THE WEATHER FAIR TO-NIGHT AISU iu luuultOW Detailed Repart. rase • a ? l , , «t h « eu A OL. 77—NO. 56. BLUECOATTO PEN. FOR 1? TO 20 YEARS Robert F. Scott, Patrol man Who Killed Na than Banks, Sentenc ed by Judge MeCarrell HAD NO RIGHT TO USE HIS GUN Court Cautions All Policemen With Re gard to the Proper Use of Weapons —Prisoner Sways As Sentence Is Pronounced But Makes No Comment Robert F. Scott, colored, the patrol man who on August 1, last, shot and killed Nathan Banks, colored, and v»ho was convicted of murder in the second degree, was this morning sentenced by Judge MeCarrell to the penitentiary for a term of not less than twelve years and not more than twenty. The court announced that the clemency recommen dation of the jury alonq saved Seott from getting the maximum sentence of twenty years provided for second de gree murder. The prisoner spoke not a word while in the court room. He spoke neither to Judge Kunkel nor to Judge MeCarrell. He had nothing to say even to his coun sel. He gave some signs of nervous ness, however. Judge MeCarrell's presentence re marks to Seott were in the nature of a reprimand. This seemed to make the prisoner nervous and caused him to sway back and forth, indicating that the ordeal was a trying one. Seott's wife was in the big crowd of spectators, occupying one of the rear benches in the court room. She departed immediately after her husband w«s sentenced. During all the time that his attorneys argued for a light ! sentence and during the court's revie'W of the case, Scott stood up at the bar. his hands folded in front of him and his gaze fixeid on the floor. Ho looked up only once and that was when he was addressed by the court. Says Witness "Made Eyes" at Lawyers That there was sufficient evidence in the Commonwealth's testimony at the time of the trial to warrant a verdict of murder in the first degree—which would have carried a sentence of death by electrocution—and that, if such a verdict had been rendered, the Court could not rightfully have set it aside, was the gist of one of Judge McCar rell's remarks. District Attorney Stroup said he thought the verdict might justly have been one of murder in the first degree, yet both the Court and the Prosecutor announced that they had no criticism of the decision of the jury. W. Justin Carter, who, as counsel, with Harry B. Saussaman, defended Scott, thought differently and said: '•The testimony of some of these witnesses, most of whom were relatives of the deceased, was pure, deliberate perjury,'' Carter added that one of the Com monwealth's witnesses made "Goo Goo" eyes at him when she was,leaving the witness stanJ during the trial. Judge MeCarrell said he thought she told a clear story. "Well," said Carter, "she rolled her eyes at me in a terrible manner when she left the stand." "Inexcusable," Says the Court Besides saying that the murder of Nathan Banks was inexcusable; that Svott acted too hastily in firing his re volver and that the defendant had no reason for using his "mace and pistol," Judge MeCarrell said that the shooting climaxed an argument which resolved itself into nothing more than a dispute over a personal matter. '' There was no occasion at all for you using your revolver," said the court. "You had a personal quarrel with Banks an'd for that yon had no right to use any weapon. Police of ficers are permitted to carry a gun and Continued on Eleventh Page. SCOTT WILL SUCCEED SCOTT Man of Same Name Will Get Job of Bluecoat Sentenced to Pen. Now that Robert Scott, patrolman, has been sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of from twelve to twenty years for the killing of Nathan Banks, the question is raised of who will suc ceed Seott on the police force. City Commissioners declined this morning to discuss the subject but it was learned upon good authority that Charles Seott, the policeman who now is serving temporarily in Robert Scott's place, will be appointed permanently. The appointment, it is said, will be made at the meeting of the City Com missioners to-morrow afternoon. Ie Star- 4tfStk Inkpctiknl PEN. FOR TWO MEN WHO SOBBED HALF WAY H USE Terms of From One Year to Eighteen Months Imposed on Pair Who Broke Into Tom Nelley's Hotel—Negro Pleads to Be Sent to the Pen Tom Bonovie and John Skerbin, two of the three foreigners who, it is al leged, broke into and robbed the Half Way House, the hotel of Tom Nelley, in Steelton. pleaded guilty to burglary charges before Judges Kunkel and MeCarrell this morning and each was sentenced to the peniteutiary for a term of not less than oue year and not more than eighteen months. The third de fendant, alleged