The Oregon daily journal., November 29, 1908, Page 1, Image 1

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A 1 -a.l y IAkj H H qjJ W y tJ I J kf r ;. yesterday w3 .
31,722 I
. .( This Imm ct ' ,-
1 The Sunday. Journal '
- ' Comprises
7 Sections G 8 Pcges
The weather- Rain or- snow;
southerly winds. , .
VOL. ,V. NO. 37. 7
: PORTLAND; OREGON, SUNDAY ? MORNING, . NOVEMBER, 29, 1908.
PRICE FIVE . CENTS
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; LIILUI VU L u
MURDERER GIVES MICTlBl
NO CH MCE FOR DEFENSE
REVENGE WAS
MOTIVE FOR
CRIME
Prominent Young Lawyer
Seated at His Desk When
Assassin Approached Him
mth Reassuring: Words
"Hello KalpK"
Btt Zw Arint Chut 0rrr-
v uovwiuir t nanioenain was
4 gTeatly shocked when Informed
at Salem by long distance te.le-
phone this afternoon of the kilt-
in of Ralph B. Jlsher by James
; Finch, r We declared that ,th
4 murder gave strong emphasis to
the need of more fftive legis
lation which will prevent the
carrying of concealed weapons.-
"Mr. Tisher's "death Is srreally
to ;be lamonted," satd Governor
Chamberlain. "I knew him, well
and , regarded . him as a young
man of much promise and one
''Wh was earnestly striving to do
his duty as an officlal-.of the .bar -
association. He was independent -in
his way of thinking and hon
est and 'conscientious In his .ef
fort to purge",the bar ot un-
worthy members!
"I shall recommend to the next
f legislature the enactment of b
law which will more -severely
.'punish men who aarry concealed
weapons. Oregon needs leglsla-
tinn more Htrtns-pnt thltn that
'now on her statute books."
W.
The body of Ralph B. Fisher,
prosecutor of the grievance commit
tee of the Oregon State Bar associa
tion, lawyer, young husband, and
father, and one of the moat popular
men of Portland, lies on a slab at
the city morgue with two bullet
holes through the head fired by the
hand of a cowardly assassin.
James A. Finch, disgraced attor
ney, drunkard and now murderer-
and yet a bridegroom of only a week
cowers WhinaSthe bars of a cell
in the county Jail where he' was
taken after' be had treacherously as
sassinated Fisher. " "
, And at the' home of the murdered
man, 687 Schuyler street, widow who
a few short hours ago was a happy
wife, and a ' tlnfmlte of a hihv in
is now fatherless, wait in vain for the
husband and father whom they will
never see again. Chief-stricken friends
are about them trying without hope" to
comfort them, or at least to soften the
xernoie diow- -ine cany will not know
.ft
ni 4i
&; . M
-: 'i'li ?. ;f ft ;:? X vrr ;3s5s,
'Bafph'BiFiShep'-aiid hf UUl4 QnyRalph B. Fisher Jr. Latest
pnoiograpn,' uucpn ny, Aiinpre rove oeciMise, airs., 'sner fiearea ne
would , be (Iftlled, audi that she wouid ;hafno.ptctur of ( him.? Mrs.
Fisher until -yesterday likd xievVr'setJn'the, new photographs. . , 'i T
ii
10II1&E OF DEED
Fisher's Slayer Declares He Saw Xothini? of His Victim
at Any Time Yesterday-Inveighs Against Men Who
jPersecuteS- IJim-Says i Never Carried a Revolver.
(Continued on Paga Eight.)
"Welohers.'
JT-om the New. Tork Post
The west Is changing. The
aay na passed when a inan who
cannot '-play square game"' Is
run out of town on rail. Out
In Oregon they are already think-
, ing that it would be in better taste ' 4
to put a citixen or, that brand
into , the United States senate.
There is no othr Interpretation
to be put upon the -action of the
Union Republican club of Port-
land last Thursday night - This,
the most influential Republican '
organisation in the state, not
content to Indorse the violation '
of law, adrocatoa -a breach of .
' personal honor 011 the part of the
Republican members of the' leg-Is-lature,
whore bound to elect a..
Democrat, governor Chamber--
lain, ' the people's . candidate, to ' 4
the senafe. Of course," the cry
is raised that the ,, Democrats
juggled with the' primaries, and :
that a state giving Taft large
. majority does not really want a .
