The star-independent. (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, May 27, 1915, Image 1
THE WEATHER ' FAIR TO-NIGHT AND TO-MOKBOW Detailed Report. Pas* « VOL. 77—NO. 149. ESTABLISHED "pr. i. I*7«. TORPEDO OR MINE STRIKE NEBRASKA!!? Examination Neces sary to Determine What Damaged U. S. Vessel Off Ireland "NO WARNING, SAW NOTHING" Thus Reports Captain Green, of Dis abled Vessel, iu Message to Consul Skinner at London—President Wil son Awaits More Definite News By Aawiated Press. Washington. May 27. —Messages re ceived by the State Department to-day from Ambassador Page and Consul Gen eral Skinner at London and Consul Frost at Queenstown, failed to say defi nitely whether the steamer Nebraskau liad been torpedoed or had struck a mine. One of the dispatches- said the Nebraskan's American flag had been hauled down five minutes before wa.s struck, although her name was painted on her sides in letters six feet high. The American naval attache at Loudon has been sent to Liverpool to examine the Nebraskan's hull. Terrific Explosion Causes Damage Consul General Skinner's message follows: "Green, master of American steamer Nebraskau, in wireless addressed to me via London, reports: "'Nebraskan passed Rock Tuesday 4.32 p. m., t ' erpool bound for Delaware Breakwater in bal last. At 8.24 p. m. when steamer was about 48 miles west half south from Fastnet she experienced violent shock followed instantly by terrific explo siou, bursting hatches :ind throwing hatch beams, cargo derricks and twist ed iron into air, tilling lower hold for ward completely with water. Crew im mediately took to boats. U. S. Flag Hauled Down " 'After standing by ship one hour returned on board and at 10.30 start ed for Liverpool. About 1.25 a. m. met two vessels sent by -British Admiralty in answer to our wireless call. One has been in attendance ever since. " 'lt was dusk when the explosion occurred. Flag had been hauled down five minutes before. Steamer's name paiuted ou both sides of the ships in letters six feet tail. Had no warning an 1 saw nothing.' " Ambassador Page sent the following message: "Admiralty has reported from that the Xeibraskan is now on her way to Liverpool, under her ow-n Continued on Seventh Pace. DANISH STEAMER SUNK BY GERMANS: MEW RESCUED South Shields. Eng., May 27, 2.41 P. M. —The Danish steamer Betty was torpedoed bv a German submarine in the Xorth Sea yesterday and went to the bottom. The members of her crew were rescued and have been brought to the Tyne. The "Danish steamer Betty was 281 feet long an.l of 1267 tous net register. She was built in 1912 and was owned in Copenhagen. She sailed from Balti more April 10 for Copenhagen, where she arrived May 8. OERMANS TOKPKDO MONTREAL STEAMER; I PERSON KILLED Cardiff. Wales, May 27, via London, 4.20 P. M. —The steamer Morwenna of Montreal, was torpedoed and shell e l by a German submarine at midday of Wednesday at a point 160 miles west by south of .St. Ann's Head. One member of the crew of the vessel was killed and three were wounded. The others have been lauded here. The Morwenna WHS bound from Car diff for Sydney, Cape Breton, in bal last. The Belgian trawler .laquelene picked up the crew. The Morwenna, a British steamer, was built at Dundee in 1904. She was 260 feet long and was owned bv the St. Lawrence Shipping Company, of Montreal. The maritime records show that she left Cardiff, May 2-5. Ht. Ann's Head is in Wales, in Pembrokeshire. A distance of 160 miles west by south of this location would have placed the Morwenna not far from Old Head of Kinsale, where the Cunard liner Lusi tania was torpedoed, May 7. King of Greece Getting Better Washington. May 27. King Con-, stantine's condition is improving, ac cording to a physician's bulletin issued last night and received to-day at the Greek legation here. STAR- MISS NULLS HERE 111 'SWEETHEARTS' COMPANY Young Woman Who Was Bridesmaid at Smlth-Knisely Wedding Last Fall Will Be Warmly Welcomed When She Appear* To-night Many of the younger social set of Harrisburg who met Miss Jessie Nick olls. of New York City, when she spent several weeks in Harrisburg preceding the wedding of Miss Mary Esther Knisely, daughter of the late Arch G. Knisely, to Mr. Paul G. Smith, which took place on last Thanksgiving Day and at which Miss Nicholls was a