THE ASHEVEDLE CITIZEN
CITIZEN WANT ADS
BRING RESULTS
THE WEATHER
ASHEVILLE, N. 0., WEI)NESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 2, 1916.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
VOL. XXXIL NO. 102.
liniTU0E0Fll.S.
TOWARDAPPAM IS
STILL UNDECIDED
Must First Decide Whether
Ship is Prize or Auxili
ary Cruiser.
PASSENGERS WILL
THEN BE RELEASED
United States Will Deal Fi
nally With German Crew
of Vessel
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1. Until It is
decided whether the German com
mander aboard the British steamer
Appam brought the ship to an Ameri
can port as a prize of war or as a
converted auxiliary cruiser of the Ger
man navy, there will be no determina
tion of the American government's
course respecting the ship.
When certain formalities have been
compiled with, the ship's passengers,
Including several British colonial of
ficials will be released and their dis
position passed on by immigration au
thorities. Any prisoners of war will
be released, because International law
permits no holding of war prisoners
In neutral country.
United States Attitude.
The United States then, finally, will
have to deal with the German crew,
under lieutenant Berg, and if they
are accounted In the naval service of
Germany as were the crews of the
Prlna Eltel Frledrlch and the Kron
prins Wllhelm, already Interned at
the Norfolk navy yard, they, too will
be Interned unless their ship goes to
sea to run the cordon of British oruls
ers outsMe. ' j
A to the disposition of the Appam
herself. If she Is held to be an auxil
iary cruiser her commander will have
' the option of putting to sea after a
certain time to make repairs and take
provisions; ' If she to deolared a prtee
the situation becomes more complex
and In that event It la admitted that
: the United States will have to deal
with probably the most novel question
concerning its neutrality that has
arisen during the war.
As one of the first steps, the prob
lem would be referreLto the neutral
lty board, -which 1 an unofficial body
composed or james Brown cou, tor
mer solicitor of the state department;
Captain Harry S. Knapp, of the navy
general board, ana captain J. H. Oliv
er, head of the naval Intelligence office,
The board's findings, while merely ad
visory, have weight with the state de
partmeni.
It was pointed out at the state de
partment that there is much confusion
in the treaties and provisions of In
ternational law on the subject of
prizes; the right to convert captured
vessels Into auxiliary warships and
the right of reclamation by the orig
inal owners of captured vessels.
Prize Court Must Act,
One theory largely held Is that
title to the captured ship does not
pass until a prize court has acted. An
other Is that title passes Immediately
after the capture Is made providing
the senior of the captors duly com
missions one of his own officers or
crew as the commander of the cap-
(Continued on rage Two.)
END OFTHEMQHR MURDER
TRIAL APPEARS IN SIGHT
T
Believed That Case Will be
Given to the Jury by
Saturday.
NEW WITNESS HEARD
FROVroBJNCEV R. I., Feb. 1. The
end of the trial of Mrs. Elizabeth
Mohr and two negToes, Cecil Brown
and Henry Spellman, charged with
the murder of the woman's husband.
Dr. . C. Franklin Mohr, seemed to be
In eight today when the court took
an early adjournment to allow Wil
liam H. Lewis, counsel for the negro
defendants, time to call certain wit
nesses. Mr. Lewis stated that he ex
pected to finish by tomorrow night.
Both sides expressed the belief that
the case would be ready to be given
to the Jury by Saturday.
Only two witnesses were called to
day. H. H. Emery, local weather
forecaster, stated that the weather
was clear on the night that Dr. Mohr
and his secretary. Miss Emily Burger,
were shot William Williams, a negro
Inmate of the state prison, declared
that George W. Heeia, the doctor's
chauffeur, who has turned state's
evidence, said to him that the at
torney general advised him to "stick
toy the state," and he would get off
tightly, while the other boys. Brows
svnd Bpellmen would get life Imprison
ment. Be also asserted that Healls
quoted a representative of the at
torney general's department as say
Irsr -they are after the woman and
not the boys."
Under erose-exarnlnetion Williams
stated that he Is now serving term
for manslaughter and that Attorney
Edwards, counsel for Henry Spellman,
oUd. m We attorney 4 th trie
PASSENGER LINER APPAM,
BELIEVED LOST, BROUGHT
IN BY GERMAN PRIZE CREW
Arrival of Steamer
closes Existence
Commerce Raider
Flag Approaching
NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 1.
the British passenger liner
African trade, appeared like
Roads today, flying the German naval ensign and with
her ship's company under guard of a German prize crew.
