The Omaha Daily Bee.
ESTABLISHED JUNE 19, 1871.
OMAHA, FRIDAY HORNING, MAY 22, 1903 TEN PAGES.
SINGLE COPY THREE CENTS.
FIRE STALLS TRAINS
Hew York Central Road Tied Up by Disas
trous Blisa in Yard.
BURNING TAR BARRELS IGNITE OIL
Tank Scattered Orer Quarter Mils of Adja
cent Territory.
ONE MAN DIES AND MANY ARE INJURED
Fire Hundred Can Jeopardised and One
Probably Consumed.
' CAUSE OF CONFLAGRATION NOT KNOWN
Explosions are Heard All Over the
Bran, Whtle Flames Shoot Hnn
rot Feet Into the Air, De
straying; Two Balldlags.
NEW YORK, May a. An explosion of
live barrels of hydro-carbon In the New
York Central railroad yards at One Hun
dred and Fifty-fifth street and Sheridan
avenue today caused a disastrous fire, re
sulted la the death of one man, and
, stalled all trains on the New York Cen
tral.
An erroneous report that eight men had
been burned to death was rent to police
headquarters but was quickly denied. Jo
seph Careno lost Ms life and John Weyler
and Leonard Btoker were severely burned,
The Are spread to three g-as tanks, the
machine and repair shops and several
freight cars. The explosion of the gas
tanks caused much confusion and for
time It was feared that It would be Impos
sible to save the hundreds of cars lying In
the yards. The Twentieth Century lim
ited for Chicago and other New York Cen
tral trains were stalled.
. Many Explosion Occur.
Explosions occurred at Intervals of one
or two minutes and were heard all over the
Broax. The first oil tank to explode was
' opposite On Hundred and Fifty-fifth street.
In It the t gas was made with which to
light the cars. The. tank was about forty
feet In diameter and thirty feet high and
contained nearly .200,000 gallons of oil. The
fir shot 100 feet Into the air.
An adjacent building used as a factory
was totally destroyed, as was aso a repair
shop nearby, which was thirty by slaty
feet In else. The firemen saved the large
machine shop,
The origin of the fir la hot yet ex
plained, but from a report It Is said the
lira started In a number of tar barrels.
caught an oil car and thus spread to the
. oil tank. When the explosion occurred
section of the tank were blown In al direc
tions, two sections landing too feet from
the scene of the blase,
Joseph Chefeno, one of the Injured men,
la reported t have died, and It la said an
Unidentified uian died In the Lebanon hos
pital as tha 'iresult of Injuries received at
Me pre, .WW w ifvj woi eniuuaijr
. Inrured. , V 1 r ' s
' All ths WSs on the Mew York Central
fcoinsT both olreotlone are stalled. There
war at least (00 cars of alt descriptions
In tha freight yards, but It la not known
how many. If any, of these have been
burned.
ST. PETERSBURG IS ANXIOUS
Oatbreaka are Expected I'poa the Oc
casion of the Asproacblag
Blcentennnry.
ST. PETERSBURC ''''I, , "1. Th great
est anxiety prevails In. '' -alive cir
cles owing to the possibility 'v ms out
breaks on the occasion of the , vng
blcentennary of this city.
The police have requested the own
workshops and factories te refuse a holla,
to their employe during the festivities.
But the men probably will refuse to work.
Revolutionist emissaries have been flood
ing the workshops with seditious literature
in which It Is declared that while the csar
In his proclamation of March 11 pretended
to be animated by a desire to ameliorate
the lot of the peasants. In reality he cares
nothing for them, and the men must them
selves obtain their rights.
These pamphlet are couched In language
most Insulting to the cssr, the csarlna and
the government. The employers are asking
for police protection during the celebra
tions.
The recent destruction by fire of a fac
tory at St. Petersburg. Involving the loss
of about $300,000, la attributed to the work
men.
The working people here are becoming
more Insistent in their demands for in
creased wages, shorter hours and the right
of organisation for mutual aid.
The bank managers, shopkeepers and
warehousemen have decided to close their
establishments during the festivities.
The police have discovered another secret
printing shop and have seised many revo
lutionary proclamations.
PICTURES WILL ESCAPE DUTY
Art Tnmun of Harsu Art to Be
Admitted mm "Hoasehald
Effect a.
NEW YORE, May XL Under the design
ation "household effect," J. P. Morgan
will be able to bring into this country most
of hi art treasure that are now scattered
through the museum of Europe or are In
hi London house.
Mr. Morgan ha ordered hla agent to
gather together all his paintings, brlo-a
brao and antique, and It la believed Amerl
can will have an opportunity of seeing
on of the finest private collections in th
world. ' ;
The object of art are appraised at not
lea than 12.000,000 and had Mr. . Morgan
Imported them a year ago he would have
been obliged to pay almost 1300,000 duty.
Many of th painting and smaller antique
have been In Mr. Morgan's Park Lane
house for more than a year and therefore
coma In under th head of household effect
which are not dutiable.
