Weather io-Dayi FAIR; WARMER. The News and Observer, VOL XLVI. NO. 14. LEADS ALL NORTM CAROLINA DAILIES 11 lEIS All CIRCULATION. In a Cauldron of Steam FATAL ACCIDENT AT DURHAM COTTON MILLS YESTERDAY. W. H. Branson Dead and J. C. Mathes Seri ously Injured as a Result of a Bursting Steam Pipe. Durham, X. .March 24. —(Special.)—Mr. \Y. 11. liran son died at 5:15 this afternoon as a result of the scalds re ceived from the bursting of a steam pipe at the mill of the Durham Cotton Manufacturing Company in Hast Durham, at 10 o’clock this morning. Mr. Branson suffered greatly before his death. He was 38 years old and leaves a wife and two children. No arrangements have yet been made for the fun eral, pending the arrival of relatives from Concord and Greensboro. Mr. *l. C. Mathes, who was injured at the same time with Mr. Branson, is resting easier at this time, 0:45 p. in. lie may recover but is not yet out of danger. His physicians fear that he will lose his eyesight as a result of the accident. 1 IO\Y THE ACCIDENT OCCUBRED. Messrs. W. TF Branson, secretary and treasurer, and -1. C. Mathes, superintendent of the factory, were in a little brick house that is used as a pumping house, from which place water is pumped to the engines that run the mills. By some means, a five-inch steam pipe burst, enveloping the two men in a cloud of scalding steam. Messrs. Branson and Mathes were both badly burned. Mr. Branson’s injuries are thought t-'- to be the worst. He is badly scalded about the face, head and body, the skin peelintr from his face like an onion. He also had his hands painfully hurt in breaking out some glass in a window, in order to call for assistance. Mr. Mathes is pretty badly burned about the face and eyes. It is thought he may lose his eyesight. Mathes, WM. H. BRANSON. after one or two unsuccessful Secretary and Treasurer of the ofTort.S, got the door of the Durham Cotton Manufacturing Company, Who Was Killed Yes- house open and made his exit in terday. that manner. So powerful was the foref* of the explosion that a hole some five or six feet in diameter was made in the brick wall of the house. 'I he wonder of all who have viewed the scene since the ac cident is that either <»f the gentlemen got mil of the - house alive. As soon as possible physicians were telephoned for. mid m : d ffSi P A* DI RHAM COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY. DURHAM, N. C„ WHERE THE EN I*l. OSION OCCURRED. Drs. A. G. Carr, J. M. Manning, AY. X. Hicks, A. Cheatham, X. P. Boddie and others responded, and went to the relief of the suffering nicn. Willing hands assisted in carrying Mr. Branson into the office of tin* company, and Mr. Mathes to his office nearby. Physicians have been with them ever since the accident. At this writing, Air. Branson has recovered con scion;ness. Mr. Mathes is also conscious. It is thought that the only reason that prevented the gen tlemen from being killed outright was the fact that the pipe that burst was above their heads. Had it been lower, there would have been no escape for them. The announcement of the accident flew over the city like wild-fire, and cast a pall over our entire people. RALEIGH, N. C., SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH •>«, 1899. NO PHILIPPINE POLICE IS EEI Awaiting Report of Schur mann Board. A FIXED POLICY THEN THE PRESIDENT FLIES DOWN TO TALLAHASSEE. I FLORIDA’S CAPITAL ADORNS HERS*'IF And the Chief Executive is We'comed With More Ceremony and Display Than he Has Met With Elsewhere on tin Trip. Thomasville, Ha., March 24.—The Ad ministration will not decide uikui its permanent policy respecting the Philip pine'S until the Schumann commission reports. It feels that its present knowl edge of the islands is too indefinite as a basis for a fixed policy. Moreover an immediate decision is felt to be need less since for the present the only prob lem is the restoration of law and order, and the establishment of stable peace ful conditions. This and the appoint ment of a diplomatic representative at Madrid are two of the most important matters remaining open. The Madrid mission probably will be raised to an embassy soon after payment of the $20,- 000,000 indemnity, and a man of the highest qualifications and attainments chosen for this delicate and important post. General Woodford may not lie the new envoy, owing: to the fact that New York already has such an undue propor tion of the highest diplomatic appoint ments. President McKinley and quite a large party made a flying trip to Tallahassee, Fla., to-day. Vice President Hobart has not been well, never having recov ered from the results of an attack of grip last winter, so In* and Mrs. Hobart remained behind. A special train was provided by the Plant System and* .