BOER LEADERS AT PRETORIA, LETTER TO THE STANDARD, TRUCK TOLD THE TIDINGS, FIRE SUNDAY MORNING, CORONER'S VERDICT, AND MUD STORM

 

Boar General Louis Botha.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, April 14, 1902.

BOER LEADERS AT PRETORIA.

Unusual Sunday Activity in London Government Circles.

   London, April 14.—The announcement of the presence at Pretoria of the Orange Free State and Transvaal leaders and generals who have been at Klerksdorp considering terms of peace, has caused a decided increase in the hopefulness of the public concerning the possibilities of peace.

   The expectations aroused by the conference at Pretoria have been further heightened by the movements of Mr. Chamberlain, the colonial secretary, and other members of the cabinet in London and evidences that important dispatches are passing between Lord Kitchener and the government.

   A conference of members of the cabinet was held Saturday at midnight in Mr. Chamberlain's house. Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Brodrick, the war secretary; Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, the chancellor of the exchequer, and the Duke of Devonshire, president of the council, were present. The conference terminated at 1 o'clock in the morning and Sunday Mr. Chamberlain and several of the colonial office officials were in their offices. Messengers passed between them and Sir Michael Hicks-Beach at his residence.

   At half past 1 o'clock in the afternoon Mr. Chamberlain drove to Buckingham palace and remained with King Edward for two hours. During the afternoon messengers carried dispatches from the foreign office to Lord Salisbury who with Mr. Balfour, the government leader in the house of commons, was at Hatfield House.

   These outward signs of Sunday activity have not been supplemented by any authentic or official statement. The question most discussed thus far has been whether the peace negotiations would affect the government's financial proposals, which promise to be submitted to parliament today. The fact that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach was engaged in his office nearly all day is taken in some quarters to indicate a modification of the budget statement.

   There appears to be no doubt that the Boer leaders have communicated the results of their deliberations to Lord Kitchener. Attempts will be made in parliament today to draw out what information the government has on the South African situation and to learn its intentions, but it is not known that the government can forecast the probable outcome of the negotiations. The instructions sent to Lord Kitchener are believed to be only provisional in character.

 

Nathan Lewis Miller.

A COMMUNICATION.

Comptroller Miller Writes Concerning the Truck Trial.

   The following letter from Comptroller Nathan L. Miller at Albany who was the associate counsel for the defense in the Truck murder trial in Cortland in 1900 will explain itself.

   State of New York, Comptroller's Office, Albany, April 11, 1902.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—I note in the editorial of your issue of the 10th inst. relative to the case of John Truck, the following statement: "It must be a surprise to the attorneys who defended him upon the trial to know that he is insane, for they frankly owned before and after the trial that they chose insanity as a defense for the reason that they had no other line of defense, because the evidence of guilt was so conclusive."

   I do not know from what source The Standard could possibly have received such information, but in justice to those associated with me upon the trial of this case I desire to correct this mistake and to say that the statement quoted is absolutely untrue and that the attorneys for the defense, after the case had been carefully examined, conscientiously believed before the trial and at all times since have believed that the defense of insanity was a meritorious one and that the defendant was and has been insane for some time.

   Dr. Dana of Cortland, Dr. White of the Binghamton state hospital and Dr. Sefton of Auburn who were employed by us for the purpose of making an examination to ascertain the mental condition of Truck, after a most careful examination reported to us that he was insane. It will doubtless be found that Mr. Truck's present condition is simply the natural development of the condition that then existed. The decision of such eminent and impartial alienists as Dr. Talcott and Dr. Pilgrim is a complete vindication of the position taken by Drs. Dana and White, who testified upon the trial, and the refutation of the evidence of the alienists sworn on behalf of The People, one of whom, it will be remembered, stated on cross examination "that he had not come there to help make out a case for the defense."

   I also noted in a former issue of your paper a statement intimating that Dr. Sefton was not called upon the trial for the defense for the reason that his evidence would have been adverse to the defendant. This is so wholly at variance with the facts that I deem it just that the statement be corrected. Had it been possible to procure the attendance of Dr. Sefton, he would have been sworn and his evidence would have corroborated Dr. Dana and Dr. White. The inability to procure his evidence by reason of his illness undoubtedly injured the case of the defense. He has since personally advised me that examinations made by him of the defendant in Auburn prison, have confirmed the opinion which he gave us before the trial that the defendant was insane. His absence upon the trial probably did not affect the result as it is doubtful in the state of public opinion at that time in Cortland, whether it would have been possible upon any evidence to have obtained an acquittal upon the ground of insanity.

   I make this statement to correct the false impression created by the articles referred to which are unjust both to the counsel and to the eminent physicians upon whose advise the counsel relied. Whatever may be the ultimate determination as to the mental condition of Truck, both of the counsel who defended him upon the trial, and the physicians associated with them, believed then, still believe and always will believe, that Truck was insane and that he was a creature whose life society has no business to take.

   Respectfully yours, Nathan L. Miller.

   The statement above referred to as to insanity as a line of defense, to which Comptroller Miller takes exception, was based upon two conversations between the city editor of The Standard and Attorney E. W. Hyatt who had been appointed by the court to defend Truck. One conversation was held before the trial and the other which was in character a sort of general comment upon the hopelessness of the case from the start, was after Truck had been taken to Auburn.

   The reference to Dr. Sefton, to which exception is taken, was based upon the results of an interview by the city editor with that gentleman at his office in Auburn upon the day that Truck was taken to prison. The statements made in these columns were not written at random.

 

John Truck.

TRUCK TOLD THE TIDINGS.

Respited by Governor and if He Stays Insane He May Live.

   The Auburn Advertiser of Friday says: Warden Mead received the respite from the governor this morning and as soon as possible after receiving the papers, the warden went to Truck's cell in the condemned row and read the reprieve to the murderer. When he had finished the warden said to Truck, "Do you understand what that means?"

   "Yes, sir" came the answer through the grated door. There was no emotion apparent in the man's voice nor did he show any feeling in his face or actions.

   The warden then asked Truck if he had received any news of the report of Drs. Pilgrim and Talcott to the governor and received a negative answer.

   It had been announced that the governor had commuted the sentence to life imprisonment and lest Truck might have heard this, and be laboring under a misapprehension, the warden explained just what the respite meant. Truck, however, said he had heard nothing, either from the officers or from his attorney.

 

FIRE SUNDAY MORNING

In the Old Wickwire Building on Railroad-st.

THE DAMAGE WAS NOT VERY GREAT.

L. R. Lewis Suffered Most, but is Fully Insured—Fire Originated from Unknown Cause, but Was First Discovered Near a Stove—Excellent Work of Firemen.

   Fire broke out on the second floor of the old wooden block owned by Wickwire Brothers on the north side of Railroad-st. Sunday morning, at a few minutes past 12 o'clock in a room occupied by L. R. Lewis, but it was extinguished before it had gotten under full headway. The flames caught in the same room in which the fire started in that block on the night of July 3 of last year. The fire centered around a stove in the south end of the room, and it is thought that it originated from this stove.

   The fire was discovered by some parties who stood in front of the Idle Hours billiard parlors, which are in the same block. Word was carried at once to the engine house, and an alarm was rung in by Fred Christenat. The Water Witch Hose company hitched to the hydrant near the building on Railroad-st., and got first water on the flames. The hose was carried up the stairway and through the front room, which is also occupied by Mr. Lewis, to the room in the rear, thus shutting off the chance of the fire spreading to the front rooms. Two other streams were soon directed on the room in the "L,'' and the fire was hastily extinguished.

   It is not known how the fire caught from the stove. The workmen left the stove at 6 o'clock of the previous evening in the same condition as they were in the habit of doing, and it had not been seen since they left it. Mr. Lewis loses a great deal of new stock of tin that was for use in making Perfection milk coolers, of which he is the manufacturer. His loss is fully covered by insurance. The billiard parlors were somewhat damaged by water, as was also Parmiter's repair shop.

   The work of Chief Sherwood in handling the fire is the subject of much favorable comment. He kept the flames confined to the room between the front and rear portion of the block by first attacking them from the front rooms and then following them from the sides and rear.

   The alarm sent in was the first one given since the new storage battery was connected with the system. The strokes came out regularly and the whole system behaved admirably.

 

VERDICT OF CORONER.

Accident Unforeseen and Could Not Have Been Prevented.

   Coroner E. M. Santee has completed his verdict in the case of Garret Nagle, the Lackawanna fireman who was killed in the snowplow wreck north of Little York on Feb. 20, 1902.

   After reciting the facts concerning the accident the coroner says:

   The evidence of numerous witnesses shows that every precaution possible was taken; that the engines and snowplow were thoroughly examined at Homer and Little York just prior to the accident and that all machinery appeared to be in perfect working order.

   The evidence of Charles Hannaka, who is an expert railroad wrecking boss and who had charge of clearing up the wreck, shows that the track was in perfect order; that the wheels and truck of the snowplow, which was the first to leave the track, were all intact. Said Hannaka testified that after the most diligent search for a cause for the accident he was unable to give any reason therefor.

   The evidence also shows that the same train and crew had previously plowed through without accident many snowbanks that were apparently much worse than the one in question.

   The evidence and the investigations of this coroner also shows that the snowplow used was of the most modern type, the best construction and the one in use by all the largest railroads of this state for this kind of work.

   From all of the evidence and the investigation, this coroner decides that said Garret Nagle came to his death on the 20th day of February, 1902, in the town of Preble, Cortland Co., N. Y., from accidental causes that no human foresight could have foreseen or prevented.

   In witness whereof the said coroner has to this inquisition set his hand and seal this 12th day of April, 1902. E. M. Santee, Coroner.

 

Lackawanna  R. R. Officials In Town.

   The following Lackawanna officials are visiting Cortland today by special train: President W. H. Truesdale, General Superintendent T. E. Clarke, Chief Train Master of Syracuse and Binghamton Branch G. C. Ferris and Chief Engineer W. K. McFarland.

 

A MUD SHOWER

Descended Upon Cortland Last Saturday Afternoon.

IT WAS NOT A LOCAL AFFAIR.

For Penn Yan Had One Too—Clean Clothes on the Lines Were Plastered With Mud—New Hats Spattered—Piazzas so Soiled That People Thought Boys Had Been Throwing Mud.

   A mud shower visited Cortland last Saturday afternoon and raised havoc with clothes that were on lines, wearing apparel of those who happened to be out at the time, and especially to spring hats and bonnets that were out on parade. The singular shower lasted only a few moments, but it had the effect of causing many people of amiable dispositions, to think things even if they didn't say them.

   At the First M. E. church parsonage a large number of white clothes were hanging on the line at the rear of the house. These were completely drenched with the mud and water mixture and looked, as Mrs. Keppel well stated it, as though some mischievous boys had taken a pail of mud and mixed it in a tub of water and then doused it on her line of clothes with a whitewash brush. Two treatments of boiling soap suds and as many rinsings failed to take the spots out of the garments, and a great deal of Mrs. Keppel's finest linen is spoiled.

   Commissioner of Charities F. E. Price was caught out in the shower, and as a result a new spring hat will have to be purchased to take the place of the bespattered piece of head gear.

   Mr. H. S. Darling was on his way to his duties at the Lehigh Valley office after he had eaten his noon-time meal. His usual extremely tidy appearance was lost, however, and as he rushed in upon his associates his dress resembled that of a country doctor just coming in from a long drive over bottomless roads.

   Mrs. A. D. Le Roy had a very valuable wrap spoiled by the shower while out driving at the time of the queer antics of the elements.

   One lady on Venette-st., who had just cleaned her front porch, could hardly be dissuaded from thinking that the mischievous boys of the neighborhood had thrown mud upon her recently spick and span home entrance.

   Mrs. F. D. Smith of 6 Argyle Place had some of her best bedding out in the back yard airing and it was completely covered with mud.

   Several lines of clothes on Prospect hill were so soiled as to have to go again at once into the tub.

   This storm was evidently not a local affair, or else there were other local storms of the same character, for a news dispatch from Penn Yan today tells of a similar storm there.

   Where the mud came from is a query. There was every kind of weather on Saturday—sunshine, rain, snow, hail and mud. Now we may expect a shower of frogs after the likeness of the old days in Egypt.

 

BREVITIES.

   —A regular meeting of W. U. C. will be held Tuesday afternoon at 3 P. M.

   —The residence of H. L. Peckham, 6 Charles-st., has been connected with the Home Telephone line. The number is 157.

   —Cortlandville lodge, No. 470, F. & A. M., will confer the first degree at their regular communication Tuesday evening at 7:30 o'clock.

   —New display advertisements today are—Syracuse Music Festival, page 7;  S. Simmons, Clothing, page 6; Warren, Tanner & Co., page 2; New York Store, Drygoods, millinery, etc., page 7; C. F. Thompson, Flour, page 6; R. W. Mitchell, Meats, page 5.

   —The library institute begins at Normal hall tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Dr. J. N. Canfield, librarian of Columbia university, will speak tomorrow evening at 7:30 o'clock. The public is cordially invited to attend all sessions. Admission free.