The morning Astorian., March 21, 1907, Image 1

Jftefitig
UlLltHIt FULL AMOOIATID Mitt RIPOPIT
COVIPIS TM MORNINO fllLO ON THI LOW! OOLUMVIA.I
VOLUME LX11I NO. 61
ASTORIA, OREGON, THURSDAY. MARCH 21, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
FOR LUNACY
COMMISSION
Jerome Makes Appeal Long
u Feared by Thaw. J v
COMES AS SURPRISE
He Declares Prisoner Incapable
i of Advising His ?
Counsel..
ALL BELEIVE HIM INSANE
No Formal Applioation For Commit
Ion In Lunaey Made But Judflo Fits
gerald Will D.old, Today If Ona It
Needed.
NEW YORK, March 20.-The blow
which Hurry Thaw ba been In terror
of ever since the murder of tHunford
Whllie Ml today, District Attorney
J.rome did not make a formal atppll
cation tor tbo appointment of a lunacy
commission, but In an Impassioned
speech appealed to the competence of
th court, declaring Hint at Thaw vita
dully In court he I' Incapable if nd
vising hl rounM and U believed, by
every ono who ha watched and comoi
in contact with him, to bo Inauno
Jerome nertd that hi own alien
Inn were ronvlni'iHl when they had
considered all the fact In connection
with -tfhe case, that Thuw l of un
sound mind. Jerome dramatically ac
cused tho counael for the defense of
concealing testimony which If preen
ted to the court would make the con
tlnuance of the trial a crime, Bo earn
cutty did Jerome plead that Justice
KHzsernl.1 dismissed the Jury until
Friday morning and adjourned court
until 2 o'clock tomorrow when ho will
consider what evidence either aide ha
to offer and to decide whether th
trial ahall go on or whether tho com
tnlaslonera In lunacy will be appointed
to pas on Thaw's mental condition at
prenent
The scene attending the ndjouni
tnent of the court shortly after one
o'clock werts (Vamatlc aiiid1 exciting
Thaw'a counsel aeomed takan utterly
tiy surprise. Thuw, dejected, pule and
dispirited, sat at hla coun-l table, he
fluhml crimson as one by one his at.
torneys loft him to rully to the support
of Delmas who was arguing with Jt
omt and Judge Fitzgerald.. Thaw bit
his nails, opemd and closed his hands
nervously end Anally sank down In
his chair with an air of utter dejection
In tho adjoining room, where one could
hear the excited and uplifted voice
of the counal wrangling with ono on
other, stood Mrs. William Thnw, the
prisoner's mother and Evelyn Thaw,
Ills wlfo who had bared the secrets off
hr anni in th effort to save her "Thus
band from the' eloctrlc chair and the
fate he declares ho feara more, a mad
house.
The cllmajc came. while Dr. Hamil
ton, an alienist, was testifying. He
had been called by the defense with
the Intention of interrogating him 're
garding tha four visits' he had made
to Thaw In June and July. Jerome
promptly objocted, saying that if Hum
llton waa allowed to testify ho must
tell everything he knew about the case
including the defendant's family his
tory. The argument became so per
tinent aa to the question of the pre
sent Insanity of the defendant .that
Judge Fitzgerald directed the Jur yto
retire from tho room. Jerome then
went on to say that if the acts were
Known, he had no right to be here
trying Thaw for his life. The know
ledge he has, however is mostly here
say and cannot bo put in legal form be
fore the Jury. "If I could get the facts
viV
Attor.
nejr. Th' ,V - horrify,
the conWfc J ' n court and Instan
ly this ca-. would atop. Bo deeply
have I been Impressed with this that
I havtt served , notice on tho; counsel
of tho defense that It, when this trial
Is finished, I find they wore In 'por
tion of tho facts which 1 believe to be
in thnlr possession, 1 shall call t'ne mat
ter to , tha attention of the appelate
division of the Buprome Court."
I Jeronio said he submitted to, the
sllenlsl summoned by tho ttato all
the facts in Ills poasesxlon, and they
all Informed him that the defendant
Is suffering ifrom Paranoia, the chief
characteristics of which are Insane de
lusions .that while acting under one
of theso dnlualona he killed White,
but that within tho ,legai definition of
Insanity he knew the nature and qual
ity of hla act and knew It waa wrong.
' NEW YORK, March , JO. Thaw's
lawyer have again changed their
minds and said last night they would
probably call Evelyn Noabit Thaw to
day. To what ahe will testify they re
fued to say but her evidence will pro
bably have to do with the Hummel
affidavit 80 far M known that will
close the defeno'a case. There waa
soma talk last night that It was pot
m hie that the defens might call David
M. Carvalho, tho export In handwrit
ing and photography to testify regard
ing tho genulneneaa of tho signature of
Evelyn KesfcU upo te Hummel af
fidavit, bt thla report could not be con
firmed, Another report waa that Dlatrlct At
torney Jerome-Sad aurprlso o offer
tomorrow and that thla would delay
this summing up In , the case until
Friday. Tho surprise h waa stated.
(OMtlnned on Page I )
Canadian Pacific Trains Will Use
O.R.AN. Line.
IS IMPORTANT TO PORTLAND
la Equivalent to Now Transcontinen
tal Railroad From Atlantio Seaboard
' Freight Traina Will Use Harriman
Traok On May Firat
PORTLAND, March 20. The Ore
giilan toftnonrow-' will say th)it an
agreement was signed here today be
tween the officials of the Canadian
Pacific end the O, R. & N Co., whore
by U10 trains of the former road will
enter Portland over the Harriman line
from Spokane, coming thence from the
main line of the Canadian road by way
of the Spokono International. Freight
trains' will begin running over the now
route May 1, but passenger ;, trains will
not be put on until a later date. The
agreement is highly Important to Port.
land aa it virtually gives the city a
no wtjranncontittentaJ line from the
Atlantic seaboard, also a shorter route
to St. Paul, and ties the Union Pacific
In distance from here to Chicago.
COAL TESTING PLANT.
Government Will Establish Experiment
., 8tation in Colorado.
DENVER, March 20. Dr. J.," A
Holmes of the Unltod States Geologi
cal survey last night completed nego
tiations for the land upon which the
first' governemtn 'coal testing plant
will be constructed,' The Chamber of
Commerce of this city agrees to fur
nish the land and the plant will be
constructed In this city. Wor kon the
building will be begun as soon as' final
arrangements are completed. Congress
has made an appropriation for carry
ing on this experimental work. i
A completely equipped chemical lab
oratory, with special apparatus for the
treatment -"of coal and its' products,
will be bllt in connection with the
testing plant. j
bwforo you" sal'1
ENTERS
1P0RTLAND
FLOODS IN
CALIFORNIA
Water Six Feet Deep in
Stockton Streets.
MANY LIVES ARE LOST
Two Hundred Persons Driven
v By High Waters Into
Tree Tops.
RESCUERS IN BOAT DROWNED
8outhorn Psoifio Completely Blocked
Santo Fe Also Impassable Worst
Believed Over Heavy Lossat
Throughout Northern California.
STOCKTON, March 20. Water it
running through tho streets of the city
like a mill-rate. In aome places it is
six feet deep, while In others It Is from
one to three feet, the latter being th?
mean average. All business Is sus
pended aa mofct of the business houses
are flooded and tho people In many
parts of the city are afraid to leave
their homes. No portion of the town
has eacajNxt, The flood started, on the
afternoon of Tuesday and tho highest
point was reached at midnight, since
when It has receded slightly and it Is
believed the worst Is' over. The tele
phone system Is out of commission and
all news of the surrounding country Is
cut off. Most of the gas mains are full
of water and tjhe gas supply Is shut
off. The Southern Pacific tracks were
caught broadside on and the roadbed
and rails are twisted out of shape by
the force of the flood. The Santa Fe
fared no better. It Is feared that In
the southwestern part of the city.
which Is low and where the people of
the laboring class live, that many of
the poorer classes have been drowned
STOCKTON. Cal.. March 20. A re
port from Venice Island In the- San
Joaquin river says that two persons
were Jrowned there last night. Mrs,
Maud Menofee and George Eastman,
who were passengers on a launch, fell
from n. small boat while making a
landing.
At 1 o'clock this- morning the flood
had reached Us highest position and
the watVr commenced to subside slow
ly In the city, but there is still a great
rush of water through the streets.
There Is not a dry spot in town unless
It Is some high garden terrace. Wa
ter Is In most of the stores and the re
claimed ' lands are In great danger,
though no levee has broken yet so far
la Anown. Water In the streets In the
business section of the city Is from
three to four feet deep, but Is flow
ing fast westward. . ,
.CHICO, Cal., 'March 19. Flood con
dltlons are still serious. The village
of Dreadful, near Orovllle, has been
entirely destroyed by the Feather riv
er. Over. 200 men, women and chil
dren: were driven to take refuge In
trees and tops of houses on which they
were exposed to the ratn and cold for
48 hours. Small boats rescued many.
One boat engaged In rescue work was
capsixed and seven drowned. ,
A rellaf train from Chlco, with boats,
clothing and provisions was dispatched
over the northern electric road,
reaching the scene after much diffi
culty. Fifty peoplo are yet on the Is
land and here Is much suffering
among the women and children, .
LOS ANGELES, March 20. The
coast line of the Southern Pacific has
been completely , blocked by a land
slide that has closed the Santa Mar
garita tunnel, one of the longest on
the division, located In the mountains
north .of Hun Luis Obispo. Local
railroad officials are advised that the
line must remain closed to traffic for
at least four or Ave days.
SAN JOHE. Cal., March 20, More
damage has been done by floods In
the creeks' in the last 24 hours than In
the past 15 years. The washing out
of bridges, notably the Southern Pa
cific on the Almaden branch will stop
all traffic from Han Jose to Los Oatos
by way of Campbell for weeks. The
damage In the vicinity of the latter
town will reach many thousand dol
lars. Fruit farmers generally are ctf
the opinion that there will be light
crops this' year, If tome do not prove
utter failures. Tho rains are be
lieved to have washed out much of
the pollen which will prevent the
blooms maturing into fruit.
At San Martin, Harold Bole, the
five year olJ son of a well known
rancher, fell Into tho swollen Lagas
creek and was drowned. At Santa
Clara several families wore driven
from their home by the overflow of
tho Ouadaloupe creek.
OROVILLE, Cal., March 20. It la
estimated that the loss occasioned by
the flood in Orovllle will not be less
than $650,000. . The water la now fall
ing aa far as Montgomery Street All
the business houses on thla street are
under six feet of water and the Indi
vidual losses range all the way from
$10,000 to $25,000.
A telephone office has been estab
lished In the second story of tho Union
Hotel and this Is the only method of
communication with the outside world.,
A rescue party Is taking out the 20
Chinese who were drowned in the
river yesterday.
HYINFOUNDERS
British Bark Found Derelict By
Steamer Midgare.
ENTIRE CREW BELEIVED DEAD
Boata Gone From Ship'a Davita and No
Aooount of Their Reaching Shore
Haa Boon Received Maalgwin Long
Overdue.
PORT TOWNSEND, Mar. 20. Cap
tain Guering, Master of the British
steamer Mldgard, lumber laden from
Puget Sound to Port Plrle, officially re
ports to the Hydrographlc office here
that she passed a dismantled hulk pre
timed to be the British Bark Mael
gwln, 125 days from Pisco, South Amer
lea to Australia, The absence of the
ship's boats from t'ne davits Indicated
that she was deserted by her crew and
as no reports have been received of
the crew arriving anywhere it Is pro
bablo that the entire ship's complement
met death In the storm which wreck
ed the vessel.5 The report spells the
name "Maelewln" but as no such ves
sel Is registered It is believed It is the
Maelgwin which has foundered.
COLORED WOMEN SHOT.
STAMPS, Ark., March 20. Charged
with having used a razor with prob
able fatal results on Morella Rhetton
a white woman, and her daughter, two
colored women were shot to death
at McKamlo! near hero last night, by a
mob. '
According to the statement of Mrs.
Rhetton she and her child were at
tacked by, tjhe negro women while
walking along the public road yester
day, she and her daughter receiving
wounds which may prove fatal. The
women were arrested and placed un
der guard at the station from which
place they were removed by the mob
last night and shot to death.
TWENTY ONE PERISH.
LUBECK, Germany, March 20.
The German steamer Horn has been
sunk in the North Sea with a lost of
21 lives'.
INDICTMENTS
ARE FILED
San Francisco Municipal
Wrongs Revealed.
CRAFT UNSURPASSED
New York in Days of Tweed Ring
Was Not Robbed More
Rystematically.
TRUTH WILL APPALL COUNTRY
Supervisors Took Briboa From Either
Side Ramifications of Remarkable
Grafting Political Machine Involves
Millionaires and Prominent Citizona.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 20. The
long looked) for Indictment In the
municipal graft cases were returned
tonight Shortly before six o'clock the
grand Jury filed with' presiding Judge
Coffey of the Superior Court 75 in
dictements charging bribery, which
were found on the evidence presented
to the grand Jury after six months of
probing into the municipal affairs of
this city by Francis J. Heney and se
cret service agent Burns and which
reveal an amazing story of alleged
graft and corruption that surpasses
the boodle cases of St Louis: ranks
with the Minneapolis exposures and
are eclipsed only in the amount of
money passed, but not in its ramifl
cations and organization, by the fa
mous Tweed ring of New York. Of
the indictements returned today 65 are
against Abe Ruef, charging him with
bribing the board of supervisors to
grant franchises to the United Rail
roads, the Home Telephone Co., the
San Francisco Gas and Electric; Co.,
and the so-called prize fight "trust"
Ten are against T. V. Halsey, former
general agent of the Pacific States
Telephone -and Telegraph Co., who Is
charged with haveng bribed the board
of supervisors not to grant the fran
chise to the rival company. One in
dlctment against Ruef and four more
against Halsey, which it is understood
were also returned today were not filed
In Open court. Several more indict
ments, the exact number and, against
what persons, Heney and Burns refuse
to divulge were returned by the grand
Jury. . '
Judge Coffey fixed the bail at $10,000
on each indictment or total of $650,000
for Ruef and $100,000 for Halsey. The
latter is a brotehr in law of the late
John L Sabin, former president of the
Pacific States Telephone and Telegraph
Company and brotehr In law of Louis
Glass, president of the Philippine Tele
phone Co. Halsey has been for some
time in Manila, Installing a system in
the Islands. He has been under, sur
veillance for Several days and extra
dition papers may be applied for as
soon as he has been taken Into cus
tody. Orders have been cabled ifor
his arrest.
In the overhead trolley deal, accord
ing to Burns, Ruef got $,485,000 and
distributed $91,000 among 14 super
visors. In the "nght trust" $20,000 is
said to have been collected by Ruef
and $9,000 distributed among super
visors. Ruef is charged with having
divided 62,000 amon gthe city fathers
in connection with the Home tele
phone franchise. In tnis connection
it is noteworthy tnat n supervisors
are alleged to have also taken $5,000
each from Halsey to prevent the grant
ing of the franchise to the Home com
pany.
Heney states that . today's inddct)-
ments are not the"beglnnlng of the end
of Ruef" but merely the beginning of
the work of exposing municipal cor
ruption In San Francisco and the pro
secution of those "high up, who are
responsible for such condition in the
city." . ; . , .. '
District Attorney Langdon said the
amazing ramifications of the remark
able organization Involving mlllonoi
res and the better class of citizens, will
appall not only this lty but the en
tire country.
Burns said "This is only tho begin
ning.'. He added that the evidence on
which' the indictements are based is
as perfect as the evidence in any case
of Investigation with whieh he ha
ever beenf connected. Burtis denied
that he ( had t been ordered back to
Washington, and said It might take
a year to complete his work here. 1
Conternation seemed to reign. In the
Ruef , camp , today Following a long
conference with, .nl attorneys this
morning Ruef decided that he pre
ferred to remain in the custddy of
elisor Blggy, and his attorneys ap
peared before tha Supreme Court tak
ing that the application for a writ
making Sheriff O'Neill custodian of
the political boss be dismissed. This
was granted. Half an hour later his
attorneys appeared again before tha
Supreme Court and sought to have
their former motion quashed and the
application for a writ reinstated.
The Court tok the amtter under con
sideration until tomorrow.
BOMB FOR JUDGE.
OAKLAND, March 20. About 1:30
last night a bomb was exploded in
front of Judge Ogden's house on Al
ice Street The whole front jot the
house waa destroyed, but none of the
inmates 'were Injured. The bomb had
70 feet of fuse attached so that who
fired It .had time to escape.
P UTiER TESTIFIES
Is Important Witness in (Trial of
Binger Hermann.
GIVES RESIDENCE AS JAIL
Relate Again the Story of the Brib
ing of Senator Mitchell and the Ac
tion of Herman In Aiding in Land
Frauds,
WASHINGTON, March 20. In the
trial of Binger Hermann today S. A.
D. Puter again told the story of brib
ing Senator Mitchell, which he related
during the trial of the Senator at Port
land, and of the alleged part Hermann
had taken In getting the patents for
the twelve homesteads in the now no
torious "11-7 district of the Cascade
forest reserve. Puter had reached the
point where he had returned to Port
land after having bribed Mitchell to
use his Influence with Hermann, ' when
the story was interrupted by the ad-
JOurnment for the day. '
'Puter gave his testimony with start
ling directness detaining in full the dlf
Acuities and cost which attended his
efforts to obtain patents. Puter gave
his residence as the "Multnomah Coun
ty Jail, Oregon." Previous to PuteCs
testimony, J. A. W. Heidecker of De
troit, Oregon, and Daniel W. Tarpley
testified in behalf of the government.
Affidavits Are Road.
BOISE, Idaho, March 20. Reading
of affidavits bearing on the motion
for a change of venue occupied today's
sessions of Judge Woods court at Cald
well in the Moyer, Haywood and Petti-
bone case. Those of the defense quote
the written and spoken utterances of
Governor Gooding in which he indi
cated his be'-lef In the guilt of the de
fendants. The state had 22 affidavits
affirming that the affiants had con
versed with many people of the coun
ty and tailed to find any prejudice.
The discussion of the Steunenberg
case had died down and there was not
sufficient feeling to affect the fairness
of the trial. The motion was argued
by the counsel on both sides at the ses
sion held tonight. ,