SURROUNDED BY JAPS Horement is Almost Completed and Koroki and Ako Are Closiag In. TIE ENEMY'S FRONT IS EXTENDED. Rnaslao General Must Now Either Fight or Withdraw Northward-He la Closely Pressed t Hakbeng, Where There Haa Been Heavy Flgfatiag. the Rear Guard of the Retreating Riii&laoa Being lo Grave Peril. St. Petersburg (By Cable). Though public attention has been distracted from the events of the war during the past week, first, because of the fear cf international complications, and, sec ond, because of the assassination of Minister of the Interior von l'lchvc, the situation at the front is regarded at critical. The enveloping movement of the three Japanese armies of General Ku rolei, Koclzu and Oku around General Xuropatkin's position appears to be almost complete, and the extended line of the Japanese stems to be the only drawback to concerted action. It is realized here that the Russian general must now either fight or with draw the whole army northward. Kuropatkm is being closely pressed at Haichcug. At that place General Kuroki's northern column makes it extremely dangerous to remain there, because, while holding the position to give battle against the Japanese, whose advance is always slow and careful, General Kuroki might pin through and cut his communications with L la Cyan p. While nothing is definitely known, there are some unofficial indications that matters arc rapidly maturing for either a battle or a retreat. For in stance, the refusal to accept further press telegrams at Haicheng. This might be construed cither that prepar ations are making for a retirement or that the wires are very crowded, in cident to a concentration at Haichcng or Liaoyang. A few days are expected to deter mine which course General K'.iropat kin has elected to pursue. There is no inclination here to doubt that there may have been pretty se vere fighting at the outer positions of Tort Arthur, possibly acompanied by a bombardment from the sea, but it is rot believed that the Japanese are yet Teady to storm the fortress. Rear Admiral Withoft. in command of the naval forcc9 at I'ort Arthur, is relied n to put to sea if the condition of the fortress becomes desperate. While no definite information is obtainable, the report that the fortress is short of ammunition is considered by the public as the most disquieting feature of the situation there. The indications are that the Baltic squadron is on the eve of an important movement. Nothing regarding this an be ascertained officially, but many of the officers already hare said fare well to friends and families, and are folding themselves ready for instant service. The Emperor had arranged to inspect the squadron, but his plan was given up owing to the assassina tion of Minister of the Interior von l'lchvc. London, (By Cable). The corres pondent of the Daily Mail at Niuch wang, in a dispatch dated July 31, says that there has been heavy fight ing for two days in the marshes south of Hairheng during the gradual re treat from Tatchekiao of 5000 Rus sians forming the rear guard, and that the peril of this force increases daily. SWEPT BY CONFLAGRATION. Destructive Fire Starts In Lumber Yard at Salisbury, Md. Salisbury, Md., (Special). Salis bury was visited by one of the most destructive fires she has experienced in a number of years. E. S. Adkins Company's lumber and manufacturing plant here was partly burned down, with a loss of about $40,000. This amount is well covered by insurance. Their main flooring mill, sawmill, warehouses and most valuable tim ber have gone at 1.30 o'clock A. M. A row of dwelling-houses, more lumber and an entirely new sash mill are in the path of the flames and only one engine can be worked because of the bad conditions of the water mains. To the south and east are the Lial timore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Rail way Company car shops and the junc tion and freight house of that railroad and the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad. The fire was discovered by one of the two watchmen at the yard and he endeavored to extinguish it, burning his face and hands and singeing his hair. All the records and books in the office were saved. Georgia Family Murdered, Statesboro, Ga , (Special). Henry R. Hodges, his wife and three chil dren, living about six miles from Statesboro, have been killed and their home burned. There were blood stains outside the building. Hodges, his wife and one child had had their skull broken, apparently with an axe. Rob bery is supposed to have been the cause of the crime. Murderer Commits Suicide. Chicago, (Special). After a week of mental anguish, during which he continually wept and prayed, Frank Bendetto, who murdered his wife dur ing a fit of jealousy, committed sui cide in his cell in the county jail by banging himself. Boy Fatally Shoots fill Cbum. rittsfield, Mass., (Special). Thom as Magner, a 15-year-old grocery clerk, shot and killed his chum, Pat rick O'Brien, in a grove at the foot of Linden street. The boys had been snooting an old-fashioned 32 caliber revolver, and Magner, supposing all the cartridges had