Democratic senator;' 'but the
voice of the "welcher" Is heard
In It all., mingling with that of
the hungry party boss. . The lncl- '. !
dent may, after all. serve "a good 4
purpose;. If the Republicans do
refuse to abide by the rules of v 4
the game," voters will " soon be
f boosing ; their., own senators
witheut the assistance of a leg-
Islature.
n once aia ino tail, ungainly-law-jetray
try-word of mouth aay knowl
of the bloody deed ha had done, in
Mohawk building but al short' time
1. i
"I don't know what I'm here .for un
less it's because I'm a disbarred attor
ney. I'll wait and find out; you'll find
mn a mtKlitv. aood hand at wattina.
even if I am a disbarred attorney." y ....
SPeakinr disconnectedly. -wlfhv his
hands nervously combing -Ills.1 iron gray
hair, James A-' Finch, who less than
two hours before, had shot and killed
Ralph B. Fisher, the bar association's
prosecutor, told of. bis -r troubles with
that organisation. - ... . .
Not once did the tall, ungainly-law
yer Detray
edjre
tne MotiiwK building
before. But." and this "Was Utterly dis
cordant with his story of remembering
nothing of being In the building, he
gasped and . choked painfully as he said
'I'll find out what they have me here
for, and you'll find tue pretty good at
waiting.' . . . ... , . . ...
Speaks Clearly, Then Gambles.
Every few minutes during a conver
sation extending over' half an- hour
Finch spoke of .himself as a "disbarred
attorney," and always In a tone of bitterness.-
-At times -his speeott was en
tirely Incoherent, and again .It would
be perfectly connected for several sen
tences. . . " . ...
Finch,; ex-newspaper man,- legislature
clerk and lawyer, sprawled his angular
figure over his chair, and the table "be
side It as he talked.. "He chewed, the
butt of a cigar given him and repeat
edly asked the deputy sheriffs and the
reporters for a - match. Ilia face is
that of a man who has weakened, him
self by strong drink. : His fieure lacks
muscular development and this impres
sion of physical weakness is accentuat
ed oy ma neignt, ror. ne measures fully
six -feet. -His eyes were bloodshot,
and. early In the conversation traces of
lenrs were apparent.
The Interview, took place In the II-
Brary of the county Jail. Frequently
nncn lumen 10 twpuxy ssnenrr -weatty
and said, ."Frank, you know I've a) wars
tried to do the right thing, don't you?".
"wai Itsas Ooaa Xere Today"
Once Finch, either to carry to an'ex-
ireme nis pian- or f Knowing nothing
whatever or what, took nian in ,iu
Fisher's office, or to learn what' his
visnors wouiu, nay, tumeq to Ueatty
and said, "I've been expecting - to see
Fisher all day. don't you think he will
eomoi up here this afternoon?"- Hesi
tatingly Beatty said he doubted 1f Mr.
Fisher would come? o the Jail. Finoh
two' mora In John Rometsch's saloon on
Morrison street about 1 o'clock. I talked
to 'a man named Downer there. The
text- thins- I remember is goln;"down
in an elevator, and it seems to me that
somebody stopped me, and then a police
man came' along and took me to the po
lice station. -
' Mentions Wife of Ten Says. .
I don't:know what they, did it for or
why ; 1'ip here.' unless it's because I'm
a disbarred- attorney. Tea, a disbarred
attorney, that's what I am. All the pa
pers have snld so, haven't they? Every
body' knows it. Boys. I've got a wife
and mother; I've been married Just
10 days, you-, renrsmber, and I tell you
It goes hard. They've handed It to me
Agreement Inaugurating
Policy in Far East Will
Be Signed in Few Days by
' Secretary Root and Baron
Takahira. -
(United PreM Leued Wire.)
Washington, Nof. 28. Secretary
Hoot and Baron Takahira will with
in the next few days sign the Jap
anese-American agreement which
will, in effect, inaugurate a new pol
icy In the far east and make Amer
ica more than ever the guardian of
the "open door."
The provisions of the mutual un
derstanding, which was exclusively
forecasted in United Press dis
patches early In October, have vir
tually been agreed upon, according
to the statement of an official of the
state department.
The diplomatic representatives of
foreign powers, although anticipat
ing the agreement, have been tpken
off their feet by. the ' extent of Its
provisions. The prevailing opinion
is that It supercedes the BritiBh-
Japanese alliance. For all practical
purposes, it constitutes a defensive
alliance , of the United States and
Japan for the protection- of mutual
Interests in the Chinese empire and
also makes the two countries the
guardians of territorial - Integrity - of
China, a function which, inj the Hay
agreement, was left to ' all the for
eign powers.