It la aald Mr. Morgan'a leas of a fine
house In Park Lane was made mora with
a view to obtain a legal residence for hi
art treasure thsn to have a dwelling house
In London's .famous avenue.
DENVER STRIKE IS SETTLED
Men Win Many Oonoessioni, Including
Agreement to Arbitrate.
UNIONS ARE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED
Sevea Thoasand are Oat at St. Loals,
While Kew . York Wives Fetch
Hasbaads Away Frosa Work,
la Sabway.
CROATIAN UNREST SERIOUS
Troops Use Bayonets anil Gaas to
Repalae Peasant . Stoae
linger.
VIENNA. May 21.-Th revolt In Croatia
Is spreading to every part of the Titular
kingdom and threaten to extend to Dal-matla.
The celebration at Agram yesterday of
tne anniversary of the death of Jellaclhlch
von Buclm, th former ban of Croatia,
culminated In a flerce conflict with the
police, who attacked the crowds with
sabers, wounding many persona and mak
ing 380 arrests. Agram Is now completely
unaer military rule. Four regiments, fully
equipped for war, have been ordered to
proceed from Oedenburg to the Agram dls
trlcL
At Buccarl and Meja thousands of peas
ants attempted to destroy the railroad in
order to prevent the arrival of troops, and
when the military arrived pelted them with
stones. The troops retaliated by shooting
ana nayonellng.
The Slavs resident In various part of
Austria ana Bohemia are holding Indigna
tion meetings to protest against tha pro
ceedings in Croatia.
In Dalmatia Important demonstration
have been planned for May 80, when pro
test meetings will be held in twenty places.
Th disturbance In Croatia are primarily
aue to the long-standing race hatred be
tween the Slavs and the Magyars,
WOULD "WEAKEN ITHE" EMPIRE
Lor Roaenery Fata Himself oa Rec
ord as 'Opposed tn Chamber.
Jala'a Reciprocity Plaa.
LONDON, May Zl. Lord jRoaebery ex
pressed surprise that hi speech at Burnley
on May 19, In which he dealt with Colonial
Secretary Chamberlain's tariff speech,
delivered at Birmingham on May 16, ha
been Interpreted aa In any way supporting
Mr. Chamberlain' proposal to establish
reciprocity between Great Britain and her
colonies, and explain that he purposely
treated the subject uncontroversally be
cause he was. addressing a non-polltlcal
audience.
Lord Rosebery adhere to hi opinion
that the liberal party I lndlssolubly bound
to free trade and that anything like an
Imperial commercial league would weaken
the empire Internationally and exert the
permanent hostility of the world.
In a letter to a constituent Mr. Chamber'
lain further emphasises his belief In th
necessity for an Imperial commercial
league. Ha say:
I am firmly convinced that the nrosneritv
of this country depends largely on its trade
witn tne colonies, wnicn under a wise sys
tem of mutual concession will Increase bv
leaps and bounds. We have been apt In the
paat to consider too much the advantage of
buying cheaply and not to pay sufficient at
tention to metnoas wnereny we may have
tne means mat enaDie us to pay at all. In
creased wages are even more Important to
the working classes than reduced cost of
living.
Mr. Chamberlain adds that he has th
fullest confidence In .the working classes
and their power to realise the great Issue
which depend on present action.
FENCES MUST COME DOWN NOW
Hitchcock Denies tha Re part That
Time Ha Beea Extended
ta Jaly.
WASHINGTON, May 21 Secretary Hitch
cock said tonight that the report that there
had been extension of time to July 1 for
the removal of fences around public lands
used for graslng purposes was Incorrect.
An inquiry of this character came to the
Interior department from Nebraska. Shortly
after the adjournment of congress the de
. partment Issued orders to Its agents, di
recting the removal of the fences, and the
law, tha secretary said, would b carried
out.
In some of the other ststes the removal
of the fence has been In "progress for a
year or more.
BOILER MAKERS ELECT OMAHAN
Hesspell Is Made Third Vice Presi
dent of Railway Association,
COLUMBU8, O., May The Interna
tional Association of Railway Master
Boilermakers concluded Its second annual
convention here today deciding to meet
next May at Denver, Colo.
J. A. Dornberger of Roanoke. Va., was
elected president; C. L. Hempell, Omaha,
was made third vice president.
INHABITANTS GIVEN WARNING
Town of Frank Is Threatened with
Another Great Disaster.
FRANK. N. W. T.. May B.-A crack
four feet wide and 100 feet long haa opened
200 yards back from the face of the western
peak of Turtle mountain at the summit.
A dispatch has been received from the
lieutenant governor of the territories order
ing the mounted police to Inform everybody
of th danger and suggesting the Imme
diate evacuation of the place.
DENVER, May 21 The strike which fot
several days has practically paralysed th
business of this city, involving nearly lo,-
000 men and women was settled at 7 to
night through the efforts of committees ot
the Chamber of Commerce and the local
Typographical union. Though both sides
made concessions the victory seems to be
with the men.
The agreement entered Into between the
General Executive Committee of Or
ganlsd Labor and the Executive Commit
tee of the Cltlsen'a alliance, whose mem
bership embraces nearly all of the em
ployers of labor In the city concedes
(1.) The right of employes us well as
employers to organise.
U.) Permits employers to cnoose tneir
i.ipioyes regaruitsBS ui their mvuiuei ship i.i
unions.
. Forbids the discharge of employes
on account of their aMlllaiion with unions.
(4.) Provides tor the arbitration of the
present differences by a board to consist
of 'live employers and five employes ui
rectly involved In the present trouble,
and, if necessary, an eleventh man who is
not involved, tne findings ot this txiara to
be binding upon all members of the Citl-
sens alliance and upon all unions rep
resented by th general executive committee.
(6.) All strikes, lockouts and boycotts
are declared off.
(6.) The men now out are to be re-
Instated as rapidly as their services can
De u i) i iiea.
a-i All suit for injunction are to be
withdrawn.
even Thousand Oat la St. Loals.
ST. LOUIS, May Zl. Approximately 7,000
men are now on atrlke In St. Louis. The
threatened strikes, which hav been brew
ing for some weeks past, have culminated
and commerce In St. Louis Is seriously Interrupted.
The freljrht handlers of all the road In
St. Louis and East St. Lout today struck
in sympathy with the porters and packers
between 1,800 and 2,000 men going out, and
aa a result there la a possibility that the
officials of the roads will endeavor to se
cure an Injunction from ' the federal court
to restrain the men from Interfering with
their buslnesa If they proceed to (11 tha
vacancies with nonunion men.
It Is claimed by representatives of both
branches of the freight handlers that the
tleup In St. Louis Is complete and that
every railroad Is affected. At present, ac
cording to the claims of union representa
tives, between 2.500 and S.000 men are
directly involved, and the number will In
all probability be increased.
In addition to the striking freight hand-
lera the strike situation In St. Louis In
clude the walk-out of 4,000 metal worker.
This ha resulted In tying up about $400,000
worth of contract work throughout tbe city.
Soma of th men demand ahorter hours; th
majority .demand an average Increase la
wage of 10 per cent, v , ;. .' .
..Tin , Plata Seals Signed.
PITTSBURG, Pa., May B. The Amal
gamated association officials returned to
this city and it Is announced that tne tin
plate scale was signed at the conference
with the manufacturers In New York. The
settlement Is considered a good one for
the workers- and from 20,000 to 26,000 are
affected. The most important feature of
the new agreement was the limit of out
put and waa the cause of the delay at the
meeting.
The wsgea of the skilled workmen re
main unchanged, being on a sliding scale
based on the selling price. . The scale goes
Into effect July L
Wives Call Hasbaads 0.
v NEW YORK. May B. Subway contrac
tors experienced great difficulty today with
their employes, many of the men being
taken away from work by their wlvea. In
many instance the women say the strikers
have threatened that their husbanda would
be killed K they do not quit work.
COURT DECIDES QUEER CASE
Paternity of Child Bora In Omaha Is
Issa sf Complicate
, Litigation.
PITTSBURG, Ta., May a. The end of
one of the most sensational cases ever
tried In the United States circuit court
came today when the Jury In the case ot
Beverly Robinson against Robert 8.
Btephenson and others, returned a verdict
for the defendant.
The case was fot eighteen feet of property
In Wood street, worth $100,000, and Involved
the paternity ot a child. The plaintiff
claimed title through a child, which he
alleged) was born to his wife, who waa hla
cousin. Mis Catherine Verna Robinson.
They were married December 1, 189s, and
It - Is alleged that the child was born In
March, 1887 at Omaha, where they had gone
to avoid publicity. Robinson and hla wife
were accompanied to Omaha by Mrs.
David Gregg Metheny, sister of Mrs.
Robinson.
The family came east after the birth of
the child and In the summer of 183S spent
several week at Falrhaven, Vt. One day
Mrs. Metheny was seised with convulsions
and died suddenly. The next morning Mrs.
Robinson and the child were dead, both
having been shot. The suicide or murder
of the woman and the murder of the child
were testified to during the trial of th
case.
The defense waa that the child was not
the child of Mrs. Robinson, but waa the
child ot Mrs. Metheny. Metheny Is one of
the defendants and the verdict gives him
the title through the child born to his wife.
Robinson gave positive testimony that
the child was born to his wife and that
she had nursed the baby naturally. This
latter fact was also testified to other
witnesses. ,
On the other hsnd, a sister of Mrs. Rob
inson and Mrs. Metheny were present In
the room when the child was born and
swore It was the child of Mr. Metheny.
She admitted that she had Introduced Mrs.
Metheny to the doctor - as Mrs. Robinson
and for that reason the doctor had be
lieved that the child waa that of Mrs.
Robinson whom he visited professionally.
SENDING SHIPS TO ORIENT
Nary Department Say There it So Signifi
cance in the llore.
OTHERS INCLINED TO THINK DIFFERENTLY
Mrs. Roosevelt Has Tired of th Con
tinual Chances Area ad th
White Hons nnd Or
ders a Halt.