to be implicated in this ease, will stand trial. James Duncan, a Middletown colored man, Who one day had pugilistic pro clivities and was fairly successful at that "avocation" so long as he re mained within his class, pleaded guilty to a larceny charge and told Judge Kunkel that he would like to go to the penitentiary as the penalty for his of fense. The Judge grve him six months in jail, saying that the next time he will be sure to go to the Philadelphia institution. •'I wish you would send me there now," returned Jinn Arthur Hughes, Duncan's accomplice, also got a six months' jail term. pair stole coal from Pennsylvania rail road cars. George W. Lewis, another 'Middletown n.an, who has been up before the Judges four times on charges of false | pretense, got eight month* in jail. j Lewis, while a solicitor for Harrisburg ! newspapers, appropriated to his own j use money which had been giveu to ! him by prospective subscribers. John Essig and William Brady, hucksters, would not admit that they ! knowingly cheated their patrons while j they were selling produce in this city, | and* the Court would not accept their j pleas to charges of false pretense. They were remanded to jail and must j stand trial. TO PASS SUFFRAGE TO-DAYj House Will Take Final Action on the Measure, Which Will Then Be Sent Over to the Senate The Senate will meet to-night at 9.30 o'clock and the House at 9 j o 'clock, whet. a regular calendar of j bills will be taken up in each branch | after the introduction of resolutions | and new bills, of which many are ex pected. One ol the most important measures that will come before the House for final passage is the resolution propos ing that an amendment to the Constitu tion granting the right of suffrage to women be submitted to the voters at the polls next November. It is under stood that the House will pass this without serious opposition, but it is not likely that its action will be unanimous, as a number of Representatives have expressed their intention to vote against it. However, the Republican members of the House say it is a platform meas ure and as such should be passed at once and gotten out of the road. It | will be sent at once to the Senate and ] referred to committee. The House will also consider on final passage the bill making an appropria- ] tion of $550,000 to pay for the killing i of cattle to prevent the spread of the j foot and mouth disease. * In the Senate tiie Clark bill provid- | ing for the care and treatment, at the expense of the county, of indigent per- | sons who are habitual inebriates or j drug fiends will come up. The Clark bill requiring mortgages to be recorded ; within ten in order to have prior- j itv of lien will also come up in the i Senate on final passage. ODD ILLNESSJRIPS YOUTH Boy Believed On Saturday to Be Drunk Is Reported To-day to Be Losing the Use of His Legs Mystery to-day surrounds the case of Howard Diller, colored, 16 years old, who was found in a shanty on Cameron street, late Saturday afternoon by two men who took him to the Harrisburg hospital. There he was believed on Bat | unlay to be intoxicated and he was sent j to jail. Jail physicians became alarmed at his condition this morning and asked j the police to take him again to the hospital, believeing heroic measures were necessary if his life was to be saved. Diller is gradually becoming paralyzed, accordinig to a statement by an ambulance patrolman. The bluecoat said that by noon the boy had lost all sensation in his legs below the knees. Diller is suffering to a great extent and is unable to tell muci about him self except t(j assert that a man on Cameron street, gave him some whiskey. He does not know how he got to the Cameron street shanty where he was found. He lives alone at 1118 Hickory street. Physicians at the hospital this morn ing admitted him to a ward for treat ment. The belief was expressed at the hospital to-day that whiskey could not ; have caused the peculiar illness that is gripping the youth. LaFollette's Peace Resolution Washington, Feb. B.—An interna tional conference of representatives of neutral nations to discuss means of end ing the European war, to establish neu tral trade routes at sea and propose ul timate creation of an international tribunal for establishment of world peace, was proposed in a resolution to day by Senator LaFollette. Trying to Avoid Extra Session By Associated Press. Washington, Feb. B.