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About The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19?? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1908)
i THE NORFOLK WEEKLY NEWS JOURNAL i , , . NOHKOI K NEBKASKA Kit IDA Y * ntirKiMMKU.il 11)08 ) GUILTY. Acquitted of Murder of Dr , Frederick Rustin , JURY RETURNSVERDIGT TODAY , Davis and His Relatives Over joyed , MYSTERIOUS MURDER CASE , Charles Edward Davlo Is Acquitted of Shooting Dr. Rustin In Omaha Three Months Ago Members of His Family Prominent. Omah'n , Doc. 10. Charles Edward Davis was today found not guilty of the murder of Dr. Frederick T. Rus tin three months ago. The \ordlct' < of acquittal was re turned by the Jury this morning and Davis was dismissed. One Man Held Up Verdict. It became known this morning , af ter the jury had returned Its decision , that the verdict had been held up for mai.y hours by just one juror , who ) > > 1(1 ( out for a verdict of manslaugh- jr. The defendant was overcome with jy when the verdict was announced , ds were also members of his family. Mrs. Rice Pleased. When she heard of tlio acquittal of Davis , Mrs. Ahblo Rico , principal wit ness of the state , declared that she was "so glad. " "I didn't want to see him punished , " she said , "and there was always a question in my mind whether or not ho really shot Hustln. " "I merely told the story that Rustin told mo. " Mrs. HIco says she will go to DCS Molnes as soon ns formally released. If her husband sends for her to come to Youngstown , O. , she says she will go there and reform. A Most Important Case. ilio case was one of the most 1m- . .ortnnt of Us kind over tried In Ne braska , principally because of the prominence of the families Involved. The killing of Dr. Rustin was con sidered one of the most mysterious which over occurred In Omaha. While the theory of suicide was gen erally advanced at the time , the ab sence of the revolver on the premises caused the coroner's jury to make a sweeping investigation with the later result that some of the most startling testimony over heard was given out. Abble B. Rico , a friend for several months of the dead physician , gave the testimony which set the Invostl gallon going. She declared that she , herself , had a suioido pact with the dead physician , and on four different occasions made preparations to carry it out , when her nerve failed her. Implicated Davis. She Implicated Charles E. Davis , member of a wealthy and highly prom inent family who , she declared , agreed to kill Rustin fl he would give Dnvls a drug enabling the latter to take his own life. Davis admitted at the inquest hav ing been In the neighborhood of the Rustin homo , which Is well Into the edge of the city , about the time Rus tin Is supposed to have been shot. Dav's ' was held for the murder and his trial began a week ago last Mon day. day.It It was shown that Davis was an Inmate of sanitariums at three dif ferent times for temporary Insanity hut the defense did not make use of this plea. Davis admitted that he had a suicide mania and that he had been addicted to drugs. Brother of Fred Davis. Davla' brother , Fred Davis , Is a prominent banker here. Arranging for Inauguration. Lincoln , Dec. 10. Still hobbling on two crutches , Governor Elect Slmllen- bergcr came to the state house nnd conferred with the stnto olllcers re garding the arrangements of the com ing Inauguration. The governor , though practically one-legged , Is anx ious to wind up the affair on the night of Jan. 7 with a grand ball. And his wish will be law In this instance. The dancing will be In the senate chamber. Grand Island Soldiers' Home. Lincoln , Dec. 10. The per capita cost of maintaining the soldiers' home Bt Grand Island for the year 1907 was J19S.GG , according to the report of Commandant D. W. Hoyt , nnd for the year 190S It was $190.49. At the close of the blennlum there were In the homo 247 men and 112 women ; 30 were absent on furlough. The net loss In membership during the past year was 24. Two Iron Workers Killed. New York , Dec. 10. Two Iron work ers were killed and two others Injured when a row of steel uprights support- lug a roof skeleton of a lofty coal shed collapsed. Charles Miller and Daniel Lyons wore pinned to the ground and Ihe