HIE - ASHELVHXE TIME
THE WEATHER
FAIR AND COLDER.
jtEMBER OP AUDIT BU
REAU OF CtBOCIATIOX
SUCCESSOR TO THE ASHEVILLE GAZETTE-NEWS.
VOLUME XXL NO. 6.
ASHEVILLE, N. 0., MONDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 21. 1916.
PRICE 2 CENTS-" xrm etc,
1 RUSSIANS'
ADVANCE RAPID
Making Marked Progress In
Pursuit of Turkish Forces
Retreating For Fortress
of Erzerum.
FLEEING OTTOMAN ARMY
IN PERILOURS CONDITION
Reports Say Two Army Corps
Going to Relief of Erzerum
r Turned Back on Hear
ing of Capitulation.
G. O. P. TRYING TO
AVERT OPEN SPLIT
Republicans Striving to Compose Differences - Over Chair
manshipRow is Over Di splacing Woods For Long
worth Leader of Progressive Republicans Theaters to
Take Fight Before Publio.
The rapid advance of the Russian
troops In Turkish Armenia following
the fall of Erzerum has compucatea
the task of the Turks In their ef
.t. tn TBform their scattered forces,
prnm Russian headquarters In the
Caucasus comes the report that two
Turkish army corps which were on
their way to reinforce the garrison
turned back when they
heard that the fortress had fallen .
It is assumed, according to this re
port, that the Turkish forces in east
ern Armenia lost the prospect of im
portant help in extricating them
selves from what appears to be a per
ilous position.
! Unofficial accounts of the Russian
movements record advances DOtn in
the south and north the former di
rected toward Diardekr and to the
Bagdad railway, 65 miles beyond: and
the latter in an effort to cut off the
retreat of the Turkish forces which
are operating along the Black sea
The Russian army which captured
Erzerum in Armenia is endeavoring to
cut off the retreat of the Turks, who
are retiring with -as much speed a
possible. Dispatches from Petrograd
report the capture of the towns of
Mush and Achlat, to the south, heavy
fighting preceding their . taking by
storm. The next objective of the
southern wing of the Russian army Is
Diarbekr, which lies within striking
distance of the Bagdad railway. This
line would open up the road for the
Russians into Syria,
Along the Black sea coast, Russian
warships are pounding at the Turkish
batteries and harrasslng the retreating
troops. The northern wing of the
Russian army has captured the town
of WidJe and is driving the Turks
back In the direction of Gumlsh Kha
neh. which is on the road to Trebizond,
while large Russian forces are moving
westward from Erzerum with the ob
ject of cutting off these Turkish troops
before they can reach a new line or.
defense.
The Germans have .been operating
vigorously against the British and
French along the Tser canal in Bel
alum, to the north of Ypres. From
the British 350 metres of a poslUon
were captured and held despite hand
Krenade attacks to recapture it After
a heavy bombardment the Germans
sttempted to cross the canal ana oc
ennv French nosltlons and several
groups of them did succeed in mak
ing their way to a first lino trench.
The French, however, immediately
drove them back.
The British to the south of loos In
a llvelv engagement, succeeded In
making an advance to the edge of a
mine crater held by the Germans.
The French in Champagne, between
the Meuse and Moselle rivers and to
the west of the forest of Apremont,
have bombarded successfully German
positions while in the Argonn forest
a mine exploded by the French shat
tered the German works.
nniv isolated engagement have
taken olaee on the Russian front. On
the Austro-Itallan line the artillery
duels continue. Continuing their ad
vance In Albania the Austro-Hunga
rian rnnnrt the canture near Baxar-
Riak short distance northeast of
Durum, of an advanced Italian post
tlon. This is the first indication that
the Italians we eroperatlng so far
north In Albania, the belief having
prevailed that their activities had been
confined to the locality adjacent to
Avlona.
That progress Is being made by the
Teutonlo allies In the direction of Av
lona seemingly Is shown by the report
that the Albanians who are fighting
with them have occupied the town of
Herat, situated about thirty-one miles
northeast of Avlona. '
Four German seaplanes havo raided
the east and southeast coast of Eng
land, dropping bombs. Lowestoft and
Walmer were ylsited. Two men and
one boy were killed and a marine was
wounded. The raiders escapea.
