The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 25, 1902, Page 1

VOLUME XCIII— PRICE FIVE CENTS. AMERICAN SYNDICATE WITH ONE BILLION DOLLARS CAPITAL TO ACQUIRE CONTROL OF THE GAS SUPPLY OF ALL E JURY FINDS LAURA BIGGAR PRIEST DIES FVICTIM OF WTER CURE | AT SN Father Augustine’s. Fate Fully Es- | tablished. Inquiry Into Panay | Island Qutrage Is Concluded. General Miles Orders Other| Investigations in the Philippines. MANILA, Dec. 24—Several officlal in- Quiries into charges of alleged cruelty to natives by soldiers are at present pro- Eressing throughout the islands. Some «of these cases have been investigated pre- viously. The inquiry into the causes which led to the death of Father Augustine has been completed and forwarded to Wash- ington. The water cure was administered to Father Augustine at Banate, Panay island, and the priest died from the ef- fects of the treatment. It is said that a large sum of money has been - raised among the natives of the southern isl- ands and sent to Boston to aid in the private prosecution of the Augustine e. The clalm has been made that this money was intended for use against Major Edwin ¥. Glenn of the Fifth In- fantry, who is charged with having un- wiully and wiiifully executed seven prisoners of war, and whose trial will | be continued here in January. Major Glenn, however, i with the Augustine case. MILES ORDERS INQUIRIES. When General Miles was at Lipa, in ihe province of Batangas, Luzon, cer- ain patives laid charges before him that curing the campaign of reconcentration American soldiers had committed acts of and violence. Genera! Miles re- the charges to General Davis, and | atter .detailed Colonel Morris C. of the Twenty-ninth Infantry to Colonel Morris C. Foote ourd the charges of violence to be un- | ue, but it is believed he found in some | es that the water cure had been ad- ered. His report will be sent to| gton While General Miles was on the islands Major George K. Hunter of the Fifteenth Cavalry reported to him certain charges thet had been brought against Captain tobert L. Howse of the Sixth Cavalry when in command at Lacag, North Ilo- cos, I in 1900. At the time speci- fied C: n Howse was lieutenant colo- nel of the Thirty-fourth Volunteer Infan- | try. Major Hunter said that native offi- | cials of Laoag had whipped certain pris- | v oners, two of whom died from the ef-| fLec! of is treatment. At the time ©f this alleged occurrence Major Hunter | was serving at Laoag. He reported the | effair in a letter to Governor Taft, who | informed General MacArthur. < Captain | Howse dened the charges. An Investiga- | tion was ordered, and the bodles of the two prisoners who died were exhumed. In their report the investigators held Captain Howse to be blameless. CASE IS NOT YET CLOSED. General Miles brought Major Hunter | to the morth of Luzon and landed him at | Laoag before leaving the. islands for | 8. At present Major Hunter is in | Marnila. He says the investigation into the charges against Captain Howse has | not yet been completed. | After leaving Manila General Mile sent a cablegram to General Bell direct t on the part of the enemy had led him to issue circular No. 5, In which it was that the ememy had boloed can wounded, had made use of | n uniforms, had planted infer- hines, shot pelsoned arrows, vio- their paroles, assassinated friend- >s, accepteé office under the Americans for the purpose of obtaining | information and had entered the Ameri- can lines by deceit. Geperal Bell has | written an extenced report enumerating | stances which justified him in his | the nction RUMOR OF THE POPE'S ILL EEALTH UNFOUNDED | Leo XIII Celebratés Christmas Eve Mass and Personally Delivers Benediction. ROME, Dec. 24.—There i no founda- | tion for the report that the Pope is fil. ihe Pontiff is in zood health and excel- lent spirits. He did not retire until 10 o'clock ‘last night. He arose at o'clock this morning and celebrated mass | in Lis priv chapel. Pope Leo celebrated mass in his pri- vate chavel to-vight, after which he hed a1l a merry Christmas, and ask- .d, laughingly: “Do 1 lock 2s if I had been ill yester- day?” The Pontiff delivered the benediction personally. ¥ — Tenant Sues Pierpont Morgan. EW YORK, Dec. 24.—J. Pierpont Mor- gan has Leen summoned to appear in the District Municipal Court to answer in a suit brought against him for $200 dumages, The claimant. 