The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-10-24
MISSOURI A NEWS.


An imperative Law.
The Pettis county grand jury has
made c recommendation which may
lead to the repeal of an imperative
law. The report says:
We recommend the repeal of the law requir.
ing grand jurors to examine the books OF the
county officials. The lmprobability of the
possibility Of drawing II men at any one
time that would have the ability to rec
ognize an error in bookkeeping, even
IL such error should be bold on its face, con-
nected with the limited time in which iuries
would be compelled to audit the books OF every
department to honestly find an error, makes II
apparent to US that the law is very absurd and
unreasonable. Therefore, We ask for its re-
peal. and would recommend in its place tina,
the county court be empowered to employ ex-
pertS to examine the books. when in their
judgment the court thought it necessary, or a
commission be appointed by the state. as in
the case OF banks.
The Case of Ex-Banker Newkirk.
At Sedalia Judge w. W. Wood over
ruled the motion to quash the four in
dlctments found against Cyrus New
kirk, president of the suspended First
national bank, charged with having
received deposits when he knew the
bank to be in a failing condition. The
defendant, WHO'S IS years old, is quite
Ill IN California, and his physicians
say that to compel him to return to
Sedalia in December, the time set for
the trial of the cases, will result ia
tally. The bank failed Nav 4. 1894,
with a shortage of S254, 600, and the
depositors have not yet received a
dividend.
Pardoncd BY the Governor.
Gov. Stone has pardoned Hurh Nc
Manus, who was sentenced ,June II
1884, to eight wears in the penitentiarv.
McManus was known in St. Louis as
an eX-prize-tighter, crook and tough.
and b~urglarized a residence, securing
$500 worth of jewelry, and was trying
to dispose of 1T when arrested. The
governor says he believes McManus'
punishment was excessive. Judges
Gannt and Burgess, Of the supreme
court, recommended his pardon.
Must Garry Bicycles Free.
In the st. Louis circuit court Judge
Russell rendered a decision favorable
to the contention of wheelmen that
railroads u carry bicycles free.
The case was instituted last April by
j. K. Belts against the Missouri Pa
citic Railway Co., and the court holds
that bicycles, being intended for the
personal use of passengers, fairly came
within the term baggage, and must be
carried as such without extra charge.
Cleaned Out His Kitchen.
Burglars cleaned out the kitchen of
Abraham Steinberg's house, 14iO North
Ninth street, St. Louis, the other
night.
They removed the stove, carrying it
out the back door to the wheelbarrow,
Then they made a clean haul of Mrs.
Steinberg's cooking utensils. When
the Steinberg family came down for
breakfast they discovered the absence
OF the cooking machinery.
Shot from Ambush.
DR.. c. G. Lockwood, of Burdett.
Bates county, was shot, a few DAYS
since, by an unknown person from be-
hind a hedge, within a short distance
of his home. The report of the gun
and his cries brought his wife to his
rescue. The assassin had fed. Nine
buckshot had deeply penetrated his
left side and back. His condition was
considered critical.
Terrible Triple Tragedy.
In Reynolds county, the other dav,
John lmboden. aged 90, killed his H.
year-old sister, brother and Jacob Will
helm, an old man who made his home
with the lmbodens, Draining all of his
victims with an ak. Two sis
tiers, whom he attacked, escaped. I'm
boden is in Jail at Ccnterville.
Bridge Carpenter Killed.
R.. P. Walker, a bridge carpenter, in
the employ of the st. Louis, Keokuk <
Northwestern. vas struck by a timber
at B~ellefontaine bridge and instantly
killed. The body was taken to Han
nibal, prepared for burial and shipped
to New Cambria. Walker was IS wears
of eye and unmarried.
Farmers Wife Murdered.
The wife OF c. d. Smith. a farmer.
Us VI -CNdud. was lOulu
in the house, with her head
Her husband was digging
potatoes in a field some distance away
and left his wife alone in the house. 1t
IS supposed she was murdered q
tramp.
Charged with Wife Murder.
Mason Smith, husband of the woman
found murdered in her home, 10 miles
southeast of Nevada, is charged by
the coroner's jury with the crime. The
jury rendered its verdict and Smith
was put in Jail. Smith denies his
guilt.
Prof. Shradcr's Successor.
The board of curatcrs of the state
have elected Prof. II. B.
Shaw, of Cornell university, Ithica, n.
Y. to the chair of electrical engineer
ing, made vacant by the death of DR..
William Shrader.
COiored Baptists OF Missouri,
During the past year the colored Bap-
lists OF Missouri have contributed S.
100 for education. At the recent con-
of hat church, held at Fulton,
$500 was collected for educational work