THE UOiR OF ITALY DEFENDED. FOUGHT A DUEL. Representative of two European Rations En gaga In a Hand to Hand Encounter. The Count nf Turin, of lU1y, and Prince Hpnrl of Orleans, ft pretender t the throne of France, fought ft duel with sword at G n'rlnrk Sunday morn ing, In the Hoi lie Marechaux Vacres snn, Pari. M. Lcontlcff acted ft um pire. The fighting was mrait deter mined and lasted twenty-nlx minute. There were five engagements, of which two were nt clone quarters, l'rlnre Henri received two serious wound In the right shoulder mid the right side of the abdomen. The Count nf Turin was wounded In the right bnnd. l'rlnre Henri was taken to the residence of the Due de Charttes, nd received medical attendance. It appear thBt Prince Henri's sword was tent by ft button of the fount' trousers. Hut for thl chance It cem there I little doubt thnt the fount would hnve been run through, or flt least dangerously wounded. In fart, the doctor and the second thought thl had happened. When Prince Hen ri received the wound In hi abdomen he clapped hi hand to the spot and sank bark to hi seat, supported by I. eontletY. He then rolled upon the ground, exclaiming that he could do no more. The doctor fear that the wound may be complicated by peri tonitis, ami there Is need of extreme car for a few day. The Count nf Turin, considering the letter of Prince Henri of Orleans to the Paris "Figaro" offensive to the Italian army, wrote to him nn July ti, demnnding a retraction. This letter could not be answered until Aumist II, the day of the arrival of Prince llenii In France. The Prince replied to the fount's' demand by telegram, maintaining the right of a traveler to record his experience. The news of the result of the duel has been received at Home with the greatest enthusiasm. Crowd till the streets, cheering; for the fount of Turin and the army and calling upon the bands In the public square to play the royal hymn. Many of the houses are decorated with Hag In honor of the result, and all the newspaper have lsued special edition giving the de tail of the encnuntedr. F.xtra guard have been mounted at the French embassy and consulate. Congratulatory telegram are shower ed upon the member of the royal family from all part of Italy, and ninny have been received from abroad. The general belief I that King Humbert must have acqulsced In the fount' action. It I unlikely that any diplomatic complication will ensue. Kmperor William has telegraphed the fount his warmest congratulations. At the principal cafes champage flows freely In toasts to the fount of Turin, whose popularity I now boundless. PENSIONERS OUTNUMBER SOLDIERS. Nlnty-Six Per Cent of the Internal Revenue Receipt! Necessary to Fay the Vetorani. The Sun of New York In an editorial the other day bunches some 'pension fact In ft way that may make a sen sation, as the inference drawn is that a great proportion of the pensioners are unworthy of government bounty, and that the list should be cut down. From figures recently published the Bun shows that at the present rate of ex penditure the annual pension list had been consuming more than nine-tenths of all the revenue taken In nt all of the custom-houses of the United States; or agnln, If the customs duties are con sidered as paying the general expenses of the government, the pensions have been using up not less than 96 per cent, of the total receipts from Internal re venue. Thirty-two years after the end of the civil war the number of pensions on account of that war exceeds by shout a quarter of ft million the num ber of soldier actually engaged in ser vice in all the armies of the government at any time between the tiring upon Bumpter and the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. The army of pensioners after ft third of a century is between SO and 40 per cent, larger than the right ing army at any one time during tho war. We have already paid In pen sions since the war $200,000,000, or two third a much ft It cost the govern ment to carry on the war. The Miner's Strike. The coal operators at Plum Creek, near Pittsburg, have begun to evict the striking miners. The first eviction was made Saturday. The miners are vtry Indignant and trouble may en Rue. Thousands of people attended a meeting held in the Interest of the striking miner Sunday at Plum Creek. Indication are that the strike may continue for several week. It I stated at Wheeling aa a. fact that men who have gone on strike In Ohio are now pouring into the south ern West Virginia, fields and taking the place of men on strike. Thl is a feature of the strike that 1 most discouraging to the leaders. Emma Hass, of Plum Creek, near rittsburg, wa crowned ft the Joan of Arc of the Pennsylvania miners by Mr. Mary Jones, of Chicago. The coronation took place Bt Camp Isola tion, and the services were quite im pressive. Miss Hass came Into prom inence