Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1888 — A NEWSY MELANGE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A NEWSY MELANGE.

DOINGS OF OUR NEIGHBORS AT HOME AND ABROAD. Events of Interest and Importance in Every Quarter of the Globe. Religious Intelligence, Crimes ami Casualties, Industrial Notes, Personal Mention. KILLED BY AN OUTLAW'. A Plucky Kansas Fanner Meets Death While Protecting His Property. A bloody encounter took place near the Indian Territory line-in Stevens County, Kansas, between a farmer named Howell and Jim Newton, the desperado, who hails from Beer City, in the neutral strip. Newton hits been engaged in stealing horses from the Kansas farmers and running them across the line into the neutral strip, where ho was safe from the law. Howell heard a noise in his barn-yard, aud on going to investigate found the notorious horsethief preparing to leave with three of the best horses. He commanded Newton to release the horses, but the desperado answered by firing a pistol. Howell then attacked the thief unarmed, and a desperate struggle ensued. The farmer was overcome, brutally beaten about the head, and to finish his work the thief fired three bulets into Howell’s body, and rode off to the Territory with the horses. The mangled body of the farmer was found in the morning, and a posse of farmers was at once organized to follow the desperado.

AN EXPRESS CAR ROBBED. Mississippi Highwaymen Plunder an Illinois Central Train. An Illinois Central train was stopped one mile north of Duck Hill, Mississippi, by two robbers, and the express ear plundered. The thieves boarded the engine as the train pulled out of Duck Hill and ordered Engineer Law to pull out fast and not stop until told. The engineer and fireman, being covered with navy ’’sixes," obeyed the command. One mile north of Duck Hill the train was stopped and the engineer and fireman were ordered to dismount. This they promptly did. They were then marched to the express ear, One of the robbers knocked on the door, which was opened by Messenger Hill. After firing throe shots the man entered and took s3,ooo—all there was in the car—from the messenger. Charles Hughes, of Jackson, Tenn., who appeared at the express car, was fatally shot by the robbers. The robbers escaped. EXTENSIVE FIRE AT ST. LOUIS. Three Large Printing Houses Destroyed— The Loss About 9900,000. Three of the largest printing houses in the West were destroyed by fire at St. Louis, Mo. The blaze started on the fourth floor of the building occupied by Becktold <fc Co., and partially destroyed the Nixon-Jones Printing Company and Little & Becker’s buildings. The loss on the building, which was owned by Edward J. Gay, the millionaire, is SIOO,OOO, fully Insured, It cost $250,000 in 1859. The Bechtold Printing Company loses $75,000, insurance $00,000; Little & Becker lose SIO,OOO, fully insured; the Nixon-Jones Printing Company $50,000, fully insured. The Spectator office was located in the building and was damaged to thh extent of $2,500.

THE AMERICAN FEDERATION. Officers Elected for the Ensuing Year—Boston the Place of Next Meeting. Tho American Federation of Labor, in session at St. Louis, Mo., elected officers for the ensuing year as follows: President. Samuel Gompers, New York; First Vico President, Daniel McLaughlin, Braidwood, HL; Second Vico President, William Martin, Pittsburg; Secretary, P. J. McGuire, Philadelphia; Treasurer, Henry Emrich, New York; Trustees, Hugo Miller, August Belabor and Josiah P. Dyer, Now York. After one tio ballot between Boston and Philadelphia, 'the former was selected as tho place for holding the next annual session, which will be held on the second Tuesday of next December. DESPERATE DUEL WITH KNIVES. Two West Virginians Cut and Slash Each Other Frightfully. A telegram from Berkeley Springs, W. Va., narrates a fatal encounter at Howard’s Chapel, Morgan County, between two young men armed with knives. George Mason and John Lamp inaugurated a row about a watch trade, and Mason drew a knife and attacked Lamp, stabbing him in the shoulder. Lamp defended himself with a like weapon, and the two men cut and slashed each other in a terrible manner. Both were repeatedly cut. Lamp ran his knife blade through Mason’s neck, ending the impromptu duel. Mason died instantly. Prince Eugene Dead. Prince Eugene of Savoie-Carignan is dead at Turin. He was 72 years of age and was an Admiral in the Italian navy. Koreign News Notes. A reconnaissance was made on the rebels’ position at Suakin, and heavy firing ensued,. Sir R. D. Moroiri. British Ambassador at St. Petersburg, is charged with having antiGerman leanings. It is denied that Germany is concerned in the Russo-Persian dispute. Telegraphic Tickings. A. B. Stickney, the St. Paul railroad man, is trying to make arrangements for a rail-and-water route from Duluth to Pittsburg by way of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The smuggling conspiracy in the Northwest is said to be extensive, other articles than opium being brought over the line.

ANOTHER CHICAGO TRAGEDY. A Young Engineer Kills the Object of Hi* Affections, Then Suicide*. J. J. Martin, a young engineer employed in. Chicago, became infatuated with Mrs. Mary Merrill, with whom he was boarding, and though repulsed by the woman, who was living pleasantly with her husband, seemed to become more madly in love with her. He entered Mrs. Merrill’s house after

being ordered out, and finding her attending to her household duties in company with a chambermaid, Hattie Birk, drew a revolver, and fired two shots at the latter, neither of which took effect. He then turned the weapon upon Mrs. Merrill with fatal effect, ono ball crashing through her head, causing death in an hour. Martin then placed the smoking revolver to his temple, pulled the trigger, and fell dead,

DYNAMITE FOR A DISTILLERY. Unknown Parties Fail in Their Efforts to Blow Up a Chicago Still Houm. An act of njurderous incendiarism, which had it succeeded, would have eclipsed the havoc of the Haymarket bomb, was attempted in Chicago. Shufeldt’s distillery was tbe scene of the attempted outrage. The distillery proper comprises a block of irregular buildings, lying between Lincoln street and the river. On the east side of the building runs a low-roofed structure, used as a warehouse, store-rooms, and spirit-rooms. In this section are stored nearly 200,000 gallons of whisky and high proof spirits. Walls three to four feet thick divide this portion of the 1 uilding into sections. The entire place is left under the charge of United States Government officials. A terrible explosion, sounding like thunder, took place. Two dozen men wore at work in the building. The fuse to the bombs, except in one instance. went out, thus averting a terrible catastrophe. The bombs were placed on top of the building directly over the high proof liquors, and the one that exploded tore a large hole in the roof, but fortunately did not ignite the liquors. The work was by unknown parties. WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW. Dun & Co.’« Reports Favorable as to the Con lit ion of Business. It. G. Dun & Co.’s review of trade for the past, week follows: The most important event of the week in the financial world, the failure if the Panama Canal, has not as yet b,enfelt In this country. The amoant of securities held here is not large, aud there is a general belief that the French government will be obliged to do something to avert widespread disaster. The bank clearings lor the first, week in December exceed those of last year by 18 per cent., which implies a large volume of present business. Throughout the Northwest improvement is felt, except at a few points wheie wild speculation and overtrading last year did most mischief. In hardware sonic disposition to purchase in expectation of higher prices is noted at Cleveland. Cutting ot rail, rates demoralizes business at Denver, but the general tenor of reports is decidedly favorable. Wheat advanced 1)4 cents on small speculative transactions, oxj orts to the C ontinent of Fur. pj having reached 3 u 0,000 bushels, with none to lueat Btii ain. Corn and oats declined \> cent each, and pork a. 5 cents, and lard a quarter. Cotton steady; a Memphis circular now estimates the yieid at u,iOO,iXX) bales. Coffee has d. dined Sj cent, and oil has risen .94 cent. Ttie geiie.ial average for all commodities is about i par cent, lower than a week ago. and align ly beiow the level of Nov. 1. Foreign trade is fair in volume. The Treasury has put out #2,10 ,00) more than it has taken in during the week, thus supplying the loss caused by gold exports. 'Jhe business failures numbered 303, »s compared witn 30 last week, and 222 the week previous. !• or the corresponding week of last, year the figures were 288.

DIEV ON THE GALLOWS. The Murderer of His Own Mother Hanged at Riverhead, E. J. Asbury Hawkins was hanged at Riverhead, L. I. He died without flinching, maintaining to the last moment the perfect indifference he exhibited throughout his imprisinnent. The execution was witnessed by about twenty-four persons, and was wholly without incident. The crime for which he paid the death penalty w s a peculiarly atrocious one, he having killed his own mother Oct. 2, ISBZ, because of her refusal to be reconciled to the marriage of himself and u Miss Schreck. He went to the house of his mother on the of the murder, according to his confession, with the avowed purpose of Killing her if she still refused to give her consent. He induced her to go out riding in a buggy and shot her three times. EIGHT PEOPLE BURNED TO DEATH. A Whole Family Caught in a Burning Building in Texas. A dispatch received from Cookville, Texas, gives the outlines of a terrible affair that oecurred'thore. The residence of John R. King was burned and King, his wife, and six children were burned to death. It was thought that the fire was incendiary and that some of the victims were murdered. The bodies of the eight victims were taken from the ruins and buried in one grave. The family recently went there from Alabama. THE PANAMA CANAL. More Time Granted in Which to Settle the Company’s Liabilities. In the French Chamber of Deputies M. Peytral, Minister of Finance, submitted a bill authorizing the postponement for three months of the payment of the Panama Canal Company’s liabilities, including interest and redemption of bonds. M. de Lesseps and his two colleagues have resigned from the Tribunal of the Seine. At their request the Tribunal appointed M. Hue, M. Baude-

lot. and M. de Nounandie to settle up the Panama Canal Compjjpy's affairs. The company announces the Immediate return of the subscriptions for the unsuccessful issue of bonds. A new com nan y will probably be formed. THE POPE’S LETTER. The Spiritual Welfare of Italian Emigrants to Be Looked After. The Borne Otterratore Horaano publishes the Pope's letter to Bishops in America with reference to the care of Italian immigrants. This letter says; The Pope deplores the fact that many Italians, forced by poverty io emigrate, find them selves in a worse position than ever in America Great danger attend* their souls, both during the voyage and on their arrival, owing to the difficulty of meeting priests speaking Italian. Being much preoccupied with these facts the Pope charged the Congregation de Propaganda Fide to study the two-fold question of how to promote both the religious and the material welfare of emigrants, and it has been decided to dispatch priests from Italy to localities inhabited by Italian emigrants. The Pope declares that It will afford him great satisfaction if the American Bishops will facilitate the task of these priests by’ referring to the Propaganda in regard to any changes required in their sacred duties. His Holiness concludes with a benediction upon the Bishops, clergy and faithful in America.

• AN ANARCHISTIC AGITATOR. . Mrs. Parsons Delivers a Characteristic Speech in New York. Mrs. A. R. Parsons, widow of the Chicago anarchist, addressed about seven hundred people in New York City. She dwelt at length on the hanging of the anarchists, and said: Innocent blood has been shed, innocent blood must be shed in vengeance. In London 1 attended meetings in Hyde Park where the red flags waved, baud* played, aud anarchist speeches were made wituont the police interfering. While I was addressing a meeting in Trafalgar Square, X learned that Lord Bonfield of Chicago had ordered that th) anarchists be not allowed to meet. He had ordered his scorpions to see that no public demonstrations take place in Chicago. That is free America; wnilo we were jiublicly proclaiming our theories in monarchical England. We want a teetotal change in the ownershin of the world's wealth, the land for the landless, toil for the toilers, homes for the homeless, and death for all tyrants anl tyranny. It’s death for ail who stand in the way of the remedy. A LONG SENTENCE. Au I llinois Veterinary Surgeon Comes to Grief at Taylorville. Charles F. Henderson, a veterinary’ surgeon, has been sentenced to twenty-eight years in the penitentiary tor torturing about forty or fifty horses with sulphuric acid and cotton oil during the progress of a political meeting at Taylorville, 111. Henderson made a confession in court. There was much excitement when sentence was pronounced. Henderson was hurried off to Chester at once. WASN’T ON THE BILL. A Lively Timo in a Sandusky, Ohio, Theater. At Sandusky, Ohio, during the presentation of a border drama by a traveling company, three Indians engaged in a quarrel in their dressing-room, which Stage Manager Ungerer tried to prevent. They struck him with a tomahawk and fired at him and Mrs. Ungerer, who. with her husband, returned the tire, while the audience stampeded and policemen arrested the Indians. CRAZY E. L. HARPER. The Bank-Wrecker Loses His Mind After One Year’s Imprisonment. E. L. Harper, the Fidelity Bank wrecker, and one of the principal figures in the big wheat deal, is a maniac.

Harper was taken to prison at Columbus, Ohio, one year ago to serve a term of ten years

under the sentence ot a Federal court. On iris 4cth birthday (which he said was the only unhappy one he had ever experienced), when he ’ went to his work in tho , Secretary’s office, it was found that he was talking in a rambling manner of persons connected with his case—Ben Hopkins, who is on his death-bed in prison,

and President Cleveland. He undertook to demonstrate that these and others had died at a certain hour. Harper has been reading religious books of late and his mania is of a religions cast. As soon as his coiidition was discovered the officials undertook to remove him to the prison asylum, but be refused to move without being commanded to do so by God. The officials were two hours in getting him across the court square. The prison physician states that his insanity is of a bad type, as “God may command him at any moment to kill some one. It is ’ believed the disappointment in not being assured of a pardon, and the prospect that Hopkins will secure a pardon soon, so worked on his mind that reason was dethroned. Ean>or and Hopkins are strong enemies, though they have kept up communication in prison. Hopkins, when told of Harper's condition, said that he knew Harper would meet some such fate because of the manner in which he had treated him. Of the Fidelity officers, 0. Briggs Swift is broken in mind and health, Harper is insane, B aid win is dead, and Hopkins is dying.

COOKED BY ESCAPING STEAM. Horrible Death of Two Men in a Railroad Wreck in Florida. The fast orange train jumped a switch west of Tallahassee. Fla. The cars were thrown to the top of the engine. Scott Seabrook, the engineer, and tlie fireman, Jim Conyers, colored, were both instantly killed, their bodies being cooked by the escaping steam. Brakeman Rice, a young white man, was badly scalded and bruised, but will recover. It was a horrible wreck. HIS WIFE WAS TOO HEALTHY. The Reason a Wealthy but Consumptive Kansas City Man Shot His Spouse. Lawrence Richards, a young man of 26 years, who has acquired about $50,000 by legacies, and who is sick with consumption, shot his wife In Kansas Cify, Mo. Richards was drunk at the time, and after the shooting ran away, but returned and wanted to kiss his wife. When arrested he told the police that ho shot his wife* because she was in such good health. NEWS FROM STANLEY. He Has Probably Fallen Into the Hands of the Mahdi. The London Standard says it has reason to believe that the letter received at Suakln from Osman Digna announced that the Mahdi’s troops had at length been successful, that Emin had held out bravely, but his men mutinied and delivered him with a

white traveler (supposed to be Stanley) to the Mahdist leader. Digna sends proof tending to support the truth of his assertions. Balloons and parachutes have been sent to Suakin for the use 1 of the troops. A CELEBRAIEX) CHIEF DEAD. Colorow, the Ute Leader, Expires at Green River, Utah. News has been received from Ouray -Agency. Green River, Utah, that Colorow, the celebrated chief of the Southern Utes, died at the agency of pneumonia. The red chief was the most famous in the

West, and was a leader in the Meeker massacre and also in the Colorow war In Utah a year ago. Since this last ’outbreak he has been under mill: tary surveillance, which has greatly worried him. About a 'month ago he I took a violent cold, which rapidly developed into pneumonia. He was over 70 years of age, and will be succeeded by Tapovonaro, chief of the Uncompaghres.

GOING MAD IN JAIL. Two Years’ Incarceration Sadly Affects Thomas Moroney. Bishop Kimberley and Patrick O’Brien, M. P., recently paid a visit to Thomas Moroney, who has been in jail at Dublin nearly two years for contempt of court in refusing to testify’ in the case of Herbertstown tenants. They declare that Moroney’ is in a semi-mad state, and his hair has turned snow white from the effects of his imprisonment. Condition of the Wheat Crop. The following appeared in the last issue of the Farmers’ .Review, of Chicago: ’’The summarized reports from correspondents in four principal wheat-growing States indicate a considerable reduction in the area seeded this fall to winter wheat. The present condition of winter wheat is reported as good in Ohio. Indiana. Illinois, and Kentucky, fair in Wisconsin, and fair to good in Michigan, Missouri, and Kansas." Prominent Deaths. Elisha Atkins, a Boston merchant, one of the founders of the Union Pacific Railway and its first Vice President, died at his home in Boston, Mass., aged 75. The same evening there passed away at Louisville, Ky., Mrs. B. Maeauley. aged 72, mother of John T. Maeauley, of Macauley’s Theater, of that city, of Gen. Daniel Maeauley, of New York, and of the late Barney’ Maeauley, the actor. Rear Admiral Leroy died at New York, also.

Anarchist Parsons’ Widow. Mrs. Parsons, wife of one of the anarchists who were hanged at Chicago, arrived at New York recently from Europe. She announces that she is engaged to be married to M. Bernstein, the Hebrew editor of an anarchist sheet at Zurich, Switzerland. Southern Failures. The Lincoln Mills and Stock Farm Company, near Varner, Ark., have failed for $05,000, with assets approximating that amount. A. Block, dry goods and groceries, nt Texarkana, has been closed by the Sheriff, owing $70,000, with nominal assets of $11)0,000. Railroad Official Dead. C. A. Fairbank, General Agent of tho Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Road on the Pacific coast, died at Alameda. Cal., from the results of injuries received in a railroad accident four weeks before. Shot hy His Brother. At Middletown, Ohio, while Mrs. Samuel Cook’s two children—Robert, aged 4, and Charlie, aged 3—were alone, Robert shot his brother in the* forehead with a rifle belonging to an older brother. , Sailed for Hayti. « The war ships Galena and Yantic have sailed from New York for Hayti. Reports have been received that the Hay tian man-of-war. La Trusse, fired at and sunk the German steamer Clemintine. Elected Senator. The South Carolina Legislature has reelected M. C. Butler as United States Senator.

MARTIN AND HIS VICTIM.

E. L. HARPER.