Newspapers / Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, … / Sept. 24, 1917, edition 1 / Page 1
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-i. . S. ' ! I r THE WEATHER Local rains Monday and Tuesday slightly warmer in interior. Complete Service of the Associated Press H 1-AvD, 1867 CAB VOL. CI-KO. 1. PROTECTION USED BY GERMANY AS CARRY ON INTRIGUE ; : . High Explosives and Deadly Mi crobes Secreted In Imperial Legation at Bucharest. LANSING REVEALS SCHEME Explosives Were to Be Used In: Bomb Plots and the Microbes to Kill Livestock. GERMAN AGENT ADMITS IT Boxes Brought to the Country By Diplomatic Messenger. Washington, Sept. 23. How Germany "shamefully abused and exploited" the protection' of the United States by secreting in the German legation at Bucharest, offpr fhf ArnfTii?fln crrwptm-mcn-i- liiiv - - - - - - - - - . v . wauuxuuv r affairs at the Rumanian capital, quantities of powerful explosives for. bomb plots and deadly mi- trooes, witn instructions ror tneir use in destroying horses and cat tle, was revealed . today by Secre tary Lan'sing. Lansing1 Doetmt Comment. It was another of Mr. Lansing's series of disclosures of German intrigue, made public without comment in. the same manner as the Von Luxburg telegrams rhich have brought Argentina to the verge of war with Germany, the Von Eckhardt letter from Mexico City and the Von Bernstbrff telegram asking the German foreign office for authorization to spend $50,000tp influence-Ctmgresa The latest story is told in a report to the State Department from William Uniting Andrews, asecretary of lega tion at Bucharest, and a letter from Foreign Minister Parumbaru, of Ru- Suarpiciona Arontwd. Parcels- and boxes taken into the German consulate at Bucharest with a display of great' caution aroused the suspicious of the Rumanian govern ment. On August 27, 1916, the evening prior to the date of Rumania's declara tion of war, some of the cases were taken to the German legation, located in a different building from the con sulate. Convinced that the boxes were not taken away from the legation by the German diplomatic mission on its departure from Bucharest, the Ruman ian authorities later ordered the police to find tHem and' examine their' con tents. The nlolice communicated with American Minister Vopicka, in charge of German interests, who reluctantly aligned Secretary 'Andrews to observe the search. The boxes were found taried in the garden of the German legation. Mr. Andrews' report says: Bernhardt Admits It. "Upon my return from the examina tion which resulted in the discovery of the explosives and ' of the box of mi crobes, both of which the legation ser vants admitted having placed In the garden, the former confidential agent of the German minister, Dr. Bernhardt, rcho had been left with the legation at the German minister's request to as sist In the care of German interests, admitted his knowledge of the explo res placed in the garden; told me tliat more were In the garden than had been found; that a still larger quan tity had been buried in the house of the legation and that worse things than this box of microbes were con- tamed In the legation and Insisted that hey would have been found even in 'he cabinets of dossiers which I had sealed. "Dr. Bernhardt also stated that all these objects had been brought to the German legation after our legation had apcepted the protection of German in vests, which agreed with the state ments of the servants. A similar con fusion was maSe to the minister by this man. "The protection of the United States as in this manner shamefully abused and exploited. In this Instance, at 'et, the German government cannot have recourse to its usual system of tenia 1." Mom Powerful ExpIoIve. Fifty-one boxes were taken from the ground in the garden. Fifty of them c"ntained each a cartridge filled with ,rinitrotoluene saturated with mononi trrtoluene. among the most powerful "plosives known, one-fifth of each be- sufficient to - tear up- a railroad ck- in the other boxes were bottles 51 'iquiris found to be cultures of ml-j-rbes of anthrax and glanders. It re a seal showing it came from the rman consulate at Kronstadt, Mun &arJ". and Inside was found a type written note in German saying: The German Note. 