J:OCUTED
II : : :M iff..
LAST EDITION
4:00 F. M.
Weather Forecast:
PEI23
DISPATCHES
. ; FAIR.
VOL XVI. NO. 196.
ASHEVILLE, N. C , MONDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 25, 1911.
3o PER COPY
300 KILLED IN EXPLOSION
New Prime Minister of Canada
DFTEN INSPECT
OWiJCH BAT'TLESHIP
S
1
1
Warship Liherten Wreck
ed in Toulon HarhorWHen
Flames Iqnite Magazine.
VESSEL ANINFERNO
OF SMOKE AND FIRE
Scores of Men Hurled High in Air, While Others Leap to
y Death in SeaMany Perish in Their Sleep An-
l- i other Vessel Damaged.
Toulon, France, Sept. 25. More than liulf hor crew of 793
officers and men met death early today when fire broke out
in the ammunition hold of the battleship Liberte, one of tine
finest vessels in the French navy. Explosions which fol
lowed wrecked the great ship. '
The fire was discovered at 5 o'clock. At first it wns riot
thought serious, but the flames gained great headway, al
though the sailors fought them desperately.
v Three Explosions Shake Ship.
Suddenly fire reached the magazine which had not been
flooded owing to the apparently slight nature of the blaze.
The explosions were terrific, shaking the vessel fore and aft,
each seemingly stronger than the preceding. Great fissures
were opened in the armor nnd framework. The vessel im
mediately became n mass of lire and smoke and soon sank to
1,he bottom of Toulon harbor.
Early hour unofficial estimates place the number of dead
at 500. Estimates by naval men vary widely. There is no
doubt the loss of life was as high as 300.
Scores of seamen died in tlifir lierths. A few dozen saved
themselves by jumping over-board. Many of those injured
leaped into the water and drowned before other boats in the
roadstead could reach them.
, i ' Two Hundred of Crew on Shore Leave.
Two'liiiiidred of the crew weaned death because they were
ff Shore lPnveConr 1 .
The explosion's carnage was worse' than could ever occur
in actual naval warfare. The first crash came when the
crew was disjiorsed to various sections of the vessel.
The first explosion was without warning. Scores were
hurled high into the air, accompanied by great fragments
of framework, armor, bursting shells nnd blinding powder
smoke. Many of the men were killed in their sleep. Others
were awakened by the explosion and started to jump over
board and were eauclit bv the second detonation. Many ves
sels were in the harbor at the time including several war
ships. . -
' Obey Orders Which Meant Death.
There were three tremors of explosion in quick succession
after Ihe fire reached the magazines and a hundred men
saved themselves by jumping. Scores of others would have
escaped "but for the rigid discipline which held them at their
posts. When awakened, and about to throw themselves over-
ia their stations rancr out. Those
UUUlUy Oil U1UV1 v"ft ----- . ij
men were blown to pieces a few seconds later.
Between 300 and 350 of Liberte 's crew and about a hundred
men from other warships sent to help extinguish the fire
have disapieared. , , -. t
The warship Democratic lost 20 dead and 50 injured.
4 -i ntin 1.1-wn from Hia T,i1prtfi sfriiflr the
A )llM.e til Ul uiui-'iaw ui""
cruiser Republique ou her port Bido with great force, damag
ing her plates.
TUBKEYTHREftTEfIS
APPEALjO ARMS
Will Resist to the Last Italy's
Proposed Aggressions in .
Tripoli, It Is Said.
Destruction of Battleship
Is Stunninq Blow to France
' Rome, Sept. 25. The Itullan gov
ernment Is moving rapidly and with
determination In the matter of an
Italian protectorate over Tripoli,- It8
plana are no longer concealed and its
attitude is favored by all cluse.es ex.
ccpt the advanced section of the so
clullsts, who threaten to call a general
strike In the event of hostilities., u
Although not attaching much tm
portance to this threat- the govern,
ment, which- la acting with the. great
est prudence, has- decided io- call to
the colors 112,000 reservists so as to
be prepared for all emergencies at
home and abroad.
According to the , Information In
official circles, the government still
hopea .o effect an amicable arrange
ment with Turkey whereby Italy-will
secure a lease of Tripoli under the
sovereignty of Turkey, paying there'
for an annual rental. 1 Turkey
definitely refuses to meet this pro
posal Italy will proceed with military
measures. v
Threaten Naval DemonstraUon.
The government Is prepared to meet
any aggressive measures on the part
of Turkey, such aa atacka upon the
lives and property of Italian subjects
in Turkey In which case It is under
stood a naval demonstration will be
made before Smyrna Immediately.
The material difficulties of these
operations have been given full con
sideration. The memory of the
calamitous Abyssinian campaign has
been called up by the government,
which realizes that the failure of the
proposed expedition would be a grave
disaster. Accordingly, most careful
precautions have been taken. The
Turkish forces In Tripoli are. estimat
ed at a minimum of 20,000 men.- To
cope with these Italy will send her
whole Heet and an expeditionary force
of 60,000 men. '
Turkey Will Resist Vigorously.
Paris, Sept. 25. In a published in
terview the Turkish charge at Paris
declares that he has no knowledge
that negotiations have been oVened
by Italy on the subject of Tripoli. He
did not see how such negotiations
would be possible. Tripoli could
neither be taken from Turkey by force
nor bought.
"If Italy: has any desire to take
Tripoli from us." said the charge, "we
will defend ourselves and our defense
will be desperate. The whole popula
tion will rise up as one man. If Italy
lands troops In Tripoli she will find it
something more than a military prom
enade. We will Immediately expel
all Italian subjects and denounce the
treaties.
'If Italy atempts to land troops
elsewhere we are in a position to re
pulse them. I repeat, and I am speak
Ing officially in the first place, no
transaction ia possible concerning the
open or disguised cessipn of Tripoli;
second. If it comes to fighting we will
fight desperately."
Italy's Initiative In Tripoli has
awakened Intense interest here as In
troduclng a new and very Important
factor In the African question by re
opening the Mediterranean problem
on another point, and ' there is no
doubt that Europe Is on the eve of
a complete settlement of Africa. It
is held that the territorial modifica
tions, which front the essence of the
franco-German agreement will log!
cally lead to other chasges In which
other powers besides France and Oar-
many can participate with profit and
without danger to their dignity.
JC 1 iivSXV 1 h
nfl I - BOR.DE.N AND llnWtffv
fill -. BOR.DC1N . If I fL rfffi)
i sf ii i is i r-ij i 1 s&rz -1 s ii
How American Naval Authori
ties Guard Against Such
Accidents as That at
Toulon. ,
COLD STORAGE SYSTEM
USED ON U. S. VESSELS
SEARCH FOR LARGE SUM HIDDEN
BY ALLEGED SWINDLER GANG
Believed JaredFlagg and Associates Have Reserve Fund of $100,000 or More Their Prom
ise of 5? Per Cent. Return Drew an Immense Business Flagg Declares Every v
, U ' : " ...; ' A j ; - L ' '' 4 ,
"1 L . Dollar Made Through Legitimate Transactions.
Paris, Sept. 25. News of the ex
plosion of the Uberte's magaalnes
was a stunning blow to French public
and naval officials. It Is the climax
of a long series of French naval
! disasters. L ,
Accounts vary widely. The most
authentic dispatches state that the
battleship sank two, hours after the
tire was discovered s In the forward
h,.i,i a iint her account stated that
the ship broke In half from the force
of the explosion, sinking 20 minutes
later.
Estlmalua of the number of dead
run between 100 and 500.
The Liberie was of 1.0 tons dis
placement, with a .length over all of
452 feet Bhe carried a crew of 1t
men and had four 12-Inch guns and
10 guns of the French 7.1-Inch type.
She also had 21 small guns and four
torpedo tubes. She was completed
In 107 at a cost of $7,000,000.
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
PUNS ARE COMPLETED
4
Fourteen Million Dollars to Be
Expended in Making This
Greatest Naval Station.
Naval OfficerPut toDeath ,
by Filipinos; Sailors Hurt
Washington. Sept. 25. Enalgn Hal-
ipplne Archipelago.
H.wrWi sailors were severely, in-
lr Belt Commanding me lured.
Tantanga. has been killed by hostile Details have not reached the navy
natives at Yttcan'i Island. In the Phil- denartment.
PYROMANIAO CAUGHT
Albert Sniltli Admits Having, "Tom h
ril Off- Twenty Buildings
Hit Weeks. '
MlnnespollA "!' !r"-A1"'rn
S,, iih, umlcr nrrwt. admits firing .
I , ,!,(;,. in the p"t ' lk'
Fowler Agaiu Delayw.
Celfax. !., Sept. 2 5.. -Engine trou-
bis yesterday terminated Aviator Rob
ert O. Fowler s second attempt to soar
shove the 7000-foot pass of the Bier
.... in hli attempted trans- continental
nisht. ,
. .. .. . i.,,ri nf nhenomen
i.i.,.,i in a meadow in Emigrant the
New York, Sept 26. Plans for en
larging the Brooklyn navy yard, In
volvlng an expenditure of fourtoen
million dollars and making It the
world's greatest naval station, have
been completed by Engineer Harris
and Nuvat Constructor Orombeck and
will be forwarded to the navy depart'
ment. i .
Allege Inequitable IUc IUtea.
Houston, Tex., Sept 25. An Inves
tigation wss begun today Into rice
growers and development associations'
complaints against the international
and Oreat Northern railroad and l
other railway lines, Lefors the Inter
state commerce eommlssiou. .
The growers complain that th
present adjustment of rice rates glv
New Orleans dealers an, advantage
over those of Houston' practically
eliminating the Houston factories
(tl speed I from competition In sevwal parts of
I'lilled mates, enn'''iMiiy ine
Robert Laird Borden, Canada's new prime minister, Is the first man to attain that office who has not
giver the better part of his life to politics. He wns ii years old and a lawyer of eminent standing in Halifax be
fore he entered the public arena. The election of IHitfi, which brought Sir Wilfrid Laurlcr into power, .gave
Mr. Hordnn a seat in the opposition. He (llHplaces Sir Wilfrid Laurier, a man who is his opposite in nearly every
conceivable characteristic. Sir Wilfrid is French, fluent, adroit; Mr. Borden, British, blunt, without the minor
political facility which makes leadership easy.
Washington Believes Sponta-,
neous Ignition of Smokeless
Powder Caused the Ap- "
palling Disaster. r
Washington, Sept. 25. Busfcd upon
first reports of tho naval disaster In .
Toulon harbor, the navy department
experts are disposed to believe the
Liberte explosion resulted from the
spontaneous ignition of some smoke- .
lees powder which deteriorated from .
aving been kept too long without
inspection. ' .
United Slates naval authorities re
quire careful examination of powder
n the magazines of warships at short
intervals to demonstrate, the absolute
afety of the . powder. American
ractice also provides for the refrig
eration of magazines by adopting a
cold storage system. )
If subsequent advices bear out the
first, reports about the . extent of loss
life on the Liberte. the explosion
I go down into naval history as
one of the greatest disasters ever
nown. The loss of over 250 lives on
the battleship Maine 13 years ago Is
second in point of mortality.
MAY USE MILITIA
New York, Sept 24. Fostofflce au
thorities have taken steps to lay their
ands on a large sum, probably $100,-
000, In cash which they believed was
kfept In reserve by Jared Flagt,' Jr.,
and others, arrested t'utunlay charged
with violating the postal laws to de
fraud investors. Flagg and his alleg
ed associates, former United States
Treasurer Daniel H. Morgan. Tenny
son Neely, a former publisher, and
others, spent Saturday and Sunday
nights In Jail The Court will require
$65,000 ball before releasing them.
To prevent the accused stockbrokers
from reaching their reserve fund be
fore the federal authorities get con
trol of It, the postortice inspectors pre
pared to have some of r lagg a cus
tomers tile a petition in bankruptcy
against him.
Enormous Bu."lncss.
In addition to $(17,000 In cash which
thv inspectors declare Flagg and his
oartner kept In a safe deposit box, n
is said $191,000 was received from
customers since September 1, tndtcat
Ing' the magnitude of the business
contributed by investors anxious to
profit by the concern's offer of 53 per
cent annual return. Flagg maintains
that his profits averaged 52 per cent,
but declares every dollar was made
through legitimate stock exchange
stock transactions. Federal officers
have collected a number of witnesses,
IB
E
1
IS
S SE
T
ARCH
RADEDY
four of whom turned over to Flagg'i
concern ' $60,000. Flagg's plan, gov
ernment detectives say, was to secure
well satisfied customer In the com-
mnnity and1 treat him or her so well
that these customers' friends would
be Induced to invent their money. A
pretty .19 years old girl. It is said,
played an important part in Flagg's
financial operations. Postofflce in
spectors are to question her today.
'They say I am running a Miner
syndicate,' " the statement read. "Let
them briug forward one customer to
whom I ever paid a dollar out of his
or other customer's money and I will
make no further protest against the
hlgh-bunded proceedings.
Kxplains Ills Transactions.
"Every dollar In profit on closed
transactions that I have paid out has
been honestly made. When a cus
tomer has liought stock tho dat, the
price, tho firm and the name of the
stock exchange brokers from whom
it was bought has been sent to him.
Wheh the stock was sold the date, the
price and the name of the stock ex
change brokers to whom it was sold
has been sent out to my customers
with check for the difference, less
the commission, tax and Interest
"After having conducted buain
nn thia hnl for almost four years, I
am arrested and accused of "intend
Ing to defraud some person who has
TIE CDNSERVRTI0N1ST5
MEET IN KANSAS CITY
never had an account with me and to
whom no 'misrepresentations could
have been made.
The arrest of my friends and em
ployes, who have absolutely no voice
In my business. Is an outrage beyond
words.", , . ....
Handled More Than Million.
Postofflce Inspector Elmer L. Kin-
cald made the complaint in the case.
Mr. KIncaid stated that thousands of
customers of the Flagg enterprise had
Invested about $1,600,000 In the
scheme. Flagg, It Is charged, had
claimed that he would Invest their
money in gilt-edged securities which
would pay them high dividend Early
investors, il Is alleged, were paid out
of funds which came to the concern
from new customers.
According to Chief Poatoffice In-
snector Warren W. Dickson, his at
tention was dra wn to Flagg's ousinees
hv a conversation with a young wo
man, ralllnr herself Lillian Ulbbs
Keves. who referred to Hagg as
"financial wizard." Inspectors who
made a secret investigation reported
that Flagg was conducting business
after the fashion of the "Miller syn
dicate." They also reported that for
mer United Htates Treasurer Morgan
was Interested in tho enterprise to the
extent of $200,000. The scheme, ac
cording to the authorities, has been
in nnnratlon for more than 18
months.
Engineer Killed by His Loco
motive Striking Stolen One
He Was Looking for.
PREMIER'S SLAYER
1 Casette-Newa Bureau,
The Hotel Raleigh, ,
Baleigh, Sept $S.
Engineer II. D. Latham, "n"
ployo of the Greenleaf-Johnaon Lum
ber company of Norfolk, was killed
today when hie ongtne, wim wmcn
was searching for a logging engine
that had been stolen from nis com
pany, crashed Into the sioien enswo
near Vaughan, a small place near
Norllna. Latham was sitting on the
coal tender, and as bis engine rn...
Into the other engine he was crusnou
through the groins. The man was
hurried toward llalelgh but ateu i
Norllna. ' '
Latham was originally from Wll
lluinston, but his wife lives at Elisa
beth City. I' was $9 years old. No
trace has been found of the persona
whole stole the engine, yesterday.
lUlelgli Minister Goes to Georgia. '
Gasette-N'ews Bureau,
1 The Hotel Kalelgh, -
Raleigh, Sept IS.
Rev. A. 3. Menerlef, pastor of the
Tahernarle Baptist church, announces
that he haa accepted a calf to the
pastorate of the t'lrt ltnptl-t church
' Kansas City, Sept. tB. From a
dozen different states delegates are
. ..j.... . v. a thlrA annual rnn-1
nere iunaj ui ...
servatlon congress, which opened In
Convention hall. According to Thom
as R. Bhlpp, executive secretary of the
congress, the total registration of
delegates will approximate 8600. Ev
cry state will be represented. Among
the arrivals Is United States Forester
Henry 8. Graves. Another noted ar
rival was Theodore ' Kryshtofovlch.
who represents the Russian govern
ment at the congress. lie Is in this
country for the purpose of gaining In
formation that will prove beneflclul to
the Russian farmer. '
itnntine business and welcoming aa-
dresses occupied tho greater part of
the. morning session.
VICTIMIZES PREACHERS
"Groom" Hands Over ao Counter
feit aa Fee and Take tno
Change.
Chlesro. Sept $5. A dosen preach
era here are victims of an elderly pair
ruins about getting married, in
.heme Is to present k twenty dollar
bill as the groom's gift to the preach
er, receiving ten dollars change.
The twenty dollar bill ; always
counterfeit ' '
Stonewall Jackson's Sister Dead.
Buchanan, W. Vs., Sept 15. Mrs.
Laura J. Arnold, the only sister of
the late General Stonewall Jackson
died here today at the age of 85 years.
Hhe was active until within two
weeks of her death.'
IS HANGED TODAY
Bagroff Pays Penalty for As
sassination of Russian
Statesman. '.
Kiev. Russia, Sept. $5. Dmitry Bo
groff. Premier Btotypin s i,
who was cotidomnod to death by a
court martial was hanged today.
Uefore his execution Bogroff asked
that he might see a rabbi but reiusea
this consolation when Informed that
this Interview must be In the pres
ence of officials.
i i ' 1 "
DISSOLUTION PLANS
OF THE A. T. COMPANY
tMuinn kwtliiar Them Forth to lie
Filed with tlie Circuit Court
. ' on October t.
New York. Sept $5. Announcement
la made, after a conference looking to
the reorganizing of the American To.
bacco company that petition will be
(Hod with United Stab Circuit court
October I, setting forth the propoaed
plan of dissolution in consonance
ih fiuoreme court's mandate,
and . oubllc hearings on the plana
would follow.
The datea for the public hearing!
nta not announced.
10 CI SIR
KERS
Gov. Blease Orders Three Com
panies in Readiness for
Duty at Spartanburg.
Spartanburg, S. C Sept 15. Three ,
companies of state militia, Greenville,
Spartanburg and Clifton are under
arma by ordera of Governor Blease to
hold themselves in readiness to assist
in the operation of the city's street cur
system, whlcln has been tied up for
several days on account of a strike of
motormen and conductor.
Mayor Lee has asked for a confer
ence with Adjutant-General Moore to
discuss the advisability of placing
troops in charge of operation of the
system until the strike Is settled.
Mayor Lee, In requesting the advice
of state officials, practically admitted
that the Spartanburg, police "loi
either unwilling or unable to furnish
the necessary protection that was
needed In operating the city s street
car system. It is understood tnat me
occurrences of Saturday, when non
union carmen were pulled from a car
and beaten. There was no disorder
Sunday and no attempt was made to :
operate crs.
Negof'-ibons between the striKing
motormen and conductors and the
officials of the company were suspend
ed Saturday when It was seen that
there was small chance for agreement
T
IS BEING HELD TODAY
v.w York. Sept 25. A conference
is being held here today to further
plans for the dissolution of the Amer
ican Tobacco company. Attorney Gen
eral Wickersham and Special Assist
ant James C. McReynolds, Judges La
Comba and Ward, of the ITnlted
Stutes court James K Duke and I'er
clval T. Hill, president and vice presi
dent, respectively, of the American
Tobacco company, . counsel for the
company for the British-American
Tobacco company and the United Ci
gar Store company are attending. It
la planned to spend the enure aay in
cunsultatlon.
Wickersham declined to discuss the
situation before entering the confer-
TO LEAD OPPOSITION
Premie Laurlcr Ieclde to Romaln In
FarUaiiiciat Through the
' , Next HoHnlon.
Ottawa, Out. Srpt 25. "I will re
main in parliament as leader of the
opposition for some time. I should be
a deserter of my party ir i ran away
now," said Sir Wilfrid laurlcr to tlio
newspaper men today. , - )
Sir Wilfrid said 'that he had" In-
tended to retire and no doubt wotiM
do so after some time, but not imme
diately. He undoubtedly vill
through the next session aa b-ail- r ,
the opposition and he may on!,,
there a good ininv ' hsions. I'm.,
70 years, Ills licalih is voi.
VI1
,,ii iti4in in wii""
at nuni'e'A tila.
(;,i, 4K milt froirf lure.
uthwentern territories.
v1