NEWSPAPERS TO OPEN
BUENOS AIRES OFFICES,
(By Parker R, Anderson.)
Washington, Feb. 2U Party lead
ers in the senate and house 'are striv
ing desperately to avert an open split
of dangerous proportions In the re
publican congressional committee and
the party over the proposal to displace
Representative Frank P. Woods, of
Iowa, as chairman of the committee
in favor of Representative Nicholas
Longworth, of Ohio.'
Representative Lenroot, of Wiscon
sin, generally regarded as the leader
of progressive republicans in the
house, threatens to take the fight to
the public and declare war on the
"stand patters" in the party unless
Woods is re-elected.
Representative William B. McKin
ley, of Illinois, former chairman of
the committee, and recognized as the
most potent forager of the "war chest'
the committee has, will resign from
the chairmanship of the finance com
mlttee and from the congressional
committe Itself if Woods is re-elected.
Representative Longworth, who has
been advanced as a compromise can
didate, the son-in-law of the progress
slve party leader, and one who could
gather In the golden sinews of war,
has not announced his candidacy, but
will take the chairmanship if ten
dered by a safe majority.
Representative Woods has pledged
to his candidacy a number of votes in
the committee. Whether he would
hold these members to their pledges
at the cost of an open rupture has not
been tested.
As the row sized up last night, the
regulars and backers of Longworth
had the votes to "put hi mover," but
were unwilling to force a "show-down"
until more certainly apprised of the
strength of the Woods-Lenroot cause
in the party. , .
SPECIAL CRIMINAL
TERM IN SESSION
Several Road Sentences Im
posed During First Day's
Session of Superior Court.
LAWYERS SWARM IN.
Rescuers Are Penetrating
Remote Flood Districts
In other words, if Mr. Lenroot is
able to line up behind him all the
progressive republican strength he
claims, making the displacement of
Woods, a ProKresslve, a vehicle for the
reopening of the old factional light, a
further compromise may result. J f , on
the other hand, as Mr. Longworth's
friends claim is the case, Mr. Lenroot
is leading a one-man light and without
the ability to create a factional align
ment on the strength of it, the steam
roller will be placed In commission
and Mr. Longworth's election staged
within the next few days.
, James R. Mann, minority leader of
the house, is striving to harmonize
the various elements. Rather than
have a factional row placed before
the country, Mr.-Mann will throw his
strength to the Lenroot-Woods side.
Those who oppose the re-election of
Woods insist that his factional affilia
tions do not enter into the question.
They declare that what the committee
needs at Its head is one who can raise
funds, that the committee's strength
and the chances of a republican house
depend upon the size of the campaign
fund raised by the campaign demon
strated that Mr. Woods is not a good
forager in this respect.
Mr. McKinley, on the other hand,
was the best man the committee had
at its head. McKinley, however, sens
ing trouble, refused to accept the clear
majority which he could have com
manded, and urged that another man,
but with the same qualification, be de
termined upon. Mr. Longworth was
put forward and Is supported by Mc
Kinley and his friends.
But Lenroot declares that the plan
revolves principally upon the desire
to unseat the progressive chairman
and threatens to fight it out openly
along these lines.
GERMAN AFFAIRS
TAKE GR'VE TURN
Relations Between Unites ' tes and Berlin Again Strained
One Report as to Cause of Gravity is That German
Embassy Officials Have Irritated American Government
by Their Methods.
The special term of Superior court
for the trial of criminal cases, which
was called by Governor Locke Craig
several weeks ago, was convened this
morning at 10 o'clock, with Judge
W. F, Harding of Charlotte presid
ing and Solicitor J. E. Swain prose
cuting the docket. The morning was
taken up with hearing Jail cases and
appeal cases from the Police court
and the courts of the magistrates. No
grand Jury is connected with this
special term.
Sidney Shaver, colored, was given
six months on retailing charges; one
year on the roads on charges of as
sault with a deadly weapon and two
months on charges of being drunk.
Robert Forby was found not guilty
of keeping liquor on hand for sale.
