4 COMMITTEE ACTS ON LOCAL OPTION TO-MORROW NIGHT Bill Will Be Favorably Reported and May Reach Final Passage Stage In House By Week From To-mor row—Vare Following In Doubt The Law and Order Committee of the House is called to meet to-morrow ■ight by Chairman Williams, when it is probable that the local option bUL will be ordered to be reported off favorably and it will then come up for first reading on Thursday, second reading on the Monday evening fol lowing. and on final passage ou Tues day, April 20. In the meantime both the "wets" and the "drys" are bending every ef fort to win. It is conceded that the friends of the bill have over eighty votee, and some of them claim ninety, «n<} that the Vare members of the House in Philadelphia have the bal ance of power, numbering seventeen. They are all said to be awaiting their cue frtfhi Senator Vare, and will vote on the local option matter as he de sires. Senator Vare is reported to have Mid that in the matter of local option he will not attempt to influence his followers in any manner. With ninety votes in favor the friends of the bill need but fourteen more to .pass it, 104 being a majority of the entire House. On the other hand the opponents of the bill deny that it has any number near ninety pledged for it, and say that it has* but few over sixty, Great influence is being brought to bear on men who are said to be "on the fence" to bring them into the cold water camp. Senator Snyder is said to want a hearing by the Judiciary Special Com mittee on the child labor bill, which would mean that it will not be report ed from the Senate committee this ■week. Of all tue platform pledge bills this is the one nearest of accomplish ment. The House will meet to-night and the Senate to-morrow night. HER HONEYMOON WAS BRIEF Wife Seeking a Divorce Says Husband Left Her on Wedding Day A hearing has beeu set for June 14, next. in the divorce suit of Bertha vs. Wilson C. Potieiger, and therein lies the climax to a brief courtship, an elopement and hurried marriage, half a day of domestic bliss, desertion and. eventually, court troubles galore. Desertion, wilful and malicious, is charged by the young wife, who, through her attorney. W. Justin. Car ter, this morning began the legal fight for separation. The husband in March was paroled in a criminal case for an other three-month period on his prom ise to Judge Kunkel to accept the al ternative of returning to and living ■with his wife, rather than undergoing imprisonment in the county jail or the penitentiary. Young Potteiger's court troubles date from the summer of 1913, when he pleaded guilty to a serious criminal charge. Subsequently—on August 6, : 1913. it was—he "jumped'' his parole, eloped to Hagerstown and married the •woman now suing him. The wife .now charges that he never lived with her for even one day thereafter. KEW CHARGE AGAINST FURRY Man Under Arrest in Lebanon Now Accused of Concealing Weapon Lebanon, April 12.—Rav Forrv. who has been in the police eye for some time and who recentlv escaped from the Lebanon City Hall and later was captured and arrested on *he charge of having robbed Campbell's hardware store, was served with still another war rant on> Saturday in his cell at the county jail here. Forrv escaped from the City Hall cell after being locked up by P. & R. Detective Foruwalt. B. H. Booser, chief of the detective force of the Har risburg division of the P. i- R. railroad. : and Officer Fornwalt appeared before j Alderman R. L. Miller and swore out a ■warrant against Forrv on the charge of having carried concealed deadly weap ons, the weapon being a loaded re volver. Death of Mrs. Mary Witmer Lebanon. April 12. —Mrs. Mary Wit mer, nee Bachman, widow of the late Professor Peter B. Witmer, of West Main street. Palmyra, died at her home of senile debility, at the advanced age of 86 years. Her health had been ex cellent all winter but on Sunday she was taken ill and her death was not unexpected. She was a resident of Pal myra since 1857 and was one of the oldest residents of the borough. Mrs. Witmer was born on the present Kil linger farm near Fontona the daughter of the late Peter Baehman, and married the late Professor Peter B. Witmer, founder and principal of the Witman Academy. Palmyra. She was a mem ber of Trinity Reformed church, Pal myra. These children survive: Charles K. Witmer, Chief Burgess of Palmyra borough, and Miss Rose Witmer, of Palmyra; Mrs. id. B. Felty and Dr. Pe ter B. Witmer, of Abilene, Kansas. She as the last of her family. Mrs. Wit mer was the sister of the late Mrs. C. C. Gingrich, of Lawn, this county. General Strike Is Averted fly Alitor iatcd Press, Syracuse. X. Y.. April 12.—Traction officials and labor leaders expressed themselves as well pleased with the outcome of the conference early to-day between the railway authorities and the labor unions, whereby the strike on the lines of the Empire United Railways was declared off and an agreement reached to submit other matters of dis pute to arbitration. The settlement was reached after a conference lasting until 1.30 this morning and eliminated the possibility of a general strike that threatened to affect virtually every large electric line in the State. Edward P. Moxey Is Dead By Associated Press. Philadelphia, April i2.