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r '3ty J. VAN SLYKE, Editor and Pub. McHKNRY. DAVIS HAD A DOUBLE, A CURIOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. lira. Snell's Husband Was Not the Montana Millionaire -- Arkansas Farmer* Go Gunning for Cotton Thieves--Children Cause Two Deaths Mrs. Snell Gives Up Claim. One of the most remarkable surprises ever brought out in the history of con­ tested wills was made public at San Francisco Thursday, m connection with the famous litigation over the millions left by the late Andrew J. Davis,-of Butte, Mont. Its romantic features are more Astounding than any novelist, however re­ sourceful, would dare concoct, and the <3PCrumstanees will pass jnto the history of celebrated instances of mistaken . idexi- tiiy. Some time ago Mrs. Ilulda \Jueen Snell , of Tehachapi, Kern County, Cal;* eatered her claim to the dead mineowner's big fortntfe on the ground that she was .his surviving .widow, claiming tq have been married to him in 1S42< in Carroll County, Arkansas, and that lie went to^ California during the,perjod of the great gulA excitement of 184SK Now it is an- iio'aiacst'd that Mrs. Snell has withdrawn her claim,-for the reason that it has been discovered that the Andrew .1. Davis whom she married and who.deserted her to seek his fortune in the gold fields and the dead multi millionaire of Montana Are not the same, but two distinct persons who closely resembled each other in per­ sonal appearance, and whose career^ were Strikingly similar, and that the '-'Davis who was the first husband of Mrs. Snell died twenty-one years ago. istaining I e£ Raw Recrnits in a Row. Twenty-six raw recruits for the United States army, hailing from the wilds near Columbus, Ohio, and having for their objective point Spokane. Wash., where they intend to shoot Indians, tilled them­ selves with firewater Friday night, and it was necessary to call a platoon of Chi­ cago police to escort them safely from and to their trains. The trouble began at Valparaiso, Ind., and the conductor wired ahead for officers to meet the Penn­ sylvania train at Chicago. When the coach arrived at the Union Depot it look­ ed as if it had been bombarded, and the men all looked as if they had been in a prize fight. The lighting had stopped. No arrests were made, and the only sober ones in the party were the two old-enlist­ ed men in charge. Standing of National Lraine Following is the standing of the i of the National Baseball League: W. L. Cincinnati . Baltimore . Cleveland . Chicago .. . Pittsburg . Boston . ... . 69 • til) .C>2 „ 5*. > . r>r> .54 31Brooklyn.. . 31 Philadelphia oTNew York .. 44Washiiigton 44St. Louis . . . 45Louisville . . . lubs L. ."t i c,-j <i7 71 Western Leatrne Stnndine. Following is the standing of the clubs in the Western League: W. L. W. L. Minneapolis .. 03 39Kansas City . ">4 4S Indianapolis \W) 41Mihvaijkee . .40 00 St. Pa^l Oo 44Columbus < 11% Detroit 58 4:JGr'd Rapi'ds .dS 70 Rohbers Resist Whitecap Methods. Johnston County farmers in the vicinity ;of Lamar, Ark., have begun whitecap ' operations ia an effort forid the <-ommuni- i ty of cotton-thieves. For the last two or three years farmers in that neighborhood have been annoyed by wholesale petty thieves. Cotton, cattle and hogs have been stolen. Wednesday night an armed band of twenty-five farmers called on sev­ eral families suspected of the thefts mv! notified them to have the community. Instead of leaving, the alleged thievch are arming themselves with shotguns and trouble is expected to occur. recovered consciousness since sustaining a shock of paralysis Sunday morning. Miss Doiige tor many years was a con­ spicuous figure in Washington. She went to the capital early in the '50s to teach school and through her ability with the pen she secured a position on the staff of the National Era. Miss Dodge was per­ haps the best of the many intellectual women that have sprung up in the United States during the last thirty years. She was best known probably from her pun­ gent and rather erratic writings and the' strong espousal of the political fortunes of Secretary Blaine. Between herself and Mr. Blaiue there was a keep and perfect sympathy. (Jail Hamilton's first book was published in 1862.. Since that, ti^ie her pen has n£ver been idle. She has con-, tributed* largely to magazines and to peri­ odicals and some of her work is of an order that compares well with that done by the best writers among the men. No woman has written more clearly, force­ fully or with equal; intelligence and un­ derstanding on the subject of politics. From 1 865 to IStfT she was one of the£ editors of ' Our Young Folks," a children's magazine published in Boston, and subse­ quently merged with St, Nicholas. " Three men were killed, fifteen more in­ jured, and sevexal?15^}ldi^gs demolished by the explosion of ,.^penty-rtive pounds of dynamite at New Jiolland, Pa.. Monday morning. The Peifu^ylvania Telephone' Company is building a new. line iii that fieinity, and bad stored the explosive -in the summer-kitch^v of the Eagle Hotel. Charles F. Cannon and one of a gang.just t 'bout to sra^t. 'fb work, 'went to the sum­ mer feitchen to get out enough-dynamite lor the day's use. A few. moments later thi?re was a terrible explosion and one side of th-\ summer kitchen was blown out. A big hole oil another side had blood, and MeSlUon the ragged edges, and it is sup­ posed that Cannon's body was sent through there. The unfortunate man was blown to atoms. Frank Hammond, of Hnrnsburg, who was standing just out­ side the building, had every bone in his body broken and was instantly killed. George Grossman, of Steelton, a water L-ov, was also standing near the building and was so badly injured that he died while being taken to Lancaster. Two other buildings close to the summer kitch­ en were badly wrecked, as was also part of the hotel, while the whole front of a large implement store was blown out. The tin roofs of a number of houses were razed and ruined. The damage to prop­ erty will amount to a large sum. astonishment. The President wrote. 