The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], March 18, 1915, Image 1

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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THE BIRMINGHAM AGE-HERALD
VOLUME XXXXIV BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1915 18 PAGES NUMBER 316
1 ~ ~ .. ... " . 1 " A"... ... 1 ....-.. ..
GERMAN CONSUL IS
SAID TO HA VE TRIED
TO BRIBE A CLERK
Muller Under Arrest at
Seattle on Charge of
Attempt to Corruptly
Secure Information
SECRETARY, CLERK
AND A DETECTIVE
ARE ALSO DETAINED
Arrest Comes as Result of Report That
Seattle Firm Was Shipping Knock
Down Submarines to Eng
land Via Canada—Noth
ing From Washington
Seattle, Wash., March 17.—Dr. Wil
liam Muller, imperial German consul
at Seattle, and his secretary, B. M.
Schultz, were served with notice of
arrest today at the consulate. They
are charged with conspiracy in at
tempting to corruptly influence John
Murdock, an employe of the Seattle
Construction and Dry dock company,
by inducing him to sell business
secrets of his employers.
Consul Muller and his secretary are
accused by the state of Washington
of offering Murdock a cash considera
tion to supply them with information
bearing out Ambassador Bernstorff’s
charge that the Seattle corporation
was shipping knock-down submarines
to the British government via British
Columbia.
The Information against the German
representatives, filed by Alfred H. Dun
din, county prosecutor, jointly charges
them and Dan Tarnisasky, a free lance
detective, with conspiracy.
Muller Denies Charge
Consul Muller denied tonight that ho
had any agreement with Murdock or the
detective to purchase anything, nor did
he arrange to have them steal papers
from the construction company. He de
clared that Tarnisasky approached him
with a statement that he had information
that submarines were being built here
for the British navy, but that he hud
dealt with the detective only so far as
was necessary to determine whether there
was any truth in the report. The consul
expressed confidence in a prompt dismis
sal of the charge against him.
Murdock and the detective were airest
ea last night on a joint grand larceny
complaint and Murdock, who will be held
by the prosecutor as the state's principal
v imoss, was released on $1000 ball. War
rants for the arrest of Consul Muller and
Ills secretary were served through their
counsel.
Murdock, 22 years old, has been an as
sistant shipping clerk at the plant of
the Seattle Construction and Dry Dock
company for two years. In a statement
said to have been made to the prosecut
ing attorney, he said the negotiations for
1ho delivery of the information said to
have been sought by Consul Muller still
were pending when he was arrested.
He had originally demanded $1500, he said,
but later agreed to accept $1000. He as
serted that although he had certain al
leged information ready for delivery at a
conference at the consulate last evening
there was a hitch over money and the
conference came to naught.
Nine original bills of lading were re
covered from under the mattress of Mur
dock's bed by the prosecuting attorney’s
office. A quantity of blank forms of bills
of lading also were found there.
The purport of these bills has not been
revealed by any of the principals. Wheth
er Murdock really had anything of value
to offer to the German consul 1b not dis
closed by the papers. President J. V.
Paterson, of the dry dock company, says
Ills firm is not building submarines for
the British or any other government at
war.
German Dyestuffs Advance
New York, March 17.—Chemical com
panies today notified textile mills of
an advance of 26 per cent in' Germ.in
dyestuffs to become effective tomorrow.
Two leading lines of southern ging
hams have been withdrawn from sale
because of a shortage of color and two
large manufacturers of denims have
ceased taking further order for indigo
shades. Cotton goods were steady to
firm. Worsted yarns were advanced.
Embroideries were in better demand.
■»"<">i,*-*,,*,^-*,**‘*—*-*—^**y
♦ *
i ENGLISH ADMIRAL DROWNED 4
t London, March 38.—(8:15 a. 4
* 4 m.)—Hear Admiral William .1. *
4 Grogran has fallen overbo vd 4
4 from his ship and has been 4
4 drowned, according- to an an- 4
4 nonneenunt by the admiralty. 4
4 The name of the ship is not 4
4 given. 4
4 Rear Admiral Grogan went on •
4 the retired list seven years 4
4 ago, but entered the active serv- 4
4 Ice at the commencement of the •
4 war. .
