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A. a- a - AW m, t ... s m tamstsittaammmm
PBIZH
STIRRING- TIMES
Like the present demand the attention
of all Headen of THE DISPATCH
can keep up with the proceuion, be
cause tt publishes all the newt every
day in the week.
Will be offered by TBE DISPATCH
next Sunday. It will be in the thape
of 10 pages of the best reading and
brightest newt obtainable.
FORTY-FOURTH TEAR.
JF&.
&E CENTS
PITTSBURG,
rm ? Jm-M iJsi. V : . iJAAiA-Hk a . a big
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1890. f
MSI A I.
Nearly
300 Estates Left All
Tangled Up by the Cone
maugh Flood.
WHO DIED FIRST THAT DAY?
A Question the Orphans'
Court of Cambria Finds
Hard to Answer.
WILLS LOST IN WATERS
That Drowned the Legatees in Many
Instances, Leaving Titles
in Chaos.
PAPERS FILED FOR LOST ESTATES.
Intricate Questions of Life Insurance Also
Left to Be Untangled by Legal
Process.
THE WORK OF A FATEFUL HALF-HOUR
"Who died first, husband or wife ? That is
the question raised in several contested will
cases growing ont of the Johnstown flood. It
is going to be a mighty hard problem to set
tle. The investigations of a Dispatch
staff correspondent into the books of the
Orphans' Court of Cambria county give
some intensely interesting results. Nearly
300 esiates have been taken before that
tribunal since the deluge for settlement. In
most of the cases the wills were lost, and in
many instances heirs perished simultaneous
ly with the testators. Strange stories of the
resulting tangle are told below.
rTKOM A BTATT C0BBXSP0NDX2TT.1
Ebeksbueg, Pa., February 4. On the
third day after the Conemaugh flood I
chanced to be stooping among the debris on
Market street, Johnstown, searching for a
coin that I had dropped while paying a
teamster for driving me to and from South
Fork Lake. Presently I found it. The
silver had slipped down between some twigs
snd sticks which were so firmly fixed as to
form a floor for the accumulated rubbish on
top. Under these lay a small piece of white
Bote paper. It attracted my attention be
cause my money rested directly upon it.
Evidently it was the top of the sheet it had
been torn from, for across the blue line was
written in a clear feminine hand: '
this, my last will and tes ." A diagonal
tear abruptly stopped the last word.
In Pittsburg a month later a fireman was
exhibiting to a party of reporters some relics
he had brought home from "The Valley of
Death." One was a very dirty sheet of
paper, from which the water had effaced all
writing except these simple words: "I
bequeath to my dear wife, Susan, all the
." He also had a fragment of parch
ment so torn that nothing remained but:
"Believing that I am now (1887) approach
ing death I direct my executor ."
WHOLESALE LOSS OP 'WILLS.
"With perhaps 1,000 wills destroyed in the
flood, what a maze of complications would
there be for the Orphans' Court of Cambria
county to straighten ont? With tens of
thousands of dollars worth of personal prop
erty loss, what use for wills at all? Since
heirs perished by the hundreds in the same
deluge with their benefactors, why shonld
eitner will or property have remained? Om
nipotent completeness best summed up the
triple loss in one word annihilation I
Thus were a great many estates settled in
the Conemaugh Valley without recourse to
the usual legal routine. No "final accounts"
of executors remained to be filed. Fast
fleeting time is leaving the memories of this
extinct household, and that one next door,
eo vagne that an attorney who walks alone
the streets of Johnstown, and stopping first
at this bare spot of rented" ground, then
pauses in the center of that naked area of an
acre, tries to recall the dwellings of late
clients, with their cabinets of valuable
treasures, their heirlooms and family plate
such an attorney, familiar as he was with
his clients' homes, must soon feel while he
continues his search as though he were the
football of dreamsl
SETTLING UP ESTATES.
Yet there are left a very large number of
cases where a strange confusion may be
found. In Johnstown to-day it is easy to
find wills extant involving personal prop
erty, but no such property remaining; prop
erty, but no wills; wills, but no legal heirs;
heirs, but neither will nor property.
On the morning of June 12 a team drew
up at the Cambria County Court House,
in Ebensburg, from Johnstown. It brought
Mr. D. D. Morrell, of Henrietta, Blair
county, who at once applied for lefcers of
administration on the estate of Mrs. Mary
Ii. Diller, his daughter. She was the wife
of Bev. A. P. Diller, of Johnstown. Both
were drowned n the flood. The value of Mrs.
Diller's personal property that was saved
was $7,775, This was 12 days after the
flood, and was the very first application to
the Orphans' Court to settle an estate where
the will had been destroyed.
That was the first. To-day I came to
Ebensburg to study the pages of the Record
er's books filled up since that date or, in
other words, to make an inventory of the
business of the Orphans' Court for the past
eight months. The entry in the case of
Mrs. Bev. Diller fixed as
THE TIME Or DEATH
the day of the flood, May 31, 1889, at about
4:30 o'clock p. m. I soon discovered that
my only way of determining what entries in
the Orphans' Court docket referred to flood
victims was the death date, because applica
tions for letters have been going on daily up
to the present time, thus making the entry
dates different, while ever and anon sand
wiched between them is the statement of a
case which has no reference to the delnge of
last May, The form of entry in each case
is like this:
June 27. Date of death filed, May 81, 1SS9,
abont 1 SO p. k.
July 14. Renunciation of only heir name
filed.
Jnly IS. Administrator appointed namej.
September 4. General appraisement filed,
00.
WITH TERBIBLE EMPHASIS.
I began to copy the names of decedents.
They seemed scattering at first, but in a
little while the estates of farmers dying in
Cambria county prior to the flood com
menced to disappear from the docket. Now,
the date of death "May 31, about 430 P.
M." appeared more frequently. Page
after page followed closelv and more closely
written with the Johnstown cases. The
names upon my list were multiplying rapid
ly. I paused, hastily calculating how much
space in The Dispatch would be required
for their publication. The result was that
-a compromise was reached in a decision not
to copy any more names, but to faithfully
count the cases.
The office clerks were busy. The only
sound heard was the monotonous rustle of
the thick paper as I turned over page after
page. That was the only audible sound.
There was another sound that I alone could
hear. It was the inner echo of the words
"May 31, about 430 P. si." It seemed to
bound backward and forward in my head,
so often now had I read them within an
hour, and then repeated them mentally
each time as I scratched "1" on my tally
sheet. But the counting steadily proceeded.
Now it was rare to find any other case on
the book except those from the valley. Once
I came to the estate of Howard J. Eoberts,
the popular Johnstown bank cashier, who
was drowned. The letters were taken out
by his son, Dwight Boberts, and an ap
praisement showed the value of 32,460.
Separate entries were made in the estates of
Mr. Boberts' wife and son who perished
also.
EXCITING EPISODES EECALLED.
Farther along I found that letters of ad
ministration had been granted to Annie
Bipple on the estate of her husband. "When
she filed an appraisement what was saved
'was stated to be only worth $150. Mrs.
Bipple is the woman who opened her door
on the afternoon of the flood to find Jackson
Bipple, her husband, there, with two horses,
to try for escape. She monnted with him.
Her horse saved her life. His was caught
by the torrents, and Mrs. Ripple's statement
is that he died May 31, about 4:15 P. M.
How well she knows the exact hour!