'Ph& offense of'maltreating and abusing new cadets by upper classmen is so mean and cowardly and so opposed • to every trait that should characterize a gentle man and a "true soldier that severe sen tence should not be necessary jo its pre­ vention. If, however." punishment must Le resorted to to effect"^"discontinuance of this disgraceful practice I can do no less than to resist all appeals for clem­ ency. I am determined in. all cases of this description, when th'6 proof is clear, to refuse relief to^those' Cadets; who, in violation of a wholesome regulation of .the military acfldeniy, indulge in the bru Oil and cowardly treatment of beginners cominonly i 'CWiled 'hazing.' " This is the 'first dismissal fbr hazing gtliat has oc- 'CUrred'ftt-'the academy in years.' .' Presi­ dent Cleveland's determined stand is con­ sidered adeatliblowW the practice. "ifh-v .rrrr; • • , ' ' 1 i •. FOREIGN. ...." BREVITIES The largest cave in the world has been found under the town of Hudson, Mo. It is lined with pure onyx. Florida reports a sea serpent 40 feet 2 Inches long, which towed an excursion Steamer fifteen miles before it was killed. The tide of gold which has been flowing from the United States to Europe, except when arbitrarily checked, has turned about and will soon flow towards this country for natural and commercial rea­ sons. It was announced Wednesday that lAzard Freres. New York bankers, had engaged $2,(100,000 gold for import to this country by the steamship leaving Liver­ pool Saturday. A. strange double fatality occurred at the National Soldiers' Home at Milwau­ kee Wednesday night, the victims being Richard Bottield. aged TH. late of the United States navy, and William I. Gor- don, late of Company D. Ninth Ohio In­ fantry. They were assisting each other np the steps of the main building when iMth fell backward to the stone flagging sad were so badly hurt that they died shortly afterward. A thorough investigation was made into Che cause of the derailing of engine No. 48, which was hauling a work train Wed­ nesday night near Carrollton. Ohio, the locomotive rolling down an embankment and killing Engineer Joseph Kirk and ITireman John Hardestv. of Canton. The investigation shows the accident to have been caused by children having placed three spikes on the outside rail of the carve where the derailment occurred. Twenty-six men in the caboose escaped death by falling seven hundred feet down «n embankment, because the caboose was caught in the branches of a big tree. It is estimated that the Cuban war is costing Spain $300,000 daily. Fire caught in the residence of John HJpIbaeh. iu Watertown, Si !>., Wednes­ day night, destroying the building and burning to death Mr. Felbach and his two daughters, Tillie and Ha t tie. aged 10 snA It) years. Thp mother and oiie daughter were saved. A. gang of-train^s held up and robbed eighteen prominent men at Willmar, Minn., Tuesday night. They also shot m lad, J. Tillden, so that he may die. A large posse is in pursuit and fighting is sxpected. WESTERN. The works of the Nofawestern Chemi­ cal Company, near Milwaukee, were de­ stroyed by lire. The loss is estimated at $30,000, John Ivozak, a prominent farmer, aged 25, living near Virginia. Neb., burrowed into the center of a strawstack, set fire to the straw and then shot himself i through the head with a revolver, all on account of a love affair. The administrator of the estate of the late Gov. Chase, of Indiana, has made his final report. After the debts were paid the w'idow received $012. Gov. Chase had invested heavily in mining stocks that are c msidcred worthless. At Ground House, Minn., an Eastern Minnesota freight train ran into a Great Northern engine, demolishing both en­ gines and killing M. Moore, a Great Northern fireman. The bkuue.is .supposed to rest with the Easern train crew. Monday afternoon at Ea^u Claire a four- story frame building, known, a^ Music- Hall, which tyas. tjejng dismantled, eol- lapse'd, killing :tt"loli'st fhre.e men n'txl in- .mringmapy more. Jt is more than prob­ able that' 'tl ' .^re Arc Vcvoraf people besides those definitely knovv.B ia the.niVnsi Inquiry has been received at St. Joseph, Mo., from the United States consul at Jaurez, Mexico, concerning James 1*'. Howard, a voting man who is reported to be lyiug unconscious in a hospital* at Jaurez with two bullets in his body. Pri­ vate telegrams say that Howard started from Jaurez to the City of Mexico. A short distance out of Jaurez he became involved in a difficulty with several Mex­ icans, who attempted to assault him. He shot three of them dead and escaped. Late the same night lie was picked up by .t i 'entrnl train^ Ho \yps placed on^the train and taken to Jaurez". Charles Nelson shot and killed his wife and fatally wounded his 3-year-old daughter at their home, 418 North Wash­ tenaw avenue, Chicago, Monday morning. The man met his victim at their door car­ rying their child, Myrtle, and without hesitation fired two shots through her heart. Then turning to the child, who had 1 alien, he tired a shot at her hea*l. Ihe bullet ghtneed from the little one's right temple and as she lay supposedly dead. Nelson rushed from the house. Neighbors, hearing the firing, ran into the hous-\ and a physician was called. He soon revived the ehild, bnt said the moth­ ers death had been almost instantaneous. The little girl was sent to St. Elizabeth's Hosp'tal. and Mrs. Nelson s body was taken to the morgue. It is alleged that, the cause of the murder was jealousy on the part of Nelson. He was arrested. Charged with killing his wife and two children at their home in Austin. Tex.. F. Eugene Burt was arrested in Chicago Tuesday, and locked up to await extradi­ tion proceedings. The alleged murderer confessed that he was the man wanted by the Austin officials, but made no ad­ mission of guilt. He, however, wore a blood-spotted straw hat. and carried a huge dirk knife, which is supposed to liave been the weapon used in the murder. His capture was due to the work of M. G. Poindexter, who keeps a fruit and confec­ tionery store. He formerly lived at Aus­ tin, Tex., and knew Burt. About six weeks ago Poindexter read in the p r e s s dispatches of the killing: of Mrs. Burt and her two chi ldren by her husband. The a c ­ count said, that the weapon used was a ljtrge dirk, and that after he had stabbed his victims with it he threw them in a veil near the house. Poindexter knew all »f the parties in the tragedy, and the scene that surrounded the place of the murder, lie. liowiVer. did not give the matter much further thought. On Monday Poin­ dexter saw Burt on the Open Board of Trade. He did not make himself known to him. but told the police, and the arrest followed. " Th*»,Congress of Costa Rica has author­ ized thH cxecutive body to expend $100,000 in1 euu6\iraging immigration. • A dispatch from Berlin says it is stated thirt OVfltharhl Tirpitz at the request of Em^Vbr William has drawn up a bill which will be submitted to the Iteichs- 'ag, demanding from 100,000,000 to 150,- <>0U.0U0 marks ($30,000,000) "for naval pur­ poses. ' • Dr. NanSen left Monday morning on his way to Chrjstiania. It.now develops that the uieeting bet wen Dr, Nanseji and Jack- sou, the English explorer, was the rpsult of the; barking of dogs. The Norwegian1 and his companion-1 were - exploring .-one day when they heard barking, and, fob i >wing the sounds, to- their amazement, they reached Jackson's camp. Vardo has been en.fete and decorated in honor of the return of Dr. Nansenl The steamship Coptic, brings news to San Francisco that the Japanese are as­ piring not only to catch tip with the lead- iug nations of the world in manufactur­ ing industries, but to excel all the rest of the world in the production of engines for naval warfare. About the time the Cop­ tic left Yokohama it was reported' from good sources in. naval circles that plans had been submitted to the admiralty for the building of a flotilla of small gunboats to develop the extraordinary speed of forty knots ap hour. The vessels are to be driven and lighted by electricity, the twin screw propellers fo be placed not right aft. but only a little abaft amidships. The boats are to be wholly or partially submergable, and to make this process easy they will be little more than mere hulls, devoid of outworks of any kind. It is believed the new class of war vessels will be designed entirely as an attempt to embody the principle, which has been advocated by so many naval experts, of putting into a small compass'with extra­ ordinary speed, fighting power which may cope with really big warships. Whether or not the Japanese navy department has reason to feel assured that it has advaiic-* ed beyond mere experiment in this direc­ tion is nnt known. London advices* say: Spain seems in- ent upon war with the United Spates, 'ihe last -utterances"of Senor C$uo.Tas show thai the chief preoccupation of tho Covemnj'nt is uytjv.the war with Ctlba :, alone, Tffit the eoinjng conflict -$vjtl£' tlie" I nited States. I 'ew people in Madrid geefn to doubt thi^ coniiii 't.?will come if the Cuban war is not practically ended by noxt March. The Spanish political lead­ ers partake of the opinion that the time, approaches when, if actual war is iiot on bet ween Spain and the United States, both countries will at least be quite on the verge of it. Up to the present time Spain has yielded to American demands, no matter how unjust they have seemed to Spain 'J his course has been adopted in consideration of Cleveland's policy*fa- voring Spain, but the moment the bellig­ erency of the Cuban insurgents is pro­ claimed from the White House Spanish public opinion, which hits been with diffi­ culty repressed, will burst out of all bounds and the relations between the two countries will become strained to the ut­ most point, li the Cortes the other day Senor Canovas declared that "the ex­ traordinary credits asked for from Par­ liament were needed because it was nec­ essary to place the country in a position to answer possible offenses against na­ tional dignitv." ILLINOIS INCIDENTS ^ The 2*3'par-0,d 60,1 of J6hn « • farmer living near Kinmundy, was killed SOBER pR STARTLING, FAITH FULLY RECORDED. Failnrct* in Chicago Agsrretrntc $800, OOO in Q»ie Day--Univoraity'B Chem- ic«l Laboratory Destroyed by Fire- Pretty Rockford Girl Knticed Away. Five Firms Assicn, Five big Chicago firms, with assets amounting to over $800,000, failed. Satur­ day. Th'oy were: George Oberne & Co., tanners and hide and leather dealers at 401 North Halsted >streot; assets esti­ mated at $200,000, with liabilities prdba bly aggregating $125,000. ^ Henry M. Hbsick & Co., dealers in wool and hides :.t 193 Michigan street ; assets scheduled at $200,000; liabilities $125,000. The Chicago and Western Soap Company, of f ee and factory at Kingsbury^and Supe­ rior streets; assets $80,000; liabilities un­ known. but. estimated at $40,000. The Chicago Consolidated Iron and Steel Com­ pany of Harvey, 111.; assets $300,000; no estimate given as to liabilities. Louis Sie- vors & Sons, wholesale liquor dealers at ?12 5th avenue; assets scheduled at $25, 000, liabilites -SoO.tKit). . The assignments of the first three firms nanied in the fore­ going list were made within a few min r.tes of each other, and. the downfall of one is said to have^taken the1 other two with it. Josephine Strom hi a tie Missins;. 