bridesmaid, are planning to give her a warm welcome when she appears on the stage at the Majestic Theatre this evening with Miss Christie Mac Donald in "Sweethearts.'' Miss Nicholls has been on the stage only six weeks, having started out with the "Sweethearts" company when it left New York about the mid dle of last month. However, she has been intrusted with an important role in which she sings well and dances with rare grace. Miss Nicholls conducted a dancing class in New York for several years and it was her skill and experience thus gained that won for her a coveted place in the company with Miss Mac- Donald. She already has a'' speaking Continued on Mnlh I'ftge. RECEIVERS APPOINTED FOR ZARTMANLKR COMPANY Order Affecting Concern Having Ex tensive Camps in Mountains Near Dauphin Is Issued by Federal Judge Witmer The W. P. Zartman Lumber Com pany, which for years has operated lumber camps near Dauphin, in the up per end of this county, and conducted a similar business in Northumberland. Clinton and other counties of Pennsyl vania, was placed under a receivership bv an order Issued yesterday by Judge Charles B. Witmei. sitting in the Mid dle District Federal Court, in Sunbury. Mercer B. Tate and John E. Witmer, of this city, were appointed receivers on petition of Senator K. E. Beidleman. who represents creditors who allege that the company's assets amount to several hundred thousand dollars, but that they are exceeded by the liabilities. Zartman. who for years has engaged extensively in the lumber business, is a resident of Shamokin. Harrisburg lawyers recently have entered a score of judgments, totaling $26,146.77, against the lumber dealer. In some of these judgments, however, Zartman is but a party defendant, other persons sharing the liabilities with him. The individual judgments range from S2OO to $5,000 in size. 20 HIGHSCHOC'L ATHLETES NAMED ASAJIE PATROL Appointed This Afternoon by New Principal Who Is Disgusted With Drill Held Yesterday "Girls First" Is to Be Slogan of the Corps Because he is dissatisfied with the results of a fire drill held yesterday at the Central High school, Howard G. Dibble, the new principal, this after noon appointed twenty of the school's athletes to serve on a fire patrol which will direct future drills and be respon sible for the safe conduct of the stu dents from the building in case of actual fire. The drill yesterday was the first which the new principal has witnessed. He expressed dissatisfaction with the order, or lack of order, of the students and decided on the necessity for the tire patrol. There was much unueces- Continued on Ninth E'aKf. . CROWDED OUT OF CAI'ITOL State Game Commission Compelled to Take Quarters in Locust Street This is moving day for the State Game Commission. For years the Com mission has "been confined to one room in the Capitol, but the growth of the many duties imposed on it by new laws has led to the demand for larger quar ters, especially since the scalp bounty law has required more help and greater room and the hunters' license law has added to the work. To-day the Commission's quarters were removed to the fourth floor of the Franklin building, on Locust street, next door to the Orpheum, where the business will be transacted probably until the Capitol is enlarged. SUE RAILROAD FOR $15,000 Mother and Son Seek That Amount For Loss of the Latter'g Leg A claim for $15,000 damage, $lO,- 000 for the son and $5,000 for his mother—is made in a damage suit filed to-day against the Pennsylvania Railroad Company by Earl E. kreiser, 12 years old, the Rovalton lad whose foot had to be amputated following an accident in which a freight car passed over the limb on a siding within sight of his home on May 15, last. The claim of the mother, Margaret Kreiser, is based upon the consequen tial losses she sustained as a result of the son's injuries. HARRISBURG, PA* THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 27, 1915—12 PAGES. REVIVE ROMANCE OF mm AGO James Walker, 66. and Miss Matilda Elder, Childhood Sweet hearts. Soon to Wed BOTH RAISED NEAR PAXTANG After Courting Miss Elder in Youth He Marrted Another Woman. But He Is a Widower Now and Prlends Let It Out that Wedding Day Is Near A romance begun more than two score years ago when they were chil dren together on the Rutherford