Pittsburg dispatch. (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, November 24, 1892, Image 1

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    Spent in THE DISPATCIJ adlcts
secures yon a servant, finds yon
a situation, or brings a tenant
lor your rooms.
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flads
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FORTY SEVENTH YEAR
1892-TWELVE
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CENTS.
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yflr r ' Wr TT'W'f1rk 'wty',&i b 'f' iWr ''''' - rttnatioH, or brlags a teaaafe
. :
PITTSBURG, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24,
rsji
FRICK AGAIN
ON M STAID.
Peffer's Homestead-Pinkerton
Inpiry Unexpectedly
Opened Here.
AFTER THE FIRM'S LOSS.
"Witness Refused to Tell, tut Said
the Men Are Out $1,000,000.
It Was Denied That the Company Uses
a Black List, but Admitted That De
tectives Are Employed to Watch the
Employes Mr. Frick Bays the
Wicked at Homestead Were Not
Numerous Some Evictions Were
Necessary The Manager of the Car
negie Firm Doesn't Believe in Com
pulsory Arbitration District Attor
ney Lyon and Clerk Gamble Said They
Knew of No Way of Adjusting the
Strike in the United States Courts
William, Martin Thinks the Employ
ment of Armed Detectives Is Bad and
Should Be the Last Resort.
The Senatorial committee appointed to
Investigate the recent troubles at Home
stead, and especially the employment and
conduct of the Piukertons, arrived in Pitts
burg yesterday. They were scheduled for
to-day, and their coming was unexpected.
Tbey registered at the Duquesne, and com
menced the inquiry in the afternoon.
The full committee is composed of Sena
tors Jacob K. Gailinger, of New Hamp
shire; "William A. Pefier, Kansas; Henrr
Clay Hansbrough, North Dakota; Charles.
N. Felton, California; "Wilbur F. Sanders,
Montana; Edward D. "White, of Louisiana,
and David B. Hill, of New York. Only
Senators Pefier and Gailinger, who consti
tute the sub-committee, are here. "With
them are the latter gentleman's son, who is
clerk of the committee; N. Dumont, Ser
geant at Arms, and F. J. Haig, who is the
committee's stenographer.
Chairman Trick the Chief Witness.
The principal witness yesterday was
Chairman H. C Frick, of the Carnegie
Steel Company. He reviewed the whole sit
uation,and said many interesting and pointed
things. Mr. Fnck stated yesterday that
while he was not an expert in the matter of
ending strikes, he admitted he had had con
siderable experience. He thought much of
the trouble in bringing to a speedy close
these clashes between capital and labor
rested with the peace officers.
He quietly rousted the Sheriff
and among other things said he was not
efficient. He was asked to tell what the
company and the strikers had lost by the
Homestead strike. Mr. Frick showed that
the latter's loss was about 51.000,000, but as
to the company's he refused to answer the
question.
The witnesses are paid $2 for testifying
betore the committee. "When Chairman
Frick was through with his testimony Sen
ator Gailinger handed him his fees and Mr.
Frick receipted for it.
The New Hampshire Man Begins.
Senator Gailinger commenced the ques
tioning, and Mr. Frick recited the story of
the Homestead troubles. His testimony was
as follows:
Q Does your firm employ American labor
es a rule? A It always employs native
workmen when tuey can set tlicm.
Q What causes the most of the labor
tioubles. A They originate generally
amoiii: the foreign elements.
Q Do you find it necessary to arm your
watchmen? A. Not always. It depends on
conditions.
Q How doyu tieat with jour men now!
A. Only tieat Individually with our men,
hut make no distinction against those who
belong to associations.
Senator Tefler then toolc Mr. Frick In
hand. The first question was:
Q In the hiiinjr of men at your mills do
you ha e a blacklist? A. No, sir.
Q How many men does your firm employ?
A. Over 20.CG0 men aie employed in the dif
ferent branches and and about 33 per cent of
them are native Americans.
Q What pioportion ot the others are
naturalized? A. I couldn't give you any
Idea.
Q Are most of them men of families? A
largely so, paiticnlaily at the Edgar Thom
son w orks.
Q. Where such numbers aro employed, Is
it desirable and practical tbatthe employers
become personally acquainted with the
woikmen? A. It Is desirable for the super
intendents, but It Is almost Impossible for
the employers.
Nearly 4,000 Employed at Homestead.
Q. As a general rule do you inquire Into
the habits ot joui men? A "We do.
Q What was the number of men employed
at Homestead previous to the strike? A.
About 3,600.
Q. What wa the range of their wages?
A Fi-om $1 40 per day to over $12.
Q What pioportion received the higher
wages? A. I can furnish you with a state
ment showing the range or all men who
worked over a ton a day at Homestead.
Q What Is the difference in j our men? A.
Some are skilled and some are unskilled.
The skilled men received the higher wages.
) Q What -was a fair average day.s wages?
A. I think in the neighborhood of $3, and
that in most cases a day of eieht hours.
