MHHMHPlilttH mmmmemmmmmm mFf&mr' Hit tIhsMPI WISKiPr f StEa:T pfff '.' V THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH. trjf SECOND PART.1 ? St PAGES 9 TO 12. M ELECTROCUTION Everything Ready for the Judi cial Thunderbolt at Auburn. V.. -KEMMLER WAITS A SPARK mat Will Mark a Sew Era in Legal Punishment. THE NEW DEATH-DEALING DYNAMO And the Awful Chair lhat Flay a Part in the Tragedy. SOME KICK P0I.NTS TO BE DECIDED fCOtfRISrOXDEXCE or THE dispatch.! Aubcbjt. K". Y.. April 27. Kemmler, who will have the distinction oi being the first man killed by a judicial thunder bolt, has now closed the last week or his life. "Within 24 hours in all probability his body, after being truck by lightning and carved by doctors' knives, will be moldering under a mass of quick lime somewhere within the prison yard. The day and the hour of the execution are kept a profound secret "Warden Durs ton's pride is involved. He said again and again that when Kemmler dies no one ex cept those authorized shall know it. He may do the deed if he likes in the dead of night, by electric light or tinder flaring gas burners. Tv enty-seven men in all must be witnesses. These men the "Warden pro poses to have on hand in ample time before the fatal hour. They will' be cautiously gathered within the prison walls. "When the moment arrives they will be inarched down into the gloomy corridor in the basement of the prison. From there they pass through an ante-room into the execution room itself. A door from the ,rJi135 3 KEMMLER IN EIS CELL. From a photograph by Mrs. Durston. execution room opens into the close quarters set apart for men condemned to die. They are very simple, these apartments. The door from the execution room opens into a narrow little hall or passage. This hall is lighted by a heavily barred window high up in the wall. On the outside this window is on a level with the beautiful green lawn of xhe front prison yard with its gay flower beds and shrubbery. Creeping vine's cluster about the window on the gray prison walls, and the constant twitter of birds can be heard even within the condemned man's cell. The two keepers, "William Wemple and Daniel MacKaughton, who act as Kemmler's death watch, sit in the narrow passage to which this window gives light As you enter it from the execution mom there is a door of massive iron grating on your right. This door opens into a still narrower pas sage. It is not oyer 12 feet long, and just wide enough for a man to turn in. This is the little lobby of the two cells which have been specially built for condemned murder ers. They are side by side, these two cells, and their walls are of solid steel. The doors are of heavy steel latticed bars. All the daylight which gets into them is re flected from the opposite dead wall, and even when the door into the keepers' room is flung wide open and the day without is ot the brightest, this light is dim and sickly. There are gas burners in the lobby in front of the cells, however, and these can be lighted when needed. Kemmler occupies the cell nearest the door into the keeper's loom. There is an iron bed in it, fastened firmly to the iron floor. There is a chair also and a ltttle stand. Upon the wall in a corner is a box wherPin Kemmler keeps hi; Bible, the let ters that are sent by pious people to Mrs. Dumon to be read to mm, and a lew little trinkets. Xext to this box, with a pencil attached to it, bangs a slate. On this slate, which Mrs. Durston gave to him, and ot which he is very proud, he learned to write. List 2sew Year's day Mrs. Durston gave him a calendar, and this hangs on the wall next to his slate. A big theatrical poster adorns the wall next to the calendar. The picture that is given with this letter was taken by Mrs. Durston herself. Of course no photographer could be admitted. The last week of Kemmler's life has been passed very much as the last month has been. He has at no time shown much nerv ousness, and never less than now. He has no horror of the electric method of execu tion. He has repeatedly said he preferred it to hanging. He Is too ignorant to know anything about its nature. He hat been told that he will be placed in a chair, and that something will instantly and without pain kill him. This he implicitly believes. All the discussions and theories as to ter rible torture, the accounts of the fearful STATE STREET. Prison wall. Prison Tari. r? . j T-t.. jea,' ii ri, rit!t'P'Hj3 J l U'lfViU'LL. & iKW f '. "w waXs VjH61 ""' m 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 f t t Keepers' room. Execution Boom. 1 1 -rKemmler'a ? I C"L I -M Vacant ?S I Winnows, t Doors. SBMMLER'S CELL AND EXECUTION ROOM. shreiks of agony of men and beasts when the fatal electric current passed through them are to him unknown. He could neither read nor write when he came to Auburn, and allthathehassince heard read has been of a religions nature, or sim ple stories. Of what Is going on in the out side world he knows absolutely nothing Mr& Durston, the noble-hearted wife of the "Warden, has taught him to write and to .read; but he could nbt master an article in a newspaper if it were given to him. Except jhe mere fact that he is to be killed, he A .knows little more of the method h-r xrhlrh it ii to be done, and has as little Wnf it .. JfcM ' " ""J the dumb animals which hare been experi mented on in the cause ot science. Sirs. Durston has repeatedly impressed upon his mind that he is not to "sutler Dain. "The worst for you, "William," she said to him, '"will be when they come to put you in the chair. If r were strong enough, and were to tell you that I was going to throw you into that chair and instantly kill you, it would not be in the killing that yon would suffer, but in the struggle to put you in the chair. Ton must nerve yourself lor that, and then the rest will be nothing. You will know nothinr of it." "Yes, ma'am," he replied in the simple docile way he always speaks to Mrs. Purs ton. "I know that I shall not be afraid to co into the chair. I will do all lean to help you all in it and make it an little trouble to you as possible. Ton have all been very kind to me you and Dr. Durston and Daniel, and I will do just the way you want me to." Daniel is Mr. McNaughton, one of his death watch. He has always liked Daniel, because he has told him that the stories in the Bible were true, whereas Wemple. the other watchman, whom he always calls Bill, 1 Front or north wing. Auburn prison. 