Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 6 April 1894 — Page 6

THE OLD MILL MYSTERY.

By'Arthur W- Marchmont. B. A.

•Author of "liser Honriley'f* Socri't," "Mail dine l'oxvcr,"' "l$y AYIiose Hand," "lsa," &<•. JU-.

ICopjrijrlu, 18!2, b.v the Author

CHAI'TKH X—Continued.

"1 meant to try ana save you irora the commission of a crime." said Mary, again speaking1 confidently and bravely. "That's very pood of you." answered the man, with a sneer. "Having" accidentally overheard us, you wanted to turn the information to our moral good. You're a nice lass, you are.-' lie gave a short, hitter, angry laugh, which some of the others echoed. "One more question. What do you mean to do when you getaway—if yon get away at all, that is'.1"' "What do you mean'.1" "What do I mean? Why, how are you going to use the information you've {Tot by accident, as you call it? You say you're not a spy?'' "I'm no spy.'' answered Mary. "But you overheard this plan of ours?" "Yes." "If you'd got away unseen you meant to make, use of the information by trying- to balk the plant1" "Yes." "Well, then, if you get away now you've been seen, how are you going1 touse the information you've got?" "I didn't say I was going to use it at all." "Don't chop your words with me, girl," said the man, fiercely. "Answer the question: Do you mean to go and tell anyone what you've heard, or don't you? Out with the truth." "That depends," answered Mary, lookinghim. boldly in the face.

At this reply some of the others made threatening gestures and rapped out an oath or two in their excitement. "Depends on what?" asked tho man. "On whether you intend to try and carry out the plan. If nothing's done, I shall say nothing if anything happens, I shall say what I have heard and seen to-night." "The devil you will!" cried the man •fiercely. "Then we'll have to take steps to prevent you. that's all and ,}vitli that he went away, and, drawing the others round him, recommenced the private consultation.

It was now evident to her that the man who had been questioning her was trying to impress some opinion or plan upon the rest. One or two others were seemingly reiuetant to accept the counsel he offered, and expostulated with him. Among these was Gibeon l'rawle. The argument increased in strength as the vehemence of the speakers grew.

Then (Jibeon Prawle broke away from the others, went to the girl and spoke to her. "Mary, will you promise never to breathe a word of what has passed tonight, if, as you say, the whole plan is dropped?" "Ye.*, I promise you," said Mary. "I promi* 011 inv honor." "You hear that, mates?" he asked, turning to thc~.ii. "Oh, aye we hear it. Hut who the devil can trust a woman's tongue?" growled .lack Dilworth. "I'm for Jos Hauler's plan. There's only one sort of silence you can depend on and I like something more to trust to than a lass' tongue." "So do I," answered another of them: "but 1 don't see how you're going to get it in this case. Beside, I don't see that she can do much harm even if she does loosejier tongue." "Then you're a fool, that's all," broke in the man liamer. "In the first place she could get the whole lot of us prosecuted, and if you don't know what the cursed judges think of a conspiracy to svreck and destroy a mill, I do. You'd think the infernal works were built of human lives when these devils on the bench come to sentencing a man for touching 'em. I knew what the business meant when I began with it, and 1 was ready to risk it. I'm ready to risk it, now and take the silencing of that wench yonder on my own shoulders as well. 1 tell you this." he said fiercely, with a voluble oath. "I'm not going to gaol to save a lass like that from a squeeze on the throat or a knock on the skull. You can do what you like but I mean what 1 say."