former was nearly cut In two. Lyons' skull was fractured and bo loon died. FIGHT OVER MATTHEWS ESTATE , Woman Makes Claim to Fortune and Beats Off Officers. Sioux City , In. , Dec. 10. A lively light Is promised over the estate of John 1-3. Matthews , a wealthy negro who died suddenly In his restaurant a few nights ago. Mrs. Hesslo Austin has made claim to his fortune , claimIng - Ing that shn was Matthews' common law wife. She beat off the olllcers when they appeared to take possession of the place. They later succeeded In having the place locked nnd will per mit Mrs. Austin to bo represented by counsel. The property Is valued at about $30,000. FIRST AGAIN , Ilk \ Man Carries Olf Honors , iialia Corn Show , \ IOWA I IARGEST EXHIBIT , r > i- Judges Begin Work of Awarding Pre miums President Roosevelt's ' Coun try Life Commission Begins Its Sessions Today. Omaha , Dec. 10. The second day of thu National Corn exposition proved that It. is destined to be greater than any similar exhibition In Its history. Nearly live thousand persons visited the big exhibition the tlrst day and uneven oven larger crowd Is expected today. President Roosevelt's country life commission began its session at the exposition today , and' the members of that body were able to accumulate enough material to make u report so voluminous that the agricultural de partment would need an extra build ing In which to store It. A conference will bo held by the commission at the Rome hotel today , to which nil Interested are invited to come. Governor Sheldon nnd Regent Whltmore of the Nebraska university were among those who addressed the conference today. Miss Alice Tyler of the Iowa traveling library commis sion appeared before the commission and asked that cheaper rates bo made on books sent to farmers. The question of education of farm children has struck n popular chord and nearly every speaker indorsed the proposition and urged the commission to take steps which would assist In giving the farmer boys a better education along agricultural ns well as other lines. The awarding of premiums on corn exhibits was begun and carried through the exhibits of six states. Iowa had the largest and best exhibit thus far judged , nine different classi fications being presented' . John P. Cloro of Indiana won the grand sweepstakes trophy for the best ten ears of corn , securing the $1,000 In cash. Mr. Clore won this same trophy at the first National Corn ex position at Chicago last year. General Henry Jackson Is ueaa. Leavenworth , Dec. 10. Brigadier Seneral Henry Jackson , retired , died at his home here of cancer , aged sev enty-one yeais. General Jackson was B. soldier In the Crimean war , the civil war , the Spanish-American and other 'ndlan ' canumicns. PLAN TO" AID TRADE HERE JD ABROAD , National Council ol Commerce Organized Today , Washington , Dec. 10. The organiza tion of the national council of com merce , begun at a meeting held today In the office of Secretary of Commerce and Labor Straus , Is expected to prove of farreaching benefit to the foreign and homo trade of the United States. The council Is the embodiment of Ideas of Secretary Straus whereby It Is hoped the commercial world may bo brought in closer touch with the de partments of the government and util ize their machinery nnd the valaublo Information secured' ' by them for the general betterment of trade at homo and abroad. One of the features of the movement Is the establishment of a permanent bureau of the council In this city In charge of a capable man who can keep In close touch with the departments that hnvo to do with com mercial affairs and advise the various commercial Interests of Important matters that arise from tlmo to time and affect their welfare. The president will receive the dele gates today , nnd Secretary and Mrs. Straus will tender a reception to them this evening. Funeral of Sea Fighter. Washington , Dec. 10. With full mil itary ceremonies the body of the late Hear Admiral Joseph B Coghlnn , who died Saturday nt New Rochelle , N Y. , was Interred In the Arlington National cemetery here. Western Theater Merger. Chicago. Dec. 10. Seventy-five the aters between Chicago and San Fran cisco , Including playhouses In Omaha , Denver and San Francisco , are to bo Diorgcd into one company , according to Information from nn authoritative source. Klaw & Erlanger are said to be the prime movers la the extension of the proposed trust. 