Republican News Item. VOL. XY. NO. 48 MINES PROVED TOMBFOR 201 Death Roll ot Pancocst Col iliery Is 73. ALABAMA MINE ADDS 73 Nearly All the Victims In Southern Explosion Were Convicts Only Forty-five Escaped Death Blast. Seventy-three mine workers, a few ot them boys, lost their lives in the Dunmore, also caled China, vein of the l'ancoast colliery at Throop, near Scrantou, Pa. The Dunmore vein of the mine is 750 feet below the surface, making fire fighting difficult. The colliery Is own ed by the Scranton Coal company, af filiated with the New York, Ontario & Western company. The fire which caused the mine hor ror broke out from some unknown and mysterious cause in the engine house at the foot of the shaft. Many persons attribute it to spontaneous combus tion. At the time there were 300 men and boys in the various veins and chambers of the mine. The llames set oil' accumulations of gas, which in creased the difficulty and doubtless in creased the loss of life. The vicinity of the mine seethed with excitement. It was difficult to ob tain a coherent statement from any one. About the head of the shaft were gathered thousands of people, includ ing the relatives and friends of the men entombed. Ropes had to be stretched to keep back the crowd and to prevent a stampede when the bod ies were brought out. The company officials acted with the greatest promptness when they learned the extent of the disaster, but once started the fire spread with re markable rapidity. It caught on the timbering of the shaft and spread along tiie gangway. It seized upon everything that it could devour and Willi a wall of flame separated from safety the men who were in distant chambers of the Dunmore vein. As soon as it was seen that the fire was ballliug the efforts to subdue it word was sent for the government rescue car at Kingston, and this re sponded, bringing lour men equipped with apparatus, including helmets re sembling those of divers, for penetrat ing into smoke and the dreaded fire damp. This was the first test of the rescue car and its crew. The helmeted men were the only ones that could pene trate into tlie affected gangway, and they recovered the bo lies found. Joseph Evans, head of the United States mine rescue car, died. A de fective rescue helmet caused him to suffocate while working in the burn ing mine. The only man brought out alive from the zone of the fire was Joseph Vick ers, a fire boss. Viekers finding the fire was becoming dangerous, accom panied by a companion, ran down the gangway to give the alarm. Before they had gone far their lights went out. Viekers realized his danger and started back. He missed his compan ion. He managed to get by the worst place on his return, but had gor.e only a little way beyond it when he was overcome by smoke. Hours later he was found by the fire fighters. Record Price for Barley. Parley made an entiiely new high price record in Chicago. Up to $1.13 n bushel was paid. The rise readied 2 cents to 4 cents, making a total gain of" more than 20 cents in the last two weeks. Scarcity of the grain has developed sharp competition be tween maltsters, and brought about a boom excelling anything of the kind previously known in the trade. FIRST NATIONAL BANK, HTJQHESVILLB, CAPITAL STOCK $50,000 W c. FRONTZ President. Surplus and FRANK A. REEDF.R, Cashier. Net Profits 75.000. DIRECTORS: Transacts a General Wm. Frontz, John C. Laird, C. W. SOUPS, Banking Business. W. C.Frontz, Frank A.Render, Jacob Per, , . c . Lyman Myers, W. T. Reedy, Peter Frontz, Accouotsoflndivld- J. A. S. Bull, John Bull' uals and Firms solicited. 1 Safe Deposite Boxes for Rent, One Dollar per Year. 3 percent. INTEREST PAID ON TIME DEPOSITS. GOVERNOR TENER. | Will Play Base Ball For | Charity. ® 1910, by Amorioan Press Association. TENER TO PLAY BALL Governor "Signs" to Cover First In Game For Charity at Capital. For the first time probably in the history of the state a governor of Pennsylvania will don a uniform and l>arti< ijiale in a base ball game. Governor Tener agreed to rover first base in a horsehide sphere battle that will be fought for charity on April 21. The game Willi take place on the grounds of the Harrisburg Country club, and many former college stars will participate. Mrs. Olmsted, wife of Congressman M. E. Olmsted, is taking a nactivo part in the charitable work. Receiver For a Church. The court appointed a receiver for St. George's Catholic church, of Shen andoah, Pa., a parish which has 8000 members and is the largest congrega tion in that section. The receivership is the result of an equity suit brought by the late Arch bishop Ryan, of Philadelphia, to com pel the officers of St. George's to sub mit to his authority. The congregation took the position that they would recognize the arch bishop and the priest appointed by liirn in all spiritual affairs, but they claimed that the law of Pennsylvania gives every congregation the right to manage its own financial affairs. Millionaire Publisher a Suicide. After listening to the tragic story unfolded by the opera Quo Vadis," in which two of the characters in the last act end life's difficulties by self-destruction, Craige Lippincott, sixty-five years of age, millionaire president of the J. 1?. Lippincott com pany, publishers, of Philadelphia, left the Metropolitan Opera House and re turned to his home at 218 South Nine teenth street. In the morning he was found dead by bis valet in bed, with a bullet wound in his right temple. Miner Crushed to Death. A sudden fall of many tons of earth and rock in an ore mine belonging to the Juniata Furnace and Foundry company, near Beavertown, Carroll township, Fa., killed John Heiges, forty-five years old. Several other min ers barely escaped the same fate. Heiges was completely buried from sight and his body crushed beyond recognition. LAPORTE, SULLIVAN COUNTY PA. FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1911. REOPENS SWOPE MURDER CASE Dr. Hyde, Once Convicted, is Released Under Bood. SUPREME COURT DECISION Physician Alleged to Have Kiled Mil lionaire With Poison Capsules—Ap plication For New Trial Attacks Tes timony. Dr. 1). Clark Hyde, convicted alter a sensational trial at Kansas City, Mo., of tlie murder of Colonel Thomas 11. Swope, a millionaire philanthiopi t, was granted a new trial by the Mis souri supreme court, sitting at Jef ferson City. Dr. Hyde has been in the county jail at Kansas City nearly a year, fol lowing a sentence to life imprison ment. When news of the court's decision reached the county jail Dr. Hyde was taking his usual promenade in front of liis cell 011 the third floor. His lawyers shouted up to him: "You have been granted a new trial." Hyde stopped a moment, smiled, i said "Thank you, gentlemen," and proceeded on his walk. When the other prisoners learned the import of the news a minute later they crowded around Dr. Hdye and congratulated him For the first time since his incarceration he mingled among his fellow prisoners. The news traveled quickly from tier to tier, and as the prisoners, men ! and women, 011 the different tloors heard it, cheering that had started in Hyde's corner spread quickly through out the entire prison. For fully five minutes the demonstration continued. A coincidence in collection wi.h the Hyde decision is that it comes upon April 11, exactly one year from the date that his trial began. An important point in the decision remanding Hyde was "that the court said Judge l.atshaw's action in or dering Dr. Hyde locked up during the progress of his trial was "improper and unjustified." The supreme court, in setting aside the verdict of the trial court, remands Hyde "to the custody of the marshal of Jackson county without bail." The court's decision was on an ap peal of Hyde's attorneys for -a new trial. He was sentenced July 5, 1910, to life imprisonment by Judge Lat shaw. On Sept. 211, 1910, his attor news asked the highest court in the state for a new hearing, charging er ror in 255 points. These included the following allegations: That the indictments were illegel and the evidence insufficient to sup port the allegation; that competent testimony was barred and incompe tent testimony received; that preju dicial remark? were allowed by the prosecutor and bj v the court; that the court should not have revoked Hyde s bond during the trial, and that the verdict was the result of passion and prejudice. The chief evidence atacked was that of the Chicago and Michigan toxocol ogists who examined the viscera of the dead man, Colonel Swope. An es pecial attack was made on Professor V r aughn, of Michigan, who testified he found strychnine in the liver of Colo nel Swope. Dr. Hyde was found guilty of mur der May lti, 1910. His inability prop erly to explain the purchase of cap sules of potassium cjv.nide was chiefly responsible for his conviction. He said it was used to kill cockroaches; the prosecution said it was to kill members of the Swope family, and asked: "Does a r.-.an kill cockroaches with poison capsules?" Two days and a half after the arguments ended the verdict was returned. NEGROES INVADING CANADA The Exodus From Oklahoma to Al berta Continues. The exodus of negroes from Okla homa to Alberta, Canada, which start ed several months ago, is continuing despite the fact that it is not being encouraged by the Canadian govern ment. Twenty negro farmers from near Fallis, Lincoln county, left to join the colony in Alberta. They expect to take claims and immediately build homes and start their crops, after which their families, numbering in all about 200 persons, will join them. It is said that 1 a colonization company is financing ! the negroes during the first season. Denies Wife After 51 Years. Mrs. Sarah Clark, of Newburyport, Mass., petitioned the superior court at Salem to order James W. Clark to recognize her as his wife. She claims that they were married in Nashua, N. H., on June 6, 1858, and that they lived together for fifty-one years until two years ago, when her husband left her, saying they were never married. TOM L. JOHNSON PASSES AWAY Former Mayor of Cleveland Succumbs to Illness. PIONEER IN STREET RAILWAYS Was Leader For Three-Cent Fares and Earnest Advocate of Single Tax Theories. Tom L. Johnson, four times mayor of Cleveland, is dead. His end came as his weeping family sat around his bed at the Whitehall, in Cleveland, O. They had expected his at any instant since Mr. Johnson was drug ged into a fitful sleep Monday night. Mr Johnson's last conscious words were: "Oh, I feel so good," his lips just tracing the words. "I had such pleasant dreams; everything is all right; I feel so happy." - The coma which preceded death was the sign that cirrhosis of the liver and Blight's disease had run their course. Mrs. Johnson, herself ill with grief; his two children, Mrs. Elizabeth Ma riani and Loltin Johnson, anj Mrs. Loftin Johnson were the devoiTTl fam ily group at the bedside when Mr. Johnson's breathing stopped. Began Work at 15. Tom L. Johnson was born in Blue Springs, Ky„ July IS, 1854. His father, General William Johnson, a Kentucky legislator, lost his fortune in the Civil War, and at fifteen young Johnson was thrown on his own resources. He got a job as driver of a horse car in Louisville, anil thus entered the busi ness in which lie later made fame and fortune. Later he became chief of po lice of Louisville, but he soon became interested financially in the street car systems of Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit and Brooklyn. He was practically at the height of a most successful career as a street railway magnate, when, in 1888, he retired from business to carry out cherished ideas of social reforms, among which was that of three-cent railway fares. This idea had been im parted to him by Henry George, whose influence over Johnson's entire life dated from the time when, on a rail road train, Johnson bought a copy of George's "Social Problems." loiter the two became fast friends and worked together on various reforms. On George's advice, Johnson enter ed politics, running first for congress. He was defeated in his first campaign on the free trade issue. Later he was elected, serving two terms, from 1890 to 1894. Here one of his most note worthy achievements was the ruse by which he forced the printing of the entire next of Henry George's "Protec tion or Free Trade" into the Congres sional Record and its free distribution to the entire country. Johnson was defeated in the Re publican landslide of 1894, but in 1901 lie was elected mayor of Cleveland, and he then began his rea' life's work, that of establishing three-cent car fare. For years he kept up the fight, and as a result Cleveland today still has the three-cent fare, although not exactly under the conditions he ha I hoped for. His various terms as mayor were marked by a continual fight against special privilege, with the result that he quickly won the title of "Mayor of the Best Governed City in the United States." In 1903 he ran for governor and was defeated, but he was elected mayor again in 1905. He met final defeat in 1910. Although he had been in poor health since then, he had hoped to the last to recuperate sufficiently to enter the next mayoralty campaign. During the last few months of his life most of his time was employed in writing his autobiography. Johnson married early in life Mar garet J. Johnson, daughter of the Con federate colonel, Robert Johnson, at Louisville. Mrs. Johnson and two chil dren, Mrs. Bessie Johnson Mariani and Loftin Edwards Johnson, survive him. WOMAN IS MAYOR Declares She Is Going to Clean Up Hunnewell, Kan. Mrs Ella Wilsoir is now the mayor of Hunnewell, Kan. At the election she and O. M. Akera were tied. At first It was suggested that the two candidates draw lots for the office. But that did not appeal to the male voters. They said if Mrs. Wilson could race to a tie she ought to have the office. Therefore the judges of election declared hei as be ing elected. Now she says she is going to clean up Hunnewell. She proposes to coriei t alleged infractions of the liqiioi una """jbling statutes. TOM L. JOHNSON. | Dies of Lingering Illness In Cleveland. HJL 3£i wfflSßHklfc MSEHDEO Widener Pays SSC" ~ • The report froi Stjite Librnry A. 13. Widener haa purcnaseu •me Mill" was confirmed at Mr. Widene.'s : office in Philadelphia. The price paid, It was said, wau slightly in excess of $500,000. Prior to the sale of the celebrated Rembiandt by Lord Lansdowne, an option was given until March 31 to the trustees of the British National Gallery. A private subscription to keep the painting in London had net ted only $89,240 when the option ex pired. Kansas Farmer Would Die Poor. I.ike Andrew Carnegie, John Booth, an eighty-seven-year-old resident of Manhattan, Kan., intends to give away most of his fortune before he dies. j Booth, of course, hasn't as big a job as has the Laird of Skibo, but he finds plenty to do giving away his money to projects that he feels are i worthy of it. Last fall Mr. Booth much | attention by a gift of sloo. :• In this unique callin 1.0 'ui'lL ,:j; .1 fortune that has been evtinictol ;ii more than a million d Hers. j New Minister to P_,:tjc,a! C.r!s. Henry S. Bouiell, wh<- was re. viitly appointed minister to Por.usal, * :.ie;l on the Kronprinz .! !lie North German Lloyd line. He was ac companied by Mrs. Boutell and their daughter, Miss Alice Boutell. Military Prisoner Escapes. Private .lames P. Conroy, a military prisoner at Fort Adams, at Newport, R. 1., escaped. He was recently sen tenced to three years at hard labor for the larceuy of government prop erty. Wealthiest Negro Dead. i After a long illness John Trower, reputed to he the wealthiest negro in I the United States, died in German , town, a suburb of Philadelphia, aged sixty-one years. Mr. Trower, whose fortune is estimated at $1,600,000, was prominent in church work and had founded a Baptist seminary in Down iugtown. Pa. Suffragettes to Meet in Louisville. The National Woman's Suffrage as sociation has accepted the invitation of the Kentucky Equal Rights society to hold its next annual enuvenHor in Louisville, October 19 to 24, nclustve.