As one determined and resolute man taking a decided course will generally carry others with him, so it was now. This decisive tone iniluenced the waverer^. "What do you propose to do, then?" asked Gibeon l'rawle, his voice somewhat hoarse with nervousness at the other'b manner, and at the desperate course which he knew underlay it. "Why, give the girl a tap on the skull and leave her here alone with the fuse. There won't be much left to tell tales, I warrant you," and the man laughed a short, callous, brutal laugh. "You mean to murder her, do you?" Raid Gibeon and more than one of the men shrank at the word. "I don't mean going to gaol for her. You can call it what you like," answered liamer. "Please yourself." "Well, I'm not going to be a party to it," said Gibeon. "I don't like it, and I'm not going to do it." "Then take your hook out of this, and leave more room for men who haven't got white livers and chicken

hearts! Cut it," growled Earner, fiercely. "No, I'm not going away, either," answered Gibeon, sullenly and yet halffrightened. "Or, if I go and anything happens, I shall make a clean breast of it." "You sneaking hound!" cried liamer, and before any of them could interfere he rushed at Gibeon, struck him to the ground, and bound him hand and foot. "You .shall stop now, and have a share of the treat you didn't expect,"

he saul, as lie rose IcT"liis~foet. "Look here, mates, we're in this business together, sink or swim one with another. You understand that?" he said, pausing and oking from one to the other. "Yes." they said, cowed by his manner and his violence, though not relishing the position at all. "Then you agree to stand by me and do what I say?" "Yes," said the men again.

The whole conversation, except one or two of the fiercer .sentences between Gibeon and liamer. had taken place in tones too low to reach Mary's cars, although the little she had heard had been enough to frighten her exceedingly.

Hamcr now turned to her. "How are we to know that you don't mean to speak of whatyou've seen and heard to-night?" he asked roughly. "Those who know me know that I keep my word," answered the girl. "1 daresay they do," he replied, gruffly, "but then I'm not one of those who do know you. I want proof—that's what I want." "I can't give you more than my word," said Mary. "Oh yes, you can: and that's just what you'll have to do." "IIow can I?" asked the girl. "I'll show you. You can give us proof that you can be trusted by just stopping here and making no effort to go away for a certain time. Do you understand? You've nothing to do but just to keep where you are and make no noise. If you do that for a quarter of an hour, you shall go free. But if you stir hand or foot, or try to call out so that either of us hear you, well, you'll bring down puuishnient on your own head. Y'ou've got to watch this skunk." lie said, kicking Gilpeon Prawle, "till we come back to fetch him." "Why can't I go now? I won't say a word to anyone, indeed I won't." "No, I don't think you will," said liamer, significantly, "but you've got to give us a little proof of it, that's all. Put out your hands. 'Safe bind, safe find,' my girl, is my motto," and the miscreant laughed as he seized the girl's hands and bound them tightly together. "Now for your pretty little feet just something to keep your ankles warm," and he chuckled coarsely as he fastened her feet, making her sit down on a heap of hay. "Now, you understand, and don't you play any nonsense with me," he added in his fiercest and most savage manner. "If you make the least sound it'll bring- me back, and I shan't stop then at tying your wrists together. Next time the noose'll go round your neck. "Now, mates, you'd better go," he said, turning to the others, and speaking in a whisper. "I'm going to give the fuse about eight minutes, so that we can get to the other end of the village bear a light, Carter," and he bent down, and, putting a key into a small square case which he took from the ground, he turned it once or twice. Then he growled out some fresh words of menacing caution, while he put it down close by the girl and went out into the darkness. As soon as he was outside, he made off at the top of his speed after the other men who had already vanished.

The first feeling- of the girl was one of intense relief that tliey had gone. She had feared violence of some kind, find now that she thought the dread of violence had passed her spirits rose. She determined that she would not move until they came back, and thus show them she was to be trusted, and she leaned back on the heap of hay and waited silently and with a lighter heart than she had known for some hours.

Then it suddenly occurred to her to doubt whether this was so, and whether the men had really gone to the mill fiow in order to carry out their horrible plan while she lay bound in the shed.

At this she sat up and thought for the first time of Gibeon Prawle, like her, bound hand and foot, though, unlike her, unconscious. She strained her eyes in his direction and then called to him: "Gibeon, Gibeon."

She could not catch any reply, but listened intently. As she listened thus she heard a faint ticking sound. It was like the quick tick, tick, tick of her alarm clock, but sounded as if muffled. What could it be?

She bent down her head, and stooping forward became aware that the cord with which her hands had been hastily bound had slipped. With a quick jerk or two she loosened it a little more, and then succeeded in getting_her hands free.

She listened again, and groping about in the direction in which the sound seemed to come, her hand came against a small, squarely-made box. Wondering what it was she picked it up, and found that the ticking came from within it.

Suddenly, with a fearful rush of blood to the heart that almost choked the valves and stopped the blood fiow, the truth flashed upon her. 11 was the Infernal machine with which the man had intended to wreck the mill.

In a moment she saw why she had been ordered no^ to move for a certain time. They had planned to kill her by blowing the shed to fragments, and had managed to gain time to get clear away.

Great heavens! The machine might explode at any moment, and hurry her companion and herself into eternity. Yet he was still unconscious and she was bound so tightly that she couldn't stir either foot.

She held the diabolical machine in her hand like one dazed—afraid to throw it away, afraid even to set it down again, afraid to move, lest it should explode.

All she could do was to try and calm herself with a hastily uttered prayer to God for help.

CHAPTER XI rat hXPLosioN

As the thought of her peril forced

itself upon Mary with 'increasing plainness her natural resourcefulness and courage began to assert themselves. If she was to save her life and that of her companion it was evident that she must lose no time in making the attempt.

IIow was she to do it? Clearly, there was but one way. By some means or other the two must get away from the shed before the explosion could take place. But how?

Gibeon Prawle lay in a state of unconsciousness, bound hand and foot— how securely she could only guess— while she herself had her feet fastened together so firmly that she could not move them even in the slightest degree.

Her hands were free. She turned, therefore, and, choosing the spot within her reach which seemed the best suited to her purpose, she laid down the deadly little machine as lightly and carefully as possible.

Moments were growing precious. Every second seemed an hour, and she trembled and shook as she tried to estimate how long it would probably be before the explosion might be expected. Death or escape could only be a matter of moments.

She began with quick, trembling fingers to feel the knots of the cord which bound her feet. In her agitation she began to pray for strength but in the midst of the prayers she stopped as a new thought occurred to her.

Why not attempt to escape alone? If she left Gibeon she would probably be able to crawl away to a sufficiently safe distance.

All that he had done to harm Tom, and all that Gibeon had threatened to do, occurred to her mind to justify her in leaving him. But she reflected how ho had endeavored to save her from the fate which she believed the other men had planned, and it was for making that attempt he had been left to share with her the fate.

This decided her. She could not play the traitor in such a way. She stooped toward him and shook him as violently as she could. She pulled his hair, pinched him and rolled his head sharply from side to side, her efforts growing more and more violent in her agitation, as she thought of the precious moments that were passing. But she could make no impression upon him.

There was no time, however, for anything but action, and she tried to think of afresh course. Probably the man had a knife in his pockets which would enable her to cut the cords which bound her. Hastily she felt in his pockets, and to her intense relief found in one of them a large clasp knife. She drew it out, and after some little difficulty cut the cords which had bound her feet, and tried to jump up.

With a cry of fear and pain she fell to the ground immediately. The rush of released blood when the cords had been loosened seemed to numb her, giving her much pain and robbing her of the use of her limbs. The feeling passed, however, in a short time, and then she cut the cords with which Gibeon l'rawle had been bound. She tried once more to rouse him but all to no purpose. She could not restore him to consciousness. She was at her wits' end what to do. The time was flying so fast. Both their lives were set on the cast of a few moments: and a horrible deatli must overtake tlieui both unless he could be roused.

There seemed to be nothing to do except to try and carry the deadly machine to a distance sufficiently great from the shed to render its explosion comparatively harmless. She tried to nerve herself to do this and wished she had done it the moment she had been able to get free from the cords that had bound her. IIow far must she try to carry it? How far dared she carry it? It was indeed a case of daring. It might explode while she was carrying it and she shuddered as this thought struck her. It was not a bright night, and she might trip she might let the horrible thing fall or a hundred things might happen to prevent her carrying it far away in safety.

Still, it had to be done there was no other course, exceat -that of running away and leaving Gibeon Prawle to his fate. Siie went to the spot where she had placed the infernal machine, picked it up as gently as possible, and prepared to hurry away from the shed.

As she did so a sound came from her companion. He sighed and moved and muttered some inarticulate sound. Despite the fearsome burden she held in her hand, Mary stopped and bent over to him. Then she called to him, and was glad when he muttered some sort of reply.

Next, she ran quickly from the shed, and placing the deadly machine on the ground some little distance away, ran back at once to recommence her efforts to rouse him and get him away from the place. When she got back he was sitting up, dazed and giddy, and perplexed at his condition and surroundings. "Gibeon, Gibeon!" she called, "we must get away from here at on/ie." "Who's that? Who are you?" murmured the man. "I'm Mary—Mary Asliworth," answered the girl. "What's happened? Where am I?" he said, passing his hand across his eyes. "Your life is in danger and if you don't make haste and get away from here, you'll be blown to pieces!" cried the girl, choosing what she thought the best appeal, that to his fears.

It had the effect she intended, and in a moment he was on his feet. "Come with me, instantly," said Mary, leading the way.

The man staggered a few steps after her, and then tried to clutch at the posts of tlie shed he missed them and fell with a heavy thud to the ground. "It's no use, lass," lie' murmured, with a half groan. "I'm all muddled and queer I can't walk." "Lean on me there's not a moment to spare," cried Mary, turning to him, her heart sinking. "If you don't want

us both to be killed where "we are, you must get away at once." She said this in a tone that roused him again, and with a violent effort he struggled to his feet, and, leaning heavily on the girl, and stumbling and dragging at every step, he, crawled slowly out into the night. "Quick, quick!" cried Mary. "Every step may mean the difference between life and death. For God's sake, make an effort."

Thus urged by the girl's words. Gibeon Prawle made an attempt to quicken liis steps, and as the air had hastened his recovery of consciousness he was able to make better progress. "What does it all mean. Mar}'?" he asked, in a puzzled, confused way. "I don't understand it. lass." "Don't try to think—don't try to do anything—but get as far away from that shed as possible." answered Mary. "What has happened is this: You were struck by Joseph liamer and- knocked insensible, and then bound." "Ah, yes, I remember. The devil wanted to kill you just because you had overheard our plans. But where are they all?" "They left you and me there. You were insensible, .and they bound me hands and feet, and then told me they were trying me to see whether I was to be trusted, and then—"

At that moment a terrific report rang out on the night air, seeming to split the very heavens with a deafening crash. The earth seemed to shake and totter under their feet, and they were both thrown on the ground with great violence.

Mary was the first to recover her self-possession, and rose from the ground with a feeling of intense thankfulness to God for the escape which she had had from death. Gibeon Prawle was unable to rise for some time but Mary, when once she had satisfied herself that he. was unhurt, felt that she need not stay longer with him. "You can get home now, Gibeon, can't you?" she asked. "Yes," he replied somewhat faintly. "Are you going?" "Yes, I want to get home. Mother will wonder where I am. and this explosion will frighten her." "Mary," he called to lier, as she was moving away, "are you going to say anything about what .you heard tonight or will you leave it to me?" "Those men tried to take my life," exclaimed the girl, shuddering. "I had done them no harm, and should have done nothing. But now I shall make no promises." "Don't bring me into it, lass," whined the man. "Let me be a witness to bear out what you say. I know all the details. I could fix it on the others there."

The girl's lip curved in her scorn at the man's cowardice. "I have saved your life for you for tho rest, you must take your chance with the others." "Spare me, Mary for God's sake don't bring me into it," he called to her as she walked away, and when she did not answer he fell back on the ground and almost wept in his alarm and anxiety.

The girl's nerves had been sorely shaken by the events of the night, and she was anxious to get home. The path lay near the scene of the explosion, and as she passed she met numbers of people of all classes rushing out from the village to learn the cause of the commotion.

For a moment she stood amongst them, listening to the expressions of alarm and wonder that were freely indulged in on all hands as the people clustered round the site of the explosion.

Presently, to her astonishment, Mary recognized liamer. He was moving actively about, searching everywhere among the debris, indulging in loud exclamations of astonishment and curiosity as to what had happened. After awhile, Mary observed two more of the men, whose manner and looks were in striking contrast to the easy indifference of liamer. They were pale, and it struck the girl that they were searching for what they feared to find. Tliey stood for a moment in conference, and the girl judged from Hamer's gestures that he was endeavoring to reassure the other two.

When they separated, Mary moved to a point where she could intercept them, and then she approached them unobserved.

Just as she reached them she overheard liamer say to the others: "Nonsense, men. Go away and sink your fears in a pot of ale. and find some Dutch courage if you can't manage any of your own. How the devil can either of them have escaped? The girl hadn't a notion of the plant, and she was bound hand and foot, even if she had while that white-livered coward, Prawle, couldn't have got back his few silly wits in time to tell her anything. What chance do you suppose you would have had if you'd been nursing that machine? Why, there wouldn't have been as much of you left clinging together as would cover a shilling. Bah! I've no patience with skunks. Dead tongues can't clatter, that's the long and the short of it." "No, you're right, Jos liamer. Dead tongues can't clatter. But yon're not a murderer yet, for all your effort."

As Mary said this, she moved close to the three men and looked steadily at them. The two looked round as if wishing to run away. But Hamer returned her gaze sturdily, steadily and defiantly. "What do you mean? Who are you calling murderer? Who are you? What do you want bothering me?" "That indifference may do with others, but not with me," answered the girl, firmly. Then as a thought struck her, she added: "All I say Gibeon Prawle is ready to confirm." "The hound!" muttered the man. Then, sullenly: "What do you want?"

Mary now thought how best she could serve her lover, and framed her conditions in that view. "I shall say nothing if by to-morrow evening all the men who were in the shed last night have left the village, never to return. Those who ston will.

find themselves in the hands of the police."

CHAPTER XII.

"THET SAY THAT TOM ROYLANCE IS A THIEF." On the following day Mary was unable to go to the mill. The strain and the excitement of the previous night had made her ill, and she had to keep her bed. In the evening she was worse, and for some days she suffered from a species of low fever. On the third day Savannah told her that the' strike was over and that several of the more prominent strikers had left the village. "lias Gibeon Prawle gone with the rest?" she asked. "No," answered Savannah. "I hear that he's been round to Gorringe to beg to be taken back again. But. of course, he isn't to be." "I should think not," cried Mary, "after having been the cause of all the trouble." "Gorringe is in high spirits at having beaten the men," said Savannah. "He thinks he's done it all. That's always the way with your masterful men." "I'm glad lie's won," said Mary.

She had noticed a change in Savannah's manner towards her during the days she had been shut up by her illness and it had made her thoughtful. "Why are you glad? Do you like him?" asked Savannah, quickly, looking keenly and searcliingly at Mary. "Like him? What has that to do with the strike? I am glad, because if he had not won the strike would have had to go on indefinitely. He would never have given in." "Ugh! Sometimes I hate him!" cried Savannah, flashing out into sudden rage. "He's a devil!" "Savannah!" exclaimed Mary, in astonishment at the ether's quick vehemence. "Why, what has lie done to make you say that?" "I hate him!" cried the girl again, tho anger flashing out of the depths of her dark blue eyes while her face crimsoned with passion. "I hate himl If I had a chance I'd kill him!" "Savannah, what is it? What has ho done to you to make you like this to him?" said Mary, gently laying her hand on the other's. "What has he done? Why, he— But what is it to you?" she cried", snatching her hand from Mary's, and turning on her with quick impetuous fury. "What do you come sneaking and trying to catch me tripping for, and sayii.g that which you think will give you a hold over me, with your fawning touch and your false softness? You are all false. Yrou are all against me. You are all devils together. But you don't catch me tripping—not till I had my way and won my purpose. So don't you think it and with a loud, mocking laugh she liurrried out of the room, leaving Mary full of wonderment and fear at her strange words and stranger manner.

But Mary in the days of her illness had a greater trouble than Savannah's eccentricity. Tom came only very seldom to the cottage to ask after hep and in all the week that she lay in bed she did not once see him.

She saw Reuben Gorringe before she saw Tom. He had called at the cottage every day when he had learnt of her illness, and had brought her fruit and flowers and delicacies. "You have been ill, indeed," he said, taking her hand, and looking into her eyes with a look of grave concern on his dark face. "And you have been winning battles over the men," she said, and smiled, not very brightly, although the man's sympathy touched her. "Yes, we have won. But it is as much your victory as mine," he said. "Why? What do you mean?" This with a quick look. "That you took the same side as I. If you had gone against me I should not have attempted to fight. Yon are all in all to me still, Mary."

The girl's rather pale face flushed under the look which accompanied these words. "Mr. Gorringe"—she began. "Stay. I forgot myself, Mary. Iam sorry. I won't offend again. I know what you would say. But the look of you so pale and weak and feeble made me forget myself and my promise— everything but my feelings. I am a selfish brute. But there, it's past. Forgive me." And he held out his hand.

(TII Be Continued.)

Unknown ll.in Killed by a Train. BUA/.IL, liid.. April 4.—An unknown man, finely dressed and with quite a sum of money on his person, was killed on the Terre Haute & Indiana railway Tuesday afternoon. The first known of him was when his body was seen rolling under a slow train. liis head was cut off and he was lairly cut to pieces.

.Special Court for itohy Cases. CKOWN POINT, Ind., April 4.—Judge Langdon. of Lafayette, will convene a special term of the Lake circuit court at this place on the 10th of the present month to hear the cases against the balance of the indicted Columbian Athletic club's members. The case of Billy Woods comes first on the docket

Marital Fetters Broken.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 4.—Judge Winters, of the superior court, in chambers Tuesday granted Anna A. Coinstock a divorce from Horace A. Cornstock, a wealthy jeweler. The social standing of the family is high. The grounds alleged in the complaint were cruelty and immorality.

Boy ,Jlimps Into Boiling Water. LOGANSPOHT, Ind., April 4. —Walter Brown while playing at the street-car power house Tuesday sprang into a vat of boiling water and was terribly scalded from his feet to his shoulders. The flesh is peeling off and the lad is in horrible agony. Physicians, however. hope to save his life.

Bisliop Cliataril Going to Koine. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 4.—It became known Tuesday that Bishop Francis Silas Chatard, of the diocese of Vincennes, left for Rome early Monday, having received from the Vatican two weeks ago a call which has been kept secret. The object of the call is not known.

Ai iff BE POLLS.

Municipal Elections Are Held in Several Statea

BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE RESULT.

Republicans Are Said to Have Made Gain* ill Ohio aiul MUlilirun Cities— Iteturns from I own—Women

Vote In KuiiHas.

IN THE BUCKEYE STATE.

CINCINNATI, April 8.—The municipal campaign which enoed with the election of Monday was one of the hottest political fights known in the history of the Queen City. The result is a victory for the republicans. The returns show the election of lion. John A. Caldwell-: by a plurality of 6,750. He will therefore resign his seat in congress and a special election will be in ordsr in the Second district of Ohio. All the other names on the republican ticket were renominations and consequently reelections, and by pluralities ranging up to 13,000.

The vote on mayor is: Caldwell (rep.), 20,672 Miller (dein.), 11,855 Horstman (citizen), 19,912 people'B, 255 prohibition, 70. On the rest of the ticket the vote averaged: Republicans, 28,000 democrats, 14,000 citizens, 15,000. The total vote is about 14,000 below the registration.

Mauy Republican Gains.

The republicans carried everything at Lima, Hamilton, Wapakoneta and other places for the first time. Wapakoneta elects a republican mayor and two republican council men. The republicans never before had a councilman at Wapakoneta.

Hamilton, which had a normal democratic majority of 1,400, elects Henry Lots (rep.) city commissioner by '.,100 majority. All minor ward offices were carried by the republicans except those of the First ward. Republican success is reported at Wooster, Piqua, l)ennison, Urichsville, London, Waverly, Washington Court House and Fostoria, Toledo, Newark and many other points. The vote at nearly all places is heavy:

Republicans Recapture Cleveland, CLEVELAND, O., April 8.—Official returns from about one-half of the city show that the republicans have won by pluralities ranging from 3,000 to 5,000. In the presidential election of 18W2 the city went democratic by 4,000 and last spring the democratic candidate for mayor had nearly 1,500 plurality. The vote was very light Monday, the election being only for school director and members of the school council and city council.

Columbus Vote*.

COLUMBUS, O., April 8.—The republicans have swept everything in Columbus, electing the police judge and the entire ticket. Seventy out of seventyfive preciucts show that the majority of Bigger for judge will be about 3,000. The city was carried for the democratic mayor last spring by 1,000. The majorities on the balance of the ticket will range from 2,000 to 2,500. The republicans also elect seventeen of the twenty-two counciltnen and about the same majority on the school board.

In MluMfjau.

DETKOIT, Mich., Aprils.—The returns from the municipal elections held in this state are mostly in favor of the republicans. There seems to have been a general change of political sentiment, especially in cities and towns which have heretofore been counted as safely democratic. In Unvnd Rapids the entire democratic ticket was defeated. Ten out of twelve aldermen elected are republicans. In Saginaw the democrats elected mayor by 4ft plurality. Republicans elect the other officers. In Bay City demoTats elect recorder and only two o7 twelve aldermen. Republicans made clean Bweeps in Ht. Joseph, Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Adrian, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Cadillac, Big Rapids, Jackson. Grand Haven republicans get the city offices except marshal. At Muskegon the republicans made a clean sweep. In the smaller towns and townships the returns thus far received also stiow republican gains.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., April 8.— The largest vote ever polled was cast here Monday. The republicans have elected the entire city ticket with the exception of one alderman and one constable doubt. The vote on county seat removal is 1,240 in this city. With St. Joseph's vote the twin cities have cast 2,200 for removal. Reports from outlying districts come in slowly, but it is generally conceded that the removal proposition has carried.

Iowa's Municipal Election*. DUBUQUE, la., April 8.—The entire democratic city ticket was elected Monday by 000 majority. They also elected four democratic aldermen and one independent republican, Crawford, in the Fourth ward, who ran against O'iN'eil, citizens' candidate.

UES MOINES, la., April 8.—The republicans here elected the whole city ticket by majorities from 1,000 to 1,400. They also elected eight of the nine aldermen.

In Minnesota.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Aprils.—In none of the Minnesota town elections held Monday were political issues at stake. Only a few reports are at hand. In only a few towns was the liquor question voted upon. Lanesboro and Litchfield are among the towns that decided upon no license. Winnebago City voted for license. St. Cloud elected a republican mayor. The democrats have %. majority in the council.

A Kansas Woman Beaten.

ABILENE, Kan., April 8.—At Enterprise, in this county, the women had an entire city ticket, with Mrs. C. Kohler for mayor. They conducted an active campaign, and polled nearly all the women votes. Their ticket was, however, defeated by 100 votes. Politics cut no figure in this unique contest It was a fight by the women against saloons and for a purer municipal government.

Americans in Bluefields declare their Intention to fight if the Nicaraguana cause any further trouble. Many people are leaving the country.