COAX 3HXE DISASTER OUT WEST.
Trrtflc Exploalan of fire Damp Thirteen
3feiiTnstantlu > Torn to Pieces.
One of the most serious and horrifying
fire-damp explosions in the history o !
Rocky Mountain coal mining , says tho
Omaha Republican , occurred last Thursday
night in the Union Pacific's mines at Alma ,
a point four miles northwest of Kvanston ,
Wyoming. Tho affair , however , was not
( mown hers until yesterday , and last evec-
J\8 \ a Porter called at General Manager
ralla way's residence to learn from him any
of.the.ahockiti ! ; particulars that he might
be in possession of. He , however , had not
been able to ascertain very much informa-
t-ion , but with what ho readily gave to the
reporter and what could be gathered from
telegraphic advices , the startling story may
be related in theso lines. It seems that
shortly after-the night shift of miners went
to work there was a terrific explosion of
firs-damp down in the mine.
Occuring when it did , at night , when only
a light force of miners were at work , the
death roll was limited to thirteen oouls ,
buthad it taken place during the day the
.loss of life must have run into hundreds ,
! or every person in the mines at the time
met with instant death. The whole faco of
the country and that portion of tho settle
ment fronting the slope gives evidence of
the force of the explosion. The weigh and
fan houses were totally demolished , and
the engine housewrecked , while residences
and business houses lost fronts , windows ,
doors and chimneys. The mouth of the
slope has the appearance of a huge funnel ,
from n-liich fully a thousand cubic yards of
rock have been torn and distributed over
the adjacent country. A train of thirteen
cars going down into the mine at the ex
plosion was broken into fragments and
shot out as though from the mouth of a
cannon. William and Joseph Evans , pas
sengers thereon , were most terribly muti
lated , the former being blown over tho
engine-house and a portion of the town.
The body was found 700 feet from the
mouth of the tunnel minus the head and
arms and the contents o ! the stomach. It
had bounded and rolled fully thirty yttrds
after striking the ground. Timbers and
track for seventy feet inside the slope
were torn up and scattered over the sur
rounding country , and the ground' for
fully-half a mile from the mouth of the
mine was covered with pieces of cars ,
ties , timbers , and other debris. Every
airshaft was blown away leaving huge pits.
All of the victims save two were Mormons ,
married , and leave large families. Many
people living near the mine narrowly es
caped death. Huge timbers crashed
through the roof Supt. Faulk's residence ,
r i50 yards from the elope , and fell between
two beds occupied at the time by himself
and family. John Smith lives in a house
in front of the air-shaft mouth of the mine.
Here the force of the explosion tore a great
hole in the earth twenty feet in diameter ,
: md a rock weighing over a ton fell through
the roof into the kitchen , demolishing the
ptove. The store of Beckwith , Qninn &
Co. , two hundred feet away , burst its
Iront , and some good goods were damaged.
The wheel from the pit-car passed through
an out-house near by , as if thrown from a
catapult. The mines are worked by Beck
with , Qninn & Co. , under contract with the
Union Pacific , who are making every effort
to recover the bodies in the mine.
Those at work therein at the time of the
explosion were : Enoch Thomas. Frank
Mason , John Peakc , Ellis Gridgermaii ,
John Hunter. Joseph and William Evans ,
John Pearson , John Hood , Henry Norn-
muck , William Hasseley , Alex. Jones , Hen
ry Milliken.
The bodies of the last two were found
Friday morning in the eleventh level. Only
one , that of John Peake , was burned seri
ously. The remainder were evidently
killed instantly by the force of the concus
sion.
PA.RrlGRAPHS THAI AKE POLITICAL.
Ex-Consressman Belford is reported in
Washington hunting for the nucleus of a
new party.
Lieut.-Gov. Black of Pennsylvania , the
great son of a great sire , is being promi
nently spoken of as a candidate for gover
nor of his state.
Labor organizations have gained strength
in the Massachusetts legislature and have
enough representatives in the joint commit
tee on labor to shape the reports.
The stage coach and horseback fashion
of electing a congress and then not letting
it legislate until thirteen months afterwards
seems to have few friends in the newspaper
prpss of to-day.
Representative Holman says he has driv
en thirty miles at a stretch over fine land
in Dakota without seeing a single house ,
yet he learned that every acre was taken
.up under homestead , timber culture and
other laws.
The present Iowa legislature w expected
to accomplish more in revising the laws of
the state than has been done for someyeary
pant. There will doubtless be changes in
the judicial system and the insurance and
the election laws.