about a week ago, when she succeeded In getting her father to quit working for the New York and Cleve land Gas Coal Company. Kile a Minute on a Wheel. A novel and daring feat was - per formed at Genesee, N. Y., by Tommy M artel, a Buffalo athlete. The lad, on a wager of a hat, rode down the Kiver hill, a small mauntoin, but the high est In Livingston county, on a bicycle eeared at M. He bet that he could ride a mile down the mountain side, the distance being ft mile, in a. minute, and he made it In fifty seconds. Mar tel lost the pedals after going an eighth and then he veritably shot down the steep Incline. He clung to the handle bars and reached his destination In ' safety, although badly frightened. This bill Is shunned by wheelmen and has never before been descended by one. Euiineci Hon Suicide. William a. Head, Jr., of the firm of Read & Parsons, stock broker, of New York, a member of the Stock Ex change, killed himself with a pistol Monday In a room in the rear of the firm's office. It i known that Mr. Read had been In poor health. Never theless he wa cheerful before he went to the room In which he shot himself. Carl F. Newberger, an importer of dry goods, killed himself at New York by inhaling Illuminating gas. The neighbor say that the domestic rela tions of the Newberger seemed to be of the happiest kind, and they can give no motive for the suicide. Troubltsomt Redskin. Telephone reports from Homer, Neb., tell of trouble with Indian on the Winnebago reservation near there. The agent telephoned Sheriff Boropa q, of Dakota county, to wire the I Ued fctatee marshal at Omaha to I at one wka tcyoe of deputies. TERSE TELEGRAM. Dr. Julius Ouettner, a well known German newspaper man of Pittsburg, Is dead. For 28 day Elsie l)lek, the 13-year-nld daughter nf Mrs. Thoma Dick, of Louisville, Ky., ha been asleep, a consequence of an attack of typhoid fever. In the presence of ten thousand peo ple, who were unable to rescue him, Thomas f. Laswell, of Princeton, Ind., lost his lire at Atlantic City Sunday while bathing. The price of oil continues In decline In the West, the best quality now sell ing at the tanks for 60 cent, with ft prospect of n further drop to 60 cents In the near future. Ell llurney, who wa forbidden to visit bis sweetheart, shot and fatally wounded the girl father, V. II. (Ireen. lit Whitehead, Ala., last week, llurney made hi escape. Albert Kneeland, traveling artist and alleged bigamist, according to letter received at Ht. Joseph, Mo., ha ten wives, nearly all of them living. He wa first married nt Columbus, ). The latest reports rerelved ftt San Francisco from the salmon canneries of Alnska Indicate that th run of fish there has been meager. The Colum bia river catch Is said not to exceed 400.000 cases. Henry F. Mnrcy, President of the Fltrhburg rtallroad, was found dead In the bathroom at his home In Helmont, Mass.. Tuesday. Death was due to apoplexy. Ho had been In falling health for some time. President Seth Low, of Columbia college, ha practically decided to ac cept the nomination of the cltlsen union for Mayor nf Greater New York, whether he Is assured of the support of the republican organisation or not. Governor Jones and E. H. Hrady were hung In etllgy Sunday at Harri son, Ark., because nf the pardon of Hrady by the governor. On August 6 Hrady wa convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for one year for per jury. Frank Btuttgen shot and Instantly killed an unknown burglar, whom he found In his Ocean avenue saloon nt Jersey City the other day. Btuttgen ordered the man to. surrender, and when he did not. fired. Btuttgen have himself up to the police. William McLean, ft collector for the. Grand Trunk railway, at Detroit, has begun suit against Joseph M. Ilresler, former chief consul of the Michigan L. A. W., for 150.000 for alleged aliena tion of Mrs. McLean's affections. Ilres ler was arrested and gave $10,000 ball. Joseph I.adue, the owner of Dawson City. In the Klondyke, the land of which cost him but a few nuggets, an nounced that ho had sold all his pos sessions In Dawson City and the Alas kan gold fields to a. New York syndi cate for $r..ooo,O00. Ladue went to Alaska a poor man. In the shadow nf the Logan monu ment, on the Lake front at Chicago, In sight of 1,000 wheelmen and pedes trians hurrying down Michigan ave nue, Adolph Bteln, a financial agent, fired a bullet Into his brain ft few day ago. He died without leaving a clew to the motive of his suicide. Another body of rich gold ore has been uncovered In the famous Ragged Top at Deadwood, 8. D. The ore will keep the present force of miners at work for many months, and that it Is one nf the richest things ever struck nn the hills no one who has examined It for a moment doubts. Congressman Ashley H. Wright, of Massachusetts, was found dead In the sitting room at his home, on Bummer street, by his