The Omaha Daily Bee
THE WEATHER
Fair
VOL. XLVII NO. 288.
omaha, Monday morning, may 20, 1918 10 pages
Ot TralM, it HtHh.
Km Stsias, Ell I
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
LMJ
mm
1
BUILDINGS .
ARE RAZED
BY SCORES
Fury of Storm Strikes North of
Bloomfield; Twenty-five Hurt,
; Some Dangerously; Dam
age in Thousands.
, Bloomfield, Neb., May 19. (Spe
cial Telegram.) Twelve persons
killed, mostly children, and 25 injured,
some dangerously, is the human toll
cf the tornado that swept this portion
of Nebraska last night.
The dead:
MRS. HERMAN HAGGES and
one child.
MR. and MRS. AUGUST FRED
RICKSON and two children.
Five children at the Spinner place.
One child at the Pieper farm.
Seriously injured:
John S. Chmeckpeper.
ONE CHILD SURVIVES.
Mrs. August Frederickson and one
child were instantly killed. Mr.
Frederickson and a baby 7 months
old died Sunday afternoon. One child
7 years old is the only survivor of the
family. Every bulding on the farm
was completely demolished. :
Five Spinner children were in-
stantly killed and their father's legs
so badly1 mangled that it was neces
sary to amputate them. Both legs
were broken in several places and a
scantling driven through one leg.
FARM HOUSES RAZED.
Details are yet meager, due to the
conditions of wires, but enough has
leaked through to show that the storm
left scores of 'demolished homes,
barns and other buildings in its wake,
and that the loss in live stock killed
by falling buildings and timbers
soared into many thousands of dol
lars. It is feared later details will
swell the death list.
G. H. Liddell of Bloomfield re
cords some of the damage to property
in the vicinity as follows:
Fisher farm, south of Bloomfield.
Barn demolished ahd 20 head of cat
tle and horses killed. '
Injured by Flying Timber.
John Schmeckpeper's residence and
large barn were wrecked, as well as
a number of other buildings in the
neighborhood. Mr. Schmeckpeper, in
rleeing to a cave, was injured in the
head and back by flying timbers and
is in a dangerous condition.
At the Herman Luellemann farm
the barn was wrecked and 60 head of
hogs and othel live stock were killed.
William Milligan's residence, was
blown across the road and wrecked.
Rudolph Koll's residence was de
molished and several head of live
stock killed.
All buildings on the Southwick
place were wrecked.
Woman and Child Killed.
Mrs. Herman H;.gges and one child
were killed in the destruction of the
residence of Herman Hagges.v
The buildings of Barney juedden
were destroyed.
The Pieper place was demolished
and one member of the family (name
pot given) killed.
The tornado was accompanied by
hail and heavy rains.
Second Tornado in Iowa
Kills Two at Davenport
Davenport, la., May 19. Two per
sons were killed and two injured, one
seriously, tonight in the second tor
nado within 10 days to strike the
farming district five miles north of
here. . .
The twister uprooted a large tree
and hurled it across an automobile,
dealing t death to Bernard M. Hofs
rud, manager of the National Bis
cuit company's branch here, and his
son, Roy, and injuries to Mrs. Hofs
rud and her 8-year-old daughter.
1 he storm tore flown trees ana
outbuildings and followed nearly the
same path tht recent tornado which1
caused one death and injury of 21
persons at Eldridge, la.
Turks Resume Activities
- Against Jews in Palestine
The Hague, May 19. Reports of a
fresh outbreak of Turkish atrocities
on : the Jews in Palestine have re
ceived official confirmation, according
to the Jewish correspondence bureau.
. " The Weather
For Nebraska Generally fair Mon
day; Tuesday probably showers; no
decided change in temperature.
Temperature at Omaha Yesterday.
5 a. m 73
a. m 72
7 a. rr. 72
S a. m 70
t a. m 77
10 a. m.. 75
11 a. m 73
12 m 73
. 1 p. m 74
2 p. m 71
3 p. m 75
4 p. m... 76
5 p. m.... 74
6 p. m 73
7 p. m 71
Ln m Dkrtlve Loral Record.
1918. 1917. HI. 115.
Highest yesterday .... 7T 34 18 46
Lowest yepterday .... 70 1 to . 89
Mean temperarura .... 74 '73 84 42
Precipitation 18 00 .IT .84
Temperature and prectptatlon departures
from the normal:
Normal temperature 84
Excess for the day io
Total excess since March 1. 1917. ...384
Jlormfd precipitation 14 Inch
Excess for the day 04 Inch
Total rainfall since March 1.... S.09 Inches
Peficlencytnce March 1 4.99 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1917., 8.30 inches
SefJcletKi tor cor. period, 1918.. lit tachta
ISLAND OF BJ0RK0
IN GULF OF FINLAND
SEIZED BY GERMANS
Purpose to Occupy Russian Capital Indicated by Opera
tions Northwest of City; Baku Scene of Bloody Bat
tle; British Capture-Position of Strategic
Value on Amiens Sector.
i'Bv Associated Press.)
A If V mi rrt 4-Via r!mont in
aibauuii ill u vi vi iiiuiik? ... .
ing up incessantly their preparations for a resumption of their
spring drive, there is a yet no indication that an attack on a
large scale is immediately imminent.
Meanwhile the big guns continue to roar in mighty duels
on various sectors and here and there small bands of infantry
leave their trenches in raids or small attacks with the object of
capturing pieces of terrain which may be of strategic value
when the big fight begins.
POSTTTOM PAPTITPTTT. O
The latest of these small affairs
where a bit of ground was required,
has been successfully carried out by
the British in the capture of the vil
lage of Ville-Sur-,Ancre, on the
Amiens sector. Not only was the
position taken, but with it 360 pris
oners and 20 machine guns. Field
Marshal Haig's casualties were slight.
In raiding operations northwest of
Albert and near Hamel, the British
also were enabled to take additional
prisoners and machine guns.
That the Germans have the cap
ture of Petrograd in prospect seems
evfJent from their latest operations
in the Gulf of Finland. Here they
have taken the Island of Bjorko,
which lies only 30 miles northwest of
the Russian capital.
2,000 Killed in Baku Battle.
Dispatches from Russia show that
again that there is considerable
activity in trans-Caucasia and in Per
sia. At Baku, on the western shore
of the Caspian sea in trans-Caucasia,
the Musselmans and bolsheviki have
fought a battle in which, according
to Moscow newspapers, 2,000 persons
were killed and 3,000 wounded, whili
in Persia the Turks have occupied
several towns south of Lake Urmia.
The operations in Persia may indicate
that it is the nurpose of the Ottoman
forces to harass the British line of
communication along the Tigris river.
Advices from Amsterdam say that
14 persons were killed and a large
number injured in the bombardment
carried out by allied aviators on
Cologne last Saturday.
German East Africa
Forces Suffer Defeat
London, May 19. British troops
campaigning against the German
East Africa forces have won another
success, after heavy fighting, and in
flicted heavy losses on the Germans,
it is officially announced.
The engagement began when a
small body of British African rifle
men surprised an important German
camp and set the huts on fire.
Americans in Canada on
June 22 Must Register
Toronto, May 19. Americans and
other foreigners more than 18 years
old residing or traveling in Canada
on and after June 22 must register
with the Canadian authorities, the
Canada registration board announced
today. Draft or other registration
cards will not absolve Americans
from the provisions of the new order,
it was said.
Two Men in Kansas City
Clubrooms Shot by Bandits
Kansas City, May 19. Two men
who attempted to hold up the Theat
rical Mechanics association club
rooms here early , today, shot and
killed D. J. Hargreaves, a grocer of
Chanute, Kan., and wounded danger
ously James Blake, manager of the
club. About thirty men were in the
club and the robbers took money
from several.
Harry Lauder in
CHAPTER II
In Australia When War Breaks.
It was the 29th day of March, in
that year of 1914- that dawned in
peace and happiness and set in bleod
and death and bitter sorrow, that we
landed in Sydney. Soon I went to
work. Everywhere my audiences
showed me that that great and won
derful reception that had been given
to me on the day we landed had been
only an earnest1 of what vas to come.
They greeted me everywhere with
cheers and tears, and everywhere we
made new friends, and sometimes
found old ones of whom we had not
heard for years.
And I was thinking all thevtinie,
now, of my boy. He was on his way.
He was on the Pacific. He was com
ing to me, across the ocean, and I
could smile as I thought of how this
thing and that would strike him, and
of the smile that would light up his
face now and the look of joy that
would come into his eyes at the sud
den sighting of some beautiful spot.
Oh, aye those were happy days
when each one brought my boy near
er to me.
One day. I mind, the newspapers
were full of the tale of a crime in an
odd spot in Europe that none of us
had ever heard of before. You mind
the place? Serajevol Aye we all
TTloTirlora arA PioivItT ora Iraan
muuvi o uuu i ivniu aic
TWO HUN RAIDS
ON AMERICANS
ARE REPULSED
Pershing Reports Feat of Rick
enbacker in Downing Hostile
Plane and Returning to
Lines.
Washington, May 19. General
Pershing's communique issued to
night by the War department an
nounces the repulse of enemy raids
last night in Picardy and in Lor
raine and the repulse of another to
day in the Lorraine sector. In the
Wouvre, it says, there has been con
tinuous aerial activity and American
planes have engaged in several suc
cessful encounters. -
Air fights of Lieutenant Ricken
backer, Captain Peterson and Lieu
tenant Chambers, previously de
scribed in press dispatches, are re
corded in the communique.
Pershing's Statement.
The official statement follows:
"In Picardy and in Lorraine hostile
raids were repulsed with loss to the
enemy in killed and wounded. In the
Wouvre there was continuous aerial
activity, our planes engaging suc
cessfully in several encounters.
"Early this morning in the Lor
raine section a strong enemy patrol
of 20 to 25 men attempted a raid on
one of our advanced posts. The raid
was a complete failure and the enemy
in retreating left one of their number
dead in ouf trench.
Feat of Rickenbacker.
"Last evening north of Toul, Lieu
tenant Rickenbacker, flying at 5,000
meters, was pursuing an Albatrosse
type plane when a second machine
came between them. Lieutenant
Rickenbacker struck the tail of the
second machine, taking it off and ap
parently forcing the hostile plane
down out of control. Although his
own machine was badly damaged, he
succeeded in returning safely to his
own lines.
"At about the same time. Captain
Peters attacked a two-seated machine
signalled to him in the vicinity of St.
Mihiel. The enemy machine de
scended, apparently faWg in a nose
dive"
Tribute to Captain Hall.
With the American Army in
France, Friday, May 19. The air
plane driven by Captain James Nor
man Hall, which fell when Captain
Hall' was flying within the German
lines a few days ago, bore the num
ber "17." Now a new "No. 17" has
appeared on the American , front
northwest of Toul. '
Immediately under the pilot's seat,
on eacu side, has been placed the
inscription, "Old Jimmy.' It is a si
lent tribute from . Captain Hall's fly
ing comrades. f
mind it now! but then we .ead, and
wondered how that outlandisl name
might be pronounced. A forogner
was murdered what if he was a
prince, the Archduke of AusfVa?
Need we fash ourselves about him? .
And so we read, and were sorry,
a little, for the puir lady who sat be
side the Archduke and was killed with
frm. And then we forgot it. All
Austria did. And 'my son John was
coming coming. Each day he was
so many hundred miles nearer to me.
And at last he came. We were in
Melbourne then, it was near to the
end of July.
We had much to talk about son,
and his mother and I. It was long
months since we had seen him, and
we had seen and done much. :The
time flew by. Maybe we did not read
the papers so carefully as we might
have done. They tell me, they have
told me, since then, that in Europe
and even in America, there was some
warning after Austria moved on
Serbia. But I believe that down there
in Australia they did not dream of
danger; that they were far from
understanding the meaning of the
news the papers did print. They were
so far awayl
And then, you ken. it came URion us
like a clap of thunder. One night it
began. There was war in Europe
LESS BREAD
FOR PEOPLE
' OF GERMANY
American Embargo on Food
stuffs to European Neutrals
Cuts Into the Supplies
Going to Germans.
(Br Associated Press.)
Washington, May 19. Further re
duction in food rations have been or
dered it; Germany, dispatches received
today by the food administration said.
Bread allowances have been cut from
eight to five ounces a day and meat
from seven to five ounces a week.
American embargoes on foodstuffs
to the European neutrals have had an
effect on Germany's meat supply.
Soldiers on Short Rations.
With the British Army in France,
May 19. The German soldiers have
been put on reduced bread rations.
They were promised that the offensive
which began March 21 would bring
them into a country yielding addition,
al quantities of food. The capture of
some British canteens and transport
wagons containing supplies tended to
confirm this promise and whetted the
appetites of the men for a square
meal.
The meager spoils of the first drive,
however, were speedily axhausted and
since then the troops have had to
subsist on what rations could be
brought through the British barrage.
On the whole they have not been
starvec, but there is great discontent
owing to the failure to improve their
food.
During March the bread allowance
was reduced from 1,500 to 1,400
grammes for each man, making the
daily ration half a loaf of only 700 in
stead of 750 grammes. Despite re
peated protests this has not been in
creased. The men have been told they
"must economise."
Crisis in France Passed.
Paris, May 19. Victor Boret,
French food minister, was asked to
day by the Associated Press what ef
fect the first three meatless days
terminating yesterday had upon the
situation in France. He replied:
"It means that our and your brave
boys at the front henceforth will re
ceive all the meat necessary to
Strengthen them for the arduous task
of beating the Germans.
"The threatening crisis has been
safely passed. The savings in meat
in the last three days' will enable me
to breathe easier and to feel sure that
the fighting men at the front will want
for nothing."
Petrograd Without Bread.
Moscow, May 19. The food sit
uation in Petrograd and other large
cities of Russia is constantly growing
worse.
The bread ration in Petrograd,
which had been one-tighth of a pound
weekly, now is totally exhausted.
Other products are scarce.
Conditions in the country gen
erally do not promise an improve
ment. GRACE LUSK WILL
TELL RELATIONS
! WITH DR. ROBERTS
Waukesha, Wis., May 19. Grace
Lusk's fate rests on the story she will
tell from the witness stand probably
ate this week at her trial for slaying
Mrs. Mary Newman Roberts, at
torneys in the' case admitted tonight.
"She will reveal every detail of
her relations with Dr. TJavid Roberts
which led up to the tragedy" persons
close to the woman who has been ac
cused of having pursued him, declare.
At the opening of court tomorrow
morning Dr. Roberts will resume the
witness stand to face cross examina
tion. Relief Ship Wrecked.
Amsterdam, May 18. The BelgiarJ
.... . ... e
renet snip coie, wun a cargo oi Dar
ky from New York to Rotterdam
struck a mine on Dogger bank, As
sistance has been sent to the vessel.
the War
real war. Germany had attacked
France and Russia. She was moving
troops through Belgium. And every
Briton knew what that must mean.
Vould Britain be drawn in? There
was the question that was on every
aan's tongue.
"What do you think?" I asked
John, ' -
T'Oink we'll go in," he said. "And
if we- do. you know. Dad they'll
send f me to come home at once.
I'm on ave from the summer train
ing carf?K.now to make this trip."
My boy, two years before, had
joined the Territorial army. He was
a second lkutenantfn a Territorial
battalion of the Argyle and Suther
land Highlanders. It was much as if
he had been at. officer in a National
Guard regiment in the United States.
The territorial army was not bound
to serve abroad but who could doubt
that it would, anc' gladly. As it did
to a man, to a ri;an.
But it was a f.hock to me when
John said that. 1 had not thought
that war, even if U came, could come
home to us so clos1' and so soon.
Yet so it was. The next day was
the fourth of Auriust my birthday.
And 't was that day that Britain de
clared war upon liermany. We sat
at lunch in , the riitel at Melbourne
when the newsboy began to crjr the,
RED CROSS ORATORS
STIR 50,000 PEOPLE
IN PARK AND CHURCH
Omaha Red-Blooded Leaders
In New Red Cross Uniform
7 41 v Sr " 1
jMaSSBStf I
Right, Mrs. Frank. W. Carmichael, chairman Red Cross
public workshop; left, Mrs. Lee Huff, assistant chairman; cen
ter, Mrs. Frank Ellick, assistant chairman. "
POWDER BLAST
VICTIMS BLOWN
TO FRAGMENTS
Known Dead as Result of Oak
land Explosion, 56; Injured,
94; Missing, 31 ; Fumes
Impede Search.
Pittsburgh, Pa., May 19. Fifty-six
me nare known to be dead; 94 in
jured and in hospitals arid 31 em
ployes of the Aetna Chemical com
pany are missing as a result of the
nine explosions yesterday that
wrecked this company's explosive
manufacturing plant at Oakdale, 16
miles from this city.
Throughout the night and all day
today men were extinguishing fires
in the debris and bringing out rem
nants of human bodies. In most
cases there was nothing to indicate
the identity of the victim.
All day a blue-brown smoke con
tinued to hang over the ruins, im
peding the work of the searchers.
Its deadly fumes are feared by the
residents.
Thousands of persons streamed
into the temporary morgue all day
to view the gruesome finds from the
ruins.
The country is desolate ' for sev
eral miles around the plant. The
meadows and fields nave, been
seared and fruit ana shade trees
blasted. .
Zone -:-
"-" Copyrlht, 1(18.
extras, And we were still at lunch
when the hall porter came in from
outside.
"Leftenant Lauder 1" he called, over
and over. John beckoned to him,
and he handed my laddie a cable
gram. Just two words there were", that
had come singing along the wires
half way around the world.
"Mobilize. Return."
John's eyes were bright. They
were shining. He was looking at us,
but he was not sceina us. Those eyes
6f his were seeing distant things. My
heart was sore within me, but I was
proud and happy that it was such a
son I had to give my country.
"What do you think. Dad?" he
asked me, when I had read the order.
I think I was gruff because I dared
not let him see how I felt. His moth
er was very pale.
"This is no time for thinking, son,"
I said. "It is the time for action.
You know your duty."
He rose from the table, quickly.
"I'm offl" he said.
"Where?" I asked him.
"To the ticket office to see about
changing my berth.v Jheres a steam
er this week mavbe,, I can still find
room aboard her."
He was not long gone. He and;
FOUR AIRPLANES
RAIDING LONDON
BROUGHT DOWN
Attack Made on Large Scale
and Many Bombs Dropped;
No Details of Casualties
Yet Available.
London, May 20. Four enemy air
planes were brought down in an air
raid last night over eastern England,
says an official communication ' just
issued.
The communications says: '
"Reports show that four of r the
enemy airplanes which raided London
and the southeast last night have
been brought down, '
"The raid appears to have been on
a large scale. A considerable num
ber of bombs were dropped., ,
"No details of casualties or damage
are yet available."
Six Burned to Death.
Silver, City, N." M., May 19. Five
children of J v ..as Pinson, a ranch
man living; five miles east of here,
were burned to death late last night
in a fire which destroyed the Pinson
home. Of sir children alone in the
hon-e, Levi, agfd 9, who had gone to
the well for a drink, was the only
one to survive. An exploding lamp
is believed to have caused the fire. .
"A Minstrel in France" Tells
His Personal Experiences on
the Western Fighting Front
his chum went down together and he
came back smiling triumphantly.
"It's ail right, Dad," he told me.
"I go to Adelaide by train and get
the steamer there. I'll have time to
see you and mother offV-your steamer
goes two hours before my train."
We were going to New Zealand.
And my boy was going home to fight
for his ocuntry. They would call me
too old, I knew I was ' 44 the day
Britain declared war.
What a turmoil there was about us!
So fast were things moving that there
seemed no time for thought. John's
mother and I could not realize the full
meaning of all that was happening.
But we knew that John was snatched
away from us just after he had come,
and it was hard it was cruelly hard.
But thoughts were drowned in the
great, surging excitement that was
all about us. In Melbourne,, and I
believe it must have been much the
same elsewhere in Australia, folks
didn't know what they were to do,
how they were to take this war that
had come so suddenly upon them.
And rumors and questions flew in all
directions.
Suppose the Germans came to Aus
tralia? Was there a chance of that?
They had islands, naval bases, not so
far away. They were Australia's
Cratlira4 oa rat Two, Catena Time.)
BAND CONCERTS
FEATURE SECOND
WAR FUND DRIVE
Message From No Man's Land
Heard in Open Air; Pro
claimed in Pulpits on Eve
of Campaign.
By EUGENE TRAVIS.
Fifty thousand men, women
and children heard the call
from No Man's land yesterday
a message from "over there,"
proclaimed in Omaha parksN
and sounded from Omaha
pulpits.
It was the occasion of
Greater Omaha's greatest Red
Cross celebration a glorious ;
preliminary to the drive . for 1
$200,000 that formally will be
launched in Douglas county
early today as a part of a 1
second national campaign for,
$100,000,000 under the aus-
pices of America's official
mercy organization. . '
The day was ideal for this spon
tanepus demonstration of Omaha
patriotism and the outburst of Doug,
las county's war spirit, Early morn- !
ing showers laid the dust, cooled the
atmosphere and Hent spring buds
snooting torth with renewed vigor.
Betutiful Park Scenes.
Thousands were attracted to half
a dozen public parks for the real
heralding of, a fast approaching
summer.4 Trees and shrubery were '
in luxuriant development and the
perfume of flowers was wafted on the
western zephyrs. A kingdom of birds .
came out upon dress parade. ..
Bands broke forth in the afternoons
with strains of martial music and '
again a patriotic' people arose to pay
homage to the stirring tune of
"Amerfea." A
Young women and children lent
their voices toward ' sounding the
tocsin of liberty and oarticioated in
patriotic exercises in the parks.
Omaha business men i strode into
bandstands and delivered the message
ot tne American soldier in f ranee
"stand behind us!" A dozen or more
reiterated the importance of this
second Red Cross call upon city,
and country. ,
In Omaha Churches.
"In the Cross of Calvary we see
Justice and Mercy meeting, was the
burning message of Rev. J. M. Wil
son, in the North Presbyterian church.'
In the morning tkere was a special
Red Cross service at the Hanscom
Park Methodist church.
In churches throughout the length
and breadth of Greater Omaha patri- .
otic fervor commingled yrith religious
spirit. i
Pastors joined in the movement to
make the. Red Cross drive this week
the momentous success it is certain
to be. Their sermons reflected the
sentiment of loyalty an war and
touched upon President Wilson's
declaration of "the discovery of new
opportunities of helpfulness under
conditions which translate oppor
tunity into duty." They told of
France, the land that has suffered
most from Prussian barbarity.
On the Job in Omaha. ' -
Early today 2,000 "workers, young
and old, were ready to blaze new trails
and tread again beaten paths in another -campaign
that has for its sole object
the alleviation of pain upon the battle
field, the comfort of "our boys" as
they fight for World democarcy. An
intensive campaign of one week to :
obtain funds necessary for the main- "i
tenance and expansion of a great sys
tem of relief work overseas and at
home.
These 2,000 forces in Omaha and
Douglas county are only a part of a
vast army of 20,000,000 of Red Cross
workers in the nation who, today, '
will set in motion a human machine
that operates as a bulwark of courage
(Continued on Par Two, Column Ose.) 4
Texas Flyer Seriously Hurt
In Airplane Crash in Texas
Hempstead, Tex., May -19. Ser
geant Richards of Weatherford, Tex., r
was seriously injured when a practice
plane from Ellington field, which was '
piloted by Lieutenant E. D. Jones,
caught in a side swing and crashed
to the ground from a heighth of ISO
feet at Hempstead today. Jones es
caped with minor bruises. The ma- '
chine was virtually demolished. .
Flyer Injured in Kentucky. : . , ,
Fulton, Ky.,.Mav 19. Lieutenant .
Joseph Dawson of Park Field, near
Memphis Tenn., was severely injured
here late todayt when he fell 1,500 feet J
in an army biplane landing bn two '
automobiles,"" and a wajrou in ' the
street. The accident came after
Lieutenant -Dawson, who was here in "
the interest of the Red Cross cam
paign, had executed two loops, his
machine going iota aaia. - -
,.i ..,w
i