217

IN DEFENSE OF MRS. SHEEDY

Witnesses Who Do Not Believe the Woman is as Bad as She is Painted.

HER ATTORNEYS ELATED WITH HOPE.

Sensational Feature of McFarland's Third Confession - Claims to Have Made a Former Assault on the Murdered Man.

Lincoln, Neb., May 21. -[Special to The Bee]- Mrs. Sheedy's attorneys feel elated and express the belief that it is almost unnecessary to attempt to offer any testimony in defense. The attorneys for Monday McFarland express themselves in an equally hopeful manner concerning the testimony offered against Mrs. Sheedy, but forget to say anything concerning the strong chain of evidence that has been woven about their client, the negro.

One of the sensational developments in the third confession of Monday McFarland as read late yesterday afternoon was the one to the effect that he was the man who had shot at Sheedy about a week before the final assault that ended in Sheedy's death. The negro said that Mrs. Sheedy came through the gate first at that time. Mr. Sheedy followed after. McFarland said that Mrs. Sheedy looked at him and passed on. McFarland then fired in the air, but not for the purpose of killing Sheedy. He then ran south through the yard and escaped.

The first witness put on the stand on the part of the defense was C. O. Whedon. He testified that he was well acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy, and that their home life was a happy one as far as he knew.

Lew Franklin testified to the same effect.

A. Hitchcock testified that he was on Thirteenth and O streets on the night that Sheedy was assaulted. He heard the shots. George Currier was with him. The two ran west to Twelfth street. There they saw two men running south on Twelfth. The two men seemed to disappear near the southwest corner of Twelfth and O. Near the opera house.

George Currier, the companion of Kitchcock, corroborated the statement of that gentleman in every way.

Wilber Mays of the Transit hotel, which hostelry is just west across the street from the Sheedy residence, testified that just after the shots were fired by Sheedy he saw two men come out of the alley and run south on Twelfth.

Mrs. Carrie Hatch testified that Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy seemed to think a great deal of each other. The night that Mr. Sheedy was hurt the witness went to the Sheedy residence. She saw Mrs. Sheedy kneeling by the side of Sheedy's bed and saying in the presence of a number of people:

"John, John, don't you know me?"

Witness continued: "I first called on Mrs. Sheedy nine years ago. I did not know until the recent trouble out what the two were married. At the time Mrs. Sheedy returned from Buffalo she complained that John wasn't at the train to meet her. At another time Mrs. Sheedy said whenever she came back from a trip she had to get acquainted with him over again.

After leaving the stand Mrs. Ratch took her seat near Mrs. Sheedy and remained there the rest of the day.

Charles M. Carpenter, the saloon keeper, was the next witness. He testified that he was at the Sheedy residence the night Sheedy was assaulted and Mrs. Sheedy showed evidence of grief.

Cross examination: "Dr. Hart called me over to the Sheedy residence at 4 o'clock. While I was there I did a number of errands for Mrs. Sheedy."

Philpot, Monday McFarland's attorney, objected to such questions being asked. Mr. Hall then asked:

"Did you not make a remark in your saloon that you expected something of the kind just after John Sheedy was assaulted?"

"No, sir."

"Where you and Mrs. Sheedy on good terms?"

"Yes, sir."

A number of other questions were asked concerning the intimacy existing between Mrs. Sheedy and the witness, but nothing could be brought out.

A. W. Carder, brother of ex-Captain Carder, then took his place on the witness stand. Carder testified that he was at the Sheedy residence the night that Sheedy was assaulted.

"Where you employed by John Sheedy a few weeks before his death to watch two certain men?"

Mr. Hall objected to this testimony, showing by authorities that such evidence was indefinite, speculative and unfounded, and declared that the prosecution had as much right to introduce testimony as to what suspicions Mr. Sheedy had expressed concerning his wife being connected with the murder as the defense had to introduce the testimony that they were seeking to get in through Carder. A long debate ensued and finally the court adjourned until 2 p. m. without the matter being settled.

In the afternoon Carder was again put on the stand. The court then ruled that Carder could answer the question that had been put to him. The witness testified that he had not only been employed by Sheedy to watch him, but that on the night that SHeedy had been struck the witness was there shortly afterwards and expressed the belief that the gambler, Gleason, had struck him.

On Cross-examination Mr. Hall asked:

"Didn't you tell Mrs. Sheedy in the presence of Will Barrett that she knew something about it?"

Objected to by Strode. Objection overruled.

The witness answers: "No."

"Didn't you state at one time that you looked through the window of the Sheedy residence and saw Mrs. Sheedy sitting in the Walstrom's lap?"

The witness colored up and Philpot objected to the question. MEanwhile Carder regained his composure, and when the court ruled that the question was all right, he answered:

"No, sir."

The witness was then excused.

Mrs. A. B. Hosman was called. The object of putting her on the stand was to refute the testimony of McFarland that he was the man who shot at Sheedy about a week before the fatal assault was made. She testified that on the night Sheedy was shot at she and her husband were passing by the Sheedy residence, and positively declared that the man who fired the revolver was a white man, although his back was towards her.

Mrs. Hosman's husband was put on the stand and made even more positiver assertions. He declared that he saw the man who fired fall down and roll over, and he could see that he was a white man, with moustache and beard about two or three days old. The man wore a faded brown overcoat.

Mrs. Maggie Hertz was called. She testified that she lived near the Sheedy residence. The lights were very bright on the night that Sheedy was assaulted. She and her husband passed by. She saw Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy reading in the parlor. She saw them again in the same situtation when she returned between 7 and 8 p. m., and a few minutes before the assault.

Mr. Hertz, the husband of the preceding witness testified the same as his wife.

Mrs. White, who lives just east of the Sheedy residence, was put on the stand. She testified that she had never seen any colored man hang around the Sheedy residence.

Mrs. Davis, a milliner, swore that she had often seen Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy out walking and driving and they appeared to enjoy each other's company.

At this juncture Mr. Hall asked:

"How often have you seen Mr. and MRs. Sheedy laughing and talking while out driving?"

The witness replied:

"Only a few times."

Then Mr. Strode asked the witness if she has not often seen Mr. Hall, one of the counsel for the state, out walking and driving a number of times with his wife. The answer was in the affirmative. Then Mr. Strode asked:

"How often have you seen Mr. and Mrs. Hall laughing and talking while out driving?"

The witness answered:

"Not once."

A roar of laughter followed.

Miss Josie Dowden, sister of the preceding witness, corroborated in every way her sister's testimony.

Marshal S. M. Melick was the next witness. He testified that he saw Mrs. Sheedy every from the time of the assault to the time of her arrest one week afterwards and she invariably [?] great grief whenever the death of Mr. Sheedy was referred to.

The trial ended for the day by the defense showing that the probate court had made an allowance for Mrs. Sheedy of $1,000 and that the heirs of John Sheedy had appealed the same and the appeal was now pending.

Court then adjourned.

NATIONAL BREWERS.

Election of Office and Other Business Transacted.

Cleveland, O., May 31. -At the meeting of the National Brewers' association today it was agreed that the building for the displays of brewing products and apparatus at the world's fair would not be practicable.

Resolutions were adopted authorizing the advisory committee to procure an analysis of every article advertised in brewing journals and to publicly denounce those which are found to be poisonous or in any way injurious. It was decided to send an agent to the beet countries of Europe to make arrangements for a regular interchange of publications and reports relating to questions of interest to the trade. The committee on restrictive legislation recommended that a formal protest be sent to congress against excessive duties on imported raw materials used by brewers. The report was adopted.

State Senator Charles A. Stadley and Dr. Francis A. Writ of New York were elected honorary members in recognition of work done in certain matters of legislation.

The following officers were elected: President, Ellis Wathright, St. Louis; vice presidents, Henry Clausen, New York, and Lee Earnest, Chicago; treasurer, James Liebman, Brooklyn; trustees, three years, Theodore C. Engel, Philadelphia; T. J. Leffens, Chicago; William F. Noelker, St. Louis; H. B. Scharmann, Brooklyn. For members of the vigilance committee, Henry H. Ruetor, Boston; Henry Clausen, jr., New York; N. W. Kendall, New Haven, Conn.; H. B. Scharmann, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Christ Fergenstaff, Newark, N. Y.; August Uihein, Milwaukee; Peter Lieber, Indianapolis; Christ [Moertin?], Cincinnati; L. Schlathers, Cleveland; Alfred Werthmueller, Burlington, Ia.; William H. Hall, New Haven, Conn.; Joseph Trenner, Chicago; I. I. Straub, Pittsburgh and Allegheny; Robery Portner, Alexandria, Va.; August Goebel, Detroit; William Hamm, St. Paul; Henry Vonderhorst, Baltimore; A. Reymann, Wheeling, W. Va; Phil Zang, Denver; C. Mets, Omaha; A. G. Wieland, San Francisco; Moritz [-yer?], Sioux Falls, S. D. For Members of the advisory committee, Theodore C. Engel, Philadelphia; J. Chris G. Hupfel, New York; Thomas Wallace, New York; Christian Feigenspar, Newark, N. J.; E. W. Volgt, Detroit; Gustave Pabst, Milwaukee; Henry [?], Milwaukee; William Bartholomab, Rochester; Joseph Schurer, Chicago; August Busch, St. Louis; George Moerlein, Cincinnatie; Charles Henrich, Washington.

The next convention will be held in Boston. Tonight the festivities and business of the association was concluded with a banquet.

HORRIBLE [?]

Story of Such Fiendish Brutality as to Be Almost Beyond Belief.

Louisville, Ky., May 31. -A story of brutal outrage, murder and swift vengence upon the two murderers comes from Sandy Hook, a mountain town near Ashland, in western Kentucky. Near Sandy Hook Maud Fleener died recently from being thrown by her horse and assaulted by George and John Wilcox, brothers, who had been her suitors. She had promised to Marry [A-os?] Queen, who had met her while she was teaching school near Sandy Hook, and about three weeks ago started to visit a friend near where she had taught. The wilcoxes were passing the road she was traveling, saw her, hid in the bushes, scared the horse, the horse ran away and she was thrown and had both legs broken. The Wilcoxes picked her up, revived her and drew straws as to who she should be compelled to marry, bore her to a cave in and demanded that she agree to marry John, to whose lot she fell. She refused and fainted. They tried to set her legs and kept her a prisoner in the cabin. When found by her brother and affianced she said: "The Wilcoxes did it." and died soon after.

Examination showed that she had been chained to the cabin wall. The Wilcoxes were captured and confessed, whereupon they were shot to death by the brother and lover. They explained in their confession that they chained the girl because she had attempted to escape.
Miss Fleenor was the daughter of a prominent citizen of Richmond, Va., who removed to Sandy Hook some years ago and died there. She was only twenty-one years old, a church member and a sunday school teacher.

THE NEW PARTY.

Secret Meeting of the National Executive Committee.

Cincinnati, O., May [2-?]. -The nationalists met this morning and adopted a resolution heartily endorsing the national union convention platform. Bright and early today the new national executive committee got together for its first meeting. Everybody but the members of the committee was excluded. Robert Schilling of Milwaukee was elected secretary and M. C. Rankan of Terre Haute, treasurer. The members then busied themselves in filling out the vacancies that had been left in the national committee as the result of the rush that preceded the adjournment of the convention. The national committee was presided over by Chairman Tanbeneck.

It was resolved to [auth-?] the issue of a call for voluntary contribution.

It was also resolved that's nationally executive committee be [for-?] to consist of a chairman, secretary treasurer, and four members. The four elected are George F. Washburn, Massachusetts; O. F. Gather, Alabama; Ignatius Dennelly, Minnesota; J. H. Davis, Texas.

The committee adjourned subject to the call of the executive committee. This committee met immediately afterward and elected Robert Schilling's permanent secretary and M. C. Rankin permanent treasurer. A resolution adopted provided for the appointment of state, county and local committees of the people's party in each state for the systemic organization and furtherance of the [?], and that the secretaries of each committee shall as soon as the same in constituted, report the names of officers and members to Robert Schilling of Milwaukee.

The chairman and secretary were given authority to organize a state or territory not represented at the Cincinnati convention by the appointment of a committee of three members, who shall proceed to organize as in other states.

The conductors.

St. Louis, Mo., May 21. -It is a significant fact that while the order of Railway Conductors decided to federate the convention took no step looking to the accomplishment of that much talked of question. The order, it is said, seeks to become members without making application, so if they become dissatisfied they can withdraw and say the officers had no right to federate. The convention adjourned to meet in Toledo next year.

Ex-Minister Taft Dead.

San Diego, Cala., May 21. -Ex-Minister Taft died this morning.

IN DEFENSE OF MRS. SHEEDY

Witnesses Who Do Not Believe the Woman is as Bad as She is Painted.

HER ATTORNEYS ELATED WITH HOPE.

Sensational Feature of McFarland's Third Confession - Claims to Have Made a Former Assault on the Murdered Man.

Lincoln, Neb., May 21. -[Special to The Bee]- Mrs. Sheedy's attorneys feel elated and express the belief that it is almost unnecessary to attempt to offer any testimony in defense. The attorneys for Monday McFarland express themselves in an equally hopeful manner concerning the testimony offered against Mrs. Sheedy, but forget to say anything concerning the strong chain of evidence that has been woven about their client, the negro.

One of the sensational developments in the third confession of Monday McFarland as read late yesterday afternoon was the one to the effect that he was the man who had shot at Sheedy about a week before the final assault that ended in Sheedy's death. The negro said that Mrs. Sheedy came through the gate first at that time. Mr. Sheedy followed after. McFarland said that Mrs. Sheedy looked at him and passed on. McFarland then fired in the air, but not for the purpose of killing Sheedy. He then ran south through the yard and escaped.

The first witness put on the stand on the part of the defense was C. O. Whedon. He testified that he was well acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy, and that their home life was a happy one as far as he knew.

Lew Franklin testified to the same effect.

A. Hitchcock testified that he was on Thirteenth and O streets on the night that Sheedy was assaulted. He heard the shots. George Currier was with him. The two ran west to Twelfth street. There they saw two men running south on Twelfth. The two men seemed to disappear near the southwest corner of Twelfth and O. Near the opera house.

George Currier, the companion of Kitchcock, corroborated the statement of that gentleman in every way.

Wilber Mays of the Transit hotel, which hostelry is just west across the street from the Sheedy residence, testified that just after the shots were fired by Sheedy he saw two men come out of the alley and run south on Twelfth.

Mrs. Carrie Hatch testified that Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy seemed to think a great deal of each other. The night that Mr. Sheedy was hurt the witness went to the Sheedy residence. She saw Mrs. Sheedy kneeling by the side of Sheedy's bed and saying in the presence of a number of people:

"John, John, don't you know me?"

Witness continued: "I first called on Mrs. Sheedy nine years ago. I did not know until the recent trouble out what the two were married. At the time Mrs. Sheedy returned from Buffalo she complained that John wasn't at the train to meet her. At another time Mrs. Sheedy said whenever she came back from a trip she had to get acquainted with him over again.

After leaving the stand Mrs. Ratch took her seat near Mrs. Sheedy and remained there the rest of the day.

Charles M. Carpenter, the saloon keeper, was the next witness. He testified that he was at the Sheedy residence the night Sheedy was assaulted and Mrs. Sheedy showed evidence of grief.

Cross examination: "Dr. Hart called me over to the Sheedy residence at 4 o'clock. While I was there I did a number of errands for Mrs. Sheedy."

Philpot, Monday McFarland's attorney, objected to such questions being asked. Mr. Hall then asked:

"Did you not make a remark in your saloon that you expected something of the kind just after John Sheedy was assaulted?"

"No, sir."

"Where you and Mrs. Sheedy on good terms?"

"Yes, sir."

A number of other questions were asked concerning the intimacy existing between Mrs. Sheedy and the witness, but nothing could be brought out.

A. W. Carder, brother of ex-Captain Carder, then took his place on the witness stand. Carder testified that he was at the Sheedy residence the night that Sheedy was assaulted.

"Where you employed by John Sheedy a few weeks before his death to watch two certain men?"

Mr. Hall objected to this testimony, showing by authorities that such evidence was indefinite, speculative and unfounded, and declared that the prosecution had as much right to introduce testimony as to what suspicions Mr. Sheedy had expressed concerning his wife being connected with the murder as the defense had to introduce the testimony that they were seeking to get in through Carder. A long debate ensued and finally the court adjourned until 2 p. m. without the matter being settled.

In the afternoon Carder was again put on the stand. The court then ruled that Carder could answer the question that had been put to him. The witness testified that he had not only been employed by Sheedy to watch him, but that on the night that SHeedy had been struck the witness was there shortly afterwards and expressed the belief that the gambler, Gleason, had struck him.

On Cross-examination Mr. Hall asked:

"Didn't you tell Mrs. Sheedy in the presence of Will Barrett that she knew something about it?"

Objected to by Strode. Objection overruled.

The witness answers: "No."

"Didn't you state at one time that you looked through the window of the Sheedy residence and saw Mrs. Sheedy sitting in the Walstrom's lap?"

The witness colored up and Philpot objected to the question. MEanwhile Carder regained his composure, and when the court ruled that the question was all right, he answered:

"No, sir."

The witness was then excused.

Mrs. A. B. Hosman was called. The object of putting her on the stand was to refute the testimony of McFarland that he was the man who shot at Sheedy about a week before the fatal assault was made. She testified that on the night Sheedy was shot at she and her husband were passing by the Sheedy residence, and positively declared that the man who fired the revolver was a white man, although his back was towards her.

Mrs. Hosman's husband was put on the stand and made even more positiver assertions. He declared that he saw the man who fired fall down and roll over, and he could see that he was a white man, with moustache and beard about two or three days old. The man wore a faded brown overcoat.

Mrs. Maggie Hertz was called. She testified that she lived near the Sheedy residence. The lights were very bright on the night that Sheedy was assaulted. She and her husband passed by. She saw Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy reading in the parlor. She saw them again in the same situtation when she returned between 7 and 8 p. m., and a few minutes before the assault.

Mr. Hertz, the husband of the preceding witness testified the same as his wife.

Mrs. White, who lives just east of the Sheedy residence, was put on the stand. She testified that she had never seen any colored man hang around the Sheedy residence.

Mrs. Davis, a milliner, swore that she had often seen Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy out walking and driving and they appeared to enjoy each other's company.

At this juncture Mr. Hall asked:

"How often have you seen Mr. and MRs. Sheedy laughing and talking while out driving?"

The witness replied:

"Only a few times."

Then Mr. Strode asked the witness if she has not often seen Mr. Hall, one of the counsel for the state, out walking and driving a number of times with his wife. The answer was in the affirmative. Then Mr. Strode asked:

"How often have you seen Mr. and Mrs. Hall laughing and talking while out driving?"

The witness answered:

"Not once."

A roar of laughter followed.

Miss Josie Dowden, sister of the preceding witness, corroborated in every way her sister's testimony.

Marshal S. M. Melick was the next witness. He testified that he saw Mrs. Sheedy every from the time of the assault to the time of her arrest one week afterwards and she invariably [?] great grief whenever the death of Mr. Sheedy was referred to.

The trial ended for the day by the defense showing that the probate court had made an allowance for Mrs. Sheedy of $1,000 and that the heirs of John Sheedy had appealed the same and the appeal was now pending.

Court then adjourned.

NATIONAL BREWERS.

Election of Office and Other Business Transacted.

Cleveland, O., May 31. -At the meeting of the National Brewers' association today it was agreed that the building for the displays of brewing products and apparatus at the world's fair would not be practicable.

Resolutions were adopted authorizing the advisory committee to procure an analysis of every article advertised in brewing journals and to publicly denounce those which are found to be poisonous or in any way injurious. It was decided to send an agent to the beet countries of Europe to make arrangements for a regular interchange of publications and reports relating to questions of interest to the trade. The committee on restrictive legislation recommended that a formal protest be sent to congress against excessive duties on imported raw materials used by brewers. The report was adopted.

State Senator Charles A. Stadley and Dr. Francis A. Writ of New York were elected honorary members in recognition of work done in certain matters of legislation.

The following officers were elected: President, Ellis Wathright, St. Louis; vice presidents, Henry Clausen, New York, and Lee Earnest, Chicago; treasurer, James Liebman, Brooklyn; trustees, three years, Theodore C. Engel, Philadelphia; T. J. Leffens, Chicago; William F. Noelker, St. Louis; H. B. Scharmann, Brooklyn. For members of the vigilance committee, Henry H. Ruetor, Boston; Henry Clausen, jr., New York; N. W. Kendall, New Haven, Conn.; H. B. Scharmann, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Christ Fergenstaff, Newark, N. Y.; August Uihein, Milwaukee; Peter Lieber, Indianapolis; Christ [Moertin?], Cincinnati; L. Schlathers, Cleveland; Alfred Werthmueller, Burlington, Ia.; William H. Hall, New Haven, Conn.; Joseph Trenner, Chicago; I. I. Straub, Pittsburgh and Allegheny; Robery Portner, Alexandria, Va.; August Goebel, Detroit; William Hamm, St. Paul; Henry Vonderhorst, Baltimore; A. Reymann, Wheeling, W. Va; Phil Zang, Denver; C. Mets, Omaha; A. G. Wieland, San Francisco; Moritz [-yer?], Sioux Falls, S. D. For Members of the advisory committee, Theodore C. Engel, Philadelphia; J. Chris G. Hupfel, New York; Thomas Wallace, New York; Christian Feigenspar, Newark, N. J.; E. W. Volgt, Detroit; Gustave Pabst, Milwaukee; Henry [?], Milwaukee; William Bartholomab, Rochester; Joseph Schurer, Chicago; August Busch, St. Louis; George Moerlein, Cincinnatie; Charles Henrich, Washington.

The next convention will be held in Boston. Tonight the festivities and business of the association was concluded with a banquet.

HORRIBLE [?]

Story of Such Fiendish Brutality as to Be Almost Beyond Belief.

Louisville, Ky., May 31. -A story of brutal outrage, murder and swift vengence upon the two murderers comes from Sandy Hook, a mountain town near Ashland, in western Kentucky. Near Sandy Hook Maud Fleener died recently from being thrown by her horse and assaulted by George and John Wilcox, brothers, who had been her suitors. She had promised to Marry [A-os?] Queen, who had met her while she was teaching school near Sandy Hook, and about three weeks ago started to visit a friend near where she had taught. The wilcoxes were passing the road she was traveling, saw her, hid in the bushes, scared the horse, the horse ran away and she was thrown and had both legs broken. The Wilcoxes picked her up, revived her and drew straws as to who she should be compelled to marry, bore her to a cave in and demanded that she agree to marry John, to whose lot she fell. She refused and fainted. They tried to set her legs and kept her a prisoner in the cabin. When found by her brother and affianced she said: "The Wilcoxes did it." and died soon after.

Examination showed that she had been chained to the cabin wall. The Wilcoxes were captured and confessed, whereupon they were shot to death by the brother and lover. They explained in their confession that they chained the girl because she had attempted to escape.
Miss Fleenor was the daughter of a prominent citizen of Richmond, Va., who removed to Sandy Hook some years ago and died there. She was only twenty-one years old, a church member and a sunday school teacher.

THE NEW PARTY.

Secret Meeting of the National Executive Committee.

Cincinnati, O., May [2-?]. -The nationalists met this morning and adopted a resolution heartily endorsing the national union convention platform. Bright and early today the new national executive committee got together for its first meeting. Everybody but the members of the committee was excluded. Robert Schilling of Milwaukee was elected secretary and M. C. Rankan of Terre Haute, treasurer. The members then busied themselves in filling out the vacancies that had been left in the national committee as the result of the rush that preceded the adjournment of the convention. The national committee was presided over by Chairman Tanbeneck.

It was resolved to [auth-?] the issue of a call for voluntary contribution.

It was also resolved that's nationally executive committee be [for-?] to consist of a chairman, secretary treasurer, and four members. The four elected are George F. Washburn, Massachusetts; O. F. Gather, Alabama; Ignatius Dennelly, Minnesota; J. H. Davis, Texas.

The committee adjourned subject to the call of the executive committee. This committee met immediately afterward and elected Robert Schilling's permanent secretary and M. C. Rankin permanent treasurer. A resolution adopted provided for the appointment of state, county and local committees of the people's party in each state for the systemic organization and furtherance of the [?], and that the secretaries of each committee shall as soon as the same in constituted, report the names of officers and members to Robert Schilling of Milwaukee.

The chairman and secretary were given authority to organize a state or territory not represented at the Cincinnati convention by the appointment of a committee of three members, who shall proceed to organize as in other states.

The conductors.

St. Louis, Mo., May 21. -It is a significant fact that while the order of Railway Conductors decided to federate the convention took no step looking to the accomplishment of that much talked of question. The order, it is said, seeks to become members without making application, so if they become dissatisfied they can withdraw and say the officers had no right to federate. The convention adjourned to meet in Toledo next year.

Ex-Minister Taft Dead.

San Diego, Cala., May 21. -Ex-Minister Taft died this morning.