4 tenant in a housc owned | y Morgan, claims that he caught a se- | vere cold through the hcuse not being heated uwing to the lack of coal | was in no way connect- | | INNOCENT OF CONSPIRACY Hendricks and Stanton, Her Alleged Aeeomplices, Are Convieted. i &' 3 I | i I I \ ol ) = MISS LAURA BIGGAR, WHOSE TRIAL TO NETT’S ESTATE HAS ENDED IN AN ACQUITTAL. CONSPIRED FRAUDUL] TLY o ON THE CHARGE ACQUIRE HENRY THAT SHE M. BBEN- REEHOLD, N. J., Dec. 24—Laura Biggar was acquitted and Dr. Charles C. Hendricks and Samuel Stanton, formerly Justice of the Peace, were found guilty by the jury to- day in the case against the three de- fenéants on the charge of having con- spired to get pos e es- tate of Henry M. Bennett, a capitalist of Pittsburg, Pa. The jury, which retired at 4:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon, remainéd out all night and asked the court if the jury might convict two of the defendants and aecquit one. The court sald such a verdict would be legal, and later in the day the verdict as stated was returned. UETH THE GAN CEST 1T GISTHS BE FESTITES Miss Mary Moore Drops Dead in the Home of Her Sister at a Merry GatHering. ‘While enjoying Christmas eve festivl- s at her sister's home last night May Mcore, a young lady aged 19 years, fell backward unconsclous and died three hours afterward. The sad ending of the hittle celebration to usher in the day brought deepest sorrow to the family. Festivities gave way to weeping. The un- fortunate giri was placed on a bed and physicians exercised their skill, but witn She had burst an artery in her head and death was the outcome. The accident to Miss Moore was as sud- | den as it was unexpected. She was in the midst of reading a funny story to her sis- ter, Mrs. Lizzie Moran, who lives at 306 Central avenue, when she suffered a pain in her head. “‘Oh, my héad,” she cried, as she placed her hands on top of it to allay the pain. ler sister became frightened at Miss Moore’s pale appearance and. sprang for- ward to assist her. The unfortunate girl feli back into her arms in an unconscious condition. Drs. Noble, Carpenter, Bruner and La- gan were called in. They did all they could to restore her to consciousness, but Geath soon closed her young life. The doctors gave it as-their opinion that death was due to the bursting of an ar- tery in the head. Miss Moore was a suf- ferer from pains in the head and always complained.” She was a stenographer by occupation and lived with her parents at | 1912 McAllister street. The case was reported to the Morgue officials, but the bedy was not.removed, as death was due to natural causes. Po. liceman Archie Hamill made # report of the matter to the Central police station, tion, Miss Biggar laid claim to the entire, es- tate of Bennett, who died recently, leav- ing a large fortune, as his wife and as the Leir 6f a child of Bennett, which she said was born to her after his death and soon died. and the proprietor of a- sanitarium which she said the child was born. ton said he had united Miss Biggar and Bennett in marriage and a marriage cer- tificate signed by him played an important part in the case. The claim of Miss Biggar was contested by persons who lald claim.to being the rightful of Bennett and they have made the charge of conspiracy. the will Miss Biggar was bequeathed a Jdarge part of the estate. oot ® SHAW MAY SUCCEED ROOT A5 THE WiR- DEPARTMENT'S HEAD Treasury Portfolio Likely to Be Offered to Governor Crane of Massa- chusetts. in Special Dispatch to The Call, WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.—It became known some time ago that Secretary of War Root would resign from the Cabinet within the next few months and he has not changed his intention of returning to the practice of law. Although no date has been set, Root’s resignation will prob- ably be handed to‘the President to take effect some time next spring. The story pubiished by the "Boston Globe to-day, to the effect that Secretary cf the Treasury Shaw would soon succeed Root as head of the War Department and Goverrnor Crane of Massachusetts would be appointed Secretary of the Treasury has had no official confirmation. President Roosevelt has a high opinion of Crane’s ability and this was shown nearly a yedr ago when he offered the Secretaryship of the Treasury to the Mus- sachusetts man before he offered it to Shaw. It is not known that Crane is any more willing to accept the place at this time than he was early in the year. Nothing can be learned in regard to the proposition that Shaw will be transferred to the War Department. He will not talk on the subject. There has been a re. port In circulation lately to the effect that Governor Taft would temporarily succeed Root as Secretary of War, until the place of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is vaecant, but there is no confirmation of this beyond the well-understood fact that Under | RESIDENCE OF KEMNE 15 CHINGED Transfers to Solano to Get Around the Law. ‘Records Tell Story of Sacramento Register. ———— One Bank Commissioner | Now a Resident of the | Capital City. | Daniel Kevane, secretary of the State Board of Examiners, on November 19, 1902, after voting in Sagramento on Noyeniber 4, made application for the cancellation of his Sacramento County registration and was transferred to Solano County. It seems clear that there is some juggling with the law of California to enable Ke- vane to qualify as Bank Commissioner | to succeed A: W. Barrett. 