The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 17, 1895, Page 1

e VOLUME LXXVIIL—NO. 170, FIFTEEN PERSONS PLUNGED TO DEATH, th Carelessness ihe Cause of a Frightful Trolley Disaster. HURLED INTO A RIVER. Car and Passengers Fell Through an Open Draw More Thana Hundred Feet. THE MOTORMAN ESCAPED DEATH But the Conductor, Who: Failed to See the Warning Signal, Was Among the Victims. CLEVELAND, Osro, Nov. 16.—A fright- ful accident which occurred early- this evening has suddenly thrown a number of Southside families . in- mourning, ‘and it was all due to the criminal and unexplain- ahle carelessness of a streetcar conductor, who is among the victims of the catas- trophe. - Fifteen persons were kitled. Some ‘of those who were eye-witnesses assert that the motorman, as well as the conductor, was responsible. The accident occurred at 7:35 o’clock at the draw of the Central viaduct, & long stone and iron structure, which crosses a valley and the Cuyahoga River, and connects Jennings avenue on the south side and Central ave- nue -on the east. The. bridge is 120 fest above the river and a draw is immediately above it to admitof the passage of tall- masted vessels. The draw was open for a tug drawing a schooner which: was about to pass be- neath the bridge. As tisual the gates were closed on both sidesof thedraw and danger ghts of red were displayed to guara rainst just snch accidents as occurred to- night. An electric car was seen coming along from the east toward the south side, but Captain Charles Brennan, who has charge of :the bridge, had no thaught of danger, as the usual precautions had been observed. The car was ome of ‘the Cedar and Jennings avenue branch o the big consolidated line and had fifteen passengers, a conductor and motorman aboard. At what is known as the derailing switch, 200 feet from the draw, the con- ductor. mechsnically alighted, as is the nstom of all conductors at this point, to see if all was right.. The car came fo a sadden. standstill - and the motorman waited for orders. The conductor failed to ‘sce the red signal of danger or the closed gates, or perhaps custom. made him careless and hesignaled to the motorman, named Rogers, to come ahead. The motorman turned. on the electric fluid, the conductor jumped aboard the car, which at a terrible speed went rolling toward the araw. Why the motorman did not see the -danger lights or the closed gates sooner than he did will perhaps al- ways remain & mystery, but ‘the: fact re- mains that he did not, When a few feet from the draw it first dawned upon the motorman that thedraw was open. He made frantic efforts to turn off the current, but it was of no avail. The motorman, realizing his own danger, leaped off the front platform just as-the car was nearing the draw, ran down the viaduct in the direction of Central avenue and disappeared. At the same instant two male passengers jumped off the rear platform and escaped death as if by a miracle, for the car had already- crashed into the closed iron gate. The conductor, too, tried _to escape, but it | was useless. A second after the motor had crashed through the gate it reeled before the awful space of 120 feet, steadied for a moment and with a terriffic speed was- hurled downward. Those who saw the accident say that they heard one agonizing chorus of screams and in an instant all was as quiet ‘as death. The car struck upon a projection of pilesin theabutment beneath the draw, then turning and breaking into pieces it leaped into the dark river below, breaking the tow line between the tug and schooner that was passing beneath the draw. A moment after the car struck the river & few suppressed groans were heard by the men who happened to be on the docks belowand then all was over. Men from the bridge above and from the docks yelled to the men on the tug to pick up the people, but thirteen lives were lost, only one m#n and one woman being taken out alive. Within twenty minutes a fireboat, six ambulances, six *‘dead” wagons and a squad of policemen were on the scene. The injured men and women were taken to & hospital. It took many hours of hard and patient work to extricate with ropes the thirteen bodies from the wreckage of the car at the bottom of the Cuyahoga. One by one the bodies were taken to the different under- king establishments in every part of the y. Work of identification was of ex- tremely slow progress. Late to-night when the Southside resi- dents heard of the catastrophe, and when they began to realize that their relatives and friends bad not yet returned home, the undertaking establishments were vis- ited, where