THE WEATHER
FAIR TO-NIGHT
AMD TO-MORROW
Detailed Report. Face •
SlT*?"™."® VOL. 77—NO. 36,
PALAZZO MONTECITORIO.'TAe ITALIAN CHAMBER, of DEPUTIES *
HISTORIC ROME BUILDINGS DAMAGED BY'QUAKE
VICTIMS OF
'QUAKE MAY
BE 100,000
Estimates of Rilled and
Injured in Italy's Dis
aster Vary From 20,-
000 Up
SIXTY TOWNS AND
VILLAGES SUFFER
Avezzano and Sora Worst Stricken So
Far As Loss of Life Is Concerned
—Rescue and Relief Work Goes On
Night and Day
By Associated Press.
London, Jan. 15. —The "Chron
icle's" Rome, correspondent estimates
the total tirM/and injured in the Ital
ian earthquake at between 90,000 and
100,000.
A "Central News" dispatch from
Koine estimates the number of victims
at 20,0'00, distributed as follows:
Avezzano, 10,000; Sora, 4,000; else
where, 6,000.
Paris, Jan. 15, 3.10 P. M.—A dis
patch to the Havas Agency from Rome
quotes the " Messaggero" as saying
that the number of dead at Avezzano
is larger than has been believed. Ac
cording to this paper 11,00'0 persons
lie buried beneath the ruins of the city.
Rome, Jan. 15.—There is reason to
believe that only a few hundred per
sons out of the 17,000 who inhabited
Sora have been saved. It is, of course,
impossible as yet to ascertain the exact
number of dead and wounded. Relief
expeditions have been hurried to Sora
and every hour is bringing more har
rowing particulars of the destruction of
the town.
London, Jan. 15, 4.32 P. M.—The
Exchange Telegraph Company has re
ceived a message from its Rome cor
respondent, who says that the magni
tude of the Italian disaster increases as
further news from the devastated area
is received.
The casualties at Magliano-di-Marsi
are estimated at 1,300 out of a popula
tion of 1,500. At Pescini 4,000 per
sons are reported killed and the num
ber at San Benedetto is given as 6,000.
All the people of the village of Ca
pelie are believed to be buried in the
ruins of their homes. The entire popu
lation of Albafueenses also is believed
to have perished, and out of 500 in
habitants in the village of Lese, 450
ere said to be dead
Every town in the Livi valley is re
ported to-day to 'have been either total
ly destroyed or very seriously damaged.
The work ol' rescue at Sora is being
pushed with all possible expedition.
There is, however, little hope of saving
uny of the people alive.
King Victor Emmanuel is going to
Sora to day.
Roane, via Paris, Jan. 15. —Midnight
•—The "Giornale D'ltalia" estimates
the nunuber of earthquake victims in
the region of Avezzano and Sora at
25,000.
Rome, Jan. 15.—News from the
earthquake stricken districts of Italy
Continued on Ninth Pace.
OTHER EARTHQUAKE NEWS WILL
BE FOUND ON PAGES O AND 10
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SAY MERCER
CONFESSED,
THEN DENIED
i
Witnesses Assert Al
leged Swindler In
tended to Plead Guil
ty, But Changed Mind
HIS STATEMENT
READ IN COURT
Trial of Pair Accused of Having At
tempted to Cheat Ljcal Banks by
Depositing Two Bogus Checks for
SIOOO Each Takes Sensational Turn
That H. R. Mercer and Fred Lcßrun,
accused as check swindlers, on trial to
day in Judge Kunkel's side of the
£T • -lull court on cliarges of forgery
and false pretense, had originally in
tended, but subsequently changed their
plan, to enter a qualified plea of guilty
to the several charges, and that Mer
cer, acting for himself and in behalf
of his alleged confederate, made con
fession to' the District Attorney pur
porting. to describe their connection
with the passing in this city two SI,OOO
bogus checks drawn on Florida banks,
was brought out by the prosecution at
this morning's session of court.