Ex-Speaker Humes of the Illinois legisla
ture id laying his plans to get elected to the
next body. He thinks he can accomplish
it with the assistance of the minority rep
resentation plan in force in Illinois.
A Republican Washington correspondent
says Senator Wilson of Maryland is a lit
tle , white-haired man. who sits down more
to the front , and who is the very opposite
in all respects off his colleague , Gormaman.
He" is small and retiring. Gorman id 4J (
years old and Wilson is G1.
It is reported in New York that Charles
F.Wocrishofferaud Congressman Scott are
urcing Josiah C. Ileif for government direc
tor of the Union Pacific. Rtef has been for
many years a clerk , and latterly a partner
in Woerishoffer & Co. , and has been per
sonally engaged in stirring up trouble for
the P.icifie roads and steamship lines by
instituting inveslications.
A HOLD RORISERY.
Six masked burglars robbed three houses in
Korth Tarrytown on the night of Jan.Jlst. .
Their most successful raid was upon the house
of the widow of. Gen. Henry Storms. The
onlv persons in thehouse were Mrs. Storms
and another lady. The burglars terrified them
with threats of instant death , and almost
smothered Mrs. Storms with a pillo-.v. They
then ransacked the house carrying away every
thing they could lay hands on. They carried
away a silver plate service weighiiigOX ! ) ounces ,
which was presented by the brigade of cavalry
to their commander , General Storms , besides
other articles of high value to his family as rel
ics. These included a pair of candle sticks ,
very masslv ; , which were brought to this coun
try just after the. war of Independence , a silver
billed sword set with gems which once be
longed to General Mai ena , and was carried
by him in tho Italian campaigns. The christ
ening cups of silver , Ajwstlcs' spoons , and all
the accumulated domestic silverware of three
generations. The burglars , in addition to the
above , took all the money , a lot of brie a brae
" ami antiriue cut glass ware. The property
stolcn amounted to many thousands. Every
effort is being made to capture the rottbeis
SJIARKHASyO SHOW.
r.nt the. Jfonesl Settler is to be Protected in All
Hut Rtahts.
Washington special to the Omaha Bee.
Commissioner Sparks of tho general land
ollico to-day received delegations from
Aberdeen ( Dakand ) Omaha ( Neb. ) In
each instance his visitors called to protest
against certain rulings of the land office ,
and learn from the commissioner verbally
something definite regarding hi.s intentions.
The Aberdeen delegation presented a long
nictnoriil ; , , isnGd.by DelegateGifford and
several othervesteru representatives , set
ting forHi tho troubles of the land business.
It was claimed that the withholding of pat
ents and the cancellation of entries werein-
flict in ; ; hardships upon innocent persons
and frightening capital out of the new set
tlements. The burden of the address in
effect WIIH that the receipts given by the dis
trict land officers should be final , in order
that money loaned upon such receipts
would he secured. Another feature of the
mcmoVial was the statement that investi
gation of fraudulent entries after the issu
ance of land office receipts inflicted injury
upon the innocent purchasers of the land.
Commissioner Sptirks met the various
phases of the case in tho following senti
ment : ' 'The land oflice receipts cannot bo
final under the law. If you wish the In w
changed you must appeal to congress. Tho
decisions of the courts arc plain upon this
point. This department cannot amend
the law. It is our duty simply to enforce
it. A person loaning money upon the land
office receipt jind taking a mortgage is per
fectly secure if tho entry was made in good
faith. I apprehend thnt no mnn loans
money upon public land in this stage with
out knowing something about the improve
ments , the actual residence mid the good
faith of the pre-emptor. If he does he is
not ordinarily prudent. The bona fide
RiiLtler who is making his home upon the
land , and has substantial improvements ,
will not be molested. The man who goes
there with all he has , enters In ml in gpod
faith , maintains a habitable dwelling , and
does what he can in the way of cultivating
his farm , is n safe person to loan money to.
lie is not going to be disturbed. On the
contrary. I mean that he shall be protect
ed. It is the chap who is not making im
provements or an actual residence , who
has a worthless shanty or shack on his
place in which he occasionally spends a
night , and who proves up by means of per
jury and other kinds of sharp practice , that
this department is after. This is not a
safe person to loan money to , for if the
land is desert cdassoonnstheloanhas boon
made , or if our agents discover and report
the manner in which the entry was made ,
no patent can be issued. I would not ad
vise anybody to loan money upon land
taken by a non-resident who leaves the
country ns soon as he hns made his final
proof , but : i lonn would be perfectly secure
in a case where there is actual settlement.
