Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 34, Number 37, 15 December 1908 — Page 1

ONLY 8 MORE SHOPPING DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. DO YOUR TRADING NOW

EICEMOOT TP AJLIL ADIXJM AND STO-TFXTOIUAf. VOL. XXXIV. NO. 37. RICHMOND, IND., TUESDAY EVENING,' DECE3IP.ER 13, 10OS. SIXOLE COrY, 2 CENTS.

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2 Scorching Message Roosevelt Denies the

Alleged Panama Graft

' Voluminous Amount of Matter ViSIOH OF GALLOWS Relating to History of the ninnrn iri i rn jn Panama Canal Case Sub- LAUjLU ixtLLtll IU mltinri Pnnncncc

-" PLEAD'GUILTY

DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS

vWAS NOT DICTATED

Says That Chief Concern of United tates Was to Secure Canal Property Journalists Scored.

He Had Heard Jurymen Say They Were Not Opposed to Death Penalty and Testimony Was Against Him.

Washington. D. C, Dec. 13. President Roosevelt sent a scorching special message to congress today, dealing with the Panama canal purchase. The president says he submits all information and communications relating thereto, because of the constant reiteration of assertion that there was some corrupt action by, or on behalf of the United States government and because of the repetition of the story that the American syndicate owned iiie Panama Canal company. Pulitzer Scored. He says these stories were first brought to his attention as publisht ed in the Indianapolis News, editer by 'Delevan Smith, and adds: "These stories were scurrilous and libellous in ' character, and false in every essential particular. Mr. Smith shelters himself behind the excuse that be merely accepted the statements which had appeared in the New York World. It is idle to say that the known character o? Mr. Pulitzer and his newspaper are such that statements in that paper will be believed by nobody. Unfortunately thousands of persons are ill informed and believe the statements seen in print, even though they appear in a paper published by Pulitzer." The president then quotes the sub-, stance of the articles referrtV to, which were published in the World and says that "William Taft did not become secretary of war until the canal transaction was closed; Douglas Robinson had not the slightest connection with the deal aud ' Root had nothing to do with the purchase which was entirely arranged through the department of justice under Attorney General Knox." , No Investigation Needed. The president continues: "Now 'these stories, as matter of fact, need no investigation whatever. No shadow of proof has been or can be produced in behalf of any of them. It should not be left to private citizens to sue Pulitzer for libel. He should be prosecuted for libel by the governmental authorities. The attorney general has under consideration, the form in which the proceedings against Pulitzer shall be brought." ' Tells of Negotiations. The president then takes up the Panama canal deal from its very inception, calling attention to each phase of the negotiation in its regular order, as shown by the correspondence which he submits with his message, with a view to establishing the fact that the entire transaction was carried out in accordance with , the will of congress and states that he

(the president) directed and approved every action and acknowledges the responsibility for all that was done. Distribution Not Directed. The president further states that the distribution of money received as the purchase price of the canal by the French Panama Canal company was not our affair, but gofs into the details as to how the money was paid over and afterward distributed in France under the supervision of the French courts, to the stock holders of the French companies, which were not owned or controlled in any way by any American syndicate, as had been Insinuated in the published articles. The payment was made through J. P. Morgan & Co., agents for the United States and the Bank of France, and the president wants It distinctly understood the United States government had nothing to do with the distribution of a single dollar. Concern to Get Property. The president says our concern was to get the canal property, whfch was owned by the French company and to see that the title was clear, and if as matter of fact the Canal company had been owned by American citizens or citizens of any other nationality. It would have not altered in the slightest degree the action, taken by this government. , Mr. Cromwell did, however, of his own accord, submit a full list of the stock holders of the Panama Canal company of France at tl.a s'r.-.e of appraisement of the canal l,i ore. ty by the canal commission. Voluminous correspondence and tata accompanies the 'message, the

KELLER THIRD TO GET LIFE SENTENCE

Story of the Slaying of Thornton Is Told by Convicted Man for the First Time and Differs From Others.

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ft v. 111 muiniini ui-io I-- ujm i . r 1 tsi r t ifra

I a. A I m " . W M V I

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TO DISCUSS PLANS ?

Probable Appeal of' the-Coun

ty Local Option Law Will'

Be Decided Upon Before Legislators Adjourn.

SENATORSHIP COilES IN

FOR MUCH DELIBERATION '

Report in Indianapolis Has It That T. H. Kuhn and Slack Will Be Gubernatotv ial Rivals.

XContiod nvPas Two.)

As Sherman Keller heard man after man declare in answer to questions regarding his fitness to serve as a juror that he did not oppose capital punishment, his face twitched and the enormity of the crime of murder dawned upon him. But he had entered a plea of not giiiilty to the charge of shooting Ben William Thornton and fatally wounding him, several weeks before, so he determined to be resolute in his position. The jury was selected twelve men each sworn to send Keller to the gallows, if he believed the law and evidence justified, but the accused retained hope. . He wet to the jail for dinner and Boon afterward the afternoon sessian of his trial was on. He. heard the state's witnesses tell their stories and then he realized how small his chances for life really were. He weakened and informed his attorney he wished the trial to stop and he would enter a plea of guilty. The court was Informed) at the recess and Keller's offer accepted. He admitted the murder and was sentenced to life Imprisonment by Judge Fox. He will be taken to Michigan City, Friday. Previous to his sudden change of mind, Keller had refused to plead guilty. He was charged with murder in the first degree. He claimed selfdefense, but quailed at the last and weakening, refused to entrust the jury with his story. He had heard eacli man of the twelve answer the questions of the court and he was afraid. He was afraid because life is sweet" to a young man of but twenty-one years of age, although the longest part of that life may be lived behind prison walls and unless a sympathetic governor bestows a pardon, death will ensue amid the same environment. Third to Get Sentence. Keller will be the third man serving sentence at the Michigan City penitentiary for life. The others are John Knapp and Alonzo Fi6her. Knapp murdered Lennie Geisler, the Hagerstown iarshal, and Fisher shot and fatally wounded his wife, at the corner of Main and Eighth streets in this city. Both Fisher and Keller are colored. Fisher, like Kelle;", was an

advocate of free love. He was a beau brummel among his class, but was jealous of his" wife and charged her with shortcomings customary to himself. Keller shot an-d killed a man with whose wife he had had too intimate relations, and as the result of the ill feeling that developed as a consequence. It was about 3:30 o'clock yesterday (Continued on Page Two.) BODY OF BIGGY RECOVERED TODAY

WHITECAP ATTACK WAS HOT MADE

Economy Landlord and His Guest Soon Tire of Sentinel Duty.

ARRESTS SEEM PROBABLE

POSTOFFICE INSPECTORS EX PECTED TO INVESTIGATE THREATENING LETTERS SENT THROUGH THE MAILS.

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LATE CHIEF BIGGY. San Francisco, Dec. 15. The body of police Chief Biggy was recovered from the San Francisco Bay today. It

is being brought to this city on tug.J

Economy, Ind., Dec. 13. The threatened attack by whitecappers on William Skinner and Nate Parker did not materialize last evening. In the little office of Mr. Parker's hotel there reposed in one corner, a shotgun, for Mr. Parker believes in the Rooseveltian policy, "in time of peace prepare for war," especially when one is in receipt of a threatening "whitecap" letter. Yesterday morning, Mr. Parker1 said that he and Skinner, who is a guest at his hotel, would take turtfs in standing vguard throughout the night, but after they had thoroughly digested hearty suppers, Mr. Skinner remarked be believed he was too tired and sleepy to remain on guard duty, and he retired to his feathers, sleeping as soundly as though there was no such things on earth as whitecaps, tar and feathers, . Mr. Parker did sentinel ,duty until about 10:30, then he became wearied of the game and followed the example set by Skinner. By midnight the hotel was as quiet as a graveand "all through the house not a -creature was stirring not even a mouse." '; It was an ideal time for the bold, bad wKltecaps to spring a night attack, carry the hotel by storm and carry off the two victims of their wrath to a fate too grewsome to contemplate. Inspectors to Work. Among Economy people 'it is the general opinion that the authors of the whitecap letters never had contemplated carrying out their threats, but had only written for the purpose of alarming Parker and Skinner. "They may try to do something when the present excitement blows, over, so will keep my eyes open for them," said Parker this morning. It is expected that in a few days postoffice inspectors will be at work on the case and Economy people are expecting some interesting developments as a result of their investigations.

