The National tribune., 1883-01-11


to or from third country.
CRIMEs AND CASUALTIES.
Dispatches from Nashville, Tenn, say that
State Treasurer Polk has disappeared from his
Office, aud an examination of his accounts has
discovered deficit amounting toprobably more
than $3S00O0. This viii TO doubt account for
the treasurer's sensitive regard for the popular
sentiment when he concluded not to pay the
January interest on the State bonds. Polk was
elected IS q Democrat six years ago, and served
one term without renewing his bond, which Is
only 100000. He has at various times had
large sums OF money in his possession, but no
wrong was suspected. Two years ago the Legi5-
lature levied a tax TO pay the interest on certain
funded bonds and the tax collected amounted
10 5000, coo. Before he could pay tins amount
over to the creditors, parties opposed to the set
tlement filed an injunction. and the Supreme
Court declared the act unconstitutional. Since
then this money has been in the treasurer S
hands, Mr. Polk's clerk refuses to explain un-
til his chief is present, but admits that there IS
9 deficit Of at least 100000. Parties VINO
funded their bonds under the recent 60.6 act
expected to get their interest out Of this sum,
but on the Ist Of January Mr, Polk refused to
pay them, alleging that the people were opposed
to the money being appropriated in that way
Both branches of the Legislature passed q reso-
luton authorizing the attachment of all Of
Polll's available assets and placing the treasury
in the hands Of the committee and also taking
steps for Poll,'s arrest Polk left the city three
days ago, and it is Tumorad that he has gone
to Mexico and South America. Marsh I. Polk
is a nephew Of ex-Presideut James X. Polk,
and consequently q member Of one Of the first
families in Tennessee. His disgrace falls heav-
lily upon his family, who have always moved in
the best society, particularly his aunt, the ven
cradle widow OF James X. Polk, who resides
here Polk has ten securities, and they viii
be held for 100000 the amount of his bond.
The examination of his books is in progress at
the capitol tonight. ana the indications arc
that 5000 viii not cover the amount Of his
shortage. There may he sums of the States
money deposited in banks but If so it has not
yet been found. The safe in his Office was
searched tins evening and found to contain
nearly $4,000. There is Il difference OF $50, GOO
between Pok's books and the books Of q bank
of this city. A san Antonio special, of the 9th
instant, says: Marsh I. Polk, the absconding
treasurer Of Tennessee, was captured yesterday
afternoon near Webb Station, eighteen miles
from Rio GTande. The capture was made by
officer Joe Shelly The officer is noted for
breaking up stage robbing in West Texas and
sending seventeen offenders to the Chester III
penitentiary. Polk had obtained horse, hav
ing left the cars at Webb Station with j view
of reaching Mexico at an isolated point above
Laredo. The officer was aided in making the
arrest by Pullman Palace Car Conductor Cook
After the capture officer Sheely at once tele-
graphed Governor Hawkins of Tennessee, and
then placed his prisoner on the train and con-
veyed him to Laredo, where he was put in jail
The officer, with his prisoner, viii arrive IN
this city at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning Polk
was travelling in disguise, but the method Of
escape he adopted is regarded as very stupid,
indicating that he had no knowledge Of tele-
graphic facilities Of the country nor Of the char
acter Of the border officers.
The Nowhall House. Milwaukee, was burned
to the ground early yesterday morning. The
inmates OF the doomed building jumped by
dozens from theupper stories. covering the side
walk with ifeless bodies. The shriells of the
unfortunates filed the air in heartrendiug
manner. The people below were unable to rem
der any aid. Quite a number of the terrified
guests and employees Of the hotel appeared at
the windows, and seeing the distance to the
ground, fell back to perish in the flames. The
employees Of the hotel, which accommodated
500 guests, numbered eighty-siX, mostly lodged
in the sixth story. Exit by way Of the roof
was cut OF by the fire, and the two stand pipes,
with the fire ladders, were not available for the
same reason. 1t may safely be said that sixty
persons are dead and thirty seriously injured.
The mayor has called a meeting to organize q
salvage corps to search the ruins. About
week ago the local board of underwriters was
applied to tomake p rate on the bUildingt that the
local agencies might take risks thereon, as the
building was considered q death-trap and risks
had been refused. Tom Thumb and party and
the Madison Square company are all safe as far
as learned. Mrs John Gilbert, Of the Minnie
Palmer troupe married only two days ago, was
burned to death in sight Of the multitude.
4 Groton, Conn, dispatch says: Geo. Avery,
a grocer Of this city, set q novel trap to catch
the burglars who had several times robbed his
store Behind the counter, near The money
drawer, he dug a pit Of generous dimensions,
especially as to its depth, which was no less
than seventeen feet. When he had completed
this novel burglar-catchingma machine he djUstcd
the floor over it in such a way that the enter
prising burglar vino stepped on ii would at once
be tilted 10 the bottom Of the pit. The trap
sprung during Monday night and worked Ike
a charm, for Tuesday morning when Mr.. Avery
opened his store, the deluded burglar who had
entered it was found slowed away seventeen
feet from the surface. Getting him out OF the
piJ was q more difficult job than it had been to
get him IN, but he was finally brought 10 the
surface. lie gave his name as Henry Johnson,
and said he hailed from New York.
A Bethlehem, Pa, dispatch Of the 9th inst,
says: Shortly after two O'Clock this afternoon
a boiler explosion occurred at No. I blast fur
mace Of the Bethlehem Iron CO.. resulting In The
death Of four men and woman, and in the
serious injury ofscveral others. Ten boilers were
located over the engiuo-house, al an elevation
of thir5y-fye feet. Five OF these were forty
inches in diameter and thirty-six feet in
length, and the others were smaller and were
used for heating purposes. Two Of the iarEl st
boilers exploded with terrific force, wreckin8
the interior Of the cngine-house and dcmOiIsh-
ing nearly half Of the pattern shop adjoining
the engine-hOuse. Ono Of the boilers WAS carried
the roof of the old mill, and fell to the ground.
Of the ten boilers only three were left IN posi-
tion.
At Cohoes n Y, on the 5th instant, the roll
ing mills Of Morrison, C0lwel & Page, which
were said 10 have cost 100000, were partly de
stroyed by fire, the loss being variouslv e5,i-
mated from $4,000 to 100000 The woFl,mcn
in the rolling mills had not time 10 draw the
fires from the furnaces, and tho iron in them
VIII chill and compel the tearing out Of part
Of the furnaces. The fire originated in the
wheel pit while the engineer was thawng it
ont. The flames were soon communicated to
the Pilot Mills building, which was also de-
strOycd There was Il gasoline tank IN this
building, which exploded with terrific force,
blowing down the walls. The frcmen knew
that several barrels of oil had been placed IN
the tank, and kent at q safe distance till after
tho explosion. The loss on this building is
100000 and the insurance $4,000.
dispatch from CoultersvilIe III, SAYS that
on Monday afternoon an explosion occurred in
the coal mine Of Jones q kCsDit, near there.
OF twelve persons in the mine at the time,
only two escaped. Mason, the foreman, was at