T
THE BED CLOUD CHIEF.
POINTER AGAINST PASS
New Executive is on Record Against
Free Transportation.
ASKS JUSTICE FOR THE BEET GROWERS
Calls Attention of the Legislature to the J.-ds of
the Various State InstitutionsMentions
the Great Growth of the Dairy Indus
tryA Short, Pithy Message
Gentlemen of the Senate and Ho use
f Representatives: Having been cho
ic ii to the hlghrst office in the fltnto
by the votes of the people, In compli
ance with the provisions of the consti
tution, before assuming my active du
ties, I desire to address you briefly.
ou have hnd presented to you very
lily by his excellency, (lovcrnor Hol
L'omb, Uio condition of our public In
ititutlons, and rocomiucdatlous result
ing rora his perfect acquaintance with
ulTnlra acquired by liln term of office
ns chief executive. Coining as I do
from the wulks of private life, the ob
icnotioiifi nnd recommendations
which I now make to you mtut of lie
ecsslty Ijo eolcly of those matters of
general public interest with which ev
ery 'a ell informed citizen in the state
In cuppoftcd to be familiar
We recognize that the primary povv
rr mta In the hands of ihc people,
stid that their will should ut all times
lie considered supreme. Men are so
constituted that differences of opin
ion always havo existed. So In n gov
ernment of tho people some rule must
lie established determining the man
t.rr of adjustment of differences and
the only means for such detrrmlnn'Inn
must rest with the majority. Hut while
the majority must at all times rule, the
right of the minority to a free discus.
Ion and n candid presentation of Its
opinions should neer In a free govern
ment be abridged. Tho three func
tions of our state government, as es
tablished by our fundamental law, the
constitution, arc defined to be the leg
islative, executive nnd judicial, and
neither of these "Khali exercise any
powir properly belonging to either of
tho others." They nre each alike rc
iponrlble to the people for the manner
In which they discharge their d'llies,
and it la impossible to make ary (in
ference of political opinion which,
might exist between those who are the
elected representatives of the people
In ony one of these departments of
government a reasonable excuse for
any failure of duty to tho citizens of
the (ate. Partisanship may bo bitter
before election, but tho will of the peo
ple having been expressed, citizenship
thould rise nbove partisanship nnd the
welfare of our people, the material ad
vancement of our industries, the good
name nnd fair fame of Nebraska
hould outweigh, all partisan udvant
ge. It 1 my most sincere desire that we
slinll co-operute for tho best interests
of the state. To you Is entrusted the
law making power of the Mate, nnd
tho apportioning of the revenues
among tho various state institutions,
la the enactment of wise nnd bene
ficent laws and the just and economic
apportionment of public funds, I
pledge you In advance my sincere and
hearty assistance. The welfare of tho
state ahall at nil times be my first con
sideration, nnd I ahall never 'hesitate
to use the power conferred upon me
by the constitution to withhold my
approval of nny measure which you
may enact that I consider Inimical to
the public good. Nor shall I withhold
lay approval of nny measure you may
pass In the public Interest. If any dif
ferences In judgment hhould arise I am
ready to accord to you tho samo hon
esty of purpose and desire for the peo
ple's welfare that I claim for myself.
The interefcronce with, or the usurpa
tion in any way of the power of one
branch 01 the state government by
another, which the constitution de
fines as co-ordinate, Is dangerous to
the liberties of the people. IIcik'c I
deem the veto given by the constitu
tion to the governor u power that
should only be used as a last resort to
prevent unjust or hurtful legislation.
Vow nre Uio rccognUed law making
power direct from the people, and to
them you must render an uccount of
your actions as their representatives.