been exploded, pulled the trigger over one that had not yet been discharged, the tall en tering the left side of O'Brien's face and lodging in the skull. O'Brien died in a few minutes. Killed is Heed-oo Collision. Sharon, Pa., (Special). Running 40 miles an hour a passenger train on the Pennsylvania Railroad crashed in to an engine in a head-on collision at Sharpsville, causing the death of two men and the serious injury of four others. There were but few passen gers in the coach next to the engine, snd though the car was telescoped, only two men in it were hurt. J'he wreck was caused, it is alleged, by a laps of memory on the part of the crw in charge oi ibe engine. NEWS IN SHORT ORDER. Tbe Latest tiappeoinga Condensed lor Rapid Reading. Domestic. The large independent operators of the Pocahontas coal region have en tered into an agreement to raise the price of soft coal. Rear Admiral George A. Con verse was appointed chief of the Bureau of Navigation, succeeding the late Admiral Taylor. The peace prospects at the stock yards' strike received a black eye in the arrest of President Golden, of the Teamsters' Union. The managers of the St. Louis Ex position have decided not to pay the expenses of the foreign jurors to the fair. Keciiver V. G. Taefel, of the New York Savings Bank, was found drounid 111 a branch of the Licking River. E. J Gilderslcevc, a ticket broker, was fined for dealing ip nontrans ferable World's Fair railroad tickets. A dozen persons were injured in a collision between a motor train and a trolley car near Coney Island. Minister Leishman cabled t lie State Department thi.t he had along inter view with the Sultan. One man was killed and several in jured in a head-on collision near Sharon, Pa. Custer Gardner, a white man, was hanged at Munfordvillr, Ky., for the murder, in November last, of S. D. Osborn and his son Iavid. The house of John Harper, at New Haven, O., burned, and Mr. Harper and his wife, both over 80 years old, were burned to death. The remains of Rear Admiral Henry C. Taylor were buried with military honors at the National Cemetery at Arlington. State Bank Examiner Bergh, of Wisconsin, took charge of the state bank at Mauston, Wis., and closed its doors. The Republican State Convention of Missouri nominated Cyrus P. Wal bridge, of St. Louis, for governor. William Hoyt hitched himself to a sulky and pulled his wife from Moline, 111., to the World's Fair in St. Louis. Private Joseph J. Hammot, of the Eighteenth Regiment, V. S. A., sta tioned at Fort Schuyler, was mur dered. Ambassadors Bellamy Storcr and Charletnaync Tower arrived at New York on the steamer Deutchland. President Roosevelt and his family returned to Washington, where they will remain for a while. Former Secretary of War Root has declined to become a candidate for governor of New York. Michael Davis was arrested in Brownsville, Pa., on the charge of killing his mother. Heathfield Washburn, grain dealer of Buffalo, committed suicide. The accident bulletin of the Inter state Commerce Commission shows a decrease in the casualties on rail roads since the use of air brakes on freight cars. Judge Piatt, of the United States Circuit Court in Harford. Ct., signed the decree of foreclosure of the mortgage given the Ship Trust. George F. Hammond confessed in Spokane, Wash., his part in the hold ing up of a Northern Pacific passen ger train near Bearmouth, Mon. The will of Abncr McKinlcy, filed in Somerset, Pa., leaves the bulk of his estate to his widow and his daugh ter, Mrs. McKinley Bear. M. Marshall Langhorne, of Vir ginia, was appointed consul to Chung king, China, and Frank S. Hannah, of Illinois, to Madeburg, Germany. Salvatore Brandalcone and Giovan ni Giordano, two Italians, were con victed in New York for counterfeit ing. They confessed. John Rogers, the sculptor who de signed the famous groups of statuary bearing his name, died in New Haven, Ct. A fire broke out in the lard re finery of Swift : Co., in the stock yards in Chicago. It was not of incendiary origin. Jealous John Anderson, of Pueblo, Col., killed his iwectheart, Mrs. J. J. Appley, and then shot and killed him self. The Lancaster Bank of Lancaster, O., closed its doors in cosequence of a run, and a receiver was appointed. The National Association of Rail way Postal Clerks elected delegates to the national convention to be H'ld in Boston in September. Senator Davis emphatically denies the report that he is to marry the widow of Dr. John Reynolds, of Shcp hcrdstown, W. V a. The record in the case of James B. Howard against the State of Ken tucky was f.led in the United States Supreme Court. The resignation of Charles M. Schwab ns a director of the United States Steel Corporation was ac cepted. Thomas Tagart, of Indiana, was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee. , Rev. Robert Ferine, dean of All Saints' Cathedral, at Spokane, Wash., died at Newark. Foreign. The recovery of Lego, alias PorozefT, the assassin of the Russian Minister of the Interior von Plehve is believed to be assured. The officials declare that the murder was a part of a widespread plot. The French