CONDITION 0FJTHE WEATHER
Forecast for Nebraska Showers and Cooler
Friday; Saturday Fair and Warmer.
Temperatare at Omaha yeaterdayi
Hoar. De. Honr. Dear.
5 a. sa , .t 1 p. m T4
a. m . . i . . . ; a p. ne TH
T a. m 4 8 p. at T"
) aw sa M 4 p, aa T
ft a. as HN B p. as...... T5
10 a. aa TO 6 p. an. . . . . . T4
11 a. ns Til T p. aa T8
12 at TS . p. m T
9 p. nt TO
LIGHTNING CAUSES TROUBLE
WESTERN MATTERS AT CAPITAL
Rnral Carriers Named and Soath Da
kota. Postmasters Get n
Raise.
(From a Staff Correspondent.) "
WASHINGTON. May 2L (Special Tele
gram.) These Iowa rural letter carriers
were appointed today: lke, regular, Niels
A. Nlelson, substitute, J. P. Peterson.
Lohrvlll, regular, Harry V. Wilkinson; sub
stitute, M. O'Brien. Waupeton, regular,
Arthur W. Lattu; substitute, W. H. Pape,
Jr.
The comptroller ot the currency haa ex
tended the corporate existence of the First
National bank of Montesuma, la., until th
close of buslnesa May 21, 1923.
B. W. Rowlin of West Branch, W. W.
Williams of De Moines and O. 8. Lindsay
of Spencer, la-, hav been appointed rail
way mall clerks. . . . ' .- '
Under tha annual readjustment of presi
dential postmaj'tersy salaries thee in
creases' tn Bout l DVr'rta ;were announced
todsryv Brooking, aulreka, Geddes,-Oroton,
$200 each; AberdeenV Arlington, Biitton,
Chamberlain, Clear Lake, Custer, Desmet,
Edgemont, Faulkton, Howard, Huron,
Ipswich, Lake Preston, Madison, Miller,
$100 each.
Reserve agents approved: Chemical Na
tional bank of New York, Live Stock Na
tional and First National of Chicago for
First National bank of Pleasantvllle, la.
M. E. Hatch of Omaha has been appointed
watchman In tha bureau of engraving and
printing.'
Postmasters appointed: Iowa J. J. Van-
wey, Frankvllle, Winneshiek county; John
R. Hunter, Hawleyvllle, Page county; P.
G. Seevors, Hocking, Monroe county; Vic
tor C. Schwaller. Templeton, Carroll county,
South Dakota 8. H. Howard, Manchester,
Kingsbury county.
COLORADO LINES AMALGAMATE
Denver at onthwetea ta Bo Ab
sorbed by Springs Crip
' pi Creek.
DENVER, May a. Tha Post says: Th
Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek will prob
ably take over the Denver A Southwestern
on June 1.
The Denver & Southwestern la composed
of the Florence & Cripple Creek, Canon
City As Cripple Creek, Midland Terminal and
Qolden Circle (electric).
Tha Cripple Creek Trading and Transfer
company, controlling the transfer business
of the Cripple Creek district, and several
smelting companies are adjuncts of the
Denver tt Southwestern, and are included
In the consolidation.
W. K. Glllett, president of the Denver &
Southwestern, and A. E. Carlton, general
manager of the trading company, have gone
east to arrange. It ia said, for the trsnsfer
of the system to tha Colorado Spring &
Cripple Creek.
The present plan is to make a complete
consolidation of the Cripple Creek roads
and the managements will be separate. It
Is said Mr. Glllett will probably be placed
at the head of the consolidated lines.
Cattle Mast Be Slaaa-htered.
DURBAN, Natal, . May 21. The British
steamships AbeyhoJm and Anglo Chilean
have arrived here, from Buenos Ay res,
with foot and mouth disease prevailing
among the cattle on board. The author
ities insist that all the live stock on the
vessels be slaughtered before the steamers
are allowed to enter the harbor.
BROKEN BRAKES CAUSE WRECK
Chicago Street Cars Collide, lajarlag,
Twelve, Five at Then Dan.
eransly.
CHICAGO, May 21 Twelve 'persons vert
Injured, five of them dangerously, and a
score 'of other passengers thrown Into a
panic by a collision between electrla rsrs
at Thirty-fifth and Halsted street todiy.
Th bra a oa aa car failed to work.
Make Friendly Reference to Spain.
BARCELONA. May 21 Th first anni
versary of the proclamation f the Cuban
republic was celebrated here by a dinner
yesterday evening, which was attended by
fifty Cubans and the consuls of Cuba and
the United States and Braall. Tha con
suls' In their toasts mad friendly .refer
ence to Spain.
Patch Patrol West ladles.
THE HAGUE. May 21. The government
ot the Netherlands announces that In con
sequence of the political situation In Vene-
suela and the Interests ot the Dutch colony
St Curacao It Is considered . absolutely
necessary to station permanently a large
warship In West Indian waters.
Bank Rata la Redaeed.
LONDON. May 21 -The directors of th
Bank of England today reduced the bank's
rate of discount from 4 to m per cent.
