Richmond times-dispatch. [volume], January 02, 1918, Image 1

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

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RICHMOND, VA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1918,
Asfa the T.-D. jor It
lis Information Bureau Is at
Your Disposal
OTH YEAR 5S?
pntire Right Bank of Piave
Now Cleared of In,
vaders.
[EAVY CASUALTIES ARE
INFLICTED BY ARTILLERY
sgaining of Zenson Bridgehead
Effectively Removes Men
ace to Venice.
pXriTXK ON* NORTH I'MOXT
Mrteen Pci-mjds Killed and I'ortj
I'our Injured Wlicn Cicrrnaii
Airmen Rait! Four Cities.
[ By Associated rrr?? ]
|\ nother reverse for the Teutonic j
|?e.d arms, following that effected by'
French troopu in their initial drive!
the northern front of Italy, has been I
5u"ht about by the Italians in a '
|arp attack in the famous Zcnson
Jp. on the lower reaches of the'
lave Hirer.
iHcre tho enemy has been driven tr.
Jo eastern hank of the stream from
psitions he had held since the Ital
inj', In their retrograde movement'
t-om the I.-onro. made their stand along
He western shoro of the I'iave. Thus
tie entire right brink of the 1'iave ),ap
|?>en cleared of the invaders, ei,e,lt
jar to the north, where the battle
l.ne runs westward from ;he stream
[hrough the hill region.
The fighting for the Zenson bridge.
Iiea?l had been in progress since last
II hursday. the Italians keeping energet
ically after the fo-\ order to regain
Ithft position, which always has been
j' onsidered a menace to Venice. Heavy
[casualties were inflicted --n the enemy
Iby the artillery and rifle fire of the
? Italians before he was forced to re
|cro5.i the si rear)
On the northern :ront she infantry
?Again Idle inr :!<e moment, but the
JJUns Of l>OI ll Side;-; 3 r-f. |<erpjfi~ up
'intensive duels on various r.-ctor?. par
ticularly a round Monte Tomba ,.nd on
the Asiago plateau. I he enemy is con
tinuing hir. air raids over important
towns on the plain, his latest attack
having been directed against Vicenza,
Ita^Hano. Cuutelfranco. and Treviso.
'ihirteen persons were killed and forty
four others wounded, the majority of
them civilians. Only small materia!
damage resulted from the new raid-.
? ;i:rm\ys n.At.v i,ai\s
m niowv I'liivrn'j.MijM
likewise, the operations on the fronts
:tt I* ranee and Belgium are being con
:';:ted almost exclusively v;0 bombard
ments, although the I'icmun War Of
fice claims a further gain of ground by
the army of Crown Prince ltupprecht
of Bavaria over the British south of
Marcolng. in the Cambrai sector.
Ther? arc persistent reports that
heavy fighting ig in progress between
Kaled inen's Cossacks and Bolshevik
l oops ;n Southwestern Russia, and
that the casualties liave. been heavy.
N'o details of an authentic nature ha\o
yet come through, but tiie reports say
''jo Rolsheviki have been defeated on
'1 ? southwestern front, with numerous
? ?.-yes of men and guns, but that they
uive occupied the important town of
' 'oltava.
?%?till further progress has been made
the British troops operating against
Turks in Palestine, north of Jeru
em. The Turk.-', in the lighting of
last several days, have lost more
'ban l.-OO rich killed and 7.*? 0 made
prisoner.
NO ??flit; IJRIVK'* ASt'lXT.o
SKE.N OX WlJSTKIt.V 1'ltOXT
LONDON', January 1.?Brisk fighting,
ihough of more or less local character,
ushered in the new year, both on the
western and the Italian fronts. The
German guns displayed considerable
activity against the French anil ,Brit
i^h lines, and there was a series oJ
^Rconnoj taring encounters, foreshadow
ing infantry attacks on a larger scale
:hat may be under way before the night
is over.
Generally, however, the situation in
the west had no "big drive" aspects.
