Richmond times-dispatch. [volume], February 27, 1915, Image 1

About Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current

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WANT AD. PUBLICITY
1'utN your <jQent for a altuatlon
on a atrtctty bunlnraa baatn rvhen
you adrertlae la
THE TIMES-DISPATCH
TO HELP BUSINESS
HfllfTr In yourarlf, your coun
try, Slnte anil city?and tta la- ?
atltiitton*?and aay ao.
THE TIMES-DISPATCH
05th YEAR
VOI.UME Cft
n r.>1111:11 r.s
RICHMOND. VA., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1915 TEN PAGES
WKATHKIl
l'ACiio a
CLOUDY
PRICE 2 CENTS
CHARGES PADDING
OF CITY'S PAY ROLL
Board Suspends Clay Drewry
for Alleged Gross Irregu
larities.
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACT
Head of Hands and Carts Force
Said to Have Collected Pay
of Discharged Men.
Clay Drewcry, manager of the First
District of the cltv hands and
earls forco, nml for many years a. j
trusted member of tlic Inspection divl- |
hlon of the Engineering Department, j
wan summarily suspended .from service
yesterday by the Administrative Hoard, ,
following an inquisition which dc- I
veloped evidence tending to show that
lie has been guilty of gross irregularl- |
lies In connection with the making up j
of his pay rolls.
Specifically, t lie charge wan made
that Drewry kept two men. II. I). Tate
and Richard West, on the city's hands
and carts foree pay roll for the fort
night ending February 17. although
neither of the men had worked, and
were not entitled to pay. Further
more, It was charged, Drewry told First !
Assistant ?'lty ICnirineer I'. I'. Talia
ferro that he had paid Tate the $29.25
due him and mailed a similar amount
to West, but that lie actually did
neither, keeping the money himself. I
lithkc;riiAitrrii:s iti:ki:uiti-:i?
TO I'OI.K i : l)i :i'A It't'MKNT
On the basis of these charges, at- !
tested to by a number of witnesses, the |
hoard unanimously adopted n motion
made by IClhcn C. Koikes, suspending
Drewry from the city's services, and
directing the City Ktiglneer to take
tiie matter up with the City Police De
partment and the Common wealth's At
torney. for tii?- purpo>? of establish-;
tug ?h? Irregularities charged, and de
termining whether or not Drewry has
been guilty of uttering a forgery or
misdirecting any of the city funds
placed In Ins keeping.
Detective Clordon I". Smith, of the cen
tral ofllce, was a witness to the Inves
tigation. and conferred with Mr. Boil
ing at the conclusion of the hearing.
The motion of Mr. Koikes authorized
City l?ngineer Holling to call in the
services of the City Auditor and City
Accountant to aid him in checking up
Mr. Drewry's accounts.
"Jt is with great reluctance that I
have to make this motion," said Mr.
Koikes. "The matter is not a personal
one. If it were, we might make an
effort to adjust It without taking
drastic- action. Hut the city and the
public are directly concerned, and our
duty Is plain."
DETECTIVE \ I SITS IMiKWItVS
HOOM.S AT PA1 It I.HOI'.VD.S
Though no warrant had been plac< <1
in liia hands, Detective Smith visited
Mr. Drowry'u rooms at the State Fair
Grounds last night and found thorn
vacant. The detective had received in
formation, l?e said, that Mr. Drewry
left the city on tin- afternoon or night
of Thursday. It se<ms assured, so far
js the Police department knows, that
Mr. Drewry is not in town.
Detective. Smith says . that it 's
probable that lie will swear out a war
rant for Mr. Drewry's arrest. llo did
not swear to a warrant last night bc
eause of the insufficiency of direct evi
dence In the hands of the police to
connect Mr. Drewry with the crime
charged against him. The hearing by
the Administrative Hoard lasted so late
that the detective had time to visit only
on? employe out of the twenty-one who
are listed as having knowledge of the
aliened defalcations. To-day he will
ninke effort to visit all who are con
cerned.
According to section 3717 of the Vir
ginia Code, the misappropriation or
misuse of public funds is a felony,
punishable by a term of from one to
ten years In the penitentiary.
|rKI,!,?U'-W?l?l\ tl \\ < AI.I.S
ATTENTION TO DISCREPANCY
Tho fact that Tate and West bad
been carried on the -ay roll for two
weeks, although neither was entitled
to pu.v, T?*as nrst brought to the atten
tion of the City Engineer's ofllce by
James Michael, a fellow workman. He
Imparted the information tot', (i. Blake
Iv, accountant and paymaster in the
City Kngineer's otiicc, on Tuesday.
Blakely reporteil at once to Mr.
Taliaferro, who is the operating head
of the hands and carts forco. Within
a few minutes City Engineer Moiling
was informed of the alleged irregu
larity, and he nt once began nn inves
tigation. Mr. Dolling told the board
yesterday that he saw Drewry on Wed
nesday, and asked hint for an explana
tion. Drewry. he said, admitted that
he had made an error in keeping tho
two men on the pay roll, and that ho
was ready and willing to correct It.
PNAIILE TO I.OCATE DltEWHY
AFTER TWO-DAY .SKA It (11
At Mr. Boiling's suggestion, Drewry
agreed to report with him Thursday
morning at the City Mali for tho pur
pose of making a full explanation to
the Administrative Moard. Mr. Moiling
told the board of efforts on tho part
of himself and Ills assistants to locate
Drewry all day Thursday and yester
day, without success. Inquiry as to
his whereabouts among relatives met
with the reply that they had not seen
him since Thursday, and did not know
where he was.
The investigation and subsequent
summary action stirred ofllcial circles
as no development lias in recent years.
It has been the: oft-repeated boast of
tho city that tho municipal govern
ment was absolutely free frcyn the
faintest suspicion of misdoing. The
apparent discovery of a deliberate pad
ding of a municipal pay roll almost
within the shadow of tho City Hail
rudely dispelled this fair Illusion.
DRKAVRY'S Kit 110 NHS EXPRESS
THE GREATEST SURPRISE
Krionds of Mr. Drewry expressod
tho deepest surprise yesterday at tho
developments of the investigation.
Among his stanchest friends aro hlgh\
(Continued on Socond Tag:o.)
Persuaded Husband
to Bare Passport Plot
(Copyright !i>" L'fulorwHKl (t l"n?lrr? ooil.)
MRS. RICHARD I'. STKUL.KR.
It loll II rd l?. Stealer, n (irrmnn re
nrrvlnt, prompted liy bin patriotic
A mrrlra n k I rl - li rUli", toltl nil he knimw
of what urcniH to hp ii tciKnntlc cou
xplrni'} for nrmllni; to IOnKlnml
l?y mrnn* of fnlnr American pnNnporiH.
' DoninirritH found In tin* poNnrftnion of
, Strnlrr by Sfrrrt Srr\lce turn bear
flic xl^nntur<-of ( aptniii K. Iloy-Ktl, the
tinxnl aftnrhc of Ihr (irrmnn rmliami]
nt \Vn?h liiKton. The plea of bin hriilr,
' SlfRU-r nn}M. ludiirnl I:ilit to repudiate
Ihr tank net for lilm liy an attache
of llir (irrmnn rmlinnMy In thin coun
try.
STEGLER'S WIFE BLAMED
: FOR HUSBAND'S ARREST
Anonymous Letter to He Compared
With Notes Alleged to Huve Heeti '
Written l>y Captain Hoy-Kd.
ATTACHE OF (JKIOIAX KMHASSV
.Man I'nder Arrest oil Charge of
1 Fraudulently Obtaining American
I'assport Hepcats Declaration of
Attempts to Got Him to Act as Spy.
!
NEW YOFtK. February 20.? Charles
; it. Griffiths, attorney for Ttlchard P. ,
Stegler. the (ierman naval reservist, ar
I resto<l here on Wednesday on a charge
of fraudulently obtaining an American
passport, announced to-night thai he
would deliver to the Federal authori
ties to-morrow an anonymous type
written letter received by Mrs. Stegler, ?
j which would he compared with letters
alleged to havrt been written to Stealer
l?y Captain K. Boy-Ed. naval attache
of the German embassy at Washington.
Stealer, according to Mr. Griffiths, lias
told the Federal authorities that Cap- j
! tain Boy-Ed wanted hlni to go to E2ng- j
land as a spy.
I The letter, which Captain Boy-Ed to- i
? day denied knowing anything about, j
i read:
| "Reading to-day's New York Ameri- !
' can, allow mo to t*-l 1 you that it was j
i your fault that your husband has been j
arrested, and will have to go to jail j
j for many years, and will he always i
: looked at as a scoundrel. Accept the f
j advice to keep your mouth shut, and do :
j not open it before you at first consult ?
a lawyer. Besides, you put your coun- j
| try in a bad position, because your case !
I will only increase the ill-feeling of |
the Germans against the Americans, j
and you know that a war with the
1 Germans would be tlie greatest dis- i
; aster for the Americans."
I ltKSKMIll,!-: I.KTTKHS
HKCE1VKII FHOM HOY-KD
Grifllths said that both Mrs. Stegler
i and Stogler himself had declared cer- ,
j tain characteristics of the typewriter j
ami other peculiarities resembled the
! letters Stegler. It is alleged, had re- i
j reived from Captain Boy-Ed, now in '
; the possession of the United States j
j district attorney.
"Tills thing is too ridiculous to I
I answer," Captain Boy-Ed said. "All j
the letters that have pone out of this ,
office have, been addressed by my |
stenographer, and 1 suppose there must j
bo thousands of typewriters like the i
one she uses."
Captain Hoy-Ed strongly reiterated ,
his denial that he had had anything to |
do with Stealer, other than to try to j
help him get a position.
Stegler repeated to-day Griffiths said,
1 his declaration that Captain Boy-Ed
hail wanted him to go to England as
| a spy. As told by the attorney, Steg
i ler was informed by the naval attache
i that the British admiralty was fitting
i out merchantmen which were to be
? sent, disguised as German boats, to the
j mouths of the Elbe and Weser Hi vers
, and sunk to blockade Gorman ports,
j "T was to get all the Information I
I could about tills," Stegler was quoted
| by'Griffiths as saying. "I also was to
watch all shipping movements in the
Mersey. I was to try to locate the
strength of the English fleet supposed
to be In St. George's Channel. I then
was to go to the German border, where
I was to meet German officers and give
them a secret password. I was to go
<Continued on Third Cage.)
ASHKVII.I.K, Or TilK SKY,"
and other Western North Carolina resorts
particularly' Inviting In early npiinK- Varied
outdoor Hporta. Kxtromoly low farca. Kx
ceUcni 3ervlci:. Southern Hallway. Apply
i Mi Kut Main Street.
PREPARING REPLIES1
TO U.S. PROPOSALS
Encouraging Reports Received
Concerning Attitude Both of
Great Britain and Germany.
ALL EYES NOW ON LONDON
England's Allies Reported in Ab
solute Accord as to Reprisals
to Be Made on Enemy.
WASHINGTON. February 26.? En
couraging reports from both Ambas
sador Paifc at London and Ambassador
Gerard at Berlin were received to-day
concerning the attitude of Great Brit
ain ami Germany toward the latest
American proposals for the safeguard
ing of neutral commerce, and the un
restricted shipment of foodstuffs to the
civilian population of belligerent coun
tries. The United States does not ex
pect complete replies for several days.
