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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1898)
m THE OMAHA DAILY BEE . ESTABLISHED JUNE 19 , 1871. OMAHA , WEDNESDAY MORNING , NOVEMBER- , 1S08- TWELVE PAGES. SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. ifiK V SPAIN WILL KIELD French Foreign Minister Advises Bios to Succumb to the Inevitable , COUNSELS AGAINST DILATORY TACTICS Dons Will Acquietca in America's Demands on Philippine Question , MONTERO RIOS ASKS A LOT OF QUESTIONS Wants to Know Just What the United States is Going to Do. SPAIN POSES AS A MUCH ABUSED MARTYR Emit * a Wall Abont the Aliened Voracity of America and Indulge * lu Talk About Greedy AggreNHlon. ( Copyright. 1S9S by Prrss Publishing Co. ) PARIS , Kov. 22. ( New York World Ca blegram Special Telegram. ) Preeldent Monlcro Itlos at noon today eeiit a note to President Day asking further elucidation on suvcral points submitted In the Ameri can propositions. The most Important of thefo arc : FJrst Whether , If the Philippines are " ceded , America takes them free of aft eub- \i plating rights and obligations or not. / Second Whether the American offer gives * > Spanish ehlpa and goods the same privileges , In the Philippines as Americans and ves- [ scls and goods of other nations In accordance with the open door policy. Third Whether In return for the release by Spain of prisoners charged with po litical offenses connected with the Insur rection In Cuba and Porto Hlco the United States would liberate Spanish prisoners bold by Tagollos and the Cubans. Fourth What previous treaties referred to In the American note are to bo revived. Fifth Where America wants land for cabfo stations , whether in the Spanish colonies nies or penln ular. Sixth Whether the American suggestion it Spain finally and definitely accept tbe propositions conferences ou other pointa would follow meant If not accepted confer ences would not continue. I am able to say , regarding tbo second question , that America will admit general commerce free. Spain alone will have the privilege of Intercoastlng trade. Concern ing the fifth question America baa no In tention of asking a cabling station on the peninsula. As to the sixth , Montero Rlos' Interpretation la correct. The American proposition does not mean that conferences would ctat,6 If the Philippines demand la not finally accepted , I hear that Montero Rlc has been strongly advised by the French foreign ministerto yield , the Spanish having Invited French counsel fas to the value of tbo policy of try * tg Uimw op the Americans .tho .respon- Illfy ot the rup'ture of negotiatlons by' ' pcrdlsling In dilatory tactics. Whilulaw Reid gives a dinner at Hotel Continental to the commlwlon and staC thirty-eight covers on Thanksgiving day. Play * Martyr' * Role. PARIS. Nov. 22. The Spanish peace com missioners last night telegraphed to Madrid tbe substance of the United States memo randum presented yesterday and lost evenIng - Ing they discussed It among themselves. As late as 8 o'clock this morning a Spanish commissioner affirmed that be and his col leagues did not know what to do regarding tbe American offer. There is a difference ot opinion among official people near the commissions , but the prediction Is made that Spain will decline tbe American offer of money , that It will refuse to cede the Philippines and will say to the United States : "You may take the archipelago because you bave tbe power to do so. As you advance we will retreat , pro testing against greedy aggression. We will faithfully carry out our part of tbo pledges and leave Cuba and Porto Rico in your hands. You came here to engage in a dls elusion under the terms of tbe protocol , but you evidently meant In drawing up that document to provide a conference In which though we differ , man to roan , you propose to announce at the proper time what you will do whether we agree to It or object. Such an attitude robs tbe conference of a negotlatlve character and sets up the United States as a dominant power whose first pur pose Is to listen , but whose ultimate deter mination Is to do its own will. " Idea * of aioutero Rio * . As a matter of fact , Senor Montero Rlos Is reported to have used virtually such Ian guago In arguments as the foregoing. He said more. Indicating a high degree of ex asperation at the American offer of $20,000- 000. His manner , no less than bis words betrayed his repugnance. His display 01 feeling and utterances , however , Is now wholly approved by bis Spanish colleagues who did not hesitate to say as much after yesterday's session. Utterances later by a Spaniard of Im portance , whose name la withheld for the present , Indicates another line ot action , a treaty cession ot the Philippines. "Suppose , " said the speaker in question "that Spain says to the United States : We are exhausted. We bavo no funds with which to continue tbe war. Wo do not wan to continue and we cannot. You serve us with an ultimatum. Wo must submit to your power. Prepare your treaty , and when you want us to sign wo will sign. We must bend to physical force. " 'You bave the Antilles and you will pos sess the Philippines as a conquest from a hcTpless people. We yield , but we decline 120,000,000 for property on which our valu ation was not asked nor respected. You b ve your will. We trust you will not con tinue the war upon our helplessness , be cause , forsooth , wo decline your $20,000,000. Surely this waiver by us of your money will not provoke a further use ot arms against Spain. "Wo sign , we