AN AWFUL EXPOSE OF THE ICE TRUST Sensational Charges of Gouging and Deceit THE SUIT BEGIN IN NEW YORK. Attorney General Mayer Asks for the Dissolution of the Trust of Whoiie $46,325,488 of Stock $33,260, 606 Represents No Tangible Asset Restricting the Output. New York (Special). Attorney General Julius Mayer, in the name of the people of the State of New York, began an action against the American Ice Companw la the Sup reme Court of New York County for the dissolution of the so-called Ice Trust. A summoms and com plaint issued here was forwarded to the New York City representatives of the Attorney General for service upon the proper offlclalB of the com pany. The complaint alleges as a prin cipal feature of the scheme and arrangement" by which the company secured a practical monopoly of the natural and artificial Ice output and distribution, especially in Greater New York and the communities in that vicinity, that it secured control of the Main Ice field and caused a reduction there last year of the usual hnrvest from a million and a half tons to one-third of that amount. The other sources of supply are alleged to be similarly controlled. The key to the Ice situation in New York City is pointed out as ly ing In the company's cc'itrol of the "Ice bridges" or landing depotB, by which means, it. la ulleged, the com pany Is enabled to fix the price of Ice, resulting last summer in an In crease from 11.20 a ton at the bridges to $5 aud $0 a ton to the independent dealers, who are alleged to be controlled by the company, and who supply the retail trade. It Is aid that by the time the Ice reached the poorer customers it cost them at the rate of $10 to $14 a ton. Accused Of Double Dealing. Correspondence of the company with its agents nnd others is quoted to show that at the very time when the company war, urging its custo mers to be careful in their purchase and consumption of ice, owing to the shortage of supply, it was Informing Its agents that the ice situation from the company's standpoint was satisfactory, und that offers were being received from various sources, especially from Maine Independent producers, of ample supplies, and the company was at that time refus ing to accept these offers on any terms. It lrt contended that the ef forts of the company were designed to create a popular impression that an Ice famine was Impending, in or der to forestall public clamor against a contemplated enormous inrrease in the price to consumers, which in crease did. in fact, take place. It la declared by the Attorney General that on the Hudson River the American Ice Company owns all ut 17 of the 141 icehouses, aud that It contracted with the Mountain Ice Company, operating in New Jer sey and Pennsylvania, to restrict, its sales in Brooklyn, whereby the free pursuit of the lee business in that borough was prevented; that it had like agreements with various Inde pendent concerns along the HuJson River anJ elsewhere to prevent their entering the field of competition in production or distribution of either natural or manufactured ice. MIXER LOSING HW MISI. Kurruonclrd Hy Corpses He Believes They Are LuugliliiK At Him. Bakersfield, California (Special). Though only a few feet of earth nnd stone separate L. B. Hicks, the miner entombed in Granite Mountain !.y a tunnel collapse, from freedom, the slightest mistake of his rescuers will crush out the life of the man who. for days, has lived in a night Mnck hole with death threatening every moment. For 14 days Hicks has end.-.rc-! tortures. Without, light and terror biting at his soul by fears- that any moment would lie his last. Hicks has many times bordered on Insanity. 'July 'the voices of hi friends com ing to him through the gas pipe with which he is fed has been able to keep lilm from madness. Sometime the miner Is happy and again he is plunged In despair. He can feel the bodies of his five dead companions about Mm. "1 can see Jim's foot in this hell hole," lie yelled to Ills rescuers. "It's moving, I think. They are laughing, too." "If you don't shut up. Hicks," said a miner, shouting through the tube, "I'll Jump right down the pipe and lilinke your head off." In this way Hicks' mind was drawn from his Illusions by the mill ers. "We'll get you out soon," shouteJ a. grizzled miner. "Well, be careful," replied I licks, "or this fool mountain will sit on my chest." Hick diH-k a gallon of uilik to day He said tlat the fine cut. tobac co which had been slipped to him through the pipe was a life-saver. He he would have rather had that chew than got out. I A I'ill'i no W hite? Wutiilugtoa, I). C. (Special I. The scl.ooi authorities of Washington have been caliei upon to decide whether a Filipino la white or col ored. The problem was brought be fore them hy Major M. F. Waltz, Culled Slates Army, who sent a com munication unking that his Filipino servant, 22 years old, be admitted to the white s'hools of Washington. After much discussion