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SWINDLES TOTALING $200,0 "S'matter Pop" The Times has obtained for its readers, the " famous "S'matter Pop?" comic car toon. It -will appear In thir newspaper daily. See Page 8. The Weather Report For Bridgeport and vi cinity: Unsettled -tonight; Friday lair, colder. and Evening Farmer VOL. 54 NO. 27 EST. 1790 m BRIDGEPORT, CONN., THURSDAY, JAN. 31, 1918 PRICE TWO CENTS MAI DISAPPEARS AFTER mm i Jllii i Ir LJ LSI Ljl! u Li iJl uUvJ 1 v. ,:'J x-ir- lj v,. x ' m, L x.i. ' . ii - . Li - -I W - 1 SMART If Hill POSING -AS AMERICAN HUM BOMBS turbulent mobs clash Mrs. Charles T. Chapman Played No Favorites in Her Cassie Chadwick Bunco Games She Cleaned Up Barbers and Bankers, Society Women, Maids, and Housekeepers. Posing as being the heiress to $7,000,000, owner of five big factories and as being a cousin of Ex-Governor Charles Hughes of New York, Mrs. Chas. T. Chapman, who has been living in a palatial residence at Lordship Manor, "Cassy-Chadwiked" Bridgeporters, from bankers to barbers, out at least $200,000. Detective Captain Cronan of the Bridgeport Detective Bu reau is already in possession of many of the facts covering the "frenzied finance" campaign which Mrs Chapman is alleged to have carried on in this as well as other cities. Capt. Cronan expects that before twenty-four drastic action will be taken by In answer to the many inrairies as to .who bequeathe! her the vast es tate, she invariably answered that she was under a bond of $50,000 not to divulge the name of her benefactor. Khe also said that the private papers of inestimable value were locked up in the safety deposit boxes of the Bridgeport Trust Company. Notice -was first attracted to the ac tions of the woman by the return here of William Rich, one of her chauf feurs. She had borrowed $4,000 from him and had given him power of at torney to manage a factory she claimed to have in Chicago. Rich travelled to Chicago and spent many fruitless hours trying to locate the factory. At last he decided that the plant was a myth and returned to Bridgeport only to find" that Mrs. Chapman had left for parts unknown. Inquiries started by Rich aroused the deep suspicions of all those with whom the woman has had dealings. Now a flood of creditors are daily beseiging the deserted mansion at Lordship Manor. The Lordship Manor home of Mrs. fhanman was built by John Sullivan, 'The Policy King" of Waterbury, at a cost of $100,000 and rented for $10, 000 per year. It appears that it was (Continued on Page 2.) LANTERN LIGHTS ON HEAD, SEEKS $15,000 AWARD Claiming that she has been made deaf and otherwise injured through negligence of the defendant, Lillian N. Sherwood, of Fairfield, has brought suit in the Superior. Court against the New Tork, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Co., asking $15,000 damages. Trial of the case was be gun today. The complaint alleges tnat, on June 29, 1916, Miss Sherwood, about noon, walking on a highway in the town of Fairfield and was about to pass un der the railroad bridge at the Rubber Works crossing. She stepped aside before going under the tracks to al low an automobile to pass. A lan tern fell from a train passing over head and struck her on the head. GAS CO. COAL SUPPLY IS ALMOST EXHAUSTED The Bridgeport Gas Light Co. is the first public utilities corporation in Bridgeport to feel the serious effects of the shortage ot bituminous coal. The company has only a three days' supply ahead. A shipment of 10 car loads is relied upon to prevent the city's gas supply from being shut off. At press hour this shipment had not been reported in transit. Shipments y rail and water under the government's orders are expected to reach this city within a day and consequently the shutting up of more than a score of Bridgeport's facto ries, as predicted by Administrator Carl F. siemon a few days ago, will be averted. Harry Walker, an associate mem ber of the fuel committee, Is In Waali- .artnalnlatratnr Sia- hours have elapsed, quick and the local authorities. TAGS FOR GOAL INSTEAD OF FOR SHOVELS ASKED The distribution of coal shovel tags in Bridgeport is regarded as a "joke" by householders who have been given the tags to tie on their coal shovels. In the coal line this morning one woman said, "We're all -trying to be patriotic and everybody knows enough to conserve coal, because we all know how hard it is to get. How are we going to conserve what we haven't got?" Here is a letter, to which a coal tag was attached, received at the fuel committee's office today: "Perfectly ridiculous to allow such a thing to be circulated amongst peo ple unable to get a shovel full of coal to save. We are lucky to have our rooms at 50 degrees let alone 68 de grees." It was signed, "A wife and mother of three children." SEEKS RETURN OF REALTY SHE GAVE DAUGHTER