NNERENKLEDIN |B
SLAIN IN AMBUSH.
A Negro Assaults His Employer and is Chased
by White Citizens—Blacks Fire a Volley
Into the Pursuing Party.
Ten lives were sacrificed in a race
war at Harpersville, Miss., a few days
ago, and the feeling between the
whites and blacks is so aroused that
military aid has been invoked. The
trouble was the result of an attempt
to arrest a negro. One white deputy
was killed, three wounded, and accord-
ing to the latest report nine negroes
have been killed by the citizens of
Harpersville and neighborhood and the
sheriffs posse combined. The pursuit
of about 50 negroes, who had joined
the original offender with the avowed
determination to prevent his arrest
and capture, and ambushed the party
attempting the arrest, continues, and
the number of fatalities will undoubt-
edly assume larger proportions.
The trouble originated last Friday,
when a negro named Bill Burke had
an altercation with his. employer,
Charles Freeman, a white man, in
which the negro got the best of the
difficulty. The next night a crowd of
white men, headed by Wallace Sibley,
who was deputized to arrest the man,
went to Burke's house, which is about
a mile from Harpersville. When they
arrived upon the scene and called for
Burke, they were greeted by a fusillade
from the negroes concealed in ambush
in the bushes surrounding the house
and in the house itself. Wallace Sib-
lev. the leader, fell dead at the first
volley, and three more white members
of -the crowd, James Johnson, James
Hamilton and James Wells, were
wounded. The whites returned the
fire, but were unable to do any exe-
cution, as their assailants were all con-
cealed.
There were not more than eight men
in the white crowd, and, finding it im-
possible to resist effectively, they dis-
rersed towards Harpersville. It was
not known at that time that Sibley was
injured, but upon a return to the scene
Sunday morning, he was found dead
in the yard. The wounded deputies
were able to get back to town with the
assistance of their comrades.
* When the crowd returned to Har-
persville the news spread like wildfire.
During the night a large crowd gather-
ed from the neighborhood. They im-
mediately went to Burke's house and
got from his mother the names of all
rarties in the crowd which had am-
bushed the men the night before. In
all there were about 40 negroes, who
had gathered to prevent the arrest of
Burke, and a list was made up at their
dictation. All of them had fled. Then
the pursuit and search for each of the
proscribed darkies began. According
to the statement of reliable citizens,
six negroes were found and killed by
the crowd of armed and determined
citizens before the sheriff arrived.
The sheriff lives at Morton, 10 miles
from the scene. Gathering together a
posse of 20 or 30 men the sheriff started
at once for the place. When he arrived
in the afternoon he was joined by
crowds of citizens, until a conservative
estimate placed the number in the
posse as over 300 men.
Negroes were accused of attempting
to burn a store at Ashpole, N. C., the
other day and a guard was placed
about the building. The negroes
threatened to burn the town. Saturday
they began shooting upon the guards
and three of the men were slightly in-
jured. Bloodhounds were then sent in
pursuit of the blacks and three of them
were caught. Their lives are feared
for as the whites are assembling in
great numbers.
In defending the arrest of a comrade,
Sergt. Allen, colo j:d, shot and killed
Charles Beagles, a’white man at Chat-
tanooga, Tenn., last Sunday.
John Anderson, colored, charged
with the murder of Charles Holmes,
at Lafayette, Ala., was lynched last
Sunday.
THE PEACE COMMISSION.
Sovereignty Over the Island of Cuba Declared by
America.
The American commissioners _de-
clined to accept a cession of sovereign-
ty to the United States of Cuba, for in
that case Spain would claim that such
a cession by its own force would im-
pose the obligation for that debt.
It is confidently believed that in re-
fusing to accept a cession of sovereign-
ty the American commissioners are
acting also upon their announcement
to the world in the intervention reso-
lutions disclaiming any intention to
exercise sovereignty or authority over
Cuba, except for pacification, and
then to leave the island to the control
of its people and its people to the as-
sumption of its obligations.
This position of the commissioners
couples itself with the declaration in
the resolution that the people of Cuba
are by right and ought to be free and
independent, and good faith requires
the performance of this declaration, it
being plain that if Cuba were annexed
to the United States, while she might
be free, she would not be independent.
Insurgents Maltreating Friars.
General Otis is giving attention to
the complaints that have reached him
that the Philippine insurgents are ill-
treating and killing such of the Span-
ish friars as fall into their hands.
