The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972, January 21, 1904, Page 1, Image 1

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    G
OOD EVENING.
n)
T
HE Public Has Observed
She Weather I
Tonight and Friday, light
0 mow; westerly winds. .
VOL. II. "NO, 272.
OUTHERN PACIFIC LIMITED ROBBED OF
LARGE MOUNT AND BANDITS ESCAPE
Remarkable - Exploit of Desperadoes
- Whose Work Is Not Detected for
an Hour1 or More.
Highwaymen BoanJ Train Without Being Seen
Batter in Door of Car Remove Wells-Fargo
. Strong Box While Rot Guarded.
(JoornJil Special Service.)'
' San Francisco, Jan. SI. The South
ern Pacific Sunset ' Limited westbound
train was boarded by masked men near
tunnel 7, a few miles from Paso Robles
early this morning. The bandits thre(w
the safe oft at a lonely spot ' The dis
covery was not made until an hour later.
The amount In the safe Is unknown,
but It Is believed, to be at least I1Q.0OO.
Posses have been sent to the scene, but
.. no trace of the robbers can be found.
Bold la Every Degree.
Details of the bold robbery Is given
as follows: , While the. train was com
ing slowly up grade into the tunnel the
robbers boarded - It and battered - down
the large doors to the first express car,
'In which there were no messengers. -
The door was locked at ' San - .uls
Obispo after several thousand dollars
In money and valuables had been placed
In the safe. The train proceeded north
ward with express . messengers in an
adjoining car to the rear. . They noticed
no suspicious characters around the sta
tion, neither did the. conductor nor other
trainmen. ' ...!;' i-v o
' . This is almost positive - proof ; that
the robbers boarded the train as ft was
proceeding slowly up grade. . When the
tunnel , mrnai .witnvAfi 4rtaw 4 ni m tAa n r
began their ' work of breaking In the
' Wnnt ti.lnop 1ah. 4mn envla nA trV t
The nolso of this operation was not
heard by any of the' train men, . They
must -have worked at the door for, IB
minutes at least, as the safe was thrown
out near , a little station called Thiles,
In the San Lucia mountains. . '
; ''"The Safe round. r'f':
Deputy sheriffs, found the safe blown
open early this morning and made an
Immediate attempt to trace the robbers.
It Is believed they live In the vicinity.
No arrests have been made up to noon.
The peculiar thing about the robbery
Is the fact that It was not discovered
until the train left Paso Robles on its
way north. .One of the express messen
gers noticed that the door had been
broken open after the train pulled out
for Paso Robles station, and when It
reached San Miguel he gave the alarm.
The engineer and conductor, as well as
the whole train crew, knew nothing of
the robbery, and not a single one could
offer the slightest clue, and the express
car and wrecked safe alone told the
story. ' '..-. . ; - : .- -
. ' Wells-Fargo officials will not give out
the eKact amount the robbers secured,
but It is known to be large. - Many valu
able express packages were In the safe,
as well as considerable coin.
'. ' Pressed for Time. , t ,
..The bandits were evidently pressed
for time after getting oft, the train and
In locating the safe, as they failed to
make a complete Job of the looting. The
treasury box was pinked up-and in It
was found a diamond worth probably
500, which had been overlooked.
Pieces-of-to-rn express envelope-were
found strewn indiscriminately about the
spot, . showing further evidence of the
extreme haste In getting away with ,
their booty. An unofficial estimate
places the amount of plunder at $30,000,
PORTLAND BEATS
ST. PAUL CITY
Compared with the city of St. Paul, Minn, Portland; building, per-
e mlts during 1903 showed more extensive operations" in, i this , city.
f) During the. year tha, permits Issued In this city amounted to- $4,014,- 4
" 779, while those of St, Paul amounted to $3,645,775. This shows that
Portland building operations were $369,002 ahead of that Eastern
city. . Tlje permits Issued during the various months In : this city
amounted to: ." . ,
January '. $ 237,275 August ................. . 898,800
O February .S.. ' 265,927 September 467.338
March , 669,071 i October '..'.'.. ......; "357.225
April.................... 251,692' November ,170,430 ,
4 May .................... ,280,210 December 199,579 '
4 dune' 208,962 , -
e July "... 373,547- -Total ,for the year .... $4,014,771
4 The building permits of St. Paul for the various months, during
4 1903 were:
January 58,860 August ........... 817.945
t February .....4......... 91,866. September .............. $45,645
4 March ...............a.,.- 210,467 October , 472,720 '
4 April .... .. ;685,084 November 207,160
May" ' 864,724 December 219,215 "
Jun 429,750 ' , '
4 July .' 342,940 Total for the year ..,.$8,645,775 .
4 ' The fact that the building operations In this city were larger dur-
4 ing the past year than those of St. Paul Is significant on account of
the fact that there"! a large difference between the populations of the
4 two cities In fkvor of the Eastern clty.ij According to the government
4), census of 1900 the population of St. Paul1 was 163,065 while that of
Portland was 90,426. ' ''
'. , " v " ; :
4 ' '-
rain or
- -!