There Is a general expression that
the present agreement will inevitably
tend to lessen the influence of England
and Germany in the settlement of
oriental problems and will obligate the
United States wore than ever to look
out for the. Interests of other powers.
There are those who think Secretary
Root desired the agreement, irrespect
ive or wnetner it was Drought aDout as
9 - rrienmy or a precautionary measure.
to smooth out the comDlicationa that
have arisen since the advent of the Jap
anese in Mancnuria. xnese nave been
a source of much annoyance to America
in the past.
The representatives of foreign pow
ers have today been making sealous ef
forts to discover the terms of the treat v
and fathom the intent that lies behind
it.
South Portland Republicans
r Refuse , to Countenance
Fultonites' Scheme to Cir
cumvent Will of People on
Chamberlain's Election.
Personally I am not a nlerlse-
breaker and I am opposed to the Pledge
breakers' learue. Promises to the peo
ple by candidates for public offices are
among the most sacred of all obliga
tions. 10 my mma it is dishonorable
to even think of breaking such a
ledge." W. P. Llllls, president of the
outh Portland Remibllcan club does
not believe in the honorableness of the
effort being made to Influence mem
bers of the leaislature Dledeed to the
direct election of United States sena
tors to disregard their pledge and break
their word aiven to the beoble at the
election of last June. Neither do the
members of that organization.
Club an Active One.
The South Portland club Is the most
active and influential political organi
lsation in the state with the possible
exception of the Union club. When the
(Continued on Parse Eight.)
Tokio, Nov. rsr The news that a
formal agreement between Baron Taka
hira and Secretary Root had been drawn
up at Washington and would be signed
within a few days was recelvednere
with universal rejoicing today. The
members of the Japanese Liberal party,
which is In control of tha cabinet, has
taken the' announcement to mean that
It will be unnecessary for Japan to pro
ceed further with her naval expansion,
which Is costing so much money.
The American Friends' society, which
was foremost In entertaining the At
lantic fleet-during its visit to Japan,
hails these forthcoming conventions as
a sign that Japan will have nothing to
fear from America and that she can af
ford to reduce - her enormous naval
(Continued on Pag Two.)
appeared dlsabDolnted
uueationed closely. Finch saidr
1 telephoned -to Fisher at 11:30 this
morning, and hsald he would eome to
my oitica ai 3 aciocK mis afternoon. I
was -busy dictating m brief, thli
lng, but I. asked him? about-my net!
la morn-
uon. hs reruneit to. siaa if . v ha
had agreed to sign It, he'sald he would.
That a the way-they handed It to me all
along-'' and, J-lnch -grew v garrulous
about persons he declined to .name who,
he cried, were persecuting. Mm .-without
reason, The-, petition . .was to' have-- his
suspension- reduced to id davs r less.
Brought back to the. day's Happenings,
Finch said:- r. .' ,.,-
"1 had two drinks of brsnrfv with
policeman In Dubh'sj saloon oir Alder
Street, and I. remember drinking one- u
MiM.-J.i .uaiiuytwwitsf.il IMMMSatimMWmmmnnmmwmBmrammt
latter organization was created by the
consolidation of the Beaver Republican
club and the Portland Republican club,
an effort was made to Induce the South
Portland club to Join In the movement.
The members of the organization, how
ever, decided to retain their identity
and would not merge. . Since that time
this club has held a prominent place la.
tha political work of the city and fourth
ty and has - taken a more aggressive
part la the recent campaigns tla ry
other organization. During the cam
paign of last April and June, when the
senatorial question was at us height,
the South Portland club took a prom
inent part in the camnaian. holding-
many open meeting to which renresen.
tattves of both the anti-Statement and
Statement No. 1 forces were Invited for
the purpose of discussion and debate-
As a result of these meetings the club
membership lined up strongly In favor
or the Statement No. 1 principle.
Strong efforts have been -made in the
recent past to induce tne club to take
part in tne agitation now being con
ducted by Senator Fulton and his fol
lowers against the eleotlon of Gov
ernor Chamberlain to the senate, but
the officers of the club have turned a
aear ear to the pleadings, contending
that there Is no honorable way by
which members of the legislature
pieagea to matement No. 1 can reou
dlate their pledges and vote for any
candidate other than Governor Cham
berlain. President Lillis in discussing
uie suuaiion last mgnt said:
Wo Xonorable Evasion.
