davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The record-union., 1897-01-31
The Law Allowing Them to Exist
Should be Repealed.
Daring Robbery Committed by a
rlasked rian Near Glen Elien-COm-
pels WomOn, at the Point of
Pistol, to Hand Over the Keys to
the Bureau, and RansaCks the
Drawers, Securing About Fifty
Dollars and Two Revolvers.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30.-State IN
surance Commissioner Higgins uses
some strong language in his preliminary
report to the Governor. He declares the
organization of secret life insurance or
ders to be a farce and fraud.
The Commissioner says he has sue
ceeded in breaking up several of these
alleged secret orders, but why the State
lshOuld desire to keep on its statute books
a law that not only permits but encour-
ages the organization of such frauds,
and for the suppression of which it
must annually appropriate money, Mr.,
Higgins writes, is a problem in state
craft which he is unable to solve.
Commissioner Higgins can see no good
policy in exempting any association
from supervision. Life insurance, he
remarks, is an intricate business to un-
derstand and difficult Of successful man
agement, when the head Of the institu-
ton is called President and as when he
is called brother chancellor, high and
mighty councillor or most reverend and
distinguished patriarch. The Boards of
Control are composed of men-plain, or
dinary citiZenS-With no more honesty,
ability or insurance knowledge than
average men generally have. The worst
feature of the exemption law, however,
is that it permits the organization of
societies for the sole and express pur-
pose of doing an insurance business and
eVading the law, thereby taking away
all State protection from thousands of
poor and ignorant people.
The law of 1891, governing assessment
of life insurance, should be thoroughly
revised, says the Commissioner. The
only test of ability to pay required in
this State is that within three months
from date of default" such a company
can pay it's Obligations. IF not it is
closed out, that is" observed the Insur-
ance Commissioner, after the horse is
stolen, lock the stable
Notwithstanding the powerful opposi-
ton of some Of the insurance corpora
tions and the hypnotizing influence in
the last Legislature, Higgins is of the
opinion that no foreign insurance COM
pany should be permitted to do business
in this State unless it has a deposit here
or in some State OF the Union. This
would prevent forced settlements, and
enable a California judgment creditor to
collect his judgment without the delay,
expense and annoyance of legal proceed
ings in a foreign country.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
BIDDING CHECK.
Question of Forfeiture Decided by the
Supreme Court.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30-The Su-
preme Court to-day ruled upon the
question of the forfeiture Of a bidding
check, holding that the amount deposit
ed to show good faith could not be for
feited if there was a reason why no
profit should accure to the contractor in
fulfilling the conditions of his bid.
The North Pacific Perine Contracting
and Paving Company Of this city bid
upon a street-paYing contract in Pasa-
dena, depositing d certified check for
S3, 600 as a guarantee that it would COM
plete the work if awarded the contract.
The company became convinced that
the proceedings were Illegal, and refused
to proceed. The municipality refused to
return the check and cashed it. Upon
action being brought for it's recovery the
city was defeated. The Supreme Court
holds that the plaintiff proved facts
fully establishing the illegality and in
validity of the proceedings. By enter
ing into such a contract he would have
received nothing" on account of the Ile-
gality, and could not hope to secure any
remuneration from any other source
The law contemplates forfeiture when
the proceedings are regular
The record-union., 1897-01-31
and may accept the Agriculture port