3 ‘V Section 1 of the act creating the Bank | Commission contains his provigion; “On j or before the 15th day:of May, 1878, the | | Governor shall appoint three competent persons, one of whom shall be an expert of accounts, to be styled Bank Commis- sloners, who shall hold office for the pe- | cessors are appointed and fualified; and NC TWO COMMISSIONERS TO BE AP- BE RESIDENTS (OF THE SAME COUNTY. i ok - Colonel L B W ho was recently appointed Bk Colimissioner, is an ord resident.of Sacramento, County. In order to get around the law Daniel Kevane | moves to Solano County. The Sacramento records show that Kevane registered | from 814 Ninth street, Sacramento, Sep- | tember 24, 1902. This is the number of the | private residence of B. W. Cavanaugh | and is In the “Assembly district where | Grove L. Johnson was running for the | Legislature in the jate political campaign. The facts, however, as proved by the city directory and telephone book show | that Kevane’s residence was 1233 O street. | He 1lived there continuously for two | years. It is doubtful if Kevane lived | thirty days, or even ten days, at the Cavanaugh residence, on Ninth street, although Cavanaugh says he stopped at the housge three or four nights—enough Dr. Hendricks was her physician | to give him a residence. Undoubtedly Ke- vane registered from Cavanaugh's house Stan- | S0 that he might vote for Grove L. John- son, as the latter is known as an ardent supporter of the Gage administration. It appears to be clearly established that Kevane is a resident of Sacramento. The Solano transfer cannot be accounted for in any other light than an attempt to get around the law, which holds that no two Bank Commissioners shall be residents of the same county. He could not trans- fer back to Los Angeles, where he resided when he was called to Sacraménto to serve as secretary of the State Board of Examiners, because Guy B. Barham, who was appointed Bank Commissioner to suc- ceed Bernard D. Murphy, dwells in that county. 2 NEITHER AN EXPERT. When the law is studied in connection with the act relating to expert account- ants it will be made clear to the impar- tial observer that neither Wright, Kevane nor Barham is an expert accountant. On November 13, 1301, A. G. Platt, secretary of the State Board of Accountants, wrote to Atforney General Ford a lefter which called forth the following construction of the State law establishing the board: ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, STATE OF CALIFORNIA. ¥ SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 23, 1001 Mr. A. G. Platt, State Board of Accountancy, 503 California Street, San Francisco—Dear Sir: Your favor of November 13, 1801, recefved. You ask the further advice of this office upon the following questions: 1. Under the wording of the act, what now legally constitutes the qualifications or desig- nation of an expert of accounts? 2. May individuals not accredited by our board use and assume the following business designations: Expert Accountant, Expert Public Accountant and Expert Auditor with- out intringing on the meaning of the act now in force? In reply to your first question permit me to say that an “Expert of Accounts” within the meaning of the act creating the State Board of Accountancy (Statutes 1901, page 645), is one who has complied with the lawful rules and regulations ‘of your honorable board adopted under the provisions of sald act and who has regularly obtained a certificate of qualifica- tion to practice as & certified Public Accountant. . Section 3 of the act prohibits any person from assuming or using the words ‘“‘Certified expert accountant” or “Expert of accounts.”” In other words, a “Certified expert of ac- counts” and “Expert of accounts” are iden- tical. 3 In-reply to your second question, permit me to say that the use of the words “‘Expert pub- lic mccountant’y by .a person who has not re- celved from your honorable board a certificate a3 required by the act creating your board is expressly prohibited. I construe the words “Expert accountant” as synonymous with ““Experts of accounts,”” and the use of these words by a person without having received a sconer or later Judge Taft will become a | pertificate from your honorable board fs like- member of that court, _ -, _ wise prohibited, In the use of the words “kix. . : | rod of four years and until their suc- | E POINTED UNDER THIS ACT SHALL |- OF THE OLD WORLD CIFIES. INGREASED WAGES 15 CHRISTAMAS GIFT FOR MANY TOILERS Two Great Coke Companies Gladden the Hearts of Their Em- ployes. FoEL s PITTSBURG, Dec. 24.—Notices were posted throughout the Conmellsville coal reglons to-day granting the 20,000 em- ployes of the Frick Coke Company a vol- untary advance in wages averaging 8 per cent. The increase will take effect January 1. It fneans that the company will nekt year disburse in wages to its men $1,000,000 more than it has this year, and that it will continue to pay the highest wages of any concern in the United States employing this kind of la- bor. The Frick Coke Company is a subsidiary company of the United States Steel Corporation. The Bessemer Coke Compauy, which is the second largest independent coke-pro- ducing interest in the Connellsville cok- ing reglon, to-day notified its embloyes that an advance of 8 per cent in wages at all of the plants of the company would become effective on January 1. The ad- vance applies to the wages of 5000 men. CHICAGO, Dec. 24.—The 4700 engineers and firemen on the Chicago, Milwaukee ONE OF THE CAPITALISTS WHO IS INTERESTED IN THE BILLION- DOLLAR SYNDICATE THAT HOPES TO CORNER: THE GAS SUPPLY Sy WASKED HIGHWAYMEN HOLD UP STAGE g ROB THE PASSENGERS Also Carry Off the Express Box, Which Contained 3 a Large Sum of Money: ES . Ariz., Deec. Two masked men held up the big six horse stage run- ning between Tombstone and Fairbanks last night, relieved the passengers of their valuables and made away to the hills with the Wells-Fargo Express box. The deed was an exceptionally bold one, consider- ing that the Tombstone stage line is the most important one in the territory, since the revival of that camp and that the ten miles of highway over which it rums is the most frequented stage road in Arl- zona. The Tombstone' stage leaves Fairbanks in the évening about seven o'clock after the arrival of the Southern Pacific train from the north. Last night the train was a little behind time and the stage was late in leaving. About two miles out of Fairbanks two masked men stepped out into the middle of the road, where they could be seen by the side lights of the approaching stage and at the point of their rifles commanded the driver to hold up his hands. Although armed, the driver hastened to and St. Paul system have been given an incréase in pay of about 10 per cent. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Dec. 24.—An- nouncement was made to-night that the wages of engineers, firemen, conductors, trajnmen and station empioyes of the Ala- bama Great Southern have been increased from 5 to 10 per cent. This affects about 1500 men. L e i e e i e b ol pert auditor” 1 am of the opinion that the court would look at the real facts in the case and it the person holding himself out as an “expert auditor” were, in fact, an “‘expert of accounts,” the use of the word ‘“‘auditor” fn- stead of “accounts” or ‘“‘accountant” would not protect the person so using the same from the penalty prescribed by the act. Very truly yours, TIREY L. FORD, Attorney General. A further examination of the statutes will clearly establish the contention that the present Building and Loan Commis- sioners are not such expert accountants as the act creating this commission re- quires. Apart from these requirements of law the case is clear that Kevane and Wright are residents of the same county. It is likewise clear that neither is an expert accountant, What explanation can be made of Kevane's sudden transfer.to So- lano County remains to be developed. There seems to be a determination to put him in the Bank Commission regardless of the law relating to residence and ex- pert qualification. Somehow there seems to be a fraud on the people of California. The idea of trifling with the law and jug- gling withregistration in order to clear the way for Keyane to draw a salary for four years at the expense of the banks will not meet with public favor. The Solano residence is a clumsy pretense to overreach and get around the act creating the Board of Bank Commissioners. obey their orders, as the robbers had the drop on him. One of the men stood guard over the driver, while the others relieved the half dozen passengers of their money and . watches and secured the ‘Wells-Fargo box, which is said to have contained more than $1000 in cash, al- though the company officials have not yet determined the full extent of their loss. The men were unmounted, and securing the valuables from the passengers and the express box, they made for the mount- ains. The stage at once returned to Fairbanks, where an alarm was given and a posse was organized to take the trail of theirobbers. One of the men wore high heel boots and was evidently a cowboy, while the other had his feet tied up in sacks. They were tracked to a spot five miles back in the mountains, where the express box was found broken open and the contents taken. There was blood on the box, indicating that one of the men had injured his hand while breaking it open. From this point the robbers were tracked back into Fairbanks, where the trail was lost. The night before the robbery was com- mitted, the stage from Fairbanks to Tombstone carried $28,000 in cash for the big mining company now operating at the latter place. The robbers had evidently learned of this In some way and only missed a big haul by one night. It is thought that one of the men can be found by the wound on his hand and the officers are following this clew. CLARENCE H. MACKAY PLANS A SURPRISE NEW YORK. Dec. 24.