The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-06
new DANGERS.
Dogs and Stray Bullets Are
Menace to Survivors
OF the Catastrophe Which Over.
took Sicilian Cities.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
Persons Still Being Taken From
the Ruins Alive.
Half of Those Remaining Alive
Appear to Be Crazy.

| APPOoA W DC OId dZls
Messina. Jan 6--Dogs now constitute
one of the dangers to the earthquake
refugees These animals, starving and
often rabid through lack of water,
| gnaw the corpses like hyenas and fire.
! quently attack the refugees themselves
Among the wounded who left for
Palermo last night was a young man
/ whose eyes and right cheek had been
terribly mutilated by dogs. After the
earthquake he was buried in debris up
to his neck and while thus unable to
move was attacked by three of the
animals and seriously hurt before his
cries attracted help. Many people ara
shooting all vagrant dogs at sight ani
stray bullets are another danger in the
city.
The work of rescue is being pushed
on indefatigibly night and day and
even now persons alive. are occasional
ly dug out from the ruins. A woman
was released from the wreckage of the
church of San Francisco. She did not
seem to realize that she had been
buried so many days She explained
that she thought she was entombed in
the church after having died a natural
death. and that she was living in the
hereafter.
Efforts to release the living will con-
tinue two days more in cases where
there is reason to believe that success
will be met with.
The rain has at last ceased; the sky
has cleared and the full moon seems to
render the deSolatfon more complete.
The once picturesque hills smiling with
olive groves, are now wrecked and
gloomy In her fury nature appears to
have wished even to cancel history
The visitor can not refrain from a cry
of desperation when he realizes that
Ta ha6 ha nj RRSGln1
been raZed- The centuries had respect
ed it from the time of the Normans un-
til a few days ago. Defying former
earthquakes and cataclysms which had
afflicted Messina, its great columns Of
Egyptian granite, heavier and stronger
than bronze. were at last thrown down
and crumbled as il Of chalk The mag
nificent- Norman, Andeviu and Arago-
nese tombs of the kings of Sicily have
been reduced to ruins
Among the many dreadful scenes
none is more pathetic than those in /
which men and women who have lost +
their reason from shock and suffering I
are the actors It might almost seem {
that half the little army of survivors
have become demented- Today a par .
ty of soldiers came upon the remains
of what was once the city hall. They
found an old man standing there half
naked. He held a blanket in his
hand. but did not think to put it
around him. although the air was
cold. The soldiers asked him why
he did not cover himself and one
urged him to take refuge in hut, but /
the old man answered:
Il can not leave; am the porter OF
the municipality"
Thieves Disguised as Soldiers.
Rome. jan 6-The report that a
number of Italian soldiers had been
arrested and another shot because
large sums of money supposed to have
been stolen from the ruins in the !,
earthquake area, were found in their 4,
possession, has been proven false. Sew
eral thieves had disguised themselves
in the uniforms of dead soldiers, 4;
which probably gave rise to the re-
Ambassador Griscom has presented 1
formally to the Italian government the
resolution of sympathy passed By the
house of representatives at wash
ington. Foreign Minister Tittoni ex-
pressed his high appreciation of this
act and said it would be given fitting
acknowIed gment.
Mr.. Griscon today notified Count
Taverna president of the italian Red
Cross, that having received 100000
from the American Red Cross. he had
shipped this American relief to the
strait of Messfna on the steamer Bay
arn, which left Genoa yesterday. The
vessel will fly the Red Cross flag The
expense of fitting out this vessel is
computed at 100000 for the first two
weeks The time. OF her charter viii
be extended If necessary She IL cost
ing $1,000 a day. The rest of the
$50 900 has been expended for sup ,
plies All Italy is being searched for
material suita bic for relief, and it is
becoming increasingly difficult to OBJ
tain the kind of supplies required
Mr.. Grfscom has received warm con-
on the organization of the ,
BAYERN relief expedition from several
4drniraIs Of the italian navy and from
members of King Victor EmmanueIs
staff The admirals express their
ma cement over the energy which en-
abred the Americans to load ship and
outfit her perfectly within 4S hours
They old not know which emotion was
he stronger. their gratitude or their
admira+ion for the enegry displayed
Signor DeFelice. member Of the ]
chamber of deputies who on the very
law of the earthquake reached Mes
;:na. said today that he does not think
hat the search for the living under the
ruins should be stopped He recalls {
l number of instances of people in {
,ther disas- ers having been found alive s
after ten days