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.