St. Louis Post-Dispatch
December 9, 1907

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Globee VOL. 60. NO, 110. : — - PRICE ONE CENT EDITION — iia a COT $500 FOR UPPORTING FOLK Ay» Je S ie \ Suit Against. Jefferson City Man and Pardon Attorney Mosby Reveals Campaign Scheme. CONTRACTOR DECLARES HE PAID MONEY IN CHURCH James Houchin Seeks to Recover Sum on Joint Note---Displays. Coolness. Toward the - Governor After’ Being His Adherent. Special to the Post-Dispatch. JEFFERSON CITY, Dec. 9.—Pardon Attorney Speed Mosby nd Joseph Goldman, manager of the Cole County Democrat, pub- lished in Jefferson City, are defendants in a suit filed today by James’ Houchin, Penitentiary contractor, Sunday school superintendent and prominent in the affairs of the Methodist Church. Houchin sues to collect a note for $500, paid to Mosby and Goldman in the Methodist Church on the night of Jan. 11, 1904. The note ran for one yearg. Goldman said to the Post-Dispatch correspondent today that he received the money and signed the note, but he did so under the im- pression that the $500 never was to be repaid to Houchin. He said that when he received\the money he signed a contract binding his newspaper to support Joseph W. Folk ‘for Governor, and he under- stood that the note was given to Houchin, who then was a warm Folk supporter, ‘merely as security that the contract would/be carried out. => - When Gov. Folk's attention was called te the sult and to Goldman’s statement 2 “lay, the Governor said: ‘‘I know ab- Hute rte S Fm aie either. I never » cireum- | ane'T] d been filed.” to make beta Folk was wishing his campaign Vernor none of the papers in Secces City was considered a Folk Organ. Several of the stockholders of the Cole County Democrat were un- friendly to Folk. Houchin was his ‘Warm supporter. Masby was in charge _ of the editorial depariment of the Dem- "erat and Goldman had control of the ae . wanted to buy the Democrat,” said Goldman today, ‘“‘but _ I told: him the paper was not for sgle. ~~ Be then said he wanted the paper to Folk. I repiied that it might do so, but that things then were in such a@ con tion that I could not say exact- ly what would be done. -Houchin then said he wanted to MA tego. ogo as we were to the wind. He mid he wanted ne loan us $500. He then told me to get Mosby, and the three of ws would meet that night about 9 o'clock fm the Methodist Charch. I asked him he objected to paying over the my office, and se replied that Pastor’s Study. the three of us met that @ pastor's study in the Meth- and the $500 was paid over. » gave ‘@ note for the amount. We signed a-contract agrecing that the County : during Democrat would support him and is still ‘supporting him. in y the campaign. It did-wep- "We certainly were of the under- ‘ standing that the note never would “ be presented for collection, and that Was merely given as a security . the contract would be carried sated . + Mosby held five shares of stock _ tm the Democrat company. He turned over this stock to Mr. Houchin as se- , presumably’ that the note “be paid, but in reality, I under- that the contract of supporting t would be carried out. The books of the Democrat show t neither Mr. Mosby nor myself onally received a cent of this It went into the Srenguey of TILLMAN ASKS INVESTIGATION OF CORTELYOU a. ee Demands That Senate Air His Methods of Relieving Money Stringency. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.—Senator Till- : man today introduced resolutions direct- ing the Committee on Finance to in- vestigate the recent proceedings of the Secretary of the Treasury in connec- tion with the financial crisis and also to make inquiry concerning § clearing- house certificates. The Resolutions. The first of the resolutions directs the Committee on Finance to investi- gate and report to the Senate as fol- lows: . “First—Whether the issue of certifi- cates of indebtedness bearing 3 per cent interest, bids for which were invited by the Secretary of the Treasury Nov. 18, 1907, were for the purpose of, bor- rowing money ‘to meet public expendi- tures,’ as provided by section 32 of the act approved June 15, 1899, and if not, whether there is any warrant of law for the issue of said certificates. “Becond—Whether the issue of $50,000,- 000 of bonds of the Panama Canal loan, bids for which were called for by the Secretary of the Treasury on Nov. 18, 1907, was required to ‘defray the ex- penses on said canal, there being at that time, when both of these loans were made, upwards of $200,000,000 in the treasury for current expenditures.’ “Third—Whether any legislation was necessary to protect the people and busi- ness interests of the country from the issue of unlawful money, if clearing house certificates are such, and to pre- vent the illegal inerease of the public debt in time of peace.” The second series of resolutions desires the Finance Committee “to investigate and Feport to the Senate as soon as [ practicable” on the following points: Questions Legality. . “First—Whether Clearing House cer- tifeates with which the country is now ] QNooded have been issued under authority of lAW or contrary to the same. “Becond—Whether the issuing of such by an asrociation of banks, i. would be permiast- als wider Gre mw tn tte tor WIFE HELD WITH HER HUSBAND IN DEATH MYSTERY 7 Home and Poison Is Suspected. KNOWN TO THE POLICE Earl Stevens Declares Dead Man Gave Him Money to Invest. Three men and a young woman are held at Police Headquarters pending in- vestigation into the death of Porter F. Biggerstaff, a former prosperous grocer, and into three checks aggregating $360 he signed a short time before his death. The police are searching for Mrs. Jessie mith, 50 years old, mother of one of the men under arrest, from whom Big- |gerstaff rented a room at 1303 Chestnut street. Mrs. Smith's son is Earl Stevens, alias Harry Gannon, known to the police. His 19-year-old wife, wearing a plumed mushroom hat and brown satin suit, is a prisoner with him. The other prison- ers are Fred Juergeson, who lives at the Chestnut street address, and Dan- jel Currier, who says his home is in Kansas City. Mrs. Stevens’ maiden name was Edna Duing. Poison Is Suspected. The first diagnosis of Biggerstaff’s illness was delirium tremens. but the police believe that his death was due to some drug, as they say he was not intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol when found by them. Detective Murphy and Special Offi- cer Quinn say that reports came to them that a man with a bank account was being kept drunk in a flat at 1303 Chestnut street and induced to issue small checks which were being raised and cashcd. The officers investigated and found Biggerstaff at the flat. His Overcoat Is Pawned. He was taken to Police Headquarters and questioned. He said he had is- sued, only two checks, one for $10 and one for $%. He charged also that Mrs. Stevens had *pawned an overcoat be- longing to him and taken $50 from the pockets of that garment. Biggerstaff was taken to Police Head- quarters at 6 p. m. Saturday. Shortly after his arrival there, the police say, he became ill and was removed to the City Hospital, where he died at 6 a. m. Sunday. Shortiy after Biggerstaff was taken in charge by the police Stevens was found at FourteentlH and Market streets in company with Juergeson and Cur- rier. They were arrested. Mrs. Ste- vens was not arrested until after Big- gerstaff’s death Sunday morning. Promised to Invest in Scheme. Stevens says Biggerstaff had been boarding at the Chestnut street flat, which is conducted by Mrs. Jessie Smith, mother of Stevens, at different times for months past. He had been there continuously for several weeks, Stevens said, and had promised him money to invest in a nickelodeon at Granite City. “‘He gave me two checks for this pur- pose,” said Stevens Monday, ‘‘one for $175 and one for $110. They were on the Washington National Bank, where he had an account of $500. I cashed the checks, but had about abandoned the idea of buying a nickelodeon. It was my plan to leave far Florida _ Saturday night. Juergeson was going with me and old man Biggerstaff probably would have gone along, too.”’ Stevens denies that he raised any checks given him by Biggerstaf. Wears Modish Clothing. Mrs. Stevens, who was brought to Po- lice Headquarters wearing a big brown hat with white ostrich plumes and a brown satin dress, denied that she took any money from Biggerstaff’s overcoat. but admitted pawning the coat. She has black hair, a fair skin and large blue eyes. Her appearance at Police Headquarterg attracted consid- erable attention. The police found Monday at the Wash- ington National Bank that Stevens had cashed three checks there—two made out to himself and signed by Biggerstaff, for $110 and $175 respectively, and a third for $75 made out in Stevens’ hana- writing to Mrs. Smith and signed by Biggerstaff. Bank officials say the signatures are genuine, and that there is no indication that the amounts of the checks were raised. After it was found that one of the checks was made to Mrs. Srnith, search for her began. Biggerstaf, the dead man, formerly was in the grocery business, but retired about @ year ago. He is separated from his wife, who lives at 4189 Washington avenue. He has a daughter. Granville T. Biggerstaff, father of Por- ter F. Biggerstaff, was one of four brothers who emigrated to Plattsburg, Mo., in 1850, and the family since has been prominent In the county. Porter Biggerstaf! was Sheriff in 1884 and held other official positions. He moved to St. Louly in 1903. A @ispatch to the Post-Dispatch from lattsburg says | Biggerstaf! owns property there, and has wealthy relatives. His wife was ao Miss Whittington. Former Grocer Dies at Theiz @:d charge it to her husband. |BIG OCEAN LINER DISABLED 1 DURING STORM. AND MAP SHOWING THE VESSLE’S COURSE MAN NEEDN'T PAY Un GOODS Wi BUYS ON ChtdIT Judge Reynolds Sustains Hus- band’s Objections to $600 Bill. Your wife can’t bny goods on credit and expect you to pay for them unless she can prove in court that you have not properly provided for her needr and have neglected to give her cash with which to make her purchases. This is the effect of a decision handed down by Judge Reynoldg Monday ‘in the ease in which the Western Fur Co. | sued William T. Mathews for $600, the value of a sealskin sacque which his wife, Sadie L. Mathews, bought and charged to the aecount of her husband. Mathews is a son of the late Dr. John Mathews, former pastor of the Cénte- nary M. E. Church. Husband’s Demurrer Sustained, A demurrer filed by Mathews on this ground was sustained and the fur coni- pany was given three days in which to filc an amended petition or take a non- suit, which would enable them to file another petition. Mrs. Mathews bought the sacque Novy. 2, 1906. In her deposition, filed in support of the fur company’s claim on her hus- band, she testified that Mathews is a man of means and is secretary and treasurer of the Methews Realty Co. She said that she had been asking her husband for a sealskin sacque for five years and that he told her she did not need one, as the winters are not Severe in St. Louis. When she received an invitation to at- tend a wedding in New York, she said, she made up her mind to buy the sacque She asked the dealers not to send the bill to him until she returne. to St. Louis. This was because she thought that when she came back and her -husband saw the sacque he would like it so well that he would let her keep it. The result was different. For two weeks after her return she and hus- bend lHved apart, she at the Bucking- nam Club and he at their home, 3441 Pine street. Sends Clothing Back. Mathcws put an advertisement in the papers, saying that he would not be re- sponsible for his wife’s- debts, and he sent to the sealskin sacque back to the dealers. ‘They promptly returned it, and he sent it vack. Mathews, in his depogi- tion, said that his wife had a strange desire to buy wearing apparel for which she had no use. The tle citimate PAID eirculation of the P S ¢-Dinpatch in St. Louts and its suburbs itn grenter than that of ALL other English Daltlies COM- BINED. COLD, AFTER RAIN, WILL SHOW DILATORY SHOPPERS CHRISTMAS IS COMING THE TEMPERATURE. oo 55 Sa. m 4 10 a, .54 12 pS Hay = 2 p. ~ Just to stiow air Now WHO 1 atory Christmas WANTS TO shoppers that LIVE IN GAY { Christmas is coming, there will wag eh segs be some cold weather. That is, when this rain is over. It will be over sometime to- night. * The — PS ‘Porecast: clearing and much colder tonight; Tuesday fair and much colder; min- imum temperature tonight, about 30 degrees. The temperature in other cities at 7 So as Buffalo, ) Chicago and Cin- cinnati, 50; New York and Boston, 42; Louisville and St. Louis, 52; Denver, 22; Kansas City, 48; New Orleans, 64; Phila- delphia, 38; Pittsburg, 46; San Francisco, 52; Washington, 36. ACCUSED BY WOMAN, SAYS SHE _ TRIED TO SIT IN HIS LAP Prisoner ‘Testifies He Did Not Slap Former Landlady, but Is Fined $50. “I only pushed her away when she tried to sit in my lap,”’ was the plea of Robert Bertram, 2 years old, of 5638 Roosevelt plage, to the charge of Mrs. Mary Singer of 2010 Adams street, who accused him in the Dayton Street Police Court Monday moring of slapping her at her home Saturday evening. Bertram formerly boarded with the Singers and since leaving their home has called frequently as “‘a friend of the family,” accoraing to testimony. Mrs. Singer said he took exceptions to a re- mark of hers and slapped her. Judge Pollard fined Bertram $50. Jeremiah Singer, the complainant’s husband, was in court. —— Glooe-Democrat . Republic .... Sunday~ -Advertising (Less Cheap Legal) Yesterday (Sunday) December 8. Post-Dispatch, 242 Cols, 240 ee o. Over Republic . Over Globe- Democrat Advertising That Grows Pays; Advertising That Pays Grows. “First in Everything.” Sunday Post-Dispatch Excess 84 Cols. 2 Cols. “Rain, followed by! Passengers on the Kroonland Alarmed When She Stops at Sea. PLYMOUTH, England, Dee. 9.—The steamer Kronpring Wilhelm has re- ceived a wireless telegram today from the Red Star Line steamer Kroonland, saying that this vessel had ‘broken her shaft at a point to the westward of the Lizard, during a heavy, gale. The Kronprinz Wilhelm arrived here at 9:45 today from New York. The Kroonland, Capt. Doxrud, left Antwerp Dec. 7 for New York. The wireless message from the Kroon- land added that one shaft having been broken, the vessel was working its way, though necessarily slowly, under its Qgwn steam for Liverpool for repairs. The liner left Antwerp Saturday with 45 first and 225 second class passengers and 380 sailors and steerage passengers aboard. The shaft broke while the ship was off the Scilly Islands. The Captain’s message says: the pas- scngers at first were much alarmed when the liner stopped, but confidence was restored. An effort will be made to send help from _here. NO RECORD OF KROONLAND PASSENGERS IN ST. LOUIS At the local offices of the Red Star Line, at 900 Locust street, Monday, it Was said that there were no records there to show how many passengers the Kroonland carried .when she sailed fruin Antwerp last Saturday, but that the bookings are usually iight at this season. The ship has stateroom ac- commodations for 310 first-class passen- gers. She was built by the Crarmps at Phila- delphia in 1905 and is“®f the same type as the Finland, Vaderland and Zeeland of the same line, all of which have a length of 580 feet and a breadth of @ feet. She is equipped with a wireless tclegraph outfit. A newspaper, the Red Ster News, is published on board. According to her schedule, the Kroon- land should reach New York a week from today. After departing from Ant- werp she stopped for passengers at Dover and should have been off Lizard Point, on the extreme southwest coast of England, Monday morning. DESTROYERS: SEND WIRELESS ‘PHONE MESSAGE 13 MILES Torpedo Boats Demonstrate Useful- ness of Instruments to Be Car- ried on Pacific Cruise. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.—On the way out of Norfolk on their cruise to the Pavific an opportunity was given to the vessels of the torpedo-boat destroyer flo- tilla to demonstrate the ueefulness of | the wireless telephone with which they | are epiipped. Messages subsequently | verified. were exchanged for more than FORCES ones. grew POISON IN WIFE’S MOUTH AND KILLS HIM i, * * | a i id Joseph Oliger Dies in Amb From Acid---Wife in Critical - Condition. INABILITY TO GET WORK MAKES HUSBAND INS Man’s Cry on Return Home After Two Day Absence Brings Wife From Neighbor's --- Teacher Gives Woman | Whisky and Eggs. avenue. the chances against her recovery. Oliger was 2 years old, and his wife is 22. He was employed until two weeks ago at a downtown hotel, and was dis- charged after he broke several mirrors in a fit of temporary dementia. For two days after that he was held for ob- servation at the City Hospital, and then was released, the hotel owners refusing to prosecute him, as they said they believed his act was irresponsible. Despondent Over Idleness, After leaving the hospital, Oliger gave no sign of insanity, but he became con- stantly more despondent at his inability to obtain work. He spent his days tramping the streets in search of a po- ye downcast. Oliger left home Suturjay afternoon te seek work, and did not return until Monday afternoon. His wife worried over his absence, and when she heard his voice calling her, she jumped from her chair in a neighbor’s house, where she was sewing, with a cry of relief. When Mrs. Oliger entered her home her husband threw his arms about her end begged her td commit suicide with him, declaring that he intended to die, and that he could not leave her. Ske re- fused. Oliger drew a flask of acid from a coat rocked and, with one arm thrown about his wife, swallowed a part of it, then tried to force the remainder down her throat. Burns Face and Breast. Although Mrs. Oliger resisted with all her strength, part of the acid was forced down her throat, the balance spreading in a searing stream over her face and breast. The poison became effective, and Oll- ger dropped at his wife’s feet in con- vulsions. She ran to the door, scream- ing for help and an ambulance, and fainted at the threshold. If Mrs. Oliger’s life is saved it will be In part due to Miss Jennie Slatery, who conducts a preparatory school in. the front of the Clark avenue house. Miss Slatery obtained half a pint of whisky and some eggs, forcing them down Mrs. Oliger’s throat and ;bathing her face and breast in alcohol until an ambulance arrived. Marricd Two Yearn. Mr. and Mrs, Oliger have been mar- ried two years. They lived in a brick cottage at the rear of the Clark ave- nue address, and neighbors say thelr manner toward each other was al- ways affectionate. Their home life seemed unusually happy, and Oliger’s devotion to his wife was a matter of general comment among those who knew them. Dr. William E. Burke of 3555 Man- chester avenue, first’ called to the house, said that neither Oliger nor his wife could live. At the hospital it is said that there is only a slight chance for the woman's recovery. WOMAN HANGED IN EFFIGY BEFORE DOOR OF A CHURCH Leader of Contending Faction in Squabble Which Ousted Pastor Center of Trouble. DETROIT, Mich., Dec. 9.—Mra. John Lebiond, président of a women's s0- clety of St. Joachim’s Church, whose in the removal squabble with a rival society resulted } John Oliger, despairing after fruitless efforts to obtain forced carbolic acid down his young wife’s throat and swallowed t ounces of the liquid himself at 1 p. m. Monday at his home, 3425 er He died in an anrbulance. Uis wife is at the City ttcaplial @ to Reapeatn Shor as Plaintiff, ° att il . Within five minutes two sisters were granted divorces in the City Court 6 Eas® St. Louis Monday. The plaintif were Mrs. Teny Ryan, who was divorel from Marion Ryan, on the ground o desertion, and Mrs. Miranda Hat 1d who was given a divorce from ri Hatfield, on evidence that he had dis covered an affinity in Cairo, Ml. & These divorce cases were poe ; family affair. Mrs. Ryan's case wa called first, and Mrs. Hatfield was her principal witness. The Court was not informed at the time that Mrs. Hatfield { was testifying in regard to her sister's domestic troubles that she was going to — leave the stand as a witness to appear a few minutes later as a plaintiff in the same kind of case. Lawyer Aska Time, Mrs. Ryan, who was married June 1898, and was deserted Jan. 1, 2 a entitled to a divorce, Attorney W who was counsel for the two asked the Court for a few time, saying that to try. a The lawyer stepped out of ihe oat room for a minute and returned with Mrs, Hatfield and her mother, Mra. Minnie E. Story. Mrs. Hatfield told why she wanted a divorce, and her ; was put on as a witness to DO- y rate her. Mrs. Ryan, now free, wes not asked to testify in behalf of sister, who was still bound to « band she did not want. Judge Moyers heard the evidence pea granted the divorce. The trial of the two cases did not consume more than — five minutes, and the two sisters lett the courtroom with thelr mother, com> — gratuiating themselves on their . suc- cess. Mrs. Hatfield was awarded the custody of he® child, Evalyn, 5 years old. She was married June 7, 191, and separated from her husband Oct. & ~ 1906. The sisters are both under # p rare of age. As soon as the, Court decided that +