Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, March 25, 1907, Image 1

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    VOL,. XL.VI. NO. 14,444.
PORTLAND, OREGON, MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
VESSEL RESCUED
FRdDEATH'SGRIP
Coquille River IsTowed
Safely Into Harbor.
FOUR DAYS IN AN ANGRY SEA
Men Work 22 Hours in Water
Waist Deep.
GALE AT 90-MILE RATE
Steamer Santa Ana and Tug Tatoosh
JSave Schooner After Anchors Are
Lost and Men Barely Escape
Being Washed Overboard.
t
ASTORIA. Or.. March 24. (Special.)
The disabled steam schooner that was
lying at anchor off the mouth of the
Columbia River all day Saturday proves
, to have been the Coquille River, which
was en route from Tillamook for San
Francisco with a cargo of lumber. She
was towed inside this morning by the
bar tug Tatoosh and taken alongside the
wharf at Flavel. As near as can be
learned the vessel's hull Is not damaged
and the trouble was caused by the break
ing of a two-inch suction pipe in the
forepcak. The steamer had a narrow
escape from destruction during the terrific
gale and it was due only to the faithful
work of her crew and tle assistance ren
dered by the steamer Santa Ana and the
tug Tatoosh that the vessel was not lost.
None of the crew was Injured, but all
are worn out by their exertions during
the past three days and one or two of
them will be taken to the hospital for
treatment.' The vessel lost about 75.000
feet of lumber from her deck load, as
well as three anchors and chains. She
will be ready for service again as soon
as her broken pipes are repaired and her
pumps cleared of the coal with which
they are choked. In speaking of the
thrilling voyage, Captain George Winkle,
master of the Coquille River, said:
Captain Tells of Perils
"We sailed from Tillamook for San
Francisco at 5 o'clock Wednesday after
noon, carrying a cargo of 230.010 feet of
lumber, about 170,000 feet of which was
on deck. In crossing out the vessel's heel
struck, but not sufficiently hard to do
any damage. We Immediately ran Into a
strong southeast wind, but everything
went smoothly until about 2:30 o'clock
Thursday morning, when the steamer be
gan to leak more than usual. Despite
the working of the pumps the water
steadily gained on us and at 7 o'clock In
the morning we threw a portion of the
deck load overboard In an effort to lighten
the craft. Three hours later, when we
wore about off Yaquina, the water had
risen so high that it put out the fires.
''In the meantime I had discovered
that the trouble was caused by the
breaking of a two-inch suction pipe
in the forepcak. allowing a big stream
of water to pour in. This was stopped
by the boHtswain diving down and
shutting off the sruicork. The donkey
pump became so clogged with coal that
it was useless, and the men stood in
water up to their waists while they
bailed the water out, as the steamer
drifted helplessly In the trough of the
seas. By 7 o'clock that night we had
the steamer sufficiently clear to start
the engines again. The pumps were,
however, still useless and, knowing
that my crew would be exhausted be
fore we could possibly reach San Fran
cisco in the fate of the gale that was
rapidly coming up, I turned around
ana made for the Columbia River.
Sons Jtoll Mountain High.
"We made fairly good headway until
ahout 4 o'clock Friday morning, when
the syphons became blocked so that
we could get no water into the boilers,
and were compelled to shut down the
engines. There was then about four
and one-halt feet of water In the hold.
We threw overboard more of the deck
load aft in order to get the water to
the deck-pumps, and the men worked
like Trojans at the hand-pumps and in
balling to keep down the water that
was seeping in through the vessel's
scams and also running in through a
half-inch pipe that had broken in the
meantime.
"The wind was blowing a hurricane,
reaching a velocity of fully 9 miles
n hour, and the seas were rolling
mountain high. I had a drag out, but it
did little good, and when I set the
foresail it was soon torn Into ribbons.
