Tlie Valentine Democrat
GEORGE M. GASKILL , Editor.
VALENTINE. NEBRASKA.
FORMER VALET OF SCHIFF EX
PECTS TO GET FREEDOM
AT ONCE.
ACCUSED ASKS FOR A GUARD
Fear Expressed for the Strength and
Power of His Enemies May Ac
cept Senator Nelson's Promise and
Go to Minnesota to Reside.
New York. Folke E. Brandt , former
valet of Mortimer L. Schiff , will be re
leased on $5,000 bail , unless there is a
change in present plans , and probably
will go before the grand jury which
is investigating allegations that his
thirty-year sentence for first degree
burglary was the result of a conspi
racy.
The order for the accused valet's
release will be signed by Justice
Gerard immediately after he has filed
his decision granting a writ of habeas
corpus , and will remand him for new
trial on the first degree burglary
charge , under which he still stands in
dicted.
Brandt , who is likely to be at liberty
for two or three months at least , pend
ing the decision by the higher courts
of the appeal from the writ to be
made by District Attorney Whitman ,
has been reported to have requested
the district attorney that he be guard
ed by detectives during his freedom.
Declaring , it is said , that he feared the
strength and power of his enemies ,
he was assured by Mr. Whtman , ac
cording to the reports , that the pro
tection would be provided. It is not
thought unlikely , however , that the
young Swede will take advantage of
the promise said to have been re
ceived from United States Senator
Knute Nelson , of Minnesota , to find
employment in Minnesota and take
care of him pending the decision of
his case.
SITUATOIN IN TORREON.
City Has Been Isolated for Three
Days Famine Threatened.
Torreon , Mex. The situation here
is growing critical. This city has
been isolated for three deys , railway
communication having been cut off ,
and famine now is threatened. Mer
chants have wired a protest to Presi
dent Madero , but it is feared the mes
sage has not reached him. It is re
ported the city is blockaded by 10,000
Vasquistas.
Others Implicated.
Valentine , Neb. The dissatisfaction
of many residents of this county over
the outcome of the trial of four men
charged with the lynching of Charles
P. Sellers , a young ranchman , last
June , has resulted in the calling by
Judge Westover of the first grand jury
that has been convened in Cherry
county in over twenty years. George
and Alma Weed , Harry Heath and
Kenneth Murphy and the latter's sis
ter , Eunice Muhphy , were arrested ,
charged with the lynching of Sellers ,
who had been the girl's suitor. The
men pleaded guilty to second degree
murder and were sentenced to life im
prisonment , the case against the girl
being dismissed.
An Important Ruling.
Paris. The court of cassation has
handed down an important decision
bearing on diplomatic immunity. Re
cently the appeal court decided that M
charges made in 1900 against Chris
topher J. King , the American consular
agent at Lillie , in connection with the
sale of shares in a Mexican mine , must
be abandoned.
Fire at Gothenburg.
Gothenburg , Neb. Fire here de
stroyed several business blocks , caus
ing a loss of § 50,000 , partly covered
by insurance.
Troops for El Paso.
San Antonio , Tex. The twenty-sec
end regiment and battery B , Third ar
tillery have left fort Sam Hueston for
El Paso to reinforce troops already
there for the protection of the border. a
I
Live Stock Market. M
Sioux City. Cattle Good to choice O
corn fed steers , $7.00@S.OO ; medium c
to good , $5.50@7.00 ; good to chice fat V
cows and heifers , $5.00@6.00 ; grass n
cows' , $3.50@5.00 ; canners and cutters , t
? 2.50u3.50 ( ; bulls , $3.75@5.25 ; veals , s
? 3.75@7.50. Hogs , prices range from sh
? 5.S5LtG.05 ( ) , with a bulk of the hales at h
§ 5.70@5.95. Sheep Lambs , $4.25@ ti
C.OO ; yearlings , ? 4.50@4.25 ; ewes , 5'E
§ 2.75@3.75. 5'a 5'e
Seven Lives Lost in Tornado. a
5'F
Little Rock , Ark. Seven persons
are known to have been killed and F
more than a score injured in a tornado
which swept portions of Lincoln , Jef M
ferson and Arkansas counties. The
greatest desturction was reported
near Almyria , in the prairie and rice
lands of Arkansas county. Mrs. Ed
Johnson , her three children , a hired si
man named McClain and an unidenti ci
fied stranger who was stopping at the IKm
Johnson home all were killed. A m
child named Hamilton is known to clw
have been killed near Swan Lake , w
ai
jy ]
FANNED BY BLIZZARD , FIRE DOES
ENORMOUS DAMAGE AT
HOUSTON , TEX.
LOSS REACHES $7,500,000
Worst Conflagration in the History of
the State Industrial Enterprises ,
Dwelling Houses and Stores Are
Destroyed.
Houston , Tex. In the wake of the
most destructive fire in the history of
Houston , smoldering wreckage covers
an area one and a half miles in
length and varying in width from 200
yards to half a mile in the northeast
ern section of the city.
More than a dozen of the city's
most important industrial enterprises
are in ruins , 200 or more dwelling
houses and store buildings are in
ashes , and approximately 1,000 per
sons are homeless.
Two hundred and fifty working-
men's homes and stores were burned
'and , although many people were in
jured , there were no fatalities. The
greater part of the loss was occa
sioned by the destruction of sev
eral cotton compresses and ware
houses filled with the staple and by
the burning of many lumber mills
with their immense yards and other
manufacturing plants.
The principal losses were sustained
by the Cleveland Compress and Ware
house company , the McFadden com
press and warehouse , the Standard
compress and warehouse , St. Patrick's
Catholic church and academy , the
Hudson pencil factory , the lumber mill
and yards of the Houston-Liggett com
pany , the E. H. Harrell Lumber com
pany , the Houston Lumber company ,
the Texas Tinners Supply company ,
the Hoosier Vinegar company , the
Mcllhenny Cotton pickery , the Indus
trial Rice Manufacturing company ,
the Southwestern Rice mills , the Co
operative Manufacturing company.
The charitable institutions of the
city have united in relief work and are
caring for the homeless thousands.
AGAINST THE PARCELS POST
Illinois Retailers Adopt Resolutions at
Close of Convention Favor
One Cent Postage.
Chicago. Resolutions attacking a
parcels post and favoring the pro
posed one cent letter postage were
adopted at the closing session of the
annual meeting of the Illinois Retail
Clothiers' association.
"Our organization is increasing , "
said L. M. Myers of Springfield. "We
have been successful in securing legis
lation prohibiting the operations of
the itinerary clothing salesman and in
other ways protecting the interest of
the legitimate clothing dealer. "
The next meeting will be held in
Chicago in February , 1913. The offi
cers chosen for 1912 are : President ,
A. E. Anderson , South Chicago ; vice-
presidents , M. L. Stern , Joliet.and
Mose Hoffman , Centralia ; secretary ,
A. C. Carlson , Princeton ; treasurer ,
G. J. Boehland , Rockford.
CHALONER LOSES HIS CASE tiE tie
Virginian Who Sgught to Regain Cus
tody of Estate Ruled Against by T
Federal Court. c
tlt
New York. John Armstrong Chal- t
oner of Virginia lost his suit in the
federal court to have Thomas T. Sher
man discharged as a "committee of
his person , " and to regain custody of
his estate. li
In the late nineties Chaloner , who liB
was born Chanler , was committed by B
the supreme court of New York to
Bloomingdale asylum , but escaped and IE
IEn
went to Virginia , where the courts n
have declared him to be sane. \v
vO
In finding for the defendant Judge O
Holt declared that no Irregularity has
been shown in the appointment of the si
committee of Chaloner's person , and
that his remedy lies in an appeal to :
the supreme court of New York to va
cate its judgment declaring him in
sane.
tl
COUNTRY SWEPT BY STORM '
Immense Damage Done and Eight di
Lives Known to Have Been Lost siS
in Recent Blizzard. S
New York. The terrific western ai
aiv
and southwestern blizzard which gave \v
Kansas , Missouri , Texas and other tad
western states one of the worst storms d
of recent years , passed out of the
country after breaking the record for
varieties of weather and covering Illi
nois , Indiana , Kentucky and Ohio with
the ! heaviest mantle of snow for the
season , fr
In the succession of storms that la
have followed , practically every sec of
tion of the country from Texas to la
laPJ
south ' Georgia and northward to Lake PJ
Erie had its visitation , and while only dr
eight lives have been lost great damage fo
feM
age has been done to property. M
FRISCO IS AT HOME AGAIN
Municipal Government Housed In a Gi
th
City Building for First Time Since
th
the Disaster of 1906.
ki
San Francisco. For the first time er
since the disaster of 190G San Fran 00
cisco's municipal government is
housed in a building owned by the
municipality. Offices of the mayor ,
chief of police and other city officers CO
were moved to the new hall of justice , se
ind three buildings formerly occupied in
city officials were abandoned.
PROTEST FROM AN UNEXPECTED QUARTER
*
l ASK VOU/MVFR\E
HOW LOr-K-r ARE \V <
- -
r\VTV UVlTV irv * ivt ww\\\f I * S * > I/J
To ALLOW MAM TO I j |
STlGMWTliE OUR GC&DI / f
N AWES W TH THltSE f \ |
DISGRACEFUL toncE'sTA
T T f * r J
REPORTED GOV. DIX WILL PARDON -
DON EX-VALET TO CLOSE
THE CASE.
SCHIFF FACES INDICTMENT
District Attorney Bars New York Bank
er From Stand Lest He Block
Grand Jury Probe Into Plot Against
Former Servant.
New York. At the end of the first
hearing on the fight to release Foulke
E. Brandt , former valet for Mortimer
H. Schiff , from serving the balance of
30 years of his prison sentence for
burglary , District Attorney Whitman
declared that Schiff and his lawyer ,
Howard S. Gans , face an indictment
for conspiracy.
Counsel for the millionaire banker
announced for the first time their In
tention to call Mrs. Schiff as a wit
ness before United States Commis
sioner Hand.
A sensation was caused when Mrs.
Schiff was for the first time brought
directly into the case , when Delancy
Nlcoll of the Schiff counsel , declared
that he would bare a conspiracy to
blacken the name of a woman , and
demanded all papers in the case pro
duced in court.
In view of the developments and
the scope they may attain , it Is hint
ed that Governor Dix may pardon
Brandt to close the case.
In the hearing District Attorney
Whitman insinuated that conspiracy
charges were a present possibility and
that the testimony of the Schiffs and
their ] lawyers , should It take the ex
acted trend , might place them be
yond the scope of the possible indict
ment
Attorney General Carmody had out
lined the state's attitude in the case
that of determining simply whether
Brandt had had a fair trial.
"So far as I know , " he said , "there
s in the papers before the governor
lothing reflecting on the honor of any
woman. Therefore let us Introduce
mly ] evidence bearing on his guilt or
hnocence. We are not here to air
scandals or pursue rumors. "
"To get at the bottom of this mater -
er , " said Mr. Nicoll , "I will call Mr.
Schiff , Howard S. Gans and , if neces-
iary , Mrs. Schiff. "
"It Is my duty to inform you , " said
he district attorney , springing to his
'eet , "that the witnesses suggested by
Mr. Nicoll , if allowed to testify , might
lefeat this case. It is possible pos
sible , I repeat that a charge of con
spiracy ] may result. "
Mr. Nicoll then proposed that Gans
ind Schiff take the stand voluntarily ,
vaiving any immunity they might ob-
ain by reason of their testimony. No
lecision < in the case was announced.
Recall May Be Recalled.
Seattle , Wash. Returns indicate
hat Hiram C. Gill , who was removed
rom the office of mayor by the recall
ast year for alleged misconduct in
ifiice , has been renominated by a
arge vote to run against Thomas A.
'arish , the "business men's candl-
ate. " Gill and Parish will contester
or the office in the election on
larch 5.
Five Killed by Cyclone.
Shreveport , La. During the Mardi
rras celebration here the outskirts of
"
his city were swept by a cyclone from
tie west. Five persons were instantly
illed and a score injured. The prop-
rty loss from the storm totals $200-
00.
London Labor Parley is a Failure.
London , England. A conference of
Dal mine owners and the men's repre- Is
cntatives , which has been in session "
London for two days , ended with-
ut an agreement.
KNOX ! S NOT WANTED
COLOMBIA ENVOY SAYS HIS VISIT
IS UNDESIRABLE.
Sends Protest to State Department
That Cabinet Member Eliminate
Trip to Cartagena.
Washington. The capital Is aghast
over the extraordinary action of Senor
Pedro del Ospina , minister of Colom
bia to the United States , in making
public a formal note he had sent to
Acting Secretary of State Huntington
Wilson saying the proposed visit of
Secretary .of State Knox to his coun
try on the latter's projected southern
trip , might be "inopportune. "
The Colombian minister , first draw
ing attention to the fact that the views
are his own , and not officially those of
the government , seriously criticises
the United States for not submitting
to arbitration the differences with Co
lombia growing out of this govern
ment's acquisition of the Panama
canal zone.
Inasmuch as the letter admittedly is
the personal expression of the minis
ter , written without having commu
nicated with his government , it was
received at the state department in
the nature of a personal insult to this
government.
He makes veiled reference to the
long delay of the United States in an
swering several notes addressed to it ,
seeking arbitration , and charges that
this government has discriminated
against Colombia in failing to give her
arbitration which the United States is
now offering to other members of the
family of the nations.
Senor Ospina was disposed to be
lieve that his government would indi
cate to the United States that a visit
from Secretary Knox would be un
timely unless the secretary came pre
pared to promise an early arbitration
of differences. He declared that his
letter summed up the position of Co
lombia as conclusive.
PITNEY'S NAME IS SENT IN
Taft Sends to Senate Nomination of
New Jersey Chancellor for Har-
lan Vacancy.
Washington. President Taft sent to
the senate the nomination of Chancel a
lor Mahlon Pitney of New Jersey to be
an associate justice of the United
States Supreme Court. r
He also nominated Julius M. Mayer -
er of New York city to be judge of
the United States district court for
southern New York , and Ferdinand A. h
Geiger of Cassville , Wis. , to be district - "
trict judge , eastern district of Wisconc
v
sin.
a
MAY NAME A NEW CAPITAL P
Chinese Republican Leader Favors Wu
Chang , In the Province of Hupeh ,
for Chief City.
Pekin. Wu Chang , In the province
of Hupeh , is being urged as the cap
ital for the new republic of China by v
Gen. Li Yuan Hang , former vice-pres S
ident of the republic and now military F
leader at Hankow. This action Is taken II
IIji
en by many to be part of a plan to ji
jin
aid President Yuan Shi Kal to split n
the republicans of the south. C'
C'a
The proclamation of the republic is a
being observed with orderly enthusi in
asm everywhere. of
YERKES PICTURES SELL WELL
"Moonlight at Midnight" Brings $8,700 ,
Highest Price of Sale Another
Sold for $7,100.
New York. A total of $104,710 was
realized at the second session of the
sale of the paintings in the Charles T. m
Yerkes and other collections. The to ve
tal realized from the sales of pictures C
$137,220 for the two sessions. PC
PCP
"Moonlight at Midnight , " by Jean P (
Charles Cazin , brought $8,700 , the1 m
highest price of the sale. ac
STEPHENSON SCORED
SENATE BODY CHARGES CORRUP
TION IN ELECTION PROVED.
Composed of Three Republicans and
Two Democrats , Says Evidence
Shows Votes Were Bought.
Washington. Declaring that to give
United States Senator Stephenson of
Wisconsin a clear right to his seat , is
"to notify the world that we are care
less as to whether seats in this body
are to be bought and sold as so much
merchandise to the man with the
largest purse , " five senators present
ed a minority report against Stephenson -
son and brought squarely before the
senate the issue of his re-election.
The minority report is signed Ly
Senators Kenyon , Clapp and Jones ,
Republicans , Lea and Kern , Demo
crats. It contends that enough evi
dence was adduced by the inquiry to
warrant the senate in declaring Sen
ator Stephenson's seat vacant.
"If he used methods and the ma
jority says he did that it would be
difficult to justify in behalf of a state
candidate , then it is equally difficult
for the senate ? o justify such conduct
on the p rt of a candidate for a seat
in this body and preserve its integrity -
rity and honor. In our judgment it
cannot do it. "
"All this is admitted , " says the re
port , "and we feel that we have a right
to assume from these admitted facts
and actions that corrupt methods and
practices were used in connection
with said primary election. To hold
otherwise is to establish a precedent
that would authorize an expenditure
of hundreds of thousands of dollars to
debauch the electorate to secure a
seat in this body. To do this is to
notify the world that we are careless
as to whether seats in this body are
to be bought and sold as so much mer
chandise to the man with the largest
purse. "
LAW OF INITIATIVE UPHELD
U. S. Supreme Court Holds Only Con
gress Can Change Referendum
Statute of Oregon.
Washington. The cause of direct
legislation by the people won a de
cisive victory here when the Supreme
court declared constitutional by im
plication the initiative and referen
dum amendment to the Oregon consti
tution. It refused to take jurisdiction y
$
of the test suis contesting validity of
the legislation. Many states in which
agitation for direct legislation is be
fore the people are affected by the
decision. Oregon's courts have de a
clared constitutional the initiative and 01ai
ai
referendum , in two cases heard.
ti
One was brought by the Pacific
Coast Telephone and Telegraph com fce
pany , which refused to pay a tax of e
two per cent , on its annual gross re t\
ceipts , provided by a law adopted by
the people under the direct legisla
tion amendmnt. It held that the ini
tiative and referendum were repug S
nant to the federal constitution. t
Justice White delivered the opinion. tC tN
"The issues are political and gov C
ernmental , and not therefore within
the reach of judicial power , " he said. 65
65ai
"It fellows that the case presented Is ai
aioi
not within our jurisdiction , and the
writ of error must therefore be and it tl
tldi
is dismissed for want to jurisdiction. " di
The decision was unanimous , and diR
leaves the Oregon laws in free and H
untrammeled operation until some m
hindering action is taken , If at all , by th :
the national congress. ai
in
FLIES ACROSS LAKE ERIE
Aviator Sandt Makes 28 Miles In 35
Minutes But Falls on Re V
turn Trip. le
lem
Erie , Pa , Earl Sandt , Erie's boy
aviator , crossed the frozen lake here , w
establishing a record for American ar
over-water flights , making the 28 le
miles between Erie and Long Point , fo
small Canadian village , directly
across the lake , in 35 minutes.
At 5:50 : p. m. Sandt started on the
return trip from the Canadian side , ' i gu ;
but lost his way over the lake in the de
darkness. Finally his engine stopped wl
while at an elevation of 2,000 feet and Pr
he was obliged to volplane down , landing
ne
ing ten miles from shore. The machine -
chine struck the ice with considerable
violence and was damaged , but the
aviator escaped injury. ,
ROAD INDICTED FOR REBATEop
op
Three Railroad Companies and The
atrical Persons Involved In Law
Violation.
Chicago. Rebating Indictments In an
volving the Lake Shore & Michigan Sc
Southern , Michigan Central and Big Se
Four railroads and officials of ths va
lines were returned by a federal grand th
jury here. The Indictments four In of
number and each containing five th
counts ' also name a number of the of
atrical people. Rebates are charged am
connection with the transportation thi
a number of burlesque companies.
]
sci
PENSACOLA , FLA. , IS CUT OFF en
SU
Communication With the Florida City , tal
Interrupted by Gale , Not Yet bu
Restored. tus
New Orleans. Attempts to com foi
municate with Pensacola , where a severe bu
storm raged , have been
vere unsuc SCI
cessful. All wires are down. At eli
points along the Florida coast near col
Pensacola a wind velocity of sixty sta :
niles an hour was registered. It was tVJ :
iccomnanied by a heavy rain.
* BI
f
Cotner Plans Campaign.
At a recent meeting of the board or
trustees I of Cotner university the mat
ter i of fixing upon an aim for that in
stitution to reach during a great three
years' campaign was taken up , and
after a thorough discussion of the
whole situation it was decided to
make the following items the objec
tive for Cotner university :
Five hundred churches , regular con
tributors to the current expense fund
of the university.
Fifty thousand dollars in annuities.
Fifty thousand dollars in bequests
in wills.
A new building for the use of the
library , with a great assembly hall
in it.
A girls' dormitory costing at least
$20.000.
Chancellor Oeschger and the Cotner
boarl will push this plan with all the
energy that they can command. There
will be no let-up until the thing is ac
complished.
Will Have Their Pick.
The secretary of war has notified.
Adjutant General Phelps that the Ne
braska national guard will not be sent
to Fort Russell , Wyoming , to engage
in maneuvers , but that the guard of
this state will either go to Fort Riley.
Kansas , or participate in a small joint
state camp of instruction to be located
somewhere in Nebraska in company
with regulars from Fort Crook. The
secretary of war asks which the guard
prefers. Adjutant General Phelps has
asked for the opinion "of members of
the state military board. The pro
posed maneuver camp at Fort Riley
is to be participated in by regulars
now at Fort Riley and Fort Leaven-
worth and the militia from surround
ing states , but Nebraska has the priv
ilege also of attending a joint camp of
instruction at Fort Riley.
\
Boys' Corn-Growing Contest ,
The Nebraska state board of agri - V
culture offers to the Nebraska boy
under eighteen years of age growing-
the largest yield of corn from one
acre of Nebraskan land during the
year 1912. $25 ; second , $20 ; third.
$15 : ; fourth , $10 ; fifth to eighth , $5
each ; ninth to twelfth , $4 each , and
eitl
thirteenth to sixteenth , $3 each , and ta
the boy growing the largest yield on
an : acre of land west of the east line
of Boyd , Holt , Wheeler , Greeley. How
ard , Hall , Adams and Webster coun
ties , $25 ; second , $15 ; third and
fourth , $5 each ; fifth and sixth , $4
each ; seventh to tenth , $3 each , and
twelfth to sixteenth. $2 each.
Nebraska Legislative League.
A banquet at which 250 people were-
served ( was the closing and most spec
tacular feature of the meeting of the
Nebraska legislative league in Lin
coln. ( This feature , at which veterans
ir the ranks of lawmakers told of
early sessions and recounted tragic
and amusing incidents in the history
oi lawmaking in Nebraska , followed
the formal organization of the league
fluring the afternoon. John Kuhl of
Randolph was made president and
Henry C. Richmond of Omaha was
made secretary. The league endorsed
he five proposed constitutional
imendments , after a rather interest
ing controversy over the proposition.
Granted Leaves of Absence.
Prof. G. W. A. Luckey , head of th
lepartment of education at the uni
rersity , has been granted a year's
eave of absence on full pay , com-
nencing June 15. Professor Luckey
las taught in the summer session
vithout : remuneration for four years
ind a rule of the university permits a i
eave ; of absence for a year in return hi
or such service. i I
Henry Wagner Acting Warden.
Henry Wagner , for many years a
uard at the penitentiary , is acting-
eputy warden in place of Mr. Davis ,
'ho was killed by convict Albert l\ \
'rince. It is rumored that Mr. Wag
er is to be appointed deputy , but l'I '
lovernor Aldrich had not issued a 'I
ommission prior to his departure for
week's trip in the western part of I
lie state. Ii
Ii. i
A postal savings bank will be
pened at Syracuse March 6. i.
J'i
Debating League Growing. ' '
The half hundred or more delegates )
icluded in the schedule of the fifth
nnual contest of the Nebraska High
chool Debating league has begun.
eventy-thre.e schools have taken ad-
antage of membership in this league
( object of which is "the promotion
the science of argumentation , and
< art of debate among the students-
the secondary schools of Nebraska , "
nd which began four years ago with
lirty members.
Daniel C. French , the eminent
culptor of Xew York City , has been I
ngaged by the state university to
uperintend ] the modeling of the bronze
iblet to be erected in the temple
uilding in honor of Chancellor Emeri-
E. Benjamin Andrews for his ser-
ices in securing the funds necessary
the construction of the temple-
uilding. : Daniel C. French is the same
culptor who superintended the mod-
ling : of the statute of Abraham Lin-
jln , which is to be erected on the
ate capitol grounds in the near fu-
ue