New Britain Herald Newspaper, February 27, 1917, Page 1

HKERALD BEST OF ALL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS PRICE THREE CENTS. -SINKING OF CUNARDER LACONIA OVERT ACT, NEW BRITAIN HERAL — NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1917.—TEN PAGES. [HERALD “ADS" MEA |BETTER BUSINE ESTABLISHED 1 . WILSON AND LANSING. DECIDE FROM REPORTS; PRESIDENT IS NOT TO HAVE BLANKET POWEI Foreign Affairs Committee of Hous e Favors Tempering Resolution to Restrict Use of Forces by Executive to Navy and Na Militia--Foreign Relations Committee of Senate Also Agrees Against Granting Unlimited Authority, As Recommended by President in Speech Before Congress--White House Forms Quick Conclusion on Frost’s U-Boat Attack Reports AMERICAN WOMEN DIED OF _EXPOSURE IN \ Report of Consul Frost « Places Dead at 13; That of Cunard Line Lat 12 London, Feb. 27, 12:12 p. m.—Ac- ‘cording to stories gathered from pas- sengers from the Laconia who entered Queenstown, the ship was torpedoed at about 10:30 o’clock Sunday night. The number of dead or missing was given by the Cunard company this afternoon as twelve, made up as fol- lows: Passengers—Three mijssing. e 5 T /Crew—Six missing. Six others are in hospitals. . A Queenstown despatch to the Chronicle says that the Laconia was torpedoed in comparatively calm ‘weather. The first torpedo struck néar the stern and when the vessel *was struck a second tile she listed quickly to starboard: The boats got away with considerable difficulty but there was no panic among the pas- sengers or crew. THe smallness of the loss of life was due to the excel- lent discipline of the crew and the orderliness of the passengers, A steamer brought to Queenstown early on Tuesday 267 survivors, who re rescued from eight boats. The passengers’ versions of the number dost differ. Some say 25 were drowned “and others not more than 10. Among ¢ rthose known to be lost are Mrs. and Miss Hoy, Americans, Four Amer- icans are among the survivors, one of whom is the Rev. Joseph Waering of Baltimore, who was completely ex- hausted when brought ashore. Apparently twd small parties of the Laconia’s survivors, apart from the main body, have been landed, fifteen at Bantry and about the same * number elsewhere. The steamer . which rescued the bulk of those aboard the Cunarder carried also the ; I'/survivors of the, sunken British ; #teamer Falcon and fourteen mem- Wers of the crew of another lost Brit- #sh vessel. Eight American Seamen Dead. Eight American negroes, members of the crew of the Laconia, died of exposure, according to a Central News despatch, from Queenstown. A later telegram from Consul Frost .gave the total number of persons Jpnded from the Laconia as 281, out of 294 on board. Of the thirteen Llost, five were drowned and eight ? _ died from exposure and were buried at sea. Six persons are in hospitals at Queenstown the telegram said. Their condition is not serious. United States Consul Frost Qucenstown has telegraphed the ! American embassy here that Mrs. 7 and her daughter died- of ex- pokure and their bodies were buried .at sea. Consul Frost's message read: “Mrs. Mary Hoy and Miss Eliza- beth Hoy, passengers on the Laconia died from exposure. Their bodies were buried at sea.” Mrs, Ioy's husband, Dr. Albert H. %10y, who is a Civil war veteran, and her son, Austin Y. Hoy, reside H\: London. The latter called at the em- | bassy this morning and received a copy of the message from Consul | Frost, As far as the embassy knows these two were the only Americans lost on the Laconia. The embass list of American passenger survivors is as follows: P. Gibbons, Mrs. F. E. Harris, Harris, U. S, A.: A. York and the Rev. Baltimore.. dead, three at t Chicago Tribune; wife of Colonel T. Kirby, New Joseph Wareing, “ New York, Feh. 2 cablegram was T ~d here early today by Cunard line officials from the Liverpool office: “‘Regret to advise you Mrs. Hoy jeid daughter, also €. P, Ivat are dead —-The following 73 (Continued on Ninth Page.) { engaged in practice. LIFE BOATS AFTER LACONIA WAS SUNK |, WOMAN SHOOTS UP COURTROOM Providence, R. I, Feb. 27.— Shooting over the heads of at- torneys and witnesses in the superior court today, Mrs. Mary Guggluicei shot and slightly wounded Amerigo Esoriero. The shooting took place dur- ing the hearing of a civil suit in which her husband was a party. She, arrested for assault, told the police that her husband had broken up her home. The bullet lodged in Esori- ero’s leg. HEALY HAS HIS OWN VIEWS ON SUFFRAGE Speaker of House Questions Right of Judiciary Copmltow to Hold Hearings. Hartford, Feb. 27.