The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., December 31, 1918, Image 1

About The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
ALMANAC FOR TODAY
The Weather Report
For 'Bridgeport and vi
cinity: Rain and snow,
mostly rain tonight and
"Wednesday; warmer to
night, colder Wednesday.
'ClT KA ir QflQ TTQT' 17Qfl Entered as second class matter at the post office
UU iH riKJ. OUO XjiS.tVKJ at Bridgeport, Conn., under the act of 1879
Such is Sentiment of Members of His Party on
Leaving England Sailed From Dover For
Calais This Morning Wilson Sends Message
of Appreciation to King George and New
Year's Greeting to English People.
London, Dec. 31 President and Mrs. Wilson left Victoria
station at 9:18 o'clock this morning on a special train en route
to France.
King George and Queen Mary and the Duke of Connaught
accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Wilson to the station. Premier
Lloyd George was on the platform and saw the President and
his wife depart. The Scots Guards formed the Guard of Honor
and the band of the Irish Guards played.
Among those who were at the station to see Mr. and Mrs.
Wilson off were General Sir William R. Robertson, Vice Ad
miral W. S. Sims, John W. Davis, the American ambassador
and Lady Reading. Mrs. Wilson chatted with Queen Mary and
shook hands with all present as the train pulled out, the King
and Queen waving their handkerchiefs and the band playing as
it left the station.
It was a dark and rainy morning, but crowds lined the
streets from Buckingham Palace to the station and cheered as
the procession passed.
Mr. Wilson and King George ln
itcted the Guard while the band
plax;d the Star Spangled Banner.
President and Mrs. Wilson bade fare
well to King George', Queen Mary and
Princess Mary In the waiting room
and then took their leave of Premier
IJoyd George, Andrew Bonar Law,
Lord Robert Cecil and Sir Eric Ged
des, who were at the station.
Queen Mary and Mrs. Wilson car
ried on an animated, conversation to
the last moment. President Wilson
having to call Mrs. Wilson's attention
to the fact that the train was pulling
out.
With Mr. and Mrs. Wilson en route
to Dover were Lord Herschell, Sir
Charles Cust, John W. Davis, Vice
Admiral W.--6. Sims, Rear Admiral
Cary T. Grayson, Major General John
Blddle, Colonel William W. Harts,
Colonel S. L. H. Blocum, J. Butler
Wright and Herbert C. Hoover.
Dover, Dec. 81. The presidential
train reached Dover at 11 o'clock and
little time was lost in boarding the
Bteamer Brighton, which set out al7
most Immediately on the cross-channel
trip.
The morning was cold and raw,
With a nasty east wind whlprping the
channel into whltecaps. However,
president Wilson and IMrs. Wilson
both remained on the (bridge of the
Brighton until the Bteamer left her
pier. They smiled and waved fare
PEASANTS' STAND
ALARMS LENINE
Maintain Attitude of
position to Bol
sheviki. Op-
Paris. Dec. 31 The attitude of the
peasants In the region of Moscow is
alarming the Lenlne jrovernment. ac
cording to the Petrograd correspond
ent of the Journal. Early in Decem
ber, he reports, the peasants actively
revolted and It was a week before
they were subdued.
The Bolshevik Red Guard broke
down opposition with the utmost se
verity. The peasants were poorly
armed and were forced to surrender
in large numbers. Numerous villages,
the correspondent adds, were razed
to the ground by artillery and large
numbers of peasants were massacred.
' The peasants, however, the cor
respondent continues, maintain their
attitude of opposition to the Bolehe
viki. London. Dec. 31. Bolshevism broke
out in German Silesia on Saturday,
according to a Berlin despatch to the
Express. -Miners who are on etriko
have seized officers of the companies
employing them and, under menace
of loaded rifles, have compelled them
to sign "all sorts of documents," the
despatch says.
