Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-03

through the courts to the highest tri-
bunal. The case is not however. in
such satisfactory shape as to assure
the lieutenants of success in the high
er courts. 1t might have been possible
to raise the question in such man.
ner as to have brought it before the
Court of Claims. Those who are ia
miliar with legal procedure and the
Jurisdiction Of courts say that tine case
is in such form as to offer only the
remotest chance of success for those
who have taken this legal action
against the War Department authori-
ties.
Colonel Bingham, superintendent of
public buildings and grounds, has con-
cluded the purchase of the painting of
the late President Mckinley by w. ID.
Murphy Of New York. and the painting
has been ordered hung on the east wall
of the vestibule to the north entrance
to the White House. On the west wall
will hang the portrait of President
Roosevelt by Sargent. The Murphy
picture will become the official one and
will hang in the White House gallery
of Presidents.
The painting of President Mc!<in-
lev was not just what had hoped for"
said Colonel Bingham, but it appears
to be the best among a number that
were painted. 1t receives the approval
Of Senator Hanna and Judge Day, init
mate personal friends Of the late Presi-
dent. There is no question that it con-
tains some defects. The trouble about
all the paintings submitted to US was
40 fyny, .ofn
graphs. There is only one or two
paintings Of the President from life,
and they do not rank as they should "
At the instance of Senator Hanna
and a number of other Ohio people,
the State Department is making earn
est efforts to succor a little band of
Cleveland men who went prospecting
into Honduras. In the party were DR..
W. r. Gillespie, J. G.. Pomerene, Fred
w. Goodrich. F. E. Wilson and ]. E.
Lincoln. They were last heard from
at the mouth of the Patuca on the
southeast coast of Honduras where
they had become exhausted and had
no boat to make their way to a sea-
port.
Assistant Secretary Loomis has
brought the matter to the attention OF
Acting Secretary Darling who prompt
| ly cabled an instruction to Admiral
Coghlan at Puerto Cortez to send
boat to the relief of this party.
Despite the charges filed against
him by passengers of the passenger
steamer Madiana, which was lost off
Bermuda. Consul w. Maxwell Greene,
stationed at Hamilton, will not be dis
| turbed by the State Department. AS
sstant Secretary of State LOOMS, who
| has been charged with the investiga-
| ton to the case of Consul Greene has
received a report from that officer in
answer to the several allegations filed
against him. Consul Greene denies the
charges specifically enumerated in the
complaint, and enters a general denial
of the charge of failure to give proper
attention to the Americans who were
| on board the ship. He states that as
soon as he learned of the wreck he
| FASTENED to the pier, and when near
| ing it passed the rescued passengers,
| who had taken carriages and were be-
| ing driven to the hotel. He incloseS a
letter from one of the passengers. who
| speaks in the highest terms of the as
| sistance he had rendered.
Assistant Secretary LOOMS is salts
| fed that Mr.. Greene did all he could
uoder the circumstances, and the con-
sui will not be disturbed.
The State Department has also deter
mined not to remove from the consular
| service Henry A. Johnson, of the
| District of Columbia, who is stationed
| at Venice. Mr. Johnson will not, how
| ever, stay at Venice, but will be trans
| ferred tn another post, probably Va
| lencia, Spain. Mr.. Johnson is the
| officer who. it was charged failed to
pay proper attention TO officers of the
| cruiser Chicago, who were arrested on
| the charge of disturbing the peace and
| resisting officers of the law. Mr..
| Johnsons explanation was accepted by
| the department. In view of the feeling
stirred up about the matter, however,
| it was decided to transfer Mr.. john
son.
| "Absinthe, the green terror of
France" said a bOtanist of the agri-
cultural department, lis now being
produced in considerable quantities in
this country, and is being used to an
alarming degree. In some parts of
| Wisconsin the NORWOOD is being Gull
tivated, and it is from this plant that
oil is distilled for making absinthe. 1t
Is necessary to give the cultivation of
NORWOOD great care, and a certain
age or growth must be reached before
1t is suited for distilling the oil, an oil
which is worth it's weight in gold.
Climatic changes have resulted in
making certain portions of Wisconsin
favored spots for the growing of worm
wood, and now there are several worm
wood farms in that state. There is a
secret, however, in its cultivation
which is carefully guarded by the
pioneers, and the consequence is that
a number of growers are unsuccessful
in raising a plant which will produce
| the oil. The plan of sowing the seed
broadcast has been abandoned, and
4 now the successful growers plant in
drills or rows, cultivating as they
would corn or tobacco. 1t is just be-
fore the plant has reached maturity
that it is cut down and sent to the dis