PUBLISHES FULL ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT
COVERS THE MORNING FIELD ON THE LOWER COLUMBIA
-MlMMWMIMW,,,lIMW,Ml .
86th YEAR. NO. 51.
ASTORIA, OREGON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1809
PRICE FIVE CENTS
TERRIBLE CRIIi C011I1 III
"SOUTH CmiFBII
Mother and Four Chil
dren Brutally Killed
HOUSE BURNED DOWN
Bodies of Victims are All Found
In a Smglo Bed Room In
Bed Undisturbed
LYING IN NATURAL POSITIONS
Evidence- AU Polmi to the Fact That
the Murder Wit Committed Be
fore the House Wet Set on Fire
No Clewi Have Developed.
crime. A watchdog belonging to
Mr. Deekman was poisoned a few
before the tragedy, and a
little house dog that was kept in the,
bedroom at night was round unnuri
on the premises this morning.
MONEY GOES ABROAD.
rmrAfiO. Feb. 26-Large sums
ot money are being sent out of the
United States annually to the rostai
tuvinu Ranks of Europe, as a re-
.ih t,t the absence of such banks here,
r,linff to Pott-Offiee Inspector
Carter II. Keene of Washington, who
s.. in rhlrano. Mr. Keene emphasizes
the fge,1 ,or ,he aWi!inmcnt
of postal savings banks in this coun
try.
BACK YARD PICTURES.
iilent'i recommendation for sending
a conmiisslon to Liberia to study the
situation. -'The committee5 says that
the Liberian government is an Ameri
can institution and that the civiliza
tion of the Libcrians is in keeping
with American thought ami customs
"So far as ascertained, says the
committee, "the entire colored popu
lation of the United States approve
of th appointment of the proposed
commission and the relations ot mc
United States to Liberia make it an
imperative duty for us to help the
little republic which is struggling
against adverse conditions.
GUNBOAT IN TROUBLE.
BAKERSFIELD. Cat., Feb. 26-
Mrs, Minnie Bcckman, widow of the
ui W M. Beekman. a prominent
rodent of this county, and her four
rhstrtrrn. were burned to death at
their residence, seven miles south of
.hi eltv. shortly after Z O'clock tin
morning. The evidence all points to
fact that murder was committed
hrfore the house was fired, The dead
rinrAr.n Feb. 26 -The Fine
Arts Society of Oak Park has decid
ed to take photographs ot unciean
back yards and give them to the lo-
al papers for publication.
"nV ramnaiun for cleanliness.
sitid President White, "will begin
UnnAnv. VV will have a stall photo
grapher search out these dirty yards
and maybe publicity will bring some
of ihrse wealthy alliens wno are
too ly to look ftcr ,he,r Prm,M
to their senses.
are:
MRS. MINNIE DEEKMAN, aged
40.
VFW YORK. Feb. 26--The Uni
ted States revenue cutter Mohawk,
from New London to Tomp
kinsville, ran on the rocks of Hell
Gate and latc tonight is still hard
aground despite the efforts of the
tugs to move her. The cutter s now
is resting on a ledge of rock which it
t feared will tear a hole in her hot-
... i t , . . U
torn. An cliort win prooauiy
made early tomorrow at high tide to
float the vessel, but chances are unfavorable.
VPBA BEEKMAN. asted 14. ,
RAYMOND BEEKMAN, aged U
ANNIE BEEKMAN, aged 9.
ARTHUR BEEKMAN. aged 6.
The family occupied a single bed
h mother and two of the
children occupying one bed and the
nlitott hov and airl sleeping in
second bed on the opposite side of
the room. The charred bodies were
found in the exact position each was
accustomed to occupy in bed, and
the half-consumed mattress on which
Mrs. Beekman slept was covered
with what appeared to be bloodstains.
The cotton in the mattress has been
placed in the hand of a chemist for
analysis
The fire was first seen by neighbors
about 2:30 o'clock and the first men
to appear on the premises found the
house a muss of flames, but looking
through the burning boards,, the
bodies could be seen on the beds, ly
ing apparently in natural positions.
