The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 25, 1895, Page 16

16 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1895. GOVERNOR BUDD WANTS AN INVESTIGATION. THE CufsF EXECUTIVE A FRIEND OF FISH AND GAME. HE BLAMES PATROLMEN. PoINT PEDRO HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED SINCE LAST AUGUST. ALFRED V. LA MOTTE'S VIEWS. IT Is SuGGESTED THAT THE FISH CommissioN Is No Goob TO CALIFORNIA. It is evident from interviews with Com- missioner Murdoch and Patrolman Bab- cock vesterday that the Fish Commission- ers have unlimited faith in the patrolmen in their employ. It is reasonable to sup- pose that the Commissioners, knowing that the fish are being caught by the ton and dried for fertilizing purposes in far away (China, will begin an investigation and find out who is to blame. It has been said that the Chinese who are engaged in the occupation are never molested by the proper officers, and the presence of the piles of drying fish is substantial evidence that the statement is true. Commissioner Murdoch admitted that he did not know of such practice among the Chinese, and Patrolman Babcock was in ignorance of the true state of affairs until informed by a CALL reporter. There are a great many charges against the com- mission that ought to wake that body up, even though it only be for a matter of self- protection. Men who have been in the employ of the commission claim that the Mongolians use money to save themselves from being molested, and as they are still in the business it makes things look a little tis! M Murdoch and Mr. Babcock claim that there is not sufficient money to run | | might as well be withdrawn, as far as any | practical results are concerned. |~ “Take, for instance, the manner in which the Italian fishermen throw away the fish | they cannot seil at their own price. Daily | their boats come in loaded with fish. If | they cannot sell all the fish they take the | remainder far out into the bay and dump | them overboard for the gulls, thousands of | the birds hovering about the boats and | picking up the fish as fast as they can be shoveled into the water. “It is no use to follow them in the com- | mission launch, for when they see it com- | ing they simply close their hatches, and | by the time the deputies reach the scene the gulis have removed all evidence that any infraction of the law has occurred. The deputies also drag for the sturgeon | lines that hamper the mudflats, but with little or no success, as the launch is well known and her approach is the signal for | the withdrawal of the lines and the hous- ing of all evidence that might incriminate the owners. Under present conditions the efforts to enforce the laws—which are in the main good—are a farce. “The only remedy is legislation which will give the commission a large number of paid deputies, to so harass the fish pirates that they cannot keep up their nefarious work. 1f each county had a fish and game warden some aid might be given the com- | mission, but the counties are slow in as- | suming the expense of such officials, and | in the meantime both fish and game are being destroyed. “The Chinese are also working great damage to our fish supply by yearly taking | hundreds of tons of shrimps, the natural | food of the fish, out of our waters and ex- | porting them to China in the dried state. | Legislation preventing the exportation of | shrimps in any form would put a stop to | this, and the effect, in the increased num- | ber of fish taken, would soon be noticeable.” Fish Commissioner Murdock was seen | yesterday regarding the charges against the deputies of the commission, and stated | that he did not believe a single charge made against them. It is said among other things that the commission has been used for blackmail,”” | began Mr. Murdock, “‘and I will give $100 cash to any man who can provesuch a statement. What has been done in the past has no bearing on my connection with the commission, and I am positive | missioners nothing crooked has been done either by myself or any of my asso- that since I have been one of the Com- ! the commission properly, which may be | true, but it nevertheless stands that cer- - =2 tain aceusations have been made that are | PTOYeN bimself to be eflicient, honorable e d 2 | and worth his salary. If anything wrong not to be laid at the door of the State for |y, peen done in the past I am notfamiliar its failure in not providipg a larger appro- | iy "o (0% 1 the Past S ating | "I doubt very much that any deputy ST nlr]ma were :Tlxvyzgnrxs ‘08 | ever received $2500 & month from the h“”n,f‘“ lon L) DD TR fishermen, as it is not possible for the Fish Commission it would not con- : s the number of boats engaged in the busi- gonsiticiorimefolipis ke I .o | ness to pay that sum from the profits of California is now appropriating $17,500 | ¢ yyginess, There are at present about per annum to protect and propagate the | 1 ty twq hoats engaged in the occupation fish of the State, but it appears that a| ¢ gy imp fishing, and at the time suggested great many of them receive no protection | n TrE CALL there was not many over forty. whatever and the propagation is injured | yp SF S FIEE BASA0TFIANY OVEE OEY, by the demand of China for fertilizing | o "%, 7 P00 BoCT AT0 B o8 O AHeC ciates. Every man in our employ has material. The Commissioners promptly denied