On the Italian mountain front, in
the sector of Monte Tomba. the Teu
tons were making frantic preparations
to hit back at the Frcnch in "punish
ment" for the surprise blow tunnelled
b> I- ranee s "IJainbow Divisions" at
dawn yesterday. General Miehelcr's
forces were undisturbed by those pros
pects of a Teuton counteroftensive, and
rather welcomed a test with "Fritz."
y he main Italian line is reported firm
everywhere, with local progress in
vome sectors.
HATTI,E AT KlTlVlv
HAS ?Ei;\ IIUiit'MKD
t By Associated Press.)
I'h'l ROCllAD, Monday, December 31.
--The battle, between the Kaledines
i ossacks and Bolshevik troops has been
icsumed at Kursk, midway between
Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. It is re
ported that there have been heavy
casualties in the three days' lighting.
The Bolsheviki are reported to have
occupied Poltava, the scene of the his
toric battle between Peter the Great
and Charles of Sweden.
There is a famine in the government
of Moscow.
AVSKK.XTIUKI? is lodokii
IX IIL'MSIAX I'll I.SOX
iny Ataoclatcd I'rMf.)
f'l'l KOGUAD, Monday, December
III.?&f. Avtikentieff, former president
/?t the Council of the Republic, has
hr.en arrested and taken to the St.
Peter and St. Paul fortress.
American Poles
Arrive in France
Troops Rccruilcd and Trained
Here Given Ovation by
Populace.
(By Associated Pr?s:i.]
WASHINGTON". January 1.?The first
contingent of Polish troops rccruilcd
in America for service with the allies
has landed safely in France, it was
announced to-night by Colonel James
Martin, of the Frfench military mission.
Tho unit, composed entirely of men
graduated from tho Polish training
camp at Niagara, N. V., will be at
tached to the Polish force now lighting
on the west front. For military rea
sons. tho number of men in the con
tingent was withheld.
The forces were welcomed by the
i military and civil authorities and were
given an ovation by the populace who
witnessed the debarkation, a. cording
to the announcement cabled by Gen
eral Archinaid, of the French army.
AMKRIC A .\-si :un IA .\s
It KAII V TO K.M BA RK
(H ? Ataoclalcd Prtt* 1
AN* ATLANTI'J I'OIIT, January 1.?
Three hundred Serbians. who left
American farms and factories to form
! an American-Serbian detachment to
tight against the Austro-Germans in
the Balkans, arrived here to-day from
Chicago on their way to Kurope. The
men. who were in uniform, were tcn
I dercd a reception by the Bed Cross.
An American flag, comfort kits, woolen
xocka and sweaters were presented to
each of the Serbians.
WIFE STRANGLES TO DEATH
I>r. Hurry II. lieirU, I.oolivlllr Phynl
t'lnn, Arrested on (;harce of
Mnrder.
IBv Aa-orlated Pre?? 1
LOI'ISVILLK. KV? January 1.?T>r.
Harry H. Lewis. a well-known Louis
ville physician, was firreyted here late
to-day. charged with tlie murder of
hla wife, who was found strangled to
death in her home, according to the
finding of the a?*ting coroner.
The woman's body, kneeling on the
floor, with her arms aToss a couch,
was found by Dr. Edwin T. Bruce,
a physician. He told the police he
had been called to the home by a
neighbor, who told him she had been
informerl by Dr. Lewis that his vtfo
was dead. The room was in a die
orderly slate, and Dr. Lewis was un
able to give a coherent account of what
had happened. Dr. Brife declared, lie
t immediately called "William Kammcrcr.
acting coroner, wiio ordcrtd Dr. Lcwta
, tinde.* arrest.
CAMP STUART THREATENED
Pulse Alarm Drrnvi I'lre 4'ompatilcn
\way Before ninre Marts In
\rtrro .Settlement.
Bv Appelated Pr?:> ]
XUWpnitT XKWS, VA., January
Fire which to-night destroyed three
negro dwellings near ".'amp Stuart
threatened tho camp for t-^o hours* or
more. There wcr<! thousands of sol
diers quartered in the ramp. The
alarms were turned in through the
camp telephone exchange, which led
to the belief that the. camp was burn
ing.
A false alarm called a second fire
company two niles from the camp a
few minutes he. jrc a second alarm wa?=
sent in from the camp as a precaution
ary measure. Business houses and
firms near the water front to-day were
warned by Department of Justice
agents to keep a careful watch for in
cendiarie.-.
DENMAN IN WASHINGTON
Will Tentlfy Before Senate Committee
Investigating Shipbuilding
Program.
f Rv Associated Tress ]
WASHINGTON', January 1.?William
Den man. of San Francisco, whose resig
nation as chairman of the Shipping
Board was accepted with that of Major
Cieneral Goethals as general manager
of the Emergency Fleet Corporation
when President Wilson settled the first
Shipping Board row, arrived in Wash
ington to-day to seek a hearing be
fore the Senate Commerce Committee j
investigating the government's ship
building program. Mr. Denman objects
to statements mad? by some of the
witnesses concerning the early activ- !
ities of the board and his controversy j
with General Goethals.
FAST MAIL SERVICE
("h ri*l maa Volume This Year Greatest
In llintory of Poat-Ofllrr
Drpartmcnl.
f Bv Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON". January 1.?Christ
mas mail this year Mas greater in
volume than any year in the history
of the postal service, and was handled,
notwithstanding: unusual conditions,
more promptly than in previous yearn.
Postmaster-General Burleson to-day
announced that complaints of delayed
mail, were not due to failures of the
postal service, hut congestion in rail
road traffic.
The loyalty and zeal of postal em
ployees was commended by the Post
master-General, who says the postal
service to-day is more efficient than
at any time in its history.
CALLS ON TEXAS RANGERS
Ailjulant-General Send* Klfihty Men to
Alpine to Snppreas I'ropoard
Raid.
[B?' Associated Pre.*-*--.!
AUSTIN, TEX., January 1.?Every
available ranger of the Texas force has
been dispatched to Alpine and vicinity
by Adjutant-General Ilarley 011 re
ceipt of reports that Mexicans were,
planning ? raid over the border near
that point.
It is said that about eighty rangers
were ordered to the border. No de
tails have been received here with
rcfcrcncc to the trouble.
I
I
ACCUSED DOCTOR
FACES JURY TO DAY
Asa W. Chamberlain on Trial for;
Murder of His Brother
in Goochland.
DEFENSE SPRINGS SURPRISE
Calls State's Chief Witness, Col
ored Housekeeper, for Ac
cused Physician.
'By StafT Correspondent.)
GOOCHLAND. VA.. January 1.?The 1
stage is set for the trial of Dr. Asa W.
Chamberlain, alleged murderer of his
brother, .Judge Albert P. Chamberlain. I
whose dismembered body was found j
buried in the yard of the accused four-;
teen miles west of here late in Oeto- [
ber. Judge John Itutherfoord. who i
will preside over the special tr.rm of
Goochland Circuit Court. which opens
to-morrow morning, counsel for State
and defense, witnesses, veniremen,'
newspapermen and spectators are to-,
night, crowded into the limited room
ing accommodations of the quiet old
county seat village, whose landmarks
never until now looked upon so varied
a gathering of folks.
Beyond the fact that the defense haij
summoned Louisa Boatwriglit. colored,
housekeeper for the accused doctor at
the time of the alleged murder, and
principal witness for the State, the
rear approach of the trial has developed
no new feaiurc', Aunt Louisa stated
at the coroner's Inquest, hold imme
diately after the finding of Judge
Chamberlain's body, that her employer
had returned home later than was liisj
ru:tom on the night the murder is'
alleged to have been committed, and
that lie seemed perturbed. She said,
too. that the doctor had driven his
wagon home: that he left the wagon
standing near her accustomed path
homeward, and that when the started
to leave. for the night the doctor
seemed anxious that she not pass the
wagon. It war her impression at that
time that she had seen a dark object
beside the wagon.