—President "Wil son told callers to-Miay he was making every effort to avoid an extra session of Congress. HARRISBURG, PA., MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8, 1915 14 PAGES. US BIG ECOMY PLEAS Law-Makers Showing Little Regard for the * Charities Board Rec ommendations PUTTING IT UP TO COMMITTEES Should Latter Bodies Cut Down Amounts, Legislators Talk of Com bining and Forcing Brumbaugh to Weild Veto Ax A glance at the appropriation bills already introduced in the legislature, in both branches, shows that members of that Legislature are paying little if any attention to the economy recom mendations of the State Board of Chari ties and the sums that Board recom mended for the various institutions. The Board announced that it wout l recommend no buildings for amy state or other institutions that it did not re gard as absolutely necessary, and its figures which show what was asked for bv the institutions an j what was reeoni mended by the Board indicate that in almost every instance where money was asked from the state to construct new buiMiiigs the items were stricken out. But that does not, apparently, con cern the average legislator. In the ap propriation bills thus far introduced it is found that in almost every instance where the board cut out the item for buildings the bills, as presented to the Legislature, restore them, and it will be up to the Appropriations Committees to sav whether or not these items s.hall bj retained in the bills. Some of the Legislators bave threat ened that if the building items are cut from their appropriation bills they will form a log-rolling organization among the members of the House and endeavor to amend the bills by restoring the 'building items when the bills come up on secoirtd reading. A bare majority can amend, but in tliy case of private chari ties it takes two-thirds of tie entire House to pass a bill finally. It is estimated that at the rate State money is being asked for by private in stitutions the amounts cut from similar mea.-aures bv Governor Tener's veto ax ■at the close of the last session of 1913 will hardly be a marker to what Gov ernor Brumbaugh will have to veto. Told that they are in danger of hav ing their appropriations cut down, some of the legislators have rem irked that it is no concern of theirs so long as they get the bills through, and that it would be up to the Governor to do the cut ting. Chairman Woodward, of the House | Appropriations Committee, is endeavor ing to stop the flow of such bills. j'NOMEMIIBAUCH Governor Intimates That Capitol Hill Employes Who Are Making Good Have Nothing to Fear ' Governor Brumbaugh said in effect this afternoon that he plans no general shake-up among Capitol Hill employes. He said that in his letter to the de partment heads asking for lists of at taches he had not requested informa nt n as to their political backing, but | had merely requested information con cerning who had recommended them. He said that the matter of politics had | not entered into the request. i As to a story that his intention in obtaining the lists was to have some persons dismissed and others appointed in their place, he said that it was pure ly imaginary. He intimated that attaches of this administration who are qualified for their positions and who perform their | work faithfully will have no cause to worry about the future, so far as he is concerned. - .. SAUL IS AFTEk RE-ELECTION Announces To-day He Will Seek to Be Returned to School Board Millard F. Saul, whose term in the School 'Boa.rd expires in December, this morning announced his candidacy for re-elecition. Saul was first elected to the board in 1907 to fill a vacancy from the Sixth ward and was later re-elected from that ward. Under the act of 1911 he was elected for a term of four years from the city-at-large. George Kennedy, another director whose term expires next December, re cently announced his candidacy for re election. Charles S. Pohl, the third member of the board whose term ex pires next December, lias not announced whether he vill seek re-election. KANSAS CITY BELLE TO WED WEALTHY CALIFORNIAN srpi WIRT New York, Feb. B.—Miss Sidi Wirt, charming daughter of the late Edward C. Wirt, of Kansas City, admits she is engaged to marry John D. Spreckels, Jr., a wealthy resident of San Francisco. The story started in the baggage room of a hotel in this city where she is stopping when a fine tiger skin, about sixteen feet ltmg, arrived there from San Francisco. It was said that the name of John D. Spreckels, Jr., was on the box containing it. Miss Wirt, in her apartment on the twenty-first floor, sitting in a chair with her tiny feet on the head of the tiger, was asked about this. "Why, yes, that is perfectly true," she said. "But the formal announcement has not yet been made. You see, it is only six months since that affair of his divorce." VALLEY ill IS si en wheat John N. Foust of Ship pensburg, on Way- Back From West With His Fortune LEFT HIS HOME 20 AGO Made Futile Quest of Gold in Alaska, but Took Up Farming and Now Has Become Immensely Wealthy by Up ward Turn or Oram Market (Special to tlie Star-Independent.) Ellensberg, Wash., Feb. B.—When John X. Foust left his home in Ship pensburg, Cumberland county, about twenty years ago he went north into Alaska, hoping to make his fortune in the gold fields, but failed. Subsequent ly he became a wheat grower and has now piled up a good-sized fortune be cause of his foresight in holding onto his grain, the price of which has sky rocketed in recent weeks, having gone !as high as $1 67 a bushel. Foust, who now is immensely wealthy, plans sliort | lv to visit the home in Shippensburg j of his father, John A. Foust, who is now on a trip west to see him. Foust did not pan out very strongly as a goldminer, according to his own admissions, but he has made a remark able record, according to his business associates, since establishing himself here a few years ago. He first took hold of the telephone troubles of Kit titas county when the lines were in a bad way and service abominable. As sociated with him at the time was C. C. Churchill. Foust was in active con trol and management and in a short time he brought the system out of chaos, rehabilitated the plant, lines and equipment, established long-dis tance connections with the Bell system, and now controls, as well as actively j directs, one of the largest independent | lines in the State. The telephone business, however, : does not engage all of his activities, j for lie has found time to engage in | farming on a big ranch north of this' | city, where he raises wheat, hay, oats, I barley, horses, cattle and hogs on a large scale. According to business intimates "in the know" —Foust himself is reticent in regard to the killing he made in wheat when the price soared —he was more than amply repaid by his fore sight that caused him to hold his wheat when the war broke out. Mr. Foust says he plans to visit his j father in Shippensburg this summer, ! when he buys a new automobile. Like | wise, he plans to plant much more : wheat this year than last. Foust is ! married and lias tlire? children. | BACKENTOSS IS A CANDIDATE Mayor's Secretary Will Seek Demo cratic Nomination for Alderman Clarence O. Backenstoss, who was secretary to Mayor McCormick and Mayor Gross, and who is now secretary to Mayor Royal, to-day announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomina tion for alderman of the Ninth ward. This is one of the laj-gest wards in tho city and there are usually a number of candidates for the position. George A. Hoverter, Republican, is the present al derman. Backenstoss was first appointed to the police force by Mayor McCormick, Democratic, in 1902 and was the young est man ever to be appointed to that position. He did district duty for six months and was then appointed secre tary to Mayor McCormick. He was re tainetl foT a year by Mayor Gross, Re publican, and was selected again for the post when Royal became Mayor. Local Option Bill For To-night It is quite likely that the new local option bill, as prepared under Governor Brumbaugh's direction, will be intro duced to-night in the House. BANKER'S SUICIDE DUE TO OVERDRAFTS OY PATRONS Three Overdrew Accounts for $15,000, Which Drove Cashier to Death— Trio Concerned Trying to Balance Up and Escape Litigation Scliaefferstown, Pa., Feb. B.—While the examination of the books of the Sdhaefferstown National bank by J. M. Logan, the examiner had not been completed last evening, it was officially announced that, so far as the investi gation has proceeded, no evidence is at hand to show that Alvin Binner, the suicide cashier, had taken for his own use one penny of the bank's funds. The examination has, however, disclosed (overdrafts amounting well into tho thousands by at least three customers of the bank, but the exact amount and tho identity of these men are being withheld until the work of Examiner Logan has been completed. This phase of the bank's affairs sup ports the statement contained in tho note penned by Cashier Binner and addressed to his wife and children, just before he carried out his plan of self destruction. Binner wrote: "I am wrong in my bank accounts. I do not have a cent of the bank's I money, but am caught by , I | am sorry, but I coud not tell you. I ! am sorry for the disgrace, but must go. j I'Good-bye to all." j The blank space represents the names of the men who Binner wrote, caught him, and are beiu'g withheld both by Mrs. Binner ami tie bank officials at this time. It is thought that the overdrafts will Continued on Thirteenth l'nge. P. W. WILLIS. LAWYER. DIES Prominent Carlisle Official and United States Commissioner Succumbs in a Baltimore Sanitarium (Special to the Star-Independent.) Carlisle, Pa., Feb. S.