Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 363, 24 February 1907 — Page 1

,ADIUMo HP

EICHMOOT) PA

VOL. XXXI. NO, 363

RATLIFF OUT FOR SUHDAYJASEBALL Declares that Working Men Must Have Recreation on the Sabbath Day. EXPLAINS LIQUCR VOTES WAYNE'S REPRESENTATIVE SAYS HE STANDS FOR SALOON LEGISLATION, BUT NOT THE PRESENT KIND. Those who enjoy seeing a Sunday baseball same and those who have been advocating Sunday baseball In Richmond, will receive with much satisfaction the announcement from Representative Walter Ratliff. that he will vote for and use his influence for the passage of an act by the present general assembly, legalizing baseball throughout Indiana on Sunday afternoons between two and six o'".lor-k. Mr. Ratliff said last night that he had given the matter much thought Since the baseball bill was introduced, in, the lower house, and he is now willing to come out firmly In favor of Sunday amusement. "Those who labor blx days a week from early morning till evening, need recreation on Sunday, and I see no violation of religious foiirhinrs In them attending a ball ame on Sunday afternoon, if the game is surrounded by proper restriction!. The present bill I deeri adfMiuate, and I intend to work for it." Ratliff Explained Votes. .His stand on the high license bill Mr. Ratliff made plain last night. He gained considerable publicity by changing his vote at a critical moment last week, and Mr. Ratliff said that he feared his constituents might misconstrue his motives. He was one of but a few against the. ' blind tiger" bill which became a law and he voted Friday for killing the high license Mil. In explanation of his stand he said, "By the passage of the 'blind tiger bill it became unlawful for druggists to sell liquor and social clubs had to give up their buffet feature. This piece of legislation has driven the young men to licensed bar rooms for their drinks. In the social clubs an Important rule was followed, in that no member was allowed to 'treat. In the saloon just the opposite condition exists and a vmine man is not considered a 'good fellow unless he buys drinks for the crowd. In the club rooms no drunkenness was tolerated, while at the saloon bar it is the rule to drink to excess. I therefore thought it better to retain the club room drinking with its many restrictions. Driving Out Low Dives. "Should the high license bill yet pass Its advocates contend that the low dives will be driven out of business. With this done, the frequenters of these places will be driven up town, for they will not stop drinking. Once up town they will be thrown in contact with the better element and our principal streets will be cursed with jmmberless unkempt and wortniess saloon 'bums who would be a disgrace to any city. The young men, who had been drinking to moderation -ia clubs and properly conducted saloons would be thrown in contact with a baser element and the result would be most demoralizing to society. It seems to me, that by such legislation as the blind tiger law. and the high license bill, we would be working in direct oplositlon to the Y. M. C. A. and such forces which are working for young men's betterment. Proper liquor legislation I favor, but not the kind &t has been before the legislature thus far. I don't think that the alleged benefit the teachers would have secured from the legislation is to be considered. In fact the active part the teachers of the state took in an effort to force the legislation, Jeopardized their chances of getting certain needed laws. The high license bill, had It passed, I believe would have done the general cause of the teachers more harm than good. There are legislators who then would have been openly antagonistic to the teachers bills, who will now support them. WANT H. U. JOHNSON TO FIGHT THE GRAFTERS resident Offers Richmond Attorney Position on Indian Territory at $3,000 a Year. President Roosevelt has tendered Henry U. Johnson of this city, the position as attorney for the government In relation to affairs in the Indian TerritoryThe tenure of office would be two years and carries with it the handsome salary of $$,000 per year. The tender has not been formally made, but the former congressman has been. authoritatively informed that tha yo - sitlon is open to him and the administration would be glad for him to accept. It is understood that Mr. Johnson will not accept the position, owing to his home Interests and the fact that his health is such that he does not feel like shouldering the official bur - den. In case, however, Mr. Johnson takes' the position. It will be his duty In a lrrte measure to free the Indian Terri - tory from grafters who have so peryjjui

HAD ENORMOUS BUSINESS

PRAISE FOR NEWSPAPERS Charles Feltman has Shoe Sale Which Was a Record Breaker in That Line of Business Advertised in the Press Alone. Charles Feltman undoubtedly did a larger business at his shoe store yesterday than was ever transacted at a similar sale in Richmond. At five o'clock in the afternoon it was necessary for Mr. Feltman to close his doors to trade in order that the stock could be put in shape for the evening business which was also enormous. Mr. Feltman's only manner of advertising the sale was through the newspapers and last night he was full of praise for newspaper advertising. Mr, Feltman will continue his sale this week and next. Sec'y. Brownto Speak. Hear Secretary Brown at the First Presbyterian church this evening on "The Young Men's Christian Associa tion, The Church's Mission. SENATE RECEIVES FOULKFS REPORT Richmonor Man Charges Indian Qorrot-arv Rpall vuith firnSS UVvl Wlt-ll T fc vs I ww a i wis www i Improprieties. RECOMMENDATIONS MADE TAMS BIXBY, MR. FOULKE SAID, SEEMED TO KNOW LESS ABOUT HIS OFFICE THAN HE SHOULD HAVE. Publishers Press.! Washington, Feb. 23. Special Indian Inspector William D. Foulke's re port on the charges against Secretary Beall. of . the commissionto the five civilized tribes, received today by the senate committee o nlndian, affairs, finds Beall guilty of gross improprie ties and recommends his exclusion from further enrollment cases before the commission under penalty of a de mand for his resignation. It was charged that Beall was for a time employed by the firm of Mansfield McMurray and Cornish, who 4u o,i vov :,. wn nVcV t I tT uuu Uttiv " " - - X tlcing before the commission. Coming back to his position as secretary of the commission, after a pe riod of employment by Mansfield, McMurray & Cornish, then and still practicing before the commission, it is charged he adjudicated cases he pre pared while in the attorneys ottice ana was their subservient agent. Concerning Tarns Bixby, a member nf hp commission. Inspector Foulke merely says Bixby seemed to know ess than he should, what went on in his office. Barked Like a Dog. While suffering from' an attack of or.iioriRv William Empke, a prisoner at the jail, made a peculiar noise that tspmhled the barking of a dog, causwifrahlA alarm among the other inmates, who did not know whai. was the matter with him until a pnyeician was summoned. DISTURBANCE AT DANCE "ROUGH HOUSE" REIGNED Ora Grey Who Recently Came Here From Winchester in Jail as Result His Escaoade His Two Com panions Got Away. Ora Grey an employe of the Hoosier Drill, who but recently came to Richmond from Winchester, along with two other unknown men, proceeded to "whoon em up" at the dance given at the Knights of the Golden Eagle hall at the corner of Sixth and Main streets last night, with tle result that Ora is now languishing : behind prIson uars. i ue uieu n ij v.w allied himself made their "get a way,' although they vied to. stand with the unlucky men until the blue uniforms of officers Westenberg and Edwards were sighted. The men then proceed ed to the tall timbers in haste. Grey ! was under the influence of intoxicants and stated to the police that he had not started the rumpus. Those per-1 sons giving the dance tried to eject the disturbing elements irom the hall and for a time a general free for all was indulged in. Afterwards Grey took exceptions to being placed withj in 'lie dismal confines of tne cooler and his efforts to cause Westenberg and Edwards trouble were successful. ' The officers were obliged to placo the . nlnners on Grev before he would in any way at all heed their admonishuuiut to "come alonc

Richmond.

