davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-03
PRISONERS CHISEL WAY
OUT OF MERCER JAIL
Eighteen-Inch Wall Pierced and
Four Gain Their
Liberty

MERCER, Pa, March s.--Four prison
ers, digging through an 1s-inch brick
wall Of the Mercer County Jail. crawled
through the hole eight inches square, then
slid to freedom down a rope made OF
blankets from their COTS. A Sheriffs
posse took UP the trail few minutes
morning.
The prisoners were Ross Reed, s5 years
old John warnack, 90; Hugh Slater,
1S, and John Emro, IL.
Reed was charged with a misdeameanor,
warnaclt with felonious cutting and the
two boys with larceny. They were ali in
one cell and had evidently been planning
their escape for some time, but how they
concealed their digging, or what II was
done with, is puzzling county officials.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-03
DOCTORS AUTO GETS THIRSTY
AND SPEEDS RIGHT INTO SALOON
Patrons of Downtown Cafe Are Startled When They
Hear Crash and See Headlight Peering
Into Barroom

administration. II dashed over the curb
and made for the main entrance.
But the driver fought it desperately,
managing TO spoil its aim And the un-
fortunate machine crashed against the
glass doors and the wall with a resound.
ing whacI Several men In the place
could not believe their eyes. but all agreed
that they were seeing the same thing.
Then they fled through the rear doors,
incidentally It was learned that the wild
machine had no regard for law and order
for 1t was out without a license. cop,
who was summoned. believed that the car,
therefore, had made thorough preparations
for the spree Frisby was arrested and
held in $500 bail for court today by Mag
istrate Briggs.
The car belonged to DR. Herbert Allen,
of 1851 South Broad street
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-03
Twelve Hurt in Train Wreck

KINGSTON, ontario, March 3.--Twelve
persons were injured when west-bound
passenger train No. 10 on the Grand
Trunk Railway was derailed near Kings
ton Mills today. Eight of the injured
were brought here on a special train for
treatment. Three cars were dtched. The
train was from Montreal
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-03
Mediators in Alaska Strike Named

WASHINGTON, March 3.-Secretary of
Labor Wilson today appointed the follow
ing commission to mediate labor troubles
on the Alaska Government Railroad: John
A. MofTitt. of New Jersey; Elwel Davis
of Kentucky, mediators; b. M. Squires, of
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Will
lam A. Foster, of the Bureau of Immigra-
tion. The commission will leave for
Alaska March IS. sailing from Seattle.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
AMERICANS ON ARMED SHIP.
Italian Liner Verdi Sails From New
York for the War Zone.

New York. March 3.-The first
known Americans to sail on an armed
liner since the German admiralty's
new submarine campaign opened de-
parted from this port on the Italian
steamship Giuseppe Verdi on Wednes-
day. OF the Verdfs 173 passengers
to Naples and Genoa, two are natural
lied Americans who were born in
Italy. The Verdi is the first armed
vessel to leave American shores since
the new submarine policy went into
effect When it sailed it had mounted
on its afterdeck' the two naval guns
with which it was equipped two
months ago. Before sailing copper air
tanks were fitted into the life boats.
The Italian steamship America, one
of the ships which have had guns
placed on board by the Italian govern
ment. is today believed to be in the
war zone with 1872 cabin passengers
and 1882 steerage passengers on
board bound for New York. Twelve
big lines are in or near the war zone.
The White Star line has cancelled all
passenger reservations for March on
the Lapland, Baltic and Adriatic. it
was announced here.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
DEATH RATE REACHES 1866
Pneumonia and Grippe Contribute
Highly to an Unusual Record
for January.

Madison-A virulent type of pneu-
monia and grippe contributed heavily
to an unusually high death rate in
Wisconsin during January, according
to the monthly mortality report issued
by the state board of health The to-
tai number of deaths in Wisconsin in
January was 1866 This is more than
1000 in excess of Defenders record,
when the mortality was 2,549.
This excessive mortality is the high
est known in the state since the uni
form registration law was adopted in
1908, and is due almost entirely, says
the state board of health, to the I'M
usual prevalence of pneumonia and
grippe followed by complications The
records for January do not show an
excess of mortality from diphtheria,
scarlet fever. or any other acute COM
municable disease. which are usually
prevalent at this season of the year.
While there have been many severe
epidemics of measles and whooping
cough, yet the mortality reports do not
show an unusual death rate from these
diseases. w@
aIanuaTy's high mortality sends up
the death rate. which for the month
was III per 1000 population, as com
pared with 1872 for December.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
BROTHERS DIE IN BEER CAR
Two Camp Douglas Men Found AS
phyxIated In Refrigerator Ship
ment at Transfer.

