The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 15, 1896, Page 8

8 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1896 BUILDING AT THE COVERKMENT'S EXPENSE. Railroad Tactics on the Ala- meda Narrow Gauge “Line. “HARBOR IMPROVEMENT” The Roadbed Along the Trestle Filled by Uncle Sam’s Dredgers. LITTLE HOPE FOR A CANAL. | Alameda’s Waterway Not Likely to| Enter Into Competition With | the Railroad This Century. a tidal canal has been on | p nearly 8 quarter of a century. During all that period the city of Alameda I n on the map. Scows and | schooners have been able to run clear up | the m The last appropriation of $200,000 made by Congress is being used for the Oak- land harbor improvements, but the im- provements now under way are such that the Southern Pacific Railroad Com- pany gets there is little or no advantage to the resi- dents of Oakland or Alameda in any bet- ter facilities for transportation. Not only is the railroad company profit- ing by the improvement of the lower chan- nel, in which its creek boats run, but it is making use of the Government dredging operations to build up the solid earthway, as wide as Market street or wider, along the line of the narrow-gauge trestle. The railroad company may not be using any influence on the Oakland harbor work, as the officers maintain, but however that is, the improvements are of a character to benefit the railroad without giving any advantages to competitive transportation. ‘When the tidel canal was first projected Oskland and Alameda thought that the day of their deliverance from commercial bondage had come. The ships of the sea were expected to soon be as close to those cities as to San Francisco, and the mer- chants on the mainland side of the bay be- came jubilant over the prospect of actual | seaport advantages. But the eanal is nct yet complete, and there is no indication of | the time when the work of construction <can be resumed. The dredging was begun years ago, and the greatest benefit, while | part of the creek, according to the authori- ties, but the greater advantages would have been derived by other work under this appropriation, reserving the lower portion of the creek, which is now fairly open, for future improvements. The prin- cipal argument why-the tidal canal should have been completed before the dredging now being done is that without the flow of the tides through the canal the creek- bed will quickly fill up again and redredg- ing will be required. The work of dredeging over and over again the places that have filled up has taken a great proportion of the Oakland harbor appropriations, and there is no hope that the difficulty can be overcome except by the influence of the Alameda canal. It is conceded that with a better harbor Oakland would be more practically a sea- port town than at present and would be more independent of the railroad than it now is. The railroad company has never sought to secure harbor improvements nor to leave for the city any water-front privi- leges that could be appropriated. Ala- meda is in a worse condition than Oakland is, for it has no favorable opportunity for water transportation beyond the foot of | Broadway, and is practically as much | under the control of the railroad as if it were an inland city. Freight is received at the foot of Broadway, the railroad boats getting a large share of even that trans- vortation, and hauled from there into Ala- meda by wagon—that being cheaperthan paying the railroad charges. Whether the raifroad company is using its influence to prevent the completion of the Alameda canal or not there can be no {doubt that it is getting the direct benefit THE TIDAL CANAL FROM THE DRAWBRIDGE, [Sketched by a * Call” artist.] to Park street, and with the turning of the drawbridge it has been possible for them to go on up into San Leandro Bay and out again to the open water at the south. Such | are the conditions on the map. Vith that extension of the head of Oak- land Creek navigation, years ago, the sister cities across the bay from San Francisco obtained the highest degree of comnmercial freecom and were forever released from the previous conditions of subjection to rail- road monopoly—on the map. The Alameda merchant, endeavoring to obtain favorable facilities of transportation, has been permitted, instead of carting his goods four miles from the foot of Broad- ‘way, to Jand the merchandise a few hun- dred feet from his place of business; but that, too, has been only on the map. Regular currents, surging twice a day through the tidal canal, haye left the entire estuary free from the accamulations of mud, saving to the Federal Government | about two-fifths of the canal has been com- pleted, leaving a third of a mile or so yet to be dug out. The width of the canal is 400 feet. Near Park street in Alameda a stretch of the canal was scooped out, there being no connection with tidewater. A $10,000 drawbridge was placed over that isolated section of the canal, and there the project was compelled