THE WEATHER FAIR TO-NIGHT AND TO-MORROW Detailed lteport, I'iff 6 &l A Vr«- H n KD VOL. 77—NO. 35, 50,000 DEAD AND WOUNDED IN ITALY'S APPALL Official Reports From Avez zano Place the Number of Persons Killed in the Earth quake in That City and Its Environs at More Than 15- 000— Avezzano Has Been Completely Destroyed and the Nearby Towns of Celano and Pezzina Are Partially Wrecked, Many Victims Being Buried in the Ruins—Zone of Disturbance Extends Over a Territory of Nearly 300 Miles By Associated Press. Rome, Jan. 14, 8.45 A. M.—The victims of the earth quake disaster, according to latest reports received here, number about fifty thousand, including dead and wounded. Rome, Jan. 14,1.15 P. M.—Offcial reports receved from Avezzano declare that the dead in that city and in its vicin ity in the earthquake yesterday number more than fifteen thousand persons. London, Jan. 14, 7.35 A. M.—The "Express," in an edi tion issued at 7 o'clock to-day, estimates the dead at Avez zano, Italy, as a result of the earthquake at more than fif teen thousand. Paris, Jan. 14, 4.50 A. M.—A dispatch to the Havas Agency from Aquila, Italy, says that later news received confirms the report that Avezzano has been com pletely destroyed by the earthquake. The towns of Celano and Pezzina, close to Avezzano, are partially wrecked and many victims are buried in the ruins. London, Jan. 14, 12.40 P. M.—A news agency dispatch from Rome says that a further distinct earth shock was felt in Rome about 3 o'clock this morning. In several quar ters of the city the people fled from their houses into the open air. Rome, Jan. 14.—With every hour as additional and more accurate de * ils are received, the horror of yester day's earthquake increases, threatening to place it in the list of similar catastrophies in Europe second only to the Messina disaster of 1908. The list of dead, dying and injured has increased from a relatively small figure last night to more than 50,000 ac cording to an official announcement to-day and it is ex pected this number may grow before the day is over. The full extent of the property lo3s has not yet been determined. Here in Rome priceless statues, century-old buildings and structures that for years have been the mecca of all visitors have been destroyed or injured. Though the loss of life, and possibly the damage may be less than it was in 1908, the area of the disturbance greatly exceeds the Messina earthquake. It covers the whole central portion of Italy, extending from Naples on the south to Ferrara on the north. Rome, Jan. 14, via London, 4.47 P. M.—The destruc tion of the town of Avezzano, a community of some 12,000 people in Aquila province, by the earthquake yesterday is very complete. There is good authority for the statement that not more than ten per cent, of the population survived the disaster. Rome, Jan. 14.—1./Ht<> reports from the zone which suffered from yester day's earthquake, while still fragment ary, indicate that there has been an appalling loss of life and property. Ks tiniafes of the number killed ranged last night as high an 12,n00, while the number of person* injured was placed at about 20,000. Estimates made this morning, however, in the fight of further news from the stricken district, place the number of killed and wounded together at about fifty thousand. The earthquake /.one, HO far as can be gathered here, extends for a distance of nearly 300 miles, from below Naples and in the south to Ferrara in the north and practically across the entire width of the country in the district indicated. The country to the east and southeast of Rome suffered the most apparently l'or reports of loss of life and damage to property come from all over this dis trict. Avezzano, 63 miles east of Rome, seems to have boen the center of the ©)c Star- Swkpcntumi disturbance and this place, with a num ber of nearby towns and villages, is re ported as having been destroyed. Many Towns Entirely Destroyed Great loss of life occurred at Avez zano and its vicinity, the number of dead there being placed at, more than 15,000. Among the towns in the earthquake district reported entirely destroyed are Bussi, Capelle, Scurcola, Magliaiio, Cap padocia, Celano and Posciro. Nora and Arpino are said to have been partially wrecked. Naples felt the shock severely but suffered only slight damage. Suimona und Aquila, in the province of Abruzzi, and other town in that region report much damage and some loss of life. No one was killed in Rome, but there is considerable mwterinl damage. Sev eral of Rome's historical structures were damaged. About 100 persons were Continued on Eleventh Pas*. HARRISBBURG, PA., THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 34, 1915—12 PAGES. THE TERRIBLE SCENES IN AVEZZANO AS DESCRIBED BY VOUNC ITALIAN DRIVER Rpme, Jan. 14, 2.50 A. M.—A young Italiau driver who left Avezzano a few minutes before the earthquake gave a brief accouut of his experience when h(> reached Home at an early hour this morning. His first intimation of trou ble was when the horses of his carriage suddenly refused to go further. They stood trembling and at the same mo ment there came a deep rumbling like the roar of iv railroad train going over a bridge. Three minutes later the standing walls of some quarries along the road hail crumbled and were lying in dust covered heaps. Prom Avezzano there came the cries of the frightened people. Amid the roar of falling house* could be heard the voice* of women calling on tho saints to help them. The city was un der a cloud of dust. To the driver it looked as if the earth had opened to emit columns of white smoke. This young man tried to drive back to Avezzano. but he could make no headway. He and his horses were blinded by the dust. Soon he saw sur vivors struggling to make their way from the city. Many had received in juries and were dragging themselves through the dust and confusion in piti able plight. Some were so weak they fell by the roadside. The objective of the refugees was the railroad station, which was soon crowded with half fran tic men, women and children. Before the driver left the vicinity organized eflorts were being made to convey the most severely wounded to nearby hos pitals. GRUESOME SEARCHES FOR DEAD IN AVEZZANO ROINS Rome, Jan 14, 12.45 A. M.—From the most recent reports it appears that comparatively few escaped from the city of Avezzano. Those who got away and were only slightly wounded insisted upon returning to search the ruins of their homes for relatives and friends. Survivors dug frantically into heaps of plaster and stoue, often stained with blood. The gruesome search was only too often successful. In many instances survivors fainted as their dead were brought to light in the ruins of the home. Then tho heart-broken searcher had to be cared for by the members of the hastily organize.! relief committees. At Scurcola a woman who un earthed the body of her 3-year-old child suddenly became insane. At I'opo'i a young husband returned from the fields where he had been at work, rushed to his home and found it a heap of ruins. He tore away the fallen masonry ami entered what remained of his home, only to find his wife lying dead with the baby in her arms. At Sora an old grandfather, the sole sur vivor of his family, insisted in forcing his way through the shattered walls of what had been his home. Suddenly the walls collapsed and the old man was buried with the other members of his family. EKTINCT FUCINO VOLCANO CENTER OF DISTURBANCE 1 Romp, Jan. 14, lA. M.—A railroad train which yesterday was reported missing has been found near Avezzano. It ran off the track. There is nothing like satisfactory communication with the stricken district and consequently exact figures as to the losses in lives and property are impossible to obtain. Railroad traffic between Avezzano and Tagliacozso still is interrupted. Very grave reports are coming from Bussi, Poppli, Cocullo, llansunicio, Oere, Paganacia, Pescina, A versa, Sour cola, Magliano and Cappacloccia. The center of the disturbance ap pears now to have been the extinct volcano of Fucino in the province of Aquila. The work of rescue and the search of the ruins in the ho|>e of finding peoplo ftill alive was continued all through the night. Bonfires were made an I torches brought into use. The soldiers who early were ordered to the scene of the disaster did excellent work. Medical men are beginning to talk of the possibility of epidemics among those who escaped. A very large num ber of people fled from the stricken area and will have to spend some time without adequate shelter, They will suffer from exposure and lack of food. NAPLES REPORTS BIG TIDAL WAVE IN THE WULF OF (>AETA Rome, Jan. 14, 8.40 A. M.—A dis patch received from Ancona says that a heavy storm raged yesterday along the Adriatic coast. There was also a heavv fall of snow. Naples reiports a strong tidal wave yesterday in the Gulf of Gaeta, ac companied by seismic disturbances on shore. Venice telegraphs of very cold weather in the Alps with the snow in deep drifts. LOCAL ITALIANS READY TO AID 'OUAKE SUFFERERS President of Organization Here Says Assistance Will Be Given If Needed —None From Here Known to Have Been in Stricken Area So far as prominent Italians in Har risburg could learn to-day no Italians either from this city or Steeltou or relatives of those now in this section were in the province of Avez zanno when it was leveled by an earth quake early yesterday. Most of the Italians who reside in llariisburg come from the city of Luc ca, the former capital of the ancient Tuscan republic, in the northern part of Italy, which is a great distance away from tho part visited by the earthquake. (lostino Branca, president of tho lo cal Italian Society, a branch of the Sons of Italy, said this afternoon that he had heard of no persons known about, this section of the country being in the devastated territory. "It is too soou," he said, "to say whether we will raise money for the earthquake sufferers, but we* will in case it is found necessary." f The next meeting of the lodge wHj bo on Sunday and some action may be taken at that time. A severe earthquake occurred in Luc ca last October and local Italians were much concerned about it at that time, but there was little loss of life and no Harrisburgers were made mourners, it was said to-dav. V\ HEAT PRICKS AGAIN SOAR Grabbing Up of Spring Cereal Sends It Up to $1.43 :$-8 tty Associated Press. Chicago, Jan. 14.—Grabbing up of siprimg wheat by exporters, swept the wheat market to-day to a new high record war level prices. May wheat easily reached $1.42 3-8 a bushel, thus surpassing the former tip top quotation $1.41 3-4, which was reported January 8, before the bulls had been intimated ■by rumors that the Dardanelles would quickly 'be forced and that an attack by Italy on Turkey would hasten the end of the war. lie-fore business came to an end May wheat ran up another full cent a bush el higher to sl:4 3 3-8. A rush of profit taking however, led to a sudden re action and the market closed unsettled at $1.42 3-4, a 7-8, a gain of 2 a 2 1-S compared with last night. The July option seemingly influenced by opinions that the war might unexpectedly termi nate after a crisis in the sipring, finish ed at exactly the same price as 2 4 hours ago. $1.25 7-S. Bye, which may be used as a sub stitute for whei.it "in making flour, sold to-day in Chicago at $1.17 a bushel, the highest price since the American t'ivil war and 1 1-2 cent up since yes terday. HOUCK NOT AFTER THE POST Denies That He Aspires to Become Private Secretary to New Governor "The announcement that I am an as pirant for the position of private sec retary to Governor Brumbaugh," said Alfred H. Houek, Chief of the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of La bor and Industry, this morning, "is to tally unauthorized and there is not a word of truth in the story. lam not an aspirant for any position under the administration of Governor Brumbaugh. I am fully satisfied to remain where I am, for I am in love with this work. I haven't the least idea where suiih a story could have arisen and I want to make my denial of it as decided as pos sible." The story that Mr. Houck was an applicant for the place of private sec retary to Governor Brumbaugh became public last evening and was printed in morning papers On Mr. Houck's ar rival here he at once took steps to deny it. Mr. Houck is a son of Henry Houck, Bocretury of Internal AfTairs, for many years a closo personal friend of the new Governor. GOVERNOR BLEASE RESIGNS South Carolina Executive Quits Five Days Before Term Expires By Associated Press, Columbia, 8. C., .Inn. 14. —Governor Cole Blease, whose term of office ex pires January 19, to-day fileil his resig nation with the Secretary of Htate. No reason for the Governor's action wus given in his resignation which con tained only the words: "I hereby re sign my office as Governor of South Carolina.'' It was stated tiliat Governor Blease to-day was told of a meeting of some otf tho merribers of the Legislature on Tuesday night, when, according to member* of the conference, a proposal to institute impeachment proceedings against the Governor was discussed, but was abandoned. Head of Cowley Fathers Dies I/ondon, Jan. 14, 3.25 P. M.—The Hev. ltichard M. Benson, founder and tflrst superior of the Society of St. John the Evangelist, commonly called the Cowley fathers, died to-day at Oxford. BANKER DOESR'T KNOW SIGNER OF KKFORM Witness Brought Here From Florida Says "Redmann" Is Not a Depositor in His Bank TRIAL NOT TO BE DELAYED Mercer and Leßrnn, Accused of Trying to Defraud Harrisburg Financial Institution, Obtain New Lawyer in Place of Beidleman, Who Is 111 Because of the illness of Senator E. |E. Beidlemari, of counsel for the de j fensc, the trial of H. K. Mercer and Pre*) Leßrun, charged with forgery and false pretense in connection which an alleged fake check for SI,OOO deposit ed in a local bank, was halted yastor dav afternoon and continued for twen ty-four hours. John K. (lever since has I been retained by Mercer and ho will bo j assisted by Arthur 11. Hull and Victor | Braddock, ;us counsel for Laßrun. District Attorney Stroup, just be fore the noon adjournment to day, said | be expected to reopen the case this &ft | emoon. The immediate trial of the • case, the District 'Attorney ronton Ife. is j necessary in view of the fact that one I of tJie Commonwealth's chief witnesses has been brottg'lit here from Jackson j ville, Florida. The witness is James K. j Madigan, head bookkeeper in the j Barnett National Bank, of Jackson | ville, the hanking house on which it is charged the SI,OOO check was drawn, Continued on Seventh I'nKe :G!RL DIES FROM HER BURNS j Miss Bangert Succumbs To-day as the Result of Her Clothes Catching Fire on January 0 Miss Zena Bangert, 16 years old, 435 South Cameron street, died at noon to day in the Harrisburg hospital from burns received when her clothing caught fire from the kitchen stove in her home on January t>. The front of her body, from her ankles to her face, was covered with 'burns. Coroner Eekinger, after an investiga tion, released the body to her father, John Bangert, early this afternoon. LYKENS MINER KILLED Emanuel Peters' Head Crushed by Fall / of Prop Lvkens, Jan. 14. His head crushed against the side of the mine when a prop gave way, Emanuel I'eters, a min er, 30 years of age, was instantly killed yasterday afternoon, lie leaves a wid ow and four children. KEBPS S1 AS REWARD FDR RETURNING A LOSI PURSE Old Colored Man, Without Revealing His Name, Sends to the Mayor a Focketbook Containing Valuable Passes, Which His Son Had Found Pinched by hunger, apparently, and in actual want, an old colored man, who did not reveal his name, sent by mail to the Mayor's office to-day a pocket book his son hail found. It 'contained a pass on the Pennsylvania radroad, but the old man admitted he had kept one dollar and a few ceuts that had con stituted part of the contents. The an nual pass hail been issued for the Phil adelphia and Middle divisions of the Pennsylvania railroad, for J. P. Lowe and wife. The old man saved several pennies on the jMistage, placing but a two-cent Btamp on the envelope in which he sent the pocketbook to the Mayor's office, and it cost the City four cents to lift the package from the mails. The let ter follows: >U is porr colrd mann my boy find dis and dcketbook containing the pass was turned over to the Philadelphia division headquarters of the Pennsyl vania railroad. IKS E. 1. MI. 83, ISM! Prominent Local Finan cier and Business Man Is a Victim of Pneumonia ASSOCIATED WITH MANY COMPANIES Was One of the Oldest Directors of tho Harrisburg National Bank, and Was Early Identified With Street Car Interests in Harrisburg James 0. M. B«y, who for many | years >ias boon financially connected i with various corporations in this city, (lied at 5.15 o'clock this morning at his home, 9 North Fifth street, at the ago of 83 years. The cause of death was | pneumonia. Mr. Bay was one of the oldest diroc i tors of tlu> Harrisburg National Bank, of the Harrisburg City Passenger Rail- JAMES G. M. BAY Prominent Financier Who Died Here To-day at the Age of K:t Years I ways Company and of the West Harris burg Market Company, in eiu'h of which | ho succeeded his brother, the late Wil liam F. Bay. He was closely identified with early street car interests in this city. Mr. Bay was a member of the old Harrisburg board of Water Commission ers in 1 SSS - 8 !>. Mr. Bay was born in Cooptown, llar | ford county, Maryland, October 27, 1831. Ho left no immediate family, but is survive#! by one brother, Thomas Bay, of Jarrettsville, Maryland, and one sister, Mrs. Thomas Street, of Bal timore. Mrs. Thomas Street, of Kalti n\ore, is a sister-in-law. Former Judge | W. F. Bay Stewart, of York, and Am bler Stewart., of New York City, are nephews, and Mrs. John Hoover, of this city, is a niece. i Funeral services will be held to-mor row evening a.t S o'clock at 0 North Fifth street. The Rev. Dr. Mudge, pas tor of Pine Street Presbyterian church, will officiate. The body will be taken on Saturday moaning at 7.45 o'clock to Cooptown, Maryland, for burial. TO (JIVE PRINCETON $250,000 College Must Raise Like Amount to Get Mrs. Sage's Donation My Associated Pi rns, Princeton, N. J., Jan. 14.—That Princeton will receivo a quarter of a million dollars from Mrs. Russell Sage, provided a like amount is raised by July 1, was the chief item of interest brought before the trustees at thoir meeting to-.iwy. Tho offer of Mrs. Sage is made with a view to erevting a now university dining hall 011 tine campus. Already $75,000 has been raised to ward the needed $250,000, of which the sophomore class has contributed $30,000. Mrs. Sage's original offer was SIOO,OOO on condition that the univer sity raise $4 00,000. Professor l>ina Carloton Monro, of the University of Wisconsin, was call ed to the chair of mediaeval history by the trusteed. Senator Beldleman Much Better Senator R. K. Beidleman, chairman of the Brumbaugh Legislative Inau gtiral Committee, who has been ill with the grip for the last week, in his homo here, was reported as much improved to-day. He expert* to be out to-mor row to meet Dr. Urumbaugh 011 the oc casion of the Governor-elect's visit to the Kxecutive Mansion as the guest of 0-ovoruor and Mrs. Toner. POSTSCRIPT PRICE, ONE CENT. GERMANS IN STRUGGLETO RETAKE HILL Kaiser's Troops Appear to Have Advantage 5 of Position in Fight at Soissons 0' ■ ■■ ■ r LOSSES HEAVY ON BOTH SIDES Y ! ( General Von Kluck Now in Command ■, I of the German Forces —Another s I Sharp Fight in Progress at Perthes 0 ! Without Results s 1 I London, Jan. 14, 3,45 P. M.—Like the stubbornly contested battle in the early days of the war, on which hinged ; the German occupation of West Flan ders, the struggle for the knoll of ground northeast of Soissons known as "Spur 132," still remained undecided to-day according to information receiv ed in London. The Germans, however, by their counter attacks, appear to be in the better position to too eastward I of the spur. In view of the relatively .mail ; amount of ground gained the losses have been heavy on both sides, but the Germans show no sign of giving up their attempts to retake tho hill. In fact, it is said that Ceneral Von Kluck | himself is now in command of the Ger | man forces which would seem to lift I the battle out of the ordinary run of conflicts along the western battle front. Further east, near Perthes where an- I other sharp fijyht is still in progress, j the situatio 1 has not changed material ly, judging from dispatches received here. In the eastern theatre of war, in the alb--enee of any radicil developments I in Poland and Galicia, the Turks' opor e ations hold the foreground of interest with the much heralded but equally ~ : doubted reports of a Turkish advance into l'jgvpt that, is said to bo virtually Continued on Klulilli I'flue. ; LftTE was NEWS SUHHARY Within a two-hour motor ride about Paris Empßror William is directing a .' | violent attack 011 the French line. The ,J j Germans under the eyes of their ruler, I j won an important victory in the fight :. 1 ing vesterday near Soisson, the point .' at which the battle line, stretching 0 j down from the north to the point near jest Paris, turns to the eastward, j In both the Paris and Berlin official s statements to-day the victory of tho | Germans on the heights of Vregny, northeast of Soissons, is recorded. The I, i Berlin statement adds that the Germans, . | charging through heavy mud took | trench after trench, clearing the heights i[and capturing 1,1:50 prisoners, i In the east also furious lighting has ] been resumed. The Russian forces In I East Prussia have been driven back, j tho Berlin war office states, but the j Russians advancing toward the Prussian I frontier from the Mlawla region have 0 captured several towns from tho Ger mans. In Central Poland the Germans have made four violent attacks within 4K hours. They succeeded in driving back 1 the Russians and winning considerable ground. Russia has once more undertaken an offensive movement against two of the three nations she is fighting. After a long period of inactivity, her forces in the north are ready to penetrate from r two directions into East Prussia, Continued on Klebth I'ngr. ! WALL STREET CLOSING R\i Associated Preas, F New York, Jau. 14.—Much of the early rise was lost in the last hour un ' der the lead of Baltimore and Ohio, whose directors were then in session. When it became known that the com mon dividend for the half year had 1 been reduced only half per cent, that stock, together with some more active 1 issues, advanced vigorously to the best 1 prices of the day. The closing was I steady. Early irregularity in the stock market gave way to firmness in the final dealings to-day. B. and O. at > talned its highest price on announce ment of the unexpectedly moderate re duction in the dividend.