TT TT
VOL. JX. NO. 274.
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C, THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 3, 1917.
PRICE: FIVE CENT3
Today's y. "'Vs
v
E
HOLES IN GERMAN
LINES IN FRANCE
Heavy Assault Being Deliv
tred on a Three and Half
Mile Front .
CAPTURE OF STRONC.
POSITIONS REPORTED
French on Wide Front Along
the Aisne Are Giving Ger
mans No Rest. British At
tack Breaks Deadlock that
Has Characterized Fight
ing Lately.
New breaches in tin' already Jimllv
battered German line on the Anas but
tie field art' being made liv the llritisli
in a heavy assaul;: launched on a IS
miles fruiii lodny. Sinking in :) l-'J'
injes south of liens. jeiienil llaig's
troop drove at the Germans all along
tin1 li ii t. tin tnr. runtli ini ii luunt t
miles southeast of Anns. 'I lie at sn-k
enine at a. moment when it seemed as
if a deadlock had been stablishcd tor
0 tune at least beeiiuse of the heavv
reserves) brought up bv the Germans
and their strong resist i powers ot
the initiul success ot the renewed
offensive, the otheial British report
speaks art horat i vel v of the rapture ol
n liuniber ot strong enetnv positions.
While no;' pressing ahead on a wide
front I-reiiid) along the Aisne sector
and in the liampngo are jji vmji the
Germans no rest employing their artil
lery vigorously and iti-ki out a sic
tion of the etiemv line here and there.
There mav be significance in the re
ports of activity which are coming Irnm
tile erdun sector anil the lines to the
southeast of it. There has been con
siderable patrol lighting in these sectors
and active, artillery work is hi progress
in the sector ot St. Milne!, where the
Germans have successfully maintained
a deep salient since early in thcw nr.
CANADA'S WHEAT CROP
J 116,548,000 BUSHELS
Winmycg. Mav .(.- Mlicial estimates
.today placed the --available supply ot
wheat in Canada at 1 HI,.r.S.fii.)i) hush-
els. Thev stated that .?0,tl(lf,iHiMl bnshels
nrlp in country-elevators, ?i,H n i,tn lit nrr
in interior terminal elevators, 45,000,
OHO are still in the hands of the farm
ers, 8,000,000 are at the mill and :i0(
linn bushels are in transit.
P
Men From Warships That
Broughf Commission Over
.- Will be Accorded Enthusi-
astic Greeting Tonight in
New York.
New York, May .'!. As guests of the
city at Madison Siiiare Garden tonight
one thousand sailors and marines from
the reneli warships that escorted the
J'reneh commission to the I'nitsd State
will be accorded the greatest ovation
ever givon by Americans to foreign sail
ors. There will be a special theatrical
and athletic program . and addresses by
public men including Mayor ' Mitehel.
COTTON MARKET
New York, May Cotton futures
opened steady. May .20.1(1; July 10.07;
October 19.25; December lO.liil; Janu
ary New York, May.'l. Tiie cotton niar
Ifit .wns'treali and unsettled todav.
(iloomy reports eonrerning f tffjltst ruc
tion of tonnage bv subniariuoaml the
continued good weather in the Srtiith
seemed to bring out liouiilntVuir
after opening .'t to"? points lownr, prices
broke very sharply. The selling soon
became excited with July breaking to
lO.ri") and October H.H" before the end
of the first hour or about 12 to 40 points
net lower.
STOCK MARKET
New York, May :i. Stocks were in
process of further liquidations at to
day's opening, selling orders accumulat
ing over niht as the result of the more
discouraging attitude adopted i(t official
quarters respecting foreign conditions.
Equipments and munition dropped one
to tlire points, this also appyliug to
shippings, coppersand many specialties
commonly associated with the various
groups. Offerings were relatively mixl
ierate. Rails also yielded about 1 point.
The selling movement was. unchecked
throughout the first half hour
S IK
NW
RENCH SAILORS
OVATION
E
NVOYS DISCUSS
I
Ways and Means to Combat
U-Boat Danger Up at To
day's Conference
NEED CO-OPERATION
Ways to Combat Subma
rines by Increasing Ship
ping Freight and Nation
al Co-operation Is Chief
Topic Under Discussion at
national Capitol.
Washington, Mav .!. What the Hub
marine menace is and wins to eoinbat
it bv increasing shipping freight and
national cooperation was the man topics
of interest that the Uritish mission be
gnu .considering toilav tiom many iiu
t ere nt source!.
It is now evident that other matters
before-the Untsh- commission however
vital-lire .being subordinated bv the Brit
ish naval officials in coining to lis
the British naval oflices. in coining to
this " .'ten tit rv hoped to get a considerable
number of small boats to "use as sulmia
line chasers tint .they have been disnp-
pointed to discover that the few avail-
Ide-are needed here. -
NEW JiUAT LlINtt I
FOR NEW BERN
New Hem, May ;t. Hc-gai'dless of
the tact tha.: material for the coutiu--t
on ol boats is hard to get hold of just
at this time, the management of the
Irgnlia Carolina Navigation .company
who have under eons; met 1011 at hliu
beth City a ship to be used on the
line between --New Hem and .Baltimore
state that thev are making rapid pro
gress with tins work and tha.. the line
will be a operation (W it Inn the course
of the next two minium.
Vi Ii i If nothing delmite in regard to
this niatier has been given out, it is
understood that t lit (.raven Machine
outlaid for the making of shells for
the I luted Hi ales government ami that
letual work on these will beg. n at nil
ii I v date.
Prospects Are For Some
Close Races For Mayor
and Four Aldermen. Bal
lot Boxes Open From 1 to
9 p. m.
Tomorrow is May 4, and the. municip
nl primary will come oil' to some inter
estmg races tor the olriVc. of mayor aTTd
the aldcimnnic positions in prospect. So
far the .candidates remain two each for,
every office to be tilled nnd as
this is just enough for a good "hoss
rac. " there , is a promise of some po
litical excitement. It is expected that
those who get the most -votes will win.
The polls will bi' open tomorrow from
I o'clock p. in. .until- ! p. in. and a
heavy vote is probable if the weather
is favorable The voting places will be
the same.
T. T. Thome and K. M. Drauglin
will have it out for the mayor's job.
Mayor Tillerv will not run again and
as the men are new' contestants for
the ollice the odds are in favor of iieilli
er and it remains for the- people, to d.e
eide w hich w ill preside over 'the -affairs
of the city.
A ' litle excitement, in the first ward
is expected as Alderman J . J . Battle
will endeavor to .-protect his seat among
the city council, against (i. R. Dixon,
w ho has a desire to occupy this -place,
therefore that is the reason lie is run
ning for it.
In the second Ward 1'. ('..Vestal h'rrs his'
alderinanie scalp endangered by tlic
presence of K. (i. Hart in the j'tielif .
Which one will win will have toi come
about in this manner. The ballot box
will be opened ami after the votes are
getting tin' most' votes
will have t he 100 .
The third ward has its contestants.
Alderman U . K. I'arrish pitted against
' . II. Home and here a lively race
is expected .
- Alderman Lancaster moved out of the
fourth ward and as n result there .:''
two .men in Ihe lield there for the place
of alderman. They are .1. W. II iocs
and H. T. Watson. As these men are
new contestants as ill the mayor's race
no forecast of who will wFn has been
prevalent and here as in all other politi
eal battles the time honored ballot box
will tell the tale.
Lit everybody come out and vote to
morrow.. If you don't, like one man
vote for the other.' If you don't like
both of them, vote anywhow. Ho. the
the biennial political fracas will be
staged tomorrow and is being looked
forward to with interest by people of
the city as it promises to be one of the
most interesting contests between the
different candidates held in Rocky
Mount in a good .while.
MENACE
-
PRIMARY WILL BE
HELD -TOMORROW
SEIZED SHIPS ARE
NEARLY. READY
Austrian and German Ships
Seized Will Be Ready for
Service in 5 Months
SEVENTY ONE IN ALL
Will Add 535,722 Tons to
American Merchant Ma
rine. Some Can Be Used
.Within Four Months. Re
pair Work on Others Be
ing Rushed.
Washington, Mav .1. Seventy one
Austrian ami Gorman ships seized bv
Ihe government will be repaired all
ready for coininissioii within live
months unless concealed dfimttgc'is dis
covered tin1 .-Federal shipping board es
timutod todav. They, will mid !i.ir.7i.'i
tons to American men limit mnnnc
Many of the smaller ships can be made
ready for service in less than four
months rind necessary repair work
now being rushed in private ship vnrds
Will Go Immediately to
Washington to Assume
Position as Head of Coun
try's Food Board.
New York -Mav ;l. Herbert C. IToo
ver arrived from Hclgutm today on nn
American ship and said ho would pro
ceed at once to Washington to assumo
lin new position as head ot the country b
ioou txinrd.
ONE MORE MAN
GOES TO ARMY
; . , ' . . . :
Tarboro sent n man to Raleigh Hlus
morning to Try to pass rhe puyslcirt trsr
required lor service in the army. l. J.
Johnson, of that dace, was -neat to the
'Capital Citv by Postmaster Snipes to
enlist for servic(i in the army
The postmaster has applications of
severul other men who wish to join
various branches of the service, some
in the hospital and aviation corps, but
their applications have not been passed
upon as yet.: It is expected that some
thing definite about them will be re
ceived in a few days and as soon as this
is received the names of the young men
will be made public. . The patriotic
spirit among the young men of the' city
is nicking', up right along and liocky
Mount is making ri creditable sliowiiig
in this line. .-,
TRYING TO SAVE
LIFE OF WALKER
-KaleiiTh. Mav 2; l.'iule Mose H ar
shnw and John T. Hnrke fil "iilT flint
could be done yesterday forA. C. Walker
now-under sentence of death for the
murder of h'lorence Sutpliuiii of Lenior
county.
Walker is a boy of I'd who killed the
girl of lo. They were sweethearts and
had been for a long time. The evidence
is t'.hat the young girl and two children
left liime Sunday October 1, 1SHI), to
visit, a neighbor and that Walker lay in
wait. for the girl- When he asked her to
restore him to her former good graces
she . refused and he shoil her Jtlireo
times. .
Mr. Hurko today used the.Hible to
all the purpose that it may be put and
l.'ncl,. Mose did his best, but the Su
preme court, was as :inquisi::i ve as a
boy.. Uncle Mose thought the' boy killed
the girl in. a fit of love but the court
was disposed to think the three shots
rather overdid rhe lit act. The circum
stance was used to show that there
was no premeditation' or deliberation
although the boy's (light was played
upon. -
The case was argued by Assistant
Attorney Oeneral.-Svkes -who bad -bail
an tiniuuuwuii aluoigit of near poetry
which the lovers wrote each other in
their courting days. It had tragedy
throughout. Walker is in the peniteiiT
tiary now awaitiing the result of the
court's hearing today.
TO WINDY CITY
Members of French Delega
tion Go To Chicago as the
First Stop on Their Tour
of the Country.
Washington, May :i. Members of the
French commission leave late today on
a special train for Chicago, the first leg
of a tour of the country which will last
a week or ten day's.
RtfiBERrHuQVER
ARRIVED
DA
iillll lUUI Ull uu
PLEAD INSANITY
NVAWTER TRIAL
Physicians Introduced To
Support New Attack by
Defense of Vawter
THIRD DAY OF TRIAL
Trial So Far Discloses Scan
dal. Vawter Charged With.
Shooting Stockton Heth,
in His Home, at Blacks
burg, Va., Last Month.
Christ innbiirg, a., Mav '. The de
nse in the trial of ( ha i lea K. Vawter
chaiged with murdering Mockton Heth,
Jr., todav switched to insanity ami In
troduced phvHiciaus to support the new
ittack.
Physicians testifying for the defense
at the trial of harles E. nwter on
the charge of iiiu-rdering Stockton Heath
Jr., declared their belief that the letters
he wrote to Heath reveallnit his know-
Ige of the latter relutions with Ins
wif e, indicated awter was insane. The
mtrodiirtimr-of -expert - test nmnvt-tint
ished the first intimation that an in
sanity plea would constitute a part ot
the ileleinie case. . i...r, 1 1. en,.t ..
cesscil until o'clock alter devoting
the entire .morning session to hearing
physicians ' tcstiinov, it was niioiiueeil
hat Mrs. Vawter would take the stnml
at the opening of the afternoon ses-
ioii.
Counsel for the defense claimed that
the introduction of witnesses to prove
awter s insanity at the tune ot the un
iter letter does net menu that thev
will rely upon an insatnv plea but that
it was meielv to establish Ins insanity
nt that tune entirely destroying anv val
ue that the letter mav have as evidence.
LOCAL BOYS TO GO
TO FORT OGLETHORPE
Four Kockv Mount bovs have gone
to Haleigh and passed the examination
preparatory-' to going to the officer's.
training camp at ort Oglethorpe tor
the three month s training there ami
also on Condition 4i'iit thev go into ac
tive 'service when needed, iliese ioui
v ig litin are Wiley T. May, V,
Wilkinson, J., 1! . U. (iorhani and: W.
I. Thorpe, It is expected thiv will
cave for Kurt Oglethorpe alvout the
middle of this month.
ft Is understood that boiideS these
four that three more went to: Kjiloigh,
but whether they passed the-examination
is not known as yet and tlwir..fiuiueH
will be publshed later.. . ..
Other bovs are said to lie leaving to,
Inv for Kaleigh and it is thought that
there will be a creditable representation
from Uoeky Mount at the officer's
training camp this year.
The civilans camp at I'lattslmrg, .New-
York, was not held this year and Ihe of
ficer's camp at Fort Oglethorpe -is. to
ike its place.
The situation for the t'nited States
ind other allied' ''countries is getting
serious and the boys seem to realize, it
is "they lire going ill to get ready for
whatever their country, needs of them..
Like the rest of the voung men that
have gone fmm Kocky Mount for ser
vice in either the army of Navy they
are a great credit to the ciry and Kocky
Mount is proud of them. .
ENVOIS Hi
Great Amount of Work Yet
to be Done by the British
Commission so They Work
Overtime.
Wiishi ne-f on . M a V IS. Breakfast etin-
erenees between meinliers (if. the Unt
il mission and Auierietin ofhei.'ils were
gun its lust week. The work to lie
t;iiii its last week. he. work to he
ioi
sn grent that every minute is
ing lit ilied. .
SEVERE WINDSTORM
1HTS GOLDSBORO
fioldsboro.Mav .'!. A severe wind
and eleetr'uil storm swtpt over this
itv about 10::i'l Monday nitflit,- tol-
owed bv a heavy down pour of -rain;
Iso several niiniites there was a -'heavy
shower of light hail but from best: re
ports to bo severed this morning, lit
tle damage v done to rrts by the
storm in this stetion. At the time ;:h"
storm came sevrrnl hundred people
were under the tent of the elinu'y tigun,
which 'opened for a week's engagement
this eitv last Tuesday, :mi- ror a
half an hour there was great exeite-
nient among the audience a, it appear
ed at anv mono'in:. Women and eiui-
Iren were crying, and the lights-went
out and but for the timely appearance'
of the manager upon the stage platform
who finally assured the frightened au
dience-t:hat the tent was 'perfectly nafe
doubtless there would have been a man
stampede to vacate the tent which
would have no doiifct resulted in a
serious eatastrophe.'-.
OFFICIALS CONFER
THREE NATIONS ON VERGE VAK
BRAZIUAN MINISTER QUITS POST
SHOPGIRL BRIDE OF MILLIONAIRE TO
FILE COUNTER SUIT TO DIVORCE PLEA
-if "'--".','j
l;it.'V;v.- -,
i v
III ''-Jy' I
- Mrs. Philander C Knox.
Mrs. Philander C. Knox, Jr., the Providence, R. I., shopgirl who eloped
with tha former secretary of state's aon in 1910, has at laat exhibited her
fighting; spirit and will bring a counter suit to that of her husband asking
divorce. She says vriuner Kr"x wouldn't work arid support her and that sh
wouldn't accept charity of his parents. She is now attempting1 to make a '
living; on the, stage.,
Framing, Plans By Which
States May Assist Gov
ernment During War
OUTLINE WAR PLANS
State Executives Meeting
? With National Defence
Council. Redfield Outlines
Conditions which .Must be
Overcome by State and
Local Authorities.
Washington, May 3. Governors of
States or their representatives holding
their second day's conferences with the
Counsel of National Hef'euse toilav din
cussed di-liiiite plans by whirli states
may assist the government in carrying
out military and economic wn r . meas
ures without overlapping or eonfifliei ing
of efforts. Secretary .liedlield "Outlined
commercial, .couditioas and Weakness,
Nvliejh State and local authorities may
help overcome. .: " '
BRITISH TRANSPORT
ACADIAN SUNK
London, May :i. The r.rifisli trans
port Acadion was sunk'by a submarine
April 13. . It is lelive(t""i.'7(J, were
drownuib -
TITLE TO SHIPS
Republican Leader ' Blocks
Administration Bill to
Give Title to Seizure of the
German War Bound Ships
Washington, May ."..The administra
tion bill to give title to the seizure-of
Gorman war bound ships was blocked
again in the House, liepiiblicaii Leader
Maun objecting.
GOVERNORS PLAN
WAR MEASURES
BLOCKED BY MANn
Sailing- vessel Margate Des
troyed Off Irish Coast on
April 27 by Gunfire.
VESSEL SET ON FIRE
No Mention Made of Loss of
Life and Fate of the Crew.
There Are Several Sailing
Vessels By This Name. '
Washington, May .1. The American
.ailing ship Margate was destroyed .off
flu' Irish ioa-t on April L'7 by a sub
marine being set on fire. No mention
of a loss of life is made. There are sev
cr;rl sailing vesx-ls of that name.
RAILROAD OFFICIALS
DISCUSS FOOD CROPS
Kaleigh.', N. (-., May 3. Mr. L. P.
XTelioTs, ' i .eneral . Manager of the C. &
N. V. liailway, and, Mr. K. K. lieid,
(ieneral Freight and rassanger Agent
of the same road, were in the city yes
terday from Chester, South Carolina. In
dini-ussing the, crops and food problems
in'. Mouth Carolina Mr. 'Nichols said that
(lie peopie of his State are very much
inteieti-d in crops this year, and that
much enthtis'm!!! has been raised in this
.seet'ndi over the food problem. He is
of the opinion that this phase of the
preparedness proposifion w ill. bo. given
anprecedented attention among the peo
ple of 'The Palmetto State. Mr. Held
savs that from all his observations, more
-gardens wiH be jlanted in his section
than ever before.
These gentlemen believe that the cot
ton in -reage in South Carolina will be
materially cut this year. They say that
this can be attributed to the fact that
the oulook now points to a scarcity of
labor to gather and market the crop.
The people, they say, are eperiinenting
with the potato industry now, with a
view of 'making this both a money and
.food crop.
FRENCH ENVOYS
WARMLY GREETED
Washington, May 3. Prance's war
mission was received on the floor of the
I house today. A roar of cheers greeted
the distinguished visitors- The visi
tors shook hands with the Congressmen,
ss M:-i anette'Kankin passed down the
I'-ie M. Viviani grasped her hand and
'. bending lo4" kisscci it.
'T't
BU'SIIP
'mm o:kt
IHE coons
NOW HOVERING QJi
BRINK OF CONFLIC
Brazil, Norway and China
AH May Be Added to List
of Germany's Enemies :
BRAZILIAN, FOREIGN
MINISTER ' HAS QUIT
Possibility Is That All Three
Countries May Enter War.
Situation in Germany Still
OhKniri
c on Account-of1
Censorship.
rira7.il tins drawn one step nearer to .
war with Germany and today is ene of
the thrcn countries who are hovering
on the brink of confliet.
Norway and China are the two oth-. .
er countries which may shortly be add
ed to the ever lengthening list of Ger
man foes. 'v.'"
Two events havs happened la Brazil
winch may easily form the impetus to
the last remaining step on- the road to
var. pr. Muller,' Brazilian foseign
minister, has tendered bis resignation','
on the eve of the day. set ior the Bra- ,
silian p.ongress to- decide whether tle
rnpublln shall draw v Its sWord, Dr.
Muller has been' persistently reported
a au actiy pra.Qflr.n'ani an4 AaALieast. a,,
(Jno oppooent.of tLe.hontilififi b?!
Brrfjnl ink 'the? HeixioW eSnpire. ':
sen
His
eupiaia ' ibncjUea j.wjti taa Jurder
that President- fira-detained the Ger-,
mart i;niiiilirter.iS' The BrderwW' Issued
on receipt . of hews from . Berlin',"tlfl.t '
the Brazilian BiinnUr. to Oeriuay '(jad :
bewn refusex permission, to , leave -the
country.-1 '.W-rv. i,i;fuj nl
'' The possibility of ItorWa's etrarilrb
in the ranks of the allies is based on the
havoc wrought among the Norwegian
mercantile marines by German 'subma
rines. Norway( prior to the war was
fourth among the world's seafaring' na
tions has suffered so heavily from the
ravages of the U-boats that her ship
ping is actually threatened with extinc
tion. The" bitterness among the Norwe
gians'of -'the German war methods. e ...
growing rapidly and ninny forces are ;'
urging that shipping could not be worse ,
oft; as a holjif erent, end, they might ,pd
eonipensntlon, if pence found her ri the
J st ,with the Xntenta,: ) M ,- rr(i U
' All reports from China' igii'e f that the
sdvooat'S of war are in majority at Pe
king' bnf npparefttly fhe 'presideit is
still, reluctant to take the fateful step.
In th'i 'hieautrnie the e'ntira'altnnition .,
in Kiirope remains obscure through con
flicting reports and the xttaordtnary
efforts of the censors, especially in the
reulm of the Central Powers. The only
definite fact in regard to conditions in
Germany is that a political crisis 'eists
and that the antagonism between' the
parties has blazed nut with violence utt
knowii since the beginning of the war.
There is no light whatever on the strike
situation and no reliable news of any
knd from Austria. .
MAY CURTAIL
PASSENGER SERVICE
Washington, May 3. Curtailment of
passenger train service and shipment of
the country's entire output of rolling,
stock and "rails to the. allies were fore
cast today by Daniel Willard in as peech
befire the National Defense conference
of Governors, and Representatives of
State defense counsels. '
' Airc-ady-; r "Mr. Willard said, "the
Federal counsel's general railroad board
Is working on a plan for readjusting
snhedules. Othe nations at war,"' he
said, "have disrontinued passenfer
rl. dales entirely, but tha Amerihan,
yovernment hopes to bring the railroada
to their highest point of effirienly elim-
iuating duplication and reducing the "
iiuinber of passenger trams as lar as . .
possible without inconveniencing the Ji,
public. Of the 14,000 passenger train
locomotives in the United States tha f
railroad board hopes to Telease 4,00 for )
fie ght trains. i
"It is vital that France and "Russia J -have
locomotives and cars." said Mr. '
Willard. "We will have to furnish them. ;
How can we do itt We can do it by get- j
ting along with what equipment we .
have nnd. putting into effect measures of
greater railway economy.' t'
FIGHT RESUMED ON t
ESPIONAGE BILL
Washington, May 3. The 6ght on the
ceiisiirs'hip section of the espionage bi'.
was resumed in the House today.