The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 1

1 viM: APR 6 1312 THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE Complete Stock Market Mr tonight and Tues-dy; rising temperature on Tuesday. LAST EDITION. Yolnnte 2A Ho. 08 NEW YORK CITY. MONDAY, APUIL 8, 1912.

28 PAGES. THREE CENTS. OPEN DOOR PUZZLE STIMS0N FIGHTS A FIRE. STEAMER BEACHED B.R.I. ASKS HUGE CAPTAIN OF LIGHTER MURDERED WITH AX TO ASK FOR ARREST OF FATHER BELFORD STRANGER WAS MURDERED.

Man Found Dead in Lot Did Not Die From Exposure. For four days the. body of a man who was found lying In a lot at Sixty-second I AS FIRE RAGES 15 Passengers Taken Off Ontario at Montauk Point. WIRELESS MAN A-HERO Sirit out Calls Amid Intense Heat and With Smoke Pouring Into, Room. VALIANT FIGHT BY CREW.

Vessel Was Bound From Baltimore to Boston When Flames Broke Out i. Early This Morning iu Hold. (Special to The Eagle). Montauk Point, L. April 8 With Are burning dangerously in her hold, the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company steamer Ontario, Baltimore for Boston, was beached off here this morning Fifteen minutes after her fifteen passengers, most of them women, had been landed, after an exciting battle with the surf, flames shot through the deck and the wireless room was afire.

Twenty-year-old H. E. Ingolls of Boston, the wireless operator, was the- hero of the long night battle with the flames. With" smoke pouring into the operating room and the heat so Intense that twice he was forced to leave the station, he kept the wireless sputtering all along the coast until the flames, themselves, drove him' out of his room within a few moments before it, too, was burning. Ingolls has been an operator a little over a year.

The. first VS. 0. call from the Ontario was picked up by the Point Judith Mreless itajion shortly e.fter o'clock thi For two hours wireless Stations itlong' the coast wblch were within the steamer's radius were com-'ttMIcatlon wltS the-, burning vessel. It was not until 4:19 that an effort was made to land -the liner's passengers, but when the tug Tasco, from New London, Anally reached the Ontario, the passengers i were transferred to lifeboats and placed aboard her.

The crew remained aboard the Ontario and fought the Sre. Revenue cutters and llft-saving boats stood by to assist, but owing to the ehjp's position could not get near enough to give the crew much aid. List of Passengers. Of the fifteen passengers reported aboard, fourteen were booked at Baltimore. Their addresses were not taken.

The list follows: Kathcrine E. Schwarts. Miss Nellie E. Sheehan. A.

E. Cahill and wife. T. H. Oray, and wife.

and Mrs. J. F. Bond. II.

V. Sanborn and wife. r.Irs. W. J.

Bond (wife of the captain). T. Corr.ey. Frank Bowden. Fire was discovered in the forward hold THE of Is of by of a 42 Old Man Winter has gone (according to the almanac)- and Ave don't like to criticise him behind his back; but when he went out, why did the Old Frost leave the back door open? 17,50 in Brooklyn.

loon and were not 'Informed of the des-Perateness of the situation. In the meantime the stations on shoro were: receiving call arter call from the wireless man of the Ontario. With smoke pouring into the operating room and the heat growing momentarily more unbearable, Ingolls stuck to his post and kept the shore and such vessels as were within his radius informed of the conditions aboard the burning ship. So fierce had the heat become that the operator, even at 2:45. sent out a message which was picked up by the T.

A. Scott Company operator at New London saying that he would have to leave his room for a few moments. It was feared that communication with the Ontario had been cut off. In a short time, however, the operator sent another message saying that Captain Bond bad decided to make for Montauk Point and -beach the vessel. This message expressed fear that they might not be able to make shore.

On the receipt of this the naval station got into communication with the revenue cutters Seneca, Acushnet and Mohawk, and the three government vessels started for the Ontario. Life savers from Watch Hill, Hither Plain and Ditch Plains started in big power boats for the burning vessel. The crew here dragged their heavy surfboat on Its truck three miles along the beach to be in readiness when the liner Bhould be beached. Soon, after 3 o'clock a great cloud of smoke could be seen at sea from this point and nearby coast stations. No flames were seen, but the smoke became heavier and heavier.

