North Carolina Newspapers

THE ALAMANCE GLEANER. VOL. XL" The Million Dollar Mystery ♦ * CHAPTER IV. The Flat on the Top Floor. Bralne crawled from hie uncomfort able hiding place. His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat gone. By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him. Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Bralne was as certain of this fact as he was of hie own breathing. He now knew how to account for the flickering light In the upper story of the warehouse. His ancient enemy had been watch ing him all the time. More than this, Hargreave and the meddling reporter were In collusion. In the flare of lights at the end of the gun-play he had caught the profile of the reporter. Here was a dangerous man, who must be watched with the utmost care. He, Bralne, had been lured to com mit an overt act, and by the rarest good luck had escaped with nothing more serious than a cold chill and a galling disappointment He crawled ajong the top of the pier, listening, sending his dark-accus tomed glance hither and thither. The sky in the east was growing paler and paler. In and out among the bales of wool, bags of coffee and lemon crates he slowly and cautiously wormed his way. A watchman pa trolled the office aide of the ware house, and Bralne found it possible to creep around the other way, thence into the street. After that he straight ened up, sought a second-hand shop and purchased a soft hat, which he pulled down over his eyes. He had half a dozen rooms which he always kept In readiness for* such adventures as this. He rented tnem furnished in small hotels which never asked questions of their patrons. To one of these he went as fast as his weary lege could carry him. He al ways carried the key. Once in his room he donned fresh wearing ap parel, linen, shoes, and thaved. Then he proceeded downstairs, the second hand hat shading his eyes and the upper part of his face. At half past twelve Norton entered the Knickerbocker cafe-restaurant, and the first person he noticed was Bralne, reading the morning's paper, propped up against the water carafe. Evidently he had Just ordered, for there was nothing on his plate. Nor ton walked over and laid his hand upon Bralne's shoulder. The man looked up with mild curiosity. "Why, Norton, sit down, sit down! Have you had lunch? No? Join me." "Thanks. Came in for my break fast," said Norton, drawing out the chair. Bralne was sitting with his back to the wall on the lounge-seat. "I wonder if you newspaper men ever eat a real, true enough break fast. .1 ehould think the hours you lead would kill you off. Anything new on the Hargreave story?" "I'm not handling that," the reporter lied cheerfully. "Didn't want to. I knew him rather intimately. I've • horror of dead people, and don't want to be called upon to Identify the body when they find It"/' "Then you think they will flnd It?" "I don't know. It's a strange mlxup. I'm not on the story, mind you; but I was in the locality of Duffy's ware house late last night and fell into a gunman rumpus." "Yes, I read about that. What were they after?" "You've got me there. Nj one seems to know. Some cock and bull story about there being something valuable. There was." "What wajf it? The report in this paper does not say." "Ten- thousand bags of coffee." Bralne lay back in his chair and laughed. "If you want my opinion," said Norton, "I believe the gunmen were out to shoot up another gang, and the police got wind of it" PROFESSION Al r'ARDB JOHN J. HENDERSON Attorney- st-Law GRAHAM, N. C. Oil ice over Nattoul task ml Aiadmmtm S. COO IK- , r| M . V OH or PftiMfiwiu Mm idl u» •9 - j .. tVILt. 5. LOiU, Jfc. , OCNTjST . . Caralln • «M»v- Rf'll ltlN' i. KLMKB LOW. I>Sl* A liONO, I. m x«fMM JOH N H. VERNON UUrasy asd C«i»Ml«r-at-Iaw • limat-uacc «U Residence 331 BURLINGTON. N C. Dr. J.-J. Barefoot OFFICE OVEB HADLEY's BTOBE Leave Message* at Alamance Phar macy 'Phone 97 Residence 'Phone Office Honrs 2-4 p. m. and by Appointment. GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31. 1914 fffIAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! TDont you think it about time the police called a halt in this gunman , matter?" i "Oh, so long as they pot each other ■ the police look the other way. It i saves a long trial and passage up the i river. Besides, whenever they are i nabbed some big politician manages [ to open the door for them. Great is r the American voter." > "Take Mr. Norton's order, Luigl," said Bralne. "A German pancake, buttered toast and coffee," ordered the reporter. "Man, eat something!" "It's enough for me/' "And you'll go all the rest of the day on tobacco. I know something of you chaps. I don't see how you man age to do It." "Food is the least of our troubles. By the way, may I ask you a few ques tions? Nothing for print, unless you've got a new book coming." "Fire away." "What do you know about the Princess Perigoff?" "Let me see. H'm. Met her first ~ about a year ago at a reception given to Naslmova. A very attractive wom an. I see quite a lot of her. Why?" • "Well, she claims to be a sort of aunt to Hargreave'e daughter." "She Bald something to me about that thfc other night. You never know where you're at In this world, do you ?" The German pancake, the toast, the coffee disappeared, and the reporter passed his cigars. "The president visits town today and I'm off to watch the show. I sup pose I'll have to interview him about the tariff and ail that rot. When you start on a new book let me know and I'll be your press agent." "That's a bargain." "Thanke for the breakfast." Bralne picked up his newspaper, smoked and read. He smoked, yes, but he only pretended to read. The young fool was clever, but no nftfin Is infallible. He had not the least suspicion; he saw only the newspaper story. Still, In some manner he might stumble upon the truth, and it would be just-as well to tie the reporter's hands effectually. The rancor of early morning had been eubdued; anger and quick tem per never paid in the long run, and no one appreciated this fact better than Bralne. To put Norton out of the way temporarily was only a wise pre caution; It was not a matter of spite or reprisal. He paid the reckoning, left the res taurant, and dropped Into one of his clubs for a game of billiards. He drew quite a gallery about the table. He won easily, racked his cue and Bought the apartments of the princess. What a piece of luck It was that I Olga had really married that old do ' tard, Perigoff! He had left .her a titled widow six months after her mar riage. But she had had hardly a ko , peck to call her own. j "Olgar Hargreave Is alive. He was I there last night. But somehow he i anticipated the raid and had the po lice In waiting. The question is, has he fooled us? Did he take that mil lion or did he hide it? There is cine thing left —to get that girl. No mat ter where Hargrfeave is hidden, the knowledge that she Is In my hands I will bring him out Into the open." "No more blind alleys." "What's on your mind?" "She has never seen her father. She confessed to me that she has not even •sen a photograph of him." There was a long pause. "Do you understand me?" she asked. "By the Lord Harry, I do! You've a head on you worth two of mine. The very simplicity of the Idea will Attempt to Rob the Duffy Warehouse. win oat for us. Some one to pose as her father; a message handed to her In secret; dire mMortons if she whis pers a word to anyone; that her fa ther's life hangs upon the secrecy; she must confide in no one. least of all Jones, the butler. It all depends upon how the letter gets to her. Bred In the country, she probably sleeps with her window open. A pebble at tached to a note, tossed into the wln - dow. 11l trust this to no one; 111 do It myself. With the girl In our control the rest will be easy. If she really does not know where the money • Is Hargreave will tell us. Great bead, I little woman, great head. She does r not know her father's handwriting?" "She has neyer seen a scrap of It. All thU Jtfiss Far low received ¥ was money, me original note left on the doorstep with Florence has been lost. Trust me to make'all these In quiries." "Tomorrow night, then, Immedi ately after dinner, a taxlcab will await her just aroupd the corner. Grange is the best man I can think of. He's an artist when tt comes to playing the old-man parts." ' "Not too old, remember., Har , greave Isn't over forty-five." "Another good point. I'm going to stretch out here on the divan and snooze for a while. Had a devil of a time last night." "When shall I wake you?" "At six. Well have an early dinner sent In. I want to keep out of every body's way. By-by!" * In less than three mlnutee he was sound asleep. The woman gazed down at him In wonder and envy. If only | she could drop to sleep like that. Very softly she pressed her lips to his hair. I At eleven o'clock the following | night the hall light In the Hargreave house was turned off and the whole interior became dark. A shadow crept through the lilac bushes with out any more sound that a cat would have made. Florence's window was | open, as the arch-conspirator had ex ' pected it would be. With a small string and stone as a sling he sent the letter whirling skillfully through the air. It sailed into the girl's room. The man below heard no sound of the stone hitting anything and concluded | that It had struck the bed. ! He waited patiently. Presently a wavering light could be distinguished over the sill of the window. The girl wae awake and had lit the candle. This knowledge was sufHcfcnt for his need. The tragic do the rest, that Is, If the girl came from the same pattern as her father and mother—stating willed and adventu rous. , * j He tiptoed back to lilacs, when , a aoise sent him close to -the ground. | Half a dozen feet away he saw a | shadow creeping along toward the | front door. Presently the shadow { stood up ae if listening. He stooped again and ran lightly to the steps, up these to the door, which he hugged. Who was this? wondered Bralne. I Patiently he waited, arranging his pos- Iture so that be could keep a lookout at the door. By and by the door ' opened cautiously. A man holding a candle appeared. Bralne vaguely recognized Olga's description of the , butler. The man on the veranda sud- I denly blew out the light. i Bralne could hear the low murmur 'of voices, but nothing more. The con | versation lasted scarcely a minute. The door closed and the man ran down the stepe, across the lawn, with Bralne close at his heels. "Just a noment, Mr. Hargreave," I he called Ironically; "just a moment!" I The man he addressed as Hargreave turned with lightning rapidity and struck. The blow caught Bralne above the ear, knocking him flat. When he regained his feet the rumble 1 of a motor told him the rest of the t story. • •••••• By the dim light of her bedroom ' candle Florence read the note which had found entrance so strangely and mysteriously into her room. Her fa ther! He lived, he needed her! Alive but in dread peril, and only she could save him! She longed to fly to blm | at once, then and there. How could ■ he wait till tomorrow night at eight? ' Immediately she began to plan how to circumvent the watchful Jones and the careful Sußan. Her father! She : lept no more that night I "My Darling Daughter: I must see j you. Come at eight o'clock tomorrow , | night to 78 Grove street, third floor. ' Confide In no one, or you seal my , death warrant "Your unhappy FATHER." What child refuse to obey a ummons like this? A light tap on the door started her. "Is anything the matter?'* asked the mild voice of Jones. "No. 1 got np to get a drink of water." She heard his footsteps die sway down ths corridor. She thrust the letter Into the pocket of her dress, which lay neatly folded on the chair at the foot of the bed, then climbed hack Into the bed Itsslf. She must not tell even Mr. Norton. Waa the child spinning a romance over the first young man she had ever met? In her heart of hearts the girl, did not know. Her father! ' It was all so terribly and tragically simple, to match a woman's mind sgslnst that of a child. Both Norton ant ths sober Jones bad explicitly warned her never to go anywhere, receive telephone calls or letters, with out first consulting one or the other .of them. And now she bad planned j to deceive then, with all the conning of her sex. ! The next morning at breakfast there I wss nothing unusual either la her ap pearance or manners. Under the shrewd scrntlny of Jones she wse just her everydsy self, a line bit of acting for one who had yet to eee the'stage. But it Is born la woman to act, as It is born In man to light, and Flor-1 enee was no to the rale. She was going to savs her father. I She read with Susan, played the piano, eewed a little, laughed, hummed and did a thousand and one things young girls do wjun they have the deception of their elders la view. All day long Jones went about like sn old honnd with bis node to the . wind. There was something In the I | air, but he could not tell what U was, j Somehow or otner, no fil&tter which room Florence went into, there was Jonas within earshot And she dared not show the least impatience or res tlveness. It was a large order for so young a girl, but she filled It. She rather expected that the re porter would appear some time during the afternoon; and sure enough he did. He could no more resist the de elre to see and talk to her than he could resist breathing. There was no : FOB She Tried the Doors. They Were Locked. use denying tt; the world had sud denly turned at a new angle, present ing a new face, a roseate vision. It rather subdued his easy banter. » "What news?" she asked. "Net,., rather despondlngly. "Pl, sorry. I had hoped by this time to get eomewhere. But It happens that I can't get any further than this house." ' She did not ask him what he meant by that. "Shall I play something for you?" she said. . "Please." He drew a chair beside the piano and watched her fingers, white as the ivory keys, flutter up and down the board. She played Chopin for him, , Mendelssohn, Grieg and Cbamlnade;. i and she played them In a surprisingly! scholarly fashion. He bad expected the usua' schoolgirl choice and execu tion; "Tltanla," the "Moonlight So nata" (which not half a dozen great pianists '.iave ever played correctly), \ "Monastery Bells," aqd the like. He. ' J»ad prepared to make a martyr of himself; Instead, he was distinctly and delightfully entertained, j "You don't," he said whimsically, when she finally stopped, "you any chance, know 'The Malden'ii Prayer"?" • ; She laughed. This piece was s standing joke at school, j' "I have never played ft It may,! however, be In the music cabinet, j Would you like to hear It?" mis 'chievously. f j "Heaven forfend!" he murmured, 'raising his hands. All the while the letter burned 'against "her heart, and the smile on I her face and the gayety on her tongue were forced. "Confide In no one," she - .repeated mentally, "or you seal my dekth warrant." "Why do you shake your head like that?" he asked. "Did I shake my head?" Her heart -4usMed wildly. "I was not conscious of "Arc you going to keep your prom ise?" "What promise?" "Never to leave this house without Jones or myself being with you." "1 couldn't If I wanted to. I'll wa ger Jones is out there In the ball this minute. I know; It Is all for my sake. But It bother* me." Jones was Indeed In the hall, and when he sensed the petulance In her voice his shoulders sank despondently and he sighed deeply If silently. At a quarter to eight Florence, being alone for a minute, set fire to a veil and stuffed It down the register. "Jones." she called excitedly, 1 smell something burning!" Jones dashed Into the room, sniffed, snd dashed out again, heading for the cellar door. His first thought was naturally that ths devils Incarnate had set lire to the house. When he re turned, having, of course, discovered no fire, he found Florence gone. He rushed Into ths hall. Her bat was missing. He made for tbs hall door with a speed which seemed Incredible to the bewildered Susan's eyes. Out Into the strset, np snd down which be looked. Far away bs discovered a dwindling taxlcab. Ths child was gone. In the bouse Susan wss answering the telephone, talking Incoherently. "Who Is It?" Jones whispered, his lips white and dry. "The princess. . . ." began Susan He took the receiver from her roughly. "Hello, who to itr "This to Olga Perigoff. Is Florence there?" "No, madam. She has Just stepped out for a moment Shall I tell her to call yon when shs returns?" "Yes. please. I want her and Su san and Mr. Norton to corns to tea tomorrow. Oood-by." I Jones hong np ths receiver, sank Into a chair nesr br snd buried bis face fn hfs lianus. * "What le It?" cried Susan, terrified by the haggardness of his face. "She's gone! My God, those wretches have got her! They've got her!" Florence was whirled away at top speed. Her father! She was actually on the way. to her father, whom she had always loved In dreams, yet never seen. Number 78 Grove street was not an attractive place, but when she ar rived she was too highly keyed to take note of Ite sordldness. She was rather out of breath when she reached the door of the third flat. She knocked timidly. The door was Instantly opened by a man who woro a black mask. She would have turned then and there and flown but for the swift I picture she had of a well-dressed man at a table. He lay with his head upon his arms. "Father!" she whispered. The man raised his careworn face, so very well done that only the closest scrutiny would have betrayed the paste of the theater. He arose and staggered toward her with out stretched arms. But the moment they closed about her Florence experienced a peculiar shiver. "My child!" murmured the broken man. "They caught me when I was about to come to you. I have given up the fight." A sob choked him. What was It? wondered the child, her heart burning with the misery of the thought that she was sad Instead of glad. Over his shoulder she sent a glance about the room. There was a sofa, a table, some chairs and an enormous clock, the face of which was dented and the hands hopelessly tan gled. .Why, at such a moment, she should note such details disturbed her. Then she chanced to look Into the cracked mirror. In It she saw several faces, all masked. These men were peering at her through the half closed door behind her. • "You must return hiy - * ' »>»lns. ' me the money," went on the wretch who uared to perpetrate such a .mock ery. "It 1s all that stands between me and death.". Then she knew! The Insistent dally warnings came home to her." She un derstood now. Sho had deliberately walked Into the spider's net. But In stead of terror anaextraordlnary calm fell upon her. "Very well, father, I will go and get it." Gently she released herself from those horrible arms. "Walt, my child, till I see If they will let you go. They may wish to. hold you as hostage." When he was gone she tried the doors. They were locked. Then she crossed over to the window and looked out. A leap from' there would kill her. She turned her gaze toward the lamp, I wondering. The fs'.se father returned, deject edly. "it Is as I euld. They Insist upon sending some one. Write down the ! directions I gave to you. I am very weak!" "Write down the directions yourself, father; you know them better than j I." Since she saw no escape, she was determined to keep up the tragic farce no longer. "1 am not your father." "So I see," she replied, still with the amazing calm. Bralne, In the other room, shook his head savagely. Father and daughter; the same steel In the nerves. Could -they bend her? Would they bre*k her? He did not wish to Injure her Rodlly, but a million wae always a million, snd there was revenge which was worth more to him than the money itself. He listened, motioning to the others to bo silent. "Write the directions," commanded the scoundrel, who discarded the broken man style. "I know of no bidden money." "Then your father dies this night. Orange put a whistle to bis lips. "Sign, write!" "I refuse!" " "Once more. The moment I blow this whistle the men In the other -1 jjl r m I WM A "•he Hss Thrown Hsrself Out ef the Window!" room will understand that yeur father ! Is to die. Be wise. Money 1s noth ing—life Is everything." "I refuse!" Even ss she had known this vile creature to be an Impostor so she knew that he lied, that her father was still free. I I ' Grange I Tew the whistle. Instantly the room became filled with masked t men. But Florence wag ready. She seized 'the lamp and hurled It to the ' | floor, quite Indifferent whether It ex t ploded or went out. Happily for her, , It was extinguished. At the same mo- | ment she cast the lamp she caught hold of a chair, remembering the di rection of the window. She was su perhumanly strong In this moment. The chair went true. A crash fol lowed. "She has thrown herself out of the . window!" yelled a voico. Some one groped for the lamp, lit r It, and turned In time to see Florence pass out of the room Into that from | which they had come. The door , slammed. The surprised men heard " Ihe key click. She waß free. But she waa no 1 longer a child. (To be Continued.) ; AMBITION FAILS IN NOUSt [ CHANGE OF 31 VOTEB WOULD HAVE REBULTEO IN TWO THIRDS MAJORITY .'rohibition Leaders Claim That Re. suit Came Up To Their Expectations Washington.—The national prohibi tion amendment to the federal Const I tutlon, proposed by Representative Richmond P. Hobson of Alabama, fail ed In the house by 61 votes. A change pf 31 votes would have furnished the necessary two-thirds majority, 197 members voting for and 189 against prohibition. This was the first time in the his tory of the country that a measure to make the nation dry was voted upon In either house. Tho prohibition forces assert that they will continue the flKht until success is won and the man ufacture and sale of liquor Is outlawed In the United Statea. _ ——- Prohibition leaders declared the voto of ID7 for the resolution had come up to thoir expectations, had not expected _a two-thirds majori ty. Whether a similar resolution sub mitted by Senator Hheppard of Texas would reach a vote In the senate this session Is not certain. Administra tion leaders were Inclined to believe It would not, because It could not pass the houso. Notwithstanding repeated public as sertions that many members of the house would try to dodge a record voto, the roil call disclosed a heavy ! attendance, larger than the average 1 throughout the session. To have car- I rled the house the Hobson resolution j would have required 258 affirmative j votes. It thus failed to carry 61 votes. Party lines were wiped out In the struggle. Democratic leader Under wood and Republican Leader Mann i fought shoulderto-shoulder at the j head of the forces opposing the reso- I lutlon. And when the vote came, of ' | the 197 standing for the resolution, 114 | were Democrats, 67 Republicans, 11 ! were Progressive and 4 were I'rogres • j slvo Republicans. ' | 1,000 Austrian* Reported Killed 1 i London.—Nearly one tfTbusand Aus- I trlan soldiers are reported to have I been killed or Injured In a collision of ' two troop trains near Kallsz, Russian j Poland, according to The Dally Tele -1 | graph's Petrograd correspondent. The trains are reported to have met while running at full speed, as the result of accidental opening of a switch . Secret*ry Houston at Aberdeen, Diversified agriculture, the curtail ment of the cotton crop, the raisins of beef cattle, hogs and poultry, dairy ing, and t v e cooperative work of the people were emphasised as the need of the South by Secretary of Agricul ture D. F. Houston at Aberdeen, full to the core of valuable suggestions for farm and community life. This waa his first addresa In the South on agri culture since he became a member of President Wilson's cabinet. The occasion was one planed by the Sand Hill Farmers' Association, an aggressive organization with a membership from fifteen towns and surrounding territory In this section. Secretary Houston, a native of North Carolina, waa secured to make the address at the rally and waa accom panied here by Congressman Page. Nearly four hundred people were In the auditorium of the Aberden school In the afternoon and the address of Secretary Houston met jrlta close at tention and frequent applause. It de served both. Will Make Cheese. A number of experiments have been completed by the dairying division of the North Carolina Kxperiment Sta tion relative tp cheese making as may 'be practiced by dairymen In the west ern part of the state. Measrs. W. H. Baton and Flold R, Faro ham hare been doing the work and are highly pleased with the reaulta which have been obtained. They are reasonably sure that the art caa be successfully established and much rroflt be derived by the marketing of thl« dellcloua dairy product. The department will not encourage dairymen la the central and eastern parte of the state to en gage In cheese making, chiefly be cause the facilities for grazing cattle are not aa favorable. In the central and eastern parts of the state the cojrt of production Is greater and the fe snlta not so satisfactory. The west ern part of this atate la Ideally situat ed and It Is thought by the depart ment that the projec*. will meet with success. j» ■»— ■ -- . , k. - -V. NO. 46 THE LEVER COTTON BILL LOWER HOUSE FINALLY PASSES CONGRESSMAN LEVER'S WAREHOUSE BILL Thl* la Mr. Lever's Second Big Agri cultural Measure—Haa Approval Of Praaldent Wllaon Washington—The Lever cotton warehouse bill, before the house for 1 montha, waa passed by a vote of ll to 97. The measure provides for fed eral licensing of cotton and grain warehouses and is a substitute for a senate bill restricted to cotton ware houses. The bill now goes to confer ence beteween the houses. The bill, approved by the administra tion, was the subject of brief debate, its sponsors contending that It would greatly enhance confidence in agricul tural products. Its opponents claimed it was constitutional. Main provision* proposed by the bill are: Classification of cotton and licensing of cotton warehouses. It bonds owners and operators of warehouses and gives the right of re covery upon the bonds to the owner of cotton stored. It provides that licensed warehouses shall Issue receipts describing the bales stored, the receipts to be as signable when desired. It provides for maintenance of ac curate records of cotton stored, the receipts Issued, the light of the secre tary of agriculture to examine records and requires reports from operators to the secretary. It authorises the secretary to de termine whether cotton stored In ware houses actually Is of the grade or claaa certified In the receipt and to publish his findings. It empowers the secretary to sus pend or revoke licenses and to pub lish not only that fact, but the re sults 4 f investigations made. Deeoratae Americana Vienna.—Emperor Francis Joseph has conferred on the American am bassador, Frederic Courtland Penfleld, Rear Admiral Aaron Ward, U. 8. N„ 1 retired, commander of the American Red Cross ship Red Cross, and the American minister to the Netherlands, Dr. Henry Van Dyke, the Red Croes Medal of Merit for their services In connection with the American Red Cross mission to the dual empire. Re cently the emperor decorated Mrs. Penfleld with the Qrand Cross of the Order of Kllzabeth, for establishing a hospital at Vienna. World's Biggest War Dog New Tork—The Blvadavta. the world's greatest battleship, built in I this country for the Argentine repub lic, left here for a destination unof ficially reported to be Buenos Aire*. The gigantic sea-fighter'* keel waa laid at the Fore river yard* at Quln cy, Mass., May 26, 1910. She was launched on Auguet 26. 1911, but waa not placed In commlaalon until Au gust 28 of thl* year. Rumor* that negotiation* are afoot to purchase the leviathan by either England or Oer many are said to be unfounded. Chile Protest* To Qermany Washington.—After a searching in vestigation of activities of the Oerman fleet In the southern Pacific recently, Chile has protested formally to Ger many against alleged Oerman viola tions of neutrality In Chilean water*. The protest sets forth that the Oer man ships prior to their successful engagement with Rear Admiral Crad ock'a British squadron, stayed as long as five day* at one laland owned by Chile and transferred aupplles at an other small Island. The protest I* sal 4 to be couched In vigorous language. All Sldee are Claiming Some Few Suceeeae*. In the offensive operations of the allies In the western war arena. In teresting features are the loea In tbe neighborhood of Nuve Chapelte of several of the trenches recently cap tured by the British and an advance by the East Indians toward Rlcbo bourg I'Avouve. a* reported In the latest French official communication. This statement also Indicates that the German* have not been lacking In tbe offensive. It recordes, in addition, tbe annihilation of a German column at Llhons. In the east the situation 1* still In doubt. ' According to the official state ment from Petrograd, tbe German* have been repulsed In an attempt to croes to the right bank of the Vistula river In Poland and fighting In tbe Bzura river district la developing. Re garding the victory which Oermany was reported to have won In Poland. Berllp remains silent. Austria claim* important successes in the battle of LJmanow* In Oalllda, where 28,000 Russian* are Mid to have fallen Into their hands. A Berlin dispatch saya that Em peror William bas paid a visit to the wounded soldier* at Totadam. Army Oats All Asked For. Washington,—The army appropiV at lon bill, aggregating $101,000,000 agreed upon by tbe House military committee, carried a special fond of $16,000 for United States military ob servers In Europe. The bIM ' cloeoly follows the War Department's esti mate. "We gave them praotlcaly all they asked for," said chairman Hay, referring to appropriation* for ammu nition and other materials for defense, Increase of 26 regiment* In the regu lar army waa proposed by a bill In troduced by Representative Anthony. ITALY MAY WAR \ WITH THE TURKS lasdiig if Sailors it Mm Against Turkish Mir May Have Fir- Reaching Results A REVOLUTION IN ALBANIA . French Report States That Further Small Advancea Have Been Made In West London.—Christmas brought no ; rest to the European armies. It found the Russians still fighting desperate ly in the sAows of Poland againrt the fierce attack* of the German a; 1 Austrian allies; Przemsyl is still in the grip of tbe Invading army; the French making spasmodic thrust* against the strong German lines o trenches in northern and northeast ern France, and the British and Bel gians engaged In almost hand-to-hand warfare agalnat tbe German trenches In west Belgium. The French claim several successes along the center and eastern lines, while tbe Germans declare they have ' taken the second British trenches la Belgium. Both sides assert they have repulsed attacks at various points, which indicates that the feeling pro cess Is under way all along the lines. 8o close are the trenches of the al lies and Germans at many points that almost the only weapons used are hand granades, since It Is Impossible for® the men to eipose themselves even to use their rifles. A violent revolution has broken out In Albania against Essad Paaha, whom Turkey established as ruler. Essad Pa. sha's palace at Tirana has been pil laged and burned. Massacres are re ported. The Italian government haa landed sailors from warships at Avlo na to restore order and protect Euro peans and peaceful inhabitants. Ital ian Intervention may embroil Italy with her recent foe—Turkey—and holds possibilities of fkr-reachlng re sults. BRITISH AIRMEN FIGHT Hostile Aeroplane Struck Over Sheer. neee And Chased To Sea By Avlatore Sheerness.—A German aeroplane was sighted off South End. The --ither -was mlsty«% * '>„■» was flying at a great height at high speed. Several rounds were fired from antl alr craft guns, apparently without hit ting the German, but Eiaval aeroplanes soon chased the intruder, who disap peared. Many thousands of. people flocked to tbe sea front to witness the sffalr. Later three British aeroplanes tried to outbank tbe German machine, but the Oerman was too fast and disap peared to the eastward. The weather was mlaty at sea, but comparatively clear on land. Nothing has been heard regarding the dropping of the bombs. Dover.—lt Is reported here that a C-srman aeroplane flying at a great height passed over the Medway river and Heme bay. British aeroplanes and seaplanes were out on scouting duty for many houra. I>ondon. —The war office bas Issued the following: "A hostile aeroplane has been sighted. It was flying very high from east to west over Sheer ness. British air craft went up In pursuit and engaged the enemy. Big War Fund Refuaed Toklo, Japan.—The Imperial diet waa dlaaolved. The bouae of repre sentatlves rejected the army expan sion measures proposed by the gov ernment. This led to the dissolution of the house. The closing session of the house was extremely dramatic. De bate occupied the entire day and ex tended Into tbe night. There was no sign of a compromise, when It was announced that Emperor Yoshlhl to had exercised his royal prerogative and had dlaaolved the diet. Russia Claim* 187,496 Prisoners* _ 1-ondon.—A Reuter Petrograd dis patch ssys the number ,of German prisoner) registered 15'1,140 officers and 131,700 men; the number of the Austrlans registered Is 3,1(6 officers and 221,400 men. Slav prisoners have asked the Russian naturalisation so that they may be sent against the Turks. Avlons Occupied By Italians Rome.—A company of Italian sail ors have occupied Aviona, a seaport of Albania, on the Adriatlo sea. Re cent dispatches from Athens said an archy reigned at Aviona and that the region around the Albanian seaport was a prey to civil war. Partizans of Kemal Bey last month forced the gov ernment to hsul down the Turkish flag and hoist the Albanian colors. Essad Pasha, commander-in-chief of the Turkish forces in Albania, then sent 600 soldier* to Aviona and they disarmed the Inhabltanta. Cargo Of Cotton Sent To Germany Galveston. Texas.—The first cotton cargoto Oermany from Galveaton sine* 4ar began departed for Bremen on the 'American Pathfinder. The car go la (.660 bales, valued at $466,000. The batches were sealed In the pres ence of the French consul and » rep resentative of Lloyds. Both certified the veesel contained only American j cotton and was entitled to unobetrect ed passage. Freight rates on the shipment were the highest ever paid oat of Galveston, being -$3 per one hundred pounds. Pei.ograd.—The Bulgarian minister announced that an agreement had been reached between Roumanla and Bul garia under which Roumanla wll) re store to Bulgaria Dobrua province, and moat of the other territory she acquir ed from Bulgaria by the second Bal kan war. "This agreoment has been reached without pressure from either Germany or the allies," said an offi cial connected with the Bulgarian min istry- "We shall continue to be neutral and believe Roumanla has no causa to fear us."