TARIFF ON STEEL IS HOW TOD HIGH

Manufacturers Bring Pressure To Bear Upon Congressmen.

RATES WORK HARDSHIP

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LOST ANNUALLY BY LOCAL MANUFACTURING INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE OF TRUST'S ACTION.

ROBBINS IS RECOVERING. John Bobbins, a -well known attorney of the Wayne county bar, who has been seriously 111 with typhoid fever, is improving. , ,

THE WEATHER PROPHET. INDIANA Fair Tuesday night - and Wednesday; - moderate . temperature. . v- r ' - OHIO Fair Tuesday night and Wednesday, except probably threatening - In north portion; moderate

Local manufacturers are using all their influence to secure a reduction of the tariff rate on steel. Congressman Crumpacker and Congressmanelect Barnard have been asked to assist in securing this reduction and each of them have Informed the manufacturers that they are in sympathy with the movement for a general reduction of tariff rates on nearly every class of articles. Congressman Watson has not been appealed to by the local manufacturers, because his term of service ends with the adjournment of the present congress and it is the general understanding that the tariff question will be left for the next congress, which assembles March 4 next year, to handle. - Nearly every manufacturing concern in the city has suffered from the high tariff on steel, under which the steel corporation has thrived. A local manufacturer stated today: "When the high tariff rate on steel was made it was for the Interests Yf such manufacturing concerns as located in Richmond. The steel corporation in those days was not in existence and there was competition for that material. Then the high tariff rate on steel was to our advantage. Now. all the independent steel manufacturing concerns concerns have been merged into the giant steel trust, which has destroyed competition and, 'through the protection extended by the tariff, raised the price on steel to an exorbitant figure." Higher Prices Inevitable. S. E. Sway ne, of the Robinson & Company machine works, stated today that unless the tariff rates on steel was reduced, the manufacturers of this city must greatly increase the price of their products or sell their products at a rate which would' not warrant the continuation of business. It is stated that one of the largest manufacturing concerns in the city an-

E RED CBOSS STAMPS ARRIVE

Now on Sale and All Are Urged To Aid Fight Against the Great White Plague.

THE SUPPLY IS UNLIMITED.

RICHMOND WOMEN INTERESTED IN SALE STATE THAT THIS CITY WILL GET ALL THAT ARE NEEDED READY SALE.

This morning the ladies of the Aftermath, Athenaea and Domestic Science clubs placed 7,500 more Red Cross Christmas stamps on sale at the three local newspaper offices, the G. H. Knollenberg store, Price's confectionary and the Ross drug store. The receipt of these stamps was unexpected for, owing to delays in printing them at Washington, it was thought that Indiana would not get any more of the little stickers. However, conditions at Washington have been remedied and the Indianapolis headquarters of the Red Cross society have notified Mrs. N. C. Heironimus that Richmond may now have all the stamps that are desired. Mrs. Heironimus thinks that the 7,500 stamps now offered for sale will be disposed of within the next two or three days and that before Christmas day at least 10,000 more stamps can be disposed of. The purchase of one of these attractive looking little stickers means that you are Interested and desire to lend a hand In the great campaign the Red Cross society is planning to wage against the curse of humanity consumption. This great organization has for years done great service on bloody battle fields, giving aid to

the wounded, but these services on stricken fields of carnage pales into insignifigence compared to the great work the society is now engaged in, and American people are showing that they are heartily in sympathy with the work by purchasing millions of the little Christmas stamps.

(By Special State Correspondent.) Indianapolis, Dec. ,13. It looks like

about all the democratic members '

the legislature will be able to do to

day at their "get together" meetiug 1

will be to get acquainted. It is a cinch that they

will not get together on anything except a plan to repeal the county local option law. Thus far none of the democrats, has come out ' in opposition to such a plan, and It is believed that none of them will do so, un

less it be Representative Sicks,

Boone county. ' , ... v There are more democratic states-

men to the square inch in Indianapolis; today than there has been for a long . . .....

time, in ract. statesmen .are everywhere. They are all. statesmen. According to the call for the meetine to the call for the meetinir the.

legislators were to consider any an ! 1 all matters that might come be for a j

them relating to the -action of tje

party during the session that orns

next month. This, of course,' is

broad enough to cover a wlde.vaViety)

of subjects, among them being the

ILJLJi

Ellis Searles.

speakership, the senatorship, ' the question of floor leaderships, and leg-j islation on many subjects. ' But the j one overshadowing topic that is taking up the time of the legislators atj this meeting is the senatorship. And

seem to be about as far awayj)2 any definite settlement" of thelT

nually loses about $80,000 of its profits because of the high price it must pay the trust for steel used in the manufacturing of its products. OtHer large local concerns lose annually from this cadse from $15,000 to $30,000 on their profits. . All local manufacturing concerns are members of organizations which are working for reductions on tariff rates for steel and other articles.

Preble County Votes "Dry" By Over One Thousand Votes Another Ohio County Is Placed in Dry Column Two-Thirds of State Without Saloons.

OHIO OPTION RESULTS. Dry counties Wet counties

59 9

Eaton,. 0. Dec 15. The Rose county local option election In ., Preble county Monday, gave the "Drys" a majority of 1,020. a total of 6.0S8 votes being cast. or. 10 per cent less than the number at the November

V Ten saloons-am mitnut nnmeincci

nine in Eaton and one at West Manchester. Eaton went wet by 46 votes, yet that element only carried five out of. a total of 31 precincts. Governor Harris carried the county by 150 rotes. The election was entirely without incident. The victory for the "Drys . brings the total number of counties In that column up to 59, which is equal to two yairds of the state.

they from

question as they ever have been.

Few Pledges Out. - j One of the developments, of this! meeting that has surprised some of; the democrats is the fact that there! arevery few pledges out among the.' legislators on the senatorship. At least that is what they are all saying. Each district in which there Is a can-

didate for United States senator ought of course, to stand pat for its man! and in some cases this will be done,' but not in all. For Instance, there are only four democratic menflers ofthe legislature from the First district! in which Major G. V. Menzles lives, j and it is believed that Menzies will' get only three of them. The other; man said last night that he is for Kern and that he will vote for him if he; can find a way to do it. And gener-;;

ally when a man wants to vote a certain way he generally finds some means of doing it

But when the break-up comes and : the final ballot is taken it is believed;

that the vote of the First district, with this one exception, will go to Slack, as he is popular in the First. Lamb's Delegation Divided.

John E. Lamb, of Terre Haute, it is H

believed will come in with a divided

delegation from Ms district, the Fifth. Kern will get few votes In the Fifth I

ana win get more on the break-up, j

tnougn Slack will get a few. The Fourth is not solid for Slack, either, for Judge Joseph H.. Shea, of Seymour, although" not a member of the legislature, is working hard for B. F. Shively, of South Bend, and he said yesterday evening that he will get some votes for, Shively: la the Fourth. This, if true, .will be a sad blow to Slack, who has all along figured on a solid delegation from his district. Kern may or may not get the Seventh solid. Slack claims one or two

m?.

1 (Continue 4 on Page Five.)

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