Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1900 — THIEF STEALS GEMS. [ARTICLE]

THIEF STEALS GEMS.

;T « . . ’ DIAMONDS VALUED AT $6,000 ARE TAKEN. Robber, Who Is Evidently Fumiliur with the Office, Opens Safe with Combination—Steamship Companies Refuse to Book Large Excursion Parties. Diamonds valued at SO,OOO were stolen from the safe in the office of Joseph K. Davidson & Son, manufacturing jewelers, iit Philadelphia, and detectives are looking for a suspect. That' the thief was in possession of the combination is evidenced by- the fact that there were no marks on the safe. , The first intimation Mr. Davidson had of the robbery was when he opened the safe and found it rifled of its contents. There was nothing to indicate the manner in which the thief had entered the office, and it is believed he was familiar with the place. WOMAN LIGHTS FUNERAL PYRE. Reason Returns Just as the Flames Reach Her*Nake<i Flesh. Mrs. Frank Traphagen, formerly of Rockford, 111., made a desperate attempt to end her life at Cumiuinsville, Ohio. Crazed by the idea that she was not equal to her husband’s ideal, she deliberately constructed for herself a funeral pyre of straw. This she saturated with gasoline and coal oil. Stripping herself of all clothing, she -stretched herself at full length upon the pile and ignited it. The pain caused by the contact of the flames' with her flesh brought a sudden return of reason and she cried for help. Neighbors came to her aid and extinguished the flames. OBJECT TO BIG EXCURSIONS. Transatlantic Steamers Refusing to Book for the Summer. The passenger carrying transatlantic -steamship lines are almost uniformly refusing to book large excursions for pas sage to Europe this summer. Parties have been formed to go to the Paris exposition, and some of them number as many as COU persons. It was said at several steamship offices that the refusals were caused by the desire of the lines to refrain from overcrowding their steamers and to be able to provide accommodations for their regular yearly- patrons who might not apply for staterooms so far in advance. Burns Himself to Frederick A. Lempke, who has conducted Christian Science parlors in St. Cloud, Minn., for some time, met a horrible death at the home of J. K. Orton in East St. Cloud, it is supposed be deliberately placed his head iu a heating stove, for when found he was in this position, his head and shoulders burned to a crisp, A letter was found in which he said he had been unable to concentrate his thoughts for some time.Man Is Devoured by Wolves. John Smith, a former resident of Detroit, was devoured by wolves a short distance from a logging camp where he was employed near Presque Isle, Mich. He strayed* rfoTn thc camp rn the "early evening, as he was in the habit of doing, and the next morning his partially devoured body was found in the snow. Smith was a veteran of the SpanishAtneriean war. One Death in a New York Fire. One woman is dead and two others are badly burned as the result of a fire in a boarding house at -115 West Fifty-sev-enth street, Net? "York. Annie Holland, Natalia. Miles and Helen Miles, in attempting to pass through a burning room, were severely burned about the head, hands and arms. Natalie Miles died later at a hospital. To Test Ohio Trust Laws. Suit was filed in the United Stales Court at Columbus, Ohio, by the Michigan Salt Company against W. A. Wason of Columbus for over $32,009, the suit being a test Of tbe Ohio trust laws.' Waso-n was agent of the concern and states that he purposely held back the money to test the trust law. Jesse James, Jr., Married. The wedding of Jesse James, Jr., sou of the notorious baudit, and Miss Stella McGown of Kansas City took place at the home of the bride’s parents. The honeymoon will be spent at the™iome of Mrs. Samuels, Mr. James' grandmother, in Clay County. Reeelv r lor South Dakota Bank. At Mitchell, S. D.. Judge Smith lias appointed O. P. Auld of Plankinton receiver for the defunct Plankinton Bank. The appointment of a receiver was contested by the attaching creditors. The non-attaching creditors will attempt to have the attachment dissolved.

