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V
VALDEZ, ALA8KA, 8ATURDAY, MARCH 20, 1916. NO. 66.
VOL. 13. __^^
BRIDGE DYNMHITER
GOMES 10 ML
* » _
Contention That He Wa* Justified
In Destroying International
Bridge Has Failed.
BANGOR, Me., March 20.—The plea
of counsel for Werner Van Horn ar
rested for attempting to destroy the
Canadian Pacific railroad bridge at
Vanceboro, Maine, that he was jus
tified by rules of war in dynamiting
the bridge, has failed and he will be
tried before a federal court in Bos
ton.
Van Horn’s attorney is resisting his
extradition to Canada on the ground
that he is an officer in the German
reserves and that his act was justi
able under rules of war against an
enemy of his country. He was con
victed at Vanceboro on a minor
charge and sentenced to serve thirty
days while his status was being in
vestigated Van Horn claims that he
violated no law of the United States
as he received the explosives from a
man whom he met on the bridge and
that the dynamite came from Canada.
SOWN CASE
BEFORE THE COURT
New Haven Railroad Minority Stock
holders Attempt To Recover
From Directors.
BOSTON, March 20.—The case of
the minority stockholders of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford rail
road against the directors of the com
pany for wrongfully spending the earn
ings of the railroad began in the
court here today.
The stockholders are suing the di
rectors for 1102,000,000 which they al
lege was appropriated from the earn
ings of the New Haven to purchase
other competing roads and make up
deficits in their operating expenses,
in which the minority stockholders of
the New Haven had no interest.
The transactions in high finance (
were disclosed by the legislative in-1
vestigation as to the management of
the railroad owing to the enormous
number of disasters occurring on the
line. The investigation developed the
fact that while the earnings of the
road had been enormous that the di
rectors had milked the treasury to
finance enterprises of their own.
Many of the most prominent finan
ciers of America, including the latfe
J. P. Morgan, were involved in the
scandal. It is believed that some sen
sational disclosures will be made dur
ing the trial as to the methods em
ployed by the money kings in manip
ulating enterprises to turn the earn
ings to their own exclusive benefit.
WICKERSHAM IS
GOING TO JUNEAU
< -
SEATTLE, March 20.—James Wick
ersham, delegate to congress from
Alaska, accompanied by Mrs. Wick
ersham, arrived in Seattle last night
from San Francisco, where they, vis
ited the exposition. The delegate will
leave for Juneau on the Admiral Ev
ans next Thursday.
Weather Report.
Valdez, March 19, 1915.
Barometric pressure .29,934
Temperature at 7 p. m. 31
Maximum temperature. 38
Minimum temperature . 31
Mean temperature . 84 1-2
Precipitation i.46
Cloudy air, wind northeast 8 miles.
Mixed snow and rain at night and
from 7 a. m. to 7 p. m.
LONDON, March 20.—The British
admiralty announces that latest dis
patches from the fleet bombarding
the Dardanelles state that the British
battleships Irresistible and Ocean
were sunk by hitting floating mines
and not as a result of fire from the
guns of the forts. The French battle
ship Bouvet was hit by a shell from
the forts and sunk with all her crew
of 621 mfen. The crews of the Irre
sistible and Ocean were saved. Sev
eral other battleships are also report
ed to have been hit and badly dam
aged by the guns of the forts.
Terrific Bombardment of Forts.
Following the loss of the Irresist
ible and Ocean a fleet of sixteen bat
tleships entered the narrows and op
ened a terrific bombardment on the
forts and succeeded in silencing many
of the guns. The admiralty states
that it was not expected that the forts
guarding the Dardanelles could be
forced without loss to the fleet and
that the forts are gradually being re
duced.
British Admiralty Admits Loss.
LONDON, March 20.—The British
admiralty admits the loss of two Brit
ish battleships and a torpedo boat de
stroyer during yesterday’s bombard
ment of the Dardanelles forts. The
battleships lost were the Irresistible
and the Ocean, both of the 1900 class.
Note—'The Irresistible was laid in
1898 and completed in 1902, she was
CASE POSTPONED
His Counsel Claims That Prosecution
for State Fear To Let Case
Come ToTrial.
NEW YORK. March 20.—The case
of Harry K. Thaw has again been
postponed with no definite date set
for the insanity trial. Final hearing
on the habeas corpus writ secured by
Thaw’s attorney to prevent his being
taken back to Matteawan asylum and
permit his return to New Hampshire
has also been postponed for one
month. The prisoner will remain in
The Tombs until the trial.
Thaw’s attorneys asesrt that the
state prosecution fear to let the In
sanity case come to trial and that if
the finding of the supreme court fa
vors his return to New Hampshire
•that he will be allowed to remain
there a free man so long as he does
not enter the state of New York.
Says He has Evidence Against Seat
tle Company and That Case Against
Him Will Be Dropped.
SEATTLE, Inarch 20.—Action on
the case of William Muller, German
consul in Seattle, who was arrested
on the charge of conspiracy to bribe
an employe of the Seattle Construc
tion & Dry Dock company to secure
information, has been postponed until
next Tuesday. Federal officials are
now investigating tne charges.
The German official declares that
he is not worried over the charges
and asserts that the State Depart
ment will order the case against him
and his secretary to be dropped, as
it was a clear violation of the treaty
for Seattle municipal police to enter
a foreign consulate and arrest him
on a federal charge. He states that
he has secured evidence that the Se
attle company was violating the neu
trality laws by shipping submarine
parts to England and has laid the
matter before his government.
BRITISH NAVY L0SE8 IRRESISTIBLE AND OCEAN AND LOSS OF
FRENCH WARSHIP BOUVET AND SUBMARINE CONFIRMED—
BRITISH CREWS SAVED BUT BOUVETS CREW . PERISHED—
BRITI8H ADMIRALTY REPORTS SHIPS WERE LOST BY HITTING
MINES—SUBJECT F0RT8 TO TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT AFTER
DISASTERS—BERLIN WILD WITH JOY—AVIATOR’S DROP EX
PLOSIVES ON ENGLI8H COAST CITIES—RUSSIANS CAPTURE
MEMEL FORT.
of 15,000 tons displacement, cost $5,- j
240,680 and carried a complement of
781 men. Her armament consisted
of four 12-inch guns, twelve 6-inch
guns, eighteen 12-pounders and four
3-pounders. She had an indicated
power, of 15,000 h. p. and eighteen
knots per hour speed. The Ocean was
laid in 1897 and completed in 1900;
cost $3,635,102; her displacement was
12,950 tons and she carried a com
plement of 700 men. Four 12-inch and
twelve 6-inch guns; twelve 12-pound
ers and eight 3-pounders composed
her armament. Tonnage, 12,950; speed
18 knots. The French battleship
Bouvet was of the older class, hav
ing been laid in 1893, cost $5,503,850
and carried a complement of 621 men.
Berlin Wild With Joy.
BERLIN, March 20.—Berlin was
wild with joy last night when the
news from Constantinople was posted
by the war office stating that the
Allied fleet of warships attacking the
Dardanelles forts had suffered heavily
and been forced to retreat. It is re
ported that two British battleships,
. one British torpedo boat destroyer,
NEGOTIATING FOR PURCHASE
OF THE ALASKA NORTHERN
NEW COUNSEL IS REPORTED TO HAVE STATED THAT PURCHASE
t
OF ROAD HINGES ON DECISION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL RE
GARDING GOVERNMENT INCURRING OBLIGATIONS.
WASHINGTON, March 20—The De
partment of Interior officials state
that the Alaska engineering commis
sion has received thirty thousand ap
plications for positions on the govern
ment railroad in Alaska. Nearly ev
ery applicant has sought to gain
prestige by being endorsed by some
senator or representative.
It is announced that Joseph P. Cot
ton, of New York, has been appoint
ed counsel for the engineering com
mission to fill the vacancy caused by
the appointment of Attorney Rublee
to membership of the Trade com
mission by President Wilson. The
new counsel for the Engineering com
mission is reported to have stated
.that negotiations for the purchase of
LINER LAPLAND
ti 5 i |j * » ?; i«t»
..HAD CLOSE GALL
German Submarine Made Desperate
Attempt To Destroy Her After
Leaving Liverpool.
NEW YORK, March 20.—The Brit
ish steamer Lapland arrived in New
York last night from Liverpool, bring
ing an acocunt of the desperate at
tempts made by a German submarine
to torpedo the ship despite the fact
that the liner was being convoyed by
a British torpedo boat destroyer
The officers of the Lapland chose
the northern route for safety and had
scarcely entered the North Channel
when a German submarine was sight
ed making for the ship. The torpedo
boat attempted to ram the submarine
but the latter dived too quick and
came up between the Lapland and the
destroyer. The submarine delivered a
torpedo at the ship which passed to
the sterfc as the vessel was traveling
in a zig-zag path to outdistance and
lose her pursuer. The submarine fol
lowed the ship for a long distance
and. made two more attempts to de
stroy her, but the efforts of the Ger
mans were interferred with by the de
stroyer, which kept up the chase un
til the vessel was far out on the
ocean and beyond the radius of the
undersea craft. <
•the Alaska Northern railroad was pro
gressing, and has reached the point
where the text of the contract is be
ing considered.
It is also asserted that Attorney
Cotton has admitted that the purchase
of the Alaska Northern railroad hinges
on the opinion of the attorney general
as to the right of the government to
incur obligations In excess of the act
ual money appropriated by congress
for the purchase or construction of
railroads. If the decision of Attorney
General Gregory is adverse it is be
lieved that the government will con
fine its activities to building a road
to one of the coal fields during the
present year and reserve the Engi
neering commission's report until the
next session of congress.
Naval Authorities Assert That Eng
land’s Blockade Would Favor
America If In War
WASHINGTON, March 20.—Ameri
can naval experts have advised Presi
dent Wilson to admit the legality of
the decree of the British admiralty in
establishing a blockade of commerce,
believing that it will establish a pre
cedent greatly favoring the United
States in case this country is drawn
into war.
It is announced that the United
States will insist that American
ships going to neutral ports must be
permitted to reach their destination
unmolested by the warring nations,
and it is understood that President
Wilson is preparing a note to the Brit
ish government to that effect.
The blockade against Germany is
costing America more than $100,000
per day through the Inability of ship
pers to deliver cotton. The cotton
crop of America last year exceeded all
previous records, being more than five
hundred thousand bales greater than
the yield of 1911. Figures compiled by
the government show that the crop
reached the enormous total of sixteen
million 500-pound bales.
submarine were destroyed in the en
gagement Friday. The announcement
has also been made that Krupp guns,
manned by German gunners, have re
placed the obsolete Turkish guns in
the forts and that the forts destroy
ed during earlier engagements are be
ing rebuilt.
British Steamer Torpedoed.
LONDON, March 20.—A British
steamer was torpedoed by a German
submarine in the English Channel on
Thursday night and sank before reach
ing shore. It is believed her crew
were all saved.
Aviators Attack British Naval Base.
BERLIN, March 20.—Advices from
the coast of Belgium state that dur
ing Thursday night German aviators
visited the coast of England and bom
barded the British naval base at
Sheerness, on the English Channel,
at the mouth of the River Thames.
It is believed that the bombs did
great damage to the shipping and
warehouses.
Memel Fort Captured.
PETROGRAD, March 20.—Memel,
Prussian Baltic port, has been cap
tured by the Russians after a terri
fic bombardment lasting for more
than a week. Memel is the most
northern German fortress in East
Prussia and guards the entrance of
the Russ Memel of Niemen river. The
dispatches from the front also state
(Continued on page 2.)
ALASKA INDIANS
10 GET FRANCHISE
Certain Educational Qualifications
Would Be Necessary In Opinion
of Senator Shoup.
JUNEAU. March 20.—Senator Chas.
A. Shoup has introduced a bill in the
territorial legislature to extend the
franchise to the Indians of Alaska.
The measure provides that applicants
are first to pass an examination as
to their educational qualifications be
fore the nearest federal school teach
er and their citizenship approved by
the district court with the endorse
ment of five white citizens.
It is believed that the measure will
be favorably considered by the leg
islature as many have contended that
natives in the past have been unjustly
deprived of their rights guaranteed
them by the treaty between Russia
and the United States when the ter
ritory was purchased.
stpgSmen
KEPT VOTERS AWAY
Mayor Roberts of Terre Haute and
His Crowd Overlooked No
Chance of Defeat.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., March 20.—
Wtnesses testifying in court today in
the case against the officials for elec
tion frauds perpetrated last Novem
ber, declared that strong-arm meth
ods. were used to intimidate voters
and keep them away from the polls.
Mayor Roberts and other officials
are '(Charged with having been in
strumental in bringing the crowd of
strong-arm men and repeaters to the
city in order to secure the re-elec
tion of the council. More than one
hundred voters have admitted that
they sold their votes and have thrown
themselves on the mercy of the court.
Some of the voters admitted that they
received only 25 cents or the price of
a meal to cast their ballots for Rob
erts and his followers.
Subscribe for the Prospector.
WIDE OPEN GAME
State Goee Back To Frontier Day
With Horse Racing, Gambling
and Dance Halls.
CARSON CITY, Nev., March 20.
The closing hour of the session of th
state legislature yesterday afternoo
was marked by wild scenes of cor
fusion and fully confirmed the det
larations of the minority that the lef
islature was under the control of th
vicious element. The last hill passe
was one making Nevada as wide-opei
for gambling as at any time in it
frontier history.
The law, when it becomes effective
permits all kinds of card and die
games, horse racing and dance halls
A commission is to be appointed b;
the governor to supervise the rac
ing but the games are wide open.
The enactment of the gambling bil
has started a tremendous oppositioi
which developed when the easy di
vorce law was restored some week
ago. It is asserted by the oppositioi
that the governor will not dare t<
affix his signature to the gamblinj
bill.
STEGLER DRAWS
LIGHT SENTENCE
Entered Plea of Guilty and Given Six
ty Days But Others Receive
Longer Terms
NEW YORK, March 20—Richarc
Stegler, the German-American wh<
was arrested as he was about to sai
for England on a false passport to act
as a spy for Germany, entered i
plea of guilty to the charges and was
given a sentence of sixty days.
Gustave Cook and Richard Madden
implicated with Stegler in the con
spiracy, were today sentenced to serve
ten months each. The case against
Mrs. Stegler has been dropped, anc
her attempt to connect Capt. Boy-Ed
naval attache to the German embass)
at Washington, with the conspiracy it
generally regarded as an attempt tc
gain sympathy for her husband anc
discredit the German official.
The federal officials who have in
vestigated the conspiracy, vigorouslj
assert that the German embassy is
in no way connected with the at
tempted, violation of the neutralitj
law. Three other men who had at
tempted to use false passports tc
reach Norway were also sentenced to
day and were given indeterminate
sentences ranging from six months tc
three years.
EDITOR WULFF IS
COMING ON EVANS
—
■;
SEATTLE, March 20.—C. G. Wulffjj
editor of Valdez Prospector, arrived
from New York last night accompanl
ied by his son Henry, and joined Mrs.
VVulff and their two daughters hc.-e.
The family will leave for Valdez oh
the rteamr Admiral Evans sailing
March 25.
Mrs. John Wiles, of Ellamar, who
was brought to Valdez on the launch
Elvira yesterday, suffering from a
complication of diseases, was taken
to the Valdez hospital and operated
upon this morning. Dr. Dalton re
ports the patient as doing nicely.
It is reported from Dawson that the
Guggenheim Yukon Gold company will
acquire the Treadwell concessions
there. The latter company are known
to be in financial difficulties, labor
liens and other indebtedness remain
ing unsettled to the extent of $100,
000.