The courts have decirlcd that tho govern
ment has not parted with the land issued ,
but we hirve taken the position that when
a claimant has sec-tired his receipt it is
equivalent to a patent for the purpose of
mortgaging or alienating tho hind , pro
vided he has complied with the law in'ob-
taining his receipts. In loaning money it is
wise to ascertain that tho borrower hns
made a proper residence and otherwise ob
served the law in good faith. Then it is
perfectly safe to deal with him the same ns i
if he had a patent. Eecnrdins tho state j
ment that patents ae be'ng withheld to an i
unusual extent , I can assert that they are
being issued faster by 500 or 1,000 per j I
month than ever before in the history of
th's country. "
The visitors acknowledged tho fairness
and justice of General Sparks' position.
An Omaha bnnkerstated that he considered
the commissioner to be right on the subject
and he declared that he would not loan
mon y to miy man who wasacquiring land
fraudulently.
y TROOPS.
Capt. Crawford , of the V. S. Army , Shot by
mistake.
San Francisco dispatch : A telegram re
ceived at Presidio from Fort Bowie ,
Arizona , signed Gen. Crook , gives the
contents of a dispatch received by the
latter from Lieut. Maus , dated Nocori ,
Sonora , Mexico. Jan. 21st. It states that
the troops under Capt. Crawford , on Jan.
llth , surrounded and attacked an Indian
camp fifty miles southeast of Nocori. A
running fight took place and several In
dians were wounded , but all escaped. The
hostiles sent word that they wished to
hold a conference. While the troops were
awaiting the time fixed for the conference
they were attacked by a hundred and fifty-
four Mexican soldiers. Efforts were made
to let them know that the troops were
Americans and friends. Capt. Crawford
and Lieut. P. Maus advanced to talk with
them when a volley was fired. Gapt. Craw
ford was shot in the head and Mr. Horn
( interpreter ) was slightly wounded in tho
left arm. The Mexican liro was partly To-
turned by the scouts of Capt. Crawford's
command , but only sufficient to keep them
at a distance. The firing lasted half an
hour , when Lieut. Maus succeeded in
having a talk with the officer in command
of the Mexicans , their captain having been
killed. He was told that the Americans
were taken for hostiles , oxringto the dark
ness. The Mexicans .signed a paper to that
effect. The loss to the Americans by the ,
unfortunate affair was Capt. Crawford ,
mortally wounded ; Mr. Horn , chief of
scouts and two Indians slightly wounded
and another severely wounded. The Mexi
can loss was four killed and five wounded.
In the telegram sent by Lieut. Maus of this
affair , he believes that it was expected to
drive t'ae Americans off with overwhelming
force and scour their camp .and effects.
Capt. Crawford died on the ISth during the
march to Xocori , where he was buried.
Lieut. Maus then assumed command.
While the troops were en route to Nocori
two squaws entered the camp , througii
whom arrangements were made by Lieut.
Maus for a conference with two bucks of
the hostile band. This ended by Chief Nana
nnd one buck , the wife and child of both
GcronSmo and Natchez , sister of Geronimo ,
one boy .and a woman being given as hos
tages to Lieut. Maus for the observance of
peace until Geronimo meets Gen. Crook ,
witli whom he expressed a w-Jsh to have a
talk. The meeting between Crook and
Geronimo will take place in about a month '
and will undoubtedly end in the Indians |
surrendering.
CATTLEMEN JA" COVXCIL.
The international range cattle and hoi-
growers' convention was called to order a
the Grand opera house in Denver on 1 In
2Cth. Nearly 2,000 delegates and visiting
stockmen were present , representing Texas ,
Wyoming , Utah , Nevada , Colorado. Mon
tana , Idaho , California , Nebraska , Arizona ,
Indian territory , Kansas , New Mexico and
Mexico. Gov. Eaton , of Colorado , wel
comed the cattlemen on behalf of the state ,
nnd Mayor Joseph Bates on behalf of the
city , after which A. B. Matthews , of Kan
sas City , brought on the stage the
mammoth Gallaway steer Jumbo , weighing
2,500 pounds , and presented him to the
convention. It was intended that lie \
should be slaughtered nnd divided among j
the delegates , "but upon motion of Col.
Dwyer , of Nevr Mexico , the animal was sent
to the Colorado agricultural farm.