6 GARS OVERTURN 30 PEOfLE HURT , Wreck on Northern Pacific in Noriii Dakota , ON COAST LIMITED TWIN , Some of the Injured Are Said to be In Serious Condition One Man Reported - ed Bleeding to Death Spreading Rails the Cause. Fargo , N. IX , Dec. 10. Six coaches were overturned and thirty passen gers Injured , some seriously , in a wreck of the Northern Paclllc const limited train at McICen/lc , 200 miles west of here , today. One man Is reported to bo bleeding to death. The wreck was caused by spreading of the rails. THIRD DEATH FROM FIGHT. Another Religious Fanatic Succumbs In Kansas City. Kansas City , Mo. , Dec. 10. Louis Pratt , one of the religious fanatics en gaged in the street battle Tuesday af ternoon , died this afternoon from his wounds. Martial Lew in India. Calcutta , Dec. 10. Practically mar tial law prevails in India today. When the bill providing for sum mary trial and execution of the trait ors and anarchists was introduced in the council today , a new law was de manded by residents as the only way to check a wave of sedition. RUBY ONLY RED GLASS. Janesviller , Wis. , Woman Duped by Groceryman. . .Tnnesville , Wis. . Dec. 10. Elmer Ellsworth , a prominent groceryman , was arrested today on the charge of obtaining money under false pre tenses. Mrs. Kato Connely said she loaned him $1,000 and took , as security a case supposed to contain a ruby worth $1,000. Then she found the ruby was only red glass. EVANS' SON-IN-LAW ACCUSED. Commodore Marsh of Yankee Will Be Courtmartialed. Washington , Dec. 10. A courtmar- tial was ordered today for Commodore Marsh of the Yankee , a son-in-law of Admiral Evans. He is charged with neglect and allowing his vessel to run aground In Buzzard's Bay. His trial will be held aboard the Wabash at Boston. MAY HAVE PUBLIC LIBRARY. Chadron Citizens Hold Annual Library Rally Building Needed. Chadron , Neb. , Dec. 10. Special to The News : A mass meeting of the citizens of Chadron was held In con nection with the annual rally of the public library association. The opera house was filled with n crowd of en thusiastic citizens and a large fund was subscribed for the maintenance of the library for another year. Miss Templeton , secretary of the state li brary commission , gave an address. The reports given showed that the etllciency of the library to the city had increased many fold since the last annual rally. An excellent program was rendered , and music was furnish ed by the Commercial club band , the Catholic choir , and the high school ctlee club , under the direction of Prin cipal .1. Harold Williams. Ilev. G. W. Mitchell , pastor of the First Congre gational church , was re-elected presi dent of the library association for the ensuing year. It is hoped that the citizens of Chadron will build a now public library In the near future , as such an institution Is greatly In de mand. Heney on Witness Stand. San Francisco , Dec. 10. Francis J Heney appeared as n witness at the trial of Attorney Frank J. Murphy , ac cused of attempting to bribe a venire- man In the Huef bribery case. The assistant prosecuting attorney , who had not been seen in public since be was shot down In Judge Lawlor's court room by Morris Hans , appeared to be almost entirely well. A slight discoloration of the right cheek marked the spot where the bullet of the would-be assassin had entered. Ills voice was full and strong , proving the fear of Its impairment to have been unwarranted. Haskell Dismisses Charges. Oklahoma City , Okla. , Dec. 10. Omor K. Benedict , manager of the Oklahoma City Times , received word from County Attorney Hepburn nt Outhrlo that two charges of criminal libel , pending against him , had been dismissed. Mr. Benedict was arrested Aug. 17 nnd 18 last on complaint of Governor Hnskell , who objected to an editorial that appeared' In the Times. Night Rdler Trials to Begin Monday. Union City , Tcnn. . Dec. 10. The trials of the eight men accused of loading the night rider band nt Reel- foot lake nmV Indicted on a charge of murder , likely will begin Monday. A tentative agreement was reached whereby attorneys representing