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VOL.XXVIII MANNING, S, C., WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER TIIIMEN ROD SAFE nK T MUL LIn up BY IMAN MW ST AT hmee Men Arrested on Suspicion As Bandits Pass Down Road They Shot at Everybody They Caught gight of-Dogs Do Good Work in Tdal Chase. A telephone message to Mullins from Nichols at an early hour Wed nesday morning stated that the Bank of Niichols bad been robbed. Rural Policeman Hunter left by daylight for the scene and Sheriff Dozier and Oficers Berry and Deans went to Pee Defe, hoping to head the cracksmen off should they attempt to escape by train. Shortly after daylight Officer Byrd ,oticed two men coming down the railroad from toward Nichols, and locked them up under suspicion, x. pending an investigation. - It was not long before Officers Ber ry and Davis reported from Pee Dee that they had picked up a suspect there. The officers boarded the Wil mington train and carried their pris oner back to Nichols. On the same train was John Robbins, of the peni tentiary, with his bloodhounds, hav ing been reached over the long dis tance telephone In time to catch the train. from Columbia. The b'ank building had been roped et, and when the dogs were carried in the bank they readily took the -scent andaran down the railroad for some distance, and turning to the right, followed a trail over the public road near the new bridge, where it was lost. This led to the belief that the robbers escaped by a vehicle in waiting for them. After the dogs had failed to carry the trail- further Guard Robbins-re turned to Nichols and left the dogs tn the opposite side of the street from the -ank. By this time' there was possibly three hundred to four hun dred persons in the crowd. He then Jnstructed that the man arrested at Pe Dee be taken out in. the woods i ad made to climb a tree. At the same time several other parties were instructed to go off in different directions from that taken by thfe person suspected. Robbins blew his horn and a dog was releas e He ran through the cowd to his master, passing over the hundreds of footsteps; 'finalLv he ran back, 'and tfie moment he scented the tracks made by the man arrested at Pee-Dee he dashed off through the field and olowed the trail straight to the tree. The 'prisoner was brought down, protesting his innocence. Sev eral trials were made, but the dog re fused to follow any other trail. The -prisoner. was afterwards car ried :to Marion and placed in jail to await further developments. He gave his name as-TomL Reynolds and claim ed Richmond as his home. He was apparently about 30 years of age. His .left -arm was off just below the shoulder. He had blue eyes, light - pi, was fair-complected, with high forehad, and seemed rather indiffer eat to the serious predicament he. was in, only claiming that he was in nocent of the charge. The- burglary happened about 2:30 ocloet Wednesday morning. There -was an explosion in the bank build ing. In the adjoining building on the change the operator was asleep, and in -a room. almost over the banka negro barber was sleeping. The - dce of the ^explosion almost thret" the barber out of bed. The operator and barber stated that~ they rushed out and saw three mean on the ground. In a few sec onds residents living near were up and groping through the misty dark ness toward the bank. A second ex plosion convinced them that safe e racker were at work in the bank. -Dr. Ayers, who lives just across ti~e ,street, ventured out with his shot gun and fired three shots In the direction of the bank. -One of them struck the end of a freight car and the others were saidl to have gone through the bank window. The shots were promrptly returned by the intruders, aniso far as- the reporter coulid- learn no> one else ventured out until the job was completed and - the cracksmen left, not until, however, they had fir *ed the third charge. It was claimed by some that there was at least thirty minutes between the first and last re ports. While all this was going on the operator and barber remained in the building, panic-stricken. They were *afraid to leave on account of the guard and 'eipected every moment that the building would be blown up. They called to those in houses near by to come and carry them away, but could not get any one out. Shortly after the third explosion the safe-blowers came out and all went up the railroad. -Karl Griffin, who lives just beyond the depot, says a sthey gassed his house he was standing on the front porch and ask ed what the 'rouble was. They fired one or two shots at him and proceed ed on down the road. A negro liv ing near Nichols stated that he pass ed five white men on the railroad about 12 o'clock and that two hours later he saw them coming back from Nichols. The beautiful little Bank of Nich ols is almost a complete wreck. The entire front of the safe was blown away and part of it hurled through the ceiling, carrying off the top of the house. Every window in the build ing was shattered. A sledge hammer and bolts were secured by which at entrance was made. Inside the safe the cracksmer found an iron chest in which thE money was stored. It was this tha1 required in the third charge of nitro glycerine. In the strong box wa! eighteen hundred and fifty dollars it currency and coin. In the box wa! thirteen one-hundred-dollar bills be side other denominations. A carefu examination convinced the presideni that very little of tne currency wa! secured by the burglars, as the ter rible far seemed to have literally torr the bills into shreds. Only thirtyv-si: dollars and sixty-four cents was pick ed from the debris. The cashier, B B. Elvington, stated to the reporte> that the bank was fully protected b: insurance. W. McG. Buck. of th< Bank of Mullins, is president of th< stittnian. TO START NEW DASH NEW YORK WRITER SAYS THE GERANS ARE PREPARING. Looks for Another Drive Along Coast Towns-Belgium Has Been Heac iy Fortified by Teutons. A correspondent of the New York Times writes from "A Town in Bel gium": In spite of all the state ments to the effect that the Germans are retiring on the line between Dix mude and the coast, I am not yet con vinced that they will depart without making another attempt to break through. What may be said is that the longer they delay the harder their task will be. As it is the German heavy guns have disappeqred from the firing line, in all probability because the mud is fast making it impossible to move the heavy pieces in haste. Now the Al lies have only the lighter artillery to face, and these are particularly ac tive only at intervals. . Recently the German artillery be gan with extraordinary suddenness a terrific bombardment of the French intrenchments. It started about 7 o'clock in the evening and lasted un til nearly midnight. From a consid erable distance it was possible to see the flashes, which occurred probably at the rate of twenty a minute, and to hear the incessant booming. Along the rest of the line the German guns were quiet. The French batteries, most excel lently concealed, replied with less violence but with considerably more precision. The continuous flashes gave away the German positions, and the French artillerymen went about their work coolly and steadily. Next day showed that some German guns had been silenced once for all. This little incident serves to show how erratic is the foe with whom the allied armies have to deal, and it is because the Germans do not hesitate to attempt tie, impossible that I think that even yet there may be a renewed attempt to break brough the Dix mude-Nieuport line. Their only possible hope of success depends-upon their big guns. At the present time Flanders is a sea of mud Into which the big guns would inevit ably sink. Soldier for soldier, the Belgian and the Frenchman are quite equal to the German, and the light artillery of the Allies is very plenti ful. Robbed of the use of their big guns the German offensive-must fail. While the Allies have been making sure of their defense they have at the same time made possibae an advance in force, but the retaking of Belgium is going to be a long and terrible bus iness. I have the best possible authority for stating that the defenses behind the German lines are singularly com plete. British airmen have inspected from above the formidable defense works, built of concrete, which ex tend from Eccloo to Brussels, a dis tance of approximately sixty miles. ARMED NEUTRALITY. Italian Premier Once Again Outlines Course of His Country. The Italian parliament Thursday with sittings of both the chamber of deputies and the senate witnessed by hundreds of- deeply interested specta tors. Italy's position was set forth in a statement by Premier Salandra, who advised that she maintain a watchful and armed neutrality. He was frequently applauded. The premier said the European conflict broke out suddenly without involving Italy directly and in spite of her efforts to avert the war for the sake of peace and civilization. A careful study of her treaty obligations and the causes of the conflict con vinced the government that Italy was not called on to participate and she accordingly declared her neutrality. In view of the necessity of protecting Italian Interests, however, a declara tion of neutrality alone was not suf ficient to guard against contingencies. The political division of the con tinent of Europe, the premier pointed out, perhaps were about to be modi fied. Italy, he added, has vital inter ests to protect and aspires to main tain her position as a great power and to preserve intact her policies. She therefore must be watchful, powerful and ready for any eventuality. The supreme task of the government was to bring the army and navy to a state of preparedness since, when law ceases to govern, the only safety of a nation is in force. Italy must be ready to protect herself. SENT IT OUT. essel Bound for Charleston Held on Suspicion at New York, Assistant Secretary Peters Thurs day night instructed Collector of Cus toms Malone, at New York, to grant clearance papers to the American steamship Berwind, recently detained by customs authorities there pending an investigation to determine wheth er she had violated the neutrality laws, The Berwin was charged with fur nishing contraband articles to a Ger man warship outside the three-mile limit. Upon investigation, however, the treasury department found it had no grounds upon which to hold her. The vessel, it was said, is clearing for Charleston to take aboard a cargo of cotton for Bremen. Naval Strategist Dead. Admiral Alfred T. Mahan, greatest modern writer on naval strategy, died Tuesday at the naval hospital at Washington. Mill Increase Wages. The Irene Cotton Mills of Gaffney announce an increase of twenty per cent. to all employees of the