Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA I DAILY BEE.
ESTABLISHED JUNE 19 , 1871. OMAHA , SATURDAY MOKNIKGr , 3TEBR&A11Y G , 1897 TWELVE PAGES. SINGLE lY EIYE CENTS.
MISERY AND DESOLATION
Culm's Fair Land a Blackened Waste of
Ruined Farms and Towns ,
INDESCRIBABLE POVERTY AND SUFFERING
Graphic Acc.mnt Ucn of IIIn Oli cr-
tntlotiM 1i > - n ClilcnKo Mnn WIio
Vlnltril Ihc Inlnnil to
I Iluy Tobacco ,
< Crip > rlRht , 1HI7 , liy I'rcfs Piiblliihlng Company. )
HAVANA , Tcb. 3. ( via Jacksonville , Fla. ,
Feb. C. ) ( Now York 'World Correspond
ence Special Telegram. ) One of the most
graphic descriptions of the desolation and
misery In Cuba , the poverty and suffering
ot the inhabitants and the devastation'
committed by the Spanlih troops Is given
by Adolph W. Waldmnnn of 12 Dearborn
street , Chicago , a very observing and con-
Bclentlous German-American , who has Just
made an extended business trip through the
Island. His observations show that Weylcr's
claim to having pacified the Cubans Is a
farce ; that Spain cannot conquer the Cuban
troops and that a longer continuance of the
struggle will mean the utter ruin of the
Island. Mr. Waldmann , who haa Just ic-
turncd to Havana , sajs :
"I came to Cuba on January 9 to buy to
bacco. I found only eighty hales In Ha
vana , all poor stuff , and decided to go to
Santiago do Cuba direct by boat and return
slowly by traveling through the country ,
wljoro I could , so as to pick up tobacco , If
there was any. Let mo say there Is none.
The trade In the states Is utterly misin
formed on this point. 1 have been two
wrcks getting forty-nlno bales and have
searched the Island from ono end to the
other. The crop coming up has been de
stroyed. Thcro IP a little patch hero and
there around a town , but the fields arc laid
waste. I can safely say that cast of Ha
vana there Is not enough tobacco gathered
or In sight to keep a small factory In the
United States going for a month. The re
ports of planters to the west of Havana
arc such that tt would be useless for me to
go there. There are three times as much
Havana tobacco In the states today as
there Is cut or glowing In Cuba.
DESTRUCTION THE ONLY END.
"As to the revolution , the situation looks
to me , after studying It with my own eyes ,
to be this : Tha Spankuds seem to be sat
isfied if they can hold the towns. All the
country belongs to the icbols , and the
rebels are slowly deatroving tha towns. If
they had a few twelve-pound cannon , only
the big cities would be standing In a
, month. Nothing could stop them. As It Is ,
I neither side can win. Unless a change comes
Cuba Is certain to be made a waste. It
pretty close to that now. I did not BCD
a farm liouse , except there were soldlen , In
It for a foil , standing in my whole tilp. I
saw hundreds upon hundreds that had been
burned down , as I passed through thg
country , often with halt charred sowing-
machines , craf.cs. furniture and Implements
strewn about. There Is not a homo with
the family In peaceable possession In the
country so far as I could see.
"When I was In the city ot Santiago do
Cuba I got acquainted with some of the
Spanish officers there. Tlicy were very po-
llto and nice to me. They took me up In
n tower and with a glass showed mo the
earthworks and fortifications- the rebel
strongholds. When I asked them'why they
did not attack these places In plain sight
they said the troops could not leave the
small forts on the out-skirts of the city. The
rebels are believed to have about 12,000 men
In the neighborhood. They frequently come ,
officers said , and take cattle from the fields
right around the forts. If the soldiers go
out they are shot down. This was the
i reason they did not go out.
SPANISH OFFICERS DISGUSTED.
"Ono of the officers who scemcd , to bean
an Inspector , examined the guns whllo there.
Ho told mo tint the whole war was on a
rotten basis , and was an outingo upon Spain.
Another officer , a ecneial , afterward ex
pressed the same view. Ho said ho wau
disgusted , and was going to icslgn and go
home. They were angry because the other
officers sat around the cafes In Santiago and
didn't lead the troops to the field. It WBH
Just the same nt Trinidad , Clengugos and In
every largo city.
"On the way up the coast wo could plainly
see the rebel camp fires from the steamer's
dock. Once they were evidently signalling
rj from mountain to mountain. Some officers
, on board said It was a filibustering expedi
tion , telling it whcio to land. 1 haw only
ono gun boat , and that was near Manzanlllo
nt anchor , She was near the damaged
Centlncla , which was caught in the rlvei
Cento by the lehels when they destioyod the
Rclampago. I heard that twelve sailors
were killed on the Centlncla. She Is ver >
badly damaged.
"We had on board 2IC sick and wounded
soldlcis , who could not bo cared for rt San
tiago , as the hospitals weio full. They
tried to put them In ho&pltals In Manzan-
lllo and Clonfuegos , but they , too , weio too
crowded and the sick nnd wounded wore
tan led to Batabano for Hayana. Wo took
on more at every point we touched until
the boat was full. How I pitied those poor
boys for they were only lads. Some could
not have been over II or 1C. They lay
where the cattle- had been. They got no at
tentlon. The stench was awful. A well
man could not stand It. With all these
elck and wounded soldiers , some evidently
dying , there was not n nurse nor a doctor.
QUICK TIME BY TRAIN.
"At Clonfugofl I took the train for Ha
vana. I { cannot be over 350 miles , hut we
weio from 1 o'clock on Thursday morning
until 0 o'clock on Saturday night making the
trip. This was because they were obliged
to inn very slowly on account of the icbcls.
Trains do not run at all at night. A guard
train ran ahead of us and ono followed , There
were , besides , troops on the passfiiget trains.
Travel is not very heavy. Only n few
Spaniards and myself were aboard. I no
ticed many ruins between Clenfugos and
Colon , Between Colon and Mantanzns thu
whole oouptry is burned up , All the vil
lages on the Hue are destioyed except two
and they have stone walls mound them anil
are well protected by troops. The towns
I saw totally destiojed were Campo Florida ,
Balnea and Denav Ides. Thofo partially
burned and practically destioyed wcro San
Miguel , Giianabala , Ibara , Cusbas , Sumldero ,
Collttoo , Tosca and Nadan , The town of
, Llinonar was nUo damaged , but was saved
by Its stone walls , The rebels burned Flor
do Cuba while uo were passing , right In
front of thu soldiers. Many of thcee towns
had not a house stnndlnt ; .
FIELDS ARE DEVASTATED.
