ft y-SfL
V
i
m
r ,1
4 .ebrasl;c ulotcs '
Coi. W. F. Co. iv ii- at ..
Platte for the winter.
Range cattle are enduring the ei fen
weather flneiv. Feed is plentiful.
North Platte's tram liiu m.uea have
been closed by order of , i- mayor.
Lincoln cmnty reports 9 neluw zeK .
the minimum tempera ure for the
pionth.
The Advocate, published at S.rgent,
hag gone she way for want of the need
-fill.
Three bad buy of Rising City were
fined $5 each for disturbing a religiou
meeting. A gang of stove pedd ers are working
in Hall county. Th-y get better irices
than local dealers.
The Madison Timea devotes a column
to editorial consideration of the presi
dent's message.
J. P. Israel of the Benkleman Chron
icle, writes poetry that w ill gome day
make him famous
A third piper is to be started at
Friend. There ro 'in for but one to
do a good business.
The bonds vote 1 by Red Willow coun
ty for court hou-e purposes were recent
ly sold at par.
Thenight telegraph serviceat Mfrrshev
and B-g Sprint; has been discontinued
on account of slack business.
Fairview addition to Superior has
been abandoned fur municipal purpose
and will be planted to corn.
The wild n e-e have settled down in
the cornfields U l'ncoln county and are
expected to (day all winter.
Pender, Thur-ton county, is to have a
new creamery and cheese factory an an
evidence f pr-Serity for the new year.
House rats are so plentiful at iSrock
that a scheme is on foot to make gener
al warfare upon the pests and spare
not.
A. P. Ch'lda, the veteran newspaper
man of Wayne, hug leased the Madi-on
Reporter and wiil take charge about the
20th mat.
The farmers almut Geneva are taking
hold of the sugar beet question and pro
pose to put out a large acreage the com
ing year.
The Catho'irs of Xapnnee are arrang
ing for building a handsome new church
and have work on the foundation well
under w ay.
The new contract has been let for the
new court house nt Gering, Scott's Blufi
county. It will be built of brick and b
a lubstantial building.
A eorn-husker near Davey made a
record of twenty-seven hundred bushelf
in twehty-six days. He is, thought to
be the world's champion.
A Hhellon company has secured a con
tract to furnish the Union Pacific rail
road with several hundred cars of i-;e to
be skipped to Noith Piatt.
Twenty-seven old bachelors at Alliance
have formed an organizttioi and will
celebrate tlieir tdvent i n o si-ciety with
a grand hail on Christmas eve.
The railroad shops at Voith Platte
have been put upon reduce 1 time, thf
workman now I aving seven Instead oi
eight hours a day emploviiien'.
Kports at B i oiij In: ton are talkcnsf ur
a hunt for rabb.ts, so nuiuepiiis tie re,
and shi ping thine killed to the e.tiet
for a Christmas dinner lor tj e pfir.
One o the recent acts ot the village
boards Oi ( hioa if. rep rte i to he tht
purchatw of a blood hound tri he kept foi
the purpose of ruuoin..' down crimimilH.
Frank Cej la, a Wen Point merchant
has made? an argument for the benefit
of Ins creditors. His liabilities are
estimated nt fS.OiH) and hio assets flO-
000.
Lewis Wilson of Banner county must
answer in district court to the charge td
horse stealing, lie put his hrand on
animals belonging to I. 0. Kenney of
Kimball.
I'ay day on the Rock Island and p'air
bury leftneYiy $17, o0) for employes of
the road tl ere, trie pay roll of the road
at that point in-in nearly double what
it was one yea r a.-o.
A large part of the corn aiound Fair
bury will be fed or held for highei
price. Four firms at Faitbury are crib
bing all they run uy and incrensing
crib room for future purchases.
The cottuniissioners of Dakota county
have ordtyed all newly elected county
ofTveri U furnish security company
bonds and pay for them out of excesi
fees in their respective offices.