2 Window which lights anteroom occupied by Kemmler's death watch, and also, by reflection. Kemmler's cell. 3 3 Anteroom through whiPh wires descending from roof pass to the execution room. 4 Execution room. 5 6 Electric wires passing from dynamo over prison roots to the execution chair is something of a scoffer in religious matters. In fact at one time poor Kemmler was tossed about by sad doubts. The good seed which the good Daniel sowed in his watch, the bad Bill nprooted when it came his turn, and Kemmler (this was some months ago) fluc tuated alternately between rank skepticism, as represented by Bill, and the rigid Scotch Presbyterianism inculcated by Daniel. It was Mrs. Durston's influence that calmed his mind and changed his doubts into a strong laith. The task which the poor woman had at the outset was an arduous one, indeed. The man's moral natuie was almost unborn. He bad never even heard of the story of the Savior, and when Mrs. Durston read it to him for the first time it reached him as a fresh and interesting piece of news. "If I had known about that Savior story," he said, "I never would have killed her. I would have gone away from her." This was the first time he ever expressed regret for his crime or admitted that he would do otherwise under the same circum stances. "I should have killed her nnyway," he bad always said. "It had to come some time, and it might as well have come then as later." A noteworthy streak in a man of such a nature as his is a fondness for flowers. Mrs. Durston gave him some pansies one day this week, and he was greatly de lighted. , "They are just like little isces looking at you," he said. ALL IN READINESS. The Death-Dealing Dynamo n Plttsbarg Product Playing With Lightning Some Mice Point! to be Determined Quick Work Expected The Murderer's Last Chair Described. The execution ceremonies proper will probacy be an affair of but a few minutes, The preparations are now substantially all Gate. STATE Main entrane to prison. i r Offlce, Offlce. Where wires enter. Office, Office. Ante-room. Wlnflow. o Ante-room of death watch. 6 Kcinmler's cell, FLOOR TLA.N OP made. The chair itself has not been placed in position, and will i not be until a very short time before it will be needed. All the wires are up, however, and the connections made. The dynamo is in the hollow ware room in the west extension of the prison shops. It is a "Westinghouse dynamo, and can be run up to 2,000 and more volts of an alternating current. It differs in no respect from any other dynamo of the Westinc house pattern. It will be set in motion by a belt from a shaft which propels machinery in the shops oi the same building. The wires pass from the dynamo room to the roof, and so over to the front of the prison. There they pass down the outside of the prison walls and enter the window of the room next to the execution room. They pass down the walls of the execution room a sufficient distance to be easily connected with the chair. The execution room is about 18x25 feet in size. It was formerly used as the reception room for prisoners lhat is to say, the room where they were shaved, bathed and clad in the prison garb. There is a stationary bath tub to the right of the door as you enter, and the barber chair formerly stood next to it The shaving, bathing and hair cutting ceremonies are now performed in another part of the prison. The electrio chair will stand near the outer or front wall of the room, and will be less than 100 feet from the passers-by in the street Even should the victim utter shriek after shriek the thick, stone wills would stifle them so ther would not be heard outside. Of this, however, no fear is lelt "Warden Durston is confident from his" observation on the experiments made on horses and cattle that death will be as from a thunderbolt, and that scarce a muscle will twitch. The question of the switch lever by which the current is to be turned on to the wires connected with the chair is something which has greatly interested the "Warden, and not unnaturally. When one is toying with an alternating current of electricity something like 2,000 volts strong, he is very close to a streak or lightnine. It is only Reasonable that he should want to make sure that the machinery by which he is to guide this sure death from one small wire to another is of sneb a nature that the operator himself is secure from danger. In other words, the t..nt.ran. w6.:.r.t7i. 7...i:,'r' ' ' "" jvm-whj uuiuatea, xae ordinarv handle is not wholly free from dan ger, and Mr. Durston has had one construct ed especially for the purpose. It is of rub ber, and he may possibly take the additional precaution of wearing a rubber'glove. Another nice thing to determine will be the length of time the current should re main on. It will hardly be possible for doc tors to feel for a man's pulse or heart beat while he is part of a chain of lightning, and it will be necessary to know that death has actually occurred before the current is shut off. Yet. if the current remains on, there may be the horrible features of roasting and burning which have been incidental to so many of the deaths by electricity. This will be aquestion for the experts to deter mine. Warden Durston, however, does not look for any difficulty on that point. Ever since he saw the horses and other animals killed in the prison by the same dynamo he has had unbounded confidence in its death dealing powers. It is his opinion that death will occur with the quickness of a flash of light. The whole transaction, according to his calculations, will be done and over in less time than it takes to tell it. It is, on the whole, well for the success of the event && that the Warden has thisfull confidence. He is placed in a position that needs and will test a firm hand and a steady nerve. A long time ago it was decided not to use the reclining chair which Brown devised and had paraded in pictures about the coun try. It was found to be cumbersome, and defective in many particulars. Further more, it was regarded as calculated to bring out whatever there might be of torture in electrical executions. The chair which has been adopted is chiefly "Warden Durston's own device. It Is a plain, upright arm chair, with a high back and wide seat It is made of heavy wood, and the back is so contrived that the occupant will sit in an easy, natural posi tion. Fastened to the back and so adjusted that It can be raised or lowered to any re quired height in a triangular or figure 4 shaped contrivance which extends over the head of the occupant of the chair. Through a hole in this the vital wire descends to a cup which fits upon the victims head. This cup contains a wet sponge, and the electric wire passes through the cup and into the sponge. Connected with the back of the chair, and at a point opposite the base of the victim s spine, is another cup and sponge contrivance similar to the one connected with the head. The electric wire is also connected with this, thus making the man's spinal column a link in the circuit through which the terrific electric bolt is to flv. 1.S.ur,el?' lf ? electricity killed, and killed instantly, it ought to kill a man seated in that chair and with those ap pliances UDOn him. "Warden n,ir,F i. made three of these chairs, one lor each of me (iwsuus, jvuourn, oingaing and Danne mora. All three are now in the prison here. The next one to be used will be the one made for Sing Sing. "When the chair has been put in place and the wires connected, and the 27 com mitteemen, doctors and assistants are assem bled in the room, all that will remain to be adjoining roVm "and" strap' him1no tht This last is a very simple process. Attached STEEEX. Prison Watt. Prison rard. Switch board. rj-n- O Execntloa chair. Door. I Door. fc Door. o Otll Ezeentlon room. 1 Bath tab. Corridor. o Vacant murderer's cell. ATJBPIty PRISON. to each arm of the chair, to the two uprights at the back, and to the back itself, are stout leather straps with large buckles. The one at the back of the chair pat s:s around the chest and holds him firmly in an upright position; those on the two uprights pass around his arms above the elbow, and hold them fast to the back; those on the chair arms hold his wrists strapped down. Still another set of straps pass over bis legs above the knees and hold them down to the chair seat. The feet, the fingers, and the legs below the knees will be free. The feet rest upon a short support, which extends from the front rung of the chair. The face will be uncov ered. Adjusting the straps will probably be an affair of two or three minutes. All that Kemmler has had to say either to his clergyman, his attendant, or the "Warden, will have been said to him in his cell, and there also the death warrant will be read. He will wear the same clothes that he has every day, only they will he bo adjusted J AUJMif 'IfrwdW PITTSBURG, TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1890. that the lower sponge at the base of the spine will be pressed against the bare flesh. Then, when all the attendants have stood back to a safe distance, and maybe Kemmler has had a chance to say his last goodby, ITRS. DUnSTON. "Warden Durston will swing around the fatal lever. And then, what? The answer to that question is something the scientific world is just now awaiting with lively interest On it hangs, in all probability, the issue of legal execution by electricity. Notwithstanding all the fatal accidents, notwithstanding the successful experiments on horses, cattle and dogs, .the fact remains that the execution of Kemmler is to a material extent an experiment. It is not beyond the possibilities that when "War den purslon lets loose his lightning on that condemned wretch there may be a scene of horror down there in the gloomy basement room such as will rival or transcend the most ghastly deeds ever done in the name of thelaw upon the scaffold. "Whatabsolutely positive assurance is there that the chair and sponge contrivance will kill instantly? It has never been tried. How is it certain that the current applied may not merely cause Kemmler to writhe and shriek in just such agony as numbers of men and beasts have undergone when accidentally bit by a powerful electric current? If the experi ments said to have been made are to be re lied upon, the difference in the amount ot electric resistance differs in different people, and contrivances for measuring that resist ance are far from faultlessly