Having done your work carefully
and conscientiously, that work
thould stand until the people
express a deblre for change. Too
olteu, noncver, tno work or the
legislative department is made In
effective by our judiciary. Kven the
sentiment is gaining in the minds of
the people tiint no act of the legisla
ture U a law until it has the approval
of the courts. This, If true, makes the
legislature useless. Not only so, tout
It destroys ono of the co-ordinate
brnnoh.es of state government. Tho
nullification of so many laws by our
courts, I nm ltd to believe, Is not oc
casioned by tho intention of the court
to usurp the authority of tho legisla
ture, but more on account of the Inad
equacy of our constitution, mis was
adopted nt a time when our state was
new, its resources undeveloped, nnd Its
settlements meagre and spnrcely dU
uibuted, Wltlrour splendid develop,
ment, our Mate has outgrown many
of Ur constitutional provisions, and
the endeavor of the legislature to meet
by law existing conditions, is ham
pered by luudcquate constitutional
powers. To meet tills growing de
mand, nearly every biennial session
submits to the people amendments to
the constitution, lint In the press of
other matter, and in tho excitement
of political campaigns, they are lost
sight of and fall to receive the popular
ratification. In my opinion thould-ypu.
make proUsloua.Jur'tlftf ejalllhfip'ol;. ft
consmuiu"u ,ro u,jii wsv.fw Jci, " imii wiwi mo census
tvXS
-Vil
.' r
ArlJ I. 11, section 7, of tho consti
tution ...skes it mandatory upon you
to prevent by law "unjust discrimina
tion nnd extortion In all charges of ex
press, telegraph nnd railroad compan
ies In this state, and enforce such luws
by adequate penalties to the extent, If
necessary for that purpose, of forfeit
ing their property and franchises."
This provision of the constitution
Which you liuve taken your oaiu to
support ullows you no opportunity to
escape icsponslblllty. If the laws which
we already hae upon our statute
books are sufficient nnd only lack
penalties for their enforcement, then
your duty is plain. Penalties should
be nttnehed to compel compliance, if
the existing laws are Insufllcleut nnd
full to CAtabllsh justice between the
people and the corporations, they
should be promptly repealed and oth
crs enacted by you which would ac
complish that purpose. Other states
in dealing with the cxed question of
transportation hate In a great meas
ure solved It In the election by the pco-
plo of n commission with adequate
power for the regulation of rates nnd
the final adjustment of differences
which might urlse between the pco
plo and the corporations. Our consti
tution docs not permit us to so provide
nnd In the endenveor to ocreomc this
difficulty the legislature of 1885 placed
the burden of the responsibilities of
a railway commission upon n portion
of the executive department, nnd at
the same time rclleing the state exec
utive officers designated in that act
from the labor by allowing them three
secretaries to do the work, and finally
gave the secretaries nil the power con
ferred by the act upon the executive
officers composing the commission. At
various times since iss., tn.s law nas
been nmended, but I think Its most
ardent supporters will not claim that
it lias been either successful or satis
factory. The people for years have
asked relief from unjust and cx-
tortlonnto transportation rates. 'Ihey
have asked bread and have been given
n stone. It Is a question whether pow.
er which the constitution places in the
legislature can be transferred by it to
a commission. Could that bo done you
might make It mandatory upon the
railway commission to fix n just nnd
equitable schedule of transportation
rates and confer upon them the pow
er of enforcement which you possc&s
under tho constitution. Were the Com
mission an elective office, and its in
cumbents chosen by the people, then
its duties nnd powers could be defined
by legislative enactment. Hut being
created by legislative net in n round
about way to avoid the plain provis
ions of the constitution, and to permit
the legislature to shirk Its responsibil
ity It can have really no legitimate
powers and consequently can only be
advisory nt best. Whether the work
which the commission does in the col
lection of statistics, the arbitration of
difficulties between the corporations
nnd the citizens of the btatc is of suf
ficient value to warrant n continuance
of the present law Is for your wisdom
to determine.