There is difficulty in dealing with
such cases, owing to the fact that the
United States military and naval fore-
es are not always in possession of the
places where the outrages are commit-
ted, but they are under instructions to
use their good offices with the insurg-
ents to prevent the commission of
these outrages. :
President Greets the Clerks.
The President and Mrs. McKinley
and party reached Washington on their
return from the west last Sattirday
afternoon and were driven at once to
the White House. All were in excellent
health and spirits. Soon after their ar-
rival, the president walked through
the several executive offices and shook
hands with the clerks at their desks.
Nine Lives Lost. -
W. E. Bondy, of Berkeley, Cal.,, who
has just returned from Sunrise City on
Cooks inlet, Alaska, tells a story of the
wrecking of a sloop about four weeks
ago. in which it is probable that nine
persons lost their lives. Bondy could
learn the names of only two. They
were Frank Robinson of Santa Cruz,
Cal., and Chris Johnson of Cooks inlet.
After leaving Kiniakarm the party
wis never heard of again.
Storms Along New Foundland’s Coast.
Reports of shipping disasters con-
tinue to come in at London and the
east coast is strewn with wrecks. In
nicst cases the crews have been saved,
30 persons have been
ree
Aa
been swe
is feared
eo entire coast line of the island has
by the recent storms and it
that there has been great
actation in the northern section
rg the Labrador shore. Two
were: drawned at Rose Blanche.
niacs west of £t. Johns,
IE WIR
NEWS ITEMS.
Creditors have purchased the St.
Louis, Kansas and Southwestern rail-
road.
The coal mined
this year will be
above that of 1897.
The Judson dynamite works at Oak-
land, Cal; blew last Saturday and
lwo men were killed.
An American syndicate has offered
to the Transvaal government a loan of
$12,500,000 at 5 per cent.
A Homestead, Pa., bricklayer has in-
vented an automatic car _ coupler for
which he received $150,000.
A trust which will control the entire
paving brick output in the United
States has been formed at Chicago.
In order to curtail the production,
five cotton mills at Fall River, Mass.
closed down for four weeks last Mon-
day.
Four members of Henry Goldbach’s
family at Trenton, N. J.. died last
Tuesday. They mistook toadstools for
mushrooms.
Seven Mussulmans, convicted for the
murder of British soldiers during the
recent uprisings in" Crete were hanged
Wednesday.
Frost having occurred in the state of
Louisiana, all restrictions on traffic
have heen removed. Yellow fever germs
are destroyed by frost.
Mrs. Nellie Mailand of New York,
claims that a robber took $12,000 worth
of jewels from her, threatening to
shoot if she made a noise.
The quarantine against the West In-
dies has been extended until November
15. The extension is due to the preval-
ence of yellow fever this year.
Capt. Josiah W. White, a well-known
messenger of the capitol at Washing-
ton died last Tuesday. He had only one
arm and claimed many famous legis-
lators as his friends.
A riot occurred at a saloon in Phoeb-
us, Va., last Tuesday. Five regulars
from Fort Monroe were shot, one being
killed and another mortally wounded.
No civilians were hurt.
The boilers on the towboat Rescue
exploded on the Monongahela river
near Pittsburg last Friday. Capt.
Chas. N. Seidell was killed and six of
his crew seriously injured.
Two Englishmen arrived in New
York City Sunday to purchase a gold
brick for 2,000 pounds. The police in-
terfered and Robert Marten, who was
negotiating the deal is in jail.
A letter has reached Vancouver, B.
C., from St. Michaels saying that the
balloonists sent out to search for An-
dree were there. They have given up
their balloon trip and staked 25 claims.
Capitalists are talking of a canal
between I.akes Superior and Michigan
across Schoolcraft and Alger counties,
Mich. The distance across is 40 miles
and would save vessels 600 miles of
travel.
A wreck on the Rock Island Road
near Fort Worth, Tex., a few days ago
resulted in the death of five men. A
freight train broke in two and the rear
portion crushed into the front section
on a steep grade.
Eight hundred Klondike gold seekers
are now penniless at Kotzebue, living
in tents. They have no money with
which to return home and no supplies
for the winter. Amon¥% them are sev-
eral women and children.
Governor Hastings of Pennsylvania
has designated Thursday, Oct. 27, as
the day to be set aside for thanksgiv-
ing and prayer to Almighty God for
the unparalleled valor of Americans in
defeating a foreign power.
Three children of Michael Anderson,
aged 2, 4 and 6 years respectively,
were burned to death Tuesday at Pe-
quaming, Mich. Their house caught
fire while the father was away and
the mother was out milking.
A shell preserved as a relic of the
war of 1812 accidentally got in among a
lot of scrap iron at the Phoenix Iron
Works at Ashtabula, O. It went into
the furnace and a terrific explosion
followed. No one was hurt.
The steamer Roanoke arrived at
Seattle a few days ago from St.
Michaels with about 500 passengers and
gold dust estimated at $2,000,000, and
of this the Canadian Bank of Com-
merce has $600,000; the Bank of British
North America $750,000.
The administration of local affairs
in San Juan is progressing as before.
Dr. Brechemin, who succeeds Dr,
Huidekoper, is vigorously taking hold
of matters relating to public health
and sanitation. A system of street
cleaning will soon be inaugurated.
The trial of Captain L. C. Duncan,
of Kansas, at Fairfax Courthouse, Va.,
charged with robbing the grave of
Major Duke, a confederate officer, near
Bull Run, has been postponed until
the November term of court. The belief
is general that the case will never be
tried.
The Wainwright board, convened to
determine the positions of the war-
ships in the action at Santiago July 3,
reports that Sampson was nearly ten
miles away from the scene. Admiral
Schley’s claim that he was nearest the
Colon when that ship surrendered was
held good.
The oath of allegiance to the United
States has been taken by five judges
of the superior court of Porto Rico,
who later will administer the same
oath to their subordinates. Spanish
judges who do not desire to forswear
their allegiance to Spain will be re-
turned to the peninsula.
B. F. Whitten, aged 73, filed a suit
for divorce at Anderson, Ind., against
Nellie M. Whitten, aged 16, his two-
months bride. Whitten is a well-to-do
merchant. His people attempted to
head off the match. He now charges
her with marrying him for his money.
She comes from a prominent family.
The police of Minneapolis a few days
ago found $51,000 worth of government
bonds in an old closet in South Minne-
apolis. They proved to be all but
$5,000 of the bonds stolen from the
Hardwood Manufacturing Company
some two weeks ago, and had evident-
ly been secreted by the thieves.
West Virginia
3,000,000 tons
in
over
Fighting in the Transvaal.
Serious trouble is-brewing with the
Magato tribe in the Zoutpans Berg
district, south of the Limpo river. The
natives recently massacred a Luther-
an missionary and his family at the
town of Zoutpans Berg, and the
Transvaal Government sent an expedi-
tion to punish them. The affair has
now assumed serious proportions.
Chief Opefu, with 20,000 followers fully
armed and four cannon supplied by
white traders, "has attacked the
Laager. Heavy fighting is proceeding.
Opposed to Colored Officers.
Missionary Ridge Post, G. A. R,, of
Chattanooga, at its last meeting passed
resolutions recommending to the war
department ‘that it is not expedient to
have colored commissioned officers in
the army, either as volunteers or regu-
lars.” The resolutions were sent to the
war department. An effort will be made
to push this matter in other G. A. R.
pests throughout the south.
National Naval Reserves.
Secretary Long purposes recom-
mending in his annual report to con-
gress, the establishment of a national
naval reserve, somewhat similar to
those maintained by Great Pritaio
BRYAN PREFERRED HOT TO TESTIFY
HIS WISH GRANTED.
His Lieutenant Colonel Speaks Concerning the
Poor Clothing and Wormy Pork Furnish-
ed the Third Nebraska Regiment.
Colonel William J. Bryan, of the
Third Nebraska regiment; was called
before the war investigating commis-
sicn at Jacksonville, Fla., a few days
ago. He asked to be excused from tes-
ttifying, requesting that his lieutenant
colonel be examined in his stead.
“You will, I have no doubt, under-
stand my reasons for the request,” he
said.
“I think the request very proper and
reasonable,” responded Governor
Beaver, and the entire commission ,as-
sented to the concession. Colonel Bry-
an was excused with the request to
send up his lieutenant colonel.
Lieutenant Colonel Vifquain, of the
Third Nebraska, a veteran of the civil
war, and -a graduate of the military
school of Brussels, said the regiment
was excellently equipped, except that
the tenage was poor. He also said that
quality of the clothing was bad. The
perk had been wormy at times and the
beef tainted, but these had been ex-
changed. He thought the clothing bet-
ter than in the civil war, but the ra-
tions were not so good. He thought
the camp entirely too much crowded.
Lieutenant Morrow, acting commis-
sary of the Third Nebraska, mention-
ed one or two instances when poor ba-
con had been received and said there
were occasional complaints from the
men. Dr. Alex. Kent, pastor of the Peo-
rle’s Church at Washington, and field
agent at Jacksonville for the Red
Cross, had noticed the absence of
shgets and pillow-cases at the Second
division hospital in its early history.
Many men lay uncovered on account
of the short supply of blankets. He
supplied the deficiency. There was
also at that time a shortage of tents
and food suitable to typhoid fever pa-
tients.
‘It seemed,” he said, ‘‘as if the hos-
pital was arranged upon a smaller
scale than was demanded and as a
consequence there was a constant de-
mand upon the Red Cross to supply
the deficiency.”
Dr. Kent said he had heard many
complaints concerning misconduct at
the hospitals, but they had not gener-
ally proved well founded. He thought
it had been difficult to get medical men
of sufficient administrative ability to
manage such institutions as the divis-
icn hospitals. Men of the hospital
corps were not capable. They did not,
for instance, seem to regard it as of
consequence if flies were crawling in
and out of a sick man’s mouth, and he
had seen as many as six cases of this
kind at one time.
The witness said the principal reason
for the failure of the physicians to
make requisitions on the government
for supplies was found in the fear of
their making demands that would not
be sanctioned.
The commission heard several of the
professional female nurses. Miss Cope-
land, chief nurse at the Third division
hespital, said that when the nurses
first came to the camp there was only
cne nurse to each 40 or 60 patients, but
this condition had been steadily im-
proved. There was also in the begin-
ning some scarcity of appliances for
the sick. She spoke of some nurses
who had made complaints, but these
were of the kind of persons who are
THIEVERY AND CORRUPTION
Mark the Last Days of the Spaniards in Cuba.
High Prices for Transportation.
Paz y Libertad, one of the daily pa-
rers of Cienfuegos, Cuba, published
with the sanction of the government,
prints a manifesto with over 309 signa-
tures, a good many of those of Span-
iards, openly proclaiming Cuban inde-
pendence.
Owing to the fact that Spanish offi-
cers are selling commissary stores at
any price obtainable, army supplies
are now a drug in the market in the
interior, making legitimate trade im-
pcssible. It is asserted that as the
Spanish rule in Cuba draws toward a
close “corruption, plunder and robbery
become daily more open and wholesale.
The commission of the transportation,
charged with furnishing passage
tickets to Spanish officers returning to
Spain, is charging an_ arbitrary price
of $4 each for a berth. If the victim
refuses to give up he is made to wait
for several steamers, the commission
claiming that there is no room. Gener-
ally the offieer is glad to pay the tax
in order to get away.
This abuse is openly spoken of, but
the present situation is a free-for-all,
grab-as-grab-can game, and every one.
appears eager to make money while
the Spanish sun still shines.
Revenue Receipts.
The monthly statement of the collec-
tions of internal revenues shows that
during September last the total re-
ceipts from all sources were $21,713,389,
against, as compared with September,
1897, of $8,858,883.
The receipts from some of the
sources of revenue are given as fol-
lows: Spirits, $7,662,231; gain, $222,131.
Tobacco, $4,229,028; gain, $1,202,575.
Fermented liquors, $6,448,178; grain,
$4,170,632. Oleomargarine, $142,874;
gain, $54,557.
French Murdered by Chinese.
At the French cabinet meeting last
Friday the minister of foreign affairs,
M. Delcasse, read a dispatch from the
French minister at Pzkin, M. Gerard,
announcing that a French missionary
and several Chinese Catholics had been
massacred or burned to death in a
chapel at Paklung by a riotous mob.
M. Gerard immediately demanded rep-
aration from the Chinese government,
including pecuniary compensation. M.
Delcasse instructed M. Gerard to in-
siruct the Chinese foreign office that
the French government would take ac-
tion if China does not adopt meas-
ures absolutely guaranteeing the lives
of the missionaries.
Spaniards Leave Cuba in Great Numbers.
Gen. Wade, president of the Americ-
an evacuation commission has tele-
graphed the war department from
Cuba that 6,000 Spanish soldiers had
been embarked already for Spain, and
that arrangements had been completed
of which the American commissioners
had been duly notified by the Spanish
commissioners, for the embarkation of
40,000 more troops in the near future.
On the whole this rate of progress, in
view of the limited resources of Spain,
is believed to be reasonable.
A Hero Among the Drowned.
E. Simmington, chief steward of the
Mohegan, who went down with the
vessel last week after lending all his
efforts to save the passengers was
chief steward of the Missouri when she
rescued the passengers of the steamer
Denmark in midocean. On his body,
which was washed ashore, was found
a gold watch given him by the Americ-
ans for heroic conduct on that occasion.
His picture iss in the famous painting
showing the Missouri's rescue, entitled
“And Every Soul Was Saved.”
BUSINESS REVIVING IN CUBA.
Capitalists are Investing and Confidence Among
Merchants Has Been Restored.
Brig. Gen. H. W. Lawton of the mili-
tary department of Eastern Cuba, ar-
rived in New York Thursday, accom-
panied by his aides. The general, who
has been granted a leave of absence
for 60 days on account of ill-health,
looked fairly well and said that the
voyage had done him a great deal of
good. He will make an extensive re-
pert of the condition of affairs in the
department of which he had charge
while in Cuba. Speaking of the con-
dition of affairs in Santiago and other
portions of Eastern Cuba Gen. Lawton
said:
“The general situation is good, and
Gen. Wood, who is now in charge, is
rushing the sundry work to completion
as fast as possible. The people down
there claim that in the history of San-
tiago the city was never so clean as it
is at the present time. Business is re-
viving also and confidence among busi-
ness men is almost completely restor-
ed. Capitalists are now investing
money. The people have accepted the
United States government with the ut-
most confidence.”
When asked as to the feeling in gen-
eral about annexation the general
looked quizzicaily at his questioner
and said he was not prepared to talk
about that matter just now. He added
however:
“The great trouble is that the Cub-
ans have an army. However, the great
majority of the Cuban troops are anx-
ious to disband. 1 was fortunate in
having portions of the Cuban army
under me, and was on intimate and
most friendly terms with Gen. Calixto
Garcia. This friendship brought about
a very much better state of feeling
between the American troops and
those in Garcia’s command than had
existed before,
‘No serious breach of the peace and
no robberies have been reported as
having occurred in Eastern Cuba.
Many of the Cuban soldiers are grad-
ually leaving the army and returning
to civil occupations.”
GOVERNMENT IN NO HURRY.
Cuba Must be Free From Pestilence Before Our
Troops Occupy the Island.
Reports received at the war depart-
ment from the American military com-
missioners in Havana indicate that the
season has not yet sufficiently ad-
vanced in Cuba to make it even rea-
scnably safe to send any large number
of American troops to the island just
now. According to the last advice from
General Wade, president of the Ameri-
can commission, it probably will be
December 1 before additional troops
will be required in Cuba.
This statement, in connection with
the assurances that the Spanish offi-
c¢ials are earnestly trying to complete
the evacuation of the island, has tend-
ed tgp reconcile the authorities to a
postponement of the original date of
the completion of the evacuation a
month beyond the date originally fixed
upon. It is felt, however, that there is
no actual loss of time upon this: score
since the delay not only affords oppor-
tunity to better arrange and sift the
troops in the United States now being
prepared for garrison duty, but mean-
time the Hecker board, now in Cuba
selecting camp sites, will be enabled to
have almost every detail of the camps
arranged so that comfortable quarters
will be in readiness when the troops
arrive.
BLANCO'S SHREWD PLAN.
Had Intended to Place Himself at the Head of a
Republic in Cuba.
A story of a most sensational nature
comes from Cuban sources concerning
a plot formed in Havana by leading
Spaniards, including Capt.-Gen.
Blanco and Gen. Pando, to proclaim
an independent Spanish-American re-
public in Cuba, which would eventual-
1y revert to Spain.
The scheme, it is alleged, was deeply
and cleverly laid and: all the prelim-
inary steps were taken toward carry-
ing it into execution. The destruction
of Cervera’s fleet, followed shortly by
the surrender of Gen. Toral in Santi-
ago and the peace protocol, prevented
more decisive action being taken.
It is. said that Gen. Blanco was bit-
terly opposed to the action of the Ma-
drid government in entering into the
peace negotiations. He is reported
to have called into consultation Gen.
Pando, together with his staff and
chief supporters, including the leaders
among the volunteers of Havana, and
after repeated conferences the plan,
so the Cubans aver, was agreed upon.
Thousands of Spaniards Remain.
General Wade, the president of the
American military commission in Ha-
vana, has informed the war depart-
ment that Captain General Blanco has
offered the Spanish soldiers to secure
their hqQunorable discharge from the
army and give them their back pay if
they desire: to remain in Cuba. The
Spanish commissioners and. the eva-
cuation commission estimate that
about 15,000 soldiers will avail of this
offer, but General Wade believes that
the actual figures will be much larger.
Emperor's Illness Explained.
The emperor of China is believed to
be afflicted with an incurable disease,
though it is probable that he will linger
for a considerable time. The French
physician who recently examined the
emperor has reported to the tsung li
yamen that his majesty is suffering
from albuminaria, with incipient
phthisis and great debility.
Ground Glass Causes Death.
Ground glass placed in the oatmeal
of former Senator Rudolphus Sander-
son, of Battle Creek, Mich., is said to
have caused his death. His wife is
charged with the crime. The senator
was 80 years of age and his wife is 28.
He left a large estate.
MOVEMENTS TOWARD PEACE.
Commander Snow has taken charge
of the naval station at Porto Rico.
Spanish authorities estimate that the
cost of evacuating Cuba will be $16,-
000,000.
Aguinaldo’s insurgent army consists
of 37,000 men and he has 9,000 prisoners
of war.
A franchise for an electric line from
Santiago, Cuba, to El Caney has been
granted.
The Sixteenth Pennsylvania. regi-
ment received a tremendous ovation at
Oil City, Pa., last Wednesday on the
occasion of its return home.
Spaniards are removing all the guns
at Havana in spite of the provisions of
the protocol and the protest of the
American peace commissioners.
The American commission has
informed the Spanish commissioners
that the United States troops would
begin to come to the island during
November. '
Secretary of War Alger has ordered
the mustering out of the Fourteenth
and Fifteenth Pennsylvania regiments.
The Tenth Pennsylvania recruits at
Honolulu have been ordered to proceed
to Manila on an early transport, al-
though the majority wish to come
home now.
FANGE LAYS CLAN 10 FASHOA
WAS THERE FIRST.
England Persistent in Her Demands for the
Evacuation of the Soudan City-Russia
May Take a Hand in the Matter.
France claims the possession of the
Soudan city in Africa, Fashoda, by
right of prior occupation. England
recognizes'no such right and the rela-
tions between the two countries are
threatening.
France has semi-officially declared
that she cannot yield outright in the
Fashoda affair without the sacrifice of
national honor, and there can be no
pcssible backdown on the part of Lord
Salisbury without placing England in
the position of having bluffed and then
laid down.
The Fashoda yellow book issued by
the French government takes the
ground that neither England nor
Ilgypt has any right in the Soudan
without the sultan’s consent, and that
France being first at Fashoda claims
it by right of prior occupation.
Whether this ground be tenable or
not, England cannot concede any dual
occupation of Egypt or the Upper Nile,
inasmuch as she has spent millions in
the conquest of the latter from the
mahdi.
The report from Cherbourg that the
French army is being massed at coast
fortresses serves but to add fuel to the
flames, and the feeling throughout
England is deeper and more intense
than ever.
There can be no question, deccording
to those in a position ‘to judge, that
England means business. She is not
averse to a war with France or even
with France and Russia combined. A
war with one or the other is inevitable,
and, according to the British military
party, ‘‘the sooner the better.”
England has been looking for years
with ever-increasing disfavor on the
growing good feeling between these
two powers, and has become imbued
with the idea that it bodes no good to
her. - Therfore, if she must come to
blows with them, she prefers to take
them single handed.
In diplomatic circles it is not thought
probable that Russia will actively as-
sist France, as in that event Germany
would of necessity be compelled to
take a hand in the game.
Germany could not afford to passive-
ly look on while England was being
defeated and France and Russia power
and prestige enhanced, for the next
step might be an attempt to regain
Alsace-Lorraine.
Great Britain's naval strength is
equivalent to that of France and Rus-
sia combined. The English have in
commission in European waters 28
battleships, the French 18, and the
Russians 9.
3ritain has 62 battleships, France 36.
Britain has 14 coast defense ships,
France 16. Britain has 105 cruisers,
France has 34. Britain has in the Ma-
jestic and her eight sisters incompar-
able first-class battleships. The coast
defense ships of France include a large
number of armored gunboats.
Britain’s first aim in the war with
France will be to defeat its main fleet
in battle. Her second aim will be to
maintain a sufficient force of cruisers
or privateers designed _to prey upon
commerce. Its third object will be to
capture the coaling stations and colo-
nies of France. These are more valu-
able now than they were before the use
of steam.
The insurgent troops at Manila are
becoming desperate. They have had
no pay for three months. The promise
of complete independence is the only
thing that has thus far prevented a
revolt.
Dan Connor, a mine boss at Wallace,
Idaho, was ordered to leave the coun-
try a few days ago by a mob of armed
miners. Connor had discharged several
mine workers for incompetency.
WARRING ABORIGINES.
Natives of Formosa Attempt to Rid the Land of
the Japanese.
The steamship Victoria brings news
that two more battles. have been
fought in Formosa between Japanese
troops and the natives, who seem bent
upon exterminating all the Japanese
on the island. Europeans and num-
bers of Chinese merchants are fleeing
to Amoy by every steamer.
One thousand aborigines attacked
and set fire to one of the principal
Japanese military stations. After eight
hours desperate fighting the natives
retreated. In this battle more than 200
were killed. On the following day a
large band of natives advanced to
Hankyo, burning the station at Tajo.
Japanese troops reached Hankyo at
the same time and surprised the
aborigines in their headquarters at
Anko, which was burned. In another
battle scores of natives were shot
dcwn.
The overflowing of the Yellow river
in Shantung provinces has swept vil-
lages away by hundreds. One hundred
thousand people are ruined and home-
less, crouching along the river banks
in the pitiless rain. Two thousand
were drowned.
FAVOR ANNEXATION.
Philippine Congress Opposed to a Policy Restor-
ing Spain's Power.
‘rhe Philippine congress has been in
session since Thursday, September 15,
The first thing decided was that the
Philippine. republic should not counte-
nance any policy that should be agreed
upon whereby Spain would have any-
thing further to do with the islands,
and would resist by force of arms any
such measure.
A vote was taken on the policy of
annexation to the American republic,
and annexation was decided upon by
a large majority, some seven out of
eight voting in favor of annexation.
Aguinaldo now expresses himself as
personally in favor of annexation, ad-
ding that he does not think that the
natives generally will support such a
policy.
Law to Discourage Lynching.
The circuit court has handed down a
decision in the case of Ben Church
against Champlain county, O., for
$5,000 damages. The suit grows out of
the lynching of Click Mitchell two
years ago, and it gives the nearest kin
$5,000. The. common pleas court held
the law unconstitutional, and the cir-
cuit court reversed the former's decis-
fon. The case will now go to the su-
preme court.
Wheeler Has an Enemy.
During a speech at Jackson, Miss., a
few days ago United States Senator
Sullivan, of Mississippi, said the people
everywhere were lauding Gen. Joe
Wheeler to the skies. He did not think
he deserved it. It was a strange thing
to him, indeed, to notice that one so
distinguished as Gen. Wheeler should
be the only southern congressman who
voted in favor of the bill authorizing
the issuance of bonds. He said Wheeler
was not appointed major general until
after the issuance of those bonds, and
now he was an apologist for the ad-
ministration.
PORTO RICO FREE.
Admiral Schley Takes an Important Part in the
Ceremonies—Work of the Evacuation
Commission Now Over.
Promptly at noon Tuesday the Ame=
rican flag was raised over San Juan,
Porto Rico. The ceremony was quiet
and dignified, unmarred by disorder of
any kind.
The Eleventh regular infantry with
two. batteries of the Fifth artillery,
landed in the morning. The latter
proceeded to the forts, while the infan-
try lined upon the docks. It was a
holiday for San Juan and there were
many people in the streets.
Rear Admiral Schley and Gen. Gor-
don, accompanied by their staffs,
proceeded to the palace in carriages.
The Eleventh infantry regiment band,
with Troop H of the Sixth United
States cavalry, then marched through
the streets and formed in the square
opposite the palace.
At last the city clock struck the hour
of 12, ‘and the crowds, almost breath-
less and with eyes fixed upon the flag
pole,watched for developements. At
the sound of the first gun from Fort
Morro Maj. Dean and Lieut. Castle of
Gen. Brooke's staff hoisted the Stars
and Stripes, while the band played
“The Star-Spangled Banner.” 11
heads were bared and the crowds
cheered. Fort Morro, Fort San Cris-
tobal and the United States revenue
cutter Manning, lying in the harbor,
fired 21 guns each.
The work of the United States eva-
cuation commission is now over, and
all the reports will be forwarded to
Washington on Thursday next. The
labors of both parties have terminated
with honors for all concerned. The
American commissioners worked with-
out the least delay and in the most
thorough and effective manner.
The secretary or war received the
following: ‘San Juan, October 18.—
Flags have been raised on public build-
ings in this city and saluted with na-
tional salutes. The occupation of the
island is now complete. Brooke, chair-
man.”
In view of the fact that with the ac-
quisition of the island of Porto Rico by
the United States, about 800,000 inhab-
itants of that island lost their Spanish
citizenship, the question as to what
shall become of these people politically
becomes of importance. Madrid ad-
vices report that leading citizens in
Porto Rico have already taken steps
to become naturalized as United States
citizens. This is an error, for existing
law provides no way in which this
change of citizenship can be effected
by the residents of the island. There
is no United States court there ‘before
which a declaration ¢f intention can be
filed.
Inquiry into this subject at the state
department discloses the fact that it
kas been usual to provide for a bodily
transfer of the citizenship of people
conditioned as those in Porto Rico in
the treaty of peace which terminates
a war, but it may be prudent for the
commission at Paris to avoid any re-
ference to Porto Rico again, in which
case congress will be called upon by
the president to confer citizenship
upon the Porto Ricans in the same act
as that which must be passed to pro-
vide a stable form of government for
the island.
SPANISH OFFICIALS RETAINED.
Gen. Brooke's Policy Causes No Discontent in
Porto Rico.
at Porto Rico has
made no mention to the war depart-
ment of any discontent expressed by
Porto Ricans over the retention in of-
fice by him of certain officials of the
defunct Spanish administration. The
department is satisfied that the general
is managing affairs in Porto Rico with
wisdom and prudence and it would re-
quire very strong representations to
induce it to interfere with the execu-
tion of his plans. It is presumed that
he is proceeding according to the ad-
mirable methods followed by General
Lawton and General Wood in adminis-
tering affairs. -at Santiago, namely,
avoiding any great disturbance of the
routine of public business by retain-
ing temporarily in the service such of
the incumbent officials as appeared to
be disposed to carry out the new order
of things in a loyal spirit and only sub-
stituting insurgent leaders gradually,
at moments when the changes are not
injurious.
Gen. Brooke now
Spaniards Will Not Withdraw.
The Spanish military commission at
Havana has sent a reply to the Amer-
ican note concerning the evacuation of
the island. The Spaniards continue to
insist that the troops can’t be sent
from thé island as readily as the
Americans desire.
The Spanish note declares that eva-
cuation, according to the terms of the
protocol, means only the withdrawal
of the military from the island, and
not the surrender of Spain's sovereign-
ty in Cuba. This latter question is a
matter to be settled by the peace com-
missioners in Paris. Until it is settled
the Spanish government is sovereign
here. The note concludes with a dec-
laration that it is a physical impossi-
bility for the Spanish troops to leave
for several months.
Admiral Dewey Coming Home.
The San Francisco Evening Post
says that Admiral Dewey will arrive
in that city on December 6. He will
come here on the steamer City of Pe-
kin, which is due to arrive here on
that date from the Orient. Admiral
Dewey is interested in several mining
enterprises on this coast, and it is
these interests that prompt his coming
at this time. He has telegraphed
friends in this city that he has al-
ready applied for leave of absence.
Senator Proctor has been re-elected
by the Vermont legislature.
Strangled Her Three Children.
A dreadful tragedy was enacted in
Toronto, Canada, a few days ago,
when Eliza Burrill, wife of a well-to-
do mechanic, became demented and
strangled her three children, Ethel,
aged 8; Stanley, aged 3, and Harold,
aged 11 years. The husband of the
woman found all of them on their
mother’s bed dead when he came home
from work. The woman says she did
not want them to grow up wicked.
CABLE FLASHES.
Li Hung Chang and the dowager
empress of China are reported mar-
ried.
The Emperor of China is not dead as
has been reported but seriously ill. The
nature of the ailment has not been de-
cided.
The Sultan has presented to Emper-
or William a magnificent sword, and to
the empress a diamond necklace of al-
most priceless value.
Furope is following Emperor Wil-
liam’s tour in the East with suspicion.
Russian papers have warned the Sul-
tan, that if he presents the emperor
with any territory it will mean the
partition of the Turkish empire.
Lord Rosebery, the Liberal leader
and former prime minister of England,
in a speech at Perth, Scotland, said
.that England and the United States,
in spite of two wars, had always been
friends, and that their destinies lie to
gether. :