accurate. All this injects an element of uncertainty into the tragedy to be enacted next week which gives it a supreme interest. The strong probability is that none of the mis haps indicated will occur, and that the ex ecution will be all that the framers of the THE NEW law believed it would be instantaneous, painless, sure. It might be said right here that, if it is not, if it results in one of the unhappy contingencies suggested, it willjbe through no fault of "Warden Durston. "Whatever a man could do to carry out properly and well his terrible task, "Warden Durston has done. The responsibility be is under he fully appreciates, and it has worn upon him, but he has risen to meet it. "Who ever follows him will have all the advan tage of his experience, and will little appre ciate the difference between the weight of the burden they bear and that which has fallen upon his shoulders. Although all the essential details for the execution itseli have been completed,' there still rests upon Mr. Durston an amount ot labor and embarrassment which nobody would envy him. The pressure broueht to bear upon him for admission has been some thing beyond belief. The law distinctly designates what number shall be present, and the appointment of only a portion of these lies absolutely with the "Warden. The District Attorney and the Sheriff of the county wherein the condemned was con victed, he is compelled to invite; the prisoner himself may select two clertrynien to be with him; and there must be invited also one Judge of the Supreme Bench of the State. Then comes two doctors, two electrical experts, and a jury of twelve persons. These, with seven assistants and the "Warden himself, make up the total of twenty-seven. It is safe to sav that Mr. Durston has received personally at least a hundred urgent applications for the few places within his power to assicn, to say nothing of the still greater number which hare been brought to him thiough promi nent State officials. In iact, this branch of the matter alone has been about enough to make life a burden to him. The subject, however, he has not allowed greatly to annoy him. When it was a ques tion of killing Kemmler a year ago he made out a list of those to whom he intended to give invitations. To all of those persons, with few exceptions, he again sent invita tions last week. Several of them, either because they are beyond reach or for other reasons, are unable to be present this year, and their places have been supplied by others. The list, however, remains to a great extent the same as that deoided upon a year ago. There will, of course, be an autopsy, though it is not expected that it will reveal anything startling, or of special value to medical science. As to how soon after death the autopsy will be performed is a point of some interest, xne caseot Mind Header Bishop is one which bears somewhat upon this question. It will be remembered that iu Bishop's case the doctors maintained that in autopsies of the brain and nervous system generally great promptness was nec essary, as changes were very rapid. It is probable that this fact will govern the doctors in their autopsy on Kemmler. If, as by no means is improbable, the execution shall take place in the night, then Kemmler may be killed, dissected and buried in quicklime between the setting and the rising of the sun. fSTbe finishing touches have now been put on the little room in which the execution' is to take place. It has been painted a light gray color and thoroughly cleaned. There is not an article of furniturejn it save the iron bath-tub in which prisoners were at one time scoured on their admisiion to the prison, and an iron sink by the wall close to it These are firmly fastened to the floor. On the wall opposite the windows are a number of gas and water pipes. These have all been freshly painted the same light gray as the walls. ITrom the center of the celliQir there haugs a plain fixture with two. ' - " v " ., " - " A. arms and two burners. The two iron-barred windows are high up in the front prison wall above the head of a man of ordinary size. Between is built a boardframe-work about six feet wide and five feet high. The boards are joined together like the boards of an ordinary floor. On them is fastened the electrical apparatus. There is the common electrical bell button. This signals to the dynamo room to stop or go ahead. Next to it is the voltage meter, a tube of brass about two feet long, surmounted with a glass cov ered dial face, with a delicate steel pointer traveling around its face like the single hand of a steam gauge. "Wires connect this with a box about three feet high, six inches wide and as many deep, which is fastened to the wall next the voltage meter, and is in fact a part oi its mechanism. Next to this is nailed a board bearing a donble row of ordinary eleotric light burn ers. There are 12 lights to each row 24 in all and tbey are as ' close to gether as they can conveniently be put. Jhey, too, are to indicate the intensity of She electric current "When turned on they 11 the room with a blinding blaze of light. WARDEN TJURSTOW. Next to them, and side by side, are two levers. One of them throws the current into the lights, and the other is the fatal switch which throws a bolt of lightning upon a single wire traveling up the wall and along the ceiling to a point a little back of the center of the room, whence it dangles ready to be attached to the wire of the chair. The two levers are upright, with their handles toward the floor and about on a level with the operator's elbow. The handles are of wood, but it is probable that when they are DEATH CHAIR. used pieces of rubber garden hose will be slipped over them, and if "Warden Durston takes the advice of most people be will wear on his hand a rubber glove. The levers play over an arc of about six inches. The connection is formed by shoving them forward. They work easily, but not loosely. The chair itself is also in complete readi ness. It stands locked up in the paint shop oF the furniture factory in company with the Iwo other chairs designed respectively for Sing Sing and Dannemora. All have DANIEL M'NAUGHTON. RELIGIOUS KEEPER. the straps and buckles attached, but only the one to be used for Kemmler has the wire tand cups and sponges in place. The wire, as aoove uescriDeci, passes tnrougn tne ngure 4 projection which extends over the occupant's lie.id. The sponge is to be soaked in salted water and is held in the hollow of the cup, which is pressed easily down upon the head by a spiral spriDg. In addition to the straps already described, it has been decided to hold the head back by another strap. This is a sort of harness of leather, which, when adjusted, will cover the forehead, eyes and chin, leaving only the nose, mouth and a portion of the cheeks exposed. It is tightened by buckles attached to the back of the chair. Perfectly steady hands might fasten all these buckles and adjust the head aud body to the sponges in the cups in a very brief space of time. It is too much of humanity, however, to ex pect that there will not be any fumbling. H'BILL" WEMPLE, THE SKEPTIC. Then will come the test of Kemmler's nerve. Taken from his cell at night for it is pretty generally believed the execution will be at uight aDd brought into a room filled with grave strange faces, the odd looking con- Contimti & Imth Fags, A CAN'T PAY THE PEICK Select Council Objects to Increased Bates for Natural Gas. A NEW FUEL TO BE SOUGHT FOR. The Sewerage Question Causes a long Discussion. MEASUEES PASSED BI CITI SOLONS Both branches of City Councils met yes terday afternoon. The only features which excited more than passing interest among the municipal legislators was a general sewer ordinance in the lower house and the Philadelphia Company's increased rate for natural gas, which came up in the local Senate. The gas question came up on the award of the contract to the Philadelphia Company for fuel for pumping stations at 60,000, an increase of $20,000 over last year. Mr. T. A. Gillespie said he had been connected with the Philadelphia Company for five years, but he was not with them now, and be had no hesitancy in saying that the price a,sked was cheaper than coal. Mr. A. C. Robertson said the furnaces could use only gas, and the company there lore had the city iu a hole, but after the con tract was approved he presented a resolution, which was passed, instructing the Chief of Public "Works to make an investigation of patents for manufacturing fuel gas from slack, and which could be used at a lesser cost than natural gas at the present rates. Mr. Robertson thought this matter could be settled by the next time a contract had to be made. THE COURT FIXED THE PRICE. Mr. Bobertson presented a resolution, which was adopted, anthorizing the Chief of Publio "Works to pay 51,720 additional for the "Weber property, which is to be added to the Highland Beservoir Park. Mr. Bigelo 17 had secured an option on the property at $11,000, but the Orphans' Court thought the price was not enough, and placed on an additional $1,720. Among the new measures introduced into this blanch were ordinances granting the use of certain streets to the Pittsburg and Knoxville Railway Company; establishing the position of Eire Director at a salary of $3,000; establishing the position of Court Officer, whose duty it will be to prepare all criminal cases in which the city is interested for court, at a salary of $1,500; amending the charter ordinance by transferring the First ward from the First to the Second Police Magistrate's district. Mr. JUcLoru presented a petition asking that the seat of John B. Murphy, represent ing the Thirty-third ward, be declared vacant, as he had moved out of the disttict. The matter was referred to a special com mittee consisting of Messrs. Wilson, Doyle and Miller. THANKFULLY ACCEPTED. A communication was received from the Controller announcing that the Duqnesne and the Birmingham Traction Companies had accepted the provisions of the ordinances recently passed for their benefit. An agreement was read between the city and Booth & Flinn, by which the latter lease 30 acres of land on Buch's Hill to the Department of Public Safety for pasture and horse hospital purposes, on condition that the taxes are paid. The ordinance allowing the Sixth Street Bridge Company to widen its approach was amended by Mr. Xambie. placing the mat ter under the supervision of the Chief of Public Works, and the ordinance will be reprinted. A HEALTH MEASURE. Common Connclli Pauses an Ordinance Pro viding for General Sewer Connection!! Private Seweri Don't Count Prepnring; for Uncle Sam'i Gencroilty. In the Common branch Mr. Bigham, Chairman of the Committee on Public Works, presented an ordinance requiring property owners to connect their premises with public sewers. Mr. MacGonigle offered an amendment allowing two years after the construction of the sewer before making the connection. He said there were so many sewers being constructed in the East End that the tax would be burdensome to some workingmen who are buying homes on installments. Mr. Bigelow said the measure was asked for in the interest of the public health, and was a necessity to keep the city in good san itary condition. Messrs. Donley and Elinn advocated the original ordinance on the same ground? taken by Mr. Bigelow. After some fnrther discussion Mr. MacGonigle's amendment was lost, whereupon Mr. O'Donnell moved to amend by inserting a provision to cover cases where property owners had made con nections with public sewers on distant streets before a sewer was built on the street on which their property abuts. Mr. Donley said this would only perpetu ate the system of private sewers. These sewers were bad and the system was worse. The amendment was lost, and then Mr. O'Donnell opposed the ordinance on the ground that it put too much power in the hands oi the Department of Public Works. IT GOES THROUGH EASILY. iWheu the vote was taken the ordinance was passed by a vote ot 26 ayes to 11 noes. The negative vote was cast by Messrs. An gloah, Gallagher, Kearns, King, Mullen, McCarthy, MacGonigle, O'Connor, O'Don nell, White and Wright. Mr. Bigham presented the report oi the viewers on the opening and widening of Diamond street from the Diamond square to Smithfield street, as previously published. He alio presented a remonstrance signed by Marshall Bros.. George V. Marshall, Eliza beth Abercrombie, Mary L Gates, Annie E. Brown, Caroline S. Hays, Annie Jl. Bisell, Sarah Arthurs' heirs, Jane H. Steel, Wil liam Barker (trustee), William J. Sawyer and Isaac Craig. The remonstrance was filed and the viewers' report approved. The viewers' report on the opening and widen ing of Cecil alley was then presented and approved. In the absence of Mr. Carnahan Mr. Bigbam reported for the Survey Committee that Mr. Cirnahan had been elected chair man. He presented an ordinance for the vacation of Ellwood street and moved its indefinite postponement, which was agreed to. Mr. Bigham also presented ordinances establishing the grade of Negley avenue, locating Alder street, Coltart square and Breed street, relocating Couth Thirtieth street, changing the name of Barton street to Morewood avenue, all of which were passed. READY FOR A CONTINGENCY. Mr. Bigham also presented the ordinance locating Municipal place in the court along side of City Hall. Mr. Bigham said that every member of Council knew that the city could hot lay out a street or place on Gov ernment property. If it could, the Arsenal grounds would have been cut into city squares long ago. The object of this ordi nance was to so arrange that Congressman Dalzell could introduce a bill in Congress to give the gronnd to the city., The ordinance passed. "Mr. Ferguson, from the special committee on the violation of the ordinance relative to the running of trains on Liberty street, re ported in favor of sending the resolution to the chief of the Department of Publio Safe ty for enforcement jar. JUiuiea moved to refer the xsolationj.3l to the Committee on Corporations. Mr. Ferguson objected. The resolution had been before one committee and it only called for the enforcement of a city law. There was no necessity to send it to another com mittee. Council thouzht different and sent the resolntion to the Committee on Corpora tions. a The Chair read the Select Council resolu tion to cover the increase in the price of the Webb property as fixed by court; passed. The lease or the Booth & Flinn property in the Thirteenth ward for the Department of Public Safety was read. Mr. Wright moved to refer to the Committee on Public Works; he thought the lease too loose. The motion prevailed. LACK 0E HABMOKY Terr Evident Among: the Theoiophlate The Convention Decide to Retain Its Grips nnd Passwords Next Sleetlns nt Chlcneo. Chicago, April 23. The final session of the American Theosophists was held this morning. The only paper presented was upon "The Desire for Pleasure, the Pursuit of Happiness, and the Love of Truth," read by the Chairman, Dr. Back, of Cincinnati. The numerous resolutions reported on Sunday by the General Secretary, William Q. Judge, of New York, were adopted, with the exception of that abolishing the initia tion grips and passwords, which was laid on the table. The lack of constitutional organization in the Governing Council and convention was discussed at length, Arthur B. Griggs, of Boston, precipitating a little bitter contro versy by opposing the vote now allowed delegates at large not representing any or ganized branch. The matter was finally referred to a com mittee, which will report at the next con vention. It was decided that no one but the Presidents of the branches and duly authorized members of the council could admit members at large, and the latter only when the former was inconvenient Chicago was chosen as the place for hold ing the next convention, to meet on the fourth Sunday in April. 1891. Win. Q. Judge, of New York, was chosen as Secre tary and Treasurer. The following were chosen as members of the council for the ensuing year: Abner Donbleday, Elliot B. Page, Allan Griffiths, E. A. Parker, Mrs. N. M. Phelan, Mrs. S. A. Harris, W. S. Wing, Donald Nicholson, Lillie A. Long, Alex. Fnllerton, John M. Wheeler, B. J. Nunn, Geo. D. Buck, John H. Scotford, Dr. Ammi Brown, Win. Throckmerston, Dr. L. J. Winsor, Louise A. 08, Mrs. Brainard, Miss A. M. Wymao and Mrs. Uertsteldt. Messrs. Donbleday, Neresheimer, Buck, Griggs, Lapierre, and Merum will act as the Executive Committee. Mr. Thomas, of San Diego, Ca., was chosen as the delegate to the December convention at Adyar, India. Secretary Judge gave notice thai at the next convention he would offer an amend ment to the constitution by which only presidents and delegates from branches to gether with a fixed number of delegates at large chosen from those present should be allowed to vote. Adjourned sine die. OUT W WILKINSBURG. Preparations for a Notable Event Father T.amblng'e Efforts la Secnre Good lUaslc. Jlfeetlng of Councils Last Evening Other News from the Boroaab. Preparations are already being made for the entertainment of the Wilkinsburg Mas ter Masons' Association, Friday, May 2. The members of the society and their lady friends are determined to make it a notable event, and the arrangements are on a liberal scale. There will be a good musical pro gramme, many of the prominent singers of Pittsburg having agreed to take part Erasmus Wilson is to deliver an address. The Master Masons' annual entertainment is always looked forward to with strong in terest in Wilkinsburg. Father A. A. Lambing, pastor of St James' B. C. Church, believes that good music is an essential part of religion. He has therefore paid particular attention to his choir. He has plenty of sopranos and altos, and now is trying; to induce the young men of his congregation to come forward and supply him with, bassos and tenors. South street is not thoroughly graded yet, but the tremendous hollow over the run is partly filled in, and wagons can traverse the whole length of the thorough fare, for the first time in its history. It Franklin street were made passable, resi dents of Eastern Wilkinsburg would beable to get to and from the railroad station easier than at present Borough Councils held a special meeting last night. Borough affairs were discussed at length, but nothing definite was done. The principal matter talked about was the Penn avenue paving ordinance. THEY CANKOT SELL. Judge Acheson Ends the Agoay In the Val ley Rullroad Case. The case ot the Pennsylvania Bailroad Company against the Allegheny "Valley Bailroad was concluded in the United States Circuit Court yesterday. Jndge Acheson handed down an opinion in the case deny ing the motion 'tor an order of an inter locutory sale and dismissing the petition. In his opinion, Judge Acheson said: 'Taking into consideration the nature of the controversy and the uncertainty as to the final issue of the litigation, it seems to me very clear that the court would not be justified at this stage of the case by an interlocutory order to impose upon the hold ers of the bonds of 1869 the proposed terms of sale. And thisvier being decisive it is not necessary to discuss or pass upon the other objections urged by the trustee of the bondholders against the allowance of the motion." A LTBEBAL TABMEB. ile Gets Himself Into Trouble Through His Liberality. rsrxcixx. tzlxqhax tooths dispatch.! Middletowit, April 28. Harvey F. Haight, a popular young farmer living near here, is under arrest on a charge of forgery. It was discovered on Saturday that he had forged the name of Lewis B. Scott, a pros perous livery stable keeper here, to a note for 11,000, given by his wife, Mrs. Fannie Haight, which he had. discounted at John E. Corwin's bank, in this city. When arrested and arraigned before Just ice Powelson he confessed to the offense. Haight is well connected, and up to this dis covery had borne an unblemished name. He served a three years' term as an excise com missioner. He was once well to do, but got into pecuniary straits by lavishness of money. Twelve Times five Hundred. COO dozen boxes of Krause's headache capsules have been sold in this city and Allegheny since the 18th of Jan uary. Every box is sold on a posi tive guarantee to cure any kind of a headache, no matter what the cause; per fectly harmless: especially recommended to prevent headaches caused by overindulging in food or drink late at night Ask any leadiug druggist for them, and take noth ing else. Capsules are easier to take than powders, wafers or elixirs, etc. 25 cents a box, ttsu High grade India silks, choice novelty designs and colorings; best goods imported, $ 1, $1 25 and 81 50 per yd. TTSSU HUQTJS & HACKE. Special values in 26-Inch umbrellas. gloria and Windsor cloths, at 2, $2 SO and - Hosxs & Wabd, u Fifth avenue, QUITE A CLOSE CALL, The Chamber of Commerce RiYOrs Government Telegraphy BY A Y0TE OP ELEVEN TO H1NE. Speeches Made For and Against Mr. Wan amaker'a Scheme. 0THEE WORK OP THE LOCAL BOARD The directors oi the Chamber of Com merce held an interesting session yesterday afternoon. The attendance was quite large. The meeting was presided over by President Schmertz, who has fully recovered from his late sickness. Hon. G. H. Anderson, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, which has had under consideration the act of the Postmaster General for the establishment of a "tele graph system," made the following report: Whereas, The Postmaster General has drafted an act to establish a limited postal telegraph system between all carrier delivery Dostofflces by which the usefulness of the tele graph will be greatly extended and the public given a uniform service at a much lower rata than that at present charged by the existing companies: and. Whereas, The United States is the only coun try of Importance on the face of the globe that does not operate the telegraph as part of the postofflce system; and. Whereas. The Chamber of Commerce of Pitts burg believes that the interest of the wbolopeo ple will be greatly enhanced by the establish ment of a limited postal-telegraph system on such a basis as Congress m its wisdom shall deem equitable and just to all, but always rec ognizing fully the rights of the companies now in existence, or that may be hereafter organ ized; therefore, Resolred, That this Chamber welcome the proposition of the present Postmaster General, and heartily commend to the favorable consid eration of Congres3 any bill that will effect this purpose. A SirNOEITT BEPOBT. ' This report represented the sentiment of the majority of the committee, but tho minority, consisting of Hoo. Morrison Foster and Captain William McClelland, held opposite views and presented the fol lowing report: Raolved, That the Committee on Lezisla. tion, to whom was referred the communication from the New York Board of Trade and Trans portation recommending favorable action upon the proposed act of Congress establishing a postal telegraph system by the United States Government, respectfully dissent from the ma jority report and that at the present time it would be unwise to adont anv system which may lead to control bv the Government of tho private telegraph correspondence of the people, but believe that the same good results may be accomplished by proper regulation of our present system ot private telegraph companies. A discussion arose. Mr. Anderson stated that he believed the Government should hire the present companies and regulate them at a greatly reduced rate. He referred to the European system, and spoke highly of it President Schmertz differed from Mr. An derson in regard to the system in Europe, and said he found the system there to be un reliable, unsatisfactory and unaccommo dating. Jonn B. Jackson objected to the majority report from a comparison of statistics be had seen, showing figures about the system of Europe. Alili nr THE "WAT. S. B. Harbison objected to the majority report, and stated that the condition of the civil service in this country, the party dif ferences, and the motto "to the victor be longs the spoils," all stood in the way of Government control of the telegraph, as it wonld be a centralization of power and an increase in responsibilities. Captain Mc Clelland and Mr. Foster spoke in a similar vein. Captain John A. Dravo stated that ho was in favor of anything new, and that Europe's failure would not prevent the suc cess of the system in this country. He believed in making the telegraph the ser vant of the people, and make the Govern ment custodian. A vote was taken, and the majority re port was adopted by a vote of 11 to 9. On motion, it was decided to send the action of the Chamber to the Postmaster General. A. B. Cochrane, of the Bevere Habber Company, was elected a member. He is a brother of "Kellie Bly." The report of the Executive Committee on the resolutions of the New York Chamber of Commerce, protesting against the passage of H. E. bill No. 6,420, entitled "An act to provide for taking the eleventh and subse quent censuses," was received and approved. The report was an approval ot the action of the New York board. A Young Lndr Agreeably Surprised Tho Cause Was aa Elegant Upright Grand Plana. Mis& Grace Henderson, 236 Market st Allegheny, has been a member of the Everett Piano Club for ten weeks, and is now the possessor ot one of the finest pianos in the world. She had only paid in $10, and was agreeably surprised when she was notified that her number, 26, had been drawn and that she was entitled to the piano on payments of 51 per week. This club system is easily understood, and offers ad vantages iu easy payments, without the ex tortionate prices of the old fogy installment plan. Its principal features are the great reduction obtained by the club contract for" 350 pianos, which is a saving of from $75 to ?100 in the price, and the iact that while the pianos are given out on payments as low as SI per week there are enough members in the club to represent the price of the piano, hence the members get the benefit of the wholesale cash price. The rules provide lor the immediate delivery of pianos for cash, or on payments as low' as $25 cash and S10 monthly. The system is good, and the piano have absolutely no superior. They are indorsed by the leading musicians and over 150 families in this vicinity who have purchased them. Piano ourchasera will find an elegant stock in great variety of styles and fancy woods at the club ware rooms. Call or send for circular to the manager. Alex. Boss, 1ST Federal st, xrsa Allegheny. ELEGANT SPRING GOODS. True Economy Dictates That Bayers Go ta Lynch'. 433 and 440 Market Street. Spring has come and with it merchants are getting in their spring and summer lines of goods, but it is safe to say that a better assortment than that of H. J. Lynch's. 438 and 440 Market street, cannot be found- That this is recognized by buyer is attested by the rapidly increasing patron age of the establishment The stock com prises all the fashionable and leading novel ties in French and American dress goods, plaids, combination suiting, serges, cash meres and henriettas in all tba newest shades, such as prune, dahlia, heliotrope, grey, old rose, etc The underwear depart ment is full and complete, comprising bal briggan, merino, gauze and Swiss ribbed for ladies, gents and children. Great bargains can be bad in embroideries, handkerchiefs collars, gloves, corsets, laces, braids, but tons and infants' white dresses. Black, all-wool cashmeres oi extra quality, range from 45c, 60c, 60c, 75o to 51 per yard; sheet ing, towels, napkins, damasks, spreads, lace curtains and housefurnishing goods at bot tom prices. In fact, all the lines of goods at Lynch's store are of the best quality and at the lowest prices. xuy A hakdsome 8x10 photograph given away lree to-morrow with every dozen of cabinet photographs at Hendricks & Co.'t,68' Federal street, Allegheny. Don't tail to gef one- Good cabinets. H a doien. Full liCe.' . tiia crayon only 3, m "S i t i . ... jt,.---- - ! ''A , X JrfJSb.'fti j ' wfe '-I H: . RsfssiSftciBV?!
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers