The Weather 1 o-Day: FAIR.
The News and Observer.
VOL. xlvii. no. cr.
LEADS ALL NORTH OAROLDIA DAILIES II HEWS AID #MLAT»OI.
_
DEATH OF GENERAL
ROBERT B, VANCE
He Passes Away After a Lin
gering Illness,
BROTHER OF SEN. VANCE
HE WILL BE BURIED WITH MA
SONIC HONORS.
THE FUNERAL TO TAKE PLACE THURSDAY
General Vance’s Life in the Confederate Army,
the State Legislature, Congress, the Church
and the Masonic Order Was Filled
With Labor and Honors.
Asheville, N. C., Nov. 28.—<Special.)—
General Robert B. Vance died at his
home ‘at Alexander, near Asheville, this
morning after a lingering illness, of dia
betes. The General was seventy
years old. He will be lmried with Ma
sonic honors Thursday afternoon.
General Vance was a brother of Sen
ator Zebulon Baird Vance. He served
with distinction in the Confederate army
and afterwards for thirteen years as
Representative to Congress from this
district.
The first news of General Vance's
death was rece'ved here yesterday after
noon by a telegram to Mr. John C.
Drewry, Grand Master A. P. & A. M.,
from Mr. J. H. Drakeford. W. M. The
telegram said “Past Grand Master Rob
ert Brank Vance died this vTuesday)
morning, and he will be buried tomor
row (Thursday) afternoon at Asheville,
with Masonic honrs.” %
Gen. Roliert Brank Vance was a
brother of Senator Zebulon Baird Vance.
He was born in Buncombe county on
April 28th. 1828. and was named for
Dr. Rolierf B. Vance, who was killed
in a duel with Samuel P. Carson, Octo
ber, 1827. at Saluda mountain. S. O.
In 1848 he was elected clerk of the
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for
Buncombe county. This position bo held
for eight years, then declined re-election
to enter the mercantile business in
Asheville.
When the war broke out he raised a
company, Buncombe Life Guards, and
was elected captain of it. Then when
ten companies were mustered at Ashe
ville he was elected colonel. This was
the 29th North Carolina regiment. Col
onel Vance commanded it at the battle
of Murfreesboro and in several engage
ments of Cumberland Gap. His horse
was killed under him at Murfreesboro,
nnd he was complimented for gallantry
by General McCown.
In 1802 Colonel Vance fell ill with
fever and his regiment was -sent to Mis
sissippi. He never commanded it again.
While ill with fever he was commission
ed Brigadier General by President Davis.
When, several months later, he returned
to the service he was assigned to duty
in Western North Carolina, and in
January, IS<>4, was captured in Cook
county, Tennessee, by the* Federal
troops. He was kept in prison the rest
of the war, first at Nashville, then
Louisville, Camp Chase and lastly at
port Delaware. He was finally released
on parole by President Lincoln,that he
might se*cure elothes for the Confederate
prisoners. lie was not allowed to come
South hut made a trip through the North
and secured a large amount of clothing
and 875,0(10 in money, which relieved a
great deal of suffering among his com
rades.
At the close of the war General Vance
represented Buncombe District in Con
gress for thirteen years.
General Vance served in Congress con
tinuously from 1872 to 1885. At the
Congressional convention at Asheville
in 1884, he declined a re-nomination,
withdrawing his name.
On April lltli, 1885, the President ap
pointed him Assistant Commissioner of
Patents, which position, he held for
several years.
He has served several terms here in
the Legislature—the last in 1892. After
that lie retired to private life and has
devoted himself to his farm and his
IsKiks.
General Vance was twice elected
Grand Master of the Masons in North
Carolina, and he has also been several
times honored by his church —the M. E.
Church South. He has been many times
a delegate to the General Conference.
In 1875 he was one of the Cape May
Commission that settled the property
question between the M. G. Church and
the M. E. Church, South. The College
of Bishops also aj>pointed him a delegate
to the Ecumenical Methodist Conference
in 1/ondon in 1881.
A lift* full of labor and of honors.