Lafayette, Colo., Almost Destroyed. A fire broke out in the town of Lafayette, Colo., and spread rapidly before a high wind. Practically the entire town was destroyed. Hundreds of families were rendered homeless. The loss, by the fire is SIOO,OOO. Revenue Officer Kills a Moonshiner. News Las reached Louisville, Ky., of a light between revenue officers and moonshiners in Breathitt Co'uuty in which Bud Noble, oue of the latter, was killed by Deputy M. F. Hortou. Horton is under arrest. Indiana Lumbermen Shaken lip. A special train having on board tlie Indiana Retail Lumber Dealers’ Association was wrecked at Wayeross* Ga. Thirteen persons were injured, oue of them perhaps fatally. Lease li o Ide rs Will’ Con test. The leaseholders of agricultural lands in the territory held a big meeting at Ardmore, I. T., and subscribed funds to fight their claims against the Indian?, who have filed suits to dispossess them. Will Advance Stove Prices. The Ohio Valley stove manufacturers have decided ts advance the prices of stoves 10 per cent on May 1 unless there should be u slump in the iron market in the meantime. Cuttle King Is Injured, w , Henry Miller, ihe millionaire California cattle king, was seriously injured in a runaway accident at Gilroy, Cal. He was removed to his home in San Francisco and may recover. . Loss Is Total. At Holly Grove, Ark., (ire destroyed $20,000. worth of property. Eight stores were burned. So fe» as learned there was no insurance.

FOUGHT DRINK, USED A DRUG.

Death of W. J. McConnell, Temperance . Lecturer, Due to Morphine. Excessive use of morphine, to which it appears be had been addicted during the past four years, was the cause of the death, in a Philadelphia hospital, of Will J. McConnell, of Cleveland, well known in the West as a temperance lecturer. He arrived in Philadelphia recently and registered at Green’s liutel. The same night he was found on the streets iu an unconscious condition and removed to a hospital. At that time his identity was unknown. The physicians discovered that he was suffering from morphine poisoning, and despite their efforts he died. McConnell’s l-l-year-old son was raurdered by his brother-in-law On .Alleghany City four years ago, and since then it has been / commonly reported that the temperance advocate used both liquor and drugs to excess, although not discontinuing his lectures. RAILROAD SWELLS THE FUND. Pennsylvania Company Donates $50,000 Toward the St. Louis Fair. The Pennsylvania Railroad system has subscribed $50,000 toward the $5,000,000 fund being raised tor the St. Louis world’s fair to fie field in 1903 to commemorate the Louisiana purchase centennial. Other subscriptions of equal or greater amounts are promised .and substantial progress is being made in com pleting the fund. Special activity is being manifested in view of the fact that the bill appropriating $5,000,000 in aid of -the fair is about to be introduced in Congress.

GREAT. FIRE AT DAWSON. Substantial Structures Destroyed wfth a Loss Amounting to $-100,000. Advices from tbe north substantiate the report of a big fire at Dawson. It destroyed buildings and merchandise to the value of $400,000. The news comes by telegraph from Dawson to Skaguay The lire is supposed to have originated from a defective hue. The flames burned about 400 feet .-llomr the principal street, laying in ashes many of the costliest and most substantial structures in the Klondike metropolis. Confesses He Committed Murder. After maintaining for over six weeks that he was suffering for the crime of others, Levi Steward, the colored man who is lying in tile Sandwich, Out., jail under sentence of death, confessed that he was the murderer of "Old Jim" Ross in Windsor. The murder was committed July 18. Robbery was tbe motive. Wreck Millionaire’s House. The third of a series of dynamite explosions within the city limits of Leadville, Colo., occurred the other day, wrecking the handsome residence of A. V. Hunter, the millionaire mine owner, and the house of J. C. Ritchey, adjoining- ' Fatal Fire in a Village. Fire did $200,000 damage at Fredoma, N. Y. Besides the loss to buildings the power house of the Dunkirk and Fredonia Street Car Company was destroyed, together with all the cars. Two lives wore lost in the flames. Old-Time Circus Man Dies.-* Charles McCarthy,- who -was u circusclown more than forty years ago and known as the hrst man to turn a double somersault, dropped dead in a saloon in Chicago. '1 \venty Thousand Dollar Fire. By hard work on the part of the firemen a lire at Stephens. Minn., was confined to the large general store of J. H. McMahon. Loss $20,000, insurance sl2, 000. The origin ot the fire is unknown. Noted Club Woman Dies. Mrs. Mary Wright Curwen, distin gtiished for leadership in promoting the i formation of women’s clubs, ami iu that capacity known all over the United States, died at her home in Cincinnati. Death of l)r. Alfred Watts. Dr. Alfred Joseph ,Watts, whose name has become familiar wherever dentistj-y is practiced, through bis invention of | “Watts’ crystal gold.” died suddenly at his home in Brooklyn, N. Y. Duke of Teck Is Deajd. His Highness Francis Paul Charles Louis Alexander, Duke of Teck, died at White Lodge, Richmond Park,. London, in his sixty-third year. Victory for English Arms. English troop 3 under Gen. Warren made a night attack and captured Spion Kop. Die ill Earthquake. Seven persons were killed at Colima, Mexico, by an earthquake. The destruction of property was considerable.

MAUala (^uOiAUU.Mj, Chicago—Cattle, common to prime, $3.00 to $0.75; hogs, shipping grades, $3.00 to $5.00; sheep, fair to choice, $3.00 to SS.(XL wheat. No. 2 red, U4e to 05c; corn, No. 2,30 cto 32c; oats. No. 2,22 c to 23c; rye. No. 2,53 cto 54c; butter, choice creamery, 23c to 25c; eggs, fresh, 14c to 10c; potatoes, choice, 40c to 50c per bushel. • • Indianapolis—Cattle, shipping, $3.00 to $0.50; bogs, choice light, $3.00 to $5.00; sheep, common to prime, $3.00 to $4.75; wheat. No. 2,08 cto 00c; corn, No. 2 white, 31c to 33c; oats. No. 2 white, 25c to 27c. St. Louis—Cattle. $3.25 to $0.75; hogs, $3.00 to $5.00; sheep, $3.00 ’to $0.00; wheat. No. 2,70 cto 71c; corn, No. 2 yellow, 31c to 33c; oats. No. 2. 23c to 25c: rye, No. 2,52 cto 54c. Cincinnati—Cattle, $2.50 to $0.50; hogs, $3.00 to $5.00; sheep, $2.50 to $4.50; wheat. No. 2,71 cto 73c; corn, No. 2 mixed, 34c to 30c; onts. No. 2 mixed, 25c to 27c; rye, No. 2,59 cto 01c. Detroit—Cattle, $2.50 to $0.75; hogs, $3.00 to $5.00; sheep, $3.00 to $4.75; wheat, No. 2,08 c to' 70c; corn. No. 2 yellow, 32c to 34c; onts. No. 2 white, 27c to 29c; rye, 57c to 59c. Toledo—Wheat, No. 2 mixed, (19c to 71c; corn. No. 2 mixed, 31c to 33c; onts. No. 2 mixed. 23c to 24c; rye. No. 2,50 c to 57c; clover seed. $4.85 to $4.95., Milwaukee—Wheat, No. 2 northern.* 64c to Otic; corn, No. 2,31 cto 33c; oats. No. 2 white, 25c to 20c; rye. No. 1,55 c to 57c; barley. No, 2. 45c to 47e; pork, Buffalo—Cnttlo, good shipping steers. $3.00 to $15.75; bogs, common to choice, $3.25 to $5.00; sheep. fair to choice, $3.00 .to $5.50: tarnbs. common to extra. $4.50 to $7.00. New York—Cattle. $3.25 to $0.75. bogs. $3.00 to $5.25; sheep. $3.1X5 to $0.90; wheat, N’o. 2 red, 75c to 76c; corn. No. 2. 40c to 4lJf; oats. No. 2 white, 31c to 32c; butter, creamery, 21c to 26c; eggs, western. .14c to 20c.