North Carolina Newspapers

THE AWHEEL VIOLE TIM ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE. jfEMBKR OF AUDIT BC RKAU OP CIRCCIiATIOX TEE WEATHER WARMER; RAIN" OR SNOW SUCCESSOR TO THE ASHEVILLE GAZETTE-NEWS. VOLUME XXL NO. 12. ASHEVILLE, N. MONDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 28, 1918. PRICE 2 CENTS n Tnla 8 GREAT VERDUN BATTLE HAS REACHED TURNING POINT. PARIS ASSERTS MTTIEE St E French Claim That German Advance Has Been Checked and Counter Movements Have Begun. GERMAN STATEMENT - CONTRARY, HOWEVER Berlin Declares Army of the Crown Prince Continues to Advance Joffre's Forces Are Heavily Reinforced. The great battle of Verdun, now enterting its second week, continues with unabated fury, with the Germany army driv ing hard at the French de fenses along the ' lengtlwi&g line which now runa far be yond the salient in which lies the French Fortress Paris asserts that with the pouring in of heavy reinforce. ments for " General Joffre's army, the German advance has been cheeked, but Berlin re ports that the Germans are continuing their forward ad vance on the stronghold. Along the Meuse to the north of Verdun the Germans have been unable to make as rapid progress-as they did a first, although the battle con tinues with intensity. On the Wievre front, where French forces first fell back, they now appear to be offering effective resistance. The pressure here is particularly menacing to the fortress as the crushing in of this line of the Verdun sah pnt for any great distance would spell disaster for the fortress The French defensive operations at places have taken on the nature of muni., ittarkn In th eattack on Douaumont four miles to the east of Verdun Thin development was fore cast In dispatches which told of the expectation In Paris that the French when they had fallen back to posi tions which they believed they could hold Indefinitely, they would drive back over the ground they had yield ed In the face of the terrific German artillery and infantry attacks. According to ft statement by Arls tlde Briand. the French pietnler, this happened on the fourth day of the battle, when the French brought up strong, reinforcements at n unex pected moment, and the (Trench In fantry swept down on the Germans, who already suffering heavily from the effects of the French artillery lire were stopped short, and even deiven back. The premier declared the French have now reralned the advantage, the counter attack marking the turn ing point on the battle which Is In Its second stage. The German account falls to agree with the French version of the fight ing. Berlin announce! the further srivnnc of the Irown prince's forces. Including th taking of Haudemont. ssst of Fort Douaumont, and the Milage of Cbampneuvllle, on the Ger man right flank, where a French at tack on Fort Douaumont was plllM-d. The French themselves do lot claim the rspture of the outlying de fens of the main fortress, but de clare the Germane, who had gained a foothold on the east and west rf the position were being hard pressed, and wre maintaining their poettlon with difficulty. Accounts from various source asrwe that the fighting la of a degree rf Intermit r virtually unparalleled In the war. Especially, la this true of the artillery fighting, the Teutons having broueht uo great masses of 11-lnrh and IT-lnrh guns from the Xrbln and Russian campaigns and blasting out the French positions with a pimp bombardment of high uploelve shells. NT S ID STAG the rata f shell fir la th. 0ep- Portugal Allows Treaty i With Germany To Lapse Lisbon Feb 25, via Paris. Feb 28 The Portuguese premier stated In the chamber of deputies today that at tempts had been made to damage sev en of the Tonton ships which were re quisitioned by the government and that explosives were found on the steamer Buelow of the North German Time Limit For Hearing In Behal f Of Raleigh, Feb. 28. Governor Craig In a letter to Judge B. B. Jones Indi cates that he will limit the time for hearing petitions for commutation of the death sentences of Mrs. Ida 'Ball Warren and Samuel Christy, convict ed of murder of the woman's hus band, to March 20. The governor In formed Judge Jones that matters must tember offensive of the allies ( was without precedent at that time, but correspondents near the front declare It was feeble In comparison with the deluge of projectiles which the Ger mans are now pouring in on