'Or cxttlA T v. - fftrmar. J arranged. Each phial is sufficient v L I jr iuui LUC alii iiiau ot, in their fodder. Please make little report on the success obtained ,ere; in case of god results the pres "ice of Mr. Kostoff for one day here be desirable." Fi"Mgn Minister Porumbaru accom- tContinued,onPaseSiglt)!, ; OF UNITED Petrograd Stirred By the Revelations Regarding the Source of Korniloff Revolt Petrograd, Sept. 22. (Delayed) The controversy over the source of the recent Korniloff rebellion has proved to be the sensation of the day. Pet rograd newspapers publish columns of revelations and interviews with the chief actors in the revolt and while much is inexplicable, it is agreed that negotiations between Premier Keren sky and General Korniloff for the establishment of a strong government at Petrograd preceded the rebellion. The march of General Korniloff's troops on the capital is said to have been part of a scheme. The Russkia Volya says the revela tions have made an overwhelming im pression on the members of the gov ernment who were not initiated into the plan and that these ministers are awaiting Premier Kerensky's explana tions. General Savinkoff, ex-director of the war department and later commander of the Petrograd troops sent against General Korniloff, declares that he was dispatched to. General Korniloff by Premier Kerensky, who had resolved to proclaim martial law, with a mis sion to ask the Russian commander-in-chief to send to Petrograd a caval ry corps and the "savage" division un der command of a general other than REV. J. H. BENNETT FORGED TO RESIGN Prominent Methodist Minister of trreensboro Charged With Immoral Conduct. HE AND WIFE LEAVE CITY He Does Not Deny Charges Brought Against Him ly Police Waa . Pastor of Centenary Church With 50O Members. (Special Star Telegram.) Greensboro. N . C, Sept. 23. Rev. J. M. H. Bennett, pastor of Centenary E. Church, South, having a mem bership of 500, has given up his pastor ate and left the city because he was confronted with a charge of Immoral conduct, which he could not deny. Po lice officers had found him in a house of prostitution in a room with a negro woman and it was charged and not denied by him that his visits to the place had been frequent. A meeting of church stewards was held Friday night and last night Mr. Bennett and his wife left the city. The pulpit was filled today by another minister. Mr. Bennett had made a fine Impres sion in Greensboro and was regarded as about the best preacher in the city. He is a native of Western North Caro lina. For many years he preached in Washington State and returned to North Carolina a few years ago. He had been here two years. L'FOLLETTE DENOUNCES WAR AND DEMOCRATS Declares the Press Is Mostly Controlled By tie "War Party" and the Fi nancial Interests. Toledo, Ohio, Sept. 23. Denouncing war in general and the United States Democratic government in particular. United States Senator Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin addressed a large gathering in the coliseum this afternoon under the auspices of "The People's Church," made up of Social ists headed by Prof. Scott Nearing. Mr. IaFollette attacked the Ameri can press, declaring . that American newspapers are for the most part con trolled by the "war party" and the fi nancial Interests of the country. Mr. La-Follette declared that .. the President of the United States swayed Congress to such an extent that the declaration of war was not the repre sentative opinion,, of a democratic gov ernment. He advocated war in de fense only and in case of aggression to submit the question to the people of the nation in the form of a refer endum. " .i M In discussing the tax feature in con nection with the prosecution of the war, the senator asserted that "wealth has won and the people lost." Senator LaFollette stated that he hoped to be .able to serve the people of this country from 25 to 30 years longer. BRITISH DESTROYER SENT TO BOTTOM; CO SURVIVORS London, Sept. 23.