cede , wo are dumb. H Is finished and we may be permitted to re tain the privilege of assuring our people and our national creditors that we at Teast bave not stolen and resold territory we bad pawned. " CONFERENCE NEARS A CRISIS Pay Report * Meeting Again Tomor row an'a the Following May the JLait. WASHINGTON , Nov. 22. At the cablne meeting today a brief cablegram was rea which hail been sent ( rom Paris by Judg Day. U WM substantially In accord wit the newspaper reports ot yesterday's pro ceedlngs , although no reference was mad to any excitement attending tbe meeting o to any dliagreement. It was stated that the next meeting would take place tomorrow. Tbe cabinet discussed tbe matter and it was tke Judgment ot tbe members that there uld to at least one mcetloK after tomor > row If the Spaniards had concluded to reject the American proposal. The cablegram said that a reply from the Spanish commissioners was expected at tomorrow's meeting. No Intimation , how ever , had reached hero as to what the Spanish reply wolild be. No doubt Is en tertained among the members of the cabinet that a treaty will bo signed within the next few days. The cabinet also discussed the Cuban situation and It was developed that the Spaniards hope to be able to com-1 pleto the evacuation of Havana by Decem ber 20. The forthcoming order of the president excepting deputy collectors of internal rev enue and some other government officials from the operation of the civil service law- was also gene over at some length. It Is expected that the order will bo Issued shortly. Attorney General Grlggs nnd Secretary - rotary Bliss ere absent from the city and therefore were not present at today's cabinet meeting. DISTURBANCE IN THE DIET Premier In Stoned hy Mob nnd Mem ber * ICxchnnKc Hard Term * on the Floor. BUDA PEST , Nov. 22. Stringent police precautions were taken today In view of the posilble disturbances during the ses sion of the lower house of the Diet. There was considerable commotion In the street * and Rcveral bands of students had to he dispersed. During the disturbances Baron Janffy , the premier , was stoned while drlv- ng to tbo parliament house. When business in the lower bouse was csumed today the trouble of yesterday was mootl.ed over by Baron Gosea Ferjervary. ° he minister ot national defense who had mputed lack of honor to the national party nd the deputy who had declared that the nlnlstcr had no sense of honor , withdrew hc-lr mtutal recriminations on the ground hat they were baeed on misapprehension. The harmony In the lower house , how- vcr , did not last long nnd eventually the ? umultuous scenes of yesterday were re peated. The opposition members vehe mently denounced the manner In which they md been treated by the police and when the louse adjourned crowds of people were col- cctlng In the streets. PLEASED WITH THE OPEN DOOR i Paper * Comment Favorably on Declaration the Philippine * LONDON , Nov. 22. Most of the afternoon newspapers comment on nnd express satls- actlon at the "open door" Intentions of the Inlted States In the Philippine Islands. The 'nil Mall Gazette says : "Whatever may lappcn in Porto Rico , and eventually _ In he United States themselves , America's col onial policy In the Pacific Is the 'open door. ' t Is a wise decision on every ground , in ho Interests of the prosperity of the Philip pines themselves , and as securing the good will of nations really friendly to America n the Pacific. The community of inter ests of the two English-speaking nations are thereby' definitely assured. " RED CROSS WANTS NEUTRAL VESSEL Delre * to Liberate Spanish Prisoner * In Philippine * , bnt I * Rcfuned. MAlHD , Nov. 22. The ministers at tbe ablnet council yesterday considered a re quest ot the Red Cross society , which asked he government to place a steamer flying a neutral flag at the disposal of the society 'or ' the purpceo of sending to the Phili ppine Islands lu order to obtain the liber ation of the Spanish prisoners there. The proposaf was warmly welcomed by the mln ? ters , but they were unable to accede to : he society's request , owing to the fact that he Spanfali steamers are all wanted for he repatriation of the troops in Cuba , ilowovor , the delegation from the Red Cross society will proceed to the Philippines In an ordinary mall boat. niRTHDAY PARTY DECLARED OFF. Formnlltlc * Interfere with Reception of the ChliiPHC Emprc * * . PEKIN , Nov. 22. The projected birthday audience of the dowager empress to thu women of th'e diplomatic corps has fallen through , owing to the difficulties raised by the Chlneie In _ regard to ceremonial mat ters. The members of the foreign powers In slsted that foreign interpreters should ac company the European women. To this the Chinese objected. Tbe health of the emperor of China eald to be again causing grave anxiety to those about him. He Is described ns being unable to walk unassisted and it Is beltevec In well informed circles that the end is near. Plcquart Held PrUoner. PARIS , Nov. 22. Lieutenant Colonel Plcquartwho has been confined In the Chcrcbe Midi military prison for some time past charged with revealing the contents of certain Important military documents tea a lawyer engaged in his defense , was taken from the prison today and driven to tbe court of cassation. Tbe court , however was fully occupied with thelexamlnatlon o Generals Bolsdeffere and Gondozo and was unable to bear him today. Therefore Plcquart was taken back to the Cherche Midi prison without testifying In tbe Drey fus case. Talk * to Pope. ROME , Nov. 22. Asa Thornton , a lawye ot New York City , had a private audlenc with the pope today. Later Mr. Thornton eald the prelate was In excellent health am spirits and discussed with the keenest In tercst the current political questions. Minister of War On UK. VIENNA. Nov. 22. The Neu Frel Press says the minister of war for Austria-Hun gary has resigned. The report , however , ha not been confirmed. RULES ON AJrIASKED BALL Judge Glblion * of Chicago Defend 111 * Interpretation of Lair and Reprimand * Police OIHulnl * . CHICAGO , Nov. 22. Judge Gibbon granted a temporary Injunction this after noon restraining the city of Chicago , the mayor and the general superintendent o police from interfering with a masque ball Tbo opinion made Chief Klpley angry , and shaking his hand at the court bo said : " was appointed to tbe position I hold to en force the law and to maintain peace in tbl city , and a part of my duties Is to proven tbe gathering of disorderly persons or crlm inals. If I have anything to say they sbal not do so. I will prevent them. " ' 'Please ' come back , Mr. Ktpley , It yo don't mind , " said Judge Gibbons , as th chief strode away. Mr. Klpley turned to the- bar and th Judge safd : "I want It understood , Mr. Klpley , tha until some hlgbcr count reveries tbem , m decisions and the Injunctions granted by m ra Uw , and if anyone tries to intcrfer with them , even though be be a high pallc officer , Mr. Klpley , he will flnd himself 1 I Jail In a. very short time. The people who want to go to th t ball will go , Mr. Klpley , and when they are there , If they do any- thing which Is against the law you have the right to go la & & 4 arrest tbea. " TELL OF CAMP WIROFF SCENES Tomen Nurses and Visitorr Before the War Commission , OOSEVELT ON THE SANTIAGO FIGHT Irn. SUM n n O. Poivell Decline * to IliicNlloiiN Concerning the Hcfuniil of Her Service * to Act n Nume. NEW Y9RK , Nov. 22. The War Invcstl- atlng commission decided toJay that It sould not visit Montauk Point , the site of Camp Wlkoff , In a body , but would send a ommlttce to prepare a report. Mrs. Susan 0. Powell of this city was the rat witness. She said she did not know \hy she had been called , as she had never > een at any of the camps and Itnew only by learsay of the treatment received by the oldlers. "We called you , " explained General Wll- on , "because we heard 'that when you of- ercd to go to the cnmp as a nurse you were ot accepted because you would not agree o maintain secrecy should you flnd any crcllctlon of duty. We should like to know who exacted such a promise from you. " "I wish you would not ask mo that qucs- lon. " "But , " said General Beaver , "the answer might aid us materially In our Investiga- lon. To whom did you make the offer to ct ns nurse ? " "To an officer of the auxiliary of the Red Cross society. " 'Was it a male or female officer of tbe lied Cross ? " "I do not care to say. " "Had the olllcer any authority at camp ? Vas it an ofllcer In the United States serv- ce ? " "It was an officer In the army. I do not know what authority the person had In camp. My offer and Its rejection were made u a private house. " "Since you have stated that , " said Gen eral Wilson , "would you mind telling us vhcther you or the Red Cross made the matter public. " "I do not know who could have told of U. do not remember having told any one but a clergyman. Ho may bavo told R. E. Roosevelt. " Contract * for Snpplle * . Colonel A. J. Klmball , assistant quarter master general of the United States army , stationed In this city was the next wit ness. He said that all tbe contracts for supplies were let to the lowest bidder after proper notification advertisement. "Were there any exceptions to the rule o award contracts to the lowest bidder ? " asked General Beaver. "In coses of bids made upon articles where there were no standards the lowest respon sible bidder was always accepted , " be re plied. Answering ex-Governor Woodbury , Colonel Klmball said : "Contract was awarded by the department upon the findings of the open bide. Sometimes , In cases where the articles were not standard , the department would accept any recommendation , which was made in such case and quality t > f nod was considered rather than the price. In tbe case of tents , for Instance , It Is im possible to get enough canvas up to the prescribed standard. In that case I had to be guided by the samples sent and the ca pacity of the bidder to furnish the goods in the required * , time. I never knew of any money or infmence being used In the mat ter of awarding contracts. My records show that from May 12 to Juno 17 my offlco expended $4,607,000 for clothing and camp garrison equipment. " Securing Transport * . Colonel Klraball told of the purchase and hire of transports In this city. He ex plained that be had obtained a list from the owners of all the ships that could be purchased or chartered and had submitted the list to Washington. 