Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1897 — BIG CLAIM IS MADE. [ARTICLE]

BIG CLAIM IS MADE.

DRAKE DESCENDANTS WANT A SLICE OF ENGLAND. Will Make a Fight to Recover What Waa Once the Estate of the Great Navigator—Davis Island la Swept Away. After J. Ball’s Land. Two hundred descendants of Sir Francis Drake, the famous English navigator, have formed an association in the western part of Pennsylvania to put forward a claim for what was once his estate. The property, they say, is situated in Devon and Somerset Counties in England, and it consists of about 0,000 acres of land aud over $200,000,000 in money, which is the accumulation of rentals for about 150 years. The story they tell is that the famous mariner left his property to two sons, John aud Francis Drake, in which line the estate was held until 1749, when the heirs of Francis Drake became extinct, and the estate reverted to the heirs of John Drake. The members of the association say they are the direct descendants of ,John. The. Drakes, who are distributed all over the western part of Pennsylvania, held a meeting at Newcastle on Saturday to formulate plans for claiming the property. RIVALB THE MAMMOTH CAVE. Great Subterranean Passageway Discovered at Castalla, Ohio. The discovery of a vast subterranean passageway at Caatalia, 0., has caused many visitors to inspect a new’ cave lately. Sunday visitors came from many surrounding towns. The cave is situated at the source of Castalia creek aud extends underneath the town. The people of Erie County are much exercised over the explorations that are being made. The entrance is as jet made with difficulty, but the splendor of the interior is marvelous when shown by the illumination of torches. The State geologist will inspect the cave, after which the opening will be enlarged. It is believed that this cave is connected with Perry’s Cave at Put-in-Ray and also with Flat Rock Cave, which would make it extend over an area greater than that of Mammoth Cave.

ALGER ISSUES AN ORDEH. Asks that Laborers Keep Away from Sontbern Cities. A Washington dispatch says that Secretary Alger thinks the worst of the flood dangers have passed in the Mississippi Valley, and that with the force the War Department has in. the field, co-operating as it is with the local relief committees, ihere is small danger that great suffering will be permitted to go unchecked aud unrelieved. One danger to be avoided from now on, in Secretary Alger’s opinion, is the possible concentration of the destitute laborers in the cities and tow’ns in order to secure the relief which the Government holds out. Accordingly Secretary Alger has sent the following telegraphic order: “The Secretary of War directs you to use every possible effort to prevent people who are receiving aid from the Government from gathering in the cities, for, as soon as the water subsides, their services will doubtless be required to move upon the levee, and till the fields, and, besides, it would be a great expense to transport them back to their former homes when needed, even if they should desire to do so.”

BOBBERY AT NOONDAY. Yonkers, N, Y,, the €cene of a Sensational Bank Raid. The Yonkers, N. Y., Savings Bank was entered at noon Monday by robbers, one of whom held up the aged cashier with a revolver, and after taking $4,420.45 out of the cash drawer escaped. Lyman Cobb Jr. is the cashier of the bank. He is a man of about 70, and has held the position for thirty years. He was in charge of the bank, and had been engaged in conversation by a plausible stranger who “wanted to open an account,” when the second robber entered and presented a revolver to his'Head. The first stranger grabbed a roll of bills, and the two quickly fled. The cashier, ignoring the command to throw up his hands, rushed across the room aud sprung the electric police alarm. The response was not made quickly enough to secure the capture of the thieves. The loss will in no way injure the standing of the hank.

Monetary Conference Delegates. The President Monday night announced the appointment of Senator Edward O. Wolcott of Colorado, Charles J. Paine of Boston, Mass., and ex-Vice Presidoni Adlai E. Stevenson as commissioners to an international monetary conference. These appointments are made under the act approved March 3, last, “for the promotion of an international agreement for bimetallism,” and by its provisions do not require confirmation by the Senate. Flood’s Wild Sweep. Davis Island, a 5,000-acre tract in midriver off Warren County, Mississippi, is reported to be flooded. Levees on the island's northern end broke through, letting the water have full sweep the whole length of the island. Davis Island had 2,500 inhabitants when the flood began, but many of them have been moving since. Kelllhnn to Haag. At Fairmont, Minn., Judge Quinn sentenced to hang, Aug. 12, Lewis Kellihan, of Mason City, lowa. Kellihan and his brother robbed a bank at Shertnirn in November and killed two men. They fled on bicycles and were caught three days later. The brother was killed at the capture. Death for Train Wrecker#. Two Mexicans have been arrested for wrecking the Mexican Central express near San Luis Botosi, Mexico. Two men were killed and several persons injured in the accident. Both prisoners will be shot, is they have confessed their guilt. Head-on with a Crash. Two extra fast freight trains on the Southern Pacific Railway collided near Langtry, Texas. Fireman A. E. Welch was killed. No Mailt for Two Weeks, The country surrounding Mellette, S. D., is flooded, railroads are washed out, and there have bben no mails for two weeks. The James river has risen seven feet higher than ever before, and Is a mile wide. Large numbers of live stock perished in the flood. Sold Her Finger for 91,000. Miss Grace Dinsmore went to New York from Binghamton to sell the middle finger of her right band for SI,OOO. A surgeon advertised for a woman wjw, for liberal pay, would be willing to part with a middle finger at the middle joint for grafting operation.