unday Bee
r
PART TWO
Society and Drama
PAGES ONE TO EIGHT
VOL. XL-Xo. !).
OMAHA, SUNDAY MOKXIXO. JANUARY 1. 15U1.
SIXCU.K COPY FIVE CENTS.
Political and Social News by Cable and Correspondence from the Old World
PART TWO
EDITORIAL SECTION
PAGES ONE TO EIGHT
Omaha
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XI
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: FOltBlti GAME
Agenda Club Formed in London to
; Attempt to Wake Up the.
Nobility.
LOESS ABE LIVING IN SHELLS
Some Notable People Participate in
; First Meeting.
KINO GEORGE A GOOD GUNMAN
Kills 1.7C0 Birdi with 1,400 Cart
ridge! in One Day.
AMERICAN DOLLARS HOLLOW CRY
Crnl Britain Largest Forelaa Holder
of Our Securities, In be Amount
f fil, 500.000.000 Aliened
Amrrlog Crooks Work.
BY PAUli LAMBETH.
LONDON. Dec. 8L (Special to The Bee.)
It has been publicly suggested here that
It was possible that slum missionary work
might have to be done among English peers
and the nobility In order to bring them to
their senses. The Agenda club, an or
ganization on novel lines, was formally In
augurated a few nights ago at the Hotel
Cecil. Hon. Sydney Holland presided In the
absence of Lord Shaftesbury, and among
those present were Lord Brassey, the bead
masters of Eton and Harrow, and W. W.
Asquith, the prime minister's brother.
"The object of the Agenda club," in the
words of Its constitution, "Is to do a few
things that need doing and can be done for
the betterment of the existing social con
ditions." The club Is established "for a limited
period of twenty-five years, and shall cease
to exist December 7, 1935."
In general the idea behind the club Is
thait there are many men In the world who
wish to do something for their fellow men
and are discouraged because there Is no
business-like organization which will tell
them what to do and help them to do it.
Mr. Holland, In dealing with the objects
of the club, said: "One aim will be to bring
gentlemen, the natural leaders of our
country, out of their shell. It may be our
duty to slum among dukes, rescue earls,
and set young peers on their legs, even If
their last legs."
Klaar a Good Gu,n Man.
The king left Thetford by special train
Friday morning on the conclusion of his
visit to Viscount Iveagh at Elveden. As
the party motored to the station the
scholars of Thetford school greeted the
king, who most cordially responded. Dur
ing shooting at Elveden It Is said that
his majesty used 1.400 cartridges In .one
day, killing: 1,700 birds. It looks as It tie
was going to prove as useless an ornament
as tola father. -
Hellowaes et Election Slogan.
The torlea have been doing much shout
ing In denunciation of American dollars,
as though (hey were something to be
avoided. In view of this outcry It may not
be generally known that Oreat Britain is
the largest holder of American stocks
among the other nations of the world. Its
holdings amount to about 700,000,000 or
13,500,000,000.
Clever Crooks at Work.
American crooks are still at- work here.
A good reason for the success of American
crooks here Is the fact that the average
English crook, It he be born in a lower
strata of society, is apt, all his life, to
cling to certain mannerisms that plainly
Indicate the class from which he sprung.
Americans, being more adaptable, soon dis
cover that abroad there are Just two real
classes and shape their personality so that
they are mistaken for those of the upper
class. Consequently most of the "big
deals" In the English criminal world are
turned by Americana.
Most of the men of the underworld who
keep the police In hot water here are old
enough at the business to emulate the
monkey who persuaded the cat to take the
chestnuts from the flames. There Is
"Cherokee Frank," who actually conducts
a sort of criminal Intelligence bureau, with
headquarters in Paris, advising his "tools"
when anyone leaves Paris for Berlin, Rome,
Ixmdon or St. Petersburg, with any amount
of Jewelry or money on his person. "Cin
cinnati Kid" Is said to be one of his most
valuable assistants. "The Toledo Punk"
christened Frank Vaols is said to be a
general sales agent for "the gang," a sort
of "traveling fence," who knows whom he
dare trust In the matter of selling stolen
goods.
Strange as It may seem, Eddie Ckierln,
nee a shining light In his peculiar world,
has sunk low in tho estimation of criminals
and la my no means on an equal footing
with thoee whose names are above men
tioned. He la a sort of leader among the
cheaper crowd, pickpockets and the like,
who frequent that unsavory section known
as Aldgate, below "The City." the rejuve
nation of "The Seven Dials Gang," which
dates bark to the times of which Dickens
wrote. Ouerln promised Inspector rtock
ley that he would "turn square" If he was
allowed to remain here, and as a matter
of fart, r. thing has bi en proved against
Mm since he managed to beat the extradi
tion by means of sald-to-be perjured evi
dence to the effect that he was English
born. His friend. "Dutch Ous." another
Mew Yorker, Is the president of the as
sociation of pickpockets who work the
"Tupenny Tube" and the Underground rail
way. These are all English thieves whom
Uus has trained.
Another Sknw Fullare.
deorge Bernard Shaw has made another
failure, here. He has written a play upon
the life of Shakespeare, railed "The Dark
I-ady of the Sonneta" To judge by the
reports of It. It Is one of the tiresome liter
ary practical Jokes of which Mr. Shaw
has become proud and the public has be
come sick.
American Gambler a Winner.
Among the visitors here recently was an
American whose name ia said to be Willis
D. Danbro, who, thanks to the tables of
Monte Carlo, Is M,W0 richer. The first
day he played he risked 1.300 and won
heavily. He continued, and at one time had
a credit balance of U.0U). From that mo
ment his luck turned, and he won and lost
from 12.000 to 16,000 a day. He finally
decided that he had passed the maximum
of good lurk, and so let well alone. Fur
ten consecutive years he has been to the
Kivlera In the summer and autumn, when
the hotels are quiet, and one can give
proper attention ta the game.
ENGLISH RULE A FAILURE
Lord MacDonnell Proposes a Scheme
of Devolution.
NO PARALLEL NOW IN OPERATION
Sew Plan Has Concurrence of Lord
Dunrarea and Woald Let the
Irlak Control All Home
Affairs.
BT THOMAS EMMET.
DUBLIN, Dec. 31.-(Speclal to The Bee.)
Lord MacDonnell, addressing the Historical
Society of Trinity college recently, out
lined a scheme of devolution In which he
said he had the concurrence of Lord Dun
raven. The proposed system had no parallel In
our colonies. It postulated the maintenance
of an imperial parliament at Westminster;
a representative Irish assembly with legis
lative and administrative functions con
trolling the executive and dealing with
purely Irish matters, and the establish
ment of an Irish treasury, furnished with
funds In the manner Indicated in the Irish
councils bill; the continuance of the British
treasury responsibility for financing land
purchase, and the reasonable financial
recognition of the conclusions of the Royal
commission of financial relations.
From tariff reform, he said, Ireland had
nothing to gain, but a great deal to lose.
He believed Irishmen would not relax their
efforts to procure that measure of legis
lative and administrative control which
would enable them to manage the domestic
affairs of Ireland free from English of
ficial meddling.
English Hale Incompetent.
. The Irish people had been willing to live
as subjects to the king, if only they were
allowed to live In peace. They objected
to being governed by a foreign nation
which had demonstrated Its absolute un
fitness to govern any people foreign to
Itself. They objected to being plundered
and oppressed by men who never saw Ire
land and had no interest In it save the
Interest a freebooter has in the place he
pillages.
"But the English government had never
forgiven the concessions they had been
compelled to make In 1782, and had striven
at every favorable opportunity to recover
by guile what they had yielded to force.
They succeeded In neutralizing the con
cession of a free parliament by purchas
ing through mast shameless corruption, the
votes of a majority of its members. And
thus it came to pass that while the feel
ing in Ireland in 1785 was strongly In favor
of Orattan's policy of conciliation, and
while the Irish parliament. If left to It
self, would have responded to the coun
try's feeling, an event occurred which de
feated all hope, and brought untold woes
upon Ireland."
Four Centenarians Die.
The death of four AMitMiftrUna ti& tnt
been announced. Thev were: William
Wark, Wlnterhlll. Donegal, who celebrated
bis wot h birthday last September; Miss
Margaret Kelly. Donegal, ared 108: Felix
O'Boyle. Drumkeevln. County Antrim, aired
1W, and Mrs. Stables, Cavan, aged 100.
Beat Brother's Widow.
'Peculiar kind of love-maklne:" remarked
one of the magistrates at Balbriggan. The
defendant had been James Halpln, sum
moned by his sister-in-law, Mary Halpin, a
widow, for assault. Two years ago Mrs.
Halpln married a brother of Halpln, and
a few months after her marriage her hus
band died In an asylum. VThe defendant.
It was stated, proposed marriage to the
widow, who promised to marrv him when
eighteen months had elapsed. This con
dition did not suit Halpln and he beat Mrs.
Halpln. He was held for trial.
Ireland Wins Soccer Match.
The International "soccer" match between
teams of English and Irish amateurs ended
In favor of Ireland, 8-1
Queue Cutting
Popular in China
In Hong Kong Alone 11,000 Men
Have Discarded Once Cher
' ished Appendages.
IIONO KONG. Dee. SI. (Special to The
Bee.) Hong Kong has Just witnessed a re
markable queue-cutting demonstration. Six
wealthy elders, the aggregate of whose
ages la 449 years, Bet an example to their
fellows on the platform of the Chinese club
while an Indian, military band played se
lections from Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
Hundreds of other men followed their lead.
The promoters of the movement had ef
fectively cited the case of an oiler who was
killed when his queue became entangled
in machinery.
The movement has become so widespread
that in Hong Kong alone within three days
11,000 men voluntarily discarded their
queues. No change In the national costume
Is contemplated.
Mrs. Napoleon
Worries Belgium
Wife of French Pretender Sets Up a
Toy Court Menage that May
Explode.
BRUSSELS. Dec. Jl (Special to The
Bee.) Tho Belgian government "has a
rather difficult problem on Its hand. Prin
cess Victor Napoleon, who was Princess
Clementine. Is not only settling In Brus
sels, but also seising the excuiee of her po
sition as wife of a Napoleon to surround
herself with French ladles-ln-walttng re
cruited from the French nobility. It Is
feared that such a menace might easily
cause offence to the French government,
with whom Belgium Is now very friendly,
and. though Prince Victor Napoleon Is for
bidden to issue manifestos, or otherwise to
further his cause on Belgian territory, it
Is nevertheless being pretty plainly hinted
that It might be better if the pair would
settle, say. In Italy, Instead of Belgium.
MONKS' LARDER HELD OUT
Party Isolated at Hoanlec In
lulu Alps by Storms Has
Uood Lick,
the
GENEVA, Dec. SI (Special to The Bee,)
For fifty hours last week were the monks
of Petit St. Bernard and twelve travelers
Imprisoned In the hospice, T.OriS feet high,
by snowstorms. The hospice is always pro
visioned a If for a ajege, and there war.
therefore, no danger of the monks and
their guests going abort of food.
CADETS JUGGED"
IN BRUTAL WAYS
German Army and Navy Authorities
Are Accused of Upholding
the Practice.
GAUNTLET OF FIRE ONE FORM
Hazers Do Not Spare the Victims of
Their Deviltry.
SOME ARE CRIPPLED FOR LIFE
Cases Instanced Where Death Has
Resulted.
KAISER FRIENDLY TO CATHOLICS
Ecclesiastics Who Heeall the Days of
the Knltar Kampf Most Aaree
ahly Surprised by the Pres
ent Policy of Wllhelm.
BY MALCOLM CLARKE.
BERLIN. Dec. 81. (Special to The Bee )
Nowhere Is the practice of ragging more
prevalent than In the German army and
navy cadet circles. Ragging Is Just what
having Is at West Point or the Annapollc
Naval academy. The military authorities
shut their eyes harder than most other
official bodies to the practice. If any
thing, they encourage It as the means of
discovering the young officer recruit's
stamina In times of peace. The theory is.
of course, wrong, as experience has often
demonstrated, for many a young" man who
will chrrrfully face the risks of a bsttle
fleld under the influence of patriotic ideals
will shrink from the unmeaning brutalities
of his fellow cadets. The pranks tolerated
are of low. bulgas, brutal order, such as
only men belonging to the "nobility" could
think of or carry out.
Of all the forms of hazing the most
brutal perhaps Is the "gauntlet" of fire.
The freshmen upon whom that punish
ment Is visited Is kept in a dark room. In
the next room his tormentors twist news
papers Into Imitation torches, which at a
signal they light. When the torches are
burning they form themselves In two lines;
another signal Is sounded, the door of the
dark room is thrown open and the fresh
men is ordered to 'ride between the lines,
while he Is mercilessly lashed with flam
ing brands.
However quickly he may run the gaunt
let, by the time he has reached the end
his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes have been
singed to the skin, his eyelids are seared
and swollen, his lips blistered, his uni
form ruined.- One of the surgeons in at
tendance covers up the sores with bandages
and sends the singed plebe to the in
firmary. The official report mention the
explosion of an alcohol lamp or some other
accident of like nature.
' Some Maimed and Killed.
More than once cadets have been crippled
for life, and there are two cases on reeor
where death was the direct result of horse
play. A young fellow, brought up on a large
estate In a little civllljted section of Po
rn er an la. Joined one of the Prussian
schools. From the first day his lanky
frame, red hands and awkward gait
designated htm as a target for the school's
banter: He was constantly reproved for
imaginary offenses against the code of
honor. He was made to shine shoes, to
polish brass buttons. One day a cadet was
expelled. Poor Fritz had nothing to do
with the incident. He was, nevertheless,
commanded to appear before a "court of
honor." There he was bullied Into con
fessing that he was responsible for his
classmate's dismissal.
The jury rendered a verdict of guilty on
all counts. The penalty was to be death
by decapitation. Frits wrote, under dicta
tion, a letter to his family explaining that
his death was voluntary.
Masked men then entered the room, car
rying a block and a sharp, glittering axe.
Frits, blindfolded, stripped to the waist,
let the executioner place his head on the
block. He heard a noise as of a man
would make lifting and swinging a heavy
axe A sharp, stinging sensation on his
neck and, with a cry of terror, he seemed
to. fall into a bottomless pit. The execu
tioner, still holding the wet towel with
which he had lashed Fritz's neck, picked
Mm up and tried to revive him, while the
crowd was howling with glee. Frlts's pale
and motionless countenance, however, si
lenced the young savages, for the cadet
was dead.
Foolish Prank Reanlts Fatally.
A dare-devil cadet was asked whether
on All Souls' night he would jump the
wall of a cemetery and, crossing the awe
some garden of death, come out at a gate
the boys designated. He took the chal
lenge. That night the boys stole out of
the dormitory, escorted their heroic friend
to a place where the graveyard wail could
be easily scaled. Watched him for a while
winding his way past the tombs and finally
ran to the other end of the cemetery,
where he was to meet them. Hours
elapaed; he never appeared, and the boys,
some of them laughing at their friend's
cowardice, whloh had probably prompted
him to flee back to the school. The next
morning dare-devil Jack failed to answer
roll ealL The leader of the group made
a clean breast of It to the commanding
officer. A search was Instituted. The boy
was found dead In the graveyard, his face
horribly convulsed, as though he had wit
nessed some terrifying sight. He bore a
curious little wound on his neck, a wound
from which hardly a drop of blood had
oosed, and which looked as though fleah
less fingers had throttled him.
No steps have ever been taken by the
army authorities to combat the abuses.
Kntaer Friendly to t at holies.
Friendship between the Catholic church
and the kaiser, who is a Protestant, seems
to grow from day to day so much so, in
deed, that ecclesiastics who suffered In
the time of the Kulturkampt find It truly
difficult to realise what a great change
has occurred since 1V7Z. In the Teutonic
church of St. Maria del Anlma a further
proof of the good will felt by Catholics
towards William II was given a few weeks
ago, when Mgr. Doebblng, bishop of Sutrl,
In ' presence of the German Catholics of
Rome, the ambassador of Austria and the
ministers of Bavaria and Prussia, presided
at the Te Deum In honor of the emperor's
Wt U birthday.
On the German side a cordial response
was given the same evening at a banquet
offered by the Prussian minister to the
German ecclesiastics and diplomats of the
city, at which the health of the pope and
W tUlam were drunk.
It Is hinted that the kaiser, like his
uncle, the late King Edward of England,
is more than half way Inclined to Catholicity.
NORWAY'S NEW DIYORCE ACT
Operation of "Mutual Consent" Law
is Quite Satisfactory.
NO NEED TO GO TO COURT
if Husband and Wife Agree They Do
Mot "ait Each Other, nr One la
Given an t nfalr leal, the
Split-Out Is F.asy.
BY ERICK GRUNDMARK.
COPENHAGEN. Pec. !l.-tSpec!nl to The
Bee.) Norway's "mutual consent" divorce
law has been In effect now for Just a year
and has on the whole been thorn lly sat
isfactory In Its working. Even l.e clergy
wlili. looks with disfavor upon divorce. Is
Jncllmd to concede thatthe law has tended
to a higher standard of morality.
Under the Norwegian law men and
women have eiul rights and responsi
bilities. If a man and his wife, agree to
dissolve the marriage they need no publlu
lawsuits or complulnts against each other.
Separation always Is granted by the mag
istrate when If" Is demanded by both par
tics. If the husband and wife are not
agreed on separation either person can
force the separation If the other has been
unfaithful or Is a drunkard or Ill-treats
the mate or the children, or uses the In
come to the family's ruin, or has a deep
rooted dislike to the consort.
' The ministry of Justice, In case the
couple Is not agreed, decides the Issue,
and says which shall have the children.
In the case of non-agreement, where only
one person wants the separation, the mar- I
rlage cannot be dissolved by divorce until
after two years' separation. In case of
agreement the marriage Is dissolved after
one year of separation. After a divorce
either party can marry again.
Women Police All Riant.
Sweden now has women policemen. Sev
eral have been enrolled in Christlanla and
their work among women has been satis
factory. Kino; of Greece Foreslahted.
As an indlcatlop of the feelings or the
king of" Greece Tn regard to the security
of his throne, it has Just transpired thai
he has become tho owner of three palaces
in Denmark and has also purchased val
uable properties In Paris and Austria.
Cable Line tn Grccnlnnd.
The North Atlantic cable scheme has not
yet been considered by the Danish govern
ment, but should It be accomplished It will
provide communication with Greenland
and will thus undoubtedly serve Danish
interests. The president of the Great
Northern Telegraph company declares that
his company looks forward with pleasure
to the carrying out of a project which It
has always been anxious to further, but
which has hitherto been looked upon as
Impracticable. As far as Canada Is con
cerned, that country some twelve or fif
teen years ago negotiated with the .Great.
Northern company on the subject, while,
attempts have been made by former Dan
ish ministers to establish telegraphic com
munication between Greenland and Den
mark. German Brewers
Resent Wilhelm's
Newest Policy
Keepers of Berlin Beer Halls Also
Take a Hand in Voicing Their
Displeasure.
BERLIN. Dec. 31. (Special to The Bee.)
The brewers and saloon keepers threaten
to make more trouble for the emperor than
the socialists have made. His repeated
utterances In favor of temperance they re
gard as tending to kill their business. One
saloon keeper has gone to the extent of
publicly censuring him. Another whose
place of business Is near the palace has
hung up a placard announcing that he
sells "the same kind of beer that the
Kaiser drinks."
NEW MINERAL DISCOVERED
Find Made In Spain May Revola
tlnnlse Sulphate of Soda
Industry.
MADRID, Dec. SI. (Special to The Bee)
Several million tons. It Is believed, of a
new mineral He In a remarkable vein, of
which a sample has Just been discovered
at Benahadux, near Almerla. which has
been named calafatlta, after Its finder,
Senor Calafat. This mineral consists of a
substance which, after being calcined, pro
duces pure alumina and pure sulphate of
soda
It Is thought that this discovery may
bring about a revolution In the sulphate of
soda market, which has up to the present
been monopolised by the Germans. An
American firm has already made a firm
offer to purchase M.000 tons of the new
mineral annually, but so far no decision
has been arrived at.
BERLIN PRISONERS UNRULY
Authorities Find It Necessary; to Arm
the Prison Wnrdcra with
Sabers.
BERLIN, Dec. . (Special to The Bee.)
Owing to the frequent assaults made by
prisoners In the local courts on warders,
these officials will henceforth be provided
with sabers. Several warders have been
seriously Injured by Infuriated prisoners.
It took six men to subdue one of the latter
in a court recently.
SWITZERLAND CUTS BUDGET
Money for Military Inatrnrtlon and
War Material Will Bo Spent
Sparingly. I
BERNE-, Dec. SI. (Special to The Bee.)
Whlle the military budgets of moat coun
tries are increasing annually, Swltserland
has Just decided to reduce hers by 1214,320.
The chief reductions are $39,430 In military
Instruction, S44.&O0 in war material and
177.000 In fortifications.
HAT WITH
HEN ON
Grrau Woman rM m. I..
by Wearing Exact Imitation
or a Nest.
BERLIN. Dec. Si (Special to The Bee.)
A woman created a sensation a few days
ago tn the streets of Bocholt. by wearing
a hat which was the exact copy of a bird's
neat, with a large hen In It.
FRENCH CAUGHT
IN SUttAKCORNER
Chilean Speculator Has Manipulated
I Margins Until He Controls
the Supply.
HAS IT IN BONDED WAREHOUSES
Disastrous Consequences of a Former
Corner Recalled.
RUIN AND SUICIDES FOLLOWED
Usual Weekly Mystery Provided by
Murdered Woman.
WAS A SERVANT FROM BAVARIA
Florence Mahtlnaalc of France Is to
Marry Colonel Mnrchand of
Fnahiiln Fame Hero la
Drowned.
BY PACL V1LLIERP.
PARIS, Dec. 31 (Special to The Bee.
Another supar corner Is on and It Is likely
that a number of wealthy Parisians will
suffer from It. The man who Is manipulat
ing It Is a Chilean, Mr. de Santa-Maria.
Me has been busy accumulating enormous
stocks In the bonded warehouses here, in
London and Hamburg, and he appears now
to control the market. With the system of
"margins" this Is not an Impossible foot.
The price of sugar began to go up during
the spring of last year and by the end of
July it had reached famine price.
Many Frenchmen, the Prince de Broglle
among them, have reason for remembering
the last corner of sugar which brought on
a panic. This was six years ago. Nearly
everybody was buying "margins" In sugar.
Some of the stars of the Paris opera were
in it. Brokers scoured the provinces, find
ing customers everywhere. Prices were
climbing and the leaders of the market
were unloading. They did not unload fast
enough, in a week sugar dropped from 45
to 25 francs. Jules Jaluzot. the proprietor
of the Prlntemps stores, was ruined. M.
Crosnlcr, the director of the Egyptian re
fineries, committed suicide. Young M. Say,
one of the wealthiest men, was absolutely
ruined. Princess de Broglle saw her Income
reduced from flW.OOO a year to f 24,000.
Again the public are beginning to protest.
Weekly Marder Mystery.
Paris has another mystery, the victim
being a woman, as was the case In the
Baroness B. mystery. The murderer had
apparently strangled the woman, Annie
Knoll, who is said to be related to a mem
ber of the German Parliament. She came
from Bavaria.
Just at daybreak a few mornings ago
laborers going to work at Thelx were
startled to find the partly burned corpse
of a woman. A match box and a bottle
which had contained petroleum were found
near her.. As her watch and. purse bad not
been taken the police thodght that she had
committed suicide, but an examination re
vealed that she had previously been
strangled. There was no difficulty, In
tracing her Identity, as in a pocketbook
was a paper with her name, and mention
of the fact that ahe was born In Bavaria
and was a governess.
An officer In whose family she had been
employed, having heard of the affair, went
to the prefecture of police and stated that
she had been looking after his children
until the previous week, when she left to
take another place. His soldier-servant
carried her trunk down to the street door
and she drove off In a cab.
Efforts are being made to discover the
cabman, as the woman was never seen at
the address which she had given on start
ing. Pending Investigation it Is thought
that the woman must have been slain In
the city and her corpse conveyed during
the night to ine spot where it was found
and there burnt.
Colonel Marchand to Marry.
A romance of the battlefield is a rarity,
but is likely to happen. Colonel Marchand,
famous for his connection with Fashoda
and later with the campaign in Morocoo,
Is to be married. It is a soldier's romance.
The bride-elect Is Kile. Saint Roman,
called by many the Florence Nightingale
of France. She has long Identified herself
with the care of the sick and wounded,
and founded a Woman's Red Cross society,
which rendered admirable service in the
Morocco campaign. When war doea not
call her, she works among the unfortunate
here. Colonel Marchand met her in
Morocco during the war.
A Hero Is Drowned.
A notable French hero is dead. He lost
his life one day this week. The man, Jean
Gorges, was recovering floating timber
from the Garonne river at Bordeaux, when
he fell Into the water and was drowned.
Gorges was at one time employed as
keeper of the Town Hall garden here,
and when the terrible fire raged In that
building during the charity bazar he res
cued five persons, being himself badly
burned. For his gallantry he was awarded
the Cross of the Legion of Honor.
Linguists In Demaad.
The Central Telephone exchange will soon
possess more polyglot telephone girls; these
employes will have to pass an examina
tion, and they will get about 10 cents a
day, extra pay for eaoh foreign language
they speak.
The ponufftce will make a similar ex
periment and is offering Inducements to
its employes to learn foreign languages.
In certain postofflces, here, as well as
those in the provinces frequented by for
eigners, polyglot clerks will be appointed.
The polyglot policemen who made their
appearance two years ago, are not an
unqualified success, and only two mem
bers of the corps now patrol the boule
vards. "It Is dreary and monotonous tq
have to supply information to foreigners
who have never before been to Paris," said
one of the force recently, "and we decided
that we would move to have ourselves
abolished. Nearly every hotel nowadays
has an Interpreter, and the need for our
existence struck us as more than doubt
ful." Gaston Hat on, a cook, has committed
suicide by throwing himself from the top
of the north tower of Notre Dame. It it
surmised that he took a running Jump
from the platform, otherwise he could not
have avoided the gargoyles and parapets.
Freed from a Rrnte.
Mme. Parat, who claimed that her bus
band forced her to wear a padlocked belt
and chained her to a wall In a dark room,
was granted a divorce. She was given the
custody of their children, whom the de
fendant will be permitted to visit twice
a month in the presence of a relative. He
has to make an alowance of about
20 a week to the family. In its Judgment
the civil court says the pour woman's life
was a lung martyrdom.
! NORFOLK GETS PAPAL ORDER
i
! Premier Duke of England Given
Golden Spur by Pope.
i
TOMBS OF TWO AMAZON QUEENS
Italian Excavator Kinds Women War
rlora Were Hurled In Maine Fash
Inn aa Fighting; Men of the
Pre-Christian F.ra.
BY CLEMENT J. BARRETT.
ROME, Dec. 31 (Special to The Bee.)
The Papal Order of the Golden Spur, w hich
the pope has Just conferred on the duke
of Norfolk, was originally .given to papal
employes on the anniversary of the pope's
election The duke of Norfolk Is the only
man In England w ho holds the order. Just
as he Is the only English holder of the.
fourteenth centruy Order of Christ, the
oldest of the papal decorations. In 1S41 It
was associated with the new order of St.
Sylvester. Knights holding both orders
have two small gold spins suspended from
the two bottom coiners of the Maltese
cross of the Sylvester older. In the early
letters of the appointment the knights re
ceived the high-sounding title of "Counts
Palatine and the Kateian Court." The
duke, who Is a very devout Catholic, Is
the premier duke of England and tail
marshal. His family name Is Howard.
Although he Is absolute master of cere
monies at royal functions, he Is famous us
the worst dressed man In England. 1 Il
ls one of the men whom rank, wealth
and power have not spoiled. If marks of
honor such as decorations counted for
rithlng they could not be awarded to a
worthier man.
Tombs of Aniasona Found.
Camilla. Amazon queen of the Volsolans,
has 'been purged of the suspicion that she
was merely a poetic figment of Virgil's
Imagination by the discovery at Belmontu,
by Prof. Dall Osso, of the sepulchres of
two women warriors. The discovery was
reported briefly, but now further details
are available of the women who fought
and died eight centuries before the tinm of
Christ. The district which Is being exca-vi-ted
Is rich in relics of old Etrurla, and
the existence of Amazons there, is proved
by the fact that two women whose re
mains have been discovered were burled
In their panoply of war beneath their char
lots In exactly the same way as the fight
ing men whose skeletons have been un
earthed. The first Amazon tomb which
the professor opened was fifteen feet long,
eight feet wide and ten feet deep.
Garoue Takes to Palmistry.
Palmistry and other sciences akin to It
are sweeping Europe In a vast revival.
Writing with Immense appreciation and
sympathy in the nachrlchten the other day,
an observer of the work of the flying; men
referred to "La Jeunesse qui salt mourir."
In strange opposition to such brave recog
nition, oX.tho advance of acanae ara table
turning, casting of horoscopes, talking
tablets, study cf handwriting for charac
ter and for indications of future events,
belief In the power of the evil eye, the
constant use of mascots, and other de
vices reminiscent of the days of black
magic. Throughout Europe the Cathollo
church made an endeavor to cast aside
these practices, yet German women reg
ularly consult soothsayers.
Two Killed at a Wake.
While a number of persons were watch
ing by the bier of a woman who had re
cently expired at Montellnone, the floor
suddenly . gave way, precipitating all the
mourners Into the cellar below. Consid
erable difficulty was experienced In ex
tricating from the debris those who had
been burled, and It was found that two had
been killed, while one was fatally and thir
teen others very seriously Injured.
Boer Woman
Had Six Husbands,
Many Children
Married at 18, Mrs. Van Wyk Has
Fulfilled Literally the Biblical
Injunction.
PRETORIA. Dec. 81. (Special to The
Bee.) The Transvaal claims a record for
Mrs. Thlla Van Wyk, aged 78. She has
fifty children who called her mother and
270 grandchildren. Bom on October 80,
1832, Mrs. Van Wyk began what was to
prove an eventful matrimonial career at the
age of eighteen, when she married Potrus
Jacobus Lubbe.
At the end of two years she became a
widow with one child. After being a widow
for ten months she 4narrled Nicholas
Marthlnus Pertorius, a widower with four
children. After .living with him for a year
and five months hs also died, leaving her
with five children. After five months she
married for the third time, David Step
hanus Pleterse, a widower with seven chil
dren. With him she lived eleven years
and had seven children, when he also died.
After five years' widowhood she married
for the fourth time. Daniel Lodewikus
Cronje, a widower with eight children.
With him she also lived eleven years and
had four children, when he, too, died. Five
years later she married, for the fifth time,
Hendrlk Klopper. With him she also lived
eleven years, and had ten children, when
he also died. After two years she mar
ried for the sixth time, on this occasion
with Conraad Hendrlk Van Wyk, a wid
ower with five children, and with hi an she
had four children. After having lived to
gether for eleven years he also died.
WORK IN QUEER COLONY
PAID IN HOURS OR KIND
Members Save Their Time Iastrad of
Moaey aad Devote It to
Heereatlon.
BCENOS AY RES, Dec. 11. (Special to
The Bee.) The Colonla Cosine, on the Par
aguay, above Asuncion, is one of the most
curious In the world. The members of the
colony make or grow everything they want
and Import nothing. The workmen have
seven hours work a day and earn not
money, but time. Their wages are hours
and half-hours. These they sometimes
save up till they have a week In hand and
then go off on an excursion. If a man
wants a chair or table he pays for it in
hours of work, which are deducted from
the balance to his credit.
Three men went off up the river In a canoe
for a three weeks' holiday. They sold their
canoe at Asuncion for S3 and came home
overland in ten days, lodged In the best
houses In the villages on the way and yet
bad some money at the tnd.
CZAR INTERFERES
TO WEAKEN DUMA
Russia's Alleged Parliament Has No
Real Power, Being Merely an
Advisory body.
PRESIDENT IS READY TO RESIGN
M. Guchkoff Has Unsatisfactory Audi
ence with Nicholas.
CZARINA'S HEALTH IS NO BETTER
Russian Empress Now Reported to Be
Hopeless Invalid.
BEAR STRENGTHENING FENCES
Destructive storm on Volga Heanlts
In l.oee of 1. Ives Convicts
In Khnrkoff Prison Kill
Wnrdrra nnd Lose Lives.
ST PETERSBURG, Dec. 31. (Special to
The Bee.) The czar Is taking a strong
hand with the duma and it has been re
duced practically to an advisory chamber,
with no real power. M. Guckhoff, presi
dent of the duma, has, I understand, de
cided to resign as the result of a recent
audience with the czar.
Referring to the scandal provoked by the
reactionaries over the Tolstoi commemora
tion his majesy said.
"No compulsion Is admissible In this
matter. Every one should be allowed t(
act as his conscience directs."
M. Guchkoffs complaint that the upper
house was systematically blocking the re
forms ordained by the czar, notably the
bill on religious tolerance, met with a sim
ilar rebuff. '
His majesty rejoined: "I have been liv
ing in Germany, where I noted the slow
work of the relchstag Yet there Is no
complaint about the German legislature. I
see no cause for finding fault with the
council of the empire."
M. Guchkoff next touched upon the na
tional defense and especially the reform
of the Navy department.
The emperor waived the question. "Let
us await the results of the Inquiry," hs
said.
M. Guchkoff next tried to say a word for
the universities.
His majesty cut him off with the re
mark: "Disorder still prevails there"
Referring to the Finnish bills the em
peror said: "No time must be lost."
Csarlnn I nliuproved.
No permanent good has resulted to tho
health of the czarina from her long so
journ in Germany. Those who have, seen
her majesty recently declare that she is
a hopeless Invalid. Her nervous trouble
does not seem to have been abated in any
marked degree and she walks with cx-trem-i
difficulty:' She m-rotos' B' "Much of
her time as she possibly can to her chil
dren, for she Is a devoted mother, and
seems to have an overshadowing dread
that the little czarnitch will be either
killed or taken away from her. The fear
she feels for her little son is almost an
obsession.
Trouble 11 rew Ina.
Russia Is strengthening her position on
the Turkish frontier. General Guerugross,
chief of the staff, has gone to Kurs, where
he will take command personally until the
crisis is past.
The opinion in well Informed circles here
is frankly pessimistic of a peaceable settle
ment of the Persian trouble. On the Turk
ish and British frontiers, as well as the
Russian, a state of practical anarchy ex
ists, which it is believed can only be ended
by a Joint protectorate or the practical
partition of China.
Htorm Causes Death of 300.
Graphic descriptions have been received
In St. Petersburg of the scene at Astrak
han when a caravan of barges with their
tugs were storm-driven from the river
bank and carried down the Volga towards
the open sea, 300 men perishing. The Volga
Is now ice-covered and In flood.
The craft were dashed one against the
other and were stove In by driving ice
floes. Most of them were soon mere
wrecks, to which the men clung until over
come by cold. Splendid work was accom
plished In almost pitch darkness by two
Ice breakers and three other steamers.
They succeeded in rescuing over two-thirds
of the 1,000 workmen whose lives depended
on heroic promptitude
In the desperate chance of saving more
lives the steamers have been battling day
and nlifht against the solid masses of lea
which have meanwhile formed at the Volga
estuary, barring access to the barges
which have partly survived the battering
by Ice, flood and storm.
In consequence of violent gales In the
sea of Azoff the water lias been driven
away from the coast, the sea having In
some places receded as much as three
miles. , ,
A number of ships are consequently
stuck fast In the sand, and their crews
were In some cases as long as forty-eight
hours without food. Lifeboats were sent
out. The sea was covered with drifting l e.
Convicts Kill Warders.
Three convicts In Kharkoff prison killed
two warders with crowbars, seized their
keys and . a revolver and rushed out Into
the courtyard, where they killed a third
warder and mortally wounded three moro.
While attempting to climb the prison wall
they were shot. The remaining ninety-six
convicts were passive spectators of the af
fair. Order has now been restored.
Kacape from Schlnsarlburg.
For the first time in living memory a
oonvict has escaped from the Island
fortress of Schlusaelburg, in the Neva.
While working In the afternoon In the
open air the convict scaled the wall with
the aid of a rope and subsequently, though
chained, walked all night across the Ice of
I.ake Ladoga towards the Bugrovesky
lighthouse. Early on the following morning
the man was discovered by some peasants
and was seized and taken back to the
prison.
The Schluselburg fortress, rich In
memories of the battles between Russians
and Swedes, is seen from the river, a place
of old walls and low, round watch towers.
Among the famous political prisoners who
spent years there was IS iron. Hmpress
Anna's favorite. The Bchlunselburg pris
oners nowadays are treated with no little
consideration. The cells are lighted by
electricity and heated by hot-water ra
diators. The prisoners are allowed to
smoke and there is a good library. Every
man sentenced to more than eight years'
per uil servitude Is, during the first two
years, chained on the teet.
