ALASKAN CLAIMS
THROWN OUT.
« w "*
Cunningham Gnal Entries Are
Disallowed.
DENOUNCED AS FRAUDS
Pinchot and Glavis Upheld by Decision
of Secretary of Interior—End of
Controversy.
The famous Cunningham Alaskan
clonl land claims, by means of which,,
it has been alleged, the Morgan-Gug
genheim syndicate had planned to
extend their vast interests In Alaska
and to control one of the most val
uable coal fields In the world, were
finally disallowed by the department
of the interior.
Secretary of the Interior Walter L.
Fisher, having approved the depart
ment's decision, as handed down by
Fred Dennett, commissioner of the
general land office, the last door is be
lieved to have been closed to the Cun
ningham claimants.
Their attorneys have threatened an
appeal to the United States supreme
court, but such an appeal can be based
only on some point of law involved,
and not on the findings of fact as an
nounced by the department.
The Cunningham claims have been
in the public eye constantly for more
than two years. They brought about
the nalllnger-Pinchot investigation by
congress and the dismissal from the
public service of Gifford Pinchot, aa
chief forester; John R. Glavis, a chief
of field division in the land office, and
several minor officials.
Doth Pinchot and Glavis were dis
missed for insubordination Incident to
their attacks on former Secretary of
the Interior Baliinger, who, they
charged, was favorably disposed to
ward the claims. These claims and the
bitter controversy they started, It is
believed, had much to do with the re
signation of Mr. Baliinger last March
as secretary of the Interior. One of
the first acts of his successor, Mr.
Fisher, who is a friend of Pinchot and
of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, was to
start these claims toward a final de
cision.
Commissioner Dennett, in his de
cision holding the claims for cancella
tion on the ground of fraud, declares
that each of the thirty-three entries
was improperly allowed because of fa
tal defects apparent on their face. He
asserts that the government conclu
sively established the charges brought
against the claimants, and that there
is no doubt but that an agreement
existed among them in violation of
law.
The thirty-three claims involved
amounted to an aggregate area of 5250
acres. The value of the land has been
estimated high in the millions. The
coal embraced in the claims Is said to
be among the finest in the world.
Commissioner Dennett makes fre
quent reference to the work of Glavis
in prosecuting the government's case
against the Cunningham claimants
He also refers at longth to the nego
tiations between Cunningham and rep
resentatives of the Guggenheims, who
were shown at the Ralllnger-Plnchot
hearing to have taken an option on
these coal lands, which were to be
worked In connection with the other
extensive Guggenheim Interests In
Alaska.
The government charged against
Cunningham and his associates that
their entries of the coal lauds were
made in pursuance of an understand
ing and agreement entered Into by all
the claimants prior to location, to
combine the several claims for the
joint use and benefit of all. It was fur
ther asserted that the entries were
made with the unlawful purpose that
they should inure to the use and ben
efit of an association or corporation.
After reviewing all of the facts
brought out, Mr. Dennett reached the
conclusion that the claims had no legal
standing and ordered them cancelled.
Secretary Fisher promptly approved
this finding.
1000 Turkish Troops Slain.
Rebels in great force surprised and
cut up a Turkish column commanded
by Mahomed All Pasha outside Ghee
san, a town on the Red sea, In Arabia,
about 100 miles north of Hodeldah. A
thousand Turkish soldiers were killed.
Mahomed All himself is missing.
The fighting was so desperate and
at such close quarters that 500 Turk
ish fugitives are suffering from serious
dagger wounds. The survivors fled in
disorder to Gheesan, pursued by the
rebels.
The Turkish gunboat Sutebbe, in
tending to shell the Arabs, shelled
Gheesan Instead, killing or wounding
several hundred of the soldiers.
The rebels captured four big guns,
two Maxims, 2000 rifles and a quantity
of ammunition and ultimately retired.
Gheesan Is a seaport of the Turkish
vilayet of Yemen, In southwestern
Arabia. Yemen is a mountainous dis
trict whose people are engaged chiefly
in stock raising and who are almost
continuously in revolt against Turkish
authority.
Find Skeleton at Gettysburg.
While they were doing some work
Bear the Gettysburg, Pa., battlefield,
two men came upon the bones of a
dead man, supposedly a soldier, near
■which were a lot of bullets, two Ver
mont plates, a belt and a cartridge
box. The skull was missing, but all
lhv other bones were found.
Mickey's Big ij
: Firecracker :•
TWO mnmmoth firecrackers stood
In the window of Casey's gro
cery. They were twelve Inches
long and proportionately thick.
For a month before the Fourth of
July theso gigantic Indicators of en
thusiasm had stood in the window like
British soldiers on dress parade, while
a predatory spider liung a filmy ham
mock between them and calmly killed
his buzzing victims over two powder
mines.
The firecrackers were the admira
tion and the envy of all the boys in
Cooney Island. It was seldom that a
youthful nose was not flattened against
the window pane In ardent covetous
ness.
But the price demanded by Casey
for the thunderers was prohibitive,
so far as the boys were concerned,
and there was not one of them pa
triotic or courageous enough to Invest
25 cents In a single ecstatic explosion-
Bald Mickey Finn timidly one even
ing when he had been sent by his
mother to get a quarter of a pound of
tea and bulf n pound of pork:
"Mr. Casey, X suppose now that
whin one o' tblm big fellows wlnt off
It would blow the stars out of the
skyV" his mind filled *7lth blissful
thoughts of mighty explosions,
Casey stopped measuring out a half
pint of New Orleans molasses, raised
a monitory finger and replied:
"Mickey, my boy, I'd be afeerd to
tell you what would happen If I stood
wan o' thlm big fallows out on the
sidewalk and touched the stem wid
the lighted end of a five cent clga-ar.
The noise would be terrible, my son.
'Twould make your hend ring like an
anvil, and you would see sparks like
fireflies."
"Would it blow the house down?"
asked the boy lu an awed whisper.
"No, I don't think It would," snld
Casey. "It might shake the chlmly
down and break all the glass In the
wlndys In small pieces, and there
would be paper in the street as would
fill an empty barrel o' flour. Oh, but
thlm big fellows Is mighty powerful,
Mickey; mighty powerful. They use
them In China to kill murderers and
robbers. They put wan of thlm big
firecrackers bechune the teeth of a
murderer and make him light the fuse
wid his own hand and blow his own
head off. Thim Chinese is mighty
crool, Mickey; mighty crool."
This vivid description Inflamed Mick
ey's desire, which was Casey's, motive
"I'lil. NIP IT OUT AFORE IT OOEB OFF."
in telling it, for the incident occurred
on the eve of the Fourth, and Casey
was afraid that the big firecrackers
would be carried over the national
holiday and remain a loss on his hauds.
In order to deepen the Impression al
ready made upon the boy Casey per
mitted him to handle one of the twins.
The boy's eyes had widened to their
utmost capacity when he was outside
of the window, but now thnt he could
feel the red Jacket his hands trembled
with the eagerness of possession, and
he would readily have given ten years
of his life to own It.
"Take It along wid you, Mickey,"
said Casey cajolingly. "Thlm crpckers
were made In Chowchow, In China, for
the Cooney Island trade, and 1 want
to get rid of thlm I have on hand be
fore I send another order to Wan
Lung, the haythln."
"But 1 have no money," said Mickey
Borrowfully. "My father Is goin' to
give me three bunches of little fire
crackers and a plnwheel, but I know
he wouldn't buy wan o' thlm big fire
crackers for me."
"Well," continued Casey, "you come
ftrfwn here tomorrow mornln' and car
ry Inn half ton of coal for me, and
I'll give you the big cracker."
The next morning Mickey was busy
for two hours carrying chestnut coal
in a nail keg and dumping It In Casey's
cellar. Just after noon, with a smile
covered with coal dust and a bosom
full of chuckles, he received his prize.
No grass grew beneath his bare feet
is be ran homeward, the precious pow
der mine clasped to his bosom. Hold
ing the big firecracker aloft as he dart
ed through the kitchen door, he ex
claimed:
"Mother, I have ltl Ain't it a beau
ty?"
"Well, I don't Bee anything about It
(o be makln' a fuss over," said Mrs.
Finn, who, like most mothers, had no
love for fireworks. "Now, don't be
bringin' It nearer to me," as Mickey
ran toward her. "I don't want to be
blown Into the middle ©' next weefe.
Throw the dirty thing awayl I'm
afreed o' me life while you have It In
your hands I Now, don't be goln' near
the stove wid ltl Arrah, ye little spal
peen, will ye take It off the stove 7
Take It off afore ye blow the roof off
the house!" And the frightened wom
an ran Into the bedroom and peered
through the keyhole.
With the recklessness of boyhood
Mickey exclaimed as he lit a match
and reduced his mother to hysterics
by pretending to light the firecracker
Btem:
"You needn't be afeered, mother.
I'll nip It out aforo it goes off."
In this simple fashion the afternoon
of the Fourth passed away In the Finn
household, varied by the boy with oc
casional visits to the neighbors, whom
he threw Into a panic of fear by pre
tending to light the big explosive.
Mrs. Murphy and her three children
were gathered around the kitchen ta
ble when Mickey placed the lighted
mammoth In the middle of the table.
Two of the boys went head first
PLACED IT UNDER IIIS FATHER'S CHAIR.
through the window, while Mrs. Mur
phy tried to crawl under the kitchen
Btove.
All this excitement afforded the boy
a good deal of delight, but lie reserved
for tho evening the culmination of his
Joy. He Intended to blow his father
up as he sat In his chair on the back
stoop.
Mickey thought It would be ai\ in
spiriting Bight to witness his father
flying across the back yard and plow
ing up the ground with his nose. In
order that he might have an audience
appropriate to so great nn occasion
Mickey had spread the news among
all the boys of the neighborhood, and
at 0 o'clock fifty boys sat on tho fence
surrounding tho back yard. Mr. Finn,
tired of the excitement of the day, had
fallen asleep In bis rocking chair on
tho back stoop when Mickey lit the
stem of the big cracker and placed It
carefully under his father's chair.
Tho moon shone brightly, illuminat
ing tho grin on every boyish face. Ev
ery ear was strained to catch the faint
hissing of tho fuse and every eye in
tent upon tho sleeping man.
The fuse burned Itself out, and the
ellence and suspense were deepened.
A mluute passed and another until
Mickey could stand tho strain no long
er. Fie renched down nnd lifted the
firecracker from beneath the chair.
As he held it up in the moonlight to
examine It a mosquito lit upon his
father's nose, and the old gentleman
awoke. Grabbing the firecracker from
his son's hand, he arose and, holding
It aloft, said;
"Hoys, there will be no explosion to
night I'm sorry to disappoint you. 1
was afeered that Mickey might do
Bome harrum wid that big cracker, so
whin he wasn't lookin' this afternoon
I took the powder out of It and filled
It wld clay. So you see that the show
Is over, and ye may as well go home
and goto bed. There'll bo no more
explosions only what I'll give Mickey
wid a shingle afore I turn in. Good
night to ye all. Come around some
other night whin there la somethlu'
doluV'— Washington I'ost
The Patriots.
mHE burly cannon cracker to the slender
little ling
Said: "How are you to celebrate the
day?
Tou never make a single sound, yoti can
not Jump nor shoot.
And where they put you there you have
to stay."
The rockets, roman candles and the giddy,
racy wheels
With patrlotlo zeal began to brag
Of how they'd leap and bang and tlzz and
flare and whirl, and all
United to deride the silent flag. »
But when the day was done the crackers
lay in scattered shreds,
And bits of wheel were clinging to the
trees.
fhe rocket sticks were lying prone, but
high above the scene
The little flag ■till frolicked with th«
■— InonvmAua.
GERMAN EMPEROR
DECORATES MORGAN
Delighted With Sift of Lulliar's i
Autograph Letter.
!
J. Pierpont Morgan presented Em
peror William of Germany at Kiel
with the autograph letter written
by Martin Luther to the Emperor
Charles V., and lor which 'lie Ameri
can banker recently paid $25,500.
His majesty was immensely please:l
and forthwith conferred the grand
cross of the Order of the Ked E:igle
on Mr. Morgan. This is the second
highest order of knighthood in the
gift of the German crown.
The letter, which is in Latin, is of
groat historical importance. It was
written in 1521 during the reformer's
return journey from the Diet of
Worms and described the proceedings
and defended his attitude. The letter
never reached the emperor, as its con
tents were such that no one dared
deliver it.
A Florence dealer, representing Mr.
Morgan, obtained the epistle nt an au
tograph sale at Leipzig, May 3.
As soon as it became known that
the document was togo to America
the annoyannre of the German public
was expressed in many newspaper edi
torials.
GENERAL MARKETS
PHILADELPHIA FLOUR dull;
winter clear, 40tfj3.80; city nulls,
fancy, $5.25 Di 5.80.
IfYE FLOUIt steady; per barrel, s•">
© 5.25.
WHEAT steady: No. 2 roil, 8!)?/90c.
CORN firm; No. 2 yellow, file.
OATS firm; No. 2 white, 4S@48 t / ic.;
ower grades, •IdT.fcc.
POt'LTKY: Live steady; hens, ID/a
(fj'ir.c,; old "roosters, lie. Dressed
steady; choice fowls, 15c.; old roost
el s, 10c.
P.UTTER firm; extra creamery.
25Vic. per lb.
EGGS steady; selected, 21 fiT 23c.;
iieaiby, IK<-.; western, INC.
POTATOES steady: old, per bushel,
$Hf(1.I0; new, f2.2'.Cc 1.50 per barrel.
Live Stock Markets.
PITTSPURG (Union Stock Yards)
CATTLE higher; choke, sfi.4 >(f/H.fiO;
prime, ss.9(iif/ fi.lo,
SIIEEI' higher; prime wethers, $3.80
<st 4 : culls and common, $I 112 /1!: spring
lambs, $4(T®7: veal calves. sßf>/'5.25.
HOGS higher; prime heavies, t>s;
mediums, heavy and light Yorkers,
Jfi SO.ff 6.85, pigs. $fi.70®.'(5.80.
YOU WILL?
rff=% and when you will, you cannot find better
Clothing values than we offer at our reg
tilar prices—Here is your chance to save
pJjfM from 25 to 50 per cent off our regular
Wl§ lM ver V ' ow P r ' ces - y° u want to dress in
llMiff better clothes than ordinary, without pay- ImM
m S as usua Hy i&ked for the common l|f|^
kind, you want to attend this sale. Our Wt3|
TO 101l g° ods are su P er ' or 10 anything in town. ISIA
If This big sale starts M \
\ IST XT D
JUINC Z/, IVI 1
and will last for ten days. Buy early.
Save 25 Per Cent Now
on Ladies', Misses' & Children's apparel.
Ladies' Skirts reduced to half price. Shoes re
duced 50 cents on the dollar; will compare with
the best. OUR GOODS ARE NOT THE AUCTION
SALE VARIETY. Come at once to
Max Mamolen's
Powder Trust Must Dissolve.
Judges Gray, of Wilmington; Buf
fington, of Pittsburg, Pa., and Lan
ding, of Trenton, N. J., filed an opin
ion in the United States circuit cour 112
in Wilmington, Del., declaring that
the Dupont Powder company and
twenty-seven other companies and ln
: divlduals are guilty of "maintaining
a combination in rest raint of interstate
! commerce in powder and other emplo
j sives," and ordered that it be dis
! solved.
I The bills against United States Sen
ator Henry A. Dupont and fourteen
other defendants were dismissed. This
is the celebrated suit of the govern
ment against the powder trust for al
leged violation of the Sherman anti
trust act.
The court has fixed Oct. 1G as the
date for hearing arguments as to how
the combination shall be dissolved.
In his decision Judge Lannlng de
cides that a number of companies
forming the combination have com
mitted certain acts which make it il
legal and in violation of the Sherman
anti-trust law.
The decision, follow ins eiosely upon
those of the supreme court in the to
bacco and Standard Oil cases, is re
garded as a great victory for the gov
ernment. The trial of the powder caso,
! begun in Wilmington in 1907, attracted
widespread attention. Hearings before
United States commissioners were
held in half a dozen cities and a great
mass of testimony was taken. *
Found Dead In Cistern.
Peter Larson, a retired and wealthy
farmer, was found dead in a cistern it.
I Ihe rear of his home, near Fowler,
| Intl., and Mrs. Larson is under arrest
pending an examination.
The top of Larson's head had beer.
[ chopped off with an axe, there were
, several cuts and gashes on the skull
and it was crushed in other places.
, The testimony taken by the coroner is
1 conflicting, but appearances indicate
that I.arson was injured In the stable
j and either was dragged or dragged
himself to the cistern.
Larson and his wife had been quar
reling all night. In the morning Mrs.
Larson went to a neighbor and said
her husband had left the house and
she didn't know where to find him.
' The neighbor went to the Larson
house, and in the barn found a pool of
blood and a bloody axe lying on the
ground. The stalls and walls of the
! barn were spattered with blood.
Poisonous Berries Kill Boy.
Theodore Lucas, five years old, died
in great agony from poisonous berries
enten while uicnlel.ing in the woods
near Hornell* N. J.
CHEAP CANDY KILLS GIRL
Oied of Ptomaine Poisoning a Few
Hours After Eating It.
As the result of ptomaine poisoning,
which developed a few hours after she
had eaten candy, Mary Evans, one and
n half years old, died in the Crozier
hospital, in Chester, Pa.
She and her sister, Ida Evans, two
And a half years old, were admitted to
:he institution together. The latter is
recovering.
The girls bought ten cents' worth of
cheap candy. They were seized with
violent comitir.g spells during the
night. Dr. Robert S. Maison, who was
summoned, says:
"Of course, it Is not always possi
ble in these cases to ascertain the
truth, but this looks very suspicious,
and I believe It Is a case for investi
gation. The coloring matter shows
every indication that it caused the
ptomaine poisoning."
FIERCE RACE RIOT
Four Fatally Hurt In Fight In West
Virginia.
Four Italians were fatally wounded
and four other men wore hurt in a
race riot between Americans and Ital
ians at a point between Weaver and
Junior, W. Va.
The trouble hns been in progress
between the two factions for some
f!ays. An argument was started and
this was the direct cause of the riot.
The sheriff and a force of ninety men
are on the scene, where they intend to
remain until the trouble is at an end.
Attacked by a Snake.
Attacked by a large serpent while
Ashing in a lake on the Zurnovian
farm, a rifle shot saved B. M. Smith,
of I.ansdale, Pa., from serious injury.
Mr. Smith was quietly moving about
the shore, when suddenly the serpent
sprang from a clump of bushes and
witli open mouth dashed toward him.
Recognizing the snake to be of a dan
gerous species, Mr. Smith ran for his
rifle. He had only time to turn and
tako aim, for the maddened reptilo
was following him to closely thnt it
appeared to be making ready to spring
upon him, when a well directed bullet
pierced its head.
Mr. Smith found that it was a water
moccasin, a very poisonous serpent,
belonging to the species of the reptile
family which inhabit the extreme
southern part of the United States and
is rarely found in this section. Tho
snake measured over four feet in
length and four inches across tho
broadest part ol' its back.