A BOYCOTT.
TELEGRAPHERS MAKE WAR ON
SOUTHERN RAILWAY.
ARE OUT Oil A STRIKE
Ask 20,000 Freight and Passenger
Agents To Route By Other
Traffic Lines.
Atlanta, Ga., April 17. The Order of
Railroad Telegraphers have declared a
boycott on the Southern railway, and
ope to make It effective through the
tkket and freight agent of the Trilled
Htate and the Federation of Labor.
Telegrams were sent by President
Powell to the 2f,00 ticket and freight
arent In the Cnlted States, asking
them to route passengers and freight
via other line than the Southe rn pend
ing the present trouble. A menage was
also sent to President Oompcrs of the
Federation of I-abor, requesting him to
boycott the rail Hay.
President I'owell eiaimB the strike to
night 1 more effective than at any
time Hi nee Mm Inception. He assign a
a reason for the running of passenger
train by the Southern and abandon
ment of freight traflle-.
The railway people here nay that
lxith passenger alm freight traffic In
moving with but trifling delay, and
that if It were not for the newspaper
they would not be aware of any strike.
A south bound local freight and a
Work train came Into collision on the
Mobile division of the Southern railway
near ThomaHvllle, Alii., both iocomo
tlfe being ruined and a fireman hurt.
The wreck Ih said to have been canned
by an attempt to run freight trains on
a time card in the absence of operators.
STRIKE IS SPREADIN6.
The Southern Railway Telegraph
ers So Reports.
Chattanooga. Tenn. A bulletin Issued
by the striking operators of the South
ern railway, Insists that the reports re
ceived by wire and long-distance tele
phone show that the strike Is growing
rapidly and that more operators are
Joining the strikers every day.
The Southern Hallway official state
that the wires have been cut cm the
Me-mphis. Knoxvllle & Atlanta divis
ion of the Southern railway, and that
there is considerable Interference with
the operation of trains, especially on
Hie. Knoxvllle division. The passenger
train from Washington, due here ut
t:4t o'c loe k this morning, was annulled
n account of trouble on the Asheville
division. The local, from Birmingham,
on time, indicating that the Bir
mingham division has not been serl
tunly disturbed. Force of linemen
were sent out from this city over the
various divisions and the Southern
Hallway officials are taking steps to
arrest mid prosecute persons who cut
te wires or otherwise Interfere with
the traffic of the system.
The claim Is made here by repre
sentatives of the O. R. T. that the loss
t'l the Southern Hallway In perishable
freight since the strike amounts to
$:iol,000.
Birmingham, Ala. Officials of the
iioulhern Railway and Alabama Great
Houthern railroad state that they are
moving all trains on schedule time.
While all the striking telegraphers'
place have not been filled, sufficient
Iterator have been secured to handle
M (rains, and the official expect that
In a few day nil plgns of strike will
have disappeared.
On the other hand, the striker claim
ttat they are gaining strength dally
and that many of the new men arc
Je-rtlns.
AWFUL FAMIME IN INDIA.
Ten Million of England's Subjects
Are Starving.
Ivilidon, April 17. Nothing hut the
absorption of all public Interest by the
war prevent the terrible conditions
now prevailing in India from creating
a tremendous sensation. At the pies
rat time no less than 10.OuO.oau natives
are practically starving and wholly de
pendent on government relief for the
means of sustaining life.
Mr. Donald Hmeaton, a member of
tee vice regal council, w ho recently re.
urncd from a lour of the central and
western part of India describes the
rituatlon thusly:
"For hundreds of mile not a single
Stalk of corn or even dry stubble was
seen, nor yet a blade of green pasture.
"There wan no water, except In the
larger river and streams. The deep
est tank and reservoirs, which never
have been known to run dry, are now
dry a a rock.
'The whole country Is now one vast,
are. brown, lonely desert where In or
dinary cuon one may see busy
ihreshlng floor studded all over, with
neap of grain,"
THIRTY-THREE GRANDSONS.
London, April 17.-A special from
i'retorla. say:
"Mr. Kruger, on being Interviewed,
aid that she trusted Ood would soon
stop the merclleM bloodshed, hut that
the republic would be vigorously de
fended even It Pretoria were finally
taken. Hhe added that she had had In
the field thirty-three grandsons, two
f srhom were killed; four sons, six
uo-ln-lw and numerous other relg-Htes."
COURT MARTIAL FOR FUNSTON.
Kansas Ceneral Liable Is To Be In
Serious Trouble.
Manila. Sieclal.) An Interesting
topic of conversation in army circles is
the Investigation of Brigadier General
Frederick Funston' execution of twa
Filipinos and the possibility of a court
martial resulting therefrom. The story
Is that the FIllpinoH captured three
Macabebe scout who were crossing the
country near Sun lsldro and were pre
paring to kill them, when one of the
Macabebe es(aped and found General
Funston with a scouting party near.
This man guided the American to the
rescue of hi companions, and when the
troop approached the Filipinos fled,
leaving the Macabebe. Several of the
Filipino were shot, and General Funs
ton captured two of them, took thein
to the village square and hanged them
without trial, a a warning to the Fili
pino. The present method of warfare
and Instances of the mutilation of prls.
oners have incensed the American sol
diers to such a degree that they feci
Justified In making reprisal, which ha
been done on several occasion recent
ly. There I a strong feeling among the
residents and friendly Filipinos that the
Chinese General Tana, who, as an
nounced March 31, surrendered to Brig
adier General Kobbe, ufter terrorizing
the province of Panay. should be se
verely punished. It I pointed out thai
his career has been more that of a
brigand than of a soldier, ns he looted
and extorted money by torture from
wealthy natives and burned alive some
of his followers who Intended to desert
him.
It Is believed I'ana surrendered be
cause he feared his own men, and that
he expected to be paroled, like other
olflcers, and enjoy the fruits of hl
brigandage.
HUSTLING FOR SHOW MONEY.
St. Louis Working for Funds for Its
Exposition.
Ht, Louis, Mo., April 17. Secretary
James Cox of the St. Louis Worlds'
Fair committee has been instructed to
notify the governors of all the slates
in the Ijoulsiana purc hase that the con
gressional committee would meet. In
Washington on April 27 unci Inviting
them to join the delegation when it
appear before the committee to ask
for an appropriation of J5.0OO.0O0 for
the World's Fair to be held In 1'JCJJ.
The delegation will be made up of twe
representative of each state in the
louisiana purchase, chosen from the
executive committee appointed by the
original convention, which met in this
city to start the movement. Ex-Oov-ernor
Francis Is chairman of the com
mittee. In addition to the two rneru
ticrs to which Missouri will be entitled
on the delegation, a number of prom
inent World- Fair workers from St.
Louis, Kansas City and other part of
the state will go to Washington. By
this array of influences It is hoped to
convince the special committee unci
eventually congres that the $.'..000,001.
appropriation should Ik- made without
delay.
A special effort will be made to get
all the seveneteen governors of the
loulslanu purchase to go to Wash
Ington with the delegation.
SHOW HIS PA THE SI6HTS.
Ceorge Jr. To Help Pilot the Admiral
About Chicago.
Chicago, III., April 17. George Dewey,
Jr., will help show his father the sight
when the admiral come to town May
I. The sailor chieftain's son, who Is
a full-fledged young Chicago business
man. called at Iewey Day hcailquar-
ters to confer with the committee on
reception. George Dewey. Jr., looked
over the "plan and scope," and said he
thought hi rather would like It, nncl
accepted the chairman's Imitation to
become a member of the committee
and help the old folks enjoy them
selves. The young man will meet his
distinguished parents at the train on
their arrival from Washington and will
sit In the Dewey box at the Auditorium
hall.
Army headquarter In the Pullman
building have received Instruction from
the war department for the participa
tion of the regular at Fort Sheridan
In the May-Day parade. Four hundred
troop, comprising four companies of
the Fifth Infantry, in command of
Colonel Richard Comb, and one bat
tery of artillery, Captain Frank Thorn
commanding, were detailed.
HARRISON DECLINES.
Will Not Be Candidate for Gover
nor of Illinois.
HARBISON DECLINES.
Chicago, III., April 17. Mayor Carter
Harrison has come out unequivocally
In opposition lo hi nomination by the
demis-ratlo slate convention for the
governorship of Illinois, and gives hi
reason at length.
Mayor Harrison said: "If I entered
the race for governor I should do ev
erything In my power to be elected olid
should expect to succeed. In that case
I would have to take my seat ns gov
ernor In January of next year and the!
city of Chicago would be without a
mayor. H would rest with the coun
cil to select my successor and 1 do not
believe trie people w no elected mo to
the mayoralty wish to leave the election
of tho next mayor to the present lie
publican) city council."
Washington, I. C (Special. (-Admiral
Dewey said tonight that the re
port published In a New York paper
to the effect that he Intended to with
draw hi candidacy for the presidency
was all a mistake, that he had never
given any one whatever suc h Information.
PORTO RICO.
AMERICANS AND NATIVES ARE
LAEVING THE ISLAND.
PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING
slanders Are Bitter Against Con
trol of Americans Under the
Present Methods.
Ponce, P. It. (Special.) At no time
lince the hurricane of August S, last,
has the condition of the poor of Porto
Rico been as bad a it is today. Abiut
95 per cent of the Island may be placed
in the. peon class, which is made up of
a mixture of all race. In the other 5
per cent are Included the well-to-do ed
ucated people, such as merchants, plan
ter and professional men and their
families. Thi better class is able to
pass through such time as are now
prevailing without ac tual physical suf
fering, but their business affairs are
at a standstill, and have been for n
e
long time, and this deprives the ma
jority of the laboring class of a means
of livelihood. This large body of la
boring people furnishe the very cheap
and effective labor which is needed for
I agric ultural and other works, but at
.all time they have been In an under-
fed and poorly nourished condition.
Their hardship have been greatly add
ed to by the scarcity of fruit since the
hurricune and its consequent Increase
In price. Salt fish, rice and beans have
I been Imported free of duty since the
, hurricane-, but little? of the benefit of
tills has gone to the peons, and now
when there is a prospec t of 15 per cent
of the Dlngley tariff being placed on
these articles the price has been great
ly advanced. Merc hants hesitate to Im
port large stock because of the pros
pect of free trade, and the present
scarcity Is also the cause for the ad
vance In prices. Rice has gone up from
and 6 centavos a pound to 8 and 9,
bean from 5 to 6. and at one time, a
few clays ago, to 15 centavos, while salt
lish has advanced from 6 centavos to
ibout 10.
GOOD FEELING IS LEAVING.
No one who understand the sltua
ion here will deny that much of the
good feeling between Porto Rican and
j American has been lost. Beside, the
1 American are fewer in number In
I Porto Rico today than at any time since
shortly after the troop first landed.
and those departing have left a long
list of defunct companies, bankrupt
businesses, bankrupt schemes and anx
ious creditors, w ho, In some cases, hold
choice collections of worthless note-
and checks. Not only are Americans
le-aing the Island, but large number
of Polio Ricans have gone to Venezu
ela, to Santo Domingo and to Cutia,
Three days ago more than 300 natives
sailed for Cuba to obtain employment
there, anil at least, a thousand have
sailed from this port alone during the
past three months. Much live stock Is
also being shipped lo Cuba. The great
est loss to Porto Rico In this respect
Is the large cargoes of magnificent cat
tle", whic h It will take ten years ' to
re-place.
ALL WANT FREE TRADE.
The topic of greatest general interest
no wi the new tariff and civil gov
ernment bill. Careful interviews with
leading citizens In all lines shoy that all
are in favor of civil government in one
form or another, and all favor free
trade unless some personal end Is serv
ed by a tariff. Some heavy land own-i-rs
favor a tariff as a source of revenue
to save theniHeives from lund taxes,
and In mime cases merchant prefer to
buy and sell under a tariff, fearing that
with freetrade there will be an Influx
of American capital and serious com
petition will Injure them.
