Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1897 — BUILD A SPITE HOUSE [ARTICLE]

BUILD A SPITE HOUSE

ST. LOUIS SALOON KEEPER S UNIQUE REVENGE. He Will Erect Ugly Buildings to Get Even with Enemies—No Two Bricks Alike—Hayti May Fight If Italy Becomes Dictatorial. Vengeance in St. Eon is. Charles Kettlia is preparing to build a “spite house” in St. Louis. Rettlia keeps a saloon and grocery store. He figured in a sensational legal fight with the residents of a fashionable West End neighborhood two years ago. Now he proposes to build the ugliest house ever conceived right where it will lie an eyesore to the persons who made trouble for him. Rettlia owns a building at 3101 Chestnut street and a lot adjoining. Two years ago he opened a grocery store in the building on the corner. After running .he store a month he opened a saloon in the Tear. There was never a saloon in the neighborhood and the fashionable residents of the block made a concerted fight on Rettlia. The neighbors tried every inducement to cause Rettlia to abandon the saloon annex to his grocery. When persuasion failed they resorted to the law and he was forced to close his saloon. He has now let a contract to have two very ugly flats erected on his lots. They will be two stories in height, built of old bricks of all colors, with bay windows of rough boards, and will cost in all about SOOO. He will rent to negro tenants. HAITI MAY FIGHT. Belief Prevails That She Will Not Be Coerced This Time. A Washington dispatch to the New York Herald says that Hayti may once more be submitted to humiliation similar to that inflicted by Germany in the I.ueders case. In the present instance Italy is the presumably aggrieved party. The cause is the alleged illegal seizure of an Italian vessel and the killing of an Italian. Should Italy resort to force to collect an indemnity the opinion prevails in administration circles that President Sam will be forced by his people to declare war. Minister Leger and the members of the Haytian legation do not believe Hayti is responsible for either of the matters above alluded to. What this country will do is wholly problematical.

FATAL COLLISION OF TRAINS. the Panhandle Railroad at Royal Center, Ind. The north-bound passenger on the Chicago division of the Panhandle collided with a south-lKMinil freight just south of Royal Center at 5 o'clock Tues/ay afternoon. A. Gottner, aged 20, of Royal Center. was instantly killed. Cottner and William Menthon, also of Royal Center, were riding on the blind baggage, and when the accident occurred Menthon jumped, escaping with a bad cut on the hand. Cottner, however, was caught between the car and engine and crushed. Two small children of Mrs. Hardesty of Kewanee were painfully bruised. None of the train men or other passengers was hurt. White Caps Kills Negroes. Lamar County, Alabama, has been terrorized for many months past by white caps. A large number of arrests were made and the offenders arraigned before the United States Court at Birmingham. Two negroes, John and Lewis Bonner, gave testimony which was material to the Government and resulted in the conviction of several of the worst members of the gang. The two negroes returned to their homes near Kennedy the other evening. About midnight they were called to their door by some unknown parties and shot down in cold blood. Held Up the Entire Village, The little town of Argusville, ten miles from FaTgo, N. D., was the scene of a most desperate robbery one night recently. Three masked men walked into the town, armed to the teeth, and ordered the merchants and business men right and left to stand in line. Then one man went through nearly every store in the town, securing money and valuables amounting to SI,OOO. None of the desperadoes were captured. Business Reverses Caused Suicide. Charles Birnbaum, aged 55 years, once a wealthy mine owner, shot and killed himself at his home in Kansas City, despondent over business reverses and illhealth. Mrs. Birnbaum, who is blind, •was the first to discover her husband after he had shot himself. Birnbaum was a Hebrew. He amassed a fortune in Sonora, old Mexico, and Pueblo, Colo., •which had slipped away from him gradually. Bishop Walden Appointed. Bishop John M. Walden of Cincinnati has been designated by his associate bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church to preside over the numerous conferences to be held in Europe next year. This is one of the most desirable and pleasurable assignments within the gift •of the episcopal board. The bishop will sail about the end of February and will be absent for the greater part of the year. La Touraine Disabled. The French line steamer La Touraine, Captain Santelli, from New'York Dec. 4 for Havre, stopped off the Lizard, England, when she reached there, and signaled that she was not under control. Suicide of a Traveler. Charistan Doneson, a Swede, en route from Chicago to Sweden, was found hanging in the woods near Bernhard’s Bav, N. Y. Chilian Cabinet Resigns. The entire Chilian cabinet has resigned. The event -has caused a sensation. The cabinet was appointed last August, to succeed the ministry formed on Aug. 9, under the premiership of Orrego Huco. •which in turn succeeded the Antunez cabinet that retired on June 23 last. Fatality in a Football Game. Frank Hunt, the 11-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Hunt of Akron, 0., is the first victim of football in Akron. He died of brain fever, the direct result of Injuries received while playing the game. Vetoes the Football Bill. : Gov. Atkinson of Georgia vetoed the anti-football bill. He sent a message to the House stating that he had vetoed the measure, as he thought the question of •whether college boys should play football •bonld be left with the faculties of the varions institutions. Invitation on Quartz. A slab of quartz, with veins of gold prominently showing, will convey California’s invitation to President McKinley to attend the golden jubilee of the discovery gold. The precious rock will have engraved on its face the invitation to the

