Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, October 21, 1903, Image 1

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Morning Oregonian., October 21, 1903, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text64 VOL. XLIII. NO. 13,373. PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1903. PRICE FIVE CENTS. CALL AETNA MINERAL WATER TABLE AND ROTHCHJLD BROTHERS- pJ3!M?SS CAMERA BARQAIINS A FEW OP THE SNAPS. Ixmg Focus Premo, 6&xSH!. $90 EQ Pony Prexno No. 6, 4x5, with S holders and regular J70.00. special .......... OUUtJU cartridge roll-holder, regular a-q 7c Ixmg Focus Premo. 4x5 with Zless Ixmse. M 5 I O t O 5 extra holders, carrying case and cart- ,. ' TTT,TTT ridge roll-holder, regular QQ OE X.OOK AT OUR WINDOW FOR THE 95.o0. special ..duQiZO 1 OTHER BARGAINS. BL.UIV1AUER-FRAINK DRUQ CO. 143 FOURTH STREET. ill Assets, $359,395,537.72, Surplus "STRONGEST ftN Rates no higher than other cobbbIci I. SAMUEL, Ilanngcr, 30G Oregonlaa Building, Portland, Oregon. & M DR. EAT AKfcS "There Life and Strength la Every Drep" A BEVERAGE OR A MEDICINE For SaU Tr JM DrttXTtrta. BlUKAUER & KOCH, Sole Distributers, Wholesale Liquor ijiH Cftjar Dealers PHIL 31ETSCHAN, Pres. SETEKTH AKD WASHHtCTOH CHANGE OP HurggeanPlan -1 . , . COPYftTCHTj THE PORTLAND PORTLAND, American Plan Also European Plan. Modern Restaurant COST OXE MILLION DOLLARS. HEADQUARTERS FOR TOURISTS AHD COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS Special rates made to families and single gentlemen. The manage ment will be pleased at all times to show rooms and give prices. A mod ern Turkish bath establishment In the hotel. H. C. BOWERS, Mgr. CORDRAY'S Cordrny and Russell, .uu lingers. JJUT ia People's Popular Prices. 15c4 25c. TONIGHT Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights only. Leslie Morosco's Comedians in "A SPOTLESS TOWN" 120 minutes of continuous laughter. The specialties are clever and new. A SHORT TALK with our Optician -will convince the most skeptical that Remember we also fill 31 life. Jevrelera and Optician. Famous Will Case Is Decided. DAVENPORT, la., Oct. 20. The fa mous Parker will case was decided today by Judge Wolf, who holds that Francis Parker, son of Mrs. Fralssenet and Fred erick Parker of Omaha was acknowledged In deeds to be the son of Frederick Parker, and hence Is heir to half of tho million-dollar" estate of James Monroe Parker, as heir of the grandfather. Judge Wolf holds that Mrs. JYaissenet was a rvant, and not Parker's wife. FOR MEDICINAL T Tinn LiU . UI1 LI for Policyholders, $75,127,496.77 THE WORLD 99 FOWLER'S and MALT JL T JLuscle C. TV. KXOWL.ES, Mgr. STKETS. POSTURB, MEW MANAGEMENT. $1;00; $li50, $2.00 pr Day JUST FROM THE MILL And consequently of the very newest designs, our carpets cannot but suif seekers for novel effects. EXCLUSIVE CARPET HOUSE. J.G.MACK&CO. 80-SS THIRD STREET. Opposite Chamber of Commerce. OREGON $3 PER DAY AHD UPWARD THEATER Portland's Ponnlar -Rural 1-v- THE TRUSTS Thintir. 35c. ifWi and rjv TV. IWI Children 20c. adults 25c. Commencing Saturday night, October 24th, and ALL NEXT WEEK Broaanurst and Currio's Bis Musical Comedy, 'MR. JOLLY OF JOLIET" Oculists' Prescriptions for glasses. Cor. Tlilrd aad Washington Sts. Idaho Edltora Elect Officers. SPOKANE, Oct. 20. The Idaho State Editorial Association Is concluding Its session at Couer d'Alene, Idaho, this af ternoon with an excursion on the lake. The new officers elected are: H. C. Shafer, . of Moscow, president; Frank Simmons, of Boise, vice-president; M. S. Parker, of Boise, secretary; Miss Mabel Paine, . of Mountain 'Home, treas urer. The association is to meet in Boise next year. TOFF BLANCO Steamer South Port- land Goes Down. HITS REEF IN A FOG Only 17 Persons Out of 39 orrBoard Sved. RESCUERS DRIVEN BACK Two Women Among the Pas sengers Drowned. SURF OVERTURNS LIFEBOATS Vessel Was on War From Portland to San Francisco With- FhII Car go ot Grain and