General Davis Is being deluged with
letitlons as well as visits from commit
tees of citizens from all over the Islam,
ill asking that part of the 12.000,000
impropriation lie spent in It particular
es-allty. The sugar planters of Cabo
ttojo think J2O0.O0O should he spent for
l central fac tory for their benefit, while
Ihe municipal council of Ponce has ap
pointed a committee to ask for part
:.f the money for improvements for the
''once water works.
The movement which would meet with
more favor would be the spending of
H, 000,000 In good road and $500,000 In
ichiKil house and the other J500.000
ould be used for a number of pur
pose which would meet with general
natlsfaction. Nearly all the municipal
ities In Porto Rico are in a state of
absolute bankruptcy, and have been so
for month. The alcaldes, councilmen
and other officer do not relish attempt
ing to run towns without funds, and
resignation have been o numerous
thnt General Davis has found It neees
nary to Issue an order on the subject,
giving causes for which resignations
will be accepted.
CIO A RM A K KRS LEFT JOBLESS.
New York, April 17. Five thousund
ligarmukers employed by six of the
largest llrm In that trade In this city,
Were nntllieel this afternoon that there
would be no more work for them until
further notice. No reaon was osslgn
ed for the shutdown, but the; cigar
makers believe they have been locked
out to prevent them from contributing
to the support of the 2,200 striker In
Kerbs, Werthelm & Hchlffer' factory,
who have lieen out lx week.
The firm which laid off the men
re Hal burger & Human, 'Hirsi hborn,
Mack A Co., Powell & Smith, Foster
& Co.,-the llllaon company and Kauf
man Co
WHICH SHALL IT BE?
One of the Dark Halls In Which
Nebraska's Money Is Gone,
Omaha, Nub.. April 16. The Omaha
National bank case, wherein Attorney
General Smyth i trying to recover the
juicy sum of about $200,000 which ex
Stale Treasurer Bartley manipulated
through that institution, continues to
grow in interest.
The atalen $200,000 is now a secondary
consideration. It appears to an aver
age intelligent c itizen that there Ih a
conspiracy to set at defiance all law,
morals and decency, and that the most
Important question now is. Is there any
Nebraska laws or supreme court de
cisions which those who rob the stale
or who participate In the plunder are
bound to respec t ?
By judie ial Jugglery the bunk secured
a decision in Judge Baker' court. An
appeal to the supreme court was taken
by the state and the bank's decision
was reversed and the case remanded
for a new trial. Judge Baker insisted
on trying the case again, and when
the case came up on March 12, Instead
of proceeding with the trial, the bank
asked the court to give it a Judgment
on the verdict awarded ut the first
trial of the case, the trial whic h was
reversed by the supreme court. Judge
Baker did just what he was asked to
do. although his case was vigorously
opposed by the attorney general. This
action on the part ( Juelge Baker, the
attorney general claims is in direct
disobedience of the order of the su
preme court commanding him to give
the state a new trial. Consequently
Mr. Smyth has applied to the supreme
court for a writ of mandamus lo com
pel Judge Baker to give the state a
new trial, as directed by the court, and
this application was argued at the last
sitting of the court, and a decision is
expected tomorrow.
The action of Judge Baker is con
sidered a novel one by the bar, and the
disposition which the supreme court
may make of the affair is watc hed with
a great deal of interest by lawyers ev
erywhere. Mr. Smyth's application to
the court for a writ of mandamus to
compel obedience to what he claims
was the court's order when it reversed
the case, is arTTj nusuul procedure, but
good lawyers who have looked into th"
question say that It is entirely prope r.
This closes another chapter in one of
the hard-fought cases brought by the
attorney general to recover the money
stolen from the state.
A POLITICAL CRIME.
Taxation Without Representation a
Trust Made Law.
Washington. D. C, April 17. The
passage of the Porto Hico tariff bill by
the house of representatives wilh a
working majority of eight, marks the
completion of perhaps the most extra
ordinary piece of partisan li-gislation
in American political history. The v-ry
first communication made by an au
thorized offie er of the Cnlted States to
the Porto Ricans when they welcomed
the American troops to their Island was
a promise that they should receive at
the hands of the great republic all the
lights possessed by American c itizens.
When the question of the treatment
of this new possession first assumed
immediate importance, the president of
the United States announced that It
was our plain duty to tre at Its people'
us American citizens. At this point
the beuefieiarii-s of the tobacco trust
and the sugar trust became alarmed
and descended upon Washington lo de.
mund protection for their monopolies.
The president himself was moved by
(heir entreaties or perhaps his polit
ical manager, Mark Hanna, was af
fected by their promise of campaign
contributions. At any rate. MeKinley
made u square about face and consti
tuted himself a lobbyist for the trusts,
sending for congressmen and urging
them to vote for a tariff measure the
absolute antithesis of that which he
had said It was our plain duty to en
act. The passage of the first bill by
the house of represeMitiitlvcs was met
by a storm of disapprobation in this
country. The only concession which
congressmen had made to public sen
timent had been to fix a fifteen per cent
instead of a twenty-five per cent duty
on Porto Rico products, thereby as one
cynical representative remarked, chang
ing the offense from grand to petit lar
ceny. The senate continued the crim
inal record again by what, was prac
tically a strle-t party vote, and the
whole has now been consummated by
the complete enactment cu the law.
Thus the republican parly, dominant
in all three brancbe of the govern
ment, has set as its motto this reversal
of the time-honored American slogan
"There. SHALL be taxation without
representation." This Is what George
III and Lord North said, and It Has
against It that George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, John Hancoc k unci
the rest of the founders of our nation
revolted. Emperor William 1 lia re
curred to the political principle- which
the British lories were unable to force
upon the handful of Americ an colonist)
In 1770.
FIGHTING NEAR MANILA.
Two American Detachments Are
Attacked By Insurgents,
Mutiilii. April 17. The Insurgents,
supposedly under Muscado' command,
are again active about the Marlvales
mountain across the bay from Manila.
A force estimated at :ioo attacked I'.u
Innga, where three companies of the
Thirty-second Infantry tire stationed,
Monday night, but were easily repulsed.
Yfislcrdny they attacked Cnplaln
Goldman with thirty men of tho Thir
ty-second regiment nenr Orion, kllllnp
two Americans. Goldman then retired
The transjHirt Thomas sailed Sunday,
taking General Theodore Schwan and
:;) discharged and ;ck soldiers
EXPOSITION.
PARIS OPBNS HER FAIR TO THE
WORLD.
THE OPENING SCENES.
America's Display Stands Second
To France and Trebles Any
Other Country.
Paris, April 14. At noon today
France opened to the world the crown
ing exposition of all countries. The
most favorable weather conditions pre
vailed and innumerable bright-colored
domes and minarets glistened In the
sunshine. Paris was early astir with
people wending their way te.warel the
Elysee anil in the direction of the ex
position in the hope of witnessing the
presidential procession at some part of
its Journey.
All the public buildings and number
less private house's were decorated with
trophies of flags, chiefly the tri-color.
The neighborhood eif the exposition was
especially gay with bunting, while most
fo the pavilion themselves were sur
mounted wilh floating banners.
Within the exposition grounds this
morning ail was bustle and animation
in a supreme effort to clear away all
unsightly obstacles In order to leave
an unobstructed road and an external
appearance of completeness to the pal
aces for the presidential parly in Its
passage through the grounds. The fin
ishing touches were hastily given the
magnificent Salle des Fetes. The aspect
of the exposition has materially im
proved from even that of yesterday,
and although the installation of exhib
its lias naturally undergone little ad
vance, the external effect produced by
the incessant labors of the past couple
of days is already fine anil decidedly
picturesque,
President Loube-t, as he stood In the
presidential tribune, surrounded by the
members of the cabinet and his house
hold, opened the exposition with the
words: "I declare the exposition of
11100 open."
Thus was the Paris exposition, de
signed lo ciichiiite the world's entry
Into the new- century, Inaugurated, and
Hliouts of "Vive Loubel!" and "Vive la
Republlque" rose from his 4, OHO hearers,
ind silk hats' were: waved In the air.
The crowds outside the hall took up
the cheering and the exposition was
ipin.
The unfinished condition of the ex
position on Inauguration day is re
grettable and perhaps misleading. It
must be borne in mind that this is only
ij"4ias.-iiig phase and on its completion
within three; weeks or a month from
now the exposition will Indisputably be
the most attractive anil magnificent Jet
Seen.
Americans especially will be proud of
'heir country's display at this World's
Fair, for the Cnileel States stands sec
ond only to France herself in number
of e-xhlbllors. which treble those of
my other foreign country.
The following Is a table of exhibitors
which speaks eloquently eif Anu-rican
enterprise: France, IIO.OOO; 1'nlled
States, !i,'ii4; Belgium. 2.500: Germany,
2,000: Italy, 2,0oei : Russia. 1,500; Scan
dinavia, 1,400; Austria, 1,000; Great
Britain, Hoo; the British colonies, two.
America has three lime-s the number of
exhibitors that France had at the
World's Fair In Chicago. She occupies
32!. 052 square feet with her forty-seven
distinct exhibition spaces, in main
eXosltiot .grounds-, fourteen in the
Vinccnnes annex. Including the ground
.-ovi-n-d by our eagle surmounting the
national pavilion in the yual d'Orsuy.
American enterprise, however, Is not
otil ys-hown in the size of ln-r repre
sentation, but also In the preparedness
of her installation, as compared with
that of rnosl of I he other countries, and
it can be safely said that but for tin;
lilutoriness of French workmen and
methods the Cnileel States exhibits
would have been exposed In their show,
cases 10 today's visitors. Cnfortunate
ly, French tardiness ha hampered all
American efforts to rush matters.
Thus, in most of our show sluices, ev
erything Is prepared, the glass cases
are ready lo receive exhibits, but the
America 11 official are af;?to display
the valuable articles to the likelihood
of 'damage by the cloud eif dust raieel
from work oil the' adjacent embryonic,
installation.
The highest testimonial lo Anieiican
hooel come from Commissioner-General
Picurd himself. After comparing the
State- of progress of the installation
of valient nations, he said lo Commissioner-General
Peck:
"It Is an object lesson to us all to
see-; the American people work. I thank
you for your promptitude and the ad
vanced condition of work In the Culled
Stales section."
The spec-lade inside the Salle des
Fetes was brilliant with color and ani
mation. The Immense circus-shaped
hull Is decorated with tnitgnillccnt fres
coes, representing allegorical subjects,
by famous French aiilsls, and Its
stained glass cupola bears superb de
signs by Hermann and Godwin. It
formed 11 beautiful selling for today's
ceremony. Every Inch of the floor '
space was occupied by an assemblage
representative of French arts, letter
and sciences, and Including Ihe leading
inllilaiv, niiviil und political men of
Frame. It was mainly an evening
Contrary to expectation, lite premier,
M. Walelec k-Rosseiui, triad.' no address
at Ihe opening id the exposition. MM.
Millrrnnil and Loubel being the only
spcuker.
ROBERTS CALLS IT A KECX.
Says the Boers Operations Have
Been Checked,
London, April 17. The war onlce ha
received the following disjifltch from
General Roberts:
"The enemy's movements south have
been checked. Wepener is still sur
rounded, but the little garrison is hold
ing out well. Troops are being moved
to their assistance.
"The health of the troops is good and
the climate perfection."
The Daily Telegraph has the follow
ing from Elandelaagte, dated April IS:
"The Boers are changing their tac
tics and are moving from Glencoe west
ward, with a view of threatening our
lines of communication to Ladysrnith.
"On Tuesday a corps of carbineers
and another of Thornyc-roft's horse nar
rowly escaped being cut off, owing to
the treac hery of a Kaffir and a native
guide."