Harry Brltt, a young white man,
was found guilty of vagrancy and giv
en six months on the roads, the court
ordering that the defendant be ex
amined by the county physician be
fore the road order be put in effect.
Dovey Brown, colored, was given sev
en months on charges of retaiWIi'?'.
Ernest Payne was given six months
on charges of ordering whiskey un
der a fictitious name. The perjury
charge against Annie Harris, colored,
was continued until the next term.
The solicitor announced that the
case against C; C. Koon, charged
with violating the age of consent law.
would be taken , up tomorrow, the re
mainder of the day today to be de
voted to the trial of Jail cases.
Clinton Kelly Hughes, of AshevIUe
who recently passed the state bar ex
amination to . pracetlce law, was
sworn in this morning before Judge
Harding. Robert C. Goldstein, of
whose! class Mr. Hughes finished a
law course.: administered the oaths.
Mr. Hiiches is now a student at the
University of North Carolina, to
which he will return in a few days.
Washington, ; Feb. 21. Develop
ments of the last 24 hours have given
a grave turn to the relations between
the United States and Germany over
the question of submarine warfare.
One report, lacking offleial confir
mation, Is that Count von Bernstorff,
the German ambassador, has Irritated
administration officials by publicity
methods to a point that may impair
his future usefulness in Washington.
President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing are said to have become
greatly irritated over publication of
details of the confidential negotiations
over the submarine issue at the time
when the state department, feeling it-
self pledged to, secrecy, maintained
silence.
Refusal of the state department to
discuss confidential negotiations, while
the succeeding steps in the negotia
tions were given out from a source
which officials believe could be no
other than the German embassy, has
aroused official anger.
Ambassador von Bernstorff was in
New York yesterday and (embassy of
ficials knew nothing about published
reports that Secretary Lansing might
call on the ambassador for an explan
ation and that eventually the situation
might lead to Von Bernstorft's recall.
Secretary Lansing declared there
was no truth in the story that he con-
II 11 DATE
OF CONVENTION
templated calling the ambassador to
the state department for an explana
tion. There was no indication, ne
said, that the United States would ask
the recall of the ambassador. - He in
sisted that there was no change in
his relations, official or personal,
with the German ambassador.
Mr. Lansing would not discuss the
matter further, saying he was averse
to conducting diplomatic negotiations
through the press.
Other developments Indicating that
German-American relations are near
er the breaking point than they have
been recently may be summarlzeld
up as follows: '
Germany's determination expressed
in news dispatches to stand pat on
the Lusltanla case and to reject all
efforts to Induce It to postpone the
operation of Its new submarine cam
paign against armed vessels.
The insistence of the state depart
ment that it has not contemplated any
change in its policy of recognizing
the rights of merchantmen! to carry
defensive armament.
Irritation of officials that the Im
pression has been circulated, they bo-
lleve from German sources, that the
United States "flopped" on the armed
merchantmen question . after giving
Germany to understand that it ap
proved the German decree holding
such vessels to be warships.
Democratic Executive Commit
tee Will Discuss Various
Things Preliminary to
State Convention.
By Means of Light Draft Boats Are Enabled to Reach Back
Country With Food Suppl ies Break in Levee at Buok
Ridge is Rapidly Widening.
New Orleans, Feb. 21. With four
steamers actually engaged In rescue
work and numerous flat boats In ser
vice and more under construction, re
ports early today from the districts
flooded by the crevasse waters pouring
through the breaks in the Mississippi
embankment at Buck Risge plantation
weer more optimistic.
Reports from Newelton state that a
number of parties carrying supplies
of food have gone Into the back coun
try in scores searching for the persons
who up to the time shallow draft
boats were obtained, it was impossi
ble to reach. By the use of these
boats many rescues are expected. The
waters from the continually widening
crevasse at Buck Ridge are reported;
to be rapidly filling up the basin form
ed by the four parishes of Tensas,
Concordia, Franklin and Catahoula.
The natural flow of the waters will
take them slowly to the Red river it
is asserted by engineering authorities.
Due to this fact the Red river and its
tributaries are already out of banks.
The Mississippi river is mingling
with the Red river a short distance
below Vidalia, It is announced and It
Is believed by the end of the week the
pressure on the Red river embank
ments will be much higher.
MRSfi ROBINSON
JOINS TIMES STAFF
Mrs. Robinson Connected With
Editorial and News Depart-
ments Is Able Writer.
Are Investigating Escape
Of Self -Confessed Spy
More Arrests May Follow Capture of Ignatius T. T. Lincoln,
If Found That Persons Have Wilfully Aided Him Lin
coln Says He Would Be Executed as Spy If Returned to
England.
Charges Of The "Hammer
Naggers" Fall Completely
The management of The Asheville
Times Is pleased to announce the ac
quisition to Its staff of Mrs. Mary C.
Robinson, who will do work in the
editorial and news departments. Mrs.
Robinson Is an able writer. S?ie has
had large newspaper experience and
was at one time social editor and ed
itorial writer on The Gazette-News.
She received her newspaper train
ing under her husband, the late
Frank E. Johnson, who was for
many years editor of The Asheville
Citizen, and was subsequently editor
of The Detroit Journal, which posi
tion he held at the time of his death.
She will be a valuable addition to the
present staff connected with the pa-per.
Washington. Feb. II. A group of
the leading American newspapers
have announced that they will open
representative offices Id Buenos Aires
as ths first steo In a movement In
Una with the suggestion which was
unanimously approved at the recent
Pan-American congress for drawing
the business men of the American
countries closer together. It la an
nounced that similar representative
emcee will be opened in other cltlo In
Poulh and Central Amerioa.
Under the Heading, "Hammer's
Naggers," the Charlotte News De
clares that the charges against Dis
trict Attorney Hammer have fallen
flat Says The News:
"It was Marlon Butler this time
who superintended the attack upon
District Attorney Hammer. A 'bill of
complaint' long and loud had been
prepared against Mr. Hammer, and
Butler was chosen as the mock Col urn-
bus to prove the discovery of some
thing which didn't exist. But the de
partment of Justice or your uncm cum
was not born yesterday and It la not
so gullible as to swallow charges of
republicans which apparently are
based on prejudice ana envy oi m man
chosen to high office.
BRISTOL IS DAMAGED
in i '
Lantern Explosion Causes Fire
in Building of Federal Dye
Stuff and Chemical Co.
Br1atol-Tenn.-V. Feb. II. The
..niuinnof a lantern Saturday at
th. nlant of the Federal Dye Stuff
and Chemical company near Kings
nort. Tenn., set fire to a chemical
tank and threatened several build-
imm with destruction. . Heroio work
on the part of the employe prevent
ed the fire from spreading, and only
ana bulldlnjr was damajred. acoord-
"The charges fell flat. The depart
ment of Justice thought so little of
them that It threw them out entirely
and did not even send a copy of them
to Mr. Hammer.
"It was announced recently that
Butler. of fraudulent bond fame,
planned to return to North Carolina
to live. Recently he has been cngagod
in the hopeless task of trying to erect
a mares-nest of so-called democratic
'extravagance' out of fragments of lm
agination. Mr. Maxwell has only re
cently shown the utter Idiocy of tho
Butler claims, and now his scheme to
dethrone Hammer falls flat
"Manifestly the bond-peddler Is
finding his pathway studden with
stumps which refuse to vanish before
the wave of the politician's wand."
Ins? to telephone messages received
from the superintendent of the plant
The first reports were that the en
tire plant which la valued at several
million dollars, had been destroyed.
The company, which manufactures
plcrlo' acid as a base for high ex
plosives, la a Delaware concern, head
ed by A. A. DuPont No estimate
has been given of the damage, but
It Is said It Is not sufficient to Inter
fere with the work of the plant
ILL-COUERS T0UH1UEMT
TO BEGIN AUGUST 28
CP.
DIED EARLY TODAY
Charleston Woman, Resident
Here For 33 Years, Suc
cumbs to Long Illness.
Miss Charlotte Poyaa Walker died
this morning at 0'oIocK, at ner
home, 8 1 Ashland avenue, after a long
iiinau.. mi mi Walker, who was a na-
tiva nf Charleston, has been a rest
dent of this city for II years ana
large circle of friends will learn of
her death with regret tone was a
member of Trinity Episcopal church
and was an active worker In the de
partments of church work with which
he was connected from time to time.
Tha funeral services will b neia
at the residence tomorrow afternoon
at 1:10 o'clock. Rev.-Willis O. Clark,
rector of Trinity, officiating. The in
terment will take plaoe at Magnolia
cemetery, Charleston. W. J. Walker
of Charleston, brother of, the deceas
ed. Is expected to arrive in time for
the funeral. . . , ,
COMMUNITY SERVICE
IDEA IS EXTENDED
Captain F. M. Jordan Comes to
Buncombe This Week to AU
tend Burning and Black
mailing Cases.
New York, Feb. 21. Agents of the
department of justice are Investigating
the circumstances attending the es
cape of Ignatius T. T. Lincoln, the
self-styled international spy, who was
recaptured Saturday after nearly a
month of freedom. It is hinted that
more arrests may result If it Is found
that Lincoln was wilfully aided in his
escape and was given shelter by per
sons who knew he was a fugitive from
justice.
Nothing definite has been discovered
by the authorities to identify Lincoln
with any unlawful act as a foreign
agent in this country, it is said. Lin
coln is in a Brooklyn Jail awaiting
decision on his. case by the United
States Circuit Court of Appeals, as to
whether he is to be extradited to F.""r
land to answer a charge of forgery.
on which he was arrested. Lincoln
contends that if he Is sent to England
he will be executed as a spy.
Action For Recovery Of
Steamer Appam Started
Attorneys for British Owners Begin Admiralty Proceedings
to Take Ship, Which United States Is Holding as Prize
of German Crew.
Washington, Feb. 21 Attorneys fori
the British owners of the steamer Ap
pam which is being held at Newport
News as the prize of a German crew
and have brought admiralty proceed
ings to regain possession of the ship.
The state department holds that un
der the Prussian-American treaty this
government must treat the liner as be
longing to the Germans, at least until
a prize court passes on the case.
British authorities contend that the
ship should be returned to her British
owners undor provisions of the The
Hague convention.
Collector of Custom Hamilton has
reported to the treasury department
that a representative of the United
States marshal's office appeared with
a federal court writ to serve on the
Appam. The representative chartered
a tug, Collector Hamilton said, and
with about 30 deputies left Norfolk to
serve the writ. It Is considered prob
able that the case will he bitterly con
tested and that the Supreme court
may ultimately have to decide it; and
the case may not be settled for sev
eral years.
Writ Served.
Norfolk, Feb. 19. Federal Judi;e
Waddlll Issued the usual process today
and the Appam was seized by a deputy
United States Marshall. Two guards
from the office of the district court
were left In charge of the Appam.
Combination Cornering
Cotton, Heflin Charges
Washington, Feb. II. Representa
tive Heflin of Alabama has told
Attorney General Gregory that he be
lieved a combination of bear opera
tors In New York was responsible for
the low price of cotton. Mr. Heflin
said there was a good demand ror
raw cotton and that he thought the
only explanation for the low price of
cotton waa that a corner was being
manipulated by the bear operator In
Kew Tork, Feb. II. The All-comer
tournament In tennis single and
double will begin on the turf court
of the Westslde club at Forest Hill,
L. I., on Monday, August II. It ws
announced today. This bring the
finals or aemi-Onal on Labor day.
Detroit Feb. 11. Three of the or
ganizations affiliated with the Nation
al Educational association were ia
ihold conference at th-eonventlon
this week began sessions toaay.
Twenty-on ocletle and associa
tion were to meet thl wee. They
embraced practically every known
branch of educational work and will
bring together men and women edu
cator from every section of the
country. The meeting la expected to
be load by Friday night.
the cotton market
Assistant Attorney General Todd,
who Is In chain of the anti-trust
prosecutions, waa present at the con
ference. An Investigation to deter
mine whether the Sherman antl
4 rust law Is being violated I to be
n ade by the agents of the depart'
mrfnt of justice. No formal charsje
were made and do evidence produced.
L
Alexandria, V., Feb. II. The
Oeorg Washington Masonic National
Memorial association, composed of the
rand masters of nearly every grand
lurlsdlctlon in the Umtsd States, be-
uan a two-day meeting today, the
object of which Is the erection of a
Masonic temple In Alexandria a a
memorial to Washington and a a re
pository for the many priceless pic
tures and relic of Washington stored
in the Alexandria-Washington lodge.
(By W. T. Boat).
Raleigh, Feb. 21. When thedem-
ocratlo executive committee comes
here March 8 to talk primary, con
vention, delegates and various other
things preliminary to the campaign
of 1916, it will name a date for its
state convention.
Prof. W. C. Crosby returned yes
terday from Sampson county where
he spent the week advocating the or
ganization and the registration of
four rural communities and making '
addresses to the people.
As the director of the community
service leagues, Mr. Crosby Is having
fine luck, Under the old plan he regis
tered last week Salemburg, Autryw
ville, Inggold and Laurel Hill. Clem
ent is in the making and will soon be
registered.
The community service league Is
designed to organize permanently
the combined strength of a commun-
ity. Its labors are the finding of ways ' "
to increase country life by Improv
ing the educational, social and moral
conditions of the community; by con
servation of health: by lightening tho
burdens of rural life by the Introduc
tion of modern home conveniences
and farming machines and by en
couragement of thrift, economy
through greater productivity on their
farms.
The area of the country communi
ty service league Is meant to embrace
twenty square miles. It organizes if- r
ter the manner of nearly all clubs
and chooses by Its own methods its
president vice president secretary
treasurer and executive committee. It
names five important committees, '
education, farm progress, co-operativo
marketing, health, organization and
social life.
Under this plan the mossback who
belileves that flies are a great bless
ing, that dirt is divine, that all eon-,
tagious diseases should be given early
to children so that they might he
freed from those after worries, and
that adult Illiteracy Is no reproach, to .
a community, must get off the earla.'
He won't be killed, of course, he will
be run over by the community en
gine and if he will not swat the fly
or clean up or support the move
ment he is answerable to . the com
munity and his kick will never be
personal. Sampson is rapidly becom
ing organized Into this community
eqort and the last week broke all
records for response to this move
ment Capt. F. M. Jordan, of the Insur
ance department goes this week to
Buncombe county, where he will at- :
tend court as a witness In the Martha
Pressly, Martin Rlckman, and Ed
gar Frady burning and blackmailing -
case, one of the most Important Is
sues at the term of court this week.
Mr. Jordan Investigated two fires at
West Raleigh last week.
Capt Sherwood Brockwell is In
Greenville meeting the school com
mitteemen of that city to discus the
plans of building schools for the fu- '
ture. Four state schools have adopted
the plan of the Insurance commis
sioner for constructing school houses
with the double tower stairway.
N. E. Cannady, state electrical In
spector, ha been In Fayettevllle and
Dunn the past week working for the
department
Commissioner James R. Young ha
cancelled the license of the National
Live Stock company which ha re
cently gone Into a receivership.
Col. Jame II'. Young, former col
onel of the third North Carolti., reg
iment of colored troops, and Capt
James E. Hamlin, two Raleigh col
ored men who were the first to vol
unteer their services In the event of
Mexican trouble two years ago, sr
getting their papers which woula
give commissions to them In the or
ganization cf such troops.
Colonel Young headed the ' regi
ment In the Spanish war and Captain
Hamlin served several year In the
Philippine. Though above BO year
of age they declare their willingness
to organise their force for defense
or for anything else that their coun
try demand. When they tendere.l
themselves two year ago the admin
istration warmly thanked them.
Mr. Poole Dim,
Ma-
Mrs. Kmlly U Poole died this morn
ing t the residence of nor ton, 0. R.
Pool.
ltlXtll!
v. s. Kirrr nFxn cp t
t SS GEItMANH REMOVED .
1
It Shanghai, Feb. II. Th Amer- t
K Iran steamer China, which left K
t Shanghai yesterday morning for t
t Ban Francisco was held up on t
H the high aa by a British aux- K
X lllary cruiser and II Germans .
t were taken off, K
t
tHttMRnMKKftKKlS