Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-04
THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 4, 1900.

THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 4, 1900.
Authentic information was received that
the foreign ministers at Pekin were alive
July u, messages to that effect being re-
ceived from the American, German, Jap
anese and British legations; they reported
a cessation of the Chinese fire; Ii Hung
Chang endeavored to negotiate with the
United States for a stoppage of the inter-
national advance on Pekin on the basis of
the security of the ministers; Secretary
Hay refused in vigorous terms to negotiate
this basis. demanding, a right and
not as a favor, the restoration of commu-
nication with the ministers and urging
China. for her own sake, to cooperate with
the allies; Ii Hung Chang replied evasively,
virtually refusing to admit further COM
munication with the ministers If the adj
vance were not checked; the Tien Tsin col
umn was reported to have advanced thirty
five miles toward Pekfn, with skirmish
fighting in which the japanese were pun
ished somewhat severely. President Nc
Kfnley returned to Washington from Can
ton, Ohio. for brief visit. Former Gov
ernor Roger B. Wolcott OF Massachusetts,
was appointed ambassador to Italy, to sue
coed Gen. Draper. AS a result Of his con-
sultation with the President Governor Cen
eral Wood announced that a general cleo
ton would be held in Cuba September II
for the choice of thirty-one delegates to a
constitutional convention. to be assembled
in November. Estes G.. Rathbone. former
director of posts for Cuba was placed I'M
der arrest and later admitted to bail in Ha-
vana as a result OF the charges brought
against him in the report of the assistant
postmaster general. Kogoro Takahina. the
newly accredited minister to the United
States from Japan presented his creden-
tials to the President. Word was received
that the government, Of Nicaragua
had seized the property OF the Mar
itime Canal Company under the clause
in its contract providing a penalty
for failure to construct the trans
isthmian canal: the United States govern
ment took steps to safeguard as far as pos
sible the rights of the company. Command
er Tilley, L. S. N, reported that the chiefs
of the Tutuia group Of the Samoan Islands
had coded sovereignty over those islands
to the United States. The President com
missoned As enlisted men as second lieu
tenants in the army. The annual report of
the commissioner OF pensions showed a
total of 393. $50 pensioners on the rolls. An
election was held in North Carolina, re-
suting in the choice Of the democratic state
ticket and the adoption of state consti-
tutional amendment practically disfranchis-
ing the negroes by majority estimated at
$4,000. New Hampshire democrats and
Iowa republicans named state tickets. The
new Russian cruiser Variag. built by the
Cramps of Philadelphia, made a speed of
1871 knots an hour in her trial trip. The
Florida health department reported a death
Jester acquitted at New London, Mo-,
Of the murder of Gilbert Gates in 1871.
Foreign Affairs.
King Humbert of Italy was assassinated
at Monza Sunday by an anarchist named
Angelo Bressi. silk worker from Paterson,
n. J.; all available evidence pointed to
general plot; nest of anarchists was dis
covered at Paterson, where the death of
Humbert was openly approved: King VIC
tor Emanuel III assembled the throne with
out the suggestion of popular disapproval.
Neutrality-suspicious. Shah of Persia. as
saulted by a would-be assassin in Paris
while attending the exposition; the man
was captured before he could wound the
shah: he proved to be Francois Salson, a
French anarchist. 1t was reported that an
attempt was also made the life of King
Alexander Of Servia. General Prinsloo, with
a force Of upward of 1000 Beers, surren-
dered in the Free State to General Hunter:
no other decisive operations were reported
from the African campaign. French forces
In the Soudan defeated and killed sultan
Rabah and routed his forces. Handbills
were circulated in Cork urging an Irish re-
bellion. Four cases of bubonic plague were
reported from London. Prince Alfred En-
nest Albert. son of Queen Victoria, Duke
of Saxe-Coburg, died suddenly at Rosenau
castle.
In the District.
President Mckinley approved plans for
the celebration of the capital centennial in
December. which were submitted to him
by subcommittee of the local commit
tee. Commissioner Macfarland instructed
the health officer to notify vioators of the
smoke law that they must comply with Its
requirements at once. The Commissioners
suspended their former order limiting the
term OF the health officer to three years.
Major Sylvester presented to the Commits
sioners rules for the government of the
House of Detention. The Commissioners de-
ctded to establish pumping station In
Anacostia. The attorney for the District de-
cided that the use of firearms in the recent
sham battle by the District militia was
Illegal The annual reports OF the building
inspector and of Colonel Miller, engineer in
charge of the aqueduct, were promulgated.
Conferences between the local and foreign
hre insurance companies resulted In no
agreement as to rates. The management
of the Washington Traction Company an
nounced a change in the transfer system,
somewhat curtailing the publfc's privileges
In this respect: as a result of a report by
the District electrician TDperattcns on the
newly completed extension Of the Brook
land division of this company's lines, out
North Capital street and Michigan avenue,
was stopped because OF the insufficient
strucuon OF the superstructure OF the Pub
lie Library building were invited. Wexford
Payne. ten years old. accidentally shot and
killed Erman Howarth, playmate, near
the District line in Maryland. Frank
Thompson. colored, was killed by train
near Quantico. Frank Collins. colored, lost
a leg by being struck by train near Ana
costa. kincade Irving. colored, murderous-
ly assaulted his father and step-Sister at
Rosslyn. Among those who died was Elisha
f. Meredith. former Representative in Con-
gress from Virginia.
Economy.