Fourteen, Passengers. THE DROWNED AXD MISSING. Mrs. Fletcher Bent, of Nova Sco tia. 8. Baker, -of Alameda. J. S. Lahcy. Mrs. W. E. Tyrrell, of Portland. Mrs. Tyrrell's rob, aged 14. F. Merlnge. C. Hallenbeck. D. McKay: i Paul Relnnuth. t i J. C. Wright. J. Watsoa. Second Officer KWgore. . First Assistant Engineer Charles Hofion (died shortly after being res cued). Steward William Uolmnn. x Second Cook George Jackson. , 35. Humphrey, cook. IL Chrifttffea,' seaman. John McKenxic, seaman. Charles Peterson, seaman. B. Doherty. fireman. P. Wolf, fireman. THE SURVIVORS. Captain J. Mclntyre. Charles Brace, flrst officer. James Ward, chief engineer. T. Plzxottl, second assistant en gineer. John McKcown, oiler. J. Driscoll, oiler. William Hushes, fireman. William Robinson, fireman. James Alwood, seaman. C. Johnson, seaman. John Relxner, teaman. Emanuel Pasomemls, cook. SURVIVING PASSEXGERS. L. Baker. Guy Bent. Al Bailey. William L. Wilson. H. Weber. MARSHFIEL.D, Or., Oct. 20. The steamer South Portland, which sailed from Portland, Or., last Sunday, loaded with grain for San Francisco, struck on Blanco Reef last evening at 5 o'clock during a heavy fog. The vessel carried a crew of 25 and 14 passengers. Of these the following have reached shore: James Mclntyre, captain; John Reimer, a sailor, of San Francisco; Emanuel Pa somenis, chief cook; William X. 'Wilson, Jr., of Baltimore; L. Baker, Alameda, Cal.; Guy Bent, a boy of 12 years, of Nova Scotia; Al Bailey, of North Dako ta, passenger; Charles Bruce, first of ficer; James Ward, chiefiengineer; T. PIz zottl. second assistant engineer; John McKown, oiler; J. Driscoll, oiler; W. Hughes, fireman; W. Robertson, fireman; James Alwood, seaman; H. Weber, pass enger; C. Johnson, seaman. Charles Huson, the first engineer, died as they were taking him off the life raft from exposure. Eighteen persons are yet missing and aro probably lost. The South Portland struck bow on go ing at a speed of about seven knots. .As soon as she struck .she began to settlb astern and In a minute or two slid off the reef and began to sink. AH Hands Take to the Boats. Captain Mclntyre, seeing th& there was no hope of saving tho ship, ordered the boats lowered. One of the boats that got away from the ship's side, loaded with part of the crew and some of the passengers, was capsized as sho cleared the ship's side and when last seen was floating away in the fog without a living soul aboard. The captain's boat, with" about IS aboard, succeeded in clearing, but was also capsized and only seven were able ,to get back to the boat. These consisted of Captain James Mclntyre, John Reimer, Emanuel Pasomenls. W. L. Wilson, L. Baker, Guy Bent and Al Bailey. They reached "Port Orford last night. A lifeboat, on which the following em barked, succeeded 1ft reaching shore this afternoon: Charles Bruce, first officer; James Ward, chief engineer; T. PIzzotti. second assist ant engineer; John McKown, oiler; J. Driscoll, oiler; W. Hughes, fireman; W. Robertson, fireman; James Alwood, sea man; -H. Weber, passenger; C. Johnson, seaman, and Charles Huson, the first assistant engineer. The survivors suffered much from ex posure. Anotker Raft Oat Yet. There Is another raft out yet that hag not been sighted. - On this raft are seven persons. It la almost certain that the loss of life, will figure but 11 all told, pro viding those on the second raft are res cued, but the cool, chilly nights and tho exposure they have to endure make it almost certain that some of the weaker ones will perish before morning. The Bandon life-saving crew went over land to Port Orford and started In search of the last-named party. They have not yet returned, but an anxious throng eagerly awaits them, with 'hopes ot good news. The tug Columbia is in the vicinity of the wreck, having left Coos Ba"y at 10 A. M. as soon as the fog cleared, hut no nows has been heard of her yet. Struck In a Blinding Fog." Captain Mclntyre, of