New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-07
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
TIVE ,,,YpDERER RJyTLER-CHURCH PEG
PIE STIRRED UP-PERSONAL
AND GENERAL NOTES.
fnY TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRIBuNE.l

San Francisco Feb. 6.-An incident whch
created much excitement here was the arrival Oh
the murderer Butler from Australia. Inc man
has a record Of many victims whom ne luleu "
remote mining districts back OF sydney ana '"eii
killed in the most cowardy way. III was 'hous"'
from, the reports of his deeds that he was fe'-
low ~ great cunning and resources. and the
Australian officers who came over mere 10 cap
ture him feared that he would escape peiore 'e
sailing vessel which he had shipped cou'u
roach the harbor. Instead he proved that his
Intelligence was low. for he not only rehaiiieu
m hoard without making an effort to reach
shore. but he had In his luggage the personal
,r,nkets of several Of his victims, including Cap
tain Lee Weller, for whose murder he VIII De
extradited. The man has shown himself a
coarse vulgar braggart, infamed with the com
mon criminals desire for notoriety and careless
Of what tomorrow will bring. The usual crowd
Of morbid curiosity seekers has besiesed his CELL
and he has driven a lively trade In autographs
at fifty cents each The Australian detectives
smile grimlv meanwhile and hint that they VIII
cbhnpe all this in New South Wales. They say
q ,nonTh will be sufficient to try convict ana
hang him.
Church peopie have been much exercised over
The statement made by President Jordan OF
in which men lose their reason Is form or
drunkenness, no more worthy Of respect than the
kind which lies in the gutter The address IN
whic. this remark was made was before the
Unitarian Society Of Berkeley. The whole object
OF the address was to prove that the sane mnd
rejects all emotional manias 1t rejects stimu-
Iants depending upon a wholesome optimism
which always comes with work we'll done Sew
eral preachers have denounced President JORDAN
FOR what they call his sur on a vital principle OF
the Christian religion, but in reply he says that
ne did not mean such revivals as Moody holds,
which he believes 90 great good. but the sensa-
tional gatherings Of the cheap, professional re-
vivalists who travel about the country and VINO
invoke the aid Of frances and spasms IN their
work To expose such religious malpractice he
regards as a duty equal to the exposure OF
quackery In medicine.
For ten DAYS rain has fallen in Northern and
Central California, which effectually puts an
end 10 all fears Of drouth this winter. This
brings the total rainfall for the season con-
stEcably above that Of last year TO this date
In fact through the lower San Joaquin Valley
noted for its dryness, the rainfall ranges from
six TO nine inches, which is about double mat
of last season. The only fear now Is that rap
idly melting snow may swell the rivers and
floods
The tax collectors returns for January make
q significant showing, as they amount 10
S6O442. against S263S2 for the corresponding
month last year. These taxes are not legaHy
due until the end of March, so that when money
is scarce. as It was last year, the advance pay
ments are small. FinanCiers regard this as one
OF the best signs that the near approach or NC
Kinley's Administration has stimulated con-
fdence and made money more plentiful
The disarmament of the Chinese SIX COM
NAMES which occurred this week, marks an
other step in the decadence Of the local emma
town. For forty years this organization mas
been the banker and confidential agent Oh
nearly every Chiaaman in California IN us
treasury were thousands of dollars 10 care 10,
the sick and TO remove the bones OF lhe a., ue os
a China 1t was trusted implicitly, and us Of
icers were always men above reproacn. NJ
scandal ever tainted its management 1t re-
,aincd much Of it's old power until TWO years
aro when feuds in Chinatown led to the forma-
ton of the See Yup, or. -Four companies. i Ci
was represented as not a seceder from tHe ~
COMPANIES but new organization. yet DIS IL
took twO-thirds OF the business away from 'i'e
old society the result was the same.
A woman with a history died this week. She
was Miss Julia Spaulding. who reached the great
age of ninety-seVen years. she was a Washen
woman in the early days. who intrusted heI say
ings which amounted to several thousand dol
lars to Harry Meggs, shipping merchant anu
banker Meiggs got into difficulties ana one Gay
fed 10 Chilli on one OF his ships, leaving an army
Of mourning creditors behind. After seNerai
years she discovered that Meiggs had mace d
great fortune in Peru. so she set off for Callao,
called on Meiggs and demanded what ne oWeu
hnr with full interest. He received her Ike
Drinccss entertained her lavishly ana sent hei
home with all her demands pald IN nun "!Io
shrevdlv invested in san Francisco real estate
which brought her in a good income. Her ex-
ample induced others TO apply 10 Melggs III
time he paid all his creditors and his frlenos mao
q bin passed by the State Legislature giving MN
immunity for his crime, committed over 1orly
and his voluntary payment Of all his old DEBTS
forms one of the most curious episodes OF pio-
neer life in California
Mod1eska has had a very successful week az
the Baldwin. Her Lady Macbeth did not meet
the authorizations Of the critics. but in Adr1enhe
Tecouyreur" she surpassed herself and IN her
artistic makeup removed all signs or age She
closes the week with Mary stuart NO sea-
could be bought for the Saturday matinee three
DAYS ago Louis James opens at the Baldwin on
Monday in "SDartacus.
Shipments of California navel oranges TO Flor
ida nave begun from Pomona, near Los Angeles.
orders have been received for weekly consiSn-
ment Of oranges until March II. Lemons are
also being sent in large quantity to Florida
CAPTAIN Thomas Meters. who recently pur-
chased for himself and associates seventeen
claims IN the Silver Bow district back OF Juneau
Alaska expects to develop bonanza in low
Grade ore which Will surpass the famous Tread
we'll Mine on Douglass Island The ore averages
Sc s. a ton and the cost OF working Is less IMAM
nj the TreadWell where ore is worked for 81 III
ton.
GUESTS AT JACKSONVILLE.