1' rieiids of Miss Jbsephirie Stromblade, a pretty Rockford girl. 24 years old, fear she has either .been-., foully dealt with in Chicago or js being kept in hiding to pre- vent her from communicating with rela­ tives. For two years she lias been a student in the normal department of Ati- gustana College at Rock Island, preparing herself for teaching, and would have com­ pleted the course, next winter. Early in June "she left for Chicago to spend the summer vacation with friends there. Af­ ter several weeks she received an offer to tcacli in one of the.suburbs, the gen­ tleman offering the place to her being a stranger, but she agreed to go with him' and look,it over, telling her friends that she would return for her clothing and personal effects if she decided to accept it. Since then nothing has been heard trem her by her Chicago friends, her trunk still being : \ t their home, and no message has come to the Rockford rela­ tives, who are greatly alarmed over her disappearance. The Chicago police have been notified and are now making a search for her.- Rockford friends will go to Chi­ cago and join itl the search. Miss Strom- blade was very popular, and has lived <n America since childhood, although her parents reside in Sweden. She is a blonde. EASTERN. The Farmers' Loajj- and Trust Com- •tny of New York has filed a suit in the IJnited States Circuit Court at San Fran tkioo, Cal., to foreclose a mortgage exe­ cuted in its favor in 1889 by the Oregon improvement Company. The litigation •rises over a mortgage for $15,000,000 tamed in 1880 and given to the Farmers' (joan and Trust Company as a guarantee Cor the redemption of bond!?, for a like a m o u n t i n d o r s e d b y t h e c o n a p a u y l , Abigail Podge, bef&F, kjnowrp, as Gail HainUto p. died atfher home in Ilamilton, ti^9Jftday evepingr without 'hfifing WASHINGTON. The tabulation of the enlistments in the United States army for July shows un­ mistakably the care vVrth which recruits are now accepted.-*'C«pt. Palmer, in charge of the Chicago*recruiting station, enlisted only t wenty-s#)ren:< ineu &ut of 485 who applied lor enlistment-^an ac- ceptance ̂ f^one in seventeen, ft is more d!fiie>il0to enter the ,ariu^;},o» A private for $14 a month t han-To se^ure admission into any other department of the Gov­ ernment. A good physique without good moral character debars an appli­ cant. The total enlistments during the month were 430 and the rejections were 2,933. The United States, MjUita>jrT^Academy cadets at West Point neyer got ,;u greater shock than they d'ul Friday evening, when a general order from the Secretary of War was published at dress p;irade* dis­ missing Cadets Gilek Bishop Jr, "ari<J;21. S. Cominager, both' members of the third I eWs^ '\vh6 Svere' recently1 tried by court martial 'for , lhil«ing "lllebs."4 The Presi dent s approval of the sentence created some surprise, but his severe indorse meat of the court-martial papers in con demhation of hazing created much great L o s s at tlie Univ e r s ! ty. -The chemical laboratory building at the Ljgiversity of Illinois, at Champaign, was struck by lightning early Sunday morning, and, notwithstanding the combined el'- for^of .the Champaign and Urbana fire jltpartmonts, it was almost completely buhicd. Part ot the aparatus on the first find second floors and flic stock of chem­ icals, etc., in the basement escaped de­ struction. All of the records of the de­ partment and many valuable works by its professors were destroyed.- The damage to the building is $20,000 and the loss of apparatus and material about $50,000. l! is expected the department will be in working order at the beginning of the new college vear. IN GENERAL. Fathcf Marljr.elli,has been appointed to succeed Cardinal Satolli as apostolic dele­ gate to th'1 I.nited Slates. This fact has been confirmed by-recent letters that Car­ dinal Satolli has received from the Vati­ can aut horities. The Mexican railways show an increase over last year,.in local traffic and the in­ ternal revenue receipts of the Federal t-easury are heavy, indicating brisk inte­ rior trade un<' improved commerce be­ tween th" States since the interstate taxes were definitely abolished six weeks ago. Careful study is being made of water- power afforded 1 y the falls at the mouth >f th1 greaf drainage tunnel with a view of utilizing the energy for transmission to the City of Mexico. It is reported that a Ireet railway company is considering plans to bring electric energy from the p«at beds ten miles from the city, which .re of enormous extent and richness. It s believed that electricity can be gener- ited at the beds and sent cheaply. Arti- icial fuel has been made of peat by ear- onizing it under immense pressure and the product resembles eanncl coal of good qualit ' . M A R K E T R E T O R T S . Chicago--Cattle, common to prime, $3..iO to $5.00; hogs, shipping grades, $3.00 to $3.75; sheep, fair to choice, $2.50 $3.5<J; wheat, No. 2 red, 53c to 55c; Com. No. 2, 22c to 23c; oats. No. 2, 10c to 17c; rye. No. 2. 29c to 31c; butter, choice creamery, loc to 10c; eggs, fresh, 9c to 10c: new potatoes, per bushel, 20c 30c; broom corn, common short to choice iJ'-varf, $25 to $00 per ton. India.lapolis--Cattle, shipping, $3.00 to $4.T">; hogs, choice light, $3.U> to $3.50; sheep, common to prfipe. $2.0<J to $3.IO; wheat. No. 2, - 55c to 57c? corn. No. 2 White, 23c to 25c; oats, No. 2 white, 22c to 24c. St. Louis-- Cattle.. $3.50 to $4.75; hogs. $3.00 to $3.75; wheat, No. 2. 00c to (2c; cotn. No. 2 yellow, 20c to 22e; osits. No. 2 white, 17c to 19c; rye, No. 2, 28c to 30c. Cincinnati--Cattle, $3.50'to/4.50: hogs. $.">,0O to $3.75: sheep, $2.59 to $3.7.">: wheat, No. 2, ."9c to 01c; corn. No. 2 mixed, 124t- to 25c; oats. No. 2 mixed, 18c to 20c; rye. No. 2, 29c to 31c. Detroit--Cattle, $2.50 to $4.50; hogs, $3.00 to $3,50; sheep, $2.00 to $3.75; wheat, No. 2 red, 01c to 02c; corn. No. 2 yellow. 24c to.25c; oats, Nu. 2 whites 23c to 24c; jty«. 29c to 31c. Toledo--Wheat, No. 2 red. 01c to 03c; corp. N*p f i 2 yellow, 24c, to ,20c:. ?s,tp, No. 2 White, 17c; to 38c.; rye, . 'No. -»,pOc to 32c; clover see(i, $4.JO to $.4.20. Milwaukee---V^'heat. No, 2 spring, 54c to 55c; x-orii, No. 3, 22c to 23c; oats, No. 2 white. 20c to 21c: barley. No. '2, ;{Qe Stale News iu Brief. John AN'. Carleton. one of Hancock County's oldest pioneers, died at Cartil­ age. aged 85. At Ottawa George O'Meara had his left rrm blown off at the shoulder by the acci­ dental discharge of a gun. The 14-year-old daughtetr of Elijah W iberly, one of the prominent farmers near Mount Vernon, committed suicide by hanging. Nu cause is known for the act. B. F. Jacobs, a parachute juniper, met death at Qttincy Sunday. The balloon burst when 150 feet high. He cut loose, but the parachute did not work and ln- fell to the ground with terrible force. Els worth Chapin, who was caught in the act of passing tools to prisoners in the Peoria County jail fur the purpose of aid­ ing them to escape, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to one year in the work­ house and fined $400. Dallas Harwood shot himself through the neck at Macomb and is now in a critical condition. .Willi his parents he was traveling overland from Peoria to Caldwell County, Missouri. He attempt­ ed to take a rifle from the wagon when 1he hammer caught and the weapon was discharged and the ball entered his neck and came out at his back. The body ot a man was found in the Sangamon River at Decatur. It had evi­ dently been there several weeks and was anrecognizable. Nothing in the pockets gave a clew to its identity. There was nothing i f value about the body. The clothing had beeii good. From this fact it is thought the man was murdered. If this proves to be so it will be the third murder mystery since March. One was the. murder of August Hack man, who was found dead in the woods, and the other was that of W. B. Carlisle, who was found dying iu a freight car. A suit for breach of promise which will prove of interest if it ever conies to trial v as begun in the Sangamon County court Friday. The plaintiff is Miss Annie Mc­ Donald Irish, of Jamestown, It. I., and the defendant is Malcolm Catlin, son of a wealthy tobacco manufacturer of St. Louis. Damages are claimed in the sum of $25,000. The facts are said to be that two years ago Miss Irish was spending 'lie heated term at Newport, where she first met youn'g Catlin. In due time, it is alleged, he asked her hand in marriage, and an engagement followed. After the season was over at Newport the couple became estranged, Mr. Catlin, according to the allegation, abandoning his atten­ tions, hence the suit. Frank Millizen,of Miletus, became sud- denlyinsaue from a business failure and attempted to kill his wife and baby, but was prevented by a neighbor, who almost lost his own life in trying to protect them. A disastrous fire broke out in Rockford Sunday morning, and resulted in the complete destruction of the, block of live stores owned by Gilbert Woodruff and Much damage to adjoining property. The eutire Woodruff block was occupied by L. Goldman,with a big department store, and his whole stock of goods was consumed. The.total loss on tin- property and stock will .exceed $100,000. Attorney General Moloney rendered iui opinion that a woman can be legally ap­ pointed a to\Vnship treasurer. He holds that the law provides that no person *haiU to 34c; rye, No. 1, 31c to 32c; l)6rk, Vness, $o:oo to $o:nb. r.-pip - ;- Buffalo--Cattle, $2.50 to $4.75; hogs, $3.00 to $4.00; sheep, $2.00 to $3.75; Wheat, No. 2 red.• 03c to 04c; corn. No. 2 fellow, 29c to 30c; oats, No. 2 white, 23c to 25c. ,-New York--Cattle, $3.00 to $5.00; hogs, $3.00 to $4.25; sheep, $2.00 to $3.75; "wheat, No. 2 red, 03c to 05c; corn, No. 2, 28c to 29c; oats, No. 2 white, 20c to122c; butter, creamery, 12c to 17c; eggs, West­ ern, 11c to 14c. be debarred from any occupation, profes­ sion orAemployment (except military), that a township treasurer is appointive, and that a woman can hold such office. During the heated term in Chicago the health department was unable to re­ move lidrses from the streets as fast as they died, and offered $10 to any teamster, who would deliver a carcass at a stip{£ lated place. As a result, hundreds of old crowbnits that were not worth $10 alive were slaughtered and delivered before the scheme was discovered. by a boar. Sylvester Sperry, an overworked brake- man on the Santa Fe Railroad, sat down upon the track at Mazan while waiting for a fast train to pass. , He fell asleep antl was run over and killed by the train. Annie Peterson was arrested and held to the Circuit- Court at M61ine, charged with arson. She confessed to starting eighteen incendiary tires within the past six months and afterward denied it. It is thought she is insane. ^ ith $800 in their vaults, against de­ posits of $115,000, Louis D. Tavlor & Co., private bankers at 959 West Madison street. Chicago, suspended business. At least 800 persons, most of whom are small tradesmen, were depositors in the bank. The new steamer Quincy, built at a cost oi $53,000 by the Diamond Jo line, arrived at Quincy from Dubuque Tues­ day. Mayor .Steinbaeh presented the boat with a flag and then 800 business men and their families took a ride on the boat to Canton and return. She will run in the Quincy-St. Louis trade. Watson, Little & Co., Chicago, whole­ sale dealers and shippers of coal, made an assignment.1 It was asserted that the assets would run over $100,000 and the liabilities will be found to be less than that figure. The failure is attributed tq a strike at their mines.. The attorneys for the firm-say the failure will have but little effect upon the contracts held,-by the concern, as the assignee, by ah order of court, will probably" carry oft the business. . ' A 'combination sale ofi Poland-China hogs from the herds of Correll & Cdffman of. Mechanicsburg, H. O. Minnis of Sharpsburg and T. B. Hart of Edinburg was held in 'the live stock pavilion at the Springfield State fair grounds. It was the most successful sale of the character held in years and attracted buyers from many St-ates. One sow, "Minnis' Model," brought $1,310. She was purchased by I. W o W illiatns Sons of Bryan, Ind., who also paid $050 for "Moorish Maid," mother >sow. (Jeorge M. Bennett, son of W. W. Ben­ nett, a wealthy Itockford resident, has been made the defendant in a suit bro ght by Miss Minnie Blough. in which the latter alleges breach of promise to marry. Mi^s Blough wants $.>,000 damages. Sim is a resident of Davis Junction, where he young man has^been managing his fathers farming interests. Bennett boarded at Miss Plough's home, and both being musicians, they played violin and piano selections together. It. is said the prosecution will try to prove that M>\ Bennett's vocal rendition of "O, Promise Me was equivalent to a marriage pro­ posal. Ihe annual report of the State superin­ tendent of insurance was laid before the Governor. It shows the following life in­ surance business for the past year: l 'ortv- one companies issued 20,750 policies, ag­ gregating $i.5,34 < ,893. The average amount of policies was 2^2,40S. The pre­ miums received were $9,941,077; losses paid, $3,473,7(53; policies in force, 125,- 911; amount at risk. $321,073,021. The report on industrial business shows: Num­ ber of policies issued, 179.090; amount. $24,338.77: average amount of each pol­ icy. $130: premiums received. $1,193,521; losses paid, $350,022; policies in force, 228,025; amount at risk, $28,(534,343. The Salvation army ., disturbances at Belleville, which have extended over a period of months, culminated Tuesday night in a riot. The soldiers took their stand on the steps of the court house, and for two hours and a half held their position against the repeated rushes of the mob. They weiip hurled down the stone steps countless times and many were roughly handled. One of their fla^s was torn, and they were subjected fo great abuse. The mob was led by Hans Schwar'z, who mounted a pillar and harangued the crowd to acts of greater violence. Police protection was appealed for and refused, but at 10:30 o'clock Captain i iaekel and a squad drove the crowd away and compelled the army to go to its barracks. The miners at Goa/imys and the Tattle Muddy eoal mines at Percy went out on a stqitfte Monday morning for an increase of 7 cents for mining, an advance of about 10 cents per ton. The Little Muddy mine was formerly .operated by Matliis iS: McGuire of St. Louis, but is now man­ aged by Henry Dean & Son of Percy. Indications are that the strike will be of long duration, as the miners are deter­ mined to remain out until the operators grant the advance or effect a compromise. The Randolph mine is also shut down, the employes being out for their w a g e s , long past due them. There are about 200 men out of employment until the mines resume work again. The Willisville mine is still in operation, but it is thought its employes will join the strike out of sympatl \ In th Adams County Court. Judge C. E. Epl> r handed down a decision uphold­ ing the constitutionality of the inherit­ ance tax law passed by the last Legisla­ ture. This is the first decision on this law by any court in this State. The case was brought by the court against the es­ tate of the late Sam Benton, who died intestate and left, an estate inventoried at $250,000 to his wife and two daugh­ ters. The estate raised no other objection to the tax than that the law was uncon­ stitutional. 'l5&> judge's decision is a voluminous one, and in it he reviews at great length the history of the inherit­ ance-fax principle. In leading up to his final announcement Judge Epler holds that the tax is not a tax on property, but a tax on the right or privilege of succes­ sion to property under the law. The de­ volution of property by will is not a nat­ ural right, but one under legislative con­ trol. except as limited by the State or Federal constitution. The tax is not an exemption, but it is the application of the taxing power to new objects of taxation, the privilege of succession*. The economic effect of the tax is to distribute concen­ trated wealth and discourage immense fortunes in any one family. In the habeas corpus proceedings at Cairo. G. P. Crabtree. charged with the killing of Druggist I. N. Coffee, was ad­ mitted to bail, his bond being fixed at $3,000, the lowest bond under the laws for manslaughter. Wednesday morning W. H. Hardin and William Remington, advertising agents of Chicago, roommates, engaged in a violent quarrel at their quarters at tha Hamilton House. Peoria, during the pro­ gress of which Hardin cut his partner a number of times with a penknife. Rem­ ington is likely to die. Hardin was held without bail to await the result. Robert W. Young, who at Hillsboro was placed under $10,000 bond to await the action of the grand jury on a charge of "killing his wife and daughter, lias been again arrested on the same charge. The last warrant was issued by Justice Mc- David of Coffeen. „ Six weddings were celebrated at Ri ford Wednesday, two being elopemeiits-- M. E. Vought and Miss Maud Ilole<«nb of Dakota, and W. F. Lincoln of Free- POrt and Miss Grace A. Cole <of. Dakota. Lee Stewart, a prominent young business man, and Miss Mabel Sturtevant were married, as were also George W. Rich­ ardson and Miss Minnie Haight of £ihl» cago. , MUSIC OF ST. PETER'S. «_ , . • " 1 v The Choir Singa It at SiBht Without Rehearsal. Opposite the Chapel of the Sacrament is the Chapel of, the Choir. St. Peter's Is a cathedral, and Is managed by a chapter of canons, each of whom has his seat in the cliolr, and his vote in the disposal of the cathedral's income, which is considerable. The chapter maintains the choir of St. Peter's, a body of musicians, quite independent of the so-called "Pope's choir," which is properly termed the "choir of the Sis- tine Chapel," and which is paid by the Pope. No musical instruments are ever used in the Sistine. In the choir, on the con­ trary, there are two large organs. The one on the west side is employed on all ordinary occasions; it is over two hun­ dred years old, and is timed about two whole tones belt)w the modern pitch. It is so worn out that an organ-builder is in attendance during every service to. make repairs at a moment's uotice. The bellows leak, the stops stick,, some notes have a chronic tendency to "cy­ pher," and the pedal "trackers" un­ hook themselves iuie.xp6ct6dly. Bnt the canons would certainly not think , -f)t building a no.w organ. -c Should they ever do so. and uitie the instrument to the modern pitch, the consternation of the singers . 'would be great; for Hie music is all written for tile existing or».n,. and could not be performed; twofiioje^ higher, not to men­ tion the confusion that would arise where all the music is sung at' sight. This is a fact not generally known, but worthy of notice. The music sung-in St. Peter's, and, indeed, in most Homan churches, jg never rehearsed or prac­ ticed. Ihe music itself is entirely in manuscript, and is the property of the choirmaster, or, as is the case iti St. Pe­ ter s. ot the chapter, and there is no copyright in it beyond this fact of ac­ tual possession, protected by the simple plan of never allowing any musician to have his part, in his hands except while lie is actually performing it. In tho course of a year the same piece m.'t.v be sung several times, and the old choristers may become acquainted with-a good deal of the music in this way, but never otherwise. Mozart ia reported to have learned Allegri's Mis­ erere by ear, and to have written it dov\ u l roni memory. The other f amous Misereres, which are now published, were pirated in a similar way. The choirmaster of that day was very un­ popular. Some of the leading singers who had sung the Misereres during many years in succession, and had thus learned their several parts, met and put together -wha t they knew into a whole, which was at once published, to the no small annoyance and discomfi­ ture of their enemy. But much good music is quite beyond the reach of the public--Palesirina's best motets, airs by Alessandro Stradella, the famous hymn of Raimondi, in short, a great musical library, an archivio, as the Romans call such a collection, all of which is practi­ cally lost to the world. It is wonderful that under stud) .cir­ cumstances the choir of St. Peter's should obtain even such creditable re­ sults. At a moment's notice an organ­ ist and about a hundred singers are called upon to execute a florid piece of music which many of them have never seen or heard; the accompaniment is olayed at sight from a mere figured !>ass, on a tumble-down instrument two hundred years old. and the singers, both the soloists and the chorus, sing from thumbed bits of manuscript parts writ­ ten in old-fashioned characters on pa ; per often green with age. No one has ever denied the extraordinary musical facility of Italians, but if the general musical world knew how Italian church music is performed it would be vtry much astonished. It is no wonder that such music is sometimes bad. But sometimes it is very good; for there are splendid voices among the singers and the Maestro Renzi, the chief organist, is a man of real talent as well as of amazing facil­ ity. His modernizing influence is coun­ terbalanced by that of the old choir­ master, Maestro Meluzzi. a first-rate musician, who would not for his life change a hair of the old-fashioned tra­ ditions. Yet there are moments, on certain days, when the effect of the great old organ, with the rich voices blending in some good harmony, is very solemn and stirring. TliCrffflffward per­ suasive force of religion lfes largely In its music, and the religions that have no songs make few proselytes.--Cen­ tury. OQ Farmers and the Wheel. At a recent monthly meeting of a farmers' club, held near Anderson, Ind., every farmer who spoke at the meeting referred to the necessity and justice of keeping the roads in proper condition for bicycles. A number«of Intelligently written papers on build­ ing and repair of roads were read, in ail of which the bicycle was referred t-o in tlie kindest terms. , The farmers of the great State of Indiana are.learning the value of good roads, and they do not intend to have them otherwise, just to keep "them bicycle crauks" from tid­ ing on them. - • Wheelmen everywhere should do all they can to engender the kindest rela­ tions between themselves and the farm­ ers. When ̂ horsemen and wheelmen and farmers come to a clearer realiza­ tion .of the truth that they are fill work­ ing in oue common" cause, Good Roads, they will achieve results that will be .