Tells of Horrors of the
Russian Prison System
Well may the inhabitants of St.
Petersburg shudder as they glance
b eyond the Neva, at the dark fortress
when each hour the north wind brings
across the river the discordant sound
of its melancholy bells, says a writer
in the St. James' Gazette. Melan
choly, indeed, for nothing but mem
cries of suffering and oppression sit
upon its granite walls. Here Peter
I. tortured and mutilated his enemies.
Here he slew his own son, Aiexis, and
to this dungeon during the disgraceful
reign of the empresses, ompipotent fa
vorites consigned aspiring rivals. And
since then whole generations of men
and women, for no other crime than
love of their oppressed country, have
entered these gates, often to leave
them no more.
The horors perpetrated with in the
fortresses of St. Peter and St. Paul
and the Schuesselberg are typical of
the prison system all over the Rus
sian empire, and in spite of official ef
forts to suppress the facts it has
been possible to obtain the truth, both
from former officials and from those
who have suffered.
A special refinement of the Russian
prison system in the case of political
prisoners and suspects, who are not
given a short shrift on the glacis or
the gailows, is continued solitary con
finement until, as in the case of that
splendid intellectual reformer. Dmitri
Pissareff, ^e>’ fan be reported as
“harmless.' Some prisoners here were |
relieved of their senses quite gently
and almost politely. They were shut
up in comfortable cells well lit with
electric light, and for metal pabu
lum, they were supplied with only re
ligious and technical works. When in
sanity or suicide Supervened, the ap
pointed end had been secured.
Horrors of Dark Cells.
But the doom of others presents
even greater features of horror. Im
agine a dark, damp cell, measuring
about ten by six beneath the level of
the surrounding waters, in which the
chained man or woman is condemned
to lie in absolute idleness, studiously
isolated from any intercourse with
human beings. There is no bed. no
sort of pillow, nothing whatever to ,
Hberately manufactured to afford a
pretext for judicial murder. From a
Polish nobleman, the husband of an
English lady now in London, the
writer learned details of his experi
ences in such a case. “We never
knew,” he said, “I and those who had
been taken at the same time, until
after our morning parade in the prison j
yard, who would return alive to his
cell or who would remain in the yard
—upon his back on the stones. Every
morning we were subjected to the
grim sport of a lottery. After being
brought from our cells to the yard,
we were placed in line, and a certain
number being drawn—say five—that
number of men told off from the right.
The doomed fifth was then marched
with his back to the farther wall and
a file of soldiers did the rest. I saw
my owm brother shot before my eyes
one morning. I was eventually exiled
to Siberia, and from there I managed
to escape.”
“The Mercy of the Czar.”
Do you know what it is to have
your sentence of death commuted by
the Czar? A little while ago Europe
commented with satisfaction on the
commutation by the Czar of three
death sentences out of five. These
“fortunate ones” were immured in
cells in the fortress of St. Peter and
St. Paul. Not only were these dens
dark for twenty-two hours out of
twenty-four, but the walls were run
ning with damp, and pools of water
had gathered on the floor. Neither
books nor anything that might dis
tract the mind Was allowed, and one
prisoner having been found designing
geometrical figures with his bread had
it removed by the jailor, with the re
mark that hard labor convicts “were
not permitted to amuse themselves.”
Another calculated torture in these
cells is the eyehole, at which a warder
or soldier is posed to watch the pri
soner. By this means the quietest
prisoner is soon moved to frenzy, and
the slightest insubordination is at
once punished by merciless flogging,
if not worse. Thus it comes about
that of the three men whose sentences
had been commuted, one after a year
of these horrors, became a consump
der the new charter and the new or
ganization the Red Cross stands above
reproach and above suspicion, upon
a basis which merits and will doubt
less command the confidence of the
American people.—New York Tribune.
DOUKHOBORS A STRANGE SECT.
Peaceful and industrious, but Fanati
cal in the Extreme.
