The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, March 05, 1918, Image 1
Ti
VOL. 23. NO. 39. SEMI-M
RAIDS ALONG WEST |l
FRONT INCREASING
Considered Chief Features of C
Military Interest in View of .
American Participation.
KIEV TAKEN BY GERMANS I
No Definite Decision as to Jap- S
anese Intervention in Siberia.
Twelve Americans Taken
Prisoner by the Teutons.
f
Raids of growing intensity and frequency
on the Franco-Belgian front j,
are furnishing the chief feature of 0
military interest, particularly In t
A view of the increasing degree of w
American participation in the fight- ti
iu?. ufti f;ri inouca, IIUWr>ci, urc q
involved in the Russian situation i,
the uncertainties of which are giv- n
ing rise to manifold military and po- g
litical complications. c
The peace negotiations between a
the Bolshevist and the Germans
seem to have been broken ofT. C
Manifestly, at any rate, there, Is de- a
veloping a growing measure of bel- c
ligerency among the Russian pro- w
letariat. who, with the safety of the 1
revolution as a rallying cry, are re- a
ported to be responding from all k
sides to support it. s
Likewise the peace negotiations n
between Rumania and the centra n
powers are reported In unofficial ad- ?
vices from Rerlin to have failed. The t
unsatisfactory reply of the Ruinan- t
ian kyig is said to have been respon- a
sible for tne break. A semi-official 1
Ilerlin statement, however, says the t
German and Austrian representa- i
tives have not left Bucharest, where ?'
the sessions were held. ?
i uc uciiiihii auviinre into me interior
of Russia is in full swing
again, with columns reported moving
toward Petrograd from Pskov
and pushing northeast along the
railway from Podolsk with the object
of cutting the Moscow-Petrograd
railway at Bologie, midway
between the two cities, and starving
out Petrograd by shutting off its
* supplies.
In the south the Germans have
secured their immediate objective
in the Ukraine by occupying Kiev,
^ the capital of the republic, after a
little more than a 10-day march
through the country on the 200mile
route east from the former
fighting front. The German reports
do not lnd'.cate what price in casualties
the Bolsheviki exacted for
tiie surrender of Kiev which th.?v.
had captured from (he Ukrainiai
radii's supporters February 8, with '
reported total casualties for both 1
sides of 4.000 killed and 7,000 '
wounded. Presumably the rada,
which negotiated the separate peace
between the central powers and the
Ukraine at Hrest-Litvosk, will be 1
speedily reinstated in the captured 1
city.
The tentative proposals for Japanese
intervention in Siberia because
of the Russian situation have not
culminated in any decision by the 1
allies, so far as the current advices 1
reveal. I*ondon dispatches mention '
a growing tendency there to discuss
the situation fully and await developments,
particularly the attitude
the United States may assume.
China is also involved in this situation
and press dispatches from that
country report political unsettlement I '
there because of it. The Chinese
government, it is sjiid, Is to send
reinforcements to iManchuria.
Twelve Americans were taken
prisoner by the Germans in their
raid of Friday on the American
trenches east of St. Mihiel. the German
war office announces. It was in ,
this raid that the American troops
met the onslaught of picked Ger
man "snock" detachments In gal- (
^ lant style. strewing the ground in ,
/ront of the entrenchments with j
German dead and capturing three of
the attacking party. The German
statement claims the infliction of .
f "heavy casualties" upon the Ameri- ,
cans. I
A powerful raid was carried out <
against the French in the Verdun re- i
gion south of Maucourt. more thar
400 prisoners and many machine t
guns being captured, accord ng t? !
the German claim. The llrlt: *
drove off sever:.! Ce-nian ra ding
HE Li
WEEKLY.
HOROUGH PROBE IS /
TO BE UNDERTAKEN
iovernor Manning Expresses J
Himself Emphatically Regarding
Lynching.
RAISES SHERIFF MORRIS C
Solicitor Gunter Also Takes I)e- 1
cided Stand and Promises Aid
in Prosecuting the Alleged
Lynchers.