! ♦ i
---
DIPLOMATIC NOTES
MADE PUBLIC BY THE ]
STATE DEPARTMENT
I
I Constitutes Correspondence
of Last Few Weeks With
Powers in Europe
GERMANY AGREES
TO STOP SUBMARINE
ATTACKS “EXCEPT—•”
_ i
U. S. Asked England and France
Whether Embargo on Commerce Be
tween Germany and Neutral*
Was to Be Carried Out
b HNhinKloii, March 17.—Six ri(plo
mntic notes were made public tonight
j hj the ntnte deportment, const it .itnu
the entire correspondence of the Inst
few weeks between the United States
nnd Great Hrltnin and France, relative
to the cessation of siihmnrlnc attacks
on merchant ships, the shipment of
conditional contraband and foodstuffs
to civilians, the use of neutral flags
by belligerent merchantmen, me re
moval of mines and tlic proclamation
of a virtual blockade by the allies
against Germany.
The communications revealed that the
United States, realising the difficulties
of the allies maintaining an effective
blockade of Germany by a close guard
I of the coast on account of the newly de
| vtiluped activity of submarines, asked that
“a radius of activity” be defined. Great
Britain and France replied with the an
nouncement that operations of blockade
would not be conducted “outside of Euro
pean waters, including the Mediter
ranean."
"While Germany agreed, it is disclosed,
to abandon her submarine attacks on
“mercantile of any flag,” except when
they resist visit or search, provided food
stuffs were permitted to reach her civil
ian population, Great Britain and her,
allies rejected the proposal, originally1
made by the United States in an effort
to bring the belligerents into an arrange
ment which would safeguard the inter
ests of neutrals.
Question as to Embargo
Furtl ei more, the documents show that
thi United States asked Great Britain
and France whether the embargo on all
con lYieroe between Germany and neutral
countries was to be carried out under the
rules of a blockade or by interference
with ships and cargoes, “as if no blockade
existed,” the two together presenting in
the view of the American government “a
proposed course of action previously un
known to international law.” The an
swers from Great Britain ‘and France re
veal for the first time tlfe allies officially
regard their policy as a “blockade,” but
desiro to refrain from exercising the
rights of belligerents under a blockade
to confiscate ships and cargoes as a pen
alty for breach of blockade, substituting
procedure in prize courts and compensa
tion through sale of the detained mer
chandise.
The definition of “a radius of activity”
for the allied fleet in European waters,
including the Mediterranean is the first
intimation of the geographical limits of
the blockade. Its limits , were not given
more exactly, the allies claim, because j
Germany was equally indefinite in pro
claiming all the waters surrounding Great |
Britain and Ireland a “war zone.” ,
The restriction of the area of opera
tions of the blockade to European waters, !
followed this observation by the United
St\tes to both Great Britain and France:
“While this government is fully alive to
the possibility that the methods of mod
ern naval warfare, particularly In the
use of the submarine for both defensive
and offensive operations, may make the
former means of maintaining a blockade
a physical Impossibility, it feels that It
can be urged with great force that
there should be also some limit to “the
vedius of activity,” and especially so if
this action by the belligerents can be
el'llrtrued to be a blockade. It would cer
tainly create a serious state of affair;?
if, for example, an American vessel laden
with a cargo of German origin should
escape the British patrd in European
waters only to be held up by a cruiser
off New York and taken into Halifax.”
The publication of the correspond
ence cleans the slate of diplomatic
notes and leaves the United States
confronted with the question of wheth
er or not it will icquiesce in the form
j of bLocka.de announced by the allies or
offer protest. President Wilson lias in
dicated that a strong protest will L;s,
made. #
The notes record the failure of the
United States to bring the belligerents
into an agreement on the i^se of sub- ,
marines and mines, the fixing of a
definite rule governing shipments or
conditional contraband to the 'civilian
population of a belligerent and the
(OatlBued ob Pose Tea)
••••••••••••••••**'(**t*(,**iM,,***H'*M>*a**a**** I
SAYS MAYOR OF TERRE HAUTE'
DEMONSTRATED FRAUD PLANj
Indianapolis. March 17—That Mayor
Donn M. Roberts o 1 Terre Iiautc dem
onstrated on a voting machine a plan
to cheat a man out of his vote if it
were not “right;” that saloon and
gambling house keepers not only con
tributed to campaign funds, but were
ordered to contribute to a fund raisi d
> for tho defense in the present trial:
and that there were more repeaters
than legal voters in one precinct, was
testimony adduced today in the trial
l'.ere of the Terre Haute election case.
\ Two women—Mrs. 8. C. 8timson. a suf
* frag* leader, and Mrs. Mary Hose—
witnesses.
Inspectors testl
Saloon and gambling room proprie
tors testified they contributed to the
campaign and trial defense funds. Au
gust Beckmeyer asserted that "a I3ad
policeman” was placed on his beat aft
er he had refused to contribute. He
said this forced him to dispose of his
business. -
Mrs. Stimson told of the procession i
of repeaters In one precinct. She was j
corroborated by Mrs. Rose, who stood
at the polls all day. Mrs. Rose dt - j
dared that Dow Flnleyson, who lias
pleaded not guilty, vo^ed at least li'
times.
Robert Kadel, a republican worker, i
told about a negro with leg who j
voted eight times.
“One time,” the witness said, “the
negro came with a peg leg, another
time with a wooden *eg, another time
with an iron extension on . his leg.
once on a crutch ami a cane, anu still '
another time he wore a pair tff glasses
to disguise himself. •
_ IT’S A BEAR!!_ |
* j-L.. . =r-•--— 1 ■ 1 --n
( */l/^r A/+OAT&VT- )
l /'£ i //v^5V5 r'&Arp-.'. '
-—' ,,,, ,
Him"
REPUBLICAN PARTY
No Name So far Brought
Forward Has Aroused
the Least Enthusiasm
DEMOCRATIC HOPE
IS IN PROSPERITY
I _
Leaders Profess to See Great Im
provement Which It Is Hoped Will
Be At Its Height Next
Year
Washington, March 17.—(Special.)—Al
though Congress has adjourned and prac
tically all of the loaders of both parties
are out of Washington, and although the
presidential campaign does not begin in
earnest for over a year yet, nevertheless
the 1916 contest has been one of the chief
topics of talk, at clubs, hotels and other
points where politicians congregate in
this city, for the past two weeks.
Republican leaders view the situation
as “satisfactory.” They believe that the
j “break” for the paBt year has been de
| cidedly in their favor, and they regard
the general trend of events now to he
| toward a return of their party to power
in 1916. They are not neglecting to make
the most of the present situation of treas
ury, and point to the deficit—which is
growing—with an “I told you so” shrug.
They hammer with unceasing vigor the
tariff act passed by the party In power,
and make the general and broad charge
that it, together w-ih an “unprecedented
extravagant Congress” Is responsible for
the depleted condition of Uncle Sam's
strong box.
Weak in Leaders
Privately* republican leaders will admit
that their big weakness, now in the time
of their greatest strength for the i^st
four years, is the lack of real leader
ship. There are dozenB of prominent re
publicans who hftve their rods raised ex
pectantly, and hopefully trying to draw
the lightning of popular approval in
j such magnitude 'as to assure them the
nomination 16 mouths away; each has Ids
little coterie of “boomers,” but with all
their noise and press agenting somehow
no one seems to have hit the right note.
It was a bad w’eek—for the last six
or eight—that some little boomlet for
the republican nomination has not been
blown up to the limit of Its tensil strength,
and then bust. There, has been quite h
lot of talk of Justice Hughes, but bid
I name arouses absolutely no enthusiasm
among the politicians—and the politicians
of the republican party will nominate
j»l.s candidate—they have always done so,
j and they are just as powerful today,
j so far as the party maenmery tb con
let rued, as they have ever been.
Booms have been started for Justice
Hughes, House Leader Mann. Senator
Weeks of Massachusetts, Governor Whit
man of New York, Governor Willis of
Ohio, Senator Borah of Tdaho, and others
—to all of these the rank and file have
been about as responsive as Mexico has
been to a peace policy. If the republicans
develop any especial enthusiasm for a
leader it has all got to be done in the
future. The party claims, and many of
the leaders of thd democrats admit the
claim, that they are stronger today than
for the past four years, and that if the
national election was held today, the
chances would be decidedly in the favor
of the g. o. p., but they also admit that
the real Richmond to lead them to vic
tory must yet be developed.
President Personally Strong
Democratic leaders on the other hand
are unwilling to concede that their party
is in as bad a uituation as the republicans
(Continue* M Pace •■»
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••»•••••••••••«•••«•<
BILL PROVIDING FOR
LOCAL TAXATION
Many Other Measures Are
Signed by Chief Executive.
Fifteen Bills Approved
in One Day
Hr 1<. BETTY
Montgomery, March 17.—(Special.)—Gov
ernor Henderson today signed the bill pro
viding for a constitutional amendment j
allowing local district and county taxa-1
lion for the support of public schools. |
The law provides for a tax of 30 cents |
per $100. The measure signed by the gov
ernor was known as the Bee bill, having
1 ecu introduced in the senate by the I
| senator from Etowah county.