The Doukhobors go back to about
1750, and had their origin in the Rus
sian province of Ekaterinoslav. The
first leader of the sect taught his fol
lowers that, as the externalities of re
ligion were unimportant they might
conform to any prevailing wherever
they happened to be. He was zealous
and pious, and, laboring among his
small group of disciples all his life,
wrought an enduring influence upon
them. They were early subject to per
secutions; Czar Alexander early in
the nineteenth century sought to de
liver them from this oppression and
settled them in a fertile district north
of the sea of Azov, where they got
on well for a time, were orderly and
prosperous.
Their new leader, named Kapous
tin, was a man of talents and authori
ty; he appointed thirty elders and
twelve apostles, and through them
ruled the sect, which prospered while
he was at the head of it. But his
descendants, son and grandson, drank
too much vodka, and abuses crept in
to such an extent that Czar Nicholas,
who had succeeded Alexander, trans
ported the whole lot to the Caucasus
to mend their manners. Those who
would join the Orthodox church might
stay; the rest must go. and did go,
keeping in general their sectarian
characteristics as obstinately as so
many Quakers.
Tolstoy fell in with them about
ten years ago and took to them with
much ardor. It was at this time that
they refused conscription, and this
drew on them renewed persecution
from the government. Under stress
of this, with Tolstoy to advise and
back them, several thousand of them
came to this country, settling in Brit
ish North America, where, with the
exception of a few outbreaks of re
ligious mania, they have gone on tol
erably well, raising wheat and cattle
and building up their material pros
perity. Their present director is
named Verigin, and his influence is
employed in directions prescribed by
common sense, and to restrain fanati
cal tendencies. Their chief danger in
the future is in getting a fool for a
BUSINESS BLOCK DESTROYED,
k, cover the body but the prisoner’s gray
cloak. The amount allowed for food
is five farthings a day, which provides
bread and water, and three times a
week a small bowl of warm soup.
For ten minutes every second day the
miserable wretch is allowed to see the
light and breathe the air in the prison
yard.
For the rest intolerable loneliness,
absolute silence^ occupation of not the
smallest kind, no books, no writing
materials, no instruments or manual
labor. Madness comes to such grad
ually with the passing years, not as
it came to an unhappy young lady, a
rising painter, who received such
treatment at the hands of the brutish
prison police that she lost her reason
instantly. In the majority of cases the
mind rots gradually in the enfeebling
body. Suicide and madness are the
two great weapons in which Russian
autocracy puts its trust.
Frequently, sa^s one who has been
a prisoner in one of these Russian
hells, some poor wretches will make a
feeble attempt upon a warder in the
bope of at last, being brought to trial.
Shooting or hanging has been their
lot.
Terrible Execution Scene.
The scenes of suffering witnessed
at the slow hanging, occupying at least
half an hour, have been terrible. With
in the courtyard of the prison is a
hand hoist for lowering ropes depend
ing over a gallows. To these the vic
tims are attached and then slowly ele
vated into midair to struggle and gasp
till death relieves them from their
agony. Should the governor or .super
ior present be desirous of getting
through the business speedily, a ward
er is ordered to seize the suspended
victim's feet and hang on, swinging
backward and forward.
On previous occasions when there
has been a large number of political
offenders insubordination has been de
Map shows general course of storm.
The cross indicates Snyder. The loss
of life and destruction of property
were very heavy, the dead alone num
b^rinn r»\yr tviiA
tive; another, a robust and vigorous
working man, went mad; the third,
also a man of powerful physique, was
rotted with scurvy.. Such is the
“mercy of the Czar.”
New Life in the Red Cross.
There will be widespread and pro
found gratification at the indications
of restored vitality in the American
National Red Cross which have ap
peared since the placing of that or
ganization upon a rational and busi
nesslike basis. This organization,
both in its broad national scope and
in its local details, is voluntary, and
is dependent entirely for success upon
the favor and benevolence of the peo
ple. Beyond question, therefore, the
essential cornerstone of it must be
public confidence not only in the ab
solute integrity, but also in the busi
nesslike efficiency, economy and com
mon sense of its administration. The
public will not support, and ought not
to support, a work the ways and
means of which are not above suspi
cion, and a shadow of carelessness or
slovenliness is scarcely less damning
than one of outright dishonesty. Un
TYP* op /tMUOKNCKB.
leader. Such an one might lead the
whole sect into demoralizing extrava
gances, to which they are always
prone.