police are searching for an Italian nobleman who is alleged to have swindled various people in London out of sums amounting to about 80,000. Antonio de Castro won the prize of 1,000 awarded by the Lisbon Geo graphical Society for completing a walking tour of Europe in 18 months. The Viceroy of Hukwang has noti fied the officials of Singaufu to pro duce the murderers of Mousignor Ver haepen, the Belgian bishop, on pain of punishment. Two Frenchmen were arrested at Wilhelinshaven, Germany, on sus picion of spying on the fortifications there. Rudolph Spreckels, of San Fran cisco, was successfully operated on a Carlsbad by Dr. Soiinenburg, of Berlin, and is doing well. A British cruiser has sailed for Tangier, presumably in connection with disturbances in Morocco, Lieutenant James Wilkinson, of the United States battleship Kcarsarge, tied at the hotpital in Trieste from tvnhoid fever. I lie commercial treaty between Germany and Russia was signed in Berlin. 'Ihe German crop report for July indicates a further deterioration. Win ter wheat loses one point, summer wheat two points, and summer rye one point. Continued drouth is stop ping river navigation and impeding manufactures. The Liberals gained a scat in Parlia ment in the election at Owestry, West Shorunhire. SEVEN ARE INDICTED Federal Grand Jury Acts in Slocom Disaster. HEAVY BAIL WILL BE DEMANDED. True Bills Fouad Agalost the Captain, tbe Inspector aod a Probationary Officer, the President, Secretary and Treasurer ol the Knickerbocker Co., aod Against tbe Captain ol the Qraod Republic. New York, (Special). The Federal Grand Jury indicted Captain Van Schaick and Federal Steamboat In spector Fleming and former Inspector Lundberg in connection with the dis aster of the General Slocum, on June 15 hist, when nearly one thousand lives were lost. Captain Van Schaick was com mander of the General Slocum. Fleming and Lundberg had passed the Slocum at the opening of the 1 tason. United States District Attorney Burnett aid that indictments also were found against President Barnahy, Secretary Atkinson and Treasurer Dexter of the Knickerbocker Steam boat Company, and Capt. John Pease, the commodore of the company's fleet. General Burnett said that when these men and Captain Van Schaick and Inspectors Lundberg and Flem ing arc arraigned for pleading on Monday he will insist upon bail being fixed at $25,000 in each case. PRESIDENT IS NOTIFIED. An Interesting Ceremony at tbe Country Home of Ibe Roosevelts. Oyster Bay, L. I., (Special). President Roosevelt was notified formally Wednesday afternoon of his nomination for the Presidency by the Republican National Convention. The ceremony took place at his country home, at Sagamore Hill, three miles from this village. In accordance with the with of the President, the ceremony was as simple as possible. The formal notification of the ac tion of the Convention was made, by a committee representing every State and Territory in the United States. Joseph G. Cannon, Speaker of the House of Representatives, spoke for the committee. The special train bearing the mem bers of the notification committee and the invited guests left Long Island City at 10.32 A. M. and arrived here at 11.35 A. M. Only three of the members of the committee were ab sent. They were James N. Coombs of Florida, Senator Chauncey M. De pew of New York, who is in Europe, and Senator Clarence D. Clark of Wyoming. Included among the invited guests were men prominent in all walks of life. Among them were personal and political friends of the President in New York State, lifelong friends and neighbors on Long Island, including the pastors of the Oyster Bay church es and the officials of the National and New York State Republican or ganizations. On arrival at Sagamore Hill the committeemen were received by President Roosevelt, Mrs. Roose velt and National Chairman George B. Cortelyou. All of the house guests of the President were gathered on the veranda, and as the occupants of each carriage alighted they were welcomed by the President and each was pre sented to Mrs. Roosevelt. At the conclusion of the informal reception the ceremony of notifica tion began. The members of the family," the house guests and the dis tinguished visitors were assembled on the veranda. When Speaker Cannon rose to de liver his speech at 1240 P. M. he was greeted with applause. When he had finished the President advanced to the veranda railing, and, standing under a great festoon of American flags, delivered his address in re sponse to the notification. As he faced the assemblage he was warmly applauded. Both the President and Speaker Cannon spoke standing on a chair placed at an amjle of the veranda, so that all could hear. At the conclusion of the address, President Roosevelt received con gratulations, and several group photographs were taken on the steps and lawn, with the President in the centre. Balloons to Hurl Explosives. Washington, (S p e c i a 1). Friday marked the termination of the agree ment entered into by the Powers at the Hague Peace Conference, to which Russia and Japan were signa tory, whereby the use of war balloons for throwing destructive explosives seas prohibited for five years. Both Russia and Jappn are now free to use the balloons to hurl dynamite into an enemy's camp, and developments in this direction will be closely watch ed by American military strategists. Farmer Assassinated. Augusta, Ga., (Special). A special to the Chronicle from Washington, Wilkes county, Ga., says that while Charles J. Tyler, a prominent young farmer of the northeastern section of the county, was at supper with his wife, Dr. Thomas C. Burch emptied two loads of buckshot from the win dow into the body of Tyler, killing him instantly. Dr. Burch has been taken in custody in the adjoining county. Waders Swept to Tbelr Death. Winnipeg, Man., (Special). While four persons were attempting to wade across Old Mans river, at McLeod, N. W. T., they were swept from their feet and drowned. They are Nellie and Katie Higgins, aged 30 and 16, respectively; Eddie Higgins, aged 6, all members of the tame family, and Mary Robinson, aged 21, a friend. The river, which is usually a shallow stream, had become swollen by recent heavy rains. Girls Trapped in a Burning Hotel Pittsburg, Fa., (Special). Fire broke out on the third floor of the Hotel Summcrman, in Greensburg, and three girls, employees of the hotel, were burned, one of them, Mary Musninsky, perhaps fatally. The girls were sleeping on the third floor and when they awoke the hallway was in flames and escape by the stairway was'cut off. They succeeded in climb ing from s window and walking along a narrow ledge until they were res cued bv firemen. ONE DEAD; ANOTHER DYING. Three Highwaymen Shoot Mine Superintendent and Stable Bssi. Altoona, Pa. (Special). P. F. Camp bell, superintendent and paymaster of the Furitan Coal Mining Company, at Puritan, Cambria county, and Chas. Hays, a stable boss for the same com pany, were held up on a public road a mile out of Portage at 10 o'clock A. M.. shot in twenty-five places and rob bed of $28(15 which they were taking to Puritan to pay the miners. The 'i-'ee highwaymen, who were apparently Italians, escaped, but the whole mountain top was scoured for them and a number of suspicious characters were arrested. Campbell and Hays, in a buggy drove from Puritan to Portage and at 9 o'clock received the money in a bag from the Pennsylvania Railroad station master at that place. It came by express on an early train from an Altoona bank. With the money un derneath the buggy scat they started feir Puritan. A mile out f f Portage at a turn in the road is a clump of trees. Reach ing the turn, the three men stepped from the woods and without a word opened fire. One shoved a revolver into Campbell's face and fired. The ball struck Campbell in the neck. The other two highwaymen were armed with shotguns loaded with buckshot. Thry also fired on the two men in the buggy, both shots taking effect. The man with the revolver reached under the scat and snatched the bag of mon ey just as the horse ran away. Campbell and Hays were thrown out into the road and the horse continued on to the stable. Discharging two more loads of shot at the paymaster and his assistant, the robbers fled in the direction of Lloyd-, ell. Campbell got to his fert and walked toward Puritan. Meeting a farmer with a spring wagon, he told his story and was driven to Portage, where he received surgical attention, and gave an alarm of the robbery. Posses were quickly organized and sent in all directions. The populace is greatly excited over the daring outrage, and the robbers will not stand a ghost of a chance of escaping alive, if captured. Campbell was brought to Altoona on the express. He is desperately wounded, there being fifteen bullet wounds in his face, head and body. Two shots pierced hio right lung, an other hit him in the mouth, and two struck his forehead. Just as the train left Pertage bearing Campbell, his as sistant, Hays, was brought into town. He died before he could be placed on the train. Hays was terribly wounded in the head and chest, five shots pierc ing his lungs. Campbell, who is 36 years old, is one of the best known mining ex perts in the central Pennsylvania field. The robbery was committed by per sons who knew of the paymaster's regular trips to Portage every two weeks for the money to pay his men. CHILD SCARED TO DEATH. Wild Rampage of a Mao Afflicted With Epilepsy. Philadelphia, (Special). Seized with a fit of violent epilepsy, Joseph FIciser went on a rampage through Andalu sia, 011 the Bristol pike, on Monday afternoon. He frightened a little girl to death, terrorized the barroom of the Red Lion Inn, smashed furniture at his home and ended by throttling a motorman on a passing trolley car, who finally succeeded in overpower ing Heiscr and turned him over to the police. The body of six-year-old Marian Rankin lies in a small catket in the parlor of her parents' home, on the Red Lion road, the victim of Heiser's dementia. The child had always stood in terror of Heiser, and she fled in fright to her tfother whenever she saw him. When Heiser, waving his arm wildly in the air and screaming at the top of his voice, ran toward her in front of the Rankin home the little girl started to escape from him, but before she had gone a dozen feet she was overcome with terror and fell dead in the roadway. Heiser, who has during the spring and summer months been employed as a farm hand, has been subject to epileptic fits, but never before have they taken a violent form. Templars' Oift to King Edward. San F'rancisco, Cala., (Special). The California Knights Templar arc preparing a gift for King Edward of England in appreciation of the honor conferred upon the Californians in sending a personal representative with the delegation of the highest officers of the great priory of England and Wales to attend the conclave at San Francisco. The souvenir consists of a volume of f!ie history of the con clave, especially bound and ornament ed for the King. For Uniform Corporation Laws. Nashville, Tenn. (Special) Through the efforts of Secretary of State, John W. Morton, an orrangement has been made whereby representatives of states and territories will meet in St. Louis, September 2. The object is to dis cuss ways and means for securing a uniform law incorporation charter and kindred matters. The bureau of cor porations of the department of com merce and labor wil'. send a represen tative. Gallows Trap Would Not Work. Uniotitow-s, Pa., (Special). John Jackson, colored, was hanged here for the murder of Jack Kinney, also colored, whom he killed near Con nellsville, June 30, 1903, in a quarrel over a game of craps. The trap re fused to work and for five minutes the condemned man stood with the black cap on his head while the spring was being adjusted. Death resulted from dislocation of the neck. Killed By Lightning. Hazlcton, Ta., (Special). Five per sons were killed near here during a severe electrical storm. At Oneida three foreign-speaking miners and a boy were instantly killed by a bolt of lightning while sitting at a table. All four were terribly burned, and the clothing almost completely torn from their bodies. At Quahake Valley lightning struck the home of Miley Hinkle, Instantly killing Mrs. Hinkle and seriously injuring her daughter. VON PLEHVE MURDERED Russian Minister of Interior Victim of Assassin. THREW BOMB AT HIS CARRIAGE. Assassin, a Voung Finn, Is In Hospital Dan gerously Wounded by Fragments ol His Owo Missile Widespread Anarchist Plot Suspected and Numerous Arrests Made St. Petertburg Shaken by Tragedy. St. Petersburg, (By Cable). M. Von riehvc, minister of the interior, was assassinated at 9.50 o'clock A. M., by a bomb thrown at his carriage while he was driving to the Baltic Station to take a train for the palace at Peterhof, where he wasi to make his weekly report to the Emperor. The assassination is believed to be the outcome of a widespread plot, the existence of which has been slit pected for several days. Numerous arrests have already been made, including that of the as sassin, a young man who is believed to be a Finn named Leglo and who is now in a hospital severely and per haps fatally injured by the explosion of his own bomb. An accomplice of Lrglo, also ap parently a Finn, but whose name is unknown, has been arrested. He had in his possession a bomb which he tried to throw, but he was overpow ered by the police just in time to prevent great lots of life. As Minister of Justice MuraviefT was driving to the Petcrshof palace to report to Emperor Nicholas the assassination of Minister of the In terior von Plehve, stones' w ere thrown at him and his carriage windows were broken. The identity of the minister's assailants has not yet been discovered. M. von Plehve s assassin wore a brown overcoat and a railroad official's cap. He stood on the sidewalk, just as Minister von Plehve's carriage was about to cross the canal bridge near the station. The minister was es corted by a number of detectives on bicycles, and one of them jostled the assassin, who then rushed into the road and threw the bomb after the carriage. The missil struck the hirid wheel and exploded with fearful force, killing or wounding over a score of persons. Minister von Plehve and his coachman were killed outright, and an officer of the guard was fatally injured. One of the 'cyclist detectives ar rested the assassin, who endeavored to escape, though wounded by splinters in the face, arm and ab domen. He made no attempt at re sistance, however, when seized by the detective, and confessed his crime, but refused to give his name. The police immediately after the ex plosion arrested a suspicious individ ual, who took refuge in a hotel op posite the scene of the tragedy. He carried a bomb similar to that thrown bv Leglo. As soon as the police saw the bomb they scattered, but an em ploye of the hotel rushed up behind the accomplice and pinned his arms. The explosive is believed to have been composed of pyroxlin, as it gave off little smoke. The force of the explosion was so terrific that it not only broke every window within a radius of half a mile bu reduced the heavy paving stones to powder, heaved up tne pavement and flung a heavy piece of the ironwork of the carriage across the canal, r.everinsr the thick mast of a barge, which fell, stunning the captain of the vessel. Everybody in the street was knocked down and more or less bruised. When the officers of the law, headed by Minister of Justice MuraviefT. had terminated the necessary formalities by drawing up a written report of the crime, the mangled remains of the minister of the interior were conveyed to a humble chapel adjoining the station, the windows of which miracu lously escaped destruction. The priests and people, with charac teristic Russian piety, at once joined in a solemn requiem. The square in front of the station was filled with a reverent crowd of peasants and laborers, and the busy hum of traffic was silenced. A priest proclaimed "the eternal memory of the departed servant Wen ceslas," while all those in the con gregation dropped to their knees. A no less impressive Service was conducted in the minister's stately residence in the evening, to which only intimate friends were invited by M. von Plehve's assistant, M. Dur novo, who is temporarily in charge of the ministry of the interior. The magnificent staircase and the reception rooms were draped in black. The body of the minister was com pletely covered by & white shroud, which concealed the ghastly mutila tions. It reposed in a black and silver casket in the corner of the vast hall, surrounded by luxuriant palms. Gendarmerie and non-commissioned officers stood sentinel at the head of the casket, while at its foot' were two high officials of the ministry, A special edition of the Official Messenger which was distributed late in the afternoon contained only a brief announcement of the death of M. von Plehve and the intimation that an official requiem would be con ducted. The Emperor, who was at the Villa Alexandria, at Peterhof, was greatly affected by the news, coming, as it did, atop of the bad tidings from the scat of war and fears of international complications. The Emperor almost broke down when he was informed of the minister's murder. FINANCIAL. Chandler Bros. & Co. say: "We still expect to see higher prices." Morgan brokers say United States Steel preferred should sell 10 points higher. The Westinghouse Company's $4, 000,000 new 5 per cent, notes were all sold in a day. A bond house of Philadelphia has issued a circular letter quoting 500 street railway bonds. Wheat exports this week were I, 281.000 bushels, against 3,781,000 for the same week last year. Some brokers' think that the time is very near at hand when the Rapid Transit Companv will buy the Fair mount Park trolley line. If the Lake Superior Company can get good enough ore to make steel rails, it will have a market for all its product for years to come. Premier Ross, of Ontario, says the require ments for new construction will ex ceed 500,000 tons annually for the next four or five years. When Sully was king cotton rose above 17 cents a pound. Now it is just about half that. That is what a 1 000,000-bale crop docs to cot ton bull. BRIT1AN MAKES DFMND: Russian Government Must Salute British Flr fT London, (By Cable). The British Government has sent instructions to Sir Charles Hardinge, the British Am bassador to Russia, to energetically protest against the sinking of the British steamer Knight Commander by the Russian Vladivostok squadron. Until the presentation of the note to the Russian Government the great est secrecy will be maintained regard ing its contents, but it is known that Premier Balfour and his colleagues have decided to demand that the fullest reparation shall be made by Russia or measures will be taken lo follow up the diplomatic demands The British note, as Sir Charles Hardinge will submit it, will not men tion the amount of indemnity Rus sia must pay the owners of the ship and the, British subjects having goods on board the vessel, but all that will be sought will bt the establishment of a principle of indemnity and apology. A salute of the British flag must also be conceded and the future protection of neutral shipping as suned. That the Government regards the sinking of the Knight Commandei as a breach of international law was confirmed by Premier Balfour in the House of Commons. A lengthy meeting of the defense committee took place, under the presidency of Premier Balfour, at which the Attorney General, Sit Robert 1'inlay, was present.. Thf Attorney General does not usually at tend these meetings, but it was stated that the questions at issue between Russia and Great Britain were undei discussion, and that Sir Robert wai called in to advise as to the question) of international law. The attitude of the British Govern ment is the result of the thorougl consideration given to the reports re ceived from Sir Claude MacDonald the British Minister at Tokio, and thi examination of international lav authorized by legal experts. The dis patches received from Sir Claud MacDonald confirm the reports tha the Knight Commander had no con traband of war on board for Japan The Government and all the Britist authorities, it is asserted, unite ot the point that there was no justifica tion for the sinking of the vessel. It is felt in Government circles thai the Knight Commander incident over shadows the Red sea seizures, whicl practically have been adjusted. In the light of the declaration ol the Russian Government respecting contraband of war, made three weeki after hostilities commenced, no rep resentations have been made by Couni Benckendorff, the Russian Ambas sador, to F'oreign Secretary Lands downe regarding the Knight Com mander, the Ambassador not having received advices from St. Petersburg on the subject, nor is it seen by the Russian diplomats how it is possible for their Government to make a prompt answer to the British de mands. It is not known when the Vladi vo..tok squadron will return to port The commander of the squadron, it is pointed out, unquestionably siezej the papers of the vessel, including her manifest, and, therefore, will be able to present reasons to show why he sank the ship, and with these reasons in their possession the Rus sian authorities will be able to com plete their answer to the British rep resentations. In the opinion of these diplomats, the cargo, or at least a portion of the cargo, of the Knight Commander in cluded contraband of war under the Russian declaration. Attention is specifically called to the feature of the declaration saying that "neutral ships with contraband ol war of any sort can, according to cir cumstances, be not only seized, but also confiscated." If the ship can b confiscated, it is contended, she can be sunk as well. While Russia holds that her decla ration has never been seriously ques tioned, the British authorities claitr tl at the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg first st.ecifically reserved the rights of his Government in case of an emergency arising, and, later, filed objections against the various provisions of the declaration. ,The United States also reserved her rights when acknowledging the receipt of the Russian declaration. The British authorities are per sistent in their de.-ire to induce the United States to make a declaration in respect to the policy it proposes to pursue in the matter of the protec tion of commerce, but nothing has yet been done so far as known here. KUROPATKIN TELLS OF BATTLES. How Ihe Japanese Turned Bulb Flanks of tbe Russians. St. Petersburg, (By Cable). The following dispatch from General Kuro patkiu, dated July 25, has been re ceived by the Emperor: "Reconnaissances carried out daily of late between Kaichou and Siakho tan showed the summits of the heights northof Kaichou to be strongly oc cupied and fortified. At 5 in thf morning July a.i, the enemy, two di visions strong, assumed the offensive Along the line of outposts to th south the enemy developed a division of infantry, concentrating his mair body toward Datchapu, 12 miles north of Kaichou, and keeping his cavalry on our left flank near the railroad His advance was effected slowly and at intervals was accompanied by f heavy fire from 30 guns, which out rear-guard batteries successfully ans wered. The Japanese fire at first wai directed at the heights, which gradual ly were evacuated by our outposts Our sharpshooters with the rear guard opened fire upon the advancing Japan ese infantry, and at a favorable moment Colonel Lesrh withdrew our rear guard to a new position at Dat chapu, and our baiteries, which had several times changed their positions, continued the duel with the enemy's artillery, also firing into the infantry columns. Hotel Wrecked By Natural Oas. Chicago, 111., (Special). An explo sion of natural gas in the basement ol the four story brick building at 338 State street, known as the Russell Park Hotel, caused severe injuries to several persons, The ' front of the building was blown out and heavy blocks of stone used for sidewalks were broken in pieces snd hurled into the street. Three employees of John Rockero's restaurant, on the ground floor, were severely burned and bruised- but all will recover. Arbitrators uwaruca to Mrs. Rose Schmitt, of Altoona, for the death of her son, John Gclil, aged 15, who was shot and killed on Novem ber 3, 1902, while peering in the win dows at the home of Mrs. Rachel Brode, aged 65, a wealthy widow, to see her dance. One of the guests shot a revolver to disperse the crowd of boys and Gehl fell mortally wounded. Airs. Brode and two guests, Blair and Blaine Dodson, were convicted of manslaughter, and then suit was en tered against Mrs. Brode for $20,000 ' damages. The arbitrators decided that between 15 and 21 'a boy's earn ing capacity is not more than $300 an nually. The decrease of coal and coke ton nage on the Pennsylvania Railroad east of Pittsburg this year, as com pared with last, is shown by the offi cial figures to be much less than had previously been reported. It amounts to only about 5 per cent. In the year to July 23, 22,054.780 tons were klnp led, while the year to July 25, 1903, bowed 23.(158,939. Undaunted by the fact that a Citi tens' Protective Association has just oeen organized in the town, robbers nvaded Gap and broke into several places. At James C. Hurley's hotel :hcy stole liquor from the barroom, iut the proprietor's bulldog com pelled them to depart. Curl's res taurant was also raided. At sevcra.' Dther places attempts to enter were made, but the intruders were frighten ed away. The suspension of the forty-three collieries of the Philadelphia & Read ing Coal & Iron Company from Satur day to August 8 brings no surpris lo the people of the anthracite re gion, because of the over-production of coal. The company has no place lo store the surplus coal save at the collieries, the enlarged storage bins M Schuylkill Haven having containec too.ooo tons two weeks ago. The sus pension is welcomed by many miner! and their families because they car now devote their entire energies to L picking berries. Millions of quart) .it berries are shipped to lcw 1 or Boston and Philadelphia markets. A double tragedy at Lancaster, ended the brief and unhappy mar ried life of James Good, a machinist aged 26 years, and his child wife. Ella, aged 17. They were married two years ago, and the jealousy of Good led to almost constant quarrels Ten days ago they separated. Mrs Good attended a picnic at Rocky springs, a suburban resort. By threatening to shoot her Good com pelled his wife to return to their home Once there, he asked her if she in tended to live with him, and with out waiting for her reply shot hc n the brain and heart. Then he sent 1 bullet into his own brain, dying instantly. Mrs. Good died an hour later. What is believed to have beer murder by means of dynamite oc curred about midnight in "Little Italy," Reading. Michael Amoreo, sleeping peacefully after a day's work, was sent to death by a terrific explo sion which shattered every bone in his body and ripped to pieces the en tire side of his house. The explosion aroused sleepers for a mile around. Rescuers were soon on the scene, and after digging through the debris found Mrs. Amoreo, the wife, and three children imprisoned in their bed room. The body of the husband was recovered later. Investigation showed that dynamite had been placed directly beneath Amoreo's bed. Policeman Calvert Cardwell ar rested a horse belonging to Mrs. J. G. Milbourne, wife of a prominent business man of Chester, and was taking the stray animal, which he captured on Senator Sproul's farm, to the pound, when Mrs. Milbourne fol lowed him and stopped the horse, after slapping Cardwell, it is alleged, in the face. She was arraigned later before Alderman Stockman, who held her under $300 bail for court on the charge of interfering with an officer. The will of Abner McKmley, broth-, cr of the late President, has beer) probated- at Somerset. The instru ment docs not indicate the value ol the estate, but the bulk of it is be queathed to his widow and his daugh ter, Mrs. Mabc! McKinley Baer. An expenditure of $5000 is ordered for a suitable monument in the family burial plot at Canton, Ohio. Yielding to the pleadings of hir children, Simon Moleski.of Minersville refused to kill his dog, a family pet, even though a jury declared the animal a menace. Monday Judge Bechtcl announced in court that il Molcski does not kill the dog by Sep tember 5, he must appear for sentence. Moleski's friends declare he will serve a term in jail rather than kill the pet. The residence of Henry Worth, of Hatboro, was entered by thieves and thoroughly ransacked. Most of $10 they secured was from a child's sav ings bank. The same evening the resi dence of Mrs. Samuel Haugh was entered and the burglars, failing to get money tore up carpets and upset the furniture. At the home of J. R. Beatty, on Byberry Road, they were met with revolver shots and fled in haste. An ordinance prescribing a penal ty for speeding automobiles in the city limits, offered in Lebanon Coun cils, has aroused the owners of motoi carriages, and an organized effort wil) be made to kill the bill. The Berkr and Dauphin turnpike has long been a popular track for the exciting sport, and swiftly moving autos have sev eral times endangered lite while pass ing through the town. Death was the intruder into a cir cle of a dozen boys engaged in play ing at Coal Castle, a mining village near Pottsville. The youngsters had built a dam for a swimming pool. To construct the breast they excavated beneath the roots of an old pine tree and unwittingly loosened its hold 00 the soil. Their task finished, the boyr were seated upon the newly built breast, when the tree fell. The trunk struck William Toban, aged 13, or the head, crushing his skull. He diet almost instantly. The others were se verely bruised by the branches strik ing them. . As Clinton Eister, a miner of Shamow kin, was coming from work he was' arrested on suspicion of being a burg-; lar. John Moore's store waa robbed? of $100 Friday night, and a constable who searched Eiater's house, claim the stolen money wss found in his clothing. To stop automobile and motor ve hide racing on the public streets, Pottsville Town Council fixed a fin of $100 for speed greater than a mile in twelve minutes in going down a declivity or turning a corner. On level ground the speed is limited to sight miles an hour.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers