. A short distance below the surface they came across the arm and a portion of the head of one of the girls, and further work soon re- vealed the bodies of all of the victims. They were nude and apparently had lain there since last October. City Detective Inspector Stark was com- municated with and gave instructions that | the bodies be removed, and they were | taken to Humpurey’s undertaking estab- lishment on Yonge street. Coroner Orr was informed of the ghastly discovery, and called an inguest to be held at Police Headquarters to-morrow night. Itis un- derstood that the jury will meet pro forma, and after viewing the bodies will adjourn for one week, to enable the Crown authori- ties to work up evidence. The bodies of the little ones were buried three feet from the surface and were in a fair state of pres ervation. Holmes, the alleged murderer of the girls, is held in Philadelphia on a charge of conspiracy, and a nice legal point now presents itself. The murders have been committed in Canada, ‘the accused must be tried within its boundaries, but as Holmes has pleaded guilty to one charge in the United States he may insist on being sentenced for that. H. H. Holmes, alias Harwam W. Mudg- | ett, alias H. H. Howard, was born in New Haven, Conn., and attended a medical school at Burlington, Vt.,and later at Ann Arbor, Mich. He was married at the latter place. He and a friend swindled an insurance company in Chicago out of $12,000 soon after graduating. They made another haul of $10,000 in a similar way. Holmes went into the drug business and speculated. His wife went home and he married another woman, with whom he went to California. Returning about a year ago, he went to housekeeping with the woman typewriter of the company, whose acquaintance he had formed. He tried to cheata fire insur- ance company out of $60,000, but failed, and learning that his typewriter and her sister had inherited $50,000 laid a scheme to get the money. The sister came to live with them and suddenly disappeared, while he and Minnie, the typewriter girl, took up their abode at the Plaza Hotel, Chicago. Holmes next appeared in Terre Haute, Ind., where he bailed Pietzel out of jail. From there he went to Franklin, Ind., where he married Miss Yoke, and they spent their honeymoon in Denver, where Holmes made $27,000 in speculation. At Philadelphia, later on, he and Pietzel played the last card. Pietzel was insured in the Philadelphia Mutual for $10,000. On September 3 he was found dead in the house at 1316 Callowhill street, which he had rented under the name of B. F. Perry. His body was badly burned and the face was almost unrecognizable. Holmes and Pietzel’s wife's children identified the body as Pietzel’s, and $7500 of the insurance was paid over. Then Train-robber Hedgespeth gave the whole case away to Chief of Police Harri- son because Lawyer Howe, whom he had got into the conspiracy, had not paid him the promised reward. Holmes was traced to Toronto, Burlington and Boston, and in the latter city was arrested. Mean- while the Pietzel children haa disappeared, the boy being traced to Indianapolis and two girls to Toronto. Holmes awaits sentence in Philadelphia for insurance fraud, and the police expect to fix several murders on him. Doctors who have examined the bodies agree with Detective Grier’s theory that the girls were killed by hypodermic injec- tions of morphine. Holmes is known to be an expert user of injections. HOLMES' RECORD, One of the Boldest Scoundrels Ever Ar- rainged for a Crime. PHILADELPHIA, PA., July 15—With the finding of the bodies of the Pietzel children in Toronte, a chapter in the his- tory of one of the most sensational crim- inal cases in the annals of this country is ciosed, and the net of the law is being drawn more closely about one of the boldest scoundrels who have ever been arraigned at the bar of justice. Herman Mudgett, alias H. H. Holmes, is in the County Prison here awaiting sen- tence to the confessed charge of conspiracy in defrauding the Fidelity Life Association of Philadelphia out of $10,000 by palm- ing off upon it a bogus body as that of Benjamin F. Pietzel, a policy-holder of the company. The case exceeds in interest the most sensational novel ever written, and has so many sides to it thatit ts difficult to even outline it in the ordinary length of a newspaper dis- patch. In July, 1889, tne Fidelity Life Associa- tion issued a policy for $10,000 upon the life of Benjamin Pietzel. Shortly after this, a man giving the name of B. A. Perry rented a house at 1319 Callowhill street, this city. In Beptember of the same year a fire, shown to have been caused by an explosion, occurred at the house and the charred body of Perry was found. A short time after this Jephtha B.Howe, an attorney at St. Louis, presented a claim to the Fidelity Company for the $10,000 on the life of Pietzel, alleging that the man found in the house at 1319 Callow- hill was Pietzel. With Howe were Alice, the 13-year-old daughter of Pietzel, and Holmes, the arch conspirator in the case. The body of the supposed Perry had beenburied in the potter’s field, but was ex- humed, and Alice and Holmes positively identified it as that of Pietzel. The money was paid to Howe and the party returned to St. Louis. Mrs. Pietzel was in St. Louis at this time, and through the representations of Holmes that she could aid her husband in furthering his interests, had consented to become a party to Holmes’ scheme to de- ceive the insurance company by passing off upon it a bogus body as that of Pietzel. Holmes told her that he and Pietzel had procured a corpse in New York and had had it up in the house at 1319 Callowhill street and that this was the body found. Mrs. Pietzel believed this story, and to aid her husband consented to take part in the deception. The insurance company became sus- picious, and setting detectives upon Holmes’ track built up a case against him, and in November last year Holmes was arrested in Boston. A few days after Holmes’ arrest Mrs. Pietzel was arrested in the same city and Howe was arrested in 8t. Louis. Holmes offered to relieve her of the burden of the three children. The cldest and the youngest child remained with Mrs. Pietzel and Holmes took the other three. Alice, Nettie and Howard. After parting with her children, Mrs. Pietzel has never been able to obtain from Holmes any defi- nite knowledge of their whereabouts. RIVALS DAKOTA COURTS, Oklahoma a New Mecca for Those Who Would Be Divorced. A Syndicate That Makes a Business of Furnishing Decrees on Short Notice. WASHINGTON, D. C., July 15.—A hand- some suite of office rooms has been fitted up by five Oklahoma lawyers, who propose to secure *‘divorees while you wait.” The scheme, which is the very latest to relieve the terrible congestion of misfit mar- riages, is under the control of a syndicate. While Washington is to be the central office for this partof the country, there are branch offices in Pittsburg, Philadel- phia and Baltimore, the move gradually making its way to New York, and even Boston. The law of Oklahoma provides that citi- zenship may be acquired in three months. At the expiration of that time a divorce may be applied for, and in case there is no defense, or the defendant does not appear, divorce may be granted in less than four months from the time the applicant leaves Washington. Defendant may not even be apprised of what is going on. A wife disappears. The husband does not know, and perhaps does not care to know. She has simply gone to Oklahoma. If she is well off, she stays at one of the hotels. If she is not well off, the man who wants to marry her if divorced foots the bill. ‘When they file their petitions for divorce the only notice to defendant necessary is publication in his or her home paper. If he or she sees it, they may go to Oklahoma and defend the suit; if they do not see it, the divorce proceedings go on just the same, and the lady is declared free. The attorney in charge here said that there were about forty to fifty clients who had ‘applied for divorce. He mentioned among tnese the cases of two society peo- gle, but declined, on their account, to give heir names at this stage of the proceed- ings. —_——— Going to Constantinople. ALEXANDRIA, Ecyer, July 15.—The Khedive sailed from here to Constantino- ple to-day. £ G GENTLENA I, Mr. Corbett’s Escapades Aired in a Divorce ' Court. LOVED THE FAIR VERA. A Member of His Company Tells of His Dual Life. REGISTERED AS HIS WIFE. Miss Stanwood Named as Co-Re- spondent In the Plaintiff’'s Complaint. NEW YORK,N. Y., July 15.—Vera Stan- wood or Stanley is co-respondent in the “Can’t help that,” replied Mr. Jacobs. “T never had a secret reference in my life.” Mrs. Corbett was then called to thestand and questioned by Mr. Hummel. Where do you live? In New York City. Did you reside here when your husband com- mitted the acts you charge? Yes. You claim that in April of this year your hus- band was intimate with a woman in Indian- apolis, in Charleston, 8. C., and in Zanesville, Ohio? Ido. . Regarding the income of the defendant I wiil say in March of this year articles of separation were signed by the plaintiff and defendant, by which the defendant agreed to pay and has paid $100 a week to Mrs. Corbett. That is so. In the event of your getting a divorce from the plaintiff on statutory grounds do you wish to retain the name of Corbett or to resume your maiden name? 1 wish toresume my maiden name, Ollie Lake, Counsel Sullivan contented himself with asking one question of the plaintiff: De you admit the receipt every week of the $100 agreed upon at the time of your separ- ation from Corbett? Ido. Mrs. Corbett was then excused and her brunette friend took the stand. She is a bhandsome woman and was stylishly dressed. Mr. Hummel told the referee she was Miss Marie King, but on the law- yer’s examination slip the lady’s name ap- CHAMPION PUGILIST JAMES J.. CORBETT AND WIFE. [From a photograph taken during their honeymoon.