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?IJLIED VESSELS DESTROY AUS TRIAN NAVAL BASE AND WARSHIPS. Submarines Make Way Through ' &Hne Fields and Enter Durazzo ' "Harbor With Italian and British Cruisers ? (Hospital Ship Allowed to Withdraw, ?.Ryome, Friday, Oct. 4.?American, British and Italian warships have de stroyed the Austrian naval base at Durazzo and the warships anchored there,' according to an announce ment made by Premier Orlando. ;The attack on Durazzo took place at noon on Wednesday, when Italian ahd British cruisers, protected by ij?rdian and allied tropedo boats and American. submarines, succeeded in making their way through mine fields and, avoiding attacks by submarines, got into Durazzo harbor. .- An intense bombardment followed . until the base and the Austrian ships anchored there were completely de atroyed. .' Italian sailors, in the teeth of a hot enemy fire, torpedoed an Austrian dfestroyer and a steamer*. Another ves iel,; which was recognized as a hos pital ship was allowed to withdraw. ' ; British, and Italian airplanes co operated in the work. Other Ital ian and allied warships were drawn u"p: to order of battle outside of the harbor to Seal with any enemy war ships coming up to the assistance of the*^port - NO losses or damage were suffered the allied squadrons except a alight Injury to a British cruiser by a torpedo from an enemy submarine. ^"Durazzo is a seaport in Albania 53 miles south of Scutari. It is situated ?n a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. For some time past it has been a base, for Austrian operations in Albania, j CHASERS GOT TWO SUBS. lean Submarine Destroyers Did ; ^ - Good Wort at Durrazzo. Rome, Oct. 4.?American subma rine chasers destroyed two enemy submarines yesterday during the bombardment of Durazzo, it was an nounced officially today. - ;' )?_ LEAVE IT TO WILSON. Harris Talks of Cotton in Accepting Nomination at Hands of Georgia "Convention. : Ma con, Ga., Oct 3.?"I have op pOsedA vigorously and still hope that the:price of cotton may not be fixed," sa$i W. J. Harris in his speech of ac ceptance of senatorial nomiantion at ?jie'Democratic State convention here ?flj?jEy."".- "But if it is to be fixed, far fcsjjtter that Woodrow Wilson fix it Chan members of congress from the f?th> and West who are demanding a low price' be put on our pro . . H^ added that he. was in thorough accord with the administration and promised that no act of his "will ever; reflect upon my people." v"'In the platform adopted, Demo crats of Georgia showed their ap proval of "every act of President Wil son in the initiation and prosecution Of the war with Germany and her allies," and pledged support of thej president on measures "that in his; judgment and wisdom may be neces sary to the prosecution of the war to ultimate victory." B. Watson's contest in the ~ra.C Sl^ongress against Congress" man cS^ip3011 in the Tenth dis trict was wjuSfltegg from the Conven tion by his lawyer^ MaylJrSJ ? Gordon Jones of Cordele, after the'State con v^ntio had failed to include^Qe Wat, son contest in matters for th^^rew committee to consider. .The convention formally confirmed the renomination of Gov. Hugh M. Dforsey. The entire ticket nominated in the recent primary was confirmed and a new State executive committee nam ed. FRAUD IN ARMY CONTRACTS. indictment Announced by Department ot Justice?Army Officers Involved. Washington, Oct. 3.?Col. H. J. Hirsch and Lieut. Samuel Grass of the quartermaster corps; Morris and Leo Rosenwasser officials of Rossen wasser Brothers, Ins., and twelve government inspectors and employes of the Rossenwasser plant at Long Island City, N. Y.. were indicted to day by a federal grand jury in Brooklyn on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government. A true bill also was returned against the Ros senwasser corporation. \ ' The indictments announced tonight by the department of justice resulted from an investigation by agents of the war department into the firm of Rossenwasser Brothers, Inc., which holds contracts aggregating several million dollars for aviators leather coats and spiral puttes and for other war supplies. Most of the men in dicted were arrested September 19 Besides Hirsch, the Rossenwasser brothers and Gass they are: Leslie Copeland, and Abraham Friedman, supervising inspectors for the govern ment, Geo. Simmons, a private in the army, Abe Weiss, Louis Levy and Ja cob Rosenberg, foreman at the Ros senwasser plant and Isaac Merlis, Har ry. Gersonovitz, and Louis Silvermen, workmen. Inquiry by the war department fol lowed charges that forged govern ment inspection stamps were used at the plant, that defective materials Were passed by inspectors and that paper was introduced into army shoes in place of leather. When the first arrests were made in New York, department of justice officials said that a reinspection of leather jerkins for aviators made at tie Rossenwasser plant resulted in the rejection of more than 95 per; cent because it was alleged, the gar ments were from one to three inches j Shorter than specifications, enabling) tl?e company to save an enormous amount of leather. High percentages of leggings and spiral puttes also were rejected on reinspection, it was said. j VIGTOBY FOF AMERICANS. big gain in champagne was their work. Series of Towns Taken by Determin ed Dash Early Thursday Morn toff. -With American Army, France, 8.30 Thursday night.?The Americans went into action this morning on the champagne front. The report of the French army says they advanced con siderably and by noon had taken Montblac and Medesh Farm. It was not previously announced that the% Americans had made the capture of these places. American aviators busy. On Thursday They Dropped Tons of Bombs on Huns. : With Americans Northwest of Ver dun, Thursday Night, Oct. S.?Ameri can aviators were busy today. They dropped thirty-seven and a-half tons of bombs in attacks on Conflance, Longuyon, Audon, JL-ommary, Buxiers. Vigneulles, Chambley, Etain, Arnivvle and Grand. Pre. DAY OF HARD FIGHTING. British Smash Hindenburg Line by Heavy Blows and Persistent Pres sure. With the British Army on the St. Quentin* Sector, Oct. 3 (By the Asso ciated Press, 5.30 P. M.?The Brit ish troops smashed a large and vi tal section of the Hindenburg line to day between St. Quentin and Cambrai. They have occupied many additional towns and villages and 5,900 prison ers and numerous guns have been taken. The battle was resumed at 6 o'clock in the morning and continued throughout the day, English and Australian divisions driving deep into the enemy defenses. The ground over which the British troops fought their way against the inevitable swarms of machine guns was littered with Ger man dead. The advance has reach ed a depth of about five miles at its apex, and it follows that the princi pal Hindenburg defenses here have been shattered. A few hours may see the British all the way on the other side of the gre^t German defensive system. From" the north comes most signi ficant news. The Germans, who were gradually being left in a sa lient, have begun a retreat on prac tically all the Armentieres sector and appear to be in full flight. Brit isth troops have entered'and are pass ing throuh Lens. Aubers ridge, south of Armentieres has been taken, and the British are I east of here. Indications are not wanting that the Germans have been forced to begin one of the war's greatest retreats. The troops cooperating with the Belgians have taken villages near Roulers after hard fighting". They have forced the Germans well back and are still going. The Germans must get out of the Belgian coast as far as Ostend, if the advance here continues, as it gives every sign of doing. Have Seen Heavy Fighting. With the American Army in the St. Quentin Sector, Wednesday, Oct. 2.?(By the Associated Press).? American regiments fighting in the Hindenburg lire along this sector of the front have seen some of he hard est fighUr?g- ?f the war. It was a fu riouSj^fiesperate struggle into which th^tfplunged. They fought day and might in . groups and single-handed, in and out of shell holes. They showed gallantry, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty unsurpassed by any other troops. From the instant they leaped from their trenches they ran into snipers and hordes of machine guns. German infantrymen, spurred on by their of ficers, stood up before them, offering hand-to-hand combat^ Some of the stories of the men who fought tell of the terrific nature of the struggle. One Brooklyn regi ment took and retook a position known as the "knoll" three times. The battle swung back and forth, with the men so close to each other that rifle butts were ^'ust as effective as anything else. On the first assault the Americans rushed forward and suddenly met masses of .machine guns, which were camouflaged, and held their fire until the Americans were close upon them. The Americans wert right on and began firing. The Germans did not continue their murderous work long. A dash, a leap, a flash of a bayonet and a stab of flame from a rifle and one nest after another was silenced and the Americans plunged on. CHANCELLOR RECOGNIZES SOCLVLISTS. New German Cliancellor Trying *o Bolster Up Tottering Government. Amsterdam, Oc* 4.?Prince Maxi milian, of Baden s been appointed German imperial chancellor, the offi cial announcement from Berlin says, and Deputies Groger, Centrist. Scheid mann, of the majority Social demo cratic party have been appointed sec retaries of state, without portfolio. SCHOOL BOYS CALLED. Thirty Thousand Will Be Sent to Technical Schools. Washington. Oct. 4.?Gen. Crow der today called approximately thirty thousand grammar school graduates from forty-two States to entrain Oc tober 15th for technical schools. Of these 980 will* be negros. Voluntary induction will be allowed up to to Oc tober 12th. 1 Ferdinand Begged Bulgars to Fight. Geneva, Oct. 3.?King Ferdinand and Crown Prince Boris, of Bulgaria were* at Vales a week ago to exhort the Bulgarian troops to fight, tele graphs Prof. Reiss, the Saloniki cor respondent of the Lausanne Gazette. Their efforts were of no avail, ' the Bulgarian soldiers throwing away their arms and retiring. FRANCE REGAINS COIL MINES GERMAN RETREAT FROM LENS REGION HELPS SOLVE FUEL PROBLEM. Allies Will Soon be at Work in Great j Fuel House Under Earth Worked j For Years by Germans?King AI-1 bert Sure to Return Home Soon if] Weather Permits Drive. ) Washington, Oct. 3.?The German j retreat from the Hindenburg line; was in full swing today, menaced by French, Belgian and British thrusts j at vital points. While official re ports told only of the evacuation of Armentieres and Lens, officers here confidently expected that this phase of the withdrawal must be expanded j to the south at once under the threat j of the British push northeastward from their lines between the Scarpe and Cambrai. With the evacuation of Lens, the! enemy's hold on the great coal region j of Northern France is loosed. Nothing has been received as yet to! show whether the mines have been fired, but it is regarded as certain that during the years of German oc cupation the great fuel storehouse be low the surface have been worked to the limit. As. evidence of the complete con fidence with which the allied leaders have viewed the future ever since it became certain that the United State? would succeed in getting a great army to France for the lighting this year, it is now known that re-occu pation of the Lens field has been defi nitely figured on for some months in computing fuel needs and supplies. There are also indications that American coal mining units equipped with the most up-to-date machinery, even with the means of fighting pos sible fires in the workings, will be ready to enter the mines as .rapidly as the armies force the enemy be hind them. General Pershing's forces no doubt will get some part of their coal this winter from this source, relieving the shipping situation to that extent. The force Which compelled the Ger man leaders to order the evacuation of the Lens-Armentieres front un doubtedly, in military opinion here, was the unexpected rush in Belgium in which the Belgian army itself un der King Albert formed the spear head that broke the way for swift expansion of the victory by French and British forces. There appears to be little doubt now that King Al bert will be able to reestablish his capital on Belgian soil this winted al though much depends on the weath er. Standing on the flank of the Ger man communication system from Ar mentieres to the vicinity of Courtai General Plumer's second British army is believed to hold the key to a wide stretch of territory now in ene my hands. The wide, but rather shallow pocket, which is forming be tween this line along the Lys River and the British forces just beyond the Scarpe to the south includes the most thickly settled area through which the battleline passes on any part of the front and the numerous town's and villages offer the enemy great opportunity for slow withdrawal and machine work. Extension of the Franco-Belgian drive north of General Plumer's line however, would permit the British commander to move forward to the southeast in a wide encircling move ment. For that reason it is thought a. new drive is to be anticipated in the Roulers front with large French or . British forces supplementing the work of the Belgian armies. It has been reported already that an entire French army has been shifted to this front. CARGO STEAMER SUNK. Collision at Sea Causes Heavy Loss of Life. Washington, Oct. 4.?The sinking of the American steamer Herman Frasch, as the result of a collision with the American tanker George Henry, several hundred miles off thc American coast, was announced today by the navy department. Only 41 sur vivors of the Frasch have been ac counted for, and it is feared the loss of life is heavy. Both vessels were cargo carriers in the army transport service. The Frasch carried a crew of about thirteen officers and 76 men, which make the number unaccounted for*4S. TWO SROES TO COMMUNISM. Experience of An Austrian Banker With the Bolsheviki. Amsterdam, Sept. 25 (Correspond ence of The Associated Press)?The experience of an Austrian banker with Bolshevik methods, when he made a business tri'' to East Russia recently, is the tal ; of the Vienna bourse, ad vices received here state, j The banker was arrested and in terned. Disguised as a peasant, he escaped with 10.000 rubles in his pos sesion. He fell in with a company of Bolsheviki who. despite his protests, took and divided the contests of his pockets. "Share and share alike is the rule here," they explained, handing him back his "share." which was only a tenth of his capital. Soon, though, his fortunes took r. turn for the better. He fell in with another band which added to its ranks a ragged individual from whose pockets 100.000 roubles was extract ed. Thus sum was pooled and care fully divided and the banker receiv ed a fat share. Eventually, he return ed to Vienna with 20,000 roubles. "There are two sides to com munism." he now says. Arkansas Feels Earthquake. Little Rock, Oct. 4.?-Earth trem ors were felt here and at Pine Bluff early this morning. The disturbance was sufficient to awaken many peo ple, but no damage is reported. Earthquake Shock Recorded. / Washington. Oct. 4.?Last nigh/ an^ earthquake centering apparejrfHy about six hundred miles from/Wash ington, was recorded early th/? morai ing. / IB ftiHEBieAHS FACE FAMOUS LIKE STUBBORN FIGHT EXPECTED FOR KREIMHILD-STEELUNG SYSTEM. Americans in St. Quentin Sector Have Seen Some of Severest Fighting of War. With the American Army North west of Verdun, Wednesday, Oct. 2.? (By the Associated Press.)?American units reached the Krcimhild-Steelung line at one point today. Just south of Brieulles they advanced to a spot where they established actual con tact with this famous enemy sys tem. The ^ so-called Kreimhild-Steelung line which the American front faces today is part of the general German defensive system beginning at Douai, continuing south of La Fere and thence east to the Meuse. Crossing the Meuse the "line extends eastward by way of Etair and runs across the St. Mihiel salient to the Moselle, which it reached just south of Pagny. When the St. Mihiel salient was re duced by the Americans the enemy was forced behind this system in that vicinity. " On the greater part of the front be tween the Aire and Meuse rivers the enemy is either on or immediately in front of this line. On this front the enemy's main combat zone was bounded on the south by a line of re sis ince along Lairfuon ra\'ine and on th . north by the Volker-Steelung line. This exceptionally strong sys tem originally began east of Mont faucon and ran south of that city through Ivoiry, Epiononville and the woods east of Eclis Fontain. The Americans have already brok en through this principal zone of re sistance and so are facing the Kreim held-Steelung system. From the west to the east along this front the sys em runs from north of St. Juvin to south of Landres-et-St. Georges and continues eastward including thr i heights of Romange wood and Gesnes wood, which dominate the important valley of the Andon. This river is crossed just south of Romange and then the system to the southeast across the higher ground in the for ests of de-Cunel and Defais. Then, turning northward, it follows the crest of the hills over naturally stron? positions until it reaches the, Meuse north of Brieulle. It is further pro tected by prepared positions of hti 263, across the Meuse. This system is one of very great natural strength. Certain key po sitions have been built on concrete and entanglements are prepared for immediate use. At other points the enemy is reported to be working bus ily and to have been active in erecting new fortifications since the beginning of the American offensive. The Kreimheld-Steelung system was begun last year before the Amer icans became an active factor in the war. It was strengthened from time to time, trenches being laid out and dugouts finally added. The system is not so important as the famous Hin denburg line, but nevertheless has ex tremely strong positions. As it is the last enemy ?_>. -i.^a sys tem between the Americans and the Meuse where it flows north to Mesi eres, a stubborn effort to hold it may be expected and the difficulty of car rying this system is not underrated by Americans. INFLUENZA THROUGHOUT THE STATE. Health Board Needs Doctors ami Nurses at Once. Columbia, Oct. 4.?Epidemics o. influenza continue to break out in al sections of the State and the situation is growing steadily worse. The board of health is doing all in its power to prevent the spread of the disease, but is handicapped foi the want of expert physicians anci nurses. Dr. Hayne, State health officer, is sending out an urgent appeal foi nurses to take up influenza work. Additional reports from Newberry show 1,500 cases. The Citadel ha^ teen closed, due to lack of hospital facilities. An epidemic has been re ported from. Porter Military A cad emy, but the authorities there have the situation well in hand and ar* amply able to care for the students. Dr. Hayne appeared before the Council of Defense yesterday and ask ed for help from the council to fight the influenza. The council gladly came to his aid and announced that they would appropriate $2,000, if nec essary, to aid the fight. The State board of health has re ceived a call for a doctor at Whit mire, where the situation calls for immediate help. Any doctor who con answer this call is urged to apply to Dr. Hayne at once. He will be giver $250 a month, and board and lodging. There is also an urgent call fo; nurses. They will be given $100 : month and traveling expenses. NEARLY TWO MILLION. Army of Americans in France N< Longer Insignificant. Washington, Oct. 4.?American troops abroad now number one mil lien, eight hundred thousand, tin members of the house military com mittee were told today at the weekly conference at the war department. Influenza in army camps and can tonments will retard the shipment o troops in the immediate future, it wa; stated. ADVANCE IN CHAMPAGNE. French arc Driving Germans Out o\ Positions. London, Oct. 4.?The French forces in the Champagne region hav? captured fOrfeuil, Bemont-Chateau northeast of Somme. M?nt nine, a i>o sition of considerable tactical import ant-, was also taken. HUNDRED SHIPS LAUNCHED. During September American Yard Turned Out 301.4:*:? Tons. Washington, Oct. 4.??>ne hundred seagoing vessels aggregating 301,43? tons wen- completed in American yards in the month of September. DELEGATION HEADED BY WER KERELE AT VIENNA. Well Known Statesmen Seeking to Find Way Out of Mounting Diffi culties. Amsterdam, Oct .4.?A delegation Of Hungarian statesmen, headed by Premier Wekerele, has arrived at Vienna in connection with a new peace move, according to the Cologne Gazette. The other members of the Wekerele party were Count Tisza and Count Adrassy, former premiers of Hungary, and Count Albert Apponyi, the Hun garian ministe'r of instruction. A new and decisive step has been taken on the initiative of Baron von Burian, the Austrian foreign minister, the newspaper says: '?Regarding the negotiations at Vi enna, Premier Wekerele said to the representative of a Hungarian news paper: "This much I can tell you. We are again laboring untiringly in the inter ests of peace and we are already ne gotiating." A GREAT EXPLOSION. Large Xumber Believed to Have Been Killed and Scores Injured at Shell Loading Plant Xear Perth Amboy, X. J.?Few Details "of Tragedy. Perth Amboy, X. J.. Oct. 4.?Many men were killed and scores of others injured in a tremendous 'e?plc >n to night at the plant of the T. A. Oilles pie Shell Loading Jompany ut Mor gan, near here. The explosion, which shook the countryside for miles around and caused citizens of South Amboy to flee their homes, was fol lowed by a series of iess severe ex plosions and by a fire which for hours defied the efforts of the fire depart ments summoned from all nearby cities and towns. The number of dead and injured can not be determined until employees of the plant answer a roll call in the morning. "estimates late tonight placed the number of killed and hun at from 50 to more than 3 00. ? Ambulances sent from here and carrying i~, doctors returned with ' many of the injured and for fear that i the city hospital would not acc.o ? modate all the victims brought th a hotel was prepared to receive ti*e overflow. Ambulances dispatched from Elizabeth and other cities were re ported to be taking other victims to those cities. United States Base Hos pital Xo. 3, at Colonia, sent ambu lances and doctors to aid in the res cue work. As soon as officials arrived they took charge of fighting the flames, which threatened to destroy the en tire plant. Calls for fire apparatus ?ind medical assistance were sent to other communities. The fire was still burning at a late hour, but was said to be under control. The property damage has not been estimated. The structure first blown up was soon a rearing furnace and a cordon \ras thrown around it to prevent 'rel atives of men employed at the plant from rushing into the flames in search of their dead. For hours the firemen could make no effort to re cover bodies, on account of the in tense heat. The scen<* at the plant was like a bit of western front. By the light of the flames were seen men running madly about, some nursing injuries, while overhead rolled clouds of smoke. Here and there came the roar of shells exploding, like the bark of field artillery. The plant covered a large area, which is approximately four miles long and two miles wide, with many buildings in which it is said 7,000 persons were employed, working in three shifts. Women and girls work on the day shift and it is thought none of fhem was at the plant tonight. A serious fire occurred at the Gil lespie plant in Morgan, known as the Oliver plant, last Saturday but the workers had plenty of time in which to escape. In addition to fire apparatus sent to tonight's fire from surrounding towns, various manufacturing con cerns in the vicinity ser teir own fire comanies. CARGO STEAMER SUNK. Mallory Liner San Saba Struck Mine Off New Jersey Coast. Washington. Oct. 5.?The Ameri can Mallory line cargo steamer San aba was sunk yesterday fifteen mile south of Barnegat, X". J., the navy department was informed today. It is supposed that the ship struck a mine. A steamer which proceeded to Xew York reported that she picked up four men and one dead body from I he wreckage. ATTACK OX MEUSE. _ e Americans Giving Germans Xo lies' Between Mouse and Argouncs. Paris. Oct. 5, 1.10?The Ameri cans attacked again this morning be tween the Mouse and Argonne. on an extended front. The advance at *o"io points has reached more than a mile. Several villages have been tak en. XO PEACE INVITATION. Holland Has Xot Asked Belligerents to Discuss Terms. The Hague, Oct. iL- Holland has not invited the belligerents to nego tiate for peace, it was declared at the foreign office today. An official announcement says there is not a word of truth in the statement of the Berlin Tageblatt to that effect. BATTLE IX SERBIA. Ausiro-Himgarians Resisting Advance of Serbian Army. Paris. Oct. 5.?The allied forces in Serbia today cam*- into contact with the Austro-Hungarians near Vranje; in Southern Serbia. The Serb force-i operating against the Austrians took Preneys Thursday. I OLIVER MED OF FRAUD. LXOXVILLE MAXXJFACITJKER PUT UNDER ARREST. Sine Other Attaches of Plant Also Held for Action by Government. Knoxville, 4.?Charged with con spiracy and fraud in manufacturing shells for the United States ,govern utnt and with violation of the sabot age act in producing shells alleged to ?; so defective as to render inaccu rate their flight and trajectory when ired, William J. Oliver, wealthy head ji the manufacturing company bear ing his name, and nine other attaches of the plant were arrested here this afternoon. It is charged that the government has been defrauded of more than $100,000. The arrests were made by United States Marshal J. R. Thompson, and a force of deputies upon a warrant sworn ?ut before a commissioner by J. F. Y?wzare, an agent of the mil itary intelligence department. About 1.000 shells, the office records and cer tain tools and machinery of the plant of the William J. Oliver Manufac turing Company were seized by the United States marshal under a search warrant. The seized property was placed un der a heavy guard of deputies. It was announced by District Attorney W. T. Kennedy that a number of officers of the army ordnance depart ment reached 'the city today to take over the plant and operate it for the government, if seizure becomes neces sary. While the arrests and seizures were accomplished by the United States marshal's forces, Troop F, Eleventh United States Cavalry, was rushed to Knoxville from Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., early Thursday morning in anticipa tion of the move and in preparation for eventualities. The cavalrymen are camped in the city tonight and so far have not been placed on guard t at the Oliver plant. The troopers eme Jon short notice on direct orders from the war department. William J. Oliver was released on ?25.000 bond, J. Ed Campbell, Thos. P. Roberts and J. S. Waterman, named as officials of the company, were released on $10,000 bond each and John Godfrey, Thomas E. Rob erts, John Deans, Charles E. Wood, C. C. Weber and J. A. Zeiglerr de sciibed as foremen, were released on '>.">,000 bond each. One or two other arrests are expected later. The warrants, which read against the defendants jointly, charge con spiracy to defraud the government and actual fraud by false, padded and excessive claims for extensions of the plant, its machinery and defec tive shells. In the sabotage charge it is alleged that holes were drilled in shells and filled with lead to give them weight; that specifications were not followed in several respects; that false tests were imposed upon gov ernment inspectors, all with such re sult as to render the same defective, insecure and unsafe for use and cause the flight and trajectory of said shells and projectiles when fired to be inac curate, untrue and dangerous to the soldiers of the United States firing the same. According to District Attorney Ken neriy, Agent Trazzare of the^aTmy^in teliigence department began working on the case following fire at the Oliver plant, September 16. He was assisted by an agent of the depart ment of justice. The results were laid before the department of justice at Washington early last week and At torney General Gregory telegraphed instructions for prosecution. The William J. Oliver Manufactur ing Company is one of the largest munitions plants in the South. Its normal product is farm machinery. In 1915 the plant secured a contract for shells from the Italian ^government. When the United States entered the war. contracts for shells were given to the. Oliver plant, which brought about great expansion in its size. The plant has been working three shifts a dry, seven days a week and has had an average output of 600 shells, a day. ' ? T. Asbury Wright, attorney for Mr. Oliver and the other defendants, to night issued a statement denying all the charges against his clients and quoting Mr. Oliver as stating the charges were the result of spite work on account of labor troubles at the plant. COLUMBIA WILL TRY QUARAN TINE. Public Gatherings Under Ban Because of Influenza. Columbia. Oct. 4.?Because of the epidemic of Spanish influenza, many cases having broken out among the civilian population of Columbia, the city board of health at a meeting this afternoon prohibited all public gath erings in the city, with the exception of the schools, until further notice. The quarantine becomes effective to morrow. This means that all the aters must close anil no gatherings of> any kind, including services in the churches, can be held. Because of the well ventilated condition of the schools they will be allowed to re main open, but crowding in them is absolutely prohibited. FOREIGN SECRETARY SOLF. Former Colonial Secretary Made Ger man Foreign Secretary. Copenhagen. Oct. 5.?Dr. W. S. Solf, German col on in 1 secretary, has been appointed imperial foreign secretary. WARNING BY FRENCH. Germans Will Have to Pay for De vastation. Paris. Oct. 4.?The French govern ment has issued a solemn warning to Germany and her allies that the de vastation of territory from which they retreat will be punished inexorably. The warning says the German peo ple who share in the crimes will bear the consequences with the authors and that those who order the de vastation will be held responsible morally, penally and pecuniarily. It is added that France is discussioc with her allies the steps to be take*.