1 JAPAN EXPECTS INDEMNITY. Torn Hoshi Glve9 the Mikado’s Position Regarding Hawaii. Toru Hoshi, Japanese minister to the United States, admitted in an interview with a representative of the Associated Press that the object of his mission to Japan, from whence he has just returned, was to ascertain the views of his Government on the proposed annexation of Hawaii and to procure instructions from the mikado relative to the course he was expected to pursue iu case the treaty shall be ratified by Congress. Mr. Hoshi said: .“The impression has gone out to the American people that we propose to recall the protest entered by Japan against the acquisition of the Sandwich Islands by the United States Government. This is misleading and untrue. Japan has always maintained amicable relations with the United States, and it is not our purpose now to take any steps that would lead to a breach of mutual good will, but at the same time Japan will stand firmly in the maintenance of its rights and privileges acquired under treaty with the Hawaiian Government. If the United States decided to annex Hawaii, we hope to be able to enforce onr demands for indemnity for the violation of treaty rights in the expulsion of Japanese immigrants from the j island and their exclusion from the rights acquired under our treaty.”

DODGE THE EXCLUSION ACT. Wholesale Traffic in Bogns Natural!- I zation I’upers in Ituly. Commissioner of Immigration Fitehie at New York has been notified by Com- | missioner General Powderly that the j State Department at Washington has i been iiifhrmed by the United States ambassador/at Rome that a wholesale traffic in fraudulent naturalization papers is being carried on in Italy. The object of these fraudulent methods, Mr. Powderly said, is to effect the entry into the United States, under cloak of American citizenship, of aliens who otherwise would be subject to exclusion. In view of these facts Commissioner Fitehie is ordered to particularly investigate all naturalization papers of immigrants, and especially those from Italy. Commissioner Fitehie said the task was an extremely difficult one. From the large number of immigrants recently landed he believed there were agents in Europe who, in furtherance ofthis fraudulent scheme, had secured steerage passengers under the threat that unless they came at once they would not be admitted at all, as Congress was about to pass a restricting law. FRANCE ACCEPTS " SITUATION. Great Britain Does Not Expect Trouble on Upper Nile. The St. James' Gazette of London announces authoritatively that the British Government does not expect trouble with France regarding the upper Nile regions, I ranee having agreed to accept the situation. Advices received at Lagos, West Africa, from the interior say the French troops had five engagements with the natives before effectively occupying Nikki, the capital of Borgu. The king of the country fled to the bush. Both France and Great Britain claim that the Borgu territory is within the sphere of their influence. Great Britain claims the whole country of Borgu under the Anglo-French convention of IS9O. Captain Lugurd, for Great Britain outdistanced Commander Decoeur in making a treaty with the King of Borgu, but the French hold that such a treaty is null and void from the fact that France has effectively occupied Dahomey, and is therefore entitled to its Hinterland, in accordance with the spirit and letter of the treaty of Berlin.

