THE WEATHER
FAIR TO-NIGHT
AND TO-MOKKOW
Oeteiled Report, l'age 4
VOL. 77—NO. 16.
E STAB LI Ml EI)
DEC. 4, 1870.
STEAMERS
CAPTURED
BY BRITISH
Two German-Owned
Vessels Taken as
They Approach the
Falkland Islands
SUSPECTED AS
STORE SHIPS
Vessels Taken by King George's Sub
jects Said to Be the Baden and
Santa Isabel—Flew Hamburg-Amer-
ican Line Flag
By Associated Press.
London, Dec. 22, 2.23 A. M.—lt
is announced that British warships have
< aptured near the Falkland Island two
German owned steamers which were
acting as store ships to the German
ships. They w£re the Baden and Santa
Isabel, both flying the flag of the Ham
burg-American Line.
A Buenos Aires dispatch on Dei-em
ber 9 reported that three German mer
chantmen had been captured and sunk
by British or Japanese off Terre Del
Fuego. One of the steamers was said
to have been the property of the Ger
man Cosmos Line.
A RUMMLCARIAN
TRUCE IS DECLARED, SAYS
IWINISTERJTLATE EDICT
Petrograd via London, Dec. 22, 1.45
P. M.—The Bulgarian minister an
nounced to-day thaf an agreement had
been reached betwet-ufitOTwiiLia arm Bul
garia under which Rumania will restore
to Bulgaria the province of Debrudja
and most of the other territory which
she acquired from 'Bulgaria as a result
of the second Balkan war.
"This agreement has been reached
without pressure from eitfter Germany
or the allies," said an official connected
with theßulgarian ministry. "We shall
continue to be neutral and believe that
Rumania, although she has no cause to
fear us, also will remain neutral."
It has been asserted here that the
fear of Bulgaria alone had prevented
Rumania from invading Austria and
entering the war on the side of the
allies.
"If Greece would return Kavala and
the .Macedonian territory s?he annexed
during the second Balkan war and Ser
via w6uld restore to us tihe Macedonian
provinces she occupied, despite her
agreement of 1912, the Balkan union
could be reconstructed," said the Bul
garian official. "Under those circum
stances a lasting peace would be estab
lished in the Balkans. But unfortunate
ly neither Greece nor Hervia has shown
an intention to revise the treaty of
Bucharest.
"The heir to the Servian throne,
Prince Alexander, on receiving Prince
'I ronbetskoy, when the prince delivered
Siis credentials from Emperor Nicholas
at Nish, yesterday said:
" 'Servia guides her own national in-
terests." meaning that Servia was not
ready to return file Macedonian prov-
"A reconstructed Balkan union
would favor neither the allies nor Ger
many, nor would it have any aggressive
intentions. Rumania's Transvlvanian
aspirations, Greece's claims to' Turkish
islands. Servia's difference with Aus
tria bring about such a conflict of inter
ests that it would be impossible to
throw the union as a whole one way
or the other. Our relations with Turkey
will remain friendly. We do not desire
Adrianople.''
LATE WAR NEWSTSUMMARY
The battle in France and Belgium has
become more violent, both the Germans
and the allies making furious attacks.
Although it was said in an official
French account of recent fighting that
the Germans were now on the defen
sive everywhere, to-day's French War
Office statement speaks of German at
tacks at four points. The German
statement in turn describes several at
tacks by the allies.
So far as can be learned from these
statements, there have been no marked
changes in positions, although the
French assert that in one instance they
captured nearly a mile of entrenched
German positions. References to
trenches taken and retaken, to violent
bayonet engagements aud to heavy
losses inflicted show the desperate na
ture of the struggle
Concerning the situation in Poland
there was little new information. The
German War Office said that fierce fight
ing was in progress there and that at
some points German troops had crossed
the Bzura river, on their way toward
Warsaw.
In the opinion of the French mili
tary authorities the Germans are be
ginning to lose their grip on France
and Belgium. An official summary of
the results achieved by the allies in
Coßtlnueil on Eighth Page.
