-_ro VALDEZ, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916 NUMBER 2K
V'OlXnMLK AJLV • _____
s
Wite of Dr. Mohr subjected to Severe
Cross-Examination in case
against Negro Murderers.
PROVIDENCE, Jan. 29.—During
the trial yesterday of Victor Brown
and Henry Spellman, the negro de
fendants who were charged with the
murder of Dr. Mohr, the wife of the
• dead physician was subjected to a
^ cross-examination. She had been
r charged with instigating the murder
h«t had been acquitted by the jury
1 which refused to credit the testimony
of the self-oonfessed murderers.
During the cross-examination Mrs.
lfohr admitted that her friendship
for the Nova Scotia preacher had
caused the first quarrel between her
self and Dr. Mojir. The prosecution
attempted to establish the fact that
Mrs. Mohr was a woman of easy vir
tue and had liver with her husband
for some time as his wife before they
were married.
The witness denied that she had
Illicit relations with Dr. Mohr and
said that had she lived with him be
fore their marriage she would never
tsvs become his wife. She asserted
that Dr. Mohr was a dope fiend and
extremely cruel to her while under
the Influence of the drugs.
, UMATILLA FOR
THE ROME RUN
1m Being Converted into Oil Burner
and Is Expected to Be Popular
v- it
Vessel on the Route.
>
SKATTUE, Jan. 29.—The officials
of the Pacific Coast Steamship com
pany have announced that the steam
ship Senator, which has been on the
Nome run since the discovery of the
Seward Peninsula camp and which
has come to be known as the Nome
"gold shirt’’ will be withdrawn from
the Nome run - and that the steamer
Umatilla will take her place.
The Umatilla*is now at the plant
of the Seattle Construction & Dry
Bock company where she is being
converted into an oil burner. The
r vessel will bo renovated throughout,
given a thorough overhauling and re
painted and refurnished in prepara
tion for her service between Puget
Sound and Nome. The officers of the
company claim that the installation
of the oil burning system will in
crease her speed and make her a de
sirable boat for the Alaska trade. The
Umatilla has passenger accommoda
tions for more than two hundred first
class passengers and about the same
number for second cabin passengers.
She is a larger vessel than the Sena
tor and will be able to handle more
freight and passengers than that ves
sel
The Senator is also to no converted
Into an oil burner and will be used
tj the company as an extra vessel to
where freight offerings are toe
heavy for the vessels on the regular
ron^.
The Umatilla has mado several
trips between San Francisco and
Nome where she was occasionally em
ployed as an extra vessel to care foi
the early offerings of freight after
the opening of navigation. During
the pest year or two she has been
operating as a freight and passenger
steamer between Seattle and Sac
Francisco.
"Tr ■ •1
• JUNEAU COLDEST
PLACE ON COAST.
SEATTLE, Jan. 29.—rThe steamer
Admiral Evans, the Pacific Ala .ks
Navigation company’s liner, arrived
from Alaska at midnight. The ofl
eers report a rough trip and were • lad
to get back to Puget Sound. Sever al
of the sailors suffered frosted hands
and faces but are ahde to' attend tc
their duties. Juneau was reported at
the coldest point on the run which
extended as far west as Seward.
BRITISH CASUALTIES
NOW NUMBER 550,000
LONDON, Jan. 29.—Premier As
quith has announced that the Brit
ish losses since the beginning of hos
tilities has reached the total of five
hundred and fifty thousand men.
These figures, it is said, include the
losses of both the army and navy in
captured, wounded and killed. It is
admitted that the British forces at the
Dardanelles, which were largely com
posed of colonials, suffered the loss
of one hundred and ten thousand
men.
med mm
VESSELS WED
Secretary I jawing Will Prevent \I1
Americans from Taking Pas
sage on Armed Vessels.
. •
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.—Secre
tary Lansing of the State Department,
hav announced that all foreign pow
ers have been notified that the Uni
ted States will in future bar the en
trance of armed merchant ships from
American ports. It is said that the
rule will be enforced in order that the
American government would be jus
tified in adopting measure to protoct
non-combatants from submarines.
During the recent controversy re
garding the sinking of the British
liner Persia, which was torpedoed in
the Mediterranean sea and caused the
loss of several American lives, the
German and Austrian governments,
while denying responsibility for the
sinking of the liner, claimed that her
destruction was uot in vlolatlomof in
ternational rules of warfare as the
vessel was armed.
Americans hating interests abroad
cannot be prevented from entering
the European war zones if business
calls but. .Secretary Leasing believes
that they should receive protection
to the eltent of being prevented from
taking passage on vessels whose ar
maments would make them objects
of attack by the submarines.
TRAINS STALLED
IN SNOW DRIFTS
Tunnels on Railroads in Montana are
Filling with Ice and Relief
Trains Cannot Operate.
GREAT PALLS, Jan. 29.—Advices
f;om many points in this state re
port that thousands of people are in
precarious positions and It is feared
that scores will perish from the in
tense cold. In many of the towns
the supply of fuel has been exhaust
ed and relief trains cannot reach
them.
Trains which were dispatched dur
ing a lull in the storm have been
stalled in snow drifts by a second,
blizzard. It is also reported that the
tunnels through the mountains are
filling with glaciers and that it may
require days before traffic can be re
sumed after the storm subsides and
the tracks cleared. An army of
workers are being kept busy in the
tunnels but it Is fe.,red that soon the
railroads will be unable to operate.
Reports from all parts of the state
tell of persons who aro missing and
believed to have succumbed to the
blizzard and intense cold. Several
trainment who attempted to make
their way to stations to summon re
lief for the stalled trains have failed
to reach their destinations and it is
believed that unlegs they have reach
ed the shelter of somg farmhouse that
they are lost.
I
Children Take Notice.
There will be a free matinee at the
Liberty Theatre Sunday afternoon at
2:30. All the children of Valdez are
Invited with the compliments of Mr.
and Mrs. William Callaghan.
Jim O’Brien left this morning for
Knight’s Island, where he will be em
ployed with P. J. Bonner on the
property which he is developing there.
SENATOR WALSH PROTESTS
SEIZURE OF AMERICAN MAILS
DECLARES THAT BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS ISSUED ORDERS
FOR SEIZURE OF MAILS IN ORDER TO CRIPPLE AMERICAN FOR.
EIGN TRADE WHERE IT WOUIA) COME INTO COMPETITION
WITH BRITISH MANUFACTURERS AFTER WAR—OFFERS RES
OLUTION THAT UNITED STATES ADOPT MEASURES TO PRE
VENT FURTHER INTERFERENCE ON THE PART OF BRITISH
WARSHIPS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.—A 9on
sation was created In the Senate yes
terday when Senator Walsh of Mon
tana denounced the seizure of Amer
ican mails by the British government.
He read an extract from the orders
of the British government directing
the commanders of British cruisers
to search American mails in order
that the British government might
learn the trade secrets of American
manufacturers and exporters.
Senator Walsh is urging a resolu
tion, which, if favorably acted upon
by congress would require President
Wilson to adopt drastic measures to
prevent further interference on the
part of British warships with mails
of the United States to or from J3u
ropean countries. He declared that
Britain was acting the part of a pirate
and had broken all international rules
guaranteeing protection to mails, che
had even seized shipments of mail be
tween neutral nations with whom sne
professed to be friendly.
The British government, in the
opinion of Senator Walsh, is prepared
to adopt measures to prevent the
United States manufacturers from ex
tending their foreign trgde to coun
tries where they would oome into
competition with British manufactur
ers after the close of the war. He
did not believe the secrets”
referred to in the British orders to
the commanders of warships were for
the purpose of gaining knowledge of
shipments which might reach Ger
many from this country despite the
blockade but was general and design
ed to cripple American foreign com
merce.
FIGHT BE MADE
ON APPOINTMENT
I
Selection of Reformer to ^ucceed
Justice Lamar causes Sensation
In Congreeional Circles
' ''
j WASHINGTON, D. C. Jan. 29 —
The naming of Louis D. Brandeis by
President Wilson to be associate jus
tice of the United States Supreme
court has created surprise in official
and congressional circles and it is
predicted that the reformer will not
be confirmed in the appointment.
The opposition to President Wil
son’s choice has already become ac
tive and it is said that party lines
will be ignored in the fight which is
sure to develop in the senate, Brand
eis is regarded as the extreme type
of radical.
It was reported that at a party cau
cus held last night it was decided
that Senator Wadsworth, of New
York, chairman of the sub-judicial^,
committee, should handle the case
and in the event that President Wil
son refused to withdraw Brandeis’
name for office that a fight would be
made against the appointment.
URGING CANVAS
OF UNEMPLOYED
Juneau Dispatch believes that Men
would be Available In North for
Railroad Construction.
JUNEAU, Jan. 29.—The Daily
Dispatch has started a campaign to
| have the Alaskan Engineering com
' mission employ residents of the ter
ritory on the construction work of
the government railroad. The an
liiouncement has been made by chair
man Edes of the commission that
I should congress provide the neces
jsary appropriation a force of between
J fifteen hundred and three thousand
|men would be given employment dur
ing the coming summer and the Dis
patch believes that the unemployed
of Alaska shouiu be given the pre
ference.
Commercial organizations in the
different Alaskan communities are
urged to take a canvas of the unem
ployed men to learn if they desire
employment with the commission
next summer. It is pointed out that
if the commission is assured that the
men for the work will be available
in Alaska next spring that they will
'favor Alaskans.
ANOTHER STORM
HUS CALIFORNIA
City of boa Angeles Completely Iso
lated as Bridges Have Been
Washed Away by Torrents.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29.—Another
storm Is sweeping over this section of
the state and thousands of persons
have been rendered destitute by be
ing driven from their homes by the
floods. The streams are swollen into
raging rivers and have carried away
| many railroad bridges, leaving Los
Angeles completely isolated.
Telegraphic advices from points
along the coast between Redondo and
the Mexican border state that tremeif
dous damage has resulted from the
wind and rain storms. Several of the
towns are under water and the peo
ple are marooned in their homes
which are threatened with destruc
tion.
The damage caused by the storm
cannot be estimated as many of the
rivers continue to rise and are flood
ing new districts. Trains are stalled
in all directions and all business is
at a standstill.
FLOOD BREAKS DAK
FOURTEEN DROWN
Wide Area of California Flooded as
result of Heavy Rains and Many
Towns are Threatened.
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Jan. S9—
Fourteen persona were killed and a
wide area of country devastated as
a result of the dam which supplies
this city with water being broken
under the Htraiu of the flood. Tne
water are threatening another dam
and should it oe carried away the city
water supply will bo cut ofT.
Tho dead are workmen who were
employed on the dam in an effort to
relieve the water pressure and were
carried to their deaths when' the dam
broke. The residents of the valley
had been warned of their danger
and escaped to the hills but the pro
perty loss will be very heavy.
No relief is promised as the> rain
storm is increasing in violence and
many towns are menaced. The South
ern Pacific, and all electric lines op
erating in this section, have suffered
the loss of bridges and traffic Is inter
rupted. Advices from the north say
that Long Beach is surrounded by
water.
RAILROAD MEN FAVOR
THE EIGHT-HOUR DAY
CHICAGO, Jan. 29.—It Is reported
here that the vote of the Railroad
Brotherhood which is now being tak
en on the eight-hour Question, will be
overwhelmingly in favor of calling a
general strike if the demands of the
men are denied. The vote ends on
March 1, but four hundred thousand :
baiiots have already been received.
Ninety-five per cent of the vote to
date favors the shorter day. Three
hundred and sixty-three railroads will
be effected if the strike is called.
MAYOR GILL AND
LUNDIN QUARREL
Prosecutor Calls Mayor a JAar for i
Saying that He Failed to Prose
cute when Evidence Had.
SEATTLE, Jan. 28.—The trial and '
acquittal of Patrolman Margett ha»
started a row between Mayor Gill and
County Prosecutor Lundin which may ;
result in the vice conditions here be- 1
Ing investigated by the grand jury.
In a signed statement Prosecutor
Landin asserted that the vice ring
was flourishing in Seattle as during
no previous administration for years.
He declares that the evidence of the
patrolmen during the trial of Mar
gett shows that Chief Lang had is
sued orders prohibiting arrests in
certain districts showing that protec
tion was being extended hy the police
to certain property owners whose
buildings were being used for immoi
al purposes. t , .
Mayor Gill is characterized by the
prosecutor as an infamous liar fpf
saylng-that Lundin had refused to set
when the. police department had suV
mitted evidence to him that the law
was being violated. He has assert- ]
ed that the mayor has used every el
fort to have the case against tic
Rainier club dismissed and has in
terfered with the police department
in enforcing laws governing vice in
the uptown districts.
TEXAN CRITICISES
THE PRESIDENT
Minority Leader Declares that Demo
cratic Members Should Be Loyal
to the Nation's Chief.
WASHINGTON. D. C., Jan. 2j.—
Representative Mann of Illinois, lead
er of the minority party in the House,
administered a stinging rebuke to
Representative Martin Dies' of Tex
as, on the floor of the House yester
day afternoon, for his attack upon
President Wilson.
Representative Dies, who is an ar
dent exponent of intervention in
Mexico, had severely criticised Pres
ident Wilson’s New York speech rela
tive to the Mexican satuation. He
asserted that the president was re- j
sponsible for the murders of Ameri-!
cans iu the neighboring republic, as
he had failed to take decisive action i
to securo the punishment of the mur- i
derers. |
The minority leader, in a sarcastic
speech which was intended to raise
tho ire of the Texan, declared that
President Wilson had shown his su
perity over his critic as he had learn
ed something as a result of the effect
which the European war had upon
this country. He believed the Demo
cratic members owed loyalty to tht*r
chief and should refrain from attack
ing him before his tour through the
country was ended.
I>ANCK AT POST WAS
SOCIAL SUCCESS
The dance at the Post last night
which was given by the Fort Liscum
Social club was one of the pleasantest
affairs this season. The crowd which ;
attended from Valdez was not up to
the usual number as the change In
the date from Saturday to Friday eve
ning found many of the young people
with prior engagements. I
SHERMAN WOULD
NIX WHO JAPAN
Relieves that America Should Inter
fere to l*revent Japan Encroach
ing Upon Chinese Empire.
WASHINGTON, I). C., Jan. 28 —
Senator Sherman of Illinois has in
troduced a resolution in the House
which declares that the United States
:annot longer permit the encroach
ment of Japan upon the Chinese ins
pire without jeopardizing the rights
t>f America in the Orient.
In his introductory speech on the
■evolution Senator Sherman stated
.hat the manufacturers of Japan had
:aptured the American cotton goods
trade with China and the commercial
ntereets of the United States were
ieing crowded out of China through
the activities of the Japanese.
The Department of Commerce. »e
:ording to the senator, bad hopot of
i renewed export business betweee
the United States and China and be
leved that an entirely different class
>f goods than that formerly export
'd would And a good market in the
-..ent.
The resolution provides that toe
\merican government enter a protest
with the Japanese government against
the recent demands made by that
tovernment upon China for conros
lions in the iron ore Aelds.
SUBMARINES ARE
A6AIN ACTIVE
Reported that Several V«e*eU Have
Been Claimed off English Coast
by Undersea Fighters.
NEW YORK. Jan. 29.—Amster
lam dispatches state that after a
lerlod of inactivity German subma
rines are again ravaging commerce in
he waters surrounding the British
sles. Several vessels are reported to
lave been torpedoed and sent to the
lottom during the past two days.
The submarines are reported to
lave claimed many victims among the
vessels which were detained off the
3oast of Kent by the refusal of the
British admiralty to show the navi
gators through the mine fields which
were laid by German craft.
It is also reported that unusual ac
tivity is manifest among the naval
iUlcers at Kiel and it is believed that
the German fleet is preparing to raid
the British coast.
Ixindon Hears of Menace.
LONDON, Jan. 29.—It is persis
tently rumored in official circles that
the British admiralty has received
lonflrmation of the London News
sritic’s report that the Germans have
mounted seventeen inch guus on their
new sujter-dreadnaughts. The guns
ire reported to outrange the largest
if the British navy and are capable
if hurling shells weighing a ton for
1 distance of twenty miles. A new
typo of shell is also reported to have
Seen invented by the Gormans which
muses gas to be generated whon the*
ire exploded.
LIEUT. OKCHAItU’H FATHER
DIES AT KETOIIIGAW
Information was received in yes
terday's mail from Ketchikan stating
that John Orchard, who made many
Friends in Valdez while visiting with
sis son Lieut. John Orchard som*
rears ago, had died at Ketchikan on
January 20, from an attack of pneu
monia. It is reported that the body
was sent outside and will be burled
it his old home in Texas. Deceased
was 74 years of age and had been
iving with his son’s family at Shrimp
Say near Ketchikan.
Y. P. 8. C. E.
"Amusements that Are Worth
While" will be the topic for dlscne
lion at the Christian Bndeavor meet
ng in the Congregational Lecture
Room 8unday at 6:Sf. Mrs. J. P.
Dunstan will preside. All young peo
ple are cordially invited.