to await developments and further appropriations. The new appropriations were granted by Congress, but the money has been almost entirely directed to other uses than the opening of the canal, and the scooped-aut section of the waterway, with its pictur- esque drawbridge, has remained without even a threat of competition to the South- ern Pacific Company. The stretch of canal at the bridge was filled with fresh water, and that becoming stagnant was a menace to health until an outlet six feet wide was dug. Last winter the six-foot stream was P MAP OF THE TIDAL CANAL, BUILDING AT THE GOVERNMENT'S EXPENSE. the enormous cost of unnecessary redredg- ing. The natural winter harbor of the ships held at San Francisco bas thus been | made a perfect baven, and navigation has become as open and free at Oakland and Alameda as at San Francisco. The con- tinual motion of the tide has kept the estuary free from stagnation, and the sani- tary effects may be observed even to the remotest end of the fair Lake Merritt. But all, all this is the story of the map. ‘ Money enough has been appropriated to | make the Alameda canal a reality instead widened to sixty feet, and there is no im- mediate prospect of any dredging in addi- tion to that. A hurried estimate, made for Tur CaLL by an expert on harbor work, is that the cost of completing the Alameda canal and making of it the waterway that was origi nally planned by the Government engi- neers would not exceed $150,000. At the last session of Congress n $200,000 appro- priation for Oakland harbor was made, and that money has been nearly used up with- out any material advancement in the line of a mere map ornament, but although | of the canal work. shipping men and the harbor experts agree that the opening up of that little waterway is one of the first requirements of navigation of the creek the money has been used in carrying out other plans. The dredging in the upper portion of the creek has not only been of value, the en- gineers say, but is absolutely necessary to the making of & good harbor. There is algo urgent need of dredging at the lower 1 | of the work now being accomplished under the §200,000 appropriation. Not only is it getting the advantage of a { deep and safe waterway for its own steam- | boats, which do not run beyond the foot of Broadway, but it is also having its wide and solid roadway along the narrow gauge trestle built up by the dredging operations for which the Government is paying. In order to dredee out the bed of the creek it is necessary to dispose of the mud and in order to build upa solid roadway | like that now being constructed along the | narrow-gauge line it is necessary to get earth from somewhere. The creek and narrow-gauge ‘line running side by side, | the combination of cireumstances was fa- vorable and the Government contractor was induced to pump the mud out where | the railroad company wanted it. | The stretch of land thus jutting out into the baya mile ortwo is the property of the railroad company, while the expense of filling it in is borne almost entirely by the Government in paying for the dredging, “It makes no difference to the Govern- ment,” said a local engineer, “*what is done with the mud taken from the bed of the creek so long as the disposal of it is satis- factory to the Government engineers. This method of disposal being satisfactory to | the Government the railroad had only to | | deal with the contractor and pay him 2 or | 3 cents a yard for pumping the mud on to { their right of way. Of course it’s nothing | directly out of the Government’s pocket, but it is a good thing for the railroad and the contractor. ““If the railroad company has used its | influence in any way I think it has used it | to bring about such a happy combination | of circumstances and to have the dredging | done in the right place and at the right time. Anybody can see that itis better for the railroad to bave the dredgers at work in the lower creek just now than in the Alameda canal at any time."’ There is little prospect that the tidal canal will be known in the present gener- ation, but the building up of the railroad right of way along the narrow-gauge tres- tle, a seemingly greater undertaking, has been nearly accomplished. | IS EXPECTED TO RESIGN. General Thompson, Commandant of the Veterans’ Home Association, Ignored an Article of Its Constitution. Although the kindliest feelings exist among . the directors of the Veterans' Home Association towara General Thomp- son, commandant, and although each | member respects him as a most estimable | gentleman, still the directors have seen fit to request his resignation. This is simply because General Thompson, as they state, hLeld a certain article of the constitution in disregard. This article reads: The board of directors are vested with all the H corgarne powers of the association,.and must make all needful rules and regulations for the menagement and government of the home, The general’s resignation is expected to be presented on'the 18th of this month. The secretary stated that no especial ar- bitrary act precipitated this action on the Esn of the directors. ‘“The mutter has cen brewing for some time,’ said he, “and the dissatisfied feeling has grown gradually. There was no last straw or apything of that kind, siwply, as I stated, a desire for a vacaney in this particular i office. The general has always beer very desirous of having things his own way and would utterly disregard the orders of the board of directors. For this reason they wish his removal. . ““Whether the office wiil be refilled again is difficult to say. But presumably it will remain vacant.” CURRY SCORES A POINT. A Signal Victory in Favor of the ’'Ninety-Five Fee Bill. NEW LIGET ON THE QUESTION. General Laws Must of Necessity Re- peal All Special Legislative Acts. Judge Seawell has decided the fee-bil case, and in doing so has upheld County Clerk Curry in his determination to col- lect fees under the 1895 fee law instead of according to the laws of 1893. The case before Judge Seawell was brought by Henry Miller, and its only object was to test the fee law under which the County Clerk was then acting, and to establish, if possible, the law which should govern. Millerand others were being sued by one Lally, and in filing hisanswer Miller offered the paper unaccompanied by the .| fee of $2, which the fee law of 1895 says shall be paid for the filing of an answer. The clerk refused to file the paper until the fee was paid. Miller then sued for a writ of mandate to compel Mr. Curry to accept the answer without fee, and upon this application for a writ the case came hefore Judge Seawell. Judge Seawell has denied the writ. The fee-bill litigation dates back since 1866 and before. Prior to 1866 the fees of San Francisco were set by various acts passed at various times, but as these acts were found unsatisfactory a special law, applicable only to San” Francisco, was passed, regulating all fees charged in this City and County. In 1879 the constitution was adopted. Init were two clauses apparently of but little significance in the case of the fees of this City, but really having a most im- portant bearing on the case. One of these was that no existing law not in conflict with the terms of the newly adopted con- stitution should be rapealed by its adop- tion; the second was tKn from the adov- tion of the constitution no special laws should be passed by the Legislature. In 1893 another fee bill was passed by the Legisiature, but it was found to have a special application to this City, and so was declared unconstitutional. In 1%95 a third fee bill was passed, general in its terms and laying down the amounts of fees 1o be charged in cities set forth in the constitutional classification. It was under this last fee bill that Mr. Curry was condueting his oftice. He had been operating under the law of 1893, but when this was knocked out he went back 1o the oueof 1865. He was advised by the City and County Attornev, however, that Le should consider the Jaw constitutional until it was declared not to be so#and i pursuance of this advice he put the 1 law in operation on October 29, 1895. Two days later Miller presented his answer to | be filed, and then the last litigation com- menced. 3 The case was briefly argued before Judge { Seawell vesterday morning. Mastick & Mastick appeared for Miller and S. M. | Shortri epresented Curry. In sup; of their application for a writ plain counsel contended that as the law of 18 was a special act it could not be repealed by a general law such as ths law of 1805. This law of 1895 included a clause repeal- ing conflicting statutes, but plaintiff's counsel elaimed that as the original act was especially designed for San Francisco no law applicable to the entire State could set it aside. In answer, Mr. Shortridge pointed to the clause ¢f the constitution which pro- hibited special laws. 1f the special law of 1866 could not be repealed by a general | law and if the constitution specifically for- | bids special acts of legislation how then, { he demanded, could the law of 1866 be | repealed at all? Had the constitution not | | intervened, then, he proceeded, there | might be reason to suppose that a specific | act would be required to repeal a specific | act; but all such acts are now prohibited, and the only way under the constitution | such as the fee bill of 1895. Mr. Shortridge offered to file further yoints and authorities on the case, but N nlle Shasott dec lined, saying the consti- | tution was practically unanswerable, and he would deny the writ without further ar- | gument. | The fee bill is part of the county govern- ment act, and speculation is rife as to the possibility of making the whole act stand in this City as well asa portion of it. Such portions as do not conflict with the con- | solidation aet can be applied, but the old | question as to whether San Francisco 1s { first a city or first a county, and how far county legislation affects i, is still open. A