The San Francisco Call.VOLUME LXXXV—NO. 135. PRICE FIVE CENTS.SAN FRANCISCO, FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1899.

HOUSE OF WOODIN WHICH PEACE

CONGRESS MEETS

tV'HW YORK, April 14.—A Sun cable from London says: The Birmingham Post learns-*\u25a0 that M.de Staal, Russian Embassador to Great Britain,has asked permission to resign the

presidency of the coming Peace Conference, but that the Czar has requested him to remain.

THE building in which the Czar's peace congress will assemble in The Hague, which is the capital of theNetherlands, on May 18, is called "The House of Wood." and is one of the palaces of Queen Wilhelmina.Itsname in Dutch is -'Huis ten Bosch." The famous "orange room" has been selected as the apartment in

which the sittings of the congress willbe held. It is a spacious room, and is illuminated by a glass domewhich spreads fifty feet above the floor. The palace of "the house of wood" was erected as long ago as 1647by the Piincess de Solmi. who was the widow of Prince Henri of Orange. On the walls of its various roomshang paintings by Levens. Van Thulden and Jordaens. There are Chinese and Japanese rooms, furnished inthe pure style of these countries, and in which are collected the choicest specimens of Oriental art. Thisold and beautiful palace was voluntarily proffered by the young Queen of Holland for the uses of the com-mission.

MAY PROVEDREYFUS IS

INNOCENTItalian Government's Secret

Information Did NotDeal With Him.

ESTERHAZY THE MANAll of the Evidence So Far Pub-

lished Points Directlyto Him.

Special Dispatch to The Call.

PARIS, April13.—The Eclaire to-daypublishes the deposition made by M.Trarieux, the former Minister of Jus-tice in the Ribaut Cabinet, before theCourt of Cassation in its inquiry intothe Dreyfus case. M. Trarieux saidthat Count Torneilli-Brusatti Diver-gano, the Italian Embassador to France,

declared to him in March, 1898, thatthe Italian Secret Information Bureaunever had any relations with Dreyfus,and that the publication of the bor-dereau and the document containingthe words "cette canaille de d

"re-

vealed to the Italian and German, at-taches that Dreyfus was the victim ofan error and that the bordereau wascommunicated by another office]-.

Colonel Schwartzkoppen, Ihe Germanmilitary attache of the German' em-bassy at Paris, wrote to Colonel Paniz-zardi, the Italian military attache atParis, that he was not acquainted withDreyfus and attributed the bordereauto Count Esterhazy. The Italian Em-bassador said Esterhazy went to ColonelSchwartzkoppen in 1897 and asked forprotection, and on this being refused hethreatened to commit suicide. TheItalian Embassador added that thedocument containing the words "cettecanaille de d

"referred to a civilian

who had furnished Colonel Schwartz-koppen with plans and maps. The lat-ter was known to the foreign- attachesunder the name of "Dubois."

Finally the Italian Minister said hewas convinced after interviews wijh.M. Hanotaux, the then Minister ofForeign Affairs, that the communica-tion of Lieutenant Colonel Henry's for-gery in the Zola trial was made with-out the knowledge of the Government.He also said that Esterhazy had rela-tions solely with Colonel Schwartz-koppen, who communicated to ColonelPanlzzardi the documents which wereinteresting to Italy.

AN UNDERTAKER TELLSOF THE EMBALMED BEEF

While Serving as a Soldier in PortoRico the Bad Meat Made

Him Sick.WASHINGTON, April 13.— When the

Wade court of inquiry convened to-dayRudolph K. Spicer, a funeral director andnmbalmer of Harrisburg, Pa-, testified hewas a member of the Fourth Pennsyl-vania regiment and served In Porto Rico.He had paid especial attention to the meatIssue. The cooks had found itnecessary

to cut off two or three inches of the re-frigerator beef because of the greenish

discoloration."Ialso noticed crystalline scales on this

meat," he said. "Itwas generally in thejoints, and.it occurred to me that some

article like soda or boracic acid had beenused on the meat."

'

He had eaten of this meat only once,and it made him sick.

Mr Spicer found the canned roast beefSlimy and disagreeable. Much of it hadbeen thrown away by the >men.

The official report of Dr. H. L. Bigelowof the Agricultural Department; who -wasselected to make an investigation of thecanned roast beef, was submitted.

Dr. Bigelow visited Chicago, KansasCity and Omafca with 'the commission,and he gave the results of his observa-

tions and experiments upon various sam-ples of beef used by the packing housesin canning. Dr. Bigelow had been presentwhen beef was selected for canning andhe 'presented numerous tables giving theresults of his investigations.

GOMEZ WILLREPRESENT

THE CUBANSAccepts the Trust to Nego-

tiate AllMatters Withthe Americans.

CHOSEN BY GENERALSCivil Officers Who Served During

the War for Independence WillBe Paid With Troops.

Special Dispatch to The Call.HAVANA, April 13.—Twelve gen-

| erals and many other officers of theIFirst and Second Army Corps of thejCuban forces met at Bayamo yesterday

and decided to name General Maximo1 Gomez as the representative of the Cv-!ban army to the Americans, with fullpower to treat for the army. There were120 votes in favor of Gomez and 12against him.

The Cuban generals this afternoonIwaited upon General Maximo Gomez

officially and informed him that they

desired him to represent the army inj any negotiations with the United Statesmilitary authorities in Cuba. GeneralGomez accepted the trust, after whichall waited upon Governor GeneralBrooke to discuss with him the detailsof disarmament and payment.

General Gomez proposed that afterthe work of disbanding was completedthe council of generals should be con-tinued under the presidency of GeneralBartolc-me Masso as the head and frontof Cuban interests, a provisional Cubangovernment assisting in promoting Cv-

\u25a0 ban welfare under the control of theAmericans. In his opinion the Cuban

!officers, as well as the men of the ranki and file, should receive a share of the

$3,000,000, especially as many of these,j he said, were to-day in extreme want.His suggestion was that such officers

Ias did not need the money allotted them!might turn it back to the account ofithe soldiers.

THE FILIPINOS FLEEBEFORE GEN. LAWTON

MANILA,April13.— expedition

under Major General Lawtonyesterday moved twelve milesfurther north along the lake,taking two towns, Longos and

Paete. A squadron of the Fourth Cav-alry was left to garrison Santa Cruz.

There was only desultory shootingfrom the retreating enemy until theadvance reached Paete, the center ofthe insurgent's military government, inthe district of Laguna de Bad. Here theroad is Hanked by steep hills on eachside, oti which the insurgents had con-structed great log trenches, and therewere trenches also across the road.

The North Dakota regiment ran intoa cross fire and squads of five sharp-shooters each were sent up the steephills and through the thick brush toflank the insurgents.

On" squad of.the North Dakota regi-ment suddenly came to the insurgenttrenches, halting when only fifteenyards off. Only one man in this squadgot away unhurt.

The gunboats shelled the insurgent'sposition for an hour. The enemy wasfinally driven out. Our loss was fivekilled and two wounded, the greatestloss Lawton has yet sustained.

The launches captured Tuesday are.worth $60,000. The expedition has notsufficient men to leave garrisons in thetowns taken.

At about 4 o'clock this morning asmall body of rebels attacked the campof the Third Artillery from the swampnear Paomboan, a mile and a half westof Malolos. Two privates were killedand a lieutenant and two others werewounded. . • ;jr

With the coming of daylight theAmerican forces scoured the district,driving the rebels northward and kill-ing several of them. A private soldierof the Montana regiment was wounded.

Francisco Reyes, the man who re-cently purchased the Spanish gunboatsat Zamboanga, island of Mindanao, hasreceived advices to the effect that thefleet sailed for Manila and returned afew days later with the vessels stripped

of their guns and ammunition. Thepurchaser's agents and the native crewsfor the vessels, on board the Americansteamer Butuan, were convoyed toZamboanga by the United States cruis-er Boston and were instructed to awaitfor the arrival there of the UnitedStates gunboat Petrel. Instead of do-ing so, after the Boston sailed for Zam-boanga, the Spaniards transferred theirgunboats to the agents of Senor Reyesand the fleet left Zamboanga unescort-ed. Itsoon returned and reported hav-ing been looted by rebels, who removedthe gunboats' armament. If the in-

structions of the American naval com-manders had been obeyed, their cap-

ture would have been impossible. .Zamboanga is fortified and still gar-

CALIFORNIA BOYS TOCOME HOME FIRST

Only That Much Is Known at theWar Department as to the

Government's Intentions.\u25a0 pALL HEADQUARTERS, WELLINGTON HOTEL, WASHING- »*£ I TON, April 13.— Assistant Secretary Melklejohn says he cannot ft8 I state definitely when the California Regiment can be expected §So V-> home. All depends on the time the regulars reach Manila and 25v the transportation facilities. He believes, however, that as soon

<>•-, as the regulars now en route reach there several volunteer regiments _4» will be sent home in the transports that have carried the regulars to &0 Manila. The First California will be one of the first released, because 0"S the regiments will be transported home in the order they were' assigned

___2? to- duty there. OO i".

risoned.by Spaniards, and the affair isregarded as suspicious.

AGUINALDO KILLINGALL HIS OPPONENTS

NEW YORK, April 13.— A.Manilacable to the Sun says: The story thatthe Filipino general, Ricarte,

'had been

put to death after trial on a charge ofsedition is confirmed. 'It is reportedthat six other officers, including acolonel, have been put to death for thesame reason. __ -.

SOUTH DAKOTAWANTS HER SONS

PIERRE, S. D., April 13.—GovernorLee has written to President McKinleydemanding the return of 'the SouthDakota volunteers from the Philip-pines. He recites the facts of enlist-ment to fight for humanity againstSpain, declares that "the South Da-kota volunteers have fulfilled everyobligation which they owe to theircountry and its flag," arid that they

should be allowed to return home. Hesays:

"We view their present or future de-tention as unconstitutional ahd as aviolation of the law which called theorganization into being and feci thatthey should not be retained against

their will,against the. law and against

the moral sense of the people of ourState, without offering some !subject

reason for so doing."

He declares the present course "re-pugnant to the fundamental principlesof this Government, a violation of thedeclaration of independence, a repudi-ation of the theory upon which we en-gaged in the war with Spain and ut-terly inconsistent with your Excellen-cy's splendid announcement respectingthe policy to be pursued toward Cuba."

He says the people are "unable tocountenance the present attempt ofthis Government to enforce title withbayonets to a nation of brown menpurchased from a disgraced and van-quished despot and regard the furthersacrifice of our soldiers, in a conflictwaged against liberty and in the in-terest of exploiting capitalism, as total-ly incompatible with the spirit of ourinstitutions."

" -

NATIVES SAID TO BEDESERTING AGUINALDO

WASHINGTON, April PresidentMcKinley to-day received a dispatchfrom Dr. Schurman, president of thePhilippine Commission now at Manila.This message says that the proclama-tion recently issued has done greatgood and that Filipinos are visiting thecommissioners every day to expresstheir satisfaction and their desire tobecome citizens of this country. Themessage also stated that Filipinos com-ing into Manila declare that Aguinal-do's government is tyrannical and thatmany natives are deserting from hisstandard each day.

AMENDING THE ORDINANCE.

Los Angeles Men Who Sell Liquor,Except Clubmen, Not Satisfied.

LOS ANGELES, Aprilj13.—The. new; li-quor ordinance stands a chance of under-going a process of amending, cutting andadding that will mutilate it beyond thepossibility of recognition. Druggistswant it so fixed that It willbe more len-ient and permit the sale of: liquors inquantities less than one-fifth of a gallon.

Wholesale dealers' demand an amendmentthat will exempt from tax all placeswhere liquor is not drunk upon the prem-ises. Restaurant men never did like theaddition to their license tax,, and retaildealers are disappointed in not securinga repeal instead of a revision of the ordi-nance.

All dealers seem to have been providedfor in the ordinance,- except incorporatedclubs, that have their bars and continueto observe such. hours ns they please fordispensing Irefreshments. The effect Isexpected to be increased members!.}.) ofclubs that enjoy bar, privileges not re-stricted .by the .new' ordinance.- It Isclaimed that the ordinance does, not ap-ply;to clubs _ operating under, a charterfrom the

'State, and that no municipallegislation.can - abridge jthe.liberties .theyenjoy.

ADMIRALKAUTZTO BE SUSTAINED

BY THE PRESIDENT

NEW YORK, April 13.—The Herald's Washingtoncorrespondent sends the

following: Rear Admiral Kautzhas the entire approval of thePresident for his action in dis-banding the government of Ma-taafa. in crowning Malietoa Tanuand in his subsequent efforts toestablish peace and protect lifeand property in Apia.

A cablegram to this effect wassent to the Rear Admiral to-day,and he was at the same time in-structed to maintain MalietoaTanu in power pending the ar-

rival of the joint commission, andto continue his efforts to main-tain order.

Baron Speck yon Sternberg, FirstSecretary of the German embassy here,

called at the State Department to-day

and notified Secretary Hay of his ap-

pointment as the German member ofthe Joint Samoan Commission. ThePresident and Secretary Hay are

pleased with Germany's choice, as

Baron yon Sternberg is popular in dip-

lomatic and official. circles, and withhim on the commission it is believedthat a satisfactory solution of the en-

tire Samoan question can be reached. •

Great Britain has not yet entirely

!agreed to. the proposition of the Ger-man Government that the three com-

missioners must be unanimous .upon allpoints in dispute before action can rbetaken, she desiring that on certainpoints the three Governments agree in'advance to act upon the report of themajority of the commission.

Germany has, moreover, not yet

abandoned the'position she has as-

sumed that before the commission shallcommence its work' the United Statesand Great

'Britain agree to restore the

conditions which existed prior to theinstallation of Malietoa Tanu as King.

These' matters are capable' of promptdiplomatic adjustment, and the beliefof the administration that the GermanGovernment will recede from its posi-

tion is indicated by the instructionssent to Rear Admiral Kautz..'< As told' to me' to-day these will be

the instructions' under which the com-

mission will act::"The commission shall proceed toApia, where it will at once make anexamination of the situation.. TheConsuls will be continued in office anddirected to proceed with the adminis-tration of government affairs and : toreport to the commission any pointupon which they .fail to agree, the com-

mission to take action thereon and thenaval commanders and consular offi-cers to carry out its decision.

"In the meantime each Consul will

make a separate investigation and will"report his findings to his Government,with such recommendations as he may

deem advisable, though the commis-sioners will report to the entire com-mission the discoveries made by eachand endeavor to unite upon recommen-dations as to the establishment of peace

and order, as to changes which shouldbe made in the consular representation

in Apia, and as to amendments to thetreaty in order to prevent a recurrenceof the conditions which have existedsince January 1."

An important point to be determinedupon the arrival of the commission isas to the native to be selected to oc-cupy the throne. The United Statesand. Great Britain are a unit in object-

ing to the establishment of Mataafain power and Germany objects to

Malietoa Tanu. Germany, it is be-lieved, will appreciate the necessity ofwithdrawing her support ifrom Mataa-

NEW YORK, April13.— Suncable* from London says:

Whether Chief Justice Chamberswill receive instructions fromAmerica inregard to the Germanplanter who is alleged to haveurged the Mataafans to fight isa matter of doubt, as the ChiefJustice is already empowered bythe terms of the Berlin treaty toshoot him ifhe is found guilty.

fa, who willundoubtedly be returned toexile. It is the expectation that acompromise will be reached by theCommissioners and that a thirdSamoan will be enthroned, possiblyTamasese, who was elected Vice King:with Malietoa Tanu. Fifteen years ago

Tamasese was liked by the Germansand would probably not be objection-able now to Great Britain and theUnited States.

As the plan to have the membersget away on the Mariposa, sailing onthe 19th, was no longer feasible, thetransport Badger, now at Callao. Peru,

on her way to San Francisco, wasplaced at the disposal of the commis-sion.Itis possible, however, that a meet-

ing may be held in Washington.

The killingof American and Britishsailors willbe one of the matters inves-tigated by the commission, it havingespecially been brought to their atten-

tion in the instructions already agreedupon. It is confidently expected thatfighting will have ceased by the timeof the arrival of the commission atApia, but should it still be in progress

an ample force willbe landed from.thewarships of the three powers, the Ma-taafans subdued and Mataafa placed

under arrest.

The German Commissioner, BaronSternberg, belongs to a distinguishedGerman family. He devoted his early

life to the study of military and navalscience. He fought through the Fran-

co-Prussian war in the Second' SaxonDragoons, was promoted lieutenant atthe age of"17 and was decorated for per-sonal bravery. He served as military

attache in Washington prior to enter-ing the diplomatic .service. He wasappointed secretary of the German le-gation at Peking, serving as charged'affaires during the important period

of the China-Japanese war.-

Later hewas appointed charge at Belgrade. In1897 he was appointed - counselor andfirst secretary of the embassy in Wash-ington and has served here since then.

• The Pretender Mataafa, With His Sister and Histj. Council of Advisers. f

From a Photograph Taken in September, IS9B. T

GERMANY SHOWS r

SIGNS OF WEAKENINGBERLIN, April 13.—The United

States embassy at noon to-day gave thecorrespondent of the Associated Pressthe following statement:

"We have received from the ForeignOffice an account of the latest conflictin Samoa. The German Governmentexpressed sympathy and took occasionto urge the adoption of the unanimityrule in the findings of the Samoa com-mission in order that the German com-missioner, Baron Speck yon Sternberg,might sail for Samoa at the earliestmoment possible. The German Gov-ernment urged that only the early ar-rival of the commission would prevent'further serious bloodshed. This morn-ing Baron yon Bulo.w Informed theAmerican Embassador that Great Brit-ain has at last agreed to the unanimityrule, the United States also agreeing

to it, and the commission can probablyproceed to the islands without delay."

The German press this morning givesits news calmly and mostly withoutcomment. The Cologne Gazette re-marks: "We need not say that if theguilt of the manager of the plantation

is proven Germany will approve of hisarrest and demand his punishment. Wewill not defend the behavior of a Ger-man abroad merely because he is aGerman."

The Cologne Gazette also admits thatDr. Raffel, the German president of theMunicipal Council of Apia, acted ille-gally in closing the Chief Justice's of-fice, and says: "The other powers, wealso hope, willadmit the illegal acts oftheir representatives."

The Tageblatt calls the arrest of themanager of the German plantation

where the ambuscade took place illegal,saying: "Our Consul is the only com-petent judge."

The Lokal Anseiger expresses theopinion that the affair shows the needof prompt action by the commission.

The Vossische Zeitung says: "What-ever, action, the . German Governmenttakes, it will find itself fully backed upby the Reichstag."

A number of leading papers, like theDeutsche Zeitung, Schlesische Zeitung

and Hanover Courier, point out the ne-cessity of a larger navy. \y.:,y

The Reichstag interpellation on thesubject of Samoa is signed by a major-ity of the Center, Reichs party, Con-servatives and National Liberals, andasks the Government for informationregarding "events in Samoa which haveinjured German interests so seriously,"and also requests information regardingthe measures taken or intended to betaken by the Government under thecircumstances. The interpellation hasbeen allowed, and willbe the main sub-ject for discussion in the Reichstag onFriday.

Wallaroo and Goldfinch, British Warships Orderedto Samoa.