NEW PUBLISHING COMPANY.
Cotton and Roller Mills Incorporated.
Increase in Manufacturing.
Columbia. X. Nov. 28.—The Record
Publishing Company was commissioned
today. The capital stock is to he $19,-
000. The company is compost*} of busi
ness men who will build up tlie Evening
Record.
The Seneca Cotton Mills, 8200,000
capital, was incorporated today, and the
Abbeville Roller Mills. 850.000.
The increase in nuimifacturing enter
prises in this State the past year is
over 30 i>er cent. .
ADHERE TO BRYAN DEMOCRACY.
Executive Committee of National Sil
ver Republican Committee Meet.
Chicago, Nov. 28.—Informal discussion
by the members of the Executive Com
mittee of the National Silver Republican
Committee and Chairman of the State
(Committees, at the meeting held here
today, developed as the consensus of
purpose, adherence to the Bryan De
mocracy, “if the right men are nomi
nated.”
There was no dissent from the opinion
that as, the Presiden.'ial candidate, Wil
liam Jennings Bryan would be the “right
man.*’
Most of the session was devoted t<>
hearing reports on the condition of Silver
Republicanism in the various States. Ex-
Governor Altgeld was present by invi
tation and was greeted by a rising salu
tation from the meeting. He made a
brief address in which lie paid a high
tribute to the “patriotism and disinter
estedness” of the silver Republicans.
Chairman J. G. Johnson, of tin* execu
tive committee of the Democratic Na
tional Committee and Sam B. Cook, the
head of the Democratic Press Commit
tee, were visitors.
Chairman Charles Towne made an ad
dress in which lie inveighed against the
tendency of the McKinley Administra
tion towards absolutism. Senator Tel
ler, of Colorado, said that tin* drift or
the Republican party was away from its
original principles and that if he had
not quit the party In 189(1 be would have
had ample cause to do so since then.
.A committee was op/pointed to report
on the l>est time and place to hold the
National convention, the manner of is
suing the call and details of practical
organization after tin* convention. The
committee will report at tomorrow's
meeting.
PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL MESSAGE.
It Is Unusually Long. May Not Reach
Congress Before Tuesday.
Washington, Nov. 28. —The Presi
dent's annual message is practical! com
pleted and ready for transmission to
Congress when it assembles next week.
•The message will Ik* unusually long on
account of the numerous and impor
tant topics it discusses. lit is not cer
tain that tin* message will la* sent to
Congress next Monday. It is customary
to send it on the day of the assembling
of Congres, hut as the death of the
Vice-President makes it certain that
the Senate, at least will adjourn imme
diately out of respect to his memory
it is not uftMkely that the message will
be withheld until Tuesday. In the
House the adjournment will only be
delayed until that body is organized
when, upon the announcement of the
death of the Vice-President, it also will
adjourn.
HARDWIGK BILL DEFEATED.
It Was Buried by a Vote of 137 to 3
in the Georgia House.
Atlanta, Ga.. Nov. 28.—The Hardwick
Bill introduced into the Lower House
of the General Assembly for the purpose
of placing such limitations on the negro
vote in this State as to practically dis
franchise the colored 1 voter, was over
whelmingly defeated today, the result
of the ballot being 127 to 2.
The result was a surprise as it was
expected the measure would receive
strong support.
MR. AND MRS. BRYAN IN AUST IN
Mr. Bryan Will Remain There for the
Winter.
Austin, Tex., Nov. 28.—W. J. Bryan
and wife arrived here today to spend
tin* winter in this city. They are the
guests of Ex-Governor Hogg tempora
rily, hut will shortly rent a private resi
dence for the winter. Mr. Bryan stated
today that he had only come to Texas
to spend the winter, to rest up land pre
pare for the campaign of 1900, which he
expected would In* a very hard one, and
that lie would only make a few speeches
in Texas during his stay.
SEWERAGE FOR TARBORO.
The Contracts Awarded, Work to
Begin at Once.
Tarboro, N. <’., Nov. 28.—(Special.)—
The contracts for sewerage were closed
today. Contract for tin* construction
was awarded to Guild & Co., for
$7,258.20; for pijH* to Montague & Co.,
for $2,519.00, both of Chattanooga,
Tenn. Work begins at once.
Bell Defeats Alejandrino.
Manila, Nov. 28.—(Wednesday—10:10
A. M.) —Colonel Bell has defeated and
scattered the brigades of General Aie
jandrino and General San Miguel. The
engagement took place on tin* summit or
a mountain, the insurgents being so
confident of the impregnability of their
position that they hail their families with
them.
The Americans captured all the ene
my's munitions and artillery.
The Fiist Tennessee.
New Orleans, La., Nov. 28.—The First
Tennessee regiment, the last of the re
turning volunteers from the Philippines
passed through New Orleans today.
They were met here by Governor Mc-
Millan and party who acconqmniied the
regiment to Nashville.
j—
On the invitations of th<* Secretary of
the Navy Miss Mario Teneyck Decatur
Mayo, daughter of Mr. W. li. Mayo, of
Norfolk, and grand-daughter of Admi
ral Decatur, has consented to act as
sponsor for the torpedo boat destroyer
Decatur on the occasion of its launching.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 29, 1899.
FIGHTING DEATH
OH A TRANSPORT
Four Hundred Men Bailing
Night and Day.
THE SHIP IN DARKNESS
ROLLING IN A TYPHOON, HER
ENGINES BROKEN.
MEN TOILED BREAST DEEP IN WATER
They Say the Manauense Was Unseaworthy,
Undermanned and Short of Provisions,
Mmy of the Crew Deserted.
Arrival at Manila.
Manila. Nov. 28.-7:35 p. m.—The
transport Manauense, with Lieutenant
Colonel Webb-Hayes anil throe compa
nies of tin* Thirty-first infantry on
board has. arrived here. She narrowly
escaped disaster. The officers and sol
diers were for twelve days bailing with
buckets. The steamer was unsenworthy,
undermanned and short of precisions.
Her engines broke down and file rolled
three days in a typhoon.
When ‘the Manauense anchored in
Manila Bay this morning, 22 days from
Ban Fraueisoo, there were several feet
of water in her hold, ami four hundred
grimy, greasy, hungry, exhausted soldiers
and sailors Lad been passing cachets of
water since November 17tth. mght and
day. First Assistant Engineer Dun
lea vy was under arrest and. according to
Colonel Wdbb-Hayes’ official report, the
chief engineer would also have lieen un
der arrest if there luid been any one to
replace him.
The Colonel's report also declares that
the captain of tin* vessel told him that
the only tiling which brought them
through was the fact that the men were
greenhorns and failed to realize their
danger, while exoteric need seamen would
have deserted tin* ship and taken to the
boats in mid-ocean.
Tire Marauease is a chartered ship
flying the British flag. She 1 K'longs to a
firm of Which Senator Perkins, of San
Franeiseo is alleged to Is* a junior mem
l>er. The officers say the firm bought her
for $45,000 and they claim euorts were
made to sell her to the Government for
$150,000. She started from San Francis
co accompanied by the transport Pekin,
which carried the remainder of the regi
ment. and encountered heavy seas to
Honolulu without accident. After smart
ing it. ileveloped that she was under-,
manned and soldiers had to be detailed to
act ns firemen, coal passers and waiters
and to do other work. Before reaching
Honolulu, tlhe Crew conclude!, that the
ship was not safe and fljbe majority
agreed to desert. Though they were
closely watched many of the crew suc
ceeded in getting away and the Ma
nauense left Honolulu with less than
half her crew. The captain of the trans
port on November 17th told Colonel
llayes that the vessel ihad sprung a leak,
and an Investigation resulted in finding
several feet of water in, the Ibokh The
steam pumps were tried, but failed to
work and there were no hand pumps on
board. However, 4(5 buckets were found,
others wore improvised and the soldiers
not employed an working the ship weie
organized into five shifts and, stripped,
ami forming lines, they began hailing,
the officers working with the men, pass
ing the buckets which were* sent up to
the deck by a windlass. They longest
time a shift could stand was two hours,
and, often, the period was not longer than
half an hour.
