The Omaha Dahy Bee
THE WEATHER
Showers
VOL. XLVI. NO. 296.
OMAHA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 80, 1917. TEN PAGES.
USUffitt SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
TRIPLE MURDER SHOCKS COURT;
POLICE CHARGES HELD NOT LEGAL
y
NAME H. LYNCH
MYSTERY
Witnesses Tell Story of How
Three Men Were Killed;
Bartender Recites Story
of Previous Quarrel.
Echoes of the sensational Rapp
Schroeder murder were heard in dis
trict court when witnesses in a $25,-
000 damage suit brought by Mrs.
Marguerite Rapp, widow of one of the
slain men, against Peter Moscrey, a
former saloonkeeper, and his bonds
men, told their stories.
Mrs. Rapp is suing Moscrey on be
half of herself and her four young
daughters. She alleges that liquor
procured in Moscrey's saloon at 1202
South Twentieth street on the night
of the triple killing July 15, 1914
caused her husband, William Rapp,
and the Schroedei brothers, Fred and
Peter, to "loiter and delay on their
way home and to become boisterous,
noisy, careless, reckless, annoying and
quarrelsome to persons unknown."
Story of Crime.
George Selix told the jury what oc
curred in the street near his home on
the night of the murde Selix, who
lives in a house near Twenty-fourth
and Pacific streets, about seventy-two
feet from the scene of the crime, testi
fied that he went home between 9 and
9:30 o'clock that night and noticed
three men sitting on the street curb
drinking beer out of a jug. He said
they were quarreling among them
selves and using much profanity. At
the time, he said, he recognized none
of the men.
"While eating my evening meal,"
Selix testified, "I could hear the men
talking loudly in angry tones.
"Shortly afterwards I heard two
shots and rushed out on the front
porch just in time to see the flash of
another shot. One of the men. reeled
and fell," he testified.
"Then came another flash while I
was standing on the porch and an
other shot was fired. I heard a man
lying on the ground cry, 'Oh,, my
God! Don't."'
Heard Sixth Shot.
Selix testified that as he was push
ing his wife back in the house a sixth
shot was lircd; that he saw two men
leave the scene and heard another
1 ramp through the weeds in another
direction. '
t hroughout a grilling cross-exami-raiion
Selix stuck to his denial that
i here was a fourth person in the
street when the shots were being
lircd.
William McDonnell, bartender in
ihe Moscrey saloon, testified that he
-old the Schroeder brothers and Rapp
beer. He said the Schroeders were
quarreling with Humphrey Lynch ill
front of the saloon at 8 o'clock,
whereupon he protested to the trio,
adding that they and Rapp went
across the street and continued the
wrangling.
"After I finished work I went
across the street, where the four men
were quarreling," so he told the jury.
"I heard one of the Schroeders say
10 Humphrey Lynch, I'll get the
money, or 1 11 take it out of your
hide."
Offered to Whip Lynch.
During the heated argument one ef
the Schroeders began to boast that
"he could whip any man in the neigh
borhood," and that he "would bet
$10 he could lick Humphrey Lynch."
McDonnell said that Lynch then put
$10 in his (McDonnell's) hand, but
declared that Schroeder said he didn't
have to fight Lynch, as "he could get
$25 for fighting at the Elk's club.
The bartender testified that the men
kept on quarreling and that Lynch
(Contlnufil on Pe Two, C'olnmn Thref.)
The Weather
For Nebraska. Showers: cinder.
Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday.
Jlrn. Dotf.
. y 6 a. in ii
J 6 a. in 5.
5 8 a- ir fi"
c 9 a. m 6:;
10 n. ni t;
'P 11 a. m tS5
yn 12 m G7
p- "i
i G p. ni 69
6 p. in i!7
7 p. m fii;
8 p. ni 6G
Comparative I .oral Record.
1917. llMfi. 1915. 1914.
Hltthest yesterday ... 7 !t 54 72
Lowest yesterday 68 fO -4R 55
Mean tc inn ura lure ' 70 51 I
Precipitation 03 J'ti .74 .5s
Temperature ami in'ctipllulitm departures
from Uie normal;
Normal temperature fit
Deficiency for the day 3
Total deficiency since March 1 140
Norpial precipitation 19 Inch
TWlctency for the day 15 inc.Yi '
Total rainfall sinew March 1 S.t6 Inche
Exccm since March 1 12 Inch
Deficiency for cor. period, 1916.3.71 lrtchei
Deficiency tor cor. period. 1916. .02 Inch
BporU From Stationi t 1 P. M.
Station and State. Temp. II lull. Rain
of Weather. 7 p. m. i'wt. fall.
Cheyenne, cloudy 41 V. ,10
Jtavenporr, cloudy 6 11 T-
Denver, cloudy 'i .32
Dee Moines raining.... 2 fis .2"
Dodfe City. plly. cldy..
North Piatt-, cloudy... 62 7-: .':
Omaha, cloudy 66 ' .fir,
P.apid City, raining.... 62 r .flt
Sheridan, taint nc 48 fi2 .Z'z
Sioux City,' cloudy 6 72 M
Valentine, cloudy 64 6 .01
'T" indicate! trace of precipitation.
X A. WELSH, Meteorologist.
I
Proposes War Tax on
Tea, Sugar and Coffee
Washington, May 29. (Another
fundamental change in the war tax
bill was agreed upon unanimously I
. 1 , .t A A 'I
wuay vy luv ucuaic iiuamc luiu-
mittee, which decided to strike out
the whole section levying $200,000,
000 by a general tariff increase of 10
per cent on an ad valorem basis.
As a substitute the committee pro
poses direct1, excise or consumption
taxes on sugar, tea, coffee and cocoa.
DUNN'S CHARGES
NOT LEGAL, RINE
s TELLSJOIINCIL
City Attorney Holds No Legal
Offense is Charged in the
Complaint; Investigation
to Take New Course.
City Attorney Rine Tuesday told the
city council that charges prepared by
Chief of Police Dunn against Captain
Stephen Maloney and Detective Paul
Sutton did not constitute charges as
req lired by law.
"No offense is charged," said Mr.
Rine. "The fact that Captain Ma
loniy may be charged at Chadron
with conspiracy to blackmail does not
constitute "conduct unbecoming an of
ficer, as-epecmed ill the charges,
"i'ou or I may be charged with
conspiracy to blackmail, but tnat
would not necessarily make it true.
This council has the power to inves
tigate the police department or any
other department of the city without
hung charges.
Superintendent Kugcl explained
that he tiled the charges because the
chief prepared and signed them and
he assumed that the chiet Had intor
mation upon which to sustain the
charges. The documents were for
mally filed at the council meeting and
.Iunevl2 was set for date of hearing,
subject to postponement if the Chad
ron case shall not have been com
pleted before that date.
Chief Ready for Hearing.
When he signed the charges last
Saturday, Chief Dunn stated:
there has been so mucn talk tnat
I thought it was time to have a pub
lic hearing and get at the bottom of
the whole affair. I want all of the
facts brought out."
f it is necessary to have an inves
tigation instead of a hearing on the
charges, Chief Dunn said he would
agree to that method.
I During an all-afternoon session two
months ago between superintendent
Kugel and Chief Dunn in the former's
office, this colloquy took place:
"I am going to hold you respon
sible for the conduct of the police
department. I am getting tired of the
things 1 hear and read," said Kugel.
"Well. I insist upon having men I
can work with harmoniously and effi
ciently, replied the chiet.
After that Kugcl assigned Detective
Sutton to special work at Chadron
without having the assignment go
through the chief's office; according to
Kugel's published statement.
Chadron Case Presses.
Closely associated with the city hall
phase of the ruthless factional war
fare is the Chadron case, w hich is
pressing forward for renewed inter
est. C. V. Pipkin, secretary of the
Omaha Detective assocfation, and one
of the men charged in the Dawes
county court with conspiracy to
blackmail, left today for Chadron.
Other Omaha men who leave
Wednesday afternoon to appear
Thursday morning for preliminary
hearing with l'ipkin are:
Stephen Maloney, chief of the
Omaha city detective department.
Harvey J. Wolf and William S. Do
lan, ofticials of the Omaha Detective
association.
Philip Wincklcr, operative for the
Omaha Detective association.
Gust A. Tylec, detective with the
same agency.
The Chadron men under charges
are:
Allen (j
ert Hood.
Fisher, attorney for Rob-
Charles I. Day, hotel man.
Louis K. Mute, former city marshal
of Chadron under Fisher. ,
lien S. Baker will accompany the
Omaha party as counsel.
Charges in Complaint.
The complaint filed by County At
torney (rites at Chadron before
County Judge Slattcry reads in pari:
"The complaint and information of
Edwin D. Crilcs, as enmity attorney,
on his oath says that Philip Winckler,
Charles I. Day, Allen G. Fisher, Louis
K. Mote. Gust A. Tvlee. Stephen Ma
loney, Harvey J. Wolf, Charles W.
Pipkin and William S. Dolan, on or
(Continued on 1'mte Two, Column Two.)
American Slackers Flee
Over Mexican Frontier
Juarez, Mex, May 29. American
slackers have been seen on the
streets here and have applied for
places in stores and offices, offering
to work for their board and room
for several months to escape the se
lective draft, government officers
say. The Americans who applied
were of ages that would make them
liable for military service.
The matter has been reported to
American civil authorities in charge
of registration for the selective
draft. Investigations are being made
in Juarez, Chihuahua City and other
Mexican cities to ascertain how
many American slackers are there.
Be ReajK Jfc
' C ja Name
in
Vf 2TfK
address.
1
Date of birth.
Are you a
Where were you born?.
a citizen
orojjjce
Bu whom
Where employed ? -
"Married or
Do you
(specify
EVERY ELIGIBLE
MAN TO REGISTER:
NONEMAYESCAPE
Election Commissioner Moor
head Says No Man Between
21 and 31 Can Escape
His Machine.
"Let no eligible man escape regis
tration," is the new slogan of Elec
tion Commissioner Moorhead.
He said that the opinion is gen
eral that the worst kind of a slacker
is the man between 21 and 31 years
old who plans to evatle conscription
by not registering.
"I have an exceptionally efficient
crew of registrars ten of them are
women and I look for as nearly a
complete registration as possible in
greater Omaha on June 5," he said.
More than 30 absentees, as well as
scores of sick persons, have sent in
their registrations. The law requires
that all persons in these classes shall
mail or send in their registrations by
June 5.
Men Abroad Must Register.
Only a few Omahaus will come un
der the ruling which says that eligi
blcs in foreign countries shall regis
ter within five days after returning
to this country. This means that if
a man between the ages of 21 and
31 now in Europe or elsewhere shall
return to this country six months
from now he will have to register
just the same.
Some confusion is resulting from
the term "permanent residence" in the
registration regulations. Hundreds of
telephone calls arc received daily at
the election commissioner's office
asking what an eligible should do if
he moved to another city a few days
before June 5.
"If a person intends to make that
place his permanent residence then
he should register from there," said
Mr. Moorhead. "But if he still con
siders Omaha his home, then the
proper precinct here is the place.
Everyone within the specified ages
must register somewhere."
Thirty-eight registration cards,
filled in by prisoners in the county
jail who are eligible to conscription,
were sent to registration officials
Tucsdav. Eight of the eligibles
the jail arc residents of other cities.
The rest arc Omaha men. The law
requires that all prisoners between the
ages of Jl and 31 be registered.
Insures Farmers Against
Losses by Low Prices
New York, May 29. With a fund
of $25,000. which later may be
creased, the West Chester county
commission ol satety has insured be.
tween fifty and seventy-five farmers
against all possible loss on their crops
in the event that prices should drop,
it was announced today.
These fanners, who have enlisted
in the reserve army of food produc
ers, are assured a minimum price of
1 50 a bushel for potatoes and $175
a bushel tor corn and buckwheat.
In turn the farmers have pledged
themselves to mcrease their acreage
and raise as much food as the soil
can develop.
gistration Day These
full Age in yre...
natural-born citizen, (2)a natural
ized citizen, (3j an aIien,("tor have you
declared your intention (specijy wrrichj?....
Ij not a citizen, of what country are
or subject f
What is your present trade, occupation
r -
employed?.
Have you a father, mother, wife,
rJiilJ imilev 12 or a sister or
Wher under 12. solely dependent
you for support (specify which)?
single ? Eace?.....
What military service have you had
Bank .branch jyears
Nation or .State
claim exemption from draft
grounds)?
I affirm tlat I have verified above an
swers and that they are true
IftNATURE.
To Train Divisions
At Two Texas Towns
San Antonio, Tex., May 29.
General Parker's recommendation
that a camp for the training of a
division of troops be established in
San Antonio and one in El Paso
has been approved by the War de
partment, it was announced here to
day. OMAHA TO HONOR
SOLDIER HEROES,
DEAD AND LIVING
Memorial Day Has a Double
Significance This Year; Main
Celebration to Be at
Auditorium.
Observance of Memorial day to
day will be with a double significance
this year.
Honor will be paid to both depart
ed heroes and the heroes-to-be
young men of the country who have
answered and who will answer their
country's "all.
In Omaha the principal celebration
will be held at the Auditorium.
Knights of Columbus are to be in
charge of the morning observance.
Archbishop Harty, R. L. Metcalfe and
others will speak.
The afternoon celebration will be
under the auspices of the Grand Army
of the Republic, Sons of Veterans and
Spanish War Veterans. Rev. John F.
Poucher will be the principal speaker.
Meet at Jefferson Square.
The old soldiers will meet at Jeffer
son Square at Z o'clock and march to
the Auditorium. The Omaha Fife and
Drum corps and a trio representing
"The Spirit of 76" will march with
the veterans.
Flowers will be scattered on the
graves of veterans in the various
cemeteries in the morning.
The following program will be ob
served at the Auditorium in the aitcr
noon: Music Will Hetherington.
Invocation Rev. G. A. Hulbert.
Reading "General Logan's Order,"
Earl W. Lowe.
Solo Mrs R. L. Slanaghan.
Reading of Roll of Honor R. S.
Wilcox.
Taps C. B. Mapes.
Solo "In God's Acre," Miss Lena
Boiling.
Lincoln's Gettysburg Speech Ray
J. Abbott.
Music Grand Army quartet, con
sisting of E. W. Johnson, D. M. Hav
crly, W. B. Russell and M. R. Staley.
Address Rev. John F. Poucher.
"The Vacant Chair" Quartet com
posed of Mat Hubbard, C. E. Boeke,
Mrs. F. D. Cooper and Miss Anna
Helm.
"America" By the audience.
Benediction Rev. G. A. Hulbert.
American Ambulance
Corps Starts to Front
Paris, May 29. Ambulance section
No. 26 of the American field service
started for the front yesterday. The
field service counts upon Ihe arrival
of 240 recruits this week and as many
as tlus number or even more each
week thereafter.
Are the Questions
y
on.
?
HOSPITAL SHIP
SENT TO BOTTOM
BY SUBMARINE
British Steamer, Castle of
Dover, Sunk in Mediterra
neanPatients and Staff
Members Are Saved.
London, May 29. The British
hospital ship Dover Castle has been
torpedoed and sunk, it is announced
officially.
The British armed merchant
cruiser Hilary also has been tor
pedoed and sunk and a British de
stroyer has been sung after a col
lision. The Official Report.
The text of the British announce
ment reads:
"His majesty's hospital ship Dover
Castle was torpedoed without warn
ing at 6:30 o'clock on Saturday in the
Mediterranean. At 8:30 it was again
torpedoed and subsequently sunk. The
whole number of hospital patients and
the hospital stalf were safely trans
ferred to other ships and the crew
were also saved with the exception of
six men who arc missing and are
feared to have been killed by the ex
plosions. "His majesty's armed mercantile
cruiser Hilary, Acting Captain K. W.
Dean, has been torpedoed and sunk in
the North Sea. Four men were killed
by the explosion.
"One of his majesty j torpedo boat
destroyers "has been in collision and
sank. There were no casualties."
One of Big Steamers.
The Dover Castle, 8,271 tons gross
and 476 feet long, was built in 1904
and was owned by the Union Castle
Mail Steamer company. The Hilary
is a Booth liner of 6,239 tons gross,
418 feet long, built in 1908.
Baker Says Army Faces
Ruin; Wants Money Now
Chicago, May 29. In responc to
Secretary Baker's appeal to have ap
propriations of the entire regular
army bill, aggregating $273,000,000,
made immediately available, resolu
tions were introduced in congress to
day for that purpose.
Secretary Baker said the treasury
balance for army pay is "barely suf
ficient to .carry the army until the end
of May," and contractors furnishing
clothing and cquippage for the new
army forces arc pressing for payment
of bills totalling $18,000,000 with fur
ther bills in sight.
"Default of the government at this
juncture spells disaster," said Secre
tary Baker.
Want Submarine and Air
Craft Bases on Pacific
Washington, May 29. Appropri
ation of $7,455,000 for submarine and
aircraft bases on the Pacific coast is
recommended in a fourth report of
the special naval yard and station
committee sent to congress today by
Secretary Daniels.
Mil
MR
s.lW. I II IK. . f . UK -
mi ij i mm
0W" 11 1
Absolve Mongolia's Crew
For Death of Two Nurses
Washington, May 29. The nival
armed guard and its commander, of
the Americsn liner Mongolia, are
absolved from all responsibility or
the unique gun-practice accident
that resulted in the death of two
Red Cross nurses aboard the vessel
recently in a report made public to
day by the Navy department.
GERMANS LINE UP
FOR OFFENSIVE
MOVEJFRANCE
Attempt on Grand Scale to
Break Allied Lines is Ex
pected Soon; Italians
Continue Drive.
(AuocUted rreH War Snmmftrr.) ,
Am impending German offensive
along the French-British front is in
dicated today by the Intense aerial
activity. The British report of last
night emphasized this in its account
of twelve German machines destroyed
and ten others driven out of control,
while today Paris announces the
bringing down of seven German air
planes and the serious damage of
twelve others.
The German infantry facing the
British armies is apparently being
held in check, but sharp attacks con
tinue upon the French lines, notably
in the Champagne region. Two of
these were launched last night in the
Hurtcbise district, but were repulsed.
The French made a minor thrust on
their own account in the Verdun re
gion, where the activity is becoming
more marked of late on both sides. A
small German post north of Vacher
auville was captured in this operation.
Meanwhile on the Austro-Italian
front, General Cadorna is steadily
pushing back the Austrian lines upon
Trieste.
Italians Take More Guns.
Rome, May 29. (Via London.)
The Italians in the Flava sector yes
terday drove the Austro-Hungarian
force to the end of the valley east of
Ulobiia. savs the official statement is.
sued today. Since May 14, the state
ment adds, Austro-Hungarian prison
ers taken on the Julian front number
23,681. The Italians also captured
thirty-six guns, including thirteen of
the heaviest calibre.
Britons Drive OS Raiders.
London. May 29. "Hostile raid
ing narties were driven off dur
ing the night southwest of Lens
and west of Messines," says to
day's official statement. "We made
successful raids north of Ploegsteert
wood. The enemy s artillery was C'
five last night in the neighborhood of
Bullccourt and on both banks ot the
Scarpe.
French Attack Repulsed.
Berlin, May 29. (Via London.)
The repulse of French attacks in the
Aisne and Champagne regions and of
advances of hostile reconnoitering
parties along tlie tront occupied by
British is announced by army head
quarters today.'
American Schooner Sunk
And Its Crew Robbed
-New York. May 29. The American
schooner Margaret B. Rouss, which
left St. Andrews Bay, Florida, Febru
ary 4, with lumber for Genoa, was
sunk by a submarine April 27 near
the French-Italian coast and the crew
robbed by the Germans, according to
Captain Fred L. Foot, master of the
schooner, who arrived today from
France.
Captain Foot said the Germans
stripped his vessel of foodstuffs, navi
gating instruments and even the extra
clothing ot himselt and his six men
They were set adrift in an open boat
and were picked up by a patrol boat.
the schooner was sunk by DomDs,
Final Action on Espionage
Measure is Postponed
Washington, May 29. The admin
istration espionage bill as tinally
agreed upon by house and senate con
ferees and including the newspaper
censorship and export embargo sec
tions was presented tor final passage
today in both houses of congress, but
action was deferred until later.
Liberty Bonds Salesmen
Have Parade in Chicago
Chicago, May 29. Liberty bond
salesmen, 640 strong, accompanied by
a military escort, paraded through
the city today. Later the salesmen
under squad commanders, broke up
into detachments of ten men each
and made a systematic canvass of
office buildings, hotels and factories.
Draft Constitutional,
Says California Court
San Francisco, May 29. The
claim that the selective draft passed
by congress May 17, violates the
federal constitutional provisions
prohibiting "slavery and involun
tary servitude," advanced by Ferdi
nand Claudius of Oakland, Cat.,
was characterized by the supreme
court to day ai "utterly without
merit." y
A previous application for sim
ilar relief was denied by the court
without comment. . Claudius' coun
sel declared that he would take his
plication to the United States su
preme courf
TAKE STEPS TO
FOIL TEUTON
DRAFJPLOTS
U. S. Attorney General Orders
Precautions Taken to Pro
tect Registrars Against'
Anti-Conscriptionists. '
Washington, May 29. Because of
rumors of trouble planned for regis
tration day, Attorney General Greg
ory today instructed United States at
torneys and marshals throughout the
country to make certain that regis
trars are protected "to the fullest ex-
tent," and that immediate and effec
tive legal steps are taken against any
who fait or refuse to register.
German influences to encourage re
sistance to army draft, uncovered in
Texas by a federal grand jury inves
tigation, already have resulted in
eleven indictments.
Other arrests on the same charge
made in various cities by agents of
the Department of Justice apparently
are not so closely linked with Ger
man influence, but are being investi
gated. In the Texas case, according to an
official announcement by. the Depart- .
ment ot Justice, anorganization was
formed some time ago ostensibly for
the purpose of co-operative buying.
Its members were required to take a ,
secret oath.
Buy High-Powered Rifles.
Soon after the enactment of the
arrr.y draft law, the official announce
ment says, "a strong German influ
ence succeeded in inducing the organi
zation to turn its efforts to combat
tinp conscription and high-powered
rifle were' obtained to intimidate per
sons subject to registration and the
officials who will be appointed to per
form the registration.
In some western cities there are evi
dences of an effort afoot to defeat
the registration, but the Department
of Justice, it was officially announced,
is fully prepared to deal with the of
fenders under existing law and the
new espionage bill now nearing com
pletion in congress which imposes
heavy penalties for such offenses.
Two Arreati in Virginia.
Scattered over the country ire
sporadic efforts to interfere with reg
istration, but officials here do not be
lieve they are connected. The Texas
case,' in which the German influence
is clearly established, and the arrest "
of two mountaineers in southwestern
Virginia, are the most conspicuous
instances.
The two Virginians, William Mc
Coy and J. W. Phipps, both well
known characters in the feud region,
are in jail ai Roanoke and govern
ment agents say they have complete
evidence to show they plotted organ
ized resistance to the draft as well as
a wholesale attack upon the landed
people of the vicinity, whose prop
erty they intended to divide between
themselves.
Will Act Decisively.
As the day of registration' draws
near the Department of Justice aifd
other agencies of the government are
carefully watching for evidences of
resistance to the law and are prepared
to deal with them promptly.
Take Steps to Offset Plot J1"1 s-
"These arrests," says Attorney Gen
eral Gregory, in an official statement,
referring to the proceedings already
under way, "should be accepted by
the country generally as a warning
against interfering with the enforce
ment of the provisions of the new
army law. They merely demonstrate
what the Department of Justice pro
poses to do in every case where at
tempts are made to hinder or discour
age registration."
New Law is Drastic.
A section of the espionage bill deal
ing with interference with army reg
istration provides penalties of twenty
years' imprisonment and $10,000 fine.
Ths section of the bill says:
"Whoever, when the United State!
is at war, ihall willfully make or con
vey false reports or false statements
with intent to interfere with the oper
ation or success of the military oi
naval forces of '.he United States, oi
to promote the success of its enemies,
and whoever, when the United States
is at war, shall willfully cause, or at
tempt to cause, subordination, disloy
alty, mutiny or refusal of duty in the
military or naval forces of the United
States or shah willfully obstruct the
recruiting or enlistment service of
the United States to the injury
of the service or of the United States,
shall be punished by a fine of not
more than $10,000 or imprisonment
(Contlnnrd on Pnire Two, Column On.)
Keeping a vacant room is
just as foolish as throwing
away money.
Hundreds of people are
reading the Room to Rent Ads
in The Bee every day. Many of
them are looking for just the
kind of room you have for rent.
Call Tyler J000 Now
and supply these room seekers
with a pleasant home.
Your pocketbook will feel
better, too.