wife. Mrs. Wright found her husbnnd's body lying nn the floor. Physicians were summoned, but could render no aid. Death resulted from apoplexy. Prof. Lincoln, of the State Univer sity of Wisconsin, Is suffering from the effects of an explosion, which occurred while he was at work In the chemical laboratory last week. Ho was thrown across the room by an explosion, and when found by the janitor two hours later was still unconscious. Ho will be disfigured by the accident. The Christian Herald, of New York, has received a cable dispatch from Calcutta saying that the cargo of corn that was shipped from Ban Francisco June 12 to the famine sufferers of In was In good condition, and arrange ments for distributing It were per fected. Thousands of persona through out the union contributed to send the corn. New comes from the north that miner are now getting over the pass and that a heavy duty I being charged by the Canadian government, but has not aerlously interfered with the great rush. The novelty of the Klondyke ex citement Is wearing off, however, and people In this city are taking ft more sober view of the matter. Hundred of Easterners will wait till spring. Forty chests of adulterated tea, which had been condemned by Inspec tor Toohey, at San Francisco, have been burned In a large furnace In the basement of the Appraisers' building, the Importer having to either appeal from the inspector's finding or export the stuff at his own expense. This I the first destruction of tea, under the provisions of the new law. A telegram from Havana aaya: The official announcement of the assassina tion of Canovaa was published In the Official Gazette and the other local newspapers. A a mark or respect for the deceased statesman the stores are closer and the Stock Exhange and Produce Exchange have suspended business. The leading thoroughfares are being hung with black drapery and other signs nf mourning are being dis played about the city. Thirty men took John H. Maxwell, of Howman, Ga, into the street and tied him to a tree, where they flogged him with stripes of leather harness un til he was unconscious. His wife car ried him home after the mob had completed their punishment and resus citated him. The mob then returned and hustled the two on board a train, warning them to leave them town at once. Maxwell was reported to be a "Peeping Tom." He left considerable property behind him, and the villagers are speculating as to whether he will return to lay claim to it. Bryan to Ipeak in Spaniih. At the headquarters of the allied silver forces of Kansas a request has Just been received from Hon. William J. Bryan for copies of all the docu ments and statistical tables relating to the silver question In Mexico, and also for all books giving the necessary In structions for acquiring knowledge of the Spanish language. Mr. Bryan ex pects to visit Mexico in October and Is preparing an address on the money question, which he hopes to be able to deliver in the Spanish language. He Is making a special stdudy of the fin ancial condition of the two countries, and will endeavor to show that the Mexicans are more prosperous under the operation of free sliver than the people of ths United States are with the gold standard. fries of Reef Raited. All the packers In Kansas City gave notice of a general advance In the price of beef, to take effect at once. The ad vance is about 1 cent a pound on most grades of dressed beef, MURDEROUS MUST NOHED. CUTS FIVE OFFICERS. Bloody Fiend Attempts to Cripple Pittsburg's Folic Foro With a Rator. Five officer were slashed with a rn or nt Pittsburg Sunday. Anarchist Jame Elbert, of Austria, would no doubt have continued his devilish work had not the bullet of an ofllcer disabled his murderous arm. The fiend came to Allegheny six mnnths ago, and by pleading and beg ging secured work In Armstrong's cork factory. Here he wa obliged to work, and, Imagining himself abused and Imposed upon, he began making charges to the superintendent con cerning the discriminating foreman. He became abuive to such an ex tent that he was Saturday locked up for being a nuisance. Elbert had been carefully searched when brought to the station. He had, however, concealed a razor In his clothes somehow. Just a Officer Mc intyre wa about to shove Elbert Into the cell, Elbert turned and, with a quirk motion, drew the rasor across Mrlntyre's throat. The wound begins at the left ear anil runs around through Adam's apple. The blade Just missed the Jugular vein. As Mflntyre staggered and felt, El bert darted down the steps to the floor oT the cell room. At the foot of the steps he was met by Officer George fole, who struck him on the head with hi handybllly. The blow produced no effect on Elbert, and he slashed at Colo with the rasor. The keen blade of the weapon caught Cole on the right forearm and cut a gash running from the elbow to