davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
SAN FRANCISC0'S GUNS,
Three Pneumatic Dvnamiters
Accepted by the War
Department.
Washington Officials Pleased With the
Excellent Showing Made in
the Tests.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Jan. 8.-A Sun
special from Washington says: The
Notifications of San Francisco have been
strengthened in the last week through
the acceptance by the Government of
three OF the most powerful pneumatic
guns yet tested, each of which threw 500
pounds OF high explosive upward of 500
yards with precision and terrific effect
upon the water where it struck. Columns
Of water were thrown as high into the air
as the Washington monument, and the
aim was so true that there would have
been no difficulty in hitting any ship
which they might have been aimed at,
With 500 pounds of gelatine range of
2lO0 yards was secured; explosions &C.
CURED both on impact with the water and
with fixed fuse two seconds after the
shot struck, the water in each instance
being tossed like geyser spout over 800
feet into the air. With projectiles of the
same explosive and q charge reduced to
100 pounds the guns propelled shells
three miles and it so near the mark aimed
at that battle-ship would have been easily
blown to pieces had she been the target.
THESE three guns are similar 10 those
which are now mounted at Sandy Hook,
but the tests demonstrated that improve
ments have been made which place the
new weapons in advance of those at New
York, both in accuracy and power of
range. Other guns will be placed at Bos-
ton and the important coastwise cities in
Guided in the Notifications plan of the
War Department.
The success attending the trials at San
francisco has settled to the satisfaction of
ordance experts the value of this type of
weapon as a part of the ordnance for the
country's land defenses, and hereafter
some OF these guns will be stationed at
the important cities along the seaboard,
where the department proposes construct
ing defenses inyulnerabls to attack from
the sea.
Eminent ordnance experts of the army,
including General Flagler, have CON
tended that the pneumatic gun will be of
great value in dealing with large fleet,
and that ships would not dare approach
within its range, knowing that an explo-
sion OF 500 pounds of gelatine in the vi
cinity OF a vessel would have most dis
astrous result upon those on board. Il is
asserted further that one shot from q
dynamite gun would be worth more than
broadside from a warship, and that the
country can well risk making a true shot
occasionally with results as effective as
those following the impact of projectile
from battle-ship.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
RiDDLED WITH BULLETS.
Two Negroes Taken From Officers and Put
TO Death by Tennessee
Hob

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. s. Harrison
Fuller and Frank Simpson. two negroes.
were to have been placed on trial at Lex
ington, Tenn, today for an attack upon
Mrs. Pomeroy, white, and her 49, year-o!d
daughter. The prisoners were confined in
the jail at Lexington and attempts were
made by mob TO take them out for sum-
mary vengeance. They were quietly spir-
tied away to Nashville by the Sheriff.
where they remained until Yesterday
morning.
The authorities supposing excitement at
Lexington had subsidized from the danger
point the trial was set for to-day, and the
prisoners were accordingly returned. When
the train arrived at Lexington it was met
by strong mob, the Sheriff was over
powered and the prisoners secured. Thew
were hustled into the woods, some dis
lance from town, where some fifty shots
were fired into the body of each.
Prior to the attack upon Mrs. Pomeroy
and daughter Fuller and Simpson were
guilty of a similar crime upon another
white woman.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
SUPREME COURT CASES,
Two Actions in Which the Gov.
eminent Figures as APP
pellant.
Santa Fe'S Suit to Gain Possession OF
Public Plaza Argued and
Submitted.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. S.--Litiga-
ton to which the United States is a party
occupied the attention of the Supreme
Court to-day exclusively.
The first case under argument was
that of the city of Santa Fe, N. Mex,
against the United States, appealed by the
latter from the Court of Private Claims
The city of Santa Fe brought suit before
that tribunal to have confirmed to it q
tract of land of four square leagues, the
center of which was the public plaza. The
claim of the city was founded upon both
direct grant from the Spanish Government
and the operation of law, the papers of
the grant having been destroyed in the In
dian instruction in 1850.
About 1900 heads of families are living
upon the land claimed by the city and
hold title under the grant to the munich
pality. A number of private parties were
made defeu da nts to the suit of the city,
who, it is alleged, claimed lands in the
limit of the grant, and answers were put
in by them settling up their claims The
court held adversely to them, and they
have taken no appeal in this case. The
brief for the city of Santa Fe says:
1.-THE case is here on the appeal of the
United States alone, which insists upon
the court taking notice of the evidence and
claims of the other defendants who have
not appealed, based on alleged Spanish
and Mexican grants, thus not presuming
any grant in Santa Fe.n
Argument in the case was made by the
Assistant Attorney-General J. NJ. Dickin-
son and Matt Reynolds, special assistant
to the Acknowledgement for the United
States, and T. b. Catron. who formerly was
Delegate to Congress from New Mexico for
the city of Santa Fe.
That argument having been concluded
the somewhat famous case of the United
States VS.. a certain tract of land in Cum
berland, Adams County, Pa. involving
the effort of the War Department officials
acting under an act of Congress to secure
possession by condemnation for use as n
part of the Gettysburg National Park of
certain portions of the battlefield over
which runs the tracks OF the Gettysbnrg
Electric Railway Company. Two tracts
were sought to be obtained, of 1902 acres
for which the jury assessed the damages
OF the railway company at $50, 900, and
the other of 3.12 ocres. The petition to
condemn this the lower court ordered to
be quashed, and from the judgments in
"
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
TROUBLE IN STORE.
The ATruen5dm Question Promises
Cause Mach annoyance.

The ATImenjdm Question Promises to
Cause Mach annoyance.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. S.-The Sem
ate Committee on Foreign Relations held
its first meeting this morning since the
reorganization OF the Senate. Chief among
the matters referred to this committee
were affairs relating to Cuba, Venezuela
and Armenia. The members of the COM
mittee say that the latter one Will cause
this Government no end of trouble. Papers
before the committee indicate thaT half
terfere without violating the National
policy of evading entangling alliances
with foreign powers is problem OF dlplo-
macy that the State Department alone can
solve.
The recognition of the belligerent rlght
of Cuba is also pressing upon the COM
mittee. This will be the first thing taken
up next Saturday.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
His Joint Resolution Calls for
the Erection of a New
State.
ovERTUREs TO THE ISLANDERS.
Money to Be Appropriated to Defray
the Expense of Nego.
tiationS.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. S.-The fol-
lowing joint resolution relating to the
Hawaiian Islands, offered by Representa-
tive spaulding (R.) of Michigan, was read
in the House to-day and referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs:
That Congress doth consent that the terri
tory properly included with it and rightfuly
belonging to the Government of Hawaii, and
commonly known as the Sandwich Islands,
may be erected into new State, to be called
the State of Hawaii, with republican form OF
government to be adopted by the people of
said Government of Hawaii by deputies in
convention assembled, with the consent of the
existing Government, in order that the same
may be admitted one of the States OF this
Union.
Further, that the foregoing consent of Con-
gress is given upon the following conditions
and with the following guarantees, TO wit:
!. Said State to be formed subject to the adj
Justment by this Government OF all questions
of boundary or Jurisdiction that may arise
with other governments or former govern
ments of Hawaii; and the constitution thereof,
with the proper evidence of its adoption by
the people of the Government of Hawaii, shall
be transmitted to the President of the United
States. to be laid before Congress for its final
action on OF before January l, 1893.
2. Said State, when admitted into the Union,
after ceding to the United States all public
property and means belonging to the Govern
ment of Hawaii, shall retain all public funds
of every kind which may belong to or be due
said Governments, and also all vacant and I'M
populated lands lying within its limits, to be
applied to the payments of the de DTS and liza
bilities of said Government OF Hawaii, the
residue OF said lands to be disposed of as said
State may direct; but in no case are said debts
and liabilities to become a charge upon the
United States.
Further, that If the President of the United
States shall in his judgment deem it most ad-
visable instead of proceeding to submit the
foregoing resolution to the Government of
Hawaii as an overture on the part of the
United States for admission, TO negotiate with
that Government, then, resolved, that a State
TO be formed out of the present Government of
Hawaii with one representative in Congress
shall be admitted into the Union by virtue of
this act as soon as the terms and conditions of
such admission shall be agreed upon by the
Governments of Hawaii and the United States
and that 800, 900 be appropriated to defray
the expe SEES of missions and negotiations
either by treaty or articles as the President
may decide.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
STATEHOOD FoR oKLAHomA.

Citizens of the Territory Meet to Frame a
Petition to Congress.
DENISON, TEX, Jan. 8.-The statehood
convention convened at Oklahoma City,
o. T., to-day. 1t seems now as If the
Democrats have captured the convention,
and will pass resolutions favoring single
statehood only. There will be nearly 500
delegates present. A hot fight between
the single ana double statehood men is
anticipated.
A draft of the memorial to Congress,
and which will be submitted to the conven-
ton, contains, among others, the following
arguments:
1--WE have a population of nearly
300, 600 people. We have wealth sui
ficient to meet the necessary expense
of State government. We are an in
telligent. ind ustrious, progressive, patri-
otto people. We have better homes, bet
ter system OF public schools and in many
other respects are far in advance of many
of the States that were admitted into the
Union more than a score of years ago. We
have reduced the fertile acres of Oklahoma
from the state of nature to high state of
cultivation. We have laid out and con-
structed highways. We have builded
cities and towns. schoolhouses and
churches. That we have accomplished all
this in spite of the wrongdoings and num-
berless privations which, because of I'M
friendly legislation we have been forced to
undergo, proves beyond question our ca
pacity for self-government."
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
DECORATED FoR BRAVERY.
Ten Kee Sing and His Medals Seen i'm a
Police Court.

Ten Kee Sing aud HIS Medals Seen IN q
Police Court.
NEW YORC, n. Y, Jan. S.-Ten Kee
Sing, Chinese who served in the United
States navy and who has been decorated
by Congress for bravery, was a prisoner
yesterday in the Court of General Sessions.
He was arrested on comp plant of Chin Sing,
gambler, who charges that Ten Kee Sing
and five other Shinamen entered his place
last October and knocking him down
robbed him of 81 %.
Ten Kee Sing denied the charge and was
held in $1,000 bail to await trial He claimed
that he was the victim of a conspiracy on
the part of the Chinese gamblers of Mott
street, who were incensed because he had
testified against them in several trials As
he stood at the bar of the court Ten Kee
Sing wore two medals pinned to his waist
coat. One of them was of gold and had
been presented to him by the Navy Depart
ment The other, of silver, bore this in
scription:
'To Charles Tong Sing. In commence
ration of perils encountered, and In eX-
preston of the high esteem in which Con-
gress held his services. Act approved
September 80, 1891. 1S79-1882."
He explained that under the name of
Charles Tong Sing he had served as
steward on the Inflated Jeanette of the
Arctic expedition. He shared the suffer-
ings of the party under command OF Engi-
neer Melville, which travelled 700 miles
over the ice ana escaped the fate OF the
rest of the expedition. Two other facts in
Ten Kee Sings career are that he was
born in San Francisco thirty eight years
ago and served as policeman in Port
land, Or.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
General Craighill Explains That
Senator Squire's Bill Is
Not Extravagant.
WILL BE IN SESSION DAILY.
The Important Question of Torpedo
Boats to Be Discussed in All
It's Details.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. S.-A meet
ing of the Senate Committee on Coast De-
lenses was held this morning. General
Craighill, chief of engineers and his as
sistant, Captain Black OF the Engineer
Corps, made important statements.
General Craighill explained to the COM
mittee the great need of immediate addi-
tional appropriations for coast defenses
and stated the amount which could be
economically and profitably expended by
the Bureau of Engineers for that purpose
during the current fiscal year, and the
larger additional amount for each year
thereafter until the completion of the
project of the Government.
The defenseless condition of the sea-
coast was explained, showing that the
amount proposed in Senator Squire's bill
for coast defenses is not only none too
large but absolutely required. General
CraighilI explained that if the bill shall be
passed Immediately, the sum of 1880, goo
could be economically expended by the
Bureau of Engineers alone during the pres
ent fiscal year.
The committee then proceeded to in
vestigate the question of torpedoes. The
importance of this matter is such that the
committee will continue its sessions daily
during the present week and next week,
hoping to be able to report a bill at an
early date.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09

dite business. And so the motion was
agreed to without dissent from any Sena-
tor except Stewart (Pop.) of Nevada, who
desired the Senate to continue in session
an hour longer in order that he might
make speech in favor of the free coinage
of silver.
The only incidents of note during the
fifty minutes of session were these: The
swearing IN of Senator Wolcott (R.) of
Colorado for his new term; the reporting
OF an important bill from the Committee
on Naval Affairs for the enlistment of adj
dltlonal men for the navy, and the notice
by Butler (Pop.) of North Carolina of an
amendment to the House bond bill, with
the free coinage substitute. The amend
ments propose to prohibit any issue of
United States bonds without the authority
OF Congress and TO require the payment of
greenbacks, treasury notes and the in
terest and principal Of bonds in either
gold or silver, but in the cheaper of either
metals.
The adjournment was until 4omorrow
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
CAN TALK IT TO DEATH,
Senator Whites Scheme to Beat
the Funding Bill in the
Senate.
The Californian Not Without Hope
OF the Success of the Oppo.
Sition.

WASHINGTON. D. c., Jan. 8. - The
Committee on Pacific Railroads will not
begin to give its brief hearings on various
bills for the settlement of the Pacific rail-
road debts until February. Meantime the
committee will study up on the subject.
Many of the members are new and want
to become posted before the hearing. 1t is
und erstood that ex-Representative Geary
Will be here, among other CalIfornians.
Senator White said to-day that there
was some hope of beating the funding bill
in the Senate. He did not cay what the
tactics of its opponents would be. but
said, II will fight it tooth and nail" 1t
is believed that White proposes to filibus-
ter against it. During the last session he
said: IF that bill comes up in the Senate
we can talk it to DEATH
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
FAMED FOR HIS PLUCK.
Death of Charles c. Bassett. the Noted
Sporting Nam.

DeUM % CNu3feS 10 60SSeIs the NOteQ
Sporting MaTa.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Jan. s.-Charles
c. Bassett, known to the sporting frater-
nifty all over the country as prominent
figure in the frontier days of Kansas, is
dead. News of his death at Hot Springs
Sunday was received here yesterday.
The life history of Charlie Bassett, or
Senator" is closely entwined with that of
Bat Masterson and Luke Short. Bassett
was born in New Bedford about forty mine
years ago. He came West after the war,
and after drifting about the mining camps
and frontier towns for time took up his
abode in Dodge City, Kans. The town was
overrun with lawless element Finally
Bat" Masterson was made Marshal. He
chose Bassett as his right-hand man and
chief deputy.
Masterson and Bassett soon established
record as fearless and desperate officials
Several of the desperadoes were killed and
the remainder driven from the town. After
ward, in recognition of his services, Bassett
was made Sheriff of the county.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
FOUGHT FOR A WOMAN.
Jealousy Caused a Duel to the
Death Between Two Florida
Young Men.
One Shot Through the Heart After
Mortally Wounding His Ad-
yeTSary.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Fla, Jan. S.
For love o. a woman Henry B. Thomas
and Albert Stafford fought q duel TO the
death near here Tuesday afternoon.
Thomas and Stafford up to six months
ago were friends. About that time, how
ever both began to pay attention to the
same young woman, and jealousy soon
made them deadly enemies.
For two months they have gone about
heavily armed and it was known that
when they met a deadly fight would fol-
low
Thomas and two friends went hunting
Tuesday, not knowing that Stafford and
three friends had gone on q similar ex-
cursiou.
During the afternoon the hunting par
ties met, aud it seemed that a general fight
would ensue. Thomas, however, urged
that only he and Stafford were concerned,
and begged that they be allowed to fight it
out, and this was agreed to.
Thomas and Stafford, armed with pis-
tolls faced each other at thirty yards and
began firing. Neither was injured by the
first exchange and they advanced on each
other. At the second shot Thomas fell
with bullet in the bowels.
Stafford still advanced on the PROSTATE
man, firing, when Thomas staggered to
his feet and, steadying himself by a small
tree, took deliberate aim and sent bullet
through his foes heart. Thomas died two
hours later.
In taking the corpses of the young men
home they were borne past the residence
OF the girl for whom they fought. She
showed no emotion, and it has been
learned that she has all along been en-
gagged to a man in Georgia.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09

porary railway, with which to transport
them to their several positions, was laid.
Some days will be necessary to get them
in position.
Their extreme length is 81 feet, cir
cumference at breech 8 feet, diameter Of
bore Is inches, muzzle feet. They are OF
steel and rifed, having sixty-eight grooves.
The weight of each gun is 106,773 pounds,
or over fifty tons. Their projeeiiles are OF
two kinds, both shells, one having burst
ing charge of thirteen pounds, the other
forty-eight pounds. The guns are breech-
loading. The weight of the proiectiles is
1913 pounds, height OF shot Sc to 46 inches,
and range nine miles.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
ARMOR FOR BATTLE SHIPS
Unsatisfactory Test of Plates
for the Brooklyn and
Iowa.
Shattered at Single Shot by a
Thousand Pound Wheeler
Projectile.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. S.-A plate,
representing 415 tons of eight-inch turret
and barbette armor of the battle-ship Iowa
and the armored cruiser Brooklyn, was
tested at the Indian Head proving grounds
with results very unsatisfactory to the
manufacturers, the Carnegie Steel Com
pany. Two dig ports were cut in the plate
to make it represent as nearly as possible
port plate of the eight-inch turrets on
these vessels.
One shot only was necessary to deter
mine that the plate was not up to the
standard. A 6-inch armor-piercing pre-
iectile of the Wheeler type, weighing 1000
pounds, was fired at the big steel target
with velocity of 100 feet second. The
contract for the group which this plate
represented required that the shell should
do no greater damage than to merely
crack it, but after the shot was fired an
examination disclosed that the target had
been broken into three pieces. There was
nothing further to be done, and Captain
Sampson, chief of the Naval Bureau OF
Ordnance, and the other officers who
witnessed the test returned TO Wash
ington.
The result of the test will cause the
holding-up of this group of armor and its
temporary rejection, but second test will
be had, which is likely to prove more sue
cessful for the Carnegie Company. The
plate which Jared so badly to-day was of
inferior quality, and it is said that it did
not fairly represent the other plates in the
group. 1t was selected for the test be-
cause Of its inferiority, in accordance with
the DnIlCV of the Ordnance Rnraal1 IN
choose for this purpose the specimen
which is believed to be the weakest in a
group, the idea being that if the poorest
plate can stand the severe test prescribed
by the bureau, others must necessarily be
able to Withstand a greater striking force
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
HERBERT rs ACTIVE.
Urgent Inquiries as to the Progress ia
EQMippin1 the Monitors.

EQuipping the Monitors.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. s.-Before
Secretary Herbert left this morning for
New York he set on foot inquiries as to
how quickly the coast-defense monitors
Miantonomoh, Terror and Monadnock
could be prepared for service. Statements
furnished by the bureaus concerned show
that the Miantonomoh, recently placed out
OF commission at League Island, could be
the MOnadnock could be finished by the
LIST OF February, and that the completion
OF the Terror within sixty days was as
sured. The Monadnock is at Mare Island,
Cal, and the Terror at Brooklyn, n. Y.
The reason for the request made by the
Secretary cannot be ascertaned.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09
WoRKING FoR RECOGNITION.

Members of the Revolutionary Committee
ViSit OIney.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Jan. S.-General
Tomas Estrada Palma and the other mem
bers of the Cuban revolutionary committee
now in Washington have had an interview
with Secretary Olney on the subject of
recognition of Cuban belligerency by the
Government of the United STATES. 1t was
expressly stipulated by Secretary Olney
that the interview should be informal, and
General Palma was therefore not given
any standing in his capacity of envoy TO
the United States from the Cuban Pro-
visional Government. Secretary Olney
did not, OF course, commit himself with
reference to the matter.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-09

yard to-day to take on enough extra men
to make the new monitor Monadnock,
which is conceded to be one of the most
powerful fighting craft in the world, in
full completion by February l. Accord
ingly, large gang will be rushed aboard
her to. morrow to-fnish the work of fitting
the hydraulic driving-gear of four 10-inch
rifles III her two turrets. They weigh
twenty-eight tons each and are ugly war
engines