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most herculean efforts of the company's workmen and nearly the entire fire de­ partment of the ci$y, the flames were oeM in check and the loss held within $300,000. Two barges, made fast to the dock, were burned to the water's edge, and one ship, the County Dumfries, was slightly scorched. tate was made by J. J.O'Rourke. One of the electricians, Edward Houston, was testing a torpedo. O'Rourke had hold of the testing apparatus and put the plug in the wrong place. There was a terrific explosion, which resulted in the death of two men and the probably fatal wound­ ing of three more. The dead: Edward Huston, J. J. O'Rourke. The injured: Barnham, a stenographer; Lieut. Hart, and a negro laborer. O'Rourke was fore­ man for the Western ,Union Telegraph Company in Jacksonville and Houston was in the employ of the government. The body of Houston, a workman, was blown into the air and nothing but scattered fragments could be found. The body of O'Rourke was not so badly mangled. Lieut. Hart was standing about 100 yards distant at the time and was violently thrown to the ground. It is feared he received internal injuries. THE PLAINDEALEK LEITEfi DEAL FAILS SUMMARY OF THE WAR TAXES J. VAN SLYKE, Editor *nd Pub. END OF THE GREAT WHEAT CAMPAIGN. MCHENRY. ILLINOIS Classified List -of Licenses, Excise and Special Stamp Taxes of the New Law. A . Daring Speculator Stayed in Too Long and Is Forced to Liquidate-Bis De­ mand for Margins Swamp Hirn-His­ tory of the tarnons Deal. TO MCRDERTHE CZAR A comet has been discovered at Lick observatory by Mr. Coddington. It is in constellation Scorpio. Upon the advice of his attorney, Henry J, Gierman has returned to Monroe, Ohio, ^giving himself up, while an officer with a requisition is in Dakota looking for him. After his arrival the Sheriff served the summons charging him with the murder of his wife in February, 1S94. Four train robbers attempted to hold span express train on the Lampas division of the Santa Fe road. A-fight ensued be­ tween the trainmen and the bandits, in which one of the l/frtetjyas shot and Fire­ man Johnson wasMtilled. The Santa Fe officials declare that the robbers got no money. , Joseph Leiter, of Chicago, whose gigan­ tic operations in wheat have made his imhie famous throughout the eomin&roiai world, and whose winnings in the pit. ha ve been estimated at $5 OOO.-KKi in assured profits, has.in all probability met^vith re­ verses Which will fall little short of a, Waterloo. .' - By a decision of the Supreme Court of Minnesota, the long and greatly compli­ cated contest for control of the Augsburg Seminary was finally ̂ decided, the court refusing to Order the busting of the trust tees now in office. The contest grew, out of the differences between the two fac­ tions or bodies of the Norwegian Luther­ ans. Ira Hannahs, a railroader, committed suicide at Springfielfl, Ohio, by drinking a half pint of carbolic acid.- Letters found on his person plainly indicated that lie had intended to kill his wife also. He says in one letter addressed to the coroner that he labored lon^and faithfully to make a homu and that his wife had played a farce. He asserts that this is the second home she has wrecked, as her first hus­ band Committed suicide to escape her. Investigation as to the first husband's death reveals that he was drowned. - The death sentence of Salter D. Wor- den, who helped wreck a train during the great railroad strike of 1894, killiug an engineer and three soldiers, is to be com­ muted to life imprisonment. Gov. Budd, of California, says he will do this because physicians who examined the prisoner re­ port that his mind is not entirely right. Worden's case became of national promi­ nence because labor organizations all over the country put forth their best efforts to save him, and because Grover Cleveland, while President, wrote a personal letter to the Governor asking him to commute the sentence. An attempt to lynch two members of the State Enforcement League at Devil's Lake, N. D., by owners of "blind pigs" and their followers was frustrated by A. P. Jones, a foreman on the Great North­ ern Railroad, and Fred Sanders, a negro, who gave fight to the would-be lynchers, thereby allowing John Siverson and E. Dubing, the men wanted, to make good their escape. The supposed ringleaders of the mob are in jail. Recently W. E. Mc- Govern, Dan Maxcom and Gus Swanson were arrested on complaint of Mr. Du­ ring for violating the prohibition law. Siverson, who is a farmer and a strong advocate of prohibition, knew nothing about the matter till he reached the city. He was rooming with Dubing. About midnight a two-seated rig filled with men drove up to the hotel and ordered the night clerk to show them the men's room. He refused and they struck him. Fore­ man Jones objected and they attacked him. He got the best of two, when others attacked him. Sanders came to Jones' as­ sistance and was beaten and kicked sav­ agely." They then covered Landlord Fred Farna and his clerk with revolvers, while .two of the party broke open the room door, dragging Siverson and Dubing down Stairs partially dressed, pounding them unmercifully. When they reached the outside door Jones renewed his attack, allowing the captive temperance men to break awajf anQ run for their lives, taking refuge for the night in the bouse of Rev. Mr. Dingle, the Methodist minister. In the public square, fronting on the principal business street of Great Bend, Kas„ a murderer was lynched at 8 o'clock on a recent evening by a mob of probably 50O persons. It is estimated that at least 1,000 of Great Bend's population of 2,500 persons witnessed the tragedy. The vic­ tim was John Becker, aged about 50, who on April 8 killed Myrtle Iluffmeister, the 16-year-old daughter of William Iluff­ meister. a farmer living midway between Great Bend and Ellinwood. Becker was employed by the farmer and professed love for the daughter, and the tragedy followed the girl's refusal to accept his advances. When the girl came to the sta­ ble in the evening Becker shot her to death, sending eight bullets into her body, after which he set fire to the farmer's sta­ bles. At first it was reported that the murderer had shot himself and that he had died in the flames, but later it became known that he had fled, and search was instituted. On April 13 a posse of farm­ ers captured the murderer near St. John, Stafford 'bounty, and for safe keeping he was taken by the sheriff to Hutchinson, there having been many threats that he would be lynched. On the day of the lynching Becker was taken to Great Bend from Hutchinson to be put on his preliminary examination. Shortly before 8 in the e^&mng the mob was swarming around the jai^T Evidently believing he , could outwit tmTHssafiiiers, the sheriff • rushed Becker from the jail to his buggy, which was in the street, but lie had no , sooner done so than he and his men and the prisover were surrounded. The inob L through sheer force of numbers prevailed. , A rope was drawn around Becker's neck, = and after lie had been beaten almost to . insensibility the rope was thrown over a I limb of a big tree and he was drawn up. THE new war revenue bill has be­come a law. President McKinley made it such by affixing his signa­ ture Monday afternoon, and as originally provided the act wentr into effect on the day succeeding its'passage. Few branches of industry and commercial life are exempt­ ed from the operation of the law. Busi­ ness men will therefore find the following classified summary of the provisions of the bill not only convenient, but invalua­ ble, for constant reference: Annual License Taxes. BANKERS. On capital and surplus, $50 on $250,000 capital; $2 on each additional $1,000. BROKERS. Yearly license tax, $50 and stamp tax of 6 cents on each $100 "of face value on bonds, stocks, shares, etc., and 2 cents on each. $100 of face Value on each note or memorandum of sale. COMMERCIAL BROKERS. Yearly license tax of $20.' CUSTOM HOUiSE' BROKERS. Yearly license tax of $10. INSURANCE AGENTS, Yearly license tax of $12 and stamp taxes on life policies of 10 cents on each $100; marine. Inland, fire, casualty, fidelity and- guarantee Insurance, one-half of 1 cent on each $1 premium charged. MANUFACTURERS OF MIXED FLOUR. Four cents on each barrel and an annual license tax of $12. PROPRIETORS OF PUBLIC SHOW'S. Theaters), museums, concert halls, cir­ cuses, $100. All other public entertain­ ments, $10. Bowling alleys, billiard rooms, $5 for each alley or table. This provision regarding theaters and con­ cert halls applies to cities of over 25,000. PAWNBROKERS. Yearly license tax of $20. General Taxes. BREWERS. On beer, lager, ale, porter and all ferment­ ed liquors, $2 per barrel of 31 gallons, less 7YJ per cent, on stamps purchased for such tax. CIGARMAKERS. Three dollars and 60 cents on each 1,000 cigars weighing more than three pounds; $1 per 1,000 weighing less than three pounds, and an annual tax on sales at the rate of $0 on 100,000 cigars; $12 on 200,000 cigars; $24 on more than 200,000 cigars. . " CIGARETTE MAKERS. Three dollars and 60 cents on every 1,000 cigarettes weighing more than three pounds; $1.50 on every 1,000 weighing less than three pounds. IMPORTERS OF TEA. Ten cents a pound on all teas. SUGAR AND PETROLEUM REFINERS. One-quarter of 1 per cent, on annual gross receipts In excess of $250,000. TOBACCO MANUFACTURERS. Twelve cents per pound on all tobacco and snuff and an annual tax, based on yearly sales at the rate of $6 on 50,000 pounds or less; $12 on more than 50,000 pounds; $24 on 100,000 pounds. ' Special Stamp Taxes, BROKERS. Two cents on each note or memorandum of sale and $50 annual license tax. PARLOR AND SLEEPING CARS. One cent on every ticket sold for seat or berth. "'SCHEDULE B," .MANUFACTURERS. (a) Of medicinal, proprietary articles and preparations; (b) all articles made under pat­ ented right or trademark (except food prod­ ucts and commercial fertilizers); (c) per­ fumery, cosmetics, etc., must pay stamp taxes at the rate of % of 1 cent on 5 cent articles, yi of I cent on 10 cent urtlcies, % of a cent between 10 and 15 cent articles; % of a cent on 25 cent articles and % of a cent for each additional 25 cents retail price. NOTE.--Dealers In above enumerated ar­ ticles must stamp goods In stock at these rates when sold at retail. (d) Chewing gum, 4 cents on each pack­ age of a retail value of $1; (e) mixed flour, 4 cents on each barrel and an annual license tax of $12. Miscellaneous Stamp Taxes. In addition to stfrmp taxes already enu­ merated, the following are Imposed: On bonds, debentures, certificates of in­ debtedness, 5 cents on each $100 of face value. On sales or agreements to sell, shares or certificates of stock, 2 cents on each $100. On sales, or agreements of 6ale of any products or merchandise at any exchange, 1 cent on each $100 of value. On bank checks, drafts, certificates of de­ posit not drawing Interest, and money or­ ders of all kinds, 2 cents. On each bill of exchange ^inland) draft, certificates of deposit, drawing interest, promissoj-y note, 2 cents on each $100. On each foreign bill of exchange and letter of credit, 4 cents on each $100. On each bill of lading or receipt for ex­ port, 10 cents. ° Oil each bill of lading or manifest for goods sent by freight or express within the United States, 1 cent. On each telephone, message;-* costing 15 cents or more, 1 cent! On each bond of indemnity, 50 cents. On each certificate of profits of companies and corporations, 2. cents on each $100 of face value. On every document Issued by a port war­ den, 25 cents. ... On certificates of all kinds requried by law, 10 cents. { On every charter of a vessel or renewal or transfer of same: On registered tonnage of 300 tons. $3; oil registered tonnage of 600 tons, $5; on registered tonnage of more than 600 tons, $10. On every conveyance or deed of more than $100 and less than $500, 50 .cents, and for each additional $500, 50 cents. On every telegraph message, 1 cent. On every custom house entry, for $100 of value. 25 cents; for $500 of value, 50 cents; for more than $500 of value, $1. On every withdrawal of goods from cus­ toms bonded warehouse, 50 cents. On every lease for one year, 25 cents; for three years, 50 cents; for more than three years, $1. On each manifest for custom house entry or clearance of ships for foreign ports (ex­ cept in British North America): On regis­ tered tonnage of 300 tons, $1; on registered tonnage of' 600 tons, $3; on registered ton­ nage of more than 600 tons, $5. On mortgages, for more than $1,000 and less than $1,500, 25 cents, and on each ad­ ditional $500, 25 cents. On each passage ticket to a foreign port (not in British North America), costing $30, $1; costing $60, $3; costing more than $60, $5. Power of attorney, 25 cents. Proxy for voting at any election of an In­ corporate^ company except charitable, re­ ligious or literary societies or public ceme­ teries, 10 cents. On protest of note, bill of exchange, check, etc., or marine protest.g5 cents. On receipt for paj-j«?nt\of any!money or debt exceeding $5, l'cent. On warehouse receipts, 25 cenTsT On legacies, exceeding $10,000, and not exceeding $25,000, a graded tax of from 75 -cents to $5 on each $100, which graded tax is to be multiplied by 1% on legacies of more than $25,000 and less than $100,000; multi­ plied by 2, where the value Of the property does not exceed $500,000; multiplied by 2]/i where the value of the property does not exceed $1,000,000. and multiplied by 3 when in excess of $1,000,000. Penalties. Violation of the act by evasion of the stamp act on proprietary and patented arti­ cles Is punishable by a fine of $500 or six months' Imprisonment. Evasion of the stamp tax on documents, papers, etc., Is punisha­ ble by a fine of $100. Forging or counter­ feiting stamps Is punlsliable by a fine of $1,000, or confinement at hard labor for five years. ASSASSINATION OF RUSSIA'S RULER ATTEMPTED. Panic in tlie Pit. Chicago special: Joseph Leiter, whose gigantic opera­ tions in wheat have made his name fa­ mous throughout the commercial \*orld, and whose Winnings in the pit have been estimated at $5,000,000 in assured profits, has in all probability met with reverses which jviff fall little short of iNC&tterloo. Leiter's famous wheat deal ended Mon­ day most unexpectedly in a complete col­ lapse. His futures were sold out in Chi­ cago and Minneapolis at a loss,and hiscash wheat turned over to the btunks as trus­ tees. It was rumored that he was embar­ rassed, and he did not deny it, but said it was only temporary, he hoped. Prices in the Northwest were panicky, dropping 22 to 23 cents. In Chicago there' was great excitement, with declines of 11 ?entS*on June and July and 4% cents on September. In about a month declines have., been as striking as were the ad­ vances early in May. The top prices' in, the leading markets, compared with the low point Monday, made an important showing, as follows:' • ' Chicago.,.. .