ft
;iUU3Hf HJLL ASSOCIATED! PRCSt REPORT
COVCRSTHC MORNING FIELD ON THE LOWER COLUMBIA
33rd YEAR. NO. 109
PLAN FUTURE
First Conference of Gov
ernors Ended
THE STATES AND NATION
That the Immediate Results Are
More Than Ample Is the Ex
pression of President
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION
i Printed Record of the Conference
Which Later WU1 be Available in
Every Home Will be a Compila
tion of Startling Facta.
WASHINGTON, May IS The
firt conference of the governors of
the states of the American Union
ended today. The accomplishment!
of the conference in a session of three
days will be revealed by time, but that
the immediate results are more than
ample, is the expression of Roosevelt,
who brought it about and of govern
ors who participated.
A printed record of the conference
which later will be available in every
home will be a compilation of facts
startling in their meaning, and con
vincing in their universal conclusion
that the states and the nation must
co-operate to the end that the whole
people of the nation may accrue the
lasting benefits of its natural re
sources. The conference" leaves as its
permanent thousand words of the
"Declaration of co-operation."
Perhaps greater in importance
than all else was the determination
of the'governors to perfect a perma
nent organization for the discussion
of a wide range of topics.
President Roosevelt boldly iwept
aside the "Academic question," of
where the line of authority should be
drawn between the states and the na
tion. Me wanted action and said he
was trying to find out where the state
or the nation can act "So that there
shall always be some sovereign power
that on behalf of the people can hold
very big corporation, every big in-
vidual to an accountability so that
its or ins acts shall be beneficial to
people as a whole."
The President continued: "In mat
ters that relate only to the people
within a state of course the state is
to be the sovereign and it should have
power to act. If the matter is such
that the sate itself cannot act then I
wish on behalf of all the states that
the natonal government should act."
The "Declaration" was presented to
the conference by Governor Blan
chard of Louisiana and was built on
broad lines and avoided making spe
cific endorsements of desired pro
jects or legislation. The declaration
was adopted without serious discus
sion and the president introduced
Bryan who spoke at length on the
benefits of conservation. Mr. Bryan's
address provoked lengthy applause.
He touched the keynate of harmony
and co-operation aptly and was fol
lowed by the various governors in a
short discussion including -Meade of
Washington, Hock of Kansas and
Others.
BY EMORY R. JOHNSON. '
The waterways in our country,
rivers, canals, lakes and coastal chan
nels have an aggregate length of be
tween 55,000 and 60,000 miles, and
only about half of the entire mileage
is now used for navigation.
Considering the great length and
(Continued on page 4)
GATHRKNGS
dl
INDEPENDENT LEAGUE.
Party State Convention Will Meet at
, San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO, May IS Dele
gates to the Independent League
party 'Male convention, will meet to
day at 10 o'clock. Jainei F. Peck cf
Berkeley, chairman of the itate cen
tral committee, will call the conven
Hon to order. John L. Polito of the
thirty-fourth assembly district of San
Francisco, is a candidate for tempo
rary chairman of the convention, and
will probably be ita choice.
The convention wil elect four dele
gates and alternates at large to the
national convention, to be held in
Chicago July 28 and 29.
Sixteen delegates from the eight
congressional districts of California
will be chosen, each district being en
titled to two delegate! and two alter
nates.
A new state central committee will
be formed, based upon the election of
one member from each of the eighty
assembly districts.
DEBS SOCIALIST CHOICE.
CHICAGO, May 15.-The Socialist
party in convention today nominated
Eugene V. Debs of Indiana for their
presidential candidate and Benjamin
Hanford of New York for vice-
president. The ticket will be ratified
at a mass meeting which is called for
tomorrow.
EXPERT TESTIMONY
Examination of Medical Wit
nesses In the Thaw Case
TWO DOCTORS SAY HE'S SANE
Two Witnesses For District Attorney
Jerome Insist That Thaw ia Suffer
ing From Paranoia and His Release
Would be Dangeroua to the Public
rOUGHKEEPSIE, May'lS.-The
examination of the expert medical wit
ness in the proceedings instituted to
secure the release form the Matteawan
Asylum of Harry Thaw proceeded to
day. Dr. George G. Jacoby said he
had examined Thaw twice during his
stay in Matteawan and found him
possessed of a good memory and ca
pable of following an argument. He
gave it as his unqualified opinion that
Thaw was sane at present. Dr.
Graeme Hammond declared his belief
that Thaw was sane. Two witnesses
for district Attorney Jerome insisted
thai That, was suffering from para
noia ana incurable ana that nis re
lease was dangerous to the public.
Thaw himself will probably take the
stand.
SINGER MUCH BETTER.
NEW YORK, May 15.-Berta
Morena, on? of the German sopranos
of the Metropolitan opera house, has
been ill since the close of the road
tour of the opera company. For a
week she has been recuperating at the
country house of Otto H. Kahn, at
Morristown, N. J., and now she is
well enough to sail on the Vaderland
on Saturday. Madame Morena's ill
nesses have caused her to postpone
her first visit to this country for three
successive years and when she did ar
rive in New York last February she
was unable to sing for several weeks.
She is engaged for next season.
W. J. ARKELL, BANKRUPT.
RENO, Ncv., May 15.-W. J. Ar
kell, a well known Nevada stockbrok
er ,is bankrupt. His liabilities are
$279,040, The assets are worthless
mining stocks and about $200 in mon
ey. The principal creditors are New
York and San Francisco brokers, and
one or two London firms are mentioned.
ASTORIA, 0REGr SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1908
PERRY
COMMAND
Long Career of Admiral
Thomas Ended
HAS SERVED 4T YEARS
His Retirement Does Not Take
Place Until October, But His
Activities Cease
RELIEVED AT HIS REQUEST
Another Change in the Command of
the Atlantic Fleet of World-Touring
Battleship! Took Place Today Ad
miral Sperry Succeed! Thomas.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 15,-Rear
Admiral Charles Stillman Sperry as
sumed command today of the strong
est force of first-class fighting ships
ever assembled in the history of the
nation. Rear Admiral Thomas who
succeeded Admiral Evans as com
mander in chief of the Atlantic fleet,
hauled down his flag this morning and
ten minutes later Admiral Sperry was
received on boanl the Connecticut
with the salutes and other naval
honors belonging to his position
When Sperry took the command the
organization of the fleet immediately
was carried into effect and throughout
the noon hour the waters of the bay
echoed with the call of bugles, ruffles
of drums, and strains of martial of
music from half a dozen quarter
decks. Rear Admiral W. H. Emery
transferred his flag from the Georgia
to the Louisiana, the new flagship of
the second squadron of the third di
vision. Captain Richard Wainwright
gave up the command of the Louis
iana and hoisted his triangular flag of
senior division officer on the Georgia.
He commands the second division.
Captain Seaton Schroeder com
manding the Virginia assumed com
mand of the forth division and took
up his quarters on the new flagship
Wisconsin. Both Schroeder and
Wainright will be made Rear-Admir
als in July. As Rear-Admiral Dav
ton, the commander-in-chief of the
Pacific fleet outranks Admiral Sperry
and is for the time being in command
of the combined Pacific and Atlantic
fleets.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 15.-An-
other change in the command of the
Atlantic fleet of world-touring battle
ships occurs today when the flag of
Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas is
lowered from the truck of the Con
necticut where it has floated for six
days as the emblem of the command
er in chief, but where it also flew for
many weeks as a signal of "senior
officer present" when Admiral Thom
as was acting for Admiral Evans dur
ing the Iatter's enforced absence from
the fleet soon after its arrival at Mag-
dalena Bay. The customary salute of
13 guns will be fired as the double-
starred of blue bunting is lowered to
the bridge of the flagship and the
long naval career of Admiral Thomas
covering a period of nearly 47 years,
will be ended. Admiral Thomas does
not retire until October next, but he
will go on leave and have no further
active connection with the naval es
tablishment. With his family,
miral Thomas will remain for two
months in California resting from the
fatigue of the arduous work that has
been his during the past half year, and
then will tour the Yellowstone before
returning) to Washington. After he
(Continued on page 8.)
COL. SAM PARKER ARRIVES.
SAX FRANCISCO, May lS.-Col.