the men are to he given until that tlmo to prepare their defense. London Comment Satirical. London. Dec. 10. Without depart ing from the consistent admiration .if President Roosevelt , his champions In London llml material for criticism In his message to congress. Their com ments mingle approval with satire. The Chronicle , remarking upon the length of the message , banters Mr. Roosevelt for requiring so much elbow room. It adds : "The most popular of t'lir orators would not dare to speak 30,000 words. " The Dally Graphic calls the message - ago n beautiful dream. The Standard observes that Presi dent Roosevelt has not been alto gether successful in translating his doctrines Into practice and dubs the message an elaborate homily literally Interspersed wltii copy book maxims. OHIO PHYSICIAN CREMATEDJN HOME , nr , G. Barnes Burns to Death In Early Morning Fire , Fremont , O. , Dec. 10. Dr. G. Barnes was burned to death in his homo at Woodvllle , O. , early today. The lire started during the early morning hours and before rescue could come , Dr. Barnes had been cremated. An old man in tlio house adjoining the Barnes home , was saved , although his house burned shortly after he was taken out. SWITCH ENGINE DOES FATAL STUNT. Backs into Car Being Unloaded ; Two Bead. Chicago , Dec. 10. Two men were killed and six severely hurt by a fallIng - Ing piece of machinery which was be ing unloaded from a freight car at the plant of the Corn Products company today. A switch engine backed into the car , knocking the props away. SAYS ROOSEVELT SETS BAD EXAMPLE , Colorado Oflicial Says He En courages Bloodlust. Denver , Dec. 10. F. W. Whetbead , secretary of the state bureau of child and animal protection , In an article in the current issue of a circular Is sued by the Colorado Humane society , declares that President Roosevelt , as a sportsman , Is setting a bad ex ample for ruthlessness and bloodlust to the American nation. ANNUAL REPORT OFTREASURER , Disbursements Fifty-eight Mil lion in Excess of Receipts. Washington , Dec. 10. The annual report of Mr. Cortelyou , the secretary of the treasury , shows a reversal of conditions for the fiscal year 1908 , as compared with the fiscal year for 1907. For the latter year the receipts were $85,230,586 in excess of the disburse ments. For the fiscal year 1908 the disbursements were $58,070,201 , In ex cess of the receipts , duo to business depression and Increased appropria tions. Fortunately , the report says , the available cash balance at the be ginning of the fiscal year was $272- 001,445. Basing his figures on the estimates of appropriations already submitted by the several executive departments , the secretary Is of the opinion that the excess of expenditures over re ceipts for the fiscal year ending Juno 30 , 1909 , may reach $114,000,000. SEEK TO ENJO.N RATE LAW , Railroads Want Injunction Against South Dakota Regulation. Chicago , Dec. 10. The taking of evidence In the suit brought by vari ous western railroads to restrain South Dakota from enforcing Us 2'r ' ( cent a mile passenger rate law was be gun before Master In Chancery Gates. President A. J. Earllng of the Chicago cage , Milwaukee and St. Paul road , the leading witness , endeavored to show that the present values of rail road property could not be determined by the original cost , because It was greatly exceeded by the cost of main tenance nnd Improvements. While his road , ho said , was making every effort to develop the country through which It passed , local passenger service cost 16 per cent moro than through tralllc This testimony was brought out through questions ; by P. W , Dougherty , attorney for the South Dakota railroad commission. iSISTER MARY SIGNED NAME , Attached Signature to Blank Notes for Kiernan , HE FILLED THEM IN LATER' Notes Outstanding Against Catholic Convent at Nnuvoo , III. , Amount to More Than a Million Dollars , Says the Bookkeeper. Nauvoo , Dec. 10. In nn Interview to day Mr. Illndenbergor , bookkeeper and auditor of St. Mary's academy , de clared that Sister Mary was duped Into signing blank notes for Klernnn , who afterwards lllled out the amounts. He said amounts outstanding against the convent would total over a million dollars. TO PROSE CUTiFKEIRAN , Bishop Canevan Refuses