THE MORNING'
SHOOTS GIRL TO
handle say snow Is falling and a, freezing
DEATHBEDMEETING
temperament prevails.
A drenching rain pf from two to four
inches Is reported in Arkansas.
1
HALF OF COUNTY STTB MERGED
AVOID MARRIAGE
l PENITENTIARY
Unceasing Downpour Causes Flood
at Louisville.
LOUISVILLE. Ky., March 9. Owing to
an unceasing downpour of rain In - this
vicinity since early Monday, this end of
Jefferson County is submerged.
"Strange Motive of Murder by
Mueller, Who Confesses
Crime.
Convict Mother Bids Goodbye
to Husband and Son, Also
Convicts, in Prison.
Renders the
SECOND TORNADO IN GEORGIA
One Killed and Many Injured at
Cuthbert by Tempest. .
CUTHBEIRT, Ga., March . One man
was killed, a number injured and much
food more wholesome and su
perior in lightness and flavor.
LACKS NERVETO BREAK OFF
ENTIRE FAMILY IN JAIL
, '
The only baking powder
made from
Royal Grape Cream of Tartar.
lielievcd to Have Sent I'oisoned
Candy to Himself In Order to
Make Bluff at Suicide and
Frighten Girl Away.
BALTIMORE. Md., March 9. (Special.)
Lacking the nerve to break his engage-
ment to marry Jennie Reed, Joseph Muel-
T lr in order to free himself of his fiancee,
the police say, wrote a letter to himself
attacking her character, then he sent
himself a box of poisoned candy and,
these schemes falling to move the girl.
, he took her out into the woods and shot
'.. her in the back of the head.
Confesses He Killed Girl.
Such Is the solution of the mysterious
ftory that Jennie Reed had been shot
end killed by highwaymen while taking
a moonlight stroll with her affianced in
the suburbs last night. It is based on
the confession made today by Mueller
that it was he who shot the girl, and the
statement by Captain of Detectives
. Humphrey that Mueller wanted to get
rid of Jennie Reed and. in order to do
so had written the letter attacking her
- character and sent himself the poisoned
- candy with which to make a bluff at
; suicide. The couple had set the wedding
; day for April 11 and were furnishing
their future home.
The detectives got Mueller tangled up
Until he made & confession today, saying:
His Version of Shooting.
"I Teft home with my intended wife,
Jennie Reed. We boarded a Gay-street
car and transferred to a Mount Wash
ington car. When I got off the car I
crossed the road at the station. . She
said, 'It is too dark: I want you to go
with me." I pulled my revolver out and
-went with her. She was walking ahead
of me -we had to walk in a path. I then
Baw a shadow In the woods which fright
ened me. I then raised the pistol and
shot at the shadow, as I thought there
was harm coming to me. I was so ex
cited that I fired the second shot at the
same place. I saw Jennie Resd fall to
the ground, and when I saw what I had
done, I ran away to Mr. Marrlman's
House. I threw the pistol away, after I
realized what I had done. I had no In
tention of throwing -the pistol away, but
being excited and nervous, I did not know
what I was doing."
Later the revolver was found in the
enow 25 feet from where the girl fell.
Two shots had been fired and the re
volver was cocked ready for a third shot.
The girl was shot twice in the head.
Planned to Escape Marriage.
Captain of Detectives Pumphrey de
clared today, after helping put Mueller
through a close examination, that he be
lieved that Mueller did not want to marry
the girl and that he had planned a long
way ahead to prevent It.
I have always believed," said the
Captain, "that Mueller did not receive
that box of poisoned candy from anyone
save himself. I believe he sent it to him
self. It was part of his plan. He in
tended to poison the girl, but to allay
suspicion first sent the poison to him
self. The letter he received last Decem
ber threatening him with harm If he did
not cease his attentions to Miss Reed
Mueller sent to himself in an effort to
send the girl away from him."
At the Coroner's inquest evidence was
Introduced to show that the place where
the shooting took place was dark; that a
highwayman could not have seen tha
necklace worn by the girl, and that Muel
ler could not have seen the alleged
highwayman's pistol glisten.
NAMED TO CHEER SOUTH
Dickinson Says Taft Appointed Him
for Good of Whole Nation.
CHICAGO. March 9. Jacob M. Dickin
son, Secretary of War. told in an address
before the Iroquois Club tonight why
. President Taft appointed him, a South
ern Democrat, to his Cabinet.
"Moved by no obligation to the South."
he said, "but by strong friendship and
sympathy for the Southern people, and
still more by a patriotic love for the en
tire country, whose welfare is necessarily
bound up in that of the South, he de
termined to invite into his Cabinet a
Southern man. thereby giving assurance
to tha Southern people that, although
their solid electoral vote was against
him, ho wanted them to feel that they
were in close relation with his Adminis
tration, and would be in no sense alien
to It."
HARRIMAN FINDS BEGGAR
Tramp Then Confesses He Excited
.False Sympathy IFroiii Wizard.
EL PASO. Tex., March 9. The one
armed beggar who excited K. H. Harri
maiVs sympathy with a story of having
boon injured while in the employ of the
Southern Pacific, has been located on the
Kl Paso rockpile by railroad detectives,
who have been searching for the man
under instructions from their chief.
The beggar admits that his story of
having been employed by the Southern
Pacific was false. Harriman gave him
ft dime in Tucson and sent orders from
Isew Mexico to have him located.
DEATH LIST EXCEEDS 80
(Continued From First Page.)
PIOXEEIl OF 1850 UHAD, AGED
04 YEARS,
tt..
i ft--; .?: ' ' VSv, .
t l ' ! ' ,
I l ;"
if V"
t Mrs. Susan (lbon I'orter, De
t ceased.
OREGON CITY, Or.. March 9.
(Special.) Mrs. Susan Gibson
Porter, who died Saturday at the
homo of her daughter, Mrs. W.
W. H. Samson, was born In Wash
ington County, Kentucky, De
cember 22. 1814. At the age of
5 she moved with her parents to
Missouri, where she was married
to Alfred Turner. In 1850 they
started West. At Green River
her husband died of camp fever,
and his body was Interred on
the plains. After his death two
of the children died before reach
ing Oregon. With her other three .
little children MVs. Turner came
to Oregon, and in 1851 was mar
ried to Stephen Porter, who died
several years ago.
Mrs. Porter was the mother of
Mrs. Luclnda Hales, of Waits
burg, Wash.: Mrs. L. E. Arm
strong, of Macksburg, Clackamas
County; Mrs. J. E. Palmer, of
Mount Angel, - Or.; Mrs. J. R.
Samson, of this city. The three
stepchildren are David Porter, of
Lexington, Or.; John T. Porter,
of Yakima, Wash., and Mrs.
Nancy L. Magers, of Oregon City.
There are 12 grandchildren, 19
great-grandchildren and one
great-great-grandchild.
property destroyed by a tornado here tonight.
Blizzard' Rages Over Northwest.
ST. PAUL. March C A blizzard Is
raging through Northern Iowa and South
Dakota and telegraphic communication
is being interfered with.
"Worst Blizzard of Winter.
MENOMINEE, Mich., March 9. The
worst blizzard of tho Winter prevails in
this vicinity today.
ASHLAND WILL ADVERTISE
BOOSTER MEETING BRINGS OUT
1200 PEOPLE.
this vicinity as the result of the tori
nado. Among the dead are three
brothers.
: RECORD SNOWFALL FOR. YEARS
Eighteen Inches of AVet and Clinging
Flakes at Junction City.
TOPEKA. Kan.. March 9. The heaviest
snow storm of the year prevails here and
reports from the railroads indicate that
the storm is general. The temperature is
about freezing and the snow Is wet and
heavy. Over IS inches of snow fell at
Junction City, the heaviest fall recorded
- there In years. The electric line between
Junction City and Fort Riley is tied up,
but railroad traffic has not been seriously
Interfered with.
7 Oklahoma City reported three Inches of
pnow, while advices from the Texaa Pan-
Enthuslastlc Speeches Are Made
and Large Sum Pledged for
Publicity Work.
ASHLAND, Or., March 9. (Special.)
For several days past citizens of this
garden spot of Southern Oregon have
appeared on the streets wearing badges
bearing the inscription "Ashland
Booster Mass Meeting. Chautauqua
Building, Tuesday evening, March 9
1909." .
In 'fulfillment of this notice a mon
ster meeting was held tonight In the
large auditorium at which the leading
citizens of this city participated.
President E. T. Staples, of the Ashland
Commercial Club, and one of Oregon's
booster spirits, called the meeting to
order and ex-lained the objects and
aims of the Commercial Club to adver
tise Oregon.
As an evidence of their enthusiasm,
merchants of the city closed their
stores at 4 o'clock and a band parad
ed the streets. The attendance at the
meeting was 1200. Ex-State Senator
E. V. Carter, Attorney B. D. Briggs.
Rev. Ward MacHenry and many other
"boosters" addressed the meeting,
which was unanimously enthusiastic in
the proposition to advertise the ad
vantages of Ashland and this section
of Southern Oregon.
The City of Ashland is last taking
front rank among the progressive cen
ters of Oregon. The streets are to be
paved, a municipal light plant is to be
installed, the normal school Is to be
continued, and many other civic Im
provements ar contemplated.
A large fund was subscribed at the
meeting in support of the advertising
campaign.
WAR TROPHIES FOR A-Y-P
Japan to Exhibit Cruisers Captured
From Russia.
SEATTLE, Wash., March 9. (Special )
Consul T. Tanaka has received cable
advices from Tokio to the effect that Ja
pan has decided to send two cruisers to
Seattle to be in these waters for a week
at the opening of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific
Exposition.
Tho two vessels that will be sent here
are the Aso and the Soya, cruisers that
were captured and renamed by Japan
during the war with Russia. The Aso
was the Russian chuiser Bayan and the
Soya was the Varlag. captured at Che
mulpo. The vessels are scheduled to leave
Japan in a few days.
Only One "BKOMQ QUIXI JfJ5"
That la LAXATIVE BKOUO yUININB. Look
tor the signature of K. W. GROVE. Used th
World ovti to Cura a. Cold la On Day. 25c
Today is positively the last dav for
discount on West Bide gas bills. Read
"Gas Tips."
Mrs. Wilson, Alias Staff Uhatk, 7 9
Years Old, Dies While Serving
Sentence for Murder Was
a Noted Criminal.
LEA VEX WORTH. Kan.. March 9.
Mrs. Nancy Wilson, generally known as
Mrs. Staffleback, one of the most notori
ous women prisoners In the Kansas peni
tentiary, died of pneumonia today. Mrs.
Staffleback was Ta years old.
Mrs. Staffleback realized her serious
condition and asked that her son. George
Staffleback. a lifetime convict, and
Charles Wilson, her second husband, an
other convict, be brought to her bedside.
They were taken over by the prison of
ficials and told laey could remain with
her until she died.
Seeks Death In Ereedom.
George Staffleback. her son. nearly col
lapsed when brought to his mother's cell.
He asked If something could not be done
so that his mother might die outside the
penitentiary. The mother, who was con
scious, begged to be permitted to die out
side. The prison officials told her they
could do nothing.
Mrs. Staffleback was brought to the
penitentiary to serve a 21-year sentence
for murder In the second degree. At the
same time two of her sons were brought
In under life sentences, a third son to
serve seven years, and Charles Wilson,
her second husband, to serve 25 years.
. Family All in Prison.
One of the sons serving a life sentence
died four years ago. The third son
served out his sentence and it Is reported
that he Is now serving a term in the Mis
souri penitentiary.
The Stafflebacks lived near Galena,
Kan., and were accused of numerous
atrocious murdars. They ran a hotel,
and it was alleged that they murdered
guests who had money and threw the
bodies into a deserted mine. A number
of skeletons were found on the premises.
The StafTlebacks are generally ranked
next to the Benders in the list of notori
ous Kansas murderers.
OLIVER TO SUCCEED KNOX
Pittsburg Publisher dominated for
Senator by Caucus.
HARRISBURG. Pa.. March 9.-George
T. Oliver, of Pittsburg, was named to
day as the Republican candidate for
United States Senator to succeed P C
Knox by the joint caucus of the Senate
and House.
George T. Oliver was a member of the
steel-manufacturing firm of Oliver Bros
& Phillips until it was bought out by
the United States Steel Corporation He
then bought the Pittsburg Commercial
Gazette and later the Times and con
solidated them under the name of the
Gazette-Times. His brother, Henry W
Oliver, was a member of the Tariff Com
mission of 18S2.
Today is positively tho last day for
discount on West Side gas bills. Read
Gas Tips."
PROMISES NO DELAY
Ballinger to Act Promptly on
Deschutes Road.
ONLY AWAITS REPORTS
lUght of Way lo Be Granted If Land
orfioe and Reclamation Engi
neer Declare I5ou t Is
Practicable.
OREGOXIAN NEWS BURE1A.L". Wash
ington, March 9. Secretary Ballinger
said today there would be no undue de
lay in passing upon the application of
the Harriman railroad for a right of way
through the Descnutes Canyon. He has
called upon the Land Office and Reclama
tion Service to prepare for him a. full
report of all facts and when- the state
ments are ready he will give them
thorough and prompt consideration and
act as he believes the facts justify.
Engineer Schleck, who Is now at
Deschutes making an investigation, will
be expected to report at tho earliest
practicable moment.
XO CHANGE IX WOOL DUTIES
But HouFe Committee Will Cut
Rates on Woolen Goods.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington. March 9. it Is currently . re
ported that the ways and means com
mittee has decided to make no change
in the present duty on wool, though a
material reduction will be made In the
duty on woolen manufactures.
It 1b also reported that the present
duty on shingles. 30 cents per thou
sand, will stand unchanged.
WILL CHOOSE ACOOUXTAVT
Ballinger Asks Bourne to Name
Sucessor to Roberta.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington. March 9. A. successor to A. T.
Roberts, late Receiver of the La Grande
Land Office, will . probably be appointed
soon after Congress convenes. Senator
Bourne has been requested to submit
his name. It is the intention of Secre
tary Ballinger that the new Receiver
shall be well versed In accounting, so
that there will be no further difficulty
with the financial affairs of that office.
TRIITT FOR ALASKA JUDGE
Hcyburn AVI11 Recommend lllm for
Newly-Created Of rice.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington. March 9. Senator lieyburn to
day urged the President to appoint
ex-Judge Warren Truitt. of Moscow,
Idaho, to the new Federal Judgeship
created in Alaska. Under tho law this
appointment cannot bo made before
July 1. Senator Borah Is favorable to
Mr. Truitt's appointment. Mr. Truitt
was Federal Judge In Alaska for many
years.
Chamberlain Calls on Taft.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington, March 9. Senator Chamberlain,
accompanied by his colleague, called
at the White House today to pay his
respects to President Tait. He stated
later that there 1 ad been no discussion
of the Oregon Judgeship and that no
matters of public Importance were mentioned.
WAIST LINE NEAR KNEES
Dressmakers Agree to Return lo
Eleven tli Onturjr Style.
CHICAGO, March 9. The annual ses
sion of the dressmakers' convention,
which begins here tomorrow, will be sig
nalized by important edicts dooming the
directoire gown and Ttlndred styles and
Indorsing costumes of the 10th. 11th, 12th
and loth centuries. "The waist line," it
Is announced, "will be near the kneea,"
which means that there will be no such
thing as a vakt line.
Clatsop Jury Excused.
ASTORIA. Or.. March 9. (Special).
Judge McBrlde yesterday excused the
Circuit Court Jury for the rest of the
term. The present session of the court
has been a remarkable one, as there
have been 77 pleas of guilty entered,
principally for violations of the liquor
laws, and only one trial on a criminal
charge, and In that a conviction was
secured.
Benn Wins Mayoralty Content.
ABERDEEN. Wash., March 9. (Spe
cial.) In the contest for Mayor today,
E. B. Benn won. carrying all wards ex
cept the first. He defeated R. A. Wiley.
Roy Sargent was re-elected Treasurer
and Peter Clark. Clerk, without opposition.
Yakima Returns to Prunes.
NORTH YAKIMA, Wash.. March 9.
(Special.) The prune Industry of Yak Una
Valley Is to be revived. Old orchards in
this vicinity, that have been neglected
for a number of years are being gtven
attention this spring, and the crop is to
be carefully watched.
A FACT
If you do not visit us at
GREGORY" HEIGHT
pretty soon you will never be your
own landlord on the easy terms
we are offering-, as long as you
remain in, Portland. This is the
last piece of City Home Site Proper
ty that will ever be sold
FOR $100 A. LOT
Say what you will, it's a fact. There
never was and there never will be
another GREGORY
who will build you a
home and sell you a
lot for only Ten Dol
lars a. Month.
TAKE THIS CAR AT THIRD
AND YAMHILL AND RIDE
TO THE END. GREGORY
WILL MEET YOU THERE.
Wfcr4fii
A
.
t
LHEVHSnSTE
THE GREAT PIANIST
STEENTWAY
THE GREAT PIANO
Will Be Heard at the Heilig
Theater Tuesday, March 1 6
A GREAT ARTIST - A GREAT PIANO
STEIN WAY PIANOS SOLD
ONLY BY
Sherman, Clay Co,
OPPOSITE POSTOFFICE
No other instrument
like the Victor
You can't imagine how sweet
and clear and true to life Victor
music is. You can't compare the
Victor with any similar instrument
you ever heard.
You never heard, anything like
it unless you had the plea'sure of
hearing the world's famous bands
and most celebrated singers them
selves. " Prove it for yourself. Hearing s believing. Go
to the nearest Victor dealer's he will gladly play any
Victor music you want to hear.
There's a Viciar for YOU $10 to $250. Easy
rayments can be arranged with your dealer.
Write to o for complete catalogues.
Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N.J.
To let beat result. ue only Victor Needles on Victor Secords
b "on,PIet f Victor Records for March
will be found in the March number of Century, Current
Literature, Everybody's, McClure's, Munsey's, Scrib
ner ; and April Cosmopolitan.
Sherman ay'& Go
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
VICTOR MACHINES
RECORDS AND SUPPLIES
SIXTH AND MORRISON STS OPP. POSTOFFICE