La Crosse.-Two hunting licenses is
sued to Eugene and Hugh Barry, aged
33 and "a years, were the means by
which the identity OF two men found
dead in refrigerator car at Transfer
was established
The men, sons of widow residing
in Camp Douglas. left their home to
seek their fortune in the west They
came to this city, where they visited
friends and jokingly told them of their
intention to bum" their way to Cali
fornia. A beer car which was loaded
at local brewing plant consigned to
Montana, seemed to offer a chance for
a long ride.
Climbing through a trap door which
is used to supply the car with ice the
brothers found themselves locked in
the bunker when the door shut auto
matically. sealing them in a living
tomb. The car was heated with char
coal and when the supply of oxygen
became exhausted the men made ter
rif" struggle to escape. Their bodies
were found blackened and distorted
from strangulation when it was opened
for inspection at Transfer.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
SUBSEA WAR OPENS
ONBR|T|SHS SHIPPING
German Submarines Resume
Work on Scheduled Time.
TWO STEAMERS DESTROYED
All Members of Crew of the Thornsby
Killed or Drowned, Says Official
Announcement Given Out
at LondSn.

London, March 3.-GeFmany's sub
marine war against British shipping,
as threatened in the warning notice to
the United States government. was
opened on scheduled time. The
kaiser's sea offensive against the Brit
ish was. set to go into effect at mid
night and before noon word had been
received of the torpedoing Of two mer-
chantment, They were the Thornsby,
1852 tons. and the Malvina. 1924
tons.
1t is announced on Wednesday that
all the members of the crew of tie
Thornsby were killed by the attack
or drowned
The dispatch which reported the
destruction of the Malyina of the
Kentish coast did not mention the fate
of the crew
The Thornsby hailed from West
Hartlepool and was built in 1889. She
was engaged in the freight trade.
The Malvina hailed from Leith She
was an old vessel, having been built
in 1879.
From the speed with which the new
German submarine war was launched
in British waters it was evident that
submarines had been sent out in adj
vance with orders to begin attacks as
soon as any enemy ships were sighted
today.
The German notice of the fresh Of
fepsfva q Oafpef EpOlycb ShgnpfDe- had
stated that armed merchant ships
were to be attacked without notice,
but there was nothing to show that
the Thornsby and Malvina bore guns.
News Of the sinking Of the ships
aroused the greatest anxiety in ship
ping circles and insure ce rates were
Immediately raised.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
Permit Cost is Big.

Permit Cost is Big.
Payment herewith made this
18th day of February. 1916. OF the
sum of s4S4, O55.35 claimed by you to
be from the Northwestern Mutual Life
Insurance company to the state of Wis
consin as an annual license fee or tax
for the year 1916, under the pursuant
to section 51.32, Wisconsin statutes,
1915, is made under protest against the
validity of such license fee or tax and
each and every part of the same and
against your right to collect or receive
the amount so paid or any part thereof
or to refuse to said company a license
to transact business in Wisconsin until
II shall first have paid the license fee
or tax required by said section 51.32.
Wisconsin statutes 1915, and such pay
ment is made with reservation of the
right to bring suit against you or Ell
Their of you or against the state OF Wis
consin. to test the validity of said
claims for license fee or tax. and to
recover back the amount so paid or
such part thereof as the court NAV
determine it is entitled to demand and
receive"
Such is the preamble to a statement
made to Treasurer Henry Johnson. In
surance commissioner. NJ J. Cleary
and the state of Wisconsin by the
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
company. VIXEN it paid it's tax for 1916
amounting to s4S4.05530. The state
ment further declares that the pay
ment is made involvntarily and under
duress and only because of threatened
proceedings to enforce collection.
The ground for protest by the com
pany is based on its claim that the law
of 1915 is unconstitutional in that 1t
violates those provisions of the funda-
mGntal law Ly denying equal protee-
ton to the company and all others
similarity situated, that its violates the
rule that congress shall have power to
regulate commerce among the several
states in that it imposes burden up
on interstate commerce and, further.
that the tax is based upon an arbitrary
and excessive rule which is void for
discriuina tion.
1t is claimed by the company that
no greater sum should be exacted of
the company under such a law than
per cent of the amount of its taxable
domestic income.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
States Poor Costly.

/
Nearly s7,0O0,O00 is the price
that taxpayers of Wisconsin pay
each year for the relief of the poor,
the care of the detectives and to pro-
tect society against the crime of Wis
consin's criminals" said Prof. John l..
Gillin in his address before the Wis
consin Commercial and Industrial con
gress He declared that this was an
| underestimate because not all of the
| figures in the expense of the care of
| these social debtors can be obtained
under the present methods of report
ing the facts.
1T requires this amoHnt to take care
of an army of some $4,000 people in
the state who belong to these classes
| This sum equals the value of the po-
tato crop In Wisconsin for 1910, and
! is over twice the value of the entire
tobacco crop in the state of Wiscon
sin. This represents practically dead
loss to the state of Wisconsin" said
Mr.. Gillin.
The business men of the state
should give their attention to meth
DDS by which this enormous loss can
be lessened. This cannot be done by
cutting down the allowance to each
| person in these classes. because hu-
manitarian motives demand that we
take care of the unfortunate We
should, however. take measures by
which the number in such classes
should be very greatly decreased. Such
| decrease is possible IL business men
who are giving their attention to the
consideration of efficiency in business
affairs devote their attention to the
question as to how this social waste
may be decreased. The business men
of every community should interest
themselves in the conduct of the poor
relief department of the city; they
should in their commercial organiza'
lions and other welfare associations
take measures to prevent the making
of paupers, detectives and criminals
Earnest and serious attention to meth.
DDS of prevention for one generation
would decrease this enormous sum
very appreciably. II business men
QeSlre 10 nave LniS great IOSS lesSeueu
they must give themselves to the con
sideration of such social measures as
probation officials for juvenile delin'
quents, rational methods of play and
recreation for the children and youth
of each community, and the organiza.
ton OF clubs and like organizations
for the proper guidance of boys and
girls into the paths of usefulness and
right conduct"
Professor Gillin declared that indus
trial education. properly combined
with individual and organized atten-
ton to the needs of boys and girls.
would do much to prevent the increas-
ing burden of pauperism. defectiveGess
and crime He said that the time is
coming when business men viii see
the Importance &C organizing means in
every community whereby the unem-
ployed will be secured employment.
and those who. because of their inef-
ficiency are unemployablc, may be sent
to a farm colony where they can earn
their keep under skilled and competent
direction.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
1863 PERISH WHEN BRITISH
STEAMSHIP HITS A MINE
Liner Malola Sent to Bottom In
Straits Of DoVer-Another
Ship Destroyed.

London. Feb 29-The Peninsular
and Oriental line steamship Malo1a,
II, 49, tons gross, carrying approx
mately $50 passengers and a crew Of
about 200. mostly Lascars, was sunk
in the Straits of Dover on Sunday, pre-
sumabIy by striking a mine.
A majority of the passengers, &C
cOrding TO an official announcement,
were saved. An unofficial report says
that about twenty-five bodies were
landed at Dover. No Americans are
believed to have been aboard the
Maloia
A Central News dispatch from Dover
states that the death roll in the loss
Of the Maloia has reached 169.
The steamship Empress OF Fort VIII
liam of 2,171 tons gross, while at
tempting to rescue the survivors Of
the Maloia, struck another mine and
sank in less than a half hour The
crew OF the Empress was saved by
other boats in the vicinity.
The scene OF the disaster to the
Maloja was ten miles OF the port OF
Dover and the explosion was so VIC
lent that houses along the water front
were shaken.
Relief boats quickly put out from
the harbor Of Dover and succeeded in
picking up a number CT the Maloia's
passengers when the liner went down.
The Maloja carried in the frst-class
cabin 26 men. % women and seven
children.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
STATES FUNDS ARE
|. IN GOOD CONDITION
TREASURER JoHNsoN's REPORT
SHOWS HALF MILLION IN
CREASE OVER JANUARY.
RAILROAD TAXES TO BE PAID
To Make First Payment Of 100000
on May First-state Taxes Due
on March 10 Amount
TO $4.4so, ESQ

