News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 17, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 41.

SINCE OUR LAST ISSUE.

FOREIGN.

—Eighteen persons were killed and 100 injured in a railway collision near Brussels, Belgium, on October 6.

—Within two years the claims of English railroad contractors against the Columbian Government have increased from £50,000 to £640,000.

—A woman in Catania, Sicily, has been arrested for the crime of murder, and has confessed to causing the death of twenty-three children by poisoning.

—Experienced sealers declare that in five years the seals in Bering Sea will be practically exterminated. The present season’s catch has been very small.

—A note from England says that the immense vaults of the Bank of England are being enlarged to accommodate the unprecedented influx of gold and silver.

—A hurricane at La Paz, Mexico, recently wrecked 19 vessels, destroyed 184 houses, at a loss of half a million dollars, killed 5 persons, and injured a number of others.

—According to advices from Admiral Carpenter, of the Asiatic squadron, a restless spirit has again aroused the Koreans, and so seriously that several war ships have been ordered to the vicinity of Seoul to protect American interests. Riots have already occurred between the Japanese and the anti-Japanese elements.

—In a letter to Cardinal Rampolla, the pope deplores the universal rejoicing on the occasion of the late celebrations over the occupation of Rome by the Italian forces. He says that event was a national return to paganism. He also stated that nothing would ever confer real independence upon the Papacy so long as it does not have temporal jurisdiction.

—Advices from Madagascar state that the capital, Antananarivo, has been taken by the French troops. They found the place utterly deserted, the native forces and court having retreated to the interior. It is said a treaty of peace has been effected, whereby the queen will still act an important part in the government, although her husband is to be banished. Telegrams of commendation have been forwarded by President Faure to the victorious general and his men.

—To add zest to the unsettled question of Cuban affairs, Spain is now involved in a wrangle with this government over treaty rights. The special case involved is that of U. S. Consul-General Williams, at Havana, whose authority to transact business has been curtailed by Señor Canovas, the Spanish Prime Minister, to commercial affairs only. A plain reply to this position has been accorded Spain, on treaty grounds, and it is quite probable the action will be rescinded.

—On October 12 occurred the coronation of the Virgin of Guadalupe at the City of Mexico. The crown consisted of gifts of money and precious stones, the jeweler’s work alone amounting to $2,000. The image is a painting claimed to have been miraculously done in 1531 on stone. A circular setting forth the folly of the superstition was prepared by the Protestant workers, but was withheld for the time at the solicitation of state officials in order to prevent undue excitement and riot.

—An account of the examination of perpetrators of the Kucheng massacres reveals the barbarous methods of oriental nations. The prisoners apparently acted a set part in at first swearing that they knew nothing of the murders. Then came the fearful torture, and then the confession. The English ministers present protested against such measures, whereupon the wretches were taken outside and tortured. In the midst of such scenes, refreshments were partaken of by the Chinese magistrates. It would seem that a power like England, which is able to cause the Chinese Government to bring the criminals to justice, could as well prevent such barbarous methods of procedure, if it chose.

—According to The Examiner (Baptist), Mr. George Muller, of England, the founder of the famous orphanages, has received for all purposes since the beginning of his work just $6,869,130. He has never told a soul of his needs, either of his own personal needs or of his needs in benevolent work. He and his wife together have simply laid the needs before God, and he has sent the money as needed. It is added: “All of these [Muller’s orphanage and missionary works] have been carried on simply by faith in God. Mr. Muller says that, God being no respecter of persons, any Christian will find that if he waits on God in prayer, all the money needed for the Lord’s work, will be forthcoming.”

—A despatch from Constantinople states that the work of laying submarine mines and torpedoes in the straits of the Dardanelles has commenced.

DOMESTIC.

—Four women were burned to death in a tenement house fire in Cincinnati October 9.

—The Brewers’ Journal states that English syndicates have $91,000,000 invested in American breweries, the dividend on which, at nine per cent, last year was $8,190,000, and was paid in gold.

—The delivery of mail in New York City is to be facilitated by the use of special cable mail cars, which will be attached to the grip car. These cars will be fitted with racks, pigeonholes, pouches, etc.—everything appertaining to the regular mail-car service.

—On the evening of October 7 four young desperadoes held up an electric car in the suburbs of Chicago, and, after shooting one man and maltreating several other passengers, made their escape, taking with them several hundred dollars in coin and watches.

—The Kansas Supreme Court has decided that the practice of policemen entering a place suspected of selling liquor and arresting the one in charge, without a warrant, is unconstitutional. Hereafter the misdemeanor must be seen by the officer to warrant such arrests.

—San Francisco’s milk inspector has just sworn out warrants for the arrest of fourteen dairymen for selling adulterated milk. The penalty, on conviction, for selling or offering for sale unwholesome, watered, or adulterated milk is a fine not to exceed $500, or six months’ imprisonment, or both.

—At the laying of a corner stone of a church at Lorain, O., October 6, a temporary flooring, on which were assembled about two thousand persons, gave way, precipitating several hundred into one pit. One person was killed outright, ten were injured so badly that it is thought they will not recover, while about forty more were severely injured.

—The Supreme Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, now seventy-one years old, September 25 amended its organic law so as to provide that hereafter no saloon keeper, bartender, or professional gambler shall be eligible to membership in the order. This was adopted by a vote of 147 yeas to 32 nays, and the highest total vote which could have been cast is 185. This lodge is the highest tribunal, legislative, judicial, and executive, of the order.

—The United States Court of Appeals has just rendered an important decision against the Thomson-Houston Electric Company. The opinion makes void a second patent secured by this company on the automatic regulator, a device quite necessary in electric lighting, and thus destroys what would otherwise be a monopoly of that form of lighting. This action loses to this company royalties from practically every lighting plant in the United States, an amount in the millions.

—Captain Armes, the retired army officer who was imprisoned by General Schofield on the one day that the latter acted as Secretary of War, has been ordered released by Judge Bradley, of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. The judge pronounced the imprisonment unjust and illegal, as well as a capricious act. If his decision is confirmed by higher courts, it will establish as a precedent that retired military officers are not amenable to military courts but to civil.

—A stupendous work has been accomplished by Bishop S. E. J. Schereschewsky. This is no less than a translation of the entire Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek texts into Chinese, a task occupying thirty years in its performance. The bishop is a paralytic, and can neither walk nor write with a pen, but the translation has been made in Roman characters by means of a typewriter, which he operates. Only a few weeks since the gentleman left this country, where he has been on a visit, for China, where the manuscript will be converted into native characters and printed.