to Consider Compromise Propositions. Plttsburg , Dec. 10. S * eral men. saying they were representatives of P. J. Kolran , bead of the defunct Fi delity Funding company of Now York nnd Chicago , were hero attempt ing to compromise with the several Catholic societies of the diocese who have been made defendants In n suit growing out of loans placed through Kelran nnd the Fidelity Funding com pany. One of tlio men was clothed' in the garb of a bishop , but It Is said he admitted that Bishop Canevan had not recognized him. It is said to be the policy of Bishop Canovnii not to con sider compromise' propositions nnd to insist upon prosecutions. Attorneys for the organizations Informed their callers that the matter was now In the hands of the police and would take its course. Attorney Charles A. O'Brien , repre senting one of the societies , Informed alleged agents of Keirnn , who said n syndicate to care for all claims was being organized , that no compromise would be considered. RAILROADS IS YOAKdrVS THEME , Says Government Must Adopt Comprehensive - . prehensive Waterways Policy. Chicago , Dec. 10. J. Pierpont Mor gan sat at the banquet board of the Chicago Association of Commerce last iilgut while B. F. Yoakum , chairman of the executive committee of the Rock Island-'Frisco lines , discussed "Our Country and Our Railroads. " Mr. Morgan accepted the invitation to be present some time ago , stipulating , however , that he should not be called upon to speak. Mr. Yoakum declared that the panic of last winter caused a shrinkage in the payrolls of the railroads of $1,000.- 000 a day , largely as a result of misdi rected agitation against the roads. He averred his conviction that an estab lished railroad' policy by the govern ment Is necessary , but it must be a stable , centralized policy , under which railroads can plan construction years ahead. lie said 100,000 miles of rail road would have to be built west and southwest of Chicago to care for In creasing population and commerce. Railroads alone , he said , cannot solve the transportation problem of the country , but the government must adopt as broad and comprehensive a waterways policy as has been pursued by capitalists in building railroads. Falls Pcad at His Father's Feet. Marslmlltown , la. , Dec. 10. While his father was unhraiding him for dis sipation , L. L. Lawrence , while lying In bed , pulled a revolver from beneath his pillow and blew his brains out at his home near 1-Mhervllle. The young man was In a rising posture when the bullet was ilred and he fell dead'at his father's feet. The young man had caased his family much trouble by his dissolute ways. lie leaves a widow nnd one child. Eloping Couple Have Exciting Time. Marshalltown , la. , Dec. 10. Samuel J. Burroughs and Miss Estella M. Me- Kvoy had an exciting twelve hours trying to avoid parental wrath , which had been ventcil against their pro posed marriage , but they finally suc ceeded In securing the services of a county official and having the cere mony performed in a choir lott , with he temperature around the zero mark. Iowa Central Baggageman Killed , Marshalltown , la. , Dec. 10. A U. Walker , agent of the Iowa Central 1 all way nt Now Sharon , was fatally In jured while handling baggage when struck by a freight train. Bomb In Tenement House , New York , Doc. 10. Moie than a score of persons were Injured , llv < ; of them seriously , and a hundred or more wore thrown Into a panic when a bomb was hurled Into the alrshatt of the tenement house at 330 ICast Sixty- third street. The house svas badly wrecked. It was occupied exclusively by Italians , and It developed that threatening letters had been received by many of them during the last few months. Reprieves Another Murderer. Chicago. Dec. 10. Acting Governor Sherman today reprieved Andrew Williams , sentenced to hang Thursday , until February 19. THE CQNDITIONJJF THE WEATHEf T mperaturt for Twenty-four n ur Forecast tor Neur , < k iMiilltloii of the tvonthw u rt coi < > tul f ( i hi' iwc'ity-foii1 nnnr nillin . - n 'OtllO Maximum . -C Minimum . 21 Average . Ill Harometer . 