In his "confession," however, Mer
cer made it appear that a stranger, at
Mercer's suggestion, had forged the
checks. Mercer simply being a party to
the offense, and it was because of Mer
cer 's qualified statements that his plan
to plead guilty in a qualified way was
not accepted by the District Attorney.
Upon being informed of the fact that
ho would have to stand trial Mercer,
therefore, made a supplemental state
ment, in which he repudiated his origi
nal story. He declared then that his
actions at all times were in good faith, .
and that he had believed the bogus
checks were good ones.
The Commonwealth expected to close
its case by early this afternoon, but
counsel for the defendants at noon re
fused to say whether they would put
their clients on the stand, hinting that
a motion may be made to the court
to throw out the case upon the conten
tion that the prosecution "has not
made out its case." Should the case
be given to thte jury to dispose of it is
not likely that a verdict will be ren
dered before to-morrow morning.
Mercer's Confession Read
Mercer's alleged confession was read
to the court and jury by Miss Clara
Miller, the District Attorney's stenog-
Contlnued on Ninth Pt*e.
HIS "DAMN" ANGERS COURT
Youth Who Uses It Is Promptly Sen
tenced to Reformatory
Four of five Royalton boys pleaded
guilty to charges of breaking into and
ro'bbin'g freight cars on the Pennsylva
nia railroad in RoyaLton and all were
sentenced to the Huntingdon reforma
tory by Judve McCarrell this morning.
They are Elmer Dasher, Robert and
WilHam Seibert and Jacob Kreiser.
John Kreiser, who was implicated by
the defendants, stood trial and a jury
acquitted him.
Dasher and Rofoert Seilbert some
years ago served a term in the refor
matory for robbing cars and they bog
ged to be sent to the penitentiary, say
ing lhat "a fellow is worse after he
comes out of the reformatory than
when he goes in."
When Judge McCarrell said he would
send them to the reformatory with the
hope that when they get out they
would be better men, Robert Seibert
remarked:
"You're damn right I will."
"We'll send them all to the refor
matory," snapped the court.
William McAllister, Fifcnk Reed and
D. P. Reed pleaded guilty to larceny
chi&rges and sentence was suspended.
John Carricato, the defendant in a lar
ceny case, also was paroled. Adam
Metrivitch got two months on a theft
charge.
$200,000 Fire at Sioux City
By Associated Press.
Sioux City, lowa, Jan. 16.—Fire in
the Trim'ble block to-day caused a loss
of |SKM),OOO.
IIARRISBURG, PA., FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY /15, 1915-14 PAGES
WHEAT PRICK STILL SOU
Before Market Was Hour Old May Ce
real Gained Two Cents
s Bushel
Bp Associated Press,
Chicago, Jan. 15. —I immense export
business caused, a fresh upheaval to- j
day in the price of wheat and flour,
and even more so in rvc and corn. The ]
foreiign buying of -wheat and com
counted in millions of bushels.
Wheat went to $1.45 1-4; for May
delivery as against $1.43 3-S at high
est yesterday or any time before since
the war began. Flour jumped twenty
cents a barrel and corn and rve, resj>ec
tively 3 3-8 cents and five cents a
bushel.
Chicago, Jan. lo.—A minute after
the Exchange opened to-day wheat
broke the war price higher. First
sales of the May delivery shot up to
$1.43% a bushel, nearly a full cent
above last night's close, and overtop
ping by y 4 cent the previous figures,
which were maintained on yesterday's
excited advance.
Liverpool quotations, up 2 to 3 cents,
had muc'h to do witti the fresh upturn
here. Before the market was an hour
old, May wheat, selling at $1.4 4% to
$1.44'/ 2 , had gained more than 2 cents
a bushel.
New York, Jan. 15. —The price of
flour soared to-day to the highest point
it has reached in many years. Some
fancy grades in jobbing lots were
quoted at $8 a barrel. On the floor of
the produce exchange there was a gen
eral advance of albout twenty cents a
barrel on all grades. Spring pateuts
were quoted at $7.35 and some fancy
patents at $7.60 per barrel.
No. 2 red wheat went to 156'/, and
No. 1 Northern Spring to 154%, new
high records of the present upward
movement. These prices were on ex
port basis all rail to arrive.
JOHN H. St HELL ACQUITTED
Jury Finds Father Not Guilty of
Charge Made by Daughter
It took a criminal court jury but
a few mijiutes yesterday afternoon to
acquit John H. ScheU, 2116 Derry
street, of the charge, brought against
him by his daughter that he had as
saulted her. The jury directed the
daughter to pay the coats.
The father contended that hii daugh
ter brought the suit "as a means of
getting him out of the way," so that
the father's objections to her suitor
would be overcome.
To Float New Swedish Loan
Stockholm, Jan. 15.—Via London,
2.40 P. M.—A new Swedish loan
amounting to $10,000,000 will be ia
•ued in a few days.
!TT SECRETARY
Mjpi
He Accompanies DrJ
Brumbaugh Here To
day and Will Soon Be
Named for the Fost
LUNCHEON WITH
GOVERNOR TENER
Governor-elect Is in the City For Sev
eral Hours This Afternoon During
Which Time He Is Shown Through
Executive Mansion
Dr. Martin G. Brumbaugh, Governor
elect, arrived in Harristf>urg this after
noon at 1'2.45 and was the guest of
Governor and Mrs. Tener at luncheon
iu the Executive Mansion. Accompany
ing Dr. Brumbaugh was James B.
Hiatt, secretary of the Board of Edu
cation in Philadelphia, who had charge
of Dr. Brumibauigh's primary election
campaign and participated largely in
the campaign preceding the general
election.
Mr. Hiatt. it was accepted here to
day iis certain, will be the private sec
retary to Governor Brumfbaugh for
four years beginning next Tuesday.
Ca.pitol Hill is convinced that will be
one of the first announcements to be
made to the Senate by the new Gov
ernor, as the private secretary is his
■personal messenger in the transmission
of executive documents to. the legisla
ture. The announcement of Mr.
Hiatt's selection as private secretary,
has not yet been made, but it can be
said on good authority that it is a cer
tainty.
Dr. Brumbaugh was met at the sta
tion by Walter H. Gaither, former pri
vate secretary to Governor Tener, and
went at once to the Executive Man
sion. Mr. Haatt being Mr. Gaither's
guest at luncheon in the Harrisburg
CMS. Before leaving the station the
Governor-elect and >fr. Hiatt arranged
for Pullman car seats on the 5.30 train
back to Philadelphia, so the stay was
several hours. In that time, gfter lun
cheon, Dr. Brumlbaugh had a conference
with Governor Tener regarding occu
pancy of the Executive Mansion, and
was shown through the building that
will be his home for the next four
years.
Late this afternoon Governer-elect
Brumbaugh received the newspaper
men in the Executive Mansion. lie de
clined to discuss his Cabinet appoint
ments except to say:
"I will make no announcement as to
the Cabinet until it has been selected
in its entirety."
Dr. Brumbaugh said he had finished
the work on his first message to the
Continued on Ninth ?■(«,
HACER DEATH A MYSTERY
Coroner Orders Poet Mortem In Case
of Jobless Man Whose Body Is
Found in Bed at Noon
A post mortem examination will like
ly be held under the direction of Cor
oner Eckimgw to deterniino the cause
of the death of William H-ager, who
was found dead in his room, 1006 11«-
lock street, at noon to-day. t
Hagor was last seen alive last even
j ing, according to a report maile to the
]K>lice. The body was cold and stift
i when found showing that he had been
dead many hours. lUiger was about 42
years old and apparently in good
health. There were no marks on the
body and the cause of death was not
apparent. He was known to have been
worried because he was out of employ
ment.
When Hatger did not appear at the
dinner table at noon, William Pry,
I with whom he boards and lodiges, went
to his room and found him in his nilght
shirt in his bed, apparently asleep.
Closer investigation showed that the
ibody was lifeless and the Coroner was
notified.
Hager had been out of work for
some time. In his pockets this after
noon there was found a dollar and
some small change, believed to be the
last money he had in the world.
Coroner Eckiniger has had the body
removed to an undertaking establish
ment where the investigation will be
made as to the cause of death.
COUNCILMAN HURT IN FALL
Joseph Wise, of Highspire, Suffers
Broken Shoulder Blade
fToseph Wise, a proaniinent member of
the Highspire borough council, is suf
fering from a fracture of thie right
shoulder blade, received late yesterday
afternoon when he fell from the roof
over the kitchen of his no me, Water
street, Highspire.
Mr. Wise placed some tar paper on
the roof to stop a leak. On attempting
to descend, after doing this work, his
foot knocked against the ladder upon
which he hail ascended, the ladder slid
to one side and Mr. Wise slid after it,
being unable to grip anything to break
his fall. He landed on the soft ground,
ten feet below, and in addition to the
fracture he suffered a number of body
bruises.
Amos Dengler and a companion, who
were cutting up a tree near the Wise
home, heard the drop and went to the
injured man's assistance. Mr. Wise
was carried into the' house and Dr. W.
B. Kirkpatrick reduced the fracture.
MORTAI«LY WOUNDS WIFE
Pittsburgh Man Then Blows Out His
Own Brains
By Associated Press.
Montclair, N. J., Jan. 15.—James
Hutching, of Pittsburgh, shot and mor
tally wounded his wife, Ida, aud then
blew out his owi brains early to-day.
Hutchins had followed his wife here
from Pittsburgh, where she rejoined
him a month ago after a reconciliation,
having notified her, it was said, that he
was coming to kill her because she re
fused to live with him.
LATE WAR NEWS SUINMARY
A British victory not recorded In the
official statement* from Paris or Berlin
and described as important is reported
unofficially from St Omer, France. It
is said that on Jannary 10 the British
stormed the German entrenched posi
tions near La Bassee, in France, about
ten miles south of the Belgian border,
driving back the Germans with heavy
losses and advancing one mile. The
positions involved are of considerable
strategic value, but confirmation of
their reported capture is lacking.
Heavy fighting continues near Sois
sons, where th ) Germans have won im
portant advantages over the allies.
Near Perthes, in the Argonne and up
per Alsace and elsewhere along the
western front, where recently there
have been heavy engagements, activity
has subsided. Other phases of the
military situation in the west appar
ently have been subordinated for the
present to that In the Soisson region,
where the outcome may exercise a
marked influence on future operations
over a long stretch of the front.
Petrograd is confident that the Ger
man offensive movement in Poland has
Continued on Ninth Pace.
TURKS TO EVACUATE PERSIA
PROVIDED RCSSIANS GET OUT
Teheran, ,'ersia, Thursday, Jsm. 14,
Via Ijondon, Jan. 15, 4.40 P. M.—The
Turkish Ambassador here has notified
the Persian government that the Porte
is ready to evacuate the province of
Azerbaijan as soon as the Russians defi
nitely move out of this territory and
after the heir to the throne reaches
Tabriz to assume control. The heir to
the throne is to leave Teheran for
Tabriz in a few days.
Turkey's note to Persia is a reply to
a Persian ultimatum recently forward
ed to Constantinople demanding that
Turkish invading forces withdraw
| from Persian territory. It is in ac
cordance with Persia's announced in-
I tention of maintaining her neutrality
i in the war.
Several towns in the province of
; Azerbaijan have been occupied by Ot
| toman troops in the present Turkish
i campaign in Northwestern Persia
against the Russians. On Wednesday
Tabriz, the capital of the province,
was occupied by the Turks after the
evacuation of the town by a Russian
force which hau garrisoned it.
London, Jan. 15, 11.05 A. M.. —
The Turkish troops who recently in
vaded Persia are now advancing to the
interior of the country, according to a
news dispatch from Teheran to Reutors
Telegram Company. The message fol
lows:
"It is reported that the Turks when
they occupied Tabriz in Azerbajan
province, a few days ago, shot the Per
sian governors .of the towns of Souj
bulak, LVlaragha and Burat, .through
which they passed in making their way
to Tabriz.
"The small Turkish force which went
into Ta'briz is now moving in the direc
tion of Ispahan, in Central Persia, 200
miles south of Teheran. It is supported
by other Turkish contingents."
QUARTERS FOR THE DEMOCRATS
They Will Be Maintained In O North
Market Square by State Committee
Despite the fact that numericaJly
they are very much below one-third vot
ing strength in the Legislature, the
Democratic lawmakers are going to be
active in the important legislative mat
ters during tho present session, and to
enable them to h»ld conferences the
Democratic State Committee has de
cided to place the old State Headquar
ters, in No. 9 North Market Square, at
their disposal. Secretary VanDyke will
be in charge ami the rooms will be open
at all times for conferences among tho
Democratic legislators.
The active headquarters of the State
Committee will continue to be located
in Philadelphia, where State Chairman
Morris resides. *
BORE HOLES IN SAFE DOOR
But Yeggmen Fall to Get Into Junk
Yard Strong Box
Yeggmen last night spent consider
able energy in the office at the junk
yard of D. Cooper & Co., 411'Verbeke
street, without getting anything to pay
for their trouble.
• Holes were bored around the com
bination of the safe, but apparently no
effort had been made to force the door.
Nothing else had 'been touched, accord
ing to a report made to the police.
v
POSTSCRIPT
PRICE, ONE CENT
FRENCH ARE
FORCED BACK
OVER AISNE
General Von Kluck Di
rects Violent Germany
Attack, to North of
Soissons
RAISER'S TROOPS
STEADILY GAINING
Engagement North of Soissons First
Notable Fighting in That Vicinity
Since Last September, When British
Army Crossed the Aisne
London, Jan. 15, 12.10 P. M.—The
violent German attack to the north of
Soissons under the direction of General
Von Kluck which, coupled with a flood
stage of the river, has forced the
French back across the Aisne, is the
most striking news of the last twenty
four hours from the seat of war. The
Germans have been gaining in this lo
cality for several days, but they hud
not recovered all of the ground lost
by them. This engagement north of
Soissons is the first notable fighting in
the vicinity since last September, jvhen
the British army, which subsequently
was transferred to Belgium, was suc
cessful in crossing tho Aisfte.
Snow in the Vosges mountains and
floods in Flanders still prevent any ex
tensive operations of the eastern or the
western wings and to British observers
it appears as though the Soissons dis
trict had been selected for the point
where, with reinforcements and first
line troops, the Germans are planning
to display once more the hammering
tactics so familiar during the autumn.
On the other hand some war expert*
argue that the operations at Soissons
may have been undertaken to com|M>!
the allies to lessen the pressure in Al
sace.
The British claim to have won a
marked success several days ag(j near
Labassee, when they drove the Germans
from strongly entrenched positions,
gaining one mile in distance and in
flicting severe losses on their antagon
ists. There has been no change of im
portance in the eastern arena of the
war.
Italy has been momentarily distract
ed from thoughts of war by the de
vastating earthquake of January 13.
The assertion is still being made in
London that the allies confidently ex
pect Italy to join them in due course.
RRITISH GAIN VICTORY AND
ADVANCE NEAR LA BASSEE
Paris, Jan. 15, 5.45 A. M.—The
Havas Agency has received a dispatch
from St. Omer dated January 10,
which relates to a British victory and
an advance near La Bassee of one mile.
The message follows:
"The British, by an impetuous at
tack stormed the strongly entrenched
German position near La Bassee at 2
o'clock this afternoon after a vigorous
preliminary shelling. This is an im
portant strategic point, and its occupa
tion represents an advance of one mile.
The British losses were slight but the
Germans lost heavily. Many Germans
were taken prisoners."
WALL STREET CLOSING
New York, Jan. 15.—Low priced
specialties were conspicuous in the final
hour. Gains of I to 3 1-2 points were
made in this class, Missouri Pacific be
ing most active. The closing was strong.
Greater activity and diversity of the
movement were recorded by to-day's
stock market, with substantial gains in
secondary issues.