The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 29, 1897, Page 2

AN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, MARCH' 29 T T i The Jail at Meridian Where Blanther Was Confined and Died. the lines he duly accredits their true| author, one Clara A. Balawin. | There were other samples of the wnr- | aerer’s handwriting in the detective’s col- | lection—principaily letters that he had written under the alias of Artbur Forbes. But there was something e{se. 1wo unset goms — emeralds — were, exhibits that | caused Captain Lees’ eyes to sparkleand | his countenance to beam with a trium- phant smile. “These settle the whole matter.,” said | the veteran criminal hunter, hold ng one of the green stones up to view. ‘‘These stones were taken from a ring that was torn by Blanther from his victim’s finger. | The ring bad, besides these two gems, a | diamond. I suppose, however, that he | Qisposed of the latter long since, when he | was pushed for resources.” | The identification of the dead Forbes as | the murderer Blanther was far more com- plete than the dispatches from Meridian warranted the authorities here to believe, George A. Dodge, the one-time friend and companion of Mrs. Langfeld’s slayer, who went to Texas with Gibson to say whether or not the prisoner were Blanther, also returned yesterday and declared that there was absolutely no doubt as to the identity of the corpse he viewed in the Meridian prison. Dodge telis & more in- teresting and detailed atory of the journey | and his experiences than does the matter- | of-fact Gibson, for the latter has long | since grown so accustomed to these kind of expeditions as to ook upon them as &l most commonplace. Dodge made an offi- | cial statement to Captain Lees shortly | after his arrival here. After detailing the | incidents of the trip to Meridian he went on to relate as follows: “1 arrived at Meridian at 4:15 aA. M. March 23 and was met at the station by Bhieriff Boyd. His first words were that Blanther had died at 8 o’clock the nignt | before; He drove ‘me to the County Jail and showed me the dead body, which 1 at once recognized as that of Blanther. When I saw his body be wore on nis chin an imperial, or chin whisker. At 8 o’clock 1 went dgain to look at body by day- lieht and noted carefully ail marks that I| | trousers which are the sam» kind as I had | Francisco. | 1896, and continued to teach there until ;month; | ple whose children were attending school white enamel and silver stars, which I had seen him wear in San Francisco. I was also shown an_article of under- wear which I had seen him wear in San Francisco. “Homer Randal, treasurer of Bosque County, was introduced to me as the man who had first noticed the resemblance be- tween the picture and description of Josef Blanther and the appearance of Arthur Forbes, the school-teacher at . Kopperl. Ranaal handed me a letter which bad been written by Arthur Forbes at Texar- kana, Texas, to the school board of Kop- perl, in which he applied for the position of teacher. I turned this letter over to Gibson with other things. 1 recognized this writing also as being that of Blanther. T noticed on the dead body a pair of seen Blanther wearing in San Francisco. The trousers were brought by us to San “From various sources 1 learned that the man known there and at Kopperl Arthur Forbes had commenced teaching school at the latter place on October 1, February 1, 1807, at a saiary of $60 per that the woman known as his wife kept house for him; that at first he had no money, and that he had to borrow on his warrants in advance in order to get furniture and the neccessaries of life. He bad joined the Methodist Congregational Church at Kopperl. His wife had seemed very devout, but the women ot Kopperl objected to ber as being *'too fast’’ for the community. After a few months the peo- there wanted to #et rid of Forbes, but as they could not oust him they stopped the:r children from attending. “Forbes’ wife left him, I was iold, on December 9, 1896, to go to Texarkana, in- tending, she statea, to live with her mother—or, as she told others, her grand- mother. It has bsen learned that shs did not go to Texarkana, Ifound since that she was living at Dalias, Texas. “Jaiior Womack showed me an open- faced and probabdly gold waich, which, he said, Blanther wore when captured. It/ had a siik braided fob. I never saw the watch previous to this.” Detective Gibson’s official statement to Captain Lees is practicaily a repetition of that eiven by Dodge, but is less in detail. He adds, bowever, thatafter viewing the 7S Koo 45 /JM? /«a(/e Wz uz £ Aorecticie' oy - f G 5Tirct. @,_, e ot dunion ;&A..,j/.w. carns coclbicled av i i fruau ~ pekiool wn Tadealon A 'd,z;‘yxxmzfi,zr.?