The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 09, 1918, Image 1
1)C
?" ? 1 ? ? ?? I I I . 11
TttK HUMTUU HATCH MAN, E*tab)
OoBiolidated Aur. 2,1
AMERICAN TRANSPORT SUNK.
tCNAHD LIN Kit TORPEDOED OFF
HUSH COAST.
Ship Carried Nearly 2.200 American
Troop*, of Whom 1.912 Arc Report
od Ha v ext?Tr? u sp< >rt Wm Convoy -
Oi by BritUh Warship*.
Washington, Feb. 6.?The Cunard
Unor Tuacania. carrying 2,179 Ameri
ean soldiers, has been torpedoed und
?unk off the Irieh coaat, but official re-1,
porta late tonight said 1.912 of the of?
fice ra and men had been saved and
indicated that the list of rescued
might prove even larger. The troops,
composed chiefly of detachments of|
Michigan and Wisconsin National
Guardsmen, were traveling on thi
Tuacania. a British vessel under con?
voy of British warships.
A brief dispatch to the war depart?
ment from London early this evening!
announced the disaster and reported
tho landing of only 1.100 survlvoro.
This was made public shortly after
19 o'clock, and for more than two
hours It was feared that probably 1,
40e men. including members of th)
liner's crew, had gone down.
When a message came to the state
department from the embassy at Lon?
don saying at 11 o'clock tonight 1.913 j
of the Americana had been account
?d for the Joy of officials almost
?wept away the distress occasioned
by Ahe earlier news. The first 1,100
survivors were landed at Lame and
Purici*nna, two widely separated
Irish porta and this coupled with the
evident fact that rescue ships were
aft hand quickly gave rise to hope
that nearly everybody on board the
Tuacania except those inji red by
the explosion might have been saved.
The president. Secretary Baker and
lit fact all official Washington were up
la to awaiting for additional news.
Only the briefest dispatch gave de?
tails of the attack on the liner. Even
the time was missing, but it was as
Sttsned that it occurred early this
Morning aa the first measage was
Ul?>d at London at 3 o'clock this after
r .. i
noon, probably within an hour after
the raMsf ships reachod the Irish
catst *
The president was it the theater
When the newa was received and he
Was not told until he returned to the
White House.
Because of the nature of the mill
taey organisation carried by the ship,
tho wsr department announced it
would be impossible to say definitely
What troops were aboard until the1
I UK of survivors was received. La tea,
however, the adjutant general's office
taade the list public. It follows:
Headquarters detachment and
companies D. E and F of the
Twentieth Engineers.
One Hundred and Seventh Engi?
neer Train.
One Hundred and Seventh Military
Police.
One Hundred and Seventh Supply
Train.
One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Aero
Squadron.
Two Hundred and Thirteenth Aero
Squadron
Replacement detachments Nos. 1
and 2 of the Thirf -second Division.
Fifty-one caaual officers.
The Thirty-second Division is com?
posed of National Guard troops from
Michigan and Wisconsin. The division
trained at Camp McArthur. Texas.
T>ua all the soldiers are former
Wisconsin and Michigan guardsmen
eicept those in the aero squadron
who probably were recruited from all
sarts of the countrv
Neither the dispatch to the war de?
partment nor that to the state de?
partment referred to the fate of mem?
bers of the Tuacania's crew. Un?
doubtedly many ??f them were saved,
andl when all reports are In official
hope that th- Ions of life will be re
markably small The liner which is
not a regular transport was umho
OOnvoy ind the war ships apparently
were <r<r . ulongsldo for ,rescue
work when the torpedo struck. The
first news was given out here In this
teri.e announreiiM nt from tho war <!<?
partment
Tbe w i- department has been of?
ficially advised that the steamshii
Tuacania waa torpedoed and sunk and
that survivors numbering 1.1?n>, as fai
is could be useei talned. were lande.,
at Bunrranna and Larne. In Ireland
There was a total of 2,17s United
States troops on this vessel. No name
Of persons lost haa been reported to
the war department. Additional par
tieulars are promised as soon us re
oerve*l "
Th? state department's dispute^
gave the n urn tier of ?Obliers on board
as 1.171. six leas than th?' war de?
partment's report It lohl of plans
promptly made for caring for the nur
*Aed April, 1860. "Be JM ?
itj. 81]
TWO HUNDBED AND TEN LOST
omdAL iiMII of ti st am a
disaster account for all
savk 210, of whom t?8
?DU soldiers.
