Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1902 — FROM THE FOUR QUARTERS OF THE EARTH [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FROM THE FOUR QUARTERS OF THE EARTH

MANIAC'S TERRIBLE DEED. John Beat of Lapeer, Mich., Uses Razor on Boarder, His Mother and Slater. John Best. 28 years old. a man of disordered mind at Lapeer, Mich., the other night rose from his bed and ran through the house, cutting Jasper Clegg’s head nearly off with a razor, dangerously wounded his own mother, wounded his sister and finished by shooting himself to death. Clegg, who was 00 years old, boarded at the Best home. Best was committed to the insane asylum about a year ago, but six months later was discharged as cured. Best appears to have risen from his bed and gone first to the sleeping room of Clegg. He attacked Clegg with the razor, probably before the old man awoke. The victim’s throat was slashed so deeply that the head was nearly severed from the body. The blade of the razor was broken by striking a bone. The murderer then evidently returned to his own room and to bed. The bedding in his room is covered with blood. Later he arose again and went to the room of his mother. He struck Mrs. Best a blow with the damaged razor, but she was scarcely awake. The blow fell short, though her chin was nearly cut off. She sprang out of bed, grappled with the crazy man and made .her way to the door. There she broke away from him and ran to a neighbor’s, where she telephoned for the sheriff. When his mother fled from the house Best invaded his sister’s sleeping room. After he had slashed her across the cheek with the razor he desisted, probably believing he had killed her. When Best heard Sheriff Myers entering the house he appeared with a revolver and began shooting wildly. He aimed the last shot at his own head and fell dead.

BANK ROBBERS GET $3,000. Another Large Haul in Central Illinois—Telegraph Wires Cut. Another haul was nffide Monday night by the gang of bank robbers which has been reaping a harvest in central JLHinois. Three thousand dollars was taken from the bank at Clarence. The men escaped on a hand car. The utmost precautions were taken by the thieves to avoid detection, but the explosion of the nitroglycerin was heard and a posse of citizens gave chase. The telegraph wires were cut, and it was several hours before communication with Bloomington and neighboring cities could be restored. Four men were engaged in the robbery, and .the bank vault was blown to pieces.. Backed by American Capital. The Peruvian government has contracted with Alejandro N. Puente aud •Leopold -Arnaud for the construction of n railway from Chimbofc to Recuay. with the privilege of free importation of material for twenty-five years. The railway must be completed within twen-ty-five years. Tift? capital for the enterprise will be American.

Sinks in the North River. A three-masted steam schooner, going up stream, sank in the North River off 42d street, New York. Three men escaped in a rowboat and landed on the Jersey side of the rixer. Those who saw the schooner sink say it suddenly keeled over, as if it had struck some obstruction, and went down almost instantly. Reward for Bodies of Burglars. An ordinance has been introduced in the Council at Seattle, Wash., providing for a S3OO reward for the delivery of the body of any highwayman or burglar at the City Hall. Councilman Mullen, who introduced the ordinance, declares that he believes this to be the most < ffective method of dealing with the criminal element now in the city. Acetylene Gas Kills Six. By the explosion of an acetylene gas tank at Fort Lee, N. J., the residence of John Puglughi was demolished, his six children instantly killed and his wife so seriously injured that she will die. The mother was found 200 feet from where the explosion took place, her right arm almost torn from her body. Western Roads Reduce Salaries. The difficulty which Western railroads are finding in keeping enough mechanical help is affecting the clerks. Some of the roads, the Santa Fe included, have begun reducing salaries of the office employes on the excuse that the high wages paid to mechanical help makes it necessary.

Reveals Identity After Many Years. Frank Beatty, arrested at Columbus, Ohio, for drunkenness, confessed that he escaped from jail at Covington, Ind., while under indictment for murder twen-ty-eight years ago. Beatty says Jacob Galvin was shot and killed nnd he was accused of the crime. He declares the shooting to have been accidental. Castro May Give Up. Leading citizens of Caracas asked President Castro to give full power to United States Minister Bowen for settlement under best possible terms; Castro and blockading powers are believed likely to accept; Washington officials a¥c willing. Bishop Quigley Chosen. The congregation of the propaganda, composed of the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, has selected Right Rev. James Edward Quigley, Bishop of Buffalo, to succeed the late Archbishop Patrick A. Feehan in the archdiocese of Chicago. Victory for Union Men. Judge Munger, in the federal court in Omaha, discharged the twenty-seven Union Pacific strikers charged with contempting in maintain a “picket line” and Intimidating workmen. The court ruled that the evidence was insufficient. Ohio Municipal Code Wine. The Ohio Supreme Court holds the new municipal code constitutional on all the points raised against it in the case