Columbia, March 4.?"There will
e a thorough investigation by this K
ffice of the lynching at Duck r
(ranch bridge, near Fairfax, Barn- a
rell county, on February 23. and d
hose who participated will be vig- s
rously prosecuted that the law may ii
e vindicated," said Governor Man- li
incr fnlln u- i n ir n ...: * V.
...? I w*iv ^ a V.UH 1 tri CUV.C Willi n
iherilT J. H. Morris, of Barnwell s
ounty, and Attorney General Thom- /
s H. Peeples. a
The uncompromising stand of t
Governor Manning.and the arrests cj
lready made h.v Sheriff Morris in- a
licate that probably more arrests t
rill be made in connection with the q
ynehing of Walter Best, a negro,
t Duck Branch bridge, following the g
illing of William Wilson, a young v
lutomobile man, at Fairfax. The li
tegro was taken from Sheriff Morris a
nd two of his deputies about one a
nd one-half miles from Fairfax on f
he highway to Allendale by a mob 1
jf white men variously estimated <
it between seventy-five and 100 and \
aken into a nearby woods and shot i
o death. Thursday seventeen prom- i
nent farmers of Fairfax and adja- l
ent territory were arrested on war- t
ants sworn out by Sheriff Morris, i
uurgeu wan complicity m the l
ynching, and were granted bonds i
iggregating $!?7,.r>00 that afternoon i
)y Judge William II. Townsend. at
'olumbia. *
Governor Manning has received a s
etter from Solicitor K. L. Gunter, i
if the Second Judicial Circuit, in <
>?hieh the county of Harnwell is sitlated,
stating that the solicitor will
to everything in his power to see
hat those participating in the lynch- '
ng are brought to justice. I
"I am determined that there will i
je a thorough investigation by this i
ifhce of the lynching at Duck
flranch bridge, near Fairfax. Harnwell
county," said the governor in 1
liis statement, "and those who participated
will be vigorously prose
uirii iiiai ine law may bo vindicated.
"I had a conforenoe with tho Attorney
General and Sheriff J. It. Morris,
of Barnwell county, this morning
on tlio lynching. I received a
letter from Solicitor R. L. Gunter
of the Second Judicial Circuit, ii
which Barnwell county is situated.
\nd he assured me that he would do
[ verything in his power to see that
those connected with the killing of
Walter Best are brought to justice.
"I am glad to see that Sheriff
Morris had a good memory for
names and faces and had the courage
to call names when the time
came."
+
SKNTKXCKD TO OIK
IN KLKCTKIC < H.\ lit
Abbeville. March 4.?Court of
general sessions, Judge S. W. (>.
Shipp presiding, ndjourned Satur
lay, having been in session since
Tuesday morning. The eases dis
posed of were: Dave London and
Jim Durant found guilty of arson,
granted new trial; T. H. Martin,
violating prohibition law, nol prossed
upon payment of $75; Johi
Henry Jackson, gui'ty of murder,
sentenced to be electrocuted March
29; George Bratoher. convicted of
seduction, fined $800 or one year on |
rhaingang; Pelham Ware, guilty of ,
assault and battery with intent to i
kill, fined S12C> or one year on chainrang.
I
I
parties, with the lose of oniy a few ,
men in prisoners by the British, who
took not a few Germane in raiding
operations of their own. The For- t
Luguese troops handled themselves
well against the Germans, who raid
id trenches on a wide front north of ]
Veuve Chapelle, the Portugese counter-attacking
promptly and com i
?W ?e!y r. storing the sUual'cn.
VNCA
LANCASTER, S. CM TUES
AMERICAN SOLDIER I
MOT HANDICAPPED
^ights as Well Wearing Gas
Mask as Without It and is
Perfectly at Home.
>FFICER RISKS HIS LIFE
"akes Off Mask to Shout Orders
to Men Hut It Happens That
No Gas Was in That Section
at Time.
With the American Army in
'ranee, March 4.?The three recent
aids, one in the Toul sector and two
long the Chemin de Dames, have
emonstrated that the American
oidier. notwithstanding his previous
tiexperience, now is perfectly at
ome in a gas mask and able to ;
ght as well with as without it. In
0 quickly reaching this stage the I
Americans have shown their usual
daptabillty. CJas was used in all
hree attacks in lust sufficient
uantities to make masks necessary
s the Germans, in their later stacks,
did not desire to encounter
luantities of their own gas.
When the engagement at Toul be;an,
virtually all the Americans
rere masked. Some of the men.
lowever, are reported to have taken
1 chance, when the German Infantry
iuaincu, puiiiiiK oil I Iieir IllUSKS I ?> I"
reer action. One oftlcer risked his '<
ife to give commands to his men
luring the roar of explosions. He
van unable through his musk to
nake his men hear, so he pulled off 1
ind yelled his orders. As it hapjened,
there was no gas in this paricular
section but he did not know
t. The officer was willing to sacrlice
his own life to get his men to a
dace of safety, where they could
ilso strike effectively at the enemy.
......... Ml... -
MVIV ?? VI Vy III.UIT wi iin lliniuiltxn
:>f physical bravery. A lieutenant, a
sergeant and two privates were in
i? dugout when some Germans lookid
in. One cried in good Knglish:
"Come out, Americans."
The four Americans blazed away
with their aptouiatics, then rused
the entrance and stumbled over the
bodies of the men. whom they had
apparently killed by their quick resistance.
During the bombardment
which hardly could have been more
than terriflic two men who were
concealed in a shell hole were buried
by dirt thrown by another exploding
projectile. They shout e l
for help and it came quickly. Their
comrades left the shelters, from
which they were ready to leap into
action the moment the attackin;; infantry
appeared, and exhumed the
buried soldiers whije stones, mud,
earth, pieces of trees and shell
splinters spattered about them.
Notwithstanding the fierceness of
the fight at close quarters not more
than one bayonet was used, and this
one on a German. The Americans,
using their automatic pistols, sent
bullets into the German attackers
with good aim in spite of the excitement.
Rifle bullets accounted for
many more.
Although the army has been cursing
the weather and the mud for
days, there is one man in the line
today who is glad it wa? muddy, fot
he owes his life to the slippery
"duck boards" or the flooring in the
trenches. With pistol in hand he
rounded a trench corner looking for
the Germans. A hurley Prussian
snw him first and flred, but at the
same moment the American slipped
and fell on his face. The Prussian
thought hint dead and turned away.
He was quickly dropped in his
tracks by the prone American, who
fired accurately from the trench
bottom. There were men in the
fight from virtually all the States
from New York to Texas. With one
or two exceptions all the wounded
are expected to recover
Some of the American dead were
buried in a cemetery back of the
linen during the night while friendly
and hostile shells roared overhead.
A thick wet snow which now is
falling is melting as noon an it
touches the mud.
The bodies of the Americans slain
a the fighting north of Chemln des
l>ames have been buried near where
they fell, their French and American
comrades participating in impressive
ceremonies.
3D AY, MARCH 5, 1918.
THE OUT-STRE
i , 7Ta
.. ^n. ^
I91KH
[/. S. TROOPS IN DESl
REPULSED HEAVY A
Number of United States Soldi
Prisoner; Germans Suffer H<
Strewn With Bodies; tier
By Storm of Shells Sent <
American troops in a desperate, j
hand-to-hand battle, have repulsed i
i heavy German attack on the salient
north of Toul. There were a
number of Americans killed and
wounded, including some officers.
One of the dead was a captain who
had been graduated from West
Point last year. The Germans suffered
heavily, leaving ten dead in
the American trenches, while tinground
in front was strewn with tinbodies
of the enemy. Three German
prisoners remained in the hands of
the Americans.
In the same sector, the American
artillery has been taking revenge foi
the German gas attack early in the
week, and German positions have
been demolished by the storm of
shells sent over by General Persh-j
ing's men. In addition to lighting
in the Toul sector, the Americans
have been active just north of
Chemln-Des-Dames, where they I
have taken part in repulsing a
German attack.
A German official statement says
that ten Americans wore taken prisoner
in the latter sector. The lighting
in which the Americans participated
was near the village of Chavignon.
It has been known for some [
ilint* that Americana, probably members
of one of the national guard
divisions taken to France some time
ago. were along the famous C'heminI)es-Dames
sector, but the German
statement reveals their locations
more exactly than anything as yet
received from the fighting front.
A few more Americans have been
taken to field hospitals near Toul
suffering from the effects of gas
poisoning. These men were not in
the trenches when the German gas
attack was launched, but ventur< d
into the dang >r /.one without g; s
masks and were overcome by the
fumes which had settled into she.l
holes ami low places. So far as
known, the gas casualties number
,?ix dead and about 80 overcome.
Of th?- latter, only one ease is eon- |
sidered to be grave.
With the American Army In
France Marc li 4. ?American, troops
tepulsed a strong German attack
Fridaj' morning in the salient north
of To.il. There were many American
casualties, one of the killed being
a captain who was graduated
from Weet Point in 1 ! 17.
The ra d was a comnlete failure
three German prisoners remaining
in American hands. The ground in
front of the American trenches were
strewn with German dead.
A driving wet snow was falling
when the Germans opened fire on the
American salient with every weafon
at their command. Seventyseven.
heavy shells and gas shells
fell in a perfect whirlwind on the
American trenches for half an hour.
At the same time other enemy shells
n great numbers were dropping on
the American battery positions.
Attacked With this.
Th? Germans, evident'v th'"kinp
'hat the Amv.iCi.ns in this section.
New
SUHS
ITCHED HAM) C
????
r
.aa. t
iERA re B477LE "
il l AGK BY GERMANS
to
ai
ers Killed; Ten Men Taken
*avy Losses Leaving C*round t\
man Positions Demolished ,A
a i
ver Py Pershing's Men. w
di
i r
having haul one taste of gas a few
lays ago. would fear it now, let
loose great quantities of poisonous
gas. but the men put on their masks P'
and only a few were affected by it.
So^intense was the fire that the a
woods back of the salient were shot
to pieces.
At C o'clock the barrage fire lift- A
ed on the trenches to the right of the ri
salient and (lerntans numbering 240
came sweeping forward under the t<
protection of their fire. They came "
forward apparently intending to v
make a big haul and jumped into v
what was left of the trenches, but
there, instead of the easy time an- y
ticipated, found the Americans all h
ready for battle. Fierce hand-to- v
hand fighting began. t
One American captain rallied men ^
with rifles and machine guns and 1
went through the American wire en- v
tanglements into No Man's Land
and there waited for the enemy, ^
whom he expected to be driven out *
by his comrades in the trenches.
Poured Ik'iullv Fire.
n
He was right, for soon groups of
the enemy started hack through the
wire entanglements. The Anieri- .
cans pouted in a deadly fire, but unfortunately
the captain was killtd s
during the tight. lie is the first
member of the 1!?17 class at West
Point to he killed.
While the Americans were in (
front of the wire entanglements and ;
in shell holes, sfiil fighting desper- j
ately. the American barrage fire be- j
gan sweeping No Man's Land, catch- ,
ing many running Prussians who t
had enough of American methods, t
The barrage swept back and forth,
making sure of doing all possible t
damage to the foe. (
When the enemy had been driven ?
i back out of the positions, the bod- *
ies of 10 (Jet-man soldiers wore 1
tourd in the American trenches. Two <
German officers wej-e entangled in 1
the wire and many bodies were in 1
sight. Kight were visible through 1
the snowstorm at one point. The c
ground was littered with enemy 1
hand grenades, boxes of explosives t
for destroying dugouts and incen- t
diary bombs which they had no op- f
port unity to use.
They managed, however, to drop 1
incendiary bombs in two dugouts 11
which were destroyed by fire, but
no Americans km* in them. If the *
Germans cantured anv nrisnno.^ I
which in doubtful, there were not 1
more than two or three, possibly
from a listening post. Of the miss- '
irfc. many probably were buried. *
Digging for them now in proceeding f
and others may be accounted for. c
Two German prisoners were 1
f
wounded and the other taken was
unhurt except for a welt on one of
his hands where he was struck by a 1
young American soldier when he ?
howed flght after capture.
t
From the prisoners the American
officers have Secured much valuable ,
(Continued on Page 8.) <
(
I
CRIPTION $2.00 A YEAR
AROLINA SOLDIER
AMONG DECORATED
ieutenant from Charleston
w:?,. U:?.L ii
" mn i ik 11 rumors in tiatlie
With Huns.
IVE OTHERS DECORATED
'rentier Clemenceau Kestow?
Croix de (iuerre With the
1*^11 m for Heroism on Visit to
American Front.
With the American Army in
ranee. March 4.?Premier Olemen>au,
who spent Sumiay on the
merican front northwest of Toul,
^corated two lieutenants, two servants
and two privates with the
roix de Guerre with the palm for
?roism which they displayed in the,
cent German raid in this sector.
One of the lieutenants conies from
rooklyn and the other from C'harston,
S. C. Both men went out ini
No Man's Land in broad daylight
id got a German prisoner.
M. Clemenceau, accompanied by
vo French generals, arrived at
merican headquarters at the front
an early hour and immediately
ent to where the troops were
rawn up 011 three sides of a square
1 companies.
The names of the men to be debated
were called, and they stepi*d
up. the French premier pinning
le decorations on them and saying
word to each. One he patted on
tie shoulder and said:
"That's the way to do it." The
merican blushed and retired to the
anks.
One of the French generals said
a a lieutenant. newly decorated:
We have got the Boches down and
re shall put them down deeper if
re keep working as we have."
At the end of the ceremony a
oung private came running along
iurriedly. He spoke for a moment
rith his captain, fearing apparently
hat he was going to lose his medal,
"he captain directed him to proceed
o M. t'lemenceau's automobile,
rhirh he did. The premier- stepped
>ut and slapped him on the back,
landing him his war cross. One of
he generals remarked laughingly:
Never mind about being late. You
cere on time the other morning.
That is enough."
Th<* soldier, in the excitement and
rlory of the moment, forgot to saute.
loit an American general canie
o his rescue, whispering: "Salute!
Salute!" None of th men decorited
can wear their honors until auhorized
by congress.
The premier went far forward ino
an observation post overlooking
<o Man's hand, the German posiions
and the country in the disance.
then hidden in the haze. He
uttered several dugouts under the
uins of houses, brought down since
he arrival of the American troops.
^ few shells, both friendly and hosile,
whistled overhead while M.
'lemenceau was there, but none
Iropped near. The premier seemed
specially impressed with the sturdy
lealthy appearance of the Amerians.
even those caked in mud who
tad just returned from the front
;ne. He spent the afternoon inspeetng
the billets in many towns back
if the lines and also visited a field
lospital where he talked with the
nen wounded in the recent raid.
ruing an 01 mem they hart done
inely.
One of these sergeants rteooratert
s front Arkansas. While in a dugout
i German lieutenant called out.
'Come out, Americans," and the Serjeant
led out his men fighting. He
tersonally killed the lieutenant and
wo soldiers.
The other came from Detroit. He
ran about to retire for age, but askk1
to be sent to France. He took
omnium! of a detachment in front
>f the wire when his captain was
tilled and continued the fight, inlicting
losses on the enemy.
One private from St. Louis arillery
distinguished himself twice in
unnlng messages from the line to
he artillery during the gas attack,
md duiing the raid through the barage.
The other private decorated
lelivered important messages
hrough the barrage after having
a'd good-bye to his comrades.