I In addition to the local taxation bill,
Go\e:yior Henderson signed 15 other meas
ures, representing the greatest batch of
hills he has approved at one time since
the legislature adjourned.
A bill of more or less general interest
included in the number of those approved
by the governor was that of Senator
Hall abolishing the office of county tax
commissioner in every county of the stale.
Another bill of general importance sign
ed by the governor was the Green meas- I
ure amending the statute creating the life I
stock sanitary board so as to include two |
members to be appointed by the governor. «
Under the provisions of this act, as j
amended, the "board is composed of the j
commissioner of agriculture, chairman, '
the professor of animal industry at Au
burn the dean of the college of veterin
ary sicence, and two live stock breeders,
A bill of Interest to Birmingham,
signed by the governor, was the Scott
nieasure, providing for the building and
maintaining of public highways
through incorporated cities and towns
of counties containing more than 2U0,
000 population.
Other bills signed by the governor
were as follows;
By Senator Bee: To provide for the
distribution of the deposit of mutual
aid or industrial associations or cor
porations with the insurance commis
sioner where they become Insolvent,
or cease to do business, aud to rein
sure their policy holders at the time
they cease to do business.
By Representative Varbrougi: To
regulate the practice of veterinary sur
gery and to establish a vterinary ex
amining board.
By Senator Kline: To provide for ex
emption of sureties on appeal bonds lit
cases of appeals from judgments of
convictions in municipal courts of th-a
state.
By Representative Fite: To abolish
the office of county treasurer of Tus
caloosa county.
By Representative Blackmon: To fix
the time for holding the city oourN:
of Anniston.
By Representative Griffin: To au
thorize the clerk of the circuit court
of Marengo county to serve as clerk of
the Marengo law and equity court.
To Complete Evidence
Chicago, March 17.—Evidence In the
arbitration of the wage demands of the
63,000 locomotive engineers, firemen
and hostlers of 98 western railroads,
j will be completed tomorrow. The ex
haustive rebuttal of the employes wa*i
completed tonight. Taking of testi
mony began November 30, last. One
week will be allowed for the submis
sion of briefs and an award will be
made before April 20.
TODAY’S AGE-HERALD
1— German consul attempts to buy in
formation.
Japan warned not to go too far.
Dr. Denny's testimony feature of
the day.
Diplomacy holds attention for mo
ment.
Republicans without leaders.
2— Father Coyle on “Ireland’s Bay."
3— United States money supply is ade
quate.
4— Editorial comment.
5— Active cafnpaign for bond issue
planned.
Batson questioned by committee.
Million*dollar lumber deal report* c! j
6— Woman’s page.
7— Barons beat the Athletics.
9—Markets.
10—Or ■**«♦♦«* works on plans for new,
1 taxation system.
I •••••••••••••••«•••••••#•••■•••••••••■••••••••••••)
HOLDS ATTENTION
No Surprises in British and
American Notes Published
Simultaneously
FIERCE FIGHTING
| ON ALL THE FRONTS
r
: Kit? Events Impending in Both The
i alres of War, Is General Belief.
Getting Beady for Big
Spring Move
I London, March 17.—n0:4b p. m.)—Sir Ed
ward Grey's replica to the American notes
tin the ii8ft of neutral flagH on British mer
! chant vessels and the prohibition Imposed
on foodstuffs destined for Germany, in
which for the first time Great Britain
definitely announces her intention to “es
tablish a blockade’’ again have brought
I the diplomatic question to the front.
I The replies, published here with the
! American notes, contained no surprises,
| for beyond the use. of the word “block
j ado” thfelr terms have been for the most
' part known.
j Assurances that neutral shipping will
be interfered with as little as possible
and that neither ships nor cargoes will
he confiscated, it is felt here, should go
a long way towards meeting American ob
jections. Kowefer, another protest Is ex
pected.
Even these diplomatic questions, on
j which so much depends, only momentarily
j distracts attention from battles in the
east and the west, operations against the
J Dardanelles, and the Activities of Ger
man submarines, which took additional
| toll today.
j While Earl Kitchener, secretary for
! war, and other cabinet ministers and
leaders are bending their energies re
wards output of war material and are
encouraging recruiting, complete optimism
prevails. That the victories of last week
were gained only after Vieavy sacrifices
and that the casualty lists must increaso
as the war progresses, Is fully realized,
but everybody in England believes that
when the time comes for the “big push.-’
there will be no turning back.