HOMECROFT DOING MUCH FOR DUBLIN The Rev. Mr. Caldwell Tells of Splendid Institution in Western Wayne. WORK FOR IDLE HANDS MILLIONAIRE NELSON'S FRIEND CALLING SCORES MISSIONS, THEM AN INSULT TO THE AM ERICAN PEOPLE. it was a iair sizea auu nucuu.o audience that assembled in the rooms of the Wayne county horticulture so ciety in the court house yesterday afternoon to hear the Rev. Mr. Caldwell of Dublin talk on the subject of 'Profit sharing and Co-operation." The address was delivered under tne auspices of the Wayne county Historical society and nearly aa of the mem bers of that organization were pres ent. Mr. Caldwell is a warm personal friend of X. O. Nelson, the St. Louis millionaire manufacturer, and philan thropist, who has established a col ony not far from that city which is known as "Homecroft." The majority, of the people who comprise this colony are employed in Mr. Nelson's big establishment, and : '.are in the profits thereof. Recently the St. I Louis man paid a visit to Mr. Caldwell, and before he left Dublin took the initial steps toward the organization of a like colony at that place by the purchase of the old Featherstone property, and several acres of land. The house contains fourteen rooms and is being used as a school. The pupils, young and old are not only in structed in the various branches of learning, but are given manual training. Co-operation a Success. The speaker said among other things that all cooperative societies formed in America on a religious basis had made wonderful progress, while this had also been true of sfmilar organizations in Europe builded upon an economic basis. From a financial standpoint their success in Europe J had been so great as to enable them l to declare a dividend of $40,000,000. Private corporations had been so greatly alarmed at this result that in several foreign countries they had called upon the government to throw certain restrictions about . the oper ations of thesfi co-onerative societies. Mr Cadwen then called attention to the great wealth that the Mormons had -amassed through this same means, lie declared that tne wage worker was a slave, and this brought up the question as to how to elimin ate the boss, and as a matter of fact it could only be done through the medium of co-operation. Mr. Caldwell gave his auditors a description of the "Homecroft" es tablished by Mr. Nelson, near St. Louis saying that it boasted of no policemen, no jails and no churches. That feeling of brotherly love that existed among its people made all these things unnecessary. A minister had one time been given . permission to establish a mission at "Homecroft," but he only stayed until he ascertain ed that he would not be permitted to take up a collection. Mr. Caldwell expressed himself of the belief that the establishment of a mission in this country was an insult to the American people The Conditions at Dublin. In conclusion he told of the' condi tions as they now exist at Dublin He said that in addition to a wood i carving school, there were classes in , , . , , t-ii , , . short hand and architectural drawing, and That the first-steps had been tak en toward organizing a building and loan association. Richmond bankers had recently paid a visit to Dublin, and it was only a question of a short time when a bank would be establish ed. He believed that "Homecroft' of human love and a plane of human joy. At the conclusion of his address Mr. Caldwell answered a number of questions concerning the work that was being done in tne colony ancr the methods that were pursued. In the course of his remarks he said tnat Mr. Nelson would pay another Tisjt to Dublin in April, and many improvements would doubtless be added. He made the further statemeut that in all probability efforts j WOuld eventually be made to organ,ze a -Homecroft" in Richmond. rjpAju QF JAMES ECKELS Comptroller of the Currency Under President Cleveland Passed Away at Princeton, III. IPublishers Press! Princeton. 111., Feb., 23. James Starr. Eckels, father of James H. Eckels president of the Commercial National bank in Chicago and former comptroller of the currency under President Cleveland's administration, died here today. Mr. Eckels was at one time professor of latin In a college at Greenville, Pa. lie had . practiced law in Princeton since lSG when he settled in that cui.

Indiana, Sunday Morning, February 24, 1907.

THE WEATHER PROPHET. INDIANA AND OHIO Showers snow flurries. and MORE INSULTS TO WOMEN THIS TIME IN DAYLIGHT Fiend at Eighth and South C Streete Conducts Himself in a Most Disgusting Manner Made His Getaway. That Richmond has a number of inhuman fiends whose sole purpose is to make Indecent advances toward women, is evidenced by the most recent ronnrt to thft nolice. Friday afternoon between two and three o ciock a mia die aged man appeared at the corner of Eighth and Soutn U streets near Snyder's grocery and proceeded to make his actions nauseating to the neighbors. He insulted several women and passersby in a most disgusting manner and remained on the corner for several minutes. The neighbor women who happened to notice the man's actions as he stood on the corner accosting women, telephoned the police, but before they arrived upon the scene the man had made his disappearance. Although no arrest has been made the police department has a clue upon which it is working and if it proves to be correct it will be found that tho man is a degenerate and not exactly mentally responsible for his actions. The women of the city are up in arms and scarcely any of them will venture out of their homes without finme male escort. Never before In ho histnrv of the city has so many cases of public insults been registered with the police department. 'T TRAVEL ANY MORE AFTER NIGHT Manager Sam Nixon Says the First Time He Broke Promise He was Injured. IN THE PANHANDLE WRECK WELL KNOWN THEATRICAL MAG NATE IS SUFFERING INTENSE PAIN FROM HIS HURTS KLEIN THE WORST. Publishers Tress.l Pittsburg. Feb., 23. "I will never ride on a railroad at night again. My wife was so alarmed when Sam Shubert was killed in the wreck at Harrisburg in 1905 that she asked me never to travel by night. I promised her I would not, and the first time I broke the promise I had a wreck and am hurt." This is what Samuel Nixon, the veteran theatrical manager of Nixon & Zimmerman told Thomas Kirk, jr., manager of the Nixon theatre, Pittsburg, as he lay swathed in . bandages at the Altoona hospital, after his experience in the wreck of the Pennsylvania special. Mr. Kirk went to Altoona this morning to see Mr. Nixon and returned late tonight. "Mr. Nixon is suffering from three contusions of the head and a broken collar bone," said Mr. Kirk." He was in a drawing room with Felix Isman of Philadelphia. When the car toppled over Mr. Isman was thrown from his berth through a glass window m- : to the aisle of the car. Mr. Nixon '-was thrown irom nis own Derm, inw ; was lulu", " . . .A. ! tne one iir. ismau uu w.v.upicu. Passenger Struck Match. "They remained in the cold and darkness for almost three hours before they were extricated. One of the passengers, they don't know who it was, struck a match and the othters were so scared, fearing that esi capln gas might be ignited and they would all be burned alive that they i almost strangled him. After their long wait, they were rescued and taken to the hospital at Altoona. "Mr. Isman was so stunned that he can scarcely say anything. A num ber of prominent theatrical people visited Mr. Nixon today." -i Kirk also says he saw J. P. Klein, postmaster of Joliet, I1U and Frederick A. Busse, postmaster of Chicago, in the hospital. Both are badly injured, Mr. Klein the worst. SECURED DIVORCE EASILY Virgil Carver Told the Court Tha his Wife had Gone Away and Left Three Children. Virgil Carver experienced very little difficulty in securing a divorce from Helena .A. Carver in the circuit ronrt vesterday. The evidence show- ; ed that he was a very much abused husband, inasmuch as the woman who had promised to "honor and obey" him had run off with another man and left him to take care of three little children. It was alleged that sne wns arrested some time ago both at Centervllle and Cambridge City for immoral conduct. On this showing Juda Fox entered a Lecc

WON

iOMnUfC LTLTPT (1C

OUUIIO LULU! Ul TERRIBLE ORDEAL Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw Is but a Shadow of Her Former Self. FACE GAUNT AND SICKLY SHE SEEMS ALL BUT WORN OUT PHYSICALLY FROM STRAIN, BUT SMILES AT HUSBAND'S WOT OS OF CHEER. IPubl!shrs' Press! New York, Feb. 23. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, wife of the man who shot Stanford White for her sake, sadly needed the three days grace brought by the holiday. This was Indicated by her appearance when she visited her husband in the Tombs. So im pressed was Harry Thaw himself by the change in his wife that he embraced her when she was brought to him, and as if to give heV encouragement, exclaimed: "My dear, brave little wife." Mrs. Thaw looked but a shadow of her former self, and the change was almost ghastly. Her face looked gaunt, hollow and sickly. She seemed wearied, and all but worn out physically, but she tried to smile bravely at her husband's words. That she is suffering severely under her ordeal is plainly apparent, and some fears were expressed when her appearance was noted, that she might not be able to withstand the trying situation still before her. Judging from the progress of Jerome's crossexamination, as so far developed, he cannot possibly finish with the witness under two daj-s. Reports are revived that Mr. Jerome is nearly ready to bring on his application for a lunacy commission to examine the defendant. The. district attorney, ti Is said, questioned Dr. J. T. Deemar and Dr. C. F. Bingaman, the Thaw family physicians who were summoned as witnesses for Thaw, and from what he heard from them regarding insanity in the family of Mrs. William Thaw, he can assume that tho "strain descended to Thaw and that he is insane. It is pointed out that Mr. Jerome tried to have these witnesses called before he began to examine Mrs. Thaw, and again and again he tried to interrupt her cross:examination Thursday to bring them to the stand. The defense scented his plan and blocked it for the time by refusing to have Mrs. Thaw's testimony stopped. Jerome is not willing to let things go along as the defense may force them, but ultimately, it is said, he will bring out his theory that Thaw is not a sane man and then will come the application for a commission. Both Thaw and his wife are concerned about a statement that no matter what the outcome of the trial Mrs. Thaw would receive $300,000 as a reward for her testifying for her husband. It was intimated that soon after her husband's arrest she talked of going abroad, but gave up the idea after it was arranged that she was to get $300,000. She refused to say anything about the story, but Thaw's lawyer, Gleason, denied it emphatically. "You can characterize that as a malicious, cruel, false and inhuman statement," he said. "Immediately after his arrest, Mrs. Thaw said that to her husband. I will stand by you Harry. She has stood by him and there is nothing more she could do than she has done. That shows just how preposterous that statement is." Any attempt by District Attorney Jerome to have a commission in lunacy appointed to examine Harry Thaw will be vigorously opposed by Thaw's attorneys, according to announcement made by them. Mrs. Evelyn Thaw visited her husband again and remained with him the full three hours allowed visitors. She appeared to be in much better condition physically than at the time of her former visit. TILLMAN TO EARN BIG SUM AT CHAUTAUQUAS Pitch Fork Senator has Enough En gagements to Bring Him in 550,000 This Summer. IPUbllstiers 'Preiil Washington, Feb., 23. Senator Till man will earn $30,000 on the lecture platform during the coming congres sional recess. He is booked for ad dresses at Chautauqua and other as semblies all over the country from the night of March 4, when congress adjourns to next December at $200 per talk. The lyceum bureau, which has the contract, made only one stipulation that his lectures be Tillmansaue. He may discuss any subject that strikes his fancy. Another Indictment. IPuhllsHers" Prel . Athens, O Feb., 23. Another Indictment was returned by the grand jury against Hobert Reeder, charging him with killing Emmett Viclicrs a patient, September S, 1903. He must facX ISO ;nptmontj now.

THAW FAMILY IS ANGRY

SAYS REPORT' IS FALSE A Story was Afloat In New York Yesterday That Evelyn Thaw Had Been Heavily Paid to Testify in Her Husband's Behalf. New Tort . Feb". 23.-Members of the Thaw family today were worried j over the publication of the report that j Evelyn Nesbit Thaw was paid to testi fy for her husband, instead of deserting him and fleeing to Europe and entered vigorous denials. A statement was issued from Hartridge's oflices in the name of Mrs. William Thaw which reads: "Mrs. Thaw desires it understood that the statement that she or any of her family gave any money or any other inducements to Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw for the position she has taken is untrue, unwarranted and unjust." Hartridge on his own account, had a word to say about Jerome's reported plan to ask for a lunacy commission. He declared he could never consent to a commission and would fight the move by every legal means. GOVERNOR SPARES LIFE OF Sentence of William Spores Commuted from Death to Life Imprisonment. HAD CONFESSED CRIME KILLED HIS COMPANION WHILE - ON THE WAY TO RIVER BOTTOM AT SCOTTSBURG AN AX WAS USED. IPublishers Press.l Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 23. It was nnnonncpd late this afternoon that Governor Hanly had notified the Mich igan City prison officials that he had commuted the sentence of William A. Spores to Imprisonment for life. Spores was to have been hanged just after midnight, February 25. The action of the governor came as as a surprise to those who have been watching preparations for the execu tion and it is said that Governor Hanly up to three o'clock had stated tha he could not see his way clear h ovnontinn nf'fho IU imciii ic - law in tne case. Spores was under sentenco for hav - ing murdered Douglas Fawbush, rear Scottsburg, June 5. The story of the crime was one which was traced to Snnrps rmrelv through circumstan4- - - . - ces. Story of the Crime. Snores and Fawbush were seen go ing to the river bottom on the day of the murder. Fawbush vanished from his usual haunts and Spores gave out the information that the missing man had left the community. The murder was committed on luesaay and the decomposed body of the vic tim was found the following Satur day. The man had been killed with an ax. Snores dissapeared and Sheriff Pea cock of Scott county accompusnea bis arrest at Scott City, Kan., July 13. Circumstantial evidence traced tho crime to Spores and after his arrest and return to Indiana he confessed the murder. WANTS BLOCK SYSTEM LEGISLATION SUGGESTED j Interstate Commerce Commission Makes Report to the Senate on Rail-1 road Wrecks and How They Could be Minimized. IPublishers Press.! Washington, Feb., 23. The Inter state commerce commission's report on the railroad block system was sent to the senate today. It recommends legislation compelling its adoption by all roads within three or four years. It is not deemed advisable at present however to demand the automatic block system. Attention is called to the fact that for wrecks like that on the Baltimore & Ohio at Terre Cotta, Md., in which 45 lives were lost and the Southern in which President Spencer was killed, the block system was not at fault, but the laxity of its operation. Moore for Congress. . E. E. Moore is talked of as a possible candidate for congress from this district In the. event that Congressman Watson decide not to run for re-election. Mr. Moore resides at Con-cersvllle.

MURDERER

Single Copies, 3 Cents.

PLUNGED DOWN H HIGH EMBANKMENT All Passengers Injured, But Strange to Say, None Were Killed. TRAIN WAS MOVING FAST MINISTER WHO WAS A PASSEN GER, HOLDS BRIEF SERVICES, IN WHICH EVERYBODY TAKES PART. lPublihrs Presa.J Philadelphia, Pa.. Feb., 23. An official statement given out at the general offices of the Pennsylvania railroad here today in reference to the railroad accident to the eighteen hour New York-Chicago flyer last Ms?- .... . . . t says: " According to ine itesi aavico received by the management at this time, the accident was caused by a brake hanger on the rear truck f the tender of the engine breaking while the train was near the middle of the curve about three quarters of a mile west of Mineral Point. A thorough investigation is now betas made by officials of tho company on the scene ot the wreck. Johnstown. Fa., Feb. J3. The Pennylvanla 18-hour train between New York and Chicago was "Wrecked t Black Diamond, Pa. From 40 to & persons were Injured. There wrre L passengers besides the Train crew. The train was running about 50 miles an hour and waa 35 mlnutew late. When rounding a sharp curve. at Black Diamond, the whole train. swayed. Tha engine and smoking- car remained on the tracks, but the Pull man coaches left the rails and plunged over a 60-foot embankment. It is claimed the wreck was caused by what railroad men call "an unavoidable accident." The brake Tig ging: on the first Pullman car following the seat coach dropped and torn up the right rail a distance of 301 yards. The engine and combination coach did not leave the rails, but the four Pullmans following ploughed over the embankment to the river, overturning when they reached the bottom. The 18-hour train travels at a high rate of speed coming down the mountain. When the brake rigging fell It either stripped the heads off the bolts holding the rails to the tis or tore up the rails themselves. There is a curve about where the first rail was loosened. Tbe cars did not overturn going down te teep hill. There were no treea nor obstructions Jn the way to hinder them and tney remained upright until they reached the bottom. . The first car overturned and slid along on Its side i . . . rri j I quite a aiiucr. no ouvuuu i 1IV.,..I ThA third car turned over j compietely and had Kb top crushed In The fourth car Is on Its side. Most of I the passengers on the train were in their berths when the cars left the tracks. John T. Kline of JrJTiet, HU with factured rib and punctured lung, was probably fatally Injured. Among Chlcagoans on the train who were injured are: F. A. Busse. postmaster of Chicago; Samuel F. Nixon of Nixon ft Zimmerman, theatrical properltort; M. A. Singer, manager Lasalle theater; Mghtnar Henderson, civil engineer; George S. Wood, manager Colonial theater, and J. J. Kern, formerly state's attorney of Chicago. Others . injured aire: Felix Isman. real tat Philadelphia. - (Continued to Page Eight) BRYAN AND DUNNE IN ELEVATOR ACCIDENT Lives of Democrat Leaders Were Im periled A the Sherman Hrvo in Chicago Yesterday. tPublishers Press.! Chicago, Feb.. 23. Mayor Dunne, William Jennings Bryan, Louis F. Post of the board of education and K. II. Roche, the latter of the mayor's campaign committee were Imperiled today in an elevator accident at tho Sherman house. They escaped with a severe shaking up. The elevator, dropped about fifteen feet when the mechanism refused to work and bumped with a crash on the bottom of the shaft. . Mr. Bryan who was passing through the city called at the mayor's headquarters on the second floor of . the hotel. PANIC IN AUDITORIUM Two Electric Wires Crossed In Cntcago Theao Cause Consernation " Among Patrons. (.Publish! Pressl Chicago. Feb.. 23. Four thousand people in the Auditorium theatre here tonight were thrown in a panic caused by the crossing of two electric wires on-the ceiling which spit fire in a most profuse manner. No one was seriously hurt although several f re ceived minor' injuries

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