—Paul W. Wil lis, formerly borough solicitor and town elerk and for eleven years a memlber of the Cumberland county bar, died in a Baltimore, Md., sanitarium yesterday afternoon from a complication of dis eases from which he had suffered for more than a year. His illness began with a breakdown of his nervous sys tem. Willis was 34 years old. He was married and the father of one e-hild. a son', Paul. He was a graduate of the Dickinson Law School, and until a short time before liis death was solici tor for the borough of Mt. Holly and a United States Commissioner. Besides liis wife and child, he left one sister, Mrs. Lillie Junken, of Lvn dale, Georgia, awl three brothers, James, of Washington, D. C., Wallace, of Pen Argyl, ami Bruce, of Palmer Lake, Colorado. Funeral services will be held here to morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. Tho burial will be in Shippenslburg. P. R. R. ORDERS 68 CARS Additional Hen to Be Hired in Early Spring An order for 68 all-steel passenger and baggage cars was placed at the Al tooua car shops by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company Saturday. The or der is divided into the following classes: Forty-eight class P-70 passen ger cars, eight class M-B-M baggage mail carß for steam service, two class M-B-M baggage-mail cars for electric service and ten class B-60 baggage cars. It was stated by company officials that they intended building these cars last year, but owing to the business de pression the order was held up. Mate rial for constructing them is now being assembled and, commencing some time in April, the cars will be turned out at the rate of four a week. Kansas City Jumps Federals By Asaociatcd Pros. Kansas City, Feb. 8. —J. A. Gilmore, president of the Federal League, con firmed the report that Kansas City would not be represented in his organi zation next year in a telegram received here to-day. HATES OF HE INTERRED ALIVE? Startlingßumorin Con nection With Deaths of Aged Odd Fellows at Yonkers CORONER PROBES HORRIBLE STORY Embalmer Confirms Statement of Fred Mors, a Nurse, Who Confessed He : Caused the Deaths of Eight Persons in Institution By Associated Press. Yonkers, N. Y., Feb. 8. —To the story that eight feeble inmates of the German Odd Fellows' Home here had ben put to death because they were j aged and required much attention, was | added to-day the suggestion that two i other iumates might have been buriel[ alive while still under the influence of , an anaesthetic. It was, believed that' at least two of the bodies will be ex-1 humed. The coroner to-day began an inves tigation of this suggestion. There was I little tangible evidence for him to work I on except reports founded in the fears of tine present inmates with whom they held a long talk yesterday. The New York undertakers who took charge of the bodies were to be questioned as to what steps they had taken to make suro that life was extinct before burial. Henry Blum, an embalmer questioned j to-day by the coroner, confirmed a sitate- i ment imputed to Fred Mors, a former nurse, who told the District Attorney he i had caused the deaths of eight iumates, j in relation to the death of Henry Horn ! December 20. Blum told the coroner, it i was said, that when lie took charge of Horn's body he noticed a bum on the j mouth and asked Mors atyout it and that Mors explained it ha»l been made by a cloth saturated with an anaesthe tic tied about the dead man's face to hold his mouth shut. The bodies of all the eight inmates! who Mors said were put to death were embalmed before burial, Blum said. LATE iR NEWS SUMMARY The German army in the Argonne has begun another of the repeated at tacks which have made that section of Eastern France one of the most bitterly contested battlefields of Europe. The I official German statement of to-day an nounces the capture of a portion of the allies' positions in the Argonne. The French war office says that one German attack was repulsed and that the fight ing is still in progress. In Northern France, near Labassa, there was a violent artillery engagement yesterday but along the western front as a whole it was comparatively quiet. Slackening of the attack along the Warsaw front by the Germans and their transfer of troops to East Prussia, are expected in Warsaw to lead to a general onslaught by the Russians in the en deavor to clear Poland of the invaders. A forward movement already has been undertaken in one section of the line, near the Bzura river, and is reported to have won some successes for the Rus sians. Premier Asquith announced in the House of Commons that British losses Continued on Thirteenth Page. Chicago Cattle Quarantine Lifted By Associated Pre si. ■Chicago, Feb. B.