New-York tribune., 1912-02-25
Constant Reader Tells Him
What He Missed in Last
Weeks Papers.

Here ! am, defenceless and at your
mercy" said Busy Man last night TO Con-
slant Reader. as the pair settled down for
a comfortable after-dinner siesta Bonn
bard me with everything in your arsenal OF
news, from arrows TO bomb5hols."
Well, I'll shoot the miscellaneous news
at you hrst" replied his friend.
Justice Gerard sustained the writ Of
habeas corpus in the case of Folke Z.
Brandt who has been serving a sentence of
thirty years for burglarizing the home Of
Mortimer L. SchiN, holding that Judge
Rosalsky acted without jurisdiction in SEN
fencing a prisoner for a crime to which he
did not @lead guilty, and IT being plain
that the prisoner did not admit he had
committed IT, After a long conference with
Mr.. Hand, his special commissioner in the
Brandt case. Governor Dix announced that
there would be no further proceedings by
him or his representative in the case UNI
less and until the Gerard habeas corpus
decision had been set aside The Governor
took the ground that in view Of Justice
Gerard's decision, Brandt was not a con-
vict, but a defendant awaiting trial As
such he was not a subject for pardon. In
that view, the Governor said, Mr.. Hand
concurred.
The long pending action Of John Arm
strong Chaloner 10 recover control over his
property, which was put under the admin
istration Of Thomas G. Sherman as com
mittee OF his person and property was
finally started before Judge Holt and a
jury in the United States District Court in
this city The case was dismissed and will
go TO a higher court. Chaloner lost control
over his estate of 81, 10000 in 1890, when an
order OF the New York Supreme Court
committed him to the Bloomingdale Asy-
lum year later Chaloner escaped from,
the asylum, and since that time has been
living In Virginia, having changed his
name from Chanler TO Chaloner.
CHARGE PLOT AGAINST REcLUsE
Frank j. Gardner formerly State SEN
ator from Brooklyn, was arrested on a
charge Of conspiracy to defraud Samuel T.
Fsslett an aged and enfeebled Brooklyn
recluse. OF property said TO be valued al
upward OF $4,000 George Decker. the day
nurse at the IN kept House of Mystery
where the old recluse lives. at No. 18S
Remsen street Brooklyn, was arrested as
a co-conspirator with Gardner. II is
charged that the two induced Haslett. whC
has since been declared incompetent BY
alienists. TO sign two wills 0he second be.
cause the first proved defective) by which
they benefited. Some of the Hasett rela,
tives have filed a petition for the appoint.
ment Of committee Of the old mans per.
son and property and also request for a
commission TO inquire into his sanity
THE most destructive fire I'm the history
of Houston, Tex, occurred, the wreckagt
covering an area about one and a hall
miles in length and varying I'm width from
two hundred yards to a mile. in the north
eastern section Of the city. More than a
dozen Of the citys most important indus
trial enterprises are In ruins. two hundred
or more dwelling houses and store build.
ings are in ashes and approximately one
thousand persons are homeless. The none
tary loss. II is believed. VIII reach at least
$7,00ooO0. The insurance carried Will not
exceed 40 per cent Except for few who
suffered minor burns and bruises. no cas-
ualties attended the fire.
Three kinds of evidence. = is learned
are being prepared by the government
for its prosecution OF the tfty-four men in
deted IN the dSuanate consDgscE ii Il