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VOJ XVH-No. 279
SECOND EDITION
KINSTON, N. C; THURSDAY; APRIL 20, 1916
FOUR PAGES
f"IVE CENTS ON TRAIN!
mtm ANSWER TO OLTfMIFROfl
NEW YORK
HAD THE PARTELLO
PERSHING GETTING SUPPLIES TOGETHER
FOR A NEW SEARCH FOR VILLA; OFFICERS
PREPARING REPORTS FOR CHIEF 0' STAFF
PRESiDENTMAY NOT 'COME BEFORE LAS
.NEWS THAT
GIRL PLANNED KILL
Sit
ISSIBLE
OF fuOiffll; KAISER NOT LIKELY TO M
raEtRlMlllS
IKE BEE F.FEB I nPlHI IP
FREE
l; r' U -U-
RUSSIANS
FREEH
gainst
STEIN OR ft'ED II!f,i:
w v. tit 1 -A I':. . '' if.,
Witnesses Relate Conversa
'S
German Papers Courteous, But Assert Government Will
Not Be Dictated to By the, United States "Altogeth
er" Meant, a Lot, State Department Says-Cbngress;
men Won't Talk; Prefer Not to Risk Embarrassing the
PresirfentFrench Appiaud Wilson's Address as Fin
est Thing of Kind Since War Started Marines at the
German-Owned Wireless Stations In Jersey and Long
.. Island Scores Telegrams Pledge President Support
. (By ROBT. J. BENDER. United Press SUIT Correspondent)
Washington April 20. Ambassador Von Bern
S storff this afternoon refused to discuss the conference
with Secretary Lansing. It is understood that the
situation is not hopeless. . The Sussex "accident"
, "will not be repeated while negotiations are 'pending.
The English reply to the American blockade protest
has been received. .
Washington,, Apr. 20. Congress is not disposed to
discuss the International situation. The members wish
to leave the President unembarrassed. The note has al
ready gone and discussion will do no good, but might do
harm, tney say. ine attaCK on the Sussex snined the
issue from the right of Americans tp ri(Je on armed mer
chantmen. , ; -
Wilson Meant Nothing Less Than He Said.
Washington, Apr. 20.-nclusion of the word "alto
gether" in the President's German note, the State De
partment says was for the purpose of emphasis. It in
dicated instant severance of relations. The President
has received scores of. telegrams pledging support. All
are hopeful of avoiding war, even if diplomatic rela
tions are severed. t
Marines Guard German Wireless Plants.
Washington, April 20. The War Department ad
mits that a detachment of marines has been sent to guard
, the German-owned wireless stations at Tuckerton, N. J.,
and Sayyille, Long Island. , '
Geraany Listens "Respectfully.'
Berlin, April 20. German newspapers comment very
guardedly on the German-American crisis. They say
Germany listens respectfully, but will not allow the Presi
dent to, define for Germans' benefit the "principles of hu-
maiyxy. ine note nas reacnea tne empassy ana Am
bassador Gerard has delivered it to the foreign secretary,
German Answer Not For Ten Days?
Washington, April 20. A conference between Am
bassador Von BernstorrT and Secretary Lansing is ex
pected to' determine the American view on how submar-
ine warfare should be conducted. The State Depart
ment insists that the present orders to German comman
ders be revoked, and undersea' attacks confined to war
ships. The German reply is not expected for ten days.
England Thinks Germany Won't Bend.
(By EDWARD . KEEN, United Press "Staff Correspondent)
London, 'April 20. Prominent Englishmen do not
believe Germany will yield to the United States' demands.
Germany emphasizes the importance of the submarine
as the most effective weapon in fighting England. Some
believe that' Germany will accept a diplomatic break, but
avoid war. ; - '
The French Laud President Wilson.
(Py WM. THILLIP. SIMMS, United Press Staff Correspondent)
Paris, .April 20. -The President's stand won instant
and unanimous approval here. His speech was applaud
ed as the finest utterance since the war . began. The
French ; previously : were disappointed at America's ap
parentidiffexence to the submarine outrages. t
FOR!) IS FAVORITE
OfliOTllili
rtRTV" IN NEBKASlfl
Leading Cummins In' Prim
ary by" 1,80a VotcsJnst
ice - Hughes 'Also Run
ningBryan Failed to
JPIace In Convention
f'f
(By the United Press)
Omaha, Neb., Apr. 20. Jlenry
Ford is leading Cummins in. the Re
publican Presidential priirarjr,;. by
1,800 votes. Justice Hughes', is
third.