—The Ohi-cago Union Stock Yards, whi<-li have been under jiartial federal quarantine since Janu ary 29, .because of a threatened out break of foot and mouth disease, were reopened to-day for the interstate ship ment of cattle. POSTSCRIPT PRICE, ONE GENT. RUSSIANS IK PURSUIT UF AUSTRIANS Hard Fighting Contin ues in the Carpa thians With Advan tage to Czar's Troops TAKE MORE THAN 2,500 PRISONERS Petrograd Also Reports Capture of Ad ditional Troops After a Retreat North of Uzsok Pass Where Au strian Attacks Wore Repulsed Petrograd, Feb. B.—Hard fighting continues in the Carpathians with suc cesses of consiil'era.ble importance for the Russian troops according to an of ficial communication issued here to-day. A pursuit of the Austrians after their resistance had been broken at these fortified positions near Mezolaborez is said to have resulted in the capture of more than 2,500 prisoners. The cap ture of additional troops after a retreat north of Uzsok Pass also is recorded while it is stated Austrian attacks were repulsed at other mountain passes. Minor Russian victories are claimed in East Prussia and Northern Polanld. The text of the communication follows: "On the right bank of the Vistula some skirmishes favorable to us have taken place. On a broad front near the village of Nadroz Cossacks attacked a squadron of the enemy supported by infantry capturing twenty Hussars. Bayonets Dislodge Germans "Our cavalry at 3 o'clock in the morning dislodged by a bayonet attack the Germans from villages of Podlesijo and Prondystary capturing a quantity of arms, ammunition and wire. 'An important encounter took plaice on the road from Sierpec. to Ilypbi where we delivered a successful night attack in the vicinity of the village of Urszulewo. "On the loft bank of the Vistula, on the Bzura and Raw a rivers, can nonading continued on February 5 but neither adversary undertook active op erations. In the region of the village of Kamiony we began an offensive and made some little progress in spito of an obstinate resistance by the enemy. "Our artillery successfully bombard ed a column of Germans who were mov- Continurd on Thlrtrrnth 1 '■(«. OWNERS OFWILHELIWINA WILLING TO SELL TO 0. S. London, Feb. 8, 1.57 P. M.—lndica ti<ns are more favorable to-day that the American Commission for Relief in Belgium will be successful in its efforts to purchase the American steamship Wilheimina and her cargo of food sup plies, which the vessel is taking from New York to Hamburg. The owners of the Wilheimina are said to be willing to sell the vessel and her cargo, but the price hag not yet been agreed upon. The American Belief Committee in badly in need of the grain carried by the Wilheimina and also needs t/he ship because of the scarcity of bottoms. It is generally believed in London tlhat the AmeYican owners will sell the ship and her cargo at a reasonable price be cause of the sympathy felt in the Unit ed States in the movement to prevent the Belgians from starving. Steamer Dacia Ready to Sail Norfolk, Va., Feb. B.—The steamer Dacia was ready to start on her long heralded voyage to Rotterdam with cot ton from Galveston for Bremen. Caiptain McDonald took out his clearance papers early to day and said he would sail be j fore night on the usual steamer lanes. ! Five members of the crew left the shiiip here. British Casualties Thus Far in War London, Feb. 8, 3.30 P. M.—Premier Asquith, speaking in the House of Com mons to-day, said the British casualties in all ranks in the western area of-the war from the beginning of hostilities to February 4 amounted to approxi mately 104,000 men. This includes killed, wounded and missing. Kaiser Inspects His Troops Amsterdam, Via London, Feb. 8, 5.18 P. M.—A telegram received here from eßrlin says that Emperor William yes terday inspected the German troops who pre fighting in the Baurka-ltawka river district. WALL STREET CLOSING By Associated Press. New York, Feb. B.—Reading declin ed again in the late trading, the entire list reacting with some recovery in the final dealings. The closing was firm. Stocks were dull and irregular during the greater part of to-day's session. Specialties gained 1 to 8 points.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers