The Weather To-Day: FAIR. The News and Observer. VOL. XLVII. NO. !K . IMPS Ml NORTH) CAROLINA OiUES 11 lEIS AND CMAIIM. DEBATE ON THE FINANCIAL BILL Begins in the Senate at Two This Afternoon. RESOLUTION BY SULZER THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT’S DEALINGS WITH BANKS. LIGHT ON THIS MATTER IS DESIRED Senator Allen Has Introduced a Similar Resolu irs the Senate. A Resolution by Sena tor Butler Providing For an Income Tax. Washington, Jan. 3. —The • Senate evinced no disp .sition today to take up the work of the session in earnest, and while the sitting was of only a little more than an hour’s duration, a large number of important bills were introduc ed and a definite foundation laid for pro ceeding with the Financial Rill. The hour for the beginning of the debate on this measure was fixed for 2 o’clock to morrow. The most notable event of the day was an objection entered by Mr. Hoar, of .Massachusetts to the summary disposition of resolutions asking for in formation about the conduct of the Phil ippine war. He indicated a purpose to demand consideration for such measures even at the expense of rhe Financial Bill. The tenth instant was named as the day for the delivery of eulogies in honor of the memory of the late Vice-President Hobart. Mr. Allen presented a resolution calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury for all letters passing between the Treasury Department and the National City Rank and the Hanover National Rank of New York and also all agreements made be tween the Treasury Department and those hanks concerning the deposit of 'fluids, etc. Mr. Aldrich objected to present con sideration and the resolution went over until tomorrow. A like disposition was made of a reso lution offered by Mr. Pettigrew catling upon the Secretary of War for informa tion as to whether General Torres of the PTiilippice army came under a tlag of truce as a representative of Asuinaldo to General Otis after the liegimning of hostility last February, making an ex planation of the outbreak and suggesting means of terminating the troubles. After an executive session the Senate at 1:10 p. m. adjourned. house meets and adjourns. Washington. .Tan. 3.—The House was iu session but fifteen minutes today and during that time had a little flurry over an attem.pt by Mr. Sulzer, of New York, to secure consideration for a resolution j asking information concerning the rela tions of the Treasury Department with the National City Rank of New York. ’Hie resolution was referred to the Com mittee on Ways and Means. Mr. Gainies, of Tennessee, rose to a question of personal privilege respecting his vote on the Robert s resolution. These events and the prayer of the chaplain oc cupied the brief time the House was in session. Cotton Brought Into Sight. New Orleans. T.a.. Jan. 3. —Secretary Hester of the New Orleans ( otton Ex change. issued today a statement that shows that the amount of cotton brought into sight for the four months from S> p tvmber to the close of 1 teceiuaer has l*een 0.591 .07(1 bales against 7.725.519 last year and 7.290,533 bales year be fore Last. Foreign exports for the first four months of the season have been 2.568.135 bales, showing a decrease under last season of 1.616.194 bales. * Stceks at the seaboard and the twenty nine leading Southern interior markets at the close of Deeeniltcr were 1.898,939 bales against 2,052.361 bales the same date hist year. Conference With Mr. Bryan. Lincoln, Neb.. Jan. 3.—Colonel William Jennings Bryan returned to Lincoln to day after an absence of six weeks. Ho found a number of leading Democrats from other States awaiting him and con ferred with them in tin informal way. Mr. Bryan will remain in Lincoln nidi! Saturday, lit' is interested in the meet ing of tiie Fusion State Central Commit tee's Friday and is to respond to a toast Friday at the banquet of the Nebraska Traveling Men’s Club. He will leave for New York early Saturday. The Buena Ventura libelled. Norfolk. Ya.. Jan. 3.