One Robber Shot Dead. Meager particulars liave been received in El Paso, Texas, from San Simon, a small station just east of A. T., on the Southern Pacific, of a Irnin boldup. Train No. 20, the sunset limited, had just left Steins Pass, N. M., near the Arizona line, when the engineer noticed a danger signal in front and immediately applied the air brakes. No sooner was the train brought to a stop than five men stepped out from their hiding places near the track, all heavily armed. One covered the engineer and fireman with his inchester, while the others gave their attention to the train proper, more especially to the express car, firing their guns in the air and otherwise frightening the passengers. At this point the guards in the express ear took a hand in the fusillade. Thirty or forty shots are said to have been fired by both sides. One WellsFargo guard, Jennings by name, succeeded in killing Robber Cullen, who was nearest to the car and who was evidently the leader, for ns soon as the other robbers noticed his body lying on the ground they lost courage and made a break for their horses, but another bullet from Jennings’ Winchester evidently struck one of the fleeing robbers, as he was seen to fall and was assisted out of range by his comrades. No .express money was stolen and none of the passengers was hurt. Guns Roar in China. A special dispatch to London from Shanghai says: “On Friday last Capt. Becker, with 310 German marines, left Ivaio-Chou buy to occupy the surrounding villages, whence they proceeded to capture the city. The Chinese forts opened fire and the Germans replied, killing three of the garrison, which thereupon lied in disorder. The Chinese general in command was captured, but afterward liberated. Several German sailors were injured by stones flung by the inhabitants of the villages. In return for this the head men of these villages were beaten with bamboo sticks by order of the German commander. It is reported in London that China is willing to pay an indemnity of 1,000,000 taels (about $755,250) and to grant all the German demands, including the temporary cession of Ivaio-Chou bay and adjoining territory.” According to a special dispatch just received from Paris, the French cruisers Jean Bart, Isely, Alger, have been ordered to be prepared for immediate dispatch to China.

Poisoned by Fish’s Fin. James Hamilton, a fish butcher at St. Louis, took hold of a large live red snapper, and it struck at him with one of its fins, piercing Hamilton’s arm. The wound is painful and blood poisoning has set in. His arm swelled to twice its natural size. Stole Gems Worth SIO,OOO. The residence of Isaac E. Emerson in Baltimore was entered and diamonds valued at nearly SIO,OOO were stolen. The thief was captured after a desperate struggle as he was leaving the house and the diamonds found in his pockets. Collided in a Fog. During the fog the other morning two cars on the Second Avenue Elevated road in New York collided at 102 d street. The engine of the rear train ran into the car of the train ahead. A fireman and two passengers were injured. The Avoca in Port, The British troopship, Avoca, with about 1,000 men on board, from Jamaica for Cape Town, has arrived safely. A rumor prevailed in Halifax that the Avoca had foundered, hut the report was not credited in London. • Negro Fiend Lynched. Charlie Jones, the negro who murdered Mrs. Brown’Smith and her four children near Wessop, Miss., has been captured and lynched by an infuriated mob. Registered Mail ; Stolen. Investigation is now being made of iHiat is supposed to be one of the biggest

robberies in the history of the New York postofflee. The robbery' is said to be in the railway mail service o,nd confined exclusively to registered letters. The exact amount taken cannot be learned, but it is stated unofficially to be In the neighj borhood of SIOO.OUO. This figure is I thought to be excessive by some who are j investigating the case, but all agree that I it is the largest amount ever taken at I any one time in the registry department. The robbery is confined, so far as invesj tigation has shown, to that section of the Central Railroad of New Jersey which is known as the New York, Somerville j and Eastou branch. The discovery was I made on Nov. 9, but the secret was kept | by the postofflee authorities until now. | It is known, so the statement is made, j that $30,000, the total amount carried in I two bags, was taken. This sum was missing on Nov. 9. How long the defalcation j had gone on prior to that time has not j been, ascertained. On the day the robbery was discovered Robert E. Lang, a clerk I employed on the New York. Somerville ; and Easton branch, disappeared, and has j not been found. lu, addition to Lang I there were employed \Y. J. McLaren, P. jS. Tooker and J. D’Arcy. Since Nov. 7 j hundreds of complaints have reached postoffiees making inquiries after registered letters that never reached their destination. The chief inspector and his staff at the potsoffice in New York have several files filled with these complaints. > ILD WEATHER INTERFERES j Tlie Price Situation, However, Is One of Sustained Strength, Bradstreet’s commercial report for the week says: “Mild weather throughout | most of the country has interfered to some extent with the distribution of win-ter-weight clothing and other seasonable goods, and trade from first hands is quieter even than last week. Jobbers and retailers, however, report a steadily increasing and in some regions very active business in holiday goods, groceries and kindred products. Favorable reports come from Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis and St. Paul. The price situation is oue of sustained ami even aggressive’ strength. Wheat is higher, and all other cereals I have sympathized with wheat. Coffee, copper, cotton, dairy products, leaf tobacco and raw sugar are also among the prominent staples which have been enhanced in value. The decreases have been few and slight. Cereal exports continue very large, tlnsngh showing a falling off from last week's heavy total. Total exports of wheat and flour from the United States and Canada this wee!« aggregated 0,005,038 bushels, against 0,099.000 bushels last week. Corn exports also show a falling off, aggregating 3,008,000 bushels this week, against 4,585,000 bushels last week.” CELEBRATED CASE DECIDED. The Nebraska Supreme Court Passes on the Powers of Receivers. The Supreme Court at Omaha, Neb., lias passed upon the case of A. U. Wyman, receiver of the Nebraska and lowa Fire Insurance Company, against L. B. Williams, George F. Wright, S. R. Johnson and other stockholders and directors of the company, affirming the decision of the District Court handed down by Judge Walton iu 1892. The decisiqp of the Supreme Court, in effect, is tliaf the authority of the receiver of an insolvent corporation to collect assessments is unquestioned; that the members of a board of directors of an insolvent corporation who took part in its meetings are in no position to question their liabilities for the amount of assessments levied at such meeting, because of the fact of nz> judgment having been rendered against the corporation.

Fort Whipple Needed. Gov. McCord has telegraphed the Secretary of War from Phoenix, Ariz., protesting against the abandonment of Fort Whipple, suggested in the last report of the War Department. The Governor said; “Whipple is now the only military post in northern Arizona and is essential to the protection of half of the territory’s expanse, a district constantly exposed to outlawry and embracing reservations of thousands of Indians, against whose occasional turbulence nothing but military force is ever effective.” Peddlers Cripple Small Hoy. The 17-year-old son of Senator Fair of Sterling, Kan., who disappeared from his home six weeks ago, has been located at Guthrie, O. T. The boy had joined a band of peddlers, who had crippled his leg with carbolic acid and forced him to beg. He is now under the care of a physician, and will lose his leg. Wages of Creedc Miners Advanced. After Dec. 1 wages for miners at Creede, Colo., will be $3 a day instead of $2.50. The increase was made voluntarily by the mine owners. Governor Denounces Lynchers. Gov. Sadler of Nevada denounced the work of the mob at Genoa, in lynching Adam Über, as an example of fiendish barbarism. Wheat Went to $1.09. December wheat was carried' up to SI.OO at Chicago the other day, the highest figure since the famous corner of 1891. President’s Mother Dead. Mrs. Nancy Allison McKinley, mother of President Wm. McKinley, died at her home iu Canton, Ohio.