one after another the bodies were identified. The police are on the lookout for the motorman. Every part of the city is being searched, but thus far he bas not been apprehended. Among the dead identified up to mid- nightare: Miss Sauernheimer and Mrs. Joh uernheimer, her sister-in-law, of 154 Merchant avenue; Bessie Davies of Noyes street is missing, was traced to the carand is supposed to be among the dead; John Hoflman, the conductor, and Curt Lepleline, a 16-year-old boy, who had a ticket in his " pocket from London, Canada, to Victoria, B. C.; Bes sie - Davies, gchoolteacher of Noyes street, 19 years old; Henry W. Meckelberg, tailor, 38 years old ; Harry W. Foster. clerk at the Root and McBride Company, 51 Mentor avernue, 25 years old; James Mec- Laughlin, printer, 77 Trowbridge avenue, 85 years old; a man named Ferguson. John Ferguson and George Ross saved themselves by jumping: off the platform and Pat Rooney was taken out of the river | alive. The scenes.in Detroit: after.the Journal | accident was: repeated at theviaductdis- | aster,” and undertakers; like ghouls, were | struggling for the possession of the bodies. | The moment the - accident became noised 1 about they hurried to the docks with their | dead wagons and engaged in’ an unseemiy 'wrangle for the: corpses. . In oneinstance | the head of ‘a body ‘was -on orie stretcher; . while employes.of another establishment pulled tne feef over on their own stretcher. The cries of shame from the ¢rowd had no effect, and their.work was kept ap. The frantic relatives of the missing men and women rushed’ about town from one undertaker's establishment to another be- fore: {hey: could discover their beloved | dead; and the police did all'in their power to aid-them. A brother of the Sauern- heimer girl falnted at the police station when lie recognized her shawl . The rela. tives of . the dead ' schoolteacher, Miss Davies, eried most pitéously when they discovered her body in- a west-side under- taking-place some distance from the scene ot the accident. The motorman was found after midnight by two detectives, | and beingists that the reason he ran was because he was panic-stricken, and did not see the gates nor the lights until the crash came, Additional victims of the disaster were identitied as follows: Mrs. A, W. Hoff- man and her son, Harvey G. Hoffman, {10 years ‘old, of 138 Pearl .street; Mrs. .f udt, 22 years old, nurse inthe Northern i Ohio Insane:Asylum. |~ Mzrs. Brown, 10 Thurman street, 45 years ! ald, was identitied by her husband, who fell |in a dead faint.when he beheld the body. | The woman who was taken from the | river alive was Mrs, Sauernheimer, who died in the ambulance. | t { I | | DEPARTED FOR GENOA. 1 The Vanderbilts Met to Sece the Marl- boroughs Leave. NEW YORK. N. Y., Nov. 16.—The Duke | of Marlborough - and his young American { bride satled at 11 o'clock this morning for tenoa, on -the North German Lloyd 1 steamer Fulda. from Hoboken. The de- | parture of the Duke and Duchess was ren- ! dered dramatic, because W. K. Vanderbilt | and Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt, the parents of the Duchess, met on the deck of the steam- {ship, and they exchanged courtesies for | the first time since they were divorced. | Among those on the pierto see the Duke and Duchess off were, besides the imme- | diate family, the bridesmaids and ushers who officiated at. the ~wedding and the i young bride’s schooigirl friends. et Bt COLD-BLOODED MURDER. Berry’s Private Detectives Must Answer for Killing White. CHICAGQ, Iir., Nov. 16.—The inguest over the remaius of Frank White, who was killed Thursday night by detectivesfrom Berry's Agency while assisting his brother Clarence to get-out of towh; was reopened by the -Coroner this afternoon. The jury réturned a verdict: holding tothe Grand Jury, without bail, for murder, seven of the Berry men, and 43 an accessory to the lmm’der Charles: A, MacDonald, superin- tendentof the agency.” The police assert that the: killing of Frank White was a cold-blooded murder. e g Ll Sparks Fired the Town. FREMONT, N&s,,. Nov, 16.—Suit was commenced - in . the District Court to-day against the. Northwestern Railroad Com- I}any for damages in the sum of §125,000. hie claim is “that sparks from anengine of the company oaused the recent fire which destroyed the town oi Dodge. The outcome will be watchied ‘with interest. as it isin the nature of a test.case. ey Tracking a Negro Murderer. CHATTANQOGA, TENN, Nov. 16.—A negro named Hurd killed a young white farmer - living .near . Harriman,. Roane County, yesterday, which -has thrown the county into.