ALL THE NEWS
WHILE IT 18 NEWS.
9
Between Two
Hundred Persons Were
Killed By
Most Horrifying Scenes
Follow Explosion of
Powder Magazine on
Vessel. Near Two Hun
dred Perished as Result.
Series of Explosions Fol
low and Spectators
Watch Fragments of
Human Bodies Hurled
Into Air.
Toulin, France, March 12. —A powder
magazine on one of the battleships
here, exploded, owing, it is reported,
to an explosion of a compressed air
torpedo on the vesel.
The casualties are said to number
from 200 to 300, but no details are ob
tainable and even the identity of the
warship has not been definitely estab
lished.
Number of Casualties.
The powder magazine on the French
warship lena blew up owing to the ex
plosion of a compressed air torpedo.
The number of casualties is reported
to number 200 or 200.
Toulon, France, March 12. —Further
explosions on the lena occur every mo
ment and the debris is flying over the
dock yard for a distance of 500 yards.
The windows of workshops around
the scene of the explosion are all
broken.
Electric wires flash in fuses and
then break down, all about the Miss
iessy dock .
- One shell weighing 20 pounds was
hurled a quarter of a mile.
Complete panic prevails among the
employes of the arsenal, who were re
turning to work from iunch when the
powder magazine blew up. Some one
shouted: "The lena has blown up!"
An officer called out to the men:
Save yourselves!" and all the work
men and others made a mad rush for
the nearest exit.
The lena was undergoing an inspec
tion of her machinery in the Missiessy
dock when the explosion occurred.
The concussion caused by the explo
sion of compressed air in the torpedo
set fire to the r.fter powder magazine,
blowing the whole after part of the
vessel up.
The number of victims is not yet
definitely known, but the casualties
arc very heavy.
Squads of workmen and sailors ap
proached the scene of the disaster at
the peril of their lives and as they
neared the lena's dock they could dim
ly observe through the dense smoke
human remains flying constantly in
the air, following further explosions on
the doomed vessel, which presented
a terrifying spectacle and caused the
arsenal employes to wring their hands
with horrow.
Suddenly blackened forms with hag
gard eyes rushed madly through the
lines of spectators, not knowing where
they were fleeing.
300 Were Injured.
r ihe number of the injured is
known to be about 300, including
many officers seriously burned.
It is impossible as yet to estimate
•he number of deaths.
Further Figures.
Semi-official figures state it is cer
bbtain ever 50 of the lena's crew were
killed. 100 seriously Injured, and 200
slightly injured. No news has been
received of the captain or first lieu
tenant, and it is believed they arc
among the victims. Rear Admiral
-* T aceron was among the wounded.
A GIGANTIC CORPORATION.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Increases
Capital to $400,000,000 —A Colossal
Merger.
Philadelphia, Pa.. March 12. —At a
meeting of the shareholders of the
Pennsylvania the recommendation ol
11-c board of directors, authorizing ar
increase of the capital stock of the
'.rporaticn from $100,000,000 to $4OO,
000,000, now authorized, and alsc
lo increase the bonded indebtedness
to 8100,000,000.
The merger of the Philadelphia anc
Eric with the Pennsylvania was alsc
ratified.
!
Mr. T. H. Miller nas been confinec
to his home for the past week witl
la grippe, but is now improved.
Mob of 200 Held Up
Street Car To-daj
Ijouisville, Kk., March 12.—One o
the cars sent out by the street rail
way this morning was held up by i
mob of tw r o hundred.
After a fight with the police o:
i.oard three arrests were made an
the car proceeded with several wir
fiows shattered.
The suburban service has not bee
resumed.
AND PRESS
Half Interest of The
Steamship Line Sold
Providence, R. L, March 12. —The of
ficial statement taat the— New York,
Kcw Haven and Hartford Railroad has
acquired a half interest in the Mer
chants and Miners' Steamship Line
was made public here. The statement
was issued in behalf of President Mel
len, and it is as follows:
"We have sold the Winsor Line and
have bought one half interest in the
Merchants and Miners'. The stock of
the Merchants and Miners' is
trusteed and the New Haven Road is
to nominate one half of the directors
and outside stockholders the other
half. The odd directors will be chosen
by the trustees.
"The management will be unchang
ed. The present officers will continue.
Prices will be retained and contract
rations for a long term of years will
be made between the Merchants and
Miners' and its connecting railroads."
Brownsville Muddle
Aired Some More
Washington, D. C., March 12. —Cap-
tain Kilburn, of, the 26tn Infantry, tes
tified at the Browsville hearing before
the Senate committee that he was at
Brownsville when an order was pro
mulgated sending the negro soldiers
to Fort Brown.
The best people of Brownsville, said
the witness, expressed disapproval of
the change, but the class that loafed
around the saloons and drug stores and
loitereu on the streets were loud in
their threats that it would "not be
long before the colored troops would
be run out of the fort." Captain Kil
burn said he was in Tillman's store,
and heard Tillman say: "We'll run tbe
niggers out within three weeks."
Continuing, the witness told of hear- i
ing talks of plans to organize a posse
to prevent the negro troops from get
ting off the train, and to raise money
to send a delegate to Washington to 1
protest.
Much of the population of Browns
ville was Mexican, of a low grade of
intelligence, said Captain Kilburn.
He described the police force as con
sisting of ten men, nine of whom were
Mexicans, who could not speak, read
or write English. Their methods of
making arrests, he said, were to beat
the soldiers over the head 3 with re
volvers.
Captain Kilburn said this caused
much ill feeling between the people
and the authorities at the fort.
Railroad Men to Confer.
j Washington, March 12. —Much im
j portance is attached to the forthcom
i ing conference between the President
and Messrs. McCrea, Newman, Melleu
and Hughitt, prominent railroad pres
idents of tentative arrangements for
which were made by J. Pierpont Mor
gan at a conference with the Presi
dent.
The purpose, acording to the state
ment of Mr. Morgan, is to confer "as
to what steps might be taken to allay
public anxiety as to the relations be
tween railroads and the government."
Archie Improving.
Washington, D. C., March 12.—The
improvement in Archie Roosevelt's
condition continues.
Ex-President
of France
M. Cassmer-Perier Ex-
President of France
Died To-day. The Rea
son Why he Resigned
The Presidency.
; Paris, March 12—M. Casimer-
I Perier, ex-president of France, died
today.
His Ancestry.
i Jean Paul Pierre Cassimer-Perier
C was the son and grandson of states-
L I men. His father was minister of
s the interior and his grandfather was
-1 a leader of the opposition when
i 1 Louis-Philippe ascended the throne
i and afterwards was Premier. The
cx-president was born in November,
I .1847.
> Why He Resigned.
He was elected president in 1894,
but resigned after six and a half
1! months.
I j During the Zola trial it developed
! the reason for Cassimir-Perier's res-
I ignation was the fact that the cabi
net concealed tbe material facts of
the policy from him so he nearly
) found himself in a serious quarrel
with Germany, owing to his ignor
i ance of the Dreyfus scandal,
f' It was even said that the private
1- i documents on the Dreyfus affair from
l the German ambassador in Paris to
his Empercr, had been abstracted and
i photographed while on their way to
1 Berlin, and it was added that in
L- crder to dissociate himself from such
acts and to prevent a possibility of
a war Casimir-Perier retired from the
presidency.
x hV^rt'i-TT^T^ : V
-: '' :
' IN ?S\-« T~^
"HOW'S THIS FOR APPROPRIATENESS."
Proceedings
1 haw Trial
Delmasand JercMne Clash
To-day Over Admissa
bility of Smith's Testi
mony. Testimony of to
day Given in Full.
New York, March 12.—District At
torney Jerome, when he said last week
the Thaw case should be finished this
week, evidently did not take the at
torneys for the defense into considera
tion.
It. now looks as if the case would re
quire at least another week.
The first thing that will come up
when the court reconvenes will be
another argument on the admissibility
of certain evidence which Jerome de
sires to obtain from James Clinch
Smith, Stanford White's brother-in
law.
As to Smith's Testimony.
With the resumption of the Thaw
trial Delmas, leading counsel for the
defense, continued the argument, as
to the admissability of the testimony
of James C. Smith, brother-in-law of
White. Dclmas contended Smith should
properly have been examined at the
beginning of the trial and could not
testify at this time, as in rebuttal.
Smith formally was recalled to the
stand when the argument began this
morning.
Delmas said the matter was one of
the greatest importance to the defen
dant, rtnd he thought the defense was
entitled to a fuller explanation of Je
rome's grounds for his application.
Jerome said he was willing to go into
the whole story and tell all the facts.
Lawyers Clash.
"Hartridge and I have talke the mat
ter over and I think we are in entire
accord as to the main facts," he said.
"When this matter is discussed in
the courts," broke in Dclmas, "it will
be discussed with me."
"I don't know whether it will or not,"
replied Jerome, "Hartridge is the attor
ney of the record."
Jerome began to detail all the facts
regarding the delay in bringing Thaw
to trial, and the steps taken by both
sides to secure an immediate trial and
to obtain certain testimony by a com
mission, Hartridge occasionally inter
rupting to correct the district attor
ney in the details of the story.
Hartridge claimed that the district
attorney's office had changed the case
one afternoon from the court of gen
eral sessions to the supremo court
without any notice whatever to the de
fense.
"This witness, Smith, left the city
almost immediately after the tragedy,"
said Hartridge hotly, "and he contin
ued to absent himself for a long time.
Suddenly he came back. Surely Mrs.
White knew her brother was in the
city and she was in constant touch
with the district attorney. Then Smith
sails away again last Christmas when
it was known this case was coming
up for early trial."
Objection Overruled.
After a 15-minute recess was grant
ed at the request of Delmas the argu
ments were resumed when Justice
Fitzgerald overruled the objection of
the defense to Smith testifying.
Other Testimony.
Jerome asked that the examination
of be postponed until the afternoon.
Policeman E. F. Howe who accom
panied Policeman Wright and Thaw to
the police station, testified that he ask
: ed Thaw if he hit the party he shot
1 at, when he said yes, he thought he
1 did.
"Was it a woman or a man? I ask
-1 ed," said the witness, the reply be
i ing it was a mr.n.
The witness said the defendant was
' rational.
s Dr. Carlton Flint, the doctor to
whom Evelyn Thaw is said to have
HICKORY, N, 0., THURSDAY MARCH 14, 1907,
gone with Jack Earrymore, was called
but was not allowed to testify.
Smith was recalled and said Thaw
roamed about the Roof Garden as if
looking for some one.
He went into the balcony then
came out and joined his party and
all -started out in a few moments.
There were three pistol shots and
White was dead.
Pennsylvania's Stock Increase.
Philadelphia, Pa., March 12. —The
stockholders of the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company, at their annual meet
ing held in Horticultural Hall today,
look favorable action on the request
of the directors for authorization to
Issue $100,000,000 in new stock and
additional bonds to the amount of
$100,000,000. This proposed increase
in the Pennsylvania's securities has at
tracted much attention in financial cir
cles, chiefly for the reason that it is
the largest issue in t*e history cf the
company. As a matter cf fact the
amount has never been exceeded by
any railroad in America.
How much of these new securities:
will be issued In the near future has 1
rot been announced. It is thought j
that before the end ow the year;
enough of the new securities will be
offered to supply funds to pay off $50,-j
000,000 of notes which mature next
November; to meet the cost of this i
year's work on the New York City ter
minal, and to pay for new equipment
and other facilities the need of which j
had not been forseen last June when
President Cassatt isued his statement
cf what he expected the financial re
quirements of the road would be for
the next two years.
The Pennsylvania recently has had
to order 17,000 more steel freight cars
and other equipment in proportion, j
These extra freight cars alone will!
cost something like $18,000,000, and if i
as much more money is needed for
other general purposes, th total re- j
quirements of the road for new capi
tal this year will hardly fall short of
$110,000,000, and may even exceed
that amount.
In addition to discussing the new
stock increase the stockholders listen
ed to the annual reports, which had
previously been made public. The
annuel election will not take place till
two weeks hence.
Last Sad Rites
Over
Small Band of The Faith
ful Conduct Funeral
Services for John Al
exander Dowie. Plans
of the Church.
Chicago, March 12. —The funeral
services were held last night for
Jchn Alexander Dowie, by a little
nand of the faithful who have stood
by him.
Refusing to accept the conciliatory
measures offered by Gladstone Dowie,
in the fcrm of a share in the last
rites over his father's body, Deacon
Cutler and his six assistant deacons,
chosen by Dowio as the ecclesiastic
rulers of his church in Zion City,
held formal services, which, they
were the only possible cere
monies under the Christian Catholic
Apostolic Church in Zion.
Cutler had persuaded five of his
authorized assistants, to hold to their
original stand.
In spite of the drizzling night his
residence was crowded with the fol
lowers of Dowie.
The services had deep religious
tone that made it unusually impres
sive.
The meeting closed with declara
: lions from almost every one that they
'vould remain in the present body
until Dowie's will reveals whom he
chooses as then they
will flock to his support.
Many expressed belief that this
will be Oversee* Bryant.
Arrangements for tlie final services
Thursday continue to show a concilia
tory spirit. _
Party Pledges '
Fulfi
Lieutenant Governor
Winston Thinks the Leg
islature Just Adjourned
Carried Out Pledges of
Democratic Party.
Raleigh, N. ~C., March 12.—Com
menting on the legislature Lieuten
ant-Governor Francis D. Winston,
piesident of the Senate, says in his
opinion it, in a large measure car
ried out the pledges of the Demo
cratic party in the lastjiampaign.
He thinks the results in this direc
tion are mucn more complete than is
the usual case. The legislature,
seemed to him to be composed of,
the best type of present-day North)
Carolinians.
He said no matter how many or
what kind of political schemes were
planned to be worked out through
the legislative policies it seemed to
him the members would return home
tbout like they came.
Governor Glenn honored a requi
sition today from the governor of
Siuth Carolina for Mattie Williams
in jail at Asheville, wanted at New
berry, S. C., on a charge of the grand
larceny of $51.33 from the Woman's
Home Aid Society at Rocky Zion
Church.
A commission was issued by Gov
ernor Glenn to Thos. S. Meekins, oi
Manteo, as fish commissioner, under
a bill ratified March 11, creating the
office.
Other News Notes.
During the session of the general
assembly just closed 1,525 acts and
37 resolutions were ratified. This
;s 350 more than were passed at the
previous session two years ago.
The old three-story building on
the site fo* the temple of the North
Carolina Grand Lodge of Masons in
this city have been sold to the col
ored masonic lodge and they will
tear them away at once. Then the
work of erecting the splendid $25,000
fireproof temple will begin not later
than May 1 to be pushed to comple
tion without delay.
Provision was made by the general
assembly, just journed, for the erec
tion of a $50,000 central heating
plant for the North Carolina A. & M.
College here.
A suit for $OO,OOO damages has
been instituted in the superior court
here by Mrs. S- E. Maxwell for the
killing of her husband on the Sea
board Air Line Railroad last Decem
ber near Peachland. Maxwell was 3
years old and in the railroad acci
dent in which he was killed he was
pinned under his engine for five
iiours, bruised and scalded. The case
i will come up at the spring term of
the superior court. The suit is just
instituted and the complaint will be
filed later.
AS TO CANAL COMMISSION.
All Seven of Ishmian Canal-Commis
sioners May Live on Isthmus.
Washington, D. C., March 12. —
After a re-organization of t|ie Isth
mian Canal Commission, with Goe
thal's as chairman, it is probable all
f.even commissioners will live on the
Isthmus and the commission will be
come more of an administrative body
than under Shonts.
It is probable the re-organization
: will not be completed until after
Secretary Taft's visit to the Isthmus.
Steamship Columbia.
Camden, N. J., March 12.—The
steamship Columbia, built for the
Chesapeake Steamship Company, was
launched and christened by Miss
Lillie Elliote Emerson, of Columbia,
S C., tcday.
Three Hundred Men are
Scouring Woods for
Negro Near Latta
Technicalities Bar
Progress of Cases
Chicago, Ills., March 12. —The out
come of the Standard Oil case, on trial
in the United States Circuit Court, is
figuratively speaking hanging in the
balance of technical objections almost
without number which have been rais
ed by the defense.
While almost all have been over
ruled, there remains three still un
decided, which, if sustained, will over
throw the entire fabric of the govern
ment's prosecution.
These objections are that Alton tar
iff sheets were not posted in two con
spicious places in the station at Chap
pelle, Ills.; that Chappelle is not named
in the tariff as a shipping station, and
consequently there is no violation of
the Elkins law on the Chappelle counts.
Mob May Lynch
Two Prisoners
Manchester, lowa, March 12. —The
State militia was ordered out to guard
two bank robbers arrested for blow
ing up a bank at Masonville, from mob
violence.
The sheriff has asked for more aid.
Company D. is now on guard with
instructions to shoot.
The action followed the ousting of
the grand jury, which was declared
illegal, and which therefore cannot in
:dict men here.
The citizens soon formed a mob, and
' ( are bent on lynching the men.
STUDENT MARRIES CO-ED.
Downes, of Cornell, and Miss Boyer,
Syracuse, Secretly Wedded.
Syracuse, N. Y., March 12. —Henry
Hackett Downes, of Denton, Mo., a
Cornell junior, and Miss Mary Louise j
Boyer, a freshman at Syracuse Uni
veristy, were secretly maried at Bald
winsville, Thursday, it was learned to
day.
Downes is twenty-three and Miss
Boyer nineteen.
The couple became acquainted at the
, home of the bride at Interlaken on
>Cayuga lake, last summer, where young!
Downes went to spend his vacation.
Fearing that their parents would object
they decided to get married on the
quiet and then return to their studies.
They were married by the Rev. F. W.
Fuess, and went to Auburn on their
wedding trip.
Downes expects to complete his
course at Cornell, where he is in the
engineering department. The girl was
a student of music but wil not com
plete her course.
Lackey Horse Sale.
Cambridge City, Ind., March 12.
Ihe annual Lackey horse sale open
rd here today and as usual has at
tracted prominent horsemen from ail
parts of the country. The sale will
last five days, during which time a
large number of high-bred horses
will go under the hammer.
To Meet at Norfolk.
Norfolk, Va., March 12. —June 12,
13 and 14 were fixed as the dates
and Norfolk as the place for the
next meeting of the Atlantic Coast
end Gulf Life Savers' convention.
Bad Congestion
Of
President Crumps of
Memphis Exchange asks
Interstate Commerce
Commission for Relief
. Statement Presented.
\
Washington, March 12. —President
Crump of the Memphis Cotton Ex
change, presented to the Interstate
Commerce Commission a statement re
garding the congestion of cotton at
Memphis, and asked for relief.
The commission said it would take
the question under consideration, and,
if deemed advisable, would make an
investigation on its own account in
Memphis.
It is said there are at present over
23,000 bales of cotton in the hands of
carriers at Memphis awaiting cars in
which to load.
From statements made and evidence
produced before the commission the
situation in Memphis, with respect to
cotton, was shown to be as serious as
that respecting wheat in some of the
Northwestern States.
Oklahoma Master Plumbers.
Enid, Okla. March 12 —The members
of the Master Plumbers' Association
of Oklahoma assembled here today for
a three days' session. J. A. Hamm of
this city is the-president of the asso
-1 ciation and Eugene O'Connor, of Mus
-1 kogee, secretary. A number of quss
-1 tions of interest and importance to
i those engaged in the plumbing trade
. are slated for discussion at the con
vention.
THE BE3T JOB PRINTING OP
ALL KINDS AT THIS OFFICE.
Negro Brute who Com
- mitted Nameless Crime
on Young Lady School
Teacher Yesterday is
Pursued by 300 Men.
Negro was First Captur
ed, but Escaped in Di
rection of Latta, S. C„
Was at Large at 3:30
P. M.
Clio, S. C., March 12. —A negro com*
mitted the nameless crime on a
young lady school teacher, Miss Pit
man,- near Mallory yesterday.
He was captured, but escaped in
the direction of Latta.
Three hundred men are scouring
the woods today to recapture him,
tut he is still at large.
Many Posses Formed.
Miss Pittpian taught in.a rural dis
trict school and was returning to her
home near Oak Grove, S. C., when ov
ertaken and assaulted by the black
brute, who immediately made his es
cape. Several posses were organized
as soon as the news was heard and
bloodhounds were sent for. Posses
from Dillon and Latta. S. C.. formed
at once and a special train from Chad
. bourne, N. C., with dogs was formed.
Three hundred men are today scour
ing the woods to recapture him, but at
two o'clock this afternoon he was still
at .large. It is thought no mercy will
be shown him if the negro is appre
hended.
The crime was committed near the
Darlington county line, about 20 miles »
from Darlington, S. C., and 10 milts
from Dillon.
! So far as can be learned Governor
Ansel has not received an order for
troops.
This is the-ft*et asault case in South
Carolina this year and the first time
Marion county has ever been threaten
ed with a case of mob law.
Negro Captured.
Later reports say the negro did
lot accomplish his purpose and that
a mulatto supposed to be the right
party has been captured at Dillon
and taken to Fayetteville for. safe
keeping.
SOUL WEIGHS AN OUNCE.
Bay State Physicians Say They Have
Proved Its Existence by Scales.
Boston, Mass., March 12. —Five Mas
sachusetts physicians of the highest
professional standing have just attain
ed what they believe to be decisive re
sults in the investigation recently un
dertaken and carried out to determine
the existence or non-existence of a soul
ijj the human body, and to determine
also whether the departure of that soul
is attended by any manifestation of a
nature that can be made evident by
material senses. These investigations,
guarded with the utmost secrecy, have
been conducted for about six years in
a sanitarium.
The results obtained are known in
detail to but half dozen scientists,
though it is planned to make the whole
discovery public very soon. They as
sert that their researches have result
ed in cataloguing the human soul uporn
scientific principles, just as the heart
and other functional organs, as an ac
tual material thing.
It is asserted that when the soul
flies from the body it diminishes the
weight of the body by an amount that
can be weighed.
Every known test was applied, the
final method being to weigh the dying
patient on his bed by special scales
before and after .death. The difference
in weight of the live human body and
the weight after death, when the soul
has fled, after allowing for all neces
sary deductions, was found to be from
a half to a full ounce, and it is contend
ed that there can be no other posible
conclusion but that thb is the weight
of the human soul.
Northwestern Pacific.
San Francisco, Cal., March 12. —The
stockholders of the Northwestern Pa
cific Railroad Company have been call
ed to meet at the headquarters in this
city today to vote -on a proposition to
issue $35,000,000 gold bonds of which
a portion is to be used in retiring tho
existing indebtedness. The North'
westfern Pacific Company was organiz
ed some months ago by the Southern
Pacific and Atchison interests to take
up six railroad lines belong to both
systems, combining them into a sep
arate line.
Many a fellow is contented because
he is too lazy to make a kick.
Safe-Blowers Wrecked
Bank at Hunnewell
Wichata, Kans., March 12. —The
Union State Bank, of Hunnewell.
Kans., was wrecked by safe-blowers.
The explosions aroused the resi
dents, who gave chase to the burg
lars.
The robbers covered their retreat
by firing, escaping on a handcar.
Posses are being formed.