Within a short time ingolls sent another message saying that the boats were in readiness, but that Captain Bond did not intend to use them if there was any chance to get a vessel near. him. It was just after this that the Tasco came In sight of the burning liner, which was now making all speed possible for Montauk Point. The Tasco Is equipped with wireless, and her operator kept in constant communication, with Ingolls. Just before 4 clock Ingolls said that the flames were nearlng the wireless rpjjro, em) he would have to leave soon.

Passengers Taken Off in Boats in Bough. Surf. In three quarters of an hour he Vessel was beaqa'H and her passeVgps taken off, In boats and transferred with great danger iu the rough surf td Tasco. None, of them was injured, but all of them were, drenched and badly shaken up. Captain Bond and the crew remained, aboard to fight the fire.

It was not until after 6 o'clock this morning that the flames were finally gotten under control. -The Ontario is now three miles east of this station and a mile and a half west Montauk Point Light. A light sea is running and there is little wind. It not thought that there Is any danger' of the vessel's breaking up now. The Ontario, of Baltimore had among Iter cargo cotton, rosin and whisky.

One of the surf men, David Miller, Amagansett, was hit on the forehead an ax which flew from its handle while getting the breeches buoy intq service and was so badly hurt that he had to be sent home. The Ontario was built In 1904 at a coBt more than $400,000, and was equipped with all modern conveniences. She was single screw steamship, 315 feet long, feet beam and 31 feet depth in hold. Her gross tonnage waa 3,300 tons. Her speed was 16 knots.

The Ontario was fully insured. was Captain Bond's second ex-jfirlence with fire at sea. He was io command of the Kershaw of the same line, wheu, in August, 1905, she look Secretary of War Helps Save His Ice House at West Hills. (Special to The Eagle.) Huntington, L. April 8 Secretary of War Henry L.

Stlmson Joined his men as a volunteer fire fighter at his country home ut West Hills near here yesterday morning In an effort to save his icehouse from destruction from the flames. Secretary Stlmson came down on Saturday with his family to spend Easter Sunday at hls Long Island residence. Cries -of Are early yesterday morning called him from his bed, and he quickly donned his clothes and hurried out to join the bucket brigade which his men had formed. The Icehouse was badly damaged before the blaze was extinguished. TELL AT EASTER OE AUGUST WEDDING Flatbush Couple Were Married at Rutland, While on a Vacation.

KEPT THEIR SECRET WELL. George E. Murray Wanted to Tell Parents Long Ago, but Her Courage Failed. Ever since Maude E. Steenwerth and George F.

Murray were secretly married last summer, the bride has been trying to summon up enough courage to tell her parents. Her husband urged her to do so, but her nerve always failed at the crucial moment. Yesterday being Easter and the members of her family brimming over with the good cheer of the season, Mrs. Murray determined to make another attempt to announce her plunge into the ocean of matrimony. As a starter she decided to announce her engagement to George, and to follow that up with the declaration that she was already wed.

"Mother and father." Bald the bride when she had cornered her parents in the parlor, "George and I are engaged to be married and we Intend that the wedding shall occur before long." She paused for breath then, but before she continued her mother broke In: "Nonsense, Maude, you are entirely too young, and so Is George. AValt awhile." "Yes, a few years more won't make much difference; you can wait until you are 20," chimed in her father. These unexpected answers from both parents brought home to the bride the realization that she must break the news, and without further parley she acquainted her father and mother with the fact (hat she was no longer Miss Steenwerth, but Mrs. Murray, had been since last i Just about that time Mr. Murray called at the liouss to take his wife, bis' sup posed fiancee, for an Easter morning stroll.

Stern glances from Mr. and Mrs. Steenwerth apprised him of the fact that the Ice had been figuratively broken, and after a long interview between parents and children the bride and bridegroom were forgiven. Murray met Miss Steenwerth three years ago at Lake Huntington, In Sullivan County, N. where both were on a vacation.

