davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
MOTORMAN IS
HURT WHEN CAR
HITS BIC TRUCK
Vestibu1e Collapses Upon
Trolleyman Who Hits
Unlighted Vehicle.
Special to The Farmer.)

Stratford, Dec. 30.-Speeding towards
Bridgeport, half an hour late, a Shell
ton-Bridgeport double truck trolley
car crashed into a five ton automobile
truck, stalled on the trolley tracks at
North Main street and Wakelee lane,
Stratford, last night, at dusk.
William Gray Of Cottage street
gerously injured. He narrowly es-
capped death as the vestibu1e of the
car collapsed in collision with the pom
derous truck. The vehicle, a coal de-
livery truck, is owned by Michael
Hoffman, a Bridgeport coal merchant.
r. J. Coulter was the driver. He was
unhurt
So great was the impact that the
front yestibule of the trolley car was
completely smashed and Motorman
Gray was wedged in between the
broken splinters, the controller and
cuts about the face and arms All
the muscles of his body are strained.
Dr. De Ruyter Rowland gave medical
attention, and later the troIleyman
was sent home The conductor of the
car, Patrick Daley of Wells street,
uninjured, The driver Of the machine
was unhurt.
According to witnesses the car a
half hour late, was coming from Shell
ton to Bridgeport at fast rate OF
speed. The auto truck was also going
to Bird dgeportl and few minutes be-
fore had been stopped by Special Po-
hceman Alfred r. Wake1ee, who re
sides nearby He warned Coulter to
light his lights. The machine was
stopped for that purpose
At Wakelee lane and North Main
street the roadway is very dark and
it was not until the trolley was with
I in a short distance of the truck that
Gray became aware of the impending
danger. He reversed his power but
not in time to avoid crashings into the
machine. Coulter was not on the
truck but had just finished lightins
the front lamps. The damage done tic
the truck was very slight.
Investigation is being made by the
Stratford authorities. No arrests haye
} been made.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
Rail ROAD PLANS
STORAGE YARDS
FOR NORTH END
Tentative Agreement Made
For Purchase of Burns
Co. Land There.

Negotiations are now in progress for
extensive bulk tracks and railroad
storage yards in the North. End ad-
joining the Berkshire division of the
New Haven railroad system at Lind1ey
street.
The extent of the yard is not def
nitely established though it is au-
thoritatively stated that tentative
agreements to purchase the Burns Co.
yards have been made and that op-
tions have been sought upon the adj
joining tract owned by Silliman &
Godfrey.
along the East Side of the tracks from
North avenue includes about IL acres
in all with a railroad frontage of
nearly >1,2o0 feet Four bulk tracks
accommodating, nearly $50 standard
size cars could be laid with a much
larger extension to Park cemetery in
the event of the Sillinant & Godfrey
purchase being made.
It is said that rapid development in
the North End has occasioned the
move. on the part of the railroad com
pany, which has suddenly been awak-
ened to the necessity for future track
facilities throughout rapidly growing
ridgeport.
Though George Burns, a partner in
the Burns Co, preferred to have his
the future plans of the Burns Co, it
is virtually assured that in the event
of the present sale being consummated
the Burns Co. will remove its yards to
the Calhoun farm recently purchased
by the company. The farm is so To-
! Gated that the teams may reach all
parts of the city with little delay and
at the same time with greatly en-
| Iarged acreage much of which is pas
ture, will give better facilities for
keeping a much larger number OF
! horses.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
RUSSIANS UNDERTAKING
OFFENSIVE AT BUKOWINA

LONDON, Dec. 3O-Although Petro-
grad remains silent on the subject the
public is inclined to believe the Rus
slams are undertaking a. great offensive
border. Official Austrian reports, tell
ing of attacks by dense masses OF
Russian troops, indicate than an i'm
portant battle is under way at a point
near Toporoutz, a small town just
within the border OF Northern Buko-
wilma, but a, Simultaneous attack is be-
ing made along an extended front
north of the. Nniester, a, distance Of
about 40 miles. The latest advices
state that the Russian assault is being
continued accompanied by an unusu-
ally heavy bombardment.
Unofficial reports from the extreme
northern portion of the eastern front
state the Germans have made a ser
ious but futile attack in the region Of
Lake Babit while the Russians west
of Lake Ranger are threatening Mi
tau. These opposing attacks create a.
delicate situation as q successful adj
vance by either would endanger con
siderable forces of the defeated op-
ponent.
All along the west front, except for
mining and aerial engagements o. the
British lines, the chief fighting seeks
to be confined to the Vosges where, in
the region of Hartmanns-Weilerk
the French claim to have made a. sue
cessfu1 advance. Berlin off1cially
nfnimizes this success but does not
deny it wholly.
Nothing has happened to- change
the Macedonian position but it is gem
orally believed that any advance into
Greek territory must be made by the
Bulgarians, the opinion being that the
Austro-Germans cannot spare enough
! troODs for serious attack against Sa-
! Ioniki.
! Domestic tension in England over
the compulsion question has been
greatly relieved.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
DEFENSE RESTS CASE IN
ROAD DIRECTORS TRIAL:
VIM. ROCKEFELLER IS Ill

New york, Dec. s0.-The defense
rested its case today at the trial of
william Rockefeller and 10 other. for
mer directors of the New York. New
Haven e. Hartford railroad, charged
with conspiracy under the Sherman
antitrust law to monopolize the rail-
road traffic of New England. The
trial has been in progress since Oct.
13.
Z The announcement was made after
Richard v. Lindabury, of counsel for
William Rockefeller, had read to the
jury a statement in behalf of his client
who, as announced, was too Ill to tesL
tify.
The statement was stipulation
agreed to by government counsel as to
what his testimony would have been.
In it Rockefeller denied that he ever
formed or entered into a conspiracy
The acquisitions by the New Haven
while he was director were not made
as the part of any preconeeived plan.
In voting for them, he said did, he
though what was for the best interests
of the New Haven and not for person
al profit from his association with the
road, except as came to all stockhold-
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
US. URGES PAN-AMERICAN
UNION TO STOP SHIPMENT
OF MUNITIONS TO REBELS

Washington, Dec. SO-secretary
Lansing has suggested to all the ma
tions which, with the United States,
comprise the Pan-American Union,
that they join in a convention for the
arbitration of all boundary line dis
putes and for the prohibition of ship
ments of war munitions to revolution
aries.
Secretary Lansing's proposal, which
has the full support of President Will
son, is being forwarded by the Latin
American ambassadors and ministers
to their home foregn offices for con
sideration. 1t is regarded as one of
the steps in a wide plan, in which the
Pan-American Scientific Congress now
in, session here is a part, for preserva-
ton of peace on the western hemis-
phere and a closer union of all the
Americas.
The status of the negotiations and.
the details of Secretary Lansing's pro-
posa1 are so far being held as conf
Dental between the state department
and ehe La,tin-American chance1leies
here. Mr.. Lansing today declined en-
tirely to discuss it in any phase and
the diplomats uniformly declared they
could not discuss matter which was
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
AGED WOMAN FORBIDS
FUNERAL OF SUICIDE
WITH HIS q VICTIMS
Two of Her Children, Two Grandchildren, Killed By
Jealous Man Who Ends His Own Life With Draught
of Carbolic Acid-Separate Services For Slayer

Bethel, Dec 30--Bent with age and
ON the verge of collapse from ner-
vous shock, Mrs Hannah Riley, an
aged co1ored woman, today visited a.
local undertaking shop where lay the
bodies of her two children and her
two-gFandchildren, murdered yester-
day afternoon by her sDn-in-laW, Will
liam A Steele I
Beside the bodies of the victims of
the quadrup1e murder was that of the
murderer He drank poison imme-
diate1y after the crime.
The aged co1ored woman wept hys4
terica1ly as she viewed the body of her
daughter-Steele's wife-and her son,
who had died while defending his SIS
fter. She dropped to the floor, moan
ing and mnmbli11g incoherent1y, at tn e
sight of her small grandchildren
whose heads and bodies had been bat
tered with an axe in the hands Of
their father.
In frenzy, she ordered that Steele S
body be moved AWAY from that of his
victims She ordered that he be bur
led apart from his family.
In accordance with her directions,
there will be a quadrup1e funeral ser
ice tomorrow afternoon, when Mrs.
Steele. her brother and her children
viii be buried Later in the day, an
other funeral cortege will move from
the undertaking shop and Steele will
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30

be born to a cemetery
There viii be no formal Inquest by
the coroner. Coroner John J. Phelan
was notified immediately after the
crime was discovered He will accept
the medical examiners report that
Steeless wife, his brother-in-law and
two step daughters were murdered by
Steele, while in jealous rage, and
that steele later committed suicide by
drinking carbolic acid
Victims of Steele's rampage are:
His wife, Anna Steele, aged 21t his
brother-in-1aw, James Reilly, aged Is;
his step-daug ghters, Hannah and Win
ME Hubbe11, aged s and 5, respectively.
Their skulls were crushed and throatS
slashed with an axe.
Discovery of the quadruple murder
was made by B. w. Perry, who lives
near the Steele house. Mr.. Perry
heard a noise on his front porch. and,
Investigating, found SteeIe's body
there Beside the body was an empty
bottle that had contained carbolic
acid
Steel was barely alive when carried
into Perrys house. Just before he
died, he whispered.
my folks are all home sick and
you'd better send someone down there
to see them.'
Perry summoned Constable Ernest
J. Bell, with whom Steele had been
Continued on Page ID
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30

in it's preliminary stage and under
consideration by their home foreign
Offices.
1t became known, however, that
soon after Secretary Lansing deliv-
cred his Pan-American unity speech
before the Scientific Congress in which
he advocated a Pan-American zone
for all and all for one he began in
viting the Latin-American representa-
tives to the state department two at a.
time aud outlining to them his pro-
posa1. At the same time, it is under
stood, the. secretary's declaration
which had attracted much attention
among the Latin-Americans because
of it's suggestion that all of the Pam
American nations should, if necessary,
unite against any unjust invasion or
aggression upon a neighbor, was dis
cussed in some detail, it is understood,
the Latin-Americans expressed their
ap probation of Mr.. Lansing's state
ments. The technical form in which
the new proposal was made was not
disclosed today but there are indica-
tions that it took the usual form of a.
memorandum to the diplomats and
was in such official gform% as could be
transmitted to their home governs
ments as the basis for action.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30

0rS.
The New Haven directors, his state
nent said, were advised by. '.coun-
sci of high legal standing and since
1907 by Edward d. Robbins, who he
regarded "as peculiarly qualified" to
give advice. There were also lawyers
among the board of directors and he
never supp osed'' that anything he
did was in violation of the Sherman
law.
Rockefeller denied all knowledge of
the negotiations between Charles S.
Mellen and Edison J. Chamberlain in
connection with the Grand Trunk
traffic agreem ent, until a report was
made to the board on the agreement
which seemed to him much like other
traffic agreements and which he was
told had nothing to do with the
abandonment of the Grand Trunks ex-
tension from Palmer, Mass, to Provi-
dence, r. L, He also denied knowl-
edge of the Metropolitan Steamship
transactions.
After the government had finally
rested, the jury was excused until
Monday morning and Judge Hunt sti-
puIated with counsel that both sides
would n6t occupy more than two days
each in summing up.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
City Hall Committee VIII
Shift Probate Court to
Quarters Formerly Occu-
pied By Board of Educa
tion and Will Place As
SCISSORS In Probate Rooms.

Plans for a. Hall of Records modelled
after the present city haIl and of the
same exterior material but of different
interior design are now being con-
efdered by the administration The
plan is to place the new Hall OF Re-
cords on the green east OF the present
city hall
There is room ON this green for a
building the size OF the present city
haa allowing for an ample walk from
state street to Bank street bstween
The buildings and also for large air
space between the Franklin building
and other property on the east side
of the proposed building
This Hall OF Records would be de-
signed to contain the offices and re-
cords of the probate court, the tax
ASSESSORS and the town clerks offices,
giving one hoor to4 each department
Several Architects already have drawn
sketches of such a building.
The city hail committee is now de-
visfnzs plans to remodel the interior
OF the bNfIdfng to accommodate the
needs OF the various departm ents The
town clerk is to be given practically
All the ground floor ON his side OF
the building. The registrars of voters
each of the office rooms now occupied
by the tax assessrra.
The probate office WIN be moved tc
the top floor of the building to room.
vacated BY the board of education and
q vault built there for the probate re-
cords Ehe tax assessors Will have thu
present probate offices and a dool
Win be cut through the vault into the
tax collectors office SO that officiA
may use half the vault and the asses
sors the other half
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
PLAN COMMUTE
CAR HEADWAY TO
BETHANY CHAPEL
Long Hill Line Will Be Dou-
BILE Tracked For Purpose
in Few Months.

+ Residents of the North End will
soon have trolley service under 10
minute headway from Bethany. chapel
to the center of the city at a five cent
fare, during rush hours of the day.
and twenty minute service at the
same fare for the same distance dur
ing the period when travel on the
street cars is not so heavy.
The final arrangements for this will
be made Jan. when at 11.30 o'clock
in the capitol at Hartford the public
utilities commission will hear the pc
tition Of the Connecticut Co. to double
track ts~line FROM the present ter
rninal at Terry Plake, northerly to
wentworth street anR of the Bridge
port and Danbury Street Railway Co.
to double track its line from Went
worth street northerly to Bethany
chapel
Members of the North End I'm
proven ent association have been be-
fore the public ~dtilities} commission
asking that this plan be carried. Re-
Gently the common council ordered the
work done. Supt. Chapman could not
be reached today to confirm the re-
port that there will be a. five cent fare
from Bethany chapel. Nicholas Tes-
iny of the North End Improvement
association said that officials of the
organization had been assured that
this would be brought about and that
the Connecticut Co. will run cars to
the chapel giving the same service as
on other portions of the North Main
street line.~-<When the double tracks
are laid a large, portion of the War
renite road laid there last summer
must be torn up.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
SHIP,
BADLY DISABLED,
HEADING TO PORT

New York. Dec. 30.-Another- radio
message was received today from the
Greek steamer Thessa1oniIi, which is
making for this port with her boiler
room partly flooded
t'On account of small damage, ,"sread
the message, Eve come with 1essened
speed. Engineers assure no cause for
alarm. Account of strong winds speed
four miles. When weather improves
we should do six or seven miles,
Officials Of the Greek line said that
at the rate of speed she is now maxi
ing the ThessafoniH should reach New
York Saturday mornings At noon yes
terday she was 100 miles off Sandy
Hook
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
IEONARD WON'T
TAKE POSITION
I'M POLICE BOARD
President Of Fire Board De
clines Place Proffered By
Mayor Wilson.

The much mooted transfer of Pres
ident John A. Leonard of the fire
board to be a member of the police
board to succeed President George s,
Hill Of that body viii not take place.
President leonard win remain and
viii be. reelected head of the fire
board John H Cassidy, Democratic
member of the board, whose term ex-
pIres Jan I, will be rEappofnted for
another term, of two years Commits
sioner LindQuist the retiring Repub-
1ican commissioner, viii be succeeded
health board, who has Still another
year to serve ON that body
Daniel J. Clifford, exalted ruler of
the Bridgeport lodge of Enks, is re-
ported as likely to succeed Lou p
Bristol on the police commission The
successor to President Hill has not
yet been decided on but John G. STAN
ley wiz be elected president of ths
board.
On the sinking fund commission,
Charles G. Sanford andN Hamilton S
Shelton viii remain for another term
On the board Of superintendent and
taxation President William E See
ley, republican, win remain and be
reelected president of the board, Will
liam p. Kirk and Sigmund Lsoewith
democrats, will remain Carl F. Sic
mon Is slated to succeed Adolph Sher-
On the Health board Dr. Franl
W. Stevens will remain as president
and DR.. David H Monahan has beer
rendered another appointment for two
years Charles H Botsford is to re-
main as a president of the building
commissioners.
DR.. Robert J. Lynch. president OF
the board of contract and supply VIII
remain
Attorney Richard L. Swain now has
the inside track for appointm al
assistant prosecuting attorney, of th<
city court. since John P. Gray is no:
to receive another term.
Representative James p, Kelly viii
succeed Frank Braithwaite as assist
ant city clerk. Richard H Sher1daf
Will remain as assistant tax collector
whether DR.. George Long Ellis o.
George H Edwards will succeed Rev
J. NJ. Rfchardson on the board o
charities has not yet been decided
Mrs. NJ. H. Ford is said to be SLATED
TO succeed Rev. Matthew Judge on
this board.
city Engineer Alfred H. Terry ant
City Attorney William H. Comley. Jr.
10th win be retained for terms of TIVE
Years more Director of Public Work
Jacob A. Courtade also viii begin an
other term of two years on SatHr
day
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
COAL OPERATORS
DENY DANGER OF
FAMINE is NEAR

New York Dec. 3o.@The anthracite
operators today denied reports that a
shortage OF anthracite coal exists or
that wholesale prices have been ad-
vanced recently. The statement ex-
planned that any difficulty consume mers
may have experienced in the past few
weeks in securing anthracite has been
caused entirely by the unprecedented
freight congestion in all trunk line
railroads in the East.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
Crane Co. Bonus of
Ten Per Cent. Is
Announced At Plant

The annual Crane CO. bonus to en-
ployes will be distributed as a New
Years gift, as told in The Farmer
several days ago, according to an an
nouncenent by the firm made yester-
day at the local plant
, The men will receive 10 per cent. of
their salaries for the year.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
Loss of UzBoat Denied

Berlin, Dec 30-''The report from
Bucharest sent out by a, news agency
that a German submarine had been
lost in the Baltic is declared by com
petent authorities to be an inven-
tion," the Overseas News Agency an
nounced today.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
KAISER IMPROVES
AFTER OPERATION,
HIS DOCTORS SAY

London, Dec ga despatch from
Zurich, Switzerland, to the Central
News, says:
Emperor William, who is suffering
from a suppurating ph1egmon in the
neck, has been given some relief, his
doctors having resorted to lancing.''
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
Other Vessels Forced to
Flee Toward Austrian
Naval Base, Says An
nouncement From French
Marine Office = Russians
in Attack.

Paris, Dec. 3O-Two Austrian
torpedo boat destroyers have
been sunk as a result of en-
counter with sea forces of the
allies at a point outside Of Cat
taro, in the Adriatic.
The purpose of the Austrian
ships was to lombard Durazzo.
An allied squadron went to-
meet them with the result
above set forth. In addition the
remainder of the Austrian
squadron was pursued by the
warships Of the allies and com
PEELED to flee towards the Aus
trian base.
This fnformtion was contained in an
official announcement of the French
marine department given out TODAY
which reads as follows:
San Austrian naval division having
come out from Cattaro for the pur-
pose Of bon1barding Durazzo. certain
squardons OF the allies went forth to
give battle. The Austrian torpedo
boat destroyer Lika encouutered q
mine and was blown uI Tie der
stroyere Triglavay of ss1e saEes type
was destroyed by the fire from the
ships of the allies. The remaining
warships of the enemy were pursued
and fed in the direction of their
base.''
There have been several previous
encounters of lesser Importance than
fthe one now reported in connection
with Austrian attempts to interrupt
transportation Of. italian troops to Al
bania and of supplies for the Serbian
| forces Which have retreated to that
i country. Several supply ships have
been sunk by Austrian Va,arshfps
The destroyers Ldka and Triglava
were sister ships built in 1908. They
-were 266 feet long, of 7s7 tons dis
placement. Each was armed with two
-12-inch guns, six 11-pounders and two
i torpedo tubes
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30

Mr.. and Mrak Edward T. Price, 291
Vine street, announce the enga cement
81 their daughter. Nellie Beatrice, or
~anist OF St Georges Episcopal
Mhurch, to Frank Bullock. machinist
VI this city. son Of Thomas Bullock OF
Eedneaford. staRor-shtre. England.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
Heavy Fighting In Vosges

Berlin, Dec so-Heayy fighting
continues in the Vosges. Announce
ment is made by the war office that
positions near Hartmanns-W Weller
kopf have been reconquered by the
Germans A British surprise attack
near Lille failed.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30

Baton Rouge, La, Dec. 30-Gov. w.
S. Hammond of Minnesota died sud-
denly early today at Clinton, La, about
80 miles north of here, according to a
telephone message from Clinton.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
Weather Forecast

Generally fair tonight and Friday;
1lnE much change In temperature.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30

A light snow fell in Laredo. Tex,
for the first time in 20 years
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
HALL
TENANTS
TO MOVE

Hall of Records Contem-
plated TO Give More Com
.modiO11s Quarters to Ten
ants of Municipal Build
ing Who Complain That
Present Room is made
quate,
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-30
TWO AUSTRIAN DESTROYERS
ARE SUNK IN naval FIGHT
WITH ALLIES IN ADRIATIC

Franco British Fleet Sails
Forth to Meet Austrian
Squadron That Would
Bombard Durazzo and
Sends Two Warships TO
Bottom.