mills. Heads of Allies Meet. President Poincare, King George, King Albert. and Gen. Joffre mnet on the fields of France Thursday. France to Take Part. The French government, it is an nounced, will maintain an exhibit at the San Francisco exposition. Will Enforce Neutrality. Chile has dispatched three destroy ers to seek out the alleged German base near her coast. American Troops Home. Three hundred and fifty marines have arrived at Philadelphia fron M"3 RULED CITY NEXICAN APMTAL IN TERROR DURING HOLE IEEE POLICE WERE UNHARMED Students Formed Posse and Cleared Principal Streets of the Trouble some Element-Zapata's Forces Are Now Keeping Order in Ancient City. For one week Mexico City has been isolated from the outside world, so far as concerned the transmission of press dispatches. Wednesday com munication was restored by a wire from the capital to El Paso and it is possible to recount in detail the story of the last few days, only fragments of which hitherto have passed beyond the border. When Gen. Lucio Blanco left the city early Tuesday, November 24. few inhabitants knew of his departure. Towards noon heavy firing was heard in the neighboring suburbs. Here the retreating forces of Gen. Blanco were deserted by their chief. They fought the advance guard of Gen. Zapata. During these engagements sixty men were killed and Blanco's men retreated northward through Atzcapotzalco. It then became generally known that Gen. Carranzo had ordered both Obregon and Blanco to leave the city with all their men. The order also called for the disarmament and the dissolution of the entire police force. As Zapata's forces had not pene trated the city proper and as the Con stitutionalist plan called for complete abandonment of the capital, when the order to dissolve the police force be came known fear and rage divided the feelings of business and residen tial communities. Stores and banks were closed immediately and have re mained closed. Foreigners and Mexi cans kept close to their homes. At 5 o'clock Tuesday mobs began forming in front of the national pal ace. It was.evident that serious trou ble was brewing and the streets were cleared of all save four rioters. With cried of "To the arms store! there are no police," the crowds ran from the open plaza to the places designat ed on the Avenida 16th of September. Here the leaders forced the doors of one of the largest establishments selling arms and ammunition and handed out the weapons to the wait ing throngs. With these the rioters rushed down the streets, firing as they went. This firing began at dusk on the evening of November 27 and resulted in the shutting up of all establish ments, both public and private, until the cause of it was learned. Excellent order is now Cing pre served in the city, but eleven firemen were killed Thursday hight by Zapa ta soldiers, who, when the firemen answered an alarm, mistook their ap paratus for rapid fire gqns and artil lery and' poured volley after volley into the defenceless men. Seven fire men killed outright and four died on the way to the hospital. Many were wounded. Wednesday the advance guard of the Villa army, under Gen. Angeles, reached the outskirts of the city. There are 6,000 Infantrymen in the detachment and they are encamped about a mile back of the Chapultepec Castle. -These.men will not enter the city until the bulk of the array of Gen. Angeles arrives, which will be about the end of the week. A large detachment of Villa troops, under Gen. Jose Isabel Robles, is re ported to have defeated the division of Gen. Pablo Gonzales and captured the city of Pachua. When the Car ranza forces deserted Mexico City they took with them one of the loco motives and all available rolling stock, so that for the past week the various railway stations and yards have been empty. Troops from the north are bring ing many trains with them. Tele phone lines connecting the capital with the suburbs had been working busily, however, and the Zapata forces on the outskirts were asked to come into the city. They responded promptly. Meanwhile students had met and decided to arm themselves and dis perse the mobs if no assistance came from the besieging soldiers on the outside. The crowds heard of these preparations and broke up into small parties, spreading out over the en tire city. When the Zapata forces entered Mexico City the students, armed with all sorts of weapons, already hadl taken possession of the principal streets. These manifestations awed the mobs, who confined themselves to breaking into small stores along thg unfrequented streets. Terror was 'added to the situation by the fact that the men of Gen. Blanco's command, in their hurry to get out of harm's way, held up coaches and unhitched horses or broke into public an~d private stables and seized any animal tha't would en able them to escape. During these operations considerable firing was go ing on. Eduar'do Iturbide, governor of the federal district under the Carbajial regime, led the reorganization of the police force, calling on all former army officers for that purpose. Senor Iturbide. working in conjiunction with Col. Saldana, of the Zapata forces, and by 1~0 o'clock that night 200 foot and 100 horse of these volunteers were patrolling the streets. By mid* night complete order prevailed in the down town districts. . i* Booty From 'Tsing Tau. The Japanese captured gt Tsing Tau 2.500 rifles, 100 machine guns, 0 