The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, March 23, 1918, Page 1

“THE WEATHER Mild temperature. THIRTY- EIGHTH {YEAR. N . pe cera cente tener anetiy _TRIBUNEE BRITISH PRESEN -MYSTERY SURROUN DS BOMBING OF PARIS 0, 000 GERMANS ENGAGED IN - TERRIFIC DRIVE AGAINST THE BRITISH IN Wonder Is That Allies Withstood Bonibardment_ FIRST OFFENSIVE at All, Declares Correspondent, Who Saw _ Terrific Rain of Iron and Stel ss BIG GUN EVERY 15 YARDS FRONT Artillery Preparation for Charge’ Most Stupendous in History ¢ London, March “23—The artil- lery preparation of ‘the Germans in the drive against the British lines, which is. now in progress, is described by those who took part in it as the most violent they have ever endured, according to the Daily Mail’s correspondent on the British front. The thing that stands out as characteristic of the fighting up to the present,” says the corres- pondent. “is that: we did so well under the terrific impact.” Con- | tinuing, the correspondent says: “Upon one corps’ front there was a gun every ‘fifteen yards. The strength of the mortars, which the enemy brought u pin. such great numbers, sent over such an overwhelming weight of iron and high explosives that in most parts of the front wire ceased to be an obstacle and the trenches’ were obliterated. “At the same time, all of our known battery* positions were drenched'with'gas, but their shells failed to’ reach all’of our aatteries nor did ‘they succeed anywhere in breaking. down our fire. it one point, Where, thte Ger- a mans found our wire unbroke; they, set to work: with si ‘s until they had made a. way,” thru, an incident reminiscent “of . the methods of the fighting inculcated by -Frederick the Great. this was done under our machine gun fire. «Have on Best Clothes, “A curious fact reported by our airmen .was that the Germans com- posing the especial assault divisions wore'new uniforms: ‘Got on their best clothes for a visit to Paris,’ comment- ed one of our genera.s. “Our flying corps did valuable work | » despite adverse “weather conditions. ‘One of our men in the early morn- ing reconnoissance south of Bullecourt and another re- ported 3,000 of the enemy in a sunk- en road in this area, waiting to ad-| Few -enemy machines were |. seen, and they mostly flew low, pep; pering our trenches with their ma-; vance. chine guns. a 600,000 in Offensive. “It is estimated nearly 600,000 Germans participated s in the offensive. well, and his gunners did good service. The quickness with which the guns were brought forward into No Mans Land after ithe infantry had advanced. was marked. He had in many places the advantage over us in‘ positions, and he was at all points largely ou perior in numbers.” 49 HUN “Divisions, : British Army Headquarters in France, Mar. 23.—Forty-nine Ger- man divisions have. been identi- fied thus far on the battle front and prisoners have been taken from 18 of them. Some estimates place the number of German di- visions engaged as higk as 90, but it is impossible to say wheth- er this is accurate. SLAUGHTER APPALLING ' The most intense fighting appears # to have been around Roisel and Trin- (Continued oo rare ee WOMAN TELLS OF “AU of | spotted several ! thousand Germans moving westward | that altogether | The -encmy fought i GAS ATTACK ON ~ SAMMIES’ LINES {Fumes From Mustard Bombs Hang Over Trenches for Several Hours | 1 ENEMY POSITIONS SHELLED | ‘Tremendous Explosions Occur as Americans Register Direct Hits HAS NO BFFECT | ! | | With the American Army A in France, Friday, March 22.—-(By Associated Press) —The Germans launched a heavy .gas: attack against a certain town in our lines. . northwest of Toul last night. . No wind was blowing, and |. fumes of mustard gas from ‘the shells hung low over‘the. “lines for several hours. The batteries fiting the shells were located to the right of Richacourt, and our artillery was busy all morning with a retaliatory shelling. The town shelled in the gas attack contained a cer- tain number of Americans. Our artillery today dropped a number of large shells into Joli Wood, and firing a few minutes secured direct hits on the target, causing tre- mendous explosions, fol- lowed by dense columns of smoke as a big enemy mu- nitions camp blew up. The first explosion was followed by two others less severe. Our shells also made direct hits in the enemy first and third line trenches. LORIMER BANK WRECKER FOUND GUILTY TODAY ‘Second Trial Results in as Conviction of Charles B. . Munday. ; | \ Chicago, Ill, March 23.