all accusations against the board and offer to listen to any com- plaints that may be made against them on the 31st of October, but will they take any steps to add additional evidence to the testimony and material that will be offered on that occasion? It is held by many people that the com- mission, under its present methods and capital, is almost useless to California and the State would be better off if it were abolished. That it needs more money is evident, and that it is practically unable to carry out the func- tions for which it was created is also clear, but its inability to do the work prescribed should not justify its attaches engaging in side occupations that are more lucrative to them at the illegal sacrifice of several millions of young fish daily. Alfred V. La Motte, who is in the em- ploy of the San Francisco and North Pa- | cific Coast Railroad, has been following the fortunes of the food fishes of the Pacific Coast and fighting for their preservation for more than thirty years past, and prob- ably knows more about their gradual but sure extermination than any man in the State. In his zeal Mr. La Motte has accom- plished things which no Commissioner has ever been able to compass, though to do so he has called on the deputies of the commistion for their evidence. About a year ago Mr. La Motte began to realize that unless the market fishing at the mouih of the Russian River was stopped the streams which are tributary to that waterway would become barren of trout. Almost every steelhead entering the river to spawn was taken in the nets, and the trout supply was growing smaller year by year. The only remedy was to procure county legislation, and to that end Mr. La Motte appeared before the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County and by a clear statement of the case and by calling upon Chief Deputy Fish Com- missioner Babcock for his evidence ob- tained an ordinance closing the mouth of the river to market fishermen. The result was apparent this year in the increased number of trout found in the tributaries of the river. Other counties having streams emptying into the ocean are expected to follow So- noma’s lead and drive away the rascals who are depriving the residents of the banks of the streams of a source of sport and food supply. ~‘The time has come,” he said yesterday, “‘when a reorganization of the present system of protecting Pacific Coast fish must take place, or we may as well throw up our hands and let them go to their fate. “The commission and its Tesources, as they are now constituted, are wholly in- adequate to cope with the fish pirates and robbers of streams who take every oppor- tunity to violate the laws, knowing that they can be almost sure of escaping detec- tion or correction. *“With reports of illegal salmon-fishing from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and Suisun Bay, and rnmors of sturgeon lines covering the mudflats of the upper bay, to say nothing of the predatory bands of market fishermen who daily vio- late the law in all parts of the bay, the four patrolmen are kept on the wing at all times of the day and night, and while they evidently try to do their best they are sim- ply unable to cope with the matter and have | know, as I have never been there. I have always accepted the report of my Deputy Commissioners, and they have reported that there was nothing wrong at that fish- ing canip.” “Who was the last deputy there?” was asked. “‘Mr. Babcock will be better able to tell you, as they are all under his charge. He | will be here in a momentand will give you | the information touching upon the loca- tion of any of the Commissioners employed on any day of the year and tell what they were doing at given points. “If the law has been broken I am as anxious to get at the seat of the infractions as any man in the country, but our force of patrolmen is inno way sufficient to meet the demands for vigilance. The com- mission has six men 1n the State of Cali- fornia to protect the fish and game. They are Messrs. Babcock, Wilson, McFarland and Davis, who operate in and around the bay, while Fletcher is located in Southern California,and Heutisis patrolling in Hum- boldt and Mendocino counties. At the present time Davis and McFar- land are laid off, as the appropriation is running low, and as a matter of fact we are left with but four to vatrol the entire State. Do you consider that a sufficient | quantity of men to keep the game and fish laws free from being broken? There are several thousand officers of the law in the State who are trying to prevent petty lar- ceny, murder and arson, but they very frequently fail in their attempts. Is it not reasonable to suppose, therefore, that the Fish and Game Commissioners should oc- casionally elip up when they have but six men to cover the whole State? “It is all nonsense to expect us to pro- tect ail the fish and game in California, and it is reasonable to suppose that many fishermen will take advantage of us when we are not in the vicinity where the law is being broken. “It seems as though people take special delight in jumping on us whenever we make mistakes or are, through the insuf- ficiency of our patrol force, unable to cover the State with vigilant guards and watch- men of the fish and game. They do not, however, make any great fuss over the improvements we have made in the