The bailing continued until the* ship
anchored here.
Tlhe same day the leak was discovered,
the .machinery collapsed, and the electric
lighting plant and evaporating, distilling
and refrigerating apparatus failed to
work. There were no lumps and the few
candles found were exhausted after a
few days. During the last week of the
passage the Manauense was in utter
darkness at night. She bad been, rolling
in heavy seas all the way. but November
22nd site encountered a typhoon and
pitched and tossed alarmingly.
The Pekin became separated from the
Manauense in the storm.
The water row* rapidly and the bailing
force was doubled. But the buckets
were gradually smashed and barrels and
boxes were substituted for them, the
men working in darkness, planks and
pieces of iron shafting living violently
washed among them. The firemen could
only feed the fires by being lifted on
the shoulders of the other men, tlirougn
water waist deep.
The typhoon lasted two days and a
half, and in the midst of it the engines
stopped. The officers then held a coun
cil and found that there were 420 per
sons on board with lifeboat accommoda
tions for 212. In the meantime the men
below, ignorant of their extreme peril,
were passing buckets amt singing “What
the Hell Do We Care,” while the ship
rolled lielples on the ocean, with
hatches closed.
The heat was intense until the ty
phoon passed, and then the Pekin, which
had retraced her course about seventy
miles, came alongside the Manauense,
which was rolling so heavily that the
soldiers in tin* hold could at each roll
sec the Pekiu through the hatches over
head.
Colonel James S. Pettit, commander of
the Thirty-first volunteer regiment, or
derod the Mianauense to proceed to Guam
and await relief, but the captain of the
Manauense demurred, the officers say,
because the Government was renting
the ship for 8500 per day.
Throughout the remainder of the voy
age the engines of the Manauense failed
frequently and the ship would roll lor
a few hours while the engines wen* re
pairing. Then the steamer would proceed
again for a few hours.
The meat and vegetables rotted be
cause of the failure of (lie refrigerators,
and were thrown overboard.
After the storm, the water supplied
to the ship at Honolulu had to he used
for the boilers and there was little or
none for drinking. In fact it is as
serted that during the last, week of the
voyage the men lived almost entirely on
whiskey, beer and hard tack.
The officers and soldiers were utterly
exhausted when they reached Manila.
They declare the engineers were grossly
incompetent. The officers also say that
the behavior of tin* troops was beyond
praise. For days they worked in the
dark, suffocating hold with water up to
their shoulders), and planks washing
about in a manner dangerous to life
and limb.
The officers took tin* lead in bailing
and encouraged the men.
The captain of the ship promised the
men twenty-five cents a flay for bailing,
hut lie now proposes to pay them a dol
lar and a half. The soldiers talk of at
taching the ship.
The regiment will proceed to Zam
boanga on the Pekin to garrison several
ports on the Island of Minandano.
CUBA WAITS ON CONGRESS.
She Wants No Civil Governor General
but Absolute Independence.
Havana, Nov. 28.—Despite the tran
quility of ,tln* country, some apprehen
sion exists lest within the next few
months some trouble should occur, in
the event that the United States Con
gress does not give definite assurances
respecting the future of Cuba. It is as
serted by reliable people that many of
the police have for several weeks been
paying a fraction of their salaries to a
fund intended for use in case of an out
break against tin* United Stales. It has
also lieen reported that “recruiting for
future emergencies” is in prog res in
various parts of the Island.
The best op'uton, of filial and non-of
ficii, rejects 4 t he id; a. however, that there
Mill be any trouble before the beginning
of next year.