STATI"S C ASK NOT SO STRONG
AS AT riflST SI pposi:ii
In view of the S'ate's contention that
Judge Chamberlain was murdered at
his home" nr.d his body hrought to hisj
brother's house, where it is contended, j
it was carved into the several pieces>
subsequently found in the yard, the
Boatwriglit woman's testimony was
considered one of the strongest ob
stacles confronting the defense. With I
the nnnounfcemeiit that she has been
called as a witness for the defense.]
however, it becomes evident that the
State's ease is probably not to strong
as wa.i first supposed.
Just how much tim-i the case will
consume cannot be forecast at this
time. To-rrorrow will lie taken tip with
the choice of the jury, lor which a
special venire of forty men has been
summoned. It is not thought that the
lirst witness will be called until Thurs
day afternoon.
SELL LINSEED CAKE
food Adininlst rat ion Will Uiapour of
Product M'Mrh Is Withheld
from Holland.
I By A.-soelated Pre;?.*. 1
WASHINGTON. January 1.?-fifty
thousand tons of linseed cake, origin
ally consigned to Holland, but held up
because the Netherlands government
refused guarantees not to permit dairy
products to go into Germany, will be
sold at the request of the consignees.
In making this announcement to
night, the food administration tsaid it
hoped to dispose of the cake for con
sumption in New York, Pennsylvania
and New England, in order that it may
not burden railroad facilities and be
cause it will furnish a large portion
of the concentrated feeds needed this
winter and spring in that part of the
country.
MILLS LOSE NO TIME
Southern Plnnts Comply With tioveru
mrut'ft Ttrquest for Pine
Timber.
(Bj- Associated Pre?.?.l
NKW ORLKANS, January 1.?Accord
ing to an announcement made to-night
by the Southern Pine Emergency Bu
reau. Southern pine mills during the
week of December 23-20 shipped 7.05b',
000 feet of ship timbers for government
use. an average ot" seventy-tliree cars
a day, including December 24 and 2\">.
when the mills were not operating.
The shipments the previous week aver
iged eighty-four cars a day. with the
mills operating six days.
The. record of the past week, accord
ing to the bureau's announcement, in- |
(Heated the mills complied with the
government's request to lose as little |
time as possible during the holidays. i
FEDERAL ORDERS
Director-General Attributes Fuel
' Famine to Congestion Rather
Than to Shortage.
CARS STALLED ON SIDINGS
Suspend Priority Orders Pend
ing President Appealing to
Congress for Aid.
v.- . ... ' n-v Assoclated Pre?? !
WAS'H.VOTO.V. .ranu a rl , _Coa, -
cover f?rWiird ?ndcr now
>l bascd on the belief
| O' *'-*enera, McAdoo that rail.
rather than actual
?lio. tage iti responsible for the fuet
famine In many districts.
I'j.on receipt of reports that hun
dred.* of loaded coal r*r<i
ldr3 wero stalled
siding* behind lonR strings o' C1r
:?;T"S :,hiPme,Ua .-refer:'
priorujTz^:: z*1'a:i cxistins
Wrro suspended bv nob.Vi^
priority directo- of till u- '/ Lovctt
In quicker movement ofU^?n tl Vma"1
i
tipliolt,- or ?riori,y ordct """ !
<="?<=>ive mi-] i
sysrKs ?ur*.r:if ,*^ I
SS^SH'
TiesI ion of whether ,i,? \ . !
should effectjvr only for the p^lod I
the var and a limited time there
after or .Should remain in force until'
sss* T
no-TPOM: MKKTtVCi Ol
C'OMJUITKK AND OFKICMM i
-2JTT'v"V" *' "? raiiroa-ls
fore ,| \ ' "'-reared to-morrow he.
the senate Interstate Commerce
< omniltteo. hut when Yvnrrl n'cr<-e
" ?rd came that
the 1>re.ulent desired to address Con
\f"S9 yri?*y- ? was announced ihat i
their^". aSk pcrm'"5ion to withhold
sta,c|nents for the prcbcnt The
j committee, instead, will hear Commit
tinner Aitclilson. of th* IntersTate
j Commerce Committee, and then prob!
m!' t."? ,P?nr hearings until
the resident a mcsnsfc has boC!1 rc.
eclvcd.
Director.rjenei-al McAdoo ,pent a[
" ' U ar''' Da-V- .'c broke rail-)
wj precedents by ordering that the
ho H ,Van ,1 r?mpany's tunnel und-r
he Hudson u.ver. heretofore restricted I
p.i^rnSrr trains, be used to hasten I
tojl and supplier into t,,r hcar(
-W ^ ork City. The orders are to l,, :
followed, even if they interfere with
Passenger schcdu!es.
I NI*. AM, r.A< II.ITIKS
1,1 .diMKVK f OXRESTIOX I
hvTlrinrC,l?n Waa c?nfidcrcfl significant
I>> r.iilroad men. not only hccaus- of
the direct results, but because it indi- 1
1 at how determined the government'
is to use all facilities to their utmost,!
!'g.irii!f.ss of previous practices, to re-'
? eve congestion and promote effieicncv
At a conference of Mr. McAdoo with
his. advisers and executives, it was de
emed to put additional *htp.,. now con
| trolled by the Shipping Hoard. Jo
r>rrv'.ce ^rrying coal fr{,m Hampton I
.Roads to New Kngland. The number
,ot ve^eis which can be spared will he
, determined to-morrow, and will be or
jdercd immediately to the service
j Hundreds of te,egrams pouring *in,0
the railroad administration told of
coal trains or individual cars appar
ent. y lost m yard confusion. These
reports, most of which were submitted
t\\ Interstate Commerce Commission
I inspectors, were referred to railway
.xecutives With instructions to clear
out the Stalled freight as fast as phys
; icully possible, and to notify the ad
uhm^.ra,ti0n the **tent of their in
! . -, to mov? certain quantities of
treight.
.MAV D1VIOK COUXTIIY
j IN,TO (IPBHATI\tl DlSTniCTS
I-arly action to divide the country
m.o operating districts, with a govern
ment supervisor over each, and pos
jh.blv a !? ederal railroad agent for each
nireetr. ,- 1)000 Stl0ns,>' "rged upon
j Director.C.eneral McAdoo, and he is
.aid to-be considering this policy
ritchel MthC teIcc:ram3 n'>lcli have
reached him in the last few davs arc
iron, persons or organizations urging
appointment of certain men to poli
tions which may be available when the I
, '-nector-general decides on the form !
! izaUon."0""'1 ?f pormanent- organ-|
How the Coveted D. C. M. Was Won,
as Told by Sergeant Arthur Empey
"The Winning of a 1J. C. M." is the title of Sergeant lOmpey's seventh story in the series
which he is writing for readers of The Times-Dispatch. It is one of the most thrilling he
has written, and will bring home to American soldiers one of the incidents they may face
when they, too, reach the field of battle in France. It is a simply fold story of the British
Tommy's cool bravery when caught in No Man's Land between the fire of guns from his own
trench and that of a Bochc raiding party, lie got. back to his own lines, but sonic of his
companions "went west" and will fight no more. Xo one can tell such a story as well as
Empey. lie has seen seventeen months' service in the trenches, and he has lived or re
ceived first-hand the war stories which now he is telling for the benefit of those to whom war
conditions are as yet unreal. This story will be printed in The Times-Dispatch on the morn
ing of Saturday, January 5. Have a copy reserved by your news dealer.
CENTRAL NORFOLK i
WIPED OUT BY FIRE
No Peace Preparations Being Made
Behind German Lines, Capital Hears
WASni.VO'lO.V. Ja nu* 1-7 I.?x?
preparation* for peace arc being
Diode behind the German liars. In
formation reached M'anhlnctna to
night indlcntln^ lieyond doubt tliat
Germany it ffverlnhly preaalng her
preparation* Cor further battle.