Madison.--Although the extraordi-
nary receipts of the state treasury
have not been as great as usual. State
Treasurer Johnson's report of the con-
11ition OF funds at the close of business
Feb 90 shows an income over Janu-
arv 81 OF $531.49429 in the general
fund and $543.2S20S in all funds.
Tt e balance in the general fund at
the close of February was 81 ,691, 7i760.
as compared with 81 ,16O, 223.3t at the
beginning of the month and in all
funds there was s2,344,S54 0S on March
l as compared with $l.SO1,57l 95 on
February !.
The state tax now due on March 10
amounts to s4,430,760 and the first
payment of railroad taxes due on May
l, amounting to something over 81
100000, will keep the treasury well
supplied. Heretofore both the state
tax and the railroad taxes were due
and paid in February but the last leg
islature changed the time for the pay
ment of both
Treasurer johnson filed a statement
of the expenses of his department for
February showing total, including
salaries. OF S1,7S133.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
DYNAMITE BLAST KILLS
TWO PERSONS AT ST. LOUIS
Many Others Are Injured and Thirty
Houses Demolished by Sewer
Explosion.

st. Louis, March AT least two
persons are known to have been killed
and twenty-eight injured, seven of
them seriously, when five cases of dy-
Mantle stored at Maplewood for sewer
construction work exploded on Mon
day. Maplewood is a suburb of about
5000 people. adjoining st. Louis on
the southwest.
approximately thirty houses, most
of them frame, were demolished by
the explosion. and many other houses
were damaged Windows were broken
for fifteen blocks.
Searching parties explored the ruins
for more bodies. which it was feared
had been buried in the wreckage.
The powder house in which the dy-
Mantle was stored belonged to the
Cooney Construction company. which
is building sewer in Maplewood TO
connect with a st. Louis sewer.
First reports were that the explo-
sion had resulted in an appalling loss
of life and that 100 had been injured.
All available ambulances and patrol
wagons in ST. kouSs and four fire com
panies were rushed to Haplewood.
The cause of the explosion is not
known. A hole sixty feet in diameter
and fifteen feet deep was torn in the
ground by the blast, which was heard
several miles away.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
Ask Loans to Build Schools.

That the smaller cities of Wisconsin
are building new schools with a rapid
ity and breadth Of scope never before
approached is evidenced by the fact
that applications for building loans
have recently been received by the
state department of public instruc-
ton in the amount of $750.00O These
applications come under the state law
providing for the loaning of state
money to the extent of FIVE per cent
of the total assessed valuation for
school building purposes.
Shawano recently voted to erect a
100000 high school building which.
when finished. viii be one of the finest
In the state Amigo has also voted
to replace the building recently burned
by $4,000 high school. Both of these
buildings will be one story buildings,
according to the latest methods of
erecting schools and will include large
gymnasiums. auditoriums, manual
training and domestic art departments,
as we'll as academic facilities.
Osseo is planning the erection of a
$4,000 building; Fall River one that
will eventually cost $4,000; Bangor a
$4,000 school, and the $4,000 high
school at Lodi has just been COM
pleted.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
NO ORDERS TO SINK DIVERS.
Says Merchantmen Not Directed to
Attack

Attack.
London, March 2.-On the eve of the
date set by Germany for the beginning
of her new submarine campaign
against armed merchant vessels. Lord
Robert Cecil. minister Of war trade. is
sued a statement giving the British
view OF the status Of such merchant
ment This statement, which is in an
swer to queries whether merchantmen
have been instructed to take the Of
fensive against submarines. says:
The British view has always been
that defensively armed merchantmen
must not fire on submarines or any
other warships. except in self-defense.
The Germans have twisted a pas
sage in document Ls-,sen from a
transport which they sank into mean
ing that merchant vessels have in
structions to take the offensive. This
is not so.
Tine passage in question, which lays
down a maximum distance beyond
which merchant ships are advised nce
to fire. must be read in conjunction
with another passage which makes It
perfectly clear that merchant vessels
must not attack unless a submarine
shoys Enthusiastically hostile inten.
tions"
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
FRENCH STEAMER
SENT TO BOTTOM
Military Cruiser La Provence
Lost in Mediterranean.
CAUSE OF DISASTER UNKNOWN
Eight Hundred and Seventy SurViV'
ors Reported Landed-Former
Liner Believed to Have Been
Torpedoed.

Paris, March More han 900 lives
are believed to have been lost in the
sinking of the French auxiliary cruiser
Provence, formerly in service as a
transatlantic liner, in the middle Medi-
terranean on Saturday.
Eighteen hundred persons were
aboard the cruiser, an official state
ment from the ministry Of marine on
Tuesday stated.
Four hundred survivors were land
ed at Milo, while 296 of the crew have
arrived at Malta.
admiralty put the total number prob
ably saved at $40, making the number
missing about 900.
Ten boats are now at the scene OF
the disaster, continuing the search
for other survivors, the ministry OF
marine announced.
Dispatches from Paris, transmitted
through Paris direct, and also other
dispatches, transmitted thrc-Ngh Lon
don. did not state whether the Pro
venee was sunk by a submarine. by
a mine or was the victim of an acct
dent.
Submarines are known to have been
operating IN the Mediterranean
for some time, the British steamer
Fastnet and a Swedish steamer hav-
ing been torpedoed in those waters
within the last few days.
La Provence was one Of the largest
and finest of the French line vessels.
Her gross tonnage was 1888. She
was built at St. Nazaire in 1906, was
SOP feet long. So feet beam and 80 feet
deep. She was requisitioned by the
French government for naval service
at the outbreak of the war.
La Provence entered the transatian-
tic service when the speed rivalry
among the British, French and German
lines was at its height, and engaged
in a number OF exciting races, in one
of which she defeated the Cunarder
Mauretania
In all probability the Provence was
carrying troops either from or to Salo-
Mkt.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
UndersheriH Gets Job.

That upon the death Of sheriff the
undersheriff becomes sheriff, subject
to all the liabilities and penalties inn
posed upon the sheriff. is the opinion
of Attorney General Owen given to
Charles A. Taylor of Barron county.
The opinion is the aftermath of the
killing of Sheriff Matthew Olson. After
his death the undersheriff performed
the sheriff's duties, and the question
arises as to whether he is entitled to
the sheriff's salary. The attorney gen.
eral holds that he IS.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
Voting Machine for Assembly.

A contract for the installation of a
voting machine for use by the assem-
bly, was let by the capital commission
to the Universal Indicator company of
New York, the price to be s11 1000
when it is installed and working sat
isfactorily.
The machine is an electrical device
by which the vote of the members may
be taken instantly. each member press
ing button and the indicator showing
by colored light whether the vote is
yes or mo" II is similar to the one
being installed in the house of repre-
sentatives at cost, it is said. of $685.
900.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
New interpretations.

tNCW
The Lakeside Dyeing & Tailoring
company. Madison: capital. $4,000:
incorporators, Michael Davy. George
Davy and Louis ]. Ladiner.
The Pound-Klondike Implement &
Grain company. Coleman: capital. ST..
500: incorporators, Theodore F.
Knappmnier. Albert j. Cinejla and
George J. Stodola.
The Squaw Creek Cheese factory,
Black River Falls; capital. $1,000: in
corporators. Neuman Nelson, o. D.
Void. Lawrence Olson. r. Holmgren
and Frank T. Thill.
The Eng Brothers company, Den.
mark; mercantile business: capital.
$4,000: incorporators. John F. Eng,
David NJ Enc and George J. Enz.
The Mutual Machinery company,
Fulton: capital. $3.50: incorporators,
James R. Thomson. Albert Stark and
George W. Stark
Brown-Sehefrin company. Milwau-
kee; capital $4,000; incorporators,
r. E. Locher. Samuel Schefrin. B. F.
Saltzstein.
Saxon Telephone company. Saxon:
capital, $4,000; incorporators, E. S.
Murrell. Mayme Young. Louis
Charon.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-08
MAIL ROBBED or 100000.
Registered Packages Are Stolen From
Ferry at Jersey City.

Ferry at Jersey City.
New York, March 1.-The robbery
of four valuable registered mail pack
ages, in what appears to have been an
attempt to steal at least 100000 in
currency consigned to New York
banks, became known here on Monday
The robbery occurred Saturday morn
ing, when United States mail auto
mobile truck was entered while it was
on ferry bound from the New Jersey
Central railroad station at Communi-
paw, N. J., to Liberty street, New York.
The packages were stolen from mail
pouches, three OF which were from
Washington and one from Baltimore.
According to unofficial reports one OF
the stolen Washington packages con-
tanned 100000.