davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
THE INDIAN ARMY.
Great Britain Has Fighting Strength of
$4,000 Men In India.

Great Britain Has a Fighting Strength of
$4,000 Men in India.
Dublin Irish News.
The Indian army, rather armies, as the
vassal States may be taken into consideration
when treating of Russian invasion, consists of
three distinct elements-British troops, native
troops, with British and native officers, and the
armies maintained by the feudatory princes.
The British force is small, but undoubtedly con-
sists of the flower of our army, all unmatured
striplings being carefully weeded out before
regiments are allowed to embark According to
the estimate of the ensuing financial year this
force consists Of nine regiments of cavalry, sew
enty-seven batteries of artillery item horse, forty
field, and twentyseven garrson), and fifty
battalions of infantry. The aggregate strength,
including 43G officers and three sergeants of the
Royal Engineers-princpally employed on civil
duties--s 9, SAT officers, and So ITO commits
stoned officers and men-total 61,597. About
two thirds of the force is stationed in the Bengal
presidency the remainder being divided between
preponderance in favor of the former
The present organization OF the
native army is the outcome of experienced gained
during the mutiny Previously twenty five
British officers were attached to each regiment,
but the majority, being either employed on the
staff or in the civil-service, never saw their regi
nents, and took no interest in them. The excel
lent results effected by irregular regiments, hur-
rledly gathered together during the mutiny,
made it clear that natives could fight well when
led BY British officers whom they knew, person
al influence over the men being the chief desid-
eratum. Further, the officers detached usually
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
THE EPIDEMIC AT PLYMOUTH.
Danger that 1t Will Spread Unless Prompt
Measures Are Taken for It's Suppression.

PHILADELPHIA, May 12-At to days meeting
of citizens for the relief of the sufferers by the
fever at Plymouth, the police surgeon detailed
to visit the infected region reported that he
found the reports had not been exaggerated. In
some instances he found four five persons i'll in
one house, with three or four in one room, and
in other instances two or three dead persons in
one house The only school-house in town had
been turned into hospital. Many young physi-
clans have offered their services. telegram
was forwarded to the relief committee of Ply
mouth, directing them to draw on the Phila-
delpha committee for $1,000 Miss Alice
Fisher, the head of the training school
for nurses at the Philadelphia Hospital,
has gone to Plymouth. In many cases the
father OF mother of large family of children
has died. He heard of case in which the
father and mother were both down with the
fever and were being nursed by fourteen
year old boy, who was also caring for small
babe
DR.. Shakespeare, who also went to investigate
the disease said that unless disenfectants were
speedily used, the disease would spread, and
would not be wiped out this summer. The
chairman of the Philadelphia relief committee
said that 81 900 of the ST. 700 contributed for che
relief of the Ohio sufferers had been placed at
the disposal of their committee.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.
Mrs. Annie Pershng Shoots Herself After
Six Weeks of Married Life.

PITTsBURG, May 12.-This afternoon Mrs
Annie Pershing, wife of w. G. Pershipg, and
daughter in-law of Rev. DR.. !. c. Pershing presi
dent of the Pittsburg Female College, prominent
nj. E. educational institution, shot herself in the
right temple, and is now in dying condition,
Six weeks ago, while student at the college
she married young Pershing. The marriage was
clandestine one. but subsequently there were
satisfactory explanations for all concerned A
quarrel last night, it was said, eliminated in
young Pershing going to Chicago. His wife
sia rted out to hunt him to-day and not finding
hi.a, returned to her home in Allegheny, where
she shot herself. Mrs. Pershing was the
daughter of a wealthy resident of New Castle,
Pa. She is eighteen years of age, and quite
handsome
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13

occupied very comfortable posts, and when sud
denly recalled after long period of in civil
life, chafed at tho restraints imposed by military
discipline, and by superseding those of their less
fortunate comrades, who had performed all the
regimental drudgery, infused spirit of discon-
tent into the commissioned ranks Long absence
from purely military duty had also the effect of
rendering such officers unfit to hold any regi-
| mental command On taking over the Indian
| army from the East India Company in 1898
| the European regiments were transferred to
| the War Department, and scheme for the
reorganization of the native army was settled
| upon. First all the officers were placed upon a
| general list for promotion. In 1861 a new sys-
tenn OF obtaining officers was introduced, and the
| Bengal Staff Corps formed with special regula-
| tions regarding pay and promotion, which hence
forth was to be ruled solely by length of service
All those on the general list not absorbed ny the
Staff Corps continue to serve either under the
| old or Staff Corps promotion rules, until, by
death retirement, the last disappears from the
| army list. Other staff corps formed in
Madras and Bombay, and from the three officers
| are respectively appointed to native regiments
| and the staff in India. This is decidedly an
amelioration so far as regards the permanent
appon tment of officers to regiments, but the OBJ
lection raised against the old system of bringing
officers, whose entire service has been passed in
civil employ, back to important commands still
exists, though in a lesser degree. AS they grow
| older, officers rise in the military hierarchy un-
/ til attaining the rank of general, when,
without considering the surroundings In Wnlcn
| their lives have been SPENT they
may be appointed to the command of
brigades and divisions in the field. To this in
sensate arrangement is directly due the sad
| disaster at Maiwand. Each regiment of native
| infantry has seven British combatant officers
and one surgeon. eight subadars native cap
tains), eight jamadars (native lieutenantsl and
musters about 700 bayonets A native cavalry
| regiment has one additional British officer,
usually thirteen native officers, and 500 men.
Native officers are subordinate TO British live
| apart, and are a rule of the same class the
privates. The majority are promoted from the
ranks, but to elevate the tone the principle of
direct appointment of educated natives has been
| introduced on small scale. The duties Of the
| administrative branches are carried out locally
affording employment to a large number of staff
| corps officers and warrant officers drawn from
| British regiments serving in India Roughly
| speaking, the native army consists of 120, 600
| officers and men, and at present is thus dis
| tributed:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13

sugar seed, between 700 and 500 bushels of peas,
and between 800 and 700 bushels of sorghum
eeed. There have been distributed during the
past year about FIVE thousand pounds
of beet sugar seed and the supply. on
hand is sufficient to last nearly three
years at that rate. Some peas on hand cost $7
q bushel. Part of the sorghum seeds have been
emptied from sacks upon the floor. and two boys
are employed to stir them around to keep them
from spelling A wide variety of prices was
paid for this seed; for example, ], 700 bushels OIL
sorghum seed were purchased from New York
firm at prices ranging from s.. So to 81 IS d
bushel, while 800 bushels of the same variety
were obtained from q Western MIN
81 bushel. The attention
If the chemist of the department. was
calledto this fact to day, and he was askedas
pert what would have been fair price forthe seed
at the time this stock was purchased. He said
it sold as low as twenty.fiv cents bushel in
Nebraska but that one dollar q bushe would be
an extraordinary good price for the very best
quality ready prepared for planting He was
asked how large quantity Of sorghum seed he
would have purchased had the matter been left
TO him.
Not pound he replied There was no
reason for the purchase of either sorghum or
beet seed. There was no purpose in view. There
was no new variety to be tried; there was no
more occasion for distributing the old variety
than for sending out white wheat The chief Of
the seed division once, last summer, called the
attention of the chief clerk of the denart-
ment to the fact that he had more
than two hundred ladies employed in the seed
room, and protested that this force could not be
economically used, but there seems to have been
no efficient reform. There seems to have been
very liberal distribution of turnip seed SO far
this year-the amount purchased is stated at
10, l65 bushels-yet the amount on hand is not
reported in excess. the largest amount pre-
lvlously purchased within five years Was :, 500
I'm ushetS
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
A RIOT OVER CARDS.
A Quarrel About Game of Poker Results in
the Killing Of Five Men.

SAvANNAH, Ga, May 12-Walthourvie,
small hamlet thirty-seven and a half miles from
this city on the Savannah, Florida & Western
railroad, was, on Monday, the scene of quin-
tuple tragedy among party of negro gamblers.
The number of the party represented in the
game, which was poker, is uncertain. A flat-car
standing on side,tr was the scene. Many
of the players were mill hands, who had just
been paid off. The pot" amounted to $40 or $50
and the gamblers, all of whom were flushed with
liquor, were considerably excited. One accused
another of cheating: words followed, and as the
accuser arose to his feet to draw knife, the al
legged sharper drew a revolver and fired. The
bullet entered the forehead just between the
eyes, and the victim fell corpse across the
cards and stakes. The friends of the dead man
arose to avepge his murder, while those of the
slayer rallied to his defense. Each side was
well armed with knives and revolvers, and in the
fight which followed five were killed outright
and four or FIVE badly wounded. Other turpen-
tine and mill hands came up and took hand in
the struggle, and it eventually assumed the pro-
portion of a sma-sized riot. The faction at
whose door the origin of the trouble is laid
finally fed. pursuing posse was organized,
and at last accounts had not returned to Wal
thourville. The lynching of any of the fugitves
who are captured is foregone conclusion.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
Russia After Persia, Not India.


That the Russians are ever likely to invade In
dia is improbable. I have no doubt however
that they are by no means sorry to have ap-
preached India, because, in case of a dispute
with us in Europe, their presence so near to our
Indian possessions would oblise us to send troops
to India, instead of-as was the case during the
Turko- Russian war-bringing Indian troops into
the Mediterranean. But for this do not blame
them. We cannot insist that central Asia
should be given over to barbarism, in order that
our position in India and in Europe may be
strengthened. The Russians had as good right
to annex Turkestan as we had to make our nu-
merous annexations liz India. We are too apt to
view everything through English spectacles and
to imagine that other powers will oblige us by
doing the same. Nor can we isolate our pos
sessions in all parts of the world by perpetuatng
deserts on their frontiers The Russians no
doubt, wish to reach the ocean: but their object
i've point is not India. but Persia.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.
Continuation of Testimony in the Trial of
Cunningham and Burton.

Cunningham and Burton.
LONDON, May 12.-The trial of James G. Gun
ningbam and Harry Burton on the charge of
treason-felony, for alleged completely in the re-
cent dynamite outrages, was resumed this morn
ing in the Central Criminal Court at the Old
Bailey. On the opening of the court Messrs.
Little and Richards counsel for the prisoners,
informed Judge Hawkins that the governor of
Newgate prison had refused to recognize his
Honor's permit, granting them the right to hold
an interview with their clients Sir Henry
James, the Attorney general, suggested to the
court, that counsel for the prisoners be allowed
to hold private interview with the prisoners,
and the request was granted.
The evidence taken SO far to-day is simply a
repetition of the testimony adduced at the pre-
liminary trial, regarding the alleged connection
of the prisoners with the explosion at the Charing
Cross railroad station. Weeks's evidence was in
relation to the dynamite explosion at the Charing
Cross station. Other witnesses testified to the
events of the 18th of May.
Attorney general James said he did not pro-
pose to connect the prisoners with the dynamite
affairs of that day, but simply desired to prove
the existence of TIRE reasonable plots.
Other witnesses were then examined to prove
the movements o. the prisoners from December
until the dates of their arrest Among other
things evidence was adduced connecting Gun
ningham with the explosion Oh the Metropolitan
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
SPARKS-DE alma.
A Police-Court Judge Dismisses the Case
Against the Former

A Police Court Judge Dismisses the Case
Against the Former.
WASHINGTON, May lin the police court,
this morning, the case of Commissioner Sparks,
of the General Land Office, charged with per-
sonal assault upon Colonel De Alma, timber
inspector of that Office, came up for trial. The
Commissioner was present with his counsel, w.
W. Wiltshire. Colonel De Alma was the first
witness, and repeated on the stand substantially
the account of the assault already published as
coming from HIM. He said the Commissioner
twisted his fingers in his (De Ahnas) collar and
tried to strangle him. He offered no resistance.
On being asked if he had not been violent in his
conduct, the witness impetuously exclaimed:
$50 help me God. did not say word for twenty
minutes. am not such fool as to fight my
superior officer when want him to fix up my
accounts"
The Assistant Commissioner, Luther Harrison,
then took the stand and testified that he wit
messed the assault. He said that De Ahana said
he had been treated like dog.
Commissioner Sparks-By whom?
The Witness-By you.
The witness then said the Commissioner or
dered De Ahana out, and then got up and
attempted to push him out, catching him by the
coat and calling for assistance. Witness then
reQueSUeu Dc <audud w SO ouCf anu Io uiu So,
turning in the doorway to remark: You have
made ID fool of yourself"
Commissioner Sparks-Was he not violent in
his conductl
The Witness-I can't say that he was Prob
ably that occurred after you tried to put h1m out
Commissioner Sparks-Did he not say to me:
''You are id dog"
The Witness-Not to my knowledge. He said
you had treated him like dog.
After hearing the testimony of Commissioner
plyS on6 9TH CasA t1xn
testimony showing undue violence, and the court
was obliged to dismiss the case
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
The Work in His Department, However. Drops
Sadly Behind. and the Clerks Are Com
PEELED to Labor Extra Hours.
Bayless Hanna To Be Sent to the Argen-
tine Republic Instead of Persia.
Col. De Alma Fails to Obtain Satisfaction
from Commissioner Sparks-Great Ex-
pectations of David s. Gooding.
THE PosrorFICE DEPARTMENT.
Result of Appointing Physically Unfit Man
to an Important Place.

Result of Appointing Physically Unfi. Man
to an Important Place.
Special to tue Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May 12.-Hon. Malcolm Hay
writes from Aiken, S. c., that he is improving
rapidly, and he now expects to be at his Office
on the 18th of May. The work of the Office to
which Mr.. Hay was appointed chief has got
further behind during the past month than it
ever was in the history of the government. The
Postmaster general is complaining that the
labors of the First Assistants Office are heapcd
upon him, and.he accounts for the fact that he
has to be curt and short with visitors by saying
that his labors are beyond him. In order that the
work which should have been done under Mr..
Hays supervision may be brought up to date, the
Postmaster general on Friday issued. an order
that all clerks in that division of the Postofice
Department should come to work at halfpast 8
o'clock in the morning, and remain at their desks
until halfpast in the evening, the only time
off being half an hour for lunch each day.
Clerks violating this rule will be subject to i'm
mediate dismissal When Mr.. Hay was appoint
ed First Assistant Postmaster general it was
known that he was physically unfit to perform
the duties of that Office. lie has
been borne on the salary rolls Of the govern
ment for about two months, and during that
time has done nothing whatever in return for his
salary. Now the Postmastergeneral finds that
something must be done Immediately, and he
cannot wait for his first assistant to return. The
clerks, therefore, who are always harder worked
than any other men in the government service,
are compelled to put in four hours additional
labor each day
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
YESTERDAYS APPOINTMENTS.
More Presidential Postnaasters and Few
Collectors.

More Presidential Postnaasters and a Few
Collectors.
WASHINGTON, May 12-Tne President to-day
appointed the following presidential postmasters:
Samuel A. Ash, at Raleigh, N. c.. vice John
Nichols commission expired; Jas. +. Vogt at
Lemars Ia, vice F.. NJ. Emery suspended; John
McWiliiams, at Coatesville, Pa, vice f. G. Parke.
commission expired In explanation of the sus-
pension of Postmaster Emery the Postmaster
general states that in February last an inspector
examined the Office at Lemars, and found the
postmaster short $672. o. that he had not made
his deposits at the close of the month as required,
but oftentimes week or two later, and the Office
was negligently and carelessly conducted. The
inspector was of opinion that the loss had oc-
Cured by theft resulting from the careless gan
ner in which the governments property was left
exposed by the postmaster The postmaster i'm
medately made good the shortage, but. says the
Postmaster general. it is the fixed determination
of the department to remove every postmaster
whose accounts are found short once; who does
not deposit promptly as required in the regula1
tons, or who is careless or negligent in conduct
OF his Office.
The President also made the following ap.
pointments:
John NJ. Poe. appraiser of merchandise, dis
trct of Cuyahoga, Ohio; Joseph Curren.
supervising inspector OIL Stohtn NeSStiS
for the Third district. To be col
lectors of internal revenue George S. Spear,
for the district Of Vermont Cha rles r. Hos
brook for the district of Missouri Sixth dis
trct); Edmund A. Bigler, for the Twenty-third
district of Pennsylvania; Edward G. WALL for
the First district of Wisconsin; Hugh Kennard,
for the Fifth district of New Jersey Will
lam A. Vincent, Of New Mexico, to be Chief
justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory Of
New Mexico Leroy F. Youmans of South Caro-
lina to. be attorney of the United States tor the
district of South Carolina, Francis H. West, Of
Wisconsin, to be marshal of the United States
for the Eastern district of Wisconsin; Christie
pher l.. Williams, of Iowa, to be marshal Of the
United States for the Southern district Of Iowa.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
PEDDLER INQUIRIES FATE.
An Indianapolis Man Murdered and Robbed
by Negroes in Florida.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, May 12-Last January
three foot peddlers were operating in Madison
and adjoining counties in Florida. One of these
men, named Mcclure, was last seen about twelve
miles north of Madison, near a large swamp on
Jan. %. His companions made every inquiry
for him at the railroad stations and other points,
without finding any clew to his whereabouts.
MGuire's wife, in Indianapolis, wrote Governor
Perry several months ago, to make inquiry in
this State for him. The letter was
referred to the Madison county commits
sioners, and by them to the grand jury for
investigation. Yesterday negro fishing in a
swamp where Mcclure was last seen found the
foot of a man with boot on it, in the water,
and notified several parties, who formed search
party aid discovered the clothing and papers
belonging to the missing peddler An inquest
was held, and developed the fact that negro
named Nelson Mccall and his two sons, Marshall
and William, had been seen with many articles
supposed to belong to the pedder. These par
ties were to-day arrested and placed in JAIL
Many articles are still in their possession which
they claim to have bought. The matter is being
thoroughly investigated
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
DEPARTMENT OF AGRIcULTURE.
LudicrOus Condition of Affairs as Reported
by Commissioner Colman.

LudicrOus Condition of Affairs as Reported
by Commissioner Colman.
WASHINGTON, May 2.-Commissioner Col
says of the condition of affairs in the
Department of Agriculture that soon after he
entered upon his duties his attention was called
to the fact that the laboratory fund was nearly
exhausted In order to avoid making deficiency
he was compelled to furlough several employees
until tie end of the fiscal year without pay. Now
it appears that several other specific appropria-
tions are in like condition of exhaustion,
and many minor branches Of work must be tenn
porarily suspended The statistical division suf-
ters the loss of all its State agents, and other
suspensions must necessarily be made. In the
seed division the appropriation for the current
fiscal year was $l00 900 short; on the first of the
present month there remained only $50 of this
fund in the Treasury. The estimate made in
detail by the head Of this division, aud approved
by the Commissioner. for purchase of seeds called
for the expenditure of $40 600, which would leave
$50, 900 to pay the expenses Of the packing and
distribution The amount actually expended
for seed from this fund seemed to have been
$82, 900. AS result, there are several kinds of
seed on hand in large quantities. with no money
to pay the expense of packing and distribution.
There are thus in excess $4,000 pounds Of beet
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
Cable Notes.

Minister McLane will present his credentials
to President Grevy on Thursday of this week.
A very large order for cannon for the Turkish
government has been received at Krupps gun
works at Essen.
Ex-Empress Eugenie's gift of the Pharo
Palace to the city of9darseilles has been annuiled
in consequence of a dispute regarding the terms
of the transfer.
Mr. Martin, the chairman of the committee on
reception Of the Prince and Princess of Wales
during their recent visit to Ireland, has been
created baronet
Premier Brisson and the entire Ministry, to-
gether with many notable persons, will attend
the ceremony of the presentation to Paris OF
the American statue on Wednesday afternoon.
A telegram from Rome reports the existence
of friction in diplomatic relations between Russia
and Italy, and it is stated that Russia was the
only power that supported Turkeys protests
against the italian occupation of Massowah.
Col. Francis De Winton has been appointed
Governor of the Congo State, not Henry NJ.
Stanley, as previously stated. Colonel De Win
ton will return to Europe in 1886, when Jansen
will become resident Governor of the Congo
State.