the wrecked steamer, was disinclined to talk for pub lication on tho matters pertaining to the courso his boat was traveling or w'hether she was oft her course when she run on Blanco Beet last evening. When ques tioned tonight he said: "Wo had been running in a blinding fog ever since we left tho Columbia River and it was so thick when we struck you could not see any distance. There were 17 in my boat-when we left the sinking steamer. When away from the ship's side our boat swamped and went down. I, with a seaman, got in again and balled her out and got five others In with us. It was 4:40 o'clock when we struck and we were In -tho "boat until 5:50 this morn ing, having to make shore with, one oar and a piece of mast. ,1 wljl make my full and complete statement as to the cause of the accident to the inspectors." STORY OF THE WRECK. Brougnt Out From Evidence of Pas sengers Before Coroner's Jury. PORT ORFORD, Or., Oct. 20. (Special.) The steamer South Portland struck northwest Blanco sunken reef at 4:40 P. M., during a thick fog. According to re ports from survivors. It was from 20 min utes to one hour after striking tho reef UHtil tho vessel sank. She carried 9 peo ple, all told 14 passengers and a crew of 25 of whom five passengers and 12 of the crew were saved." Of the crew saved were: J. B. Mclntyre, master; John Reimer, seaman; Manuel Pasomemis, cook; Charles Bruce, first officer; James Ward, chief en gineer; T. PIzzotti, second assistant engi neer; John McKeown, oiler; John Driscoll, oiler; William Hughes, fireman; William Robinson, fireman; James Alwood, sea man; C. Johnson, seaman; Charles Hus on, first assistant engineer, died from ex posure, after being taken into the life boats from the raft. -The passengers saved were: Guy Bent, 12 years 6fT age, from Nova .Scotia; Lester Baker, of Alameda, Cal.; Al'Bailey, of Leonard, S. P.; William Wil son and H. Webber. The Coroners jury is In session now, and the evidence from survivors of the wreck In relation to the death of Charles Huson, flrst assistant engineer, shows that Cap tain Mclntyre left the vessel In the flrst officer's boat, No. 2, at the request of First Officer Bruce, 15 minutes before boat No. 1 left the vessel, and that tho vessel steamed 15 minutes from the point of striking tho reef after the captain had left. In the "meantime, the crew constructed Impromptu rafts from the hatches, etc., for the saving of the remainder of the crew and passengers. Tho vessel is pre sumed to have struck on the northwest swash rock of Cape Blanco reef. In launching the boat, they evidently dumped the passengers and crew, as No. 1 boat Is still adrift without occupants. No. 2 boat, In charge of Captain Mclntyre, landed at Port Orford beach at 5:30 A. M., with seven persons aboard. This boat, manned by two survivors and Port Orford men, put out In search of the raft, and succeed ed In finding and landing It at Port Or ford with the remaining survivors at 12:30 P. M. Chief Engineer Ward, In charge of the life raft, reports having seen an Im promptu raft containing six people, after the vessel had gone down, and It Is sup posed, they are still adrift. The tug of the Simpson Lumber Com pany and the Bandon life-saving crew aro using their best endeavors to rescue any other' sun-Ivors. Mrs. Bent and Mrs. Tyrrell, the only ladies on board, are known to bo among tho missing. Fim Officer Bruce, who was on the bridge at the time of tho disaster, and Chief Englneer.Ward are given full credit and praise for their conduct during the ex citement. At 11 o'clock tonight the Coroner's Jury had not returned a verdict in the case of the death of Huson. RESCUERS DRIVEX IV. Little Hope for Those Out on the Other Raft. MARSHFIELD, Or.t Oct. 20. Latest advices irom Pore onora are . mat tne relier parties nave rerumca o snoreT driven In by the fog and darkness. The tug Columbia was sighted on her way to tho scene of the wreck and she Is ex pected to hang around there until morn ing. It Is positively asserted that only six more of the lives .on the wrecked South Portland can be saved, as all the others have perished In a watery grave. These six were last seen clinging to a raft con structed, of the steamer's hatches and were being carried in a southerly direc tion by the current. The only hope for their recovery Is tnattne wind "will anve them near shore, where they can be seen and rescued. PASSENGERS FR03f PORTLAND. . IIl-Fatcd Steamer Left This City Sunday Morning. The steamer South Portland left this city at 2:30 o'clock Sunday morning with 14 passengers and 1100 tons of freight for San Francisco. Pilot W. H. Patterson took tho vessel down the river. Astoria was reached at noor Sunday and at 2:20 in the afternoon tho steamer crossed out bound for the Bay City. Had 'all gone (Concluded on Face 4.) TlflWI Dowie Guards Have to Subdue Mrs. Nation. SHE INTERRUPTS "ELIJAH" Police Fear a Riot and Refuse to Let Late-Comers In. PRESS AKD CLERGY SCORED Dr. Parkhurst Addresses a Charac- terlstlc Letter to the Zionist Leader, and Tells Him His Head Must Be Twisted. r PARKHURST TO DOWIE. I went to hear you preach the Gospel. Tou preach Dowie, Zlon City and "stink pot." Your performance was a Ions way below the- standard even of the cir cuses I have witnessed at the earn garden. You cannot bully people Into Zion ism, nor blackguard them, into the Kingdom of Heaven. I was ashamed of you, and almost ashamed to bo In your audience. NEW YORK, Oct. 20. Mr. Dowie, ar rayed In evening clothes, talked for two hours tonight before a great throng In Madison Square Garden, the burden of his talk being a denunciation of the clergy and the press. When ho began speaking the huge gar den was crowded and the police say C0GO persons who could not gain entrance were turned away. In half an hour, how ever, tho crowd began to surge out, and then the police refused to admit any late comers, saying they feared a riot. It was with difficulty that any sem blapco of order was kept The speaker was repeatedly interrupted with hisses and shouts of disapproval. At ono point Dowli-ordered the police to arrest two men- In different parts ot the building, who had Interrupted him. Mrs. Carrie Nation, who occupied a seat near th front, asked "Elijah" to. answer some questions. He refused and ordered her to sit down. Dowie then praised the spirit In which Mrs. Nation had warred on the saloon, but said she Used wrong methods. Mrs. Nation again demanded the privilege of asking- ques tions. At once the Zlon Guards surround ed her and with the help of several po licemen ejected her. At this several hundred persons at tho back ot the garden made a rush to get out. Tho entrance was blocked in a moment and Dowie, shouting that tho way had been blocked by the crowd out side brought there for the purpose of creating a disturbance, ordered the Zion ists to keep their places. He then re quested audience to be seated, and after having the side exits opened he requested the audience to rise in sections and go out at the sides. Tho meeting was one -ot. continuous dis order) Dowie had announced he would, reply to an attack by Rev. tDr. James M. Buckley, published In a magazine last year, but he only referred to this sub ject casually. Ho attacked Rev. Dr. P. S. Henson, Rev. Parkhurst, J. P. Mor gan and others, and announced that here after ho intended to keep the newspaper reporters out of his meetings. Dowie's chief olds, his son and his wife, are about, to leave him for a trip abroad. Tjiey will start on Thursday from this city, takhig the steamer Saxonia Thurs day from Boston. They will go first to England and then to Australia, where Mrs. Dowie's family s'till lives. They do not expect to return to the United States until next July. PARKHURST TO DOWIE. Either His Head Is Twisted, or His Heart Infected. NEW YORK, Oct. 20. Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst sent the following open letter to- Dowie: "I do not want to bo presuming, but doubt if It Is any more presumption In mo to come and try to clarify you than It Is for you to como and try to clarify New York, and I do not know which of us has taken the heavier contract. I attended your service at Madison Square Garden last evening, and I went determined to en Joy It If I could bo benefited by it and go away and refute some of the charges that I bad heard alleged against you. But it was of no use; your behavior on the plat form crushed every throb of sympathy I had with you. I never heard from aLpub Hc speaker such a discharge of efferves cent wrath and coarse invective. I went to hear you preach the Gospel, and you preached Dowie. Zlon City, 'stink pot.' I was ashamed of you, and almost ashamed to be in your audience. It was a long way below tho standard even of the circuses that I have attended in tho same garden. The only consolation I could derive was that It was &o abominable, and so far be yond the bounds of respectability that even -those In your congregation who did not know what Christianity is would have no Idea that it had anything to do with what you were saying. "Of course, the ridiculousness of the performance was mainly enhanced by the Immensity of your pretensions. If you claimed to be only an ordinary man. there might 'be some hope for you even with what you call the 'rabble,' but the rabble is discriminating, and can discriminate as keenly as the keenest between a prophet and a juggler, between an Elijah and a mountebank. "I say this in no spirit of slander, but either your head is twisted or your heart infected, or you have blundered badly In your method. You cannot bully people Into Zionism, nor blackguard them Into the kingdom of heaven. I hope you will take this In the kindly spirit In which It is offered, and that It will ha blessed to you." GET SPEECH BY 'PHONE. London Papers Install Battery of In struments to Hear Chaxnlierlafn. LONDON. Oct 20. At Newcastle to night Joseph Chamberlain returned to the tariff controversy when he addressed an enthusiastic meeting of 4000 people and held his audience for an hour and a half. A novel feature of the meeting was a battery of telephone receivers placed in front of the speaker's platform, by means of which the speech was conveyed di rectly to the offices ot the local newspa pers. Interest In the tariff controversy has ap parently not abated, reports on the speech and comments on it taking precedence, In the press of even the decision of the Alaskan Boundary Tribunal. The speech Was principally a reply to criticisms of Mr. Chamberlain's previous utterances. He had not pretended, he said, that his system would be Instituted without costing anything at the start, but ho did urge that taxation be trans ferred from points where It benefitted no body, to points whero tho empire would profit WIND BLOWS A GALE.' Wyoming Roads Are Filled With Timber, and. Trannvny Wrecked. SALT LAKE. Oct 20. Reports from the Saratoga and Grand Encampment country. In Southern Wyoming, remote from the railroad which was recently swepti by a hurricane Indicative that the wind at times attained a velocity of a hundred miles an hour. The stage road between Ward and Wood, W.yo., a dis tance of la miles, wa3 so thoroughly burled under fallen trees that It cannot be cleared up before next Summer. An aerial . mining tramway at Grand Encampment. 16 miles In length, and one Of the wonders of Western mining, was so badly damaged that It probably will have to he Rebuilt Through a wide area of ter ritory along the Colorado line, the de struction of timber was immense. The re gion is very sparsely settled, apd no loss of life has been reported. AMBASSADOR GOING HOME Baron Sternberg Carries Message From President to Kaiser. WASHINGTON, Oct 20. Baron Stern berg, the German Ambassador, will leave Washington tomorrow morning for New Yprk, whence he will sail the latter part of the week for Germany. He will carry with him personal messages of friendship and good will from the President to the Emperor and Prince Henry of Prussia. DR. HUNTER ON TICKET. Ex-Minister to Guatemala in New York Campaign. FRANKFORT, Ky7 Oct 20. Secretary' of State Hill today certified to the Coun ty Clerks of the Eleventh District the name of Dr. W. - Godfrey Huntorz to go under the log cabin official Republican ballot Dr. Hunter was formerly United States Minister to Guatemala. Freshman Game Breaks Record. STANFORD UNIVERSITY. Cah, Oct. 20. Atletlc Manager Dave Cowden an nounced today that the total receipts from the intercollegiate freshmen football' game amounted to 53400. After paying ex penses the net receipts from Stanford's share of the total were $1403. The attend ance was the largest In the' history of freshman football contests In this state. CONTENTS OF TODAY'S PAPER. National. Senator Mitchell takes Brownell at his word on standing out against his nomination as United Btatea" District Attorney. Page 2. President Issues a proclamation convening Congress in special session November 0 to consider Cuban reciprocity treaty. Page 2. Oregon Senators are planning an active cam paign In behalf of the 1005 fair. Page 2. Alaska Boundary Commission. Award is formally signed. Page 0. Canada is very bitter toward England, and relations may never be as friendly as formerly again. Page C Chief Justice Adverstone explains why he de cided for America. Page 6. Domestic. Dowie has police eject Mrs. Carrie Nation from his New York meeting because she persists in interrupting him. Page 1. James J. Hill tells ot the great growth ot the Northwest, and what can yet be dona by Irrigation of lands. Page A.. Bankers hold sessions preliminary to the open ing of national convention at San Fran clso today. Page 5. Baltimore banks experience no run as result of two failures and panicky feeiing-ls over. Page 3. Foreign. Secret treaty between Russia and China by which former is practically conceded Man churia. Page 2. Negotiations between Russia and Jaran con tinue to lag. Page 2. ' Pacific Coast. Steamer South Portland wrecked on Blanco Reef and 21 persons probably lost. Page 1. If Oregon Is to get full value for the Klamath Marsh great care must be used In handling it. Page -4. Extraordinarily rich placer grounds are re ported discovered not far from Valdes. Page Miss Hlllstrom in Hood River valley is smoth ered in a ditch under her horse. Page 4. San Francisco police say they are not abla to hold boy who have passed Confederate bills on unsuspecting women. Pago 5. Sports. - Lou Dillon easily defeats Major Delmar in match race. Page T. Pacific Coast League: Portland 2, San Fran cisco 1; Sacramento 4, Oakland 4, tie game called in tenth inning. Page 7. Hermls, eight to Ave, wins the $9000 handi cap at Brighton Beach. Page 7. Commercial and Marine. Dullness in local potato market. Page 15. Changes in salt schedule. Page 15. Chicago wheat market closes barely .steady. Page 15. t San Francisco produce quotations. Page 15. Dense fog on Oregon coast. Page 15. Portland and Vicinity. Gigantic land frauds on Pacific Coast dis covered by Government. Page 1. Real estate prices advance to former level. Page 10. S. Morton Cehn and his manager. Edward Shields, can't agree. P&co 10. East Side woman's experience with a rat. Page 11. Old Morrison bridge may be used to span gulches and save ?-5O.O0O. Pago 1C. Wedding follows romantic love affair between nurse and patient. Page 10. Contest for $7000 dicovered in Nickum es tate. Page 10. Good Roads convention to meet in Portland. Page 11. Another holdup on the Bast Side. Page It I Government Agents on Its Trail. FRAUD BY WHOLESALE Through Claim of Brib ed Officials. ALL ALONG PACIFIC COAST Forest Reserves Created at Dictation of the Ring. TO CHEATS BASIS FOR- SCRIP Author of Lieu Land Law Believe to Be Head of the Ring State and Federal Ofllcials Brihed. The United States Government Is at last on the trail of the IIqu land rlnr and it promises to prove a conspiracy involving- state and federal officials In all the Pacific states. The ring has acquired hose land in forest reserves through dummy lo cators, but is alleged to have bribed men In the General Land office, the Surveyor-Generals offices and state land offices, also field officers who mapped out forest reserves. Two secret service agents have ben in Portland investigating the frauds and have obtained much evidence. The heads of -the conspiracy dc alleged to be F. A. Hyde- Co., of San Francisco, the Aim consisting of F. A. Hyde and John A. Benaoa. The secret was revealed by J. H. Schneider. one of their agents. Uncle' Sam is digging up a stupendous lieu land graft on the Pacific Coast Tho deeper he goes the deeper he gets, hut ho has already delved far enough to con vince him that a lieu land ring has been carrying on a flagrant business, without conscience and without stint, in every well-timbered area on the Pacific slope. This ring has not only acquired 'base' lands by "dummies" and other fraudu lent means; it has debauched state land officials, making them hirelings or part ners In the business; ilt has maintained la the General Land Office at Washington agents whose duty was to "leak" Infor mation about proposed reserves and other profitable matters; It has cast its spell over field officers of the General Land Office, who mapped out boundaries oC proposed reserves; and it has "worked those officers by the glitter ot gold to conform those boundaries to its own In terests. The central figures of this colossal con spiracy are alleged to be F. A. Hyda & Co., of San Francisco, brokers and dealers In real estate and lieu land scrip. The com pany consists of F. A. Hyde, reputed to be the author of the lieu land law, and oJhn A. Benson, who was involved many years ago In the notoriously fraudulent "Benson surveys" of California. One day last week two strangers put up at Hotel Portland. They were gentlemen quite mysterious, and when reporters tried to grope through the veil that hid tho mission of the visitors, they got lost In the fog. The strangers registered "Port land" as the place, of their residence. Bu,t since their departure the fog haa lifted from their trail. Their footprints reveal that they live not at Portland hut at Washington, D. C, and that they aro agents of the Interior Department doing espionage for Uncle Sam. Their namea are William J. Burns, in the secret serv ice of the Treasury Department, and A. B. Pugh, Assistant Attorney-General, in the Interior Department The mission of the visitors was to se cure from persons In Portland, who havo innocently or knowingly been agents ot the ring, evidence that will help the Gov ernment In prosecuting the Instigators o the conspiracy. The strangers Interviewed ti number of men, who had been paid for the use of their names in applications foq state school land; also certain notaries public who are accused of certifying falso and fraudulent affidavits. At least half a dozen men . who had applied for school land In 1S3S and had sold their rights for ?5 were called before the visitors. They could thrqw Httlo light, however, on the dark placvs. They had sold, they said, to somebody, who had sold to another somebody. But ultimately It transpired that the last "somebody" In each case was one J. H. Schneider. And who is Schneider? This gentleman for many years was employed by Hyda & Co. as agent Only last year he quit the firm shabby treatment was his reason tand forthwith he began to divulge secrets within the hearing of uncorrupted Fed eral officials. His confessions. It true, laid bare a system of fraud that puts In the shade any scandal In Western annals. But he did not reveal the secrets under oath. So artlessly was he handled that he afterward "braced" up and refrained (Concluded on Page 10.)