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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1906)
i ufffo PAGES 1 TO 12 48 PAGES VOL. XXV-NO. 20. PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 20, 1906. PRICK FIVE CENTS. A L EAVES BODES N WASTED TRAGK Michigan Forest Fire Takes ' Lives. MANY SETTLERS STILL MISSING Wind Sweeps Flames Over Five Whole Counties. FOUR TOWNS DESTROYED Nine Partly Devoured by Flames. Wind Fans Small Fires Into a Mighty Blaze and Defies iuman Hands. M I LW Al'K BK, May 1H.-A dispatch to the Sentinel from Escanaba. Mich., by a Klaflf correspondent Hays: Four known dead, a wore or more persons missing, hundreds of families homeless, several millions of dollars In property burned, four towns wiped out entirely and a dozen more jiartlally, live counties devastated and liiO snuare miles of territory fire swept. This Is the dreadful picture that the Northern Michigan peninsula presents today, after the worst forest fire since the restlgo disaster In 1871. General Superintendent W. B. Wells, of the Escanaba Lake Superior Railroad, along whose right of way the greatest loss occurred, returned tonight from a trip of Inspection over the flre-slricken area and says that the flames have gone down and for the time being the danger is over, unless a new gale arises to again fan the embers Into flames. The following summary briefly tells the story: . The Dead. 1'etcr I-afond, a cook, smothered In a lumber camp near Katos, body found tonight. Three- Unknown children dead at Quin iiesec, Mich., separated from their par ent:! while th-.i village was burning and perished, Scores of homesteaders and woodsmen are missing and many have probably perished in the flames. Five Counties I.ald Waste. Territory devastated, five counties. Mar queue, Menominee. Delta, Alger and Dickinson. The territory fire-swept Is WO miles square. . " Towns totally burned: Talbot. Mich., 100 population, only a few houses left standing. (Juinnesee, Mich., 1000 population, only one house remains. Saunders. ISO population, all wiped out. Niagara, Wis., BOO population, all wiped out. Towns partially destroyed: Northland. Cornell, Antinc, Spring Val ley, Kingsley, Woodlawn, Foster City, Sala and Metropolitan. Kxtent of Conflagration. Details of the fire are gradually coming out of the burned territory. All day long refugees and trainmen have been coming in. telling tales of misery and suffering, as well as heroism and brave deeds, that were enacted while the fire wua at Its helsht. The reports all show- that the fire wast fully as serious as first reported. The burned-over district extends from a point ten miles out ot Kscanuba to Tal bot on the south, to Channing and Quln nesec on the west, to Sands on the north and hack to Escanaba. The flames were ticrcest along the Escanaba & Lake Su-ix-rlor line. It Is in this district that a thousand r more small flies have been smoldering for weeks. Nothing was thought of these tires, because they were not dangerous, but It only needed a wind to fan them Into a mighty sheet of flame. This wind came on Friday afternoon. Wind Sweeps Flumes Along. Toward noon the wind began to blow from the west' at the rate of SO miles an hour. By 3 o'clock the velocity was 40 miles and by 4 o'clock the small fires seemed to have united Into one large one th.tt extended over a 50-mlle stretch and swept along with a fury that no human hand could stay. The ftaines seemed to center from a place called Northland and from there swept down toward Escanaba. Throughout the territory hundreds of woodsmen were put to work to stay the tire, but It could not be fought. It marched on and It was only by diverting its path that some of the towns were saved. Abandon Homes to Save Lives. First to be driven out were the woods men in camp and the homesteaders. Hun dreds of small and prosperous farmers live In the territory, and the occupants of these farms hurried to the nearest towns for shelter. Cattle and stock and houses and barns and their contents were left for the flames. Wagons were hurriedly load ed with personal effects and the race against the flames began. In some in stances whole families came in. Many, however, reported that some of the mem bers had been separated and left behind. Some of the towns were hemmed in on all sides. At Talbot and Qulnnesec a hard tight was put up, but In the end the places had to be abandoned. Water was scarce, and even when it was plentiful it was of no avail In combating the flames. losing, but Gallant Fight. Hundreds of woodsmen fought in spots throughout the district. 3tep by step they would back, up, trying at each stand to backfire the flames. Clearings were burned over with fires that could not be controlled. Then when the flames reached there they found nothing' more to con sume. In this manner many of the towns in the path ot the conflagration were saved. While scenes of horror and despair were being enacted in the fire-stricken territory there was also a panic in neighboring cit ies, miles from the fire line. Most of the refugees were taken back today, when it was supposed that the fires had died down, but most of them found nothing when they reached the spot where their homes had stood. v Fires Still Smoldering. Gradually the wind died down, and this morning it shifted and the flames began to lose their fury, but the fires are not out. They still smolder, and. although they are not spreading, it will only need a fresh wind to start them 'again in all their fury. Daggett had sent a fire engine to Talbot, but even this was burned up. Daggett managed to save itself because of the shifting of the wind. " Qulnnesec Is still isolated from this end and cannot be reached. Trainmen say the entire town is gone. Three tralnloads of homeless people have already arrived in Escanaba. Thou sands of others are believed to be home less and suffering from want of food, clothing and other necessities. Arrangements for aid and offers to give assistance are reaching this city from Lower Michigan ' and Wisconsin, which must bear a large share of the Are losses, directly or indirectly, as the result of the forest fires. FLAMES RISE 100 FEET IN AIR Settlers Bury Furniture to Save It From Destruction. MILWAUKEE. Wis.. May 19. A spe cial from Marinette. Wis., says: Deputy State Game Warden Charles Nelson, of Madison, and County Warden Robert Hltchon reached here today from the forest fires in the Lake Noque Bay region. They say the flames were fully 100 feet high and swept over the country with a terrible roar. At several points they assisted the set tlers to save their homes where possible, and at others to bury their furniture to keep it from the fire. The settlers in this part of the country were in great danger and the Wisconsin & Michigan Railway officials were finally reached and sent a special train to take them out of the fire zone. People all over the Lake Huron region were panic-stricken anl many refugees came down on the Wisconsin & Michigan train. LOSS ESTIMATED AT $1,000,000 Kullroud and Lumber Companies Worst Sufferers by Disaster. K9CANABA, Mich., May 19. (Special.) Forest flres which have been raging over a distance 100 miles square in the peninsula for 36 hours are tonight be lieved to be under control after having caused a loss estimated at over $1,000,000. Superintendent Wells of the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railway returned at 6 o'clock tonight from a tour through the burned districts and reports that the fire in Dickinson and Marinette Coun ties has been stopped. Assistant Superintendent Cantillon. of the Northwestern Railway, says the dam age to Its property Is not as great as was at first reported, and, although sev eral large fires are burning at different points, large forces of firefighters have been organized and it is believed that with the change of wind its progress can now be stopped. The damage sustained by the lumber and railroad companies operating in Delta County is estimated at slightly over $100,000. The losses In Dickinson, Menominee, Aimer and Marquette Coun ties will reach $400,000. FLAMKS HEM IX AVAl'SAl'KEE Another Town in Danger Immense Loss of Loggers. MILWAVKEH May 19. An Evening Wisconsin special from Wausaukee says: Wausaukee, Marinette County, is hemmed in by forest fires, which are slowly creep ing up to the city on the north and south. Millions of feet of lumber are burned. The loss is estimated at $100,000. At Cedarville. a town four miles south of this city, for est fires have destroyed many cars of lumber and big kilns filled with cedar. A fierce wind is blowing sparks and burning embers for miles. All trains are being held here, as the rails are twisted from the intense heat. The Bird & Wells Lumber Company has suffered an enormous loss. Several of its camps are totally destroyed. The losses of Bird H. H. Chlst, Mose Wallow and many other logging companies are stead ily growing. Three miles south of this place another fire is sweeping through slashings and forest. The flames in some places are 30 feet high. The dry conditions are re sponsible for the great loss, and the Are sweeps everything clean. Change of Wind Saves Towns. MARQUETTE, Mich., May 19. Danger is now practlcallv over at Sidney. Trout Creek and Kenton, a change of wind hav ing , turned the flames back, and saved the towns when all three were apparently doomed. The town of Birch has been spared in a similar manner. Railroad Stops AH Trains. DETROIT. May 19. Forest fires in the upper peniivula compelled the Duluth, South Shore Atlantic Railroad to can cel Its Duluth trains last night. The loss by fire is broadly estimated at $1,000,000. HIS FAMILY HAS LOST ALL Portland Man Tells of Extent of the Disaster at Qulnnesec. Ted McKenna. whose home is now in Portland, ts deeply concerned over the reported destruction of the town of Qulnnesec, Mich., by forest fire. His father, mother and many other rela tives are residents of the town and have undoubtedly suffered heavy losses even If they have escaped death or in jury. Patrick McKenna,- the Portland man's father, owned nine buildings in the town, and his loss on them, if all are burned, will not he less than $25.- ttJenciudcd ao face 24 PLOT AIMS AT y Jonathan Bourne, Jr., Exposes Conspiracy to Induce Men to Violate Pledges. . AGAINST HIM AND GEARIN Scheme Is to Throw Popular Yote to Democratic Candidate and Then Defeat Him in the Legislature. SAIJEXT EXTRACTS FROM MR. BOl'RNE'S LETTER. There will be over 50 Statement No. 1 men In the Legislature; 4 will elet. A conspiracy Is on foot to throw the popular vote to Senator Gearin and then defeat him in the LeeMature by Inducing members of the Legislature to violate th ir pledges. Back of the conspiracy are alders, abettors and beneficiaries of special the owners f special privileges. The issue in this campaign Is simply as to whether the people shall rule or continue to be ruled and exololted by the owners of special privileges. If the 30.000 Republican majority In Oregon wants another Republican Uni ted States Senator let them vote for me on the 4th of June. Jonathan Bourne, Jf., Republican nomi nee for United States Senator, declares that a conspiracy is on foot to overthrow the primary law. The plan in brief is to throw the popular vote to Senator Gearin and then to cause the Republican legislators to violate their pledge to elect the people's choice for United States Senator. Mr. Bournes letter follows: ' To the Voters of the State of Ore gon: I am informed that a conspiracy is being attempted by a few Senatorial aspirants who did not have the courage to submit their candidacy to the people at the primaries and some trust hire lings and disgruntled politicians who have never cared for the Republican party other than as a means of fatten ing off the public crib. Their plan is to attempt to break down the primary law and disrupt the Republican party by giv ing Senator Gearin the popular vote in June and then defeating him in the Legis lature on the. ground that Republican Statement No. 1 legislators are not ex pected to vote for a Democrat. Thus thev hope to aeieat tne law ana aeieat me, and throw the Senatorial election into the Legislature in order that tne certificate of election may be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Don't let any Republican be misled by this sophistry. Whoever gets the popular vote in June will be elected by the Legislature. There will certainly be over 50 Statement No. 1 members elected to tne next legislature. Forty-six will be a sufficient number to elect the Senator whom the people select in June. Pledges of the Legislators. Statement No. 1 pledges to the people of the state the legislative signer's sacred honor to elect the people's choice for United States Senator. "Statement No. 1 I further state to the people of Oregon, as well as to the people of my legislative district, that during my te-m of office I will always vote for that HOW THE PR I t . : l yffllllll'IIHiMIIH"llllimmmyhniiin,i,w mi.i,i. niHMIinng .j - l &, i Hi'a""im'iniiKn,i''''"'!iili;!" ''"P jj ii I I ' ' I j . . ... . , j 1 ... x. 4 candidate for United States Senator In Congress who has received the highest nunibet; of the people's votes for that po sition at the general election next preced ing the election of a Senator in Congress, without regard to my individual prefer ence " Such is the language of the pledge. This obligation is voluntary and is with and to all the people. It is made, however, with the understanding that the people demand it, and in consideration of its being made their confidence and their support are both solicited. Believing In the sincerity of the man who makes the pledge, the confidence of the people has been secured and it) advance they have delivered to him the goods he asks their votes. In volved in the transaction is the sincerity, the Integrity, the honor of the candidate and the interests, the trust and the con fidence of the people, who by their votes have already performed their full part of the contract. Will They Break Their Vows? What excuse will the pledge-signer offer for breaking faith with the people of the entire state? Will he break his pledge? And If he does, what estimate will be put upon his own character:- what estimate will he put upon himself for truth and honesty and for intelligence? Will the press of the state indorse him? Will tho preacher in the pulpit and the priest in the confessional condone his treaobery and approve his hypocrisy? Will the voter in the ranks who is crying for civic righteousness applaud his duplicity? Will the banker's confidence in his integrity as a man mark up his standing in the finan cial world over and above what he may be able to place on deposit as an Imme diate result of his service to those who would ruin him to defeat a law they hate? The eyes of the political and financial powers of this country are on this strug gle in Oregon to purge Senatorial elec tions of corruption. The legislator will be the final factor in it for success or failure, victory or defeat. To his integrity will be committed the destiny of a righteous cause in which the interests of the peo ple of Oregon and the Nation are bound up. and for a few brief months his hon estv. his integrity, courage and patriotism will be put to the crucial test, and if they fall, then the condign punishment of uni versal scorn will be visited upon him and his. or citizenship in Oregon will have proved itself a miserable pretense. Every nominee for the Legislature who has taken Statement No. 1 knows its true and exact significance. He realizes the prob able and possible effects of its literal execution, and I am not one to believe for a single moment that any one of them will prove recreant to his high trust, or false to his vows. Agents of Special Privileges. But what of the men who lifchtly talk of blighting the integrity, char acter and good name of those whom the commonwealth shall elect to exe cute its will? And who are they? Highly respectable denizens of Port land and their satellites aiders, abet tors and beneficiaries of special privi leges. Which of these gentlemen will approach a Statement No. 1 legislator? How will he do it? What will he of fer? Immunity from that public con tempt which will be more, his due than the due of the victim he would de stroy? The man who hints at the ac complishment of such a design in his heart .has already done It. and those who ;Jdvo.ate it arc too pocw in com mon iV-incsty to merit the contempt of deceiu'j-.j.U.enship. They place a com mercial "value only upon other men's integrity, and thereby correctly Index their own characters. Would they, were they Statement No. 1 legislators, betray the people? Would they not? Else why do they assume that others may? A pledge however sacred is but a commercial quantity in their scheme of things, and honor is a triflo light as thistledown. Tet these are they who would undo by any means the people's will. Self-appointed guardians of the public weal, horror-stricken at the uttered word of anarchy, they engage themselves to overthrow a law they can not defeat by lawful means. They cannot defeat the primary law n.id Statement One by either fair means or foul. They cannot corrupt or coerce or fool the Statement One legislators, nor befog the great elec torate of Oregon iwho stand at their backs to sustain them in their bound en duties, for we are now in the evo- (Concluded on Page 11.) DEMOCRATS ARE SUPPORTING OF THE GRAND JURY It Falls on Capitalists and Pro fessional Men of Califarina. LAND -FRAUD INDICTMENT JLos Angeles and San Francisco Busi ness and Professional Men and United States Commissioner Are Involved. ANOTHER I A N t -F R A V D IMMCT MEXT. Orecon men indicted: Jeromlah I! lint ley. Amos 8. Johnson, John Jl. Miller. Frank A. Stewart and Will iam T. Kerr, alt of Curry County. California men indicted ; Warren Gillelon, Richard Hynes. M. M. Riley, Lee R. Myers. A. H. Hedderly, R. V. Kenny, Jacob C. Cross, .Donald ' "VV. Goodwin, Georjte I. Stearns and "William D. Gould, all of los Angel, and Richard I. Jones, William H. Smith and Fred W. Dennis, all ot San Francisco. The charge: The indictment alleges that these men conspired together to defraud the Government of between 5000 and 60OO acres m Curry County in the Rosebun? Land District. It is said that the first plan was to Ret 30.000 acres of Government land. Entrymen were induced to file upon the claims with the understanding that they were to be turned over to the conspirators. Bunkers, attorneys, Klais and others of wealth and promVence ai con fronted with charges of consjUrii p de fraud the Government in an tndijtinpnt. which was returned by the Federal grand jury April 9, the details of which were held in closest secrecy by the Govern ment authorities up to yesterday, when they were brought to light. The indict ment is one of the most important find ings in connection with the Oregon land frauds returned during the session of the grand jury which recently closed, and is the last to be given publicity. In all 18 mer ostly wealthy citizens of California, have been brought within the shadow of the penitentiary by this indictment, which accuses them of fraud ulently gaining possession of between 6000 and 8000 acres of rich Government timber land In Curry County. Most of the men have been placed under arrest, and the bonds of each have been fixed at from J1000 to J5O0O. The accused men are: List of the Accused. Richard D. Jones and "William H. Smith, of San Francisco, formerly of Portland: Jeremiah Huntley, formerly Tnlted States Commissioner for Curry County; Amos S. . Johnston. formerly Deputy County Clerk of Curry County; Frank A. Stewart, merchant of Ophir; William T. Kerr, of Coquille;, John R. Miller, of Port Orford; Warren Gilleleirl president of the Broadway Bank & Trust Company, of Los Angeles; R. W. Kenny, cashier of the'same institution; George 1. Stearns, ex-president of the Pacific ROOSEVELT I Furniture & Lumber Company, of Los Angeles; Jacob C. Cross, director of the same company; David M. Goodwin and A. H. Hedderly. physicians of Los Ange les; Richard Hynes, M. M. Riley and Lee R. Mers. Los Angeles stock brokers; William D. Gould, a Los Angeles at torney, and Fred W. Dennis, a San Fran cisco broker and real estate dealer. Xature of Accusations. All of the men named In the indict ment are accused, under section 5440 of the revised statutes, of conspiring to gether to defraud the Government of im mense acreage in Southern Oregon. The conspiracy is alleged to have commenced some time during the year 1901 and to have been effective up to August 2. 1904. The general plan of the scheme, as It is outlined In the indictment, is very similar to those of the other two large land fraud Indictments that were re turned by the grand Jury. Although the accused men are said to have gained possession of only about 6000 acres, it is alleged that the original conspiracy had a much broader scope and that they hoped to rob the Govern ment of about 30.000 acres of rich timber land. The land which they now have in their possession and which they are charged with obtaining through fraudu lent methods lies in a contiguous tract and Is located entirely within the con lines of Curry County. It extends along the banks of Lobster and Euchre Creeks, and is covered with timber of Immense value. General Fraud Scheme. The general scheme of the conspirators as outlined was to contract with individ uals to file upon the land under the tim ber and stone act. with the understanding that it was to be turned over to the ring of operators as Boon as title was secured. Under this plan the. filing was done in a fraudulent manner, inasmuch as the en trymen swore that the claims were for them personally, whereas it is alleged that it was agreed at the time, that the trans fers were to be made to the men who had 'Concluded on Page 2.) CONTENTS T0DAY.'S PAPER The "Weather. TODAY'S Showers. s$ithwcst winds. Foreign. President of Douma Czar's ffucst of honor. Page 3. Plans of Czar to postpone conflict. Page S. lllness.of Pope becoming serious. Page 3. Powers unite in demands on Turkey and China. Page 3. Madrid prepares for royal wedding. Page 4. Vesuvius pours torrent of mud. on villages. Page 4. National. House kills bill to purtish betrayers of offi cial secrets. Page 2. Prompt agreement on rate bill likely. Page 2 Plot to delay construction of Panama Canal. Page 2. Warships ordered to watch for filibustering vessels going to Santo Domingo. Page '1. Allison gives Fulton credit for amendment to rate bill. Page 2. Politics. Judge seizesTax records and ballot boxes at Denver and discovers wholesale fraud. Page 1. Cummin.s has hard fight for renomination in Iowa. Pag 1. Lader In Congress organized for election. Page Hi. . Domestic. Simmons pninted out as murderer of Tilden at San Francisco. Page 5. Bones of woman found in ruins of San Francisco hotel. Page 1 1.. Voliva faction swears to Dowle's illness and waste of money. Page 4. Immense damage and loss of life in Michi gan forest fires. Page 1. Pabst's device to conceal railroad rebates. Page 3. Rev. W. H. Day. formerly of Creswell, Or., called to pulpit in Syracuse, N. Y. Page 2. Sport. Oakland defeats Portland by a score of 10 to 5. Page 17. Miss May Sutton family beats Boston tennis experls. Page 17. University of Michigan wins track meet with Chicago. Page 17. Harvard defeats Yale .TT rt to 4fil4 in dual track meet ; three records smashed. Page IS. , Acr ountant, ' 7 to 2, wine w ithers stakes. Page IS. H. W. Kerrigan describes his trip to Athens. Page 16. Automobile Club plans a movement for good roads. Page 17. Grammar school students to be interested in athletics. Page 17. Foes of the Coast League, are , busy. Page 17. Pacific CoaHt. Rainier To unci! and Marshal scored by Co lumbia County grand Jury. Page 14. Caisson sunk far under surface of Columbia in building North-Bank bridge. Page 11. Gasoline launch with six pass-ngrs takes fire on Lake Washington. Page 15. Rancher in vicinity of Coulee "lty. Wash., has premonitlun of fatal accident. Page 14. Ashland Commercial Club started with fine list of members. Page 15. Undelivered order causes death of railroad engineer near Missoula, Mont. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. Grand jury indicts capitalists of T-.os Angeles and San Francisco and a United States Commissioner for Oregon land frauds. Page 1. Coos Bav the objective point for delegates from Portland and Valley cities. Page 8. Jonathan Bourne. Jr., declares a conspiracy is on foot to overthrow the primary law. Page 1. Michigan capitalists will build railways into timber districts. Page 24. Selection of successor to the late Bishop Morris will be made next month. Page tt. Fund raised for Commercial Club building. Page 30. California coin seeks investment In Port land. Page :t0. Republicans make, campaign fight clean one. Page 10. "Made in Oregon" Exposition begins under favorable auspices. Page 10. Commercial and Marine. Another season of high-priced canned goods probable. Page 83. , Money uncertainty ca uses halt in stock speculation. Page 35. Good, mining demand In California for wheat. Page ". July wheat closes higher at Chicago. Page 35. New York weekly bank statement better than expected. Page 35. Local mill sells steamer cargo of lumber at Glue lis tadt. Germany. Page 15. Attempt will be made to float steamer Elder this morning. Page 15. Feature and Department. Editorial. Page 6. Church announcements. Tage 33. Classified advertisements. Pages 15-23. Maxim Gorky's matrimonial irregularities. Page 3ft. Sportsman's paradise near Portland. Page 35 "Sweat House" of the Cay use Indian. Page 41. Making ordinary China table ware. Page 4S At Japan's Imperial Cherry Blossom Party. Page 48. George Ade tn pastures new. Page 41. Susan Clrgg and her friend, Mrs. Lathrop, Page 40. Recollections of Judge Williams. Page 39 Dr. Hillis sermon. Page 37. Humor In San Francisco street kitchens. Page 3fl. Miss Tingle's cooking lesson. Page 42. Book reviews. Page 34. Social. Pages. 