'When a middleman or broker came to ray office I Ignored him entirely. " he said. I dealth only with principals. " "Was the price paid for the charter of those ships fair and reasonable ? " asked Dr , Conner. "Yes , I think BO. generally , " replied Colonel Klmball , "but when sblpa were wanted badly they were hard to get. In the case of tbe Clyde and Mallory lines , for Instance , when the government offered the usual price the companies said they could not spare the ships unless double thai price was paid. The ships were needed and the government paid the price asked. " Colonel Klmball told at length of the work of the railroads In transporting troops and supplies. He said there was not movement ot any magnitude made to or from this city which was not made as the result of open competition. Answering Gen eral Weaver , Colonel Klmball said he had heard there was delay In unloading the sup ply ships 'In Cuba. "I understand , " he said , "there was no wharf In Cuba where our vessels were to land suitable for the purpose. As an illus tration , I loaded a ship In forty-elgbj. bourn in 'New ' York and It took ten days to tin- load It at Ponce , working the men night and day. " Replying to a question as to complaints of delay on the Long Island railroad , Colone Klmball said : "I know of no complaints except in the case of an Illinois volunteer regiment which was anxious to get borne. A new local quartermaster did not know that I had planned to have ths troops removed on a regular schedule. With the assistance o the colonel of the regiment the local quar termaster got the Long Island road to bring tbo regiment away from camp with the result that the men arrived In Jersey City eighteen hours before the Leblgh Val ley road was ready to handle them. A sim ilar misunderstanding took place the nex day , when an Ohio regiment wished to be moved , " Sydney Lowell of Brooklyn spent Scptem her 8 , 10 , 12 and 14 at Cnmp Wlkotf. H said he desired to corroborate the testimony given by Misses Manson and Garrard and Or. Stimson relative to the conditions of tbe camp. Contract Doctor * Negligent. Mlfts Mary C. Lowell , daughter of Sidney Lowell , said she personally talked to every man of eight regiments of regulars. Halt of them were on the sick report and many others were sick too sick to go to the doc tor's tent. There was a great scarcity of doctors and Mist Lowell considered many of the contract doctors careless and Indif ferent. She gave tbe names cf men eho had 1 found sick in their tents and said that she reported some of the cases to the regimental I doctors and tbe doctor * took no notice. Sbs found one man with a temperature of 160 ) degrees end reported to Dr. Tboma-j. Dr. Thomas said be would see him , but when > she visited tbe man twenty-four hours later 'the doctor had not seen him. Miss Lowell mentioned other doctors , who , she said hid neglected their duty and said I great suffering resulted from tbe Ill-manage II ment of the ambulance service. She said I the condition of affairs In the general hos pital was shocking. She corroborated the testimony ot tbo previous witness < u to tbo lack of sanitary precautions and the plngue of flics. Rev. Henry B. Bryan of the Garden City Cathedral presented himself to speak ot the manner In which the soldiers dying In hos pitals wcro burled. Mr. Bryan went to Camp Wlkoff on September 2. Ho said the publication of a statement by Major Brown that all the bodies were decently burled had Induced him to come forward to tea- Ify. nnrlnl of Soldlcrn. "In his public statement , " said Mr. Bryan , 'Major Brown said there was no truth In he report that the bodies were not do- cntly burled , that every body was cm- mimed and decently clothed In uniform , that a bottle containing his name and all the nformatlon obtainable about him was burled n his codln and that a cross marked every grove. I believe Major Brown gnve these orders and Issued the clothes , but that ils orders were not carried out. "I know personally of twenty bodies that were not burled as Major Brown says they were and I wonder what became of clothing and money paid for the embalming. "I do not question Major Brown In any vny. Ho hud not time to see that his or- lers wcro carried out. Coughlln nnd Kohler , vho wore Bcllcvuo hospital badges , wcro In barge of the burial of the dead. "My duties led mo by the morgue every day nnd I stopped in to sec who had died during the night. I saw -the naked bodies of soldiers placed In bare pine coffins and bo name of the man and his regiment were written on the lid of the coffin. Of course bo damp earth quickly obliterated these marks and no further records were kept. Sometimes the body was burled in a night shirt , but they never took the trouble to button the shirt. Scene * at the Morgue. "It waa grossly Indecent. At the morgue .ho attendants sat on the coffin with the jodies in 'them and chewed and smoked and : old Indecent stories. I rebuked them once. ) ut they were Bowery toughs and It is use. ess to talk to them. " "Did you complain to any one ? " asked General Beaver. "Not until I read Major Brown's state ment. I thought It was according to tbe regulations to bury the dead naked. " "Do you know who was responsible for the conditions you found ? " "No ; I understand that a Mrs. Roebling paid Coughlln and Kobler to go to Camp Wlkoff and take charge of the morgue there. An autopsy was made on the body of Barney Tyro nnd organs which were re moved were loft lying about until the at * tendants tied them up in e towel and threw them away. " Tbo flnt witness called at tbo afternoon session was Hllden Olln , first lieutenant in Company I , Seventy-first regiment , ordnance officer of the regiment , wiho testified that the men were somewhat crowded on the transport Vlgllancla going to Slboney and thait the water aboard -was not good. They fared very poorly for tentage after leaving the trenches at Santiago , he said , but othet- regiments were no better off. "Can you tell us ot anything that was lacking ? " "Thero was a great need of transportation. The commissary supplies were bandied slowly and there was a. shortage of medical supplies. " "Who waa to blame , for itliat ? " " 'Ammunition HacdlLv'lu Time. "I cannot say , but I was enabled to un > load and land 125,000 pounds of ammunition without delay and it seems to me tbe med ical supplies could bave been handled just as easily. " Mr. Olln eald be and bis men were treated with every consideration and courtesy at Camp Wlkoff. George Wallace , a lawyer , of Frecport , L. I. , who had a son and a brother In the war , testified that while at Camp Wikoff , looking for bis son , be saw many soldiers struggling along the roadway apparently too weak to move. Mr. Wallace's son returned from Cuba on the Berkshire. He was put aboard in a precarious condition and a at liter com was assigned to him. The doctor ordered him special diet , but ho was unable to get the food without paying 75 cents for each meal Ho had no money , but a friend of Mr. Wal lace's < who was aboard advanced it to him "Now , what I want to know , " said Mr Wallace to the commission , "Is why li should have been necessary for sick ti-en In Uncle Sam's service to pay for the food pre scribed for them by Uncle Sam's doctors Three of my son's comrades died on the Berkshire , and I have often wondered If they died because they bad no money to pay for food. " Mrs. L. S. Woodhouse , who was at Camp Wlkotf nearly every day for five weeks after August 6 , corroborated the testimony pre sented by Mrs. Allison and Miss Gerrard Miss Chadwlck and Miss Lowell. Colonel Roosevelt on the Stand. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt came In while Mrs. Woodhouse was on the stand. Colone Roosevelt next took the stand and in reply to a request from General Wilson , told o : the equipment and mustering of the Firs volunteer cavalry , known as the Rough Riders. "When wo reached Tampa , " Colone Roosevelt said , "there was a condition o utter confusion. We were dumped outside a mile away from our camp. No one knew where the camp was. There was no one to tell us where to go or what to do. Afte awaiting twenty-four hours , I took the law Into my own bands and bought food for the men and horses. Later , when we found ou camp , we were all right. "Were you reimbursed for your outlay ? ' "I never asked It. It was a persona matter entirely. " Colonel Roosevelt eald * great condition of confusion existed at Tampa. Noboly seemed to know anything and no arrange ments were evident as to what transport ; were to be used. His own regiment waa assigned to the Yucatan. Incidentally , bo heard that tbe Seventy flrst Now York volunteers and Seventh In fantry were also assigned to the Yucatan. As soon as he heard that he hurried on thoRough Rough Rluera and took possession of the ship and held it against other regiment * * . His men lud decided to get to Cuba am got thcrtt. "Do you attribute all the confusion , ' aeked General Wilson , " to a lack of In telllgcnce on the part of the men in charger or to the natural overcrowding of work ? " "I was only a lieutenant colonel and could not know whoso fault It was. " Replying to other questions Colone Roosevelt en Id the food was ample and , wit the exception ot the canned roast beef , wa good. The beef was very bad , Colone Roosevelt toM of the voyage to Cuba and o the disembarkation of the regiment at Bal quirt. The regiment was one of the first t i land. Captain Shaw , who was associated ' with Colonel Rootovelt in the Nuvy depart ment , sent a Cuban pilot on board the Yu catan and he took the transport a mile am a bait nearer the shore than the other ships There was a great scarcity of material fo landing men and horses. Colonel Roosevelt , ttifl replying to ques tlons , told lu detail of tbe march of hi regiment to Its first camping place , "After supper , " he concluded "Colone i Wood told us that we were to start next I ( CoatlDued ou Second Puce. ) T i v n n A\T T ii n n 111 n it n n TAXES ON THE RAILROADS One of the Burning Questions in Connection with the Charter Revision , INJUSTICE OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM RonilM Pay Leu * Than Thrlr Proportionate tionate Slinnof City Tn\e The Charter Prntlftlon In ReKpoiiHllilc. In n short time the city council will graj ) lo with another municipal levy and the ttentlon of piopcrty owners will be forcibly rawn to the Imperfections that still haudl- np our system of municipal taxation. Ot ieso the wldo distinction that the law lakes between the right-of-way of railroad ompanles Insldo the city limits and the ropeity of other corporations nnd Indlvtd- als In easily thu most offensive. Under 10 law by which the olllce was created allroad property Is the one Item of realty lat is outside the jurisdiction of the tax omnilssloner. No matter how much the saessment of adjacent property may be In- roaeecl , ho Is forbidden to add a dollar to lie valuation of railroad right-of-way that s fixed by the State Board of Equalization. The Immunity thus conferred on the rail road companies In Omaha Is the result of no of these potent Interlineations that were ngrossed lu the municipal charter Just bo- ere It was passed by the legislature. But ow people were aware that It had been In- erted and Its effect was never analyzed ntll long after the legislature bad ad- ourned. Section 98 of the city charter creates the fllce of tax commissioner and defines his lowers and duties. It provides that "The ax commissioner shall , by himself and his cputtes , assess and value at their fair cash alue all property , real and personal , and U franchises within the city limits belong- ng to persons , partnerships , associations and corporations , which Is not exempt by aw from taxation. " Little Joker Slipped In. This Is the way the law was supposed o be , but during the hurried debate that accompanied final action the fallowing pro- Iso was added : "Provided , that the tax ommlssloncr shall toke the valuation and assessment ot railroad property within the city limits from the returns made by the State Board of Equalization to the county ilerks. " The fact that these Hues were Inserted ifter the remainder of the section was.wrlt- .en is apparent from tha perusal of the preceding and following lines and that It las cost the city of Omaha thousands of dollars every year la equally evident. While ho assessment of all other taxable property has been Increased nearly 100 per cent by ho tax commissioner , the value of railroad property remains the same and since the In creased valuation has brought a resultant diminution of the levy , the railroad com panies pay a much less proportion of the axes than they did under tbe former sys tem. It requires only a pencil and a very or dinary knowledge of mathematics to dcm- ons'tjrato the extent to whlcb.the system dis criminates In favor of the railroads. In 1898 the total municipal assessment was | 33,049D03 , an Increase of 98 per cent over the county assessment of $16,787,073.49. The city real estate valuation was | 27,423- 970 , an Increase of 96 8-10 per cent over the county assessment of $13,935,327. Per sonal property was valued by the tax com missioner at $4,389,114 , aa compared with a county valuation of $2,208,976.89 , an Increase - crease of 98 per cent. The banks were assessed at $858,497 by the city and $449,097 by the county , a difference of 91 per cent. The average increase over the county assess ment was 97 per cent , while the asscssmenl of railroad right-of-way yas $190,000 on the city tax list and $180,645 on the county , an increase of 5.18 per cent , which consisted entirely of an Increase of $9,355 on the Belt Line railway , which the tax commissioner was given authority by ordinance to assess Injustice of the Present System. The present system of assessment of rail road property Is an arbitrary arrangement , the Injustice of which Is apparent on Its face when U Is applied for municipal pur poses. For Instance , the state board fixes the value of the Union Pacific road at $9,500 per mile. The courts have decided that the right of way of a railroad company includes 100 feet on each side of its tracks except at the approaches to depots , and here it contemplates as much space as the busl ness of the road requires or Is likely to require In the future. The result Is that jnder the assessment ot the state board a Vnlle of right of way In Omaha , which In cludes many acres of valuable property ant carries a score of tracks and an expensive depot , la worth neither more nor less than n mile of single track out on the sandhills that represents practically the cost of laying tha tic's and rails. Whtlo the effect Is less objectionable In state assessments , where the total valuation Is considered , it results in a tremendous discrepancy when the same arbitrary figures are used for local taxation. For Instance the Union Pacific has a little less than seven miles ot right of way insldo the city limits of Omaha. Tbe city la prohibited from as sessing this valuable property for more than the state board assesses six miles of track In Cheyenne county , where Its actual value la scarcely 6 per cent of the value of the Omaha property. While the present law stands the city authorities are helpless , am although 'the principal shop buildings and headquarters buildings are assessed like other city property , the railroads arc prac tlcally exempted from municipal taxation on their real estate , trackage and depots. Only One Change Made. The only effort that has been made to as < sess railroad right of way was In the Bel Line caso. The city took the position tha tbls road was a separate system from the Missouri Pacific , and that , since It was al Insldo the city limits , It was subject t municipal assessment. In occordanco with thla view Tax Commissioner Sickott as erased the property at $6,000 per mile , o $59,280. The valuation of that state boar was $5,050 a mile , or $49,925. This Is th only change that has been made from th fixed standards of the state board , and how these compare with the municipal valuation of other city propeVty may be comprehends by a statement of the comparative valuation of the railroad lines In Omaha as they np pear on the tax books of the current year. Valu- Mlles. Rate , ntlon C. . fit. P. , M. & O. . . . 3.950 13 V ) $1),93 F. K. & M. V 3.SOI 3,500 12.56. Missouri Pacltlo . . . . 9.877 Gt ) H > ,2 * O. & N. P 2.412 C.6W 16.21 O. & S. W 2.710 6,570 17,8Cw Union Pacific 6,743 9,500 64,000 Totals 29.352 $190.0 * The question of railroad assessment Is no a new one In city official circles. It wa canvasied in detail at the time the first as sessment was made under tbe new law nn < various theorle-s were advanced aj to th best method of reaching the trouble. I was conceded that an amendment of th present law would be necessary and ueemed difficult to devise anything that CONDITION OF THE WEATHER , 'orcenst for Nebraska Threatening : \Vnriner : Northerly Wind ? . Yt' ( ertln ' temperature nt Oinnlini ould come before the legislature without rousing vigorous opposition. After thros cats of discussion the guneral Impression conn to be that the whole purpose would b icst served by striking out thu thcru lines f proviso which were so skillfully Inserted n the charter while It waa In the hands f the. legislative committees. This would pave tbe state assessment as It Is aim till pennlt the tax commissioner to assess no right of wny In Omaha to correspond with the valuations of other property. If lie railroad assessments wcro Increased In ao same proportion that other property has sen Increased the total valuation of thcii- Ight of way would bo $335,871.65 , on which heir 1808 taxes would have aggregated 5,540.91 , Instead of $1,560. SWAINE TU BE HEARD TODAY > ontioiirnicnt ( if the Cnnr Dur to thr Absence of Importnnt PITTSBURG. Pa. , Nov. 22. ( Special Tel- gram. ) The hearihg In the case of Lieu- enant William Swalno of the Twenty-second Inltcd States infantry , who was arrested ast Saturday night and rclcaRcd from Jail ho next day on ball , w'as postponed today until 3 o'clock tomorrow by Alderman F. M. King. The reason given for postpone- ncnt was that some Important witnesses on both sides -were not prcsc/it. / Swaine's attorney said ho did not think his client would waive a bearing for trial nt court. An effort will bo made , It Is Bald , o prove that while Lieutenant Swaine has > cen registered at the Hotel Anderson alone nnd by his right name , he has also been registered under an alias at one or two other hotcU and that at ono of the hotels 10 was accompanied by a woman. This woman was not Mra. Wasscll. Lieutenant W. H. Wassell was not pres ent yesterday. Neither was his wife , who s mentioned In the information. Frank Jlnckmore , her brother , was there , however , t Is claimed by friends of Lieutenant Swalno nnd Mrs. Wasscll that certain per sons who were Interested in the nrrest ot Snalno boastlngly announced at tbo Jail , thirty-six hours before the arrtet , that tbcy would deliver both Swaino and Mrs. Wassell to the care of Warden John Mc- Aleos. Evidence to bring out this and other alleged facts may form an Important part ot the defense at the hearing ; It Is rumored that they may also form the groundwork upon which may bo built a charge of con s piracy. The late admission ot Wasaell's Iricnds that there Is another woman besides Mrs. Wasscll in the case Is also expected to chow1 that { or sorno reason the reported intention to arrest Mrs. Wasscll was d'ropped. CONFESSION OF A SUICIDE President of the Flrnt National Dank of Kmporla Tell * Hovr lie Dc- eelred III * Ilnnlne * * Aoclnte * . EMPORIA , Kan. , Nov. 22. Since the sen sational , failure of the First National bank , which was followed by 'the ' suicide of Charles S. Cross , president of the bank and owner ot the celebrated Sunnysldc stock farm , there have been rumors of a written confession left behind by the suicide. This letter was made public tonight by William Mnrtlndnlo , vice president of the bank , and has caused a sensation in Emporla. for It is an as- knowledgment by the suicide that ho has deceived and defrauded not only the patron ? of his bank but his business associates. The letter follows : "EMPORIA , Kan. , May 12 , 1898. 12 m. I deslro to Rta'te that the misfortunes of my self and the bank have been caused through my faults and errors. "I Inherited a largo debt , which I endeav ored to meet by going Into other schemes which bave all been practical failures and only got mo deeper Into the mire. "As to the bank matters , I desire to say that I bavo carefully laid plans to decelvi both tbe board ot directors and the caable and employes. Mr. Martlndalo will now learn for the first time how I have , caretuUy de cclvcd htm , principally by way of substi tuted paper , of which he has no knowledge. The reports and letters written the comp troller have been by me misrepresented to the board , they having signed on the last [ age , and I have sent other letters than the ones read to them , changing every ono but the last sheet. "I have had a hard luck story moat of my lifetime , the only pleasant feature being that of my present wife , who has been a good and true woman. Mr. Davis , our cashier , baa never made an Improper entry on the books and knows nothing ot this whoic miserable business. Death I do not fear ; it Is preferable to the agony of the past year. I know of nothing further to add except as to Mr. Jlartlndale this IB a terrible thing for him. He has trusted mo without reserve. I have given him a bill of sale of all my personal property. "C. S. CROSS. " CEDE US COALING STATION Negotiation * Said to HP on Foot Iletvveeii ( Jrent llrltuln nnd United Stale * Looklnir to that End. LONDON , Nov. _ 23. The Vienna corre spondent of the Dally Chronicle says It is seml-officlally announced there that nego tiations are on. foot between Great Britain and the United States with a view of ceding to the latter a coaling station in the straits of Bab cl Mandeb. With this object In view the Island of Socrata , In the Indlsn ocean , 120 miles east of Capo Guardeful , the eastern extremity tot Africa , is to bo leased to the United States , which undertakes to erect a llBht- Ihouso east and west of the Island , which must not bo fortified. It Is further stipu lated , the correspondent says , that only war ships are to be allowed to coal there , so ns not to Injure the English coal trade at Aden and on Perim Island. Death * In Military llonpltal * . HUNTSVILLE , Ala. , Nov. 22. The follow ing deaths among the men at Camp Forsytho were reported today : Privates Matthew Mul- vern , Company I , Sixty-ninth Now York ; George H. Mack , Company H , Fifteenth In fantry , and Albert G. Mahatha , Troop M , Seventh cavnlry , at Second division hospital , all of typhoM fovrr. Movement * ot Ouran Vrmiel * , Nov. 2 . At Bremen Arrived Kaiser Wllhelra der Gros e , from New York. At New York Sailed Trave , far Bremen ; Civic , for Liverpool. Arrived Kensington , from Antwerp ; Georglc , from Liverpool ; Spaarndam , from Rotterdam. At Queenstown Arrived Majestic , from J Now York. MURDER OVER CARDS Ono Man is Killed and Another Fatally Hurt in a Drunken Row , PISTOL , KNIFE AND SCISSORS ARE USED Philip Costanzo , an Italian Laborer , Stabbed to Death. HIS BROTHER CHARLES IS SEVERELY CUT Pedro Mancuso , a Barber , Receives a Fatal Pistol Shot. DETAILS OF THE QUARREL ARE OBSCURE Trouble Arlipw Over a. Wager at Ten Dollnrn nnil 11 Mlx-ltp follow * in Which the Damage I * Done. . . A drunken row over a game of cards lust night In the house of Nick Barbato. 133S South Nineteenth street , culminated. In a shooting and stubbing nffray , In which I'hlllp Costanzo , nn Italian laborer , was stabbed to death , his brother Charles bovercly cut in the nbdomcn and Pedro Mancuso , A barber , received a pistol shot wound that will likely prove fatal. Pedro Mancuso lies In a precarious condition at his home , 2038 Poppleton avenue. Charles Costanzo Is In the sick ward nt the city jrll under treatment nnd two witnesses , Sam Marasco and Nick Darbato , are locked up , being held as state's evidence. The details of the quarrel arc obscure , as the stories told by the surviving principals arc Incoherent and do not tally in all respects with the facts as narrated by the witnesses. The account of the melee the police have , based upon the facts agreed tu by the participants , Is as follous : I'edio Mancuso , Philip Costanzo , Charles 2cstanzo and Sam Marasco were passing ho evening with Nick Barbate nt the lat- er's home. Muncusa and Philip Costanza , vero engaged In a game of scupa , an Italian card game , and the other men wcro loiter- ng about tbo room , conversing. All had been drinking. The money that had passed between tbo card players amounted to about 50. Drnim a. Knife. Shortly before 11 o'clock they began a play n which )10 was at stake. Mancuso was found to have one too many cards and his request to place one back In the heap wan refused , Costauzo grubbing the money and drawing a knife to enforce tola claim to It , MUHCURO pretexted that he woo being robbed and pulled out his pistol to protect him self. At this juncture the other men In the room interfered and upon Costanzo pro posing to lav aside bis weapon and begin the card game anew as friends It Mancuso would , the latter assented and both men placed their arms In a chair and again sat down at the card table. Before the play was renewed , however , It is asserted that Costanzo , being angered at some remark , struck Pedro with a knife. The two men clinched and In the scuffle that followed Pedro drew a pair of sclesori from his pocket and dealt his antagonist a deathblow , stabbing him In the throat Charles Coatanzo leaped to aid his brothel and Pedro attempted to stab him , but uat shot by Charles and the scissors only In flicted a serious wound In tbo lattcr's ab domen. CoHtanEO Die * at Once. Philip Coatanzo died Immediately. Pedro Mancuso managed to stagger out of the way of another ( bullet from Charles Cos- tanzo'e revolver and when the police ar rived at the scene of the fray they found only Charles Costanzo , who was taken in the patrol wagon to the city jail , where his woundi were dressed. Pedro Mancueo was helped by friends to his borne , several blocks away , whore lie was found a short time after the shooting occurred and placed under arrest. City Physician Bpaldlng dressed bis wounds and expressed the opinion that the man wait likely to die. Contango' * Story. Pedro Is 22 years old. The man ho killed was 55 years of ago and Charles Costauso Is 63 years old. The latter gives an entirely different version of the affair and his story is substantiated by that of his daughter , Angelina , 8 years of ago. Costanzo saj a he was In bed when the trouble began , in his own home , adjoining that of Barbato's. Ho says he hpard the fighting end ran into the room to separate the contestants. Ho grabbed Pedio by the shoulders and tried to push him against the wall , when Pedro stabbed him. Costanzo denied that bo did the shooting. Barbate says the shooting oc curred in the front yard and not In th house , but the pollco do not bellovo the stories of ttieso men , as In the yard neur the doorway they found the kulfo nupposcd to bavo been used by Philip Coutanzo and the two $5 bills the men wore quarreling over. The knife Is a murderous-looking weapon , nearly eight Inches In length , and the bills were crumpled just as they had fallen from the dead man's hand. JllunuuHu'i Version. Pedro Mancuso was asked by the polio * to relate -the circumstances of the row and his story was this : "Philip and I had been playing icupa. When the trouble began we each bad $5 lup and I had too many cards. I asked to put one back , but Philip said no and then he grabbed the money. It was not Ms be- c.-uso he didn't win It and I wasn't going to let him keep it. Ho pulled a knife and I drew a revolver. "Then the other men parted ui and we agreed to be friends. I put the revolver on a chair nnd bung my coat up. When I sat at the table again Philip struck me with a kntfo and when I saw the blood streaming from my shoulder I pulled out the sclEenra and stabbed him. I stabbed Charlie , too , but he shot me Drat and the blow was not r1