The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-01-07
CURRENT TOPICS.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

yard.
The British steamer Glen Avon, Capt.
Pithie, which sailed for London from
Hong Kong, on the Goth, has been
wrecked.
The friends of Lizzie Skinner, who
| was stabbed TO death at Bloomfield,
Ind, on the Goth. by DIR. Gray, formed
n mob. on the 30th, and intended to
lynch the murderer. but were outwit-
ted by the officers, DIR. Gray being
spirited away.
Fire broke out in a cigar store on
Government street, in the very heart
of Victoria. Il. G., on the 30th. and
caused damage to the amount of $780,
COO. The fire department was at an
outlying suburb, and much valuable
time was lost.
The Spanish government considers
that the prospect of the release of
the Spanish prisoners in the Philip
pine islands is very discouraging.
The Spanish government decided, on
the 3Oth, to send additional funds to
Cuba for the repatriation of the Span
ish troops remaining there.
The work of relieving the suffering
in Cuba is proceeding all along the
| line. the government having the matter
in charge.
The assertions made by Gen. Miles
backed up by the reports of various
officers in connection with the beef
furnished by the contractors for the
use Of the army in Cuba and Porto
Rico. have led to the appointment of
Il board of officers to investigate the
entire subject.
The Merritt & Chapman WreckiIg
Co.'S outfit arrived at Santiago, Cuba,
on the 30th. to raise the former span
ish cruiser Rcina Mercedes. which was
sunk on the edge of the channel lead
ing to Santiago harbor during the first
; hombardmcnt of the Santiago forth
cations by Admiral SIMPSONS squad
rom.
Charles Willard. n desperate charac-
ter, shot and killed Sheriff j. W. Will
Jams and Deputy Lamers ut Seaside.
Ore. on the 30th.and wounded Deputy
Miller. and was himself killed by State
Senator Fulton. Willard WAS suspect
ed of burning Senator Fulton's sum-
mrr cottage after robbinG it, and the
officers were searching his house for
stolen goods.
The losses by fire in the United
States during 1895 aggregated $113.-
139.467. as compared with $121 100 ,731
in 1897.
Mrs. Botkin's lawyers do not pro-
pose to accept as final the verdict of
the jury finding her guilty OF the muir
der of Mrs. banning, but will make an
effort to obtain a new trial and Il pos
sible reversal OF the Judgment.
The mayors of several cities through
out the country issued requests TO the
citizens to display the national flag on
the 1st. in honor of the formal evacua-
ton of Cuba by the Spanish govern
ment.
Statistics show that, during the year
Just ended. the total number of fatal
casualties in this country was 1.3i5. as
follows: Explosives. 629: mines, $50;
falling buildings. etc. 500: tornadoes
and storms. 500: lightning, 255.
Notwithstanding the war between
the United States and Spain. the loss
of life upon the field of battle during
1898 has been smaller than for several
wears. The total is estimated at o.
600. as compared with 103.451 in 1897.
The loss of life by railroad accidents
during 1898 was $3.50, as compared
with 2.764 in 1897. The number of per-
sons seriously injured was 2,616, as
compared with 2.42S in 1897.
The total number of suicides report
ed throughout the United States in
1895 was $500. as compared with 6.6oo
in 1897. OF this number 4,5S6 were
males and 1854 females.
During the year just closed there
were $40 murders reported in the
United States against $3.50 in 1897, a
gratifying decrease.
Orders have been issued by the navy
department for the discharge of a
large number of men who enlisted for
one year from ships undergoing re-
pairs at the various navy yards.
At the landing of Lord and Lady
Curzon at Bombay the Stars and
Stripes wer conspicuous among the
decorations of the city in honor of the
nationality of the new vicereine.
Work on the battleship Ohio has
been begun at the Union iron works.
San Francisco. The Ohio will be the
largest ship ever built on the Pacific
coast.
Daniel Ia Forte. known by his Indian
name as Te-Hes-La, president of the
Six Nations, and Il principal in the
case of Onondaga Indians against
John Boyd Thatcher. in the supreme
coArt of New York, for the recovery
of wampum. died, on the 1st. at mis-
farmhouse on the reservation. He was
SO years old. and is survived by a wild
low and grandson. which latter will
'tsucceed hun as chief Of the Six Ma
! tionsL