Survivors Will Ik* Cared for und Fur?
nished Will) Clothing and AU Other
Requirements by the British Au?
thorities.
London, Feb. 7.?The loss of life
on the Tuscania so far as known is
210, the admiralty announces. Figure*
obtainable shortly before noon show
that there were 2,397 persons aboard,
of whom 2,187 are known to have
been saved.
official figures given.
Men on Hoard, 2,307, Saved 2,187.
London, Feb. 7.?The official com?
munication this afternoon confirmed
the earlier statement that there was
a total of 2,397 aboard the Tuscania,
and that the total saved was 2,187.
The report says the foregoing are ap?
proximate figures, hut as nearly cor?
rect as can be given at present.
loss only 101.
Latest Reliable Report From
Tuscania Disaster.
(Dy Associated Press.)
London. Feb. 7.?The loss of
life on the Tuscania is now es?
timated at only one hundred
and one. This figure is given
In a dispatch from the Asso?
ciated Press correspondent in
Ireland and was later con?
firmed by the American embas?
sy.
Paris, Feb. 7.?H^avy artillery
fighting on the Aisne and Verdun
fronts, and in Alsace is reported in to?
day's official communication.
vlvors. The state department issued
this statement.
"The latest advices received bv the
state department from the embass
at London regarding the Tuscania is
that at 11 p. m.. February 6, 1.912 of
Aoen and men on the Tuscania wer.
accounted for out of 2,173. The am?
bassador has sent an assistant mil?
itary attache and another army ofllce
to Belfast Ireland. Representatives!
of the American Red Cross and the V.
M. C. A. also have gone, with full
1
power to spend all the money needed.
The ambassador farther reports that
the lord mayor of Belfast is giving
all the aid possible."
The Tuscunia was the first shii
carrying American troops to Europt
to be sunk by German submarine bu?
the American transport Antilles was
torpedoed and sunk while returning
to the United States and 14 soldiers
were lost with 1?6 other persons.
American warships convoying
transports to France lust June twice
fought Off submarine attacks.
The position of the Tuscania when
she was Mink is taken to indicate that j
she was bound to England.
Her sinking definitely discloses that
Crltish ships aro being used to carry
American troops abroad supplement?
ing American transport tonnage.
Navy officials have insisted that de?
spite the most careful plans there was
always a chance that a troop ship
would stumble upon a lurking subma?
rine and the general belief tonigh*
was that this was what happened.
The Tuscania was a British passen -
gOf and freight steamship of 14.34S
tons gross register. She was built at
Glasgow in 1914 and was owned by
Anchor Line.
The last roport of the Tuscania wa.>
her arrival at an Atlantic port, Jan
nary 17. last.
Th*? Tuscania. during her days as a
passenger liner, was one. of the best
equipped vessels in the trans-Atlantic
s?<r\ loo She made her maiden voyage
|g February. 1915.
She was ."??17 feet Ion?; with a 66 foot
r eam and was equipped to carry 2,500
passengers in cabin and steerage ac
l ?ommodatlons.
For some time the Tuscania has
been under charter of the Cunard
Line and she is the fifth big vessel of
the Cunard Company lost since the
war began.
Although prior to January 1 of the
prOOOnl gong, there were more than
|#| .imo American troops |g Frame,
ording to the statement by Secre
I try LaUer. the Tascanlu was the first
II isport to he torpedoed on the vov
ane from an American port to Fram e
?OVO! i I American transports have
nOOg lOI pOdjOOd M IhO return Journey
< ft. ? Ii i\ nor ?fem t i Led troops.
nd Fear not?Det all the en da Thon AI
FMTER, S. 0., SAT?RD.
