Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-05
FRUIT IS BADLY DAMAGED
Reports to Iowa Horticultural Society Not
of Encouraging Nature.
ToNTINE COMPANIES FIGHT NEW LAW
Two Members of Police Force Detected
ExtortInR Money from Young
woman Compelled to DisgOrge
and Are Then Dismissed.
(Froin a stan Correspondent

NfTOln a stan COTTespOnOenIJ
DIES MONIES, May 4.-(special.)-secre-
tary Greene Of the Iowa State Horticul-
tural society has Just made up an esti-
mate on the condition OF the fruit crop
in Iowa from reports received from his
correspondents in all parts Of the state,
the observations being taken May /. The
report shows that the crop conditions are
not as favorable now as appeared to be the
case a mouth ago. The following are the
average percentages for the state on the
various fruits: Apples, 81 per cent; plums,
95; cherries, Sc; pears, SO; peaches, buds
killed; red raspberries, Il; black raspber-
ries, 81; blackberries, 40; grapes, 43; straw
berries, 81. Thu season is not yet far
enough advanced to determine exactly the
condition Of the small fruit and It may be
better than estimated by the members OF
the horticultural society.
ExtortIon by the Police.
Two city police officers were today dis
charged by Mayor Brenton for alleged at
tempt at extortion Of money from a
woman. A young woman was registered
at the Goldstone hotel from an out-of-town
place and two officers, Carter and Pin
niger, looked over the hotel register and
found the woman was there. They had
no knowledge whatever of the woman, but
went to her room, demanded admittance
and told her they were going to arrest her,
She gave good references and said she had
just come TO the city to seek employment.
They said they would not modest her II she
could put up money to pay her fine. She
had 81 which, in her fright. she turned
over to them. Is soon as they had gone
she told her story to the landlady who
informed the chief of police and an in
vestigation followed. The officers were
made to confront the woman, confess that
her story was true and to turn over the
money. Their dismissal from the force
Immediately followed. They had been on
the force only a few weeks under the new
administration.
Hospital Roof Repaired.
The State Board Of Control has had the
roof Of the State hospital at Cherokee re-
paired after the windstorm Of last week.
1t is not yet determined how much of the
work of laying the tile on the roof will
have to be done over again. but 1t Is prob
able much of 1t will be. The big boilers
for the hospital have Just been shipped
to Cherokee and will be placed soon. They
should have been placed several weeks
ago. The board Is having an analysis OF
the water Of the deep we'll made. and thus
far the indications are that the water is
not very good, as 1t contains a vast amount
Of mineral substance.
VIII Oppose the Law.
The persons engaged in the tontine busi-
ness in the sale of land and diamonds will
fight the new Iowa law which requires that
this business shall be regulated as build
ing and loan associations are. Attorneys
today aaoiIrad hrtafa that uyara Ala hi
fore the governor and are preparing to re-
sist the application Of the law. There is
one incorporated company doing this busi-
ness in Des Moines and an effort was made
last week to incorporate another under the
general incorporation laws of the state,
but the papers were thrown out. Most Of
the outside business done is by persons
who have not Incorporated. but are doing
business as firms or partnerships. The act
was published this morning and is there
fore a law and the fight will probably come
on In the courts at once to test its validity.
Soon to Organize.
Hon. P. L. Prentes of Ringgold county,
the Eighth district member OF the Iowa
on the louisiana Purchase ex-
position, was in Des Moines today con-
sulting in regard to the preliminaries for
the Iowa exhibit. 1t is probable that the
commission will meet and organize at once
and begin some Of the work which must
be done; but the fact that the exposition
is to be postponed makes 1t possible for
the commission to anticipate an additional
appropriation from the next legislature.
Do Not Want the Inebriates.
Each one Of the superintendent of Iowa
is anxious that the proposed de-
psrtment for tie treatment OF dipsomaniacs,
inebriates, morphine victims. ETC., shall
be located in some other hospital of the
state than the one he superintends. Each
one feels that 1t will be an undesirable
department, as the expense will be greater
than in the case Of insane patients and
the pay no greater, and the inebriates will
be harder to care for and cure" than the
insane people. The law was passed pro-
viding for this department at the instance
Of the State Anti-Saloon League of Iowa
and the ward or department will soon be
established.
There is rejoicing here over the news
rom Washington that the auditing depart
nent OF the treasury has allowed the Iowa (
war claims to an amount in excess of
It was really not expected by
state officials that more than $3.50, 900 would
be secured on this clam and the decision is a