Harrisburg telegraph. (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, January 07, 1916, Image 1

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    800,000 Men With 3,600 Cannon Engaged Incessantly Along Russian Front
■ HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
LXXXIV— No. 1
► CRISIS RAISED BY
PERSIA SINKING
BEFORE CABINET
Devote Meeting to Submarine
Warfare Discussion; Await
ing Full Details
OBTAIN 21 AFFIDAVITS
Survivors Swear "No Warning
Was Given and No
Vessels Seen"
Washington, D. C.. Jan. 7. The
submarine crisis, still of uncertain
status because of lack of details, was
placed by President Wilson before
the cabinet k)-day in its first meeting
since his return from Hot Springs,
Va. The Senate Foreign Relations
Committee also met to consider the
situation but as Chairman Stone was
detained at the White House by a
conference with the President, ad
journed without action.
Altough more than a week has
. passed since the Persia was sunk in
the Mediterranean with the loss of
Americun life, officials were to-day
still uninformed as to whether the
vessel was torpedoed and if so, the
nationality of the submarine and
other details which would determine
the nature of the action the White
House has announced it will take.
Developments continued to-day to in
dicate that the American government
would "withhold action pending offi
cial advices determining these points.
Austria In Ignorance
Over night developments included
1 he receipt of an official dispatch from
Mr. Penfield at Vienna asserting that
the Austrian government was with
out information concerning the Inci
dent up to the night of January 4
and from Consul Garrcls at Alex
andria, Egypt, stating that he had ob
tained affidavits front 21 survivors
and that all confirmed previous state
ments "that no warning was given
and no vessel was seen."
Ambassador Penfield's dispatch
added that Baron Burian, the Aus
trian foreign minister, had asked
what information concerning the in
cident was in possession of the United
States.
Officers and crew of the Persia,
l Consul Garrels reported, have left
A Alexandria for England. Their affi
davits, State Department officials be
lieved would be obtained upon their
arrival there.
Must A wait Facts
As the « abinet assembled it was made
plain that tne members agreed with
the President that in the case of the
Persia nothing can be done until all
the facts were at hand. Some mem
bers expressed the opinion that it
might never be learned whether the
Persia was sunk by a submarine and
if so what nation was responsible.
Regardless of the outcome of the
Persia, however, the majority of the
Cabinet members are represented as
believing that the time has come for
making certain that no further at
tacks on merchant ships carrying
Americans will be made.
Expect l.usitania Settlement
The Persia incident was taken up
only briefly at the cabinet meeting;
because Secretary uansing had no de
finite recommendations to make in the
absence of specific facts regarding the
sinking of the ship. One cabinet mem
ber said that the mention of the for
eign situation at the meeting was
"only superficial."
Secretary I.ansius: said he expected
to confer with Count Von Bernstorff
the German Ambassador later to-dfK
over the Lusitania negotiations. An
early settlement has been indicated.
President and Mrs. Wilson
Will Open Social Season
Washington. Jan. 7. The White
House social season will open to-night
with a reception in honor of the dele
gates to the Pan-American Scientific
Congress. More than 4,000 invitations
have been issued and hundreds have
been refused.
The President and Mrs. Wilson will
receive together in the Blue room, as
sisted by members of the cabinet and
iheir wives. The reception will be the
iirst appearance of Mrs. Wilson at an
affair of the kind.
• "
I THE WEATHER
For Hiirrlaburg ami vicinity: Gen
erally fair to-night nail Satur.
dnyi <iot much chniiuc In tem
perature! loncul tn-niKl>t about
22 tICHTPfM.
Fop KnNtern Pennsylvania! Vnoiv
to-night j Saturday partly cloud? I
moderate northeast to uorth
Wind*.
River
Tli" main river will rUe till* nfter
unon nnd to-night mikl begin to
fall Saturday. V stage of about
HKI feet I* indicated for Hnrria
liiirß Saturday morning. The
.ttinintn, I pper North nnd Upper
West brnnche* will continue to
fall. The I.owcr North nnd
l.»n-fr Went brnnchea will rime
thlv afternoon and begin to fall
to-night.
Genera! Condition*
~ Unsettled nrnlhrr prei nlln In the
Southern State*, except Florida,
where It la clear, nnd rain nnd
ai!»v> hnve fallen over moat of
Hie territory Mouth and eu«t of
the Ohio river and in the Middle
Mla*ln<dppl and l.owrr MUxouri
valleys.
It l« colder In the Atlantic Mntc«
from North Carolina to Maine, In.
elusive. In the central valleya
and over the (treater pari of the j
bike reurlon a general rim- of a to
12 dearreea In temperature has oc
curred since laat report.
Temperatures N n. m., 24.
ftnm Rise*. 7:28 a. In.( acta, 4:55
n. m.
Sloont New moon, Aral quarter,
January 11. WiSN p. m.
Mlver Ctnjei 8.2 feet nliove low
water mark.
\ euterday'* Weather
IllshcNt temperature,
I.oweat temperature. 28.
Menu temperature, to. , 'j
Annual temperature, 30,
New Jersey Woman's Face on New Coins
V /
ll M*>"** i : rm
% \f : *> '
When the new Canadian coins, now ordered, make their appearance they
will bear on their face a reproduction of the profile of Mrs. Reba Porter, of
Island Heights, N*. J., a well-known model in the New York studios.
Numismatists claim that the new issue of Canadian coins will be the
most artistic ever issued.
WHOLE COUNCIL
TO WORK ON NEW
BUILDING CODE
J Commissioner Bowman Col
lecting Data For Revising
Regulations
Within Ihe next few weeks Harris
burg's proposed new building code
will likely be submitted for-Council's
consideration.
I The chances are that the measure
| will be introduced in skeleton form.
| The various provisions will be thresh
,! Ed out by the entire body of coin
| inissloners before the regulations are
I acted upon,
| City Commissioner Harry F. Bow
[ man. under whose, department the
| building inspection bureau is con-
I ducted has already collected a lot of
Jdata on the subject, and Building In
i spec tor James H. Grove has gathered
>la lot more. Similar ordinances in
! vise in other cities will be obtained so
| that Council may have a working
basis along modern lines with which
to begin the preparation of this city's
I new code. The present regulations
•are old, obsolete: the appearance of
, the automobile garage with Its at
tendant gasoline possibilities ig not
I provided for. This will be one of the
, chief features which will require con
; sideration.
Telegraph Starts Ball
■ The extension of the "fire district"
: , to include the entire city limits will
j receive serious onscideration. An
nouncement in the Telegraph a
: week ago of Building Inspector
i Grove's activity bore fruit at
Tuesday's meeting of the city com
missioners. Two petitions containing
more than fifty signatures urged
| Council to extend the present "tire"
! lines—Hamilton street to vine, the
river to Tenth street—to include the
i whole city.
The petitions incidentally referred
j specifically to the dangers to residen
j tiul sections by the presence of frame
structures; and as an example, the
disastrous fire of December 17 when
[Continued on Page 4.]
British Submarine Goes
to Bottom; Crew Saved
Hy Associated Press
j London, Jan. 7. — The sinking of a
| British submarine off the coast of
I Holland was officially announced this
j morning. The crew Were saved.
I The Admiralty statement says that
j the submarine, the name of which is
j not given, was s'unk yesterday off the
j Island of Texel, the largest and most
: southwesterly of the Frisian group.
• The entire crew, numbering 33, was
rescued by the Dutch cruiser Noord
| Brabant and brought into the Dutch
I port of llelder. *
The Hague, Netherlands, Jan. 7,
j Via London. 12.30 P. M.—The minis-
I try of marina announces that a Brit
ish submarine which was flying signals
of distress was encounterd by the
i Dutch cruiser Noord Brabant outside
of Dutch territorial waters.
IDENTIFY STOLEN AUTO
j Maniiing Kerr, of Youngstown, Ohio,
came to llarrtsburg to-day, and!
I identified the Buick roadster found \
Wednesday in possession of Kenneth
Roberts and G. R. O'Kane. Mr. Kerr
said the car was stolen at Niles, Ohio,
while he and a friend were attend
ing a show. James Watkins, detec
tive from Youngstown, arrived this af
ternoon to take the prisoners went.
HARRISBURG, PA, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 1916.
2 RESIDENTS OF
SAME HOUSE DIE
WITHIN 6 HOURS
James M. Bowers and Frank M.
Lengle, of Mechanicsburg,
Arc Grip Victims
Xpccidl to the Telegraph
Mechanicsburg. Pa., Jan. 7.—Grip
caused the death of two men last
night, residents >of the same house.
Frank M. Lengle, aged 70 years, died
about midnight at the home of James
M. Bowers, West Keller street, where
he and his wife were caretakers for
the latter. Mr. Bowers died at 6
o'clock this morning at the home of
William Ott, about two miles below
town on the Brandywine road, where
he had gone for a visit on 'Christmas
day. Stricken with grip and later
a paralytic stroke his condition be
came serious and lie was unable to
return home. JTe was aged 79 years
and a veteran of the Civic war. He
was a member of the Col. H. I. Zinn
post, No. 415, Grand Army of the
I Republic. He was also a member of
j the First United Brethren Church.
One brother and sister survive: Sam
[ uel, of Mechanicsburg, and Mrs. Leah
j Warren, of Mentone. Ind.
Mr. Lengle was ill about ten days
j with grip which developed into pneu-
I monla. He was a member of the
[Church of the Brethren. He was born
in Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, and
lived here the past four years. His
widow and five children by a former
marriage survive: Mrs. Miles Ganoe,
lof Burnham; Mrs. George P. Moyer,
of Annville; Harry and George, of
Lebanon, and Wilson, of Philadel
phia.
Downes Presents Report
on Continuation Schools
The continuation school problem
[was formally put up to the school
[board at its meeting this afternoon in
,an exhaustive report on the subject
that had been prepared by Dr. F. K.
Downes, the superintendent. This in
cluded all the data relative to the cen
sus of eligible employes, etc.
The board also a,cceded to the re
quest of Miss' Lottie Haehnlen, assist
ant principal of the Macjay building,
for retirement. She lias been in tile
service of the city school for thirty
three years and'eight months.
[ The special committees appointed
[by President A.Carson Stamm on the
[truancy problem and on the work
men's compensation requirements also
reported this afternoon.
TIMIiER I,ANI> SOl,l>
All Ihe timber land in Dauphin,
Perry and Juniata counties which was
owned by W. I'. /artman and the Pine
('reck Lumber Company was sold at
trustee's sale to-day in the rotunda
of the Courthouse by F. A. Wltmer,
| Sunbury. R. M. Louderniilch bought
practically all of the timber land at a
cost of $4.524. The Zartman farm and
hotel at Dornsife, Northumberland
county, was sold yesterday to Louis
Wentzler, of the Lykens Brewing Com
pany, for 1f4,500 and $5,500, respect
ively.
TELLS "DRVN'KS" TO BRACE UP
Mayor E. S. Meals this afternoon
heard two disorderly practice cases.
Phillip Valdelo and William Davis
each charged with being drunk and
misbehaving, were given a lecture by
the Mayor and discharged. They were
told to go home and break off the
liquor habit.
FURTHER ADVANCE
AGAINST GERMANS
CLAIMED BY RUSS
Take Czertorysk and Now
Threaten Teutonic Strong
hold at Kovel
ARE NOW BALKAN POWER i
Allies in Macedonia Are in
Danger; Domestic Crisis
Concerns British
By Associated Press
London, Jan. 7.—The principal gain
announced for the Russians yesterday
along the Bessarabian frontier was at
Csertorysk, the scene of many sangui
nary struggles, where it is said the
Austrians were driven from the ceme
tery.
Any further advance in this region
will threaten Kovel, one of the strongest
Austro-German positions. It is be
llved that even though no further gain
had been made Russia's forces have
attained a position which will give the
nation a degree of power in Balkan
affairs it has not had since its armies
were driven back from the Carpa
thians.
Allies Still Threatened
The Teutonic allies still threaten to
expel the French and British from
their Macedonian positions, hut no for
ward move has been detected thus far
in that direction. Strong Turkish
forces are said to be concentrating on
the Thracean frontier of Greece and
it is suggested the Turks may attempt
to make good some of the territorial
losses they suffered during the Balkan
wars.
The British public Is still concerned
with the domestic crisis. Notwith
standing the heavy majority for the
compulsion bill on first reading in the
house of commons, the press is specu
lating on the possibility of a break-up
of the political truce with a general
election as the final chapter of the
controversy.
There is no indication in official re
j ports or news dispatches of marked
activity on any of the war fronts ex
cept along the line in the east from j
Volhynia, southward to Bessarabia.:
Even here the fighting between Austro-
German and Russian forces seems to |
have slackened. The mast notable de-1
velopment reported is the driving back'
of the Russians in the neighborhood of,
Czertorysk, Volhynia. Berlin declar
ing' they were expelled front the
(Continued on Pa#e 17.)
State St. Market to Be
Dark Tomorrow Night
The old market house at Fourth and
State streets will be dark to-morrow
night for the first time on market day
in half a century. This property,
which is owned by Mrs. A. R. Shellen
berger, will shortly be taken over by
the State.
The State street market is one of the
oldest In Harrisburg. It was built in
1861. For twenty-five years market,
was held on Tuesday and Friday morn
ings and Saturday nights. When the
other market companies started busi
ness the morning markets were cut
out. When the State street market
was started there was a rule that no
one could begin to sell produce until
signalled to do so by the ringing of a
large bell. The bell was also rung
when sales were to stop. This was
done in order to prevent forestalling
and a combination on prices between
fanners.
HEED ON MURDER CHARGE
Thomas Smith, colored, was held for
court without bail, charged with the
murder of Mrs. Ella Albright, last
June, at a preliminary hearing in the
offices of Alderman Edward J. Hilton,
in Court street, this afternoon. Rob
ert T. Fox, assistant district attorney,
conducted the case. He pleaded "not
I guilty."
j
SEARCHING FOR BROKER
WHO FLED WITH $300,000
By Associated Press
Providence, R. 1., Jan. 7.—The po
lice to-da.v instituted a search for Al
bert P. Miller, Jr., an investment
[broker, who is wanted on a charge of
the embezzlement of $300,000 in
J funds entrusted to his care by clients.
j KEISTER SLIGHTLY IMPROVED
| The condition of Daniel E. Keister,
316 Crescent street, was to-day re-
I ported as slightly improved. Mr. Keis
ter is not out of danger.
MISSIONARIES WITHDRAWING
By Associated Press
Shalghal. Jan. 7.—The autlioriites
of the province of Sze-Chuen have
been advised of the withdrawal of
Christian missionaries from interior
stations.
Sze-Chuen Is one of the western
provinces of China, bordering on Tibet..
THE DAY IN CONGRESS
By Associated Press
Washington, Jan. 7.—Senate.—-Met
nt noon. Bill amending law to prevent
disclosures or national defense secrets
introduced by Senator Overman.
I Senator Hitchcock introduced reso
| lution calling on Past Master General
[for information on interference with
j American mails by censors. Foreign
relattons Committee met, took no
| action on submarine question or noni-
I ination of H. P. Fletcher as Mexican
I ambassador. Suspension of tariff pro
vision free listing sugar May 1 pro
posed in resolution introduced by
Senator Broussard.
House—Met at noon. Rear Ad
miral Stanford continued testimony
before naval cOmmittoc. Foreign re
lations committee agreed to consider
next Friday proposed legislation to
| regulate water power at Niagara
Falls. Representative Gardner in
i speech opposed embargo on arms and
j war munitions. Representative Kent
; introduced a bill to create national
park service under interior depart
lincnt.
C. H. BACKENSTOE,
ATTORNEY, DIES
FROM PTOMAINE
Clayton H. Backenstoe Suc
cumbs After Two
Weeks' Illness
MENTIONED FOR JUDGE
—
•—Photo by Roshon.
CLAYTON H. BACKENSTOE,
Clayton Hershey Backenstoe, at
torney and prominent members of the
Dauphin County Bar Association, died
last evening at 6.30, at his home, 1528
North Second street. He was 52 years
of age. Death was due to ptomaine
poisoning, contracted from eating oys
ters. Mr. Backenstoe was ill two
weeks. During most of this time he
was unconscious.
The funeral will take place Monday i
afternoon at 2 o'clock. Services will j
be conducted at the residence, 1528
North Second street, by the llev. |
George Edward Hawes, D. D., pastor!
(Continued on Page ".]
Porto Rican Student Goes
to Chair For Murder
By Associated Press
Ossinning, N. Y., Jan. 7.—Antonto
Ponton, the Porto Rican student was
put to death in the electric chair this
morning shortly after six o'clock for
i the murder of Miss Bessie Kromer, a
Schenectady,' N. Y„ school teacher, j
I with whom he was infatuated. Three |
I shocks were administered before ■
j Ponton was pronounced dead.
Revolutionaries Loot
Chinese Custom House
By Associated Press
Canton, China, Jan. 7.—-One hun
dred armed men at midday attacked
and looted the Chinese custom house
on the boundary of Kowloon. The
marauders posted proclamations de
scribing themselves as revolutionaries.
Further trouble is expected here at
any time, as it is believed the rebels
have corrupted the government troops.
The town Kowloon is situated'in the
peninsula of the same name opposite
the island of Hongkong. The boundary
referred to in the above dispatch evi
dently is that which divides Chinese
territory from the British colony. ,
Another Body Washed Up
From Wrecked Steamer
By Associated Press
Parkersburg, W. Va., Jan. 7.—Re
ports reaching here early to-day from
the point on the Ohio rlyer where the
Pittsburgh and Charleston packet,
Kenawha, was wrecked Wednesday
night said that the body of Mrs.
Beegle, of Racine, 0., a passenger,
had been picked up on the river bank
soon after daybreak.
The river is falling, but those at
the wreck are awaiting for a further
fall before investigating the cabin
where it is believed, some at least,
of the persons still missing may bo
found. O. E. Sisson, second mate,
has made up a list, of those he recalls
as being on the boat and places the
passengers at 24 and the crew at 38.
Of this total 41> have been accounted
for, he said.
Police May Soon Wear
"Keystone" Badges
The keystone from Harrisburg's city
flag may be substituted for the metal
shield badges of the police forco as
the emblem of authority.
The idea, which has followed for
the last several years in New York
and other metropolitan cities, has
been suggested to Mayor Meals by
City Clerk Charles A. Miller. It is
understood that the Mayor has asked
for estimates on sufficient emblems
of the proposed design with a view to
adopting the change.
At present the officers wear a star
in a i-ircle. The keystone would con
vey the State, county and city sug
gestion as parts of the coats of arms
of the Penn nnrl Harris families and
the fleur-de-lls of the Dauphin of
Prance and impressed on the key
stone.
Physician Killed by
Train Just After He
- Attends Dying Mother
Special to the Telegraph
Huntingdon, Pa.. Jan. 7»—Just after I
attending his dying mother. Dr. J. j
Spangler, aged 55, one of the most '
prominent physicians of Huntingdon
county, was struck and instantly killed i
by east bound express No. 30 on (lie
main line of the Pennsylvania railroad I
.at Maoileton at 8 o'clock this moyning j
ACID OR BLOOD
ON OLD HAT OF
ALLEGED SLAYER?
To Submit Stains to "Blood
Test" by City Bac
teriologist
CASE GOES TO GRAND JURY
Fifteen Additional Cases Will
Supplement Criminal
Calendar
Nicolo Kotur, charged with the mur
der of a fellow-countrynia-.i at Steel
ton, marched from Alderman C. E.
■Murray's office to the Dauphin county
jail yesterday afternoon—liatless.
The old felt hat that Kotur, the
Steelton foreigner, wore the night he
is believed to have hammered his one
time friend to death hears three or
four curious brownish stains on the
crown and brim. Kotur declares the
stains were made by dropping acid at
the Pennsylvania Steel Company's
plant. County Detective Walters wants
a.chemical analysis of the stains, how
ever—and the hat will be turned over
to Dr. George li. Moffitt, the city bac
teriologist. to subject the stains to the
blood test. So, after the hearing,
Kotur was told to depart without his
hat. He was held without bail for
murder and will be heard by the
January srand Jury Friday or Satur
day of next week. Kotur's case is one
jof fifteen additional criminal cases
: which will supplement the January
criminal calendar. The original list
contained 176.
The other additional ones include
James Parker and William Faust, lar
ceny; James Kelley, fornication and
bastardy; Hampton Washington, car
rying concealed weapons, felonious as
sault and aggravated assault and bat
tery; Henry Grosser, wantonly point
ing firearms; Gottfried Herbele, Wal
ter W. Deck and. Tony Chiara, assault,
and battery; Clyde Jackson, carrying
concealed deadly weapons: Albert K.
Caley, forgery, and William E. Shoop,
felonious assault.
RANK PAYS DIVIDEND
Halifax. Pa.. Jan. ".—-The Halifax
National Hank has paid an extra divi
dend of 1 per cent, in addition to the
regular semiannual dividend of 4 per
cent. This places the stock on a
10 per cent, basis per annum. This
institution has never been in better
condition.
I St. Paul, Minn., Jan. 7.—From six hundred dollars to
1 $5,000 in cash, internal -en •" ■' ■ v.ns which may total
I
tor of internal revenue last night vvl
' blown open. E. J. Lynch, revenue collector, who immediately
| pfter
, apolis police departments in an investigation, said the rob
unnegotiable ones in large amounts.
ONE KILLED WHEN 7 BUILDINGS BURN
Cleveland Ohio, Jan. 7.—Howard <,Bankhardt, 45, a
chauffeur, died to-day from injuries sustained last night \yhen
, fire destroyed a six-tory warehouse and six dwellings in
■ property loss was
)
S day appoir
■ promoted to deputy reserve agent it was reported late this
\ afternoon.
| MILLIONAIRE TO BE GIVEN HEARING
%
* perior Court to free George C. Bayless, millionaire presi
a nt of the I lyless Paper Company, owners of the Austin
% ;am which
J manslaughter growing out of the death of a woman in the
■ flood. The millionaire accompanied by his attorney and a
W sheriff will arrive here this evening.
1 ' COMPANIES D AND ITO BE INSPECTED
1 Harrisburg. Companies D and lof the Eighth Regi-
J ment will be inspected at headquarters this evening by
W Captain J. B. Kempel of the Uhited States Army.
£ Joseph Ibach, who retires as city detective on Janu
m ary 15, to-day filed his application for a license to be private
9 detective.
£ Cincinnati Ohio, Jan. 7. —The large three-story depot
m and office building of the Adams Express Company here was
W destroyed by to-day. The loss is estimated at
# $200,000. During the fire the police removed 17 bags said
f to contain SI,OOO each.
2 MARRIAGE LICENSES
C W. Wrlwl and Violet M. Hoover, city.
20 PAGES POSTSCRIPT
ALL DEMANDS OF
UNITED STATES IN
LUSITANIA CASE
MET BY GERMANY
Proposals Which, It Is Be-*
lieved Will Satisfactorily
End Controversy Receiv
ed; Berlin Agrees to Pay
Indemnity For Americans
WILL WARN SHIPS
BEFORE TORPEDOING
Gives Assurances in Regard
to Submarine Warfare;
Agrees With U. S. That
Small Boats Are Not a
Place of Safety For Pass
engers; Concessions Com
plete
By Associated Press
Washington, D. C., Jan. 7. —Pro-
posals which the German government
believes will end the controversy over
the Lusitanta disaster in a manner
satisfactory to the United States were
understood to have been received here
to-day from Berlin. Count von Bern
storff had an appointment to confer
with Secretary Lansing this after
noon.
Germany is believed to have agreed
to pay an indemnity for the Amer
icans lost when the liner was tor
pedoed: at the same time basing n
reservation of any wrong doing upon
the contention that the destruction o!.'
the vessel was an act of reprisal in
retaliation for the British blockade of
Germany.
Will Give Wui-nin;;
Germany also is understood to ite
ready to give assurances that her
[Continued on Page 13.]