The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 22, 1897, Page 1

VOLUME LXX SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 22 PRICE FIVE CENTS BLOCKADE CRETE 13 BEGUN Directed Solely Against the Christians of the Interior. PECULIAR POLICY OF SIX POWERS. The .Only Hope for Insurgents Is for Greek Vessels to Slip In. GECRGE’S SHARPSHOOTERS FIRE UPJN THE 1URKS. Now There Is a Prosp-ct of Hostili- ties Commencing on th: Fron- tier at Any Mom CANEA, Crete, March 21.—According todhe proclamation issued by tue foreign admirals the blockade of Crete began at 8 o'clock this morning. It is apparent that the blockade is directed solely against the Christians in the interior, and that the Moslems will suffer littie 1ncon- venience from the action of the six great Christian nations of Europe. It appears that the object of the blockading squad- ton is to prevent the landing of supplies of food, clothing, etc., inel for the starving Christians in tbe interior, while the Mussuimans who bave flocked to the coast towns are allowed to land whatever The few Christians remaining here find Lifficult 10 understand the motives that mpting the powers to exert their b to crash the Christian popula- n of the island, while the Moslems are given a free hand to do about as they please. About the only hope for the Christians ontside the coast towns 1s in Greek block- unners, who will not hesitate to run ough the cordon of foreign warships around the istand. There was an exchange of shots yester- Retween insurgents and Moslems in the vicinity of Suda Bay. The Turkish warships in the bay bombarded the in- nts, but the result is not known. A mber of foreizn warships were in .the ? at they took no part in the firing. B any further evidence was necessary to prove the antagonism of the powers, as represented by their admirals, to the Christians, it is furnished by an incident that has just occurred at Akrotiri, which is the place where lhe fieets recently bombarded the insurgents’ position. Akro- tiri iS on the peninsula of that name which projec s in a northeasterly direc- tion from Canea. The insurgents there are cut off from receiving provisions from the land side by the Turkish and foreign treops, and the foreign warships have prevented them from receiving supplies by sea, Their position is becoming des- perate, and they yesterday sent envoys to Sada to beg that food be supplied to them from the warships. The Admirals refused to give them the assistance asked for, but said that if med - cal aid was needed it would be forthcom- ing. Laier several of thedoctors from the flzet visited the camp of the insurgents. 1t is reported here that when the Iialian r who was intrusted with the duty of nei Vassos, the commander of the Greek army of occupation, of the establishment of the blocka e handed the copy of the blockade proclamation to the Greek commander, the latter, after read- ing it, declared that he would resist as far as it was in his power to do so. Later he hagd 2 conference with the insurgenc chiefs, and he afterward staied he would cause every copy of the autonomy prociamation to be torn up. The more the subject of autonomy is considered the less practical it appears to be, and the conviction is rapidly growing that the powers will find their scheme of use. The belief prevails that under re plan of autonomy it would be hopeless Moslems and Christians Yo obtain equal justice. The religious feud bstween the two sects is too great to expect that the Christians would act justly toward the Moslems if the former were in absolute control of the Governme: Autonomy would oniy serve'to aggravate the numerous bloody feuds now existing, and fighting would continue until the Moslems were extremi- nated. Thus far in the present troubles two Moslems have been kilied to every Y vhich is a reversal of the condi- ing in former distarbances. About two-thirds of the island is owned by Moslems, but most of it has been laid waste, All the landed estates are now in the hanas of the insurgents. Judging from the reports which reach Canea irom the camp of Colonel Vassos it is{hought that he intends to assume.the eftensive shortly, in which cass pianty of employmeut will be furnished to the for- eign troops. It is rumored that Greece has offered to buy the island form Turkey. This idea grows in favor rapidly. There is little doubt if Turkey would ac- cept such an offer, that the money for the purchass could be f%ind in twenty-four hours ATHENS, Greece, March 21 —It is stated here that the powers are seriously discussing the question of nominating Prince George of Greece for Governor of Crete. A number of Greek sharp-shooters ai Piramands on the frontier fired upon tome Turkish soldiers who were on their own territory. The Turks were deeply angered, and it was only with the greatest difficuity the officers preventea a conflict. The Greeks were cqually desirous with the Turks for o for | force to restore order in Crete thereisa | the suzerainty of the Sultan Greece will | accept the suggestion. THE BURNING OF THE SAN FRANCISCO YACHT CLUB HOUSE AT SAUSALITO. [From an oil sketch by W. A. Coulter made during the progress of the conflagration.] the opening of hostilities, and it was hard to hold them in check. The advices re- porting the incident do not state when it occurred. PRSI ENGLAND NOT ANXIOUS. May Not Join Gther Powsrs in Biockad- | ing Greic LONDON, Ex6., March 21.—The Chron- icle will to-morrow publish a dispatch from Athens saying that tbe blockade of Greece by the powers appears to be re- mote. Itis understood t at Great Britain has refused to join in such a blockade. As the powers decline to accept Britain’s proposzl to send a large British sort of deadiock, which does not promise to be immediately broken. Greece is will- ing to accept any honorable practical pro- posal, but it is not likely she will make another herself and risk its refusal. 1f the powers suggest that Prince George of Greece be made Prince of Crete under | Official information in Athens repr sents the concert of the powers as being shaky, if vot actually non-existant. The moment, therefure, seems especially pro- pitious ‘or the adoption of such a sugges- tion. One power has alrsady pressed it repeatealy, although the Minister of that power in Athens declines to propose it to Europe unless Great Britain makes a sim- | ilar proposal concurrently. The Chronicle's correspondent declares that a cordial exchange of views.toward | a settlement recently passed between King George and the Sultan through their respective Ministers. He adds that the Sultan ssked M. Nelidoff, the Russian Embassador at Constantinople, to ask the Czar to act as intermediary. Count Muravieff, the Russian Foreign Minister, instantly stopped the néegotiations, call ing the suggestion perfidious. The Rus- sian pressure upon the Sultan to take hostile measures followed. The correspondent believes that British torpedo-boats are watching the exit of the Hellespont to train the real goal cf the Russian transports that sre nominally en route to Crete. The Times’ Athens correspondent tele- eraphs that the blockade of Crete began with a strong gale prevailing, which ren- ders the task of th- torpedo-boats and | other small vessels employed. in blockade duty very difficult. Three vessels laden with provisions and ammaunition have started for Crete during the last few days. The correspondent agaip asserts that it is urgently necessary that the Turkish troops be withdrawn from Crete at the earliest possible moment. Nothing else will induce the islanders to believe the promises of the powers. The Christians will forcibly prevent the departure of the Greek troops so long as the Ottoman troops remain. He predicts that if the Turkish troops are withdrawn King George will be willing to recall Colonel Vassos and the troops under his com- mand. ATHENS, Grerce, March 21. — The Akropolis reports ibat there is great ex- citement among the Greeks and Axabs in Jerusalem. Two thousand Christians in Palestine and Syria are preparing to op- pose the Turks in event of war. A nnm- ber of Abyssinian pilerims have also been affected by the war feeling against the Turks and are joining the Christians. Tbe Greek warships Alpheos and Peneus, which were recently recalled from Crete, have arrived at Salamis. The insurgent chief Manouli declares that the insurgents mistook the Ausirian wardfip Sebenico, which recently fired | upon and sank a Greek schooner off the | island of Crete, for a Turkish vessel, and for that reason fired on ber. He adds that the schooner had landed three cases of | ammunition before she was sunk. e coni it WILL UMCLE 8AM 8iw Signatory Powers to the Berlin Ireaty Blockade Crete. WASHINGTON, D. C., March 21.—The | report has reached Washington that the six powers signatory to the Berlin treaty —Great Britain, Frangs, Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia — have in concert notified this Government of the biockade of Crete, | The respective notes of Sir Juiian Paunce- | fote, M. Patenotre, Baron de Fava, Baron | Vion Thieyman, Mr. Hengle Muller, Von Lingervar and Mr. De Kotzebue were de/\yered to Secretary Sherman to-day. CONSENT? Continued on Second Page. ] VERY COSTLY BLATE OER I SIHLITD The San Francisco Yacht Club House and Other Buildings Destroyed by Fire. | Crews of United Stites Ships Land and Form a Bucket Erigade. SAUSALITO. Cat, March ‘21 — This town was visited by a disastrous fire early this morring which completely destroyed the San Francisco Yacht Clubhouse on | Water street, the Oriel Hotel and three residences. The loss is estimated at over $25,000. The origin ol the conflagration is not known. The general impression is that the blaze, like others which have oc- curred in Sausalito, was started by an incendiary. Tue fire started in the San Francisco Yacht Clubhouse, which was built on piles over the bay and haviny its main entrance on Water street. This building, together with awhari belonging to Capiain John- son, was totally destroyed. The flames communicated to the Oriel Hotel across Water street and then spread to the north and south. I'wo cottages owned by Mrs. Juliet Mills were burned to the ground; a dweiling owned by L. Goody and occupied by H. V. Vogel and family was entirely consumed, and a buildin owned and occapied by Cavtain Loais Johnson as & boathouse was torn down in order to prevent the flames from com- municating to the cotlages adjoining, which were owned by T. J. Bass of San | Francisco. The fire was discovered about 2 o’clock this morning, by Captain Johncon, who saw flames issuing from _the capola of the San Francisco Yacht Club building, and gave the ‘alarm. The United States Sur- vey boats McArthur and Gedney, and the cruiser Petrel sent men to fight the flames, and they rendered excellent service. They brought buckets and formed a couple of lines, and the water supplied by this bucket brigade was all thac was at hand until the tug Alert arrived in Sausalito at |3:30 o'clock in response to a telephane message. ' The houses on tha- hill just above the fire were thraatened, and had a close' call. They are occupied by J. T. Harmes, M. Gorman, Dr. Case and E. B. Carroll. The Sausalito fire department way on hand, but the nearest hydrant was five hundred feet distant, and their hose had a length of but two hundrea and fifty feet. The loss on the Oriel Hotel is about $8000, with $6000 insurance on the building and ' furniture. John Ferguson was the owner, and Michael Weiner the lessee. Weiuer’s loss is about $700, no insurance. The San Francisco Yacit Club house | was valued at $5000. The insurance on | the building is $3000. In tne clubnouse were many fiue boats, which were saved | by Charles Lang, who was asleep in the | building when tne fire broke out. Cap- | tain Pierce of the yacht Sappho lost about | 250 on trunks and articies in the build- ing. The yacht Ramona lost §500 worth of sails which were stored in the club- house and Commodore I. Gutte of the Chispa lost about $250 ‘which was in the | building also. Other members of the club | lost various articles. | Mrs. Juliet Mills’ loss on the two cot- | tages owned by her, one of which she oc- | cupied, is'about $5000, almost covered by insurance. Mrs, M. A. Stewart and Rob- ert Stewart occupiejy ~ € of the cottages; and their loss 1s about $500, partly in- sured, L Goody's house was insured. His loss is $1000. H. V. Vogel lost about $700 on furniture. Captain Johnson’s house, which was torn down, was notinsured. All the boats stored in it were saved, but the building is | acomplete loss. It was valued at $500. | Many people viewed the ruins to-aay. The Oriel Hotel will immediately be r.- | built. | C. C. Bruce of the yacht Rover anchored off the yacht club's house last night and slept through the entire progress of the fire. To-day when he came on deck the building was gone and he called the mate on deck and asked where the yacht had | drifted to. Adolph Sylva, president of the Sausalito | Fire Department, said to-night that a meeting of the organization would be held on Friday night and efforts would be made to secure extra hose and better equipment, i BRAZIL'S REVOLUTION, Both Forces Inactive Since the Rebel De- frat at iyex Arboles. NEW YORK, N. Y., March 22—The Herald’s special cable from Buenos Ayres sa; Montevideo advices state that the fed- eral and revolutionaly forces have re- mained intrenched since the battle at Tres Arboles, where the insurgents were de- foated. The latter now await the arrival of re-enforcements under Aparicio!Saraiva. The Government has sent a strong de- tachment to intercept the Brazilian insur- rectionists. General Villar, who commanded the victorious federal troops at Tres Arboles, reports to the Government that the loss of the rebels in action was 422 men killed and 200 wounded. The federal loss is 150 killed and wounded. fos L B Maddened by Jealousy and Drink. COLUMBUS, Onro, March 21.—While in a frenzy from jealousy and drink early this morning Edward Born, aged 50, arove his wife from the house with a revolver and then, in the presence of his children; sent a bullet through his head, dying in- antly. Joseph E! Blanther, the Murderer to Have Committed £ of Mrs. Langfeld, Who Is Reported ueide in a Texas Jail. | one. JOSEPH BLANTHER COMMITS SUICIo The Murderer of Mrs. Langfeld Dies by His Own Hand in a Texas Jail. Officers Were on the Way to Bring the Fugitive Noblemin Back to San Francisco. NEW ORLEANS;” T&, 'March 25— Word was received bere late to-night from Meridan, a small town in the north- ern part of Texas, to the effect that Jo- seph E. Blanther, the Austrian nobleman, who robbed and xilled drs. Puilipa Lane- feld in San Francisco last May, commit- ted suicide in the jail at that place to-day. Blanther was arrested last Friday and was held awaiting orders from California. The details of the act are meager. g el B BLANTHEKS CAREER, Paried Life of the Nobleman Culminates in Robbery and Murder. Blanther’s career has been a remarkable Born in 1859 at Radkersburg, in Styria, Lower Austria, he grew up an honored man and a soldier of distinction. In turn, he served as an officer under Archduke Ludwig Victor and in the Thirty-second Austrian Infantry. He was aecorated for gallant services with the war medal, Knight of the Italian Crown, order third class, and the Order of the Iron Crown. Ee deserted from the Eighty-fifth Hun- garian [nfantry in 1885, and an_attempt was made to extradite hun from Bangkok, Siam, but he succeeded in making his escape to the United States, and entered the employ of Rand, McNally & Co. in Chicago. He was supposed at that time to be a married man. [n 1890, Blanther associated himself with Richard. Nicolai, and they entered the business of publish- ing maps. The firm failed in 1890. Shortly after that he left Chicago and went to Canada, Later he was heard from in_Arkansas, where he was married again without the formaiily of a divorce having first been obtained from his wife in Chicago. Blantber was then known as’ Arthur Forbes Lavanix Vregourt. He and his bride went to New York, thence to Flor- ida and to Denver. .Under the name of A. D. Forbes he started in business in Atlanta, Ga., and from there, in 1896, he fled t5 this City, deserting' his wife. He resumed his name of Blantner. Assuch he became acquainted with Mrs. Philo- vena Langfeldt, .the .woman he subse- quently murdered. He became a regular and welcome visitof to the old woman’s house at 1225 Geary street. He was dash- ing, handsome and a fluent conversation- alist. She liked 'him very much: and tried to please him. He believed her rich, especially that she made a display of diamonds whenever he called. ¢ On the morning of:May 15, 1896, the dead body of Mrs. Langfeldt was found cruelly mutilated and stripped of all jew- elry. in the rooms where Blanther had been her only visitor the night previous, The murderer had calmly washed his bloody hands and left the house by an up- stairs widow. He wentto his own abode, slept there that night, and the next morn- ing, after pawning the diamond rings he had robbed his victim of, he disappeared. The first heard of his whereabouts was a few davs ago, when he was discovered under his old name of Forbes in Texas. To Withdraw From the Lengwe. CLEVELAND, Ouro, March 21L—It is practically seitled that the Cleveland ‘Wueel Ciub will, at its next annual meet- ing, secede from the League of American Wheelmen. At the last meeting the members were not favorable to secession, but they claim that at the next meeting they will carry the day by a large major- ity. It will, however, be decided that those members of the club who desire to do soneed not individually give up their membership in the National orgazization, bu aclub they will cease to be con- nected with the L. A. W. President Col- lister said to-night that the best interests of the clubrcall for the change. LOBBYISTS AND THEIR BACKERS MUST EXPLAIN Bert Packard and Banker Blodgett Are Among the Missing. MUCH MATERIAL FOR GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION. If Legislators Were Bribed to Vote for the Coyote Claims Bill, It Can Be Re- vealed by the Authors of the Telegtams Seized. SACRAMENTO, Can, March 21— Though the Legislature has adjourned sine die, and Bert Packard has disap- peared, ana Assemblyman ' Power of San Francisco has been exonerated in the eyes of the Assembly from all guilt in connec- tion with charges of bribery in reference to the coyote-scalp claims bill, it is only the beginning of the end that is in sight, according to the opinion of the more thoughtful. As the matter was left by the Legisia- ture the fact was made clear that Bert Packard had been using money in the in- terest of Assembly bill 410, better known as the coyote-scalp bill, How he had utilized this money, however, is not by any means certain. The older heads, familiar with legisla- tive methods, believe that shrewd lobbyist as Packard is acknowledged to be, he may bave fallen a victim to even more cunning manipulators of. men, and that his purse | was lightened without a drop of the golden rivulet having gone to flood the fortune of any legislator. However this may be the fact remains that both Bert Packard and H. A. Blodgett of the Kern Vailey Bank, in view of the startling disclosures made in the fourteen telegrams read to the Assembly vesterday, stand before the public with a heavy cloud upon their reputations. As one of the possibilities of the near futura their part in the sensational finale of the session of the Asembly may be the subject of investigation by a Grand Jury. Should this transpire the guilty Assem- | blymen, if theye be any, may be brought to light and to punishment. At this writing the whereabouts of both Packard and Blodyett is unknown. The former is reported to have gone to Carson, Nev., and the latter is reported to bave vanished from his usual haunts, 8o much for the suspected bribers. But there is a store of trouble ahead appar- ently for those who were instrumental in bringing them out of the shadow. Now that the excitement of the chase, so to say, is over, and calmer reflection has taken its place, the course pursued by the sub-committee, consisting of Assembly- men Burnett, Anderson and Melick, in seizing and forcing open the box of West- ern Union telegrams and making public the contents of fourieen of them is re- ceiving as much attention as the facts | disclosed by those dispatches. : Few attempt to defend their cause from a legal standpoint, and some go o far as to say that the Western Union Telegraph Company has cause of action not only against the members of the sub-commit- tee, but against Constable C. W. Long of Truckee, who seized the box of telegrams on the strength df a telegraphic subpena issued by the committee, and against every member of the Assembly who voted to have the contents of the entire fourteen telegrams read. Making public the contentsof a tele- graphic or telephonic message by any person, whether an employe of the trans- mitting company or by an outsider, is a felony under the law, and is punishable by imprisonment or fine or by both. Itis believed from the public expressions of Superintendent Frank Jaynes of the | Western Union Telegraph Company and | of ex-Judge Carpenter, the counsel of the company, that proceedings will be taken to bring about the prosecution and pun- ishment of every person whu has been in- strumental in vioiating the contents of the box of telegrams. Itis claimed that there is no authority under the statutes-or in the constitution for the wholesale seizure of telegrams, as by decisions of the courts it has been clearly laid down that telegrams must be produced only on the proper order of a court after such telegrams have heen iden- tified by specifying the date, the names of sender and recipient and the substance of such mensages. Such & prosecution will not be under- taken, it is said, in any vindictive spirit, but as a matter of self-protection to the telegraph company. It is asserted by some of the tele- graph people that the episode of the seizure of these telegrams will materially affoct the business of all telegraph com- panies, and if the matter is not made an issue more serious results will foliow. On the other hand it is claimed that the attempt to send the telegrams out of the State, and so beyond the jurisaistion of the Legisinture, was an ill-advised move. Had they been allowed to remain among t.e records of the office, some say, no at tempt would have been made to get at them other than by rezular process of law. To the many thoussnds who have | legitimate claims for coyote scalps against the State, the all important question is: “Will the Governor sign the bill?” It is well known that the bill appropriating $287,615 for the payment of these scalps was drawn by and introduced at the request of the Board of Examiners, ot which the Governor is a member, ana that be has favored its passage. No one who has given the measure due consideration believes it to be vicious in any particular. While it appropriates an amount of money suificient to pay all out- standing coyote-scalp claims,” it throws safeguards around such payments that will make it exceelingly difficuit, if not impossible, for fraudulent claims to re- ceive recognition. The bill as passed gives the Board of Examiners the power to pass on all claims, and it is an open secret that thers is evidence in the hands of the board that will greatly aid in segregating the im- ported and twice or thrice used scalp from the home product and the legitimate pelt. With a knowledge of all the facts sur- rounding the origin of the bill and its pas- sage opinion is about evenly divided as to whether he will or will not sign the bill, S gy GEORGE WEEKS’ VIEWS. Says He Thinks Bert Packard Has Been Jobbed by Some Older Lobbylsts, OAKLAND, CavL., March 21.—George F. Weeks, who was proprietor of the Bakers- field Californian, is perbaps better in- formed of the true inwardness of coyote affairs than any other man in the State. Mr. Weeks lived in Bakersfield several vears, and is now the provrietor of the Alameda Encinal. “This coyote business is not at all under- stood by the majority of the people in the ———— NEW TO-DAY. A brilliant complexion is a beauty in it oelf. It pleases the eyes of thoughtless ople and the minds of thinking people. ‘hey know that a really good complexion is a sign of health, and created by Nature. There are different ways of imitating a fine complexion : cosmetics, which deceive no- body, but ruin the skin and make the user look silly and prematurely old ; stimulants which only give a temporary flush ; danger- ous drugs which drive plm.fll% disorders from the face back into the blood. All these “counterfeit” complexions are un- safe and easily detected. _But the genuine, unmistakeable, much-admired color an clearness of health can only be obtained by clearing all bilious matters and humors out of the blood. 3 The first step towards creating a complexion by Nature’s own method is to ot the blood dlear, and the circulation free - and active. There is no complexion so sal. low, muddy or pimply but it will be cleared and brightenes by Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical Discovery. It is the'best natural complexion-maker on carth. It sends the fresh glow of real health to the cheeks by thoroughly clearing all bilious and eruptive humors out of the blood. It strengthens the digestion and ~regulates the bowels in s mild, natural way. It gives brighter color 10 the hlood, and not only beautifies the complexion but makes the eyes brighter and the breath sweeter. ¥ If the bowels be very much constipated, it will be advisable to take small doses of Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets, conjointly with the use of the ‘‘ Golden Medical Dis- o . One or t;oxeuh dli—ljlnuxuluf- jent to get their laxative and alterative, ez blood e{ennn( ct will be sufficienty