20-27. Dramatic. Pages 2S-29. The Roosevelt Bears. Page 46. Musical. Pag XI. Household and fashions. Paces 42-43. Youth's department. Page 47. . E ON GREAT SCALE Denver' Judge Finds Thousands of Cases. SEIZES RECORDS AND BALLOTS Hired Voters Given Tax Re . ceipts for Cheap Lots. PLOT TO BURN EVIDENCE Court Will Nut Host in Investigating Evidence Tliat Franchises W ere Defeated by Honest Count of Honest Votes. DENVER. Colo., May 19. (Special.) Election frauds which overwhelm by thousands the pitiful 185 votes by which the Tramway Company claima that its franchise was carried, frauds which show a hundredfold worse than ever wore charged at the time they were being com mitted, were unearthed this evening, when District Judge Johnson opened the books of the treasurers office In his court. The court found that between S00O and 3(0 tax receipt's have been issued in the last three weeks, eacji on a separate lot own.-d by the Myrtle Hill Land & Improvement Company and other corporations. Bogus Votes by Thousands. Each of these receipts, costing from 15 to 50 cenis on each suburban lot, repre sents a vote cast for the Tramway's free franchise. William Evans, boss of the Tramway forces, is a heavy property owner on Myrtle Hill, the suburb in which most of the property lies on which the bogus receipts were issued. In the first few moments tho court glanced at the books he saw thousands of these receipts. The books had been brought from the treasurer's office on a writ from the court, and Judge Johnson at once announced that the court would retain custody of the books. IJallot-Boxes Seized. Judice Johnson also Immediately issued an order to Sheriff Nisbot to. seize and hold the ballot-boxes containing the vote. on the franchises, which are now stornl at 1420 Market street. It has been re ported frequently since election day that the Tramway men had laid a plot to burn the building and the ballots and so destroy much of the evidence of fraud. The Honest Election League, at whose Instance Judge Johnson ordered the books brought into court, will work over the frauds with the court all night and all day tomorrow, and the most astounding revelations are expected. Method of Fraud Simple. The method by which the tax receipt were Issued was simple. The corporation owning the suburban lots, on which, the tax was only a few cents each, obtained a tax receipt for each lot and gave each receipt to a hireling on which a vote could be cast for the franchises. Senator Patterson, who left for Wash ington last night, authorized the follow ing statement: Franchises Legally Defeated. "AH the franchises were defeated on Tuesday, but the corporations, through their control of the election machinery and -lavLsll ue of money, succeeded in changing the result on the face of the re turns. According to these manufactured returns the Tramway franchise was car ried by 185 votes, the Light franchise, by 615 votes and the Northwestern Terminal franchise by a larger majority. Ar rangements have been perfected by the Denver Municipal Ownership League to contest this result In the courts. Able lawyers have been engaged to take charge of the case. The work of gathering evi dence concerning the crooked work of the corporation representatives has al ready commenced and Is producing grati fying results." CLM.MIXS HAS HA11I FIGHT. Runs N'eck and Neck With Perkins for Governor of Iowa. DBS MOINES, la.. May 19. (Special.) The Wapello County Republican Conven tion at Ottumwa this afternoon instructed the 26 delegates to the state convention for George D. Perkins by a vote of 112 to 109. The suporters of Governor Albert B. Cummins immediately withdrew, held an other convention and elected Cummins delegates. Of the ten other counties holding con ventions today. Perkins obtained 1H, mak ing his total strength to date 505 delegates Cummins secured 31. making his total strength to date 534. Several counties holding conventions next wek In what is regarded as sure Perkins territory are ex pected to place Perkins in the lead with at least 620 delegates to 590 for Cummins. The state convention will not be held until . August 1, hut the outcome of tho fight, now almost an even race, will be known when the final county conventions are held the latter part of June. The Iowa delegation at Washington, with two or three exceptions, has sought to keep out of the fight. The result is that there Is much soreness at home, and a disposi tion to punish the "Washington crowd" for refusing to come to the aid of the can didates for Governor. Rebate Trials Begin Tomorrow. KANSAS CITY. May 19. The rchato cases against the railroad packers, rail road officials and freight brokers begin in the United States Court Monday. Judico McPherson. or Iowa, will sit until the con clusion of tho cases. POS