The treasurer of Cherry county has
called in $4,000 in county warrants and
ia paying them off". The county is alsc
reducing its bonded indebtedness by
calling in outstanding bonds,
There was one fair in Nebraska last
foil which was a sucivss. 'I he Johnsor.
county agricultur.il society has held ill
annual meeting, settled all hills, and il
ready for a big fair next year.
Mathew HkeltoT of Millord is in bad
hape. He was riding a horse with tin
harness on when the animal threw him.
A portion of his system was caught on
the check hook, and he has been under
the doctor's care ever since.
The Kearney cotton mill ia again run
ning on full feed.
There ia talk of another sugar factor;
atN'-folk. A guarantee of beets sufH
ei's or consumption hai beer secured
Iroji farmers and a c ni'uitU-o lias gorn
east to present the matter to capitalist,
When we meet a woman, aayt tht
Oraftoo Courier, we always look upot
fcer lady until abe prove hersell
tbtrwiee, but a man well, he wil
kare to show us he ia lioaest before ha
MM owe ua more than year's aabacrip-
p is Ex ec'ed of th"1 American Peo
ple ui k ib too l.aie.
?r!ES!DENT I) FS ALL IN HIS POWER
lull for A hi In
. . ..f .i.
IIIMI1 ! II
Iree Vr
in le- VhiIm rtirntlvh tl I
.tl. .ii r -ci'. iat Mur
'ut h V y t.i ArtUi
p tr'tt ion nf Uijf'lra.
W iHiiisnToN l c. 2S The most dire
ii t ens prey nig among the inhabitants
l Cuba. Siurvatiou not onl ; impends,
but is an actual fxet. The presnlent
hai Oeen informecl of the facts from
t u-ceg whose crelibility cannot b-r
lou ted. H: hits g.ine to the length of
hif) constitutional power in calling the
"ate of affa rs to the att -nt ion of the
oi -rican people. The eUte depart-
it lias used , all of its atithori'y to
mitigate the cond tions there and the
letter to the public, sent out by Secre
inry Sherman, the day tie fore (!urit
m is pointed out the way to further
ibeviate the miserable condition of the
reconcenir id is Yesterday the sum of
(KM wis teeeued by A-sistant Sec -tary
Pay from cert.i u charitably dia
;o ed peio'is whose naiie-H are not
ii"clo-ed, and this sum will be re
jiitted by tcegrapli -arlv tomorrow
Morning to Con-ul-t imieral Lee for dis
bursement among the more pressing
It is hoped by the department of
'late that tho American people will
voiie to the relief, and that promptly,
by Hub.acrintions of money, c'othii.g and
supplies of various kinds. The nes-piper.-i
are expected to lend a generous
lid in carrying forward this in .vement.
The machinery for distribution has
;en provided by tue state department,
ind Cons.il General Lee has undertaken
with the ael of the American consular
lficers in Cuba, to give personal atten
'.ion to the alleviation t-f distress by the
I'stribution of the gifts af the Ameri
can people. One line of steamers ply
ing between New York and Havana
the Ward line It is said, baa under
a en to forward any contributions of
ro ds to Genetai L-e at Havana, and it
is belli ved that the American railroads
will do their part by carrying the goods
to tho seaboard. The Spanish authori
ties have consented to remit all duties
on relief nuppliea so forwarded. The
Kate department directs that they be
sent to C n ul-Gcne a' Lee, ei h r
money by diait or check, or goods.
I'Ml.l Aitroteiit.
Koiii.ENVii.i.i, ind., Dec. 28. A latal
tccident occurred at Terhune, a small
town northwest of this city, last - night,
Mr. and Mrs. John Moore and Miss
Clara Braitain were returning from a
LTristitms euteitaininent when the
uorthbound freight train on the Motion
struck their carrae. Miss Brattain'a
kull was fractured and abe died at mid
night. Mrs. Moore cannot recover.
Mr. Moore was slightly injured.
Mr. and Mrs. Moore were married on
Thursday and thii was the first time
tney had been away from their home
together.
Letitfffti t's Itirlliilny.
Ciiicao , Dec. 27 Yesterday was
L letgert's fi'ty-second birthday, and
while hi trial win in session before
Judge Gary he wore a rose in his but
ton1 oht to celehrate the event. He was
in a good humor, and fre'jueritly lan.'hed
is Mrs. Abulia Tovh told o liaiuagii g
slatenn'iils he had made to her. She
w is on the stand nearly a'.l day and was
followed by ('. Cmk and Sn Nelson,
cerks, through whom Lueigert inir
cliased the potash and arsenic.
John Bialk, the la-l witness of ilie d iy
told of mee'ing Arnold Lu I'gert in
TokIi's biIooi , when I.uetiert asked
b in what tlx- police wanted of his father
Btid also urcd the son to tell the id I
watchm in to c uiiu and see ' uetgerl. It
wai through the son that Lueigert went
t i the w atchmaii's house on the occa ion
when Klinger was under the bed and
heard the conversation.
Toniotro the state will lie-in the
identification of the rings.
A t ool for l.ovft.
Sr. I oris, 1 1 ). 2.H Late this after
noon Mutum Na-fa lar, a young man
ii 'ing in Clayton, a sulmrb of this city,
snoi ins sweeineiiri. .vi i-g Ka'e Kosen
bach, daiijh'erof th ex sheriff ami then
1 1 a out ins own brains.
1-or gometiiiiH .Vas-auer had been pay
ing his attentooH to Miss Dosonbach,
but lie wa a tompirative stranger to
the family, who knew nothing of big
past, the youn lady r-pulaed him. He
called at her hoin- yesterday afternoon,
and as soon as Katie entered the parlor
N.iSHaner drew a revolver and shot her
through the breast As she fell he put
the weapon to his own head and blew
his brains out.
Mis Dorenbsch s father who was
fr umiy years sheriff and col
lector in Ht. Louis country. In 18(3 he
shot and killed .Major Smith, a well
known attorney. He was sentencod to
to six months in jail and fined $:00.
Bin e then, although wealth1.-, he lived
in retirement.
Klllail hy Hi llrotlitir-ln-l.ir.
Havekiiiu., Mass., Deo. 28. William
Dolan was stabbed to the heart with a
knife and killed last night by William
Daly, hie brother-in-law. The men
were about seventy yeara old. Uoth
had been drinking.
Dr. Uoddard Out on Hall.
Kansab Citv, Dec. 28. Dr. J. 0. God
dard, under sentence of sixteen yean
ior me murnnr oi r. J. Jftckton, Wat re
leased OU Mil Of II3VM hv NmoUI
I i.. . r . ,-Ajr - ' r-
tdtifJIM lull Of tb riKKI OII...I ' U
Umwiisoii ( I y. '
Pkaouay, Alaska, Dec. 17, via S-att e
Wash., I)r". 1:7 John Limiyol tllun
pia, Wi.sii., vbo nas just ariive I from
Dwwson City, ?ays there ill s-irely lie
itarvaiion there tliis winter, lie ex
amined into the food situaiioii in a
ihoio.ifch ma ner, he says, and Hi i i
Satisfvinir himself that there would he
Htarvation he sold out his iut!3 aiel in
company with Fred KalUine of Olyne
pia, Tom story i f V ctoria and Bid
Glynn ut Seattle, started out on foot
each man drawing a eied carry about
14'l pi nnd of provisions. Lindsay rays
the Dawson ' o - e oe.n v.i that there
is no great amount of food at Ft. Yukon
as lias been alleged, lhe river rose
J sullicient.y end remained open long
; enough tena ile a lood supply o have
been hrought from Ft. Yukon had there
been any there. The people of Daw
on, believing tint there was. not ample
food sunnliea at Ft. Yukon, refused to
go there, preferiing to remain in Daw
Son. No more than 300 or 400 people
took advantane of the transportation
companies offer to take the people
Ft. Yukon free of charge.