-A British destroy er has been torpedoed and sunk toy a German submarine in the approaches to the Channel, according to an admir alty announcement. There were 50 survivor, . '. , " : ' ,. v . . WILMINGTON, N. C, STATES SHIELD TO IN RUMANIA General Krymoff who was in bad po litical repute. General Korniloff broke the agereraent by sending both Kry moff and the "savage" division toward the capital. The Rech says that General Korniloff drew up a plan for the salvation of the country, comprising military rev olutionary courts, the militarization of railroads and war work shops and the restoration of officers' disciplinary powers which Premier Kerensky re jected. Nevertheless Korniloff promis ed General Savinkoff that he would give full obedience to Kerensky. In order to make possible the proclama tion of martial law, General Savinkoff ordered the dispatch of cavalry to Pet rograd. Then Vladimir Lvoff arrived at armj headquarters, the Recr says, with three alternative proposals from Prem ier Kerensky. The first was the resig nation of Kerensky, the second was the formation of a directory within the cabinet with the participation of Kerensky and Korniloff, and the third provided for the appointment of Kor niloff as dictator. General Korniloff, the newspaper says, chose the directory, but M. Lvoff falsely announced to Kerensky that Korniloff had commissioned him to present an ultimatum demanding that he be given sole dictatorship. The Novoe Vremya, publishes a sim ilar story and adds that when Premier Kerensky, having received the ulti (Continued on Page Two.) Note Received -Just As Argentine Chamber Was Preparing to Vote On a Breach. SOME DOUBT STILL LEFT Cruiser Warfare" in Substituted for "Submarine Warfare" Two Deputies Fight a Duel With Swords. ' Buenos Aires. Sept. 23. Just as the Argentine chamber of deputies early this morning was preparing to vote on the question of breaking diplomatic relations with Germany, an official com munication was received from the Ber lin foreign office. The note disap proved of the ideas expressed by Count Luxburg, the German minister here, re garding Germany's "cruiser warfare." The word "cruiser" left some doubt in the minds of government officials as to whether Germany intended to mod ify her submarine campaign; A decla ration of war by Argentina, however, was postponed by the receipt of . the German note. Foreign Minister Pueyrredon later gave out two notes that he had re ceived from Dr. Louis B. Molina, the Argentine minister at Berlin. The first reads: "I confirm my telegram -of 'September 21 and am transmitting exict text of the note of the German government In reply to your communicacion. . As you will see, the satisfaction cannot be more ample or definite. "This note was delivered personally to me by the imperial chancellor vho has just returned from Munich and who repeated the sentiments of the note in a most expressive and definite manner. There is no doubt, -therefore, that the German empire condemns the conduct of Count Luxburg, whose opin ions were purely personal, .-tad it dis approves absolutely. You may be sure the German government will faithfully keep its promises." . The second message received from the Argentine minister says: '.'I have to inform you of ihe untruth of the report sent out by the enemies of vTermany that the Kaiser has Bent Luxburg a message approving hia con duct and has offered another diplomatic post to him. The government has de nied the report by wireless.'' The chamber of deputies will meet tomorrow afternoon to .ake definite ac tion on the messages from Minister Molina. Deputies Veyga and Arce ' pposed each other in a duel with swords today as a result of words passed in Satur day's debate in the chamber. Veyga, whose remark caused the challenge, was wounded in the arm. Deputy Arce considers that his honor has been sat isfied. ISLAND OF JAMAICA AGAIN IS STRUCK BY HURRICANE Kingston, Jamaica, Sept. 23. The Island of Jamaica was struck by a hurricane today for the third time in as many years. The gale was net of excessive violence in Kingston and no damage was done to buildings. No details are available from the interior of the island as all the tele phone and telegraph wires are down. It is feared that the banana crop has been damaged seriously. BERLIN DISAVOWS . LUXBURG'S IDEAS MONDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 24, 1917 5,000 IN WILL BE DRAFTED IN STATE ..A J Fr&iir Bickett Proclaims All V iff en From 18 to 45 As "Un organized Militia." CONDITIONS DEMAND MOVE; Each County to Have at Least 25 Guards and Larger Centers Will Have More. Raleigh, N. C, Sept. 23. In a proc lamation issued tonight Gov. Bickett invokes active service of the "unor ganized militia" as constituted by an act of the last General Assembly rati fied March 6 and consisting of all male citizens of the State between the ages of 18 and 45, the call including those 31 to 45. The Governor proposes to draft 5,000 men from this unorganized militia with not less than 25 men