Restitution of ProDertv alleeed to have been deeded while . she was ill and not competent, is asked in a suit filed today in the Superior Court by Delia B. Legere against her daughter, Mary Lynch. There are three pieces of property, one in Main street, one in Waller Place, and one in Ezra street. In the complaint it is alleged that, on August 10. last. Mrs. Lesere own ed the property in question, and was seriously ill. Yielding to representa tions of her daughter, Mrs. Legere consented to execute deeds transfer ring the property to Mary Lynch. It is charged that there was no adequate consideration. Since recovering from the illness Mrs.1 Legere has asked for a recon veyance of the property, but Mrs. Lynch has refused. imon hopes his trip will be more pro ductive than the last. Administrator Siemon has promises that several barges of loth soft and hard coal are i billed for this city. The rec?nt order of State AJminis i trator Russell preventing dealers from issuing orders, except by order of the jfuel committee, has greatly increased the coal line at the committee's office, jH2 Golden Hill street. Siemon eald today, "People ar wasting their time by calling dealers on the telephone and the quicker they learn that this office Is the only place to obtain an order the better it will be for them." The coal line at the Warner Broth ers factory will be opened again to morrow and Saturday for the distri bution of coal in small lots between and 11:30 a. m. and 1 and 4 n. m. TAXPAYE RS ILL A F0RCUT Board of Relief to Meet Storm of Protests at First Meeting. . The Boarf of Relief is prepar ed to meet a throng- of disgrnn tld property owners at Its first meeting tomorrow. ,The official , total of thegrand list to be filed with the town clerk today will be near the $198,0OO,(H.O mark, an increase of "approximately $32, 00,0,00 over Oh ..st of last year. Seventeen million dollars of .the amount of increase is levied on . dwelling bouse property. It is predicted that 75 per cent, of the owners whose valuations were raised will appeal to the Board of Relief for a reduction. It is estimated that the board will make redactions of more than $2,000,000, bringing the net grand list between $195,000,000 and $196,000,000. The rest "of the increase is divided among manufactories, which were hit to the extent of $12,000,000 and the other million has been taxed on automobile owners, many of whom had never listed their ma chines. BRIDGEPORT FIRM SUES TO COLLECT ON WAR CONTRACT Payment for work and materials furnished in the manufacture of gun sights is demanded in a suit filed in the Superior court by the Lindstrom Die, Tool & Gauge Works of Bridge port against the DriggS Ordnance Co of New York, and Charles E. Tucker Manufacturing Co. The amount of the bill is $7,500. A contract for the work is alleged, the plaintiff performed its part, and payment has been demanded Of the Tucker Manufacturing Co. r and refus ed. -The Driggs Co. guaranteed the payments, according to the complaint. LOSES 4 FINGERS IN MEAT CHOPPER, YOUTH SUES BOSS Alleging that a meat chopper upon which he was asked to work in the market of Louis Dubin, in Milford, was defective, and through this defect he lost a part of his thumb and three fingers, Edward J. Joy, through Culli nan & Cullinan, has filed suit against Dubin for $10,000. Joy is 12 years old. In the complaint Joy recites that he was employed in the market, that it was Dubin-'s duty to furnish tools to work with, and that they should be in good condition. The meat chopper, he alleges, was not in good condition, and due to its defects the accident which disabled his hand- occurred GREAT EXPLOSION FOLLOWS RAID ON ZEPPELIN WORKS Zurich, Wednesday, Jan. 30 A tre mendous explosion, accompanied by gunfire and followed by a huge col umn of fire, was heard in the direc tion of Friedrichshaften this morn ing, a telegram received in St. Gall from Rosenberg, on Lake. Constance, reports. - The explosion probably was the result of an aerial attack on the zeppeliri works in Friedrichshaften. Boston, Jan. 31 The snow storm predicted for New England for last right and today passed out to sea auxin the night. - - - - Two U. S. Soldiers Kill ed, One Missing and Four Wounded in Enemy Attack. With the American Army in France, Wednesday, Jan. 31 (By the Associated Press) An American position on a cer tain section of the French front was raided during a heavy fog shortly after daylight this morning. The attack was pre ceded by a violent artillery barrage. Two Americans were killed and four wounded. One soldier isbelieved to have been captured. Casualties have been occurring al most daily for several days on this sector. It now is permitted to dis close that all the recent casualties given out from Washington occurred in this sector. The deaths were caus ed by shell fire, mostly shrapnel. I -est . night was fairly quiet throughout the American sector. The usual number of shells came over, do ing no damage, and there were the customary sporadic outbursts of ma chine gun fire from both sides at points where the opposing lines are nearest. At daybreak this morning the heavy fog that had been' enveloping the whole position and the country for miles around for several days, became still thicker, blotting out all except the nearest enemy positions. At 7 (Continued on Page 2.) LAST OF CITY'S DRAFTEES START FOR "FT. WRIGHT Twenty-six Bridgeport youths, rep resenting the city's last contribution of its quota of 2,125 men for the first National Army of 687,000 men, left shortly before noon for New London, from where they will go to Fort Wright to replace Bridgeport draftees rejected for physical defects. When the roll was called every man was present. They assembled at the sta tion shortly after 9 o'clock, but the train did not leave until nearly noon. The youths were proud in spirit and nearly all had friends or relatives to see them oft. . Scenes similar to those exhibited at previous times were enacted and when the train whisked over the roller lift bridge, tear-filled eyes followed it until it was lost to view. The local boards have practically completed their work on the first draft and are ready to begin exam inations on Sunday for men of the next quota. 1918 WILL DETER WAR ASSERTS WILSON Washington, Jan. 31. To the far mers of the United States President Wilson sent a message today in which he called attention to the country's need of their assistance during the coming year In winning the war. The message was sent through the Far mers' Conference held at the Univer sity of Illinois in Urbana. x The message was delivered by President James of the university, in the absence of Secretary of Agricul ture Houston, who was to have rep resented the president. The Presi dent had expected to attend, but in disposition made it impossible and he delegated Mr. Houston, who was pre vented from participating by the tie up of transportation. The President's message said: "I' am vecv sorry indeed that 1 Fourteen Tons of Explo sives Dropped From Air on French Capital. Paris, Jan. 31 German aero planes raided- Paris last night. The alarm was given at 11:30 o'clock. Bombs were propped in various points in Paris and suburbs. Twenty persons were killed, 50 were wounded, and material damage is reported, according to an official an nouncement. One of the German machines was brought down. The oc cupants were made prisoners Berlin, Jan. 31 via London "As a reprisal," says the official statement by the war office, "we dropped 14 tons of bombs on Paris." The official statement adds that the raid on the French capitol was the first systematic attack from the air. AUSTRO-GERMAN FORCES CAPTURE ITALIAN PATROLS Berlin, Jan. 31, via London :The Italian attacks which were launched yesterday against the Austro-German positions southwest of Asiago, on the northern Italian front, broke down under the Teuton fire, the German war office announced today. In the recent fighting' the Austro-German forces in creased the number of prisoners tak en to more than 600. FRENCH SQUADRON OF AIRMEN BOMB RAILROAD STATION Paris, Jan. 31 "French patrols op erating at various points on the front took prisoners," says today's official report. umerwise tnere were no developments during the night. "On Tuesday a French squadron, including Capt. Guillemon and Lieut Lancred bombed from a very low ele vation the railroad station in Lanselot. A large fire was observed." WAGE DEMANDS TAKE HALF R. R. OPERATING CASH Washington, Jan. 31- Demands for wage increases pending before the railroad wage commission are for an aggregate average of 40 per cent.,, it was disclosed today. The demands represent a total of nearly $500,000. 000 this year, or about half of the railroad operating income of last year. I cannot he present in person at the Urbana Conference. I should like to enjoy the benefit of, the inspiration and exchange of counsel which I know I should obtain, but in the cir cumstances it has seemed impossible for me to be present and therefore I can only send you a very earnest message1 expressing my interest and the thoughts which such a conference must bring priminently into every mind. "I need not tell you, for I am sure you realize as keenly as I do that we are a nation in the presence of a great, task which demands supreme sacrifice and endeavor of every one of us. We can give everything that is needed with the greater willingness and even satisfaction because the ob (Continued on Page 2.) MINE WITH SOLDIERS AND BLOOD IS SPILLED Germany in Throes of Incipient Revolution Army Units When Ordered to Fire on Strikers Re fuse to Obey- Industrial Tie-up Spreads Incendiary Pamphlets Distributed. (LATE BERLIN STRIKE