THE WEATHER.
ADVERTISING.
Generally fair Wednesday and
Thursday, light 'to moderate
Wliat would fhis city be like
without its 8 tores? What would
this newspaper be like without
its store-ads? One would be
about as interesting as the
other, .
west winds. N
M lliJ m ! 1 i S Ira"
VOL. LXXXV-NO. 84.
LED Br LOVE
TO AWFUL
Desperate Man Committed
Bold Robbery, Murder
and Suicide.'
FIRST HELD IIP CASHIER
He Thus Secured Money to Go to His
Sweetheart and After Shooting
Her He Shot Himself
Had Two Wives. ,
.
Peru, Ind., Dec. 29. A carefully laid
plan of a lovesick and discouraged
man, involving robbery, murder and
suicide, culminated today in the slay
ing of Miss Dora Chapell, ? 21 years
old, a waitress in the dining room of
the pearss oHtel by Roy McKinney,
v. hq then committed suicide.
According to advices from Indian
apolis, McKinney entered a lunch
room there early yesterday and rifled
a cash register while he covered the
man behind the counter with a re
volver. Letters found in the dead man's
pocket indicate that the hold-up and
today's crimes were planned. It is
thought that McKinney committed
the robbery to get money to come to
Peru. '
The letters were addressed to the
coroner, the girl's father, Frank Cha
pell. of Peru, and to McKinney's wife
at East Germantown, Ind.
In the letter to the coroner McKin
ney first directed that his body be sent
to a medical college and then added:
"I left my first wife because she
was not true to me. I left my second
wife last March. On March 18, 1909,
I met Dora Chapell and went with her
two months, at the end of which time
I found that she was the only girl for
me.1 Several days ago the .girl's fath
er went to Indianapolis and caused
me much trouble and brought Dora to
Peru. It was impossible for me to for
gets her sa-I . canae..ta. Peru - -I asked
her ta BOfto ththatro'-frltK me "But"
she had other, arrangements. I could
not sleep and God only knows life has
been a hell. May God help Dora and
take pity . on me. - Before I close, I
hope that everybody will take a punch
at me before I pass over the great di
vide." , - .
In the letter to his wife McKinney
said: ,
"I only wish you were with me so I
could take you with us, too."
McKinney came to the hotel yester
day and registered as L. B. Lenhart.
of Chicago. He posed as a United
States marshal and displayed a se
cret service badge. It is not known
where he , obtained the badge as he
has not been in the government ser
vice. RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.
Two on A. C. L. Proved Fatal Young
Man From Burgaw. .
Rocky Mount, N. C, Dec. 29. Lo
gan Higgins, the ,Wilson negro who
was run over Friday night at Wilson
by the night shoo fly train from Rich
mond to Fayettevllle, was brought to
the hospital of the Atlantic Coast Line
here where he died Saturday morning.
The negro was thrown under the train
v.Hen he lost his footing as he was
in the act of catching it as the train
was pulling out of the station at Wil
son. Both legs were severed, from his
body.
While en route to his home at Bur
gaw from' Emporia, Va., Friday night,
.Mr. S. T. Williams fell from an Atlan
tic Coast Line passenger train near
Whitakers and suffered Injuries from
which he died the day following at
4 o'clock. Nothing Is known as to
v.hy Mr. Williams should have fallen
from the train, and as to whether or
not he was a victim of foul play. The
Train was stopped and the young man
Picked up and brought to the relief
hospital of the company here. It was
K'n from the first that he had suffer
'd injuries about the head and there
vas little hope entertained for his re
covery. The deceased was 19 years
old, unmarried and leaves a mother
and father living. His remains were
shipped to Burgaw Sunday.
HIGH TARIFF IN FRANCE.
Chamber vcf Deputies Passes Bill, by
Big Majority.
Paris, Dec, 29. The Chamber of
Deputies today passed . the . tariff bill
by ,i vote of 365 to 42 after a protract
ed discussion. This represents a vic
tory for the high protectionists and
the tariff commission which practical
ly had its own way.
The government has held aloof and
has not shown its hand except to in
tervene for the modification of some
schedules which were inevitably bound
to menace France's foreign 'trade re
lations. Nevertheless It is expected that the
government will step in at the final
movement and offer a conciliatory
proposition, as the bill still has a long
road to travel. It must yet pass the
Senate and . the differences between
the two' houses must be reconciled.
Although the enacting clause puts
the new tariff in force on March 31.
1010, it is considered that the bill will
not likely be adopted until later. in the
year. M. Klotz, chairman' of the com
mission, in his closing speech, assur
ed the Chamber that the bill was des
signed only tdprotect the interests of
Prance and was in no way aimed at
n.v foreign country.
CRIME
XX
"V7 t'j
AFFAIRS AT STATE CAPITAL
Union Depot. at Marion Fourth Re
prieve for Robeson County Negro
Soldiers' Home School' Li
- braries Brilliant Weding.
Raleigh, N. C, Dec. 29. Official no
tice came today from the Carolina.
'Clinchfield and Ohio : Railroad to the
Corporation Commission that the un
ion passenger station at the junction
of the C. C. & O. and the Southern.
one mile from Marion, is just complet
ed and the system for the transfer
of passengers between the railroads
there is in satisfactory operation! This
improvement is tne result of com
plaints filed by travelers and a subse
quent order by the Commissum that
the accommodations be provided.
It looks now like there may be ne
cessity for a fourth reprieve in the
case of the Morrison negro, from
Robeson county, under sentence of
aeatn ror criminal outrage, for the
reason that the electrical eauinment
for the death chamber in the State's
prison is still incomplete with no
prospect for the massing parts to be
gotten here by January 14th, which la
the last 'date named by the Governor
for the electrocution. Superintend
ent J. J. Laughinghouse says no trace
of the missing part of the apparatus
which was shipped from New York
early , in November, can be found by
the use of tracers or otherwise.
Some sympathy has been expressed
for the prisoner and the tantalizing
manner in which the death sentence
has swung about him. However, Supt.
fughinghouse declares that he mer
is all the worry that is coming to him
in that he is the most unruly prisoner
that was ever in the prison. A guard
has to be kept at his cell door prac
tically all the time and he never miss
es opportunity to give all the trouble
he can. Twice he has all but suc
ceeded in getting away.
The prison authorities now have
about 650 prisoners, all except a little
more than 100 being out on the farm
and on contract work in various parts
of the State, Supt. Laughinghouse
says 73 are in the hospital nuch of
the time from faliling health., There
were ten deaths during the past year.
1 Out at the North Carolina Sorters'
Home there are now ,ain even -twelve
drozen Confederate: veterans, the av
erage of the battle scarred heroes be
ing 72 years. The full capacity of
the home i3 taxed and .there are now
25 applications for admission on file.
The oldest veteran cared for ' In the
home is Jno. M. Poole, who is in his
100th year. , ,
During the "year just closing there
were 200 new rural school ' libraries
established, making 2,400 in the State,
averaging oyer 100 volumes each.
There have been 159 local school tax
districts voted, making 927 in tho
State. This is significant in connec
tion with the fact that seven years
ago there were only 30 of these local
tax districts in the State.
This afternoon at Edenton Street
Methodist Church there was a pretty
marriage ceremony in which Miss Sai
dee Robbins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
J. H. Rpbbins, became the bride of
Mr. Charles U. Harriss, a prominent
young lawyer here. The ceremony
was by Rt Rev. Edward Rondthaler.
of Salem. N. C, bishop of the South
ern Province of the Moravian church.
The bride is a graduate of Salem Fe
male College, the Moravian College,
famous throughout the South. The
bridal party comprised vMiss Hattie
Wattlineton. Greensboro, maid of hon
or: Miss Evelyn Wood, Jacksonville.
Fia.r Driaesmaia; wiiiiau namoo.
brother of the bridegroom, Dest man ;
William Robbins, Jno. Hinsdale, Wil
bur Bunn, Jno. Stronach and Thomas
Aiken, groomsmen. The bride wore
a traveling dress of blue cloth and
carried a magnificent bouquet of
bride's roses.
Mr .andMrs. Harriss left for a bri
dal trip North and will be at home to
their , friends here aDOui januar?
15th. Both are quite popular here.
Mr Harriss represented Wake county
in thft 1907 session of the General
Assembly as a member of the lower
house. ' - f ' ,
a commission is issued from the of
fice of the Adjutant General to b.
Edward Malone, of Goldsboro, as sec
ond lieutenant of Company D., Second
Regiment. He is a dentist of Golds
boro and made the highest score in
Hflo ranee nractice at Morehead
last Summer, receiving an expert rifle
man's medal. '
DEATH OF DA. J. A. BURROUGHS.
Was President of North Carolina Med
ical Society..'
Aohoviiio tst f!. Dec. 29. J. A. Bur
roughs, president of the North Caro
lina Medical Society, and also identi
fied with .'the Mississippi Valley Socie
ty and the American luueruuiuoia
Congress, died at his home here at
nnnn tnAav nttav an 11nSS Of Oflly a
few days. Dr. Burroughs was one of
the best known physicians in
South on the treatment of tuberculo
sis. '-
Dr. James Anthony Burroughs was
president, of the North Carolina Medl-
ral RnHptv and onA of the State'3
most, prominent physicians, and noted
expert on tuoercuiosis. He was elect
ed president of the State association
in June. Only recently he wrote Gov
ernor Kitchin officially protesting
against "sanitary sunaay.
JANUARY 1st.
Is the beginning of a Regular Inter
est Period at The People's Savings
Bank. Deposit with this bank on or
before January-3rd, and you will re
ceive credit for Three Months inter
est April 1st. : de 28-3t.
WILMINGTON, 1ST. 0.,
PRESIDENT TAFT mm 8 "PRESIDENT ELIOT 8001,0
- y mi inn Hir-Ti i
nn'- nt- D y R H Testimony H 0 KS
wm m m mm m
Makes Plain Declaration of
His Programme Concern
ing Conservation.
WON'T WAIT INVESTIGATION
Asserts T,hat Thjs Session of Congress
Will Place Practically First Con- "
servation Laws on Books.
Depends on Ballinger.
' Washington, Dec. 29. -"Acts, rather
than declarations." President Taft is
reported in .this terse way to . have de
scribed recently with callers his pro
gramme as to the conservation of na
tural resources. The President, it is
said, has declared that when the pres
ent session of Congress ends he will
be able to point to first practical con
servation statutes ever placed, upon
the law books of the nation as his
answer tq the criticism which has
been directed toward the White
House.
Without waiting for the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation,' Mr) Taft soon
will begin the preparation of his prom-,
ised special message on conservation
and he has received assurances f rom
both; Houses of Congress that while
some trouble may be expected in the
lower branch, the legislation which
the executive will suggest, will be
made into law before the Spring ad
journment. The President is repre
sented as taking the position that
there is nothing in the Ballinger-Pin-
chot dispute that has a bearing on his
own legislative programme and he
will proceed regardless of it.
In the preparation of his special
message the President will have the
co-operation of Secretary Ballinger,
and Senator Nelson, of Minnesota,
chairman of, the Senate committee on
publie-iandsC. .It is asserted- that In the
constructive work of. needed legisla
tion the President has had to depend
almost wholly upon Mr. Ballinger, who
has been at work for several months
on the draft of proposed statutes that
will meet the intricacies of the vexed
problem of practical conservation and
embody the President's views on this .
important subject. These proposed
new laws are ready to be submitted i
to the committees of the Senate and
House along with -the special mes
sage, the preparation of which the
President will begin as soon as he
gets the message on the inter-State
and anti-trust laws out of the way.
PACIFIC FLEET IN ORIENT;
Entire Squadron Will Visit-Japan and
Return to Honolulu.
Washington, Dec. 29. The itinerary
of the first squadron of the Pacific
fleet now in the Orient has been re-
vised by the Navy Department. -
The Tennessee and Washington,
now at Woosung, will go to Yokoha
ma on January 2, to remain there un
til January 20.
The California and the South Dako
ta, now at Yokohama, and the Colo
rado and the Maryland, now ataga
saki, will go to Woosung immediately
after New Years for a new two weeks
stay. . The West Virginia and the
Pennsylvania, now at Hong Kong,
will go to Nagasaki for the same per
iod. The entire squadron ' will assemble
at Yokohama January 17th, or 18ith,
and will sail from that port on.. Jan
uary.20th for Honolulu, arriving Feb
riiary 1st. The schedule for the de
parture from Honolulu for San Fran
cisco is February 8th. Seven days is
given for the sail from the Hawaii la-.
lands to California.
ILL-FATED SCHOONER PALMER.
Divers Sought in Vain for Bodies of
Twelve Victims.
Boston. Dec. 29. Six fathoms and
more beneath the waters on Broad
Sound channel a professional diver to -
day sought in vain for many hours for
the bodies of Capt. Leroy K. McKeown
and the 11 men of the crew of the
five-masted "schooner Davis Palmer,
which was sunk in Sunday's disas
trous storm.
The diver was unable to enter- the
hulk of the schooner, so tangled was
the wreckage about the vdecks.
The schooner lies 38 feet below low
water mark. A taut port anchor chain
showed the useless attempt which had
been , .made 'to hold her against the
storm. The anchor had dragged and
in the vilence of the strain the bow of
the schooner apparently was wrench
ed apart. .The search will be contin
ued tomorrow.
Although it is three days since tne
now famous Christmas storm of 1909,
the : wire situation in Southeastern
New England-showed today ver ynt-
tle Improvement.
TWENTY FRENCH WERE KILLED.
BorkuJ Warriors AttacKea uuiposx
With 300-: Warriors,
Paris - Dec. 29ACol. Moll,! comman
der 6f the French forces atChad, re
ports that 300 Borku Warriors, in
revenge for the capture of Abeshur,
attacked the Neharist Noutpost 45
miles northeast of Mao on November
27th. .The warriors killed or wounded
20 tirailleurs, including a lieutenant.
Col. Moll has dispatched reinforce
ments to the scene of the outbreak .
TIIUllSDAXlMOBNING,
Wife Who Wants Divorce and Allfmo-
ny Refutes Husband's Testimony
His Own Lawyers Declare He
Made False Statements.
New York, Dec 29. The sensation
al and long drawn out Brokaw sepa
ration suit came to -a close :today so
far as the taking of testimony is con
cerned. . "V -
Adjournment waf taken to Saturday
when the case wip be finally submit
ted to Justice Pu-nam for his decis
ion after W. Govjld t Brokaw's attor
neys have presented a statement of
their, client's financial . position.
The closing of ie proceedings to
day torn every hoay by surprise. It
came soon after Mr. Brokaw's cross
examination had been concluded, and
Mrs. Mary Blair Bfokaw had been re
called. - . ' '
The olaintiff was well fortified with
denials of charges made by her hus
band. She emphatically denied that
Mr. ETokaw had etery told her about
a threat made by her father, Mr. Blair,
at Atlantic City, to kill 'the million
aire. She declared, that she had never
smoked cigarettes in her husband's
presence before their marriage, as Air
Brbkaw had testified,, and she denied
ever telling her maid -that she ex
pected scon to set up a house of her
own and wanted the meid to work
for her.
Before Mars. Brokaw . was called,
Messrs. MIntyre and Bushe, for Mr.
Brokawr told the court that their cli
ent had. made statements on the wit
ness stand regarding his financial con
dition that were found to be incorrect.
As a matter of fact, the lawyers de
clared, Mr. Brokaw at the present mo
ment did not know what his actua
financial position was. They asked
for two diys in which -to prepare a
statement.
The -court granted until Saturday
when a sessiou o'f the court will be
held.
Mrs. Mar Blair Brokaw's attorneys
declared at the opening of court at
Mineola today their belief that they
had established by Mr. Brokaw's tes
timony two grounds for a legal sep
aration. - . -
The new result of Mr. Brokaw's-re-sponsesi.
on the ess.su.ndj.ithe.
plaintiff's lawyers clahn," should -lead
the court to declare that, the espoin
age of servants upon Mrs. Brokaw
tacitly admitted by the witness, " es
tablishes the cruelty charge and that
abandonment was shown by Mr. Bro
kaw's legal action in Paris and the
statements he. made in letters to his
wife ajid her mother, Mrs. Blair.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES USELESS
Those Who Learn Them Have Little
Use For Them. " 1
Ithaca, N. Y., Dec. 29. i'What is the
use of retaining the study of German
arid French and pother modern foreign
languages? What are the grounds for
maintaining them? If you exclude col
lege and university teachers not one
in 500 who have learned the languages
will ever use them or could if they
were called upon to do so. -
President Jacob Gould Schurman, or
Cornell University, suggested this radi-
cal change in college curriculum in
speaking before the convention-bf the
Modern Language Association of
America here today.
OUTLINES.
Particulars concerning the execu
tion of Groce and Cannon in Nicara
gua are that they were condemned on
one day and, oh the morning follow
ing they were blindfolded and shot.
The Madriz government is consider
ing plans to raise funds to continue
the war. Zelaya has arrived in Mex-.
ico and it is confirmed that he remains
titular President Five men were
killed by a boiler explosion "at Read
ing, Pa., yesteday. President Taft
declares that conservation laws will
be passed by this Congress but the
draft of the laws will be ih the hands
of Secretary of Interior Ballinger, who
is under charges in public prints con
cerning his policy regarding public
lands With zero weather at Pitts
burg the ice" gorge is assuming serious;
proportions. There, is a terrible bliz
zard from Virginia northward. -In
j the Brokaw divorce trial yesterday
1 Mrs. Brokaw refuted the testimony of
her husband and his own lawyers de-
clared that he made a mlstatement
about his income
-Tho (rnvpmmflnr
tax on beer has increased $606,917
over last year's collections, and the
whiskey ' tax has decreased $282,779,
showing that more beer and less whis
key is being consumed The war
Department . denies the Memphis
News-Scimitar's story that the govern-
! ment offered a reward of $10,000 -for
Col. James Gordon in connection with
the V assassination of President Lin
coln The Pacific squadron, now in
the Orient, will visit Japan and returri
to Honolulu The Census Bureau at
Washington reports that of every 10,
000 inhabitants in the United State 532
land in jail, while 35 per. cent, of those
who do get in jail can lay the. blame
on booze Since Otto Sonneck, chief
of the division of music of the Library
of Congress, declared that "Dixie" is
our most popular national air, he has
been overwhelmed with letters, the
writers of some denouncing him and
threatening him with death New
York markets: Money on- call firm,
5 to 5 1-2 per cent, ruling rate 5 1-4,
closing bid and offered at 5 1-2. Spot
cotton 10 points higher, closing quiet
at 15.95. Flour steady. Wheat , firm,
No. 2, red 1.27 elevator domestic, and
1.26 1-2 f.6.b. afloat nominal to arrive.
Corn, firmer, No. 2, 70 1-2 elevator do
mestic, 71 delivered ahd. 68 3-4 f.o.b.
afloat, . Oats ,steady, mixed 47. Tur
pentine firm. Rosin quiet. , . ,
DECEMBER 30, 1909.
iu Luuuniunu
Address Yesterday to South
ern Educational Confer
ence at Charlotte.
BUSINESS TRAINING NEEDED
Refuted Idea Americans Becoming
Materialistic in Their Views
Other Speakers Heard With .
Yesterday.
Charlotte, N. C, Dec. 29. "Busi
ness has become a highly intellectual
college. I do not mean that a high
degree of business efficiency is need
ed to run the , corner grocery, but
Ido mean that we need a highly in
telligent man to organize and conduct
a great business, to whatever subject
it may relate."
Dr. Charles -W. Eliot, nresident-
emeritus of Harvard University, ex
pressed that sentiment in an extem
poraneous address today to the South-1
em Educational Conference. Dr. Eliot,
was expected to speak tomorrow even
ing but through a misunderstanding,
arrived this morning and spoke this
afternoon. Thousands braved the bit
ing cold and crowded the meeting
place to hear him speak.
Dr. Eliot defended the denomina
tional colleges and reviewed the reli
gious history of Harvard. He reftrt
ed : the idea that Americans are be
coming materialistic in their views.
"A year ago," said Dr. Eliot, "we
established at Harvard a school of
business administration. It was en
livened to a, high degree by the sym
pathy and support of the leaders of
business of the eastern part of the
country. And we have experienced
no difficulty in securing business men
to speak, each one explaining the ele
ments of success in business as he
knows them a merchankaaogfcex-l
-r- - c":-:r nv: 3 i
because the governors of the univer
sity became convinced that business
has become a highly intellectual call
"In the last five years, business
men have come into a' new view of
business itself. The question fre
quently asked 'Have I not a right to
do what I will with my own?" is an
swered universally 'No, no, not so.
"The leadersof business recognize
today that their possessions are the j
result of social influences and that
the duty of service to their fellow
men as broad as possible faces them."
Dr. Edward Franklin uchner, of :
Johns Hopkins, Baltimore; Secretary
Henry. F. Cope, of the Religious Ed
ucation Association, of Chicago; Pro
fessor Hand, gf Columbia. S. C. and
William W. Webb, pqresident of Cen
tral College. -Mo., were the speakers
at the morning general session of thj
educational association.
The committees named today arc
as follows:
- Nominations J. Y. Joyner, Nortn
Carolina; L .L. Jarman. Virginia; Otis
Ashmore, Georgia; J. G. Crcbbe, Ken
tucky; L. A. Robinson, South Caro
Una; H. L. Whitfield, Mississippi, and
N. M. Holloway, Florida.
Resolutions S. C. Mitchell, soutn
Carolina; T. P. Bailey, Kansas; C. C.
Thach, Alabama; H. S. West, Mary
land; J. D. Eggleston, Virginia; Alex
ander Graham, North Carolina; C O.
Brooks, North Carolina.
Auditing R. J. Tigh, North SCaro
lina, and E. F. Buckner, Maryland.
Constitution D. B. Johnston, South
Carolina and Prof. Smith, Florida.
Dr. Buchner's subject was "The
Wjork of the Southern Society of
Philosophy and Psychology." and his
was one of the greatest addresses of
the convention.-
One of the strongest addresses of
the day was that delivered by Secre
tary Henry F. Cope, of the Religiou?
Educational Association, of Chicago.
Secretary Cope represented an organi
zation which has as its aim the im
provement of humanity along religious
lines, and the scope Is large,- and the
membership diversified, embracing
lawyers, laborers, ministers, physi
cians, college men, heads of seats of
learning, and many of the best men
of the country. t
"The people of the South,' said
Mr Cope, "whatever their position as
to industrial economic and other con
ditions, stand I believe pre-eminent In
three' things courage, courtesy and
character. I come to speak to you
because our association opvets the co
operation of a people who haye
achieved such a civilization, where In
dustry is not all, .and where morals
hold a high place in the minas of the
people: Our purpose, in our work,
ia tn muh men and women intelli
gent, and able to live out their lives
f or others, ana to oe awe- 10
stand the temptations of life." -
Secretary Fairchild, .of the Moral
v.u.otmnai Rnard. of Oberlln, Ohio,
as the third speaker of the day, had
for his subject, "The Moral insiruc
tion of Children."
.cnnorintendfint Hand, of South Car
olina, made one of the talks of the
day in which he indicted the colleges,
the average college, - for the claims
made by these institutions as 10 mei.
alwavs growing " standards of learn
ing, and their opposition to a compe
tition" with the high" school. Prof.
Hand took the bold position that
many colleges, as contrasted, of
course, with the universities; are to
day trying to take in students unpre-
TO LAND IN JAIL
Out of Every , 10,000 Americans 582
Are Sure vto Get in the Bastile
Some Time During a Year.
Booze is Responsible.
Washington, "Dec. 29. Wherever
there are 10,000 of us you may be
sure that 582 of us will land in jail
some time during a year. There is
absolutely no way of dodging it, it is
the law of statistics and' the conclu
sions of the Census Bureau say so.
And for all of us who do wind up in
the bastile 35 per cent, of us are sure
to get there for over-friendliness with
the cup that cheers and flirting with
tJaccus.
The census bureau's conclusions are
also to that effect in a study on the
subject of arrests and lawbreakers
during 1907 in all cities in the United
btates having more than 30.000 pop
ulation.
Those political purists who like to
think of Washington and the "unkiss
ed city," are shocked to see that Wash
ington stands at the head of the list
of all the cities in the United States
when it comes to a recapitulation of
tne number of arrests in proportion to
the population. There is some balm
in it, however, because the report says
the number of arrests is no indication
of the lawlessness of a city's popula-
tion; it rather reflects varying local
laws and conditions, and the activity
of the police department
The largest cities may be the hot
beds of vice, but a process of elimina
tion proves that the ratio of arrests
is greater in cities of smaller popula
tion. Milwaukee and Detroit are both
larger than Washington, but there
were four times as many prisoners
jailed here in 1907 than there were in
Milwaukee and three times as many
as Detroit.
The large class of minor offenses,
Officially dubbed "offenses against so
ciety" formed 84 per cent, of the total
of all the arrests in 158 cities of the
United States during the period of in
vestigation. NO REWARD FOR SEN. GORDON.
Story Connecting Him With Lincoln
Assassination is Fake.
Washington. Dec ' 29.-Stecific de-
fiiaI,is.1mad.-aliJ
alter a-careful examination of the rec
ords, of the story published to the ef
fect that a reward of $10,000 had been
offered for the capture of Col. James
Gordon, appointed by the Governor of
Mississippi, to succeed the late Sena
tor McLaurin, for alleged participa
tion in the conspiracy to kill President
Lincoln.
When the matter was brought to
the attention of the officials of th
War Department a search of the rec
ords was instituted. This involved an
investigation of the records of the
Civil War and of all the advertise
ments for fugitives and rewards of
fered in connection with the assassin-
ation of Lincoln. Nowhere was the
name of Colonel Gordon found in the
papers on file in the Department.
Tflerefore, the War Department offi
cials declare that there was no basis
for the story published v concerning
him.
PRESIDENT TAFT'S CALLERS.
New Plan for Receiving Senators and
Representatives.
Washington, Dec. 29. President
Taft today put into' operation a new
plan of receiving Congressional call
ers. It was practically a reversion
to the Roosevelt method of admitting
a jar-ge number of Senators, Repre
sentatives and other callers into his
private office at the same time.
Since the beginning of his adminis
tration President Taft has endeavored
to give each caller an indivdual au
dence. He has found, however, that
this plan has sadly disarranged his
engagement list and often some Sena
tor or Representative has had to wait
an hour or more for his turn to talk
with the President.'' ' "
Under the arrangement put into ef
feet today matters were greatly fa
cilitated. The President will continue
to set apart the half hour from 10 to
10:30 A. M.,- every day except cabinet
days, ' for the reception of Senators
and Representatives having constitu
ents to introduce.
KING EDWARD AS VISITOR
May Come to United States and Cana
da in Near Future."
Ottawa, Ont., Dec. 29. That King
Edward would visit Canada and the
United States in the near future, was
the hope expressed by Senator Bel
court, at the Ottawa board of trade an
nual banquet here tonight. "If he
comes, and I believe he will," said
Senator Belcourt, "the result will be a
close alliance between Great Britain
and the United1 States, which will in
sure for all -time the peace -of the
word." 1 "
pared for their work, and who should
be in the high" school, while the col
leges complained that the preparation
of the students received was so . fre
quently inadequate.
"O standards, O standards! how
many sins are committed in thy
name," exclaimed the speaker in em
phasizing his subject before the as
sociation. -
In striking contrast to Prof. Hand's
paper on the lack of training of col
lege students was the address of Pres
ident 1 William Webb, of Central Col
i lege, Missouri, whose subject was
"Some College Ideals,", in which-he
defended the college from all of its
opponents and said that it had filled
a place in the American heart and
in the intellectual life of the nation.
which could not be shaken or ton:
down. ,
"WHOLE NUMBER 13,178.
LEW FOR WAR
IN NICARAGUA
Minister of War Asks Con
gress For Permission to
Dictate Assessment.
INVESTIGATE ZELAYA'S ACT
Story of Execution of Groce and Can
non Who Were Blindfolded and
Shot Zelaya Remains Titular
President Situation.
Mexico City, Dec. 29. "Mr. Knox, is
not my judge. I am answerable only
to my government for my actions,"
said Jose Santos Zelaya, formerly
president of Nicaragua. Asked to
night what attitude he would assume
should Secretary Knox seelc to haye
him extradited from Mexico, Zelaya
intimated that Secretary Knox would
not have the right to request his pres-.
ence in the United .States.
"I have no feeling against the Amer
can people at large nor the govern
ment." .
'The government has been misin
formed and public opinion in the Unit
ed States has been prejudiced against
me, but the real facts must become
known in time and it is to time that
trust for my vindication.
"My relations with the preceding
American government- were exceed- -
ngly friendly. The present situation
contains many unfortunate conditions
both for our . own people in Central
America and the , Americans. I am .
afraid that .the attitude of Secretary .
Knox is undoing all that work through
out Latin America. - . .
Zelaya made the assertion that
American marines engaged in seyeral j
recent battles in Nicaragua and that
20 were killed. He said:- . ',
There were 400 Americans firhtinc- 1
with the insurgents at the recent bat
tle: of Rama. AHfeheUattle or Color- :
do Junction on November 1, the bodies
or 20 American marines were found
dead on the field by. dur'f6rcesrvTIiey' '
were all from the American gunboats
anchored in the river to protect Amer- '
ican interests. The official ; explana
tion given me was that these men
were deserters."
Zelaya declared that on December
20, 1907, he wired Washington his wil
lingness to retire from the presidency
and from politics altogether if a con
federation of the five Central Ameri
can States could be brought about.
The immediate outlook in Central
America." said Zelaya, "is difficult to
prophecy. The struggle between the ,
present government and the forces of
Estrada will probably reach a climax
in a short time, but so many, factors
enter into the result, that it would be '
very Wise man indeed who could
discount the future."
Managua, Dec. 29 The Nicaraguair
Congress met in extraordinary session
today and appointed a commission to
consider the message of Minister Gen
eral Baca who has asked the govern
ment to grant him power to exact
war nnntHhiiHnna afl-ot Via mnnnn.
and in the amount dictated by his
discretion. ' .
President Madriz today issued a de
cree appointing an investigation com-"
mittee of live which is charged with
the responsibility of examining the ac
counts of Vhe Zelayan adminij.ration.
The finance minister is made chair-,
man of the committee -whose, duties
include the working out" of a new
system of finance, the revision of the
various concessions of the government
and the determination of the legality
of a recent act of the President in
revoking the .grants' of alcohol, to
bacco and other monopolies.
The governments of Honduras and
Costa Rica today made formal ac
knowledgement of the presidency of
Madriz, expressed confidence in the
stability of his administration, and
renewed protestatons of friendship for
the republic of Nicaragua.
Zelaya, who since his arrival in
Mexico has announced himself as stilt
head of the Nicaraguah government,
is technically correct. He surrender
ed his office for the remainder of his
term but was permitted to retain the ,
title of President In order that he
might enjoy the immunity that the
office provides. When this- arrange
ment was made Zelaya had in mind
rumors that the United States gov
ernment would hold him individually
responsible for . the deaths of . the
Americans, Groce and Cannon.
There was a lively debate In . Con
gress before the commission to con
sider the message of Minister Gen
eral Baca was appointed. Deputy Lu
ciano Gomez, a notorious Belayaist,
Was hooted -during the course of a
speech in which he opposed the au
thorization of further war taxes. Dep
uty Matus, replying, declared that on
the occasions of two previous forced
loans certain intimates of Zelaya had
not been assessed .and he, suggested
that they should not bet made to pay
their proper share of the expenses of
the war. This covert reference to the
earlier speaker was met -with shout
of approval and encouraged one. of
the members to cry: "Gomez -did not
pay. We can soak him for a million.'
Americans Blindfolded and Shot. '..
Manague, Dec. 29. Recent reports
that Groce and Cannon, the Ameri
can recruits in the insurgent army
who were put to death, at he com
tnand of President Zelaya, were -tortured'
before being shot are untrue.
Groce and Cannon were notified ot