to any county and bigger companies for the larger counties. Immediately Frame Regulations. The regulations for the selective draft are to. be immediately framed and the draft accomplished with the least possible delay in all the counties. Conditions now prevailing in the State, the Governor declares, make this move necessary at this time. The plan is one that was worked out by direc tion of the Governor some days ago and approved by the State Council of Defense. Among the conditions that are speeding up the formation of the militia companies are the crimes com mitted the past few ' days in Wake, Vance, Harnett and Durham counties, all of which stirred hundreds. of peo ple to mob , violence if the criminals who committed the outrages can be gotten at. To Protect Penetentlary. The State's prison here is the "place of safety" to which criminals are brought to keep mobs from them' and a particularly large special military. force is canternpUted.XorJialeiffh-end Wake on that account to defer com binations of mob movements from different counties to force even the State Prison under some circumstances. Already there is formed a formid' able special company of selected citi zenry here for service of . this sort to be ready for any emergency. The or ganization was perfected tonight in the State House with Adj. Gen. Lawrence W. Young and Maj. W. F. Moody di recting the movement.. The men were called to the service through special letters and telephone the past few hours and they are understood to be ready for any emergency. Governor's Proclamation. The proclamation by " Gov. Bickett follows: "Whereas, it has been made to- ap pear to me that conditions now prevail within the State calling' for the' use and service of an effective force for the maintenance of peace, and order, "Whereas, the companies composing the organized-State Guard are now absent from the State, having been duly called into the National service, and, "Whereas, by an act by the last General Assembly, entitled 'an act to revise the military laws of the State and increase the efficiency of the mi litia' ratified March 6, 1917, all able bodied male citizen sof the State and all " able-bbdied " male residents therein who have signified their purpose; to become citizens between the ages ' of 18 and 45, unless excepted by .special law, are constituted aitd declared to be the un-organized militia of the State and made subject to the call of the Governor for.' the purpose indi cated,' "Now, therefore, I, Thomas W:. Bick ett, Governor, by virtue of. authority vested' in me by the general laws and (Continued on Page Two.-) to fnfp ORDER III I fcT. ACTIVITY DWINDLES ON THE FIGHTING FRONTS IN FRANCE In none of the battle areas of -Europe has there been any marked ac tivity in the last 24 hours. A momen tary lull appears to have settled upon the fighting operations in Flanders and at Verdun In the region and along the Isonzo. Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, finding his. efforts to dis lodge the - British from the recent gains in the Ypres salient ineffective, has ceased his infantry attacks and resorted to artillery. German Positions Raided. The British are resting after their effort of Thursday, having gained all but a few minor posts of the objec tives desired and having taken 3,824 prisoners, but their big guns still hammer the German positions and their aviators harrass the airdomes, dumps, cantonments and other mili tary points in the German lines. Northeast of Gouveaucourt, between Arras and St. Quenten, the British carried out a successful raid into the German trenches. On the rest of the western front the French and Germans have been con tent to bombard each other. The ar tillery activity is reported violent along the Aisne front and northeast of Verdun in the region of HU1 304. Berlin reports reconnoitering en gagements on this- portion of the front but nonaction of moment. German Advance Halted. -Having - captured, the - , Jacobstadt bridgehead, south of Riga, and forced MEANS IS PASSING THE TIME QUIETLY IN CABARRUS JAIL Alleged Slayer of Mrs. Maude King ."ill Be Given Prelim inary Hearing Today. BOTH SIDES ARE RETICENT Nothing Is Given Out As to Plans of the State or the Probable Course of Defense. Concord, N. C, Sept. 23. Prepara tions went rapidly forward here to day for the preliminary hearing tomor row of Gaston B. Means, charged with the murder of Mrs. Maude A. King