—Charles | B. Munday,:on trial. at Morris, {l., for | complicity in the wrecking of the La} | Salle Street Trust Savings bank, was} found guilty by a jury which reported | today. Former United States Cenacor | William, Lorimér was president of the! bank, It was Munday’s second trial ‘ He) ‘was found guilty in the first iriol. $60,000. DEPOSITED BY TOWNLEY’S MINNESOTA BANK St. Paul, Minn., March 23.—Depositions made by Mrs. Blanche Staake, formerly of Dilworth, Minn., now WIFE IN living in Virginia, entered. as evidence today in bank- ruptcy proceedings of Townley, president of the Nonpar- tisan league, declares that $60,000 was placed in a Detroit, Minn., bank in 1916 by Mr. Townley in his wife’s name. The proceedings here before G.'S. Iver, referee in bankruptcy, is a chapter of the Townley case begun in Bismarck. Poe Townley, to her husband. In her deposition, Mrs. Staake, declares Mrs. while at a summer resort near Detroit in 1916, often told her she had $60,00¢ in a Detroit bank belonging Mrs. Townley, called as a witness, denied she had shown five certificates of deposit for $10,000 as sworn to by Mrs. Staake. She said she had had an account in the - National Exchange that she had an all she deposited that hank of: continued until nieary ae t.Paul since a year ago and rahowt, an | | eae oh: ‘oat EXTRA! PARIS BEING SHELLED ENGLISH RETREAT:IN GOOD ORDER TO MORE FAVORABLE POSITIONS BEFORE GERMANS POWERFUL ATTACKS DELIVERED WITH GREAT WEIGHT OF IN-, FENSES WEST OF ST. QUENTIN, OFFICIAL WAR OFFICE: STATEMENT ANNOUNCES — HOLDING POSTS ON THE NORTH | CONFIDENCE AND ORGANIZATION APPARENT ‘British Army Headquarters in France, March 23, I] a. m. (By Associated Press)—The British, gallantly fighting, are still presenting a solid front to the fiercely attacking Germans, altho the defensive troops have withdrawn their lines in certain places for strategic reasons. , ‘All day yesterday, and much of. last night, the conflict eantin: ued, with increasing violence as fresh German forces were hurled into the fray in an attempt to smash thru the British defenses. More intense fighting i is expected. ‘The operation i is so vast, and i is changing. with such ‘kaleido- scopte 1 fapidity. as the line surging back and ‘forth that it is impos- sible to visualize the scene sufficiently to aire an accurate account of it at present. The Germans this morning were pressing hard the British forces defending Hermies. (about 214 miles back'of the old line, in the region southwest of Cambrai). London, March 23.—Powerful attacks delivered with great weight of infantry and artillery have broken thru the British de- fensive system west of St. Quentin, the war office announces. The British troops on the northern portion of the battlefield are holding their positions. The British west of St. Quentin are falling back in good order to positions further west. Very heavy fighting with fresh enemy forces is.in progress. The war office states that there are prepared positions behind the British to which they are falling back. OFFICIAL STATEMENT The statement follows: “Heavy fighting continued until late hours last night on the whole battle front. During the afternoon. powerful hostile blows delivered with great weight of infantry and artillery broke thru our western system west of St. Quentin. TROOPS FALLING BACK “Our troops on this part.of the battle front are falling back in good order across the devastated area to prepared positions fur- ther west: “Our troops on the northern portion. of the battle front are holding their positions. “Very heavy fighting with fresh Hoaila forces i is in progress.” DRIVEN OUT OF MOREY The Germans forced their way into Mory, but a- dashing coun- ter attack drove them out, Reuter’s correspondent at British head- quarters telegraphs. A large party was surrounded and ivrobably captured. * There is reason to believe 50 German ‘divisions are flowing into the struggle, the correspondent states, and probably half as many more are in close reserve. Under the tremendous onslaught, the British troops are falling back very slowly, and in excellent or- der... At many places they are withdrawing woiubtanly. so as to maintain an unbroken front. “ORGANIZATION AND CONFIDENCE The scenes of activity behind-the battle front baffle every de- scription, but everywhere there is the same well-ordered organiza- tion and quiet confidence. bad af. toy. m eather ex ganar dinelthouiane MEP EH toting BY GERMAN GUNS AT A DISTANCE OF 62 MILES _FANTRY AND ARTILLERY PENETRATE SYSTEM OF DE- ‘Report Would Indicate Huns’ Possession of New Seige Pieces With Range Three Times as ; Great as Ever Before Known \60-MILE RANGE ALMOST INCONCEIVABLE; | SHELLS SEEM TO BE MODERATE CALIBRE | METERS HAVE BEEN REACHING THE CAPITAL AND.$I 'URBS AT INTERVALS OF A QUARTER OF AN HOUR, KILL- ! ING ABOUT 10 PERSONS AND WOUNDING ABOUT FIFTEEN. | THE SHORTEST DISTANCE FROM PARIS TO THE. FRONT \IS.OVER 100 KILOMETERS (62 MILES). | THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT PARIS WAS, BEING BOM- | UNDER EXECUTION. WHICH .WAS DISPEKSED BY AIR-RAID JUST BEEN GIVEN. REMAINS UN received. The statement in foregoing dispatch was filed, |" ALIANCE BETWEEW ROUMANIA AND THE CENTRAL » ~WERS Amsterdam, March 23.—Vienna | | newspapers state that the, new Roumania_ premier, Alexander Marghiloman, is striving for an alliance between Roumania and , | the cenart! powers. This idea is being discussed sympathetically | ! in the Vienna press, says a dis- | patch from that city, GERMAN DETAILS London, Eng., March 23.—The Central. News says that all sorts of details are being sent out by German war correspondents. One gays the. number of aeroplanes has been increased 10 fold.: Ac- cording to still another, tanks and batteries for projecting poison gas and flames and other mod- ern engines of war in great num- ber are on the front, JAEGER BATTALIONS CROSS Berlin, via London, March 23.— A crossing over the Oise west of La Fere twelve miles south of St. Quentin was forced by Jaeger bat- talions, it is announced. WILHELM IN COMMAND. London, -Eng. March 23.—To- day’s German official announce- ment received here states that Emperor: William is in command on the western front. |CLEMENCEAUX IS SATISFIED WITH. | BRITISH ADVICE, Paris, March 22.—Pre- mier Clemenceaux appeared | for a few minutes tonight /| in the lobby of the chamber e fe ha and told ¢ ee had reecived fe eadquarters gv e ahha (Satisfactory im bt iw oH |BARDED WAS MADE OFFICIALLY ‘THIS | MEASURES FOR ATTACKING THE ENEMY’S CANNON ARE ers ‘THE GERMANS LAUNCHED AN ATTACK ‘ON THE | FRENCH: LINES IN THE WOEVRE DISTRICT LAST. NIGHT, “HE ee eh he (GERMANS SUFFERED APPRECIABLE LOSSES, AND LE OMe PRISONERS IN THE HANDS OF THE FRENCH... i THE FRENCH PIKE: ALARM win EXPLAINED The official announcement that Paris is being bom- barded must remain unexplained until further details are the dispatch that it is over 62 miles between the front and Paris indicates there has been no breach in the battle line above Paris such as .., - would permit bringing up guns to within what has been . previously regarded as the extreme range of heavy pieces.’ , Unless the Germans have some new invention no * such range as 6C miles is conceivable. The most powerful .- guns in action heretofore have been able to hurl their’: projectors 20 miles or thereabouts. The calibre of the shells reaching Paris, 240. milo- meters, is equivalent to about 91-2 inches. German seige pieces fire 17-7inch shells. under bombardment for about eight hours at the time the ty The heavy: . Paris has been « 4:15 p.m. “HUNS. CLAIM TWO FRENCH PARIS, MARCH 23, _THE GERMANS HAVE BEEN Fin: | ING ON PARIS WITH LONG RANGE GUNS. SINCE 8 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING SHELLS OF 240 Mi AFTERNOON, PARIS, 9 A. M., MARCH 23.—AN AIR-RAID ALARM HAS TOWNS TAKEN German Official Statement, De- clares Drive Is General Success es) SEE ENGLISH RETREAT Berlin, March tween Fontaine Les €roi- Croisetles and Moeuvres,' German forces penetrated - into the second enemy posit tions and captured: two. vil- lages, army headquarters announced today. British counter attacks failed. 23.Be- ' So far, the statement an-: ’ nounces,. 25,000. prisoners, © 400 guys, and 300 machine guns have been taken. The two yillages taken on the Fontaine - Moeuvres . front weré Vaux-Vraucourt and Morchies. The former village is’ about tnree and a_half.-. miles and the latter about ; one and a half miles behind | the former British front. Between the Omignon stream and the Somme, after the capture of first enemy position, the Germans made.their Holnon wood and f a 1B Peye bail ofa Jad olf linn howe MB Fest mpuint ia : pool ted} balizoqeb 9 Bosc oN ie = j h je lines, adds the repore, * ate :