\ew railroad* are being built
tbruusli Belgian territory, IJvery
possible civilian hindrance to mili
tary operation* I* being removed
at uhntocr cost and loan to Bel
gium.
At the name time that thia nena
reached here, offlcinl opinion began
to incline tvwarda delegating to
Premier I'lemenceau. of France, the
funk of answering the Tenton peace
"ofTensl ve," Clcmcaceau ia above
all other nllle<( statesmen qualified
by temperament and habit of e* -
prenalon to return the Tentona a
burning answer. It was believed
here that audi nn ananer Tvaa more
needed at thia time than oae that
would he conciliatory In the slight
est degree.
Hot h Premier lJoyd George and
President Wilson, it 1* pointed out,
hare recently voiced the Kcntlmc.ata
of their respective ???nntrlea to
unrda the nnr. It Is not believed
that France'a apokesman for the al
lies -will abandon the grnuad they
have taken. nut he Is expected to
include in his remarks an answer to
the "mailed flat and shining aword"
speech of the Kaiser, as well an to
the peace terms of Count Czernin.
While it is generally admitted
that the Hussion situation la lost
beyond redemption, there eiista
some hope here that a properly
attuned speech from Premier Cle
mepcean, pointing ont the deter
mination of the world'* democracies
to light until kaiaerlsm Is over
thrown may have nome effect on
Austria, long aiace reported over
SHtlafled with war.
This determination, with the re
ceipt of the news about the ac
tivity behind the German linen, ia
taken to indicate that the nliica
bnve foregone deflnitely any hope of
peace before a final conclusion at
arms is reached on the western
front. Germany, it ia confidently
expected.' will continue her peace
"ofTeaslve'' In a manner calculated
to destroy allied morale. The reply
>of Clemeuceau is counted upoa to
meet thia sort of drive.
Meanwhile the German prepara
tions for battle will he presaed and
by late in February or early March,
about the tlnae of the first Ycrdun
offensive, it I* expected that the
"great amash" of the German* will
be launched on the went front.
WILL OPERATE NEW YORK
CITY ON WAR BASIS
New Mayor Declares Economy Pol
icy Will Prevail iu All Govern
ment. Departments.
NO ADVANCES IX SALARIES
i
Frederick A. Buglier Chosen as Po
lice Commissioner, Hurlbcrt in
Charge of Docks and Ferries and
Color Will IjooIi After Charities.
fRy Associated Prers.]
I NEW YORK, January 1.?John F.
1 lly!an was inaugurated Mayor of New
! York to-day. succccding John Purroy
I Mltchol.
Mayor Wylan kept the secret of his
more important appointments literally
until the eleventh hour, and thojo ho
named wore ipnorant of his intentions
until called into conference just before
the Mayor lv;Fran hl3 address;
Captain Frederick A. Bughcr, who
r-ucceeds Arthur Wood, as commission
er c?f police, is a. nephew of Admiral
Dewey's widow, llo was a captain of
N'ew York volunteers in the Spanish
War, and was wounded at El Caney.
I^ater he served in the Philippines.
In a statement after his appoint
ment, Commissioner IJugher declared
there would be no relaxation in the
police vigilance which has kept New
1 York a "closed" city for four years.
' Hird S. Coler, once Democratic can
i didatc for Governor, was named com
missioner of public charities. Repje
i tentative Murray Hurlbert was made
I commissioner of docks and ferries, and
will resign from Congress to accept.
! Other appointments were:
| AFIMIRS or CITY r.tSS
INTO DEMOCRATS* HANDS
; Fire commissioner, Thomas J. Pren
, nan. and city chatnbcrlain, Alfred J.
: Johnson, a banker.
With the organization of the new
administration, the' afTairs of the city
passed into the hands of the Demo
crats. Charles F. Murphy, leader of
; Tammany Hall, did not attend the in
; auguration.
The government of N'ew York City
must be placed on "a war basis," the
' new Mayor told the newly appoint*
J erl heads of departments in his
inaugural address on assuming office.