Germany's willingness to make con
cessions and negotiate for an under
standinK on the submarine, food and
mine questions already has been made
known Informally, and the United
.States expects a formal acquiescence in
a day or two. All eyes now are turned
on London, where opinion is understood
to be divided on the merits of the sug
gestions. Some leading British Cabi
net members are said to favor in prin
ciple the American proposals as a
means of solving the problem with as
little inconvenience to neutral coun
tries as possible. Another element,
however, is said to 1-e impressed by the
military value of i'urther restricting
supplies to Germany
OFFICIALS Hlp TIC EA T
ON" l\ S. I'HOt'OS A I.S
The exact nature of the American
proposals is still unknown, because of
th?? rigid reticence of otficials here and
abroad, but each day adds information
on the subject. Briefly, this much of
11??- contents of the American sugges
tions now has been confirmed:
The United States has asked that the
previous rules of international law.
with respect to the shipment by neu
trals of conditional contraband des
tined to the civilian population, and
not the belligerent forces of an enemy,
remain unaltered.
A system is suggested whereby proof
can he furnished that the supplies will
be used by the civilian population.
The removal of all floating mines by
Germany and Great Britain is proposed,
except mines used for protection of
coast defenses and harbors, pilots to
be furnli<Tl'ft<l to guide neutral ships
through fields r?main.
Attention is called to Germany's
promise that if foodstuffs are nft de
tained when destined to hir civilian
population, the submarine warfare 011
merchant ships will be abandoned.
liO XOT DUlOt.1, OX (iKIIMAN
St 11MAUIXK ATTACKS
Tlie American proposals do not. dwell 1
011 German submarine attacks on
enemy merchant ships, as the position I
of the United States, it is understood. \
would not permit interference in this
mode of warfare, except where the lives !
of neutrals are endangered. Officials, j
however, assume that the promises !
made by Germany of an intention to j
abandon such warfare on merchant ves
sels anil confine operations to those !
enemy vessels carrying troops and mu- j
nitions of, war, would be fulfilled if !
foodstuffs were to be given unrestricted i
passage to Germany.
The destruction of the American I
steamers Carib and Evelyn continued |
to be talked about in official quarters.
The hope of the American government
is that dangers from mines will be j
eliminated by an acceptance of some, at j
least, of the American proposals.
IX ABSOl.t TK ACCOIIU AS
TO ItKI'ItlSAliS t).\ K.VHMY j
I.ONDON, February 26 (7:40 P. M.).?
France, Jtussia, England. Serbia and
Kelgiuni are said by I-Jnglish ofllclals
to be in absolute accord ns to reprisals
to be made on Germany, Austria atnd
Turkey in retaliation for the German
submarine campaign. England was in
conference with her allies concerning
reprisals before the receipt of the last
American note making informal repre
sentations looking to the discontinu
ance of submarine activities, and to
the admission of food to Germany for
her civil population.
Willie it can be authoritatively stated
that the nature of the reprisals has not
been agreed upon absolutely as yet,
England and her allies have decided
upon the main points, which probably
will be announced on Monday by Pre
mier Asquith"ln a statement for the
press. Simultaneously, the position of
all the opponents of Germany toward
neutral countries whoso trade is so
vitally affected by the present naval
methods, will bo submitted t< the neu
tral governments.
I HKKHAIN KIIOM PUIH.ICI.Y
DISCUSSING TKIIMS
\ ?*
| American Ambassador Pago and tlitf
! P.ritish Foreign Oflice have refrained
from publicly discussing the terms of
the American note, but the Foreign Of
fice has intimated that tlie probable
statement of Premier Asqulth on Mon
day will not be a direct answer to the
American note, hut a lopg-promised
elucidation of the Intimation made by
Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, and the other Cab
inet members, that reprisals against
Germany doubtless would be necessary.
| There is every reason to believe that
England fully intends to make all
foodstuffs for Germany absolute con
traband, thus cutting off the movement
of ships to German ports and making
export trade by sea impossible.
Great interest is being shown by the
nritlsh press and the* public in the
probable treatment of cotton under the
new system of reprisals. The belief
seems to be general that both cotton
and food will become absolute con
traband. Rritlsh officials are now per
suaded', they state, that several ships,
which at first were reported as having
been destroyed by mines, were the vic
tims of submarines.