but express and railroad officials unite
In asserting the loss Is 'comparatively
insignificant. Conservative estimate
places the loss at about 110,000. but as
the express officials are the only per
sons who know the full extent of the
robbery, Its magnitude may never be
come public, ; ,
" . The First Information.
The first Information of -the holdup
received by Supt Aglar of the South
ern Pacific came In a message sent by
Conductor E. H. Meyers from King City.
It' merely statedthat the safe had been
thrown off the train by unknown high
waymen. Upon the receipt of this mes
sage, Aglar ordered an engine out of
San Luis Obispo, . which was boarded
by Sheriff Ivlns of San Luis Obispo
county, a number of his deputies and
railroad employes, who were sent at
full speed to the scene of the robbery.
After a brief search the safe was found,
but no traces of the robbers. That the
men who committed the crime were fa
miliar with the custom of the express
messenger and helper leaving their car
and going into the baggage car during
the early morning hours there can be no
doubt, and suspicion) naturally points
to frequenters of ' one of the depots
along the line or to ex-employes. -
- The superintendent of. the Wells
Fargo Express Company declares the
safe could not contain & great amount
of valuables, as it was used principally
by, the messenger as .a repository for
way papers and small packages. They
refused to estimate the amount of plun
der secured. - , ,-""."v.
WOODBURN BURGLARS
KNEW THEIR GAME
(Journal Special Service.) r
i Woodburn. Or., Jan. 21. Austin- A
Flnser's store in this city was robbed
last night of several overcoats, six
pairs of shoes, trousers, sweaters, four
suits of clothing, suspenders, socks and
other goods, in all amounting to about
$160 worth. Entrance was gained
through a back door and then through
a transom. The burglars were evidently
familiar with the premises, as they cut
through the rear door and Inserted a
hand . through the aperture thus,, made
at- the exact spot where .'the bolt could
be easily reached and drawn back.
ANOTHER SCANDAL
AT MACHEN TRIAL
(Journal Special Berrlre.)
Washington, Dy C, Jan. 21. The Ma
chen trial was enlivened this morning
by the presentation to the court - of
three affidavits charging Tostal Inspec
tors slayer ana uregory witn approacn
Ing and questioning witnesses in the
waiting-room before being called to the
stand. The court ruled thof the in
spectors should reply by affidavit.
4 44
PORTLAND, OREGON,
JUST
The picture shows former Congressman Edmund H. Driggs and how he spent his day's sentence of imprison
ment after eonviotion in the postal frauds case. , ;r . '
FACER
FOR SCOTT
:1
The Republican Committee
Vetoes His Senatorial )
Aspirations.
If Harvey 8cott still entertains a lin
gering hope that the Mitchell organiza
tion may yet be Induced to. support him
for United States senator in 1907, he
will receive rather hard Jolt when the
news reaches him at Washington -of the
action taken by that faction last evening.
The Republican city and county central
committee, owned and operated by . the
Mitchell machine, met laat evening and
renewed Its pledges of loyalty to Ore
gon's senior senator, declaring that the
Interests of the state demand bis reelec
tion. : , ' - !" ' , "' ,
- "Make Senator Mitchell's name our
battle cry," shouted one enthusiastic
member of the committee, and the slo
gan was greeted : with loud applause.
The illustrious editor whom the organi
sation was ostensibly supporting for
senator only one year ago was forgot
ten and not even a passing reference was
made to the gold, brick which ' was so
adroitly passed to him at that time.
Attack on Simon Wing. '
By unanimous rote the- committee
adopted an address to the voters of
Multnomah county, ' setting forth at
length reasons why they should support
the Mitchell faction In the coming strug
gle at the primaries arid, why the Simon
Republicans should - be tdast Into outer
darkness. -Simon . wasvehemently de
nounced as the bitter enemy of President
Roosevelt, to whose candidacy' for a sec
ond term the committee pledged its act
ive assistance. The present county and
city administrations came in for high
commendation and ' were urged ' as a
strong reason for continuing the Mitchell
faction in power.
Judge C. H. Carey, the chairman of ttfe
committee, was authorised to appoint
a managing committee of nine members,
to be selected at large, who, shall have
the conduct of the campaign. , A ,.
Only Absentees
. The meeting was held at Alisky hail
and was attended by all but six of the
70 members. Much enthusiasm marked
the proceedings and confident predictions
of victory in the primaries were freely
made. Among the speakers were K. O.
Clark, Waldemar Setori. A. A.'.Courteney
Herbert Holman. George II, Howell 'and
other well known partisans of the Mitch
ell wing. Plsns were discussed for thor
ough organisation throughout the county
(Continued on Page Two.).
THURSDAY EVENING,
A ROUND OF PLEASURE
Gin
Erickson's House Reopens
in Face of District v
Attorney Fiat.. :
A. Erlcksoiv's gambling house;
. was closed ' last Monday when
District Attorney Manning, filed
an information against its owner,
Today it was reopened.
District Attorney Manning said
yesterday: .;
f "I shall not let the matter drop
with this case. The district at
torney 'has power to proceed on
his own Initiative against gam-'
bllng and I shall exercise that
power.'.
'.
A. ErlcknoVs gambling house at Sec
ond and Burnslde streets was reopened
at 10 o'clock this morning after being
closed since $ o'clock last Monday af
ternoon.' The dealers all said that they
did -not know the basts upon which the
place was running, but had received In
structions from Manager Griffin to re
open. ' j
At 2 o'clock this sfternoon Mrs. Fish
beck appeared before -the district at
torney and swore to a fresh complaint
charging gambling against A. Erlcksoa
On this complaint a warrant will be is
sued In Judge Hogue's court and the
district attorney expects : to - close the
gambling house- again. . ., .
District Attorney Manning said that
he had made no arrangement to permit
the house to reopen, and 'while he had
had a talk with Manager Griffin yes
terday afternoon, had reached no conclusion.-
He said that unless it re
funded the money to Mrs. Fishbeck the
house would again be closed.
"I will Issue a warrant to any one
that comes to me 'in good faith to en
force the laws against gambling," said
he. - ' 'l.'' ''h't " , ' : . .-.
Constable Jackson said: "I will servs
any warrant placed in my hands against
gambling houses, slot machines or any
other violation of the law. I have In
the past taken the Initiative against the
Chinese, lotteries and slot machines, but
could not get the co-operation of the
district attorney's office."
v Mrs. Fishbeck said that she had not
been approached by any one in reference
to a settlement; that she had been ad
vised by Mr, Manning to take no money
RmED
Continued on Page Two.).
JANUARY 21. 1904.
ARMSTRONG
WILL DIE
Attorney Gives Up Fight
. for the Murderer's
Life.
Pleasant Armstrong, who lay Tn wait
for and shot down Minnie Ensmlnger
In her own door yard at Haines, Or.,
Christmas night, 1902, will die on the
gallows at 'the Baker county Jail at 7
o'clock tomorrow morning. The su
preme court of the state this afternoon
affirmed the action of the lower court
and his attorneys, George J. Bentley of
Baker City, Or., and M. M. Oodman of
Dayton, Wash., have given up the fight
Armstrong's attorneys intended to go
before Judge W. B. Gilbert of the
United States circuit court of appeals
this afternoon and ask for stay of exe
cution, but upon receipt of a message
from Salem notifying them of the su
preme, court's action, they decided to
make no further effort to save the mur
derer. .. ; ". ...
For almost 25 months the murderer's
attorneys have fought to save his life
and in the face of threatened mob vio
lence and the confession of the prisoner,
have until the sunset of Pleasant Arm
strong's last day on earth, been cease
less In their efforts.
Mr. . Bentley came to Portland last
Tuesday morning and went before Judge
Bellinger of the United States district
court where he sought to obtain a writ
of habeas corpus. - The petition was de
nied. The following day Mr. Bentley
argued before the state supreme court
at Salem' that the court should have
sentenced Armstrong to be. hanged In the
penitentiary since sentence was passed
after the. law - requiring penitentiary
hanging had become effective.
It was expected that as a last-resort
Mr. Bentley would go before Governor
Chamberlain, but this he did not do.
"I see no reason why I should inter
fere," said the governor, this morning,
"and while I am not in the habit of giv
ing my opinion in a case before it is
presented to me, I believe this affair
should have been settled long ago. ' The
murder was evidently premeditated and
cold-blooded and It apepars to me that
there has been too much of a stir cre
ated in trying to pick out a flaw, where
by the man could escape punishment". -
mne to vbessb 'Asm stabye.
s . (Journal Biwi-lnl Servlrt.)
St. Louis. Jan. 21. The frozen body
of a Chinaman was .found In a refriger
ator1 car. from 'Canada today. He evl-.
dently died by the woik of highbinders.
BOWIE IS .
San Francisco Audience
Amused as "Prophet"
Berates the People.
PROFIT TO "ELIJAH"
Escapes to His Hotel and Will Leave
the Bay City for Australia by
' ; Steamer Rather Than By
V v Using Miracles.
(San Francisco Bureau of The Journal.)
San Francisco, Jan. 21. Elijah II was
jeered till his whiskers stood on ends at
last night's talk before a large local
audience here.. Elijah was in a bad
humor and very unchrlstlanlike in his
remarks of persons and things. Hugh
Craig, a well-known local Insurance man.
had sued the "Doctor" for a sum of over
$1,700, which Craig claims, was a loan'
to Dowle In 1888. Dowle disclaimed the
debt and started to pass out sly digs
at Craig that entirely overshadowed his
jabs at the "Hounds of the press,"-who
sat meekly in the front row, expecting
to be struck by a thunderbolt at al
most any moment.
. Emptied Himself.;
After Elijah had emptied himself of
fire and brimstone he breathed the purer
breath of Heaven and as his talk of Zlon
and the beautiful; gates-developed his
theory of . government, was T out
lined. He would have the Kingdom of
God, of which he is the Visible ruler.
undertake the industrial -work of this
world. He would have, for instance.
churches4ake- hold of the arid lands of
America and. bringing water en them.
make "Deserts blossom with roses," for
that Is the Scriptural coramand, said
he. He- Would not only' unite - church
and state, but would go farther and
consolidate -church, state and industry
into one tremendous whole for the
greater glory and profit of the new
Elijah : - -..--,.
Tne Audience Tjaugfeed.
At this Juncture the sudlence laughed,
and ' the brimstone came to the fore
again. Dowle stormed and the audience
laughed again. Then ne went back to
his,., hotel and escaped for the evening.
Dowle will leave for Australia this
evening, taking the steamer Instead of
tackling the voyage by simply wishing
himself there, bag and baggage.
GERMANS FEAR THE
WARFARE OF TRADE
- (Joarnal Special Service.)
Berlin, Jan. 21. The Central Euro
pean Commercial league, ahose pur
pose is "to" conduct " the propaganda
against Americanism and commercial
invasion, was formally established this
afternoon, many influential Germans be
ing in attendance. '
FIRE FOLLOWS AN
"AWFUL EXPLOSION
OA MAXirS BLOW VT AJTD TXAXXS
; rariBX THE SESTXVCTXOX OF. A
. XOTEXrnOtSE LZTES X.OBT AITS
BYEXAXi FATALLY IWJTJBBD A
SEED OF HEBOISM. '
v (Journal 8peell Service.) , , :
: Marion, Ind Jan. 21.- A terriflo gas
explosion occurred In the Hotel Sits this
morning, with the result that three per
sons were killed, . three fatally; and
eight dangerously injured. Fire fol
lowed and a . panic ensued. ,
- The dead are Charles Beitel, the hotel
proprietor; Mrs. Beitel and James Dev
lin. The fatally Injured are Edward
Gaskell. L. Hobls and Thomas Twig.
- The hotel is located at the north en
trance of the Soldiers' home. The ex
plosion, which was due to weak mains,
was-terrific. People in Marion, three
miles away, were aroused." The build
ing is a two-story frame, and flames
spread rapidly.
, The hotel register was saved, but there
may -have been other victims sdmittod
by Beitel during the early hours of the
morning. If so, their, bodies are cre
mated. An Instance of heroism was that of
an 11-year-old girl, with .both legs
crushed, who ' tried to crawl to her
father's Side to assist him. He was
fatally Injured. '
The damage will reach (50,000.
LIEUT. MITCHELL -GOES
TO HOSPITAL
Whintonl Ituiom of The Journal.)
Washington, T. C, Jan. 21. Meut.
Hiram K. Mitchell, son of Senator
Mitchell, who Iihm been here for the
past three weks on leave, was today,
after examination by the chief surgeon,
U. S. A..- ordered to the general hos
Dttal at Washington barracks for treat
ment on account of an Injury to his Kg
received on hia trip 10 Alaska.
. That The Journal Is the Only
Paper in Portland That Dares to
Print the News.
PRICE FIVE. CENTS,
VAR STILL
DOUBT
News and Negotiations of
Imperial Councils Hid
: den by a Veil.
RUSSIA'S NOTE IS DUE
While Czar Is Believed to Be Striving
for Peace There Crops Up
Other. Elements of '
: r Snspiclon. ; ,
(Journal Special Serriee.) .
St. Petersburg, Jan. 21. Apart from
the general, acceptance by commercial
circles of the belief that the danger of
war has passed, there is nothing that
visibly indicates a change in the situa
tion. Whatever is happening, news of
negotiations and Imperial councils is
bidden by a thick veil of official secrecy.
, It is stated on good authority that re
ports accusing Admiral Alexleff, Bus-'
slan viceroy of -the far East, of pushing
matters to extremes are . utterly : mis
leading., On the contrary, he is urging a
diplomatic and statesmanlike treatment
of the situation, believing that time will
undoubtedly bring about what Russia is -contending
for,-whereas -war would only ?
check the natural course of events.
Exehaage of Views.
The first exchange of views between
the foreign Office, Viceroy Alexleff and
Baron Derosen, the Russian minister to
Japan, on the Japanese reply has not
resulted in a definite decision. Conse
quently 'Russia's answer will probably
be delayed a little longer than antici
pated. . . "
At the foreign office it wsS explained
in a general and, unofficial way. with
"reference to foreign settlements of open
Manchurlan ports, that no reservation
was mad In recognition of acquired
treaty rights, but in so much as Russian
military and civil authorities now
exercising Jofnt control in China, Rus,
sla naturally must be consulted on
questions rising out of consular repre
sentation, Including settlements.
mVSSIA'8'rXESX fsofosaul
Berlin, Jan. 21. The Lokel Anxieger's
St. ; Petersburg correspondent today
wires that a well-known diplomat con
firms the. report that Russia is sending
fresh proposals to Japan, which will
probably result in negotiations being
continued several weeks. , He says Rus
sia at any price will avoid war and
hopes to win Japan to the same view.
The diplomat adds, however, that Rus
sia will not permit any intervention by
other powers. . .
THE KEVLY TODAY. -
"XondonrTanr"2l. The- Paris corr. -spondent
of the Central News wires that
semi-official advices were received from
St Petersburg that the Russian reply
to Japan will reach Tokla today.
woxax accused of Foisoiriira
MEET! HEX FATE AT XAVSt OF
JTOXY. AXB XECEZTXS YEXOZOT
OF OOTLTT BEITTXarCE WILL 8B
LITE ZXFXZ80XXEXT.. V
. (Jtmrntl OperUl Serlc.y,
San Francisco, Jan. 21. Martha VL
Bowers, on trial for murdering her hus
band by administering poison, was con
victed by a Jury last night of murder
in the first degree. The Jury fixed the
penalty for the crime at Imprisonment
for life. . . ,
To the majority of people this result
of the trial was expected and believed ,
to be Just, as the, testimony . brought
out the facts that she for a long time
was Immorally infatuated with Patrick
Lervey her lover. -. ;
Attorneys Prury and Mclsaac are pre-,
paring to move for a new trial for the
woman. They claim Judge Cook made
a number of rulings not proper and that
the woman should 'be ' given another
chance to prove her innocence. It is ex-,r .
pected that Mrs. Bowers will appear for
sentence Saturday If she is. able to be
brought to the bail ot justice. She col
lapsed when the verdict was read and
reports from , the county 'Jail are to the
effect that she is very ill. It Is sup-
vvtm i,u iro v i J ex- Diunii ivi v j v
attack, however, and she may soon re- .
cover.. . : :
Mrs. Irljah Byars, who lives in Port
land and who Is the mother of Mrs.
Bowers, who was yesterday convicted
of murdering her husband by slow polo-
oning, was much affected by the news of
her daughter's conviction this morning.
She said that she did not know Jimt yet
whether Mrs. Button,' her ether d.mK'i
tcr, would return to .this city or nt.
' TO ELECT SEWATOES BISECT,
(Juureal "peels I S'TvI.
Indianapolis, lnd,, Jhi '-'I. -t
lutlon favoring-the election if !
bv a direct vole pnn!ii1 tti tn n.
onventlnn thl4 niorumn.
BOWERS
KILLED
HUSBAND
A:
f