—Edward P. Qloxey, an expert accountant who ap peared as a witness for the government in many prosecutions of offenders against the national banking laws, died suddenly in Chicago to-day of heart dis ease. Mr. Moxey, whose home was in this city, had a national reputation of ' untangling muddled accounts. He was a witness for the government in the cases against Charles W. Morse, in Xew York, and John R. Welsh, in Chi cago, convicted of violating national Vank laws. Artistic Printing at Star-Independent. CRUISER WILHELM - MAI MAKE DASH CwttiM* Kna First Pas*. early to-day, although Commander Thierfelder expressed the hope that he would be able to do so. It is generally believed, however, that will interne has ship. One hundred and Mttf tons of coal, I fifty tons of fresh water and Ihree days' supply of fresh meats, fruits and vegetables were loaded on barges dur ing the night and were alongside the cruiser at sunrise. These provisions were allotted the raider by Collector of Cus toms Hamilton after couference with the Washington authorities. To Remove the 61 Prisoners Arrangements also were under way for removal from the ship of sirtv-one British sailors taken by the Kronprinz Wilhelm from the steamships Tamar and Colcbv, destroyed in the South At lantic. Lieutenant Conunafider Thierfelder, commander of the cruiser, has asked for time to survey his ship and to submit to examination by a board of United States naval officers before making a formal request as to the time he wishes to remain in American waters for full supplies and repairs. His machinery aft er a 255 days' voyage from New York harbor is said to be in fairly good con dition. evidenced bv the fact that the ship was able to malte at least 23 knots an hour Saturday night and Sunday morning in her dash into Hampton Roads through a' lane that echoed and re-echoed with the sputterings from wireless instruments of enemy war ships. All was shipshape on the Wil helm at sunrise to-day. officers and sailors in their queer-looking gray uni forms of French army cloth captured from the steamer Guadeloupe present ing a fresh appearance after the first undisturbed night's rest in eight months of persistent and elusive operation on the high seas. was a long voyage from New York to Newport News," said Over Lieutenant Warnake, first officer of the Wilhelm. as he looked out on the bril liant sunrise. "But it was a pleasant voyage and in all that time we never touched land. Always we were on the big ocean and now at last we have ar rived. Two hundred and fifty-five days from New York to Newport News and the distance is only 270 mil?s. I won der what can be the matter with this ship." The officer smiled as he enoved his own joke. Sank a Neutral Vessel Sinking bv the Wilhelm of the neu tral Norwegian bark Semautha. bound for Falmouth, February 5, last, prom ised to-day to present an interesting international case similar to that pre cipitated by the sinking of the Amer ican bark William P. Frye by the Ger man raider Prinz Eitel Friedrich, now interned here. The Semantha was loaded with wheat for England. "The Norwegian ship's cargo was contraband of war," said Lieutenant Warneke when asked about the destruc tion of tliis neutral ship to-day. "There was no alternative for us. The cargo of wheat was worth far more than the ship itself and from the ship's papers we found that the wheat was insured by the British government. What could we dot We had to destroy her." Investigation is being made of the conditions under which the Wilhelm slipped out of New York harbor Au gust 3, last, it being reported that she did not have proper clearince papers when she made her dash, as it now de velops, under direct orders from the German government. Should it be found that the ship did not secure | clearance papers, she would be subject j to "pains and penalties" for breach! of the customs law of the United I States. Several of the officers and men of the cruiser were wearing the "iron cross,"! but they refused to discuss the feats j performed to gain it. The sixty-one prisoners now on I board the Wilhelm. who were 'taken from the Royal Mail steamer Tam:u j and the British steamer Colby, stiH I were cooped up in a space on the upper j after deck and guarded by armed sail- j ors. Efforts to talk to the prisoners, were prevented by the guard, but later | to-day they will be brought ashore. Newspapers Banned on Ship A newspaper taken on board and offered to one who begged for it in order to get news from home was con fiscated by an officer. Several of the prisoners, including Captain Crighton, of the Colby, and Chief Officer Math ews, of the Tamar, asked that cable messages tie sent to their families in Kngland. but