Motor Cars Filled With Soldiers j
Hurrying Through
Belgium.
ALLIES READY FOR ATTACK
Display No Uneasiness, and Be
lieve They Can Repel Any
New Assault.
IjOXDOX, February 2S (10:30 P. M ).
?Continued progress which the French
claim to he making In the Ohampagne
distric t nnd the pressure which the al
lies. without attempting any great of
fensive. arc declared to be bringing "to
bear on the German line in the west,
have, mccriiing to news received from
Holland, Induced the Germans to make
another <-;fcrt in the west before the
allied forces r^ach their maximum
sti'-ngth.
By day and by night, Dutch news
papers say. big motor cars loaded with
German soldiers are hurrying through
Belgium to, the west, and troops sent
to Northern. Belgium are Koing hack
to the trench'4's.' The fact that some
of the troops now passing through
Belgium come from the eastern fron
tier. suggests to military observers
that the Germans have decided they
can bold tiie Russians while the Ger
i mans are carrying out their new ofTen
! Hive in the west.
The silence of the German general
staff, which to-day simply said there
had been no change on either front, is
taken in_ London as confirmation that
some big move is under way. It is
declared the allies are displaying no
uneasiness. They believe- the softness
of the ground must hamper the Ger
mans. and believe that, although all
the new troops of the allies are not
ready, they can repel any new attack.
POSITION'S OK A I.I.IKS
IV WEST IMPROVED
During the last couple of days the
British have improved their positions
I in the region of La Bassee, while the
French report further progress In the
vicinity of Perthes and in the Argonne,
and repeated destruction by their ar
tillery of German guns and trenches.
Jn the east a big battle along the
Russian fortress line, which follows
rivers almost the whole way from the
Baltic to the Carpathians, is still un
decided.
The eanie Is true also of the battles
| in the Carpathians and In Bukowlna.
I Petrograd dispatches, however, claim
that the Russians are more than hold
ing their own in North and Central
Poland, and that In the Carpathians
they are making su^h a steady advance
; that, not only the Hungarian, but the
Austrian armies fighting In Bukowlna
| are threatened.
No further news hRs reached I^ondon
of the bombardment of the Dardanelles
1 forts by the allied fleet, but it Ik be
lieved here the warships will continue
I their attacks until the strait is forced.
The outer fortifications having been
destroyed, the entrance to the watcr
I way is being cleared of mines, pre
paratory to an attack on the inner
for^s. One effort of the preliminary
success of the allies in the Dardanelles
j was a drop in the price of wheat, which
| went down several points on the Liver
pool exchange.
I'MOX OF SOUTH AFRICA
FOHCKS ON OFFKNSIVK i
A Eerious Invasion of German South- ;
west Africa by the Union of South
Africa forces is now under way.
Troops which landed In Walflsh and
Duderit* Bay are advancing along the
railways from those ports to the main
line, which runs north and south
through virtually the whole length of
the colony, while another force is con
centrating in Northern Cape Colony to
advance from the south.
General Botha is leading the forces
which advanced from Walflsh Hay. and
is directing their operations. In a
speech to his troops. General Botha
said the campaign would continuo
until the German colony was con
quered, and he assured them also that
the rebellion in the Union was being
quelled. He said his troops would be
Joined by strong reinforcements, which
would snake their succcss certain.
NEW fmAL DENiED BECKER
Supreme Court llrfuum .Motion on He
half of Hoftrnthnl'n Slayer.
NBW YORK, February 26.?Charles
Becker's application for a new trial on
the Indictment charging him with the
murder of Herman Rosenthal, was de
nied to-day by the Supreme Court.
ir? denying Becker a third trial, Jus
tice Weeks limited himself to two
words, "motion denied," which he
wrote across the face of the applica
tion.