"Tho flelda were all devastated. Every
farmhoufco was In rtiliu , Thcru Is not a
thing growing nor planted , It was just
ono long drcaiy , black waste from Clen-
fucgoa ( o Mutanzas. Thla Is true up to
within one mile of both cities.
"On the rlile fiom Matanza to Havnnn U
was Just as bad. There \NI\B only one town ,
x , Jnraucoa , standing , and a portion of that Is
\ t gone up. I saw twelve dead horses In one
'Pile near it. Deid animal * , one , tno and
three nt a time , worn common tights ,
Around the ruins of every town there were
lots of soldiers and a croud of poverty-
stricken countiy people. Some of them
were absolutely naked ; all were nearly so.
"I iaw any quantity of men wearing only
breech cloths. I wondered why these men
did not go and join the rebels. I would
rather die fighting than 6tar\e to death , as
they are doing. I can give you n < ) ndequat.
Idea of the utter wretchedness ot these pee
ple. Weak and naked , theyvvere living , or
* rather d > lng , under pieces ot baik placed
\ leaning against tices. Tliey crawl undci
thla and lay In the mud and dlit : men ,
women and children. Huts In Africa are
palaces to these holes. It wa > the inptt
horrible sight I ever saw , and there are
miles upon miles of It. "
THOMAS ALVOHD. J15 ,
AX A STHAI.IATOWN. .
Storm AVrccUn Mnny IlnllillttKii , 1 > iit No
1,1 % en I , < IH ( .
VICTORIA , D. C. , Feb. 5. Port Darwin ,
a small hut Important town In South Aus
tralia , was almost entirely wiped out by one
of those fearful hurricanes which periodic
ally strike the coast of Australia , destroy
ing property and very often life. Luckily
In this case , no lives vvern lost , hut from
the meagre reports which had been received
In Sydney previously to the sailing of the
steamer Warrlmoo , which has Just arrived
here , the loss of property must have been
very large. The wind was accompanied
by a heavy rain , which ruined the furniture
In residences and goods In stores which
had been deprived of their roofs. The resi
dents had to seek shelter as best they could.
It was a miracle that no one was killed.
The telegraph wires were demoralized by
the storm , and consequently news from the
scene of the disaster is far from full. The
rain and lightning started Monday , January
4 , and rain was pouring down on the fol
lowing Thursday , when the barometer began
to fall and the wind to howl. The wind
was at Its height early Thursday morning
and kept It up all day. Among the few
dispatches received at Svdney was one from
the postmaster , In which the following
paragraph appears :
"Tho town of Darwin Is practically de
stroyed , all buildings being either In heaps
of ruins or very badly damaged. The rain
fall between Monday ftnd Wednesday even
ings was 4.39 Inches. On Thursday one
inch was recorded.
_ _ _
KIUXAl' AMKKICAX : 3III.MOXAIHI"
Yorker mul HH ! Wlfo Travel
it Mini o AVrlte CIiocl .M.
MONTREAL , Teh. G The police report a
queer story of the alleged kidnaping and
Imprisonment in this city of a man named
Richardson , supposed to bo an American
millionaire from the north part of Now
Hampshire. There came to Montreal some
tlmo ago a couple who announced themselves
ns Mr. and Mrs. Stanton of New York. There
was with them n slight , dark man about Eo
years of ago , who was never allowed to leave
the house where they lived or to see any
one who should call. This man was Richard
son , the American millionaire. It Is said ho
was alvays kept under the Influence of a
powerful diug nnd In this semi-rational con
dition his captors forced him to write checks
for larga sums of money. An agent of the
uitlllonalic came here about two weeks ago
to find him Tlio police say this agent saw
the Stantons , hut they had their victim well
hidden and told the agent they know noth
ing about him. The trio disappeared a few
hours befor ? the detectives finally decided to
seaich the house. The detectives arc divided
In their opinion ns to where the mysterious
trio hive gone. The police says Stanton's
real name Is Frazsr and that he Is an ex-
Methodist preacher , formerly known In the
Now York confeier.ce.
! CIV hlAMKSU FllOATIEH.
Krcucli mill Orientals Unable to I.Uu
Toprcllier In Harmony.
PARIS , Feb. G. The Echo de Pails sajo
that fighting has occurred on tbo frontier
of Slim between the French nnd the
Siamese.
Oiilu Tno SenfM In Cniuula.
OTTAWA , Feb. G. The liberty party gained
two seats In the elections for the House
of Commons In three Ontario constituencies
which had been declared vacant by the
courts owing to corrupt practices In South
Drant , Charles I ) . Hovd , liberal. Is elected
by 400 , In North Ontario , Duncan Graham ,
liberal , has been returned by a small
majority and In East Siracoe , W. II. Dennett ,
conservative , retains hla sent" Tho" two first
named constituencies were carried by the
conservatives at the repent election.
Ciilinit I'iiHHeiinrer Train Derailed.
HAVANA , Fell. G iA passenger train
fiom Matan/as was accidentally derailed
jesterday between Colon and Garrelras. An
Ironclad guard car , a baggage car and a
third-class passenger car were capsize J , the
commander of the escort and four soldiers
wcro wounded , one soldier 'was ' mutilated
and the engineer , fireman and the ciew of.
the train and a man selling papers were
killed. Among the passengers many were
wounded.
HrltlNli Steamer Iost.
GIBRALTAR , Feb. G The Onega , a British
steamer , oulwaid bound , to Hull , England ,
has signaled Capo Carvoclio that the British
steamer City ot Agra , outward bound , from
Glasgow , has been lost. The captain of the
Apra Is on hoard the Onegi. The City of
Agr.1 was a schooner rigged srrew steamer ,
built ut Glasgow In 1870. 209 tons net , and
was "Su feet long , had thirty-eight feet
beam and was twenty-eight and ons-halt feet
deep. It vvai owned by G. Smith.
MutfHiilnmiis AttneU ClirlMHmiK.
ATHENS , Feb. 5. Three-fourUn of th
Christians' quarteis In the city cf Canea
have been burned , accoidlng to late ad
vices received from the Island of Crete. The
Christians , while trvlng to escape to the war
hhlps were attacked by the Mussulman pop
ulation and manj were Killed and Injured.
The total number of victims of the lecent
fighting Is estimated at 300.
I'oiie Ilolils tlio llHiinl
ROME , Feb. 5 The sensational minors
circulated In the United States by a news
agency regarding the health of the pope ,
who Is fcald to have been forbidden by his
ph > slclans to hold any receptions foi the
present on account of an alleged fainting
ft } cntlday ! , are unfounded. His highness
held his utual iccoptluns today ,
AH O.nle.t 111 ( iiialonuilii.
WASHINGTON , Teh. 5. Senoi Arrlga ,
the Guatemalan minister , hat > received a
cablegram from his homo gov eminent an
nouncing that tlicic is no i evolution or in
surrectlon In Guatemala , nnd perfect peace
prevails throughout the whole country.
e Mlntslr.1
LISBON , Feb. G The Portuguese mlnlstiy
has rcolgncd and It is undei stood that Scnor
Luclino de Castro will be entrusted with the
task of re-forming the cabinet ,
noun Tiiot'iiM ; FOR THI : IIAKOA.
\oeiiKcil of Suliiilllntx a vVoimui Oat
of niKlilj Dollar * .
NE\V YORK. Feb. G. Haron do Toulouse
Lautrec , who came to this country- some
tlmo npo claiming to he a leprcfentatlve or
the Siberian-Oriental railroad , of which the
ciar Is picEldent , has been again arrested.
The complainant Is Miss Alice Mason , who
charges the baton ulth swindling her out
of JSO on November 12 , At that tlmo the
buron wont to Miss , Nason with a $200 bond
which ho aeKcd her to negotiate for him
Mies Nason had but $ SO , and this she gave.
the baron , taking the boml as security. He
never came back and Miss Nason has now
swoin out a warrant for his arrest. The
baron has been In trouble nearly con
tinuously since ho arrived In this country.
Jin V MV Ytirkcr In ( lie. Cabinet.
ALBANY , N. Y , , Feb. Congressman
Sherman , who has been mentioned for u
place In Mr. MeKlnley's rabluet , was ex
pected to fctop at Albany today to ECO Gov
ernor Black , hut had not ai rived up to noon.
The best informed politicians say there U
little leaeon to suppose any Now Yorker
will bo chosen. Said ono ; "There will be no
New Yorker In McKlnloy'g cabinet , but ho
may throw A couple of ambassadorships over
to the Rtote. Dcpew can get London U hr
desires , and General Porter can go lo
Trance. "
( Ocenii VvwwelN I'Vli ,
At Genoa Arrived Ems , from New York.
At Movlllc-Snllcd-Stato of California ,
from Olnspovv for New YorK.
At Ntw York Arrived Itnlln , from Na
plcf ,
At Oueenstown Arrlved Campania , from
New York for Liverpool.
At Liverpool Arilt'cd Shenniulonli
Sailed Uovle , ( or New York ; Corliitlila , for
Doaton.
REFORMS FOR THE CUBANS
Text of tbo Provisions Adopted by the
Bpanisb Government ,
SCHEME AS APPROVED BY QUEEN REGENT
Reciprocity One of tlic Kcattircn ot
( he Turin ItcKtitatlonn Protec
tion for > atloiinl IniltintrlcH
it I.ending I'eittnrc.
MADRID , Feb. 5. The Official Gazette w 111
print tomorrow the full scheme of Cuban ro-
fornr , as approved by the queen regent In n
formal decree. The following Is a full ex
tract of the decree proper without the pre
amble , article by article :
At title I. The huvs of March 15 , 1S93 , will
be nmpllflcd In nccordinco with the follow
ing rulcJ , uliloli will be developed In by-
.
Uulo 1 , The munlclpnlltles nnd assemblies
of the PK ! provinces of the Islnml of Cuba
( Plrmr del lllo , Hnvnnn , Mntnnzns , Santa
Clnrn , Puerto Prlnclpo nii'l Santiago do
Cuba ) will enjoy nil the liberties coinjnt-
lllo with the laws nnd the res3ect for In
dividual rights. The assemblies will have
the rlff.its to elect their presidents.
In each ncsembly there will bo an execu
tive committee , elected by the nssemblv
ovcrv six months , and Its president will
be elected by said committee.
The mayors nnd deputy mayors will be
elected l > v the municipalities from nmung
the members. Tht-y xvlll exercise , without
limitation , the active functions of the imi-
nlclpnl administration ns oxccutois of the
decisions of the munlclnulltles.
The provincial assemblies will have the
right to suspend the decision of the munic
ipalities if they go beyond the limits of the
imuilclpil rights , but In this rase the mil-
nlclpilltlcs will hnve the rlsht or appeal
to the highest court of the province. The
provincial assemblies -will have , large pov-
ers In matters of taxes. In accordance with
the general and local system of taxation
Tlio appropriations for the provinces ana
municipalities r\Ill -epiiratcly made The
organization of establishments of public In
struction In the provinces corresponds to
the provisional assembly and In the towns
to the municipalities. The governor general
and the civil governors of thp provinces
will only have right of Intervention In m it-
ters of public ln = tructlon to assure the ful
fillment of general laws nnd the compati
bility of the municipal nnd provincial np-
proprlntlono with the evpenses of the e es
tablishments.
COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION.
Rule 2 The council ot administration of
llm Isliml will be composed of thirty-five
councillors , tvventv-one of whom will
bo elc'cted directly by the people , with thp
same conditions and census ns elect the
piovlnclal assemblies and the municipali
ties according to the rule established In
nrtlclo T of the law of > AInich K 1803 Nine
mill be as follows : The president of the
University of Havana , the president of
the Chamber of Commerce of Havana , the
president of the economical societies of
the friends of the country of Havana , the
president of the Planters' association , Iho
president of the Tobacco Manufacturers'
union , ono representing the chanters of
the cathedrals of Havana and of Santiago
De Cuba , one repiesentlng all the trades
associations of Havana , two designated
fiom among the taxonyers of the province
of Havana. The other five will be t.enatoi- >
or repre ontatlvc3 to the Cortes , who have
been elected by the island of Cuba , in a
greater number of general elections
The governor gcne'ral will bo honorary
president of the council , and the actual
president will be nominated by the gov-
einor general from amonp the members of
the council. The members of the Cortes ,
during their term , cannot be councillors of
administration In order to bo elected
councillor It Is necessary to hava the fame
qualifications as are required to bo deputy ,
ati'l It is necessary to have resided twor years
In the Island. The appointment of the of
ficers and clerks of the council will be
vested exclusively in said council. The
council will elect every six months com
mittees , each of them composed of five
member ? , for the transaction of business
and the diaftlng of resolutions
Rule 3 The Cortes rvlll determine the
amount of expenses of sovereignty ( Impe
rial expenses ) , and will determine the to
tal budget. To meet that amount the coun
cil will accord evcrv year the taxes and
revenues to supply the expenses approved
by the Cortes. Only In the case of the
council of administration not havlnir np-
pioved nnd voted by the first of July the
taxes and revenues necessary to meet thq
budget approved by the Cortes will the
governor ( .enernl decree them , with aJv C3
of the Intcnilaiite. The council of admin
istration will frame nnd approve the local
budget and the resources for the expenses.
