Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, April 14, 1904, Image 1
The Omaha Daily Bee. Tht Bee prints more Paid Want Ads, because BEE WANT ADS. BRING BEST RETURNS. CHOKE BOOKS FREE. Fact a Wanf hi In The Bee Sttvrdiy and pf a peed' book. Sec rj advtrtittmtnt In hWe lime. ESTABLISHED JUNE 19, 1871. OMAHA, THURSDAY MOUSING, APKIL 14, 1901 TEN PAGES. SINGLE COPY THREE CENTS. LIVES SNUFFED OUT Fr gh'.fvi Accident en ' A'woiri Wbila Battleship iiil Ti . otioe. TWENTY-NINE MEN INSi V v KILLED rira Are Irjured And Tw o. unbar Msj Bwall Lift of Daad to y PREMATURE EXPLOSION OF GUM . -uER Every Offloer in For: and All fiat Tbre in Handling Eocm K Had. LATEST SHIP TO GO INTO COMMISSION Aaval Circles Appalled by rU. trophe. Which la Evidently Da ' To Rapid Haadllac f Big Gaaa. PEN8ACOLA, Fla., April 18 By the ex plosion of 2.0HO pound of powder In the after twel.-e-lnch turret and tha handling room of the battleship Missouri, Csp tiiln William H. Cowles, roramnndlm, twenty-nine men were Instantly killed and five Injured, of whom two will die. The Missouri wan on, the target range with the Texas and Brooklyn at practice about noon when a charge of powder In the twelve Inch left-hand gun Ignited from gases, ex ploded and dropping below Ignited four chsrgen of powder In the handling room and all exploded. . Only' on man of the entire turret and handling crew aurrlvea. But for the prompt and efficient action of Csptsln Cowles In flooding the handling, room and magazine with water one of the msgaxlnea would have exploded and the ship would have been destroyed. Captain Cowlea. completely n'ercome by tha dlaaster, referred all newspaper men to Lieutenant Hammer, the ordnance offi cer. The. latter gave out a etatement of tha explosion and Ita probable cimae. Ac cording to him, about noon, after the firat pointer of the aft twelve-Inch piece had fired his string and the second pointer had fired the third ahot of hla atrtng, the charge Ignited. The fourth ahot waa be ing loaded, and from all Indications the first half of the charge had been rammed home and the second section was being rammed home, when gases from the shots previously fired, or portions of the cloth cover, Ignited the powder. Caaae of Explosion. The breech was open and a dull thud gave notice of something unusual. No loud report waa made, but flnmes were aean to leap from every portion of the turret. A few seconds later another ex plosion, somewhat more fierce, occurred. Thla waa In the handling room below. Where 1,600 pounds of powder, or four charges ready to bo hoisted above, had Ignited. Fire quarters were sounded and In less than five seconds after the first ex plosion two streams of water were being played In the rooms, and when volunteers . , were called for. every man of the ship re sponded. Captain Cowlea gave his commands anil r)u rnr.wa,nenoe-of .wiind and that of r the officer of Hie ship, the Missouri would hava gone down. The second explosion occurred Bear, one of the mum lines and o hot waa the fire that the brass work of the magaeines waa melted. Smoke and the fume of the burned pow der made It almost Impossible to enter either the turret or handling room. Every officer and man In the port and, all but three in the handling room were killed. Second Explosion Occurs. Three minutes after tha explosion ell the dead had been brought on deck and the aurgeona from the Missouri, Texas nnd Brooklyn were attending to thoae not dead. The twenty-five men of the turret were found lying In a heap. They had started for the exit When the first explosion oc curred and had just reached there when the more terrible explosion in the handling room occurred, which burned and stran gled them to death. Lieutenant Davidson, the officer In charge of the turret, evld.ntly had given some command to the men, as he waa en top of the heap of men. The accident Is the moat serious that has occurred In the American nivy si me the blowing up of the Maine In Havana harbor In 18SS, The bodlea of the dead were hardly rec ognisable, the terrible and quick fire hav ing burned clothing from the bodies of the men and the flesh hung to them In shreds. The. faces were mutilated by the moke and flames only. Only one mm was breathing when the turret crew was rescued and he died a moment after he reached the deck. List of Dene. WAryitNGTON. April 13.-The Navy de partment tonight furnished the following statement, giving a more complete list of dead, writs next of kin: FRANKS. HARRY V.. coxswain; re. Jr.hT; ?VT1,NXY: kln- John Franks, rather, I.istewelt, Ont. 8TARR JOHf PORTER, ordinary sea- EYi. Tl f'rmount' ind.; kin. Caleb Blirr, r alrniount. Ind )LK. JOHN V.. ordinary seaman, reel, dence, Lakota Tex : kin. John W. Cole, ar.. father, Lakota. Tex GKDRIS. JOflKPH ordinary seaman; a residence. Grand Rapid. Mich.; kin ilor Xha,"-. t5Jh.Tr m Elisabeth street,' Grand Rapids ' Mich. ALLISON. jiALpH H., seamsn; resi dence. PhlladWphla: kin. A. J. Allison, fsther. Pleasint Hill. Mo. ' Nl'NN, JAMES C, ordinnry seaman; res Idenca. Hry-Ai. Tex.; kin, Thomaa C. Nunn father. Hrn. Tex. ' HARDY, J. CARLTON, apprentice, sec-nnd-claos: residence. Palmvr.i. N v Lir. Irving A. Hardy, father. Kaat Palmyra', N. OtKTLER. PAT'L R.. snnrentlca. Uvn.i- e'.ftse; residence. Hope. Ark.; kin, Thomas W II....- A ab ROWLANDS. FRANK T.. electrician a.'nnr1-ilia m.m r4 .1 r. ft. Ini. t . . , kin, John Rowlands, father. 24JS Spofford ireei. i leveiana, j. HOCHE. JOHN M.. landsman; residence. new xora. is. v.; kin. Mlcliaei Roche father. County Kerrv. Ireland. TOBIN. ROBKRT C. ordinary seaman; Teamence, iioacoe. ra. ; kin, T. o. Tobln father. Roecne. Pa. KtVLEN. KEARNEY J. ordinary sea man: residence. Dallaa. Tex.; kin. Kearnry j. mvien. lamer. jjo I'aball street. Dallas, l ex. KENNEDY. JOSEPH W.. ordlnarv sea man: residence. Waco. Tex.; kin. William jienneay. rntner. provo, Tenn. blX)XOPOL'LA8. JRRSKMOft. miiln residence, Newport News. V'a. ; kin. Merl jereemos uioxopoulas. wire. Faxo. ureeoe. BKAl'N. PETER JOSEPH, sun cjiutln: residence. New York; kin. Koae Gross, Knot her. 6 Clarenre Ijne Cleveland MEYER. CHARLES HENRI, ordinary "". rium, uummn. wis.; kin. J4MUM itvrr, motner, i.u wirto street Oehkosh. Wis. 6M1TH. ACQUIT, gunner's mate, second .class; residence. New York; claimed to nave no nutma RICK, CHARLK8, ordinary seaman: real Qence. Boaton. Mass.: kin. Aniia ffeiir stepmother, 33tt Mission street. San Krui- BODF.R. WESTON, aeamaa- rAA Kew York; kin, Er-e Soder, father, Jefla'. SHIPMAN. W. U. private marine; no oaia at lsary aepartmenL Wounded, not expected to live Donnelly. Joha Thomaa Joseph, ordinary Continued oo Btooad rage. ASSERTS THAT POPE IS ILL Lob Ceremony at at. Peters Said to Have Depressing Effect i Ipsa Paris. NEW YORK, April 13. Rumors that the pope Is ,111 are revived by a World dispatch from Rome which asserts that after cele brating mass at Bt. Peter's Monday the pope spent a restless night, and that he was much agitated when Dr. Lapponl reached the Vatican In response to a sum mons. The long ceremony In Bt. Peter's and fasting until 1 o'clock In the afternoon are believed to have been the cause. 8ome prelates of the Inner circle admit, however, the correspondent aaserta, that the pop haa been much affected of late by reported anarchistic plots agalnat his life. On the plasa, where thousands were clamoring for admission to Bt. Peter's during the ceremony on Monday, the police arrested several persons thought to be ansrchltta, who were too Insistent In their demands for admission to the church. Dr. Lapponl expects his patient will be entirely well after a few days of absolute rest ROME, April 18. Dr. Lapponl authorises the Associated Frees to deny that the pops is 111. The doctor visited the pontiff this morning as he does several time each week, but he waa not called to attend the pope. The latter, thla morning, received a number of people. Including a special deputation form the British Catholic union, headed by Lord Denbigh, and con versed In the most amiable msnner with members of the deputation. The pontiff wss pleased to hear that his photograph sent to King Edward by Mgr. Btoner waa most appreciated, being kept In the royal sitting room, where Lord Denbigh saw It before leaving London. Lord Denbigh quoted the king as saying that he liked exceedingly the healthy, benignant appear ance of the pontiff. DISCIPLINING EMIC.RATIO AGENTS Contract Made at lindane. !. Canard steamship Line. BUD A PERT, April 13.-In the lower house of the Diet today Premier Tlszn. made a lengthy statement regarding the proposed emigration law, which he said would be Introduced In a few days. It was not Intended to promote emigration, but to surround emigrants who refused to re main In Hungary with governmental pro tection and keep In touch with them with the view to their ultimate return. Owing to the exorbitant demands of the steamship companies the government had Intended to establish n line under its con trol, but In the meantime a contract had been satisfactorily made. The contract will be for ten years, terminable at the end of Ave years; In the event of emigration fall ing below 60,000 it could be cancelled at the end of the third. In the event of the United States preventing immigration, the contract waa void. The Cunard company undertook to make twenty-six trips annually from Flume to New York, accommodating 2.000 emigrants per trip. Should the total be less than 30.. WW persons the government agreed to pay 100 kronen per head deficit. The premier saia mat me government would glndly pay the penalty because It would Indicate a falling off In emigration. Frontier Than said the strictest mxreu. Ion would be exercised to prevent agents rrom noming out improper Inducements to prospective emigrants. GERMANS CONSIDER TRADE TREATY Members of Relchsta Wails I nlted States Ont of Aareement. BERLIN. April lS.-In the Reichnfn day Bnron Knrdorff. agrarian. chaJrmnn of the tariff commission; Herr epahn, cen ter party, and Dr. Herr von Hendehran center party, expressed discontent at the fact that the government had not fur nished Information regardlna the of the commercial treaties. Baron Kardorff. further tnaulrlnv when tho old treatlea will be denounced, de manded tnnt nt least one be denounced. Dr. Hendebrand advocated the denuncla. tlon of the most favored nation arrange ment wltb the United States. Baron von Richthoff. secretary for for eign affairs, replied that the treaty with Italy was completed and that thoae with Russia, Swltserlnnd and Belfrium were Ka. gun, but not finished. Preliminary views he added, would be exchanged In the course of the month with Austria and Roumanla regarding the points which both sides de. sire In the treaties. The denunciation of treaties and the moat favored clause, continued the secretary cannot be undertaken Independently of the general negotiations of treaties. Each case has been seriously studied, with the result that no denunciation had yet occurred. KISS ALFONSO LEAVES BARCELONA Accomplice of Assailant of Maora "ays Ho la Anarchist. , BARCELONA, April 13.-Klng Alfonso left here today on the royal yacht Glrar- alda to visit the fortress of Monjuich. It haa been ascertained that the knife used by Joaquin Miguel Artao, who yes terday attempted the life of Premier Maura, was not poisoned, as reported. The doctors say Senor Maura will have fully recovered from his wound In a few daya. Artao'a accomplice la named Matiaa Ortel. He admita he Is an anarchist. Arrest Accomplice of Artao. BARCELONA. April 13-The Dollce arrested an accomplice of Joaquin Miguel Artao, who attempted yesterday o kill Premier Maura. Both men are members of a society styled "Lovers of Liberty." The attempt. It is sUd by the police, was made a week ago. and since that time tho would-be assassin has been following the premier about, awaiting an opportunity to attack him. Former Queen of Spain Barled. PARIS, April 11 The Imposing funeral service over the remains of the late Queen Isabella today In the palace of Castillo was attended by officials and diplomats. A large detachment of French troops ren dered military honora. Aa the procession crossed the Tlace de Laconarde a battery of artillery fired a salute of twenty-one guns. A royal train bore the body to Madrid. Colonshla'e Caae la Coart. PARIS, April 11 The second case of the Republic of Colombia against the Panama Canal Company, Involving the former's rtght to hold 60.000 shares of stock, came up bofore the first tribunal of the Seine today and went over for a fortnight by agree ment. Colombia has not yet appealed Its first case and Intends to take the full limit the law ailowa. It haa still two moniha re- alnlug. Is hloeoo rprislng. TIEN TSIN, April 13-The foreiga and Chines authorities here say there la abeo lutrly no foundation for the reports, which have reached here from Che Fog which predicted aa uyriatng la China. SETILES GRAIN RATE WAR Great Western god Chicago & Northwestern Official! Reach Agreement. CUT ST. LOUIS DIFFERENTIAL TWO CENTS Oral from Territory Tributary to Oaaahrn to Take Son of the Locals foe Through Roto to Chicago nd Twin Cities. CHICAGO, April IX (Special Telegram.) The grain rate war between the Chicago Oreat Western and the Chicago it North western railroads, which has been In prog ress during more than three months and has forced grain rates from tho Mlsnsouri river to Chicago down to atmoat nothing, has at last been settled. The traffic officers of the reads Interested at a meeting held today decided upon a compromise settlement which appears to be satisfactory to both the Great Western and Northwestern. The arrangement haa only to be ratified by the executiye offi cers, who meet here next Tuesday, but there Is no doubt that they will approve of the action of the traffic officers. The agreement provides that the St. Louis differential over Chicago on grain from Missouri river points shall be reduced from 6 to 3 cents a hundred pounds. On grain from Nebraska points which natu rally is tributary to Omaha the through rate Is to be equal to the sum of the locals west to Omaha and east from that city to Chicago and tho twin cities. On grain tributary to Missouri river gateways north of Omaha the through lines may make a lower through rate than the sum of the locals. CLOSE MERGER CASE ARGUMENT Coart May Not Decide Application for Intervention Vntll Later Date. ST. PAUK Minn., April 13 -Closing ar guments In the matter now being heard by the United States circuit court, wherein E. H. Harrlman and Wlnslow 8. Pierce, aa trustees for the Oregon Short IJne, ask for permission to file an Intervening peti tion In the Northern Securities case, were made before the court today. The court announced before adjournment yesterday that It will allow counsel one hour and fifteen minutes for further talk. John O. Johnson of Philadelphia had the last word on behalf of the Northern Se curities company and W. D. Guthrie of New York closed for the Harrlman side. It Is believed that the court will take the matter under advisement and decide the case, later. The United States circuit court after hearing all the arguments on the motion of E. H. Harrlman et al. for leave to file an Intervening petition In the Northern Secur ities rase, reserved decision and adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow. OLNEY AND HEARST DIVIDE Massachusetts Democrats Favor the Former hy Majority of Ka- clonal Delegate. ' - '" BOSTON. April 13. Returns, practically complete, from the democratic caucuses last night, show that fully two-thirds ot the delegates e'-- 'n de state conven tion are pled- "d Olney for the presidential "he remaining delegates r m R. Hears. Olney dc!r n In all but one ward 1 ..jtslde of this city delegate ' i n were elected In all but tlmu ' tli fourteen congres sional districts. The three . districts, the Third, Fifth and Seventh, known as the "labor districts," declared for Hearst. On this basis the political leaders figure that Hearst will receive from six to ten of the thirty-two delegates to the national convention from the state. The delegates at large will be Olney men. Hearst's strength developed particularly In the manufacturing centers. He car ried the entire delegations In Haverhill and Taunton and a majority In Worcester, Lynn, Lawrence, Fltchburg and Fall River. The towns generally supported Olney. A feature of the contest was the effort made In Dedham to defeat George Fred Williams, who had declared for Hearst, as a delegate to the state convention. The Williams-Hearst ticket was elected, 80 to 62. DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES DISCUSSED Party Leaders at Chicago Baaqneted by Iroquois Clob. CHICAGO. April 13. Ways and means to bring success to the democratic party In the presidential campaign this fall were discussed by prominent democrats repre senting every part of the country who attended the Iroquois club banquet at the Auditorium tonight In celebration of Jef ferson's birthday. Tariff reform, antag onism to trusts, independence for the Phil ippines and rigid economy in public ex penditures were some of tho suggestions of many of the speakers to bring about this result. A feature of the banquet was a letter from Grover Cleveland who had been In vited to attend, but was unable to be present. In his letter, which waa read to the banqueters, Mr. Cleveland advised all democrats to make a close study of Jefferson's career and "patriotically seek the welfare of our country through the ascendency of safe and sane democracy." General NeUon A. Miles waa a speaker. LOCOMOTIVE BOILER BURSTS Santa fe' Engine Kills Fireman In stantly and Severely tnjnres the Engineer la Explosion. I FLORENCE. Kan.. April 13 -The boiler I of a Bunta Fe engine standing In the yards ! here exploded today. Instantly killing ! Emanuel Hahn, the fireman, and fatally ! . . ..1111.. . c (........ . i. I injuring vwiimiii me engineer, both of Emporia. CLEVELAND'S BIG DINNER Chamber of Commerce Entertains Sec retary Taft and Other Rotable Men at Annoal Banoaet. CLEVELAND, April ll-The fifty-fifth annual dinner of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce was held tonight. The at tendance numbered of Cleveland's busi ness men. The - guest of honor and prin cipal apeaker waa Hon. V'.lltam H. Taft, secretary of war and late governor gen eral of the Philippine lalands. Other speakers were Judge E. J. Blandln of Cleveland, Harvey D. Goulder of Cleve land and Hon. Theodore Burton. Extract tompnny Kalis. BOSTON. April 13 Receivers were today nnDointed for the Rt-ih A CUridga com- Kmy, manufacturers of extrai ta. The Ut ilities axe iLM.uuu, with nominal aaacu of LaaJMl V . NEBRASKA WEATHER FORECAST Tharaday Fair and Warmer la Eaat Portloni Friday Fair. Hoar. Dear. Honr. Dear. B a. m ..... . :n 1 p. m ..... . ftO 6a. sa Ml Bp. m 4 T a. ma 9wt a p. m 4T Ha. ns Jtn 4 p. BI......4T S s. a, 4-t ftp. m 47 141 a. m .41 p. n 4T II a. m 4S T p. m 41 131 m 4 h p. m 44 9 p. m 42 FEARS MENACE OF RUSSIA Premier Balfoor Hires His Reasons ' for the Expedltloa to Thibet. LONDON. April 13. The House of Com mons today, by 270 to 61 votes, adopted a resolution sanctioning the employment of Indian troopa for the protection of the "political mission to Thibet." War Secretary Brodrlck, In Introducing the resolution, read a telegram from Col. Younghushand, the political agent at the head of the mission, to the effect that Col. MacDonald, In command of the escort, reached his goal, Gyangtse, Thibet, April 11 without the loss of a man. The telegram added that the Thibetans were highly de moralized and were fleeing from the Gyangtse valley, that the Chinese dele gate was coming In and that the Thibetan delegates were on their way to Gyangtse. Mr. Brodrlck proceeded to defend the action, saying that while the Thibetans were trying to circumscribe fheir relations with India they simultaneously were at tempting to open up relations with Russia. The British government could not ac quiesce to any change In the status quo In Thibet, nor countenance an attempt on the part of any foreign government to establish a predominant Interest there. Great Britain, declared Mr. Brodrlck. had no desire to occupy the cointry or to establish a permanent mission In Thibet, but the government was absolutely re solved that If any power Is to be pre dominant In Thibet it must be Oreat Britain. The liberal leader. Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman, warmly criticised and con demned the mission and the "slaughter of the Thlbetana," declaring that Mr. Brodrlck's explanations of the reasons for the mission were wholly Insufficient. The debate ended with a short speech by Premier Ralfour declaring tha mission had no ulterior objects. The last thing the government desired, he said, was to add to Its Indian frontier responsibilities. OBJECT TO NEW PENSION RULE Democrats In Congress Do Xot Want Appropriations for Pensions In crease lr order. WASHINGTON. April IS. -The housB com mittee on resolutions today completed tho deficiency appropriation bill carrying total of 110.3S8.7M. The largest item In the till Is tl.ono.ooo for pensions. Of this sum $1, B"0,000 la an estimated deficiency, which will be caused by the execution of the recent service pension order. The minority mem bers of the committee made a fight against this Item and ordered kf -tig a party v)tav " Aa' the Item ls Included,' a minority re port accompanies 'Tint of the majority to the house. The minority vlewa are signed by Underwood, Brundlgs, Benton, Living stone and Ilerce. , Taylor of Alabama was absent. The conclusion of the minority report Is that there Is no warrant of law for the ap propriation of the 11,500,000 requexted by tho commissioner of pensions for the pur pose herein stated. It quotes the recent order In full, and says that while there are members of congress who favored a service pension law, it is not within the Jurisdic tion of the appropriations committee to consider the question. "Our duty," the re port says, "la confined to providing the money to pay the obligations of the United States contracted under the law. The point we desire to make Is that there Is no law on the statute books of the United States that warrants the $1,500,000 appropriation aaked for by the commissioner of pensions to pay the deficiency caused by legislative order No. 78. and we will move on the floor of the house to reduce the appropriation asked for pensions to the extent of 11,500, 000 for that reason." DIETRICH RKPOKT READY TODAY Pali Committee Meets This Moraine to Approve It. (From a Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, April U.-(8peclal Tele gram.) The Dietrich committee will hold a final meeting tomorrow morning. At this meeting the report, which has been drawn by Senator Piatt, will be submitted to the full committee. A favorabale report waa made on Sena tor Gamble's bill, which provides that In making commutation or final proof of homestead entry In addition to the price to be paid for the land entryman shall In all caaea pay the aame fees and commissions aa now provided where the price of the land Is II 25 per acre, and registers and re ceivers shall not be entitled to collect sny further commissions or moneys on com mutated homestead entries. This bill if passed would equalise the commission paid on homestead entrlea, which now vary ac cording to the price of the land entered, although the action of the land officers Is tho same on each entry, regardless of the price of the lands. WESTER MATTERS AT CAPITAL Rural Mall Routes Ratabllahed In Nebraska and Iowa. (Fmm ' Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON. April 13. (Special Tele rrram.l Ruril routes ordered established May 16: Nebraska Surprise, Butler county, one route; area, twenty-elht square miles; population, 5-5. Iowa Brighton, Washing ton county, one additional: area, twenty two and one-half snnare mllea; population, B!. Merhla Rock. Flcyd county, one addi tional; area, twenty-elnht square miles; population, 6?5. Northwood. North county, one ndditlonal: area, nineteen square miles: population, 615. Bewell. Wayne county, one add'.ilnnnl: area, twenty-two square miles; population. E"0. Rural carriers Eppointed: Iowa Auretla, rejular. Alexander E. Eraser; substitute. E. Sprouse. Kmmetaburg. regular. C. C. Gusland: substitute, Lewis o. Gusland. Gsrden Grove, regular. O. C. Knapp; sub stitute, J. Curties Knapp. MURDERER IS UNDER ARREST After Fifteen Tears fleuiorse Drives a Mao to Confess Kansas Crime. FORT SCOTT. Kan, April IS. -Harry Vc Alee, who In I'M murdwred Frank Evan, a Horton. Kan., man. was arrested here on the street today and made a full run roesion. Rrntorsc of conscience eausttd him la confess, he suiJ VICE ADMIRAL BAiAS IN HOSE QUARTERS Russian Crufcer Almoit Caught Whih Outsit! o of Fort Arthur. HAS BRUSH WITH FIVE JAPANESE BOATS Tito Vessels Come Oat of Port Arthur to Ita Assistance and All Finally Reach the Protection of the Forte. (Copyright by New York Herald Co., 1904.) WEI HAI WEI. April 13.-(New York Herald Cablegram Special Telegram to The Bee.) His majesty's gunboat, the Esplegle, which haa arrived here from New Chwang, reports that at 8:46 this morning It sighted five Japanese ships engaging the Russian cruiser Bayan, which was making for Port Arthur from the direction of the Yalu river. The Askold and another cruiser with three funnels came out of Port Arthur to assist the Bayan. At 6:06 the Russians got under the shelter of the forts, but the Bayan waa evidently damaged, as quantities of steam were seen escaping from It At 8:06 the Japanese ships opened fire with their heavy guns upon the forts, but the latter did not reply. After a fifteen minute bombardment the Japanese retired toward the east. Romore at Roaalan Capital. ST. PHTKRSUUIta. April 13, 9;S0 p. m. It as rumored hero tonight that Hear Admiral Prince Ouktomsky, acting com mander of the RuKsian fleet at Port Ar thur, engaged eighteen Japanese warships off Port Arthur this afternoon. LONDON, April 13. The Japanese lega tion tonight had no official Information re garding the fighting today off Port Arthur. Baron Hayashl, the Japanese minister, said Vice Admiral Makarofl's death was an exceedingly dramatic occurrence and he paid a tribute to the late admiral as a great strategist and tactician and said he would be a great Iobs to the Russian navy. Say Japanese Did Xot Succeed. WEI HAI WEI. April 13.-The action fought off Fort Arthur appears to havo consisted, according to the reports re ceived here, of an unsuccessful attempt made by four Japanese cruisers and one battleship to intercept a large Russian cruiser coming from the east. The Russian protected cruiser Askold and a battleship of the Pobleda type went to the assistance of the Russian cruiser. The forts at Port Arthur did not participate in the action. The firing waa continuous, hut waa of short duration. . "The Esplegte," which brought "the" newa here, was unable on account of the dis tance to ascertain the damage done. Report ot Fight with Japanese. CHT3 FOO. April 13. 1 p. m. A private dispatch received here from Port Arthur says the Japanese attacked that place at daylight today and that the full Russian fleet went out under Vice Admiral Maka roff, and, assisted by the fire of the forts, drove the enemy off. The dispatch adds that the town was not damaged. The effect of the bombardment of the forts and fleet waa not mentioned. DEATH MOl'RXED IN WASHINGTON Admiral Makaroff Visited I'nlted States a Few Tears Ago. WASHINGTON, April IS. The news of the death of Admiral Makaroff caused a profound sensation In naval and mili tary circles here, for lie was prob ably better known than any other Russian naval officer. This was because of the fact that he had visited the United States In 1896-97, and also commanded the Rus slon North Pacific squadron, which brought him into frequent contact with American naval officers In those waters and some times Into American ports on the west coast. The general opinion is that Mak aroff was an officer of singular ability as a sailor, being thoroughly sclentlfio In his methods; of more than usual Intelli gence and of physical presence which gave him a splendid power of command. In the matter of personal bravery he had no superior. When Admiral Makaroff visited the Cnited States at the date named he went to Newport, where he met Admiral Taylor and Captain Converse at the war college and torpedo school. Captain Converse says that from first to last he showed the high est powers of observation and he criticised Intelligently every detail of the process of making smokeless powder for the navy, which waa then being developed at New pott naval station. At that time the sta tion was making amokeleaa powder In the shape of long strips, which were arranged like faygots In the cartridge case. This form Is now in use In the Russian and French navies and there are signs of a disposition on the part of the United States navy to return to Its use. It was aban doned principally because of the difficulty of drying the strips so aa to keep them from warping. Makaroff Inquired how the atrips were dried straight and Captain Converse told him that thla was accom plished with difficulty by placing weights upon them while drying. Makaroff explained that his process was better. It consisted in forming the strip with a small hole In one end and hanging it while drying from one of many thousand hooks In a suitable building. The plan Is practiced today. Count Casulnl, the Russian ambassador, tcday had not received word from his government advising him of the disaster that befell the Russian battleship Petro pivlovsk and the death of Admiral Mak aroff and the other officers and men who perished with the sinking of the chip. The first information he kad of the disaster was conveyed to him by a representative of the Associated Press. Naturally he was distressed at thencws, but made no statement beyond expressing his Borrow. KOIBOPATKH REPORTS LOSSES Daring engagement at the Yala River Foar Men Fell. BT. PETERSBURG. April U an official dispatch sent by an aide-de-camp of Gen eral Kourcpatkin to the emperor, dated April 12, says: "General Kachtalinaky, commanding the Russian forces at the Tain river, reports that April 1L during an engagement of out posts, our losses were one officer, one euh offirer and two soldiers killed and t sol diers wounded." MAKAROff ADMIRAL MAKAItOFF Admlrttl MnkHrofT. whose ilmlta In liiittlo Is offlcliilljr conHruiPil from St. Prtorsbtira;, was one of the nnrnl herooa of Ktixsln. Ho first mine Into jiroinlnonf ns Junior oHiccr In the war with Tur key, nnd later an an officer of the Hliick Sen fleet (mlnel Important victories which resulted In putting thut sen practically uinler the ah solute control of Kusxls. More re-cntly lie earned fame nnd honors by devising n plnn for tho operation of vessels In the frozen sens by the use of "lee breakers." which he Invented and whose construction he superin tended. These Ice breakers made It jHissible for ships to operate In the' northern port of ltusiu dur ing the winter months, something impossible before MnknrnrT's time. He was known ns "the Cossack of the So:i" because of his active chaniplonfhlp of lijjlit cruisers of great swiftness as opposed to the "floating forts" or battleships car rying large guns and heavily nr tuored, but of much less speed than the cruisers. The Petropavlovsk. which has twice previously been ' reported damaged in Japanese attacks on Tort Arthur, was a tirst-elass bat tleship of lO.fHWl tons displacement and 14,'JI.I Indicated horse power. It was IMil'i feet long, had sixty nine feet of beam and Its armored belt was of about sixteen Inches of steel, with ten inches of steel armor on Its turrets. lis armament consisted of four 12-Inch, twelve tVincli, thirty-four smaller guns and six torpedo tubes. The comple ment of the Tetropn vlovsk when fully manned was "i0 men. It wns built at St. Petersburg and wns completed In lSDS. GROWING DISTRUST OF CHINA Indications that It Will Not Long; Continue to Remain Neotral. (Copyright by New York Herald Co., 1901.) BERLIN. April 13 (New York Herald Cablegram Special Telegram to The Bee.) The people here are becoming more dis trustful of the genuineness of China's neu trality. This feeling waa Increased today by a telegram from the Shanghai corre spondent of the Berliner Tageblatt. He de dares China haa moblllxed three divisions. Two are being puRhed forward to the Man churlan frontier, their foreposts lying be tween Kin Chow and Chow Yang. The first division is only about 150 kilometers (ninety-four miles) from General Kouropat kln'n headquarters In Llao Yang, and the second 2S0 kilometers from Admiral Alexleff's hcadquartura In Mukden. The third division Is now preparing to take the lleli at Pan Oin Fu. ATarga number" 6f "Japanese officers mf acting as instructors of the Chinese troops, and their numbers have been much in creased within the last few weeks. Japan's Influence with the Chinese troops haa In creased greatly in the last month or two, especially In the provinces of Chill and Shan Tung. Exaggerated reports of the Japanese vic tories are Industriously circulated by the Japanese dispatches. In St. Petersburg a state of great anxiety also prevails regarding the question of Chinese neutrality. It is especially feared that the Intervention of China might lead to another European congress being called together and Russia has so vivid a recol lection of how It fared In the Berlin con gress as to regard this prospect with little equanimity. In consequence Russia has taken very energetic steps In regard to China and has called for the Instant dla mlKsal of all the Japanese military In structors and all the Japanese officers with General Ma. Foreign officers here are awaiting with anxiety the report of the German minister at Peking on the result of these measures. A few days ago It was suggested that the reason why the Japanese made no pro test against the purchase of German trans atlantic liners by Russia was that It also Intended to purchase vessels. This now turns out to be the case. I learn on ex cellent authority that the Toklo govern ment is In negotiation with Fratelll Bros. & Cosulich of Trieste for the purchase of the greater part of their fleet. Before tho vessels leave for Japan they will be loaded with Hungarian horses for the Japanese cavalry. It Is reported here that a large business In war stores Is being carried on between Hamburg and China, whence they are for warded to Japan. The laxness with which the Germans seem to be regarding the neu trality regulations excites considerable comment. DETAILS OF THE FIRST SKIRMISn Toklo Receives Report from Admiral Hoaogra Regarding: Fight. TOKIO, April 1J. 10:00 a.m. DeUlla of the first skirmish on the Yalu river which oc curred last Sunday, arrived today In the official report of Admiral Hosoga. The text of the teport follows: In accordance with my instructions, tha captain of the cruiser Kasaga directed Lieutenant Yamaguchl with live men to scout in mouth of the Yalu. They accom plished their work and safely returned to the Kasnga on Monday. They entered the river In a Coreun junk and at ! o'clock Sunday discovered a party of Rua slans leaving the right bunk of the river iiar Toryuho in a Junk. Lieutenant Yama- Sucnl attacseq mem. a putrol of mounted apanee troops on the left hank of tha river joining in the attack. In the mean time anothur large Ruslan Junk Joined the first one and opened fire on (lie Japa nese. The RusnlnnH retired and reached the bank. They tht-n fled Inland. The change of fire jested one hour and twenty minutes. i no rnrniy nas one Killed and two wounded. We had no casualties. Four hundred cartridges were found In the Rus sian Jtinke. We believe the liusslafia aere a cavalry patrol watching the river. SLIGHT SKIRMISH A.oti THE YAl.t Japanese attack Company et Russians Whleh Attewits to Cross. TOKIO, Tueeday, April 12 i p. m An official telegram from Wlju says that a cumpt'.ny ot Russian troopa attempted to cross the first stream of the Yaiu river west of Wlju this morning- and a company of Japanese attacked and drove the Rus sians back. The bodies of twenty dead Russians, the telegram adds, were found after the fight. Their uniforms showed that they belonged to the Twelfth regi ment of sharpshooters. Finally the dispatch his tint s.null pnrtles of Russians without uoif rms have attempted to cross the Yalu river at differ ent points between Wlju and Yoogampuj I aud UiU they atie giJ diittu Lk, IS DROWNE Commander of Buniaa Fleet at Fort Artbi 0ea Down with Big BattlethH STORIES VARY AS tO HOW IT HAPPENEI 8t. Petersburg Reporta the 8hip 8tmoi Russian Mine in Outer Harbor. ENGLISH EXPERTS THINK IT WAS A TRAf Believe Togo Oanght tquadron Oat It Set and Engagement Ooonrred- ALL BUT TWENTY Of THE CREW PERISH Grand Date Cjril, Who Command Ship, Wounded, bnt Eaved. CONSTERNATION IN ST. PETERSBURG All Reports Agree that aval En gagement Wai la Progress or Commenced Immediately After Disaster to Battleship. (Copyright by New York Herald Co., IK) ST. PETERSBURG. April 18. (New Tori Herald Cablegram pedal Telegram to the Bee.) It waa decided this evening about o'clock to give out the official account from Port Arthur. Vice Admiral Makaroff la dead and f!ranl Duke Cyril waa badly wounded. The re port states that the Japanese fleet Is ap proaching and also that the Russian fleet has started out to meet It. This Is of ficial. What I m told from a source In which I have every reason to believe I m rightly Informed. Is that the Russian fleet went out to meet the Japanese and en gaged them with the result that Petropav lovsk was torpedo"' three times and four other ships of the fleet came back badly disabled. The official account says the fleet retired to Port Arthur. Consterna tion reigns In naval ctrcles. The widow of Makaroff Is here and has been tn a fainting condition all evening Early this morning the telegrams tell how the Easter fetea had paased oft at tha front undisturbed. At midday special editions were Issued saying there was no news beyond saying a handful of Japanese were crossing the Yalu. Then suddenly ugly rumors began to be heard of a naval disaster at Port Arthur and that the fcat tleaMp PetmpavloTsk had been sunk and also that the Grand Duke Cyril, whose brother, the Grand Puke Boris, Just ar rived at Port Arthur, had been wounded and only nine officers saved. A little later It waa added that Vioo Admiral Makaroff was dead and soo of the orew were killed or drowned. Tho news waa so entirely un expected and, as easily can bo Imagined, came as a stunning blow. Toward 8 o'clock the Empress Marie and her son, the grand duke and heir apparent, drove from the Pltckoff palaos td the winter palace, both looking extremely se rious. Simultaneously the carriages of other memfcers of the Imperial family gathered at the winter palace, while the people, not knowing what had taken place, were wondering what It all meant. Fall ing in details, tho general Idea prevails that the ship has been torpedoed or struck a sunken mine. The people almost refuse to believe the newa Is true. Grand Duke Cyril saved himself by Jump ing overboard and was rescued by a boat. Funeral services for Vice Admiral Mak aroff will be held tomorrow at midday. Think It Trap. (Copyright, by New York Herald Co., 1904.) LONDON, April 13. (New York Herald Cublegram-Bpeclal Tale gram to The He. That Atftulral Makaroff fell Into a trap set for him by Admiral Togo la the theo retical structure which London Is inclined to build upon the few facts so far known regarding: (he Russian disaster at Port Arthur. At the news of the death of Vlco Admiral Makaroff himself no expressions, save thoae of sympathy and regret at tha loss of a brave man and brilliant officer, are heard. Rear Admiral Ingles, who knows Ad miral Togo personally, writes In this morn ing's Dally Telegraph: "We know fur a certainty no one de plores Admiral Makaroff s loss from a per soual view more than Admiral Togo, and If the gallant Russian's body could bo found and reverently burled by his foes it la quite possible that the Japanese em peror himself would attend the ceremony." One newspaper calls Admiral Makaroff the Lord Charles Ueresford of Russia, sad another, toe Dally Telegraph, says: Whatever their sympathies with the Japa nese ail Englibh ill join In mourning the sudden death aud under such truglo cir cumstances of the beet and moat trusted urhYer of the Russian fleet." As to the tircunulanccs which precedtj i:l.u poskluly led up to the loss of the Jt's tropavl'iek, Rear Admiral Ingles, writ lug !n the Dally Telcfcrcph, says: "The loaa of the Russian flagship appears U me to be an affair big with fate And has bet n the result of a fleet action at Sea or In tiie opn. The Russians have been constantly ax sea lately and they gen erally have been reported sa being somo dlklai.te off land and mostly to the south, L t., LelKu the end of tha Llao Tung f