The Omaha Daily Bee
VOL. XLVI. NO. .303.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 7, 1917. TWELVE PAGES.
S,XV""A SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
ONE KILLED AND GREAT DA
BY STORM. WHICH SWEEPS OMAHA
'the weather
Fair ?
MAGE
U.S. STEAMER
SINKS WAT
IN GUN FIGHT
Twenty-Fifth Shot from the
Vessel Lifts Stern of Sub
marine From Sea and It
Goes Down Stem First.
Washington, June 6. A German
subiharine is believed to have been
sunk by an armed American steamer
yesterday in a running fight tasting an
hour. and. a half in which thirty-five
shots were fired by the submarine and
Nventy-five by the steamer.
An official announcement by the
State department today says the
steamer's final shot "apparently struck
the submarine, which raised clear out
of the water and stood stern end up
for a few seconds.
"It then disappeared."
The department's announcement
follows:
"The department of state is advised
by telegraph of an engagement be
tween an armed American steamer
and a submarine. The guns of the
steamer were manned by an American
naval crew. The submarine was first
seen at about 7,000 yards. It had a
six-inch gun forward and another aft.
It flew no flag.
"Upon sight of the submarine the
steamer hoisted the Americau flag and
waited for about ten minutes. As the
submarine approached the steamer
fired. The submarine responded. The
steamer .kept a speed that would per
mit the submarine to come within
range. Then' followed a fight lasting
for an hour and a half. The subma
rine came to-a distance of about 2,300
yards. By that time the submarine
.had fired thirty-five shots and the
steamer twenty-five. The last shot of
the steamer apparently struck the
submarine, which raised clear out of
the water and stood stern end up fur
a few seconds. Then it disappeared.
"The captain of the steamer and the
commander of the guard believe that
the submarine was sunk. The steam
er suffered no damage."
Germans Admil Loss '
Of Torpedo .Destroyer
Berlin, June 6. (Via London.)
The loss of the German destroyer
S-20 is admitted in an official state
. ment issued by the war office in re
gard to the attack on Ostend by Brit
ish ships. The statement follows:
"Enemy monitors shelled Ostend on
the morning of the 5th, killing, and
wounding a great number of Bel
gian inhabitants and causing some
material damage to houses. Strongly
superior reconnoiitering forces at
tached to the advancing monitors en
countered two of our torpedo boats,
which were on guard. After fierce
fighting the S-20 was sunk, firing to
the last moment. A portion of the
crew was rescued by us.
The enemy forces received several
hits and retired before the fire of.our
coast batteries." -
Brazil Answers .German
Protest About Ship Seizure
Rio Janeiro, June 6. Brazil has re.
plied to the German1 note protesting
against the requisitioning of German
ships with a declaration that the re
public has acted within the strict lim
its of the law, even as interpreted
by Germany. The Brazilian reply
says in part:
"The utilization of German ships
by Brazil follows the torpedoing of
Brazilian merchant ships and assures,
directly and immediately, although by
force, satisfaction for the losses
caused by German submarines.
"Brazil has taken a step which all
nations should take, even without
abandoning its state of peace, for the
sole reason of forcing an offending
nation to make due reparation."
Vhe Weather
For Nebraska Fair; warmer.
Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday.
Hour. Den
b a. m 57
' 7 a. m'..',
Ia.ni..
6 a.
a. m.
10 a. m.
11 a. m.
13 m. ..
1 p. m.
2 p. m.
64
6
67
p. m.
4 p. m $7
b p. m-, 5
S p. m 4
7p. m 63
8 d. m ti
Comparative Local Record.
1917. 1916. 1915. 1914.
Highest yesterday .. 67 68 66
Lowest yesterday 63 66 61 64
Mean temperaturft '. . 60 62 60 76
Precipitation 8.18 .00 .03 .01
Temperature and precipitation departurei
from the normal:
Normal temperaturft . 69
Deficiency for the day I.- 9
Total deficiency since March 1 197
..ormat precipitation 16 Inch,
xceaa for the day 2.02 Inches
Total rainfall since aiarch 1 12. S5 Inches
excess since March 1 2.93 inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1916.3, 2C Inrhes
Deficiency for cor. pertd. 1916. .49 Inch
Mports From Station at 7 F. M.
Station and Statte . Temp,
of Weather, 7p.
Cheyenne, clear S3
Davenport, pt. cloudy 64
Denver, clear
tes Moines, pt cloudy 2
Dodge City, clear .... 76
Lander, pt cloudy . ... 64
High- Raln-
m.
est. "Tall.
60
66
70
66
71
6
67
74
64
70
72
.00
.64
.00
1,76
.00
.00
3.18
.00
.14
.00
.00
.00
1.66
Omaha, clear
Pueblo, clear
Rapid City, cloudy
Salt Lake, clear ...
Santa Fe, clear ....
Sheridan, clear
Sioux City, cloudy .,
. 70
. 66
. 70
. 70 .
.4
65
62
valentine, clear
U A. WELSH, Meteorclojist.
Nl
Bill to Expatriate
Slackers Who Flee
Washington, June 6. Persons
leaving the United States to avoid
military service would be expatri
ated and forever barred from the
country by bills introduced today
by Representative Taylor of Colo
rado. Thirty days from the passage of
either measure would be given to
persons who already have fled to
return and make amends.
KIDNAPING PART
OF GERMAN PLOT
TO STOP TRAFFIC
Men Who Stole Babe at Spring
field, Mo., Planned to Ab
duct Children of St. Louis
Munition Makers.
Springfield, Mo., June 6. Plans to
abduct at St. Louis children of manu
facturers of munitions as part of a
German conspiracy to block the ship
ment of such supplies were revealed
today to Paul O'Day, prosecuting at
torney, by C. T. Piersol, one of the
six men held in the investigation of
the disappearance of Lloyd Keet, 14-month-old
son of J. Holland Keet.
wealthy banker.
The plan was given tip as impracti
cal, however, Piersol is said to have
declared.
Authorities previously announced
that the six had confessed other plots,
including the abduction of C. A. Cle
ment, a local jeweler, whom they ex
pected to hold for ransom.
Suspects Deny Confession.
The suspects, against whom no for
mal charge yet has been made, denied
such a confession today, despite the
continued assertions of O'Day and
others that they had made such state
ments. With the arrest early today of six
persons charged with being impli
cated in the kidnaping last week of
Lloyd Keet, the police believe they
are on the track of the abductors and
express belief that the baby will be
returned before" nightfall.
Planned to Take Other.
One of those in custody, whose
name has not been given out, is said
by Paul M. O'Day, prosecuting attor
ney, to lave made a confession of
the plot to kidnap not only the Keet
child, but the cluldreu of other
wealthy residents of Springfield.
In company with the man who is
said to have made the confession,
Prosecutor O'Day and four detectives
started in pursuit of the kidnapers
who are supposed to have the child
in their possession, but early today
thty had not apprehended them.
Send, Government Troops
To Quell Montana Strike
Helena, Mont, June 6. The West
ern department of the army has sent
droops to Whitefish, Mont, on appli
cation tr.om the Ureat Northern Rail
road company to the governor.
Governor Stuart and L. W. Hill"!
made the application for troops on in
formation that strikers oh a railway
construction contract at Whitefish re
fused to allow strikebreakers to go to
work.
Columbia Confers Degree
On George Ellery Hale
New York, June 6. George Ellery
Hale of Mount Wilson solar ob
servatory, Pasadena, Cal., received the
honorary degree of doctor of science
from Columbia university today.
Guglielmo Marconi, ; inventor of the
wireless., telegraphy, was similarly
honored. V. K. Wellington Koo,
Chinese minister to the United States,
received the degree of doctor of law.
New House Committee on
Woman Suffrage Favored
Washington, June 6. Favorable re
port on the resolution to create a spe
cial house committee on woman suf
frage was ordered today by the rules
committee atter all pressing war
measures are disposed or.
President Wilson recently recom
mended such a committee.
Hold Memorial for Heroic
Dead of the Confederacy
Washington, June 6. Memorial ex
ercises for the soldier dead in the
confederate section of Arlington Na
tional cemetery featured today's pro
gram of the Union Confederate Vet
erans reunion. Sons of Veterans and
Daughters of the Confederacy parti
cipated. Twenty-Three British
Vessels Sunk in Week
London, June 6. The weekly re
port of the British admiralty con
cerning British shipping losses by
mines or submarines, says that fifteen
vessels of 1,600 tons and over, and
three vessels under 1,600 tons and five
fishing vessels were sunk last week.
Philippine Volunteers
formally Offer Services
Washington, June 6. A force of
25,000 Filipino troops wherever
they may be needed was offered
President Wilson today by .Manuel
Quezon, former Philippine delegate
in congress and now president of
the Philippine senate,
COUNTY HOSPITAL
EXPENSES DOUBLE
IN A SINGLE YEAR
With Only. Thirty More Patients
Democrats Run Up Enor
mous Bills to Feed the .
. Inmates at Farm.
Expenses at the county hospital
for April of this year were nearly
double Ihost of the corresponding
month in 1916, while the increase' in
the number of patients was less than
thirty.
It is not clear whether this is due
solely to the H. C. L. or in part to
the change in management after the
democrats took control this year.
For April, 1916, the expenses were
$4,476.28. The number of patients
that month was 269.
There were 297 patients in April
this year, an increase of only twenty
eight, but the expenses leaped to $7,
061.63. Other Increases Shown,
Other months since the first of the
year also show increases in expenses
as compared with corresponding pe
riods in 1916.
Some interesting figures arc shown
in the records of County Auditor An
thes and County Clerk Dewey.
For instance, the expenditures for
meat in April this year are startling
as compared with last year.
Records show that $1,121.26 worth
of meat was purchased for the county
hospital during April this year. For
April, 1916, the meat bill .was only
$419.74.
Meat Soars High,
With less than thirty additional pa
tients the meat bill increased nearly
300 per cent over a year ago.
Some taxpayers who also eat meat
have not found that their bills are
300 per cent greater than a year ago.
Groceries have increased in price
more than meat, but not in the county
hospital.
The grocery bill for April this year
was $1,250.27, as compared with
$923.82 for the corresponding month
in 1916.
No one can blame the soaring po
tato for the big increase in expenses,
for no spuds have been purchased for
the hospital since March 1. ,
Advertising Men Pledge
Publicity for Red Cross
St Louis, June, 6. Advertising
clubs of forty-two cities A a session
of the Associated Advertising clubs
of the world today pledged publicity
for the campaign to raise $100,000,000
for the Red Cross and to finish the
campaign for the Liberty loan.
British Attack Breaks
v German Line at Reoux
Berlin, June 6. (Vut London.)
A British attack delivered yesterday
onlyv succeeded in penetrating the
German position at the Roeux railway
station, where fighting continues for
small sections of trenches, sajs to
day's army headquarters statement.
Belgian Mission Will
Visit United States
Washington, June 6. Belgium will
send an official mission to the United
States, headed by Baron Moncheur,
former minister here. It will arrive
within the next three weeks.
U.S. MIDDIES VIE
WITH BRITISH IN
CHASE FOR DIVER
Destroyers . of Two- Nations
Now Actively Engaged in
Policing European Waters
j " ' in Subsea Boat Hunt.
i The British Port Base of the Amer
ican Flotila (Via London), June 6.
The American destroyers have com
pleted their first month of active serv
ice in the great, war. They have
been favored with excellent weather,
which is a big factor in anti-submarine
warfare. Most of the time they
have had sunny skies and smooth
seas, with just enough squall and
storm to put their seamanship to test.
The favorably weather conditions
made their task Tf learning the
technique of anti-submarine warfare
much simpler and easier.
The American boats are assigned
to work hand-in-band with the British
squadron, being virtually assimilated
into the British naval machinery here.
A destroyer is usually out from four
or five days and then returns to port
for two or three days while coaling
and loading supplies. Thus every
American sailor gets at least half a
day shore leave practically every
week.
Americans Take Turn.
The Americans take their turn with
the British boats in all routine work
of patrol and convoy. The work, al
though largely routine, is interesting,
and the Americans have never yet
found time hanging heavy on their
hands. The lookout must be constant
and eyes must be trained to an unbe
lievable degree of keenness. The
young Americans take zealously to
this business of finding the periscopic
needle in the nautical haystack, and
daily reports of submarines sighted, of
observations made, of wireless warn
ings sent broadcast show that the
American boats are already making
an average of results almost as satis
factory as the long experienced Brit-
isn uoais, witn wnicn tney are op
erating. 1
There has been no actual battle as
yet between an American destroyer
and the enemy, although several re
ports show that U-boats have been
sighted and have been compelled to
beat a hasty retreat to the depths
of the sea.
A Liner From Home.
An assignment to convoy a liner
"from jhome," that is, from an Amer
ican port, is regarded as an especially
choice morsel. A trans-Atlantic
liner, which sights the American flag
approaching to escort her to land,
never fails to respond with a great
waving of figs and handkerchiefs
from her decks, and there is a fine
exchange of wig-wag signals in lien
ot handshakes.
Several American liners can al
ready testify to the vigilant work of
the American destroyers as convoys.
Occasionally a fortunate liner finds
(Continued on Paso Two, Column Throe.)
Latest Treasury Offering-
Already Oversubscribed
Washington, June 6. The gov
ernment's latest offering of $200,
000,000 in treasury certificates of in
debtedness has been over subscribed
and the books were closed today,
two days ahead of the designated
time.
LIBERTY BOND
DRIVE CONTINUES
UNABATED TODAY
Committees of Manufacturers
Are Visiting All Plants;
To Canvass Auto
Row Thursday. -
Popular Subscriptions Liberty
Loan Bonds.
On Tuesday, June 5. 580 $ 197,000
On Monday, June 4. 256 117,600
Previously reported 510 833,150
Totals 1,348. 1,147,750
Exclusive of banks and loan com
panies. Twelve committees of the Omaha
Manufacturers' association are can
vassing the manufacturing districts
of Omaha for subscriptions to the
Liberty loan, lhe work among the
manufacturers is under the general
leadership of Jay Burns and J. L
Haker. fcvery one ot the twelve com
mittees will work in from tell to twenty-five
manufacturing establishments.
1 here are some 450 manulacttirinK
concerns in Omaha, but some of them
work out the subscription of their
employes themselves, and thus re
lieve the outside committees of this
work.
The insurance men after making a
record Tuesday when eighty-three of
them devoted the day to selling bonds,
are still working in some sections.
some ot them did not get through
with the districts they hoped to cover.
Though less than one-third of the in
surance men working reported re
sults last night, the subscriptions they
obtained totaled $53,650.
To Canvass Auto Row,
Thursday a flock of committees of
automobile men will canvass Automo
bile row.
The Boy Scouts in Tuesday's cam
paign sold bonds totalling $10,700.
Pace Christie, one of tbScouts. and
son of Dr. Christie, sold one $5,000
bond. Kenneth Metcalfe and Austin
Erickson, two Scouts, made records
during the day which entitle them to
government medals. These medals
are awarded to any Boy Scout who
sell ten bonds ot any denomination.
Each of these hova sold his ten.
Letters to the number of eS.OOO
are beine nnnted and will be distrt
buted to the school children of the
city Thursday to be faken to their
parents. The letters explain the na
ture of the bond, the installment pay
ment plan, and various other features,
besides urging all to buy.
Travelers Subscribe.
The Travelers' Health association
subscribed for $10,000 worth of bonds.
The Mutual Henetit Health associa
tion took $5,000.
Twelve women and twenty-five
boys arc out all day sticking posters
on the windshields of automobiles
parked in the streets. This poster
contains a simple picture of Uncle
Sam blowing a bugle. "Buy a Bond;
Help Uncle Sam," is the wording that
goes with the picture.
Many Duplications.
"Owing to unavoidable duplications
in subscriptions reported at the mass
meeting at the Commercial club, the
popular subscriptions and those al
ready made through the banks, it is
impossible at present to give accurate
grand totals for Omaha's subscrip
tions to the Liberty loan.
"I; the interest manifested in the
first three days of the campaign con
tinues, the committee is most con
fident that by the end of the cam.
paign Omaha will have subscribed
more than $7,500,000 to the Liberty
loan.
"LIBERTY LOAN COMMITTEE,
"By O. T. Eastman, Secretary.'
x Duplications Are Made.
Because subscriptions are reported
from various committees, from banks,
and from mass meetings, duplications
in figures have been hard to avoid. It
has now become the set policy of the
general committee to make reports
each day taken from the records of
the bank, where all subscriptions must
eventually be turned in, and where
duplications must be sifted out.
Thus, the figures given at the head
of the column today do not include
the subscription of $4,000,000 made by
the banks themselves; they do not in
clude the' $1,000,000 subscriptions by
the building and loan companies, and
they do not include the smh.uou sub
scribed at the mass meeting Tuesday
noon. When jjns mass meeting sub
scription has been tabulated and prop
erly recorded at the banks, as it nrob
ably will be today, it will be given
out with the total figures of popular
subscriptions. The committee hopes
to avoid confusing popular subscrip
tions with subscriptions by banks and
loan companies, for the reason that
(Continued oa Pate Two, Column Fire.)-
President Objects to
Relaxing of Labor Laws
Washington, June 6. President
Wilson today in a letter to Governor
Brumbaugh of Pennsylvania ex
pressed his opposition to relaxing
laws by which safeguards have been
thrown about labor, as a war meas
ure. "I feel that there is no necessity
for such action," wrote the president,
"and that it would lead to a slacken
ing of the energy of the nation rather
than to increase it,bsides being very
untair to the laboring people them
Belves."
There has been a movement in
some states to lengthen hours of
labor
NEAR CLOUDBURST CAUSES
HEAVY PROPERTY LOSS ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER
Railroads and Street Car Lines Suffer From Washouts;
Family Rescued by Police; Havoc Worst in
Country Just West of City Limits;
Cadets Abandon Camp.
One man killed by lightning, families rescued from drown
ing in their own homes by the Omaha police, the high school
cadets in camp at Gilmore forced to abandon the camp and)
come home, bridges washed out, trains blocked by washouts
and big trees smashed to the ground is the result of Tuesday's
storm. The rainfall in Omaha totaled 2.31 inches.
GRAND JURY FOR
THOSE WHO SHUN
COUNTRY'S CALL
Government Follows Up All,
Who Have Not Registered;
Omaha Total Given as
20,480 Men.
Registrations in Douglas county for
selective army conscription totaled
20,480, fully 2,000 in excess of the
number expected.
Returns from' several precincts,
mostly in the Fifth ward' and in coun
try districts were not completed until
last night. '
It is believed m Douglas county a
good many eligibles failed to register.
Some leniency will be shown these
persons, but they will be required to
comply with the law or submit to
prosecution by the federal govera-
U1CIII.
Election Commissioner Moorhead
last night received a telegram from
Oovcrnor Neville, lhe governor
stated he had been in communication
with the provost marshal and that of
ficial had informed him within a short
time a United States grand jury would
be called to investigate cases where
men of conscript age' had failed to
register. i
Indictments, the governor said,
would be secured against all such in
dividuals and they will be prose
cuted to the full extent of the .law.
Government to Be Fair. '
Governor Neville added that the
government officials are disposed to
be fair with those who have failed to
register, provided they will be fair
wiin.ine government.
The date for calling the grand jury
has not been announced. It is under
stood that parties who have not reg
istered may do so any time prior to
the convening of the grand jury and
that by so doing they will escape
prosecution.
Government officials who have been
in Omaha and the state have the
names of a number of young men
who did not register Tuesday and are
getting more. They believe that long
prior to the coming together of the
grand jury they will have the name of
every slacker in Nebraska. Then those
who have not registered in the mean
time will be indicted and vigorously
prosecuteu. '
More Than Expected.
Scores of eligibles in the country
districts we're unable to get to regis
tration places on account of the heavy
rains.
Federal, state, county and city au-
inorities are co-operating in the drive
on slackers.
Under the law a complete list of
registered men is to be compiled with
in nve aays atter registration. I rip
(Continued on Piro Throo, Column Fire.)
Italian Positions Are
Held by Austrians
Vienna, Tuesday, June 5. (Via
London, June 6.) The Austrians
have regained positions taken by the
Italians south of Jamiano, on the
front above Trieste, and captured
more than 6,500 Italians in a battle
lasting a day and a half, the war office
announces. In all 22,000 prisoners
have been taken on this part of the
iront, it is stated.
More Shoes for New Army
Ordered by Government
Washington. June 6. Contracts for
750,000 additional pairs of shoes for
the new army were awarded today at
an average price of $4.75 a pair. With
these contracts the government has
ordered 3,360,000 pairs of shoes for
the army and 85U,(WU pairs tor the
navy. Their total cost will be about
$20,000.000.
German Money to Help
America Pay for War
Washington, June .6. Millions of
dollars in dividends and debts due
to Germans from American citizens
may be invested in Liberty loan
bonds under the trading with the
enemy act now pending in congress.
Germany thus will help America
pay for the war,
The storm began about 6 o'clock.
Lightning played fiercely, the wind
was high and the water fairly. tumbled
out of the clouds in cataracts for sev
eral hours.
KILLED BY LIGHTNING.
Hugo Wohleii. aged 48, residing
nine miles west of Dundee, was killed
by lightning while feeding his stock
Tuesday evening during the chore
hour, Mr. Wohleis was unmarried.
He lived with his mother and brother.
Steve Dordasy, his wife and chil
dren were found in their home at4SU'
North Seventeenth street, standing on
chairs and tables in the morning to
escape the flood while the water was
rising about their feet.
Officers Ford and Troby answered
the emergency call and found the
family in this plight. The officers
crossed over to Larson's boat house,
where they procured boats withwhich
they rescue the family.
Grades Carried Away.
, Reports to the railroads' indicate
that the country lying just to the
west of Omaha was hardest hit to
the cloud burst. Streams in that area
quickly became raging torrents, carry
ing away grades and pretty nearly
everything else lying in their path.
Union Pacific trains that should
have arrived last night did .not get .in,.,
unlil this Tnorniiig, running seven to
eight hours late. With the Union Pa
cific the most of the trouble was in
the vicinity of the Lane cut-off and
along the Pappio valley.
On the Lane cut-off the , water
softened the north side of the grade,
and an immense slide occurred, put- -ting
both tracks out of commission,
for several hours.
The ox-bow, around by the way of
Papilliou, was under water that came
from the overflow of the Pappio and
several hundred feet of track was un- "
dermined, some of.it going into the
ditch.
New Buildings Damaged.
The storm did considerable damage
to building construction work. At
Thirty-sixth and Famam streets the
foundation of a new garage was -washed
in and the structure damaged
to extent of $500. .
A tree was blown across sidewalk
at Twenty-first and Famam streets
and another tree torn from its roots
at Eighteenth and Davenport streets.
The Northwestern's trouble was
mostly in the vicinity of Irvington
and to the south along the Pappio i
valley. Early in the evening the
stream got out of its banks and tore
away through the fields, striking the
Northwestern grades at a number of
places and washing them down. In
some places the water was four and
rive feet over the tracks. There was
a big slide in the new work west of
South Omaha.
West of Bennington the water
from the Pappio was two feet over
the grade 'and did a good deal .of
cutting before it receded. During the
night and this morning trains in and
out of the city vtfere handled through
the north yards, routed by way of the
DcBolt spur tracks.
One hundred and forty carloads of
live stock from the range country was
held out on the track in the vicinity
of Irvington during the night and for
a time it was feared that they would
have to be turned loose in order to
save them from the flood. At times,
the water was up around the trucks
of the cars.
West of Arlington there was heavy
rain, but no damage.
West Bluffs Flooded.
West Council Bluffs from the Illi
nois Central station at Thirteenth
street to the river is a lake country.
Every vacant lot, almost every gar
den patch for blocks together is cov-'
ered with water. From Indian creek
embankment at Fourteenth street to
Twenty-first street between Broad
way and Fifth avenue the majority of
the houses are surrounded by water
knee deep at the street intersections.
Men wade up to their knees in water
to reach the higher grade on those
three streets.
Above the creek the east and west
streets, Broadway, Fifth avenue and
the parallel avenues are masses of
mud three or four inches deep. The
water, which stood over them knee
deep at the height of the flood last
(Continued n fna Two, Column Two.)
Workmen's Claims Allowed;
Petrograd Strike Averted
Petrograd, June 6. (Via London.)
The threatened strike in 140 fac
tories in Petrograd engaged iu metal
manufactures and other war work,
which was fixed or today, has been
averted. The strikers' claims were,
granted, including the six-hour da