Educational Institutions to qualify for gov
ernmental positions , excepting for those of
the army and navy , will coi respond In or
ganization to the council of administra
tion.
TARIFF REGULATIONS.
Rule -I The attributes of the council of
administration ns u-earas the customs
tariff will bo as follows :
1. 16 will fix all rnk-s for the application
of the customs duties
2. It will decide what Is most convenient
reganlliiB the taxes on otnorts
3 It will llx or modify the fiscal duties
foi revenue on importations to the Island.
4. It Is to bo heard In an advisory m in
ner regarding the rules , classification and
hchcdule of duties
The rights will have the follcalng limi
tations :
1 National products directly Imported to
Cuba will enjoy Indispensable protection ,
taking Into consideration that the taxes
on foreign products will be for revenue
only
2 Taxes for revenue and established by
the council of administration will be
applied nllko to foreign nnd to national
pioducts
3. Taxes on exports will bo equally levied
and will not bo differential , but it will bo
Impossible to except from these rules the
direct esports to Spain for home consump
tion.
-I. No prohibition on exports will bo Im
posed upon products directly exporte-d for
homo consumption In Bnnln ,
The custom tariff will have the follow
ing form : It will consist of two columns ,
ono for revenues only , equally applied , and
in the same proportion to foreign and home
products , ana the otlur column will consist
of differential duties Imposed on all for
eign products , ami whore there will bo n
margin of protection of the national Indus
try with a maximum that the Cortes will
establish. Thu government will llx for the
first time the articles of the tariff which
will make up the differential columns. The
taxes will not exoeed 20 per cent of the
value ot the articles. The government
will clooreo u. revision of the ofllclnl valua
tion of moichnmllse. after hrnritiK all those
Interested pro and con. The Immediate
icall/'Ukm of nil the conditions established
In the rulcH being Impossible ! the minister
of the colonlca In accordance with the law
of Juno 2S , HI ) ' ) , will publish a provisional
tnrlft on these lines. In crder to avoid de
lay In the icform of the tailfl laws ,
RECIPROCITY.
The commercial treaties or conventions
affecting the tariff of Cuba will bo special.
In order to establish reciprocity there will
not be In them the most favored nation
clauses or Its equivalent The council of
administration will bo consulted ovci the
ailv liability of negotiating commercial
trtntleii and conventions which It It ) the
Intention of the government to negotiate ,
and this will bo done before the final draft
ing of the treaty nnd Its presentation for
tha approval of the Cortes.
Rule B refers to the powers of the gov
ernor general to appoint employes In the
ofllccs of the general government nnd In the
offices of the civil government of the prov
inces.
Rule 0 refers to the secretarial of the
government ; to the powers of Intendante
( head of the treasury ) comptroller , director
of local administration and names the
cleikH In their ofllces.
Rule 7 refers to the appointment of gov
ernmental employes by the governor ge'n-
eral , who must be Cuban horn or penln-
Hiiluroa. and who have resided at least two
years In the island. These appointments
will be made with the advice and consent
of the council of administration nnd with
regard to the local ami proper qualifica
tions of the nominee. From this rule are
only cxceptcd the secretary general Inten-
dnntf , comptroller , director of the local
administration , director of postal and tele-
prapli senlco and j o $ \ \ governors \ o'
Hie six provinces. The govt-inor general
will be authorized to name delegates In the
municipalities and to cxcrclso exccuti.e
functions of the mayors of the munlclpall-
Itiilo 8 refers to the members of the judi
ciary , who will be only appointed among
Cuban born or persons having resided two
jcars In the Islands The municipal Judges
and Justices of th peace will be appointed
by election ! > y the members of the munici
palities supplemented by a number of elect-
orn chosen by the people ,
Rule 9. The council of administration will
respect the actual pending "cohtrncts " , nnd
nt the expiration of same twin have the
right to accept or repenl tlurn. ' The council
will nlso have the power of'enforcing ' In
the Island the treasury lftw the penin
sula nnd of entering Into iVcemtrnct with
the Unnk of Cuba ,
A special decree which will be submitted
to the fortes will contain the rules for the
maintenance of public order nnd the sup
pression of FoceMlonlst movement .
Article II. The government will embody
In n , single decree the present rules nnd
those of the laws of May ID , I'M , develop-
In ? both In by-laws which rhnll not change
the strict sense of the present decree.
Article III disposes that ( he above men
tioned rules will apply nlso to Puerto
Rico ,
Article IV. The date for the application
to Culm of the law of ISO'S hnd the present
decree to Cuba nnd Puerto Hleo will bo
flxcd by the government 93 soon ns the
state or wnr will permit It.
CATTM3 I'ASS TIIK WINTttH WKI.Ii.
Stornt.H Hate Not lli-on SIM ere anil
Ffi-il IN I'lcntlfnlT
HURON , S. D. , Feu. 5. ( Special , ) Whllo
hero yesterday Frank M. Stuart of Buffalo
Gap , secretary of the Black Hills Stock as
sociation and ono of the best known and
most extensive ranchmen in Uic Ulack Hills
country , said the late cold.nud storm were
not severe on stock In that section , Thcro
Is plenty of feed and the now Is not so
deep that grazing Is seriously obstructed ,
except In very limited sections. The
weather has been cold , with n notnblo ab-
scnco of severe wind. There Is every pros
pect that cattle on ranges in the Black
Hills will ho In cplcndld condition when
spring opens.
' C" K. Hcovard , onn cf the foremost ranch
men on the Sioux reservation , says that un
less severe cold and storms ret In later and
are of long duration , cattle on reservation
ranches and on range In 'tl-o foothills will
get through the winter nicely. Mr. Howard
raised 1,200 head of cattle on his ranch the
past year , and now has nearly 1,000 joung
calves.
Similar reports have boon received here
from ranches along the Missouri and Chey
enne rivers , and from various points on
the Sioux reservation.
MAX WITH IIIIAIAS CSOKS 1.NSAM3.
Grcj flutter I'rotruilcH from a Holr In
HIM Skull , I ut He M\L H.
CHAMBERLAIN , S. D. , Feb. 5. ( Spsclal. )
The case of R. R. Merrlgold , an Inmate
of the Drown county hospital , from a medical
standpoint Is a rare curiosity. The pecu
liarity of , the case Is that the patient
actually exlats and has existed for a number
of jcars with a largo hole Ip the aide of
the skull , through which the brains pro
trude , the latter being covered only by the
skin of the scalp. The hole Is circular In
form , about five Inches In uiameter. and Is
located Just above the ear on the left side
of the head. The head looks perfectly nat
ural , and unless a close examination Is
made the abnormal deficiency would not be-
noticed. Merrlgold , who Is now 76 > care of
ago , was taken to the hospital from the
village of Rondcll about four and one-half
years ago. When first taken there he was
perfectly sane , but his mind has since been
gradually giving away , and he now ex
hibits undoubted proofs of a weak mind If
ho could not bo called really Insane. When
first brought to the attention of physicians
the hole in the skull was only about two
Inches across , but It has betn gradually In
creasing In slzs. The- bone seSms to gradually
disappear and nothing call be done to stop
Us absoiptlon. > .v' *
CHAMBERLAIN , S. D.t Fob. G. ( Special )
A saloon war at , Oacomo , a town'on the
'
west side of the 'Missouri river opposite ,
this city , will bo .takeri Into the tlnUeJ
States court for settlement. Some weeks
ago Gcorgo Schercr , one of the two saloon
men in the town , was arrested for selling
liquor to Indians , Herman Hoefer , the other
saloonkeeper , was the principal witness
against him , and he was ( hound over. Now
Hoefer has been arrested on the same
charge , and was also bound over to appear
before the next federal grand Jury by United
States Commissioner Stuart. Scherer Is a
witness against him. The cases ate unique
In that each la a witness ngalmt the other ,
whllo both are charged wUn the sanlo
offense.
Sit CarloailH of Cnrnffil Cattle.
VERMILLION , S. D. , Feb. C. ( Special )
Lee & Prentls shipped six1 carloads of cattle
yesterday to Chicago , which have been fed
on some of the C cent corn lalscd In the
county. Tha cattle were In excellent snaps
for a fair market. But little * grain is coming
Into the city nowadays The buyers are
dlscomaged at the condltjon of the market.
They already have their1 cribs full and what
will probably bs another drawback to much
more buying Is the pool condition of the corn
and wheat. The corn Ms not thorouchly
dried out and Invariably sours In the crib.
Wheat Is also In Inferior condition , ct-peclaUy
that which Is being brought In from the
more recent threshing.
IiiiltiuiN Start for AViiHliliiKton.
CHAMBERLAIN , S. D. , Teh. G. ( Special
Telegram. ) United States Indian Agent Ash
of Lower Brulo agency left hero today
with a delegation of his Indians to confer
with the commissioner of Indian affairs In
reference to the cancellation of a number
of their allotments on the Lower Brule
reservation and retaking of .allotments on
Rosebud reservation , and other matters per
taining to the welfare of the tribe. The
members of the delegation 'were Old Lodge ,
Ono-to-Play-Wlth , Crooked Foot , Sam
Whltcblrd and Joseph Rogers.
Kline-mi of tlio Iloail Train in on.
HURON , S. D. , Fob , 5.Special Tele
gram. ) Almost the entire day was given
over to the funeral ec/vlccs for Conductor
Randolph Addlngton nnd Baggageman Frank
L. llosac , killed in the collision on the Chicago
cage & . Northwestern at Arlington Tues
day night. Both services' were under the
direction of the Masonic' fraternity and
were very largely attended. *
CloHf Up a Hole In ( lie "Wall.
VEIIMILLION , S. D. , Tob/B ( Special , )
Yesterday the hole In the' vvdll. which was
opened up a week ago In a livery stable ,
was closed. The owner of the building was
Infor/ned that unless he turned the gang out
of the building Immediately ho would bo ar
rested for contempt of court. The place
was closed forthwith.
IllilH for Indian Hupp 11 OH.
CHAMBERLAIN , S. D. , I 'tb. C. ( Special. )
At the opening of blds-ldr government
supplies at the Santa Fe agency , J. L Turner
of Springfield was the lowest bidder on
wheat ; I ) . Dado of N'obrara ' on pork , and
It was a tie between Bade and a man named
Gard on beef.
MaKe AVar on the .SnTooiiN , .
CHAMBERLAIN , S. D. , Feb. S , ( Spjclal. )
J. II. and Claude Smith of Springfield
have again been arrested for violating the
state prohibitory liquor law. These men
have been arrested several times during the
past few weeks for the same oltense *
HallroailN UIooktMl "tjltli Snow.
HURON , S. D. , Ffh. S. ( Special Tele
gram. ) No train has moved. In or out today
on this division of the Chicago & North
western , because of the a ow blockide , Only
one mall 1ms gone through to Pierre this
week. i
j
Soil TnriiM on HlH leather.
CINCINNATI , Feb. G. A spepial to tha
Times from Crab Orchard , Ky ( , say * : Ander
son Parker , a farmer of Rock Cattle county ,
In a drunken rage attacked hli wife and
fractured her skull wltb a plub , He then
shot his son through the wrist and Inflicted
a scalp wound. The soq. secured a revolver
and killed hln father. Tha rest of the family
escaped during the fight Parktr wan a
man of considerable wealth.
Amended Allen Exposition Measure- Gets n
Pavorablo Report ,
CARRIES SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND MORE
Scope of the I.nrr Iloailciicil In Ac
cordance with tlic Tronniirr
toiin ami n ( Jreater
Sum 1'rov lilcil Tor.
WASHINGTON , Feb. G. ( Special Tele
gram. ) From the committee on International
expositions Chairman Thurston today re
ported Senator Allen's bill enlarging the
scope of the Transmlsslsslppl Exposition , and
In some particulars amending the act , which
was approved by President Cleveland last
Jur.c. Accompanying the hill was a copy
of the letter written by Acting Secretary
Curtis ot the Treasury department to Sen
ator Allen outlining what the government
would like to have done In the way of mak
ing a more creditable exhibit. Senator
Thurston's report , after following the sug
gestions contained In the letter from the
Treasury department , continues : "These
amendments , It Is believed by jour commit
tee , are In line with the former bill , except
enlarging the scope of the Transmlsslsslppl
and International Exposition to bo held In
the rlty cC Omaha , In the state of Nebraska
In the year 189S , beginning In June and ter
minating In November. Many of the legis
latures of states In the transmlsslsslppl
country are actively Interested In the holdIng -
Ing of a Transmlsslsslppl Exposition In the
city of Omaha In the year mentioned and
propose to appropriate largo sums of money
from their respective treasuries for Individual
exhibits that the exposition at Omaha maybe
bo typical of that great section of country ,
which extends from the Mississippi river to
the Pacific coast , and from the southern
borders of the United States to the British
possessions. In view of the wide Interest
being taken In this cxpesltfon , In which not
only the states comprised In the trausmls-
sisslppl country are taking a prominent part ,
but many foreign powers have Indicated a
desire to ho represented by suitable buildings
and exhibits , your committee docs recom
mend the passage of this bill In Its enlarged
scope nnd as suggested by the Treasury de
partment. "
CHANCE FOR MORE MONEY.
With the report on the bill , Mr. Thurs
ton , on behalf of the committee , presented
a proposed amendment to the sundry civil
bill , covering the amount mentioned , $275,000
( $75,000 for building and $200,000 for exhibit ) ,
which was referred to the committee on
appropriations , Senator Allison , chairman ,
Instead of reporting on Senator Allen's
amendment. The committee thought best to
make a more exhaustive amendment , cmbodv-
Ing the main features of the amended bill ,
which amendment bears the name of the
"International Exposition. " Senator Tliurs-
ton Insists that thy amount Indicated should
bo put on the house appropriation bill before
It reaches the senate , but ho wants to be
In a position to sccuro the amount In thu
senate if the house should refuse to make
provision for this sum , herco the recom
mendation from his committee
- ENDORSEMENT FOR MUNQER.
SSean tor-Allen has.written a highly laudatory - -
tory l&tter-tu Chhu-raa'n Hoar of the-judjclary ,
TSomrc'Htee ' in iaVoFof'W "H. Hunger's con
firmation. Among other things he says : "I
have known Mr. Munger for twelve years.
Ho is a gentleman ot pure personal charac
ter , broad general and legal education , pos-
cesses an even temper , and Is well qualified
to make an excellent Judge. Ho ranks
among the first lawjers of Nebraska. He Is
In no sonsa a politician. In my Judgment ho
posse-sacs in a marked degree the qualities
that make a perfect Judge. He Is free from
all alliances that would raake-hlm champion
of any particular party or personal Interest.
The court over ( which he would preside
should not be used as a political machine by
himself or subordinates to advance the po
litical Interests ot any party or person. Liti
gants in all stations of life would bo treated
with absolute fairness and Justice. I re
gard Mr. Munger's nomination as very for
tunate , and I beg to express the hope that
his name will be promptly and favorably re
ported to the senate by the committee over
which you preside. "
Representative Lacey of Iowa has passed c
bill to psnslon Margaiet Klrkpatrlck at $12
per month.
Senator Allen has Introduced n bill grantIng -
Ing an Increase of pension to Alex Swallow
of Platte county , Nebiaska , and to remove
charges of desertion from the name ot
Thomas Blackurn , of Keith county. Ho also
Introduced several petitions from citizens of
Auburn and Crawford praying for
the ratification of the arbitration
treaty , and also a petition of
the Western Nebraska Wool Growers' asso
ciation praying that the Nebraska delegation
use its Influence and vote for a tariff on
wool , 12 cents on merino , 2i cents on washed
30 cents on scoured wool , and the dropping
of the skirting clause.
PUBLIC BUILDING AT DEADWOOD.
The oenate committee on public buildings
and grounds has reported' favorably Pottl-
grew's bill appropriating $200,000 for a
public building and site at Deadvvood. Mr.
Pottlgrew presented a petition of many citi
zens of South Dakota protesting against the
bill contemplating the division of South Da
kota Into two Judicial districts , the court
of the Eouthein Jurisdiction to bo located at
Yanltton.
If Senator Thurston has good luck ho will
complete his speech tomorrow on the Allen
resolution , looking to the Investigation of
the powers of the president and attorney
general to foreclose on the Union Pacific
Mr. Thurston Is making It Impossible to have
legislation that will deprive the president
from going ahead and selling the road to
ths highest bidder through the Derailment
of Justice. "Tho v/hole question , " said ho ,
"Is now In the courts , where It will bo
pushed to a final adjudication , A largo
prlco will be paid Into the treasury and if
congrcos throws no cloud on the title , we
may expjct this vexatious question to betaken
taken out of the domain of politics. "
C. N. Deltz and wlfo of Omaha arc at
the Raleigh.
Nora Bergland was today appointed postmaster -
master at Dannebrog , Boone county , Neb , ,
vlco F. L. Wldegrcn , resigned.
WOMJV roil TIIIJ I'OSTAI , CONGIlUhS.
UHtlmalc It Will C'ONt 1:00,000 to KII-
tortalii lU'lfKiitfH.
WASHINGTON , Feb. G. In a letter to the
secretary ot the treasury , which has been
transmitted to congress , Postmaster General
WlUon recommends an appropriation of
$200.000 to cover the expenses of the meet
ing of the ccrgress of nations composing the
Postal union , which will gather In this city
the first Wednesday In May and bo In session
elx weeks or tua months. Mr. Wilson FIJII
that lie has no way of Itemizing the cast cf
the congress , but thinks that $200,000 might
cover the expenses. He says that dis
tinguished re i resentatives of foreign nations ,
Including rtntmaster generals of those
nations , will he present and that he considers
11 the duty of this country to provide for the
congrets in good stvle. He mentions the
fact that at other eesslons of the congrers
thu delegates have been entertained by the
rulers of the countries and that nothing
which could bo done for the delegates here
tofore has been left undone.
the Immigration Hill.
CHICAGO , Feb. 5.-The Post's Washing
ton special says : The immigration bill ,
divested of gome of the features looked
upon us offensive , wilt be reported to the
senate and house at once and urteJ to
pasnape. In Its softened form It will
probably be approved by both brunches
of congress and go to the president. It U
understood that Mr. Cleveland will not
iHsltate to put Ills name to the bill OR It
will bo presented to him. Senator Chandler
says ho doca not expect the bill will now
meet with serious opposition.
THE BSE BULLETIN.
Weather I"ortcn t for Nel > rn kn
ColJerj Northwest V
I'ngo.
1. Mttrry mitt Denotation In Culm.
Spnnlli Itcfnrntft for Culm.
Tlmraton Report * the Kxto Ulon II
llcform llm It * ruvorltes.
S. 1'nllco rrovo Tlu-lr Nrgl'sencc- '
Site for tlioitpnsltlnn : Srloctcit <
Inwn'i * Code Not Ilmlly Completed ,
n. Sriinto to Almuton Nlrnr.iRim Cnnnl
Sugitr Under thn I.pxinv Inquest.
California Get * n Cabinet I'lnco.
t. IMltorlul and Comment.
B. 1'l.in for KeeountliiK the llnllotn ,
0 , Council 1II u IT n Local Matter * .
Manufacturing Itlll llc In Iowa.
7. CommonInl ami IM'itincliil Nous.
8. Honllii" Mfoot n Coiigres nmii
In the rirldof Klectrlclty.
0. Women uml the O.nihi Ktpoittloi.
City's llnlntioo Sheet on Taxes.
Cut Kutrs to the PrUo Fight.
Ciiptltu Troitml Very Courteously.
10. HIM of remliilno < } o < sli | ,
Notes on Current Literature.
11. Mounter ( Inns of tlio United St.ites.
Measuring KITeet of thu Kiaiitloni ,
Nebr.mUa Supreme Court Sjllabl.
12. "Tho Ouna of Cnlia. "
OM2 MAX I.Y.NClinn AMI TWO SHOT.
IetnllN of the Reported Troulile In
Oltlalinnia Territory.
KANSAS CITY , Teh. G A special to the
Times from Quthlle , Okl. . savs : Full par
ticulars received today from Lincoln county
show that the outlaws who terrorized the
Sao and Tex agency , committed depredations
at the town of Stroud , fifteen miles northeast
o Chandler , a few hours befoie. The re
ports brought In vesteiday bj deputj mar
shals to the effect that General Thomis ,
agent at the Sac and POK agency , had been
shot , and that three men had been killed ,
were Inconcct , and arose from the sensa
tional occurrence at Stroud. The robbers
roilo Into the agency , but there was no shoot-
Ing.A .
A bitter feud has existed between the
Grlllltli and Lurten families , near Stroud.
The GrKIUhs arc tough characters and have
figured In several outlaw raids. The feud
grew out of a dispute over a farm near
Stroud. Thieo weeks ago , whllo two of
the Grlfllth bovs were plowing on the dis
puted ground , they were shot from ambush.
They suspected Henry Lurten and caused
his arrest and Incarceration. Lurten gave
bond and was released. On Monday the
Griffith gang , composed of six members , gal
loped Into the town of Stroud and terror
ized the citizens. They ordered every busi
ness house and school closed and locked ,
declaring that a bloody battle would shortly
take place. Tor two dajs Stroud was In a
state of siege and few people ventured out.
Wednesday , whllo Deputy Jim Furbcr ,
Henry"Lurten , Everett Lurten and Charles
Moore were entering Stroud , they wcro am
bushed by the Griffith gang , eight in num
ber. Twenty shots were Bred , hut no ono
was killed.
Four of the Griffiths rode hurrldly away
to the Sao nnd Fox agency , where they
caused the excitement already mentioned.
The four remaining outlaws then captured
the two Lurtens , Turner and Moore , bound
them and hurried them away to the Creek
country. Citizens of Stroud followed , and ,
fearful of capture , the Griffiths released
Furber , telling him he would find his three
companions jtrung up'before-dajllsht. Two
'paspai'bt.deputyjpnarehalaJiavoletUCh.indler
to Intercept the Griffiths.
A report received tills evening says that
old man Henry Lurtin has been lynched
and Everett Lurten and Mooio shot. At
this writing the latter report cannot bo con
firmed. The whole eastern country Is
Etlrrcd up.
MUCH DESTITUTION IX lbUISIA\A.
Thlrtj TliotiHiunl People Arc I'rnetl-
eallj Star\liiK ( o Dentil.
ST. LOUIS , Fob 5. A special to the Re
public from Shreveport , La , sa > s : Thirty
thousand pcoplo In the state arc piactlcally
starving to death. A relief committee
which has Inspected the stilckcn parishes
near Shreveport says this number of pco
plo will have to be sustained during the un
fruitful season. The state has already ex
pended $85,000 for coin and provisions for
the sufferers and calls for funds. A meet
ing was held In Shreveport today under tall
of the Board of Trade and $5,000 wab sub
scribed.
\L3\V JtII.,1 , I'OIl A STATE EMIIII1T.
South DnUoln 1'rniioNfN to He in j\i-
leiice nt the HvpoKl lion.
PIERKE , S. D. . Feb. 5 ( Special Tele
gram. ) On the joint ballot today PIckler
received Dl ; Kyle , 31 ; Good > koonU , 21 ;
Plowman , 10 ; Weeks , i ; Palmer , Keller and
Hlnckley each 1. 'Iho autl-Kylo men say
Goodykoontz's vote will go to 27 tomoirow
whllo Kjlo will not get over 29.
In the senate today all the tlmo was
taken up with n fight of the liquor license
bill , which was finally laid over until Tuefa-
day.A .
A number of new bills were Introduced ,
among them being ono providing for a
state exhibit at the Traiisrntsslsslppl IX-
posltlon and one providing for state de
positories.
In the house the committee reported favor
ably on the bill to reimburse Treasuier
Pjillllps and n favoiahlc report on an equal
suffrage hill was made a special order for
Monday. Bills wcro Introduced to conboll-
date all the counties of ceded lands Into
the counties of Stanley , Lvman , Pennine-
ton , Meade and liutte. A icsolutlon was
Introduced memorialising congress to pass
a bill recla slfylng mail clerks and fixing
salaries. Hills wcro passed relating to
usury , for investment of permanent school
fund and for cancellation of mortgages.
The valued policy Insurance bill was killed.
II.YVN.V MAKUS A Til II' 'I O OAVIO.V.
i He.V11I Hold nil Impor
tant Iner\l ( < MV nidi Mclvliilc'j.
CLEVELAND , 0 , , Fob. 5. Chairman M. j
A. Hanna left , tlio city at 11 * o'clock this
morning for Canton , He was accompanied
by John AddlJon Porter of the Hartford
Post , who has just been appointed private
secretary of the president-elect , and Uellimy
Storer of Cincinnati , who has been chosen , It
la said , as minister to Home , It U gen
erally conceded that the conference which
will take place between Mr. Hanna and the
president-elect this aftcinoon will bo a anost
Important one. < Mr. Hanna expects to re-
tuin to Cleveland this ) evening.
Women 1'etllloii for tlio SuIfniKe.
VEIIMILLION , S. I ) , , Pob. G , ( Special. )
Some of the prominent members of the
Women's Christian Temperance union of
this city are circulating a petition to the
legislature , amont ; the women and business
men of the city , praying that body to bring
the woman's suffrage question before the
people at the fall election In 1898. The
paper has thu names of every business man
In the rlty , except , perhaps a dozen , and a
llko number of women. This movement
is general throughout the state , each local
union In the different cities having been
supplied with tbo printed petitions.
CMiil > ( ] ui > to I'arlK.
INDIANAPOLIS , Ind. , Teh , G John 1C.
