PORTLAND, OREGON, 3IONDAY, MARCH
1908.
CENTS.
VOL.. XL. VIII. AO. 14,745.
KILLED AT WIFE'S
BIRTHDAY PARTY
Henry Shaffer Is Shot
by Policeman.
GUESTS WITNESS TRAGEDY
N. H. Suitter, Longshoreman's
Slayer, Pleads Self-Defense.
VICTIM WAS A PRISONER
Arrest of Host and All Male Gnests
for Disorderly t'onduet Precipi
tated Trouble Officer in Simi
lar Difficulty puce Before.
In the presence of the gueets at a
birthday party given in honor of his
wife, Henry Shaffer, a longshoreman,
35 years of age, was shot and killed in
his own home last night by Nathan H.
Suitter, a policeman. The shooting was
done In the kitchen of the Shaffer resi-
dence, at 334 Failing street, corner of
Mallory avenue, at 7:10 o'clock, and was
the result of a dispute that arose when
the policeman threatened to place Shaf
fer and his guests under arrest for dis
orderly conduct. Suitter was summoned
to the Shaffer home, it Is said, by one of
the neighbors, J. Itolsworth, of 80 Mal
lory avenue, who is the owner of the
quarter block on which the Shaffer
house stands, and who is said to have
objected to the sounds of revelry that
grew louder aa the birthday party pro
pressed. ,
The gathering was a surprise party
for Mrs. Shaffer, who reached the thir
tieth milestone of her life yesterday.
There were 12 persons present besides
Shaffer and his wife, they being Jacob
Stelgle and wife, Gottlieb Metzer and
wife, Jacob Spann and wife, J. Frie
bacher and wife. Paul Deutch and
wife, David Miller and Alex. Schneidty.
All lieard the dispute between Suitter
and Shaffer, and they nearly all were
eyewitnesses of the shooting. All are
either Russians or Germans and do not
speak English intelligibly.
Keg of Beer 19 Tapped.
The guests assembled at the Shaffer
home shortly before G o'clock and sat
Sown to a hearty dinner. During the
feast alcoholic beverages were dis
pensed quite liberally. A keg of beer
was on tap and several bottles of wine
and spirits were on the table. Shortly
before 7 o'clock Patrolman Suitter, who
resides at 893 Mallory avenue, several
, blocks west of Failing street, was
railed to the scene to notify Shaffer
and his guest to make less noise. On
his arrival he was admitted to the
house, but on making his mission
known, was not treated with marked
cordiality, and departed immediately
to notify police headquarters, and
asked for orders.
Captain Slover instructed him to re
turn to the hoime and await assistance.
Patrolman Fred K. Ieavens was sent
to Suitter's aid, and together the po
licemen went to the Shaffer house.
They were admitted by Mrs. Shaffer.
Suitter reiterated his demand that the
noise cease. At this juncture, it Is
said, Shaffer threatened to throw both
officers out, whereupon Suitter de
clared all persons present under ar
rest. Sends for Itoinrorecinoiils.
The male guests were assembled in
the kitchen of the house. In an ad
Joining room whs the beer keg. Thrre
are but two entrances to the house, and
Suitter. going to the rear entrance,
which opens from the kitchen to the
back yard, tried the door and found it
not locked. Placing his back against
this door, to prevent anybody going
out. Suitter ordered Ieavens to call the
patrol wagon and request reinforce
ments. It was after his follow-police-man
had gone on this errand that the
dispute arose which resulted in Shaf
fer's death.
Suitter says Shaffer, 'after a few an
gry words, struck him in the chest.
Thereupon, the policeman says, he drew
his revolver, fearing further violence
at .the hands of Shaffer, who mas a
large man, weighing about 250 pounds,
and fired three shots. Two bullets
pierced Shaffer's lungs, - and caused
df-ath within a few minutes.
When the shooting began. Shaffer's
companions fled Into an adjoining room.
The women present, who had taken
refuge In the front parlor, became hys
terical, and some fled screaming Into
the street. This served to arouse the
entire neighborhood, and the Shaffer
home was soon crowded with neigh
bors. The arrival of the patrol waron
with Sergeants Baty and Cole. Detec
tive Coleman and Patrolmen Kndlcctt,
Graves. Adams and Deavens, served to
clear the house of all but the wit
nesses to the killing.
Hysterical With Grtvf.
Owing to the inability, of the wit
nesses to talk English. It was with
much trouble that anything was
learned from them. Mrs. Shaffer, hys
terical with grief, was with difficulty
prevented from throwing herself on
the body of her husband. When she be
cams calmer she was able to tell i
fairly Intelligible story of the shooting
and one which differs materially from
that told by Suitter, for Mrs, Shaffer
denies that her husband even made an
effort to strike the officer, who she says
shot without provocation. Her story
of the affair, as she told if in broken
English, was as follows:
"It is my birthday. Henry, Mine Gott.
he is dead! he give the party for me.
and our. friends they come to do aae
honor. The policeman, he had no right
to shoot my Henry. He came y "the
house twice. First time he told us to
not make so much noise. Then he
went away, but pretty soon he come
back with another policeman, and the
two of them told us we were all ar
rested. My Henry wanted to know
what for. The policeman said we were
making too much noise. Then one of
ficer went away, after saying some
thing to the other.
"'While he was gone my Henry asked
to be allowed to go to the back yard.
The officer say no, and right away he
pulled out his club and backed up
against the door. Henry talked to him,
r
I Ji:. ;
lenry Shaffer. Victim' of Sunday
Xlght' Traredy.
and pretty soon the policeman pulled
out his gun and shoot four times, and
my Henry fell to the floor and died."
Blames Her Landlord.
"That policeman had ' no business to
come to our house. We were not making
any noise and we do not hurt anybody.
This man Hoisworth, he is to blame.. He
haa been trying to get us to move away
for a long time, and last week we threw
him out of the house. We have until
May o live in this house, and he wants
to raise our rent. , We have no children
and refused to move until our time Is up.
He got mad and said he would make us
move and set the policeman after us. I
think he gave the policeman money. The
policeman had no business to shoot my
Henry and I will tell the Judge so. All
my friends will do the same."
C. E. Shaffer, who lives at 426 Failing
street, adjoining the Shaffer home, cor
roborates Mrs. Shaffer's story in part.
Hejsays that he heard no unseemly noise
in the t Shaffer home, although he ad
mitted that the guests were dancing and
laughing. He said that .he did not notice
that they were dancing until he went
out on his front porch. Shaffer - is not
related to the dead man, although his
surname is the same.
The Shaffer who was killed had had
trouble with the police before. last July
he vr. f arrested at Twenty-second and
Ijovejoy streets by Sergeant Baty and
locked up on a charge of assault and
battery. At that time his wife was the
victim of his wrath. On the arrival of
the officer Shaffer put up a desperate
fight and it was necessary to handcuff
him. After reaching the City Jail Shaffer
fought three policemen until he was
finally overpowered. He was possessed
of enormous strength and is said to have
been surly when in his cups. . .
Xine Years in America. "
For beating his wifetShaffer was, bound,
over lo the State Circuit Court, but was
never tried. ' He came to -America nine
years -ago and located at once in Port
land. He was regularly employed as a
stevedore and grainhandler. He was
married in this city eight yearsago. ?
The assault Shaffer made on his wife
was witnessed by District Attorney Man
ning, - who summoned the police. It is
also asserted by the police that Shaffer,
his wife and a party of friends gathered
at. his home were taken into, custody
several months ago by r Patrolman - Mal
lett. who - found them disturbing the
peace. .
Policeman Suitter is the officer who, on
November 6 of last year, shot Herman
Burkhart a commercial traveler,' on
Park and Morrison streets while the lat
ter was attempting to escape after being
arrested'on a cbarge of assault and -bat
tery. Burkhart recovered r- from his
woutid and has brought suit against Suit
ter for $10,000 damages. Burkhart was
arrested on leaving the hospital and tried
before Municipal Judge Cameron, who
found ium guilty of assault but failed to
impose a fine. On that account Burk
hart recently entered mandamus pro
ceedings against Judge Cameron and se
cured an order compelling the court to
enter judgment in order that an appeal
might be taken to a higher court.
Will Hold Inquest Today.
Deputy Coroner Eagan took charpe of
the body of Shaffer and Coroner Finley
will hold an inquest this afternoon.
The six men who were guests at the
fatal birthday party and who witnessed
the dispute which led to the shooting,
were taken to police headquarters and
charged with disorderly conduct. They
were locked up in default of cash bait.
Their cases will probably be tried before
Judge Cameron this morning.
BOOK THAT WAS KING HAL'S
London Dealer Discovers PublicA
tion by Dcsiilrlus Erasmus.
LONDON, March 1. A book-dealer has
discovered a copy of a book by Dfsidrius
lirasmus. "Christiani Matrimonii Istius."
It is a first edition and contains marginal
notes believed to be in the hand writing of
Henry VIII. The book bears the royal
arms and the statement that it was hound
for Kins Henry VIlI's library. The hand-
I writing resembles that of the King.
MUST RETRENCH
FOR 9-
Railroads Will Close
Small Stations.
NEED ARMY OF TELEGRAPHERS
Economy Necessary to Com
ply With New Situation. .
TRAFFIC SHOWS DECREASE
Optimistic Spirit, However, Mani
fest by Companies, :Vho Ex
pect to See a Rapid Return
of Business Prosperity.
WASHINGTON, March 1. American
railways have made arrangements to
comply, with the provisions of the "nine
hour law.. The operation of the law
will mean the employment by railroad
companies of several thousand additional
operators and the closing of a large num
ber of small stations on the principal
systems. Discontinuing of railway serv
ice at many points, it is thought, will
induce at least temporary inconvenience
to traveling and shipping public in order
to reduce operating expenses, which now
seems necessary. The operating officials
of the railways believe that this is the
only way they possibly can meet the sit
uation with which they are confronted.
During the hearing of applications for
an extension of the nine-hour Jaw by the
Interstate Commerce Commission some
astonishing statements were made by the
operating officials of important railways.
A good many lines, owing to a reduction
in the revenues and to their inability to
command the cash necessary to meet
their payrolls, have been forced during
the past four months almost to the point
of asking for receivers.
Good Times Will Retnrn.
In the opinion of railway officials ex
pressed" at the hearing under oath and
In private, conversation this condition
does not seem -to have been due to the
enforcement of regulative laws or to the
incapacity of railway management. Most
of the railway officials attribute the dif
ficulty to the unfortunate banking situa
tion which developed last September. The
railways did not feel the stringency in
money until about the first of November.
In fact, wie month of October was one
of the best in the history of the business
of American railroading.
"Then, without the slightest warning."
as H. U. Mud go, vice-president and general
manager of the Rock Island system, ex
pressed it, "we were plunged from pros
perity to adversity. A year ago our -system
could not handle the traffic offered
us. Today, we have 11,000 idle cars. Five
irmnths ago we suffered from a conges
tion of freight, now we suffer from a
congestion of empty cars.-
Thoiisands of Cars Idie.
What is true of the Rock Island is
true also of scores of other railroads
One railway official ventured the state
ment that in the country today there are
300.000 Idle freight cars, and one line
which he instanced was declared to be
hauling empty cars backward and for
ward because it had not yard room or
sidings to accommodate them.
Not a single official of a single railway
line who appeared before the Commis
sion, .however, expressed tb belief that
the present industrial depression would
be lasting. In the testimony of ncarly
every witness before the Commission
there was a note of confidence because
nearly every one of them believed the
stringency in the money market from
which the country has suffered is not due
to fundamental causes.
Material Prosperity Untouched.
They point' out that the crops last year
were good: that prices were excellent;
that Industrial enterprises throughout the
country were flourishing. It was merely
the inability to command ready cash and
the' hoarding of money by 'panic-stricken
Individuals which produced so suddenly
the remarkable depression from which
all have suffered. They practically uni
formly express confidence that the re
turn of prosperity will be almost as suu
; den as was the coming of adversity, and
in their arguments as to .the enforcement
of the nine-hour law they pointed out
to the Commission that such a return of
prosperity might seriously embarrass
them In complying with the law, because
it would render it difficult to command
the services of . competent operators in
sufficient numbers to meet the needs of
prosperous conditions.-
With four or five exceptions, no im
portant railroads of the country have
indicated an intention to . reduce, the
wages of their employes.. As Chairman
Knapp of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission expressed it: - .
"So far as I am informed, there is no
concerted action on the part of the
American railway companies to reduce
wages. Instances of an intention to
change the scale of wages have been
given, but, they can be said to be in no
sense general." t i .
Will Listen to Complaints.
Such - railroads or their employes
as may take advantage of the Erdman
act to secure the mediation of the chair
man of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and the Commissioner of Iabor
will be accorded every opportunity fairly
to present their case to the Government
officials. It will be the effort of Chair-
0
E VENTS OF COMING WEEK ;
Week Before ongrM,
Supply measures wMl continue the '
chief subjects under consideration in . ,
Congress this week. Having post- -
poned last week the time for asking ' '
the Senate to fix a date for a vote on ,
bis emergency currency bill. Senator
Aldrich Is not hopeful of bringing '
the measure to an Issue before the
second week in March. . . - 1
It is expected that the legislative,
executive and judictat appropriation i
hill will be reported early -in the
week and will be taken up for con-
sideratlon by the Senate.
The House will continue to give
the major portion of its lime to con
sideration of the appropriation bills.
The peonage resolution authorizing '
the Immigration Commissioner to In
vestigate labor conditions in the
Southern States will receive attention
tomorrow. -
( Important Conventions.
Political activity will be further
quickened during the week -by a
ber of state conventions. Trobably
the Ohio Republican convention at
'Columbus -and the Nebraska state -Democratic
convention at Omaha on
Thursday will attract great National
Interest, as politicians believe - the -declarations
to be set forth 'by the
home states of Taft and Bryan will
to some extent foreshadow the party
platforms desired by the two candi
dates. The Kansas 'Republican stater,
convention will meet, at Topeka on
"Wednesday, and the Iouisiana Re
, publican .state convention on the .
same day,
Politicians Still Talking. "
Secretary Taft will deliver a num
ber of addresses during the week,
speaking on Monday at Springfield
and Fitehburg, Mass., and on Tues
day evening at Boston. Governor .
Hughes will be the guest at a dollar
dinner at Pougheepsie on Saturday.,
Mr. Bryan IwiM attend the Omaha
convention and -will therefore make
no outside speeches this week.
Illinois Central Meeting.
The long-deferred meeting of the
stockholders of the Illinois Central
Railroad, for the control of which
E. H. Harrlman and Stuyvesant
Fish have waged & sharp contest
both in and out of the courts, is
scheduled to be held In Chicago on
Monday.
man Knapp and Professor Neill amicably
to adjust the differences between the
companies and their employes. Their ef
forts will be purely' conciliatory as a
board of arbitration. Any decision which
they may reach in a given case will not
be binding upon either party to the con
troversy. . They expect, however, to be
able to adjust such differences as ruay
be presented to them, on the facts now
In their' possession, -without serious djili
culty. WOI5KS HARDSHIP OS ROADS
Fulton PiII Does Xot Meet Favor
With Commission.
WASHINGTON, , March 1. Responding
to a . letter of inquiry to the Interstate
Commerce Committee of the Senate, the
Interstate Commerce Commission has
written a letter taking a position in op
position to Senator Fulton's bill prohibit
ing railroad companies from advancing a
rate in the face of a protest made by a
shipper .until the Commission shall have
Patrolman Nathan H. Suitter, Who
Did the Shoolinr.
passed upon the reasonableness of the in
crease. "To give to the protest of a
single shipper the effect of preventing
the advance of any rate until the reason
ableness of that advance was affirma
tively determined by the Commission,"
says the letter, "would establish a hard
and fast rule of doubtful fairness to the
railroads and questionable advantape to
the public. Under existing conditions we
are of the opinion that it would be un
wise to adopt the arbitrary limitations
which this bill proposes, whatever may
be found desirable or necessary in this
regard in the future." The Commission
also finds an objection to the bill in a pos
sibility of increased burdens upon the
Commission. On this point they say:
'"If every" proposed advance had to be
investigated by the Commission and offi
cially sanctioned before it could take
effect, the number of. cases to be- con
sidered would presumably be so great as
to render their prompt disposition almost
impossible. In instances of justifiable In
crease, the necessity of delay resulting
from the probable volume of cases would
work injustice to the carriers. Until con
ditions become more stable and the sub
stantiate. provisions of the act are more
completely "observed in railroad tariffs and
policies, .we entertain the belief that wider
latitude of discretion on the part of car
riers than this measure allows should be
permitted."
The Commission also suggests as a pos
sible effect of the bW. the preventing of
voluntary reductions of rates, "If." they
say. "'the Yates could be increased with
out the approval of the. Commission .after
4nnnr.iudd tin Pirn 2-
if o i!
BITTER FIGHT FOR
--.""SEATTLE OFFICERS
State Politics Mixed in
City Campaign.
OPEN TOWN ALSO , INVOLVED
Miller's Election Said to Mean
Lifting of Lid.
REFORM VOTE FOR MOORE
Both Sides After "ev Residents
Who Will Hold Balance or
Power in the Ballot-Box '
Contest Tomorrow.
SEATTLE, Wash., March 1. (Spe
cial.) With less, than 48 hours to
elapse before the result is known. Se
attle is today in the turmoil of one of
the most bitter municipal political
campaigns that has ever marked - Its
history. Direct accusation, bitter in
nuendo and all manner of charge of
underhand work have been indulged In
by the managers of the respective can
didates for the office of Mayor, and
with both sides claiming victory at the
polls, there is, even to the man versed
In the game, little on which to base
a forecast of the result. Unless there
is a big change, election day will see
both men even money choices. ' "
Police Chief the Issue.
For the past week the Chief of Po
lice, C. W. Wappenstein. and his ad
ministration have loomed big as the
'"issue." He is a Mayor Moore ap
pointee and has been the Mayor's right
hand in enforcing the Sunday and 1
o'clock closing ordinances. Until last
week, the administration of the chief
had been commended by both the Times
and the Poet-Intelligencer, but since
that time the latter publication has
published columns of figures to show
that crime has flourished during the
two years of his office. In this the
chief has been supported by the Times,
which, after two years of scoring
Mayor Moore, "has come out in support
of him and his reform policies. It is
declared the election of Miller means
an open town and a new pollce'chlef.
The police phase of the campaign was
precipitated by what is termed an ill
advised move on the part of Prose
cuting Attorney Mackintosh, who is in
charge of the Republican campaign.
John F. Miller, the Mayoralty candi
date, is chief deputy in Mackintosh's
office, and when the former sent a
letter, to Sheriff Smith, calling upon
that officer to close gambling in the
county and emphasizing the fac"t that
gambling is rampant in Seattle, he laid
Miller "open to accusations of having
countenanced lawlessness as an officer
of the law.
City's Dirty Ivlncn Aired.
That let down the bars, and every
night and at noonday meetings held
by the respective candidates, the -an
cient history of the city's lawlessness
has been dragged out for the edifica
tion of the voters.' Men have been
called liars, friends have met only to
depart bitter enemies, and all manner
of jobs have been put up in an endeavor
to cast reflection on the opposition.
It is the effect that what has been
said and published will have on the new
vote which is causing campaign man
agers to increase the crop of gray hairs.
Of the total registration votes there
will be cast nearly 10,000 ballots in ex
cess of those cast af any previous elec
tion, and the majority of these voters
are practically strangers in the city
Some of them are accounted for by the
newly annexed territory, but the great
majority are persons who have moved
from other states to Seattle.
The politicians know that these per
sons are In the1 majority from Repub
lican states, but they are also from
states which have set the seal of dis
approval on the saloon, and to this ex
tent they are expected to favor Mayor
Moore's candidacy, for when all is said
and done, about the only thing his
party managers emphasize is the fact
that he closed the saloons on Sundays
at 1 o'clock at' night, and has other
wise minimized the civic evils connect
ed with the liquor interests. The Dem
ocrats have no hope of electing their
candidate, General J. B. Metcalfe, and
as they are as a party opposed to Mayor
Moore, formerly of Democratic faith,
the Miller managers have great- hopes
of getting a large slice of the Demo
cratic strength.
Plot to Control Charged.
The Times has insisted that In support
ing Miller the Post-Intelligencer is actua
ted by motives inimical to United States
Senator Samuel Piles and that, if the
Wilson organ wins the city fight, it Will
at once set itself up as a dictator in King
Coujity politics and will work for the
undoing of the King County representa
tive at the Rational Capital and against
Senator Levi Ankeny. Piles and Miller
are personal friends and the Senator has,
from Washington city, advocated the
election of Miller. On this basis Miller's
friends point out the futility of the argu
ment that his election means but help
to Piles. ' . , ;
Through all the fierceness of the battle
in behalf of theheads of . the tickets, the
candidates for the minor offices have bean
practically forgotten. Even in the various
wards the councilmanic contests have
failed to create any great enthusiasm and
practically no attention is being paid to
the fights for Treasurer and Controller,
but it is probable that the Republicans
will win these.. The Republicans have
spent practically no money In ward or
precinct lights and while the manage
ment is credited with having a "barrel"
the district- workers are complaining bit
terly that none of its contents has come
their way. ... .
Come Near to Blows.
This money question has caused much
discoptent and also a near fight between
Mackintosh and James B. Wood, an
active party worker. Mackintosh was ac
cused of converting the money to defray
his expenses during tile primary cam
paign when he spent something like J1SO0
out- of his , own pocket. The He was
passed and only for the intervention of
bystanders the. men would have come to
blows.
A number of these elected under the
iHilllllliJl
Mm. Henry Shaffer, W'hotte Birthday
Celt-brut ion End in a Killing.
primary law provisions as election judges
and clerks rfiave resigned, and as their
successors will have to be chosen by vote
from among; the bystanders, both sides
are planning- to have big representations
at the polls early and trouble may re
suit from the determination of each eide
to have the vacancies filled by men
friendly to their respective causes. Tues
day, March .1, 1!DS. promises to be an
eventful day in Seattle.
AIR WAVE WRECKS HOTEL
PRESSURE FROM AVALANCHE
CATJSES THIRTEEN" DEATHS.
Guests Xcar Berne Warned by Chil-
dren Just as Hoot Is Crushed
in Over Their Heads.
BERNE, Switzerland, March 1. An av
alanche descended today near the village
of Coppenstcin. The enromous atmos
pheric , pressure which accompanied it
demolished a hotel at the mouth of the
Loetsthenthal tunnel, killing 13, persons
and injuring 15 others. ,
The occupants of" the hotel, numbering
30, were surprised while seated at the
table by sinister rumblings. Almost im
mediately two children rushed into the
dining-room and screamed, "An ava
lanche! An avalanche!"
There was a rush to. escape, but the
building, which was of a temporary na
ture, collapsed without warning. Both
of the children were killed, along with
many of those they had sought to save.
Among, the others, killed was an Ameri
can engineer named Mervart, who was
installing American machinery to be
used' for tunneling.
The hotel had been erected by the tun
nel contractors for the . convenience ; of
the engineers and others engaged in con
struction work. There were no tourists
there.
The .village Postoffice and Police Sta
tion were also seriously damaged by the
air wave, and. were keeled over to an
angle of- 45 degrees,, making occupancy
impossible. The tunnel works . were not
damaged.
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather. ;
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 4ft
decrees; minimum. 38 degree..
TODAY'S Occasional rain; southerly winds.
- Foreign.
Torr-'edo flotilla reaches Callao. Page 2. -
Avalanche in Switzerland wrecks hotel and
kills 13 people. Page 1.
China complies with Japan's order to sur
render ship Tartsu Maru. Page 3.
National.
Belated honor ,of Vice-Admiral assured to
Evans. Page 3.
Domestic.
Railroads must retrench to meet requlre-
ments of 0-hour law. Page 1.
Tampa. Florida, fire-swept. Page 1.
Tests at Columbia indlcat that tobacco i
less injurious than commonly believed.
Page 2.
. Pacific Coat.
San Francisco raittig $.VH,000 to fight bu
bonic plague. Page 2.
TUmon Ford. . Orvgon politician, die at
Salem. Parse 3. - .'
Bill proposing increa in pay of legisla
tors will be submitted to people in June.
Page 3. f .
Red-hot municipal campaign will close in
Seattle Tuesday. .- Palre X. r
H port ft.
American auto car arrives at Maryhalltown,
la. Page 3.
Portland and Vicinity.
Henry Shaffer, longshoreman, killed in pres
ence of guests at wife's birthday party ;
Policeman N. H. Suitter does shooting.
Page 1.
Republicans .nf Multnomah confident other
counties wilt oppose Statement No. 1.
Pace 5. .
Health officer stops "dead horse" sale of
bagftage; orders fumigation. Pate 14.
Ernest' Hermans will come back to testify;
promised immunity, says rumor. Page 7.
Prosecution confident of bringing Ross bank
officials betore jury. Pae 9.
Dr. Broueher criticizes Mayor line's ad
ministration and says he needs more
backbone. Pace S.
W. S. URen will meet opponents of State
ment No. 1 in debate Thursday night.
Paae H.
CITY OF TAMPA
SWEPT BY FIRE
Burned Area, 55 Acres;
Loss $600,000.
WOMAN DIES FROM FRIGHT
Occupants of 200 Dwellings
Save Little From Flames.
FIRE CHIEF IS OVERCOME
Large Stores of Tobacco Destroyed
in .Cigar Factories Insurance
Not Half of Loss Thou
sands Left Destitute.
TAMPA. Fla., March 1. The entire ex- ,
treme northern section of this city was
destroyed by fire, ' which broke out in
a boarding-house early today and raged
uninterruptedly for four hours. The area
burned covers 55 acres or lisTi city ;
blocks; 308 building were destroyed with '
a total loss estimated at $00,000, and one
woman is dead from excitement.
The burned section included four large
and one smaller cigar factory and nu
merous restaurant, saloons, boarding
houses and over 200 dwellings, occupied
by cigarmakers. The factories burned ;
were: M. Stachelberg & Co., loss $100,000; -M.
Perea & Co., loss $),X0; Gonzales,
Fisher & Co.. loss $K.00ft; Esbeg. Gunst '
& Co., branch of Stachelberg, loss $40,
000, and Fernandez & Co., loss $-0,000.
Tobacco Stocks Destroyed.
All .the factories carried large stocks of
tobacco and cigars. The area swept by
fire embraced all that portion of the city
between Twelfth and Michigan avenues
and Sixteenth and Twentieth streets. It
originated in the boarding-house of An
tonio Diaz, 1714 Twelfth avenue, and,
fanned by a strong wind, spread fan
shaped, defying the efforts of the tire
department, which was crippled by a
low water pressure.
Occupants of over 300 dwelling-houses,
thrown Into a panic, rushed out, at
tempting to save but little of their be
longings. A Cuban woman dropped
dead from the shock.
Fire Chier Overcome.
Fire Chief Savage was overcome by
heat and smoke early in the tire but re
covered later. Citizens volunteered as
sistance to the. hard-workfng firemen, but
the spread of the flames was so rapid
that little effectual work could be done.
Among buildings, other than factories,
destroyed were the hotels and cafes of
Perez & Castro and Maximo Caras, six
saloons, twelve restaurants and ten
boarding-houses. The car barns of tiie
Tampa Electric Company, containing '20
cars, were endangered, and owing to the
destruction of the trolley wires, the cars
could not be removed. The fire finally
burned itself out at the extreme north
eastern section of the city.
Homeless Are Unemployed.
Fully half the people rendered homeless
were out of work, arid their shelter be
came an immediate problem. St. Joseph s
Convent was opened to them by ordi-r
of the Jesuit Fathers and many found
lodgings there, while others were accom
modated in homes throughout the city.
Besides these, thousands of men will bo
out of work on account of the burning
of the factories. .
The insurance is estimated at not more
than half of the loss.
The State Militia was placed on guard
tonight in the burned district to pre veil t
depredatioa.
SILVER THAW IN CHICAGO
Temperature Rises in Nick of Time
to Save Big Damage.
CHICAGO. March 1. Record-breaking
destruction of telegraph and telephone
property was averted today by a narrow
margin. Sleet tha covered wires and
poles 25 to 50 miles, '.mrth and west and
south of Chicago, and 100 to 150 miles
east, was melted during the day by a
rise of temperature just in the nick of
time. Ice-coated lines, sagging heavily,
had already begun to snap to pieces or
topple to the ground long lines of glisten
ing overweighted poles.
The worst damage was east of this
city and west of Fort Wayne. Trunk
system on the Iake Shore and Michigan
Central Railways suffered particularly.
In one instance, a stretch of nearly a
mile of poles bearing dozens of impor
tant circuits to New York and other
Eastern cities, wen down in a tangled
mass of wreckage. With the mercury
ascending a trifle, the miles of sleet dis
appeared almost as if by magic. Tonight
the telegraph officials had restored the
facilities to a basis adequate for Su'nduy
night traffic and hoped to be able to care
for bfokerage and other business tomor
row without delay.
EXPECTS STORK IN JULY
Queen of Spain Preparing for
Happy Event.
MADRID, March I. It is officially
announced that the accouchement of
Queen Victoria ia expected to take
place about the end of July. .