Nebraska Newspapers

    The Omaha Daily
Bee
i
OMAHA, MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 6, 1903.
VOL. XXXVII NO. 227.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
Tnniini i;c vcvrn i:vn
China and Japan Ine Diffi-
culty, Another
PATHS SEEM TO BE BL WAR
1 v
,
Diplomat! of Both Count; V ' pt
Busy with Complication ...
SITUATION ALARMING TO OTHERS
Latest Complication it the Seizure of
Japanese Ship.
WAR IS 1T0T LOOKED FOR NOW
I nlfH Coatlmailsa of Irritating
Complications Caa Be Stopped,
Hmr, Back Mar Be the
I'ltlnaata Ooteorae.
TOKIO. Msrrh 1 The fates seem almost
resslvsd to embroil Japan and China by
fair mrans or foul. No sooner do.a one
diplomatic issue appear to b on the eve
of satisfactory settlement than another
one crops up to prolong the agonv and
keep the Toklo foreign offle ar.d the
Chinese foreign board more or less busy.
The Kanto, a boundsry. the Ts'n-Mln-Tun-Fukumen
railway, the Ncrth Mmchurtan
customs and the telegraph ques'lcns all
these have now ceased to - excite mu :h
roncern In the minds af those who can sea
below the surface of the current, but on the
other hand, as though the Chines them
selves,1 were determined to furnlrh the
Japanese opposition with Its strongest argu
ments In favor of a mar sprit ed jo"ey.
vls-a-vls. the middle kingdom, whose
Chinese warships seized a Japanese mer
chant steamer the Tatsu Maru In Chinese
territorial waters, Just outside Macao har
bor, and escorted 11 to Canton on the
charge that It was engaged In an attempt
to smuggle arms and ammunition Into
China. To add to the Irritation Inseparable
from such a course of action, the Chinese
commander hauled down the Japanese flag
rn route and ran up the Chinese dr ain
ensign In Its stead. The Jspanese foreign
office has demanded the immediate release
of the Tatsu Mnru and the punishment of
the officials rcsponrlble for Its ee:ure,
Quite Irrespective of the merits of the case,
the Japanese minister maintains the act'on
of the Chinese authorities in seising and
hauling down the Japaneee flag was an in
suit to Japan.
Facta la the Controversy.
The facta of the case aa nearly as can
be ascertained from both aide appear
be these: The Japanese contention Is that
the vessel left Kobe on January 81 wlt:i
ninety-four cases of rlflee and forty cases
of ammunition consigned by the Ataka
Bhokel of Osaka to Messrs. Kwong To &
Comoanv of Macao, who are licensed o
the Macao government to deal in arms. It
Is asserted that the Ataka Bhokal had ob
tained the necessary permit from the Macao
authorities with regard to the arms and
ammunition and that the uaual customs
end police fomatttle had been compiled
with Bt Kobe. The fact that the Tatsu
. Maru anchored outside Macao harbor la
I explained ty ihe statement-that Its Man
vm too great to permit it to enter the
harbor in safety and that the intention of
ik. contain and the consignees was to
have the cargo discharged Into lighters.
According to the captain's story, the ves
sel was surrounded by four Chinese gun'
boats and was shortly afterward boarded
by the Chinese commsnder, who declared
that although the steamer was in posses
sion of a certificate Issued by the Portu
guese authorities at Macao, the Chinese
government was Informed that It was bound
for Macao with a cargo of 134 cases ot
arms and ammunition consigned to a Chi
nese. and that he had been ordered by the
taotal of Canton to stop the discharge of
this cargo. Later two customs officials
and twenty bluejackets boarded the
steamer. The Incident created no small ex
citement among the steamer's passengers,
some apprehension being entertained that
the Japanese warships In Hong Kong har
bor might attempt a rescue, In which event
It Is deemed probable that the Chinese
gunboats would have sent the Tatsu Maru
to the botton without further ceremony. It
was to safeguard the vessel against any
attempt to escape that the Chinese com
mander tan up the dragon of the Chinese,
this technically placing the vessel under
arrest.
rialat Arms for Insurgents.
Further Inquiry has elicited the Informs
tlon that the selsure of the Tatsu Maru
was brought about through a report sent
from Kobe or Osaka to the Chinese author
Itles to the effect that although the rifles
and ammunition were consigned to a firm
In Macao, they were really to he smuggled
Into the hands of Insurgents In the Interior
of China. Acting on this assurance, th
Chinese authorities took immediate steps
to seise the steamer. It Is surmised tha
the Information of the Chinese government
may have ben a Chinese residing in Japan
In the meantime the situation regardtni
the captive steamer has been found Impos
slble of adjustment, and yesterday a high
official of the Foreign office had the fol
lowing to say with regard to Japan's course
of action:
"Japan will not resort to force In con
paction with the selsure of this vessel un
lss compelled to do so by the action
China "
Postal Service aa Weapon.
TEKINO. March H.-Chlna's ac M y I
recover full sovereignty In Manchuria ha
arousv) the Japanese to cp'Kstion. Japat
..has rslsed the standard of Its p etal of
y.f Vrs. Increased the effectiveness of Its pos
l system, which is one cf the Ja-anes
government s special inmruinems ei aparv
.-. .
slon, and Is harrasrlng the Imp-rig' Chinese
poai oy sum me-ans as ir-e lonow.na: jaiu
refused Chlra certain p etil rrl Te ' on
the "outh Munchur an railways to which it
Is entitled, hat hrnfcei rp-n Chinese mail
bag, Sicrftlv c-v-fisca'e I ene nisi' tag and
v contents and cord.ictt a parcel! pest over
Its railways wrlle rcf'.irlm tt a r tliu
parcels tf the Chinese pest.
China has been awar3 for so-ne time !
that Japan was u n I s e-a-tment o
.communications to tx:e-d Its au:h-ri y In
Manchuria. Jsran ruVs'l'u el for Itt mlli
tsry post, when It rax withdrawn a, th
time Of the evj?uton, a co.rp'ete ro til
estsbllhment unilcr a postai comm sVo-wr
of the Imperial Ja;anese tos', who naldei
at Dalny. China's method of baullrg this
sgfMvarton has been the re-estab'ishment of
Its own posts whle'.i were dlsorganirel by
the wsr. The number of postoffies was in
creased from forty-three to e'ghty-four snd
w.ll be further Increa-el to -J) hy Aprl.
I'.ul. China has not so far had the tern rity
to mention Its nstural r'ghis In Mane hurt
on account of th mentis which the Jar a
nese government holds over It, and since It
Is Impossible to oust Japan China's only re
maining weapon is competition.
CONDITION OF THE WEATHER
Temperature st Omshs yesterday:
Hour.
Deg
... 10
... 17
... 14
... 13
... 12
... 13
15
17
IS
2ft
23
24
25
24
24
23
u
APANESE NAVAL STRENGTH
weaty-Flve Armored Kb. I pa
and
Forty-erea Crnlaera oa
the Register.
TOKIO, March . Borne reliable figures
re now to hand showing the present
trength of the Jspanese navy as compared
with Its strength when the war broke out.
Details are appended, but the totals msy
be briefly slated, vis., 167 vessels of sll
descriptions representing a tonnage of 283.-
42 tons before the war, and 204 vessels and
615.082 tons at the present day. Further
scrutiny of the figures shows that Japan
today possesses more then twice the num
ber of battleships It had before the war, a
third as many more armored cruisers, three
more other cruisers, nearly three times as
many destroyers, but three fewer torpedo
boats. Its naval losses during the war in
cluded two battleships, the Hatsuae and
TiMlma; eight cruisers, the Takasago, To-
hlno, Salyom. Miyako, Helyen, Atago.
Oshlma and Kaimon; two destroyers, the
Akatsukl and Hayators; seven torpedo
boats: or a total of nineteen vessels and
46,616 tons.
On the other hand, as against the two
battleships, torpedoed by the Russians, the
Japanese bagged at Port Arthur and in the
battle of Japan sea, five battlesrlps, repre
senting 62.524 tons, I.e., the Orel, now named
the la ami; the Peresvlet (Sagaml), Poltava
(Tango), Retvlzan (Hlzen) and Pobleda
(Sue). In addition there were taken eleven
unarmored cruisers, 71.276 tons; five de
stroyers, 1,740 tons: or a total of twenty
one vessels, representing 135,540 tons. Thus
the net gain without further building on
Japan's part Is seen to be two in number
nd 88,924 In tonnage, the discrepancy be
tween these divisions being due to the fact
that Japan's chief gains were in battleships
and cruisers.
Critics of the expansion program are
naturally asking why, in the face of these
figures, which indicate an advance of fully
90 per cent. Including new constructions,
the government should still persist in mak
ing appropriations for the army and navy
more than 36 per cent of the total national
expenditure for the next fiscal year. Lead-
ng financiers and business men do not
hesitate to point out that so long as the
above disparity Is maintained the country
must expect to Invite foreign distrust, while
forthcoming attempts to negotiate a new
loan are likely to encounter no small op
position and even If successful will prove
so anly at the cost of a sacrifice of pres
tige in the shape of some form of hypothe
cation.
The following figures are given:
Strength when the si r commenced: Bat-
tlAMnH Mtv ILL Aft tnna i.rmnni1 n.rtltiwrfl-
elght, 73,9t2 tons; other cruisers, forty-
four. 111.470 tons: dostroyers. nineteen. 6.169
tons: t or pert o boats, eighty, 7,u tons; total,
11) ( snips. Voi.iw tons.
Built during or since the war: Battleships,
four. 71.600 tons, vis: The Katarla .Kashlma,
Akl and Bateuma, tne last two oi wnicn are
now receiving their armaments. Armored
(riiluMr. fntir M HA tnnm viz- Thn Tmiktilm
Ikoma, Kuruma and Ibukl, the last two of
which are now receiving their armamenta.
Other cruisers, five, 7,006 tons, vis: The
Tone, Todo, Mogaml, etc., all of which are
under construction or receiving their arm
aments. Destroyers, thirty-three, 12,573
tons. Torpedo bosts, five, 760 tons. Total,
fifty-one vessels, 14S.6S9 tons.
Present force: Battleship 13. 191.3S1 tons:
armored cruisers 12, 130.6R3 tons: other
cruisers 47. 1S5.252 tons; destroyers 65. 20.6o
tons; torpedo Dots 77, 7,268 tons. Total, 04
ships; 65,0fc3 tons.