—The Press says that Clarence H. Mackay is planning a New Year's surprise for the employes of the Postal Telegraph. Company. He main- tains secrecy as to the mature of the gift, but that it will be something sub- stantial is the general belief. UROPE Pari‘s Is to Be theFirstCity Invaded. D. O. Mills Is in the Big Deal. Special Dispatch to The Call. HICAGO, Dee. 24.—Capital teo the amount of narly $1,000,000,- 000 is reported to be represent- ed In the formation of a gi- gantic gas trust, which will include the different companies in nearly, all the prineipal cities of Eu- rope and the large interests of London. Chicago and New York .capital is repre- serted in the project. John D. Rocke- feller is credited with being a prospec- tive ‘stockholder to the amount. ef $300,000,000. Other New York caplitaiists faid to be interested are Anthony Brady, D. O. Mills and A. R. Flower. C. K. G. Billings is the organizer of the project, which fs destined to mtro- duce American methdds of making il- lumjnating and fuel gas in. Paris, Lons don, Brussels and other European cities. Billings will safl for Paris en January 4 to close negotiations already under way for the control of the ga; plants of that eity. Billings will have control of limitless capital to make such investments as his Jjudgment dictates. All of the gas plants of Faris, with their valuable franchises, may be purchased outright by the Ameri- cans, or'the deal in the French capital may be only to bring the gas plants up to the methods of manufacture in- this country, particularly in Chicago. If the Paris deal goes through as ex- pected, the next move of the American financiers will be toward gaining control of the gasmaking industries in Louden and Brussels. Other FEuropean cities may be negotiated with later. Agents of Blllings and his associates in Paris report that they have found an excellent fleld for Americhn enterprise and American capital. Billings coutrols certain patents in gasmaking. and with- out his ald the transformation. of for- eign plants could not be accomplished. 1t s said even that Biilings' persomal aid is imperative, as he alone is said to have certain secrets by which the cost of mak- ing gas can be greatly reduced and the fluid “at the same time be greatly fa- creased in candle-power and light pene- tration. Attorney A. S. Trude, who represents Billings, sald to-night: “This is not an attempt to form a gas trust in Buropean cities. by any means. Billings may simply introduce his mod- ern appliances for making gas, or he may buy the gas plants outright. In France such franchises as that for fur- nishing gas in a city hke Paris come in the line of national legislation. If Billings can show the Parisians the ad- vantages to be obtained tiarough his meth ods and the necessary legislation is se- cured for the transfer of the gas fran- chises he has plenty of American cap~ ital to invest in the plans. Foreigners are slow to adopt improved American meth~ o0ds.” —_— ARMED HIGHWAYMEN COMMIT BOLD ROBBERY Relieve Poultry Raiser of His Watch and a Small Sum of Money. REDDING, Dee. 24—Harry M. Roos was held up by two highwaymen Monday evering and robbed of $28 that he had re- ceived for some turkeys that he disposed of in the Redding market. The holdup took place at Stillwater il abeut six miles east of Redding. After purchasing. a lot of Christmas presents and supplies Roos starfed for his home, near Millville. As he reached the foot of Stillwater Hill he was startled by a command to stop. He complied with the order and found himself face to face with two highwaymen, each armed with a re- volver. In response to the highwaymen's demand Roos jumped ‘down from his wagon seat and stood with his back tcward the robbers, while one of them searched through his pockets. Besides taking Roos’ money, the highwaymen took a fine gold watch that was given him by his father. . Rcos had $190 in gold in one of the pockets of his trousers. A handkerchief was stuck down over the money and the highwaymen overlooked it. —_—— COUNT BETHIEN KILLS HIMSELF AT ABAZZIA Hungarian Deputy of Ancient and Noble Family Shoots Himself in a Rowboat. » VIENNA, Dec. 24.—Count Stephen Beth- ien, a Hungarian deputy and a member of an ancient and noble family, committad suicide to-day at Abazzia, a watering place on the Guif of Fiume. At dawn this morning the Count took a small boat and rowed out a short dis- tarnce from shore. He then shot himself, after having tied himself to the mast of the boat in order to prevent his body from falling overbeard. The Count. re- cently suffered from nervous prostration. —_———— CROP OUTLOOK POOR THROUGHOUT RUSSIA Late Harvest, Rainy Autumn and Winter and Early Frosts Com- ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 24—The con- dition of the winter crops in nearly all European Russia is regarded as abso- lutely bad. This condition arises from the delay in sowing, which was due to the late harvest and rain) autumn and winter, and the ceed did not germinate sufficlently béfore the advent of- early and intense frosts. The crop outlook is serious, even in several of the southemn provinces of the country. ——————t