before the addresses could be secured the guard intervened and newspapermen were ordered from that part of the ship. The crew of the Kronprinz is com posed almost entirely of persons who are naturalized Americans and have lived in the I'nited States for many years. Some of them are former mem bers of the crew of the United States battleship Kearsarge and of the Ger man cruiser Karlsruhe, transferred to the Kronprinz in the South Atlantic. Several others were members of the crews of snips sunk by the auxiliary cruiser. British Vice Consul Kenworthv is in communication .vith Collector Ham ilton concerning the disposition of the prisoners. It is the intention to send them back to England on the British steamer Casandra, now in this port. The Casandra is fitted for carrying pas sengers, but has been engaged in the freight carrying trade of late. German Vice Consul Grassau also paid an offi cial visit to the cruiser. Karlv to-day United States naval pa trol of the James river was begun in the vicinity of the Wilhelm's anchor age. The naval tug Patuxent took a position alongside the German raider, while torpedo boats and submarines anchored in positions leading to Hamp ton Roads. The provisions taken on by the cruis er were for use in this port only, the last of which was responsible for the epidemic of btri beri. MRS. CATHERINE NEFF DIES Burial Will Be Made at Oberlin on Wednesday Afternoon Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Xeff, 58 years of age, wife of Amos Neff, died yesterday afternoon at 5.45 o'clock at her home, 1527 Penn street. She was a member of the First United Brethren Church. She leaves her husband, a son, George R.; a daughter, Elva; three sisters, Mrs. F. M. Guistwhite, of this city: Mrs. H. V. B. Garver, of Oberlin, ana Mrs. Louis Gronden, ilighspire, and a brother, G. B. Neavling, of Carlisle. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the house. The Rev. J. T. Spangler, pastor of the First United Brethren church, will officiate. Burial will be made in the Oberlin cemetery. RARRISBURQ STAR-INDEPENDENT, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 12, 1915. AMERICAN SHIPS IN BRITISH PRIZE COURT SEER RELIEF London, April 12, 1,30 P. M.—The American steamers Navejo and Joseph W. Fordney, both under detention at the present time by the British marine authorities at Kirkwall, have appealed to the American embassy here to pro cure their release. The captain of the Joseph W. Ford ney has advised the embassy that a British prize crew took charge of his ship off the Norwegian coast. The Navejo from Galveston to Bremen, has on board a cargo of cotton. She has been ordered'to the prize court on the order of council, cutting off all trade to Germany. She was taken into Kirkwall April 7. The Joseph W. Fordney left New York March 20 for Malmore. Sho was taken into Kirkwall April 8. LATE WARIEWS SUMMARY C«atlnurd Prom Flrat P>(» that alone resulted in the recapture of a trench At Eparges the French have not advanced beyond the positions cap tured by them April l>. Paris admits also that the Germans have recovered some ground temporarily lost by them between Pontamausson and St. Mlhiel, but even there the French claim to hold most of their gain. The fighting in the Carpathians con tinues along a seventy mile front with apparently undiminished vigor with Russia claiming to have repulsed a de termined counter offensive on the part of the Austrlans and the Germans. On the eastern flank the Russians are drawing near to Uzsok Pass. If they carry this position they will command another easy road to Hungary. Interest in the near eastern situation has been stimulated by the receipt in London of two special dispatches, one of which declares that the recent mis sion to Berlin of Field Marshal Von Der Goltz was instigated by the young Turks, who have declared that Germany must send a strong force to invade Ser bia and threaten Bulgaria in order that munitions of war might be sent to Tur key. while the other quotes the Prime Minister of Bulgaria as saying a new situation has been brought about by the actions of the allies in the east in which Bulgaria sees a possibility of realizing her national aspirations. The sinking of the Belgian relief ship Darpalyce on her return voyage has created much comment here, but the American Relief Commission is awaiting official confirmation of the re port that this ship was sent down by a German submarine before making a protest. Interest in prohibition in England continues unabated with the latest ma terial for discussion supplied by a morning paper which asserts that the government is prepared to take the in dustry of manufacturing light beer at the same time suppressing all other in toxicating drinks. From Russian sources it is reported that the invasion of Hungary has been begun. A dispatch from Lemberg, Ga licia, says the Russians are advancing successfully along a wide front be tween Bartfeld and Uzsok, descending the southern slope of the Carpathians and pressing back the Austrians. In the Dukla region also the Russians are said to have routed the Austrians. froc ing them to abandon stores and trans ports in their retreat. The Mouse-Moselle region is still the scene of the principal contest in the west. Although the French attacks have been made with increasing vigor, Berlin reports that virtually nothing had been accomplished by these tactics. An official review of these operations contains the statement that the Ger mans have regained all the positions lost earlier in the fighting, with a few unimportant exceptions, and that the French have sustained extremely heavy losses. London heard rumors to-day of an other naval engagement off the English coast. It is said heavy firing was tin der way off Scarborough, one of the coast towns attacked by the squadron in its raid several months ago. The bare announcement was received in London to-day that the British steamer Wayfarer had been attacked and torpedoed by a German submarine. VOX BERNSTORFF COM PLAIN ED ODER HOME INSTRUCTION'S Washington, April 12.—German em bassy officials stated to-day that the Ambassador acted under instructions from the Berlin foreign office in pre senting the recent note to the State De partment complaining that while the United States had failed to maintain its right to export foodstuffs to 'Ger many, American manufactures were permitted to continue shipping muni tions of war in unlimited quantities to Great Britain and her allies. Some question had arisen as to what Count Von Bernstorff, the Ambassador asked on his own authorities, since the document, a diplomatic "memoran dum." was phrased by the embassy. Tlie memorandum delivered some days, ago, was made public last night by the Ambassador. He said that he did so without arrangement with the State Department, recalling that the department itself recently published the American note to Germany on the Frye case, though there had "been no agreement for its simultaneous publica tion in Berlin. BERLIN SAYS FRENCH LOSE HEAVILY TAKING TRENCHES Berlin, via Amsterdam to London, April 12, 4.3G A. M.—The main army headquarters has made public a detailed description of the battle between the Meuse and the Moseile. While up to April 7 the French at tacks were directed exclusively by both German wings, tlie descriptions say the enemy now is also attacking the center, having gathered force# near St. Mihiel, but each succeeding day has ended with a full German success on all the attack ed fronts. All the trenches lost in these fights have been regained with the ex ception of a small unimportant part. The details assert that fighting of the fiercest character has been continued from Wednesday to Friday with the French troops generally taking the of fensive at a frightful cost in killed, wounded and prisoners, and with the Germans occasionally yielding a trench or two under severe artillery fire but later counter attacking and resuming their old positions. Birth of a Daughter Announced Mr. and Mrs. Harry B, Saussaman, of Paxtang, announced the birth of a daughter yesterday. INSTITUTIONS ASK STATE FOR TOTAL 0F5125,000,000 Chairman of Houae Appropriations Committee Says Oats Will Be Made to Ooofftm With Charities Board'! Views—Confers With Governor Representative Woodward, of Alle gheny, chairman of the House Appro priation Committee, held a conference this morning with Governor Brum baugh on appropriation matters. The appropriations for almost all ef the hospitals, State institutions and homes asking State aid, will be report ed out of committee this week and Chairman Woodward says a special calendar will be made for their con sideration which will have right of way on certain days until all are dis posed of. In almost every instance the sums asked for, if beyond those recommend ed bv the "'State Board of Charities, will be cut down, and in no instance is there to be any allowance for new buildings. The committee has bills in its hands, the total of which is about J12'5,00'0,000, and these will have to be cut down to come within the revenues of the State, which are estimated at about $6'2,000,000 t« cover all the expenses of the State, The general appropriation bill, w-hich has passed second reading in the House has been referred to back to cqpimittee, will .not come out be fore next week, and in the meantime the heads of departments will be con ferred with as to their actual wants. Governor Brumbaugh is quoted as saying that if the appropriations aro kept within the revenues of the State, he will not use the ax, but there ie fear that the House and Senate will disregard the recommendations of the Appropriations Committee and raise the appropriations in the bills on their way through the respective bodies, and if they go beyond the estimated rev enues the Governor will certainly use his veto ax and will accept the respon sibility thrust on him by reckless law makers. FHy^ANCB NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE QUOTATIONS New York, April 12. Open. Close. Amal Copper 68 68% Anier Beet Sugar .... 16% 46 American Can 36 38 do pfd 95% 97i/g Am Car and Foundry Co 49% 48% Am Cotton Oil <9% 52 Am lee Securities .... 32% 32 Amer Loe-j 33 32% Amer Smelting 69% 69% American Sugar 107% 107% Amer Tel and Tel .... 120% 120% Anaconda 34% 34% Atchison 10 2 102% Baltimore and Ohio ... 25% 25% Bethlehem Steel 107% 124 Brooklyn R T 90% 90 California Petroleum .. 16 15% Canadian Pacific 168 167% Central Leather ...... 37% 37% Chesapeake and Ohio.. 146% 145% Chi, Mil and St. Paul. 92% 92 Chino Con Copper .. 40% 40% Col Fuel and Iron .... 32% 31% Corn Products 12% 12% Distilling Securities ... 10 10 E"e 27% 27% Erie, Ist pfd 43% 43% ■General Electric Co ... 149% 149% Great Nor pfd 120 120% Great Nor Ore subs ... 36% 38% Interboro (Met 16 15% Interboro Met pfd .... 67% 67% Lehigh Valley 142'/, 142% Louis and Nash 120% 120% Mex Petroleum 74% 73% Missouri Pac 14% 15% National Lead 64 62% Nev Consol Copper ... 14% 14 New York Central ... 88% 87'/> NY, N H and H 61% 61% Norfolk and Western .. 104% 104%, Northern Pac 108% 107% Pacific Mail 22Vis 22% Penna R R 109 108% Pittsburgh Coal 22% 23% do pfd 95% 95% Press Steel Car 34% 34% Railway Steel Spg. .... 26 26 Ray Con. Copper 21% 21% Reading 151% 150% Repub. Iron and Steel . 26% 26% do pfd 85 84% Southern Pacific 91'/ 3 91% Southern Ry "19% 19 do pfd ." 61% 61% Tennessee Copper 32% 32% Third Ave 53% 53 Union Pacific 129% 129% U. S. Rubber 72% 72% U. S. Steel 56 55% do pfd 108% 108% Utah Copper 59 59 Yir.-Carolina Chem ... 25% 26% Western Maryland .... 26% 26% W. U. Telegraph 66 66 Westinghouse Mfg. ... 77 76% DEDICATE LODGE TEMPLE Knights of Malta of Beading Open Building Which Cost 960,000 Reading, Pa., April 12.—Visitors were present from Philadelphia, Lan caster, Pottsville, York and Harrisburg, ami four prominent Reading ministers, who are members of the order, made addresses at the dedication of the new $60,000 Knights of Malta Temple here yesterday afternoon. The exer cises were part of a week's jubilee, which opened Saturday witii a street parade, in which 2,000 participated. The principal address was oy Grand Commander H. F. Fisher, of Braddock, Pa. The other speakers were the Revs. G. P. Bierman, CarKiH. Gramm, J. Addi son Kutz and H. G. Weaver. The fes tivities of each evening of the jubilee will be in charge of one of the local commanderies. HIKED TO BEADING SUNDAY Both Brothers Braved Storm on Jaunt to Berks County Professor Frank G. Roth, of the Cen tral High School faculty, and Profes sor Edward B. Both, physical director at the Y. M. C. A., both sons of Frank J. Roth, court stenographer, yesterday hiked to Reading, a distance of 54 miles. The brothers left Harrisburg at 4 a. m. arrived in Lebanon at 11 a. m. and after spending two hours in that city departed for Reading, arriving there between 7 and 8 p. m. Rain in the afternoon failed to halt the pair. New Jersey Minister Here The Rev. G. B M. Closser, of Pem berton, N. J., will give a talk on "Dis pensational Truth" at the home of C. W. Fenstermacher, 929 North Third street, to-night at 7.45 o'clock. ACCUSED OF MOVINC HIS NEW TENANT'S FURNITURE 8. Bifida, Apartment House Owner, Charged by O. A. Wert With Pat ting Household Effects Into Street Because "Not Good Enough " If S. Rifkin. the owner of an apart ment house at 407 VerDeKe street, haa adopted a policy that the tenants of lii« houses must have "swell" furni ture or comparatively as "good as the house into which it is moved," he ad hered to that policy ou Thurtday, ac cording to a suit fifed to-day in which he is charged with "deliberately and maliciously " removing a wngonload of home furnishings belonging to Ort Ad dison Wert from the Verbeke street apartment and casting it into the street. Wert found IUB furniture on the highway when he was about to trans fer the second wagon load of his bouee hold goods from 1537 Fulton street to the Verbeke street apartment, ha says. Much angered, lie nt once sought to know why lie had been "dumped into the street," but he charges thnt the landlord > only excuse 'vas that the "furniture is not good enough for the house." Back Wert went to the Fulton street bouse, taking his furniture with him, and nn hour or so later he was in th« office of W. L. Loeaer, nn attorney. This morning he began a $1,500 dam age suit against Rifkin, in which he demands "compensatory and exemplary damages." Wert alleges in his action for redress that he had contracted with Rifkin to pay $2.50 a week for the Verbeke street npartmeuts aud that be fore attempting to move his furniture he pafd $1.50 to bind the bargain. Rifkin, he charges, now hns the $1.50 and refuses to give it up. It also is alleged that Ritkin was aided in removing Wert's furniture from the house, although the names of the sup posed accomplices are not contained in the bill of complaint. REPORTS ON UNIFORM LAWS Commission Submits Its Findings to the Governor To-day The report of the Commission on Uniform State Laws, consisting of Judge William 11. Staake, Deputy At torney General Hargest and Walter George Smith, was this morning pre sented to Governor Brumbaugh. It con tains the laws that Pennsylvania has adopted from time to time as prepared by the Uniform State Laws Commis sion. The uniform partnership law nlreadv has been adopted and the uniform sales law is now pending, and when passed these will complete the adoption by Pennsylvania of all the uniform com mercial laws that have been recommend ed between States. There already have been adopted by •previous Pennsylvania Legislatures the uniform negotiable instruments act, the warehouse receipts act, the bills of lading act and the stock transfer act. The uniform divorce act will not be pre sented this year. Included in the report was the minute adopted on the death of the late Rob ert Snodgrass, of Harrisburg, who was a member of the commission. 1,130 Canadian Soldiers Insured, Hartford, Conn., April 12.—Through the citv of Toronto, insurance has just been taken out with a local company, it was learned, on the lives of 1,150 Canadian soldiers of the second expe ditionary force for which Lord Kitche ner has called to go to the fighting | line. The amount on each man is sl,- | 000. For three years the city of To ! ronto will pay the aggregate premium i of $45,000. After that the men will be ! expected to pay the premiums them selves. Japs Aid Widows of tJ. S. Sailors By Associated Press. Honolulu, April 12.—The Japanese cruiser Tokiwa put in at Honolulu late Saturday and remained several hours before proceeding. Admiral Tochinai conveyed to the United States authori ties here condolence of the Japanese Emperor on the loss of the crew of the submarine F-4. Officers and crew of the Tokiwa contributed SIOO to the relief fund being raised for families of the F-4's dead. Kreider Shoe Factories Very Busy Lebanon, April 12. —-The Kreider shoe factories located at Annville, Pal myra, Elizabethtown and Miildletown, have received a very extensive order for fall shoes from the various distrib uting houses operated by Congressman A. S. Kreider, of Annville. The local plant recently received its share of the order and now has enough orders on hand to keep the plant running stead ily until July 18 of this year. "Eben Plympton," Actor, Dies By Associated Press. New York, April 12.—Eben Brad lee, known on the stage as "Eben Plympton," one time leading man with Mary Anderson, died here to-day of pneumonia. He had been ill nine days and in poor health a long time. He played leading roles with mnny stars, including the Booths, Clara Morris and Mine. Modjeska. * Eight Indicted For $5,030,000 Deal By Associated Press. Chicago, April H2'.—lndictments against John Farson, Jr., and his brother, William Farson and six other men charged with misuse of the mails in the «nle of securities amounting to $5,050,000 in a Colorado Irrigation deal were announced to-day by the United States Attorney's office here. Thieves Break Skylight and Bun Thieves early fhis morning were frightened at the noise when Jhey broke the skylig'ht in the drug store of Croll Keller, 40>5 Market street, and they vanished before persons from the St. James' hotel adjoining got to the rear of the store. The screen was removed from the top of the skylight and the glass 'broken. Nothing else was dis turbed. KNIGHTS OF ST. GEORGE MEET Elect E. J. Kreidler Delegate to Con vention at Scranton At a meeting of the Knights of St. George, Branch 168, of the St. Francis Roman Catholic church, Edward J. Kreidler was elected director, to go to the convention to be held in Scranton June 1. Other candidates were Mr. Waldschmidt, who has been director for the past three years; Adam Sutter and William Storm. It was decided that on April 29 a reception be held for the) members of the Branch and their firends. The music will be furnished by the Verti Italian band. I GOVERNOR IS PREACHER AT CHURCH OF BRETHREN On* of Ma*y Miblstara to Discuss Local Option is City Churches Yesterday —Congregations Vote to Support Him in Stand Among the many ministers who spoke on local option in Harrisburg churches yesterday in compliance with Gover nor Brumbaugh 'a request was the Gov ernor himself, who is an ordained min ister of tho Church of the Brethren. He attended services at the Hummel street church of that denomination, aiul although his intention had not been to speak to the congregation, he was called upon iu the course of tho service and addressed the large gathering. An address by tho Uovernor had not been announced but many visitors filled the church. "If," said the Governor, "your of ficials elected to office do not stand by their creed iu office they are utterly unfit to rule. We officials are set aside by the people not to lord over but to servo them. My stand is very common place, for you who have always known me and my habits have a right to ex pect me to behave in office as I have befor(. A man who would do other wise would be a hypocrite. Local option sermons were given as announced in many churches, and mem bers in many instances wore white rib bon# and white flowers. The Tip persry local option song was s favorite during services. Representative Wildman heard tho sermon of the R«v. W. H. Dallman at the Market Street Baptist church and Representative Nissley that of tho Rev. W. S. Booth at tho First Baptist church. The congregation of the Nagle Street Church of Uwl unanimously vot ed to support the Governor in his local option stand, following a sermon by the Kev. H. B. Wolbert. Following a sermon by the Rev. J. A. Lyter, especially addressed to the men of the Derry Street United Breth ren church, the voters present adopt ed a resolution endorsing the Williams' local option bill and the action of Gov ernor Brumbaugh in his efforts to se .cure its passage. A TREE FALLACY.' / Hw Idea That tin Iranthn RIM aa the Trunk Grawa. j It Is commonly lelleved that aa a iree grows It derates the lower braneh ra and nny other thing firmly attached to It. As n result, curious stories like the following circulate: A Canadian farmer built A barn on wlliow posts set lu the ground. The next spring happened to be wet, aud he noticed that the horseu had trouble In stepping up to the floor on entering. Finally It dawned upon him that the . willow posts, which by tjils time had' put out branches and leaves, wero' growing and elevating the whole barn.! The process continued until the floor was some nine or ten feet high. > Then he put In another floor at tb# ground level. At the time the story was told this second floor was fonr feet from the] ground, and the farmer was hoping for, | a wet season so that the elevation might continue until he could put hi a' third floor. It 1a Impossible to take this tale ae-J rlously, but many folks believe stories with as little foundation. Sometimes a hog tight fence Is attached to green posts. In a few years the owner no-' tlces that good sized pigs can crawlj underneath It and often be coßClndes the green posts have grown and els-' vated the whole fence- This elevation, however, happens also with seasoned posts and Is due to another cause. Water expands wbe4 It freezes, and In the ground the ex pansion cannot be downward or side wise. so It must be upward. Conse quently, every time the ground freezes the posts are pushed upward a frac tion of an Inch. When thawing occurs the weight of the fence IK not suffi cient to push them back. Thus every fre<!ce means a slight el*- vatlon, and In the course of three or four years the fence may no longer be bog tight In the same way wheat Is lifted out of the ground in the early spring wben the ground freezes for several nigbta In succession and thaws In the day time. Farmers and city dwellers alike be lieve tbat a growing tree elevates Its lower branches; otherwise, they say. bow Is it tbat a three foot cherry tree In a few years has not a branch with in four feet of the ground? if eleva tion really occurred, however, It la dif ficult to aee how we could ever have a low beaded tree, and tbat It actually does not occur Is shown by careful ob servation apread over a number of years. The lower branches gradunlly die as they are shaded by the upper ones and in the course of time drop off. This natural pruning can be aeen In all its stages at the same time In any fairly dense forest Here It Is easily seen that only branches In tie light continue to thrive and live. No branch is elevated to any extent after it is a year old.—Farm and Fire side. Flags ef • Chi*. Here Is the complete story of a ship's, flags, where tbey are flown and what they signify: On the ataff in the bow—The jack of nation to which vessel belongs. On the foremast—Flag of foreign na tion vessel is going to. If going to own national port she carries flag of nation she is leaving if that nation happens to be foreign. On the mainmast—The bouse flag, al ways. On the sftermain Hf ahe has onei— Flag bearing vessel's nsme. On the mtzzen—Nothing. On tbe staff at the stern—The na tional ensign of the nation to which the vessel belongs.—New' Tork Tribune. Then They Quit "What's the troirble lierel'' "The bellboys are on a strike." " Want more pay, I supposet" "o. A man came in a little while ago and asked to have Waldislascz Bzcburezs paged.''