MORE SHIPS NEEDED.
AKMY READY TO GO WIIEX
SHIPS REPORT.
War De|Mirtment Wants Assurance
Tliat Soldiers Will be Furnished
With Material With Which to
Fight When They Arrive in France.
Washington, Feb. 5.?President
Wilson took up personally the ship?
ping problem tonight and at a con?
ference with Chairman Hurley of the
shipping board, went into the great
problem of procuring tonnage for the
movement of American troops* and
supplies overseas.
Every phase of the question was
discussed, including the progress of
the government building program,
plans for obtaining allied ships for
transporting soldiers, and negotiat
tions with the European neutrals- for
tonnage to release American vessels
for trans-Atlantic service. The presi?
dent was particularly interested in
proposal to obtain additional ships
by reducing imports.
A full realization of the extent to'
which America's troops movement to
France depends on tonnago has come
not only to this government but to the
allies as well, and it was indicated to?
day that one of the chief topics at th?
recent session of the supreme war
council at Versailles was that of find?
ing ships for that purpose. A big
American army is substantially ready
to go, but before it is sent the war
department wants to be assured it
can be supplied. Ships are available
to transport the men; the problem
is keeping them furnished with ma?
terials with which to fight.
A million men on the fighting
front will require, according to the
best estimates available, from 4,000,
000 to 7,000,000 tons of shipping in
continuous service across the 3,000
miles of water between America and
Europe. The United States can lay
Its hands on about 4,000,000 tons
jiow and expects to build during the
year anywhere from 3,000,000 to 6,
000,000 tons more.
While Chairman Hurley was pre?
paring for the?-ifeesidont today a
complete report on the shipping sit?
uation Frederick; R. Harris, a civil
engineer of the naval bureau of yards
and docks, who for three weeks was
general manager of the Emergency
Float Corporation, was giving a sen?
ate Investigating committee an opti
mistios view of shipbuilding progress.
It is possible. Mr. Harris- said, for th'j
government to complete this year its
original program of 6,000,000 tons.
The president was told by Mr. Hur?
ley that bad weather in January cut
construction of commandeered ships
fully 60 per cent. The shipping
board's plans for building up a great
shipyard workers' reserve wcro out?
lined. Recruiting for the reserve is
progressing.
The plan to reduce imports from
South America and the Orient to re?
lease ships for transporting troops
and supplies has been worked out a
the shipping board. The class o
imports to be affected will be left
largely to the war trade board.
The shipping board will advise the
board as to the number of neutral
ships possible to put in the trade and
the trade board will determine what
they shall carry.
There has been no announcement
as to the amount of tonnage the al?
lies are ready to spare for moving
the American forces and their sup?
ples. Already the Hritish have turn?
ed over some ships for the purpose
?and are preparing to release others.
The Versailles war council took up
the subject of what shall be the bal?
ance maintained as between the ship?
ment of troops and their supplies and t
the transportation of goods needed by ;
the allied armies and the European
civilian populations. Reports to Wash?
ington indicate that the policy will he
to employ as much tonnage in the
movement of the American forces and
materials for their use as can he
Spared from its previous runs with?
out endangering the allied food sup?
ply.
In his testimony before the senate
Committee Mr. Harris nnld the esti?
mate of a maximum of 3.000.non tons
of American ship production this year
made last week by J. W. Powell, vice
president of Rethlehem Ship IJuild
Ing Corporation, was presslmlstio :in<l
that he believed the fabricated ship
program would be entirely successful.
Mr. Harris asked to be relieved of
duty with the Meet corporation be
cause of u lack of authority in carry
ing on bin work. He said today
Chairman Hurley allowed subordl
nates In the corporation to report
over his head.
Some of what he called the short -
OOmtngS of the board were excused b\
met at be thy Country'*, Thy God's ?
AT, FEBRUARY 9, 191
CHARLESTON IN LUCK. |
GOVERNMENT TO SPEND MIL?
LIONS AT CHARLESTON.
Urgent Deficiency Bill Carries Be?
tween $22,<\00,O0O and $32,000,000
to Make Charleston Great War
Port. I
Washington, Feb. 6.?Between $22,-1
000,000 and $32,000,000 will be'
spent by the government in the de-1
velopment of Charleston as a war j
port, according to plans now being
completed. The money is carried in
the great urgent deficiency bill soon
to be considered in congress.
This is the fact behind the dispatch
sent to The News and Courier by its
Washington correspondent last Satur?
day night. Because of being bound
in confidence as to the details the
correspondent could not then go into
details or definitely describe the de?
velopments in progress.
Congressman Richard S. Whaley,
however, was in a position today to
make a statement for publication,
and in doing so he tells the readers
of The News and Courier what the1
government program contemplates
and gives the stupendous total of
expenditures which show that this is
to be the greatest single project ever
undertaken at Charleston or at any
other point in that part of the coun?
try. When asked today if he could
not say something for publication
Mr. Whaley replied:
?'There have been under way for
several months examinations of South?
ern ports by the war department for
the purpose of using one of them as
a port for storage and embarkation.
Owing to the deep water of thirty
feet from the ocean to the Navy
Yard the accessibility to the sea, the
large harbor and splendid fortifica?
tions, Charleston has been selected.
It is proposed to erect permanent
buildings of the most modern type for
storage of supplies, ammunition, em?
barkation, etc. /
"In all the goevrnment will take
between three and four thousand
acres of land at Charleston and will
expend between $22,000,000 and $32,
000,000. In the bill to be reported by
I the committee on appropriations, 1
have assurance tlus amount will be in?
cluded and I am confident it will be
passed by the house and senate. The
designation o; the port of Charleston
is a recognition Of its availability to
, be made one of the great ports on the
Atlantic.
? "The allies* shipping will also
( doubteless be sent through our port in
J great part. The plans have all beer
j made and it is only a question of
yh?Jt time before the government will
actually commence work.
"Although I have been working on
this matter for many months, it had
not assumed such a definite shape that
I felt I could make an announce?
ment. However, I feel it is now prac
{tically assured and that Charleston
will be one of the biggest ports of
j the country in the storage and han?
dling of supplies for transshipment to
! the troops on the other side.
"The structures to be erected are
? not tomporary, but of a permanent na
! ture, and therefore, after the war is
! over, the port will still be one of the
! big nases for the government. The
tremendous benefit to the city and
[State can be readily appreciated and
!l am glad to have contributed my
share to its accomplishment."
ROOSEVELT UNDER KNIFE.
Operation in New York Hospital Re?
ported Successful.
New York, Feb. 6.?An operation
performed late today on Col. Theo?
dore Roosevelt in a hospital hero, the
second within a week for the removal
of an abscess, was successful, accord?
ing to a bulletin issued tonight by his
physician. l>r. Walton Martin. The
bulletin said:
"The operation proved successful.
There were no unpleasant results.
Col. Roosevelt is resting comfortably.
Respiration normal."
Rooaovolt'l Condition Satisfactory. -
New York, Feb. 7.?Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, who was operated on yes- <
terday for the removal of an abscess
passed a comfortable night, it was an- I
mm need at the hospial today. I
the witness on the ground that or- I
ganlsation WM evolved "over night" <
and that its lack Of business method.1 \
Was partially due to the fact that it <
had DO business standing such as pri- ?
\ ate corporations have. ;
The committee has about conclud- t
sd its investigation of the shipping t
board but will meet again at the call I
of Chairman Fletcher to t ike up1 2
;ome minor matters. I
ad TneBVtb**
TUE 1 RC1
8.
RICHARDSON PROBE BEGINS.
OOV. MANNING, ON STAND, PRE
SENTS CHARGES AGAINST
FORMER CHIEF GAME
WARDEN.
Summary of the Case and Fanons
Veto Message Which Caused Probo
by Senate.