the wrist and going In to the bone. Elbert then made a break for the door leading from the prison Into the court room. Ofllcer McEvoy was at the door and Elbert made a lunge at him. The blftde nf the raxnr passed arms MrEvoy's hand, Inlllrt Ing a. wound that rendered his hand useless for the time. Elbert then ran up the stairs Into the matron's department, taking a slash at Ofllcer William Kinney In passing. Kenney got back quickly and only lost part of the sleeve nf his cnat. A dozen officers started In pursuit, headed by W. E. Corless. Corles fired as he ran, and a bullet struck Elbert on the forearm and passing down lodged In the wrist. Elbert slackened his pace when the bullet hit him. ftnd Ofllcer Corless knocked him down with his mace. El bert was then disarmed and taken hack to the police station. He wan af terwards removed to the Jail. All of the wounded ofllcer will recover. FORGAVE THE ASSASSIN. For the lke of Her Hnaband, Senora Canovai Made a Oreat Saorlfice. The funeral ftt Madrid, of Senor Can ova del Castillo Friday was a most touching and solemn ceremony. All the troops nf the garrison lined the route along which the cortege moved; the flags were lowered and the public buildings, embassies, consulates and clubs were heavily draped with crepe. A poignant scene ensued as the duke of Botomayor, Marshal Marlines Cam pos, and the other pallbearers lifted the coflln. Senora Canovas, in a clear tone, said: "I desire that all should know thnt I forgive the assassin. It Is the greatest sacrifice I can make; but I make It for the sake of what I know of my husband's real heart." All the shops In the city were closed and a very large proportion of the pop ulace that thronged the streets ap peared In mourning garb. The entire garrison marched past the coffin and the service lasted from 4 until 7.30 p. m. The remains nf Benor Canovas were Interred In the family vault in the Bt. Isadore cemetery, amid salvos of ar tillery and tho tolling of all the bells of the city. FUND EXHAUSTED. Aid Given to Destitute Americans in Cuba by Consul Lee. Consul -General Lee, In a report to the State Department, says that tho $10,000 placed to the credit of the re lief fund on May 22 Inst wo equivalent to $10,073 Spanish dollars. This fund, which he says was expended with the greatest care and economy, is nearly exhausted. With It about 1.400 desti tude Americans have been fed dally and provided with necessary medicine. It cost 2V4j cents United States money for each person per day, or even less, for transportation is taken from the relief fund. One hundred and eleven persona have had transportation pur chased for them to various points In the United States. About 05 per cent, of the 1,400 destitute persons are nat uralized American cltlzenB, but who have resided In Cuba for a long time, and whose business is there. Many of them, the report says, do not speak English, A large number have never been In the United States, being the wives and children of naturalized citi zens. Thinning out a Crowd. Ole Oleson, from Anoka, Minn., is dying from a gunshot wound In the vicinity of the heart; W. D. Davis, of Spokane, I suffering from ft painful gunshot wound through the shoulder; Max Jackson, 17 years old, of the same, place. Is dangerously wounded, having received ft bullet In his left breast and another in his hand, and John Thomas, the murderer, is expected to die. He was shot by Chief of Police Warren, the bullet entering the back and com ing out through tho abdomen. Thomas was drunk and shot Into a crowd, and held the police at bay with hi pistol when they attempted to arrest him, when the chief shot him. Thomas stumbled over a chair In front of a hntel, which was the cause of the shooting. Wife Mnrdorer Punished. Frank Conroy, the Ogdensburg wife murderer was executed by electricity at Clinton Prison Dannemara, N. Y., Tuesday. Conroy was pronounced dtad four and one-half minutes after the first shock. He walked between Fathers Belunger and Cotter, unsup ported, to the chair, his eyes upon the crucifix and praying. He met his fate calmly. On the morning of May 20, 1890, Conroy returned to his home In Ogdensburg from Montreal and ac cused his wife of unfaithfulness. An gered at her denials, ho snatched up ft carving knife and hacked her head and throat until she wa dead. Conroy gave himself up at once, saying ho was satisfied to take hi punishment. Secured f 10,000 and Escaped. A warrant i out for Clifford O. Eng land, bookkeeper for the Warren Bcharf Asphalt Paving Company, ot Detroit, who Is charged with embesa ling $10,000 of the concern's money. Ac cording to the allegations England signed the firm's name to checks amounting to $10,000 upon the com pany's account In the Commercial Na tional Hank, he having beon given power of attorney to sign checka, ob tained the money and then, with his wife, left the olty last Saturday. It is tiellaved the couple went to Uacklnau by steamer. BRIGHT OUTLOOK. Heavy Exports of Oraln and a Rlss In Itook and Wheat Features of the Past Week. It. O. Dun A Co.'s Weekly Review of Trade reports: Every city reporting this week notes Increase In trade, and nearly all bright crop prospect. The great change In business I emphasised by the presence of a multitude of buyers from nil part of the country, by their statements of the situation at their homes, and more forcibly yet, by the heavy purchase thy are making. Hut the cutomary sign of prosperity are not lacking. The strong rise In stock, the growth of bank clearings and railroad earnings, the heavy speeulntlon In many pro ducts, but most of all In wheat, have made the week one of surpasslhg In terest even to those who best remem ber the upward rush of 1S71. At the principal clearing houses throughout the country payment In July were for the first time slightly Inrger than In 18112, and 11 per cent, larger than last year; In the first week In August 7.7 per cent, larger than In IM2 and 28.4 per cent. Inrger than last year, and In this second week of August they are 17.9 per cent, larger than In ls'.ia and 38.1 per cent larger than last year. The great crops and the haste of for eigners to buy and ship wheat. In view of the shortage elsewhere, have made the week memorable. Taking of profit by ft pool lowered the price 3 cents on Saturday, but It has since risen S cents. Western receipts slow In July, have In two weeks been 7.307,713 bushel, against 6.722,302 Inst year, and Atlantic exports, flour Included, have been In the same two weeks 8.114,031 bushels, against 3,3.14,31:1 last year. Even the demand for corn, by greatly exceeding last year's, show that foreign anx ieties are serious, for 5,510,135 bushels have been exported In two weeks from Atlantic ports, against 2.514.428 Inst year. The price has advanced 1.13 cent. notwithstanding enormous storks being brought over. The urg ency of French buying of wheat, re ports that Russia will stop exports In order to keep supplies for Itself, and continued shipments from the Pacific to countries usunlly having a surplus, make even the largest estimates of ft probably supply not too great for the possible demand. In the Iron and steel branch, starting of many work after settlement of wages, keeps price low, ftnd even de presses some, but the fact thnt the de mand Is growing leads to heavy pur chase of Iron ore, 200.000 tons at Cleveland In a week, and of billets, 40, 000 tons, while concessions recently re ported In pig Iron have ceased. The output of furnnces August 1 was 1(15, 378 tons, against 164.004 July I, and de crease In known stock unsold Indi cates a consumption for two months past averaging 181,000 tons weekly, which Is more than In the same month of 1802, though below the greatly In creased capacity of wnrks now. Failures for the week hnve been 239 In the United States, ngnlnst 298 Inst year, and 30 In Canadn, against 36 last year. FEW IMMIGRANTS. Large Falling Off in the Number of Foreign Arrivals. The tide of Immigration I at the lowest point since the general govern ment assumed Jurisdiction of the sub ject In 1882. The number of all arri vals from all countries, according to treasury statistics, during the Inst fis cal year, was 230,832, a decrease, as compared with tho previous year, of 112,435. The lightest immigration of any previous year was In 1895. when the number from all countries was 279,948. The yenr of heaviest Immigra tion was the first of the period begin ning with 1882, when arrivals num bered 788,992. During the entire period of federal supervision 7,432,018 have entered the United Btntes. The arri vals of Russian Jews for tho past year numbered 22.7f,0, as against 45, 137 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1898. Italy furnished the greatest number nf Immigrants, 54,432, a decrease of 8.829 from last year. The cause nf tho heavy Italian Immigration of 1S98 was assigned to the war of Italy with Abyssinia, but the figures for the last year are not abnormal, having been exceeded by several years of the pe riod. Since 1882 there has been a large and steady decrease In German Immi gration; In 1882, 250.630 entered the United State from that country, while in 1896 only 22.533 arrived. It will be een that the number of German Im migrant during the first year nf gov ernment supervision exceeded the Im migration from all countries during the last year. Immigrations from Austria-Hungary decreased from 55,103 In 1896. to 9,974 In 1897; Sweden, 21.137 to 13,144; Norway, 8.155 to 5,842, and Ire land, 40,262 to 28,421. FROM ACR0S8 THS SEA. Indications point to Senor Sagasta to be the new Spanish premier. Ex-King Milan of Servla Is so seri ously 111 that some anxiety la felt by his friends as to his eventual recovery. Through ft landslide of the highest summit of tho Sileslan mountains the Hotel Schneekopfe was carried down and burled with all Its occupants.. A large number of British troops has been ordered to get ready to embark for the east. Their destination is sup posed to be Egypt, but the war ofllce refuses to furnish any Information on the subject. Rt. Rev. William Halstead How, D. D., bishop of Wakefield, died in Ire land the other day. He was born In 1823 and consecrated bishop In 18S8. Bishop How was the author of a ju bilee hymn, which was widely pub lished shortly before tho queen's dia mond Jubilee, In June. Captain Mnrtenaen of the bark Ana gar, bound from Dublin to Onega, at the mouth of the Onega river, on the White Sea, reports that nn July 13, when about two days' sail east or North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, then being In Arctic waters, he saw a collapsed balloon, which he be lieved to be Herr Andree'a. In pursuance of the British admiral ty's policy of strengthening the tor pedo ooat and torpedo destroyer flotil las abroad, the Virago and Thresher havo been commissioned for the Paci fic station, and the Quail and Sparrow hawk have been commissioned for the North American station. These small vessels will be conveyed to their sta tions by cruisers. It Is officially announced at Lisbon that the Portuguese troops surprised and routed the rebellious Mapulan quenes on Tuesday last, killing twenty three chiefs and 293 nf their followers. In addition to wounding many of the rebels. The Portuguese had two killed and four wounded. All the territory of the rebellious tribesmen has been laid waste. - Armenians Hats a Turn. An official dispatch received at Con stantinople says several thousand Ar menian agitators from Persia Invaded Turkey last Friday. They killed 100 of the Mlgiika tribe, Including women and children. PRESIDENT Wl HIS OUTING. CAINS IN WEIGHT. Many Odd Requests Had by Mall-Does not Mind tho Camera. Although absent from the seat of government nt Washington, President McKlnley devotes a portion of each day to the transaction of Important public business, while he Is enjoying hi vacation at Bluff Point, N. Y. He ha reviewed numbers of com panion of State troops and bicycle parades, and acccepled many Invita tion to nearby point to view the va rious attractions which those places afforded. The President has Increased In weight, and card playing and reading constitute his chief relaxation. Mc Klnley Is no poker player, however, knowing nothing of the game. The guests of the hotel at Rhiff Point have been most considerate dur ing the President's stay amazingly so, Indeed. His approach doe not seem to be the signal for a grand gen eral rush, nor do the guests make a practice of standing around and star ing, as the free-born American has been known to do upon occasion. Only very recent arrivals seem to find the annex a pecularly attractive place, and after the first few days the most cu rious seem to become accustomed to the Presblcntal proximity. Thl I significant a showing that one may become hardened even to the sight of President. The camera fiends are the most Ir repressible. Nothing seem to daunt them. Luckily, "having his picture taken" does not annoy the President. He takes It philosophically. The vacation mnll of the President Increases dally. When he first arrived at Hluff Point It was comparatively srnnll, the vast horde of Irresponsible crank communications continuing to go to Washington; but as his where abouts became more generally known the letters hegnn to pile In here. Hy far the greater part of these are most Irrational. They range all the way from confidence as to love affairs to Inquiries concerning mosquito bite bite cure. . Tho page of the hntel register show ing the words, "William McKlnie .nd wife. Canton, O.," Is pretty well thumbed by this time. Every arrival asks to look at It the first thing, and there are always two or three heads bending over It. Hut this form of cu riosity Is even more harmless than the camera, and Interferes not ft whit with the business of the President's vaca tion. ARMOR FOR BATTLESHIPS. Secretory Long Accepts the Cramp's Offer, and Ruilding of Cruisers is Resumed. After carefully considering the mat ter In all Its phases. Secretary Long has decided to accept the offer of the Cramps, shipbuilders, to furnish the 300 tons of diagonal armor for the bat tleship now In process of construction at their shipyard near Philadelphia. Aa the price was to be within the $300 limit fixed by congress for armor plate, the secretary was of the opin ion thnt congress would not object If he made a partlnl contrnct at that fig ure, even though the main contract was held In abeyance. The secretary transmitted bis decision to Acting Secretary Roosevelt, and that official made It public. Mr. Roosevelt did more. He Is anxious thnt none of the three battleships shall be delayed any more thnn necessary, and for that rea son he Is hopeful that the firms con structing the two battleships the Union Iron Works of San Francisco and the Newport News Company of Virginia will emulate the example of their Pennsylvania rival and also ngree to furnish the diagonal for the other ships at tho same price. August Crop Report The August report of the statistician of the Department of Agriculture shows the following average crop con ditions on August 1: Corn, 84.2; spring wheat, 88.7: spring rye, 89.8; oats, 86; bHrlcy, 87.5; buckwheat, 94.9; tobacco, 78.7; Irish potatoes, 77.9. The condi tion nf corn, 84.2, !s 1.3 points higher than last month. 11.8 paint lower than on August 1. 1896, and 3 point lower than the August average fur the last 10 years. The condition of spring wheat, 86.7, Is 4.5 points lower than last month, but 7.8 points higher than nn August 1, 1896, and 4.5 points higher than the August average for the last 10 years. There Is a decline of 8 points In Minne sota, 11 In South Dakota, 5 In North Dakota and 1 In Nebraska. Damages Claimed. The William Cramp & Bona' Ship and Engine Building Company ot Philadelphia brought suit against the United States Government In the Court of Claims to recover damages alleged to have been Incurred by the company in building the battleships Massachu setts. Iowa and Indiana and the cruis er New York, Brooklyn and Columbia. The complainants cite delays and de faults of the United States In fur nishing the armor plate and plans un der the contracts as the basis of the proceedings. The amounts claimed In the several suits aggregate $1,736,149. . CAPITAL GLEANINGS. H. C. Hansbroug, senator from South Dakota, will marry Miss Chapman, of New York, on the 16th of this month. Ethan A. Hltchock, of St. Louis, has been offered and has accepted the ambassadorship to Russia, and will be appointed Immediately. Consul-General Osborne, of London, says the Invoices of exports filed In his office since the new United States tariff became a law have decreased 50 per cent. The appointment of Baron von Thlel mann, the retiring German ambassa dor to the United States, as secretary of the imperial treasury. In succession to Count Posadowsky-Wehner, is ga setted. The State Department has received through one of the United State Con suls In Honduras the claim of an Amer ican, James F. Oelden, of Louisville, against the Honduranian Government tor $20,000. Belden was an engineer on a railroad and was several times placed In danger of summary execution be cause he could not obey Impossible or ders from one of the commanders of some troops engaged In repressing a revolution last spring. Stage Coach Robbed. The first stage robbery ever reported In tho Yellowstone National Park oc curred Saturday. Col. Young an nounced it to the Secretary of the In terior in the following telegram: "Fort Yellowstone, Wyo., Aug. 14. Transportation stage robbed by two men on Hot Fuluara, Plateau this morning; $500 taken. Have ordered out everything possible within means at my disposal, and desire authority to offer reward for capture." The In terior Department has no authority to offer ft reward for the apprehension of the robbers. NUMBERS INJURED.' Modern Woodmen Vit Ancient Methods to Settle Difficulties in Illinois. The long standing fight between Pul ton and Rock Island, III., for location of the headquarter of the Modern Woodmen nf America, culminated Fri day In a. hand-to-hand fight between score of partisans of the respective towns, In which ft number of persons were seriously Injured, The contest between the two town date back several years. At the re cent convention nf the order held ats i',ii,iir, in., ii was aerinea io move the ofTlces and book of Head Clerk Hawen to Rock Island. Then there was a lull, but the faction were by no means reconciled. The court Were asked for a restraining order by the people of Fulton, and a. temporary In junction was granted. Friday the Injunction wa dissolved, to the delight of the Hock Island peo ple, and a train was chartered by them consisting of 3 coaches, a. baggage car and 2 box cars, and a crowd was soon on the way to Fulton to lake the official record back. The Inhabitants of tho Intter town were forewarned, however. A fire alarm wa snunded and line of hose laid to the point where It wa thought the Rock Islanders would be most likely to disembark. The arrival of the special train was the signal for hostilities to begin. There was Intense feeling on both sides, and a great va riety of weapons, thl combination re sulting seriously for fifteen of the com batants, A score of other were more or les bruised and cut. The free fight lasted for nn hour or more, rock, club and missiles nf every description being wielded Industriously by the opposing forces. The Fultonites finally got the better of the fight and Deputy Sheriff Farley effected the arrest nf Head At torney Johnson, of the Modern Wood men, one of the Rock Island party, and a number of his companions. The railroad track on each side of the cars that brought the Hock Islander wa torn up by the Fultonites, the lat ter evidently aimed to cut oft the re treat of their enemies. The scene of the fighting bear every evidence of the liveliest warfare, and as there was ft number nf fire arm In both parties. It I a. wonder the affair did not hesult more seriously than It did. At the door of the head office the vll lnge marshal, William Bennett, stood with drawn revolver. A brick from one of the Invaders felled him to the ground. The Rock Islanders then made a rush Into the office and captured the records. At the depot, which is ft half a blojck distant, the fight was renewed, and there It took the nature of a riot, during which 150 of the Rock Island people were placed under arrest. It was at this time a large number of both sides were Injured. GIRLS IN BONDAGE. Congress Asked to Investigate ths Horrors of Human Slavery Praoticed Among Chinamen. Leaders In Chinese mission work at San Francisco are circulating a peti tion to be sent to President McKlnley, asking him to request congress to ap point a committee to Investigate the horrors of human slavery that are per petrated by those who hold Chinese girls In bondage. This petition declare that there is now in San Francisco and California a condition of slavery under which more than 1.000 women are held In bondage, bought and sold aa chat tels, and kept In Involuntary servitude. These slaves are scourged, beaten, tor tured and even killed by their owner In Insolent defiance of laws. The num ber of these slaves Is recruited by Im portations from China In violation of the exclusion act. Workers In Chris tian missions receive constant appeals from these women, calling for aid to escape, but It Is difficult to effect their escape, and those Instrumental In thl good work have recently been threat ened with death by highbinders. BIRDS MAY ADORN HATS. Humane Efforts of the Legislature Frustrated by a Judge. The famous law which wa Intended to prohibit the wearing of feather or bodies of birds for ornamental pur pose In Massachusetts has been In terpreted by Attorney-General Knowl ton In such a way that there I prac tically no prohibition at all. In an exhaustive paper he has given the opinion that the bird law doe not pro hibit the bringing of bird Into the State. The measure was an honest and earnest attempt to stop the killing of birds for ornamental purpose and discourage the wearing of feather In women' bonnets. Those who have been earnest In fighting the cause of the birds believe that the legislature of the State will not let the matter rest at Its present status. A new cru sade will probably be started next winter. Their Knowledge is Worth, Money. August J. Bowie, one of the most prominent mining engineers In Califor nia, and Alfred Tredidago, a mining; man of Nevada county, .started the other day by rail for Portland. There they will board the steamship Hum boldt, which sails for St. Michaels. Bowie and Tregldago are backed by New York capitalists to the extent of several million dollars. Bowie Is to re ceive a salary of $25,000 a year, and Tregldago is also well provided tor. They take with them $6,000 worth of supplies, and have full authority to gel whatever Is necessary during their stay in the Klondyke country. Heavy investments will be made on their judgment. They decline to name the men for whom they are acting. The Minister of Course Knew. During harvest Jamea Hull, a pros perous farmer living near Great Bend, Kan., stacked wheat one Sunday to avoid Its destruction by hot winds. Last week the stacks were destroyed by lightning. On Sunday a minister the country referred to the .incident as an exhibition of divine wrath. Many other farmers were obliged to do as Hull did, and the feeling over the sermon is growing very bitter on both sides, the Hall faction threaten ing to leave the church unless the min ister resigned. Decrease in Post-office Receipts, The postal receipts at the thirty principal poatofttces of the country during last month show an Increase of only $8,118 over those of July, 1896. New York Is the only one of the big cities showing an Increase last month over the same month last year, while the receipts at Chicago decreased $14, 635, Philadelphia $12,10."., St. Louis $7, 963 and Boston $246. The decrease at Pittsburg was $4,661, the receipts tor July, 1896. have been $62,099, and those tor last month $57,438. 08,000 in Four Days. Great excitement prevail nt Trinity Center, Cai., and vicinity, over a rich atrlke made by the Graves brother and Henry Carter In the drift claim of the Coffee Creek. In four days they took gold valued at $68,000. , '
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers