Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-16


York. She announces her resolve not to
write any further stories Of the type of THE
Gods Some Mortals and Lord Wickenham."
Her novel, 1.-THE Herb Moon" is Of a very
different stamp the heroine being Of noble
| type Of womanhood. A correspondent, who
has read the greater part Of the story, ex-
poets 1t will add largely to Mrs. Cragie's
! reputation.
| Mrs. Hodgson Burnett has written n new
novel, "a Lady of Quality" The movement
| of the story takes place in the period Of
| Queen Anne.
| Sir Lewis Molesworth, who married Miss
Frost of st. Louis, has Just come into an
additional income of $4,000 (s3O,000) a year
by the death of his uncle, Admiral Moles-
| worth.
| Lady Terence Blackwood, formerly Miss
Flora Davis of New York, has completely
| recovered. Both mother and babe are do
| ing extremely well. Lord Terence having re-
ceived an appointment in the foreign serv-
ice. they have decided to reside in London
and have taken a house here.
EVIDENCE OF GREAT FRIENDSHIP.
Frank Dicksee, the famous academician,
calls my attention to fact probably not
generally known in America. He claims 1t
is proof Of the warm feeling of friendship in
| that great institution for America that alb
solutely no distinction is made there between
| an Englshman and an American artist. An
American exhibitor has his picture accepted
and hung there exactly as though he were
| an Englishman, while an exhibitor from
France, Germany or any other country must
see his canvas hung in special room apart
from the others. The election of Edwin
Abbey this week as an associate was a very
popular one. There is no doubt that Sir
John Millais will be elected president of the
Royal Academy.
1t is understood that Lord Leighton left
practically no estate in spite of the vast
sums he must have received. He was very
extravagant. Perhaps even his house, which
is understood to have been left by his will
to the academy, must be sold to pay his
debts.
Munkaczy is bidding farewell to Paris to
assume the duties Of the new post of director
of fine arts of Hungary. He will find on ar
rival at Buda Pesth much to do in the great
new national gallery, since the developments
Of the Pulszky scandal go to show that the
nobeman to whom was intrusted several mil
lion francs for the purchase Of the
worthy example Of old and modern masters
put most Of the money in his own pocket
or wasted it, and has foisted on the state
a quantity Of copies or other worthless pic
lures. He has been conveniently declared in
sane
Preparations for next springs exhibition
in commemoration Of the millennium of Hun
garian history are progressing on magni-
icent SCALE One Of its features will be a
great historical pageant. designed by the
Hungarian artist, Paul Vago. All the cos
tunes and fashions of all the races
and social classes which have in
habited Hungary during ten cen
turtles will pass before ones eyes in this
cortege A correspondent writes: "Whoever
has been in Hungary, remembering what fine
material the artist has at hand, even in
the peasants everyday dress, will not think
the circular too boastful when 1t adds that
the pageant with its glamour, the pictur-
esqueness Of its grouping and the symbolic
significance Of its details, will far surpass
everything that has hitherto been offered on
similar occasions"
WORK OF BLACKMAILERS.
The London daily newspapers are so con-
servative in printing sensational news that
| an account published in the Morning Journal
this week. describing the operations Of a
systematized blackmailing agency working
in London has attracted great attention.
Thess blackmailers, who call themselves
private inquiry agents." have in their en-
ployment large number of secret service
spies, consisting chiefly of servants in
wealthy families. Through these agents the
principals in the business secure informa-
ton of suspicious circumstances in house
holds, upon which the blackmailers set to
| work to collect evidence, to be used for the
purpose of extortion. Where the game Is
big, the blackmailing agency, which has
now accumulated a large capital, spends
money freely in hunting up evidence, which
is then produced to the victim, with a de-
mand for stated sum for its destruction.
One case Is mentioned in which 1t is said
that $4,000 (s25,OOO) was obtained in this
| way. Other instances are given, without
the names Of the persons concerned, in
| which equal success was achieved In an
other case young wife was driven to sui
eide by the Unsuitable demands of this gang,
which had unearthed some indiscreton.
AS the blackmailers are declared to have
handsomely furnished offices. and as there
are not very many firms OF private inquiry
agents in London, 1t seems probable that
the police could locate these scoundrels, il
the story / have quoted is not mythical.
The English libel law is so strict that the
| publisher would hardly have printed the
| exposure II 1t were not true.
| O'Brien, the American confidence man and
| gambler, who shot Waddell, a fellow gam
bier, in the Northern railway station in
Paris last summer, is still in Jail. 1t is
not known when he will be tried The
United States government has requested his
extradition, as O'Brien is wanted in New
| York, whence he escaped some years ago.
The French government, however, refuses
| to give O'Brien up until he serves whatever
| term Of Imprisonment he may deserve in
| France. BALLARD SMITH.
| French Cabinet May Resign.
PARIS, Feb. 15.-The senate today, by
vote OF 1879 to 70, readopted the resolution
passed by the body on February IL (after
| the premier, NJ. Bourgeois, had demanded a
vote Of confidence on the question OF the
| Southern railway scandals), deprecating the
Irregularities disclosed and demanding
searching inquiry.
| 1t is row rumored the ministry intends
| to resign, In spite of the fact that the Cham
Der of Deputies on Thursday last voted con-