The Chanute Daily Tribune from Chanute, Kansas • Page 1

WEATHER INDICATIONS. Chicago, Dec. 22. For Kansas Fair tonight and Saturday; little change in temperature. "CHANUTE DAILY TRIBUNE AND THE SUN CONSOLIDATED JULY 1, 1909.

Volume XX. No 222 CD IPV A Chanute, Neosho County, Kansas, December 22, 1911 FRIDAY Whole Number 6213 WHY MEAT AGE AND WOE HERP0RTI0N SHALL SHE HAVE SHARE IN CHRISTMAS CHEER? THE CITY'S FINANCES REPORT SHOWS GAINS MU)E DURING THE YEAR. CAMPBELL PUSHES BILL KANSAS OONO.ItKSSMAX. INSISTS OX ITS CONSIDERATION-. does not know what to do because she has never had to contend with a situation of the kind before and the years lie so heavily upon her that she is not able to do anything to help herself.

She has many friends among the early settlers of the city, but few of them know of her plight, because she let it be known only when she became so desperate she could think of nothing else to do. These friends will doubtless see that she has more than bread and cabbage and beans or less for her Christmas dinner and advise her for the future. officers left, Baker went to the hotel and assaulted William Cornell, the proprietor, who, according to the story, was pretty badly beaten up. Following this 'Baker went to a justice of the peace and said he wanted to pay a fine for. licking a man.

The justice accepted the fine, but last night Mr. Cornell came here and after a talk with the county attorney a complaint was filed in Justice of the Peace Groome's court. A warrant was given Constable Nye. He telephoned to Baker, who promised to come up this morning. Instead of coming he sent his wife with the message that he had already paid a fine for the assault.

The case was continued. and were equally as carefully carried through. There was no set program of speech making but several were called to respond to toasts. Among those from Chanute who spoke were Mrs. Fred Nixon, worthy matron of Sunflower Chapter, Mrs.

J. C. Ramsey, Miss Nettle Dewey, D. F. D.

Pomeroy, W. H. Powell and D. W. Blair.

Postmaster H. G. Lowrance of Thayer, gave an interesting account of the Thayer Chapter's history. It was instituted fourteen years ago with twenty members. Now it has 105.

There have been five deaths in it3 circle since it was founded. The freight train drawing the special coach which took the guests to Thayer made a quick trip, arriving there soon after 7 o'clock. The members of the Chanute crowd amused themselves until time for lodge to open, and they had a great time. They were an hour later in getting home this morning then they had expected, because of the train being delayed, but none of them would acknowledge being the least bit tired. COSTS MORE STEER POPULATION DOESN'T KEEP PACE WITH HU3IAX.

ATTORNEY FOR PACKERS EXPLAINS HE QUOTES FIGURES TO RACK UP HIS STATE3IEXT. Demand for Fresh 3Ieat Increased 500 Million Pounds Last Year and at the Same Time There Was a 16 Per Cent Decrease in Prod uction. Chicago, Dec. 22. Declaring that the government's case against the ten meat packers is based on ancient history, Attorney Borders continued his statement for the defendants today.

The high cost of living, he declared, so far as meat is concerned, is due to the fact that the population has increased faster than livestock production. The demand for fresh meat, he said, increased 500 million pounds last year, while there was a decrease of 16 per cent in steer production. Thus, he declared, it was absurd to blame the packers for high prices. Denying every material allegation made by the government, George T. Buckingham outlined the case of the defendants in an opening statement to the jury.

Buckingham described in- detail the method of buying, selling and accounting used by the packers and said that the unusual nature of the business made some such system absolutely necessary. In outlining the packers' defense he made salient statements in reply to the charges of the government, among which were: That the business operations of the' packers do not constitute an undue and unreasonable restraint of trade under the Sherman law as recently Interpreted by the United States supreme court in the cases of Standard Oil Company and the American Tobacco Company. That the public has been benefited rather than injured by the operations of the packers. That the government's proof of the alleged combination must be confined to the three-year period subsequent to 1907. That the profits of the packers do not exceed 10 per cent on the actual money invested.

That the profits on the sales of meat do not exceed 3 per cent. That no agreement on the purchase price of cattle or on the sale of meat ever existed among the defendants. That the weekly meetings of packers, held prior to 1902, were for the sole purpose of preventing the overstocking of the market with perishable fresh meat and not to fix prices or suppress competition. That there are nearly three hundred independent concerns in daily competition with the indicted packers. That the defendants supply less than 70 per cent of the meat used in this country.

That the high cost of meat is the result of a variety of ecosomic causes and not due to any combination among packers. THAYER RECEPTION A B1C SUCCESS EASTERN STAR MEMBERS DE-LIGHTED WITH RECEPTION. Thayer Chapter Celebrated Holding of First 3Ieeting in New 3Iasonic Temple, and Fifty from Chanute Were Guests. The fifty members of the Eastern Star who went from here to Thayer last night to attend the reecptlon given by the Thayer Chapter came home late or early this morning, full of enthusiasm and declaring they had had the time of their lives. The occasion was a celebration by the Thayer Chapter because of holding its first meeting in the new Masonic Temple.

Mrs. LaBelle Lane of Topeka, the Grand Matron of the order in Kansas, was present, also Mrs. Burk of Parsons, Past Grand Matron, and Miss Julia Carmichael of Opolis, Past Grand Ruth. The Thayer Chapter performed the initiatory ceremonies in a beautiful and impressive manner, and after the business of the order had been disposed of a banquet was served. It was a regular Christmas feast, and there was a great abundance for the large number of guests.

The service and all the other arrangements had carefully planned BRIDE'S GUESTS HERE. Miss Jennie Puidy Will Give a Dinner Party This Evening. The following members of the Lapham-Purdy bridal party arrived today to be present at the dinner party to be given by Miss Jennie Purdy at her home this evening in their honor: Miss Hazel Sanders and Miss Marienne Sapp of Galena, Miss Esther Degen of Kansas City, Miss Grace Wilke of Wichita, Miss Pearl Maser of Parsons, Miss Ina McKnight of Parsons, Clair Brig-ham of Parsons and Dan Servey of Iola. Mrs. Pearl Emery Harris of Great Bend was already here.

The following guests will arrive tomorrow: Mrs. Todd of Lawrence, Mrs. F. C. Stevens of Parsons, Miss Helen Stevens and Miss Elizabeth Duuaway of Lawrence, Miss Hazel Hudson of Fredonia and Mrs.

Cliff Thomas of Fredonia. CHRISTMAS FEAST WILL COST LESS LOWER PRICES QUOTED OX STAPLE PROVISIONS. Local Market Contains All the Delicacies and Knickknacks That Help to Make Up the Cheer of a Holiday Spread. This is supposed to be the time of the year when joy should reign supreme and the decline in prices of some of the staples should make many feel good. While the good news has not been widely heralded, several people already know that they can now buy fifteen pounds of sugar for a dollar.

Flour is also off twenty cents on the hundred pounds. Hams have had a decline of two cents and the Irish potato is quoted at ten cents less a bushel. Turkeys may be had for fourteen cents and chickens cost ten cents. Green onions, radishes, cauliflower, celery, grapes, apples, bananas, pineapples and cranberries will help to fill out the menus for your feast. The usual good things may be found at the bakeries, including pies, cakes, cookies, buns, rolls and breads of all kinds.

The meat markets will also have on hand any kind of meat you should wish to have, including pork, veal and beef, also oysters. REV. CHARLES M. SHELDON RESIGNS AUTHOR OF "IX HIS STEPS" TO TOUR THE WORLD. He Has Been Pastor of the Central Congregational Church in Topeka Since 1889 To isit Missions and Y.

31. C. Topeka, Dec. 22. The Rev.

Charles M. Sheldon, the author of "In His Steps," today resigned the pastorate of the Central Congregational church, which he had held twenty-three years. He will tour the world, visiting missions and Y. M. C.

The Rev. Charles 31. Sheldon was ordained in the Congregational ministry in 1886 and was a pastor. in Waterbury, for two years, since which time he has been in Topeka. He edited the Topeka Capital in 1900 as a distinctively Christian daily, and is the author of a number of books.

4 KANSAS CITY MARKETS. 4 Livestock. Kansas City, Dec. 22. Cattle Receipts 1,000.

Market Strong. Native steers $5. 25 8.75. Cows and heifers $2. 75 7.00.

Hogs Receipts 8,000. Market Steady; strong. Bulk of sales $5. 75 6.25. Top price $6.30.

SAVINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THIEVES SHE ONLY ASKS FOR THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE. Widowed Pioneer's Plight Revealed by Her Desperation When She Feared She Might Lose the Roof That Shelters Her An Unusual Story. Now when I am old and greyheaded, God. forsake me not. Psalm 71:18.

Sitting alone in her little home in this city there is an aged woman who voices this prayer of David with lips that tremble. The pathos of her condition was revealed accidentally one day this week when she went to consult a wealthy mdn of the First ward concerning the taxes on her property. Hers is not an ordinary condition. She is not a woman who has always known poverty. She has sat at feasts and known comfortable circumstan-.

ces, but now that the burden of years has bowed her back and exhausted her strength, she is virtually destitute. Out of consideration for her, no names will be given in the following account of her circumstances. If any person or any organization is interested and wants to see that she la provided with Christmas cheer and that other arrangements are made for her future, The Tribune will furnish, with information which will put them in touch with the situation. The woman is a widow. She has lived In Chanute many years.

Her husband, when he died, left her fairly well-to-do. She was inexperienced in business affairs and the estate dwindled until finally all she had was her home and a bank deposit. Developing a distrust in banks, she withdrew her money from their care and hid it in her home. Now the money is all gone. She asserts that most of it was taken from her in small amounts from time to time.

The- largest amount that she ever missed was $50. "They thought I was old and childish and would not know it was gone," she said, "but I did, because it was all I had to do me the rest of my life." She does not know who got the money. The temerity of age kept her from trying to find out. She tried to place her hoard where it could not be found, but was never able to outwit the mysterious thieves. She displayed much ingenuity in discovering new hiding places.

A recess among the reeds of an organ furnished security for a time, but the thief finally found it. He also found the- money when it had been placed between the end board of a bureau drawer and the back of the bureau and, at another time, be neath the carpet. "It was easy for them to come and go' without me seeing them," she said. "My hearing is duller than it used to be and rny vision has failed. Anyone could come to the house and look in to see if 1 was there, and I wouldn't know it, because I wouldn't be likely either to see or hear him." There were no locks on her doors and' whenever she came down town sho.

found that the house had been entered and searched during her absence. As has been stated, she owns the home in which she lives. The street in front of it has been improved, and her taxes this year amounted to $53-t and she without a cent. "I didn't want much," she said. "Just a little will do me some bread and cabbage and beans.

But I haven't got five cents left to buy them with." She had an account at a store, but the merchant told her, although he regretted it, he could not sell her things that way any longer, because ho could not afford it. The man to whom she told her story made arrangements which tid-. ed her overher difficulties temporar-ily and saw that the doors of her home were fitted with locks so that her provisions would be safe, because, she says that what little she had in her larder has been taken from time to time along with her "You ought to have a telephone," she was told. "You might be taken sick and unable to get away from the house to summon help." "How could I have a telephone when the cost is $1.25 a month and I am without money?" she replied. "If I were to be taken sick and it was the death of me my troubles would be over." Although she has property, her plight is really worse than that of those who have always known poverty.

Being poor lessons one's opportunities, but It sharpens the ability ta take care of one's She CAS DEPARTMENT HAS RUN BEHIND NOW WHEN ITS FINANCES ARE AT LOWEST ERR. Water Fund Also Smaller Than a Year Ago IkHau.se of Expenditures for 3Ieters General Fund in 3Iuch Better Condition Than Usual. That members of the city council's gas committee were not mistaken in asserting that the time has come when the affairs of the gas department must be economically administered is shown by the annual statement of City Treasurer P. Hurt giving the condition of the city's finances December loth. This statement discloses the fact that the gas fund was overdrawn September loth of this year when the preceding quarterly statement by the treasurer was issued, the gas fund was overdrawn so that in the three months since that time the expenses of the department have exceeded its re-cipts $4,876.93.

This, of course, is the time of year when the gas system makes the poorest financial showing. It paid out close to $6,000 for gas the first of the month, and the collections from consumers in November were only slightly more than $4,000. This condition has existed since cold weather began, because the city is always a month behind with its gas collections and the amount purchased each month has mounted past the receipts from the previous month's consumption. The situation will be overcome from now on, but the gas department will have to be conducted economically to wipe out its deficit in the next three months, because the treasurers' reports show that the gain in the first quarter of the present year amounted to but $5,359.43, which is less than the present deficit, and it costs the city more to buy gas now than it did a year ago, more having to be taken on the 6-cent rate. Compared with December 15th of last year the present report shows a loss of $4,165.30 in the twelve months, the gas fund being overdrawn $1,758.15 then.

The general fund is in much better condition now than is usual at this time of the year. It consists of $3,039.15, which is $3,810.32 more than at the same time last year, when it was overdrawn It has gained $1,820.62 in the past quarter, the amount on hand September 15th being $1,218.53. The cemetery fund is $368.11 larg-en now than it was a year ago. At the present time it consists of A year ago it contained $654.37. Three months ago there was $1,227.17 in the fund, the expenses since then having been more than the receipts.

The water fund contains which is $4,807.90 less than a year ago, when it contained It shares with the gas fund the distinction of being the only one that suffers by the comparison. The adoption of the meter basis has drawn heavily upon the fund for the purchase of meters. The expenses during the past quarter were $1,673.97 more than the receipts, the fund having $3,205.53 to its credit September 15th. The electric fund is $1,349.69 to the good ever what it was a year ago. Then it was $1,796.47 behind.

Now the deficit is but $4 46.78. The fund has gained $276.20 in the past month, the deficit September 15th amounting to $722.98. The library fund is $137.83 larger than it was a year ago. It contains $113.74 now, and December 15th of last year there was a deficit of The expenses sinco September 15th, when $358.97 was to the credit of the fund, have been $243.23 more than the The total amount of money in the bank to the credit of the city is more than it was a year ago. The amount now is $13,234.43.

Then it was $7,020.37. FIGHT RESULT OF INQUIRY III EARLTOII W. W. Baker, a Restaurant Keeper, Beat Up William Cornell, Hotel Proprietor. Trouble has developed in Earl-ton over a court of inquiry held by the county attorney there.

The court was held at the Cornell hotel and was, so it is said, to determine whether W. W. Baker, who keeps a ret taurant there, had been violating the prohibitory law. After the court had finished and the FORCE RAILROADS TO DO EXPRESS BUSINESS EXPRESS COMPANIES OPPOSE THE LEGISLATION. 3Ir.

Campbell Intends To" Go Before the Committee With as Strong a Showing as Possible Ho Has Already Received 2,000 Commendatory Letters. Washington, Dec. 22. Represeh-" tative P. P.

Campbsll, of Kansas, la jiuauiuK w.uiuutiy ui mis bessiua ui Congress his bill requiring railroads to do their own express business. H9 has secured from Judge Adamson, the chairman of the House committee on interstate and foreign commerce, a promise to take the matter up soon after tho return of the committee from Panama the latter part of the month, and to fix a time for a hearing on the bill and in the meantime Mr. Campbell is gathering a mass of data to present to tho committee. "The express companies are making a hard fight to prevent the bill from becoming a law," Mr. Campbell stated.

"I expected this and rely on the Justness of the bill, and therefore the support of the public tor it. There has been much encouragement; many letters and resolutions have come from all parts of the country commending the bill and there has been much enouraging newspaper comment. I have received about 2,000 letters from all parts of the country and all commend the bill except to or three, one of which was from an official of Jn express company. The Wall Street Journal or commerce opposed tne measure in a very vicious editorial which haa been copied by publications friendly to the express companies and copies of it have been sent to the agents of the express companies throughout the countrv. "While the bill introduces a new.

idea on the express business, it is not looked upon as either Impracticable or unwise. Since its introduction, tho interstate commerce commission and many state railroad' commissions have taken up the subject. At a recent meeting in Washington of state railroad commission ers, after a short discussion of a mo- tion to indorse the plan of my bill, nineteen commissioners voted for It and those not voting for it explained that tho subject was so new they wanted more time to study It. "I want to go before the committee and the House with as strong a showing as possible for the- bill. If va ion capnra i li ra caa crr nt tlia measure, or ono like it, the public will be saved about 40 per cent of what it now pays the express com panies.

"Railroad men do much of the work; the railroads own the express, cars and haul them, furnishlne ev- ervth.nc. and talro J0 ner cent of the receipts from the express companies. Ten por cent should pay for what the express companies' do and' pay the men who do the express work more than they now receive. I believe this bill provides the best and wisest method of carrying small parcels from the distributor to tho consumer." ARSON TO. HIDE MURDER AND ROBBERY 3Iissouri Bachelor-Farmer Lived Alone and Did Not Believe in Banks.

St. Joseph, Dec. 22. Henry Ford, a bachelor-farmer, was found dead in his burned home near here this morning, a bullet hole in his head. He lived alone and did not believe in banks.

It is believed he was murdered RUSSIA STRIKES 1 AT POCKETBOOKS Bill Before Duma to Increase Tariff Rates Against the United States 100 Per St. Petersburg, Dec. 22. A bill proposing to raise duties on articles-imported from America 100 per cent at the expiration of the treaty of 1832 was presented to the duma today by leaders of the Octobrlst and Nationalist parties. MARGARET POTTER DEAD.

Novelist Stricken by Heart Disease at Her Home in Chicago. Chicago, Dec 22. Margaret Hor-ton Potter, the novelistdied at her home here today of heart disease. BOOTS FOR CHRISTMAS. Council and City Engineer Pratt Play Santa Claus.

The Christmas spirit has taken possession of the city council this year to a greater degree than ever before, and one of the results is that employes of the water department have new leather boots. They were given them by the council and City Engineer Charles W. Pratt, who is superintendent of the water, department. The council started Christmas giv- in at its session Monday evening, 1 when it voted to present Former City Attorney John W. Lapham with a bound copy of the city ordinances which he helped to revise and codify.

SANTA FE ROBBED IN CHERRYVALE NIGHT AGENT FRANK JENNRR OF THIS CITY HELD UP. Crime Committed at 5:50 This Morning While Four Men and a Woman Were Sitting in the Waiting Room Company Lost $61. The Santa Fe railroad's station in Cherryale was robbed this morning by an armed man who leved a revolver at the night operator, Frank Jenner of this city, and ordered him to turn over what money there was in the cash drawer. The robber's proceeds were about $61. The crime was committeed at 5:30 o'clock.

There were five persons in the waiting room four men and a woman when the robber entered. He paid no attention to them but went directly to the ticket window here he covered Mr. Jenner and bade him deliver. Mr. Jenner has been working only since Monday.

He is a young man and this is the first time ho has been away from home. He learned telegraphy ia-the Western Union office, then went to work for the Santa Fe as a relief man. The crime is the second one of the kind that has been committed in Cheiryvale recently. Several weeks ago two men held up the night ticket agent and took about $30. Neither robber was captured, although a careful search was made for them.

The station is in an out-of-the-way place. HEW. YORK ACTOR COMMITS SUICIDE Financial Difficulties Believed to Have Been the Cause With Wright Lorimer. New York, Dec. 22.

Wright Lorimer, a well known actor, committed suicide today by inhaling gas at his home here. Lorimer was 38 years old. He was best known in the production of "The Shepherd King." Financial troubles are believed to have caused the act. STOCK PROMOTERS SENT TO PRISON Former Leavenworth Men Pleaded Guilty of Using the 3Iaiis To Defraud. New York, Dec.

22. Following pleas of guilty by Shelton C. and Eugene R. Burr, formerly of Leavenworth, to charges of using the United States mails to defraud in a stock promoting scheme, Judge Holt today sentenced them to a year in the penitentiary. TEXAS RAILROAD WRECK HURTS 40 Some Were Fatally Injured by Head-on Collision Between Texas Pacific Passenger Trains.

Texarkana, Dec. 2Z. About forty persons were injured, some fatally, in a head-on collision of passenger, trains Nos. 3 and 104 on the Texas Pacific railroad at Kil-dare today. THE POSTOFFICE CHRISTMAS HOURS TEA3IS AND DRIVERS WTLL DISTRIBUTE PACKAGES.

City Carriers Will Make One Round Rural Carriers Will Go on Trips as Usual Windows Open from 8 to 11. Christmas will be observed as a holiday by the Chanute postofflce, but the employes will not get much rest, because they will be busy aiding Santa Claus distribute his remembrances through the medium of the mails. The general delivery, stamp and 1 registry windows will be open from 8 to 1 o'clock Monday morning and ey order ls.lSTWod. closed the iest of the day. No money order or postal savings bank business will be done.

The regular city carriers will make one delivery, and the rural carriers will run their routes as usual. Christmas one holiday that does not apepar on the rural carriers' calendars. It is the day when they are busiest and they are welcomed all along their routes as emissaries of St. Nicholas. The city force will be augmented by the addition of two or three wagons with distributing crews to deliver packages.

An effort will be made to get everything of this kind delivered by noon, but the work will continue throughout the day if more packages arrive. There will be no local service on Sunday, as usual. PERSIA BOWS HER HEAD TO RUSSIA Cabinet Informs 3Iinister of Its Intention to Comply With Demands for Sinister' Removal. Teheran, Persia, Dec. 22.

The Persian cabinet has given the Russian minister, S. Poklevski-Koziell. verbal assurance of its intention to comply with the demands of the Russian ultimatum. The dismissal of Treasurer General Shuster was demanded by Russia in her ultimatum dating with the Persian difficulty. For some days the national council has refused to accept the cabinet's proposal with reference to meeting the Russian demands.

The I foreign minister represented to the council on December 18 that the plight of Persia was desperate, as Russia had refused to abate her demands; but the deputies, in spite of his appeals, insisted that the retention of Mr. Shuster was Persia's only hope. MURDERER TO APPEAL THE CASE N. T. Olsen Released on Bail After Being Given a 25-Year Penitentiary Sentence.

Council Grove, Kas.f Dec. 22. N. T. Olsen, convicted of second degree murder for chopping off the head of Walter Newfarmer, his hired man, with a corn knife, was today sentenced to twenty-five years in the penitentiary.

He was granted a stay pending an appeal to the supreme court and released on a $20,000 bond. METAL BURNED HIS HAND. Elmer Abbott Hurt WTiile Working at the Smelter. Elmer Abbott's hand was badly burned while he was working at the smelter this morning. It was about 3 o'clock, and he was draw-' ing metal when some got on his hand, making a very severe burn.

Peoples-Home State Bank, corner Main and Santa Fe avenue. See Conklln's for Xmas Jewelry 5 Grain. Wheat December 96964c. May 98 He. July 91 91c.

Corn December 64 c. May 64 July 64 c. 1.