davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
Plea of States Attorney
to Spare Mercer Hang
ing Saves Neck.
HIS BEHAVIOR COUNTS
Judge 0ImSted Buoys Prisoner
With Hope He May Be Par
doned in Later Years.

Aledo, H., April 14.-Robert Higgins,
who for love of his step-daughter, Julia
Flake, killed his wife, was sentenced
to life Imprisonment in the state peni-
tentiary in circuit court today. In an
ncuncing sentence. Judge r. w. Ohm
sted encouraged Higgins to hope for a
pardon later. The crime merlted death,
the judge said, but the murderer's life
had been spared because of his good
behavior as a prisoner and because of
the plea of the states attorney.
You may make partial expiation of
the dreadful sin you have committed
by being a model prisoner in the PEN
itentiary," said the judge. Maybe you
can cling to the hope that in later
years you may deserve and receive a
pardon and have years of freedom in
which to redeem your past
May Put Off Girls Trial.
Julia Flake was not here for trial She
is an inmate of state girls school.
The states attorney declined to state
definitely when her case would be
considered. On account of the youth of
the girl and the sensational nature of
the case the states attorney intimated
he would favor putting off her trial in
QenQll2ly- =. -s.ss- =
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
HICHWAYMENA ARE
SHOT IN A H0LDUP
Both Are in Hospital Probably
Fatally Injured as Result of
Car Battle

Seattle, Wash. April 14.-Charles
Swarz, a passenger, was shot below
the heart, and two highwaymen, WI
liam Sears and Clarence Trew SO Sc
verely beaten it is believed the latter
will die, when an attempt was made to
ho,d up a Tacoma-bound interurban
train near here tonight. The bandits
are il a hospital. The condition OF
Swartz is critical.
The bandits were attacked by two
employees and several passengers, in
Guiding Pug" Bennett, member of
the Vancouver, b. c., club of the North
western baseball league.
Trew was struck senseless with a
sand drill and Sears was beaten on the
head. The bandits were attacked from
behind. Sears pistol was discharged,
wounding SwartZ. The bandits were
bound hand and foot and delivered to
deputy sheriffs. The police say the
men have no criminal record and the
men themselves say they have been
out of work.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS.
MOYER EXPLAINS
ENDING OF STRIKE
Saws Calumet Men Will Continue
Their March to Economic
Liberty.

Denver. Col, April 14.-That "the
Western Federation of Miners refuses
TO recognize defeat" in ending the
Michigan copper strike; that they
capitulated mot to the mining com
panies, but to a near future that prom
ised nothing but hunger and priva-
tom" that they expect TO continue
their onward march to the goal OF
economic liberty" were the features
OF "A statement issued yesterday by
Charles n. Meyer. president of the
Western Federation of Miners.
The statement was made upon re-
ceipt of official notification from dis
trict officials that the mine strikers
Sunday voted TO call OF the strike.
Movers statement is addressed: ITO
the public. that there may be no mis-
understanding OF the position of the
Western Federation of Miners
After reciting the four demands and
the federation's action in supporting
the strikers, it details incidents as
told through the press" charging that
the governor of Michigan aided the
powerful" copper interests in driving
"underpaid and overworked labor back
into the mines.'' II declares that gun
men were used to institute reign of
terror. clubbing and shooting workmen
whose only crime was their refusal to
continue work under unbearable con-
ditions."
II is maintained that federation rep
resentatives made every effort to
bring an honorable adjustment" go
ing so far as to waive ''all their rights
and abide by the finding of a board of
arbitration selected by the governor
The citizens alliance is charged with
having deported citizens OF other
states. stopping at little less than
murder"
April ! found striking miners the
statement continues. facing the ulti-
matum OF the mining companies that
on May / general evictions from COM
pany houses would take place" This
condition. coupled with the necessity
OF a reduction I'm the already small
enough relief" caused the executive
board TO submit the question of ending
the strike to a referendum vote.
The statement closes with an express
sion OF appreciation OF the support ac-
corded the copper strikers by organ
lied labor throughout the country.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
SEVEN ARE DEAD
IN A BOSTON FIRE
Many Occupants of Boston
Apartment House Escape by
Jumping in Life Nets.

Boston, Mass, April 14.-Seven lives
were lost in a fire 4kat- wrecked the
Melvin fve-story brick apartment
house. in the Aston district, early
today. The known dead are:
Mr.. and Mrs. J. Raymond Power
and their two-year-oId baby boy; Mrs.
Alice Shackford; Mrs. Edith Bemis;
young woman, about II, probably
the Powers maid, and an unidentified
woman.
Many others among the 125 persons
living in the h-use had narrow es-
capes and several were painfully burn
ed.
The loss is 100000.
Mrs. Bemis' sister, Mrs. F. G. Bahar-
rel, and Miss Eileen Hazel are missing.
The unidentified body may be one of
them.
Mrs. Shackford and Mrs. Bemis were
killed jumping, one from the fourth
and the other from the fifth floor. The
whole building was ablaZe when the
firemen arrived.
Trapped on the fourth floor, Mrs.
Clement Rogers and Mrs. Robert Ad-
ans fashioned a rope from Ded clotn-
ing and let themselves to the ground.
Five of the victims were suffocated.
Firemen carried a number of men
and women down ladders and several
persons jumped from upper floors into
life nets.
Sixteen persons were seriously in
jured. The two unidentified dead
were later identified as Miss Mary
Corners. the Powers maid, and Mrs.
+. c. Begarrell, a sister of Mrs. Bemis.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
Federal Judge at Concord
Grants Petition Filed
by Fugitive.
BAIL IS LEFT DECIDED
Result Is Case Will Go to High
est Court in Land-PriSon-
er Held Not Dangerous.

Concord, y. H, April Hilary
Kendall Thaw's petition for a writ of
habeas corpus was granted by Federal
Judge Aldrich today.
The court said, however. no order
would be issued for the prisoners dis
charge from custody until arrange
ments were completed to take the
case to the United States supreme
court on an appeal
Thaw's petition for admission to
ing the ground it would be more ap-
by the supreme court.
The result of the decision is that
Thaw's guardianship and condition
will be unchanged, for the present,
but that his petition for a writ of
habeas corpus will go to the highest
court of the land, with a decision of
the lower court in his favor.
Mental Condition Observed.
The decision makes more than ten
thousand words and discusses ex-
haustively various phases of the case
presented in the federal court. The
court says that the report of the COM
mission upon Thaw's mental condi-
-tiun. supplemented by his own obser-
sations at several hearings, satisfied
him that any supposed danger to the
community through Tham's liberation
was so remote as not to warrant his
being deprived of bail upon that
ground.
Final Decision Next Winter.
Washington, D. c., April 14.-Indi-
cations are the Thaw case will not be
considered by the supreme court until
October and those best posted on the
courts procedure say it will be
Christmas before the court passes up
on the case finally. Meanwhile Thaw
will remain in custody.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14

New York, April IA glimpse of
artistic temperament as it is found in
the Metropolitan Opera House has
just been given by Nine. Olive Frem-
stad, the famous soprano, who In a re-
cent statement intimated that she
would not sing in the Metropolitan
another season.
81 know it has been said at the
Metropolitan that 1 am quarrelsome
and that l have only few roles in my
repertory," said Nine. Fremstad. do
not believe those tales. They are not
true.
'As to my quarrels, have certain
ly not been on pleasant terms for
some years past with one lady in the
company. Our differences arose when
assumed the part of Brunnhilde,
and found one night that she had TAX
en- possession. Of the dressing room re-
SERVED for ME as Interpreter of the
chief woman character"
Nine. Fremstad has been at the
Metropolitan since 1903, and has won
great popularity. Her present con-
tract, Which is about to expire, was
for a three-year term, and called for
forty performances a season.
Though l like Mr.. Gatti-Casazza,"
she continued, 81 cannot say he has al
ways been merciful to me. l have
suffering greatly from colds of late,
and it was rather hard to be asked,
suddenly one day, on my return from
Lakewood (where l had been nursing
to sing Elizabeth the next
night in Tannhaeuser. For four years
1 had been hoping against hope to sing
that part, but not with sore throat
to hamper me-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
KIDNAPPED PASTOR
TELLS HIS STORY
Rev. Otis L. Spurgeon, Iowan
at Denver, Is Called Before
Grand Jury.

Denver. Col, April 14.-Rev. Otis l.
Spurgeon, the Baptist .ministeEa Yho
wzs.4idnaped. from the Pierce hotef
and beaten by a crowd OF men on the
Brighton road, appeared before the
grand jury yesterday and told of the
treatment accorded him by his assail-
ants.
He was brought to the court house
from ST. Luke's hospital in an automo-
bile. guarded by a deputy sheriff. and
remained in the grand jury room for
40 minutes. He passed the remainder
Of the day I'm an ante-room, conversing
with friends, # being their first oppor-
tunity to talk 10 him since the assault.
Timothy Callahan, salesman for a
butter company: Robert Owens. for
mer deputy sheriff. and p. ]. Kerrigan,
a grocer, were arrested yesterday.
Nine men now have been arrested. ].
T. Kavanaugh is held as witness
More than a score OF witnesses were
examined by the grand jury, several
of whom had appeared before the jury
on Friday and Saturday. Among them'
report has il. were several men sus-
pected of having been implicated In
the assault. They were confronted IN
the jury room by men said to have
maintained that they We're able TO
identify the men who attacked the
minister.
The five men previously arrested are:
Berney J. Sylvester. Frank Nugent,
Frank Soran, William Dolan and Jer-
~ Cronin. They were released on
$500 bail each. after hundreds OF
friends had visited them in the city
iaiI and offered TO furnish bonds.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
JACK JOHNSON is
GIVEN new TRIAL
Big Smoke, Under Sentence of a
Year in Pen, May Now Re-
turn From Europe.

Chicago, Ill, April 14-Jack John
son, negro heavyweight champion pug
list, was today granted new trial on
Mann act charges under which he was
sentenced to year in the penitentiary.
johnson was sentenced to a year in
the penitentiary and fined $1,000. The
federal court OF appeals reversed the
lower court on certain counts of the in
dictment. Shortly after he was con-
victed johnson went TO Europe. where
he now is.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14

wounded on both sides is calculated
as follows:
Federals. 1000 dead and 2,2O0
wounded I'm the whole campaign.
Rebels. $50 killed and 1.150 wound
ed.
Eight thousand federals and 10000
rebels participated in the engage
ment. Out OF this total OF $4,000.
1900 were killed or wounded, or about
27 per cent OF the whole disabled.
This IS an unusually high rate OF cas-
uaIties- II IS estimated the consti-
tutionalists shot away 100000 rife
bullets. LOO sharp shells and 5000
dynamite bombs The Federals fired
5000 shells and approximately 3.OOO.-
900 rife cartridges. says the report.
which IS o. KID by General Villa.
New York-A wireless message from
CAPTAIN Julian said the steamship
Niagara was in no difficulty and would
arrive Wednesday.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
ITALY FACES BIC
RAILROAD STRIKE

Rome. Italy. April 14.-All railroad
trains ont of Rome were crowded to-
day owing TO fears that trafiic misnt
be suspended tomorrow by threaten
ed strike OF 115.0O0 employees. Among
those who departed for the north were
500 American visitors. Authorities en-
tertain the hope that the strike may
be averted at the last moment.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
Lee for Iowa eovernorship.

Des Moines. Iowa, April 14.-With
the assembling of the republican state
central committee for an important
conference today came the announce
ment that District Judge Lee of Ames
will be candidate for the republican
nomination for governor against Gov
ernor Clarke
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
SHELL BURSTS IN
ARSENAL;5 5 HURT

Philadelphia, Pa. April 14.-One
workman was probably fatally injured
and FIVE others badly burned and 1900
women employed IN the manufacture
of cartridges were thrown IN a panic
by a brusting shell in the shrapnel
department OF the federal arsenal. II
shook the buildings and broke the
windows. Friction OF tho machinery
.s believed the cause.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
ARMY OFFICER IS
DECLARED GUILTY

Washington, ID. c., April 14.-Major
benjamin NJ. Koehler of the coast ar
tillery, tried by court martial last
month at Fort Terry. N. ". was found
guilty of immoral conduct and SEN
fenced to dismissal from the army.
was the announcement today of Secre-
tary Garrison, who said the case had
not yet been acted upon by depart
ment officials.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
Judo. PhIlIbrIck Is Dead.

Springfield. ILL.,. April 14.-Judge So
lon Philibrick of Champaign. member
of the appellate court from the Third
district. died at Springfield hospital
at 2:15 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
following an operation for gall stones.
ie was taken i'll last Friday.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
Dixon Goes Half Dry.

Dixon. ILL.,, April 14.-As a result of
all the. nearby towns going dry last
Tuesday and in expectation of a great
rush of thirsty ones next month, the
city council today passed an ordinance
closing all saloons at 10 o'clock and
ordering all screens and blinds re-
moved
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
"puffv the ooatu surr.nder..

Chicago. H.. April 14.-James
Franche. alias Duffy the goat" want
ed in connection with the shooting
Wednesday night of Isaac Henegow. a
travelling man. surrendered to detec-
tives today.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
THE WEATHER
Forecast Till I p. m. Tomorrow, fsi
Rock leland, Davenport, Moline


Generally fair tonight and Wednes-
day: not much change in temperature;
moderate variable breezes.
Temperature at Z a. m, II. Highest
yesterday, 60. Lowest last night, 3S.
Velocity of wind at a. m, 2 miles
per hour.
Relative humidity at p. m, 81; at
. Relatice humidity at p. m, 81; at
ia. m, 50.
Stage of water. 4.6 feet; a fail OF
j in last "a hours.
]. NJ. SHERIER, Local Forecaster.
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS.
Evening stars: Mars. Venus. Saturn
Morning stars: Mercury. Jupiter. Thr
brilliancy OF the Milky way in the
northwest is noticeable about $50 p. IN.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14
1900 Casualties at Torreon.

Juarez. Mexico. April 1.-THE de-
tailed and Official" narrative OF the
recent campaign that gave Torreon
10 General villa IS at hand here to-
day. Full facts concerning the strug-
gle are made public. The dead and
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-14

Associated Press
Exclusive Wire
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-20

almost midway between Brussels and
Antwerp. Before this nortward rush
the Belgian forces are retiring on Ant
werp. In Brussels they call this a
strategic retreat.
Whether the movement is strategic or
forced, the Germans have gained much
ground in the direction of Brussels.
Should they. however. take advantage
of this tempting opening for a raid on
the Belgian capital they may find the
now retreating Belgian army sweeping
down on them from behind.
''All is going well for our arms" con-
tinues to be the tenor of official French
dispatches concerning the situation in
Alsace-Lorraine.
Great Battle in Progress.
London, Aug. 2O-The greatest battle
| in the worlds history is raging with
big guns booming from Namur to Diest
and even on the bloody field of Water
loo.
Obeying orders of the grim war lord.
half a million men of the great German
| (COntinued on PAGE -
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-20
SELL KlA0 CHOW
Germany Wants to Cede 1t to
the United States
On Understanding That 1t Be
Decided Back to China.

Peking, Aug. 20.-China today in
quired Of the United States what it's
attitude would be toward the cession
by Germany to the United States of
the territory of Kiao Chow for i'm
mediate cession thereafter back to
China.
The inquiry was made to the Ameri-
can charge d'affaires, and it was un-
derstood to be based on intimation
from Germany that such a course
might solve the problem.
VIII See AbOu. It.
Washington, Aug. 2O.-Oficials here
were silent today with reference to
the inquiry of the Chinese govern
ment as to whether the United States
would undertake the transfer Of Kiao-
Chow from Germany to China.
1t was predicted in official circles.
however, that the United States would
not assent to the proposal unless IL
had previously been assured that such
a course would be accepted by both
Japan and Great Britain. 1t was be-
lieved that China's inquiry was made
to sound the United States govern
nient on behalf of Germany.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-20
Roman Pontiff Breathes His
Last at 1:sO This Morning.
His Death Is Hastened by
Worry Over the. War.
WAS NEARLY 80 YEARS OLD
Had Been Head Of the Church
Since Aug. 4, 1908.
Was the Author Of Numerous
Reforms in Discipline.

Rome, Aug. 2o.-'srogether in one.
all things in Christi These words
which Pope Plus x adopted as his
motto in an encyclical issued on Aug.
10, 1903. six days after he had been
elevated to the .pontificate were on
his lips as he died. The end which
came at 1920 O'Clock this morning was
peaceful.
few moments before he had been
reused from semiconsciousness and
had attempted to bestow a blessing
upon those gathered in the chamber
but his strength failed. After a pause
he murmured the scriptural text and
did not speak again.
The death of the pontiff in the eigh-
tieth year of his life and the twelfth
year of his pontificate while long an
ticipated because of ailments incident
to advanced age, nevertheless came as
a shock even to those near him. For
several days he had been suffering
from gouty catarrh but on Tuesday
his physicians declared that the trou-
BILE was of no great Importance and
yesterday morning reassuring reports
concerning the patient were current.
The change came suddenly during
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-20
A Conflict That Doesn't Muss
Up the Battlefield.
CREDIT DUE STATE TROOPS
Regular Army Officers Watch
Their Efficiency.
Little Tales Of Camp Life rs
Told by Harvey Parsons.
(By Harvey Parsons.)


When General Sherman said 1t. he
had in mind the kind of war that pre-
walls in Europe-not the blOodlesS
wars Of Pawnec Flats, where the Kan
sas soldiers are showing their skill in
the war game Topeka war corre-
spondent visited the latter place Mon
day and Tuesday. and decided that it
is the respectebl way to conduct a
war. 1t doesn't muss up the battle
filed with remains and the front pages
with ferO ciouS headlines.
To reach the scene of combat, the
war correspor dent rode one of the
Hon. U. p. railroads. trains. He had
no war map. SO made some mistakes
in the line of march. He should have
unloaded at Manhattan and changed
cars to the trolley line that leads al
most to the battle field, but did not
Two miles east of Fort Riley station,
the tents of the Kansas army were
seen close at hand, but as the train
an hour. the war correspondent did
not get off there-he feared the con-
ductor might not like 1t, but at the fort
depot he was permitted to detrain with
his half-gallon valise. Realizing that
the first duty OF soldier is to hike,
he hfked. through the deserted stone
city In the general. direction of the
radio tower OH the hill. Arrived in
camp he was assigned to a tent near
General Martins headquarters, where
uc put Oh MS dDSOTOeT ana began AO-
|sorbing information.
A train from a remote corner of the
state had just arrived at the Pawnee
Flats siding and strings Of business
like soldiers were pouring out, forming
in marching order and going to then
proper places il the tent city. Within
a short time, another row of tent
went up. 1t was growing like q west.
ern town in boom times, but with mors
method than any boomer ever ex.
hibited
No Flies There.
In a. place of honor near the heal
iof the comp9ny line was thb camI
kitr1sen- q most important part Of thi
soldering business. These Kitchen
are completely screened in. and q II,
has about as much chance to acQufr1
a handout there as he would in tn,
middle of Lake Michigan. An occa
sional specimen of the musca domes
tica could be seen sitting around ant
looking hungry, but the hospitality O
the camp was not for him. In fact
the fly Is not even given the privileE,
of cleaning all emptied can. The cal
is put in the incinerator and comes on
a wad of blackened tin, without a labe
or grease spot. Empty cans are thu
fly's favorite boarding house, whe1
thrown out by the average housewife
who would throw a fit If one suggest
CONTINUED on Page Twelve.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-20

have arrived in Rotterdam from the
German capital.
Paris, Aug. 20.-There is a persistent
ru.nor here that the Germans have Oc-
cupied Brussels, but it cannot be con-
firmed.
A portion. of the Belgian army has
begun to retire in the direction of Ant
werp. according to an official announce
ment this morning concerning the sit
uation in Belgium.
East Of Namur the Germans have at
tanned the line between Dinant and
Neufchateau. Large German forces
continue to cross the River Meuse be-
tween Liege and Namur.
German Outposts have occupied Dyle
The retirement of the Belgians toward
Antwerp was result of the German
movement described above.
On Both Banks of Meuse.
An official communication received
here from Brussels says:
The Germans have gained ground or
both banks of the River Meuse and are
in contact with the armies of the allies
THE enemy, finding the routes to the
southwark strongly feld by French and
Belgians, discovered an opening to the
north.
This may entirely change the
strategy on both Sides"
The communication given out by the
French war department this morning
was one of the briefest for some days
1t announced only the bare facts of i'm
portant developments now in progres.
in Belgium and added there was moth
ing new along the front in Alsace-
Lorraine.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-20
Greatest Battle Of the Worlds
History Is Raging.
An Army Of 100000 Hacks a
Way Into Belgium.
ROADS BLOCKED WITH dead
Germans Are Moving Forward
to Victory or Death.
Belgian Capital If Not Taken
Soon Will Be.

London. Aug. 2O-The almost COM
piete absence of news from the theater
OF war today is the best evidence that
org events are in progress which will
test the real caliber of the battalicns to-
oay engaged in the New WATERLOO or
the New Sedan''
That the great German advance is be-
ing pushed with vigor and determine
tion can be safely asserted. judging
from the intelligence permitted to the
OUTSIDE world. On both banks of the
Meuse the Germans are crowding south
waro toward the entrenched French
army waiting to stem their progress to-
ward Sedan.
Inc invaders already have reached a
me between Dinent and Neufchateau.
the latter point being less than 25 miles
from Sedan as the crow flies. To the
nortnward their advance troops have
reached the River Dyle, near Malines.