Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1907)
V1 LEXINGTON WHEATFIELD S. A. THOMAS, Publisher LEXINGTON OREGON NEWS OFJE WEEK la a Condensed Form for Our Bnsy Readers. A Resume of tha Lets Important but Not Less Interesting Events of the Past Week. The United Railroads in San Fran cisco is to be boycotted by all union men.' President Calhoun denies that the United Railroads bribed Ruef, Schmitz and the supervisors. Cossacks in Poland shot down 68 workmen because one of their comrades was killed by robbers. Ruef has confessed to receiving $30, 000 as a bribe for securing a franchise which was never granted. General Kuroki is being banqueted by many army and navy officers in Washington and New York. Two plots against the czar's life have been discovered, one by the terrorists and one by the reactionists.' y Fire has destroyed the piers of the Morgan line, New York, owned by the Southern Pacific. Tbe loss is placed at $500,000. Great Britain is after grafters and has just sent the entire board of guard ians of a workhouse and infirmary to prison for bribe taking. Newspaper men who have recently interviewed Hairy Orchard, at the Idaho penitentiary, declare he is not a physical and mental wreck as has been reported. The entire Russian wheat crop is threatened with failure. . General Bonilla, rexiled president of Honduras, is preparing to renew war on the Honduran government. The Butte mayoralty contest has been complicated by the discovery that seals on ballot boxes have been broken. Some of the new passenger cars for the Union Pacific system will have Bide doors instead of in the end as at pres ent. It is said that Ruef will be sent to San Quentln, but not until after he has given the grand jury all the aid possi ble. The United Railroads is having less trouble in operating its San Francisco cars and is gradually increasing the service. . Frank Wayne, who confessed tc rob bing the postoffice at Sell wood, a sub urb of Portland, has been sent to Mo ' Neil's island for nine years. Harry Orchard, chief witness for the state against Haywood, declares that his confession against the miners was obtained by threats and promises. An explosion of powder at the foot of Lookout mountain, Tenn., caused the death of three men and the fatal in jury of three others. A railroad bridge was blown up and much other damage done to property. A strike of 600 men has closed the Bingham smelter, near Satl Lake City Socialists have made great gains in the first Austrian election under uni versal surffage. f The split in the Russian douma is widening and a dissolution would not be a Surprise. Montana claimants have started suit for valuable city property in the very heart of St. Louis. The strike in the lumber camps of Western Montana has been settled and the men are back at work. President Diaz declares he did not announce himself in favor of a union of tbe Central American republics. Railroads centering in Chicago are considering the establishment of a union employment bureau to secure compe tent men, who are very scarce at pres ent. A north bound passenger train on the Southern Pacifio was run into by two light engines near Redding and one brakeman killed. There was a panic among the passengers. The National Christian Endeavor convention will meet in Seattle In July. The committee on entertainment has decided colored delegates shall not be housed in the same hotel with the whites. Secretary Root says election funds are spent in education. , The Wyoming land fraud trials have been set for the middle ofj uly. The German reiohstag has passed a tariff agreement with the United States. ' ' . ' . : Chief Wilkie, of the United etates seoret service, Says he is not watching the Boise trial at the command of Pres ident Roosevelt. A RUEF MAKES GOOD PROMISE t Tells Graud Jury About Franchise Graft Doomed to Prison. San Francisco, May 17. Abraham Ruef made good his declaration that he would, following his change of plea to guilty in the extortion cases against him, turn state's evidence and assist the bribery graft prosecution in its cam paign against municipal corruption. Ruef, obeying a subpoena from the grand jury served upon him at the Fill more street prison house shortly before 8 o'clock yesterday, went in the oharge of Speical Agent Burns, Elisor Biggy and another guard to the grand jury chambers in Native Sons' hall, where he took the witness stand and submit ted to an examination that lasted from 3:20 p. m. until after 5 p. m. When the ordeal was over, he called the newspaper men arcund him and said that he had promised the grand jury to divulge nothing. District At torney Lang don and Assistant District Attorney Heney refused to make any statement whatever. From Mr. Burns it was learned that the only matter on which Ruef was questioned was the al leged bribing of Mayor Schmitz and 18 supervisors by the United Railroads to grant to that corporation a change in its franchise allowing the electrifying of its 250 m'les of street railway sys tem in this city. SCHMITZ ABDICATES OFFICE Signs Agreement to Let Committee of Citizens Name Officials. San Francisco, ' May 17. Mayor Schmitz last night signed an agreement to be guided in his appointments dur ing the rest of his term by a committee of seven. This committee is composed of representatives of local commercial associations. Schmitz from now on will be mayor in name only. He willingly signed the agreement, as he is a.nervous wreck and unable to carry on the affairs of the .city. Before concluding arrangements with Schmitz, the committee called upon F. J. Heney, and explained its plans. Mr. Heney said it would not conflict with the graft prosecution. The practical abdication of the mayor will result in the appointment of a new chief of police at once to restore order and a new works commissioner to clean the city and repair the streets. More drastic actions will then follow. ONLY ONE IN ELEVEN PASSES. Examination of Talesmen In Haywood Case Reveals Prejudice. Boise, Idaho, May 17. During the one session of the Haywood trial held yesterday 11 talesmen were examined before a satisfactory juror was secured to replace William Van Orsdale, the grocer, as No. 2, who was excused Wednesday after neon on a peremptory challenge frcm the state. As court ad journed yesterday the defense exercised its first challenge by relieving Allen Pride, a farmer, as No. 5. Mr. Pride had testified during his examination that he had invited to dinner the dep uty who served him with a jury sum mons. He and the deputy discussed the case for some time, their talk hing ing particularly upon Harry Orchard, who is to be the principal witness for the state. A talesman was called to replace Pride, but his examination' was deferred until today. Will Prosecute Harriman. Washington, May 16. That the in quiry conducted by the Interstate Com merce commission into the conduct of railroads controlled by E. H. Harriman, will result in trosecutions was plainly shown by the publication today of the report and recommendations of Frank B. Kellogg and Charles A. Severance, counsel for the commission. Within a shot time the commission will take up this report, vote upon it and transmit to the department of Justice the evi dence tending to show that the Harri man school of railroad financiering has operated in violation of the Sherman anti-trust laws and other statutes. The publication of. this important report caused a pronounced sensation. It proved a decided shock to some of the members of the commission. Eight Million In a Year. Butte, Mont., May 17. At a meet ing of the stockholders of the Anaconda Copper Mining company, held today at the offices of the company in Anaconda, all of the old directors were re-elected. The report of John D. RyaA, president of the Anaconda Copper Mining com pany, submitted to stockholders, shows that the corporation for the year that ended Dec. 31, 1906, earned a profit of $8,842,669. The balance on Deo. 31, 1905, was $7,240,572, which, with the profits for last year, amounted to a sur plus of $16,083,241. Will Cut Passenger Rates' St. Paul, May 17. General reduc tions in passenger rates to all points by the Great Northern railroad will soon be announced, to become effective July 1. A. L. Craig, passenger traffic man ager, states that the Great Northern will allow all points on its system to receive the benefit of the lower rates provided by the Minnesota and North Dakota laws, 2 and 2 cents. GOODING'S BAD MOVE Granting ol Orchard Interview . Raises Judge's Ire. COUNTY ATTORNEY INVESTIGATES Plan May Have Been to Prejudice Jurymen Lawyers Think Gov , ernor's Action Untimely. Boise, Idaho, May 18. Judge Wood touched off some fireworks just at the opening of oourt, and it became neces sary to ask, all prospective jurymen to leave the room while the display con tinued. It was all over repors pub lished in the morning paper of the newspaper men's interview with Harry Orchard the day before. The States man published the story sent out by the Associated Press, one from its own representatives, and two signed state ments from visiting newspaper men. Judge Wood called attention to the publications immediately upon ascend ing the bench. All were surprised. When the judge had concluded, Mr. Hawley spoke. Then Mr. Richardson said he would like to say what he thought of it, but was restrained by the presence of the talesmen. These were excused and then the whole matter was aired for an hour. The judge finally directed the county attorney to look the matter up and see what, if anything, could be done. During the progress of the discussion he said there was a plain remedy, if it was the intention to pre judice jurymen, intimating he would cite all concerned for contempt if he thought that was the purpose. Yesterday five peremptory challenges were used. Of the special venire of 100 only 34 are left. WHOLE DAY UNDER WATER. Rival Submarine Boats Undergo Se vere Test. Newport, R. I., May 18. With all hands well and contented, and with a bountiful supply of fresh air, and with records for submergence broken, the submarines Octopus and Lake rose to the surface of Narragansett bay at 4 o'clock this afternoon, ending a test of 24 hours under water. The Octopus rose first, and the mem bers of the naval trial board crowded about her, as the conning tower hatch flew open. The members of the trial board at once went below to see what conditions existed on beard, and also to test the air supply. Samples of air were bottled every two hours through out the test for analysis by the board. The Octopus blew out foul air only twice during the 24 hours she was at the bottom of the bay. It was com puted that only one-flfty-fifth of her air supply was exhausted and, if these figures are correct, they tend to show that the boat could remain submerged 35 days, provided the food and fuel supply were sufficient. The Lake also stood the test well, al though a leak was sprung in the super structure. SCHMITZ NERVOUS WRECK. Would Follow Ruef's Lead and Con fess, but Lawyers Restrain. San Francisco, May 18. Mayor Schmitz is on the point of a nervous collapse. He recognizes that the end is at hand. Ruef has already exposed his part in the trolley bribery and the Parkside deal and in the next few days will continue the exposure, showing how the mayor figured in every corrupt deal put through during his adminis tration, i The mayor realizes that two courses are open to him. He can elthet con fess or hold out for a few weeks, when he will be tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary. At present the mayor is hesitating between the two courses. Two of his attorneys want him to fight it out and the third has urged him to confess. v Minister Conger Reported Dying. Pasadena, Cal., May 18. Edwin Conger, ex-United States minister to China and recontly resigned ambassa dor to Mexico, is critically ill at his home in this city. Dr. Conger came to Pasadena immediately after his return from Mexico in 1905. Since then he has been slowly dying. The end may come at any hour. Ex-Minister Conger first came into prominence as minister to Brazil in 1897. He waB in Pekin during the Boxer siege and conducted the negotiations for the United States after that city was captured. ! Will Build Two Dreadnaughts. London, May 18. Orders have been given to lay the keels of two battleships of the Dreadnaught type. It has been understood that in case the proposal for .disarmament took definite shape in The Hague conference only one Dread naught would be laid down. The or der for two such ships is construed as Great Britain's acknowledgement of Germany's refusal to entertain the dis armament question. PLAN TO BLOCK HENEY. United Railway Officials and Employes Refuse to Testify. San Francisco, May 15. The United Railroads has resortud to desperate means to block Francis J. Heney in his efforts to fasten upon the officials of the corporation the bribery transac tions to which the supervisors have confessed. Stanley Moore, one of the attorneys for the corporation, informed Mr. Heney today that the olllcers and employes of the United RaUrcnds in tended to ignore the ruling of Judgo Coffey and would rofuse to testify bo fore the grand jury. When the United Railroads people first refused ttvteatify, Mr. Honey cited them before Judge Coffoy, who ordered them to answer. Now the corporation has instructed its officers and employes to ignore the court's older, i When Mr. Heney received the mes sage from Mr. Moore he replied with some heat that in such a contingency he would call upon the judge to punish the witnesses for contempt, "and 1 will not ask for ' a light fine, but for the heaviest penalty the law affords," said Mr. Heney. , "It is ridiculous," said Mr. Heney, "for those people to contend that their relations are confidential and that they cannot divulge the company's affairs. I only regret that there is not some method of punishing the attorneys who advise their clients to disobey the law in this way." CARS ARE STONED. i San Francisco Streets Ruled by Mob and Police Powerless. . San Francisco, May 15. Yesterday, one week after the Xuik street battle, which marked the present car strike as the bloodiest labor disturbance in the history of San Francisco, warthe worst day of violence since that tragic event . The forenoon passed with little disturb ance, but throughout the hours of the afternoon from 12 to 7 o'clock, stones flew on Mission street from Fifth to Twenty-fourth, a ' distance of about three miles, and tbe lives of many pas sengers as well as those of the nonunion operatives of the ten cars on that line were almost constantly in danger. Though nearly 100 policemen, a few of them mounted, were stationed along Mission street under the command of Captains Anderson and Duke, violence was not prevented and comparatively few arrests were made. In some In stances passengers narrowly escaped great injury or death from flying cob blestones and brickbats. Several pas sengers were assaulted by the crowds, numerous strikebreakers were struck,, panes of glass were smashed and per sons alighting from cars were chased and in some instances knocked down and beaten. TEN MEN PASSED. Good Progess Made in Getting Jury for Haywood Case. Boise, May 15. Substantial progress toward the formation of a jury to try William D. Haywood for the murder of Fran Steunenberg, twice chosen as the chief executive of this state, was made yesterday, the third day of the trial. Selection of talesmen halted for three hours over chairs 5 and 6, but once those seats had been filled progress was very rapid. At adjournment for the day counsel for the defense had com pleted the examination and temporarily passed the tenth talesman. They had but two more to examine in chief and a reservation to examine, if they desire to exercise the right, two of those tem porarily passed, so that with reasonable progress the 12th talesman should be passed today in time to open the way for the first peremptory challenge, whose exercise marks entry to the final stage of the formation of the jury. No Strike On Rio Crande. Denver, May 15. There will be no strike of the trainmen of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad as a resutl of the differences over the wage scale. A conference lasting until late last night wound up with an agreement between tbe trainmen's committee and officials of the road that there would be mutual concessions and a caerful weighing of the claims of both sides until an un derstanding fair to all was reached and then a scale based on this understand ing will be signed at once. It will re quire several days to settle the details. Canal Workers Quit Job. Panama, May 15. The strike of the steam shovel workers, which began yes terday, the men demanding $300 per month instead of their present salary of $210, continues today. This morn ing only eight steam shovels were at work. Colonel Goethals is endeavoring to replace the strikercTwith mechanics now employed in the shops and it is re ported that he has sent a cablegram to Jackson Smith, the member of the canal commission to contract for en gineers in the United States. v Summer Already Begun. New York, May 15. The govern ment thermometer at the weather bu reau today registered 82 degrees and the first case of heat prostration for the year was reported. The victim was a laborer. ' RUEF PLEADS GUILTY . . - i Fallen Saii Francisco Boss Throws Himself on Mercy ot Court. WAS SURPRISE TO PROSECUTION Still Declares Hjmself Innocent of Charge, but Changed Plea for Sake of Family. San Francisco, May 10. Abraham Ruef, bettor known as Abe Ruef, tha acknowledged adviser of Mayor Schrn Hz, and once the recognizod dictator of municipal affalra in this city, pleaded guilty to the charge of extoition in Judge Dunne's department of the Supe rior court yesterday afternoon. Sen tence will be pronounced upon him two weeks hence. After a private conference with his four aattorneys in Judge Dunne's cham bers and after they had withdrawn from his case because of the resolution he had taken to change his plea and avoid trial, Ruef, to the utter astonishment of the prosecution, arose in court and. announced in a dramatic address that after long and earnest consideration he had determined to withdraw his plea of not guilty and enter a plea of guilty. He asked that the jury be dismissed and the trial abandoned. Ruef read his statement from manu script which he had prepared in' the presence of his attorneys a few moments before Judge Dunne's chambers opened. He showed in his voice, in the expres sion of his face, in his quiet and geBt ureless attitude and by the tears that again and again overflowed his eyes,, the great emotion and the utter humih iation he suffered. The pathos of the scene was communicated to the crowd that thronged the courtroom. Though Abraham Ruef has. formally declared himself to be guilty of the charge on which he was about to be tried, he nevertheless proclaims his in nocence. He confesses that he is guilty of having connived at the corruption in municipal affairs, but he denies with, all the emphasis a man in his unhappy position can command that he is guilty of the crime of extortion charged against him. He declares that his sole motive In' accusing himself in open court was to save the lives of these who. are nearest and dearest to him, his aged father and mother, his maiden sister and a niece. CANNOT BELIEVE ORCHARD. Possible'Jurors In Haywood Case Re veal New Prejudice) .. Boise, Idaho, May 16. The unex pected uncovering of a vein of prejudice against Harry Orchard and his testimo ny during the further examination of talesmen in the Steunenberg murder case yesterday led to the first sharp wrangle between counsel and involved the name of President Roosevelt in an acrimonious discussion. The jury box was finally filled with 12 talesmen subjected 'to examination and temporarily passed by both sides at 3:40 o'clock in the afternoon and the court announced that it was in order for both sides to exercise peremptory chal lenges. Counsel for Haywood asked for a few moments' delay and for five minutes they gathered around the chair of the prisoner and engaged in earnest consultation as to their course on the men occupying the jury box. The state exercised its right first and excused William Van Orsdale. a grocer, who has occupied seat No. 2 since tha opening day of the trial. George F. Maw, a young farmer with some strong objections to the acts of , certain ele ments in the labor unions of the coun try, was then called to the vacant place. The state passed him and he was still In the hands of the defense when ad journment hour was reached. The trial will not be resumed until 2 o'clock this afternoon. "r ' - Carry Own Stevedores. New York, May 16. Today 100 men from New England were put to wcrk on South Brooklyn piers. The Prince Eitel Frederick arrived from Kingston with 50 negroes, who had been added; to the crew, that they might do the work of the stevedores. The scheduled sailing of steamers will be made on. time, and, according to the steamship, officials, with nearly full cargoes. The. steamship companies declare they are moving ships with the aid of nonunion men. The strikers say there is no. wavering in their ranks. Drumhead Courtmartlal Retained. St. Petersburg, May, 16 The coun cil of the empire rejected the Bill which was passed April 30 by the lower house abolishing trials by drumhead court martial. ,