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 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.