Last August they went to Bomoseen, and on August 10 Miss Steenwerth agreed to be married. They rowed across the lake to Rutland, and were married by the Rev. James Reynolds in Trinity Parish. Miss Steenwerth attended Manual High School. She lives at 407 East Thirty-fifth street, Flatbush, and her father Is John H.

Steenwerth, an attorney, with offices at 1012 Gates avenue. Murray resides at 76 Fenimore street. DIES AT EASTER SERVICE. Woman Collapses at Classon Avenue Presbyterian Church. Durine the slnKing of an Easter hvmu by the congregation of the Classon Avenue Presbyterian Church yesterday morn ing, Miss Mary Kirschner, C5 years of age, suddenly collapsed in her pew, dead from heart disease, jtiBt before the nnntn, lha t- ItP Ttltlm lllir.

rell, entered the pulpit to preach his ittm ui in, Whpn tho wnmnn foil mpnihura nf Hip congregation removed her to the library of the parsonage, and Dr. A. T. Bird, wuo nappeiicu lu ue in uie cnuicn ni in' time, went to treat her and found she was dead. MIsb Kirschner lived with the family of George H.

Handforth, on Bergen street, for twenty-three years. She had lived In Brooklyn for the past fifty years, and had hnon nf tho .1 irT'rt eru the Classon Avenue Church for fifteen years. Mrs. L. Goctz, a half-sister, who lives at 122 Amity Btreet, has taken charge of the remains, and will make the funeral errangementfi.

The funeral will take place from the church where she died, and the Interment will he in Greenwood HOUSEKEEPER OR WIFE? Why, Take Wife, of Course, Says Henry Hyde, 63. Get married to a woman you can trust rathei than keep a housekeeper who, like as not, will rob you when your back is turned, is the advice given today by Henry Hyde, 63 years old, of 156 Fifty- sixth street, who appeared at' the Marriage License Bureau In the Borough Ha'l amt secured the necessary paper to get married. Hyde was accompanied by Mrs. Kate Craig, of 20 Moffat street. Mrs.

Craig said she was 43 years old. Her lint husband is dead, and so Is Hyde'j 11 ret wife. Hyde and Mrs. Craig will be married by the Rev. F.

G. Howell, of 5 Richmond street, pastor of the Andrews M. K. Church, Richmond street, near Etna street. A reporter asked Hyde how it was that he was getting married at the age of i 63.

"What's a man to do?" Mr. Hyde explained. "Bettor to get married to a woman you cau trust than to live in the same house with a housekeeper who Is all the time robbing you." The reporter was about to aBk Hyde If he had been a victim of Borne housekeeper's wiles when his bride-to-be, who had asked a clerk who the young man was who was taking to Hyde, bustled up, took Hyde by the arm, whispered some-1 thing In his ear and led him away. FLOODS IN LOUISIANA. I Baton Rouge.

April 8 Citizens of! two towns in Louisiana have become! flood refugees. The water already has inundated Elliott Cily and Is tocUy moving toward Lottie, situated between Baton P.ousc til? Atcfcafalya River, No loss of life has ported. ni nwnTrm dibit Plan for D. Involves Miles of Overhead Structure. TAPS CROWDED SECTION Commissioners Williams and Willcox Express Disapproval of Additional Lines.

PART OF BIG B.R.T. EXPANSION. If Successful, Broadway, Fulton and Other Lines Mny Be Third Tracked. That the new transit plana of the B. U.

suddenly projected Into the sit- uailou arectitiR the Eastern District aod East New York sections, contemplate what virtually amount to an entirely new elevated system, was clearly brought out today, when members of the Public Service Commission made an Inspection ot the routes Involved In the extensions of ilie Eastern District tunnel and other Improvements which the B. U. T. is auxiou3 to advance. ''lie itliuiK, Hint have liceii utidrr private lirn kkIiiii on Ilie pnr of tkc mi I mud olllclnla niul uirmhrra of the Public Son Ire t'oiniiilNNlfiii for oomc time, nnil which linvr only rerrntlr mine before (lie public, It la now Ktnleil, call for tin elevated railroad for two llilrria of the entire length of the Kattcrn Dlnlrlcta nctr traualt line.

The section through which the proposed elevated siructure is to go Is, for a large pail of the way, one of the most populous in lie borough. Members of the Public Service Commission today noted that there are two big public schools on the routu proposed. Commissioner. Williams Opposed to More Elevated Structures. The new Brooklyn Commissioner.

George V. S. Williams, after returning an inspection of the route, stated himself na unequivocally opposed to the construction of any additional elevated lines in Brooklyn, unless there is no alternative. The opposition to Ilie proposed elevated on Franklin avenue, and which resulted in the elimination of permissive legislation for this plan from the recently passed Wagner bill, is believed to have convinced the members of the Public Service Commission that elevated lines are not a popular suggestion for this borough. Chairman Willcox seconded the opinions expressed by Commissioner Williams in his general opposition to the new plan.

Route for New Elevated B. R. T. Proposes. The route cf the proposed elevated structure which the B.

R. T. now puts forth, was today definitely outlined for the first time. It extern! from the Jmietlon of Ilunhnlek ami nvenuea alona nvemie to Knlckernoeker avenue nnd on Knickerbocker nrenne to t'lifltmeeir atreet, tiienee nlong the rlKlit of Juy of the Long lalniiil Hnll-ronfl, irhleli aklrtN Kterptreen Oiiie--ter, to the Hunt eiv lurk l.oon. where It la to eonnert Tilth the Broadway nnd Fulton atreet elernted lines.

This plan. It was pointed out today, would give to the B. R. T. practically the same loop facilities which would have been provided had the scheme for an elevated on Franklin avenue gone through.

Through tho physical connection of the Broadway nnd Fulton street ele-vateds, with the extension of the Eastern District route, the B. R. T. would be able to establish through communication between Fourteenth street, Manhattan, and Coney Island, via the Brighton Beach over the enlarged system. It would bo possible to form a connection with subway lines or elevated extension's Into Queens from the lower sections of the Eastern District- line proper.

Inspection of the proposed route was made today by Public Service Commissioners Willcox. Williams. Mnltbie, and engineers and officials of the B. R. Company nnd of the Long Island Railroad.

The plan was explained to the commissioners just how the B. R. T. proposed to make use of the Long Island Railroad tracks all nlong the right of way of the old Manhattan Beach line. At the end of the tour Commissioner Williams and Chairman Willcox both expressed themselves as opposed to additional elevated lines.

Mr. Williams had this to say: "1 personally am In favor of subways, and not of elevateds. Of course, there are many complications, and 1 do not know just what can be B. R. T.

Plans Vague, Says Chairman Willcox. Chairman Willcox said: "When the Brooklyn Rapid Transit made its proposal that the city build certain lines for It, tho company said tt would put in a definite amount of money for Improving lis system. "We have never gotten from them, ex-typtN In the most vague way, where they expected to spend this money, and just how. 1 suppose the station Improvements they talked of today Indicate one of the ways the money is to be spent. "Of one thing you can be certain: The Commission will not go very far with them until they Bhow just where the money 1r to be spent, and how it is to be spent." May Act on All Brooklyn Routes This Week.

At the same time it as staled today that the Commissioners are likely to takt action this week on the Brooklyn routes mi street and Third avenue, dead apparent ly from exposure, has lain unidentified in the morgue, where it was brought. Coroner's Physlclun Dr. Wuest today made a post-mortem examination of the remains and found that Instead of an exposure case the man had been murdered. Considerable mystery surrounds the incident. Nothing can be learned as to the whereabouts of the man's friends or relatives, if he had any in Brooklyn or Manhattan.

Nothing of the circumstances of the death have been learned. When found the lips of the corpse were a little blue and swollen, but notnlng was thought of this at the time. It was believed the man had been intoxicated and had stumbled Into the lot accidentally, perhaps striking his face on a stone wheu be fell. The man was dressed rather poorly. He wore a black striped suit, a gray flannel shirt, a brown four-in-hand tie, black laced shoes, gray woolen underwear and a black derby hat In which was the mark, "Ocandee, N.

He was aboui thirty-two years old, 5 feet 8 inches In hnltrht u-olirbf nhntir 1g0 nnunda. Hl.l complexion is light, with brown hair and a red mustache. It Is thought that he is Swedish. The coroner's physician found a fracture at the base of the skull, and he discovered also that the lips had been cut on the Inside, as if from a violent blow in the mouth, and that Beveral teeth were loose. The theory is that the stranger had been brutally attacked and either that his body had been carried Into the lot by his assailantB, or that he had crawled in there to die.

There was no money found on the man and he may have been robbed. NO MORGAN ART FOR BROOKLYN Banker Writes That Metropolitan Museum Has Sufficient Room for His Treasures. Brooklyn will not get any of the Mor gan art treasures for the Museum In Eastern Parkway according to a letter which Borough President Alfred E. Steers rceclved today from J. Pierpont Morgan.

Mr. Steers wrote to Mr. Morgan on March 4, after It had been announced that the Morgan art treasures were to be sent to this county, suggesting to him that It the Metropolitan Museum, where it was stated the collection would be placed, could not adequately display the entire collection, the Brooklyn Museum would be at his service. In his reply Mr. Morgan stated that he had arranged to have his entire collection housed In the Metropolitan Museum.

HIb letter, which was postmarked at Rome, Italy, follows: "Dear Sir 1 have received your letler of March 4, forwarded to me here, and In reply would state that I greatly appreciate the offer of the Brooklyn Museum, conveyed through you, but I have already arranged with the Metropolitan Muaeum lo store my collection as it arrives In the United States, and 1 cannot therefore take up the, same question with anyone, else so long as they continue to conform to their part of the contract. With kind regards, "Yours very sincerely, PIERPONT MORGAN." The, letter of President Steers was forwarded abroad to Mr. Morgan and received by him while in Italy a few days before he replied. It was stated, when Mr. Steers first wrote, that the letter would havo to be sent, to Egypt but Mr.

Morgan was located at Rome. WOODRUFF A BR00KLYNITE. Manager of Hotel Bossert Says He Has Been Guest flince February. All doubt about Timothy L. Woodruff's being a resident of Brooklyn was removed today when Robert T.

Martin, manager of the Hotel Bossert. announced that the Republican lender has been a guest at the hotel since the middle of February and Is still a guest there. Mr. Woodruff finds it necessary to go to Washington Albany occasionally, but he still remains a guest at the Brooklyn hotel, where he and Mrs. Wood- ruff have a suite of rooms.

The Woodruffs also have an apartment at the Rlu- t'arlton, in Manhattan, and when in New York City they pass their time between these two hotels. Sometime ago Mr. Woodruff was looking for a residence on the Park Slope, but since that time he has Inquired about apartments in the proposed addition to the Hotel Bossert. FOR A BUREAU OF MARKETS. Bill Provides That It Be Established In Department of Agriculture.

Washington, April 8 The establishment ot a bureau of markets in the Department of Agriculture, provided for in bills Introduced lv Representatives Wickliffe of Louisiana, and Bcall of Texas, was urged before the House Committee on Agriculture' today. The bills would provide for a director to bo appointed by the President, and that the bureau investigate the methods of marketing farm produce, with a view to recommending the fuirest and most di-leit nuthod by which thev may roach the ultlmnle consumer from the producer. Representatives Wickliffe and Beall cited differences in the price of farm products to the producer and the consumer, and argued that these conditions do not prevail in muny countries where the market of produce is carefully looked after through government agencies U. S. MUST PAY FOR PATENT.

