Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-31

JAMES ". fiOous at bAn rrhncl5co, inurs-
| day made a Christmas gift OF SO 900 to the
| various charities of that city.
Mrs. Frederick Kopf OF Wadesville, West
Virginia, went to a neighboring store on
Monday week, locking up her 12-months'-
| old infant, and 4-year-old girl In the house.
The house caught fire and the children were
burned to death.
The Chinese minister az Washington has
sent $500 to the Grant Monument fund in
New York; $500 of the contribution is from
the viceroy and the balance is from the
minister. Sec etary Bayard has made suit
able acknowledgment OF the gift.
At Salt Lake City, Thursday, the jury in
the case OF Brigham Young Hampton, an
official and a leading Mormon, charged
with completely in plot to bring disrepu-
| table women to that city for the purpose Of
incriminating Federal officers and Gentiles,
rendered verdict Of guilty after being out
one hour.
The st. Louis Age of Steel says that the
Western Steel Company, lessees of the Vul-
can steel works Of that city, who have been
running on product of steel slabs, billets
and blooms, have determined also to start
the rail mill. This will be the only steel
rail mill outside of the existing combina-
tion whose purposes are the limitation of the
product.
A fight between 10 or 70 unknown negroes
and tramps occurred Friday near Johns
town, Penna., growing out Of an attempt to
drive the tramps from their encampment.
After a fight with clubs, stones and re-
volvers, lasting an hour, the tramps were
driven off, with two of their number
wounded, one mortally. None of the
negroes wore injured.
In Upper Pottsgrove township, Mont
gomery county, Penna., Thursday morning,
while Daniel and Jacob Hines and Frank
Lessig, employed in the Pottstown Iron
Company's new houses, were driving to
work, their wagon broke down and the
horse ran away. Jacob Hines was killed
and Daniel dangerously II not fatally In
iured. Lessig escaped with slight injuries.
The executive committee of the Hem
bricks Monument Association I'm Indian
apolis, after discussing suggestion that
Congress appropriate $40, ,000 in aid of the
erection Of the monument, has unanimously
adopted resolution that no such approprf-
alton should be expected or asked, but that
the association should depend alone upon
voluntary donations by the people for the
money necessary.
In the Superior Court at Atlanta, Fri
day morning, Judge Clarke decided con-
test growing out Of the recent Prohibition
election, and held that he could not take
action on the bill, which is not yet Law, be-
cause the result Of the election has not been
declared. He held also that he could not
interfere with an election. He therefore
dissolved the injunction, and the ordinary,
who was In the court room, Immediately
declared the result to be 228 for Prohibi-
tion. The case will be appealed.
Silas q. Cheek, prominent real estate
loan operator of Clinton, Missouri is re-
ported to have swindled his conildin., fell
low-citizens out of more than Sl0U, ,OU0, ,forg-
ing mortgages and deeds OF trust, and rails
ing money on them. He has He'd to Canada.
In his desk was found u paper on which
wils written: 81 am a thief, ,scoundrel, ,knave
and liar. Silas e. Cheek" Cheek is 32
years Of age and married. His wife, who is
at the point OF death, has not been told Of
her husbands doings.
The top floor Of the three-story brick
warehouse, No. go Hanover street J3alti-
more, gave away at $50 O'Clock Thursday
evening, and carried the entire interior of
the building down in the cellar. The third
floor was used as storeroom by William
Rudolph, wholesale dealer in paper, the
second floor by the British American Coal
Compound Company, and the first floor by
Albert u. Schulze, manufacturer OF show
cases. The building was known to be un-
safe, and arrangements were made few
days ago to strengthen 1t.
At Mount Forest, near Chicago, Thurs
day morning, three burglars entered the
house Of William Cronin, postmaster, and
after tying and gagging Cronin and his
assistant, rifled the post-ofllce and house
of 800 worth of property. They then
took the postmaster's horse and buggy and,
cutting the telegraph wires to the city,
drove off leisurely. Policemen intercepted
the outskirts of the city and fired several
shots at them, but the burglars escaped.
One arrest has been made on suspicion.
A huge Christmas tree, bearing all kinds
of gifts for the patients and attendants of
the county hospital at Chicago, and lavishly
illuminated with candles, caught fire Fri
day while more than 100 people were
packed closely around it. Almost Instantly
the tree was pyramid Of flame, and the
clothes of those who stood nearest to it
caught fire. Every one rushed to the door,
and others were injured in the rush. The
fire was speedily eXtinguished. About 100
persons suffered painful, but not fatal in
juries.
Mrs. Lizzie Brown, young widow, an
noyed by the persistent attentions of John
Oakley, in Chicago, had him arrested Satur-
day week. He was arraigned and gave bail.
As she was leaving the court house Oakley
| followed and assaulted her with a razor.
| He cut her on the elbow and attempted to
cut her throat, but only succeeded in CASH
ing her right temple. She would have bled
to death but for prompt medical attention,
anu sue is Sttlu TO De IN u cfllcal cOnulVlOn.
Oakley, after assaulting the woman, cut his
own wrist but is not dangerously injured.
| A telegram from Harrisonburg, Virginia,
| says that the suIeties on the official bond Of
s. B. Sterling. treasurer of Rockingham
county, Virginia, held a meeting Thursday
and closed the office. The county court
gave Sterling until Monday to give a new
bond. His failure to do so will cause the
appointment of u new treasurer. Sterling
has been sued by the state auditor for
| 537 900 back taxes, and after a partial in
vestigation the deficit in the county funds is
| placed at 800, 900, making total Of s50,000
to 100000. Sterling has been treasurer for
about IA years. His friends claim that he is
/ insane.
Borings for petroleum and natural gas
have been going on for two years at Berea,
Ohio, small town IA miles from Cleveland
but with little success. On Tuesday after
noon Il vein of gas "of immense proper
tions' was struck, and proved its quality
by. igniting all the buildings around the
well. There was great excitement on the
discovery, and stock companies are being
formed for the developments of gas. The
great gas well on the Cleveland rolling mill
premises in Cleveland, is said to have
"frlttered out" 1t has reached depth oi
$3.50 feet, with no prospects of striking
another yein,"