The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, November 02, 1917, Image 1
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C-Uiblic-icd 1511 $1.50 the Year ABBEVILLE, 8. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2.1917. 8lngle Coplea, Five Cento. 78th Year
GERMANS BLAMED. I
1 FOR BLAZE,
THREE DEAD, 26 MISSINGj*
IN MUNITIONS FIRE PLOT
1
British Steamship Is Sunk and
Warehouses Are Destroyed,
In Baltimore Fire.
Baltimore, Oct. 31.?Chief Gunner t
Brownley and two sailors of the British
steamer Kerry Range are known
to be dead and twenty-six sailors i
and employes on the piers of the Bal- <
timore and Ohio railroad which were
wrecked by fire are missing. It is
believed that some of these made '
their escape and the number of dead j'
probably will not be definitely established
today, but officials of the
railroad are convinced that more 1
than fifteen persons lost their lives ?
when the big piers burned. J
Tha tthe fire was of incendiary origin
has been established beyond a
doubt, and one suspect has been ar *
rested and turned over to the United I
States authorities. He is John Wit t
terman, said to have been seen running
away from the pier a few mo
ments before the blaze. The federal 1
authorities expect several other ar- I
rests this afternoon. 1
All doubt as to the origin of the
'
lire was removeu oy sujwh?:iii? uvw
the Baltimore and Ohio's guards and 1
firemen stationed at the pier. A few *
seconds before the flames broke out ^
in five sections of the pier these t
men saw what appeared to be rock- s
ets going up from half a dozen
places on the pier. These were followed
by muffled explosions and the s
flames came immediately. Less than }
five minutes before the entire struc- 1
ture was in flames the chief had *
made a complete round of the pier. c
Officials of the Baltimore and Ohio a
this morning fixed the loss at $5,- *
000,000. This is covered partly by
the railroad's replacement fund and
policies with insurance companies.
, Declarations that the fire was of *
* c
' incendiary origin, probably started .
by German spies, were made by se- g
cret service men and the police.
Huge quantities of American muni- j
i tions were destroyed. c
While secret service operatives ?
this morning were pushing their s
probe into the disastrous blaze that s
last night and early today destroyed z
vast quantities of grain and muni- c
/ tions of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
piers at Locust Point, another
bkize broke out in the Baltimore and
Onio shops at Riverside Park, about
a mile from the scene of the first
blaze. The blaze this morning was
promptly checked.
Latest estimates place the loss in
excess of $5,000,000.
Vice President J. M. Davis, of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, said it
was the belief of the railroad officials
that the blaze was of incendiary
origin, as credible witnesses stated
that they saw flames leap from
piers 8 and 9 at five points almost
simultaneously.
The total loss will be over $5,000,
000. Of this, which is said to be a
v conservative estimate, the piers represented
a value of $1,500,000, the
goods stored on them $3,000,000,
and the steamer and cargo $500,000. ^
The steamer, which docked yesterday
afternoon, had on board eighty
anti-submarine shells from a British
port. These exploded with loud re- j,
ports when the ship took fire. The
ship was scuttled and sunk. r
Chief of Police Leigh, of the Bal- p
timore and Ohio, began an investi- p
gation immediately of the report of i
the pier watchman that he saw five j t
or six men jump from pier 9 just as1 a
the flames broke out. The piers c
have been under guards for a num-j
ber of months. J r
Several months ago a quantity of | v
dynamite was found in a loaded: d
grain car in one of the elevators of i 5
the railroad at Locust Point. The t
grain was intended for one of the' 1
allies . The car was traced to its r
loading point in the central west and
found to have been loaded by Aus- t
trian stevedores. li
4 a l ^11 ?a1_ 1 x ^ n
rier iu, loaaea wnn wneat lur ex- port,
was in danger of being burned early
today, and only a fire wall t
stood between the fire and this pier c
and two others. Baltimore and Ohio f
officials felt confident of saving these
?iers. s
V number of departments of jus- t
\ GLANCE OVER
THE COUNTRY
SHORT ITEMS OF INTEREST
?_ i
The News fn Condensed Form
to Be Read Easily By the
Busy Reader.
