Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-21
LIVELY ELoPEmENT AFFA1R.

A Farmer's Four Daughters Escape From a Second-Story Window-Two Of she Yoang Wen KilIed-The Farm. CT Finally Swings From . Tree. ST. LOUIS, Jan. 20.-The town of Bolsr,
 Mercer county, turns out the following story Henry Thomas, an old farmer, has four daughters, named Hattie, Margaret, Nancy and Jane, aged 16, IS, 20 and g years re- spectively. Last Wednesday night Samuel and Charles Hasburn, brothers, procured 8 ladder and helped Margaret and Jane out of second-story window of the house, and as they were about to elope with the girls the old man appeared on the scene, but too late to prevent their escape. He at once procured horse and shotgun and started in hot pursuit. When about 12 miles from home he overlook the fleeing party and opened fire on them, killing both the boys and fatally wounding Margaret. After getting nearly home with the girls he was told that the other two, Mary and Nancy, had also eloped with Ned Gleason and Thomas Allison. He at once left the first two girls in charge of some neighbors and started after the others. He secured them without any serious trouble and started back, but when about two miles from home 8 mob met him and strung him up to a tree.
 THE FABRICATION QUESTION. Tho Committee Proposes Tax of $5
 Per Head On Every ImmigraRt-
 SpInoIa Thinks $I Is Sufficient.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-Ths Ford immi- grafton committee has reported to the House as result of the investigation of the com mitte last summer, bill prohibiting the ad- mittance into the United States of idiots, paupers, those who have been convicted of infamous crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, persons affected with loathsome or contagious diseases, or those coming under contract to work in this coun- try, except university professors, or minis ters of the gospel. The penalty for the per son violating this provision or assisting an- other to violate it is a fine of $1 1000 on con- viction within two years. No vessel is to bring over more than one passenger to every five registered tons, computing two children between ten and three, as one person. The penalty for the violation of this provision is five hundred dollars fine for each excess passenger. The vessel bringing in an immi- grant is made responsible for head tax of five dollars. Intending emigrants are to prove good character three months prior to embarkation before a United States consul, who is to receive no fee for the certificate. This certificate is only presumptive evidence. It is made obligatory on common carriers to notify United States officials before landing of the number of aliens on board. The secre- tary of the treasury is given power to carry out the provisions of the act, and circuit and district courts are given jurisdiction of cases under it.
 MT. Spinola does not agree with the major ity of the committee in regard to either the ranOrf n hnniftad IF fn ba hill Tad Tn minority report he states that he is opposed to 8 head tax of more than $1 for each immi- grant, believing this sum to be sufficient to meet all the required expenses necessary to conduct the department of immigration. He also disagrees with the majority in regard to any change of existing law limiting the num- Der of passengers to each 100 tons of the yes sel conveying the immigrants, considering as he does, that the safeguards of the present law are sufficient, so far as the bill of the majority deals with the proposition. The minority is prepared to go to any length in the advocacy of proper measure in order to shut out paupers, lunatics, idiots, cripples and thieves, as we'll as all evil doers who come here to practice their wiekedness and fill our poorhouses and prisons.
 Mir Spinola declares his unqualified oppo- sition to the passage of any law that will in any way check or stop the influx of honest immigration, believing that our happy and pLOSpOAOu5 SOuAbIy WILL III lu6 1ubuIc, dS III the past, continue to receive with open arms every industrious, honesn man, who may seek home among us for the purpose of inn proving and beneftting his condition in life, whether the conner be with $1 or $1 ,000, 900.
 PEKEN'S TERRIBLE FIRE.
 The Imperial Palace and several BuIId-
 1ngs Dessroyed-The Chinese Regard
 1t as an Evil Omen.
 Q-Fira vUhich hraEo nr1E in the imperial palace at Pekin on the 17th is still raging, but will be confined within it's present limits. The loss is enormous. The palace enclosure is city in itself and about one-quarter of it is in flames. The great aud fence hall with it's elaborate ornaments and valuable works of art, is destroyed. The treas ury building and most of it's contents are in ashes. Whole streets of ofiees storehouses and residences of officials of the court have been swept away.
 The quarter of the palace in which the en- peror and empress mother live was saved but the panic there was terrible. Their majes- ties were hastily conveyed to the fortress at a safe distance from the flames. The palace and warehouses were heaped with costly stuff and treasures which had been accommodating in preparation for the marriage of the young emperor.
 Immense quantities were destroyed. The loss exceeds that of the footing of the sum- mer palace by the English thirty years ago. The calamity has had a depressing effect on the superstitious Chinese. It is regarded as an evil omen, having occurred in the midst of the preparations for the wedding festivi- ties of the emperor. The marriage will have to be postponed in conseq uence of the disas- ter.