Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1898 — OLD CRIME REVIVED. [ARTICLE]

OLD CRIME REVIVED.

MURDERER OF JENNIE CRAMER CONFESSES. Inside History of the Famous Nee Haven Crime of 1881 at Last Comes Out—West Virginia Court Relieves Mine Owners of Responsibility. He Killed Jennie Cramer. After seventeen years of roving, Robert Jones stands accused as a principal in the murder in 1881 of Jennie Cramer, a pretty, young girl of New Haven, Conn., for which James and Walter Halley, nephew and son respectively of a New Haven millionaire, were indicted, tried and acquitted. Jones told the story of his connection with the Cramer murder to a Chicago pal, who has told of Jones’ statements. Jones says he and Blanehe Douglas, Jennie Cramer and the Malley boys met after the theater the night of the day in August, 1881, that Miss Cramer disappeared from her home, and that after the theater they all drank wine liberally, Jennie Cramer becoming stupefied. Then he and the Douglas woman took the girl out In a boat, rowing to Savin rock, near New Haven; that he threw her out of the boat and she drowned without coming to the snrfaee once. He said Blanche Douglas sent for him to join her in New Haven, and when he met her she revealed the plot to murder Jennie Cramer and told him he. was to have $250 from her if he would assist her in the crime. Jones says he was given only SBO, and with that went to Canada. On the trial of the Malley boys for the murder of Miss Cramer it appeared that the girl died before she was thrown into the water. Her body was found on the beach off Savin rock pier Aug. 0, twcL days after she disappeared. NEWS OF WHALERS. Captain of the Bel'vldere Reports All Safe and Well. News has reached Seattle that W. F. Tilton, captain of the steam whaler Belvidere, one of the imprisoned whaling fleet at Point Barrow, has come out overland to Copper River and reached Nanaimo, B. C., on the steamer Albion. He wa.' six iponths on the way. It is reported that the whalers are all right and waiting patiently for the ice to break. One of the dispatches says that Tilton did not meet the overland relief expedition. Another says he met Lieut. Jarvis, of the relief expedition in an extraordinary situation. The Albion has left Nanaimo for Astoria and -Tilton is aboard. Before leaving made a report to the American consul, who has refused to divulge its contents.

HOLDS AOAINBT THE MINERS. West Virginia Supreme Court Hands Down an Important Ruling. A year ago one Williams was killed by a fall of slate in the Thacker Coal Company’s mine at Charleston, W. Va. Negligence on the part of the company was alleged and suit was entered by the administratrix. The Supreme Court holds that the law of 1887, whkih compels the mine owner to appoint a mine boss possessed of certain qualifications makes this mine boss the agent of the State and relieves the company of liability. The decision is looked upon by lawyers as leaving a coni miner no redress on account of badly ventilated or propped mines, as the mine boss is employed by the mine owner, and neither is responsible under the law. A similar case was decided the other way in the United States Circuit by Judge Jackson a few years ago. Near Indebtedness Limits. Corporation Counsel Whalen has made public a decision, in which he (holds that New York City’s contract indebtedness is exactly upon the same footing as its bonded indebtedness. The addition of this debt, nearly $21,000,000, brings the city very close to the limit which it may borrow under the law, and will tie up a great deal of public improvement for some years to come. Murder Women and Children. The rising 3 of Colinas in Zambales, Philippine islands, has been subdued. The Spanish troops killed thousands of Indians, including hundreds of women and children. A rebel meeting in Manila was surprised by the civil guards, who killed eleven hi the house and took sixty prisoners. All the prisoners were shot the same day without trial. Hoff Convicted of Murder. Albert G. Vereneseneckockochoff, better known as Albert Hoff, is guilty of the foul murder of Mary A. Clute at San Francisco, Cal., on Dec. 15, 1897. Hoff, who. was a carpet layer and upholsterer, beat Mrs. Clute to death with a railroad, coupling pin. She had employed Hoff to assist her in putting down carpets.

Conflict at Kiao-Choa. There have been frequent conflicts between the Chinese and the Germans at Kiao-Chou. The Chinese attacked a magazine, which the Germans defended. In the melee that ensued one German and one Chinaman were killed. Ives Defeats Schaefer* r Frank C. Ives defeated Jacob Schaefer at eighteen-inch bailk-line billiards for the championship emblem, a stake of SI,OOO and the total gate receipts at Chicago. The final score was: Ives, 600; Schaefer, 426. Big; Fire at Rock Hill. Fire at Rock Hill, S. C., destroyed twelve buildings, involving a loss of $250,000, upon which there was an insurance of $150,000, distributed in sixteen companies. The origin is yet a matter of speculation. Miners Refuse to Work. The coal miners in the Ohio district have returned to work excepting those in Jackson County. The disagreement was merely over the interpretation of the settlement between the miners and the operators effected by the Columbus and Chicago conferences. Kansas Wheat Do'ne Well. Representatives of the Kansas Millers’ Association have completed an examination of the wheat fields in central Kansas and report that the recent cold weather has not injured the growing crop. Dr. Lipscomb Fonnd Guilty. Guilty, with life imprisonment, was the verdict returned against Dr. W. H. Lipscomb at De Kalb, Miss. At the first trial for the murder of Charles T. Stewart Dr. Lipscomb was doomed to death, but the decision was reversed by the supreme court on technicalities.

Dies from Hydrophobia. Mrs. Elizabeth Vanname, a widow, 35 years of age, died of hydrophobia at her home in West New Brighton, Staten Island. Mrs. Vanname was bitten on Feb. 7 by a dog which ran amnck through the town, biting four other persons. Kills Civil Service Bill. At Columbus, Ohio, the Senate, by a vote of 15 yeas to 10 nays—l 9 being necessary to pans a measure—defeated the Garfield bill to give civil service reform to the State and city governments. The vote did not follow political lines. Report Our Flag; Is Afraid. It is reported from London that passenger steamers flying the United States flag will not sail from British ports, owing to the imminence of hostilities between us find Spain. Ex-Chancellor Wolcott Dead. Hon. Janies L, Wolcott, former chancellor of Delaware, died at his borne la D 9. vw, aged 00 yearly «. •” ~