Fighting for Hills
At present tho armies of Belgium. Great
Britain and Fiance are fighting for the
hills and other points along the long
front which will be of the greatest ad
vantage to the army holding them when
the advance begins. According to the
French communication tho Belgians con
tinue to improve their positions in Inlan
ders, and the French to the north of Ar
ras and in Champagne have added emi
nences to their gains which are of some
importance.
The French and German official com
munications. however, are so contradlc
! tory that it is difficult to decide whether
any change is being made generally in
the dispositions of the two armies.
The optimism which pervades the
western allies is shared by the Rus
sians.
Petrograd correspondents of London
papers lead the public to believe that
big events are impending. It Is an
parent that the Russians again, and
not the Austrians, are on the move,
particularly at Sinolnik, on the River
San, where it emerges from the Car
pathians, while in Bukowina, accord
ing to unofficial dispatches from Buch
arest, the Austrians have been defeat
ed in a battle raging along the entire
front.
In northern Poland isolated actions
are being fought from the Niemen
river to Pszasnysz. The big battle
which was expected apparently has
been called off or postponed by Field
Marshal Von Hindenburg, who Is
thought to have attained his object
when he extricated his forces from the
forests of Augustowo.
Turkish Port Falls
The Russian Caucasian army is
working along the Black sea. coast and
has taken the Turkish port of Archava
IVSStlUtd OB !*■!• m#
PRESIDENT DENNY
OF UNIVERSITY IS
ANOTHER WITNESS
TO HOLHIS OWN
Clashes With Probers Elec
trify Audience, But Inci
dent Is Quickly Smiled
Away by Participants
JESSE STALLINGS
ASKED TO EXPLAIN
CONVICT CONTRACT
Former Governor Jelks Tells
of Relations Between In
surance Companies and
State—O’Neal Scores
»y HUGH W. ROIIVCTKTS
Of#ruf IV. Denny. president of the
University of AlnbnniH. In bln testl- i
nanny before the leglslnnrr's proltr !
committee yesterday, ninde It known
that his coming to this state from Vir
ginia was made conditional on the re- j
lease by Governor O’Neal of contin
gent annual appropriations In favor
of the Institution of learning of which
be la now the executive headt and that
the promise off Governor O’Neal to re
lease these appropriations was given
to the late Dr. Hal Johnson of Talla
dega, at that time a trustee of the
university.
Pr. Penny's testimony, ns a matter of
fact, was the most Interesting delivered
before the committee throughout yester
day. lie had been summoned to testify
regarding a loan of $27,600 made by the
university to the state of Alabama 1n
order, as he said, “that, the credit of the
stale might bo sustained.”
A seeming effort on the part of the
committee to translate this loan as “an
other pressure’’ brought by the university
to secure its appropriations failed. The
•situation became unusually heated be
fore the conclusion of the testimony of
Dr Denny, and It was apparent that, if
it had been the purpose of the committee—
which was denied—to get the president
"In the hole,’’ the committee suffered a
disappointment.
Other witnesses during the day were
Col. Jesse Stallings, who was asked re
garding th4 Danner mine contract entered
Into by the state and the Pratt Consoli
dated Coal company; px-Oov. W. D. Jelke,
who testified regarding the relationship
existing between insurance companies and
the state; I. W. Newby of the Jefferson
Powder company, who gave evidence re
garding the rumor that Den F. Greer,
inspector for the convict bureau, had used
his official position with representatives
of powder companies to secure life in
surance policies; officers of the negro
normal school at Normal; associate mem
bers of the Jefferson County excise com
mission, and officials of the First Na
tional bank of Birmingham.
Governor O'Neal, around whose admin
istration ail of the testimony hRS cen
f Con tinned on Page Two)
••••■•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••«
I-1
'l
Excise Commissioner Agee is recalled
JAPANESE DEMANDS
INTO TROUBLE WITH
ALLIES INJUROPE
England and Russia Threat
en Severance of Diplo
matic Relations if She
Persists
" •
UNITED STATES, TOO,
HAS GIVEN HER HINT
NOT TO GO TOO FAR
. .. i.
This Country Has Been
Quietly at Work Since Sit
uation Developed—Japan
Will Yield, I* Belief
Peking. March IT.-—Official Informa
tion reached here today that the Rn*
alnn and llrltlnlt amhiianadora at To
klo culled upon ftnron Tnkaratn linto.
Iordan mlnlnicr. on Saturday, nod In
formed him that If Japnu peratated
upon prcwnlng on China demand* be
yond those contained In her original
communication to the power* It would
he difficult for Japan** allien to nego
tiate With her In the future.
It I* mideratofid that the name tl*y
the United State*, acting Independent
ly, although poadhly after consulta
tion with another power, Informed the
Japanese government that certain of
the Jaimne*^ demands were not lu
connonance with treaty agreement* be
tween China and the United state*.
American and British opinion through
out China are In concord In this mutter,
as voiced privately, seml-offlciully amt
1»v the pro**. The Japanese demands
havo boon sent to their respective gov
ernments by both American and British
associations.
Tho opinion is expressed by both Chinese
and foreign diplomats that Japan will
withdraw a substantial proportion of tier
demands because of the attitude of tho
powers who havo called China’s atten
tion to the fact that t.lie has no right
to make a treaty with Japan contraven
ing existing treaties with them.
The Japanese minister to China, lOkt
I links, sustained injuries yesterday by a
fall from his horse and .his condition will
prevent the holding of conferees for a few
days.
United Slates at Work
Washington, March 17. it Is admitted
by state department officials that si lie o
the beginning of the negotiations between
China and Japan, the United States gov
ernment has quietly been exerting It*,
influence to have the Japanese demand3 \
ameliorated, and to prevent any Infringe- \
ment on the rights of Americans either
under treaty or tlie provisions or general
international law.
These representations have been made
In Washington to the Jnpanose ambassa
dor as well us in Tokio and Peking, of
ficials hero have refrained from making
public uny of the various steps the Uni
ted States lias taken in the course of those
negotiations to safeguard American inter
ests. Regarding the situation as deli
cate, they preserved the same attitude
today when shown tho latest news dis
patches from Peking.
That the British and Russian ambassa
dors have served any such notice upon Ja
pan as that her fututo diplomatic relations
with the two countries would he Jeopar
dized by her persistence in certain de
mands upon China, wus believed to be a
rather strong statement of the facts,
though the officials admitted lack of In
formation.
In the best posted diplomatic quarters
there was no confirmation of any Joint
British-RushIafi representations at Tokio
of the nature indicated from Poking. One
dispatch from Tokio received here today
dealt with other matters, but made no
mention of such representations. More
over the claim Is made that Mtrong Influ
ences are at work both at Peking and
Tokio to stir up animosity between Japan,
(treat Britain and the other allies, and
there Is a disposition among the diplo
mats of the allied powers to attribute
reports of Joint Auglo-Kusslan representa
tions as growing out of feeling adverse
to the allies.
United States Acting Independently
It was also stated that there had been
i no consultation between the American and
British governments regarding the effect
of the proposed Japanese demands upon
existing treaty obligations. Officials also
declined to confirm the statement that
representations bad been made to thn
authorities of Tokio in behalf of tho
United States on this point, yet there H
Hum© reason to believe that communica
tions on tho subject have been exchanged
witli the government of Peking. Tt is
definitely known that no steps toward
concurrent action between the United
States and Great Britain have been taken
I at Washington, and It Is assumed that
no such steps have been considered at
Uondon as no intimation of such a move
lias reached the representatives of tho
allies here.
In various public utterances the Japan
ese minister for foreign affairs and tho
premier are reported to have disclaimed
•
(Continued on Pane Tent
FRENCH GOVERNMENT WILL
PURCHASE CARGO OF DACIA
American Vessel Will Get Rid of Cargo of Cotton.
Ship Is Held At Brest and Prize Court Will Dis
pose of It
Paris, March IT.—(4:40 p. m.)—The tile country to a neutral during war.
French foreign office, It Is understood. The Dacia belonged formerly to the
, , , , . . , __ Hamburg-American llue, but shu
hue decided to buy the cotton cargo of • , .
changed her registry and became an
the steamer Dacia, which was seized American ahlp atter the outbrealc of
by a French cruiser and taken into hostilities.
Brest while on a voyage from the Uni- Captain George McDonald, master of
ted States to Kotterdam. The cot- the Dacia, arrived her# today and It
ton la valued at about 1760,000. '■.*>ls Intention to remain until the
prize court proceedings are ended.
The owners proposed the purchase, Foreign Minister Deloasse has ex
it la said pressed to American Ambaaaador
The a,«, .h. ,h,p he
left to a prize couit. The frenon law, aga|ns( contraband to give ae llttlo
It Is pointed out, does not pormlt tho inconvenience as possible to Americau
transfer of a ship belonging to a hoa- interests.
* ’