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 d<jre was 1 dolor and a copl
sentes in so 1 will keep de money to
gt , the bread for me the pass I is
snedin to you to give to tflie man."
The writing was with lead pencil and
the note was unsigned. The onvelope
was addressed:
"To the mares oils, Harrisburg, Pa.
City, give to the Mare."
The |K>cketbook 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.