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VOL. XLVI NO. 294.
OMAHA, MONDAY MORNING, MAY 28, 1917.
Wixussn. single copy two cents.
FIRE DESTROYS OMAHA ELEVATOR;
1 00 DEAD IN ILLINOIS STORM WAKE
Daily
BIG MANEY GRAIN ELEVATOR BURN?
..... Apfu ........... r..u T,.rt
mm attn KunmnbrnuM intni.t
GUARDS SUSPECT ALIEN ENEMIES
Plant Is Said to Have Been Milling Grain on Contract for
. United States Government; Loss Is Estimated at
$200,000, Fully Insured ; Forty Thousand
Persons Witness Spectacle.
Fanned by a strong north wind, fire completely destroyed
the elevator-and warehouse of the Maney Millingicompany at
Twenty-ieventh and Bancroft streets yesterday afternoon.
The fire started in a vacant room on the top floor of the
seven-story structure and is supposed to have been of Incen
diary origin.
The mill did not burn. Seventy thousand bushels of wheat
and corn were destroyed. The loss is estimated at $200,000.
Building and contents were fully insured.
Firemen and members of the Nebraska National Guard
expressed the belief that the fire was started by alien enemies
of the United States or through their agency.
For some time the' mill has been furnishing the United
States government with flour and it is asserted that it was at
work on government contracts at this time.
J A man was seen running from the building by Sergeant
Franek, who was told that he was an electrician. Electricians
did not see anyone leave the building after the fire was discov
ered. Undoubtedly an accomplice of the man leaving was used
to give this information. ' N
uuarasmen r rotect Property. ()
Sergeant Franek of Company C,
Nebraska National Guard, camped
just south of the warehouse, dis
covered the fire and turned in the
alarm at 2:18. The guards stationed
there protect the property at night,
but as there arc workmen around
during the day the sentries arc re
lieved. When first seeii the smoke
was coming through the roof of the
building. Then flames then burst
through at the northwest corner and
' spread over the entire building.
Guards were immediately ordered
out to protect neighboring buildings
from the flying sparks. Sergeant
' Franek rushed upstairs, but the fire
had made such headway that he could
not reach the top.
The only men who were inside the
building after 5 o'clock Saturday aft
ernoon were electricians employed by
the Omaha Electric Light and Power
company. They were changing lines
inhat neighborhood.
i'liey got the Key from the fireman
and at 9 o'clock started to work. None
of these men had been above the first
floor and said thy smelled no smoke
at that time. They had cut off the
electric current io the building about
8:10 in the morning.
Save Railway Cars.
Switchmen who were working in
the neighborhood rushed over as soon
as the fire was discovered and moved
alt cars that were in the danger zone
The Independent elevators, about
fifty feet east of the warehouse, and
the mill building, just north of the
warehouse, were saved."
The buildings were built in 1909 and
four months after their completion
were totally destroyed by fire. They
were rebuilt immediately and six
months later the present warehouse,
with a capacity of 250,000 bushels,
was completed.
H. K. Schafer, the local manager,
said :
"I expect we will start rebuilding
at once. We will build of reinforced
concrete next time. We probably will
(Continued on Pane Two, Column Four.)
Lightning Strikes Twice
In Exactly Same Place
Fremont, Neb., May 27. (Special
I'elegram.) Lightning struck twice
:n the same place in Fremont within
1 year. During the thunderstorm Fri
day evening, the residence" of J. J.
Johnson was struck in exactly the
tame place that a bolt hit a year ago.
lhe damage was slight. Rain amount
ing to 1.10 inches fell.
The Weather
For Nebraska Fair, varmpr.
Temperature at Omaha terla)
Hour.
6 a. m
6 a, m
7 a. rti
jti.
ft a
1 p. Ul.
2 n. m.
60
H
I 7 l. m 60
CompnratlTe Local Record.
1917. 19U. 1915. 1911.
Highest yestenlsy.... 1 SS 5 SI
l,vest yesterday IX 2 43 fiS
Mean temperature.... hi 72 4 43
Precipitation 00 .00 1.00 .TO
Temperature ar.d precipitation departures
from the normal at Omaha yesterday:
Normal temperature
Deficiency for the day
12
Total detlcenry elnre March 1..
130
.1C Inch
Kormal precipitation.
Don
wflclency for the day 16 inch
Total rainfall since March 1.... S. 6: Inches
Excess alnco March 1 44 Inch
Deficiency for cor. period, 1916. 3.42 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period. 1915. .22 Inch
Reports From stations at 7 P. M.
Station and Stalo Temp. HiKh- llaln
of Weather. 7 p. m. cut fall.
Omaha, cloudy. 60 ! .00
"T" Indicates trace of precipitation.
L. A, Welch. Meteorologist.
LYNCH OUSTER
SUIT MAY BRING
IN OTHER NAMES
Sensational Case Against
County Commissioner Prom
ises Spicy Testimony
. at Trial. '
The move to oust County Commis
sioner "Johnny" Lynch from office
and Police Chief Dunn's announce
ment that he had prepared a com
plaint against both Steve Maloney
and Paul Sutton to submit to the city
commission made up the prevailing
topic of conversation in Omaha yes
terday. That a sensational explosion, which
would involve other well known
names, soon would come was pre
dicted openly on every side. Neu
trals look for some spicy and enter
taining testimony when the charges
arc heard.
The ouster proceedings against
Lynch have grown out of a political
fight between Commissioner Lynch
and Sheriff Clark, with ramifications
in the city hall, police stalion and far
away in Chadton.
Clark Stands Pat.
"I can ltardly add much more at
the present time to what is contained
in the petition just filed," said Sheriff
Clark. "I'll back up and prove all
charges made in it. I knew what 1
was doing before I filed those charges
and I am going to see them through.
"I came into office with a clean rec
ord and I intend to go out with one.
"Lynch's weak come-back about a
'jail-feeding graft' is absurd on the
face of things.
"The law fixes the allowance for
the sheriff's office at 32 cents a day
for feeding each prisoner. I have al
ways observed the law and intend to
keep on observing it.
"If anyone has plundered the coun
ty treasury I'd like to have the rec
ords gone over and have the proper
officials find out just who has been
doing the plundering."
Lynch Says Others Sore.
"Perfectly ridiculous," scoffed
Johnny Lynch when asked regarding
the ciiifrges preferred against him.
"The Third ward gang is sore at me
because I happen to be Kugel's friend
and Kugel closed all their dives.
"Clark is sore at nte because I
stooped his jail feeding graft. Youf
can say I deny every charge made
against me and regard them as too
ridiculous even to give them serious
attention."
"Johnny Lynch never was an offi
cer of the Order of Owls," said Pete
Loch, president of the order. "Why,
he isn't even a member in good stand
ing. His dues have been long over
due. "The Order qf Owls has never per
mitted gambling as ,thc charges set
fnrth Th nrrtr-c lias ncvir sntd aliv
j liquor except thait legitimately fur-
nisnen memners just me same as me
Omaha club, Eagles, lilks and the
rest. ' Nothing to it."
Johnny Ford, also named in the
petition, laughed when the subject
was mentioned.
Nebraska Students at
Capital on Way Home
(From a rttaff Correspondent.)
Washington, May 27. (Special Tel
egram.) N'ora Wilson, Omaha:
Gladys Kline, South Sioux City; Edith
Buch'ill. Wayne; Edith Inks. Shelby;
Lou Walker, Columbus, Neb., stu
dents at Columbia university, are in
Washington for several days en route
to their home!.
NO EMErAY COULD J r-
ill
'fcOT They CoOCD fk W WA
jp you tow'T T
fcEWNO THEM AND. , jfcJyM$&A&'
t Yoop.; bit fimimmiev&yy
vi. .' .svMarw . vr- la-itr ii h b?sis?! i r--
ARMY MEN LIKE
GROUNDS NEAR
OMAHA FOR CAMP
Local Com.nittee Shows Offi
cers Various Sites Where
Cantonment Camp Might
Be Located.
"It is the best proposition we have
seen yet," was the comment made by
one oj the army officers of Colonel
Morgan's commission which spent
Sunday in Omaha looking for a loca
tion for one of the cantonment canfps
for housing soldiers.
C. C. George, representing the
Commercial club, and Frank H.
Myers, representing the Omaha Real
Estate board, headed a local joint
committee which took the officers to
the various sites during the day in
automobiles. Others in the escort
were Everett Buckingham, Henry T.
Clarke, jr.; E. M. Slater, Harry A.
Tukey, J. H. Dtimont, John F. Flack
and G. G. Wallace
Like Platte River Valley.
A number of possible sites for lhe
cantonment camps were shown the
officers, but the ones around Fort
Crook, south of Fort Crook, and down
as far as the Platte river seemed to
make the better impression on the of
ficers. The commission will report
its findings to the War department
and make their recommendation for
the location for this district by June 2.
Troops drawn from Minnesota! the
Dakotas, Iowa and Nebraska are to
be mobilized at the cantonment camp
selected for this district.
Large tracts of land oY'ned by
Henry T. Clarke," south of Fort Crook,
were among those examined.
Representatives of the North Platte
and Hastings Commercial clubs were
in Omaha to meet the officers. The
(Continued on Pnae Two, Column One.)
Paris Welcomes First
U. S. Sjtnitary Squadron
Paris, May 27. The,, first sanitary
squadron of the American expedi
tionary crops received a warm wel
come on iis arrival here last night
from London, on the way to the
front. The squadron is composed of
150 physicians and surgeons and seventy-live
nurses, who marched
through the streets with the Ameri
can flag Hying and drums and fifes
playing, to a British camp in the sub
urbs that had been placed at their
service.
Flag Raised on High Pole
By Citizens of Red Cloud
Red Cloud, Nib., May 27.-(Special
Telegram.) A public flag raising was
I eld yesterday, a sixty-five font
iton flagpole having been erected this
week in the business districtJyj2Qiiu
lar subscription. '
A concert was given by 'the Red
Cloud band, after which F. E.' Matirer,
president of the Chamber .of Com
merce took charge of the ceremonies
Brief.addrcssci were given by How
are S. Foe. J. S. Gilham and Mr.
Anderson of the United States navy.
, Different Ways of Looking
Brazil Takes Step
to Cancel Neutrality
Rio Janeiro, Saturday, May 26.
The committee on foreign-relations in
the Brazilian congress today drafted
a measure recommending the can
cellation of the decress of April 25.
1917, which declared the neutrality of
Brazil in the war between German
and the United States. President
Braz under the bill would be au
thorized to take necessary steps for
carrying out this law and to put into
practice the acts which result from
the cessation of neutrality.
ITALIANS SMASH
AUSTRIAN LINES
FOR MORE GAINS
Cross Duino Railway and Es
tablish Themselves Close to
Medeazza; Take 1,200
Prisoners in Rush.
Rome, May 27. Italian troops yes
terday smashed through the Auslro
Hungarian positions between Jamiano
and the Gulf of Triest, passing the
Montfalconc-Duino railway northeast
of San Gioviauni and establishing
themselves within a few hundred
yards of the village of Medeazza:
North of Plava the Italians carried
the heights at the head of the Palliova
valley, thus joining their Mount Cucco
YmH with hose on Hill 30i.
Eleven puns were captured and
more than 1,200 Austro-llungarians
were taken prisoner.
These victories were announced to
day by the Italian war department.
British Repulse Germans.
v London, May 27. British troops in
the Lens sector of the battle front in
France last night repulsed a German
attack east of Loos, the British war
office ann, unced today. On the
southern end of the British line Field
Marshal Haig's forces carried out a
successful raid northwest of St.
Qucntin.
Germans Say French Lose. ,
Berlin (Via London), May 27.
Five successive attempts made yester
day by the French to capture the
German positions in the quarries
south of Pargny, on the front of the
German crown prince, failed under
heavy losses, the German war office
announced today.
British reconoitering detachments
on the Arras front were repulsed sev
eral times southwest ot Acheville aim
preparations of British forces to at
tack north o. Monchy were taken un
der the German artillery fire.
Fifteen British and French air
planes, the statement adds, were shot
down yesterday on the western front.
Heavy Guns in Duel.
Paris. May 27. On the Aisne and
Champagne battle fronts last night
the duel between the French and Ger
man heavy guns greatly increased in
intensity, the French war department
announced today. French troops in
the former region repulsed a German
attack north of Laffaux mill. During
the day French airplanes dropped
three and one-half tons of explosives
on German niliitary works, causing a
number of conflagrations.
at'It
LOOK FOR SNAPPY
CLASH WHEN U.S.
SHIPS MEET FOE
Fastest and Best Equipped De
stroyers in Navy in English
Waters; Nebraskan and
lowan i: Command.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
Washington, May 27. (Specials
Nothing has occurred since the for
mal and solemn entrance ot -the
United States into the war that has
given the entente allies so much gen
uine gratification as the appearance in
British waters of the first flotilla of
torpedo boat destroyers fiying the
Stars and Stripes.
It was taken as a signal earnest of
immediate action.
The commanding officer of the
American fleet tersely told question
ers that they meant tusiness without
delay, and lingered only long enough
in port to provide the crews with
clothing of heavier weight to encoun
ter the low temperature of the North
Sea.
It will be recalled that the Navy
department had intended to withhold
any information of the movements of
tlte destroyer fleet, and it was learned
only by cable from abroad.
Sims Is Commander.
Rear Admiral William -Snowdcn
Sims, who was already in England,
where he was with the United States
ambassador and his suite at the im
pressive ceremonies in St. Paul's
church in honor of this country's en
trance into the war, took command of
the fleet. Admiral Sims is one of the
most accomplished and gallant of
ficers of the iTavy and those who
know him are confident the high tra
ditions of the American navy will be
maintained by him and his licet.
The British have announced that
they will adhere to their blockade
policy, but expect material aid front
the Americans in tightening the coils
against German access to the high
seas.
Nebraskan Commands Ship.
No official statement -was given out
here what boats would be in the de
stroyer contingent sent across the At
lantic, but it is known that those best
lit for hard service, the fleetest and
most recently constructed, would be
sent. Commanding one of the flotilla
divisions ms Lieutenant t,oinman!cr
George W. Blaincr, a graduate of the
naval academy front Iowa. He is on
the destroyer Reid, A Nebraskan,
Lieutenant Commander Robert C.
Griffcn, commands the destroyer
Trippe. Both these vessels arc of 1M
tons, 12,000 to 14,000-horse-power and
Lincoln Raises $24,722
For the Red Cross Fund
(l'rtim a Hiarf Correspondent.)
Lincoln, Neb.. May 27. (Special.)
As a result of the campaign under
the auspices of the Red Cross in this
cily, which closed last night, Lincoln
contributed $24,722 to the cause with
a membership of 14.601. This is for
the city alone, the campaign in the
suburbs and the country at large not
being started until the coming week.
CITIES STRICKEN BY TORNADOES: DIG
IN RUINED HOMES TO RECOVER DEAD:
TWISTERS BRING DEATH IN TENIIESSE
Nearly Two Hundred Houses in Mattoon Alone Razed to
Ground by Twister, While Charleston Suffers Larger
Loss in Proportion; South Dyersburg Struck
Late Sunday and Several Killed.
Memphis, Tenn., May 27. Several persons are reported to
have been killed and others injured in a tornado which struck
the town of South Dyersburg, Tenn., late tod ". South Dyers
burg is about fifty miles northeast of this city.
One dispatch, over a railroad wire from a nearby town,
said fifteen persons were reported to have been killed and more
than a score injured in South Dyersburg and in the farming set
tlements in Dyer county.
Property damage was said to have been extensive.
STRIKES NEAR MURPHYSBORO.
St. Louis, May 27. A report received from Dequoin, HI.,
tonight says that a tornado killed several persons and devas
tated a wide area near Murphysboro this afternoon. Wires are
down.
RESCUE WORK AT MATTOON.
Mattoon, 111., May 27. Stoically taking up the task of re
covering the dead, nursing the injured and housing and feeding
the homeless, Mattoon and Charleston, swept Saturday-evening
by a tornado that took a total toll of more than 100 lives in cen
tral Illinois and northwestern Indiana, tonight had established
systematic methods of relief.
SLOAN ATTACKS
BANKER M'GREW
FOR HIS LETTER
Fourth District Congressman
Resents Statement Hs Voted
as Kaiser Would Have
Voted on Army Bill.
(From a Stsff Correspondent.)
Washington, May 28. (Specials
Telegram.) C. F, McGrew, well
known retired banker of Omaha,
came in for a good scoring by Con
gressman Sloan yesterday.
Certain letters written to the lead
ing papers of Nebraska criticising
the votes of the republicans in con
gress from the Prairie state on war
measures and charging them with
having voted as the kaiser would have
done, were the cause.
Mr. McGrew charges Congressman
Kiukaid, Rcavis and Sloan with hav
ing voted as the kaiser would have
voted on the shipment of war muni
tions, the armed neutrality bill,
against the declaration of war and
agair.st the Roosevelt volunteer army.
Calls Statementa False.
Mr. Solan branded as false these
propositions. He showed that the
war munitions shipment was never
voted on in the house, that he and
his colleagues from Nebraska in the
houte voted for the armed neutrality
bill, Congressman Reavis having
made the first speech in congress
favorable to that proposition, these
congressmen believing that this was
uie most ehectivc means ot keeping
out of the world conflict
On the "declaration of war meas
ure" Sloan, Reavis and Kinkaid voted
for the Sloan substitute, which dc-
clated a state of war existing with
Germany, for placing the country in
a state of defense and using our army
and navy to cntorcc our rights on
land and sea, especially in the sub
marine zone."
On Roosevelt Volunteers.
Mr. Sloan then took up the Roose
velt volunteer matter referred to in
Mr McGrew s public letter and said
all three republican members of the
lower house from Nebraska voted for
the Roosevelt volunteer army, Kin
kaid and Reavis making speeches in
support, of the colonel's going to
1'rarice.
Congressman . Sloan closed his
speech by saying "to conduct a great
war it is said all activities must be
continued, all utilities used and every
eneigy enlisted. Each of the unselett
td draftsmen may choose his part I
regret to see the libel jnill and the
falsehood factory chosen by one who
could better do a better work."
Railroads to Consider
Service Curtailments
San Francisco. Mav 27. Officials
of the Southern Pacific, Western Pa
cific and Santa Fe railroads, received
notification here today that railroad
traffic executives of all railroads west
of the Mississippi river will meet in
Chicago June 5 to consider details of
curtailment of through train service
to meet war emergency requirements.
Among the leading questions for dis
cussion, it will be announced, will be
elimination of buffet and observation
cars, co-ordination of express and
mail service, reduction of overland
service to actual need, simplification
of dining car service and lengthening
running time of trains.
S Sunday's sunrise showed that Ma-
toon had lost forty-seven known dead,
with a score of persons still missing,
500 injured, some of whom may die
and the devastation of 140 blocks of
hornet occupied by working men in
the northern part of the city.
4(5 HOMES ARE RAZED.
The wind razed 49S homea and
partly destroyed 146 more, rendering
2,000 persona homeless. These arc
hotted with friends in public build- ;
irigt or in a tented refuge in Peterson
park.
Charleston, lying ten miles eatt of
Mattoon with 5,000 population, suf
fered a larger loss in proportion to its
size than Mattoon, the known dead
totalling thirty-seven, with a score of
missing. Scores 'were injured in
Charleston also 'and some business
buildings were wrecked, including the
Maple hotel, two railroad stations,
three grain elevators and Andrew
Brothers' lumber yards.
The twisting wind nipped its vic
tims in spots. Reports from the rural
regions indicate that there was no
extensive loss of life outside Mattoon
and Charleston.
The identified dead:
MR". EMM.4 HYDE.
THOMAS HYDK.
TKIIDY IIBIIK.KH.
MBS. ( I1AK1.KS TEMPLE.
JOHN FIICKCE.
I.. I! .SPITZ.
OWEN H AtKIONFR.
MK8. OWEN H U.OONEB. I
JDHKNI TAYLOR.
HARLF.S (i I I.I, ION.
JAHKN TURNER.
IIARH1HON STOKER.
MR(t. NAC1Y i. COON.
MRU. I.EE TAYLOR. .
JOHN H 11.1,1 AMU.
EDWIN IIAritHKRTY,
WALLER MKI.M)..
URN. J. IIKIIOHN.
NHANHON. child.
KAKL WHITE.
HARRISON FRAZIEK.
The known dead at Westervclt are!
MRU. MARY CRIHMAN.
MISS MYRTLE CKIHMAN.
MRH. SAIHK JACKSON,
DAVID M DONALl).
Casualties were reported as' follows:
Charleston, thirty-three dead, many in
jured, wires ilown, details not obtainable.
Weste rvelt. five dead, twenty-one Injured,
three of whom wnl die.
Manhattan, onei.ded, six Injured.
Jollet, two Injured.
Elwood, four Injured.
Modesto, one dead, nine fatally burt.
Pearl, one fatally Injured, four best.
Early reports of property losses in
dicated that serious damage has been
done to many towns. Several factories
were blown to splinters in Mattoon.
Joliet estimated $500,000 damage in
Will county alone.
Hail followed the wind'' in many
places, beating crops to the ground.
(Continued on Page Two. Column Three.)
County Defense Council
Organized in Cherry
Valentine, Neb., May 27. Special
Telegram ) At a public meeting held
here this afternoon with much enthus
iasm a county defense council was or
ganlzed with the followjng officers:
C. H. Cornell chairmant H.. A. Cole,
vice chairman; Luke M. Bates, secre
tary; T. C. Hornby, treasurer.
The officers will choose? members
from each cf the forty-two precincts
of Nebraska's largest county, which is
anxious In do its share in the war.
Henry Ford and Son
To Attend Tractor Meet
Fremont. Neb.. Mav 27. (Special
Telegram.) President George F.
Wolz ot the Commercial club has re
ceived word that Henry Ford and son
will attend the tractor show to be held '
in Fremont August 6-10. Mr. Ford and
a party of factory employes spent a
week at Fremont last August during
the show, occupying Wolz's camp on
the island. Mr. Ford has reserved a
suite of rooms in the new Hotel :
Pathfinder