General Collazo, a veteran of the Chi
lian army, and now editor of the Oulwino,
who fairly represents the views of the
Cuban revolutionary lenders, said today:
"At present CuC.ii is perfectly tranquil,
although, as the result of General Lud
low's recent statements, and of the pos
sibility of a civilian Governor General,
a feeling of tension exists. Our jsstple
are waiting for a declaration by tin*
United States Congress. No one would
Ik* so foolish as to prejudice the whole
case by starting a rebellion before we
have heard what Congress will do. Cu
bans regard tile present issue as almost
vital.” '
General Collazo asks- the Associated
Press to deny, in his n. 'ine, that there is
any intention on the pant of Cubans to
take the woods.
There is. however, a movement on
foot in Havana to found a monthly
subscription list to defray the expenses
of four or five Cubans who would
travel through the United States and
urge the granting of absolute independ
ence.
TAX UPON STATE BANK NOTES.
Movement to Test the Constitution,
ality of the Act.
Richmond, Va., Nov. 22.—A move
ment has been started by the leading
bankers and business men of Richmond
to test the constitutionality of the Act
of Congress imposing a tax of 10 per
cent upon the issues of State Bank
notes. A committee composed of R.
A. Lancaster, Joseph Bryan, John L.
h illiams, E. B. Addison and \V. M.
Habliston, has liepn formed, and they
have retained William L. Royall as
counsel, to take a test ease to the Su
preme court of the United States, it is
believed, it. is stated, that tin* way has
been opened to have the act declared un
constitutional by the income tax decision
of the Supreme court. The committee
will associate with Mr. Royall some of
the most eminent counsel in the Uni
ted States when the case comes on for
argument in the Supreme court. The
committee invites all persons who feel
an interest in the subject to send con
tributions towards the expense of the
litigation to Colonel William H. Pal
mer, of Richmond, who will lie the
treasurer of the fund.
Asks $14,755,439 for Yards and Docks.
Washington. Nov. 28. —The report of
Rear Admiral End'.cott, chief of the Bu
reau of Naval Yards and Docks, sub
mits estimates for improvements amount
ing to $14,750,439. The recommenda
tions arc made with a view /to so im
proving the various stations that the*
entire navy may be put into immediate
service and kept there* continuously.
Among tin*' items recommended are a
new stone and concrete dry dock at the
New York navy yard to cost $1,000,000,
and at Norfolk to cost $1,200,000. An
other important item is $1,500,000 for
barracks at Boston, Brooklyn, Ik*ague
Island, Norfolk and Mure* Island, each
to cost $300,000.
The total estimates for various navy
yards and stations are as follows:
Norfolk. Virginia, $1,(549,000, including
$300,000 to begin new dock and $500,000
for additional land to increase scope of
yard; Port Royal, X. C.. $882,000; Pen
sacola, Fla., $20,000: Key West, Fla.,
$117,000; Dry Tortugas, Fla., $200,000.
lit is denied at San Francisco that flic
Manauense when she left there was
unseaworthy, short of men or poorly
provisioned.
SENATOR RAWLINS J
DEFENDS UTAH
He Says She Has Sacredly
Kept Her Pledges.
POLYGAMISTS IN OFFICE
A FEW ELECTED AND A FEW AP
POINTED.
LATTER BY THE PRESIDENT AND SENATE
The Senator Denies That the Mormon Church
Sought Stateho:d as a Shield for Po
lygamy. Utah Demands the
Chsest Investigation.
Washington, Nov. 28.—Senator Raw
lins, of Utah, forth« present the sole
representative of that State in the Sen
ate, issued a statement today denying
certain charges against his State* on ac
count of the election of iMr. Roberts to
the Horns** of Representatives. Senator
Rawlins says there is no truth in. the
claim that the Mormon church by deceit
and fraud brought about the admission
of Utah into the Union so that behind
statehood lines polygamy might be prac
tices! with iinimnity. me statement is
in part as follows:
“Utah, both in her constitution and
statutes has provided for the punishment
of polygamy and all kindred offenses.
“No complaint has been made or can
truthfully lie made that these laws are
not enforced.
‘'During the past year the State has
been raked in search of eases of i>olyga
my with which to feed this new modern
sensation, blit no complaint has been pre
sented against any man charging him
with this offense.
"Some eases of ‘unlawful cohabitation’
have Ihk*u prosecuted and punished.
"So far Utah has sacredly kept the
compact.
•'But (i't is charged that the people of
l Utah have elected jiolygaaiMsts or iarsons
in that status to office.
“This is true in some instances, and
it is equally true that the United 'States,
acting 'by the President with the con
sent of the Senate, has appointed polyg
| a mists to office and under such appoint*
| incuts for almost three years these polyg
! a mists have held and are now holding
| important Federal offices in the State of
I Utah.
“Tlhe ]H*opl<* of Utah are ready for this
i issue. They propose to stand by their
i pledges and keep absolute faith with the
nation land they do mot propose to rest
under any suspicion to the contrary.
“Now that this question is raised, a fid
the moral sentiment of the country is
alarmed, they propose to demand a
searching investigation and will Ik* found
rendering full aid to any remedial meas
ures deemed necessary to give assurance
to the country that polygamy cannot live
anywhere in the United (States, or in any
plain* over which they have jurisdiction.
“To this end at the first opportunity
I shall ask the Senate to pass this reso
lution:
"Be it resolved by the Senate of the
United States that the 'Committee on
Judiciary hereby instructed to inquire
into and report to the Senate, first, to
what extent polygamy is practiced or
polygamous marriages entered into in
the United States or ini places over which
they have jurisdiction. Second, have
lKilygamists, or persons reput«*d to have
11101*1* than one wife been elected to office
by the people of Utah, and if so, has
such election been for the purpose of
encouraging polygamy or in violation of
any compact between said States and
the United (States. Third, have polyg
amists, or persons reputed to have more
than one wife, been appointed to office
by tlhe President, by arid with the advice
and consent of the/Senate, or in cases
where the concurrence of the Senate is
not required, and it" so have such ap
pointments been made in aid of polyga
my dr in violation of the compact be
tween tihe United States and the State
of Utah with reference to that subject.
Fourth, what, if any, steps should be
taken or measures enacted for the pre
vention of polygamy im the United States
and in places over which they have jur
isdiction.”
At the M. P. Conference.
Plyles, N. C., Nov. 28. —(Special.)—
The pastor’s reports at the M. I*. Con
ference here are generally incoimiging.
Assessments for pastor’s salaries are
small, hut more of them report the full
amount paid than usual.
Tlie Conference Brotherhood' met in
regular annual session in the afternoon.
The treasurer reported amount collected
and paid to widow of a member who
had died during tin* year. Several new
members were received.
Church Extension Board report larger
collections than usual for this important
work, but not nearly enough for the de
mands.
The Finance committee make a ringing
report recommending a twentieth cen
tury offering of $3,000 for this cause
which was adopted by an enthusiastic
vote.
At the evening session Miss Annie I;.
Forrest, returned missionary and repre
sentative of the women’s work gave an
interesting and instructive address on
the work in Japan.
On Sunday am old time Methodist ex
perience meeting was held which nearly
culminated in an old time shout.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
INTERNAL REVENUE REPORT.
Receipts Show Increase Over Preced
ing Year of $102,617,000.
Washington. Nov. 28. —Commission-
er George W. Wilson, of the Internal
Revenue Bureau, in his report to the Sec
retary of the Treasury of the operations
of his office for the fiscal year ended
June 30th, 1899, shows that the reeequts
from all sources aggregated $273,484,-
572, an increase over the preceding year
of $102.(517,000, and an increase of
484,572 over the estimates of the* com
missioner made one year ago. The re
ceipts from the several sources of reve
nue during tlie last year, and the in
crease or decrease in each as com pa red
with the year 1896 are given as fol
lows:
Spirits, $99,282,524; increase, $0,736,-
524.
Tobacco, $52,492,207; increase, $16.-
262.(585.
IFenneitKed liquors, $08,044,558; in
crease. $29,129,127.
Oleomargarine, $1,930,018; increase,
$(540,828.
Filled cheese, . . 18,098; increase, sl,-
579.
Mixed flour, $7,040, law in force last
year.
S|K*cial taxes not elsewhere enumer
ated $4,921,592, law in force only
small part of last year.
legacies and distributive shares of
personal property $1,235,435.
Stamp taxes under /schedule “A” of
the war revenue act $38,018,081.
Medicinal proprietary articles and
preparations required to he stamped un
der schedule "B” of the act $5,219,737.
The collections by districts during the
year where the amount is over $8,000,-
000 include the following:
Two counties in Virginia $8,130,409.
The total amount expended in the col
lection of revenues during the last fiscal
year was $4,591,754. or SI.OB per cent
of the collections. This percentage of
cost is the smallest that has ever been
reached in the history of the Bureau.
The estimated expenses for the next
fiscfil year are $4,877,340, a slight in
crease over the last year.
During the last year officers of the
internal revenue seized 2,190 illicit stills
and in the discharge of their duty one
officer was killed and three wounded.
Seven hundred and eleven prisoners were
arrested in connection with illicit dis
tilling, which the commisioner says is
rather on the increase in certain sec
tions of the country.
The commissioner recommends a num
ber of amendments to existing laws.
THE HARPER BROS. HOUSE.
Trustees Assume Control and Appoint
G. B. M. Harvey Agent.
New York, Nov. 28.—The State Trust
Company, as trustees of the first mort
gage of Harper and Brothers, having
taken possession of the Harper Publish
ers’ property and apiaiinted G. B. M.
Harvey its agent in carrying on ami
controlling the business. President Har
vey. of Harper and Brothers, says in
explanation:
“The action of the State Trust Com
pany was taken primarily at my in
stance, with the approval of the mem
bers of the. Harper family and of the
principal creditors. Eeither ii or any
body else who ventured to assume the
personal responsibility for the manage
ment of the company without first ef
fecting a thorough readjustment of its
finances, would have been confronted
by a Herculean task. Every publica
tion issued from the Harper presses will
now be strengthened in every possible
way without hindrance, and 1 trust, with
the hearty co-operation of the thousands
of friends of the great house, whose
honor, dignity ami prosperity it has
lK*eome our duty to maintain."
Will Strengthen the Goebel Law.
Frankfort, Ivy., Not. 28.—Governor
Bradley denied tonight that he had been
informed by President McKinley that
troops would he furnished if asked for.
and declined to say whether he had eou
wotmded several men of the naval brig
aid.
Instead of repealing the Goebel elec
tion law, which was the chief issue in
the late Gubernatorial campaign, as Re
publican leaders hoped to do by an alli
ance of Republicans and anti-Goebel
'Dpmdcraifcs, Democratic leaders assent,
thalt the law will not only Ik* maintained,
hut will be strengthened by some im
portant amendment. One of these, it is
said, will be the removal of the devices
on the official ballot and requiring that,
a voter scratch out 'the names of such
candidates as he desires not. to vote for.
This practically amounts to an educa
tional qualification and would disfran
chise the bulk of colored voters, who
constitute over one-third of the Republi
can party in this State.
S., F. & W. Stockholders Meet.
Savannah, Ga., Nov. 28. —The annual
meeting of the Savannah Florida and
Western Railway was held here today.
Directors were elected as follows:
Morton F. Plant, R. G. Erwin, S. R.
Ivnott, Morris Iv. Jessup, Henry M.
Flagler. B. F. Newcomb and J. 11. Refill.
The directors subsequently elected the
following officers:
President, R. G. Erwin; vice-president,
S. It, Knott; secretary, R. B. Smith;
treasurer, J. Moultrie Lee.
One .of the features of the meeting
was the election of Mr. S. R. Knott n
director and an officer of the company.
Mr. Knott is at present with the Louis
ville and Nashville Railroad.
The financial report sho\yed the. net
earnings of the road for tilt* year to Ik*
$183,711.72.
’Hie Texas has sailed from Fort ft Mon
roe for Brunswick, Ga., and will go
thence to Havana to bring home the
bodies of the Maine victims now interred
there, , ,