-a furere of excitement. A Eos'\e of enraged citizens and friends of elly, the victim, are-on the. trail of the murderer, with prospects -of overbauling. him before morning. —_— - Fell Twelve Stories. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Nov, 16,—Arthur J. Jack, aged 9 years, fell ‘from the twelfth story (the top floor) of the Betz -building | to-day and was: crushed into ashapeless | mass. - The:lad’s father: is -the.veteran | actor, Jobn Jack. . Roland Reed, the com- | edian, is his cousin. S At Fire Destryed a Block. DENISON, Tex., Nov. 16,—Fire de- stroyed the Lentz block at.Sherman, Tex:, early this morning. Loss $100,000, fully insured. —— GIGANTIC BANK FRAUDS, Directors of the Defunct Union at St. Johns Indicted for Embezzlement. Hardly a Government Official of Note in Newfoundland but Is Im. plicated. ST. JOHNS, NEwrouxpLAND, Nov. 16,— The investigations of the gigantic banking frauds by the Crown officers have brought to light startling developments which make the case more of a scandal than ever the officials themselves thought. Asa re- sult of these new investigations the Gov- ernment to-day took & most decided course. The directors of the defunct Union Bank—Sir Robert Thorburn, ex-Premier of the Colony ; Hon. Augustus Harvey, un- til recently a member of the Whiteaway executive and leader in the Government Upper House; Walter Baine Grieve, the largest merchant in the colony, and Wil- liam Donnelly, ex-Receiver General—were indicted by the Supreme Court, at the in- stigation of the special officers of the Gov- ernment, the chnrge against them being embezzlement and misappropriation of funds and the submitting of false state- ments and accounts to depositors. The case is unique, perhaps not having a parallel in the history of modern times in the high positions of the persons whose in- tegrity has been assailed. The investiga- tion has showed a government system which is incomparable. The highest of- ficials are those most interested in the steals, in fact so much so that it was only after the greatest difficulty that the in- vestigation was allowed to proceed, and then only for fear of a popular uprising which would demand it by force. Hardly a government official or a person of notein the colony but is directly or in- dirctly implicated in the frauds, and not for months yet will ‘the true enormity of the swindlings be realized. Judge Conroy, the investigating magistrate, stated to-day that a prima’ facie case had been estab- lished against all those whose cases had already: been ‘heard and that it was his duty to commit them. Bail was fixed at $36,000 each, and was accepted for each defendant. The cases will be brought up at the special term of the Supreme Court, which will convene-in:January, although in cer- tain quarters it is ramored that bribery has teen sctively.at work and that the.cases will never be bronght up for trial.. The reason given is that the authorities would not desire the social and commercial con- vulsion which would be sure to follow: the trial. ‘Itis feared that the creditors will receive but little of their money, as the steals have been so enormous as to leave comparatively nothing. SAN FRANCISCO, SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 17, 1895—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. lic expense, and efforts will be made to bhave a monument erected to his memory in Washington. e SAMUFEL FRANCIS SMITH. Career of the Author of the Great National Hymn. Samuel Francis Smith was born in Boston, Mass., Octobsr 21, 1808. He at- tended. the Boston Latin School in 1820-25, and was graduated at Harvard in 1829, and at Andover Theological Seminary in 1832. He was oraained to the ministry of the Baptist chureh at Waterville in 1834, and Newton, Mass., in 1842, and was professor of modern languages in Waterville College (now Colby University) while residing in that city. He was editor of the Christian Review in Boston in 1842-48, and ' editor of tbe various publications of the Baptist missionary union in 1854-1869.. 1n 1875-76 and 1880-82 he visited the chief missionary stationsin Europe and Asia. He received the degree of D.D. from the Waterville college in 1854. Dr. Smith had done a large amount of literary work, mainly in the line of hymn- ology, his most noted composition being the National hymn, “My Country, 'Tis of Thee,” which was written while he wasa theological student and first sung at a children’s celebration in the Park-street Church, Boston, July 4, 1832, The mission- ary nymn, “The Morning Light Is Break- ing,” was written at the same place and time. He translated from the German [Continued on Third Page.] “WE'D RATHER SETTLE.” Effect of Judge Hunt’s Ukase in the Seaton Suit That Divorced Husbands Must Pay Alimony or Saw Wood. BUT THE SONG LIVES, Sudden Death of Dr. Smith, the ' Composer of “Ame}'ica." ACTIVE TO THE LAST. When Stricken He Was Hurrying to Keep an Appointment to. Speak. CAREER OF THE NOTED MAN. Many Ways in Which He Won Fame in Addition to the National Hymn. BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 16.