—The steamer Buena Ventura-, which ran into and dis abled rhe schooner Lockwood yesterday, was libeled today for $4,290 by the lat ter's master. Captain John P. Martin, for injuries to bis vessel sustained in th»‘ collision near Winter Quarter Light ship. After living injured the Lockwood was towed to this port by the steamer. Six Hundred Lives Lost. St. Petersburg. Jan. 3. —'The latest re ports from Aehalkalek. in the Govern ment of Tiflis, show that six hundred lives were lost during the earthquakes j which visited that district on Monday. 1 FEAR FOR THE VICTORIA. Did She Go Down in the Typhoon. The Manauense Rode Out. Chicago, 111., Jan. 3. —A special to the Record from San Francisco, says: The big transport Victoria is now 78 days out of this port for 'Manila and shipping men are fearful that the vessel has gone to the bottom. It was spoken by the transport Tartar, on November 14th between this port and Honolulu with a broken shaft. * A few days later a terrible typhoon raged in the track of the Victoria, tin 1 same storm that marly sent the Ma nauense to the bottom. Nothing bias been heard of the transport since spoken by the Tartar. The Victoria was loaded with forage and supplies and carried a crew of 52 men. ""Pres. Wilson Goes to Hot Springs. Richmond. .Tan. 3.—Hon. William L. Wilson. President of Washington and Lee University, will leave Lexington to morrow for the Arizona Hot Springs, where he expects to remain until spring, lie is threatened with lung trouble and I>r. Janeway. of New York, advised the step as a precautionary measure. Bradley the Republican Candidate. Frankfort. l\y., .Tan. 3.—Ex-Governor W. O. Bradley will be the Republican nominee for Senator. Bradley is being supported by both Governor Taylor and Senator Deßoe. THE BUBONIC PLAGUE A Native in Manila With All the Symptoms. The Case is in the Walled City Where Two Suspicious Deaths Have Occurred. The Cas? Isolated. Manila. Jan. 3. —5:50 p. m. —The health officers have found a n itive with all the symptoms of bubonic plague, in a house in the walled city, where two suspicions deaths have occurred. The patient has been isolated and every precaution lias been taken to prevent a spread of the disease. FAVORABLE TO WHEAT The Plant Well Rooted and Growing Vigorously. Washington. Jan. 3. —The climate and crop bulletin for December issued today says: The weather conditions during the month of December have been generally favorable for winter wheat, reports from a majority of States indicating that the plant is well rooted, has tnade a vigorous growth and is in a most promising condi tion at the close of the month, except in Michigan and portions of Ohio, the late seeding in the first named States not hawing stooled satisfactorily, while in the latter State the plant is small and weak and in poor condition for the winter. The severe weatln r of the last decade may cause some damage t<» fields unpro tected by snow, more particularly in por tions of Pennsylvania, Maryland. Ohio. Indiana and Illinois, while alternating freezing and thawing was unfavorable for the crop in West Virginia and Mis souri. Wheat is in excellent condition in the Pacific coast States. Reports of injury to the early-sown wheat by Hes sian fly are quite general, although, with the exception of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, the damage so far ap pears to be inconsiderable. TO IMPROVE THE JAMES. Estimates For Deepening and Widen • ing Channel at Richmond. Washington. Jan. 3. —General Wilson, chief engineer of the army, lias s* ut to the ILiuse of Representatives a report on proposed improvements of the James River at Richmond, Ya. It is estimated that 8724.9-13 will be rhe cost of a chan nel of 22 feet at mean low tide, with 2"0 feet width. Colonel Allen, the lucal engineer, recommends a turning area of 4S. R. Knott, the newly elected vice-president <6' the Plant System of Railways who will ho the managing head of the propertb*s tin der the new regime made necessary by the death of the late H. B. Plant, took charge this manning. Mr. Knott was formerly a vice-president of the Louis ville a fid Nashville. His headquarters wftl lie in this city. Amendments to Financial Bill. Washington. Jan. 3.—The Republican membi rs of the Senate Finance Commit tee authorized Senator Aldrich to pres ent amendments to the Financial Bill whii h he offeml in the Senate today. One of them fixes the gold reserve ut $150,000,000 instead of $100,000,000 as in the bill itself. The other amendments are for the puriiose of making more clear the intention of the measure. Lawton Fund $44,122. Washington. Jan. 3. —General Corbin, of the I.awton Fund Committee, an nounces that the total subscriptions to the fund to date amount to $44,122. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 4, 1000. COMMITTEE TO HEAR CONTESTS Members Will be Drawn by Lot Today. EVIDENCE WILL BE HOT TAYLOR WILL MAKE SENSATION AL POI NTER CHARGES. WHALLEN ARRAIGNED FOR BRIBERY He is Held Over to the Grand Jury Under a Bond of SIO,OOO. Box Containing the Bribe Ordered Produced * in Court Frankfort, Ky.. Jan. 3.—The joint committee which will hear evidence in the GoebeJ-Taylor and Boekham-Mar shall contests for Governor and Lieu tenant Governor, will be formed tomor row. The law provides that the mem bers of the committee shall be drawn by lot. three in the Senate ami eight in the House. The policy of the Goebel leaders will be to push the contests to a final issue a> speedily as possible. Governor Taylor's attorneys are pre paring not only rebuttal evidence to off set tiie charges of fraud set forth in Goebel’s notice of contest, but accord ing to Senator Deßoe are going much further and attempting to show up coun ter-frauds of a glaring nature on the 1 k’moeratie side. The Senator says that, among other things, it will be brought out that Taylor was robbed of over 2,000 votes in Kenton county, Goebel's home. The Goebel side, under the Kentucky code of practice, in its taking of proor is restricted to tin* grounds laid down in the notices of contest, but under these they promise very sensational testimony regarding the election in many counties alleged to lie damaging to many people prominent in the Kentucky political and business world, coin] aivd with which uu* Whallen alleged attempted bribery or Senator Harrell is only a sample. Colonel Whallen was arraigned on the attempted briliery charge before Magis trate Thompson today and held over to the Franklin county grand jury, bis bond being fixed at SIO,OOO. In the cir cuit court. President H. V. laiviug, of the Louisville Trust Company, was i>e.- fore Judge Cant-rill, charged with con tempt for disobeying the order of the court to turn over the vault box alleged to hold the 84.5U0. which it is claimed was to be paid to Harrell in the event' In* voted against (babel in the contest. Loving stated that In* merely desired to protect the customers of his company, and liis attorney moved to quash the summons against him. . This, the court overruled. Thereupon a response was filed to the rule' for contempt and in this, it is stated, that .Whallen, Harrell and Charles Ryan rented the box in question and deposited something in it. tin* box l>eing sealed up and covered over with white paper. The trust com pany officials were notified not to allow the box opened except in the presence of and by the consent of all three parties. Judge Cantrill adjudged the respons*- insuftieient and ordered the box to be produced in court at 11 o’clock tomor row. It is understood the order of the court will be complied with, a motion for an appeal to tin* Court of Appeals having been overruled. It is said that an attempt will be made to have Senator Harrell indicted in Louisville where Whallen’s attorneys claim the prosecution should have lxx-n instituted if any offense has been com mitted. The charge against Harrell would probably be conspiracy or accept ing a bribe. Ex-Confederate Congressman Dead. Stockton, Cal.. .Tan. 3. — Peter S. Wilkes, an attorney, once a member of the Confederate (Congress, is dead at bis home here, aged 74 years. He was born in Tennessee and removed to Mis souri. where he graduated from a uni versity in 1852. A week afterward he was elected to the State Legislature. During the last year of the war Mr. Wilkes was elected to uie Confederate Congress. At the elose of hostilities he Ileal to Mazattan, Mexico, where he re mained until about 25 years ago. when he came to this city. Bill to Repeal Stamp Tax. Washington. Jan. 3.—A bill was in troduced in the House tonlay by Mr. Lewis, of Georgia, to repeal the stump tax. Postmaster Confirmed. Washington. Jan. 3. —The Senate to day confirmed the nomination of W. J. Watson as postmaster at Marianna, Fla. Gold Shipment Today. New York. Jan. 3. — Muller. Schall «Sr Co. will ship $150,090 gold on the Ger man steamship sailing tomorrow. The Marietta at Manila. Washington, Jan. 3.—The Navy De partment has lieen informed that -the Marietta has arrived at Manila. GOVERNMENT FOR PORTO RICO. 1 Bill by Foraker Making the People United States Citizens. Washington. Jan. 3. —Senator Foraker today introduced a bill providing a form of government for the Island of Porto Rico. The bill provides for the continu ance of the laws and municipal ordin ances now in force in the island until the Legislature provided for shall supplant them. The President is empowered to appoint a Governor and a Supreme Court and also seven heads of departments to have charge of the various interests of the Government and also live native citi zens. who together with the Governor and heads of departments are to consti tute the upper branch of the insular leg islature. A lower house of thirty-five members to lx* elected by citizens of the island is also provided for, and all inhab itants of tiie island are made citizens of the United States, the citizens are also to elect a delegate to Congress*; who is to have a seat but no vote. The is land is to bo divided into five districts for judicial and legislative purposes and each district is to have a local court t<> consist of such a number of judges as the Legislature may provide for. 'Hie Constitution and laws of the Uni ted States are extended to the island so far as the latter are locally applicable. Export duties are prohibited and free trade is provided for between the island and the United States proper. Articles imported to Porto Rico from other coun tries than the United States are to pay tin* same duties as those imposed in the ports of this country. CHOATE MUST WAIT England Doesn’t KnowWheth er Food is Contraband I Salisbury Consults the Ablest Lawyers About the Flour Seizures- Our Commercial Fights Will be Pespected. London. Jan. 3.—The United States Ambassador. Joseph 11. Choate, visited the British Premier, Lord Salisbury, at the Foreign Office this evening for the purpose of making the first c.ftu ini repre ntations on the subject of the Delagoa Bay flout* seizures. Mr. Choate received no definite reply, as the Premier informed him that the British Government had not yet arrived at any decision as to wheth er or not foodstuffs were contraband of war. But. Lord Salisbury assured Mr. Choate that the commercial rights of the I'lilted States would lx* equitably consid ered ami that a decision in this important matter would be reached as soon as pos sible. The interview was brief. The Associated Press learns that Lord Salisbury lias not only got the Attorney General. Sir Richard c lister. working hard on tin* questioh of the Delagoa Bay seizures, but that lu* is consulting with the ablest lawyers in Great Britain. It was further learned by a representa tive of The Associated Press that Great Britain may lay down a new regulation regarding contraband, making a distinc tion between food evidently intended for domestic purposes and fixxl palpably in tended for field rations. Under the latter head might come certain classes of cann ed goods. Claims Against Spain. Washington, Jan. 3. —The Senate Com mittee on Foreign Relations toil ay pre sented a report upon Senator Hoar's resolution in regard to claims of citi -/• ns of the United States against Spain. The committee presents a schedule of claims amounting to over a million dol lars. and adds: "It is impracticable to state even ap proximately the amount actually due on these claim's or to allege- in view of the state of records of the State De partment of that date that tlure may not be others than those mentioned.” As to the remedy of the claimants, the committee expresses the opinioiu that the only present remedy is by diplomatic negotiation. Chandler’s Amendment. Washington, Jan. 3. —Senator Chand ler. of New Hampshire, today offered an amendment to the Financial Bill declar ing it to be the policy of the United States to continue the use of both gold and silver as standard money mid to coin both gold and silver; providing fog, international agreement or safeguard of legislation to insure maintenance of parity; and for the appointment of com missioners to an international confer ence. Utah Witness Sends His Evidence. Washington. Jan. 3.—A statement has been received from the remaining Utah witness, who was to appear before tin* committee investigating the ease of Mr. Roberts, of Utah, giving the substance of the evidence he would give if sworn by the committee. This statement will be presented to the committee when it reassembles tomorrow. The material feature of it is said to be as to the marital relations existing between Rob erts and Mrs. Maggie Shipp-Roborts. Honored by Venezuela. Washington. Jan. 3.—The Venezuelan Government has conferred the Order of the “Bust of Bolivar” on Admiral Samp-son. <’aplains Taylor. Cook. Sigs bee. Chadwick. Goodrich and Command ers Mead. Dayton. Symons and Todd, of the Navy, and Representative Hitt has introduced a bill authorizing the acceptance of the decorations. CLASH OF ARMS NEAR COLESBURG Sharp Fighting in Progress Among the Hills. THE BOERS FALLING BACK AN ARTILLERY DUEL PROCEED ING AT KIMBERLEY. FIRST STEP IN GENERAL METHUEN’S PLAN Col. Pilcher's Occupation of Pouglas One Re sult of a Carefully Matured Scheme to Attempt to Outflank the Boers. Re lief of Kimberley the Object. Naauwpoort, Capo Colony. Jan. 2. (Tuesday.)—There was brisk lighting to day in the hills around Colesberg. The Boers stubbornly resisted the British at every point, but gradually retreated. The British hold the extreme position to the s•mill and east, overlooking the town. The hills around Colesberg are numer ous. not in ranges, bur in groups, making 9 very difficult to hunt the Ibx*rs out. Sixteen wounded have arrived at Arun del. PENNING IN THE BOERS. London. Jan. 3. —A special dispatch from Naauwpoort, dated Tuesday. Jan uary 2nd, says the British command Nerval's Pont bridge with two guns and also command the Colesberg bridge and that tin* Boers have no way to retreat, except byway of Normberg. The dispatch adds that big develop ments ari* expected tomorrow. SHELLING THE FORT. Kimberley, December 26th, 1899. — The Boers last night evinced consider able interest in the Premier mine, using their searchlights. This morning they actively shelled the fort. The Royal Ar tillery replied. Our shells were well placed, and dropped amid the smoke of tin* enemy’s guns. Last night's storm ignited some of our military mines, but there were no cas ualties. • Cecil Rhodes has supplied the Boer prisoners with new clothing. GENERAL METHUEN'S PLAN. London. Jan. 3. —From a source which has many facilities of gaining inside m w> fr m S ; mu Africa, a representative of the Associated Press learns that Col onel Pilcher’s occupation of Douglas is regarded as merely the first step of Gen eral Methuen's carefully matured plans to outflank tin* Ib>ers. According to this authority, it is proba ble Colonel Pilcher, iu conjunction with General Bal ington's force from the Modder River, will proceed to the rear of those intremhiuents which now pre vent General Methuen from proceeding to Kimberley. Colonel Pilcher has only about forty miles’ travel before he achieves this end, and. if this under standing is correct, an attack by General Mi'tliuen and a determined effort to re lievo Kimberley may be expected any day. BOERS ATTACK MOLTENO. Sterkstroom. C:i]x* Coloney. Jan. 3. (Morning»-—The Boors attacked Molteno this morning. A brisk action is now in progress. BRITISH LOSS AT LADYSMITH. Since Joubert’s Return the Boers Can nonade Has Grown Heavier. London, January 4. —44:30 (a. m.l— Thursday, t —Since commandant General Joubert’s return to the front the cannon ade of Ladysmith by the Boers has been much livelier. Between December 18vh and December 29th four shells killed - si tioiq On board the boat are twenty-five sports from Knoxville, London, Kingston and Chattanooga, who were on their way into Little River to have a big cocking main. The svi] plies have been exhausted and a party left for Loudon today to get them relief. The boat Is in the cent* r of a big ice gorge. Actress Sues a Divorce. St. Ijouis, Mo.. Jan. 3. —Minnie Selig man Cutting, the \\ell known actress, ti day, through her attorney, ex-Governor Johnston, filed suit in the Circuit <>,uit for divorce from her husband, Robert Cutting. She alleges desertion. Thu couple were married July 18th, ISffS, and Mrs Cutting alleges that her hus band has since remained away from her.