tne question was referred to a committee, which has not yet reported. A Jicve Anieiicuii Peeress, London (By Cable). The uewent' American peeress Is; Hermlone, daughter of the lute 13. W. H. Scheu ley, of Pittsburg, Pa., who was mar ried !n Loudon to Lord Kllenborough. u retired cop'iiodive of tlio Koyul Nivy. The biUi- wore a robe ot white velvet, draned with old 'ace, nnd u white velvet toque. The Vridegroom, who lial long bet'n re garded as a confi-r.iej bachelor, p-i:-- iiipttted In r.nval oprutlons In th Baltic so lo-.g r.:: bj the HukUu.i war of 1805. THE KffiJFJE WEEK, Domestic Bishop Charles C. McCabe, known better as "Chaplain" McCabe, died In a New York Hospital from apo plexy, with which he was stricken while passing through that city re cently while on his way to Philadel phia. On application of the National Steel and Wire Company a receiver has bpen appointed for the National Wire Corporation, which operated a large plant in Maine. It was testified before the Inter state Commerce Commission in Min neapolis that a scarcity of labor Is at the bottom of the railroad car short age. K, Dereylan, who claimed he was the son of a Russian admiral and married, and who died In Arizona, turns out to be a woman. Mrs. Jackson 1. Case, twice a wid ow and worth $10,000,000. and John W. Dalmnn, a Standard Oil official, were married In Chicago. The Hub colliery. In Nova Scotia, which has been afire five days, will be flooded by water trom the At lantic Ocean. George Rurnham, Jr., general counsel for the Mutual Reserve Life Insurance Company, recently convict ed of larcny, was sentenced to serve two years In state prison.. The Ann Arbor Railway and the Toledo Ice and Coal Company have been Indicted on 155 counts each, charged with double rebating on Ice shipments. The publisher and a writer for the Morning Telegraph, of New York, were fined $50 each by Judge Deven dorf for criticising the Gillette case. It is declared that Mrs. Catherine Nelll, charged with the death of her husband, stabbed him while under the Influence of morphine. Col. G. K. Colton has been ap pointed collector of customs at Ma nila. He formerly was collector of the port at Hollo. Farmers of Idaho state that they have been ruined by the Inability of the railroads to move their wheat crops. Miss Hallie Amelie Rives and Post Wheeler are to wed in Toklo, Japan. The I'nlted State Casualty Com pany, of New York, has obtained an injunction In in Alabama court re straining the Virginia-Carolina Chem ical Company from removing any books or papers needed In a suit filed by the casualty company. By a decision of the United States Circuit Court of Chicago the Yerkes millions will go to establish the hos pital he planned for New York. Chancellor Day, of Syracuse Uni versity, denounces what he calls the socialist movement against the wealthy as "milltonalrephobia." George T. Klramel, former cashier of an Arkansas bank, who has been In an Insane asylum in New York, has been declared by a Jury to be sane. The nolice of Hazleton, Pa., have been unable to obtain any clue to the mystery of the corpse of a wom an found in a barrel. Dakota, Montana and Minnesota are short of coal and railroad cars. roreign. Prof. Karl Hau, of Washington. D. C, was remanded in London, for extradition to Germany to answer to the charge of murdering his moth er-in-law at Baden-Baden. Lord Ellenborough was married to Miss Hermoine Schenley, of Pitts burg, at St. George's, in Chelsea, England, before a large crowd of fashionable persons. The French court has freed Ma dame Anna Gould from all responsi bility for the debts contracted by her husband, except In a few minor Instances. The three hundredth anniversary of the sailing of the first British col ony for Jamestown, Va., was cele brated with a banquet in London. Two bombs were thrown at Chief of Police Cheshanowski In Lodz, Rus sian Poland, while he was driving through one of the principal streets. A court martial in Lille, France, cleeraded Cataln Murqutez for refus ing to obey orders in connection with I the taking of a church Inventory. Rioting attended the evacuation ol the episcopal palace and seminary at Nantes, Fiance. Fifteej millions of people are re ported to be starving In the famine j district of China. Eight terrorists were condemned In Sledlce, Russian Poland, and shot. Sir Kdward Sassoon ( Liberal-Un ionist I, hi a speech In the House of i Commons on the wirelosa Ulegraph conference, contended that Great Hiitain played second fiddle to Ger . many. j The Japanese consul at Honolulu says the Japanese squadron will not i go to San Francisco, as originally in j tended, because of fear of a repeti- tion of the Maine disaster. I The steamer Prinzessln Victoria I Luise. whic h went ashore off Port ! Royal, Jamaica, Sunday night, 13 i likely to become a total wreck, j The French government will not for the present press the question I of treating recalcitrant priests as snb- jeets or a foreign power. ! George Armstrong, son of Mine. ! Melba, the opera singer, was mar ried to Miss Ruby Otwa.v In London. I A general strike has begun in all tho ports of Italy and commerce Is paralyzed. Hair a million people are destitute in Klangsu, China. Luzzuttl, ex-minister of the Italian treasury, in an address In Rome, de clared Japan and other Asiatic races were superior to the white races lr. the matter of religious toleration. Professor Koch, of Germany, is re ported to have discovered a cure for the sleeping sickness in Africa and his experiments upon the native.) have been successful. The Premier of New South Wales has protested against any Interfer ence by the imperial commonwealth In the rights of the state governments in state affairs. The Hamburg - American Line steamer Prinzessln Victoria Lulse, from New York, stranded off Port Royal. Jamaica, and Captain Bron slng committed suicide. The British Premier announced that the program of the second peace conference would Include the ques tion of 'he limitation of armament. The Spanish government has no tified the Vatican that it cannot take charge of the archives of the papal nunciature at Pari. RaUull, the bandit chief, has been threatening the French and Spanish e;;i-t cf Tiie, M o-"o:. BIG STEAMBOAT IS BLOWN TO ATOMS Many Lives Are Lost In the Mississippi River. OVER A SCORE ARE MISSING. The W. T. Scovell, riying Between Vicksburg and Davla Rend, la Blown to Rita by an Explosion That Occurred While She Was Taking on Freight at Gold Dust Landing, Near Vl.kaburg. Vicksburg, Miss. (Special). One of the most disastrous accidents In the history of the Mississippi River occurred at 10 minutes past 11 o'clock Wednesday morning, when the steamer W. T. Scovel, plying In the Vicksburg aud David Bend trade, was destroyed by an explosion. Owing to the large number of ne groes on board It la Impossible to as certain the exact number of the dead and Injured, but officers of the boat who arrlted here alate that no less than 10 nor more than 16 were killed. The probabilities are that a like number were Injured. The number of dead and Injured negroes cannot be stated at this time, but of a crew and passenger list of about 50, about half are missing. The negro dead were cared format the place where the accident oc curred, as were some of the Injured. About five of the injured negroes were brought to Vicksburg on the steamer Senator Cordell with the white dead and Injured. The acci dent occurred at Gold Dust Landing, about 17 miles south of Vicksburg. The Scovell was at the landing taking on freight, when suddenly a terrific explosion occurred and the boat was blown practically to atoms. Many of the timbers of the boat were thrown hundreds of yards, and some of those on board were blown almost as far. The pilot house und front part of the cabin were blown to splinters, and some parts of the boat were so badly damaged that she began to sink im mediately. When the Cordell left here she was listing heavily and her cargo of 1,000 sacks of cottonseed and 50 bales of cotton will be lost. Pending the arrival of the Senator Cordell, the Injured were cared for at Gold Dust Landing as well as pos sible. Of the white dead only the body of Lavell Yeager has been recovered. Wade Quackenboss was heard to call for help soon after the explosion, but, according to the reports of those who were on the boat, escaping steam soon smothered his cries. Captain Quackenboss was not seen after the accident. Pilot Dougherty was blown several hundred feet out Into the river", but despite a dislocated shoulder man aged to swim to the bank. The Injured were taken' to the Vicksburg hospitals. The captain was one of the oldest and best known residents of this city and was well known to every man on the river. The steamer Scovell was only recently purchased by him and others for the Vicksburg and Davis Bend trade. The boat was Insured for $6,000. SEA INTO BURNING MINE. Nova Scotia Coal Colliery Has Been Ablaze Five Days. Glace Bay, N. S. (Special). Other means having failed the tides of the Atlantic Ocean will be utilized by the Dominion Coal Company to drown out the fire that has been raging since Friday In the Hub Colliery. Day and night shifts of men are being em ployed to open, up a concrete dam placed some years ago at the base of a cliff about a quarter of a mile from the pit mouth, where formerly old rooms were worked. An old pas sage .Is being cleat ed out, and as soon as this work is done the dam will be broken down and the rising tides will flow into the old rooms p.nd thence into the pit where the fire Is burning 60 feet below the sea level. In a week It Is expected the sea will flood nearly the entire mjne. In another coal mine In this province a fire has been btirning for about two years. KOBltKI) OK $o,ooo. Woman Who Hud No Fultli In Banks Loses Money. Philadelphia (Special). Mrs. Ella V. Kober was robbed of $6,000 by a pickpocket in the holiday crowds In tne shopping district here. The money was paid to Mrs. Kober by the Pennsylvania Railroad In settle ment of a claim on the death of her husband, who was knle.-; In the elec tric railroad thoroughfare wreck near Atlantic City two months ago. Mrs. Kober had no faith In banks and had refused to accept a check from the railroad in payment ot the claim and demanded cash. She received 30 $100 and 6 $500 notes, which Bhe sewed In a secret poo. et In an un derskirt. White shopping with a friend bhe discovered that the pocket had been cut from her skirt and the money taken. Consul Fairehlld Head. 'Mukden (By Cable). The Ameri can vice consul general, Nelson Fair child, shot and killed himself. It is believed that the shooting was acci dental. Funeral services will be held tomorrow. There Is a unlvetsal feel Ins of sympathy. Four File Victims. Buffalo, N. Y. (Special). Four persons were killed and one was fa tally burned In a small fire in the Zenobla Apartment House, on Pros pect Avenue at the corner of West Huron Street. Other occupants of the place had narrow escapes, half a dozen being rescued by the fire men. The blaze was a amall one and was quickly brought under control by the firemen. Killed Hy Dynamite. Savannah, Ga. (Special), By the explosion of dynamite In the fire works factory of Joseph Carbo and John Nlva, Italians, at 531 Anderson Street, one fireman was burned to death, another was fatully burned, an assistant fire chief and another fire man were seriously and possibly burned. The proprietors were painfully burned and a bov was struck In the. face by flying debris and severely hurt. Carbo and Nlvn, were counting -jr;:cdoei they had manufactured. AT THE NATION'S CAPITAL Soma Interesting Happening Briefly Told. Joseph W. Lee was nominated by the President to be minister to Gua temala and Honduras. President Roosevelt's Panama mes sage is to be reprinted for the Senate in "normal" spelling. Senator Elklns introduced a bill to carry Into effect several .of the recommendations of the Secretary of the Treasury to enable him to ex tend relief to money markets. William A. Held & Co. by ft bid of 105.777 for all or any part of the $2,000,000 bond bssue for improve ments In Manila obtained the greater part of the issue. 8enator Berry presented telegrams objecting to the recent order of the Secretary of the Interior in withdraw ing lands trom allotment in Indian Territory. Representative Gregg, of Texas, Introduced a bill to purchase 15 sub marine torpedo boats at a total cost of $5,000,000. Ten of the South American repub lics have accepted Invitations to be represented at the Jamestown Ex position. The Senate passed a bill providing for a bridge across the Allegheny River near Pittsburg. Senator Patterson introduced Jn Hi. oannta a resolution for an in vestigation of the reports that a lobby has been endeavoring vo inuueuco matters relative to the Congo Free State. In the Senate the increasing ex penditures for the Army and Navy establishments were deplored. Director Wolcott. of the Geologi cal Survey, was before the Senate committee investigating tne values of the coal and oil lands In Oklahoma and Indian Territory. The Senate nassed a bill to inves tigate the industrial, social, moral, educational and physical condition of women and child workers. The Department of Commerce and Labor, decided that foreign laborers assisted to migrate by a State are not liable to deportation.. The House Committee on Banking and Currency reported the elastic currency measure, which alms to re lieve the money stringency. President Roosevelt transmitted to Congress Secretary Metcalf's report on the Japanese situation In San Francisco. The Senate passed a bill making a million-dollar governmental loan to the Jamestown Exposition mana gers. Hinging Director's Suicide. Mayville", Wis. (Special). William F. Berchert. believed to have be come Insane through brooding over the refusal of a New York manager to accept an opera which Berchert had written, committed suicide here by hanging himself to the side ladder on a freight car. Berchert had for a number of years been director of singing societies In Milwaukee, Maysvllle and other Wisconsin cities. New Way To Get Cars. Philadelphia (Special). A new In the rebate discrimina tion suits against the Pennsylvania Railroad Company has Decn insti tntorf In ilio ITnlted States Circuit In this cltv hv the Lozan Coal Company. It is In a form of a peti tion for a writ of alternative manaa mtts i to compel the corporation to make a pro rata distribution of coal cars. Crater of Vesuvius Tumbles. Naples, ( Special ).4-Another por tion. of the crater of Mount Vesuvius fell in and caused a great eruption of ashes, cinders and sand. It was not preceded or accompanied, how ever, by either detonations or earth shocks. In the afternoon for a peri od of 20 minutes a rather heavy rain of ashes fell over Naples, and an other portion of the crater, on the side toward Pompeii, fell in. Hit Slieiin'a Daughter. Bristol, Va. (Special). A heavily armed posse is following the trail of Wesley Wilkes, condemned negro, and a white desperado named Eaton, who escaped . from the Gate City (Va.) Jail, after murderously as saulting Sheriff Broadwater and af ter the negro had seriously wounded the Sheriff's daughter by biting her. The men made their way to the. mountains of East Tennessee, and bloodhounds are on their trail. Girls Hurt At Basketball. Trenton, N. J. (Special). Miss Helen Lee Is Buffering from a broken leg and Miss Julia Goldberg has u sprained ankle as the result ' of a girls' basketball game at the New Jersey State Normal School. The game will likely be barred by the faculty. L. & N. Raises Wages. Louisville, Ky. (Special). The Louisville and Nashville Railroad gave notice that it has increased the wages of its shopmen about 4 per cent., effective December 1. The in crease affects about 2,000 men. By reason of the higher wages the pay roll will be increased about $100,000 a year. 'UULIi t Jersey Central has Increused Its employees' wages from 10 to 20 per ctnt. St. Paul dropped over 13 points on the announcement of the new Issue of $100.000,0''j of stock. Both Northern Pacific and Great Northern, broke under 2 00. It has not been long since those figures would have looked remarkably low. Before the various melon euttings, Great Northern sold at. 34 8 and Northern Pacific at 232 Ms. The extraordinary ri?.o of Balti more & Ohio when all 'other stocks were so weak caused the impression to prevail that the Union Pacific was gathering up the stock while -the market was so upset. A similar rea son was attached to the comparative strength of Reading. The St. Paul's plan is voted very unpopular and It was a godsend to the bears, who were short of the stock. The "rights" sold at 37 on the curb. Westlnghouse Electric & Manufac turing Company declared a quarter ly dividend of 2 H per cent, on pre ferred and assenting and non-assenting stocks. The Bank of Germany ranted its rate of discount from 6 to 7 per -ent. The Bank or England's rate remains at 6 per cent. These are the nost powerful proofs how big the lemand la in Europe for money. THE CAPTAIN'S COSTLY ERROR Further Details of Wreck of Tourist Steamer. PILED UP ON A ROCKY LEDGE The Prinzessln Victoria Luise Impaled on a Rock and the Seat Pounding Heavily on Her The Back Part of the Captain's Head Shattered by Rifle Bullet. Kingston (By Cable). According to reports received from Port Royal, the Hamburg-American Line tourist steamer Prinzessln Victoria Lulse, which went ashore off that place dur ing the night of December 16, la likely to become a total wreck. The vessel Is so close to shore that people can almost walk walk on board of her from the beach. 8he is Impaled on a rock, and the seas are pounding on her starboard side severely. She has heeled heavily to star board, and It can be seen that her bottom Is badly damaged, and that her boilers and engines are spveneiy Injured. The Gnrman cruiser Bre men Is still standing by the stranded steamer and the steamer Virginia went to the scene today to assist in the Baivage work If possible, but the latter returned here after seeing the condition of the stranded ship. The body of Captain Brunswig, who killed himself In his cabin on board the steamer after she went ashore, was buried this afternoon. The autopsy showed that the back part of the Captain's head had been completely 'shattered by a Tlite bul let. The crew of the stranded vessel started later In the day for Kings ton. The Prinzessln Victoria Luise Is now practically abandoned. She fast Impaled on a rock, and the seas are pounding her starboard side severely. One of the passengers of the Prin zessln Victoria Lulse today gave the following account of the disaster: At about 9 o'clock on Sunday night, when we were abreast of Port Royal Light, the ship suddenly ap peared to shudder; then she stopped, and a terrible grinding noise was heard from under her hull. The or der was given to reverse the engines and go full speed astern, but the steamer remained fast. "The discipline displayed by the officers and crew was excellent. Every man kept to his post, the pas sengers retained their presence of mind, and there was no panic. Rock ets were sent up from the stranded vessel, but apparently they were not seen, for there was no response to the signals from the shore. Eventu ally the news of the wreck was taken to Kingston by a sailboat, which made slow progress, owing to the fact that the breeze was light. Af ter breakfast Monday we went ashore, hunted up some native boats ana made our way to Kingston. The news of the suicide of Captain Brunswig was kept from the passen gers for sometime." Norfolk, Va. (Special). The Nor folk wrecking tug Rescue sailed from here with the wrecking barge Sharp for Kingston, Jamaica, to make an effort to float the Hamburg-American Line tourist steamer Prinzessln victoria Lulse, which went ashore off Port Royal Sunday night, while bound from Kingston 'to New York. THE DISMISSED THOOl'S. The President Tells Senate Why He Did It. Washlngtoj (Special). President Roosevelt, in response to a Senate resolution asking him why he dis missed the members of the Twenty- fifth Regiment (colored infantry) without honor, sent his reply to the Senate, together with a full report of the Investigation conducted by offi cers on the ground. The President wastes no words in giving the Senate bis reasons, and says that he Is glad of the opportuni ty to do so. The President says that the punishment meted out to the reg iment was Inadequate, as "a blacker crime than that committed never stainted the annals of our army," and he regrets keenly that he is un able to properly punish the real cul prits. He resents with Indignation the charge that the men were dis missed because they were negroes and the intimation that one of the offi cers who conducted the investigation was prejudiced against the troop3. he being a Southerner. The President concludes by chal lenging "as a right the support of every citizen of tnis country, what ever his color, provided only he has in him tlie spirit of genuine and fa--slghled patriotism." Accompanying the President's re ply is a report by Secretary Taft, in which he enters into an exhaustive discussion of the law and the evi dence in the case. He quotes the authority for the President's action, and with regard to the new evidence presented savs he has examined it with care and that he does not find anything contained in it which should lead to a different conclusion of fact from that already stated In his annual report. Th question whether the 8enate should make an Independent lnves tieaii'v of the Brovnsvllle raid was raised by Mr. Foraker Immediately after the rending of the President's niesag'. He offered a resolution giving the Committee on Military Af-ml- authority to make such Investi gation if deemed necessary after con sideration of the testimony transmit ted by the President. Ohio's Treasury Overflow lug. Columbus, O. The surplus in the state treasury now Is the largest In the history of that state $4,750, 356.39. The size of the surplus is due to the Aiken law Increasing the saloon tax. It is estimated that by the end of January the surplus will bo nearly $6,000,000. Iiuri;liirs Hob A I'oHtofliee. Macon, Ga., (Special). Burglars broke into the postoftice at Broxton, Ga., blew open the safe and secured stamps and nloney to the value of $500. No clue to the robbers. Convicted of Assault. Atlanta, Ga. (Special). Robert Turnage, a. white man,. 28 years of age, was convicted of an attempt a' assault ppon Mrs. Carrie Comstock the wife of a city water meter reaJj and a solicitor for a cooking com noun. The Jury was out but a short time and roturued with a verdict o "Guilty," with the recommendatlo' for mercy. Judge Roan then said i 1eferenc to the recommendation fo mercy he would make the sentcne 15 years' penal servitude. The ma:;' nam puiis'"ntnt is jW years. THREE STATES SHORT OF COAL The Ralroads Too Busy Hauling Bum ' per Crops. Minneapolis, Minn. (Special) Tnu Northwest faces the most serious fuel famine Blnce 1903, when several deaths occurred, when farmers aban doned their claims and extreme hard ships wero endured by thousands. The present famine has really only Just begun, and it Is still possible to avert It If the railroads will furnish motive power to move Immense coal plies In Duluth and West Superior. While the coal companies are clam oring for cars and railroads are mak ing excuses, mayors of a dozen towns In Dakota, Montana and Minnesota are telegraphing news of shortage and the necessity for Immediate ac tion to Washington to the governors of their respective states and to the editors of the Twin City newspapers. Some of the towns which have made the vigorous protests are Gran ville, N. D., where 15 cars arc needed immediately to avert suffering; Galesburg, N. D which thinks fed eral troops could not be better em ployed than in running special coal cars; Glenburn, N. D., where farm ers are camping together in village schools to conserve the scanty supply of fuel; Castleton, N. D., where there is a' general shortage, and where the lighting plant may have to be shut down; Elvelh, Minn., which faces darkness from the same cause; La kota, N. D., which sent a representa tive to Washington to tell Its tou bles to the federal authorities. Raising a bumper crop and look ing forward to a season of great pros perity the farmers now find them selves unable to get their wheat to market, or even to purchase fuel. Investigation of the Interstate Com merce Commission, which began here Monday, may reveal the cause of the sluggishness of the railroads. That politics of some sort is back of the situation Is confidently believed throughout the farming districts. F. K. Lane and James S. Harlan, of the Interstate Commerce Commis sion, opened at Mlnncandpolis an In quiry on complaints against railroads in the Northwest for the existing car shortage. The hearing opened with the reading of a formal statement by Commissioner Lane. He stated that the present Inquiry would be further prosecuted Ui other parts of the country. It is the purpose of the committee to enter fully Into the conditions attaching to the movement of freight In the Northwest; and to further this investigation the com mission has for the past two weeks had a corps of trained Investigators In the field. Investigation of the present fam ine crisis in the Northwest may not stop with the Investigation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. It Is probable that in every affected state, but. notably Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana, the subject will be made a matter for legislative Investigation. Northwest ern coat dealers have indicated to the large shippers here that they 'plan to stir up an official Investigation in their states. Towns that are suffer ing now, or have been held In the grip of winter and the famine, are laying their cases before their legis lators and are asking that the sub ject be brought up at the coming sessions of the state legislatures, and action taken to prevent a repetition. . POISOXKD ONE BY ONE. Postmortem IteveaU Wholesale Crime In Chicago. Chicago (Special). Arsenic was responsible for the death of at least two members of the Vrzal family, six of whom died within a few months of each other, according to a chemical examination completed Monday. Herman Billik, a fortuneteller, is now in Jail ou a charge ot having administered poison to the familj so that the mother of the dead chil dren could collect the insurance mon ey. Mrs. Vrzal was found dead in her home two weeks ago, a few hourt after an investigation into tho cause of the death of tho other members of the family was begun. At first It was believed she committed suicide, but the police are of tho opinion that she was killed to conceal the cause. of death of the children. The bodies of Blla and Mary, daughters of Mrs. Vrzal, were ex humed last week. Professor Haine.1, of Rush Medical College, and Dr. Lewke, of the coroner's staff, toduy found ai-Eenlc in the liver and tho stomach of both girls in sufficient quantities to case death, according to tho doctors. The bodies of the other four mem bers of the family will now be ex humed. A Counsel I'udcr A Cloud. Washington (Speciul). The Slate Department has sent out an order to all American counsels In Europe to look out for Frederick McMastcrs, of New York, und to communicate with the authorities In case he is found. McMasters was recently re moved as consul to Zanzibar on charges filed by Sir Charles Harding, the British under secretary. Harold Van Buren, the American consul at Nice, has reported to the State De partment that McMasters Induced him to become surety for a $1,000 note by representing that he was on his way out to his post. The British liaige Presented. Washington (Speciul). Sir Morti mer Durand, the British ambassa dor, called oa Secretary Root and presented Esnc Howard, the new sec retary, of embassy, and who will be charge d'af.'alres pending the ap pointment of a Bin-censor to Ambassa dor Durand. Later the Ambassador and Mr. Howard paid official visits to Secretary Taft and olher officials of the War Department. Ambassador Durand will sail for England on the 29th Inst., and meantime will be given a series of farewell dluners Cotton Factory ItitUcs Pay. Blddeford, Me. (Special). The 'cperell Manufacturing Company an nounced an advance in wages of ubout 6 per cent. Tho new rate will go Into effect December 31. About 3,000 are employed, the mill being rated as the third largest cotton fac 'ory in this country. , Arguments on the demurrers of the railways und grain firms charged by Indictment with giving und rorelv ng rebatei, were begun in tho I'nlU'd, "r'.el Court ttt Mlnr.ca ioll i. KEW TURK OAT Of DT Some of the Things Dons Daily in tta Metropolis. nfaxlmn For Kngnged Couples. , If a- young man allows his sweet-, heart to go to places of amusement with other men, he Is a foolish fel low. If a young woman who is engaged to be married accepts the attention f other men, she Is a silly girl, It makes no difference whether the "other men" referred to are friends of either party. Sweethearts' attention Is directed :o the Judicial wisdom, which was Handed out by Magistrate Crane. Tho Magistrate's advico was directed particularly to Tillle Rosonbaum and Arthur Samuels. They, who are iweethearts, had caused the arrest sf Nathan Davis on a charge of cir culating reports that reflected upon the good name of the girl. A fort night ago Samuels, being obliged to work, permitted Davis to take his weetheart to a dance. It Is charged that ever since that night Davis has been saving things about Miss Rosen baum. Samuels and the girl both wanted Davis sent to prison, but the magistrate dismissed the case after DaMs signed a written retraction. "Mttle Tim" Gives His Views. A resolution to pay William M.' Ivlns $12,500 for his services as counsel to the committee of Alder men which investigated the Street Cleaning Department last spring took up the time of Aldermen Thurs day and elicted a notable speech from Alderman Sullivan. Alderman Sulli van asked that the resolution go over so mat he could look into the mat ter. He said that Mr. Ivins had spent only 20 working days on the inves tigation and that the proposed com pensation was exorbitant. "From what Mr. Ivlns told me," said Alder man Peters, "I thought he was going to do the work for nothing." "When Alderman Peters Is a few years old er," said Alderman Sullivan, "he'll discover that reformers like me and Ivins never does nothing for noth ing for anything." His "Sinn" Client A Woman. An action against the Inter Borough Street Railway was with drawn by Lawyer Emmanuel L. Sil bersteln because he found that his client, the plaintiff, who had appeared as a man, was a woman. The sup posed "man" wore her hair cropped short, shaved her chin, and wore a black sack suit which fitted her well. The lawyer himself was mystified over the revelation. "I first became aware that there was something queer about my client," he said, "when she refused to be examined by my physician. I had had an offer of a settlement of the case from the Railroad Company. She had refused it. I had then told her that she would have to be examined by my physician, who would be called to testify In the suit. When I told her this she grew pale and bolted from my office. I have not seen her since, nor have I been able to find her." Wouldn't Tell Who He Was. It was about 3 o'clock A. M., when Mrs. E. Frank Galloway was awaken ed by the opening of a door of her room. She saw a man ot heavy build, medium height and fairly well dressed. Mrs. Galloway asked him who be was and what he wanted. The burglar made no reply but coolly picked up a bundle of things he had gathered together from the table, with Mrs. Galloway looking en and still demanding to know who he was, but the burglar paid no attention to her and climbed out. a rear window through which he, forced his entrance to the house. After the thief had gone1 she gave an alarm. fhnnce For BOO Hichool Ma'ams. Five hundred teachera are needed In New York's public schools be cause the course of instruction at the Normal College has been lengthened to seven vyears. This was the ex planation ot the great number of vacancies In Manhattan given by Superintendent Maxwell at the meet ing of the Board of Education yes terday. Another reason for the shortage in teachers, he said, was the rule of keeping the elementary grades in the schools free from over age pupils. This rule necessitated separate classes for these larger pu pils, and there weren't enough teach ers to take charge of them. . To Fight An Chicken Diet. The women ot the Brownsville section of Brooklyn held a mass-meeting the other night and resolved to eat chickens In the future,, that they might boycott the Beef Trust. The meeting was called to order by Is rael Reichman, who Informed them that the women pickets sent out dur ing the day had succeeded in closing several more butchers' shops In Brownsville. The resolution to eat chickens Instead of beef was adopted by a vote of 320 to 4. Chief Of Terrorists Here. Almost direct from Siberia, whence tie escaped in a barrel of sauerkraut, Sregory Gerschunln, most famous ot the Russian terrorists and chief of their fighting committee, arrived In this city Wednesday. ODDS AND ENDS. The population of Rangoon Is 250, 000, of which 3,200 are European) and Americans. In the city and dis trict are 80 rice mills, 32 sawmills, 2 oil works, iron works, 2 ship building yardB antM2 ice factories. An old woman who has Just died at Wisbech, Germany, at the age ol S4, wrote her own obituary notice on the day before her death, and also made a list ot all the - friends to whom she wished memorial card to be sent. The ingenuity of collectors In the discovery of new fields having been exhausted, .there is still open to them that of collecting the finest specimens ot forged or spurious works ot art, and this Is capable ot becoming a hobby scarcely less Interesting or ad mirable than the pursuit of the genu ine article. Art Journal. ' A newly Imported wood for use In high-class cabinet and piano work is the Tasmanian myrtle, described by the Timber Trades Journal, of Lon don. It is of a rich pink color, moderately hard and very c!o:q grained, taking a ood finish and working well and smoothly, Consul John C. Covert reports from Lyon that the discussion during the 'last few years of a French wins trust has recently culminated in au organization, into which, a nurobor of large winegrowers have entered for the purpose of keeping jp -Ui price ot their product.