m _______ THE O’NEILL FRONTIER D. H. CRONIN, Publisher. 3’NEILL, NEBRASKA A singular war has been waged In Bosnia recently. Both sides to the con troversy speak the same language— Croat—but they write It with different alphabets, the Catholics with Roman letters and those of the orthodox Greek church with the Cyrillic. To simplify the task of thejpubllc teacher the Aus trian government directed that th« Latin alphabet should alone be used In schools. The Innovation provoked a loud outcry from the orthodox Greek partisans, who deemed It n blow to i their religion. The government had to yield. In the Interest of preventing con sumption In the boarding schools ol France, only metal bedsteads are per mitted, every child older than 12 must j Bleep In a room by Itself, and In the kitchen and dining room scientific pre cautions must be taken against the disease. And no pupil or teacher who ; is known to have consumption Is per- , j mitted In any school. Circulars pre- 1 , pared by physicians are sent to every school principal, which explain In de- , tall preventive measures of all kinds. The Valley of Mexico Is seventy miles 1 In length and forty-five miles In width. I Lake Texcoco, n large body of water I lying Immediately to the east of the [ City of Mexico, Is only six feet lower j than the level of the street pavements. In 1629 this lake rose and Inundated the city, drowning thousands of the In habitants. The waters of the lake I covered the site of the city to a depth of three feet, and remained so for over four years. This danger is now obviat ed by a great drainage canal. Mexico has many ancient ruins, par ticularly In the states of Oaxaca, Chi- ; apas, Yucatan and Morelia. Those of Mttla, In Oaxaca; Palenque, In Chia pas; Uxmnl, In Yucatan, and Xochl mllco. In Morelia, are among the most famous and Interesting. Some of them represent whole cities and are sup posed to be from two to three thou sand years old. They all show the most elaborate carvings, which closely resemble the Egyptian hieroglyphics. In October 7,887 building permits were taken out In twenty-four of the prin cipal cities of the country. These per- i mits Involve an expenditure of J26, 000,000. During the same month of last year 628 fewer permits were taken out t and nearly SOOO.OOO less money expend • «d. There are 10,000 Catholic churches and chapels In Mexico. Six archbishops and twenty-one bishops administer the affairs of the church. All Catholic church property In the republic of Mex ico belongs to the government—since j 1874, when the reform laws were enact I | I The unique and costly house of one of the most remarkable societies In the world has Just been completed, In Ber- i Iln. The building Is the home of the German Colonial society, and Is to be known as the German colonial house. I By an English law passed In 1266, It ' was provided that a silver penny, called i a sterling; should equal In weight thlr- I ty-two wheat grains, well dried and 1 taken from the center of the ear. This to the origin of the grain weight. The recent high-speed experiments , on electric railways in Prussia have re- 1 Vived the plan of connecting Brussels ! and Antwerp by a high-speed road. ■ “he estimated cost Is fl.OOO.OOQ francs, j ’*'*The clarti, like the lobster, belnfr , threatened with extinction, the United 1 States Bureau of Fisheries 'Is endeav- 1 ©ring to propagate It by artificial cul ture, with good promise of success, i ft' ,-. | Foreigners should beware of the Mexican "rateros,” or pickpockets, a« . they are the most adept of any of their kind In the world, with the possible ex- , ception of those In Havana. Mr. Chamberlain’s organization has already circulated more than 16,000,000 pamphlets, setting forth Its views us to protective tariffs, and the Free Trade union has Issued 14,000,0*0. as a part or the efforts of the Brlt ,l»h to become independent of Ameri can cotton, something like 30,000 acres «lll soon be under cotton cultivation on the West African coast. Recently Lord Roberts received con- ! rratulatlons on his 71st birthday. It was in 1832 that the present command- i er-ln-chlef of the British army was born in Cawnporo. After the death of the, reputed witch i borne peasants of Hungary mutilated i the corpse In the belief that she would j Otherwise reappear and suck the blood of living persons. Of the 37,000 inhabitants of Vladlvo IJtock, 25,000 are Russian soldiers. There are also 3.000 Japanese residents, of whom 233 are merchants and 264 i laundry men. • I j The world's production of rubber was ! two years ago almost equally divided between Africa and South America; now the Amazon region produces three Afths of it. , U. Gaub, the French chemist, says if the hair crop could all be shorn ,rom the women of France for one year ,t could be made to produce 1,022,000 pounds of Iron. "Mexico. D. F.," as the postmark on all Mexican postal matter reads, means "Distrito Federal,” or Federal District. ■®<1 corresponds to our Washington. In y.e South of Ireland, near Inchl •eelaLi. is the "Cats well,'' the waters of which are supposed to exert mar velous remedial effects upon ailing tub bles. v Colon Is a mere sand pit a mile long and a mile wide. At an expense of $5,000,000 causeways have been built connecting the town with the mainland. Refined cocoanut oil is being large ly used In Hungary as a substitute for butter. Two and a quarter million pounds of it were Imported last year. In area the new republic of Panama •Is a little less than Indiana, and its population is about 300.000, of which $.000 are in Colon and 25,000 in Panama. It is reported that the eighty or xnore beet and cane sugar factories of Spain, all except twor or three, have Just been merged In a sugar trust. j , A strange animal, half Mger and half panther has been brought back from the Congo by a Belgian and placed in the zoological gardens at Antwerp. England £ets about 15,000,000 worth •f new gold from Africa every month ■ And 57,000,000 worth out of Australia. Colombia has little more than 300 j «tues of railway and not a mile of road baa been built in ten years. \ " SENATOR DIETRICH WAS NOT A SENATOR Judge Instructed the Jury to Bring in a Verdict of Acquittal OTHER CASES DROPPED District Attorney Summers Moves a Nolle as to Them, and the Court at Once Issues the Order as Acked. Omaha, Neb., Jan. 11.—Senator Diet rich has been released from custody. Judge Vandeventer, after delivering his opinion, Instructed the Jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty. The dis trict attorney entered a nolle in the other cases against Dietrich. Jacob Fisher, postmaster at Hastings, Neb., was also given his liberty, a nolle hav ing been entered in each indictment against him. The Court’s Opinion. • In delivering the opinion, Judge Van deventer said: The court has given as careful and ex haustive attention to the demurrer as time woujd permit, and we have arrived at a conclusion In which we are both quite agreed. This defendant Is charged with receiv ing and agreeing to receive, while a mem ber of the United States senate, or a part of the United States congress, valuable consideration from one Fisher, for pro curing or uldlng to procure for him an appointment as postmaster at Hastings, Neb. Section 1781 of the revised statutes, under which this action Is brought, con tains two distinct and separate prohibi tions. The first paragraph, under which this indictment Ih brought, provides that every member of congress, officer or agent of the government who commits certain acts shall be guilty of a demeanor, and provides for certain punishment. The other paragraph provides that every member of congress, officer or agent of the government, after his election, etc., shall lie liable to the penalty provided for commission of such acts. The Essential Difference. The opinion then defines the differ ence In meaning between the two para graphs, and Is to the effect that a man elected to congress does not actually become a member of that body until he has qualified and taken the oath at the bar of the house to which he has been elected. The judge said the court was unable to find a single Instance, nor had coun sel cited any instance, where a member of congress after his election and prior to his qualification, and before the ad ministering of the oath by that body, hud enjoyed greater privileges than any other person by means of elect tion; although they often enjoyed much greater influence. The last paragraph, said the court, refers to acts which may be committed by members of congress after their qualification for acceptance of the duties of their offices. Contin uing he said: "Under the law. therefore, there Is no crime except where congress has so Jeclared. The court does not make the law or say what It should like to have It be.” Couldn't Be a Senator, "The district attorney has admitted there was no session of congress from March 28, the date of the election by the legislature of Dietrich, and Decem ber 2, the date of the convening of con SnefsB. Until the latter date there could ae no question raised us to his actual membership fn the senate, nor could he juallfy before that body until that time. Until then It was not known whether he would be permitted to enter upon his duties as senator and as rep resentative of the people of Nebraska before that body.” The opinion defines members-elect, “x-members, and members of congress, mil closes: "Our opinion, therefore, Is that this defendant was not a senator at the time of the acts charged In this Indict ment, within the Inhibition of this stat ute. The jury Is instructed to find a verdict of not guilty." Immediately the verdict was ordered for defendant, District Attorney Sum mers announced he wished to enter a nolle in the case of Jacob Fisher, post master at Hastings. The court made the order and then called up Hie case against Dietrich in which he is charged with holding and enjoying a lease with the government while he was a United States senator. I District Attorney Summers stated to the court that the government had not within his knowledge ever placed a man on trial on what might be termed a technical violation of law. ”1 would not," said he, "ask the Jury to return a verdict of guilty against a man under any circumstances unless I believed such a verdict to be in tlie Interest of Justice." The court, therefore, on motion of the district attorney, entered a nolle to the Indictments, which cleared the docket of cases against Dietrich and Fisher. Why Dietrich Did It. On account of the statement made to the press some time ago on behalf of Dietrich to the effect that he did not wish to take advantage of a technical ity. and wished the case, tried on Its merits In order that he might be fully vindicated. General Cowin today gave out a statement of his reasons for de murring to the indictments. In effect It is that owing to the fact that the court Itself would have the adjudication of the questlbn .whether Dietrich was a United States senator during the period covered by the alleged unlawful acts, he declared that a demurrer should be introduced before the taking of testimony should begin. General Cowin explained that otherwise the court at the close of the ease for the prosecution would have raised the point, whlcn would have piecluded the defense presenting any evidence in refutation. When court convened todal Judge Vandeventer handed down a decision sustaining the demurrer interposed by counsel for Senator Dietrich. The de murrer was made to the introduction of evidence on the ground that Dietrteli was not actually a member of the sen ate when the alleged bribe took place. The effect of the decision Is that a man Is not an actual member of con gress until he has taken the oath of office at the bar of the house to which he Is elected, and that he Is not amen able to the law as a member of the con gress of the United States. But He Drew the Pay. Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 11.—An investiga tion of the records and vouchers on file with the auditor of state discloses that Senator Dietrich drew double pay for thirty days, once as governor of Ne braska and again as a United States senator. The disclosure was made through the plea made by the senator's counsel that be was not yet a senator when the crime with which ha was charged was committed. To disprove this allegation, a representative of the treasury depart ment at Washington was sent for to testify that Senator Dietrich’s pay from the federal government began the day after his election by the Nebraska legis lature, wlch was on March 28, 1901. The records In the auditor’s office show that Mr. Dietrich held the office of governor until May 1. The state authorities are credited with the belief that the senator may either be prosecuted or compelled to re turn the money he drew from the state from the time of his election as a sen ator until his resignation as governor. NEBRASKA FOR “TEDDY.” Representative Henshaw Says It Is for Him First, Last and All the Time. Washington, Jan. 11.—Representative Hinshaw of Nebraska called at the White House today to assure the presi dent that the reports that the candi dacy of John L. Webster of Omaha for the vice presidency was hostile to Roosevelt are unfounded. "Nebraska Is for you first, last and all the time,” said he to the president. Mr. Hinshaw declared the Wall street opposition to the president had strengthened him Immeasurably In Nebraska and that Roosevelt clubs are forming In many sections of the state. He said the stories were baseless that it was proposed to get a Webster dele gation that might at the right time be turned over to the anti-Roosevelt forces. President Roosevelt expressed him self as greatly pleased at the Nebraska situation. Fight Going Ahead. Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 11.—Chairman Lindsay today called a meeting of the republican state committee for Janu-, ary 20 to fix a date for the convention, to select national delegates. The sup-' porters of Rooseevlt announce their In tention to force the passage of a reso-, lution endorsing the president and pledging Nebraska to his nomination. The railroad machine which Is accused of fighting Roosevelt under cover, op-, poses an Instructed delegation and the' president’s friends Intend to force the Issue at the committee meeting. -. ♦ -- PEDDLER LAW VOID. Nebraska Supreme Court So Holds as to the License Statute of That State. Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 9.—The state su preme court today decided that the section of the revenue law fixing a li-: cense fee for peddlers is invalid insofar, as it relates to peddlers representing business houses located outside of Ne-, braska. This holding is on the ground that this section of the law is in con-j diet with prohibition of the federal constitution and legislation affecting' interstate commerce. ASKS FOR INJUNCTION. Omaha School Board Charged Witt Corruption by Former Member. Omaha, Neb., Jan. 9.—H. J. Penfold, a former member of the board of edu-, cation,filed in the district court charges of corruption by board members and asks the court to restrain the present board from paying to John McDonald $11,000, which he says McDonald claims for services under a contract with the board, which, the petitioner alleges, was secured through bribery and by other unlawful means. Penfold relates in his petition that the contract was secured by illegal means, and that the sum of $2,500 al ready paid to him for his services was paid only by means of the alleged fact that members of the board were bribed. WILL BE NEUTRAL. Cabinet Takes Action Qcven.ing the Pacific Squadron. Washlngton.Jan.il.—The far eastern situation was discussed at the cabinet meeting today, special consideration being given to the movement of the Asiatic squadron, which it is desired, shall be so shaped as to emphasize the' absolute neutrality of this country in the event of hostilities between Russia and Japan. After the meeting it was announced that orders would be cabled, to Rear Admiral Evans upon his ar rival at Guam tomorrow, tq proceed thence to Subig bay, it being desired that the American navy shalk observe "good sea manners" by not going to Japanese or Russian waters just now. Dsanneal nf IU1 Ari ■ Representative Slayden, dsm., of Texas, introduced a resolution in the house today requesting the president to tender the good offices or mediation of the United States to Russia and Japan. The resolution follows: Whereas, By the provisions of The Hague peace convention of 1S'J9 a tender of good offices or mediation by a nation stranger to a dispute, cannot be regard ed as an unfriendly act; and. Whereas, By said convention it is made the duty of signatory powers, if a seri ous dispute threatens to breuk out be tween two or more of them, to remind these luttcr that a permanent court of arbitration is open to them, and such re minder is only to be regarded as a friend ly action; and. Whereas, War-like difficulties ure now threatened between Russia and Japan which Countries as well as the United States, are signatories to The Hague peace convention; Resolved, By the senate and house of the United States of America in congress assembled, that the president be requested to tender the good offices or mediation of the United States to Russia and Japan with relation to their present dispute und to remind them, In accordance with The Hague peace convention, that a perma nent court of arbitration Is open to them. —♦— SMALL HOPE AT TOKIO. War Preparation Proceeds, While Rus sia Continues to Be Lofty. New York, Jan. 11.—A London ca blegram to the Herald says; Bennett Burleigh cables as follows to the Daily Telegraph from Tokio: "The cabinet sat from - until 5 o'clock In the afternoon. The ministers of war and navy, the chiefs of the naval military staffs and other military au thorities were present. Russia's an swer was not the only matter consid ered. The ministers of foreign affairs and finance sat later. It is probable another meeting will be held tomor row. "Rumor persists In describing the Russiun reply us very unsatisfactory. My impression is that the discussion will not be confled to southern Korea, as Russia now seeks to minimize that area, leavingcherself the fullest liberty in Manchuria, in the Yalu river and elsewhere, but that Japan will take the matter up hand und foot. Russia’s Lofty Attitude. A St. Petersbury dispatch says: Nearly all persons here at the pres ent crisis assume the view that Japan's conduct toward Russia is that of a naughty child. She is constantly being told by the press not to be so foolish; not to waste her money; that It. is im possible to talk of fighting Russia,.and so on. THE CLALLAM WITH 50 LIVES IS LOST Steamer Plying Between Van* couver and Seattle Is the Unfortunate. WENT DOWN IN BIG STORM Ifesael Had About Fifty Feople Aboard, All of Whom Are Supposed to Have Lost Their Lives in the Wreck. Seattle, Wash., Jan. 12.—The steamer Clallam of. the Seattle-Vlctoria fleet, went down midway between Smith Isl and and Dungeness, In the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Fifty-two persons were drowned. Every woman and child aboard the Clallam perished. Within three miles of shore and at a time when it ap peared certain the Clallam had been saved, a desperate effort was made to save the women and children in the life boats. They were placed in the first boat to leave the ship, which Captain Lawrence, a Yukon pilot, volunteered to command, and which was manned by deck hands. The frail craft went down within sight of the Clallam, and a second life boat filled with males pas sengers and in command of Second Of ficer Ourrin was probably lost in a few minutes later. Aboard the Clallam watchers saw waves sweep the pas sengers from their hold on the seats and hurl them into the water. Though the life boat was rlghed lat er, a diligent search has failed to find trace of its occupants. More passen gei'ij and members of the crew were lost when a third life boat was stvamped in an attempt to launch it. The bodies of thx-ee passengers who had fastened life preservers about their bodies and had died from exposure were picked up by the steamer Bahata and brnilp^bt tn Names of the Victims. The list of those known to be lost: CAPTAIN L. THOMPSON. Victoria, Lloyd's agent. BRUNO J. LEHMAN, Tacoma, customs Inspector. CAPTAIN T. L. LAWRENCE, Victoria, Yukon river pilot. MRS. S. E. BOLTON, Alberta, B. C., who was on her wedding tour. N. P. SHAW, Victoria, ship owner. C. W. THOMPSON. Tacoma, president of the Washington County Co-operative Mining company. MRS. A. J. C. GALLATELY, Victoria, wife of the manager of the Bank of Mon treal. MISS LOUISE HARRIS, Spokane. MISS GALLATELY, Victoria. MRS. ROUIN, Seattle, wife of a res taurant owner. A. K. PRINCE, Kansas City, member of a theatrical troupe. EUGENE HICKS. Indianapolis, Ind. MRS. Ti SULLENS and TWO CHIL DREN, Pori Townsend, P. L. LAPLANT. Port Townsend. MRS. H. W. LAPLANT AND TWO CHILDREN, Friday Harbor. MRS. RICHARDS, Port Townsend. H. H. SWANKY, Seattle. MISS MURRAY, Victoria. W. W. GIBBONS, Tacoma. GUY DANIELS, Kansas City. The following were passengers whose, residences are r^pt reported: G. J. JEFFS. W. H. GRIMES. GEORGE HISON A. VALDEMER. P. BRUCKNER. MRS. ROSE. MRS. CHARLES COX. CHAS. THOMAS. C. H. JOY. MISS GILL. C. J. BURNEY. R. G. CAMPBELL. W. E. ROCKLEDGE ED. LENNAN. MISS REYNOLDS. C. JOHNSON. W. CLUETT. R. TURNEY". CHARLES GREEN. MISS BELLIES. The folowing members of the crew: C. L. LOCKWOOD, freight clerk, Seat tle. JAMES SMITH, first assitant engineer, Seattle. CHARLES MANSON, quartermaster, Sattle. R. LINDEHOPE, quartermaster, Seat tle. JOSEPH JEWEL, saloon watchman, Victoria. ALEVANDER HARVEY", messman, Se attle. ROBERT CURRIE, Steward, Victoria. HARVEY SEARS, seaman, Victoria. THEODORE HUDSON, waiter. M. R. CURREN, second mate. _ -4- - ONE SURVIVOR. S. W. H. Grimes, a Passenger, Picked Up by a Tug. Seattle, Wash., Jan. 12.—The devel opments since the steamer Clallam’s disaster is the recovery of the the bod ies of eight more victims of the wreck and the appearance in life of S. W. H. Grimes, one of the passengers reported drowned. Thirteen bodies all told have been taken from th* waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuea. Those recovered today include Miss Louise Harris of Spokane, Mrs. Thomas Sullivan of Mt. Sicker,' Miss Gallately of Victoria, Miss Ethel De Prose of Tacoma, Alexander Har vey, a deck hand on the Clallam, and three unidentified women. These are all at Victoria. Grimes, the unexpecter survivor, was among the last to leave the Clallam. He and five or six others, after being washed into the sea, managed to climb upon the pilot house, which had been swept from the deck. They were res cued by the tug Holyoke and taken to Port Townsend yesterday. Throughout the day a fleet of tugs has patrolled the waters In the vicin ity of the wreck, keeping up an inces sant search for bodies of victims, while parties of men on foot patrolled the beaches, one at either side of the strait. The tug Albion, on her way from Vic toria to Vancouver, picked up life boat No. 1 of the lost steamer. It contained the body of one woman, and another was floating but a short distance aw ay. They W'ere identified as those of Miss Louise Harris, the daughter of W. J. Harris, the Spokane mining million aire, and Mrs. Thomas Sullins of Se attle. The bodies of both Miss Harris and Mrs. Sullins had life preservers buckled on. ! Another body was picked up near Beacon Hill. It was identified as that of Miss Ethel Diprose, a nurse in a Tacoma hospital. The body of Miss Gallately, daughter of A. J. C. Gallately, manager of the bank of Montreal at Victoria, wae brought in from off Clever Point. The body of Alex Harvey, a deckhand on the steamer, was found near the quarantine station at Williamshead. No Hope for the Remainder. Port Townsend, Wash, Jan. 11.—There is little or no ground for hope that any more of the passengers or crew of the ill fated' steamer Clallam will be found alive. All day and until far into the night the storm kept up with unabated fury, making the work of deep sea tugs engaged In the I search for victims and wreckage one of difficulty and danger. No further bodies have been recovered, and of the five brought hare yesterday all have been Identified, the fourth proving to be the re mains of C. F. Johnson of Victoria, a relative of Chief Justice Hunter, of the provincial court. The fifth body is that of Archie Hudson, a young man con nected with the steward’s deportment. The tug Sea Lion returned from the vi cinity of the wreck, bringing only a small quantity of flotsam and no news of the location either of the wreck or of the vic tims of the disaster. The tug Holyoke returned from a day’s search, during which she communicated with all the residents along the shore of San Juan Island, with the result that a force of fifty volunteers is now carefully patrollng the beach, while three steam launches and boats from the United States revenue cutter Grant are engaged In the waters adjacent to the shore. Un der these arrangements any bodies which drift shoreward will be recovered. REMARKABLE ESCAPE. William J. Reid Unlocked Nine Doors, Sawed Through Three Chains and Climbed High Wall. Springfield, Mass.. Jan. 12.—William J. Reid, alias L. O. Hoffman, who is charged with swindling thirty-two ho tels cut of about $10,000, from the At lantic to the Pacific in 1892, and is now under sentences aggregating ten years for these offenses, broke jail here Sun day, under remarkable circumstances, and is still at large. To accomplish his escape he unlocked nine doors and sawed through threej chains, vlsitecr six different rooms of the county jail, passed in front of sev eral guards, and finally climbed an eighteen-foot wall. All this was done! about 3 o’clock in the morning, yet he was not missed until 7 o’clock. He was supposedly too weak to move without the use of a crutch, had been practical ly bedridden for three months, and so far as the prison officers know had eaten nothing but beef broth in all that time. Sheriff Clark has made a thorough investigation, but he finds that many details of the escape are still unex plained. EX-GOV. FOSTER DEAD The Former Executive of Ohio anc| Cabinet Member Passes Away at His Home. Springfield, O., Jan. 12.—-Ex-Governor Charles Foster died at 11:30 today. The funeral will take place from thq family residence Tuesday at 2 o’clock* conducted by Rev. J. W. Hyslop of Tif-I fin and Rev. J. F. Hirschburger of Fos toria.r Until then the body will be in care of a committee of Masons ancj Odd Fellows, which lodges, with thq Columbia club, will furnish the palj bearers. Company D, Sixth regiment, formerly the Foster Light Guards, will act as an escort. Mayor Cunningham has issued a proclamation suspending business iq the city departments during the fu neral. DEATH OF GEN. GORDON Famous Old Southerner Succumbs to Attack of Indigestion. Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 12.—Lieut. Gen. John Brown.Gordon died at his winter home near Miami,.Fla. His fatal ill ness, which overtook him last Wednes day, was congestion of the stomach and liver, following an acute attack of in digestion to which he was subject. Gen. Gordon was born in Upson county. Ga., July 6, 1832, o£ Scotch an cestry which had a prominent part in the revolutionary war. Young Gordon graduated from Geor gia Stale university in 1852 and a few mcnths Intel was admitted to the prac tice cf iaw-. Early in 1861 he enlisted in the volunteer confederate service, was elected captain of his company and rose rapidly until in 1864 he was made lieutenant general. He has taken prominent part in the councils of his party since 1866. He has served three terms in the United States senate and was twice governor of Georgia. Since the first organization of the United Confederate Veterans he has held the position of commander in chief. HIGHWAYMAN CONFESSES John M. Shockley Killed Two Men at Salt Lake. Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 12—John M. Shockley made a full confession of the murder of Motorman Gleason and Conductor Brighton, who wdre shot and killed by a lone highwayman who at tempted to rob them in their car Wednesday nigttf. In his confession Shockley declares he had no intention of killing his vic tims, but they put up such a vigorous fight when he attempted to rob them that he was forced to shoot them in self defense. After the tragedy, he says, he contemplated suicide, but his nerve failed him. Shockley says he is heir to consider able property, and that his parents live in St. Mary’s, Mo._ SIGNAL DISREGARDED. Secret Test Proved Northwestern Trainmen Remarkably Lax About Lights. Chicago, Jan. 12.—Without noticing thal the light In the semaphore above the sta tion of the Chicago and Northwestern railway at Maygair was not burning, eight tran crews passed the danger signal, while a high official secretly marked down the numbers of the trains. Eight conductors, eight firemen and eight engi neers are now on an enforced vacation ol sixty days each. The remarkable test was suggested by the recent Pere Marquette wreck and by the desire of the company to throw the utmost safety precautions about its pa trons. According to the rules a light that is not burning has the same significance as, a red light, or danger signal, but the Northwestern limited hurried by without a stop. Suburban trains stopped at .the station and then pulled away, taking no notice of the extinguished light. One conductor, who had a friend among the station men, had his attention called to the signal just as his train was leaving. Jumping to the platform he gave the hell cord a vigorous pull. The train came to a stop. j •'What's the matter with your sema- : phore light?” he demanded, as he en-: tered the station .and walked up to the operator. "Get the train dispatcher and give me a release.” | •'Well, I guess this is enough for twc hours' work,” said the official, who was camped behind the stove. "Eight trains, including freights, that would not stof for orders. It is certainly a fine record not.” -- Japanese Cruisers Sail. Genoa, Jan. 9.—The Japanese ar mored cruisers Kasaga and Nlasin lefl 1 Genoa today for Suez. JAPAN’S REPLY] ALMOST ULTIMATUM ri r, Gives Russia, It Is Said, a Fi*ed Time in Which She Must Reply. MAKES NO CONCESSION? Japanese Feel Strengthened by th* Plainly Friendly Attitudes of the English and American Na tions Toward Her. Lond9n, Jan. 12.—The Tokio corre spondent of the Times, cabling under yesterday’s, date, says that pour par* leurs still continue, but that public! opinion despairs of any satisfactory is sue of the difficulties between Russia and Japan. Rome,, JaVt. 11.—The Italia says that Russian warships sighted between Ge noa and Spezzia yesterday are believed to be spying on and following the Jap anese cruisers Niasin and Kasagaj which left Genoa yesterday. It became known only today that some unknown persons had attempted to set the Niasin on tire by tampering with the electrical appliances. The po lice authorities have begun an inquiry into the matter. Naples, Jan. 12.—The Japanese cruis ers Niasin and Kasaga arrived at Poz zuoli today and emoarked heavy ar tillery and tour torpedo tubes. Thq warships then sailed lor an unknown destination. St. Petersburg, Jan. 11.—The most re liable news received here is that the mass of Russian .troops in the far easi is concentrated at Vladivostok or on the northern frontkv of Korea. A traveler who has lately returned from the far east estimates that be tween 100,000 and 200,000 soldiers were in the vicinity of Vladivostok. He surf mised that the Russians will occupy' northern Korea but thought that ttnj possible collision was not imminent for a month or more, when taking intq .consideration distances and the diffi culties of marching. Tokio, Jan. 12.