The unarmored Russian cruisers cap
tured have been renamed as follows
Nikolai I (Ikl). Bayan (Aao). Paliada
(Tsugaru). Varyag (Soya), Aplakln (Oklne
sMma). Benlavin (Mlshlms), Novlk (Su-
suya), to be used as one of the training
squadron at Tokeauka; Majurla (Manshu)
Angara (Anegawa), Kazan (Kaniaki) and
Sungarl (Matsuye)..
The five Russian destroyers captured
have been renamed as follows: Reshlteelnt
(Tamahlko), Vledvl (Satsuki), Bilnul (Fu
mlzuki), Oandamak (Shlrlnaml) and Vo-
sadnik (Maklgumo).
WIRELESS PICKS UP FLEET
Message Received at Pol at
Loma
. front Battleship Cos
neetleat. BAN DIDGO. Cal.. March S Point Loma
wireless station at an early hour this morn
Irtg was In communication with the battle
ship Connecticut, flagship of Admiral
Evans' fleet. It is believed thst a message
was received for the Navy department a1
Washington, but absolutely no Information
will be divulged by the operator at Point
Loma wireless station.
WASHINGTON, March 8, No official
advices have been received at the Navy
department concerning the battleship fleet
since its departure on February 29 from
Callao, Peru, for Magdalena bay. While
naval officers are unable to give the exact
location of the fleet at this time. It is be
lieved that It la near the equator southwest
of the Isthmus of Panama. The estimate
puts the fleet about 1.400 or 1,600 miles from
Magdalena bay. t'nder ordinary condition
the fleet averages about 240. miles a day,
so that it Is figured It will reach Magda
lena bay about March 14. k
LIMA, March 8. Rear Admiral Ralgad
gave a banquet tonight on the Peruvian
crulsr Almlrsnte Grau to the officers of
the American torpedo flotilla. The ban
qut-t took the form of a farewell to th
Americans, who will leave here tomorrow
morning to continue their voyage to tha
north.
NEW YCRK FOR FOWLER BILL
Merchants' Asaoclatloa Meads (oi
mltlee to Pre seat Views to
Coagresa.
NEW YORK. March S.-A delegation of
members from the committee on rorameri
clal law of the Merchants' association of
New York left today for Washington to
present their views on currency legislation
to the secretary of the treasury, Srnato
Aldiirh, Speaker Cannon and other mem
bers of congress.
The committee has endorsed strongly the
Fowler currency bill and will endeavor to
satisfy the leadera in congrvsa that the
passage of this bill Is demanded by the bu
lness men of the country.
HOTXMXaTTa OI OCKAJf STSAJCgaTirB,
Part. ArrtTrc, SslUd.
KKW YORK ....St. Paul
KOTTCHDlkM ...RiailM
SOUTHAMPTON. BU ImsIS
OL&SOuW Furs.
IS if: :::::::
V2'm.m:::::::::;::::::
ty V,.r 4 p. m
. A f S p. m
Iff P- m
1 7 p. m
p. m
1 I p. m
CURB TO SPEAKER'S POWER
Congressman Norris Ha Plan for a
New Committee on Rales.
ALL AGREE CHANGE IS NEEDED
Hands of Oae Maa Mast Be
Cheeked, gar Members
of Co ear ess.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, March 8. (Special.)
here Is a growing group of republican
representatives in congTess who believe
the time Is not far distant when the rules
of the lower branch of congress must be
hanged and the enormous power of the
peaker abridged. The agitation which Is
olng on today to broaden the scope of
gislation, rather than to limit It, Is the
result of years cf calm and dispassionate
discussion looking to a modification of
the power now placed in the hands of the
speaker and his committee of rules. In
the last couple of weeks there has been
heard more discussion over the Inability
members to secure consideration for
their bilta than In the whole of the fifty-
nth congress. The discussion In no sense
took on a criticism of the distinguished
occupant of the speaker's chair, but was
the nature of a protest against the
enormous power which the speaker wields
over legislation.
Suspension day, as a day wherein bills
on the calendar, other than money bllle.
ay be considered, has become a flay
wherein the speaker Is supreme. A repre
sentative In congress who has a bill upon
the calendar and who may be permitted
to pass his bill under suspension of the
rules hence the name "suspension day
must first see tha speaker of the house
and secure his consent to recognition
before the bill stands the ghost of a show
for consideration. The speaker of the
house examines Into the merits of the
measure, and although It may have the
nanimous report of a committee at its
back the speaker may yet decide the
legislation Is unwise and consequently the
member whose bill is under discussion
does not go on the speaker's little list
for recognition. And with the speaker
against the measure no matter how meri
torious a bill may be It stands a mighty
poor chance of receiving consideration at
the hand of congress.
Speaker's Autocratic Power.
During the last suspension day It' was
made more than ever apparent what a
mighty power the speaker was In the
matter of legislation. Instead of a repre-
entatlve rising In his place to call up a
bill under the suspension of the rules
the speaker became a composite member
and from his list called the names of
the members who had previously seen
him and whom he bad agreed to recognize
to call up bills. The speaker called- the
name of "the gentleman from Illinois,
Mr. Boutelle." but Mr. Boutelle was not
on the floor at the particular moment
and for the time being the measure In
which the gentleman was Interested was
aide-tracked and the speaker passed to
the recognition of some one else. It was
only an incident, but It showed how in
the course of tho years Increased power
has been given to the presiding officer
of the house through amendments to the
rules. Time was when a suspension day
meant what It says, when representatives
would scramble for recognition at the
hands of the speaker and the measures
sought to be passed received both atten
tion and earnest consideration. Today,
however, things are wholly and com
pletely different and the speaker is In
mere senses than one the biggest man
In the nation next to the president.
Representative Victor Murdock of Kan
sas, who is a self-constituted candidate for
the presidency among the red-headed mem
bers of society, voiced the growing senti
ment of opposition to the present rules of
the house when he said: "I believe that
tha present method of legislative procedure
cannot last; that It has In it the error
Which will correct It, and that there will
come In the train of the correction not dis
order but order. That it should come Is
to my mind of much more Importance than
any single item of expenditure. How It
will come I do not know, but I believe
that Its first manifestation will be a public
demand for simplification of the rules for
the election of the committee on rules by
the house and for a larger membership of
the committee, and eventually a demand
that tha doors of all committe rooms be
opened, that all proceedings In committee
and all votes In committee be recorded and
be made accessible to the membership of the
house and to the public." This statement.
when made on the floor of the house by
Mr. Murdock during the consideration of
the postofflce appropriation bill, was re
ceived with loud applause from both sides
ot the chamber.
Norris Haa a Plan.
During a discussion of the present rules
of the house and the unlimited power
possessed by the committee of rules, Con
gressman Norris of Nebraska outlined to
a group of his colleagues a new thought
as to the selection of the committee on
rules. Mr. Norris has a scheme to make
the committee on rules consist of fifteen
members, with a chairman to be elected
by the committee and a clerk. He pro
poses that the country be divided Into fif
teen districts, and that the fifteen mem
bers of the committee be selected by the
representatives of the respective districts
Nine districts, he proposes, anoujd be rep
resented by the majority party, and six
districts by the minority. That la to say
if all of New Kngland should be made one
district, the representatives from the New
England states would meet In caucus and
select from out of their number one mem
ber for the committee on rules. Repre
sentatives from the several other districts
would do likewise, and with the committee
on rules aelected and a chairman elected
it would be In a position to report meaa-
urea for consideration and rules for adop
tion Independent of the speaker, and In
this way all sections of the country would
have their day in court and favoritism
would be wholly eliminated. Congressman
Norris recognises that the scheme may be
Utopian, and. In view of the right of th
speaker to appoint all committees, Imposa!
ble of passsge; but he believes with many
of his colleagues that a change is necessary
in the rules of the house In order that the
country may have the benefit of legists
tlon which la now marked for slaughter by
either the committee on rules or th
speaker.
Reaterdahl Evokes Retort.
An echo of Henry Reuterdahl's savage
attack upon tha L'nlted States navy an
the inefficiency of our fighting ships ws
heard in tiie house the other day, when Mr
Olcott cf New York had read at the deck
(Continued on Socond fagai
SOUTH DAKOTA TEST TUESDAY
Primaries Thea May Deris Which
Faction Haa Coatrol of that
State.
SlOt'X FALLS, a D., March t (Special.)
The first test of strength between the
stalwart and Insurgent republican factions
of South Dakota In the present campaign
will take place on Tuesday of this week,
when primaries will be held In vsrlous
counties of the state for the election of del
egates to the county conventions, which In
turn will elect delegates to the stste con
ventions, which are to elect delegates to
represent Bouth Dakota In the national
conventions of the republican and demo
cratic parties.
The primaries will be the first held under
the new primary law, which was enacted
by the Insurgent republican legislature of
a year ago. The proposed enactment of a
primary law was one of the chief Issues
upon which the Insurgent republicans won
a victory in the state in 1906 and elected
their congressional and state ticket. Under
the new law, the county conventions, to
which delegates will be elected on Tuesday,
will be held on March J4, or exactly two
weeks after the primaries. The state con
ventions will be held on April 7.
Both the stalwart and Insurgent repub
licans profess to be confident of winning a
victory at Tuesday's primaries. The new
primary law provides that In counties
where there Is no content the county cen
tral committees may elect the delegates to
the state convention. In a number of coun
ties this course was followed and the pri
maries were dispensed with.
The republican state convention, which
will be held at Huron on April 7, for the
election of eight delegates to represent the
republicans of South Dakota In the repub
lican national convention, will be made up
of a total of 49 delegates. Thus the fac
tion hlch controls th convention must
have not less than 246 of the delegates.
In the counties which already have elected
delegates to the state convention the stal
warts secured the greater proportion of the
delegates and now lack only about seventy
five of having a sufficient number to con
trol the state convention, while In the pri
maries on Tuesday the Insurgents will have
to capture nearly 200 delegates If they are
successful In controlling the state conven
tion. On the face of things It would appear al
most certain that the stalwarts will win
out, but this Is by no mrans certuln, for
the reason that the delegates required by
them, although smaller In number than the
number needed by the Insurgents, will have
to be captured largely In territory which
two years ago was strongly Insurgent. Be
cause of this the Insurgents are yet confi
dent of securing the additional delegates
necessary to give them control of the statit
convention. The stalwarts; on the other
and, are equally as .confident that they
will In the primaries on Tuesday elect
enough delegates to "five them a good
working majority In, tie state convention.