We drifted before the seas until about
4 o'clock that afternoon, when Captain
l"anlels. of the steamer Santa Ana,
saw our distress signals, ran along
side and took our eight-Inch hawser
on board. After towing us for half an
hour, the hawser parted. The Santa
Ana came to our rescue again. It was
a dangerous proceeding because of the
terrible seas running, and in coming
Hlongside the Santa Ana struck our
vessel's stern, upsetting our steering
gear and causing the wheel-rope to
break. Again the hawser parted after
towing a short time, and. as it was
petting too dark to attempt to get the
hawser on board the third time. Captain
I'anlels signalled that he would stand
by until morning.
Driven by the gale and seas, we drifted
by the lightship shortly after 4 o'clock
Saturday morning. I then dropped my
kedge anchor, following it with the biff
anchor with both chain and hawser at
tached and as soon as possible put the
third anchor overboard. It was slow and
difficult work as we had no steam and
were forced, to do the work by hand. In
spite of the three anchors we continued
to drift for some time and we expected
to be carried onto the beach, but for
tunately the anchors held at last and
the steamer brought up about a quarter
of a mile north of the outside oan buoy
and clear of the 'breakers.
Six Men Barely Escape.
"The seas -broke clear over the steamer
as we lay at anchor. One immense swell
swept all hands from the forecastle head
and nearly took six men overboard. The
bar was so rough that the tugs could not
reach us, until the flood 'tide in the after
noon, when the Tatoosh, after making
five or six attempts, managed to get
close enough to put a wire hawser on
board. I immediately slipped the two
big anchors, but as the tug started to
pull, ithe wire parted. The Tatoosh then
sent her Manila hawser on board and
after slipping our kedge anchor we were
hauled off shore and kept there until this
r.............'........."T
If WJ I
i t It It
I fi 1 I
i x i $ 1 !
The Jat M. FobcdonostetT, Who
Personal Character In Lauded by
Rufudan Press.
morning, when wo were brought inside.
Captain 'Bailer, of the Tatoosh, did ex
cellent work in effeotinj? our rescue as
soon ami successfully as he did. and he
came to our aid at the earliest possible
moment..
"As to (the Coquille River, she Is not
seriously damaged. Apparently her hull
does not leak as much as usual and as
soon as her pipes are repaired and the
coal which chokes her pumps a.nd pipes
is cleared, she will be ready for service
aj?am. The members of the crew are un
insured but are completely exhausted, as
they have had no sleep since Thursday
ami were working in water up to their
waists for 23 hours at a stretch. For
tunately we were able to cook our meals,
but the experience was a terr!VI one
and I hope that 1 may never go through
another one like It."
'In rossing' the bar to jro to the rescue
of the Coquille River, the", tug Tatoosh
shipped two immense seas, one of which
broke the window in starboard door of
the pilot house, but she was not damaged
otherwise.
E
HIS PARTY REFUSED RIGHT TO
LWD AT COIjOX.
Kngineer Stevens Pays Xo Attention
to Congressional Party Major
Gorgas Stubborn
COIWC, March 24. The steamer Bluech
er. with Speaker Canon and Representa
tives of the United States on board, ar
rived here today. The Congressmen were
not permitted to land owing to the fact
that the Bluecher had been out from
Venezuela but seven days, as required
by the quarantine regulations and the
health authorities were unwilling to es
tablish a precedent in favor of the Con
gressmen. Colonel L. White Busby writes to the
Associated Press protecting against the
quarantine. He says in part:
Speaker Cannon and a half down Con
gressmen are quarantined in Colon harbor.
Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal Ste
ven has paid no attention to the legisla
tors, and Major Gorgas, of tha chief sani
tary office, declined to allow the passengers
to Innd, hut on being; introduced to Mr.
Cannon, he offered to make an exception
and allow him and his party to land. Mr.
Cannon declined, saying- ho was only a pas
senger and a private citizen and therefore
could not place himself above the law laid
down for others. Representative Tawney
landed with Major Gorgas and saw Mr. Ste
vens, hut no arrangement was made to lift
the quarantine of six days against Vene
zuela. Mr. Pierce called In the afternoon and of
fered to allow the passengers to land, but
they replied they would have been glad to
do so this morning and eaid they had ex
pected the same courtesies as were extended
the passengers of the Bluecher on the last
trip. The belief Is expressed that the Ad
ministration is likely to hear about the
treatment of the Congressional party by
Major Gorgas.
TAFT PAKTY JS ENTERTAINED
Day Is Spent at Charleston, Only
Stop En Route to Panama.
CHARLESTON'. S. C. March 24. Secre
tary Taft and party, en route to Panama,
Cuba and Porto Rico, arrived in this
city early today and were met by Mayor
Rhett and a number of citizens. The
visitors were entertained at breakfast,
there being about 26 persons present, rep
resenting the Navy, the Army and the
city.
The visitors were then taken in automo
biles to see the Magnolia Gardens, a pri
vate estate on the Ashley River. Re
turning to the city at 1 o'clock, the re
ception committee became the guests of
Secretary Taft and went aboard the May
flower. The luncheon was held on board,
after which the Mayflower raised anchor
at 4 o'clock and sailed for the Isthmus,
Colon being the first stop, according to
announcements of plans.
The Secretary and party are in splendid
health and the best of spirits. Mr. Taft
only laughed when suggestions of his
possible candidacy for the Presidency
were made.
RAILWAY STRIKE
MS
CERTAINTY
Wage Increase. Alone
Can Stop It.
REJECT COMPROMISE OFFER
Recent Vote Not Announced,
but Result Is Known.
WILL AFFECT 50,000 MEN
Final Action Will Be Taken Tues
day, and if Xo Advance Is Grant
ed Men Are Expected to Pre
pare for a Long Contest.
CHICAGO. March 24. (Special.) Arbi
tration of the differences between the
railroads and the trainmen and conduc
tors on the Western roads will not be ac
cepted by the men. Strengthened in their
position by the almost unanimous vote
of the rank and file of their organiza
tion, the labor leaders will put the ques
tion squarely to the railroad managers
at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning. A further
Increase in wages must be granted, or
there will be a strike.
Representatives of each railroad sys
tem today canvassed the result of the
recent vote. Nearly 40,000 votes have
been cast on the proposition. While the
officers refuse to speak of the poll
until the last ballot is counted, there Is
no doubt as to the result.
Itecent Vole Is Final.
The offer made by the railroads when
the conferences broke up four weeks ago
has been almost unanimously rejected.
The vote just taken is final. The merits
of the demands of the men will not be
entered into again.. The general mana
gers will be met with the proposition of
granting the 12 per cent increase in wages
and a nine-hour day. or a speed of eleven'
miles an hour on freight trains.
The committee is empowered to modify
these demands provided the railroad
managers make another offer. The offer
of 10 per cent made by the managers
for all men in the freight service and
about 7 per cent for the passenger serv
ice, without any change in the working
hours, cannot be accepted by the com
mittee in the face of the vote just taken.
If the managers declare that they have
gone as far as they can. and have noth
ing new to offer, preparations wld at
once begin for a strike which will af
fect directly 60.000 men and forty railroad
systems.
More Wages, Xot Arbitration.
"It is not arbitration, but more wages
that we are looking for," said one of
the committee last night. "The railroads
did not offer to arbitrate unless the vote
of the men sustained the position we
have taken. Our position has been sus
tained by a larger majority than we ex
pected, and. the time for arbitration has
gone by.'
There will be no prolonged negotiations
when the union men meet the managers
this time, as was the case when they last
met. It is expected that one or two
conferences will bring the matter to an
Issue. The general managers wilt' meet
tomorrow afternoon and decide on the
course to be taken at the joint confer
ence. It is believed that they will offer
a compromise half way between what
they offered last time and what the
men are demanding, and that a settle
ment on that basis will be reached.
Matter Up to Railroads.
The general managers do not want a
strike, and the men assert that if a
strike comes it wil be forced by the
railroads. Both -sides are' anxious to pre
serve liarmony. Grand Master llorrissey
of the trainmen's organization and Chief
Garretson of the conductors watched the
canvass of the voe, but neither would
commit himself on the nest step to be
taken.
"I cannot tell anything of the vote un
til the last ballot is counted." said Mor
rissey. "Of course, I have an opinion.
The result will be known tomorrow af
ternoon or Tuesday morning, and will
then be announced."
THIXK STRIKE IMPROBABLE
Harriman Officials Expect Xo Trou
ble on Oregon Lines.
Harriman officials do not look for a
strike among the trainmen on the Ore
gon divisions of the system. It is be
lievei locally that the threatened strike
of trainmen west' of Chicago will not ma
terialize, so far as the Oregon roads are
concerned. General Superintendent Buck
ley, of the O. R. & N. and the 'Southern
Pacific lines in Oregon, does not look for
a strike on the part of - the trainmen of
the two roads. ,
"I feel that fhe men realize they have
a pretty good thing as it w," said ho.
"and that the terms offered by the gener
al managers are fair. My opinion is there
will be no strike. These committeemen
always start out with a long list of re
quests, many of which they do not ex
pect to be granted.
"Trainmen on the Oregon divisions are
conservative. They have always been
able to reach an amicable .understanding
7
EVENTS OF COMING WBEK
A special meeting of the New
York Chamber of Commerce will be
held in New York City on Tuesday,
at which Ambassador Bryce will
make an address. Afterward he wilt
leave for Ottawa, Canada.
Secretary Taft, who, with a party
of Congressmen and engineers sailed
for the Panama Canal Zone Hunday
aboard the dispatch-boat Mayflower,
Is due to arrive at Colon. March SO.
The trip will include visits to Ha
vana and San Juan, and Mr. Taft
expects to return to Camden Roads,
April '22.
End Thaw Trial in Sifcht.
This week may see the appoint
ment of a commission to pass on the
mental condition of Harry K. Thaw
and the consequent Interruption for
some time of his trial before a jury
for the killing of Stanford White.
Court will reconvene Wednesday,
when Justice Fitzgerald may an
nounce his decision regarding the
commission.
A murder trial presenting: features
of unusual interest is scheduled to
bepin at Carmet, N. Y., on Monday,
when Jennie Burch, a 34-year-old
girl, 'in be called on to answer
the charge of poison in k Wilbur Wln
schip, a 2-year-old child whose nurse
she was. The defense wyi be Insanity.
A Meeting of the Order of Railway
Conductors and the Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen will be held at
Buffalo on Thursday to ratify an
agreemt-nt of co-operation between
the two organization. The agree
ment to co-operate will not affect
the separate integrity of the orders.
Bowling Tournament.
The tournament .of the National
Bowling Association will be held at
Atlantic City from March 25 to
April 8.
The entry list shows that 10 fire
men teams, 2G0 two-men team and
487 Individuals will compete. Be
sides New York, Brooklyn, Phila
delphia and other Eastern cities.
Chicago. Cleveland, Pittsburg. De
troit, Buffalo, Toronto and other cit
ies wilt be competitors at the tour
nament. Contests for the National gym
nastic championship of the American
Athletic Vnion will be held in New
York next Saturday. Among the en
trants is & team from the Newark
Young Men's Christian Association,
which won the Young Men's Chris
tian Association National champion
ship at St. Louis. Teams are also
expected to enter from Yale. Prince
ton and the University of Pennsylvania
with the managers without differences.
We have every confidence in our men,
and I expect fhey will arrive at an un
derstanding without a breach in their
relations with the Western railroads.'
The trainmen themselves are noncom
mittal as to the secret vote they are
taking on the strike proposition. Sam
Veatrli,- one of the- beet-known railroad
men in Oregon, and a pioneer conductor
on the Southern Pacific, is president of
the Order of Railway Conductors on the
Oregon lines of the Southern Pacific, and
is now in Chicago in attendance at the
conference between the trainmen and
their employers.
J. H. Butler, chairman of the O. R, &
N. trainmen, is a resident of Baker City.
Both these men are regarded as conserv
ative and it is said they will be slow to
bring on a strike If it is in their power
to prevent it.
PLAN FOR 1908 CAMPAIGN
Itooscvclt in Conference With Wood
ruff and Corteljrou.
WASHINGTON. March 24. Secretary of
the Treasury Cortelyou and Timothy
Woodruff, of New York, chairman of the
Republican State Committee of New
York, were in conference with the Presi
dent at the White House for more than
two houre tonight. Mr. Woodruff said
the conference related to Presidential
campaign plans for 190S. but that candi
dates were not discussed.
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 50
degrees; minimum, 35.
TOD-AY'S Bain; southerly winds.
Foreign.
War In Central America is believed to be
at an end- Page a.
Chinese government unable to cope with
famine; fears general uprising, endan
gering lives of all foreigners in the em
pire. Page 4.
Atrocities In Rou mania continue. Page ft.
National.
Word of ex-Senator Burton that he was of
fered a pardon Is denied. Page 3.
Embarking of Twenty-fifth Regiment to
Philippines has been delayed. Page 14.
Roosevelt in conference with Woodruff and
Cortelyou regarding 1908 campaign. Page
Domestic.
Barrel of epsom salts used as antidote for
poisoned hash eaten by old soldiers. Page
3.
Four people killed by head-on collision In
Los Angeles. Page 2.
Strike of Western railroad men certain un
less men are granted increase In wages.
Page 1.
Thaw gives out another statement. Page 4.
Famine Coast.
Coquille River towed into Columbia harbor
after terrible trip. Page 1.
Gallagher charged, fellow Supervisors com
mission on boodle he collected for them.
Page 1-
Mrs. W- T. Chaddock. a Christian Scientist,
dies at Roseburg after refusing medical
aid for trichina poisoning. Page 5.
Eight men burled alive by snow elide on
Vancouver Island. Page 5
Sports. Rain may cause postponement of Pacific
Coast baseball season. Page 5.
Portland and Vicinity.
Mayor Thane's letter pleases prominent Dem
ocrats and all personal friends. Page 12.
Portland may bring suit to teat conntltu-
. tionaltty of port of Columbia act. Page 8.
Dr. Brougher answers critics among Chris
tian Scientists. Page 12w
Caw mi II strike falls. MilLs resume this
morning. Page 8.
T. M. C. A. committees start out today to
complete -building fund. Page 8.
Two county charges commit suicide. Page 14.
Portland churches observe Palm Sunday
with Imposing ceremonies. Page 12.
TOOK TOLL FOR
HANDLING
1
Gallagher Took Fees
From Fellow-Grafters.
JURY AFTER BIG MEN TODAY
Bankers and Politicians to
Tell 'Their Stories.
PUT MULLALLY ON CARPET
Young Millionaire to Be Questioned
Regarding Affairs of I'nitcd Rail
ways Ruef Sends Word to
Schmitz and Gets Reply.
BAN FRANCISCO, Uarch 24.-(Special.)
A feature of the boodling operations of
the Supervisors not .hifherto exposed and
which surpasses In genuine cussedness
anything yet revealed, came out today
when it was learned that Supervisor Gal
lagher, who acted as distributor of the
swag, charged his fellow-Supervisors a
commission of 5 per cent on all boodle
he collected for them.
Gallagher admits it In his confession.
He said he did if because of the expense
he was put to in the way of car fare and
the risks invotved. Gallagher hotly de
fended himself when questioned in the
grand jury room about the practice. He
Bald he thought be was honestly entitled
to the brokers' commission. In some
cases, he said, his colleagues protested,
but he informed them that- if he was not
to get the commission they would not
get the boodle.
Probe Home Telephone Deals.
The prrand jury will begin today a
crusade against the big men in the big
corporations, which, if plans carry, will
result in a large crop of Indictments
before the end of the week. It may
be stated that the Investigation into
the affairs of the Home Telephone
Company .has iut nsn. This company
has 'offered a most fruitful Held. . rmr
ing the week the financiers of wido
repute will be placed upon the carpet.
The week will establish the status
of Marcus Gerstle, president of the
company. Gerstle says he has no fear.
District Attorney L,angdon said Jtoday
that any man in the directorate of
the large corporations who in any way
encouraged the giving of a bribe would
be indicted. Langdon also gave it as
his opinion that the active directors
of the large corporations were either
criminally negligent of tnnir duties or
they knew full well where the bribe
money went.
Train load of Officials to Testify.
A trainload of Home Telephone Com
pany officials is on tne way to San
Francisco from Lios Angeles. In the
party are bankers, magnates, politi
cians, white men of high social stand
ing in the southern part of the state.
They will give testimony before the
grand jury.
In his statement today Iangdon de
clared with force that families old and
respected, whose names had heretofore
been considered synonymous with integ
rity, would be shattered. He added that
in every case where an indictment had
been returned the evidence was sufficient
to convict.
Following the Home Telephone inquiry
the United Railroads and the San Fran
cisco Gas & Electric Company will be
placed on the carpet. One of the men
who will be asked to explain the affairs
of the United Railroads is Thornwell
Mullally, a young man of splendid
physique and handsome face, who rumor
says is engaged to marry one of the rich
est young women of San Francisco.
Mullally is a nephew of Patrick Cal
houn, the Wall street magnate who con
trols the United Railroads. Mullally acted
as Calhoun's right-hand man and was
given the title "assistant to the presi
dent." Mullally came to San Francisco
from New York two years ago. In New
York Mullally pas a prominent society
figure. His connection with the grand
Jury investigation, it is expected, will be
fully revealed during the week. Calhoun
will also figure in the inquiry.
Expert Glass to Surrender.
Although Louis Glass of the Pacific
States Telephone Company and Abram
retwiller, of the Home Telephone Com
pany, the two indicted magnates have not
been apprehended by the police, no fear
is felt by the prosecution as it is believed
that both men will surrender to the local
authorities. Glass is in Goldfield and Is
unable to reach San Francisco at pres
ent, owing to washouts. Detwiller was In
Cairo, Egypt, a few months ago. but is
believed to have been in Toledo. Ohio, his
home within the last few days. A son
of William J. Burns has gone East to lo
cate him.
Ruef today sent his attorneys to visit
Schmitz. They carried a message from
him the purport of which was not re
vealed. Later in the day they returned to
Ruef with a reply.
Ruef Sees Writing on the Wall.
This morning Attorney Samuel Short
ridge visited Ruef at the St. Francis.
They studied the situation and soon dis
covered that by the evidence produced
before the grand jury the prosecution
would be able to convict the bribe-givers
without the testimony of either Ruef or
Schmitz. This dlsoovery was made known
to the Mayor by Ruefs attorneys.
Whether it will Influence the course of
action of the partners In boodle Is not
known.
The last technicality which clouds the
situation will be removed tomorrow, ac
cording to reports from Washington, when
the United States Supreme Court rules
out the writ of error granted to Ruef
by Judge Hebbard. The following day
the trial of Ruef on the charge of extor
tion In the French restaurant cases will
be resumed.
Supervisors Meet Today.
The Board of Supervisors will meet to
morrow in regular session. The plan of
the prosecution is to keep the men in of
fice. An attempt to 'oust them would
make it necessary to reveal the evidence
and this the prosecution is unwilling to
do.
So extensive has been the petty graft
ing of Supervisor Boxton that his bribe
omania has aroused the scorn and deri
sion of even his fellow members of the
board and companions In crime. Boxton
once took 112.50. Boxton had a free tele
phone. Boxton did not have to pay a. cent
President Zrlaya, of Nicaragua, Who
Has Almost Conquered Honduras.
for his gas. Boxton, who was a member
of the last Board of Supervisors, said
there was grafting in that body.
SEXSATIOXS YET TO COME
Heney Denies Ho Intends to Assume
Control of City Government.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 24. The com
ing week promises to be as productive as
the past one in sensations relative to the
investigation of municipal corruption that
is being prosecuted by a grand jury. It
is expected that a decision will be ren
dered tomorrow br the United States Su
preme l?ort on th pet'tion Abraham
-Ruef Toi" a writ o ,eror. If Rucf's pe
tition Is refused, the prosecution will pro
ceed in Supfti-ior Judge Dunno's court
Tuesday with the impanelment of a jury
to try Ruef on the charge of extortion in
what is known as the 'French restaurant
cases. If it is granted, the trial of Ruef
will be postponed a while.
Tomorrow afternoon the grand jury
will resume its probing into the alleged
bribery of the Board of Supervisors by
the telephone and other public service
corporations. It is announced that the
prosecution has retained an attorney to
proceed to Honolulu and intercept Theo
dore V. Halsey, who has been indicted
on 11 counts on the charge of bribery,
for the purpose of endeavoring to per
suade Halsey to appear before the grand
jury on his arrival here. Halsey Is now
enroute from Manila In charge of a de
tective. The prosecution is momentarily ex
pecting to hear of fhe arret of Touis
Glass, ex-manager of the Pacific States
Telephone & Telegraph Company, and
Abraham K. Detweiler, of Toledo, O.,
against .whom indictments for bribery
were retxirned yesterday.
In addition to the ' revelations coming
from the grand jury room, public interest
is directed toward the normal, regenera
tion of the city, in view of the alleged
confessions of corruption by the members
of the Board of 'Supervisors'. One story
is to the effect that the Supervisors, be
fore appearing before the grand jury, se
cured pledges from the prosecuting of
ficials that they would neither be prose
cuted nor removed from office in return
for their evidence. An intimation that
fhose back of the prosecution were plan
ning to assmme control of municipal affairs
by virtue of their power over the Super
visors is strongly denied at the District
Attorney's , office. Assistant District At
torney Heney said:
"All we Intend to do is to see that the
Supervisors behave themselves properly
in their official positions. We do not
Intend to try to legislate through them
for" any purpose. We shall simply force
them to be good and to discharge the
functions of their office to the best in
terests of the people. Personally, I be
lieve it Is right to give the men a chance
to rehabilitate themselves, if possible, and
I think that If the Supervisors wish to
become better men, as they have ex
pressed a desire to do, fhey should have
a chance."
As to the prosecution controlling the
municipal commissions and other depart
ments of the Government through the
finance committee of the Board of Su
pervisors, Heney declared that there
would be no attempt to do this. Those
who favor a reorganization of the mu
nicipal government recognize that it
would be a lengthy process to bring it
about through fhe courts, but are hope
ful that public opinion will force whole
sale resignations, thus solving an em
barrassing question.
CONFESSES AND IS SHOT
Body of Negro Is Riddled by Bullets
From Mob of Three Hundred.
FfjOREXCE. Ala.. March 24. Cleveland
Harding:, a negro, who attacked Mrs.
Bena Rice near here Friday, was lynched
today by 300 citizens. Including his in
tended victim's husband. Tied to a tree,
the negro was riddled with bullets, the
first shot being fired by Rice. Follow
ing this, every man in the crowd fired
his revolver at the prisoner.
The negro was captured and was taken
before Mrs. Rice, who fainted at sight
of him. Upon recovering, she fully iden
tified her assailant, and on being asked
what should be done with him, told the
negro's captors to do as they thought
best. Beyond confessing his guilt, the
negro had nothing to say, and seemed in
different as to his fate.
FIVE 11 EPOCHS
m
papers
Evolution from Mere
Political Organ.
NOW THE NEWS COMES FIRST
Progress in Method of Hand
ling the News.
BENNETT A GREAT PIONEER
First to Realize Human Interest In
Fire Dana Broke From Beaten
Track Early Methods of
XewsgaLhering.
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIJT.
WASHINGTON. March 19. (Speciaf Cor
respondence.! In the United States the
newspaper has passed through Ave dis
tinct epochs, so far as the nature of ita
purpose is concerned. Before he Revo
lution the few papers published went
mainly devoted to firing the colonial heart
against the English crown and to the for
mation of a Xatlonal patriotism. After
the adoption of the constitution and the
beginning of our present Government, the
newspapers were for a time the mouth
pieces of the politicians of a day when
politics was as bitter as wormwood. But
the subservient editors soon found it was
through them that the politicians were en
abled to carry on these wars and they re
belled. Then came the era when the newspaper
was the personal property of its editor,
an editor with an ambition to rule In poli
tics. This type flourished for three de
cades and during its continuance the edi
tors molded the pnblic thought and shaped
the public policy. Well-nigh all-powerful
in politics, the newspaper was still a
thing which appealed to but few of the
masses. Devoted altogether to the sci
ence of government, it printed news only
as a. fide-line and excludr-d from It col
timns ne.r!y till tha.t would l'-o.1. .vuu
people ni-.;'
Begin to PuMjsh tiie News.
Then the newspaper' realized it. pnncl-,
pal mission of gathering and publishing '
the news. Politics was still most impor
tant, 'however, and each prominent paper
was the "organ" of one of the great
parties, fighting for its own saints and' its
own scoundrels without let or hlnderance.
Lastly comes the great American news
paper of today, printing the news and
with it something for every member of
every family. It takes a lively interest in
politics at times, but, instead of being
tied to any particular party's apron
strings, is more often entirely Independ
ent as to men and measures.
The development of ;the American news
paper is best shown in the evolution of
the handling of news. When William
Henry Harrison, ninth President of the
United States, died a month after he had
taken the oath of office in 1S41 and was
succeeded by John Tyler, one of ithe,
greatest newspapers In the country told
all it thought worth while about the
death of the President in a quarter of a
column. It didn't mention the fact that
Mr. Tyler would succeed him, evidently
assuming that everybody ought to know
who was Vice-President. A few weeks
later the editorial columns blazed with,
comment about Tyler, but the news said
never a word.
Object Lessons in Progress.
When Lincoln was assassinated, the
leading New York newspapers next morn
ing published four columns about it. The
Herald's display headline was the single
word, "Important." Sixteen years later,
when Garfield was shot, the first day's
news was given to New Tork in 36 col
umns of reading matter. No portraits
were printed of the President and the
only illustration was a diagram of the
railroad station where the assassin at
tacked his victim. After another 20 years,
McKinley was shot at Buffalo. One New
York newspaper next morning had 12
pages of matter concerning the assassina
tion, including 21 half-tone engravings
and a cartoon depicting the grief of the
stricken Nation.
In December. 1835, there was a great
fire in New York, which destroyed $20,
000.000 worth of property. Cntil that time,
when fires had been reported at all. It
was with a mere statement of the num
ber of buildings burned and their value.
James Gordon Bennett wrote the story
of the big blaze and put in the "human
Interest" features, describing the work of
the firemen, the trouble with broken hose
and incidents among the spectators. That
was the beginning of the "story-in-detail"
It sold 25,000 copies of the paper, and by
request was printed again the next day
with additions. In 1871 this same paper
devoted a page to the beginning of the
great fire in Chicago, and a year ago It
found five pages of matter to print about
the gTeat San Francisco conflagration.
When the yact America won the cup
In 1851. which no European ever has been
able to recapture, the New York papers
disposed of the race in less than a fourth
of a column. The last time the race was
run a Sunday paper found ten pages of
news in it.
Progress in Newsgatliering.
With the growth of the news has grown
the facility for getting it. The Associated
Press has become the greatest news
gathering agency In the world. Before,
the telegraph came. New York papers
employed swift - yachts to meet vessels
coming from Europe: carrier pigeons
were sent from Halifax, where the ocean
ships landed: and pony expresses wer
. .
(Concluded on Page 2.)