davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
HOUSE DISTRICT COMMITTEE.
Favorable Reports on Two Pending
Hills and n Resolution.

The House District Committee yester-
day gave hearing TO w. Riley Decide,
Of the Potomac Insurance Company, on a
pending bill to amend the charter Of that
company and change its name 10 The
Potomac Insurance Company OF the DIS
tr-jct of Columbia The bill was reported
TO the House by mistake on January u.
and when the error was discovered the bill
was withdrawn.
MIR. Decide explained the provisions Of
the bill and stated that the company de-
sired authority 10 engage in the guarantee
and bonding business, which il could rot
10 under its present charter. The third
section of the bill. he said. would give
that authority. Some members OF the com
mittee suggested that the third section of
the bill seemed like giving The. company
special privileges. The third section, which
is as follows, was stricken out, and the
bill was ordered favorably reported:
Sec. 2. That the act Of March ?. 1897. above
mentioned, he amended by striking out all that
part Of section which follows the clause 'and
from time 10 time 10 alter or repeal the same.
and inserting ia lieu thereof the following words
And to make. execute. and perfect contracts
VI indemnity and contracts and agreements OF re-
insurance. and for underwriting thc various risks
and hazards and undertakings ct other insurance
companies, and TO execute and perfect all agree
mcrts, bargains and contracts, necessary 10 Garry
these and its other powers into effect; ana 10
further amend said act by adding at the end Of
section . the words land the board Of directors
created under this chsrter shah have the power
10 increase the capital stock at any time 10 any
amount not in excess Of sl,O0,Uy0.
The committee also authorized favor
able report on House Resolution l1S,
which provides as follows: That the Sec
Rotary of War be. and he is hereby, re-
quested TO transmit 10 the House of Rep
resentatives copies OF all letters between
the War Department and individuals or
corporations relating to the safety of the
bridge across the Potomac River, known
as Long Bridge"
A bill authorizing the Secretary of the
Interior to convey certain lot in the
District by quit claim deed TO John II. and
Charles L. Cause was ordered favorably
reported. as was also a bill for the relief
OF Joseph BaciEaluppi. The bill exempts
Mr.. Bacigaluppi from the operation of The
alien ownership act
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
MRS. LAwToN's PLANS.
Her Wishes Regarding the Generals
Funeral Awaited.


The funeral of General Lawton is not ex-
pected to take place before next Thursday,
but the exact date is still problematicai.
owing to the fact that the wishes of Mrs.
LawtOn have not been learned by the War
Department. definite reply to tele-
grams sent Mrs Lawton asking her for
any plans she may have regarding the
funeral is expected today.
The details of the military escort will be
arranged by Maj. Gen. Wesley Mer-
rift, commanding the Department of the
East, who arrived in Washington yesterday.
He at onee had a conference with the
President and Secretary Root. both OF
whom said that they desired that every
honor possible be paid the dead officer.
General Merritt said that he was arraDg-
ing to have ABOUT 5000 troops take part in
the parade in honor of General Lawton.
Mai Gen. John X. Brooke is in the city.
and will remain until after the funeral;
General Randall, commander OF the De-
partment of Alaska, is also here. and Brig.
Gen. James F. Wade, In command OF the
Department of the Lakes, Is expected, and
General Shafter will accompany the re-
mains from San Francisco. In fact, all the
most prominent generals in the service in
this country will attend the funeral.
General Merritt will have a military
escort to meet the remains at the station
and convey them to the place where they
will rest until the day Of interment.
On the day OF the funeral besides the
large body of prominent officials and citi-
zens, there aill be in the procession reg
iment OF foot artillery from New York,
the regiment OF Fifteenth Infantry recent
ly returned from Cuba; a squadron Of cav
airy from Fort Myer. two batteries OF
mounted artillery from Washington Bar
racks, the Marine Band: the cavalry band
from Fort Myer. and one or two other
bands. II is expected that the funeral VIII
be the largest seen in Washington in many
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
ROUTINE WORK OF THE HOUSE.
Bills RBd Resolutions Considered
and passcl.

In the House yesterday Mr.. RiXey OF
| Virginia asked unanimous consent for the
| consideration OF the bill TO set apart a
portion of the arlington estate for ex-
perimental agricultural purposes, the
same TO be under the jurisdiction Of the
Secretary Of Agriculture.
In response 10 questions from Messrs.
Ray and Steele, Mr.. Rixey explained that
the bill had been approved by the Secre-
tary of War and the Secretary Of Agri-
culture and was unanimously reported
from the Committee on Military Affairs
The bill was amended in several minor
particulars and was passed. 1t provides
that jurisdiction be given the Secretary OF
Agriculture over so much OF the Govern
ment land in Alexandria county. Va,
known as the Arlington estate, as lies east
of the public road leading from the Aque-
duct Bridge 10 Alexandria, and between the
railroad and the Potomac River, contain
ing about four hundred acres
A john resolution was passed providing
for the Payment OF the salaries Of certain
retired officers Of the Marine Corps, with
held by the accounting officers of the
Treasury because of the wording OF the
last Naval Appropriation bill.
The House then went into Committee Of
sets in the chair, to consider the bill
making appropriations for the Indian SER
vice for the year ending June So 1901.
Mr.. Sherman Of New York, Chairman OF
The Committee on Indian Affairs, ex-
planned to the House the principal fea-
lures OF the bill
Mr.. Cooney OF Missouri made q thirty
minute speech, in which he criticised the
Administration policy in dealing with the
Philippines. He was in favor Of opening
every door TO the channels of trade but
would close them TO every attempt at ex-
pansion.
Mr.. Weeks OF Michigan, replying TO Mr..
Cooney, defended the policy of the ADJ
ninistrstion in the matter of the Philip
pines. He quoted from the message of
the President TO answer the questions pro-
pounded by Mr.. Cooncy rs to the atti-
tude OF the Administration toward the
problem OF governing Porto Rico and con-
trolling the Philippine Islands.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Weeks remarks,
Mr.. Linney addressed the House, at the
conclusion Of which the committee rose,
and at O'Clock the House adjourned
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01

| where he had left off. or ask the father
| again for the drink of water? ! claim that
| he did as any guilty man would have done.
| He fed. This defence was conceived in
the brain of Benjamin II. Smell, and be-
lieve he is perpetrating the same fraud
upon his counsel which he is attempting
TO foist upon you. That man remembers
| everything save the single act of killing
that girl. He does not remember that. He
recalls all the rest, yet he cannot recall
the crime itself.
i Voice From the Grave.
This little girl speaks back from the
grave to you this afternoon and asks for
justice for this fiand incarnate who sits
before you pleading insanity as the ex-
cuse for his doubly horrid crime. The
monster who is responsible asks elemency
at your hands; for mercy when he never
felt it himself
MIR. Anderson then reviewed the experts
and their testimony, showing from the
standpoint of the prosecution that the de-
PENDANT was at no time an Insane man.
He occupied q position which not only
required good penman, but n man of more
than ordinary intellectual capacity, yet he
filed this place for nine long years, a.
tending 20 his duties regularly, faithfully,
and in all that time he was never known
by any OF his associates to exhibit the
slightest sign that he was anything but
sound and sane man. IL he was an insane
man why did he show such an interest in
the Funk trial? l charge you, gentlemen,
TO yindiCate the law and punish this man,
who has broken ii. as that law directs.
Fail to do this, and you throw open the
gates to lawlessuess and crime. l do not
believe that you will fail to see your duty,
/ believe you will spurn this Sham defence,
and appeal to you 10 see that there is no
qualified verdict in this case
The Charge to the Jury.
Judge Clabaugh began his charge to the
jury at 3:25 o'clock. The charge occupied
fifty minutes In delivery. 1t was resume
of the evidence in the case, and defini-
tion OF the term reasonable doubt" as
expressed in the law was given to the
jury. The expert testimony received
share OF the judges attention. and Of it
he spoke at considerable length, saying
that men who had made deep and special
study of any science were entitled to have
their opinions respected.
There are four verdicts," the Judge
said, that you may deliver. First, that
he is not guilty; second. that he is not
guilty by reason of insanity; third, that
he is guilty as indicted. and fourth. that
he is guilty without capital punishment
At the conclusion of the charge the case
was given to the jury. which, after an
hours elaboration. returned verdict OF
guilty as indicted
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
MR.. ROBERTS MAKES DEMANDS
He Claims Mileage and salary a. ~
Representative.

Brigham H. Roberts. of Utah. yesterday
sent by his secretary the following letter
to the sergeant-at-Arms of the House of
Representatives. but that official declined
10 acknowledge the service:
Tie undersigned hereby makes formal demand
upon you as the SesrgeGHt -st-Afns OF the House
of Representatives OF The United States Congress tor
the sum Of $3.50. 50. the amount due him for mile
age from salt Lake City, Utah, to Washington,
D. g., the Representative Of said State to the
fifty-sXth Congress OF the United St.tcz-
The undersigned as said Representative also de-
mands OF you the payment 10 him Of the sum Of
s763.32 account Of salary due him as ssid Repre-
sentative Tor the month oi December, 1899, and
the month Of January, 1900, mp 10 and including
the 25th day Of said last named month.
hereby serve notice upon You that ualczs
said amounts due as Aforesaid, are paid with
ont delay will enter suit for the recovery thcrc-
OF, with interest and costs o. sui; and attorneys
fees. y. II. ROBERTS
Sergesnt-atarms Carson said last even
ing that he could pay no money 10 Mr..
Roberts except by authority of the Speak
er and the Chairman OF the Committee on
Mileage,
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
SMELL GUILTY OF MURDER
The Jury Returns a Verdict After
Short DeliberatiOn.
Concluding Arrumcnts-Mr. Turner,
for the Defence, Makes an Eloquent
Appeal in Behalf of HIS client
District Attorney Anderson De-
nounces the Theory of Insanity.

BENJAMIN. II. Smell was yesterday con-
yicted of murder in the first degree for the
killing of Lizzie weisenberger on the 9Th
of last August by cutting her throat with
razor. The jury, which had retired at
4:15, returned TO the court room at go.
Smell stood before the bar as the verdict
was delivered his head bowed, his huge
frame swaying from side TO side, his face
bearing a deadly pallor as the poll was
called by the clerk and each juror an
swered Guilty as indicted
The prisoners father was not in the
court room when the jury returned, but
waited in the witness room for the final
word which would end his suspense.
SHELLS mother returned TO her home in
wife was confined TO her home. having sue
cumbed several days ago TO the strain of
the trial, and the daughter also unable
10 be present through lack OF courage for
the final ordeal.
The family OF the murdered girl were all
in their places as the words pronouncing
he legal responsibility of Smell sounded
through the room.
time the crier announced that anyone
guilty Of any demonstration upon hearing
the verdict world be brought before the
bar to show cause why he should not be
held In contempt Of court. and there was
silence as the verdict was given.
Immediately upon hearing the judgment
Mr.. Turner gave formal notice TO the court
that he would submit a motion for new
trial, and the court was adjourned.
Hearing the Arguments.
The morning was devoted to the argu-
ment of Mr.. Turner, chief counsel for the
defence, and the afternoon was occupied
by the District Attorney in answer.
Mr. Turner outlined the duties of the
jury, and in speaking OF the present jury
system. said:
1T is the buiwark of freedom and the
foundation of the Constitution. Not even
the judge who sits with dignity upon that
bench. can iniiict punishment upon any
man unless the power be given him by
jury of that mans peers. The American
jury has by an alteration in our laws in
the past few years been placed upon
lOftier pedestal than ever before occu-
pied
Speaking Of the present law as an evolu-
ton from the old English he said:
The English Law holds that the product
of an insane mind cannot be deed: it
cannot be Il law. nor can il be q crime 1t
is the duty of society to protect itself
and an insane man by confinement which
is practical Imprisonment. say, gentle
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
A STEAMER IN QUARANTINE.
The Australia. From Honolulu. MOI
Allowed In Land at San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 3f.-The steamer
Australia arrived from Honolulu this morn
ing and was placed in quarantine. Up to
January % there had been nfty-two cases
and forty-two deaths from the plague.
The transport Senator came In during
the night from Manila, having ffty-fiye dis
abled soldiers and twenty-six cabin pas
scugers aboard. Among the. latter were
Capt. W. L. Latherman, of the Thirtieth
Infantry, and Surgeons Archibald Pond
and Fitzgerald, With two nurses.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
TO EMPLOY WOMEN NURSES.
A Hi Proposing Change I'm tn
Army Hospital Service.

NEW YORK. Jan. 31.-The committee Of
seventeen women under the Craftsmanship
of Mrs. Winthrop Cowdin, formed TO Sc
cure the employment Of graduated women
nurses in the hospital service OF the
United States Army. has issued circular
calling public attention to the bill which
has been introduced in Congress. II IS
the desire of the committee to arouse ma
tional interest. that members OF Congress
NAV be influenced to support the bill.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01

search the bill from the beginning TO TIE
end. and it does the identical thing have
said. 1t gives those men every thing they
fave asked and places the finances of this
country absolutely under the control of the
national banks
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-01
Health Guarantee

Get bottle of Hostetter's Stomach Bit
ters from any druggist. II will cure your
weak stomach. The Bitters is for constipa-
lion. indigestion, dyspepsia. biliOusness,
nervousness, and all diseases arising from
weak digestion. 1t has been known all
over the country for the past fifty years
as the Conqueror of Dyspepsia. See that a
PRIVATE REVENUE STAMP covers the
neck OF the bottle.
Evening star., 1900-08-11

tions in various markets, in some locali-
Ties the government is even sending out
daily weather forecast cards by free de-
livery; and many of the inter-urban cleo
trio railway lines which are rapidly spread
ms over the entire country east of the
Mississippi like net, have inaugurated
special market trains with the object of
getting perishable produce to market with
the least possible delay.
Reports from California, where the size
of the wheat crop is dependent largely
upon the timeliness of the rainfall, indicate
that the yield this year Is practically cer-
tain to be fair and may approach to the
great crop of 1880.
There are upward of 3,OOOOG0 acres in
California planted in wheat this year. and
inasmuch as the growers on the Pacific
slope say that the future of California
wheat is entirely dependent upon the price
there would seem to be no reason why the
size of the crop should not be greatly in
creased. Moreover, the conditions in the
Golden Gate state are especially favorable
for the use of novel types of machinery.
and there are now employed on many farms
there ffty-horse-power traction engines, one
of which will draw over the fields sixteen
plows. four harrOws and press drill plow
ing. narrowing and seeding in some in
stances pretty close to 100 acres per day.
WALDON FAWCETT.
Evening star., 1900-08-11
Supported by Fish.
From the Chicago News

In AMMAN the number Of persons who live
mainly upon fish is estimated at s,O00.000.
The fishing industry has reached a consld-
cradle development In that country. The
region most abounding in fish is that OF the
southern provinces. Binh- -Thuan and Khanh-
Hoa, and that of Thanh-IIoa in the north.
The latter district supplies fish to the Tom
kin markets and part OF China.
Owing to the numerous bays where fish
ing may be carried on in all seasons the
two former provinces supply the salting
establishments which furnish their prod
ucts to Singapore and the extreme orient.
In other regions of the coast Of AMMAN the
supply OF fish serves only to supply the
needs of local consumption. and is even IN
sufficient for this. As to river fishing II is
reduced to the needs of the Inhabitants OF
the banks. says the Scientific American.
The outfit of fishing bark of small ton
mage is four men and two children and for
the large sailing junks it consists of seven
adults and three or four children.
People engaged in the fishing and kindred
industries in AMMAN have been estimated
at 10000, of whom 600 are in Thanh-Hu
and 5000 in Quang-Nam. In adding the wo-
men and children this number may be car
ried to 60,0Oo, representing the total num-
ber of natives who make their living from
the fishing industry.
Evening star., 1900-08-11

A Wisconsin Man Expects to Win
Wealth With n New Industry.

wealth with New INDUSTRY.
From the Chicago Record
Mr.. F. N. Harvey of Lake Mills. Wis, is
engaged in a novel but profitable industry
mink raising. Prior to the present time this
undertaking has been unheard of in this
state, and probably does not exist in the
United States. Mr.. Harvey said 1t was first
suggested to him by a story in boy )
paper. Two boys were anxious to get an
education. but lacked the means. They
were aware of the profit in trapping minks,
also of its uncertainties. So they were
prompted to try raising them. In three
years according to the story, they had
made enough to take them through college
and profit besides.
Mr.. Harvey has pen about ten by twen-
ty feet and a yard of the same size, in
closed by tight board fence six feet high,
for his minks The building and the fence
are set on an eghteen-inch thick stone
foundation. placed two feet below the sur
face to prevent the animals from burrow-
ing out and escaping. He has captured six
females and one male from the marsh at
the south end of Rock lake He says:
The moment / put a rabbit in the ward
that large male, even though he is in the
pen, scents him and Immediately gives
chase. He usually succeeds in tirng the
rabbit out in about five minutes Then he
attacks him in the neck biting his iuguIar
vein When the rabbit ceases to kick this
old fellow stretches him out fun length and
sums out tHe DloOO. When he has had his
MI, he leaves his prey and the rest Of the
mirks come and tear the carcass to pieces
and eat the flesh. They almost invariaab bly,
follow the method / have described Chick
ems they treat in the same way. The old
male kills them, sucks out the blood and
leaves the meat for the rest.
Il began last October / caught most of
the minks in regular steel traps. 1t breaks
their legs, but, as rule, they limp but for
a week or two. That little ones leg was
almost off when l caught her the nav
hanging by piece of skin, but within a
month she was able to run around AS
any of them.
They are as nimble on their feet as mice
climbing up the corners of the pen, and un-
der the caves ! have a board on top of the
fence to prevent their getting out These
animals have great flattening powers; "A
sood-sized mink can crawl through a hor-
Zontal crack an inch wide They are very
fond OF fish and frogs. If pace a number
OF frogs in the tank. you ought to see them
come out and jump into the water. And
the strangest thing is that they take ont
every frog and carry it into the pen before
they eat one
ME- Harvey Is confident that his minks
VIII bring him good returns in the near
future.
Evening star., 1900-08-11

Tie all-rail lines. with powerful locomo-
tives and fasr through trains, have the
bulk of the busint IS.
The grain trade of New York once the
great port of export, is being diverted TO
Newport News. Va. Galveston, Texas. and
through a number of other c0mpa IA lively
new channels The opening this year of the
enlarged Canadian canals will ultimately
take away another big slice of the traffic
which Will seek an outlet down the ST.
Lawrence to Montreal, and. mayhap. direct
10 Liverpool without reshipment And last
OF all is the plan, now on the point of real
ization. for a line of steel barges which will
revive The once prosperous grain trade of
the Mississippi river and push New Orleans
10 the front export port of prom
:nence.
Wonders in Machinery.
But while these buyers and SINNERS and
sellers of grain have been busy with the
conquest of the foreign market the agricul-
turists Of the west have undertaken the
cultivation of breadstufs on a scale of
magnitude heretofore undreamed of. This
has been possible only by reason of Ine
recent achievements of engineering science
~ the development OF improved farm i'm
p-enents and harvesting machinery. To
such a stage Of perfection have these been
brought that every operation from the
planting Of the seed to the loading of the
grain aboard railroad cars is now per
formed BY mechanical contriVancsS and re-
cent experiments with automobiles and
electrical apparatus for driving farm ma
chimes attest the fact that even more sur
prising innovations may be anticipated in
the near future
In Oklahoma Kansas. Nebraska and
other states and territories west o. the
Mississippi the work of harvesting the grain
crop which Is to add to Americas repu-
tstion the granary of the world has
been in progress for more than a month
past. In Kansas alone the crop It IS
claimed, will aggregate fully 1G0GO,090
bushels. valued at more than s5DeS.tUsI.
and constituting unquestionably the most