davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
s1esBEE GAVE WARNING.
"Don't Send Any More Ships-They
Are Prepared to Blow Us Up"

Washington, Feb.1S.-'Don't send any
more war ships here. They are prepared
to blow US up"
What will be thought of the theory
of an accident to the Maine when it is
known that such q. warning was sent to
Washington from Havana several days
ago?
Warning of the disaster which befen
the bautleship Maine was received in
Washington some time ago and appar-
emily disregarded. If not disregarded,
the secret of the anxiety of officials was
well kept.
Securely reposing in the secret files
of the state department is a cipher dis
patch from Captain Sigsbee of the bat
tleship Maine. It was presumably sent
by special courier to Key West and for
Warded from there. At any rate, it
was delivered by Secretary Long to As
sistant Secretary Day. 1t contained in
effect a solemn warning from Captain
Sigsbee that no more battle ships could
safely be sent to Havana harbOr with
out serious consequences.
The captain declared that his ship
was in dangerous position, and that
he had reason to believe that it was in
tentiOnally placed where it would be
subject to the fire of masked batteries
from the land and almost directly over
the submarine mines or tOrpedOes. He
expressed the opinion, with all due de-
ference for his superiOrs, that no more
ships should be sent to Havana harbor
for show purposes merely, or to make
a demonstration of force. He warned
the department that this would be eX-
posing the ships to the possibility of
destruction. He did not himself pro-
pose to leave Havana, as to do so
would seem like running away from
threatened danger, but he was very
firm in regard to the folly of exposing
other ships to the danger which he felt
and almost knew lowered over his own
command.
At the time when it was first rumor-
ed that the Maine was to be sent to
Havana Minister Dupuy De LONE was
both indignant and belligerent. He
said with the utmost frankness to Off
Gals of the state department and lead
ing members of congress that the send
ing of a ship to Havana harbOr would
be considered distinctly as a hostile act.
He also expressed an opinion that any
ship sent there would be blown up
sooner or later. To members of the
foreign affairs committee he stated that
the entire harbOr was planted with tor
pedoes and protected by submarine
mines, both of which means of defense
were operated from the shore.
When Captain Sigsbee's secret dis
patch was received at the department it
was thought he was unduly alarmed
and had been Influenced by rumOrs on
the street and in the cafes. No more
ships were sent to him, but the torpedo
boat Gushing was detached from the
fleet at Tortugas and dispatched to
Havana with the supplies which were
originally to have gone by one of the
smaller boats. The warning of Sigsbee,
coupled with the threatening talk of De
LONE, is quite sufficient to cause well
posted officials at the state and navy
it was no accident which blew up the
Maine and buried nearly 300 brave sail
ors under the Shiny waters of Havana
harbOr.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18

ousy and apprehensive hate. Only in the
palace did see signs of contempt.
Captain Sigsbee bears the calamity like
an American officer and a gentleman. He
was not even outwardly ruffed by the
awful calamity. He received the Spanish
chief of police as calmly as though his
quarterback was not wreck and his
men mangled and drowned. Apropos of
this, 1T is told of Captain Sigsbee that he
was writing a letter to his wife in his
port cabin when the explosion occurred.
''Au the lights were instantly extin-
guished- Sigsbee, running out bumped
into perfectly disciplined marine orderly
who, amid shrieks, groans, flames and
horror and in the dark, saluted and said:
I have to inform you that the ship has
been blown up and is sinking
The brave marine is named William
Anthony. He said to me today when 1
spoke of it: oh, that's nothing; any Yam
kee marine would do that, -
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
LeayenwOrth Policy Holders in
New York Insurance Co.
Taxed Too Much in ASSESSMENTS
Are Being Frozen Out.
BARRED FROM KANSAS
The Company Now Attempts to
Get Even.
Brutal Murder of a LeavenwOrth
Man by His Son. !

