NEWS OF THE WORLD.
Cholera is raging at Hong Kong.
China.
Algernon Narloris, grandson of
Gen. Grant, has been made a lieuten
ant in the regular army.
Congress will be asked to make a
liberal appropriation for an Alaskan
exhibit at the Louisiana purchase
exposition.
Cotton mill operators of Fall Riv
er, Mass., have agreed to advance
wages 10 per cent, restoring the old
scale which was cut about a year ago.
Chinese troops met defeat from
rebels in Fang Chang province. The
rebels appear to be gaining in
strength and have looted a number
of towns.
A Marconi company with a capi
tal stock of $10,000,000 is to be in
corporated under New Jersey laws
to promote the Marconi wireless tel
egraph system in the United States.
Gen. Funston is to succeed Gen.
MacArthur in command of the de
partment of Colorado, the latter to
be transferred to the department of
the lakes, with headquarters at Chi
cago.
The southwestern gulf states were
deluged by a heavy precipitation
February 27. Many bridges were
swept away and in the city of Col
umbus, Ga., the damage was unusu
ally heavy.
The ship subsidy bill has passed
the senate by a vote of 42 to 31.
Senators Allison and Dolliver, of
Iowa, Spooner and Quarles of Wis
consin, and Proctor and Dillingham,
of Vermont, republicans, voted
against final passage of the bill
and Senator McLaurin, of South
Carolina, voted for it.
The federal grand jury at Louis
ville, Kv., has returned an indict
mc nt against the Louisville & Nash
ville railroad for violation of the
interstate commerce law, the offense
consisting in the road charging less
for the transportation of corn in
carload lots than the interstate com
merce law prescribed.
The commissioner of internal rev
enue has decided that the proceeds of
a life insurance policy, payable to a
party insured of his legal represent
ative, is a part of descendant’s estate.
Jf, however, it is payable to some
one else, the proceeds are not to be
treated as a part of his estate, but
are payable direct to the beneficiaries
named in the policy, and are not sub
ject to legacy tax.
A representative ot the Associated
Press lias received a letter from
Miss Stone, the American mission
ary, expressing surprise and grati
tude at the universal manifestations
of joy at the release of herself and
Mine. Tsilka. Miss Stone also con
veys her thanks to all those who by
tiledP labor, their money and their
prayers co-operated to the release ol
herself and companion.
A horrible sight was viewed by
the witnesses to a legal execution at
Aberdeen, Miss., William Lanier,
white, was the name of the man
hanged, his crime being murder.
When the trap was sprung the fall
broke Lanier's neck, completely sev
ering his head from the body. The
head fell on one side, the body in
another direction, while the noose re
bounded to the floor of the scaffold.
The German emperor has named
a torpedo boat “Alice Roosevelt,”
in honor of the president’s daughter.
A big tight is on between the
American Tobacco Company and
the Imperial Tobacco Company (the
British combine) to control the
trade of Great Britain. The Eng
lish firm started a boycott, offering
a bonus of 50,000 pounds, to be dis
tributed among the dealers refusing
to handle American goods. The
American company now comes
back at the rival with an offer of
200,000 pounds to be distributed
among dealers handling its prod
4 uet.
A cyclone wrecked forty houses at
Piper, Ala. Ed Turner, colored, was
killed and John Allen, wife and three
children were severely injured. The
Gtorm did considerable damage at
I other points.
Thousands of head of sheep are
dead and many people missing as
the result of heavy snowstorms in
Minnesota.
The democratic members of the
house in congress adopted a resolu
tion to the effect that congress
should express sympathy for the
ifoevs.
The Mississippi deaf mute insti
tute, located at Jackson, was de
stroyed by tire on the 18th. All the
inmates were rescued from the
building.
Five thousand Americans from
all sections of the country traveled
to Juarez, Mex., to witness a bull
fight, in which twenty horses and
five bulls were inhumanely put to
death. .
Rev. Mr. Houst, pastor of a Lu
theran church at Patterson, X. J.,
was attacked and fatally stabbed by
anarchists. Just after the assassi
nation of President McKinley the
minister preached a sermon severe
ly denouncing anarchy, which is no
doubt the cause of the assault.
Complete reorganization of the
Dawes commission, with the selection
of a man at the head of the commis
sion who will take active steps to
wind up the affairs of the Indians of
the five civilized tribes, is proposed
by the senate committee on Indian
affairs and will probably be adopted
as an amendment to the Indian ap
propriation bill now pending.
The position of commissioner gen
eral of immigration has been tender
ed by the president to Frank P. Sar
gent, chief of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen, to succeed T.
V. Powderly, the present incumbent.
It is understood the reasons for the
president’s action in desiring to re
lieve Powderly is because he has not
worked in harmony with the higher
officials of the treasury department,
which has resulted in more or le?s
friction.
An explosion in the powder mix
ing depatment of the Fairmount
Manufacturing Company at Cleve
land, ()., resulted in the death of one
girl employe and the wounding of
seven other persons. The name of
the dead girl is Annie Fritz. The
injured arc: Miss Christine Smitz
er, probably fatally burned; Miss
Ki.^ie Howard, will probably die;
Frank Grosch, arm broken and body
bruised and burned; Miss Augusta
Alden, burned and injured by jump
ing from second-story window; Lena
Kots, back injured in jumping from
second-story window; Mrs. Liza Cot
till, burned and bruised; Miss Helen
Carey, jumped from second-story,
window, back injured.
A gang oi robbers and wholesale
murderers has been run down it
Beaumont, Tex., to whose operations
may be due the numerous mysterious
disappearance ot‘ people from that
city. A negro woman named Bennett
made a confession, on the strength
of which several arrests were made,
one of them being John Welsh, a
white man. Five of the .supposed
victims of the gang were found in
ther, Xoches river, which skirts the
town. It is about 150 feet wide and
feet deep. In some places
swamps run back. A body thrown
into the swamps stands small chance
of being found. The alligators would
devour them. If it is true that fifty
persons have disappeared from
Beaumont this may be the solution
of the mystery of the missing bodies.
The case in some of its features re
calls the Bender family murders in
Labellc county, Kansas, thirty years
ago. The Benders for months en
trapped travelers and killed them.
The family consisted of a man and
his wife and grown daughter. When
the murderers were finally discover
ed the Benders fled. The Bennett
woman in her confession says the
gang was compost'd of negro women
and white men. The victims were
lured to a house occupied by the
women, who would dug them, then
the men would bear them into un
consciousness, taking what money
they had. If the injuries were fa
tal the unfortunate victims were
thrown into the river, otherwise they
were taken to some side street and
left for pedestrians or some police
man to find.
NEWS OF ARKANSAS
Skipper Case Affirmed.
The United States court of ap
peals at St. Louis has affirmed the ■
judgment in the United States couth
for the eastern district of Arkansas
in the case of the Union Central
Life Insurance Company vs. Melis
sa F. Skipper. The ease is a cele
brated one in Arkansas. Mrs.
Skipper was awarded judgment
for $10,000 on two policies held by
her husband. The company con
tended that W. F. Skipper commit
ted suicide. W. W. Skipper, the
husband, was one of the wealthy
men of Drew county, Arkansas. Ho
owned a large sawmill near Bayou
Bartholomew and on May 13, 1896,
he was found dead near it by four
men. It was thought by some that
he killed himself by cutting his
throat with a knife, but two men af
terward swore to a statement in
which they charged Alex Johnson
and James Redd with the murder.
They said that the object had been
robbery. Johnson and Redd were
indicted. The supreme court re
versed and remanded the case. On
the second trial they were again con
victed, and again it was carried to
the supreme court. This time the
decision was affirmed as to Redd and
reversed and remanded as to John
son. Later the supreme court made
an order that Redd be given a new
trial with Johnson. Before the
third trial had begun a mob shot
them to death. In the meantime
Mrs. Skipper had brought suit
against the insurance company on
two policies of $5,000 each. The
suit was transferred to the federal
circuit court, where it was twice
heard without the jury being able
to reach a verdict. On the third
trial a judgment was found in Mrs.
Skipper’s favor for the full amount.
Brutal Murder.
Green Thompson, one of the
wealthiest colored men o f Little
Rock, was found dead in his yard
on the morning of the 20th, having
been murdered by some unknown
party or parties. Thompson was
last seen alive about 10 o’clock on
the night of the 19th, when he at
tended a church social. He left the
gathering and went home. Going
into the house, he laid his overcoat
on a bed but did not awaken his
wife. She never missed her hus
band until G o’clock in the morn
ing, when she searched and found
him in the yard, his head and body
terribly mangled. It is supposed
Thompson started to Hie stable for
the purpose of feeding his horse
some hay, as was his custom, and
knocked down a few feet from the
door. His body was then dragged
to an outhouse, where it was found.
11 is son, who is of a wild disposi
tion, was arrested, but no positive
evidence has so far been secured as
to his guilt.
Prefers The Gallows.
Reedv Vance, whoso death sen
tence for the killing of a Chinaman
at Little Rock was recently condi
tionally reduced to twenty-one years’
imprisoned by the supreme court,
filed a statement with the court, de
clining to accept the offer. \ ance
addressed the following note to the
court: “If, in spite of all, you are
determined that I shall be punish
ed, then do not let it be behind pris
on walls. Let it be as the prosecu
tion so anxiously desired—on the
scaffold. But do not allow the exe
cution to take place if you can pos
sibly prevent within the narrow
limits of Perryville’s jail. Let it be
in the open—out in the broad light
in her green and fertile valley. On
either side are beautiful pine-cap
ped hills and overhead is God's blue'
sky. l)o not strangle me to death
within the somber shadows of that
ghostly structure, I beseech- you.
Death has no terrors for me. I
know that God's love and God’s
mercy are as limitless and as bound
less as eternity itself.”
The barns and several tenement
houses on the plantation of W. II.
Schaer in Pulaski county were de
stroyed by fire. Loss $10,000, with
no insurance.
Farm Values.
According to a census report on
agriculture the farms of Arkansas
dune 1, 1900, aggregated 178;694 in
number and $165,182,170 in value,
\Vit1i total products in 1899 of $79,
649,490, according to a census re
port on agriculture. Of the total
farm valuation, 22 per cent repre
sents the buildings and 78 p<*r cent
the land and improvements, other
than buildings. The value of farm
implements and machinery was $8,
750,060, and live stock $67,483,771.
The total value of farm property in
1900 was $181,416,001. Of the to
tal value of farm products in 1899,
almost 26 per cent represents the
value of animal products and 74
per cent crops, including forest
products. The total value of farm
products in 1899 exceeded that for
1889 by 50 per cent. In Arkansas
in 1899 the gross farm income was
$66,076,620, and the income of in
vestment was 36 per cent.
Condition of National Banks.
The abstract of the condition of
the national banks of Arkansas at
the close of business on February
25, as reported to the comptroller
of the currency, shows the average
reserve held at 31.78 per cent,
against 24.21 per cent on December
10; loans and discounts decreased
gold coin increased from $98,162 to
$149,945; total specie increased
from $234,033 to $309,043; lawful
money reserve increased from $359,
646 to $444,819; individual depos
its decreased from $4,216,118 to $4,
156,663.
James Ownby, of Rector, shot his
wife and made an attempt to mur
der her step father. The shooting
was the culmination of a family
broil. Ownby's wife left him and
went to the home of her stepfather.
Ownby followed and tried to get her
to return, which she refused to do.
Ffe then began shooting witli a pis
tol and three shots took effect. He
also tried to kill his infant child.
Mr. Pruett, the woman's stepfather,
opened fire on Ownby, inflicting a
slight wound. The murderer is in
Shot His Wife.
Postoffice Robber Captured.
A. T. Emmet, member of a gang
of postoffice robbers, who operated
through Kentucky, was arrested at
Little Lock and has been returned to
Covington, where he will be tried for
robbing the postoffiee at Frankfort
in 1900. The evidence against him
is said to be very clear, as two of
his pals who took part in the robbery
are serving long terms. Emmet
succeeded in eluding the officers for
two years. He was taken up at
Little Rock for vagrancy and a post
office inspector who saw him on the
chain gang recognized him as the
man wanted in Kentucky.
Robbed a Depot.
The depot at Osceola was entered
by burglars, who secured $.‘1.70 ii
money and all the whisky they were
able to consume. Several express
packages were broken open, but none
of their contents are missing, except
ing the case of whisky. The thieves
effected an entrance into the depot
through a window, which they prized
open. Xo clew as to who the perpe
trators were, and it seems that their
only motive was for whisky, a.s the
express safe was not molested.
World’s Fair Donations.
Pictures of the proposed Arkan
sas building at the St. Louis fair
suitable for distribution as souve
nirs are to be furnished the newspa
pers of the state. Among the liber
al donations already made for tin'
building are that of Eureka Springs,
of stone for the approaches; of
Mena, of slate for the roof, and of
about fifty lumber firms of the lum
ber to be used in construction. The
donations already amount to about
$15,000 and about as much in cash
donations is in sight.
Capt. J. G. Leigh, of Little Rock,
adjutant general and chief of staff
with the rank of lieutenant colonel
under B. W. Green, commanding
the First brigade, Arkansas division,
U. C. V., died on the 16th inst.
Barber Killed.
W. A. Jones, a collector for a fur
niture house, ssliot and killed H. M.
Dickerson, a colored barber, at Kit
tle Rock. Jones went to Dickerson’s
shop to collect a bill, which the ne
gro refused to pay, and followed
him to the sidewalk, using abusive
language. The negro also attempt
ed to draw a gun, but Jones was too
quick for him and shot him five
times. Jones was exonerated at his
preliminary trial.
Neck Broken.
Thos. Myers, a Carroll county
farmer, was killed by his wagon, in
which he was hauling some machin
ery, overturning while descending a
hill. A piece of machinery fell
across his neck, causing instant
death.
BRIEF MENTION.
Mrs. Dora Clow has been ap
pointed postmaster at Arkadelphia.
Urbanette is a new postoffice in
Carroll county, C. D. Pin mice post
master.
J. M. Kelso. Jr., of this state, has
been appointed second lieutenant in
the regular army.
James Bell, a farmer, while en
route home from Fayetteville, fell
dead from heart disease.
While working in a mine at Den
ning John Salakate. a Pole, was
killed by falling rock, which had
been loosened by a recent blast.
The dead body of an unknown
man was found near Winthrop.
The man had been dead some time,
and the corpse was so bady decom
posed it could not be determined
whether he was murdered or died
from exposure.
Geo. Taylor, a prominent Jeffer
son county planter, committed sui
cide by cutting his throat. Despond
ency over financial troubles the
cause.
About thirty people lost their
lives in a fire which destroyed the
Phoenix line pier at Hoboken. X. J.
Joseph. Manley of Maine has been
tendered the position of first assist
ant postmaster general, to succeed
Mr. Johnson, resigned.
James R. Garfield, son of the late
president, has been tendered the
appointment of Civil service Com
missioner, to succeed W. A. Rodcn
burg.
President Roosevelt will shortly
take steps looking to the retirement
of Gen. Miles on account of criti
cisms of the war department by the
general.
A majority and minority report
on the isthmian canal has been sub
mitted by committee of the senate,
'rite majority opposes the Pana
ma deal and the minority argues in
its favor.
It has been settled that Pension
Commissioner Evans will shortly
sever his connection with the pension
bureau to accept another position,
probably as ambassador to one of
the principal foreign governments.
Gen. Miles declares that if the
bill introduced by Senator Hawley,
at the instance of ihe war depart
ment, for the organization of a gen
eral staff for the army, should be
come a law he would decline to lon
ger hold his commission. The bill
lessens the power of the command
er in chief.
The Venezuelan revolution head
ed by Gen. Matos seems to be. taking
form. Eight hundred revolutionists,
under Gen. Penalozo, are besieging
Carupano (a seaport: town) in the
state of Bermudez), and the revolu
tionists under Gen. Monagas have
surrounded Barcelona, the capital of
the state of Bermudez.
Ed Batson, the young white man
charged with the murder of five
members of the Earl family, near
Lake Charles, La., has been indicted
and will be tried in April. Batson
stoutly denies his guilt and when
arrested in Kentucky returned to
Louisiana without a requisition. He
was employed by the elder Earle,
but left his farm the day before the
murders were committed.
THIS AND THAT.
Crystal gazing has been superseded
in London by Little black mirrors
from India, in which the faddists as
sert they can ,-ee future events.
There is no wild breed of fowl to
which the Brahma or Cochin can be
traced. The gamecock seems to be
descended from the Cingalese jungle
fowl.
The lir>t letter post was established
among the llanse towns of Germany
about the year 1270. Posts were first
heard of in England in the reign of
Edward J.
Ivory carving in India.formerly an
art encouraged by the native princes,
has decayed, owing to the preference
of the natives foreheap English chan
deliers and Brummagen products.
Cabbage is an old cure for drunk
enness. The Egyptians ate it boiled
before their other food if they intend
ed to drink wine after dinner, and
some of the remedies sold as a prevent
ive of intoxication on the continent
are said to contain cabbage seed.
Havana is much better off than
New York and many other American
cities, and better than London and a
large number of foreign capitals, with
respect to smallpox. CubaVforemost
community has not had a single case
of this disease for many weeks and it
is also free from yellow fever.
Kris Kringie is.a woman in the
minds of little Italian children—ugly
and old, but boundlessly benevolent,
and she is called La Befana. The le
gend has it that La Befana refused to
go to her window andfsalute the three
wise men who were passing. She has
been repenting her discourtesy ever
since and shows her penitence by be
nevolence to children. La Befana is
nearly 2,000years old.
“Men ceased about five years ago
to wear a flower in their buttonhole."
says a florist, “but this winter the
fashion has come back again. The
carnation is most generally worn. It
is a hardy bloom, and only costs, at it*
very best—and at its best it is as big
as a rose—five cents. At this season
it is the most correct flower to wear.
It seems to be. somehow, more mas
culine than the lily of the valley orthe
violet.”
GREEN CORN IN ENGLAND.
Englishmen Smacking Their Lips Over a
“New Vegetable.”
From the United States, to meet
the wants of Canadian and American
visitors, says the Fall Mall (London)
Gazette, green Indian cobs have been
forwarded to the London market, this
esculent being preserved in crossing
the Atlantic by means of cold storage.
But this class of competition is not
to go on unchecked, and many astute
market gardeners and others are de
veloping enterprises to secure the
British market for themselves.
in one instance we have to chron
icle the advent of a new English vege
table, new. however, only inasmuch
that until recently green Indian corn
has not been grown as a vegetable
in this country, although so well
known in the form it was sent to Cov
ent garden from America.
It is true that the maize plant, with
its tall stem, long flaglike foliage and
silvery fringe, has been grown for
years in our gardens for decorative
purposes, but the cobs have been neg
lected in their edible or profitable pos
sibilities until last year, when certain
market gardeners discovered that an
ordinary summer will develop the
heads in this country quite sufficient
ly for eating in the green state, and
from these experiments it was found
that in delicacy of flavor the heads
grown in this country were fully equal
to those grown in the United States
or in Canada.
So rapid has thisesculentadvanced
in favor that whole fields are now de
voted in Essex to growing this Indian
corn, or maize, as it is called in Eng
land. to be cut early, and this season
it is finding a growing demand at the
large hotels in the West End.
The ordinary cookery hooks as yet
do not include recipes for it, hut in
the preparation of this vegetable
nothing can he more simple, for the
cobs only need be boiled in slightly
salted water till tender, and served
with plain, melted or oiled blitter.
When taken at table one finds that
“fingers were made before forks,” for,
like asparagus, it cannot be properlj
consumed with otherassistanee.