DKMANllKP A IilVIHION.
to
When the miners at Dawson found
that no more provisions would reach
the town by the river route, they an
nounced that a meeting would be held
to take steps for apportioning the pro
visions in the town. Those that had
plenty, they said, must share with those
who had none. Captain Constantino of
the northwest mounted police, inter-
hred and told the miners that no such
thing would tie permitted. The meet
ing was held.
Lin :say says the output of the mines
will be greatly curtailed thia winter be
cause of the scarcity of food and light.
Coal oil told for $4-) a gallon and can
dies are as high as $150 a box of 100.
Kven if men w ere able to work their
claims they cannot get light to do so,
These statements are borne out by all
returning Klonkikers, quitea numtierof
whom have reached here the past week.
Few of them, however, take as gloomy
a view ot the situation as does Mr. Lind
say. Lindsay says two hundred or more
miners are prospecting at the mouth of
Stewart river, but nothing is known as
yet what success the achieved.
The weather about Stewart find Big
Salmon rivers has been bitterly cold,
degrees be low being recorded at Major
Walsh's camp twelve mi e below the
Pig Salmon on November 3d. The Yu
kou river between Dawson and Ft. Pelly
froze completely over on November 18,
'1 e river ib piled fu.l of ice in great
ridge9 as high ss an ordinary house and
a roadway w II have to be cut through
it before dog or horse team can operate
upon it. The outlook, therefore, for
taking suppl es down to Dawson in the
immediate future is not good.
Inspector oi Mines McGregor left here
a week ago with a number of dog teams
and horses to make the attempt torech
Dawson with about twenty tons jf pro
visions, but nothing has since been
heard of him.
A HorrlblH i hril mm TmBi-dy
Indiana, Pa., Dec. 27. Milton Neal
and his aged wife were shot to death by
an unknown assa-sin at their home near
Jacksonville, nine miles southwest oi
l ere, sometime during Christmas,
Tlieir bodies wers found last night by
t ieir son Ilarrv, wh was pissing the
tonse and stopped to pav a Christmas
vi -i t . Neal was one of the most promt
nent ni d prospermia farmers in t! S
vicinity in which he livel. Otlieers are
scouring the country for the murderer,
but as yet he has no' been apprehended.
Y: ung Neal Lund the doors locked
and forced bi way through the cellar.
Gn entering the sitting room a horrible
sight met him. On a chair near the
window lay the form of his mother, hei
face entirely blown away. At her feet
ay h'-r husband with a ghastly hole in
the side of his head. At his S'du lay
a double-barrelled shotgun, the imple
ment of death. All of the walls, ceiling
and articles of furniture in the room
were sputtered with blood, and on the
the ceiling was a good sized dent, in
which was imbedded a piece of the mur
dered woman's skull. There is nothing
to Indicatb that the crime was commit
ted for plunder, as in Mr. Neal's pocket
was a $10 bill and a $20 bill lay on the
top of a dresser.
( InllilliK ( Bltlio Kirn.
Canton, 0., Dec. 27. Miss Clara
Shields, daughter of H. H. Shields, for
mer United States district attorney and
a cousin of Mrs. Day, wife of Assistant
Secretary of State Day, was severely
burned at be' home here yesterday.
Her clothing igni'ed from an open gas
I replace and her father, answering her
fhrieks for help, found her in flames.
The lower portion of her body and legi
were severely burned and grave appre
hensions were felt nt first . It is now
thought, however, that nothing serious
will result. Miss Shields was to have
accompanied the Daya back to Wash
ington this week for a social season at
the capital.
I lhl to I ho K.-Klh
Cmicaoo, Dec. U7. A special from
Alton, III., says:
Mack Clayton ami Jefferson Parks,
both of Upper Alt n, fought a duel U
the death at the lat er's homo last even
ing over a woman. Clayton used a pis
tol and Parka a knife. Hoth will dia
Two yeara ago Park ran away witr
Clayton's wife. The men quarrelled
about this and Parka finally compro
mised the difference by paying Clay
ton $10. A quarel over thia aale of Clay
ton ' wile caused the killing.
A SEW SCHEME
i For Paying Pensions Brought up by a
MdDufiCt jrer.
WOULD ISSUE BUNDS TO PENSIONERS
I'nyliilC Th
I ,,i ,
pi ovc
lil up at 0-.?, Blaine Life ,
i iJnl) - ,;i-i u Ap
hy rrolli lieut ougri
iii n Mini .Senators.
New Yiihk, Dec. 23. The Press Bays:
W. F. Riic.kwell, a prominent manu
facturer of Meriden, Conu., has in view
the presentatai n ot a hill in congre-is
through thi pension committee looking
toward toe funding of toe pension ap
propriation. This bill, aiscordiug to Mr.
Kockwel , promises to b of great bene
t", not only to the government in the
Saving ot many mi hous of dollars, but
to the vas army ot pension'trs also
or. Kockwell has talked about iiis plan
to Presid-nt M :Kinley, Secretary Bliss,
members of the ways and means com
mittee ami to pension ollirji.iia, all of
wiiom he says, think well of it, but they
have not ,ecid,-d yet now it would be
r d-ived by the country.
Pensioner who have been approached
by Mr. It ick well on the subject also
think well of the i lea and are inclined
to view it m a favorable lifht. He hag
consulted al-o n uin - rous bankers, com
mercial men and life insurance actua
nes, who approve of the scheme and
admit its feasibility, believing it to be
entirely practical.
"It has iuii,i been an idea of congress,"
said Mr. Kockwell, ia Bpeaking of his
plan, "that pensioners are dependent,
whereas, as a matter of fact, the great
bulk of them are independent. Thou
sindg of them are awuers of fai ois in
the w st which are mortgaged, the
mortgages bearing interest anywhere
from 8 :o 12 per cent. My idea is to
Issue nego iable bonds to the pensioners
or to pay them the cash at their ption
to cover the amount they would receive
Tom the government, based on life in
euiance expectancy. This would en
able them to pay off their mortgage,
thus giving them the differences be
tween the lowest rate of interest in anv
state, 6 per cent, and the interest on
the bonds, 2 per cent.
"This would relieve them from the'r
jresent entanglement. Tuere are, iu
round numtiers, about 950.00J persons
ju the pension rolls and to those who
ire not owners of farms the payment oi
the entire amount which, according to
my table, wo jld be due them, would en
able many of them to start in business
and this in itself would put into circula
tion a large amountof money that woujd
insure io the benefit not ouiy of the
community in which they reside, but to
the coun ry.
":t would be a great saving to the
government in the matter of salary
since it would do away with the pension
o lice machinery, while the only ex
pense the government Would incur
would be in the issuing of the bonds. It
would also do away with pension attor
neys, who receive from pensioners a
good shnre of the money paid out for
them."
Mr. Rockwell has no interest in this
bill, he says, beyond the benelit which
would accrue to the government and
pensioners by its adoption, ile thinks
the, pension rod is becoming a ireater
nc ibiis upon the treasury each year
and that e loner or latersomething riiusi
be done with it. He believed this idea
in a great measure will relieve the
strain. Wi,i e viewing his plan in a
vorable light, Mr. Rockwell admits
ihal it is opeu for discussion and in-
ito.s criticism.
Mnnler at Muryiullie, si,,,
Makysvii,i,i, Mo., Dec; 23 John J.
f ,yce, a retired farmer, soot, and killed
ii. C. .Montgomery, a prominent and
wealthy real estate agent, just after
hi. T here had been bad blood be
tween the men for some time, and w hen
yce met Montgomery he (-hot him
without word. Montgomeiy died in
stantly. The murderer mrde no effort
to escape.
Uhudcs .Many Nnnsnti ons.
Nokfoi.k, Va,, Dec. 21). The trial of
John Anderson, cook of the scl
Jibe Pecker, lor the murder of Mata
ha'jiders, was concluded yesterday and
the case went to the jury at 5:30 this,
aliei noon .
Under the ruling of the court the jury
mist either find Anderson LMlillV UN
iharged iu the indictment or not. miiltv
lucre can be no verdict of manslaugh
ter.
The prisoner was dramatic to the last-
Just before the district attoriicv
hided his argument, tellinii toe inrv
that if Anderson had been innocent he
would have adopted another course, the
accused man sprang to his feet, saying:
"I am innocent, Mr. White," and had
to he forcibly pulied pack into his chair
py llie court bailitl.
I. ii ok ford Lynching.
Si'okanb, Wash., Dec. ax A telegram
from Colfax received at an early hour
Mys all of the electric lights had just
gone out ami it was thought a mob was
preparing to raitl the jail and Ivnch the
murderers of Orville Heydeu.
j Arrt-Mt-d for Murilr.
LtTTlR Hoik, Ark., Dec, 2;i Advices
received from Clinton, VanHureii county
are to the effect that the murderers of
the Piuterson family, on Culpepper
mountain, have been arrested and
placetl in jiil there. The men chaiged
with tlie crime are Le Mills and Will
iam Hardin, two young white men, and
the evidence against them is said to be
circumstantiiil. The sheriff, fearing an
ittemit at lynching has. placed a stiong
tuardln the jail.
i i
I XI'LOMO . if A HKK.
hlcagu Hutltiu rrckrd liyja Gas
Kx-
pliiulo i Many W uuilri.
CiiitAm., D- c , 24 Fir..- broke out last
veiling 111 ' ir: o-eujeIl i oi i nt ii . t-b i ul y
I'Uildiug 104 Mii-li -on st-eet, the first
floor oi w'oicii w a ore ipied by the
1'oH-e Caie ami ites atirant company,
nd the second floor by tue bil lar 1 f ar
:ors of Frank Mus?ev. Tim blaz was
ii. si : (ir.nn l Ii n a d a crowd of peo
ple gathered on the aiuewalk in trout of
the building to watch the woik of tiie
beme . About a d- z -n pol cemeu were
busily engaged in . nulling back the
ihr mg when a terrific explosion af nat
ural gas toi k place. The building was
oadly wrecked, the windows, window
.-ratings, sidewalk lights and manhole
covers i e e hurii d nto the air and fell
among il e crowd Dozens of people
were throw n from their feet and twenty
thiee were injured, only one of them be
ing, however, seriously hurt.
The exp'osion caused a wild panic in
the street and in the frantic rush for
salety which followed many people were
thrown down ami trampled upon. That
many were not killed and many more
injured was little short of a mericle.
Mi ssey'a billard parlors were filled
with playeis when the explosion came,
and the men who had paid little or no
attention to the small blaze in the base
miict ap reciated the situation at its
proper vaiue when the windows went
sailing into the street and plaster began
to come down on their heads. The rush
in the ttreet was duplicated by the ex
cited bi liard players as they p'unged
down the stai a for safety and the outer
air. Many of them escaped by 'he
stairway, gome took to the tire escape
and those who were late or who deliber
a i d as to the best way of enress were
taken out by the firemen. The severe
weather caused much of the water to
freeze, and within an hour the building
reiemble an iceberg with a furnace iu
its inteiior.
The burning building is within afty
feet of the intersection of Dearborn and
Madison -treetB, where the loops of the
weft side and north side cable lines in
tersect, and from the time the fire broke
out until after midnight traffic was en
tirely suspended on both lines.
The loss is estimated at $125,000, oi
which $1)0,000, will fall on the Tossetti
company, $20,(00 on Mussey and $15,
000 on Morris Rosenfelu, the owner ol
the building.
jKzpens.ve Fire at Cleveland.
Cleveland, 0., Dec. 24 Fire broke
out in the business center of the city at
5 o'clock last evening nnd fanned by a
high northwest wind destroyed property
worth more than half a million dollars.
The power block on Frankfort Btreet,
owned by J. B. Perk'ns, six stories and
made of brick, vas consumed above the
second story and the rear of the brick
Wiltshire block, six stories high, owned
also by Mr. Perkiis and fronting on
Superior street, was burned. The fire
started by the explosion of a large cn
i benzine in the lit) ographing estab
lishment of Johns & Co., in the Power
block. W indows weie blown out and
everal employes got out in safety by
he fiie escapes. The loss of Johns &
C is $50,000, covered by insurant e.
hi other occupants of the building
w re all uianuiacturmg concerns.
The block was worth about $200,000.
Tl e loot of the power house of the new
Century building was deino'ished by a
falling wall. The J.L. Hudson Jothing
house ami the offices in the Wiltshire
building were damaged somewhat by
fire anti to some exiext by water. The
Wiltshire ia damaged to the extent of
$20,000. A large part of the stock of J,
I.. Hudson, valued at $250,000, is dam
aged, but amply insured.
IHrs llt-fore '1 lie Mirror.
Kkoklk, la., Dec. 34. Kphriam Ra-dair-h,
a retired merchant, and very
wealthy, committed suicide at his home
in this c;ty yesterday. He stood before
a misror mil Hhot himself- through the
head. No cause can be assigned for the
act. Kadaish was a prominent member
of the Iowa Iegion of honor.
Het Asul.- the MiirrlitBe.
Chicago, Dec. 24. The Illinois supreme
court has handed down ft decision in the
Oi'chardson-Meirick marriage annul
ment case, affirming the decree of nul
lification granted by the low er court and
giving the property to the relatives of
Mrs. Merrick. The case is unique in
that the marriage is set aside al'er one
of ihe contracting parties has boon dead
almost four years.
In 1893 Charles Urchanb.on. an art'iBt,
and at one time a socialistic candidate
lor mayor against Carter Harrison, was
married to Mrs. Merrick, of liuincv, III.
Mrs. Merrick, who was over eighty
years old, was the potsessor of pror.y
worth something like $10,000. Orchard
son, who was sixty years old, met Mrs.
Merrick at a spiritualistic seance in
Quincy, conducted by Vera Ava, known
better us Odelia llisdebar, ami with her
help, it is alleged, prevailed upon the
aged Mrs. Merrick to marry him and
make a will leaving her property to
him, Mrs. Merrick died within a year.
Shortly after her death Mrs. Merrick's
relatives brought suit to have the mar
riage set aside. The case has been in
the courts for over three years. Among
the lititianta were (ieorge Turner of
Michigan ami J. Cofleld of Denver
.liny lie m Hank Koblier.
Kansas Citv, Dec. 24. William Kau
er, son of W. (. ISauer, a Detroit pub
lisher, is under nrrest bore chanted with
complicity in t bank roobery at Vermil
lion, Ras. ri.uur whi lound Wednes
day night suffering from injuries which
w id cunt him an eyt and which he said
yesterday were received while prepar
ing nitroglycerine for his pals, who, he
alleges, committed h actual robbery,
Bauer says he is a graduate of Trinity
eollege, Michigan.
A JAPAJiKBK W AH ILUtl).
NavaJ V 9 Conceal tated to Htop
jjia' l-Toade, t
Loudon, Dec. 29. A special dispatch
'rom Sbangaai, dated luesday, saya:
''It is reported that a Japanese flee
if twelve warships ia waiting out at
Nagasaki, fully equipped for war, and
inly waitmg instructions. This in
: udes the Yashiuia and the Fuji, two
if the finest vessels in the Japanese
leet, it is understood, is acting in close
touch with the British squadron under
'ice Admiral 8ir Alexander Buller,
:ommauder-in-chief of the China su
:ion. Japan will certainly o'ppose a perma
nent Russian occupation of Port Arthur.
The sudden dissolution of the Japanese
liet was owing to the war spirit. It is
expected that the Japanese fleet will at
:empt to prevent the lauding of rein
forcements from Odessa for the protec
tion of the Russian trans-Asiatic rail
way in Manchuria.
The Globe yesterday afternoon says a
private telegram announcing that
'.wenty British warships have arrived
at Port Hamilton.
A special d'spatch from Shanghai
;ays the British fleet has anchored at
Port Hamilton.