The reduction was attributed partially to
offer of American gold and to gold ship-
meal from New I oik to Paris,
SHAW STARTS FOR THE WEST
Make Short Stop la New York and
Then Comes to Meet th
President.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, May a. (Special Tele
gram.) Secretary Shaw will leave Wash
ington probably next Sunday night for
New Tork where he will remain several
daya. From there h will go to Chicago
for a day and then to Denlson, la., .to be
on hand to meet the president when he
arrlvea. The president and hla party win
reach Iowa on his eastern trip at Council
Bluffs, being scheduled to arrive there at
2:60 a. m. June 2. The president will
scarcely be able to do more than appear
at the rear platform of hla car at Council
Bluffs as he Is to make but a thirty-minute
atop there. From Council Bluffs the presl
dent goes to Denlson where he will be
welcomed by Secretary Shaw, who will ac
company hla chief during the remainder
ot the trip through Iowa: The Itinerary
calls for stops In Iowa at Fort Dodge,
Webster City, Cedar Fall and Dubuque.
The night ot June 2 will be spent at Du
buque. The program at Dubuque, In ad
dition to a drive about the city, Includes
a dinner to be given Mr. Roosevelt by
Senator Allison.
Senator J. H. Millard arrived from New
York tonight and la at the Wlllard. The
senator Is here on departmental matters,
and expects to finish his work her by the
last of the week.
TUBE COMPANY IN TROUBLE
Receivers Hamed for West Virginia
Corporation with Almost Mil
lion Dollar Debt.
CINCINNATI,' Msy 2L Judge Thompson
today appointed receivers for the Eastern
Tube company, incorporated. In West Vir
ginia, with a capital stock of 11.000.000, and
with general offices at Zanesvllle. O.
The receivers were asked for by the Cen
tral Iron and Steel company of Pennsyl
vania, which claims that the liabilities are
more thsn $800,000 and that the assets con
sist of $40,000 in bank, $120,000 In bll's re
ceivable and $400,000 In the Zanesvllle plant,
and that other creditors Join In asking for
settlement.
The receivers will continue the business.
POTTER POINTS OUT ERRORS
Bishop Says that la Some Cases Labor
Organisations Have Allen,
nted Friends.
FRANCIS TRAIN HAS PEST
Famoas Omaha Boamster Qaaraa.
Hard with Smallpox ' at
Stamford.
8T AM FORD, Conn., May B-Ooorge
Francis Train I quarantined at the horns
of his sister, Helen M. L. Gulader, In this
city, suffering from a mild case of small
pox. Mr. Train came here from New York.
His physicians assert be haa beea ill fot
at least s weak.
ORANGE. N. J.. May 21.-Speaklng on
labor union at a dinner of the Clvlo club
if Orange last night. Bishop Henry C.
Potter said the conditions which confront
the people of America are largely ot their
own making.
He declares that on person had more
to do with the situation thsn anyone else,
a manager of a shop or factory, not be
cause he tried to understand the Interests
of the worklngman, but because he wanted
to get out of the worklngman all he pos
sibly tould for the benefit of his employers,
nothing more.
"I believe." said Bishop Potter, "the folly
of th labor organisations tn several In
stances have alienated a great deal of the
sympathy that would otherwise hsv gone
to them. One thing we njust realise Is that
the community Is not 'made up of either
laborer or capitalists, but rather of those
between who are very largely affected by
them difference.
"The time may come when organised
labor may make Itself so unplesssnt that
It rail' not be able to stsy In New York.
The greet stumbling block tn organised
labor Is that th freedom of th Individual
Is Invaded, and that has got ta b corrected."
(From a Staff Correspondent)
WASHINGTON, May B. (Special.) Of
course there la no significance In the with
drawal of three ot the vessel composing
the European squadron, Albany, Cincin
nati and Ualelgh, and their assignment to
the Asiatic fleet, according to officials In the
Stste and Navy departments. There la
never any significance In the strengthen-1
lng of any fleet In Asiatic or European
water If the power directing this
strengthening of our squadrons in foreign
water are to be believed, but the fact re
main that the biggest squadron ever as
sembled off the coast of China is already
an accomplished fact. The assignment of
the three cruisers above' named Is taken
to mean that the European squadron will
not go to Kiel to attend the maneuvers
of the German navy. In fact. It Is stated
at the Navy department that no orders
have been Issued for the European squad
ron to assemble at Kiel, and according to
those In a position to kt.ow such action Is
not contemplated by Secretary Moody. The
wsr cloud Is hovering over China and It
ha been though the part of wisdom to
assemble a cruiser squadron In Philippine
waters with battleships and enough monl
tore and gunboats to compel the respect
of any nation contemplating a descent
upon China. New Orleans, which Is of the
same type as Albany, Cincinnati and
Raleigh will be the fourth ship of the
squadron.
Tha vessels ordered from the European
station to the Asiatic fleet will proceed
from Vlllefranche and th Sues canal,
under command of Commander Rodger of
Albany, the aenlor officer, and he has or
der to report at once to Rear Admiral
"Bob" Evans, In command of the Asiatic
squadron. The - detachment of the three
cruisers will leave only Chicago and Ma
chlas In the European squadron. San
Francisco, however, which Is now In West
Indian waters, ha been ordered to tbe
European station to take tha place ot the
vessel named above.
Look Below Sarfac.
Of course there Is no significance to be
attached to these movement; but the a
tlvlty In naval circles and the disposition
of the heads of the several department
of the navy toward securing men and of
ficers to man and navigate the new vessels
almost ready to go Into commission seems
to be portentlous. While everything looks
to be at peace and rest on the outside
there 1 decided" activity In navy clrclea
on the inside. ' It I hardly expected that
eucb a formidable squadron as wa hav
now (n Aelatie waters would be assembled
there for, mere pastime, and for the tyn-,
pose or giving omcers and men something
to do." 'We have never played the war game
that way and we ar too old to make any
radical' change In tne manner In which we
prepare for - future contingencies. It had
been Intended that Wisconsin should have
It ventilating apparatus altered, but tele
graphic Instructions from the Navy' de
partment this week directing that the bat
tleship should sail Thursday for China
show on the face of thing that all ia not
erene In the orient. As outlined In these
dispatches during the last few weeks
there will be mobilised about the last ' of
June In Astatic water the biggest fleet
we have ever assembled away from our
own shores. This fleet will consist of the
battleships Kentucky, Wisconsin and Ore
gon, the monltora Monterey and Monad
nock, and the cruisers New Orleans, Al
bany, Cincinnati and Raleigh.
Stop In Whit Hoaso Changes.
There Is to be no more tinkering with
the Whit House or the ground surround
ing that historic mansion if Mrs. Roose
velt can put a. atop to It. The mistress of
the house of the presidents has given in
disputable evidence recently ot her disap
proval of th constant experimenting with
the various plan - of adornment for the
beautlflcatlon of the Whit House and the
ten aces surrounding th same. Ignorance
of a moat lamentable character has been
shown In the manner of making the alter
ations In the White House which congress
ordered should be made by a most liberal
appropriation. Yards upon yards of earth
have been dug up and carted away, and
then carted back.' A navy official who
crosses the White House grounds every
morning and evening and who has watched
the progress of changing the gardens sur
rounding the nome of President 'Roosevelt
observed the other day that in all his public
career he had never seen such gross ig
norance shown as has been displayed In
making the White House grounds conform
to an Impressionist's viewpoint. He said
it reminded him of Gelett Burgess' story
of the purple cow, wherein the nonsense
msn said, referring to this remarkable
animal, that "he would rather see, than
be, one." Mrs. Roosevelt has been greatly
annoyed with the everlasting changes that
are going on under the direction of Archi
tect C. F. McKIm, who la responsible for
adding the excrescences, commonly called
wings, to the mansion. . The upper part ot
these wings have been made as terraces,
ornamented with electric. lights and finished
off with bay trees and boxwood bushes.
Yesterday the nurseryman who installed
th Dutch trees attempted to cart them
all away, aeventy-two In number, but was
stopped on peremptory orders from Mrs.
Roosevelt, who stated that she did not de
sire to hsve any more changes made unless
she had been pevlously consulted and the
changes had met with her approval. Ac
cording to a . reliable estlmste the cost of
the bay trees and the ' boxwood bushes
Installed on the east and west terrsces and
the porte cochere at the north front of
the mansion has been between $4,000 and
$7,000. It is stated that Mr. McKlm's ob
jection to the present adornment of the
terracea wss that while the bay trees
looked well In themselves they were not
sufficiently Imposing to bring th Whit
House tn relief. More costly ones with
box-shaped tops were desired and that Is
the reason assigned for the architect or
dering the first consignment - of trees to
be carted away and other substituted. The
American people who hav seen the old
White House, standing a It did, overlook
ing the Msll and surrounded by imposing
government buildings with sn atmosphere
peculiarly Its own, will nsver take kindly
to the new White House with the glm
rrscks that have been added. A sacred
shrlno has been desecrated and the thou
sands of visitors ta Wsshington every yesr
will go awsy from ths Whits Houss with
feelings skin to the burial of their friends.
The old White Houss Is no more. The
erloasly taterfcres with Tele
graph and Telephone
Service.
Last night's electrical display played
havoc with telephone und telegraph com
munication about Omaha. At the Western
Union office it caused more trouble on the
board than any electrical disturbance In
ten yeara burning out a number of the In
struments and hindering and destroying
communication In many Instances. Tha
Postal was also greatly troubled by the
storm, tha wires to the north and the
south being, of little use and only a few
working at all.
While telephone service within the city
Was hindered but little all of the long dis
tance wires were very bad and it was
practically Impossible to secure any kind
of service. The wires to Lincoln ana t ni
cago wer In particularly bad shape and
could not be used at all.
It Is doubtful If many of the wires ot
either telephone or telegraph were down
because of the storm but many Instru
ments wer burned out and wires short
circuited so that the service was almost
aa Inadequate as If ths wires had been
down.
During O.e evening a report wss clr
culated In tha city that a tornado had
truck Auburn and practically wiped out
the town. A telephone message from there
stated that a severe eloctrlcal storm had
visited that section, accompanied by a
heavy rainfall, but no serious damage had
been done.
START FOR RIFLE PRACTICE
Second Battalion of Twenty-Second
Regiment Marches to Winne
bago Reservation.
The second battalion of the Twenty-aec-ond
Infantry, comprising Companies E.
F, G and H. under the command of Major
Pickering, started yesterday on their an
nual march and target practice at Winne
bago reservation. Seven days are taken
for the march each way and two weeks
will be spent in camp on the reservation.
During the march stops will be made over
night and camp struck at Fort Omaha.
Calhoun, Blair. Tekamah, Golden Springs
and Decatur.
This is tho first of the three battalions
to go Into camp for the two weeks' target
practice on the Indian reservation, and
upon Its iturn the ether two battalion
will do likewise. The rang this year Is
considerably better than It wa last year
andlhe soldiers will work on It-whll they
are there ana put ii in or --
Aa. attempt haa -.been ; niadefor several
years ..to Induce th government to estab
lish a permanent range here, dui n "
been unsuccessful so far and therefore lit
tle money has been spent to put It In the
condition that tt should be.
COURT SETTLES MATERNITY
Valuable Property Involved In 4)nes
tlon of Which Sister Was
Mother of Child.
PiTTSBtlRO. May B. (Special Tele-
gram.)-The Jury In the famou "Baby
caee" In the Unltea states court rciur
a verdict this morning for the defense.
Beverly Robinson. It involved the ma
ternity of en Infant and the question of
which of two sisters wa actually the
mother of the child wa the main point
in the case.
Beverly Robinson was summoned to New
York In December, 1896, by KaUierlne Vera
Robinson, his cousin and sweetheart, who
was then living In that city with her
Ister. Mr. Metheny. Robinson testified
that his cousin urged on him th neces
sity of immedlata marriage and they were
married quietly In Philadelphia. Several
week later. In January. 1897. they moved
to Omaha, Mra. Metheny going with them.
In March, 1897, ' according to Robinson s
testimony, the child in question waa born
to his wife. Other wltnessea claimed that
It was born to Mrs. Metheny. who had
been Introduced in Omaha as Mr. Robin
son In order to preserve her good name,
as she wa not living with her husband at
the time. Both sisters ana tne cnna are
dead. A valuable piece of property hung
on the decision.
TEN SLA1NBY WIND
t
Severe Tornadoes Visit Kebruks, Kansas,
Indian Territory and Texas,
BOY'S BODY IS BLOWN THIRTY PODS
AuarU House Travels Many Feet in Ter
rible Storm.
WOMAN IS THROWN AGAINST ' FENCE
Hurricane Kills Viotim by Iropaot with
Barbed Wire.
HOUSES AND TREES UTTERLY DESTR0YEO
Many Cattle Dl and Maeh Property
Is Demolished When Cyclones
Take Warpath with R.
slstlesa Fnry,
YORK, Neb., May il.-Thls evening at
7:40 this place wus visited by th worst
tornado that has passed through th county
since 1K80, when the town of lirsdshaw was
d?.nollshed.
The funnel-shaped cloud cam directly
from the south, until it struck Beaver
creek, one-half mile south of th city,
when it changed It course to th north
east. Mrs. Klngsley's barn, a large one,
was wrecked., D. N. Blood' residence wa
partly toin to pieces. Pat McGown's resi
dence was unroofed, the barn torn to pieces
and the horses carried away. Thomna
Mathew'a residence was turned over, with
his wife and bsby Inside. Th United
Brethren church, Eighth street and East
avenue, a fine brick edifice, costing $8,000,
is almost a total wreck.
It is impossible to hear from th coun
try tonight. No fatalities hav been re
ported, although there are quit a number
who were injured.
Valentin Gets Big Blow.
VALENTINE, Neb.. May II. (Special
Telegram.) The worst storm that haa ever
visited thia vicinity passed through Valen
tine this afternoon. According to th
record of the weather bureau the wind
reached a velocity of ninety mile per
hour. Hall and rain accompanied1 the
wind. Water tanks, outhouses and chim
neys were blown In every direction. It la
feared that great damage has been don
to farm house In th surrounding country.
tircat Damaace Done By Hail.
SUTHERLAND. Neb., May 21. (Special
Telegram.) A severe hailstorm, accom
panied by high wind, passed over this place
this afternoon at $ o'clock. Great damsg
waa done to fruit and garden. Nearly
every business house facing the south lost
heavily In glass, a did the residence p-sr-
floti Aa far tia lives are renorted toflt. nor
loss among stock, though Fm tck la car-
tarn to have been killed,. .-
Ord ta Not Spared.
PK1J Tito., May II. ivora nas reacoea .
her that a small, tortvaflo vlattad th f arm v
ing country ten miles pbi mi evening- i,
Th house on tp ranca or mwry nutnei vj,
wers wrecked - and outbulldlnca ktvelled.
There were no fatalities. ' Telephone wire
leading to town are down In all direc
tion, and full particular cannot b
learned.
Rad Twister ait Saltan.
8ALINA, Kan., May 21. The third cy
clone in Saline county within twenty-four
hours struck Assarla tonight. Two per
sons were killed and a doaen or mora In
jured. The dead: . ' ' '
WILLIAM A. OLSON,. 1$ Vear old.
PETER OLSON.
Of the Injured none ar fatally hurt.
The house In which the Olson lived was
demolished completely th B6y' body be
ing found thirty rod from th house. '
The wtnd carried the farm house occu
pied by Nel Olsonburg Bv rods. Miss
Christine Olsonburg saw th Storm aomin
and escaped.
A terrlflo rain atorm followed th cy
clone.
At Bridgeport In this county, hail fell
continually for twenty minute, doing Im
mense damag to wheat.
ROOT TO LAY CORNERSTONE
Omaha Man Accepts Invitation to
Officiate at Mississippi State
Capital.
MILWAUKEE, Wis., May 21. (Special
Telegram.) Joseph C. Root of Omaha, a
thirty-third degree Mason, who la now
In this city aa sovereign commander and
founder of the Woodmen of th World,
whose sovereign camp la in convention
here, today received and accepted tha in
vitation of the grand master of the A. F,
and A. M. of Mlsnisslppl to lay th corner
stone of the new Mississippi state capltol
In course of erection at Jackson, Miss.
The ceremonies will take place June I
and the Mason of Mississippi ar making
elaborate preparation for th event. Mr.
Root will go to the convention attended
by Colonel B. W. Jewell, chairman of the
finance committee of the Woodmen of the
World, to attend a Woodmen festival in
Jackson on the afternoon of th cer
monies.
(Continued oa Fourth Fags.)
EIGHT LOSE THEIR LIVES
Fir Starts la Hew York Gas Hons
nd Explosions
Follow.
NEW YORK. May 21. A fir started to
day In on of seven gas houses at One
Hundred and Fifty-fifth street and Shsrt
dan avenue. There wer five explosions.
PoiU headquarters ha been officially
nctifled that eight bodies have been taken
from th fire. Three persons wer Injured
one of them, John Weyler, fatally.
While the fire Is not under control, the
firemen ar said to hav It well In hand.
Mavemeats of Ocean Vessels May SI
At New York Arrived Auranla, from
I.lveruool: Oera. from Genoa; Laurentlan.
from Olusgow. Sailed La Lorraine, for
Havre: Augusts Victoria, for Hamburg
At Cherbourg Arrived Pretoria, from
New York.
At Plymouth Arrived Fuerst Bismarck
from New Xora.
Honsea Destroyed at Ashland.
ASHLAND, Kan., May 21. This place
and a large portion ot th country were
laid waste at $ this evening by a tornado.
The damag will be Immense and tt 1
considered mtraculoua that no Uvea wer
lost. So far aa It Is known tonight nobody
was killed, although nine wer Injured
severely In Ashland.
It Is reported from the country dis
trict that some other wer Injured. It
I Indicated that th storm waa wore In
the country than in th town. Th coun
try 1 sparsely settled, however, and ' no
particular ar obtainable tonight as to
th extent of the damage. Th business
action of Ashland wa not damaged to
any great extent, the residence portion
suffering most. Six houses wsr com
pletely wrecked and aa many as fifty
other partially dsmolished. while th fin
fruit farm of F. R. Kern waa swept clean
of fruit trees.
Th Thesis ranch house wer demol
ished and treea are down In all directions.
A large number of cattle ar killed. It
ia reported tonight that other villages In
this vicinity suffered but nothing definite
can be learned.
Loan Wolf Devastated.
CHICKA8HA, I. T. May 21.-A tornado
passed over Lone Wolf, sixty-fly mile
west of Chlckasha on th Mangum branch
of tha Rock Island. Four houses wer
blown down and their contents scattered.
Mrs. Harvan, wife of a farmer, was blown
against a barbed wire fence and killed.
Tha tornado wrecked telephone and tele
graph wires, destroying trees, fences and
outhouaea.
Two Dl la Mexico.
AMARILLO. Tex.. May 21. The Pan
Handle country wa visited by ' a sever
storm last night. Th M. R. Wilson home
nesr Hereford was blown to pieces, kill
ing Mrs. Wilson and child, and Injuring;
Mr. Wilson. Considerable damag was
dona to property.
Fear Killed at Wright.
TOPEKA. Kan.. May U.-A cycltm Is
reported at Wright, Kan., tonight, four
wer fatally Injured.
Blala la Also Visited.
BLAINE. Kan.. May 21. -A cyclone
passed through her at t tonight. Th
Commercial hotel wa demolished and
many house damaged. Nobody waa In
jured. Th atorm formed a mile south of
her and wa mors sevsr In th farming
district than In town.
Twa Toraadees at Klasiey.
KINSLEY. Kan.. May 21 -A tornado
passed over Hodgman county, fifteen anile
I northwest of Kinsley, at I thia afternoon.