and may accept the Agriculture port
folio.
When General Collis was asked if any
talk had been had regarding Cabinet
matters, he declined to answer. He left
with Senator Brown of Utah for the
East early this afternoon.
Lieutenant-Go Governor Timothy T.
Woodruff of New York and wife, who
came here this afternoon to call on Ma
jor Mckinley, left this evening for
Cleveland, where Mr.. Woodruff expects
to see Chairman Hanna
To the Associated Press Mr.. Wood
ruff said he had come here to talk over
the New York situation, and particu-
larly to recommend General Woodford
for the Navy portfolio. Nothing of a
definite nature was accomplished, he
said.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
HOMICIDE AT SAN FRANCISCO.
A Woman Found r1urdered i'm Her
Rooms on Montgomery Street.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30.-ShortIy
after > o'clock this evening the dead,
but still warm body of Mrs. Maria
Sprinznik, a washwoman. was found
in one of her squalid rooms at 91S
Montgomery street. The body was
found by one of her dodgers, Theodore
Schroh, a city gardener, who had just
returned from his work. He almost
fell on the PROSTATE form as he entered
the room. He notified the police who
found the cause of death to be a bullet
wound in the left eye, which was still
bleeding at the time OF the discovery
A warm flatiron was lying near the
body, and some newly ironed linen was
lying on a table, showing that the Wo-
man was taken by surprise While at
work.
The police suspect William Wolf an
Austrian, and the paTamour of the dead
woman, of the murder. He was last
seen about 4:30 o'clock this afternoon
by Tommy Divis, the son of a neigh
bor. who saw him leaving the house
Wolf is known as a dissolute fellow
who induced the dead woman to leave
her legal husband about six months
ago and who has lived off her earnings
ever since.
A pistol with which the deed was
done was found in the room, as were
some 42-caliber cartridges. Yesterday
afternoon the dead woman called on a
neighbor, a Mrs. Mary Antoine, ard
asked her to remove some cartridges
from the same pistol, saying that she
was afraid to do it herself. 1t is sup
posed that she feared trouble, and took
this means to Illustrate the murierer's s
plans. The police are searching for
Wolf and expect to apprehend kim
The record-union., 1897-01-31
IMPORTANT DECISION
Rendered by Judge Terrence in
Water=Rate Case.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 30.-In the Supe-
rior Court here to-day Judge Torrance
rendered an important decision in q
case involving water rates. The case
was that of Ward against the San Di-
ego Land and Town Company, which
was an action brought to contest the
right of that corporation to raise the
rates for water furnished to ranchers
in Chula Vista.
Judge Torrance holds that where a
water company, in the absence of rates
established by the Board Of Supervis-
ors, has fixed and collected rates, these
shall be deemed to be the legally es-
tablished rates until they shall be
changed by the Supervisors, and the
company shall have no power to in
crease them. Judge Torraice also holds
that water company may make any
contract with a consumer that it sees
tit, and when so made the company is
bound by it. These views are directly
opposed to those laid down by Judge
Ross in the case of Lanning VS.. Os-
borne, decided by him last September.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
UTAH SENATORSHIP.
Five More BolIots Taken, Without
ANY Choice.

SALT LAKE, Jan. 30.-This was an
exciting day in the Senatorial contest.
Five ballots We're taken, being the forty
second ballot of the joint Assembly,
without any choice. The Assembly then
took recess to > p. m, and were in
session for an hour without balloting.
1t was believed last night that there
would be no decided change to-day. But
contrary to expectations Thatcher
started with an increase of five votes
on the first ballot -four of them being
Populsts), and gathered strength on
each Of the following ballots, until he
had total of % votes, being one more
than the combined strength of Hender-
son and Rawlins, and within three votes
of election, as there We're only sixty
members voting. The Thatcher forces
kept their strength compact, and de-
feated several dilatOry motions before
the recess was taken. At that time the
opposition was somewhat disorganized,
and it was the general opinion that
Thatcher would be selected on the first
ballot in the afternoon.
When the afternoon session was called
to order the opposition to Thatcher re-
sorted to flibustering tactics to gain
time, first claiming that the adjourn
ment was to noon on Monday, and that
the proceedings were irregular and un-
lawful. Half a dozen motions to adjourn
and appeals from the decision Of the
Chair were brought up and voted down
on roll call. Finally the opposition sue
ceeded in forcing an adjournment until
Monday, due partly. it is thought, from
a misapprehension of some of the mem
bers as to what they were voting for.
1t is almost certain a ballot this after
noon would have elected Thatcher.
All sorts Of rumors are afloat tonight
as to what another day viii bring
about. The Thatcher men are making
every effort to hold their strength, while
his opponents claim he has reached the
limit, and that other elements will come
into the contest and defeat him on Mon
day. More than half his increased
strength to-day came from RaWlins and
Henderson, the Republicans casting a
complimentary for Mrs. Wells
Result of the last ballot was: Thatcher
2S, Henderson II. RaWIins 13, Mrs.
Wells 3, Powers >
The record-union., 1897-01-31
WILL BE A BIG AFFAIR.
The Amphitheater to be Built for the
-FitZsimmons Fight.

DALLAS CTex), Jan. 30-Dan A.
Stuart said, when informed that Gov
ernOr Sadler had signed the bill licensing
glove contests, that the news did not
surprise him. Mr.. Stuart said he was
especially pleased with the feature of
the bill requiring certificates from ply
sicians that the boxers We're in good
health and physically prepared for the
contest in which they were to engage.
Mr. Stuart said he received a message
from Corbett saying that he would
start at once from Chicago to Kansas
City and engage in preliminary light
training. He also received a telegram
from Martin Julian saying that FTtzsim-
mons hands are in perfect condition,
and that Fitzsimmons had gone into
regular but for the present light train
in.
He said he would start within the next
three days for Nevada, and as soon as
possible make his choice of a town for
the battle. When that is done he will
begin work on the amphitheater. capa-
bic Of housing from 25000 to 10000
spectators. He also said lie was going
to try to add a. new feature to the car
nival in the shape of a grand Wing-shot
event, to be participated in by the lead
ing wing shots of the country, including
Edgar Murphy and Fred Hoey.
CHICAGO, Jan 30.-Corbett closed
his theatrical engagement in this city
tonight, and will leave at once for Kan
sas City, where he closes his season. He
then goes to San Francisco to start
training. Just as soon as the fight To-
cation in Nevada is announced the
champion viii seek an advantageous
spot in proximity to the battle-ground
Billy Delaney, Charley White. John
McVey and Joe Corbett will act as Cor
belts trainers
The record-union., 1897-01-31
DECLARED A DRAW.
The Fight Between Bantams Sammy
Kelly and Jimmy Barry.

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-The twenty
round bout between the well-known
bantams Sammy Kelly of New York
and Jimmy Barry of Chicago attracted
large crowd of sporting men to the
Broadway Athletic Club tonight The
two boys went the distance without
either gaining any decided advantage.
and the referee, Dick Roche, declared
the bout a draw. This decision was
popular, and although Barry was the
favorite in the betting, there was no
grumbling on either side. Kelly weighed
about six pounds heavier tha1 the
Western lad, but Barry's condition was
so good that he withstood this advant-
age. Barry was the favorite in the
betting at $100 to $40.
In the first four rounds Barry was the
aggressor and pushed the fighting, but
was cleverly met by Kelly In the
fifth Kelly planted a left hand swing
on the jaw, which sent Barry to the
floor on his back, and he remained
there for nine seconds. When he got
up Barry adopted hugging tactics, and
would not let go when the referee told
him. They had to be pulled apart when
time was called.
The fight from this point to the thir-
teenth round was hotly contested, with
neither man having a decided advant-
age.
Rounds fourteen to nineteen inclusive
were uninteresting. In the twentieth
and last round Barry sent Kelly 20 the
floor with right swing on the jaw,
and rushed his opponent viCi0usly.
Kelly got in two good lefts on the face,
but Barry sent back a hard left on the
neck. Kelly landed his double right
on the head and heart, though Barry
tried hard to avoid. They exchanged
lefts on the face, and were sparring
when the gong. sounded
The record-union., 1897-01-31
to stop the distribution of

amendment to stop the distribution of
Seeds
Another amendment was offered by
Mercer OR.) of Nebraska providing that
the Secretary of Agriculture furnish to
each Senator and member six chickens,
six hogs, six cattle and six horses, all
thoroughbred and distributed as to sex
half and half
And hound pups" added Kyle Cd
of Mississippi
When the Chairman ruled the amend
ment out as a joke Mercer said it was
no more joke than the whole gift busi-
ness. Congress was spending S6,O00,O0O
year for documents, none of which
We're put to use.
Bromwells amendment was adopted,
and that of Hill was lost-53 to %.
Much interest was excited by this vote.
Speaker Reed, who was on the floor,
voted for the first time this session, and
voted against seeds.
The bill was then passed.
A bill to increase the pension of Silas
NJ. Stevens to $50 a month was passed,
and at 400 p. m. the House adjourned.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
FIGHTS AT NEW YORK.
Three Contests Pulled Off by the Polo
Athletic Club.

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-The Polo Ath-
letic Club held its regular weekly box
ing show tonight. The star event of the
night was to havebeen a fffteen-round
go between Tommy White of Chicago
and Jimmy Lynch of New York, but
both having contracted pneumonia the
bout had to be declared off. Jack Della
ney of New York and Australian Billy
Murphy were substituted. The referee
decided in favor Of Delaney.
The preliminaries were two ten-round
affairs. The first was between Billy
Schenster of Mount Vernon and Neil
BroderIck of Yonkers. 1t ended in a
draw.
The second was between Mike Far
ra8her of Youngstown, o., and Tom
Broderick of Yonkers. 1t was a pretty
contest, and Farragher fought the deci-
sion in ten rounds
The record-union., 1897-01-31
OREGON LEGISLATURE,
Probably Something VIII Soon be
Done to Break the Deadlock.

SALEM (Or.), Jan. 30.-It now seems
probable something will be done by the
Legislature early next week, but lust
what that will be is difficult to dis
cover. The Mitchell men may get to-
gether in joint session on Tuesday and
vote for United States Senator. If they
can hold the forty-six votes that SEN
ator Mitchell received in caucus. If
they cannot keep their forces together.
it is said the Benson house will be
abandoned by the Mitchell men, and an
attempt made to organize regularly.
This will probably bring about the
election of Jonathan Bourne Populist)
for Speaker of the House.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
a CHICKEN THIEF.
A Chinaman Supposed to be Trying
to Raise Funds for the New Year.

About 1 o'clock that morning Special
Officer Richard May found All Jung, a
Chinese, trying to sell a sackful of
chickens at a very low price in a restau-
rant at the corner of Third and J streets
After looking at the birds and hearing
the story of the proprietor, who told Mr.
May first about the matter, and finding
out the price at which the Chinaman
wanted to sell the birds, May took the
Celestial to the Police Station, where
he was locked up for the night
There are eight hens and one rooster,
and all of good strain, awaiting owner
ship at the station.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
FIVE PERSONS DEAD.
Disastrous Results of Fire at Ho-
bOken, n. j.

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-A disastrous
fire which broke out in the blacksmith
shop of Frederick Schaffer in Hoboken,
n. j., at midnight resulted in the death
of five persons. The names of the dead
are: Mrs. Nellie Schroeder, Henry
Schroeder, Mamie Schroeder, Jennie
Schroeder, Katie Schroeder.
Schaeffer and his family, who lived in
the rear Of the shop. made their escape
but the family of Henry Schroeder, liv-
Ing above the shop, were unable to es-
cape on account of the rapidity with
which the flames spread. The property
loss is small
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Arizona Legislative Proceedings.

PHOENIX "a. To Jan. 30.-A bill
passed the House to-day repeating the
Immigration Commissioner law. The
bill providing for local option on liquor
traffic was killed. A bill was intro
duced forbidding the opening Of gen
eral business houses on the Sabbath.
Committees for the investigation Of
Territorial institutions were appointed
to-day and this evening left for differ
ent parts of the Territory. an adjourn
ment of the Legislature being taken
until Tuesday.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE.
Two Men Who Were Responsible for
an Elevated Railway Accident.

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-Malachai Bau-
man and John ]. Rogers were arraigned
in the Police Court to-day on the charge
Of homicide in causing the death of En-
gineer Thomas Gaffney of the Elevated
Railroad on Thursday evening, when
the train was thrown from the elevated
structure, by neglecting to attend TO the
switch, which was part of their duty
1t was shown that they had been habit
ually negligent. They pleaded not
guilty The attorneys for the railroad
asked that they be admitted to bail, but
the court refused and they were COM
mitted to jail until Monday, when the
Coroner will hold an inquest
The record-union., 1897-01-31

fictitious contract is not known, but it
is supposed % be several tousand dol
lars.
Yesterday the quarterly convention of
the Baptist Home Missionary Society
was held. Reports were received from
all Baptist mission societies in the CEN
tral district, showing that much work
has been done. The next convention
Will be held in April.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
MCKINLEY HAS MANY CALLERS.
The Talks Generally Related to Cabi-
net Appointments.

CANTON, Jan. 30.-Major Mckinley
passed busy morning. He had sew
eral conferences of Importance. but the
gentlement We're rather reserved as to
their nature. Among the callers were
ex-senator Saunders of Helena. Mont. :;
Senator Brown of Utah and General
Charles II. Coils of New York.
Hon. j. f. Wilson of Iowa left at II 20
for his home. When at the Fort Wayne
station he was very reticent in his talk,
it was not difficult to infer from it that
he is more than a Cabinet possibility,
The record-union., 1897-01-31
WHERE CORBETT WILL TRAIN.
The Fighter Says His Quarters Will
be i'm or Near Denver.

CHICAGO. Jan. 30.-James J. Corbett
Will in all probability train at Denver
for his fight with FitZsimmons. After
hearing that the prize-fight bill had
become a law by the signature Of the
Governor of Nevada, he said:
Il shall probably train at or near
Denver. l don't know much about the
health resorts in Nevada I see that
they are looking up place as train
ing ground for one Of us, but l know
nothing about it. / have never been in
the State except when passing through
az, Ia
The record-union., 1897-01-31
SHAKE-UP AT LOUISVILLE.
Fifteen Indictments Returned by the
Grand Jury Against Public Men.

LOUISVILLE (Ky), Jan. 30-Such a
shaking up of public officials as oc-
CURED here to-day has never been
known in the history Of the city gov
ernment. Fifteen indictments were re-
turned by the Grand Jury against pub
lie men, Including among the accused
Aldermen, police officials, patrolmen,
contractor and several minor Offend
ers. The charges range from non-at-
tention of duty and failing to prosecute
gamblers to bribery and conspiracy to
extort money. The disclosures made in
the indictments are due to fight
among the factions of the city govern
ment
The record-union., 1897-01-31
ACquittaI of the Charge.

BIRMINGHAM (Ala), Jan. 3O.-The
trial of Samuel Palatka, the Hungarian
miner arrested at Eatonton, Ga two
weeks ago on the charge of having
wrecked birmingham mineral train
at Cahaba River bridge, December 9th.
whereby twenty-seven lives were lost,
and who IS alleged by his captOr to
have made a confession, was begun
before Judge Banks of the Circuit Court
to-day. None of the witnesses were
able to connect Palatka with the wreck
and he was discharged
The record-union., 1897-01-31
SANTA CRUZ BRIEFS.
Trouble Over a Lot of Forged Sou-
yenir Contracts.

SANTA CRUZ, Jan. 30-Recently So
lcitors obtained contracts to pay cer-
tain amounts for an illustrated souy-
enir of this county when the souvenirs
were delivered. All contracts were as
signed to II. S. Crocker & Co, San
Francisco. who did the typograp phical
work The souvenirs are now being de-
livered, but in some instances sigma
lures attached to the contracts are de-
MED by those purporting to have signed
them They say that their names have
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Have Steel Inspectors Enough.

WASHINGTON, Jan 30-The NAVY
Department wants no more civilian
steel inspectors, and wants that fact
givei the widest publicity. Within a
few hours after the press dispatches
gave notice that the department was
about to employ a few expert civilians
as steel inspectors, the whole fifteen
We're appointed. The applica tions. how
ever continue to pour in day by day
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Kansas City After the Gamblers.

KANSAS CITY, Jan. 30.-The Grand
Jury which a week ago returned in
dictments against fifty-seven gamblers.
returned an additional seventy-six in
dictments to-day. Fifteen men were
arrested tonight under the indictments
returned to-day.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Mrs. BeeCher Slowly Failing.

residence of Rev. Samuel Schoville,
where his aged mother-in-law, Mrs.
Henry Ward Beecher, has been critf-
cally i'll for some weeks, it was stated
this afternoon that Mrs. Beecher is
slowly failing.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Unfounded Rumors.

MADRID. Jan. 30.-The "Epocha''
tonight declares that rumors of dis
agreements between the Duke of Te-
tuan, Spanish Minister of Foreign At
fairs, and United States Minister Tay-
lor are unfounded
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Hours of Labor Shortened.

SPRINGFIELD Qll), Jan. 30--A no.
tice was posted in the Wabash shops
to-day that, commencing February 1st.
the working hours will be reduced from
eight 10 five hours, and the working
days per week from six to five. The
cut affects 400 men.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Won by the English Runner.

MANCHESTER, Jan. 30-At Roths-
dale e. o. Brady, the English runner.
beat w. S. Mills of Rothsdale by fifteen
yards in a quarter Of a mile run to-day
for q purse Of 1100. Time-0.50 10.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Reforms for Cuba.

MADRID. Jan. 30.-It was announced
this evening that the Cuban reforms
win be signed by the Queen Regent Mt
Cabinet council to be held on Thurs
day, and that they will be gazetted on
Friday.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
School Bonds Carry.

NEVADA (Cal), Jan. 30.-The elec-
ton held here to-day on the PROPOSE
ton to issue bonds to the amount Of
$4,000 for the purpose of building a
new schoolhouse resulted in favor of
the bonds by vote of four to one.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Suicide at Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30.-Max BurI-
hardt, a young German, who is said to
have come from Milwaukee suffering
with consumption, shot himself through
the body this morning, intending sui
eide. He will doubtless die.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
A Murderer Hanged.

AVA CMo), Jan. 30-Edward w
Perry. murderer of the Sawyer fan1iiy.
father mother and son, was hanged
here at = O'Clock this afternoon.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
Dominion Parliament

OTTAWA (Ont), Jan. 30-The Do
minion Cabinet at the meeting this
afternoon decided to summon Parlia-
ment for the dispatch of business on
the first of next March.
The record-union., 1897-01-31
First of Domino's Get.

LEXINGTON (Ky), Jan. 30-The
first of the get of the famous race horse
Domino, just foaled, is bay filiy, out
Of ClIronella, sister of Bassetlaw.