It is stated that the disorders are
of a Russian Bolshevist character and
there has been murdedlng and pillag
ing in the affected region. Silesia has
been declared a Bolshevist republic, it
is said,
Geneva, Dec. El. New disorders
have occurred in the Ruhr Valley coal
fields, in Westphalia, Germany. Armedi
strikers attacked soldiers cuardinc1
two coal mines and both properties
"were damaged. The strikers were
finally compelled to resume work.
wells to those on shore while the band
played the "Star Spanerled Banner."
On their arrival on the platform of
the station, when the train reached
here from London, a guard of honor
consisting of a company of Royal
Fusiliers and bluejackets from the
Dover patrol was lined up to greet the
party, president Wilson was received;
by Commander Boyle, secretary tot
Vice Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, Aid
miral Keyes being Indisposed and un
able to attend in person.
Others in the receiving party were
Rear Admiral Cecil F. Dampler,
Major General J. Colin Mackenzie,
and the Marquess of Camden. They
accompanied the Presidential party
to the pier, where President Wilson
shook hands all around and express
cd his appreciation for the arrange
ments made for his reception.
As the Brighton passed out of the
harbor . her naval escort took posi
tions on either side, accompanying
her to mid-channel, where French
destroyers took over the task.
As the President was leaving Eng
land he telegraphed King George a
message expressing deep appreciation
of his entertainment in this coun
try and wishing the English people
a Happy New Tear.
The President returns to France,
members of the party Indicate, feel
ing that great progress has been
made toward the achievement of his
peace Ideals.
,000 PERSONS
AT LAUNCHIN
First Ship Built at Housa
tonic Yards Takes "Water
This Morning.
At the stroke of 10 this morning
me airneia." named a ft ay
county, the first ship to be launched
by the Housatonic Shipyards, slid
down the ways Into the water. The
boat has been under construction for
about a year but the shortage of help
combined with the difficulty in securing-
supplies, has greatly hindered
the completion of the ship.
Miss Grace Deltrlch sponsored the
boat. It seemed as if the pace was a
little too fast for her, as the boat was
half way down the launching ways
before she had a chance to break tho
bottle.
There were over 5,000 persons in
attendance who witnessed thi
launching. There was quite a little
work incidental to the launching it
self and in building -the launching
vj.ys. First a cofferdam was built
and then the boat had to be balanced
right lest it tip and enter the water
sideways.
This was all done perfectly and
the only thing that happened to less
en the day's entertainment was the
refusal of the beat to be s-onsored.
There are now five other ships un
der construction in the yard and it
is expected that two of them will be
launched next month and the re
mainder will go off before June.
SOCIAL MEETING.
Members of the Machinists' union
and the Ladies' Local Workers'
union, will hold a social and watch
meeting after the regular business
meetings at the hall, 1087 Broad
street, this evening. Refreshments
will be 3erved, and the members are
urged to attend and bring their
friends.
:
RYANT CANNOT
CHANGE ORDERS
N CANCELLATION
Assistant Secretary of War
Sends Telegram to Mayor
Fitzgerald.
ORDNANCE CHIEF DID
NOT ORIGINATE TERMS
Contractors Instructed to
Discontinue Night Shifts
on Graduated Plan.
Waldo C. Bryant, chief of the
Bridgeport District Ordnance office,
today received a telegram from As
sistant Secretary of War Benedict
Crowell, in which is included a tele
gram sent by the assistant secretary
to Mayor Fitzgerald of New Haven
in regard to the cancellation of war
cortracts. The telegram came in re
sponse to a message sent Mr. Crowell
by the Committee of Mayors of Con
necticut. Mr. Bryant in making pub
lic the message made no comment.
The assistant secretary of war says:
"I am today sending the following
telegram to Mayor Fitzgerald:
"Replying to your telegram of
Dec. 28. Program of suspension of
ordnance work in the Bridgeport dis
trict was decided upon after
thorough consideration by the claims
board of the Ordnance office in Wash
ington. Mr. Bryant, the district
chief, received notices for transmis
sion to the contractors affected. He
did not originate the terms and
neither had nor has authority to
change the terms received from
Washington.