{o/’.y Hnsrrandy dyslome. | ek decumicrd J iniloisd T o apflonZiom Fou Ganken - w PG s 7£/e¢4 Giioekan Pt S &My%zwgwfim/% Aaens A sehoct “u E4 P = > Fac-Simile of a Letter Blanther !M}fi/m ..-‘.m,w'.fi,.w}«za.fm 2z yudinuns M7 ahplleition T b o &, akpoan A/arfl brard of h acme car o Loy ait M"V.r/;«n,a.u, /}fiw "16’ Dractar £ MoK buisy o ok 5% Neeins ¢ Ggan w,él-.éZ) ./zg;/ o a7 ST For = T P frrman gkl T snake guh oy ommanclion a7 u-m? —biandton B8 o Ay vhae Forbrs Wrote Under His Last Alias. knew him to have had when alive. Ithen wired to you a telegram signed ‘Gibson’ saring the man was Blanther; that he had died the night before. Ialso wired to Gibson (care of Chief of Police of Austin) to the same effect. Afterward I went to the Sherif’s offica and madea sworn statement that I knew the body to | te that of Jose! E. Blanther. That day (tbe 234 of Merch) I spentgaround the town and listened to various statements made by people who had known the dead man under the name of Forbes. “I afterward went to the cell where Blanther had been confined, and Jailer Womack, at my suggestion, searched the place for evidence of anything containing | potson. He found’ nothing. I found some sheets of paver containing parts of letters which the prisoner had started to write; also a piece of poetry. 1 recog- nized the writing as tbet of Blanther, as I had known it in San Francisco. 1saw a pair of cuffs, a soiled collar and a neck- tie, which, I was¢old, had been worn by the priconer known as Forbes or Blan- ther. In the cuffs were linked buitons of remains and satisfying himself that they were those of the much-wanted murderer, he had them removed to the jail-yard and photographed. Then the chin-beard was shaved off, Blanther's glasses adjusted, and another negative taken. The detec- tive says that nobody seeing the body in its lasf med condjtion could doubt its identity. Continning, Gibson says: “We then opened the two trunks that Blanther had in his possession at the time of his arrest. One contained the effects of a woman and the other the eff-cts of a genileman. Thad the gentleman’s trunk shipped to this City, leaving the other one there after searching tho same. I learned that Mr«, Forbes left him on Uecember 9 on account of him being too attentive to certain ladies of the town. Her moiher is living with Mrs. E. E. Stewart, Mrs, Forbes’ grandm other. *In his trunk was found an empty vial marked one-fourth grain morphine pills. The doctor says he died of morphine poisoning. “Blanther, while semi-cdnscious, asked Mr. Golden if he had seen any papers from California, and on being told ‘yes,’ Blanther wantad to know if there was anything in them about Dr. Scott. To town. | said: here.’” The ““Dr. Scott”” whom Blanther referred toin his mutterings is believed by ihe At leust no trace of any such individual could” ever be found here, even though a most diligent search It will be remembered that not many weeks after Blanther's flight police to be a myth. was made. from this City one of the local newspa- pers received a letter from him, bearing [ the vostmark of Atlanta, . in which he declared that he was innocent of the mur.ier of Mrs, Langfeld, and accused a Scot’” of having committed the The police investigated, but as before stated reached the conclusion that “Dr. crime. such a person did not exist, The strange waich that was found among Blanther’s effects is accounted for in a letter addressed’ to -Limn by Mrs. Nelson, “Forbes' " alleged mother-in-law. When jailed 1e wrote to her for sympatby and assistance. that her husband had been makin quiries about the watch his *son-in-law" fad borrowed, but now that the latter was in trouble he could keep it if it would aid hm in his trouble. So far as “Mrs. Forbes,” Blanther's alleged wie, is con- cerned, Captain Lees says he is satisfied that they were never married. That Blanther was never deficient the art of prevarication is evidented by the letter he wrote application for a position as school- teacher. Being without a certificate or creden: tials, be gave the Judge by way of creden- tials'a list of places and schools where, he alleged, be bad taught in Texas—nota word of which was true—and artfully ex- plained his temporary inability to produce his “‘university certificate.” Bianther wrote to a Mrs. P. T. Johnson, who was his landlady, in Texarkana, and endeavored {0 persuade her to_prove an alibi for him. Her reply is in the pos- s lows. TEXARKANA, March T8, 1897. Mr. Arthur Forbes, leridian, Tex.—DEAR Yours of the 17th received and 1 hasten to ply, 8s you request, feel ing sure it Way 1o express ‘my sympathy and 1o assure you of my sincere regret that you should be in such trouble. You crme to me from the Bechem House June maining six weeks, or nbout that iong. These dates are copied from the daybook I constantly keep for day bosrders or roomers. The books at the Bechem House book you the last of May. I trust you will come out of your trouble all | right. Twiil see your grandma before I send this letter and get the date of your arrival in Yours very truly, rs. P. T. JOHNSON. Inasmuch as Mrs. Laugfeid was mur- dered on the night of May 15, 1896, it will be seen that Mrs. Johnson's dates were of no service to Blanther. The story of the arrest of Blanther, as learned by Detective Gibson and M. Dodge, is interesting. Randal-upon see- ing the picture of Blantner in The Detect- ive had noticed its resembiance to the man they knew as Forbes, so he and Womack decided to go at once to Kopperl and ar- rest him. When they reached tnat place on March 15 they saw Forbes at the sta- tion and heard 'his friends bidding him 2ood-by, as he was about to i2kdhat same train 1o Cleburne, to which piace he had bought a ticket. Stepping up to him Wo- mack touched him on the arm and said, “Hoid on.”” Forbes turned around and reached out his hand, as if thinking it was some one who was goine to bid him good-by. W mack kept hold of Forbes’ hanid and said : “Isn’t your name Blanther ?” The schoolieacher said his name was Fortes, the professor of that school dis- trict. ‘Womack told bim he had information that he was Blanther and that he would bave to take him to Meridian, where, if he were not Blanther he would have plenty of chance to prove it. Blanther made a siruggle, bnt Randal and Womack had hold of him and he could not get away. They searched Blan- ther and took possession of snch money and otherarticlesas they found upon him. He accompanied them quietly 10 Meric dian, Just how Blanther succeeded in carrying with him into the prison the poison-which ended his life proved s mystery to the Meridjan authorities. They searched him thoroughly after the capture and deprived him of every article be carried. The only solution they can give is that he had long fearéd capture and bad for muny months carried the death-dealing powder sewed up in the lining of his ciothing so that he might be sure of baving it when it was needed. o DODGE PENS A STORY. His Tribute to the Man Who Heaped Upon Him So Much Notorlety. At 8 o’clock in the evening of March 22 Joset E. Blanther, Knight of the Iron Cross, lay dead in the County Jail at Meridian, Tex., and his soul had borne the awful responsibility of its crime to the highest jurisdiction. When, in the early morning of the next day, by the light of an oil-soaked torch, I saw the d-ad body lying straight and stiff on & pine board I knew that the man whom I had known as Blanther had ful- filled the destiny that had been ‘marked out for nim—that destiny, the scheme of which he had so psoohetically outlined when just a year ago he said: “Wait. I will kill somre .one and then myself, and you can wrile that np.” When T have Wwritten the story that I am now impeiled to write \l feel that my share in the somber tragedy will ve fui- tilled and that Ican then shake off the in- fluence of anocher’s crime and retire from the publicity that has been given me. On June 6, 1896, Arthur Forbes wrote to the District School Board at Kopperl, ap- plying for the position of tescher, which was then vacant. His neatly written and nicely worded letter took the fancy of the school trustees, and eventually Professor Artbur Forbes and wiie became & part of Thomas Adams, a schoolmaster of Merid- I ihe community ag Kopper! ian and a personal friend of his, Blanther Lo They joined the Metuodist congregation. “Why don’t they let me die here? If T am taken back to California it will be the death penalty, and I want to die In her reply €ne says to County Judge Thompson of Meridian in reference to his n of Captain Lees, and was as fol- 18 the best there and Mrs. Forbes took much interest in bringing the wayward ones into tle fold. The ladies who had husbands and the girls who had sweethearts thought' Mrs. Forbes too zealous; they thought her—well, they didn’t like her; they didn’t think she was just the right kind of person. ' Forbes began teaching on October 1, 1896, and drew a salary_of $60 a month from that time uniil February 1, 1897. Then he did nothing. His wife left him in_December of last yesrto go to her mother in Texarkana, it.was said. She did not go there, how- ever, but is now in Dall: For awbhile the sciool teacher essayed to do-his own housekeeping in the littie cottage he bad rented for $5 a month. Atter that he boarded with a family in the neighbor- ood. At the end of January be found that he had no pupis. There was & ‘“feeling” against the professor, and, no one among the school trustees would ven- ture to teil him that he must give up his position, the parents kep: the children