Bryan was defeated for delegate
to the Democratic National Con
vention yesterday.
wparedness Ajfainst Cummins. '
"Washington, April 20. The CuM-
DOG CARRIED BODY OF
BABY DEAD LONG TME
, Nefr Bern has a new mystery. A
dog carrying an offensive-smelling ob
ject, in the vicinity of the Courthouse
there was found to have a dead white
infant in its mouth. The coroner is
investigating. - Where the animal se
cured "the corpse has not been deter
mined. '
The child had probably been dead
ten days. The body was in a bad
state of decomposition. Persons who
noticed the dog at first thought it was
a piece of raw beef it had. The ani
mal is believed Ito have had the body
for some hours'. Some' time before
the discovery Frank Prevonga, form
erly of Kinston, had smelted juat such
all unpleasant odor us came from the
repulsive object x
On Which Front Unknown.
May Be In West or In
Greece Allies Take Po
sition Northwest of Vaux
k and' 266 Captives
(By the United Press)
Paris, April 20. Russian
troops have landed at Marseilles
to aid the Allies. . These are the
first Russians on the west front.
Paris. April 20. Reports are rife
that Russian troops are aiding the
French, whether on the western
front or the Grecian, is undetermined,
French Make . Gain.
Paris, April 20 The French have
captured a fortified position north
west of Vaux, taking 200 prisoners,
WAR EXTRA! NEW BERN
f 4 LIKELY BE BESIEGED
That City Captured Good-bye yto tfte
Fleet at Parrott's Bridge Where
Is Bradham and the Naval MiliUa?
Spies on the Lower Neuse Have
Designs on One-Pounder Ship!
"That German apios have recently
visited New Bern and surrounding
section,-'looked over the situation,
pnade maps of the waterf ronts and se
cured all the information that they
desire, was the statement made today
by one of this city'a well-known resi
dents," says the New Bern iSun-Jour-nal.
The spies, the citizen said, had
quizzed" him about the coast guard
cutter, Pamlico, etc.
Energy and effort ' togethef with
support of your friends will make
you a winner on the 13th of May
TWO DAYS LEFT TO
, HARVEST 40,000 VOTES
Many
Con-
Saturday Promises to Bring
Changes Largest Votes of
test 'Now In Force Interest Con
tinues to Increase, ' "
mins campaign managers assert that
the preparedness issue defeated Cum
mins in Nebraska. They ' say none
can get votes in the Middle West with
a preparedness program. 1 ; -
Saturday night is the end of op
portunity ilime. Saturday night is
the end of the big 40,000 extra vote
offer. This vote offer together with
the triple votes which gojinto effect
today, makes the latter end of this
week, the greatest time of the entire
contest So far the eontest is very
even. Far too even. Not a candi
date in the race has a lead worth
hile. If you win a Maxwell touring
car or any other prize on the list
you will have to secure such a lead
this week that none r can overtake
you. It is this week, you want ito do
If you have completed one or
more sets, get others, and others,
If you haven't completed one set, do
quick. , Do not let a prospect get
past you this week. Remember that
this 40,000 extra vote offer together
with the triple votes make this week
the largest. ' 'T
'Enthusiasm is gaining momentum
every day in the great contest. As
has been predicted all along the pub
lic, is beginning to take sides and are
getting behind Iheir favorite candi
date. Several people have come in
id the office and paid up their sub
scriptions, thus putting come one
contestant up with the leaders. But
die majority of (the people are wait
ing for the end of this week to see
who most deserves their eupport.du
ring the Anal period of the eontest..
They are waiting so that they may
choose the most worthy candidate.
k the end of the week, the Contest
Manager intends to publish a sort of
resume of the week, and, in fact, of
the entire contest up to date, show
ing who the important candidates
are, as shown by the results so far
and by some of the future prospects.
This resume will be awaited with in
terest iy the publics This is such an
important week owing to the close
of the 40,000 extra vote offer on Sat-
' (Continued on Page. Two)
Special Officers . Placed
Pubh'4 Buildings, In
v v,. Subways, Etc.
1
at
MILITIAMEN PREPARING
. 1 '- . . -
Governor Holds Conference
With National Guard and
Police HeadsNote ' to
Berlin May Cause Out
breaks In State and City
(By the United Pma)
New York, April ' 20. This State
is preparing to meet possible out
breaks and demonstrations ae the
result of, Wilson's note ito Germany,
The Governor National Guard offi
cer and police commissioners today
conferred. . -
A special watch has been placed
over govnment buildings, subway
tubes and water fronts and shipping.
TEN KILLED, SCORES
' INJURED, BY TORNADO
, , INKANSASrMISSODRI
(By the United'. PressK ' '
Kansas City, April 20-v-Ten are
reported killed and 100 Injured
by a tornado which swept Kan
sas and' Missouri. '' The property
damage7 was enormous. The
storm swept over the southeast
ern parts of Kansas and south-'
wewtem and central Missouri.
