The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 29, 1904, Page 1

4 Forecast made mianight, April 29: Fair Priday; fre winés. District cisco for thirty hours ending San Poancisco and vicinity— A. G. McADIE, “ t San Fran- sh westerly Forecaster. V—NO. 151 Alcazar—“The Tivoli—“When —_— - THEE THEATERS. Special Matinee To-Day. California—*“A Girl From Dixie.” Central—‘“The Still Alarm.” Chutes—Vaudeville. Columbia—“Running for Office.” Fischer's—"“Chow-Chow.” Grand—“Whirl-I-Gig.” ‘Majestic—“The Crisis.” Orpheum—Vaudeville. Marching Home.” New Clown.” Johnny Comes SAN FRANCISCO. FRIDAY, APRIL 29: 1904. RICE FIVE €E NTS. B LATEST ADDITION TO THE GREATER NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES G 3 LIDES SMOOTHLY FROM WAYS AND IS CHRISTENE YIS JEE O TRANSPORT Hundreds Go Down With the Kin- shiu Maru. ———— Japanese Refuse toSurrender After Their Officers Yield. l I ( —— | Mikado's Army Repulses the Enemy| | in Two Days’ Fighting at the Yalu Special Dijspatch to The Oull SHANGHAI, April 29. It is reported here that the Russians have suf- fered a disastrous re- pulse after two days’ fighting on the Yalu River. The Japanese| forces crossed the river Russians the re- treated. ana and probably the com t know that - ; it for him to at- te »r to interfere - e Sawel . Janese troops. YESZEN'S OFFICIAL REPORT. he of report of Rear Admiral Y he r is in part as I t Kinsh with rice a es and about 1500 nsport was armed guns. The Rus- i seventeen of- eighty-five mil- on boa v were left tinately refused to rd a Russian offered In bottom reports the hat, ese u at Gensan on ans sank the same mship Nakamura whose crew was Japa REVIVE RUSSIAN SPIRITS e jons of the Viadivostok . e revived the spirits of t eople of St. Petersbur have been downcast ce f the Petropa he ¥ fleet to the fact that the navy is doing some f an sive character appeals por ind, which has beer able t te the reason for the ty of fine ships of the Viad- on generally recognized that Rear Yeszen cannot do more .than f n the e and compel ¥ exercise greater caution in tary movements, as the sink - a few transports or even cruis- . have no permanent effect on ¢ of the war. Moreover, he d by his instructions not to sk his s s unduly, the intention be- K them s for an attack | altic fleet when it arrives in the The ¥ ty of a Japanese attempt | to mir trances to Viadivostok. 2 was t Port Arthur, is con- | gidered the conditions are differ- | ent, and besides Rear Admiral Yeszen, | with the iesson of the Petropaviovsk | disaster fresh in his mind, will ob- serve the utmost caution EMPEROR IS INDIGNANT. It is said that the Emperor is highly indignant over the Kinchiu Maru af- | fair, and that he will relieve Yeszen and order him to be court-martialed. Contivued on Page 2, Column 1. » NDER the most auspicious conditions that have ever attended a launching of any United Sta tes fighting craft, the cruiser California glided into the bay of San D CALIFORNIA — i Francisco yesterday morning. Over her bow Miss Florence Mary Pardee, daughter of the Governor of the commonwealth of California, broke a beribboned bot- tle of champagne, voicing the words, “I christen thee California.” Both the maiden and the wine are products of the State aftér which the new cruiser isnamed. The | launching zvas held under the auspices of the Native Sohs of the Golden West and was attended by prominent persons in all walks of life. — +* + - — - - . | | i | 1 | it ; i o = = | SPLENDID NEIV ARMORED CRUISER CALIFORNIA JUST BEFORE SHE SLIPPED FROM THE WAYS 'AT THE UNION JRON WORKS. Cheering Multitude Witnesses Big Vessel's Initial Dip and Battleship Ohi; : Welcomes Her Graceful Sister With Booming Gun. As willingly as a newly born babe nestles on the bosom of its mother the United States cruiser California glided yesterday into the waters of the bay. Fully 50,000 people watched her- wed | the rime of countless ages, her bow foaming with California champagne. A pretty girl, gowned in white evidently embarrassed by the promi- nence that the occasion had forced upon her, told the ship in a clear voice, “I christen thee, California.” Close to her breast she held a magnifi- cent bunch of American Beauty roses. She was Miss Florence Mary Pardeé, daughter of the Governor of California, and the fittest and sweetest little girl that ever sent a warship on its mission to destroy or be destroyed. and Never into the salt sea has gone a | vessel freighted with the responsibili- ties of the maintenance of a great re- public and the hope of humanity so gladly as did the California. Only a whimper could be heard from the stout timbers that have held her so long from contact with the element she was born to: no steel plate on her vast sides failed to welcome their mission; not a rivet squirmed under the test, Compa unswervingly and without complaint she answered the prayers of her makers and went into the sea, voi by every articulate note of en- ment that a representative