^ery gratifying. At the preseilt time eac.li class entertains a mistaken no­ tion regarding the intelligence of the others and the justice of their claims for recognition. Former Slave Market. On benches so placed as to command a good view were, the buyers, coarse- looking Turks, whose calm. Searching gaze seeiued to take in every detail. The merchant conducting the sale stood before tlieni, talking and gesticu- .ating with great vehemence. He turn­ ed to one of tilt? pons, which was filled with jouug Circassian women, most of whom were very handsome. They were seated close together on the ground, in an attitude of listless de­ spondency. their white garments flow­ ing around them, and as they gazed up at me with their sad, dark eyes, 1 felt painfully how they must envy the free and happy stranger who came to look on them in their infamy and misery. The slave trader came forward, fol­ lowed by a phlegmatic-looking Turk, and. seizing one of the women by the arm. forced her to stand tip before this man. who. it appeared, wished to buy iter, lie proceeded to inspect her, very much in the same manner as he might nave examined a horse or a dog, and Ids decision! was unfavorable; he turn­ ed with a contemptuous movement of the head, and the slave merchant, in a :age, thrust back the unfortunate girl, who sank down trembling among her companions in activity. This scene was as muchjis we could stand, and we left the place hurriedly at once; it is well, indeed, that such sights can bo wit­ nessed no more, at least iu Europe.-- Blackwood's Magazine. American Horses for England. Kvery Day Good Roads. The farmers used to have a certain or an uncertain time each year for ••working" the roads. Nothing coubl be done before or after that particular time for the improvement of the high­ ways. If the floods came just after they had icpaired the roads by piling all the soft dirt obtainable in the middle of the thoroughfare, and washed great holes in it, everything had to remain in x disorganized condition until the next annual road working season arrived. As a matter of course the roads were used all the year, more or less, but they had to shift for themselves most of the time. Horsey, protested against this plan and some of them "kicked" vigorous!;. ; 1 ut the "perfect brute," man, held the rein§ and likewise the whip, aud so the protest was in vain. And then the bicycle came and men discovered that a bad road is just as bad one time as another. The fact that roads were once made good did not avail much. They must be kept good. You cannot go wheeling on The mere reminiscence of a good road. Every time a bicycler goes over the road lie notes its" defects, and he in-' sists on having them fixed at once. The once-a-year plan of repairing highways is going out of style. The prayer now is. "(Jive us this day our daily good roads." The best time to fix a mad :s just at or just before the time it needs it. Sera pere. Don't be a mud-turtle. Bulhl good roads. A muddy roadbed means a sleepy supervisor. Quit patching the road all to pieceS. Build it right. The real (lusty road is sure to become the real muddy one. Don't -take any stock (rolling or live stock) in a muddy road. Go out into the highways and byways and preach Good Roads. The condition of the road is the price tag that tells the value of the farm. Build the culverts properly and not too far apart. Water standing on the upper side of the road makes trouble. Good. Mr. Farmer, fix the road. So you can haul a bigger load. With half loads going, to and fro, oil re twice as far from town, you know. The London General t)tnnibus~Com^- gate,, who--uttered pauy has entered into a contract with an American firm for the supply of 6,000 horses for'bus work in the metro­ polis, which does not seem as though they\ were much afraid of the new moto\ea r. Flocking to Minnesota. Progress in the settlement of Minne­ sota'was never so marked as at present, the sales of State. Government and railroad land being very heavy. The Sultan's Private Museum. Wo entered a building consisting of one long room, filled with treasures. This is the Sultan's private museum, llere are collected and beautifully ar­ ranged all the presents that he has re­ ceived, as well as innumerable valuable objects that belonged to some ^if his predecessors. Countless clocks and watches, inlaid armor, objects in jade, caskets, wonderfully bound books, china of all sorts, pictures, miniatures, jeweled ornaments of every kind, all so arranged in their cases, that one could examine and enjoy them, a de­ lightful contrast to the confusion in which the treasures of the old Seraglio are heaped together. One upright case contained four dozen of the most per­ fect deep blue Sevres plates, a present from the Emperor Napoleon, sunk into velvet, twenty-four on each side of the stand. Each plate was a picked and perfect specimen. The right nWnies were not always attached to the ob­ jects. and we found a minature paint­ ing which we recognized as Lord Pal- merstou marked as the Prince Con­ sort. • We could have spent hours in examin­ ing everything, but time was limited, and we were taken on to the private stables, still within the harem walls, holding twelve of fhe most perfect Arabs, used by the Sultan for rid jijjr and driving in the park of Yikliz. Tlioy were.all white or gray. Of course we saw no dogs anywhere--they arc held of no repute in the East; but I was told the Sultan possesses a peeuiiariv fine breed of white Angora cats, to which he is de\oted, and whose progeny he sometimes gives to friends; but I saw none of them. The only pet we saw was a large cockatoo at the liare-m Some unknown sounds--I suppose Turkish-as we passed--Longman's Magazine. Nebraska's Big Canal. Rapid progress is being made on the Great Eastern Canal, which is expected to irrigate 250,000 acres of Nance, Platte, and "Colfax Counties. Nebraska. The first five miles have been com­ pleted. Five grading machines are at work on the big canal and fourteen «crapers. »