—Chicago Herald. COURT HOUSE FOREIGNERS IN SLANDER 81 IT Fimn HITI Dispute Involving Pur chase of Fuming Implements Whether a criminal. suit charging Himo Rusnor, a Steelton foreigner, with attempting to defraud his cred itors, wee brought with a malicious intent to defame Rusnor'* good name, is what a jury in Judge McCarrell'» court will have to decide. Kusnor is seeking damages from one Artso Dim off, another Steelton alien, whom he charges was the prosecuting witness in the criminal action, which figured iu the couTt months ago. The (TVand Jury threw the case out. Judge C. V. Henry, of Lebanon county, is specially presiding in No. 2 court, where a case involving the sale of a farming imple ment w*s being tried. Samuel Bower, the contends that the machin ery was not an represented by R. L. Wiest, tl;e defendant, and he seeks to be relieved from paying for it. Judge Kunkel remained in chamber where other vases occupied his atten tion. Appevil Is Piled An appe.il from the decision of the Public Service Commission who re fused the application of the Business Men's Association of Hatboro, to com pel the Philadelphia and Reading Rail way Company to continue running a late nitfht train between Reading and Hatboro, was filed with the court this morning, A date has not yot been fixed for the court hearing. Kerstlitter Released From Jail Judge McCarrell this morning made an order permitting Walter E. Kerstet tcw to enter into his own recognizance as security for his faithful compliance with a court maintenance order made in fnvor of the defendant's wife. Ker stetter had been unable to get another bond and had been in jail. He wag re leased to-day. Bridge Inspectors Named At the suggestion of the County Commissioners, Judge McCarrell this morning named Martin M. Kcet, A. 8. Hamman and C. H. Hoffer a board of viewers to inspect the new concrete viaduct spanning the SwaMra creek, between Middletown and Rovalton, The inspectors will meet at the placo of the improvement on Thursday aft ernoon at 4 <?*cloek. Banquet Committee to Meet The banquet committee of the Har risburg Councilmanic Association will meet in the office of the City Olerk, in the Court House, to-morrow even ing:, beginning at 7.30 o'clock, accord ing to notices sent out to-dav by As sistant City Clerk R. R. Seaman, who is secretary of the society. Bond Is Reduced The >I,OOO bond which had been demanded of the defendant in a dam age suit by Pearl Gebhart against Semo Jovauovic, this morning was re duced to S3OO. Sues For Divorce TliTough his attorney, W. Justin Carter, Harry J. Harris this morning begun suit for divorce against his wife Mabel V. Harris, charging deser tion. Damage Suit Settled The damage suit of Sarah and Ben jamin H. Prowell against the Harris bung Railways Company, which was to have been heard at the Common Pleas court term which opened this morning,' was settled by the parties. STRUCK BY AUTOMOBILE William O. Henry Injured As He Walks Around Trolley Car William C. Henry, 12>55 South Thir teenth street, was struck and serious ly hurt by an automobile, said to have been driven by Guy S. Vogt, on Cam eron street, near tho Susquehanna Are engine house, Saturday. Henry rounded the front of a trolley car he had just alighted from and was run down by the machine which was rounded the outside of the car, according to the report made to the police. Another autoist wrfo saw the acci dent, took Henry to the latter's home. He received a badly sprained left leg, ■body bruises and lacerations. CLASS MASCOT IS NO MORE Alligator Brought From Florida by O. P. Beckley lor Derry Street Men Dies The alligator which was brought from Florida by O. P. Beckley as a mascot for the men 'a Bible class of Derry Street United Brethren church, Fifteenth and Derry streets, died Sat urday. Announcement was yesterday made of the death. Tho little reptile was brought from Florida during the Easter snow storm and the change proved too much fpr its constitution. SCULPTOR DIES OF INJURIES Karl Bitter, Creator of Quay Statue, Succumba at New York Hospital Karl Bitter, widely known sculptor, who executed the statute of fomier Senator Quay standing in the rotunda of the State Capitol, died Saturday in a New York hospital. He and his wife were run down last week by an auto mobile and his injuries prored fatal. He was born in Austria in 1867 and came to Amerffca when a young man. He received many gold medals and was honored by art institutions. Mrs. Jennie S. McKinney 'Mrs. Jennie S. McKinney, aged 70, died last evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Zimmerman, at Enhaut. Mrs. McKinney was a native of Altoona, the widow of the late John W. iMcKinney, who was for years con nected with the iHollidavsburg "Stand ard" and Altoona "lVrbune," and came to Harrisburg in 1872 as a re porter of legislative proceedings for the Legislative "Record' and Harris burg "Telegraph." He died in 1872. Mrs. McKinney is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Keefer, of Millersburg, and Mrs. Harry Zimmerman, of En iiaut. The funeral will, take place on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Mrs. Zimmerman's residence. Inter ment in Harriiburg cemetery. Reading Shops Working Longer Hours The motive power department of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad on Saturday issued a sweeping order to put all of the car shops on a nine-hour day and a fifty-hour week, increasing the hours of labor one hour each day. The order went into effect to-day. Noted Lecturer Here To-morrow Walter Thomas Mills, M. A., will lecture to-morrow night at the Board or Trade on "Science and Socialism." The lecture begins at 8 o'clock.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers