The Sunday Oregonian., March 18, 1900, Image 13

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THIRTY-TWO PAGES
I PAGES 13 TO 24
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VOL. XDC
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH 18, 1900.
NO. 11.
Wm. Gadsby
....THE HOUSEFURNISHER....
GADSBY BLOCK
It's Truly a Great
Furniture-Buying
Headquarters
THE PRICES!
It is as true as daylight We should be doing less than our duty were It
otherwise. Our guarantee of values and prices is more than the backing
of another man's promise. "We are not mere indorsers to stand between
factory and buyer. "We give you our own promise and assurance.
THESE SHOWINGS WE ARE JUSTLY PROUD OF THIS SEASON
The Dining TablesModest and Elegant
The Beautifully Designed Rockers and Chairs
The Matchless Chamber Suits and Dressers
The Stylish iron Beds
The Beautiful Chiffoniers and Sideboards
The Rich Furniture In general
And Our Carpet Department, you must visit that
NOW WHAT WE'VE DESCRIBED WOULD MAKE OUR STOCKS
SEEM EXTRAVAGANT BADLY SAID, THEN; FOR OUR METHODS
MAKE PRICES LOWEST. Truly it's the state's Greatest Furniture Busi
ness, and the whole country knows the news.
EASY TERMS IF SO DESIRED
. GADSBY,The Housef urnisher
The Oadby Block, Cor. Washington and First Sts.
aeecaeei
aeries
In endless variety
invite....
Your inspection
New Spring
And Summer
Vr
AH the latest novelties in fine foreign
and domestic woolens for gentlemen's
garments to order.
Our well-known cash method saves you ten
to twenty dollars on suit or overcoat on prices
charged by the credit-giving tailor.
Satisfaction guaranteed In all cases.
Garments to order in eight hours, if required.
All work made in this city by best jour, tailors.
Samples mailed, garments expressed.
- 108 Third Street,
THIS
Road Wagons
Better Ones at $50,
t Runabouts
TUDEBAKER
Carriages, Wagons, Harness,
Corner First and Washington
So much of newness Is shown here
this season so many novel designs
are getting their first airing, that buy
ers will find more than usual to in
tercst them.
No one concern can
ever do af! the furniture
business, but one con
cern can do a business
best.
We are satisfied to be that singular
concern.
WE AGAIN WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THAT CLAIM
A Warm Welcome
Callers
near Washington
WEEK
$60, $75 and $100
from $60 to $250
32f-336 E. Morrison St.
H
-&
A -. MLsflH raH
rl7, w v
WAI!
WITH BRYAN DEFEAT
Old-Line Democrat Frowns on
Fusion.
A NOLTNER'S VIEWS OF SITUATION
Xotlxinsr But Disaster for Party Un
less It ZtetHrn to Its Time
t liOBored Principle.
A. Noltner, editor of the Portland
Weekly Dispatch, and a representative
old-line Democrat, who refuses to fuss
with Populists and other disgruntled poli
ticians, does not favor the nomination of
Colonel William J. Bryan by the Demo
cratic National Convention. While rec
ognizing Colonel Bryan's ability and puri
ty, ho thinks such a step unwise and im
politic. Several Questions on this subject
were askod him, and his replies were
given in full.
In answer to the question, "Are you in
favor of the nomination of Colonel Bry
an?" he said:
"That is a direct question. As a pub
lisher and editor, I have made It the rule
of my life never to favor any man for
office. I have always believed that the
party, when convened In convention,
should make the selection of candidates
and adopt the principles which should
appeal to the people for their support.
As a private Individual, you will have to
pardon me for explaining my reasons be
fore answering your question. I recog
nize the fact that Sir. Bryan is strong
and closo to the hearts of the people. This
fact it Is useless to deny. But I also
know that where he Is the strongest the
Democratic party has the least show of
success. He was short in 1S96 42 votes.
Ho lost Maryland and Kentucky. These
two states he will probably carry If nom
inated this year. But he will lose one
vote in California and four votes in Wash
ington, which would still leave him short
of an election 25 votes, provided he car
ried all the states he did in 1S3S. Now
the question is, where is he going to get
these 25 votes? If he should carry In
diana, ho is just as likely to lose South
Dakota or some other state to make an
offset. Now comes the question. Is he the
man who can make a sure thing of carry
ing New York or Illinois, in addition to
the states he carried before? These are
the states most likely to go for the Dem
ocratic nominee. There Is, too, much
political nonsense in talk of such states
as Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa and others.
"If tho Democrats want to win, they
must select the man who can carry the
two states I have named. I recognize the
fact that Mr. Bryan is a great leader,
and that leadership turned to another
nominee could be made more effective and
more certain of success than if he were
the candidate himself. The Issues must
be on purely Democratic lines, the main
one being the tariff, which has been so
effectively thrust upon the country; while
the banking law which has recently been
passed by Congress, ship subsidies and
the government of our newly acquired
possessions will be effective weapons
against the party in power. On the new
Issues thus made, the Gold Democrats,
who supported McKInley, are in "harmony
with the Bryan Democrats, but they are
not sufficiently so to overcome their ex
pressed want of j:onftdence in Mr. Bryan
to effectively come to his support. I be
lieve there are other Demorati who can
more assuredly unite the party on the
new Issues and bring New York. Connec
ticut, Indiana and Illinois Into the Demo
cratic column. For these reasons and
others which might be stated, I do not
think It is good political policy to nomi
nate Mr. Bryan. I am not much of a
man worshipper. I believe In the princi
ples of the Democratic party, and have
always opposed the surrender of any of
them for temporary success upon side
issues."
Objects to Radical Pop.
"How about the Populists?" was asked.
"So far as the Popull3ts are concerned,
I think the conservative members of the
organization are prepared to act with the
Democrats, and that there is no longer
any desire on their part to keep up an or
ganization. The radical elements in that
party have no sympathy or union of sen
timent -with the Democrats. They believe
in paternalism In the Government, a the
ory which is better represented in the
tariff and money system of the Repub
lican party than any views ever enter
tained by the Democrats in that direction,
and they are so radical in. their demands
that no conservative party can gratify
or submit to their demands."
"Then you believe In the Democrats
taking an Independent course and not
forming a union with the Populists?"
"Yes," said Mr. Noltner, "I most assur
edly do. The alliance business has been
tested, and no good has resulted. If the
Democrats adopt a platform and place
men upon it that can command the peo
ple's support, they will get it, whether it
be through an alliance or on their own
account. I believe the Democrats should
go into the contest with a plain promise
to the people that they will be responsible
to them for the faithful administration of
public affairs, and that the party has no
side obligations to fulfill if entrusted with
the management of the Government, and
that it will be lor the people and of the
people."
"Do you think Colonel Bryan will be
nominated?" was the next question.
"Yes, unless the action of tho Populists
should bo such in their national conven
tion as to endanger his chances In tho
Democratic convention. Should ho be
nominated by the Populists In South Da
kota on a platform of that party, and he
should accept that as his creed, the Dem
ocratic convention will not take him and
place him on a more conservative plat
form. One would neutralize the other,
and the conditions In the campaign would
bo such as to make the Democrats re
sponsible for the Populist platform, which
many conservative Democrats would as
suredly not be willing to do."
Democrats May Win.
"What do you think are the chances
of Democratic success," asked the re
porter. "I regard them most favorably, no mat
ter who Is nominated," was the reply.
"McKInley Is not by any means as strong
as he was in 1895. He has disgusted his
own party and can get no support from
the Gold Democrats, and if a man and
platform are presented which can gain
the hearty support of this class of voters,
his defeat is assured. The Democrats,
however, must place their dependence
upon carrying New York, Illinois, In.
dlana and Connecticut, and not upon
Western Republican states. Some of
these may go Democratic, but they can
not be relied upon."
"Whom do you regard as the most avail
able man for the states named," was
asked.
"For Illinois and Indiana," he replied.
"ex-Vice-PresIdent Stevenson, In my opin
ion. Is the strongest man, with Mayor
Harrison as a close second; for the East,
Senator A. P. Gorman would be strong.
while either Olney or Whitney would
be a sure winner. The Democrats
are not confined to a scarcity of avallables.
There are many of them. In Western Re
publican states. I regard Mr. Bryan as
the strongest man, and I do not look
upon him with disfavor In the views I
have here expressed. He would be prefera
ble to many who voted for McKInley last
election over him this time, and I am not
suro but what the public sentiment has
so far changed but what he would bo able
to defeat him. The Republicans would
ralso tho calamity howl against Mr. Bry
an the day he Is nominated, and this
would have the effect of intlmjdatlng
many voters, as It did In 1S53, which they
could not make as good use of against
almost any other man the Democrats
might select,
Talks Oregon Politics.
"What do I think of Oregon? I think
with Its divisions and heartburnings, you
will see a considerable change In the
next election, and I would not be sur
prised to see the next Legislature Dem
ocratic It should be."
"Will Oregon send a Bryan delsgatlon,"
was asked.
"Yes, I think so," Mr. Noltner an
swered. "This is one of tho states In
which he is strong, and a man to repre
sent Oregon in the National Convention,
whllo personally opposed to his nomina
tion, would not represent the state were
ho not to vote for Bryan's nomination."
"Will the state convention instruct for
him," was another question.
"I do not know," was the reply. "It
has never attempted Buch a thing but
once, and then some of the delegates re
fused to serve. I think it would be and is
bad policy to Instruct delegates to any
convention."
BLANCHE BATES' NEW ROLE
Portland Girl Wins Renown as "Mme.
Butterfly."
Like the spook of the late lamented Mr.
Banquo, Blanche Bates, former Portland
girl, now emotional actress of National
renown, will not down. The attempt to
convict her of too great an exposure of
silken holsery In "Naughty Anthony" did
not succeed. And before the ripple of ex
citement that began in Gotham and ex
tended across the Continent over Miss
Bates' exposition of stockings to the Sal
vation Army lassies had died away, 6ho
again found herself on the glided pinna
clo of fame. Just now she is winning his
trionic laurels In David Belasco's new
play, "Mme. Butterfly." 'In speaking of
this production, Clement Scott, a well
known dramatic critic, says: "This 'Mme.
Butterfly Is what painters would call a
study In profound pathos. It is a long
monologue of expectancy, hope, despair
and heart-rending grief. Such a play must
necessarily be Intensely sad, but surely
we should all render thanks to an actress
who can so analyze, dissect and pour
out before us so convincingly all the agon
ies of a broken heart. This play is a
tragedy In little, and. of conn;, it awm
Its whole success to the actress who plays
for one long hour on an ever-tuneful harp
of emotion.
"Miss B:anche Bates Is never at fault
from the rising of the curtain to the fall.
Her accent, half English, half American,
Is exactly correct She might have lived
m Japan all her life, and even If she had
she could not better have Impersonated
the Ideal Geisha. The shuffling walk; the
mock servility, the pride, the hate, the
revenge, the passion for the child, the
Joy of life while thnre is sunshine. th
determination to die when night creeps
on, are as true to the poem as to the
woman realized before us."
Tho dramatic critic of the, New York
Sun, in speaking of Miss Bates In this snme
production, said: "If Mr. Belasco were
enough of a wizard to reduce Blanche
Bates in size one half ana make her a
doll of a Japanese, she would be all right
In quantity as she Is now In quality. She
Is equally expert with the comicality and
the sadness. She Is that scarce Individual
among actresses a good mimic"
Mr. Scott, the writer first referred to,
also said of this presentation: "All is
well; the exquisite picture of Japan, the
sunset and moonlight effects of the wor
shipped Fugehama, even detail of the
Japanese house, the apple blossoms and
all the delights of this fascinating fairy
land. But all this Joy is a background to
an epic of death handled by a consum
mate artist Blanche Bates."
a
WINTER TO MILD SPRING.
North Dakota Man Relishes a Visit
to Portland.
Sheriff Severn, of Jamestown, N. D., was
In Portland yesterday on his way to Cor
nelius, Washington County, to visit rela
tives. He captured an escaped Walla
"Walla prisoner at Jamestown, and while
out as far as Walla Walla concluded he
would make a short tour of the North
west, and -visit Astoria and Puget Sound.
When he left his home last Wednesday
the thermometer was 10 degrees below
zero, though the season has been con
sidered "open" in North Dakota this year.