of Zumstein vs. Mullen, l>ut rejected the construction put upon section 116 by the Cincinnati board of legislation. The court’s decision gives Cincinnati twentynine instead of thirty-two councilmen and twenty-four instead of twenty-six wards. WANTED-OWNER FOR $1,500. Lincoln, Neb.. Man Says Money in His Deposit Box Is Not His. Complete mystery surrounds the finding of $1,500 in a safety deposit box in Lincoln, Neb., the renter of the box being nonplused as much as every one else. Dr. G. O. VV. Farnham, who returned recently from a prolonged absence, noticed a strange envelope in his deposit box. No one else is supposed to have a key. He satisfied his curiosity by examining the contents, and was startled to find fifteen crisp SIOO bills. He stoutly avers that he did not place the money there. The safety deposit managers assert with equal positiveness that Dr. Farnham is the sole person having a key, and the doctor declares also that it is out of the question to suggest that some one gave him the money to put It in a safe place. He has decided to advertise for the owner. NEW MOVE IN TOBACCO WAR. Trust Plan to Establish Union Cigar Plant in Chicago. The tobacco trust has decided to hit the independent dealers what it considers a Bolar plexus blow. It is planned to erect the largest cigar faotory in the West in Chicago and make it a union plant. Heretofore the dealeHl are fighting the combine have used as one of their strongest arguments, “we sell only union goods.” This scheme, it is urged, will stop this cry, but answer to the other plea, “we do not handle trust goods,” still remains to be solved. From what Can be learned the new factory will be operated by the Syracuse Cigar Company, which supplies the majority of the United Cigar Stores Company’s shops with their union goods. It will employ perhaps as many as 500 men.

WIFE’S DREAM OF DEATH TRUE. I St. Joseph, Mo., Woman Warns Husband Against Going to Work. “John, don’t go to work. I feel sure that something is going to happen to you.” Mrs. Mary Johnson gave that warning to her husband as he started to work in the terminal yards at St Joseph, Mr. “Oh, bother,” he replied. “Nothing is going to happen to me. I’m all right, and in no danger.” Three hours later Johnson was picked up from the Santa’ TeTrack'Tn the terminal yards after the inbound Santa Fe train had cut off both legs, crushed his hand, mangled his body and cut a gash in ,his head. He died later. His wife dreamed the previous night that he would be killed. MURDERS HIS WARMEST FRIEND. Thompson Morton Slays j. W. Barringer, Jr., at St. Louis. J. W. Barringer, Jr., office engineer of the St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern Railway, was stabbed to death in his office in St. Louis by Thompson Morton, an unemployed civil engineer, whom he had befriended for years. So far as known there was absolutely no motive for the crime. Barringer died without making a statement, and Morton declines to ascribe any cause for the murder. Barringer was Morton’s warmest friend, and had been loyal to him, when his taciturnity drove others away. Many Killed by Earthquake. Three officials, two soldiers and 150 natives, mostly children, were killed by the earthquake which destroyed the town of Andijan, Russian Central Asia. In addition 300 natives and seventjen soldiers were injured anil 9,000 houses of natives and 130 Russian residences were destroyed.

Old Flour Mills in Alaska. That wheat was grown in Alaska by the Russians a century ago is proved by the discovery of two old flour mills built by the subjects of the Czar. One of these has been discovered on Wood Island, in southeastern Alaska, and the other in the interior. Balfour Says There Is War. In the course of a long statement in the British House of Commons Premier Balfour said there was no such thing as a “pacific blockade.” A state of war actually existed with Venezuela, he declared. PoisoninK Is Suspected. Harry Deen, a mantel setter, and Iris wife were both found unconscious in their bed at their home in Columbus, Ohio. The symptoms are those of morphine poisoning and it is believed the couple will die.

Steal Ten Tons of Coal. While a train of twenty cars loaded with coal was Standing on a siding in the tenement district in Ansonia, Conn., a raid was made by 200 men, women and children, and over ten Wms of coal were carried away. Increase for Railroad Men. Increase in wages averaging 8 per cent is granted by the Northwestern road to 5,000 engineers and firemen. Strike of 5,000 Chicago woodworkers is threatened because manufacturers are said to bq planning war on union labor. China’s Ruler to Abdicate. Mail advices from Pekin announce that the Empress Dowager of China proposes to abdicate next year. . There to almost a panic among the chief officials of the empire in consequence. Four Killed in Train Crash. Four men were killed and several injured in a collision on the, Burlington Kailroad, two miles west of Table Rock, Neb.

MAY BE GUILTY OF TREASON. <•» , —— Cbarge Said to' Hold Against Gertrude Atherton, the Author. Treason can be charged to Mrs. Gertrude Atherton, the novdiist, for her efforts against the Danish treaty, in the opinion of State Department officials in Washington. Although there is no intention of prosecuting the writer, it is alleged that she is clearly guilty by her own confession. Mrs. Atherton probably did not know that the founders of the republic themselves enacted statutes which expressly define the crime of treason and which make it a criminal offense, punishable by both fine and imprisonment, for an American citizen to carry on correspondence with any foreign government to defeat the measures of the government of the' United States. In Mrs. Athertos’s statement she makes the positive declaration that she defeated the treaty by which Denmark was to sell to the United States her island possessions in the West Indies. SENTRY SLAIN AT FORT SHERIDAN Prisoners Club Roger Hanberger with His Own Rifle and Escape. Mutilated almost beyond recognition, the body of Roger Hanberger of Company I, Twentieth United States infantry, was found jn a deep ravine in the southern portion of the reservation at Fort Sheridan, 111. Hanberger was clubbed to death with the butt of his own musket by two military prisoners whom he tried to prevent from escaping. The prisoners were Christian Walker of Company C and John Hollenberg, formerly a corporal of Company L, Twentieth United States infantry. They were considered the most desperate men in the guardhouse at the fort.

BOERS ARE COMING TO AMERICA. Nbarly 9,000 Will Settle in Colorado. -.New Mexico and Texas. Nearly 9,000 Boers, it is said, are preparing' to “trek” to America, and will settle in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. The representative of this movement is General Samuel Pearson, late quartermaster general of the South African republic, who has headquarters in New York. Colorado friends of the Boers have been in communication with the general in regard to suitable lands for the settlers, and General M. de Villiers, who is now looking over the land, has expressed himself as very favorably impressed with Colorado. DOES NOT WANT BARROOM. Michigan Village Will Fight Saloon with-Cemetery. The people of Fulton, Mich., are fighting liquor licenses with a cemetery. Some time ago the temperance element learned that Ray Weeks, a hotel keeper, proposed to ask for a license. A law passed in 18<k) was discovered. This law prevents saloons or barrooms within a certain distance of a cemetery. After this discovery the people located a cemetery within eighty rods of Weeks’ hotel. Beggar Leaves SIOO,OOO. Eli Hyman, a Jew, who begged for admission to the general hospital in Toronto, Ont., is dead. An examination of his clothing resulted in finding scrip worth $31,000. Other papers showed Hyman to be worth probably SIOO,OOO. For twenty years he had slept in sheds and stables and sold papers and begged money and food. Women Robbers Arrested. Warrants have been issued for a man and two women under arrest at Whiteville, Tenn., charged with robbery of the bank there Dec. 6. About $2,000 was secured. The three under arrest give the names of Mr. and Mrs. George Carrol and Mrs. J. Laughlin. They came from Chicago.

Publishing Firm Goes Down. The Jones Brothers Publishing Company of Cincinnati has filed a deed of assignment with liabilities of about SIOO,000 and assets of about $50,000. The members of the company say they had a large amount of the paper of Henry T. Knight of New York and that his recent liquidation caused them to assign. Blow a Post office Safe. The postoffice safe at Granville, Ohio, was blown open with dynamite by two or more men, who escaped in it rig stolen from Restaurant Keeper Bailey’s barn. Two charges of dynamite were used to wreck the safe, and the men departed with the plunder before anyone reached the office. Two-Foot Man Found Dead. “General Peanuts,” who for several yean was one of the best known midgets and clowns connected with Barnum’s and Forepaugh and Sells* circuses, was found dead in bed in New York. He was a Japanese, 38 years old and two feet one inch high. Townsmen Welcome Mitchell. John Mitchell was given a public welcome at Spring Valley, 111. He declared in speech that anthracite strike settlement is beginning of movement, backed by public sentiment, to abolish necessity for strikes. Diax Sprains Arm in Fall. President Diax of Mexico is suffering ' from the effects of falling on the staircase of the Relacimentb Theater. He sustained a sprained arm and slight bruises. .No serious result is feared. J. J. Hill’s Bon Disciplined. Walter J. Hill, son of President J. J. Hill of the Great Northern Railway, has been suspended from his duties In the auditing department for not attending strictly to business. Bank Robbers Get *O,OOO. The bank at Mullins, 8. C.. was broken open, the safe dynamited and about $0,«IO in cash stolen. ■ S ‘