mm.
c
(Semi-Weekly Founded!
Wayne County Organ
of the
REPUBLICAN PARTY
1908
(Weekly Founded, 1844 St
65th YEAB.
HONBSDALB, WAYNE CO., PA., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1908.
NO. 43
VENEZUELAN
WAR
Government Prepares to
Repel Dutch Invasion.
FORTS AND WARSHIPS MANNED
'Acting President Gomez Hampered
by Discontent Among Troops
and Threatened Bevolution.
Rioting at Caracas.
r' Caracas, Venezuela. Dee. l.V-A de
cree Issued by Acting President Go
mez recognizes u state of war existing
between Holland and Venezuela,
Tho government Is making desperate
pfTortR to strengthen the fortifications,
man the wnrslilps and lay mines In
tlio harbors, but Gomez Is haniperotl
by discontent among the troops anil
by muttcrlngs of revolution.
The capture of the gunrdship Allx
mid the presence of the Dutch baltlc
Bhlp and cruisers has stirred up mal
contents against the Castro adminis
tration, and rioting has occurred In
various sections of Carae-is.
The feelings of this crowd were
plainly hostile to Castro and to the
steps taKcn by (Itiincz. A pitched hat
tie ensued between the partisans of
the government and the opposition.
Many shot" were exchanged, and the
tightlug lasted fen- live minutes. Sev
eral men were wounded, and one lias
since died. The police with rltles dis
persed the crowd.
In his decree Acting President Go
mez told of the capture of the guard
ulilp and said:
I consider these acts a true Invasion of
Venezuelan territory and an assresslon
against the Venezuelan Rovcrnment.They
constitute a Brave offense. Tho national
sovereignty Is thieatened, and the terri
torial Integrity, honor and dignity ot the
fatherland Is in danger,
il decree the nation In a stato of defense,
and consequently the executive assumes
and will exercise the extraordinary facul
ties conferred upon him by section 8 of
urtlcle 0 of the Venezuelan constitution.
The Yellow House, the executive"
mansion, wan crowded today with citi
zens. Speeches were made demand
ing that political prisoners be set at
liberty and that government monopo
lies be abolished.
The threatened danger from without
had a double effect on the people.
They demanded measures of protec
tion, but insisted upon the termination
of one of the most unpopular courses
of the Castro administration, the
maintenance of government monopo
lies.
The captain of the Allx, who came
ashore at Puerto Cabello. has sent up
to Caracas the communication hand
ed him by the Dutch officer who came
,on board from the Gelderland. This
note Is as follows:
On Hoard the Cruiser Gelderland, Dec.
12. Her majesty the queen of Holland
has given orders for her warships tem
porarily to sequestrate and embargo all
Venezuelan government vowels.
This Is a retaliatory measure. We de
mand that you lower your flag and sur
render your ship and your persons to the
commander of tlio Gelderlnnd. All re
sistance will be useless.
If you resist the result wilt bp the loss
of your vessel and death to many of you.
The Dutch warships cruised today
between La Guayra and Puerto Ca
bello looking for Venezuelan vessels.
CASTIIO WRITES TO KAISER.
Expresses His Profound Homage to
the German Emperor.
Berlin, Dec. 15. President Castro
has sent n mes'sage to Emperor Wil
liam stating that he has come to Ger
many for medical treatment and ex
pressing profound homage to Ids maj
esty. When he learned the news of the
capture of a Venezuelan vessel by the
Dutch cruiser Gelderland he was not
greatly affected, merely remarking
that there was no such vessel ns the
Allx in the Venezuelan service.
Cnstro, although having the np
pearanco of a sick man, was full of
energy today. lie was In capital spir
its and chatted gayly with his suit,
repeatedly declaring that he was ex
ceedingly well Impressed with Ger
many. Later he chatted with the
charge d'affaires and the Venezuelan
consul,
A photographer who came to take
n flashlight picture attempted to In
terview the Venezuelan president, but
Castro had very little to say beyond,
"t am greatly pleased to he In Ger
many," He visited Dr. Israel this afternoon,
when the question of nn operation
was discussed,
Oil CASE RESUMED TODAY.
Prosecutor Kellogg Had Hearing Ad
journed to See Taft.
now York, Dec, 15, Tho Standard
Oil hearing, which was adjourned yes
.tordny, was resumed today.
The engagement of Prosecutor Franli
fl. Kellogg with President Elect Tafl
caused the stay In the case.
COMMISSION NOT DISMAYED.
Harrlman Decision No Surprise, 8ayt
Chairman Knapp.
Washington. Dec. IB. No surprise
was expressed today by the Interstate
commerce commission at the decision
of the United States supreme court In
the case of E. II. Ilarriman and Otto
Kahn.
It Is not felt by the commission that
the decision will affect seriously Its
powers of railroad regulation, Inas
much ns the questions propounded to
-Mr. Harrlman and to Mr. Kahn did
not affect materially the determination
of the so called "Harrlman cases."
Chairman Knapp ot the commission
said that the decision could not de
tract In any material way from the
Iiowers of the commission In the mak
ing of future Investigations regarding
railway transactions. This opinion
was concurred In by other members of
the commission.
The opinion Justllled the refusal of
Messrs. Harrlman and Kalm to nmke
reply to questions put by the commis
sion In the course of an Inquiry con
cerning the dealings of Mr. Harrlinan
ns president of the Union Puclllc in
the stocks of other railroad companies,
many of which are.competlng lines.
In a dissenting opinion, concurred In
by .lust Ices Harlan and McKenna. Jus
tice Day declared that the effect of
the opinion of the majority of the
conn would be to materially narrow
the scope of the Interstate commerce
law.
These three justices took the posi
tion thai the questions of the commis-1
slen were entirely proper and should
have been answered by Harrlman and
j.,(lin 1
. . '
MUHPHY FOP. THE CABINET, i
Former Governor of New Jersey Of
fered Place by Judge Taft.
Newark, N...I.. Dee. 1."i. Former Gov
ernor Franklin Murphy of New Jersey
Is to have n place in President Taft's
cabinet, but he will not say what po
sition has been offered him.
To the question "Which particular
cabinet position have you accepted?"
FRANKLIN MUHPHY.
Mr. Murphy replied, "I have nothing
to say."
The former governor has occupied a
prominent position In Republican poll
tics In New Jersey for nearly twenty
years. He became chairman of the
Republican state committee In 18!)2
and this otlice he has retained.
In UlfrJ he was elected governor oi
New Jersey, serving in that capacity
until Ilia,. lie is a member of the ex
ecutive committee of the Republican
national committee.
BOSTON WET OR DRY?
City
Votes Today on Question
ot
Abolishing Saloons.
Boston, Dee. 15. The principal
question In the municipal election,
which Is being held here today, Is the
following: "Shall licenses lie granted
for the sale of Intoxicating liquors. In
this cltyV A few days ago the prin
cipal cities of Massachusetts outside
of Boston voted on this question, tin
ii-rMlin Ilk-til 1IIIIMH I'tl'lll.Y IllYlUCU, IIIIU
the
entire state and prohibitionists
throughout the country are eagerly
awaiting the returns of today's elec
tion. In addition to the Important license
question, Boston Is also voting foi
members of the board of aldermen,
members of the common council, mem
bers of tho school committee and a
street commissioner.
BURNS UP $1,100,000.
nwinn R....in Miiiinnair. r.hm.t. uu
Relatives of Fortune.
St. Petersburg, Dec. 15. Alexis Pe
trol!, a dying Moscow millionaire, had
his whole fortune, amounting to $1,
100,000, withdrawn from tho banks
and the bank notes brought to his sick
room. The bank notes were then piled be
fore him and set on fire.
Petroff summoned his relatives and
showed them the ashes, congratulat
ing them on having escaped from tho
IliSTICEJO NEGRO
Congress to Pass Law on
Troops' Reinstatement.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE LIKED.
Tardy Compensation For Colored
Soldiers Who Were Innocent
of Participation In the
Brownsville Riot.
Washington. Dec. 15. A canvass of
representatives and senators show that
congress Is likely to pass the bill rec
ommended by President Itoosevelt to
permit of the reinstatement of such
colored soldiers of tho Twenty-tlfth
infantry who were Innocent of partici
pation In the Itrownsville riot of Aug.
14. 1 !))!.
