RIEF
BRIGHT
REE Z Y
B.TS OF NEWS
100 MORE YEARS' WORK
ERE, DICTIONARY REVISED.
: fan's. Dec. 27. Christmas and
New Year's day will set French
academv back, two weeks in. their
work of revising the French diction
ary, which, according to the best
estimates, will be completed in 2020
or 2025.
The two holidays this year happen
to fall on Thursday, the only day of
the. week on' which the Forty Im
mortals assemble.
Academy members began the re
vision in 1878 and have reached the
letter "F."
SANTA CLAUS SENDS
QUEER, BELATED GIFTS.
New Milford. ' Conn., Dec. 27.
Three naval men, Ensigns Kloor.
Blackwcll, Flcidncr. appeared in
the unnei; branches of a huge Christ
mas tree on the Rogers Brothers'
farm in t!ii VJirplr farm rtictrirt
and hundreds of" people gathered
about the tree, rubbing their eyes
to better discern the belated pres
ers Santa Claus had dropped from
tlit clouds.
The thret ensigns went-up in a
testing balloon at the Rockaway
jiaval aviation .station on Long
island at 1 o'clock in the morning.
A brisk southwesterly wind carried
the balloon oves Long Island and
Long Island Sound and up along the
Houstonic valley. ' Then the gas
leaked out of the balloon and they
Were plumped d"wn in he Christ
mas tree's branches.
"We're faniished" as wolves," said
one of the ensigns as they were
beloed from their lofty perch. t
Thev partook of an after-Christmas
dinner with Mrs. and Mrs.
Charles Roger's on their camp meet
ing woods estate. 1
FAITHFUL HANDMAIDEN
RECEIVES RICH BEQUEST.
Boston, Dec. 27. The faithfulness
and kindness with which Miss Agnes
Jane McNevin cared for Mrs. Mary
C. Knight during the many years
she served her as a maid were re
warded when she was given the
Knight home, its furnishings and
funds, the total of which was esti-,
mated at $250.000. .
OPERATION KILLS
CANADIAN ACE.
Toronto, Dec. 27. Maj. A. M. Mc
Weever, M. C; D. S. O., one -of the
best-known Canadian aces in the
great war, and credited with the de
struction of ' 45 German machines,
died in the general hospital here as
.the result of an operation.
Vlri an automobile accident near
Mrattora, Unt.. some time ago, ne
suffered a broken leg and internal
injuries. He was 25 years of age.
HOLD EVANGELIST
AS FELONY SUSPECT.
San Bernardino, Cal., Dec, 27.
"Three Fingered Jack" Godwin evan
gelist and said to be a former I.
'W. W,i'wh arrested here and
booked as a felony t suspect. God
win's arrest -follows,, police, investi
gation of the 13 fires here 'on the
night of December 19. when two men
were burned to death and damage
of $2,500 done. , . ,
WIFE KILLS HUSBAND
AS HE HOLDS CHILD.
St. Lnuis. Mo.. Dec. , 27. Mrs.
Hattie Walker, 41 years old, shot
and killed her husband. Perry M.
Walker, while he was holding thejr
3-yar-old daughter in his arms, jn
. Llltll null b laiVi iu i g ii amvt
arrested and, according to police,
asserted she and her husband have
been estranged and she feared he
w,as trying to take the child from
her.
OMAH THE GATE CITY OF THE WEST, OFFERS YOU GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS IS THE TALE OF
A FAMOUS CAT.
Paris. Dec; 27. Gen. Philippe
P.erthc'.ot tolls the true story of the
now famous cat that is the mascot
of the French foreign office. Re
covering from a slight indisposition,
. ctaiscd by the change of climate,
Premier Clemcnceau shortly upon
his arrival it. London, asked 4he gen
eral "Where are you going?"
"To buy a cat," answered the gen-
eral. ' ,
"I'll go with you," said the pre
mier. -'
When they got to a shop and had
decided on a particularly orctty
feline. Cli-menceau asked: "What'll
ve call it;" .
"Your presence at this solemn mo
Anient in history." said Berthelot,
"dictates' my answer. I ask per
mission to call her 'Tigrette.' "
France's ;'Tigcr" laugkingly consented.
VESSEL SHIPSHAPE
BUT LACKING CREW.
'London, Dec. 27. Shipping men
have slight in vain for an explana
tion of the mystery ot tne Marion
G. Doughs, a Novia Scotia built
vessel., found off Shinman Head,
Brirhter Island, Isle of Scilly. with
all beats aboard " and sails fur'ed,
but with no trace of a crew. The
mys'ery is similar to' that of the
Marie Celeste of many years ago.
The vessel is a three-masted
schooner laden with timber and
Atnrrnr r( c i n L-1 n o" Sll p
WS m 1 1 w unnRvi v .......... . w-
was seen to be behaving erratical
; ly ard a party put out from the
island and brought her in. They
expect liheral. salvage from the
owners. Why the crew left the ves-
rf mA n-linf liarinnpH trj them has
J v. ....... . r -
not been ascertained.
E (MA
IA
UNDAY
Bee
VOL.- XLIX NO. 28. SIT." R & JTS "&S- icS OMAHA, ' SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 28, 1919.
B Mall (I yur). Dally. WOO: Bunaay. S2.S0.
Dally and Sua.. M.00: autilda Nan. ntUa intra.
FIVE CENTS.
THE WEATHER s
Generally fair Sunday and
Monday; somewhat colder
Sunday.
Hourly truirterntiuMS (
S a. m .....81! 1 p, m .....r.S
a. m ...S7I t n, m.......... .89
.! 3 i m...
,,,'MSV 4 p. m...,
T . m
a . . m..
U k. m XI, R n. m ..
10 w. m P. m... ....... .K
11 ft. m 81 1 p. in M
I noon 3t!
- )
WILL PROBE
AWARDS TO
NAVAL MEN
Full Investigation of the Con
troversy Brought to Head by
Sims Has Been Ordered
By Congress Committee.
NAVY DEPARTMENT TO
REOPEN MATTER ALSO
Daniels Says Due Considera
tion Will Be Given to Objec
tions Voiced by Officers Who
Criticized Some of Awards.
"SAME OLD DOLLAR"
DESPITE ITS VALUE.
New York", Dec. .27. Although
the purchasing power of a dollar
mav be but half, or even less than
" half what it was before the war,
-the law still regards the dollar of
today, a the same old dollar so far
as it affects degrees of larceny.
This was' settled by County Judge
McMahon in Brooklyn, when Mrs.
Mary Jansk of 183 Avenue A, Man-
- hattan. appeared to answer a charge
of xtealig $59 worth of goods from
a Brooklyn department store here.
Her attorney asked to have the
charge reduced to petty larceny, on
the ground that a dollar is not
worth a dollor., '
"In the matter of crime." said
,lhe court." I will have to look upon
. the dollar as the some old dollar,
r even though it m?y not go as far as
it formerly did m meeting - ouf
want" '
Washington. Dec. 27 Fuji inves
tigation of the controversy over
awards of decorations for war serv
ice to naval officers, brought to a
head. by Rear Admiral William. S.
Sims' recept protect against the ten
tative list issued by the Navy de
partment, will be made both by con
gress and bv th; department. t
On the heels of Secretary Daniels
announcement that the naval board,
headed by i Rear Admiral Knight,
had been ordered reconvened to re
view its findings on recommenda
tions for medals or othei decorations.
Representative Uifkir.. republican.
Massachusetts, of- the house naval
mittee, which does not nee dspecial
of the senate committee and stated
that a ioint committee would take
up the ciucslion when conpress con
vened. Representative Lufkin said
Secretary Daniels, Admiral Knight,
Admiral Sims and other officers
would be called before the joint com
mittee which does not need special
authorization for its inquiry. Changes
made by Mr. Daniels in the board
list of awards, as well as the action
of the board, in each case, will be
examined, he said. ,' ""
To Consider Ohiections.
Secretary Daniel said today.-that
in revising the list of decorations and
in passing on new recommendations
for awards the Knight board would
be instructed to follow in general
the policv he adopted in revising the
original lists, giving due considera
tion to the objections voiced by of
ficers who hava criticized some of
the awards.
The names of Admiral Henry B.
Wilson. , who commanded Amer
ican naval forces in French waters
during the war, and of Rear Ad
miral H?nrv T. Mavo. who was in
eomman d of the Atlantic fleet dur
i" the o"iod of hostilities, were
ru'der todav to the list of officers
who have written the secretary re
wt'oiv the awards. Other officers
who have mHe prop'sto include Vice
Admiral T'larv P. Tones. , cortl
mander of Smtadron 2 of the At
lantic flet: Fear Adnvral Decker,
cpnirrrndi""' tVe Seventh naval dis
trict Key West.. and Cant. Raymond
T). Wihroi-W comrr -ander of the bat-tlech-'n
Minnesota. Admiral Tones
and Caotai" Hassock refused the
navv cross for which thev had been
"commended, supnortinp- the posi
tion tt-en by Admiral Sims.
. Hoes for Acceptance.
The ob'ect'ons voiced hv these
"ffieprs will be oTaced. before the
K"irht board and Secrrjnrv Daniels
said today that he honea the revised
awards made by the board could be
accented without chanrre. He indi
cated that he would send them to the
president -or his nerona1 approval.
Letters Made Public.
The department made public to
night copies of letters as to the
awards received bv Mr. Daniels from
Admiral Tones. Mavo and Decker
and Caotain Hasbrouck. That from
Adnvral Tones goes at some lentrth
into the service rendered dunng the
war. herinr"'ne' as comm?rder of a
sonadron'of the oatrol force, later
of snu?dron of the cruiser force
still l?ter as commander of the NeV
nort Nf'S division, cruiser and
tranenort force, and finally as ad
ministrator of harbor floating equip
ment in Hmnton Ryids district.
"Tt is submitted." the better said,
"that if th disch;rtre of these high
ly reoonsihle and larpelv independ
ent duties were so successful as to
meet the detriment's aonroval. the'
responsible officer should be recog
nized comme"surate1y; and those
subordinates whom he recommended
as having contributed directly to
that success should also be recog
nized. If, on the contrary, the du
ties outlined above were not success
fully .carried out to the satisfaction
of the deoarrment there should be
no award of decorations."
' Admiral Jones Refuses.
In view of these considerations Ad
miral Jones said he felt it "my duty
(Continued on Page Two. Column 81x.)
Wilson 63 Years Old;
May Celebrate Event
Washington, Dec. 27. President
Wilson will be 63 years old tomor
row. . His daughters, Mrs. William
G McAdoo, and Mrs. Francis B.
Savre, expressed a desire a week
or ten days ago to be at the White
House for his holiday anniversary
and they jnay come. The president
is expected to spend a quiet day.
Rear Admiral Grayson, the presi
dent's physician, said today his pa
tient':, r.-acrcsa continues and that
line rencicnt was in food spirits.
America Is Today . Facing
Most Dangerous Period in .
History, Says Famous Writer
Effort to Minimize Seriousness of industrial -Unrest
And Growth of Class Peeling "Mistake, Declares
v Ray Stannard Baker Will Seek to Show Way
Out by Presenting Facts and Issues as Found by
Him in -Study of Conditions.
(Editor's Note This is the first of a series of articles by Ray Stan
nard Baker on the present fight between capital and labor. Mr. Baker
who needs no introduction to the reading public, will make a first-hand
study of conditions as he finds them. His articles in Omaha will appear
jxclusively for The Bee.) . - .
By RAY STANNARD BAKER.
ARTICLE I. .
We are facing dangerous days in America; in many
ways the most dangerous in our history. A tendency exists
among great numbers of our people to take violent sides
upon the chief problem confronting us the relationship of
capital and labor without a clear understanding of what
that problem really means, or what such a division portends.
It is true that class-feeling has been growing in Amer
ica for some years. No honest observer can have failed to
see it; but while actively stimulated by certain groups of
radicals, it has hitherto been resisted or minimized by the
more responsible leaders upon all sides. The sinister aspect,
of recent developments lies in a new and powerful drift to
ward a tacit and helpless acceptance of the idea of an inev
itable "head-on collision."
Radicals Oppose Compromise.
How many times in recent weeks
has one heard expressions something
like his
"It's bound to come; we might
just as well fight it out first as last"
.The other day when I was in Chi
cago a radical college professor said
to a large audience:
"We are past that stage in which
capital and labor can sit down and
discuss their grievances. The recent
industrial conference called by Pres
ident Wilson was "significant be
cause it showed that there is no mid
dle course. Bqth sides are now strug
gling for the control of industry.
And there can be no compromise on
that issue."
We are just emerging from two
of the greatest .strikes the country
ever saw, the steel strike and the
coal strike. In both cases the losses
in wages, in production, in earnings
are stupendous, and in the case of
the coal strike the country has been
(Continued on Pare 6-A, Column 1.)
Kiy Stannard Baker.
ATTEMPT MADE
TO KILL MANAGER
OF STEEL PLANT
As a Result of Attack in Colo
rado State Troops Will
Come to Pueblo.
Pueblo. Colo., Dec. 27. An at
tempt was made at 6 o'clock last
night on the life of Frank E. Parks,
manager of the Minnequa plant of
the Colorado Fuel and Iron com
pany, according to announcement
by Mr. Parks today. As a result
it is understood that state troops
have been asked to come here and
take charge of the situation.
The attack on Mr. Parks was
made by two men as he was return
ing to his home from his office. Mr.
Parks did not believe the shots were
intended for him unj:il he noticed his
automobile this morning and found
four bultet holes through it.
Striking vteel workers have been
responsible for riots this week, fol
lowing resumption of work at the
plant.
Denver, Dec. 27. A request for
troops to protect workmen at the
Minnequa plant of the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company at Pueblo
was received here. Adjutant Gen
eral Spangler immediately began
preparations for the dispatch of a
detachment of the national guards.
Omaha Schools Reopen
Monday Morning After
Five Weeks' Vacation
Public schools will be reopened
Monday morning, following a vaca
tion, which was extended on ac
count of the coal situation, and then
lengthened by the .Christmas holi
days. The schools have been closed
since Thanksgiving day. When the
coal shortage became acute, the
Board of Education announced that
schools would be closed until Janu
ary S, and when the restrictions were
lifted earlier than expected, .the
board decided to reopen tomorrow.
Many teachers went to their
homes in other towns. They re
ceived full pay for the long vaca
tion. , i
On account of the time lost, the
usual vacation of two weeks will not
be had.
Fire Destroys Camp Pike ,
Mess Hall and Barracks
Little Rock, Ark.", Dec. 27. Fire
starting late Saturday afternoon at
Camp Pike destroyed two mess halls
and two barracks buildings and par
tially destroyed two additional bar
racks buildings. All were unoccu
pied. The origin of the fire is un
known. The fire was put under con
trol in less than an hour bv the
Camp Tike fire department
$100,000 SALARY
OFFERED OMAHA
LAWYER, REPORT
W.- D. McHugh May Become
General Counsel for
Harvester Co.
William D. McHugh, prominent
Omaha lawyer, has been offered the
position of general counsel of the
International Harvester company,
according to reports current here
and in Chicago.
It is one of the biggest positions
in the legal fuld, said to carry a
sa!ary of close to $100,000 a year.
"I don't want to say anything
on the subject at present," Judge
McHugh said yesterday. "Nothing is
settled and I won't know for 10
days yet whether I shall take the
position."
In Omaha 31 Years.
Judge McHugh will move to Chi
cago, headquarters of the big cor
poration, if he makes the change.
He has lived in Omaha for 31 years.
His present home is a handsome one
at 120 . North Thirty-ninth street
His offices are in the First National
bank building. His family consists
of Mrs. McHugh, a son, Wil
liam, jr., and a daughter, Mrs. Claire
Itaird.
Judge nMcHugh's rise in the legii
field has been rapid. He now has
numerous' corpcra'ic-ns among his
clients He is spec al counsel for
the Omaha Gas company, n the
present litigation between it and
the city. He was uiiorney for the
Creightou heirs in iKe settlement of1
the big estate of C. unt Creighton
He was one of the attorneys for the
Internatio'.-al H.-.m cter company at
the time of the l;t:;-a;on between it
ard the federal govetnment.
Judge McHugh is a self-made
man. He was born in Galena, 111.
His parents apprenticed him to the
shoemaker's trade at which he
worked for five years. He kept
studying, however, and attended col
lege a year at Illinois State Normal
school. Then he taught school three
years, was admitted to the bar in
1883 and practiced in Galena, III.,
from 1883 to 1888 and then came to
Omaha. .
He was appointed a federal judge
by President Cleveland in 1896, the
appointment, however, not being
confirmed.
The present general counsel of the
International Harvester Co., is Ed
gar Addison Bancroft, who has
held the' position since 1907. It is
said that he wishes to retire be
cause of ill health and increasing
duties in other corporations.
Detroit Sunday Papers
Advanced to 10 Cents
Detroit, Dec. 27 Beginning Jan
uary 4 Sunday editions of the Detroit
News and the Detroit Free Press
will be advanced in price to 10 cents.
Advancing cost of publication was
civeu as the reason for the 2-ccnt
iucrease - - 1 - "
78 ARE DEAD,
The Passing Show
OWNERS
"ggs
BLIND MAN HURT
BY CAR IN FALL
TO SAVE CHILD
Struck by Automobile Driven
By South Side Woman
Seriously InjuredChild
Is Unhurt.
In an effort to save his 3-year-old
child from injury in an automobile
accident at Twenty-fourth and
Leavenworth streets yesterday aft
ernoon, F. A. Franks, 2215 Leaven
worth street, partially blind, was
struck by an automobile and serious
ly injured.
An instant before the accident oc
curred, Franks attempted io leap out
of the path of the car, driven by
Miss Louise Watkins. 2514 E street,!
South Side. He let the child fall
from his arms ahead of him just as
he was struck, according to wit
nesses. The child was uninjured.
Franks was rushed to the Central
police station, where it was learned
he suffered a broken 'eg and a
sprained1 wrist. Later he was taken
to the Lord Lister hospital
Miss Watkins and Miss Ramona
McElroy, 370 South Twenty-third
street , a companion in the car. were i 11 Tiyf T IO
taken to the police station by Po- MlSS Maty Leetiy, W,
4 Franks was attempting to cross KlUl UOWn and Killed
me sireci wnen ine accident oc
curred, witnesses told police. Miss
Watkins was driving her car north
on Twenty-fourth street, she said.
Another accident was reported to
police yesterday afternoon when E.
R Lathrop. Eighteenth and Jack
son streets, was run -over by a mov
ing van. He suffered a possible
fracture of the right leg, according
to a police surgeon. The accident
occurred at Eleventh and Howard
streets. Lathrop accidentally slipped
in front of the van when he sought
to apply the brakes while walking
beside it. The van was drawn by a
three-horse team.
Lathrop was taken to the . Lord
Lister hospital -
ARREST MAN FOR
INDECENT CRIMES
AGAINST CHILDREN
Self-Styled "Little Master" of
Cult of Sun Worshipers Caught
After Long Chase.
Chicago, III., Dec. 27. Ottoman
Zarr Adusht. Hanisch, self-styled
"little master" of the Mazdaznan
Cult of sun worshippers, was ar
rested Saturday night and started
for Los Angeles, where he was in
dicted on June 4, 1918, several
revolting offenses against young
children being charged, Hanisch
was convicted in the federal district
court here in 1913 of sending inde
cent matter, his cult hook, "the in
ner circle," through the mails and
was sentenced, to six months in
jail.
Hanisch and followers were said
to be celebrating a holiday fete
known as "Eahan bar" in a private
home when Lieut. Charles A. Jones
of the Los Angeles police and local
detectives invaded the place. The
cult's high priest was attired in
white flannels and golden slippersj
and, according to the police, roared
a profane protest at their intrusion.
At the detective bureau Hanisch
agreed to waive extradition declar
ing: "They have nothing on me in
the west."
By Grocery Auto Truck
Onetime Bluffs Stage
Driver, Aged 106,
Dies at Poor Farm
Rawlins, Wyo., Dec. 27. James
"Dad" Shcrrod, 106 years old, died
this week at the county poor farm
near Dixon. His funeral will be held
Sunday.
"Dad" Sherrod was born in Harri
son county, Ohio, June 26. 1813 For
many years he drove the South
Platte and Council Bluffs stage. He
was present at the Thornberg mas
sacre and was om of the defenders
of the white colony ii. that desperate
battle against the red men .
Villa Hints at Reprisal -.For
Angeles' Execution
El Paso. Tex., Dec. 27. Gen.
Francisco Villa, in a letter addressed
to The Associated Press at El Paso,
expressed sorrow for the execution
by Carranza troops of Gen.. Felipe
Angeles, intellectual leader under
Villa, and hinted at reprisal on those
who had part in the "assassination."
Miss Mary Leehy, 63 years old,
1411 North Eighteenth street, a
cousin of Dr. T. R. Mullen, Six
teenth and Douglas streets, was run
down and instantly . killed at . 6:35
last night while attempting to cross
Eighteenth street at Charles, by an
auto truck of the Tuchman grocery
driven by Harry Fitzgerald.
The chauffeur said he swerved to
avoid a pedestrian, and ran into
Miss Leehy. The body was carried
by the chauffeur and bystanders
into Cavanagh's grocery, and later
taken to the Dodder undertaking
parlor, Twenty-third and Cuming
streets. Fjtzgerald was held for in
vestigation. Miss Leehy lived with a brother,
Michael, and leaves another brother,
John, living in Washington county.
Captured Ships Formally
Turned Over to Britain
New York, Dec. 27. Seven for
mer German ships now anchored in
New York harbor, were formally
transferred by the United States
shipping board to the British
ministry of shipping in accordance
with the order signed by Presi
dent Wilson. No formal ceremony
marked the transfer. Skeleton Brit
ish crews were placed aboard the
vessels and the American flag was
replaced by the Union Jack.
The transferred ships are the
Graf Waldersee, Pretoria, Kaiserin,
Auguste Victoria, Zeppelin, Mobile,
Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm and the
Cap Finisterre. For the last 11
weeks , British seamen have been
waiting to go aboard the vessels.
It is understood that the ships
will remain here about two weeks
loading cargo, and then go to au
English port where thev will be
completely overhauled
WOMAN IS HELD
ASSUSPECTIN
MURDER GASE
Officers Convinced Jealousy
Was Motive for Killing, of
J. Stanley Brown -Widow
Freed. .
MANY MORE
MADE BLIND
Others Are Paralyzed Due to
Drinking - Wood Alcohol
"Whisky" Toll Highest in
New England States.
NEW YORK COMMISSION
MAN SOUGHT BY POLICE
Asserted That He Sold 12
Barrels of Poisonous Liquor
Which Were Concocted in
His Own Store.
Mount Clemens, Mich.. Dec. 27.
Convinced that jealousy was the mo-
tive behind the slaying last Tuesday
night, of T. Stanley Crolvn, son of a
l'ornier Detroit manufacturer, au
thorities have instituted a search in
Ohio and southern Mxhigan for two
men and Mrs. Lena Bennett is de
tained at Sandusky, O.
Further investigation here brought
a statement 'from Lloyd Prevost,
who wsa held as a material witness,
but later released, implicating the
three. One o. the men it was stated,
was a soldier stationed at Camp
Custer. 1
Both of them, Prevost told Sheriff
William Caldwell, were infatuated
with, Mrs. Bennett to whom he
stated Brown had paid court before
his death. This, according to the
statement, led to threats of violence
against Brown
Will Be Examined.
Sheriff Caldwell stated that Mrs.
Bennett would be brought here for
examination and that he had her
promise to aid in clearing up the
mysterious death of Brown who was7
found Wednesday morning shot to
death at the wheel of his automo
bile on the road between Detroit
and Mount Clemens.
A sheriff's deputy left for Battle
Creek to take the soldier into cus
tody. , , ' . '
The sheriff announced that Pre
vost and Mrs Ruth Prevost Brown,
young w'dow of the s'ain man, had
been dorinitelv eliminated from he
investigation. Both of them had
bedn hld as material vwtnessc;- and
were released shortly after wr:ts of
habeas corpus were granted at De
tro.t. Will Be Taken Away.
' Sandusky, O., Dec. 27 AMiputy
sheriff arrived here -and will take
Mrs. Leona Bennett, 24 years old, to
Mount Clemens Sunday. According
to Sheriff Perry Mrs. Bennet in
quired ii she was suspected of the
murder and was told fiat she yas
wanted only as . a w tness. T'ir
wman appealed much worried, the
sheriff said. Shi told thr .-heriff that
she reached Sandusky Christmas
dav' ' " .
Deputy Sheriff Lowenstein ot
Mount Clemens declared that his cf
fice had information that Mrs. Bin
nett had a suitor at Hattie Creek, het
home ,ano that Brown had also oid
her attentions
Fall of 1919 Healthful
One for Large Cities
New York. Dec. 27. Health con
ditions this fall have been the most
favorable in years throughout the
country, reports the -Metropolitan
Life Insurance company. The rec
ords of states, cities and iife insur
ance companies show no sign of a
recurrence of the influenza epidemic.
The unusually low death rate, the
report says, is due to the fact that
many were more or less immunized
by contracting the disease last fall
New York, Dec. 27. Seventy
eight persons died during the past 48
hours and scores of others are suf
fering from paralysis and blindness
due to. drinking wood alcohol'
whisky, according to reports re?
ccived tonight from seven eastern
cities and Chicago. 1
'The toll of poisonous liquor is the
highest in New England, where 60
deaths are recorded. 'I wo women at
Chicopee Falls, Mass., and one at
Springfield, Mass., are included in
this list. ,
In connection with the New Eng
land dcath.4 and six- reported in
New York City, police, internal rev
enue officers and agents of the De
partment of Justice are seeking
Adolph Paraneh, importer and Com
mission merchant of this city,' who
they assert sold 12 barrels of the
poisonous liquor. The police cha-ge
that the ''whisky" was concocted in
Faraneli's store i.i Bleecker street.
In Chicopee 34 men and two women
died, in Springfield three men and
one woman, in Holyoke six men and'
in Greenfield, Mass,, one man. . In
Hartford 13 : persons died of the
.poison. . ; .
i .f our jjeatns in inica?o. -
. i - i . i . . , . .
tuicago. reporiea eigne aeatns
from the drinking of poisonous bev
erages. ' ' ' : ,
Two deaths were announced' at
Newark, N J., by the police.
Three deaths in Cleveland, O., this
week, brought the total there to 14
for trie month..
Two deaths arc reported in Pitts-1
burgh.
Two nt'en were found dead and
two seriously ill tonight from what
is believed by physicians to be wood
alcohol poisoning, m a Fulton street
hqH.
When ouestioned by the police the
hotel proprietor' denied having sold
the men whisky and gave the officers
a bottle from his stock for analysis.
Confesses Buying Liquor.
Chicopee. Mass., Dec. 27. Dis
trict Attorney Ely of Westfield. who
has been investigating the deaths of
more than 45 persons in the Con
necticut valley as the result of drink
ing wood alcohol contained ' in
whisky, announced tonight that Alex
Perry, proprietor of the American
house in Chicopee Fails, had con
fessed to buying 50 gallons of the
concoction in Hartford, all except
five of which were sold. The district
attorney also stated that five other
gallons of the. liquor had been
traced to the.rolski hotel in Hql
yoke. . -
According to the district attorney,
who had refused to grant bail of
$10,000 to Perry earlier iii the day
en the charge of- manslaughter.
Perry stated he bought the liquor
through Sam Darling of Hartford,
an expressman, who is under arrest
in that city. Perry told the district
attorney he liad no idea the liquor
was poisonous. Following the con
fession the district attorney allowed
Perry to be released on bail.
The list of dead was increased to
46 in the Connecticut valley toniprht
with the death of another Chicopee
man, Maurice Murphy, in Mercy
hospital. Springfield. The ' deaths
are now divided as follows: Chico
pee. 33 men wand two . women;
Springfield, three men- and one
woman; Holyoke.' six men; Green
field, one man. ' - ' . -13
Dead in Hartford. '
Hartford, Conn., Dec. 27r-Death
lists here as a result of. drinking
"whisky" said to contain wood al
cohol, remained at 13 tonight, with
only two new cases of liquor poison
ing reported Hospital reports show
four persons in serious condition
from the effects of poisonous liquor.
The cases of the four men held
continued to next Wednesday in po
lice court. Jacob Brunerwine, one
of those held, is regarded" by the'
police as a leader of the "whisky"
finer and te altpcprl in fiav mnA 'i
profit of $75,000 from illegal liquor
sales since July 1. 4
Twelve barrels of materials
brought from New, York City, the
rolice say, were made into 24 bar
rels by the use of water, and then
distributed over the bar here and
sold in bulk to persons in Chicopee
and Holyoke. Mass. Fifty cents a
drink or $7.50 a quart was the price
of the "liquor" here.
Floods in Belgium.
Brussels. Dete. 27. Heavy floods
are reported in all parts of Belgium.
The Scheldt river has risen over
six feet and the Sambre more than
seven. The lower parts of Charleroi
and. Motis are inundated. Rain con
tinues '