Leavenworth, Feb. 18.-Much dissat-
isfaction is being expressed by the
Leavenworth policy holders of the NIu-
tual Reserve Fund Life company of
New York, an insurance company that
was barred from doing business in Kan
sas a few years ago by Commissioner
Wilder
They claim they were induced to take
out policies ranging from $4,000 to $10,
600 by contract that they would only be
required to pay a certain amount in as
sessments each year. They have been
required to pay an increase, however,
and lately have been notified that they
will have to stand another increase.
which would amount to nearly 100 per
cent of the usual assessment.
The company was formed several
yeras ago and Fred A. Burnham is
president.
Among the policy holders are many
prominent citizens of LeavenwOrth.
These will refuse to pay the increased
assessment and when their policies are
declared forfeited they will send an
agent to New York and begin suit to re-
cover damages, as many of them have
been paying assessments for nearly a
quarter of a century.
One of the victims is James Wallace,
who would under the new ruling be re-
quired to pay very large sum, as he
is past TO- John Baum, John Harmon,
J. w Brown and others are among the
list of LeaVenWorth policy holders.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
sTRAINING ITSELF.
U. S. Government Struggling to Prove
That cit Was an Accident"

Washington, Feb. 1S.-The navy de-
partment authorizes a denial of the
statement attributed to Captain Sigs-
bee that he recommended to the de-
partment before he sailed for Havana
that no other ship than the Maine be
sent to Havana because the harbor was
too dangerous owing to the number of
torpedoes planted in the bottom. AS a
matter of fact, Captain Sigsbee had not
the slightest hint given him that his
ship was to be selected for the visit
twelve hours before the departure. He
was then at Key West doing patrol
work and had gone to join the squad
ron at TOrtugas before the telegraph
orders from the department for his ship
reached Key West.
There was no correspondence with the
partment beyond his acknowledgment
of the orders. AS to the statement rel
alive to the number of tOrpedOes plant
ed in Havana harbor it is said at the
navy department that nobody aside
from the Spanish officers in Havana
knows what has been done to protect
the harbor in that manner. 1t is GUS
tomary to divide all great harbors into
sections and in plans of coast defense
to assign places for tOrpedoes on the
bottom at certain intervals. The loca-
ton of these tOrpedOes is kept a pro-
found secret, only a few officers of the
army being entrusted with the knowl-
edge If the location were known it
would be easy for an attacking enemy
to explode them without causing harm
to their own vessels.
1t is not usual to keep the torpedOes
actually in their births in the water in
times of peace; they are placed in the
positions assigned to them only as a
war measure. There are some excep-
lions to this rule, for instance at Hong
Kong, where the torpedoeS are at all
times kept in position, and it may be
presumed that the same precaution has
been taken at Havana harbOr to guard
against an unexpected raid by a swift
steamer that might fall into the hands
of the insurgents.
These torpedoes are not of the con-
tact type, as are called the tOrpedoeS
that are set to go off upon the touch of
the hull of a vessel passing over them
but are arranged to be exploded only
by means of electric currents sent from
shore by buried wires.
These fixed tOrpedoes are really mines
and carry much larger charges than the
small autonOmOble torpedOes discharg-
ed from the torpedo tubes of Warships.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
TAKING HIS DEAD HOME.
Sad Journey of Wallace County
Homesteader Back to Illinois.

St. Joseph, Mo, Feb. 1S.-John A.
Cowden, who drove through the city to-
day on his way from Wallace county
Kan. to Winfield, Ill, is probably MAX
ing as sad a journey as was ever I'M
dertaken by mortal man. None knew
that the stained and tattered canvas
covered wagon sheltered the dead, and
that the bodies of COwden'S wife and
two children were being taken by him
from a once happy home to their old
home in Illinois for interment. Ihe ma
ture of the load which the ponies had
dragged across the treeless state of
Kansas was accidentally discovered
when COWden stopped before an under
takers place to obtain some assistance.
He said he went west ten years ago
and took up a farm in the extreme
western tier of Kansas counties. HIS
wife made the journey with hlm, ana
their children were born on their new
claim. They managed to make both
ends meet, and last fall were hopeful
that better times were in sight. Then
misfortune came. In November fire de-
stroyed their home and almost their all
In the wretched dug out in which they
were forced to take refuge the two chill
dren sickened and died, and were buried
on the bank of the Smoky.
In despair Cowden and his wife decid-
ed to go back to their old home in the
east and take the remains of the little
ones with them This, they reasoned,
freezing atmosphere of the wind-swept
plains would almost petrify the bodies
before starting. The Solomon river was
crossed at Delphos, little more than
half the distance to the Missouri river
when Mrs. COwden succumbed to the
exposures and privatiOnS of the trip
and died within twenty-fOur hours.
They were in camp on the prairie, far
from any town and where medical aid
could not be secured. When it became
evident to her that the end was near,
she begged for one more look at the
faces of her children. The husband
took the lids from the boxes and, lifting
his wife in his arms, he held her gently
within touch of the forms of the chill
dren. The coffin lids were replaced and
that evening the mother died. Her
body was wrapped in blankets and was
hauled to a small town, where box
was secured, and then the old man with
his silent company drove YEARLY on.
He avoided all but the smallest ham
let's, fearing that he would be prevented
from continuing, but, crossing the Mis-
souri, on the bridge at this point, his
passage through St. Joseph was una
voidable. The undertaken kept the
mournfuI travellers secret until he was
well beyond the jurisdiction of the
health authorities.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
1T WAS THE VILLAINOUS
WORK OF A TORPEDO.
Continued from First Page.J

circular was sent to Medical Director
Wood by an officer of the Maine, who
picked it up while train returning
from a bull fight. The circular is as
follows:
'spaniards! Long live Spain and honor!
selves to be insulted in this way2 Do
you not see what they have done to US in
Withdrawing our brave and beloved Wey-
Ter who at this very time would have
finished with this unworthy rebellious
rabble. who are trampling on flag
and our honor? Autonomy is imposed up
on US to set US to one side and to give
posts of honor and authority to those who
Initiated this rebellion, those i'll born au-
Economists, ungrateful sons of our below
ed country.
And finally, these Yankee hogs, who
NEEDLE in our affairs, humiliating US to
the last degree, and for still greater
taunts order to US one of the ships OF
war of their rotten squadron, after in
sulting US in their newspapers and driv-
ing US from our homes Spaniards. the
moment for action has arrived Sleep
not Let US show these vile traitors that
we have not yet lost shame, and that we
know how to protect with energy beft-
ting a nation worthy and strong as our
Spain is and always will be.
Death to Americans; death to auton-
omy.
Long live Spain Long live Weyler.''
Mrs Jungen, wife of Lieutenant Carl
w. Jungen, watch officer on the Maine,
is at the home of her uncle, Medical Di-
rector Wood. In answer to questions as
to whether any of her husbands letters
against American officers, she said: -'Oh,
yes; in all letters from my husband he
has spoken of the bitter feeling against
the Americans which was everywhere ap-
parent. This was among the lower class
of Spaniards, UNDERSTANDINGS ler's Iol-
lowers. In a letter dated as late as Feb
ruary 10 he used the significant express
sion: If don't get away from mere
soon there will be trouble
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
ALTON NEGROES PLEASED.
Supreme Court Decision in the School
Case Comes as a Surprise to
the City.

Alton, Ill, Feb. 1S.-The decision render
ed in the supreme court at Springfield
sustaining the demurrer of the colored
people in the Alton school case has great
ly enlivened interest in the case. The de-
cision. favorable as it is to the fight
which the colored folks are making to re
gain their fOOthOld in the schools of the
whites, came as surprise to the attor-
neys of the school board and the city.
who have notified the court that they will
file special answer today from the AL
ton school board and the city of Alton.
The colOred people are naturally much
elated with the decision rendered and are
now more than ever confident that they
will win. They will not, however. at
tempt to send their children back to the
schools of the whites until the legal bat
tie has ended. Ever since they were
elected from the schools by the police last
September the negroes have steadfastly
refused to send their children to any
school and their education has been al
most altogether neglected in the five
months that have elapsed.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
MANGRovE ON GUARD.
Will Watch the Wreck of the Maine
Until It is Raised.