An appraisement of the estate of Sheriff
Evan showed $26,160. He, with his wife,
mother and several children were all
drowned, but the stores' contents on "Wash
ington street, were saved. Eelatives
are attending to the estate. "William F.
Diller appears as the administrator of Bev.
A. P. Diller's estate, but an appraisement
only shows $87 20 of a value. This gentle
man was the husband of the lady mentioned
above. The mention of Alex. Eecke's estate,
and its estimate at $7,157, recalls the fact
that this rather well-known baker of Johns
town was riding about the streets of the
wrecked city on the three days succeeding the
flood, bnt fell sick from the exposure and died
eight days after the delnge
IK A PITTSBrrEO HOSPITAL.
James J. Murphy, drowned, left a small es
tate. He kept a clothing store on Clinton
street, and was a brother of the Pittsburg book
storekeeper on Grant etreei. .Martha DIbert
appears as the executrix of John Dibert, the
banker, who lost his life. His personal estate
is put down at 63,175.
Chal. L. Dick, who became famous as "the
avenger," I find appointed administrator In the
Testate of Nancy Litz. Then the next entry re
lates to the possessions of the. widely known
Johnstown merchant, Jacob Swank. He left a
family and numerous relatives.
Steadily I counted the entries, only pausing
at the best known names. Getting deeper into
the docket I fonnd that ,tbe time of death
differed slightly in various instances, some
ueing sworn to as 'doue 1.3U," otners tea) "
some "1:10" and still others at "4:15." bat tney
were all within that never-to-be-forgotten half
honr of Johnstown's ruin.
The Court House here sits upon a knoll
higher than the balance of tbo town, and
Ebensbure itself is on the summit of the Alle-
fheny Mountains 2,300 feet above sea level,
he clerk had interrupted me to point ont the
clond of steam of a locomotive on the main
line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, across the
plateau, and nine miles away. It was a vast
stretch of landscape, and the clerk said the
white fleecy steam rising ont or the furry
mountain bine was a pretty sight. It may have
been, bat my vision was dolled with what 1 had
been so steadily reading, "and to me the whole
Cambria landscape was blurred and dimmed by
that terrible date "May 31. about 4 20 r. M."
A BIO TOTAL.
Turnine again to the docket, Matilda Bash
roff s name was fonnd on one page as applying
for papers on Arthur M. Bushroffs estate.
He was lost in the flood. On the next page she
also asked for letters on J. Q. A. Bushroffs
property. He died In one of the improvised
hospitals three days after the black Friday.
Captain O'Connell's heirs appraise what prop
erty remains at $1,630. Crist Fitiharris was a
well known hotel keeper on Franklin street,
who was drowned, and in settling up bis affairs
all be left was found to be wortu only 163.
James P. McConaghy was another popular res
ident of Cambria City. His heirs applied for
letters, without a will of course, and an ap
praisement showed 5,751, exclusive of real es
tate. Justice of the Peace John Brady left
property worth 9,322.
This finished one of the large office dockets.
Another volume had to be opened to accommo
date the business growing-out of the flood. I
continued my connt In that Such a thing as
filling up an Orphans' Court docket book In one
year and beginning a new one had never been
heard of before in this county. People had
never died fast enough for that.
After I struck off the last case I turned for
comparison to the books of a few years past.
In none of them did the average of wills filed
exceed 25 per year. In the past eight montbo
only 15. exclusive of the flood cases, were filed.
I verified my conntof tbe flood cases carefully,
and then wrote down as the tetal thus far 24a
1 have information from lawyers indicating
that this number will be increased to nearly 300
in February. In tbe great majority of instances
above there were no wills, and some of the so
called estates, especially where ther were
small, consisted of money in the savings bank,
which could not be withdrawn without sur
vivors colng through tbe regular legal modes.
Strange stories I could trace through these
stiff legal pages there as I toyed with the books.
Some were romantic, others pathetic and all
confused in their earthly sequels, as life often
is when tbe Almighty suddenly destroys human
signs. To preserve a natural sequence in all of
them, I give a few below, jnst as I picked them
ont at random from these court folios.
II.
ONE VALUABLE MINUTE.
It will be remembered that Woodvale, one of
Johnstown's suburbs, was obliterated from the
face of the earth by the flood. In one of tho
double framehouses there resided W. E.
Hoopes and family, and H. W. Smith and
family. The great crest of water from South
Fork lifted the building high in the air and
then smashed it Into kindling wood. Mr.
Hoopes, bis wife and both their children were
all drowned within a few minutes. Mr. Smith
lost all his family, and his baby girl was killed
by crashing timbers while ho held her in one
arm. His other arm thrown around a tree
barely saved his own life.
There was absolutely nothing left of Mr.
Hoopes' possessions, and the history of the
family and home would have been ended as ex
tinct, but for tbe fact that an agentof a Balti
more beneficial society advertised tbatW. E.
Hoopes bad had his life insured with them for
12,000. and they were ready to pay it as soon as
tney knew Who it should go to. So I find in the
docket here; that Mrs. Comman, a sis
ter of Mr Hoopes. took out letters of
administration through her attorney, H. 8.
Mnrphy, Esq;., or Johnstown (a son, by tbe way,
of Francis Murphy, of temperance glory). A
Mr. Rogers, brother of Mr. Hoopes' wife, has
also made application for administration let
ters, basing his claim through the children of
his sister; that they being dead he is tho next
in kin.
In other words, Rogers means that Mr.
Hoopes died first; that the life insurance would
then have been paid to Mrs. Hoopes, but
she dying too. the children were entitled
to it: and they having also perished, the money
is now legally due Mrs. Hoopes' immediate rel
atives. Where wills do not exist after deaths,
estates always have to pass, according to
law, from husband to wife, from wife to chil
dren, etc Of course no will remained in the
Hoopes case, as everything was swept away.
The common law of tbe land is held to de
clare in cases of catastrophe or holocaust
where whole families perish, and where no
evidence, or not even a scintilla of proof, can
be produced to show which member of tbe
family died first, that the stronger of the
human family will always outlive the
weaker that they have better powers of
endurance. And this Is the Claim of
Mr. Hoopes' sister. There is absolutely
no waj of proving which closed their
eyes on the world first, Mr. or Mrs.
Hoopes. Even Mr. Smith in the same house is
not able to say. So Mrs. Cammau takes tbe
broad reasonable ground that her brother was
the strongest, and held ont longer than his
wife. He may have only survived her one
minute, but if she can establish a reasonable
hope of more than one minute's respite in the
Conemaugh deluge, the $2,000 is hers.
The Baltimore society has filed a bill for a
hearing of all parties and the case is thus
transferred to the Maryland courts.
III.
! WHO DIED FIRST.
Christian Kimplo and his wife were both
drowned at Johnstown. They Kept a furniture
store on Clinton street. On Sunday afternoon
Mr. Kimple's body was recovered near the fa
mous stono bridge." In his pockets were
found over 53,000 in cash. It is supposed that
when the rising waters drove tbe old couple up
stairs Kimplo took with him the contents of
his safe. His will was discovered in another
pocket, and here it is on file in Ebensburg, dis
colored all over by the water. The couple were
childless, but heirs survived In other relatives.
However, the executor named in the will was
also drowned. So one of Mrs.;KimpIe's rela
tives, Otto Huebner, came to Ebensburg 15
days after the flood, and applied for letters of
administration through his attorney, John P.
Linton, Esq. The usual renunciation of the
other heirs was filed a few days later. About
the middle of July a general appraisement was
reported, placing a valuation of $9,100 on the
property. This is exclusive of real estate.
But on July 22 Valentine Kimple, of Phila
delphia, came here and applied to the Orphans'
Court for a revocation of Otto Huebner's let
ters of administration. He claims to be a
lawful heir, and he raises the point that as
Mrs. Kimple died before her husband she bad
no ownership in tho estate, and Mr. Kimple's
wishes shonld therefore be followed out as
closely as possible. The court served notice on
the parties interested.
Here is an intricate point which will prob
ably arise in other cases where contests are
threatened, and it is one that will be bard to
decide: Both Mr. and Mrs. Kimple perished in
the flood that drowned thousands of others at
the same time. There no doubt was a differ
ence of time between tb eir deaths, bnt it was
so small, the'range not being more than from 5
to 15 minutes, and the terror and confusion of
the hpniwas so rrightful, that It is question
able "ether satisfactory proof can bo
adduced as to which one of tbe two persons
was lost first. In this case the heirs must feel
that thev can settle tbe pomtatissue, for in the
answer just recently filed with the Court by
Otto Huebner, he says:
"Respondent denies the allegation contained
in the petition of Valentine Kimple, that the
said Christian Kimple survived his wife. Maria
Kimple; and the respondent alleges that the
said Maria Kimplo survived her late husband,
and therefore that the whole personal property
owned and possessed bv Christian Kimple be
came vested in the said wife, and descended
under tbe intestate laws to his widow,
through whom the various parties have re
nounced administration in favor of your re
spondent's claim to the whole of said personal)
property."
There was no other corpse recevered in
Johnstown with so much money In tbe clothes
as Mr. Kimple's. Since the flood relatives of
many persons who perished have alleged that
they are positive that certain snips were se
creted in pockets of their friends on that Fri
day afternoon, bnt when tbe bodies were re
covered no such money was found. Theft has
been charged in some instances.
The Kimple case awaits action of the court.
There is some hope, however, of compromising
it.
IV.
ONLTARID GROUND
John Parks was well esteemed in Johnstown.
He. with his wife, two children and a grand
child were all drowned. There only survive
one son and the husband of Mr. Parks' daugh
ter. This daughter andber child were drowned,
too. Considerable of an estate is left. Tbe
rights of the son-in-law as against those of the
son depended upon the question of the sur
vival of tbe daughter. But as all attempts to
prove anything were futile, an amicable'
arrangement was effected between tbe brothers-in-law.
In this way quite a nnmber of disputes
were settled, wnere trouoie nau ueen
expected, and would have resulted, bad
tbe cases been allowed to go into
litigation, because this point of priority of
death would give both sides of a contest about
eaual chance. I understand that Attorney
John Ross, of Johnstown, has jnst recently Bet
tied amicably an estate worth 100,000, in which
the question of who died first iu tbe flood,
promised intricate complications. There are
still others, however, which will ne contested
in the Orphans' Conrt during the year.
In many entries on the docket I find ciphers
like these: "000 00'' opposite the words "general
appraisement." That means that there was
not a cent's worth of personal property left by
the flood. Such a case is that of John v.
Stufft, of Woodvale. He perished, with all
his family and bis pretty house went to pieces.
Only the arid ground. 60x100 feet,
remains, and to claim that his brother-in-law,
John C. Lardin, has taken out letters of admin
istration. Close by this spot stood another
house, that of J. W. Tross. He had a laree
family, but they all went down to death togeth
er in tbo ruins of their home. The sole surviv
or of the family in any of its branches is a
brother. John Tross, and be has taken out let
ters of administration on tbo bare lot of ground.
John H. Brown, Esq., of Johnstown, is attorney
in both cases.
"Has not the handling of this business grow
ing out of the flood been bard on you!" I
asked, turning abruptly away from tbe books
and addressing Frank Gurley, Chief Clerk of
the Recorder and Register.
"Yes. it has civen tho ofBce a ereat deal of
extra work," he replied. Von see we had to
open a new docket for it, and besides that it
calls Mr. C. J. Blair, the Recorder, to Johns
town very very often. Previous to the flood he
might have had to go to Johnstown once a
month. Now he l constantly traveling between
the two places. Wo bave lost on deed business,
for there is no land selling in Johnstown, bnt
we have gained heavily on administrators' ap
pointments. We never had much of that be
fore." I closed the books of tbo Orphans' Court
Nowhere else in the country could such re
markable pages be found, but I had pernsed
enough. They revived memories too ghastly.
As the door closed npon me a grave-looking
gentleman pushed it back to enter tbe office.
Something prompted me to torn back too, as I
heard the clerk greet him with "What's new in
Johnstown?"
I heard not his answer, but as he opened ont
a sheet of legalcap and laid it on tbe counter I
was near enough to read a single line written
across its top rulings:
"May 31, 1SS9, about 130 P. Ml"
L. E. STOFIEL.
TEE BLAINES HISSED IN CEDRCH.
Tbcy Neglected to Observe tho Customs of
the CntboIIc Cbnrcb.
FBOM A STAFF COKnESPONDENT.j
Wasotnotox, February t A peculiar in
cident occurred to-day while the- funeral of
Mrs. Coppinger was in progress at St. Mat
thew's Church. As the relatives of tbe dead
lady entered the church. Colonel Coppinger
advanced ahead of the others, knelt at tbe en
trance to his pew, and made the sign of the
cross, after the habit of devout Catholics.
When Secretary and Mrs. Blaine, closely fol
lowing their bereaved son-in-law, entered the
pew without slcn or genuflexion of any kind,
perfectly audible hisses tamo from the gallery
directly above them to the right.
Who the persons were who were so grievous
ly offended at the failure of Mr. and Mrs.
Blaine to observe the custom of Catholics
could not be discovered. Of course many
other distinguished Protestants were present,
among them President and Mrs. Harrison,
Cabinet officers and other high officials of the
administration, who did not salute the altai
and its emblems, bnt the hisses were plainly
directed against Mr. and Mrs. Blaine, for they
only at the time bad reached the entrance to
their pew.
The Nfillon'a Military Strength.
WASHiKOTOir, February 4. Tbe militia force
of the United States at present consists of
7,697 commissioned officers, 91,373 enlisted men,
and 7,208,478 men not organized, but available
tor military duty.
NOT TET CONVINCED.
Continued Dilatory Tactics of the
Minority in the House.
TflEY STAND BY THEIR GUNS,
And Declare That They Will Until the Mew
Rules ire Adopted.
MB. SPRINGER BOW THE BLOCKADES.
Tery Tender Feeling of the EepnMlCHs for Ex
Speaker Carlisle.
Filibustering was again attempted by tbe
minority .in the House yesterday. The
Speaker recognized them when he chose,
only. 'The new rules, it is expected, will
be ready to report to-morrow. Among them
are several radical changes from the rules
of the previous House.
IPROM A STAFF CORBXSF03TDEHT.1
"Washington-, February 4. Notwith
standing the fact that there was no import
ant party questions to incite the filibuster
ing propensities of the Democrats, Mr.
Springer, of Illinois, whb has been growing
rapidly of late into a strong personal re
semblance to Kilgore, of Texas, Holman, of
Indiana, and Bland, of Missouri, exhausted
himself to-day with attempts to prevent the
transaction of any business. He succeeded
just to the extent the Democrats had suc
ceeded on other days. Speaker Beed recog
nized ordinary parliamentary motions till
it would appear plainly evident in the jour
nal that they were dilatory motions, then he
declined to entertain them.
Mr. Carlisle's "Address to the Country"
aroused little interest on either side of the
House. It is well known that much of Mr.
Carlisle's address is not in harmony with Mr.
Carlisle's private opinions, and which has on
more than one occasion been pretty publicly
expressed.
THE ALL LIKE CARLISLE.
The Republicans are tender of Carlisle's feel
ings, because he was so impartial a Speaker
when in the chair, and attempts on tho part of
the correspondent of Tub Dispatch to get
from some of the best parliamentarians of the
Republicans an analysis of the ex-Speaker's
address were invariable met with the remark:
"Oh. let Carlisle alone; he's all right."
"Bouquet Billy," as Mr. Springer has come
to be known, on account of his eternal and un
changeable red boutonniere, excuses his seem
ingly spiteful conduct to-day, by saying that he
wants the rules, and proposes to delay all he
can tbe business of the House until he has a
parliamentary law by which to guide himself.
That ho will probably get, and, llko Bhylock,
more law than he wants.
The rnles will be reported as soon as they can
be agreed upon, possibly to-morrow or1 the day
after. It is desired to frame them in the inter
ests of the transaction of public business, and
right here it may be said that a good deal of
the delay in forming the rules has been due to
ex-Speaker Carlisle. So many lies have been
told aoout tms tnat mere is no use mincing
matters.
NOT TO BE FOUND.
When Republican members of the Commit
tee on Rules wanted to consult Mr. Carlisle he
was not to be found. Democratic criticism of
the ex-Speaker's absence was open and em
phatic, almost to the point in demanding that
he abdicate and make way for ono who would
give constant attention to this, nnder tbe cir
cumstances, most important committee.
Tbe rules when reported will.it is expected,
in relation to the control of the minority, em
body an absolute prohibition of filibustering,
clearly defining the- points to which tbe crank
and nlibusterer may go with dilatory methods,
and empowering tbe Speaker to say at that
-point,. "Thus far Shalt thou go, and so
further."
On the question of counting a quorum,
whether it shall be decided to formally author
ize tbe Speaker to count a "visible quorum" is
a point not yet decided. Tbe best judgment of
the Republicans is In favor of giving tbe
Speaker this authority, but there are some ob
jeotors. SEVERAL PBOPOSrXIONS.
Another proposition is to designate 100 as the
quorum necessary to pass bills in committee of
the whole House. A majority of the whole
House would, of course, still be necessary for
the final passage of a bill, If tbe point of a
quorum were raised, but such a rule would
crcatly facilitate business in committee of tbe
whole Honse.as it would lessen the opportunity
for successful filibustering.
Another innovation proposed is to prescribe
thatno one exaept a member of the committee
having a bill in charge shall bave authority to
call up a bill and demands its consideration.
All of these provisions would facilitate busi
ness. Whatever tbe rnles may be, they will be
adopted. In their consideration the Speaker
will pursue methods similar to thosa which he
has inaugurated. Liqutneb.
NOT WHIPPED YET.
DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS WON'T AD
MIT DEFEAT.
They Continue the Course Decided Upon
Dilatory Tactics Still Fanned Tbe
Speaker Refuse to Recognize
Democrats Only When
Ho Wishes To.
Washington, February 4. The details
of the day's proceedings in the Honse, as
reported by the press, follows:
That the Democrats did not consider them
selves as vanquished, and that they proposed
to throw in the way every obstacle in the trans
action of business until some rules were adopted
for the government of the House, was shown
by their demand for tbe reading of yesterday's
journal in fulL However, the Clerk read this
with such rapidity that the task consumed lit
tle more than half an hour. The reading hav
ing been completed, Messrs. McKInley and
Springer arose, tbe former to move that the
journal be approved and the latter to declaro
that not more than halt of the journal had
been read, and to demand the reading of the
portions omitted.
Mr. McKInley was recognized, and the
Speaker paid no attention to Mr. Springer's
protests. Mr. Springer thereupon remarked
that the Speaker not only made no the journal
in bis own way, but refused to bave it read
when it was made up.
Mr. McKInley demanded the previous ques
tion on his motion. Tbe previous question was
ordered yeas 163, nays 0 a number of Demo
crats bein entered on the Journal as nresent
and not voting. Mr. Springer inquired for
corrections of tbe tally, but when, in response
to tho Speaker's request! be expressed his
inability to point out any individual instance
of error, no objection was made to the an
nouncement of the vote; but several Demo
crats kept a strict count on the next vote,
which was on the approval of the journal.
The journal was approved yeas 163. nays 0
tbe quorum being counted by the Speaker.
WOULD NOT ADJOUBN.
Mr. Springer moved to aajourn, suggesting
that this was tho proper time to enter such
a motion; and on this occasion his motion was
entertained by the Speaker, only to be de
feated by a vote of yeas U4. nays 161. The
Speaker then proceeded to lay before the
House various Senate bills for reference, and
among them was one to relieve the Treasurer
of the United States from the amount now
charged to him and deposited with tbe several
States. This bill, the Speaker referred under
the rules to the Committee on Ways and
Means.
Mr. Bland, of Missouri, moved that the bill
be referred to the Committee on Appropria
tions. The Speaker at first declined to enter
tain Mr. Bland's motion, but after debate said
that for the present tbe Chair would follow the
ruling of the last House. Tbe Speaker: "Tbe
fentleman from Missouri moves that the bill
e referred to tbe Committee on Appropria
tions." Mr. Springer demanded the reading of tbe
bill, and expressed his ability to show by par
liamentary law that that demand should be
complied with. The Speaker, Ignoring Mr.
Springer, directed tbe Clerk to call the roll,
but Mr. Springer was indefatigable, and ex
claimed ttiat this was the first time in the his
tory of tbe House that a member bad been
denied the right to have read the measure
which he was to voto upon.
, The Speaker thereuDon blandly directed tbe
read1ng of the bill. Mr, Bland's motion was
defeated yeas, 9; nays, 151 the quorum being
counted by the Speaker.
Mr. Flower moved that the bill be referred to
the Committee on Judiciary. Mr. Flower's mo
tion was defeated yeas, W; nays, 135.
NOT A PAEXT VOTE.
For the first time in several days this was not
a strict party vote, the following Republicans
voting with tbe Democrats in the affirmative:
Adams, Brewer. Butterworth, Cheadle, Cooper,
of Ohio; Henderson, of Iowa; Kerr, of Iowa;
Mason, Strnblo and E. B. Taylor, of Ohio.
The result having been announced, Mr. Mc
KInley arose and moved tbe reference of tbe
bill to the Committee of Ways and Means and
npon that motion demanded tbe previous ques
tion. Mr. McCreary.of Kentucky. I move that the
House do now adjourn.
The Speaker. And the Chair refuses to en
tertain the motion. Laughter.
Mr. McCreary then rose to a parliamentary
Inquiry. A motion to adjourn, he said, having
been voted down and otber business having in
tervened, if a motion to adjourn was not in
order now, when would it be in order T 'Laugh
ter. The Speaker replied that ordinarily a motion
to adjourn was in order, but that the situation
ol the Honse was such as to render it Improb
able that the Houso desired to take action,
pensive laughter on the Democratic side.
The proceedings to-day bad been of the same
character as those of preceding days, and it was
evident to tbe Chair that these motions were
made for the purpose of obstruction and delay.
The Chair, continued Mr. Reed, had already
ruled upon that point, and an appeal bad been
taken and the decision of the Chair had been
sustained; and, as the Chair had said at that
time, tbe Speaker was but the organ of tho
House.
Murmurs on the Democratic side were heard,
indicative of a doubt as to tbe correctness of
the statement of the Speaker Mr. McCreary
endeavored to restore quiet on his sido of the
House, and was finally successful.
The Speaker Gentlemen will be in order. I
bave no doubt that gentlemen on that side of
the House (indicating the Democratic side)
will imitate tbe courteous manner of the gen
tlemen from Kentucky.
THE CASE STATED.
Continuing his statement, the Speaker said:
"That being the Btate of the case, and the
ordinary time that tho House has indicated its
wish to adjourn not having arrived (derisive
laughter on the Democratic side), tbe Chair
feels he is carrying out the wishes of the
House in making this ruling."
Mr. McCreary then rose to a question of per
sonal privilege.
The Speaker There cannot be a question of
personal privilege when a demand for the pre
vious question is pending.
Mr. McCreary I made my motion to adjourn
in eood faith, because itisnownearly4 o'clock,
and because I heard a member of tbe Commit
tee on Rules say tbat it was probable that that
committee would report tbe rules to-morrow.
The Speaker did not think thi3 was a ques
tion of personal privilege.
Mr. McCreary thought that tbe Speaker had
imputed certain motives to him in making his
motion. The Speaker replied tbat he had im
puted no motives to the gentleman. The rul
ing of the Chair was not a personal one. It
was not personal to the gentleman from Ken
tucky. The vote was then taken on tbe demand for
the previous question, and it was ordered
yeas, 157: nays, 0. During the calling of the
roll Mr. Springer held a consultation with Mr.
McKInley, the result of which was that tbe
Democrats made no further opposition, and the
bill was referred to tbe Committee on Ways
and Means, without division. Then on motion
of Mr. McKInley the House adjourned. It is ex
pected that a code of rnles will be reported to
morrow. NOT ENOUGH TO EAT.
A millionaire Lawyer Sued for Separate
maintenance by His Wife Her Long
Slory of Crnel Treatment
Some Very Peculiar
Charges.
Chicago, February 4. Mrs. Adelaide
Harding has brought suit against her hus
band, George F. Harding, a millionaire
lawyer, demanding a separate maintenance.
They were wedded in 1855, and have seven
children, the oldest being 32 years. Until
Qctober. 1SSS, says Mrs. Harding, she and her
.husband live4.hacpilx.toge ther, and with a mn
foir love and esteem. Then there, came a
change In his conduct, and he began, she de
clares, a course of systematic cruelty which
was kept up until the beginning of tbo present
month, when she left bis house. In October,
1SSS. tbe husband, it is alleged, deprived her of
credit at tbe stores, and proposed to make ber
an allowance of 50 per month. Since tbat time
Mrs. Harding alleges be bas paid ber but $350.
Next sbe was deprived of tbe use of tbe
horses and carriages except at certain times
specified, the wife declares, by the coachman,
who was insulting in bis conduct toward ber,
and allowed her to drive out only at such times
as suited bis convenience. Mrs. Harding also
says that her husband made a systematic effort
to turn her children against her; that be Insti
tuted a system of rewards to tboso children
who would treat ber disrespectfully, and those
who gave her love and obedience were pun
ished by being deprived of all youthful pleas
ures and threatened with disinheritance.
In November last Harding discharged the
servants, and tbo wife says she was compelled
to do the bulk of the housework. Another
regulation tbat Mrs. Harding describes was tbe
husband's giving the whole charge of the
household supplies into tbe bands of Beatrice,
a daughter 16 years old. Nothing conld be pro
cured by the plaintiff except upon the
daughter's orders. Once Beatrice failed to
make a requisition, and the family lived on
cornmeal and flour from Saturday until Mon
day. Mr. Harding, says the wife, took his
meals at his club. The complainant sarfl her
husband is worth 2.000.000 to S3.OOO.O0O; lie has
an income of from 75,000 to 1100,000 per year.
TROUBLE IN ALGER'S MINES.
Determined Striken Defy tbe Sheriff and
Are Holding the Ground.
Makquette, Mich., February 4. About 60
laborers employed at the Volunteer mine, a
property located at Palmer, some five miles
from Negaunee, struck for an advance of wages
Saturday They bad Deen receiving (1 60 and
demanded 2 per day. The company operating
the mine refused to grant the advance, and, as
tbe men stood out tor the raise, other men were
hired to take their places, and several of these
started to work yesterday. The strikers inter
fered and wonld not allow them to go to work,
when tho company appealed to the Sheriff for
assistance. That officer swore in several dep
uties and, with his posse armed with Winches
ters, went to Palmer to-day and tried to dis
perse the mob of strikers, but they were well
armed and stubborn and tbe Sheriff's feeble
force failed to intimidate them.
At this writing the Sheriff bas a large nnm
ber of well-armed men on the ground, Tout tho
strikers manifest no signs of yielding. It is
feared that they cannot be brought to their
senses without some blood letting. The mine
is one that was purchased by General Alger a
year ago and be is the principal stockholder in
the company operating it.
DIED IN P0FEHTI AND OBSCURITY.
A Onc-TIme Political Boss of St. Louis
Panes Awny.
ISFECTAI. TZLICBAM TO TUB DISPATCH.!
St. Louis, February 4. Constantino Ma
guire, a leading member of the old St. Louis
whisky ring, died In the Lexlan Brothers' Hos
pital last night, in poverty and oDscnrity. Ma
gulre was Collector of Internal Revenue and a
great local political boss during the palmy days
of the whisky ring. The headquarters of the
gang was a saloon on Fourth street, where fully
$50,000 a year was spent in campaigns. The
prosecutions resulted in the conviction of John
McDonald, who was Supervisor W. O. Avery's
chief clerk of the Treasury Department, and
William McKee, who, as proprietor of the
Globe, received large bundles of swag for his
silence.
John A. Joyce was afterward convicted in
Jefferson City. O. E. Babcock, President
Grant's private secretary, was acquitted. Bab
cock was drowned. McKee died broken
hearted, and Joyce is on the line tbat divides
genius and insanity.
A CHINESE EMBEZZLES.
Ha Skips With 83,000 In Cash and Another
Mongolian's Wife.
Chicago, February 4. Chinese circles are
agitated over the simultaneous disappearance
of Chin Tom and the sum of 55,000, which he
borrowed from numerous confiding Celestials
dolog business here. Chin, who is said by bis
friends to be a gambler, did not stop at taking
5,000. He also carried with bim Mrs. Chin
Loy. a white woman, who asked for a divorce
some days aco from her Celestial spouse.
It Is not known where Chin Tom bas gone.
The angry Chinaman will depend upon their
own spits to track him, rather than report the
matter to the police.
A GREEN GOODS MAN
Narrowly Escapes Death at the Bands
of One of His Victims.
TWICE THE TRIGGER WAS POLLED.
A Kentucky Postmaster 0bject3 to
SaTTdnst Swindle.
tbe
TWO BROTHERS RELATE A TALE OP WOE.
Their Szperiences With a Couple of Artistic Metra
politan Sognes.
Two brothers from Kentucky, one a post
master, went to New York to purchase a
quantity ot "good money at a discount."
They secured $10,000 in bills, for which they
paid $750. Later the bundle of bills was
changed, and when the swindle was discov
ered the postmaster commenced shooting.
He is now in jail, but the rogues are free.
iSrZCIAt. TELZOniM to the dispatch. 1
New Yobk, February 4. Three passen
gers got off the Pennsylvania Eailroad ferry
boat Jersey City at 4. o'clock this after
noon. Two of them evidently were country
men. They were tall and broad-shouldered.
Both wore beards. One of them carried a
handsatchel. The third was a short man
nattily dressed. He walked between the
two. In the ferry house the man with the
satchel stepped into a side room. The little
man stopped .and talked with his compan
ion. They stood there a minute and then
there came a shout from the side room
where the man with the satchel had gone.
"Swindled, by cracky," he yelled. The
little man made a dive for the street 25 feet
away, and the man to whom he had been
talking whipped out a revolver and fired at
him. The little man fell on his face and the
man with the revolver ran to within ten feet of
him and deliberately pointed the revolver at
his head and pulled the trigger. The weapon
missed fire. A ferry boat had just come in and
the little man jnmped like a shot and mingled
mine crowd, ne was out oisigntinajiuy.
HE SHOT TO KILL.
The man who had fired the shot stood with
the smoking revolver in his band, peering after
the little man. The man who had gone into the
sideroom with, the satchel, came out with two
disarranged square bundles in his hands.
"They done us, John," he said, "put up your
gun."
Policemen Rlckerick and Keen and Detect
ive Dalton bad beard the shot, and ran into the
depot and arrested the man with the revol-
ver.
ir.
"What were you trying to dof asked Dal-
ton.
"We was swindled, by gosh," said the pris
oner, "and I shot to kill."
'rio was taken to police headqnarters,and the
man with the bundles followed. They both
went before Chief of Police Mnrphy.
"My name is John E. Holcomb, and I'm
Postmaster of Malda, Jackson county, Ken
tucky," said tho man with the revolver. "This
man here," pointing to his companion, "is my
brother Lew. and we've been swindled. You
see, it was this way." he continued. "My
brother and I got a letter from a fellow named
Wilson.who said he bad lots of eood money to
sellat a discount for cash. He it said would
go down our way, and we opened up a cor
respondence with him by telegraph. Finally
we decided to come on and get a sample of bis
goods. A fellow met ns at the depot and took
us to New York somewhere to a room. Oh,
they had stacks of good money there."
THE SAME OLD STOKY.
The Chief laughed. "Ob, you needn't laucb.
It was good money, by gosh; it was good money.
I'm an expert, I am, on .money, an' by gosh I
made 'em light the gas. An' didn't I look
through the bills and seo tbe water mark on
themT There must have been 51,000,000 of it,
and when I got through looking at It they
pulled out a box full of gold 20 pieces. They
were good, I know, 'cause 1 hefted them. Well.
I talked It over with Lew and we boneht 750
worth. Wo got 510,000 in bills.
"We weren't going to let them get the best of
us, so we told tnem we did not know the way
to the ferry and wanted one of tbem to go with
us. The little shaver what I shot at said he'd
come along, and I fixed it with Lew so I'd keep
an eye on tbe little cuss while he took a look at
the goods before we got on the train to see if
they war all there. We wasn't takine any
chances, you see, because a lot of people down
our way have lost money by not beinz smart.
"Comlne over on the ferryboat the little fel
low saj'B to me, says he: 'You ought to give me
!5 for showing you the way; that's customary.'
So I gave him 55. When we got off tbe boat I
bung to him close, and Lew he slipped off to
a room in tbe depot to look at the goods and
make sure. The little fellow talked so nice
while he was gone I kind 'a felt ashamed for
suspecting him, when I beard Lew shont tbat
we'd been swindled. At the same time the little
fellow dashed off. I knew we'd been swindled.
Chief, you've been a policeman long enough to
know tbat no honest man 'ad run away. I
pulled my gun quick and oanged at him. There
was a good many people around and I guessed
I missed bim. He fell flat on his face and I ran
up to him and pulled the gun again. I had a
bead right on his head this time, Cblef, and I'd
a killed him, by gosh, if the darned gun had
not gone back on me."
POOE CONSOLATION. t
"Yes, he'd a killed him, by cracky, for be had
the right bead on him," added tbe brother who
had so far kept quiet.
"I wish you had killed him," said the chief,
and tbe two brothers looked gratified. Tbat
look vanished when tbe cblef added, "We
would have hanged you then, and the country
would have been rid of three swindlers."
"Well," continued Mr. 'Wanamaker's Ken
tucky assistant, "before I could draw another
bead on him the slippery little cuss bad
sneaked into the crowd."
Thn chief examined the bundles that thn
postmaster's brother had brought with bim.
There was a SI bill in each bundle on top and
the rest of tho package was made up of closely
packed sawdust. The brothers watched the
examination with crestfallen looks on their
"Holcomb," said the chief, addressing the
postmaster, "don't you know you violated a
city ordinance in discharging a firearm T You
might have killed some one."
"I wanted to, by gosh, I wanted to kill tho
little cuss," replied the postmaster.
"You will be held to answer for violating the
ordinance," said tbe cblef, directing a police
man to take tho postmaster to the police sta
tion in a patrol wagon. The brothers looked at
each other a moment.
"If that little fellow wants to make a charge
of attempted mnrder against you," said the
chief, "you may go to jail for five years." Tbo
postmaster turnod pale. "Ob, he won't be
back, John." said the brother reassuringly.
Lewis Holcomb went to a hotel. He will wait
for tbe postmaster's release -before be returns
to Kentucky. The green goods man has not
violated any of the laws of New Jersey, and if
he wants to prosecute the postmaster the
Jersey City police will be glad to see him do it,
and he can do it in safety as far as the .lernov
law is concerned.
A GEAND ARM! PB0TE8T
Causes n Lively Partisan Debate In the Iowa
State Senate.
Des Moines, February 1 The session of
the House lasted about an hour. After the
opening exercises Senator Bolter Introduced
resolutions adopted by a G. A. Rv post con
demning tbe action of the Senate in electing
civilians to tbe minor offices in their gift. Ob
jection was raised to the matter going on
rile because It was in disrespectful language.
The Democrats sooke very strongly in favor
of having the resolutions go on record, and tho
Republicans against them. The Chair finally
ruled that for reasons assigned the paper should
not go on file. The Senato adjourned until to
morrow. NO 0NB INSIDE INJUBED,
Four Person! Killed by the Fall of a
Heavy Church Bell.
BT DOKiaP'S CABLE COHPAKT.1
Montaqne, February 4. Father Hervison,
the cure or tbe village, was celebrating mass,
when tbe heavy church bell crashed through
the roof in front of the altar. The
priest, unmoved, continued his holy office,
although hidden by clouds ot dust and stones
tailing all around. No one inside the church
was hurt, but four people were killed outside. ,
I0TS OF LOOTING.
representative IilcMlllIn on tho Probable
Expenditures of Conareti Millions
for Mnny Purposes Hangers
On Rubbing Their Hands
. In Positive Glee.
rVBOM A STAVT COKHESrONBITr.l
Washington, February 4. "The loot
ers are upon us," remarked Representative
McMillin, of Tennessee, to-day as he stopped
for a moment to connt up the probable
amount of the extravagant expenditures to
be made by the present Congress. He con
tinued: The situation is just this: Speaker Reed first
of all decided tbat there should be no tellers to
verify his statement of what the House had
done. Then ho took to himself the right
to make a quorum by the help of
his pencil. He has denied the right of
a member to appeal from bis decisions
and he has declined to permit a member of a
properly organized legislative body to move
mat mat noay aujonrn,
Before he was elected
Speaker, Mr. Reed let it be understood tbat the
proceedings of the House should be conducted
unuer general parliamentary law, or else mat
tbe rules should be so changed that it would
become impossible for the minority to prevent
any legislation desired by the majority. Being
aware of these views entertained by tbe new
Speaker, as soon as he was elected a joyfnl
chorus arose from the ranks ot the looters,
and everybody having a scheme by which to
get bold of some of tbe money in the treasury
rushed down to Washington and congratu
lated each other on Reed's election.
I will guarantee that this Congress spends
more than 150,000,000 over and above the actual
necessary expenses of the Government. The
schemes are already on foot, and tbey cannot
be escaped from, which will involve this enor
mous expenditure. There's the subsidy of the
merchant marine, involving no one knows bow
many millions; and tbe subsidy of ships for
carrying our foreign mails. There's the Blair
education bill, calling for an expenditure of
90,000,000: the refunding of tbe direct tax,
which will cost over 120,000,000; pension legisla
tion, which Is liable to run up to 5125,000,000, in
cluding what will be necessary to make good
the deficiencies arising from the extravagances
of last summer, before this Congress assembled.
Then there's the reopening of old warship con
tracts, which are to be paid off, and which will
involve large sums. The paying of a bounty to
sugar planters is also one of tbe possibilities.
Altogether, the bangers-on around Congress
are looking for agrand scramble and distribu
tion of money. There will be lots of it let loose.
. THE EN1HN SIGHT.
Thirty-Eight Yean of Litigation Necessary
to Settle Up an Estate Property In
the City of Washington, Worth
825,000,000 Involved
The Heirs Happy.
1SFECMX. TXLEQBAM TO TBI DISrATCH.1
Philadelphia, February 4. The fa
mous Blodget estate, which embraces nearly
250 acres of the most valuable city land in
the city of Washington, is soon to be por
tioned out among the heirs. Lorin C.
Blodget, the well-known Philadelphia
scientist, has been engaged for the past
week in answering the interrogatories set
forth by a United States Commissioner on
the subject, and bis replies have been duly
forwarded to the Clerk of the Supreme Court
of Equity in Washington, where they will
make the final evidence in the case,
involving property worth f25.0OO.O0O.
The history of the case is one of the most
Interesting in American annals. In the year
1791 Samnel Blodget bought 512 acres of land
in what Is now the city ot Washington. An
arrangement with the Government, which
then desired to make Washington the national
capital, to divide his land In such a way that
Mr. Blodcret and the Government each re
ceived 5.803.536K snnare feet. Mr. Samuel
Blodget held his half during bis lifetime, and
then the propertywent to bis widow andihil-LUe1?
dren. Mrs. Samuel Blodget recoived the rents
from it, and when she died, in 1837, the
heirs asked Mr. Lorin C. Blodzet to take
charge of their interest. To him tbey made a
deed, absolutely giving him possession of tbe
property, but a dispute bad arisen as to owner
ship. When this was settled tbe question of
bow a valid titla should bo made came np, and
f orJ33 years, against tremendous obstacles and
interminable iejral delays at Washington, Mr.
Blodget bas fonght for tbe estate, in which be
has a half interest, spending his own means
freely.
Maria Louise West, of Baltimore; Julia Ann
Britton, of this city; John A. Blodget, of Bed
fordall children of Samuel Blodget with "the
children of Ellen Matilda Blodget Smith, a de
ceased daughter of Samuel Blodget, made the
deed of 1852 to Lorin C. Blodget. Tbe long de
lay, in recent years, bas been partly caused by
searches for heirs, but all have been found, and
all are ready to affix their names to deeds for
purchasers of parts of tbe Blodget estate, thus
making a perfect title possible.
AN INCURABLE DISEASE
Believed to be Waging War Upon the Ex
istence of Premier SnlUbnrr.
UT DIINLAP'B CABLE COMPAST.
London, February 4. Sinister rumors are
flying about touching Lord Salisbury's health.
He is far from well and the grip is
losing its hold on him very slowly. The
Prime Minister has a morbid dislike to
publicity, and bo bates telegrams or letters
of inquiry. He insists on rigid silence about
all that happens at Hatfield, which accounts
for tbe fact that It has only just leaked out
that a fire had burst out there at Christmas
and was only quenched by the prompt action of
Jjord Salisbury's brother.
During the excitement Lady Salisbury re
ceived a painful injnry to her eye and ber
ankle. Unofficial circles are convinced the
Prime Minister is suffering from an insidious,
depressing and probably incurable disease, and
tbat his actions in tbe case of Portugal were
due more to bodily infirmity than diplomacy.
A YILLAGE SPLIT IN TWO.
Lot of Trouble Over n Plngne of Pesky
Little GrnjbncU.
rSPECIAI, TXLXGBAV. TO TUB Dig PATCH. 1
Shabon, February 1 Barbeyville, lying east
of here, is in a higher state of excitement than
when the Village Council ordered the purchase
of a new town pump, over the Introduction of a
plague of "graybaeks," or army lice, from an
unknown source. Tbe public school suffered
tbe worst, and the institution has been almost
broken up on account of the pest.
The school directors, at a meeting, ordered
the expulsion of several pupils whom they held
responsible for tbe epidemic, and the parents
of these pupils are preparing to bring suit
against the authorities for slander and defama
tion of character, alleging the stories to be
false and malicious. Ibe village is divided
into factions upon the subject.
bismakcb: for Portugal.
The Wllr German Chnncellor I Said to
Ilan Changed His Mind.
'BT DCSLAP'S CABLE COMPACT. I
Berlin, February 4. The British .Embassy
to tbe Court of Germany is puzzled by reason
of tbe fear tbat Prince Bismarck is
veering round In favor of Portugal.
It is unknown what influence Is working
but it is certain that Bismarck wishes for a
European or American conference independ
ent of tbe present Brussels conference to de
termine the limits of each power's sphere of
Influence in Africa.
Lord Salisbury would have accepted this con
ference, but asserts th at Spain, France, Italy,
Austria and Russia have been secured before
hand, thus isolating England, and thereupon
will probably refuse to attend.
BOUNCING A NAUGHTY PEEACHEE.
Tbe Council Find Tbat Rev. John H. Turner
Wai Very Indiscreet.
ISPZCIAL TELIGEASI TO TITS DISPATCH.!
Middletowjt, N. Y., February 4. Tbe coun
cil was called to order for the trial of Rev. J. H.
Turner, to-day, by Presiding Elder James H.
Smith, of Norwalk, Conn. The trustees made
five charges, each with one or more specifica
tions. Included among the charges those of im
proper conduct toward certain members of his
flock. Threats were made of shooting Trustee
Peter Warner for untruthfulness.
The council remained In session most of tbe
night, the result being a nnanimous decision
that the conduct of Rev. John H. Turner bad
been indiscreet and certainly unbecoming a
minister, and his removal from the pastorate of
the church.
Snnnderion Will Lretnre In America.
CUT DDKLAP'S CABLE COMr-AXT.l
London, February 4. Colonel Saunderson,
'a rabid antl-Parnellite member of Parliament
has arranged for a lectnring tour of America,
Canada and Australia in the interest Of Union
ist principles.
ANlift EEEE WOOL
'.
If' o .
And Failed
jt- s Business Because'
Vii Wn in flnf Tf
He Wai
VV klU bll UCl ILi
Wlwy .
4
EIGHT HDHDEUPLOYES IDLE,
And tie Liabilities" ated at Abont ft
Millioisiollars.
PHILADELPHIA'S BIG HILLS CLOSED.
Another Tailors Cinstd by the Assignment Sk llada
Keeessary.
Joseph P. Mnrphy, one of the largest
woolen manufacturers in Philadelphia,
failed yesterday for about $1,000,000. Mr.
Murphy attributes his failure to excessive
duties on raw materials. He was a free-wool
man, and for that reason supported Cleve
land during the last campaign, although
always a Bepublican until that time. The
failure will throw 800 employes out of work.
ISriCXlI. TELEOUAM TO TUB DISPATCH. 1
Phiiadeuhia, February 4. The busi
ness community was startled to-day by the
announcement of the failure of Joseph P.
Murphy, one of the largest woolen manu
facturers of this city, whose great mills at
Fourth and Cumberland streets gave
employment to over 800 hands. Mr.
Murphy made a general assignment
for the benefit of his creditors
to Hugh J. Hamill, a woolen manufacturer,
trading under the firm of B. Hamill & Co.,
whose mill is at Cumberland and Mill
streets, Germantown, and John J. McDon
ald, Vice President of the Produce National
Bank. Murphy owed Hamill $40,000, and
his failure caused that of B. Hamill & Co.,
who in turn made an assignment to David
ScanneL an artist of 811 Arch street
It is impossible to-night to learn the exact
liabilities of Joseph P. Murphy, but tbey are
estimated at over tl. 000,000, with assets nomi
nally as much, but wbose market value is very
much less. When B. Hamill & Co. made an as
signment, Hugh J. HamiU withdrew as assignee
of Joseph P.Murphy. leaving McDonald sole as
signee. In the Hamill assignment preferences
were made in favor of David ScanneL J. J. Mc
Dondald. and tbe Produce National Bank.
Hamill's liabilities, it is believed, will not ex
ceed $50,000, and they expect to bo able to re
sume. A close friend of Mr. Murphy said to-night
that his failure was directly due to the general
demoralization in the woolen trade caused by
the excessive duties on raw materials. Ho
said the trade had been in a bad
shape for more than two years. Two open
winters had had a bad effect on prices, said he,
which had been aggravated by many successive
heavy failures, all caused by the unwise tariff
laws Imposing heavy duties on raw wool. The
failures of Clark and of King, and of tbe Almy
Manufacturing Company and others had thrown
great quantities of goods on the market, and
prices bad been slaughtered. These things, it
was said, had caused Mr. Murphy's failure, and
not any mismanagement or extravagance on his
part.
During tbe last Presidents! campaign Mr.
Murphy, who had always been a Republican,
supported Mr. Cleveland, because, as he pub-
said.h8 tariff laws must be revised or
uisaster wouiu OYeriai&e tue country.
Mr. Mnrphy has been in business for 20 years,
and always stood high.
STILL DEMOCRATIC.
Both of ths Special Ohio Legislatlre Elec
tions Go That Way The Succe of
the Gerrymandering Scheme
Is Now Assured.
rSFXCIAI. TILSOKAM TO TUB DISPATCH. 1
COLtraiBUS, February 4. The informa
tion from the Fourth Senatorial District to
night is very meager. At midnight a dis
patch was received stating tbat the Repub
licans conceded the Democrats had carried
Brown county by LOOO at least, and the Repub
licans here state that will settle the point as to
the election of Pattison, Democrat, the only
question being as to the size of the Democratio
majority. The extravagant reports of money
being used on both sides are generally discred
ited here.
In this county tbo election of a Representa
tive to take the place of Lawler, Democrat;
was held to-day. Hoffner. Democrat. Is elected
by over 3,000, while the regular Democratic ma
jority in the county is not mors than L2U0 to
1,500. The Republicans apparently took no In
terest in the election, while tbe Democrats
were active and had plenty of workers at the
polls.
A dispatch from Ripley, O., says: The elec
tion for State Senatorfin this, tbe Fourth Sena
torial district of Ohio, to elect a successor to
Judge Asbburn. took place to-day. The dis
trict is composed of Brown and Clermont conn
ties, and last fall Ashbum carried tbe district
by about 1,000, so tbat tbe Republicans bad the
odds against them. There was consid
erable excitement here over tbe election, as the
election of a Republican would mean a change
in the complexion of tbe Legislature. The re
turns indicate tbat Pattison, Democrat, earned
the county Dy about 8C0. Nothing has been
heard from Clermont county, but tbe election
of Pattison is assured by the vote of Brown
county. This will give tbe Democrats the
Senate, so the State can be re-districted, tho
State boards organized and the next House
may be thrown to the Democrats. Tbe Repub
licans now have 16 and the Democrats 5 Con
gressmen, and if the State is redistrlcted ths
order will be chanced, so the Republicansrill
bave about the same tbe Democrats have now.
SUICIDE THIS MOBNING.
Gertie Francis Jumps From the Ninth Street
Bridge to a Watery Grave Her Es
cort's Back Hardly Tamed
When SheLenped Over.
About 12:15 this morning a girl named Gertie
Francis, 21 years old, who was employed In
Jones' restaurant on Federal street,
Allegheny, committed suicide by jump
ing into the Allegheny river from
tbe Ninth street bridge. Abont 13
o'clock a young man named Charles Anstin.
who stops at 75 Isabella street, was on bis
way home and met tbe girl standing at the
corner of Isabella and Sandusky streets. She
had no bat on, but bad a sbawl wrapped about
ber sboulders. Austin was acquainted with tho
girl, she having worked in a house where hs
formerly boarded. Tbo pair stood awbile talk
ing, and the girl said that she was going over to
Pittsburg.
Anstin volunteered, to accompany her part of
the way, and tbey started over the Seventh
street bridge. Tbey had not proceeded very far
when they again stopped to talk, and ths
girl suggested that tbe wind was too strong
and tbat tbey go up and over tbe Ninth street
bridge. This suggestion was adopted, and tbey
started over that way. When the middle of
the bridge was reached, Austin suggested that
he had gone far enough, and she need have no
fear to go alone the rest of tbe way.
The pair then separated and Austin turned to
walk back to Allegheny. He bad hardly gone
ten feet when he beard a scream and turned to
see thatMiss Francis had climbed up on tbe
railing, and as sbe screamed shs jumped over
and sank to a watery grave.
AN EN0EM0US B0BBERI.
Brazilian Specie and Bonds to the Talae
of 81.230,000 Stolen.
(BT DUNLAP'S CABLE COXPANT.1
Axtwebp; February 4. The steamer La
Plata, from Buenos Ayres, bas arrived. Specie
and bonds to the value ot 51,230,000 are missing.
It is supposed they were stolen during the
voyage.
A Storm Coming From tho West,
WAsniKQTOir, February 4. The storm that
bas been developing for several days in the
Northern Rocky Mountain regions commenced
a rapid movement eastward Monday night and
will probably continue its course eastward to
New England Wednesday.