J. H.--Furgeson read a paper on "Rail
road Transportation. " and E. B. Light a
paper upon "Breeding. "
AFFAIRS Uf FOREIGN XAST > S.
Mr. W. H. Smith took the oath of office
as chief secretary of Ireland on the 2Gth ,
and immediately after started for London
Sir Michael Hicks Beach , conservative
leader , gave notice in the house of com'
mons that the government would introduce
a bill to suppress the Irish National league
and other dangerous societies , to prevent
intimidation , to protect life and property
and maintain public order in Ireland.
The porte 1ms issued a circular to the
powers in which it points out that tho
present strained political situation is un
bearable. It says : Turkey , though not
to blame for this state of affairs , is com
pelled to maintain a huge army on a war
footing at an expense which will empty her
treasury unless the powers effect a speedy
settlement.
The Greek minister at London has been
interviewed in reference to the possibilities
of war between Greece end Turkey. .He
denied that'the government of Greece had
any intention of issuing letters of marque ,
in event of hostilities breaking out. His
government , he said , has sufficient number
of vessels to cope with Turkey without re
sorting to such extreme measures. Greece
has no desire to follow the Alabama ex
periences in England.
The people of .Athens , through a _ com-
mittce , have telegraphed Gladstone as fol
lows : "We place in your hands the Hel
lenic cause with a firm hope that it will
find in you a generous champion. " Glad
stone in response telegraphed : "Consider
ing the authority attaching to the action
of the great powers , both on general
grounds and by reason of their inter
vention iri the formation of the Greek
kingdom , I 'earnestly hope Greece will
pause before placing herself on this occasion
in conflict with our deliberated and united
recommendation. "
. .I .VKir / . I.VW 1HSTKICT.
For Ilic Cl-fiitlon of Wliirh Citizr 11.1 of CliCtJ
rune C unt > i 1'rlitioii.
Washington xpceial tntheOiiuiluil.ee-
To-iliiy KuprcMiiitutivcDorsey presented hi
the hoiihc a petition .signed by ninety-lire
citizens of Clli-yeiiuc county , asking for the
creation of a new land district in the west
ern part of the state , with Sidney as its
place of location. The document is accom
panied by a letter from Leavitt Buruham ,
land commissioner of the Union Pacific
railway. Omnhn , in which he says : "The
unparalleled occupation and development
of this-.section of Nebraska and the west
makes the establishment of such a district
no longer a mere desirability but a neces
sity , and without which this section of
country cannot maketic ) advance to which
by its fnents'it in entitled. " Tho petition
ers represent that the North Plattedistrict
as now existing comprises within its boun
daries the whole of Cheyenne county ; thnt
a large proportion of the country is being
taken up by actual settlers as homesteads
and pre-enfpUons ; that the North Platte
land office , where they must now go , is sir-
uutcd 200 miles from a large portion of
lands in Cheyenne county , and 123 miles
from Sidney , seat of the county , making it
very inconvcnientand expensive for settlers
10 transact their land business. They
therefore ask that Cheyenne county may bu
created into a hind district by itself , or
with such other adjoining territory as to
the department may deem proper. The
petition was referred to the committee on
public lands , and the Nebraska delegation
will work for its success.
L FORECAST.
Since beginning of the present session of
congress , says a Washington dispatch ,
4,418 bills and 40 resolutions have been
introduced. If the session lasts until Au
gust , as is commonly expected at the pres
ent rate of progress , which is about twenty
working days in a month and the passage
of hnlfn dozen bills a week , the prospect
for the success of half the bills introduced
is rather narrow. This week the Dakota
admission bill , Dawes" bill to open the
Sioux reservation , and the silver question
will be the principal topics of debate in the
senate. In the house the Canadian fisher
ies. Mexican reciprocity and silver will bo
talked about.
A dispatch from Shoas , Martin county ,
Fuel. , su'ys that an attctnut was made
about mitlnhht to lynch Thomas Archer
iiud Martin Archer as the prisoners were
being taken to Washington for safety , but
it was Frustrated by the prompt action of
Sheriff Padgett. Johp. Archer and John
Lynch , who have been indicted for murder
with tho first named , were left in jail , and
threats of lynching were freely made.
MARKETS.
OMAHA.
WHEAT No. 2
BARLEY No. 2 48 @
RYE No. 2 44
COKNNo. . 2 mixed
OATS No. 2 _ _
BETTER Fancy creamery. . 25 ( a )
BUTTER Choice roll 13 @ 22
EG S Fresh 20 @ 22
CHICKENS Dressed per Ib. . . 9 @ 10
TURKEYS Dressed perlb. . . . 12 @ 14
DUCKS Dressed per Ib 8 @ 10
GEESI ; Dressed perlb 9 @ 10
LE.MOXS Choice 025 @ (550
APPLES Choice 3 00 @ 350
CHANGES Mesina 4 00 ( a ) 4 75
BEANS Navys 1 25 @ 1 50
ONIONS Per bushel 70 @ 75
POTATOES Per bushel 45 @ 50
GREEN APPLES Per bbl. . . . 2 75 @ 3 24
SEEDS Timothy 2 30 @ 2 40
SEEDS Blue Grass 1 75 @ 2 00
HAY Baled , per ton 500 @ 600
HAY In hulk G 00 @ 6 75
HOGS Mixed packing 3 50 @ 4 50
BEEVES Butchers 3 00 @ ? 25
NEW YORK.
WHEAT No. 2 red 034@ 94
WHEAT Ungraded red S7 @ 00
CORN ; "o. 2 - 51J @ 52
OATS Mixed western 3G.J@ ' 30
PORK. , 10 25 @ 10 75
LARD G 50 @ G 52) ) ;
CHICAGO.
FLOUR Choice wint'er 4 40 @ 4 85
FLOUR Spring extra 3 70 @ 4 00
WHEAT Perbushel S0 ? , ' @ 81
CORN Per bushel 3GJ ( @ 37
OATS--Per bushel 2K !
Ponc. 10 77J
I--ARD G 12 %
HOGS Packing &shipping. 3 30
CATTLE Slackers 2 50
SHEEP Western 2 25
ST. LOUIS.
WHEAT No. 2 red 8S ) @ 90
CORN Per bushel 33K@ 34
OATS Per bushel ' 28 @ 29
HOGS Mixed packing 3 G0" @ 4 00
CATTLE Stockers& feeders 340 @ 400
SUEEP Common to choice 2 50 @ 3 50
KANSAS CITY.
WHEAT Per bushel 71 @ 713/
CORN Per bushel 27 @ 28
OATS Per bushel 27J < @ 30
CATTLE Exports 26 @ 27
Hoos Good to choice 4 80 @ 5 00
SHEEP Common to cood. . 2 50a ) 4 83
. 3ZERE TTASTE OF TCIEEY
Zliat Devoted to Discussion of the' Silver
Question.
Washington special : The advocates of
silver are so confident of their ability to
prevent any modification of the coinage
laws touching their favorite metal that
they are contemplating a movement to
force the fighting by bringing forward n.
measure to give further freedom to silver
coins. Nothing has been decided upon ns
to the character of the measure they will
formulate , although many favor somesuch
proposition ns is contained in the bill in
troduced in tho senate by Mr. Van Wvck.
It.is not likely that any concerted move
ment will be made to secure the passage of
Biich a measure as that indicated , but the
fnct that such a movement is talked of in
dicates the feeling of independence that
prevails among the silver advocates. It is
becoming more apparent daily that the
discussion in congress of silver is a mere
waste of time , so far as any legislative re
sults are concerned in the direction of sus
pension. There is no doubt that a decided
majority exists in both houses against a
suspension , and tho opinions of members
are fixed. The more conservative of the
silver advocates are disposed to urge tbo
house coinage committee to report a bill in
a few lines providing for the repeal of the
act of February 28 , 1877. Mr. Bland ,
however , will not assent to this proposi
tion , being determined to use all his efforts
to negative any proposition looking to the
suspension or modification of the present
coinage law. It is thought that the coinage
committee will act on some proposition at
its next meeting which will indicate the at
titude of the members on the question of
uspeusiou.
OPJJATAG OF XIIS-JERAL XAXDS.
One of the dlo.it Important Western Hills
JSefore Congress.
Washington special : One of themostim-
portant western bills before congress this
winter is a general proposition to open .all
mineral lands to public sale that are loca
ted in Indian reservations. Some of the
finest mineral deposits in the west have
been known for years to geologists and
business men , but it has been impossible
to develope them because of the Indian
title. The Indians could neither sell nor
lease and theie has been no way o ! getting
at these vast resources of wealth. Even in
Dakota , where there is such a dearth of
timber and coal is such great vjilue. the
splendid deposits of coal in the Big Sioux
reservation and in tho Black Hills have
been inaccessible. The fine deposits of coal
in the old Pouca reservation in Nebraska
are being developed to some extent and.
with the passage of this bill , will be opened
to improvement. The coal deposits in the
Crow reservation in Montana where , it is
said , the best coke in the world can bo
made , will also be opened under this law.
All the business interests gathering around
these various deposits have combined to
urge the passage of this bill , and those who
are in position to know declare that it will
surely pass congress this winter.
THIS DAWES lA'DiAy xirr.
The bill of Senator Dnwcs in relation to
trespassers on Indian lands , provides that
every person who , withoutthe authority
of the law , enters and shall bo found upon
any Indian lands with intent to occupy
any part of it , shall for the first offense
pay a fine , of not more than $500 and be
imprisoned at hard labor not more than
one year , or both in tho discretion of the
court ; and for every subsequent offense
the penalty is a fine of not more than
SI.000 and not less than § 500 , and be im
prisoned at hard labor for not more than
two , or less than one year. The wagons
nnd teams and outfits of the trespassers
almll also be forfeited.
PURSUED B T Ay INFURIATED 3IOE .
An Atlanta ( Ga. ) dispatch reports a
posse in pursuit of W. L. Britt , a white
man in Heard county , and there is little
doubt that he will bo hanged as soon as ho
is captured. He is charged with a felonious
assault upon a poor cripple girl. Britt
w ent to the house of the widowed sister of
his victim , and , with an oath , threatened
to kill her if she made any outcry. The
girl's sister , who was in an adioining room ,
heard the noise and started to her sister's
aid , but was met at the door by Britt ,
knife in hand , who threatened to cut her
throat if she did not keep quiet. The
ruffian succeeded in making his escape.
A FREXCJI STATESJLiy DEAD.
Hippolyto Melloa Victor Charamnale ,
the French lawyer and statesman , is dead.
A. disastrous fire occurred at Ames a few
evenings ago. It was first discovered in the
clothing store of K. W. Brown which entirclj
destroyed his stock and building and the build
ing occupied by Miss D. E. Dix , milliner , and
Thomas Bros. , is almost an entire loss. Cha ? .
Franks , a fireman from Boone , was severely
injured by a falling wall. A brick wall fell on
the buildhu ! of Charles Barroll crushing it.
The total loss will bj between 812,0'X ) and15.-
000. Tiis insurance atnount * to $10,003. The
cJrijools storo of D. A. Bigslow & Co. was
uaiiuuri-d fronriCiOO to § 1,030. This is thi
most de truclive liro in the history of the
town. The tire companies from Boone anj
Nevada arrived too late to be of any c.scrvic
A Dublin dispatch says : A regular fort-
niffhtly meeting of the National League was
held. Deasy , member or Parliament of West
Mayo , occupied tho chair , and in an address
said lie cased nither about the proposed coer
cion or reform ; the Parnellitcs were the mast
ers of tho situation , and before the end of the
year Ireland would have its own Parliament.
Kcdmond. member of Parliament for North
Fcrnianali , said : "England has enemies
everywhere , anil the first blow struck at Jre-
land would fire a train perhaps leading to a
successful India mutiny , and lighting the Rus
sians into London to stable their horses in the
house of commons. No power on earth could
prevent retaliation by the Irish. Tiie Pa'rnel-
ites arc resolved to persevere in their demand
for home rule. " Mr. Henry , member of Par
liament , said any government attempting to
interfere with the National League would be
deprived of office in a few weeks.
-The news has been received of the burning
of an enormous haystack at Lcmberg , Bava
ria , which had been used during the cold weath
er for sheltor by vagrants. Only a few nights
ago a larger number than usual of homeless
wanderers sought shelter under it , andi hile
all were asleep the hay stack took fire , probably
'rom the ashes of a pipe. . Twenty dead bodies
lave already been taken from the ruins , and it
s thought that many uic-re have been burned
to death.
The war fever is raging in Servia. Tbe
government at Belgrade has summoned the
second ban and has ordered another twenty
nillion of cartridges , sixteen batteries , and
several machine guns. Traffic between Nissa
and Belgrade has been suspended by the gov
ernment. This action on the part of the
authorities has caused much dissatisfaction
among the transportation people.
STORY OF A BANK
A , Xeat Piece of IJotcctiveVorlc. . "Witli-
out Detectives' Aid.
Some years ago , says ii writer in
Chambers' Journal , I was resident in
Ne\v York. One clay a gentleman , who
announced himself ns the British consul
at that port , entered 1113' father's ollicc ,
saying that he wished to speak with Mr.
M X
"That is my name , " I replied.
"Pardon me , " said the consul , "bnt
E was under the impression that Mr.
M - , who I am desirous of seeing ,
was an older man than you arc. "
"Ah , it is my father , then , whom you
want. Unfortunately , ho is and has
been for some days past confined to the
house by indisposition. Can you com
municate to me the nature of your busi
ness , and it may be in my power to at
tend to it in his absence. "
"I am obliged to you , " said the con
sul. "Weli , " he added , after some
slight hesitation , "I should li-eto ! speak
with 3'ou in private for a few minutes ,
if convenient. "
Certainly , " and having shown the
old gentleman into an inner room , I re
quested him to be seated , and waited
for him to broach the mutter concern
ing which he had sought the interview.
Without preface , the consul took out
from his pocket a 20 Bank of England
note , handed it to me , and said : "I be
lieve this note passed through your
father's hands about two months ago. "
"Very possibly , " I replied , rather sur
prised at the question. "But I can as
certain for a certainty in a moment. "
Then summoning a junior clerk , I de
sired him to bring me the rough cash
book. On looking over its pages I soon
came across im entry regarding a Bank
of England note , the amount , date , and
number of which corresponded with
those of the one before me.
"I find , " I said , "that this note was
in my father's possession at the time
you mention. But may I ask the object
of your making the inquiry ? "
"It is this : Some fourteen months
since this note was abstracted , from a
letter posted at Ghisgow for Aberdeen.
Nothing was heard of the stolen money
until live weeks ago , when the note was
stopped , on being paid into the Bank of
England by a firm of private bankers.
They stated that it had been received by
one of their customers in the ordinary
course of business. The customer , when
applied to , said that it had been remitted
to him by a Mr. M - . of New York.
I have , therefore , been instructed by
my government to trace , if possible , the
note during the period it was in this
country. Can you inform me from
whom your father had it ? "
"Exactly , " I said , referring to the
book before me. "It was bought of a
Mr. White , who has an exchange oflice
on Wall street. But I fear , " I added ,
"you will find it very difficult , if not
quite impracticable to carry the matter
further , since it is the usage with brok
ers to buy English bank notes offered.
for sale without asking any questions ,
being aware that even if they have been
stolen , 'the innocent holder' can legally
snforce the cashing of them. "
"That is true. I agree with yon that
it is most unlikely that Mr. White will
be able to let me know who was the
person from whom he bought the note ;
however , I shall call upon him without
delay , since it is just possible that he
may have it in his power to afford the
information I seek. " Then after thank
ing me for my courtesy in the matter ,
the consul took his leave , and I pre
sumed that I should hear nothing more
of the affair. ,
However , some months latter I was
lunching at Dclmonico's one day , when
the consul entered the room. Kccogn-
izing me , he came over to the table at
which I was seated and took a chair bo-
side me. In the course of conversation
lie said : "You recollect tha circum
stance of my calling upon you some i
little time ago , with respect to a stolen '
Dank of England note ? "
"Perfectly.1
Well , after all. I was successful in
tracing the note ? "
"How was that ? " I inquired.
"I will tell you , When I left your
oflice I went to that of Mr : White. lie
referred to his books , and found that
iie had changed the note for the mana
gers of one of the agencies of the Cen-
: ral Railroad company. I then called
upon that gentleman. He had no rec
ollection of the individual from whom
ie had received the money : and , disap-
lointed. I was leat-'mg the establish
ment when a cleric interposed , and ad
dressing his employer , he said : 'Mr.
Siiydam , we had the note in question
from a man who bought a through
ticket for Chicago. He came in to in
quire what was the fare to that city.
[ told him. He said he would go by our
, ine , but that lie must first change some
English money at a broker's. I inform
ed him that thi-j was quite unnecessary ,
is I would take it in payment of his
ticket , at the current rate of exchange.
To this suggestion lie agreed , and thus
the note came into our hands. Why I
remember the transaction so clearly is
that the man's name was a rather un
usual one Blenkiron , and I had to ask
him howiio spt'lled it. Mr. Blenkiron ,
mentioned incidentally that he was
going west to fill a situation in a large
manufacturing establishment , but he
did not say the nature of the
business , nor the name of the firm
which had engaged his services.
"Furnished with these particulars.1'
continued the consul.I met the
difficulty of putting myself in communi
cation witli the man in thifl way. 3
wrote to him , stating tho information
I sought , and addresscil my letter to
him at the postc restante , Chicago. At
the same time I caused advertisements
to be inserted in two of the leading
daily newspapers in that city notifying
Mr. Blenkiron that there was a letter
for him at the head postoflice. Well ,
some days afterward I had a reply to
my communication , informing mo that
the writer had received the bank note
from an Uncle in Bombay , whose ad
dress he gave me. This information I J
forwarded to the postal authorities in I
England , on whom , of course , devolved ,
the duty of pursuing all further in- '
quirics with respect to the matter ; and
for some little time thereafter I heard
nothing more about the business. How
ever , subsequently I learned tho sequel
of it. The Mr. Blenkiron resident in.
Bombay , when communicated with ,
stated that the note had been sent to
him by a merchant in Ghisgow. That
merchant had rccievcd it from a trades
man in the same place ; that individual ,
in his turn , had taken it from a clerk in
one of the branch postollices in that
city , in payment of his account. Thus.
finally , the theft of the money having ;
been brought home to the clerk in ques
tion , he was duly tried and convicted of
the ofl'ense. "
This was the consul's story , which
struck me as a rather curious one. It is
said , with justice , that the strength of a
chain , is simply the strength of its
weakest link. In this case some of thu
links of the chain of circumstance *
which had rendered it possible to trace
the people througii those hands the sto
len bank note had passed , had been of
the slightest , and had threatened on
more than one occasion to part. Yet ,
by a concurrence of purely fortuitous
events , they had not done so ; but , on
the contrary , the chain had held togeth
er so strongly as to bring an offender to
justice , after so long a period had elaps
ed since the commission of the crime
that the criminal doubtless supposed
himself quite safe from detection.
The Indian Question.
A tall and commanding-looking In
dian from the Canada side , having a
big back load of uoor-mats on his back ,
was tramping up Randolph street yes
terday when a man in a saloon beck
oned him in. The red man's face light
ed up with a "ten-cents Jipicca" smile
of satisfaction as he walked in. There
were three men present , and they seem
ed to be in a hilarious state.
"See here , old copper-face , " said one ,
as he shut and locked the door. "I'm
do'wn on Injuns , first , last and all the
time. They shot an uncle of mine , and
I've sworn revenge. Maybe you aro
ready to take the all-liredest licking a
rjscl.skin ever got ! "
"llu ! " replied the Indian as he look
ed from one to the other.
"And the infernal varmints scalped
and roasted my grandmother ! " put in
the second white man. "I didn't care
particularly about the old ladj' , but it's
the principle of the thing I look at.
I've got to have Injun blood ! "
"And I " in the third "
, put man , "am
down on Injuns in a general way.
After these other two fellows have got
througii with you L propo.se to walk on
the mangled remains. Let the per
formance now begin ! "
It begun. People who looked in at
the windows could see nothing. Poo-
pie who got a look througii the open
door saw hats , door-mats , saw-dust and
chairs hovering in the air , but not for
long. In about three minutes the red
man stalked forth , somewhat llustratcd
and a little bit way-worn , but lie had
not lost a drop of blood nor a door-mat.
Inside the saloon all was peaceful and
serene. The man whose uncle was
shot was lying under a table ; the one
whose grandmother was shot seemed
trying awful hard to remember how the
aflair began , and the one who went in
on general principles was looking out
of two black eyes at a ruined nose.
"Hu ! " called the Indian as he was
ready to move on.
But no one hewed. Detroit Free
Press.
In Advance.
Now "Winter is fighting his battles
"NVith many an icy lance.
But I'm writing a "gentle spring * ' poem
Which the editors wishin advance. "
It is full , as is usual , of "violets , "
It alludes to therobin's first peep , "
Though a bli/zard's a daily occurrence
And the snow-drifts are seven feet deep.
But the editors singular creatures ,
To whom I am hound hand and foot
Grasp at Father Time's typical forelccTc.
Till it's nearly pulled out by the root.
For they get 'way ahead of the season ,
In a manner most wily and arch ;
So that while you are reading December
They finish the number for March.
And he who would hope for acceptance
Must strike up betimes with his tune ,
And s-int : Harvest Home in Mid-Winter
And jingle his sleigh-bolls in June.
So when my spring poem is finished ,
Xo rest does my weary pen iret ;
I must write a review of a novel
Which isn't itsoli written yet {
I'trimller , in The Cenlurtj
No Business.
Clerk ( who had been vainly trying tc
employ his time , to employer ) Shall '
answer this letter now. sir ? "
Employer "Certainly not ; if you. de
they will think we are doing no busi
ness. Wait four weekThe llain-
bier.