—Rev.S. F. Smith, D.D., whose name has become fa- mous‘over the whole world as the composer of‘the National hymn ‘‘America,” dropped dead. this afternoon at4:45 o’clock. His death was 5o sudden that at first the riews was discredited, and during the evening tel- egrams poured in from all over the country as'to the truth of the rumor. Dr.. Smith had been stopping in this city with relatives ‘during the past month, his time being taken up in the number of calls which he feceived to address meetings all ayer the East.. He has been'in the best of health and spirits, and but a short time be- 18 had never felt better 1n his life. ' He. had accepted an engagement to make an address at a patriotic: meeting which was to be held ‘at Hyde Park ‘this evening, and at the time he was stricken was on his'way to the hall with a friend. They had entered the New York and New England Railroad station, and, having some little time to wait for the train, they remained in the general waiting-room. Suddenly - the gentleman who was with | Dr. Smith, and who had his attention at- | tracted, heard a slight sigh and then a | groan; and, turning, perceived that Dr. Smith, who had raised himself, was on the | point of falling. Those near by rushed to save him from falling, when he dropped into their arms unconscions: | *'A call was at once sent to the Emergency Hospital, but before the physician arrived Dr. Smith had expired. Anexamination at | the hospital showed that death had been due to heart failure, brought on by over- exertion. Dr. Smith” had been very busy of late and his friends had warned him to be careful, but he merely laughed at their fears and said that he was in too good health to fear any severe illness. During the last ten years he kas been engaged in philanthropy and among all he had tecome venerated and admired. : He | was a memcer of nearly all the charitable | orzanizations in the East and spent con- | siderable sums in advancing the cause of | charity. The date of the funeral has not been set- tled upon, but will probably be at the pub- c% : ‘-}fi\ Trrotk Tand /;/:7: «J Yoe It s, Ly o vt s S e g, rom Cect r/’/]'/a Lom 7 v \ native S L < oA ok Cbrven, s vanCacn S . 4 < iy rrorde ans Efic 5, 2. fore his death to-day stated toa friend that ' UPRISING IN ONTARIO, State of Insurrection- Among Settlers in a Whole District. WILL NOT PAY TAXES. So Far All Attempts to Coerce the Determined Men Have Failed. | MOUNTED POLICE TURNED BACK. Re-enforcements to Be Sent 'to the Scene, and There Is a Prospect of Bloodshed. OTTAWA, Oxt., Nov. 16.—The authori- ties to-day made a complete investigation of the alieged uprising of the whole of the | backwoods country in the region of the | upper Gatineau -hills and forests north of Ottawa and made their report to the Sec- retary for the Interior. This whole region seems to be in a state of insurrection, although not for several P e el ”u/@¢: Aict s from aw e oy a@' /~. s 3 f e 77); /f}.r ,Q»,.,-,-{Z( /«:1./{.. (Fat Hul Auzzf/m??'{a S 7‘70{/ l’/u' wolerez Af«w{,‘ e wound o Gt 4——.7;;/ / Ce e J‘uf:l. « &f.,/%am o £ B ga/»q/f., o cedl o> Aals Vs / fawr D ihorrs For THE THRILLING LINES OF “AMERICA” IN THE COMPOSER'S OWN HANDWRITING. \ ® % i l FREDERIC. REVIEWS THE WORLD'S EVENTS, days will the exact status of affairs be known. The settlers of this region are almost ex- clusively Irish, who came over forty years ago. They have from the outsetacted in the most lawless manner, and in- all cases seemed to show ‘a total ' disregard for Dominion laws, ruling the region practic- ally as they liked, - Most of them are Irish- men - who had. been evicted from their farms in Ireland and induced to come to Canada by the most glowing promises and the assurance that they could have a large tract of land free of taxes and any other expenses. The Dominion Government tried to col- lect the taxes, but met with resistance. All attempts to coerce the settlers failed. Matters have been going on in this manner for some years past, and this year the | Canadian authorities decided that they would once and for all put a stop to this lawlessness. Last week a strong force of Canadian mounted police were sent up into the dis- affected region to press the Government claims and to seize the property of de- linquents. They were not able, however, to penetrate into the region, as back- woodsmen and settlers gathered in large numbers and disputed their progress. The leader of the expedition decided to press forward, but, after seeing the show of re- sistance and a probable fatal result in the expedition, he very wisely turned back. He returned to Ottawaand laid the case before the authorities. An order was issued for re-enforcements and before night the call had been an- swered. The enlarged force will march to- morrgw into the disaffected region. The settlers, in' the meantime, have not been idle, and have made every preparation for resistance. They have assumed a most threatening attitude, and their leaders have declared that they will not allow the | Government officers to enter the country to collect taxes or execute warrants. Among the officials in Ottawa the question is considered a most serious one, and judg- ing by the present state of affairs there is sure to be. bloodshed before the matter is ended. ARGUED AN APPEAL. 8o Far the Knights of Labor Have Up- held General Officevs. WASHINGTON, D. C.. Nov. 16.—The General Assembly Knights of Labor svent the whole day considering the appeal of District Assembly 1613, New York City, which was suspended by the general executive committee some time ago for making public certain private matters of | the organization. The session was con- tinuous from 10: to 3 o’clock, when the action of the general executive committes was decisively sustained. So far the General Assembly has overruled the gen- eral ‘officers in no:instance and it is thought the remaining appeals will' be speedily settled. On Monday a resolution will be pre- sented to hri¥ about closer relations ‘between the Knights ana the National Farmers’ Alliance. It. lProvides for the election of two fraternal delegates from the General Assembly to attend the supreme council of the alliance next February. It is expected that the session will continue all of next week. The delegates were given a refi:eption by local labor organizations to- night. s UNPROVOKED MURDER. A Kansas City Waiter Knocked Down on 3 the Street. KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 16.—John F. Henley of Topeka; Kans., a waiter by trade, while - standing "at the - corner of Eighth and Wainut streets, this evening, was approached by two men, one of whom | struck “ him in. the face, knocking him | down, and then ran away. Henley was removed to the police sta- tion, where he died soon after. The cause of the assauit upon him is unknown. g Al the Gicests Escaped. AMSTERDAM, Y., Nov. 16.—This morning fire broke out in the Hotel War- | ner. There was great excitement among | the guests, who, when they tried to escape, | found . ‘the corridors filled ‘with dense smoke. Many escaped by means of the | fire escapes. The loss is over §10,000. That | there was no loss of life is considered a miracle, as many of the guests were in bed when the fire broke out. s e Mrs, Chandler Gets a Divorce. | INDEPENDENCE, Kaxs., Nov. 16.—A! decree of divoree has been granted Beatta | Chandler, who was the wife of Georg Chandler, First-Assistant Secretary of the | Interior under President Harrison, now | practicing law in - Washington. The | grounds were abandonment and cruelty. DONE AT HIS OWN TERMS, Colonel Colt Compromised the Di- vorce Suit Brought by His Wife, The Action for Dameges Against Millionaire Van Alen Will Prob- ably End With the Case. PROVIDENCE, R. I, Nov. 16.—The di- vorce case brought by Mrs. Elizabeth W. Colt - against Colonel Samuel Pomeroy Colt, president of the Industrial Trust Company and a leading official in the rub- ber trust, was declared off to-day. The official announcement came from Francis Colwell, solicitor for Colonel Colt, this morning, after a conference at 9 o’clock. The lawyers in the case then went to the courthouse and caused the postponement for two weeks of a motion for the appoint- ment of commissioners to take depositions in this country and Europe. The settle- ment in the matter will be made by friends of Colonel and Mrs. Colt and at the terms of Colonel Colt entirely, owing to the collapse of the infidelity charge made by his wife in the petition for divorce. The suit against James J. Van Alen, the New York millionaire, for $200,000 for alienation of affections will in all proba- bility end with the divorce case. Colonel Colt 18 to give Mrs. Colt a reasonable allowance, but nothing like $125,000, which she demanded at one time when the Jack- son episode was first brought to his atten- tion. - The friends of the Colt family who are arranging . the settlement are expected to arrive at a result in a very few days. For Pacific Coast Telegrams see Pages 3,4 and 5. England Relieved by the Action of Austria on Armenia. GOING TO THE LEVANT. Warships of Interested Nations Hastening With All Speed to Turkish Waters. VARIOUS PLANS FOR REFORM. During Negotiations, However, a Cons flagration May Be Started in the Ottoman Empire. [Copyright, 1895, by the New York Times.] LONDON, Exa., Nov. 16.—Although we are apparently now within days, or even hours, of important events in the Orient, England is very much easier in mind about the whole business than it was a week ago. The action of Austria in assuming the initiative and formulating a proposition for concerted —action of the European powers has given the entire situation an altered tone, which people here will ob- serve with a deep sigh of relief. It was England’s posture of silly isola~ tion that frightened everybody. The spectacle of Austria taking the lead is im- mensely reassuring. It recalls at once the former manipulations and temporary set- tlements of the Eastern question, in which England never failed to get the most of what she wanted and was always able to dictate pretty largely what others should get. Itisin largeinternational conferences of this'sort that England’s genius is most satisfactorily displayed. In aroom alone with Russia and France she was at a grave disadvantage, but now. that all the six embassadors are present and that the Austrian Premier submits his views of how matters should be ar« ranged, England finds her equanimity quite restored. She knows all the moves of a game of this nature by centuries of experience, and if she does not emerge with a minimum of expense and a maxis mum-: of profit-and prestige it will be her own fault. In games that she understands, oo, Englana is spertsman enough to back her own luck with unruffled nerve. So anxiety about what the week may bring forth in the Levant has shifted its center from these islands to the Continen- tal countries which have open frontiers and conscription,.and cannot help shiver ing a httle when they hear of big shot bee ing rammed into guns. All these dise patches about the squadrons of various powers being hurriedly fitted and dis~ vatched to the East mean less to the eya of the Englishman, who is used to the idea of moving fleets all his life, than they do to the men on the beleaguered mainland. There was a scream of rage all over France yesterday at the news that three of the biggest French battle-ships had been calmly run aground in the roads off Tou. lon, which have been familiar to French navigators for a thousand years. At such a moment, when all minds are astir with excitement at thoughts of naval rivalry, such a mishap is simply too ridiculous, and naturally the whole Parisian press are clamoring for Gervais’ head. Italy sends five war vessels, Austriaa similar number, though much inferior in strength; Britain’s huge fleet lines up at Salonica and, big as is the other vessel on the way to re-enforce it, it will probably meet it at a point nearer the Turkish capi- tal. France has a powerful squadron steaming eastward, and Russia’s Mediter~ ranean fleet, which has been in the Atlane tic waters, is heading in the same direc- tion. Even Roumania is getting her sins gle man-of-war, the Elizabeta, ready at Galatz, and this reminder that the Triple Alliance has a silent partner comes in the nature of a disquieting surprise. On the other hand, no one hears a syllable bout any German ships. There are Ger- man vessels somewhere in the Mediter- ranean, 1t is believed, but rumor isabso- lutely ailent about’ them, and not a hint comes from Kiel or Wilhelmshaven of the slightest fluttering of the naval pulse there, This for the moment is the most interests ing phase of the situation. Grand Duke Vladimir is arriving at Bere lin to-day and is to spend next week with Emperor William in the privacy of a shooting-lodge. This powerful uncle of the Czar is the most pro-German of all the factors in Russian politics. His coming as this time, bearing an autograph letter from the Czar to the Kaiser, wears the appear- ance of a political visit. What Russia is at must always be more or less a matter of pure guesswork. Often it. happens that Russia is . at several mutually conflicte e . LEY1 STRAUSS &eO’s COPPER RIVETED OVERALLS " AND SPRING BOTTOM PANTS. EVERY PAIR GUARANTEER SOR SALE EVERYWHERE.