American citizenship could devise. NO SPEECHES ARE MADE. When she went down to the sea there were no useless words of speech in set language that is said to be the means of disguising one's thoughts. Prominent people in all walks of life thronged the launching platform, but they had no other expression than a throaty cheer and a proud swelling at their hearts that another stout ship had tasted the water and some day might be the means of proving that the United States is impregnably superior to any power, on land or in the vast reaches of the ¢ n. For most people of the city the oc- casion was a holiday. In adddition to the vast throng that wandered at will in the capacious yards of the Union Iron Works, every wharf on the south side of the water front, every eminence in the Potrero district and every build- ing in the entire city that commanded a view of the ways were crowded by spectators. Although the United Raii- roads diverted many cars from their accustomed routes, the service was en- tirely unable to handle the traffic it was compelled to bear in the direction of the Union Iron Works. Men, women and even children were compelled to hang to hand rails with insecure footing on the sideboards, in order to reach their destination. Mirac- | | | | | cles. | event, | gable ulonsly, dents there were no serious acci- eported in transportation cir- More secure and satisfactory were the police arrangements for pre- venting the vast crowd from meeting with injuries after it had arrived at its destination. Captain John Spillane and Lieutenant Michael Joseph Conboy were specially detaifled from head- quarters to care for the situation. With them went fifty-four officers and, despite the rush, the crowd and the many imminent dangers, they re- turned to their station with the proud record that not a single accident had occurred to visitors during the launch- ing. LAUNCHED BEFORE TIME. When the California left the ways and glided into the.rippling waters of the bay most of the throng in the christening stand were taken by sur- prise. It had been officlally given out that the exact moment of the bridal between the salt waves and the steel maiden of Mars would be at 10:40 o’clock in the morning. This was fore- casted as being the time of highest tide. Expectant observers, tense on the momentous occasion, consulted their watches and settled back for a wait of two or three minutes. Without warning, at 10:38 the shapely form of metal was released by M Walter S. Martin, who pressed a bu ton and at the same moment Miss Par- dee, apprised of the imminency of the waved her bedecked bottle of champagne high in air and smashed it on the prow of the slowly gliding ship, at the same time uttering the ir- revocable name of the cruiser. Slowly, but with constantly increas- ing momentum, the grgat mass of navi- steel started down the ways. These had been tallowed so that the descent was easy for the newest cruiser of the United States. Behind her trailed a chain cable of vast proportions and two traveling cranes overhead paid this out without checking the speed of the vessel. The cable was intended as a precautionary measure, in case any accident should happen as the cruiser was gliding into the bay. Happily no call was made upon {t. Sailormen would say that this was a good augury for the account that the California will give of herself when it becomes her unhappy duty to impress upon a na- tional enemy the power of the United States and the strength of the State, the name of which the latest addition to the national navy bears. CRUISER RUSHES SEAWARD. Inch by inch at first, then foot by foot and finally with a rush, the great mass started to the waiting waters of the bay. Behind it trailed the Jevia- than steel chain, never taut and never restraining. When the water was reached the immense cable was re- leased automatically and the newest wedlock of the seas had been consum- mated. When the ship struck the water there was a gigantic splash fore and aft. All the gathered craft in the bay in front rocked roughly and the thousands of spectators clung to handrails momen- tarily. On the pier upon which the ways were set an immense throng had | gathered. Upon these for a distance | of two hundred feet from the beach a shower of water fell, ruining many a spring hat and dainty gown. Despite this discomfort, not a single person sought shelter until ' the vessel had glided out into its resting place in a mud bank more than 100 yards from shore. With it went all the debris of its supports. Huge timbers, shattered to bits in the pressure put upon them, littered the space of water between the wharf and the new cruiser. ONE TOUCH OF PATHOS. ‘Welcoming the new arrival of the seas was the battleship Ohio, built by the Union Iron Works and launched three years ago in the presence of the well-beloved and lamented William Mc- Kinley, then President of the United States and subsequently the victim of a crazed assassin's bullet. A gun from the Ohio boomed out as the California struck the water, and all in the grand stand turned their eyes thitherward. Memories of the launching of the near- ly equipped battleship and the tragedy of a President’s taking off occurred to many, and some women cried at the memory of the kindly man who was killed at Buffalo as he tried to grasp in friendship the hand of the man who shot him. This was the one touch of pathos that shadowed the launching of the California. Shortly after 10 o'clock the tug Slo- cum arrived at the outer pier of the Union Iron Works, bearing most of those who were to take prominent parts in the christening of the new cruiser. They were met by Captain of Police Spillane and Lieutenant M. J. Conboy with a squad of policemen, who made smooth their way through the steel-sheeted stacks of material in the yard of the works and kept out- siders from interfering with the prog- ress of the party. o o CHRISTENER ARRIVES. In the lead walked Miss Pardee, evi- dently burdened by being placed as cynosure of so many eyes, but becom- ingly sweet and attractive even in her unusual position. In her hands she car- ried a splendid bunch of pink roses, that gave a touch of color to her white gown. Beside her walked Henry T. Scott, h of the Union Iron Works. Just behind was Governor Pardee, chatting h.ush{lsly 'wlth George Scott, another . representative of the works where the new cruiser was constructed. Mayor Schmitz and his wife were in the Yrocession, and many prominent county and city officials. Far in the rear came Major General MacArthur and. Major West of the United States army. Between the extremes were many officers of the army, navy and transport service. Among these the well-known faces of Commander C. B. T. Moore from Mare Island and Major Devol, head of the transport service, were generally recognized. The procession was piloted to the platform, where standing space ,had been reserved for them. Mrs. Martin had arrived previously with her hus- band and all the arrangements for the launching were ready and awaiting only a high tide signal. Below could be heard the sledges of the workmen knocking out the main supports that held the cruiser on the ways. Guarded as carefully as the jeweled collar of the Nabob of Irawadl was a white button set In a rough timber on the platform.. The inopportune pressing of this would have cost the lives of twenty men who were laboriously knocking out the supports that held the hull in place. WORKMEN WATCH SLIDE. Perhaps of all the spectators of the famous voyage down the ways there was not a more tense-eyed throng than the men who have built the cruiser. They hafl welded her sides together, and every white-hot rivet they hammered to connect the steel plate voiced a wish that the product of their hands and brains would prove an impregnable barrier to aggression from any alien people. Some of the engineers who helped build the mass- ive structure that will undoubtedly prove a powerful engine of war gained admission to the christening stand. Others sought the water front and with the actual constructors watched the result of their labors. The public ‘was barred from the edge of the launching wharf, but a. crowd of splendid looking men, in overalls and jumpers, stood close to where the muddy waters of the bay lapped the piling of the pier and every heart beat high in hopes that no untoward oc- currence might happen that would de- stroy or delay the product of their labors. Henry T. Scott was visibly nervous as the fateful moment approached. Perspiration wetted his cheeks and forehead from under the somewhat antiquated high hat he wore. The strain of the great endeavor was plain_ ly telling upon him. Almost without any warning to the spectators on the platform he gave the word to Mrs. Martin, his daughter, to press the but- ton. The slow starting of the ship was the signal to Pardee to smash the bottle of champagne on the pink bow of the sliding steel struc- ture, and before it had gone three inches she had made her christening in a voice audible to everybody within a reasonable distance. RUSHES TO THE WAVES. Slowly the timbers under the bow crushed, with the noise of trees re- covering from frost. Slowly started the great ship to the ocean, relieved of the supports to its vast weight. As it went down the ways there was a crunching sound from the battered supports. A woman looking over the railing said the timbers were the vic- tims of a new power and that they cried out in agony. Nothing could have been devised in mechanics to surpass the methods used in launching the great cruiser. Every pound of her was calctilated to | | tendent. a nicety. Each support that was knocked from under the hull by the workmen held a certain weight, which was figured almost to a fraction of a pound. Before the launching the supports were mechanically reduced to a minimum. When Mrs. Martin pressed the button every pound of re- sistance was removed