The Bloemfontein correspondent o
the Morning Post, telegraphing Thurs
day, says:
"The enemy have evidently determin
ed to adopt entirely new tactics. Two
columns ar known to be moving to
the south of Bloemfontein. They are
relying on Cape carts for transport, and
are carrying scarcely any forage and
only sufficient food to meet the imme
diate requirements of the convoy, with
ox transports following at a secure dis
tance. The Boer columns are thus en
abled to move almost as quickly as
cavalry.
"It is reported that there are 'J.OOO
Boers to the south of De Wet's Dorp.
The force extends from that point to
Ode-ndahl.
"The burghers who had returned to
their farms are undoubtedly rejoining
the enemy.
"Lord Roberts has appointed the
Duke of Marlborough to be assistant
military secretary at headquarters.
The Times has the following from
Jammersburg, dated April 12:
"Colonel Dalgetty's force has been
surrounded by some thousands of Bo
ers, with eight guns, two 'pom-pons'
and two .Maxims, since Monday morn
ing. They gallantly, withstood a heavy
attack on Monday and again a night
attack on Tuesday, and on Thursday
there was a continuous shell and rifle
tiro.
"We are confident of being able to re
pulse any attack. Food is plentiful.
Our- casualties, in the circumstances,
are small. The brunt of the fighting,
and also of the loss, has been borne
by Cae Mounted Riflemen."
Lord Methuen is at Zwartkopfontein,
twelve miles east of Boshof, and is
sending small, swift columns through
the adjacent country. Lord Chesham.
commanding one of these, encountered
a small commando about ten miles
southeast of Zwartkopfontein. He
found most of the farms occupied by
women and children only.
TECK IS UNDER SUSPICION.
Duke Believed To Be the One Who
Blundered.
London, April 17. I have been en
deavoring to confirm the report that
the duke of Teck has been guilty of
cowardice and has therefore been sent
to the rear by General Roberts. ln-
quiries at the war office only elicit the
reply that no Interference with Rob
erts' discretion in such a matter is al
lowable. It would be equivalent to su
perse'ding his authority.
Tec k, who, of course, is a brother of
the duchess of York, England's future
queen, is a brainless young fellow,
ranking as major in the First Life
Guards. Though he has been in South
Africa for some time, nothing hitherto
has been heard of him in connection
with active operations. His wife, a
daughter of the lute duke of West
minster, ac companied Lady Roberts to
Cape Town. The affair cannot now be
hushed up any longer. The unfairness
of vic timizing Gatacie while allowing
royalty to go unreprimanded Is felt to
constitute a damaging scandal. The
llrst accounts of the Koornsprult am
buscade stated that the duke of Teck
was escort officer. In that capacity he
was responsible for the safety of the
onvoy. But not a word has since
been permitted to come through con
cerning his conduct on that occasion or
his explanation of how he allowed the
men to walk into a trap. Since then
Gatacre has been superseded by Rob
erts for far less grave failure.
WHAT WILL RUSSIA DO?
Rumor That She Will Take Up the
Cause of the Boers.
St. Petersburg, April 17. The cuar
and czarina started Saturday evening
for Moscow.
Extraordinarily persistent rumors are
current in Moscow that on Russian
Easter Sunday the czar will Jssue a
manifesto containing an ultimatum to
Great Britain demanding that she con
clude peace with the Boers forthwith
tinier threat of occupying Cabnl and
Herat if Great Britain fulls to comply.
This report is connected by some per
sons with the fact that no reservists
are at present allowed to lake unlim
ited leave, but probably the order to
the reservists are connected with the
projected sumhier maneuvers in tho
central province In which 200,000 men
will participate, and at which Kmpernt
William 1 expected to be present.
PLAGUE CAUSES ALARM.
Kobe, April 17. Considerable con
sternation has been caused here by the
re-appearance of the bubonic plague.
Kobe I the commercial cupltii) of Ja
pan and quarantine precaution might
intise such n restriction a would t
frit over the whole country.