The escaped prisoner whom he had re
turned to the Walla Walla penitentiary
was James Livingstone, who had been
sentenced to 17 years for murder, but had
been liberated on nnrolo nftr .ft- v,
confinement Through good behavior and
Dy respecting tne provisions of the parole
his term would have expired In four years,
and there was good reason to "believe that
he could have been pardoned within two
years, but he chose to take chances and
make a dash for comnletft llhorf-c unit mn
he will have 12 years to serve. The pris
oner gave no trouble on the trip out, as
he was chained to the Sheriff, night and
day, and could not have left the train
without taking Mr. Severn with him. At
night. Sheriff and prisoner occupied the
same berth, the porter taking charge of
the Sheriffs firearms. Warden Catron, of
the penitentiary, was also along, he hav
ing followed Livingstone to Jamestown for
the purpose of Identification.
Sheriff Severn says he was struck forc
ibly by the large number of idle men In
the streets of Walla Walla, but that War
den Catron explained to him:
"Those aro not idle men; they are farm
ers. Out here a farmer puts In his crop
and hasn't a thing to do until harvest
time comes. Then he gathers his hay
and grain, and can take things easy until
time to put in another crop."
This is not the way they do In North
Dakota, the Sheriff sav. ns farm.m ,,.,-,,
have to get in and hustle while the short
spring and summer lasts, or they will get
uuiuius uune. in winter tne farmer is
forced to be Idle, as it Is too cold to work,
so when the stock has been cared for
people have little to do but try to keep
warm. The mild, summer-like weather and
waving green fields of Oregon are a rev
elation to him. and It Is likely he will
decide to come here with his family and
reside, before many years.
CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Some Unscrupulous Woman Uslns
Mme. Sterling's Xaine.
Based upon an article published 10 dajs
ago In the Summit County Beacon, at
Akron, O., a statement was printed that
Mrs. B. W. Sterling, a palmist, who Is al
leged to have been acting dishonestly In
Akron, was. recently operaimg in Portland.
This is evidently an error. The only
palmists named Sterling who have been
In Portland recently are B, E. Sterling and
his wife. Mme. Grace Sterling, who were
hero when the alleged fraud was per
petrated In Akron, and who are here yet
Mme. Sterling says that she was at Ak
ron about two years ago, and that she
believes some unscrupulous person has
been trading on the reputation of her hus
band's name.
WANT THE SWITCH
South Portland Eager for the
Transfer Road.
FRONT-STREET OWNERS OPPOSE IT
Street Committee Listens to Both
Sides and Defers Action, for
Tvro Weeks.
No action was taken yesterday afternoon
by the committee on streets on either the
Fifth-street street-car franchise or the
franchise asked for laying a standard
gauge railroad track down Front street
to the Jefferson-Street depot. The Fifth
street franchise may be amicably settled
between the Portland Traction Company,
asking the privilege, and the City & Subur
ban, the company owning a franchise over
the First-street bridge, which Is a por
tion of the route applied for by the Trac
tion Company. The "City & Suburban's
lease of the old Second-Street line soon
expires, and the negotiations look to the
Portland Traction Company acquiring the
interests of this concern, with Its fran
chise. Until It Is seen whether amicable
arrangements can be made, tho committee
will not consider the matter further.
Front street Is again the center of an
animated contest As the opposing forces
lined up yesterday before the committee,
It seemed to be the whole of South Port
land against some of the Front-street
property-owners between GUsan and Jeff
erson streets. Owners of the blocks and
big buildings along Front street were re
ported by those present representing that
sldo of the question as maintaining about
the same position they had when the
same question came up some time ago.
There Is evidently greater strength In fa
vor of the franchise. All the manufactur
ing Interests of South Portland, as well
as some other property-owners of that
section, are up In arms. It also appeared
that several other persons were vitally
Interested. In fact, the question Is by no
means confined to those immediately af
fected by construction of the proposed
line. City officials generally are watching
developments closely. At the meeting of
tho committee yesterday, Mayor Storey
was an Interested spectator. Auditor Gam
bell, City Engineer Chase and nearly all
the Councllmen were present, besides a
roomful of citizens from private life.
When the request for a franchise was
read, the first speakers were in favor,
Chairman Martin, of the committee, in
vited any present desiring to speak for or
against to express themselves.
D. P. Thompson Informed the committee
that he was one of the property-owners
affected, and he assured the committee
that sentiment along Front street had
not changed since the last discussion. He
said taking the matter up at this time.
without more notice, had caught most of
tho Front-street property-owners un
awares, and he thought It but right to
postpone any action until the next meet
ing, two weeks hence, by which time those
opposing the franchise would have time
to gather their forces and place their
case before the committee. Mr. Thompson
said the conviction of the men who had
Invested large sums for Front-street prop
erty, bullded thereon and struggled
through the past years, had not changed
a particle as to the injury that would
result from the railroad down the street.
J. Weber, of Weber's tannery, spoke
briefly In favor of the franchise, and said
he voiced the sentiments of many others
of his section. Ira F. Powers, of the Ira
F. Powers Manufacturing Company, was
a most ardent advocate of the franchise,
and gave some Interesting figures to show
what it meant to the manufacturing dis
trict of South Portland. He thought the
franchise right, and said he was able to
convince any man, even the Front-street
property-owner, that the interests of tho
city demanded It. He said within 23 years
there would be factories along the river
from Smith's mill to Fulton, If the people
of that section wero given opportunity to
connect with the railroads. After assert
ing that it could not hurt Front street a
particle, Mr. Powers said:
"If a carload of lumber comes now to tho
depot for me, it costs me 510 to get it to
my factory in South Portland. If there
was a railroad along this street, as pro
posed. I could get it for 52 o0. Enabling
me to make this saving Is an advantage
to every person In the city, for It In
creases my ability to compete with the
Eastern factories and to build up the
manufacturing industries of the city. It
I want to ship a carload of furniture away
it now costs me $25 to get it landed at
the depot, while If this railroad connec
tion were made it would not be over 510
on a carload. These are the advantages
to outh Portland property, which are
directly an advantage to the whole city,
for that district Is the natural home of
factories. I wcrold rather aee this road
' "" EDWARD A SEALS, NEWT FORECAST OFFICIAL.
on Front street than Fourth, for then it
would not require three engines to push
eight or ten cars out of the city. A rail
road line Is a beneefit to a city. The com
pany keeps Its property so that teams can
travel along it If a line runs down
Front street you will see that loaded
teams. Instead of pulling out from that
street to Fourth or Sixth to reach the
depot, will go down Front."
F. M. Mulkey stood with Mr. Thompson.
He said the matter had seemingly been
settled four months ago, and property
owners were surprlssd to have it brought
up again now. He said all that property
owners asked now was an extension of
time for two weeks until they could get
together and oppose the project He fur
ther asserted that the company asking for
the franchise neither had capital to con
struct the road nor for its operation, and
that the Southern Pacific was in fact be
hind the movement Mr. Mulkey's strong
est point was a challenge to those favors
lng the franchise that the Council could
not Incorporate in Its grant any condition
that would prevent succeeding Councils
from giving the railroad people the priv
ilege of operating their cars during the
. day, as well as the night.
I H. H. Jones, of the E. K. Jones Mill
Company; a representative of the Mult
nomah trunk and box factory, W. M.
KlUIngsworth and others were heard for
tho franchise. Some Front-street owners
began arriving after the matter had been
disposed of, among the number being J.
W. Cook, who advanced the very remark
able and original assertion that the wholo
thing was a scheme on the part of the
Southern Pacific Company to sidetrack
Portland m favor of Astoria. He said
as soon as the Jefferson-street depot was
connected with the Union depot, the rail
road company would have just what they
wanted, then the tiger's claws would be
shown and poor Portland would be placed
on the shelf, while Astoria ascended to
the clouds with the business of the North
west. Mr. Cook had received proof of
this Intention, as he one day met a woman
on a street-car who had come from Cal
ifornia, and who aald the Southern Pacific
would do anything bad.
The committee postponed the matter
two weeks, as asked by the Front-street
property-owners. Granting a franchise is
not like tho improvement of a street. If
a majority of adjacent owners to a street
oppose its improvement, they cannot be
forced to Improve It, after remonstrating
It down. A franchise Is a general ques
tion, and In granting or refusing it, the
Council Is supposed to consider the Inter
ests of the whole city, rather than of
the Immediate property-owners affected,
as In the Front-street case. The next
meeting of the committee will likely be
a tropical one.
Street Improvements.
A petition for the Improvement of Jack
son street, between Park and West Park,
was read and deferred until the City En
gineer furnishes estimates. Adjoining
property belongs to the city, and whatever
Improvement Is made will be paid for out
of the general fund. Petitions for the
Improvement of the following streets were
read and will be reported on favorably:
Rodney avenue for a distance of 3300 feet
from Hancock street; Tillamook, between
Williams and Union avenues; San Rafael,
between Williams avenue and East Sev
enth; Tillamook street, from Williams to
Rodney avenue; Mississippi avenue, from
Goldsmith to Morris street.
CONFLICTING COLORS MEET
Green nnd Ornnare Came Together
With, Unpleasant Resnlts.
Green and orange came together yes
terday morning at tho Northwest Dental
College, with disastrous results. A dozen
or so freshmen turned up at tho college
decorated with neckties and ribbons of tho
emerald color, while about the samo num
ber of seniors and juniors wore the hue
of the enemy. The number on both sides
kept steadily increasing until about 10
o'clock, when, after half a hundred were
present, they went at each other hammer
and tongs.
After a few black eyes had been ex
changed and the clothes of several ripped,
some of the boys suddenly remembered
of pressing engagements elsewhere. But
going for their bicycles, four of the boys
saw their wheels 3trung up on a telegraph
pole and trimmed with the auspicious
green. To their consternation, they found
that the polo had been painted withblll
posters paste, making It next to impos
sible to climb It There was nothing for
them to do then but to sit down and wait
till the sun dried the paste. They had
been resting, though, for less than five
minutes, when a policeman showed up.
He had been telephoned for, and had run
from Seventh nnd Thurrnan to the col
lege building, on Fifteenth and Couch, at
a fast cait, but by the time he reached
the scat of action, he was so exhausted
that ho could hardly tell the boys why he
came. The collegians had now stopped
fighting, but the officer of the law had
his hands full taking caro of the gang of
small boys that had gathered and gono
on opposite sides. But the kindly in
fluence of the policeman's presence pre
vailed and tho riot was easily quelled.
HELD FOR HOMICIDE
Ten-Year-Old Boy in Custody
of the Police.
KNOWS TOO MUCH ABOUT AFFAIR
Otto Brown Thonsht to Be Responsi
ble for Death, of His Cousin,
Fritz Hcpfnr.
Otto Brown, the boy suspected of caus
ing the death of his cousin, Fritz Hepfur,
Is In Jail, but no charge has yet been pre
ferred against him. The Coroner's Jury
yesterday rendered the following verdict,
after three days of testimony-taking and
adjournments:
"That the said Fritz Hepfer came to hla
death between the hours of 4 o'cl&ak P.
M. and 7:30 o'clock P. M. Tuesday, tfarob
13, 1900, In the Willamette River, ttt or
near a point beneath the dock DO feet
north of the foot of Davis street, this city,
and that the cause of death was drowning.
"That direct or conclusive evidence as
to who caused said drowning and as to
the manner in which said drowning oc
curred, cannot at this time be found.
"That it appears from the evidence that
the said Fritz Hepfer was, during- the
afternoon of tho said Tuesday, March 12,
1900, seen in company with various boys
and playmates, among whom was one Otto
Brown, a boy of about thw age of 10 yeara,
and hereinafter referred to.
"That the circumstances and the testi
mony of various witnesses and of the said
Otto Brown himself indicate that said
Otto Brown knew of the whereabouts of
the said Fritz Hepfer. That said Otto
Brown was by some means cognizant of
the fact of the drowning of tho said de
ceased, and knew of the place where said
drowning occurred, and that said Otto
Brown did not make said facts known to
any one till inquiry and search was made.
"That the testimony of the said Otto
Brown and statements made by hlra. con
cerning the said drowning, and his knowl
edge of same, are grossly conflicting, and
indicate strongly a deliberate attempt and
determination not to state truthfully and
frankly all that he knew In the premises.
"That these circumstances and the tes
timony of various witnesses point to tho
said Otto Brown as having in some man
ner caused the said drowning."
One of tho jurors, who spoko his mind
on the subject yesterday, said ho felt suro
that Otto Brown was the direct cause of
Fritz's death, though whether accidental
ly or purposely he could not satisfy him
self. The most logical theory of the boya
death, he said, was that both boys had
gone to the river bank, at the foot of Da
vis street, late In the afternoon of last
Tuesday, and that Fritz was either pushed
into the water or fell In. Otto being a
witness. As they were both at the river
side In violation of parental command.
Otto kept tho matter to himself, but his
different stories next day prove that ha
knew the exact spot where Fritz had dis
appeared. Otto has proved himself ao utterly ir
responsible and Incapable of telling tho
truth. Seven of his schoolmates were ex
amined in connection with tho case, and
tho testimony of several of these show3
that the Brown boy is a cheerful liar for
one of his age, and that being confronted
with his contradictory statements does
not confound him In-tho least. Th tes
timony of Leo Jacks, 9 years old, is given
as an evidence of this:
"I live on Sixth street, near the Depot.
I know Otto Brown. I talked with him
after the boy was found. Otto told ma
that I pushed him Over Into the river.
Five minutes afterward he said tho Nudcl
man boy knocked him over. Otto said tho
Nudelman boy told Fritz he should go
Into a box or he would kill him. Then
Fritz went Into tho box, and Just as ha
was coming ashore, the Nudelman boy
th'rew a rock and the box tipped over.
Then he hit Fritz in the head, and Frits
fell over and went down; then he camo
up and then went down again. Otto Brown
told me that ho saw all this. He also
said ho saw bubbles and splashes coma
up, and then the Nudelman boy ran to
wards Everett street. Amelia Hepfur was
there and heard It. too. This he told mo
after school the day they found Fritz.
Otto said this occurred at tho foot of
Davis street, and there was a stick In the
water where Frits went down. I was not
there at all."
Otto denied having told this story to
Leo. but the manner of the two boy3 on
being confronted with each other at the
Inquest Impressed the Jury that Leo was
telling the truth.
Otto, on being closely questioned by
Deputy District Attorney Glltner. took
refuge In tear, and his mother rushed In
from an adjoining room at the Morgue
with: "Why do you torment my boy 7"
putting her arm around the lad to shield
him from further questions. This wa3 the
last that could be gotten out of Otto, who
simply told Mr. Glltner: "Tou are trying
to get me Into trouble. I told tho whola
truth."
The mother of tho drowned lad has re
quested tho Chief of Police to permit Otto
to attend the funeral, which takes placa
from the German Methodist Episcopal
Church at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Mr.
McLaughlin will probably consent, and
will send a detective to keop Otto com
pany. How long the boy is to be kept In
confinement depends upon developments.
He is quite comfortable In charge of tho
matron In the upper portion of the City
Jail building.
"What could be done with tho child. If
found guilty?" was asked frequently yes
terday. He would be considered a mur
derer In the eyes of the law, but, of
course, tho extreme penalty would not ba
Inflicted on one so young. His mother
said yesterday Otto was 10 years old last
month.
As the case stands now It promises to
be added to the list of mysterious deaths
In tho h!torv of Portland.
BUILDING FISHWHEELS.
Much Activity This Season Aro nnd.
Rooster Rock.
Captain Weir, of the steamer Katie
Weir, who has been doing considerable
towing for H. H. Reed, of Corbctt, says
Mr. Reed Is building four large flshwheela
on the Columbia one at Rooster Rock,
two just opposite, on the Washington
side, and one at Corbett. Tho captain
says there Is a great deal of work in the
construction of one of these flshwheela,
and that 18 men aro kept busy in order to
have the wheels ready for business by tho
time the fishing season opens next month.
He reports h'gh winds on the Columbia
In the vicinity of Corbett, .and says "the
Katie has her decks washed every time
she goes out in the- breeze." At Corbctt
they were expecting to celebrate St Pat
rick's day last night with a "hot dance."
The whereabouts of the steamor Fear
'esa Is still a mystery, according to Cap
tain Weir, and nothing definite ha3 been
heard of her since she disappeared oppo
sHo Rooster Rock. Whether she sunk
or floated from her anchorage down tha
river and disappeared 1 the brush of tha
bank la a question still to ho answer!.
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