Supreme Court Rules French Inventor Is to Get $136,000. Washington, April 8 For the use of the natented "De Bange gas check'' on Its cannon In the army and navy, the United States Government was today held liable by the Supreme Court of the United States to pay $136,000 to the owner of the French Invention. It Is said that such a device Is indls-! pensable in breech loading guns. In order 1 to hermetically seal the breech at the in-1 stant of explosion of the powder chargo. so as to cut off the escape of gajes to the rear.

CLOTJBURST IN OHIO. Son Antonio, April 8 Heavy rains, almost a cloudburst in intensity, washed out railway tracks just west of Langtry and filled the bed of a dry arroyo. The waters came tearing down the right of way In a wall thirty feel high, but no one was hurt. LANDSLIDE WRECKS TRAIN. Columbia.

April 8 A locomotive and ten freight cars were wrecked, the engine being thrown Into the Susque Lawyer for Socialists Announces He Will Apply for Warrant Tomorrow. RESULT OF 'BULLET' ARTICLE. Resolution Adopted by Socialist Party Will Receive Sharp Beply From Priest. Solomon S. Schwartz of 44 Court street, legal adviser for the Socialist party In Brooklyn, stated this afternoon that an application for a warrant for the arrest of Father John L.

Belford, rector of the Catholic Church of the Nativity, would be made by E. Llndgren, Socialist organizer, as complaining witness, in the Gates avenue court tomorrow morning. The lawyer declared that Father Bel-ford will be charged with "inciting to violence and murder." If the warrant is re- The Rev. John L. Belford.

fused, the lawyer says he will go to the District Attorney. This action follows the arraignment of the Socialist party In the Mentor, official organ of Father Bel-ford's church, which started the controversy between the rector aud Bouck White. When asked what course he would pursue when the Socialists took the matter into court, Father Belford today laughed and replied that he did not believe they would follow such a course and that he was not apprehensive of the outcome If they did. The following resolution was adopted by the executive committee of Local Kings County, Socialist party, at its icguluar meeting iicld on Saturday night, at 957 Willoughby aw-, Whereaw, tile April, Itlltt, number of Ilie periodical nainPtl the Nativity Mentor, pub-llshd by the Church of the Nativity. Ma.ll-nn street and claHson avenue, Brooklyn, N.

of which (ho Ttev. flelfonl is the paHtor, aid have printed the following: "The Socialist Is busy, lie flminls bis red flair and openly preaches bis doctrines. His groat point of attack Is religion. His power is an actual menace to our city. There soeuis Io be no law to suppress or control hint.

lie Is more dangerous thun cholera or smallpox yes, he is the mail doff of society, and should be silenced. If need be by a be II Hesolveil. Thai Local Klnps County of the Socialist party does hereby notify the said Itev. John Helford that If nuy of lis members or speakers are assassinated during the coining polltlral campaign we will charge him with being an accessory before the law. with the crime or murder, aud be It further Resolved, That the organizer of Iyeal Kings County be Instructed to semi a ropy of these resolutions to the said Rev.

John HelforJ and also to all the Socialist and local papers. Yours truls', K. MNDUREX, Organizer. Socialist l'nrty, Liocal Kings County. In Father Belford had this to say: "I'll Just answer their resolution with a short note, and here's what I'll say: 'Your letter of April 7 received What a lot of babies you are! Cheer up.

There will be no assassinations. The devil tnkes care of his own. With assurances of my unutterable contempt fur you and the party of your creed, 'I am vours truly. L. BELFORD.

"All they are looking for is notoriety and free advertising in this matter," said Father Belford. "The only antidote for Socialism Is rp-liKlou. This crowd, the Socialists, kirk against law, and yet they threaten to invoke the aid of the courts. They want nf sueech, and yet roaf like Uurk pigs when they were criticised. But they are more afraid of ridicule than anything else." MEXICAN REBELS A(iJJVE.

Capture Hacienda and Town Ameri can Killed by Resentful Laborer. Washington, April 8 A band of rebels from Chihuahua Is reported, in State Department advices today, as having crossed the linn into Sonora and captured a hacienda about miles southwest of Douglas, Arizona. In the States of I'uebla nnd Morelos near the capital, the rebel movement is also reported to be Increasing. lnde, in central Durango. has fallen into rebel hands, but foreigners' rights are being respected.

The American. W. H. Waite, manager of the Eemeraldes plantation at Uchotal. cVra Cruz, who was killed last week, was not murdered by bandits, but by a la borer who had a grundge against him.

FRENCH PRINCE LOSES APPEAL. Washington. April 8 Prince De Beam, nobleman of France, today lost his appeal to the Supreme Court of the United 2nne ffOtll itpoialons flllVCme tO lllm in the Maryland courts, brought by his three brothers and a raris jeweler, jean Rnntlst. fhauniet. The court held It had no Jurisdiction over the litigation.

The suit a ngainst the prince grew out of claims for money. The jeweler claimed S20.oct for jewelry sola to tne prince uoon the event of his marriage to Miss Wluana of Baltimore in 1905. KNOX AT KINGSTON. Kingston, Jamaica, April 8 Lieutenant-Colonel Wyndham, the Governor's private secretary and aide do camp, accompanied by Nicholas R. Snyder, the United States Consul, escorted Mr.

Knox on shore, where a cordial greeting was extended by a large crowd assembled on the pier. DROWNED OFF A BARGE. John MeCornilck, 20 years old, of 41 India street, mate aboard the Standard Oil barfic Acme, moored ai Pier 4. foot Melville J. Starrett, of Brooklyn, Found Dead on His Boat in the Hudson.

HIS HEAD SPLIT OPEN. Assailant Evidently Stunned Victim, Then Tied His Hands Behind His Back. With his head split open from several blows of a heavy "California" ax, and with his bands and arms securely bound together behind his back, Melville J. Starrett, 60 years old, of 1346 Prospect ave nue, Brooklyn, and captain of Lighter No. 425 of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, was found murdered this morning in the cabin of the lighter, which was lying In the Hudson River at the foot of Eleventh street, Manhattan.

Near his body was the ax that bad been used by the murderer. The body was found by Charles Ger lacbs, assistant harbor master of the Southern Pacific Railroad, who had gone on board the boat to talk with the captain. The cabin, In which the body was found, Is only about eight by twelve feet. There Is a narrow door leading to it, and on the opposite side are two windows, the only means of lighting the place. On the right-hand wall are two narrow tunks.

On the left side of the room is a small coal stove, in which the Are bad long been dead. A locker built in the right-hand wall was open, and on a shelf was a loaded revolver. The captain, the police believe, heard the approach of the murderer and turned to face him. As he did so, the police believe, the man raised a heavy weapon and struck The captain sprang hack, toward the locker, intending ap parently to reach his revolver, but before he had crossed the short space he was again hit and thU time fell to the floor stunned. Murder May Have Been Result of a Waterfront Feud.

The police believe that returning con sciousness caused Captain Starrett to stir and led his assailant to bind his arms behind his back. The police have no theory regarding the motive for the crime. Whether it was a taunt of the captain that Anally drove nis assanam to cleave his head with the ax, or if it was only a desire to put the man where he could not talk, tney are unaoie io say. Other theories advanced are to the effect that the attack and murder were the result of a water front feud. Gerlachs, after finding the body, notified Harbor Master Emtl Johnson of the Southern Pacific Ltne.

who in turn notified the police, ana woroner nouz-hauser went Immediately to the scene of-the-crime peteotives RaftIB, Campbell and' Dor-gan and Captain Wakefield of the Charles street station went to the boat, as did severer detectives from the Bertlllon Bureau at Police Headquarters. After a -short examiuatlon. Coroner Holtzhauser said that he believed Captain Starrett had been dead twenty-four hours. This theory Is sustained by the fact that the boat left Pier In Jersey City, on Saturday afternoon, and went direct to the Morgan Line pier, at the foot of West Eleventh street. When Captain Starrett's body was found it was dressed only in his underclothing, which was blood-soaked.

The ax, too, which was near the body, was covered with blood. When the police made a search of the cabin quarters of the murdered captain. (64.40 was found concealed in the toe of an old rubber shoe. All of the pockets of the dead man's clothing had been turned Inside out. It is believed that the murderer got a sum of money as Henry Starrett, the dead man's sons, who went over from Brooklyn this morning, told the police that his father usually carried with him from $250 to $300.

Henry Starrett said that he frequently warned his father not to carry so much money with him, but despite the fact that the old captain had been robbed several times, he continued to carry large sums on bis person. ROOSEVELT AFTER MC KINLEY, Invades Taft Manager's Says He Was Asked Not to Attack Lorimer. Decatur, April 8 In the home district of Congressman McKinlcy, manager of President Taft's campaign, Colonel Roosevelt today took up the cudgel against the Congressman. He said: "Mr. McKinlcy need not groan about finding himself lonely for lack e-f associates who are politicians; the professional, bread and butter politicians are all for Mr; Taft.

There never was a Btraighter lineup than this between the politicians and the plain people, and at least here In Illinois the plaid people have the chance to speak for themselves. At Clinton, 111., Colonel Roosevelt said he had been requested on Saturday not to attack Senator Lorimer in his speech at Springfield that night. A delegation from the Springfield Roosevelt Club, which arranged the meeting, made the request, he Bald, telling him that it might Injure him politically in that district since the Senator had many supporters there. The Colonel said he declined the request flatly and add that if ho lost his every in Illinois he would speak his mind. STEAMER ONTARIO.

Ml '71' if nit tr Bun on Rocks Off Montauk Point After a Fire Had Broken Out in Her Hold. Fifteen Passengers Taken Off in is Lifeboats While Crew Fought the Flames. IV. fire between Norfolk and Boston, with a I heavy passenger list. The fire was en-i tinguished before the steamer reached Boston by the Kershaw's crew after about six hours work.

Passengers Landed at New London. New London, April 8 Thirty-one passengers from the steamer Ontario were landed from the tug Tasco this noon. They expressed themselves as be- jing all right after their experience, The passengers were met by a representative of the Merchants and Miners I line, who had arranged for transportation I for them to Providence. They boarded a train at once and left for that city. The Tasco, after landing her passengers, started back at once for the wreck.

There was considerable excitement aboard the vessel, according to H. W. Sanford, a passenger of Dover, N. for a short time after it was known that the ship was on Are. Mr.

Sanford said that he and his wife were awakened by the cry of lire. He did not remember very much, he said. He and his wife dressed Hurriedly and then rushed out on the deck. There they saw some of the passengers kneeling on deck praying and others were walling or crying. They made their way to the bow of the vessel and remained there while the crew fought tile fire and until the Tasco arrived alongside, when, with the other passengers, they were taken aboard that vessel.

As he concluded his story Mr. Sanford exclaimed: "My God. I v.ouldn't want SQ through that again." about 1:30 a. aud had then attained considerable headway. The crew fought It desperately for nearly two hours, but the flames were fast gaining headway and Captain Bond, fearing that his shl,) would be burned at sea, ordered Ingolls to send out a general O.

call. It vas the first call that was picked up by the Point Judith station. Desperate Fight to Save Steamer and Passengers. The light to save the steamt-r and her passengers, the work of the man, Ingolls, the inability of other vessels, because cf the high Bea running, to reach the steamer, make a thrilling story. With evidence that it would be hours before any aid could reach them, the crew fought the flames which threatened to destroy the vessel before she could be beached.

Working desperately with axes, they chopped great holes in the lot house and in the deck. Hundreds of gallons of water were poured Into the vessel's hold, but this did not seem 'to have any material effect In reducing the lire, which by this time had become general. The passengers, by 2:30 o'clock, knew that the vessel was afire. There was. little panic, the men dressing hurriedly and working with the crew to fight the flames.

The women were kept in the sa-1 Forty-fourth sir. ci. fell ovxerboard and I was dr.iwne,). soor.ly before noon today. I His body has not been recovered.

hanna River, when a train of forty-eight cars ran into a landslide early today at Vork Furnaci..