Miss Helen Gould’s Charities.
The charities of Miss Helen Gould
amount to about $500,000 annually,
and while this amount seems small in
comparison to the great sums given
away by Messrs. Rockefeller and Car
negie, it must be borne in mind that
Miss Gould’s donations are nearly all
of a personal nature. It is said by au
thorities on the subject that Miss
Gould contributes to more individual
charities than any other person in the
world. Through her secretary more
than $2,500,000 has been distributed
to thousands of beneficiaries. About
200 personal letters asking for help
are sent to her each day, but they are
thoroughly digested before Miss Gould
sees them, most of the applicants
proving unworthy. In one week re
quests amounting to $1,500,000 have
been made.
Prince Prominent in Y. M. C. A.
Prince Oscar Bernadotte of Sweden
and Norway, who made the opening
address at the world’s conference of
the Y. M. C. A. at Paris, and who was
elected first vice president, is the sec
ond son of King Oscar. He was born
Nov. 15, 1859, and in 1888 renounced
his succession to the throne and mar
ried Ebba Munch of Fulkilla, to
whom he was attracted by her in
tensely religious disposition. Since his
his marriage Prince Bernadotte, who
also bears the title of count of Wis
borg, has worked consistently as a
religious propagandist among the sol
diers and sailors of his country. He
has a large estate, known as Frid
heim, on the island of Gottland. The
prince’s mother, Queen Sophia, also
i is of a very religious disposition.
Milk Cans Become Lifebuoys.
A farmer’s wife, who had been to
Llandipsil, Cardiganshire, to sell milk
had a singular escape from drowning
while returning to Carmarthen.
A smal boat in which she was cross
ing a river was upset and she was
thrown into the water.
Fortunately she had with her two
milk cans, now empty, and securely
closed, and these acted as lifebuoys.
Clinging to the cans, the woman
floated along for some distance until
Eissersby saw her plight and rescued
i»r.—London Express.
The Greatest Smokers.
'For some reason—or none—most
people have hitherto looked upon the
Germans as the most inveterate smok
ers in the world, although few will be
surprised to learn that the Dutch are
a little ahead of them as consumers
% of tobacco, since pictorially a Dutch
** man is always associated with a pipe.
But none will be prepared to hear that
; the Swiss smoke 50 per cent more
than either, still less that the Belgian
” burns more than double as much as
the Dutchman
Taught Him a Lesson.
“Ever meet Bat Masterson?”
“Sure. Met him on the warpath
once. Belt full of cartridges and re
volvers, and a knife in each boot.
Had a Winchester rifle in his right
hand and a sawed off shotgun in his
left.”
“Must have scared you.”
“Scare me? I guess not. I taught
him a lesson all right.”
“You did! How was that?”
“He asked me how to spell ‘affi
davit’ an’ I told him.”—Cleveland
Plain Dealer!
Apples Good Chicken Feed.
Hen fanciers in the region of Waldo
boro, Me., think that they have solved
the egg laying problem by feeding
their hens throughout the winter with
a liberal supply of apples. * Miss
Emmea L. Labe wintered nineteen
pullets from which she got fifteen to
eighteen eggs a day all winter. She
fed in that time over nine barrels
of apples. E. F. Waterman, who has
a large flock, has used some twenty
barrels of the fruit with satisfactory .
results.
Ex-Governor Discards Mustache.
Samuel R. Van Sant, ex-governor of
Minnesota, has shaved off the heavy
black mustache which once adorned
his lip. His appearance is so changed
that intimate acquaintances pass with
out recognizing him. The fine mus
tache gave Mr. Van Sant a close re
semblance to Gen. John A. Logan,
making the wearer an easy mark for
the cartoonist. His friends think he
must be out of politics, for if he de
sired to go before the public as a
campaigner he would be handicaped
by his smooth face.
Concerning Colors.
Colors, like flowers, have a meaning
of their own. White signifies purity,
faith, joy and life; red, the ruby, typi
fies fire, love and royalty; blue, the
sapphire, expresses heaven, truth ’ con
stancy and fidelity; yellow represents
the sun, marriage and faithfulness;
green is the color of hope and victory'
violet is the hue of passion and suffer^
ing; purple and scarlet are for holy
things and black is the attendant of
despair, earthliness, mourning and
death.
■**
SCENE OF RECENT FATAL WRECK ON
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD NEAR HARRISBURG
VIEW OF RAILPOAD TRACKS ALONG THE BANKS OF THE SUSQUEHANNA j
RIVER. NEAR HARRiSBURG. . T»- ■ ---Ji
Umtter-’Z vjfivH
The sketch shows how the disastrous wreck on the Pennsylvania railroad
near Harrisburg, Pa., occurred. The express train, which was wrecked,
is seen approaching from the west. At the point where the circle ap
pears the express, which was rushing along at full speed, hit the wreck
age of two box cars which had been thrown across the main line.
The debris was hurled upon the box cars on the siding containing dy
namite (shown by the cross) and three terrific explosions followed. On
the right is a picture of Mrs. Rebecca Knox Tindell, daughter of Sena
tor Knox of Pennsylvania, who was one of the persons injured in the
crash. Twenty persons were killed and more than 100 injured.
MAY LEAVE SUPREME BENCH.
Justice John M, Harlan Said to Be
Contemplating Retirement.
Justice John M. Harlan is reported
to be on the point of retiring from
the United States supreme court and
to devote his time and energies to es
tablishing a great Presbyterian
church in the city of Washington.
Justice Harlan has been on the su
preme bench for twenty-eight years.
When questioned upon his intentions
he announced that he was not pre
pared to say that he would leave the
bench for the purpose of devoting
himself to the movement, but he ad
mitted that much would depend upon
the action of the general assembly.
The early work of raising funds would
involve a great amount of work in
the way of correspondence. If re
quested to do so he would be willing
to share a part of this burden. Lead
ing Presbyterians in Washington
think his interest in the cathedral Is
strong enough to draw him from the
bench and if the matter is taken up
by the assembly there is strong prob
ability that he will be asked to direct
the movement.—Chicago Chronicle.
Value of the College.
President Hadley of Yale has been
explaining on numerous recent occa
sions that a course at college is valu
able most of all on account of the as
sociations into which it brings the
students, and not solely, or primarily,
on account of the classroom work, the
text books, the formal instructions.
For men rarely retain and more rare
ly use the scholastic information ob
tained in college classrooms. What is
needed for general use is now taught
earlier, and, on the whole, better, in
the public high schools. College in
formation, so to speak, has decided
value only when it helps the student
with a chosen specialty. The mental
education which really counts is ob
tained outside the classroom and by
dint of the student’s own enterprise.—
Washington Times.
Large Estate a Surprise.
The first statement of the executors
of the will of the late Henry W. Oli
ver of Pittsburg proved somewhat of
a surprise, as the estate is now esti
mated at between $40,000,000 and
$50,000,000, while fifteen years pre
vious to his death Mr. Oliver was a
bankrupt. He built his immense for
tune principally through a lucky strike
in the Mesaba ore range later. The
statement of personal property shows
the executors credit themselves with
$18,433,573, and have a balance on
hand of $14,253,819.61. It is likely
the real estate will run th« total up
to about $50,000,000.
i_
London Fires.
Some interesting information re
garding the causes of London’s fires
wras issued the other day by the offi
cials of the London fire brigade. The
cause of 367 of the 3,616 fires which
occurred last year were unknown.
Among the reasons for the others
were: Lights thrown down, 824;
sparks from fire grates, 302; escapes
of gas, 148; seeking for an escape
of gas, 33; children playing with fire,
196; lamps upset or exploding, 171:
accidents with candles, 218; foul
flues, 213.
Got Fine Haul of Foxes.
Joseph Cope, who lives in Scott
Swamp district, Forestville, Conn.,
saw three young foxes enter a burrow
in the wods near his house. Upon
digging down into the burrow he
found a nest in which were ten young
foxes about half grown. All of them
were captured alive. In the nest were
a number of chicken bones, a partly
devoured chicken and a woodchuck.
Mr. Cope returned to the burrow later
and captured one more §ox, making
eleven in alL
ONE OF AFRICA’S SIGHTS.
Marvelous Beauty Seen in Crossing
Bridge Over Victoria Falls.
It was a gift of the immagination
which made Cecil Rhodes say: “Build
the bridge across the Victoria falls
where the trains as they pass will
catch the spray from the falling Zam
besi.” It was always so with him.
He visualized and spiritualized his
work, strange as this suggestion may
seem to those wrho looked upon him as
a materialist and as a great adventur
er. He was nearer the soul of things
than the world knew, felt the forces
that are the elemental impulses of the
first life stirring round him. It was
not given to him to travel up the
wide, wild tropical valley from Bula
wayo to Victoria fall3 and see the
greatest water w’onder of the world;
he died before he could accomplish
the journey, or fit it in with a too
strenuous life. But a railway takes
you to the banks of the deep, tortuous
stream, and, looking out from the
hotel veranda, you can see the rolling
curtain of vapor rising, spreading,
thickening, fleeing awrav. You can
see the great supports of the bridge
jutting out from their bases hewn
from the solid rock, and the cage
w’hich carries tons of iron and steel
for the railway riding along the Blon
din wire from side to side, a journey
sufficiently exciting for the eager
traveler who trusts himself to this
aerial carriage.
But not to take this flight across
the chasm is to miss one of the sights
of south Africa. Below you speeds
wri;h terrible swiftness the Zambesi—
480 feet below; on one side the wide
tropical land, and the stream appar
ently closing in a cul-de-sac; on the
other, the northern end of the falls,
over which the water plunges, breaks,
spreads itself in spray, and is lost in
a mist over the cauldron below. Here
hang long clusters of flowers on the
brown and green ledges of the sides
of the gorge, bright-hued birds sing
in the leafy coverts on the lofty banks,
the dull roar is a music which stirs
the senses, and even as you hang
over the vast abyss you feel the vibra
tion which shakes the earth and adds
mystery to majesty.
My first glimpse of the falls was by
moonlight, and the lovely white reek
ing splendor of the thing—the rolling
clouds of spray, the sombre rain for
est on the bank opposite the falls, the
stream of the Zambesi shimmering
far above, the trembling earth, the
smell of the tropic wood, a Vinar rain
bow stealing over the clouds of spray,
all made a picture for a lifetime of
memory; the mind took on a feeling
for “the glory of the Lord.”—Gilbert
Barker in London Mail.
May Get Body After 40 Years.
There is a probability that the body
of Lord Francis Douglas will be de
livered up by the Zmutt glacier this
summer. Douglas lost his life forty
years ago during the first ascent of
the Matterhorn. Despite a prolonged
search no trace of the body has been
found. During those forty years the
glacier has been descending regular
ly, and, according to natural laws, the
part where the climber fell should
reach the valley this year. The body
will be in a perfect state of preserva
tion
To Marry for $1,000.
A strange agreement has been ad
mitted to record here in the office of
the clerk of the County court.
By its terms, Miss Gertrude Low
ther of Ritchie county agrees to marry
S. W. Harden of Catawba, W. Va., and
to remain his wife until his death,
when she is to receive $1,000 from his
estate. Harden is 59 years old and
is a rich widower. Miss Lowther is
38 years old. The marriage license
has been granted.—Fairmont corre*
spondence Baltimore Sun.
LONG AND BRILLIANT CAREER.
Sir John Tenniel Retires After Sixty j
Years of Service.
Sir John Tenniel has just passed
his eighty-fifth birthday. After draw
for Punch for half a century, with
hardly a week’s intermission, Sir John I
retired in the unobtrusive manner
which is characteristic of the man
and the cartoons have no longer the
familiar monogram , “J. T.” which
week after week appeared on them
with a regularity unparalleled in the
world of art. It is sixty years since
Tenniel’s first work was published and
forty-four years since his first draw
ing appeared in Punch. For the last
forty years and more he hardly ever
failed to do the weekly cartoon. He
once went with a colleague for about
a month’s rest to Venice and some
times he had a little hunting in Lei
cestershire, but regular holiday he had
not. It is a strange commentary on
his undoubted reputation that the
Royal Academy passed him over. He
was a member of the Royal Institute
of Painters in Water Colors, but hard
ly another distinction, beyond knight
hood. commemorated his position in
the world of art. It is said that Teu
niel originated few of the subjects of
his famous cartoons. But he had tne
rare gift of translating and improving
any ideas which his colleagues at the
Punch table suggested. He used to
draw direct on the wood block.
Prince Henry a Born Leader.
Many stories are told of the hardi
hood and valor of Prince Henry of
Germany. It was not so long ago that
he w-as in command of the Olga, which
was lying anchored in northern wat
ers. His highness gave an order that
all hands were to bathe. The weather
and the water being cold, some de
mur was made. Without a word
Prince Henry, who was on the bridge,
sprang into the sea and swam around
to the ladder at the stern, climbed on
board again and asked the officers if
they still thought it was too cold.
There was naturally no reply and the
order was promptly carried out.
Woman Would Wear Trousers.
Gov. Herrick of Ohio a few days ago
received from “Miss L. Neal” of Bed
ford a request for a permit to don
men’s wearing apparel. The woman
says she works on a farm and that
skirts interfere with her usefulness.
She wants to know if the governor
can not give her permission to get
into trousers. At present such a re
quest can not be granted, but the let
ter was referred to the attorney gen
eral with the suggestion that perhaps
he wrould recommend an amendment
to the law to suit such a case.
Dowry Through Temperance.
A marriage recently celebrated at
Glasgow has a curious story attached
to it. The bride’s father and mother,
who have been abstainers for over
twenty years, gave as a marriage
dowry to their daughter the sum of
£120. Every week since they became
total abstainers the amount formerly
spent in alcoholic liquor was banked
for the little one, who caused her
parents to take the pledge. The little
girl had seen her father slightly in
ebriated and reproved him for it the
next day.
Daughter of Diaz Is Popular.
Mrs. Amada Diaz De La Torre,
the oldest daughter of President Diaz,
is one of the most graceful figures in
the high society of the capital. She is
the wife of Congressman Ignacio De
La Torre, a wealthy hacendado. At
their town house they often dispense
elegant and truly cosmopolitan hospi
tality. While their home is luxuri
ous and palatial both Mr. and Mrs De
La Torre possesses the simplicity and
unpretentiousness of the highest
breeding.
WORK ON PANAMA CANAL.
Bristow Makes Statement Regarding
Progress.
WASHINGTON—It is estimated by
the engineers that it will take sixty
work trains a day six years to remove
the earth and rock that must be tak
en out of Culebra cut. This state
ment, made by Joseph L. Bristow,
gives some Idea of the vast amount of
work to be done yet on the Panama
canal. Continuing, he said:
“I am most interested now in the
i anama canal. The task the govern
ment has there is immense. The en
gineers estimate the work can be done
in ten years, and that means fast and
hard work. They are putting in an
additional steam shovel outfit at the
rate of one each month, and using
three of the old digging machines that
the French had there. The soil is
loose, and when there is a heavy rain
at night part of the bank comes down
and often buries part of the machin
ery as well as cars.
"There are about 5.000 men working
there now and there will be more as
the work progresses. There is a gen
eral misapprehension in this country
as to the extent of yellow fever in
that country. There is something sen
sational about dying with yell jw fever
that makes many people afraid of the
Panama country. We don’t think
anything about pneumonia. Yet a
man going from Panama to New York
in winter time is much more likely
to contract pneumonia and die of it
than a New York man is to catch yel
low fever going to Panama. The
death rate from yellow feevr in Pan
ama is much lftwef than the death
rate from pneumonia in New York.
‘‘One man. who came there to live
was married on Saturday, contracted
yellow fever on Monday and died on
Wednesday. The conditions attracted
special attention to his case and
frightened a great many people about
that country. But really the health
conditions there are not bad and the
most serious trouble is that people
get homesick. Most of the laborers
there are Jamaica negroes, but the
men who direct the work are mostly
Americans. The change in conditions
of living makes them uneasy.”
LETT IS COMMANDER OF G. A. R.
Spirited Contest Ends in Victory for
the York Man.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb.—The Grand
Army decided a spirited contest for
the commandership by the election of
John Lett of York. Other officers
elected were. J. R. Maxin. senior vice
commander. Minden: junior vice com
mander, H. H. Dunham. Clarks, med
ical director, W. H. Johnson. Minden;
chaplain, J. E. Ingham, Plainview.
Resolutions were adopted that en
campments in the future be held at
Lincoln and a committee was appoint
ed to arrange for the holding of all re
unions. district or state, in connection
with the encampment.
As delegates to the national en
campment at Denver the following
were elected: J. S. Hoagland. North
Platte, at large; Ferdinand Rrother,
Beatrice; W. S. Askwith, Grand Is
land; J. W. Burwell, Juniata; H. C.
McCain, Plafsmouth; J. B. Warn
baugh, Kearney; J. H. Hobb, Omaha,
and R. R. Randall.
WILL CARE FOR VETERANS.
Denver Arranges for 60,000 at G. A.
R. Encampment.
DENVER, Colo.—The executive
committee of the Grand Army of the
Republic met here Thursday night
with Commander-in-Chief W. W.
Blackmar and reported that arrange
ments had already been perfected for
accommodating 60 000 visitors during
the national encampment here next
, September.
It is estimated that 125,000 persons
will visit Denver on the occasbn of
the national encampment, and a com
mittee w^H continue working to se
cure pledges for “quartering’’ that
number. It was announced that rat* s
for hotel and other accommodations
would remain at the usual standard
during the encampment. The com
mittee is arranging a program «*f
events for the entertainment of the
old soldiers and their friends.
REFORMED CHURCH SYNOD
Form of Government is Finally
Settled.
ALLENTOWN, Pa.—The lengthy
discussion which has been indulged
in by the general synod of the Re
formed church on the point whether
the church shall have the Presbyte
rian or Congregational form of gov
ernment was settled Friday.
Dr. G. W. Richards, for the com
mittee on the new constitution, re
ported an article that classes shall
rearrange charges only after counsel
ing with the consistories of charges
affected. Dr. Philip Vollmer, who led
the faction which held to the integrity
of the congregation as opposed to the
classes, submitted an amendment
making the action of classes final
only by a two thirds vote. This
amendment was accepted by Dr. Rich
ards and carried almost unanimously.
Mr. Bryan Asked to Appear.
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—A request
was made to Judge Cleaveland of the
probate court by Judge Henry Stod
dard, counsel for Mrs. Bennett, that
W. J. Bryan be aAked to be present
in court when the hearing is held on
his application for approval of his ae
count as administrator of the estate
of the late Philo S. Bannett of thi?
city and New York. There was nd
objection from Bryan's counsel and
it was agreed that the hearing should
be held when Mr. Bryan can come.
New Phase of Meat Inquiry.
CHICAGO—An attempt was made
at Tuesday’s session of the federal
grand jury, which is investigating the
affairs of the beef packing industry,
to show that the cattle buyers for the
packing concerns and certain com
mission firms meet each morning and
agree upon the prices to be paid for
live stock during the day. Evidence
aiong this line was sought from C. B.
Van Norman, head of the Van Nor
man Commission company, and S. P.
Kingerson of Rosenbaum Bros., who
were on the stand all afternoon.