North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. XL The Million Ddar Mystery ' " By HAROLD MAC GRATH • Illustrated from Semes Hi the Photo Drama of the Same Name by the Thanhouser Film Company (Copyright, 1«14, by B»rold UaoQraUi) CHAPTER VII. When all three finally met at the i Hargreave home Florence suddenly took Jones by the shoulders end kissed him lightly on the cheek. Jones started back, pale and dis turbed. Norton laughed. He did ndt feel the slightest twinge of jealousy, but 'he was eaten up with envy, as the old ; wives say. "You are wondering if I suspect the iFrlncesb PerlgoßT" said Jones. "I am.'V. This man Jones was de veloping Into a very remarkable char acter. The reporter found himself side glancing at the thin, keen face of [this resourceful butler. The lobe of the man's left ear came within range. iNorton reached for a cigarette), but his hands shook as he lit it. There ■ was a peculiar little scar In the cen jter of the lobe. "Well," said Jones, "I can find no Evidence that she has been concerned in any of these affairs." "You are suspicious?" 1 "Of everybody," looking boldly into 'the reporter's eyes. "Of me?" smiling. | "Even of myself sometimes." ' Conversation dropped entirely after [this declaration. i , "You're a taciturn sort' of chap.'* j "Am I?" "You are. But an agreement la an .agreement, and while I'd like to print 'this story, I'll not. We newspaper 'men seldom break our word." Jones held out his hand. | "Sometimes I'wish I'd started life right," said the reporter gloomily. ,"A newspaper man Is generally improvi dent. He never. lookß ahead for to morrow. What with my special ar ticles to the magazines, I earn be tween four and five thousand the 'year; and I've never been able to save a cent." "Perhaps you've never really tried," replied Jones, with a glance at his companion. It was a good face, strong In outline; a little careworn, perhaps, but free from any Indications of dissi pation. "If I had begun life as you did, I'd have made real and solid use of the great men I met. I'd have made financiers help me to Invest my earnings, or savings, utile as - they might be. And today I'd be living on the income." "You never can tell. Perhaps a wom an might have made you think of those things; but If you had remained unattached ur to thirty-one, aa I have, the thought of saving might never have entered your head. A man In my present condition, financially, has no right to think of matrimony." "It might be the saving of you if you .met and married the right .wom an." "But the right woman might be heiress to millions. And a poor devil like me could not marry a girl with money and hang on to his self-re spect." _ ' "True. But there are always excep tions to all rules In life, except those regarding health. A healthy man Is a normal man, and a normal man has no right to remain single. You proved yourself 3 man this afternoon, con sidering that you did not know I oc cupied the wheel seat. Come to think It over, you really saved the day. You gave me the opportunity of steer ing straight for the police station. Well, good-by." "Queer duck!" mused the reporter as, after telephoning, he headed for his office. Queer duck, Indeed! What a game it waa going to be I And this mar. Jones was playing it like a master. It did not matter that some one '&e laid down the rules; It was the way In which they were Inter preted. •'IHIKKSSJONAI. CARDS JOHN J. HENDERSON Attorneyaf-Law GRAHAM, N. C. 911 Ice over Nalloul Ink Alaauct ,S. -iC OOK , Attorney-at- Law, HAM, N. C. Offloa PaUeraon Building ■o- Q'Kl FUor •« WILLS.LOW,JK. . . DENTIST . . . - - Nafta Carallaa 1 Hi» ' VMONM BUILDING .. , 41*4, S. ZLMBft LORG IjONG ft LONG, t '«raand Umnaelorsat L w >KAHAM I. ' a JOH N H. VERNON ItUraey Bad C«iawler-«t-Uw (Mice »SS Residence 111 BUBLIWOTON. N C. Dr. J. J. Barefoot ornce oven badlkt's store Leave VI images at Alamance Phar rrfacy 'Pbune 97 Residence 'Phone H'i>ir» 2-4 p. n>. and by ' Ap{> •ifilment THE ALAMANCE GLEANER. ——■: : t ' Braine heard of the failure. The Black Hundred was finding its stock far below par value. Four valuable 9 men locked up in the Tombs awalt j ing trial, to sa" nothing of the seven I gunmen gathered in rit the old ware • house. Braine began to 3uspect that h 1 Ills failures were less duo to chance than to calculation, that at last he II had encountered a mind which antl t olpated his every move. He would 1 have recogvized this fact earlier had it not been that revenge had temporar j ily blinded him. The spirit of revenge . ever'makes for mental clarity. t ■ r ■ tj t -1 > I nERpH I > jHSHh j ; j Si ' / HEjp; jf HR, "Do Not Bpesk or Msks ths