Fate of Andree Still Uncertain The Rev. Dr Farltes, a Church ot j England clergyman, arrived at New York from York Factory. Northwest Territory, and brings authentic infor mation of the fate of the explorer An dree, and his companions. Two years ago, eight hundred mile* north of York, a party of Esquimau!, under the leadership of “Old Huskle,' saw the Andree balloon alight on a plane of snow in that vicinity, which ia about two hundred miles north of Fort Churchill. Tnree men emerged from the balloon, end some of "Hus kie's" people approached them out of Samuel M. Andrce. Commander of the Expedition, curiosity. As they did so. one of An dree's companions fired off a gun. This is a signal to uncivilized natives for a . general battle. It is regarded as a challenge, and also instantly the na tives fell upon the three explorers and massacred them. Everything pertaining to their out fit was carried away to the homes of the natives on the north borders of the Arctic region. “Old Huskie” himself gave this in- j formation to Ralph Aistine, agent for the Hudson Bay company, and after being investigated by the Rev. Mr. Farlies, was told by him. He says there is little room for doubt, as fro- ; quent reports have since come of the strange implements which the north natives have in their possession, the j telescope being particularly described. The Hudson Bay company lias ro- | peatedly offered a reward for the re covery of any portion of the outfit be longing to Andree, and though natives have gone in search of them they have never returned, believing, as the Rev. Dr. Farlies says, that they will In some way be punished, for they now understtand that it was not an attack upon them, but an accident by which the gun was discharged that precipi tated the massacre. Had Andree made friends with the natives it is held he would have beeu safely conducted south and would eventually have reached civilization. The Hudson Bay company has re cently sent another party in search of the balloon and outfit of Andree, and hopes to have conclusive evidence of the fate of the explorer within a few months. Solomon A. Andree, with two com panions, Strindberg and Frankel, at tempted in 1S97 to find the North Pole with a balloon. They embarked on July 11 from one of the islands in the Spitzbergen group. Since that time, many rumors of their being found, dead or alive, have been circulated, but in every case until now these have proved faise. Several of- them have located the party on or near the north coast of the American conti nent. The revival of an old story that An dree and his companions were mur dered by Esquimaus up there raises a number of interesting questions. The first of these relates to the intelli gence of the men who from time to time have passed this tale down from Hudson's Bay to civilization, and who pretend to have got it from the Es quimaus. In view of the large number of “fakes" which have been perpe trated since Andree’s disappearance in regard to bis fate, some doubts may exist as to the honesty of the persons who are responsible for this particular account. But, granting their perfect* sincerity, it is not inconceivable that they wrongly interpret the facts. Early last March this same story came from Winnipeg, and was attrib uted to a Mr. Alston, an agent of the Hudson Bay company. The officials of that organization, however, briefly discredited it. What Andree hoped for when he started was a breeze blowing fifteen miles an hour to the northward. This would have enabled him to cover the seven hundred miles between Spits bergen and the Pole in two days, and carry him over to Behring Strait in six. The last news received from him, dated two days after starting, was dis patched by a carrier pigeon. This report of latitude and longitude showed that he had gone In a north easterly direction about one hun dred and fifty miles, or at the rate of three miles an hour. If there had been no calms intervening thereafter and no deviation from a straight course that speed would have brought him to Eastern Siberia in about a month or six weeks. But the winds in the Arctic region are exceedingly fickle in summer. What is still more important, it is hard to render a bal loon so completely gas tight as to re tain its buoyancy more than a few days. It is in the highest degree prob able that Andree was compelled to i abandon his balloon for this reason at j some point hundreds, probably thou i sands, of miles from land. Search parties have looked in vain for some ' trace of him on the east coast of ■ Greenland, in Spitzbergen, Franz Jo : sef Land, the New' Siberian Islands, i and Siberia. The chance of his reach ing Alaska or British North America was much smaller than that of land ing in these other places. Hence, un { til the relics wdiich are reported to | have been found up near Hudson's j bay are identified by competent au I thority it will be wise to receive the o ; sterv with caution, not to say scepti ' clsrn. Life of President Kruger. A Utrecht correspondent tells this story of the way ex-President Paul Kruger spends his nights: He retires at 8 p. m.. but gets up at 1 a. m., ‘'dons a dressing gown and a pair of slippers and sits down to read his Bible, smoke and drink tea. The teapot is set over a little spirit lamp and he brews U strong. And thus lie sits from 1 until 2 o'clock, rending and commenting aloud on the Bible texts. At 3 o’clock he returns to his bed to finish the night's rest until 3, when he rises for a fresh day's labors.” One Serious Cause for Regret. A former Virginian who migrated to Australia twenty-four years ago is making a visit to this country after his long absence, and in conversation with a gentleman in Washington re gretfully said: “Though I am a Brit ish subject now, I must confess to the superiority of some of the social cus toms of my native land. For instance, though mint is grown in Victoria, somehow or other the people have never learned the old Virginia way of making a julep.” Tact of French Statesman. Loon Bourgeois, the new president of the French chamber of deputies, represented France at the peace con gross at The Hague, and gained there a reputation as a diplomat. He h;i3 been minister of public instruction. He is an orator and possess* al! the arts of the trained parltapy^n'.ary speaker. To M. Desehanol. whom ha had beaten in his new office, he said: I succeed you; I shall never replace you.” That was a delicate way of sof tening defeat which is not habitual at the Palais Bourbon. Peculiar Philippine Fish. In the Philippines is to be found the smallest vertebrate animal in the world, it is a fish, which is known to the natives as sinaparan, and has been baptized by the United States Fish Commission “Mistichthjrs Luzonensis.” It is almost transparent. The Filipi nos consider it a delicacy and use ir with sauces and with rice. Hundreds of the tiny creatures are required to make a good dish, but fortuntely the fish is found !q many places and in large numbers. ™S WEEKLY PANORAMA GREAT FIGHT FOR LIBERTY. Escaped Convict Leaves Trail of Death in His Wake. Harry Tracy, the convict who es caped from the Salem. Ore., peniten tiary, killing two deputy sheriffs, a guard and a policeman, is still at large. By another maneuver of the spectacular dare-deviltry that has al ready aroused an infuriated country side to join in his pursuit, he has once more eluded the men on his trail and left them far behind. From Bo thell, where he so successfully battled with the posse that attempted to kill him, he has made a remarkable jump to Deception Pass, near Port Madison, where he was last reported to have been seen. His unexpected marches and coun termarches, his fertility of resource, and his almost incredible endurance, have apparently enabled him to get safely away from the rifles of his hunters, and the only clews that make it possible to follow him at all are those furnished by his own reckless bravado. He is now supposed to bo heading for Whatcom, where it i3 said he hopes to meet a friend. His victims are as follows: Killed—Policeman E. E. Breese, Guard Neil Rawley, Deputy Sheriff Charles Raymond and Deputy Sheriff Jack Williams. Wounded—Karl Anderson. Pioneer of Four States. James Fergus, a Scotchman of Lew istown, Montana, called the "pioneer of four states,” died at his western home a few days ago in his eighty ninth year. He came to America in 1832. He spent some time in Chi cago. In 1840 he went on to Iowra and founded the town of Sabula. In 1854 he went to Minnesota and aided in founding the town of Little Falls, building a dam across the Mississippi at that place. Then he assisted in founding Fergus Falls. In 1862 he joined an expedition to Bannock, Mont., and spent the rest of his days in that state. MRS. M. CLAY EVANS. Wife of Consul-General to London Leaves Washington. The consul-general to London and Mrs. H. Clay Evans and their daugh ters have just sailed for England. The Misses Evans will travel during the summer. The departure of the family is greatly regretted by their large circle of Washington friends, to whoso pleasure they contributed during their residence there. Farm Wealth of Nebraska. The census report on agriculture in Nebraska shows that on June 1, 1900, there were enumerated 121,525 farms, valued at $557,660,020. Of this amount 16 per cent represents the value of buildings ar.d 84 per cent land and improvements other than buildings. The value of farm implements and machinery in the state was $24,940, 450, and live stock $145,349,587. The total value of farm property was $747,950,057. The total value of farm products for 1899 was $70,227,060, of which 43 per cent was in animal prod ucts and the rest in crops including forest products cut or produced on farms. This farm product value ex ceeds that for 1889 by 143 per cent. The gross farm income of Nebraska in 1899 was $124,670,856 and the grosj income on Investment 17 per cent. Bret Harte’s Last V/o,*k. It is stated Kj ttte Bookman that Bret Harte gave many of the last months of his life to work on an opera libretto for Emanuel Moor, a Hunga rian composer. The hero Is an Ameri can who, for a lark, plays cowboy in the wild west show and presently drifts across an old French chateau and falls in love with its young heir ess. Bret Harte is said to have great ly enjoyed the work and some of his lyrics are charming. DECISION IN SEPTEMBER The Court May Take Time In Fran chise Case. ' LINCOLN, July 14.—No decision may be expected in the railroad franchise case, according to the in timation of Chief Justice Sullivan, un til September. The argument has been finished and the case is now be fore the court. The chief justice ask ed if any interests would be jeopardiz ed if a decision was not given until the September term of court. Mr. Simeral, attorney for the relator, mildly intimated that he would like a decision as soon as possible, but he said he was not prepared to say that auy harm would result if the case was not decided until September. Attorney General Prout also inti mated that there mignt be need of an early decision because taxes become due October 1, and if the writ should issue time would be required for the state board to certify to county clerks so that the levy might be ex tended. Mr. Harrington said this had already been done and the county clerks all over the state were probably at work on the tax books. He sug gested that if the writ be allowed ihe tax could be added to the taxes al ready certified. Attorney General Prout asked when this could be added if the writ were allowed in September. No one volunteered to say whether it could be done immediately or would have to be added to the tax of the following year. It is the opinion of those who have had experience in tax matters that if the writ is issued the tax can be added this fall without a great deal of trouble to the county of ficers. Some believe that delay means that a writ will not be issued. The state board is required by law to meet the third Monday in July to make the state levy. Accused of Assaulting Girl. COLUMBUS. Neb., July 14.—Sheriff llyrnes returned from Creston in charge of D. Corcoran, for whom a warrant had been issued charging him with assault on the person of Martha Handke, the 14-year-old daughter of Herman Handke, living near Creston. The prisoner is an agent for a Chi cago portrait house, and in canvassing Creston Tuesday he came to the home o< Doc Palmateer, where he found no one at home but Martha, who as a domestic was engaged in car ing for a baby. Finding her alone, it is alleged that the young man locked the doors, pulled down the blinds and accomplished his designs. Prohibition State Convention. The prohibition state convention has been called to meet at the Audi torium, Lincoln, Neb., at 10 o’clock a m., August 7, 1092, for the purpose of placing in nomination candidates for the following offices: Governor, lieu tenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, land commissioner, superintendent of public instruction, and the election of state central committee, and to trans act such other business as may prop erly come before it. Thieves Steal Valuable Supplies. N7BRASKA CITY, Neb., July 14 Thieves visited the home of George Ramold and broke open his smoke house and took therefrom all of the supplies that he had, among which was something over 300 pounds of cured hams and bacon. Other farm ers in this section report the loss of grain and supplies that they had stor ed in their larders for their families and the harvest hands. Neither Ticket Nor Money. NEBRASKA CITY, Neb., July 14 Jo Kearns, a 12-year-old boy, arrived at the Burlington station, and after wandering about for a while he at tracted the attention of Officer Horst man, who questioned him and found that he was an emigrant from Ireland on his way to Fairfield, where he has an uncle. He was put on the wrong train at Kansas City and reached Nebraska City without a ticket or money. Appropriates Mortgaged Building. PLATTSMOUTH, Neb., July 11.— Sheriff McBride returned from Hoop er with Richard J. Williams, wrho while working on a farm near Weep ing Water got intro trouble with a young woman and found it necessary to depart. In doing so he took a horse and buggy upon which a man named Pulls held an unsatisfied mort gage. The Fire at Beatrice. BEATRICE, Neb., July 11.—The re cent fire was the most disastrous in the history of the city. The Kleins Mercantile company’s building and the Green block are total losses. The loss will exceed $175,000. The fire originated in the stairway of the Green block and was of incendiary !origin. A couple of men. were ob served by a telephone girl running faway from the building about the time the Are was discovered. -ARM LANDS IN BIG DEMAND. Many Farmert from Eastern States Settling in Nebraska. OMAHA. Neb., July 12.