NEWS BY MAIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 392, 18 May 1910, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL.

FREE DINNER RISE. | i INGENIOUS TRICK PLAYED ONCE TOO OFTEN. Paris, March 2S. Andre Laturbe, a young Parisian who thought 'lie 'had solved tne promeui of living at other .people's expense, was arrested to-day for a most ingenious fraud. His method was to go to a fashionable restaurant ana dine well. When he got to the cheese stage he produced from 'his .pocket a little tin box lull of spiders. To execute «. couple of spiders, on the plate from which he was eating bis cheese was .the work of an instant. Then he called the waiter and protested loudly against the lUthinesa of supplying food with spiders in it. On the arrival of the manager he protested still more loudly, and the ruse invariably ended by ihe distracted manager hushing the thing nip hy inviting the | outraged customer to tai<e a glass of old brandy and tendering profuse apologies. Of course, the waiter was instructed to .present no bill. But this afternoon Laturbe, in choosing a restaurant where he had not been before, happened to choose one that employed a waiter >wiho kid seen his trick at "another establishment. This man quietlv sent for the police, and when Laturbe'had been arrested and was searched the .box of .spiders was founti in his pocket. KING ON A LONELY ISLAND. MAN WHO BECAME A ROBINSON CRUSOE BY CHOICE. London, March 31.. Members of the crew of the steamer 1 Crusader, which was wrecked-at Bird Island, Algoa Bay, in February, relates a remarkable story of a man came a Robinson Crusoe by choice.-. ■ - * One day before they were rtsctiea,; thev discovered on a. neighboring island a solitarv white man. He explained;-to them that, becoming tired of his men and their mode of life, he came to the island and installed himself as monarch -there. "", He appeared to be perfectly s'atisfie'd with his lonely and monotonous _ exist- ; ence. JAP SPIES ARRESTED. ; PLOT BETRAYED BY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER. Manila, March 29. Two Japanese who .were endeavoring to secure plans of the fortifications of Corregidor nave been arrested and' detained .pending instructions from the Secretary for War at Wellington. They had made arrangements with a soldier of the American Engineer Corps, who was .caught taking photographs for them. The soldier revealed the plot, and agreed to assist in capturing the JapanHe declared that the Japanese had offered a large sum for photographs and plans, and he 'had arranged to deliver photographs on Sunday evening. _ The Japanese arrived at the time appointed, and were examining the data when arrested. The Japanese Consul 'has taken no action. Japanese .residents declare that then countrymen are serving some European Power. No local law applies to the case, and therefore the men will probably be deported. STRANGE STRIKES. CHIMNEY-SWEEPS, COBBLERS AN J PHYSICIANS ON STRIKE. Geneva, March 29. Several curious strikes have been declared in Switzerland. The chimney .sweeps at Lausanne and the cobblersat Zurich have ceased work, demanding higher pav and fewer hours of laoor. The physicians at a town near the Italian frontier threaten to strike unless their bills are paid more promptly. Two of them 'have announced that they cannot get enough money to buy food, although they bave many patients. A general strike of all trades has been declared at Thonon, a French town on Lake Geneva. A company of infantry is picketed in tine main street of the town, but no trouble bas occurred.

THE LION OF ETHIOPIA. DEATH OF EMPEROR MENELIK. . Rome, March 30. A despatch from Addit Abeba an- ] nounces the death of the Emperor Menelik. . . ■ The Empress is a prisoner in the hands of the party favoring Lidj Jeassu, the heir-appaTent. Some of the chiefs favorable to the Empress have been put in chains. Nogodras Haile Ghiorghis, ex-Minister ■for Foreign Affairs and Commerce, who was dismissed by the Empress, has been reinstated and' charged with -the business of the Department of Commerce, the affairs of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs being placed under the direction \ of Nogodras Igasu. Fitaurari Aptc Ghiorghis remains Minister for Wot. Ras Tessaiwa, guardian of the heif apparent, however, is the recognised head of the Government. He is°a man of enlightened views. (When the Emperor Menelik was stricken with paralysis the Empress Taitou assumed absolute power, but her po'licv aroused such general dissatisfaction 'that she was formally deposed last week and ordered to leave the palace). SEYEXTY GIRLS IX SEARCH OF HUSBANDS. YOUNTt ENGLISH EMIGRANTS ARRIVE AT MONTREAL. Montreal, March 28. The most, interesting party of British immigrants to arrive this season reached ■here to-day. . ' Tt consisted of seventy bright English <rirls who have come out to seek their .fortunes, and, incidentally, husbands. This is the first party of the season sent bv the Women's Emigration Association of London. ■ . Representatives of the Women s Immigration Society of Montreal met the party and conducted them to the home in Osborne street, where they were given comfortable accommodation prior tn:| ■their departure for Toronto, Winnipeg and other points in the west. Only six ; elected to stay in Montreal. VILLAGE OF FUNERALS. FVniY MARIHAaEAIVLE GTRL KTLL-j ' ' ED OR DISFIGURED. I Vienna. March 3D. I The Hungarian village of Ockoerito is I now a scene of continuous funerals asU the bodies of the victim* of the ternble-j fire are being laid away. In many cases

only portions of bodies are buried, the j remainder being mixed with the ashes, of the ruined b#rn. I The authorities have organised a series J of house-to-house visits to arrange foi the closing of houses in which all the occupants have .perished, or to _ take away children and domestic animals, which in many cases have been found in a state of starvation. Practically all the marriageable girls in'the village were killed or ternoiy disfigured, and the surviving young men declare that they will emigrate to America. Of the sixty .persons who were seriously injured thirty have (lieu. _ Most of the others are kept immersed in water baths, in accordance with the medical practice here. Many have lost theii eyesight, and are (suffering such terrible pain that they beg the doctors to kill them. NEW FLEET OF BALLOONS. GERMANY GOES AHEAD WITH AERIAL CONSTRUCTION. Berlin, March 31. The wonderful progress which is being made by 'Germany's airships is shown oy the announcement that four new din'gibles of the Pwrscval type are being constructed at Bitterfeld. They will be named the Parseval \L, VII., VIII., and IX. respectively. Par.seI val VI.-. which will be seventy-five yards I long, will have a diameter of. thirteen yards and have a capacity of 0700 cubic metres, is to be sold to the Munich Aerial Navigation Company, which will start airship cruises in and around Munich for passengers. Parseval VII. is ordered by >a similar coni'pany in Berlin, which will begin Berlin operations at Whitsuntide by initiating regular trips for passengers in the l vicinity of the capital. Parseval Vlll. is ordered by the Imperial Automobile Club, the Berlin members having the use of the vessel as an aerial yacht. Parseval IX. is ordered by the Brussels International lixposition. and will passenger cruises in the Berlin capital at the end of April or the beginning of Mav. 'lt is intended to be one of the'principal attractions of the World's Fair there. POISONED CIGAR. ENGLISH RABBI ROBBED IX A TRAIN. Berlin, March 31. Dr. Cohen, described aa a rabbi, of Manchester, was to-day found unconscious in a train arriving from Italy. A medical man succeeded in rousing him to consciousness, and Dr. Cohen then stated that he fell into a state of stupefaction after smoking a cigar presented to him by an unknown followtraveller at the station of Baroneche. While in a state of coma lie was robbed of his money and jewellery.

£105,000 FOR WATCHES. Mil .1 PTERPONT MORGAN'S XEW COLLECTION. Geneva, starch 25. Mr. J. Pier.pont Morgan has purchased one of the best collections of ancient and ornamental watches in the world for £105,000. The collection was the property of TTerr MavfeK of Berlin, and was on exhibition at Neuehatcl until a few days •ao-o with Swiss collections of watches of less value. Several Swiss collectors negotiated for the purchase of 'the German collection, hut wHien Hlvey learned: that Mr. Mor-

gan's iageat was bidding against them | they hastily retired from the field. The most valuable watches acquired by Mr. Morgan were manufactured by Geneva experts. Many of the cases are beautifully engraved. KILLED BY CAPRICE. LOVE'S INDECISION SENDS A YOUTH TO DEATH. Belgrade, March 26. Milemlo Ignatitch am 1 T ortor Xeshitsh were suitors for the haiu ' one of the prettiest maidens of.. " village of Zoboyia, in Servia. She uvias i.-.Kvble to make up iher mind and after waiting five months the two lovers told her that she must decide or see them fight a duel. She begged them not to fight, and at last .siaid that she Would marry the one who proved himself to be the better swimmer. The contest took place in the cold waters of the Morava, a large crowd witnessing the event. For two hours the two men swam together. Then Milando sank and was drowned. Todor, who was nearly exhausted, was taken from the water more dead than alive, and is still in the hospital. He declares now that he will not nuirn- Satsia mnder any circumstances.