Gottdy , chairman of the republican stale
committee , returned today from Canton , and
tonlghti announced that Major McKInley had
tendered him the Important poiltlon of con
sul general to Paris. Mr. Dowdy added that
after due consideration he had notified the
preildent of his acceptance of the post.
ICIIIn T o.
FJIANKKOUT , Ky. , Feb , D. Joe niche and
John Thomas , atone inabom , wcro ( terribly
mangled In a premature dynamite explosion
near town tills morning. Ono la dead and
the other dying.
FAVORITISM
livil Service Rules Which Have Beep ,
Provided \vith Loop HoloSi
HOW' THE POLICE BOARD FILLS PLACED
Relatives anil Friends of Members Oared Fqj
at Any Oost.
LAW DISTORTED TO MAKE ROOM FOR ONE"
Qcorgo Oonltor Forced to RotSro to Favor
Young Vnndorvoort.
INCOMPETENT MAN GIVEN A POSITION
Sniicrliilciiilpiiry of riro Alarm Sj *
icm .vnonlH mi I'xnmple of ( lie "
Mfthoiln of the Kml-
' iicnt Hcforniorn.
Thcro Is ono thing tlio members of tb *
"reform" police board cannot bo charged
\\ltb , and that Is failure to provide for their
friends and relations In making up the offi
cial roster. In doing this they mot only ,
trespassed upon the plain provisions of the
statutes , but they luiporcd upon those who
\\cro not so foituuatc as to ha\o a pull with
the board ,
Ono of the most questionable acts of the
"reform" board was the retirement of Qcorgo
A. Coulter as superintendent of the flro
alarm sjstom to make room for the son of
Paul Vamlorvoorl , who nt the time was a
member of the hoard. Young Vandervoort
had never been accused of Know Ing much ,
about electrical appliances , hut lie had a
dutiful father on the board , and for this
reason , and this reason only , ho was put on
the pay roll. It required some ( scheming ,
some Jugglery to accomplish this task , but
the board , which seems to ha\o boon a signal
failure In everything clso , was equal to the
emergency.
January 7 , 1S9C , the flro alarm ! department
consisted of George A. Coulter , superin
tendent , at n salary of $125 per month , and
three linemen at a salary of $70 per montU
each. At this time the force had just com-
pletcd n thorough o\erhaullug and repairing
of the si stem , nnd , for n time at least , almost
any ono could discharge the duties Incum
bent upon the superintendent. The board ,
saw that It was a good time to install voung
Vandervoort , and on Januaiy 7 , 1SOG , Super
intendent Coulter was gi\en a leave ot
absence for one month with full pay. Tula
was lather hard on the taxpayers , and It
Jldn't harmonize very well with the "re-
foim" pretenses of the board , but the hoard
was looking out for Interests closely as-
saclatfd with personal aggrandizement , and
ever > thing else was lost sight of. At thla
same time Fred Vandcrvoort "was-mado as
sistant surbrlntcndent al a salary of $75 POP ,
month. One of the linemen was discharged
because them was no work to do.
The month passed by and Coulter leturnel
to his post. No sooner had ho leturned
than liv was confronted with a proposition
to make Vandervoort's position permanent.
Coulter strenuously objected. He could BCO
no re UK on why there should be an assistant
superintendent when theio was no work for
him to do , and he was doubly opposed to the
appointment of a man to the assistant
superlntendercy who was notoriously In
competent.
FORCED HIM TO RETIRE.
Finally , when Coulter would not yield ,
the board frow desperate. It did not pro
pose to have Us plans upset by an appointee.
Its next move was to summon Coulter to
Judgment. It may not have been righteous
Judgment , but It was the sort of judgment
determined men not infrequently inflict when
vested with arbitrary power. Coulter waa
called In and was tnfoimcd that ho must
cither retire on u pension of $30 pur month
or bo dismissed from the service for In-
compctency. Coulter piotested against such
treatment , but the hoard held the whip hand ,
and he , rather thin ho discharged from the
service without componsatoiy benefit , con
cluded to retire' on the promised pension.
This act was followed by tbo appointment
or election of voung Vandervoort as super
intendent at un incieased salary.
The retirement of Coulter on a pension
was an act wholly unsupported by law , and
the appointment of Vandervoort was a
blunder and mistake which the board hail
since been compelled to admit nnd rectify.
The law authoilzing metropolitan cities to
pension flrcmcn Is not easily misconstrued ,
so that , nhon the hoard assumed to act
under this statute , It deliberately distorted
the law to cover up t.ts own misdeeds. The
act peitalnlng to this , passed In 1&05 , rcadsi
"Metropolitan cities shall pension all flro-
mcn of the paid fire department whcncvon
such firemen : , lmll have served In such flro
department for the pcilod of twenty-on *
ycais and shall elect to ictlin from nctlvo
service and go upon the ictlrcd list. "
The law piovidct , that the amount oC
pension shall bo 25 per cent or Ills salary ,
at the ( line of ictlrnni'iH. Section 4 of
this act rajs ( hut "this act shall apply to
olllccrs of the paid fire department nf cities
of the first class and of the rnctiopolltaa
class. "
The board in retiring Coulter on a pension
violated tlilu act In two lespccU. In the
first place Coulter was not a fireman In the
meaning of the law at the tlmo the board :
ictlrcd him. Ho was , and for ycais had
been , connected with the alarm sjstem , and
onlj open t.0 flagrant distortion of the law
would cntltlo him to a pension. In the
second place , had he been a fireman , ho
did not elect ( a retire ; his retirement was'
forced upon him by lineal of dismissal , and
this of Itself would operate as an estoppel
and restrain the board from allowing him !
any compontntlon whatsoever.
Dut v\hlle the boaid might successfully ,
liansgress the law , there wcro Berne thing *
It could not do. Ono of these was to en
dow the new superintendent with sufficient *
knowledge to enable him to perfoim tha
duties of his position. U vvaa soon dis
covered that joung Vandervoort was not
equal to the task , and to shield Itself front
the effects of. Us orMtiary action In remov
ing a competent man to make place for an
Incompetent one , the hoard appointed Eo >
ward Schurlg , city plectilclan , cx-ofllclo su
perintendent of the alarm tjstum and re
duced Vandervoort to the position of as
sistant. Subsequently Coulter , who waa
compelled to retire , was ic-lnductcd Into
active Hcrvire In the capacity of lluo man ,
and In now on the pay roll. i
FOSTER'S ITALIAN HAND. * 1
Neither hau ( 'omtnlrtloner Foster , who 1 *
chairman of the "refotm" board , overlooked !
his relatives In distributing thu loaves ancli
fUhcn. No " " hoard
corner was the "reform" *
Installed ( haa the chairman began to looK