The Oregon daily journal., September 23, 1907, Page 1, Image 1

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VOL. VI. NO. 172.
PORTLAND, OREGON. MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 23, 1907. FOURTEEN PAGES.
nnrin itxm ffMTO OBf ThAIHS 1W1 I1WI
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7RAMLER IDENTIFIED
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HUSBAND HAS DISAPPEARED AND
POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR
RIDE OF
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TRUNK DID 1
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DRY'S WORK OF POLICE
ON TRUNK MURDER CASE
just
HIIYI Qiinio iiioc
; dumu VVLJIL
EXPENDED
Boatman Tells Coroner a
Gruesome Story of Find-
inr of Receptacle fori
Cornse Crime Worst in
History of Northwest.
Murdered .woman identified as Mrs. Agnes McCombs
Covington.
Victim had been wedded only seven months to Cov
ington. Husband is suspected of the crime, as he has disap
peared. Police cannot form theory of cause for the strangling.
Letter from Covington's sister furnished first clew.
Girl was married against the wishes of her family.
Police pronounce murder most brutal in history of the '
northwest.
tAAiHHHHrAAAAA A AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Receiver Devlin Holds En
tire' Capital Stock of Gold
en Eagle to Secure Over
draft of $115,000 Lowit's
$44,693 Note Included.
(United Preas Leaaed Mir:)
Seattle, Wssh.. Bept. 21. Married laat
March afalnst the wishes of her rela
tives and disowned by them for this
act1: brutallv murdered. Jammed Into a
trunk weighted down with stones and
cast into tbe waters of Puget sound
waa the tragic fate of Agnes McCombs
Covington, the handsome 17-year-old
wife of Frank Covington. The wedding
took nlace only seven months ago. The
huihand is auanected of having; com
mltted the foul deed for reasons at
present unknown. His present where-
J bouts are unknown but it is believed he
eft recently for Alaska.
The body of the murdered girl wife
was Identified at the morgue this morn
ing by Robert Robinson of this city.
whn claimed that she was his niece.
' Mrs. Covinrton's grandmother, two
' uncles and an aunt reside at 721 Yes
lcr wav and her father Is at present
prospecting In tbe Okanogan country in
the northeastern part of this state.
The murder la pronounced by the po-
1 ce one of the most brutal tnat naa
ever occurred in the northwest.
About 8 o'clock Sunday morning
Stephen Anderson of West Seattle found
trunk washed ashore on the beach of
Fauntleroy Park. curiosity led mm
to make a hasty investigation which
revealed the contents of the trunk to be
the nude body of a girl covered over
with loose clothing.
Anderson notified the coroner and po
lice and at the morgue It was found the
body was that of a woman who had
been strangled to death. There are deep
finger prints in the neck and throat,
around which the rope ef undergarments
had been tightly tied. In the trunk
with the body were skirts, waists, shoes
stockings and other clothing. What
space remained after bending and doub
ling the body Into, the trunk, which is
of ordinary else, and tucking under and
around the corpse the murderer filled
with stones and sea shells.
Was Black Sheep of Family.
Frank Covington Is a nephew of J. B.
Covington, a grain dealer of St Paul. He
TILFORD GRILLED BY
PROSECUTOR KELLOGG
Ao Way to Account for
Money Drawn From Bank
and Receipts Averaging:
More Than $1,000 Daily-
Repaid Little of Loan.
((.'sited Prera Leased Wirt.)
New York, Sent. 23. Prosecutor Kel
logg grilled Treasurer Tilford In the
Standard Oil hearing this morning. Dis
satisfied with the evidence brought out
relative to the sale of the Manhattan
OH company by Commodore Benedict
and others. Kellogg endeavored to show
that the Manhattan went to the Stand
ard Instead of to an English syndicate.
He asked Tilford to tell why the Stand
ard OH company gave the Chicago Gas
company, then controlled by Benedict
and his associates, a lucrative contract
to furnish supplies and wanted to know
If the contract was a consideration for
the sale of the. Manhattan.
Kellogg shouted, "You swear It was
not." whereupon Tilford replied, "Not
to my knowledge."
Kellogg developed the fact that Til
ford signed a contract closely connect
ing all of the comianles Involved un
der the old trust agreement. Tilford
was ordered to produce the contract in
court
RADICALS WIN
GREAT VICTORY
, .
New Douma Will Be More
Irreconcilable t Gov
ernment Than Everl
(United Prtts Leased "wire.)
St. Petersburg, Sept 23. First re
turns today from the elections for the
third douma Indicate a sweeping vic
tory for the radicals. It Is eipeoted
that complete returns will show that
the radicals are the controlling power
and that the new douma will De even
more irreconcilable to the government
than the last one. Despite precaution
ary measures many people were afraid
to vote.
Is the black sheep of the family. The
rrir." ir j-ne"Vf jiitchell corn is
WORTHY. OP PALACE
Seattle for several years prior to her
marriage with Covington. Her uncle,
Roberf Robinson, Is an engineer at the
Pacific Coast Syrup company, has lived
In Seattle for twenty years, and the
grandmother has been here for the past
ten years.
"We always kpew Covington was
bad," said Mrs. Robinson the grand
mother of the murdered woman, "and ob
jected to Agnes marrying him. -There
were many family reasons urged against
hte marriage but she would have him.
She was not recognised by us after the
marriage, but we knew that she had
been living In Seattle recently."
The reason for believing that Coving
ton had gone to Alaska was that a letter
from his sister Edith showing that he
had been contemplating making such a
trip and had written to her about It was
found In the trunk crumpled In with the
clothing.
The startling discovery developed the
nrst truntc mysiery tnat nas ever puz-
siea tne eeaiue ponce, women ana men
have been found murdered in various
(United Preas Leased Wtrl.)
Itltl II a Tt Oa-.. 44 Tk ... ..1,1.
and abundance of the corn crop In South
Dakota are illustrated In the annual
Corn Palaoe exhibition which opened
in this city todty. The exhibition par
takes of the nature of a fall carnival
and this year the display of products
eclipses all of those seen In former
vears. In addition to the exhibits In
the Corn Palace the attractions of the
week Include Sousa's band and a varie
ty of free street entertainments.
inuniTr for
Ml
RAILROADS
Chicago & Alton First
Be Granted Special
rrivnege.
to
(United Preaa Leaaed Wire.)
Chicago, Sept. 23. The program of
the federal authorities In charge of the
rebate cases Is to announoe In Judge
Landls' court tomorrow that Immunity
has been granted the Chicago A Alton
from prosecution for giving rebates to
the Standard Oil company. This decis
ion will cause the government's counsel
to announce later that immunity pledges
, s an evidence of Indebtedness to the
bank in the matter of the Golden Eagle
department store's overdraft of approx
imately $116,000 In the Oregon Trust A
Savings bank there Is now In the re
ceiver's hands the entire capital stock
of the store. Pinned to the certificates
ia a note for 144.693. signed by Ous
Lowltt, former owner of the store, and
'Jeorge Mays, foftherljr the batik's rep
resentative in the store, accompanied by
a contract unaer wnicn tney were Douna
to pay the bank not less than $1,000
per week until the note was paid. On
final settlement and release of the note
they were to have turned over to them a
one half interest In the store.
Believed ia Store's Future.
At the time the bank charged off the
Golden JSagle account It took over the
capital stock, end the same was Issued
In the name of C. F. Jackson, represent
ing the bank. Mr. Mays, who at first
took a position in the management of
the store on the bank's account, form
erly occupied a responsible position in
the wholesale millinery store of Lowen-
eart & Co. He was. with others in the
Golden Eagle management, a strong be
liever in tne stores ruture, and wnen
the opportunity came to acquire an
Interest in it he embraced the chance to
sign a note obligating him to pay one
nair or an or tne sum or M,tiz. in com
Junction with Lowltt 1
Mr. Mays is in California at present,
and is expected home in about a week.
He Is credited with the statement that
had the store not been closed by an as
signment he could have pulled It
through its financial difficulties and
made It a successful institution.
Qot Out In Time.
The Golden Eagle was started by
CLEVELAND UNFITTED
FOR AN ACTIVE LIFE
5
6
1
have been made to all other roada guilty Gus Lowltt and Phnrlps Wrte-hf nt fhA
of the same offense. , Oregon hotel. Mr. Wright was a be
liever In the idea of a popular depart-
1 'PflT?fni,Ql AP1 AVTyT? ment store in the location selected. He
ill HiU'llUXiO v7J.Vtjr.iM.il LJiJ put considerable money, one reDort says
i XTfTlT m i Tm T A titiv 120,000 into the undertaking. It was
ANTI-TAFi l AKl l he. who first furnished a guarantee
wnen tne store sougnt to overdraw its
S
ICK HAS
MIL
10 SPRING
Prosecutor Announces ThatI
The Late Governor Steu
nenberg Had Been In
dicted with Borah on Johit
Doe Warrants.
Senator on Trial Greeted on
All Sides by His Friends
Names of Twelve Venire
men Drawn and Examina
tion Begins.
' ' ' -i;
(tTnlted Press Leaied Wire.)
Washington, Sept. 28. A concerted
antl-Taft-Roosevelt movement among
negroes all over the country is alarm
ing the Taft supporters. The negroes
have a permanent organization and
branches have been formed in Balti
more. Phlladephla and New York. W.
Calvin Chase, a colored lawyer and edi
tor of The Bee. a Republican paper
nubllshed here. Is the leader of the
I movement.
(Continued on Page Two.)
OREGON UNANIMOUS
ON CELILO CANAL
j
4 Washington. Idaho and Oregon 4
will work with one accord at the 4
4 coming session Of congress to se- 4
4 cure legislation placing, the Ce- 4
4 lllo canal on a continuing con- 4
4 tract basis. By personal letters 4
4 The Journal has urged upon the 4
4 senators and representatives 4
4 from these three states the ne- 4
4 cesslty of earnest, united effort 4
4 to accomplish this great result, 4
4 and ths replies have been most 4
4 encouraging, pledging the heart- 4
4 lest cooperation. Most of these 4
4 replies were published last week. 4
4 The latest Is from' Represents- 4
4 tive Burton L French of Idaho, 4
4 who writes as follows: 4
4 "I do not hesitate to say that 4
4 I believe this project Is the most 4
4 Important of aU the projects now 4
4 under war in the northwest, and 4
4 I believe we should do every- 4
4 thing possible to place the work 4
4 on this canal upon ths basis of a 4
4 continuing contract I assure 4
4 you that I shall be "found work- 4
4 Ing heart and soul for , this re- 4
4 suit" . ' " - 4'
HEAVY
INCREASE
VALUES
Multnomah County Real Estate and Improvements
Show Gain in. Valuation of $166,676,198 During
Past Year Assessor Sigler Places Estimates.
Multnomah county real estate has
Increased In value 27,29,360 during
the past year, according to the calcula
tions made by County Assessor Sigler,
who has Just finished compiling his
figures. According to the assessor, the
total valuation" of Multnomah county
realty, town lots and acreage, and tak
ing into consideration the improvements
made uoon both during the past year.
now aggregates the grand total of 2166,
676,128. This gives- a total Increase in
valuation of "the sum first mentioned.
During the past year the value of real
estate has gone up with leaps and
bounds, and at the present time the
high valuations are giving every Indi
cation of being permanent and not lia
ble to depression, unless some wide
spread financial panic should cause a
general disturbance of existing conditions.
According to the estimates furnished
by Assessor Sigler the valve of town
lots In 1907, as shown by the assess
ment made for the current year. Is
1112.884.023. as against a total valua
tion of 321,308,168 In 1206, thus giving
an increase in town lotrvalues of 321,
065.856. Imorovements listed In 1902
on town lota foot up to 334.187,193, as
aralnst a total of $30,984,815 in 1906.
This gives an increase in improvements
on town lots, during the year of $3,202,
380. .......!,.
.Hit li-MiM valilaHnna tnr 107 nal
$17,474,485. In 120 j acreage valuations
were $14,217,105, thus giving an in
crease In values during the year of
$3,267,480. Acreage Improvements for
1907 were listed at $2,150,396, as against
$2,036,760 for 1906, making an increase
for 1907 of 2118,645. Summing up, tbe
total valuation for 1907 Is given at
$166,676,198, as against $139,046,838 for
1906.
Assessor Sigler states that the work
of writing up the assessment roll- and
compiling the various books Is now be
ing done and for that reason the books
of his office are not yet open to publlo
inspection. It is his intention, how
ever, to have them finished and ready
for the public by one week before the
meeting of the board of equalisation.
The date of this meeting ia the third
Monday in October.
Assessor eigier states mat file valua
tions have been based on what he con
siders to be Just and conservative esti
mates of the worth of the property In
the county. The figures given include
the real estate alone no account hav
ing been taken of the personal prop
erty valuations of the residents of the
county.
The estimates of Improvements are
especially conservative following- out
the sVstem which has been followed by
Mr. Sigler' In the past Being based on
a conservative basis it is the opinion of
Mr, Sigler that the figures given point
in accurate manner to the great in
crease in the value of property in Port
land and Multnomah county during the
past sar.
account at the bank. His name ap
rears as guarantor on an overdraft of
6,000, which ia regarded as the only
immediately negotiable paper now con
nected with the deal. Mr. Wright said
today:
Yes, I owned an interest in the store
some time ago. I had a few shares and
I sold them. That Is ail there Is to it."
Mr. WriKht irot out about seven
months ago. It Is said, when Lowitt's
calls for working capital became heavy.
It Is said a part of the money he bor
rowed from the bank was used to buy
Mr. Wright s stock in uie store.
Where Sid It Oof
The uses to which Lowltt put the
large sums of money he secured from
the bank. In addition to the large reven
ues of the store, have caused much sur-
firlse, and still remain unexplained. It
s said on good authority that the
Golden Eagle, from the first of last
January until the assignment In Sep
tember, did a business of more than
$300,000. Its business in August ex
ceeded $26,000, or $1,000 receipts dally.
Lowltt expended thousands of dollars in
remodelling changes and equipment and
In the purchase of leases for which he
paid high prices. He remodelled the
store three or four times, and put In a
very expensive cash delivery system.
As a partial offset against the bank's
claims of $115,000. the assignee of the
Golden Eaerle has In his nossesslon
vouchers showing that the store repaid I
about liz.uuo. receiver Devlin esti
mates the store's present liability at
about $101,638 .
EX-PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND. WHO IS REPORTED TO BE
DRAWING NEAR TO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
Health of Ex-President Does Not Improve and Family
Concede Alarm Felt for His Ultimately Being
Forced to Retire to Await Death.
(Spatial Dtapatch to Ttia Journal.) ,
Princeton. N. J. Sept. 23. Ex-President
Grover Cleveland is reported to
have spent a pulet day yesterday
but his strength Is very low.
No visitors other than the clos
est friends of the family are al
lowed at Mr. Cleveland's home. Dr,
Bryant said that he was of the opinion
inai me ex-presiaent would n-cover
his strength and that he considered
the symptons favorable. However, It Is
Known that there Is much alarm felt
by the family and that Mr. Cleveland's
return to active life is by them never
to oe again expected.
BOTHMENiSI 010 JAIL
Essie Watkins and Dorothy Darlington Each Given 30
Days, Besides Heavy Fine Judge Frazer Admin
isters Stinging Rebuke to Human Vultures.
HAVE HELD PRAYER
MEETINGS FOR YEARS
" (ITnlted Preaa' Leased Wire.)
New York, Sept. 23. A week's cele
bration commemorating the fiftieth an
niversary of the Fulton Street Prayer
meeting was begun today. The prayer
meetings are especially for business men
and are held at noon dally, except Sun
days, In the heart of the down-town
business section of New York. Not a
day has been missed for fifty years.
While the services are essentially un
denominational, they are maintained by
the Collegiate Reformed church, the
oldest church organization In New York.
Postmasters ia Session.
(United Press Leaaed" Wtra.)
Fort Worth. Tex., Sept. 23. The
Texas Postmasters' association began a
two dayat meeting in Fort Worth today
with a good attendance of members
from the chief cities and towns of the
state. The question of postal savings
banks, uniforms for rural carriers and
methods of tracing lost mall are among
the- subjects scheduled for discussion.
Essie Watkins was sentenced to 30
days in the county jail and fined $600.
Dorothy Darlington was sentenced to
30 days in jail and fined $300. by Judge
Frazer in the circuit court this morn
ing. Both women had pleaded guilty to
the charge of contributing to the delin
quency of a 15-year-old girl. The Wat
kins woman was charged also with per
mitting the same girl to remain In a
place where liquor was sold.
Both women began serving their jail
sentences this morning. The Darling
ton woman was present-In the court
room, and was taken into custody at
once by Sheriff Stevens. The Watkins
woman was not in tne courthouse at
the time, but surrendered herself to the
sheriff soon afterward. Thj women
were prosecuted by Deputy District At
torney Robert Galloway. In pronounc
ing sentence upon the women. Judge
Frazer offered them a stinging rebuke
for ruining the life of a young girl.
He said in part :
in this case tne gin was only 15
rears old. The law authorises the
court to impose as tbe maximum pen
alty a fine of $1,000 and jail sentence
of one year. It would seem that if any
case deserves the maximum punishment
it is one (Where so young a girl is ruined.
But some faets in mitigation have been
brought to the attention of the court,
the- principal one being that ths-. girl
represented that she was 24 years old.
"She did not look that old." however,
and the women were at least negligent
In keeping the girl. The evil of leading
(Continued on Page Two.)
(United Press Leaaed Wire.)
Boise, Sept, 23. The trial of
United States Senator Borah, in
dicted for conspiracy to defraud
the government out of timber,
lands, was begun this morning
and a sensation was immediately
sprung when District Attorney .
Ruick announced that the late
Governor Steunenberg had been
indicted with Borah and others,
under the name of John Doe.
When court opened James H. Hawl7
and A. A. Fraser sat at the table for
counsol of the defense, while ths gov '
ernment's table showed a' formidable) '
array of legal talent, headed by Judge) -M.
C. Burch, who came all ths way from 1
Michigan to act as special prosecutor
With him sat Special Agent I C
Wheeler, who worked up the govern
ment's evidence. 8. R. Rush, attorney
general of the Nebraska district and Dis
trict Attorney Ruick, who secured, ths
indictment of Borah. - ,
The case of the government, " It is
stated, revolves almost entirely around
Borah and Steunenberg. There was lit
tle delay in beginning the work of s
curing a jury.
All eyes In the courtroom were fop
Borah. He occupied a seat behind hlsi
counsel, with whom he conversed con
stantly. He was arreeted on all sides
by friends who expressed their sym
pathy. To aU he waa agreeable, shak
ing hands and indulging in pleasantries.
As soon as the names of 12 veniremen)
were drawn District Attorney Ruick be
gan the examination. Ruick explained
the nature of the charge aralnst the de
fendant and Informed the talesmen that
among those Indicted was Steunenberg,
BREAK WAS MADE TO : .
SAVE CONSTANHNE
(United Preaa Leaaed Wlre.l
Chicago, Sept. 23. In a runninr re-
volover fight, Stanley Waaalek, one of
the two prisoners who sawed their wsf
out of tne countv Jail yesterday. wn.
captured by the police today. An extr
guard has been placed around the cell
of Frank Constantine, who was given
a life sentence Saturday night -for th
murder of Mrs. Gentry and ltt-whora
behalf it Is believed the bars were cut.
TOM WILLIAMS SUED
BY JERE WYNEBERG
(Uulted Treaa Leaied Wire.) ,
New York, Septv 23 Jere Wyneberqr,
lawyer and horseman, has served nn.
tlce on Tom Williams, president of th
California Jockey club,-that If the club
falls to reinstate John J. McCaffertv.
who was ruled off as the result of a.
controversary with "Boots" Durnell, ha
will bring the matter before' the courts.
Murderers Executed.,;
(United Preaa Leaaed Wire. ) '
Lods, Sept. 23. The military todav
shot seven men - and one woman con
victed at a drumhead courtmartial toe
killing Marcus Sllberstein, a mtllown-
er, for whom they worked. i
J AAAAAsAAAAsAAAAAAAA A AAA A A A AAA AAAA A AAA A s A A A A A A kifkt 4?
I Advertising Record for the Week End
I ing September 22d
t The olnme of pah- adverfisinir carried by the ihree daily" papers
The volume of paid advertising carried by the three daily paper
of Portland in regular issues, for the week' ending September 22,
was as iollow: -
Journal.
Local, incites ... 7,200 ,
Foreign, inches -.... . 774 ,
Classified and real estate inches 2,651
Oregonian.
7,262 ,
969 .
k 3,455
11,086 '
Telegram.
- 5,0X3
4S 4
' 1,SJ
M
v
10,625
f-'- Increase' in' The journal advertising for the week endin F.
' bet 15, 1907, over; the corresponding week of lastyear v. as
L inches.' t , . ,
7,0'; 5