' This must be brought about b>
them, he said, through the elimi
nation of useless positions,- th?
enforcement of a policy of strict
economy, and conservation of public I
j funds m every possiblo way. There
will be, he said, no salary increases
. for city employees now receiving more
I than $1,800 a year, declaring that
"public employees must share with the
j general public the sacrifices of the
! war."
[ It is the duty of this city's admin
(t'ont inucd on Second "pageT) i
MISS WHITE TELLS OF HER
ENGAGEMENT TO DENTIST!
i
Says Johnson Told Her When He j
Came to Wife's l^uneral Boy
Friend Had Dropped Dead.
MT T j LIN G TO TESTIFY, SHK SAYS j
! Admits Having Gone With Hint
Against Her Father's Wishes,
i Johnson to llaTO Hearing in Po?
i lice Court To-Morrovr.
l^pcclal to Tho Timcs-Dlspatch.]
[ RALEIGH, N". C.. January 1.? Inter- j
j viewed for the first time since the]
death of the young wife of Pr. Lemuel
J. Johnson in Richmond 0:1 December
15. Miss Ollio "White, boyhood sweet- J
heart of the young dentist, to-day
I
bared tlic :;tory of his courtship, which, 1
t-he'says, culminated in his encajement
to her in August. 1916. Miss White
declares that she is willing to go to
Richmond and testify against the young
dentist in the preliminary hearing
Thursday.
The disappointed fiancee of Dr. John
son is more insouciant than grieved
over the charge of wife murder against
the Middlesex dentist, and declares
emphatically that the revelation of hi?
duplicity drowned all her affection for
him. She talked to-day freely about
her association with him, saying noth
ing could have so startled her as the
announcement from Richmond that he
v:as secretly married. A handsome cn
gagement ring and a beautiful cameo
brooch, among other gifts to her from
Dr. Johnson, corroborate the story of
the nineteen-year-old auburn-haired
ir.usie toaehcr.
WENT WITH HIM AGAINST
IIEll FATHER'S WISHES
She admitted that she went with him
against the wishes of her father, who
twice ordered Dr. Johnson not to pay
attention to Miss White. She last saw
him, she said to-day, Saturday after
noon before fie left Middlesex to at
tend his wife's funeral, lie told her
r.nd other friends then that he had
hern called to Richmond to attend the
funeral of a boy friend who had
dropped dead on the street?.
In a. letter Dr. Johnson wrote Miss
White's father on December i!. after ho
had been warned not to visit her, he
told the young lady's father:
"1 shall not flop going with her by
any means, for I believe nothing hut
death can ever break our friendship."
In the same letter he. wrote: "1 have
hiiown for a. long time that I was not
welcome in your home, but love is
something that cannot he quenched by
another. I have always loved and held
jour daughter In high esteem, and have
always treated her as I would have
another boy to treat my sister."
BE AND MISS WHITE TAUGHT
IN SAKE SUNDAY SCHOOI.
The youth and indifference of Miss ?
White is a prominent factor in denom
inating her love affair with the young
dentist more of a budding courtship j
than a betrothal solemnly regarded by 1
lovers slightly older. She is attractive,
if not real pretty, and is in no wise'
melancholy over the strange turn of
affairs.
Middlesex people do riot place much
credence In the report that Dr. John
son is insane. He never appeared "off"
to his associates in the little town,
where ho established a dental oflice j
after receiving his liccnso last July. |
He and Miss White, were both popular
there, and both were Sunday-school ;
teachers In the same church.
The young woman's father Ls a sub- '
r.tantinl farmer of Nash County, and
the family is an unpretentious one.
His people are regarded veil and his
father reputed to bo well-to-do. Tho
latter will leave Wilson to-morrow, in!
company with John 12. Woodward, of
(Continued-on Second Page.)
I
i
Conflagration of Incendiary
Origin Followed by Ar
rest of Suspects.
MAYOR PLACES CITY
UNDER MARTIAL LAW
Marines and Bluejackets Assist
Police and Home Guard
in Keeping Order.
SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS HEARD
Two Germans Reported to Have
Been Shot by Sailors
on Guard.
I Hy Associated Press. 1
XOIU'OLK, VA., January 1.?Three,
distinct fire.--, all within a few hours
of each other, hut located in two
?quares in the retail heart of the citir
on Oranby Street, and. to say the least,
nil of auspicious origin, to-day de
stroyed live of the largest, buildings
in the city, entailing ;i loss of fully
$'.'.000,000. A score of business estab
lishments were completely wiped out
and several badly damaged by water
and smoke.
A revised list of the casualties at
tending the fire to-night showed an
actual death roll of only one. foijr
seriously injured and nearly a bcoto
other* : lightly hurt.
The police, fearing that the fires were
of incendiary origin, early this after
noon asked that the city's business
scetion bo placed under control of the
military authorities. This was quickly
and thoroughly accomplished by the
local militia, aided by hundreds pt
sailors. marines and enlisted men,
rushed to the city by Admiral McLean
from the. navy-yard, marine barracks
and naval baee on Hampton Roads.
SLSPKCTS HOLD KOU
ITIIEIt IXVESTIGATION
i'uring the afternoon the police
rounded up over a score of men and
women as suspects, but all but ten or
twelve of these, including two women,
v. ore almost immediately released. The
others were held for further investiga
Ifie militia threw guards ontlrely
around the lire area and forced all but
uniformed men. firemen and others
with police permits, to remain outside.
I louses and stores were invaded and
emptied of all except owners, em
ployees and parties absolutely vouched
for by reputable citizens. With the
O ran by street area in darkness, this
was felt to be the only safe rule. This
work was accomplished by experienced
naval and marine officers.
U hile neither Major C. O. Kizcrl
Chief of Police, nor Chief McLouglil(n'.
of the Fire Department, would to-nlglit
make a direct charge that tho fires
were of incendiary origin, both de
clared that appearances pointed to
something other than coincidence; and
the prevailing opinion in naval, mili
tary and business circlcs was that there
had been an effort, probably organized
to destroy the business section of th
city. The only tangible evidence W43
about two or three explosions which
occurred at about the time the flr?s
were discovered.
SMOKING FLUB CAUSES
SENSATIONAL IlEPOR't}
Smoko issuing from a storeroom flV
the Atlantic Hotel, tlfrce squares from
the tire area, caused a sensational re
port of another tire, but close investi
gation showed this to be a smoking
flue. Many other rumors, run to eartb,
proved false alarms of panlc-strickep
people.
Karly in the morning one flrem
was killed and seven injured wh^'
the roof of the Monttcello Hotel cav<
in. To-night three men were injure^
one probably seriously. James "West
u fireman, suffered a fractured skuF,
and is in a precarious condition. T. A.
Cronin. an enlisted sailor, and Jamcs^
D. Loop, .1 marine, were badly hurt.
W hethcr or not others were buried be
neath the debris is not known. At the
various emergency stations about
twenty were treated for minor in
juries.
1 he lire could hardly have occurred
at a. more unfavorable time. With the
mercury hanging around zero, tWK
water freezing as it fell on the cloth
ing of firemen and the fire-fighters
hampered by lack of pressure fro
frozen plugs and cisterns, It looked frt
?1 l.ttlo time as if the entire business1
section was doomed.
Reports of a number of explosion'
lack verification.. That one occurrd
in the old Granby Theater Building
authentic, but Chief MoLoughlin lift-'
flares this occurrcd an hour after the
lire was discovered and was dye 'to
escaping gas and steam. Investiga
tions to-night failed to \crify reports
Of any explosion in the Moriticejto
Hotel, whe.re the second fire origin
ated or in the Lenox Building, whore'
the third fire was discovered. "
Major K'iscr shortly after the llya
began to spread closed all the4t?r*;
and poolrooms in the business sect|o
Loitering was broken up and }oaf
locked up for the night.
Wild reports of inccndiarles ca)j