and the cruiser sought the water as a diver takes a dip. The device for the actual launching protected only the blocks at the bow end of the ship. Most of the others were knocked out. When the button was pressed a quarter inch rope was cut automatically by an ax, which re- leased a car on either side of the ship, which acted as a butter against the remaining supports. As these came down the incline and tore away the remaining supports the cruiser settled steadily on the tallowed ways and started its voyage seaward. Un- der her keel she carried the last sup- ports and churned them to splintered edges in her anxiety to reach the rime for which she was intended. PUBLIC SEEKS DANGER. ‘When the launching was over the po- lice were kept busy in saving curious people from danger. The most persis- tent of these were women. Sergeant ‘Wall and a detail of men tried to drive back the throng from the pler to allow the employes of the Union Iron Works to secure the floating timbers by means of a four-inch hawser and a traveling crane. Reluctantly the crowd moved back under the orders of the police, but the foreman decided finally that he would not attempt to recover the tim- bers until the holiday crowd had with- drawn. With such a curious crowd, he stated, there might be danger of some inexperienced person being hurt. Continued on Page 4, Column 2. | | ACCUSED SECRETARY ARRESTED Business Man of Los Angeles Goes to Jail. Former Mes Have Warrant Issued for Embezzlement. Ten Thousand Dollars Said fo Be the Sum Taken From a Southern California Company, i i Special Dispatch to The Call LOS ANGELES, April 28—J. # Melvill, well known in business cirecles, a prominent Democratic politician and regarded as a man of means, was ar- rested to-day on a charge of felony embezzlement, consisting of the alleged appropriation of $600 which had been entrusted to him. Additional embezzlement charges and others of passing fictitious checks | and forgery probably will be preferred against him by reason of his alleggd acts while acting secretary of the Fidelity Abstract Company. After his arrest it developed that his peculations will amount to more than $10,000 and that his transactions cover a period of more than a year. Associated with him in the abstraet company were such prominent men as ‘W. T. Craig, attorney for the Board of Trade; William Mead, president of the Central Bank; George H. Peck, a San Pedro banker, and others, but they permitted Melvill to run the business without their supervision. Several weecks ago a shortage of $8500 was found in his accounts. This the assoclates made good and gave him an opportunity to repay them. | Other shortages being discovered, he was ousted from the position of sec- retary and started an opposition con- cern. Further investigation of his ac- counts revealed other shortages, and his former associates coused his arrest. Melvill declares that he cannot be con- victed and defies his accusers. He re- fuses . to make any statement about financial affairs. CONVICTS \TTENPT 10 ESCAPE Desperate Battle Is Fought Between a Crowd of Felons and Officers in the Ari- zona Penitentiary in Yuma Special Dispatch to The Call. YUMA, Ariz, April 28.—An attempted prison break of about fifteen desperate convicts in the Territorial Penitentiary occurred at 8 o’clock this morning and came near resulting in the death of ‘Willlam S. Griffith, the superintendent, and U. G. Wilder, assistant superin- The officials were in the yard mak- ing their usual morning rounds, when they were attacked. Wilder was knocked senseless. Griffith was over- powered and would doubtless have been led to the gate and an attempt made to force him to open it had not fire been opened by Guard Stevens, whose position upon the wall enabled him to witness the assault. Six convicts were wounded by him. William Buck, a lifetime convict from Glove, who is acting as cook, grabbed a butcher’s knife and attacked his fel- low convicts, saving the life of the su- perintendent. Wilder was badly beaten, shot in the thigh and, it is thought, fatally stabbed. The leader of the revolt was Willlam M. Lausztannau, known as ‘“Three Fingered Jack.] He is one of the sev- eral men sent here for inciting the riots at Morenci last July, when the miners of that camp were on strike. Those riots occasioned the calling out of the National Guard and a force of Federal troops. PISTOL SHOTS ARE FIRED INTO HOME OF CANDIDATE Attempt Is Made to Assassinate Nomi- nee for Mayor on an Independent . Labor Ticket. JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., April 28. An attempt was made last night to assassinate D. M. Robins, candidate for Mayor on the Independent Labor ticket. : Robins was seated in his home when two bullets crashed through the window, one splintering the chair on which he was sitting and the other de- molishing a lamp. The shots had been fired from an alley, in which a revolver was found later. No arrests have been made, )