WAR'S AWFUL WEEK, PRISONER JOHN TRUCK IS HAPPY, AND WILLIAM AND MARY BAYS DECLARED INSANE

 

Gen. Pio del Pilar.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, April 23, 1900.

WAR’S AWFUL WEEK.

Past One Around Manila Among the Bloodiest.

NUMEROUS HARD SKIRMISHES.

Reports Show a Total of Three Hundred and Seventeen Filipinos Killed and Many Wounded and Taken Prisoner—Nine Americans Killed.

   MANILA, April 23.—Last week has been one of the bloodiest of the war since the first day's fighting around Manila.

   Authentic reports, mostly official, show a total of 378 Filipinos killed, 12 officers and 244 men captured and many more wounded. The number wounded is hardly guessable considering that the Filipinos entirely lack hospital facilities, a great majority of the wounded will die.

   Probably the week's work finished 1,000 insurgents.

   The Americans' total loss was nine killed, 16 wounded. Two sergeants and one private were killed in ambush, while escorting provision trains.

 

MANY SKIRMISHES.

Americans Experience Numerous Brushes With Filipinos.

   MANILA, April 23.—Twenty Filipinos in the province of Batangas attacked Lieutenant Wondo, who with eight men was scouting near San Jose. The lieutenant and five men were wounded and one private was killed. Sergeant Lodoius of the Thirty-fifth infantry was badly wounded in an ambush near Baliuang. Lieutenant Balch of the Thirty-seventh infantry, with 70 men, had a five hours' fight with 400 insurgents in the Hueva Carceres district. Twenty of the insurgents were killed.

   Colonel Smith of the Seventeenth Infantry, who captured General Montenegro and brought him to Manila, is in the isolation hospital, suffering from smallpox, presumably caught from the Filipinos.

   Colonel Smith's command captured 180 officers and men with Montenegro. The officers were brought to Manila. Montenegro, who was formerly one of the most dapper officers in the Filipino army, looks worn and haggard. He says he has led a terrible life for months and he has offered to return to the north with Colonel Smith to endeavor to persuade his former comrades of the uselessness of opposition to the Americans. One hundred escaped Spanish prisoners from the province of Tayabas, Southern Luzon, have arrived at Manila.

   The insurgents have 400 more Spaniards in that district. Recently the Filipinos destroyed several rods of the railway line near Panique in an unsuccessful attempt to wreck a train.

 

Pilar Turns Up and Gives Trouble.

   MANILA, April 23.—The insurgents have been aggressive in almost every province of Luzon. General Pio del Pilar's band, numbering 300, which was out of sight for three months, the leader being reported killed, has reappeared in its old field about San Miguel. Pilar is supposed to be again in command. He gave the American garrison at San Miguel, consisting of three companies of the Thirty-fifth infantry with a Gatling, a three hours' fight during a night attack. The loss of the insurgents in this engagement is not included in the foregoing total, as they removed their dead and wounded, but presumably it was considerable.

 

TRUCK IS HAPPY

At Receiving the News of His Appeal and Stay.

   A dispatch from Auburn to the Syracuse Sunday Herald says: John Truck, the condemned Cortland county murderer, joyfully received the news conveyed to the prison this afternoon by a Herald representative that Attorney John McCrahon of Syracuse had filed a notice of appeal in his case and proposed making an effort to have the judgment of the court reversed by the court of appeals. Truck has been quite confident for the last few days that he would be given another chance to fight for his life, although Attorneys Hyatt & Miller, who defended him, had given up the case as hopeless.

   The news was taken to him by Deputy Warden Tupper, and while he manifested the greatest of satisfaction, he declined to make any statement. A deputy county clerk from Cortland county arrived here to-night with a certified copy of the notice of appeal which had been served on District Attorney Duffey and County Clerk Bushnell of Cortland county this morning by Mr. McCrahon. It is not known how much time will elapse before the case will be taken to the higher courts, as the stenographer who took the minutes has not as yet finished transcribing them, but he expects to have the work completed this week, so that he can submit the full report to Mr. McCrahon.

   Preparations for the electrocution had already been instituted. State Electrician Davis had shipped his case of instruments to the prison from Corning, and was to arrive here some time during the coming week to test the apparatus. It is believed that Truck's spiritual adviser, Father J. J. Hickey, was instrumental in securing Mr. McCranhon to make the appeal, but Mr. McCrahon declined to talk on the matter.

   Deputy Clerk Jones had not returned from Auburn this afternoon, so that no details as to the serving of the papers and consequent results could be obtained.

 

WANTS A WIFE.

JOHN J. FREDERICKS ADVERTISES FOR ONE IN SYRACUSE.

Said to Come from Cortland—There is a Man of That Name at South Cortland—Has a Varied Experience With Girls Young and Old—He Wants No Monkey Work—Is Sure He Will Get One Yet.

   The Syracuse Poet-Standard of Sunday contains the following account of the efforts of one who claimed to be John J. Fredericks of Cortland to secure a wife in that city. It appears that there is a man by that name at South Cortland who works for Horace Perkins, but whether he is the man in question is uncertain.

   Unsuccessful in his efforts to secure a wife in this city and disgusted that Syracuse girls do not take life more seriously, John J. Frederick of Cortland left for home at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon. He expects, however, to come again.

   The following advertisement appeared in a city newspaper Friday:

   Wanted—A good wife by a young gentleman. No trifling. Address John J. Frederick, Syracuse, general delivery, or call on him at the Vanderbilt House to-morrow (Saturday) from 2 to 5 P. M.

   Just before 2 o'clock, a man, apparently about 30 years of age, registered at the Vanderbilt as Mr. John J. Frederick, Cortland. He told Proprietor Milo K. Like that be was the man who had advertised for a wife and asked to wait in the lobby for the prospective candidates for his hand and fortune.

   He then went to the general delivery window at the postoffice and received several letters. Taking them back to the hotel, he carefully read each one and jotted down the names and addresses on a piece of paper.

   With this in his hand the would-be-benedict started out to call on all who had answered his letters. By this time the people in the lobby had been "put next'' and Mr. Frederick was the cynosure of all eyes.

   At 4 o'clock he returned with a tired and discouraged mien. Seating himself, he began to meditate. His thoughts were interrupted by a Post-Standard reporter who asked:

   "Found a wife yet?"

   "No, but I got one who said she would write to me and if I like her I'll ask her to marry me."

   "I suppose you were received with open arms this afternoon?"

   "No, sir, most of the girls just giggled like darned fools. I tell you they don't wake up to how serious life is. Look at me. I have a good farm and want a wife. I should think the girls would jump at the chance. Don't you think I'm good looking enough?"

   There was no reply to this. Frederick was not the sort of dandified individual that most girls looking for husbands would class as a "catch." His appearance was not different from that of the average young rustic. He wore a Prince Albert coat, black trousers, colored shirt, turn down celluloid collar and brown soft hat. He was a little below medium height. His face was thin and adorned with a red mustache.

   "Don't you think you're taking a rather strange way to get a wife?"

   "It's been done before, ain't it? I don't know as it's anybody's business how I get a wife as long as I get one, is it? You don't care, do you?

   Mr. Frederick was informed that his question had no interest whatever in the manner by which he hoped to secure his wife. He might do it, the way it was done in the days of the Sabbath  if he desired so.

   "I want a good woman," spoke up Mr. Frederick. "One that will be of some help to me. I can get lots of women, but they don't suit me. Now, these girls I saw to-day, I think they were making fun of me and I don't want any monkey work. I want a wife."

   "Can't you get any girl down Cortland way to have you?"

   "Well, girls are funny. I don't understand them. Did you ever have any experience in that line?"

   At this time the subject was changed and this question was asked:

   "What are you going to do now?"

   "I'm going to keep at it until I get one. I'm coming back here again and put another notice in the paper. I guess I'll fetch 'em if I keep at it long enough."

   The telephone bell interrupted the conversation and Mr. Frederick's name was called. He put the receiver to his ear. His part of the conversation was as follows:

   "Hello!"

   "Yes, mom."

   "I should like to see you very much."

   "Now at the Vanderbilt.

   "Half past 5's too late. I got to go away at 5."

   Mr. Frederick said after he had finished that a girl who said she was a clerk in some store wanted to see him, but he couldn't wait for her.

   After some persuasion he consented to show one of his letters. It read as follows:

    My Dear Mr. Frederick:

   l saw your notice in the paper and thought I would answer it. I am a young girl 20 years old. I am five feet six inches high and have black hair. My disposition is good and I think I could get along with you. Please call and see me.

   Mr. Frederick said he called at the address indicated and they said no girl of the name in the letter lived there. Some other girls, though, laughed at him and he came away.

   "I'll get a wife in spite of 'em," was his parting remark as he walked off toward the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western station.

 

Ready for the Walk.

   The following colored artists from Binghamton arrived in Cortland this morning to be in attendance to-night at the cake walk and ball: Harry T. Williams and wife, Cal Wagner and wife, Mrs. Butler, Miss Jones, Mrs. Moore, and David Jackson.

   The arrangements are now all completed and it is expected that one of the best exhibitions of walking and dancing that Cortland has ever had the opportunity of witnessing will be given. The grand ball will be held in C. A. A. hall after the walk which takes place at the Opera House.

 

J. Edward Banta.

ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE.

Fine Paper Before the Science Club by Prof. J. E. Banta.

   Prof. J. E. Banta gave a very fine paper before the Cortland Science' club Saturday evening upon the "Origin of Language." He showed that language is a growth; that one individual or one generation begins largely where its predecessor left off. If two children were permitted to grow up by themselves and were kept entirely away from all people and were not taught words or language they would find means to communicate with each other but their language would be ruder  than the rudest, but in generations and centuries it would broaden and extend as all language has done. The effort to form a universal language known as Volapuk and started in 1878, and the modern effort of a Frenchman to accomplish a similar purpose along different lines were referred to.

   Speech is a social possession, not an individual possession. A solitary man would never frame a language, and speech would be lost if people had no use for it. The statement in the Encyclopoedia Britannica that the first parents were given a full language was probably a mistake. They doubtless began to communicate with each other and their language was a growth. The term language is broader than speech. Language covers any means of communication as sign language, written language, as well as spoken language. The child begins to talk by signs and uses names that appeal to him from the sounds, actions or characteristics.

   The speaker then named and discussed the four theories of language, and also the theories of written language. There are twenty-six letters in our alphabet and forty-six sounds in our language. Prof. Max Muller says that there are only about 121 roots in the English language, notwithstanding the great multiplicity of words. About 500 new words are added to the language each year. Shakespeare had a vocabulary of 16,000 words, Milton of 9,000 words, Ralph Waldo Emerson of 4,800 words. The ordinary individual includes about one thousand two hundred to two thousand words in his vocabulary, while the coal miners in the north of England have only about three hundred words in their vocabulary.

   The English language is greatly on the increase as all the strategic points in the world's history, geographically speaking, are now in the possession of English speaking people except Constantinople.

   Dr. Strong's New Era gives the following comparative statement of the people speaking the different languages, with the percentages of total population in 1801 and in 1890 as follows:

ADJUDGED INSANE.

William and Mary Bays Declared Incompetent by Jurors.

   The investigation of the alleged lunacy and incompetency of William and Mary Bays, held in the grand jury rooms at the court house before Commissioner I. H. Palmer and a jury for either [person], was brought to a close Friday afternoon. It was the opinion of both juries that the brother and sister are insane.

   The jury before whom William Bays was brought for examination has already been published. Ora J. Bays, Emmet Lang, Robert Lang, nephew aud cousins of Bays, Dr. Bennett and E. D. Blodgett appeared and testified. Bays himself was brought before the jury, but not sworn. His talk, however, verified all the witnesses had sworn to and was really more convincing than the testimony of any of the witnesses.

   The sister's jury was made up of William Riley, William Martin, E. C. Parker, J. J. Gillette, Geo. P. Hollenbeck, S. S. Stearns, H. R. Rouse, D. C. Johnson, L. L. Gillette, Gideon Wright, S. N. Holden, Geo. B. Ames, F. B. Nourse, Henry S. Bliss, Chas. F. Brown and Theron Everts.

   Dr. Bennett, Mrs. Dolphia Meade, John Miller, A. E. Brainard, Coe Christman, Robert Lang, Emmet Lang and Ora Bays testified in the case. Mary Bays was also brought before her jury. In both eases the brother and sister were the best proof of their own incompetency. A committee will be appointed at once to take charge of their property.

 

HIS APPENDIX REMOVED.

Dr. Hughes Will Take no Chances of Appendicitis in Future.

   On Monday, April 9, Dr. H. G. Hughes went into Bellevue hospital, New York, and was operated upon for appendicitis by Dr. Gleason. The operation was successful and Dr. Hughes is expected to leave the hospital in a few days.

   This was not a case of acute appendicitis at the time the operation was performed, but it was a precautionary measure. A year and a half ago Dr. Hughes was very sick for some weeks in Cortland with what proved to be appendicitis, but he recovered without an operation. He has had the same trouble hanging about him ever since—more or less pain quite constantly and an enlargement or swelling in the region of the vermiform appendix. He is the head surgeon for a company building a railroad in South America, and he came home sick about six months ago. He recovered without an operation, but knew that if he should ever have an acute attack while in the southern country away from hospitals and skilled surgeons his life wouldn't be worth a picayune, so he determined to remove the cause once for all, and has done so. He expects now to be able to go back to South America in a few weeks well, but minus a vermiform appendix.

 

Cayuga Lake Steamer Frontenac.

Steamboat to be Sold.

   The well known steamer Frontenac of the Cayuga Lake Transportation Co., is to be sold at public auction with all its furniture, tools, dishes, linen and appurtenances at the front door of the county clerk's office in Ithaca at 2;30 o'clock on Thursday, May 10.

 

BREVITIES.

   —A regular meeting of the Royal Arcanum will be held Tuesday evening, April 24, at G. A. R. hall at 8 o'clock.

   The funeral of the late Charles H. Garrison of Troy will be held at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning at the home of his brother, L. D. Garrison, 17 Court-st.

   —The Binghamton and Rochester State league teams met in the Parlor City Saturday afternoon in an exhibition game and the result was a victory for Rochester 17 t o 5.

   —Attention is called to the speech of Senator Depew before the Montauk club of Brooklyn Saturday night which appears on the third page. Like other speeches of the genial Chauncey it is a brilliant effort and well worth reading.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Burgess, Hats, page 8; Bingham & Miller, A dapper young man, page 7; Buck & Lane, A perfect refrigerator, page 6; W. J . Perkins. Paints, page 6; F. D. Smith, Approaching summer, page 6; Smith & Beaudry, Wallpaper, page 4; G. F. Beaudry, Bicycles, page 5.