Coroner McGinn and Sheriff- Kellcy
were early upon the scene and a
careful examination of the premises
was made. No clews were develop
ed that might be of help in uncovcf
na the mvsterv.
So far as known the family had no
ninnies and there is no reason to
suspect anyone in the vicinity of the
HARD ARGUMENT
III DAYSIil.
Defense Have Best of
Carmack Trial Today'
LAW POINTS DECIDED
Try to Make Out That Carmack
Was ln a Very Ugly
Humor
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
Final Business Of The Session Was
Passing Resolutions.
CHEYENNE, Feb- 26.-The last
of the Decy farming congress was
given over to considering resolution.
The resolutions adopted include;
Tims declinine to advocate any spec
ial method of dry farming and favor
investigation of all methods; urging
Legislatures of western states now
An session to pass laws permitting the
expenditure of money for dry tann
ing experiments. Condemning meth
ods of unscrupulous land agents. Af
ter a struggle the name of the con
gress was changed to "Dry F arming
Congress and a resolution was adopt
ed providing for permanent head
quarters. Billings, Mont, was selected
for the November meeting,
HEALTHY CHICAGO-
Claims To Be The- Healthiest Of The
350,000 Class-
PRES1BEHT-ELECT TAFT STROilBLV
PROTESTS HIST PAPERS
Consumes Immense Current of Elec
tricity In The Windy City.
FLAT IRON SERVICE.
TRIAL LOOXS BRIBHT
FOR PEACOCK .
rpnBTS INDICATE THAT
EVIDENCE AGAINST mm
IS VERY WEAK.
MIGHT HAVE ATTACK COOPER
State Offered to Prove That Senator
Carmack Was Not in Ugly Humor
and Only Laughed at Idea That
There Might be Any Trouble.
SUFFRAGETTES ACTIVE.
Group Pounces On A Labor Union
And Usurp "all Ana iime.
ruTPACO. Feb. 26.-Twclve worn
en, members of the equal suffrage
association, swooped down upon a
meeting of carpenters and joiners
Union No. 62 last night, too pos-
...; r,,r nn hour and made a plea
to organised labor to join them in
their fight for the ballot.
n.,i nnr was there any disturb
twins the time Mrs Corinne
S. Brown was delivering an address,
'. f m n became noisy. One ot
them protesting aginst the invasion
nt ih women.
"ti. 1t hunk, thev can't put it o.er
me," he declared. The suffragette in
m. rUnir nmmded on the tame tor
order, and Mrs. Brown paused in
her peroration.
tf n,ar' man wants to speak, let
i,i,n rnm. to the platform, and I will
divide my time with him," she said.
"There should be a sergeant ai
irrnn here to keen order.
Members of the Union itasteneu
to the scene of the disturbance j and
the dissenter was quieted,
LOOKING TO SIBERIA.
United States Memoralued To Help
Little Republic
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-A com-,!iiff-
rlaiminir to represent the ne-
...... th United States has
KIU lavv, ... ,
r,Pnicd to Coiwess a memorial
asking for the adoption of the Pres-
MISSING MAN'S
HEAD IS FOUND
Arrnrrlinir to reports that reached
this city from Cathlamct last night
the trial of Dr. Peacock thus far has
done little more than jo strongly in
dicate the physician's innocence, it
was stated last night that the prose
cution seemed very weak, and the
of the mother and of oth
er witnesses yesterday for the prose
cution, simply tended to snow mat
the Cathlamct physician was not di
rectly or indirectly connected wun
it,- .iaih of the vounu gin.
prLmU of Dr. PcacocK rejoiced in
th. frt that the testimony also tend
ed to clear him of all suspicion of
hnvina ever wronged the girl. Such
is one statement of the matter made
ini niuht bv one or more men of in
telligence who had listened to the
evidence yesterday. It was saiu mai
,,. .rintilla of evidence was pro
duced to show that the physician had
ever acted in a manner other than ne
chmilfl have acted.
The nrosecution will continue to
day. A night session was held last
night. Mrs. Longtame, tne young
man. Morel, who was said to hale
been engaged to the dead girl, one of
her sisters, and Dr. Hacking, were
called by the prosecution yesterday.
Coroner Gilbaugh of this city aiho
was put on the stand, merely to
identitfy certain exhibits.
For the defense there is an array
of of witnesses and among them six
nhvsieians. all of whom are said to
be prepared to testify that it'w4d
have been physically and otherwise
impossible for Dr. Peacock to have
caused the death of the girl, from
Astoria Dr. Estes, Dr. Henderson,
Dr. Rcames and Dr, Vernon are, wit
nesses for the defense, and all went
up to Cathlamet yesterday, and from
Portland there are two doctors -for.
the defense, Dr. Bell and Dr. Watts,
Ghastly Find Made Near Umatilla of Ulan Who
Disappeared Several Months Ago
SNUDAY HORSEWHIPPED.
Famous Evangelist Has Set-to With
Crazed Person.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 26-The
at tnriav was mark-
el bv bitter argument between the
opposing counsel and closed with a
decided advantage to the detense at
the same time an interesting law
point was decided by Judge Hart
The defense offered proof that Col
one! Cooper was told by Edward
Craii whom the colonel had sent to
see Senator ' Carmack, that Carmack
was in an unly humor. The case of
the defense was based really upon
this one exorcssion, for both colonel
and Robin Cooper testified they
asmed themselves because they were
!,..! to believe from the remark wit
Carmack might attack the colonel
The State then offered to prove oy
two of defendant witnesses, that
Carmack was not in an ugly humor,
hut lauehed at the idea of trouble
The defense fought the admission of
this testimony with more vim than
has characterized any argument since
the trial bcean- The counsel stated
that the State would cross-examine
onlv on such matters as should be
anne over in direct examination.
rnnrt than excluded the jury, and one
of the witnesses, as the State declar
ed he would, admitted that Carmack
!,mhed at the idea of trouble. The
court held that the testimony must
h, excluded. When T. L. Thompson
was on the stand almost the same
question arose, and the judge said he
would render a final decision on tne
point tomorrow, but intimated that
unless the State discovered some new
authorities to support its contention,
he would rule out the testimony.
Revolvers nlaved a prominent part
in today's hearing and the testimony
was much to the advantage of de
fense. The prosecution had gone on
the theory that the revolver witn two
empty shells- found near Carmack's
body was Colonel Cooper's ana mat
the revolvers introduced as. Coopers,
which had not been discharged . was
the one carried by Carmack.
Major Vortless, however, who loan
ed Carmack the revolver, identified
the one found near his body with the
riUrharired shells as the one he loan
ed the Senator. Police Commission
er identified the revolver which had
not been fired as the one he loaned
Colonel Cooper.
CHICAGO, Feb. 26.-Chicago still
remains the healthiest American city
of more than 350.000 inhabitants, ac
cording to the annual report of the
health department for 1908, just made
public. Its death rate from all causes
U 14.10 oer 1000 of population and
the health officials assert that the pub
lic has become so greatly interested
in health orecautions that further de
crease is expected in the current year
A tniat of 30.548 persons cliea aur
ina the vear 1595 fewer than in 1907
Seven uercent of the total aeams
were due to violence and of these an
even 500 wer suicides or an increase
of 101 over the preceding year- This
marked increase in self destruction is
attributed partly by the health offi
cials to financial depression.
From tvohoid fever there were on
ly 338 deaths the lowest rate in the
historv of the city. Before the drain
age canal was constructed the report
savs. Chicaeo had the highest ty
phoid death rate of any city in the
civilized world.
"If reads the report, "the pre
rhannel tvohoid rate had prevailed
flurinir the last nine I years, there
would have been 10,035 deaths from
(vnhni,t fever in that period or 6,014
mnr than actually occurred, tigur
in on the basis, of the legislative
value of a human life, this saving rep-
respnts the sum of $60,140,000 or
more than the entire cost of the
drainage channel to date.
CHICAGO, Feb. 2v-Complaints
that the installation of electric flat
irons have increased the cost not only
of the current they use, but of all oth
er celctricity consumed, have been
marlff to a local electric lighting com-
- and to city officials. It is said
that these irons have been supplied
to between 10,000 and 15,000 consum
ers on trial, free of charge for the
iron itself, but that the moment the
current was turned on it cost the
consumer an average of 50 cents, ev
en if the iron was not used again.
The flatiron has the same effect as
increasing the number of lamps in a
house by six or seven and if used at
the same -time the lamps are burn
ing, increases what is known as the
"primary charge" for the use of elec-
'tricity. The use of the flatiron, rogein-
with lamos at any one time dur
ing each month, causes a higher
mavimnm eauee and necessitates a
correspondingly increased payment
at the full rate.
An official of the company declares
that with proper use there is no
ground for complaint.
"The flatirens are usually usee in
itav time, when the lights in the
house are not burning, he said, it
thev are so used the maximum can-
ilnot be increased -It is a very simple
matter and entirely within the con
trol of the consumer."
Says he Was Misrepre
sented as to Tariff
FAVORS COLlfJllSSIQIi
Wants Revision toTaks Placa at
Once so Business Can
Get Settled
PLACE ON SCIENTIFIC EASE
He Declares he Has Not Changed
His Position in Any Way and
Holds the Same View as he Did
Before he Was Elected.
LOCAL OPTIOFi UP i
MfflMBUY
BOTH MAJORITY AND MINOR
ITY REPORTS WILI an. rriB-
SENTED IN THE HOUSE
TENDLETON, Or., Febi 26.-The
mystery surrounding the disappear
ance of V. H. Hedberg, of Cumber-,
land, Wis., at Umatilla, August 5 of
last yar, was partly cleared up last
evening by the discovery of the miss,,
ii man's head, two miles north of
Hermiston. Efforts to find the re
mainder of the body have so far been
unavailing, as the head had probably
been carried to its present location
coyotes. ',
Hedberg was on hn way from Wis
Ashland with his daughter
join his son. He stepped from the
train the nicrht of August S to get a
cup of coffee and dropped completely
out of siirht. lie had a quantity ot
monev on his person and foul play
was immeditaelv suspected. Ihe find
ing of the head with a fracture on the
left side of the skull, made with a
hlunt instrument, confirms the mur
der theory. The spot where the body
Was found is about four miles from
Umatilla and a quarter of a mile
from the railroad track.
J. M. Scarborough, a Hermiston
merchant, made the ghastly discov
ery while driving across the irnga
tion project near Umatilla iiutte
SUNDRY CIVIL BILL
PASSES CONGRESS
WARM DEBATE INDULGED M
OVER RULES BROUGHT IN
DURING PASSAGE.
SPRINGFIELD, Feb. 26.-Evan-
,r,.i;Rt W. A. (Tilly") Sunday,- former
baseball player, was horsewhipped by
n man named Sherman Fotts tonight.
i Sunday's tabernacle was filled with,
anno nersons. Potts struck Stindaf
i several terrific blows. The evangelist
leaped, from the platform and knock
ed Potts down and they ' rolled and
tumbled in the aisle almost creating a
panic. Several men finally secured
Potts and held him until the police
arrived. Potts, who said he was once
insane, stated he had made at attack
in defense of the women whom he de
clared had been criticized by the
evangelist.
PUP-LOVE RESULTS.
TU1TTE .'Mont.. Feb. 26,-Charles
Stephens, aged 17, has been uncon-
sMohs since 11 o'clock Wednesday
from a blow on his jaw Struck by
Lionel Smith, aged 14, and fears are
expressed that Stephens will die- The
two boys had crossed in love, Smith
declaring that Stephens had. stolen
his sweetheart from him. In the mix
un Smith struck Stephens but once,
lifting, him clear off his feet and
landing him on his head. Smith
weighs 170 pounds and is a veritable
.giant in stature. He is m jail.
WASHINGTON, D. C, Feb. 2&-
After dragging along for a week the
I .... ... .a (yi vr
sundry civil bill carrying u,uw,uuu
was passed by the House today with
many material amendments, at (re
bate at times being very warm. The
rule brought m by Dclzell, making ft
in order for a majority to pass a bill
under suspension of the rules instead
of two-thirds, aroused the Democrats'
under the leadership of Williams to
criticize the appropriations commit
tee for not affording, as was charged,
more time to study the supply bills.
This led to an incipient filibuster. A
resolution was adopted appointing a
committee to report as to whether
the remarks of Cook delivWed yes
terdav attacking flie Pr'esidenf.
should be expunged from the" record.
The ship subsidy bidd was reported
and the conference report on the
penal code and diplomatic and con
sular appropriation bills were pre
senfed. The Indian appropriation fill
was agreed to and the naval appro
priation bill was returned to' confer
ence. Later the conference report on
diplomatic' and consular bill agreed
to the fallowing passage of more
ihari"300' private pension bills. The
.House adjourned at 10:30 p. ni.' un
til tomorrow. ,
OLYMPIA, Feb. 26. Acting Gov
ernor Hay today signed the bill in
creasing the membership of the su
preme court from seven to nine ana
named two new justices, tmmetr
Parker of Tacoma and George E.
Morris of Seattle-
Th House today made local op
tion a special order for Tuesday.
The sub ect will come up on, ur
vided report of public morals com
mittee. A minority recommends tne
adoption of the bill which passed the
Senate and a majority recommends
the new bill which is a combination
of the Senate bill and the anti-saloon
league bill that passed the House.,
The House passed the bill prohib
iting bucketshops. The Senate pass
ed the bill enlarging the duties ot tne
railwav commission to include super
vision of warehouses and grain in
spection
NEW YORK, Feb. 26- President
Elect Taft vigorously protested to
iiight against what he said was an
absolutely misrepresentation ot cer
tain New York afternoon papers as
to what he had said in answering
! questions in regard to the tariff re
vision. He had stated, he saiu, inai
the present business depression was
undoubtedly due in large measure to
the fact that the tariff is to be re
vised at an extra session of Congress
n meet March 15: that it was of the
highest importance that this revision
should not be delayed, "latt aiscrsaui
he favored a permanent tariff com
mission, plans for which had been
marked out with deliberation. Its
i duties would be to make a careful
'study of the proposed new tariff law
.and to the end that the whole ques
'tion of tariff might be placed on a
more scientific base -upon this state
ment, i
Taft was made to say that the pres
ent tariff schedules were responsible
for the present business depression
and that when they were revised
their parents would not know them,
all of which was amplified at lengin
and made positive by appearing to
be a vigorous and enthusiastic state
ment. Taft was perturbed over what
he called misrepresentation. He ha7,
he declared, changed his position in
no way and held the same views as
publicly announced during and since
the campaign. ,
MAY HAUL DOWN FLAG.
PfiBT MONROE. Feb. 26-Ad-
! miral Sperry " left for Washington
last night. The impression grows mac
Sperry will soon haul down his flag.
Common gossip is that the president
intends to appoint the next commander-in-chief
before he retires from
office next Thursday.
JUDGESHIP BILL
STRIKES BREAKER
r ' 1 1 ' "!! .
House Disagrees on enaie Amendment to Wash
ington Judicial Bill and Sends it Back
WASHINGTON, D. C, Feb. 26.
DtiriW the session of tlie House last
night tfe Senate amendment to the
Washington" judicial bill, providing
for an additional Judge in Oregon,
was agreed on and the bill sent back,
to the Sefcatfe-, This ; morning the
Senate "at1 the" instance of the judic
iary 'committee' ; insisted upon its
amendment and returned the ibill to
the House, asking for a conference.
It was refused last' night, but Rep
resentative Ellis '.will endeavor today
to have the bill scut,' to conference.
I lie has prepared data showing there
is 40 per cent more business before
the Oregon District Court than be
fore the District Court in ' Western
, Washington and if Western Wash
ington is entitled to another Judge,
Oregon is doubly justified in making
the demand- ' . -v ,:
Friend3 of Senator Fulton are ex
erting their efforts to induce the
House to accept the Senate amendment,-so
that Senator Fulton can be
placed upon the bench whn he re
tires from Senate.