the French trenches and forts from the German batteries. The progress of the German drive is being watched with intense In terest In the allied capitals. Late Paris advices reflect the opin ion of military observers that the French line can hold out until a coun ter attack can be launched. London dispatches say that further hews of the situation northeast of Verdun, where the Germans claim to have captured the Douaumont fort Is anxiously awaited, as the strategic, situation of Uie fort -to-twogniaeoV'- Late advices from Albania, received through German sources, predict the early fall of Durazzo, as the result of the defeat of the Italian Albanian forces. The Italians are declared to be hurriedly embarking troops for the port. A CHARLOTTE MAN P. Heath, a Cotton Manu facturer, Shoots Himself Early Today. A telegram was received here this morning from Charlotte stating that O. P. Heath, a prominent citizen there, committed suicide in his office at 11 o'clock this morning, shooting himself with a pistol. No indication la contained In the brief statement received Is given of a possible cause for the act. Mr. Heath was one of the largest cotton manufacturers In the state. COL. VANDERFORD IS VISITOR HERE Commander of Forces Operat ing Against Blockaders Now Stationed at Greensboro. Colonel T. H. Vanderford, of Oreenuboro, revenue agent for the western district of North Carolina and for part of South Carolina, Is a visitor In Asheville today. Colonel Vanderford was transferred from Vir ginia the first of this montn to Greensboro, relieving Colonel W. U. Chapman, who has taken charge of ft district In California. J. J. Drake ford was transferred from Cincinna ti to Richmond In place of CoL van darford at that city. Several years ftgo CoU Vanderford was tatloned at Asheville In the rev. enue aervlce; under Cleveland's ad ministration he was ft deputy collec tor In active raiding work and has. therefore, had much experience In problems connected with conducting campaigns against those who engage In the manufacture of Illicit aloohollo drinks contrary to Uncle Sam's sta tutes. tttltisill X t ITALIANS LEAVING Dt'RAZZO - . St st Rome. Feb. II. The report t at that Durauo. the Albanian pert L t on 'the Adriatlo sea. Is being t t evacuated by the Italian troops t t stationed there Is confirmed. t st m 1 1 Lloyd line. The premier added that it was con sidered in the best interests of Portugal that the existing treaty with Germany be allowed to la se and that Portugal was prepared for all eventualities that might arise from the exercise of Por tuguese rights. Mrs Warren be arranged for the hearing to be held on or before March 20 and stated that the defendants win have time for proper preparation In the event that his decision Is adverse to them. In conclusion the governor stated that he wished It to be understood that nothing in his letter was to be taken as an Indication of what his decision would be. COL. HODGES FORCMITTEE Local Man Attended Meeting of N. C. Underwriter Asso ciation at Raleigh. LIST OF OFFICERS. Col. D. M. Hodges, of Hodges and Mitchell, state managers of the Pru dentlal Insurance comany, of this city, has returned to the city from Raleigh where he was a represetnatlve at the meeting of the North Carolina Under writers association held there last Sat urday. Col. Hodges was elected member of the executive committee Plans wer cmade at the meeting for active work during the present year. The association broadened its scope by adopting a new constitution and by laws, under which the privilege of membership Is extended to any agent In god standing who represents ft legal reserve life Insurance company. The membership was formerly limited to general agents and managers. The following new officers were elected for the term f one year President, R. E. Peters, of Charlotte first vice-president, S. W. Sparger, of Durham: second vice-president, A. W. Fetter, of Greensboro; secrtary, B. W. Marshall, of Raleigh: treasurer, E. G, McGlnnls, of Raleigh; and an execu tlve commltte composed of the follow lng: J. P. Quarles of Charlotte; W. F. Upshaw, of Raleigh: D. R. Henry, of Raleigh; D. M. Hodges, of Asheville; H. M. Humphries, of Goldsboro. The work of the association will be extended throughout the state by the apolntment In each town of a state committeeman, whose duty It will be to co-operate with the state associa tion for the advancement of the Inter esta of life Insurance representatives In general, and that service to the pub' 11c throughout hie local territory. This plan of association has attained na tlonal prominence, and it Is earnestly hoped that the co-operation of all will be such that the North Carolina asso ciation will rank amongst the fore most. An Interesting address on the educa tional tendencies of the Insurance bus Iness was made by G. S. Hastings, of Boston, during which the fact was mentioned that sixty-four colleges have established ft chair of Insuranoe. A talk was mads by Insurance Com missloner James R. Young on the qualification of agents. The meeting concluded with ft luncheon. The following were present: J, Ellington, A. W. Fetter, E. C. McOln nls. W. F. VpshftW, D. R. Henry, Wll Ham Bailey. T. S. Franklin. H. M. Humphries, C. 8. Aulstcn, J. A. Sheets, A. M. Newson. E. V. Marshall, C. A. Creech, M. T. Bethel, J. E. McElwan F. B. Brown. B. T. Cowper, J. P. Bou .hall. Hal Haynes, Cy Thompeon, IX Hulcer, G. W. Mumford, W. C LlnU sey. A. Rosen, J. P. Queries, R. V, McPherson, D. M. 1 lodges, F. A. Pet ter, Bam Sparger, R. E. Peters, Cary J, Hunter, 3. O. Guthrie. ttMttKRKKtMStltBlltitfti!tn hour thes things, and that Is con t St FLOOD VICTIMS SUITER m r , it m Niirh.i Miu. Pah. Is tTra at X ent appeals for help for the at flood victims In Conoordla. mr. K lnh where It Is declared that W men. women and children are st almost starving and clinging to st the sides of leveea and houses. It t have beer, received by the n Natch relief committee. I ltlkill SIX UK RASHNESS BAD IS COWARDICE. Ull SMS President Tells Gridiron Club America Should Enter War Only on Demand of Principle. VALOR STRIKES ONLY WHEN IT IS RIGHT resident Declares That the Point in National Affairs Does Not Lie Along Lines of Expediency. -ma Washington, Feb. 28, President Wilson told members and guests at a Gridiron club dinner that America ought to keep out of the European war 'at the sacrifice of everything except this single thing upon which her char acter and her history are founded, her sense of humanity and Justice." The address was confidential, since the speeches at the dinners of the Gridiron club, composed of newspaper correspondents, are not reported. It was made public last night, however, with the consent of the president and the club because many of those who heard It urged that It should go to the country. The president spoke of the nation's affairs with unusual gravity. His hearers, Including several hundred members of congress, government of ficials, business men, and correspond ents were brought to their feet cheer ing when he concluded with these words: "I would be lust as much ashamed to be rash as I would to be a coward. Valor la sallVreapecUn - Valor, Is - cir cumspect. Talor strikes only when it Is right to strike. Valor withholds It self from all small implications and entanglements, and waits for the great opportunity when the sword will flash as If it carried the light of Heaven upon Its blade." . , The address follows: "I have very little to say tonight ex cept to express my warm appreciation of the invariable courtesy of this club and of the reception you have so gen erously accorded me. . I find that I am seldom tempted to say anything nowa days unless somebody starts some thing, and tonight nobody has started anvthlng. "Your talk, Mr. Toastmaster, nas been a great deal about candidacy for the residency. It Is not a new feeling on my part, but one which I entertain with a greater Intensity than formerly, that a man who eeeks the presidency of the United States for anything that It will bring to him is an audacious fool. The responsibilities of the office ought to sober a man even before he approaches It One of the difficulties of the office seldom appreciaiea, i riarMMv. Is that It is very difficult to think while so many people are talk. lng, and particularly while so many peool eare talking In a way that od- scures counsel and la entirely off the nolnt "The noint In national arrairs, gen tlemen, never lies along the lines oi expediency. It always rests in the field of principle. The United states was not founded upon any principle of expediency; It was founded upon a Drofound principle of human liberty nrt nf humanity, and whenever it hasea lta DOllcy upon any othor foun' datlons than thos It builds on the sand and not upon solid rock. It seems to me that the most enlightening thing a man can do Is suggested by sometning which the vice resldepnt said last night. He complained that he found men who, when their attettion was called to the signs of spring, did not see the blue Heaven, did not see the movement of the free clouds, did not think of the great spaces of the quiet continent, but thought only of some Immediate and pressing piece of busi ness. It seems to me that If you do not think of the things that He beyond and away from the disconnected from thi. arvne In which we attempt to think and conclude, you will Inevlfr ably be led astray. I would ft great deal rather know what they are talk ing about around quiet firesides all over this country than what they are talking about In the cloakrooms of congress. I would ft great deal rather know what the men on the trains ana by the wayside and In the shops and on the farms are thinking about and yearning for than hear any of the vociferous proclamations of policy which It Is so essy to hear and so easy to. read by picking up any scraps of printed paper. There Is only one way It'stantlv to go back to the fountains of St American action. Those fountain, are not to be found In any recently dls- covered sources; Hj "Senator Harding was saying Just si now that ws ought to try when we are ft hundred million strong to act In the same simplicity of principle that our forefathers acted In hen ws were , three million thought, the hundred V million will be saved from an musiri st'ous future. at I They were reaay xo siase every . .(Continued on par. two). REPUBLICANS LOOK FOR AIM CROWD Growing Sentiment That State Convention Will Not Nom inate Business Governor. (Special to The Times.) Raleigh, Feb. 28. Hotel arrange' ments for more than 1,000 delegates and visitors to the state republican convention here Wednesday, March 1, promise a bigger attendance than a few months ago any republican hoped for. Many democrats are coming, it was learned today. They are greatly in terested In th platform to be adopt ed, the method of attack to meet and the personnel that the nominees of the dominant party will have to match. It is the decldely growing view here that the republicans are not going to nominate a "business man' because the business man has so little authority to brings things to pass as governor. The republican view leans to a talking governor. Nevertheless ft very considerable republican sentiment would give to some business man like Elwood Cox, John Motley Morehead, B. Carl Dun can or Charles J. Harris the manage ment of the state for another four years. They point out the vote of 1908 as evidence that the republicans voted moBt enthusiastically when busi ness was a candidate In the Elwood Cox Incarnation. Then Taft carried Wake county outside heavily demo cratic Raleigh township and repeated In Durham and many other strongly democratic counties. But Taft was running against Bryan and Mr. Cox was the beneficiary of a large desire to swat Nebraska yet another time. There Is small doubt that either Judge Bynum or Herbert Seawell could have the convention nomina tion to the primary if he sought It. Both can speak and both voted for Roosevelt Neither Is an affront to the Taft men because the most hide bound man could not blame Seawell for voting for Roosevelt, the fine friends of Seawell. And then Judge Hyams always had a way of doing pretty much as he pleases. It Is announced by prominent re publicans that the convention nomin ation, to the' primary -will not debar any candidates from running In the regular primary. It will slightly han dicap him, that's all. The convention Is taking this method, prospective, to guarantee the greatest degree of harmony. COLONEL J. P. KERB CONTINUESJO IMPROVE Miss Sarah Davis Critically 111 Mrs. Ellen Mordecai's Funeral Today. Special to The Times. Raleigh, Feb. 28. Col. J. P. Kerr, private secretary to Governor Craig, continues to Improve since his sertous attack of ft few days ago and he expected to return to his office this : witness's handwriting was filed as an week. Colonel Kerr'e Illness la much i exhibit The notelated 8-4-15 was al less dangerous than first diagnosis! so dictated by Judge Jones and writ indicated. ten down bv the witness, which was National Committeeman E. Carl Duncan and Capt. J. A. Duncan are dally apprised of the critical condl- tlon of their cousin Miss 8arah Davis' of Beaufort, whose illness the lust; several daya has given to all ,ier kinspeople the greatest anxiety. Mlss Davis Is 86 years old and h.ts been for the last fifty years one of the most prominent women in east- em North Carolina. Everywhere In the state she ivfll be recalled as teacher and larllady of one of the inns at the resort and everybody who has enjoyed her hospitality has car ried away a personal ' affection for her. She taught the Raleigh Duncans when they were children and by car lng for E. C. Duncan when he was barely more than a baby following his mother's death became ft mem ber of his family and all of them hold her In the highest affection. The let ters and telegrams Indicate the smallest hope for a return to health. From Christ Episcopal church an nouncement was made yesterday thnt Mrs. Ellen Mordecal, mother of Dr S. F. Mordecal, dean of Trinity Law school, will be burled In Raleigh to day. Mrs. Mordecal died In Durham Sat urday at the age o tit. She had not been able to. see In many years but ft more alert mind Is rarely found In a woman of fifty years. She kept Im - mediately up with all modern move - ments and commented upon them with a brightness which has always explained the wit and philosophy of the dean. - i against the woman detective. stltttlslltttistltilltstttststst Jonn nMga said that Rlckman l t' wanted htm to be present once dur st RUSSIANS TAKE CJTT. H,ng a conversation he had with the t i woman, st London. Feb. 28. A Reutera t dispatch from Petrograd says SPECIAL MEETING FOR st storm Kermanshah, an Import- t It ant Persian city In the neighbor st n hood where recent lighting took X 1 place. s i H 4lslsllllllftl(tstiAths Muonia UavsJa M, Broidwft,, ASSURANCE FOR UNARMED SHIPS ONLY, U. S. TOLD .- Rid DENIES r. SEEINGiETTERS Defendant in Arden Case on Stand Nearly All of the Morning. FRADY WON'T TESTIFY. Court to Limit Attorneys in Their Arguments to Jury . May Go Over Wednesda. The morning session of Superior court today has been taken up most Iy with the cross-examination of the defendant Rlckman in the Arden blackmailing cases. He was put on the stand Saturday afternoon, and after the direct examination during which he denied the statements made by Mrs. Pond, the detective, who testified that Rlckman told her i he had seen the letters which Mr. Lance received before they were sent, the defendant went Into a long story of his actions at Arden around the time of the burning. He left the stand this morning about 11 o'clock. It was announced by. Attorney R. M. Wells that he would not place his client Edward Frady on the stand, although it has not been stated by counsel as' to whether or not Miss Pressly will be put on the stand. The case will con sume all of today and probably all of tomorrow. Judge Harding stated this morning that he would limit the time for speaking by each side when the evi dence-was concluded.. That this time will be sufficient for each side to sum up its case. Is a statement by the court. Rlckman on Stand. ProRS-exAmlnatlon of the defendant Rlckman was resumed wrien court convened this morning, Judge Jones, of the prosecution conducting the cross-examination. The witness ad mitted, that he had asked Lance fir a loan and Pressly for another; tnat he wanted $80 from Pressly and that he had solicited a loan of $100 from Mr. Seals. He said that he heard f the first letter the morning that Lance's warehouse burned, but did not know what was In It. He stated that this happened about noon the day following the fire. He went to Christ church on a machine with Miss Pressly, he testified, telling of the trip and the route they took, In which he stated that they did not leave the Henderson road before they saw Frady and Revls. The couple planned to go to a picnic, according to statement of witness. In answer to a question asking him to write he wrote several times on a piece of paper, writing down the words of two notes as they were read lsk.. tj.. t tv,. i v. also filed as exhibit in the case. He was turned over to counsel for re-dlrect examination during which he stated that he did not object to any evidence as to his handwriting, This examination was very short, Herman Souther was the next wlt- Iness called. He stated that he knew Rlckman and told of seeing him the day Frady was arrested, as Rlckman and Miss Pressly were going In the , direction of Hendersonvllle, from Ar den. Loaned Money, Mitchell Rlckman, a former post master at Arden, said that after July 2, he loaned Martin Rlckman $5). Th wllue( told of a conversation he had with Martin, during which tne aerenaant "Stated that a woman had told his fortune and that he be lieved her to be ft detective, and that she could get nothing out of him. The next witness Joe Reagan, also told of a converaatvpn he had with Martin, during which the defendant told him of the fortune teller and said that Martin declared the woman was a detective, and he also said that Martin had made arrangements with Frazler Patton to stay with him, "so that the woman could not frame up nothing against him," In endeavoring to show tha Interest of the state the witness in the case, 1 brought out on cross-examination 'that the witness was ft bondsman the defendant. Frailer Patton told of the requeeti he said Martin made of him, to stay iwith the defendant so as to guard MT. HERMON MASONS A special communication of Mt st'Htrmon lodge No. Ill, of Msaons will be held this evening at 7:10 e'olock Promises Given in Lusitania and Arabic Cases Still Bind ing for Peaceful Ships, Germany Replies. EMBASY ORDERED TO INFORM LANSING Germany Contends New Sub marine Policy Squares With , With U. S. Interpreta-. , ' tions of Laws. Washington, Feb. 28. Germany's response to the request of the United States government for assurances m regard to the conduct of submarino warfare for the future, Is in the hands of Count Von Bernstorft, tha German ambassador, who is prepar ed to present it to Secretary Lanslr.g today. The reply is in the form of In- ; structions to the ambassador, and la not to be put in the form of a note unless the secretary of state desires jit . The ambassador's instructions were : to Inform the United States that as surances for the future conduct of the Teuton submarine activity, as giv en In the Lusitania and Arabic cases are still binding; but that they apply only to merchant vessels of peaceful character. Germany contends that British merchantmen, armed ostensibly for defense, carry guns for the speclfio purpose of attacking German sub marines and that they thus show themselves not to be peaceful ships and are subject to destruction. To support this contention the Berlin foreign office sends a list of several Incidents where British submarines have attacked submarines. - .-. ,-.,. The Instructions call attention to the claim of Germany that despite the assurances of Great Britain that her merchantmen are armed for de fense, and will never fire unless fired upon and will never attack any ves. sel, such British ships are prepared and Instructed, not only to resist cap ture but to attack. ONLY 280 SAVED FROM . WRECK OF THE iLOJH Patrol Pioks Up Baby Float ing on Its Back in the Sea. London, Feb. 28. Of the total com- nlAmftnt t All n.uAn..n .nil .ou. of th)) pen,n8uIar Bnd oriental liner Maloja, which struck a mine and sank In half an hour two miles o: Dover yesterday, only 260 are known to have been saved. Of the total of 119, sixty-four names of passengers hava been received at the office of the com pany to which the steamer belonged. It was stated that It was hoped that more names of persons saved would soon be received. The bodies of three more Lascars of the crew of the Maloja have been washed ashore, making the total num ber of bodies recovered 47. Relative of passengers are arriving at Dover for the purpose of Identi fying the bodies. Among thosa res cued was a baby, warmly clad and floating on Its back. It was picked up by a patrol boat and was taken Into the engine room. After It was warmed, the baby smiled at Its res cuers and seemed none the worse for Its immersion. BOY SCOUTS MEET TOMORROW NIGHT The regular weekly meeting of tha Asheville troop No. 1, Boy Scouu of America, will be held In tha council chamber at the City hall tomorrow night It Is urged by the scout master of .that all membors attend this meet- lng. It Is expected that reports on the sale of tickets by the scouu for the Asheville Baseball club will h m.ri. at this meeting and the committee appointed to consult with Dr. & Ves tray Battle regarding relief work for th Belgian Relief day, will also be taken up. Collector A. D. .Watts la sending out from his Statenvlll office notices to thos who have so far failed tr mk return of thslr personal In come tux. Th tax must b paid on or beforn Wednesday evening, March 1. In order to avoid to psnaUlea it th law,