—From the New York Standard.] suit for divorce brought by Mrs. James J. Corbett against her husband. The prize- fighter appeared in a new role to-day, that of defendant in a divorce suit brought by his wife, Mrs. Ollie Lake Corbett. . The story of Corbett’s marital infelicities has been told at length. ‘When it became known that Mrs. Corbett had laid the facts in. the case before Howe & Hummel, with a view of starting a suit for divorce, Mrs. Hattie Clark was singled out as the prospective co-respondent. Mrs. Clark has had many beaux in this city and Chicago. One of the most devoted of her admirers was Corbett, .who narrowly es- caped a shooting earnestly promised by Max Blumenthal, a bookmaker, who con- sidered Mrs. Clark his sweetheart. At the time that Mrs. Corbett consulted Howe & Hummel, Mr. Lake, her father, told a re- porter that his daughter was unable to longer endure Corbett’s attentions to the Clark woman. Mr. Lake told of certain incriminating evidence, and the theory that Mrs. Clark was to be named as co-respond, ent was strengthened. Some time later, however, a Chicago paper printed a story implicating Vera Stanwooa, or Stanley, and the heavy- weight champion. Letters from Corbett were reproduced, and the idea was con- veyed thav it was Corbett’s intention to secure a divorce from his wife and marry Miss Stanwood. These are two of the women mentioned in connection with the*suit, and previous to the hearing this afternoon before Ref- eree Edward Jacobs at 335 Broadway, it was said that a third woman was mixed ur in the case. Corbett’s attorney is David A. Sullivan, and Mrs. Corbett is repre- rented by Abe Hummel. It was just 2 o’clock when Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Howe, mrs. Corbett and a woman friend entered Referee Jacobs’ office. Mrs, Corbett was showily dressed in a blue- striped shirc waist, dark skirt, tan shoes, black club necktie, sailor hat, veil and yel- low gloves. She is a handsome young woman, plump and of medium height, with hazel eyes and curly blonde hair. She wore large diamond earrings and carried a black parasol in a natty manner. Her companion, also & young woman, wasa brunette and pleasing. Mr. Humme! nounced that she was a member of the Corbett Theatrieal Company, but refused to give her name. K said, however, that she appeared as Mrs. Corbett’s friend and as a witness against the pugilist. Counsel Sullivan wanted the hearing held behind closed doors. He said he had promised the fighter that the proceedings should not be made public. Mr. Hummel said he had been obliged to agree to this, too. ¥ “I won’t permit,” promptly declared Mr. Jarobs in positive tone. ‘“There shall be just as much publicity here as in a courtroom, where everybody may come.” *But I have promised Mr. Sullivan that the proceegings shall be held behind closed doors,” pleaded Mr. Hummel, “andI am a man of my word.” pears as Blanche Howard. Mr. Hummel began: ' You are an actress? lam. p 3 How long have you been in the profession? Five years, Have you ever traveled with the company controlled by the defendant? Yes, with his “Gentleman Jack Company.” How long have you been with the company? I entered Mr. Corbett’s employ two years ago. T have been with him since, with the exception of the time he spent in London. State what occurred during the first season you were with him? Nothing of importance. In January, 1895, and from that timeon, ‘where was Mrs. Corbett? Living with her father here in New York. Was any person seen by you frequently in the company of the defendant about January of this year?. Yes. Who? A woman known as Vera. Did you subsequently see this lady in Mr. Corbett’s companionship? Idid. ‘Where was the plaintiff at that time? Here in New York. Did this Vera whom you have mentioned join the company? Bhe was with us on several occasions. ‘Was she an actress? Not that I know of. ‘Was she a member of the company? ‘Well, she didn’t act. Tell us something of the time Miss Vera came to Mr. Corbett. She was with him in lots of cities where I didn’t see them—New Orleans— “Objection,” from Mr. Sullivan. The referece ruled the answer out, and Miss King told where she had seen the two to- gether. Isaw them together in Parkersburg, W.Va., April 11, 1895; Charleston, W. Va., April 12; Louisville, Ky., April 16, 17 and 18; Indian- apolis, April 18, 19 and 20; Cincinnati, for the ‘week beginning April 21; St. Louis, for a week beginning April 28. From April to the close of the season did this Jady travel continuously with Mr. Corbett’s company? Yes. Did you see her frequently in his dressing- room while he was dressing? Yes. ‘Was the door closed? Yes. 2 ‘Was she in the habit of waiting around the theater while he was on the stage and going ‘with him to a hotel aiter the performance? Yes. Did she stay at same hotel where he was staying? Yes. Do you remember traveling from Cincinnati to St. Louis and leaving the latter place after the performance on Saturday night? Yes. ‘Were Corbett and Vera on the train? Yes. . Did they occupy the same stateroom on the train? Yes. At what time did they enter the stateroom? ‘About midnight. Did they close the door when they entered? Yes. ‘What was Vera known as? Oontinued on Second Page. SHOCKS THE CLERGY, Chicago Preachers Take Mrs. Stanford to Task. SETS A BAD EXAMPLE, They Say She Should Not Sell Brandy, Even for the University. BUT ONE DISSENTING VOICE. Dr. Howard Johnson Sees No Harm In Her Method of Ralsing Funds. CHICAGO, Irv., July 15.—The Chicago clergy is emphatic in its disapproval of the announced intention of Mrs. Leland Stan- ford, widow of the California Senator, of disposing of 1,000,000 gallons of brandy from her vineyard for the benefit of the Stanford University. Several of the lead- ing ministers were interviewed to-day, and all, save one, denounced the 1dea. “Her excuse that it will be used for medicinal purposes is all poppycock,” de- clared the Rev. G. E. Mitchell of the Cal- vary Presbyterian Church. *A nice col- lege, indeed, to send young men to! Do you think any professor would dare advo- cate temperance there? 1 most certainly would oppose sending any Christian youth to a college supported by the sale of liquor. Mrs. Stanford can afford to furnish an example by making grapejuice and push- ing that article, but the idea of making the gift to the university a cloak for this in- famous traffic!” Another clergyman, who would not allow his name to be mentioned, said: “It will have the same result as those nearer Chicago have met with.. There is a great university, semi-religious, not as far away as California, where any speech on ‘monopolies is carefully read before de- livery by the professors, and if it is too radical the student is likely to get a per- manent vacation, but his speech will never be delivered at that college. It will be the same at the Stanford University. Any professor who dares to talk of temperance will have to go. It will be the same with the students there—they will be muzzled.” The Revs. H. W. Carewardine, Walter H. Reynolds, C. E. Morse, Dr. H. W. Bolton and in fact every clergyman save one, seen by THE CALL correspondent, was bitterly opposed to Mrs, Stanford’s scheme, and regarded the ‘‘medicinal purpose” story merely as a cloak, The one excep- tion was the Rev. Howard Johnson of the Forty-first street Presbyterian Church. “I see not the slightest harm in Mrs. Stanford making brandy for medicinal purposes,” he declared, “and the univer- sity should be glad to get the money.” Mr. Johnson was indignant at the sug- gestion that all of the brandy might not be soid for medicinal purposes. “Mrs. Stanford will probably instruct her agents to sell it only for the purpose she intends it for,” he said. ‘When asked if he thought the university should accept the proceeds if the brandy were sold for any other than medicinal purposes, Mr. Johnson explained that this question had not come up, and until it did he was not prepared to state just what should be done, but that, as far as he was concerned, he would not feel disposed to accept contributions to his church from bona-fide liquor-dealers. The Rev. Dr. John Rusk declared that it was a shame that the university should be brought into such odium by Mrs. Stanford’s act. “But as she is determined to make brandy,” he said, ““I hope she will make a very pure article. 1f Mrs. Stanford would only lead the people up to appreciate purity, even in liquor, and establish a branch in her university to inculcate a de- sire for unfermented drinks, she might do more to solve the temperance question than all the prohibition and Woman's Christian Temperance Union fanatics.”” MTACAED Y ASSSSINS Ex-Premier Stambouloff Fatally Wounded at Sofia. Stabbed and Shot by Unknown Men While Returning From a Club. SOFIA, July 15.—While ex-Premier Stambouloff, accompanied by M. Petkoff, was walking home this evening from the Union Club, he was attacked by four un- known men, two of whom shot him with revolvers, while the other two stabbed him. M. Stambouloff fell to the ground groan- ing. He was removed to his residence and physicians were summoned. After an examination of the wounds the doctorsanncunced that there was little hopes of his recoyery. M. Stambuloff was injured in more than twenty places. He raised bis hands to guard his head and his wrists were nearly severed. Both handshad to beamputated. M. Pelkoff was slightly wounded. One of the assassins has been arrested. Sefsiplmy ALL DATES CANCELED. Cornell’s Glee Club Not in Demand in England. LONDON, Exe., July 15.—A. L. Puente, manager of the Cornell Club, in an inter- view concerning the management of the Cornell crew says: ‘“Previons to the race I had received many letters requesting dates for concerts for the Cornell Glee Club and bookings had been made in different parts of Great Britain. Since the race 1 have received letters and telegrams canceling these en- gagements, othing could have been more unfortunate for us than the result of the race that the umpire gave to Cor- nell. I think the Cornell crew should have given the Leanders anotlier chance. In any event our chances are killed in Eng- Jand on account oi the fiasco. It must have cost $5000 to send the crew here, for it cost 5: ul:.t" least $8000 to bring over the Gles