Becoivor Howard Loots the Assets of the
Exchange Bank at Atkinson.
ANOTHER POLITICIAN GONE WRONG
Iho FuMon Ciindldiito for th Important
Ofllco of Stnte Treasurer the Slain
Character In u Corrupt nutl KfTeetlvo
Conspiracy.
O'NEILL , Neb. , Oct. 22 , 1900.
Perhaps the most hlgh'-handed cor
Tuptlon ever practiced by a man ap
pointed by a court ns receiver was
practiced by Samuel B. Howard , can- \
< lldate for state treasurer on the fu
sion ticket , as receiver of the Exchange
bank at Atkinson , Neb.
The story of the closing of the
"bank , the manner in which the re
ceiver was appointed and the looting
of the assets by the receiver and his
political lieutenants , is a story preg
nant with rottenness , fnaud and cor
ruption from start to finish.
At the time the bank was placed
In the hands of a receiver it was per
fectly solvent. The firtion bank ex
aminer had been sent 'there ' but a
short time before and had given it a
clearing. Nobody had asked for a re
ceiver and the depositors had absolute
confidence in its solvency and stabil
ity. At the time of the closing there
was enough cash assets to pay all the
depositors In full , aside from Bartley ,
and there was absolutely no cause for
the depositors losing a cent of their
deposits. In the settlement , however ,
they received only 75 cents on the
dollar.
Fraud surrounds the manner In
which the receiver was appointed.
There was a district judge on the spot
at O'Neill , the county seat of that
county , but Instead of applying to him
the conspirators went 219 miles to
Judge W. H. Wostover and had Howard
apolnted receiver.
Howard Avas required by the court to
give bond in the sum only $2,500 ,
whereas the property and money placed
in his hands amounted to upwards of
$100,000. There is nothing on file
with the records of the transaction to
show that Receiver Howard ever filed
a bond. Search of the records high
and low failed to bring any bond to
light or anything to show that one was
ever filed.
In order that Iho public may have
a clear and Impartial understanding of
all the facts of record in the case , the
following is given In chronological
order :
May C , 1S97 : Bank Examiner Com ! re
ports that the 'Exchange bank of Atkin
son IH In an unsafe condition , not having
15 per cent , of Its deposits in available
cash.
May 7 , 1S97 : State banking board or
ders bunk clo.sed , and Attorney General
Smyth tiles petition In district court at
O'Neill , asking for the appointment of a
receiver with authority to "compromise
bad assets and convert all property into
money as speedily as possible. "
May 10 , 1897 : Judge W. H. Westover.
who lived 219 miles from the scene of
proposed operations , appointed S. B. How-
ftrd receiver , on a bond of $2,500 , order
ing "said receiver to report his doings In
the premises to this court from time to
time as required by law. "
The public got its lirst tip on the scheme
In the announcement of this favorite by
n judge who resided over two hundred
mllcvs away. There was a Judge of the
same district residing at O'Neill. The
bond required of Howard , if any was
Elven , was never tiled with the other rec
ords where the public could , Inspect it.
The responsibility which this "bond" wa-j
supposed to cover , amounted to neatly
$100,000.
May 17 , 1S97 : Receiver Howard applies
for authority to employ an attorney. Two
days later Judge U'estover grants the
request , and Howard employs J. J. Har
rington , a brother of illke. and who ha.i
since been elected district judge. The
compensation is not stated.
July G , 1897 : Attorney General Smyth
flies petition stating that Hartley had
J55.WX ) deposited in the bank , which prop
erly belonged to the state.
July C. 1&97 : County attorney of Holt
llles petition , stating that Bartley owed
the county * S.OW ) in the form of a Judg
ment.
July 9 , 1897 : Attorney general llles claim
against the assets of thu bank , and says
the state "repudiates thu act of Bartley
in depositing the money , and refuses to
ratify or be a party to said act. "
August i3 , 1S ! > 7 : Petition by Mike Har
rington that if the claim of the state Is
allowed the individual depositors will get
nothing.
August 23 , 1S97 : Petition of H. K. Ben
nett and oihcis that the.r attoiney , Alike
Hanlngton , and the receiver go to nij
coin to confer with the state olllclaU ,
the expense of the trip to bo paid out
of the assets of the bank. Application
promptly granted by Westover. The ex
pense bill of this Junket has never been
made public.
February 3 , 1898 : Otfer of the Individ
ual depositors to take certain securities
as one-half their claim and cash for the
other half as settlement In full. Peti
tion states that the Individual deposfls
amount to $10,935 , and that the receiver
now has $11,000 cash on hand.
March 17 , l&'JS : Settlement effected by
Mike Harrington , as attorney for the
depositors , and J. J. Harrington UH at
torney for the receiver , the di.posltors to
take ns their claim in full certain choice
securities amounting to $20,429.79 , and tl-
750 In cash , Later evidence that Mike
Harrington arbitrarily settled with the
depositors at 75 cents on the dollar.
August 5 , IS'JS : Howard llles notice that
ho has on hand $7,500 to dlvido between
the state and county.
August IS , 1 ! > 9S : Judge AVestover , hav
ing waited until Harrington had taken
his pick of the assets , now decides that
the bank and Bartley owe the state $33-
000 and the county $8.000. On this sanu
date Howard flies another notice that he
has $7.500 to divide. A pro rata division
Is agreed upon by the state and county.
November 29 , 1S99 : Howard tiled the fol
lowing notice :
"Samuel B. Howard , as receiver of the
Exchange bank of Atkinson , Nebraska ,
Informs the court that , in his Judgment ,
It will bo to the best interests of all
concerned to have all the assets of the
Exchange bank sold at public sale to
the highest cash bidder , and upon dU-
posltton of said assets , to Immediately
close up the affairs of suld bank.
"SAMUEL B. HOWARD , Ilecolver. "
V0a the same . ( UUu Judge Westover
Issued an order that the assets be
sold at public sale on December 16 ,
1S99 , and that the sale bo continued
from day to day until all were sold ,
"said assets to be either sold sepa
rately or collectively , as the receiver
shall believe to be to the best inter
ests of all concerned. "
This order plainly gave the receiver
full swing , and he certainly "swung. "
There Is not another scratch of a pen
on Hie in the district clerk's oinco from
that day to the present dnto to show
the result of the sale , but oral evi
dence is that the receiver bargained
off all the beat assets of the bank to
the chairman of the pop county com
mittee for $40 , without allowing any
one else a chance to bid. This was
done by "adjourning" the sale when
bonia fide bidders were present , and
"reopening" as soon as the said bid
ders had gone away.
While up to the time of the final sale
no&t of the operations of the receiver
were concealed from the public , there
were occasional filings on the record to
show that certain debts were compro
mised at low figures , so that it the
time of the $7,500 divide between the
county and state the receiver must
mvo had In his hands two or three
thousand dollars more than that
amount , which had probably been
used for "expenses. " No report or
statement has ever been filed , and the
scattering bits put in the record only
furnished a cloak for the general op
erations. This Is in direct contrast
.o the action of Mr. E. Opp , another
jank receiver in the same county ,
who filed regular balance sheets four
: ime3 a year , showing iall transac-
; ions.
One stroke of business which was
performed In March , 1899 , was never
recorded in the district clerk's otllce ,
jut comes to light elsewhere. The
bank of Atkinson had a line brick
building , which was bought In 1894
at a cost of $7.500. It was well fitted
up , and besides the vault had ia salt-
which cost $1,500. The property had
jeen carried on the bank books at
$10,000 , and after the collapse there
were a number of people ready to buy
It If given an opportunity. Howard ,
However , had other plans. On Febru
ary 23 , 1899 , he notified Judge Weat
over that he had an offer of $1,000 for
the property , ' and after diligent ef
fort could find no better bid. " West-
over promptly authorized him < to sell ,
and the deal was made in secret *
The bank building , safe and fixtures
were sold to Ed Gallagher of O'Neill for
$1,000 , and a rent bill for $210 pwed
by Gallagher was deducted from the
purchase price , so that the property
went for $79u. On this principle of
"financiering1 if Gallagher had rented
the property a year or two longer ,
his arrearages would have covered the
entire purchase price and made the
sale unnecessary. Other parties who
would have paid four or five thousand
dollars , and had notified Howard of
their desire to Invest , were given no
chance to buy. The transaction was
kept in concealment so far as the dis
trict court records at O'Neill were
concerned , but copies of the applica
tion and permission to sell were filed
In the oflice of the county clerk two
days after the date of the sale. This
was done to make the deed good , and
the delay In tiling was a proper pre
caution to prevent Interference. Gal
lagher , who bought the property , also
owned a building at O'Neill and rent
ed offices to the two Harringtons , one
of whom was attorney for the receiv
er and the other for the depositors
and for the cabhler of the busted bank.
It was a happy "back-scratching"
tournament , In which only the Inter
ests of the state of Nebraska suffered.
To summarize : The bank was closed
up for political purposes and a pop
judge 219 miles away appointed a pop
politician as receiver on a nominal
bond , which latter has never been seen.
The receiver went ahead "compromis
ing" claims and slaughtering assets
without making any complete public
report. The Harrington brothers ,
prominent poj > bosses , acted as attor
neys for everybody. They settled the
claims of the individual depositors by
taking $20,000 worth of good notes and
$2,750 In cash. The depositors receiv
ed less than $8,000 for their claims.
The remaining assets were eased down
Into the hands of political favorites.
The state's Interests suffered at every
hand , and record of the expenses , re
ceipts or operations , and no detailed
report of assets has ever been placed
before the public.
In Holt county the performances of
this clique of grafters has caused
common talk , and there are many sur
mises as to why the Harringtons so
anxiously worked Sam Howard Into
the nomination for state treasurer ,
after they had dictated a warden of
the penitentiary and after they had
fostered the boom of Westover for
governor. The people believe that
there Is a method or reason behind
every act of this crowd.
Some Information may be gained as
to the value of the property looted
from prominent citizens of Atkinson ,
as follows :
John P. McNichols , a prominent
democrat , said : " 1 consider the build
ing and lot , exclusive of furniture , a
good investment at three thousand dollars
lars , and stood ready to pay $2,000
for the building or a little more. Talk
ed with the receiver several times
about wanting to buy the property ,
but he seemed to want to evade the
matter. Several others hero wanted
to buy. No person in Atkinson knew
when the sale was made , or had op
portunity to make a bid. Howard
seemed to want to favor somebody. "
B. W. Johnson , for sixteen years a
resident of Atkinson : "The sale was
a clandestine arrangement. Sevora ]
people in Atkinson wanted to buy , bul
got no opportunity. The building and
fixtures were well worth $5,000. The
safe cost $1,500. The general opinion
was that there was no occasion to
close up the bank In the first place. "
A. J. Stllson , member of the town
board of Atkinson : "The bank was
doing well when it was closed. The
building was worth more than three
times what it sold for. Among the
assets were some gilt-edgo securities
The judgment against the city was
worth face face value , and the school
district judgment as good as govern
ment bonds. "
J. E. Allison , formerly cashier o
the bank : "No occasion for closing the
bank. Depositors were not uneasy
and none of them applied for a recelv
er. A bank examiner had been there
shortly before -and given a good clearance
anco to the bank. The liabilities wore
fully secured and the paper wna good.
The books balanced to n cent when the
receiver took charge. The Judgments
against the village and school district
were worth face vmhio. The building ,
safe and fixtures were carried on the
books at $10,000. The safe cost $1,500
and was good as now. The building
and fixtures would easily have sold
for $5,000 at hard times prices. The
extra room In the building , .asldo from
the banking room , brought In $25 per
month. Among the first-class paper ,
were the two Judgments aggregating
$1,000 , and decrees of foreclosure
against lands in Holt county worth
$500. These and some other securities ,
I understand , were quietly sold to Me-
Carty for $40. I understand McCarty
lias since disposed of some part of
these securtles for $100 , or ten times
more than ho paid for the whole , How
ard disposed of all the good paper and
the building on the quiet. "
E. G. Schultz , druggist : "Tho bank
building was easily warth $4,000. The
location was good. There was no no
tice given of the sale. "
Dr. McDonald , office next door to the
bank : "Tho blink building and lot
would bo cheap at $5uOO. Sale was
under cover. No notice in the papers.
After the bank closed M. K. Harrington
was made attorney for the depositors.
He arranged the settlement with the
receiver , and tnen notlfled the deposit
ors In a circular letter that he had
settled on a basis of 75 cents on the
dollar , and he sent them each a check.
He must have kept the securities got
from the receiver In the deal. No
rason why the depositors should have
lost 25 per cent. The assets were sold
in O'Neill and It was worked pretty
smooth. "
J. F. Brady : "I went to the sale of
the assets last December. McCarty ,
Harrington , the sheriff and a young
man who works for Harrington were
there with Howard. I wanted to buy
In a mortgage on W. E. Scott's place.
Howard had a package in his hand ,
and ho said , 'Let's open the sale. ' Ho
turned to mo and asked If there was
anything 1 wanted In particular. I
old him about the Scott mortgage ,
ind he knocked It down to me at $20
on the first bid. Its face value was
1400. Then I asked him what else ho
ia.il , and ho told me everything olsq
was bargained for In advance. Ho
said ho would adjourn the sale a
vhlle. I went away , and In a short
.Ime I came back cnly to find that Mc
Carty had got all the valuable stuff for
540. Nobody else got ia chance to bid.
McCarty Is the populist cha'irman , and
a great friend of Howard and Har-
Ington. The stuff he bought was
worth several thousand dollars. "
One gentleman who was on the
ground and knew of the whole pro
ceeding , writes to a friend at O'Neill
as follows :
"It seems to be no secret around
Atkinson that the bank's assets wore
ndlscrlmlnntely slaughtered by Mr.
toward. I nm confident a little in1-
qulry would bring a good deal to
light.
"The fact that the building and fix-
Aires , which originally cost about
? 7,500 , were sold by Mr. Howard for
ess than $1,000. without giving any
notice or allowing any one to bid , is
pretty good evidence of what he was
doing. I knew of several parties who
were watching this building and fix
tures with a view of purchasing when
It was to be sold , and I know that Mr.
Howard could have realized at least
three or four thousand dollars out of
them If he had not sold them underhandedly -
handedly and on the sly.
"While I only looked upon Howard
is a tool of the pop ring. I cannot
lielp but feel that any man who will
lend himself to such work is unfit for
public office. "
In an effort to got further light on
the operations of Howard the office of
the State Bankir/j board at Lincoln
was visited Wednesday. Dr. Hall , the
secretary , who is also.chairman of the
democratic committee , was not present ,
but his deputy was there and handed
over the last printed report of the
Exchange bank , dated March 23. 1897.
This showed that the bank had loans
and discounts , $88,303.13 ; overdrafts ,
$008.91 ; stocks , bonds and Judgments ,
$79,228.82 ; banking house , furniture
and fixtures , $10,000 ; due from other
banks , $0,882.59 ; cash on hand , 43-
801.55. The capital stork was $30,000
wand the deposits were $70,934.48.
"Will you please let mo see the last
report of the examiner on the condi
tlon of this bank ? " was asked of the
deputy In charge of the banking board
records.
"No , you cannot see that , " said he ;
"the examiners' reports are not public
property , "
"Not oven when the bank has failed ,
and owes money to the state ? "
"Well I can't let you see it. Of
course if the report Is filed In the dis
trict court in the county where the
bank was located , and you can see it
there , that is all right. "
"Has the receiver ever filed a repo-t
here ? "
"No , he makes his report to the dis
trict court where the bank is located.
Our jurisdiction ends when the re
ceiver Is appointed. "
"How much money has been turned
over to the state by the receiver ? "
"I do not know. "
At the state treasurer's office the
Information was received that on Au
gust 2G , 1898 , the state received $6-
762.30 , and on June 15 , 1900. It re
ceived $1,442.81. This last payment
was made after Harrington and How
ard's badges were printed announcing
his candidacy for the state treasury-
ship , and was a happy afterthought
According to the records at O'Neill ho
must have been carrying that monev
Just six months , the date of the flna
sale of assets "to the highest cash
bidder" having been on the 16th of
December , 1899. There Is nothing
filed to show where this money came
from , or how much remained. It Is
presumed the receiver was still re
ceiving salary at the date of this last
payment , and that he will continue to
hold the affairs open as long as any
money remains to bo used up by him
self and his attorney.
I'utrnleuui DrUm Atrny M
Petroleum has been used with much
success as a means of exterminating
mosquitoes , and thus preventing ma
laria. All that Is necessary Is to spray
the drains , marshes and puddles with
the oil early in the season and repea
the operation every two weeks for a
short time thereafter. It is said to be
the best method yet tried for disinfect
inff a locality of malarial germs.
Iporators Insist on Figuring the Price of
Powder in "Wngo luoroaso ,
THE MINERS WANT TEN PER CENT
Attached to OrlRltml Proposition
OITurltif ; Incrcuito In AVitRCS dtinrnn *
toeing the Snma Until Next April -1'ur-
thor UovelopmoiiU Auiiltml.
SCRANTON , Oct. 19. Reprosonta-
Ives of nearly all the big companies of
ho section conferred hero today and
nado an agreement to amend the no-
Iccs already posted , attaching the fol-
owlng :
This company desires to say that It
s Its Intention to pay the advance In
wages above noted until April 1 , 1901 ,
and thereafter until further notice.
This was given to the press :
The representatives of the coal com-
mnles after their meeting stated that
they had ordered their men 10 per
rout advance ns indicated by the no
tices they had posted , that this notice
specifically stated that the reduction
of powder from $2.75 to $1.50 would bo
considered in arriving at the wages of
iholr contract miners. It was explained
when the notices were posted that the
offer was to stand until April 1 , and
indefinitely thereafter , but inasmuch
as there seems to be some misunder
standing In tbis matter they have
agreed to add to their notice a clause
that U Is their Intention to pay the
advance in wages until April 1 , 1901 ,
and thereafter until further notice.
The conference was hold In the of
fice of the Temple Iron company , In
the Board of Trade llulldlng , and was
attended by General Superintendent 13.
12. Loomls of the Delaware , Lncka-
wanna & Western , General Superin
tendent W. A. Lathrop of the Lehigh
Valley , General Superintendent M. II.
Starrs of the Scranton Coal company
( Ontario & Western ) , President Wil
liam Council of the Council Coal com-
imny , wno is cnairman or ttio Indepen
dent 'operators' committee ; General
Superintendent W. ,1. Richards of the
Lehigh & Wllkesbarre Coal company ,
General Superintendent Morris Wil
liam of the Snsquehanna Coal com
pany ( Pennsylvania railway ) , General
Superintendent of the Pennsylvania
Coal company ( Erie & Wyoming Coal
company ) , J. L. Crawford of the Tem
ple Iron company. General Superinten
dent Reese G. Brooks of the I ntr-
cllffe , Lafllln & Grcexiwood Coal com
panies.
National President Mitchell , District
President Nichols , District Secretary
John T. Dcmpsey and National Organ
izer Fred Dllcher of the United Mine
Workers have all been quoted as sayIng -
Ing that the resolutions of the Scrnn-
ton convention contemplated a
straight advance of 10 per cent for all
parts of the region and that the matter
of having this Increase made up in
part by a decrease in the cost of pow
der in these upper regions , where
powder is sold for $2.75 a keg , was not
agreed to. The powder question , they
ono and nil said , was loft out of the
present negotiations , with iho under
standing that U should form ono of
the Krieiivanccs to be adjudged and
which the officers say the operators
tave agreed to have with their men
"tn take up any grievances they may
have. "
President Mitchell , when Informed
of the action of the operators , stated
that ho would have to decline to dis
cuss its probable effect until ho had
given the matter careful consideration.
He would not say whether or not It
would bo possible to deal with the dif
ficulty without another convention.
President Nichols , whose whole dis
trict Is affected by the powder ques
tion , said this evening it looked to him
as though another convention was
necessary. "I do not know that the
delegates will consent to waiving their
demand for a straight Increase and al
lowing the substitution of this clause
about powder which the operators nro
so Insistent about. " said ho. "but with
out their consent I do not see how the
matter can bo adjusted. To me It looks
like a prolongation of the fight. "
CoiiHiil RiiK < lula Deiul.
WASHINGTON , Oct. 19. The state
department has received a report from
the consul at Nagasaki , of the death at
that place September 13 of Bertram !
W. Ragsdale , vice consul and marshal
of the consular court at Tien Tain ,
China. Mr. Ragsdalo was a resident of
Santa Rosa , Cal. , and was appointed
marshal In 1893 , and vice consul In
1900. He had gonu from Tien Tsin to
Nagasaki In July for the benefit of his
health.
After Jlra/ll's '
/ I'rcsldmit.
NEW YORK , Oct. 19. The police of
Rio Janeiro , according to a dispatch
to the Herald , Imvo arrested an Italian
named Angel Munettl , who Is known
as the friend of Caaorlo , who assassin
ated President Carnet of Franco , and
of Bresci , who killed King Humbert of
Italy.
Manetti. It Is charged , was plotting
to take the life of President Gampos
Calles of Brazil.
Prof. AVIiltnnjr Drojn Deail.
SALT LAKE CITY , Utah , Oct. 19.
Prof. Joseph Whitely , principal of the
Salt Lake School of Law , dropped dead
out of his chair In a restaurant today
from hemorrhage of the brain. Ho
had taken a degree at Oxford univer
sity , and before coming to Utah was
a clergyman In the Church of England.
I'rnppimlft from < liln * n ,
WASHINGTON. Oct. 19. For thn
first time In three days Minister Conger
was heard from at the state depart
ment today. Ho communicated by ca
ble the substance of certain proposi
tions advanced by Prince Chlng and
LI Hung Chang as a basis for the con
duct of negotiations for a settlement
of'the Chinese trouble. The Chinese
government already has prepared the
way for the&o by a preliminary action
looking toward the punishment of Chi
nese officials guilty of complicity In
the Boxer uprising.
UNDER SENTENCE OF DEAfll ,
Utni > r * ti Frortorlo anil Sir Arthur' * Knil
U Nour.
PARIS , Oct. 19. ( Now York World
Cablegram , ) Empress Frederick can
not Hvo more than six weeks. Moth
Emperor William , her son , and Queen
Victoria , her mother , wore oo notlfled
yesterday by the physicians In nttond-
ruico. The dowager omniefia Is nflllctcd
with cancer of thn spine , according to
n high Gorman physician who has nr-
rlved and who mot herd ono of the
foremost of Urltlsh diplomats. The
latter repeated the Information to mo.
Sir Arthur Sullivan la In Paris In
charge of two attendants. Ifo Is on hla
way to the Hlvlora , but was compelled
by extreme weakness to break the trip
and stop hero for rest. To some
frlomls who called qn him ho express
ed himself ns sure that ho shall never
bo able to return to England , realizing
that his case IH past helping. An emi
nent French physician , an old admirer
of the distinguished composer of mu
sic , visited him today and afterward
concurred in the Invalid's conviction
that ho was doomed to an early death.
It Is uncertain how soon , If over , Sir
Arthur will bo ahlo to proceed south.
SEES NEW ERA fOR AMERICA.
Archbishop I re I ml Tnlkn of Till * Conn-
try'n roftltlnn In Commerce.
NEW YORK , Oct. 19. Archbishop
Ireland , Just returned from an extend
ed trip abroad , today gave out a state
ment of his Impression of the showing
made by the Americans In Paris. The
only criticism to bo made , In his opin
ion , Is that In most cases artistic effect
has been sacrificed for plain utility.
This , ho said , resulted in n failure to
attract as might otherwise have boon
the case. The number of awards made
to American exhibitors should make
the people hero proud of the part
taken by the United States. The most
pleasing failure , ho added , was the
American pavilion , where all Ameri
cans were made to fool at homo. By
the exhibit , this country's resources
are better known than over before , as
seen by an Increased demand for our
products.
"A new era , said he , has sot In ferns
ns In commercial and diplomatic rela
tions and with the opening of tho'
twentieth century Amorloa steps Into
the front rank of nations. "
No aicrojr for Undent Hhops.
CHICAGO. Oct. 19. Board of Trade
operators will tomorrow enter Into
what they call the last skirmish with
th'o bucket shops. Thirteen of those
concerns have been obliged to close
their doors and thirteen more Imvo at
lost given up their light to secure the
Board of Trade market quotations by
roundabout means. Ono concern today
was still using the quotations under a
temporary Injunction , but this case
comes up on court tomorrow , when
counsel for the board will present ar
guments for Us dissolution. In view
of Judge Kohlsaat's decision enjoining
n number of local bucket shops from
using the board's quotations , the direc
tors expect another victory.
Want to Hnr Out Americano.
BIRMINGHAM , England , Oct. 19.
The Midland Iron masters are Inquir
ing of olllclals about the reported in
tention to prefer American manufac
turers tor British in awarding contracts
for the executive railway and bridge
construction contemplated in South
Africa. Several of the principal Iron
men , who are conjointly making these
Inquiries , Intend to organize a cam
paign to press the government into fa-
forlng British manufacturers If it Is
found that any contracts are likely to
go to the United States , even though
the American bids should bo lower
than the British.
YollcMT Favor Incremlng. '
HAVANA , Oct. 19. Yellow fever , is
Increasing here. It is said that there
is not one block in the city but has
contributed from ono to seventeen
cases. If there Is no Improvement
there will soon bo an exodus from
here.
here.Frank
Frank W. Hayes , the general man
ager of the Havana branch of the
North American Trust company , who
Is suffering from yellow fever , Is very
low and Mrs. Hayes has been isolated
with him.
I'rvl < l iit Hernia Condolence * .
WASHINGTON , Oct. 19. President
McKinley today sent a message of con
dolence to the family of ex-Postmaster
General William L. Wilson , who died
at Lexington , Va. , yesterday. The
president and Mr. Wilson served to
gether In the house of representatives
for several years and , despite their po
litical differences , wore warm personal
friends.
To Deport the lliirchori.
PRETORIA , Oct. 19. The Boers nro
dally tearing up portions of the rail
road and cutting the telephone and
telegraph wires. Their atacks 'are In
tolerable. The repairing linesmen can
not leave the garrison points without
considerable escorts. The only remedy
semes to bo to corral all the burghers
and deport them , as none apparently
can be trusted.
Morton on llonril of'Arbitration. .
WASHINGTON , Oct. 19. There " Is
some talk tonight of cx-Vlco President
Lovl P. Morton as the third member
on the part of the 'United ' States on
the The Hague International Arbitra
tion board. Mr. Morton saw the pres
ident today , but at the Will to House
neither confirmation nor denial of the
reports was obtainable.
Aincrloiiii Onlil Slay Oomn Homo.
LONDON. Oct. 19. The Times , dis
cussing possible gold movements , says
in Its financial column : "In a normal
year It would be nafe to say the Amer
ican demand had ceased , but the pres
ent year presents many variations. It
would bo rash to assume that Europe
will not have to repay ore long a part
of Its borrowings. Germany , Russia
and Great Britain at the present mo
ment are more likely to bo borrowers
than repayers. It is proabble that af
ter the American election money will
bo easier to employ than now.
Eyory Point Demanded by the Mon Jl
Conceded.
THE TERMS OP THE COMPROMISE
OoflDCrnuo or Ton Per Cent
Abolition of Sliding Soulo null Arbitra
tion Ilulo Notice * nru to Do Voitod
Imiuoillately.
PHILADELPHIA , Pa. , Oct. 18. The
great strike of the anthracite mine
workers of Pennsylvania , which began
September 17 , practically ended to
day , when the Philadelphia ' & ReadIng -
Ing 'Iron and Coal company and the
Lehigh Valley Coal company agreed to
nbollsh the sliding scale In their re
spective regions and to grant an ad-
vaiico in wages of 10 per cent net ,
the advance to remain In operation
until April 1 , 1001 , or thereafter.
The decision was arrived at after
a conference between representatives
of the Individual coal operators and
the largo coal carrying roads. The
conference began yesterday. Today's
action was the culmination , of the ro-
cout meeting of the individual oper
ators at Scranton following the mlno
workers' convention In the saino city.
Nearly all of the collieries lu the
coal region had previously posted no
tice granting an advance of 10 per
cont. The mlno worker * , besides this ,
< lomandod the sliding sctte In the La-
high and Schuylklll regions abolish
ed , the Increase to bo guaranteed un
til April 1 , and other differences sub
mitted to arbitration. The individual
operators agreed to ovotything.
It Is conceded that the result of to
day's conference Is a complete victory
for the men.
All the demands of their convention
are ncceded to , and as ono of the In
dividual operators put It , the oper
ators go a llttlo further in maintain
ing the advance after April 1. This
same "operator said :
"It is all up to the miners. Wo
have agreed to everything , nothing re
mains but for them to return to work
as soon uas the notices arc posted by
the managers. These notlc.es will con
form to the Reading's notice. I look
for n resumption of operations by
Monday at the latest. The conference
was entirely harmonious and every
phase of the fatrlko situation was gone
over. "
Just how soon the order notifying
the men tlwit the Htrlko In over will
be posted can only bo conjectured. It
Is believed hero that no order to re
turn will bo Issued until a notice
Hlmllnr to that of the Reading and
Lohlgh companies is posted at all tlio
mines.
The Rending company's notice rpads :
"It hereby withdraws the notice
posted October 3 , 1900 , and to Urlng
about practical uniformity In the ad
vance of wages In' the several coal
regions , gives notice that It will sus
pend the operation of the sliding scale ,
will pay 10 per cent advance on Sep
tember wages until April , 1901 , and
thereafter until further notice ; and
will take up with Its mine employes
any grievances which they may
havo. "
No formal announcement baa been
made by the Lohlgh Vajluy Coal com
pany , but as the Reading's statement
lias been made public , Vice President
Garrett of the Lohlgh company nald :
"Concerning our operations in the
Schuylklll country , our uctlon will bo
similar to that of the Reading. In
other regions certain things must bo
treated separately , and wo have not
decided with regard to thorn. Thbso
matters are In the hands of Superin
tendent Lathrop. "
Culvln , Pardeo & Co. , oxtonslvo Indi
vidual operators in the Hazloton dis
trict , la to this afternoon announced
that they will tomorrow post notices
similar to that issued by the Reading
company. This Indlcato3 what the in
dividual operators will do.
RUSSIA APTER NEW LOAN.
Efforts of MuKcovlto Government to Got
Money In Now York.
EW YORK , Oct. 18. The Evening
Post today says : The reported nego
tiations of Now York and Paris bank
ers with agents of the Russian gov
ernment were denied by persons In
position to know. While It is con
sidered doubtful whether a portion of
the loan could have been placed in
Paris under any circumstances this
season , the project Is deemed impossi
ble now that the Bank of Franco has
concluded to give up some of Its gojd
to Now York. A linnnour Identified
with previous movements of the kind
declared today that It was idle to talk
of another Russian loan so far * ss Now
York Is concerned.
Good Crop * In Porto Itlrn.
WASHINGTON , Oct. IS. Secretary
Long has received a letter from Gov
ernor Allen of Porto Rico , In which
the latter tells of an oxtonslvo tour
of the island , of the prosperous con
dition of the sugar crop and the out
look for a very satlsfuctory coffee
crop. Governor Alien predicts that
with these prosperous crops the people
of the island will soon bo upon their
foot financially.
Ilullrr us Uhluf of Army.
LONDON , Oct. 18. Under reserve
the Dally ExpresB publishes a report
that General Sir Rodvors Bullor has
been summoned from South Africa to
succeed Lord Yfolseloy as commander-
In-chlof , LordvRoborts declining to ac
cept the position without a free hand.
1,089 ITootH Up St,01)0,000.
NEW YORK , Oct. 18 The fire which
etarted in Port Lima , Costa Rica , Sat
urday , according to late dispatches re
ceived here , destroyed the entire busi
ness Bectlon of the city and caused
a property loss of ever $2,000,000 ,
Short Cabinet Scisluti.
WASHINGTON , Oct. 18. The cab
inet mooting today was devoid of In
terest. Nothing now regarding the
Chinese situation has been received
and after a short discussion of the po
litical situation the meeting ad
journed.