—Real estate nen are Jubilant over the great de nand for lauds throughout the state ind every firm is busy quoting prices .o eastern and some local Investors. Not only has the demand materially nereased, but the price of land out in ±c state has almost doubled during the last year. One firm that offered a small farm for $500 last year refus ed $000 for it Tuesday morning. This increased activity in farm lands is in the central and southern parts of the state, there being about the same demand in the east portion as last year. Many settlers are com ing in from the east, attracted by the glowing accounts sent them by rela tives and former neighbors, who came here years ago. They are a thrifty and industrious lot of people and are coming here to remain. An agent for a large real estate firm, who has just returned from a trip throughout the state, said the in creased demand for farm lands Is eas ily explained when one sees the splen did crops. ■' me rain has damaged the crops very little, generally, though some individuals have been damaged. I have never seen a better stand of corn than we have this year;, wheat and oats are looking fine and farmers are busy In the harvest fields. Ne braska can stand more rain than most any country on earth, and the har vest has been very little retarded on account of wet weather. "At this time we have more sales for farm lands pending than ever be fore in the history of the firm. We are being offered good prices for land that one year ago we thought we would never be able to sell. In Cus ier county and the southwest portion of the state a year ago there was no demand at all for land, but today we are flooded with applications by east ern people who desire to settle here. Nebraska is rapidly coming to the front as an agricultural state and its farm lands are fast being bought up by a good class of people.” A FARM HAND DROWNED. Loses His Life While Trying to Cross a Slough. COLUMBUS. Neb.. July 12.—Henry Wilcke, employed as a farm hand by August Loseke, thirteen miles north of Columbus, was drowned while try ing to cross a slough into which a flood had backed up from Loseke creek, forming an island, from which it was his purpose to drive some cat tle. The horse he was riding went into the water unwillingly and lost his footing as he finally plunged into it. going down three times belo*’ the surface before getting out. Wilcke, in some way, lost his balance, per haps getting caught in the brush. His employer at a distance saw only his hands above the water at the fa tal moment. The body had not been recovered when the last messenger reached town. Wilcke came from Germany twelve years ago and has no relatives in this country. He served two years in the Philippines as a private in company E. Thirty third regiment, provisional volunteers. Regulars at Elk City. OMAHA, Neb., July 12.—Elaborate preparations are being made for the annual encampment and reunion of the Douglas County Veterans’ associa tion, to he held at Elk City for four days, commencing August 19. Here tofore the reunions have been held or^ly three days. The executive com mittee consisting of O. A. Walcott, chairman; Frank Gelston, secretary; D. R. Baylor, Eugene Whitney and Henry Grau, has perfected arrange ments. D. U. Baylor of Elk City lias control of concessions on the grounds. Among the speakers at the reunion will be General J. C. Cowin, Judge C. R. Scott and Judge W. W. Sla baugh. General Bates has granted leave for the attendance of a company of regulars from Fort Crook, and they will give a daily drill. The Plattsmouth Bridge, PLATTSMOUTH, Neb., July 12.— A large for re of experienced bridge builders arrived from Galesburg. 111., to begin work on t.ke Burlington's new bridge as soon as the weather will permit. It is believed that if Governor Taft is successful in his mission to Rome, Archbishop Ireland will be raised to the purple at the November consist ory. His enemies are working to prevent this. Harlan County's Bumper Crop. ORLEANS, Neb., July 12—The largest harvest ever gathered in the county is about completed. The acre age of wheat Is very largo and will average throughout the county not less than twenty-five bushels per acre. .Many pieces, it is claimed, will make forty to forty-five bushels per acre. The only danger now is in caring for it properly. Never before has the western part of Nebraska been in as fine shape at this season of the year. THE LIVE STOCK MARKET. Lateat Quotations from South Omah^ and Kansas City. SOUTH OMAHA. CATTLE—There were only a f*'W beef steers in the yanls. and nothin* arrived that was choice. The bulk of the offer lngs was made up of what would 'be called fair to good cattle, and on such kinds the market was slow and lower. The cattle that sell from $7 down have taken quite a drop within the last week, and In fact are right around 30c lower than they were a week ago. Packers do not seem to want that class of stuff, but they are vary anxious for choice cattle and are ready to pay strong prices for them. Strictly choice cows were ac tive and steady. Bulls and calves and stags did not show much change If they were of good quality, but the common kinds were slow and weak. Stockers and feeders of good quality and tlsh com mandcd strong prices this morning, and everything offered was picked up in good season. There was little demand, though, for the common kinds, and on huch the market was no more than steady. HOGS—Trading was not active at any time, but still the bulk was disposed of in good season. The fact that trains were slow about arriving and that no body know how many would finally be on sale mode buyers a little cautious, but still the market was in good shape, •all things considered. Along toward the last, end the feeling was a little weaker, .Jut thin most of the betters bogs were picked out. The bulk of the heavy hogs sold from $7.85 to S'- Oft. Medium weights went largely from $7.75 to $7.85, and the lighter loads from $7 75 down. SHEEP—There was a liberal supply of shei p, but a large proportion of the of ferings were sold to arrive. What was left the packers I ought up In good shape at steady prices. They all seemed to bo anxious f,>r the better grades and the market on such kinds could safely be ■% •quoted steady and active. The commoner grades were, of course, neglected, the same as usual, hut still nearly every thing was disposed of in good season. Bona- Idaho wethers sold as high as $3.40; and yearlings brought $3.00. KANSAS CITY. CATTLE—It. *t seers dully, steady t« 25c lower; cows lower; stackers steady, to 25c 1 'Wer; choice export and dressed beef steers. $8.<>Krv40; fair to good. $4.5*1 Stockers and feeders, $:i.09li5.C'>: western fed steers. $,.754iH.oft; Texas and Indian steers, $2.1.V,|5.25; Texas cows, $2.at native cows, $1.7395.25: native heifers, $3.4001 ft. 10; canners. $10ft&2.50r bulls, $2'or,; j.k); calves, $S.tnf'i5.25. H< HIS— Market steady to 5c low-r; top. $' 1ft; hulk of sales, 17.7341V*5: heavy, fS.ftS 'O', lit; mixed packers. $7.95 tf*. lft: light, $7*5/17.9242 : yorkers, $7.80'u7.92V2; pigs, $7.15. SHEEP AND LAMBS—Sheep steady, lambs 15c lowtr; native lamlus lt.55''i*>5»*t; western lambs. H.lO'ot.Uft: native weth ers, $4.24k*i 4.9ft: western wethers. $3.25 V 4.45; fel ewes, $3.3|K'i4.20; Texas clipped ! ;> urllngs. $3.4ot>4!l . Tex e- flipped sheep, $3.0.00.35; Stockers and feeders. $2.ou4i3.0ft.. "WATER CURE NOT A TORTURE.’ Such is Argument of Counsel for Cap tain Ryan. MANILA, July 12.—The court-mar^ tial of Captain James A. Ryan of th£ Fifteenth cavalry on the charge of un necessary severity to natives was con cluded today. It is believed that he will be acquitted. The accused during the day's proceedings made a lengthy statement defending his actions and Major Edwin F. Glenn, Fifth infantry, counsel for the captain strongly pleaded for his exoneration. He contended that the water cure was not torture and assorted that its use had saved more American and Filipino lives than other expedients of the campaign. The major scored Judge Rhode for making a report that he was unable to substantiate and quoted a score of orders for the exe cution of guerillas during the civil war to justify Captain ltyan. CARING FOR IOWA’S INSANE. New Hospital Must Be Built Every Eight Years. DES MOINES. Ia„ July 12— Fig ure's were given out by the state board of control today, showing the total number of insane persons in the state July 30 to be 4,526, an increase of 136 over the previou year. The aver age Increase for the past three years ’. as been about 125, and at this rate It will be necessary for the state to build another hospital accommodating 1,000 patients every eight years. The new hospital at Cherokee is just being completed and is badly needed, as the others are overcrowd ed. Following were the number of in sane in the state June 30 of each year, as shown by the reports of the board: In 1899. 4,119; 1900 4,294; 1901, 4,390; 19i>2, 4,526. Condition of the Treasury. WASHINGTON, July 12.—Today’s statement of the treasury balances in the general ftind, exclusive of the $150,000,000 gold reserve in the di vision of redemption, shows: Avail able cash balance, $200,037,632; gold, $104,340,823. Death ot Mrs. Vaile. OEN\ Ell, Colo., July 12.—Mrs. Joel E. Vaile, the author who wrote books and short stories for children, is dead at her home in this city after a long illness. Rhodes Clay Dies of Wounds. MEXICO, Mo., July 12.—Rhodes Clay, representative in the Missouri assembly and recently nominated for a second term, is dead as the result of pistol wounds inflicted by C. A. Barnes, a young attorney. Five shots wore fired during the fight, which took place in tront of the postoffice, Clay being shot through the breast and Barnes having his wrist shattered by a ball from his opponent's revolver. 1 Barnes is uuder arrest.