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ABUSE WAR PRISONERS. ** ? ? fKfiNCHMAN Till I S OF AMI III CAN'S CONDITION. MOdKr Captured Unwounded Lose* More Than Thirty Pounds In Weight In Germany. With the American Army In France, May t (By the Associated Press).? American prisoners of war are being shamefully treated in German prison camps if they all have the experience of an American interviewed by I French soldier, also a prisoner in Ger? many. Just before he escaped. The Frenchman's story, as told to Ameri? can officers, follows: A short time before I left Hameln. Hanover. 1 was able to have a few minutes' Interview with an American Soldier who was taken prisoner sev? eral months age on the French front. Being unwounded, he was assigned di? rectly to a prison camp. Weakened by exoeselve work he was forced to do rn lbs salt mines and being unable to stay longer, he was sent to Hameln. "I do not remember the name of the man or the number of his regi eaent but hs had been among the first Americans In the trenches and his home was in New York. He told me that during the three months he was 10 the Hars mines he had lost 33 pounds. Hs was a man who was sol? idly built and it could be easily seen that he had been vigorous and healthy but when I saw him he was Incredibly fthln and so weak that he could hard ly crees o room without stopping re? peatedly, leaning on pieces of fur? niture or supporting himself on boxe? piled there. "Englishmen also are badly treated In the mines. I found out that three of seven who were sent back to Ha? meln died. Package eervlce does not exist In the mines and the prisoner* receive practically nothing. Theii only nourishment is from thin soup mads of barley or cabbage, sometimes salted codfish eggs and those of othet nsh which it is Impossible to eat There are few potatoes and very little bread. It Is Impossible for a n an to work without becoming sick or weak? ened to the point of falling down. "The men are struck with rifle butt and the flat side of bayonets and are placed In dark cells on bread and water. These cells are known to the mine prisoners aa 'hot chambers' a* they are heated by steam to a high temperature. After the men are held la these cells they are turned out In the snow where they are required to stand at 'attention' for a certain time. Needlss to say deaths are fre? quent. "This American had been punished several times In this way and told mc all that I am relating to you. I am able to confirm his story because oth? er Englishmen and Frenchmen I saw at Hameln did not have the strength even to hold a cigarette." AMERICAN ST F. AM Fit SINK. The American stcain*hlp T>lcr Tor? pedoed and Sank March 17th? Eleven 1/nst. New York, May 7 ?Tho American eteamahlp Tyler, of 3.900 tons, for? merly an Old Dominion freighter was torpedoed and sunk off the French coast March 17th Eleven member* of the crew were killed or drowned. Of these five were navy runners. AMMRICAN nOOtV AT FRONT. I.arge Numbers of Americans Arrive at the Front Dully. Paris, May 7.?American troops continue to arrive at the front In force. Premier Clemenceau told the Scho ds Paris on returning today from a two days visit to the front. Kftt m mmm FIGHT WITH St BMABINE. > ____ American strainer IWcat* German Submarine on March 17th. Waahlngtoo. May 7.?A light be? tween the American steamer Tidewa? ter and a German submarine on March 17 In which the submarine was defeated and prohably sunk. waa reported today by *he aarj tsOOrt ment. The Tidewater encountered th?> ['? boat at Olght, barelv missing collis? ion aa she submerged. The second shot from the Tidewater apparently made a clean hit. AUSTRALIANS <.<M>D FIGHTERS. Steadily Push Germans Dock In Am Ion* Sector. With Brltlah Army In France at ? ? ?The Australian* last night PJMUM another advance, pushing their line forward five hundre l yards on a front of six hundred yards gOjM Snilly-le Sec. east of Amiens. They also pushed back the Germans IhfOi hun dred yards alona a front of five hun? dred ysrds west of Morlancourt, just above Hallly-Le-Se. Nntwlthatund Ing o heavy barrage the Germans were unable to prevent their ml vsnce. THE AIRCRAFT SCANDAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO t SE EVERY MEANS TO PROBE CHARGES OF DISHONESTY. Coffin Hud Askod for Investigation and Squicr Had Demanded Military Dtqulry. Washington. May 6.?Talk of graft and mismanagement in the national airplane construction heard for months in senate debate and capitol lobby gossip culminated today in a presidential order for an investiga? tion by the department of justice. Al? most simultaneously it became known that Major Gen. Squler, chief signal otllcer, and until recently in direct chargo of army aviation, had de? manded a mlUUry court of inquiry. The White House in announcing President Wilson's action made pub? lic a telegram rooeived Saturday from Howard Coffin, former chair? man of the chief board, urging an of? ficial inquiry "that reputations of in? nocent men may not be ruined," and i series of letters and telegrams ex? changed between the president and Guston Borglum. the sculptor, to whom Is attributed responsibility for statements that corruption in the ex? penditure of im tls and pro-German intrigue has hin Jered airplane pro? duction. There al?o was a letter written by the president today to Senator Thom? as, of Colorado, a member of the senate military committee, assuring him that every instrumentality of the department of Justice will be used to pursue charges of dishonesty or mal? versation of any kind if Mr. Borg Iurn's allegations are found worthy of serious consideration. Senator Thom? as laid before the president last week assertions made to members of the -ommittee by the sculptor. The exact status of Mr. Borglum *b an investigator, which until now has been more or less of a mystery to the public, is cleared up by the cor? respondence. It develops that after che sculptor had written to Secretary Tumulty last Novemoei In regard to alleged defects in the aircraft organ .zation and the desirability of having certain exports called in, the presi? dent asked him to present his ideas Later on January 2, the president wrote a letter to Mr. Borglum, ask? ing him to com? to Washington and lay the matter before the secretary of war, and with the aid of a mem 1 >er of the secretary's personal staf! J discover the facts by personal Inves? tigation. Borglum did this and on February 1 the president sent a pre I liminary report from him to Secre 1 tary Baker with this note: "Here Is Mr. Borglum's preliminary I report. Is not there some one entirely lisconnected from aeronautics and from those who are prominent in I carrying out the airplane program I whom you can ask to go over this I thing with an unbiased mind and give I us his native impressions of it? "There may bo something worthy I of consideration, and suggestions worthy to be adopted." On March 29, after an exchange of I telegrams with Borglum, the president I wrote that he had placed the mater il the latter had furnished at the I disposal of men to whom he had com nitted the task of making a systema? tic inquiry into the whole aviation Q dem. These were the special com I mittee headed by II. Snowden Mar I hull, of New York, whose prellml I nary report preceded the recent re? organization of the army aviation ser I vice nnd the appointment of John D. Uvan as director genem!. Apparently the sculptor resented 1 'lot being allowed to carry out the In? quiry himself, in responso to a com? plaint that he had not been supplied I with suitable expert assistance, the president on April 15 informed him that ho feared he bad been under a serious misapprehension of his status. I 'I never at any time constituted you an ofllcial investigator," wrote the president. "I merely gave you the fight to look Into the matter of your <?v*n motion, and I am sure the letter which the secretary of war provided vou with, he gave you with the same purpose and idea." The president closed by expressing I tlM hope that Mr. Borglum would feel It his duty to turn over to oflieinl investigators any evidence in his pos slon. It has been reported that since the sculptor refused to deal with the Marshall committee. Mr Borglum had a conference to? day with members of the senate mili Itmry committee and gave them a lint I of witnesses he debited summoned If the committee reopens its InVOBtlgU* tlon as a result of his disclosures, H Ireiterated his assertion that criminal lability could be est.iblished. Exact iy what the Borglum char get are .never has been revealed publicly, though they have been broadly hlnt ?"l at in K?-n.it?' debate and freely dis? cussed In clonk rooms. Whether the scmite committee will consider them h;is not been determined, but a ma? jority opposes action and acting < 'ha irmn n Hitchcock has stated that an inquiry Involving possible criminal NO WHITEWASHING JOB. SENATE WILL MAKE DRASTIC IN V ESTIMATION OF Allt CRAFT GRAFT, Senator Chamberlain Tolls Sonate What His Committee Has Undertak? en to Do and Asks for the Support of Senators. Washington. May 7.?Chairman Chamberlain of the senate military committee, announced in the senate today that with tho support of the senate his committee would investi? gate the aircraft situation. He declar? ed his committee proposed "to put its lingers on the men responsible" for conditions in aircraft production. Ho added that the "committee does not propose to engage in any white? washing process either." Replying to questions Senator Chamberlain unreservedly declared that not one American built battle plane had yet been sent to Europe although material in largo quantities has been shipped abroad for assembly. ATTORNEY GENERAL ON JOB. President Wilson Has Ordered Hunt for Grafters. Washington, May 7.?Attorney Gen? eral Gregory, acting at President Wilson's directions, began today plan? ning an Investigation which Is to dis? close if there has been malfeasance or misuse of the great $450,000,000 ap? propriation for aircraft production. BLACK W ALNUT IS SCARCE* President Asks Hoy Scouts to Find Trees. New York, May 7.?Scarcity of black walnut timber for the making of gun stocks and airplane propellers has resulted in President Wilson ad? dressing an appeal to tho 350,000 Boy Scouts of America, asking them to communicate to the war depart? ment the location throughout the country of black walnut trees, their sizes, the names of the owners and the price at which they can be pur? chased. President Wilson's letter contain? ing this call was made public here to | day by James E. West, chief scout executive of the Boy Scouts of Amer? ica. ANOTHER IX)AN TO BRITAIN. England Gets $75,000,000 More?To? tal $2,795,000,000. Washington, May 7.?An additional credit of $75,000,000 was extended to Great Britain by the treasury to? day, bringing the total of American loans to that nation to $2,795,000,000, and the total of credits to all co-bel Ugerents to $5,363,850,000. Constantino Very Low. Paris, May 7.?Former King Con stantine. of Greece, is seriously ill at Zurich, Switzerland, according to a dispatch to The Temps from Zurich. Those at the bedside of the form? er monarch, according to the corre? spondent, regard a fatal termination of his illness as not improbable. Washington, May 8.?A report on the future needs of the Allies will be presented to tho treasury today by Oscar T. Crosby, president and Amer? ican member of the Inter-Allied Coun? cil of Finances and Purchases, on his return from Europe, where he has been since last September. New oi lcans, May 8.?The S?uthern Pins Association announced today that it had been notified that flvo largo wooden steamers for the government merchant Meet will be launched from shipyards on the Gulf coast this week. proceedings should be conducted by the department of ."justice. A meet? ing will be held In a few days to set? tle the question. Gen, Squier's request for a military inuiry to clear up the matter so far as he and his subordinates are con? cerned. Is before Secretary Baker and there has been no intiniattion of what action the secretary will take. Mr. Baker is making a personal study of the situation but said he had not arrived at any determination as to Whether there was grounds shown for prosecution of any otllcial. The only element of the situation I not as yet in Mi . Baker's hands. BO for as known, is the final report of the Marshall committee, which will be submitted to the president when com? pleted. It a military court is convened, it will have authority to suhponae with and also to require the production of hooks or other papers. Army offi? cers prefer to hive such a court in? stead of a congressional committee conduct the Inquiry. Those involved, it Is said, propose to he aidy repre? sented by counsel and to seek not only to disclose the facts in connection with aircraft production, but to look Into the motives of those behind the 'critical agitation against their work. WIERSEN) PRISON. UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT AFFIRMS SENTENCE IMPOSED AT Alii EX TERM. His Counsel Censured i>y Court?Ef? fort to "Drag in Name of The Trial Judge" is Denounced as "Repre? hensible." Richmond, May 7.?Paul Wierse, formerly an editorial writer on the Charleston American must serve two years in the Atlanta federal prison and pay a line of $1,000 for conspir? ing to sink and causing to be sunk the German merchant steamship Lie bcnfell In Charleston harbor, January 31, 1917, so decided the federal appeal court here today in an opinion writ? ten by Judge Jeter C. Pritehard, af? firming the lower court at Charleston. Sentence of si* months in prison and $100 fine mttod out to Capt. Johann Klattenhoff, master of the sieamship, charged similarly, was als?, upheld. "It rarely occurs where parties are charged with conspiracy," said the opinion, "that the prosecution is able to establish their guilt by positive and direct testimony. From the very nature of things, conspiracy is a crime that is entered into secretly, and as a general rule in the prosecu? tion of cases of this charatcer the government must rely upon inferences to be drawn from the facts and cir? cumstances surrounding the transac? tion." Efforts of the defense to 'drag the name of the trial judge into the case in a personal way," were denounced as "reprehensible in the highest de? gree." In ordering references o:' that character stricken from the brief, the court described them as "irrele? vant, scandalous and impertinent." It was suggested that if the defense doubted whether it could get a fair trial at the hands of Judge Smith It could easily have had the case trans? ferred to another judge for trial. "This court will not permit one ol the high character and standing of the learned judge who tried this case in the court below to be assailed in one of its records in such an unjust and unwarranted manner," said the opinion. In summing up the salient facts in the case, as they appeared to the ap? pellate court, the opinion wont on to say: "It should be borne in mind that Wierso, a naturalized citizen of Ger? man birth, had been connected with a German newspaper; that he had been an intimate friend of the German con? sul at Atlanta, and that he was well acquainted with Capt. Klattenhoff, the master of the Liebenfels. "According to his own admission he had handled business and corre? spondence for Capt. Klattenhoff. It further appears from the evidence that he had been corresponding with W. Mueller the consul at Atlanta, and that Mueller had telegraphed to Wierse that he was in accord with his proposition. "It should also be borne in mind that the crew of the Liebenfels at Irst refused to obey the order of Capt. Klattenhoff to sink the vessel, where? upon Capt. Klattenhoff went to the office of Wierae and had a conference with him, after which he returned to the ship and the orders were prompt? ly obeyed and the vessel sunk. "If Wierse knew nothing about the purpose of Klattenhoff and was not connected with the transaction, why was it necessary for Klattenhoff be? fore giving the final orders to sink the ship to go to Wierse for another conference ? "The fact that after Wierse reach? ed his office he wrote a telegram con? taining the word 'congratulations,' Which was immediately dispatched to the German consul at Atlanta, is very material. The defendant, through hb counsel, insists that this telegram re? ferred to the fact that some time be? fore that date he had received a letter from the consul at Atlanta informing him that he was engaged to be mar? ried. "There are two remarkable facts about this explanation when consid? ered In connection with the telegram. One is that he should have delayed sending his congratulations until that particular time and the second is that he should have sent the telegram 'collect.' This, to our mind, is a most extraordinary circumstance." Wierse and Klattenhoff were tried In Alken last October. Mueller waa reported to be out of the country. Wierse was defended by John P. Grace .who, on the appeal, argued the case at Richmond January -".?, As? sistant United States District Attorney .1 Waties Waring appearing for the government. About two weeks will elapse before the opinion is official* Iy received In Charleston and soon thereafter the court's mandate will be operative. October 12, 1!H7. Wierse made bond In the sum of $10,000, the following being the bondsmen: Paul Wierae, H. O, c. Hackemanii, Walter P, Livingston, Henry Meier, William II. Behrena and Julian v. Brandt, STRONG RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED IN EVERY COUNTY IN STATE AT CONVENTIONS. No Attempt to Draw Division Between Two Factions In Majority of Coun? ties. Columbia, May 0.?Democrats in every county of South Carolina met In their respective county seats yes? terday and elected officers to conduct the primary elections this summer, and named delegates to the State convention which meets in Columbia May 15. Resolutions pledging the loyalty of the people of this State to the na? tional administration were adopted in practically every county. Orangeburg Democrats advocated the disfranchisement of all German sympathizers, while others, notably in Spartanburg. urged drastic action to stamp out disloyalty. Senator Tillman was endorsed in many counties of the State, while Mr. M. B. Dial was endorsed by his home county, I^aurcns. The nnti-Bleasc faction appears to be In control in practically every coun? ty with the exception of Aikon, New berry and Clarendon. Factional lines are drawn in but few counties, and the outstanding feature of the day wan the quietness with which the con? ventions passed off. KEEP OCEAN HIGHWAYS, For Troops and War Commerce tr Allies. New York, May 7.?"The hour ha? come to subordinate every activity every project, every aim to the su? preme duty of keeping the ocean high? ways open to our troops and to oui war commerce," declared Bainbridg* Colby, a member of the United States Shipping Board, in addressing i luncheon here toda\ attended by A E. Filene, chairman of the war ship ping committee of the Chamber oi Commerce of the United States, mem I bers of the Merchants' Associatior J and ghip builders of this district. The meeting was the first of a se? ries to be held at ship building can ters throughout the country at whicl Messrs. Colby and Filene will urge the carrying out of a resolution adopt ed at the recent convention in Chi? cago of the National Chamber o Commerce, which called upon Amer? ican business to make the nation't ship building program the primary consideration and put the nation'? ship building program ahead of pri? vate interests. ADMITS SUCCESS OF RAID. German Paper Comments on AttaeV on Zechrugge. London, May 7.?That the recent British attack on the' German sub? marine base at. Zeebrugge was suc? cessful is admitted by the Frankfur? ter Zeitung in commenting upon the affair. The newspaper urges that the German navy take measures tr deal "with an antagonist of remark? able boldness." "It would be foolish to deny." it says, "that the British fleet scored a great success through a fantastically audacious stroke in penetrating into one of the most important strong? holds over which the German flag floats. "However unpleasant It may be. we must frankly admit that the ene? my ships actually entered the port of Zeebrugge. That being so, there Is no reason why they should not achieve a similar feat at other times. It, therefore, behooves our navy com? mand to be alert, for we have to deal with an antagonist of remarkable boldness. TWO AVIATORS KILLED. Were Practicing Gunnery on Florida Aviation Field. Miami. Fla., May 7.?Lieut. Melvin B, Sullivan and Bergt. Calvin EB< Cronk, of the marine corps, were kill? ed about 1 o'clock this afternoon at the Curtiss Marine Flying School. They were practicing gunnery about 700 feet In the air. The machine was started down on a tall spin and the aviator lost control and could not right the machine before it struck the ground. Lieut Sullivan was instantly killed. Bergt. Cronk lived only a few minutes after striking the ground. CARSON AGAIN WARNS. Tells Government of Danger of Home Rule Fol Icy. London. May 7.?Sir Edward Car sen, the l ister Unionist leader, in another forcible letter to the press, warns the government of the danger Of its home rule policy, expresses ?'???bt as to Whether the government really intends to apply conscription to Ireland and urges the Unionist party to compel reconsideration of the government's policy. HUN U-BOAT SUNK. DUTCH ACCOUNT OF SINKING OF Fit MAN. Commander or Pirate Who Was Inti? mate of l?riiiec Kill?-1 by Oun Fire. London, May 6.?In connection *vitr tbe German unrestricted submarin warfare, of which the sinking of th Lusitania is one of the most striking examples, an account has Just reached London from a Dutch correspondent of the destruction of the German submarine U-C-39 and the capture of 17 of her crew by a British de? stroyer. (The German submarine U C-39 was captured in the North Sea in March, 1917.) The U-C-39 was commanded by Ot? to Ehrentraut, who wai a close friend of Prince Henry of Prussia and a fre? quent visitor to Prince Henry's castle at Kiel. Before he left Kiel in com? mand of the new mine laying sub marinc 39, Prince Henry came to the pier to wish the boat bon voyage. The submarine left its base at mid? night carrying several torpedoes and a large quantity of gun ammunition but no mines, as this was her first trip and in the nature of a shakedown for the officers and men. All of her per? sonnel had seen service in other sub? marines. The submarine's first victim was the Norwegian steamship Hanskinck (for? merly the American Satilla), the crew of which escaped in boats. Next mid? night the 39 sank with bombs the British steamer Hanna I .arsen after her captain and chief engineer were taken aboard the submarine as pris? oners. The next morning the Norwegian steamship Ida was sighted, and al? though the Ida stopped immediately. Ehrentraut gave personal orders to continue firing. When the Germans finally ceased I firing, one of the Ida's boats came alongside and announced that ?wo wounded men had been left aboard the boat! The submarine command? er sent a boat over and found that both men were dead. The Germans i sank the ship by bombs. Two hours later the 39 opened fire on a steamer and trawler, but on div? ing lost them in the mist. About 1 i p. m. the 39 came to the surface again ! and sighted a steamer on which she opened fire but was answered almost immediately by a salvo from a Brit? ish destroyer. The 1 9 dived, but was too late. A depth charge struck her, causing a leak in the conning tower. Water poured into the control room and the crew became panic stricken. The sub? marine rose sharply to the surface, only to receive a volley of shells from the destroyer. Ehrentraut and six others of the crew were killed. The destroyer hailed the submarine and ordered her to halt. This "being done, fire ceased and 17 surviVor were taken off. as well as the tw British prisoners who were uninjured THE FOCR YEAR LIMIT. Methodist Conference May Change Long Established Utile. Atlanta, May 8.?When the debate over the removal of the four year limit on preachers was resumed in Southern Methodist general confer? ence today, Bev. A. J. Lamar, of Nashville, urged an amendment to the majority report committee on revisals providing upon request of a quarter? ly conference the Bishop can appoint a preacher for more than four years. A compromise measure on the re? moval of the four year time limit was adopted today by the Methodist general conference when it passed the amendment to the majority re? port of the committee on revisals al? lowing the law to stand as at present with additional paragraphs providing that upon request of a quarterly con? ference and the majority of the pre? siding elders, the bishop may appoint a preacher for more than four con secuttve years. BIRMINGHAM HEADS LIST. Heaviest Subscriber for Liberty Bonds Among Cities of Its Class. Washington, May 8.?In an an? nouncement by tlie treasury today of cities which made the highest sub? scription percentages of their quotas in their respective population ClOOOOS Birmingham, with one hundred and eighty-six per cent, led all cities be? tween one hundred ami two hundred and fifty thousand population. other honor cities included Macon. CUu, Ill per Cent; AUgUOtO, Ca.. Ill per cent; Jacksonville, 171 per cent; Tampa, \i:> per cent DISCOHD IN AVSTHIA. Another Plan to Divide the l.mph London, May s.- The latest separ? atist program in Austria, according t > quoted advices from Vienna, is to en - ate a state to be named Greater Mo - avis, which will include Silesia an 1 the Rtovene districts of Hungary, with the capital at Olmutz.