Q Do your Homestead men live near the
works? A. A largo number or them did.
Q. The newspapers published Uo sets of
reports two days after the trouble to the
effect that a laige number, if not a majority,
of Homestead workers owned their own
homes, how is that? A They did; a large
number. -
Q. Does your company own and rent to
men? A. A very small amount. We en
courace them to buy lots and build, and loan
them money to pav lor it.
Q At what per cent? A At 6 per cent.
They also deposit with us. and we pay G per
cent.
The "Wicked Ones Not Numerous.
Q Another newspaper report says a largo
number were evicted from their homes? A
Only a small number were evicted. M e did
give notice to men who declined to work,
and in one or two cases we asked the proper
officers to put ns In possession.
Q. Can you give mo a pioper estimate of
the loss to cmplovcs nnd owners caured by
this strike? A Hid the wotkt-bcen in
operation as theyweio prei. SJgoJuly 1
theio would have been paid out in wages
about $1,000,000. As to the loss of the com
pany, that is a question I could not answer
cor even aDproximate very woll.
Q ere many contracts forfeited by rea
son of the failure to supply the material?
A Tes, n good many, but In no case have wo
been held for damages.
Q. Have you contracts with any Govern
ment department? A Tes, for armor plato.
Wo havo been getting out a large amount;
but not as mnch ns If there had been no
strike. I don't think the Government can
ask fora forfeit on occount of failure.
Q What is meant by strike and lockout?
A. The first is when men'qutt work owins to
difference or wages with their employers. I
never knew what workingmen meant by the
term "locked out"
Q. Has your company been in the habit of
employing detective, disguised as work
men, to learn the habits of your men? A
We are not in the habit of doing it, but have
done so.
O. Reocntlv? A Tes. sir.
Q. When? A About July 1, or a day or
two before.
Mr. Frick Expected Violence.
Q. Had you any reason to expect violence
from your men In case you did not agree on
the wage problem? A Tes, sir, by the ex
perience of the past.
Q. Fiior to the letter or June 25 to the
FInkcrtons did you have a conference with
Sheriff JlcCleary? A Tes. sin by counsel.
Q. Hae you any recollection of the re
sult? A I have not. Mr. Knox, my attor
ney, is here; possibly he has. .
Q. Attorjour letter to the P lnkertons did
anyone representing them inspect your
works to see how the plant as situated?
A No, sir. Our superintendent with his
assistants met the Finkeitons berore they
arrived at the propertv, and they know
whose property tUey woie coming to pro
tect. Q. Is yonr memory clear whether there
was a visit? A I think there was not.
Q. What in your opinion is the best
method or ending a strike? A. Senator, I
don't know, it depends nn ciroumstances. I
am not an expert in such matters, but have
had a great deal of experience. Strict en
forcement of laws bv nezco officers would
bring about better resultfc. The trouble is
that the sheriffs are inefficient. The right
men are never elected. Those who are do
not see that the laws are enforced. This i
principally for political reasons. The sheriff
is afraid that he will antagonize voters.
Q. Is it your opinion that if the sheriffs at
tended to their duty there would be no ne
cessity lor i'inkertons? A. The constituted
authorities should see that a man has his
rights.
Don't Believe in Compulsory Arbitration.
Q Have you ever thought of the efficacy
or com pulsory arbitration? A. I don't think
it would accomplish anything.
By Senator Gailinger:
Q. Ton answered some questions to the
Congressional Investigating Committee as to
the cause of the strike. Would vou answer
them in the same way now? A Tes sir.
Q. Can on tell what proportion of married
men own their property? AI could not.
Q. Have you ever been inside of any of the
emp'oyes' houses at Homestead? A. No sir;
I was in those in the coal legions.
Q. Are these houses painted ornnpainted?
.aietney carpetea ana are iney comforta
ble? A I am told they are verv couifoita
ble. Q. Do tbo workmen continue to deposit
money with the company, and does the com
pany continue to lend them money? A
Tes, sir.
Q. In the matter of employing armed men
furnished by detective agencies w bat would
be your position? Do you consider that the
last resoit or should it be done in the early
staces of the strike? A. I consider it the
last resort and only when the police cannot
be depended on. 1 want it undei stood that
I don't admit that no employed armed men.
I might also say that the, Sheritl ot this
county tells us that there is no
money to pay for deputies in cafes
of this kind, and we have had at times to ad
vance money to pay them.
Q. Is it so that these deputies must supply
their own arms and ammunition when
called upon? A Tes, sir.
Uncle Sam's Servants Examined.
Clerk H. D. Gamble, of the United States
Circuit Court, was next called.
Ey Senator Gailinger This committee is
charged with inqulrlnzinto the employment
of "armed mtn between employers
and employes. Havo you had occa
sion to learn anything iu this direction? A
In one case by the Central Trust Company
of New Tork against the New Jersey Rail
road, wherein the receiver appointed by
the United States Court and residents of
this State entered the suit. The other by
W. J. Itamsey, a resident of Ohio, eujolning
men in the coke regions.
Q. Could not the recent troubles at Home
stead been adjusted by some action or the
United States courts? A. I have no knowl
edge of any w ay.
United States District, Attorney Lyon
waB examined along the same line and'with
the same results.
William Martin. ex-Secretary of the
Amalgamated Association, but now in the
employment ot the Carnegie Company, was
a witness. He said in answer to questions:
I do not seo how a firm body or men could
be made to arbitrate unless they wanted to.
The effect or the employment of armed de
tectives as iron forces is bad, as the
men are diametrically opposed to it.
That should be the last lesort.
Less thati 10 per cent of the men were
affected by the reduction, and if the
men had shown that anv nronoslttnn in ft..
scale was too low the company would have
advanced it pievious to June at. Working
men do not make the same objection to the
militia or United States troops as privato
detectives. There are. of course, times when
they try to get around the authorities.
MILITIA AND PINKERT0NS
Passed Upon in Iiesolutlons by the K. of L.
The !-wlss Military System Advocated
A Pittsburg Boycott Continued
A Homestead Building Association
"Wanted.
Sx. Louis, Nov. 21 In the Knights ot
Labor Assembly to-day, a resolution advo
cating the abolition of the militia was voted
down, and the following resolution was
adopted:
Resolved, That we favor the dissemina
tion of a patriotic military sentiment and a
return to the popular form of maintaining
the militia in vogue prior to 1860 namely,
allowing the State militia to elect its own
officers and the lank and file to hold their
own arms. And we discountenance the cen
tralizing or the power in every way; object
tn the expenditure of vast sums of the peo
ple's money in building useless armoiies,
and indorse the popular system in vogue in
Switzerland.
The boycott on the corks manufactured
by Armstrong & Co., of Pittsburg, was
ordered to remain. The passage of the
Davis House bill, now pending, to prohibit
convict labor in the United States, was in
dorsed. The Committee on Resolution
offered strong resolutions condemning some
of the courts for allowing themselves to be
used by certain labor organizations demand
ing legislation prohibiting the employment
of Pinkertons. They also demanded a law
abolishing the sweating system, Javored the
continuance of the State bank tax. and re
affirmed the Assembly's position favoring
the restriction of the issuance of monev
except by the Government. The Assembly
declared" itself opposed to closing the
"World's Pair on Sunday, and refused to
interfere with the matter of selling liquor
on the grounds.
The General Executive Board was In
structed to take steps looking to the estab
lishment of a homestead building and loan
association and the establishment ot an in
surance association to provide funds to en
able members to carry on suits under the
law requiring employers to be liable for ac
cidents to employes.
A resolution was also adopted favoring
the passage of a law prohibiting anv one
from voting who cannot read his ballot, the
provisions of tne law to take effect five
years after its passage. It was also recom
mended that there be the closest affiliation
oi all farmers and laboring men who are in
sympathy with the Knights of Labor.
NO PINKEEIOSS FOE iLABiUi.
A BUI Introduced in the Legislature to
Prohil.lt Their Employment.
Montgomery, Ala, Nov. 23. A bill
has been introduced in the Legislature
now in session, which provides
that no person, firm or corporation save
the Governor shall be permitted to employ
Pinkertons or any such force in the State';
and firm, person or corporation employing
such force shall be deemed guilty of a mis
demeanor, and on -conviction shall be fined
not Jess than $1,000.
wn
T,
Professor E. R. Hicks Proyes
He 'Foretold the Recent
.Cyclone in IlKnois.
HE BLAMED IT ON SATURN,
Although Admitting the New Comet
Might Have Assisted.
CHOLERA AKD PESTILENCE NEXT.
A Terrible Prediction Made for the World's
Fair Tear.
QUEER COMPOSITION OP THE PLANET
rFPXCMI. TrLKQTlJlM TO TOR DTsrATCJT.l
Sx, Louis, Not. 23. The regular cyclone
that devastated the town of F.edbudj 111.,
was foretold by Prof. E. B. Hicks, the St.
Louis astronomer .and weather prophet.
In his forecast for November, written Sep
tember SO and published in his 'works, the
prophet says:
About the 16th marked indications of
nctive autumnal storms will appear in the
Western part of our continent. Warmer
weather, falling barometer, southerly winds
and softening skies will all unite to admon
ish of gathering BtormB. The equinox of
Mercury is on the Slst, the new moon is on
the 19th, and the danger days or the regular
period are the 17th, 18th and 19th.
The Redbud storm occurred on November
17, one of the three days marked as "danger
days" by Dr. Hicks. On the succeeding
days storms occurred throughout the west
ern part of the United States.
"What effect will be produced by the
close approach to the earth of the comet
which is attracting so much attention now?"
was asked to-day of Prof. Hicks. He re
plied as follows:
A vitiating effect. It Intensifies the nox
ious condition of the earth's atmosphere
produced by Saturn. The reason Saturn's
equinox is always accompanied by epi
demics is that this planet is surrounded by
rings of semi-gaseous matter. This matter
extends for a great distance all around the
planet. We can only see It so far as it is
luminous. There aro dark rings out beyond
those luminous rings, and how tar these
dark gas-composed rings extend beyond the
planet no one knows.
How the Atmosphere Is Vitiated.
The planet and its jinga revolve with
great rapidity, and some of the particles of
the rings are thrown off, enter the earth's
atmosphere, and vitiate it. This vitiating
effect la greatest when the earth is directly
In the plane of tne rings, just as a person
standing dlicctly in front of a grindstone is
struck by the water thrown off from it,while
ir he .stands to one side he will not be wet
The person standing dlrectlv in front of the
grindstone is in Its equinox. The tall
or coma of a comet is composed or
material (precisely similar to the rings
of Saturn, and if this material gets mixed up
with the earth's atmosphere, epidemics and
severe illness aro bound to result. To the
combined influence or Satuin and the comet
we owe the present prevalence or typhoid
rover and kindred complaints. The typhoid
fever shows that the eaitb's atmosphere Is
vitiated and that it is in cood condition for
cholera next summer. I am on record as
iredictlng cholera for next summer, and I
lave not ohanged mv mind as to the proba
bility ot its coming. The earth's atmosphere
Is vitiated and the trouble is bound to come.
Nothing Definite Xet to Be Learned.
A special irom Baltimore says: Dr.
Charles Lane Poor, oi the Johns Hopkins
TJniversitv, who has been watching the
comet during the past week said this even
ing that nothing definite could be determ
ined in regard to its identity for several
months. Said he:
tttonaAlaBotn rifeKnea Iho i.rt1io rflt . nf
its identity with Biela's comet.or to attempt
io BKctcu jib cuunD turuuKu tiie neavens un
til manv more observations have been
o sketch its course through the heavens un
made. Usually with three observations on
different nights, at intervals of two or three
days, it is possible to obtain very roughly
the orbit ot such a body. Unless these ob
servations be separated by long in
tervals, say ten days or more.
the three ocenpying about a month's
time, computation gives but the merest hint
at the true path of the body. An accurate
determination or the orbit or a comet re
quites a continuous seilos ot observations
extending ovor a period or several months,
and the work or computing the pith may
well last several months more, so that the
orbit of no comet is known with any accur
acy until long after the body has made its
appearance.
The comet in question has been visible
bnt 15 days. Had the observations during
this period been of the best, wo could then
only very roughly determine the probable
path of the stranger. Unfortunately, how
ever, it is impossible to make satlaiuctory
observations of this Interesting body.
Sow a Very Large, Diffused Haze.
During the first few days theie was quite
a sharp and definite nucleus in the comet,
and this could i eadily be taken as its center
in measuring its position among the fixed
stars. Since those first days the strange
body has increased remarkably in size, but
this Increase Iibb been accompanied by a de
ci ease in brightness and a loss of all definite
outlines and nucleus.
At present the comet appears as g. large,
very faint and diffused h.ize showing no
marked point fiom which to make measure
ments. 'This light haze appears to fill the
whole field of view of the telescope and to
measure the position of such a body Is im
possible. Two equally pood astronomers
side by sldo at the same time with diffeient
telescopes would probably differ greatly as
to their estimates or the position. As a
consequence or this indefinlteness of the
comet's real position all attempts to
compute an orbit from the few ob
servations now at hand have proved
of slight avail. The comet has Deen watched
with care during the last week, at the Johns
Hopkins Observatory, but.wlth no satisfact
ory or positive results. When first seen Its
boundaries were sharp and clear, and It bad
a well defined nucleus. Since the first even
ing, however, the comet has Inoieased la
size, hut at the same time lost all its sharp
ness or outline. It jiow appears as the
lalntcst thin cloudy haze or fog in tne tele
scope. Numerous faint stars can be seen
shining directly thiougb the mass of the
comet. It was found impossible to make
any measure of its position.
No Danger From the Comet.
A telegram from Princeton, N. J., to
night says: "The comet now visible near
the nebula of Andromeda, instead of ap
proaching the earth is in all probability re
ceding from it." says Prof. Younc: "and.
furthermore, according to the latest data,
it is not a fragment of Biela's comet, as
many astronomers have supposed." Contin
uing", the Princeton astronomer said:
While the path of the comet at first ap
parently coincided with that of Biela's
comet, a dully increasing variation has been
noted and the observations made indicate
strongly the contrary of the reports hereto
fore made publlo by the newspapers.
Whether the comet is approaching or re
ceding irom the earth will not be definitely
proved until Saturday, when the earth's
path crosses that ot Biela's comet some 21
hours ahead ot that body, making it impos
sible that a collision should occur.
In view of the sensational teports current
afewfactsbioughtoutby careful observa
tion may provo of interest. In the first
place, the comet lacks the usual nucleus,
concentric spheres and, envelopes which ale
so prominent in other bodies of a like
character; secondly, its density is less th.in
that or the so-called vacuum in the globe of
an lncaudercent lamp; and lastly, (he
spectroscopiw observations indicate that the
rartlcles or the comet, which vary In
size from Jhat of a pebble to that
of a large boulder, aro shining
with light reflected from the sun.
AH these facts go to show that the comet is
a qitlesoetit state, and shonld the earth
is throujrh it (for it is probably some
paw
A MODERN
PROPHE
I (111 Ml lHw t I 4? r00TBHU-Match gA
SOU J7 lfifTBUv Iv'-d-' . Z 'Z'
500 ml
only that or an unusually brilliant shower
or meteorites, a Jew or which would possi
bly .reach the earth, while most of them
would be fused by the Intense heateenor
nted while passing through the atmosphoie.
In lact, a heavy thunder storm would be at
tended by greater mortality, In all proba
bility. WATCHING FOR THE COMET.
Gatherings of Amateur Astronomers in the
Two Cities Last Night.
The heavens were closely watched last
night by the amateur astronomers of Pitte
burg, who were on the watch to catch a
glimpse of Biela's comet, or any other wan
dering stranger among the stars. There
were many gatherings throughout the two
cities, and in the majority of oases the only
stars whioh attracted attention were half
hidden beneath drooping eyelids or curling
bangs. An occasional survey of the star
studded dome was made at Irregular Inter
vals, and alleged discoveries in that direc
tion wers frequently announced, but closer
investigation always proved the falsity of
the claim. The Pleiades, or seven sisters,
which could be seen indistinctly, almost at
the zenith, led to many mistakes, as they
were olteu taken for an approaching comet
or some new heavenly body.
STILL ANOTHER COMET.
Harvard
College Observatory Locates the
One Seen by Brooks.
BOSTON", Nov. 23. A tel egram from "W,
It. Brooks, of Geneva, N. Y., announced
the discovery of an object, suspected to be a
comet, on the night ot November 19. Searoh
for it at Harvard College Observatory on
the night of November 20 by Mr. Iteed
confirmed the discovery.
It was observed Monday evening by O.
C. Wendell, assistant at the observatory,
thev following being the position: .895
Greenwich mean time, right ascension. 12'
C9' and 13"; declinctioil uorth 1a So' and'
27". The comet has a slow southerly move
ment. THE BRADFORD MATRICIDE.
New Links of Evidence Tightening the Coils
of the Law Abont Him.
Beadfobd, Nov. 2a Special' In the
sensational Crossmire murder case the coils
are tightening around the son of the mur
dered woman. Ralph Crossmire, who is
now in jail, is what the sports call a "shoe
string sprinter," and at the time of his ar
rest the only thing of any value found in
his possession was a pair of running shoes.
which he was carrying wrapped in paper.
He is H years old, and since his im
prisonment he has not had his hat off,
wearing it even in sleep. He has not
asked for counsel, and refused to speak of
the murder in any way.
No one yet has been found who knows
anything of his whereabouts at the time the
murder was committed, early Saturday
evening. On Thursday evening young
Crossmire boarded a freight train at Jewett
station, ostensibly bound for this city. He
reappeared at 5:30 on Sunday morning, the
day following the murder. In a room he
occupied at Sit. Jewett, a pair of overalls
have been found, stained with blood.
MUST GO BACK TO COAL.
Greensbnrg's Natural Gas Company "Will
Take No New Customers.
Gkeensburo, Nov. 23. SjperfaL The
present cold weather has demonstrated that
the natural gas supply in this seotion is and
will continue to be totally insufficient. Al
though a new well or two has been turned
into the mains of the "Westmoreland and
Cambria Gas Company's system, the supply
only met the demand while the weatherwas
fair and warm, and the pressure is now
lower than before the new wells were
turned on.
The company now refuses to furnish gas
to any new customers, and will put in no
new connections for customers thev already
have. They admit that the general resump
tion of coal-burning can only be averted by
such developments of new territory as are
not among the reasonable possibilities.
J10IITI0TJS INSUHAHCE POLICIES.
A Peculiar Suit for Prand Against a Little
Washington Agent.
"Washington, Pa, Nov. 23. Special.
John H. O'Neil and Louis Ebert were
placed on trial to-day, charged by the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company with
conspiracy and fraud.
The prosecution alleges that the defend
ants represented the company in this 'city
last summer, and that they made out policies
and sent them to headquarters, re
ceiving their agents' commissions therefor,
wnue it appears iuui. many oi tne
fiolicies were on purely fictitious risks, no
usurance having been effected by the agents
on the parties named, and for all purposes
of the prosecution no such parties being in
existence. The defendants will fight the
case,
6IHPS0N HOT A DEMOCBiT.
The Sockless Statesman Denies the Beports
of His Flopping. '
Washington, Nov. 23 Span'a.'.
Representative Jerry Simpson came in to
night. "I am pot a candidate for the Sen.
atorsbip from Kansas," he sajs. "I may
be, but am not yet and am unable to say
anything on the subject whatever. No,
I don't know much about the nec
essities of the case one way or
the other, but I'm not now in (avor of an
extra session. But T may have to change
my mind when I look into it.
"These stories about mv changing tn a
Democrat are uufounded. I belong to the
I People's party
JLesje."
In spite, eveu, of Mrs.
THANKSGIVING DAY THEN AND NOW.
THE SHOOTING STARS
Predicted by Astronomers Beautify
the Heavens Ahead of Time.
A BRILLIANT DISPLAY LAST NI6HT
Witnessed by People Fortunate Enough to
0'aze i kyward Here.
SIMILAR SIGHTS SEEN ELSEWHERE
A brilliant shower of meteors visited
Pittsburg shortly alter 12 o'clock this morn
iug, and for two hours the heavens were
ablaze with flashes of fire from the zenith
to the horizon.
It was a bewildering phenomenon, and
but few Pittsburgers seemed to be out to
enjoy the sight. The stars zig-zagged like
lightning flashes. The sky was remarkably
clear and the flashes followed each other iu
such rapid succession that it was impossible
to keep count of them.
A small party of delighted spectators
spent an hour in the tower of the pojtoffice
watching the shower, and while a great
majority of the stars seemed to move
but a foot or two many of them flashed
across the sky and occasionally one of them
left in its wake a wave like a rainbow.
Beautiful Showers Elsewhere.
A speoial from New York this morning
says: The heavens were filled with celestial
fireworks last night, and those who kept
their eyes and minds on things earthly
missed a beautiful and interesting display.
There were many people in the streets and
n the housetops lookinc for the comet,
anL w!;ile H is sate to say most of them
failed to find it and did acquire a very
severe pain in the neck, they had something
to repay them for their interest in things
scientific.
The atmosphere was especially clear,
and the stars shone out with a midwinter
brightness, All over the sky bright spot
and streaks of light were darting and
streaming. They came from all quarters
and darted in every direction. Some
gleamed suddenly and brilliantly and as
suddenly ' went out, like the intermittent
flashes from tropical fireflies in the
dark forests. Others flashed across the sky,
leaving behind them a streak of reddish
light that often seemed to extend clear
across the firmament and last until its
brilliant head and all were shallowed up in
the blactness.
Nothing Like a Shower of Stars.
There was nothing in the way of a storm
or even a shower ot meteors.but the flitting
and flashing glints of meteoric light were
dropping through the heavens at the rate,
say, of two or three a second.
Astronomers were not plenty in the
streets, and an authoritative opinion on
what the meteors mean could not be ob
tained. Some people suggested that they
were the particles left straggling behind by
Biela's comet, and that we are now passing
through that stream of particles. Some
timid souls thought the beautiful celestial
diamond drops heralded the onslaught of
the comet and portended something
dreadful.
It may be that the display will be much
finer to-night. Tho heart ot the city is a
bad place to see the show. The lights from
the streets kill the lights in the heavens.
The astronomers say we may expect a fine
display about Saturday or Sunday.
Very Brilliant in the West
A Denver special says: There has been
a considerable display of meteors here to
night, filling the whole sky with streams of
fire. They came from all directions and
were quits startling in their number
and brilliancy. The streets have
been crowded with people, with
faces upturned to the skies, watching the
display, and there has been considerable
excitement through the town and around
about. Many people think it is the comet
The Display in Illinois was beautiful, as
the following specials show:
Jacksonville Jacksonville was visited
this evening bv an unusual sight a genuine
shower ot meteors which illuminated the
heavens for three quartets of an hour.
Galesburi: There is prevailing a meteoric
shower. Shooting star me Incessantly de
scending from the zenith to the horizon.
A Theory ITrom Philadelphia,
A telegram from Philadelphia says: To
night, in its passage through space, the
earth crashed into a comet, with disastrous
results to the solar tramp. This statement
is made upon the authority of Prof, C M.
Snyder, instructor in the Strong High
School, a man well and favor
ably known in scientific circles for his abil
ity nnd knowledge of astronomy. Accord
ing to Prof. Snyder the comet wa not
Biela's, but a stray one that nas wandering
through space without a fixed orbit or des
tination. The comet struck by the earth
was iu the Andromeda group. The force of the
impact betueenthc two bodies shattered the
comet and the evidence of the collision
was plainly visible to all persons out of
doors to-night,in the great number of shoot
ing stars or meteors that fell from the
heavens, and which were the fragments of'
the unfortunate comet
Prof. Snyder says that the fate of all
comets is to be eventually broken in their
passage through space by a collision with
some of the larger heavenlv bodies, and
that the result is little likely to be at
tended by any disastrous consequences.
Cleveland's Illinois rinrallty 30,133.
SritrNoriELD, Ixu, Nov. 23. Official
vote of Illinois: President Cleveland,
Damocrat, 420,874; Harrison, Republican,
397,441; Bidwell. Prohibitionist, 24,590:
"Weaver, Populist, 20,685. Cleveland's
plurality, 29,133. Governor Altgeld,
Democrat, 425,28; Filer, Republican, 402,
738. Lieutenant Governor Gill, Democfar,
423,463; Bay, Republican, 400,851.
DANCED ON VETERANS' GRAVES.
The Tandals "Wind Up by Serenading- Be
pnblicans "With Tin Pans.
Indianapolis, Nov. 21 Reports con
tinue to come from various parts of the
State of the desecration of soldiers' graves;
At Martinsville to-day, Michael Callahan,
of the western part of Morgan county,
brought the story that in the edge of,Pnt
nam county persons had taken the tomb
stones off soldiers' graves, set the stones
against the cemetery fence, painted them
red and then danced'on the graves.
Rev. Jesse B. Johnson, of Halt, also
corroborates tha story. He further states
that a reliable citizen of Clayton, Hend
ricks county, knows the persons who com
mitted the" crime, and that before doing
the deed the same persons, armed with tin
buckets and other noise-making articles,
fastened together, paraded through the
places of business of Republicans at Clay
ton. This is in the same section where so
manv cemeteries have been molested. H.
N. Brjant, of Pacific Grove, Cal., tele
graphs to-day to draw on him for men or
money sufficient to stop these outrages.
IN THE TOILS OF A TRUST.
Cleveland Electric Companies All Gobbled,
Probably by the General Combine. J
CleveIwJNd, Nov. 23. An important
consolidation of electric light and power
companies has taken place in this city.
The Cleveland Company, the local Brush
Company and the New General Electric
Company are in the combination, and the
concern back of it and probably controlling
it is the big General Electric Company of
New York.
The Thomson-Houston Company, of Bos
ton, purchased the Brnsh Electric Company
works in this city, and obtained control of
tne Edison Company in New York a few
years ago. It is raid that the General Elec
tric Company, of New York, is now in con
trol of all these electric companies.
WHITNEY NO COAL. KING.
He Never Heard of Those Nova Scotia
Mines Till Their Sale.
New York, Nov. 23. Special Will
iam C. "Whitney denies emphatically that
he is at the head of a syndicate or American
capitalists which is reported to have
purchased the coal mines of Nova
Scotia. Furthermore, be says that he
knows nothing about the mines in question,
nnd never bad heard until he read it in a
!er York paper, yesterday, that an effort
was being made to seenre control of them.
The output of the mines can't amount to
mucn, tor a uispatcn irom Montreal says
thev were purchased outright for the sum
of $600,000.
A JUROR JAILED.
His Lnst for Boodle Delays an Important
Trial in Chicago.
CniCAGO, Nov. 2a Judge Brown to
day sentenced Juror William C Lincoln to
one year in the county jail for contempt
Lincoln was serving on the jury which for
the last two darys has been listening to evi
dence in a special assessment case.
Hit contempt consisted in no lea than a
half dozen attempts to obtain a bribe from
the attorneys on both aides of the case. The
Court also discharged the remainder of the
jury from further duty. The rest of the
jury was questioned, but every man denied
that he had talked to any of the lawyers.
THE ELDER M'KINLEY DYING.
That Is the Intelligence Wired From Can
ton by tho Governor Himself.
Columbus, Nov. 23. Special A dlB
pa'lch was received by the Executive Clerk
to -night from Governor McKinley, at Can
ton, iu which the Governor states that his
father is sinking verv fast, and it is not
thought he will liye till morning.
The old gentleman is 85 years old and has
been an iron manufacturer for many vears,
as well as an uncompromising Republican.
It is from him that Governor McKinley
first received his teaching on the subject of
protection.
PIITSBUBGEBS NOT If7 IT.
An Offer of 83,200,000 for the Control of
Indianapolis Car Lines Brjected.
Indianapoi,I8,Nov, 23. The controlling
interest in the Citizens' Street Car Com
pany of Indianapolis to-dav passed to one
of the old stockholders S. "W. Allerton.
Parties in Pittsbnrjr made a proposition to
take the road at $3,250,000, which is S150
per share for the stock and $1,000,000 for the
bonds.
Director Allerton, of Chicago, who holds
about f 500, 000 of the stock himself, obtained
lor the other stockholders an option on the
controlling interest.
NEW COAL LANDS TO BE OPENED
By tho Building of a Railroad in. Indiana
and Cambria Counties.
Indiana, Pa, Noy, 23. Special. An
other railroad is coming into the Indiana
county .coal fields, and Jarge tracts, , com
prising nearly all the coal lands within 15
miles ot Belsano, Cambria county, have
been recently purchased by Philadelphia
and Pittsburg capitalists.
The project is to have the new line from
Belsano to Ebensburg built in the spring,
and an extension of only a few miles will
open some of the best coal lands in the
State. -
Pennsylvania Women at the Fair.
Hakrisbobo, Nov. 23. On November
.It) a meeting of the Congressjopal delegates
who net as auxiliaries to the Woman's
Columbian Committee, will be held in
Philadelphia. The meeting will be the
first general conference held since the ap
pointment of the various county auxiliaries
throughout the State.
UuiTTAL
FOR
CRITCHLOW
It Didn't Take the Jury Yery
Long to Bring; in a Ver
dict of Not Guilty,
THE 12 MEN OF ONE MIND'
And for the Sake of Appearances
They Smoked for a Time.
Judgo Kennedy, Apparently, Was No4
Pleased, and He Curtly Dismissed
the Jury The Prisoner Overjoyed,
and Congratulates His Attorneys
An Application Made for Ball on tha
Other Indictments, but the Court
Said There Would Be Time Enough
Later to Talk About That District
Attorney Burleigh Made the Best
Speech for the Commonwealth Both
Sides Considered the Judge's Charge
Impartial Tom Marshall Closed for
the Defense.
"Not Guilty!" were the pleasant word
that fell upon the ears of Sylvester Critch
low as be stood up in the Criminal Court
yesterday afternoon, and, from the expres
sion on his face, it was as much of a surprise
to him as it was to Judge Kennedy upon
the bench and the attorneys at the counsel
table.
Thus ends the first of the murder trials
arising from the Homestead riots. While
the speedy arrival of the jury at the verdict
of acquittal certainly surprised everybody
in the case, the majority of those who
listened to the evidence and the speeches of
The Foreman of the Jury, Who Resembles
Vhde Sam. v JT
counsel on Tuesday made up their minds
that the defendant had a good deal the best
of the case as it stood then. Dis
trict Attorney Burleigh's wonderfully
able speech for the Commonwealth
yesterday made the impartial listener shaky
again about the jury's decision. That was
why nobody expected the jury to make up
their minds in so short a time as a little
over an hour. They left the box at 3:30
and returned with their verdict at 4:45. It
is said that in reality they could have de
livered their verdict when Judge Kennedy
concluded his charge. The statement is
already made that Mr. Erwin's impassioned
oratory did the work on Tuesday, and only
one or two jurors showed the slightest de
sire to render any verdict but the oan
which they finally brought in.
Took a Smoke for a naif Hour.
It is a fact that after they had retired to
their room they reached an agreement so
quickly that they felt it was only decent in
such an important case to give evidence of
deliberation, and therefore sat down for a
half hour's smoke and gossip before they
sent word to the Court that they were
ready to speak. As it was, the jury had to
wait for ten minutes after they had told
the tipstaves they had a verdict to deliver,
while Judge Kennedy was hunted np to re
convene the court which he had adjourned
till 6 v. H. Fortunately he had not left
the Court House, so that the jury, as stated
above, reached their jury box again at 4.45.
There were few people in court; Messrs.
MontOnth, Cox and Erwin of counsel for
tho defense were there, but none of tha
Commonwealth's attorneys. District At
torney Burleigh came in just after the ver
dict had been recorded. While the usual
solemn ritual of the lost stage of a murder
trial was enacted Critoblow stood np and
gazed anxiously at Foreman Both. His
hands were clasped behind him, and bis
eyes and mouth twitched nervously. The
w'ord "Not" was no sooner out of the fore
man's mouth, however, before a big smile
broke out over Critcblow's face. By the
time the second word came to complete
the formula of acqnittal Critchlow
was reaching out for the hands of his
counsel. Judge Kennedy did not look
pleased, nor did he say anything to show
what his feelings were, bnt as soon as the
verdict had been recorded, he curtly dis
missed the jury from further service. They
seemed mighty glad to go. Critchlow was
remanded to jail to await trial jipon other
charges of murder and riot. His counsel
wanted to raise the question of admitting
him to bail, but Judge Kennedy said that
there was plenty of time to consider that
later on. So everybody put on his overcoat
and followed the jurors out of court.
Mr. Marshall Didn't Feel Well.
The session began as usual at 9:30, and
Mr. Marshall spoke for an hour and a half.
The venerable attorney complained of 111
bealth, but he was vigorous enough in his
language, and as usual caught and kept the
jury's attention bv his anecdotes and jests,
relevant and otherwise. The oration
lacked, however, the fiery climax which
Mr. Marshall is wont to reach.
Mr. Burleigh, who followed Mr. Marshall,
was also in bad shape physically. He
looked unusually pale and jaded and com-
Slained of a splitting headache. But that
id not prevent him from making an ex
cellent address, in fact, the ablest speech
on the Commonwealth's side. His analysis
of the evidence was masterly, and the way
he drove home every fact telling for hia
case and against the defendant evidently
disturbed the latter's counsel, who inter
rupted him frequently toward the finish.
Besides Judge Kenntdy, Judges Porter,
McClung and Magee took seati
on tha bench while Mr. Bur
leigh was speaking. Several times Judge
Kennedy called Judge Magee's attention to
the forco of the District Attorney's argu
ment, and when the court adjourned not
only the attorneys associated with him, but
come of hi opponents, aud notably Judge
Majee from tbo bench, congratulated Mm
i
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