Columbia, Feb. 5.?In a statement
read before the senate committee in?
vestigating his charges against the
administration of A. A. Richardson,
former chief game warden of /the!
State, Gov. Manning alleged that V. ?
F. Funderburk, assistant chief game
warden, acting on authority from Mr.
Richardson, settled for $100 with a
newly married couple, who had been
hunting in Beaufort county, without
going through a trial; that Alfred
I ? i
Aiken, a negro, paid twenty dollars
to a Mr. Mixon, a game warden; that!
j F. W. Little, game warden of Lau- j
rens, tried to collect a bond of fifteen j
dollars from Dr. J. W. Jervey, of
Greenville; that Mr. Funderburk at
tempted to collect from one hundred
dollars to four hundred dollars from
two winter visitors in Aiken, who put
the matter in the hands of Mr. Hen
1 derson, of the Aiken bar, with whom
Mr. Richardson offered to settle for
$200; that Mr. H. J. Bomar, of Man
ning, wrote that $60 was paid to Mr.
Richardson's associates without any
law being violated; that two game
j wardens induced a young man of Vir?
ginia, who did not know the game
laws of this State, to shoot birds out
of 3eason, and then took him before
a magistrate and "scared him into
paying $300," and that Mr. Funder
burk and others invited two young
men to hunt foxes with them, which
invitation they accepted, and when
they could not show their licenses the
case was compromised for $10 each.
The senate investigation commenc?
ed this afternoon, but only took the
evidence Gov. Manning offered to sub?
stantiate the charges contained in h s
ve to message of last year, when he
. returned the bill putting the office cf
chief game warden in the general
election, without his signature. The
committee adjourned until 3.30 o'clock
, tomorrow afternoon, when Mr. Rich?
ardson will be heard in reply to the
evidence introduced by the governor.
In substantiation of his charge thai
Mr. Richardson and his friends had
conducted a lobby in the former chief
warden's behalf, Gov. Manning read
a telegram from Capt. M. C. Lumpkin,
former member of the house from
Richland county, to Congressman A.
; F. Lever, requesting Mr. Lever to
! bring the matter of the game warden
j bill to the attention of Senator Till
i man, that the senior senator migh:
urge Gov. Manning to sign the meas?
ure.
I In connection with this alleged
lobby Mr. Richardson asked the gov
, ernor if the chief game warden diet
not have the same right to lobby an
; did Gov. Manning and the former ex?
ecutive secretary, Col. Oscar K. La
Roque. The governor denied that he
had "lobbied," but contended that the
governor should have frequent con
BURations with the members- of the
general assembly on the pending laws j
affecting the State, which right he
thought subordinate State officers did
not have.
Senator Proctor A. Bonham, attor
I
ney for Mr. Richardson, contested the
right of the governor to introduce
documentary evidence to substantiate
his charges, contending that only wit?
nesses should testify. A majority of,
/the committee overruled his conten?
tion. Senator D. R. Williams, of Lan?
caster, dissenting. Various letterc
from persons whom Gov. Manning
named in his statement were Intro?
duced to substantiate the assertions
made. An effort by the governor to
have Mr. Richardson turn over the
books of his office to the committee
was overruled, the former chief game
warden stating that he was- perfectly
Willing to let the committee have them
V/hen some disputed point to be clear?
ed away by them was brought up.
Mr. Richardson, during his cross
examination of GOV. Manning, ques?
tioned the governor about a confer?
ence they held in the executive office,
lie wanted to know if the governor
had not told him (Richardson) that
be could not be reappointed chief
fame warden because of politics, and
fallowed Mr. Richardson to the door
af the executive office, shook hands
With him and called him his friend.
3oV. Manning said that he could not
remember a part of this, particularly
lbout calling Mr. Richardeon his
"riend. The governor asserted, how
?vor, that he stated he would be de?
servedly criticised if he reappointed j
Mr. Richardson.
Mr. Richardson tried to bring the
C SOUTHRON, KMabt *M? tun?, im.
Vol. XLV. NO. 61.
BAKER ON iT. STAND. ^
ANTI-ADMIXISTRAT i ON SENA?
TORS ASK IMPRC PER QUES?
TIONS IN PUBLIC HEAR?
ING.
Secretary Baker Pr< > >oee? That Ho
Prepare and J-ubmh Written State?
ment Giving Exact It acta in Detail
Praises Navy's Wont in Protecting
Transports.
Washington. Feb. ?The cross
examination of Secre ary Baker on
his recent statement before the sen?
ate military committee was begun at
a public hearing before the commit?
tee today.
After a number of questions re?
garding Secretary' Bek9r's estimates
as to the tonnage available this year
for transportnig troops t:> France a
hitch developed as to whether it
would be proper for Secretary Baker
to answer such questions in a public
session. The secretary proposed that
he be permitted to pre xre statements
showing the exact facti, the details to
be prepared by experta and present
them to the committee and return for
cross examination later
Secretary Baker sai it had not
been determined w ether troops
should be kept in Scathern campe
next summer. If the I ummer is as
I extreme as the winter las been, he
said, some would have to be moved.
He stated that A met" can ship ton?
nage losses have beer exceedingly
light and that the "service the pavy
has rendered in the prelection of the
! army has been unexampled."
. Secretary Baker gave !ts his opinion
that new legislation will be desirable
to give the president general powers
to transfer and coordir ite the func?
tions of various departments as con?
ditions arise. The possibility that the
; actual purchasing power for the war
department may be largely placed In
the hands of Edward R. Stettinluar>
surveyor general, was indlcaetr^by
Secretary Baker.
\ The question of ship? to transport
. troops to France will bf presented to
the committee in AS***' session to?
morrow. Senator?Pfek i&m proleet
! ed against efforts to d-ag from the
secretary information that would be
of value to the enemy.
I _
RAILROAD INCOME GUARANTEED
Government Bill I'rovidfjs for Pay?
ment of $945,000,000.
Washington, Feb. 7?Chairman
Smith, of the senate interestate com?
merce committee, in reprtlng favor?
ably to the senate today the admin?
istration railroad bill, esiimated that
i
under the bill the government will
! guarantee annually to the railroads
' $945,000,000, which will represent a
return of 532 per cent. He said it is
\ believed the majority * f the roads
will accept "these terms as & Just and
fair measure of their constitutional
rights."
Washington, Feb .7.?Every Amer?
ican soldier lost on the Tuscania,
having dependents, was protected by
government insurance. This auto?
matic insurance aggregates about
M.300 and is paid at the rate of $20
monthly for twenty years.
governor out on an alleged conver?
sation with Congressman Byrnes, in
which, according to Mr. Richardson,
practically the same won.j were ut?
tered. Gov. Manning could not bring
the substance of this con . ition to
mind, but was satisfied tha< he did not
say what was imputed to him, posi?
tively not as to that part in which he
is said to have designated Mr. Rich?
ardson as his friend.
A series of telegrams ?ras introduc?
ed in evidence by Gov. M inning to?
talling in cost $32.74. which wer^opre
.sented, he said, by the Web ern Ufffcn
Telegraph Co. to W. H. Gnbes. pres?
ent chief game warden, for pay?
ment. These telegrams, according to
the governor, were approve 1 by Mr.
Richardson. They related to va?
rious matters transacted by Mr. Rich?
ardson and his friends, but did not
relate to the business of the State of
South Carolina, said the governor.
Yr. Richardson pointed out the va?
rious items, showing that ome had
Shock marks against them, vhile oth?
ers had cross marks, Those with the
cheek marks, asserted Mr. Richard
<i n. w ere his personal messages to be
[Mild for by him and not by he State.
He had been handling his office in
his manner for years, he stated, and
ti.vays paid for his personal t.degrams
ii <! those of his triends. if t!.ey were
ransmltted to the telegraph com
?any over his telephone. lie said
hit a few might have escaped his
lotlce.