An unconfirmed report says
RhtneKardt, Me., Was Wiped out,
with thirty injured. Heavy dam
age was done at Lowry City and
Kotkvitle. -
ition With Victim to Re
corder and Coroner Wo-
man Gives Bond Tria
to Be Held Next Month
1D0 you enjoy seeing your neighbors
driving out in their-car? Perhaps!
But you would enjoy a' car of your
own much better. All that is needed
s some of your spare time.
The coroner's jury in itho Jwiuest
Into the death of Harry Stein Wed
nesday night declared that Stein
came to his death from a gun shot
wound, inflicted by Margaret Vantel
lo. ; .-: '
Kate in the afternoon Recorder
Wooten in Citv Court admitted the
woman to bail in the aum of 1,500.
She will be triel in Superior (Oourt
next month.
i Witnesses examined at the hearing
in coua-t were Dr. J. M. Parrott, Po
liceman Hamilton and a delicatessen
proprietor named GoodkoWitt, and
Coroner Wood and his jury, sitting in
City Hall, heard statements by Br
Parrott and J. S. May. Hamilton
told of a conversation with the wo
man in which she stated that Stein
had Iteaten and kicked her and had
threatened to kill her., GoodkowiU
gave an account of a statement by
Stein to him; ' Dr. Parrott;- who at
tended the Victim from the time of
the shooting on' March ' 29 until his
death Tuesday, eteted that death was
caused by Infection of the periton
eiim from the wound in Stein's abdo
men May's statement at the cor
oner's inquest was a little stronger
than that of GoodkowiU to the Ite
eorder. Stein told him at the Parrott
Memorial IIoHpilal, he said, Ithat the
woman insisted that ho marry her,
that he tried to explain to her that
he was not in position to take a wife,
and that she shot him as he was
leaving the house. '
1 The State may assert in the prose
cution of the case before Superior
Court ithat Margaret Pairtellos senf
for Stein with the intention of secur
ing his promise to marry her or kill
ing him, and that Bhe held the fatal
revolver in her hand when the man
entered her house in South Kinston
JOSEPH BENTON, WELL KNOWN
'FARIR'OP'BUCKLI
S
ESBERRY SECTION,
tM LIFE! UNREQUITED LOVE
Terrible Tragedy Committed This Morning at Caswell
Lodge Farm on Central Highway In Presence of Miss
Lorena, Elmore, Girl In the Case, and Three Other
Young Girls Had Threatened Life Before As Well as
That of Young; Woman, Who Would Not Marry Him
; Oft-Repeated Climax of Insane Love ,
Lovesick and smarting because of ito the house and brandished a pistol
the sting of an unrequited love, Jo
seph Benton of the Bucklesberry
section ended his life this morning a
few-minutes before nine at the home
of Mr. L. J. Moore at the Caswell
Lodge Farm on the Central Highway
about two miles from Kinston. The
tei-rjjjle tragedy was' committed in
the presence of Miss Lorena Elmore,
the young lady with whom he is aaid
to' have ' been infatuated,' Misses
Swannie and Kathleen' Sutton and
Miss Julia Moore. - " ' ;?r
According to the story of Miss Jul
ia Moore, ehe was in the back yard
of her home when the buggy la which
the Sutton girls and Miss Elmore
were riding drove up; she went to the
front of the house and found that the
Sutton girls had gotten out end
started into the house; the Elmore
girl "Was endeavoring to get out but
Benton, who had gotten up in the
ttiggy was preventing her front do
ing o; the horse was cutting up"
and she, Mia Moore," went to its head
anf was holding the reins; the man
a( giving assurances to the girl
that he meant to' do her no harm but
that he intended to kill himself in her
presence; Miss Elmore Jumped out of
one-aide of the buggy and Benton got
out on the other side-the side next
in what the girls thought to be an at
tempt on the life of the Elmore girl;
the Moore girl says that she pleaded
with him, calling him Joe, not to do
anything rash and before aid could
be summoned he put the pistol to his
head and fired the fatal shot. He
died instantly and made no move af
ter falling on the ground.
!A . representative of The . Free
Pi'ess interviewed Miss Elmore and
Miss Swannie Sutton, the older of
her companions on the fateful ride.
Very naturally :the girls were un
strung from the awful experience but
were remarkably self-possessed in
consideration of their ordeal. Miss
Elmore,- who is the daughter of Mrs.
Fannie Elmore of the Bucklesberry
section, an attractive girl of ithe bru
nette type, " twenty-one years old,
spoke very freely and candidly of
tha affair. She. said she had known
the man all her life he was about
ten or twelve years her senior; he
haj been paying court to her for
sometime and had pressed his case
ardently, urging her to marry him;
she did not return his love and had
told him that she could not marry
hint; he had threatened to kill her or
to lake his own life' and was like a
f Continued on page four)' -.
Army About to Resume Campaign Against Outlaw Who
It Believes to' Be Alive Concentrating Munitions at
Mexican Base-Scott to See Conditions at First Hand
to Inform the Secretary of War Reports of War Pro
paganda Started by Obregon Believed to Have Had
Malicious Origin Interventionists Responsible for the
Alarming Rumors, Thought by Washington Officials t
More Troops for Mounted Columns . . !
(By the United Press)
' With the American Army In Mexico, Via Aero
plane to Columbus, April 20. War Minister Obre
gon absolves the American troops in the Parral
fight from blame, in an official statement. The Par- -al
officials concur. The attack was unprovoked.
The Americans carried only revolvers. The Mexi
cans stoned them and then fired. The Americans re
turned their fire, and by good marksmanship and
courage, routed the Mexicans. - ;
San Antonio, April 20. General Pershing is concen
trating supplies at Namiguipa. He is expected to soon
resume the hunt for Villa. Officers are preparing re
ports for General Scott. Two companies of infantry have
been sent to Eagle Pass, to relieve cavalry ordered to
Mexico. ' ,
Scott's Trip Significant. ' 1
Washington, April 20. General Scott's trip to the bor
der is believed to presage the withdrawal of the troops
from Mexico. Secretary Baker wants first-hand' infor
mation." The situation admittedly is difficult. The re
port that the Obregon faction in Mexico is endeavoring
to force the war is considered a fabrication of interven
tionists. ' ' 1 ' ' " '
MILITIA TO GUARD
WILL BLACK AT THE
TRIAL' DURING JUNE
Judge Whedbee, Who Will
Try Negro Rapist for His
Life, Will Risk Nothing.
Greene County Men Say
There's Danger Lynching
Will Black, assailant of little Mat-
tie Tyson in Greene couiftyj will have
ample protection when he is carried
back to Snow Hill in June for trial,
according to Judge H. W. Whedber
of Greenville, who will preside over
the term.
Judge Whedbee has been in Snow
Hill investigating We sentiment at
that place and was informed by
many persons, it xs said, .that there
is a probability that Black will 5 be
lynched, as was his father week be
fore last for incendiary remarks, if
he is sent from the State prison
without a military guard. v. Troops
will be sent on a special train from
iCnston, it is supposed. If necessa
ry two companies from JolclsboK
will be ordered to the Greene county
seat. The three companies, compris
ing a small battalion of nearly 200
men, would be ample to preserve or
der, it is believed.
COWER
DESCRIBES
STATEWIDE PRUfARf
LAW IN FORCE HERE
4
"Many Erroneous . Ideas,"
Says Chairman Not at
Party Law But. Act of . Le
gislature Applying Equal
ly to All Parties
HYDE COUNTY MAN IS
DROWNED AT BELHAYEN
'. (By the Eastern Press)
Bolhaven, N. C ; April 20. Dave
Sermons, a Hyde county man, was
drowned here Wednesday. . Sermons
and another mail' fell overboard
while. wrestling on the deck of a boat.
Sermons did not come up; the other
was rescued.
REDFIELD SPEAK TO
FISHERIES OFFICIALS
Wilmington, April 20. Secretary
of Commerce Redfield addressed the
National convention of . Fisheries
Commissioners here t last , night, ne
remained over ?today , to take a trip
down Cape Fear river with the dele
gates,' who are from many States.
County Democratic Chairman G.
V., Cowper today made the following
jtatementr prompted by a letter in
The Free Press signed by Mr. P. A.
Hooker, on April 18:
"My .attention has been called to
a letter addressed to me in the press
asking answers to certain questions
with reference to the primary law.
It should be borne in mind .that this
is no party law, hut an act of the
legislature applying equally to all
parties, and therefore my construc
tion of it would not necessarily be
binding. ,
"There seems to be 80 imany erron
eous ideas about this law that I think
it best to quote verbatim certain por
tions of the act. V , i :
"Sec. 5, The regular registration
books shall be kept open before the
primary election as prescribed
by law for general elections, and
electors may be. registered for both
primary and general elections: Pro
vided, that at the first primary
new registration books shall be pro-
vided, in which on each -page there
shall be a column headed with the'
language, "With which political par
ty are you affiliated?" and it shall be
the duty of each registrar to trans ;
cribe the names of aU formerly reg
istered voters in his precinct on to
such a hook and when such voters
whose name has been thus subscribed,
appears for the first time to vote in
a primary provided f 6r by thia act,
hi shall answer such question stat
ed above, and it shall be the duty of
the registrar and judges of election
to write opposite the name of each
voter in such primary his answer to
such question, and as to all other
persons not already registered - it
s-hall be the duty '' of the registrar
when such person registers to pro
pound to him the same question
jrid write the answer of such elector
(Continued on jvje 2)