Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-28
News Briefs.


John u. Rockefeller through the
American Linseed Oil company, has
, cornered the tlaxseed market and has
compelled the three big independent
mills at Buffalo. n. ". to close. The
price of linseed oil will be advanced
40 cents gallon. This advance Will
seriously affect many industries.
particularly those of oilcloth, lineo-
leum paints. oils, etc, and will un-
doubtedly cause large numbers or
workmen TO be thrown out of employ
ment. 1t is estimated that In getting
control of the linseed oil industry MT.
Rockefeller will make profit OF about
$40. O00. 900 on an investment of be-
| tween sS.O0O.000 and $10,0O0000. 1t is
estimated that manufactures repre-
senting an invested capital of $50,00O,-
600 and their workmen are placed
within the power of the Standard Oil
company by the control of the linseed
oil industry by Mr.. Rockefeller. The
normal rate of flaxseed is s1.24 a
bushel but the present rate Is Sl4s.
Sun spots of unusual dimensions
are now exciting considerable inter-
est At the Harvard observatory.
Cambridge. Mass. 1t was said that
they could be plainly seen through
eve when the sun is low. The spots
on the sun at present are among the
largest which have appeared in recent
years. although they probably cannot
compare with those which appeared
| in 1892 They are close together,
somewhat above the center and on
the right hand side. They are esti-
mated to be 100000 miles in diameter,
twelve times as great as the earth.
These spots are supposed TO be col
lections of condensed gas containing
solid matter. but scientists are not
agreed, and some astronomers thlnk
the spots are depressions in the sur
face of the sun or bodies moving from
the earth to the sun.
The grand jury for Middlesex coun-
ty, Mass. at Cambridge last week. re-
turned an Indictment !. for murder In
the first degree against John Schid-
lofski a Polander who was arrested IN
Colorado on the charge of numbering
his wife. The woman was found dead
in the woods July IL at Belmont.
Schidlofski tried to commit suicide py
hanging in cell in the jail at La
junta. Col. where he was held await
ing extradition papers from Massa-
chusetts. because he was told that he
would not be sent back to Russia for
trial, but that he would receive his
punishment in this country. He said
that the Massachusetts authorities
would kill him; and when Sherin Barr
said that was very likely. the prisoner
replied that they would not get the
chance. According to Schidlofskis
own story, he killed his wife IN
quarrel, both having been drinking.
They were married Feb. Is. after snort
acquaintance. and he says she de-
ceived him about her age and tne
amount of money she had; pelhg
much older and having much less
money than she represented.
Assistant District Attorney krotel
of New York went over the books OF
the Town Topics Publishing company
recently and discovered that Presid-
| ing Justice Joseph NJ. Deuel. of the
court of special sessions. has been re-
ceiving salary of $1,000 year from
the Town Topics Publishing company
for a time. The item appears on the
books of the company charged 10
general services" Justice Deuel. is
found to have been connected with the
production of the Fads and Fancies
and Americas Smart Set publications.
for which enormous subscriptions were
solicited from eminent personages,
and to have been one of the founders
of the Society Editors association.
District Attorney jerome decided 10
Investigate the business methods OF
Fads and Fancies and forced the
Town Topics company to show their
books. The solicitor for the Society
Editors association is accused OF at
tempted blackmail in connection with
the business. The list of subscribers
to Fads and Fancies contained the
names of the Vanderbilts. Depew. Mrs.
Coils p. Huntington and others, who
subscribed sums ranging from $1.5O0
to $4,000. The books showed that
Justice Deuel. owned 30 shares Of
Town Topics stock on which he re-
ceived $1,000 a year outside his SAL
ary. A justice of the court of special
sessions is forbidden to engage in
private law practice. and the district
attorneys Office is therefore anxious
to learn whether the compensation for
services rendered by Justice Deuel.
(which he receives in addition to his
dividend as stockholder) was for
purely literary work or for legal adj
vice-such, for example. as he admits
having given where articles about to
be printed were of a libellous nature.
Justice Deuel. refuses to discuss the
charges against him and says he VIII
,-,.a4 *har,, when they come