com- mission, nor do they seem to recognize the fact that we have made better hatching records by three fold than has ever been made by our predecessors. The office of Fish Commissioner is withont salary, and 1 find it is necessary to give up a great deal of my time to attend to the duties that are’always confronting me. I would like to get out if possible and do it with a clean record, but I do not propose to be crowded out to make room for some poli- tical scheme that will do the Fish Com- mission more harm than good. ‘“Just as long as there is a combination to down me I will stand to my post, and when I retire it will b: with a decent record. It is false that we have received tribute, and just as far as possible the fish and game laws of California have been en- forced. I have no fear of the result in this matter and it does not worry me in the least. “On the 31st of this month there will be a meeting of the Commissioners, and any- body who has any charges to bring can appear before us and get a hearing. If there is any corruption I want to know 1t, and Mr. Emeric does also. We want to be informed of the existence of any sharp Highest of 2l in Leavening Power.— Latest U. S. Gov't Report RoYal _ABSOLUTELY PURE | Baking Powder work among our deputies if it exists, but I am of the belief that it will be discovered that the entire commission is straight and above criticism. Tt is said that we have stocked private ponds, which is not true. We have stocked the Spring Valley lakes, and everybody around San Francisco who cares to fish has enjoyed fishing there. The lakes are near San Francisco and there is no privacy about them. You asked me if we stocked the ponds ot the Country Club. No. They got all thieir spawn from the East and we never gave them a fish. We have printed on our blanks, *No fish will be supplied to private ponds,” and everybody knows of this rule. Some years ago we settled that point and it has always been observed. “If these charges amount to anything let the men who make them come before the commission on the 31st and we will give them all the opportunity and assistance they require to prove them.” John P. Babcock, who is really the execu- tive officer of the board, was much more concerned about the matter than his supe- rior officer and seemed to take it quite to beart. “I do rot understand,” he said, “why such glaring charges are made against the Fish Commissioners and myself. Of course 1 was not directly charged with anything, but as I am really the channel through which all the minor business is conveyed to the Commissioners, I feel that Iffhave been badly treated.” T really consider it a shame that the matter should be so lightly treated when the truth is not known. “I have been with the commission five years. 1 attend to the patrolmen, the hatcheries, the shioment of spawn and fish and am directly responsible for various things that might arise in the transaction of business with the commis- sion. The patrolmen under my charge are honorable and experienced men, and I do not believe that any of them would be guilty of blackmail. I see by THE CALL this morning that a former deputy claims to have made about $2500 a month to per- mit the Chinese to catch and dry small fish in enormous quantities, but care is taken to avoid mention of the man’s name. Ishould like very much to know who he is, for I do not believe that such a thing is possible. If the impression goes abroad that past deputies demanded tribute from the Chinamen what is to prevent the people from thinking that a similar practice is in vogue among the present deputies. I see that Mr. John Ennis says that ihe Chinese used to pay tribute to the patrolmen, and he hints that as the business is flourishing it looks as though they were still paying cash for silence. I do not know Mr. Ennis to speak of, but I do know that he wanted to get a position under the present commis- sion not long ago and failed. *““When were you at Point Pedro last, Mr. Babcock?” ““July 20.” “Were there any evidences of young fish having been taken to dry? Did you see piles of them as pictured in T CaLL of yesterday 2" “Not the slightest. There was nothing to show that such practice was in vogue. There were plenty of shrimps, and the small fish which are bound to get in the nets were returned to the water by the Chinese as they had been instructed. In fact, I have never seen the stack of dried fish referred to in Tre CALL, and I did not know they were ®ere until Mr. White, a Carr reporter, told me he had seen them himself.” “Do you believe Mr. White?” “Yes, Ido. He was my guest on a trip up the San Joaquin not long ago, and I do not doubt his word.” “How do you account for the fish there now?” “It is probably because patrolmen are busy protecting the salmon in the San Joaquin and Sacramentorivers and Suisun Bay. They have been engaged there night and day for the past few weeks, and we have had no guards on the coast. Mr. Davis and Mr. McFarland have been taken off the patrol and are not engaged now. Mr. Wilson is in Suisun Bay, and I have just returned from the headwaters of the San Joaquin River where we have been putting np a new hatchery at Battle Creek, Tehama County. Thusit will be seen that we have had no men to patrol the Chinese camps. We are hampered by a lack of men and money to carry out the fish and game laws, and whenever