Port Hamilton is a small island south
f Corea and not far from Quel part
bland.
The dispatch farther says that a re
port is current at Chee Foo to the effect
that the Japanese fleet has also arrived
U Port Hamilton.
Yokohama, Dec. 29. Owing to the
failure of the premier, Marquis Saigo,
;o reconstruct the cabinet, all the mem
bers of that body have resigned.
The nowspapers demand the forma
tion of a verv ttrong ministry, capable
ii coping with the situation in the east.
.Actor Gels Six tiutlis' In Prison.
Nkw Yokk, Dec. 29 Edward J. Rat
;liffe, the actor, who was found guilty
assault in third degree, for striking
Ins wife was sentenced to six months' iu
the penitentiary.
Lawyer Towns, counsel for Ratcliffe,
made a motion for a new trial, which
was denied. Mr. Townssaid that there
was some justification for the assault.
Judge Newberger looked at Mr. Towns
in astonishment and said:
"I am surprised to hear counsel make
uch an admission."
The judge, after referring to the recom
mendation for mercy made by the jury,
said :
"Wife beating may be popular in
,'ome countries ; but it is not in America.
I propose in your case to mete out such
ounishment as will serve as a warning
to others that they may not repeat an
offense of this kind.'
Ratclill'e was taken to the peniteuti
ury on Blackwell's island, where he will
be confined to hard labor. This does
not carry with it the deprivation of
ofc'vil rights that is involved in a state
prison sentence.
A large crowd was prssent to hear the
actor sentenced. Mrs. Ratcliffe and her
father, Peter De'a y, were absent.
Killed by a 1-rientl.
New Yokk, Dec. 29. fudge Healy
died yesterday in a hospital from the
i-IYec's of stab wounds inflicted by Geo.
il. Lincoln, a designer. Healy had been
out of work for some time. Lincoln,
who is married, befriended bim, and
lhe two men were best of friends. On
Christmas day Lincoln enteied home
drunk. He bi-gari to beat his wife.
Healy pleaded with him for her, and
the wo ua t left the rcom. When tin.
woman ret rued aiier hearing founds o'
a struggle, she found Healy covered with
blood. Her husband h.vi gone to a
Hospital. Lincoln, who was only slight
ly wounded, was ai rested and taken to
Jlealy's beds'de. The latter positively
denied that he had ever seen Lincoln
before and died refusing toimplicate h;s
old time friend in any way. Lincoln is
so distressed over the affair that it is
(eared he will attempt to commit sui
cide. He was remaudud to await the
action of the cor oner.
Moilerui.lnK (iiliralt er.
Washington, Dec. 29. Reports re
C ied at 'lie navy department indicate
that the llritiuli government is pushing
the work of modernizing the great forti
fications at the Rock of tiibraltar with
all speed and that no less than 5,000
Spanish workingmen pass daily over the
Jines to ami from their work on the for
tillcations. Contrary to the policy pur
sued in some other British fortiicatious
the soldiers in charge made no objec
tion to an examination of the works by
American naval officers and sailors, and
.seemed rather proud of the strength ol
their position.
Ileltl for Murder.
St. LnriN, Dec, 29 At the conclusion
of the inquest yesterday the cproncr'l
jury held William Roberts, James Mur
nhy, Fretl Snyder and W. J. Nolan re
.sponsible for the death of Jacob Weinan
who was mysteriously strangled last
week. Murphy and Roberts were nam
ed as principals ami Snyder and Nolan
as accessories. The prisoners were re
manded to the holdover.
Keller i-U a Nice Job.
Nkw Yoiik, Dec. 29. Mayor-elect Van
iWyck bin selected John W. Keller fof
commissioner of the department of char
iticb. Tin place is worth $7,500 a year.
Mr. Keller was the editor of Truth al
the time of theappnaranceof the famous
Morey letters in the Garfield campaign.
Later he became managing editor ol th
Recorder, and when that paper suspand
ie I, he went on the staff o( the Journal
'and Advertiser, writing the column
fig ued "Cholly Knickerbocker."
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