BRITISH ASTOUNDED I BOERS.
ON TO BLOOMFONTEIN.
Only Fitly British Casuallties in Relieving Kim.
berly Boert Reported Very Strong
I Koflytontein.
A dispatch from British headquarters
on MoiKlrr river, dated Sunday, Feb
ruary 18, says:
"Our midden appearance seems to
have astounded the enrmy and thrown
them into a panic. All their position
were hurriedly evacuated and the 1IR
guns at Magersfoutcin and Kimberlcy
were left behind.
'Gen. Cronjc moved Ins transport,
consisting of hundreds ol wagons, along
a bank of kopis north of the Modder
river, near KoiTyfontcin. It goes past
our mounted infantry, but owing to
weariness, had to stop. Thereupon our
artillery opened tire upon it. 1 he mam
body of the Boer force kept up a run
ning fire the whole day, vainly trying
to escape. ,
"Fach time their advance guard
. sought to move off, our mounted in
fantry galloped round and checked
them. We never attempted to stop
their main movement, contenting our
selves with trying to check them.
"Their position rt Kotiyfontcin is said
to be very strong. They entertain a
wholesome dread of 10.000 cavalry mov
ing more quickly than they do them
selves. Wc hope to be in lilocmlontein
shortly."
"At dawn on Friday the Boers were
observed moving wagons along the
kopjes toward Kofiystcin. Our mount
ed infantry was scut out from Klip
drift, but was driven back, and the ene
my's wagons passed.
"(Jen. Knox's Twelfth brigade, how
ever, quickly attacked the enemy's main
body, and severe fighting went on all
day, over a line which was very extend
ed. The enemy, making a desperate
attempt, finally escaped, owing to the
mounted infantry suffered from the try
ing Hanking movement. Our force has
now been reinforced."
"Gen. Cronje's army of 10,000 men
with a thousand wagons is in full retreat
toward Hloemfonttin. hotly pursued by
Gen. Kelly-Kenny.' It will probably be
a rear guard fight all the way to Illoctn
fontein. Our cavalry has already re
turned from Kimberlcy to join in the
pursuit."
The London war office announces
that General French reached Kimber
lcy Thursday evening. Lord Roberts
message follows: "Jacobsdal, Feb. 1(1
French with a force of artillery, cavalry
and mounted infantry reached Kimber
lcy this evening."
The war office makes public another
dispatch from Roberts, saying: "Jacobs
dal, Feb. 16. The following from Gen
eral French was received this morning:
'I have completely dispersed the enemy
from the southern side of Kimberlcy
from Alcxandersfontein to Olipliants
fbntein and am now going to occupy
their ground. Have captured the en
emy's laager and store depot supplies
and supplies of ammunition. Casualties
about so of all ranks wounded. Kim
berlcy cheerful and well.'
"I have good reason to believe the
Magcrsfontcin trenches have been
abandoned and that the Boers arc en
deavoring to escape. General French
is scouring the country north of Kim
berlcy. One of General Kelly-Kenny's
brigades of infantry is in pursuit of a
large Boer convoy moving toward
Blocmfontcin."
Gen. Cronjc, with a start of a day or
two, Ts seemingly in full retreat from
ien. Roberts, moving northward. Gen.
French, with the cavalry, simply stayed
over night in Kimberlcy, and then puslt
: cd on to get in touch with the retiring
nemv. Militarv opinion is that Rob
erts will not push far after the Boers
immediately, because of the transport
problems and the need of rest for the
troops. He has to feed 70,000 persons
in bis army, and the whole Kimberlcy
population. Roberts has wrought a
genuine preliminary success and the im
pression is that he has done enough for
the nresclit.
Correspondence from Pretoria gives
an extraordinary account ot 2,000 Orn
ish soldiers, who. it is said, arrived
toward the end of December last during
the retreat from Dundee at the River
Maputa, the boundary between Swazi
land and Portuguese territory.
According to the narrative they had
lost their way and wandered (or weeks
i Zululand, arriving shoeless, in rags
and dying of hunger. These soldiers,
the correspondent says, were thought
to have been shut up with Sir George
AVhite tn Ladysmith.
A dispatch, dated February 15, says
The British army for the first tune
since the war began is inside the Boer
frontier. Gen. Roberts, with at least
40,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry and 150
guns, has turned the Magersfontein
lines, and with half of his corps is oper
ating on Free State territory. The re
I re-
lief of Kimberlcy is within reach a
the way to Bloemsfontein is cas'
Gen. French ha fixed himself on Gv
frn!'a main lin nf rimiimritrafin-.V
with Bloemfontein and 20,000 infantry,
...:.u ... ... w-: 1 1 .. .
Willi 4 gUIlS, ftIC UCIli$ JU311i:u Vl KM
support there. A great battle is expect
ed soon.
Mlnntiota'Minci Leased.
The National Steel Company has
about acquired the lease of the Spruce
mine, in Minnesota, which is controlled
toy the Spruce Mining Company, of
which P. L. Kimberlcy, of Pittsburg,
is the principal owner and of the Clo
quel mine for a consideration off ap
proximately $1,100,000. The Spruce
mine has already shown up an ore de
posit of 8,000,000 tons. It embraces
about eighty acres, and is owned by T.
E. Dorr, of Saginaw, Mich.; E. M.
Fowler, of Detroit, and other Michigan
men. A lease of fifty years was obtain
ed by Mr. Kimberlcy seven months ago
for about $120,000, and royalty of thir
ty cents a ton.
Sought Death Together.
Sadie Le Masters, aged 18, and Mere
dith Hall, aged 19, of Farmington, III.,
lovers who were forbidden to marry by
the girl's parents, procured morphine
and took it. They were discovered lock
ed in each other's arms. The girl was
dead, and Hull was unconscious, but
was revived. Hull was a jockey on , the
St. Louis race course.
The Ohio House of Representatives
passed the Suifin bill, abolishing con
tract labor in the Ohio'jirisons.
LATEST NEWS NOTES.
From New Orleans Sunday t.sso
mules sailed for British South Africa.
The survey of the boundary line be
tween Idaho and Montana has been
completed.
Major John Tl. Hall, of Taola. Kan.,
committed suicide because his son's life
is despaired of.
France will send troops and a cruis
er to the island of Martinique, where
a race war is on.
The flood in Montnelier. Vt. is the
worst in 30 years, $150,000 damage hav
ing already resulted.
Dr. I.ryds, the European representa
tive of the Transvaal, will have an au
dience with the 1'opc.
A cold wave i9 doing considerable
damage in the Texas roast country to
truck farming and fruit.
Armour & Co., of Chicago, will be
made a corporation within a few days,
with a capital of $20,000,000.
A corns of English yeomanry com
posed entirely of men of good social
position has started for the front.
Indian maharajahs and English offi
cials started a famine fund for India,
raising $.'50,000 at the first meeting.
The fifth annual convention of the
Slate Association of School Directors
met Wednesday in llarrisburg, l'a.
Barllett Tripp, of North Dakota, is
regarded a certain of appointment as
one of the Philippine Commissioners.
William McGuirc. of Fairhopc, O., is
dead from a supposed attack of hydro
phobia, resulting from the bite of a dog.
The cxchanirc of ratifications of the
Samoan treaty look place Friday simul
taneously in Washington, Loudon and
licrliti.
New York City lias 206 veterans of
the Mexican war, 7 of the Indian wars
and 15,000 of the Civil War on the pen
sion rolls.
Fight persons were injured, one fa
tally, in four tire that occurred in dif
ferent parts of the residence district
of Chicago.
The Boston and Maine Railroad is
tied up by floods, and through traffic
for points north of Clinton, Mass., has
been suspended.
A serious storm has interrupted com
munication with England. Italy, Spain
and part of Germany. A number of
deaths are reported.
The puddling department of the Amer
ican Steel Hoop works nt Sharon, Pa.,
has closed down indefinitely. The en
tire mill is now idle.
, G. W. Purcell. of the Miners' Na
tional Executive Board, was arrested at
Jcllico, Tcnn., Friday, charged with
"unlawful assemblage."
John Hentcs and Nels Linden were
killed and J. L. Bcardsley probably fa
tally injured by an explosion of com
pressed air at Topcka, Kas.
The Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations has authorized a favorable re
port 011 the bill to incorporate the
American National Red Cross.
The steamship Tiger, carrying a car
go of O.ooo bales of cotton and 2.800
tons of phosphate rork, cleared at New
Orleans Sunday for Kobe, Japan.
Secretary Root has determined to
continue the policy begun by General
Leonard Wood of reducing the force
of United States troops in Cuba.
The St. Charles College, nt Grand
Cotlcau, La., together with a large and
valuable library, was destroyed by fire
Sunday, causing a loss of $50,000.
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church,
one of the oldest Methodist church
buildings in Chicago, was almost total
ly destroyed by fire. Loss $100,000.
Subscriptions to the fund for the per
petuation of the Dewey arch in marble
have reached $164,3.27, and the commit
tee has assurances of $50,000 more.
The Domocrats of the Kentucky Leg
islature, who have been in Louisville,
have adjourned, to meet again in
Frankfort with the Republican mem
bers. Suit has been begun in the federal
courts of Chattanooga by the Hanover
National bank of New York to test the
constitutionality of the national bank
ruptcy law.
Puerto Rican merchants declare Con
gressional action is essential to the in
terests of the island, as under the For
akcr bill, the duty on sugar and tobacco
is prohibitive.
The government steamship Nero,
during its recent survey for a trans
pacific cable, broke the record for deep
sea soundings. One sounding near
Guam island marked 5,360. fathoms, only
a trifle short of six statute miles.
The New York General Committee
of the Transvaal war relief fund has
raised $12,900, which will be forwarded
to London to be applied to the Lord
Mayor's fund.
The plantations of La Cocotte and
Champigny, at Martinique, have been
free hy the negro rioters. The situa-
If red )
growing worse. 1- ranee will
a cruiser.
harlcs E. Brewster, captain of a
'itia company at Bath, S. D.. was kill
. , uv
I
a wad trom a gun of one of his
men while he was putting them through
the firing manual.
Jefferson Medical college sophomores
and freshmen in Philadelphia indulged
in the luxury of a flag "rush" Thursday
night. With the aid of the juniors, the
lower classmen were victorious. Sev
eral particinants are in the hospital.
Edward Galcr, the cadet on the
steamer St. Louis, who was arrested at
Southampton, England, for stealing
notes valued at $4,100, has been releas
ed, as the British authorities had no
jurisdiction over an American ship.
The Ways and Means Commute) of
tile Mouse nas agrecu 10 rcpun a uiii
abolishing what are known to the brew
ing trade as sixth and eighth barrels
making quarter barrels the smallest
fiackages of this character authorized by
aw.
The Massachusetts G. A. R. asked
the Ancient Order of Hibernians to not
parade on Memorial day, on the ground
that such action would detract from the
saeredness of the day.
Queen Victoria has summoned to Os
borne for special honor a 15-year-old
bugler of the First Royal Dublin Fusil
iers, who was first to cross the Tugela
river tn tne tirst battle 1 11 ere.
Seventy-four Republicans and 63
Democratic members ol the Lackawan
na County Bar have petitioned Govern
or Stone to appoint lohn P.. Kelly,
democrat, to tne vacancy on the bench,
PAID FOR PRAYING.
Large Basket Factory In Maryland Closed Down
' by Reason of Big Revival
Services.
Owing to the result of a revival
which i being, held nt the Sliarpstown,
Md., Methodist church a large basket
factory bail to close down Friday. Soon
after 8 o'clock in the morning about .10
young women employed in the factory
became enthused with religious fervor
and began to sing, pray and shout.
The men at work in another depart
ment were attracted to the scene. The
proprietor of the factory.who is a prom
inent Methodist, was called. He made
no effort to control the girls, but told
them to shout and rejoice and he would
pay them as much for this as for work
ing. News of the unexpected demonstra
tion spreail and so many persons visited
the factory that the work was brought
completely to a standstill. Probably
500 persons visited the scene. Without
stopping for food or rest the services
were continued until late in the after
noon, when the people went to their
home completely exhausted. A num
ber of conversions were made.
A LOVER'S REVENGE.
3 tot and Killed His Sweolhearl's Father When
Refined Admittance to the House.
Leslie Eustburn, aged 2t, shot Jasper
Sutton, an aged citizen of lllootnfield,
Iowa, Sunday, three bullets penetrating
Sutton's abdomen, and causing almost
instant death. Ensthurn called at Sut
ton's home to take Sutton's 18-year-old
daughter Alice to church, the father
met Eastburn at the door, and ordered
him away.
An altercation ensued, and Sutton fol
lowed Eastburn to the road. Finally
weapons were drawn by both men.
Eastburn fired first, the older man fall
ing before he could raise his weapon.
Eastburn gave himself up. going in
to Sutton's home and consoling the
daughter until an officer arrived. The
shooting caused much excitement,
many people who were en route to
church having witnessed the duel.
SEAT OF WAR A PARADISE.
The Country Being Reconquered From Maya
Indians a Marvelous One.
Gen. Bravos' force of government
troops has driven back the Maya In
dians in Mexico, and taken possession
ot several important towns that were
occupied by the rebels during the week.
The country occupied by the Mayas is
little known to the outside world. Its
natural riches arc great. An army offi
cer with Gen. Bravos' troops writes as
follows of the country: All tins vast
territory, which is now being recon
quered, contains fabulous wealth and
an exuberant fertility of soil, which can
raise everything in the way ot agricul
ture. Its forest arc extensive nnd have
all the valuable woods. The whole
country is well watered. There is an
abundance of game, and singing birds,
many with splendid plumage, arc every
where. Deer and mountain turkeys arc
here by the thousands. The Yucatecos,
living in Belize, arc only waiting to sec
the war ended and then they will rush
lor these splendid hclds.
Gloomy Picture ol Marrlaga.
Trof. William Graham Sumner lias
begged the dean of Yale University
to help mm find out which one of the
.too seniors who heard him lecture on
"Marriage" Saturday caused reports of
it to be sent to the newspapers. lie
wishes to have this student expelled.
After showing the difficulty of defining
closely just what marriage is the pro
fessor said:
"Only 10 per cent, of married couples
find that they have realized their ideals.
The other 00 per cent, are unhappy.
The novelist takes his hero and heroine
to the altar, nnd there leaves them
to f glU it out. Love and romance fade
out of married life with the sound of
wedding bells. Weddings really
amount to little more than show and
fuss, and the old-fashioned system of a
civil instead of .1 religious ceremony
should be established."
George McMurray. Jr., a former em
ploye of the Pittsburg Coal Company
at Noblestown, Pa., Saturday shot and
killed James Rudge, a pit boss, because,
it is alleged, the victim refused to give
him back his job in the mine.
BUBONIC PLAGUE IN MANILA.
Forty-Two Genuine Cases Have Be:n Discov
ered Half Being In Chinese Quarter.
Out of a total of 51 cases of sus
pected bubonic plague reported, 42
proved genuine and 32 deaths resulted,
half of them being Chinamen. There
were 12 cases during the past week,
mostly within the walled city, and 100
inspectors, under the superintendence
of a health officer, Major Edie, are en
forcing the sanitary regulations.
Thirty of the inspectors are China
men who have been furnished by the
Chinese merchants. The health depart
ment census shows the population of
Manila is about 190,000, including 31,
000 Chinese.
No'ed Kentucky Judge Dead.
Judge Richard A. Buckner, of Lex
ington, one of the most noted lawyers
of the Kentucky bar, died Saturday
night, aged 87 years. He was an in
tense Union man during the civil
war, and did much to keep Kentucky
from seceding. He was Common
wealth's attorney, circuit judge and was
defeated for Congress in 1863. He was
one of the commissioners to form the
Kentucky code in 186.1, and was speak
er of the Kentucky House of Repre
sentatives in 1861.
.T 1HE NATIONAL CAPITAL
General Wood, commanding at Ha
vana, has reported to the adjutant gen
eral the death by suicide at Havana.
January 21, of Private Martin Erickson,
01 tne Hospital corps.
The President has r.enewed his effort
to reward Generals Shaffer and Corbin
for what he considers their fine work
in the Spanish war. At bis instance
Chairman Hull, of the Committee on
Military 'Affairs, Saturday introduced
bill to make each a major general.
NICARAGUA CANAL FEASIBLE.
The House Commerce Commute Reoommends
Thai the Governimnt Shall Build
the Waterway.
Chairman Hepburn, of the House
Commerce committee, has submitted
the committee's favorable report on the
bill which he introduced for the con
struction of the Nicaragua canal. It
say that if the bill is carried out the
United State will in six or right years
own a waterway between the ocean
that it ran defend and use in the inter
est of its navy and merchant marine.
The enterprise is entirely practicable
and the latest estimate of cost $145,000,
000, provides for the largest ships. The
committee believes that the rights
claimed by person of concession from
Costa Rica and Nicaragua have cither
lapsed or arc of small value, nnd this
government should deal directly with
Nicaragua and Costa Rica, leaving
them to ndjtist nil questions growing
out of such concessions. A to the lim
itation of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty
with Great Britain, the report says:
"No one can read that article without
concluding that the Nicaragua canal
contemplated wa an undertaking early
to be completed through the kindly aid
of the two governments. Great Britain
has allowed year to elapse without any
movement on her part to enrryout the
provisions of that, nrti le. It has been
a dead letter from the day the treaty
was signed to the prervnt moment."
Islands North ot Luzon Seized.
It is reported that the United States
gunboat Princeton visited the Tatanes
and Calagan islands, which were omit
ted from the Paris treaty of peace, be
ing north of 20 degrees of latitude,
raised American flags nnd appointed na
tive governors. It is said that the
Princeton found the Japanese flag flying
on liayat island and refrained from
landing there, pending orders, but the
report is not confirmed. The native
on the other islands occupied willingly
substituted the American for the insur-
f'ent officials, and took the oath of al
cgiancc. The natives of Samar and
Leyte are returning to their town and
the normal conditions arc being re
sumed. Reports from native sources, which
nrc not confirmed, say Gen. Pio del
Pilar, the insurgent commander, died of
fever recently.
Ch'nes) Pirates Active.
According to new brought by the
steamship Coptic pirates arc causing
much trouble in Chinese waters. The
Government seems powerless to stop
their depredations. During the early
part of last month the crew of a steam
launch from the gunboat Tweed, sta
tioned near Clinton Shang, China, had
a lively fight with the pirates who arc
known in the Orient as the Order ol
the Red Flag." Several pirates were
killed and a number wounded. One
British bine jacket was shot through the
chest. Other fights have been reported
near Canton, nnd merchant vessel boats
have been held up and robbed.
Fatal Hide and Seek.
numbers working in an unorcupicd
house in New York City found in a
closet the decomposed bodies of two
boys. They were identified by their
parents as Martin Locncr, aged 9 years,
and Charles Byrnes, aged II years.
They had been missing since August 3
last, when they tcit tncir nomes nearoy
saying they were, going to pick apples.
The bodies were found in a closet
built into the wall and it is supposed
the bovs were playing Jiide and seek,
went into the closet, aloscd the door
and could not open it again. There was
a bruise on Ityrnc s forehead, as
though in bis frenzy he had dashed his
head, against the door.
General Miles Officiated.
Major General Nelson A. Miles
Tuesday laid the cornerstone of the
tower and gateway to be erected at the
dormitories ot the university ol J'cnn
sylvania, at Philadelphia, in honor of
the university men wno served in tne
war aizamst Spain, trustees of the in
stitution, officers of the army and navy,
thousands of students and invited
guests were present. The university
wa represented in every engagement
of the war.
The cornerstone was put in place by
General Miles and the introductory re-
marks bv Provost Harrison followed.
General Miles made an eloquent ad-
drcsss.
One workman was killed, two badly
injured and several other slightly hurt
by the collapse of the sheet-iron roof
covering the cast house of the Illinois
btccl Company s plant at Juliet, III.
French Against Reo'proclty.
The customs commission of the
the chamber of deputies at Paris has
concluded hearing the various dclcga
tions of agricultural and industrial
bodies who gave their views regarding
the France-American reciprocity
treaty. I hey were almost tin
animous against it, only a few
associations, interested in F'rcnch
exports to the United States, speaking
in its lavor.
. Soldiers Go Crazy In Manila.
Eleven insane soldiers have been
sent from San Francisco to the Gov
crnment Hospital at Washington, D.
C, and it is probable that about 30
more will go Last during the week.
During the last three months nearly
250 demented soldiers have been sent
across the continent, and it is said that
over 200 more will soon arrive here
from Manila. In nearly all cases the
men are violently insane.
Three hundred Canadian volunteers
for service in the British army have
letarted from Kingston and Toronto, and
will sail for South Africa from Halifax
on Wednesday. The first artillery sec
tion of the Second Canadian contingent
reached Cape Town Sunday.
Cuba More Than Self-supporting.
In response to a resolution of the
Senate the Secretary of War sent to-
the Senate a statement, showing the
receipts and disbursements of public
funds in Cuba for 1890. Receipts
amount to $16,346,015, of which $15.
011,089 were from customs. Expendi
tures amounted to $14,085,805. The
principal expenditures were as follows:
Barracks and quarters. $1,209,939; san
Italian, $3,052,282; rural police and ad
ministration, $1,445.1167; public works,
$700,126; municipalities. $1,239,403.
BUSINESS CONTINUES ACTIVE.
REVIEW OF TRADE.
Increased Foreign Demand for Iron and 8leeL
Rise In Wheat and Corn
Prices.
R. G. Dun & Co.'s "Weekly Review
of Trade" reports the following:
"Business continue larger than ever at
this season in amount of payments, and
on the whole a large a ever in retail
deliveries, though new transaction do
not yet give assurance that it will hold
nt the same rate. Important branches
of business arc hindered by labor trou
bles, of which the building trade strike
at Chicago aflfecl the greatest number
of contract for industrial products nnd
tne labor and wage ol the greatest
number of men. The rise in wheat
brings out larger Western receipts in
two weeks, 5.444.202 bushels, against
6,236,1 last year, but Atlantic exports,
Hour Included, in the same week, nave
been only 3,645,408 bushels, against 6,-
192,407 last year. 1 hat the suit of Mr.
Frick against the Carnegie Company
may affect the control of many iron
work is evident. Prirc of nig have
not changed, though considerable sale,
including some for export, lire report
ed, but the excess of supply over de
mand which appeared in January is in
creased by the starting of a new fur
nace with a capacity of Goo tons daily.
A sale i reported of 15.000,000
pounds Calumet fit Hecla copper to
consumer. of the Naugattick Valley at
10 cents. Wool sales at three 1. astern
markets have been onlv 1 2.134.456
pounds in two week', against 12,305.300
last year. The interior still believes in
a further advance, but buying of word
on sITeeps' backs ha slopped, nnd the
iiinmilaclurcr has made it clear that the
mill hold large stocks to fill recent
orders. Failures for two weeks have
been $5,357,170; manufacturing $2,380,
263; nnd trailing, $2,509,600. Failures
for the week have been 21H in the Unit
ed State and 42 in Canada."
Wheat, including flour shipments for
the week, nuizrcuatc i.Hu.rtm bushels.
against 2.1102.557 bushels last week. 2.
45171 bushels iu the corresponding
week of 1), 3,832.744 bushels in 1898,
2,120.806 bushels in lKo7 and .1.I49.0I2
bushels in 1896. Since July 1 this sea
son the exports of wheat aggregate 126.-
846,391 bushels, against 159.052.930
bushels last year and I57,42,.'8i bush
els in 1897-98.
Lorn exports for the week aggregate
3.400,335 bushels, against .t.4.V.9)
bushels last week, 1. 560.845 bushels in
this week a year ago, 5.056.575 bushels
in 1808. 6.441.420 bushels in 1807. and
2.925.09 bushels in 86. Since July 1
this season, corn exports aggregate
t36.097.10r) bushels, against 105.840.12t
bushels during the same period a year
ago and 110,563,246 bushels in 1897-98.
000 FUNERALS DENOUNCED.
Bishop In Paris Creates an Uproar by Attack
Ing a Soc'oly Fad.
There is a curious little scandal in the
fashionable world of Paris. It appears
that some time since a company started
a cemetery for dogs, so that an animal
which had ben a friend for years should
not be thrown in dust. Certain fash
ionable ladies, however, carried the idea
further, and when their dot's died is
sued funeral cards. The funeral ser
vices were held in drawing rooms.
A day or two since a dog funeral
card sent out by a titled lady reached
a Bishop, who took it noon himself to
send a stinging reproot lor the tra
vesty on Christian service. , The Bishop
was told the thing wa general. 1 Here
upon he wrote in a reli"ions publication
a tirade against the lack of decent feel
ing on the part of modern society wo
men, and the whole thing has created
quite a little sensation.
Asleep on Sentry Duty.
The Minister of Militia at Ottawa,
Ont., lias recived a report from
Colonel Otter, commanding the Ca
nadian contingent in South Africa, giv
ing details of the court-martial of three
members of the Royal Canadian Regi
ment at Modder river, for having been
asleep while on sentry duty, and who, it
has been reported, were sentenced to
death.
The finding of the court-martial.
which was sustained by the ofheer com
mantling the division, was that the Ser
geant in charge of the post, who was
one ot the culprits, be severely rcpn
manded. one of the privates admonish
ed, and the third sentenced to tight
days confinement.
Denounced a Crime.
Supporters of the Liberal party to
the number of 300 or 400 held a pri
vate meeting at the Westminster Palace
Hotel Wedncsdady afternoon to pro
test against the Government s war
policy. Sir Wilfred Lawson, M. P.;
David Lloyd George, M. P., and Cron
wright Schrciner. husband of Olive
Schreiner, the novelist, were among
those present. The resolution adopted
denounced the war as "a crime and a
blunder," committed at the instigation
of irresponsible capitalists, and demand
ed the publication of the full corre
spondence regarding the Jameson raid.
It protested against the increasing ar
maments, reaffirmed the Liberals' grati
tude to sir Henry Campbell-Banner
man, John Morley and James Bryce,
and decided to open a permanent fund
to carry on a vigorous political propa
ganda for the principles thus enunciat
ed. Puerto Rican Coffee.
The interesting statement was made
Tuesday by the War Department that
the total exports of coffee from the
island of Puerto Rico from the date
of American occupation to November
30, 1890, was S3.4J.025 pounds, valued
at $6,l39.95S- . .
France received 31,501.479 pounds.
Spain 8.102.606, Italy J.727.557. the
United Stales 2,608.042. The annual
average exports of cotiee during 1887.
1S91 was 40,349,000 pounds, valued at
?4.943.-
CABLE FLASHES.
Th British steamer Moissci went
down in the Caspian sea during a gule
Saturday, and her crew of 23 were
drowned.
It is persistently ruriored that Ger
many and Russia hate both offered
1 . , . . 1 1 1 ., .
mcuianoii uciwcvn i.ukihuu quu (hi
South African republics.
MACRUM EXPLAINS.
His Official Mall Was Tampered With by Brit
ish Censor at Durban, and Cable
Dispatches Celiyjd.
Charles M. Macruin, former United
States Consul at Pretoria, ha given out
a signed statement in which he explains
hi flctiniM. ( Itiiim (lint lie had the
humiliation, as the representation of the
United States, of sitting in bis office
in l'retoria and looking upon envelopes
benring the official seal of the Ameri
can government opened and officially
sealed with a sticker, notifying him
that the content had been read by the
censor at Durban, also that bis cable
dispatches were delayed. States that he
desired a leave of absence fn order to
inform the covcrnmcnt of valuable
fact, but finds upon his arrival thnt the
slate department had discredited him,
nud come home to find an attempt has
been made ;o tear down my personal
reputation. I wish to state right here
that when I accepted my post as con
sul I knew nothimr of any secret al
liance between America and Great Brit
ain nnd that I had seen nothing in the
regulation which made the consul ol
the American republic subject to the
whim and caprice of an Knglish mili
tary censor at Durban. I came to
America with a motive of which I am
not ashamed.
There is not one soul who can point
to a single official act of mine which
departed from the strictest neutrality.
ily confidential dispatches to the 'df
. ' ... . . .. . . K .- . A
partment contained information,' which
man. can tn no way involve tne
public service and I simply make this
statement in my own defense as against
those which have come from the de
partment, secretly and officially.
EXPORTS INCREASING.
Statement ot the Government for January Is
Encouraging.
The monthly statement of the Im
ports and exports shows that during
January, 1900, the figures were as fol
lows:
Merchandise: Import. $75,826,975. of
which $32,946,280 was free of duty. The
gain over January, 1899, wa about $i7t-
500,000; exports. $117,620,930, gain
over January, 1899. nbout $2,000,000.
Gold: Imports. $1,988,272. decrease,
$4.01x1.000; exports, $5,691,290, increase,
330,000. Silver: Imports, 52,130,335,
decrease, $1,000.0000; exports, $4,599,
190, decrease, $781,000.
During the last seven months there
was an increase in the importation of
merchandise as compared with the cor-
responding period in 1899 of $119,439,-
524; an increase in the exportation of
merchandise of $50,534,973; a decrease
of $42.02.1.711 in the importation of
gold; an increase in exportation of gold
ot l 1.793,104: a decrease in the im
portation of silver if $829,644, and a de
crease of $.1,6.18.92? in the cxoortatioi
of silver.
GREAT BRITAIN'S BLIZZARD.
People Frozsn to Death, Wires Down, Trains f
Snowbound.
The effects of the blizzard which
started Tuesday are felt throughout
Great Britain. Trains are snowed tip
in all directions, street car lines are
blocked and telegraph and telephone
wires arc down, delaying communica
tion in all part. There have been a
great number of accidents due to fall- i
ing chimney and roof slates and simi
lar causes. Mail vans and people trav
eling by foot in country districts are
rcporteil missing and several persons
have been found frozen to death in ex
posed places.
The vtrects of London are in a fear
ful condition from the snow and sleet,
and many pedestrians have sustained
fractured limbs from falling on the icy
pavements. The horses have suffered ,
greatly, many having to be shot alter
breaking their legs. Severe gales have
swept the coasts.
Bondsman Dropped Dead,
Frank G. Simmons, postmaster at
Seward, Neb., was arrested and taken
to Lincoln Friday evening, charged
with a shortage of $3,830. Simmons,
who has long been prominent in state
politics, admitted his shortage. David
Figard, one of Simmons' bondsmen,
when informed of the shortage and ask
ed to take charge of the office, dropped
dead.
Destitution In Puerto Rico.
Iglesias and Eduardo Conde, Puerto.
Rican labor leaders, have issued an ap
peal to this government on behalf of
the workingmen of Puerto Rico. They
declare that the working class of their
island have been reduced by reason ol '
the war, the hurricane and the action
of this government since the storm, tar
a condition of extreme destitution.
They add that unless action is taken,
soon riots will occur throughout theV
island, as the poor are desperate from
their sufferings.
The workingmen demand a radical
change in the government of the island.
They ask that the following ordinances
of Gov. Gen. Davis be annulled. That
laborers on the public works shall get
no more than 25 cents per day for eight
hours' work. That only property-holders
and taxpayers shall vote, and those
who can read and write. That the pay
ment of $1 shall be made before a vote
is cast.
Mollneux Sentenced.
Robnd B. Molineux, of New York,
was Friday sentenced to die in Sing
Sing prison during the week of March
26, for the mnrder of Mrs. Katherine
J. Adams. He made a statement as
serting that he had not been fairly con
victed and that "yellow journalism" had
put a price upon his head.
ttissry of Two Lepers.
Dr. J. E. Engstaad. has returned to
Grand Forks, N. D., from Walsh coun
ty, where he went to investigate the
condition of two lepers. He found
them confined in a sod hovel, with but
one door and one window. A Nor
wegian, aged 50, and a Swede, aged 57,
the elder in the last stages of leprosy,
blind and helpless, with his flesh literal
ly dropping from his bones; the young
rr still able to wait on his companion.
The elder man has a wife and five chil
dren, who live on his farm, a sliorf dis
tance away. The younger is unmar-Y
two.
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