The president's message on the sub
ject Is generally approved by mem
bers of congress, and the feeling Is
that It Is no more than right at this
Inle day to do justice to those colored
soldiers "who will truthfully tell what
happened and help to tlx the responsi
bility upon those who were really
guilty."
Willi his message the president sent
a report from Herbert J. Browne and
1 " " " " '. "
gated the riot. He says:
This report enables us to llx with toler
able dellnltcnosH at least some of the
criminals who took the lead In the mm--
......!.. it., i.i ... I., ...I..-. i..i.n.,ti
iieious snooting or private citizens at
Hiownsvllle. It establishes clearly the
fuct that the colored soldiers did tho
shootlniT.
It appears that iflmost all the members
of Company B must have been actively
concerned In tho shooting, either to tho
extent of being participants or to the ex
tent of virtually encouraging those who
were participants. As to Companies C
and D, there can be no question that
practically every man in them must have
had knowledge that the shooting was
done by some of the saldiers of B troop
and possibly by one or two others In one
of the other troops.
This concealment was itself a grave of
fense, ' which -was greatly aggravated by
their testifying before the senate; com
mittee that they wore Ignorant of what
they must have known. Nevertheless It
Is to be said in partial extenuation that
they were probably cowed by threats
made by the more desperate of the men
who had actually been engaged In the
I shooting as to what would happen to any
man who failed to protect the wrong-
, doers.
, I believe we can afford to reinstate any
of these men who now truthfully tell
what has happened, give all the aid they
j can to ilx the responsibility upon those
wiiu arc retiiiy Kum aim bhuw mai mey
themselves had no guilty knowledge be
forehand and were In no way Implicated
In the affair save by having knowledge of
It afterward and falling and refusing to
divulge It.
I recommend that a law bo passed al
lowing the secretary of war within a
Hxcd period of time say a year to rein
state any of these soldiers whom he after
careful examination finds to have been In
nocent and whom he finds to have done
all in his power to help bring to justice
the guilty.
Meanwhile the Investigation will bo con
tinued. The results have made It ob
vious that only by carrying on tho Inves
tigation as the war department has ac
tually carried it on is there the slightest
chance of bringing the offenders to jus
tice or of separating not the Innocent
for there were doubtless hardly any Inno
centbut the less guilty, from those
whose guilt was heinous.
! Senator Foraker, who has consti
tuted himself a champion of tlio col
ored troops, regards the message as a
tardy and partial act of justice.
Herbert J. Browne's report reveals
' the fact thai Boyd Conyers, a former
' member of Company B, confessed to
a detective that he and three or four
others led the raid.
The reasons Conyers gave for the
murderous oulluv.ik was the reported
threats of the Brownsville crackers"
against the negro troops.
Mr. Browne says he lias every rea
son to believe the confession genuine
and that It gives for the llrst time the
true secret history of the Brownsville
raid.
TAFT NOT TO GO TO PANAMA.
Belief That Secretary of War Wright
Will Go Instead.
New York, Dec. 15. The plan of Pres
ident Elect William II. Taft for a per
sonal inspection of the Panama canal
In January has been changed sudden
ly. A man who enjoys the confidence of
Mr. Taft stated that despite reports to
the contrary Mr. Taft had declared
that his decision to visit Panama was
only tentative and that circumstances
had developed which had practically
determined htm to abandon the tour.
. It was explained that Mr. Taft's
time would be so occupied with nf.
fairs of Importance preliminary to his
taking the presidential chair thnt It
was not expedient for him to make
the trip.
It Is believed that In his stead CSen
eral Wright, secretary of war, will go,
In order to remove cruel -war from
his native shores Castro carried Ven
ezuela's navy tb Europo In his money
chestP.
SEMICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY.
A Galo Night for Peter Williamson
Lodge, P. and A. M. of Scronton.
The fiftieth anniversary of Peter Wil
liamson lodge, No. 323 of Free and Ac
cepted Masons, was celebrated in Scran
ton on Thursday night last with tho in
stallation of the new officers, followed
by a banquet and speech making. Three
hundred members of the organization
were present. In 1853 the lodge was
organized by the election of Dr. Na
thaniel F. Marsh, for many years a resi
dent here, as the first master. He was
born in Kngland and learned the busi
ness of a druggist in London. He came
to this country and located at Hones
dale, where he studied medicine and
practiced for some time. In 1857, with
Charles P. Matthews, he went to Scran
ton, and when Mr. Matthews started his
drug store in the old Fuller building on
Lackawanna avenue, Dr. Marsh opened
an otlice in the same building. The last
years of his life were spent in Port Jer
vis, where lie died from a disease con
tracted in the war.
Another very interesting feature in con
nection with the banquet was the pre
sentation to the lodge of a photograph
of the lodge's llrst master, Dr. Marsh.
The presentation speech was made by
Thomas K. Wells and accepted on be
half of the lodge by William S. Dielil, a
past master.
Peter Williamson, in whose honor the
lodge was named, was in the early days
of ins life a drug merchant in Philadel
phia, where lie accumulated a large
fortune. He became grand master of
the grand lodge of the State, and later
grand treasurer. lie retired from ac
tive life and devoted most of his leisure
time to the cause of Free .Masonry.
When lire on July 30, 1803, destroyed
Masonic hall at the corner of Lacka
wanna and Wyoming avenues, Scran
ton, and wiped out most of the regalia,
jewels, etc., Mr. Williamson went to tl e
rescue by replacing much of the valu
able property, lost.
Former Judge E. N. Willard was the
first member to join Peter Williamson
lodge, and thrice served as worshipful
roaster. ' '
"AmoXg 'past and present officers and
.members of the lodge we notice the
names of Kingsbury, Matthews, Hen
wood, Bushnell,Brandamorc and others,
strongly suggestive of Houesdale origin.
NEW THEATER BEGUN.
Cornerstone of Institution to Be
Laid
Today In New York.
New York, Dec. 15. The cornerstone
of the New theater, which will be, it
the plans of Its founders are realized,
a homo for the dramatic art of Amer
ica, will be laid- this afternoon In the
presence of nn assemblage of authors,
dramatists, city otHclals and other dis
tinguished persons.
The ceremony of laying the corner
stone will take place In the vestibule
of I he now building. In addition to an
address by Mayor McClellan there will
be speeches by Augustus Thomas, the
playwright, and President John II. Fln
ley of the City college. Richard Wal
son (Slider will read an ode composed
for the occasion. Miss Geraldlne Far
rar will sing, and a dedicatory choral
by Percy MacKaye will be sung by a
full chorus.
MOHAN-NEIL SCRAP.
i i
i Little Fighters Meet In Ring In Bos-,
ton Tonight.
I Boston, Dec. 15. --Followers of Ihf l
fighting game who ns-einblcd heie to I
I day expecr to see a l'asl bout when
Owen Moran of England ami 1'raukli
1 Nell of California, featherweights. ot
j together in the ring tonight in i Jit
1 Armory Athletic club. The boys an ,
j matched to box twelve rounds.
I Moran claims the featherweight lltl
of England, and Neil was formerly
j bantamweight champion of America
The two have met before, the honor
going to Moran. The little Englishman
also has the credit of having fought
two draws with Abe Attell. The bet
ting on tonight's light favors Moran.
Haiti once belonged to France, hut
the natives revolted and slaughtered
ull the Frenchmen found on tho Island.
Napoleon made believe to befriend the
blacks, but the regime ho Instituted
ended in tyranny. Yet In spite of the
national hatred of the French flag tho
rulers of the little republic take cover
under It to protect them from the fury
of their own people.
Back country farmers will be glad to
have tho uplift commission make
dates this winter providing the ad
vance agent brings along a steam
fnowplow as pilot for tho steam roller.
Calling that egg corner a shell game
may be a poor pun, but the last laugh
will be the punster's when the egg
trust lawyer tries to mnko a Jail of
fense out of It for libel.
BURNED TO DEATH.
Ex-Treasurer E. E. Fowler Perishes
In a Fire A Sad Dispensation.
K. K. FOWI.KIt.
One of the steamers of Protection En
gine Co. No. 3, was run out on Monday
morning last at nbotit a quarter pa -t
eleven o'clock in response to an alarm
locating a lire in the l owler barn in the
rear of the family residence on North
Main street. The building was u small
one, and as there was no hay in the loft,
and nothing of much value stored on the
llrst door, but little anxiety was mani
fested by the crowd which assembled as
to the loss which might ensue.
Soon, however, it was rumored that
Ex-County Treasuier Kdward K. Fowler,
might be in the burning building, and
shortly afterward, when the boarding
of the south side of the structure fell
away, the on-lookcrs were horrified by
the spectacle of a charred hotly lying
face downward on the lloor of the sec
ond story, the whitened skull with its
sightless eyes, beyond which could be
traced the outlines of a partially inciner
ated form, in full view.
The efforts of the firemen were then
directed toward saving the body from
complete destruction, and when the
ilames were sufficiently subdued, a hu
mane onlooker succeeded in covering
the ghastly remains with a sheet. Later
they were removed to the yard adjoining,
tvhere tliey were viewed by.. Coroner Dr.
H. B. Searles, who made a thorough but
informal investigation, and pronouncing
the death manifestly due to accidental
suffocation, decided an inquest to be un
necessary. Tins official pronouncement will be
generally accepted as the true theory of
the cause of Mr. Fowler's untimely death.
As is natural in cases of this kind, there
have been many stories circulated, with
such basis of fact and surmise as would
lead the average person to a conclusion
differing from the decision of the Coro
ner. But a full knowledge of Mr. Fow
ler's movements on the fatal morning,
fully justifies the belief that his deatli
was purely accidental. From his home
on North Main street lie came down
town, meeting Hon. E. B. Hardenbergli,
A. A. Grambs and others on the way,
and conversing with them in his usual
pleasant manner. He stopped at a drug
store, called on a professional Court st
friend.visitedthecounty officers, dropped
in at the Allen House, paid Heumann's
a llvimr visit, and returned tn his linnu.
about 11 o'clock, apparently in the best
of spirits. To Mr. Keen, employed in
punning a uuuuing near ins Home nn
said that he was in lirst-class health, and
generally "all rigid." Though usually 1
companionable and sociable, sometimes
to a fault, be had been a total ab.-tainer
for weeks, and careful inquiry fail.' to
show that he had Iraiisgre-r-ed to the
slightest extent on Monday.
About 11 o'clock a drayman in the em- 1
ploy of tlie Fowler Milling linn, took a
load of coal to the home of W. A. (iav
lord, father-in-law of K. K. Fowler's!
brother, lie went to the little barn back '
of the Fowler homestead, for a schute. i
Kdward was standing in the yard but!
did not accompany him to the barn. Be-1
lori! the coal was unloaded the alarm ot
lire was L'iven. and. owlii" to its rrmid
' n '
progress, when the cartuiau, Mr. Keen
and others tried toenter the barn through
the half open door, they were driven
bnck by the fierce flames which had al
ready enveloped the loft, and were burst
ing from every crack and joint.
In this flood of tire Mr. Fowler per
ished. How it started and precisely how
he became its victim must forever re
main a mystery. In the very prime of
life, thirty-seven years of age, and hav
ing just served his county ns treasurer
with a flawless record, it is to be pre
sumed that tho future held out to him
ninny inducements for future effort. Tho
very fact that ho was a successful can
didate for one of tho most important of
fices in the gift of our people, at an nlmost
unprcccdentedly youthful ago, affords
convincing evidence of his popularity.
Thus honored and thus kindly regarded
by his fellow townsmen, his untimely
deatli must be accepted as a peculiarly
sad dispensation, and will bo felt by
many as a personal bereavement.
"KID REGAN."
Reported Capture of a Former
Honesdale Boy Long Hunted
as a Murderer.
The New York World of Saturday last
contains an account of the capture in
California of Peter, alias "Kid" Regan,
sott of Peter Regan, who several years
ago carried on the shoe making and
cobbling business on Main street, below
Sixth, but later, with his family, went to
New York city to live. The father him
self was a peaceable, industrious and
much respected man while living here,
and, in fact, all of the family were well
thought of with the exception of "Kid,"
who got into many boyish scrapes, some
or them of a serious nature. The story
of his alleged crime in New York, and
his reported capture is tints told bv Tin
World :
After a search extending over three
years, Peter Hegan, alias "Kid" Regati,
who is wanted (or murdering Nov Joyce,
during a gang light in Tobev's'cafe, at
Broadway and Thirtieth street, in Atiril.
HK)5, is believed to have been arrested
ak08 A"teIcs' California,
tXZ iffll ttK
missioner Woods, in charge of the Dc-
tective Bureau, had received information
that "Kid" Regan was in custody, then
was a great stir among the old 'timers,
for a certain faction in the Police De
partment had done everything possible
to block the efforts made to capture
him.
The accused man is a brother of Lieut.
, Martin Regan. Soon after the minder
I of Jovce, the "system" became active,
I and for , weeks Regan remained in tint
city, frequenting his old haunts and vis
I iting his friends, while supposedly everv
niuecoat and plainclothes man on the
force wa.- trying night and dav to cap
ture him.
Regan had connections with the police
which led to (lie inner circles of the
"system," and lie was kept posted on
all that was going on. The little gang
tighter, who had been a member of Paul
Kelly's notorious band of thugs, was
seen often on Broadway and the Bowery,
but he was not arrested. Police Com
missioner McAdoo bad men assigned to
hunt down the murderer, and they made
false reports to him, it was said.
Among the men to fall under suspicion
of having protected "Kid" Regan was
Lieut. Frank Peabody, who is now out
of the Police Department. Peabody has
been a most persistent hunter for the
fugitive murderer ever since his retire
ment. "By capturing Regan I will vindicate
myself and will find him if he is alive,"
said Peabody.
It was through information obtained
by Peabody that the present suspect, was
captured in California, it is said. Last
April Peabody thought he was on the
trail of "Kid" Regan, and he caused
the arrest in Port Jervis, N. Y., of a man
he believed to be the murderer. This sus
pect turned out to be Thomas Regan, a
brother of the missing gang fighter.
Thomas Regan told the authori
ties at Police Headquarters that while
working on a railroad he met his brother
nearPocatello, Idaho. Onenight.ThomaH
Regan said, his brother fell between two
freight cars and was ground to deatli.
He was buried in the Potter's Field, at
Pocatello, his brother said.
This story was gladly accepted bv cer
tain persons at Police Headquarters, and
the search for "Kid" Regan was prac
tically abandoned. Peabody refused to
believe the story was true and renewed
his efforts to find the fugitive on the
theory that Regan might become bolder
in view of the report that he was dead.
.- j ,
j garding the arrest of the man believed
to be Regan is meagre. Deputy Police
Commissioner Woods said be was not
, jV.ndt''' UlC' c"I,U,a' luul
j '"Weareprettv sure we liave the right
man, nut until l am positive 1 do not.
! care to say more about the cum than that
a man answering ine (locnpiion ol
"Kid Regan, and who ue have other
reasons lor believing to be the fugitive
murderer, is under arrest s etvhern in
the Wel," he said. "Whether we will
send Mime one to identify the man, or
whether he can be identified be those
who have him in custody, 1 do not know.
If the sn.-pect is identified we will have
him extradited and brought here to stand
trial."
A Coroner's jury lias held Regan re
sponsible for Die murder of Rov Joyce,
which was the outcome of one of the
most sensational gang lights ever known
in tlie Tenderloin. Regan and several
members of the Paul Kellv gang were
sitting in the rathskellar of'Tohev's cafe
when a woman who was with Regan,
, left him lo go to a table where another
1 ...... ..:.:.... i ii i. . r..n , ,
man nun ruling. j "gill lOllOWCU IIUU
Joyce attempted to interfere. Regan had
no grudge against Jovce, hut he stabbed
him to death. Three other men were
seriously wounded.
Death of Joseph A. Dear.
Joseph A. Dear, publisher of the Jer
sey City Evening Journal, died at his
home in thatcityon Thursday, Dec. 10th,
1008, of a complication of diseases, aged
(18 years. Ho was born in England, and
did newspaper work there before com
ing to this country in 1804 and connect
ing himself with New York city journals.
In 1807 he settled in Jersey City and
soon won a position among tho leading
citizens in his new field of labor. He is
survived by a widow, ono daughter,
Mrs. Howard T. Gumey, wife of tho
president and general manager of the
Honesdale National Elevator and Ma
chine Works, and four sons, one of
whom, Joseph A. Dear, Jr., is the man
aging editor of tlio Evening Journal.
Mr. Dear was a stockholder in the
Honesdale Elevator Works.