lon, | difficulty bas veen taken, however, in the victory just gained. The case will be appeaied. A COLCRED WIFE'S LAND, J. Marcinkowski Is to Appeal From Judge Murphy’s Decision, His Deceased Spouse Was an African by Birth and the State Laws Interfere. J. Marcinkowski, who married a colored lady of money and who has gone through two or three courtsin the effort to gain control of his dead wife's small wealth, is about to appeal from Judge Murphy's decision to the Supreme Court, Mr. Marcinkowski is a Hebrew, and his decgased wife, as testimony adducea during the probate proceedings proved, was a full-blooded negress. The late Mrs. Marcinkowski had prop- erty valued at $10,000 or §12,000. Among i;er possessions was a valuable building ot at 910 Pine street. That lot was val At $7000 or $8000. i _After Lis colored wife's death Mr. Mar- cinowski filed a petition for letters of ad- ministration on her estate. The petition was granted by Judge Slack. Subsequently the dead woman's sister, Mrs. Carlisle, had the order set .sifa and l:tthters were issuedbteo her. uring e rehearing before Jud, Murphy Walter Linforth, Mrs. Cnflislf‘: attorney, proved that Mrs. Marcinkowski was the daughter of full-blooded African arents and that hef marriage with Mr. Marcinkowski, 8 white man, was in viola- tion of the laws of the State. fj‘Qn busband set up the claim that his w,;Ie § Possessions were community prop- erty. Mrs. Carlisle said that Mrs. Marcin- kowski’s property wasin her own name, and therefore separate property; that she had borrowed muney thereon from Mrs. Carlisle for the purpose of building a bouse. o Mrs. Carlisle’s allegations were cor- roborated by notes from her deceased sis- ter securing the loan of several thousand dollars, the money being used in the erec- tion of a handsonie residence on the Pine- street property. After securing letters of admiristration Mrs. Carlisle brought suit in ejectment against Marcinkowski and also to quiet title. Mareinkowski claimed that half of his money was used in the purchase of the | that ill-fitting and obsolete special legisla- | | tion may be mended is by general laws, | g step toward the solution of the | Pine-street property, but Judge Murphy did not consider Mrs. Carlisle’s notes as corroborative of his claim, and Mr. Marcin- kowski lost his suit. {r. Marcinkowski does not propose to give up the contest until his appeal to the Supreme Court has been heard. Though proof was offered and accepted that Mrs. Marcinkowski was the daughter of fuli-blooded African parents, she was as light in complexion as an cctoroon. Her sister, Mrs. Carlisle, is also very light, and the latter's daumghter js even lighter in complexion than the average Spanish senorita. According to the proof accepted by the courts their parents were of the purest African blood, hence the illegality of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Marcinkowski under the laws of this State. PROFITS IN SALMON. Interesting Revelations Made by the Annual Statement of the Aluska Packers’ Association. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Alaska Packers’ Association was held yesterday aiternoon at 330 Market street. There was a full attendance. The entire body of officers and -directors who served last year were re-elected. They are: Henry Fortman, president; Sidney M. Smith and Charles Hirsch, vice-presi- dents; W. B. Bradford, secretary; direc- tors—George W. Hume, S. B. Peterson, H. A. Williams, E. B. Pond and Isaac Liebes. The statement of the financial affairs of the association is full of interesting facts, though it is very brief. * It shows that the assets amount to $3,821,501 99, of which nearly §$1,500,000 is independent of the plant and represents what the association as which could be disposed of. Another interesting fact as shown in _the statement is that although one large divi- dend was paid in 1895, there remained a profit at the end of the year of $426,393, after §266,496 15 had been set aside in the insurance reserve fund and the contingent reserve fund. This profit would represent a second dividend of over 14 per cent on the capital stock of $3,079,505. The statement is as follows: ASSETS, Canneries and fishing stations. Inventories 1 ble. . Floating property Cash on hand.. Total...c..... ..$3,821,501 99 Capltal stock Open accounts (em: Profit and loss. ... Insurance reserve fund. . Contingent reserve fund . “Total The Alaska Packers’ Association is a young organization. It was formed four Years ago, when the number of canneries springing up in the north was almost as great as the number of salmon handled. Tbe larger firms formed a combine and now practically control the business. FOR STATE DEVELOPHENT Plans for Establishing Permanent Exhibits in Eastern Cities. -$3,079,505 00 49,107 84 426,503 ployes, etc Headquarters Will Be Located «Chicago, Whence Excursions Will Be Sent. in’ The executive committee of the State Development Committee met yesterday in its rooms in the Mills building and lis- tened to an interesting report of the work | done by this organization at the Atlanta | Exposition. The report stated that forty | stereopticon lectures were delivered to | large and appreciative audiences upon the | attractions and resources of California. | The lectures proved one of the notable attractions of the exposition and that they were appreciated is evinced by the follow- { ing testimonials engrossed and sent to the { lecturer, Mrs. Lucy Underwood McCann, | by theexecutive committee of the Woman’s | Department: “Your lectures and stereop- | ticon views, showing so vividly the mag- nificence of your splendid State, were greatly appreciated by our committee and by the entire board of the women mana- i gers of the Cotton States and International | Exposition, etc.” Signed L. M. Gordon, | chairman. | Another testimonial of merit was pre- sented by Mrs. McCann, which was signed by J. P. Snow and all of the Commis- sioners. The report in conclusion said: Thus California through the efforts of the State Development Committee aud its repre- sentative has received a large amount of adver- | tising in addition to that of the lectures. The cooking exhibits under the charge of F. W. Crandall” were not brought more immediate results through or- ders taken for California products. |, The prectical testing of & plan whereby Cali- fornia producis may be disposed of at less loss between the producer and consumer and an in- creased consumption induced is not the least important feature of the committee’s work. ssion followed relative to of - placing smalil perma- ts of California products in the large Eastern cities, and as a result the | following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That this commitiece undertake to pluce a small but well-selected exhibit of Cali- jornia products in the leading cities of the East. And be it further Resolved, That a hendquarters be established in Chicago, in which an exhibit of products of the State shall be permanently kept. and from which lecturers and workers shall be sent out, and at which home-seekers shall be gathered {;;r‘n series of excursions to California. And it Resolved, Thet this committee respectfully requests the State Board of Trade to supply it with & small portion of its large collection of products for exhibition in the Kast, and that ihe clerk be instructed to communicate with the State Board of Trade, inclosing a copy of this resolution. And be it further Resolved, That this committee undertake a thorough and systematic canvass of the State for funds with which to carry on that work. The drawings for the new colored topo- graphical, climatic State map were sub- mitted by the artist, Chris Jorgenson, and accepted. The acceptances of a large number of the 183 members appointed on the com- mittee throughout the State were reported and letters heartily indorsing the work of the committee were read. The elerk was instructed to preparea circular letter to be sent to the large land- owners, real-estate dealers and banks of the State, calling attention to the work done and proposed by the committee, ana asking for a contribution of $1 per month for one year from each. FEIGNING INSANITY. Samuel B. Thompson Again Attempts to Hang Himself. Bamuel B. Thompson, the ged vender of newspaners, made another attempt to hang himself in the City Prison yesterday morning, All the other prisoners in the cell were required in court and as the of prisoners were passing the corridor in charge of Bailiff Kelly, Thompson, who had again manufactured a rope out of i.1s underclothing, tied one end around his neck and tie other to the crossbars of the cell and tried to strangle himself. Captain Robinson was at once sum- moned and cut the ro Thompson was severely lectured by the captain and in- formed that if he ever ngain attempted any such tricks he would be kept in a straitjacket. It is believed that Thompson is feigning insanity in the hove that he will escape tri.;l for his felonious assaults upon litsle girls. | — e February this ) ear begins and ends on a Saturday. 00 | more about Mr. and Mrs. Miller than that less important and | AN EXCITING ARRIVAL. Three Policemen Awaited the Docking of the Steamer Excelsior, WAS IT AN ELOPEMENT?| Captain Higgins Was Arrested for Libel, but a Runaway Couple Escaped. The steam schooner Excelsior, which ar- rived from San Diego yesterday morning, met with a warm reception. As soon as | she docked at Mission-street wharf three police officers boarded her. Two of them | were on the lookout for a runaway couple and the third had a warrant for the arrest of Captain J. F. Higgins on the charge of libel. x About a month ago Gunder Johnson was first assistant engineer of the Excel- sior, but the captain and he could not agree and Johnson was discharged. He is case before the Marine Engineers’ Association, and that body demanded an i explanation from Captain Higgins. The | latter wrote back saying Johnson was in the habit of getting drunk and that he was no good as an engineer. This letter John- son secured, and on it he bases his libel | suit, Higgins was taken to the Harbor | Police station and gave $500 cash bail. The runaway couple came up as Mr.and Mrs. Miiler, but at the Golden West Hotel they gavethe name of Mr. and Mrs. Frear. The woman was accompanied by two children, and the entire party occupied one stateroom during the vovage. From the hotel they went (o a private house and | there the police located them and placed them under surveillance. Who they are | Captain Lees refuses to state. A couple of days ago he received a telegram from San Diego asking him to keep track of the | couple and that some one would be along | in a short time to take the woman back. On the Excelsior no one knew anything they got on at San Diego and had acted in a very quiet and unobtrusive manner. The woman is ladylike, according to Mate Don- aldson, but the man appeared to have worked hard for a living. Chief Crowley on Monday received the | following dispatch from A. C. Mitchell, County Attorney, and L. W. Hindman, Sheriff, Lawrence, Kans.: Arrest Bert Rich, alias B. A. Miller, and Mrs. . L. Charlton. They will arrive on 'Excelsior | San Diego in San Francisco with two boys, d Husband of Mrs. L. Charlton | from Lewrence, Kanses, to-day. Charge abduction. { Yesterday the Chief received the follow- | ing dispatch from E. L. Denver: Am on way there. Will arrive Thursday evening. Hold perties sure. Take good care of boys and wife It was not the intention of the Chief to arrest Rich and Mrs. Charlton, but he gave instructions to Captain Dunlevy of | the Harbor Police simply to locate them. In view of the publicity given to the affair he decided last night to order their arrest, and they and the b were taken to the City Prison by Policeman Fergnson. They had registered at the International Hotel vesterday morning as brother and sister, and later went to a rooming-house on Geary street, where Policeman Ferg son found them. | Rich, when seen in the City Prison, was reluctant fo talk about his arrest, but cer- tain facts were drawn out of him. He said that Charitor was steward of the Deaf and Dumb Institute at Oletha, Kans., which is about four miles from Lawrence. His wife and two boys, one 10 years of age and the other 6, lived there with him. ‘‘He treated her like a brute,”’ said Rich, “and come what will she won't live with him egain. He talks about abduction. ‘Why, there’s no abduction about it. I met her at New Orleans about two weeks ago, and we went to San Diego together. She asked me to assist her and I did so. She is a perfect lady in every respect. No, she is not my sister, but 1 have been a brother to her in her trouble, and I mean to help her a® much as I can. 1 only wish Charlton was here. Iam a mechanic and age is 36.” | Mrs. Charlton retired to bed in Matron Gilmore’s apartments and refused to be disturbed. Charlton from ! RICH'S RECORD. Admitted in San Diego That He Had Eloped ‘With Mrs. Charlton. | SAN NIEGO, Car., Jan. 14.—A sensa- | tional story is behind the elopement of | “B. A. Miller 2and sister” on the steamer | Excelsior. Rich lived in San Diego nine years ago, and left four years ago for Kan- | s He married eleven years ago and has three children—all girls. About the | ist of last November his wife died under | suspicious circumstances after an illness | of three weeks. The cause of death was | given as consumption of the bowels. Rich | collected §1000 insurance epon her life. | Two weeks ago Rich turned up in this city accompanied by the handsome and richly dressed woman who accompanied him to San Franecisco. This woman is | Mrs, Ed Charlton, and her husband 1s| steward of the State Deaf and Dumb Asy- lum at Olathe, Kans. Rich knew that the only living relative of his dead wife lived in San Diego, but 1n spite of that he came here and the other day ran across his rela- tive on the street. He was accused of eloping with Mrs. Charlton, but he denied | it and insisted she was not with him. | Later, however, he admitted it and asked his accuser what she was going to do about | it. However, Mrs. Charlton promptly dropped out of sight and the couple evi- dently scented trouble, as they took pas- sage on the Excelsior immediately after- ward and kept their going a secret from the landlady of their hotel. To inquisitive persons who asked who | Mrs. Charlton was, Rich said she was his housekeever and caring for his three daughters, His girls, however, are in Lawrence, while the two boys accompany- ing the runaway couple are Mrs. Charl. | ton’s children; oneis 7 and the other 11 years old. ‘When Rich bought passage for himself and Mrs. Charlton he told the agent he had just come up from a settiement near the Mexican line, but he had not been out of the city. He told a friend before leav- ing that he thought some of going o South America. ‘While Rich is not wanted here on any charge an officer here has been investizat- ing his case and believes that the man will be called upon to explain his wife’s mys- terious death. It is said that the woman was lembalmed, which might remeve the | traces of arsenical poisoning if such there were, but stens have been taken by the Kansas authorities to exhume the body and make an examination. Rich is a paper-hanger, but is quite stylish and has good clothes, the proceeds of the insurance money. Mrs. Chariton | also dresses stylishly and is handsome, | Rich 1s 35, light complexion, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and good | locking. Mrs. ariton is rather above medium height, dark and heavily veiled. A DOCTOR'S SUICIDE. Unfortunate End of a Sick and Despond- ent French Physician. Dr. E. L. Molass, a French physician, committed suicide at the new French Hospital on Point Lobos avenue early yesterday morning by shooting himseli through the head with a revolver. Sickness and despondency are given as | Jose and Oakland. | committee are inclined to favor San Fran- . Three weeks ago he came to ;!lcewcs_)t_lggk ,;l‘n the Atlantic steamer La Bretagne, and crossed the continent to California in the 'hope that the climate here would cure him of consumption. Becoming discouraged he took his revolver and sent a bullet into his Tizht ear. He died at 12:55 Tuesday morning, several h%x::el:steeé. was a native of Paris and 43 vears of age. He leit no word of explana- tion. TO mEN. A Self-Help Society Has Been Formed in Eureka, Humboldt County. A. Crocker, a member of the Humboldt Self-Help Association, with its k_xeadquar- ters at Eureka, Cal., isin the City at the present time preparing to make a tour of the woolen-mills in and around Stockton, Marysville ard Petaluma, with a view to learning whether or not it would be prac- ticable to erect a'mill in Eureka. ‘- “We want to give the boysand glrls of our city something to do,” said Mr. Crocker yesterday, “and if it is good busi- ness judgment to erect and prepare for operation a woolen-mill we w”l put up sufficient capital to begin work. ; “What will be the basis of securing funds?” “There are about 150 citizens of Eureka who will take stock in such an enterprise and we have formed into what is known as the SeM-Help Association. J. F. Cowan is the chairman and Sam Allard is secre- tary. We have already started a soap fac- tory, which is as yet an exveriment. If the quality of the output comes up to the standard we will add more to it and go into the businessonalargerscale. Eureka to-day is a great lumber center,and the younger people of the town might be turned to something that would be at the same time profitable for them and a benefit 1o the entire county.” g “How many employes will there be in the woolen-mill 2" “About sixty or seventy, if it is a suc- cess. So farwe have only gone into the preliminary details, but hope to be moy- ing in a short time.”” REPUBLICAN DELEGATES A Plan of Proportional Rep- resentation for the Con- vention. Reduction of the Total Number Is Advocated—General Committee to Meet. The executive committee of the Repub- lican State Central Commititee met yester- day at 419 California street. P. B. Cornwall presided, and the follow- ing members were present: J. H. Ma- | boney, J. D. Spreckels, J. C. Daly of Ventura, 0. A. Hale of San Jose; Frank McQuade, who acted as secretary; W. W. Montague, Henry P. Sonntag, Asa R. Wells, A. C. Palieri, M. Cooney, A. Ruef, H. L. Dodge, Davida Kerr and Edward Sweeny. On motion of J. H. Mahoney the chair- man and secretary were instructed to pre- pare an apportionment of delegates and to formulate a call for the State Republi- can primary election, both to be submit- ted at the committee’s next meeting, to be held on February 15. The general committee will be called together on February 29, in a hall to be selected by Secretary McQuade. It was the sentiment of a majority of the executive committee that proportional representation be figured on the Budd and Estee vote, and also that the number of de'egates be reduced. At the last conven- tion there were 848 names on_the roll, and now it is pretty generally-believed that 600 names would be quite sufficient to represent the State. As estimated by Chairman Cornwall and Secretary McQuade on the Estee and Budd votes there would be 600 delegates, figuring on one delegate for"er{. 200 votes and one additional for eac! county. Another reason advanced for this pro- osed reduction is that no Governor will have to be elected by the next State con- vention, and consequently there will be less interest in the transactions, which means that fewer men will seek the honor of sit- ting in the convent Four cities are making a fight for the convention—Sacramento, Santa Cruz, San Some members of the cisco, but as delegates would fina here so many attractions to tempt them away from the convention, it 1s understood that s smaller city is preferable to the majority. San Jose has many warm and enthusiastic supporters, even at this early date, and seems to be making more of a stir than her competitors are making. 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