The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-21

tho bonds to DO genuine. bit informed
tho bank that thero was In existence an
issue OF Virginia bonds about which there
was question. Tho bank thereupon
cont five OF the bonds to q correspondent
bank at Richmond. Va, and received
word that the State authorities pro-
nounced them fraudulent.
The Richmond banks cashier wrote
that the. Second Auditor OF the State had
desired to cancel tho bonds. but that he
had not been allowed to do so, and the
bonds We're returned to the Importers and
Traders Bank. The Richmond cashier en-
closed q Letter from the Second Auditor Of
Virginia, reciting that the bonds had
been engraved In New York In 1882 had
been rejected by the Virginia govern
yment and returned to tho engravers by
express. and were eventually sold at AUG
ton to pay express charges. -Four hundred
and thirty-one bonds wore In that pack
age, ana tho Virginia authorities had
never been able to get hold OF all OF them
to destroy them. The signatures OF the
State officers had been forged to the
bonds obtained in that auction package.
The Second Auditor expressed the hope
that the New York bank would bring the
matter to the attention Of the criminal
authorities."
The Richmond newspapers have time
and again warned the public against
these bogus bonds, and 1t is sur
prlslng that intelligent bankers should be
deceived by them at this late day. But
that does not alter the fact that
the counterfeits should be captured and
destroyed. Did not the State have the
right to destroy this batch when they
were in the possession Of the Second Audi.
tor?
The French sardine fishermen are in
desperate straits There has been an al
most total failure Of catch Of that fish,
which has ever heretofore been abund-
ant, and Is always the most profitable Of
any fish that swins the French waters.
The people who depend entirely upon this
industry for a livelihood are now living
upon charity. and active steps have been
necessary on the part of the more for
tunate In other lines Of business In order
that thslr suffering may he relieved
These sardins fisheries failed without any
warning whatever, and 1t was at first
regarded as freak of nature, but SCI
entific investigation connects the phenom-
enon with the French naval manoeuvres
of last September when a great many
submarine mines and torpedoes were ex-
ploded In practice work. 1t is now be-
lleved that these explosions account for
the sudden and otherwise inexplicable
failure Of the sardlne fisheries.
=--====--==
The South Carolina Legislature can beat
any assembly Of like character on the
earth at doing curious things That re-
markable child labor bill 1t recently
passed was a queer legislative freak, but
the Senate has now seen the child labor
bill and gone 1t about half stack of
chips better. It has just passed bill
which permits the old-time and cruel
sport OF cock-hghting in the State, 'pro-
vided there shall be no gambling connect
cd with It," The members OF the South
Carolina Senate are innocent, very inno-
cent, legislators or they think they have
some very gullible constituents. The idea
of chicken fight without betting on the
same! It. enough to make a game roos-
ter laugh.
The battleship Oregon. the most famous
vessel in the navy, had narrow escape
from wreck off the Japanese coast few
days ago. She was caught In typhoon.
during which she careened and rolled as
much as thirty-fve degrees Several huge
Xayes s1yent over her nd funded the a m.