Denial of tho motion was entered
when John B. Johnston, of Becker's
counsel, filed his personal aflldavit
denying certain charge? set forth In
tho affidavit and subsequent testimony
of Jaincs Marshall, witness for the
Stale at Bccker's second trial. These
charges, Mr. Johnston said, reflected on
liiin.
SPEAKER WOOTEnIdYING
Considered Slljhtfnt Sort of Chance for
Pnttcnt to Hally.
[Special to The Tlmea-Dlepatch.]
RAL.I21QH, N'. C.. February 26.?
Speaker Kmmett R. Wooten, of the
House of Representatives, has beon
sinking steadily at Rex Hospital since
about noon tcT-day, when he had a
chill anfl other alarming symptoms ap
peared. Dr. Parrott, of Klnston, his
family physician; arrived at midnight
and went Into consultation with Dr.
IT. A. Royster, with a probability that,
as ft laat chance to save the life of
the Speaker, tho wound will be re
opened.
There, is considered tho very slight
est sort of chance for the patient to
rally. Indeed, ho may not survive until
mornlntr.
FOUR FORTS ENTIRELY
DESTROYED BY ALLIES
^
Chamber of Commerce Secretary Dead
R.h.Dixrdop
SUDDENLY IN RALEIGH
Secretary of IMrlmioncl Chamber of
Commerce Passes Away at
Sister's Home.
\VIJ)F. FAMILY CONNECTION'
Had Ilecn Ofllclal of Commercial Or
ganization for Twenty-Six Years j
and Active in Kvery Movement for ;
City's Welfare.
I Richard A. Dunlop, for the past
twenty-six years secretary of the Rich-!
1 monil' Chamber of Commerce, and!
I i
widely known in business circles
1 i
| throughout Virginia, died yesterday at ;
| 1 o'clock, after a brief illness, while
I visiting his sister, Mrs. Julian K. Ingle. >
I of Raleigh, N\ C. The remains are
expected to reach here on n Seaboard
Air Line train at 8 o'clock this morn
ing. |
The body will he met at Main Street
Station by the following committee
from the Chamber of Commerce: Wil-!
liam T. Reed, 'president; Coleman
Wortham, second vice-president; 15. S.
Goodman, traffic manager; T. M. -Car-1
rlngton. T. Peyton Giles, \V. T. Dabney,
Arthur M. Cannon and John A. Morton.
The message announcing the death of
Mr. Dunlop was received by his rela
I tlves here at 1:30 o'clock yesterday
| afternoon. Ills relatives wore prepar
j I tig to go to his bedside in response
I to a message received during the
; morning when the telegram wan re
ceived announcing IiIh (Kat)i.
WKNT TO ItAI.KKiH
TO VISIT HIS SISTKIl
Mr. Dunlop went to Kalelgh on last
I Sunday, expecting to spend several
days there on a visit to his sister. On
last Monday he had an attack of
grippe, but Improved for a day or
two. and it was not until Thursday that
his condition was regarded as serious.
Yesterday morning it was seen that the
end was near, and relatives here were
telegraphed to come at oncc to his
bedside.
Mr. Dunlop . was born in Richmond
on January 4. lSf>0. lie was the son
of James D. Dunlop, who was a lead
ing business man In his time. Ills
mother was Anna Dent McRae, daugh
ter of Alexander MeRae, a prominent
lawyer . of that period, who, while
Lieutenant-Governor, was selected by
President Thomas Jefferson to assist
In the prosecution of Aaron llurr.
Mr. Dunlop received his primary edu
cation In McGuire's School, of Rich
mond, and later attended the Univer
sity of Virginia. After a term at the
university, he was ussoclated In busi
ness with his father in the flour mills
of Dunlop, Moncure &. Co., and later
becamo a member of the firm of Dunlop
& McCnnce. For sevoral years he
served {is vice-president of tho Cham
ber of Commerce, and on August S.
1SS3. lie was elected secretary of that
organization. F*or twenty-six consecu
tive years he was re-elected to tho
position annually. Ills duties were
porformed with a y.enl, fidelity and
ability rarely oquuled.
ACT1VK IN MOVKMKNTN
KOIl OF CITY
All of his enorgies were exerted for
the wolfaro of his city and State. He
took a prominent part in the proceed
ing when Manchester was annexed to
tho city, aftd was instrumental in se
curing moro adequate passenger facill
(Contlnued on Hocond Pago.)
council it mora
TO TERMINATE FilHISE
City Attorney Pollard Gives Impor
tant Opinion on Street far
Question.
COl'NTY FHAXCIIISKS OlISOLKTK
Opinion Holds City .Jointly Liable
With Car Company for Damages
Where Tracks Are Allowed to He
main Out of Repair.
In an opinion which has just been
transmitted to Councilman W. E. Sul
livan, of Jefferson Ward, City Attor
ney Pollard holds that the City Coun
j ell is not authorized under the char
ter to terminate by mutual consent an
existing contract between the city and
the street railway companies.
Mr. Sullivan applied to Mr. Pollard
on February in for his opinion as to
j rights of the city and the street rail
way company with reference lo sev
| eral matters that have in recent days
been the. subject of much discussion
and controversy. Anions the questions
I Upon which be asked for :in expres
sion from the City Attorney was the
; Council's right to terminate existing
! contracts between the street railway
| company and the city.
! !>oi ut itiiitrr ok citv
to TKinn\ \ti:" Kit iNcmsr
i
In tin- camp that has openly shown
Its hostility to the pending appllca
' tlon of the Virginia liailway and I'ower
( Coinpnny for a new blanket franchise.
Mr. Pollard's answer to this question
, was regarded yesterday as throwing
'serious doubt upon the riuht of the
i city to terminate the existing franchises
under which the company is operating
in the city, and to grant In their place
| an entirely new blanket franchise,
i The Council, it was pointed out by
j these, can exercise only such powers
' as are delegated to It by the charter,
i In the absence of any conferred power
' to terminate contracts between the
street car company and the city, even
by mutual consent, it appeared rea
sonably clear to them that there was
a serious possibility of tbe whole
I blanket franchise movement falling
: through, since the Council might be
> powerless to terminate the old fran
| chlaos, which would have to remain
Into effect until they expired.
MIST MAIilO 1'lt<>VISIOX KOtt
tO\TIM'K.l> SKItVICK.
Such a view, however, was seriously
questioned by competent legal authori
ties, who admitted, however, that
whole matter was far less simple, than
it appeared. These took the City At
torney's opinion to mean that the Coun
cil would have no power, by mutual
consent, to terminate the present fran
chises absolutely; that is, to cut olY
the city's street car service without
ample provision for its continuance
under another Instrument. \
While It was admitted by these, au
j thorltles that the Council has n<> pAwer
to terminate any of the present fran
chise contracts, between the city and
the company, It has ample authority,
they held, to execute. In the manner
provided by law, a new franchise con
tract which by its very provisions
(Continued on Second Page.)
PANAMA KXPOSITIONS NOW OPKN.
Snn I'ruiielsco-Sun lllriu.
Tlio Choaatirnke and Ohio Hallway off^r*
very low rales. Many variable routes. For
full Information write J no. 1>. l'ottn. <?. P. a.
Itlclimond, Va.
FLEET CONTINUES
SHORTER RANGE
Mine-Dragging in Strait Is
Effected Under Protec
tion of Battleships.
TURKEY REPORTS THREE
OF WARSHIPS DAMAGED
No Mention of Losses Made
Either in London or Paris
Announcement.
MOVKMKXT OF IMPORTANCE
Possession of the Dardanelles Will
Open Way to Constanti
nople.
Germans and Russians
Continue Heavy Fighting
TICK Crminnn nnd ltunnlanil con
tinue their heavy IlKlitlDR- In '
vnrlouH parts nf .Vortli 1'olnnd.
Snneuinnry riiK>ix<''npiil<< hnvc tnken
place nlonK' the Xlcmfn, nenr Sven
toyiuiNk, nnd nortli of (irodno, nnd
nlno In (lie reclon of I'rznnnynz.
The henvy lirrmnn HlfRo artillery*
Iiiim opened n bombardment on thf
ItiiM*iiui (nrlrrNM of OKNnnrti,
Petronrnd clniniN nn Important
niicccmm tn the region of I'rznnnyiiz,
where the CcrmnnH chronicled it
vletnry for theiti.nelveM n tiny or no
nuro. nnd the capture of Nome 10,000
prlnoncrN. The ItiiNxlan \\ nr Dffloe
hxivm the (iermniiM In thin vicinity"
Imvf lieen forced to retreat over n
twenty-flve-mlle front, vrlth heavy
Ioknch III killed, TTouniled or prlnua
ern. The MiiNitovlten nlnn claim the
onptitre of ninny
In the went ndvnncen anil the
taking of trenchcM In the Cham
pagne nnd the capture of Important
portion* of the tiermnn linen far
ther tire claimed hy the
l-'reneh. Artillery eiignKcracntM
have been In proKrcN* along the
M'liolc line.
Having Hllciicrd the fortn at the
entrance to the Dnrduiiellen, the al
lied fleet In covering the work of
mine .sweeperN in the chiuinel, pre
parntory to attempting further
progrenn along the narrow nntrr
ivny lending to the Sea of Marniora.
| PA IMS, February 26 if.:.-.7 P. M.).?
| An official communication Issued by the
! French Minister of Marine to-day says:
"The bombardment of the forts at
i tin* entrance to the Dardanelles was
| resumed from a great distance to-day
j at S A. M. Tills was followed by a
i bombardment at shorter range. Four
| forts were completely destroyed. One
| of them was entirely fortified by the
! (acrmans.
| "Mine-dragging in the strait is be
! Ing etTeeted under tho protection of
I the armored and other cruisers of the
combined Meet."
VIOI.KM IIOMIlAltDMKNT
TIlHtH.'OlJOUT DAY
I PA IMP, February 20 (5:55 P. M.).?
The Athens correspondent of the Havaq
Agency sends the following dispatch
regarding the bombardment of the
forts of the Dardanelles by the
French and Mrttlsh fleets:
j "News received from the Island of
Tenedos last ni.rht says the bombard
ment of the Dardanelles continued with
violence from o'clock in the. morning
until (5 in tlie evening. The tiro from
, the forts was Intense "during part of
the day, 5>ut diminished and ceased
! before nightfall.
"Forts Krthogroll, Sedd-el-Bahr and
j firhanie sintered a great deal, especially
' Sedd-el-Pahr, which was on fire, the
| (lames being seen from Tenedos. One
' of the allies' cruisers entered tho
, strait during the evening and bom
| barded the forts for an hour. It then
| withdrew safely.
i "The result of the fire of the Turkish
forts is not definitely known, but It
' appears to I stablished that none of
the allies' vessels has been serlcasly
damaged.
j THItlOlO OF Al.l.IKS' SHU'S
Itlll'OUTKU DAMAGED
CONSTAXTINOl'l.H. February 26 (via
; London, 12:3:> P. M.).?Three warships
! of the allies were damaged In the bom
bardment of the Dardanelles forts on
, February 2.">, according to announce
ments to-day at Turkish army head
quarters here. The text of the an
nouncement follows:
"Pig armored vessels on February 2&
' again bombarded the Turkish forts at
; the Dardanelles for seven and a half
j hours. At the conclusion of this opcra
, Hon. they retired In the direction of
j the Island'of Tenedos.
| "Ono ship of the Agamemnon type
j and two other armored vessels were
j damaged by the tire from the forta on
j each side of the strait."
j It was announced from London
; Thursday night that all the forts at
i the entrance of tho Dardanelles had
been reduced by a combined Pritish
and French fleet, estimated at some
thing over thirty' vessels, and an au