Least Noise." t There was a meeting that night of the Black Hundred. Four men were told off, and they drew their chairs up to Vroon's table for Instructions. Bralne sat at Vroon's elbow. These four men composed the most danger ous quartet in New York city. They were as daring as they were desper ate. They were the men who held up bank messengers and got away with thousands. They had learned to swoop down upon their victims as the hawk swoops down Upon the heron. The newspapers referred to them as the 'autc bandits," and the men took a deal ot pride in the furore they had created Vroon went over the Hargreave case minutely; he left no detail un explained Bluntly and frankly, the daughter ot Stanley Hargreave must bt caught and turned over to the care 01 the Black Hundred. It must be quick action. Four valuable members were in the Tombs. They might or might not weaken under pressure. For the first time In Its American career The Daughter of Hargreave Rode Horseback (vary Morning. the organisation stood facing actual peril; and Its one possible chance of salvation lay In the fact that no one's face was known to hit neighbor. He, Vroon, and the boss alone knew who and what each man was. Bat the plans, the ramifications of the organ isation might "become public property; and that would mean an end to an exceedingly profitable business. The daughter of Hargreave rode ; horseback early every morning. She sought the country road. She waa In variably attended by the riding inna te? of a school nqp by. "Ton four will make your own plana.' "It she should be Injured?" "Avoid It If possible." "We have a tree hand?" "Absolutely." "We risk a bad fall from bar horse if It's a spirited one." "Pretend a breakdown In the road." Interpolated Bralne. "As they ap approacb, draw and order then to dis mount. That method will prevent any accident." k "We'll plan U. somehow. It looks easy." "Nothing Is easy where that girl is concerned. A thpusand eyes seem to be watching her slightest move." "We shant leave anything to chance. How many days will you give us!" "Seven. A failure, mind you, will prove unhealthy to all concerned," with a menace which made the four stir uneasily. The telephone rang. Bralne reached for the receiver. "A man just entered the Hargreave house at the rear. Come at once," was the message. "Is your car outside?" Bralne asked. "We are never without It." "Then let us be off. No one will stop us for speeding on a side street." „ Fourteen minutes by the clock brought the car to a stand at the curb a few houses below the Hargreave home. The men got out. The watch er ran up. 4 "He is still Inside," he whispered. "Good! Spread out. If anyone leaves that house, catch him. If he runs too fast, shoot. We ean beat the police." The obeyed, and the watcher ran back to his post. He was des perately hoping the affair would ter minate tonight. He was growing weary of this eternal vigilance; and It was only his fear of the man known as the boss that kept him at his post. He wanted a night to carouse in, to . be with the' boys. The man for whom they were lying in wait was seen presently to creep cautiously round the side of the house. He hugged a corner and paused. They could see the dim outline of his tody. The light In the street back of the grounds almost made a silhouette of him. By and by, as if assured that the coast was clear, he stole down to the street. "Haiti" Inetantly the prowler took to his heels. Two shots rang out. The man was seen to stop, stagger, and then go on desperately. "He's hit!" By the time the men reached the corner they heard the rumble of a motor. One dashed back to the car they had left standing at the curb. He made quick work of the Job, but he was not quick enough. Still, they gave chase. They saw the car turn toward the city. But, unfortunately for the success of the chase, several automo biles passed, going Into town and leav ing It. Checkmate. Bralne was keen enough tonight. »Ie la hit; whether badly or not re mains to be seen. * We can find that out. Drive to the nearest drug store and get a list of hospitals. It's a ten to one shot that we land him some where among the hospitals." | But they searched the hospitals In vain. None of them had that night re ceived a ehootlng case, nor had they heard one reported. The man had been unmistakably hit. He would not have dared risk the loss of time for a bit of play-acting. Evidently he bad kept his head and sought his lodgings. To call up doctors would be utter folly; for it would take a week for a thorough combing. This was the sec - ond time the man had got away. "Perhaps I'm to blame," admitted Bralne. "I have advised Miles to stalk him and pot him if he got the chance. There's a master mind work ing somewhere back of all this, and It's time I woke up to the fact. But you," turning to the auto bandits, "you men have your instructions. More than that, you Jiave been given a free rein. See that you make good, or by the Lord Harry! I'll break the four of you like pipestems." "We haven't had a failure yet," spoke up one of the men, more courageous than his companions. | "You are not holding up a bank mes- I senger this trip. Remember that. Drive me as far as Columbus circle. j Leave me on the side street, between the lights, so I can take off tble mask." j 1 Later Bralne sauntered into Pabst and ordered a light supper. This night's work, more than anything else, , I brought home to him the fact that his ] luck was changing. For years he had I proceeded with his shady occupations • without encountering any memorable ; failure. He moved In the high world, J ! quite unsuspected. He had written . books, given lectures, been made a lion j of, all the while laughing in his sleeva I at the gullibility of human nature. But within the last two weeks he had re-1 celved serious checks. From now on he must movs with the utmost caution, j Some one was playing bis own gama, ; | waging warfare unseen. A battle of j wits? 80 be It; but Bralne Intended ; ! to play with rough wits, and be wasn't i I going to care which way the sword ' cut. He hated Stanley Hargreave with all ' the hatred of his soul; the hatred of a | man balked In love. And the man was alive, defying him; alive somewhere in this city this very night, with a bul let under his skin. Is everything satisfactory, sir?" be heard the bead waiter say. "Satisfactory?" Brains repeated blankly. "Yea, sir. You struck the table aa though displeased." "01" Then Bralne laughed relieved ly. "If I struck the üble, it was done unconsciously. I was thinking." "Beg pardon, air I Anything elae, alrr "No. Bring ma the check." • ••••• • "Your master gives riding lessons?" The groom who had led the horse back from Hargreave's eyed his ques r tioner rather superciliously. "Yea." The groom fondled the anl ; mat's legs. "How much fti itr "Twenty dollars Vor a ticket of fivs rides. The master Is ths fashion u here. He doesn't cater to any but th beat families." "Pretty Haep. who was that yoan lady riding this morning with your master?" "That'* the girl all the newspapers have, been talking about," answered the groom Importantly. I •Actress?" "Actress! I should say not That young woman la the daughter of Sun GRAdAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1915 was lost at sea. Ana it wv. uu long I before she puts her finger In a pie of four or five millions. If you want any rides, you'll have to talk It over with the boss. He may or may not take any more rldee. You'd probably have to ride In the afternoon, anyhow, as j every nag is out in the morning." "Where's the most popular road?" "Toward the park; but Miss Har greave always goes along the river side road. She doesn't like strangers about." | "O, I see. Well, I'll drop In this ] afternoon and see your master. They j say that riding is good for a torpid liver.- Have a cigar?" 1 "Thanks." The groom proceeded into the sta bles and the affable stranger took himself off. j A free rein; they could work It to suit themselves. There wasn't the j least obstacle In the way. On the | face of It, It appeared to be the slm | plest Job they had yet undertaken. To get rid of the riding master In some natural way after ho and the girl had started. It was like falling off a log. "Susan," said Florence as she came into breakfast after her exhilarating ride, "did you hear pistol shots last night?" | "I heard some noise, but I was so sleepy I didn't try to figure out what It was." j "Dl* you, Jones?" "Yes, Miss Florence. The shots came from the street. A policeman I camo running up later and said he ■ saw two automobiles on the run. But j evidently there wasn't anybody hurt. | One has to be careful at night now | adays. There are pretty bad men abroad. Did you enjoy the ride?" | "Very much. But there were spots of blood on the walk near the corner." i "Blood?" Jones caught the back of I a chair to steady himself. "Yes. So some one was hurt. Oh, let's leave this place!" impulsively. "Let us go back to Miss Farlow's. You could find a place In the village, Jones. But if I stay here much longer 1 in this state of unrest I shall lose faith In everything and everybody. 'Whoever m - father's enemies are, they do hot ! ck persistence. They have made two attempts against my liberty, and sooner or later they will succeed. I keep looking over my shoulder all the time. If I hear a noise I Jump." "Miss Florence, If I thought It wise, ' you should be packed off to Miss Far low's this minute. But not an hour ot the day or night passes without this house being watched. I •'seldom see anybody about. I can only sense .the presence of a watcher. At Miss Far low's you would be far more like a prisoner than here. I could not ac company you. I am forbidden to de sert this house." "My father's orders?" Jones signified neither one way nor the other. He merely gazed stolidly at the rug. "That blood!" She sprang frtfm her chair, horrified. "It was his! He was here last night, and they shot him! O!" "There, there, Miss Florence! The man only slightly.wounded. He's where they never will look for him." Then Jones continued, as with an ef fort; "Trust me, Miss Florence. It ) would not pay to run away. The whole affair would be repeated else where. We might go to the other end of the world, but It would not serve us In the least. It is not ft question of escape, but of who shall vanquish the other. There is nothing to do but re main here and fight, fight, fight. We have put four of them In the Tombs, to say nothing of the gunmen. That Is what we must do—put them In a safe place, oife by one, till we reach the master. Then only may we breathe in safety. But if they watch, so do we. There is never a moment when help Is not within reach, no mat ter where you go. So long as you do ' not deceive me, no real harm shall be fall you. Don't cry. Be your father's daughter, as I am his servant." "I am very unhappy!" And Flor ence threw her arms around Susan { and laid her bead upon ber friend's shoulder. 1 "Poor child!" Susan, however, rec- 1 ognlzed the wisdom of Jones' state- j ments. They were saiest'here. — The morning rides continued. To | the girl, who loved the open, it was glorious fun. Those mad gallops slong the roads, the smell of esrth and j sea, the tingle In the blood, were the second best moments of ber dsy. The ' first? She Invariably blushed when I shs considered wbat these first best' moments were. He was a brave young I H| * "Better Be Sensible," He Said. ' I man, good to lpok at, witty, and al ways cheerful. Why Shouldn't aba like him? Even Jones liked him —J Jones, who didn't seem to like any body. Tt did not matter whether hi waa wise or not; a worldly point of view waa farthest from her youthful thoughts. It was her own affair; ber own heart ■ Five daye later, as she and the rid ing master were cantering along the road, enjoying every bit of It, they beard the beat of hoofs behind. Tbey drew ap and turned. A ridsr was ap proaching them at a run. It was the bead groom. The man stopped his boras tn a cloud of dust. "Sir, the stables are on ire!" Tire?" All the riding master's savings were Invested tn the stables. The fact that be had solemnly promised never to leave Floreuce aione, auu mat ne had accepted a generous bonus slipped front his mind at the thought of fire, a terrible word to any horseman. He wheeled and started off st breakneck speed, his bead groom clattering be hind him. __ I Florence naturally wondered which of two courses to pursue: follow them, when she would be perfectly helpless to aid them, or continue the ride and save at least one horse from the ter ror of seeing flames. She chose the latter. But she did not ride with the earlier zest She felt depressed. She' | loved horses, and the thought of them I dying in those wooden stables was horrifying. Tho ure, however, proved to be in cipient. But Jt was plainly Incendi ary. Some one had sdt fire to It with a purpose in view. Norton recognized \ this fact almost as Bpon as the fire men. He had come this morning with the Idea of surprising Florence, He was going out on Horseback to Join her. / - His spine grew suddenly cold. A trap! ,She had been left nlone on the road! He ran over to the garage, se cured a car, and went humming out toward the river road. A f trap, and only by the sheerest luck had he ' turned up In time. - j Meantime Florence was walking her I mount slowly. For once the scenery I passed unobserved. She was deeply engrossed with thoughts, some of which were happy and some of which were sad If only father could bo : with her she would be the happiest girl alive. j Bhe was brought out of her revery by the sight of a man staggering along i the road ahead of her. Finally he ! plunged upon his face In the road Like the tender hearted girl Bhe was, she stopped, dismounted, and ran to the ■ fallen man to give him aid She sud- I denly found her wrists clasped In two hands like Iron. The man rose to his feet, smiling evilly. She struggled ; wildly but futllely. | "Better be sensible," be said "I am stronger than you are. And I don't wish to hurt you. Walk on ahead of me. It will be utterly useless to scream or cry out. You can see for yourself that we are In a deserted part of the road. If you will promise to act sensibly I shan't lay a hand on you. Do you see that hut yonder, near thg fork In the road? We'll stop there. Now, | march!" "She dropped her handkerchief, lat6r her bracelet, and finally ber crop, In hope that these slight clues might bring her help. She knew that Jones would hear of the fire, and, finding that she had not returned with the riding ~ i master, would immediately start out In pursuit. Bhe was beginning to grow very fond ot Jones, who never spoke unless spoken to. who was always at I hand, faithful and loyal. From afar came the low rumble of a motor. She wondered If her captor heard it. He did, but his ears tricked I him Into believing that It came from another direction. Eventually they ar rived at the but, and Florence was ( forced to enter. The men locked the door and waited outside for the auto mobile which he was expecting. He was rather dumfounded when be saw that It was coming from the city, not going toward It. I It was Norton. The riderless horse j told him enough; Hie handkerchief and bracelet and crop led him straight for the hut. The man before the hut realized by ! this time that he had made a mistake. ; He attempted to re-enter the hut and ' prepare to defend It till hla compan ions hove In sight. But Florence, rec ognizing Norton, held the door with I all her strength. The man snarled and turned upon Norton, only to receive a smashing blow on the Jaw. Norton flung open tho door. "Into the car, Florence! There's another car coming up the road. Hurry!" j It was not a long chase. The car of the auto bandits, looking like an ordinary taxlcab, was a high-power ma | chine, and It gained swiftly on Nor- I ton's four-cylinder. The reporter wait ed grimly. I "Keep your head down!" he warned Florence. "I'm going to take a pot at | their tires when they get wltbln range, | I If I miss I'm afraid we'll have trouble. ( Under no clrcumstsnces attempt to leave this car. Here tbey comet" I He suddenly leaned back and flred. j llt waa only chance. The manner In i which the cars were lurching made a ' poor target for a marksman even of , I the first order. Chsncn directed Nor- i I ton's first bullet Into the right forward 1 j tire, which exploded. Oolng st sixty odd miles an hour, they could not stop . the car In time to avoid fstsllty. The 1 car careened wildly and plunged down t tbe embankment Into tbe river Florence covered ber eyes wltb ber bands, and, quite unconscious of whst be waa doing, Norton put bis srms around ber. (To be Continued.) • Great Britain s strlcturei wu copper bave not disturbed production or smelting In British Columbia, Lloyd's, In London, made a quota tion of SO per cent, on insurance against peace by June. Seversl prominent clubs at ixmdon are facing bankruptcy as a result of tbe war, the membership bsvlng fallen off and members economising, j Many German towns sre Issuing I special loans for the purpose of sup porting families of soldiers. Dresden baa Issued one for 1760,000. Norway baa decided It will be Im possible for It to send a warship to take part in the naval ceremonies st tbe opening of the Psnama Canal. Tbe subscriptions for Holland's war loan of $110,000,000 wsre IKOJOO.OOi British orders in Canada, aggregate j 130,000/100. The prospect* are good fdr an in- 1 creased strawberry and vegetable crop In Eastern North Csroltns. A party of Greensboro people will call on President Wilson January 28th to Invite him to attend the Fourth of July celebration at Guilford battle ground. The Buncomb County Board of Health recently elected Dr. D. K. Se vier as reslth officer fo*- Buncomb - County, the present official being chos en to succeed himself ansnlulou*Jjr. STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS mm SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES MAY FOLLOW CONFISCATION OF FOREIGN-OWNED WELLS. ■ MAKES AN URGENT PROTEST Bent By British Ambassador to ths British Consul st Vers Crux for - General Carranza. I Washington—The . United States Government has warned Gen. Venustl ano Carranza that "serious conse- I quences may follow" his threatened | confiscation of foreign-owned oil plants , In Tamplco. This announcement was made by Secretary Bryan to day af ( «er a conference with Sir Cecil Sprlng , Rice, the British Ambassador and rep resentatives of the American oil con | eerns. I Already the Carranza officials have enforced a virtual embargo on the 1 exportation of oil by a big English company. The British Ambassador at Mr. Bryan's suggestion, sent to the British Consul at Cruz air urgent pro test for General Carranza. As the British fleet obtains much of Its fuej from the Tamplco oil fields, the pos sibility of serious complications over Carranza's attitude Is fully realized by the American government. Mr. Jlrynn said that the foreign owned oil companies "feared conflsca -1 tlon of their wells" by Carranza and that today's action had been taken to forestall such action. A decree Is sued by the Carranza government makes It Impossible for some foreign oil companies to pperate without the consent of the Carranza authorities and It Is said some American con cerns have been forced to pay so heavy a tax that they have been com pelled to shut down. The prospect of a battle on the outskirts of Tamplco Is expected here to develop the situation further. If Villa forces are victorious, a solution of the problem Is confidently expected because of previous assurances by the Villa Gutierrez officials. EVERY BUILDING DESTROYED. Only 2 or J Psr Cent, of Avexxano's Pcupulatlon Escaped. Rome. —William Marconi who re turned here from Avezzftno on board the train with King Victor Emmanuel, said words could not describe the hor rors he had witnessed. The town had been wholly leveled, he said, and res idents who escaped death were desti tute. "King Victor Emmanuel told me," teald Mr. Marconi, "that he had visited the scenes of all earthquake disasters 1n Italy since he was a child, but that this stfrassed all. Including Messina. The king said «urvlvors of Avezzano j were only between two and three per . cent of Its population, while In Mes slno one third escaped. Describing the damage In Avezzano Mr. Marconi said; "Avezzano has ceased to exist. In Messina some buildings give one the | Impression that they are still Intact, ! their farades having survived the ' shock. | "Not so with Avezzano. No wall there remains erect. It seemed as i though the town had been ground to powder by some gigantic machine." Nation Unready For Fight. I Washington.—ln urging upon the senate the need for a commission to 1 report on national preparedness or a permanent council of naval de j fense, Senator I.odge declared that the national defense of the country "Is not only Imperfect and unbalanced but : that It has grave and In some In -1 stances fatal deficlenclea. "He desig nated what he termed many of the | defect and said thely were "almost ■ wholly due to congress." An adequate national defense the ! senator said, conld be obtained without additional expenditure. "Cut off our needless army*posts, navy ! yards and stations," he advised the 1 senate. | "Lay aside for a few years sp propristlons for the public buildings and river and harbor Improvements where they are not needed. Drop all the expendlturea which are dealgned for spots where votes are lying thick est and you will have money enough to provide for a sufficient army and | an adequate navy without to the burden of taxation." He warned that the ocean barrier that defended *he country In 1776 and , I*l2 had been destroyed by steam and i electricity. Unarmed, unready, un * defended, the nation stands an Invita tion to aggression and attack, he aald. Senator Lodge asserted that not only the regular fimj, but the mllltla waa highly defective, adding that the Panama Canal waa "miserably and most Inadeqdhtely protected" agalnat being blown up and blocked for months by agents or spies of a hos tile nstlon. » Senator Lodge declared the army waa without sufficient artillery and artillery mamnnltion and said avail able testimony showed that the guns In the fortifications were of shorter range than those earrled by foreign esrahtpa of the latest designs. The North Carolina Builders' Ex change In session st Durhsm elected J. T. Salmon of Ihi rh&m,j> resident. . The Oceanic Hotel, one of the two leading hotels st WrlghWvllle Beach, waa sold at auction at the court house door recently under foreclosure ot mortgage held by the Southern Nat ional Bank being bid In for 123.42S try 3. E. Clayton, a well-known traveling man. 9 The supreme court has sdjourned until the opening of the spring term the -first Mondav in Februsry. GERMANS GRANTED PARTIAL SUCCESS FRENCH OFICIAL STATEMENT AD MITB REVERBES ALONG THE AIBNE. RUSSIANS EXPLAIN MOVE Wire Not Forced But Retired to Con centrate Troop*— Furious Fight ing In Poland. London—A reverse of the Allies .a long the Alane In the neighborhood of Solsnon* la admitted In the latest French official statement although the possible effect of the Oerman advance is officially minimized. After contin ; uous engagements, which lasted nearly' I two dajra, the Germans forced the French to yield In front of Vregny, east of CroujbvThe French war office explains that the flooding of the River Aisne destroyed several of the brldgea and thus rendered precarious the communications of the troops opera ting on the right bank. These troops were withdrawn, as it was thought impossible to send reinforcements to their support. "The success is JL. partial one for our adversaries." says the French statement, "but will have no Influence on the operationa as a whole." Emperor William himself was present at these operations which re sulted in capture of several thousand French prisoners and were continued throughout January 13 and 13. Petrograd claims progress on the right bank of lower Vistula, where the Oerman cavalry waa repulsed. On the other front lighting is made up largely of skirmishes and artillery duels. The general ataff of the Russian Caucasus army devotes a statement to operations In Azerbaijan, where it is explained, it became expedient to regroup the Russian forces, necessi tating evacuation of certain places previous occupied. No important ac tion took place . British aviators early in the week dropped bombs on the Oerman posi tion In Antwerp, according to a Netherlands newspaper dispatch. The damage has not been ascertained. Eighteen Russian generals have been discharged from important posi tions, according to The Hamburg Fremdemblatt. DON'T WANT COTTON MONEY. No Appllcatlona Received After Feb rusry Ist—Only Few Mad*. Washington.—The Federal Reserve Board acting as the central commit tee of the 1136,000,000 cotton loan fond, decided not to comply with requests recently received to extend the time limit for loan appllcatlona beyond February 1. Applications mailed on that day will be the last considered. ' It developed that bona fide applica tions to the New York committee In charge of actual admlnlstraion of he fund amount only to about 110,000. This fact Is taken here to Indicate that probably not more than 4 few millions of the sum subscribed ever will be applied for. In view of this, members of the board felt that It was not Just to keep all the money of the subscribing banks tied up for a pe riod beyond February 1. In conectlon with Its action on the loan fund the board announced that W. P, O. Harding its Southern mem ber, shortly would visit each of the Southern Federal reserve banks to discuss with tKIm questions of dis count dates, eligible paper and other matters. He also will Investigate and report on the cotton market and the probable acreage of he next crop. Kalaer Wltn***d Battle. Berlin.—Emperor William was pres ent In person during the spirited bat tle on tfie Vregny Plain, northeast of Solssons, which reunited in that ele vated ground being cleared of the French and which Is described in the German official statement as a "bril liant feat for our troops." In the engagement the Oermans claimed to have captured 14 French officers and 1,150 men. Wheat Ooea Soaring Again. Chicago —Generally accepted asser tions that unless the European de mand soon diminishes the United States would have no wheat to ship abroad after March lifted the price of that cereal here In 1.43 3-8, the high est In many years -Retail flour prices rose simultaneously, sacks which re cently sold for 70 cents going to >O. Five European Governments were re ported to be actively In the wheat market on this side of the Atlantic In addition to individual buyers from for eign fields. , Turkish Advance. Amsterdam, Holland.—There has been received here an official com munication given out at Constantino ple by the Turkish authorities as fol lows: "Assisted by Persian troops our army IS steadily advancing in Azerbaijan province, Persia, In order to deliver the country from the Rus sian yoke. We have had further not able success occupying advanced po sitions of the Rnsalans la the vicinity of Tabrlf. A number of tribesmen of the British army of occnpatkm ia Egypt have surrendered to us NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BRIEFS. Plneville, Mecklenburg county, Is making ready for the opening of a farm life school about February st. MaJ, Robert T. Orlnnln, aged 64, headmaeter of Bingham school, Ashe vllle, died a few days ago. r A. W. McAllster, of Greensboro, succeeds J. A. Hartness as president. of the Anti-Saloon League. Cotton receipts to January Ist for Mecklenburg county were 3,1(3 bale* or 7 oto less than last y*ar. _j NO. 49 MEXGCO AGAIN HAS A NEW PRESIDENT GUTIERREZ HAS FLED THE CITY AND CONVENTION NAMED ROGUE GARZA INSTEAD. CITY UNDER MARTIAL LAW Capitol City Placed Under Martial Law and is Patrolled By Mounted Policemen. Mexico City*—Gen. Roque Gonzales i Garza was named Provlsoinnal Presi dent of Mexico by the convention ia session here over which he has presid ed. The former Provisional President, Gen. Eulallo Gutierrez, together with Generals Blanco, Robles and Jose Ve s concelos, left Mexico City early in the morning for Pachuco. Martial law has been declared by Qeneral Garza and tho city U being patrolled by mounted police. In electing Garza the convention declared Itself to be supreme and un til a new President is elected has as sumed the legislative, executive and Judicial powers. Washington.—Confirmation of tho designation of General Garza as Pro visional President by the Mexico City • conventior was received at the State Department in a dispatch from Consul Siiliman. It added that the conve tlon had Issued formal orders for ..the withdrawal of forces at Naco, Sonora. El Paso, Texas.—The sudden change of the Chief Executive at Mexico City was made at an extraordinary session of the convention. The reason for Oaraa replacing Gutierrez, who was reported re-appointed fc few days ago by the Vllla-Zapata convention was not disclosed here. Oenersl Villa with all the troops he hastily could essemble. Is hurrying to the Capital from Aguas Callentes. • Washington.—Col. Roque Gonzales Oarza, elected Provisional President of General Villa's principal officers. CARRANZA REMOVES EMBARGO. Danger of Serious Complications Haa Been Removed. Washington—The British Embassy received word through the British le gation In Mexico City that General Carranza had lifted the Tompico em bargo on exportation of oil. which had threatened the fuel supply of the British fleet. No details of the extent of Carranza's modification of his pre vious decrees was received but dan ger of serious complications was be lieved to have been removed. Nego tatlons still are being conducted to enable American and British*owned companies upon whom prohibitive taxes had been levied to re-open their plants. Italy'a Dead May be 50,000 Rome.—Detailed reports of Itlay's latest earthquake disaster increase the appalling list of dead and the enor mous property loss. The Messaggero after a careful com putation announces that the number of dead and injured In the Abruzzl alone is 30,000 without including the Sora district. San AtoHo has 200 dead and 500 injured. Morino, 1,500 dead. Canlstro 600 injured, Curvaro 300 vis tlms, Borgo 50 dead and Valleroveto 1,800. At Clvltalla Roveto almost the entire population escaped because they were working in the fields when the shock occurred. Charlotte Ha* Another Big Fire. Charlotte. —Fire which originated at the rear of the store of 8. H". Kress & Co.. at 11:30 p. m., ravaged the entire Interior of tho building, wrecking the structure and resulting in a complete loss of the stock of goods. Tho stock of Kress £ Cr , wWo opei» - ated It as a 5 and 10-cent store, was worth In the neighborhood of s2o,(ipJ. The building Is the property of Mr. D. Parks Hutchison and was worth about $35,000. It consists of three stories and a basement in front and two stories and a basement In the rear. Ship Purchase Bill Worries. Washington.—Division in Democrat ic ranks over the form of the govern ment ship purchsse bill developed at a party caucus held to clarify the leg islative tangle which threatens the administration program for the short session. Although a resolution, was adopted to make the shipping bill the unfinished business of the Senate after passage of the District of Columbia appropriation bill. It was accomplish ed only on decision to hold another caucus to pass on amendments to the ship purchase bill. Investigating Price of Food. Washington.—The United States government began vigorous efforts to cope with the food price situation. The Department of Justice, under In structions from President Wilson, was seeking to determine whether any Itfegal combinations are back of the sudden rise In prices and the Depart ments of Commerce and Agriculture were compiling figures' showing the amounts of fdodstuffs in the United States and recent Increases In prices. Bills giving the President pover to stop exportation were discussed. Catawba douniy uoaru or health will recommend to the commissioners in | February, the employment of a whole time health officer. A debate between Wake Forest Col- •. late and Richmond College has been •* arranged for April I. , Citizens of Monroe Wve been at-- j tending mass meting* and warmly '1 supporting the cause of prohibition. Cotton farmers in Halifax .county 3 are going to cut thetr cotton crop In. 1 half.