The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-27

Amory against Herbert H. Vreeland, president of the Metropolitan Street Railway company; the latter the invest igation of the police to determine who killed the man found in q barrel. Amory charges Vreeand with criminal libel; Police Inspector MeCluskey charges eer- tain men with knowledge leading to acts by which the man in the barrel came to his death. Behind the charge of crimi- nal libel is a group of sensational ale gations to the effect that the railroad company has been plundered of millions behind the murder group of sensation al allegations that an Italian secret so- ciety has crossed a member off it's roll of members. Developments are pending in each line of investigation.
 In the hearing before Magistrate Bar low, ex-District Attorney De Lancey Ni- col counsel for Vreeland, seoffs at the charges that $3O,0OO,00O have oeen plucked from the Metropolitan treasury and shows in the examination of the wit nesses of Amory that different conclu- sions might be reached if they had had access to the eompany's books. Vree- land issues statements denying all charges and allegations against his com pany whether yelled or explicit and ex- District Attorney Osborne for his client, roars out in court that he can prove that the company has been mulcted. It is also brought out that a stock brokerage con- eern stands by AmAry and the defendant alleges that the entire proceedings are inspired by a desire to break the price of the stock on Change. Be it as 1t may, this strange tale of millions, whether in the treasury or out of the treasury, in the accounts or out of the accounts is a mere incident. Strange is it not that thousands, nay tens of thousands, hear these stories without concern? A few years ago when Tweed took six millions there was great excite ment. What a misfortune it is that Tweed did not live in these days; he might ha ve furnished a hundred million dollar steal-something worth talking about.
 There is something awful about the murder of the man in the barrel It breeds a spirit of disquiet, of terror. Even in this city, where all the people are more or less familiar with the shock ing details of men and women murdered, their bodies mamed and mutilated, the murder now much discussed Is peculiarly horrible. Behind the tragedy there seems to be so much premeditation systems Euch a revelation of murder reduced to Il science. It shows no evidence of pas sion, hot blood, or a guilty conscience, Everything points tc organization de- liberation. EvidNSdy the dead man was done to dea I'd by many. His body stripped of clothing, redressed, packed In barrel and left deliberately in the
 
 was found, still warm and bleeding. Done to death by knives, done to death after the fashion of Italians. These men. the men suspected, are known to be counterfeiters, members of secret so- cieties. men who make laws to govern themselves. To our Anglo-Saxon civili- zation to our way of looking at things, these secret Italian organizations or cieties, which banded together by secret ties and solemn obligations for illegal purposes, stop at nothing, are abhorrent. They increase in numbers as each ship enters the port laden with immigrants. Some day they may not eonfine their operations to the making of false coins or the forging of paper money, but launch out into more enterprisng felds and then these societies which hold their members by paths sustained by the fear of death will have to be reckoned with The Italian influx will have to receive greater attention from the immigration authorities.
 The attention commanded by the press to the fact that Mr J. P Morgan has attained his sixty-sixth birthday, and that all his most brilliant acts, acts that have made him worldwide famous as financier, have been done in the last six years, concentrate upon him and those surrounding him, the gaze of mill lions. While the names of his associates have come in for much publicity, there is one among them who Is often seen in an independent if not hostile position That man Is Edward H. Hartman. His recent defeat of J. R. Keene to force un- approved methods Of financing the Southern Pacific is too well known to demand repetition.
 Vugarity is rampant. So wholly vul- gar have some of the enormously rich become that great journals abroad com ment upon it. Of what do the strange feasts so frequently remind one? We are told that when the riches of the world became the personal chattels of the Roman patricians, they vied with one another in the magnifcence of their en- tertainments. the grandeur of their ban
  Roman virtues declined. dissipation and vices asserted their sway and the strength and glory of the nation faded and vanished. Marks of decadence like specks on rotting fruit, begin to show in this city. At Sherry's a few weeks ago the grand ballroom was converted into rustic scene and the host entertained his guests on horseback. the whole com paEy mounted. few days ago a rich
 
 place. There was also a rustic scene. Instead of horses there were ducks. chickens and pigeons, pigs, rabbits and sheep. In the center of the farm scene was an enormous white egg. Inside of the egg a table was set for the thirty five guests. Is this elegance and refine ment or is it vulgarity gone mad?
 Among the men rapidly coming to the front is Edward R. Thomas, q son of General Sam Thomas, who died recently, leaving an estate estimated to be worth not less than twenty-five millions. Mr. Thomas is independently wealthy. hay ing made several millions In Wan Street. He is connected with many important enterprises. Interest in him at the pres ent moment however, is largely due to the announcement that he has decided to become the owner of a racing stable. He has begun his string with Onatas, promising three-year-old, which he pur- chased from John E. Madden for $15000; and he proposes going along in quiet way until he has the best stable he can buy, As Mir. Thomas Is a thorough sportsman his entry among horsemen is matter of congratulation. and I sim. cerely hope to see his colors come in first under the wire.
 
 William c. Whitney has gone into