Nebraska Newspapers

    The Omaha-Daily Bee
THE WEATHER
Unsettled
VOL. XL VI. NO. 298.
OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 1, 1917 TEN PAGES.
On Trill,, tl Hotili.
N.wl atodl Ell.. U.
SINGLE COPY -TWO CENTS.
BLAC&Mv
I CHARGES INVOLVING
OMAHA MEN
RIAL AT CHADRON
y
TEUTON RUSHES
UNABLE TO BREAK
NEW FRENCH ONE
e : -1 r. i - A u
oenes oi uesperaie Hssauus
by Germans to Regain
Lpst Ground Results
in Failure.
Asaocloted Press War Summary,
Desperate attempts by the Germans
to push back the French from he
vantage ground won in the recent at
tacks by General Petain's forces in
the Champagne region have been re
newed. Asa whole, the French line re
mained intact under the successive se
vere blows dealt it early today in a
sustained effort of an extremely vio
lent and sanguinary character, gas
shells being liberaly employed.
One Slight Dent Made.
The front was dented at only one
point and this but slightly, the crown
prince's troop9 gaining a footing in
some advanced trenches ngrlheast of
Wont Haut. ' .
v At the Teton, the Casque, at posi
tions northwest of Auberive and at
Mont Blond, on the front against
ivhich the at.acks were launched, the
net German gam was ml, the valuable
ground which the French need for
the pushing of a further offensive,
particularly for observation purposes,
Licing refsined intact.
Raids on British Front.
Along the British line in France tiie
comparative quiet continues, broken
into only by trench raids. Increased
artillery activity from the Arras bat
tle front, however, is reported today,
the big guns on be th .sides having
started up again in somewhat lively
fashion near Bullecourt and further
northalon- the Scarpe east of Arra
British losses of men in the Arras
tattle are reflected in the figures of
casualties published during Mav.
which total 112,233, including 5,902
officers.
French Official Report.
Paris, May-31. The' Germans at
tacked the French lines in the Cham
pagne with extreme violence at sev
eral points last night.
- ?'fhe attacking -forces (f Wch'cckee)
at some places by 'the Frenfli fire
and others at the point of the bayonet,
the Germans retiring-each time after
heavy losses, the war office announced
today.
The fighting was particularly des
perate in the region of the Teton, the
Casque and Mont Haut, the attack
being launched in four successive
waves after a heavy bombardment
from large caliber guns and sulfo
nating gas shells.
The French took prisoners during
the fighting, including two officers.
The statement follows:
"There was pronounced activity by
the artillery south of St. Quentin and
on the Chemin-Des-Dames, north of
Jouy, near Cerny and in the vicinity
of Hurtebise, where a number of pa
trol encounters also occurred.
"In the Champagne the enemy
made sharp attacks at several points
during the night, following violent
bombardment, in which poisonous gas
shells from large caliber guns were
discharged. Northwest of Auberive
and at Mont Blond all the German
efforts were vchecked.
"The enemy attacked with particu
lar strength our positions at the Te
ton, the Casque and Mont Haut, We
repulsed four different attacks after
a struggle of extreme severity. The
fighting began at abont 2 o'clock and
was continued until daybreak. Broken
up by our fire or repulsed by the bay
onet, -the attacking troops each time
were hurled back in disorder to the
trenches whence they came after
having suffered -heavy losses. Only
at one point on the front attacked
northeast of Mont Haut did enemy
troops gain a footing in some ad
vanced positions. We took a num
ber of prisoners, of whom two are
officers.
"On the left bank of the Meuse
(Verdun front) the artillery fighting
was spirited in the region of Hill 304.
Two attacks by the enemy were re
pulsed." :
The Weather
For Nebraska Fair: rlin temperature.
Temperatures at Omaha Yeaterday.
Hour. Dejr.
tlTATVUXTt 6 a. m 57
ft a. m., 55
a. m.
10 a. m 69
It n..m
12 m. Ii2
l p. m
fi p. m. ,
t p. m. i 60
P- m.l
S p. m. J 03
ComparatlTe IxM-al Aerord.
1917. 1918. 1915. 19H.
Highest ycBterday ,. 68 77 71 8H
IiOWeat yesterday ... BS 63 4H 61
Mean temperature ... 60 70 60 7s
Precipitation T 1.S1 .00 "
Twmuerature and precipitation departures
irom m normal:
Norma, temperature 67
Teflriency for the day 7
Total deficiency nines March 1 162
Normal precipitation ,18 Inch
Deficiency for the day 18 inch
Total rainfall since March 2 9.16 Inches
Excess sines March 1 .26 inch
Deficiency for cor. period, 19K. .3.48 Inches
Reports From bUtloos at 7 P. H.
8'.atton and State Temp. High. Low
of Weather. 7 p. Bt, est. fail.
Cheyenne, Snowln .... 32 ,6C
Denver, raining ....,.y 38 'ft ,51
Omaha, clear fiS ' 6 mi
Davenport, cloudy 60 StL. .06
"T" indicates trace of preclpltatloiffa
I L. Jl, "WELSH, UstcorolDflit,
I.
American Gives Purse
As Bounty on U -Boats
Nice, May W. Barol, an
American resident here, has given
125,000 francV to the ministry of
marine as prizes for officers and
gunners on merchantmen who sink
submarines. The money is to be
distributed in prizes of 5,000 francs.
FEDERAL AGENTS
DISCOVER PLOT
AMONG COLLEGES
Arrest of Three Students in
New York Reveals Anti
Draft Organization Cov
ering Many Schools.
New York, May 31. FederaLagents
took action here today against an al
leged conspiracy to defeat selective
draft registration in New York.
Three students two youths from
Columbia university and I young
woman, a senior at Barnard college
were arrested and held by a United
States commissioner for examination
tomorrow. Bond for each was fixed
at $1,500.
The defendants are Owen Cattell,
son of James McKeen Cattell of Gar
rison, N. Y., a noted psychologist and
a professor at Columbia; C..E. Phil
lips of Columbia, and Miss Eleanor
Wilson Parker, who will be graduated
in Tune from Barrnard.
The three are members of the Col
legiate AntUMilitarism league, in the
rooms of which a meeting of college
students was held here May 8, when
plans are alleged to have been made
"against the peace of the United
States and their dignity."
Membership Widespread.
A pamphlet of this oreanization on
file at the federal district attorney's
office shows that it has members at
Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Cornell,
Columbia, Oberlin, Amherst. Syra
cuse, Hobart, Pennsylvania, Radcliffe,
BrynMawr, Iowa, Nevada, Lcland
Stanford, Rutgers and other colleges,
universities and theological institu
tions, throughout-the country.,. -Miss
Parker is executive secretary.
According to the complaint filed by
Assistant United States Attorncv H.
A. Content, Cattell, Phillips and Miss
Parker conspired to induce "divers
persons whose names are unknown"
to fail to register June 5. These
"divers persons" are set forth as males
between the ages of 21 and 30 years
inclusive. 1
Alleged Pamphleteers.
The defendants, alleged to be a
committee selected at the meeting on
May 8, are accused of having endeav
ored on May 24 to have the Graphic
Press print pamphlets entitled "Will
xou Be Drattedr' I he complaint al
leges that the three defendants signed
their names to manuscript copy sent
to me urapnic rress to be prepared
in folder form.
Arrests in Kansas City.
Kansas Citv.Mav 31. Four nensnns
had been arrested late today in con
nection with alleged anti-draft activ
ities. Two of them were Raymond I.
Moore and Thomas Sullivaa, both of
whom had sought unsuccessfully
earlier in the day to obtain au-injunc-tion
preventing state, county arid city
authorities from enforcing the draft
registration, i. he tour were arraigned
before a federal commissioner.
Information against fifty persons
alleged to have been connected with
anti-conscription plots was filed in the
federal court by Arthur Bagley, in
vestigator of the Department of Jus
tice; Francis M. Wilson, federal dis
trict attorney for -western Missouri,
and other federal officials..
Injunction Denied.
Judge Daniel Bird, in the circuit
court here this afternoon denied an
injunction to prevent state officials
from enforcingjhc draft registration
next Tuesday. The injunction was
sought on the ground that the draft
act was unconstitutional.
ot at Cleveland.
Columbus, O., May 31. An anti
conscription plot, with national head
quarters in this city, to induce young
men of military age to refrain from
registering for conscription next
Tuesday has been uncovered by state
and government secret service agents,
Agitator Jailed at Cleveland.
Cleveland, O., May 31. Charged
with disorderly conduct in making a
speech against conscription, Andrew
Anderson was fined $25 and costs and
sentenced to thirty days imprison
ment. I
according to announcement made this
afternoon by Governor James M. Cox.
A printing shop has been raided and
a mass of literature seized.
Ammon Hennacy, a graduate of
Ohio State University, and Albert
Valnisper, a car builder, have been
arrested for distribution of anti-conscription
literature.
Labor Council Against Draft.
Seattle, Wash.. May 31. Tiie Seat
tle labor council, with which virtually
Continued on Pag. Two, Column On..)
First Feminine Mail
N -, Carriers for Paris
Paris, May 31. Wearing trim
dark hlue uniforms and. glased
straw hats with the French tri
color ribbon, the first women letter
carriers made their appearance on
the streets oi Paris today. They are
paid 5 francs, 50 centimes per day
with extra allowances for the high
cost of living.
yS--
WILL PROCLAIM
STATE OF SIE
IN SPAIN SOON
Nation is in Ferment Over the
German Aggression and Sit
uation Becomes More
Confused Hourly.
Madrid, May 31. (Via Paris.) Ac
cording to the newspapers, the con
stitutional guarantees will be sus
pended again in two. or three days.
Former Prenjr Count Romanones
has declared to an intimate friend
that he regretted he was not invited
to the mass meeting held by pro-ally
sympathizers last Sunday. He said
that if he had been present he would
have maintained the declarations made
in his letter to -King Alfonso at the
time he resigned. He added thai
many liberals, who were partisans of
the allies, would also nave liked to
be present.
Situation Much Confused.
Discussing the same subject with
the correspondent of a French news
paper, Count Romanones said:
I he. meeting was ot enormous im
portance. It will perhaps exercise a
greater influence on foreign than on
Home policies.
Asked what he thought of the sit
uation in Spain, the former premier
declared that it became more grave
and more confused "every day and
every hour of the day." Questioned
as to whether he thought the Cortes
would be summoned, Count Roman
ones smiled and answered: "I am not
too sure of that." , '
Suppresses Demonstrations.
Minister of the Interior Burets has
prohibited all public manifestations
relative to international questions as
dangerous to the interests ot the
country, in view of the important dip
lomatic negotiations now going on."
Several such demonstrations had been
planned in Madrid and other cities.
The constitutional guarantees were
suspended in Spain at the end of
March following several strikes and
serious disorders throughout the
country. It was reported in Wash
ington that a revolutionary moveifierif
was in progress, but this was denied
by the Spanish ambassador. The op
erations of the censorship have cut
off definite information regarding the
recent internal situation m Spain.
Railroad Commissions '
Oppose Freight Raise
Washington, May 31. Railroad
commissions from eight states voiced
their protests against the proposed
15 per cent advance- in freiuht rates
at the continuation today of hearings
before the Interstate Commerce com
mission. These states were: Kansas,
Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma. Wis.
consin, Minnesota, South Dakota and
Louisiana. ' ' ,
U. G. Powell, rate accountant for
the Nebraska State Railway commis
sion, presented statistics designed to
show that freight now is bearing an
unfair portion of transportation
charges. He urged that passenger
rates be raised if necessity for in
creased revenue be shown.
Bank Clcsimgs Show ",.
Splendid Cains for May
Omaha bank clearings for May
reached, the high water mark.' Thev
aggregated $152,677,898.33, an increase
of $55,586,036.29 over the correspond
ing month ot one year ago.
But once before has the Omaha
Clearing House figures attained such
proportions. During March of this
year the Omaha clearings reached
$164,000,000. However, the gain, as
compared with the previous March
was only $49,0UU,UUU.
Reil estate transactions during May
showed a substantial increase as com
pared with May of 1916. During May
of this year there were 705 deeds
hied, as against 61 -m May of last
year.-
Political Machinery
To Aid Draft Officers
Washington, May 31. In a joint
statement issued today from their re
spective party headquarters here,
Chairman Wilcox of the republican
national committee, and Chairman
McCormick of the democratic na
tional committee, called upon party
committeemen and workers in all
communities throughout the country
to put their machinery into operation
to aid army draft registration offi
cers. Funeral Services for
. Ambassador to Japan
Pittsburgh, May 31. The funeral of
George VV.v Guthrie, American am
bassador to Japan, who died at his
post in Tokio, took place here todav.
The Japanese government was repre
sented by Ambassador sato, who ar
rived from Washington last night,
and the American government by
Breckenridge. Long, third assistant
Secretary ot state.
Soldiers Want Emperor
In Close Confinement
Petrograd, May 31. (Via London.)
The congress of delegates from the
front has decided to demand that the
next general congress of workmen's
and soldiers' delegates from all Rus
sia should cause the transfer of for
mer Emperor Nicholas to the fortress
ot it. 1'eter and it raul.
Will it
POET'S BRAVERY
URGES ITALIANS
ON TOJICTORY
D'Annunzio's Example Causes
Countrymen io Drive Aus
trian From Before Sarr
,'.. . Giovanni. -
Udme, Italy, May 31. (Via Paris.)
The Austrians in attempting to re
capture San Giovanni on the south
ern portion, of the Carso plateau, came
into terrible hand-to-hand, fighting
with the Italians.
Among the Italians was Gabriele
D'Annunzio, the poet and playwright,
whose work and example animated
the soldiers in the heroic struggle,
which ended in the annihilation of the
enemy.
Occupy More Villages.
Rome, May 31. (Via London.)
Italian troops in Albania have occu
pied the villages of Cerevoda, Velis
est, Osoja and Cafa, the war office
announced today.
Russ Repulse Attacks.
Petrograd. May 31. (Via London.)
(British Admiralty per . Wireless
Press.) lroops of the .Russian Cau
casus army have successfully beaten
off hostile attacks at several points in
Armenia and on the Mesopotamia!!
front, the war office announced today.
Death Toll Reaches 36
In Missouri Tornado
St. Louis, May 31. Fourteen per
sons were killed and scores injured in
a tornado, that devastated Wayne
county Wednesday afternoon, accord
ing to a telegram received from
Piedmont, Mo., tonight. The dead
were listed as follows:
Granite Bend, two women; Chaonia,
Ben Montgomery, wife and four chil
dren; McGee, an inland town, reports
one killed.
A dispatch from Salem, Mo., this
afternoon saying that Mrs. Samuel
Uoade and daughter were- killed near
there by a ttornadct and that Mrs.
John A. Kett was killed at Dillard,
brought the death roll of yesterday s
storms to thirty-six.
Biff Sugar Refinery
To Open at Savannah
Savannah, Ga., May 31. After thir
teen months of the fastest construc
tion work ever done on any sugar re
finery, the Savannah Sugar Refining
corporation's $2,000,000 plant, which
covers five acres, has been completed.
It will start making white sugar at
the rate of 1,000,000 pounds a day
June 15. There are five other refiner
ies in the United States at New New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, New Or
leans and San Francisco.
England Is Prqmised
Sufficient Wheat Crop
London, May 31. Rowland E.
Prothero, president of the board of
agriculture, in an address today said
that under a plan devised by the gov
ernment, the success of which he be
lieved to be assured, Great Britain
would grow sufficient wheat in 1918
for all the needs of the population
with a liberal- supply left over for
livestock.
Explode?
COUPLAND SAYS
ONLY 10 PER CENT
WHEAT III GROUND
t w JrP
. . .-. 1 .... . .:.4-.
Nebraska Defense . Council
Member Says Liklihood En
tire Winter Growth in State
Commandeered for Seed.
Lincoln Neb., May 31. George
Coupland, food conservation member
of the Nebraska State Council of De
fense, to day issued an announcement
that a survey of the winter wheat
situation in Nebraska hv stiile and
federal crop experts, tiad disclosed
the surviving winter wheat acreage is
only 10 per cent of the crop sown.
The estimated yield is between 5,000,
000 and 6,000,000 bushels, against a
yield last year of nearly 69,000,000
bushels.
County defense councils have been
directed to prevent shipment of win
ter wheat from any county, "without
first providing for the necessary seed
requirements for next fall."
It is announced as probable that
the entire winter wheat crop in the
state will be commandeered for seed.
Italian PrPnce Delivers
King's Message 'to Senate
Washington May 31. Prince
Udine, head 61 the Italian mission,
delivered in the senate chamber todav
a message from King Victor Emman
uel to the American people. Ke
splendcntly garbed in uniforms of
gold and blue, with green shoulder
sashes, the mission was enthusias
tically received.
The union of effort and purpose of
Italy and the United States was em
phasized by the prince, who spoke in
part as follows:
"In this hour of danger, in which
military absolutism - is threatening
everyone, there are nations that have
forgotten old and new competitions
and have united to defeat this menace
to the common safety.
"We are in a more fortunate posi
tion. . Between the United States of
America and Italy there has never
been any cause of conflict. This new
and closer union means for us a
greater bond of sympathy and solid
anty, added to those which already
linked us.
"This long friendship without strife,
this union without mistrust, this
cloudless future are enhanced by the
fact that both our peoples are at war
to defend the same ideals of humanity
and justice."
n
Slackers Try to Leave
U. S. in Motor Launches
Jacksonville, Fla., May 31. Sheriffs
along the Florida coast today main
tained close watch for slackers who
might attempt to leave the state for
foreign shores by launch or steamer
to escape - registration.
Under instructions from Governor
Catts, who says he has information
that not a few draft subjects have
already left for Cuba, the sheriffs
will from now until next Tuesday
detain any person within the age limit
suspected of trying to escape.
Washington, May 31. It was an
nounced toda that steps had been
taken to prevent men subject to mili
tary registration from leaving the
country before June 5.
DAWES COUNTY COURT ROOM
CROWDED WHEN CONSPIRACY
CASE OPENS BEFORE SLATTERY
Detective Sutton of Omaha Testifies Mrs. Elsie Phelps
Framed Deal by Which She Gave Way Alleged Plot
to Blackmail County Attorney Crites and
Others Robert Hood Leaves.
Leaves Town.
By EDWARD BLACK.
Staff Correspondent for The Omaha Bee.
Chadron, Neb., May 31. (Special Telegram.) Testi
mony introduced this afternoon in county court before Judge
Slattery in the Omaha factional
Fisher fight was given by Detective Paul Sutton to show that he
had framed a job with Mrs. Elsie Phelps to reveal the workings
of an. alleged conspiracy to blackmail involving six Omaha and
three Chadron men. i
Both the Omaha detective and County Attorney Crites
were on the stand in the preliminary hearing of the case and
practically completed their showing. -
The local prominence of the principals, Crites and Fisher,
added lest to the legal battle. The injection of Omaha police
and detective affairs served to embellish the repast, which is
crowding the court room to the rear walls.
. Opinion! here is strong that Crites is more desirous of con
vfcting Fisher than to get the Omaha men. Maloney, Wolfe,
Dolan, Winckler, Tylee and Attorney Baker were eyed with
curiosity wherever they went. -
It is alleged that the defendants conspired to get Crites
and Mrs. Hood in compromising situation and demand $500
from Crites, $500 from Mrs. Hood and $1,000 from Mr. Hood.
OMAHA DRY FOR
ONE MONTH WITH
FEWERARRESTS
Reports from City and County
Show a Striking Reduc
tion in Drunkenness
in City.
At midnight Omaha had experi
enced one month of prohibition. '
The figures for jail inmates and ar
rests for drunkenness in Douglas
county are striking as compared with
the corresponding month a year ago,
In May, 1916, there was an aver
age of 220 prisoners in the county
jail. , .
For May, 1917, the average was- a
little more than ninety prisoners, the
first time the number has fallen be
low 100 since the new court house
was built.
Figures of the county insanity
board show that seven dipsomania
cases cases caused by use of drugs
and intoxicants were examined dur
ing May, 1916. Thsre were only five
similar cases during the correspond
ing month this year.
According to city police records for
May, 1916, 1,233 persons were ar-,
tested. Of this number 302 were
charged with drunkenness. For the
same month this year 856 were ar
rested and but eighty-five charged
with drunkenness.
Supreme Court to Hear
Jap Citizenship Case
San Francisco, Cal., May 31. The.
supreme court of the United States
will hear the application for citizen
ship of Takao Ozawa, a Japanese.
This was so ordered in the United
States circuit court here today. Oza
wa s claim is that what is known as
the act -of June 29, 1906, makes no
mention of race or color and nullifies
previous acts. ' N
German Government to
, Curtail Rail Traffic
Copenhagen (Via London), May 31.
A Berlin dispatch says passenger
trafi'c in Germany will be restricted
soon and railroads will be limited to
one fast train daily in each direction.
The military authorities have been
empowered to confiscate rolling stock
of private railroads. The measure is
due to the shortage of rolling stock.
Pastor Arrested for
v Seditious Statements
Minneapolis, May 31. Rev. Charles
L. Lehnert, pastor of the Central Ger
man Methodist Episcopal church, was
arrested here today, by agents of the
Department of Justice on a warrant
issued in St Paul, charging him with
making seditious statements.
Australian Potatoes ,
On Chicago Market
Chicago, May 31. .Australian po
tatoes were placed on the Chicago
market today for the first time in
history. They were dug in Febru
ary and are beginning to sprout.
The importer ordered thirty car
loads of them.
embroglio and the local CVitei-"
SUTTON ADMITTS DEAL.
The locale of the case changed
from Omahi to Chadron and vice
versa, with lightning rapidity. ;
Sutton frankly . admitted that he
had been investigating the Omaht De
tective association for months. He
. td -be Jisd,, been, lent. here with
knowledge of Superintendent Kugel
and that when Elsie Phelps had first
announced her intention of working
for the detective association, she con
fided in him, reported to him, end '
told him Manager Dolao of the asso
ciation offered her a bonus of $500
to compromise Crites with , Mrs.
Hood. That Mrs, Whelps . played a
double role in her detective game was
brought out and her double crossing
of the persons who first engaged her
was admitted by Sutton.
The. evidence thus far showed that
Mrs. Phelps worked both ends, of the
game at Chadron with considerable
skill,, ingratiating herself with the
workable material of bpli sides.
Crites 'Knowledge of Case.
Crites testified his first knowledge
of the alleged conspiracy to black
mail was received in a registered let
ter from Sutton, this being followed
by Sutton's recommendation to
Crites by W. C. Ramsey, assistant
county attorney f Omaha, a cousin i
of Crites. . '
Crites testified that he met Mrs.
Hood at his office with full knowledge
of the alleged plot, but upon cross
examination said no demands for
money or to drop prosecution had
been made of him by any of the nine .
defendants. ,
. Official Acted Part.
His tstiniony plainly showed that
he acted his part, as he expressed it,
according to suggestions, of Mrs.
Phelps and Sutton, who told him that
plans had been arranged in Fisher's
office.
Mrs. Hood was the woman with
whom Crites was to be found in his
office, who fell into the plan by going '
to Crites' office on the evening of May
14, "the evening of the late unpleas
antness," as Judge Baker designated
that eventful eve.
Begin Shortly Before Noon., .
Tlic alleged conspirators and their
lawyers entered the court room at
11:10, Omaha time. Judge Slattery
allowed the crowd several minutes to
settlcydown while determining inden
tures of the principals in the case.
Maloney, clad in a natty 'blue suit,
and Elsie Phelps, 'are the center of in
terest. The seating arrangements
placed Sutton, Mrs. Phelps and Ford
against the wall, facing Maloney. It
has been twenty years since the
coutrty court held such a large crowd.
, Judge Slattery Will Sit.
The preliminary hearing opened
with a sharp legal polemic aver the
qualifications of Judge Slattery to try
the case on account of his relation
ship to County Attorney. Crites and
his former relations of counsel for
Hood. ' '
The judge overruled the objections
of the defense and announced that lie
is bound by law to hear the case. He
said he would give it a fair and im- .
partial hearing, notwithstanding his
long acquaintance with Crites and
Hood. ...
Defendants pleaded not guilty,
waived reading the complaint and :
court adjourned tilt 1 o'clock.
The court, on reconvening, ap-
(ContlDMd on P Two, Column Iwo.
iJentify Prowler Shot
: By lll;:::is Guardsman
Chicago, May 31. A prowler, shot
and killed last night by a private of
the first Illinois infantry, was identi
fied today as Fred William Struder,
formerly an inmate of the asylum for
the insane at Elgin, 111, . . '
i