BULLETIN) London, Jan. 31 The Socialist party leaders in Germany have asked President Kaempf of the Reich stag to summon the Reichstag immediately in view of the alarming events of the last few days. London, Jan. 31 The industrial disturbances and strikes reported throughout Germany, have ignited the flaming torch of revolution in various parts of to disperse and shoot down rioters who have adopted the slo gan, "An immediate peace. No have in some instances refused to fire on the mobs of marching workers. Turbulent scenes are being enacted in the suburbs of Ber lin. Street fighting has occurred between striking munition workers and soldiers, in which lives have been lost. Some sol dier units are reported to have ignored the orders of their of ficers when commanded to fire upon the workers. In Berlin alone, 700,000 persons are on strike, 58,000 of. these being women. The government has caused the arrest of large numbers of Socialist leaders in various towns. Revolu tionary literature is being distributed in pamphlet form in Ber- , lin, and the efforts of the authorities to prevent this, has been entirely thwarted, owing to the fact that the city is enveloped in , a very thick fog. SUSPEND SAILING OF 5 PASSENGER SHIPS TO SPAIN An Atlantic Port, Jan. 31 The sail ings of five passenger steamers mak ing ready here for voyages to Spain were suspended today it was announc ed, on orders from Washington. WILSON FORECAST ON WAR AFFECTS STOCKS FAVORABLY New Tork, Jan. 31 President Wil son's letter to the farmers' conference today, expressing the opinion that the issue of the war would be determined this year, favorably affected the stock market. Gains of two to three points during the forenoon were- substantially, in creased after the' publication of the letter at noon, railroads and repre sentative industrials featuring the movement. There was urgent cover ing of short contracts and buying of standard stocks was reported to be of an impressive character. J. W. FOLK QUITS AS CHIEF COUNSEL FOR I. C. C. OF U. S. Washington, Jan. 31 Joseph W. Folk sent to the interstate commerce commission today his resignation as the commission's chief counsel, to take effect before Feb. 15. He will return to his home in St. Loifis to become general counsel for the chamber of commerce there. Mr. Folk has served as the commis sion's counsel for four years. He di rected interstate commerce commis sion investigations into business con duct of the New Haven, Rock Island and Louisville & -Nashville railroads. NEW OIL STOVE FOUND BY "COP" ON MAIN STREET Patrolman Tobias found a new oil stove in the doorway of Kresges' Five and Ten Cent Store, on Main street, early, today. No one in the store knew who owned the heater, so it was brought - to police headquarters, where it notr awaits its owner.' the empire. Troops called out . annexations; no indemni&ieSvV- - The strike movevent has spread to ' such an extent that government and private ship yards, the mining cen ters and' numerous important factories in the Berlin district are inactive. Herr Walraff, the Minister of the Interior, has received a dembnd to sanction meetings of the Workmen's Council, a newly born organization patterned "on the model of the Work men s. and Soldiers' councils of Rus sia. -The provinces reported seething with industrial strife, and the situa tion has become so acute that a gen eral meeting of labor heads was called, their discussions to take place in Berlin. Agitation for a general . strike in (Continued on Page 2) RECEIVER STARTS SUIT TO COLLECT FOR CONTRACTORS James F. Quinn, receiver for the Dowling & Bottomly Co.-, has brought suit in the Superior court against tha Churchill Co., of Boston, to recover a balance of $3,648.98, alleged to be du for work and materials on a school being erected in Stratford. The con tract was made previous to November 9, 1917, when Quinn was named re ceiver. Up to that time work had been done and materials furnished amounting to $10,515.61. Of this only $6rS66.63 has been paid. Payment of the balance has been demanded and refused, according to the complaint. GRAND CHAPTER OF 0. E. S. OPENS ANNUAL SESSION ' New Haven, Jan. 31 The grand chapter of Connecticut, Order of thfe Eastern Star, held its 44th annua! session here today. The gathering was opened by Past Grand Matron Mrs. Jennie Margroff of Waterbury, , and Leonard J. Nickerson, grand mas ter of Masons in Connecticut, made an address of welcome. The necro logy, report for the year included the death of Mrs. Ida Fiske of Hartford, grand treasurer. Officers were elect ed during the afternoon. DESIGN RED ARMY TO FIGHT IN BIG EUROPEAN REVOLT Petrograd, Jan. 31 An official statement issued today by the Bol shevik government says that the "new workmen's and peasants' Red army will serve to support the com ing social revolution in Europe." 1 Jl -v