The great question of just transpor
tation rates still presses upon you for
solution. The law of 1893 has been
carried through the highest court in
our country. Its weaknesses have
been shown by the decision of that
court. Tho enactment of the law of
1S03, amending the sections against
which the supreme court of the United
States pronounced, would meet the
wishes of a largo majority of our pco.
pic, and would be a compliance with
your plain constitutional duty, fanould
you repal the present commissioner
law and nt the same time pass n just
nnd equitable rate law, you would gain
the highest commendation oi n great
majority of Ncbrahka citizens. While
In my opinion this would be a source
of temporary relief to our citizens, this
great question of transportation and
communication between tho people
cannot bo definitely settled by state
legislative enactments. The varied in
terests of the several states In tuc
union are too closely linked In tho
bonds of commercial union for the
state Individually to properly adjust
tho great question arising from trans
portation and with communication
among tho people. Tho national gov
ernment Itself must own and opernto
the highways of transportation and
tho electric means of communication
as It docs now the great postnl system,
In the Interests of all the citizens of
our gieat common country, lint until
such most desirable end Is attained
state legislatures are obliged to afford
all possible relief to the citizens of the
stato from unjust freight, passenger,
telegraph, telephone nnd sleeping ear
chniges. Any law which your wisdom
uirects you to enact upon nny or itieso
subjects If In the 'best Interests of the
people of Nebraska, will receive- my
most hearty approval.
The constitution places the obliga
tion upon tho legislature to apportion
tho representatives and senators ne
otdlng to population, determined
either upon tlm census of the United
Stntes or of Nebraska. It requires that
each ten years, beginning with the
year 1885, n census ot tlie pcopio snail
be mode. The United States makes
nn enumeration' of all the people etfry
nrtwJ'Brates'n-ndtlrai-of ourtwn
state we have a certain data for the
determination of the number of Ne
braska's people every live years uinm
tlicso two enumerations the consult!-
of senators nnd representatives shall )
tic mnde. thus requiring an apportion-,
tlon requires tliot tho apportionment
tti tn 1 mndn each five years. In
mnv wiinn thn lust apportionment
should have been made, we find that
there had been no census takon In
the state, ns required by the constitu
tion, upon which to bnsc such appor
tionment, nnd it wns argued by some
thnt the legislature had no power to
make nn apportionment. The lan
guage of the constitution is thnt the
legislature shall make- this apportion
ment nt its first session after the enu
meration nnd at no other time. As I
understand It, thnt which the consti
tution requires to be done will be
done, nnd hating been done shallnot
again be done until its previsions
ngntn require it. The present appor
tionment Is manifestly unjust tothc
western half of our stnte. With more
than one-seventh of the population, It
has only fivo representatives out oi
n hundred, nnd less than three sem
tors of the thirty-three in our senate.
As nn net of just I e long delayed I
recommend you to take up tho work
of reapportionment which the legisla
ture of 1S95 should hnvo made, nnd
give to our western jicople tho rep
resentation to which they ore enti
tled. I desire to call your attention 'to an
rU which has grown with the growth
of the stnte, and one for the eradica
tion of which the best thought of our
best minds have been engaged. I re
fer to free railway transportation. The
pass system has grown to such pro
portions thnt It has become a burden
to the managers of the railways of
the state, n scandal In stnte politics
nnd disgusting to thoughtful citizens.
Itnilways nre built ns business enter
prises." Profits must bo mnde for in
vestors ujran business done. If all pas
sengers should De carrieu iree, proms
must be mnde from some other branch
of the business, nnd It Is fair to pre
sumo that under su h circumstances
it would bo necessary to advance
freight rates. If one half those trav
eling should do so upon free transpor
tation, nil the profits of the business
must be collected from the other half
who pay fare. Now If the business
were remunerative with only one-half
those traveling paying fnre, If nil
should be made to pnyjtllko the
same profits would tiecrue to the rail
ways It only one-hni! as much was
charged for the service. It has been
estimated that our railways in Ne
braska receive less than two cents n
mile for the passenger service In the
state, when nceount is mnde of the
free transportation given those to
whom, under ono pretext or another,
they think It necessary to give passes.
As n business proposition it Is unjust
io tlie railways of the state that cus
tom should place this burden upon
them, nnd they should Iks protected by
law, with ndequnte penalties for its
enforcement. If they protect them
selves ngnlust loss by charging in
creased rates to those who pay for
transportation, then ns a business
proposition it is unjust to those who
nnv faTe nnd they should be pro
tected by law with adequate penalties
for its enforcement. Such a law
would relieve the railways from prac
ticing an injustice upon ft part of their
patrons nnd secure to them the same
profits upon invciitmcnts which they
now hnvo and nt the same time admit
of n material reduction in passenger
rates. The passage of n law against
the issuan c of any freo passes, ex
cept to employes of the railways, and
making the one accepting a free pass
a particcps crlmlnl.s (participating
criminal), both nllko subect to pennl
tie nttnehed ndequato for Its en
forcement, with a reduction In passen
ger rates equivalent to tho profits de
rived by tho abolishment or passes
would be alike just to the railways and
the tiaveling public.
In the matter of appropriations I
would earnestly recommend the most
rigid economy onststent with the
public welfare. Tlie amount of nn ap
propriation docs not always indicate
its character. What would seem n
largo sum appropriated for a specific
purpose mny be In reality nn econom
ical expenditure of public money,
while n small amount set apart for
the snme purposes would be extrava
gant. The appropriation of nn amount
for nny purpose obviously too meager
for Its nccompllsiimcnt, wiillo nt tlie
time It would give color to the cluim
for economy by the legislature mak
ing it, the following biennial would
show Its true character, either in de
ficiencies to be met or In poor service
to the Btntc, cither of which would
demonstrate clearly the dishonesty or
incompetency of the legislature milk
ing It. Our state institutions for the
care of our defectives nre constantly
growing nnd would naturally require
an incrensed amount for their mainte
nance. The people hnve a right to de
mand economical management for
them, nnd nt the same time that theso
wards of the stnte should receive mo3t
careful and conscientious care. The
legislature which succeeds in exer
cising business judgment of such high
character that our stato institutions
are amply cared for without profit
gft y, that impropriates funds In nn
amount sufficient to meet their de
mands without n deficiency, would re
ceive the approbation of all right
thinking people of the stnte. The ap.
proprintlons for tho mnlntennneo of
our public Institutions Is purely n
matter ot business and should bo so
regarded by you.
It Is to be regretted on some ac
counts thnt our public institutions are
not all located at ono place. It lias
been too often the case In times past
that a system of log rolling has pre
vailed in making appropriations for
their care, each locnllty where one of
them is situated using every endeavor
to moke the appropriation for lt.s In
stitution just ns large ns possible re
gardless of its requirements, and be
fore tho btcnntal appropriations are
finally made a combination ot nil tho
localities having stnte institutions be
come very evident, each agreeing with
tho others to support nil demands
which any ono locality might malco
for appropriations. In this way our
legislature has too often forsaken tlie
broad highway of statesmanship nnd
trodden the footpath of ward politics.
1 confidently rely upon your honesty,
integrity nnd business judgment to
.moke, appropriations..-economical but
not parsimonious, uuerai but not ex-
ui i iravngnni. jhh me urge upon you
that you brine forwnrd the iinnronrln.
Hon bills as early in your session as
possible In order that they may re
ceive the careful nnd conscientious
consideration their importance do
Imands.
