r VOL,. XL VIII XO. 14,804. PORTLAND, OREGON, 3IONDAY, MAY. 11, 1908. PRICE FIVE CENTS. ASKS FOR LEMON, GETS LEADEN DOSE Mrs.BerthaEttaGordon Lurch Is Shot. FATALLY HURT BY BARKEEPER Midnight Tragedy at Marsh field in a Launch. ONE OF BAD-MONEY GANG Woman Has Been Suspected of Counterfeiting and Watched by Secret Service Men Police .Record In Coast Cities. MARSHFIELD, Or., May 10. (Spe cial.) Mrs. Bertha Etta Gordon, , lotorlous in both Portland and San Francisco, and 'with police records In both, cities, was shot here last night by .1. Anderson, a bartender, better known is "Mazooke" Anderson. A bullet from l 44-calIber revolver penetrated her kidneys and the woman cannot recover. The tragedy occurred at an early hour this morning- on the gasoline launch North Bend while the boat was lied at the Marshfield docks. Mrs. Sordon was arrested once in Portland n the belief that she had something U do with passing counterfeit money, vnd she was under suspicion of similar vork here. Watched by Officers. While the officers here and Assist In t District Attorney Lillijquist will tot talk of that feature of the case, it ' Is true that the woman had been n-atched and that secret service men have visited Marshfield recently with a riew to investigating. . Bad iS and $10 jold pieces have been circulating in Coos Bay and it Is rumored that Mrs. Sordon, together with some others, have been suspected of the coinage of the spurious cofni. Anderson has been working lately aa I bartender in the Bell Cord saloon, located on Front street. He was on Suty last night. The rear door of the laloon opens on the wharf near where the passenger launches running between Vorth Bend and Marshfield land. Mrs. 3ordon came to Marshfield early last tvening and remained for several hours In a waiting room on the wharf pro vided for the boat passengers. She was seen to have loaded a revolver while she wan In the waiting room. Several times she sent to the saloon and asked to see Anderson, but he did not come. Once she telephoned for him to bring her a lemon, and he sent it to her. but by another man. Calls for Man Who Shot Her. The sAlonns close at midnight and hortly before that hour Mrs. Gordon sent to the saloon and Anderson came to the back door and there met her. As to just what followed there were no eyewitnesses. Anderson says as soon as he opened the door Mrs. Gordon put a revolver in front of his face and de manded that he go to the boat and to North Bend with her. They went down to the boat together, and Mrs. Gordon ordered the boatman to move. It was then that Anderson shot her with the revolver he carried. I'nder instructions of his attorney, Anderson will not talk of the case fur ther than to say that he fired in self defense and that he had been warned during the day that Mrs. Gordon had made threats to kill him. Immediately after the shooting Anderson went back to the saloon, where he was arrested a few minutes later by Night Officer Condron and lodged in the City Jail. Xo Hope for Recovery. Mrs. Gordon was carried to the Marsh field General Hospital, where an opera tion was performed. The bullet had pene trated the kidneys and liver and lodged In the spine and could not be extracted. There Is little hope for her recovery. Mrs. Gordon has been residing in a. house at North Bend. She came to Marshfield last Tuesday night and was arrested fof drunkenness. She was put in Jail over night and the next day told to leave Marshfield and stay away, and was re leased on those conditions. Anderson, it is said, went back to North Bend with the woman. Mrs. Gordon, after the shooting last night, stated that on this occasion Ander son robbed her of $77. She came to Marshfield, she said, last night for the purpose of taking Anderson back to North Bend and have an officer there arrest htm on landing in that city. She says that she did not flash a revolver but admits that she had one wrapped In paper. She admits also that she told Anderson she would shoot him If he did not go to North Bena with her and says that after she fell she would have shot him but could not make her revolver work. Mrs. Gordon since she has been In the hospital will not tell anything of the alleged counterfeiting gang and if she knows anything she is so far keeping it to herself. . Anderson Well Known and Liked. The grand Jury at Coquille is still in session and Anderson will be taken to that town tomorrow and confined in the County Jail. The case will be immediately presented to the grand jury by Assistant District Attorney Lillijquist. Attorney C. F. McKnight has been engaged by Ander son to defend him. lira. Gordon has lived In North Bend at different times for the, past four or five years. Her husband is Edward S. Gordon, a contractor, who erected' one of the largest buildings in North Bend and who is now said to be in Portalnd. Mrs. Gordon asked that the doctors keep her alive long enough to see her husband. With the police at San Francisco and Portland Mrs. Gordon is known as Bertha Etta Gordon alias Lurch, alias McCord She has been in trouble in both cities and her reputation on Coos Bay, was not the best. "Maiooke" Anderson had for several years past worked as a bartender in dif ferent saloons in Marshfield and also at Bandon. He also lived at Coquille some years ago and formerly worked as a timber cruiser. He Is well known among the people about the city, is about 35 years old. is a good-natured and well- i -:-.M 't ' W:-X-V V --X-'. 19 t J -it . . e Jr :;..:::. -?.: i Mrs. Bertha Etta Gordon-Lurch, Victim of Jlarshfleld Tragedy. liked fellow whose character has never been assailed. He says it was a case of kill the woman or be killed himself. CAREER OF MRS. GORDON WELJj KNOWN IN VARIOUS CIT IES ON THE COAST. Matrimonial Difficulties Get. Her ... Into Trouble at Different Times in Portland. Mrs. Edward Sam Gordon,, the woman who figured in the early morning shoot ing at Marshfield, Or., yesterday, has enjoyed the career of an adventuress on the Pacific Coast since 1905. Her -first es capade to attract the attention of the Portland public was In 1906. In Feb ruary of that year she came under police suspicion by reason of her alleged con nection with- a counterfeiting gang. This, however, was not brought home to her. Some months later she gained considera ble notoriety by claiming to be the le gitimate wife of Edward Sam Gordon, a wealthy Coos Bay lumberman, whom she afterwards married. On her first appearance in Portland she was known by her maiden name of Ber tha Etta Lurch and also as Mrs. Bertha McCord, but when registered at one of the leading hotels of the city she gave the name of Mrs. E. S. Gordon, and it is probably from this name that she af terward evolved the scheme of claiming to be the bride of the Coos Bay man. In. February. 1906, she was placed under arrest at her apartments at her hotel and later taken to San Francisco by Detective Ryan, of the police department of the Bay City. How she escaped from the toils at that time is not known, but her next appearance in Portland was later in the same year or early in 1907. when she came here and again claimed to have married Edward Sam Gordon, of Cooa Bay. at Vancouver. Wash. This Gordon strenuously denied, and when the records at the county seat of Clark county were examined It was shown that some man by the name of Edward Sam Gordon, or who had posed as such, had been married to a woman who gave her name as Bertha Etta Lurch, of Oregon City. Bertha Etta Lurch originally came from Sacramento, Cal., where her father, A. Luyh, conducted a hotel, and she is said to have secured several hundred dollars from him by means of practical swindling, and then to have run away with a man named McCord, and, as she waa known as Mrs. Bertha-McCord, this theory is believed by the police. Shortly after Edward Sam Gordon, . of Coos Bay, had Issued several published statements absolutely-denying his con nection with the woman known as Ber tha Etta Lurch or Mrs. Bertha McCord, the couple were arrested by Patrolmen Evans and Tennant for raising-a dis turbance' in the Hood Hotel. On the night in question. June 14 last, several calls had been received at ; police headquarters-to the effect that' a man was threatening to kill a woman, and in re sponse the officers were detailed to in vestigate, with the result that Gordon and the woman were arrested. The next day in the Police Court Gordon paid the fine of $5 assessed the woman on : a charge of disturbing the peace, and for feited his own ball on a continuance and the matter waa dropped. The next heard of the Gordons was to the effect that they had been regularly married, and un til yesterday morning"s episode they had dropped out of sight. Edward Sam Gordon was In Portland for several days lat week and may be here yet. but inquiry at the hotels last night failed to reveal his presence. The troubles of the Gordons, both be fore and after Edward Sam Gordon is known to have married the woman who so persistently harrassed him. are known all along the Pacific Coast, for the cou ple frequently engaged in disputes, not only in Portland, but in San Francisco and other California places. TROUBLES WITH HER HUSBAND Mrs. Gordon Familiar Figure In the Oregon City Courts. OREGON CITT, Or., May 10. (Special.) Bertha Etta Lurch was a familiar figure in Oregon City last Summer, when she was fighting a suit brought by Edward Sam Gordon to quiet title to his prop erty, a portion of which was claimed by the woman, who said that Gordon married her In California three years ago. This allegation was denied by Gordon, and in order to make her case the stronger the woman persuaded a man to go with her to Vancouver, Wash., and there Imper sonate Gordon and marry her. This was done, though It was nevr clearly estab- X Continued on, fage 3-i :s:5:i'i-: Tt '.;:& r NATION TO ADOPT ASSET CURRENCY Means New Epoch in Financial History. IMPORTANT FORWARD STEP Lessons of Recent Panic Con vince American Public. 4azs CONGRESS ANSWERS CALL Majority Party In House Takes Siap V ' nlficant Action Toward Economic Reform Mobile Property Ba sis Expanding Currency. Walter Wellman In Chicago Record-Herald. WASHINGTON, May 10. (Special.) It is a new epoch which now dawns in the financial history of the American people. Currency based upon the assets of banks that Is, upon the industries, mobile prop erty and commercial activities of the peo ple aa represented by the banks is com ing, is near at hand. It may come now in limited form by enactment of the cur rency measures upon which the Republi can leaders of the House of Representa tives are working. If It doea not come now, it will surely come soon. Answer Public's Demands. This epoch-making departure was vir tualy ushered In last week,' when by a vote of 125 to 21 the iflembers of the domi nant party in the .popular branch of Con gress decided to adopt it as' a principle. That vote was only legislative acceptance and registration of a decree of p'ublic opinion. As is often the case with re forms and progress toward better gov ernment and better things, the Congress follows where the people lead. The best opinion of America has, for some time. favored what la called asset currency. Congress is trying to echo the voice of the public. . r Forward Step Slgnll leant. In some respects this step forward is one of the most remarkable ever seen in our country. It shows again how quickly the thinking American people master a financial or economic problem, once some thing occurs to cause their thought. -The first great example of this we have had In recent times was the adoption of the gold standard by popular vote In the Presidential election of 1S96. For years we had been drifting along with an uncertain standa-xl or double standard, really fall ing between two 6tools. Then came the political threat that we should be plunged downward to a. silver basis. The shock of this danger stimulated thought in a mar velous way. With phenomenal rapidity the people educated themselves, thought it all out. In July the country was for sliver. By September it was wavering. By November it had made up its mind on the right side. Twelve months ego the American people W. H. T. DEAR ME! I AROUND EVENTS OF COMING WEEK Thirteen Mate Conventions. The conference of Governors which opens at ' Washington Wednesday promises to be one of the most Im portant news features of the week. Thirteen state convention will elect delegates to the National Convention ' during the week and a' score or more different -conventions will be held in various states for a similar purpose. ' The New York State Legislature will convene In extraordinary session at Albany on Monday, when It Is ex pected tlfat Governor Hughe will urge enactment of the Agnew-Hart anti-racetrack gambling bills and . other -Pleasures - wblch the Leglsla- ,. ture failed to pass at the recent ' session. New Currency BUI In Sight. " Confidently anticipating that the House Republican 'caucus to be held Monday 'night will "agree on the terms ofan emergency currency, the Republican leaders in Congress are preparing to give such a measure right of way whenever It shall be presented. They count upon having the bill before the House for con sideration before the close of the -week. It Is not expected the discus sion will be extended. Foraker Demands a Vote. A conflict between Senator Foraker, who has given notice that be will move to have his resolution for the reinstatement of the negro soldiers who were dismissed from the service by the President on account of the Brownsville affair, made the unfin ished business of . the Senate, and Senator Elklna, whose Joint resolu tion suspending the commodity clause of the railroad rate law. now occupies the advantageous position. Is promised Monday when Mr. Fo raker has said he will present his motion. Mr. Elkins Is anxious to have his resolution aaopted and It Is believed that he will not yield willingly. Throughout Japan there is much Interest in the general election, which will take place on Friday. were oppoeed .to asset currency. They had not thought much about It. There had been no great need of thinking. Few understood It. But there was widespread prejudice against it. Why we can easily understand. Only the oldest men remem bered the days of wildcat money. But wildcat currency was a National tradition. The people were determined to have no more of it. -Having secured paper money that was absolutely safe, they were intui tively opposed to any Innovations. They wanted no experiments. They knew their present currency, based on Government bonds, waa absolutely safe, and they feared currency based on anything else might not be safe.' Therefore the man who a year ago had dared predict that within 12 months the people of the United States would actually favor asset cur rency would have been deemed, crazy. Direct Result of Panic. Then came the panic, the needless col lapse of the banking Institutions of a great and rich country, a collapse due en tirely to the insufficient stock of cur rency, to an ill-balanced system which throws all the work upon the currency at a time when it can . least bear the strain, and fails to provide any adequate remedy in means of issuing new currency supplies to meet the extraordinary de mand. The shock of this great disaster set men thinking. President Returns Home. WASHINGTON, May 10. President Roosevelt, Mrs. Roosevelt and John Bur roughs, who have been spending several days at Pine' Knot, Mrs. Roosevelt'3 country place, returned to Washington this afternoon. . A special train of two cars brought the party back, the trip being without Incident. WISH THAT FELLOW WOULD QUIT HANGING HERE; HE MAKES ME NERVOUS." EX-SHERIFF SMITH IS FOUND GUILTY Crook County Jury De liberates 1 5 Hours. CHARGE IS THAT OF ARSON Said to Have Burned Property of Ex-Congressman. IMMUNITY NOT PROMISED Larkin Elliott, Who Turns State's Evidence, Must Stand Trial for His Share In Crimes New Trial to Be Moved at Once. PRINEVILLH, Or., May 10. (Special.) After deliberation covering more than 15 hours the jury in the case of C. Sara Smith, charged with burning J. N. Wil liamson's shearing plant, brought in a verdict of guilty, at 12:15 o'clock this afternoon. The verdict was a huge surprise to the people here, most of whom were expect ing a disagreement. Wagers were freely offered at two to one that if the Jury reached a decision at ' all the verdict would be an acquittal. This opinion was owing to the bad reputation of Larkin Elliott, the alleged accomplice and prin cipal witness for the prosecution, for truth and veracity, the unreliability of whose statements was thought to be clearly established by five responsible witnesses. Evidence was also offered to show that within the flast year Elliott had re marked, "We will have to burn Sam Smith's house and run him out of the country;" The evidence against the defendant was largely circumstantial and but for the testimony of Mrs. Larkin Elliott and Thomas Huston It is doubtful whether the state would have had a case. Another factor in the conviction was the promise made by the District Attorney to the jury, that Elliott would not be granted Immunity but would also be punished for the crime admitted. The case went to the jury at 9 o'clock yesterday evening. On the first ballot the vote stood seven to five for conviction. Five ballots were taken, when the votes changed from ten to two for conviction, and this remained until noon today, at which time the Jury requested the court to repeat the Instructions relative to the law governing circumstantial evidence. Fifteen minutes later the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Smith retained his composure during the reading of the verdict, not even changing color upon learning his fate. Counsel will move for a new trial to morrow morning. If this is granted, they say errors which iney regard as vital in the case will not be repeated. If the motion Is not granted, notice will be given to appeal to the Supreme Court. There is no question that this case will be fought then to the last ditch. This is th first case on record in Crook County where a sheepman has had suffi cient courage to endeavor to cause the punishment of those committing depreda tions on his property. Hitherto all have been content to let the matter drop, either from fear of consequences or because of insufficient evidence. According to District Attorney Menefee, the defendant will not be tried on the other three indictments against him, two of which are on felony informations and one on a misdemeanor charge. Neither are the old range war troubles to be raked up, which set the county on edge for many years. The "Shorty" Davis affair, in which a man disappeared nine years ago', has not been mentioned, for the body has not been found. In case It should be, if. is hinted that the authori ties know where to place the blame for his disappearance, having obtained lue information during the course of the pres ent trial. The general sentiment here is not one of r t ' a i - - - - ; . . "L v. C. Sara Smllh, n-Kherlff. Convicted of Arson by Crook County Jury. joy over the conviction. Much sympathy has been expressed for Smith and for his family, for they are popular people in this region. "MERRY WIDOW" SAVES UFE BUT FOB THE HAT, DOG WOULD LIE IX WATERY GRAVE. Being Carried Away by Current AVhen Mistress Throws Her Head gear "Kags'' Climbs Aboard. SEATTLE, Wash., May 10. (Special.) "Rags," a little bull terrier puppy owned by Miss Amy Dsll, of Kent, who ha been visiting friends here during the past week, has a high regard for the "Merry Widow" hat. A "Merry Widow" hat was the means of saving the puppy's life. Miss Dall and some girl friends were strolling along the bank of the Duwaml3h. One of the young women, in play, picked up the puppy and threw him Into the water. The swift current was too much for "Rags' " feeble strength and he was swept away and would no doubt have drowned had he not lodged against a stump. The young women tried to find a pole or plank which they could reach to the dog, but none proved long enough. Then Miss Dall thought of a novel means of rescue. She took off her "Merry Widow" anil tossed It to the dog. which climbed in and was towed ashore by a string that had been attached to it. DYING BY THE HUNDRED Epidemic of Typhoid Makes Fright ful Ravages In Kiev Prison. KIEV. Russia. May 10. A frightful epi demic of exanthematous typhoid is raging in the city, prison. More than 200 deaths so far have occurred, and practically -alL of the inmates are infected. The author ities are withholding details. THE DAY'S DEATH RECORD W. J. Murphy, Railroad Man. CINCINNATI, May lp. V. J. Mur phy, vice-president of the Queen and Crescent route, who was stricken with paralysis on the night of April 4, died at 3:20 this morning at his home in this city. Archbishop Casanova 111. SANTIAGO, Chile, May 1,1. Most Rev. Mariano Casanova, archbishop of San tiago, Is seriously ill. CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER Th Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum "temperature. 6X degrees; minimum, 41 decrees. TODAY'S Cloudy, with occasional show ers; westerly winds. Foreign.. No Venezuelan diplomat bids American Minister goodbye. Page 3. XationaJ. Adoption of ajwet currency will mark new epoch in financial history. Page 1. Taft settles dispute in Panama; starts home Tuesday. Pajre 3, Political. California's delegation will gro instructed for Roosevelt. Pag 2. Washington will send Taft delegation to Chicago. Page 3. Socialist convention spilt over effort to in duce faxmera to Join the party. Page 1. Ionutlc. Thousand throng to scene of tragedy on Gunnees farm. Page 3. Vice-Pre irient Fairbanks parttaipa t la dedication of parochial school at Cntcago Page 2. Paciflo Cooa. Ex-Sheriff Sam Smith convicted of arson by Crook County jury, rage 1. Mrs, Bertha Etta Gordon, alias Lurch, shot fatally by a barkeeper at Marshfield. Page 1. Debate on the university appropriation bill at Salem. Page 4. Sport. Umpire forfeits baseball game to San Fran cisco. Page 3. Portland and Vicinity. First delegates arrive for state Republican convention. Page 8. Debate on single tax amendment at People's Forum. Page 4. Dr. Brougher preaches on practical applica tion of Golden Rule. Page 8. Tents pitched for circus performance to day. Page 14. Changes planned In City Park that will remove present artificial effects. Page V. ALL NOT LOVELY FOR SOCIALISTS Rural and Urban Dele-, gates in Conflict. LET OFF ORATORY AT CHICAGO Question of Appeal to Farmers Stumbling-Block. DEBATE LASTS ALL DAY Texas Delegates Oppose Propaganda Advocated by New Yorkers Debs and Haywood Leading Aspir ants Presidential Honors. CHICAGO, May 10.-Vith a whirlwind of oratory, the Socialist party delegates opened the National convention here to day. The first session, which lasted from noon until early evening, developed indi cations of a clash between urban Social ists and Socialists of the agricultural classes, 'and already the line of cleavage appears to be sharply drawn. The issue, according to the tenor ot several spirited addresses by men and women delegates, is whether the Socialist party shall make a special appeal to the farmers of the country to join the ranks of Socialism. The question was still up on adjournment, for the day. E. V. Debs and W. D. Haywood, seem ingly are the logical aspirants lor the Presidential nomination. The contest be tween them promises to bo close. Refuse Seats to Women Delegates. The net results of the session were: A refusal to permit the women delegates to be seated by a majority of the com mittee on rights of women with regard to the Socialist movement; a refusal tq name a committee to discuss immigration, and a fight lasting through several ballots on t e questions of proposed overtures to the farmers and reference ot the same to a committee of nine. The debate and the repeated voting on the last proposition was the significant development of the day. Representatives of the city membership of the party ap peared to be practically unanimous in demanding an appeal to the farmer vote. New York City, Chicago, Milwaukee and other cities voted as a unite in the affirm ative'. On the other hand, Texas, Okla homa and. in fact, nearly all of the dis tinctly agricultural districts, voted against the proposition. Following the truce on this question upon its being referred to the committee, the two-thirds rule of con trol came up, and a spirited debate fol lowed. Debate Two-Thirds llule. Chairman Secretary Moustcrmnn of the rules committee reported a clause provid ing that a two-thirds vote should he necessary for the nomination of candi dates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency. The debate was scarcely under way when adjournment was taken and the proposition will be the first order to morrow. The credentials committee reported con tests over the. seating of delegates lie Devitt of California and Goebel of New Jersey. A provisional committee from the State of .Washington also contested the seating of delegates from that state. In each case the delegates were seated pending further investigation of their credentials. The rules adopted by the convention provided for the selection of a chairman and secretary each day. Morris Hilquist, of New York, was named as temporary chairman for today's session. Kraik 1. Wheat was made temporary secretary. Welcome at Garrlrk Tlieater. Before the convention proper the dele gates met at the Garrick Tlieater, where they were welcomed to Chicago by Chi cago Socialists. The theater whs crowded and many were turned away. Music was furnished by the United German So cieties, the United Scandinavian Societies and the Jewish Hinging Society. The meeting opened with the singing of the "Marseillaise" in whleh delegates and visitors Joined. G. T. Fraenirkel delivered the address of welcome on behalf of the city and he was followed hy Morris Hilqusit, of New York, International sec retary of the Socialist movement. The announcement was made at this meeting that El V. Debs had been de tained by sickness in his family. BISHOP MOORE CHARGED With Three Others Must Stand Trial at Conference. BALTIMORE, ifay 10. The feature of tnday for the delegates to the Quadren nial General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was a big temperance meeting at the Lyric, at which Governor Frank Hanley, of Indiana, was the prin cipal speaker. During the week there will be consid ered the charges preferred by Rev. George A. Cooke, of New York, against Bishops David II. Moore, of Portland. Or.; Daniel A. Goodsell, Boston: William F. McDowell, of Chicago, and Joseph F. Berry, of Buffalo. Mr. Cooke charges all four of the bishops with maladminis tration. The charges grew out of rulings on charges which Rev. Cooke has preferred against prominent Methodists. Including Rev. Dr. J. M. Buckley, of New York, Chancellor James R. Day, of Syracuse University, and Professor Borden Bowno, of Boston University. The alleged mal administration of the bishops is said to lie in the fact that they did not rule correctly when charges against the men were laid before them.