davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
OUTER FORTS
HAVE FALLEN
Relief of PrZemysl Is Believed
To Be Impossible.
Surrender Believed To Be Mat
ter of Few Days.
RUSSIANS ARE IN PRUSSIA
Army of the Gar Again In
yades German Territory.
Time Has Come for Allies to
Break Western Line.

London, March 1S.--The outer forts
of Przemysl, toward which part OF
the Austrian army has been struggling
in an effort to bring about the relief
of the besieged garrison, have at last
fallen before the Russians, according
to unofficial reports reaching London.
Although confirmation is lacking, Brit
iSh newspapers this morning appar-
emily are eager to regard the report
as not improbab They refer to the
fact that news dispatches received
from Petrograd yesterday said the
surrender of this stronghold was but
a matter of a few days.
True or untrue this is about the
only overnight news from the eastern
front, although there has been much
speculation concerning the engage
ment reported on the northern from
tier of East Prussia and referred to
in wireless messages from Berlin as
weak Russian attacks on Tauroggen
and LangsZargen." LangsZargen is
Just within the borders of East Prus-
sia, not far from the important Ger
man fortress of Tilsit, and the pres
ence of Russian troops at this point
may mean new invasion of German
territory
Nowhere in. the eastern arena of the
fighting, according to the opinions of
British observers do the Austro-Ger-
man forces appear to be making prog
ress except between Stanislau and
Kolomea, to the north of BukOwina,
where they are pushing forward in an
attempt to turn the Russian left flank.
British military experts think that
the position of the German armies
in the east pree1udes the transfer, at
this time. of any troops to the west
ern arena, and that the German plan
of dealing Russia a crushing blow be-
fore attempting the much-discussed
spring advance in the west has failed.
Five out of six of the new German
army corps are said to be engaged on
and beyond the frontier of East Prus-
sia, a fact which British observers
think will make it difficult for Ger
many to meet the demands shkely to
be imposed on her in the west.
The full import of the British VIC
tory at Neuve Chapelle isHenly 2now
beginning to be grasped by the public.
1t has greatly cheered both troops and
civilians as confirming the belief that
the German line can be broken if the
allies care to pay the price. Several
thousand wounded men from this bat
tlefield already have arrived in Eng
land, five trainloads having reached
Brighton during the "a hours ended
last evening.
The press today again cautions the
people that the taking of the Darda-
nelles is likely to be a slow affair to
accomplish which the allies must pay
the price, just as they have done at
NeuVe Chapelle.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
GETS DOWN To WORK.
New Federal Trade Commission Put
Into Operation This Morning.

Washington, March 1S.-With "con-
structive helpfulness'' as its announced
policy towards business, the new fed
eraI trade commission set to work to-
day to carry out it's program as
agreed upon at a conference Wednes-
day night at the White, House between
President Wilson and the commits
SionerS.
The commissioners let it be known
today in outlining their policy that
there was no intention of beginning
campaign of annoying or harassing
business, but on the contrary, that it
was gradually to map out ways where
in corporations doing interstate
trade may conduct their business con-
formable to the antitrust laws.
Cooperation will mark the com
missions relations with the depart
ment of justice and the courts in car
rying on its work
Inquiry will be started at once, it is
announced, into common selling agen-
cies abroad maintained by numerous
foreign corporations to determine
whether similar agencies should be or
gained by American business. This
investigation was authorized by the
law creating the commission.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18

statute books. 1t must go back to
the senate for approval as amended.
Should the senate refuse to accept
the house amendments, there is every
chance that the bill will go to con-
ference and die there.
AS passed by the house today, the
bill retains it's prize feature, the blood
and marriage clause. That is the
provision in the bill for which Sena-
tor Price offered to fight all summer.
He served notice this week that if the
bill came back from the house with
that clause removed, he would devote
his undivided attention to an effort
to place it back in the bill or see that
the measure did not become law.
So the Clark county senator's wish
was respected.
The house, however, removed the
clause which prohibits persons work
ing under civil service rules contribut-
ing to campaigns by speeches and
printed articles. 1t left intact, though.
the clause which prohibits the giving
of funds for campaign purposes and
prohibits a civil service employee so
Hciting such funds.
Another amendment in the bill as
passed by the house, leaves the old
soldier preference law intact. The
house further amended the bill to pro-
vide that the state accountant, instead
of the state librarian, should serve as
a member of the state commission.
On final roll call, IA house members
voted for the bill and "a voted in the
negative
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
Austria Is Making Great Mill
tary Preparations i'm TrentinO
A Province Inhabited Largely
by Italian People.
GERMANS ARE TOLD TO LEAVE
The Rome Government Makes
Another Warlike Move.
Negotiations Between the Two
Countries Broken OF.

London, March Especial Rome
dispatches to a numbe of newspapers
today reported that the Austrians are
making great military preparatlonS IN
the Trentino district, near the 1tallah
frontier
Large forces of Russian prisoners
have been sent into the Trentlno DIS
trict, the dispatches asserted. They
are now engaged in clearing the
mountain roads of snow and digging
entertainments.
relations between Italy and Austria
are becoming more unsettled. A
Paris dispatch says that Germans IN
the Italian Riviera have been notified
to leave the country at once. The
status of the negotiations between the
Italian government and Prince Won
BueIow on behalf of Austria and Ger
many is now in doubt, the assertion
having been made that Emperor
Francis Joseph has virtually broken
them off.
The operations of the allied fleet
;gainst the Dardanelles are being car
ried on slowly and carefully, and
French officer is quoted as saying
that at least another month will be
devoted to the effort to silence the
Turkish fortification. The attack on
Smyrna is explained as designed to
prevent the troops there from pro-
ceeding to the Dardanelles as well as
to cut the communications of the
Turkish army which was sent against
Egypt
An official British account of the
recent fighting at Neuve Chapelle
gives an idea of the ferocity of the
attack The town was laid in ruins.
No estimate is given of British losses
but it is said that in two sections near
the town ., 500 bodies of German SOL
diers were counted. The British OBJ
server praises the heroic resistance of
the Outnumbered Germans. A Vienna
dispatch concerning Przemysl is in
disa greement with a Petrograd mes
sage to the effect that the GaIician
fortress would fall within a few days.
II is said that the Russian alta cks are
nade oulE at rare intervq&s8 5s1.ti t1s.s4
the Austrian defenders have little to
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
State Convention in Topeka
to Hear DR.. RAIDER of Manila.
MORE DEMAND FOR BIBLES
European War Has Not Hurt
Sale, Says A. A. Ragatz.
Mention of Church Buildings in
This City.

The Kansas conference, Methodist
Episcopal church, is unusual in this
respect: 1t came fully up to advance
notices in attendance. The average
convention or meeting held in Topeka
or anywhere else-generally falls
short of the estimated attendance. But
the lower floor of the big First Meth
odist church is packed for the regular
sessions, and between five and six
hundred persons attended the Baker
university banquet given in the Sun
day school temple in celebration of
the completion of the 100000 endow-
ment fund for the institution.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
MURDER and ROB
Highwaymen Cut Mans
Throat on Railroad Track.
Kill a Night Operator and Loot
Station Cash Drawer.

Highland Falls, n. Y. March 1S.-
Highwaymen, operating during the
night along the West Shore railroad.
held up one man, robbed him and cut
his throat and later entered the rail-
road station here, shot and killed the
night telegraph operator and escaped
with a small sum-
George Griffen, whose throat was
cut is in a serious condition. The
body of the murdered operator, Omar
Hotaling, was found near his tele-
graph key, with five bullets in his
body. Three years ago Hotaling' s
cousin, of the same name, was muir
dered under similar circumstances in
the railroad station at Tappan.
At the hospital where he was taken,
Griffen said he had been attacked by
three men on the railroad tracks. They
robbed him of SO and cut his throat.
Two suspects have been arrested.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
bad To WORSE
Conditions at PrOgresO, Mex,
Cause Great Anxiety.
u. S. Cruisers May Be Ordered
to Take Charge.

Washington, March 1S.-Anxiety
concerning foreigners at Progreso and
Merida, Mexico, was increased this
afternoon by a state department dis
patch stating the Yucatan insurgents
had suffered another reverse and that
conditions were increasingly threaten
ing e,--.4s-.N
With the cruiser Des Moines and
the collier Brutus at Progreso, it was
suggested that Admiral Caperton
might be ordered there from Vera
Cruz to take personal charge.
Word was also received that Villa
had levied a one million peso contri-
button upon the church authorities
and certain individuals, including
foreigners, at Monterey.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
BELGIUM CELEBRATES.

Brussels, March 18.-No foreign
holiday has ever been celebrated
so fervently in Belgium as was
Washington's birthday, but in the
city of Brussels St Valentine al
most usurped the honor which the
Belgians wished to pay to the MEM
ory of Americas first president
Some one started the story that st.
Valentines day was the national
fete day of the United States and
consequently on the fourteenth
thousands of citizens wore small
American flags, and letters of good
wishes poured into the American
legation. The province of Liege
made no mistake in the matter, and
the city council of Liege ordered
that Washington's birthday should
be celebrated with formal exer-
cises in the schools which were also
granted a vacation on the twenty
third. The following circular was
therefore sent to the headmasters
of the various schools: The
United States of America have, or
late, shown deep interest in the
welfare of Belgium. BY revictual-
ling the population which has suf-
fered so much from the war, Amer
lea has rendered an immense SER
vice to our country. The 2zd OF
February is a national holiday In
the United States. 1 desire that on
this day the pupils of all profess
sional schools for girls and of all
grammar schools partake in the
celebration and that on this occa-
sion the importance of the services
rendered by the American republic
to the Motherland and the noble
example set by this act of inter
national solidarity be clearly IL
lumined / leave it to your judg-
ment to arrange the details of the
manifestation"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
TO SAVE HIS LIFE.
Man Tells How He Hacked Hand Off
With Penknife.

Denver, Col, March 1S.-How he
cut off his own hand at the wrist with
a penknife after being caught in the
Cogs of an electric pump was told
here by Wallace +. Rittenhouse. VINO
is suing the Colorado Fuel and Iron
company for $35. 900 DANA ges-
RittenhouSe claimed that the place
where the electric pump was located
was badly lighted. 1t was his duty TO
oil the pump. He slipped on a car
wheel, catching in the gear wheel OF
the pump. Rittenhouse said he
dropped his miners candle and was
left in total darkness Held fast in
the machinery, he struck a match
with his free hand, relighted his can
die. and drawing his knife, severed his
arm at the wrist in order to free him
self. He claims he then had to walk
about l 900 feet to reach aid.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
JAPAN IS CALLED
Uncle Sam Joins Other Nations
i'm Speaking for China.
Action Would Be Considered
Unfriendly, Is Warming.

Washington, March 1S.-The Unit
ed States has asked Japan to respect
China's integrity, it was learned Off
cial1y today, though neither President
Wilson nor Secretary Bryan would ad-
NIT just what form the Representation
took. They agreed, however, that the
|appeal to Japan was in the friendliest
language and that the mikados gov
|ernment would make material modi-
ficatiOn in it's demand.
Bryan insisted that whatever action
had been taken was not a joint pro-
posal although the state department
understands that Russia and England
have also told Japan that any inter-
ference with China's integrity would
be unfriendly. A
1t is understood that Japan has
asked this government what modifica-
ton in the original demand would be
acceptable.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
FIRE AND WATER
Germans Drowned and Burned
Up Russian Invaders.
How First Advance Into East
Prussia Was Checked.

London, March 1S.-How the Ger
mans employed both fire and water
to destroy the Russians in the cam
paign in the Mazurian lake district of
East Prussia, is related ina communi-
cation received by sthe. Westminster
Gazette, from Gothenburg.
German strategy counted not only
on water and mire, but even fire" The
correspondent at Gothenburg declares
the engineers have for many years
been equipped with a peculiar kind
of auger for excavating the trunks of
soft trees, such the Mazurian frs.
When the Russian army, first ad-
vanced into East Prussia, German en-
gineerS hastily eXcavated numbers of
trees. When Russian troops reached
the Mazurian district German en-
gineers at once opened canal locks,
drowning the invading troops like
flies. Some Russians reached the
forests, but of course they had no
idea that many trees had been
charged with gasoline. 1t was an easy
task for the German artillery to set
a match to this bonfire and burn up
the Russian regiments they had en-
traDped.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
TUBS FOR TOMMIES.

London, March 1S.-The thought
of the British soldier going un-
bathed affects the British public 50
much that Tubs for TommieS" Is
now the cry of a group of patriots,
which has raised a fund sufficient
to provide 80 tubs with 1 2 stoves
and plenty of soap and towels.
Five of the baths and two stoves
We're recently sent to scissors by
motor car, and within seven hours
100 men had enjoyed the delights
of a hot bath.
The bathing scheme was initia-
ted by Lady LethbridSe, Mrs. NJ.
James Burns, and Allen H p
Stoneham- 1t is warmly endorsed
by the medical officers. who say
that cleanliness will do much to
prevent the infection of wounds.
Another movement in the inter
est of cleanliness in which the COM
mittee is engaged is an emergency
disinfector. The type selected
costs $3.50 and disinfects $50 suits
of clothing a day.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
MOUNT MORE GUNS.
Turks Are Preparing for the Defense
of COnstantinOple.

Paris, March 1S.-The correspond
ent at Athens of the HaVaS agency
says the naval operations of the allies
at Smyrna. Asiatic Turkey, have been
temporarily suspended and the Turks
are profiting by this respite to repair
the damage to their batteries and
forts. They are pursuing the same
course also at the Dardanel1es and on
either shore of the sea of Marmora.
There are 10000 Turkish troops
west of Constantinople, according 20
the latest information reaching
Athens, the correspondent continues.
Forty thousand men are on the Gal
lipoli peninsula; 10000 are in Euro
pean Turkey, and the rest are on the
Asiatic side of the Dardanelles.
1t is reported here the Turks are
placing guns on the principal heights
surrounding Constantinople on both
the European and the Asiatic sides of
the BoSphorus.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
MARCH in SNOW
Russians Make Surprise At
tack on the Germans.
Again Fighting Kaiser's Men
on Their Home Ground.

Petrograd, March 1S.-By forced
marches through the snow, Russian
forces have appeared unexpectedly
and delivered surprise attacks at the
extreme end of the 700-mile battle
line reaching from near the Baltic
sea to the borders of Roumania.
The war office today confirmed the
report, cabled here from German
sources, that an army of the czar
has made a sudden raid against the
German positions near Tilsit, in
northern East Prussia. At the same
time it was officially announced that
a Slav force had forced a crossing of
the Pruth and is advancing against
Czernowitz, capital of Bukowina.
The strength of the Russian force
that suddenly descended upon the
Prussian frontier from the Kovno dis
trict is unknown. The war office kept
this movement a close secret until the
text of an official statement from
Berlin was cabled here early today
from London. Then this unofficial
statement was made by a military Of
ficial:
"Our troops have driven in a Ger
man force in the kOVno district. north
of .Tilsit. They have crossed the Jura
and have delivered an attack on the
German position inside the Prussian
frontier"
From Lemberg came word today
that Russian infantrymen forced a
crossing the Pruth under the pro-
lection of heavy fire from Russian
guns stationed at Sodogoro on the
north bank. An Austrian force on the
south bank fe,, slowly back upon
Czernowitz. Part of General Ivan
offs forces are now entrenched with
in a mile and one-half of the Buko-
wilma capital
Floods continue to hinder opera
tions around Przasynsz. The Ger
mans have been unable to bring up
heavy artillery for an attack on the
town because of the Soggy condition
of the plain to the north and north
east.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
SNOW FELL TODAY.
Mammoth Flakes of Snow Melted as
They Reached the Ground.

The weather early this morning
gave promise of a pleasant day, but
at 10:42 o'clock snow began falling
in mammoth flakes. 1t was a wet
brand and melted it fell. The
snow shower" which netted but .01
of an inch was over by 1880 o'clock,
but later in the afternoon the clouds
were threatening.
1T was one of the times that comes
once in about ten that the forecast
goes wrong said sunny" Flora, the
local weather man this afternoon.
There was an unexpected atmos-
pheric disturbance. The temperature
this afternoon was 19 degrees below
normal The wind was twelve miles
an hour from the north.
The forecast calls for cloudy and
unsettled weather tonight and Friday
and colder Friday.
Shippers forecast: Protect 36 hour
shipment north and west against tenn
FL
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
NIGHT SHIRT COUNCIL.

The most picturesque war coun-
Gil known to history took place
during the Battle of Mons last Au-
gust. Commander in Chief Sir John
French, General Sir Douglas Haig
and General Sir Horace Smith
Durrien were awakened with the
news that the English forces were
gravely threatened by the Ger
mans. Gathered about their maps,
in their night clothes, they planned
out new movements for the Eng
HSh.
In the morning as the English
again took up their retreat from
Mons, Sir John French all at once
broke into a hearty laugh
What do you see that's funny?'
demanded Sir Douglas Haig.
Il was only thinking how funny
that night shirt council would look
in a history book" replied French.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18

permitted to die on the calendar. By
conforming strictly to the provisions
of the concurrent resolution affecting
consideration of bills, both Legislative
bodies lodged consideration of a num-
Der of matters that were loaded with
dynamite and meant trouble at home.
At every session of the legislature,
mum ber of bills die on the calendars
when the house and senate cease con-
sideration of original bills. There is
another wholesale funeral with but
few mourners when the legislature
adjOurnS and leaves on the docket a
second batch of measures that perish
for want of prompt attention. This
year the legislature smothered about
three hundred bills when it stopped
consideration of original bills at the
Wednesday night session.
Big Bills in House.
In the house such a number of
measures were charitably chlorOform-
ed. Among these bills were:
Regulation manufacture and sale
Oleomargarine.
Recording divorce record by bureau
of vital statistics.
Amendments public utilities act.
Optional eugenics law.
Creating office state highway engi-
Compulsory sale pure seeds.
Senate Less Humane.
But the senate was even less hu-
name than the house. In the upper
legislative body, a dozen important
original bills were ready for the scrap
heap when the senate adjourned at
midnight. Among the more impor-
tant senate bills to die on the calendar
of the house in which they originated
We're:
Alien voter registration
Marriage regulation.
Prohibiting appointment legislative
members to state jobs.
Permitting organization provident
loan associations.
Regulation stock yards companies
under direction public utilities COM
mission.
Public Utilities for Cities.
Rebuilding state penitentiary.
Authorizing state engage in life in
surance business.
State fire tornado and hail insurance
bill.
Restrictions for legislative lobby
lists.
Prohibiting banks and corporations
from contributing to campaign funds
for election or defeat of candidates
for state offices.
Perish by Strangulation.
bodies showed little concern for minor
measures. Many bills perished by the
customary strangulation route. The
pet system of killing bills in a state
legislature is to strike out the enact
ing clause. And when the house and
senate adjourned late Wednesday
night, there was a big collection of un-
used enacting clauses that are of no
avail or profit at this session.
The final legislative slaughter will
come Saturday when final considera-
ton of all bills will cease.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
HOUSE PASSES PRICE CIVIL
SERVICE BILL BY SURPRISE
Governor Capper Brought Out Meas
Ure From Committee.
Members Tackled Several Amend
mentS to Its Text.
''BLOOD AND MARRIAGE"
This Important Feature Was Al
lowed to Remain.
Persons Can Still Contribute to
Bosses Campaigns.

After injecting half dozen
of more or less impor-
tance the house today surprised the
world by passing the civil service bill
by Senator Price of Clark county The
passage of the bill followed its
slaughter by the public welfare com
m1ttee, its resurrection at the person
al request of Governor Capper, and
its support today in a fight in which
party lines were not drawn
The civil service bill, however is
yet considerable distance from the
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-18
CHOKED HIM TO DEATH
After Killing Parsons Man Robbers
Tried to Burn Body.

Parsons, Kan, March 1S.-Robbers
early today choked Charles King,
foreman of the oil storage house of
the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railway,
to death, tied waste about his body
carried it into the basement, turned
on the faucet of the big oil tanks and
then set fire to the building. The
flames, however, were quickly extin-
guished and after a two hours search
Kings body was found.
King, who was so years old, always
carried large sum of currency. Four
negroes, employees of the oil house,
are under arrest