*»- eluded 2 Pullmans, one extra coach arid a baggage car. It left Thomasville shortly after 10 o’clock. At Monticollo, the ’home of Senator Pasco, that gentleman and his family greeted the President. The Senator could not proceed to Tallahassee, but by invitation the two Misses Pasco and a young son became members of the Presi dential party. At Tallahassee the party was received by Governor Bloxham and a local committee. The town had been elaborately decorated in honor of the President. Salutes were fired, an escort provided, a regular programme carried out, and the visit made more of a ceremonious affair than any feature of the present Southern trip. The party was driven first to the State capitol where a large crowd from the town and surrounding country had assembled. On the portico of the State House the entire party, including the Governor and the Floridian committee were photograph eel. After a brief rest during which the ladies of the party were presented with inimeuse boquets of beautiful violets, the party was driven to the Leon House, where an informal public reception was held by the entire party, and an elabor ate lunch served to about 100 persons. Governor Bloxham sat on the light of the President, and Judge Raney on his left. Then followed drives to points of interest, and a visit by the President to ft large negro college having about 300 i students. A band of music, a local mili , tary company and organizations of the students were assembled here in the President's honor. No speech making occurred in Tallahassee. The party left; there at 3:30 and arrived in Thomasville at 5:40. An effort is making to induce the President to Gsit Tampa, lie is dis inclined to make the trip, and unless he changes his mind will be in Weshington late next Tuesday. t FOUR DEAD FROM THE RUINS. Twenty-Three is the Number of known Victims of the Fire. New York, March 24.—Four more bodies were recovered from the ruins of the Windsor Hotel to-day. The record as it now stands is 23 dead, 40 or more missing, and a large collection of small bones. The injured in hospitals and other places are recovering. Anxiety on the part of the friends of persons who have been reported missing has increased to a certainty almost that they perished in the fire. From tin* condition of the bodies so far recovered there is but lit tle hope that they or any of the bodies that may lx* found hereafter can be ! identified. FISII BRING GOOD PRICES. , Elizabeth City, N. C., March 24.—Our fishermen are a very busy set; of men at this time. Fish are coming through | right lively, 3(10 boxes having bten ship ped to New York and 180 boxes to Philadelphia yesterday. The shipments i will be even larger to-day, and we are glad to know that the prices are hold ing up pretty w< 11. Brunswick, On., March 24.—Speaker Reed left Joky! Island to-day for a trip to the Florida resorts. Ex-Secretary Bliss who e n tert.-titled the President while here departed for New York. THREE MORE DEAD NEAR DEO DIVED They Also Had Conspired Against the Whites. WILD RUMORS AFLOAT BUT VERY LITTLE AUTHENTIC INFORMATION. WHITES STILL PURSUING THE NEGROES Such is One Report, Wtjile Another is to the Effect that the Negroes are Arming and Threatening Vengeance on the Whites. Texarkana, Ark., March 24. —Details of the wholesale lynohings reported to have occurred in Little River county, are slow in coming in. Three more dead negroes have been found in Red Rivet bottoms between New Boston, Texas, and Rocky Comfort, Ark., two of them, Jn<- King and Moses Jones having been ; hanged or shot to death. The third body was stripped entirely naked when found. 1 A justice of the peace held an inquest over these bodies and a verdict was re turned by the jury declaring that the men “came to their death from natural causes or were frozen to death.” The verdict is regarded as a. gruesome joke. There is some doubt as to where these lynehings occurred, it being near the State line. The inquest was held by a Texas justice of the peace. Joe King is one of the negroes who was whipped by a crowd of whites Wed nesday, near Rocky Comfort. Just after the lynching of Duckett, a constable ' went to King’s and told him that Duck ett had been lynched for the assassina tion of Farmer Stockton. King replied that he knew all about the Stockton killing, and said that the farmer ought to have been killed sooner, and also inti mated that others would be kilhsl lie fore the matter was settled. A crowd of indignant whites soon had King in .charge and took him to the woods, when* ihe was thoroughly whipped and re leased. It is not known where or by whom he was afterward strong up, but he no doubt fell into the hands ol' one of the lynching parties that were or ganized after the plots of the negroes to start a race war were unearthed. John Johnson was whipped by the same crowd who took King in hand, and as he has not been accounted for since, it is believed that he met his death at the end of a rope somewhere in the vi cinity of Red River. | Many sensational reports are reaching here to-day from the scene of tin* dis turbance. but very little authentic infor ! mation cun be gathered. One report states that the whites are still in or ganized posses hunting the leifders in tin* negrb revolutionary plot with tin avowed intention of stringing them up wherever found. Another report states that the negroes are recovering from their terror, and are securing arms, and threaten vengeance on the white's. If this proves true serious trouble may re sult. General Duckett, the first man hanged, was a power among the negroes and had many followers. . A colored man who arrived here to-day from Wilton, says that all negroes in tin* neighborhood of Rocky Comfort and Richmond have left their homes and are afraid to return. A large number of them have crossed Red river and gone into Bowie county, Texas. lit* says more negroes have been killed than have yet been reported. j TRAGEDY AT SWEET WATER. Judge Cochran, of Texas, Shot by F. P. Woodruff, a Lawyer. DallaU, Texas, March 24.—At Sweet i Water, F. I*. Woodruff, a lawyer, attaek ! eil and shot Judge John H. Cochran, i with a revolver, the trouble growing out of the court’s refusal to approve a bill lof exceptions in a lawsuit. Judge Coch ran attempted to defend himself, and a bystander named R. P. Wa ts was shot in the hip. Watts and Judge Cochran "are in a critical condition. Woodruff is under $3,000 bond. Judge Cochran is an ox-Speaker of the Texas House, and was a candidate for Governor in 1804. j TO EXAMINE BLUE WING. Chapel Hill, X. C.. March 24.—(Spe cial.)—Professor Collier Cobb and Dr. J. H. Pratt, State mineralogist, left to day for an examination of the Granville Copper belt. They were accompanied I by Messrs. Duke Boyd, Coffey, Hewett, Allgood Holmes, Lockhart, Gudger and W. F. Taylor. Dr. Thos. Hume will deliver two lec tures before the Southern Biblical As sembly, which convenes at C harlotte in J une. TOTAL BANK CLEARINGS. New York. March 24.—The total bank clearings in the 1 nited States for ihe week were $1,884,504,701; per cent in crease, 73.4. Exclusive of Now-York, $G11,2 1 0,453; i p; r cent increase, 35.4. ✓ OJrßou&RUs^Xictory AGUINALDO'S FORCES DEFEATED WITH HEAVY LOSS. Our Own Loss Including Killed and Woun ded, is Estimated at One Hundred —The American Plans. Xew York, March 24 —The World trill tomorrow print the following Manila cable under date of March 24th: “A sweeping victory over Aguinaldo s forces lias just been won by the United States troops. "The total American loss is estimated at about 100, includ ing both the killed and wounded. "The Filipino loss is between 300 and 400.” Hoev, Hoffman, Holland, Holman, James, Johnson, of John- ACTIVITY AT MALA BOX. Manila, March 24.—(Noon.)—The ene my are ixteremly active* in the vicinity of Malabon in preparing defenses, evi dently -anticipating an attaefc- They keep well under cover. A small body of rebels, however, ornerg d froip the jun gle on the extreme left yesterday and fired upon the Kansas troops in the trenches, fatally wounding Private Cohen, of Company B, and Private Musr, of Company E. The Oregon volunteers and the Twen ty-,Second regulars marched to the front to-day. The Third and Seventeenth reg iments have disembarked from t'he Sher man. General H- G. Otis’ brigadi struck their tents this morning, and an early move is probable. » Sixteen English refugees arrived here yesterday from Dagupan, the railroad terminus on board tin steamer Satur nus. They report tnat the natives are generally friendly and the officers inva riably courteous. Mr. Higgins, mana ger of the railroad, and about a dozen unmarried men in charge of various business ink rests declined to take ad vantage of tin- opportunity to leave. Nothing has been heard from ihe two American planters at Oalumpit since hostilities began. According to Filipino accounts a thousand Americans have been killed, thi fatalities being especially heavy at Caloocan, where the United States troops “rushed like madmen against a storm of hulllets." DEFEATED. WILL FLY TO SWAMPS. Manila. March 24.-3:25 P. M—Two Si lanish prisoners who have escaped from Polo to the lines of the Kansas regiment, report that ih? Filipinos have concentrated their forces at Mala ben and Polo. They add that only Aguinal- FROM VIRGILINA SOU f H OF NEW RAILROAD TO BE BEGUN As ONCE. The Stockholders Meet and Fled Officers Ccl J. S. Cunningkim One of the Directors Norfolk, Ya., March 24. —Tin* stock holders of the North and South Carolina Railroad Company held a meeting in this city to-day and elected the following officers: President—Colonel H. S. Haines. Secretary and Treasurer—Adam Tred well. General Counsel —Alfred P. Thom. Directors—Colonel H. S. Haines. IV. B. Hatcher, Alfred P. Thom. W. XV. Tatem. John N. Vaughan. James A. Lockhart, Colonel J. S. Cunningham, R. B. Tunstall and XV. H. Sterling. The board of directors was authorized to undertake immediately the construc tion of the first section of the road from Virgilina, A’a.. southward. THE CRUISER RALEIGH. Secretary Long Asked to Order Her to Southport. Washington, March 24. —The people of North Carolina ai now anxious to see tin* Raleigh at Southport, and Sec retary Long has been requested to order the ship tiherq* The citizens wish to present her with th remainder of the silver service which the State was to provide. The application has been referred to Assistant Secretary Alien, and it is prob able that it will he grant d. Ex-Representative Bowden, of Nor folk. with some of the citizens of that place, urged upon Secretary Long to day the propriety- of having the altera lions to the Raleigh made, at the Nor folk Navy Yard. A spirit of rivalry has sprung up between Norfolk, Ya., and Portsmouth, X. H., and strong pressure is being brought to bear on the Navy- Department from each quarter to have the Raleigh repaired 'there. After the ship arrives at New York, according to ihe last orders, and when the demon stration there is over, it will'ho de termined just where she will go. Rtiilyard Kipling had a fainting tit yes terday, the result of two much talking and reading. He is now much better. PRICE FIVE CENTS. do’s body guard is at Malolos and that tho rebel leaders apparently ’intend to stake their fortunes on a fight at Mala ■bon, whora it was expected an engage ment would take place yesterday. If de feated, it is further asserted, the rebels intend to disperse to tthe swamps and mountains. The rebels were putting their boles in front, believing that the hole men's charms will avert the bullets. The bolo,« of the Filipinos greatly out number the rides in their hands. The rebels are further said to have admit ted that they could not stand the Ameri can shells and bayonet charges. The escaped Spaniards corroborated the stories told of food shortage among the rebels, and they added that their hospitals are short of supplies. WHEN OTIS STRIKES AGAIN’. He Will Attack Both by I.an