"These terms were calculated to al
low in general of a tapering off of
work over a period to approximately
April flrrt next provided the contrac
tors, followed the instructions given
them on November 12th to discon
tinue the night shift by a graduated!
discharge of employes. Had there
been universal compliance with these
Instructions a larger number of the
discharges which occurred during this
past week would have been spread
over the period between November If
and the present to avolc!! a recurrence
of that situation and to Insure that
a reasonable graduation of discharge
is observed. Henceforth Mr. Bryant
has been Instructed to secure from
the contractors their plans for taper
ing off the remainder of the work,
allowed them under the suspension
notices as Issued and to approve
these plans if in his Judgment they
are sufficient. He has no authority
to allow any Increase in the amount;
of work to be performed. Tou are at
liberty to make this telegram publlct
if you desire."
This telegram came in response to
the following sent to Mr. Crowell by
the Committee on Mayors of Con
necticut on December 28:
"Your telegram December 27th
states that your department permits
for taipering off government work to
April 1st. Does that mean that Dis
trict Chief Officer Bryant has option,
or power to modify or extend con-i
tracts to keep employes at work in
district to April 1?"
DIES SHORTLY
AFTER WIFE
The many friends of Murdock J.
Eckhart will be grieved to learn of
his death which occurred at St. Vin
cent's hospital at an early hour this
morning. His death Is particularly
sad as his wife passed away at the
same hospital last Thursday. He is
survived by two small children, a
mother, Mrs. Hannah Eckhart and
three sisters, Mrs. Edward Houde,
Mrs. Henry Smith and Miss Florence
Eckhart. The funeral will be held
from his home on Main street on
Thursday morning. A solemn high
mass for the repose of his soul will
be sung in Sacred Heart church. In
terment in St. Michael's cemetery.
TO RELIJASE SINN FEINERS
London, Dec. 31 The release of
all the Sinn Feiners Interned In Eng
land is expected virtually at once,
Count Plunkett, one of the Sinn Fein
ers elected to parliament in the re
cent balloting, already has been re
leased. CABINET SITUATION POLITICAL
. Paris, Dec. 31 The plans for the
departure of President Wilson for
Rome on Wednesday night will not
be affected by the crisis in the Italian
Cabinet. The Cabinet situation in
Rome is said to be purely political
and outside the range of the Presi
dent's visit to Italy,
and Evening Farmer
BRIDGEPORT, CONK, TUESDAY, DEC. 31, 1918
CONDEMNS TROLLEY
Shelton, Conn., Dec. 31 Condemning trolley traffic
conditions as one of the chief menaces to public health, Dr.
Stephen J. Maher, of the state tuberculosis commission, be
fore the Connecticut public association late yesterday, made
a demand for an immediate remedy. He reviewed in de
tail the precautions usually taken to combat an epidemic
which have extended to the closing of schools, churches,
theatres, and the prohibition of public gatherings, and then
said : "Of what protection will all these precautions be ; of
what protection even will well scrubbed houses and bathed
bodies be, so long as even one member of the family spends
three to six hours a week in a trolley car, in which incipi
ently sick and the well, and the convalescing, are packed so
tightly together that neither those who sit nor those who
stand can move hand or foot? x x x x why bother about
segregating a few "carriers of disease" so long as we supply
to 100,000 men, women and children every night in Bridge
port and New Haven alone, the crowded trolley car?"
The association elected Charles W. Evarts, of Milford,
president, and voted to have Dr. Maher's address printed and
generally circulated.
LMON FRENCH
LEFT $25,000
Bequeaths $2,000 to Easton
Church Many Relatives
Benefit.
Probate Judge Paul Miller today set
10:30 a. m., January 9, as the time
for a hearing on the admittance of
the will with codicil -attached of the
late I- Almon French, who died in this
city on December 24 in his 96th lyear.
Application for letters of administra
tion was made today by William Paul
of this city, the executor. The estate
is estimated at $25,000, all personal
property.
Many residents of Fairfield county
In addition to the Flat Rock M. E.
church of Easton benefit under the
instrument. The will was drawn in
April, 1910, and in it $1,000 was be
queathed to the Flat Rook church.
'In the codicil drawn seven years
later, an additional $1,000 was left to
the church. The money is to be in
vested by the trustees in a perma
nent fund, the Interest of which Is
to be used for the preaching of the
gospel. One hundred dollars is left
to the Baptist Union cemetery of
Easton.
The remaining bequests in the will
and codicil are divided as follows:
Haittie E. French of Trumbull, a
niece, $1,000; Wilbert French of
Bridgeport, nephew, $1,C00 in the will
and 5600 in the codicil; Samuel Clark
of Long Hill, nephew, $1,000; Louis
French, nephew, of St. Louis, $1,000;
Edward, Nellie and Bessie Clark, all
of Hartford, $1,000 each; Louis F.
Wheeler and Arthur E. Wheeler of
Bridgeport, $1,000 each. The remain
der of the estate is to be divided
equally between the seven surviving
children of his half sisters and broth
ers. In the codicil additional bequests
are made to Ella Downs and Fannie
Downs of Bridgeport and Mrs. Ar
thur Downs of New York. Each re
ceive $;00.
Washington, Dec. 31 Favorable
reports on the situation in the
Archangel region of Russia where
some unofficial accounts have pictur
ed the north Russian, Allied and
American forces as facing destruc
tion at the hands of Bolshevikl In
overwhelming numbers, have been
given to the State Department by G.
A. Martiuszine, representative here
of the Archangel government.
It was officially stated today that
Mr. Martiuszne had conferred with
Acting Secretary Polk and that his
information showed the situation
well In hand from the viewpoint of
the Allies.
According to these reports, the
Bolshevik soldiers are officered by
Germans and consequently are able
! to make good use of their artillery
and rapid fire guns, but they have no
stomach for fighting that does not
keep them at a distance from their
oponents.
POST OFFICE HOCRS.
Post office hours on New Year's
Day will be observed as follows:
General delivery, paroM post, regis
try and stamp window will bo open
from 8 In tho morning until 12.
Money orders and postal savings' sec
tions will be elosed the entire day.
Carriers will make only one delivery
in the morning.
London, Dec. 31 Field Marshal
von Hindenburg has telegraphed to
German industrial magnates, saying
he would support the British occu
pation of Berlin, acoording to a Ber
lin despatch to the Mail under the
date of Saturday,
FAVORABLE NEWS
FROM RUSSIA
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
TESTIFY BONJON
IRRESPONSIBLE
Witnesses Relate Many In
stances Showing His Weak
Mental State.
Attorney Israel Cohn, counsel for
the defense in the trial of Louis
Bonbon for the murder of Daniel E.
Walker, took the stand in the su
perior court today and told a num
ber of instances of erratic conduct
on the part ot his client during the
last three years. Attorney Cohn ex
pressed the opinion that Bonjon was
undoubtedly insane at the time
Walker was killed.
Other witnesses testified to a simi
lar effect, that Bonjon during a
number of years had been wild and
irresponsible in his manner, given to
wild outbursts of temper, and ap
peared to be mentally unbalanced.
Among "the witnesses so testifying
were Harry M. Nichols, who as an
employe of the Bridgeport Land &
Title Co. took charge of the Bonjon
property. He described several
scenes which led him to believe Bon
jon was not responsible.
Dr. S. M. Garlick, recalled, related
a conversation he had with Bonjon
at St. Vincent's hospital in which the
prisoner described his movements the
day of the tragedy, but made no men
tion of the affair in the Walker cafe.
The jury was cautioned by the court
that this conversation was admitted
to show that state of mind only, and,
not as evidence of what really hap
pened. Dr. Garlick described! Bonjon
j as indifferent in manner, and ap
pearing not to know where he was or
how he got there.
Dr. J. F. Gilday told of treating
Bonjon for a gas poisoning case, and
his wanting the physician to take his
property and allow him 50 cents a
day as long as he lived, making this
offer several times. Dr. Gilday saidi
he considered the man mentally weals
and made no definite answer to the
proposition. This was In 1916. Again
he treated Bonjon for an infected!
finger, applying the usual dressings,
which Bonjon would remove and re
place with stromanium leaves which
he said grew in his garden.
Dr. T. F. Healey, Michael P. Grace,
each related instances of erratic con
duct upon the part of Bonjon, and
both believed him mentally unbal
anced. Capt. Edward Cronan of the
detective bureau said he knew Bon
Continued On Page Three)
PRESIDENT TO
GET PAY CHECK
Washington, Dec. 31. President
Wilson today had hi3 first pay day
outside the limits of the United
States, and the treasury warrant for
j $6,230 drawn to his credit probably
I was the first presidential pay check
lever endorsed by any one other than
1 the chief executive. When the Pres
ident left the country he designated
N. P .Webster, disbursing clerk at the
White House, as his "attorney in,
fact," and Mr. Webster today re
ceived the wr-rant; endorse it with
Mr. Wilson's name, then signed his
own : as attorney and deposited the
warrant In the bank to the President's
credit.
TO LIFT DOG QUARANTINE.
Hartford, Dec. 81 Cattle Com
missioner James M. Whittlesey an
nounced today that In the course- of
a week or two he would remove the
dog quarantine in force in 132 towns,
except in towns In the Naugatuck
Valley, such as Ansonla and Derby
where there has been recent out
break of rabies, and perhaps in
Waterbury, where the condition at
present is not entirely satisfactory.
The commissioner said that since .the
quaranantine went lnt effect there
had been 7,000 dogs destroyed.
Subscription rates by mail: Daily W.00 per year. One
month. Daily 60 cents. 179 Fairfield Ave.. Bridgeport
UDGETS FILED
TODAY TOTAL
$1,464,423
Police Department Leads
With Over Half Million
in Requisition.
LIBRARY DIRECTORS
ASK INCREASED TAX
Health and Charities Bud
gets Show Increase Over
1918 Requisitions.
Five budgets for 1919, by as many
municipal departments, filed with
City Auditor Keating today total
$1,464,423.66. The Police Department
budget is the largest followed by the
Health Department, with the Chari
ties Department a close third.
Salary increases nd other expen
ditures including a deficit of $25,
077.01 in the appropriation for the
present year brings the Police De
partment budget, filed with City
City Auditor Bernard Keating today
to over a half million dollars. The
exact figure of the 1919-1920 requi
sition is $579,180.65 as against the
requisition of a year ago for $445,
309.11. This shows an increase of
$133,871.54. -
The appropriation asked for salar
ies alone amounts to $524,008.64, the
remainder of the total being divided
maintenance and pensions.
An increase of $11,560 is asked in
the requisition filed for the Police
Headquarters building. The largest
item on the list is one for $15,000 for
the remodeling of the building. The
total amount asked for in this re
quisition is $27,487.
Estimating expenditures for the
coming fiscal year at $64,500, an in
crease of $16,500 over last year's ap
propriation, the Board of Library Di
rectors in a communication to City
Audtior Bernard Keating, today pe
titioned the Board of Apportionment
and Taxation for a three-tenths of a
Continued On Page Three)
WILL NOT GRANT
POLE'S DEMAND
London, Dec. 31. Germany has re
fused to accede to the demands of the'
Poles, that Polish troops be permitted
to use the railroads from the Polish!
border to Vilna, according to War
saw advices to the Mall. The Berlin
government is said to have based its!
refusal on the ground that permis
sion from the entente nations was
necessary.
In . the meantime, it Is said, the
Germans have demanded that Ger
man troops returning from Russia be
allowed to use Polish railways, on the
ground that one hundred thousand!
.ria-nman osilrHprn -would otherwise be
compelled to majrch through Poland.
The Poles have consented to this ar
rangement with the stipulation that
the German troops ehould be dis
armed. Berlin has not replied to the
Polish conditions.
ARMENAS HELD
FOR EXTRADITION
New York, Dec. 31 William Ar
menas, arrested here recently chars
ed with shooting William Bobotes, a
restaurant keeper of Bridgeport,
Conn., near that city a year ago,
was ordered held for extradition by
Connecticut authorities in the York
vllle court this morning.
Bobotes came to New York a week
ago to have X-ray examinations
made of his wounds, and met and
recognized Armenas on the street.
Armenas admitted In court that he
was with Bobotes when he was shot.
BRIG. GEN. M'GIBBIN DEAD.
Washington, Dec. 31. Brlgidler
General McGlbbln, veteran of many
campaigns, died here yesterday, aged)
77 years. He was retired in 1902 after
forty ysars' active service In the civil
war oampalgn, Spanish-American wan
and Philippine insurrections. He was
a native of Pennsylvania, The burial
will be In Arlington National Ceme
tery, .
Sun rises) 7:18 a. nv
Sun sets 4:33 p. m.
High water 1 9:22,a. m.
Moon rises 5:43 a. m.
Low water ........ 4:25 p. m.
PRICE TWO CENTS
Shells Loaded With Nitro- f
glycerine or T. N.JT. Do
Great Damage.
FORTUNATELY
NO LIVES LOST
Street Filled With Phamp- i
lets Setting Forth Anarch- !
istic Doctrines.
Philadelphia, Dec. 31
Shrapnel shells loaded with
nitre-glycerine or T.N.T. were
exploded late last night at the
homes of three men prominent
in public life. There was con
siderable destruction of prop
erty but fortunately no one
was killed.
The houses attacked were
those of Justice Robert von
Moschzisker of the Pennsylva
nia supreme court; Ernest T.
Trigg, president of the Phila
delphia Chamber of Com1-'
merce, and William R. Mills,
acting superintendent of po
lice. Eight houses adjoining these resi
dences were damaged by the explos
ions. The three homes are in wide
ly' separated sections of the city. The
first bombed was that of Mr. Trigg
which is in the extreme western sec
tion of the city. Here the bomb was
exploded at 10:45 p. m. Ten min
utes later the home of Mr. Mills,
nearly three miles distant, was at
tacked and fifteen minutes afterward
Judge von Moschzisker's house, nearly
four miles from the Mills residence,
was visited by the bomb throwers.
The authorities believe the Trigg
bomb was intended for the home of
Municipal Court Judge Gorman, who
resides next door.
Revenge against the judicial and
police authorities for enforcing the
law against sedition and the display
of the red flag of anarchy in this city,
the police officials say furnished the
motive.
(Continued on Page Two)
PRINT SPEECHES
SIDE BY SIDE!
London, Dec. 31. Morning ' news- i
papers give great and equal promi-i
nence to the speech of .Premier Clem-
enceau before the French Chamben
of Deputies and President Wilson's .
address at Manchester. Byl their; '
headlines, by placing in Juxtaposition
the striking passages, and by thein ;
comment the newspapers reveal a cer
tain uneasiness in consequence of tha j
apparent divergence between Mj
Clemenceau and Mr. Wilson. 1
There is obvious endeavor, however,
to avoid anything suggesting the ex- j
Istence of a substanial disagreement 1
or promoting anxiety. The desira !
seems mainly to show that M. Clem' 1
enceau's standpoint is not so remote !
from Mr. Wilson's as might appear atl
first sight and that any difference j
that exists ought to be arranged withi
pains and patience.
JAPAN WANTS
RECOGNITION
Toklo, Dec. 2 (Correspondence of
Associated Press) "Japan should de
mand at the peace .conference'writea
Iichiro Tokutoml, Japan's foremost
journalist, "that she be treated as a
member of the company of the vic
torious powers; not placed in a po
sition of splendid isolation. Japan
has done her bit in the war, and now
that the war Is over, we do not want
to have Japan put aside as a nation
of ji6 account."
REFUSES TO ENTER
GOVERNMENT.
Copenhagen, Dec. 31 Herr Loebe,
whose appointment to a place in the;
cabinet was announced yesterday, ha:
Informed the. Central Council of Sol
diers and Workmen of Germany that;
he does not wish to enter the govern-'
ment, preferring to continue his,
work at Breslau, where he -Is editor,
of the Breslau Volkswacht, accord-'
ing to a semi-official statement pub-j
llshed in Berlin.
I
r"