—Japan addressed a note to Russia today, through Mimste} ;De Rosen. Its character has not been ’disclosed, but it is said Japan require:) an answer within a given number o} days. It is understood Japan adheres closelji to her original contentions and it is be-i lieved if Russia fails fairly to meet he4 demands, war will ensue. The attitude of the British ani| Americans greatly encourages th( fJapanes% war spirit, which is stronge} !than ever. Tokio, Jan. 9.—The meeting of th} elder statesmen has been deferred 4 day or two. The Russian warships which let1 ,Vladivostock recently are reported , t} jjiave returned there instead of proceed) 'ing to Port Arthur as expected. Russia’s Chinese Recruits. New York, Jan. 12.—The North Chin} Herald of December 4, just arrived, ha) the following, under dale of Pekin, Dei (cember 3: It is currently reported ij iPekin that! Russia has enrolled no let! than 30,000 Chinese under her bannei.l one-half being malcontents, dissatisflej with the rule of the empress dowagei rl'he other half, serving under the RuS jsians, are said to be ex-bandits, follow: ers of some of the most noted brigand, iof Chili and Manchuria. In a woii (hone of these Russian recruits is to Lj (depended upon, for with the first new) of the empress dowager’s resignation ii favor of the emperor, or the changin; of her policy for the better, the firs} half of the Chinese soldiers under tht Russian flag will be certain to return ti kheir allegiance, while the first seriot: reverse experienced by the Russian: fwould be t. signal for the bandits t( Resert, either to the Chinese army, o', Ito return to the old state of independ: ence and roving life. The Russo-Jap Views. New York, Jan. 12.—A London eablf says the St. Petersburg corresponded of the Cologne Gazette is assured thf answer of Russia to the Japanese notj expresses the most conciliatory term; as regard Korea, but as regards Man. churia continues to maintain the thf position of Russia all along adopted; Stress continues to be laid in ‘ Berlir. upon the Russian view as expounded by the German press, that the occupa) tion of southern Korea by Japan is no , to be regarded by Russia as a casus, belli. On the contrary, says the Timef correspondent, Russia appears to be adopting tactics in northern Korea, and by a diplomatic fiction the action ol both powers is regarded at Berlin as on the same footing as that of the United States, which has sent a de tachment of marines to protect Ameri can interests at Seoul. A dispatch from Odessa to the Times says the statement Uiat Russia is pre pared to agree to a Japanese protecto rate over Korea, Japan assenting to a Russian protectorate over Manchuria is semi-officially denied. Russia, it is declared, has not the slightest intentior of brooking Japanese dictation regard ing Manchuria; while the most she is willing to concede to Japan In Korea is a delimitation of spheres of influence while postutating the maintenance oi Korea’s sovereign rights. Russia Conceded Much. Paris, Jan. 12.—Reports, chiefly froir Tokio, but also from St. Petersburg give a clear view of the circumstances leading up to the sudden improvement of the situation. They show that the Russian answer actually reached Tokic the night of January 6, and proved tc be the turning point. Prior to its re ceipt Japan had been making strenu ous preparations for sending two divis ions to southern Korea. Official re ports establishing these preparations are beyond the slightest question, but the note received on the 6th disclosed to Japan for the llrst time that Russis fully conceded Japan’s paramount rights in southern Korea. Russia’s con cession thus gives Japan practically what she had been preparing to assert* by force, and accordingly the military activity was suspended, as Russia's concession made unnecessary Japan's forcible assertion of her paramount po sition in southern Korea. Nature of Reply. The three days succeeding January 6 gave opportunity to the authorities at Tokio to consider and recognize Rus sia’s concession. Whether it will bf satisfactory, the reports have not ye disclosed, but the suspension of mili tary activity is regarded as removirif the most dangerous aspect and as giv ing hope that Japan is likely to receivf Russia's concession. It goes to thf extent of relinquishing her contentioi for a neutral zone across northerr Korea, but it is understood it relatet chiefly to giving definite assurance of Japan's rights in southern _ *