Sam Parker, his son-in-law, Prince
David of Hawaii and John Baker
were passengers on the Siberia which
arrived yesterday from Honolulu.
The distinguished visitors have come
to the states for the purpose of hunt
ing bear in Washington and Oregon
and have been brought with them
enough guns and ammunition to wipe
out every bruin in both states. In
the party, attended by two maids, is
the little Princess Kapiolani, five
years of age. She will not participate
in the bear hunts.
LARGE PURCHASE.
PITTSBURG, May 15.-The exten
sive property of the Federal Coal and
Coke Company near Fairmount Park,
Va., has been bought from the New
England Gas & Coke Company of
Boston for a spot cash consideration
of $1,250,000. The purchaser which is
one of the largest concerns of its kind
in the county and which controls the
coke and gas business of Boston and
surrounding towns, will immediately
expend $750,000 in the further devel
opment of the property.
MISSING OFFICER SAFE.
MANILA, May 15. 'Second Lieu
tenant Arthur E. Erhnbeck, who was
reported on May 12 to be missing
from his station in Mindanao is safe
at Malabung. The authorities missed
him because of interrupted telegrams.
CONTEST NOTICES
Republican National Committee
Will Hear the Evidence
W.H.TAFT AGAINST THE FIELD
All But One of the 22 Contests Come
From Southern States the Excep
tion Being the Sixth District of
Ohio.
CHICAGO, May l5.-Notices of 22
contests have been received by the
Republican national committee ia ad
vance of the meeting of the sub-committee
on arrangements. The contest
ants have until May 26 to file their
papers and they are expected to num
ber nearly 200 when all are in. All
but one of the 22 contests come from
Southern states, the exception being
the sixth district of Ohio where an
anti'Taft delegation is seeking seats
in the convention. Two of the con
tests are over delegates at large, they
being from Alabama and Mississippi
The others are from congressional
districts. The lists are prepared by
Secretary Dover as follows:
Alabama Fourth and Sixth Dis
tricts. '
Arkansas Fifth District. ,
Florida Third District.
Georgia Second, Third, Fifth and
Eighth Districts.
Mississippi Fifth, Sixth, Seventh
and Eighth Districts.
Missouri Fifth, Eleventh and
Twelfth District.
Ohio Sixth District.
South Carolina First and Fifth
Districts,
Tennessee Third and Seventh
Districts.
In these contests 48 delegates are
involved, it being a case of Taft
against the field in all of them. The
full national committee will hear evi
dence in each case.
Chairman Harry S. New will issue
a call May 20 for a meeting of the
Ad-JmU'onal committee, in Chicago, June
1 or 2.
From then .until the convention
opens the contests will be heard.
The sub committee on arangements,
in addition to selecting a temporary
chairman when it meets here tomor
row, will decide the order in which
contests shall be taken up. It is likely
to be alphabetically.
CAMPAIGN
OF DEATH
Atlin Miner Probably
Guinness Dupe
WENT EAST WITH COIN
The Advertisement He Answered
Was Identical With Those Now
Known to Be Mrs. Guinness'
THE COURTSHIP WAS BRIEF
A Few Months Later a Strange
Woman Brought to Victoria a Body
Which She Said 'Was Robson's and
That She Was His Widow.
VICTORIA, B. C, May 15.-Lured
to an untimely end by means of an
attractive advertisement, couched in
similar terms to those employed in
her campaign of death by the female
Bluebeard of La Porte, Ind., Charles
Rabson, a wealthy Atlin miner, is
believed to have fallen a victim either
to Mrs. Guinness or some similar
bloodthirsty adventuress of like
character. . It , was about five years
ago that Rabson answered an ad
vertisement reputed to be that of a
charming young woman of means,
who desired a husband of good char
acter, capable of protecting her from
the wiles of a wicked world. The
wording of this advertisement was
identical with those of Mrs. Guinness.
Similarly, too, the advertiser insisted
that gentlemen answering must be
prepared to show bona fides by the
possession of , a substantial sum of
money and be prepared to come to
her and conduct further negotiations
in person.
The correspondence between Rab
son and the young widow was a brief
one, when the Atlinite packed his grip
and left for Saginaw, Mich., for a per
sonal interview. He wrote at the time
a handsome gold watch and a unique
chain constructed of Atlin nuggets of
his own mining. He also took with
him $2000 in money and deeds and
other papers certifying the bona fides
of his interests in the North. That
was the last his relatives saw of him
in life.
A few months later a strange
woman brought to Victoria a body
which she said was that of Rabson
and introduced herself as the mining
man's widow. She told conflicting
and contradictory stories as to the
manner of his death, at first declaring
that he had been the victim of foot
pads, who had robbed him and then
thrown his body, weighed, into a con
venient river. Later she declared
that Rabson had committed suicide
while insane. A sister, Mrs. Hood, of :
Alfred street, Victoria, was not per
mitted to examine the body and verify
its identy by scars of which she was
cognizant and which her brother had
received in early youth. Indeed,
there was always strong doubt as to
whether the body was that of Rab
son or not, but the mysterious woman
succeeded in obtaining the necessary
bural certificates and subsequently se
cured administration of the estate and
possession of Rabson's property, after
which she disappeared.
BASEBALL SCORES.
At Tacoma No game; rain.
At SpokaneNo game; rain.
At Portland No game; rain.
At Tacoma No game; rain.
At Aberdeen No game; rain.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
MONTGOMERY'S STATEMENT.
PITTSBURG, May 15.WilIiam
Montgomery, former cashier of the
Allegheny National Bank but now
under arrest on a charge of embezzl
ing $469,000 of the bank's funds, made
a complete statement yesterday to
the bank's attorney, Clarence Bur
leight and Franklin answered all
questions. Burleigh said last night:
, "Mr. Montgomery answered all
questions put to him. He told me he
had lost amounts of money during the
past two years in the stock market
He made no effort to exculpate him
self and none to implicate any other
person. He insisted that he was re
sponsible for the entire shortage and
denied that anyone either in the bank
or outside of it was associated with
him in the affair.
"He has already, or will In the near
future, turn over to the bank $150,000
or $200,000 in sureties and real estate.
Montgomery will step into court and
plead guilty and that will be all.
ACCIDENTS INCREASING.
NEW YORK, May 15.-According
to reports compiled by the public
service commission, there were in
April 4707 accidents upon the street
railways, subways and elevated roads
within its jurisdiction. This shows a
steady increase since the beginning of
the year. In January there were 3921
accidents; In February 3951 and in
March 4353. Altogether there are
2386 persons hurt Of these 1671 were
passengers, 662- persons not passen
gers and 503 employes.
PREPARED TO CLOSE
Only a Short Time Allowed for
Debates
DEFICIENCY BILL IS THE LAST
A Bitter and Sensational Attack on
Former Speaker Keifer of Ohio by
His Colleague General Sherwood
Was the Feature of the Day.
WASHINGTON, May 15.-The
work of cleaning up in the house
preparatory to adjournment on May
23 proceeded at a rapid pace today.
With only a short time allowed for
debate on the military academy ap
propriation bill and the omnibus pub
lic building bill passed, the leaving of
the supply bills, only the general de
ficiency bill has to be considered.
This will probably be taken up Mon
day. A bitter and sensational attack
on former Speaker Keifer of Ohio by
his colleague, General Sherwood,
was the feature of the day's proceed
ings. By a strict party vote the
Vreeland currency bill as amended by
the senate today was after a lively
debate sent to a conference. Yeas
150, nays 103, "Present" not voting,
6. In the opinion of Williams, the
minority leader, the bill as amended is
infinitely worse that the Vreeland
bilL The democrats applauded Fow
ler when he read a letter contradict
ing a statement by Vreeland yester
day that the First National Bank of
Atlanta, with a million capital and
forty others banks supported his
measure. Fowler said there was not
such a bank in Atlanta or any bank
in state with greater than half million
capital. He challenged Vreeland to
file his endorsement letters in the
record.
MEMORIAL TO LINCOLN.
WASHINGTON, May 15. -The
bill appropriating $50,000 for a me
morial to Lincoln on the site of Lin
coln's birthplace in Kentucky was
passed by the Senate.
PACKING PLANT BURNED.
OMAHA, May 15.-The old plant
of the Omaha Packing Co., at South
Omaha was destroyed by fire tonight
with three million pounds of meat
The loss is half a million.