As both factions havti been united In sup
port of Secretary Ta
t as the republican
nominee for president; efforts were made
some weeks ago to call off the fight be
tween the factions for control of the state
convention, which will have nothing to do
but elect rVlegaMs t" 'rut'.'rvial conven
tion, but the bitterness between the fac
tions was of so pronounced a nature that
the efforts In behalf of peace between the
two factions until the June primaries were
unsuccessful.
ALIA TRIAL AT DENVER TODAY
Belief that Defense Will Rely I'pos
a Plea of Insanity to Pave
Ilk Life.
DENVER, Colo., March 8. Giuseppe Alia
the prist-klller, will be placed on trial In
the criminal branch of the district court at
10 o'clock tomorrow.
Alla's conflicting statements regarding
the shooting have led many people to be
lieve he must be Insane. However, four of
the most expert brain specialists In this
city have given It as their opinion that
Alia Is perfectly sane, and this after ob
serving him since his return to this city
from Colorado Springs, whither he was
taken to avoid possible mob violence. Alia
had practically recovered from the fear of
summary vengeance and was In fair con
dttlon to be studied by men skilled In the
detection of mental faults.
Notwithstanding public announcement
through the press of the results of the ob
servations of the specialists appointed by
the district attorney, the defense has en
gaged three alienists to be present during
the trial. They will sit In the courtroom
and observe the defendant for the purpose
of detecting any sign of Insanity. Should
they be successful, no doubt the defense
will be quick to grasp that as a means of
saving the life of Alia.
On the other hand, the prosecution has
summoned eight alienists to be present
whose expert knowledge will be used to off
set any claim of Insanity that might be
rulsed by Alla's attorney.
BIG MISSIONARY GATHERING
Twenty-Five Haadred Delearates Are
Expected to Attrad Plttsbara
Co invention.
PITTSBURG, March 8 -The first inter
national convention under direction of the
Young People's Missionary Movement of
the United States and Canada opens Tues
day morning In Exposition Music hall, and
will continue three days. At least 2,500 del
egates from all parts of the world are ex
pected. Nearly hn!f tbnt number are now
here. The convention will be a gathering
of secretaries of home and foreign mission
ary movements, members of such boards,
representatives of national, state and
county Sunday aehool and young people's
organizations and many others who are
interested in mission work. The Young
Men's and Young Women's Christian as
sociations, representatives of the students
In theological senlmaries and colleges and
leaders In work among young people, will
be among the delegates.
No such gathering of the whole mission
ary movements of the various churches of
North America, It Is said, has ever been
attempted, and every Protestant denomina
tion will be represented. Some of the best
speakers In the country will be present.
FATAL FIGHT IN PENITENTIARY
Gnard Killed and Wardca and Sev.
rral Prlsoacrs Scrlooslv
Woanded.
BUTTE. Mont.. March 8-In a f'a-'it at
the state penitentiary at Deer I.o 'ge f I'
morning Guorl Robinson had his throat cut
from ear to ear by a-vral ccnvlcts, r"yig
almost l-ntan.ly. Warde-n Frank Con'ey h-d
his throat cut and was stalibed In the bod'
severul times, but not refer he had
emptied his revolver at the convicts and
wounded three of them, all seriously. None
of tho convicts escaped.
PRESTON STILL AN ENIGMA
Man with Many Ballet Smiles as He
Sees Both Shores.
BUT STICKS TO FOOLISH STORY
Flaally Says He la Only a Teamster
from lllgglns, Texas, with a
Secondhand Dearer Hat
from Kawtowa.
Still a mystery to the police and hospital
authorities, J. B. Preston, who walked Into
the police station Saturday with three dan
gerous bullet wounds In his body, only
smiles as he contemplates the possibility
of his life being withdrawn from the sum
of human existence.
The mysterious stranger has given up
some more Information, but there la little
to indicate that he is more than a private
among the powers that prey and drift with
out a compass on the ocean of human life.
As he lay in St. Joseph's hospital Sunday
he said that his last place of employment
waa In the Panhadle psrt of Texas, where
he was a teamster for L. J. Smith, a Santa
Fe railroad contractor.
This part of the man's story will be In
vestigated today by the police, wires having
been sent to the small town of Hlgglns In
the Psnhandle country.
Between the smiles and the glimpses
which Preston takes st both shores, he
sticks firmly to the story that he first told.
that he was shot about 3 a. m. Thursday
morning by a negro, near Ninth and Doug
las streets. Then he goes on to toll how he
took several rummer glasses of whisky at
the request of his pals, and walked almost
mile to some house near Twenty-sixth
and Farnam streets.
One Ballet Extracted.
But Captain Savage has another Idea of
the story- W'hen Dr. F. J. Schleler clipped
bullet out of Preston"s hip Sunday morn
ing, where he felt it Just under the skin.
It was discovered that the lead was flrod
from a 45-caliber gun. It Is an unusual
sized bullet. To detectives It would appear
that such bullets are used further west
than Omaha, where the same slsed cart
ridges are used In revolvers and rifles. Tho
captain haa received Information that a
aafe was blown last Tuesday morning at
Brighton, Colo., Just twenty miles from
Denver. Two of the robbers were captured
the third escaped wounded. Preston
wears a hat with the name of a Denver
firm In it. The suit which he wore when
he dragged himself to the police station
Saturday was evidently not the suit he
wore when shot. It had no bullet holes
In It.
Preston's hands do not appear to be
those of a man Who ever took such violent
exercise aa pulling a pair of bell cords
over the backs of a team of mules on a
railroad grade. Life has treated him well,
at least up to some time last week when
he stopped tha bullets.
The fact that Preston says he came from
the Panhandle country and wears the hat
from Denver was mentioned to him by a
representative of The Bee.
Secondhand Hat Story.
'I bought the hat In a second-hand store
In Kansas City," said Preston,
"Were you working in Kansas City?"
"No; I Just came through there."
"Where were you wording lastT"
"In Hlgglns, Tex."
"For whom?"
"For L. J. Smith. He's a contractor
grading on the Santa Fe. I was teaming
for him."
The map of Texas ahows that there la a
town calied Hlggina, that It Is In the Pan
handle of Texas, In Lipscomb county, and
on the Sante Fe railroad.
The fact that Preston cannot now give
the exact location of the house where he
says he was taken, though he gave It Sat
urday, : Is considered a shaky part of his
story.
"I think It was five or six houses from
the corner, he said; "but I was pretty
drunk, and so were MotcaJf and Billy. It
seemed to be all of a mile walk, though."
"What do tho doctors say about your
getting well?" he waa aaked.
"They say It's a very serious case," he
replied. "Blood-poisoning might sot In
and, if It does, of course I'm a goner."
"And If it should set In, would you have
any change to make In the statement you
have given?"
Looking into the face of death, Preston
answered:
"None at all."
Dr. Schleler believes there Is a good
chance for the man to recover.
RAILROADS WANT MORE PAY
Short Lines Say They Do Not Receive
Adequate Compensation for
Carrying; Malls.
WASHINGTON, March 8.-An effort la
being made before congress to secure a
Just apportionment of the compensation
now given by the government for the
transportation of United States malls by
rail. More than 900 "short line" railroads
have Joined In a petition to congress for
readjustment of the pay for carrying
mails. These short line roads are Inde
pendent lines and most of them reach
towns, vlllsges and hamlets not readily
accessible by any other route. These lines
now receive S42.7S per mile per year for
carrying 200 pounds of mall per day, and
$f4.13 per mile per year when the amount
of mall averages 600 pounds per day.
The figures show that ihe larger roads
receive anywhere from two to four times
as much aa the "short lines" for mail car
rlage, and In addition they also receive
extra compensation for carrying the rail
way postal cars. It la pointed out that the
rural free delivery service of the govern
ment handles the malls at an expense of
about 11 centa per mile, while the weight
of the mall doea not exceed an average of
seventy-five pounds per day. The short
line mail Is carried by the roads at an
average charge of les than 6 cents per mile.
To remedy what Is believed by some to be
an injustice. Representative Taltoott ot
Maryland has Introduced a bill amending
the postal raw so as to equalize the pay
of the trunk lines and the short lines
throughout the country.
JEROME HAS ANSWER READY
Goes to Albany Today to Present the
Docnaaeat to Governor
Hashes.
NEW YORK, March .-Dlstrlct Attorney
Jerome will leave for Albany tomorrow to
tender to Governor Hughes his answer to
the charges filed with the governor by W
F. King, former president of the Mer
chants' association.
Mr. Jerome was in his office today work
Ing on the answer, which he said will make
a book containing tS.OOO words.
SERIOUS BREAK IN THE SLATE
Pallor to Scad Monks to Dcavrr
niaarraaarea Plans of
Bryaa.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
LINCOLN. March 8. (Special.) In
falling to send II. H. Hanks of the First
district to the national democratic con
vention as a delegate the district con
vention of the First district has seriously
interfered with the plans of the Bryan
leaders. If not with the presidential can
didate himself. Mr. Hanks had practically
been decided upon to uiake a speech for
Bryan In the Denver convention. He was
not to make the nominating speech, but
he was to second the nominating speech,
which It is likely will be delivered long
before the name of Nebraska la reached
on the roll. A prominent democrat who
is on the Inside said yesterday that Hanks
was to have made a speech, but for some
reason the plans all miscarried and he
was left at home. Some of the big lead
ers of the lost cause here are of the
opinion that Bryan will be placed In
nomination by an easterner and all that
Nebraska will do will be to socond the
nomination. That honor was to have
fallen to Hanks.
"Since the democrats have discovered
they can smash a slate, even though
Bryan himself favors it," said a demo
crat here today, "a move will be started
to get the scalp of Brother-ln-Law Tom
Allen at the first opportunity. This op
portunity will come In September. It
will be a little late to change chairman,
but It Is likely to be done. If Metcalfa
would consent to take the chairmanship
there would hardly be a democrat In the
state line up for' Allen. But of course
Metcalfe won t hear of such talk. At this
time the democrats are absolutely without
an organisation, and yet Allen has been
at the head of the machine for years. If
Jim Dahlman would get out of the race
for governor he could be made chairman,
hut he has the bee In the bonnet and of
course he Is an Impossibility."
That trip which Governor Sheldon and
his staff expect to make across the country
to San Francisco In May to deliver the
silver service to the battleship Nebraska
and to be present when the officers and
men of the Atlantic fleet are entertained
will be the greatest trip ever made by a
bunch of Nebraskans. The plans are now
ncubating for a special train, one car or
two of which will be for the exclusive use
of the executive and his staff and the
remainder for the use of any good look
ing Nebraskan who may care to Journey
across the country to be present on this
historical occasion. It has not yet been
figured out what the cost will be nor what
routes will be taken going and coming,
but the plans are to wake up all the coun
try west of here and keep the people won
dering for years to come.
RESOLUTIONS PRAISE DRUMMY
federatloa of Improvement Claba
Acts and Scads Sympathy ta
Family of O Hirer.
Resolutions of sympathy for the family
of Detective Drummy, which praise the
character of the officer and his devotion to
duty, were passed by the Omaha Federation
of Improvement clubs at the last meeting.
March B, and have' just been made public.
ir.e resolutions sent members of the
Drummy family and copied on the books
of the federation follow:
Whereas. In the death of nffiz-er a a
Drummy of the police force of this city
Omaha and the people of this county aa
well, have lost one of the most efficient,
bravest and most valuable officer and
detective that this community has. snd
recognising that his untimely death was
Incident to the faithful performance of his
duties, and the circumstances surrounding
Tim uphhi whs one to wn rn an hrv
true and faithful officers are at all, and
any time subject. In order that the Iowa
of the state may be enforced and the clti
sens thereof protected in life and prop
erty; therefore, be It
Resolved, Thst the Federsted Improve
ment Club of Omaha and through It all
other Improvement clubs of this city and
county deplore the loss to our county and
state of so faithful, courteous and brave
an officer, that we recoimlze and com.
mend the prompt and efficient and worthy
acts of his fellow officers In capturing
and preventing the escape of the assassin;
that we realise that such deplorable cir
cumstances may arise In any and all
peaceable and well gox-erned communities
and that we extend to the widow, chil
dren and family of ssld Officer S. B.
Drummy our sympathy and regret for the
loss of a husband, father and citizen; a
loss mai mat is rirst. tneirs. and secondly,
the city snd state's, and be It further
Resolved. That these resolutions ha
spread on the minutes of this federation
and a copy of same sent to the widow
and children.
J. P. A. BRENCHERT, Secretary.
SAFEGUARDS AROUND KING
Every Precaution Helnar Taken at
Barcelona 4o Prevent Any Vio
lence to Ills Majesty.
BARCELONA. March' 8. The city ta be
ing extensively decorated and no official ef
forts will be spared to give King Alphonso
a creditable and enthusiastic reception on
his arrival here on Tuesday. Nevertheless
the greatest concern Is felt aa to the king's
aafety, owing to the activity of the Bar
celonlan revolutionists snd anarchists, who
recently have created almoat a reign of
terror In thla city. There have been five
bomb explosions here since January 1, and
not a single culprit has been caught. Only
a few days ago placards were posted
throughout Barcelona stating that an at
tempt would be made upon the life of the
king ahould he carry out hla determina
tion of visiting thla city. The placards
were torn down by the police, but the fear
that an outrage will be attempted remains.
General Linares, who was In command
of the Spanish forces at 8anttago, and who
Is now captain general of Catalonia, will
be In supreme command of the military ar.
rangements and. In conjunction with In
spector Arrow, late of Scotland Yard, and
now chief of police here, la taking every
precaution to insure the safety of the king,
who will be his personal guest.
DEATH RECORD.
David Waldo.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 8 Davll
Waldo, a wealthy horseman well known
throughout the United States snd who
formerly owned a race track hre. ws
killed near Independence, Mo , In a runaway
accident last night. His body was found
late at night lying in the road, where It had
been thrown from a wrecked burgy wr-leh
lay nearby. He was a graduate of Wash
ington and Lee unlverclty In Virginia a-d
father of Jed and William Waldo, who were
famous Joe-keys a few ye-r axo.
Charles Aldrlrh.
POONE, la., March 8. Charles Aldrleh
curator and founder of the Btate His.
torical department of Iowa, died today of
grip and kidney trouble. He waa born
In 1828 In New York atate. Ills body
will He In state at the capltol, Des Moines,
on Wednesday.
TAFT GETS NEBRASKA
Convention in Omaha Thursday U
Elect Delegates for Big Ohioan.
NO DELEGATES FOR LA FCLLETTE
Presidential Preference Votei Sho
United Republican Sentiment.
SIX MENTIONED FOR DELEGATE!
Resolutions in Many Counties Indi
cate Representatives to Chicago.
FOUR DISTRICTS TO MEET
This Week Will See Conventions la
Third, Fifth, Second and Sixth,
Besides the State Con
vention. . ; ;
s
KXUSX.ICAN STATS OOKTBVTIoSr.
Total dslagatsa accredited 93
Ifecsasary to majority .....Ma
Dsleg-atas for Taft ... 773
Adams li Hitchcock 4
Antelope l'Holt 1
lloone it Howard I
Box Butte 4 Jefferson 1
Doyd " Johnson 11
Frown 4 Kearner I
Buffalo l"'K.ya Paha I
Burt H Kimball I
Butler 11 Lincoln 11
Cass 18; Madison 15
Cedar U' Merrick 8
Chase 2 Nemaha 8
Cherry 7'Nurkelia 11
Clay 14lotoe 17
Colfax l'awnee IS
Cuming 10' I'crktns I
Cutter I"' I"hrlps 7
Pakota S Platte IS
Pawnon I'; PolU 8
mmel 3'Red Willow
Illxon 1 Richardson 17
Podge 10 Rock 3
Pouglas l'i2'Rallne 1
Punriy 3 Farp.v 7
Fillmore 13 Sp.unders 19
Franklin 8 gpwsrd IS
Frontier 7 Sherman S
Furnas 10' Sioux I
tinge Ftenton
Ourfleld S Thayer IS
Grant I1 Thurston 6
Grecloy Washington 11
Hamilton 121 Webster 11
Harlan 8 York 17
Haye 2
Delegates for Boosevslt 5
Hall 17iflrott'a Bluff 4
Lancaster Mi Wayne 10
Delegates nnlnstructed 47
Banner l'Knox 14
Cheyenne f Pierce 7
Pawea &Shetidan 4
Keith S Valley 8
Delegates not yet reported 11
Blaine 1 Imp 1
Gosper 4' Mcpherson 1
Hooker llThomas 1
Logan l;Vheelor 1
Thla exhibit shows Just how the republi
can state convention which Is to meet In
Omaha next Thursday stands on the ques
tion pf presidential preference. That the
convention will be an overwhelmingly Taft
convention goea without saying, and the
prospects are more than good that there
will be no division vote whatever on In
structions to govern the national conven
tion delegates.
It la significant that, although presiden
tial preference votes were taken at pri
maries or caucuses In a large majority of
the counties, only five or six counties fell
into the trap set by the little bunoh of
professional politicians, who sidetracked
them to Roosevelt In order to keep them
awsy from Taft.
The La Follette fever which was to
swriep over the stste like a prairie fire, ac
cording to Its spokesman, failed to mater
ialize, and not a single instructed La Fol
lette delegato will have a aeat In tha whole
convention. Up In Dixon county, where
the outspoken advocacy of La Follette by
former Congressman McCarthy was ex
pected to be potential, Taft carried the pri
maries and McCarthy got up in the county
convention and declared that while ha ad
mired La Follette, the aentlment of Ne
braska republicans waa unquestionably for
Taft, and that Taft waa a big man In
every way qualified for the presidency and
that he too would be for Taft.
In fact, from all reports, tha greatest
harmony of purpose prevails among ra
publicans everywhere in Nebraska and tha
leaat factionalism known for many years.
The only dissension seems to be located In
Platte county, which has filed two sots of
delegates, each claiming to represent the
republicans of the county. But the differ
ences between them are not over tha presi
dential candidate nor over any Issues to ba
decided by the convention, but really over
local leadership. Inasmuch as both factions
have commissioned delegates to both con
gressional and state conventions, their rel
ative claims will have to be threshed out
first In the Third district convention, which
meets at Norfolk.
For delegates-at-large to Chicago only
six names have been taken up In the dif
ferent county conventions, namely, Gov
ernor Sheldon. Senators Brown and Bur
kett. Congressman Boyd, Victor RosewaUr
and Allen W. Field. Senator Burkett s se
lection by the First district takes him out
of the list, although Washington county
Instructed for him as delegate-at-larg. Six
counties have, by resolution, endorsed Vic
tor Rosewater, these counties bavins;
nearly 200 delegates. Almost as many are
committed to Governor Bhnldon. Senator
Brown haa hla home county of Buffalo
and tour or five others, and Jud Fluid
haa Lancaster, Johnson and Tork, with a
conditional Instruction from Buffalo, de
pending on his outright declaration tor
Taft, first, last snd all the time. Burt
county declared for Congressman Boyd ga
well aa for Governor Kheldon and Victor
Roaewatar. Valley county weat on record
against sending anyone to Chicago who ta
holding stats or fedora) of floe.
Besides the stats convention tha repub
licans will have four district conventions
this week, the one for the Third district
already referred to at Norfolk on Tues
day and ona for the Fifth district at
Hastings on the asms day. The conven
tions for the rieennd and Sixth districts
will be held at Omaha en the same dsy
with the state convention.
The outcome of the First district re
publican convention, whliU decided upon
benator Tlurkett and former flats liana
tor J. A, Amndd aa national convention
dnlagataa, seems to have ple.lrd republi
cans all over the state eaorpl a fW In
Lancaster county, Lancaster irels one of
the delegates, Lui net the one tli Suemles
cf IljrUcit evidently Wanted, The Lin
coln News .ti.i.li t':iere is a fretting di
posi.lon amend the sU iauiit! ouu'da
of Lancaster, which log. I her witil It snake
up the district, to anmgoniee Lancaster
and frees out Its fr.vsr-ed sans and
laraenta tha sltsauea eWejOjft, It "hU