field guns and provisions to feed five thousand soldiers three months. Troops in Egypt. Australian and New Zealand troop! have been landed in Egypt. where they will be trained for European service. Air Bombs on Krupp's Shop. The Krupp factory at Essen was bombarded by air bombs Wednesday. The damage. if any, is unknown. King George at the Front. The king of England is at preseni at the front of the battle line witi hi troops. NEGROES FORMED MOB NEW YORK FIREMEN AND PO LICEMEN SET ON BY 3,000. Arrest of Black Artilleryman Start Rioting in Harlem-Doctors an( Firemen Wounded. Samuel Reeves, a negro coast artil leryman at Fort Slocum, drew crowd of negroes about him in th( middle of Lenox Avenue, betweer 137th and 138th streets, New York early Tuesday evening wnile be aired his grievances against a restaurani proprietor across the way. Police man Rane of the Lenox Avenue sta tion shouldered his way through the crowd, and started to feel the sol dier's pockets. He was struck on the jaw and knocked down. Other members of the cron d fell upon Rone until he drew his night stick, banged his assailant over the heads to the right and left, and final ly made them clear a way for him and his prisoner by firing two shots in the.air. With his prisoner the policemar hurried toward the 137th street en trance of the Harlem hospital, just around the corner. The negro had received a scalp wound. The mob fol lowed and threw bricks and battleE at Rane. Assitant Supt. C. D. O'Neil got to gether several of the house p~hysicians and a crowd of orderlies, numbering altogether more than a dozen and went to the gate to see the police man and his prisoner safely inside. A crowd of 3,000 negroes showered them with bricks and bottles. Some of them were cut and painfully bruis ed. Meanwhile Policeman Joyce and Finnernan of the Lenox Avenue sta tion, who had heard the two shots fired, had come on the run. They arrested Herman Prieto, 20 years, a negro, of 56 East 132nd street, and sought a refuge from the mob for themselves and their prisoner in a saloon on the southeast corner- of 137th street and Lenox - Avenue. When they entered the place they were assailed by the mob of negroes, still throwing bricks. Joyce was cut in the mouth and Finneran was hit on the head. . Both had their hands cut following the smashing to two large plateglass windows in the sa loon. A call for the reserves was sent in to the Lenox Avenue station, and Capt. O'Neal hurried twenty men over to the riot, and with a patrol wagon collected all the available men on the post and sent them to rein force the reserves. A small fire in West 138th Street brought several engines and added to the excitement. The firemen were showered with miis siles by the mob. The reserves were attacked. znd several men were cut and 'bruised. Nightsticks were flourished vigorous ly, and soon the mob melted away, but not until there were many bruis ed heads and bloody faces among them. Several plate-glass windows in stores ana windows in passing street cars were smashed. , BELGRADE CAPTURED. Austrian Army Takes Capital of Their Small Antagosilst. -Belgrade, until the outbreak of the war, Servia's capital, was occupied Tesdaw by Austrian troops. The Servians previously evacuated the city. Thus, on the 66th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Francis Jos eph, who again is reported seriously ill, and four months after teh out break of war, his generals report one of the most important successes they have obtained. Belgrade frequently was bombard ed early in the war and but for the necesisty that comhpelled Austria to send troops against Russia must have fallen easy prey to Servia's big neigh bor. Apparently Austria miscalculated the nature of the Servian opposition and only after Bosnia was invaded did she send a sufficient force against the Servians 'to drive them back. 'ow they are being forced backward and are eagerly looking for the advance of the Russians into Hungary to af ford them relief. Russia has been sending Cossack~ raiding parties through the Carpa thians to dive. t Austria's attention, but the dual monarchy seemingly ih determined to finish with Cervia first. HOLD CONFERENCE. South American Countries to Seek As. sistance of U. S. Proposals for creating a neutra one in the waters of the Westerr Hemisphere and conserving the right of neutrals will be laid by the United States before the governing board o1 the Pan-American Union, which con sists of diplgn.atic representatives o: the 21 American republics. The general'-purpose of the meeting is to reach a concord of views or neutrality question so that the 21 American republics will speak as witl one voice to the European belligereni powers whenever new questions arise After conferences between Pinesi dent Wilson, Secretary Brya n an< Counsellor Robert Lansing, it wa: decided that the only feasible plan a present was to lay the entire questiol before the Pan-American governi board. TILLMAN SCENTS TRUST. Suspects Midvale Steel Company Be longs to Armor Plate Trust. The congressional committee inves tigating the cost of armor plate man ufacture completed its work on the present trip Saturday. Committe< members Saturday night said tha they had obtained little informatioi as to the actual cost of making armo plate at the Midvale steel shops, an< added that their investigations at th' Carnegie and Bethlehem plants ha< been equally unsatisfactory. Senato Tilman declared that the only defi nite information the committee has received was that "the Midvale com pnay has been driven by the govern ment into what I believe is an armo plate combination." David Lamar Guilty. David Lamar, the lobbyist, who iE personated Representative Palme1 has been convicted and sentenced t two ye.r ip th e fed ar' i nanitentimr SHOT THREE WOMEN NORTH CAROLINIAN IN JAIL FOR TRIPLE MURDER. After Killing His Victims Murderer i Builds Fire and Plays Banjo Until His Arrest. It develops that young Lowe Dan iels, in jail at-Asheboro, N. C., charg; ed with a triple murder, had warned Edgar Varner, Lora Luther and "Coon". Daniels, his alleged victims of Saturday night, to stay away from his home, charging that the women were "eating up everything he made" -and thinking Varner's visit unwar ranted. - Lowe Daniels is a son of William Daniels of Davidson county. Young Daniels was born and reared in Davidson under rather adverse in fluences. The family were blockaders and young Lowe developed, it is said, into an all round tough. A few years ago he married a young woman nam ed Luther, a daughter of Ransom Luther, who lived in the southwestern part of Randolph county in which is known as the Pisgah section. Young Daniels made his home about one mile east of the little negro town of Striby and his sister, "Coon" Daniels, made her home with him a part of the time and his wife's sister, Lora Luther, stayed with them part of the time. It develops that young Edgar Varner, one of the victims, was a not infrequent visitor at the Daniels home, too. It seems that Daniels left home Thursday at noon for a visit to his old home in Davidson. He returned Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock, put ' his mule, fed and watered him id came in the house and had sup r. While they all sat around the -re with apparently nothing wrong until about 7 o'clock. He got 'up and got his gun and without any preliminaries shot young Varner in the right side of the face, killing him instantly. He then turn ed and shot his wife, the shot-passing near her chin, cutting into it some and lodging in her shoulder, tearing most of the upper part of her should er 'away. - A few shots also lodged in ter br.east.. Immediately after Mrs. Daniels was shot her sister, Miss Lora Luther, ran to her assistance and Daniels turned his gun on her, shooting her in the side of the head and killing her instantly. The shot cut off one finger and knocked many of her teeth out. They wer found later scattered over the floor. At this juncture his sister, "Coon" Daniels, who was in a rear room, came running in and was met by a load of shot in the head, dy ing Instantly. Daniels, as told by his wife at the preliminary hearing, built on a good fire, with pine knots, got out his banjo and proceeded to entertain himself musically. He occasionally addressed a remark to his wife who lay withering in her own blood and -be blood of the other three which literally ran In sti'eais dver the floor. SUBMARINES SINK TWO. German Underwater Dogs Travel-Fur ther Than Ever Before. It was reported in London Satur day that two IBritish steamers were sunk off Havre yesterday by German submarines. The steamers were the Malachite and the :Primo. Their crews were rescued. Those from the Malachite were landed at Southamp tonand those from the Prima at Fe camp, France, on the English chan nel. Lloyds report indicates that Ger man's submarines have made one of their most daring feats. This is the first occasion when their activities have been reported in these waters. Apparently they made their way through the Straits of Dover to a point more than one hundred and fifty miles from their nearest base. The Malachite was a small steamer of 718 tons gross. She was built in Glasgow In 1902. The gross tonnage of the' Primo was 1,3 66. She was laid down in Stockton in 1898. "JIM CROW" LAW INVALTD. Supreme Court Makes Decision U'pon .Case from Oklahoma. The supreme courtq Monday an nounced through Justice Holmes that the "Jim Crow" law of Oklahoma was invalid insofar as it allowed- the fur nishing of sleeping, parlor and chair cars only to white persons, but failed to so decree because the suit to en join the enforcement of the statute by five negroes had been too general in setting up the rights of the ne groes. Chief Justice White and Justices Holmes. Lamar and McReynolds join ed the other justices in affirming the decision of the lower court but did not concur with the holding on con stitutionality as it refers to railroad cars. Althoggh a majority of the court expressed the opinion that the law was invalid, that was not decreed because of the error in the previous proceedings. KINGS AT THE FRONT. Head of All Belligerents Visit Armies in the Field. The battle in Northern Poland is being fought out under the eyes of the German emperor, on the one side, and the Rtussian emperor. on the other. These two monarchs left for the front Tuesday, so that virtually the heads of all the nations at war are with their troops. The king of England is in France: - the king ,of Belgium, as usual. is - spending all his time with his sol~ diers, whle Prcsident Poincare, of France, started Tuesday for another visit to the northern battlefield. rPresident Meets Chiefs. SGuitterez, provisional president of 2 Mexico, is to confer with Gens. Vjlla and Zapata as to the occupation o0 rthe capital of Mexico. . Atlantic Fleet Dispersed. - The eleyen battleships. composini r the Atlantic fleet, have -dispersedc after holding their manoeuvres of] the Virginian coast. - Many Austrians Face Servians. -Petrograd reports that 50,0.00 Aus trians are engagaed in the campaigt REACH NO DECISION BATTLE BETWEEN VISTULA AND WARTA RIERS CONTIUE GERMANS BEIN ATTACKS Russians Approach Within Firing Distance of Cracow, But Battle in Center Maintains Front Rank of Importance-Rennenkampif Blam ed for German Army's Escape. In Poland, where all eyes are fixed, the Germans, after extricating them selves from a difficult and menacing position, are direbting their efforts against the Russian army, which failed a few days ago to encompass the invaders. - London reports: "It is apparent that a new battle has developed southwest. of Lodz, where the Ger mans have' formed a new line with fresh forces brQught from Kalise, and are again trying to penetrate the Rus sian center. Petrograd reports officially: "Fighting continues in certain dis tricts along the front in the region of Lowlcz. Important forces of the en emy, chiefly troops transported in No vember from the German west front, opened an offensive on December 2 in the regfion of Lioutomersk and Sezer zow. "On the rest of the front on the left bank of the Vistula there is no particular modification in the situa tion." Berlin reports officially: "Although no news is being received concerning operations about Lowicz, Russian Po land, it is assumed German attempts to flank the Russian right wing are continuing. The great value of such a move would consist in forcing the Russians southward away from the route. toward Warsaw and into the rear of the Russian main army. Much depends on the progress made by the Germans and Austrians on the.front and on the enemy's left. So far they have maintained their positions and repulsed all attacks, but whether they have advanced is not known. The Russian "loss the last few days of 100,000 captives and many guns is considered by local critics as bound to weaken them seriously." London reports: "Advices from both Berlin and Petrograd indicated that the Germans had definitely suc ceeded in' throwing back the envelop ing Russian forces and were main taining stolidly their position west of Lowicz. Furthermore, it is said that the Germans are again undertaking an energetic offensive. "The completeness of change in the situation, ascribed variously to the failure of the Russian general, Ren nenkampff, to close up the ring about the Germans and to the brilliant strategy of the German leaders, is in dicated by a report telegraphed from Petrograd by an English correspond ent who previously had announced that the Russians had won an over whelming victory. He now states that the Germans are holding their positions, and that the situation 're mains extremely interesting and haz ardous.' -"A German military critic esti mates that the Russian losses in kill ed, wounded, prisoners and death from sickness amount to fully 1,100, 000, or one-third of the nation's best troops. "In Galicia the situation Is still confused. Re~cent reports front Pet rograd that the Russians had invest ed Cracow on three sides are now contradicted by an unofficial dispatch, which says that the invaders are eight miles from the city. The Archbishop of Przemysl, the Galician stronghold, which has been under siege for sev eral weeks, is quoted as saying that the situation there is desperate and that the surrender of the city im pends. Petrograd reports: "Beyond the Carpathians ou-~ troops have taken Bartfield, capturing eight officers, 1, 200 men and six machine guns." Vienna officials reports via Berlin a repulse to the besiefiers of Prsemysl, Galicia. The garrison made a sortie against the Russians and drove them back from the outer fortifications. Tendon reports that the Russians have approached within firing dis tance of Cracow, their advance from Przemysl having proceeded without any real contest. They are reported to be mounting the heavy batteries around the town of Wieliczka, which they occupied, from the outer forts of which Cracow can be reached. London reports: "For a moment, the Allies are somewhat disappointed that the realization of a great Rus sian victory is denied them. They take some consolation in that the Ger man attempt to pierce the Russian lines has failed, and suffering from heavy losses, the Germans are com pelled to weaken their armies else where. "The Germans assert that in the Polish manoeuvres they made 80,000 prisoners. The Russians, in a state ment issued through Rome, say their captures greatly exceed this number. All agree that losses have been heavy and that the battle still is undecisive, as it probably will be for some days." Berlin reports: "The report cir culated in the foreign press that the 23,000 prisonei taken by us at Kut nt are included .'n the forty thousand Russian prisoner.s reported by us pre viously, is tuntrue. "In the battles at Wialook and Lodz the eastern army has taken be tween the 11th of November and the 1st of December over 80,000 un wounded Russian prisoners." VALUE OF AIR CRAFT. Captain Bristol Calls Attention to Its Service in Fighting. Aircraft and their great part in modern wawfare were discussed to day before the house naval committee by Capt. Bristol, in charge of the naval aviation corps. Capt. Bristol explained the value of aviators as sea scouts and said while submarines might not be discovered from the deck of a ship, they could be detected by airmen even if submerged 50 to 100 feet under the surface of the water. President Opposes Investigation. It is understood that President Wilson does not consider the present a timely occasion for the passage of any bill investigating the military tength of this coumtry. ACTIVITY IN THE WEST LONDON THINKS MORE IS GOIN ON THAN IS TOLD. French and Ferman Official Statg ments Report Activity Along th Lines. The increasing thunder of gun and of transports bearing wounde men, has led to the conclusion i London that a greater degree of ac tivity has prevailed in West Flander than has been'reported in the officit communication. Paris reports officially: "The oni interesting news relates to our righ wing and to the day of December 2 On the right bank of the rived Mc selle we have occupied Lesmenils an the signal towel of Lon. "In the Vosges our troops hav captured the Tete de Faux, south c the village Bonhomme, which dom: nates the.range of hills forming th frontier and has served as an obser vatory for the Germans. "In the Alsace the'station of Burr haupt has been occupied and we hav established ourselves on a line cor prising Aspach, the bridge of Aspac and Burnhaupt. "In Belgium there was a rathe lively artillery fire directed agains Nieuport and to the south of Ypres "The inundations have extended t the south of Dixmude. "From the Lys to the Somme ther has been a violent bombardment, par ticularly at Aix Noulette, to the wes of Lens. "There was quiet along the entir front from the Somme to the Aisn and in the Champagne. "In the Argonne several attacks o: the part of the enemy were repulsec and we made slight progress. "In the Wovre district the Get man artillery evidenced a certain ac tivity, but with insignificant results. Berlin reports officially: The nex of the communication reads: "In the western theatre of war th enemy made insignificant advances which were checked. "In the forest of Argonne a stronj point of support of the enemy wa taken by the Wuerttemberg infantr; regiment No. 120, his Majesty. th Kaiser's own regiment. On this oc casion two officers and about thre hundred of the enemy's troops wer, made prisoners." LOAN FUND READY. Large Part of Money is Not Expect ed to be Used. The last important step prelimi nary to the active operation of th( $1l5,000,000 cotton loan fund wa taken Thursday by the cotton loal committee when it conileted th< State committee in 11 of the South ern states. These committees wil select local committees at once it every cotton producing community The cotton loan committee also an nounced that a meeting of the chair men of the State committees woule be held December 15 to discuss de tails of the loan plan. Although the plans for putting th< fund into the hands of cotton pro ducers have gone steadily forward, i was indicated that possibly a larg< part of the $100,000,000 contribute< by Northern banks might never b used. Officials realize that som Southern producers are nc-t -particu larly enthusiastic over the plan 11 view of the interest to be paid oi loans, and of the prices now quotes on cotton on the New York and Liv erpool exchange. At the same time it was said th plan is regarded as successful wheth er a dollar is borrowed under it o not. The very fact that the cotto: exhanges have reopened and that cot ton is selling for fairly good prices officials declared, was due to some es tent at least to the completion of th loan fund.. The State loan committees ar composed of bankers and the follow ing were among those announced'. South Carolina-R. G. Rheti gle, Jr., Charleston; E. W. Roberts chairman; Henry Schachte and E. EI Pringle Jr., Charleston; E. W. Rot ertson, Columbia; C. G. Rowlanc Sumter; John M. Kinard, Newberrn BUILDING SUBMARINES. Germany Concentrating Naval Aspira tion on Under-Water Terrors. Telegraphing from Copenhage The London Daily Mall's correspond ent says: "Ralizing Great Britain' preponderance in dreadnoughts, wor at the German dock yards is bein concentrated on the construction C submarines and air craft and also o what are called 'floating batteries.' "The German theory appears t be that the British fleet can be heate by launching against it a huge sul marine and air attack. It is reporte that the German fleet agafh ha steamed into the 'North sea. Abot 100,000 fugitives from East 'Prussi have been sent to Schleswig Holstei and Hanover and more than cub1 this number is being cared for in tb interior of Germany, a majority< them being without work or food." CATURES FILIBUSTERERS. . S. Cavalrymen Catch Nine Hleavi] Armed Mexicans. U'nited States cavalrymen Wednet day night captured nine heavily arn ed Mexicans, part of an alleged fil bustering expedition of 25. The ca] ture was made after a chase net Hidalgo, Texas. Major Arturo Marmanio, one of ti captured Mexicans, said the exped tion was aimed at capturing Reynos Mexico, a border point sixty miles t tohe Rio rlrande from El Paso. E said the attack, planned for Thur day, probably would be postponed b cause of the vigilance by Unitc State soldiers. The Mexicans ca: tured were mainly officers. Tax Hits Congressmen. The income tax caused a reductic of $ 16.000 in the salaries paid by tl United States to the members of ti House of Representatives. DeWet a Prisoner. Christian DeWet, leader of ti South Africant rebellion, has be4 CRIICS ANSWTERED TALK Of LACKOF TOI DES - FLODED BY RENT SHIPS FULLY EQUIPE s M Bear Admiral Straus, Chief of Bu s reau of Ordnance, Proves -State. ments of Representative Gardner to Y be "Mlsleadng"-Battleships Are t Well Armed With Torpedoes. What officials regard as popular er aggeration of admitted defects In the American navy's torpedo equipment 8 was the subject of a statementzisae f Thursday. night by Secretary Bazel embodying a special report from eSAr e Admiral Straus, chief o,- the buresu - of ordnance. Specifically, the statementwas pre pared to prove misleading a dec e tion that "of long rangs tor there are only fifty-eight in i tbe a navy," quoted from a speech by,Rep resentative. Gardner, of -Assachu r setts, who is urging the adm sr t tion to support his resolution'or an~ investigation of the navy's ,Mtairy y preparedness. While the recent discussdon-of 7 e subject has dealt only with the eq V# . ment of battleships and cruiseisd t miral Straus took occasion to o out that long range torpedoes a neither required nor desired forsub marines. iHe recalled that the3ritlsh armored cruisers Aboukir, Cressyn1 Hogue were torpedoed and destroyed I by a German submatine at a range of 500 yards. "This statement standizig by itsef - is calculated to leave'a false imnte sion," said Mr.- Daniels. "In viewLof repeated statements that the navy has h t only fifty-eight long range torpedoe,-. the chief of theb urea"of ordns has been asked to furnishr am . concerning the torpedo situation has complied as follows "'The fifty-eight long range torpe does sooften referred to as the onlf ones the navy possess are of'the .1 inch, 21-foot type, and there is no ship in the United State&snavyyet commission:that is prepared to tk them. They were manufactured for new construction, beging with-the Nevada and the Oklahoma,'and these two ships will not go into commJ16i until about the end ofntierlye Their long range is obain increase in length over-existing tye. 8, and no ship prior to. the Nevada Oklahoma is constructed for tyrpe-; does of this length. So far as the bureau of ordnance can ascertain these torpedoes have as hgh irang or higher, than any torpedoes manZ factured abroad. "'Beginning- with the . Virgin1 class, which went into commison: principally in 1906, and up to andfi cluding the Texas, which went into commission this- yearall the battle ships are provided with 21-Inch 17 toot tubes. Within the last twoyean it was found posible- to so improve7 the 21-inch, 17-foot torpedo as to practically double its range, and steps were taken at once to construct-ew torpedoes having the increased range.. -2 We already have a sufficient umber i of these longer range torpedoes to Soutfit the eight. most recent -dread Snoughts in commission, and that is~ Sthe equipment that they will have oiL - board. S"'In addition to the above, thiere Sare being manufactured at the gor I ernent works at Mewport and the - Bliss works at. .Brooklyn a sudicient number to provide all of the' battle y ships of the United States navy, be-m . ginning with the Virginia class,- with' L the long range torpedoes. The Ohio. i class, first commissioned about 1904, . are fitted with 18-inch tubes and tor pedoes of the highest range can not.. .be submitted for the equipment now furnished them without serious alter ations. "'All of the armored cruisers, er cept four, and all of the older de-3 stroyers are provided with 19-Inch -9 tubes. All of the cruisers and all of% the destroyer'~ subsequent to destro---.. em No. 28 are provided with torpe-N -does that were up-to-date In range and speed one year ago. Since thend .a scheme has been developed for in- - creasing the range of the 18-Inch .tor pedo, and there now are in process ofQ construction 18-inch torpedoes of the newer type. which-will oufit all de-s stroyers from No. 28 with long range weapons. "'Long range torpedoes neither are required, or desired for subzn rinles. Submarine warfare is of.ub a character as to make It-advisab use short range high speed torpedoes. and that is the class that submarines n are being furnished with. T1he Abe* kir, Cressy and Hogue were tore~d recently, it will be recalled, at'a range of 500 yards.' " -~ SUPPRESS IRISH PAPERS. s British Authorities Shutting Down t ' ' aAlleged Disloyal Press. ~ 'A dispatch from Dublin, Ir esays the newspaper Sinn Fein did t eappear Thursday. The publishers fused to print it in consqquenlce- o having been warned that they would be liable for printing treasonable~ matter. This is the second step in the sup pression of Irish publications wi~b Shave been opposing enlists and .x pressing pro-German sentiments. Te police Wednesday night raided the -office of the Irish Freedom, a. month t- ly publication, and confiscated a - copies of the papers offered forsae - in the news stands. Scorns Governor's Parole.. e Will Miller, the Indian whow 'paroled upon condition that he ev Sthe State, refuses to accept the - D role and remains in theL n e jail. , He wants to be a free - when he has served his time. d Negro Lynched for M(urde.r - Kane McKnight, charged with th murder of the postmaster at Sylv ter, La.. was lynched Thursday. n Bag of Lyddite 'Explodes. e Hundreds of windows were bro L and six men were killed at Brsf Eng., when a bag of Lyddite explod Wednesday. e Reichtag Votes Wtar Loan. n The German reichstag has v war loan of $1.250,000.000.