£I)C ot at" IttkfKtiktii
KOHL'S FUNERAL
HERE NSTPBIED
Cincinnati Holds Body
of Bandit for Identi
fication With Other
Crimes
REWARD OF SSOO
IS IN DISPUTE
Blair County Court Will Decide
Whether Money Offered for the Des
perado's Arrest Will Go to the
Salem, 0., Chief of Police
The refusal of Coroner Foertmeyer,
of Cincinnati, to release the body of
Frank ti. liohl, the Harrisburg auto
mobile bamlit, whfo was killed last
Thursday in a revolver duel with (>o
licemen after robbing two banks and
fatally wounding Patrolman Knaul,
was mainly due to attitude of the Cin
cinnati police who are making every
effort to clear up recent robberies in
and about that city. A dispatch re
ceived to-day from Cincinnati reads:
"The coroner declared that the
criminal deeds of liohl were so many
in this city and vicinity that he had
decided to hold the body until several
crimes which it now believed Hohl had
knowledge of were cleared up by iden
tification at the morgue. That was his
only reason for refusing to ship the
body at once.
The police here do not credit the
story that Hohl's body is being held in
Cincinnati pending the payment of a
reward of SI,OOO by the Altoona au
thorities for the "capture of Hohl deal
or alive." No such reward has been
offered in Altoona, according to the
Harrisburg police who have been in
close touch with the situation since
Hohl's robbery of the Union bank iu
Altoona last march.
SSOO Reward in Dispute
A reward of SSOO was offered by
Blair county following the robbery of
the Union bank, in Altoona, for the
"arrest and conviction'' of Hohl. lie
was arrested following that ro>bbery
by the chief of police of Salem, 0.,
but subsequently escaped from the
Blair county jail. Whether or not
Blair county is liaible for that reward
is a question now in the hands of Pres
ident Judge Balilridge. Argument was
nuile u wiK-k ago and the judge's de
cision is now being awaited. The chief
of police of Salem, 0., will get the re
ward should the court rule it must be
paid.
District Attorney Marion D. Pattor
fiinllnurri on Klichth l aer.
RECEIVED FOjjOIRACTOR
Involuntary Bankruptcy Proceedings
Started by Harrisburg Creditors of
C. W. Strayer, of Lemoyne
Involuntary bankruptcy proceedings
yesterday were begun in* the Federal
court in Sunbury against C. W. Strav
er, a prominent Lemoyne contractor and
builder, and upon a petition presented
by Senator E. E. Beidleman, of this
city, Judige Charles B. Witmer ap
pointed Caleb S. Brinton. of Carlisle,
temporary receiver to take charge of
the Strayer assets.
Among Strayer's Harrisburg credi
tors belief was expressed to-day that
the contractor will not oppose the court
action. It is estimated by a prominent
creditor that Strayer's liabilities will
equal, if not exceed, $125,000 and that
his assets will total SIOO,OOO.
The petition for the appointment of
the temporary receiver was signed by
the Central Construction & Supplv Com
pany; Miller Bros. & Neefe, and* Harry
F. Oves, ail Harrisburg creditors.
'Strayor to-day was said to be out of
the city and although persona in his
employ wouild not confirm the report
of the court action, they Bugjgosted tliat
"the infonnaition be obtained from the
court records." After filing his bond
the temporary receiver will take charge
of the Straver assets and keep them in
his possession until the court disposes
of the bankruptcy petition.
If Straver is adjudicated a bankrupt
his creditors then will get together
ami elect -a trustee who will take over
the assets, and if ad visa,hie convert
the sarnie into money, preparatory to
the distribution among the creditors.
COPPERS (JET PRESENTS
Fred T. Cartwright Remembers Those
Who Worked at Tabernacle
Fred T. Cartwright, custodian with
the Stough evangelistic party, which
closed the campaign here on Sunday,
remembered the many policemen who
did service at the tabernacle during
the «even weeks' stay in this city. He
presented packages of handkerchiefs to
all of them, not forgetting the heads
of the department. The dav force re
ceived the gifts at roll call this morning
and the night force will get them this
evening.
-Mr. Cartwright was the last of the
Stough party to lea.-e the city, leaving
with Mrs. Cartwright this morning.
During the stay in this city Mr. Cart
wright. and all of the policemen were
firm friends and they hold a -warm spo>t
in t.heir hearts for him.
Cheek Cut While Coasting
Girs>t Dunkle, 6 years old, 2130
Jefferson street, was injured yesterday
afternoon while coasting down a hill
near his hwne. While falling on the
hill a sled raji into his left cheek, in
flicting a laceration six inches loug.
pital.
HARRTSBURG, PA., TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 22, 1914—12 PAGES.
BMIEHIIK
VIM IS DIE
Mrs. Lydia kewis, 60,
Attacked by Masked
Pair Who Enter Her
Home in Carlisle
SHE FIGHTS FOR
CHRISTMAS CASH
Not Until Burglars Push Revolver in
Her Fate Does She Give Up Keys
to Her Trunk—lntruders Then Take
S2O and Leave Her Unconscious
(Special to the Star-Independent.)
Carlisle, Pa., Dee. 22.—Mrs. Lydia
Lewis, HO years old, of North Pitt
street, just two blocks from the centre
of the city, was beaten and robbed in
her home by two masked men at 7.30
o'clock last night. She was so terribly
injured that there is little hope for her
recovery.
Mrs. Lewis was alone in the house
«'hen the thugs entered by the front
door and extinguished the light iu the
oil lamp which she was using. Search
ing the room with a dark lantern they
at last located a trunk for which they
demanded the keys from Mrs. Lewis.
Upon her refusal to let them have
the keys the men choked her and then
beat her over the head. She, however,
refused to give up the keys until they
pointed a revolver in her face. After
the burglars got the keys they quickly
opened the trunk and took S2O which
Mrs. Lewis had been saving for' Christ
mas, and made their escape.
She fainted shortly after giving up
the keys as she was found unconscious
a short time afterward by her 10-year
old grandson, who lives with her. Just
before the entry of the burglars Mrs.
Lewis, who is a widow ami lives alone,
except for her grandson, and a nurse
in the day time, had sent her grandson
to the postoffioe where he was at the
time of the robbery. Up to noon to
day the police had made no arrests.
BOSCHELLI ISJoiIN JAIL
"Rose Garden" Proprietor Unable to
Raise the Money to Pay $2,000
Fines and Costs
Angelo A. Boschelli, former proprie
tor of the " h'ose Garden," a former
notorious Market street drinking re
sort, who yesterday was ordered to pay
fines and costs aggregating something
like $2,000 for violating the liquor
laws, is in jail and will remain there at
least ninety days unless his friends
come to his rescue with the $2,000. He
was taken to the Dauphin county pris
on late yesterday afternoon after he
made a fruitless attempt to induce his
friends to assist him to pay the penal
ties imposed by the court.
Boschelli is broken down in health
and according to his attorney he was
ruined financially with the fall of
"Rose Garden" a year or more ago,
when the court revoked the liquor li
cense.
Unless he can get the money to pay
the fine and costs, the former hotel maji
will be compelled to remain in jail for
at least ninety days. After that hi;
attorney can present a petition to the
court asking for his discharge unler
the insolvency laws. That would per
mit his being release I from prison al
though it would not relieve him of the.
liability to pay the fine and costs which
could he collected if he should at any
time come into possession of the
amounts imposed.
CITY'S TREEJN POSITION
Plans for Celebration Are Made—Siug
ers Me n t at Tech This
Evening
With the erection of the city's
Christmas tree at Front and Market
streets to-day and the meeting of the
bur ci 1 r in T -clinical High school
auditorium this evening to practice
hymns and carols, final plans for the
municipal celebration have been com
pleted. A general invitation has been
given for singers to gather for practice
this evening.
A concert by the Commonwealth band
from T.l.i to 7.30 o'clock on Christmas
eve will start the ceremony. There
will be singing of hymns and carols by
the big choir under the direction of
I'lofe-sors Decevee and Rose and a
short address by Mayor Royal. Pic
tures illustrating the life of Christ, se
cured through Thomas Lynch Montgom
ery, State Librarian, will then bo
shown .
A meeting of the Citizens' Commit
tee was held last evening in the ofliee
of the Mayor, when final plans were
made. There is a balance of $56.55 in
the committee treasury and it was de
cided not to make a general appeal for
funds. The tree has been spliced to a
pole at Front and Market streets and
have been added, the genera!
result being that the tree is larger than
last year's.
Christmas Tree by Parcel Post
Norrißtown, Pa., Dec. 22. —For the
first time in the existence of the post
ollice here, a Christmas tree came
through the mails to-day by parcel
post from Wernersville.
"TAKING TH-EOFFENSIVE"
' M
mill isis
DOMES
After Water Appropri
ation Comes Up He
Tells Colleagues It
Provides Increases
BUDGET LOWER
DESPITE THAT
Advances in Pay Range From .%j to sl7
a Month and They Are Given '' for
Excellent Service Rendered to the
Department''
The salaries of a dozen employes in
the City Water Department will be in
creased "in amounts ranging from $5 to
sl7 a month in 1915, according to pro
visions of the Water Department bud
get bill, which was passed finally by
the City Commissioners this afternoon.
Not until the ordinance was called up
for third reading and final passage did
Commissioner Bowman, head of the Wa
ter Department, inform his colleagues
of the proposed increases.
Even the employes who will be bene
fited by the salary increases knew noth
ing of Mr. Bowman's plan before the
meeting to-day and the Commissioner
>aid he was sorry he could not keep the
matter a secret until the new rate would
become effective. The increases, he
'aid, were made because of the "excel
lent services rendered the department
by these employes," and they were not
solicited. Mr. Bowman added that the
salary increases were intended to serve
Continued on lClfchth Page.
THY TO CRACK STATION SAFE
Thieves Get Only <l3 Cents From P. R.
R. Ticket Office, Elizabcthtown
(Special to the Star-Independent)
Elizabethtown F.i., Dec. 22.
Thieves broke into the passenger sta
tion of the Pennsylvania railroad here
early yesterday morning and jimmied
open the door to thi ticket office. They
were frightened away, presumably by
a track walker, after they had made an
unsuccessful attcmpi to crack the safe.
The thieves got the money that was
in the cash drawer —only 65 cents.
F.ntrance to the station was gained
by prying away the window screen and
forcing the window after wreaking the
fastenings.
NOTICE TO MINISTERS
Programs for Christmas services
in the churches Friday must reach
the Star-Independent office not later
than 3 o'clock to-morrow afternoon,
for publication in Thursday's issue.
Owing to the fact that the Star-
Independent office will be closed Fri
day, notices for next Sunday's serv
ices must be received by 3 o'clock
Thursday afternoon.
HER IMB HER
VOICE RETURNS
Stricken Dumb in Dec..
1913, Miss Bowers
Suddenly Finds Her
self Able to Speak
DOCTORS HAD
TRIED IN VAIN
Young Woman's Vocal Chords, Which
Seemed to Become Paralyzed by
Slight Blow to Arm, Resume Per
forming All Natural Functions
Miss Pearl Bowers, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. W. A. Bowers, 1119 North
Seventh street, has received a Christmas
present she bad been praying for and
hoping for since Christmas a year ago.
On December 23, 1913, she bumped
against a door in the home of her sis
ter and it so affected her nervous sys
tem that she lost her speech. l>a«t Fri
day, without warning, her voice sud
dcrly returned to her. She had been
unaJble to talk above a whisper for al
most a year.
Since her strange affliction Miss
Bowers' relatives had done everything
they could to restore her speech. Ex
pert medical men interested themselves
in the case and on their advice tihe
was sent into 'the country for weeks
during the summer months, but it did
not do her any good, so far as her
Coatlnnrd on KlKlith Page.
THIEVES GET CHURCH CASH
Take It From Home of Treasurer When
Latter Attends Service
(Special to the Star-Independent.)
Middletown, Pa., Dec. 22.—While
the family was atteuding church serv
ices Sunfiay night, thieves broke into
the home of Christian Landis, Dock
street, Royalton, and stole several dol
lars. The robbery was not discovered
by Mr. Landis until to-day. * Mr. Lan
dis is treasurer of the Koyalton United
Brethren church, nnd it was money
from the church fund, which the treas
urer had received on Sunday morning,
that the thieves stole.
Correction as to Shopping Hours
Yesterday, for the first time in t)he
Christinas season, most of the big Mar
ket street stores were open at night for
the accommodation of Christmas shop
pers. This policy will be continued until
Christmas, including next Thursday
evening, Christmas Eve, by most of the
stores. The Bowman & Co. store, how
ever, although it will be open this even
ing and to-morrow evening, will close
at 6 o'clock on Thursday, Christmas
Eve. It was incorrectly stated in this
newspaper last evening that She stores,
generally, will be eloßed on the night
of Christmas Eve.
SPANISH ORDERED
TIKUn
Local School Board Re
solved in 1903 to
Employ An Instruc
tor in the Language
PLAN NEVER
CARRIED OUT
Statement Made by Former President
of the Board, Henry C. Orth, Corre
sponds With the Records, as Con
firmed by Secretary Hamnelbaugh
Present agitation in this city for the
introduction of the study of Spanish
into the local high schools has brought
to light the fact that there is on the
minutes of the School Board a resolu
tion adopted more than ten years ago,
calling for the employment of an in
structor in the Spanish language in a
local high school. This resolution has
nover been put into force, but has 'been
disregarded and all but forgotten.
A letter received to-day (by the Star-
Independent fro«n 'Henry C. Orth, for
mer president of the School Board, tells
how lie presented a resolution providing
for the study of Spanish in the high
school, how it was adopted and how the
school authorities failed to take neces
sary action to put its provisions into
force, lis suggests that the demand for
Spanish as a course of study in the
local high school exists now as it did
when he introduced his resolution, and
could to advantage be satisfied at this
time.
Records Confirms Statement
Daniel D. Hajnmel'baugli, secretary of
the Sc'liool Board, read Mr. Orth's loi
ter this morning and confirmed the
statement there made that, buried in
the records of fhe board, there is a reso
lution, passe,l May 29, 1903, providing
for t'lie teaching of the Spanish lan
guage in the high school. He said the
resolution has merely been disregarded,
and that no efforts have ever been made
to revive it.
When the School Board in 1903 de
termined that Spanish should be taught
in this city, the decision was reached
largely because of the acquisition sev
eral years before of the Spanish col
onies by the United States and the con
sequent demand for Spanish-speaking
Americans in those islands. Those who
to-day advocate the. study of Spanish
Continued on Seventh Pnße
Skating at Wildwood
The Park Commission to-day an
nounced that the ice at Wildwood Park
is very thick and is perfectly safe for
skating. Several dozen skaters to-day
took advantage wf the ice and visited
Wildwood Park and last night several
hundred people were on the lake. The
ice is rather rough in spots but this
doos not soem to mar the pleasure of
the skaters.
POSTSCRIPT
PRICE, ONE CENT.
BUDGET IS IK
OH 9 ILL BASIS
"Ordinance Calling for
a Reduction of Half
a Mill in Tax Rate In
troduced To-day
$552,107.73 IS
TOTAL FIGURE
City Commissioners Estimate That the
Receipts for 1915 Will Be $380,-
000 and That There Will Be Bal
ance at the Close of That Year
The 1015 city appropriation and tax
levy ordinances were completed this
morning and were offered as substitutes
for skeleton measures by Commissioners
(iorga-s and Bowman, respectively, al
the regular meeting of the City Commis
sioners this afternoon. The tax rate
lias finally been fixed at 9 mills, or
half a mill less than this year, and the
budget ordinance carries appropriations
totaling $552,102.73. The estimated
receipts for 1915, the Commissioners
figure, will run dose to $580,000, ho
the 'balance at the end of the ensuing
year should be about $28,000.
The departmental requests put in by
the Commissioners a few weeks ago
amounted to $568,855.47, indicating
that more than $16,000 was clipped
from the original bill at the Commis
sioners' several executive sessions. The
essential cuts included the abandonment
of the plan vo buy an auto for' the
Sealer of Weights and Measures and
that to create the position of assistant
to the City Plumbing Inspector.
A cut also was made in the ap
propriation to the city sinking fund,
since it was found that $13,590,74,
which heretofore was allowed annually
as an installment to wipe out part of
the second public improvement loan,
will not be needed this year. Reduc
tions also were made in the appropria
tions to the department, of the City
Electrician.
The nine mill tax rate will be one
half mill less than lias been levied an
nually since 1910 and will be divided
as follows: 6.52 mills for general rev
enue ami 2.18 mills for sinking funds.
The budget ordinance was practical
ly completed at a special meet liuj of
the City Commiwioncrs hold yesterday
auterooon, although two amendments
were offered to it at to-day's session.
The salary of Ross K. Searn.au, as
sistant clerk, was increased from sl,-
20-0 a year to $1,300, and that of Jo
seph P. Thompson, coipt&in of poli'C,
was boosted to $1,300, an increase of
SIOO a year over the 1914 allowance.
The appropriations to the sinking fund
for 1915 total $109,955.67, while last
year they totaled $123,54 6.41.
T'hc departmental appropriations are
as follows:
Public Affairs—police, $69,315;
law, $8,072.46; city clerk, $4,734.50;
se.tler of weights and measures, $2,-
600; printing, $5,600.
Finance and Accounts —salaries ami
ofli.-e expense, $4,320; treasury deport
ment, $7,972; license tax, $1,200; tax
revision, $3,160; sinking fund ami
miscellaneous, $109,955.67.
Highway Department, $117,106;
city engineer, $11,846.
Public Safety—Health, $44,375;
food inspection, $3,640; building in
spection, $1,800; plumbing, $1,820:
street lighting, $59,475.35; police ami
fire alarm, $8,825.
Parks and Town Property—Parks,
$36,356.75; fire, $47,346; city plan
ning, $2,550.
lARDSCRABBLE" CLAIMS
FAR EXCEED ASSESSMENTS
While 00 Per Cent, of the Property
Owners Ask for 9104,500, City
Places Only $54,070 Valuation on
These Properties for Taxation
The damages and losses to be sus
tained by sixty per cent, of the prop
erty ownort. in the " Hardscrabble"
district, which is to be wiped out in
connection with the reopening of Front
street from Herr to Calder, according
to their own estimates which they for
warded in proposals of sale to the City
.Solicitor, are about SIOO,OOO higher
than the city assessments, upon which
basis the owners now are paying city,
State and county taxes. Such was the
announcement made to the City Com
missioners this afternoon bv City Clerk
Charles A. Miller, who has compilod a
report from the assessments and the
city assessment books.
The estimated damages to thirty
three properties, owned by twenty-two
individuals, are $154,550. One of the
property owners refused to submit an
estimate, saying the property is not for
sale. The city valuation on all these
properties is $54,570.
Some of the property owners fix their
estimated losses to be as much as 500
per cent, greater than the city assess
ment. Others let the estimate down to
a 300 per cent, increase. On the other
hand, Sarah F. Freed asks only $2,000
for property assessed at $3,70*0.
WALL S7 REBTCLQSINQ
New York, Dec. 22.—The market
kas put to another test in the final hoar
when fresh selling sent prices lower.
As usual, the movement centered
around Steel, which changed hands In
blocks up to 1,500 shares and receded
to 48 8-1. The closing was weak. Vir
tually all stocks of speculative or in
vestment value yielded to further sell
ing pressure to-day, under lead* of
Steel and other favorites. New low rec
ords for the current movement waa
general.