near here Ajugust 29, last. Federal and state officials, including Solicitor Hayden Clement, of the Fif teenth judicial district of North Caro lina: Assistant District Attorney Dool ing, of New York, and C. B. Ambrose, of the Federal Department of Justice, were closeted almost the entire after noon with a corps of crime experts here from New York and Chicago, the wealthy widow having resided in both places. Means' Counsel Reticent. Counsel for the defense including a number of local attorneys and two from Charlotte, held no formal confer ences as far as could be learned, and Frank I. Osborne, of Charlotte, re garded as leading counsel for Means, did not come to Concord during the day. He said over the telephone that he would be here tomorrow, but de clined to indicate just how deeply the defense would go into its side of the case. Whether that would be elaborat ed in an effort to free Means at the preliminary hearing or whether the defense would content itself with showing its 'hand as little as possible, remained unknown. "I oan't say publicly what steps we I will take until I hear the solicitor's opening .statement-twswrow," he ad ded. Plan Kept Secret. Solicitor Kent and others represent ing the prosecution were equally ret icent. Steps they might take at to morrow's hearing before Police Mag istrate Palmer were as carefully guard ed as was their decision, suddenly an nounced Saturday, npt. to hold a coro ner's Inquest but to swear out a war rant chargingcileans with murder and thus bring him before a police mag istrate. , It was said today that this decision came after the State had reason to be lieve that the defense would seek to free Means by habeas corpus proceed ings .should a second inquest connect him with Mrs. King's death. The first inquest . verdict was that Mrs. King was accidentally shot and that verdict still remains on record. Magistrate Palmer might either free Means of connection with the death of -Mrs. King or he might bind "him over to the grand jury. The former action, however, would not prevent the ' grand jury taking independent action if if saw fit. Means is Cherful. Means' first night and day in con finement were described as quiet ones and at the jail it was said his demean or was cheerful. "I never felt better," Means said shortly after he- arose today. Later his wife and baby girl, Julie, visited him with several other members of his family. During the hours when he had no visitors Means spent his time reading newspapers and magazines. While members of Means' family were visiting him ;Means' large auto mobile which carried Mrs. King, Means and several others on the trip that ended In the . woman's death, was wrecked as it turned a downtown cot (Coiitinued on Page Eight). the Russians to retire to the righ: bank of the Dvina for some distance north and south of the bridgehead, the Germans have halted their advance here. Petrograd reports the Russians entrenched- on the right bank cf t'.ic Dvina and bombarding the Germans in their new positions. Towards Riga the Russians in fighting Saturday advanc ed and drove back German advance guards near the village of Rudna. Austrian Attacks Repulsed. General Cadorr.5' In his report on op operations in the region northeast of Gorizia chronicles the repulse of addi tional Austro-Hungarian attacks on the Bainsizza plateau. In the region of Monte Marmolado, northwest of Trent, the Italians, after exploding a mine, captured two advance positions from the Austro-Hungarians. The loss of a British destroyer, tor pedoed and sunk by a German subma rine, is announced by the British ad miralty. Fifty members of the crew were rescued. May Not Declare War. Argentina probably will not declare war on Germany at this time, although no -decision has yet been reached. Ac tion by the Argentine chamber of dep uties was halted early-Saturday by the announcement Vhat an official commu nication had been received from the German foreign office disapproving the Ideas' 'expressed by Count Von Lux burg, the German minister to Argen tine, telegrams he sent to Berlin through the Swedish minister at Beu no Aires, ,.vv: ' ,;' :. EXHUMATION BODY OF MRS. BINGHAM EARLY TUESDA Y MORNING CONGRESS STARTS ON HOME-STRETCH Results This Week to Determine Whether Session Will End By Mid-October. IS A MASS OF LEGISLATION Interest in Centered on the Money Bills. ! Both Houses Are Fnding Dif ficulty In Keeping a Quo rum Present. Washington, Sept. 23. Congress be- gins tomorrow what members hope is I their home-stretch in a race toward adjournent. Results of the week prob ably will determine whether the spec ial war session can end, as is the gen eral aim ,and understanding, between October 5 and 12.' Both houses are having difficulty in keeping a quorum for the final clean up, despite the congestion of important legislation, so the leaders are anxious to hurry their program through. Money bills are the center of inter est. During the last week Congress sent the $11,538,000,000 bond bill to tno President. Tomorrow conferees hope to finally agree on the war tax bill, and the Senate appropriation commit tee meets to increase the seven billion dollar war deficiency appropriation measure between $300,000,0ou and 5500, 000,000. Prompt enactment of the lat ter is expected, but disagreement on the tax bill, all leaders agreed, would disrupt adjournment plans. Stirred by German Disclosures. Stirred into a storm of resentment over disclosures of German attempts to influence Congress, members of both "Senate-- an - House . are considering whether an investigation s-.all be or dered. Sentiment for an Inquiry is stronger in the House than -n the Sen ate, but leaders on botn sides generally regard one as unnecessary. Spirited discussion is promised in general de bate, with probably further disclosures of German activities. The conference report on the Admin istration trading-with-the-enemy bill, containing a new provision inserted by the conferees for censorship of all for eign communication's, which neither house has considered before, will be taken up In the Senate tomorrow. Woman Suffrage Committee. Woman suffrage will give the House a stir tomorrow, when a report recom mending creation of a special suffrage committee is presented by the rules committee. Approval of the report Is expected and interest is centered on whom mmmTx-f ytiflm SHRDLUUU whom Speaker Clark will select to head the committee. Miss Rankin, Montana representative, ana epresen- tative Raker, of California, are the leading probabilities. While awaiting conference reports from the Senate, the House probably will dispose of the. alien , draft resolu- tion, the bill authorizing foreign-bui". t ships to enter coastwise trade and oth er miscellaneous matter. Decide on Commission. Both houses are expected to decide this week whether an official' commis sion shall be sent to visit the allied nations. Joint committee meetings will be hehi? with sentiment strongly in fa vor of dispatching a commission. The obstacle is the opposition of the ad ministration and many congressional leaders to any movement which might result in "entangling European alli ances." The ' Administration soldiers' and sailors 'insurance bill will be taken up tomorrow by a Senate finance sub committee, which plans to make minor tion measure for protection of soldiers' amendments and report it to the Sen ate Wednesday. The new Administra tion measure for protection of soldiers' and sailors' civil rights will be given further hearings tomorrow by a Sen ate judiciary sub-committee. The Senate interstate commerce sub committee will resulhe hearings tomor row on the Pomerene bill to fix steel and irohprices. HAD CURIOUS OR1UIN. Marine Officers Uitcover' Where Ml itary Salnte Came From. Washington, Sept. 23. The military salute had a curious origin, if the tra dition brought to light by U. S. Ma rine Corps officers at their headquar ters here may be believed. The Navy soldiers say that the salute originated In the days of the tournament, at which a queen of beauty was chosen to preside. The knights and their esquires and all who took part in the tourney, on presenting themselves be fore the queen, lifted each one a hand level with the brows as though daz zled by the light of her presence. Although its significance has been forgotten that same salute is now used by military men in recognition of a superior rank; the Marine officers say. Army If all Handled Promptly. Washington, Sept. 23. Postoffices at each of the army camps and can tonments reported to the Postofflce Department today that mail for offi cers and men was being handled promptly and without complaint. At every post the department has set up facilities for an average of 50,000 mail recipients, about the number In the average city of 200,000 Inhabitants. . TOOLE NUMBER 39,181 Attorneys For Judge Bingham, at Louisville, Ky., Give Out Pos itive Statement. INVESTIGATION MADE HERB Statement Says Some of Vital Or gans of Body Were Removed and Sent to New York. DETECTIVE BURflS PRESENT Officials and Relatives In Wil mington Still Reticent. Although officials here and all others concerned continued steatl- fastly to give any information whatever or to discuss the case, attorneys for Judge Bingham in Louisville, Ky., last night gave to the Associated Press a statement that the body of Mrs. Robert Worth Bingham, formerly Mrs. Henry M. Flagler, secretly was exhumed in Oakdale cemetery, this city, shortly after midnight last Tuesday, at the instance of Mrs. Bingham's relatives, an au topsy performed in the presence of Wm. J. Burns, a detective of National reputation, and several physicians, some of the vitai or gans removed and sent to New York and the body presumably Lreinterred in. he. cemetery ftirtgp city. Attorney Made Investigation. The statement followed a visit to this city of Shepard Bryan, Esq., a prominent attorney of Atlanta, acting in behalf of Judge Bingham, of Louis ville, who spent two days here but who left yesterday afternoon- for New Bern, N. C.. to spend a day with his parents. Judge and Mrs. Henry R. Bryan, of that city, but who would make no statement" for publication be fore leaving, this presumably being in deference to the chief counsel in Louisville, with whom he was no doubt in clore communication ' and who later gave out the statement based on his 1 investigation here. He will return to the city today to pursue the investiga tion further if it is deemed necessary. Following is the Associated Press- ( dispatch received last night in regard . 0 the case: Louisville Statement. Louisville. . Sept. 23. The body of ' ;vrrs. Robert Worth Bingham, formerly Mrs. Henry M. Flagler, secretly was exhumed at Wilmington, N. C, shortly after midnight last Tuesday, at the in stance of Mrs. Bingham's relatives, an autopsy performed in the presence of a detective of national reputation and several physicians, some of the vital organs removed and sent to New York and the body presumably re-interred, according to a statement given out here tonight by attorneys for Judge Bingham. All of this was . done . surreptitiously, the statement declares, the secret be ing closely guarded, until the object was accomplished, and adds: "It belongs to the public to form its own opinion of this ghastly drama." "When, if ever," the statement con cludes, "whispered suspicion shall be an audible charge, such charge will be met with facts." The text of the statement follows: "On Friday morning last (Septem ber 21) the press was full of rumors to the effect that the body of the late Mr 8. Robert Worth Bingham was to be disinterred. Her grave is in the cem etery at Wilmington, N. C. ;. "Neither Judge Bingham nor any off his friends knew anything whatever about the matter, and the same is true of Helm Bruce .counsel for the execu tors and legatees under Mrs. Bing ham's will. The dispatches stated that the health officer of Wilmington would make no statement and would not even affirm or deny that he had grant ed any permit for disinterment. It was further stated that the collateral relations of Mrs. Bingham had put a guard over her grave. "On Saturday a friend of Judge Bingham was in Wilmington to ascer tain exactly the condition of affairs. It now appears that at 3 o'clock on last Tuesday morning (September 18) the disinterment took place; that an autopsy was performed in the pres ence of William J. Burns and several physicians; that vital parts of the body were removed and mat these parts were turned over to some one and tak en to New York. It Is needless to say that all this was surreptitious and was a secret closely guarded until the ob ject was accomplished. "It is presumed that the disinterred body was re-buried. It was then that the rupposed necessity arose of Jeal ously protecting the grave from viola tion. "It belongs to the public to form its own opinion of this ghastly drama. "Mrs. Bingham was attended In her last Illness by Dr. M. L. Ravltch, Dr.: W. F. Bogrges and Dr. S. A. Steinberg.; On Thursday, July 12, two weeks be-i (Continued on Page Two.) 9 r t tl: II: it ' r; ; i
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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Sept. 24, 1917, edition 1
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