$1.85 $ .S5 New York l.oi .siy, Minneapolis 1.60 .89% Duluth l.SO .90 St. Louis 1.40 .71 Liverpool 1.64 1.22 miie effect on the market when the news of the collapse came was that June wheat fell off 10 cents, July 11 cents, Septem­ ber 2~/s cents and December 3% cents. A Shortly after 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, the conference report on the war revenue bill was agreed to by the Senate, after a discussion lasting four hours. The debate upon the measure Mas without special incident and was entirely devoid of acri­ monious features. It was a foregone con­ clusion that the report would be agreed to and the.only question of interest involved was how soon a vote could be reached. The report was agreed to by the decisive vote of 43 to 22. The feature of the day's session of the house was the securing of an agreement to consider and vote upon the Newlands resolution to annex Hawaii. Hie bill to enable volunteer soldiers to yote at. Congressional elections was passed,tand a number of minor measures, chiefly of a private nature, were consid­ ered. The/-s^ssion of- the House on Saturday Was devoted to debate upon the Hawaiian resolution^. The Senate amendments to the. bill organizing the naval hospital corps was concurred in. • In the House on V^ylayJ-heannexation of Hawaii to the UMed SVates was under disifii'ssion. Mr. Newlands (silverite, Nev.) introduced the debate with a speech in support of liis resolution for annexation. For nearly two hours the Senate had un­ der discussion the resolution of Mr. Lodge (Mass.), directing the Claims Committee to make an inquiry as to the disposition of the money appropriated by Congress to pay the claim of the book concern of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. A heated colloquy between Mr. Chandler (N. H.) and Mr. Pasco was the feature of the discussion. A bill granting to the Cripple Creek Railroad Company of Col­ orado a right of way through the Pike's Peak timber land reserve was passed. An act authorizing the appointment of a non­ partisan commission to Collate informa­ tion and to consider and recommend leg- isnation to meet , the problems presented by labor, agriculture and capital was passed. The Hawaiian debate proceeded in the House on Tuesday. Mr. Gros'venor (Rep., O.) made the principal speech of the day. At the session of the Senate the resolution of Mr. Lodge (Mass.), directing that an inquiry be made into the disposition made of the Methodist Book Concern claim,^ which was--paid recerftly by Congress, was adopted without division. In the course of the debate upon it Mr. Morgan (Ala.) charged that the resolution was insincere and had been drawn for political effect. This statement Mr. Lodge denied vigor­ ously, saying his only purpose in offering the resolution was that all the facts con­ cerning the matter should be laid before the people. The measure to incorporate the International American Bank was un­ der discussion for three hours, the debate eliciting some interesting facts concern­ ing the foreign trade of this country. Final action was not taken on the bill. A bill to authorize a retired list for enlisted men and appointed petty officers of the United States navy was passed. By a vote of 209 to 91 the House of Representatives Wednesday afternoon adopted the Newlands resolutions, pro­ viding for the annexation of Hawaii. The debate, which had continued without in­ terruption since Saturday, had been one of the most notable of this Congress, the proposed annexation being considered of great commercial and strategic import­ ance by its advocates, and being looked upon by its opponents as involving a radfeal departure from the long-established policy of the country and likely to be followed by the inauguration of a pronounced pol­ icy of colonization, the abandonment of the Monroe doctrine and participation in international wrangles. More than half a hundred members participated in the de­ bate. The Senate resumed consideration of the International American bank bill. An amendment was accepted by the com­ mittee and adopted extending the priv­ ileges of the measure to all citizens of the United States instead of restricting them to those mentioned in the bill. When the Senate adjourned consideration of the bill had not been concluded. In the House on Thursday Mr. Dingley (Rep., Me.) called up the bill supplemental to tue war revenue measure, designed to supply some omissions and to strengthen the means of carrying out the revenue act. It exempts from taxation mutual, casual­ ty, fidelity and guaranty companies con­ ducted not for profit, After explanation by Mr. Dingley the bill was passed. The House passed a bill authorizing the con­ struction of a bridge across Niagara river at Grand Island, and then went into com­ mittee of the whole to consider the gen­ eral deficiency bill. In the general debate upon the bill Mr. Wilson (Dem., S. C.) de­ livered a speech in support of the Lodge immigration bill, aud Mr. Carmack (Demn Teun.) spoke upon the probability of the war ending in the inauguration of a policy of territorial aggression. The bill was not disposed of when the- House adjourned. After devoting an hour to the discussion of the bill restoring the annuities to the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands of Sioux Indians the Senate resumed the consid­ eration of the bill to incorporate the Inter­ national American Bank. A test on au amendment clearly indicated that a ma­ jority of the Senate favored the measure. The message clerk of the House of Rep­ resentatives delivered to the Senate the Hawaiian annexation resolution presented by the House the evening before. Evolution o hi Peach. The peach was originally a poisoned almond. Its fruity parts were used to poison arrows, and for that purpose were introduced into Persia. Trans­ plantation and cultivation have not only removed its poisonous* qualities, but turned it into the delicious fruit we now enjoy. Ood Fisheries. The cod fisheries of Newfoundland have been followed for nearly 400 years. They greatly exceed those of any other country in. the world. The average export of cod is about 1,350,000 hundred-weight per annum. Germ in Insurance. I' In Germany a man who has lost both hands in an accident can claim the whole of his life insurance money, if be be insured,, on the ground that he has lost the means of maintaining himself. Church Which He Was to Attend Is Found to Be Undermined--Mysteri­ ous ̂ Attempt to Murder a German Diplomat in London. Narrow Escape for the Czar. A desperate attempt has been made to assassinate the Czar of Russia. Advices from St. Petersburg give but brief details of the plot, every effort having been made to keep the matter quiet. The prepara­ tions for the assassination were made just before the,day set for the consecration of a new church at Tsarskoe-Selo. The oc­ casion was intended to be a very auspi­ cious one,-the C^ar having signified his in­ tention of being present. During a care­ ful examination of the church before the cel-emony it was discovered that the spot where it was expected his majesty would stand had been undermined. Bombs with wires attached, and which led to a build­ ing some distance from the church, had been carefully laid. They would have4 been exploded by electricity, and besides the almost, certain death of the Czar the, loss of life would probably have been very- great. As soon as the discovery was made an investigation was, at omte set on foot. This resulted in a larges» number of ar­ rests. Conflicting stories, however, are told. Some say it was the work of ni­ hilists, while it is believed by others that it was the work of the secret police. The proposed abolition of many of the lucra­ tive posts held,, by the police has caused much dissatisfaction. The Canadian Parliament at Ottawa lias been prorogued. Gen. Roca has been elected president of the Argentine Republic for a term of six years by the representatives of the four­ teen provinces. . The report of an unexpected attack by 1,000 natives on a Russian post, garri­ soned by 300 infantry, at Andijan, Ferg­ hana province, Turkestan, is confirmed. The uprising, in which twenty soldiers were killed and as many more wounded, was of purely religious origin. The Niger boundary dispute between France and England is practically settled! A convention covering all disputes is ready for signature. France gdH jjwo 'commercial depots on the lower Niger for outlets for^Frehch trade with Upper Da­ homey, wlijle Great Britain's gains con­ sist of territory on the gold coast. Information has reached the State De­ partment at Washington that the revolu­ tion which has prevailed in Venezuela for the last six months has been ended by the defeat and capture of Hernandez, its leader. The people celebrated the ter­ mination of the revolution by public dem­ onstrations. As a result President Andrade remains more firmly than ever seated in the executive office in Caracas. It is reported from Shanghai that the Chinese Government has signed an agree­ ment ceding to England a strip of the mainland opposite Hong Kong, negotia­ tions for which have been in progress for some time. As the new boundary in­ cludes Kowloon and Mirs Bay, it may be necessary for American dispatch boats to find a new base in Chinese waters, in or­ der not to offend against the English neu­ trality laws. «» Suspected of having furnished the Unit­ ed States with information of the mining of San Juan harbor, Porto Rico, Walter Bett, secretary of the British consulate at that port, has received his passports and been banished from Porto Iiico by Gov­ ernor General Macias. Mr. Bett was im­ prisoned in a dungeon for fifty-six hours, and during, that time was subjected to gross maltreatment. British Consul Gen- - eral Crawford has niade formal protest to his Government and serious international, complications are imminent. Race for the Pennant. Following is the standing of the clubs in the National Baseball League: W. L. W. L. Cincinnati ..33 15 Pittsburg ... .20 24 Boston 32 17 Philadelphia. 19 26 Cleveland ...30 IS Brooklyn ....18 27 Baltimore .. .27 17 Washington. 18 31 Chicago 27 22 St. Louis 10 31 New York.. .25 23 Louisville .. .15 35 Following is the standing of the clubs in the Western League: W. L. W. L. Indianapolis. 32 13 Milwaukee ..20 21 Columbus ...20 17 Detroit .17 31 St. Paid 29 20 Minneapolis. 10 30 Kansas City.27 20 Omaha .11 30 Finds Dynamite in the Coal. A railroad man states that the engineer of the morning through express from New York to Jacksonville, Fla., found a can of dynamite in his coal while coming down. It is stated that the fireman in shoveling coal struck the can. Uncover­ ing it, he took it out carefully and an ex­ amination was made. The can was half full of dynamite. It was turned over to the railroad othciais and a strict examina­ tion will he made. It is reported that this is the third one found in the coal on loco­ motives within the last month. It is thought that it was a plot to wreck a train with troops on. .JOSEPH I.EITKR. rally followed the decline on the an­ nouncement that no assignment would take place and that the cash wheat would not be slaughtered. Leiter's great grain deal, beginning April 2, 1897,Mias totally collapsed. He has surrendered to his creditors 10,000,- 000 bushels of wheat. His estimated loss, is $5,000,000. On wheat owned May 31 Mr. Leiter might have realized a profit of $4,500,000. Since then the market has declined, and, financial support which he had hitherto received being withdrawn, he retired on the best terms possible. His creditors are financial institutions in Chi­ cago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth and New York City. These concerns lent money on his wheat at 80 cents or less a bushel. They are amply protected. Ac­ curate figures as to Mr. Leiter's holdings when lie decided to liquidate are difficult to secure. The best estimates indicate that he has 12,000,000 bushels of wheat in Duluth and Minneapolis, 2,000,000 bushels en route to Europe, 2,000,000 bushels in or en route to New York. Mr. Leiter will not make an assignment, and court proceedings for the settlement of his grain account will not be necessary. Greatest Deal in History. In the history of grain speculation from the days of the Romans to the plunging of Keene in New York, no speculative handling of a cereal has attracted so much attention from press and public as the transactions of Joseph Leiter. In the market for nearly four months before the public was aware that he was a trader, Mr. Leiter finally avowed his connection with the enormous cash grain purchases of certain commission houses. April 2, 1897, Broker French entered the arena with instructions from Col. Lei­ ter to buy 100,000 bushels of May wheat at 70% cents. The representative of the great operator filled the order. Just as fast as the market declined the Leiter or­ ders made their appearance. The cheap­ est batch of wheat that Leiter bought was a lot at 04% cents--500,000 bushels-- June IS, 1897. This was for September delivery. Some saw in these transac­ tions the beginning of ail era in the his­ tory of the local Board of Trade. They were right. The deal .carried the price' of wheat from 04% cents in June, 1897, to $1.85 in May of this year. At one time an interest of $35,000,000 was involved. Over 25,000,000 bushels of cash wheat is said to have been merchandised. Lei­ ter's grasp of affairs and his hand on the wheel of progress, the brokers executed these immense orders, running as high as 1,000,000 bushels. They bought for cash, sold for cash and accepted the consequent profit or loss stoically. In sharp contrast to all previous great deals on the Chicago market Mr. Leiter met the varying emergencies of a year with cash until Monday morning. His failure to do so then is attributed to a number of causes, most prominent of which is the statement that after a careful review of the situation L. Z. Leiter deem­ ed it advisable that his son should liqui­ date, so advised, and the advice was ac­ cepted. Telegraphic Brevities. California is flooded with spurious half dollars, which have the genuine metallic ring. • Fifteen tons of silver bullion has been sent from Carson City, Nev., to San Fran­ cisco for coinage. The President has reappointed Miss Es- telle Reel, of Wyoming, to be superintend­ ent of Indian schools. Every State in the Union, with the ex­ ception of ten, now has a State botanist, New York and Conuectiout having two each. ' Oklahoma fanners are happy over a wheat yield of at least 40,000,000 bushels, and other cereals are promising. Robert Smalls, the well-known colored ex-Congfessman, has hecii appointed Col­ lector of'Customs at Beaufort, S. C. During "the last ten years Germany's merchant marine has doubled, while En­ gland's has increased only 50 per cent. It is reported that Gen. Lew Wallace will not be appointed a major general on account of his extreme age--71 years. The -exports of manufactured articles from the United States during «the past ten months exceeded .the'.iniports by < over $40,000,000. • Eugene V. Debs lias left the Social Democracy of America, which he founded and of which he was president, and with the men who seceded under his leader­ ship has formed the social democratic party of America. A late arrival from Lake Bennett. Alas­ ka, reports that a barge which started from Bennett, with sixteen passengers and a large quantity of supplies and min­ ing utensils aboard, was capsized and the occupants drowned. He was unable to give the names of the drowned. The value of the principal articles of do­ mestic exports for the month of May was $72,008,097, an increase of $20,520,725 over the same month last year, and for the eleven months ended May 31, $742,072,- 928, an increase of $134,500,008 coin- pared with the similar period of the pre­ vious year. " '• Diplomat Is Shot. While the first secretary of the German embassy in London, Count von Arco-Val­ ley, was emerging from the embassy the other evening a stranger fired two shots from a revolver at him. One of the bul­ lets entered the secretary's back, but the wound is not believed to be fatal. His assailant was arrested after firing at and missing a policeman. The motive which prompted the man to attempt the life of Count von Arco-Valley is unknown. The name of Count Arco-Valley's assailant is John Todd. LIST OF PRIZES TO BE SOLD. GREAT WHEAT CROP PROMISED. Will Be Offered at Key West to the Highest Bidder. The following is a list of the prize ves­ sels and their cargoes which are to be sold at publie auction in the city of Key West to the highest bidder for cash: Length, Name-- • Net tons. feet. Steamer Argonauta ,.600 182 Steamer Airibrosla Bollvur.. .106 118 Larger Acreage and Finer Condition than for Many Years. Preliminary returns of the spring wheat acreage, with the two Dakotas in particu­ lar subject to revision, indicate a total area seeded of 10,800,000 acres, which, added to the area in winter wheat, 20,200,- 000 acres, makes a total of wheat acreage of 43,000,000, or rather more than 3.500,- The first boat from Dawson is expected at San Francisco about July 4, but it is not likely that any miner will trust his gold on a vessel unless she is escorted by a government steamer. There is a very general impression around Dawson that pirates have banded together to attack a gold-carrying vessel on the high seas and loot her. Bradstreet's says: "Accompanying re­ ports of a seasonable quieting down of the spring demand for, and movement of, merchandise, come proofs that the spring business of the year of 1S9S, with a few notable exceptions, has largely met ex­ pectations. Particularly confirming this latter view of the case are the heavy to­ tals of bank clearings, large railway earn­ ings, a total of failures well down to the normal, and exceptional steadiness in prices following the notable advances reg istered some time ago. Weak or lower prices for a number of cereals during the last week, in the face of a heavy export business, point to the very good crop pros­ pects for wheat and other grains, influ­ encing holders toward parting with their stocks. The leading feature of the week in the iron, trade has been the collapse of the so-called "gentlemen's agreement" in ihe Southern iron industry, and prices are lower as a consequence; but an advance in Bessemer pig is taken to indicate that the makers are getting in better shape to control the output than for some time past." MARKET REPORTS* NEWS NUGGETS, Chicago--Cattle, common to prime, $3.00 to $5.50; hogs, shipping grades, $3.00 to $4.(JO; sheep, fair to choice, $2.50 to $5.50; wheat, No. 2 red, 84c to 8Gc; corn, No. 2, 32c to 33c; oats, No. 2, 23c to 25c; rye, No. 2. 43c to 44c: butter, choice creamery, 15c to 17c; eggs, fresh, 9c to 11c; new potatoes, choice, 85c to 95c per bushel. Indianapolis--Cattle, shipping, $3.00 to $5.25; hogs, choice light, $3.00 to $4.50; sheep, common to choice, $3.00 to $4.50; wheat, Uo. 2, 88c to 90c; corn, No. -2 white, 32c to 33c; oats, No. 2 white, 24c to 26c. St. Louis--Cattle. $3.00 to $5.50; hogs. $3.00 to $4.00; sheep, $3.00 to $5.00: wheat, No. 2, 84c to 80c; corn, No. '. yellow, 31c to 32c; oats, No, 2, 24c to 20: rye, No. 2, 39c to 41c. ° . • •-« Cincinnati--Cattle, $2.50 to $5.50; hogs, $3.00 to $4.50; sheep, $2.50 to $4.75; wheat, No. 2 red, 89c to 91c; corn. No. - 2 mixed, 33c to 34c; oats, No. 2 mixed, 27c to 29c; rye, No. 2, 44c to 40c. Detroit--Cattle, $2:50 to $5.50; hogs, $3.25 to $4.25; sheep, $2.50 to $4.50; wheat, No. '2, 90c to 92c; corn. No. 2 1 yellow, 31e to 33c; oats, No. 2 white, 27c to 28c; rye, 43c to 45c. Toledo--Wheat, No. 2 mixed, 91c to 93c: corn, No. 2 mixed, 32c to 33c; oats, No. 2 white, 25c to 20c; rye, No. 2, 43c to 45c; clover seed, $3.20 to $3.30. Milwaukee--Wheat, No. 2 spring, 88c to 91c; corn, No. 3, 32c to 34c; oats, No. 2 white, 27c to 28c; rye. No; 1, 44c to 45c; barley, No. 2, 40c to 40c; pork, mess. $10.25 to $10.75. Buffalo--Cattle, $3.00 to $5.50; hdgs, $3.00 to $4.50; sheep, $3,00 'to $5.25; wheat, No. 2 red, 78c to 80c; corn, No. 2 ypllow, 34c to 30c; oats, No. 2 white, 27c to 29c. New York--Cattle, $3.00 to $5.50; hogs, $3.00 to $4.50; sheep. .$3.00 to $5.25; wheat," No. 2 red, S2cf to 84c; 'corn, No. 2. 36c to 37c; oats, No. 2 white, 31c to 83c; butter, creamery, 13c to 18c; eggs, W<»tern,'llc to 13c. ^ An attempt was made by two men to en­ ter the magazine at Fort St. Philip on the Mississippi, sixty-five miles below New Orleans. In endeavoring to apprehend the two miscreants the sentinel who chal­ lenged them was struck on the head by a bar of iron in the hands of a hidden ally aud seriously injured. The men escaped. Surgeon (general Wymair. has received news from the district in Mississippi in­ fected with yellow fever that no new cases have developed aud no new foci have been discovered. Camp Fontaine-- a detention camp--has been opened,' and hereafter no persons will be permitted to leave the infected district without first being disinfected in the camp and passing ten days there. ' There was a desperate battle in Sutton County, Texas, between a posse of officers and the band of train robbers who held up the Santa Fe express train near Colt- man Junction and killed Fireman Lee Johnson. Three of the robbers and two of their pursuers were wounded. Four of the robbers were captured, •among the number being the one who was wounded in the fight with the trainmen at Coleman. One of tlie saddest tragedies pf the war occurred near St. John's Blijff on the St. John's River, Fla., on /'board the tug Edith/ Lieut. Hart, in command of sev­ eral electricians, was laro^mines ••in' the river opposite the bluff. w^HfefAtal mis- Sparks from the Wires. The cotton crop of Egypt amounts to 500,000,000 pounds a year. George Kommer, of Brooklyn, N. Y.» notified an undertaker to call at his house, and then poisoned himself. Congressman Grosvenor, of Ohio, de­ nounces those who clamored for war, but who are afraid of war taxation. The Liberals in England are indignant „because Queen Victoria made no mention of Gladstone's death in the court circular. An immense avalanche occurred on Mount Ranier, Wash. The noise resem­ bled an immense clap of thunder, and was heard at Tacoma, sixty miles away. We will have to stop the war long enough to permit the usua^^-a^Qftunce- ments concerning the JersflHHHvelft- ware peach crops.--Wash in W(ii His Bet and Died. In a bar-room at Mativwan, N .J., the other night John Barney Vaupelt made a bet that he could drink as much Jer­ sey apple whisky as any other man In the house could drink beer. He woa his wager by drinking two quarts and a pint of the whisky, and then died. Club of Colored Britishers. Colored Britons have formed a club in London. They come from Demerara, Trinidad, the gold coast, and Sierra Leone, and most .of .them are medical or iluw^studeuts. The town of Spartansburg, fifteen miles north of Titusville, Pa., suffered a severe scorching. The business portion of the town is in ruins. By an explosion of mine gas in the South Wilkesbarre shaft of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal Company at Wilkesbarre, Pa., ten miners were badly burned, some of them probably fatally, and considerable damage was done to the 6haft, The extensive plant of the Philadelphia Oil Refining. Company at Point Breeze, Philadelphia, was visited by fire.. By War balloons are doubtless good things, but so far Uncle Sam hasn't been yible to raise any. .' . " F: •- There are several million boys in arms in the United States, but they all belong to the infantry. « . . .1 Sampson's gunnery indicates] that Dewey failed to get out a pate&tMlitMs celebrated process. Gen. Miles is very proud wheiH himself at the head of a coIumti|HHD pure reading matter. • §