at home and the professor’s pay stopped. His last claim for salary in February was not honored. After that Forkes began 10 formulatea plan to start a business school. He corresponded with a gentle- man of good standing at Cleburne and the matter was soon arranged. The irofes- sor's plausible style won the confidence of the man who was to be his associats in the venture, On the 15:h of March the friends of Pro- fessor Forbes were at the station at Kop- perl to wish him godspeed. His ticket bad been purchased and his trunks were checked to Cleburne. As he was about to step on the train a strongly built, kind-featured man with & black beard said, ‘'Hold on.” Tue pro- fessor turned round and extended his band, thinking & friend wished to bid bim good-by. “Isn’t your name Blanther?" asked the man, and the handclasp tightened. It ever hope died in a guilty man’s héart to give place to despair, it surely died at that moment in Blanther's heart, as he realized in a flash that that handclasp meant death—that it was the grasp of outraged law, and would never relax until be had paid the penalty of a cold-blooded murder. There was but little resistance. Homer Randal, a tall, fine-looking specimen of young Texas manhood, went to the other side of Blanther and, as the train pulled out, the prisoner was formally bplaced under arrest as thé much-wunted Califor- nia murderer. ! Blanther's manuer after his arrest was always the same; he was ever polished, refined and poliite. Those Texan officers were tender- hearted men and, as they told me, they always felt as though they ought 10 apol- ogize for the inconvenience they were causing their prisoner. They would get such delicacies at the hotel as they could obtain for their involuntary guest. Ap- parently Blanther was, unconcerned. He incessantly rolled and smoked cigarettes, and occasionally wrote. 1 found a piece of poetr"in his cell; it was in his own writing. .Pathaps it gave bim comfort. I sincerely hope it did. One day they told B.anther that officers from California were coming for him. From that time his equanimity was de- strdyed; he could not sieep; at every op- portunity he would anxiously ask if the ifornians had come. At one time he said, I want my witnesses; I will not go wituout my witnesses.” On Saturday, the 21st, he was told that the officers were expected from California the next day. Tnat night at about 12 o'clock he was seen by a fellow-prisoner o put something from a piece of paper into his mouth and then take a drink of water. Hesaid to one of them, “You'li not keep me awake to-night with your noise.”’ At about 30o’clock in the morning his heavy, distressed breathing and occasional moans awoke the other prisoners; they called to the ja.lor, and it was discovered that Blanther was in a comatose cond.- tion. No sign was there 10 show whence the poison came. But I have a phial which contained when full enough mor- phine to kill morethan Blanther. Itwas found among his effects: The “doctor, who came at once to the juil, did all be could tosave the prisoner’s lie. It became -known early in the morning that ‘“Professor Forbes” had tak-n poison and was dying in the jail- vard, and the entire populace crowded apout and different ‘men took turns at working to keep the prisoner, by violent exercise.and rough treatment, from sink- ing into the lethargy that meant death. All Sunday night he was watched and Monday he appeared to be out of danger until at about 4 o’clock in the afternoon he began to sink and at 8 o'clock he was dead. I know now that he committed the mur- der which was charged against him. I wish from my soul I could believe other- wise. 1 was the only one who had known him in his life as Josef Blanther, to see him lowered into tHe crave where he now rests, more than 2000 miles from the scene of the murder he committed. Acting on the directions I had received, I wrote with a pencil on the headboard, - JOSLF £. BLANTHER, as Arthur Forbes, Died March 42, 1897, G. A, Donek. i A NEW WIDOW. The Nobleman Apparently Left a Numbar of Wives to Mourn. MONTGOMERY, Ara., March 28.—A special to the Journal from Lake Charles, Le., to-night, says the alleged third wife of Joseph E. Blanther is in that city, hav- ing arrived Monday last from New Or- leans and commenced io secure manicure work. She did not register at the Lake Hotel, but called up several people by telephone and Jost no time in .Ev.m.m. her business. While at work in J. K. Or- cutt’s house Wednesday she was inter- rupted by one of the family reading an ac- count of Blanther's suicide in Texas and could not proceed further with her work, returning immediately to the hotel and avoiding scrutiny for two days. Saturday morning she saw an sttorney and told him she was the wife of Blan- ther. She beld a certificate and said she married him six years ago under thename of A. D. Forbes, in Houston, Texas, and that her maiden name was Irene Camp- bell. The attorney believes her to be Blanther’s original wife, and suit will be instituted by her to recover his personal property. “After seeing the barrist rs. Campbell again returned to the hotel and this time inscribed on the register “‘Mrs. Joseph Ritton von Blanther. Bhe claims to_be the daughter of Dr. Campbell of New York, famous in the East for treatise on medi and to have uf-vend in Europe when had plenty of co! Mrs. Agnes Forbes, nee Cameron, of Little Rock retnrned from Atlanta to-day to secure a copy of her marriage certificate which she left at her boarding-honse here. will leave for Atlanta where ing as Mrs. Joseph E. Blanther, and like Mrs. Bianther, nee Campbell, will also attempt to recover her very much married husband’s proverty. It is be- lieved by Chi lGenIJ,thu Addie Harper, & woman of -ill repute, the second olaimant to the dead murderer's affections and a former resident of Montgomery, was never married to Blanther. PERHAPS ‘A CLASH IN THE SENATE Republicans and Allied Opponents Disagree as to Committees. Democrats of the Minority Hope to Force an Acquiescence to Their Pians. M:jority Leaders Will Hold a Caucus to Hear the R port of the Steer- ing Committee. WASHINGTON, D. C., March 28— There is a strong vrobability of a clash between the Republicans and their allied opponents in the Senate this week on the question of the committee vacancies. The Democrats have attacked the validitvy of the action of :he committee on postoffices and postroads in taking under considera- tion nominations when the commuittee 'was not more than half filled, despite the fact that a resolution was passed at the close of the last session of the F.fty-fourth Congress continuing the Senate commit- tees and authorizing them to transaet busi- ness until the vacancies were filled. By attacking the legality of the committees as at present constituted the Democrats hope to force the Republicans to agree to their programme of permitting the total membership of the committees 10 remain 4s at present constituted; the Democrats hereaiter to name a Democrat for every Senator of that party whose term expired on the fourth of March last. The R publicans will hold a caucus Tuesday afternoon for the 'purpose of hearing the report of their steering com- mittee and solving the difficult problem that now confronis them. The demand of the Democrats is understood to be that they shall have precisely the same minor-. ily representation which they granted the Republican minority when the Repub- licans were a solid body and did not have the present conditions of iree silver disin- tegration to contend with. The Republi- cans, on the other hand, contend that the Senators who bolted the 8t. Louis conven- tion are no longer members of the Repub- lican party. They acknowledge that by the former action of the Republican party some of these Senators have received very valuable committeo assignments, but they insist that these positions cannot now be charged up against the straight Republi- cans. The Democrats refuse to recognize any division in the Republican party. Ac- cording to this contention the Republi- cans, if their demands were granted, al- though holding the chairmanships, would be in the minority on all the important committees. This is particularly true of the Com- mittees on Aporopriations and Finance. The Democrats insist upon the appoini- ment of a Democrat to succeed Voorhees on the Finance Committee and also in- sist upon counting Jones ot Nevada (Sil- ver Rapublican) as u_Republican. to help make up the Republican membership of the same committee. The Republicans have offered to accept Jones as one of their assignments if the Democrats will agree to assizgn a Gold Democrat to the committee, but this has b-en declined. The situation has been guietiy can- vasced and the Republicans, failing to bring the Democrats to terms on grounds w ich tney consider reasonable, will prob- ably try mew tactics this week. They contemplate offerinz a resolution declar- ing the membership of the various com- mittees shall consist of a certain number of Senators belonging to each party, the number 10 be designated in the case of each committee. This resolution, introduced by the Re- publicans, will be carried either by the af- firmative votes of the Populists or their refusal 10 vote as they did when the Re- publicans reorganized the Senate and took control. It igexpected that the vol i Democrats will deciine to vote, and this will give the Republicans a clear majority of the quorum of the Senate and carry the resolution that will be offered. If this prorramme can be successfully carried out the Republicans will then feel free to caucus and designate their assign- ments to the various comuittees and then to ask the Democratic committee to fill in turn their variousassignments. This will bring the matter to a square issue. Re- publicans who have the matter in charge plrolell their belfef in the success of the plan, } So far as the busines: proper is concerned it looks as if the gen- eral treaty of arbitration th _Great Britain would take up the major part of the week. An agreement has been reached to take a vote Wednesday after- noon on all the amendments then pend- ing. The treaty as then amended is to be printed and laid before the Senate the next day, when the debate will be con- tinued under the ten-minute rale. If fur- tner amendments are offered they are all to be voted upon at 4 o'clock Thursday, the day following. After that hour the offering of amendments will not be in or- der and the debate on the treaty will con- tinue until the final vote is taken, Davis hus pressed for an agreament for a time when this final voie shall be taken, but his appeals have not yet Leen successful, The House of Representatives has noth- ing abead of 1t but the tariff. Up to Wednesday next at 1 P, M. the five-minute debate on the bill by cections wili con- tinue. Then Bailey of Texas and Dingley of Maine, the recognized Democratic and Republican members, will be accorded an hour each to close the debate and the vote on the passage of the bill will be taken at 3 ». M. on Wednesdav, March 31. f the Senate TO CUME A COLD IN ONE DAY. Take Iayative BromoQuinine Tabiets. Alldrug- #ists refund the money if it 1ails to cure. 200 PAPAL DELEGATE TO. CANADA. Mgr. Merry del Val Has Authorily to Setile the Vex=d Parochial School Question,, NEW YORK, N. Y., March 28—Mgr. Merry del Val, Papal delegate to Canads, arrived here this morning on the Cunard line steamship Umbria, en route to Mon- treal and Manitoba, where he will act as arbitrator, it is said, on the complicated question that exists there between the Bishops of the Catholic Churcb and the Premiers of Canada and Manitoba on the parochial schools. Mgr. del Val was met at the pier by Archbishop Corrigan and a party of Cath- olic clergymen, wao escorted him to the Archiepiscopal residence. Mgr. del Val stood the voyage across very well, but was ;mn considerably fatigued upon reaching ere. Later in the day the Papal delegate re- fused to be interviewed. Itis said that Monsignor dei Val comes here with the tullest ecc.esiastical authority, even to the extent of deposing those of the Catholic church who refused to accept any decision he might make in the Ca holic_achool question, which is now agitating Canada. Attheresidence o' Archb.shop Corrigan to-day it was eaid that Monsignor del Val would hardly leave for Canada until to- morrow or Tuesaay morning. But it is known that the time at his disposal for the aujustment of even such an important quesiion as the Canadian school proposi- tion is limited, as he is said to _be the Pope’s personal represen:ative in London at the diamond jaotiee of Queen Victoria, which occurs in June. It is notexpecied that a definite announcement of his views on the sut jact will be made until after his return to Rome, Monsigunor del Val is the oldest son of the present Spanish Embassador at the Vatican. He is 35 years of age and was born in Spain, his mother being an English woman. He was ecucated by the English Jesuits, wuile his father was the Spanish Embassador_at the court of St. James. Monsignor Val is said to_have a sirong personal iriend in Cardinal Vaughan and is secretary of the com- mission appointed by the Pope for the conciliation of the dissenting churches, which aims at the gathering of ail Prot- estant denominations into the Church of Rome. At one time he was a member of the Papal commission which denounced the ordinations of the Qhurch ot Engiand. —_——— FOUGKT - OVER " THE CORPSE. 2groes Drew Razors and Faced Police Clubs in Attempt to Prevent an Ingusst. ST. JOSEPH, Mo., March 28.—Coroner Spier Richmond attempted to hold an in- quest over the dead body of Mrs. James Payne, wio died suddenly about 1 o’clock last night after having retired in the best of health a few hours before. Rumors of foul play started in the neighborhood led to the investigation. When the Coroner started to move the body to the Morgue the busband and family of the dead woman refused to allow him to do so. A posse of policemen and deputy sher- iffs was summoned, The house was en- tered and the remains placed in a coffin. ‘When the bearers startea for the door the crowd of negroes began to force their way in and a band to hand conflict ensued, in which razors and clubs were drawn by the colored . contingent and guns by the offi- cers. Payne was knocked down in the act of clubbing an officer. The big guns carried by the officers finaliy intimidated the negroes and they sullenly fell back and allowed the coffin and its contents to be taken away. Such was the feeling among the friends of Mrs. | Payne that it was feared that there might be an attack on the Morzue and a squad of policemen under Captain Bloomer was kept on guard all the afternoon. In view of the rumors of foul play and the opposition encountered by the Cor- oner in his investigation it is possible that search warrant will be' demanded in or- der to_ view the premises. The colored people say no man sball enter the house again and if any attempt is made to search the place the officers anticipate trouble and possibly bloodshed. . The family 'of the dead woman say sh2 was subject to severe coughing spells and that during one of these she strangled to death. They threaten that if'a post mor- tem be made there will be bloodshed. S TW) HUNDRED MADE HOMELESS. Portsmouth, Va., Visited by Fire, in Which Churches and Dwallings Are Destroyed. ¥ NORFOLK, VA., March 28.—Portsmonth was visited this morning by a disastrous fire, which destroyed property valued at between $150,000 and $200,000, consisting of a Catholic church, two public halls and twenty-seven dwellings. Most of the latter were frame structures. As a resuit of the conflagration. 200 persons are. home- less to-day. The fir@broke out about 1 . ». in White- hurst Hall, a large vacant building on Glasgow street, used occasionally for dancing purposes. The flames apread under the influence of a stiff breeze with remarkable rapidity and quickly commu- nicated with the buildings adjacent to the ball. Before the fire was under control another fire broke out in South Ports- mouth, which destroyed several dwellings. There were no fatalities. SURVIVCRS OF ~ THE ST, NAZAIRE Continued from First Page. - anxiety. One moment the boat would be on top of a wave aud the steamer would be seen and then she would sink into the trough and the steamer would be lost to view. Finally their anxiety turned to hope and then to certainty for it was seen that the steamer was steering for them. There was only four inches of freeboard of the boat showing and it was learned aiter- wards that 1t was this that first attracted the aitention of those on the Yanariva be- fore the signal that had been set was seen. 8o low was the boat in the water that it was expected momentarily that she would sink, the men being too exhausted to make any attempt o free her. After an hour of horrible suspense dur- ing which time the Yanariva was man- euvering to get thie boat under her lee the survivors were hauled aboard the steamer. Their joy was intense when they felt a solid deck again beneath their feet. Toose who were saved had no knowl- edge of the fate of those who had left the St. Nazaire in the other boats, but before they parted .company with the captain’s boat they frequently saw tbose in her dropping corpses overboard. Many of those in that boat seemed to be raving mad. The names of the crew who were saved by the Yanariva are:. Paupaire, Durac, Chaudierre, two men named Ludon, a! sailors; Marteaw, Madeline, - Salvere, Cacheux, Clead.fe, Saguet, all firemen. Captain Weston of the Yanariva say’ that the boat was sighted at 11 o’clock o, the morning of March 12 and not March 18 as has been siated. She was then 253 miles from New York. It was a difficult task to make the rescue. The sea was run- ning high, and at times the boat was car- ried to a level with the steamer's deck. It was feared that the steamer would be driven too close to ber and swamp her. The occupants were too weak to render the slightest assistance to the steamer in getting them aboard. For four days they had been without food or water, and some of them had left the St. Nazaire so hur- riedly that they did not have a proper supply_of clothin . Those 1il-clad men had suffered extremely from the cold. When the men were taken aboard the steamer they fell into alternate paroxysms of laughing and crging. After the rescue had been «ffected Captain Weston put a man at the masthead of the Yanariva to keep a lookout for the other boats, but no trace of them was seen. The French Consul greeted the Yanariva upon her arrival here and warmly tbanked Captain Weston for his humanity and seamanlike conduct. An La-Official Indicted. BUTTE, Moxr., March 17.—Charles Q. Johnson, formerly County Clerk and Re- corder, was indicted by the Grand Jurv yesterday, charged with embezzling $3516 y funds which were received by fees and which he failed to turn over to the Treasurer and disappeared. He sarved as County Clerk for four years. 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