farms, near what is now Rutherford Heights, will culminate in the wedding in the near future of Miss Matilda Elder, sis ter of Mrs. Prancis Rutherford, and .lames Walker, 66 years old, a widower, who has long been a trusted employe of the Boyd estate. Miss Elder resides with Mrs. Rutherford in the latter's home in Rutherford lane, a mile east of Paxtang. News of the wedding plans has been confided to close friends, although the date for the marriage and the details of the ceremony have not yet been ar ranged. Formal announcement of the engagement has not yet been made, but a niece of Miss Elder this morning con firmed the news. Both Miss Elder and Mr. Walker were born on the Rutherford farms and have resided in that section of the county ever since. They were play mates and later sweethearts, Mr. Walker having courted Miss Elder two score years ago. Despite their childhood ro mance there was no wedding of the pair and Mr. Walker, after some years, married another woman. He is a widower now, the old love lias been re kindled and announcement of the wed ding date is expected soon. Mr. Walker, who boards house hold of Mrs. George Shearer, on Peifer's lane, just east of Paxtang, at present is engaged in building a storehouse on the Boyd estate. He will fill a clerkship there on the building's completion. Mr. Walker has been employed on the Boyd estate ever since his youth. His one son is also employed there. SLEUTHS 10 BE BUSY AT BRETHREN CONFERENCE Large Crowds at Hershey Next Week Will Be Protected From Artful Dodgers by Detectives and by De tail From State Constabulary (Special to the Star-Independent.) Hershey, May 27. —The services of a detail of eight members of the State Constabulary, three mounted and five on foot, as well as of experienced plain clothes detectives from various cities, have been secured to protect the large crowds which will be in the chocolate town during next week's Church of the Brethren conference and which on one day, Sunday, June 6, are expected to reach sixty thousand persons. The detectives will be posted par ticularly in the cars of the Hershey Rapid Transit Company, which will be crowded at practically all trips in all directions and will keep constantly on the lookout for artful dodgers and oth er crooks. Very seldom in the history of the chocolate town has there been such a busy season as is noticeable here at present. In a few days hundreds of the Brethren denomination will arrive for their annual gathering. Nearly all the preparations are complete with the exception of the massive tabernacle in Continued on Eleventh Pace. DOG SCARESfI BURGLAR Causes Thief to Flee After Getting Only $1 at Home of One-Time Head of Council Thieves last evening broke into two places, a residence and a candy store, got several dollars and fled without the police knowing of their presence. At the home of Charles Steiner, 817 North Sixth street, $1 was taken. At the candy store of R. V. Fairlamb At Com pany, 208 Market street, both cash reg isters wers rifled and something like $3 stolen. After ransacking the first floor of the Steiner home, the intruder went up stairs and poked his head into Stein er's sleeping room. A dog roused the family, but the thief ran and escaped before an effort could be made to ap prehend him. After the $3 was taken, something like $1 in change was left in one of the cash registers in the Fairlamb store and this led to the belief that the thieves were frightened away before they finished their job. Mr. Steiner, who is a former presi dent of Common Council, said: "If it hadn't been for my terrier 'Diana,' I believe the burglar would have gotten more money which was in the house." WHERE AUSTRIA MADE FIRST AERIAL ATTACK ON ITAL\ « » • THE ARSENAL AT " VENICE Austrian aeroplanes In their first demonstration against Italjr attacked the arsenal at Venice and other points along the Italian coast. Anti-aircraft guns at Venice drove away the Austrian* and little beyond material damage was Inflicted at any point attacked by aeroplanes. Venice is one of the nearest points of attack from Pola and Trieste, and lias long been reported as the first point of attack for the Austro-Hungarian forces, and in anticipation of just such an attack as that delivered the Italians have revised the defences of the place Uuriug the last six months by the addition of 10 and 11-inch guns. ITALIANS CROSS ISONIZO RIVER AFTER SHARP FIGHT WITH ANAUSTRIAN FORCE Geneva, Switzerland, May 27, Via Paris, 2.25 P. 11. —A strong Italian ad vance guard to-dav crossed the Isonizo river after a sharp fight with an Austri an force and arrived before the town of Moufalcone which is thirty miles from the Austrian seaport of Triest. The first of the Austrian wounded are now arriving at the latter place. The Italians also attacked at sev eral points along the forty miles of the Corinthian frontier. A battle between the Italians and Au»yians now is rag ing around Ploken and *h>n west of the Praedil pass in Austria. In Adige the fighting has been limited to skirm ishes. Italian forces which penetrated the Tyrol at Oandino and other Italian arms which captured (.'ormons had re constructed the railway and are now marching on liorz. the capital of the Austrian crowH land of tiorz and (irad isca. Both the Austrian and Italian avia tion services are very active along the frontier. Many machines have been gathered at Venice to protect that city. A Parsival airship arrived by rail at Trent yesterday from Munich. Bavaria. A Zeppelin dirigible balloon is reported to be preparing to follow it shortly from Friedricbshafen. Several regiments of Bavarian Al pine troops yesterday crossed Brenner 'pass, which is 4,485 feet high, bound for Bosen. Between Salsburg and Innsbrueck forty-five trains are passing daily, transporting.men and material. Swiss patrols are marking the eastern fron tiers of Switzerland with flags to pre vent incidents. BRISK WIND KEEPS FROST FROM DOING DAMAGE HERE Minimum Temperature of Forty De grees Reported Last Night—Weath er Bureau Officials Predict Frost To-night in Exposed Places Tnusual falls in temperature which carried the mercury within six degrees of the May minimum temperature rec ord will continue here to-night and into to-morrow, causing frost in exposed places to-night. Heavy damage was done in the lake region "and the Middle Atlantic States by frost last night. The minimum temperature here last night was 40 degrees. No frost was re|>orted here, probably due to a brisk wind which was blowing. With the abatement of the wind Weather bureau officials expect frost in exposed places to-night. On May 2, 1903, the abso lute minimum temperature for twenty seven years, 33 degrees, was estab lished. While frost is expected to-night, warmer weather is promised Friday. Temperatures close to the freezing point were recorded in places in the lake re gion and the IMiddle Atlantic States, while a warm rain was falling in the central valleys. Overcoats and winter bed clothes which were put in the moth chest for the summer weTe resurrected last night when the cold overtook the city ami will be put to good use again to-night. Ice Formed at Lockport, N. Y. Lockport, N. Y., May 27.—A killing white frost, which put a coat of ice on Continued on Ninth I'axr. Vigilance Committe For Paxtang Determined to put an end to the many robberies that have occurred in the borough in the last few months, residents of Paxtang declared to-day that they proposed to organize gangs of volunteer watchmen to go on night duty. The plan is to have at least half a dozen men remain on the streets of the town each night and lie in wait for the thieves. ■MSI HUM Dreadnought South Carolina Escorts For mer Vessel and Pas sengers to New York. WARSHIP'S FAST RUN TO RESCUE 1 Holland-American Liner's Pirescngers Asleep When the Cuneo Struck the j Ryndam—When Vessel Settles Lifeboats Were Entered Orderly I By Associated Press, ; New York, May 27. —The Holland- Americun liner Ryndam was safe in port here today with passengers and crew once more on board after a col- I lision anil a narrow escape from de struction early Wednesday morning off 1 Nantucket shoals lightship. The Nor- Iwegian freighter Joseph ,1. Cuneo, which rammed the Ryndam, was ereep | ing in with ten feet of her bow I crumpled by the impact. ! Four transfers, two at sea anil two jin New York harbor, left (12 of the j 74 passengers who sailed from New ! York on the Ryndam Tuesday afternoon buck again aboard the Dutch liner, i These passengers and 160 members of | the Ryndam's crew who were taken aboard by the Cuneo at 4.30 Wednes | day morning, half an hour after the two I steamers collided. Rescue Vessel's Fast Run At fi.3l) a. m. the Cuneo transferred ' the rescued passengers and seamen to I the United States battleship South < arolina, which distanced three other battleships of the Atlantic fleet in a race started by the call for help from , the wireless aboard the Ryndam. The ] South Carolina brought the ship wrecked company to this port and trans | ferred them at 1.30 to the steamer Thomas •). Millard off Tompkinsville. Meanwhile the Ryndam, with fifty of her crew aboard, came in under con- Contlnued on Sixth I'aEe. 0. S. WARSHIPS IN BIG GALE Rhode Island and Nebraska Consider ably Damaged When They Scrape Each Other In Storm By Associated Prcsa. Newport, R. 1., May 2 7. —The bat tleship Rhoilf? Island dragged her an chors during a heavy gale that swept | Narragansett bay last night and was | blown against the battleship Nebraska, carrying away a portion o>f the bridge and injuring somes of the guns on the later ship. Itoth vessels lost consider | able side gear. Hundreds of officers and men of the Atlantic fleet were forced to spend the night ashore, as the wind was so high that the launches could not put out to the ships. Dogs Attack and Kill Four Calves The County Commissioners will be asked to pay damages for the loss of five calves that were torn to pieces on Tuesday night by a pack of half a doz en savage dogs that were roaming about on the farm of Albert Detweiler, near .Oberlin, so attorneys said to-day. One of the calves died within a few minutes of the attark, three others since have died and the fifth, it is re ported, cannot live. FRENCH AERIAL SQUADRON IMES ATTACK ON GERMAN RHINE CHEMICAL FACTORY* ! I Paris, May 27, 2.37 P. M.—A ! French aerial squadron composed of j eighteen aeroplanes, each one carrying ! fifty kilos (110 pounds) of projectiles, this morning bombarded a chemical i factory at Ludwigshafen, on the Rhine, opposite Mannheim. Fire broke out in ! several of the factory buildings a.s a ' result of this bombardment. This factory is one of the most im portant manufacturers of explosivos in I all Germany. The French aviators ! were in the air for six hours and cov ered more than 400 kilometres (24ft miles). This information was contained in the French official statement given out by the War Office this afternoon. The I statement reads: "Belgian troops last night repulsed two German attacks, one to the north i and the other to the south of Dixmude. Continue!) on Ninth ! BRITISH AVIATORS DESTROY R. R. BRIDIiE OVER SCHELDT London. May 27. —British aviators j have destroyed the big railroad bridge | over the Scheldt at Ghent, besides j wrecking the railroad station and i freight depots, says a Rotterdam dis patch to the "Mail." j 1 The raid s believed to have spoiled German plans for a new railroad cen | ter at Ghent. j 50 MERMAN SOLDIERS KILLED | BY BOMB FROM AN AEROPLANE | Amsterdam. Via London, May 27, 5.13 A. M. —Fifty German soldiers I who were passengers in a street car at | Ostend were killed by a bomb dropped i from an allied aeroplane, according to | a dispatch from that city to the "Telegraaf," describing a series of air raids made by the allies' aviators. The railroad station, shipping in the harbor and numerous houses have been damaged. TURKISH OU.N BOAT SI'NK IN SEA OK MARMORA BY BRITISH Paris, May 27. 5 A. M.—A Turkish gunboat of the Aidin Reis type was sunk in tin: Sea of Marmora, within sight of Constantinople, by a British submarine, according to an Athens dis patch to the "Journal." The loss of the gunboat, following i close upon the destruction of Turkish ! transports last week has caused a deep ! impression in Constantinople. Allies Batter Turks' Positions Paris, May 27, 1.0.20 A. M.—A dis patch to the Havas Agency from Athens dated May 26 says the action of the allies against the Turkish positions on the Dardanelles straits is continuing \ igorously. SAY OSTRICH CO. IS SOLVENT Creditors Ask Court to Name Receiver in Lieu of Bankruptcy Proceedings The appointment of a temporary re ceiver to take over the company's af fairs in lieu of having the concern go into bankruptcy, has been suggested by creditors of the African Ostrich Farm & Feather Company, who declare that the eompanv is now insolvent, as has been. alleged. .fudge Charles B. Witmer, sitting in the Federal court in Sunbury, yesterday deferred until next Monday his deci sion on the request for a receiver. POSTSCRIPT PRICE ONE CENT. ZEPPELINS IN RAID KILL 3 INSOUTHEND Town In England Is Visited by German Airships For the Sec ond Time BRITISH CHASE THE INVADERS Latter Were Pursued By Aeroplanes But Succeeded In Making Their Escape—Little Material Damage Was Done By the Bombs South Bnd, Eng., May 27, 10.35 A. M.—Another Zeppelin airship raid was made upon this town last uiglit and it in • reported that three persons were killed hv 'bombs which were dropped. The entire town was illuminated by the bursting of shells dropped by the aircraft. The material damage caused appears to have been less than on the occasion of the last raid. Among the killed was Mrs. May Fabin, who was here on a visit. A number of people, however, were injured. Some reports say that two and others three Zeppelins took part in the raid. It is, however, impossible to give the number accurately because of the heavy cloud through which the moon shone but dully at the time of the attack. Some of the Missiles Incendiary The noise of the propellers of the airships was first heard shortly before 1 1 o'clock. Then came at once the shock of the explosions as the bombs rained down from above. Somo of the missiles were incendiary and threw out bright flares of light. Crowds assembled in the streets of South End to view the raider*. The killing of Mrs. Fabin occurred while the woman was leaving a street car. It is retailed that on the previous raid the only victim was a woijian. British aeroplanes went up in pur suit of the raiders but were not suc cessful in overtaking them. Somo tjnie later two Zeppelins were seen over Burnhani-on-Crouch, seven miles to the northeast of South lind, but no more bombs were dropped. Two Women Reported Killed London, May 27, 11.50 A. M. —The secretary of the admiralty has issued a statement on the South End raid which, contrary to the dispatch from South End says two women were killed in the air raid on that place last night. It reads: "Late last night a Zeppelin visited the east roast, and bombs were drop ped on South End. The casualties re ported to-day are two women killed and one child badly injured. Very lit tle material damage was done. Aero planes and seaplanes proceeded in pur suit of the enemy but the Zeppelin suc ceeded in escaping in an easterly direc tion. '' South Bnd, which is « municipal borough and popular seaside resort at the mouth of the Thames, forty miles cast of London, has been the target of Zeppelin raiders several times in the past six months. On no previous occa sions, however, have the results been serious. To Maintain Strict Neutrality London, Muy 27.—Sweden, Norway and Denmark have sent to Italy, Ger many and Austria, following their declaration of war, formal notification of the Scandinavian nations' determi nation to imfintain strict neutrality. LATE WARIEWS SUMMARY Italian forces, pushing Into Austria along the front running north of the gulf of Triest, crossed the Isonzo river to-day, after a sharp encounter. They are now said to be within 30 miles of Trieste. The Italians also are attacking at several points farther north, along the Carinthian frontier. A squadron of 18 aeroplanes, carry ing bombs were reported as having struck into Germany to-day and per formed one of the most spectacular feats of the war. The raid was direct ed at one of the principal manufactur ers of explosives in Germany, on the Rhine opposite Mannheim. The official French statement says the attack was successful and several buildings were set on fire by the bombs. Infantry fighting is proceeding along the France-Belgian front principally on the western end but the official re- Continued on Ninth Pnfte. Immersion at Nagle Street The Rev. J. A. Staub, pastor of the I Nagle Street Church of God, immerse I ; six candidates for membership at the Nagle Street Church of God on Sunday. WALL SIHEET CLOSINU Hi/ Asfiociritcd I'rrss, New Yorjc, May 27 (Wall Street).— The Pacific group moved contrarily in the later dealings, Union Pacific and Southern Pacific falling back, while Great Northern and Northern Pacific advanced. The closing was firm. Trading in stocks to-day was again mainly professional and inconclusive. Coppers were the chief features.