2U.7J Chicago , Hoc. 10. The bulletin Is iicd by the Chicago etunon of tin United States weather bureau glvrt the forecast for Nebraska an follows : Fair tonight nnd Friday. Colder to night. ROEF CASE : HANDSJJF JURY , Begins Its Deliberations Toward a Verdict , STILL OUT THIS Testimony of Former Supervisors Is Read to Them One of the Jurors Asks Court Difference Between Offer to Bribe and Receiving One. San Francisco , Dec. 10. One of the most remarkable trials in the history of California will end with the dis charge of the Jury that IB today con sidering the fate of Abraham Ruof , charged with the bribery of a former supervisor of this city. Both In dura tion nnd by reason of the startling and unusual occurrences which have attended its progress the trial has at tained a position ns tlio most Import ant outgrowth of the exposures In the summer of 1000 , when a grand jury , after hearing the conk- son ! of sixteen members of the IK. supervisors , returned' scores of u. . . . . . .onto , charg ing bribery against supervisors , Mayor E. E. Scbmitz , against Ruef nnd against oillclals of the street railway system , the gas and electric company , two telephone companies , n realty company nnd a qunrtetto of prize light promoters. Ruef has twlco appeared to answer one of the scores of Indictments pend ing against him. In the first case , vhcrcln Ruef was charged with extort ing money from the proprietor of a French restaurant , the defendant pleaded guilty. The case was after wards reversed by the higher courts. In the second trial , upon a charge of having bribed supervisors In the application of the Parksido Realty company for a trolley franchise , the jury disagreed after seven hours of deliberation. The pending trial was upon an In dictment charging Ruof with bribing former Supervisor John J. Furey. It was commenced on Aug. 2G and there fore has been in progress 105 days. After deliberating a short while the Jury came into court asked that the testimony of three former supervisors be read. The reading consumed about an hour and the jury retired this morning to deliberate or take a ballot. Just before retiring one of the Jurors asked the court to define the differ ence between nn offer to bribe and the receiving of a bribe. CONGRESS BEGIrJS JEAL WORK , House Passes Bill Providing for Taking of 1910 Census , Washington , Dec. 10. For nearly five hours the house ol representatives considered the bill providing for the taking of the thirteenth and subse quent decennial censuses and passed it without material change. From the very outset In the debate it became evident that the progress of the meas ure toward passage would be Impeded by numerous amendments and by the arguments which they developed. Pio- longed , animated nnd at times heated discussion was precipitated over an amendment by Glllett ( Mass. ) , who sought to have the temporary census force authorized by the hill , with the exception of a few minor positions , ap pointed upon the basis of competitive instead of non-competitive examina tions. The session of the senate was chief ly devoted to the formal presentation of departmental reports and the Intro duction of bills. The reports have been made public from time to tlrno and the bills , numbering 352 , were chiefly for the granting of pensions. Fatal Explosltn In Springfield Mine. Springfield , 111 , Doc. 10 Two min frp ore thought to ho dead as the re fill of an explosion In UK.- Springfield Collit-D company's mine Home for Friendless Report. Llnco.n , Dec. 10. At the end of the blennlum , Nov. 30. 1908 , there were In the Home for the Friendless at Lin coln sight-eight children nnd six aged women , the youngest Inmate being one week old nnd the oldest eighty I wo years. Mrs. Mary C. Johnson , super- hit'nil-lit , estimates the appropriation needul for the next blennlum nt f 10- GOO and special appropriations as fol lows School nnd dormitory building , ? 12uO'j ' , furnishing for same , $2,000 ; new Ice plant , $1,000. . 'E BOND ISSUE FGR WATERWAYS nivors and Harbors Gonvonllon Will Ask Confess to Act , PERMAHE3T WORK IS NEEDED , Scheme Contemplates Issuance ol $500,000oo Worth of Federal Bonds , to Be Distributed Over n Ten-Year Period Carnegie Pledges Aid. Washington , Doe. 10. Sentiment In favor of u government bond IHHIUJ for r vomprehuiislvo Improvement of tin lira , harbors nint ciinula of tlio < . 'iitry to tlio onil that thla nutlon sh Jl luivo tlio greatest system of wnt- cnvays in tlio world , gained headway at tlio annual meeting of tlio rlvun and harbors congress hero. Tlio scheme contemplates $500,000r 000 worth of federal hondH for Intunml water courses , to ho distributed over a ton-year period of $50,000,000 $ tnnunlly. Following the lead of President Roosevelt - volt and President Klcct Taft , hoth of whom , heforo tlio joint coiiHorvtitiun meeting , advocated' the Issuance ol govorninent bonds for constructing permanent public Improvements , en- tlniHlastic Indorsement was given the Iiropoaltlon nt the congress by Vleo President Fairbanks , Andrew Car- noglo nnd Joseph 13. Hansdell. Tlio gatlicrlng 111 ! > will adopt resolutlona asking congress to authorize the bonds. Carnegie Pledges Aid. Interest centered In the address of Andrew Carnegie , who received nn ovation when bo declared ho would lend' his aid to Inaugurate an exten sive system of waterway Improve ments. The advocacy by Governor Cham berlain of Oregon of the defeat of sen ators and representatives who have pledged themselves In favor of water way improvements and who fail to redeem - deem their pledges was opposed by Representative Champ Clark , who de clared that congress is not opposed to river and harbor Improvements ami never has been. To say so , bo de clared , would bo to assume that the congress Is composed of n Joblot of political idiots. Ho expressed the be lief that If congress were presented with n feasible scheme for waterway improvement it would bo adopted. Former Mayor Low said that the present greatness of New York was duo largely to the Krle canal. Ho erjld Now York would support national waterway projects as heartily and un reservedly as any other state. Samuel Gompers said the laboring man was vitally interested in water way expansion and hoped the tlmo would come when more attention would be ilovoted to such waterway schemes than to the building of ar senals nnd navy yards. National Conservation Meeting. Governor John A. Johnson of Min nesota , In nn address before the Joint conference of the national conserva tion committee and the governors of the different states , brought an en thusiastic message of accord from the great middle west In the scheme of conservation , and declared that the paramount problem of the hour is the development of inland waterways. "I believe the greatest investment this nation can make Is to construct a canal from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico , " assorted the gov ernor. "It will solve the problem of rate regulation , and will make unnec essary further discussion between sec tions as to whether federal control ab solutely , or stnto control , ran be best , because competition Itself would solve the problem. " Death of Kansas Hermit. Topeka. Doc. 10. General Ilngh Cameron , known as the "Kansas Her mit , " died of apoplexy In a local hos pital , lie came here from Lawrence to attend the funeral of A. II. Case , on old friend. General Cameron was horn In Saratoga , eighty-two years ago. He went to Washington shortly after the election of Knchary Taylor as president. There be became ac quainted with Webster , Clay , Douglas and other eminent statesmen of the day. Ho move-i to his hermitage near Lawrence In 183-1. Society PC-sons Do Not Wed , New York , Doe. 10. Marriages among persons In Now York , who are soclnllv prominent , are on the de cline , nccordltiK to statistics based on names appearing In the Social Regis ter for 1000 , Just out. decrease of 20 per cent over ) nst year's marriages is shown In New York cttv. with a gen eral falling off of approximately 7 per cent throughout tbe country. Pine Bluff Again Menaced. Pine Bluff , Ark. , Dec. 10 Tha entire - tire eastern end of the city npaln is endangered by the flood waters of the Arkansas river The water pas&oil the barriers of steel and lumber caus ing the ground on the protected side to crumble. Unless tlie river la checked n number of buildings Includ ing the Cotton Hell shops , likely will bo destroyed. Water Vapor on Mars , Boston , Dec. in. Prcfessor Perclvnl Lowell announced that his assistants at his observatory at Flagstaff. Ariz. , have determined that the water vapor on Mars Is present and mensurable U betrays Itself In lines of the spec trum.