She brought word of a mysterious German commerce raid
er, the Moewe, which now roams the seas and had on board
the crews of seven British
transports captured by the Moewe before she seized the
Appam and started her across the Atlantic for an Amer
ican port with Lieutenant Hans Berg, of the German naval
reserve, and twenty-two men
The Appam now lies off Old Point Comfort, under
the guns of Fortress Monroe, waiting for the state depart
ment at Washington to determine her status whether
she is a man-of-war subject
prize. By tomorrow the customs authorities here hope to
have orders to send the ship either to Norfolk or Newport
News, where the anxiously waiting British civilians will
be put ashore.
Captured by the Moewe.
According to the story told with great reserve by
Lieutenant Berg to Collector Hamilton, when he formally
reported his presence in American territorial waters late
today, the Moewe captured the Appam, bound from Dakar,
French West Africa, for Liverpool, after a brief show of
resistance on January 16, sixty miles north of the Madiera
islands. On board the Moewe then were the crews of five
vessels, previously captured, all of whom were transferred
to the Appam.
From all reports the raider Is a
converted German merchantman with
k 'false canvaa' forecastle concealing
a battery of runs of fairly large
calibre. On January IT she engaged
In battle an.rmed Australian trader,
the Clan MacTavish, which she sank
after an exciting combat with a loss
(CONTINUED
FOR PRESENT NAVY IS ON
Not Sufficient, However, for
Ships Under Construc
tion or Authorized.
FIGURES PRIVATE
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1 A sufficient
supply of ammunition Is on hand, Rear
Admiral Strauss, chief of ordnance of
the navy, told the house naval com
mittee today, to equip all ships In com
mission, reserve or already construct
ed. The supply for ships under con
struction, however. Is not adequate.
For present ships. Admiral Strauss Enid
an ample reserve supply also had been
accumulated.
The committee went Into executive
session for the first time during its
consideration of the navy bill to get
actual figures on ammunition which
Admiral Strauss declined to reveal
publicly.
Admiral Strauss said every Ameri
can ship of the California class csr
rled 672,000 pounds In peace or war,
but he declined to state In open session
the number of rounds per gun that
amount represented. He also refused
to disclose what information the navy
had as to the amount of ammunition
used by belligerent shtps during en
gagements In the present war.
During the open hearings It develop
ed that the navy department hopes to
obtain appropriations under vhich It
can store more than thirty million tens
of sodium nitrate or a two year's
supply for the manufacture of navy
powder, as a reserve as against the
possibility of a war In which the United
States would be cut off from Chile.
Because of the lack of ocean carriers
at anything but exorbitant freight
rates, also. It Is planned to bring some
nitrate to this country In naval vessels.
Chairman Padgett read a letter from
Admiral Fletcher, asserting that the
open sea work of the fleet last year
showed a IS per cent Improvement
over the preceding year and was the
best In the history of the service.
Target practice records, ammuni
tion supply and similar matters are re
garded - as - navy secret - Admiral
Strauss said. His attitude was sup
ported by Secretary Daniels who In
formed congress in reply to a resolu
tion offered by Representative Gardner
that he could not reveal detail of the
fleet target practice.
Mr. Daniels appealed to the house
again today for an emergency appro,
priation to deepen the approaches to
the New Tnrk nav mi.
at Norfolk Harbor Dis
of Another German
Raider Flew English
Appam.
Oiven up for lost days ago
Appam plying in the West
an apparition in Hampton
merchantmen and admiralty-
in charge.
to interment, or a German
of fifteen men killed on the Clan
MacTavish. The Appam, .whlch.waa.
ien mnes away at tne time in cnarge
of the prize crew, steamed hurriedly
back to the scene and rescued four
members of the erej ef the sinking
Clan MacTavish, who were struggling
In the water. Later, under order
ON PAGE TWO.)
OF
AT INDIANAPOLIS ENDS
Officers Will Now Devote
Attention to Securing
New Contracts.
MEETINGS PLANNED
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.. Feb. I. The
biennial convention of the United
Mine Workers of America adjourned
today to meet In Indianapolis In 1918
and the attention of the International
officers will now be concentrated n
having written Into new contracts the
demands adopted by the delegates
representing nearly 400,000 anthracite
and bituminous miners.
The next step will be the Joint In-
terest conference of operators and
minors to be held at Mobile next week
at which an effort will be made to
agree upon a basto wage scale for
western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois which will also be the
bnsJs for the working out of ware
agreements In other soft coal field
or the country.
On February 21 anthracite opera
tors and mine workers will meet In
New Tork to try to agree on a new
contract to take the place of the
rour-year agreement which expire
March (1.
Both the officer of the union and
the delegates themselves believe that
agreements will be reached without
Interference fciih the coal mining In
dustry. President John P. White and
other leaders expressed the opinion
that wages In all district! w!) be in
creased. Before adjourning President White
announced that he had decided to
stand as a candidate for re-election
next December.
Officers are elected by referendum
vote. ,
One of the most important act of
the convention was the adoption of an
amendment providing for the pgma
ment of members of J oral unions who
shot down mines in violation of con
tract. John Strambo. of the anthra
cite regions, a district officer, who de
clared that miners should have the
right to strike when one is forced upon
them by operator, brought down
upon himself the criticism of President
White, President Farrington, ef the
Illinois miner, and Prertdent Demp
aey and Kennedy, of the anthracite
regions. White and Fnrringtea said
lecal strike are a. menace . te , tfeej
anion.
AMilMiir r- . vjBiw an p r
LARGEST CROWD OF THE PRESENT TRIP
GATHERS TO
AT DES MOINES, CHEERING EVERY WORD
Asks Them If They Want the
Write Notes, and Answers
Peace But
DES MOINES. Iowa, Feb. 1, Presi-
Hunt Wilson, in addressing the largest
audience of hi present trip, In which
he is advocating; -preparedness nere
tonight, asked thU question: "Do you
want the situation to he sucn mat nit
tha n resident can do is to write mes
sages and utter words of protests? '
"Why, to ask that question is io an
swer It." he said. -f
"Whenever International law 1
violated by on or the other belliger
ent," the president taldV-j'Anierlca
was called Upon t veguaer a
of protest, of insistence.
Need More xnan rroteww.
no you want the .situation to be
such that all the president can do
is to write messages ana Utter woras
of protest? If these breaches or m
t.rt.ntlnns.1 law. which are In dally
danger of occurring, should touch the
very honor of the United States, do
you wish to do lothlng about It? Do
you wish to have all the world say
that the flag of the United States can
be stained with impunity? Why, to
ask the question la to answer li.
"I know there is not a man or
woman within the hearing of my vole
who would wish peace at the expense
of the honor of the United States."
The president s address was punctu
ated with thunderous ' applause. He
spoke slowly and gravely wltn em
phatic gestures to enforce his words.
His declaration that the United States
wanted peace drew a quick response
and his assertion that the eelf-renpect
of the nation must be preserved elicit
ed another great demonstration. A
throng that filled every seat In the
coliseum cheered him to the echo.
Weighing Words.
The president declared he was try
ing to weigh carefully every word he
said He reiterated that he had been
daily charged to keep the country out
of war and also to uphold its honor.
"And many a night when It has
imi.niwlble for me to sleep,
he said, "because of the apparently In
extricable difficulties Into which our
International realtlons were drifting. I
IN THEEASTLAND CASE
Surveyors Tell of Making
Soundings in River Fol
lowing Disaster.
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich.. Feb. 1
Introduction of expert testimony
begun by the government today in
Federal court here, in the case of
the six men Indicted for neglect in
connection with the capeiaing of the
steamer Eastland In Chicago river last
July. The government opened Its
case this afternoon at the conclusion
of the examination of Joseph Erlck
son, chief engineer of the Eastland,
the last witness for the defense.
Meredith Williams, a surveyor con
nected with the United State en
gineers' office In Chicago, testified he
made soundings in th river while the
Eastland still lay on It side on th
river bottom and found sumberged
piling slightly more than eight feet
from the Eastland's dock and under
17-1 feet of water, a greater depth
than that testlfed to by witnesses for
the defenses
Fred H. Avery, a etvfl engineer, said
he directed the making of soundings
In th river for the city engineers
department of Chicago, geveral ether
government wltneom testified their
belief that th Eastland wa top
heavy and listed badly.
Judge. Beaslona advised the attor
ney today that th heartnc must be
ogolad tUa wee
Going, Going
GREET PRESIDENT WILSON
President to Be Placed In a Position Where All He Can Do Is to
it by Stating That the Question Answers Itself Wants
Desires to Be Prepared to Maintain Peace,
have said to myself, 'I wonder If the
people of the United States fully know
what that mandate means to me,' And
then sleep has come; because I knew
that there was not a community in
America that would not stand behind
me In maintaining the honor of the
United States.
'The difficulty of keeping America
at peace during this tltanlo struggle
across the sea cannot be disclosed now:
perhaps It never can be disclosed. How
anxlousanfl how difficult tfl laskjhsjs
teem T5ut my heart nas oeen in it.
I have not grudged a single burden
that has been plaoed upon me with
that end in view. For I know that
not only my own heart but the' heart
of all America was in the cause of
peace."
There ere actually men in America
who are preaching war, the president
declared; men who want the United
States to have entangling allies
abroad. He said he did not think
they spoke the voice of America,
which he declared to be for peacw
He added that others go further
than he In advocating peace. "They
preach the doctrine of peace at any
price," he added, while men in the
audience called "never! never!" He
said these men did not know the
circumstance of the world.
Oannot Bo Ostrich.
"America cannot he an ostrich
with It head In the sand," he said.
The president said he hoped If this
war had no other result It would
create an International tribunal to
settle questions which cause war. His
declaration that he had found the
people of the middle west for pre
paredness drew long applause.
The president closed with a tribute
to the American flag.
"As I look at that nag, he sata,
"T seem to see many characters upon
it whloh are not visible to the physical
eye. There seem to move ghostly
visions of devoted men Who, looking
to that flag, thought only of liberty,
CONSIDERING REPEAL
Members of Committees
Having Jurisdiction are
Considering Question.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1. Repeal of
the emergency revenue law is being
seriously considered by administration
leaders In congress. Members of com
mittees having Jurisdiction over fiscal
affairs have been studying the sub
ject of revenue to pay for prepared
ness and make up deficit due to cur
tailment of Imports and many have
decided continuance of the emergency
law no longer Is necessary.
Chairman Simmons of the senate
flnanc committee, who will have
much to do with framing the revenue
program. Is among those who hold this
view. He has suggested that reve
nues can be procured from incomes.
Inheritance, sugar and war munition,
with poewibly slight Increases In the
taxes on liquors and similar staples
subject to Internal revenue taxation.
FIRST PHILIFFTXE BILL.
WASHINGTON, Feb. L By a vote
of fifty-eight to fourteen th first to
be taken in connection with the
Philippine bill, the eenate today refused-
to eliminate provision that
th Unite 8tatee might retain coal
ing' stations and naeml base In the
island after gmHU lnlani1gnns
of the rights of mankind, of the mis
sion of America to show the way to
the world for the realisation of those
rights. And every grave of every
brave man In the country would seem
to have upon it the oolors of the flag,
If he were a true American would
seem to have on It that stain of red
whloh means the true pulse of blood;
that patch of pure white whloh mean
the peace of the soul. And then there
seem to rise over the graves of those
men e.Uw their memories
that blue pae,-of M ky in which
swim those star whloh exemplify for
us the glorious galaxy of the state
of the union which Stan dtogetiher to
vindicate the rights of mankind."
VILLA PRESENT W PKUSOTT.
Eb PASO, Tex., Feb. 1. Francisco
Villa himself, with less than one hun
dred followers, held up the outh
bound Mexican Central passenger
train a few miles north of Chihuahua
City yesterday and ordered the killing
of Tomas Ornela. according to ad
vices from Chihuahua City received
today by General Gavlre, Mexican
commander at Juares.
General Oavlm said he wa also ad
vised that Villa personally directed
the looting of the train and robbery
of passengers. Lets advice said
that there were no American on
hoard.
AIUUVRH at Kerr wijyr.
KEY WEST, no-, Feb. 1.
The United States submarine
K-8. which became detached
from her tender off tho South
Carolina coant last Sunday
arrived here tonight. All on
board were reported well.
Failure to Pass Examina
tions May Remove Nearly
Fourth of Membership.
ANNAPOLIS, Md.. Feb. 1, It
understood on reliable authority here
today that 120 midshipmen, or about
one-fourth of the entire membership
at the naval academy will be asked
to resign soon because of their fail
ure to pass the half-yearly examine
tions. Many midshipmen claim these
examinations were much harder than
usual, but this 1 denied by the Instruc
tors.
The number of failures In each class
1 -said to be a follows: First, or
graduating class, 10; second. 10; third,
0; fourth, SO.
The academic board considers each
case and some of the young men hope
they will be afforded a further oppor
tunity of remaining In the naval er
vtce. -
One explanation of the large num
ber of failure Is that instructor have
been forbidden to Indicate In any way
to the midshipmen the character of
the examination. The court of Inquiry
which Investigated the scholastic
method of th academy recommended
abolishment ef the "dope" system, a
it wa called, and an order forbidding
the use of any kind of special help ;
followed, v
v
GREEK-ROUMANIAN
NEGOTIATIONSMAY
MEAN AW ALLIANCE
Roumania Has Four-Fifths
of Her Troops on Bulga- '
rian Frontier.
ROUMANIA MAKING
FURTHER TROUBLE
Bothers Teutons About Buy
ing Grain Fifty-Four
Killed in Air Raid.
PETROGRAD, (Via London), Feb. '
l.Jtn connection with the negotiation
which are alleged to be proceeding be.
tween Oreece and Roumania and the
report that Roumania is ready to form
an anti-Bulgarian alliance. It Is stated
here that four-fifths of the Roumanian
troops are under arms and that the -main
Roumanian forces are concen
trated on the Bulgarian and Hunga
rian frontiers, while the troops on the
Russian frontier have not been in
creased. Roumania continue to make diffi
culties for the central power with
respect to the purchase of grain. With
the purpose of exerting pressure on
Roumania, Austro-Bulgartan troop
are concentrating on the Danube. . 4
Aooordlng to Information from Con
stantinople, the Turkish government
ha ordered the evacuation of Erse-,
rum.
KILEI) BY ZEPPEUN8. ,
LONDON, Feb. , rFlfty-four per
sons were killed and ixty-even In
jured In last night Zeppelin raid, '
The figures were contained In an
official statement Issued her thl af-tot-noon.
,
It was officially stated that two hun- r
dred and twenty bombs were dropped
by the Zeppelins during the air raid
and that bombs were dropped at
several towns and in rural district In
Derbyshire, Leicestershire,, Lincoln
shire and Staffordshire,
Some damage to property wa
caused. i: .-.;(' Strf;--Appam
Brought In.
With a German prie crew on board,
thaBrltlelK; pgesensor- line . Appam; v
picked np In west African waters,
ha been brought to Hampton Roads,
creating a sensation greater than that
aroused when the German auxiliary
Prin Eltel Fredrioh and Kron Prine
Wilhelm ran the gauntlet ef the Brit
ish blockading squadron and entered
Norfolk fof Internment. " , v
The Appam "brought Into pott tho
crews and passengers of several ships
which had been sunk. There ha
been no determination a yet of th
American government course re
specting the ship.
Berlin reports that all the airship
returned safely in spite of the heavy
fire from all points, none having been
hit.
Berlin asserts that at Liverpool,
(Continued on Pag Two.)
Believed They Have Collided,
Near Cape Race, N. Fn
From Messages.
ONE IS SINKING
BOSTON, Feb. 1. Wireless meaeag
Indicating a collision at sea between
two steamer, at a point near Cape
Race, N. F., were picked up by ev
eral stations on the New England
coast late tonight The Identity of the
vessels wa not disclosed. One was
said to be sinking. The other ship
stating she wa badly smashed sent
word she would stand by.
According to radio register the
Initials "W. I. A," with which mes
sages from the vessel standing by were
signed formed the wlrelas signature
of the American steamer Stiver Shell,
of 3,423 tAns, In command of Captala
Gibson. The Silver Shell was last re
ported as arriving In New Tork, Janu
ary It, from Bordeaux. Thl vessel
reported, "we are not dangerously
damaged." The vessel which reported
herself sinking sent a message signed.
"J. 8. D.' saying, "Room full of wa
ter." Thl wa believed to refer to the
dynamo room. According to wireles
authorities this signature should be
long to a Japanese vessel of the Osak
Mercantile company.
Fragmentary mesage Indicated
that the "W. L A." we sending life
boats to the ether ship. Boon after
there came a low powered noceealon
of signals which spelled out: 1 am
sinking. Come aawe me." Thl call
m signed "J. T. D." No response
wa beard, but somewhat later "W. L
A." eent a message ashore which said
the second vessel was out of sight.
Whether .,&! was intended to record
it sinking wa not Indicated.
THE WEATHER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1. Forecast
for North Carolina: Rain and colder
Wednesday except probably snow In
the mountains; Thursday fair, colder
en th coast