Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-26
No Interference in the Case
of Homer Bird.
AWAITING EXECUTION
SENATOR CULLOM CONFERS WITH
PRESIDENT ON TREATIES.
With Secretaries Root and Cortelyou
MIR. Roosevelt Will Depart for
Canton Tonight.

President Roosevelt this afternoon denied
the application for Communication of the SEN
tence Of Homer Bird. awaiting execution in
Alaska. This case has all the elements Of
tragedy, with trimmings of pathos. Mans
unfaithfulness, woman's peridy and q
wife's devotion.
+, Bird was wel1-to-do man of New Or
leans six years ago. He had a beautiful
and talented wife and number Of children
and was possessed Of sufficient money to
live comfortably and happily. He met an
other woman and soon began to remain
away from home. His wife learned the true
situation. All her appeals were in vain. In
1887 Bird organized an expedition to the
gold fields of Alaska. He left New Orleans
r.'+h the wore~' Naomi Strong by rome.
They lived together as man and wife In
'tA.-s..... D-f.. proV.ueu iiio.i~, ~. N.
expedition. Besides the woman there were
with him ]. H Hur;in. r. L. Patterson and
Charles Shelter.
The party prospected in many points In
Alaska and then started up the Yukon
river, reaching point near what is called
the Slaughter House. Bird had been grow
ing disagreeable, owing to many reasons,
one of them being jealousy of the woman.
Finally Bird deliberately shot and killed
Huriin and inflicted a fatal wound upon
Patterson, from which the latter died sew
eral weeks afterward. Shelter, for some
reason, was spared, although repeatedly
threatened.
Shelter and the woman at last managed
to escape and reported the facts. Bird was
arrested, and at the trial the Strong woman
showed a deep dislike for the man she had
aided In running, and, largely on her testi-
mony. Bird was convicted of murder and
sentenced to be hanged.
Then was when his wife. who had been
"a col fod fnnl hor off, 70 IN
his life. She came to Washington and ap-
pealed to all the authorities here who could
do anything for her husband. An appeal
was pending in the courts. however, and
President Mckinley would not act until
the appeal had been disposed Of.
The Supreme Court granted Bird new
trial. He was again put on trial and was
once more convicted. Again there was an
was granted by the courts. On this trial
Bird was for the third time convicted Of
murder and is now under sentence to suffer
the death penalty March II. He Is in prison
at Sitka.
Mrs. Bird has spent nearly every penny
she had in attorneys and court fees. She
wanted to come to Washington, but was
urged not to do so.
Senator McEnery and Representative
Broussard Of Louisiana called on the Presi-
dent this morning to make an appeal for
Bird, but they were not hopeful
0IdIoS VI = wv AAVoSAOos
President Roosevelt was in conference to-
day with Senator Cullom. chairman Of the
foreign relations committee of the Senate,
which now has before it the treaty with Co
lombia regarding the Panama canal. Be
sides this important treaty there Is pending
before the Senate the reciprocity treaty
with Cuba. This treaty expires the last of
this month. and Senator Cullom wants to
make desperate effort to have 1t ratified
before that time.
There Is practically no question about the
ability of both governments to renew the
treaty for whatever period Is desired, Ger
tainly long enough to keep 1t before the
of Congress; but Senator Cullom wants to
avoid this. He sees no reason why the
treaty cannot be ratified except for Senator
Quays "hold-up" of the Senate Senator
Cullom believes that II he could secure the
time to have the treaty considered there
would be no question of its ratification
Senator's he thinks, want some time to dis
cuss it. Senator Cullom discussed the Stu,
alton In the Senate with the President, and
there Is no question that the President in
tends to renew the treaty with Cuba II ne
is compelled to take that step.
Senator Cullom intends to do all that Is
consistent with his position to advance the
action of the committee on the treaty with
Colombia. The next regular meeting Of the
committee will be held Wednesday, at
which time the treaty may be taken up.
Going to Canton von19nC.
President Roosevelt accompanied by Sec
retary Root and Secretary Cortelyou, will
leave Washington tonight for Canton,
Ohio, to attend the banquet tomorrow night
Of the Republican League Of Canton in
commemoration Of the anniversary Of the
birth of the late President Mckinley.
The birthday of the late President was
on January 20, and it was desired that the
banquet should be on that date; but. as
the President has state function on
Thursday. the date for the celebration was
fixed for January q. The President will
make a brief speech. He will leave Canton
shortly after the banquet. and will return
to Washington Wednesday afternoon.
Will Press Button.
j. A. Chisholm, president of the New
York Gamers Association, and 8. F. Sher-
man Of New York were presented to the
President today by Representative Sherman
of New York. On February 8 the exhibit
Of the combined associations Of Gamers,
machinery and supplies, will be opened in
Convention Hall. The President was asked
to press an electric button that will open
the exhibit, and he promised that he would
do SO.
H. B. Frizzell. president Of the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute of
Hampton L71 La va; called on the President to
tuition in April. The President said he
would not be in Washington at that time
and would be unable to accept.
Count Quadt. chancellor of the German
legation. called to present Maj. Won Etzel,
the new military attache Of the legation.
The President is Amused.
The President is described by some of his
friends who have mentioned the matter to
him an being considerably amused at the
vivid comments in many southern papers
about the attendance at the judicial recep-
tion last Thursday night Of John c. Dancy,
the colored recorder Of deeds of the Dis
trict. and members Of his family
The statement Is made that the lists of
presidential receptions for the last twenty
years show that prominent colored officials
OF the government have been invited to re-
ceptions at the White House, and that
many Of them have attended. It has been