In 1895 the legislature passed an net
offering n bounty of one dollar per
ton to be tutld to the growers of su
gar beets upon the theory of encour
aging the development of the sugar
Industry in oiu stnte. For some rea
son bct known to itself the legisla
ture fulled to mnke provision for tho
payment of claims which might arise
from tlie passage of such nn act The
sugar company acting under the pro
visions of the bounty net made their
contracts with tlie growers to pay
them one dollar per ton extra for tho
beets grown nnd delivered them, nnd
In the beet hardest of 1895 the com
pany did pny the growers the extra
dollar per ton for beets. The com
pany presented Its claims for the boun
ty to the nudltor and sonic of them
were allowed by hltn, but flnnlly ho
refused to allow further claims under
the act, nnd In the suit following Ms
refusal our supreme court decided
thnt the claims could not be paid,
there having been made no appropria
tion to meet them. In the harvest ot
1898 the contracts of the company
with the growers were mnde provis
ional, agreeing to pny them $1 per
ton extra provided the court sustained
the payment of the clnims. Tho ourt
deciding ngnlnst the payment of the
clnims, holding the payment uncon
stitutional for the reason that the leg
islature creating tho law failed to
mnke appropriation in compliance
with Its provisions, the company not
only refused to pay the extra dollar,
but actually kept back $1 per ton from
payments In the latter part of the sea
son to reimburse themselves for tho
amount already paid on the 1890 crop,
thereby giving the growers but $1 per
ton for lieets Instead of $5 ns they
contracted to do should they bo stis
tnined by the court. Now these claims
for bounty unuer tnc net oi io-jj are
in the hnnds of the sugar companies
and those for 1S90 In the hands of the
netunl growers of beets The sugar
companies hnve sought relief in the
highest court in the state and that
court has decided ngalnst them. Theso
farmers mnde their contracts nnd
raised the beets In good faith, making
their estimates for profltsln the busi
ness upon the promise of the extra
dollar per tou which they should re
ceive ns bounty from the stnte. I am
Individually, nnd the party of willed
I nm a member, is opposed absolutely
to the protective policy of taxing one
industry for the upbuilding or ad
vancement of another, but my party
s not now, nor has It ever been at any '
time, either in theory or practice, In
favor of repudiation In the smallest
degree. Tho legislature hnving mado
a bad bargain for the state should not
seek to be relieved of that bargain by
a subterfuge or upon technicalities.
The sugar bounty net of 1895 has cre
ated a number of just clnims ngalnst
the state, which are now in the hands
of the farmers who grew sugar beets
I recommend that you make provis
ions for the payment of nil claims aris
ing from the uct of 1S95 which may
be presented by the actual growers of
sugar beets In (he state, whenever such
claims are properly nttestcd by cer
tificates of weights from the proper
authorities.
Tnxntlon is generally spoken of a
a burden. It should not bo so re
garded in a well regulated state, but
rather ns a snered obligation or citi
zenship to be discharged with nlnc
rlty. It Ib only when inequalities ex
ist, when some nre overtaxed, paying
more than their share, nnd others nro
relieved through tho operation of law,
thnt taxation becomes unjust and a
burden. Our revenue system contains
n large number of defects which shou'd
be remedied. I trust you will glvo
your best thought to a thorough re
vision of our revenue S3"stem to tho
end thnt every kind of property in
the stnte slinll contribute its just
shnro towards the expenses of stato
government. I would especially nsk
your enrnest consideration of some
plan of equalization of assessments in
all parts of the state. Under our
present plan the samo kind of proper
ty varies in valuation In different
counties from ten to thirty per cent.
This is grossly unfair, but for us
remedy no means at present exists.
There is no broader field for the exer
cise ot true statesmanship than In tho
creation of n just and equitable sys
tem of revenue nnd taxation. It Is a
mnttcr that affects every citizen In
dividually and the material interests
of the entire state.
A prominent Industry of our stnte
nnd one which Is destined to become
more nnd more a lending factor In
wealth production to our people Is Uio
dniry. There Is nothing in which tho
farmers of the state hnve engaged
which hns nsslstcd them more, to ba
Independent by keeping them free of
debt by furnishing them regularly
throughout the entire year with a
steady cash income. Yet in its infnncy
the dairy Industry in Nebraska has
mnde wonderful growth. Lnst year
It assisted the material Interest of
the stnte by the distribution of nearly
ton millions of dollars nmong the citi
zens of Nebraska. This Industry asks
no special protection ns a struggling
Infnnt industry, but Is perfectly will
ing to btund or fall upon its own mer
its. What it nsks is ns a matter of
right that other industries bo required
to do the same. The laws now upon
our statute books nre probnbly ude
qunte with proper enforcement. In
my judgment nn Industry of such vast
importnnce to tho agricultural inter
ests of this great agricultural stnte
should receive your most careful and
candid consideration. The creation by
you of a department chnrged wUh tho
Interests of the dniry Industry, pre
sided over by a commissioner whose
duty would be to enforco the lnws
against imitations of dairy products
nnd such other duties-ns your wisdom
would tllctnte ns proper for him to
perform in the interests of tho dniry
industry, would meet the approval of
tho majority of the wealth producers
in the state
T hhall bo pleased to communiento
with you from time to time by special
message as ocenslon may require und
I bespeak from eneh of you thnt cor
dial relntlonshlp that should charac
terize the association of our stnte leg
islators with her chief executive to
the end that harmony may prevail in
all our efforts for the common weal.
With n firm Tcllnrico upon nil wis
providence, may wo each be guided In
our duties by wisdom and in all our
uetlous by integrity.
W. A. rOYNTER.
II
DREYFUS
The President of a Part of tho
Court of Appeals Is Out
LOOKS BRIGHT FOR DREYFUS.
VThon Charges if Compiler to Exon
erate Dreyfus Wore Ignored by (tie
Mlnlater, tie llcaurepalre lUilgnotl A
Cabinet Crisis roiilble.
Pahis, Jan. 11. M. Quosnay do
Rcaurcpalrc, president of tho civil sec
tion of tho court of cassation, has re
signed his position In consequence of
tho refusal of tho minister of jU3tico
to take any actton on his report of al
leged flagrant irregularities committed
by the criminal section of tho court of
cassation In tho Dreyfus cas. The
minister of justlco Is belloved to hnvo
taken Into consideration tho character
ot Judgo de Iicnuropalro in refusing to
grant his request. Tho judge's record
is not of tho best; ho was implicated
In tho Panama scandals.
In a long document ho virtually
protests ngalnst what ho suggests is a
conspiracy on tho part of the court of
cassation to exonorato Dreyfus. But
ho practically admits his partiality by
declaring thnt his resignation was
intended to nvengo the army and its
generals for the sufferings they havo
had to endure in silence.
Tho resignation on tho eve of the
meeting of tho national legislature,
which roassomblcd to-day, gives rise
to tho iufcrenco that tho criminal
court of appeal Is far nearer to tho
rendering of judgment in tho Dreyfus
case than most pcopio believe, and that,
having failed to induce tho minister of
justlco to order nn Investigation which
would dlhcrcdlt the supremo criminal
tribunal of France, he is anxious,
with tho objoct of averting a dcolslon
favorablo to Dreyfus, to provoko a
ministerial dofent nud a political
crisis in tho chamber to-day, where
M. Laslcs, one of the most fiery mem
bers of tho anti-Dreyfus party, after
numerous consultations with Ucaurc
patro, is to interrogato the mlnlstor of
justlco on tho subject of tho char pes
brought by Dcaurcpalro against tho
criminal court of appeal, and, if neces
sary, tc invite a vote ot censure and
of want of confidence to bo brought
against tho cabinet.
CRISIS IS NEAR AT ILOILO.
Philippine Situation Ilaptdly Approach
lot a Climax.
Manila, Jan. 11. Tho situation Is
rapidly approaching n climax, and it
Is Just possible that to-morrow will
cee a peaceable solution.
Meanwhile all sorts of alarmist ru
mors are in circulation. Tho United
States authorities nro taking ovcry
precaution; tho troops in quarters nre
undor arms and tho Call torn I an s have
disembarked from tho transports.
The natives, it is reported, havo
been ordered not to work for the
Americans, and tho employes in tho
commissary department have gone on
strlko. Natives are leaving the city.
Major General Otis, however, has
tho wholo situation thoroughly in
hand. ,
A second proclamation by Agnlnal
do, bearing tho samo dato ns tho ono
which immediately followed the pro
clamation ot Major General Otis, based
upon President McKlnloy's instruc
tions, first appeared on the streets to
day, but It Is alleged to havo been re
called. Its terms are much more ve
hement than thoso used In tho first
proclamation. Agulnaldo threatens to
drlvo tho Americans from the islands,
calls tho Deity to witness that their
blood will bo on their own heads if it
is shed, and details at great length tho
promises ho ciulms were made by the
Americans as to the part of tho Insur
gents in tho campaign.
It is believed that tho second pro
clamation is tho original draft which
was not adopted by tho Filipino con
gress at Malolos.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM WINS,
Home IlcTenei Its Drclslon on Btrlklni;
Out tlie Annual Appropriation.
Washington Jan. 11. Tho IIouso
yesterday rovcrsod tho decision of tho
committee of the wholo last Friday,
when tho appropriation for the sup
port of tho civil service commission
was stricken out of tho legislative,
cxccutlvo and judicial appropriation
bill. In commltteo, where mombcrs
do not go on record, tho appropriation
was stricken out by n vote of o7 to 01,
Yesterday when tho roll was callod
tho appropriation was restored, tho
motion to strlko out being defeated,
05 to 110.
Tho House, by special order, docided
to proceed with tho consideration of
tho naval personnel bill as soon as the
bill for tho codification ot tho laws of
Alaska was out of the way.
Tlanseil Ilenett In a Hotel Itoom.
Bah FnANcisco, Jan. 11. Mrs.
Georgo McQuenan was found dead in
her room nt tho Ronton hotel here.
Sho had hanged herself. Mrs. Mc
Quenan canus to this city a few.wcoks
ago from Grand Rapids, Mich., where
her husband Is a prominent business
man. Her fathor Is Judgo Miner, well
known in Utah. '
A New York Hair Drenor Iteoelvctt Choc
olate Uropi Containing Anenlc.
Nr.w Yontc, Jan. 11. Anothor box
of poisoned candy has been sent
through the malls. Mario Appell, who
supports herself by working us n hulr
dresser among Harlem families, spent
tho wholo of Saturday night In agony,
fighting off death, after eating ono
chocolate drop out of a box that had
ben sent to her, ostensibly us a Now
Year's gift.
Hasty analysis by a druggist shows
tho candy was heavily impregnated
with arsenic.
HORRIBLE RAILROAD WRECK.
Eighteen Forions nilloil In n Now Jer
sey btnatli-Up.
Nitw York, Jan. 11 Uy a head-on
collision between two pnssenger trains
on the Lehigh Valley railroad nt West
Duncllen, N. J., at 12:47 p. m. yester
day, eighteen persons wcro killed aud
over twenty wcro injured.
West Duncllen is three mllos from
Iioundbrook and about thirty miles
from Now York city. At tho spot
where tho disaster occurred, there Is
a sharp curvo in tho Lehigh Valley
tracks and a steep cutting, but tho ac
cident was due in tho first place to
some terrible mistnko In train orders
and in tho second place to another ac
cident that occurred at Iioundbrook
earlier in tho day.
Tho scenes which accompaniod tho
collision, tho sufferings of the injured
and tho panic that reigned among tho
400 passengers wcro woll nigh inde
scribable. Tho blood-stalnod wreck
of tangled nnd twisted iron and wood
boro witness to tho truth of tho gen
eral verdict of railroad men that this
was ono of tho worst collisions in re
cent yenrs.
A head-on collision on a double track
road was mado posslblo only by a
freight wreck which occurred nt
Iioundbrook at 0 o'clock In tho morning
when tho nxlo of a freight car broko
and nlno cars were piled on top oteach
other. This completely blocked tho
cast bound track, ami all through the
morning Lehigh Valley trains bound
for New York switched from their own
track to the webt bound track, going
over theso rails from Uoundbrook to
Newmarket, n distance of six miles,
und changing nt the latter placo back
to their right sldo of tho road. To
permit this modo of trafilo, all west
bound trains wcro hold at South
Pluiuficld until their own lino was
clear of trains going lu the opposlto
direction.
Train No. 20, which left Shomolcln,
Pa., at 7 n. m., was so heavy with hu
man freight that It had to bo broken
Into thrco sections. The first two sec
tions arrived at Uoundbrook, switched
over to tho other track, switched back
at Newmarket and reached Now York
In safety. Tho third section of this
train was almost an hour late. Its
seven cars wcro crovvdod with 400 ex
cursionists, most ot them from Mount
Carmol and Shamokin, Mahoncy City,
Hazel ton, Ashland nnd Pottsvllle, Pa.
Tho party was traveling under tho
auspices of tho business men's excur
sion, an annual event which many
patronize .for a throo days' visit to
New York. Not a few of the excur
sionists wcro coming to witness tho
McCoy-Sharkoy fight. Their train
svvltchod over at Uoundbrook and pro
ceeded, liko tho preceding sections,
on tho west bound track.
Meanwhile, there had been waiting
at Ncwinarkot a local train thnt piles
regularly between New York nnd
Roundbrook. Its number on tho
schoduio Is 71 and It Is duo In Uound
brook at 11:59 a. in. Owing to tho
trafilo nil going on one track, it was
almost an hour Into. At last tho train
dispatcher nt South Plainfleld gave it
permission to go. Just boforo reach
ing West Dunnelen, Engineer Rick
slowed his train down, becauso ho
Jtops for passengers if there are any.
Martin Urennan, tho signal man,
threw up his arms and wavod them,
as if to say thero were no passengers,
so tho local put on steam and headed
round tho curve, going nt about twen-ty-fivo
miles an hour. There were only
four passengers on tho locaL
In tho cab of tho excursion train
was James Prendcrgast, tho onglnccr,
with his fireman, Gcorgo Cheshire.
They saw tho local as It started on th
curve. With shrloklng whistle and
brakes grinding sparks from the
wheels, tho excursion train bore down
to what seemed certain destruction.
The passengers, nlarmed at the con
tinued whistling, opened tho windows!
mothers snatched their children in
their anna, mon started from their
scats, but before they had timo to find
out what was the matter they wcro
hurled headlong, knocked senseless
and many killed outright. , "
FIRE IN CRUISER'S BUNKERS.
Tno Jupnneie Ballon Burnet! to Death
ns a Ileiult ot Their Hravery.
Skatti.k, Wash., Jan. 11. News by
steamer from Japan says that the sec
ond class Japanese cruiser Kaimon
Knn has reached Amoy n partial wrock
us the result of a flro that broko out
during a storm at sea. Several ot tho
crew of tho cruiser wcro burned to
death any many others Injured. Tho
Kaimon Knn was a wooden Tesscl ol
tho old stylo and had on board a num
ber of soldiers besides her regular
crew. When a few days out and in ths
midst of a galo tiro was found in ono
of tho bunkers.
Tho Japanese crow behaved with
great bravery and streams of water
wcro soon playing on tho flames. At
this juncture nn nccldcnt to tho ma
chinery mndo it necessary for some one
to go down tho alley. It was acaso ot
almost sure death. Two men . volun
teered to go down. Uefore they got to
tho machinery in need of repair tho
smoke ovorcamo them. No one would
go In after them and tho fire soon con
sumed their bodies. Tho engines woro
kept running or tho vessel would
surely have foundered, TlnS vessel lo
repairing at Amoy.
MANY CONVICTS SET FREE.
I.utt Ofllclnl Aot of T.oedy Was to Gran
ii Ille Hittrh of l'nrtloni.
Toi'KKA, Knn., Jan. 11. The last of
ficial net of Governor Lccdy was to
vrnnt fourteen pardons nud coimnuta
dons. Tho sentence ot JnmcB R. Colean,
sent up from llourbon county in 1805
for wrecking the State bank of Fort
Scott, was commuted to four years.
His original hentenco was for fivo
years. He will now be released Jum.
I, im J