—The death of Rev. Dr. W. G. Fennell chaplain of the state senate was feelingly re- ferred to in both branches today. Rev. J. N. Lackey, pastor of the South Baptist church, who offered the prayer, spoke of the death, as did Chaplain Benedict in the ‘house. Lieutenant Governor Wilson also had Clerk Buckley read a formal minute notifying the senate of the death. In the house a difference of opin- ion between the speaker and 'the ju- diciary committee as to the place for bills on women’s suffrage cropped out. This afternoon in the house chamber there were hearings on Bill 805 to give women a vote on éxcise matters and on bhill 585 to permit women to vote for presidential elec- tors and in city and town elections. A petition came in favor of bill 805, but Speaker Healy sent it to the com- mittee on woman suffrage, remark- ing that he was of the opinion that now, as in the past, all bills and mat- ters relating to woman suffrage should go to that committee and not to the judiciary committee, which sat at this afternoon’s hearing. The speaker sald he was in conflict with the judicilary committee on the ques- tion of its right to hear the suffrage bills. STEEL TUGS FOR GOVT. Railroads to Offer Strong Harbor Ves- sels to Uncle Sam to Use in Casc of War. New York, Feb intendents of railroads with quarters in this city today considered plans for the speedy arranging for government use of the big fleet of steel-constructed railroad tugs in New York waters. Many owners of yachts also pre- pared to put their craft into com- mission immediately for patrolling, mine sweeping, mine laying and other iliary service for which the navy s not ships available. arine super- FOR COAST DEFENSE. Washington, Feb. 27.—Plans have | been perfected for transferring to the ‘army and navy portions of the light- ship service for the national defense. Twenty-five buoy steamers are equipped for mine laying and have Secretary Red- fleld is seeking a '$25,000 appropria tion to equip lighthouses and light- ships with telephones and wireless. MURDER AND SUICIDE. tchburg, Mass., Web. 27.-—Charles Cortoz, of Taunton shot and killed h wife in.a hotel here toduy and then shot himself, dying shortly after he was removed to a hospital, The couple arrived at the hotel this morn- ing and had been in a Toom for several hours when the shooting occurred. head- | TORPEDO IS FIRED Hawke of San Francisco Ac- coses U-Boat Commander SURVIVORS ENDANGERED No Panic Among Passengers When Order Rings Out to Take to the Boats—Attack Bright Moonlight, Made in Queenstown, Feb. 27.—Correct re- turns of thase missing from the sunken Cunarder Laconia are not yet obtainable. Six passengers are among those sent to hospitals, Their in- Juries are slight. - Among the four is Dr. Hawke, a resident of San Fran- cisco, who said he was playing a game of bridge in the ship’s surgeon's roam when he heard an awful crash and guessed that the ship had been at- tacked by a submarine. He said the first torpedo struck the steamer aft on the starboard side and everyone made for the life preservers. The passen- gers had previously been instructed in .{boat drill and got into the boats with- out panic. Dr. Hawke said that all behaved well and that the discipline was excellent, He continued: Fired Close to Life Boats, The submarine returned after we had been in the boats and fired an- other torpedo, which put out the lights and was followed by a terrific explosion and the ship must have sunk soon after. The second torpedo, mind you, was fired although the life boats were close to the vessel and the crew of the submarine could not have failed to see us, as it was moonlight. It was about 9:30 p, m. Sunday when we took to the boats and about 3 o’clock on the following morning when we were picked up.” § It appears that two boats reached Bantry with twenty-two people, eight of the occupants having died from ex- posure. Among those saved was the singer, Miss Mitsie Siklosi of Paris, The bodies of the eight persons who died were consigned to the deep. Among the Laconia’s firemen were sixteen American negroes. " London, Feb, 27, 10:10 a. m.—A Queenstown despatch to the Daily Mail says that it is certain that Mrs. Hoy and her daughter, American pas- sengers on the Lacania, have lost their lives. Cedric P, Ivat, a theatrical manager who was a passenger on the Laconia died of exposure. Mr. Ivat was a resi- dent of London. DRIVE ON CHANGELLOR Von Tirpitz and Prominent Men Reported to Have Connived to Other Oust Von Bethmann-Hollweg. Amsterdam, Feb. via T.ondon, 10:11 a. m.—According to a telegram from Berlin, thir supporters of Ad- miral Von Tirpitz, former minister of the navy. including Count Von Hoens- hroech, have held a meeting to dis- cuss “a change in the office of im- perial chancellor,” It is said to be the purpose of promoters of this movement to hold meetings in all the large town of Germany and also to obtain the sup- port of newspapers for the purpose of forcing a change in the head of the government. Socialist and liberal newspapers condemn this action. BRITISH TRANSPORT SUNK British Admiralty Makes Brief the An- noun English Steamers Are Torpedoed. serlin, Sunday, Ieb. 25, by wire- less to Sayville, Feb. 27.—The sink- ing of the British transport steame A-19 was announced by the admiraliy today. London, TFeb. ~The British steamer Aries of > tons and the British steamer Seagull, of 144 (o have been sunk by a German sub rine lloyvds announced fcrews were landed. WENTY KILLED IN Ten on Way to Funeral Numbered Among Victims FREIGHT HITS EXPRESS Heavy Train Crashes Into Rear of Sleeper and Wiping Out Occupants —Steel Coaches Telescoped Like Cardboard Boxes, Altoona, Pa., Feb. 27.—At least twenty persons were killed when the east-bound Mercantile express on the Pennsylvania railroad was run - into shortly after midnight by a fast pre- terence freight train at the station at the little mountain town of Mount Union, forty-three miles east' of here. Several others wére injured, The most seriously hurt were taken to Huntingdon, twelve miles west of Mount Union. The express train had stopped to discharge passengers at Mount Union and members of the crew were testing the air brakes when, without warn- ing, the heavy engine crashed into the bassenger train from the rear. A dense fog prevailed. e There were three keepers attached to the Mercantile express, all of steel construction. As the freight engine. backed by a heavy train, plowed into ! the latter telescoped the | freignt, ment of Loss of A-19—Two | today. Tllcl the passenger train, the rear coach of econd pa senger coach, which was split asunder by the terrific impact. The freight engine was literally welded to the pas- senger car. None of the passenger coaches left the track but six of the freight cars, coal laden, were hurled down a forty-foot embankment, Cars Mass of \Wreckage. Little headway could be made in reaching the dead and injured, owing to the three sleeping coaches being almost inextricably massed together An examination of the wreck showed that the third sleeper of the train had split apart and that the car ahead was forced clear through it, while the third car from the rear of the train had plowed into the second car. The telescoping of the cars was of such force and character that all those within the sleeper were made pris- oners. The train crew and the unin- jured passengers were unable to reach them to give aid to any that might have escaped death. The wrgeck blocked tracks number 1 and 2 and caused a shut down of traffic for several hours. All of those killed were in the sleeping car which was telescoped. An official of the Pennsylvania roaa here said the list of dead may ex- ceed twenty, as fourteen bodies have been recovered and at least six are known to be dead in the wreck. Enginecr Is Blamed. At this time the railroad company is inclined to place the blame {fov the wreck on the engineer of the A. T. Cook of Harrisburs, who bad a leg crushed. It was his duty, said an official, to get off his engine, walk ahead and look at a gnal in casc of fog rather than run st it Chester A. Minds who with his family was killed, was a coal opera- tor in the Clearfield region of Penn- vania. He was traveling to Utica, h Y.. to attend the funeral of his wife's father. Minds was a star on the University of Pennsyl- vania team and a brother of John H. Minds, famous years ago as captain of the Pennsylvania team. A list of the dead: Chester A. Minds Ramey, Pa. wife; Chester A. Minds, Jr., their in- fant son two weeks old; Miss Maud , Conifer, N. Y., sister of Mr. M. A. Caslisch, Conifer, N. Y brother-in-law of Mrs. Minds; M Dellin, Cleveland, Mrs. M:ind Richard Owen, 7; Dorothy 6; Jean Owen, 4, nephew and » 25 years Owen, (Continued on Ninth Page.) WEATHER. Feb, 27.—For vicinity: Fai and Wedne: 1 Hartford colder day. A e and tonight foothall | old, | Mrs. Doris Minds. 28, his | BRYAN OBJECTS T0 | NEAR LIFE BOATS| PENNA. R. R. WRECK WILSON'S REQUEST Intensely Opposed to Grant- ing Full Power to President. Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 27.—W. J. Bryan in a statcment issued today announced he was opposed to grant- ing power to the president such as Mr. Wilson requested of congress yesterday. He annbunced he would g0 immediately to Washington and use his influence to have the request declined. ‘Washington, Feb. 27.—Senator and representatives began receiving tele- grams today from the/ emergency peace federation protesting against granting to the president the author- ity asked from congress. MORE INFANTILE PARALYSIS Three Years Old Stig Langstrom of 164 Whiting Street Is Paralyzed in Lower Limbs—Iil One Week, Tliness from which three year old Stig Langstrom of 164 Whiting street has been suffering for about a week was dlagnosed this morning as infantile paralysis and the house and its inmates was at once placed under quarantine by orders of the board of health. The little sufferer is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Langstrom and both legs are paralyzed, although the left leg is the more seriously afflicted. ! The father is employed by the Stanley Rule and Level company. Besides the | parents and the little victim there are three other children in the family, ranging in ages from infancy to twelve years. Although New Britain was swept by an infantile paralysis scourge last summer and during the early fall, this | is the first case of the disease to \)(v_ noted in about five month In | October, when fthe last case was re- ported, the total number of cases brought to the attention of the au- | thorities here was twenty-four, several | of which had proved fatal. ! 'PINLAND IN HOME WATERS | American Line Vessel Reports O by“ | Wireless and Will Dock at New York Tomorrow Morning. New York, ~The steamship Finland of the American line, which | sailed from Liverpool on Feb. 17 with 166 passenzers, including many Amor- | icans, reported by wireless to her own- Jers here today that she would reach the Ambrose Channel lightship a few hours after midnight tonight and] would dock about §' a. m. tomorrow. | The Finland was the third Amer- | | ican line passenger vessel to lcave ingland after Germany’s proclama- | tion of unrestricted submarine wa i fare. The others were the New York | and the Philadelphia. With the a irival of the Finland this line's entir i fleet_will be tied up in New. York fof { the first time since the Spanish-Amer- {ican war. Dr. Henry Van Dyke, former Amer- !ican minister to the Netherlands, is | passenger on the Finland. i A IN HARTFORD. ] | | GERMAN HE | Struth Escaped From Detention Camp in Canada. Hartford, Feb. 27.—Carl Struth, a serman sailor who escaped from a Canadian detention camp at Bedford, Nova Scotia, was arrested at a local factory where he had secured employ- ment today by tthe United States au- | thorities. The charge against him is violation of the immigration laws in gaining admission to this country, | 1e was later in the day taken to Boston by United States Commissioner Hurley. Struth will he turned over to the Canadian government . SACHES LIVERPOOL 237.—The ‘White ft New York at Liver- CEDRIC R New York, Feb | Star liner Cedric which 1 on Feb. 12 arrived safely pool Feb. 22 ‘her agents announced today. he Cedric had over 4,000 bags of mail. There were no pas- sengers aboard. 5 | today, i rine menuce began | pa { of the Laconia landed. No Further Investigation of Sinking, Withg Warning, of Passenger Vessel, With Lg of American Lives, to Be Made by W Which Considers 'Case Closé Washington, Feb. 27—The sinking of the with the loss of American lives is looked upon ington, Lacon by th American government as a clear cut violation of America rights, according to an opinion obtained after a conferend between Secretary Lansing and President Wilson. further investigatipn is consi After the receipt of word that two ‘American women and eight American mnegroes had lost their lives as the re- sult of the sinking of the Laconia, it was indicated in official quarters that no immediate action would be taken by President Wilson but that renewed pressure would be brought to bear on congress to grant \the additional authority required by him yesterday. ‘While official comment was with- held pending a full investigation, the Laconia incident was looked upon as serious. The view prevailed that the 'sink- ing of the Laconia should hasten ac- tion by congress. The first step of the government, it is indicated, will be to furnish American ships with #uns and gunners for defensive pur- poses and insure them in the graye war risk bureau. Second Lusitania Casc. On the basis of official reports the sinking of the Laconia is regarded as another Lusitania case in principle. President Wilson, it was said today is opposed to calling an extra session of congress unless it is absolutely nec- essary. Word has been conveved to him that' the republicans may fili- buster in an effort to create an extra session but he is hopeful that this intention will not be carried out. Favors “Use of Nav On an unofficial vote the house foreign affairs committee today agreed to strike from the administra- tion bill to empower the president to take steps to meet. the submarine menace the words “other instrumen- talities” and to substitute “to use the naval forces of the United States.” The senale foreign relations com- mittee considering the bill showed a disposition to modify the breadth of the “other instrumentalities” phrase, Republican scnators voted solidly against it and got some support, it | was said from Senator Stone, Hitch- | cock and O'Gorman, democrats. ‘While details of the deaths of ten Americans in the unwarned destric- tion of the Laconia began ceming in | the opposition in congress to | giving President Wilson the broad authority to deal with the subma- tal definite form. At the White House known authoritatively that the struction of i{he Laconia was a c cut and ruthless violation of .Ameri can rights and life, a demonstration of which might be expected in the future. Frost Sends Detatis of At Consul | | | it was made | i de- | Two despatches from L at Queenstown reccived by the state department today give the names of ngers and members of the ecrew One adds these details: “Laconia torpedoed without warn- ing 10:30, p. m. Feb. 25, west of Fastnet. Overcast, heavy swells not breaking, fair breeze, “Laconia carried 4.7 gun invisible at night. Second torpedo 20 minu after first. Thirteen boats got away of which No. 8, with Hoy ladies, was lost. Wireless had been sent out. Boats picked up admiralty patrol 4 a. m., Ieb. 26, Cargo cotton, food- stuffs and non-explosive munitions. Apparently 8 deaths out of 335 on board. Two hundred sixty crew and seventy-five passengers, including many women and children. | “Ship sank in about 45 minutes | from time of first torpedo. Had fired six rockets, which were seen by ad- miralty patrol. Wireless also used up to last moment. Boats scattered two | or three miles in swells 12 feet high. jurned flares and were picked up he- itween ind 4 a. m. Feb. 2, Mcetings of the committees of for- eipn affairs had been called early in the day to discuss drafts of a bill which would empower the president (o furnish guns and gunners to Ameri- can ships and to employ such other instrumentalities as he may think necessary and provide for a bond is- ue of §100,000,000 to meet the ex- J | dered necessary. The chief objection of the rep cans is to the phrase ‘“‘other i mentalities.” Several of e lead express willingness to vote for specific authority sought by the p! dent, but say they do not wanf sign a “blank chéck.” Then tl are many who strongly favor direct as well as authorizing the arming protecting of ships. The Ulterior Motive, Back of all their objections, of the republicans want an extra sion and contend that congress shd not be away from Washington the nation is on the brink of war. Another fillbuster in the senaf threatened and the democrats fean although the president is represe as fully confident that the autho ne ask will be granted and that t will be no extra sessio; Official details of the sinking of big Cunard liner ILaconia awaited here with grave inter Some were inclined to think might prove to be the overt act drive the United States to hostilll Today's despatches indieated ) loss of Mrs. Hoy and her daughter Chicago, passengers on the Laco and eight American negroes, fire: on the vessel all of whom died of § posure after leaving the ship, Rep. Flood’s bill was drafted frd a memorandum’ left with him Senator Oliver of the senate for relations committée yesterday President ‘Wilson and consequey embodies the president’s idea of should be granted by g gress. 5 War Risk Insurance. in addition to empowering the prg ident to arm merchant ships and employ “other instrumentalities’” a providing $100,000,000 by a bond suc the Dbill would permit the prg ident to transfer any part of that s to the bureau of war risk insuran to be used in paying losses of Ami ican saips above §5,000,000. Tof yments arc limited to that amou by the size of the entire fund. nce September 2, 1914, the ing ance has made several rate increds The 1 nnounced three weeks aj after the German submaxzine block: had hecn instituted, ance costs to two per ce from Ame the war zones. vails ror destinations of Great Britay Rotterdam, Sc linavian countrld varlous ports of I and the in the two coast of Africa. & ending Sept. 1916, the insurance burcau peid. nf losses of §774,000 and maode a N profit o §2,267,000 from premiums. CORPORATE TAX GROWS. Hartford, Feb. 2 -Revenue frof the state corporatas inccme tax woul be much Jarge: this veor than was {1916 it w; said this mornin at the office of the tax commiissione Y year the amount was $1,640,00 Definite figures this year are not y cbtainabje, but "it is expected thg they will be much greater. « The of flce is working overtime tabulatin the returns. SMALLPO:. STON. Hartford, Feb. 27.—Two cases smallpox were reported today. to ti state board of health from Easto the first to be reported from tha town during the present epidemic o the disease. No new cases were ported from Waterbury. oI CO. TO S New York, Feb. ard Oil company will seek indemn for the destruction of its oil propes ties in Rumania af the time of German invasion of that country,’ ON PHARMACY COMMISSION, " Tiartford, Feb. 27.—Herbert Lerou, a druggist of Norwich was 8p pointed a member of the pharmac; commission, by Governor Holcoml pense. this afternoon for a five year term.