Seven alien enemies have been
;ent back to Ellis Island for talking
;oo much.
The birth rate in Germany has
alien below normal with a decrease
)f more than forty per cent.
Florence is to have a Tobacca
Stemmery to be ready for operation
)y the time the next crop comes in.
Plans are being made for adequate
lousing accommodation for the thousands
of workmen employed by the!
jovernmenl. j
The lumbermen have been warned
;hat Uncle Sam can seize their
>lants to use for shipbuilding, only
jiving six days notice.
A wealthy widow of Salem, Mass.,
eft $100,000 to Tuskagee, (Ala.)
institute. Other institutions were
ilso remembered.
On the pilot fender of an Alabana
Coast Line train the mangled
>ody of a boy eight or nine years old
vas found. Neither the engineer nor|
he fireman knew when the child was!
truck.
The first German merchantman
ieized by the United States at the
jeginning of the war has been sunk
n. Mediterranean waters by the
zermans. Clara Mennig was under
harter to the Italian government
ind homeward bound from Italy. No
ives were lost.
The sheriff collected the license
noney $500 from a carnival com>any
for holding its shows for five
lays at Camden. It seems the Camlem
Fire Department and Krause
ihows entered into an agreement to
how together for a week, the Fire
Department was to furnish the li:ense
and will have to pay the $500
iccording to the contract with the
how people. It was a satisfactory
irrangement with most of the citi:ens
and the action of the sheriff
:ame as a surprise.
k FEWER SHIPS SUNK. V
k V
i London, Oct. 31.?Fourteen V
k British merchantmen of over V
t 1,600 tons were sunk by mine V
t or submarine in the last week V
k according to the admiralty V
t report tonight. Four vessels V|
k. under 1,600 tons also were V
l sunk but no fishing craft. V
l The JBntish losses or mer- v
k chantmen for the current V.
k week show a considerable de- V
k crease as compared with the V
k previous week when 17 ves- V
k sels of over 1,600 tons and V
k eight under that tonnage V
k were sunk. V
*
germany's loss
6,000,000 men
Washington, Oct. 31.?Germany
ost six million men in three years of
var, according to the declaration
nade in the Reichstag by the Indelendent
Socialist Ledebour. A retort
of his speech reaching Washngton
through Switzerland states
hat, contemplating the prospects of
i fourth winter campaign, the soialist
leader said:
"You have not evidently, gentlenen
,an exact conception of what
var means. We" have had 1,500,000
lead; three or four million of whom
00,000 are crippled for life, and
wo million absolutely invalided.
?hat makes it altogether six million
nen lost during the three years."
It is stated that official informaion
confirmatory of these figrues
tave been in possession of American
fficials for some time.
ice operatives were reported to be
m the scene several hours after the
ire was discovered.
The customs house authorities
aved their records on pier 8, but
hose on pier 9 were destroyed.
What Foodj
Sign the pledge and enrc
btates rood Aaministratioi
t these things:
Eat plenty, but
wisely, and without s
i wastt.
' iWf
Buy less; cook no LV
imore than necessary; \Nii
serve smaller portion?.
Whenever possible use |
j plsce of b?ef, mutton am
Use potatoes and o*her 1
Save wheat by substitul
other cereal flours for wh
Save butter and lard. Us
stitute vegetable oils for c
Save sugar. Use less can
gar in tea and coffee.
"This is a duty of ne
As a free people we have
not under autocratic decree
iU A /Vi i?/4 A A /\ ?
man uic ? mud iilc ui muiv
U. S. DM WAR.
ON AUSTRIA, ALS(
WOULD DECLARE WAR 01
AUSTRIA, ALSO
President Urged to Call Extr
Session of Congress Soon
For That Purpose.
New York, Oct. 31.?Presidei
Wilson was urged to call a speci;
session of Congress at an early iia1
to declare war on Austria in a rest
lution adopted by the board of tru
tees of the American Defense Soc
ety at a special meeting here toda;
The resolution further urges tl
transportation to Italy of a coritii
gent of American troops and wt
material, using all ships possible, ii
olniliniT cDT7or1 Ancfrilin aVlins f I
VJUU"'6 r"?
the purpose. It sets forth that "tt
complete defeat of Italy's armies wi
endanger her national existence an
imperil the use of the war for den
ocracy" and "that to preserve Italy
existence and maintain her efficiei
cy as a fighting force immedial
moral, military and economic ai
from her Allies is imperative."
German Agents Busy.
The resolution declares that Ge:
man agents throughout Italy ha\
steadily emphasized the fact that tt
United States has never seen fit t
declare war against Austria-Hui
gary. Italy's greatest neighbor an
enemy, and that it is patent to th
entire eWorld that Germany and Aui
tria are working as a unit for th
same end which America has declai
she will not endure." A copy of th
resolution was telegraphed to Pres
dent Wilson.
Prior to its adoption the trustet
of the society adopted a minut
which declares that an inconclusiv
nao/ia tttaiil/1 vta an inoiilf f a fV ac
tt \j uxu uc an Alio ma v w mivu
who have fallen in the war and a b<
trayal to the living.
Ten Million to France.
The sending of an "overwhelmin
force" to France, because, it sayi
"the more men we send the fewe
will be slain," is counselled in th
minute, which declares that consic
ering the great numbers of me
poured into the war in the last thre
years by England and France, th
J * 1 A f\C\f\ l\f\
sending ox as many as iu,uuu,uu
from its population of over 100,0( 0
000 would be no more than thi
country's proportionate share.
The minute urges that Congrtisi
at its next session, be asked to <i?
clare that a state of war exists a Is
between the United States, Bulgari
nnrl Tnrlffv
www vvvvvvvvvv*
V I
V COTTON MARKET '
V Cotton 27% 1
V Seed $1.20 '
* ' \ ' '
J&ii-.' i?'. ;* > >r . ' '-i'v i&ll'-W |.<
Saving Involves
)\\ as a member of the United
n, and you will be asked to do
Preach and pracrice
Hie "gospel of
the clean plate."
Use local and seasonable
supplies;?
"?-t for waste.
poultry, game and sea foods in
d pork.
vegetables freely.
ting, in part, corn meal and
eaf flour.
e butter on the table, but subooking.
dy and sweet drinks and less su\
cessity, humanity and l\onor.
elected to discharge this duty,
!, but without other restraint
ridual conscience."
?Herbert Hoover.
"GERMANY PUNSTO
) CONTROL BRAZIL
N TEUTONIC INTRIGUE MORE
FULLY SHOWN
a Two More Messages From
iL II II ..UL..^
4/Ourii. von uuxuusy
IVIade Public.
it Washington, Oct 30.?Two more
al of the notorious Count von Luxte
burg'3 messages to the German ford
eign office from Beunos Ayres were
s- made public tonight by Secretary
i- Lansing. They provide official cony,
formation of Germany's plan to conte
trol Southern Brazil, shed additional
a. light upon Teutonic intrigue in South
ir America generally and reveal that
j. Luxburg appealed vainly for a squad)r
ron of submarines with which to awe
ie some Latin-Americans and to flatter
ill others with salutes. These dispatches
l(j like others that have gone before,
j. were given out by Secretary Lansing
>8 without discussion of their contents,
j. The only comment was in this stately
ment attached to the copies:
id "In view of the face that the substance
of certain tele,?rams addressed
by Count Luxburg to the German
r_ foreign office has been published, the
rA secretary of state makes public the
ie actual text of the telegrams."
The messages follow:
"No. 63. July 7, 1917.
d "Our attitude towards Brazil has
ie created the impression here that our
3_ easy going good nature can be countie
ed on. This is dangerous in South
d America where the people under thin
ie veneer are Indians. A submarine
j_ squadron with full powers to me
might probably still save the situation.
I request instructions as to
' whether after a rupture of relations
legation is to start for home or to
remove to' Paraguay or possibly
Chile. The naval attache will doubtless
go to Santiago de Chile.
(Signed) "Luxburg."
"No. 89. August 4, 1917.
? "I am convinced that we shall be
s> able to carry through our principal
ir political aims in South America, the
e J maintenance of open market in Ar[_|
gentina and the reorganization of
n | South Brazil equally well whether
with or against Argentina. Please
cultivate friendship with Chile. The
e announcement of a visit of a isubma0
rino cinno^rnn fn cnliihp fViP nrPQi
dent would even now exercise decisjs
ive influence on the situation in South
America. Prospect excellent for
wheat harvest in December.
s' (Signed) "Luxburg."
After the state department made
o public the "sink without a trace"
a messages which caused Argentina to
hand von Luxburg his passports, the
Argentine government sent to Washington
a number of the former Ger^
man minister's dispatches for decodt
ing. Whether the two now published
^ were among them or were obtained
by the United States at the same
^ (Continued on page 8.)
I
. *
?...
CLAIMS REVERSED" I
AND AFFIRMED
THE DI8TRICT BOARD ACTS 1
mmwikaii a# aaaa* daiiahaa#! am/4
ivuiiiuci vi vaaus ncici sou aiiu
Number Affirmed. Abbeville I
Men to Report for Duty'
The District Board for the Western
District in session at Greenwood
on Wednesday acted on appeals by
the government from exemptions
granted by the local board. In cases
which are reversed the parties will
report for duty on notice. The cases
affirmed mean that the exempted
persons will not report for duty.
The following are the
Claims Reversed
C. L. Evans x f
W. L. S. Douglas
Lorenzo Belcher y
C. S. Osborne
M. R. Campbell
Robert D. Wilson
William E. Bowen
W. P. Benton
Thomas Washington
George W. Mundy
W. D. Purdy
I
Jesse E. Morrison
H. J. Martin
R. H. Carwile
John T. Cheatham
L. P. Powell
L. G. Botts
C. A., McClelland 1
W. L. Stevens
L. C. Brinkley
P. C. Ellis
L. H. Wilson 4
Robert Carter
F. Clinkscales
L. W. Ayres ' /
Lace Calhoun
Arthur Cunningham
J. L. Bowie
, F. L. Sizemore.
liie following are the
Exemptions Affirmed
W. J. 600k
C. M. Magaha
H. Bratcher ?
W. Fisher
Horace Alien
William Brownlee.
J. B. Branyon
C. V. Ashley
J. B. Temple
S. A. Cochran
G. T. Burton
Cain - Elmore
Wiley Coleman;
A. B. Hollingsworth
Horace Martin.
The following cases re-opened
were acted on and action taken as
follows: z
Cases Re-opened and Discharges
granted:
Lonzo Evans, serial No. 107.
John G. E. Loftis. serial No. 726. .
j Cases Re opened and discharges
refused:
John B. Thomas, serial No. 692.
! AMERICAN STEAMER GETS
U-BOAT BEFORE SINKING |
Luckenbach Officers Express Sur-j
prise That Exploit Was Unknown j ?
In the United States I
i1
b
j An Atlantic Port, Oct 31.?Three Q
hours before the American steam'
ship Lewis Luckenbach was torpe- *
doed and sunk by an unseen submarine
on October 11, naval gunners
aboard the vessel planted a shot between
the twin periscopes of an enemy
submarine and sent her to the
bottom, according to an officer of y
the Luckenbach who arrived here to- ^
day. *
I The officer expressed surprise that
the fact had not become known in ^
the United States, and declared that ^
American naval officers on the other p
side knew of the incident and con- t'
ceded the sinking of the undersea
tl
i boat. The Luckenbach, a steel ves- ^
| sel of 3,906 tons, was sunk while tl
bound for Havre with a general car-j P
SO.
o
HALLOWE'EN PARTY AT
niun stnuuL iu-niuni a
Th eschool children are going to p
I have a Hallowe'en Party at the 0
c?
High School to-night, beginning at
r d
7:30. They are making great preparations
and a big time is to be had
! by all who attend. ir
The price of admission is 5 cents, w
'RESIDENT HIS 1
TO WAR IN ITALY
A/ILSON AND ADVISER DI8- i|
CUS8 SITUATION ' 'WM
Furnishing of Supplies, Espe- H
clally Coal, Believed to Be
Part of America Now.
Washington, Oct. 30.?The Italian : ^
lituation was discussed at length by
President Wilson and his advisers at . ^
loda^s meeting, the discussion touch ;
ng immediate military aspects and '.^Js
;he extension of assistance"by the : /aM
lilies. Furnishing of supplies, espe:ially
coal, ?badly needed for Italian
nunition factories, is said to be re- *
jarded as this country's particular
sphere, of immediate action.
Although the administration shares
egret and concern over initial sue- -fa
:esses of the Teutonic drive, high oficials
here are said to utterly reject . \
;he opinion, advanced in some quar;ers,
'"hat even this initial drive can '
jecome decisive of the war or even ?
in important turning point It is jig
Jelt that setbacks in Italy will act as v \^f|
i spur rather than a discouragement :-.3m
)oth upon Italy and the other allies.
There is no apprehension that Italy . ,
vill break down or weaken in ad
lerence to the common cause against
Germany.
Further advices concerning the rereat
are anxiously awaited in offi:ial
and diplomatic quarters. Army
jfficers as well as officials- of the '
tahan embassy appear to be entire- [
y confident that General Cadorna ^
will be able to hold the Teutonic - J|
'orces in check.
Word that the British artillerynen
with the Italian army had
)rought their guns through the re- ,
;irement without the loss of a bat- y
?ry was welcomed today as indicat- : Jreifi
ng that General Cadorna's men were
lolding their organiation in the face' <
>f the smashing Austro-German aslaults.
The British guns are all '-fa
'heavies," big pieces that it takes
ime to withdraw. xIf all of them
lave been saved, American officers ;
hink there is every reason to beieve
that much of the Italian artil- . '3
ery vital to defense in a final stand ,r$|
ilso has been brought back.
Today's reports are taken to indi:ate
that the artillery losses of the *
talians, claimed by the Germans to
QnArm/Mia nrvm nricn otmoIIaw rii aa
'V VViU|/ii>3^ OlllulIvA |/l^v
is and mounted guns. On the new
ine, laid out years ago as the Italian
lefensive front, there are emplacenents,
charted ranges and factors 4^
riiich will aid in stemming the tide
if the enemy advance. The British
>ig guns will become doubly useful
here.
Substantial evidence of America's ;
aith in Italy in the hour of her trial
pas given at the treasury today in
he form of a loan of $230,000,000. ^
rhis brought the total of credits exended
to Italy to $485,000,000 and
he grand total of loans to the allies
o $3,091,400,000. With this money ' v
taly will pay for vait quantities of
oal and other supplies purchased
tere for her armies and industries. '
\> carry the supplies the shipping
oard already has agreed to turn
ver 25 merchant ships. IO
EXCITEMENT v
FOR AMERICANS v
With the American Army in France,' ' ^
>ct. 31.?Conditions in the sector in ?
rhich the Americans are stationed
rere normal today. The artillery
>ork continued. The weather was
howery and much colder.
For the last two days there has : tg
een considerable aerial observa
ion; late yesterday three lierman
lanes flew over the American
renches.
So great is the enthusiasm among ^
le Americans to go on patrol that
le French commander has ordered
lat none of the higher grade officers
erform other than their regular dues.
It is the duty of the junior
ommand officers and the non-comlissioned
officers to go with patrols,
ut the officers of higher rank, such
s majors, were anxious to go out.
The quartermaster now has suplies
for several days within reach
f the American position as a preaution
against any transportation
ifficulties with the bases.
W. E. Haddon, of Antreville, was
1 the city yesterday on business and
as a visitor to our office while here.
.