Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1896 — WESTERN. [ARTICLE]

WESTERN.

Miss Kate Durfee, of Omaha, whom H. H. Holmes confesses was one of the twen-ty-seven persons killed by him, declares that she has never been murdered. According to report, Senator Tillman blushed .at Denver when an aged female suffragist threw hcr arms around hisneck nnd gave him a hearty kiss in the presence of 8,000 people. At San Francisco, ex-District Attorney James D. Page has been found guilty of embezzling $3,000 from an insane patient, of whom-he bad-been appointed guardian. Page fled to New York, where he was arrested last January. Lander, Wyo., had a peculiar 6torm Sunday. First red and then yellow clay fell, followed a little later by nlmost black mud. People who were out in the storm looked as though they had been churned in a tubful of mud. When the case of William Wood, charged as an accomplice in the attempt to procure an operation on Pearl Bryan, was called at Cincinnati, the prosecuting attorney said the State had no evidence to warrant a trial, and Judge Gregg dismissed the case. J. Milton Turner, ex-Minister to Liberia, lawyer and politician of national fame, colored man, does not, apparently, possess a thick skull. He is now lying at the St. Louis city hospital with a broken sconce, the result of a scrimmage with his step-daughter, who broke a pitcher over his head. Fritz Erasmy, G years old, was burned to death in a fire at San Francisco which destroyed three houses in the Richmond district. Mrs. Catharine Blume, the child’s grandmother, leaped from a sec-ond-story window and was seriously injured. John Erasmy entered the burning house to save his son and narrowly escaped death himself.

At 2:15 o'clock Friday morning a converter at the lower sugar works at Peoria, 111., exploded, filling au immense building with steam. At least two men were killed outright, and it is feared that many more have met the same fate., Several were badly injured. The known dead: ■ Barnes, John Hoey. Those known to be most seriously injured are: John Dooley, Mat. Connolly, John Wilson. The converter was on the fourth story of the building, in which about one hundred men were at work. There was the wildest excitement, and mapy thrilling escapes occurred. The explosion was plainly heard in all parts of jhe city. Julius Mannow, of Chicago, furnished a climax Thursday for the succession of sensations that has marked the progress of the trial of himself and Joseph Windrath for the murder of Carey Birch. Pale as death, his entire frame quivering with suppressed rage directed against the police authorities who have, metaphorically, drawn the noose about his neck, Mannow faced Judge Horton and entered an unconditional plea <sf guilty. With a look of absolute despair and a manner that betokened his abject misery, the young man confessed that he had deprived Cash Receiver Birch of bts life. The scene at the moment was one that few in a crowded court room could view without some sort of display of feeling. The stern, inexorable judge leaned over the bench and eyed 1116 FM had placed tu* lite-althe. court's mercy. “Do you understand that under the plea tne court can impose the death penalty?'* asked Judge Horton. “I do,” came the half-choked uftorance of the self-convicted man. “I am guilty.” '- With an explosion that shook the country for miles around one of the buildingsof the Chicago Fireworks Company at

Grosse Point blew up about 8 o’clock Wednesday morning, killing two persons, fatally wounding two and terribly injuring six others. The employes,. most of whom were girls under age, had scarcely been at work an hour when the accident occurred. What caused the explosion is not and probably* never will be known. The girls were working briskly and mer-vdty-eimtlH'g wrtlrdtrg'ftnother, when'stt<U denly a terrible roar was heard, and the walls of the building, which is true of twelve similar ones, fell outward, while the roof came careening down, crushing the p6or victims to. the floor. A minute later another explosion followed, which mercifully raised the roof from the dying and fainting, and with feeble limbs and agonizing cries the wounded crawled out, some of them, forgetful of their own awful plight, dragging the more helpless ones with them. The work for the season at the establishment began but a fevf weeks ago, and only two of the twelve buildings were in use. 1 Miss Mary Linnett, of 43 North Campbell avenue, Chicago, shot and instantly killed Miss Elizabeth Trowbridge, a prominent young woman of Elgin, 111., and killed herself, shortly after 8 o’clock Monday evening. The double tragedy took place on the principal residence'street of the city. Miss Linnett some two years ago conceived a singular likjng for a young woman in Chicago, g neighbor, and attempted to take her life because she would not live with her. She was sent to the insane hospital at Elgin less than a year ago and was discharged from the institution as cured in December last. Miss Trowbridge was an attendant at the hospital and had charge of Miss Linnett, who became passionately attached to her. Her great regret in leaving Elgin was that she must leave her" friend behind. She returned to Chicago, where she remained at her home. Her friends believed ljer entirely cured of her mental troubles. But the strange passion for Miss Trowbridge induced Miss Linnett to return to Elgin, where she endeavored to persuade the latter to accompany her to Chicago. Failing, the tragedy followed. Advices received at the headquarters of the Grand Army ,of the Republic in Indianapolis, Indicate that there is general satisfaction among the comrades throughout the country at the decision of the joint local and executive committees to limit the length of the route of the parade to take place in connection with the national encampment at St Paul next September to one and eight-tenths miles. At previous encampments, notably those at Boston and Pittsburg, there was considerable complaint among the veterans over the amount of ground they were required to cover on parade day, and thousands of them were compelled to drop out of line before the dispersing point was reached. This year, however, even the most feeble will be able to k go over the course from start to finish. Moreover, the reviewing stand will be located about three quarters of a mile from the starting point, so that in the event of extreme heat, rain or unfavorable conditions the parade can disband without going over the entire distance. The route adopted is paved; with asphalt from one end to the other, and this will enable the veterans to march with military tread.