Washington, Feb. 1s.-Yesterday Cap
tain Sigsbee suggested to the navy de-
partment through the commander at
Key West, that it would be well to de-
tail a lighthouse tender or some such
small craft to watch over the wreck of
the Maine. AS the upper works are
above water in places, and much valu-
able property is thus exposed, the de-
partment has acted upon the suggestion
and has authorized one Of the vessels
now at Havana, the Mangrove, proba-
bly,, to be used for the purpose 1t is
said at the department that the naval
court of inquiry which is to investi-
gate the disaster can scarcely Assem- BILE
for the work before next Monday. Lieu
tenant Commander Mark, who left
Washington this morning, can hardly
reach Key West before the end of the
week, and as the board must prepare
itself for the work before leaving KEY
West, day is little time enough for
that and the transportation to Ha-
vana. It is not yet known where the
board will hold its session at Havana.
as this detail has been left for Admiral
Sicard to fix. It may be held at one
of the hotels, perhaps on board the
Ward line steamer, the Tender Fern. or
the coast survey steamer Bache
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
WARRING LEAGUES.

The immigration Restriction league
is having it's hands full to combat the
efforts of the immigration Protective
league to defeat the Lodge bill when
has passed the senate and is pending IN
the house The bill in its present form
Is so mild that it is difficult to under
stand why it should arouse serious OPP
position on the part of anybody I'M
less it be the steamship companies. 1t
could not damage them greatly
The bill provides for exclusion as fol-
lows:
"AIlpersons PHYSICAL capable and over
16 years of age,who cannot read or write
the English language or some other
language; but a person not so able to
read or write who is over so years Of
age, and is the parent or grandparent
of qualified. immigrant over 21 years
of age, and capable of supporting such
parent or grandparent, may accompany
such immigrant, or such parent or
grandparent may be sent for and come
to Join the family of a child or grand
child over q years of age similarly
qualified and capable, and a wife or
minor child not so able to read or write
may accompany or be sent for, and
come to join the husband OF parent
similarly qualified and capable"
Yet the immigration Protective
league sends out a circular containing
the following language:
THE nativistic authors of such en-
tirely superfluous new laws pretends that
their only object is to protect the Amer
lean laboring man against foreign COM
petition. This is, however, only a poor
excuse for their real scheme, dictated
by that hatred of the foreigner, whom
they would like to exclude altogether
ar~--
lively feeble stream of German immi-
grafton is completely cut off. then they
viii succeed in expressing Germans in
this country, and ruin the German ele-
ment politically and industrialy."
The absurdity of such an appeal to
race prejudice has rarely been equalled.
The proposed law cannot ''cut off, Ger
man immigration, for only Is per cent
of German immigrants are illiterate.
The hundreds of thousands of Germans
in this country are among the best for
eign-born citizens we have, and no one
would wish to ruin them fndustrially.' .
seYen if it were possible, which it is not.
An educational test applied to every
immigrant in 1897 would have kept out
only 232 per cent of all persons over 16
years of age. It would have kept out
less than Is per cent of the Germans
and only 3.6 per cent of those from the
fUnited Kingdom, France, Germany and
i Scandinavia,and such a test applied I'M
der the provision of the Lodge bill would
keep out still fewer, because of the
many exceptions made by that bill in
favor of persons not required to take
the test.
Indeed, it may very well be that the
IS per cent of illiterates among the
Germans in 1896 We're all of them per-
sons under 16 years of age, or over so
years Of age, parents or grandparents
of a qualified immigrant, or wives or
minor children; and if so, would all be
admitted under the present bill
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
Pens1ons % Kansans.

Washington, Feb. 1S.-Pensions have
been granted as follows.
OriginaI-Wm. w. Cole, Chetopa, SO;
Jos. z. Conklin, Winfield, $S;Wn. Burk-
holder, Minneapolis, Sc; Arnold Reich
ert, National Military Home, Leaven-
worth, IS; Isom p. Garrison, Independ-
ence, Sc; VIM. N. Jones, Lawrence, Sc
Geo. w Chance, National Military
Home, Leavenworth, Sc; John Cover
National Military Home, LeavenWorth
Sc; Benjamin F. Allebach, FL Dorado
So; Isaac W. Porter, Inman, 50; Andrew
Kiniest, National Military Home, Leav-
enworth S.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Remer, Burlfng-
ton "a to S.
Restoration and AdditfonaI-Robert
Kennedy dead, St. Marys, 81 to S.
Restoration and Increase-Henry z.
Knapp, Norton, $40 to SIT.
RenewaI-Lyman 3. Simon. Topeka,
Reissue-Smith Jones, National Mill
tary Home, Leavenworth, s12; William
Mckee, Leavenworth, $12.
Original Widows, Etc, Reissue-Eliz-
abeth Wells, Ellsworth, $12; Amy A.
Papes. Wichita $12.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
sAGAsTA MUST SHOW US.
Spanish Premier is Certain it Was Al
Accidental


