The times., 1898-07-29
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

LIVE IUPlUO AbUUI 4UN ".
While it is claimed that Dewey was
completely without the modern smokeless
powder when he fought the battle of Ma
Mia Capt. Charles ]. Russell, of Phiia-
delphia, who studied the subject with
Prof Garter at Harvard. claims that
Dewey was at least partially supplied
with the smokeless article, and that it
was a potent factor in the battle. This
powder, he says, was shipped TO Dewey
from q Western factory a few months
before the engagement that has made
the admirars name household word. 1t
is probable, however, that If so. 1t never
reached him, as there is no record that
anything but black powder was used in
the battle off Cavite. In appearance the
description of powder spoken of by MIR.
Russell is as much unlike the more an
cient compound as anything well could
be- Anyone would mistake little pile of
it for handful of maccaroni. The pc
culiar thing about this powder is that 1t
is a hard matter to set 1t on fire. 1t takes
more than spluttering sulphur match
to ignite il. One of the maccaront-like
grains of smokeless powder, about half an
inch in length, was placed on the edge
of a table by Mr.. Russell, and the flame
of an ordinary sulphur match applied to
IT. At first the compound assumed
whitish color. Then an angry drop of the
half-melted mass gathered on rhe end and
dropped to the floor with a sizzling spat-
ter. The grain was afire. 1t burned
gradually and slowly. and emitted no
smell nor vapor. Another grain. similarly
experimental with. and somewhat more
belligerent than the first. shot across the
table with a wicked squirt when lighted
and exploded under chair.
If Miss Jessie Schley. the fool American
female who has gone to Madrid on a So
called peace mission. were not a woman
she would be in a double danger Spain
would probably hang her as a spy. When
she reaches home if America can be
called the home of such as she, she will
be subject 10 arrest for treason. Section
5S35 of the Statutes of the United States,
under the head OF Grimes Against the
Government" fits the case of Miss
Schley. It says: Every citizen of the
United States. whether actually resident
or abiding within the same, or in any
country. who, without permission or the
authority of the Government of the
United States. directly or indirectly com
mences or carries on any verbal or writ
ten correspondence or intercourse with
any foreign government. or any officer or
agent thereof, with an intent 10 influence
the measures or conduct of foreign gov
ernment or any officer or agent thereof
in relation 10 any disputes or cOntrover-
sizes with the United States or TO defeat
the measure of the Government of the
! United States, shall be deemed guilty of
treason" the statute fixing the penalty
at a fine not to exceed 5000 and impris-
Onment at from six months to three
years. the same penalty applying 10 ac
cessories. Attorneys declare there Is no
doubt OF Miss Schley's guilt under this
statute, and If the Government were to
lock upon her actions as a serious mat
ter which is unlikely, her peace mis-
sion" might land her in Jail. or more ap-
propriateiy, perhaps, in lunatic asylum.
Governor Mount Of Indiana, has long
been an advocate of the rural free de-
livery Of mail and he has so interested
himself in the matter that ne has sue
ceeded in persuading the Postofice De
partment TO conduct its vital test of the
system on route extending from Craw-
fordsviHe TO the Mount farm, a distance
OF Ten H4lltS. NJoNSIlAbl AioAAli iAtAS bNi4A
at home for several days, and has per
sonally visited those families along the
route and urged the Importance Of fac!li-
tating the work of the carrier. The POST
office Department will experiment not
only on this route. but on several other
routes running out of Charlottesville.
Two other routes have already been
agreed upon by Col. Smith and f. NJ.
Dice. of the Postofhce Department, who
are now on the ground. These routes are
considered even more practicable than
the one running to the Mount farm, hav-
ing both their beginning and ending in
Crawfordsville, whereas the Mount route
ends at the governors farm. The Post
office Department is greatly interested in
the results of the work as the conditions
for a fair test Of the system are regarded
as IDEAL In many of the communities
where the tests have been made il is
claimed that the conditions have been
manufactured.
considerable interest is manifested in
Republican political circles here over the
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