we are absent from points that need attention I have no doubt the law is defied.” *Who was the last patrolman at Point Pedro?” “Mr. Davis. He was there in August and reported that everything was all right. I believe he toid the truth.” ““Was the prohibited sturgeon gear much in use?” ““It has been used considerably, but we have captured a good deal of it. We cap- tured 800 feet of it in Honker Bay, and [ still have it in my possession. I have no doubt the Chinese use it whenever it is possible, but we are stopping a great deal of it. “I am satisfied of one thing, and that is that the commission is hampered by the lack of funds to properly operate. In New York State they have $125,000 and we are six times larger. We have $17,500 per an- num, and at the present time we are economical in all our movements. We do all it is possible to do in the matter of pro- tecting and propagating the fish, and the scarcity of patrolmen is no fault of ours. We have hatched in the last year over 13,000,000 spawn as against 4,000,000 of the previous year. All of those things are ap- parently overlooked, and the slightest loophole through which we can be assailed is entered and our reputations are ma- ligned. I have done the best I could, as have others of the commission, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that I have been honest in all my transactions with and for the State.” Commissioner Emeric departed for his home near Point Pedro at an early hour vesterday and was not interviewed. Com- missioner Murdoch is authority for the statement that Mr. Emeric is convinced that the patrolmen are doing their duty satisfactorily and will not be molested by the commission unless some of the charges can be sustained. If certain information is to be believed, TuE CALL'S expose of the loose methods of the patrolmen has already begun to have its effect on the commission. It is stated on good authority that Patrolman Wilson is cruising arcund the vicinity of Point Pedro disguised as a hunter in a duckboat, and that he is watching the Chinamen and dragging the bay for prohibited appliance. If this sort of vigilance had been intro- duced some months ago, there would be less injury done to the fish to-day. e GOVERNOR BUDD AROUSED. He Wiil Have an Investigation of the Cali- fornia State Fish Commission Deputies. SACRAMENTO, Cir., Oct. 24. — The statement made by Fish Commissioner Morrison, as published in this morning’s CALL, has called forth considerable com- ment among local sportsmen and those interested in gdme protection in this local- ity.* Those who have made personal in- vestigation into the matter agree thor- oughly with what Mr. Morrison has said. The probability is that unless something is speedily done in the premises the natural game preserves of the State will become barren of game life owing to acts of unchecked vandalism which without doubt are being perpetrated throughout the State. Itisa source of infinite grief to -the true sportsman. This feeling on the part of the sportsmen is the deeper owing to the fact that proper laws prop- erly administered would preserve the game within the confines of the State for all time to come. The market-hunter and fisherman is no- toriously shortsighted. He fails to under- stand the law of increase and looks only at the profits immediately in sight, nor can any amount of argument educate him to a better understanding. The sportsmen declare that the laws should be stringently enforced without fear or favor for the pro- tection of the market-hunter as well as the true lover of the rod and gun. The very fact that the game of Sacramento County has received such efficient protec- tion during the past season and hasin- creased-with more rapidity than ever be- fore known through the efforts of our de- termined deputy, seems to be prima facie evidence that the wholesale violation of the law, as expressed through the columns of THE CALL, can certainly be put an end to should proper deputies be employed. In speaking of the matter Governor Budd, who is himself a sportsman of sportsmen, said : : THE CALL is all right, and I am glad that this matter has been openly ventilated, if such gross infractions of the law are taking place, and I see no cause to doubt the truth of the as- sertions. It must cease, even if stringent methods have to be employed. Ihaveread the statement of Commissioner Morrison, and have written him on the subject. 1 have elso written the members of the commission in San Francisco, and I will personally Jend them every a1d in my power to bring all offenders to Justice. I donot think that the blame lies o much with the members of the commission as it does with their deputics. At all events I shall make a thorough investigation of the matter and take immediate steps to have the evil obviated. For some weeks past I have been investigating th@subject during my sick- ness and while domiciled on the Polliwog in Suisun Bay I was visitea by several fishermen who pointed out several seeming incomsist- encies in the fish and game law, and I directed that & copy of the following letter be forwarded to every Sheriff throughout the State: SACRAMENTO, October 4, 1895, Sir: Would you be kind enough to furnish the Governor with the information and meake the suggestions in reply to the following ques- tions: First—How have the fish and game laws passed by the late Legislature operatea in your county, and what, if any, changes therein ‘would you suggest? Second—Have said laws been generally en- forced and obeyed in your county? Third—Has there been any open or extensive violations of these laws, and if 0 in what par- ticulars, and what endeavors have been made to punish the offenders? As Sheriff you have the opportunity, per- sonsally and through deputies and Constables, of gaining the information desired, and the Governor would consider it a faver if you would furnish the same as early as possible. E. D. McC ABE, Private Secretary. 1 have received answers from many of these officials which as yet I prefer not to make public. Many of them contain some very ex- cellent suggestions, especially those relating to preservation of deer. As the law stands at present the open season begins while the male of this species are lying in the higher moun- tain elevations, and at the outset many does and fawn are slaughtered by mistake. Later in the season the bucks frequent the valleys and the does retire to the' mountains, and this should be the proper time to fix upon for the oven season. As for the alleged infraction of the fish iaws I shall insist that the commis- sion (ake active steps to punish the offenders. The only difficulty is the smallness of the ap- propriation applicable to this purpose. R. J. Irvine of the Bureau of Highways, who is also an enthusiast on all matters relating to field sports, said: I am fully in accord with Mr. Morrison on this subject, and I believe that stringent methods should be employed to put a stop to any further violation of the law. I was prob- ably the first person in the State to advocate the formation of laws for the protection of game throughout the State, and the way the matter was brought to_my attention was this: In the early seventies I conducted a saddlery establishment in Sacramento, and one day an old hunter came to my place with 250 deer hides for sale. In sorting the pelts I happened to inquire what became of the carcasses, and he informed me that he left them where they fell to become food for the coyotes. Icould immediately perceive the possibility of the utter extermination of the deer throughout tne State, and I mentioned the facts to an intimate friend, who was & mem- ber of the Legislature then in session. He, agreeing with me on the subject. drew up & bill which was passed without cavil. 1 have always {nterested myself in game pres- ervation from that time, and Iam earnest in my assertion that the very efficient fish and game 1aws now in vogue should be strictly en- forced. I fully believe that every word pub- lished in THE CALL as to the infraction of the laws is absolute truth, and in my travels over the country, in the interests of the Bureau of Highways, I have had gross infractions of the Inw brought under my personal observa- tion, notably was the fact at Knights Ferry and Merced Falls, as at both places I saw salmon which had been captured with spears: I believe the real solution of the matter is to employ & elass of fearless, resolute deputies, recompense them liberally and transfer them from time to time to various portions of the State as their identity becomes known to the law-breakers of any one locality. When an arrest is made have the offender prosecuted to the full extent of the law. ‘Warden Charles Aull said : In my opinion the fish of California are doomed, and it is but a matter of a few years when all the species which seek the head waters of the various rivers of the State for the purposes of propagation will become extinct. There is at the present day hardly a river whose course is not obstructed with a dam which makes it an impossibility for the fish to reach their breeding-grounds, and unless effec- tive steps are taken at once to provide some remedy for this evil, it means extinction. It is not 5o long ago that salmon ran up the Ameri- can River, but one is rarely if ever seen in those waters at the present day, and in my opinion the apparently unmolested fishing of the Chinese and othersin the vicinity of San Frencisco means extinction to all species that inhabit those waters. Commissioner J. M. Morrison said this evening that he had received the following letter from the Governor: M. Morrison Esq.—DEAR S1R: Your statement to me during our brief interview that you took a trip to Rio Vista, on the Sacramento River, and saw evidences of open and flagrant viola- tion of the fish law of the State, callsfor prompt and vigorous action on your part. Iurge that without delay you follow up your information and prosecute every person against whom you can gather evidence of such violation. I would suggest that you report all the evidence in your possession to the Board of Fish Commissioners, also that you inform the Sheriffs of the coun- ties whero the law is being violated. Any as- sistance I can give you will be furnished. Yours truly, JamEs H. BUpD, Governor., ““Now that letter is all right, but then the question arises, suppose I send a man or two down in that vicinity to collect the required evidence and my action is not ap- proved by other members of the commis- sion, as T have reason to believe it would Dot be; who wiil be responsible for the vayment of my agents? If I putin aclaim it will lie before the Board of Examiners for a year or more. Now I think that the other members of the board should hold a meeting at the State capital and decide on some method to be pursued in dealing with this violation of the fish laws. That these violations of the law in the vicinity of Rio Vista are of daily occurence can be only too true, as my sources of information are perfectly authentic. From Rio Vista down the river, sturgeon, bass and salmon are captured at all seasons of the year by the thousand, by the Chinese and Portu- guese fishermen, and although these facts hgwe been reported time and again, not the slightest effort has been pat forth to stop these proceedings. Let the president of the board call a meeting, and he will find me always willing to co-operate in any way to prevent and bring these trans- gressors to justice, but I do not see how I can act in my individual capacity.” Captain J. P. Dalton, who served as chief deputy of the Fish Commission for two years a number of years ago, said: There is probably far more truth than poetry in the articles which have been published in THE CALL. The fish and game laws are grossly violated in the State; they were when I was in the employ of the commission; they are to- day, only that, in my opinion, they are broken Wwith more {mpunity at present than they were in former years. When I resumed the position of deputy and found any illegal nets and cap- tured them I meade ita point to take the nets {rom the water and burn them up. The result was that fine nets pecame extremely unpopu- lar among the fishing fraternity. To-day when deputies are only empowered to take the nets from the river to be used asevidence and not destroyed the owners appear in court, plead guilty, pay s nominal fine of $20 and reset their nets. I have no hesitation in saying that I could easily find 500 illegal nets in the river between here and the mouth of the Feather. It hasalways been a hard matter to convict a white man on the charge of illegal fishing, and it has been & simple impossibility to secure conviction in case of the arrest of a Chinaman. They employ the shrewdest legal advisers and demand jury trials and invariably 8o scot free. The greatest difficulty I encoun- tered was the perfect indifference shown in the prosecution of these cases by the different Dis- trict Attorneys in the counties where they oc- curred. At one time I was compelled to dis- miss four cases of illegal fishing at Rio Vista because the District Attorney refused or ne- glected to take any action in the prosecution, even though I had positive evidence of their CONSUL MILLS ARRIVES HE COMES DIRECT FROM THE RE- CENTLY INFECTED ISLANDS OF HAWAIL THE DISEASE IS DYING OUT. Two DEATHS OCCURRED ON THE Marrposa DURING THE RuN FRoM AUSTRALIA. Consul-General Ellis Mills arrived from Hawaii on the steamer Mariposa yester- day. He went all through the revolution of two years ago, but declines to make any statement in regard to the present stand- ing of the republic. “What I think of the present condition of affairs is already on record at Washing- ton,” said he, “‘but for publication I can only say, ‘gentlemen, please consider the position I am in.’ If I was nota repre- | sentative of the United States I would freely give you all the information I could. “In regard to the cholera. There were eighty-seven deaths before we left, but the disease or epidemic, or whatever you want to call it, was thoroughly under control long before the Mariposa sailed. All the passengers who came aboard were fumi- gated, and all the cargo that came up on the steamer from the islands was brought from non-infected ports. “In the cholera scare the Hawaiian | Governmsnt acted with promptitude and dispatch. The natives drank water from their taro patches and thus got the cholera. UNITED STATES CONSUL-GENERAL ELLIS MILLS OF HAWAII, guilt. 1did secure the conviction of China- men at one time. Iarrested these men near Isleton and took them to that piace. I hunted up the Justice of tne Peace and found him playing cards in a saloon. As he abso- lutely refused to take charge of the men I had to take them to Sacramento. They were tried, | convicted, released on straw bonds and disap- peared. I have never known a case of arrest for 1llegal fishing by & peace officer—they fear the consequence of failing of re-election. THE watermark Bank Stock is in every sheet of Bank Stock paper, none genuine without it. For students, clerks, etc., it is invaluable as an eye-preserver. The Myell-Rollins Company, 22 Clay st. * SHIT H LITILE SSTER RESULT OF FRANK MCCONNELL'S SPORT WITH HIS FATHER'S PISTOL. THE DAUGHTER OF A SAILMAKER Dies FrRom A WouND Accl- DENTALLY GIVEN. Little Cecilia McConnell, the daughter of James F. McConnell, a sailmaker living at 1320 Natoma street, died early yester- day morning at her home as the result of a gunshot wound inflicted by her brother Frank, aged 12 years. The shooting was entirely accidental, and occurred on Tuesday evening last. The children had been playing at stage robbers, Frank being the highwayman and his sister the intended victim. To carry out the play he ran into an ad- joining room and procured a small 22- caliber revolver belonging to his father. As his sister followed him he presented the revolver at her head and ordered her to throw up her hands. The boy contin- ued playing with the revolver, when it suddenly went off and a bullet was lodged in his sister's left eye, whence it plowed its way into her brain. She fell unconscious to the floor and Frank rushed to his mother, who was in another room, to tell of the terrible acci- dent. She became almost frantic with grief, and for some little time was unable to send for a physician. Dr. J. Fraser was finally sent for and undertook the double task of caring for the mother and child, t!}; latter evidently being' beyond hnman aid. She remained unconscious until 3 o’clock yesterdn morning, when she passed away. The mother is in a serious condition, and {fears are entertained that she will not sur- vive the shock of her danghter's death. The case was reported at the Morgue, but the body was not brought to that insti- tution, the father waiving an inquest and asking that he be ullowe§ to bury his child quietly. The boy hardly realizes the con- siguenceu of his act. Cecelia was 8 years old. ——————— ‘WEAR ordinary underwear, keep your cold; wear Jaros hygienic underwear; lose it; nealth, money saver. Morgan Bros., 239 Montgomery. . ——— Fire Caused by Thieves. The fire in the dweiling of Mrs. M. J. McCoy at 1831 Ellis street early yesterday morning was caused by thieves throwing lighted matches into a’ pile of refuse while stealing lead pipe from the basement of the building. The damage was $25. e e e Jaroshygienic underwear is made for intelli- gent people ; others prefer cheapstuff ; constant colds. Sense saves dollars. Morgan’s, 229 Montg. —————— Entertainment Postponed. Owing to the serfous illness of the Rev. D. Hanson Irwin, pastor of St. John's Presby- terian Church, the entertainment which was 1o have taken place at the church this evening has been postponed. ALL doctors don't prescribe the same medi- cine; all good doctors recommend Jaros hygi- enic underwear. Morgan Bros., 229 Montgry. A Meat-Dealer Assigns. John Wuthrich, a meat-dealer in this City for thirty-one years, has fafled, with Jiabilities of $4076 and assets of $1750. “Jerry Driscoll, p?g%;im," is down as a debtor to the amount of . —————— TrRE whole family kept well with Jaros Hy- glenic underwear. Morgan Bros., 229 Montgy. It is an epidemic that isliable to break out in any of the islands of the Pacific, and will be equally as virulent under similar circumstances, “From the taro root the Hawaiians make ‘poi,” and that is their principal ar- ticle of food. The taro will only grow in low-Iylnf ground where there is plenty of water. In consequence the natives seek swampy ground in which to plant the tuber that is to support them during the months of scarcity. Last season there was no rain, and when the usual water gave out the natives drank the wateron taro patches. Of course many of them died, and the physicians truly classed it as cholera, “In the meantime President Dole and his associates were not idle. They had all the taro patches drained and a_perfect system of sewerage inaucurated. Everything pos- sible to guard against the spread of the epidemic was done, and the result was that it was soon brought under control. In the case of the Australia, over which so much has been said in the California papers, I personally saw to_ it that no con- tagion was communicated to her. The men never left the ship for an instant, and the stevedores who took freight from her were stripped naked and fumigated before they were allowed to board the steamer. Everything that went aboard was sub- jected to a rigid test, and no precautions were left unobserved that would prevent the spread of the plague.” Consul-General Mills is only up for a holiday. Three times has he attempted to get away on a leave of absence, but on each occasion something has turned up in the island republic that has compelled him to relinquish his intention. He will go from here to Virginia, and after a short stay in the “home of his childhood,” he will return to Hawaii and its perpetual snmmer. *‘It's a beautiful country,” says Mr. Mills, “but I want to see Virginia for a change,” and unconsciously he began to hum “€Vu y Down in Old Virginia,”” as he fixed up the straps on the trunks the Custom-house Inspectors had been exam- ining. The Mariposa had a most eventful ran from Sydney to San Francisco. After leaving "port the butcher’s assistant was found to be a very sick man. His prede- cessor had been taken ill on the run over, and John Green, the man in question, was shipped as a substitute. On October 11, Doctor W. A. Grover said the patient was suffering from inflammation of toe bowels, and although everything possible was done for him, he died that night and was buried at sea. ; A few days later Major Henry Craig Dane, who had been all through the colo- nies on a lecturing toyr, was taken sud- denly ill with heart disease. Everything possible was done for him, but he died on the 15th inst., when the steamer was only a few hours' sail from Honolulu. Major Dane was connected with the Redpath Museum Bureau of Boston for about twenty years, and was_also a member of the General Thomas Post, G. A.R. He was well known in San Fraucisco, and Colonel Smedberg was a personal friend of his. 5 Major Dane was accompanied b§ his wife, and she consented to the body being buried at sea. As soon as Honolulu was reached she -left the steamer and an- nounced her “intention of awaiting the Alameda, which was expected to reach that port the next day en route for Aus- tralia. All Mrs. Dane’s relatives are in Sydney. ‘The following cabin passengers came up on the Mariposa: From Sydney—R. Simpson, Miss Simpson, Mr. Dol‘nll‘ly s Mv. nd Mrup‘oCndde!l. J. Thorn- ton, W, Allan, W. Watt, J. 8. Brooks, E. Cow- 1an, J. E. Pickles, Dr. Harris, Evon Ramberg, Captain C. O. Allan, wife and child, Mr. Al- cutt, wife and four daughters, Frank Shelton, 8. L. Spear, H. A. R. o{, Mrs. Mathner, Miss Mathner, M. T. Hill, wife and two children, Mrs. Jones, Miss Maude Hayward. From Auckland—D. Zyman, A. H. Turnbull, A. E. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Wauchope, Mr. an Mrs. Stuart and son, Mrs. Reimer, Miss M. E. Taylor, Mr. McCandlish, J. P. Swinburne and wite, E. A. Bulkley. From Apia—Mrs. James Mulligan. From Honolulu—Miss E. Helsted, Lieutenant Rose, C. B. Mullins, Miss A. Mullins, Consul- General E. Mills, C. Williams. Mrs. James Mulligan, from Apia, is the wife of the United States Consul-General at that point. Sheis not very much en- amored of the tropics and is only too glad to be back in 8an Francisco. “Tamasese and Malietoa have patched up a peace,” she said yesterday, ‘“‘but Tamasese’s fol- lowers object. hey want to see him King of Samoa, but Malietoa’s friends are too numerous and the Consuls all stand in ‘with him. Of course, they can’t help themselves, as he is the head of the recog- nized Government. Samos I don't like, not even though it is the place where Robert Louis Stevenson made his home. I have no longing for a bed on the floor, & covering of tapa cloth and a pillow made from the cocoanut fiber. As to the mos- quitoes—"’ Lieutenant Rose of the Olympia joined the Mariposa at Honolulu Whils the cruiser was off Lahaina he was laid up with u sunstroke and for a time was in a critical condition. He has recovered in a great measure, however, and will probably be able to report for dut this port. e Verdi will devote the life to the compositior sing years of hig T used often to read the newspaper aloud tomy wife,” said Bert Robinson, ‘‘and once 1 was fairly ‘taken in’ by a patent medicine advertisement. The seductive paragraph began with a modest account of the sea- serpent, but ended by setting forth the vir- tues of Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical Discov- ery, which, it was alleged, was a cure for all ‘Bronchial, Throat and Lung troubles, and would even cure Consumption, if taken in time. The way I was taken in was this : I had lung disease, and I bought a bottle of the remedy; I was a stranger to it, and it took me in—and cured me.”” Robinson’s experience is identical with that of thou- sands of others. So true is this, that after witnessing, for many years, the marvelous cures of Bronchial, Throat and Lung affec. tions wrought by this wonderful remedy, its manufacturers feel warranted in say- ing that this remedy will cure per cent. of all cases of consumption, if taken in the earlier stages of the disease. This may seem like a bold assertion to those familiar only with the means generally in use for its treatment; as, nasty cod liver oil and its filthy emulsions, extract of malt, whiskey, different preparations of hypoe phosplites and such like paliiatives. The photographs of a large number of those cured of consumption, bronchitis, line gering coughs, asthma, chronic nasal catarrh and kindred maladies, have been skillfully reproduced in a book of 160 pages which will be mailed to you, on receipt of address and six cents in stamps. You can then write those cured and learn their experience. Address for Book, WORLD’S DISPENSARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 663 Main Street, Buffalo, N. Y. FIRE! Cloaks. Every garment that was damaged by smoke or water by last night’s fire will be sold at next to nothing prices. STORE OPEN SATURDAY. HATINGE 10 SEE 15 10 BELIEE OME TO US AND YOU WILL J the most wonderiul choice MEN'S WOOL UNDERW EAR everoffered in this market, LOOK! LOOKI! REGULAR $3.00 SUITS. NOW. 2 cases BROWN DERBY RIBBED. FINT, HEA . PUR! WOOL SHIRTS lnd DRAW 2 cases FIN T QUALITY, PURE WOOL, CAM- EL/S-HATR at #1 00—regular 4 cases NATURAL AND CAM HAIR, plain and ribbed, heavy, fine wool, at 50c each. ED SHIRTS ang —worth twice that. 2 cases BROWN HEAVY RIBB DRAW ERS at 37% NEW DEPARTMENT! Boys’ and Youths™ Clothing ! SPECIALS! EXTRA HEAVY KNEE PANTS at 25¢ a palp (all sizes). BOYS’ OVERCOATS at $1 50—half price. BOYS' REEFER SUITS at 8§l 50, $175, $2 00 and $2 50. WOOL CHEVIOT SUITS, ages 4 to 14, at $2 00. YOUTHS' LONG PANTS SUITS at $4 00; worth $7 50. ‘We also carry a large line of MEN'S PANTS ay 21 50, §1 75 and $2 00—best make. ADOLPH SCHOENFELD'S SHIRT DEPOT AND BOYS’ CLOTHING. 1316 MARKET ST., Directly Opposite Seventh. WEAK NERVES, # YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM ANY wenkness of the nervous system or any com- plaint in connection with it try Dr. McKenzie's ceiebrated English nerve treatment. 1t will re- store you, no matter what other remedies have falled. Call or write for circulars to JOY'S, 1 only agent for the United States, All patent medicines sold v Joy’s at reduced tes. Any preparation that you ¢annot get from your druggist you will get at JOY'S, Cor. Market and Powell Sts., SAN FK._\N(LISCO. Wright's Indian Vegetable Pills Are acknowledged by thousands of have used them for over forty vears Wg:r:m e K HEADACHE, GIDDINESS, CONSTIPA. c TION Torpid Liver, Weak Stomach, b1 Surti? the Biood. S e vz