"Some of the Republicans who are
deceiving themselves with the thought
that there are 'honorable means' that
may be employed to Induce Statement
iu. 1 memuera ox ine legislature to vio
late their pledge have importuned me
10 can a meeting or tne south Portland
KepuDiican club to pass resolutions ap
proving such a course.
1 nave talked with most of our mem
bers and they are Dracticallv a unit in
condemning the thought of such an ac
tion. The Statement No. 1 question is
thorouehlv understood in South Port.
land. In the campaign last snrinar our
club opened its doors for discussion of
wis question, we had the champions
of Statement and anti-Statement before
the club In nubile, meetings four times
both singly and In Jolntxdlscusslon.
The overwhelming opinion of the
people who heard these discussions was
In favor of Statement No. 1. The Re
publican vote last AprH and June In
South Portland shows this. In one of
the Joint discussion before the club, it
was so clear that the anti-Statement
forces had neither right nor reson on
their side that some dirtv rjolltlrlans
uncorked a bottle of sulphureted hydro
gen and stunk the audience out of the
hall. In the last campaign we put up
tha champions of Statement No. 1
against the field, but In all Portland
only Mr. FOrdln and Mr. Stenhensnn
dared to publicly, uphold the anti-
LIVES LOST
el: MINE Di
1
SASTER
Terrible Story of Explosion at Mariana
Where Workmen Are Imprisoned Un
der 670 Feet of Debris Little Hope
For Rescue of Anyone of Shift
(Hearst News by Longest Leased Wire.)
Mariana, Nov. 28. Rescue parties report havine reached the
imprisoned miners and found them all dead.
At midnight the rescuers, forced through a portion of the shaft,
came upon the bodies of 142 men, most of whom had been killed
instantaneously by the debris falling upon them from the force of
the explosion. Many of the bodies were badlv mancled.' Eighteen
bodies were immediately carried to the top of the shaft, where they
were placed in coffins. Six others killed at the top of the shaft had
been previously recovered. Whether any more remain in . the
wrecked mine will not be known until morning.
When she learned that her husband was amon? the dead. Mrs.
Joseph Jones broke through the guard of 50 state constabulary and
attempted to dash herself to the bottom of the mine. She waa
caught and restrained just as she was about to make .the fatal
jump. Mrs. George Acker became violently insane -when she
learned that her husband was in the mine. She was placed under
restraint. '
(Continued on Page Four.)
Mariana, Pa., Nov. 28. Within-three minutes after a state in
spector and the mine superintendent had returned from an inspec-'
tion of the district, the model Mariana mine of the. Pittsburg-Byf-falo
Coal company was blown up by a tremendous explosion today.
Two hundred and seventy-five men are entombed beneath 'the'
thousands of tons -of coal caving irr tipott thern at a depth of 6 10 '
feet, and the authorities do not believe a single man has escaped.
The Mariana mine, which has been in operation less than three
months, was considered, the .model niine of the worlds Every de
vice known to modern invention had been installed to,' prevent just
such a tragedy as occurred today. ;But now, wrecked by a'myste
rious explosion, the very machinery which was to have made acci
dent impossible is hampering the rescuers at work, for they-do not
understand the wonderful mechanism which : bolstered Uhe great
mine with such a network of contrivances that 5the, diggers, cannot
(Continued on Page Four.). .
RIDE WITH DEATH
DOWII II FLUME
Paul Gein for the Second
Time Gives Grim Mon
ster the Hee-Haw.
Ralph' Fisher and Her Little Sun v , .
LORE OF SHOW
SPELLS DEATH
California Boys Succumb to
Unaccustomed Wintry
Environment.
to
(Hunt Newt by Longekt Leased Wlr.)
Ventura. Cai.. Nov. 28. Frozen
death in southern. California seems an
Impossibility, but this , is what hap
pened near Santa Paula on Thanksgiv
ing night to three sons of well known
fceople of that city. The boys were
Clifford and Cuba Tharp, 17 and 9
years old., and sons of IX S- Tharo. The
other little chap was John Blats, 13,
son or Jacob. Blats.
.. On Thanksgiving morning the moun
tains all about Santa Paula ..were heav-
llv. tu.nul mI.V. m.m V. . .
. ' j . . . v. .1111 ouun .iwi.i 1 rin .nrvrrn
rstorm of tha previous night. Th4 threes'
iaas neciaea to visit tne snow belt on
the San .Cayetano range, about five
miles north of Santa Paula. They' went
without coats and took nothing to eat.
as they said thay would be back for
lhanksgiving dinner. - ;
They did . not return at dinner ilmn
and searching parties found their bodies
nunfiiBo. logetner at tne mouth of a
timber canyon at 3 o'clock this after
noon.. It was evident that, overtaken
by night and exhausted, the boys had
lam down to sleep In the snow and had
faUen iulo the lasting ele-p.-v'
(Hert News by Longest Leased Wirt.)
Weavervllle. Cal., Nov. 28. Paul Gein
was washed down the La Grange flume.
a distance of 3600 feet, this morning.
Swept along by 6000 Inches of water
running with terrific velocity and tossed
about among boulders varying In weight
from 100 pounds to 1000, Gein escaped
with his life, recelvlng-'only bruises on
has hand and body. That he escaped
death by drowning Is marvelous. George
ncMmer was aiso wasnea aown ' tne
flume a distance of 50 feet.. He es
caped all harm by climbing out of the
flume before the full force of the tor
rent struck him.
3olng up the walkway along the side
of the flume, Bosmer saw Gein dart
by. Gein had fallen In above. He re
mained cool and collected, battling for
his life, struggling to keep from drown
ing In the sluiceway where water ran
three feet deep and with force enough
to sweep aiong Douiaers oy tne hun
dreds and hoping to escape death at tha
mouth of the flume where all the rocks
are dumped In a pile. Bosmer called
other miners and a score went to the
flume outlet, almost three-quarters of
a mile away." expecting to' find Getn's
dead body. Ha was not dead. -nor was
he unconscious.- The. great rush of
water carried him 50 feet beyond' the
mouth of the flume and over the rock
pile. . The drop was one of IS feet, into
loose gravel. Gein was bruised but no
bones were broken. Oein had exxactly
the same experience four years ago in
the same flume and escaped then with
out breaking a bone. ;
NEXT CONGRESS :
WILL REUSE
If This One Does Xot, L J.
Hill Says -Reciprocity
With Canada.
(Hetrtt News by LoageKtsaed Wirt.)
New Tork. Nov. 38.; "If this con
gress does not revise tha. tariff, then
the next congress will. The'peepla will
attend to that part of tha .question."
James J. Hill, foremost, promoter of
the northwest and champion 'of tha
northwest farmers, made this assertion
today. '-.-. '.-j : . j
He had been talking on a different
subject with George W. Perkln.s chair
man of tha finance committee of tha
steel trust, when asked for an expres
sion, of views on Carnegie's declaration
against a protective tariff, particularly
on steel. v. -r-T-'"-.-'....' - -
"I have not read Mr. Parnerle' ar
ticle," said Hill, "so I cannot discuss It
in detail, - but- my views on -the tariff,
particularly on the question of reci
procity with Canada, I have expressed
on various occasions. . ' . .
" 1 believe the most natural and ra- .
tlonaL the most hiahlv profitable com
merciat status between Canada and the
United States is absolute fieeOora of '
trade. - . -
.-"That commerce must eventually
move unreatrained . between ths two
peoples Is self-evident. Why not strike
off the shackles now. and let It move,
more freely -Instead of paying the heavy
penalty of delay?"
Hill went to Washlcg'O'i t-odsy. but
he said- he did - not Intend to appear
before the house committee that Is con
ducting an Inquiry on the tariff schedules.
t WH1T IliDUSTRlES REALLY DO
"The importance of. manufacturing establishments it not, fully
realized by unthinking people," said Frank V. Swanton. manager of
the Columbia Milling company. . "When the mere announcement is
made by a concern that a factory of some importance will be built
in.a locality, there is at once renewed activity, values increase, homes
4 and business houses are built and the locality becomes of import
ance. Take the peninsula, for instance, which hat been all asfir for
some years since the assurance was given that the Swift plant wouM
be established down there. When the mere assurance -of a coacerii
creates such activity Twnat will the realization of such industries
accomplish? Encourage the manufacturers, we need all we can
secure and the most effective wayt to get new, one is to support
what we have. When others see them prospering they too will
come, knowing that Portland is a good field. , The 'multiplication
of home industries means bieirer population, greater circulation rf
money, the exposure of our hidden treasures, the development tt
T our-raw materials, the upbuilding -of the state and 'general pr
X perity.' - ' ;
4 t
w -
I