f he Wteeklu F01LUMKP AT ' WILMINGTON, N. C, AT . 11.00 A YEAR. IN ADVANCE. 88888888888888883 1 88S88SSSS338SS8S8 88888888888888888 now . 88888888888888888 W0BI 88888888888888888 888888S88S8888888 ' SiSfcS8S3!8888 wms 88888888888888888 .,M . 88888888888888888 W 5 2 s v a: : : j i ! I fm feo a b A H K w a. 3 r 9B a H ' ptered " a Port Office at . itatetoa, XT. C. Second Clan Mtter.l SUBSCRIPTION P3ICE. cHMnb"cria00 " " "8"T li h uglTcopyl gj-tft. ,jId.;;......;......W CO w Smooths SS CO-OPERATIOff. The principle of co-operation has been so successfully demonstrated that the wonder is it has not been more generally acted up on. It haa been tried by in dividuals, by ' corporations and to some extent -by somjs railroad companies with good results. The Pennsylvania railroad pensions men who have become . old or incapaci tated in the service of the company. That ia one kind of co-operation. ! The Illinois Central railroad makes its employes sharers to some extent in the prosperity of the road by giv ing them a per centage of the pro- i fits, which they may invest in the I stock of the company, thus becom-1 ing pecuniarily and personally inter ested in its success. That is another kind of co-operation. If something similar were adopted by all the lead-' ing railroads of the country, thus setting an example to others, there would be very few railroad strikes! in this country, and if the same system were inaugurated in the large shops, the coal and iron mines,' etc., there would be very few strikes in these. But there is another kind of co operation, by which .the railroads could protect? themselves from the extortions of the trusts' and save millions of dollars annually, if such co-operation be practicable, and we do.net see why it should not be. The railroads of this country need about 50,000 tons of new or of re-rolled steel rails annually .T' It is Baid that the steel rail -makers now have tookedTfor nextryear-1,000,000 tons of rails. The price demanded and to be paid is $26 a torf, That is 26,000,000 to come out of the rail roads, and ultimately gut of the patrons of the railroads, and put into the coffers of the Steel Bail Trust, an institution protected by the tariff from competition by for eign rail makers, It is said that steel rails can be made and sold at $13 a ton and then, leave margin enough for a reasonable profit. As suming this to be so, the railroads are beaten out of $13,000,000 next year, and nearly as, much every year, which they might save by co-operation. . ' A plant for rolling steel rails would doabtless cost considerable money, several millions of dollars, but the cost would be small in comparison with the $13,000,000 the "Tailroads annually pay as profits to the steel' rail makers, who make their own prices, which the railroads have to pay because- they can't help, it. As powerful as they are they are in the clutch of the rail Trust. It might not be practicable, perhaps, to effect co operation between all the different roads in a matter of this kind but that would not be neces sary Co-operation of the principal systems would be sufficient to make them independent and bring the rail makers to time. Suppose, for instance, a few of the leading systems in the South combined and established -a rail making plant at Birmingham, say, as a great iron center. There iron and coal are abundant, and it is said steel can be made for less money tharrssany where else in this conntrv. and it can be made for rf , . - less in this country than it can be anywhere else in the world. In ad- interested in this plant with all the rails they deeded at the lowest price, other roads not interested could be supplied at a fair price, large enough to give a good profit, but small enough to be out of com parison with the Trust prices. The effect of this would be to bring the Trust down and thus help all the railroads. Reaping the benefit of co-operation in the manufacture of rails they would go further and soon establish shops for the building of engines, cats, &c., thus start the South in other great industries, and give em ployment to thousands of skilled lflkftVta.. rt A 1 'wens, ui course were ia wviv vi leas rivalry between roads competing tor business in the same section, but this is a matter which need not be i affected by the rivalry. It is a busi ; Bej8 in which the roads are all in terested and there is no reason why ais m trantmnrtfttinn triintild not iy'y; yoi;. xxxii; co-operate for mutual benefit on other lines outside of that, especially where' there is so much money in volved, and the annual saving to each would be so great. But the public is interested in this as well as the railroads, for the high price of rails is one of the serious obstacles to the building of roads. Thus progress and development are retarded, and sections of country which have much in them to invite enterprise and capital are kept "in the backwoods." There are sections of North Carolina, and many such in the South, abounding in mineral and other wealth which lie useless in the earth for want of transportation facilities. The' cheaper railroad con struction becomes the sooner these resources will be opened up and util ized. .. No individual or company would undertake under present conditions to establish a rail making plant to compete with the TruBt, because that -has a monopoly and too many millions behind it to protect the monopoly. In the case of such com petition the Trust would " put its rails' down at the bed-rock price and thus strangle it before it got a good start. But it wouldn't do that with the railroads 1 for; they would be manufacturing for their own use; they would have use for all they could make at a price the Trust could not go under and keep up for any length of time. So it wouldn't practically make any difference to them whether the Trnst prices went up or down. The Trust couldn't hurt their plant or its business. It would be there to stay, and to trrow and in a short time wonld bring the Trust to time and keep it there. HOT AN UNTRIED EXPERIMENT. Subsidizing ships is not an untried experiment in. this country. It has . been tried and failed1. The New York World, a paper which speaks for a commercial - constitu ency, mentions some of the in stances in which they have been tried and failed, as folio wb: "The first experiment in the United States was with the Colling line in 1850. A subsidy of $858,000 for twenty six trips a year was granted to it. The line went into bankruptcy alter draw ing for eight years from the subsidy nursing bottle. . . ' The Brazilian line was subsidized for ten years, 1866-76, and the attempt to build up our trade with Brazil in that way was then recognized as a total fail ure and abandoned. Since the subsidy was withdrawn our exports to Brazil have steadily increased. The Pacific Hail ioJafxta and -the Venezuela Bed D line were subsidized for a term of years with the same result. In every ease Congress refused to renew the subsidy when the contract ran out, thus confessing that in no case had the experiment justified itself. "The testimony of experience is all against Mr. Hanna's project for taxing a whole nation to make the private business of a few corporations more profitable." The Pacific Mail, which was sub sidized with a view of building up our commerce with the countries on the Pacific, got along for some time until it came into competition with the ship owners of Japan who had the privilege of buying their ships where they could buy them to the best advantage, a privilege which was denied to the Pacific Mail Com pany.. The result was that the Jap anese put on lines of steamers to run to our Pacific ports, carried freights cheaper and took the trade away from our subsidized ships, the owners of which found themselves unable to replace their worn out ships with new ' ones, to compete with 'the cheaper and better ones owned by the Japanese, and so the Pacific Mail as a commerce pro moter, subsidized as it was, played out. ''...,' And so will it be with Hanna's subsidized ships. A few of them which draw the big - chunks of the subsidies, the fast passenger ships in which we are the least interested and which as commerce promoters will do the least good, may continue to ran. but that, so far as all the substantial good done would be like throwing so much money into the sea. It may give us some nobby high-speed steamers, to carry pas sengers to and fro, but no merchant marine. v ' " A citizen of Virginia died the other day whose peculiarity, was that he had a weakness for sampling as food anv sort of varmints, lie had eaten rats; frogs, muskrats, cats, dogs, crows, buzzards, hawks, skunks, snakes and almost every other var mint that his section "of country afforded and the remarkable thing is that he went on with the sampling for eiehtv-three years, when he died. He was so wrapt up in his varmints that he forgot all about his children, who him. eft him and . forgot all about. '' 'fm!.' a: a: "W V.. ia in t4onble because neople outside turn the cold shoulder to her manu factures, because the prison is there and Urn rtflonla think the goods are made by convicts, and they Thave a wAindice acrainst . that' kind, of nnnAa: Rhfl therefore wants her name changed. Why not call her self Singtown; or: Nosing, or some thing of thai kind and be happy? WHAT GRABBING COSTS ENG- ; ,- LAND, i '., The news coming i from South Africa is not calculated to add to the merriment of the Christmas holidays in England. Last Christ mas was blue enough, and although London some time, ago went on a wild saturnalia in . welcoming back some of the returned soldiers and celebrating the end of the war, the war seems to ; have broken out af resh in the Cape Town province. where martial law has been' de clared, and to . which. England is hurrying off more troops in re sponse to the calls from General Kitchener. ; And yet England has had 210,000 men in South Africa fighting the Boers, who at no time nunfbered over 40,000. The following, Which we clip rom the Baltimore Sun, will give ome idea of the stupendous job England has undertaken in fight ing . those South African rustics, who in their heroic defence of their country have surprised not only her but the world, which, not only sympathizes with them but ap plauds them for their more than Spartan valor: "An official return of the British forces in South Africa shows that on December 1st the army there consisted of 210,293 officers and men, of whom 142,893 were regulars, 33,000 colonials, 8,000 yeomanry. 7,500 volunteers and 18,900 militia. The killed to data were 3,018, wounded 13,886, dead fromdis- j ease or wounds 7,796, number in hos pitals in South Africa 11,927. Inter esting light is thrown upon the degree of British preparation in South Africa at the date of the Boer ultimatum on October 9th, 1899, by a return showing the number of British troops at that time. On the lstof August, two months oeicre the ultimatum, the British force in South Africa aggregated 9,623 men, of whom 1,127 were cavalry and l.uoo artillery. TMs.was the tram- son' for Cape Town and other points. u p to October 11 reinforcements to th number of 6.363 had been sent from England and 5,644 from India, mak ing the total British force in South Africa two days after the Boers had crossed into Natal 12.007. including 1,664 cavalry and 1,396 artillery. In view of the fact that the entire Boer force was mounted the provision of J.,664 cavalry seems to have been a trine inadequate. a urtner reinforcements were soon found to be necessary and continued to be sent to July 31, 1900, as follows: Regulars from England, from various colonial posts and from India, 151,546; colonials from colonies other than South Africa, 11,034, and raised in South Africa. 28,932; Imperial yeo manry, 10.195; volunteers, from the United Kingdom. 10,787; ' militia. 20,676; making the total of all arms sent to South Africa up to the end of July, 1900, including the force there in August, 1899. 254,749. Between July 31 and December 1 additional troops were sent to the number of 12 , 562, bringing the grand total to 267,311. "The difference between this total and the strength given above, as of December 1st. is accounted for by the disbandment of various colonial and home volunteer commands, together with the losses in action and from dis ease, etc. About 7,o4l troops nave been sent back to England; 35,548 have been sent home sick and wound ed ; 70 have been returned to India and 1,884 regulars and 1,172 colonials have been returned to the colonies, it is somewhat remarkable that in the trans portation of over a quarter of a mil lion men a distance of 6,000 miles by sea no lives have been lost in the perils of the deep. Not so much can be said as to horses, of which over 185,000 have been sent to South Africa, be sides mules and other means of trac tion. While the war is in progress in South Africa troops have had to be found also for a war in Asbanti and another war in Ohiha. All which illustrates the burden of imperialism which our thoughtless jingoes are anxious for us to shoulder." These facts and figures show the awful price that England is paying for her land-grabbing scheme in that far off corner of the world, a price out of all proportion to the gain to be derived from it. not to speak of England's loss of military prestige, which has been a serious one for her. If her foresight had been as good as her hindsight it is pretty safe to say that, she would have let the Boers alone and kept out of that scrimmage. IT WASN'T NORTHERN CAPITAL Speaking of Southern develop ment and Southern enterprise as shown in the growth of our cities and the multiplication of our rnanu- facturing establishments, the At lanta Journal corrects the prevalent error that Northern capital has been mainly instrumental in this. Speak ing of Atlanta as a typical progres sive Southern city, it says that while it is true that a good many Northern men navo settled in that city, gone into business and taken an active and important part in its up-building, still it is a fact that "the At lanta of to-day is the product mainly of Southern brains, Southern enter prise, and either Southern money or Southern crodit." It adds that this is true pf every leading city of the South, and even of Birmingham, whose phenomenal growth, activity and -nrnorress have attracted such world-wide attention. s Speaking of cotton manufactories, it cites North Carolina, South Caro lina and Georgia, the three leading cotton manufacturing States, with nearly five hundred mills, less than fifteen per cent, of the money in vested in which is Northern capital, Sftnthem men have evidently no been depending upon or waiting for Northern capital. If they had they would probably be waiting .yet and plowing the ground for aliving. "WIILMINGTONN. CI, FRroAYpECEMBER 28, INUND SHIP CANAC. 'ossib il ities of Proposed orth Carolina Water Way Through -Its Sounds. SHOULD REACH CAPE FEAR. Virginia Newspaper Reviews at Length Article ia New York Trlboae Con cerning a Sabjett Now Much ' " V- Talked ia Wfimiogtoo. The Richmond Dispatch of a few days ago reviewed editorially an arti cle in the New York. Tribune based upon the announcement of the com pletion of the North Carolina ship canal survey. In view of the fact that the article touches very pointedly up on the project of Wilmington's pro posed canaJ, which was discussed at some length in connection with the proceedings of the Chamber of Com merce yesterday, the Stab prints the DisnatcWa comments upon the subject as follows: 'As defined by the survey, the route is from Norfolk, Va., through the Dismal Swamp Canal to Albemarle Sound, thence through either the Scupper nong river or Croatan Sound to ramlico Sound, and thence to Beaufort through either Core 8ound Or the Neuse and Newport Canal. The opening of this route of navigation wourd give a more direct passage from Norfolk to Beaufort than that afford ed by rail, and much more direct and 1 far safer than the outside water route around Cape Hatteras. It would also tap the Chowan, Roanoke, Tar and Neuse rivers and thus gridiron the nortneastem quarter of the otate with waterways. ''Such a system of inland coast nav igation, continues the Tribune, could not well be extended much, if anv. to the south of Beaufort. Possibly Bogue Sound might be improved and utilized to Bogua Inlet, but beyond that point there are no inland coast waters that offer a promise of navigation until the ndian river, ia Florida, is reached. True, there are numerous lagoons be tween Bogue Inlet and Cape Fear riv er, and the land is low, so that a canal between Beaufort and Wilmington might be constructed; and it would not be impossible to continue it by the way of the waccamaw and Fedee riv ers to Georgetown, and thence by the way of the wando to Charleston and so on to savannah. "Northward from Norfolk, however. there is clearer sailing. The Chesa peake Bay affords, a superb waterway almost up to the Pennsylvania line, and from the head of its navigable waters it is only a short distance by canal across saud flats to the Delaware river. The latter is navigable by all craft at Philadelphia, and for vessels of considerable size to Bordentown. From the latter city there is canal navigation to the Rari tan, at New Brunswick, and thence, of course, there is a fine inland waterway to New York. From New York there is a crosscountry waterway by the Hudson river and Erie Canal to the system of the Great Lakes and St. Liawrence river, there is also the way up the coa&t, by Long Island Sound, to Buzz id's Bay, and thence, by the construction of a short canal to Cape Cod Baj aud Boston. "Leaving out of the calculation the more difficult problem referred to by the Tribune extension of the canal south of Beaufort it will be saen that with comparatively little cost and la bor a great inland coast waterway, with only two or three poii ts of ex posure ' to the' high seas, could be opened between Boston, Mass., and Beaufort, N. U. Sucn an avenue would, at all times, prove of great ad vantage to a certain class of coastwise commerce, while in times of war, it would be also invaluable to the gov ernment id the matter of moving light draft coast defence vessels." The Charlotte Observer of yesterday reprints the article above and adds editorially; "The treacherous Hatteras route on the outer water way is always danger ous, and especially to the smaller craft engaged in coastwise trade. The peace ful Waters of this sheltered canal would be an inestimable boon to such vessels. North-Carolina would be especially benefitted by this water way; for it ex tends the whole breadth of the State, and as pointed out, taps the Chowan, Roanoke, Tar and Neuse river, and, if the whole length of canal is ever built it will also lap the Cape Fear, and thus will tend to build up a larger river trade in the eastern part of the 8tate. In war time, ".too, the torpedo boats and smaller war vessels, and presumably, such a formidable naval machine as tne tiouana sun marine torredo boat, could utilize the canal to slip from one ocean port to another to surprise a blockading or threaten ing fleet of the enemy. This water way touches North Carolina's interests closer than tne vast Nicaragua canal. BUIE'S CREEK ACADEMY BURNED. Msio Building and Residence of Professor Went Up in Smoke. Special Star Correspondence. Dunn, N. C, December 20. The main building of Buie's Creek Academy and the residence of Prof. L. C. Og- burn and a smaller building, all lo cated in Harnett county, N. C, about ten miles west of Dunn, N. C, were burned last night. It is generally be lieved that the fire was the work of villianous negro, though as yet there is no proof of his guilt. The Buie's Creek school was under the control of Rev. J. A. Campbell, and as a pre para tory school it stood without a superior in the State. It is a great loss to the Jrincipal, as it also is to the country at irge. ' The school will be rebuilt at once. Mr. S. S. Batchelor Married. The many friends in Wilmington of Mr. Starke S. Batchelor, who once re sided here and who has visited the city often since his return to Raleigh, will be interested in the following an nouncement taken from yesterday's Fayetteville Observer: "At Philadelphia yesterday Miss Lula Purnell, eldest daughter of Judge Purnell, was married to Mr. Starke S. Batchelor,' of Raleigh, and well-known in Fayetteville. The bride is an in valid and has for several weeks been in a hospital, to which a trained nurse ccompanied her. The marriage took place in the hospital." ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE A Farmer of Columbus County Tried to Put sa Endlo Bis Existence Frl--. . dayMorsinf. , Dr. Wright Hall, . who returned to the city yesterday afternoon from Col' umbus county, told a Stab reporter of the attempted suieide Friday morning of one Mr. Bains, a farmer, who lives near Applewhite's ' P. O., Columbus county. , He shot himself ' with a 33 calibre pistol," the - ball- entering his stomach, and at ' last accounts yester day morning he , was not expected to recover. . , . Mr. Bains ' got ' pp early Friday morning and told his wife that he in tended to ..kill himself. She thought nothing serious of - his threat until a ew minutes later when she heard the report of a pistol in front of the house. On rushing out of the house members of the family, found Mr. Bains lying on the grouhd w&h a pistol in his hand. He swore that be would not allow a physician to come near him. ' In speaking of his attempt to put an end to his life, Mr. Bains said he didn't wast to live any longer on account of not being able to support his family as he would like to,' the timeabeing so bard. He said he aimed at his heart, but the-pistol failed to fire the first time and the second time he aimed at the same place, but his hand lowered when he pulled the trigger. He says he's determined to dielandif he fails this time he will do so some other time. At 10 o'clock yesterday morning he was sinking rapidly and his recovery seemed almost impossible He is a fairly well to do farmer and has a large family. v A LOSS TO CHARLESTON. Mr. Andrew MereUnd Will Move to WIN miogtos, N. C, to Become Cashier -of a Bask. " Charleston Evenina 'Post Mr. Andrew Morelandol this citywill eave on January 1, for Wilmington, N. C, where he goes to take the pos ition of cashier in the Atlantic National Bank, one of the best known and strongest financial institutions in the South. Mr. Moreland has betsn in business in cnarieston for tne past twelve years, returning to this, his native city, uppn his graduation at Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y. For eight years he has been in the service, of the Carolina Savings Bank, where he is held in especially high regard by the officials. The bank to which Mr. Moreland goes in Wilmington does the largest business in that city. It has deposits amounting to more than a million dollars, and a large force is employed in its business. The president of the bank is Mr. J. W. Norwood, also a Charleston man. Mr. Moreland, as cashier, will assume responsibilities of large proportions, requiring careful discretion and minute knowledge of banking affairs, both of which he has to a marked degree. The selection of Mr. Moreland for. the important posi tion is at once a compliment to his own capacity and to the quality of the Carolina Savings Bank, in which he has served his apprenticeship. Mr. Moreland, in moving his home to Wilmington, will leave regret among a large number of friends in business and social circles, and his de parture may well be considered a loss to Charleston, in the withdrawal of one of the most capable and active young business men of the city. FOR LARCENY AT FLORENCE. Negro Arrested Here for Robbing Store of Mr. J. F. Stsckley. Calvin Gregg, a colored "railroad negro," was arrested last night by Capt of Police Furlong on the charge of the larceny of some shoes, pants, tobacco and other merchandise from the store of Mr. -J. F. Stackley, at Florence, 8. C, about a week ago. The warrant for Gregg's arrest was sworn out by Luke Jones, also col ored, who came from Florence, iden tified the negro and caused his arrest in order to relieve a friend; who is in jail at Florence charged with receiv ing the stolen goods. Gregg will be detained at the police station awaiting advices from Florence. It is charged by Jones that the ne gro went into the store of Mr. Stack ley and concealed himself until the store was closed. Then he emerged from his hiding place and proceeded with his burglary.- DR. WELLS AT STAUNTON. Daily News Speaks Very Complimentarlly of His Work in Virginia. The Staunton. (Va,,) Daily News of a recent date says of Dr. Wells, who has been called to the pastorate Of the First Presbyterian church, this city: "Dr. Wells has not made up his mind what action he will take. There are strong ties that bind him to the Second church, the congregation of which is devoted to him, as are the Presbyterians generally of this city and county and of the whole of Lex ington Presbytery. , He has done a good work for the Second church. Everv interest of the chnrch has nros- pered under his care, and should he leave . the church, he will nave the satisfaction of knowing that it has gone steadily forward under his pas torate." 'The church at Wilmington has a membership of 400. with a mission of 200, and ia probably the most influen- tuu Jrresuy wriau cuureu iu uie ouiiro of North Carolina. Carried to Florence. Calvin Gregg, the negro who was arrested here Friday night on a war rant charging him with the larceny of a number of articles from the store of Mr. J. F. Stackley, at Florence, S. a, was carried to Florence last night by Special Detective Blunt who came after the negro. s ...;.. , :t TAR, 1900. LOCAL DOTS. A handsome and. commodious Presbyterian church has been erected at Shallotte. ' " ; N r". - Robert Ruark, Esq., has been admitted to practice before the Interior Department at Washington. - The new church at Delgado. mills is nearly, completed, and when finished will be a credit to the com munity. - ' - Chief Parmele and Lieutenant Skipper are making out the annual police report The statistics will no doubt be interesting reading when completed.' ' 'X yH-y-wa-v -'-'; Three of the four cars which1 ran into the river Thursday morning -from the Coast Line yard,1 were pulled out yesterday by Capt. E. D. Williams, who was awarded the contract for re moving them. : -T- ' r County Commissioner i E. - Ft Alexander brought some strawberrries to the: city yesterday," which under cover would ripen in two weeks.. They were, of the Excelsior variety and were well formed. - The physicians attending Mr. J. E. Irby, the young man who was so badly mashed by an elevator at Del gado mills a few days since, amputa ted his leg yesterday. At last accounts his condition was considered critical. TURNED IN FALSE ALARM. Three Yonng Men Arrested Last Night on That Charge Case Will Be Heard Monday Morning. - A false fire alarm was turned in from box 46, at the corner of Third and Nun streets at 9:43 o'clock last night, and in less than one hour's time three young men, Jim Judge, Jordan Mclver and Henry Styron were arrested op the charge of having turned in the alarm. . Styron was recognized for his appearance before the Mayor Monday morning, while the other two were locked up: When the alarm was turned in there were quite a number of people passing along the street near the box and all of them saw the accused run away. . Me- Iverran into the arms of Officer C. S. Burnett, on Nun between Third and Fourth streets, and he was presented to Chief Schnibben when the fira ap paratus appeared on the scene. The other two got away, but both were captured an hour later, Judge at Sec ond and Market by Sergeant Davis, and Styron at Fourth and Church by Officer Burnett The young men told conflicting stories about the affair, and each one laid the blame on the others. Stab readers will remember that young Judge is the party who was arrested last March for turning in a false alarm and was sentenced to three months on the county roads at . the August term of court He has been out not quite - two months. The penalty for such an offence is a term on the county roads for not longer than a year. CUDAHY KIDNAPPING CASE. Believed That Some or All of the Gang Will Soon Be Captnred. By Telegraph to the Horning Star. Omaha, December 22. There were no developments of interest to-day in the kidnapping Case of Edward Cudahy, Jr., who was carried away Tuesday night and held for $25,000 ransom. The discovery of the house in which the young man was impris oned, however, has also led to other clews which promise something more definite in the near future.' From those living in the vicinity of the building the police have secured a good descrip tion of the members of the gang and their method of - operation, the time they left the city and the- direction they took. Mr. Cudahy is taking per sonal account of all that is being done and watching keenly the develop ments. He will not talk of the matter. however, beyond stating his belief that the police have the matter well in hand and will soon effect the capture of some or all of the gang. BANK ROBBERY. One of the Thieves Captured and the Money Recovered. By Telegraph to tne Horning Star. Tullahoma, Tehn., December 22. five men dynamited the vault of the Coffee' County Bank, at Manchester, Ky., early to-day. They secured $5,- 000 in currency, stole a hand-car and escaped in the direction of Tullahoma. Shortly after their departure the lone night patrol of Manchester found the bank's door open, tie immediately telephoned the authorities. A police man and deputy sheriff, heavily armed, secreted themselves along the railway a mile out in a short time the band-car appeared and was ambushed. - Four of the thieves succeeded in getting away in the darkness, but the fifth man proved to be the one who carried the treasure, and all the loot . was re covered. . Bloodhounds were put on the scent of the other four but they have so far eluded their pursuers.. AN AMERICAN GIRL. Decree of Absolute Divorce Granted to Countess Marie Pierl. . By Telesrapn to the Horning Star. New Yobk, Dec. 22. A decree of absolute divorce has been granted to Countess Marie Pieri, by Justice Law rence of the Supreme Court,' from Count Pompeo Luciano Pieri. The countess is an American girt tihe was Miss Marie Schroeder, a daughter of the late EL C. J.Schroder, a wealthy resident or .this city. Miss BChroeder and the count were married in Rome, in 1894, They separated m Paris last April and the countess returned to this country immediately and began theproceedings which resulted in the decree of divorce. . NO. 9 SPIRITS TURPENTINE. Lumber ton , Argus: A little five year old dauehter of Mr. William Burney, of Tar Heel,, died last Tues day night from the effect of a burn. They were killing hogs and had a fire around a pot in the yard and it is thought that the child's clothing caught from the nre there and then she ran in the house, as the first any oce knew of it the child was found in the house sa badly burned that she died from the effect, j - j - . Sanfordw -Egress: i Moore is not the only county in the State from, which there will be ' a contest for a seat in the next Legislature.: Messrs. IL A. London and R. H. Hayes, Sen ator and Representative elect respec tively, from Chatham county, have been notified that their seats will be contested. ., - Siler City was visited by burglars last week and on Friday night five' stores were entered. The robbers were after money, but secured a very small amount No goods were taken from any of the stores. Some of the ' safes in the stores contained money but they were not molested. I Salisbury Star: Thursday night a burglar, mot probably a toy, en tered the Catholic church by breaking through a stained glass window large enough to admit his body; The visitor ransacked the entire building, evident ly - looking for money. He found none so he took nothing. Several drawers and lockers wereprized open and their contents distributed but nothing is missing. 1 The boy left an old axe in the church. He made bis exit through a window which he raised from the inside. The only dam age which was done was the stained gla,s window which was broken. Watauga " Democrat: Here is a sample of your McKinley prosperity. Before the election fat cattle were be ing bought in Watauga by our cattle men at from three to four cents per pound, on foot, and were in ready demand- Now the very top price offer ed is only li cents per pound and a drag at that One of our largest deal ers says he would be willing to lose $5.00 on - the purchase price of his cattle now on hand that were bought beTore the drop in price, but' is unable to move them even at this great- sacri fice. This seems odd indeed when we consider the fact that the meat trust has advanced the price of .beef one cent , on the pound. Strange but true. This is prosperity to talk of. Scotland Neck Commonwealth: Mr. George Ransom, son of ex-Senator Ransom, while at the cotton gin on one of his plantations in Northampton county, a few days ago, was caught in the belting and quite painfully in jured. One arm was broken and the flesh terribly lacerated. Medical aid was summoned and the arm was set and he was rendered as comfortable as possible and is now getting along well. A subscriber to , the Com-r monwealth says that partridges do not lay oh Sundays. He says he has reached this conclusion from observations made both when he was a boy and since he became a man. This is some thing not generally known. - and no doubt some will have fun at the ex pense of our subscriber's observations, but nevertheless he says it is true. Clinton Democrat: Cattle stealing is getting rather common in this section. Recently several animals have been stolen and the disappear ance or an ox or cow has gotten to be an almost daily occurrence. A young man was here Saturday offering a fine px for sale at a low price. This aroused suspicion and soon the young man got uneasy and left- That evening a man from over on the edge of Bladen was here looking for the ox which had, in fact been stolen. A warrant was sworn out for the young man and he Will soon be in limbo. Mr. Josiah Carter of South Clinton, was shot from ambush on last Saturday morn ing, two buck shot taking effect in the thigh. Mr. Carter was out about his barn in the early morning, and as he passed through some bars and stooped to put tnem up, tne snot was nred irom tne woods, which - is sixty or more yards from where he was. He came to town at once and consulted a physician, who advised him not to have the shots probed for, as he. thought the wound would soon heal. The per petrator of this devilish deed is un known. POLICE OP NEW YORK. The Reform Movement Chief Devery to Be Put Out of Office. By Telesrapn to tne Morninsr star. New. Yobk, December 22. Senator Piatt was in conference with a number of Republican leaders in this city to night Among the other things. he said after the conference: "Chief of Police Devery will go within thirty lays." This is to be accomplished, it is said. by means of an amendment to the police bill, which has - been ap proved by the organization, draft ed' and delivered to Governor elect OdelL This amendment sim ply legislat es the. present chief of police out of office, creating a vacancy which will be filled the commissioner of .police, to be appointed under the bill re-organizing the department. There will be no delay about the passage of the single-headed police commission bill. Senator Piatt declared. "No Republicans will oppose the measure." he said. '"J think it will be the first bill passed." WATERLOGGED AND ABANDONED. Schooner Learning, Lumber Laden, from Norfolk for New York. . By Telegraph to the Horning Star, Norfolk, Va., December 22. The three-masted schooner Learning, Cap tain Campbell, from Norfolk . to New York, lumber laden, became waterlogged and was abandoned on the outer end of the Horseshoe during the severe storm of yesterday morn ing. The Learning's cargo - shifted during the heavy weather, causing her to take water and the vessel filled rapidly. - Her crew, who report thrill ing experiences, managed to remain on the waterlogged vessel's deck until picked up yesterday afternoon by the schooner w. u. Hilton, Captain Lip- pincott, . from New York, which brought them to ' Norfolk this morn ing. The Learning was found by the tug Walter A Luckenbach and towed into port to-day. She now lies on the Berkley fiats. The Kentucky Court of Appeals adjourned without rendering a de cision in the case of ex-secretary of state Caleb Powers, charged with complicity in the Goebel assassi nation and sentenced to life imprison ment This passes the appeal to the new court, which will stand four' Re publicans to three Democrats. CONDITION DITIONS IN PORTO RICO. People In Great Distress Much Sickness and Many Deaths The Results of v Chronic Simattoa.i v ' By TeleCTapfc to tlu Morning Star. Jacksonville, Fla;, December 22. Dr. A, D. Williams, assistant surgeon of the United States army,' has arrived from Porto Rico, .where he was de tailed to make a report on conditions of the people, as observed by him on a march with soldiers across the island. That report was made to the adjutant general, ; department of Porto Rico, San Juan.. A copy of the report was. given out to-night by Dr. Williams and shows an alarming condition, r "At Los Marias," he says, "we be-, gan to see thervanguard of misery. In that small squalid town there Is no4 medical man. - Many were sick. - A' Mr. Toncaund, an American school teacher there, told me that many of. the people, hot only of the surround ' ing country, but of the town, were iot great distress. I asked him the cause of so much sickness and' so many deaths. . He answered without hesita " tion, 'for want of food.' " . 7 Th report eoatinuen ; ' - "At Adiuntas the condition was - appalling, men women and children ' swollen, bloated, diseased and emanci , ated whose pinched and ; haggard t features appeared weighted with the , sorrows of years. r When I asked the city physician of Ad juntas - the cause ,-, of such a large death' rate fifty-two deaths and four births the week imme diately preceding our visit there he replied : - The death rate is about the same : every week.; The prime -cause, : chronic starvation.1 " ur. Williams in this report declared that with fourteen patients in -the hospital at this place and three nurses, the municipal authorities allow the steward to draw only one dollar a day : in municipalbtamps for the subsistence and care of the patients and that tb e -stewasd can realise only fifty cents for his stamps and with that amount, daily he provides the scanty hospital food. r V , WIRE TAPPERS' OUTFIT. Important Seizure Made by the Police In' New York City The Gang Escaped. bt TetaaTaph to tne Horning Bkr. New Yobs, Deo. 22. In the seizure of $700 worth of fine telegraph - and ' wiretapping instruments in a room ' on West 44th street, this afternoon, the police think they : just missed the capture of a part of a gang of wire tappers who have also been narrowly -missed by the Chicago, Omaha and St Louis police. They found a letter which leads them to believe the men intended tapping the Chicago-New ' Orleans Western Union wire, which runs along the elevated structure on Ninth avenue, just along side the house. , A man named Brown, according to ' Mrs. Rose Moore, of the 44th street house, the landlady, had rented the' fourth floor room and had gone in there during the afternoon with a -bundle which she said she thought contained his effects. The detectives - went to the room at once and though ' expecting to find something were as tonished at their discovery. In the -room were seven fine telegraph instru ments, a sounder, eight dry batteries, three wire tapping machines, such as are used by telegraphers in tapping -wires for breaks and otherwise, and ' some wire. The stuff was valued at not less than $700, as the instruments are of the finest make. It was also discovered that a wire led from the room to the elevated . structure in the street The wire in the room, was ready for work, but the wire at the other end had not been connected with the Chicago private wire. The police believe : they fright ened the men off in time to prevent the tapping. Another find was that of awire rope leading from the street to the window of the room. The police are sure this was a -signalling rope, and the one that beat the officers out of their game. They are certain, they say, that the persons or person in the room when they came around to the " house, were warned of their coming and that escape was made by way of the roof. '" A letter the police found in the room reads as follows, addressed to nobody : "Don't fail to wire Great Northern . Chicago, second signal. If horse is scratched, better substitute another, as it might make some difference in pay ing, as you know. A false winner is not so easy. Be careful with your ciphers and take the last race of the day. I must hurry in order to catch a train on the Lake Shore. Good luck and be careful." There were also some clippings from Western papers about wire-tapping outfits having been captured in Chi cago and Omaha and St Louis. ' IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. Chinese Claiming Citizenship of the United States Mormon Missionaries Their Doctrine Spreading. by Cable to the tf omnia star. Honolulu, December 14, via San Francisco, December 22. Chinese here who were citizens of the republic of Hawaii are preparing to make an appeal against the ruling of the Treas ury Department that they were not made citizens of the United States by the territorial bilL They base their , appeal on Section 4 of the bill, which says that all citizens of the republic are made citizens of the United States. There are nearly 400, Chinese affected by the ruling of the Treasury Depart. ment The Mormons of Hawaii have just closed a three days' celebration of the 60th anniversary of the landing or the first Mormon missionaries on Hawal- ' iansoiL The meetings were led by George Q. Cannon, the-head of the Church who came here irom Utah to take part in the celebration. He was., one of a party of ten Mormons who were the first to preach the Utah doc trine in Hawaii, fifty years ago. ' The doctrine took root quite rapidly among ' tne native uawauans and to-day were are about 5,000 Mormons in the terri tory, nearly all of them of .the native race. - . .1 -.: TROLLEY CARS COLLIDED A Number of Persons Inland Some of , Them Seriously. . By Telegraph to the Morning Star. . , - Lebanon, Pa DeeJ 22. Two trol-, ley cars on the Lebanon Valley street railway, crowded ' with Christmas - shoppers, collided to-day between this ' L,T city and AnnviUe. A number of per-. - sons were injured, some . seriously. . - An 18-months old baby was trampled upon by the panic stricken passengers - -and is not expected to recover. The v front part of each car was reduced to splinters and the mortor men saved a themselves by jumping. 1 : Oscar Aaronson. the bicycle rider. . died in New York hospital yesterday ' from injuries resulting from his fall v 3 during the six -day - race in Madison ' Square Garden.