davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
FIRE IN A CHRISTMAS TREE.
Pastor Orders the Choir to Sing Dur
ing ConnagrafiOn.

PEORIA, Ill, December 2S.-During the
Christmas exercises in the German Metho-
dist Episcopal Church at Pekin the large
tree. loaded with gifts and lighted by hun
dreds of candles, caught fire and blazed up
fercely. The church was packed to the
doors and women screamed and several
tainted, when the pastor, Rev. VIM H.
Traeger, commanded the audience to be
seated He said the emergency of fire had
been provided for and there was no danger
If every one kept still. Then he directed
the organist 10 play up loud and strong and
ordered the choir to sing loud.
The pastors cool attitude restored conf
dence and the people began to sink back
into their seats.
Meanwhile as the fire rolled and cracked
the music became louder The pastor flick
ed burning embers from the tree thu
aighted upon his hymn book and stepped
upon them at the same time singing at the
top of his voice
me IRE brigade improvised for service in
case a fire should break out threw A tar
pauhn over the tree and the fire was
stamped out. Then. despite the fact that
the church was filed with smoke. the eyer
cises proceeded, minus the gifts, but with
plenty of music "
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
DISMISSED THE CASE.
Charge Against saloon Keeper DE :
ciared 10 He Not Sustained.

Robert H Key, the colored politician wEi
keeps hotel and saloon ia South WASH
ington, was given a hearing in Judge SCOTS
court this morning on charge of selling
liquor contrary to law. Policeman CornweII
of the fourth precinct made the complaint
and called Special officer Araiss. who tes-
tilted that he went to the defendants placs
last Sunday and bought q drink of whisky.
He took with him a friend, who also got a
drink. In addition to the drinks the special
officer said he asked for half-pint bottle
of whisky and got it, He produced the
bottle.
whats in the bottIe?" Mr. Pugh in.
quired.
II don't know" answered the witness. Il
haven't tasted it,
Policeman Marks who is detailed for duy
at the court, was called by Mr.. Pugh. but
be declared ne was not an expert
Can you tell whisky from water?" tie
prosecuting attorney asked.
Il can do that WAS his response.
1T smells like whisky" said the Officer
when he had put the bottle to his nose.
taste it," said MIR. Pugh and tell tha
court. if YOU can. what the liquid is.
It's very weak said The officer. after
putting the botth 10 his mouth.
Weak what?'
Whisky
Policeman Cornwell searched the specill
officer before leaving the house to see that
he had no liquor on him.
The defendant denied the charge. He told
of a meeting of the Mckinley Club at his
house last Sunday, and this explained tEs
statement of the officer concerning the num-
Der of persons he had seen enter the place.
Mr.. Key charged that the officer prof
were examined and Judge Scott dismissed
the case.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28

Baltimore Markets
BALTIMORE DECEMBER -lIoQ.-:sors ecasR
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28

Money to Distribute to Families of
Ex-Life Saving Service Men.

just before Christmas Superinta ndent
kimball of the life-saving service received
checks for 81 600 from two sisters of New
York city to apply among the destitute and
needy families of former surfmen in the
life-saving service. The same ladies made
the same subscription year ago. Mr..
Kimball distributed the contribution among
twenty-seven families and it carried happi-
ness into many desolate homes. The con-
tribution went largely to the widows of
surfmen who were drowned or died from
injuries received in the work of attempt
ing to rescue shipwracked people along the
coasts of the country. The United States
government provides no pension for these
httle-known heroes in the service. If a
man is injured in the service he can be
continued on the payfois for year and
must then be dropped. In extreme cases he
can be paid for two years, but this is all
he ever gets.
In 1856 the Austrian bark Kralje vica was
wrecked off the New Jersey coast near
Barnegat. Surfman Soper was drowned in
his endeavors to rescue the crew of the
ship. Surfman lnman was badly in
jured that he died in short time The
widows Of both Of these brave men re-
ceived portion of the contributions be-
cause CT their destitute circumstances
These only instances of what Mr..
kimbail was enabled to do with the money
There were many deserving cases to which
he co'1ld not make contributions. but the
letters of thanks coming to him show that
happiness was carried into a number of
desolate homes along the storm beaten
coasts. The families of these dead surfmen
rarely move away from the region so IA
miliar to them
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
SOUTH CAROLINA'S CLAIM.
Ii May Have to Go rs the Claims of
Other SORfhern States.

Mr.. Tracewell. controller of the treasury,
has been appealed to by Senators TI.man
and McLaurin TO carefully consider the cir
cumstances of the expenditures of South
Carolina in organizing her two volunteer
regiments before declining to pay back the
money to the state. South Carolina has
put in a claim against the government of
SI!sn for organizing the two volunteer regl-
ments from the state. But. like Virginia
and other southern states. South Carolina
is indebted To the United States in a large
sum of money. II the cases of all the 9TH
er southern states whose war claims have
SO far been decided, the controller has held
that the money could not be paid to the
states, but must be applied to their debt
10 the United States. This has been done.
In most of the southern states the pre-
Hminary expenditures We're met out of
state funds There were no funds for this
purpose in South Carolina. and the consti-
tuition prohibited Governor Elierbe from in
curing debt without authority from the
legislature Governor Ellerbe appealed to
patriotic individuals. and they loaned him
the money on his promise that it would be
repaid when the government settled. These
circumstances have been pointed out to the
controller. but as the account is rendered
officially by the state he may hold the same
as in the cases Of the other states.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
BUSINESS OF THE COURTS
But One Judge on the Bench at City Hall
Today.
Prospective Trials of Persons Charg.
ed with Nurder-Grand Jury
to Report Saturday.

The Christmas season is making itself
felt at the city hall, active business. so far
as the courts are concerned, being practi-
cally suspended. Judge Cole was the only
member of the bench at the building today
He presided in Circuit Court No l. and
heard large number of motions. Chief
Justice Bingham and Judge Cox are both
confined to their homes by slight attacks of
the grip. Judge Hagner will be away until
Friday. when he win visit the building for
the purpose of holding Orphans Court.
The business of the courts is such that
Judge Bradley and Judge McComas are
able to take a much needed rest at this
time. No trials are held for the reason
that the jurors for the December term. in
accordance with custom were discharged
before the holidays The Court of Appeals
will not resume its sessions until next
Tuesday.
The usual amount of business is being
transacted in the clerks office, and in the
offices of the recorder Of deeds and register
of wills. An unusually large number OF
marriage licenses were issued today.
The grand jury will resume its duties to-
morrow, after a recess from last week
Saturday next it will report its final batch
of indictments and be discharged for the
term.
A burst of energy will doubtless occur
next week. A new grand jury and new
juries in all the courts are to be iimpaneieH
Tuesday, ana everything VIII tneh We ~
full swing. Early in January. it is stated
a the district attorneys office, the trial OF
Frank II. Miles. indicted for embezzlement
from the District of Columbia in connection
with the issuing of tax certificates, VIII De
recommenced If the Supreme Court of the
United States hands down its opinion Tues
day next in the cases Of Strather, Smith
and Winston and thereby decides an inn
portant question affecting trials for murder
in the District of Columbia, six men. now
in Jail charged with murder. will be tried
without delay
These men are James Riley. indicted for
the murder of James Mahoney, May u last:
George W. Horton, indicted for the murder
of Jane Nicholson June 2i last: Peter
Holmes. charged with the murder of Mar
garet Scott. August 20 last; William X.
Reed. charged with the murder of Elizabeth
Logan. September last James Powell.
charged with the murder of Patrick Lee,
October IL last and George Sewell. charged
with the murder of Susan Mahoney, Octo-
Der 81 last.
Holmes, Reed. Powell and Sewell have
not yet been indicted. but the understand
ing is that true bills will be reported in
their cases next Saturday.
William A. Keys is held to await the ac-
ton of the grand jury on charge of man
slaughter in connection with the death of
George H. Gray. December 1.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
L EARN ED MEN MEET
Great Gathering of Noted Scientists at
Columbia University.
Many Societies Represented Papers
Read on n Variety of Techni-
c1ir" Subjects.

NEW YORK. December 29.-Within the
halls of Columbia University today there
gathered such a body of scientists as has
seldom been brought together in session
under one roof. Almost all the societies for
research and higher science were represent
ed, and the scope of their declarations
stretched from psychology to morphology.
Each society held its meeting in a sepa-
rate hall. Those'ti1at met We're:
The American Society of Naturalists
American rMorphological Society, Associa-
ton of American ANTAGONISTS, American
Physiological Society, American Psycholog-
ical Association, American Folk Lore So
ciety, Society for, Plant Morphology and
Physiology the Anthropological Section of
the American Association for the Advance
ment of Science SAmerican Geological So
ciety and the American Chemical Society.
President Seth Low of Columbia visited
a number of the, meetings and welcomed
the delegates to Columbia's new home.
At the anthropological section of the
American Association for the Advancement
of Science these papers were read: THE
Indian Congress at Omaha" by James
Mooney, Washington, and belief in VIII
Power Among the Pawnees,'.r by Alice F.
Fletcher of Cambridge, Mass. ,,...-
AT the American Physiological Society S
eleventh annual meeting many papers were
read, one of the most important being by
Prof W. T. Porter, who has developed a
method for studying the excised heart and
has made an important study of the hui
man heart while in action.
About go fellows of the American Geo
logical Society were present during the
morning session. including President Steph-
enson, Prof. B. X. Emerson of Amherst
DR.. S. w. Dalton of the Canadian geological
survey. |. c, White Virginia state geolo-
gist. and NJ. L. Fairchild of Rochester Uni
versity. There were "a papers to be read
in this session.
Among those read today was one on "the
Geology of Yosemit. National Park" by
H. w. Tanner of the United States geolog-
ical survey.
At all the other meetings many papers
We're read, most of them relating to ex-
tremaly technical subjects
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
TAXING BICYCLES.
Com missiOners Considering Bill Re-
ferred by senator Mcmillan.

Senator Mcmillan, chairman of the Sen
ate District committee, recently referred to
the District Commissioners copy of a
suggested bill for registering bicycles and
imposing a tax thereon.
The Commissioners are now considering
the proposition, and it is understood that
Commissioner Wight has suggested to his
associates to write Senator Mcmillan that
if the proposition should be deemed of sufi-
cient Importance to demand the attention of
Congress at this session the Commission
ers would recommend that the tax on the
wheels be made an annual one of 81 on each
one
That an additional force should be pro-
vided the collector of taxes out of such
revenue. at least two clerks at $1,000 per
annum, and that the police force should
also be allowed part of the revenue. be-
cause of the largely increased duties which
would devolve upon the force through the
operation of the proposed measure.
1t is estimated that there are between
81. 900 and 80 600 wheels in use in the Dis
trict.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
John Bell Loses His Life at De Alleys
Hotel.
Was A RESIDENT OF new YORK
Brought Here for Duty at Lafay-
cite Theater.
HIS FRIENDS NOTIFIED

Shortly before o'clock this afternoon
was discovered in room 81 of De Alley s
Hotel. He had been ,asphyxiated. 1t was
evidently an accident, for the gas stove in
the room was improperly lighted.
Deceased came from New York with the
zaza' company. now filling an engage
ment at the Lafayette Theater.
Assistant Stage Carpenter.
He was assistant stage carpenter at the
Gafr1ck Iheater, N. Y, and was brought 30
washington specially to operate the intr-
cate scenery in connection with the play.
He left member of the company last
night after the show and went directly to
his hotel. Ell did not appear this afternoon
IN time for the performance, and an en-
pioye was sent to the hotel TO wake him.
Failing to get response at the door he
called upon Manager De Alley. The lat
ter after rapping for some time broke the
door open.
ihere was rush of gas which almost
stlf1ed MIN In the bed lay Bell, apparently
dead. The Emergency ambulance was
summoned When the doctors arrived they
pronounced Bell dead from asphyxiation.
mere were no messages or anything to in
dictate that the death was other than an
accident. In fact everything points to this
me peculiar feature of the case is that.
while the man died of asphyxiation the.
transom was open and the gas jet and
stove burning.
Friends Notified.
The news was carried to the theater The
manager Immediately teiegraphed to New
fork, where deceased has an aged mother
soIely dependent upon him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
GLENW0OD CEMETERY.
Opinion Of Attorney Thomas In Mat
ter of Pending Claim.

ter of Pending Claim.
The attorney for the District today
rendered an opinion in the matter of the
claim made some months ago against the
District by the Glenwood Cemetery Com
pany for damages alleged to have resulted
from the taking Of land for the extension
of Michigan avenue. the Districts legal adj
wiser holding that the companys claim is
rot well founded
The opinion is to the effect that, because
the company, when the condemnation pro-
ceedings were pending, as it Is claimed on
behalf of the District, wrote that II the
authorities would abandon a project to eX-
tend certain other streets through the Gem
etery grounds, the company would agree
to the proposed opening and extension OF
Michigan avenue, a proposition which, II
is further claimed on behalf of the District.
the Commissioners accepted, the cemetery
company's offer was in effect dedication
of the land taken and the company is
therefore estopped from claiming damages.
The attorney also holds that in deed
from the company TO private person the
company conceded that the ground taken
is a public highway. The Districts law
officer refers to the ruling of the Court of
Appeals in the case of Lansbursh against
the District as sustaining his position in
the present case.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
Washington stock EXCHANGE

Notlcc.-on motion the board decided to osi,urr
,un.r ia December 81, lS9s until Tuesday
salesaresular call-l2 O'Clock MI. S. 3s. regis
at sr III, so az At ioi ws s s3 s bonds $500
G iss bonds 500 At III $50 i2e,s si4 at
t1n F;r we inin End National Bank 10 at Kiss Lin
10 at ssss 20 at s7, 20 at s7s 70 at s7 EeR
lss9 aa'aa s at 70 At Is Is s
1877, 10 at 1857. 10 at ls514 10 at 1s5. Ameri-
1 1an Tape9pSSnf 20 80 m 2 American GRAPHIC
District of Columbia Bonds.-5s, Cougar fundinp
LOO bid IS 1901, water stock los bid. s6ss.
Miscellaneous Bonds Metropolitan Railroad Is
las bid $50 asked Metrapotau Rairose e ssrt
ndsbt n A , is bid Ms;tropSsn Railroad
Washington Gas Company series A is. i2ais bid
,,sa Gas Company series B. ds 1905, bid
bid Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone IS los
n nm: american Security and Trust IS. loo hid
ington Market Company imp Gs i15 bid W ash
H@ Market Company srtn IS. rs bid Masonic
phone deb. IS. 100 bid. los asked american 'r"pn0
NJ, NATIONAL Bank stocks of Washington, 1900
asked. Farmers and Mechanics. Kiss bid Sec as,
hid hid x GsD,, o. ozens az bid Columbia las
asked. Traders, xIo3 bid, ito asked Lincoln n,
KOS. bid, lis asked.
Safe Deposit and Trust Companies National sa fe
Deposit and Trust. Ii3 bid. lie asked. Washington
Loan and Trust, 135 bid. 40 asked. American Sc.
eurity and Trust l65 bid. Washington Safe Dc
Insaranee Stocks. -Fremens rs bid Franklin
81 bid, 45 asked. Metropolitan. so bid. 95 asked
Corcoran. SO bid. Potomac. 90 bid. Arlington lo5
bid. German-American, 400 bid. National Union
10 bid, y asked Columbia. 1oai bid 1l% asked
Riggs. ~ bid, 81 asked. Peoples, Ks bid ~ ask.
ed Lincoln, loS bid, 10Y asked. Commercial 4
bid.
Title Insurance stocks-Real Estate Title. x7e
bid; Columbia Title. Ks bid, So asked. District
Title. . bid. 3 asked.
Railroad stocks.-CapitaI Traction Company. xs7z
bid S7S asked. Metropolitan, lab bid 1917 asked
Columbia, Is bid, rs asked. lexington. 20 bid %
asked.
Gas and Electric Light ACKNOWLEDGMENT Gas
SO bid. sou asked. Georgetown Gas, x45 bid o. 81
Electric Light. x125 bid. 1871 asked.
Telephone Stoeks-Chesapeake and Potomac Boz
bid. So asked. Pennsylvania. IS bid 80 asked
Miscellaneous Stocks.-Mergenthaler Iinotype
x1S4H bid, 1913. asked. L.alston Monotype. ill.,
bid, 1915 asked. American Graphophone. i2k lid
bid 1915 asked. Pneumatic Gun Carriage, 80 bid.
30 asked Washington Market. 12h bid Great
Falls Ice, 116 bid 125 asked. Norfolk and WASH
ington Steamboat, 81 bid.
XXX dividend.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
INSPECTED BY COL. BIRD.
Transports Purchased by the Govern
ment for Cuban Service.

Transports Purchased by the Govern
ment for Cuban Service.
NEW YORK, December 2S.-Col. Charles
Bird, the personal representative of the
quartermaster general, accompanied by
Capt. N. W. Littel today inspected all the
transports and other government vessels
in port.
Col Bird reported all vessels in good con-
dition Among these vessels are the Hart
ford. recently purchased from the Hartford
line; the Rita, a prize steamer: the Massa-
chusetts. a transport, and the tug Iron
King.
The Hartford will go to Havana Friday
to ply between that pert and other ports on
the island not accessible by rail. She will
remain till the Clearwater which was pur-
chased yesterday in New Orleans, goes to
Havana when the Hartford will be sent to
Santiago.
The Massachusetts is being fitted out for
transport service, and the Rita will be
changed and fitted up at a cost OF SO, 600.
The Iron King goes to Havana Friday.
Colonel Bird leaves for Washington this
evening.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
VACANT ANBASSADORsHIPs.
"" he"dNay in Selections to Grea,
britain and Russja

p TO this morning the President had
Ihade 10 Roadway in the selection of am
bassddors 10 the court of St James and TO
Russia IL is a subject which has given
MIN more than usual trouble. He NAV vet
settle the matter of the St James mission
Dy selecting man whose name has not so
lar been connected with the talk of the
vacancy. The President likes Mr.. Choate
OF New York He also likes Whitelaw
Reid. He would like to appoint the news
paper editor and diplomat to the vacancy.
but his nature is opposed to stirring up
trouble such as would follow If Senator
PIatt carried out his assertions he would
personally fight the confirmation of Mr..
Reid 10 the last ditch He would not OPP
pose the confirmation of Mr.. Choate or MIR.
Root. The President. unless he removes
the opposition to Mr.. Reid. Will not be a bile
to select the man he is believed to prefer
he can pick a man acceptable to the New
York senator. Whether he will do il in the
face of this situation is a question that
Is yet To be answered. 4 number of people
III ge that the naming of ambassadors is as
personal TO the President as the selection
Of his cabinet advisers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
Damages Sustained in the Spanish
Possessions.
GOVERNMENT Is RESPONSIBLE
The President Will Recommend
Congressional Action.
PEACE TREATY PROVISIONS

Immediately upon the ratification of the
peace treaty by the Senate the President
will recommend to Congress- the enactment
the claims of American citizens for dam
ages sustained in Cuba Porto Rico and
ether Spanish possessions which formed
the seat of war. These claims to the
amount of S2G.000000 on this score have
already been lodged with the State De-
partment. 1t is true that some OF these
claims based On depredations committed by
Cuban insurgents. for which it is ques-
ticnable whether the Spanish government
could be held responsible.
on the other hand it is believed that
there are many claims for large amounts
that have not yet been presented, owing
to the inability of the claimants to obtain
the necessary corroborstive evidence during
the Spanish occupation of the evacuated
territories or because of the belief that
il would be f-uitess to present any claim
so long as Spanish sovereignty was main
tanned.
Treaty Provisions.
Now, however, by an article in the treaty
of Paris the United States has assumed la
biity for all claims preferred by its citizens
on account of depredations or in fact, on
any proper score.
In turn the Spanish assumed liability for
any claim that might have been made on
account of Spanish citizens or the Spanish
government itself against the United States.
What such claims would have amounted to
cannot be estimated. None filed with
the United States government prior to the
declaration of war. But it is recalled that
there was much criticism on the part Of
high Spanish officials of the alleged failure
of the United States government to observe
the requirements of the neutrality laws and
more than one statement was made to the
effect that the Spanish government intend
ed to present a claim for a round number
of millions on that score
Following Precedent.
In the inclusion in the treaty of the clause
providing for the mutual assumption Of
debts by both parties, the commissioners
were simply following the lines of the
treaty of Observation-Disclosures which ter
minated the war between the United States
and Mexico, although in that case there
was limitation expressed in terms upon
the amount of liahi ity to be assumed by
the United States So far as is known, the
treaty does not specifically provide for the
appointment of a commission to adjust
these claims of United States citizens, but
as that IS the usual method of adjudca-
ton, II is presumed that the usual course
VIII be followed and the commission crea ted
by authority of act of Congress The
latter cannot withhold its sanction of some
SUCH arrangement after the ratifcatio of
the treaty. because the convention Itself
binds the government to the obligation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
Samuel T.. HaNk Den d .

Samuel T. Hawk. an old Resident &
Georgetown, died. suddenly this morning
shortly before IL O'Clock. at his residence.
3137 . street. The deceased was taken i'll
day before yesterday. but his sickness was
not then thought TO be serious. Death In
supposed to have resulted from innamma-
ton of the brain.
Mr.. Hawk was sixty-seven years OF age.
and has resided i'm the District nearly all Of
his life. He was car builder by trade. and
for thirty-eight years was employed rs
foreman by the Washington and George
town Railroad Company. now the Capital
Traction Company. He lost his position
December 2s of last year, and since that
time has been out of work. although vester-
day word was sent to him to appear i'm
mediately at the Post Office Department for
employment
The deceased leaves a widow and one
child, daughter at his home. and one son.
who is in the hotel business at Portland
Greg