New York, Feb. 1s-The Madrid CORE
spondent of the World sends the following
authorized statement by Prime Minister
Sagasta:
I'VE are grieved and painfully surprised
by the catastrophe to the Maine. We
felt it doubly because the sad occurrence
took place in our waters.
we cannot forget the sympathy that
was shown to US by America when we lost
our cruiser Rena Regente, and the min
lister of marine conveyed to General Wood
ford the coincidence of the Spanish navy:
convey to the American government the
sympathy of our sovereign nation and
government.
You may have noticed how general and
sincere has been the friendly attitude of
our press in commenting upon the unfor-
tunate catastrophe. 1 feel confident that
the authorities and people of Havana will
go a great way to convince America that
we sympathize with her in mourning for
the gallant crew and officers OF the Maine
I'VE have heartily approved the con-
duct of the military, naval and colonial
authorities at Havana, whose spontaneous
ed the official thanks of the American
consul general and the commander of the
Vana that has offered to cover all ex-
penses of the funeral and burial Of the
264 men and two officers.
Indeed, 1 do not apprehend any trou-
BILE in our relations with America. am
firmly persuaded that this purely acct
dental catastrophe will make them closer
if possible, and cement them with sympa-
4 cannot give you any fresh details Of
the origin of the accident, but L am able
to state that all the sources of infOrma-
in attributing it to an explosion IN the
interior of the vessel similar to those that
have occurred in the American WarSnlp
Cincinnati and several vessels of the Eu-
ropean powers in the last four years.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
SWEET WILL NOT RESIGN.
Haskell Indian superintendent Makes
Trouble for His Successor

Washington, Feb. 1S.-The Haskell
institute incident is not closed, it seems.
Mr.. PEARS is on the ground and sup
posed to be obeying the instructions of
Commissioner Jones, taking an inven-
tory of Haskell government belon gings
as an Indian inspector, preparatory to
turning all of the same over to himself
on March 1, as superintendent of the
same school.
Notwithstanding this, Superintendent
SWEET, who announced two weeks ago
that his resignation had been handed in
has not resigned, although his resigna-
ton was requested by Commissioner
Jones about that time. Commissioner
Jones received a letter from Mr.. SWEET
today saying that he had not resigned,
and would not, unless he could dictate
his own terms.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-18
Els SON KILLFD Elm.
Cruel Murder at Leavenworth the Re
suit of Family Quarrel


Leavenworth, Feb. 18.-One of the
most sensational murders that ever oc-
CURED in LeaVenOrth, took place
shortly before o'clock last evening
when Byron Billings shot twice and in
stantly killed his father H. NJ Bill
ings.
Both were well known, the father as
a keeper of a road house between the
soldiers home and city, right on the
limits, and the son as sport and light
weight pugilist, under the name of
kid" Billings. No one heard what
passed between the father and son be-
fore the shooting, but Bert, a younger
son, says that there was domestic trou-
bic in the family and this is at the bot
tom of the tragedy.
Byron Billings, aged % years and
married, lived in the city, and last eV-
eninS he went to his fathers place and
was in an ugly mood.
Byron shot his father as he was about
to put a lighted lamp at the front door
and after he fell, shot him again. One
of the bullets entered the right side just
below the nipple and came out the left
side behind, and the other shot below
the left side and through the heart. The
father screamed at the first shot, and
the wife and mother and q young son
at the supper table saw him fall and
saw Byron fire the second time while
his father was down.
The younger brother and others were
afraid to go near him, and he boarded
an electric car. He came to the city
and called on his wife to say farewell
and afterward was about to get away
in a hack, when he was placed under ar
rest.
The murdered man was a veteran,
aged "a years. and leaves quite a for
tune acquired in running a rather no
torious place.